ftone figure of a priest, and this infcrip- In the South aile, a flab with a triple crofs on steps between a hammer and pincers. In the outer wall, next the road of a chapel, just out of Hounflow, on the North, is inferted in a quatrefoil a fhield with the following coats quartered: 1. a faltire between 12 crofs crcfflets; 2. a bend cottifed charged with mul he will find room for his imagination. One would fuppofe, from the frequency of pews built round and against monuments, that their prefervation was the motive. Unfortunately, this is not the cafe, as many an unlucky tomb evinces. I could have wished the pews in fome other fituation when fketching the arch. Fig. 3. and 4. are copied from feals in poffeffion of the Corporation at Chesterfield. I had not time or I should have drawn two or three others, which were in excellent prefervation, and finely ex lets between.... ecuted. . . . . . . . ; 3. a cross mo. line; 4. 5. 6 effaced. Round the fhield is the feal to William Biwerr Fig. 3 an imperfect infcription, in which may the younger's confirmation of his father's just be diftinguished grant to Chefte.field. In the reign of King John, the town was incorporated Moun... in favour of W. Briwerr. Baldwin Wake, by marrying the daughter of borough W. B. junior, obtained poffeffion of that Mr. URBAN, Windfor Jan. 3. IN addition to what has been faid of N addition to what has been faid of monuments in it, vol. LXIII. p. 977. I prefent you a reprefentation of the figure whofe head is fo unaccountably mutilated. Surely no artifi could have erred fo egregioufly as to have re-placed a broken head in a manner fo totally out of Nature. As fome chifling was neceffary to fit on the new one, what could have been his motive for leaving the old chin? Poffibly fome modern restorer, imitating his predecefor, may furnish him with a pair of old feet in race of his abfent hands. However, I do not mean to treat the fubject lightly. What has been faid occurred on meeting an observation, that it was a mutilated flatue, mended in the manner it now ftands. If this be really the cafe, nothing can be more ridiculous, or better calculated to raise a smile. As the whole is detached, and the other monuments perfe&t, I cannot help thinking its hiftory worthy of invefligation. If any of your correfpondents fhould incline to purfue the fubje&t, 1 muft obferve, that the knight appears to me to have been too well carved to fuppofe the original fculptor to blame. (See plate III. fig. 1.) Fig. 2. is the monument defcribed in P. 977. It has been covered with un disturbed duft, mats, and pews, for many years, except, at diftant intervals, the curious Traveller, or hardy Antiquary, thrufts his adventurous face clofe upon it, in defiance of kneeling cushions, ragged boards, and crooked nails. After all, * It has firce been inclosed by pews, and mutilated. See the next letter. EDIT. GENT. MAG. January, 1794 Fig. 4. belongs to Wake's grant to the borough of Chefterfield, 22 Edw. I. I have only to obferve to D. H. p. 990 (and P. P. p. 817), in anfwer to his denunciation of ignorance against me, that fhifting his ground with his name will not make his obfervation more current. He plainly fays, p. 817, he never heard John the Baptift was reprefented naked. Surely this embraces the whole circle of painting, fculpture, &c. &c. and by no means confines it to Gothic ftatuary. As this fubject cannot be amufing to your readers, no reply to an answer will be made by yours, &c. J. P. MALCOLM. Mr. URBAN, BY Briol, Jan. 7. Y giving a place to the following calculation of the eclipfe of the moon for February next, you will much oblige, Yours, &c. J. LOVEGROVE. On Friday, Feb. 14, near ten at night, will happen a great and total eclipfe of the moon, and greater than will happen for fome years to come, vifible to all Europe, Africa, Aña, and America, and through fome of the iflands in the Eaftern fea; as a lunar eclipfe is caufed by the Moon's paling through the earth's shadow (cift by the Sun, and extending beyond the Moon's orbit), and being in the continuation of a right line joining the centers of the Sun and earth, and nearly in the plane of her motion, and is visible wherever the Moon is above the horizon at the t me of the ecliple. (See the Type in Plate III. fig. 5) Feb. INC End of total darkness Duration of total darkness [For fig. 6. fee p. 25.] Mr. URBAN, Ottery St. Mary, Dec. 4. NCLOSED is a very accurate reprefentation (plate II. fig. 7.) of a fhoe, fabricated in the fixteenth century, and discovered, by mere chance, in the hollow of a wall of an old house, near Tivamon, in Devonshire. In the days of good queen Befs, a fhoemaker made the original, of which this is a faithful portrait. Its owner must have been in the habit of economy, as the fhoe, or, if you pleafe, fandal, feems to have been frequently under the hands of the cob. ler, who was not sparing in the nail, in the Devonshire language, termed fperable, a nail without a head. The upper leather was certainly a very deli. cious repaft for the worm, as its inva fions are very visible. The wall, which covered or rather inclosed it, was thought folid, until demolished; and this formal piece of antiquity was traced in the Northern corner of an old oven, where it was accidentally left for the the purpose of recovering its clafticity. Some of your correfpondents, perhaps, may tell us to whom this shoe belonged, as it carries as much her Idic ornament with it as needs be. The upper-leather is the double tanned; and, but for the erafure of part by the depredation of the worm, it seems capable of wearing -out another century. 1 remain, Sir, yours, a frequent correfpondent, though under different signatures, F. S. Mr URBAN, Chelsea, Jan. 11. ET me give you, as I now recollect the late JOHNSON, which, had 1 fooner caled to mind, thou'd have been forwarded to our fries! Mr. Bofwell, his excellent biographer. It was related to me many years lince by a well-known divine; and I believe it to be genuine. It certainly carries with it a degree of inter nat evidence that feems to warrant a Jobalenian origin. While Johoton was preparing his Dictionary, he one morning called at lord Chefe field', either upon butjaefs, 9 12 38 10 5 47 10 58 36. 9 55 27 10 48 16 32 4 17 45 58 11 53 57 I 35 38 21 33′′ or to pay his compliments to a fuppofed patron. Some more fortunate vifitor had preceded him in the levee, and engaged his lordship in converfation fo long after Johnson's name had been announced, that at laft our Lexicographer's patience became exhaufted; he felt hurt by the fancied humiliation, and went away in a fret. On his way home, he dropped in at Mr. Robert Dodfley's, the ingenious book feller; and after rapidly thumbing over several new publications in his ufual defultory manner, Mr. Dodsley took notice of the agitation which his countenance ftrongly evinced; and very kindly afked the caufe. Johnson told him, as above; and Mr. D. with his wonted urbanity, fuggefted to him how likely it was that a nobleman, so celebrated for politeness, might be too much engaged at the time, to pay him the attention which otherwife he certainly would have done. "Ah, Robin, Rob:n!" exclaimed our Socrates; "it won't do. My attentions to him have been unfparingly dealt out. I tell you, I have all this while been only gilding a rotten post." Yours, &c. Mr. URBAN, YOUR *B. * * Dec. 18. YOUR correfpondent MARCUS is difpleafed without caufe. Far from meaning to depreciate the merits of the marching regiments, I would prefume to be their hiftorian, vere I as nearly connected with any one of them as I am with the brigade; and I know that their valour and activity would tank an pleafing duty of celebrating the heroes of Britain, the deserts of all cannot be particularly pointed out by a fingle writer. Sincerely, however, do I with, that each gallant corps would furnish a feparate hiftorian, as I am well fatisfied that most of your readers would find their hearts elated by peruling fuch interrefting narratives. MARCUS, "were he to furnish an accurate detail of the a&tion at Ln. celies," writes, that "he would not omit the officers of the allies, nor thofe of our own line, who were prefent, and participated in the danger and in the glory." The detail would coft him very little pains, fince none of "our a!lies" were in that action (except, indeed, the Dutch, whofe retreat, he might have recorded); nor (artillery excepted) any other officers or foldiers whatever, except the brigade of British foot-guards. Had any regiments of the line been engaged in the affair, none can doubt but that they would have had their full share of the honour. AMONGST the many valuable an tiquities which abound in the county of Leicester, Ashby Cafie (the fear of the Huntingdon family) claims a confpicuous place, as a very noble ruin. This caftle was taken by the forces of the parliament during the Ufurpation, and nearly torn down by the army, fince its walls are only left ftanding, all the ornaments, outworks, &c. being dismantled by the tyrannical order of Cromwell, who, as it is faid, found this caftle a valuable repofitory for his military fores, and a poft of confiderable importance, fince it commands the town of Athby, and is a pretty fecure fituation. It is highly probable that it was pulled down on the evacuation of it by Cromwell's troops. This general elected batteries on Coleorton Moor, and thence attacked it. Near the caftle is a triangular build ing, which was (as report faith) made of this fingular fhape, to direct the balls from penetrating its fides, and to flide off: yet, this feems a mistake, fince, were a bail to ftrike on the fides, (See plate III. fig. 8.) which might happen, it would confiderably damage it; for inftance-were a ball from it to ftrike B, it would eafily effect a breach; but, were a ball from C to strike G, I conclude it would glance off, and arrive at E, The road from Ashby to Leicester is very pleafant, and abundant in pro1pects. One, particularly beautiful, attracts the traveller's notice when he ar rives at the top of the hill above the village of Ravenftone. Bardon Hill is confpicuous on the left hand. The beautiful village of Ravenftone is before you; and the right fide, the profpect appears fingularly diverfified with the woods, and plains abounding with ver Mr. URBAN, Langton, near Spilsby, AM glad to find that your corefpondent E. (vol. LXIII. p. 816.) apneral efcutcheon; but muft beg leave to proves of my account of Cromwell's fuoffer the following obfervations. are the arms of Boucher." He fays "the first and fourth quarters thofe arms were granted, in 1610, to an In fact, ancestor of the Sir James Boucher, mentioned in my letter. The fecond quarter, which he is unacquainted with, I apprehend, is the arms of the Pyntrell family. The third quarter is certainly, in fome refpects, the fame as the arms of Rachel, viscountefs Falkland; but it feems not evident that it is "exactly" has not blazoned the arms of lady Falk fimilar; for, your correfpondent D. H. land, nor is her family known. In vol. LXII. plate111. the bars areGules; but, in the escutcheon of Cromwell, they appear to have been either Azure or Sable, the particular colour cannot be determined however, as no inftances can, I think, be produced where the bars are fable in a field Argent, &c. it is not improbable that the third quarter was intended for the arms of Kernabyt. I take this opportunity to request an explanation of an antient portrait of a man in aftriped habit; round the neck a ruff and a gold chain; a ring upon the little finger of the right hand; and, larger ring with a coat of arms; he on the fore finger of the left hand, a has alfo a word by his fide. In the left corner of the picture is a coat of "Way to Happiness," a poem. + Argent, two bars Azure, in chief three hurts, arms arms fimilar to that on the ring, Argent on a chevron Sable, three fleurs de lis of the firft, a chief of the fecond charged with a lion paffant, guardant Or. And in the right corner this date" an. Dni. 1568, ætatis fuæ, 45." The piece is in the ftyle and manner of Holbein ; and upon the back of it is written BISHOP GARDINER. The ignorance of the' perfon, who imagined it was the portrait of the celebrated Stephen Gardiner, bishop of Winchefter, is remarkable. The date, &c. entirely refute that fuppofition. Yours, &c. May Magazine, from writing to you. I owe it, however, to the memory of Dr. Sharp, as well as to myfelf, to tell you that in the letter made up from the one I wrote to a very refpectable Prelate *, you have omitted the moft material circumftance of the whole, viz. my wish to avoid any reflection for publishing private letters without proper permiffion. Not knowing how to apply to the Doctor's family, it occurred to me to fend the papers to one, who, I was well affured, would permit nothing to be printed that could difcredit his departed friend. I have long confidered the publishing of confidential unguarded letters, after a man's death, without the confent of his heir, as a fort of misprifion of treafon against fociety. And, though the letter in queftion be of a public nature, it was nevertheless proper I fhould act with delicacy. Yours, &c. Jo. RAMSAY. Line 2, for unum read unum e. ALLOW me, through the vehicle of your valuable Mifcellany, to congratulate my country on the honour the has acquired by the promulgation of the famous Cudex Alexandrinus, by Dr. Woide, and alfo of Beza's Teftament, by Dr. Kipling. Thefe venerable and The infcription for Bamburgh caftle, p. valuable records of our holy religion 389,can reflect no additional honour on are rendered the more invaluable from the character of Dr. Sharp : yet it is being executed typographically, in a fomewhat grating to its author, to fee it fac-fimile manner to the Unique Origi- publifhed fo very inaccurately, as to be, nals. I with very much to be informed, in fome paffages, almoft unintelligible. by fome of your learned and curious When, therefore, you do me the juftice readers, whether it is in contemplation to infert this letter, I hope you will like, to publish, in a fimilar manner, Tex-wife print the following lift of errata. tus San&i Cuthberti, now in the Cottonian library (Nero, D. 4): and that valuable MS. preferved in the cathedral of Lichfield, called St. Chad's Gofpels. While I am on the subject of ancient learning, let me recommend to you the confideration of publishing a collection of etchings, coloured, from the beautiful historical paintings preserved in the many Miffals in the Museum, public libraries, and private collections, in this kingdom: allo of the authenticated portraits from the fame fource. They would tend to elucidate the hiftory, manners, drefs, &c. &c. of the English nation. An old drawing of London (temp. Henry VII.) is preferved in the Museum; and many others of cities, palaces, churches, caftles, &c. might be given, in addition to thele preserved in the Vetufta Monumenta, the originals of which are now no more. If this hint appears in your Magazine, it may, perhaps, roufe fome attention to the fubje&t; in which cafe I fhall be greatly over paid in thus addreffing you. Yours, &c. R. R. 8, for borticulum, read borti cultum. 22, Ditto, for mereris, read mireris. 24, for præda tenebris, vead prædatoribus. 33, for fulere, read judex. 32, for alloquitur, read alloquetur, Ditto, for devincet, read devincit. was repaired in happier times, to whom hofpitality is more sweet than wealth to the worldling; and the affiftant is a friendless negro, who, (ftrange to tell !) on being fet free, had well nigh become an outcaft of fociety. *Mr. R. well knows BY WHOм the letter was tranfmitted to the prefs. EDIT. Ал Account of the firf News-paper eftablished in England. (From Lord Mountmorres's Hiftory of the Irish Parliament, vol. II. p. 123). JULY 9, 1662, a very extraordinary queftion arofe, about preventing the publication of the debates of the Irith Parliament in an English news-paper called The Intelligencer; and a letter was written from the Speaker to Sir Edward Nicholas, the English fecretary of state, to prevent thefe publications in thofe Diurnals, as they call them. The London Gazette commenced Nov. 7, 1665. It was at first called the Oxford Gazette, from its being printed there during a feffion of parliament held there on account of the laft plague. Antecedent to this period, Sir R. l'Eftrange published the first daily news-paper in England. From the following paffage in Tacitus, it appears that fomewhat like news-papers were circulated in the Roman fate: Diurna populi Romani, per provincias, per exercitus, curatius leguntur: quam ut non nolcatur, quid Thrafea, fecerit." In a note of Mr. Murphy's excellent tranflation of Tacitus he laments that none of these Diurnals, or News- papers, as he calls them, had been preferved, as they would caft great light upon the private life and manners of the Romans. With the Long Parliament originated appeals to the people, by accounts of their proceedings. Thefe appeared periodically, from the first of them, called "Diurnal Occurrences of Parliament," Nov. 3, 1641, to the Restoration. These were fomewhat like our Magazines, and they were generally called "Mercuries;" as Mercurius Politicus, Mercurius Ruficus; and one of them, in 1644, appears under the odd title of "Mercurius Fumigofus, or the Smoking Nocturnal." The number of these publications appears, from a lift in an accurate, new, and valuable piece of biography, from 1641 to 1660, to have been 156. Thefe publications of parliamentary proceedings were interdicted after the Restoration, as appears from a debate in Grey's Collection, March 24, 1681; in confequince of which, the Votes of the Houfe of Commons were first printed by authority of Parliament. From the first regular paper, the abovementioned Public Intelligencer, commencing Aug. 31, 1661, there were, to 1688, with the Gazette, which has continued regularly, as at prefent, from Nov. 7, 1665, 70 papers, fome of a fhort, and others of a longer duration. The first daily paper, after the Revolution, was called "The Orange Intelligencer;" and thence to 1692 there were 26 news-papers. From an advertisement in a weekly paper, called "The Athenian Gazette," Feb. 8, 1696, it appears, that the coffeehoufes in London had then, exclufive of the Votes of Parliament, nine news-papers every week; but there feems not to have been in 1696 one daily paper. In the reign of Queen Anne, there were, in 1709, 18 weekly papers publifhed; of which, however, only one was a daily paper, The London Courant. In the reign of George I. in 1724, there were published three daily, fix weekly, and ten evening papers, three times a-week. In the late reign there were published of news-papers in London, and in all England, in 1753 1760 and in the prefent reign in 7,411,757 9,464,790 1792 15,005,760 In 1792 there were published in London 13 daily, 20 evening, and 9 weekly papers. |