till the 21st of July 1807; when a coup de soleil reduced him to an incurable state, and ultimately put an end to his life after six days passed in the agitations of * An affection not uncommon in warmer climates, proceeding from exposing the head to the too powerful heat of the sun. a convulsive lethargy. On opening his head, it was found that there had been a large ulcer on the surface of the left side of the brain, but which had healed to the extent of two-thirds: this probably was the cause of his first attack, and would have healed entirely if a fresh accident had not occurred to prevent it. SCARCE TRACTS, WITH EXTRACTS AND ANALYSES OF SCARCE BOOKS. It is proposed in future to devote a few Pages of the Monthly Magazine to the Insertion of such Scarce Tracts as are of an interesting Nature, with the Use of which we may be favoured by our Correspondents; and under the same Head to introduce also the Analyses of Scarce and Curious Books. TH "The Hierarchie of the blessed Angels; their Names, Orders, and Offices; the Fall of Lucifer with his Angels: written by Thomas Heywood." London, 1635. HIS is a poem in nine books, to which are attached profuse notes; so that one is at a loss to guess whether the verse was made in order to usher in the prose,or the prose to usher in the verse.The author is a sincere friend to piety and superstition he is willing to worship the Trinity and all the nine orders of angels; and to believe in devils, imps, alastors, and every other class of cacodemons. His poetic and his religious love of the marvellous are so mingled, that it may be doubted whether he abhors atheism nore as the foe of imagination, or as the foe of credulity. The first book is entitled Uriel, or the Seraphim; and descants on the being of a God. Instances are given of heaven's revenge against impiety. This is one: The atheist Lucian held God's son in scorn; And, walking late, by dogs was piecemeal torn: Yet for the love I to his learning owe, Unhappy Lucian, what sad passionate verse Shall I depose upon the marble stone herse With bays or cypress? I do not bewone Thy death, but thus thy dying. Had thy creed As firm been as thy wit fluent and high, All that have read thy works would have To have transferr'd thy soul above the sky, The second book, or tractate, is called Jophic, or the Cherubim; and treats of the unity of the Godhead, in opposition to the polytheists: the author's orthodoxy is The monady, or number one, we see The third book is called Zaphkiel, or the Thrones; and describes the structure of the universe. The fourth book is Zadchiel, or the What ternions and classes he "I have read of a noble centurion in the lower part of Germany, of great for his approved goodness and known ho opinion and estimation with the people, nesty, who reported this discourse following: That walking one evening through a thicket or grove, not far distant from the place in which he lived, with only one man and a boy to attend him, he saw approaching toward him a fair and goodly company of knights and gentlemen, all seeming persons of great eminence, for they were mounted on tall and brave horses, and well accommodated at all points; all which, without any salutation, in great silence past by him. In the lag of the troop, he fixed his eye with some astonishment on one, who, to his present present imagination, had served him, and been his cook, who was dead and buried some days before this apparition. This fellow was as well mounted as the rest, and led au empty or spare horse by the bridle. "The centurion, being a man of undaunted spirit, went up close to him, and demanded what he was; and whether he were the same cook who had lately served him, and whom he had seen coffined, and laid in the earth? Who answered him again, that, without any doubt or scruple, he was the self-same man. His master then asked him, what gentlemen, or rather noblemen, as appeared by their habit, were those that rid before; and to what purpose he led that empty horse in his hand? To all which he replied in order: that those horsemen were men of note and quality, naming to him divers whom he knew were deceased; and that they were now upon a voyage to the Holy Land, whither he himself was likewise bound; and that the spare horse was provided on purpose to do him service, if it so pleased him, and that he had any desire to see Jerusalem. The centurion made answer, that with great willingness he should find in his heart to see that city, and visit the holy sepulchre, whither, if means and leisure had favoured his purpose, he long since intended a pilgrimage. The other told him, now was the time, his horse ready, no necessaries wanting, and he could not go in better company. sympathy, between the angelic hierarchy and the planetary system. The sixth book is named Raphael, or the Powers; and describes the fall of Lucifer. The war of these angels differs from that of Milton's. Our poet says: Shall I now tell The weapons, engines, and artillery, By the two motions of the wild and mind: Now both of these in Lucifer the devil, evil. Those that in Michael the arch.angel reign'd, And his good spirits, meekly were maintain❜d. In hell is grief, pain, anguish, and annoy, Sighs and suspires, woe and unpitied moans, groans: Of fire or light no comfortable beams, "At these words the bold centurion "The next evening, at the same jour and in the same place, he was found by his servants and friends, who were there assembled, seeking and enquiring after him. To them he related his journey, and all he had seen in the holy city, describing punctually every monument and place of remark; which agreed with the relations of such travellers and pilgrims as had been there, and had brought certificate and assured testimony from thence. He showed unto them likewise a kerchief, which that cook his servant, or rather devil in his likeness, had given him, stained with blood; but told him, if at any time it were foul or dirty he should cast it into the fire, for that was the only way to make it clean." The fifth book, entitled Haniel, or the Vertues; treats of the consonance, or But with more terror than the heart can think, The sight with darkness, and the smell with stink; The taste with gall in bitterness extreme, hearing with their curses that blas pheme; The The touch with snakes and toads crawling The seventh book, called Kamael, or the Principates; imitates some passages of Dante about the rebel angels. The eighth book, Michael; treats of succuba, incubi, alastors, and in gene ral of "Satan's wiles and feats prestigious." Now of those spirits whom Succube we call, I read what in Sicilia did befall. Rogero reigning there, a young man much That Proceed from her, which did to him appear A friend of his said, he was much misled by, And vows, unless she tell him whence she Was from his fellows snatch'd away, and drownd By the same spirit, his body no where found. It will be perceived from the foregoing specimens, that the pauses are, as i blank verse, studiously remote from the end of the line; that the versification is natural but vulgar, easy but insipid, fluent but diffuse; and that it is not as a mine of diction, but only of fable, that this poem can be consulted with advantage by future writers. The notes, on the contrary, contain much curious information, marvellous anecdotes from forgotten writers, and moral commonplaces robed in that solemn antique garb which secures to usual truths a more than usual attention. The firmness of the author's faith, will, in these days out quoting his own words: book iv. of scepticism, hardly be imagined withP. 219. "I began the former tractate with the hierarchy of angels, their three classes, or ternions, their order and concatenation, in which I have proceeded with that plainness, that I hope they need no further demonstration. As also of the opinion of the Sadducees and others, who will allow no spirits or angels at all; their weak and unmomentary tenets Angels were the first creatures God being with much facility removed. with the light to serve God, who is the made, created pure as the light, ordained lord of light. They have charge to conduct us, wisdom to instruct us, and grace to preserve us. They are the saints' tutors, heaven's heralds, and the body's and soul's guardians. Furthermore, as Origen saith, every one's angel that hath guided him in this life, shall at the last day produce and bring his charge forth, whom he hath governed. They, at all times, and in all places, behold the majesty of the heavenly Father. And, according to saint Augustin, they were created immortal, beautiful, innocent, good, free, and subtile, thus resembling afar off the essence of God himself.” Extracts Extracts from the Portfolio of a Man of Letters. FIGS. NIGS have, from the earliest times, been reckoned among the delights of the palate. Shaphan, the scribe, who made, for the use of the young king Josiah, that compendium of the law of Moses, which is called Deuteronomy, enumerates among the praises of his country, (Deuteronomy viii. 8,) that it was a land of figs. And the poetic-spirit of the prophet Amos was formed (Amos vii. 14,) under the shade of figtrees, whose fruit it was his profession to gather. The Athenians valued figs at least as highly as the Jews. Alexis, (in the Deipnosophists) calls figs "a food for the gods." Pausanias says, that the Athenian Phytalus was rewarded by Ceres for his hospitality with the gift of she first fig-tree. Some foreign guest, no doubt, transmitted to him the plant, which he introduced in Attica. It succeeded so well there, that Athenæus brings forward Lynceus and Antiphanes, (liv. xiv. p. 485,) vaunting the figs of Attica as the best on earth. Horap pollo, or rather his commentator Bolzani, says, that when the master of a house is going a journey, he hangs out a broom of fig-boughs for good luck. Our forefathers preferred a broom of birch; as if, in the master's absence, it was well to remember the rod. A taste for figs marked the progress of refinement in the Roman empire. In Cato's time, but six sorts of figs were known; in Pliny's, twenty-nine. (liv. xiii. c. 7.) The sexual system of plants seems first to have been observed in the fig-tree; whose artificial impregnation is taught by Pliny, under the name caprification. In modern times, the esteem for figs has been still more widely diffused. When Charles V. visited Holland in 1540, a Dutch merchant sent him, as the greatest delicacy which Zirik see could offer, a plate of figs. The gracious emperor dispelled for a moment the fogs of the climate, by declaring that he had never eaten figs in Spain with superior pleasure. Carter, (p. 367) praises the figs of Malaga; Tournefort, (vol. i. p. 19) those of Marseilles; Ray, (p. 436) those of Italy; Brydone, (p. 127) those of Sicily; Dumont, (p. 150) those of Malta; Browne, (p. 144) those of Thessaly; Pococke, (vol. vi. p. 276) those of Mycone; De la Mottraye, (vol. i. p. 431) those of Tenedos and Mitylene; Chandler, (p. 188) those of Smyrna; Maillet, (p. 107) those of Cairo; and lady Wortley Montagu, (vol. ii. p. 163) those of Tunis. What less can be inferred from the conspiring testimony of the most learned of the travelled, and of the most travelled of the learned, than that whereever there is a fig there is a feast? It remains for Jamaica, and the contiguous islands, to acquire that celebrity for the growth of figs, which yet attaches to the eastern archipelago; to learn to dry them as in the Levant; and to supply the desserts of the food-fanciers of London. CURIOUS TRADITION. Previously to the dissolution of monasteries in England by king Henry VIII., there was at Cardigan an image of the Virgin, which was much resorted to by pilgrims, even from distant parts, and produced very considerable revenues to the church. Tradition asserted, that it had been originally discovered swimming in the river Teivi, with a lighted wax taper in its hand; that after its removal, this taper burnt for several years without any diminution of its substance; but that on some persons committing perjury, in swearing upon it, it was suddenly extinguished, and never burned afterwards. Hence it became esteemed an invaluable relic; and, as such, was declared by the monks entitled to receive adoration. The dissolution of monasteries, of course, put an end to its influence; and the first information was laid against it by Dr. William Barlow, bishop of St. Davids, who at that time professed the principles of protestantism, but who, a few years afterward, recanted, and again became a catholic. The following is a copy of his curious letter, and of the consequent examinations respecting the taper, of the prior, and the vicar. In Barlow's letter, he earnestly requests to have the see of his bishopric removed to Caermarthen. The year in which the letter was written is not inserted, but there is reason to suppose it was 1537.~ "After my right humble commendations, the benevolent goodness of your lordship toward me appeareth both by your lordship's lettres, and by relacion of M. Doct. Barnes concernynge soch somes somes of moneye as I am yndebted to the kyngs highnes favorably to be res pited, though I canot in this, nor in other your manyfold benefits, condignly make recompensation, yet the little that I maye to the utmost of my pore possibilitye my unfayned endeavor shal not fayle faythefully to pfine. Concernynge your lordships letres, addressed for the taper of Haverforde West, ere the receyte of them I had done reformacon, and openly detected the abuse therof; all pties which before tyme repugned penitently reconcyled. "But sythen I chaunced upon another taper of most great credyte and of more shameful detestacon, called our ladyes taper of Cardigan, which I haue sente here to your lordship with convenyent instructyons of that develish delusyon. For where I admonished the canons of Sainte Davyds, accordinge to the kyngs instructions in no wyse to set forth fayned reliques for to allure people to supersticion, neither to advance the vayne observacons of unnecessary holy dayes, abrogated by the kings supreme authoritye, at Sainte Davids daye the people wilfully solemnized the feast; then reliques were set forth, which I caused to be sequestered and taken av y, detayning them in my custody untill I may be advertised of your lordship's pleasure. The parcels of the reliques are these: two heedes of syluer plate, enclosinge two rotten skulles stuffed with putrified clowtes. Item: two arme bones, and a worm eaten booke couered with syluer plate. Of the canons showinge negli gence towarde the prefermente of Gods word, and what ungodly disguysed sermone was preached in the cathedrall churche in the feest of Innocents last passed, they being present with an auditory of or in hundred psons, this bearer a mynister of the saine church shall forder declare, hauynge pte of the said sermone in wrytinge apparente to be showed. Forthermore, though I myght see more presumptuous then neadeth to moue any sute for the trans lacion of the see from Sainte Daivds to Kermerddyn, yet my good lorde the juste equytye thereof and expedyente utilytie enforceth me so to presume, consyderinge that a better deade for the comen wealth and dew reformacon of the who'e mysordered dyocesse cannot be purposed as well for the preferremente of Gods word, as for the abolyshinge of all antichristian suspicion, and therein the kyngs supreme maiestie to be amplyfied with the universall comoditye of his graces subjects there reseaunte, annoyenge non with discomoditye excepte pchaunce foure or fyve prsons.will surnyse their pryvate pleasor to be anoyed in pfytinge the comon wealth. "And the cause ptlye that moueth me thus with imtortunitye to be urgente in my sute ys the over sumptuous expences that the canons haue incrysed in reedifyenge the body of theyre cathedrall church, which ere it be fully fyneshed will utterly consume the small residew of the church treasure remayninge in their custody, without any profitable effecte savinge to nourish clatteringe conventycles of barbarous rurall psons: the deformed habitacons of the pore collegyans in such beggerly ruyne and so wretchedly decayed that honestye will abhoorre to beholde them, which to remedy, pleaseth the kyngs lyghnes of his gracious bountye to graunt the grey freres place at Kermerddyn, where his moste noble pgenitor and graundefather lyeth honorably entiered, lycensynge the see thydder to be translated, which (his grace pleasor condescendinge) maye be pformed without any chargeable difficultie. And not only the pore collegyans, but also the canons residentaryes, myght be there pleasantly enhabited with habundant pvision of all necessarie commoditie, continually hauinge opportune occasion to pfite the kyngs subjects, whereas at St. Davids lurking in a desolate corner, they that be best mynded can do veraye litle good in case they wold, sauyinge to themselues. And con cernynge the freres, that they nether shuld be agreeved with any piudice, I dowte not but under the kyngs hyghnes favor of soch pferrements as I haue of his grace, sufficiently to pvyde for evry one of them that shall be founde an able mynister of Christes church in competente lernynge and honest conversacon. Moreouer, the sayde towne of Kermerddyn beinge the most frequented place and indifferently situate in the myddle of the dyocesse, I myght thene, (and God willinge so I wolde) settle my contynuall consistory assisted with lerued psons, maynteynenge a free gramer scole with a dayly lecture of holy scripture, whereby God's honor principally preferred, the Welsh rudenes decreasynge, christian cyvilitye may be introduced, to the famous renowne of the kynges su premycye, whose princely maiestye Al |