majority of mankind, and that primary impreffions are commonly very lafting. The advice contained in thefe fenti ments it would have been imprudent to neglect; I have therefore endeavoured to render the prefent performance both refpectable in appearance and handfome in embellishment. In thefe particulars I believe no purchafer can reafonably affert that his money was ill beftowed." (p. xi.). Mr. B. acknowledges the Marquis of Lanfdown as the first prompter of this work; and his obligations to Mr. Cunnington, of Heytefbury, Dr. Maton, Mr. T. Davis, Lord Arundel of Wardour, Mr. Beckford, Rev. T. Leman, Rev. W. Coxe, and Mr. Wyndham, Mr. William Owen, P. C. Methuen, Edward King, R. P. Knight and Jofeph Smith, efqrs. Meilrs. R. Philips, Gaby, and Sadler, Nichols, Price, Ellis, and Brayley*, Repton, Nafh, Crockers of Frome, and Storer the engraver. He has republifhed Mr. Wyndham's plan for a Hiftory of the County, which Mr. B. thinks might be made complete and copious in four volumes; and he would engage to get the drawings and engravings executed in three years, in a manner fuperior to any thing ever hitherto performed in a county history;" and if Mr. W. would folicit a few of his literary friends to affemble for the exprefs purpofe of confulting upon this work, Mr. B. is confident that a prompt determination would he the refult.

His work opens with another preface of two pages, and is marked too ftrongly with the turgidity of modern writers. Befides perpetually-repeated profeflions of impartiality, good-nature, and humanity, intermixed with free cenfures of other travellers, not always unmerited, though guarded by fubiniflive and tender caution, his flyle abounds with improper terms; fuch as, "arts flourishing beneath" (p. 4); "fufferings dependent on confufion" (p. 5). Of the beauties of fine writing fee a notable inftance at Salisbury plain (p. 20), and the ingenious difcuffion of the circulation of Roman coins and English guineas (p. 22). "Jofiah Lane transfixed fome of the romantic fcenes of Salvator

In conjunction with this gentleman I have commenced a topographical work, under the title of Beauties of England and Wales," which, with the commumications of friends, and aid of good embellish ments, &c. we hope to make both valuable and interesting." See ftri&ures on it, P. 319.

Pic

Rofa into English ground" (p. 951).
Should it not be " "transferred"
torial fketches (II. 188). P. 8, 1.-an-
tep. for fiill, r. till. P. 24, for Mr. r.
Sir William Blackfione. P. 106, 1. 2,
dele the before Caprea. P. 110, 1. 18,
r. Filibien. P. 118, n. 1. 1, Newber
genfis. P. 135, 1. 15, for Benedicite,
r. Benedictine order. P. 163, 16, an- ·
other kind, qu. bird? P. 165, 1. 4 and
5, for Poppea, r. Poppea. P. 200, 1.5,.
for Diana of Noticos, r. Diana Valenti-
nois P. 311, 1. antep. for Kilmanton,
in Dorferfhite, r. Kilmington, in De
vonthire. For Virgo Veftalis (II. 193),
read a veflal virgin; and dele Marum -
after Bucephalus Alexandri. "That
Wiltfhire is hardly noticed in the fean-
ty records tranfmitted to us from the
meagre pages of the antient hiftorians"
(p. 7) is owing to its extenfive plains
being thinly peopled. The "popula-
tion, originating with the numerous
workmen employed in the various
branches of extenfive trade, is at pre-
fent vaft and increafing." "The di
menfions of the county feem to be de-
termined, by Mr. Davies's Agricultural
Survey, to be 54 miles by 34." 150,000
lambs at leaf are produced and fed
yearly in South Wiltshire only; the
Summer flock of fheep in that diftrict
is little (if any) short of 500,000 (p. 17).

Mr. B.fays, p.38, that a plate, called a "figure of Alefia," is given in the 4to account of Old Sarum, from which Dr. Stukeley appears to have derived his ideas of the circular fireets, equi-diftant towers, &c. of Old Sarum. This 4to account was published after the Doetor's death; fo that, grammatically fpeaking, Mr. B. muft mean that the Doctor borrowed from the figure of Alefia, which was published in the variorum edition of Cæfar's Commentar ries, Leyden, 1713, and perhaps copied from an older.

P. 76, we have an account of Humphry Beckham, ftatuary and carver, of Salisbury, born 1589, died 1671, ap prenticed to Rofgrave, carver, of the fame place. Both hare efcaped Lord Orford. We cannot blame this writer for fuch falfe orthography as feite and firname, when we fee it in better writers, but on what poffible authority we are yet to learn; nor for writing Holingthed, when we have cenfured his betters for fpeaking of Sir William Campden.

P. 89. In the grand jury room is a portrait of Sir Thomas White, a benc

factor

factor to the city. We notice this be caule portraits of him are rare, and their originality doubtful.

When we confider who are the real authors of the mifery, difuffection, and want, afcribed to the peasantry of Wilt fhire, we feel inclined to difpenfe with the fevere inuendos in the note in p. 92. It is not poffible for us to doubt that the monopolizing fpirit of the farmers lays the foundation of thofe miferies which another fet of men, not lefs criminal, foment into difaffection, as if not individuals but government itfelf were to blame. If the fcarcity were not artificial, whence, we would afk, does it arife, that the neceffaries of life are abundantly purchafeable to all who can bring money to market? Inclofures near great towns are the fureft means of cutting off fupplies; for, while waftes were open, and finall farms exifted, it was in the power of the peafantry to raife a fupply of various articles of provifion, which the wealthy monopolift cares not about; but, while he enjoys the luxuries his parfe can purchase, his labourer and cottager have neither meat, drink, nor lodging. The luxurious fpirit of a few individuals fanctions thefe encroachments on the happiness of the community; and, while it converts arable and pafture into streets and fquares, cares not who feels the want of fields in their original productive ftate. "Thus does the fate of places refemble the fortunes of individuals; the aggrandifement of one takes from the fair proportion of another. A cafe rather fimilar, though upon a more magnificent fcale, is the monftrous enlargement of the metropolis, the overgrown head of the kingdom." (p. 131.)

P. 116. How is the acquittal of the murderer of Dr. Raleigh to "operate as a warning example to living revolu tionists, and deter them from concerting, in word or deed, thofe horrors which certainly await anarchy and rebellion ?"

P. 116. "How ftrange that fuch a grofs error fhould pafs unperceived" in the last edition of the Britamia as that Henry III. fhould be faid to build a palace in which Henry II. held a council! How much franger that fuch an error fhould pafs unperceived in the Beauties of Wiltshire," p. 122, that "a paffage in Hearne's curious difcourfes afferts that Edward the Martyr had been hunting in Clarendon foGENT. MAG. July, 1801.

reft on the day that he was affaffinated by the orders of his mother-in-law!" The paflage is in vol. II. p. 312, but not truly cited; for Mr. Agarde there fays, that "St. Edward, returning from hunting in the foreft of Clarendon, be fide Sarifbury, and coming to vifit his mother-in-law, was by her order flain," not, as Mr. B. reprefents it, "on the fime day;" not to mention that all our hiftorians cited by Mr. Hutchins, I. 281, expreffly fay he had been hunting in a wood near Wareham. Nor is it lefs wonderful that our editor fhould let pafs the gigantic ftature of 14 feet, affirmed by Sir Thomas Elyot without an apoftrophe of three !!!

P. 137. Mr. B. fupplies the omiffion of carpet-manufactories in all our Encyclopedia The first carpet was made at Wilton by Duffory, a Frenchman, lately dead, brought over by the prefent Earl of Pembroke's grandfather. Some partners obtained an exclufive patent, which was evaded by others at Kiddermintter, by the alteration of a fingle word. Mr. Young fays, in 1767 a journeyman's wages were but from 10 to 12s. a week, and only about 60 or 80 employed. They now can earn fro 11. 11s. Od. to 21. 2s, a week, and above 1000 perfons are employed.

In the defcription of Wilton and its collection Mr. B. has been affifted by R. P. Knight, efq. Mr. Thomas Phi lips, an artift engaged fome time in the houfe, and Mr. Coxe. The Egyptian ftatues in niches on each fide of the entrance, faid to be of black marble, are only veneered with a kind of flate, and appear to be much damaged by the weather. Mr. Dallaway fays, of the Venus taking the thorn out of her foot, the attitude is more eafy than that of the fame fubject at Florence, &c. &c.; but Mr. B. was "affured by a fkilful artift, and convinced by ocular demonftration, that it poffefles no mérit, either in expreflion, contour, or execution. Its fituation, in the open court, is a proof of its inferiority in the eflimation of the collector." (p. 157.) Of the Amazonian queen Mr. B. fays, "the right breaft is chipped off." (p. 159.) Cary Creed reprefents it entire, and covered with drapery. What Mr. B. by an error of the prefs (p. 161), calls "Marcus Antoninus the Orator," is, in Creed's plate, M. Anthony, when in Egypt, with a crocodile at his feet.

"The furface of the buft of Marcus Modius fo nearly resembles the texture

of

of the human skin that I can fcarcely refrain from believing its being caft, the chifel being hardly competent to its production." (p. 168.) Mapheus (Maffei) at Verona pronounced the boufrophedon infeription on the facrifice of Mantheus to Jupiter to be modern, the letters being too new and too regular to be of equal date with the fculpture; the alpha and delta correfpond with no alphabet; and the ftops at the end of words are not to be found in real antique inferiptions; the phrafeology differs from the Latin and Greek; and Mantheus is a name unknown in antiquity." (p. 176.) The defeription of Wilton houfe concludes with general obfervations; and fimilar ones introduce that of Fonthill, where Mr. B. with pleature fees a place af figned to artifts of our own nation as well as to foreigners. The account of the pictures and grounds, including a critique on Gilpin's errors, occupy near 40 pages, and is thus concluded: "Fonthill abbey hath excited much curiofity, from the prominence of its fituation and the fecrecy of its execution. I know a particular account would be extremely interesting, and am forry that I cannot at prefent furnish this defideratun, Mr. Beckford having judiciously determined to keep it fecret from the public eye till entirely com pleted. If feen in its different ftages of progreffive improvement, furrounded with feaffolding, ftones, and workmen, its real character would be injured, for no two perfons would agree in their defcriptions; befides, the admiffion of vifitors would obftruct the artificers, and retard the work. When finished, it is intended to be opened for public inspection." (p. 249.)

We are next conducted to Wardour cattle, and its hall, 30 feet by 24, and 24 high, leading to thegrand flaircafe, which cannot be viewed without admiration; and many perfons of taste and feience have declared that it is the handlot piece of architectural ornament in the kingdom the whole producing the molt beautiful coup d'eil our traveller ever beheld. We cannot, however, forgive him the fallies of pertnefs of modern travellers refpecting "the embellishments of this inanfion being af fociated with ideas of religion." (p. 255.) It is a scene of far more intereft than that before defcribed; the pic* The magnificent furniture of Fonthill is advertised for fale by auction next month. EDIT.

tures and the ruins are objects of cu-
riofity and regard.
riofity and regard. The cafile was
built in the ftyle of Lulworth, and
about the fame time. Entertaining
anecdotes are next given of Giles Huf-
fey, who fpent much of his time, and
left fome portraits, at Wardour, but
they are almost marred by a flippant
introduction. Here we are at a lofs
to know how " Danini was employed
to decorate the cathedral of Lincoln,'
not recollecting any painting there ex-
cept the altar-piece, which, if we mif-
take not, was the work of a foreign
mafter, prefented by the then dean.

The Monthly Mifcellany and Mr. Arthur Young are with us no authority.

"Áfhcombe, the feat of the Hon. James Everard Arundel, uncle and heir-apparent to Lord Arundel, is fituated about fix miles South of Wardour. The following defcription of this fingularly-fequeftered abode, written by H. P. Wyndham, efq. is fo peculiarly appropriate and exact that I fhall make no apology for introducing it. The fingular peculiarity of the fituation of this feat has fearcely a parallel in the kingdom. I fhall attempt to rescue this enchanting fpot from oblivion, and give fome idea of the fituation. Afhcombe gives a name to the Ward Green hills in the South-western extre

mity of this county. The houfe is

erected on a knoll that rifes to a confiderable elevation froin the deep centre of the mountainous hills with which it is clofely environed on every part, in the circular form of a regular afcending amphitheatre. The lower half of their acclivities is almost uninterruptedly enriched with woods and coppices, while the upper part affords pafturage to innumerable flocks of theep, and not unfrequently to herds of deer, that are enticed by the fweetnefs of the herbage to ftray from the neighbouring walks of the Dorfetfhire Chace, and which are feen from the house feeding even to the highett extremities of this lofty horizon. An inverted bafin, placed in the middle of a large china bowl, will give a clear idea of this rounantic ipot. On the top of the inner balin ftands the Houte, which, though not meriting the attention of travellers, is large, modern, and convenient. From the platform round the house, the grounds abruptly afcend over a concavity of lawns till they join the woods, which, like a broad zone, furround the

luxuriant