[First; in whofe army he attended as chaplain for two years: After a long imprisonment, he was reftor'd [in 1660. Charles Baldwyn, of Aqualate, Efq.. as a mark of the friendship which he bore and an acknowledgement of his faithful [him, [fervice, Sutton, near Newport, for his active loyalty to king Charles the Mr. URBAN, Shropshire, Jan. 24. FO ORTON church, near Newport, Shropshire, is built of ftone; the nave is enlightened by thirteen windows; four on the North fide; fix on the South fide; two at the Eattern end, and one at the Weftern; and confifts of three ailes; two long ones running from Weft to Eaft, and one at the bottom from South to North: it is divided into two compartments by a row of neat columns, fupported on pedestals a vard and a half high, and is neatly pewed: at the Weft end of the nave ftands an elegant marble font, the bafon of which is of an elliptical form, The wainscot by the altar is fomewhat fingular, being a triangular pediment fupported by two fquare fluted columns; and on the top of each column ftands a buff-coloured urn. Within the rails of the altar on a ftone on the floor is the following infeription, with a coat of arms at the top. RIC'US SKRYMSHER, Joi's Skrymfher, Arm : Fil: Soteria: Bofcobeilianæ æt: LXXXVI. On the top of the first long aile, near to the communion rails, is the following infcription: Here lyeth RICHARD AWNSHAM, Gent. who ferved the several lords of this mannor, as fteward, more than forty years, with good abilities and approved fidelity: he gave in his life-time a filver flagon for the use of this altar; and at his death bequeathed one hundred pounds; . the intereft thereof for ever, to be employed in teaching poor children of this parish to read, and inftructing them in the churchcatechifm; he died the 15th of March, 1731, aged 64: He was the fon of Richard, and grandson of Richard Awnsliam, A. M. rector of Hopefay, in the county of Salop: from which he was ejected by the prevailing faction in 1644, GENT. MAG. January, 1801. in ordered this infcription. At the upper end of the fecond long riched with coats of arms, and nine aile is a tomb, the fides of which are enfinall images of alabafter; five males and four females, in the attitude of kneeling, having their hands joined as of the tomb are prayer: on the top two effigies of a man and woman as large as life, both of which lay in the attitude of holding up their hands towards heaven: the figure of the man appears drefled in armour, with a fword by his fide, having his head fupported by an helinet: the figure of the woman appears dreffed in a loose veft, having her head fupported by an alabaster cuffion over them is an entablature fupported by four columns: between the entablature and the effigies are two coats of arms, and the following infeription in gilt letters, on a black tone fixed in the wall: ANNO DOMINI 1633. · The whole of this tomb is inclofed by palifades. At the Weft end of the nave is a ftrong well-built tower; whofe angles are ftrenghtened by buttreffes, having a mufical ring of five bells; and at the Eaft end is a good veftry room, enlight ened by one window. The church-yard is furrounded by a wall built partly of brick and partly of ftone; in which, at the Weft end of the church, on the Southern fide, ftands a fine large yew-tree. Here it may not be amifs to fay a few words as to the the motives which feem to have induced our ancestors to plant yew in Church church-yards: I have seen fomewhere the following Latin fentence: "Celeritèr cadaver Taxus venenata confumit." [corpfe." "The poisonous yew quickly destroys a and have made enquiries whether the dead, that have been buried near the yew-tree, were fooner decayed than thofe buried in a more remote part of the church-yard; but on that fubject have not been able to gain any fatisfactory anfwer. It appears to me moft probable, that our wife ancestors had regard to the' gloomy appearance of the yew; and on that account, conceived it bett calculated to add a greater fanctity to the places of worship, and to ftrike the mind with a folemn and fuitable impreflion. However, if my fentiments on this point are erroneous, I fhall be happy to be corrected by any of your readers, who will oblige me with their informaWILLIAM SNAPE, A. B. (To be continued.) tion. I ror. Mr. URBAN, Jan. 27. CANNOT but admire the extreme penetration of Iülus in detecting erLet me afk him, is there any more impropriety in fuppofing the firit and fecond beaft of St. John to be one and the faine, than the dreams of Pharach, interpreted by Jofeph, were one and the fame; adding, becaufe the thing was established and certain? Nor do I acknowledge any error, in affirm ing, that not one and the fame perfon were meant, but one and the fame power; and then applying the No. 666 to Boniface III. For, though it feems incomprehenfible to Iulus, the number may apply to him as the firft grand in novator, as he certainly was, and laid the foundation for his fucceffors to become fo terrible to all Europe; yet, is there no impropriety in fuppof the fucceeding pontifs to be equally reprefented, or rather the whole and government *. power There are many reafons to fuppofe the papal power to be here defcribed by St. John; and alfo, that it is the fame in the fourth vifion of Daniel; mentioned by him as dreadful, terrible, and exceeding ftrong, and diverfe from all government. Now, as the papal was certainly more dreadful, and totally different from all governments that * Thus did Nebuchadnezzer's image reprefent the monarchs of many ages, Jan. 10. Mr. URBAN, Chapter Coffee-houfe, HAVING feen a sketch of Strong bow's monument, with the defeription, vol. LXX. p. 818, I was highly gratified; although I regret that your ingenious correfpondent did not tranfcribe a more enlarged sketch, as it is rather finall; and the half figure noticed by him is fcarcely perceptible. The attitude and feulpture are apparently fimilar to thofe of the knights of St. John of Jerufalem interred in the Temple church. An antient writer fays, that, in one of the actions (after the reduction of Wexford) which Strongbow had with O'Rian, prince of Idrone, in the county of Catherlough (Carlow), he with his own hand, in the prefence and view of his army, flew his only fon, a youth about 16 years old, who, at the head of a troop of horse, had charged the van of the Irish army, and finding that they did not give way, and that he could make no impreffion, returned back with his men to the main body of the army commanded by his father. We are told from better authority, that there are two monuments in the church; one of Strongbow, noticed above, as defcribed by your correfpondent, and the other reprefenting his fon by his fide, holding up with both his hands his entrails, which feem falling out. This poliure feems in fonie measure to corroborate the legend above recited; but the fketch given in LXX. 818, with the infcription on the tablet immediately over it, by no means elucidate the antient ftory, as your correfpondent only notices an half figure by the fide of Strongbow without any comment.. I doubt the authenticity of the hiftorical defeription; or, perhaps, it is at prefent fo much defaced and dilapidated as to leave the original form and attitude fcarcely perceptible, Strongbow died in in 1176, and was interred in this church; but at what time thefe two monuments were firft erected we are not told, for hiftory is fileut on the fubject. The figures, by the fall of part of the church in 1566, were much defaced, but repaired and beautified by order of Sir Henry Sidney, who was then lord-lieutamant of Ireland, as the prefent infeription mentions. It is much to be regretted that he did not give directions to refiore the antient infeription with the monument. One writer inforins us, that on the NATE INGRATE MIHI: PVGNANTI A noble author fays, "that the ftory feems to be traditional, as there is not the leaft mention of it in Giraldus Cambrenfis, or any contemporary hif torian; and he further obferves, that "the English at Dublin, without enquiry into the truth, fet up the two monuments in the manner defcribed, in conformity to the report." It is a fact, that the people at Wexford and in Dublin will tell you, when in converfation on the hiftory of the conqueft, that Strongbow cut his fon in two. The fact is indifputable that Strongbow died without iflue, in confequence of which his kingdom of Leinfter and his other eftates, the marriage portion that he received from King Dermot with his daughter Eva, reverted to the Crown. He certainly was the moft powerful nobleman in his time; and it is well known that Henry II. was fo jealous of his power, that he recalled the letters-patent that he had granted him to conquer Ireland, till Strongbow was obliged to pay homage, and receive as a boon from the Crown what he had obtained, by his marriage and exertions; and eventually Henry went over with a chofen body of troops to receive the fubmiffion of the Irish chieftains at Wexford, where he paffed the winter. The name of De Clare, I imagine, no longer exifis in Ireland; but the defcendants from Strongbow's companions in the expedition are to be found feattered over the three counties of Carlow, Wexford, and Wicklow. They retain the names, but little of the property, of their ancestors, from the forfeitures and confifcations that took place, from the reign of Elizabeth to the Revolution. In confequence of their firm attachment and unfhaken loyalty to the proferibed and unfortunate houfe of Stuart, they have nearly Poft all the landed property originally acquired by the right of conquest and their intermarriages with the native Irish. The fact is, that, from being once lords of the foil, they are now merchants; and moft part of the com mercial property in the province of Leinfier is in the poffeffion of Strongbonians. The molt confpicuous names at this time are, Fitzgerald, Fitzmorris or Maurice, Fitzhenry, Eutiace, Hervey, Meyler, Devereux, Pendergaft, Sinnot, Neville, Roche, Wickham, Whitty, Scallon, Pettit, Codd, &c. &c. &c. Mr. URBAN, ANTHONY SINNOT. Norfolk, Jan. 15. BEG leave, through the channel of your Magazine, to hint my with to Dr. Drake, that he will, in the next edition of his Literary Hours, alter the following paflages. P. 121, in his remarks on Dyer's Fleece. "This beautiful poem had ere this attracted the admiration it fo juftly merits, had not the ftern critique of Dr. Johnfon intervened to blaft its fame." P. 122.-" No great length of time had elapfed between the publication of the Fleece in 1757 and the critical effufions of Johnfon." P. 123. A fufficient fpace had not been allowed for the acquifition of numerous admirers, when Johnfon pafled fentence on the work, and thwarted its progrefs towards public esteem.” Could any reader fuppofe from the above, that 22 years had pailed between the publication of the Fleece and that of Johnfon's Lives? Yet we know, and thofe who do not know may learn from Bofwell's Life of Johnfon, or from Johníon's Letters to Mrs. Thrale, that his Lives of the Poets were not written or published till 1779, and not all publified till 1780. "No, Sir, no man was ever written down but by himself." With many thanks for the aufement your Magazine has afforded me, I remain yours, D. N. Mr. URBAN, Worcester, Dec. 18. THE high character and extenfive circulation of your valuable Re pofitory of mifcellaneous literature have induced me to wish to offer the follow ing remarks to the publick through the medium of it, if they be compatible with its plan and defign. The rural ceconomy of the kingdom furnishes at all times an important and interefting fudy; and, if we can only fuggeft a hint towards its improvement at this time of fignal fcarcity, we may, perhaps, contribute fomething towards ameliorating the future condition of the rifing generation at all events, we fhall have the fatisfaction of reflecting that our efforts were confecrated by laudable intention. I believe it is a fact generally known, that many of the most valuable fheep in this kingdom are annually loft to the community by premature and fudden death on rich clover and other luxuriant paftures. From the panpered manner in which rams are paftured a great length of time, it can fcarcely be neceffary to apprize you: agricultural readers that these loffes often, and perhaps generally, happen among them. The ingenious and indefatigable author of the volumes on agriculture and rural economics, speaking of the fatnefs of rams, obferves, that "the decay of vigour is brought on prematurely by the unnatural fiate of fatnefs in which they are kept, and of which a variety of difeafes are inevitable confequences." The particular difeafe to which I have above alluded is, provincially, termed "the blood," and "the yellows." It would feem that it has received thefe denominations from fome fymptoms which ufually Occur as it approximates its fatal period. I believe it is well known in the midland diftrict, Romney marth, and fome other places; and it is apprehended that it prevails, in a greater or lefs degree, in every part of the ifland where the more luxuriant artificial grafles are highly cultivated, and the Theep are paftud on them, or on other very fuccule and forcing herbage. But high feeding among the ranbreeders appears to be indifpenfable: if they cannot fhow their rams in high condition, they cannot command a public preference. But this expofition of animals to fatal cafualties embarrafles and much difcourages breeders in their efforts at improvement, and may be, eventually, a great lofs to the nation. Hence the value of an antidote against the recurrence of the difafe in thefe circumftances would apacar obvious. If this could be contri ved to comport well with the nature and the circumstances of the animals, and rendered practicable and eafy to their owners, it would feem to claim higher title to attention. But it is precifely on thefe grounds that I folicit your indulgence. Long appreciating the importance of the fubject to the agricultural interefts of fociety, I determined to bestow upon it a proportionate degree of investigation. At length I feel myfelf warranted in acquainting you, that I have discovered an antidote For the difeafe, which is naturally accommodated to the circumftances of the animals and their owners, and which I fhall feel much confidence in propofing as effectual, even though the breeders continue to feed their theep as high as they have hitherto done; which remedy, I believe, will be found to poflefs affo thefe recommendatory properties, that the animals to which it may be adminiftered will acquire a greater degree of fatnefs and vigour than they would do without it. It is prefumed, therefore, that the publication of it will be useful, not only as a prevention of the difcafe mentioned, but as an improvement in the general management of this ufeful fpecies of animals: and it would feem to enhance the importance of this preventive remedy when I remind you, that the difeafe is reputed to have hitherto completely baffled veterinary and medical fkill, which have been reforted to occafionally. In propofing this preventive remedy, however, I by no means with it to be underftood that I think the difeafe beyond the reach of medicine; from fome experiments I have recently made, I am well convinced of the contrary. But I have no need to inform you, that the practice of the generality of veterinary profefiors is merely empirical, and without any knowledge of the animal economy, or of thofe principles which govern it: and fuch is the indifference of moft regular medical practitioners to the difcafes of brute animals, and fo little do they concern themfelves to inveftigate the true caufes of them, when indeed they can be perfuaded to floop to veterinary practice, that I am not furprized in learning that the attentions of each have hitherto proved ineflectual. As gentlemen cannot be in poffeflion of too much information relative to the extent and prevalence of this difeafe in different parts of the kingdom; as it is defirable to collect the know ledge ledge of individuals as to thefe particnlars into the most refpectable public channels of information; and as I purpole to make future communications to the publick through the prefent medium, relative to my inveftigation of this fubject; I take the opportunity of intimating, that information (poftpaid), relative to the above particulars, will be thankfully received. If, when gentlemen are defcribing the extent or prevalence of the difeafe, they would alfo fpeak as to the leading fymptoms of it which they have obferved, it night poffibly be attended with fome utility. It may not be unimportant to fome of your readers to be informed, that this fubject is already before his Grace the Duke of Bedford and the Board of Agriculture, through the medium of the interefting Annals published by Arthur Young, efq. F.R.S. their intelligent and indefatigable fecreW. P. WHYTE. tary. Mr. URBAN, Chapter Coffee-houfe, A Jan. 19. BOUT ten years fince I was at Kilkenny, when I collected the following particulars, which I now fend from memory, to gratify one of your correfpondents. The caftle of Kilkenny was built by Randolph Earl of Chefter about the middle of the 18th century. Its orig!nal form occupied a large quadrangle. It is beautifully fituated on an eminence on the banks of the river Nure, and commands an extenfive profpect over the city of Kilkenny and the neighbouring country. The apartments are fpacious, and fome of them magnificent, and decorated with portraits of the antient and illuftrious family of Butler. But the most remarkable ornament in the cafile is rich and curious tapestry, of great dimenfions, reprefenting the hiftory of the Spanish monarchy, from the expulfion of the Moors to the beginning of the laft century. It was executed by the fair hands of Spanish nuns, and brought from Vigo by the late Duke of Ormond. The fiables are detached from the cafile, and admired for their spacioufnefs and grandeur. Near the cafile is a beautiful bridge, built with black marble, over the Nure, remarkable for the curious elliptical arches. The air here is remarkably pure and falubrious; and the cafile and * The cell of Kenny, Lat, Canicus, city being feated on a dry foil, with a rapid river flowing through it, renders a refidence here extremely pleasant. The Kilkenny coal is of a peculiar quality; it makes an intenfe pure hot fire, and emits no finoke. The Kilkenny marble is well known in Ire land, is fufceptible and admits a beautiful polifh in chimney-pieces and other ornaments. Many of the buildings are compofed of this durable material, and fome of the streets are paved with it. Fogs are very unusual here, and the wafer is pure and tranfparent. The natives give you the following fummary of the perfections that they enjoya Fire without fmoke; Air without fog; Water without mud; Land without bog; and Streets paved with marble. I must regret that it is not in my power to accompany this flight defcription (which I collected from my own obfervations and fome general information that I received) with a drawing or sketch of the caftle; but, as my ftay was fhort, Lcould not afford time, neither can I pofitively vouch for the veracity of fome of the particulars recited above; but the infertion in your valuable publication will, no doubt, gratify many of your readers, and ftimulate fome gentleman refident upon the fpot to tranfinit a more accurate and minute detail. I have only to add, that the caftle of Kilkenny is the principal country refidence of the prefent Earl of Ormond. His creation took place only a few years fince. ANTHONY SINNOT. I by Mr URBAN, Jan. 20. the days of more fprightly age and better times I have been honoured your notice. I flatter nyfelf fome genial fire ftill remaius. Having been fately under circumftances of confinement and pain, fimilar, in that refpećt. to the feelings of our extraordinary and fublime poet, Young, "Like him I ftrove with wakeful melody To clear the fullen gloom," I found every line an anodyne of pain. Having, four or five years back, food forth in defence of our language against the challenges and attacks of fome French literati, and published a whimsical defence and retorted fatire in Latin and French; and last year re newed the fame, in part, at Edinburgh, (fee the Latin epitaph in the Edinburgh |