Monument for Mr. Howard.-Curious Fat in Natural Hiftory. 537 ing, that his labours and writings have done much to open the eyes and hearts of mankind. He has vifited all Europe-not to furvey the fumptuoufnefs of palaces, or the ftatelinefs of temples; not to make accurate meafurements of the remains of ancient grandeur, nor to form a fcale of the curiofity of modern art; not to collect medals, or to collate manufcripts: but to dive into the depths of dungeons; to plunge into the infection of hofpitals; to furvey the manfions of forrow and pain; to take the gage and dimensions of mifery, depreffion, and contempt; to remember the forgotten, to attend to the neglected, to vifit the forfaken, and to compare and collate the diftreffes of all men in all countries. His plan is original; and it is as full of genius as it is of humanity. It was a voyage of difcovery, a circumnavigation of charity. Already the benefit of his labour is felt, more or lefs, in every country: I hope he will anticipate his final reward, by feeing all its effects fully realized in his own. He will receive, not by retail, but in grofs, the reward of those who vifit the prifoner; and he has fo foreftalled and monopolized this branch of charity, that there will be, I truft, little room to merit by fuch acts of benevolence hereafter." MR. URBAN, July 4 WITHOUT intending the fmalleft check to the laudable defign of erecting a ftatue to Mr. Howard, which I feel more inclined to promote than that of a monument to Dr. Johnfon in Weftminster Abbey; though, after all, I am of opinion it would be more for the credit of the nation to vote this ftatue, as the Romans did to their worthies, in full fenate; permit me juft to afk, if there be any faithful portrait exifting whence the ftatue can be taken? I will venture to fay, the good man's modefty will never fuffer him to fit for a picture for this purpose; and I rather believe there is none already taken t; and he will be as much hurt at the extravagant praifes be But we now find that Europe is not a field wide enough for the exertions of his exuberant philanthropy. EDIT. We hope this is not the cafe; and hereby earnestly folicit any gentleman who may have foch a picture to bring it forward on fo laudable an occafion. He refembles, we are told, the poet Gray; but it is with an animation infinitely fuperior. At the worst, however, an allegorical defign and monumental ealogy will of courfe fupply the defi. ciency of a portrait. EDIT. ftowed on him, and the anecdotes and apophthegms recorded or coined for him t, as many of your readers have been at the late Johnsoniana. But, fat fapienti. Yours, &c. A. A. MR. URBAN, Lichfield, July 18. IWAS witness, when a boy, to a very curious circumftance in natural hiftory, which is, I believe, entirely new; at leaft, I do not recollect a fimi lar one being mentioned by any writer upon the subject. As two of my fchoolfellows and myfelf were rambling in a wood at Ackworth Park Hall, nerr Pontefract, in Yorkshire, on a fine day in fummer, we faw a bat flying. It being early in the afternoon, fo unufual a fight attracted our attention; and we foon obferved one or two more flying in the fame direction, and perceived that they came out of a woodpecker's hole in a tree very near us; and, by pursuing them, faw them enter another at the distance of about 80 or 100 yards. Our curiofity was now excited to find out, if poffible, the caufe of this uncommon appearance; and the tree which they quitted being of very eafy afcent, and the hole about four yards only from the ground, my companions climbed up to it, and, upon another bat taking its flight, informed me with great furprize, that it carried a young one upon its back. To convince me of this, and perhaps to gratify a wanton cruelty to which boys are but too prone, they flood ready with their hats in their hands, to ftrike them as they iffued from the hole; the confequence of which was, that they knocked down three young ones; and one of the old ones was fo ftunned by the blow, that it fell to the ground alfo. I picked them all up. The latter foon recovered, and flitted away. The young ones were almoft, if not entirely, naked. I now became defirous of feeing this extraordinary fight, and accordingly mounted the tree; and, my companions making room for me, I stood very commodiously, with my eyes fixed intent upon the whole, to the edge of which another bat foon approached with its young burthen, and, after grinning at us for a few feconds, took its flight un *We hope not. The plan is undertaken on too liberal a footing, to give the leaft tha dow of offence to fo good a man. EDIT. + This imputation, in behalf of our worthy friends, we pofitively difclaim. EDIT. mclested. 538 Nine of Diamonds, why the Curfe of Scotland. RICH. GEO. ROBINSON. MR. URBAN, 66 June 25. A Correfpondent in your March Magazine expreffing a defire to know the origin of the nine of diamonds being called the Curfe of Scotland," I beg leave to offer the following ex planation, which, I have been affured, is the true: That the night before the battle of Culloden, the Duke of Cumberland thought proper to fend orders to General (Campbell, I think, but am not quite certain) not to give quarter; and, this order being difpatched in much hafte, happened to be written on a card, and that card the nine of diamends; from which time and circumftance it has gone by the appellation in queftion. Allow me to take this opportunity of making a few obs upon a letter figned E. B. firft in your entertaining, Mifcellany for November that the pleasure he had received in a late tour to Scotland, from the improvements he found, was confiderably abated on being told in reply to his enquiries, that fuch a feat, fuch a house, &c. belonged to officers lately returned. from the Eaft-Indies. The illiberality of fo general and unqualified a cenfure upon, for what this writer knows, a body of unoffending individuals, need not, Mr. Urban, be pointed out to fo candid a difpofition as your own, or, I trust, to your numerous readers; and 1 regret that pages, deftined and employed to the improvement and amufement of mankind, fhould be ftained with reflections fo Ifttle creditable to the human heart. But, as All looks yellow to the jaundic'd eye; fo the illiberality of this writer could not enjoy the pleasure he confeffes the improvements he obferved gave him, without admitting the unchristian and the unjuft idea, that poffibly the occupiers of them might not be fpotless. If among the English who have returned from India, there have appeared any ho might with reafon be adjudged to criminal, let thofe, who poffefs the ver to make them amenable to of fended juftice, blush at not exerting that power, but rather meanly preferring, by fcreening them from juftice, to make themselves accomplices in their guilt. Yours, &c. E. R. R. A MR. URBAN, July 6. Well-wisher to the fuccefs of your Magazine obferves a query put there which has not yet been answered to his fatisfaction, concerning the reafon why the nine of diamonds is called the Curfe of Scotland. The following anfwer to the question, it is hoped, will prove fatisfactory. When the Duke of York (a little before his fucceffion to the crown) came to Scotland, he and his fuite introduced new game there called comet, where the ninth of diamonds is an important card *. The Scots, who were to learn the game, felt it to their coft; and, from that circumftance, the ninth of diamonds was nicknamed the Curfe of Scotland. ** Another correfpondent fuggefts that the nine of diamonds resembles the arms of the Dalrymples; and that Lord Stair (a famous hero of that family) was the curfe of Scotland. MR. URBAN, Woodbridge, July 1. N addition to the coins I fent you laft month, you herewith receive a drawing of one of Domitian (See our plate II. fig. 15), which is in the highett preservation. Your giving it a "place in this Magazine will oblige, R. L. Notwithstanding it is by no means within the plan of this work to admit of addreffes of the following kind, we cannot refufe for once an address in favour of a fociety fo remarkably fuccessful in their unremitting endeavours for the public good; which feems to want only the means to extend the benefits of the inflitution to every part of the kingdom. We therefore take the liberty to recommend it to the attention of the readers of our Magazine. EDIT. MR. URBAN, July 10. ALLOW me, through the channel of your Magazine, to address the public in behalf of an inftitution which has not met with the encouragement that the importance and excellence of it deferve. I mean the HUMANE SOCIETY, which was inftituted in the year 1774, "for the recovery of per fons apparently drowned," and has, in By the rules of the game, the nine of diamonds answers for any card whatever." Benevolent Addrefs in Behalf of the Humane Society. the courfe of twelve years, been the means of faving and preferving the lives of eight hundred and fifty perfons, who otherwife would, in all human probability, have been loft to the community. To those who know of how much confequence to a state are the lives of its fubjects, and that there are none who deferve its attention more than the induftrious and labouring poor, it will be unneceffary to expatiate on the importance of an inftitution which has a peculiar regard to them; as they, from their different occupations, are most liable to be exposed to fuch accidents as come within the plan of relief propofed by the fociety. It is not, however, to the lower clafs alone that its benevolent regards are confined; its aim is to extend affiftance to every cafe of fufpenfion of the vital powers by whatever caufe, and to restore to their friends and country, not the poor only, but thofe of every rank and defcription. From this, tho' very imperfect view of the defign of the Humane Society, every true patriot will naturally with, that, inftead of its influence being confined within a very narrow circle, it were extended over the whole kingdom; and that no part, where perfons apparently dead may be recovered and restored to life, be left without every requifite for this purpofe. But this cannot be done till the Society is enabled to extend its rewards, to ftimulate those from motives of intereft, who would not have been actuated by humanity, to exert themfelves in the prefervation of the lives of their fellow 539 in proof of its excellence. Let every parent or child, hufband or wife; let every one who has experienced the fenfations of love or friendship; only confider for a moment, and fay, what would be their tranfport, to recover from the jaws of death those whom they feared loft for ever. They know the extafies they themselves would feel, and they furely would wish to make others equally happy. Notwithstanding the Chriftian reli gion affords all needful support and confolation under the complicated evils of life, yet we know, that there have been feafons when fome of the best of men have felt fuch dejection of mind, fuch horror and defpair, together with a total indifference to life, as to make it very difficult for them to refrain from putting an end to their existence. And if this melancholy circumftance has happened to thofe fuppofed to be endued with fufficient ftrength to refift the temptation, we may ealily conceive how unable they are to do it, whofe acquaintance with the principles of Chrif tianity is very flight, and whofe conduct has been very little regulated by its precepts. When thefe experience the lofs of friends or fortune, and perceive all the gay profpects their imagi nation had formed to vanish as a dream; when, instead of respect, kindness, and affluence, they meet with difgrace, infamy, and ruin; what motives will be ftrong enough to reftrain them from rushing out of a world, become joyless and hateful to them, into the immediate prefence of their offended Creator? Who would not wish to preferve them from fo dreadful a fituation, and, if poffible, to restore them again, rot to life alone, but to that conviction of their fin, and fincere repentance, which may prevent a 'future relapfe? Here we can with pleafure affert, that of the many une happy perfons who have attempted their If there be in human nature any own lives, and been recovered by the fuch thing as fympathy in the diftreffes Humane Society, not one has ever re of others; if there be a defire to relieve peated this crime. Befides that, not to them; if there be a pleafure in fo do- thefe only, but to all recovered from ing fuperior to all the gratifications of apparent death, are given Bibles, "The fenfe and paflion; and if this pleafure, Great Importance of a Religious Life," fo far from bringing fatiery along with and Common Prayer Books, to awaken in it, increases upon enjoyment, and will their minds a fenfe of the mercies they always bear the review; furely, to have received, and to determine them every one who confiders how many op to devote the remainder of their days to portunities of removing the mifery, and Him on whom they depend for life, and contributing to the happiness, of man breath, and all things. kind, are afforded by this inftitution, it will be needlefs to urge any argument Many more fince the above, creatures. I will not trouble you any longer on this part of the fubject, as I truft enough has been faid to excite the curiosity of those who were not before acquainted with it, and who, if they with for more information, may have ample fatisfaction by applying to the fecretary, Dr. Hawes, No 6, Great Eaftcheap. Were I to enlarge on all that might be faid on the excellence of this Society, I should 540 Prefent State of the Humane Society.-The Portland Museum. I fhould occupy more room than you The gold enamelled cup by Mr. Jones. The collection of Hollar's Works was bought by Lord Somers. Julio Clovio's Miffal by Mr. Walpole. Queen Elizabeth's Prayer Book by the Queen. "Queen Elizabeth's Prayer Book is a neat Imall book, bound in chagrin : in it are two fine migniature pictures by Hilliard of the Queen and the Duke d'Alencon, and five prayers (in Eng. lifh, French, Latin, Greek, and Italian,) written in a very neat hand, by berfelf, as Mr. Weft affured us, who hath compared it with her own handwriting. This curiofity, which he hath lately purchased, he told us, formerly belonged to King James II, who gave it to Marshal Berwick, out of whofe family it is by fome accident got into England, it being fold to him by a Frenchman." Dr. Ducarel's Letter to S. Letbieullier, Efq. 1750.-In the fame letter the Doctor obferves, that fome of the oldeft fonts he had lately feen were, an octagon one at Shepperton, and a fquare one at Hendon, co. Middlefex, both plain, and without figures (fee p. 193). Several of the inhabitants of Bury are poffeffed of fimilar locks of Queen Mary's hair to that fold for fix guineas; and one in particular has been prefented gratis to a gentleman who has fince placed it in the mufeum of your correfpondent Mr. Greene of Lichfield. I wish to know what authority Mr. Strutt has for faying, in the fecond volume of his Dictionary of Engravers, P. 344, that Dr. Stukeley etched a confiderable number of the plates of his Itinerary with his own hand. B. B. MR. URBAN, Sliford, July 17. THERE were lately found in Lin coln Caftle two teffelated Roman pavements, very handfome, and perfect, and a Roman bath; a few Roman coins in filver and copper, fome pennies of the Conqueror, and fome old fragments of Roman pottery of a fine red with feveral names of the makers on them, and black, and of the common fort. Í am informed they were fold to the antiquary Mr. Samuel Samuel of Lincoln, who has a handfome collection; and has taken up fome parts of the pavement and kept them by him. If any thing occurs, will fend you further information. This was addreffed to Mr. Dodlley; in whofe name, and in our own, we thank the writer. EDIT. MR. I Candid Address to Dr. Priestley.-Letter from Chudd. Mr. URBAN, July 3: HAVE read with attention "The Importance and Extent of Free Enquiry in Matters of Religion," just pubthed by Dr. Priefiley; and hope, by your affiftance, to offer a few queries to that gentleman on the fubject, which he continues to maintain with his ufual acutenefs. Though a member of the Eftablishment, I have the higheft veneration for fuch writers as Chandler, Taylor, Leland, Benson, and many of their brethren, qui tales funt, utinam effent noftri. But thefe have not denied the divinity of Jefus Chrift; on the contrary, they believed in him both as the Creator and Redeemer of the world. That they gave their fanction to the ufe of a word, which from my heart I with had never been invented, it is not my intention to infinuate. However, theirs is only buman authority, and, as fuch, Hands on no other ground than that of other great and good men, as Berkeley, Butler, Lowth, &c &c. "How can any man believe," fays Dr. Priestley, without having precife ideas of" the fubject? Let him then explain (what I am far from fufpecting him to infer), am I therefore to difbelieve the miraculous conception, the infpiration of the prophets and apoftles, indeed almost all the miracles recorded in the Bible? That I can have no precife ideas of the two former, Dr. Priestley will furely admit. Am I to disbelieve the contents of the first and fecond chapters of Genefis, be caufe there are difficulties in whatever interpretation has been given of them? fhall I not thus, at laft, like Rouffeau, be for feparating the morality from the miracles? I rely upon his candour to atfure himself, that I thus addrefs him merely from a love of truth, and confequently an earnest with to know what reafoning can be fhewn in his answer to thefe questions. I am not infenfible of fpecks in the church to which I belong; yet, take it for all in all, I believe it to be the most effective mean of inculcating Christianity, and would have improvements made with a tender hand. I regret that fome able opponents of Dr. Priestley have too frequently indulged an improper afperity; and I lament that the zeal of the latter, in the cause of what he thinks truth, borders not feldom up, on virulence. I am far from confidering his terets as dangerous to the falvation of those who confcientiously admit them; but I am very apprehenfive, that they GENT. MAG. July, 1986. 541 will prove prejudicial to the peace of the unlearned. However enlarged DrStor Priefiley's acquaintance may have been with unbelievers, he is yet to be informed, that a religious theift is not an ideal character. I am much mistaken if I have not known more than one who merited the appellation. To affert that Christianity would be fuperfluous to any man, where the means of information are within his reach, is a paradox I refign to Dr. Priestley. Yours, &c. A CONSTANT READER. Mr. CHUBB's Anfwer to Sir THOMAS LYTTELTON, on Univerfal Toleration. (See p. 454.) SIR, THE principles upon which I found in fuch cafes in which men's perfonal characters and properties are concerned), is this, viz. that as government naturally arifes out of fociety; fo it is naturally extended and confined to, and bounded by, the ground and reason, and the end and purpose, of affociation, the fum of which is the public good: namely, that thereby each individual may be protected and defended from all injury and wrong, and may receive fuch alliftance as their neceffities call for from each other. And as the ground and reafon, and the end and purpose, of affociation, is the public good, as aforefaid; fo the authority of governors is extended and confined to those things in which good or burt, the fafety or danger, of the fociety is concerned; and, confequently, governors can, in reafon, have no authority to obige or reftrain any individual but in fuch cafes in which the fociety is interefted as aforetaid. This is what I have more largely confidered in my reflections on the grounds and extent of authority and liberty, with refpect to civil government. And these principles will, I think, be a juft foundation and Support for an univerfal toleration, or elfe they will not fupport any toleration at all. But, fay you, atheism, &c. may in their confequences be injurious to fociety, as they may either weaken or take of men's obligations to virtue, and thereby have an influence upon their actions; and, therefore, the publication of them ought not to be tolerated. And, fay I, many principles which either do or bave prevailed amongft Chriftians, fuch as the doctrine of fate, of abfolute election and reprobation, of imputing the righteousness |