560 Memoirs of the Gentlemen's Society at Spalding. In parts fuperior what advantage lies? land? All fear, none aid you, and few underftand. Painful preheminence 1 yourself to view Above life's weakness, and its comforts too. Yours, &c. X. Y. Z. MEMOIRS OF THE SPALDING THI SOCIETY. HIS Society, an account of which forms the twentieth number of the "Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica," was founded by Mr. Maurice Johnson, a native of Spalding, a barrifter at law, and indefatigable Antiquary. The plan was undoubtedly a very judicious one, admitting the difcuffion of every literary fubject, intending to elucidate not only the fci. ence of Antiquity, but Philofophy in its various ramifications. Its number of members were, in the early part of the prefent century, not only very nu merous, but very refpectable; and, no doubt, the advantage accruing from the intercourse of fo many literary men muft have been very great; but, alas! we have to lament the depravity of human nature: the Society is now undoubtedly in a state of dilapidation. I dare fay, no minutes are recorded. The members, I believe, never meet; or, if they do, it is very irregularly; confequently no decorum can be preferved, no laws be put in execution for the prefervation of the Society, nor any thing encouraged that is likely to create a love for learning either at home or abroad. A mufeum, the property of the members of this fociety, and by no means defpicable, is now utterly decaying. A variety of prefervations in fpirits, fpecimens of many natural productions, ancient coins, and other rehes of antiquity, collected in a long ferics of years by its once industrious members, with philofophical intru ments and machines, &c. are abfolutely decayed with ruft, and almoft returned to that duft which originally produced them. To the lift of valuables I must add a fmall though neat and well-chosen collection of books, making an elegant little library, with feveral curious and finely-written ancient manuscripts, records, &c. Happening fome time ago to be upon a vifit at Spalding, I embraced an opportunity of vifiting with one of the members (Mr. H. Everard) the room in which the Society last met, and in which the collection of rarities are depofited. Your readers will no doubt without hesitation conclude, that the emotions produced by fuch abject neglect in a breaft like my own, continually employed in ingenious fpeculation, must have been very painful: fo indeed it was; and I could not help expreffing a wifh, that the museum was either difpofed of by public auction, or prefented to a public or private museum by the unanimous confent of the members. By this method many articles of value would be refcued from corruption, or the hands of base and iniquitous people, who have an opportunity continually of taking, probably with impunity, what many eminent men have for many years eagerly laboured to collect and preferve. Yours, &c. R. D. Original Letter from Dr. TIMOTHY Dear Sir, Peterboro', July 23, 1741. Mof this diocefe, called upon me the other day, and gave me the pleafure of hearing that you were well, and were fo obliging as to enquire after my health, and to fend me your compliments; for which, as a brother Virtuofo and Antiquary, I take the liberty of writing to you, and fhould be glad of the favour of your learned correfpondence. Since I came to settle in this place, I have inftituted a Society of gentlemen, most of university education, who meet every Wednesday evening, whereof the Dean is prefident, and myself fecretaly. We are near 20 regular members, and about 100 honorary. Each member is obliged, upon his admiffion, to prefent us with fome book to the value of a guinea, by which we have raifed already a confiderable library. Earl Fitzwilliam, one of our reprefentatives in parliament, and lately Tranfactions of a Philofophical Society at Peterborough. lately elected a member, propofes to give us Rymer's Fœdera, which will greatly add to the number as well as value of our collection. We have alfo a pretty large fpecimen of curiofities, natural and artificial, such as fhells, minerals, petrefactions, prints, medals, &c. &c. &c. which now and then amufe us a little, and give us the appearance of meeting to do fomething eife than to fmoke a pipe and drink a bottle. What we ftand moft in need of, is a correfpondence with gentlemen in diftant parts of the kingdom, or the world; but as yet we are too inconfiderable to have an intercourse of that fort settled amongst us. Gentlemen that are able to undertake it, choofe rather to throw in theirs to the great ftock of the Royal Society, of which I perceive you are a member. But we hould be glad only of a few of your gleanings, who have a fund fufficient to oblige us both. Dr. Mortimer, my brother fecretary, now and then favours me with a letter; in return, I tranfmit 'to him an extract of our minutes, whenevery any thing occurs to us worthy of his notice. I will trouble you with a fhort fpecimen of our tranfactions. From Jan. this prefent year: Jan. 7, 1740-1. Communicated a letter from the rev. Mr. Saul, rector of Harlefton in Lincolnshire, concerning the nature and production of fotfils, with a fpecimen of 20 different forts lately found in thofe parts. That the earth is prolific, and hath a vegetative principle continually working in it; that there is no caput mortuum, no idle, unactive, unformable matter in nature, as in chemistry; but every clod of earth, turned up by the fpade, is either already formed into fome diftin& fpecies of clay, fand, loam, &c. or in a tendency towards it: and that, as there are various kinds of fubmarine plants, fo all the feveral kinds of ore, metals, minerals, marbles, and other regular foffils, or ftony concretions, are so ma ny different forts of fubterraneous plants, &c. &c. &c. Jan. 14. Account of the magnetical power of a bar of iron, according to its long-continued pofition from perpendicular, for 15 years, to horizontal, for as many months only. Account by Maurice Johnfon, jun. efq. of a Roman mint in the city of Lincoln. Jan. 28. Curious drawings of an ancient book of anatomy by one Ge 561 mini, an Englishman, dedicated to K. Edward VI. 1552. Feb. 4. Form of prohibiting of books for the Index Expurgatorius in the Confiftory of Rome. Feb. 11. Old grant of a right of fishery in Whitlefea Mere to the abbot of Peterborough in the reign of Henry VI. who has this uncommon title, "Henricus Dei gratia rex Angliæ, heres et regens Franciæ, et dominus Hiberniæ." Feb. 18. Remonftrance of the fcquestered members, 1656, to which above 100 fubfcribed their names. Feb. 25. An original letter of Andreas Colvius to Dr. Beal, dean of Ely, dated Dordrecthô, 20 Aug. 1647, concerning tolerating of fects in Holland. Mar. 4. Office for installation of knights of the garter. Mar. 11. Alcock, bishop of Ely, his Exhortation made to two Relygious Syfters in the Tyme of their Confecratyon,” &c. Mar. 18. " Modus fulminandi Sententiam in Ecclefia Romana," and the "Bedes on the Sunday," or bidding prayer. Thefe are all ancient papers belonging to me, and, for want of other matter, communicated occafionally. Apr. 1. Lord Fitzwilliam propofed. Elected. Apr. 29. A letter from the fecretary in London, with the account of what was read and communicated there when he was present. May 13. Lift of all the members who have reprefented this eity in parliament from 1546, the first of Edward VI. to this prefent time. May 20. Epitaph upon Lipfius, &c. May 29. Luctus et gratulatio Acad. Cantab. in Oliveri mortem, et Ricardi inaugurationem. June 3. Drawing of a fine ancient cryftal vafe, and of an ancient EaftIndia rice-pot. June 24. Account of Sir Richard Ellis's library, and fome curiofities lately come in there. July 1. Part of a letter from Baron Clarke of his Majesty's Exchequer in Edinburgh, concerning the unfeafonable colds of the late years, which he conjectures to be owing to the great spots in the furface of the fun, many of which are much larger than the whole globe of our earth, which muft needs take off both from its light and heat. George Lynn, el. of Southwick in this 562 Tranfactions of a Philofophical Society at Peterborough, this neighbourhood, and my very particular friend and learned acquaintance, in his Ephemeris of the weather for this year, obferved that the mean height of the thermometer for the month of laft March was just the same with that of January for fourteen years past, &c. July 8. Prefented to the Society a fmall Roman lamp, entire of red earth, Jately found at Whitlefea in the Ifle of Ely, five miles from hence. Alfo a human skull dug up lately in this town, the whole brain whereof is offified, and concreted into as hard and folid fubftance as the bone, retaining ftill its natural curdled form, the futors, &c. remaining entire. July 15. Prefented a branch of an afh-tree, being an uncommon lufus, which grew in the shape of the lefthand of a man, &c. &c. &c. By this fhort fpecimen you will be able to guess how we idle away two or three hours once a week. Things omitted are only the prefents of books, medals, and other odd things, admiffions of members, or the like. If you approve of our scheme, give me leave to make ufe of your name among the honorary members, for which I will give fome book in your name to the Society from among feveral of mine that I can fpare; in return for which, the favour of your correfpondence will make ample amends. If you come into these parts, I fhall rejoice to fee you under my roof. I once had a wife lived with me near 6 years, by whom I had four children, two of which, a fon, now of Corpus Chrifti College in Oxford, and a daugh ter at home, only remain. 1 have lived a widower now almoft 13 years. I fhall be glad to hear that you are happy in a married ftate, and bleft with hopeful children. I have lived fo long out of that country, that I have fcarce any acquaintance left there; and my near relations are fuch to whom I choose rather to be helpful at a distance than to be burdenfome by vifits. Your brother Jerry I was well acquainted with at school; fince that I never faw him, nor heard what became of him, only I think not fo well as could be wifhed. Your own perfonal character, joined to the eafinefs of your fortunes, gives you a great intereft and authority in the neighbourhood, as I am well informed, and rejoiced to hear; and therefore beg leave to affure you that I am, with great regard, your moft affectionate kinfman, and humble fer MR. URBAN, July 11. WRIGHT, in his "Travels into Italy, p. 435, tells us, that in the Certofa, or convent of Carthufians at Bologna, one of the fathers had tried experiments in grafting; as of a vine on a fi-tree, and jafmin on an orange, which had taken, and grew. It is alfo commonly faid, that the blood-red juice of the Maltese orange is occafioned by budding on the pomegranate. Because the attempts to engraft or bud one tree upon another of a different` kind, have not fucceeded in thefe northern countries, I do not think it fair to conclude, that the thing is impoffible in more fouthern climates. Yours, &c. P. B. C. MR. URBAN, As July 7. S it is the duty of every member of fociety to point out impofitions on it, I think it proper to inform you, and your numerous readers, that a work, called, "The Hiftory of Greece," by William Robertfon, efq. keeper of the records in Scotland, and of which a third edition is now in circulation, is a mere tranflation, without acknowledgement, from the celebrated Abrégé de l'Hiftoire Grecque, Paris, 1770, and other years. Yours, &c. DETECTOR. THE TRIFLER, N° VII. THERE are every candidate for literary reputation foars, as it were, imperceptibly beyond himself. The canvas, on which he paints the profpe&t of his future glory, is animated with all that imagi nation can fancy, or its pencil exprefs. Nothing feems too high which his ge nius cannot reach, or too fubtle which his penetration cannot unfold. The whole fyftem of impoffibilities opens to his fpeculation; new worlds are extracted from the immenfity of space; and Nature herfelf is threatened with a vacuum. Promifes are made, which perhaps were never intended to be fulfilied; and propofals offered, which were never expected to be called for: till at length the fervor of his paroxyfin begins to fubfide, and reafon affures him too late, that all his fchemes are bur bur the schemes of a deluded imagination. This reflection occurred to me the other morning as fomething which, in a limited fenfe, may be applied to the Trifler. I promifed to appropriate fome of my labours to the contempla tion of the female world; to examine with fome degree of fcrupulofity the points in which they feem chiefly to err from prejudice, or natural bias; to expofe the moft glaring of their foibles; and to fhew woman how the may cull the fairest flowers and the ripeft blof foms, without the contingent thorns and briers. This promife was but the promife of an author. When I began to put it in execution, I faw the folly of my attempt. As foon as I fat down to think, objects crowded upon me which, though they were lefs congenial to my feelings, I found more adequate to my abilities. But, in compliance with the importunities of feveral of the fair fex, I fhall now attempt to difcharge part of that debt which has been long due to them. In That woman is ζωον φιλοκοσμον (as an old writer expreffes it), fond of finery, no perfon, I believe, will difpute. The daily obfervation of our own country, as well as the intelligence of others, convinces us of its truth. Drefs, even in the earliest periods of the world, feems to have been rather the characteriftic of woman than of man. thofe primitive ages of imperfect literature, philofophy confifted rather in the contempt of outward ornaments than the real improvement of the mind. Those who had refolution to deviate from the common mode of life, and forfake all its pleasures and enjoyments, were confidered as beings endowed with a more than ordinary portion of mental qualifications, and fuperior to the follies and vices of human nature. artful mode of impofture being received with admiration and applaufe, invited others to the fame refource, till, in a hort time, those who had any pretenfions to learning could fignify them only by their drefs. But when learning diffufed itfelf more widely, and engaged the attention of whole nations, that was the most extolled which could fhew it felf to the most advantage; and the veil of affectation has been too much penetrated through by modern and enlightened ages, to ferve as a paffport to the narrow prejudices of fophiftry or fanaticifm. The most refined fenti This ments, and the most delicate expreffions, if delivered by one whofe auk ward manners and negligence of dress might have placed him among the meaneft of his kind, will' fhock rather than exalt humanity. We are led to contemn the prejudices of that man who, in open defiance to every custom and habit which the moft polished ages have ratified, luxuriates in his nonconformity to life and manners, and has fcarcely the negative merit of not being a mifanthropift. Elegance in drefs is an acquifition fo eafy and fo recommending, that it feems almost a paradox how any rational being can pride himself in defpifing it. Among Lord Chefterfield's maxims this feems to have claimed a place. "Learning," fays he, "may give weight; but accomplishments only can give luftre; and more fee than weigh." This will be found true, I imagine, either as it refpects one or both fexes. The most incurious, as well as the moft contracted, poffefs the power of judging of outward appearances; but few are capable of difcerning and eftimating the inward qualifications, and to thofe indeed who are capable of estimating them, it will add no fmall quantity to their weight when recommended with a graceful outfide. A garden is the more valuable which captivates the fenfes both by the beauty of its profpects and the fertility of its foil. Seneca has ridiculed this affectation in these words:" aliqua faciunt quæ in habitu vel vitæ genere notabilia funt. Afperum volunt cultum -intonfum caput-negligentiorem barbam-indictum argento et auro odium cubile humi pofitum-et quicquid aliud ambitionem perversâ viâ fequitur." "It is the humour," fays he, "of thefe people to be fingular in their drefs and manner of life merely to be taken notice of; their cloaths must be coarfe and lovenly; their heads and beards neglected; and their lodgings on the ground. They live in open defiance of inoney, and do whatever elfe will fatisfy their pride and obftinacy." This affectation and neglect of dress we find never to have been a very pro minent feature in the character of the ladies; they not only are fond of improving it in themfelves, but are pleafed, and indeed fometimes captivated with it in the other fex. The gold fauff-box, the embroidered coat, and the amber-headed cane, are a fpecies of eloquence which cannot eafily be reûk I 564 THE TRIFLER, N° VII. ed. To difplease a woman, you may do it effectually by pinning her manteau awry when preparing for the opera or an affembly; or by pointing out to her a rival with fome new fashion or attendant lover. Whether this be a virtue or a defect, it is certainly fuch as by no means can be reprehended. To cenfure a woman because he has a handfome perfon, or a fine habit on, were as abfurd as to defpife the butterfly because it has beautiful colours, or to be offended at the peacock for spreading ́out his tail. ennoble the fex; she has lavished on it fuch a profufion of charms and graces, yet regulated them with fuch fymmetry of features, that it feems to have been defigned as the cupola to her most glorious operations. Whether to attempt the improvement er embellishment of the very effence of beauty itfelf may be confidered as an ungrateful return for fuch accomplishments, I fhall not pretend to determine; but whether the beauty of the head can really be set off to any advantage by the addition of outward ornaments, I think myself in fome measure bound to enquire. In the most favage and unenlightened parts of Indoftan the women take a peculiar pleafure in an oftentatious display of the head-piece; they confider it as one of the most respectable parts of the human frame; and though the fashion, with refpect to other parts of drefs, is never found to alter; but the lungy, or long fafh, is delivered down from mo The charms which nature has beftowed on the fair fex (and, I imagine, on none more lavishly than the British fair), feem to have been improved and embellished, not only by the mere iuft of fashion and novelty, but by fome more fignificant and powerful agents. There is, I conceive, fomething of nature even in the very drefs of a woman. Children who have yet attained no fenfe of gallantry or intrigue, and are ignother to daughter, and becomes, as it rant even of the names of fathion and gaiety, are ftruck with the dazzling appearance of embroidery, and are never more delighted than when the nurfe has prefented them with feme new crnaments for the imaginary baby. At this ftate of infancy indeed both fexes seem to have ideas of a like nature; they are fenfible of certain impreffions made by any object remarkably ftriking by its outward appearance. When Hector was taking his la farewel of his confort Andromache, previous to his fatal expedition to Troy, we are told that his child was frightened at the luftre that beamed from his father's helmet: Th' illuftrious chief of Troy Stretch'd his fond arms to clafp the lovely boy; The babe clung crying to his nurse's breaft, Scar'd at the dazzling helm and nodding creft. But this in a boy gradually wears off, - and he begins to form notions of a different kind; while the girl ever retains it, and, instead of diminishing her fondnefs, becomes more and more enraptured with it. There is no part of the female figure which has more influence, or requires greater attention, than the head. In the formation of this, Nature has exerted all her skill, and feems fometimes al moft to have furpaffed herfelf. She has planted it with ivory: beautified it with vermilion; and enlightened it with a pair of conftellations She has enriched it with all that can adorn or were, an hereditary habit; yet the fuperior part of the fex, whether from pride, prejudice, or fancy, are never contented till their head is adorned with gold, jewels, and other fplendid commodities. But, not to infift on the customs of fuch diftant nations, let us animadvert to countries nearer to our own. In Poland and Pruffia the more genteel part of the ladies have fometimes forty or fifty different fuits, out of which perhaps upwards of three parts are adapted for the head. To deviate from the moft prevailing cuftoms of our neighbours would, in my opinion, difcover either too much pride, or too little common-fenfe. If a young girl, in the bloom of youth and beauty, and exalted to the highest pinnacle of rank and fortune, fhould degrade her character by an abuse of the laws of politeness, and a ridiculous contempt of her drefs, would the be more refpected or beloved? would her parents be commended for the care they had taken to form her in fuch an uncommon mould? would even the novelty of her perfon be a passport to po lite affemblies, and company, perhaps lefs noble than herself? the circumftance contradicts itfelf. To like a thing becaufe every body else dislikes it, is a piece of obftinacy which could not long be borne. If indeed the Britifh fair had attempted to disfigure their faces by that favage and difgufting practice of fixing rings in the nofe, |