Columella mentions Egyptian beer"Pelufiaci proritat pocula zythi :" and, if I mistake not, the Egyptians afcribed the invention to Ofiris. Nor will that high antiquity of its origin be deemed improbable by any perfon who recollects that the ufe of fermented bread appears to have been general throughout Egypt in the days of Mofes : for, if that had not been the cafe, the ufe of unfer mented bread by the poor and oppreffed Iraelites, in the hurry and confution of the exodus, could not have been regarded as a circumstance so extracrdinary or important, as to become the foundation of a national anniversary—the feast of unleavened bread.-Should any of your readers here ftart an objection, and fay that leaven and yeast are different things, I request that he will be fo good as to inform me whence leaven fift originated? With respect to the Egyptian beer, when the heat of the climate is taken into confideration, I conceive that it could have been brewed only in fmall quantities, fresh and fresh, for immediate ufe or that, if laid by in any larger quantities, it must have been an article of expenfive Juxury, exclufively confined to the more opulent clafs of inhabitants, who could indulge themselves with the accommodation of deep and cool cellarage-or that it was a muddy, difgufting, unwholefome, beverage*-unless the Egyptians poffeffed fome art, at prefent unknown, by which they prevented the liquor from continuing to ferment beyond the neceflary time, or fermenting anew when once it had undergone the vinous fermentation to a fuffici, ent degree. From the effects experienced even in the mild climate of England, fuch of your readers as are accustomed to keep malt liquor for any length of time in their cellars, will readily admit my obfer. vations to be well founded. The extract from the Northumberland Household Book is curious but is it carrect? for, on multiplying the hogheads by the gallons, I find a different refult. Be that, however, as it may, it would be defirable to know what proportion His Like that thick, black, muddy, Bohemian beer noticed by Burton the Melancholift "Nothing goes in fo thick; Grace's "quarter" of malt bore to the modern quarter, confifting of eight Winchefter bushels. If the meafure, used on the occafion in question, was the fame as ours, either the malt muft then have been much better than we can procure at prefent, or the ancient mode of brewing was better, or the liquor brewed by our ances tors was not fo trong as that which is now drunk by their pofterity: for His Grace of Northumberland (whom I cannot fuppofe to have brewed worse bear than his neighbours) made twelve gallons from every bushel of malt; whereas eight or nine are as many as can now be made tolerably good from a Winchester bufhel, of fuch malt, at least, as is to be procured in and about London. Another particular which trikes me in. that extract, is the remarkably small quantity of hops. If the statement be correct, there must also have been a prodigious difference in quality between the hops of that and of the prefent day; or, at that period, the English did not brew their beer to be kept any time, but drank it quite fresh and fermenting for the allowance there is only one pound of hops to a quarter of malt; to which quantity, eight pounds are now found indifpenfably neceffary, if the liquor be intended to stand the fummer-if not, at least five or fix: otherwife it will foon turn four, and corrupt, fo as to be unfit for drinking. : If you deem this hafty fcribble worthy of admiffion into your valuable Mifcellany, I hope your readers will excuse me for having omitted to refer to book and chapter in quoting my authorities. I would very cheerfully give more particular references, were I not prevented by want of leifure at the prefent moment, to examine the volumes in fearch of the paffages. I am, Sir, your conftant reader, J. CAREY: flington, February 2. whence he had been abfent for fome CROZIER, or PASTORAL STAFF. from the known and common staff which thepherds, even to this day, make ufe of to catch hold of the hinder-leg of their fheep, in order to take them, and alludes to the paftoral office of the bifhops and clergy, according to that of our Saviour, "I am the good fhepherd ;" and to the common name of the clergy, paftors, or thepherds. It is no uncommon device to fee a crozier, from the hand of a bishop or faint, piercing the mouth of a dragon, on which they trample, to imitate the victory of Chriftian faith over the works of the Devil, reprefented by a dragon. This was on an old tomb, the only one remaining, dug up fome years ago in the precints of the Priory of Bernwell, near Cambridge, and probably defigned for one of the priors there. It is on an old tomb in Pelham Church, where the crofs gorges the dra gon. And the fame device occurs on an old tomb belonging to Bishop Roger, at Salisbury. (See the Archæologia, vol. ii. pl. xiii.) HABITS AND FASHIONS. Monfieur de la Porte, in his Mémoires, printed 1751, at p. 81, tells us that the Comte de Charoft, in 1633, going to Court, was dreffed in a fuit of black velvet, with white boots. The fame perfon, a little after, at p. $5, fays that Queen Anne of Auftria, his miftrefs, fent him to the Duke of Lor . raine, who had difpleafed her, and to reproach him with his folly, with a prefent of a tababare, as he calls it, où bonnet à Angloise de velours verd chamarè de paffemens d'or double de panne jeune, avec un bouquet de plumes, vertes jaunes! It fhould seem by this that it was then looked upon as a fort of fools cap: yet by the defcription it feems to have been much more ornamented than the hat, which has banifhed all forts of caps but the Scotch blue bonnet, no doubt from its usefulness and better defence against the weather. Black filk patches on the face were used by the ladies even in Oliver's time. (See the Life of Lady Warner, p. 19.) KING'S COLLEGE CHAPEL. The feats of the old oaken ftalls, which ate contrived to turn up or down, as the perfon chufes to fit higher or lower, are curioufly carved with grotefque figures, as in the older ones in Ely Cathedral; but thefe odd figures, to ridicule the monks and regular clergy, are no where better expreffed than in the ftone fpouts and ornaments of the old buildings of this college, oppofite to Clare Hall Chapel. Burnet, in his Travels, giving an account of the cathedral of Strafburg, has fet this matter in a good light, (p. 276, 277): "The bas reliefs upon the tops of the great pillars of the church are not fo vilible; but they are furprizing; for this being a fabric of three or four hundred years old, it is very ftrange to fee fuch reprefentations as are there. There is a proceffion reprefented, in which a hog carrieth the pot with the holy water, and affes and hogs, in priestly veftments, follow, to make up the proceffion. There is alfo an afs ftanding before an altar, as if he were going to confecrate, and one carrieth a cafe with reliques, within which one feeth a fox; and the trains of all who go in this proceffion are carried up by monkies.— This feems to have been made in hatred of the monks, whom the fecular clergy abhorred at that time, because they had drawn the wealth and the following of the world after them; and they had expofed the fecular clergy fo much for their ignorance, that it is probable, after fome ages, the monks falling under the fame contempt, the fecular clergy took their turn in expofing them in fo lafting a reprefen tation to the fcorn of the world. There is alfo in the pulpit a nun, cut in wood, lying along, and a fryar lying near her, with his breviary open before him, and his head under the nun's habit, and the nun's feet are fhod with iron fhoes." SELECTIONS SELECTIONS from the CORRESPONDENCE of MR. COLE and bis FRIENDS. SOAME JENYNS. "Have you feen Mr. Soame Jenyns's Book on the internal Evidence of Chrif tianity; it is much read and admired.He told me that the King talked much to him about it last Sunday, and fened At the master of every argument in it. Feaft of the Sons of the Clergy laft week, Sir S. Stafford Smyth, who fate on the right hand of the Lord Mayor Sawbridge, asked him if he had read it? He replied, with a laugh, What! Soame Jenyns write in behalf of Chriftianity.' Yes, (replies Smyth,) and he tells you in his book that he believed once as little as you can do." Dr. Lort to Mr. Cole. May 15, 1776. MR. WILKES. "Mr. Wilkes's fpeech pleafed me much: if the fcoundrel really meant all he faid, he would nearly have cancelled all his rogueries, in my opinion; but his defign is to diftrefs, by propofing great matters at an improper time; and his compliment to Bishop Lowth is only to deal the heavier blow on Bifhop Terrick, who, I dare fay, had none of those abfurd prejudices he lays to his charge: all he meant was not to awaken the abfurd prejudices of Wilkes's Prefbyterian fiiends and allies.' Mr. Cole to Dr. Lort. May 16, 1777. CHATTERTON. "I doubt you are again in error, my good Sir, abour the letter in the Gentleman's Magazine, against the Rowleians, unless Mr. Malone fent it to you; for he is the author, and no: Mr. Steevens, from whom I imagine you received it. There is a report, that proof of fome part of Chatterton's forgery is to be produced from an accomplice. But this I do not anfwer for, nor know the circumstances. I have fcarce feen a perfon who is not perfuaded that the fashion of the poems was Chatterton's own; though he might have found some old stuff to work upon, which very likely was the cafe: but now that the poems have been fo much examined, nobedy (that has an ear) can get over the modernity of the modulation, and the recent caft of the ideas and phrafeology, corroborated by fuch palpable pillage of Pope and Dryden. Still the boy remains a prodigy, by whatever means he procured or produced the edifice he erected and fill it will be inexplicable how he found time or materials for operating Your's ever. H. W." fuch miracles. Mr. Horace Walpole to Mr. Cole. Feb. 22, 1782. MONTHLY MAG. No. 112. OLIVER CROMWELL. "Whenever I can get the Chartulary conveyed to you by a friend, for it must not be hazarded in a ftage, you shall certainly have it. I will fend you in my next copies of the feals I took. The feal of Colne Priory, I fear, does not now exit. Mrs. Holgate burnt a great box full of deeds and feals, many of them in tin cales. Into the fame fire went a lock of Oliver Cromwell's hair, and a Diary of his Life, in his own hand-writing, in the true canting ftrain. She has a fine ebony cabinet of his, filled with his table linen: the gave me a napkin, which has on it the arms he affumed as Lord Protector, with the coronet over them." Mr. Tyfon to Mr. Cole. Nov. 22, 1779. First PINE-APPLE raised in ENGLAND. "Mr. Pennicot: has fhewn me a most curious and delightful picture. It is Role, the royal gardener, prefenting the firft pine-apple railed in England to Charles the Second. They are in a gar.. den, with a view of a good private house, fuch as there are feveral at Sunbury, and about London. It is by far the belt likenefs of the King I ever faw: the countenance chearful and good-humoured, and very fenfible. He is in brown, lined with orange, and many black bands; a large flapped hat, dark wig not tied up, nor yet bufhy; a point cravat, no waiffcoat, and a tafleled handkerchiet hanging from a low pocket. The whole is of the finaller landscape fize and extremely well coloured, with perfect harmony. It was a legacy from London, grandfon of him who was partner with Wife." Mr. H. Walpole to Mr. Cole. March 6, 1780. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, long a time has elapfed fince I first Siffued my proposals for publishing a "Verbal Index to the Plays of Shak- U cation cation, and that it has been only in compliance with the wishes of fome of Shakfpeare's warm admirers, that I have fuffered the fubfcription to remain open fo long. If the work fhould eventually be published, the fubfcribers will in one reipect be benefited by the delay, as it has given me an opportunity of incorporating in my index the play of Pericles, which had not been infected in our poet's works, till the last edition publifhed by Mr. Stevens. Three months more I am willing to give to the experiment; and, at the expiration of that period, either the work fhall be put to the prefs, or the fubfcribers hall be called upon through the channel of the Monthly Magazine to withdraw their depofit from the hands where they lodged it, and where it has ever fince remained. I am Sir, Your most obedient Servant, Bath 12th Jan. 1804. FRANCIS Twiss. heath, Or pounce the lion, as he talks beneath. Chain'd at his root two Scion-demons dwell, Breathe the faint hifs, or try the fhriller yell; Rife, fluttering in the air on callow wings, And aim at infe&t-prey their little ftings." BOTANIC GARDEN, Part 2. Can. 3. v. 237. The paffage contains a great deal of fine poetry certainly. What a pity that it fhould want common-fenfe! For how is it poffible that infects can get near enough to the young fhoots to be destroyed by them, while the baleful effluvia from the parent-tree spreads fo much wider, and arrefts the distant flight of the eagle. On read.ng the paffage in question, I was forcibly reminded of the ingenuity of "The man who, contriving a hole thro' the wall, To admit his two cats, the one great, t'other (mall, When a great hole was made for great puss to pass thro'. Had a little one cut for the little cat too!"* In the fame poet's addrefs to Philanthropy, there is an imitation, fo palpable, of fome lines in the Wanderer of Savage, that I fufpect my notice of it must have been anticipated. "The Spirits of the Good, who bend from high mire." "Where veiny marble dignifies the ground, With emblem fair in fculpture rifing round, Once-lov'd Horatio fleeps, a mind elate! Lamented fhade, ambition was thy fate. Ev'n Angels, wondering, oft his worth furvey'd ; Behold a man, like one of us! they fáid. Straight heard the Furies, and with envy glar'd, And to precipitate his fall prepar'd." WANDERER, Canto 5. v. 537. The imitator, has, however, so much improved upon his original, that the theft must be forgiven. Yet, from certain other refemblances, there feems reason to believe that the poet of Derby was.indebted, in more inftances than one, to the author of the Wanderer. which he adduces from Gray's exquisite The critique of N. N. on the paffage Fragment of an Effay on the alliance of Education and Government," is obviously juft. But I deem too highly of that poet to admit that he had exhaufted his ftock of ideas, and therefore found himself compelled to drop the fubject:-an inference very unfair and unfounded. I am, Sir, Worcester, Your's, &c. Jan. 16, 1804. TREBOR. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, AM engaged in reading books upon IN your Publication of aders with the fome particular sciences, and periods. you favour your title of an important financial statement, viz. "An Account of the Net Produce of all the permanent Taxes in the Years and Quartes ending the 10th Day of October, 1802 and 1803, respectively;" but it appears to me that by fome mistake, the account itfelf is defective. I cannot find that it exhibits a comparative view either of the years above mentioned, or of the quarters. There is a total of upwards of thirty mill ons, which I suppose is the national revenue of the year 1803; and that that of the preceding year is entirely ommitted, fo that we cannot judge of the comparative difference. As to the ftatement of the produce of the quarters, I do not perceive any at all; and I confefs it was with a degree of intereft that I turned to the title; for the New papers had previously given a statement of the comparative revenue of thofe years and quarters, which appeared to me inconfiftent with itself. I think that of the years gave an excess of about five million in favour of 1803; whereas that of the quarters felected for comparison (being, I believe, the last in the two refpective years) gave a furplus of about 100,000 only, in favour of the quarters of the year 1803, or 400,000 for the whole year, instead of five millions. I conceive that the average quarter ought to have been stated, otherwife all the quarters; at all events, the statements of the years and the quarters refpectively, ought to have corroborated each other: but that not being the cafe, I flattered myself you would have fet the matter clear, in which I am difappointed; yet hope that it will be in your power to do it, for any apparent inconfiftencies in the ftatements of the public finances lead the people to fufpect the veracity of them altoge ther: and at this crifis, if there be a favourable statement to exhibit, (which I truft there is) I need scarcely reprefent to you the importance of its being published in a manner that shall remove all doubts upon the fubject. Many of my friends whom I have confulted upon this occafion, have found themselves quite as much at a loss as myfelf to explain the ftatements on this head which have been already published. In the particulars, the item of land-tax fems to have been entirely omitted, or not to have been diftinctly stated; yet we know a confiderable portion of it fill remains unredee red, and must form a part of the public revenue. I trust you will excufe the liberty I have taken; and am, Your's, &c. X. D. Jan. 28, 1804. cafion to take up authors of all periods. When I begin a book, it becomes neceffary, for obvious reafons, to know with fome precifion the time in which it was written; although this might be so easily intimated by the author, yet it is but feldom that the reader is fo fortunate as to meet with direct information of it. It is evident that no conclufion can be drawn from obferving the date of the year in which a book was published, as the interval between writing and publifhing may vary exceedingly; and if it be an edition fubfequent to the first, it is impoffible to form even a guefs, from this circumftance, of the year in which it was written. It now and then happens that a license, or approbation of fome learned fociety, is prefixed to a book, which, being always dated, afford fome little light to the inquiry. It alfo fometimes occurs to the author to infert a date to his dedication or preface; this is a happy hint to his reader. But most commonly the reader is not accommodated in any one of thefe ways, and is left to judge very vaguely of the date of the work, if he have not a biographical account of the author at hand; and even if he have, he is not always fatisfied in this particular, if the writer be not of fome celebrity. I wish, Sir, you could perfuade anthors to prefix to their dedications, prefaces, advertisements, &c. the date in which their works are delivered over to the printer; or if they choose to fend forth their off fpring without thefe ufual attendants, to find fome corner in which the era of their compofitions may be made known; by which we should be enabled to know their relative pofitions to one another in respect to time, and to appréciate their opportunities of information, from the tate of fcience, and accumulation of facts, at the time in which they compofed. This communication would generally be rather advantageous to their fame, than otherwise; and always fatisfactory, if not frequently neceffary, to the reader. |