an acute observer of mankind as Horace. But what, perhaps, might become Mæcenas, or at least might be connived at by his friends, was not, therefore, seemly for every one; and thus might Horace, without giv ing umbrage to his potent friend, chastise such a blackguard as Malchinus probably was, for this very reason, because he imagined that what Mæcenas might do was also becoming in him. But even if we refuse to admit this explanation, it may very well be conceived how Horace, without adverting to Mæcenas, may have censured Malchinus. The subject is concerning fools, who run into one extreme in endeavouring to avoid the other. The half-way, or that most common among the Romans, was the tunica angusticlavia, which was worn as well by the equestrian order, as by the ordinary citizens, more or less tucked up with a girdle, so that it never reached down to the ancles, and, for the most part, only just below the waist. This manner of tucking up denoted an active and bustling man, and, at the time when Horace lived, was among the good old customs. To let the tunica hang down ungirt over the ancles, was probably, at that time, a new Asiatic fashion, affected by such as wanted to be thought of consequence, and to shew that they had a right to be idle. Horace names Malchinus, not as though he were the only one who adopted such a carriage, but probably because he was one who might be named without consequence. Others, who looked upon this mode as effeminate and ridiculous, who would nevertheless be like wise faceti (des élégans, people of the first fashion *), pushed it to the other extreme, and girt themselves, as Horace says, so high up, that, according to the then manner of dressing themselves, no lady could with decency accost them in the street. Horace, therefore, arraigns them both, as foolish excesses of an affected elegance,

and Mæcenas, who went without a girdle, not for the sake of acting the petit-muitre, but because it was

able to him, had no concern in the

matter.

Pastillos Rufillus olet, Gorgonius hircum.] The conjecture of Baxter (who, to display the acuteness of his olfactory nerves, is always smelling out more than any body else) that both of these were persons of distinction, because, from a passage in the Fourth Satire, it appears, that this verse was ta ken amiss of Horace, is without foundation, as will be shewn in its place. In the mean time, it is very possible that this may have been the same Caius Gorgonius whom Cicero (de Clar. Orator. cap. 48.) describes as the first pettifogger of the equestrian order in his time. An old, probably decayed pettifogger, who was a nuisance to society likewise by his uncleanliness, was hardly of such consequence, that a Poet whom Mæcenas and Cæsar had taken under their protection, might not take the liberty to avenge on him the insulted noses of his fellow-citizens.

Inquit sententia dia Catonis.] This phrase, instead of inquit Cato, is an imitation of the same manner of speaking that appears in a Satire of Lucilius, Valeri sententia dia. Horace seems studiously sometimes to borrow trifles from his predecessor Lucilius, as we take without scruple a pinch of snuff from the box of a friend. The anecdote to which he here alludes actually happened, according to the antient Scholiast, between the famous M. Cato Censorius, called also Cato Major, and a young man of his acquaintance. The scholium contains an additional circumstance, which is worth quoting. The youth misconstruing the exclamation Bravo! addressed to him by Cato, repeated his visits much too frequently to the place which the Censor saw him sneak out of.

"So, so, young man," said Cato, on perceiving it, "I applauded you in the opinion that it was but occasionally that you came hither; I was not aware that you had taken up your lodging here." Great Ormond Street.

Mr. URBAN,

W. T.

Sept. 5.

*That this is the true import of the word facetus is evident from Quinctilian, lib. ii. cap. 3.

a minor) was married to Lady Katherine Annesley prior to 1723, as appears by a case now before me; where

in

in it is stated, that "in October, 1719, Mr. Phipps, in a private clandestine manner, and whilst she was under the age of 18, married her, without any application to the Court" of Chancery, of which she had, by a suit instituted, been made a ward. Application was soon afterwards made to the Court by Sir Constantine Phipps, as the next friend of Mr. Phipps and his Lady, for the payment of her fortune (15,000); but which, in consequence of the contempt, was not obtained till after the passing. of the Act of Parliament in 1721, for pardoning all contempts (except contempts in causes) and other offences committed before the 24th of July, 1721. The question on the case was, whether this contempt was within the exception in that Act. Sir John Chesshyre's opinion (dated the 21st November, 1721") was, that the enacting words were sufficient to take in and pardon that offence; and that the exception extended to contempts in process, &c. and not to misdemeanours in a criminal kind.'

H

Yours, &c. STE. NEWMAN.

Mr. URBAN, Shrewsbury, Aug. 8. AVING given so accurate a representation of Boscobel House and the Royal Oak, p. 105, you will probably have no objection to giving a View of the remains at WHITE LADIES, a Priory of White Cistertian Nuns, in the same neighbourhood and same county. This curious piece of antiquity is about three quarters of a mile from Boscobel, and one of those sequestered scenes so favourable to meditation. All our Antiquaries, antient and modern, are silent respecting this building; and I have not been able to ascertain by whom it was founded, or how endowed. The View annexed shews the principal part of the Church; which, with the gate-house, of more modern erection than the other building, now a labourer's dwelling, are all that remain. The circular arches in the walls, and having no pillars, indicate it to be of Saxon origin; but this I shall leave for the decision of more veteran Antiquaries. The place is extra-parochial; and the area of the Church is still used as burying-ground, I believe mostly for Catholicks. On opening a grave GENT. MAG. September, 1809.

Some account of Dame Joane may be seen in your vol. LXIII. p. 127. There are other grave-stones, but none that contain inscriptions worthy the scenery in this neighbourhood, of notice. I was so delighted with and so lulled into contemplation in surveying this lonely remain of anthe setting sun, and the clouds of aptient art, that I did not leave it till proaching night, reminded me of my distant home.

The following beautiful lines struck me at the time too forcibly to be omitted:

"When darkness now with silence reigns around, [beams; As the faint sun withdraws his glimmering (Save when, to render horror more pro[ing gleams, And through the lengthening aile the owlet On the rough grate the pale moon quiverscreams;)

found,

Then, lulled by Fancy's visionary train, His long-lost friends frequent his blissful dreams;

He spends his days of childhood o'er again, 'Till sounds the midnight bell, and proves

To

I

his vision vain."

Yours, &c.

D. PARKES

THE PROJECTOR. No. C.
the AUTHOR of the PROJECTOR.
SIR,

SHALL make no apology for the abruptness with which I begin this letter, and for accusing you and your brethren, the whole tribe of Moral Essayists, of sundry mistakes and misapprehensions in the excr cise of your lawful calling; which mistakes, I am of opinion, proceed from your being better acquainted, in some matters, with theory than practice; and from your sometimes

meddling