many of the characters given of modern publications, are like false lights, held out only to mislead, and the critic becomes either the too partial friend, or the mercenary eulogist of the author. From such a betrayal of our duty to the public, we trust the pages of this Magazine will be always free. We have no more to observe at the present time, but to hope that our correspondents will continue to favour us with their obliging and valuable com- munications on Literature and Antiquities as they have done; and, in conclusion, we venture to observe, that to animadvert without acrimony, and to amend without the severity of censure, are the surest methods of obtaining the ends desired;-the Dec. 31, 1839. S. URBAN. LIST OF EMBELLISHMENTS TO THE VOLUME. Those marked thus * are Vignettes, printed with the letter-press. GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. JULY, 1839. BY SYLVANUS URBAN, GENT. CONTENTS. MINOR CORRESPONDENCE.-Winestead Church, Yorkshire-Captain Coe's Burman MSS.-Frigorific rays of the Moon-Life of Sir John Hayward— Tytler's England under Edward VI. and Queen Mary.. MEMORIALS OF LITERARY CHARACTERS, No. XXVI.-Poetical Note from Edward Cave to Mr. John Hughs, Printer-Memoir of M. Desforges Mail- Description of Hurley Church, Berkshire.. On Celtic Names of Places-Pembroke-Dublin-Nottingham Letter of the "Lover of Literature" to Mr. Sharon Turner.. Conjectures on the Bayeux Tapestry by Mr. Bolton Corney On the Seal of the Borough of Maidenhead (with a Cut) RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW.-Middle-Age Geography-Sir John Maundevile's Hazlitt's Sketches and Essays, 49.-Keightley's Mythology of Ancient Greece and Italy, 54.-Bishop Hopkin's on the Church of Rome, 57.-Lieutenant Johns's Legend and Romance, 59.-Lindsay's View of the Coinage of Ire- land, 61.-Diary of the Rev. John Ward, A.M. Vicar of Stratford-upon- .... FINE ARTS.-Exhibition of the Royal Academy. LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. New Publications, 68.-Biblical Literature, 69.-University of Oxford, ib.- Royal Society, 70.—Royal Geographical Society, ib.-Royal Asiatic Society ANTIQUARIAN RESEARCHES.-Society of Antiquaries, 72.-The Anti- Promotions and Preferments, 82.-Births, Marriages. OBITUARY; with_Memoirs of the Earl of Powis; Dr. Marsh, Bishop of Peterborough; Rev. Dr. Davy; Right Hon. W. Saurin; Right Hon. Sir G. F. Hill, Bart.; Lieut.-Gen. Sir T. Pritzler; Major-Gen. Sir P. Linde- say; Commander W. Love, R.N.; The Duc de Bassano; M. Broussais; John Galt, Esq.; T. H. Bayley, Esq.; Rev. Rice Rees; Ralph Thomp- Bill of Mortality-Markets-Prices of Shares, 103.-Meteorological Diary— Embellished with a View of LAUGHARNE CASTLE, Caermarthenshire, and a 2 MINOR CORRESPONDENCE. MR. URBAN,-In the church of Winestead, in Yorkshire, is preserved a document, a copy of which follows. The original, as I judge from a fac-simile given me by the Rev. James Hildyard, is nearly contemporary with the latter event : "Anno ab incarnatione domini MCLXXXVIII. combusta fuit hec ecclesia in mense septembri in sequenti nocte post festum sancti mathei apostoli: et in anno MCXCVII. VI idibus martii facta fuit inquisitio reliquiarum beati johannis in hoc loco et inventa sunt hec ossa in orientali parte sepulchri et hic recondita et pulvis cemento mixtus ibidem inventus est et In our number for March (p. 318) we gave a short biography of Captain Thomas Coe. Since then his museum has been sold by public auction at Cambridge, and formed perhaps the largest collection of Burman curiosities ever brought into this country. The idols were purchased at reasonable sums, but the larger portion fetched high prices: all the Burman MSS. and inscriptions were purchased by J. O. Halliwell, esq. of Jesus College. C.W.L. remarks that the following passage in the Psalms of David-" So that the sun shall not burn thee by day, nor the moon by night," which is not intelligible to the inhabitants of a colder climate, where the injurious effects of the full moon are not so obvious, becomes plain when the curious facts which were noticed in our review of Martin's History of the West Indies are considered; and to them it may be added that the human frame does not escape these skyey influences, the cause of which is not easily explained. It may however be observed, that some years since a series of experiments was carefully made, from which it appeared that if two thermometers were exposed to the beams of the moon, and a slight cover interposed between one of them and the moon, it indicated a higher temperature than that which was uncovered; and it was therefore inferred that there is a direct descent of frigorific rays through the atmosphere when the moon is shining brightly at its full. MR. BRUCE will be much obliged by any information respecting the Life, or Works, of Sir John Hayward, D.C.L., author of the Life of Edward VI. and other works. Address, 17, King's Parade, Chelsea. MR. J. G. NICHOLS is about to prepare for the press a new edition of Leland's Itinerary; to which he proposes to give a clearer text and arrangement, but without modernising the orthography; and he intends to illustrate it with such notes as may appear strictly pertinent to the subjects mentioned by the Author, and the period at which he wrote. Any commube gratefully received. nications in furtherance of this design will C. J. inquires for any information as to a family named De Vestrous? An antique seal was found, a few years ago, at Finningley, near Doncaster, having thereon a lion rampant, (not on a shield) and this legend, S. NICOLAI DE VESTROVS. J. T. remarks "In your March number, p. 226, it is stated by An old County Magistrate' that no Special Commission has been issued in England since 1820. This, I beg to observe, is an error,Special Commissions were issued in 1830 for the trial of Rioters in the counties of Wilts, Berks, and Hants, which were held at Salisbury, Reading, and Winchester; in 1832, for the trial of Rioters in Bristol and Nottingham; and in 1833 for the trial of Prisoners at the Old Bailey, London, who had been previously tried at Hicks's Hall, but which was rendered necessary by the celebrated mistake of the Middlesex Magistrates." With reference to "names ending with -cock," H. remarks, Luke Badecot was Sheriff of London 1266. It is possible, after all, that Badcock may be the corruption of this surname, originating fromnot "a shocking bad hat," but a shocking bad coat. GENTLEMAN'S THE ART OF DEER-STALKING. MAGAZINE. BY WILLIAM SCROPE, ESQ. 8vo. 1839. Murray. "Incipe veloces Catulos emittere pratis, Incipe Cornipedes latos agitare per agros." may be called the motto of this singularly picturesque and delightful work; the production of the sportsman and scholar united, and written under the immediate protection of the same Deity of the Bow and the Lyre, to whom κιθαρίς τε φίλη καὶ κάμπυλα τόξα.* Our only fear is least we should enter the awful precincts it describes with unworthy feet; and peruse, in the spiritless seclusion of the closet, a work which should be read and studied under the forest boughs, or on the mountain-side. We have heard of a well-known Professor of Geology who gives his lectures on horseback, and who is seen, at stated days, with his whole class in full trot from quarry to quarry, to the astonishment of the Oxfordshire peasants. In this way, Mr. Scrope's volume should be opened, where the scenery would be in harmony with the subject; and the solitary evenings in the forest-lodge give a double zest to the bold adventures, the gallant pursuits, and the perilous escapes which it describes. What a stir would the appearance of this book have made some few years since in the halls of Abbotsford! How soon would its most glowing pages have found their way into some Highland tale; and its wild legends, its remote superstitions, its dark and lawless characters, its daring exploits, its noble and picturesque descriptions, its dramatic portraits, and its pleasant and quiet touches of humour have been the delight of the Northern Minstrel's joyous board. Even in his later days of his weakness, woe be to the knave "Who took From his cold hand this mighty book." For ourselves we hope that, like Is. Walton's Venator, we are no scoffers, and pray let us speak it without offence, as to patient and simple men;' but we think that the general readers of our Magazine, being most of them gentlemen arrived at a certain time of life,† and, like ourselves,— Apollo was called Nóos, on which Spanheim has written one of his learned notes on Callimachus, p. 76, 77. Pindar calls Apollo Aygía xas Nómov, v. Pyth. Od. ix. In Mr. Cary's spirited and truly poetical translation, thus, "A Jove and pure Apollo, Of dear mortals the delight; His simple flock to follow, &c." He may with a peculiar propriety be considered the patron deity of this treatise; as it was his custom, on particular occasions, to assume the form of the "stag." "Fertur hic deus (Apollo) in varias formas ob amores fuisse mutatus; in leonem, in Cervum.” V. Natalis Comes, lib. iv. c. 10. We had lately a letter from a gentleman, signing himself "a Subscriber to the Magazine from the Commencement!" This is assuredly our oldest friend; for the Magazine commenced in 1731!! |
