SCARCE TRACTS, WITH EXTRACTS AND ANALYSES OF SCARCE BOOKS. It is proposed in future to devote a few Pages of the Monthly Magazine to the Insertion of such Scarce Tracts as are of an interesting Nature, with the Use of which we may be favoured by our Correspondents; and under the same Head to introduce also the Analyses of Scarce and Curious Books. HE name of Selden has been so uni Tversally and so long known, that it tle of introductory remark can here be needed. One observation, however, we shall premise, from the epistle dedicatory prefixed to the work by Richard Milward. "In reading, be pleased to distinguish times, and in your fancy carry along with you the when and the why many of these things were spoken; this will give them the more life and the smarter Telish." The observations are alphabetically arranged, as will appear from the following selections. Churches." The way coming into our great churches was antiently at the west door, that men might see the altar and all the church before them; the other doors were but posterns." Language.-" 1. To a living tongue new words may be added, but not to a dead tongue, as Latin, Greek, Hebrew, &c. 2. Latimer, is the corruption of Latiner; it signifies, he that interprets Latin, and though he interpreted French, Spanish, or Italian, he was called the king's latiner, that is, the king's inter preter. 3. If you look upon the language spoken in the Saxon time, and the language spoken now, you will find the dif ference to be just as if a man had a cloak that he wore plain in queen Elizabeth's days; and since, here has put in a piece of red, and there a piece of blue, and here a piece of green, and there a We borrow piece of orange-tawny. words from the French, Italian, Latin, as every pedantick man pleases. "4. We have more words than notions, half a dozen words for the same thing. Sometimes we put a new signification to an old word, as when we call The word gun was in 4 piece, a gun. use in England for an engine to cast a thing from a man, long before there was any gun-powder found out. "5. Words must be fitted to a man's mouth; it was well said of the fellow that was to make a speech for my lord mayor, he desired to take measure of his lordship's mouth." Libels. 1. Though some make slight of libels, yet you may see by them how the wind sits: as take a straw and throw it up into the air, you shall see by that which way the wind is, which you shall not do by casting up a stone. More solid things do not shew the complexion of the times so well as ballads and libels." Proverbs.-"1. The proverbs of seve ral nations were much studied by bishop Andrews, and the reason he gave was, because by them he knew the minds of several nations, which is a brave thing; as we count him a wise man that knows the minds and insides of men, which is done by knowing what is habitual to them. Proverbs are habitual to a nation, being transmitted from father to son. Truth." The Aristotelians say, all truth is contained in Aristotle in one place or another. Galileo makes Simplicius say so, but shows the absurdity of that speech, by answering, all truth is contained in a lesser compass, viz. in the alphabet: Aristotle is not blamed for mistaking sometimes; but Aristotelians for maintaining those inistakes. They should acknowledge the good they have from him, and leave him when he is in the wrong. "Le Prince d'Amour, or the Prince of Love: with a Collection of several ingenious Poems and Songs, by the Wits of the Age." Lond. 1660. 800. Among the poeins and songs are several which bishop Percy printed in his Reliques. The two following are selecte ed as specimens of the better sort: THE FRUITS OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE. «To shine in silk and glister all in gold, To flow in wealth, and feed on dainty fare, To build up houses stately to behold, 1 The "Latham's Faulconry, or the Falcon's Lure and Cure: in two Books. By Simon Latham, gent. Lond. 1658. 8vo. -Latham's New and Second Book of Falconry: concerning the Ordering und Training up of all such Hawks as were omitted or left unmentioned in his printed Book of the Haggard Falcon, and Ger-Faulcon: namely, the Gos hawk and Tassell, with the Sparhawk, the Lunner and Lanneret, as they are divided in their generation; the Hobby and Martyn, in their kindes; teaching approved Medicines for all such Infirmities and Diseases as are incident to them." Lond. 1658. 8vo. Hawking has so long ceased to be a general sport among the English, that a complete analysis of either of the above works, would probably be uninteresting From the first, however, we have "AN EXPLANATION OF THE WORDS OF C. Creance, is a fine small long line of strong and even twound packthread, which is fastened to the hawk's leash, when shee is first lured. Check, or to kill: check is when crowes, rooks, pyes, or other birds, comming in the view of the hawk, she forsaketh her naturall flight to fly at them. Casting, is any thing that you give your hawk to cleanse her gorge with, whether it be flannell, thrammes, feathers, or such like. To cast a hawk, is to take her in your hands before the pinions of her wings, and to hold her from bating or striving, when any thing unto administer you her. Cadge, is taken for that on which faulconers carry many hawks together, when they bring them to sell. D. Dropping, is when a hawk muteth directly downward, in severall drops, and jirketh it not long wayes from her. Disclosed, is when young hawks are newly hatch't, and as it were disclosed from their shells. E. Erie, is the nest or place where a hawk buildeth, and bringeth up her young ones, whether in woods, rocks, or any other places. Endew, is when a hawk digesteth her meat, not only putting it over from her gorge, but also cleansing her pannell. G. Gorge, is that part of the hawk which first receiveth the meat, and is called the craw, or crop, in other fowls. Gurgiting, is when a hawk is stuft or sufforated, with any thing, be it meat or otherwise. I. Inke, 1. Inke, whether it be of partridge, fowl, doves, or any other prey, is the neck from the head to the body. Intermewed, is from the first exchange of a hawk's coat, or from her first mewing, till she come to be a white hawk. Jesses, are those short straps of leather which are fastened to the hawk's legges, and so to the lease by varvels, anlets, or such like. L. Lure, is that whereto faulconers call their young hawks, by casting it up in the aire, being made of feathers and lea ther, in such wise, that in the motion it looks not unlike a fowl. Lease, or Leashe, is a small long thong of leather, by which the faulconer holdeth his hawk fast, folding it many times about their fingers. Lice, are a small kinde of white vernin, running amongst the feathers of the hawk. M. Muting, is the excrements, or ordure, which comes from hawks, and containeth both dung and urine. A make Hawk, is an old stanch flying hawk, which being inur'd to her flight, will easily instruct a younger hawk to be waining in her prey. Managing, is to handle any thing with cunning, according to the true nature thereof. Mew, is that place, whether it be abroad or in the house, where you set down your hawk, during the time that she raseth her feathers. Mites, are a kind of vermine smaller than lice, and most about the heads and nares of hawks. P. Pluming, is when a hawk seizeth a fowl, and pulleth the feathers from the body. Plumage, are small downy feathers which the hawk takes, or are given her for casting. Pelt, is the dead body of any fowl, howsoever dismembered. Pill, and Pelf, of a fowl, is that refuse and broken remains which are left after the hawk hath been relieved. Plume, is the generall colour, or mixtures of feathers in a hawk, which sheweth her constitution. Pearch, is any thing whereon you set your hawk, when she is from your fist. Prey, is any thing that a hawk killeth, and feedeth herself thereupon. "To the right Worshipfull, my singular good Friend M. Gabriell Harvey, Doctor of Lawes. HARVEY, the happy above happiest men I read, that sitting like a looker-on Of this worldes stage, doest not with critique pen The sharp dislikes of each condition, And as one careless of suspition, Ne fawnest for the favour of the great; Ne fearest foolish reprehension Of faulty men, which danger to thee threat, But freely doest of what thee list entreat, Like a great lord of peerlesse liberty: Lifting the good up to high honour's seat, And the evil damning evermore to dy. For life and death is in thy doome full wri. ting, So thy renown lives ever by endighting. Your devoted friend, during life, "A Letter sent by William Laud, Archbishop of Canteburie, with divers Manuscripts, to the University of Oxford. Which Letter, in respect, it hath Relation to this present Parlia ment, is here inserted: together with the Answer which the University sent him, wherein is specified their integrity, as he is their Chancellor. The Tenor whereof ensues. Printed in the Year 1641."- 4to. This singular and rare tract consists but of five pages. The public orator's answer is dated from Oxford, 1640." Laud merely adds to his former gifts six manuscripts in Hebrew, eleven in Greek, thirty-four in Arabick, twenty-one in Latin, two in English, and five in Persian. "One of which [last] being of a large volume, containeth a historie from the beginning of the world to the end of the Saracen empire, and without doubt is of great worth." These were, probably, among the last presents which were made by archbishop Laud to the uni versity. Extracts from the Portfolio of a Man of Letters. TRANS-INCORPORATION OF SOULS. HE doctrine of the trans-incorpora Tration of souls, or of their migra tion through successive human bodies, was taught at length, and with more confidence, by a Jewish rabbi called Jitzcach Loriensis. His book is entitled De Revolutionibus Animarum. He supposes a limited number of souls to have been made at the creation, and that these souls are constantly in waiting about our atmosphere, to animate such bodies as are ready for a soul. Those embryos perish which no soul chooses to animate. The souls of the eminently good are dispensed from re-animating men, and become angels of God. The souls of the very bad are forbidden for a time to rehumanize themselves, and become devils; but they are often endeavouring to ob tain a human body, that they may have a chance of bettering their condition: this may be observed in the case of possession by dæmons. Those souls continue to revolve in human life which are not perfect enough for angels, or foul enough for devils; and it may often be perceived, that whole groups of souls, which, during their first visit on earth, were acquainted with each other, come consentaneously again at the same time into new being. In schools of philosophy and theology, these clusters of old souls may especially be traced; and many men of vigilant intellect have recollected their former character, and are aware that their present ideas are mere reminiscences. In the history of all nations, souls follow their original order of presentation; the bold and cruel make choice of an earlier period of national existence than the humane and subtle, which mosly await a period of luxury and refinement. Many persons are born to misfortune; as when poverty, or hereditary disease, greatly afflict their parents. These evils are to be considered as voluntary expiations, which the soul so born chose to undergo, in order to purge off the sins committed during its preceding existence. Those are the wisest souls who so choose their bodies: the well-embodied almost always contract fresh pollutions, and go back into the atmosphere a degree lower in spiritual existence. The soul of Abel belonged afterwards to Moses; and the soul of Cain belonged to that Egyptian whom Moses slew. John the Baptist claimed the soul of Elias. Pythagoras was a Trojan, before he became a disciple of Eyra. Philo was was a Greek, before that incarnation which placed him as lecturer in the col lege of Alexandria. When any very well-known soul returns upon the earth, it is easy to foresee that it will shortly be surrounded by several of those souls who formerly cooperated with it: but the order of presentation is often inverted. GASTROLOGY. La Mothe de Vayer was the first who solemnly proposed to recognize cookery as one of the fine arts; and under the denomination of gastrology, to compile learned quartos on the science of enhancing the physical and moral pleasures of the palate. The ear, he contends, if given to man for need, is employed for luxury; and we hold it honourable to listen to sweet music, or to fine oratory. The eye may have been intended only to guard us against a post; but who is content with its necessary offices? For a fine prospect we laboriously climb a hill: for the painter Schneider's inside view of a pantry we gladly exchange our gold. And shail an organ no less exquisitely sensible than the ear and the eye, whose percipiency gives to all the pleasures of taste their generic name, be less regarded than they, less honoured, less philosophized about? Some flavours are naturally pleasing, as of milk, honey, and grapes. Yet the highest relish of these foods evidently consists in the associated ideas which they happen to excite, in the accessory imaginary perceptions which accompany them. Who likes milk in the country? Who does not enjoy it in the heart of London, when he can obtain a draught fresh from the cow, foaming in the jug, scattering its musky fragrance, and calling up before the fancy rural ideas of green meadows, corn-clad hills, and smokeless air. Honey soon cloys; but let the honey be that of Hybla, famous in the classic page, and the Sicilian traveller will suck it up with delight. The grape, which hardly ripens on our garden-walls, is still a welcome dish at the dessert; because it awakens so many thoughts of mirth and grace derived from Bacchanalian songs. Some flavours are naturally displeasing, as of an oyster, or an olive; yet from being tasted in the society of friendship, or rank, and mingled in our recollection with the joys of life, they often become exquisitely enticing. Now if it be true that the moral power . of every mouthful exceeds its physic power, and that the accessory ideas ha more influence on the likes and dislik of the palate, than the direct sensatio occasioned by the thing apphed, eati (q. e. d.) must be as well entitled as la guage itself, to be studied. It is w that words should be individually euph nical; but it chiefly imports that t excited ideas should delight and stim late. It is well that food should wholesome; but it chiefly signifies th it should beckon into the soul agreeab trains of thought, about its far fetch material, or its traditional preparation. SHIP-MONEY. Macrobius says (Saturnalia, lib. i. c. that the oldest money known in Ita had, on one side, the head of Satur and on the other side, a ship: when came the phrase used in tossing up, Head or ships. Cum pueri denarios in sublin jactantes Capita aut navia lusu teste v tustatis exclamant. Surely it would be come this nation to stamp some of i coin with so apt an emblem of its con mercial prosperity as a ship. It may however be suspected that thes earliest coins known in Italy, were no made there, but in Egypt and that th figure called Saturn was the Egyptian go Phthas, who was considered as the fathe of all other gods, (Jablonski, lib. i. c. 2 though finally neglected for his children On the altars of Phthas a splendid flam was kindled; and the original worshipper of Saturn are described by Macrobius, a employing a similar ritual. Aras Sa turnius, non mactando viros, sed accensi luminibus excolentes. UTILITY OF NOVEL-READING. In the Annual Review, vol. vi. p. 380, the utility of novel-reading is thus de fended: "From the contemplation of fictitious distress, men most efficaciously learn to feel for real suffering. Where no cir cumstances of disgust intercept the pity, and no restraints of prudence the benificence, a tendency is easily generated to commiserate and to relieve. this tendency, like the military exercises learnt on the parade, is the true basis of those practical efforts of philanthropy, which, in the real warfare with human misery, constitute the noblest triumphs of virtue." EMBASSY TO CHINA. And Juan Gonzales de Mendoza, an Augustin friar of Castile, was appointed in 1584 by the king of Spain, to be his an bassador in China. On his return, he drew |