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city of Canterbury; and amongst the very many venerable and beautiful remains of an iquity which it contains, my attention was naturally attracted to its magnificent Cathedral, that noble and elegant pile, not less highly interesting from its architectural splendour, the richness of its decora tious, the beauty of its ornaments, and the chaste correctness of its proportions, than from the various specimens that it exuibits of the style of almost every age, from the Norman Conquest to the æra of Monastic Dissolutions.

As an ardent admirer of Antient Architecture, I was most highly delighted with my examination; and, after having enjoyed a rich treat from a minute inspection of the interior beauty of this venerable pile, I adjourned to a view of its exterior, and for that purpose hastened to the grand Western Front, where its large window, so exquisitely proportioned and so richly ornamented with stained glass, entirely engrossed my attention.

After having fully satisfied my cu riosity, I proceeded to examine its grand Entrance, adorned with various shields and canopied niches, but which now appeared to be rarely used; and was forcibly struck with the rich ness of its design and the beauty of its decorations. On retiring from this elegant Front, I perceived that a deep recess on one side of the entrance, formed between two massive Buttresses, was most carefully boarded up, which at the first view I conceived was done with the laudable idea of preventing the commission of nuisances, or the rude attempts of those who too often injure and deface. But, on a closer inspection, judge, Sir, what was my surprize and astonishment, when I perceived that it was evidently barricadoed in this " sightly" manner, merely as a convenient receptacle for stores or other implements employed in the reparation or for the use of the building. Disgusted at the sight of such an unseemly object, which contributed so much to disfigure the Entrance and conceal its beauty, and at the same time anxious to obtain some more accurate information concerning it, I applied to a shop immediately opposite, and enquired for what purpose these boards had been erected, and the recess so closely barricadoed. In answer to my eager enquiries, I was

un

informed that it had been FITTED UP as a 66 CONVENIENT PLACE" to put faggots and coals in *.

I passionately exclaimed, "Is the grand Western Entrance of this venerable building, which has withstood the brunt of ages, and resisted the vio lence of faction and the ravages of time; is the magnificent Cathedral of Canterbury, the pride of Architecture, and the Metropolitical Church of England, to be turned into a receptacle for coals and fuggots ? Some considerable time elapsed before I could sufficiently recover myself as to reflect how such a palpable nuisance could ever be tolerated; particularly so, as I understand that in the year 1787, when the Nave was newly paved, all the Tombs and Gravestones were removed, although many of them covered the mouldering remains of Archbishops and Priors of the Couvent, merely because they were deemed "UNSEEMLY OBJECTS"; and likewise that a beautiful little Chantry + of the family of Brenchley, which from having been refitted by Dean Nevil for the burying-place of his family, assumed his naine, and which contained several highly-finished monuments, was pulled down solely from an idea that it “ LOOKED UNSIGHTLY;" although a very trifling sum expended on it would have been amply sufficient for its repairs; and as it was erected in the reign of Henry VI. it would have now remained an interesting object for the inspection

of the Architectural Antiquary. What, let me ask, would be the feelings and emotions of a Prior or a Monk of the fourteenth century, who spared neither time, pains, nor expence, in beautifying and adorning his beloved fabrick, could he now behold a part of that venerable pile thus contaminated and disgraced? I think I may confidently assert, that the Minister and Churchwardens even of the meanest Parochial Edifice in this kingdom would be actuated by such a reverence and regard for the

* We have no doubt but that this is some slight inclosure fra temporary purpose—or that, should it be otherwise, the present very excellent Guardians of the Cathedral will see the necessity of ordering its removal. EDIT.

Gostling's Walk, p. 205, ed. 1777. Beauties of England and Wales, Vol. VIII. p. 855.

sacred

sacred place over which they are appointed guardians, that they would blush to be the tolerators, much less the erectors, of such a modern " CONVENIENCE. How must the admirer of Architectural Antiquity tremble, when he reflects to what modern purposes the whole of this venerable building may in time be converted, when he now beholds a part, and that too the most magnificent, thus disfigured!

dressed these remarks; and can assure you that they were dictated by no sinister motive, but merely from an ardent desire for the preservation of those august and venerable Kemains of Antiquity, which have for ages been the pride and boast of our country, and of which I have ever been a most fervent admirer. Yours, &c.

Mr. URBAN,

CAN

VIATOR.

July 5. any of your Correspondents inform me of the issue of the first Earl of Bute? I am aware that he had several children, one of whom was James, the second Earl; and one of the daughters married into a family of the North of Ireland. I wish to obtain an exact account of the births, marriages, and time of decease of all the children, as I am about to publish a Work, entitled, "An Account of antient neble Scottish Families," and my production would be deficient without this knowledge.

tave consulted two or three Peerages of the day, and amongst these Debrett's, whose information is always to be depended on, but niherto without effect. in his last edition, perceive he goes no farther back than James, the second Earl. Yours, &c. A VERY OLD SUBSCRIBER.

Mr. URBAN,

T

July 18. HE Preface to our English Bible, which in general is printed only with the folio editions, does not seem to be so well known as it deserves to be. It was written, as Wood informs us, by one of the principal translators, Miles Smith, Bishop of Gloucester, an Oxford man, educated in Brazen-nose College, who "for his rich and accomplished furniture" in history, was called " a walking library." I am at present reminded of this Preface by what a "Constant Reader" has observed * from Du Pin, “that in all ages, the Church [of Rome] exhorted the faithful to read the Scriptures," On this head the writer of the Preface says: "Now the Church of Rome would seem at length to bear a motherly affection towards her children, and to allow them the Scriptures in their mother tongue: but indeed it is

When Puritanism, like a noxious vapour, overshadowed this country, we too well know to what unhallowed purposes these sacred walls were perverted; and surely one would imagine that, awed by such a conduct, its present Members would studiously avoid approximating so profane an example. The rich and ample endow ment of this Cathedral, and the immense revenues attached to it, if not expended in beautifying and adorning, ought surely to preserve it inviolate from unsightly nuisances and the rude attacks of modern innovation, As interesting monuments of National Architecture, some portion of those riches should be appropriated for the preservation of their anticnt splendour. If such extensive power be vested in a Chapter as to disfigure, disgrace, and contaminate the Structures committed to its care; if it be authorized to pull down such parts which in its wisdom it may deem unsightly, and on the reparation of which a small sum timely expended would restore to their pristine beauty, we tremble to anticipate to what lengths this power may be extended, and what serious consequences the revolution even of a few years may possibly produce. In such cases, i contend, that as public Monuments of the Religion and the Architecture of the country, the strong arm of Legislative Authority should be exerted to preserve them from contamination, disgrace, and ruin. To you, Sir, who have ever proved yourself so zealous a friend for the preservation of Ecclesiastical Architecture in your firm aud manly exposure of those various Improvements and Innovations made by Modern Architects, I have ad

*The short but satisfactory Letter in Vol. LXXX. p. 18, is, we think, fully sufficient to answer this part of our Correspondent's Letter. EDIT.

* Vol. LXXIX. p. 1200. See also what the same Currespondent says Vol. LXXX. p. 303, b.

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were lately copied from the Monuments of William Uvedale, Esq. and Sir William Uvedale, Knt. in the Church of Wickham, Hampshire.

"Hic jacet Gulielmus Uvedale Armiger, qui obiit regno Reginæ Elizabethæ undecimo, et anno Domini 1569. Vivit qui vivit, jam corpore libera cœlo Mens fruitur: fælix gaudet adesse Deo. Quis vetat, emensum sinceræ tempora vitæ Ut capiat rectè præmia, posse mori."

Arms. Quarterly, 1. Argent, a Argent and Gules, on a canton Azure, cross moline Gules. 2. Barry of ten, Argent. 4. Azure, a fret Or. 5. Or, a cross patonce Or. 3. Gules, a fret a pheon Azure. 6. Barry of six, Argent and Azure, a label of three points Ermine.

a gift not deserving to be called a gift, an unprofitable gift. They must first get a licence in writing before they may use them; and to get that, they must approve themselves to their Confessour, that is, to be such as are, if not frozen in the dregs, yet sowred with the leaven of their superstition. Howbeit it seemed too much to Clement* the Eighth, that there should be any licence granted to have them in the vulgar tongue; and therefore he overruleth and frustrateth the grant of Pius the Fourth. So much are they afraid of the light of the scripture (Lucifugæ Scripturarum, as Tertullian speaketh), that they will not trust the people with it, no not as it is set forth by their own sworn men, no not with the licence of their own Bishops and Inquisitors. Yea, so unwilling are they to communicate the Scriptures to the people's understanding in any sort, that they are not ashamed to confess, that we forced them to translate it into English against their wills. This seemeth to argue a bad cause, or a bad conscience, or both. Sure we are, that it is not he that hath good gold, that is afraid to bring it to the touchstone, but he Thy Vertues (worthy Knight) neede not that hath the counterfeit."

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"Memoriæ Clarissimi Equitis Gulielmi Uvedale, qui obiit 8vo die Januarii 1615, ætatis suæ 56o.

isto;

Vis, Lector, quis sit tumulo qui conditur
[suæ.
Flos Uvedalorum est, gentis honosque
Vis spacium Vita: sex quinquaginta De-

cembres.

Pignora quæ fuerunt: ter tria. Quæve

tore

Consors: Nortoniæ stirpis Maria inclyta ; cujus

Post cineres Pietas vivet in hoc tumulo.

this Tombe [fairer roome. Men's Hearts and Heav'n affoorde them Yet sith thy earthly Part jointly deserv'd, Thy Spouse would it therein should be [twaine And wills that as one bed still held you So might one Grave at last your Bones

preserv'd;

containe."

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The 6th and 7th quarters I am not Heraid enough to appropriate: a reference to the pedigree of Conyers will shew how the other quarters were brought in.

The existing family of Conyers of Essex is very distantly connected with that of the late Baronet. Tristram Conyers of Walthamstow, who died s. p. 1619 (from whose brother Robert, merchant in London, the Essex family descends) is stated to be a younger son of the house of Bowlby and Bagdaile, in the North Riding of Yorkshire. A Pedigree of the Bowlby family of Conyers, carried back to the time of Henry VI. (previous to which period they must have branched from the chief line at Sockburne) may be seen in Graves's Cleveland. The descent of the Essex family is given in Nichols's "Leicestershire." Yours, &c.

Mr. URBAN,

R. S.

Oxford, July 6. I Tis something s range that an uniform propriety in spelling English words should not have kept pace with other improvements in our language, especially in cases where the orthography might be ascertained by sure and approved rules. We frequently meet with the word cotemporary in the writings of some men; while others, better read in our language, write contemporary. I could mention a pamphlet of some critical reputation, which lately issued from a press in this University, where towards the beginning we have cotemporary, and towards the end contemporary, as if it was of no consequence to the beauty and purity of our language which way the word was written, or as if the writer was uncertain which was the true orthography, but had a mind to be right in one of the places at least. The word should always be spelled contemporary. And that I may not be understood to dictate from my own judgment, take the following example. Dr. Bentley was reproached by the Oxford Editors of Phalaris's Epistles for anglicizing Latin words, such as aliene, negoce, &c. Part of that great man's reply, in the Preface to his immortal Dissertation on Phalaris's Episiles (p. 44. edit. 1777) is as follows.

"I must freely declare, I would rather use not my own words only, but even these [viz. ignore, recognosce, which are to

be found in the writings of the Hon. Rob. Boyle] if I did it sparingly, and but once or twice at most in 152 pages, than that single word of my Examiners, cotempo. rary, which is a downright barbarism; for

the Latins never use co for con, except before a vowel, as coequal, coeternal; but before a consonant they either retain the n, as contemporary, constitution, or melt it into another letter, as collection, comprehension. So that my Examiners' cotemporary is a word of his own coposition, for which the learned world will cogratulate him."

Nothing but ignorance can resist the force of this evidence. Yours, &c.

W.S. S. CONFESSIONS OF A NAVAL OFFICER. (Continued from Vol. LXXX. p. 616.)

T Gibraltar, an idle garrison in

A that day, what news was 11a

turally the first question. Amongst a great number of people, there is seldom wanting some 'scapegrace lo give whatsoever report a first currency; and an excess of improbable, or even of the ridiculous, can hardly strangle a lie. This whipping affair

of the Frenchman had not circulated beyond the change of guard, before le pauvre matelot was grown into a popish conjurer, and his twelve lashes were multiplied into being flogged to death on board the Brune for deal

ing with Old Nick. A story for the world's a sapproval requires only slander' or superstition: these are salt and sugar; and where plenty of both seasous a tale high, that may live beyond its author..

On the score of superstition, Gibraltar was prepared just at this time. L'Oriflame, a well-appointed 40-gun French ship, had been taken by our Isis of 50. Captain Wheeler, immedi ately prior to close action, sent for Mr. Deans, Surgeon of the Isis, and entrusted to him certain particular injunctions about family concerns. The Doctor attempted to parry funeral ideas, but was bluntly told, "I know full well this day's work: Cunningham will soon be your Commander. All the great circumstances of my life have been shown in dreams: my last hour is now come." He was killed early in the fight; and Lieutenant Cunningham managed so well in the devolved command, that Admiral Saunders made him a Post-captain into L'Oriflame in Gibraltar Bay.

This foreknowledge of things at

hand

:

hand is a subject many profess themselves positive about their strong argument is experience, and all who have not been so favoured, may reasonably enough doubt, stopping short of contradiction. Certain instances then afloat in the Navy I may take the liberty to produce, anticipating however an adventure of some such kind never in my power to comprehend. At the siege of the Havannah, the Namur and Valiant took it day and day about to fight a sap battery; and the relief of the people was effected every midnight, to save from the observation of the Spanish garrison one party's approach and the other's retreat. We had marched forty in number, a Lieutenant leading, and myself (a Midshipman) bringing up the rear, to relieve the Valiant's; when Moor, one of our men, made frequent calls to stop these at last became quite frivolous, and my distance had got so long from the Lieufenaut, that the party was halted to close the line. In the interim, Moor fairly owned he had no stomach for the battery that night, knowing he should be killed.

Our officer, a hard-headed Scotchman, steady and regular as old Time, began sharp upon me : my excuse was the man's tardiness, and I reported his words. "Killed indeed, and cheat the Sheriff out of his thirteener and a baubee! No, no, Paddy: trust to Fate and the family-honour of the O'Moors for all that.. Come, Sir, bring him along: point your sword in his stern-post."

Moor of course made no reply, but under a visible corporeal effort and a roused indignation stept into the line: our whole party moved on. Now

this Moor was seldom out of a quarrel on board ship, and having some knowledge of the fisty cuffs-art, he reigned pretty much as cock of the walk on the lower gun-deck.

When we had relieved the battery, and the Valiant had gone silently off, all the guns were manned. There remained on the parapet only one heavy piece of orduance, and our very first discharge dismounted it. Elated with that success, up jumped all hands upon the platform, and gave three cheers, when a little devil of a gun took us in a line, and knocked down five men. Sure enough amongst these GENT. MAG. July, 1810. 5

Moor, being the foremost upon his legs, was the first person killed.

From whence had Moor this foreknowledge? He quoted no dream. ' In 1775, to come nearer the recollection of survivors, at the taking of Pondicherry, Captain John Fletcher, Captain Demorgan, and Lieutenant Bosanquet, each distinctly foretold his own death on the mornings of their fate.

Without repeating more of disasters, I shall remind any yet in being of the old Chesterfield's crew under Captain O'Brien, of a dreamer on board that ship, who promised a good prize that immediately ratified his words. Captain O'Brien had been sent year after year to convoy East India Ships from St. Helena to England, a tedious, creeping, hungry voyage, without any prospect of gain: returning in a month of November about the length of Scilly islands, a petty officer at six in the morning went to relieve another upon the forecastle, whom he found upon his beam-ends, wrapt up comfortably under a foul-weather cloak. With a rough shake, and a What cheer, dreamer? this gentleman awoke, and presently related they should catch a prize before breakfast. He was to finish the last two hours on the quarter-deck; where the Lieutenant of the watch, &c. were ready enough to hear any good news. At day-break there never was a sharper look-out: the ships of the convoy were eagerly counted, and one vessel above the number was soon made out. As the light grew stronger, the prize promised was distinguished under their guns, and presently snapt up-literally before eight o'clock, as had been said.(o be continued.)

Mr. URBAN, Reigate, July 5.

BOUT the latter end of Decem

ber, 1783, some old Stables and Haylofts of the Swan Inn, at this piace, were pulled down; in the course of whic, a considerable number of House wallows, perhaps 100 and upwards, were seen fiying wildly about the streets and eaves of the houses, eagerly endeavouring to get shelter. They were thus observed (but gradually diminishing in number) two or three days, when they all disappeared.

Yours, &c. JAMES RYMER, Surgeon.
METEOR

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