Gentleman's Magazine, will be received with satisfaction. The generations of mankind rapidly pass away, but the monuments which their labour has erected on the surface of the earth remain. Tradition generally affords an uncertain or exaggerated view of their origin, if remote, or, at a loss for its traces, proclaims them the work of demons. Written records are sometimes scanty, or altogether wanting. Documents and relics are often worthless, if not submitted to critical analysis. In many cases the aid of actual survey and delineation, and of the mattock and spade, must be resorted to.

Coins, military weapons, (observing whether these be of brass or iron,) relics of domestic utensils or sepulchral rites, may then be sought for, and, as these are evidences generally capable of comparative and chronological classification, they become of importance, and in the hands of a judicious collector are no longer rubbish unfit to occupy that most valuable of commodities entrusted to our husbandry,-time.

A. J. K.

MR. URBAN, B. S. G. S. Nov. 5. IT is now more than fifty years ago that W. M. a young medical practitioner, in passing through Crown Court, St. Anne's Soho, had his attention attracted by some books which were exposed for sale in the window

stall of a small shop. Among them was a medical book, which he had a mind to purchase, and he went into the shop to ask the price. The shop door opened between two bow windows; that on the right hand was used as a place of deposit for books, that on the left served as a sort of counter, at which was seated a spare, very neat young man, repairing a watch. A respectable looking woman attended to serve the book customers, and of her W. M. made the purchase. This was the first medical book which was sold by JOHN CALLOW, the father of our medical booksellers, and the first who published a separate salecatalogue of medical books.

At this time, W. M. was in the heyday of youth and comeliness; his mind was active and intelligent, and his manners pleasing; a brilliant prospect of success and distinction in his profession was just opening before him; he was eager for all scientific acquirements, and he sought in books for such means of improving his mind as books could yield.

There was something so neat, so orderly, and so quiet in Callow's little shop, as induced W. M. to visit it again and again, and to make other purchases; thus more acquaintance grew up, and he soon learnt Callow's little history. He was the son of a respectable farmer at Homer, a small

village near Hereford. His education was limited; he had been taught to read and write, and had been apprenticed to a watchmaker, in the exercise of which business we find him employed, and by which he added to the common means of support of his wife and himself.

Mrs. Callow had been formerly married, and had begun the business of dealing in old books during her first husband's life; how soon after his death Mrs. Kingdon became the wife of John Callow is not remembered, but she brought her old books as her dower, which were soon removed to No. 10, Crown Court, where the joint business of watchmaking and bookselling was carried on.

The propinquity of Crown Court to the renowned anatomical theatre erected by Dr. Hunter in Great Windmill Street, (since converted into MacGowan's Printing Office,) at which Baillie and Cruikshank were at this time conjoint lecturers, brought a large number of pupils and medical practitioners close by Callow's shop; many were attracted by his book window, and many medical books were offered to him for sale or in exchange by medical pupils. It often happened that the opinion of W. M. was asked respecting some of the more erudite books, and, if any thing was offered in French or Latin, or possibly in Greek, information was sought from him and always cordially given, so that Callow and his wife considered themselves under great obligations to their kind friend, and were always very grateful for the assistance rendered.

In a few years, Callow's shop became stored with books of considerable value and importance, and it was recommended to Callow by Mr. John Pearson, the learned and scientific surgeon of Golden Square, to establish himself solely as a MEDICAL BOOKSELLER AND PUBLISHER. This advice was to a great extent followed, and henceforth not only were the best old medical works to be found in Crown Court, but also all the new publications connected with medicine; hence, Callow's shop became the resort of professional men in search of information, and here physicians and surgeons of accomplished minds and scientific

research were fond of meeting and conversing.

But an inconvenience arose from thus collecting a large stock of publications, which Callow, in the simplicity of his mind and unadvisedness respecting the larger mercantile transactions, had not foreseen. One evening Mrs. Callow called on W. M. in great distress of mind, and told him of the great trouble in which her husband was involved; he had made some purchases of new books, and a bill which he had given was become due, and he had not the means of meeting the demand; it was feared that he would be arrested, that other creditors would press upon him, and that ruin was inevitable.

She was advised to go herself to every creditor, to state all the particulars of the case, and thus if possible to stave off the immediate danger which threatened. She strictly followed this advice, and the creditors agreed to meet and talk the business over; an evening was fixed, and W. M. though a stranger to such matters, and to most of the gentlemen present, but willing to shew his countenance and good will to poor Callow, attended the meeting. The highly respectable bookseller of Piccadilly, John Stockdale, took the lead. He saw in the true light how the matter stood. Callow, he said, had overstocked himself; if harsh measures were adopted his ruin would ensue, and his creditors would be great losers; "but give him time and he will pay everybody." Stockdale's recommendation was acceded to, and such an arrangement was made as enabled Callow to resume his business and to pay all his creditors.

This was almost the last kind service that W. M.* was able to afford to his humble friend. In the year 1794, be

* Of the very few pictures painted by William Doughty, a favourite pupil of Sir Joshua Reynolds, I possess one; it is a portrait of W. M. when a boy, caressing a dog. It does great credit to the artist, and is so closely in the style of Sir Joshua, who suggested some improvements in it, as to occasion frequent inquiries if it is one of his. Some account of Doughty may be found in Northcote's Life of Sir Joshua Reynolds.

ing in attendance on a patient labouring under a contagious disease, he took the infection, which insidiously pursued its ravages till February, 1800, when death released him from his sufferings.

Multis ille bonis flebilis occidit,
Nulli flebilior quam mihi.

When the Revolution took place in France, and flocks of emigrants arrived in England, a great number of the clergy and others localized themselves in Soho, and many sought to gain a meagre livelihood by teaching French and Latin. Various announcements were suspended in Callow's shop, offering the services of the parties to pupils and others who wished to learn or improve themselves in those languages. Perhaps Callow availed himself of this sort of aid to acquire more knowledge of the contents of Latin and foreign books; at all events, either from such instructions or from the attention he was compelled to pay to title-pages and indexes, or from the various critical remarks made by customers and others, he actually acquired more information respecting the contents of learned books than might be expected from his original education and employments.

During all this time Mrs. Callow was the assiduous adviser and assistant of her husband; they lived happily, and were much respected by their neighbours and all around them. Among the books which came originally with Mrs. Callow, there was a large number of volumes of sermons, &c.; these did not prove a very marketable commodity in Crown Court; a few were usually displayed in the window, but the greater number were deposited in the garret. It happened one day that a clergyman was observed turning over the leaves of some of the religious books in the window; he asked the price of them, and inquired if they had any more to dispose of, and if he could see them. He was told there were many more in the garret; that they could not be conveniently looked out then, but if he would take the trouble to call again they should be ready for his inspection. A day was appointed; Mrs. Callow was indefatigable in rummaging out all the old volumes of

sermons and divinity that she could find, and the clergyman agreed to take the whole lot at a small sum per volume. The sum altogether amounted to about 51. and great was the good lady's delight at having made such a bargain. It proved that this clergyman was the Rev. Vicesimus Knox, who, having compiled and profitably edited the "Elegant Extracts in Verse,' the "Elegant Extracts in Prose," and the "Elegant Epistles," was engaged in preparing for the press a compilation of sermons, which he afterwards published under the title of "Family Lectures."

Callow's business increased so much, and the house in which he resided was so loaded with bookshelves, (for every corner was filled; even the staircase was made to sustain its portion of shelves,) as to render it sometimes a matter of discussion whether it would not be advantageous to remove to a larger house; but to this there were various objections; Crown Court had many attractions, it was quiet and retired, a good business had grown up there, which was carried on at a moderate expense: though often talked of, therefore, no determined step as to change of residence was adopted.

Nor is it probable that a change would have added to the happiness of Callow or his wife; for at this period of their lives they possessed as much of comfort and enjoyment as their wishes could well embrace. Besides the house in Crown Court, where by day he was occupied in business, Callow had taken a cottage situated in a nursery garden at Brompton, in which Mrs. Callow was emancipated from her close attention to business, and where he could of an evening repose and rusticate. It was indeed a cottage of very small dimensions; but fortunately much of happiness may be met with in a small cottage. In this casula, this smallest of small retreats, was stored a small collection of "book rarities ;" and, though he could not boast of many of the "rarissimi," and of only a few "editiones principes," and those chiefly medical, yet here was the prized first edition of the Life of William Bowyer, and other scarce and choice English publications, in which Callow took delight, and the beauties of which he was well

able to appreciate. This was probably the most happy portion of his life.

But this period of happiness and exemption from anxiety and care was not to continue long; the health of Mrs. Callow began to give way, and neither the assiduities of her indulgent husband nor the skill of her medical friends could ward off the afflictive stroke-she died in the year 1816, and was interred in the churchyard of St. Anne, Soho.

Circumstances not long afterwards compelled a removal from Crown Court. The clean, well-conducted, genteel they might be called, shopkeepers, began gradually to disappear; the shops were occupied by a less respectable grade of persons; there was more of noise, more of dirt and disquiet, than heretofore, and Callow was under the necessity of leaving a place where he had enjoyed much of happiness and good fortune. Here it is true he had met with difficulties, but those difficulties had been mastered, and he had the gratifying reflection that he had risen to distinction and consequence, in a position which in his early years held forth no flattering promises of advancement or success; and he unwillingly withdrew from the spot whence his first and most durable pleasures arose.

The house to which he removed was in Prince's Street, the north-west corner of Gerard Street. This removal took place about Christmas, 1818, some time previous to which Callow had married a second wife. This change of condition did not contribute to his comfort or happiness. It rather tended to increase his expenses, and to withdraw him from that close attention to business which had distinguished him through life. The little cottage at Brompton was given up, and a more expensive house entered upon in Church Street, Chelsea, and it was obvious to his friends that Callow had not the same freedom from anxiety as formerly. Age marked itself more distinctly upon him, and bis countenance was careworn and oppressed.

In 1824 Callow retired from business, leaving as his successor Mr. John Wilson, who has since transferred the establishment to Mr. John Churchill. In a few years Callow was

deprived of his second wife, and in the year 1834, in very moderate reduced circumstances, he died at the age of 75 years. He was interred in Sir Hans Sloane's burying-ground, King's Road, Chelsea. Yours, &c. S. M.

MR. URBAN,

AT a time when the costume of the Middle Ages attracts so much attention as at the present, it is desirable to ascertain the precise meaning of the several terms by which the different parts of dress and armour were distinguished. A well-executed glossary of them would be a valuable acquisition, but research and discrimination would be indispensable for it.

Not to occupy more of your columns by such remarks, permit me to say a few words upon the coif de mailles. Not long ago I gave some attention to the various kinds of armour used in the 12th and 13th centuries, and satisfied myself, on what I thought good grounds, that the coif de mailles and the chaperon or capuchon de mailles were essentially different; the former being a bowl-shaped cap, and the latter (for the chaperon and capuchon were I think identical) a hood covering the neck as well as the head. Yet I observe the term coif is not unfrequently used by modern archæologists to designate the hood. I will not trouble you with instances in detail. That this and some other terms should be misapplied in the Hints of the Cambridge Camden Society, (see 4th edit. pp. 36 and 37,) ought not perhaps to be a matter of surprise, as ancient armour is there a very subordinate subject; and it is only on account of the extensive dissemination of that useful little work that I here refer to it: but I see in the last No. of the Archæological Journal, p. 199, what I should have called the chaperon de mailles, in the Trumpington brass, is called the coif de mailles by the eminent Director of the Society of Antiquaries, to whom we are indebted for the article on Brasses, and whose general accuracy and extensive acquaintance with such subjects make the matter important enough to be, by your permission, noticed in your

pages.

The coif was, as I understand it, a skull-cap of mail (de mailles) or of plate (de fer), and worn generally over the upper part of the chaperon de mailles. Instances will, I think, readily occur to such of your readers as are familiar with effigies of the 13th century. In the Temple Church are two examples of the coif de mailles, and also, if I mistake not, two of a peculiar kind of coif de fer. The chapel de fer was conical, or nearly so, and is thus distinguished from the coif de fer. If, contrary to my conviction, the coif and chaperon de mailles are identical, I would ask, what is the name of that piece of armour which I suppose to be the coif de mailles?

I am unwilling to extend this letter, but must request leave to add a remark on the genouillieres represented in the Trumpington brass. Whether those knee-pieces ought to be termed genouillieres or poleyns I will not stop to inquire; the former term is the more significant, and it is appropriate, if it be not exclusively applicable to the armour for the knees at a later period. What I would know is this; supposing, as I think is the fact, that such coverings for the knees were not parts of the chaussons, of what material were they made? Some, and among them the gentleman above mentioned, say, of plate. If so, how could the knee be bent? That they did not prevent this necessary use of the knee might be expected; and it is shown by several effigies in which knees so covered are represented in that position. I have not been able to satisfy myself either as to the material or construction of these defences. Perhaps some of your readers can explain them.

Yours, &c. W. S. W.

MR. URBAN, Nov. 25. UNDERSTANDING that the church of Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire, is about to be rebuilt, I presume to send you a description. I am not aware why it is proposed to be rebuilt, in place of enlargement. I remember that the present exemplary Archdeacon of Bedford, Dr. Bonney, recommended a new aisle on the south side, for which there was sufficient room. No doubt there may be very good reasons for a difGENT. MAG. VOL. XXIII.

ferent arrangement. The church was certainly much too small for the increased population of the parish, amounting to 1100 or thereabouts, and a very considerable portion, nearly all the gallery, was occupied by the inmates of a boarding school in the village.

This church was pretty fully described in "Parry's History of Woburn, the Abbey, and Russell Family," &c. 1831, p. 151. It consists of a short nave and north aisle, with three arches only, a middle-sized chancel, and a tower, which will probably remain. It is of decent height for the church, with a very slender leaded spire, and of great strength, the walls towards the top being a yard and a half thick. It contains four bells, the three first not very good, but the tenor, weighing 16 cwt. of pretty good and deep tone.

There is a view of this church in the Antiquarian and Topographical Cabinet, from a drawing by G. Shephard, taken from a hill above the west end, in which the tower formed a prominent and picturesque object.

The church is dedicated to St. Botolph (a saint, according to my own experience, rather more popular in the eastern and north-eastern parts of this kingdom than any other). From the shape of the arches and the octagonal columns, I should suppose it not to be older than the 15th century. Octagonal columns, apparently of the later period, are found in the church of Flemersham, Beds; which village contained the seat of the late excellent antiquary and botanist Mr. Marsh, a most pleasing specimen, to all who ever saw him, of quiet primitive simplicity, varied learning, and Christian kindness. The west front is a grand specimen of the Early English.

There is also a window of two lights on the south side of the chancel at Aspley, the flowing contour of the upper part of which seems to indicate the 14th century. Also an altar tomb in a continuation of the north aisle, with a recumbent effigy in chain mail, supposed to be that of one of the Guises, of about the time of Edward the Third. Arms on the tomb, On a bend, three escallop shells in a bordure engrailed. The other monuments are three. On the north side of the chancel a brass tablet for William Stone,

F