Mr. URBAN, Sept. 16. F the inclofed drawing (see plate I.) meets with your approbation, I fhall be glad to fee it preferved in your valuable treafury of curiofities. The vicinity of Weft Ham to the metropolis renders the fine old gateway here reprefented an object of some curiofity to the inhabitants of London; and for their amufement, as well as that of the more profeffed Antiquary, the prefent sketch is intended. I will not, therefore, trefpafs on the patience of your readers any farther than to fay, that this gateway is now the only remnant of the famous Ciftertian abbey called Stratford Langthorn, or at Bogh, in the parish of Weft Ham, founded by Henry II. about 1276; of which THE CHRONICLES OF THE SEASONS. "What bounteous gifts are fhower'd on thee, OST glorious was the Summer! King who with for a more particular ace M The fun again thone on man, and count will find ample fatisfaction by confulting the different authors referred to in Tanner's Notitia Monaftica. T. P. Mr. URBAN, Sept. 28. IT was a remark of Dr. Johnson, that the duty of criticism is, neither to depreciate nor dignify by partial reprefentations, but to hold out the light of Reafon, whatever it may difcover; and to promulgate the determinations of Truth, whatever the fall dictate. The juftnefs of this aphorifm is univerfally received. On the publication of the Nenia Britannica, as the author had spoken freely, though not unhandfomely, of modern Antiquaries, it was natural to fuppofe he would meet with various opini ons, and encounter the occafional attacks of thofe who differed from him. The work became the property of the publick, and praife or cenfure the pub. Lick had a right to below; but, in the promulgation of critique, how far the dictates of Truth have been confidered, the readers of this work have now an opportunity of judging. The Critical Review for Auguft 1793 has obferved, that Nexia is a funeral fong, and the name of the work inept to the fubject. However dull and malignant a Reviewer may be, he fhould not be either ignorant or unlearned. on the products of his toil. Nature became revivified: the had before feemed mouldering in obfcuration. The beginning of the feafon was fhadowy, but dry; two circumftances propitious to the hay; the one fomething increafing the crops, and the other af fording opportunity to house them in excellent condition. The aftermath was foon after confiderably fcorched, but revived readily and luxuriantly upon the fift folftial rain. On Friday, the 5th of July, in the moon's last quarter, the weather blazed out in as high a degree of celestial brilliancy as perhaps ever emanated in this ifland for fo many days as thirteen together, which was the terin of it, continuing to July 17th inclufive. The heat was of the ardent kind, and extraordinarily intemperare: the nights were fultry and dewiefs, the nocturnal heat probably preventing the condenfation of the vapour that becomes dew. Confidering this circumftance, it is wonderful the arboraceous and herbaceous decorations of the earth were not *These were the words of that great champion of virtue, the late Dr. Johnfon, to the author of this work, a fhort time before his death. On a vifit to the Doctor, at his house in Bolt-court, af er his return from Derbyshire, to enquire after his health, the author queftioned the Doctor on the propri The authority of Feftus will prove Nenia a goddels, to whom a temple was dedicated, a circumftance which certain-ety of the title for his book. "Why not, ly had efcaped the Reviewer's reading. Naniæ deæ facellum extra portam VimiNunc tantum habet ardiculam*.” [nalem *L. P. Feiti, in XII. p. 26, Amitel 1699. Arnob. lib. 1. Aug. de Civit Dei, lib. V. 9. GENT MAG. October, 1793. Sir," fays he, "Neaia Britannica, as well as Flora Britannica?" But, without the shield of this great literary character, the above authority may be deemed a fufficient reply. † I hope I may be excufed here fubftitu. ting Nature for Fortune. more more rivelled than they were. The heat was fomething alleviated by light airs; but, unluckily, they were from the Eaft, and brought blights that injured trees confiderably, although they did not greatly affect plants. Doubtless thefe blights had done more harm had not innumerable hofts of Hirundines employed themselves in the hours of eve in diminishing them; yet, fo ungrateful is Man towards thefe friendly birds, that numbers were fhot to feed tame foxes with! Intolerable reflexion! From the large flights of fwales and houfe-martins, rufticks imagined in the fpring that the fummer would be fine, and the prognoftication was verified. "The pale-faced lady of the blackeyed Night, and her curious train of fpangled nymphs*", on most nights thone beautifully clear, notwithstanding "grey-robed vapours+" often threatened troublous weather. On fome days the heavens were immaculately azure. This was particularly the cafe on the 7th of July, when not the fmallef nubiferous appearance was difcernible in any part of the day. That day, with the 12th and 16th infant, were the hotteft of the hot thirteen. St Swithin frowned, but wept not; his eyes gleamed fire, but the fombrofity of his brow, after fome grumblous utterances, wore away. The highest point I obferved my Fahrenheit thermometer to reach in the fhade at this hot period was 80°. To me, the heat feemed lefs powerful than the fic. city of the air; for, the maturity of the fruits of the earth was not unufually expedited by it, whilft the effects of ficcation were amazing. My portable thermometer, when raifed from out of a pond, dried inftautaneously without wiping; a book taken from a shelf would, in fifteen minutes, become as warped as if it had been near a fire; the chords of violins were fo affected that they turned the pegs, and, when adjusted, would not produce harmony; panne s of wainfcot, and mahogany furniture, cracked, and the papering of rooms began feparating from the walls. All thefe circumstances took place in the shade. The hear, however, was intenfe notwithfunding. Human beings were fo impatient under it, that many, ruthing into waters with too much eagerness, were drowned, and others met death by drinking cold liquids, or by fripping at improper jun&tures. The birds kept filent and invifible in the coverts: we could only hear the languid twittering of the martin, and the discontented chirping of the fparrow. The poultry fought for cool retreats in vain, and the doves lay gafping on the duft. It is noticeable that, during this extreme fervour, a pretty brifk but short gale arofe on most days at 4 P.M. On the 18th, the heat moderated, and, by the comparative chillness of the air, we judged there had been a form fomewhere *. The épanouiffement was luxuriant, vivid, and profufe, efpecially in the tunicated rooted plants. The noontide breezes were fcented by the aromatic effluvia of the pines and ciftufes, and the nocturnal zephyrs with the fragrance of limes and lilies: every corner was a bower of rofes, and every hedge a fcreen of honeyfuckles. But, woe was me! my honeyfuckles became loaded with loathfome infects in the manner that Mr. White (Hiftory of Selborne, p. 300) defcribes his to have been in the hot fummer of 1783. Anether obfervation of that gentleman's was alfo corroborated, viz. that it is not in every hot fummer that wafps particu larly abound; for, in this we had not many, although hornets were numerous. Harveft-bugs were exceedingly annoyant, and the number of cabbagebutterflies caufed us to become apprehenfive of being preyed on by their cate pillar offspring, as we were laft autumnt. It was the grandeft fight human perception could enjoy, to see the richet crops of barley, wheat, and oats, conceivable, reflecting from the champain cornfields the fplendour of the great luminary, whilft eddies of refplendent atoms waved in the aerial medium. For many years we have not seen a corn-harveft fo abundant, fo clean, and fo well got in. Every fort of fummercrop, including peas and beans, were houfed by the fecond week in September. The peafe alfo were fine; but the beans had been blighted at the time when every flem of them was a nolegay, for they bloffomed profufely. To thofe perfons who murmured at the fcarcity of choice wall-fruit, and at the nonvegetation of the turnip feed, it would have been very fair to quote the ftuging words of old Hugo: "The heart is a fmall thing, but defireth great mat ters. It is not fufficient for a kite's din mer, yet the whole world is not fufficient for it." There is fomething fo humili ating, and yet fo quaintly ridiculous in this paffage, that it inc ines one to cry and laugh in the fame breath. The heat did not feem, to affe&t vegetation: the horticu tural crops that were in perfection at the fervid time declined the fooner for it, but those expected to foc ceed were not hurried on; vegetation kept on in the pace proportionate to the backwardnets of the fpring; the fruits and flowers that ufually came forward in July lingered immature till Auguft, and those we are accustomed to have in August reached not maturity till September. Trees, even of the aquatic forts, hot well, and most new-planted Ones fucceeded; as did alfo cuttings. The leaves of all thrivelled more or lefs, and fome began falling foon; and an alteration in the hue of diftant woods was perceptible fo early as the 10th of September. "Summer's leafe hath all too fhort a date." SHAKSPEARE. After the expiration of the extraordimary hot fortnight, we faw fymptoms of fummer-tide declining; the mornings became zain, the heat muggy, and the atmosphere occafionally obfcured by celefial fpray. On the 27th and 28th happened a difembougation of water from above the firmament that lasted thirty-fix hours. In the week following the morns and eves became dewy, and a thick fog occurred. At mid-day, on August the 3d, Fahrenheit's thermometer in the thade was at 71°; a fmall one, in the fun, at 93°; and a pokable one, in a pond, at 629. In the evening of that day, a ftorm gathered, but filed off; the opening of the grand batteries of heaven being delayed till the 7th, when came the leveret tempeft we have had here ince the 23d of December 1790. No other prognoftication of it was perceptible in the morning but an oppreffive fervour: at noon, the sky lowered, and fome skits of rain fell. At two P. M. a gale arofe in the Eaft, and a blacknefs in the Weft. All Nature indicated a tumult of the skies approaching. The tribe of poplar ruftied, the triplings of the hedge-rows bowed, the herds brouted haftily, the fwine haltened home, the aquatic broods clapped their wings, St. Martin's birds (fwales, &c.) fkimmed the plains, and the wild alles brayed fearfully. Suddenly, the gale fell; an aweful ftillness and a general gloom damped the hearts of men. At 3 P. M. bursts of thunder broke the filence, and electric flashes difpeiled the darkness. A thunder-clap that happened at a quarter past three was parti cularly appalling; according to our perceptions, it rattled through the air from East to West, and ended its aērial course in a tremendous burft; then it seemingly rumbled back from West to Eaft beneath the furface of the earth: the houfes, doors, and windows, shook, and my dinner-cloth quivered on the table; but I could not refolve myself whether the vibration arifing from the counterpart of the clap was terrene or aerial. Two other terrifying claps came about fix o'clock, but were remarkable for loudnefs only. The lightning varied at different periods of the florm both in form and colour: at firft it was flame-coloured (as was the flash connected with the reverberated clap), afterwards pale. In form, it changed from the gleaning kind to the dancing, and from the dancing to the forked. Two fhort ceffations divided the form into three divifions; of thefe, the middlemoft was the flightest, and the laft the most violent; yet the fubterraneous peal (or whatever elfe the concultionary phænomenon was) happened in the first. During the first and fecond the rain was gentle, but, in the laft, violent. The form was at its preateft heighth at 40 minutes paft 6 P. M. when my fixed thermometer was at 62, and my barometer at 29.9.10. Soon after feven P. M. it was all over, and, thank God! no harm done. This was only the fecond ftom we have had cins year. In order to conect myfelf of any faftidioufnefs on the fcore of Fairy-tings? I immediately (the evening being fair) on the termination of this tempelt, and for weeks after, looked diligently for new circles that might have been occas fioned by the uncommon ftrong lightning, but could not difcover one; neither could I fee any traces of the old ones till September the eleventh. At 20 minutes paft nine in the evening of Auguft the Sth, was vilibie, tor about a minute, a brilliant meteor in the S. E, which, glancing ebiquely downwards, became loft in the line of the horizon, leaving its path for fome, time lucid. The ftars were thing clear, and a brifkifh breeze blowing *See vol. LXI. p. 1086. from from the Weft. Fixed thermometer, 62; barometer 29,9.10. The weather now became ruffling till the middle of the month, when it waxed warm again, and, with the dews, brought up a few fine-flavoured mushrooms. On the 30th, fqualls and fhowers caufed the commencement of the natural leaf-fall; and on the 31ft, we fuftained a pattering of atmospheric fmall shot. The fore part of the month enfuing was partly wet, partly dry, and, in each, the weather muggily warm. No hen chaffinches were vifible in Auguft, the cocks flew fingly till the end of the month, and then formed into companies. Moor-hens and dab chicks were numerous, and the latter ftayed late in the breeding pools, About the middle of the month, fome green woodpeckers and potted ones fojourned here in company; and the 19th day was the Jaft on which I faw a redftait. Partridges were plentiful in fome places, and fcarce in others. The clafs of birds particularly known under the fweet denomination of Warblers were more in number than ever was before remembered; confequently, their matins were more melodious and full than common. A SOUTHERN FAUNIST. Mr. URBAN, Montferrat, July 26. A SI have been long an admirer of your useful and learned Mifcellany, I take the liberty of tranfmitting to you a very fingular, and, I believe, the oldeft infcription upon a tombstone in the West Indies; by inferting which, you will oblige, WM. MCKENLY. "Sub hoc tumulo jacet vir integritate, induftria, et benevolentià fuis quam alienis chariffimas. Patriæ pro viribus minister, ram in hac infulâ Monferat pro multis annis non tantura civilia fed etian militaria quædam erant li officia : præfertim fait jaŝiciaries pacis, qui poil longum dolorem corporis tandem quieté et libenter mortem obiit, menfe Septembris Jono renovati hominis 1686. Ita fe totum unde exit, retribuit, et vel in morte docuit, fuum cuique reddere. Were thy perfections iefs, then might thy tay [yet gray: Have feen more years than c'er thou liv'dit, But new fleep on till Chria doth for thee call; For, the true way to rite is fia to fall. Meantime thy friends will thrive to be content, Anda kethy life and death their monument ; HAVE in vain looked into I In your dexes to find when the late gallant Col. Moncrieff (whofe death you will have to recotd, and to lament, in your next number*) received that only pro motion ever beftowed on the most confummate fkill, fuccefsfully exerted in defence of Savanna, in the American war. One of the daily papers (formerly a most respectable one, now covertly carrying on the defigns of the Jacobins) has, in the most infamous manner, endeavoured to infinuate a charge against him, which, it is hardly neceffary to fay, no one who knew the Colonel's character would give the fmallest degree of credit to, but which fets the wickednefs of the conductor of that paper in the strongest light; it is, that he gave evidence against Col. Frafer, his fuperior officer, in order to obtain rank by getting him removed! Of the Duke of Richmond's implacable profecution of that excellent officer it is not neceffary here to fpeak. Unfortunately for his country, he was too high-fpirited to bear the ftigma thrown upon him. He is no more. The lots of Col. Moncrieff would have been fufficient to have clouded the mott brilliant victory. To his skill as an officer he added the virtues of a man; when he returned from America, he bestowed the money, which he had nobly and hardly earned, on his father and his fitters. That it should be left to me, a franger, to vindicate his memory, is hard; but it is not the only inttance of his having been neglected. In LVII. 660, you have given an epitaph on General Pie、 volt†, the commanding officer at Savanna when D'Eftaign was obliged to raise the fiege, written by his widow, in which the does not even mention the name of the man to whofe abilities and indefatigable exertions the General owed his fucceis, though the was herfelf prefent in the town. He had then the rank of captain; it was fo recently as the trial of Col. Frafer that he ob tained that of colonel; but he was deputy quarter-matter-general. A. Z. |