to prepare a wash for all Mr. Hallet's trees three times over, which are about fifty in number; but no certain rule can be given for the mixture, since the tobacconists will weaken the liquor as the demand for it increases. Mr. Hallet having used the diluted liquor with great effect for ten years past, near Axminster, his example followed by the neighbourhood, produced a great demand for the liquor, on which the tobacconists weakened it so much, that a pint of it was required to give the same effect to a gallon of water, that a wine glass full had often done before: but its strength may be known by the degree of colour that it imparts to the water, which when strong enough will be tolerably brown. Mr. Hallet's method of applying the diluted tobacco liquor, was by sprinkling the trees all over with it with a brush such as plaisterers use in moisten ing walls, and sometimes by pouring it on them from a watering pot with very small holes; beginning at the top of the tree and laying it on very gently, to prevent waste; which would be very considerable, if it were done with violence or thrown from an engine. In one, two, or three weeks after, as found necessary, the sprinkling was repeated, and before the fruit got of sufficient size to be stained by the operation, was a third time performed, and this has been at all times sufficient to secure the trees from the depredations of the insects; to which the disease of trees that most gardeners consider as a blight, is entirely owing. Every vegetable and shrub on which Mr. Hallet tried the preparation was completely freed from insects, and restored to health, though ever so much injured by them: and he thinks it might be applied to hop grounds, and in other large plantations with great efficacy. He freed his trees from the red spider, which was very troublesome a few summers ago, by watering them for ten successive evenings, very forcibly with an engine, and then sprinkling them while wet with the tobacco water. At the end of this paper Mr. Hallet mentions that he has tried striped or ribband grass with cattle, and found them very fond of it, and that they throve well on it; he states its produce to be very great, that it may be cut three or four times in the year, that it takes deep root, produces an early spring crop, is a good food for cattle in summer, but disappears in winter; it has lasted more than twenty years in his ground with undiminished produce: it spreads rapidly in moist ground, soon forms a thick mass of vegetation, and may be propagated either by seed or offsets. Mr. Hallet also relates, that he has transplanted several large apple trees, which he bought from an orchard that was about to be converted to other purposes; they all succeeded, and many of them gave fruit enough to yield an hogshead of cyder the first season. In many situations tobacco water cannot be procured; it is therefore useful to know other compositions which have the same effect; the following receipt taken from Crell's Chemical Annals, discovered by Mr. Catin, and which was found to be very effectual, may for this and other reasons be preferred to it. Take of black soap of the best kind, one pound and three quarters, the same quantity of flower of sulphur, mushrooms two pounds, and sixty measures of river or rain water. Divide the water into two parts, in one of which the soap must be dissolved, and the mushrooms be added to it after they have been a little pounded. The sulphur tied up in a bag is to be boiled twenty minutes in the other half of the water; the water should be frequently stirred, and the sulphur bag pressed, to make it communicate the necessary strength and colour to the water. When this liqnor is taken from the fire it should be well mixed with the other part, and should be stirred daily till it acquires a fetid smell. The more fetid it is the greater is its efficacy. The cask that contains the liquer should be stopped carefully after each stirring. A little of this liquor sprinkled on plants or trees will entirely free them from insects. Mr. Hallet's method with the brush may be used for this purpose, or a syringe with an head an inch and half in diameter, pierced with many small holes. Caterpillars, beetles, earth-fleas, and tree-lice, will be destroyed by the first application of the liquid. Insects, which reside beneath the earth, as was wasps, hornets, and ants, require that the liquor should be poured over their nets gently (from a watering pot) for some time, that it may penetrate down to them. Ants nests, according to their size require from two to three measures of the liquid. Two ounces of nux vomica may be added to the mixture, and boiled along with the sulphur. This substance will be of great service, particularly when you wish to destroy ants nests. When the whole of the liquor has been used, the sediment should be buried, to prevent domestic animals from eating it. It is very evident that tobacco water could not be procured in quantities more than sufficient for private gardens. It would be therefore desirable to have some preparations for hop grounds, large orchards, and other extensive concerns, that would answer the same purpose. Some of the ingredients of Mr. Catin's composition may be procured in any quantity, but the mushrooms are seldom to be found; and the whole process of making it is too troublesome except on a small scale. It appears, however, from the efficacy of Mr. Catin's mixture increasing as it becomes more fetid, that the greatest part, if not the whole, of its effect is produced by the liver of sulphur, or sulphuret of alkali, formed in the liquor from the decomposition of the black soap by the sulphur. And this at least renders the efficacy of solution of liver of sulphur in destroying insects so extremely probable, that it may safely be recommended for that purpose. Its advantage over the other preparations mentioned is, that its materials can be procured in any quantity almost in all situations, and that it is very cheap, and casily made. 1 Liver of sulphur may be made by the fusion of two parts of potash and one of sulphur; it may also be made by digesting two parts of pure caustic potash and one part of sulphur in six times their weight of water, but this way would be too troublesome for the above use: but the best, and certainly the cheapest method of preparing it would be from lime: which may be done by heating powdered lime, with flowers of sulphur, till they melt or rather conglutinate together; or by throwing water on very fresh quicklime, covered with flowers sulphur; or by boiling sulphur and lime in powder together in ten times their weight of water. Solution of sulphuret of lime thus made may be had cheap enough to water crops of turnips, or other vegetables, in the field, in order to destroy the insects which prey on them, and which frequently destroy turnips altogether on their first appearance. A vinous Liquor procured from the Prunings of Vines. Mr. Hall of this city has produced a vinous liquor, by infusing the prunings of vines cut small and bruised, in boiling water, in a mashing tub, in the same way as used for malt, and letting it ferment afterwards in proper vessels, The liquor thus made afforded a fine beverage, and on being distilled gave an excellent spirit of the nature of Brandy. When let to run on to the acetous fermentation it yielded uncommonly fine vinegar. The prunings if dried in the shade will at any time af erwards produce the same effect as the fresh prunings, if managed in the same manner. When intended for use an extract should be made from them with hot water, as in the common process for distilling from grain, Mr. Hall also found that the leaves of the vine dried in the shade, form an excellent substitute for tea on being infused in the same manner in a tea-pot. Of clearing fruit trees from Moss. Sprinkle, or dust, the limbs of mossy fruit trees when their leaves are off them, in damp foggy weather, or on a calm day, just after rain, with common wood ashes; and in the course of two or three months the moss will disappear wherever the wood ashes have touched, perhaps a large wooden dredging box would be the best instrument for this operation. OBITUARY OBITUARY OF DISTINGUISHED PERSONS. This learned and ingenious prelate, who for half a century stood prominent among the literary characters of the age, was the son of a respectable farmer at Congreve, a village in Staffordshire. He received his e rly education in part under Anthony Blackwall, author of the Sacred Classics, and master of the public school at Market Bosworth; and being designed for holy orders, he was entered at a proper age, of Emanuel college, Cambridge, of which he became a fellow. He was afterwards presented by hs college to the living of Thurcaston, Leicestershire, in which retired situation he assiduously applied to those studies by which he rose to distinction. He first appeared, though anonymously, as an author in 1749, in an edition of Horace's "Ars Poetica,' with an English commentary and notes. This was reprinted in 1753, with Horace's Epistle "ad Augustum," and two Dissertations, one "On the Provinces of the several Species of Dramatic Poetry;" the other, "On Poetical Imitation." They we e dedicated to Dr. Warburton; and with more taste and elegance than that author possessed, displayed something of his spirit of overrefinement and strained explanation, though with abundant learning and ingenuity. In commenting upon Horace, he endeavours to mark out a plan and connected design in that poet, which many of his greatest admirers are unable to discover. He addressed also to Dr. Warburton in 1757 some anonymous “Remarks on Hume's Essay on the Natural History of Religion," which that philosopher in his own Memoirs has stigmatised as being "written with all the illiberal petulance, arrogance, and scurrility which distinguish the Warburtonian school;" and, indeed, whatever be thought of the reasoning, the manner too much justifies this censure. In 1758 he addressed to the poet Mason a "Letter on the Marks of Imitation," which is one of the most agreeable of his pieces of this class. It obtained for him the return of an Elegy inscribed to him by the poet, written in 1759, in which Mason terms him the "friend of his youth," and speaks of him as seated in "low Thurcaston's sequester'd bower, distant from Promotion's view." Another publication in 1759 exhibited our author in a new light, and considerably added to his reputation. This was his "Moral and Political Dialogues," feigned to have passed between eminent persons of the past and present age, and, with an unnecessary licence of fiction, even said to be published from the original manuscripts. In the political part of this work he showed himself a sound constitutionalist and friend of civil liberty. His "Letters on Chivalry and Romance," printed in 1762, gave an ingenious deduction of the chivalrous principle from the nature of the feudal system, and other circumstances of the times, and displayed the author's research into the history of manners and society. They were republished along with the Moral and Political Dialogues, with the author's name, which had hitherto been omitted. Mr. Hurd's own merits, and the warm friendship of bishop Warburton, would not suffer him to remain in that seclusion from the world to which he had professed his attachment. The regard of that eminent prelate he had purchased not only by his dedication, but by an anonymous "Essay on the Delicacy of Friendship," in which he made some severe strictures on Drs. Jortin and Leland for their supposed disrespect to the object of his admiration. But, upon reflexion, he was so little satisfied with the warmth of zeal he had displayed on this occasion, that he took great pains to suppress this pamphlet. Warburton, however, felt his obligations, and not only conferred upon him the archdeaconry of Gloucester, but gave him an opportunity of becoming known in the metropolis by associating him with himself as preacher at Lincoln's Inn chapel. In 1772 the first fruits of this appointment were given to the public by Dr. Hurd (he had now taken the degree of D. D.) in a volume of twelve sermons, preached at a lecture founded by Dr. Warburton in the above chapel for the purpose of elucidating the prophecies in the Old and New Testament relative to the Christian Church. They were entitled "An Introduction to the Study of the Prophecies concerning the Christian Church, and in particular, concerning the Church of Papal Rome." In these discourses the preacher displayed abundant learning learning and ingenuity, and raised his character as a divine to an eminence almost equal to that which he possessed as a man of letters. He in general supports the notion of a double sense in prophecy, which he does not scruple to call a "divine artifice;" and notwithstanding the skill with which he maintains his hypothesis, there are those who have regarded it as too much deviating from the simplicity of the sacred writings. In the same year he appeared in a very different capacity, as the editor of "Select Works of Mr. Abraham Cowley," with a preface and notes by himself. This, perhaps, of all his publications, was one which might have been best spared, since his principle of selection had a reference rather to his own character as a divine, than to the characteristic merits of the poet. Cowley, indeed, is often not an edifying, but almost always an innocent writer; and if Dr. Hurd thought him occasionally too playful for his gravity, he might very well have let him alone. His reputation was now so thoroughly established, that on the recommendation of Lord Mansfield, he was appointed to the important office of preceptor to the Prince of Wales, and the nomination was universally approved by the public. He was also, in 1775, raised to the mitre in the see of Litchfield and Coventry. He resigned the office of preacher to the Society of Lincoln's Inn in 1776; and in the following year published, at the request of the Benchers, a volume of "Sermons preached at Lincoln's Inn between the years 1765 and 1766; with a large Discourse on Christ's driving the Merchants out of the Temple." It is sufficient to observe, that the author's character for learning, discrimination, and ingenious elucidation is not less conspicuous in these than in his former writings. A "Sermon, preached before the House of Lords,” and printed in the same year, is marked by candour and liberality. His "Charge delivered to the Clergy of his Diocese at his primary Visitation," contains some episcopal sentiments on the excellence of the liturgy, and the duty of submitting all deliberations concerning it to the wisdom of the church, which he doubtless thought called for by the circumstances of the time. They gave occasion to a pamphlet of "Remarks by a Country Clergyman." Two volumes more of Dr. Hurd's Lincoln's Inn Sermons appeared in 1781, in which year he was appointed clerk of the closet to his Majesty, and was translated to the see of Worcester. On a vacancy in the archbishopric of Canterbury, in 1783, he had the opportunity of evincing the sincerity of his declared preference of a retired and unambitious life; for he declined the honourable offer of succession to that high dignity. He thenceforth passed his time in a seclusion from all public concerns, except the necessary duties of his station, chiefly at his episcopal seat of Hartlebury, devoted to pious and literary occupations, and intent upon the augmentation of a noble library, the basis of which was the books which he inherited from the libraries of Pope and Warburton. This collection he was long known to have bequeathed as an heir-loom to his successors in the see of Worcester. His further publications were few. He preached and printed a "Thirtieth of January Sermon before the House of Lords" in 1786, in which he maintained the proposition that the religion of Christ is friendly to civil and religious liberty, and certainly proved his own good will to the cause of freedom. In 1788 he was the editor of the works of his revered friend Bishop Warburton, in seven quarto volumes, but did not appear, as the world expected, as his biographer. In a short advertisement he intimated that there were reasons for such omission for the present, but that a discourse to that effect was prepared, to appear hereafter. These reasons, however, were not obvious when Dr. Hurd in 1794 printed "A Discourse by way of Preface to the quarto edition of Bishop Warburton's Works; containing some account of the Life, Writings, and Character of the Author." It is an elegant and interesting piece of biography, as fairly estimating its subject as could possibly be expected from one who was so much under the influence of admiration and gratitude. This was Dr. Hurd's closing exertion in literature. His suppressed Essay on the Delicacy of Friendship had been reprinted, certainly with no friendly purpose, in 1789, by a learned and eloquent divine, in a collection of "Tracts by Warburton and a Warburtonian." In the preface to this publication is given an estimate of the Bishop of Worcester's literary character, which will generally be thought coloured by prejudice, though it is not without disVOL. IV. L criminating 1 eriminating strokes. The censure of his style is sometimes "disgracing what would have arisen to ornamental and dignified writing by a mixture of vulgar or antiquated phraseology," cannot be denied to have some foundation. This distinguished prelate closed a long and highly respectable life at Hartlebury, on the 28th of May, in the 88th year of his age, SIR JOHN CARTER. Died, at Portsmouth, in his 67th year, Sir John Carter, Knt.; a character generally and most deservedly respected and valued throughout the county, whether considered in a public or private capacity. His parents were both dissenters, and belonging to that denomination designated by the term "rational Dissenters." His father was a merchant of considerable eminence and of invincible integrity in Portsmouth: from him he inherited a strong and unshaken attachment to those political principles which seated the house of Hanover on the throne of England. Though under the necessity of occasionally conforming, he remained firm to the principles of dissent from the doctrines and worship of the established church. He was born on the 16th of Dec. 1741, and in Sept. 1763, was elected an alderman of this borough. About the year 1768 or 9 he began to act as a magistrate for the county; and never was there one who attended to the duties of that important office with more assiduity, impartiality and zeal for the interests and honour of the country, for the accommodation and comfort of his neighbours, or the prompt and mild administration of justice to all. At Michaelmas, 1769, he was chosen to act as chief magistrate of the borough or the year. In the summer of 1773, during his second mayoralty, the king made his first visit to Portsmouth, where he received much greater marks of affection and loyalty than he had been given to expect. Desirous of making some return to his good people of Portsmouth, for their attentions to him, his Majesty wished to confer on their mayor the honour of knighthood, a title at that time held in higher estimation than, from its repeated prostitution, it now is. Of this honour Mr. Carter was not in the least ambitious; i deed so averse from it were both Mr. and Mrs. Carter, that he declined it. He was informed that his Majesty considered this refusal as proceeding from a disregard in the Carter family to the royal favour. This consideration, and the earnest persuasion of his friends, induced him to yield a reluctant compliance: he was accordingly knighted on the 23d of June, 1773. In the year 1784 he was appointed sheriff of the county, which honourable office he filled to the entire satisfaction of all parties, and with dignity to himself. In the years 1782, 6, and 9, he was severally elected to the chief magistracy of the town, and again in 1793: it was during this his sixth mayoralty that the king made his third and last visit to Portsmouth. His Majesty's person on this, as on his former visits, was immediately attended by the peace officers of the corporation; and what few of the military accompanied him in his walks, always followed the civil power. During the mutiny at Spithead, in the spring of 1797, he rendered a very essential service to the town and country by his mild, conciliatory, and patient conduct. The sailors having lost three of their body in consequence of th re ́sistance made to their going on board the London, then bearing the flag of Admiral Colpoys, wished to bury them in Kingston churchyard, and to carry them in procession through the town of Portsmouth. This request was most positively refused them by the governor. They then applied to Sir John Carter to grant their request, who endeavoured to convince the governor of the propriety and necessity of complying with it, declaring that he would be answerable for the peace of the town and the orderly conduct of the sailors. The governor would not be prevailed on, and prepared for resistance; and resistance on both sides would most probably have been resorted to, had not the calmness, perseverance, and forbearance of Sir John Carter at length compromised the affair, by obtaining permission for the sailors to pass through the garrison of Portsmouth in procession, and the bodies to be landed at the Common Hard in Portsea, where the procession was to join them. For soliciting and obtaining this indulgence to the sailors, he was stigmatized as a jacobin, and loaded |