網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版
[blocks in formation]

must be added to this party, the administration of which floats
between the two for one it made war on Spain, and for the
other recognised the independence of Hayti; it has given the law of
indemnity to the ancient Nobility, and the law of sacrilege to the
Clergy, allowing the representative forms to subsist, as indis-
pensable to the satisfaction of the middle classes. The Holy
Alliance has under its banners, Russia, Austria, and the Prussian
Government, the high Catholic party in Spain, and the counter-
revolutionary faction in France.

With respect to the political relations of the New States of
Central and South America, several of them have already established
their constitutions on a solid basis, and are rapidly advancing in
prosperity.

-

Adverting to our Domestic Policy, the greatest part of the last
year has passed in the calm enjoyment of that prosperity which has
resulted from the judicious measures of his Majesty's present Minis-
ters. The finances have progressively ameliorated, and taxes to a
large amount have been repealed. Bills have been passed for
removing various restrictions on Commerce, and otherwise relaxing
our Prohibitory Laws. By the Colonial Intercourse Bill, our
Colonies have been rendered, like an English county, an integral
part of the empire-a measure of the first importance. The conso-
lidation and amendment of the Jury Laws has also been effected,
and the grand modifications of Weights and Measures will be of
permanent advantage.-Great attention has been paid to Ireland,
and not without beneficial results. The currency of England
and that country has been assimilated. The disturbances excited
in the Sister Island, at the opening of the year, by the factious
measures of the Catholic Association, have been repressed, and
their recurrence effectually prevented, principally by means of
a Bill interdicting all Associations calculated to produce irritation.
Some angry polemical discussions, arising out of these and other
events, have also subsided.—Just as this year of brightness was
drawing to a close, a dark shadow suddenly threw itself across our
political horizon, and we had the mortification to witness the sun of
our commercial prosperity undergo an awful, but merely a momen-
tary eclipse. There is even ground for indulging a hope, that in
consequence of the precautions to which the late singular panic in
the Money-market has given rise, and the impressive lesson it has
afforded to the mercantile part of the community, our trade will
henceforth be established on a firmer basis than ever.

Dec. 31, 1825.

LIST OF EMBELLISHMENTS.-Wood Engravings marked thus *.
Merton Hall and Church, Norfolk .........9
Hemington Church, Leicestershire.......17
Woodlands House, Mere, Wilts .........105
*Pitt Diamond
...........107
Kibworth Church, co. Leicester.........
....113
Bedfont Church, co. Middlesex, ..201
Plan of Powder Plot Cellar, Westminster 209
*Mont of Sir Nicholas Pelham, at Lewes 215.
*White Tower of London.
......246
Antient Seals, Béton Font, Normandy 297

Paintings in Westminster Abbey...303. 305
Trinity Church, Newington, Surrey....393
Window from Basingwerk Abbey.........401
St. Michael's Church, Oxford..... ......489
Antient Seals.

[ocr errors]

.............497

*Plans of Wiltshire Churches......530, 531
Hanover Chapel, Regent Street..........577
Christ Church, Marylebone...............577
*Bowyer House, Camberwell.............585
*Badge of the Percy family.

....598

[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed]

MINOR CORRESPONDENCE.

2. remarks," that on the font in St. Martin's, Ludgate, is the following Greek inscription: NIYON ANOMHMA MH MONON OYIN. This, it will be observed, may be read either backwards or forwards. . inquires whether it is to be found elsewhere?-We answer, that we have no doubt it was a motto frequently inscribed on fonts, and can supply him with another example; namely, on the lofty spiral cover of the font at Worlingworth Church, Suffolk, as appears in the engraving published by Vertue in 1753.

The piece with the hand on one side, and cross on the reverse, of which a drawing is sent by C. D. is certainly not a coin. We take it to be a counter, and the metal probably brass, but for what purpose such pieces were struck it is difficult to form an opinion; though most probably for reckoning counters, or for cards. The piece is probably not of great antiquity, perhaps about two centuries old. Such pieces are not valued by Collectors.

In answer to R. G. we have good authosity to state, that "The coif, hood, and cap of mail are anterior in point of date to the camail, which was introduced in the time of Edw. II. The coif is a covering for the head and neck, opening on one side, and fastened with a strap of leather, as in the monumental effigy at Gloucester, pretended to represent Robert Duke of Normandy; the capuchon or hood was for the same purpose, but large enough to allow the head to pass through the aperture for the face, that it might rest on the shoulders, as in the instance of the effigy of Rous, in the Temple church; and the cap was a mere covering for the head. The camail, so called from its resemblance to the tippet of camel's hair, was a guard for the neck, attached by a cord to the basinet, which was a conical skull-cap of steel, and these were worn from the time of Edward II. to that of Henry IV. inclusive."

E. M. says, "T. T. (p. 317) is right in the Yorkshire term of leathering or tanning his hide; as I well remember, when a boy, a speech made from one to another in playing at Schoolmasters:

[ocr errors]

Sirrah, my son, thou hast no grace,
Thou hast transgressed before my face;
And if thou dost not mend thy manners,
The skin of thy- shall go to the tanner's;
And if the Tanner does not make good leather,
Thou and the Tanner shall be hanged to-
gether;

And if that day should never come,
Thou shall be hauged when all's done."

CLIONAS (last vol. p. 482) will find the date of the death of "Alithea, youngest daughter and co-heiress of Gilbert 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, and widow of Thomas How

ard Earl of Arundel," given in the pedigres of Howard, Duke of Norfolk, in Mr. Hunter's Hallamshire, p. 100, where it is stated that she died on the 24th of May, 1654.

A. Z. enquires in what year Sir Edward Dineley, of Charlton Castle, Worc. knighted by Charles II. in 1684, died, and the place of his interment ? Whether he did not die without leaving male issue, and thereupon the title and estates did not descend to Sir Edward Goodere? How did the latter become the inheritor ? When did he die, and where buried? Upon the death of Sir Edward Goodere, the title and estates devolved upon his elder son, then living, John Goodere, who took the name of Dineley. Sir John Dineley was murdered by his brother Captain Goodere at Bristol, in 1740, and leaving no issue, the title became extinct. John Foote, esq. of Truro, a nephew of Sir J. Dineley, became the purchaser of the estates under the will of his uncle, and took the name of Diueley."

P. P. would be thankful for information where to obtain a certificate of the marriage of Captain Henry Berkeley (brother to Lord Berkeley), with Dorothea Bridgeman, daughter of Sir John Bridgeman. Captain Henry Berkeley was one of the confidential Lieutenants in King Charles's Army of Array, and was killed in the skirmish which took place the day before the battle of Worcester. The place of his interment, and any particulars respecting him, will be received with gratitude.

E. B. requests information respecting the family of Rutt, he believes of Cambridgeshire, from the reign of Henry VIII. to Elizabeth.

D. O. will thank any of our bibliographical friends to inform him, whether the translations of Pliny and Erasmus, mentioned in the letter from Edmund Curle to Dr. White Kennet, Bishop of Peterborough (see Literary Gazette, Feb. 5, p. 88), were ever pub lished; and likewise, whether the letter from the Bishop of Carlisle to Humphrey Wanley (ibid. p. 89), was not written by Bishop Nicolson, and not Bishop Newton, as there stated.-The same Correspondent must excuse our inserting the "eccentric epitaphs" he has transmitted: the more valuable matter he promises from the same source will be acceptable, if not already in print.

The contributions of X. M. O. will be acceptable. His present communication is omitted solely in consequence of an article on the same subject being printed in the current Number.

ERRATA.-P. 478, b. 1, read Hon. Mrs. Cox; 10, read Hon. Mary Prittie; 31, read daughter of the late Fred. Trench, esq. and sister, &c.-P. 648, a. 11, for Greece read France.

[blocks in formation]

Mr. URBAN,

July 1. A SHORT time ago it was incidentally mentioned in the "John Bull" newspaper, that Sir Walter Scott had twice publicly declared himself, not to be the Author of Waverley. As this intimation may have "staggered the faith" of many true believers, I think it my duty to contribute all I can to clear up their doubts, and prove that the chivalric poet is the writer of the Scottish Novels.

The two anecdotes referred to are these. Our present Monarch, when Regent, directed a plate of fruit to be carried from his table "to the Author of Waverley." They were instantly taken to Sir Walter Scott, then in London, who culled a few of the inferior fruits, and declared himself unworthy of more. From this it is, forsooth, inferred that he merely wrote the poetry which is scattered here and there in the tales, and had no connection with the other part. But may not this anecdote rather intimate that he is so modest as to consider himself unworthy of any great reward, and thus refuse the valuable gift so sent him. Besides, the poetry of the novels is so inseparably connected with the text, that the two authors (if there are two) must evidently be near and intimately acquainted with one another. Yet report ascribes no such constant acquaintance to any writer whom it has named as the Author of Waverley, but rather places them at a distance from Sir Walter, even so far off as beyond the waters of the Atlantic. Could two persons thus separated write the "Bloody Vest" in "The Talisman," just published, and the text which environs it? To suppose that the poem was sent over to America before the

tale was written, is absurd, because it bears a relation to the tale itself, and is a cunning sneer on the conduct of the heroine, Lady Edith Plantagenet, as she herself informs us directly after. And yet can we suppose that Sir Walter would so servilely follow the text, as to change the verse, metre, length of the feet, &c. according, as Richard remarks, to these changes. We must then suppose that Sir Walter wrote both the prose and poetry of that chap

ter.

Yet it is connected with all the others, and is extremely well written. Why then cannot he who writes a part, write a whole?-That chapter preserves the character, &c. of Cœur de Lion, and all the characters introduced, as well as any of the others.

But, perhaps, it may be objected that there may be coadjutors more near to Sir Walter Scott than those above mentioned. Let us examine. Report ascribes the authorship to three different persons,-a Bishop of the Church of Scotland, and Mr. and Mrs. Tho mas Scott, whom it states to be residing in America. We have already examined the claims of the two latter. Let us now consider the "right and title" of the episcopal dignitary. "The Bishop" seems to exist merely in imagination; for his diocese is never mentioned, even by those who pretend to know much about it. But let us ask, would one of the clerical character describe such ferocious brutes as we find in the third volume of the Pirate, or use such language as that of Triptolemus Yellowley in the same work, when he is found by Magnus Troil in a wretched hut? Certainly not. Who is this Bishop? If any one can tell me, I will peruse his sermons (if published), and can then easily decide by

the

Sir Walter Scott, and the Scottish Novels.

the style if he be or be not the "GREAT UNKNOWN." The same objectious which apply to the Bishop apply to Mrs. Thomas Scott, supposing her to be near enough to write the Novels.

Let us now proceed to the second anecdote. At a meeting at which Sir Walter Scott took the chair, a member proposed the health of the Author of Waverley. The chairman observed that he "had not the honour of knowing that gentleman, but that as he came to him so strongly recommended, he would willingly drink his health." This is by a great many regarded as a flat denial of the Authorship. How ever it may be to their minds, that it is not in the writer of the Scotch Novels' opinion, can be easily proved, and it will thus be made an additional proof FOR and not against me. In Ivanhoe, vol. I. when the hero is asked concerning Ivanhoe, he replies, that he does not know him." Ivanhoe, as all the readers of that excellent romance must know, is a mirror of honour and knighthood, consequently, the author, in assigning him this speech, means no blot upon his character, and thus the sentence merely intimates that he .did not know himself, as a man is commonly said not to know himself. Ergo -Since the Author of Waverley thinks an evasion not dishonourable, which Sir Walter Scott afterwards publicly uses (who is strongly suspected to be the Author of Waverley), that is an additional proof that he is so.

As we have now (we flatter ourselves) successfully answered the objections raised by these two anecdotes, we shall proceed to more general proofs that Sir Walter Scott is the "Great Unknown." One of the strongest is the resemblance of the style, phrases, &c. used in the Poems to those found in the Novels. The singular and ungrateful word "undid" is common in both, as well as the curious phrase "louted" for "bowed."

"To Rokeby next he louted low,
Then stood erect his tale to show."
Rokeby, Canto 41.

This is used in the excellent poem
of the "Bloody Vest" in the "Talis-
Inan." This similarity of phrase also
disproves the absurd assertion, that the
Scottish Novels are written by different
authors. The principal argument in

[July,

ordinary publications are produced; but this circumstance, which is no proof at all for them, is one of the greatest in favour of the general opinion. For they assert it impossible that one man should in so short a time write so much and so well,—and so indeed it is to all but one author of the day, and that author is Sir Walter Scott, who in one year edited Sir Ralph Sadler's State Papers, and all the Poetical Works of the voluminous Anne Seward, and wrote the admirable poem of "The Lady of the Lake.”

Two arguments still remain, the last of which must convince every one who has not determined not to be convinced.

In 1823 appeared "Military Memoirs of the great Civil War, being the Military Memoirs of John Gwynne," &c. avowedly edited by the Bard of Marmion. In this work, before unpublished, we find several incidents detailed which are met with nowhere else but in the notes to Sir Walter Scott's Poems, and (alluded to en passant) in the Waverley Novels!! Sir Walter had been a long time their sole possessor.

My last argument has been anticipated in a note to "WALLADMOR." If Sir Walter be not the real author of these Novels, most certainly, knowing them to be generally ascribed to him, he would ere now, as a gentleman and a man of honour, have disavowed the connection. If he is not the author, and still suffers the public to believe the contrary, he is one of the meanest men that ever breathed. The only argument that can be brought against this is, that he is bound by some promise not to reveal what he knows of the matter. Indeed, if this had never been asserted, I should have rested my cause on this single part of my present letter.

I should be much obliged, Mr. Urban, if you would insert any arguments that can be brought against this letter,

and remain

YOUR CONSTANT READER,
OLD ADMIRER,

AND NEW CORRESPONDENT,

Mr. URBAN,

Ω.

July 2.

favour of that nonsensical opinion is LITERATURE is to me the

the quickness with which these extra

purest source of intellectual enjoyment, and of the highest pleasure

that

« 上一頁繼續 »