Queen Dowager, her Royal Highness the Princess Anne of Denmark, and all the Royal Family.'

"Queen Anne. 1706.- Catherine the

Queen Dowager, the Princess Sophia, and all the Royal Family.'"

The subsequent variations may readily be traced by the curious. Yours, &c. CARADOC.

BE

Mr. URBAN, Leamington, June 26. EING very desirous to have my Petition and Coronation Claim presented to the Lords Commissioners, now sitting for that purpose in the Painted Chamber of the House of Lords, I take the liberty of soliciting you, as one of the most distinguished Gentlemen in the Kingdom, to do me the honour of presenting it to the Board. I am now getting an old man, and being afraid to encounter a long journey (unne cessarily) I wish to postpone going to London till the day of Coronation, when I expect to be called up in order to perform the honourable service which I now claim. It has been whispered," that the King would knight me on the grand occasion," in consequence of a book which I have written on the Coronation Claims; but, as I have earnestly solicited his MAJESTY, in a dedicatory introduction to the Work, not to bestow such an honour upon me, I flatter myself that he will be most graciously pleased to forego such a distinguished mark of Royal approbation.

THE AUTHOR OF THE ROYAL CORONATION
CLAIMS His Humble Petition.

He claims, as Royal Authors should,
To serve without a Fee,
And, loving King and Country well,
Most humbly begs that he

May be allow'd, from Leam's fam'd Spa,
Three Crystal Cups to bring,
And at the Coronation feast

Present them to the KING.

Fill'd with three sev'ral draughts divine
Chalybeat or Carbonic,

With all th' ingredients that combine
To render systems tonic.

They'll do his Majesty more good
Than Claret or Champagne,

Or imports of imperial juice,

Mr. URBAN,

June 21.

THE New Imperial Throne, in the

House of Lords, presents one pieces of decoration perhaps ever of the most gorgeous and superb seen in this country.

The canopy under which the actual Throne, or Chair of State, is to be placed, is of a design purely classical; a small dome or cupola, supported in front by two superb Corinthian pillars, fluted and wreathed, Corinthian pilastres; of these magand in the rear of these by two fluted nificent supporters, the whole exte rior shafts, as well as capitals, are richly burnished gold. The rich carved wreathing of flowers and laurel leaves which encircle the columns are of the same brilliant material; surmounting these, a richly carved and decorated architrave, frieze, and cornice, add to the imposing splendour of the effect; and of these also the whole exterior is highly burnished gold. No mixture of colouring intervenes above the cornice; the top of the dome, of rich crimson velvet, shows itself, supporting on the highest point the Imperial Crown of the Realm, from the decorations of which the Gallic fleur-de-lis seem to be expunged. This supreme emblem of Royalty is in like manner covered with the richest gilding. The back of the canopy is formed by a pannel of the richest dark crimson velvet; and on this the Regal Arms of the United Kingdom are richly and appropriately emblazoned. The centre of the cornices of the entablature, above the Corinthian capitals which support the canopy, is a semicircular projection, and heightens the effect.

A new Throne and Chair of State have also been provided for the Prince's, or Robing Chamber, which immediately adjoins the House; these are on a smaller scale, and of a less brilliant decoration, than the grand Сапору.

The body of the House of Peers has received various ornamental decorations; the benches have received quilted backs of fine scarlet cloth, the whole edged with a neat beading of copper richly gilt, which last decoration is also received by the Bar which divides what is technically called the House from the space below. All the doors are newly ornamented with or-molu architraves, festooned,

festooned, and occasionally covered with fine scarlet cloth, trimmed and edged with rich aureo-silken lace and fringe, which, at a short distance, appears like broad gold lace, and fringe. The old clock and thermometer are removed, and replaced by new ones, in neat cases of an uniform and classic design; and the covered iron railings are replaced by neat copper railings, richly gilt. The old tapestry and chandeliers only remain; of these, the former, though once brilliant, and admirably executed, and picturesquely recording an historic subject justly dear to English hearts (the Spanish Armada,) has now, by the contrast of surrounding brilliant and superb decorations, been rendered gloomy and obscure.

I

expected your Correspondent, "A Practical Politician," (p. 209,) would receive at least "a few swivel shot from the main-top" of some one; and I find my expectations are realized by a Correspondent in your last Month's Magazine, p. 327: really, it is but aswivel-shot, and not "a lowerdecker" to "hull him;" if we go on in our modern improvements, as we have done of late," we shall all be Admirals, and there will be no one to heave the water out of the longboat." If your readers should think this style of writing not quile correct in the Gentleman's Magazine, they will please to recollect that we are ISLANDERS, and to that circumstance, we have now a Gentleman's Magazine to read. When we forget our local situation, and mix as it were our politics, our commerce, and our views, closely with the Continent, the poor little Triangle, and its sister Isle, will soon be blotted out as an independent state from the Map of Europe, and from being as it were her left arm*, and leading to the heart (look at the Map) we shall not find ourselves equal to a little finger. But to the subject, "Modern Improvement," and "General Education." Advocates for it, with warm imaginations, carry their ideas to mysticism, for us all to become every thing "good, great, and lovely" those against it think just the reverse-as productive of evil, mischief, radicalism, and finally, a Provisional Government at the Man

The outline or general shape of Europe is said to be like a lady sitting.

sion House! I for one, having twice carried my knapsack and “Brown Bess" on my shoulder, am willing, for the third time (though a Sexagena. rian) to do it again, rather than such a circumstance should take place: but let us contrive to take a "fresh departure," and "steer a middle course;" suppose the "dashing principles" of the times, in Politics, and Commerce, and Education, which have gained ground upon us these last twenty years, are lulled," and we become a little "calmer." Let the Politician conceive of himself that he is not infallible any more than another; the Man of Business go on Change, and he will soon learn how to appreciate Modern Speculation, though it is ten to one but he feels powerfully its effects; and let the great advocate for modern instruc tion, cooly, and seriously reflect, that without well-grounded religious instruction, the evil must overbalance the good.

Your last Correspondent, p. 328, draws a parallel between savages, i.e. men in a state of barbarism, and the unenlightened educated European; permit me to state, that from actual observation and intercourse, I have found this educated (I mean the light mode recommended, or now adopted) European, a greater Savage than an Indian. I have encamped amongst them, and I have found the intercourse, when formed between these two, to increase the danger, and add to the terrors of savage life. I have found the European teach the Abori gene of America to be capable of doing more mischief. I have known the conversation turn on the dreadful subject, what part of a humas being is best flavoured for the taste or to the palate-an educated refinement with a vengeance! To be brief then, permit me to add, that my feelings accord with the sentiments of our late revered Sovereign, " that every one should be able to read the Bible;" but be it remembered, that something more is necessary than merely reading it-that a religious duty is to be impressed with it, and that the old-fashioned way of instruc tion, by gradual steps, and not by hasty procedure, forms, in the juve nile mind, the only permanent impression; and much, very much is to be done more, than making with our fingers letters in the sand.

T. W.

Mr.

Mr. URBAN,

May 29. IDSING, usually called Lydging, is at the Southern extremity of Gilling ham parish, next to Bredhurst; part of it being in the parish of Chatham. This estate was formerly the inherit ance of the antient family of Sharsted; Simon de Sharsted held it at his death in the 25th of Edward I. Sir Henry de Leyborne was, possessed of it in the next reign of Edward II.; in the fourth year of which he obtained charter of free warren for his lands in Lydesinge and elsewhere. In. Edward II's reign, it came into the fa mily of Say; for Sir Roger de Say, in the 30th year of it, granted to his brother Sir Jeffery de Say his manor of Sharsted and Lydesinge, with their appurtenances, to hold in perpetual inheritance. He seems to have alienated these premises to Robert Belk nap, who in the 50th year of King Edward III. anno 1375, granted, among other premises, a moiety of this manor of Lidesinge, lying in

who by his dotation charter, in his 33d year, settled this manor, with its appurtenances, on his new-founded Dean and Chapter of Rochester, where it now remains; the lessee of it being the same as for the manor of Sharsted above mentioned.

At this hamlet (Lydsing) there has been of long time, and is now, a Cha pel of ease to the parish of Gillingham (see Piute I. Fig.1.); and Divine Service continues to be performed once a month, though there are but six houses within this district. It is endowed with all the tithes of this hamlet; and was valued in the year 1650, in a survey then taken by order of the ruling powers, at 251. per annum.

The chancel or East end of this Chapel was rebuilt some years since with brick, at the expence of the late Vicar, the Rev. John Jenkinson. R. B. S.

Mr. URBAN, Bromley, Kent, May 31.

HE accompanying sketch (see

of Rochester, on certain conditions therein mentioned; the other moiety of this manor continued longer in the name of Belknap. Robert Belknap, above mentioned, was afterwards knighted, and Chief Justice of the Common Pleas; but favouring too much the designs of King Richard II. for the extending his prerogative, he was, in the 11th year of that reign, attainted and banished to Ireland, by the Parliament; and though he was by the same power permitted to return again in the 20th year of it, yet his attainder still continued, and his

lands remained forfeited as before.

Notwithstanding which the King, who considered him as a martyr to his in terest, granted him several of his es: tates again, and among others, this moiety of Lidesinge, in his 22d year. But it did not continue long with him; for by his deed in the 2d year of King Henry IV. he gave it to the Priory of St. Andrew in Rochester, for one Monk, being a Priest, to celebrate Mass in the Cathedral there for ever, for the souls of himself, his predecessors, and successors. The Priory of Rochester becoming thus entitled to the whole fee of this manor, continued in the possession of it till the dissolution of the monastery in the GENT. MAC. June, 1820.

of the remains of the Archiepiscopal Palace at Otford in this County, which belonged from early ages to the See of Canterbury. The place derives its name most probably from the combination of the Saxon words “oð de fond-ut the ford," an etymology well justified by the stream which waters it.

In the year 774 of the Christian' æra, the powerful Mercian King Offa invaded Kent, and defeated Aldric with his army at Otford, rendering apparently the Kentish King tributary

to him; for we find that seventeen

years after this battle, Offa conferred the manor of Otford on the See of Canterbury. The engagement seems to have been a very sanguinary one; the following allusion to it occurs in Roger de Hovedene: "Kinewulfi regis anno vicesimo pugnavit Rex Offa, cum Mercensibus, contra Kentenses apud Ottanforde; clade autem horrendâ utrinque peractâ, belli successibus Offa clarus effulsit."-Decem Scriptores. One Werhard, a powerful Priest, found means, some time after, to alienate the manor of Otford to his own use, but restored it at his