ordinary a proof of political fagacity as at firft fight it feems to be, when it is remembered, that, at the time when Harrington wrote, France was Fut juft recovered from inteftine commotions of nearly as great violence as thofe which at prefent diftra& that unhappy country; in the courfe of which (as well as during the holy leaga of the preceding century) republican principles were as openly avoned as they now are, and which might have produced fcenes as atrocious as the late deteftable murder of Louis XVI. had not the king then on the throne effected his elcape from Paris with greater fuccefs than his unfortunate fuccefior. Old Montaigne, in the 22d effay of his firft bock, has many pafliges very applicable to the late revolution in France, and many on the danger of innovation, which might be feat nably re-punted at the pretent juncture (fee particularly p. 157-162, edit. Amfterdam, 1781). That the tollowing obfervation has been remarkably confirmed, those who recollect the fate of M M. de la Rochefoucas It, Fayette, Lancourt, the wretched Duke of O.leans, &c. &c. will not helate to admit, "Ceux, qui donnent le branle à un eftat, funt volontiers les prenuers abfoi bez en ta ruine. Le fruiết du trouble ne demeure guere à celuy qui l'a éme; bat & brouille l'eau pour d'autres picheurs." Efais de Montaigne, vol. 1. p. 159. P. 30. Is not "chancerie" mitteken for "chanteric," i. e. chantry? The letters and are fo very fimilar in old writings, that it is in fome cafes autolutely impoffible to diftinguish them. P. 31. The fame notion, that William the Norman did not conquer England, is entertained by Sir William Blackftone; who fays (Commentar. b. 2, c. 15), that the name conquæfier is attributed to that prince only in the feudal fenfe of conqueftus (fimilar to the purchase of our common lawyers, as opposed to dejcent), which denotes any means of acquiring an eftate out of the common courte of inheritance. It is certain that the word conqueror had fomeumes this qualified fignification, as in Piers Ploughman, fign. Ff1: "Chrift with his croffe conqueror of Chrifteudome." And that the Norman received his appeilation from his obtaining the crown, as purchajer under the will of the Confeltor, would feem to be confirmed by the example of Edric (Gough's Camden. vol. I. p. 279), who was called Streon, i e. acquiptor, from a fimilar circumftance, were it not that the contempora y hiftorian of the first Crufade (apud Mabillon Mulæum It dicum, vol. I. pars 2, p. 13, & alibi) always fyles our menarch Gulie mus Expuguafor & Rex Anglorum. Now I opprebend that this word expugnator can bear no other meaning than that of conqueror, in its fente of victor. It is truly wonderful (if any thing can be fo from fawning courtiers or hot headed partizans), that this verbal criticifm hould have been made by Brody one of the grounds for James II's claims to arbitrary power, and that it thould have been regarded with any thing out fient contempt by his angry and unequal antagonifi, Petyt. P. 33 Ludlow's motto (which I always underth od in the fenfe given to 1 by your correlpondet) teems to be taken from fonie poet; I thould be glad to know from whom. Its fentiment is exactly like that of Thucydides (n the funeral oration of Pericles, Hott lib. 2. cap. λδ'.); Ανδρων επιφανών πάσα γι Tapes. NUGATOR. Mr. URBAN. Y Feb. 6. OUR ingenious correfpondent FERD. STANLEY having difcontroued his Biographical Lift of Huraldic Writers, I fend you, by way of Supplement to his account, a few flight no. tices relative to tome authors whom he hes not mentioned. In this catalogue, indeed, I have not confined myself entirely to the icence of Biazon. but have included several writers on the Peciage and Knighthood; fubje&is undoubtedly within the province of the hiftorian of Heraldry. What I have to communicate will confit of very little befide paines, dates, and references; and will be brought down only to the beginning of the present century. But thete brief and filmis sketches may poflibly be the means of preferving lon è circumstancès which may haply elcape the nduttry of Mr. Dallaway, the feedy publication of whole work I am happy to fee announced in the news papers My collections, such as they are, fhould have been tranfmitted long ago, Mr. Urban, had I not been in monthly hope and expeciation of feeing Mr. Stoney refume his curious and amuling detals. Yours, &c. R. JP. Nicholas Nicholas Upton is the moft antient author of our nation whofe works on the fubje&t of Heraldry are now extant. His book was firft printed in English, at Westminster, 1496, by Wynkyn de Worde (Ames's Typogr. Antiq. orig. edit. p. 85). This is not in the Bod leian library, nor have I ever been able to meet with it elsewhere. In 16:4 was published, in one volume folio, "Nicolai Uptoni de Studio Militari, Lib 4; Johannis de Bado-aurco Tractatus de Armis, cum Francifco de Foveis; & Henrici Spelmanni Afpilogia. Notis illuftravit Edoardus Blaus." Concerning the refpective authors of thefe three treatifes, the editor has given us fome information in a Preface. Of Upton we are told, that in his youth he was a foldier, and an attendant on Tho mas de Montacute, Earl of Sarum, who was killed at O leans in 1428. On the Earl's death, Humphrey Duke of Gloucefter patronized our author, who having, by that Prince's perfuation, taken holy orders, was made canon of Wells and Sarum, and precentor of the latter cathedral. In 1452, he was employed by that church to folicit the canonization of their Bishop Ofmund; for which purpofe he was obliged to take a journey to Rome to wait on Pope Nicholas V.; but before the bufinefs was finished Upton was recalled, and probably died foon after. Bysfhe fuppofes him to have been the author of the other tract in this publication, which goes under the evidently fictitious name of Joannes de Bado-aureo. Bishop Tanner tells us, from Wood's MSS, that Upton was of an antient Devonshire or Somerfetfhire, family, that he was fellow of New College, and graduated in civil law; that he was beneficed in the diocefe of Bath and Wells; and that he died in 1457. (Bibliotheca Britannico-Hibern. &c. p. 742). Upton's work is undoubtedly interefting on account of the age in which it was written; but it seems to contain much irrelevant matter, and many trifling conceits, though, as I have never turned it over but in a curfory manner, I am by no means qualified to decide on its merits. Nicholas Warde's writings are moft probably not now in being, either in MS. or in print; and that they were never printed is alfo highly probable, from the filence of Ames concerning them. Gore tells us, in his Catalogue, that one Nic. Warde is mentioned in Ger. Legh's Preface, as having written of the whole art of Heraldry. Bishop Tanner, in his Bibliotheca, fays the fame thing, and adds, "floruit circa A.D. 1450." The paffage of Legh, thus referred to, is in his Preface, or rather Dedication, to the Inns of Court, Speaking of "auncient herehaughtes," he fays, "of which fort 1 will fhewe fo many as I have authorized this pamphilet by. And these are of number IX. as followen: 1. Nicholas Upton, defcribed blafonne; 2. Nicholas Warde, wrote of the whole woork," &c. The other feven are all foreigners, except, perhaps, Fraunces of Fora. Juliana Barnes. In 1496, Wynkyn de Worde reprinted, in fmall folio, a book commonly called "The Gentleman's Academy," or, "Book of St. Alban's," in which town it was originally printed with his old mafter Caxton's types, in 1486. Both thefe becoming extremely fcarce, another was published in 1595 by G. M. suppofed to be Gervafe Markham. This curious work contains tracts on hunting, hawking, and fishing, and two on Heraldry. In one "is determined of the Lynage of Cote Armuris," and the other is intituled, "Of the Blafynge of Armes." It is to be remarked, fays Mr. Ballard, that the Biafynge of Armes, which is not in Caxton's edition, confifis in nothing but abstracts from the fourth book of Upton. This tract is in Latin, French, and English, which explains what Gory means by faying, as he does in his Catalogue, that W. de Worde "armorum primus artem protulit, & teruis linguis illuftravit." Mr. Gore feems not to have known any thing of Caxton's publication. G. M's edition of the Book of St. Alban's, but neither of the earlier ones, is in the Bodleian. This literary oljo, though treating of fubjects fo decidedly. mafculine, was nevertheless the production of a lady, and that lady a monaftic, ycleped Julyans, or Juliana, Berners, Bernes, or Barnes. She was priorefs of the nunnery of Sopwell, near St. Alban's, and was alfo by birth a perfon of confiderable rank and quality, being daughter of Sir James Berners, of BernersRoding, in Effex, and filter to Richard Lord Berners. Dame Juliana is ftyled by Pits, "virago præclaris naturæ dotibus imbuta, Minervam ftudiis, Dianam venationibus imitata," &c. A fi. milar character is beftowed on our ht roic authorets by Bale; and the is likewife highly extolled by other old writers. March 19. OPEN weather may be faid to have On the 22d of Dec. we were vifited by a furious hurricane from the west. accompanied with driving sheets of rain and fleet. During the remainder of that month, the weather was much the fame as in the preceding part, with the exception, that Chriftmas-day was diftinguished by its natural characteristic fnow, the only fnow that teached the ground falling on that day, and diffolving before night. The deficiency of fnow, combined with the aqueous coldness of the earth, ftarved tho wheat, and in many inftances rendered vegetation backwarder than it was last year, notwithflanding the fuperior mildnets of the season. Yet it is to be oblerved, Thefe lines, defigned to be defcriptive of the month of December only, are ftrictly applicable to almost the whole of the year 1792, which will probably be denominated the wet year, till another, equally entitled to the fame defcription, comes; and perhaps poets, aftrologers, and enthufials, will draw an analogy between the gloomy appearance worn in it by the atmosphere and the terrific fituation of human affairs, and will compare the natural ftorms with the political. It seemed extraordinary, that, in a year so dark, wet, and cold, butterflies and moths should abound, as they did, both in number and variety. Befides the cabbage-batteries, the fmail blue fort was numerous; alfo the brown and yellow finall fwallow-tailed, and fome others of great beauty. It was wonderful to oblerve with what eafe and celerity the little moths performed volition in the thick November fog, contrary to their habit, ftaying abroad during the continuance of it. all day, and seeming to enjoy themfelves in it greatly. How thefe two kinds of infects efcape embarrafment in humid weather is inconceivable, without we fuppofe them furnifhed with an oily fluid fimilar to that emitted by the gnat when in its middle ftate, and which indeed the gnat moft probably poffeffes in its laft ftate, as we fee this infect in a fog equally active with the moth. So Cherry-plumb trees were not defoliated till near Christmas, and fome leaves quiveted on the weeping-willows till the beginning of the new year. fhort a time was the laft-named tree in a fate of abfolute denudity, that expanded leaves again graced its spray on the 13th of March, when no other deciduous tree or shrub whatever had a leaf, except the goofeberry, which had began foliating on the 9th of February. The cornel bloffomed on Feb. 13, and the apricot on March 5. The extraordinary verdure which the fummer rains had given to the evergreens continued undimin thed through the winter, and the honeyfuckles of that clafs never ceafed flowering. Lauruflines perfumed the hyemalian blafts, and the knee-holly exhibited its fingularly placed flowers on Chrifimasday. This hub comes fo little under obfervation, that very few people know that its bloffoms protrude themfelves from the midrihs of the leaves, on the upper fides. The box perfected its feeds kindly, and the Norway firs and Scorch pines had many cones. The plain hollies were berried profufely, but were foon ftripped by the mice, which animals, as well as rats, were more than ufually numerous. The male yew flowered near the end of February. Without any hesitation whatever, Mr. Gripin ftyles the yew "a pure native of Britain," and inclines ftrongly towards giving it pre-eminence above the mighty cedar of Lebanon. I think with justice. To corroborate what has been advanced by Mr. Urban's corre fpondents W. T. and T. C.† concerning the native fituation of the yew, I must digrefs to remark, that I fome time fince faw fome riven trees of that fpecies growing on a chalky declivity near Petersfield, that I am fatisfied mult be the fpontaneous product of the spot; fince no utility could ever have been expected from fetting them there, fuppofing that human fect could ever have had footing upon the feep. I cannot forbear adding, that I with the ingenious Mr. Malcolm would always preferve the refemblance of the yews that he fees growing near the churches he delineates; for as yet there are few church-yards but what have their yew trees. The difpofition to humidity which marked the old year extended to the new, at least to the beginning of it, as January opened with rainy, foggy, raw, weather. On the Epiphany, the barometer and thermometer role together; a circumfiance unfrequent in winter. The former hurried up to 30'—1—10. and shortly after feil thice degrees at once, when a heavy defcent of rain deluged the earth, which was followed for feveral weeks by frequent repetitions. These rains drenched the earth, *Foreft Scenery, vol. 1. pp. 92. 94. + Vol. LXII. p. 1103. and Vol. LXIII. p. 101. and made the rivers overflow, whilft in its turn every wind in heaven raved. The fhreve tide of this year was as remarkable for wind as the laft was for froft, but the wind was very acceptable, putrid diforders ftill prevailing, and the ground fo wet that the operations of agriculture could not be performed. Things continued in this ftate till the middle of February, when the winds fubfided, the ground became fit for bean-fetting, vegetation came on, the folar rays grew powerful, and the bees turned out, though fome mornings were very frolty, and fome days thowery. March entered roaring truly like a lion on the first and fecond days the wind formed most tremendously, and bluftrous weather fet in, greatly however to our advantage, in regard to purifying the air and drying the earth. Whether the old lugs died in the autumn, I cannot fay, but none were feen in the winter: the young and their davaltatious were but too plainly visible: though few of them were an inch long, their voracioufnefs was incredible, and unfortunately the delicacy of their tafte led them to attack the peafe and cauliflowers in particular, whole crops of which have been detroyed by them repeatedly. There is but one way of extirpating them, and that is by laying wooden planks, cabbage-leaves, or tiles, near the rows of prafe and cauliflowers, placing them fo that they may lie hollow enough to admit the flugs to crawl under them, which they will do at day-break, after having gluttonized on the crops. Vifit thefe traps the first thing in a morning, and cut the mauraude:s quite through with a harp knife. Upon a board 5 feet long and one foot broad, I have found from 7 to 150 in a morning! Notwithstanding thefe animals fo abound, I never have had the gratification of feeing one defcend from a bough through the air, by a thread, ia the manner defcribed in the Linnean Tranfactions by Dr. Shaw and Mr. Hoy; a fight that must be truly curious. Lord, who hath praise enough, nay, who hath any? None can exprefs thy works, but he that knows them; And none can know thy works, they are fo many, And fo complete, but only he that owes abera. A SOUTHERN FAUNIST. |