570 Impreffions of antient Seals.-New Tranflation of a contefled Paffage. even thofe perfons contend, that death and a refurrection will be coincident with one another. Nor will they be more affected if we allow (what fome have urged to be the meaning of Scripture) the irretrievable lofs and annihilation of the wicked; for, in this cafe, it is acknowledged that the first death is not final. I muft ever therefore believe, unlefs otherwife convinced, that as never man by any act of his own could give beginning, never man, by any act of his own, could put an end to bis exiflence. Omnia babent ortus fuaque incrementa. The rife of the affertion complained of may long have anteceded the capacity of my obfervation. But I have obferved lately a very great increase in the frequency of its ufe. And a wish to put an end to language fo grofs and difgraceful, as it must appear on reflection, to the understandings of all who have ufed it, has induced me to afk a column of your Magazine for that purpose. Invention must be poor indeed that cannot furnish other words to tell us, if happy occafion may require it, that A B. put an end to life! ALCUINUS. Mr. URBAN, You any un July 10. OU receive herewith impreffions from thirteen ancient feals in the poffeffion of H. Godfrey Fauffet, efq. which will perhaps be acceptable to many of your readers. Yours, &c. CANTUARIENSIS. N°1 is of brass; the legend, S. BARTHOLL DE PODIO. No 2, brass. :S. IOpis: DE: IDVLII. SEN: S Jobis Idulii fen. No 3, lead. S. NIGELLI. FILII.WALTERI S Nigelli Filii Walteri. N° 4, brafs. terbury, 1767. MR. URBAN, May 2. THE tranflations of the difputed paffage in Juftin Martyr, inferted in your Magazines for Oct. and Nov. ble judgement (with due deference to 1783, being unfatisfactory to my humyour learned correfpondents be it spoken), I take the liberty of fubmitting to your readers confideration the construc tion which follows: Εισι τινες, οι φίλοι, ελεγον, από του ημίλερου γενος ομολογούντες αυτον Χριστ είναι, ανθρωπον δε εξ ανθρωπων γενομενον απο φαινόμενοι οις & συντιθεμαι, εδ' αν πλείσοι, ταυλα μοι δοξάσαντες ειποιεν. "There are some, my friends, faid I, of our profeffion (or fociety), who acknowledge him to be the Chrift, bus affirm that he is nothing more than mere man with whom I do not agree; nor (hould I agree) even if the greatest part of them, efpoufing the fame opinion, fhould declare it to me." This appears to me the natural construction of the words; which want nothing more than the vacuity of the ellipfis to be filled up with the word (ouben) to be rendered clear in fenfe, and effective in argument. To fhew which, let us view the paffage in connection with what precedes and follows it. The father fays, that, although he fhould not be able to prove our Saviour's divinity (of which he had been difcourfing), yet that would not affect his belief in him as the Chrift; fuppofing it could be made appear, that he was no more than a man. And, to convince his antagonift that the question did not hinge upon this point, he proceeds to inform him in the paffage before us, "that there were fome of their people who did look upon him only as a man; but which opinion he himself was fo far from adopting, that he should reject it, though it were fupported by the greatest majority." Then, in juftification of his allertion, he adds, "fince we are com manded Biographical Traits of the real Flaherty in the Weft Indian. 571 manded by Chrift himself, not to pin our 'faith upon the doctrines of men, but upon those which the bleffed prophets and Chrift himself have inculcated." If I do not fatter myfelf too much, the above is clear, and agreeable to the fcope of the author's reafoning; and as fuch I have ventured to throw it as a mite into your excellent Repository, for the infpection of your ingenious and candid readers. A. B. MR. URBAN, July 4. AMONG the various biographical notes which are occafionally regiftered in your valuable Mifcellany, I hope the following may be thought worthy of a place. Oftenfible characters have undoubtedly the beft claim, efpecially when they convey to us a ground of ferious confideration. The character of Major O'Flaherty, in the comedy of the Weft-Indian, is not a fictitious one, but copied from the original in the perfon of Col. O'B-ne; who diftinguished himfelf during many years fervice in the Auftrian army, and is now retired upon a penfion of about 2001. per ann. with a brevet de colonel. The last time I faw him was at the court of Bruxelles in the year 1774, where he then refided, and was much refpected both by the noble and the military, who paid him all the honours due to fo brave and honeft a veteran; a man whofe courage has stood the test of every trial; whofe intrepidity was beyond example in dangerous encounters. Without the leaft effeminacy, he was fometimes rather too blunt and uncouth; which, however, fo far from giving offence, added new luftre to his actions: difdain ing every fymptom of duplicity, he was often too open and fincere. These qualities, joined to his gallant bravery, were always ready to vindicate any affront offered either to himself or his friends. Refpecting the first, he generoufly condefcended to expoftulate before a challenge in the other cafe, he flood torward the arbiter of difputes, the mediator is quarrels, and, if the offending party obitinately refused to fubmit to his decifions, he had a lure way to bring him to reafon he immediately efpoufed the caufe of the injured or infulted, and made himfelf a fecond where he could not be admitted as principal. In the Dumberlefs engagements which he had of this fort, he was never known to have embarked with rafhnefs, or in a wrong caufe. His idea of military vir tue, and the point of honour, was fo great, he would not fuffer the least reection to be caft on either; notwithftanding, he was a chearful companion, a folid friend, and of a generous fpirit; but an implacable enemy to every species of meannefs, which he always either corrected, or expofed to the fevereft ridicule. In a few words, he was the advocate of the diftreffed, and the chastiser of the infolent. The coachman of a Flemish Baron had defignedly, and contrary to the etiquette of rank, drove againft and damaged the carriage of the Duke of St. Alban's. This coming to the ears of the Colonel, he infifted that the Duke fhould fend a meilage to the Baron, demanding an a pology for his fervant's conduct; but the latter not complying, he accompanied the Duke to the Baron's country-feat, requiring fatisfaction for the indignity done to one of his Grace's high rank; giving him to understand, that he was come as champion for the Duke; upon which the intimidated Baron fubmiffively afked pardon. Being formerly an officer of Pandours in the Hungarian army, he was fent to Vienna charged with dispatches from the General, containing the relation of fome important advantages. The Colonel, at that time only a private officer, unknown at court, and little acquainted with the place, or the ufual ceremonials belonging to it, was impatient to be admitted to the Queen; but, wanting the proper form of introduction, he remained fome time unnoticed in the anti-chambers; till at length the Emperor, accidentally paffing, and attracted by his manly figure and particular drefs, very graciously enquired his bufinefs. Our honeft Hibernian, not knowing the perfon of the Emperor, but won by his pleafing manner of addrefs, complained of the inattention he had received, more efpecially as he poffeffed confequential matter in his difpatches, which he declared he would deliver to his Royal Miftrefs only. The Emperor, who till then had been occupied in admiring his martial appearance, and ignorant fimplicity of court rules, now made himself known: when O'B-ne, fomewhat confufed at this unexpected declaration, immediately inq clined with respect at the Imperial prefence, and prefented the packet. The Emperor, reading the letter, with the other hand conducted him to the Queen, where he was favourably received, and both feemed much pleated at the firm 572 A Dialogue between an Attorney and Orator Henley-Rooks. nefs and integrity of his behaviour; which, joined to other circumftances tending to his reputation, they rewarded by advancing him to the rank of Major, wherein he diftinguished himself ftill more by his courage and ftrict regard to difcipline. Many other laudable anecdotes might here be recorded of him; thefe will fuffice to give a sketch of his character. The author of the play has only drawn the outlines of the picture; the colouring is too faint, and not equal to the merit of the original. Mr. Moody is still further removed in his reprefentation: I have feen him perform the part of Major O'Flaherty, where we could only trace the manner of a fubaltern, not the femblance of a polished gentleman in a confpicuous military ftation. The Auftrian and French annals can bring forward more than one example in natives of our fifter-kingdom, who have rifen by their valour and abilities to a fuperiority of rank in thofe armies, whofe names are too fufficiently known to require a particular fpecification in this place. It is much to be la mented that men of fuch acknowledged merit fhould be forced into a foreign fervice through a point of confcience, and excluded from ferving at home by the prefent tenor of our laws. Several of this defcription, whom I have converfed with in my travels, frankly con felfed how pleafing it would be to them to join their legal ftandard, provided no reftraints were laid on their religious principles. MR. URBAN, July 16. Orator Henley, I thought that a relation About thirty years fince, I dined one day at a chop-houfe oppofite to the end of Pafgrave-head Court in the Strand: at iny entrance, I found there no other guests than the Orator and an attorney of Clement's Inn, between whom I unavoidably overheard the enfuing dif courfe : Attor. I remember the man well, but I don't know what became of him. I think they fay he went to the Weft Indies, and fettled at Ceylon, or fome where thereabouts; in one of our islands, place, it is not in the Weft Indies, but in the East. Attor. I deny that. Orator. The more fhame for you. I'll bring you a boy ten years old who fhall prove it to you. Attor. Well, I thank God, I know nothing about Eaft or Weft either. I am no great geographer. Orator. So then, you thank God for your ignorance, do you? Attor. (looking very angry.) Yes, I do, Sir. Orator (making him a low bow.) MR. URBAN, Y May 24. OUR humane and generous difpofition to promote every good, will find some place for the following hints. I plead the caufe of an innocent race, which enliven our villages, and give some degree of fecurity to reward the farmer's toil: I mean the rooks, thofe gregarious birds, whofe fociability excites our admiration. They feek their food in companies, and jointly labour to form their elevated cities. Particularly attached to large manfions and the groves, they feldom build on fingle trees, nor ever in large and folitary woods, where they feem to want the protection of the hofpitable hall to guard their young. In winter, however, the thickest wood is preferred for their night's retreat, because it is much warmer than the nursery; or, as fome call it, the rookery. Their af fection towards this place is very remarkable during the whole year, they conftantly pay it a vifit night and morning, fo, which, from long obfervation, I found might almost be depended on. When the feverity of winter is about terminating, like other birds they pair, but much fooner, commonly near the end of February; after which, if the weather proves mild, they begin the grand bufinefs of fettling the poffeffion and repairs of old houfes, or the young ones in erecting new fabrics; in which there feems to be much contention and ftrife, even battles and fkirmishes frequently enfuing; the idle plundering the induftricus of their new-brought materials. This affair being at last fettled, they upon no other occafion break the peace of the community, and all is harmony and good neighbourhood. After this, their whole attention is in the laying and hatching the eggs, and rearing Prefervation of Rooks recommended.—Mifcellaneous Remarks. their young, wherein they difplay much care and tenderness, and no difturbance happens till the rooklings are nearly fledged. Their forrows now begin, Which briefly mourns my Mufe. Some villain bold, and at the dead of night, Whofe callous heart feels not of nature's pangs, 573 Warton's "Life of R. Bathurst," pp. 188, 9. P. 116, col. 2. The admirable paffage tranfcribed from "Remarks on the "Hiftory of Scotland" appeared in your volume for 1779, p. 283, col. 2, with another valuable extract. P. 128, col. 2. Your Lichfield corre Herls down from genial beds the fofter'd fpondent may find an account of the pe brood, And deals deftruction round.. In vain from towering heights the parents cry Would force compaffion from th' unharden'd breaft; Alas! their hot hears not their painful moan; He fleeps and wakes but to deplore their lofs. The prefervation of thefe birds is of no fmall confequence to the farmer. Where the land is paftured, they pick up grubs and infects, which are very pernicious to the health of cattle: thefe being more their natural food than grain, they do but little harm on tillage ground. A field of wheat was particularly frequented by the rooks juft after being fown; the farmer was adwifed to shoot them, in order to fecure his crop. He wifely paid, however, no attention to this opinion and his expectations were fully answered in having a better crop than his neighbours, who had driven them from their lands. They will fometimes ftock up a few beans in the fpring, which they do out of mere neceflity. In their greatest extremity, when the frofts and fnow ven: their getting to the ground for fails and grubs, they have recourfe to the highways, and what they meet thereon. The moft unequivocal proof of their delight in feeding on worms and infects may be obferved by their being conftantly feen on new-ploughed ground, and in the meadows, on dewy mornings. Why then fhould a vulgar prejudice, or a fill more vulgar notion, of their being delicious food, contribute erroneously to the deftruction of a lively and useful creature?-This fubject may appear trivial to fome of your readers, but it is not quite fo in the eye of MR. URBAN, pre HUMANITY. THE following notices relate to your prefent volume, and may not prove unacceptable to fome of your numerous readers. P. 6. The elegant Latin Epiftle is printed, with fome variations, in Tho. GENT. MAG. July, 1786. riodical work he enquires after in A. Wood's "Athen. Oxon." vol. II. p. 640, and the work itfelf in the Bodleian Library, and alfo in the British Mufeum, if we may conjecture from p. 3 of your volume for 1784, which, with direct to preceding information upon p. 16, col. 1, of the fame volume, will Mag. for March laft, p. 193, col. 2. the fubject of enquiry. See alfo your referred to your volume for 1784, P. P. 137. Your reviewer might have 565, and to that for 1785, p. 584, where Mr. Travis's unanfwerable "Letters" are particularly noticed. theofis, &c. of King Henry the Sixth, P. 191. With regard to the apoit may not be amifs to recur to the eighteenth fection of T. Hearne's Preface to Otterbourne, &c. here, as alfo in p. 93, to your volume P. 198. A reference might be made remarked, that Bickerton has likewife for 1784, p. 271, col. 1; and it may be printed, in the "Collection" there mentioned, this fecond Letter to Major Dunbar. 198, with feveral more from Addifon, The two other letters in p. are printed in the "Memoirs of Affairs "of State from 1697 to 1708, published "by, Chriftian Cole, Efq.. fome Time folio. "Refident at Venice. London, 1733," P. 207. Your correspondent H. J. enquiries in A. Wood's "Faili Oxon." may find an anfiver to Tome part of his vol. I. p. 130. and, p. 277, for "Richard," twice, fub- Botolph, Aldgate, belonged to the pri P. 305. Oliver Cromwell's Letter to correctly, in your volume for 1762, p. Lenthall was before printed, and more 253. SCRUTATOR. [ 574 ] SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT, SESS. III. Debates in the third Seffion of Parlia lutions of the committee of the whole Houfe on the Ordnance estimates. Agreed to the report of the refolutions of the committee of the whole Houfe on the fhop-tax. That the duties granted by an act of the 25th of his Majefty, except on Houfes of the yearly rent of 301. and upwards, do ceafe: And That, instead thereof, there fhall be paid, upon every houfe and fhop of the yearly value of 51. rent. and under 10l. 4d. in the pound; and of the value of 151. and under 2cl. 8d. in the pound; and of the value of 201. and under 251. 13 3d. in the pound; and of the value of 251. and under 30l. 1s. 9d. in the pound. Ordered in a bill thereupon. Mr. M. A. Taylor, according to notice, moved for leave to bring in a bill for extending the act of laft feffion, relative to the regulation of Courts of Confcience: the chief objects of which are, to limit the time of imprifonment, and to require a certain qualification from the acting commiffioners, Mr. Fox prefented a petition from the wharfingers of Westminster, for the purpofe of regulating the coal-meters in the difcharge of their refpective offices; which was referred to a private com mittee. Mr. Baftard moved, that there be laid before the Houfe an account of all the monies paid either by his Majefty, or the public, for thofe convicted of felony or mildemeanour from the 1ft of Jan. 1775, fpecifying the fums disbursed each year. After a fhort converfation, the motion was pet, and carried. Mr. Baflard then moved, that an account be laid before the Houfe of all perfons convicted, and fent on board the hulks and tenders, from Jan. 1, 1775, fpecifying the times when difcharged, together with their different offences. Mr. Pitt made a preliminary motion for referring the accounts relative to the revenue to a felect committee, in order that they might be properly digeted previously to their coming before the Houfe, for the purpofe of forming the great and important fcheme for the g.adual diminution of the national debt. Mr. Fix approved of the appointment of fuch a committee. And Sir Grey Cooper wished the ftatement which was laid before the House lat feffion to be laid before this committee; which was agreed to. Mr. Francis then rofe, in pursuance of the notice he had previously given, to move for leave to bring in a bill to explain and amend the prefent laws for regulating the adminiftration in India; which, he contended, were, in many instances, abfurd, impolitic, and contrary to the fpirit of our conftitution. Mr. Dundas defended the bill, which, in the particular of dividing the patronage from the power, was formed upon an excellent principle. He was unwilling, however, to give a negative to what the Hon. Gent. had taken fo much pains to prepare, especially as it was his intention to bring the subject before the Houfe in a few days, and as he agreed with him in many things. He would, therefore, at prefent content himself with moving the previous queftion; which, after a few words from Mr. Vanfittart and Major Scott, who acknowledged that the act in question required emendations, was carried without a divifion. Wednesday, March 8. After fome private bufinefs, and or. dering a writ for the election of a member for Chipping Wycombe, in the room of Lord Mahon (now Earl Stanhope), the House proceeded to ballot for the committee on the national de bill; and each member prefent, on hearing his name called over by the clerk, went up to the table, and put into a glafs a lift of nine members, the number of which the committee is to confift. When all the lifts were in the glafs, a committee of fcrutineers was appointed by the Houfe to examine them, and report next day the names of the nine members who have the majority on the ballot. This terminating the bufinefs of the day, the House adjourned. Thursday, March 9. Lord Milford took the oaths and his feat for Pembrokeshire. Report was then made to the Houfe, that the following gentlemen were chofen by ballot as a felect committee to examine the different papers relative to the public income and expenditure, and to report to the Houfe what may be expected to be the annual amount of the fad income and expenditure in future, |