To SYLVANUS URBAN, GENT. ON COMPLETING HIS XCyth VOLUME. HAIL, veteran Sage! whose years have reach'd the span Still may fresh laurels crown thy deathless name, Through London's streets when sounds of mourning past When the black cart in dire array was led, And the hoarse bellman summon'd forth the dead, With glistening eye we read recorded there And see where follows, in procession slow, The glories of their Sovereign's sway rehearse. PREFACE. THIS is our Ninety-fifth Annual Address. In the short period of four years the Gentleman's Magazine will enter the second centenary of its existence. Amidst all the changes which have transpired in the literary world, during this extended period, the venerable Sylvanus has pursued the same even tenor of his way. Whilst rivalry of the most powerful character has constantly appeared in the literary arena, and contemporary Publications innumerable have been driven from the field, Sylvanus Urban has stood immoveable as towering Atlas, when warring elements play around his head, and foaming oceans break their billows at his feet. The Literature of England was perhaps never more varied, or more extensively diffused, than during the past year. It was once considered necessary for a person to be a Student before he became an Author; but now all such preliminary steps are considered superfluous, if we are to judge from the melange of professions with which Authorship is crowded. Every individual who can scribble a paragraph, assumes the character of an Author, Compiler, or Editor: this probably accounts for the ephemeral inundation of cheap periodical or twopenny works of the early part of the current year; and perhaps for the countless volumes of useless trash with which we have been deluged.-From the Army, we have two gallant Colonels directing editorial assaults on each other, in the columns of their own weekly journals. From the Navy, we have a Purser standing forth as the high-priest of modern Hellenistic learning, and a Lieutenant emblazoning the columns of every newspaper, as the oracle of Booksellers in biographical and genealogical lore,tenet__insanabile multos scribendi cacoëthes. In the new Literary Institutions, every individual who imagines himself capable of giving an opinion on any department of literature, assumes the important office of a Lecturer. Thus one offers to enlighten the world on Heraldryanother on Topography-and a third, assuming the title of Doctor, to teach Latin by lecturing! risum teneatis? But what is still more extraordinary, if we are to rely on the statements of the Hamiltonian Professors, the learned languages are taught, as it were, by a steam-engine power, without the necessity of the teacher understanding them himself! The political horizon of Europe, fortunately, was never more auspicious than at the present time; but on the Continent, however, there appears a constant fermentation in every department of literature-a perpetual struggle with Governments and the pressand in many instances native talent is paralyzed. Two grand parties possess the field-one supporting the old monarchical principles of the Monkish ages, and the other advocating liberal ideas and the march of the human intellect. Under the latter, which is the popular banner, we find America, England, the Netherlands, and the great mass of Germany. France (says the Courier Franco must be added to this party, the administration of which floats With respect to the political relations of the New States of Adverting to our Domestic Policy, the greatest part of the last Dec. 31, 1825. LIST OF EMBELLISHMENTS.-Wood Engravings marked thus *. Merton Hall and Church, Norfolk.........9 Paintings in Westminster Abbey...303, 305 *Plans of Wiltshire Churches......530, 531 MINOR CORRESPONDENCE. m. remarks," that on the font in St. Martin's, Ludgate, is the following Greek inscription: NIYON ANOMHMA MH MONON OYIN. This, 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: Sirrah, my son, thou hast no grace, And if that day should never come, 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 pedigree of Howard, Duke of Norfolk, in Mr. Hunter's Hallamshiré, 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 hecome 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 Dineley." 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 particu lars 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 published; 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. |