they are the oldest work of statuary that we can depend upon here, and probably the performance of Peter Cavalini, a Ro man sculptor, recommended to Henry III. by Ware, abbot of Westminster. Cavalini executed the tomb of Edward the Confeffor, and the monument of Henry III. be ing probably the firft brazen figure dont in England. The monument in Mr. Walpole's garden at Strawberry-hill, carved about the year 1256, and the four statues on the Weft end of Westminster abbey," are probably the work of this artift. See Gwyn's London and Weftminster improved; and others." 4. A new Catalogue of living English Authors; with complete Lifts of their Publications, and biographical and critical Memoirs. THIS fourth attempt to rear a temple for British votaries of Literature while living, an effort which, if it meets with a favourable reception from the publick, is intended to be extended perhaps to fix octavo volumes, fails in the first grand characteristick of fuch an undertaking, IMPARTIALITY. It avowedly aims to exalt the University. of Oxford above that of Cambridge and it has been guilty of fome flagrant rudenefs, to call it by the fofteft name, to the latter, fo much as to incur the hazard of legal cenfure. The compiler, however he may flatter himself that his caufe is good, certainly, in that instance, did not "content himself with biogra phical miniatures." (Pref. p xiv.) The new articles in this compilation are, dral and cloisters, thought it would be an improvement to the choir, if the tomb of King John was moved from thence to the place where many supposed his body to have been interred, and where the tomb had been originally placed, between the two fainted bishops, Ofwale and Wolftan. Withthis intent, they directed amafon carefully to take off the figures of the king and the two bithops; which done, they found a ftone coffin containing a corpfe, wrap ped in a cloth fomewhat like carpeting or velvet; on the head a clofe cap, which feemed of the fame material, and faftened under the chin; the flesh of the face was entirely gone, the nose and jaws fallen aud difplaced; but one of the feet being uncovered, thewed the toes full and feemingly. fleshy; doubtlefs, the whole of the re mains, before they were deranged, refembled in pofition and almost every circumftance the figure on the monument; the fword on his left fide, of the fame kind and the fame pofition with that above-ground; the metal of the fword was decayed, but part of the leathern fcabbard entire; the coffin lay on the furface of the pavement, About the year 1754, the tomb was opened under the direction of Dean Waugh, who flood by all the time the mafons were at work; and, finding the body was there, immediately clofed it up with the fame elm boards which he found there; and, defifting from all thoughts of removing the tomb, wifhed as little to be faid about it as poffible; however, busy people reported that jewels and things of value were found in the coffin; but this was entirely falfe, as I am affured by a worthy daughter of that worthy dean, in a letter dated Carlile, April 11, 1798: the fole object he had, in wishing to remove the tomb, was to make a better approach to the altar. It is very probable it had been opened in the civil wars, when little respect was paid to kings, and the cathedral was turned into a table. When the tomb was moved from behind the choir, the coffin and its contents were brought with it, perhaps foon after the Restoration, when above 20,000l. were laid out in repairs of the cathedral, many private persons contributing largely. Upon the whole, there is little reafon to doubt that the contents of the coffin were the remains of King John; but the afhes of a king differ fo little from those of a beggar, that we ought not to speak pofitively. Thus Antiquarian curiofity being fatisfied, it is hoped this poor king, after a reign of turbulence, may rest in his grave undisturbed; and may the mouth which fwore to defend our liberties, and the hand, Mils; Balmano, Jolin; Bancroft, Thowhich figned a confirmation of the Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta, be for ever facred! I shall only add, that the figures on, the top of the tomb are of no mean Workmanship for the time. It is faid that Abbot, Charles; Aberdour, Alexander Adam, James Mackittrick; Adam, William and Samuel; Alanfon, Edward; Alchorne, Stanefby; Alderfon, John; Alexander, William and Difney, and W.; Allan, George; Allardyce, Alexander; Ailen, Francis; Alley, Jerom; Amner, Richard; Amphlett, W.; Anbury, Thomas; Ancel, Samuel; Anderfon, James, John, Thomas, and William; indré, William; Andrie, John; Andrews, Henry and John; Anfley, Arthur; Anstice, Robert; Anfie, John; Aplegarth, Robert; Archer, James and Clement, and Mrs.; Armstrong, Francis and John; Arnold, "Thomas, Samuel, James, and R.; Artby, Elliot; Ab, Dr. Edward; Ashdotone, William; Afbmore, Thomas; Atley, Philip; Atkins, James; Atkinfon, William and Jofeph; Alay, Joseph; Auflin, Gilbert; Ba con, John; Baillie, Thomas; Baker, Richard and Samuel; Baklwin, Thomas; Bal mas; Bandinell, James; Barker, Thomas and Jobu; Barton, Benjamin, Smith, and Charles; Bartramy John; Bateman, Thumas; Bates, Elizabeth and John; Batley, Jeremiah; Baværftrek,..................; Bay, Wit Jiam; Eayley, Thomas Buttterworth and John, Rev. C. and Richard; Baynton, Thomas; Beadon, B.; Beaver, George; Beaufort, Dr.; Beckferd, William of Font-hill, and Peter; Beeke, Henry; Beilby, Thomas; Belknap, Jeremy; Bell, John, bookfeller, and Archibald, Bellamy, Thomas; Belfham, Thomas; Bennet, Abrahm and Thomas; Bent, William; Bentley, Richard; Berkeley, Fliza; Berry, Robert; Ref, Rev. Henry Betbam, Mifs: Biebeno, J.; Bigland, Ri chard; Billing flev, John; Bingbam, Richard; Bingley, William; Bird, James Barry; Bifchaff, Frederick; Black, Jofeph and William; Blagden, Sir Charles; Blair, William; Blane, Gilbert and William; Blick, Francis; Blizard, Wilham; Blore, Thomas; Blyth, Robert; Boaden, James; Balland, William; Bulton, George; Bolts, William; Booker, Luke; Bajanquet, Join- Abraham; Boueber, Jonathan; Bourne, Robert; Bowden, Jonathan; Boredler, Thomas and John; Bowen, Thomas; Boyd, Rev. Henry; Boys, William and John; Bradford, William; Brand, Thomas; Brande, Auguftus-Eve rard; Bray, William; Bree, Robert; Brewer, George; Breafter, John; Bright, Henry ; Bromley, Sir George; Broak, Abraham and N. M.D. and Edward; Broughton, Arthur and Brian; Brown, Thomas and Robert; Browne, Arthur; Brownrigge, William; Bryan, Margaret; Bryant, Charles; Bryce, James; Brydges, Samuel-Egerton; Buchan, Dr. A. P.; Bucknall, Thomas Skip Dyot; Buckner, John; Budworth, Jofeph; Burckbard, John Gottlieb; Burgh, William; Burke, Mrs.; Burn, John; Burney, James and Mifs; Burrell, Lady, having changed her name, is transferred to Clay; Burton, John and Mis; Busby, Thomas; Butler, Weeden, f. and Charles; Butterworth, Laurence Caldecott, Thomas; Callender, James Thomfon; Cameron, Charles; Campbell, Laurence Dundas; Cardew, Cornelius; Carey, George-Savile; Carpenter, Benjamin; Can, Dr John; Carter, Elizabeth, Francis, and John; Cartwright, Rev. Edmund and Charles; Cary, Henty-Francis and John; Catlow, Samuel; Caverdif, Henry and Sir Henry; Cecil, Richard; Chamberlaine, John; Champion, Jofeph; Champney, T.; Chan dler, Richard; Chapman, George and wil liam; Chardon, M.; Charlesworth, John; Charlton, Mary. Seveal articles in the former lift are omitted, the fabjects of them having ceafed to live in the interval. 5. The CIXth Pfalm explained and vindicated, in a Sermon prearbei in the Parish Churches of Boston and Wigtoft, in the County of Lincoln, July 22, 1798. The Second Edition, with additional Obfervations. By Samuel Partridge, M. A. Vicar, Chaplain to the Right Honourable Lord Gwyd:r, and late Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford. BY fupplying the word faving, at the beginning of ver. 6, the curtes are transtested from David to his enemies, probably Shimei, who ate made to ute ter them against him; and in ver. 20, for requgal he substitutes work. The difcovery was first made by Mr. Peters and Dr. Sykes, both unknown to each other; and, 50 years after, by Marco Marino, from whom it was adopted by Saveno Mattei, of Naples, and approved by Dr. Green, one of the best commentators on the book of Palms. Mr... Keate, in his Termon on this pfalm,, 1794 (lee our vol. LXV. p. 501), feems to err in reprefenting David as retorting the calamities of his enemies in ver. 20 and the concluding ones. 6. A Sermon, preached before bis Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, on Thursday, November 29, 1798, being the Day appointed for ageneral Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the late glorious Victory obtained by Lard Nelfon over the French Fleet, and for the other recent Interpofitions of His good Providence towards the effectual Deliverance of thefe Kingdoms from Invafion and intofline Commation. By the Honourable and Right Reverend William Knox, Lord Bishop of Killaloe.. Publifhed by Command of bis Excellency the Lord Lieutenant. THE occafion on which this dif courfe, from 2 Chron, vii. 4, was delivered, demanded and found an energe. tic and eloquent preacher. believe I may almoft speak without an "Not a man whom I now behold, I dence and to his liberality, to his patience exception, but may hoast that, to his pruand to his activity, to his temper and to his courage, is the Chriftian world, in a great meamre, indebted for its prefervation from utter rim and extinction. Great and momentous as have been the archievements of our fleets; glorious and critical as was the victory which we this day. chiefly *To John Brand, Sec. R. S. is atcribed celebrate; a victory which has shamed and "An hiftorical Eflay on the Hiftory of Parallied a trembling world; ftruck down as litical Affociations in a State, 1790," and "A Defence of Mr. Reeves's Thoughts on the English Government," 1797. See our vols. XCIV. 241, XCVII. 225, XCVII. 594. Should they not rather be given to the Rev. John Brand, of Caius college, Cambridge, a political writer? has been the pride and ambition of the enemy, by the vigorous arm of Britain 3of Britain, that nation which, alone and unaififted, has Bung herself into the Ther mopyla of Europe, and refched her from. the difgrace of French dominion, and the thraldom of French alliance; let us fpeak. the the truth. The contest in which you have been engaged, and which never would have been brought to a fuccessful iffue, had not you fummoned to your aid every virtue as auxiliaries to your valour, equaled in its difficulties, and rivaled in its confequences, the most splendid exploits which crowd into the pages of our recent hiftory; fince of this there cannot be a doubt that no wound fo deadly to the British empire, and, through it, to civilized fociety, could have been inflcted as that which the vistuous and patriotic part of this community has lately warded off; and f, let me add, in the profecution of that struggle, Paffion may, in fome inftances, have mastered .Reaton; if the consulfons of Nature have fometimes in pt the fetters of Law; if the voice of Religion has been drowned in the clamour of Revenge; if, I fay, fuch charges are calummies, they may be despifed; if they are truths, they will foon be forgotten; they are tranficory (pots, and bury themfelves in the blaze of your virtues." (pp. 1394) After drawing an animated picture of France, under all the confequences of revolution, the Bishop directs our attention to the cataftrophe. "Happily for our country and ourselves, happily for the peace, the morality, and religion, of the civilized world, we poffefs a nobility, a gentry, and a yeomanry, on whofe vigour and energy of mind Luxury has not yet laid her benumbing hand; the Spirit which now animates Ireland, if accompanied by perfeverance, is, no doubt, defined to fave the moral world. But let us confider the condition of our inferiors; whether we are entirely innocent of their depravity, and whether, if we follow our calamities to their fource, they may not lead us back upon our(elves." (pp. 20, 21.) To the neglect of education of the clergy and laity among the Catiwlicks, the Bishop afcribes "A confpiracy the most extraordinary, for the numbers engaged, and for the fecrecy obferved, which Hiftory has recorded, and which Pofterity will fcarcely beleve, growing up about us, increasing in years and in maturity, without impediment, I might almost fay without detection; nay, to little were we 'acquainted with our countrymen, or their dengns, that, in ipite of the public demonstrations which frequently burft forth, fo ftill was the filence which followed each partial explosion, that fome of the most thinking and learned men among us perfifted, almoft to the end, in difpuing the poffibility of a general eruption.” (p. 22.)—“I know it is an opinion, held by many perfons of great confideration and authority, that learning is, to the common people, only a vehicle of error, and that every encourage- But choly circle whitt we that agent our- Traitors, 1 traitors, by opening a free paffage for yourselves. Give them the degree of learning which may enable them to understand the arguments of Loyalty as well as the fuggeftions of Treafon. Encourage thofe inftitutions by which that learning is extended. Look the people again in the face; when it is in your power, familia. rize yours with them; the task is difguft. ing, but it will repay you; take them out of the hands of their perfidious leaders, by Rereceiving them into your own arms. cal, to share with you in the work of mercy, thofe timid fugitives of your own rank. But no→ let them remain; it is on you only that I rely; the brave man only can uplift a vanquished fee. The Legiftature has already taken one step towards the improvement of those who are to give religious inftruction to the Roman Catholicks; fecond its endeavour; recollect that the cause in which you are engaged is the caule of Christianity atfelf, within the pale of which all fees are compre hended. Had we done fo, we might have laughed to fcorn the impotent efforts of our enemies; and, fitting on the rock of Truth, have eyed, with pity and indifference, the fretful billows foaming and breaking at its base.” (p. 24-27.) To this difcourfe is annexed another, preached, April 7, 1799, in the chapel of Trinity college, Dublin, where the Biop had his education, from Prov. xxiv. 21, a text which he has admirably improved in application to the youth of that feminary in their feveral pursuits and profeffions. It is oblerved, in a note, that the fubje& of this dilcourle is too extenĥve for the limits of an exhortation from the pulpit; the utility, therefore, if it poffeffes any, muft pro ceed rather from the reflections to which it leads than from thofe which it contains." 9. Loyalty recommended by its Connexion with Religion; and the Effects of a Fondness for Innovation. A Sermon, preached before the Military Affeciation of the Parish of Trinity in the Minories, October 7, 1798. By Henry Fly, D. D. F. R. S. and S. A. Minifter of the faid Parish. A SUITABLE difcourfe, from Prov. xxiv. 21, 22. The fame author published a fermon on the faft-day, Feb. 28, 1794. Pye, according to the authority of Dryden and Prior, has fixed at the begin ning of the prefent year, his Preface, he thus ates the reatoning of thefe who ditfer upon this fubje&: "The controversy about the commencement of the 19th century, which has lately fo much occupied the public mind, teing of confequence to me, who am officially called on to give a public opinion on it, I very early turned my thoughts to the fubj,d foon adopted the notion moft generally received, that January 1, 1801, would be the first day of the 19th century. I found, hewever, all authority drawn from former precedents against me; I found that the Secular Mafque of Dryden was performed at Drury-lane theatre early in the year 1700; and that Prior's Carmen Seculare was written for the fame year, and obviously for the ift of January. These examples were fufficient authority for me, independently of their thewing the receiv ed opinion of that time. I found alto in the fchedule to the act of parliament for altering the ftyle, and which is printed in all the Common Praper Books, thefe words: for the next century, that is, from the year 1800 to the year 1899 inclufive*.* In the French Encyclopedie, article Lettre Dominicale, we find, il changera ་ en 1800, en 1900, en 2100, &c. en un mot au commencement de chacun des focles dont la première année n'est pas bufextile.' And gain, under Cycle Solaire, explaining the tables, it fays, la première de ces tables ferà pour le fiecle qui a commence par l'année 1600; la fecond pour les fiecles qui commencent par les années1700, 2100, 2500, 2900, 3400,' &c. fing from the hiftory of the institution of "There is yet a stronger authority, arithe Chriftian æra, as it is ufually called, though now known not to be reckoned from the real birth of our Saviour, but which makes no difference with respect to the prelent question. "A native of Scythia, Dionyfius Fxiguus, fo named from his ftature, who exercifed the function of abbot at Rome in the fixth century, thinking it difgraceful that the Chriftians fhould reckon their years from the foundation of a city which was the feat of their perfecutors, refolved to introduce a new æra from the birth of Chrift, which he fixed on Dec. 25, in the year of Rome, 753; but, to accommodate it to the Roman Calendar, he reckoned from the ift of January enfuing, in the manner 8. Carmen Seculare for the Year 1800. By that he exemplified by the following table Henry-James Pye, P. L. THE Mufe of the Poet-Laureat, not contenting herself with the performance of her annual duty, has produced an Ode for the new Century; which Mr. of the first century, and on which the calculation of the beginning and clofe of the century juft commenced, in the table in our Common Prayer Books, is founded. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10, &c. "Thus much for authority. It now remains to fhew how the difference of opi nion has arifen. "Those who maintain that the 19th century does not begin till Jan. 1, 1801, confider the year ONE to mean the whole of the first year from 0 to 1. Thofe, on the contrary, who, following the above authorities, confider it as commencing Jan. 1, 1800, conceive 1800 not to mean the 1800th year, but that atom of time, if I may be allowed the expreffion, past before we can fay it is, that marks the completion of the 1805th year from Chrift, as one o'clock does the completion of the firft hour; marking the cardinal number of years from the event, and not the cardinal number of the year. It must be acknowledged that Ifaacfon, and after him Blair and Playfair, reckon according to the laft mode; not fo Cardanus Rider, who, I prefume, is as good authority. He, in his chronology for the prefent year, to take one fplendid example from many, tells us Lord Nelfon's victory happened 1798 years after Chrift, and that it is two years fince it happened f. "The hours of the day on a clock, the mile-ftones on the road, a carpenter's rule, the manner of reckoning the degrees of latitude and longitude from the equator, or the first meridian, all confirm this hypothefs, as marking not the whole spaces of their respective meafures, but the end of them; and especially the years of a man's life. When a man fays he is 30, he does not mean that he is in his 30th year, but that 30 years have elapfed fince his birth. "Having faid thus much in defence of myfelf and the authorities I follow, 1 beg leave to deprecate the refentment of those who are of a different opinion; for they are in general very warm in their caufe. I do not pofitively infilt that they are in the wrong; I only mean to fhew on what grounds, and on what authority, I am in the wrong, thould I happen to be fo; a favour I have feldom had granted by thofe with whom I have argued vivá voce.” The worthy Laureat has certainly got into a ferape; and we wish him well out of it: but we have stated his arguments fairly; though not convinced by an iota of the flatement that 99 can make 100. The fanction, however, of the great poets, whofe track Mr. Pye has followed, and the fterling merit of his poetry, are an ample atonement for an error of little effential con fequence. We shall extract a paffage that records the triumph of the British force under Sir Sidney Smith; and the concluding flanza of the poem, as it adverts to a fubject highly interefting to the British empire; and in our poetical department fhall give another fpecimen. The whole of the work is written with true lyric enthufialm. Gray is the mo. del whom the Laureat has evidently ftudied on the prefent occafion; and there are many paffages in this Secular Ode, which would not suffer even in comparison with fome of that admirable poet's happiest flights. "Scenes pourtray'd in antient lore, Dauntless bar'd his lion heart- There, with pious glory bright, Follow'd by a gallant train Of naval warriors, from their native main, Who round their walls a breathing bulwark rife. Serenely brave the Chriftian Hero stands, And the proud fpoiler of Hefperian lands Before the warlike few difmay'd and vanquith'd flies. "This may poffibly be illustrated by an anecdote, of an indictment being fet afide because it stated that the crime was committed between the hours of four and five,. which was impoflible; it thould have been between four and five o'clock. On the most awful event that ever happened, the ninth hour is used for the completion of that hour, or, as we thould now fay, nine o'clock, Matt. xxvii. 46, Mark xv. 34. The Romans reckoned their hours in this manner, and fometimes their years; otherwife the precept of Horace, Nonum prematur in annum,' has been always wrongly tranflated. "In a late publication on diftinguished characters of the latt year, it is thus defcribed, 1799-1800. This is exactly according to the table of Dionyfius. "Sira "The first of January may be called, according to the common æra, the birth-day of Chrift; and, as Pope fays, a birth-day Is but the funeral of the former year.” GENT, MAG. January, 1800. |