tice, therefore well known."---Luckily, however, both Lucan and Florus escaped" emendation" in this in stance: and we are at no loss to conceive that this submarine stratagem was altogether new to the Romans, though long known to the piractical Cilicians, who had, no doubt, entrapped many a vessel by the same means, on their own coasts. I Yours, &c. Mr. URBAN, JOHN CAREY. London, May 22. DINED yesterday with the Di on the strong additional motives, no w Yours, &c. A. M. One who assisted at the laying of the first stone near Westgate Bay, in 1792. Mr. URBAN, is to be feared that such conduct of Juries as is mentioned by your Correspondent in p. 314, happens but too often. But what shall we say of what happens every Sessions at the Old Bailey? The Jury are sworn to give a true verdict according to the evidence; a person who has been robbed, proves the value of his watch or goods to be 107. the penalty for which is Death; but the penalty would he only Transportation if the value of the goods stolen was under 40 shillings; do not the Jury, and that under the direction of the most upright Judges, bring in the culprit as guilty of stealing to the value of 39 shillings? What is become of their rectors and Stewards of the SeaBathing Infirmary, by invitation, at the London Coffee-house in Ludgatestreet; and was highly gratified, in common with every gentleman in the company, to hear the statement of the Treasurer, and the speeches of the several friends of that excellent In-T stitution, particularly the eloquent address of Dr. Davis, the physician. The noble president, the Earl of Liverpool, was prevented from honouring the Meeting with his presence, on account of parliamentary duties; and Sir William Blizard, who, in consequence of his Lordship's absence, took the chair, was likewise compelled by a professional engagement to withdraw at the removal of the tablecloth. Their office was, however, ably discharged by Michael Gibbs, nearly Esq. who staid till ten o'clock, at which hour all the business immediately connected with The Infirmary, its funds, the appointment of Stewards for next Anniversary, &c. had been amply discussed, and most satisfactorily arranged and settled. In the course of the evening, Dr. Yates and the Rev. Weeden Butler pathetically alluded to the malign aspect with which the affairs of the Charity continue to be regard ed by some of the Clergy in the Isle of Thanet, whose pulpits seem to be in a manner hermetically closed and sealed against the voice of mercy in behalf of the poor, the sick, and the defenceless patients of the building near Margate. The former gentleman, in language of no common power, expressed the liberal wish of his associates to make all fair advances, "dextris jungere dextras," and to demonstrate the sincerest regard for a renewal of Christian fellowship; whilst the latter expatiated 7 oaths? In common cases between man and man, the Jury take the same oath, but no verdict can be received unless it is unanimous (or said to be so); but five of the Jury think the evidence is in favour of the Plaintiff, seven think it in favour of the Defendant; how is a verdict to be given, when the Foreman must say they are unanimous for the Defendant? We know how it is the minority give up their opinion, and the majority give the ver dict-but what becomes of the minoYet those who bave rity's oath ? power to set this right insist on the old form, apparent unanimity, and will not hear of its being allowable for every man to keep his conscience, by allowing the majority to give the verdict. These things ought not to be, but they are. A.2. Mr. Mr. URBAN, THE Oxford, May 1. HE village of Stanton Harcourt is distant about seven miles from Oxford, situate between the two roads leading to Faringdon and Whitney, and was once the residence of the family of the Harcourts; but the mansion no longer appears in its former splendour. The Chapel is still preserved by the present Lord, with a great deal of attention and care. The interior part of this edifice, which was appropriated to the service of Divine Worship, is still entire; and the antique decorations of the cieling preserve in a great degree their original form and appearance; it was adjoining the great Hall, from whence there was a communication to a door opposite the altar, over which was a window enriched with stained glass, representing the various quarterings borne by the Harcourts, and also portraits of distinguished persons of that family. But the painted glass is now removed, to preserve it from the probable destruction of such a deserted situation. In the tower are three rooms, about thirteen feet square; and over part of the Chapel is a fourth. The uppermost of these rooms was occupied as a study by Mr. Pope, who passed two summers here for the sake of retirement, Iu one of the windows is the following Inscription, written by him on a pane of glass: "In the year 1718 Alexander Pope finished bere the fifth Volume of Homer." I must not omit to notice the old kitchen at Stanton Harcourt, which is one of those ancient buildings erect ed without chimneys. Dr. Plot, in his History of this County, gives the description of it: "Among these eminent private structures (in the county of Oxford) could I find nothing extraordinary in the whole; but in the parts, the kitchen of the Right Worshipful Sir Simon Harcourt, Knight, of Stanton Harcourt, is so strangely unusual, that, by way of riddle, one may truly call it either a kitchen within a chimney, or a kitchen with out one; for below it is nothing but a large square, and octangular above, ascending like a tower, the fires being made against the walls, and the GENT. MAG. May, 1819. smoke climbing up them, without any tunnels or disturbance to the cooks; which being stopped by a large conical roof at the top, goes out at loop-holes on every side, according as the wind sits, the loopholes at the side next the wind being shut with falling doors, the adverse side open." The Chapel described in the former part of this Letter occupies the basement story of the Tower, which is the principal object in the subjoined view (see Plate I.) and which is best known by the name of Pope's Tower. It is a very principal, most interesting, and certainly the most com plete fragment of this ancient and extensive mansion. But the entrance gateway and the kitchen are also nearly entire. Detached fragments of buildings and walls, and one or two respectable dwelling houses formed out of the ruins, though possess ing little of antiquity, and nothing of interest, with their large gardens and orchards, now cover the site of this venerable mansion. The gate, or lodge, consists of a large arch with rooms over and at the sides, and had formerly a battlemented parapet, but is otherwise quite plain. In addition to Dr. P.'s description of the kitchen, I should observe that it is nearly of a square form, terminated with battlements, upon which is a low octagonal story, supporting a spiral or conical roof, and the figure of a lion on the top holding a vane, once charged with the arms of the family. This part is constructed of wood, every side having open compartments and trefoil arches to emit smoke from the fires within, and all being filled with luffer or weather boards, which were open or closed, according to the direction of the wind. But the subject which these remarks are chiefly intended to illustrate must more particularly claim our attention, Pope's Tower: though now standing insulated, it was formerly joined to apartments on each side, except towards the East, where the design is the most perfect and handsome. It consists of three stories, which gives the tower considerable altitude ;, lighted by square windows throughout, except the East window of the Chapel, which is pointed; supported by by buttresses at the angles, and having a square stair-case turret at the South-west angle. The chief ornaments of the interior of the Chapel, besides a stone-groined roof, were coarsely painted patterns of foli age in the broad moulding, and on the piers of the Chancel arch, but these are nearly obliterated. A plain stone altar- table has been recently built and the seats remaining in the body leave the interior in nearly a perfect, though not in a clean or careful state. The room over this Chapel, and the upper room, are nearly alike in size, and are both panneled; but the upper is the apart. ment distinguished as having been the study of our great Poet. Each of the rooms contains a fire-place in one of the angles; and are all alike neglected and exposed to the depredation of the mischievous curious, who rob the wainscot of its mouldings, in memory of their visit to Pope's Tower. The magnificent Church (see the Plate) stands a short distance East ward of this ruined mansion, and combines some early, as well as some very superbly enriched Architecture, of a later period; the description of which will form an interesting subject for a future number of the Gentleman's Magazine. J. C. B. Remarks on the Signs of Inns, &c. (Continued from p. 303.) THE HE GATE.-I never saw the picture of a gate upon a board over an ale-house; but a little gate itself is a common sign at small public houses by the road side, and on it is generally written, "This gate hangs well, And hinders noue, Refresh, and pay; And travel on.' " In Ritson's Collection of English Songs, is one by Beaumont, entitled "The Ex-ale-tation of Ale," which consists of no less than 70 verses. I' quote the 68th as a good drinking etymology and favourable specimen "O ale, ab alendo, the liquor of life! That I had a mouth as big as a whale'!' For mine is but little, to touch the least [good ale." tittle: That belongs to the praise of a pot of In Thomas Warton's Poems is “A Panegyric on Oxford Ale," in imitation of Phillips's "Splendid Shilling," both which form part of "The Oxford Sausage ;" and in the Gentleman's Magazine for January, 1752, is a song in praise of "Nottingham Ale." Pope, in imitation of Denham's well-known lines on the Thames, thus wantonly satirizes a very worthy man. "Flow, Welsted, flow, like thine inspirer, beer; [clear: Tho' stale, not ripe; tho' thin, yet never So sweetly mawkish, and so smoothly dull, [full." Heady, not strong; o'erflowing, yet not A brewer being drowned in his own vat, Jekyll said, that the verdict of the Coroner's jury should be, "found floating on his walery bier." Voltaire compared the British Nation to a barrel of their own ale; the top of which is froth, the bottom dregs, the middle excellent. Porter is said to have been first made by Ralph Harwood, at his brewery on the East side of Highstreet in Shoreditch; thus Gutteridge, a native of that parish, says, "Harwood, my townsman, he invented first [thirst, Porter to rival wine, and quench the Porter, which spreads its fame half the world o'er, Whose reputation rises more and more. I have been told of another inscrip- Let all with gratitude our parish name." tion: "Who buys good land, buys many stones. Who buys good meat, buys many bones. Who buys good eggs, buys many shells. Who buys good ale, buys nothing else. The first English drinking ballad extant is quoted at length in Warton's History of English Poetry, from "Gammer Gurton's Needle," 1551, the first regular comedy in our lan guage. It was written by John Still, a native of Grantham in Lincolnshire, and Bishop of Bath and Wells. THE GEORGE. "St. George, that swing'd the dragon; and e'er since [door," Sits on his horseback at mine hostess* is, I believe, the most common siga in this Kingdom, and Cary in his Itinerary has mentioned 104 Postinghouses thus distinguished. This sainted hero was born at Cappadocia, of Christian parents, and served with great gallantry under the Emperor Dioclesian, by whom he was promoted to the command of a legion, and |