and the confinement of 137 persons in the "black hole" there; was a native of Exeter, where he died in 1789, Lem priere is wrong in calling him Governorgeneral of Bengal, as he is in the year of his decease. ་་ ་་ Thomas Mudge, Plymouth, made the time-keeper for the Board of Longitude. He died 1769. Hugh Downman, M.D. author of "Infancy," a didactic poem: Lucius Junius Brutus; and other tragedies; died at Exeter, in 1809. Sir Francis Buller, bart. Judge; and John Heath, Judge, were also from the same neighbourhood; and it is worthy of remark, that this last-mentioned and Sir Vicary Gibbs, who sat together in the Court of Common Pleas, were born in the same precinct, viz. the Close at Exeter. tutions, which enables the possessor, upon taking a hazel or some other twig, to discover a spring below the surface of the earth. Upon the arrival of the person, endowed with this faculty, upon a spot where water is to be found, the twig will be found to twist itself in the hand. Upon a bridge, or in a boat, no effect is perceived; the water must be under ground to produce the phenomenon. Dr. Hutton gives an account of a lady, who, in consequence of an article in a former edition of bis translation of Montucła, sent a message to him, offering to shew an instance of this extraordinary faculty in her own person.” If any of your numerous readers can throw any light upon this singular subject, they will greatly oblige Yours, &c. CLERICUS BEDFORDIENSIS. Expenses of the Lower Orders in Mr. URBAN, I might increase this list of notable persons to an immoderate length, if such a course were at all desirable to your pages; but if I set down merely their names, it will be enough for the present, and I reserve the option. FROM of being more particular hereafter. You will, however, agree with me, that memoirs of many men and women are worthy of preservation, although they themselves can never be objects of imitation; such are the two first. Bampfylde Moore Carew, King of the Beggars. Joanna Southcott, pretended prophetess. George Simcoe, soldier. William Jackson, musical composer. Henry Tanner, a pious and profitable Methodist preacher. Samuel Musgrave, the critic and politician. Bartholomew Parr, M. D. criticism and medicine. Benj. Donne, mathematics. Rev. John Prince, divine and biographer. Sir James Thornhill, painter. Wm. Tasker, divine and poet. John Manly Wood, divine and critic. Sir James Lucas Yeo, warrior, John Bampfylde, poet. Lord Thomas Clifford, statesman, Lord Arlington, statesman. Yours, &c. Mr. URBAN, BIO-DEV. June 8. N reading the British Critic for of Dr. Hutton's "Recreations in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy." I was much struck with some remarks (p. 415) on a subject to me entirely new, viz. "the divining rod;" the passage runs thus: "There is a peculiar property, it would appear, residing in certain consti June 12. ROM some hints which your Reviewer has occasionally thrown out about the necessity of colonization, as the sole relief to be expected from the grievous burden of an oppressive population, I beg to express my assent to his opinion; and to observe, that Government could no doubt assist voluntary emigration in a manner which would not injure the parent country, so far from it, that benefit might really ensue. Dr. Robertson says, that every colonist abroad, under circumstances, employs two others at home. Without attempting to dictate the proper measures to be pursued on such an occasion, permit me to lay before you the comparative expence of a native of Asia, and one of Europe. The authority I shall quote is The Minutes of Evidence on the East India Company's Affairs,” taken before the House of Lords. Warren Hastings, esq. speaking of the native Hindoos, says, "Their temperance is demonstrated in the simplicity of their food; and their total abstinence from spirituous liquors, and other substances of intoxication." P. 3. Lord Teignmouth examined: Quest. Will your Lordship be so good as to state the general situation of the mass of the population, as to their houses, furniture, dress, and food? Answ. The general mass of the popu lation of India live in straw huts; their furniture furniture consists of a few articles of the country, mats and a few earthen pots for dressing their victuals; their food in general is, rice, their dress is a very small proportion of cotton cloth, the produce of the country. P. 35.04 Major: gen. Alex. Kyd examined; maintenance of an Hindoo todabout 10 English per unnum! Of course, seventeen millions of persons in England would require, in Hindoo wodes of living only, one hundred and eventy millions food 'alone. every newly born brings only 51. per annum, further expence on the resources of the country, must not such a state of things have a termination? anpose that > Quest. Do you know the price of gang Helbugine? labour in India?-Answ. I know the price of labour perfectly well in most of the parts of India, in Bengal, Bahar, and Oude, the common workmen, in moving the earth, or in labouring for Europeans, have three rupees a month, ~equal to 7s. 6d. ; but, I believe, that by the natives they are paid still less. Quest. Do you ascribe this cheap-nitum. 'ness of labour to any circumstances in the climate, soil, or nature of that country? Answ. The cheapness of labour of course follows from the cheapness of provisions; the soil is in general very fruitful; and wherever a native steps, he has the produce for his food; garments they require but little, and those are acquired also at a very cheap rate. A more Nothing can be supposed more absurd, than that population, than water, can be increased ad infiGovernment is averse from colonization, from fear of deportation of the manufactures, and deficiency of military resources: but against either of these misfortunes it is easy to guard. The first implies simple limitation to agriculturists. As to the latter, Gibbon says, that no state can afford to maintain more than one hundredth part of its male population in the profession of arms. Extend it to a sixtieth; and a census will easily show how far a voluntary emigration can be permitted. That this will ultimately become an affair of necessity, is in the course of things; tempe-but if, as Dr. Robertson says, "Every two manufacturers at home," is it colonist may find maintenance for not better to place the matter upon a judicious footing, in reference to excess of population at once, than leave Necessity to settle it, who never makes, or can make a good bargain. Does any prudent man suffer his farm to be overstocked, and then sell ? Quest. What sort of huts do they live in? - Answ. In various parts of the country they differ; but in general in adow hut, with one door, constructed of low mud walls, and covered with thatch. Quest. Are they temperate people?— Answ. Generally speaking, very rate, especially the Hindoos. Quest. Does the climate ever require the use of much fuel?-Ans. Not for warming themselves, simply for culinary purposes. Quest. Are there not two crops of rice in the year?-Ans. Yes. Quest. In point of fact, does not a piece of ground, which is employed in growing rice, support as much of human life, as it would employed in any other way? Ans. I should think so; there is no soil which produces a greater quantity of nourishment for the support of life, than that producing rice. Quest. Is the Committee to under stand, therefore, that the necessaries of life are far cheaper in that country, than in this?—Ans. Ob! far cheaper, beyond all comparison. In the parish in which the writer of this article resides, the rent-rol! is 3,2001 per annum, and the population 1000, without any manufactures, blacksmiths, and as many carpenters. or trade, except about half a dozen It is about three farthings a day per head. The number of farms, above twenty acres, is about twenty-five; i. e. about 40 persons per farm to each. Thus it appears that 47. 10s. per annum, or about 1s. 8d. per week, is Twelve millions is the 'outside numnecessary for the support of a humanber which the three kingdoms ought being, living only upon rice, without to support. Five millions more, the using spirituous liquors; and having present amount, costs, at 37. per head no want of fuel, lodging, or clothing. only, fifteen millions more expense. The value of money in one country Add this to the interest of the namay be estimated by comparing the tional debt, forty millions. Instead rate of interest in another. Say, in of wondering at our distresses, how England, that this is 5 per cent.; in comes it that they are not much ladia 12. This would bring up the A. B. C. more severe. Mr. Mr. URBAN, WH May 30. HILE learned men, of different religious persuasions, are employing their time and talents in controverting the opinions of those who dissent from them, permit me to introduce into your valuable Miscel. lany the following extract from one of Bp. Gibson's "Pastoral Letters," in which he most clearly and satisfac. torily shews, what are the true terms and conditions of the Gospel covenant. "But if, after God has made so full and clear a revelation in what way and upon what terms he will save us, men will resolve to be their own guides, and refuse to be saved in the way which he has appointed, this is at their own peril. If some will affirm, that trusting in Christ is their whole duty, and so will excuse themselves from the observation of the moral law; and others will affirm, that the observation of the moral law is sufficient, and so will forego the benefit of Christ's redemption; if some will contend that Christ has done all, and others, that he has done nothing, to both these it is sufficient to say, that they are very vain and presumptuous, in setting up the opinions and imaginations of weak and fallible men, against the infalJible testimony of persons sent and inspired by God. The Scripture-account is as plain and express as words can make it: on the one hand, that faith in Christ is the foundation of a Christian's title to happiness; and, on the other hand, that repentance and good works are necessary conditions of obtaining it." I' A VERY OLD CORRESPONDENT. Mr. URBAN, June 24. T is said in Coxe's Memoirs of the Duke of Marlborough, that "the Court of Versailles attempted to pal. liate the defeat (at Blenheim) by ascribing it to the incapacity of their Generals, and by publishing false and partial accounts of the battle; but although they found even in England factious partisans to repeat and cxaggerale their misrepresentations, the impression was deep and permanent." To notice French accounts of battles, would, under common circumstances, be unnecessary; but, as Gourgaud's "Narrative of the Campaign of 1815," is published with the peculiar sanction of the Ex-emperor, and has been repablished here, under the hope of successful impression from the high and veracious military character of Napoleon, it is only common justice to our great Commander, and our brave Army to state, that it is a tissue of perplexity, absurdity, and falsehood. There were but three or four grand manœuvres in the whole battle, every one of which failed. Only one of these is disavowed by Buonaparte. We shall not quote a single authority of the English, or their Allies, to exhibit the monstrous assurance of Mons, Gourgaud, in attributing the loss of the battle to fatalities or mistakes. The first measure of Buonaparte, was to gain possession of Hougomont, in order to enfilade the English line. The measure failed. The second measure was, the attempt to break the centre, to force it back on the high road, and on reaching the outlet of the forest, to cut off its retreat on the right and left of the fine. The measure failed. The third measure was, an attempt to break the squares by the cuirassiers, for the same purpose. The Exemperor in his bulletin disavows this measure, as premature and unsupported by the infantry. The measure fuited. The fourth measure was (according to De Costar, Buonaparte's guide, confirmed by the French officer's account, printed in the Circumstantial Details), the advance of the Imperial Guard, for the purpose of occupying the Brussels road, and achieving the grand desideratum, breaking the centre. This measure failed. It is well-known, that these were the leading and only grand manœuvres of Buonaparte. They all failed, according to M.Gourgaud, through par tial treacheries and inaccuracies in the execution. The fact is, that the French troops did attempt, in the bravest manner, to execute the Emperor's orders, and failed only through the stubborn resistance of their enemy. The cowardice of the Cumberland hussars did not occasion the Duke of Wellington to lose the battle; and most assuredly there was not a greater number of treacherous Frenchmen than of cowardly Belgians. The fifth measure was the march of Grouchy, to prevent the junction of the Prussians. This measure also failed. These are measures allowed by the French themselves to have been al tempted; and there cannot exist a doubt, but that Buonaparte lost the battle, because all his measures failed. There There might be a few partial errors, but the difficulties under which the Duke of Wellington laboured in repulsing the French, sufficiently show that he derived no advantage from these partial errors. I come now to two direct barefaced falsehoods, in General Gourgaud's Narrative, as he pleases to denomi nate a Fable. Query, ought we to stile the General a teller of a story, or a story teller Query, if these terms are not often synonimous. Story the first. "The height being abandoned, all the Anglo-Belgic army moved forward, and posted itself in the position which we had so long occupied." Thus the grand charge was not commenced, till the French had previously evacuated the ground. The General has not told us what corps he commanded. We presume it was at the head of that which used the long bow. Story the second. De Costar says, that the Ex-emperor, upon the defeat of his guards, took a French leave of French men, in a most expeditious manner. General Gourgaud is pleased to convert this velocipede departure into a Novelette, introducing many ingenious fictions, which, according to the authentic account of the guide De Costar, must be adscititious, factitious, fictitious, which climax may do for a veni, vidi, victus sum character of General Gourgaud's Narrative, as well as Napoleon's battle of Waterloo. ANTI-STORY-TELLER. P. S. "Never, says the General, did the French troops so well display their superiority over all the troops in Europe, as during this short campaign." Matters of fact are not considered necessary in French military history; and General Gourgaud means that the soldiers of Marlborough and Wellington never destroyed French superiority, that being immutable and impossible, because natives of France are by nature formed with such a pre-eminence. Chambaud quotes a French author, who says, if you fight a battle with the French, you must meditate conquest of the General, for to beat the troops is impossible." concerning the Rebellion of 1745, may not prove uninteresting. While the Duke of Cumberland was marching towards the North, he rested one night at Newport-Paguel, and quartered his soldiers in various parts of the town. The cannon and baggage were left on a large common (called "Bury Field," from having been used as a place of interment during the plague), and the church was converted into barracks. A bridge which joined the parishes of Newport and Lathbury, was at the latter end secured by a large portal, which was always kept locked, excepting in times of flood, and was then open to passengers, who paid a toll of 5s, each. The key was always in the possession of Mrs. Jane Symes, an elderly lady, then resident at Lathbury; who was a reputed Papist, and known to be a violent Jacobite. The next morning, the Duke sent a messenger for the key, as the army were unable to pass by the common road, in consequence of the heavy rains which had lately fallen: Mrs. Symes not only denied the key, but ordered her servants to say that she was not then in the country, and that it was at her house in Great Ormond-street, where she lived while in London. Not satisfied with this answer, he soon suspected the real cause, and declared that, if any man, woman, or child, would say that the inhabitants of that house (Lathbury) were Papists, he would blow it to atoms. No one present would give him the information he desired, and after a delay of nearly two hours, he gave orders to his soldiers to break open the gate, which was accordingly perform. ed; and as they proceeded along the road, they cut to pieces and destroyed all the trees, hedges, &c. belonging to the lady, as a revenge for the delay they had suffered. The gate was afterwards purchased by the county, and demolished. Mrs. Symes was the daughter of Andrewes, esq. of Lathbury; and in the decline of her life, becoming extremely peevish and ill. tempered, was accused by many of the neighbours, of beating and starving her servants, which gained her the name of "Brownrigg," though without reason; for, on examination into the affair, it appeared that the whole had originated in a domestic quarrel, quarrel, and that there was no real ground for calumnies which were so industriously circulated against her. LATHBURIENSIS. Yours, &c. Mr. URBAN, 1o June 29. OBSERVE in your Obituary, where a gentleman is a Deputy-Lieutenant and Justice of the Peace, you generally record his death" in the Commission of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant." Surely, Mr. Urban, it should be, Deputy-Lieutenant, and in the Commission of the Peace, presuming a Deputy-Lieutenant to take rank of a Magistrate; the qualifica. tion of the latter is only one hundred pounds per annum, landed property; the qualification of a Deputy-Lieutenant, two hundred pounds per annum, landed property, which is double that of a Magistrate. 1 was several years ago at a meeting of Magistrates in the country, and being a young man at that time, took my seat at the lower end of the ta ble, as all young men should; the gentleman who was in the chair called me to the upper, saying, "we that are Deputy-Lieutenants take rank of those Magistrates who are not, there fore come and sit by me, which I did accordingly-whether the qualifica tion being double, or its being a military commission, give the precedence, I am not able to say; but I think the former entitles them to that honour; if there was not more responsibility, why double the qualification ? A MAGISTRATE. Mr. URBAN, Temple, June 30. HERE is much justice in the ob epitaphs in reference to this custom, and as they are not commonly known, you will not, perhaps, think them unworthy of being preserved in your Magazine. The first is that of Dr. Verhegen, a native of Brabant, who was professor of anatomy at Louvaine, and died there in 1710. It was written by himself; "Philippus Verhegen, Medicinæ Dochic in Cemeteris condi voluit, ne Temtor et Professor, partem sui materialem plum dehonestaret, aut nocivis palitibus inficeret. Requiescat in pace." The next is an epitaph in the parish church of Mold, in the county of Flint, on a monument erected to the memory of Dr. Wynne of Tower in that parish, and likewise written by himself. The following passage is the only one that relates to the subject before us: "Out of a due regard to the health of his fellow creatures, he hath took care that his body should be buried in the adjoining churchyard, and not in the church." Allow me this opportunity of mentioning, that Tower, where Dr. Wynne resided, was, in former times, a place of considerable importance, being then, as its name implies, a fortified dwelling, and exposed, from its situation on the borders, to frequent assaults during the contests between the English and Welsh. In the middle of the fifteenth century, it was the residence of Reinallt ap Gruffydd ap Bleyddyn, a Welsh Chieftain of considerable note, who was involved in constant feuds with the citizens of Chester. On one occasion, about the year 1463, after having put to the sword several inhabitants of that city Tservation of your Correspondent at Mold fair, he took the Mayor pri J. B. R. contained in a note on p. 229, of your last volume, as to the impropriety of burying in churches. In deed, the pernicious tendency of the custom is so obvious, that I am only surprized it has not been long ago discontinued. And this is the more extraordinary, as there is no doubt of its antiquity, and consequently of the many proofs which must have transpired of its injurious effects. Muratori, in a treatise on the subject, published at Padua in 1709, shews, that the practice was very antient in the Eastern Church, and that it was generally established after the death of Constantine. I have met with the two following soner, conveyed him to his fortress, and there hanged him without farther ceremony. The very staple, which was instrumental in inflicting this summary vengeance, is still shewn. Some other particulars, connected with the antient history of this mansion, may be found in Pennant's" Tour in Wales." It was occupied, not many years ago, by Mrs. Wardle (since dead), mother of the celebrated "patriot” of that name, who has, by the way, a pretty good estate in the neighbourhood, ou which his father resided, and where he himself was born. The present owner of Tower is Mr. Eyton, vicar of Mold, to whom it descended from Dr. Wynne. ORDOVEX. |