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dient: he whispered in Voltaire's ear, that feveral amballadors from crowned heads were waiting in the anti-chamber, to deliver compliments to him from the kings the matters.

This information eTectually roufed the fick man, who, railing himfelf in his chair, cried out in an extacy of joy, Shes them in-Let them come in, I fay."

Se fudden a recovery quite difconcerted the informant, who very imprudently

JA

faid, "Oh! it is nothing, Sir, but your lethargy!" This unlucky observation was very near proving tatal in reality: the phi lofopher of Ferney threw back his head, muttered fome words indiftinctly, and ftretched out his legs, which appeared to ftifen as if he had actually given up the ghoft. However, after a confiderable time had elapfed, his friends were relieved from their anxiety, and M. de Voltaire gradually recovered the use of all his faculties.

Extracts from the Port-folio of a Man of Letters.

JAMES II.

AMES the Second said he never knew a modest mau make his way in a Court. A Mr. Floyd, who was then in waiting, replied bluntly, "Pray, Sir, whose fault's that?" The king stood corrected, and was silent.

THOMAS BETTERTON.

Dr. Henry, in the part of his History relating to the fourteenth century), that not only treatises composed for the instruction of farmers and their servants, down to the swincherd, were written in Latin, but even the accompts of the expences and profits of farms and dairies were kept in that language."-Though the Latin, it must be confessed, is not of the most classical description, Bishop Kernet, in the Parochial Antiquities (p. 549), has exhibited an original account delivered to the Prior and Convent of Burcester of all the gain and profit of one of their dairies in the seventh year of Hen

Thomas Betterton, the Roscius of his time, who was in dramatic excellence what Purcell was in music, first appeared upon the stage in the reign of Charles the Second. "His portrait (says Granger) belongs to the reign of William the Third." He died April 8th, 1710, and was bury the Fourth, 1406, wherein we have ried in the cloister of Westminster Abbey. He is said to have been bred a bookseller; and, serving the Playhouses with books, was led to come upon the stuge. See his character in the Tatler.

"Pro uno Seedcod empto, iiid. Et pro uno Cart-sudel, uno colero cum uno pari tractuum emptis, xivd. Et pro altero colero cum albo corio empto, ivd. Et pro factura de Drawgere per Walterum Carpenter de Langeton, id. Et pro duobus capistris canabi cum Wippecord empt. id. It pro uno Dorgecart empto de Symone Adam cum pertinentiis suis, xivd."

EXCOMMUNICATION.

The singular extent to which the sentence of the church in this respect was sometimes carried, is curiously exemplified in Blomefield's History of Norfolk (vol. I. p. 253, n.`.

IILLY, THE GRAMMARIAN. Pench, in the Complete Gentleman (edit. 1622, p. 92.), says of Sir I Lomas Moore," In his younger yeeres there was ever a friendly and vertuous emujation for the palme of invention and poe sie betweene William Lillie, the author of our Grammar, and him, as appeareth by their severall translations of many Greek epigrammes, and their invention tried upon one subject; notwithstanding, they lov'd and liv'd together as deer- "Hugh de Albany, Farl of Arundel and est friends. Lillie also was, beside, an Sussex, at the coronation of Eleanor, excellent Latine poet, a singular Gre- daughter of Hugh Earl of Provence, then cian; who, after he travelled all Greece married to King Henry the Third, deover, and many parts of Europe beside, puted the Earl of Warren to serve his and lived some four or five years in the office of the botelry, he being incapaciIsle of Rhodes, returned home, and by tated to serve that office himself, as beJohn Collet, Deane of Paule's, was electing then excommunicated by the Arched Master of Paule's Schoole, which he had newly founded."

bishop of Canterbury, because, when the archbishop was hunting in the said Ha-h's forest, in Sussex, he took away It is a curious circumstance (says his dogs, the Archbishop claiming it as

PEDANTRY OF THE MIDDLE AGES.

his right to hunt in any forest in England whenever he pleases, which matter was not then determined."

MERIC CASAUBON.

Annals of the Lite of Meric Casaubon are among the manuscripts given by him to the library belonging to the Chapter of Canterbury.

THE JESUITS.

Monsieur de la Lande, in the second volume, p. 325, of his l'oyage d'un François en Italie (published at Venice in eight volumes octavo, 1769), speaking of the Palazzo Ricardi at Florence, built by Cosmo the Great in 1430, writes thus:

“Un voyageur moderne dit, qu'il est de gtiquette à Florence, de dire aux étraneers en leur montrant le Palais Ricardi, & le Collége des Jesuites, qui est vis-avis, Voila la Berceau des Lettres, & voici leur Tombeau: Je m'en suis informé de bien des personnes, & tout le monde m'a assuré n'avoir jamais oui dire a Florence une pareille absurdité."

INDEXES TO BOOKS.

Taubman comparoit les livres sans Index, à des Magazins sans Clefs, et a des Boetes d'Apoticaire sans Inscriptions. Ducasiana, vol. ii. p. 225, edit. 1738.

JOHN TIPTOFT, FIRST EARL OF WORCES

TER.

He was the son of John, fourth Lord Tiptoft, and was chosen Speaker of the House of Commons, 7 Hen. IV. 1406; and afterwards, 10 Hen. IV. 1409. He was made Lord Treasurer of England, and created Earl of Worcester by Henry VI. 1449. While he was Speaker, he signed and sealed the deed for entailing the crown, 7 Henry IV. "Nomine totius Communitatis.'

THE NAMES AND SIGNATURES OF THE AUTHORS OF THE BIOGRAPHIA BRITANNICA.

A Denotes the person to be a Clergy

man.

A C. Philip Morant, of Colchester. E. Mr. Campbell, who lived near Exeter Change.

G. Mr. Oldys, of Gray's Inn. H. Mr. Brougham, who dwelt in Holbourn.

AR. Mr. Hinton, of Red lion-square, who was also the writer of Dr. Bentley's Life.

AT. Mr. Broughton, of the Temple.

HENRY PEACHAM.

"A Dialogue between The Crosse in Cheap and Charing Crosse, by Ryhen Pameach," 4to.

This Dialogue was made by Henry

Peacham, author of the Complete Gentleman, who was reduced to poverty in his old age, and wrote penny pamphlets.

JEWS IN ENGLAND.

Throsby, in the History of Leicester, in six pocket volumes, 1777, has preserved the following curious charter of Simon de Montefort, the first Earl of Leicester of that family, relating to the Jews:—

"Simon de Montefort, filmus Comitis Simonis de Montefort, Dominus Leices triæ, omnibus Christi fidelibus præsenter paginarin visuris vel audituris Saluten in Domino. Noverit Universitas vestra me pro saluta animæ meæ et antecessorum et successorum meorum concessisse, et præsenti carta mea confirmasse pro me et hæredibus meis in-perpetuum, Burgensibus meis Leicestriæ, et eorum hæredibus, Quod nullus Judæus neque Judea in tempore meo, sive in tempore alicujus hæredum meorum usque in finem mundi, infra libertatem villæ Leicestræ habitabit, neque manebit, nec residentiam obtinebit. Volo etiam & præcipio quod hæredes mei post me istam Libertatem integram et illæsam Burgensibus prænominatis observent, et in perpetuum warrantizent. In cujus rei Testmonium præsentém Cartam Sigillo meo munici. Hiis Testibus Dno Almarico de Mittun. Duo Waltero de Aquila. Dno Rogera Blundo, Capellano. Willielmo Basset. Willielmo de Miravall et aliis."

FORKS.

Voltaire says forks were in use in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries (Hist, Générale, vol. ii. edit. 1757, p. 109). Speaking of the manners and customs of those ages, he says, "Mussus, Ecrivain Lombard du quatorzieme siècle, regarde comme un grand luxe, les Fourchettes, les Cuillères & les Tasses d'Argent."

That the use of them was a novelty in Queen Elizabeth's reign, is evident_from this passage in the first part of Fynes Morison's Itinerary, p. 208, who, speak ing of his bargain with the patron of the vessel which conveyed him from Venice toward Constantinople, says, " We agreed with the master himself, who for seven gold crowns by the month, paid by each of us, did courteously admit us to his table, and gave us good diet, serving each man with his knife, and spoone, and his forke (to hold the meat, while he cuts it, for they hold it ill manners that age should touch the meat with his hand, and with a glass or cup to drink in pɛculiar to himself."

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instead of egg we find ey, eye, aie, and oy; and cyren, ayren, or cyryn, was the ancient plural. "A merchaut at the North Foreland, in Kent, asked for eggs, and the good-wyfe answered that she could speake no Frenshe; another sayde, that he would have eyren, then the goodwyfe sayd that she understood him, wel." Caxton's Virgil, Lewis's Life of Caxton, p. 61.

GUILLOTINE.

The guillotine, with the axe falling in a groove, occurs among the old prints engraved by Albert Durer, in the representation of the death of the son of Titus Manlius, dated 1553.

HOUSEHOLD EXPENCES IN THE TIME OF HENRY THE EIGHTH.

Among the more interestring entries in the Northumberland household book, 1512, we find the following, of servant's wages yearly:

Furst, every rokker in the nurcy, 20s. Every chaplayn graduate, 5 marc. Every chaplayn not graduate, 40s. Every Fawconer, if he be yeoman, 40s. and if he be grome, 20s.

Every huntte, 20s.

Every footman, 40s. because of the moch werynge of his stuffe with labour."

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manar of wyld fewyll be bought at the fiyrst hand, where they be gottyn, and a cator to be upoynted for the same; for it is thought that the pulters of Hemmyngburghe and Clyf hathe great advantage of my lord yerely of sellynge of cunys and wylde fewyll.”

SHIPS.

In our old poetry and romances we fre→ quently read of ships superbly decorated. This was taken from real life. Froissart, speaking of the French fleet in 1387, prepared for the invasion of England under the reign of Richard the Second, says, that the ships were painted from top to bottom, glittering with gold. The ship of Lord Gay, of Tremoyll, was so sumptuously garnished that the painting and colours cost 2000 French franks, more than 222 pounds of English currency at that time (see Grafton's Chron. p. 364). At his second expedition into France, in 1417, King Henry the Fifth was in a ship whose sails were of purple silk, most richly embroidered with gold (Speed's Chron. b. ix. p. 636, edit. 1611). Many other instances might be brought fromancient miniatures and illuminations. EPITAPH ON THE POET COLLINS, IN CHI

CHESTER CATHEDRAL.

He is represented in a bas-relief above, in a reclining posture, just recovered from a fit of phrenzy, and apparently seeking refuge from his misfortunes in the consolations of the Gospel, while his lyre, and one of the first of his poems, lie neglected on the ground. The bas-relief is by Flaxman: the epitaph by Mr. Hayley.

Ye who the merits of the dead revere,

Pluvers, 1d. a pece, or id. ob. at Who hold misfortune sacred, genius dear,

moste.

Cranys, 16d. a pece.

Hearonsewys, 12d.

Mallardes, 28.

Teylles, 1d.

Woodcockes, 1d. or 1d. ob. a-pece. Sea gulles,

Styntes, 6 a peny.

Quaylles, 2d. a pece at moste.

Snypes, 3 a peny.

Regard this tomb, where Collins' hapless

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While rays of genius only serv'd to shew The thick'ning horror, and exalt his woe.

Pertryges, 2d. a pece, yffe they be Ye walls that echo'd to his frantic moan,

goode.

Redeshankes, 1d. ob. the pece. Bytters, 12d a pece, so they be goode. Fesauntes, 12d."

Reys, 2d.

Kyrlewes, 12d.

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But farewell, hope; my once lov'd books adieu,

Avaunt philosophy and Murray too!-
Digby, dear Digby, weds this fatal night,

HAPPY the virgin state, each maid how Pope, I deny, "whatever is, is right.”

blest,

'Till cruel love invades her tender breast!

I once was bless'd with all that heav'n could give,

And Pope and Shakespeare read from morn till eve;

For those I left th' embroider'd eldest son,
Tho' many courted, I ne'er heeded one;
Like not Amynta, but in Tasso's strain,
While Digby was my constant swain;
Intent alone my joys in books to find,-
And all my wishes an accomplish'd mind:
My wish arriv'd, and just when happy
made,

Digby step'd in, and love must be obey'd!
Digby, so heav'n ordain'd, my bliss supreme,
My midday sentiment, my midnight dream!
Good humour, beauty, wit, and radiant
youth,

With the too specious charm, secure in truth;

Conspir'd to make that hero all divine, Conspir'd to make me wish that hero mine. In notes more sweet than Philomela sings, He said a thousand, look'd ten thousand things;

Gods! how he look'd, when to my ravish'd sight

My fate first shew'd him as the north-star

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THE BENIGHTED PEASANTS.

DARK was the night, and o'er the plain
The shrill blast echoed to the main,
Loud foaming from afar :
Deeply the distant thunder rolla,
And lightning quick each peal foretold,
'Mid elemental war.

O'er the bleak heath a peasant hied,
His faithful partner by his side,

An infant in her arms:
Quickly, with trembling step, she past,
While he, as tender looks he cast,

Thus quell'd her fond alarms.
Haste thee, Ermina, to our cot,
Where, all our present cares forgot,

Beside our chearful fire,
Our sons shall welcome our return,
Nor shall in vain our bosoms burn

With every food desire.

Nay, start not, love, 'tis but the wind,
That, rustling through some copse behind,
Shrill whistles o'er the plain;
While I am near, this iaithful arm
Shall guard you from impending harm,
And chase away cach pain.

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And into less'ning distance cast,

Is ev'ry tow'ring hill;

Soon shall we reach our peaceful home,
And in the thought of joys to come,
Forget this transient ill.

I know 'tis not alone your harm,
But all a parent's fund alarm,

Swells your maternal breast;
Nay, my sweet infant, cease to cry,
To your fond mother nestle nigh,

And hush your cares to rest.

Though the bleak wind with envious haste Impels us o'er the dreary waste,

And howls along the plain;

Ah, think on those who, 'mid this night, Are helpless tost, with wild affright,

Upon the stormy main.

Think how each eye with horror dwells,
Where every wave destruction swells,

And raging winds controul;
While round the foaming surges rise,
And, mounting to the darken'd skies,
The threat'ning billows roll.
Methinks I see the vessel tost,
While to fond hope its inmates lost
Look round with wan despair;
It sinks, it sinks, to rise no more!
Its shatter'd wrecks deface the shore,
And wild shrieks rend the air!

Save them, oh save them, hand divine!
Unbounded pow'r o'er all is thine,

Oh save each sinking soul! Oh guide them to the friendly shore, Where stormy winds shall rage no more, Nor ocean's billows roll!

Yet why that deeply-troubled look?
Why with such inward grief is shook
Your agitated frame?

These scenes of woe, of deep despair,
These shrieks that rend the frighted air,

To us are but a name.

Though storms may sweep the dreary heath,
No roaring ocean threatens death

Amid the dark abyss ;
Our woes will shortly disappear,
Comfort's bright rays will banish fear,

And sorrow yield to bliss.

E'en now we reach the friendly wood,
Beneath whose shade our cot has stood,
The storms of many a year;
Revive, my love, our home is nigh,
Nor pain my heart with that deep sigh,
That anguish-speaking tear.

See our lov'd cot, whose lowly roof
No grating sounds of harsh reproof,
No discord ever knew!

Its humble walls, its pleasing shade,
Seem by the kindred virtues made,
For happiness and you.
MONTHLY MAG. No, 157.

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O'er my fancy they beam'd such a light,

That I mark'd not the darkness above.
How my heart beat its cell in my breast,
As the form of a female I spied,
Till in rapture to feel myself blest,
I resolv'd for a moment to hide.
Then I heard how she eagerly sought,

To discover the nook where I lay,
Till I felt so transported, I thought,

Her desires were increas'd by delay. Round the bow'r she repeatedly mov'd, Like an angel that fancy creates, When I rush'd and exclaim'd,-"My be lov'd !"

And it hoarsely replied "Supper waits."

ELEGY,

A.B.E.

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