Thus then this wholesale scheme of demolition by the firmness of the Archbishop and Bishop utterly failed. The Deputation returned home no doubt with elongated faces and disappointed looks. They then proceeded to call their brethren of the Committee together, and they agree to report to the Court of Common Council "That they have since considered the subject, and that, although they were of opinion that the plan suggested by them would be attended with very great benefit, since it would not only improve the streets, but reduce the Church rates, and increase the efficiency and respectability of the Parochial Clergy by supplying them with residences and increasing their Stipends, they could not recommend the Court to take upon itself the heavy burthen proposed by their Lordships, that of erecting as many Churches out of the City as might be taken down; being of opinion that the Court could not with propriety be required to do more than defray the expenses of obtaining the necessary legislative powers [it should have been added, if Parliament thought fit to grant such obnoxious ones], they were of opinion that it was inexpedient for the Court to take further proceedings upon the subject." What then is the true state of the case? The intention was undoubtedly that of taking down at least a large number of the City Churches for the widening of streets, under the pretence that it would promote the cause of religion, and benefit both the Clergy and Parishioners. The object was perseveringly, if not pertinaciously pursued, after the numerous remonstrances publickly made against it. The strenuous exertions to destroy the Churches were worthy of a better cause; and so as the design could be accomplished, it is not too much to say, that the parties were not very scrupulous of the representations and means they employed. "Down with the Church! Down with the Church! we care not how, but down with the Church !*" appeared by fair construction to be the cry— and the public in viewing the object of raising money to widen streets by pulling down a Church, cannot fail to apply the moral of a well-known story. “My friend, get money, get it by honest means if you can; but if not, get money.” The Report for not proceeding any further in this unhallowed project is dated 29th of January last, but it was not presented and agreed to by the Court of Common Council until the 13th of February. At a Court held on the 23d of January, John Sydney Taylor, Esq. was heard as Counsel for the Rector, Churchwardens, and Parishioners of the United Parishes of St. Clement Eastcheap and St. Martin Orgar, in support of their Petition against the measure, in a short, clear, and argumentative speech. It is much to be regretted that the forms of the Court would not admit of a reply by the learned Counsel to the unjust observations of the promoters of the scheme, and that William Paynter, Esq. Counsel for other Parishes against the measure, was not also heard upon that occasion. Petitions were likewise presented to the Court from the United Parishes of St. Benet Gracechurch, and St. Leonard Eastcheap, and the Parish of Allhallows the Great. The Parishes of St. Gregory by St. Paul (united with St. Mary Magdalen, Old Fish-street), St. James, Garlickhithe, and St. Mary at Hill, likewise published resolutions strongly deprecating the measure, and numerous other Parishes were ready to follow their example,+ and a volume might be collected if necessary, comprising able arguments not only of the learned counsel, but from daily and other periodical journals, shewing the unjustifiable nature of the scheme of demolition. As a foil, indeed, to the almost universal feeling, an attempt was made by an isolated petition from the united Parishes of St Mary, Somerset, and St. Mary Mounthaw, Upper Thames street, for the removal of their Church, to endeavour to shew that the obnoxious measure would meet with general concurrence. Upon this part of the subject, something may be said at a future opportunity. * The cry seems also now to be "Down with Temple Bar!" the last memorial of the chartered precincts of the City, and another fine Architectural Work of Sir Christopher Wren. We are happy to notice that the church of St. Edmund in Lombard-street, which was one of the condemned, has recently been not only efficiently repaired, but adorned with two stained glass windows (containing figures of St. Peter and St. Paul), which harmonize with the old East window, erected in the reign of Anne. RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW. The Epigrams of Richard Flecknoe. THERE are few persons who swing on a higher gibbet in the regions of Parnassus, than Richard Flecknoe. His immortality is secure, and his Muse may say to Dryden's, as they go down the stream of Fame,-" How we apples swim!" From what cause it is we do not know, whether from the baker and the pastry-cook committing unusual ravages on his pages, or whether his vo lumes are enshrined in the cabinets of the curious, and, deposited in their mummy-cases, are obscured from public gaze, certain it is that they are of rare Occurrence. The Laureate certifies to his never having seen but one: now, as we happen to possess several, we think some few extracts from them may not be unacceptable; as at least they are of some value, not indeed for the poetry, but for the persons they commemorate, the events to which they allude, or the anecdotes they relate. We will take the volume called " Euterpe Revived, or Epigrams made in the years 1672, 3, 4, on persons of the greatest honour and quality; most of them now living." The volume is exceedingly tantalizing, on account of the titles of the poems being unusually attractive, while the poems themselves are most woefully flat and prosaic. The volume is dedicated to the King, in the following lines: TO HIS MAJESTY. Vouchsafe, great Sire, on these to cast your sight, By him has cast off all ambition, But pleasing and delighting you alone, Counting it highest honour can befall To delight him who's the delight of all. The Epigrams are addressed to members of different noble families, as the Ormonds, the Newcastles, the Sedleys, Arundels, Richmonds, &c. take one at p. 26: ON THE DUTCHESS OF MONMOUTH'S HAPPIE CHIldbirth. Now thanks to Heaven! what we have hop'd so long, And long have pray'd for. Monmouth has a son. His Lady safe deliver'd, and with her Thousands beside deliver'd of their fear. Who hear this joyful news, and are not glad, May they be ever deaf, and ever sad. Now ye physicians, ye who said that she S' have many children, and live many a day. We will See Southey's Omniana, vol. I. p. 105-110, and Walter Scott's Notes to Dryden's Epistle to Limberham, vol. VI. p. 7, vol. X. p. 441-3. "Flecknoe, a writer who has been condemned by Dryden to be held in worse remembrance than he deserves."-Southey's Colloquies, I. 399. ON MARY DUTCHESS OF RICHMOND. Whether a cheerful air doth rise Her lovely eyelids doth depress, In which her countenance last was drest. Poor beauties! whom a look or glance At page 54, is a poem addressed to Mrs. Stuart, so celebrated in the Memoirs de Grammont, on her dancing at Whitehall, all shining with jewels : but as the poem does not equally shine, or abound in brilliants, we must pass it over. Then there is one to Lely, on drawing the Duchess of Cleveland's picture, beginning, Stay, daring man! and ne'er presume to draw Nor e'er were known by any painter yet. Most of the poems allude to some events which had recently taken place, as To the Lord Bellasis on his quitting all his offices,'-To Digby Lord Gerard of Bromley, recommending him for motto, Virtus vera nobilitas !— To his Royal Highness on his return from our naval victorie, a. 65,'-'On the Death of his Royal Highness Henry Duke of Gloucester,'-'On the Closet or Study of Margaret Duchess of Newcastle,'-'To the Lord Henry Howard of Norfolk, now Earl of Norwich, and Lord High Marshal of England, on his African voyage,'-' On Welbeck, the Duke of Newcastle's house, where he so royally entertained the King,'-To Sir William Ducie on his three Entertainments of the King, Prince of Tuscany, and Prince of Denmark, all the same year, 1669,'-'To Mr. Edwin Waller on his excellent Poems, Poco e bono,” On an excellent Actor, or the Praises of Richard Burbadge to Charles Hart.' In the third book is one on a pretty little person,' which reminds us of the style of Ambrose Philips : She is pretty and she knows it, With such charms and such attractions In her words and in her actions, Says there's none do charm but she; At length we come to one with the following title: TO MR. JOHN DRYDEN. Dryden, the Muse's darling and delight, No further than to the fount of Helicon; And they but airy ones, whose Muse soars up No higher than to Mount Parnassus top. Whilst thou with thine do'st seem to have mounted higher Than him who filch'd from Heaven celestial fire, And do'st as far surpass all others, as The fire all other elements does surpass. ON A FAMOUS DOCTOR. Who so famous was of late, He was with fingers pointed at, THE ANAGRAM. Every one may see by this, You find it in his very name. The following is in Flecknoe's richest vein, and is truly emblematical of his genius : A QUESTION ON A LADY'S LETTING BLOOD. Q. Of this joint mixture and equality Of water and blood, what should the reason be? His first publication appears to be "Miscellanea, or Poems of all sorts, with divers other Pieces, written by Richard Flecknoe. Dedicated to the most excellent of her sexe, 1653." The dedication is in French. We will quote from this volume the following Coelia weeps, and those fair eyes SONG. Which after shine with greater splendour, Just as the Sun does after rain. Hence, if the reason now you'd know, Their prices just go high and low, As they are worn in Coelia's eyes. The Diarium appears to be written in imitation of the "Musarum Deliciæ, or the Muses Recreation, 1655;" but is of very inferior merit. The style is that of Drunken Barnaby's. We will extract a short poem near the end of the volume : To the Lady M. S. departing in the beginning of May, under the name of Cloris. Cloris, if ere May be done, The year will pine away, and mourn, But if you vouchsafe to stay, Only till the end of May, Take it upon Flora's word, Never sweeter Spring was toward, Never was Favonian wind As makes both heaven and earth to smile. One song in the play of Love's Kingdom shall conclude our extracts,— Filema's song of the commutation of Love's and Death's darts, in the narrative style: Love and Death o' th' way once meeting, Sleep their weary eyelids closing, Love, whom divers cares molested, Blindly knowing not one from t'other, We will end our account of this illustrious person by as complete a list as we can make, from what is in our own possession and elsewhere, of his works; and which could be met thus collected, with great difficulty, if at all, unless they are to be found in Mr. Heber's library. 1. Flecknoe's Miscellanies, 1653.—2. Řelation of Two Years' Trials, about 1654 (noticed in the British Bibliographer, iv. 143).-3. Love's Dominion, 12mo, 1654.-4. Diarium, 1656.—5. Marriage of Oceanus and Britannia, 1659.-6. Portraits, 1660.-7. Love's Kingdom, 1664.-8. Erminia, or Chaste Lady, 1665.-9. Damoiselles à la Mode, 1667.-10. Sir W. Davenant's Voyage, 1668.-11. Epigrams (1 book), 1669. — 12. Epigrams of all sorts, 1670.-13. Collection of choicest Epigrams, 1673.-14. Euterpe Reversed, 1675. Only one of his plays was acted; for an account of them see Baker's Biog. Dram. i. 165; British Bibliographer, iv. p. 143; Censura Literaria, iii. 37; Langbaine's Dram. Poets, p. 198; Scott's Dryden, vol. x. pp. 441, 453, and vol. vi. p. 6-8; Dr. King's Works, vol. iii. p. 300. CURIOUS BOOKS AND MSS. AT THE HASLEWOOD SALE. (Concluded from p. 288.) Catalogue Raisonne of the select collection of Engravings of an Amateur (T. Wilson, Esq.) privately printed, 1828 Dialogue of Creatures Moralised, edited by Haslewood, and printed on Donne's Poems, in MS. (but only one not in printed Works) 5 18 0 1 16 0 0 0 Fly Leaves, the series of articles by Mr. Haslewood which appeared in the Treatise on Fishing with an Angle, a MS. of the early part of the 15th The Art of Angling, a MS. about 1618, as supposed by Mr. H. 1 10 1 11 0 15 160 0 The same edition in 4to. with the same additions 2 13 0 1 2 0 1 11 6 212 6 212 6 220 Fowldes's Strange, Wonderful, and Bloudy Battell between Frogs and The Noble Art of Venerie, or Hunting, 1575, part MS. and illustrated The Noble Art of Venerie, with the Measures of Blowing, 1611 04.00 1 |