Memoirs of my Father, prefixed to

Mr. URBAN,

HE History of that part of Sus

ficiently convinced the Publick that he was also the Writer of the "Historical Remarks on the Saxon Churches," which some have given to Mr. Gray. Proper notice, however, will be taken of this unwarrantable persecution in a Supplement to my Father's Work now preparing for the press.

Perhaps the best antidote against the poisonous effects of Mr. Cole's spleen, will be the perusal of his character in the tenth volume of Chal mers's Biographical Dictionary, who, after a careful search into the bundred volumes of Mr. Cole's Collection, is "of opinion that the quantum of injury inflicted is not very great; most of Mr. Cole's unfavourable anecdotes being of that gossiping kind on which a judicious biographer will not rely, unless corroborated by other authority." Mr. D'Israeli tells us also, that "Mr. Cole had a gossip's ear, and a taller's pen." Speaking of his notes, he stamps them with the appellation of "the scandalous chronicles, which only shew the violence of his prejudices, without the force of genius, or the acuteness of penetration." Lastly, those who are disposed to read at large what justice and impartiality have recorded of this plodding Cynick, are earnestly referred to vol. I. p. 657, and vol. VIII. p. 382, of the" Lite rary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century."

O questions liberally proposed, literary courtesy requires an explicit answer. Your Correspondent E. J. C. may be assured, that the History of the three Western Rapes, including the City and See of Chichester, is in a certain, although not rapid, course toward completion. The first * volume is printed to within one hundred pages; and nearly twenty of the maps, antiquities, and views, are already engraved. In what manner it will be offered to the Publick, or in what particular month of the ensuing year it will first see light, this deponent sayeth not because he cannot say. Those who compile County History well know, that circumstances, not to be commanded, will influence and impede their pursuit. Yours, &c. E. M. S.

hands of the Rev. Mr. Dallaway, is rapidly proceeding, is partly printed, and will furnish a rich treat to the lovers of Topography.

P. 211. In 1812 an Act of Parliament was passed, to give an easy and summary remedy for Recovery of Charitable Benefations, by presenting a Petition to the Chancellor, instead of having to file a Bill, an answer to which the defendants couid evade for a long time, and other delays and expensive proceedings were still to follow. This Act is contained in 38 lines; and, strange to say, it has not yet been found necessary to pass another Act to explain and amend it.

The case which your Correspondent mentions is one which cannot be helped by this Act, By the Statutes of Mortmain, all bequests to charitable uses, charged on land by a will, are void. To make such a gift good, it must be done by deed in the donor's life-time, twelve months before his death. Yours, &c.

Mr.

Ꭲ

URBAN,

Z.

Old Town, Stratford

upon-Avon, Oct. 17.

is to be regretted that the Gentleman mentioned by your Correspondent Philo-Patrie & Pauperum (p. 210 and 211), did not adopt the legal plan of Mr. Johnson, who, when he founded his Consanguinitarium at Leicester (p. 296), by a deed inrolled in Chancery charged an estate in his life-time with a certain sum for its future support.

By the Statute 9 G. II. c. 36. no Lands or Tenements, or Money to be laid out thereon, shall be given for, or charged with, any charitable uses whatsoever, unless by deed indented, executed in the presence of two witnesses, twelve calendar months before the death of the donor, and enrolled in the Court of Chancery within six months after its execution (except Stocks in the Public Funds, which may be transferred within six months previous to the donor's death); and unless such gift be made to take effect immediately, and be without power of revocation: and that all other gifts shall be void.

This method was thus plainly chalked out, because, as Blackstone says (Commentaries, b. 2. c. 18. p. 273,

11th Edit. 1791) “it was apprehended, from recent experience, that persons on their death-beds might make large and improvident dispositions even for those good purposes, and defeat the political end of the Statute of Mortmain ;" and this regulation not being attended to by the Gentleman mentioned by your Correspondent, his charitable Bequest is absolutely void, and the persons intended to be benefited are without redress. Although the Five Pounds might have been regularly paid by the Gentleman in his life-time, and since his decease, as your Correspondent says, by his Exe cutor, yet, as it was charged by will so lately as thirty years since, the present Proprietor of the Land can justify his refusal of the payment.

Frequent instances are known, where persons, although their professional advisers acquaint them with its illegality, insist upon having such charges introduced into their Wills, either in the hope of its being constantly paid as they wish, or at least that the objects of their bounty may, perhaps, derive some temporary advantage. Those, however, into whose possession the Lands fall, soon discover that they are not compellable by Law to continue the payment; and, like Shylock, will object to what is not obligatory, by exclaiming "it is not in the Bond."

Yours, &c. R. B. WHELER.

THE

Mr. URBAN, M. Temple, Oct. 18. HE following fragment comes to you in the hand-writing of the Rev. Robert Smyth, whose "History of Sheriffs" remains a desideratum in our National History.

Sheriffe.] This comes from the Saxon word sciregereta, and by contraction, as in the Laws of K. Edward, sciregreve. The office probably as antient as King Alfred, and might take its rise from his dividing England into Shires. That it was in use in the Saxon times, appears from the subscriptions to King Edred's Charter to Croyland Abbey, as in Selden, where one is Ego Afer ViceComes.'- By Ethelward the Sheriffe is called Exactor Regius, the King's Receiver; by others, Quæstor Provinciæ ; and often, the King's Farmer, because he received all rents, fines, forfeitures, &c. due to the Crown in his County. This Officer chosen of old in the County Courts by the people; but sometimes said to be appointed by the Earldorman, thence called Vice-Comes and Vice-Do

minus. Under the Earl he sate as Judge in the County-court, or Sheriffe's Turn. The Cornhills in Kent had the office so constantly in their family, that they were usually styled Le Sheriff, or Le Viscount; and even the widow of donation of land to the Chapel of LakeReginald de Cornbill, in a charter of dale in Littleburne, is called Vice-Comitissa Cantii; and a seat of theirs in Minster, within the Isle of Thanet, was on

this account called Sheriffes Court.

(Harris, History of Kent, 422.) - Sir Thomas Ellyot of Carlton, Cambr. and there Sheriffe 24 Hen. VIII. educated, as Wood, at Hart Hall, Oxon. but said also to be of Jesus College, Cambridge (and that most likely, as he of Hart Hail seems rather another of the names), was son to Sir Richard Ellyot, descended out of Suffolk. He was knighted by K. Henry VIII. and by him sent on several embassyes to the Imperial Court. He was an excellent grammarian, poet, philosopher, historian, &c. admired by his contemporaryes, and lamented by them when dead, as by Leland, &c. He was interred at Carleton March 25, 1546,

where a monument is erected to his

memory. (Bayle's Diction. V. 5, 21.)Sir Henry Spelman, Sheriffe of Norfolk 2 James I. was born at Congham near Lynne, son to Henry Spelman, esquire, and not John, as some have it, and then lived at Hunstanton, as guardian to Sir Hamon Le Strange."

Yours, &c.

Mr. URBAN,

IT

CARADOC.

Sept. 19.

T is not easy to say what a man can or cannot believe. In matters of pure science I suppose it is impossible for a person, who understands the terms, not to give his assent to self-evident axioms and clear demonstration; but in moral and theological inquiries, where the nature of the subject does not admit of strict demonstration, and passion and prejudice widely predominate, the antient remark is too often verified : ὁ βαλεται, το' έκαςος και otla, and there is scarcely any pro position so absurd, which has not by one or other been espoused.

When Augustus Toplady, of Calvinistic fame, insisting that our Reformers were Calvinists, was pressed with a passage of honest Bishop Latimer, where he says, "Christ shed as much blood for Judas, as he did for Peter," he had a ready solution: "That is, it would have been sufficient for him, if it had been shed for him!”

Men

Men of correct judgment and extensive observation have remarked, that the uatural progress in Disbelief is from Arianism to Socinianism, Deism, Atheism At what precise point, in this descending path from bad to worse, Dr. Priestley fixed his foot, I presume not to determine. He asserted, as is well known, that the early Christians were generally Unitarians; that is (in his sense of the word) that they did not hold the proper Divinity of Christ and of the Holy Ghost. But then how ignorant this hardy Controversialist was in the language in which most of the Primi tive Fathers wrote, your Correspondent from Essex-street has shewn (p. 126,) by a notable example; 10 which, were the learned Doctor's lucubra tions at hand, many others might be added. I subjoin a single instance from memory. "You are no longer a child, but a man grown;" ang nồn Τέλειος *. Now this easy Greek, τελειος ang, known to a boy of fifteen, the learned Doctor meeting with in one of his quotations, confounds with iños avopamos, and translates “a mere man !" When such a Writer as this undertakes to expound or translate a Greek Author, who can tell whether what he renders Moon is not, in the original, the Sun; the North, South; and black, white?

Yet there are passages in the Greek Fathers which he probably could construe, and which deserved his attention. I produce one of them. Ignatius, contemporary with the Apostles, and by them made Bishop of Antioch, begins one of his Epistles with these words: δοξάζω τον Θεον, Ιησεν Χρισον, "I glorifie God, even Jesus Christ +." How Dr. Priestley might, or how one of his admirers may, conquer this passage, I do not know. Had Mr. Toplady been an Unitarian, as I hope he was not, before his matchless "That is" the difficulty had vanished in a moment: "That is, I would glorify him, if he were God"a solution worthy the consideration of the Champion of Essex-street.

But it seems, a venerable Bishop, confessed'y one of the first scholars of the age, has said, that, when Mr. Belsham calls Bishop Horsley" a baf

fled and defeated antagonist," and pronounces "the victory of Dr. Priestley to be decisive and complete," "Mr. Belsham may say this, but he cannot believe it ;" and since Mr. Belsham complains of this, we are to admit, I suppose, that the worthy Prelate has under-rated Mr. Belsham's power of swallowing paradoxes. But however this may be, if " measure for measure" is a justifiable mode of proceeding, it does not appear that Mr. Belsham has much reason to complain. For in speaking of a Bishop, of a Peer, and of the whole body of the Clergy, he has" released"? himself" from those forms of civility, which, he says, the custom of polished life has rendered indispensable.” “He [Bishop Horsley] would have been the first to laugh to scorn the solemn ignoramus who should seriously profess to believe, that the advantage of the argument remained with him." "Nor would he [Lord Thurlow]esteem, him the less for that useful talent, which the Bishop possessed in an eminent degree, of throwing dust into the eyes of the simple and the ignorant." ""He has" also "good reason to believe, that the Noble Lord saw the fallacy of them as distinctly as the Bishop himself," [this is saying nothing, till it is proved that the Bishop did see the fallacy of his own arguments,]" and that he made no hesitation in expressing his sentiments accordingly." Till Mr. Belsham produces his vouchers, that Lord Thurlow did so express himself, this is mere calumny, quite as opprobrious as to say of Mr. Belsham that he "cannot believe" some of his own incredible assertions. The only difference is, that he traduces the deceased, and "nulli gravis est percussus Achilles," the dead cannot vindicate themselves.

Of the Clergy, it seems, he had said, "Truth must necessarily be the object of" their "aversion and ab. horrence" but feeling, I suppose, some little sense of shame for this "undue asperity of language," he is ready to retract it for this general maxim, "that persons, all whose expectations in life depend upon their profession of a particular system of

§ P. 127. b.

# P. i. p. 542. n. opinions,

opinions, cannot, in the nature of things, be unbiassed inquirers after truth *" It used to be an acknowledged maxim, "Credendum peritis in suâ arte;" but the Philosopher of Essex-street has discovered, that suspiciou, not credit, belongs to thein. The art of healing is what the physician studies all his life long; but his expectations in life depend upon his profession;" who then can believe one word which he says upon the subject? The carpenter adjusts his work by the square and the compass; but the man gets his living by the use of his tools; perhaps what he tells you is a square, is a triangle or a circle!

66

Nor is it certain that these novel laws of truth are not more nearly interesting. For if Mr. Belsham's "expectations in life" depend at all upon his harangues in Essex-street, then, upon his own principles," he cannot, in the nature of things, be an unbiassed inquirer" after his beloved Unitarianism. But as I am not sure that it is a profitable business to disseminate Unitarianism, I only say and subscribe myself

PERHAPS.

P.S. If I am right in supposing Mr. Belsham to assert, that the question respecting the Divinity of Christ is a question concerning a matter of fact (P. i. p. 541.), in this I agree with him. It is a question of fact: he either is God, or he is not. St. John main tains the affirmative, declaring that he is God, even the true God, and warning us at the same time not to give divine honours to those that are no gods. "He (or this person, iros, namely Jesus Christ,) is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." 1 John, v. 20, 21.

Admitting for a moment what Mr. Belsham calls (p. 128) a "plain interpretation" of Matth. xxii. 44, 45, it still remains to be shewn how David, a king and a prophet, calls the Mes siah his tord, if he was merely "his great descendant," or son, and as such his inferior.

Dr. Marsh's notes on Michaëlis's Intro» duction to the New Testament, vol. 11. p. 551, ed. 1802.

"It is a matter of fact, though frequently denied, that in the early ages of Christianity, as well as in the later times of the Roman Hierarchy, not all the books of the New Testament were permitted to be read indiscriminately by the Laity in genéral.”

It appears by the context, that by the early ages of Christianity Dr. Marsh means the two first centuries. I am surprized that Dr. Marsh has made no use of the authority of the Primitive Church in the able pamphlets which he has written against the Bible Society. PHILALETHES.

Mr. URBAN, Pentonville, Oct. 26.

UPON turning to p. 212, 1 per

ceived an article signed J. BRITTON, containing an enumeration of many excellencies which are to be combined in his work entitled "Ca-thedral Antiquities." Without examining whether or not the same su periority was promised at the commencement of his" Architectural Antiquities," which he now acknowledges is only of secondary quality; I' shall proceed to notice the impropriety of his asserting, that his work is intended "to supersede the necessity of other publications on the same subject." Every man has a right to speak of his own performances as highly as he thinks proper; but no man has a right to attempt to injure others by assuming exclusive excellence; especially he who has voluntarily offered himself to advocate the cause of Authors in general. You, Sir, and the Publick, well know, that I have employed myself for a considerable time in publishing "Graphical and Historical Descriptions of the Cathedrals of Great Britain." Several other persons are likewise engaged in similar works; and with respect to the particular Cathedral with which Mr. Britton's unexampled work is to com mence, Mr. Dodsworth, of Salisbury, has been many years collecting materials for a History of that Cathedral, to

press in a large volume, to be illus trated by plates engraved by some of our most able Artists, from drawings by Mr. F. Nash, whose superior abilities are well known. I am happy

here

here to acknowledge that Mr. Dodsworth, instead of evincing any narrow selfishness, generously communicated to me much valuable information respecting Salisbury Cathedral, which proved him to be a genuine friend to the Arts, and the diffusion of useful knowledge. But, to say no more of Mr. Britton's contemporaries, whose exertions my own experience warrants me in saying, have been approved and liberally rewarded by the Publick, though he, by a dash of his pen, has endeavoured to consign them to oblivion-Does Mr. Britton mean to prohibit the Society of Antiquaries from publishing any more of our Cathedrals? He must know, from his own experience, that Literature and the Arts are still likely to be progressive in their improvement. So far am I from a desire to confine excellence to the present day, that I most heartily wish Mr. B. a continuation of health and abilities, for more than thirty years to come, that he may finish his great undertaking of the Cathedral Antiquities; and that, instead of a decline in the Arts, which he seems to apprehend, he may find Artists at the conclusion of his work more able than those who assist at its Commencement.

+++ We have received two other Letters on this subject; from "A Friend at Home," dated Winchester; and from Mr. T. Green,' of Pimlico; both condemning Mr. Britton's boast of his work superseding all others ;" and noticing, that Mr. Wild has been several years engaged in publishing, and has already completed large views of three or four of our Cathedrals, accompanied with very able historical descriptions, written by a gentleman (Mr. Dallaway) of talents, learning, and extensive knowledge;" that Mr. Storer was also em ployed in "Graphic and Historical Descriptions of the Cathedrals of Great Britain," eight or ten Numbers of which are published (and have frequently been noticed in our Miscellany); and that "Mr. Buckler has published general Views of all our Cathedrals upon an extensive scale." EDIT.

Mr. URBAN, Shipston-on-Stour, Aug. 5. I SHOULD have considered “R. B. W.'s" animadversions (p. 120.) on my communication of July 27, p. 8.

not as unanswerable but deserving of no answer at all-had he not passed over, with remarkable silence, the principal occasion of my troubling you with that note; namely, the loud report that one of my respectable" Subscribers, resident at Shakspeare's native Town, had done me the honour of praising my work, and sold it at a reduced price-by private contract at a place of public resort. But of that honourable transaction your Correspondent has taken no notice. What then is the natural conclusion, but that his cautious silence on the chief and most material part of my record is a tacit admission of the Truth of the report? I shall, therefore, repeat, that the ignominious sale of my little Book by a Subscriber, previous to the payment of his subscription, was an unlicensed traffick! And to divert himself and his witty companions at the expence of the humble but honest Author, was also au" unjustifiable"and unmanly amuse ment to say no worse of it.

The Title of my little Book affects no ostentatious splendour;-but it punctually fulfils all the promises contained in its Title, and performs all its engagements. No candid Reader of it has just cause to complain of being taken in by an alluring Adver- ( tisement or Title. But it is now before the Publick-and there I must leave it!

Ju allusion to my having made no application either directly or indi rectly, &c. for their subscriptions, I beg to observe, that the receipt of the Book was a sufficient application.In respect to Mr. James Ward's offer of receiving and remitting the money, I decline giving him any direction for that purpose. If the subscriptions which remain unpaid are not remitted through some private channel, I can, when I chuse, commission my own Bookseller to call for the amount. But I assure Mr. R. B. W. and Mr. Ward the stationer (who by the bye have no concern in this matter), that I feel no impatience for the remaining subscriptions; for I have already paid all the expences of the Work, and expended a small sum for Advertisements, partly by the assistance of my truly respectable Subscribers, and partly out of my own little private purse. ANNE CLARKE.

Mr