Page images
PDF
EPUB

about the number of lacks to be made, and the course to be steered, in order to get him soonest over. The Duke slept on the ground-floor of our hotel, in a room looking into the garden; his sitting-room was adjoining his bed-room. He got up between eight and nine, and at nine breakfasted with four or five officers; but the curtains were so much closed, that as we walked in the garden we could distinguish nothing. We determined not to leave Calais till we had seen him. About half past nine the inaster of the packet came to summon him. The Duke soon after came to the door, and looked up at the sky for a minute; he returned to his room, and in about five minutes set off to walk to the pier, in company with the officers. He said to Colonel Campbell, who was near him, Is that your carriage, Campbell pointing to one in the Court.-The Duke is about 5 feet 7 inches high; has an enormous nose; is a cheerful smiling man, and without the gravity which the portraits of him represent: he is about 50: he was dressed in a blue frock coat, white trowsers, and short boots. He appears stiff, as if he wore stays: the French say he has armour under his clothes, which I don't believe; but though not an ostentatious man, he seems a little of the dandy iu his dress. We experienced great politeness at the Custom-house relative to the examination of our luggage. There was in the same room with us at the hotel, a tall genteel young Englishman, who had lost his portmanteau he sent for some of the finest ready-made shirts; but they were extremely coarse, so short, that they would scarcely reach below the waist, and besides very narrow.-After we had seen the Duke, we set off for St. Omer, in a cabriolet, calculated to contain two persons, and drawn by two horses: this we hired of Mr. Quillacq. The charge for one direct to Paris is 120 francs, but by a circuitous route, which ours is to be, 150.-At the first place of changing horses, the only ostler or stable attendant was an old woman.-The harness as usual was chiefly ropes.Mount Cassell was visible a great part of the road. We arrived at St. Omer to dinner, at the Ancienne Poste, kept by an English woman. We found a great number of English officers,

with their wives and families at St.. Omer; there being two English camps within four miles.-A little girl, with a small harp, played and sung in the streets very delightfully. We had a good dinner; but met with a disappointment in not being able to procure horses forward: there had been a great review the day before by Lord Wellington, which had drawn together the English families from Boulogne, Cambrai, &c. and all the horses were engaged in conveying them back again. Being informed that one of the camps was only six quarters of an hour distant, we set off to walk towards it, accompanied by a lad, as guide. We passed a fine old Jesuits' Church, now converted into a hay chamber or store house. On the road we overtook two Irish women, who were swearing at each other in the English fashion. What must the French think when they hear us complain of their profligacy of manners! the husband of one of the women, a soldier, told us he was a native of Limerick: he and his wife complained much of the expence of living in France; a ration, which in England would cost 44d. here costs 6d. In England, when the regiment marches, the wives and families of the soldiers, bag and baggage, are conveyed with it; but here, they must go at their own expence, and the French impose on them; she also complained that cotton for the children's frocks, &c. was much dearer than in England. -The grand Review yesterday commenced at three in the afternoon, and was to have continued till night, with several sham fights, representing actions in Spain, and the battle of Waterloo-but the rain came on, and the Duke stopped the Review in about half an hour after it had begun. After we had walked about two miles we came in view of the encampment -a great number of white tents, on an eminence about two miles further; and as we found we should see a similar encampment at Cambrai, we did not proceed further. There are ten regiments in the neighbourhood of St. Omer. We were joined on the way back by a Highlander, a soldier in the 71st, who has been 32 years in the army. He is a native of Inverness. The grand theme of his discourse was the superiority of Sir Ralph Abercrombie and Sir D. Baird, under

whom

whom he fought in Egypt, over our modern Generals, and the greater hardships he then experienced, than in modern campaigns. On one occasion in Egypt they were two days without water; and his colonel repeatedly laid himself on the ground in a dry pond, and endeavoured to suck moisture for his lips from the mud. Lord Hill he describes as the soldier's friend, and the grand favourite of the army. "As for the other man," (be said) "he would not care to hang a soldier on the spot, if he found him taking any thing from a Frenchman."-As our road was on rising ground, we had an advantageous view of the venerable Churches of St. Omer. In the evening, we sauntered about the beautiful abbey of St. Bertin: it remains in the same dilapidated state as in 1815, but is no longer used as a military storehouse: the inside is now quite open.-Several young English officers dined in the same room with us. Cricket parties, the gaming-table, and a ball at Lady Clark's, formed the principal topics of conversation: they spent a quarter of an hour in settling a point which regt. wore the handsomest caps, and what of ficers had the best seat on horseback, &c-The next morning we proceed ed to Aire, nine miles, to breakfast. We passed some handsome churches on the way. At our Inn (the Old Post) we were charged for breakfast 5 francs (viz. for coffee, and milk, and eggs) but on our offering 4, the landlady was quite content, and at our departure wished us a good * voyage.'—This is a strongly fortified town, and has a noble marketplace, and a handsome town-house. The Church of a Convent in the town has been turned into a store house, according to the usual revolutionary custom. Between nine and ten the great bell of the principal Church tolled for mass; the tone was very deep, and the vibrations after the bell was struck, varied from a minor third to a second from the key note.-In front of the entrance of the Church, appeared Christ on the Cross, on mount Golgotha: as the blood spouted out of his side, a little cherub caught it in a cup. The representation was on so large a scale, as to be visible to a considerable distance. The congregation consisted of about 1000 persons. The Church is a fine build

ing, in the modern gothie stile, with a handsome tower. The organ was a large and good one, but much out of tune. About 20 priests assisted at the mass: the Epistle and Gospel, instead of being read in Latin from the altar, were read in French from a pulpit in the nave. After each was read, the Priest read in French an exposition of the Epistle and Gospel respectively. Each exposition occupied from ten minutes to a quarter of an hour; and as far as I could collect, was plain and intelligible. The people were also very attentive. After this was done, the banns of marriage were published, and all the priests proceeded to the altar, where mass was continued by chanting the Nicene Creed, the priests afterwards making collections through the Church, &c. The chaunting was as untuneable as possible, and all in cunto fermo, or unison. Throughout the whole country, between Calais and Cambrai, there is no pasture land, but all grain. We have not seen any oxen, and very few sheep; wheat, which is the principal grain, is an abundant crop; dals are thin, and beans are totally burnt up and destroyed. The drought here is more excessive than in England; there were a few showers on Saturday afternoon, after which the weather took up again, and to-day is without a cloud. The thermometer has seldom been higher than 70. It is a much richer country, in point of fertility, than any part of England of the same extent; and in general consists of gently sloping hills, which are so distributed, that the face of the country is usually visible to a considerable distance, and not, as with us, shutting up the view. But about Douay and Cambrai it is as flat as Flanders.

August 3.-We have been dining, indifferently as to our eating, but with a bottle of white Hermitage at dinner, and a bottle of fine Champagne after it; in which we have drank the health of all friends.-If you were here, you would have an excellent opportunity to buy some Cambric for handkerchiefs; 1 under stand it is less than half the price you pay for it in England: if I attempt it, I shall probably be imposed upon. Yours, &c.

(To be continued.)

X.

Mr.

Mr. URBAN, Tavistock-place, Jan.1.

HA

AVING undertaken to write the "History and Antiquities of the Hundreds of Chippenham and North Damerbam, in the County of Wilts," I feel particularly anxious to render the same as accurate and satisfactory as possible. I am therefore induced to adopt this mode of inquiry, from a persuasion that there are many gentlemen resident in, or belonging to the Hundreds of Chippenham and North Damerham, who can render much valuable assistance in such an undertaking, and who will be most likely to contribute such assistance, when they are assured that it is to promote and effect a Topographical History of Wiltshire. It must be known to the gentlemen of the County, that Sir Richard Hoare has announced his intention of publishing the History of some portions of Modern Wiltshire, after having completed his interesting Work on the British and Roman Antiquities, and that he has invited different gentlemen to co-operate in this laudable undertaking. This is to constitute part of that Work. It has often been remarked with surprise and regre?, that this County has been singularly neglected by the Topographer and Antiquary; whilst many other English counties have been amply, and even repeatedly illustrated. Till I published two volumes in 1800, and one more copious, and more Topographical, in 1814, there had scarcely been a volume written on the Parochial History of the County +. I therefore more eagerly come forward on the present occasion, and shall zealously endeavour to illustrate the district above named; because it was the scene of my birth and childhood, because I have some esteemed friends there who have promised to assist me, and because I have already collected a large mass of materials towards the Work. Still eager to render" The History of Chippenham and North Damerham Hundreds" equal in accu

* See bis "Hints on the Topography of Wiltshire."

+ The first, entitled "The Beauties of Wiltshire," a third volume of which, to complete the work, is now ready for the press. The second forms part of "the Beauties of England," but may be purchased as a separate work.

racy and extent of information to that of any other portion of the County, I most earnestly 'entreat a free and full communication on any subject connected with this undertaking; and can assure my correspondents, that no labour or zeal shall be wanting on my part to amalgamate the materials, to analyze facts, and to elucidate the Topography of these two Hundreds.

Though I have visited every Parish in these two Hundreds, it is my intention to make a more particular survey of each at the earliest opportunity. J. BRITTON.

[blocks in formation]

.2000 is borrowed of this sum of 10,000, and lent by the first five de'scription of persons, and taxes are laid on to pay the interest on the 20001. borrowed. What is the effect? -say the taxes are laid on articles of general consumption, malt and tea for instance; who pay these taxes? why say 2553. persons drinking beer and tea; and the taxes being on the number of persons, and not on the property, those that have the least property pay the same as those that have the most; which must, in the end, in the abstract view, soon reduce those that have least, to ruin first, and so on; and thus produce a pressure downwards, which is just the case with the country at the present moment.

But it will be said the 1007. per annum, taken away from the whole by the taxes on malt and tea, is returned again in the shape of interest, and that the same money circulates. True, it does so; but it circulates in the shape of an altered properly ; and as all cannot have the means of

acquiring

[ocr errors]

acquiring it back again by industry, as some are old and incapable of it, it goes to change the basis of properly, till the one of little means, incapable of exertion, loses his all. So much for the benefit of unequal taxation.

Try again;-say, instead of unequal taxation, 1. per cent. per anbum is taken from the 1000l. to pay the interest of the money borrowed; those that lend it pay their proportion as well as the others, and the tax is capable of being continued for a much greater length of time without the poorest losing his all: but still in the event, destruction must come to him, if he have no means of increasing his store.

Let it also be recollected, the higher the taxation, the higher the price of every thing must be; then see with what increased force taxation presses upon all who have fixed or limited means of existence,-such as rentcharges, life-annuities, salaries, &c. and these descriptions of persons are not few in this country; putting aside the necessity of increasing the price of labour, to procure a bare existence.

What is then to be done? the old maxim of two evils choose the least, equalize your taxes. This will not cure, but will long keep alive.

What has been written may be fallacy; but it appears to me to be truth.

FORTESCUE.

[blocks in formation]

there. He resided mostly at Byfleet in Surrey, in a small villa given him for life by his pupil, the (then) Earl of Lincoln. In June 1742, he was made Professor of Modern History at Oxford, and 24th May 1754, a Prebendary of Durham. In June 1758, he made a visit, in company with Mr. R. Dodsley, at the Leasowes. From thence, after staying a week or ten days, he and Mr. Dodsley proceeded to Durham, and then went on a tour to Scotland; of which Mr. Spence wrote some account to me. On their return, Mr. Dodsley made an afternoon visit to a distant relation at Duffield in Derbyshire, a Miss Eliz. Cartwright, a bandsome, decent, and accomplished young woman; with whose conversation and manners Mr. Spence was so charmed, that he took a memorandum of her in his pocketbook, and left her a genteel legacy in his will. In 1764, Mr. Dodsley died while on a visit to him at Durham, and was buried by his friend in the Cathedral there, August 26, 1768. Mr. Spence was unfortunately drowned in a canal in his garden at Byfleet. He was found flat on his face at the edge, where the water was too shallow to cover his head. He most likely fell down in a fit.-He was of a spare and feeble constitution, very temperate in his hours and way of life, cheerful and entertaining in conversation. His features bore some resemblance to the celebrated Mr. Locke, but had more sweetness and benignity of countenance.-His works are numerous; besides the well-known "Polymetis," in folio, he left some MS vols. now in the possession of the Duke of Newcastle.-In this volume," (i. e. the first volume of Fugitive Pieces), "Crito, and the Account of the Emperor of China's Gardens, are by his hand. In the second volume, the Parallel between Magliabechi and Hill was written by him also. He is commemorated by Mr. J. Ridley in his Tales of the Genii, under the anagrammatic appellation of Phesoi Ecneps, or Dervise of the Groves."

Under the title of the third piece in the first volume, by Wm. Hay, Esq. on "Deformity," Shenstone has written, "The Author was born at Glenburne, near Lewes in Sussex, and died 19 June, 1755." Under that of the fourth piece, intituled "Lucina sine Concubitu, addressed to the Royal

Society,"

Society," he has written, "By the celebrated Dr. Sir John Hill, who was born about the year 1716, and died in Nov. 1766." Under that of the first piece in the second volume, intituled "A Vindication of Natural Society," he has written, "By Mr. Burke." Under that of the second piece, intituled "The History and Antiquities of the antient Villa of Wheatfield, in the County of Suffolk," he has written, "By the Rev. Mr. John Clubbe, Rector of Wheatfield, and Vicar of Debenham."

Yours, &c.

Mr. URBAN,

LUKE BOOKER.

Jan. 13.

Carthusian severities, nor the "bairy gown," nor "mossy cell," are requisite; yet a calm sequestered seclusion, with a certain degree of order, regulation, and conformity, would be the best of all for those who, from melancholy disappointments, misfortunes, or tired of the world's woes, seek a final dereliction of life, to avoid insult, ignominy, and affliction.

With the pathos of Mr. Fosbrooke, we may indeed say,

"Alas! there now are no Elysian bowers
To sepulchre among the living dead,
A lost thing, when life's day in tempests
lowers,
[shrieking hours."
And Grief the painted wings rends of the
Economy of Monastic Life, p. 542.

those who have

AM pleased to see that Mr. Fosbrooke's "Monachism" has been ably reviewed in the last Quarterly There are these objections; this is Review. The critique having for its not exactly the age when religious object a professed recommendation of retirement could be accompanied with Protestant Nunneries, the Reviewers those particular associations which, have omitted, as well as the author, almost a romantic dignity, and shed in the æras of Catholicism, gave it to name, among others, who have ardently engaged in attempting to over it "a dim religious light” of form such establishments, a fair Au- peculiar sober serenity. Such a dethoress, who has often been compli- scription of existence could never be mented in your pages, Mrs. Whitford, pleasing to those who had been eduthe writer of" Constantia Neville, or cated in present times; the days when the West Indian," &c. The work althis "sweet simplicity of life" had its Juded to is "Thoughts and Remarks pure controul, are very decisively on establishing an Institution for the elapsed. If there should be any such Support and Education of unportionmodern Institution, it must be very ed respectable Females," 1809. Mrs. exclusively confined to persons of Whitford, who seems to have had a some superiority of soul and educavery large experience in the dilapidation; and, as Mrs. Whitford observes, tion of elegant families, appears to have had an asylum for such sacrifices to misfortune in view, and her plan seems to have been pious and wise; the establishment is suggested to be national, and of the religious principles of the Church of England, the situation, Yorkshire,-education, Scotch. She has quoted Bishop Burnet's favourable arguments, and the Rev. William Tooke, that a similar institution, founded by the Empress Catherine, exists in Russia; with a great deal, we think, of peculiar female knowledge urged in support of it. She justly observes, that a respectable asylum of this nature would spare from association with vulgar illiterate persons, that description of single women to whom limited incomes have fallen, from the families having been broken up by the death of the fathers.

My opinion is certainly favourable to such institutions, though neither

"That peace which goodness bosoms ever." Solitude can never be recommended without evil consequences to such as possess vulgar, restless, and vacant habits, instead of the finer movements of the soul," taste and senti. ment.

I am glad to see Mr. Fosbrooke's "British Monachism" very well spoken of by a respectable Work, and one which has appeared to me, perhaps fancifully, rather retreating on most occasions from concession of merit. There is a view which may be taken of the utility of that Work, which is rather peculiar to myself; its power of exhibiting the irrational tendency to nonconformity, and this in a very philosophical manner, by discovering the wretched pride, prejudices, and superstitions of older times; and which is singularly imitated at present, on a much meaner scale, by certain casts of religious

thinkers,

« PreviousContinue »