122 Hiftorical Account of Milton Abbas School.. fon of which prohibition was, left the fon being bred to letters might enter into holy orders, and fo ftop or divert the fervices which he would otherwife be obliged to do, as heir and fucceffor to his father. That this cuftom exifted in the manors belonging to the abbey of Milton, may be learned from the customary of that abbey, from which fome extracts are given in the first vol. of the History of Dorset, p. 117. Can we imagine then, that the fchool at Milton was originally intended for the ab ot's fervile tenants, or that he was willing to lofe his vaffals? It is impoffible that this could have been the cafe; and one may therefore fafely conclude that the school was purposely defigned for the ufe of the monaftery, that the Latin language was taught there (1 cannot fay, the Greek, for it was then but little known), and that it was not intended to be of any advantage to the poor inhabitants of Milton. The firft mafter was perhaps appointed by the abbor and convent; but, at the diffolution of the monafteries, the lands belonging to the fchool were not confidered as part of the poffeffions of the abbey, they being vefted in the hands of trustees. And it is well known that Archbishop Cranmer, and others of the Reformers, were fo far from destroying fchools, that they caufed divers to be endowed, and even withed that at greater part of the abbey lands had been employed for that ufeful purpofe. After the diffolution of the abbey, the mafters were always appointed by the feoffecs, as the defign of the fchool was now altered, and was become of general utility to the whole adjoining country. The lord of the manor of Milton can no more be confidered to be the abbot's vicegerent, than the Pope to be St. Peter's. The fchool feems to have been kept originally in the abbey, and afterwards in the belfry of the church. The cuf tom of keeping fchools in the beffries and porches of churches is of high antiquity. It originated from fuch fchools being kept by the parish clerks, who were formerly required to be men of letters. Thefe clerks were generally maintained by the parish. I mention this, that no one might imagine that the fchoot of Milton was always kept in the belfry of the church, for this fchool was endowed, and the mafter was not chofen by the parishioners. Indeed, the church of Milton was ap propriated to the convent, and there was another belonging to the parith, which was deftroyed about the time of the Reformation. In 1634 the ground whereon the late fchool-houfe ftood was granted by John Tregonwell of Anderfton, efq. and John Tregonwell and Thomas Tregonwell, his fons, to Thomas Lord Arun. dell, and Richard Swayne of Tarrent Gunvill, efq. then furviving feoffees. The deed of foundation has been loft many years. Several ftories have been told concerning it, none of which I can believe. It must have been produced to the commiffioners who took an inquifition at Blandford concerning lands given to charitable uses, on the 6th of Sept. 42d Eliz. It is from this inquifition (in which the deed is recited) that we learn the particulars of the foundation. A decree in chancery was made in confequence of this inquifition, and it is probable the original deed was never returned by the commiffioncis, though the interpolator of the Hiftory of Dorfet tells us, that whilft Mr. Hutchins lived at Milton it was in the poffeffion of Mr. Bancks. The school, being fituate in the middle of the county, has always been very flourishing. The truftees, and parti cularly the prefent ones, have paid great attention to it, and the maiters have generally been remarkable for their learning and industry. I cannot pafs over in filence the diligence and attention of the late mafter Mr. Wood, by whofe care and affiduity the number of pupils was confiderably increased, and the fame of the fchool diffused much wider. To him the rifing generation is much indebred; and it is with the most fincere gratitude that one of his late pupils acknowledges his obligations to him in fo extenfive a publication as the Gentleman's Magazine. Quando illi invenies parem ? feffions, the fchool of Milton was reBy an act of parliament paffed laft moved to Blandford. Yours, &c. Mr. URBAN, N. L. Jan. 8. HAVE not the honour of being an acquaintance of Mr. Bofwell's, and *The commiffioners were Sir Richard Rogers, kot. John Sirode, efq. John Ryves, efq. Thomas Jeffop, doctor of phyfic, John Ryves, jun. Robert Coker, and john Budden, gent. therefore The Battledoor kept up for Bofwell's Shuttlecock. 123 "In vifits too bis parts and wit, "Hear and improve, he pertly cries; therefore cannot be either an ill or well wifher to him; neither am I a Scot, offended at the liberties taken by him and Dr. Johnfon with Caledonia; but a true-born Englishman, inclined to amufe myself with making a few remarks on a Journal given up with a manly fpirit to the free infpection of the world, unprotected by the fhield of correctness, ,,and unadorned by the beauty of drapery. The fages may exclaim, but books of this kind are thofe by which a man is enabled to acquire as much knowledge of the human head and heart as books can give. In elaborate works, real nature is fo obfcured by prejudice, pedantry, ambition, intereft, &c. &c. that man appears quite a different being to what he really is the The line in Italics, I am forry to natural man is quite loft in the refined fay, is but too applicable to the conman; and the original character in the tempt with which Dr. J. and Mr. B. affumed character. I therefore think himself fpeaks of the Highlanders; bewe are highly obliged to Mr. Bofwell ings, of whom I fhall ouly fay, that I for favouring us with this very intereft with the English were in general as fening narrative, and for letting us have it fible, hofpitable, noble, and fpirited. without difguife, the more efpecially as The cafual circumftance, which John it certainly lays both him and Dr. John- fon ill-naturedly converts into a teft of fon very open to the cenfure of the pub- native Highland fenfe, is no proof of lic in general, and very particularly to incapacity. It is the moft fenfible men that of many individuals that have rea- that are the moft liable to be puzzled fon to be displeased with what is faid of with trifles. It was not likely that an them. Occafion being thus given, and arithmetical queftion fhould be anfwered room left for remarks, Mr. B. muft ex-readily by a man totally unverfed in apect that a great number will be poured in upon him; and by his ftyle, I think I can perceive, that he will be flattered by the favourable ones, and diverted with the fevere ones. I therefore have the lefs fcruple of fpeaking freely of a work, that I think deferving of com. mendation when confidered in an enlarged light, although it is certainly in fome points reprehenfible; and as Mr. B. has declared that the hits of a battle door will not be of any differvice to his fhuttlecock, I think myfelf at full liberty to draw a comparifon betwixt him and "The Monkey who has feen the World," a fable that frequently prefented itfelf to my imagination whilft I was perufing the Journal, and which is very applicable both to him and his fellowtraveller in fome points, though (I must do them both the juftice to fay) extremely foreign in others. "A monkey, to reform the times, rithmetic: it was kill in arithmetic that was wanting, not fenfe. A very filly English fchool-boy would have anfwered the queftion without hesitation, merely from habit of counting. As the paffages in Johnfon's favour and disfavour occur alternately, fo will I exprefs the rifings and fallings in my opinion of him alternately. His defini tion of what a lawyer bould be, ought to be written in letters of gold in every court of law, lawyer's office, and ftu dent's chamber, throughout all the civilized kingdoms in the world; and every criminal and client fhould think of Mr. B. with gratitude for recording it. The terminations of my Lord Orrery's letters are not more affected than the beginnings and endings of Mr. B.'s dedications and letters, which are always begun and concluded with my dear Sir. When the pronoun my precedes dear Sir, it becomes a ftrong trait of atfectation. This obfervation of mine is not more minute than many of Mr. Bolwell's; but, if a ftronger proof of his affectation is wanting, I can quote Liet 124 The Battledoor kept up for Bolwell's, Shuttlecock. that of his introducing fcraps of Latin infcriptions; and this gives me occafion to obferve, that if Dr. J. or Mr. B. had had the writing of the infcription for Sir James Macdonald's monument, they would have been led by their pedantry into an abfurdity. If this infcription had been in Erfe, would not they have exclaimed violently at its being written in a language they could not understand? If a man were to erect a monument in Weftminster-abbey, and put the infcription in Japanese, would he not be univerfally ridiculed? And though the Latin language is taught in moft European countries, yet the Latin fcholars likely to caft eyes on Sir J. M.'s monument, will probably not exceed the number of men verfed in Japonese who may vifit Westminster abbey. May it not be afked, why a Highlander fhould be deemed unworthy of enjoying the pleasure that would accrue to his honeft and brave heart from the detail of the virtues of a favourite deceafed chief? I much admire Dr. Johnfon for not wearing his hat on ground that had been confecrated to the worship of the Deity; it was a piece of decency that few men would have thought of in a fcene of ruins. There is hardly a page in this Journal that might not be commented on; and to enumerate all the occafions for obfervation would be endless; and I muft haften to conclude this long letter, which I fhall do by concluding, that as Dr. J. and Mr. B. have already faid a great deal too much about the Chriftian religion, I think it better to forbear making any remarks on what they have faid on that fubject: only this I will fay, that the Chriftian caufe will never gain any credit from Dr. Johnson's adherence to it, becaufe his belief in revealed religion was only the refuge of an unfound melancholy mind; and fuch at bottom his mind certainly was, for very few of his fpeeches preferved by Mr. B. exhibit more than a great command of language, and uncommon quick nefs of thought. Both he and his Journalist run much into playing upon words: one filly metaphor of the nonpareil and bon-chretien, with which Mr. B. in a manner concludes all, leaves an impreffion on the mind of the reader very unfavourable to him, and though one admires Mr. B. for the warmth of his attachment to his friend, yet one wonders at the infatuation attending it. Yours, &c. GRATIAN. MR. 2 The Battledoor kept up for Bofwell's Shuttlecock. MR. URBAN, Jan. 10. 1 HAVE great confidence in your general penetration, just taste, candour, and integrity; but you must confider that you are in a public character, and ought not to fuffer private friendship, with all its amiable fervors, to render you partial, even in a fingle inftance. The perfection with which your publication conftantly labours to inveft the late ftupendous, but frail Dr. Johnfon, is injuftice to the characters which his prejudice calumniated, and to the talents which his rough fophiftry, as Mr. Bofwell once emphatically calls his manner of reasoning, fo continually depreciated. Surely infidelity is not fo very prevalent amongst men of diftinguifhed abilities, as to make it reasonable that we fhould bestow upon mere orthodoxy of pinion, not enforced with gentlenefs, but maintained with reviling, the dignity of unswerving and faint-like virtue; nor to exempt from just blame, in a Proteftant community, that fuperftitious reverence of Popifh localities, and unaccountable violence against our diffenting brethren, which are recorded by Mr. Bofwell. If Prefbytery has its errors, they are neither fo fagrant, nor fo far removed from the established form of worship in England, as are thofe of the Roman-catholic faith, and monkish ceremonies; to which Dr. Johnfon gives fo marked and fo truly reprehenfible a preference. Perfonally to have known the wonderful being, is to obtain the teftimony of recollection for the fidelity of Mr. Bofwell's anecdotes; fince it cannot fail to parallel them; and they enable those who never converfed with him to fee him as he was; to perceive the genius and abfurdity, wifdom and folly, penetration and prejudice, devotion and fuperftition, compaflion and malevolence, friendship and envy, truth and fophiftry, which were blended in the large compofition of that man." Över the malignance he records, Mr. Boswell ftrives to fpread a veil; but that veil is not impenetrable. Facts are stubborn things; and fince they are fairly recited, partiality feeks to gild them in vain. Senfibility must be difgufted at the ungrateful contempt of a brave and hardy nation (tenacious of higher diftinctions than wealth and luxury can beftow), with which Dr. Johnton in fulted her profellors, at whose tables he 125 was entertained with liberal hofpitality, and from whom he received every flattering diftinction. Neither can the perufe without indignation other instances of his arrogance; yet muft the feel her attention often delighted,, and always alive, over this animated work, and purfue, with no languid eye, the growling philofopher, and his more amiable friend, in their rambles over Caledonia and her lonely ifles. Reviewing Mr. Bofwell's Tour in your Magazine for November, you say, that moft of Dr Johnfon's opinions of men and books, recorded in that work, will ftand the teft of feverest criticism. Examine the following opinions, I befeech you, with impartiality. Mr. Bofwell writes, "I mentioned Shenftone's having faid, that Pope poffeffed the art of condenfing fenfe more than any body." Dr. Johnson replied, "It is not true; there is more fenfe in a line of Cowley's than in a page, or a fentence, or ten lines, I am not certain of the phrafe, of Pope's." Sound criticifm will hardly vouch for the verity of that affertion; but the praife of another was ever a cauftic on the mind of Dr. Johnfon, beneath the fmart of which truth and justice were too generally difregarded. Cowley had great poetic imagination, fome genuine, and a great deal more falfe wit; but his poems contain little perfpicuous rationality; while the clear good fenfe, with which the verses of Pope abound, render them intclligible to the common reader, in whole perception thofe of Cowley form a chaos of extraneous and incomprehenfible thoughts, and of unresembling resem blances. Is not the indignation bone which impartial people feel when they perufe, in this tour, the injuftice of the defpot to his old colleague and townfman, David Garrick, who was to him a liberal friend, and with whom he had lived on terms of profeffed amity? Mr. Bofwell records his having afferted, that David Garrick had not made Shakspeare better known, that it was not in his porver to illuftrate Shakspeare. Now it is well known that when Mr. Garrick appeared on the London the.. atre, Shakspeare had long been funk from general adıniration and attention, into the clotets of the learned. At that period few of his plays were better known than is the Sampfon Agomites at prefut. Other dramatic fchools 126 The Battledoor kept up for Bolwell's Shuttlecock. fchools had prevailed over that of the great Poet of Nature, No piays, be their merit ever fo great, are familiar and dear to the many if they are not reprefented. Johnfon's own IRENE, fo much excelling most of the modern popular tragedies in the genuine beauty of compofition, is known but to the few; while almost every paffage in the former is prefent to the minds of the multitude, Mr. Garrick did revive the popularity of Shakspeare. He brought bis plays on the ftage. Innumerable of their moft fublime and beautiful paffages did he imprefs on the minds of his crouded audience by the harmony of intonation; by energetic or perfuafive accents; by the force of emphafis, and by the grace of action, Thus was Garrick Shakspeare's beft commentator, not excepting even the ungenerous great man, who falfely afferted, that it was not in Garrick's power to illuftrate Shakspeare! and that he had not made him better known! Had any other perfon contradicted a fact fo established, as that Shakspeare's popularity was revived by David Garrick, Johnfon would have faid, Sir, the dog lied, and he knew that he lied." Ought Mr. Bofwell to have recorded Dr. Johnson's unjust contempt of Mrs. Montague's able and beautiful Treatife on Shakspeare in the life-time of that lady, whofe fenfibility must painfully fhrink from the axe of that barbarian? Let us hope, however, that her laurels will fpring the fresher after this mercilefs cutting. An affault upon a repu tation fo eftablished muft ftartle the public, and induce it to re-examine a work whofe excellence it has acknowledged. Every re-perufal of Mrs. Montague's Treatife on Shakspeare muit be to the honour of its author, and to the advantage of their taftes and judgements who familiarife themfelves with her writings. Your critique on Mr. Boswell's Tour in the Magazine for November obferves, that virtue was the best recommendation to Dr. Johnfon's friendship, patronage, and praise, His attachment to the profligate Rich. Savage; the glofs he has thrown over that man's fenfuality and ingratitude; his affection for Dr. Goldfmith; the refpect and warm applaufe with which he always mentioned him in his writings, both as an author and a man, though Dr. Johnfon was known think very indifferently of Goldsmith's moral character, particularly of his veracity-thefe are by no means proofs that virtue was the indifpenfable requifite to obtain this great writer's favour and applaufe. If, for the word virtue, toryifm had been substituted, the observation had ftood on firmer ground, That Dr. Johnfon's own veracity was too often the victim of his malevolent paffions, the violation of his promife to Mr. Bofwell at Auchinleck is another proof, added to thofe numerous ones which refult from his critical writings, and from his conversation. Let the world be permitted to fee Dr. Johnfon as he was, who so frequently tried to make others appear what they are not ;-Sir Richard Blackmore a good poet! Mr. Gray a bad one! King William a rafcal! Richard Savage refpectable! with a long, &c. of fimilar mifrepresentations! Of Mr. Bolwell's Tour the following admirable compendium was lately given by the moft illuftrious literary character now living, in a letter to one of his friends: "It is a moft amusing history of a learned monfler, written by his fhew-man, who perpetually discovers a diverting apprehenfion that his beaft will play the favage too furiously, and lacerate the company instead of entertaining them." On the candour of the editor of the Gentleman's Magazine I have too great reliance to doubt his infertion of this letter, and remain his admirer and humble fervart, BENVOLIO. MR. URBAN, Bristol, Jan. 13 in I vol. LV. p. 850, for taking up the WAS much pleafed with Theophilus gauntlet in defence of Johnfon's Prayers and Meditations. We live in an age when religion is discountenanced among men of parts and education; and piety and devotion chiefly left to the women, who, unattended by their husbands, are feen at church and at the altar. This was feen by the good Dr. too often. And I have not the leaft doubt but this fhameful neglect of religious duties was the true motive of the Dr's giving up for publication those Prayers and Meditations. I pay little regard to the CRITIC, who expected from the title of the book fome fine laboured meditations, couched in fublime language, to pleafe and en tertain |