Particulars of Mr. Cowper, and his Poems. not, however, to accufe either you of wanting perfpicacity, nor him of failing in perfpicuity, fince the veil of obfcurity, which is thrown over this paffage, may ferve perhaps in fome refpect to enhance its beauty; and yet it is fit that the reader should well understand the allufion, though it may not entirely be come the writer, when he is touching upon his own cafe, to go into all the circumftances neceffary to make us comprehend it. Having myfelf a diftant knowledge of Mr. Cowper's hiftory, of his prefent fituation, and peculiar turn of mind, I am by thefe means qualified to explain his meaning, and to print out perhaps, in fome measure, the beauty of the paffage I am fpeaking of. I understand that Mr. Cowper was once a man immerfed in all the gaieties of the town. If refpe&t for his prefent character did not reftrain me, perhaps I might have faid, that he was not free from its vices. He was the companion and the delight of a convivial and jolly circle, whofe fociety he has long renounced, and whose system of life he has been convinced, perhaps fomewhat fuddenly convinced, he could neither fafely nor happily perfift in. It is to thefe piercing reflections that he alludes in one of the paffages you have quoted, and which I will therefore quote again: "I was a fricken deer, that left the herd Long fince; with many an arrow deep in fix'd My panting fide was charg'd when I with drew To feek a tranquil death in diftant shades ; And in his hands and feet the cruel fcars: Since then, with few affociates, in remote The ailufion here to the ftricken and ૐ piercing reflections of his own danger and unhappiness. The allufion that follows is the most ferious poffible. It can mean nothing but the mercy and deliverance of our Saviour. The wounds in his fide, in his hands and feet, feem to denote and mark this: There was I found by one who had himself And in his hands and feet, the cruel fears: me live. Although nothing can be more ferious than Mr. Cowper's ftyle in this part, he is however extremely various, and changes continually from grave to gay, from lively to fevere." There is a paffage in that beautiful apoftrophe to London which you quoted, that very much marks the whole character of the man: O thou refort and mart of all the earth, In short, Mr. Cowper feems to unite the chracters of thofe two philofophers, the one of whom was for ever laughing, the other weeping, at the vices and follies of mankind. He is now attempting, as I have heard, a very arduous work, which is nothing lefs than a tranflation of the Iliad.-What his fuccefs will be, it is in vain to premife; but I cannot help withing, that the originality of his genius may not be confined, at least entirely, to tranflations. Impartial criticism obliges me to take notice of a grammatical error in one of the lines I laft quoted. Thou freckled fair, That pleafes and yet fhocks meIt fhould be pleafeft and yet hockeft me-I grant this would found too harth; yet harfhnefs of found is no fufficient ezcufe for a deviation from the rules of grammar. A. B. MR. URBAN, litary deer, that forfakes the herd ancient portraits on board of maN the library at Penshurft, in Kent, with its fide transfixed with arrows, is exquifite defcription of his own fituation at the time when he left his flock of former companious under all the arc ny of the Conftables or Governors of Queenborough caftle, in the fame county. They were collected, and place.f 6 Enquiry concerning the ancient Paintings at Pehfhurft. in this caftle, by Sir Edward Hoby, the nineteenth Conftable, in 1582, who at the fame time added his own portrait to the collection. But this does not at prefent appear among its companions at Penshurst. Where is it now. to be found? After the difperfion or removal of the collection, Johnson, in his Iter Plantarum, fays, that he faw it in 1629 at the vicarage-houfe of Gillingham in Kent, when Mr. Skelton was vicar. That houfe was long ago rebuilt. Johnfon defcribes Queenboro' caftle as then ftanding, and in good condition, but without the portraits. It was afterwards demolished by Cromwell. But to return to Sir Edward Hoby, the chief object of this paper. He correfponded with Camden, and was connected with almost all the learned men of his time. He was entered a gentleman commoner of Trinity coll. Oxford, in 1574, at the age of fourteen. He patronifed Thomas Lodge the poet, his contemporary in that col· lege. Wood, in what fenfe I do not exactly know, fays, that Hoby had Lodge for his fcholar there. He lived much at Bifham-abbey, in Berkshire; and gave to the faid college Sir Henry Savile's fumptuous edition of St. Chry foftom, in eight folio volumes, printed at Eton college in 1612. In a blank leaf of the first volume is inferted the following terfe Latin epiftle, written with his own hand, from Queenborough caftle, to the prefident of the college, Dr. Ketell. "Admodum Reverendo Antiftiti, D. "KETELLO, Collegii Trinitatis, Oxon. "vigilantiffimo Præfidi."" Sancte Trinitatis Collegii in me merita, mi Ketelle, non benevolentiæ fed obfequii pignora efflagitant. Quadraginta jam annis elapfis, ex quo primum in eodem fcholaris fui. Scholaris ? Alumnus. Siquod unquam cum Mufis habui commercium, apud vos rudimenta fufce piffe, fufcepta creviffe, fateri fas eft. Arctiori etiam vinculo conftrinxit prænobilis Heroina, veftra fundatrix, quo tempore, pro amore in me fuo, Bernardum Adamum, nunc Limbricenfem præfulem, in Albo veftro conferipfit, aluit, fuftentavit. Næ, huc ufque, nihil compenfationis: negligentia nimium. En, tandem, emendationis anfam; deinceps, forfan, uberiorem. Nuperrime in vicinia noftra, D. Crifoftomi Operum Græce nova et exquifita comparuit editio: cura fumma, fide folita, impenfis ingentibus, folertia infa 3 tigabili, nobilis noftri Henrici Savif, Here the illuftrious Heroine, veftra fundatrix, is Dame Elizabeth Pauler, the fecond wife of Sir Thomas Pope, founder of Trinity college; afterwards married to Sir Hugh Paulet, famous in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. By Bernardum Adamum, we are to underftand Bernard Adams, Bishop of Limerick, who had been Scholar and Fellow of Trinity college. Sir Edward Hoby died at Queenborough cattle in 1616, and was buried among his ancestors in Hoby's chapel, in the church of Bisham. MR. URBAN, INVESTIGATOR. THE monogram and infcription or the altar-tomb in Saint Pancras MR. URBAN, THE famous and learned Obadiah Walker was mafter of University College, Oxford, in the time of King James II. He turned Roman Catholic, and had private mafs in his lodgings, and converted the two lower rooms into a chapel for that purpose, on the left hand of the paffage leading from the old, to what is now called the new, or Mafter's Quadrangle. He afterwards fet up cafes of letters and a prefs in the back-part of his lodgings, belonging to him as mafter of the college, where he printed his own works, and many of the learned Abrabam Woodhead's his tutor, who had been a fellow of the faid college; but, having alfo embraced the Roman Catholic religion, retired and lived many years very ob fcurely Anecdotes of the famous Obadiah Walker. fcurely at Hoxton, near London, where he died, and was likewife buried in the church-yard of St. Pancras, under an altar-monument of brick, covered with blue marble, with the following infcription: “A. W. obiit Maii 4, A. D. 1678, ætatis fuæ LXX. Elegi ab"jectus effe in domo Dei; & manfi in "folitudine, non quærens quod mihi "utile eft, fed quod multis.” Mr. Obadiah Walker being ejected from the mastership of University College, February 4, 1689, on account of his religion, retired to London, or near it, where he lived to a great age, and was interred in the church-yard above mentioned, the ufual camitery for many perfons of the Romish faith in and near town. See a full account of thefe two learned men and their writings, in the fecond volume of Mr. Anthony à Wood's Athenæ Oxonienfes, Edit. 2. Mr. Walker tranflated from English into Latin the Life of King Alfred, founder of his college, from the MS, by Sir John Spelman, in the Bodleian library, which was afterwards published by Mr. Hearne in the fame Language in which it was written. Mr. Walker, to fome of Woodbead's Difcourfes which he printed, prefixed the picture of King Alfred; but whether engraved from that in the MS. in the library, which Hearne has prefixed to his edition, or from the fmall antient picture on board of the faid king, preferved in the maf ter's lodgings of Univerfity College, I am not certain. Mr. Wife, in his edition of the Annals of King Alfred by Afferius Menevenfis, has copied the latter picture, and likewife the head of the king in ftone over the door of the refectory in Brazen-Nose College, both engraved by George Vertue. I hope I fhall be excufed the digreffion, if I only add, that I remember to have seen in the faid lodgings, when Dr. Thomas Cockman was mafter, an excellent pic ture, painted by Su'man, of Robert Morijon, M. D. which was formerly in the old lodgings in the time of Mr. Obadiah Walker, who had been his acquaintance, and by whofe intereft he was chofen Botanic Profeffor in that university. An admirable print was engraved from it by R. White, and prefixed to the Doctor's Hiftory of Plants, in two volumes folio: the fecond volume, or third part, was published after the author's death, under the direction of that skilful botanift, Jacob Bobart, keeper of the phyfick 7 garden in Oxon. Over the gate-way within fide the old quadrangle, between the windows of the under-graduates' library, is a good ftatue of King James II ¦ The infcription beneath it, probably written by Obadiah Walker, is now concealed by a flat ftone, which was placed before it, on the acceffion of King Wil liam to the throne. BEXLEYENSIS. MR. URBAN, TH of Jan. 15. HE once famous Obadiah Walker was fon of Mr. William Walker, Worfperdale, near Barnfley, in Yorkfhire, was entered of University College, Oxford, under the tuition of the no lets celebrated Mr. Abraham Woodhead, whofe fervitor he was in the year 1631; was ejected 1648; but restored to his fellowship at the Reftoration; after having travelled abroad, and paffed through various ftations at the univerfity; though I find not he took any academical degrees, except in arts, notwithstanding he had early his grace from the convocation for batchelor of divinity whenever he chofe to take it out; became mafter of Univerfity Col lege, which he had once before refufed, upon the death of Dr. Richard Clayton in 1676. Having become a convert to the Roman Catholic perfuafion, at or before the acceffion of King James the Second, he was ejected from the mafterfhip at the Revolution, viz. Feb. 14, 1689, for being a papist. After his dif“. grace, he lived a retired life, and was principally patronized by one of his old fcholars, the eminent Dr. Radcliffe, who, though averfe to his religious principles, had a fincere regard for him, and took him into his houfe. It is univerfally acknowledged by all parties, that Mr. Walker was a man of firft-rate abilities and learning, had long been a very noted tutor at Oxford, and was author of many works of great merit, particularly, among the reit, of the Gieck and Roman Hiftory, illuftrated by medals; this he published after his ejectment in 1692. "Some fay he died that year; but, according to your magazine, in 1699, as is faid there to be confirmed by his epitaph: this was probably compofed by Dr. Radcliffe. The expreffion, per bonam famam et per infamiam, undoubtedly alludes to his former celebrity, and his latter obfcurity. Yours, &c. GETHLINGUS MR. Apparent Change of Sex in Birds.-Useful Remarks, MR. URBAN, IT Jan. 7. is very commendable in your correfpondent, J. L. (p. 959, of the December Magazine) to require a particular confirmation of fo extraordinary an affertion, as that a cock Mackaw had lain feveral eggs. The feeming change of fex, by old hen-birds affuming the plumage of the male, is generally known When I faw Mr. Hunter's account (Phil. Tranf. vol. LXX. p. 534.) of the appearance of the change of fex in Lady Tynte's pea-hen, it reminded me of a paffage in Aufonius to the fame purpose: "Vallebane (nova res & vix credenda "poetis ; to modern naturalifts. "Sed quæ de vera promitur hiftoria,) "Femineam in fpeciem convertit mafcu "lus ales; even "Pavaque de pavo conftitit ante oculos." EPIG. 69. "A male bird was changed into a fe"male at Vallebana; a ftrange thing, "and fcarcely to be believed "among the poets, but which is taken "from a true ftory): a pea-cock ap❝peared transformed into a pea-hen.' This change of fex is, however, the reveife of that defcribed by Mr. Hunter; for here the male is changed into a female; and this metamorphofis contradicts the ingenious hypothefis of that gentleman, that females after parturition ceafes approach in their refem. blance toward the male. Allowing as little authority as the inaccuracy of an antient poet deferves, yet, as far as relates to appearance only, I know not how this account can be controverted. I could with that the gentleman who figns J. L. would not too haflily affent to the prevailing notion, that a cuckow hath an inability for incubation from a particular conformation of parts. That this bird does not hatch its own eggs proceeds rather from an impulfe of inftinct than from any peculiarity of ftructure, Neither is this deviation from the common courfe of nature fingular, for fome infects are known to depofit their eggs in the bodies of others, where they are hatched. MR. URBAN, T. H. W. OUR reviewer of the "Law of Y "Wills," vol. LV. p. 809, in co pying directions gor a nuncupative will, or be reduced into writing. It must be P. 860. It is much to be wished, that fome one belonging to the Augmentation-Office would gratify the public fa far as to explain what becomes of the intereft of money given for augmentation of fmall livings beyond the two per cent, allowed the clergy. If it goes in increase of the fund, it will not hurt them to fay fo. It is an enquiry often made. Clericus does not do the laity justice, when he fays that donations in addition to the fund rarely happens. The laity are not fo bad, and would be berter if the clergy refided and did their duty confcientiously in their own parishes. P. 877. Lord D---- is not the only peer who has endeavoured, by the weight of his purfe, to overcome the right of a poor clergyman; nor the only peer who has found a poor clergyman able and willing to fupport and The cafe of recover his juft rights. Bree- and Lord Brownlow ought to be more known. Is it really true, as Eufebes áfferts, p. 888, that "every father of a family in the neighbourhood of Whitechapel with that more places of public entertainment were allowed!" The begin. ning of what he fays about the very excellent magiftrate who put a stop to the licencing fome new houfes feems Philo-Dram, wants a ironical-furely the above mult be meant fo too! play-house at Oxford; Eufebes one at Whitechape!! Wife heads!" An anfwer to your enquiry after Mr. Benjamin Martin, p. 83, may be given in few words. He was the younger fon of a yeoman farmer, who lived at Worpleidon, near Guildford, in Surrey, he kept a fall fchool for foine time at Guildford; and then travelled the country with a philofophical apparatus, reading lectures in different places, After this, as I think between 1754 and 1758, he took the thap in Fleet-ftrett, in which he continued till his death. The grave obfervation, p. 915, on the trial of the gambler, is mifapplied. The profecutor intended to cheat what he thought a drunken man, and was bit. S. H. MR. |