axe which has left above 400 acres of waste unproft- Scenery. able land to mark the sad reverse in its appearance. The loss to the decorative part of a prospect or the general beauty of the country was indeed great, but in a much greater degree did the cause of utility suffer from this fury of desolation, not, as more than once heretofore, to lay open to the day the retreats of banditti and the coverts of fugitives; but to realise, under a supposed uncertainty respecting the final issue of the revolution the comfortable products, which such a vast sale of timber must have given. In a country bordering on the confines of the Atlantic ocean, the shelter afforded by masses of wood, even though not in inmediate contact with the shore, is of the first consequence. Materials also both for building and for fuel, under a due system of economy, may be drawn without end. While to an empire whose peculiar strength and advantage lie in its navy, a ready and copious supply of timber, must always be of the very utmost importance. In Germany the management of every forest is there conducted with the same precision and foresight, that is bestowed upon any other national object whatsoever. Laws ensure their preservation, boards are held, and a series of officers appointed for the various purposes. to which forests may be made subservient, and a considerable revenue is annually derived from their proceeds. In a moral point of view, any inducement held out to landed proprietors to reside upon their estates, must obviously be reckoned among the primary objects of national consideration; and this we know is mainly promoted by the protection of the game, from the various causes of destruction continually in operation.

F

Proprietors The first William le Gras, lord of Tullaroan and seneschal of Leinster, who married Margaret daughter of Robert Fitz-Warren of Wales, was dead between the years 1210 and 1219; for we find that "William de Gras, eldest son of William de Gras, with the consent of his brothers William de Gras junior,* Hamo de Gras, and Anselm de Gras treasurer of Exeter,† granted between these years certain lands he inherited in Wales, to the priory of Bradenstoke in

• Numberless instances occur in Dugdale's and Seagar's printed and MS. works of two brothers bearing the same christian name," primogenitus" being subjoined to that of the elder, and “junior" to that of the younger. The same custom also prevailed among the Scotch, thus Robert de Bruce, earl of Carrick, and afterwards king of Scotland, had an elder brother of the same name, who lived at the same time; and in the English family of Luvel, we find that Joha lord Luvel of Tichmersb, the 6th of that name, dying at the age of 20, was succeeded by his brother John lord Luvel the 7th, which 7th John lord Luvel, bad also two grandsons living together of the name of William. In the family of Perceval also, Ralf Perceval the elder was slain at the battle of Bosworthfield in 1485, and from his brother Ralf Perceval the younger living at the same time, the earls of Egmont descend. This practice was not wholly abandoned by the bigbest ranks so late as even the reign of queen Elizabeth, for we find that George Fane of Badsell, who died in 1571, had two sons, both of the name of Thomas, and both knighted. From the elder, Sir T. Fane, the earls of Westmorland descend, and the younger, sir T. Fane, of Burston-castle, county of Kent, was governor of Dover castle for queen Elizabeth in 1598. To this day the custom is far from being in total disuse among the peasantry. In the month of October, 1816, the author of this section, while on a visit to the enlightened proprietor of Lydney-park, in Gloucestershire, found instances of the kind in the town of Lydney, which stands on his estate, and he learned that the practice was by no means uncommon, particularly among the inbabitants of the forest of Dean.

Anselm le Gras, treasurer of Exeter, was present at the erection of that deanery in 1225. He was consecrated bishop of St. David's in 1230, and died 1247. David Fitz-Gerald, uncle to Raymond le Gros, had formerly been bishop of this See, and died 1176. Vid. Chron. Dover. Mat. Paris.

Wiltshire. And we find also the second William Proprietors earl of Pembroke's charter of foundation to the priory of St. John at Kilkenny witnessed 4. Hen. 3, (1220) by Thomas Fitz-Anthony seneschal of Leinster, William le Gras junior, Hamo le Gras, &c.† and the same earl's great charter of incorporation to the city of Kilkenny 7 Hen. 3. (1223) is again witnessed by William le Gras, and Hamon le Gras, &c.‡

In the deed of partition§ dated 3d of May, 31 Hen. 3. (1247) between the co-heirs of Anselm Marshal the last earl of Pembroke and lord of Leinster, containing the counties palatine of Carlow, Wexford, Kilkenny, Kildare, and Leix, the list of persons possessing these estates in fee runs in the following order :- Matilda, countess of Norfolk and Warren, Johan de Monteganisino, Agnes de Vessye, Matilda de Mortuo Mari, Hugo de Spencer and Eleanor his wife, Jacobus le Botiller, Daniel de Sancto Albino, Radulph Biggott, Edmundus le Gras, Willielmus le Gras, Edmundus le Gras, Gilbert de Clare earl of Gloucester and Hertford and Johan his wife, Roger Bigott earl of Norfolk, Hugh Bigott, John earl of Warren, Hugh le Spencer, (Walter) earl of Ulster, &c.||

• Dugdale's Monast. Angl. vol. 2. p. 208. † Ib. vol. 2, page 1044. Hanmer's Chronicle, page 345. § Ormond MS. in cast. Kilkenn.

|| Johnson has observed in his life of Swift, that in reading his journal for the use of Stella, the reader's attention is drawn on by the constant recurrence of names connected with important persons and transactions. Some such charm is felt in perusing these ancient records, as we there see names constantly, which are brought home to our present interests and feelings, as they belong to persons and families either now in actual existence, or existing in the page of history.