I do not mean to affert that our author feems to have formed in his mind a combination of the characters of the nations above alluded to, or that he has in a homely manner mangled the works of Gray; but I certainly do mean to fay, that fuch firaws as he has picked up fwim upon the fu face of every poetical production from the age of Homer to the prefent, and that fuch pearls as he has not thought it worth while to dive for, are to be found in the works of tew. The imitations which he inftances are the cafual coincidences of thought, the faded ideas that float in many ingenious and elevated minds when intenfely employed upon the fame fubje&s, and of which a thousand instances might be adduced. But to go no further than the volumes lying before me, the works of Malfinger; that poet has not only in every play, but almost in every act, imitated the ancients, the Italians, the English, as Chaucer, Spenfer, Shakfpeare, Jonfon, &c., but even himself: THE HE following anecdote has been related to me as genuine, and I have no reason to doubt its authenticity. Many years ago, when Mr. Cumberland, that truly refpectable character, was in Ireland, he happened to dine at a gentleman's houfe in the country, where the converfation, after dinner, turned very much upon agriculture: Mr. Cumberland took a lively intereft in the difcuffion of the fubject; and defcribed, fcientifically, the ftile of farming in feveral parts of England; recommending the adoption of the method which he fo much admired himself. A worthy gentleman (no philologist,) who was prefent, but who knew nothing whatsoever of Mr. Cumberland, having heard him to the end, with no fmall degree of impatience, replied to him, "Now, Sir, no part of your plan could poffibly fucceed in our country; I fee, clearly, you are only a theatrical (theoretical) farmer.' The fmile amongt Mr. Cumberland's friends may easily be conceived. A certain gentleman, of the name of Mills, now decealed, who refided in the county of Rofcommon in Ireland, was reputed to have faid as many good things as fell to the lot of any profeflional punter; having, unexpect edly, topped at the house of a gentleman, who lived a little in the Caftlerack-rent ftile; he perceived that a pane of glass was coldly reprefented by a corn-fack thrust through part of the window. On Mr. Mills rifing to withdraw, his hoft apologized for his indifferent entertainment; adding, that he had been unprepared. "Nay," eplied the guest, "I have fared tumptuously; I do not often find myself treated with Sack and Sham-pane. The VIEW OF GODS HILL, ISLE OF WIGHT. Published by J.Asperne at the Bible Crown & Constitution Cornhill 1 Dec 1806. The Right Rev. Dr. Law, Bishop of Elphin, is a man of the most uncommon bluntnefs of expreffion, independence of fpirit and benevolence. Lord Viscount Dillon having one day defcribed a corps of yeomanry cavalry, which he commanded, as being remarkably well mounted, concluded his defeription by afferting, that they could charge over a fix-foot wali at full speed; and turning to the bishop, who was in company, afked his opi. nion of fuch an exploit. "I think," replied the bishop drily, "I think it is a very great bounce, my Lord." A witticifm of Mr. Curran, founded upon the following (tory, has been miferably garbled. Between the above gentleman and Mr. Egan, now chair. man of the quarter feflions at Kilmainhain, there exited, and ftill exifts, a mott warm friendship; they lived next door neighbours for feveral years and were feldom teen going to court, when practising barristers, but in each other's carriage. On alighting one day at the Law Courts, a certain infect was obferved crawling upon Mr. Curran's gown, by a brother lawyer; who, pointing to it, demanded, cujum pecus ?" Mr. Curran, nodding to. wards his late companion, inftantly re plied, “nuper mihi dedidit Egon.” W. H. P. The FORCE of PREJUDICE. WHEN Prejudice is once eftablished, in vain does Reafon re affert her rights. Few people can judge for themselves; no wonder that names have, in all ages, made more impreffion than things. When the Fables of La Motte appeared, it was fashionable in France to defpile them. One evening at an entertainment, given by the Prince de Vendome, feveral of the first critics of the kingdom made themselves exceedingly merry at the expenfe of the author. Voltaire happened to be prefent: "Gentlemen, (faid he,) "I perfectly agree with you. What a difference is there between the tile of La Motte, and the style of La Fontaine ! Have you feen the new edition of the latter?" The company answered in the negative." Then you have not read that beautiful fable of his, which was found among the papers of the Du chefs of Bouillon." He accordingly repeated it to them. Every one piefent was charmed, transported with it. "Here (faid they) is the true fpirit of La Fontaine. Here is Nature in her fimplicity. What naiveté! what grace! "Gentlemen, (esumed Voltaire,) you will find this Fable among thofe of La Motte." Confufion took poffeffion of all but Voltaire, who was happy in expofing the folly of these pretended judges. GODSHILL, ISLE OF WIGHT. [WITH A VIEW.] THERE are no purfuits that more trongly difplay the patriotifm of the age, while they indicate the progrefs of refinement, than topographical refearches; owing to thele, our own country has, within these twenty years, been molt induftriouly explored, and an infinite variety of views of its pic turefque fcenery, its augutt veftiges, and its elegant architecture, exhibited. Of these, as no part is more interesting, fo has no part attracted graphic attention more frequently, than the Isle of Wight; a fpot in which grandeur and fublimity are blended with falubrity and amenity. In former ages, the inhabitants of this Iland ufed to exult in their happi nefs in not having amongst them either Monks, Lawyers, or Foxes. But with respect to the former, it has happened that (like many other men) they were apt to value ideal advantages; for it is well known that they had within their limits four well peopled monafteries, be fides nunneries. How they were fituated with regard to ATTORNIES (for thefe they meant by LAWYERS) and Foxes we have not the means to afcertain; but we think that here, in the firit infance, they recko: ed without their Hofs; or, rather, without their Stewards. Collec tors, &c. As to the latter, FOXES, we believe that they were fcarce; there was a penalty on their importation; but ViPERS were, and are still, to be found in great plenty. It is not here neceffary to enter into a general defcription of a place fo well known as this beautiful Island. Were we to recur to its conqueft by Walfer; or, afcending ftill higher, conjecture whether it is the lata of Diodorus Siculus or the Midis of Pliny; the difquifition would be of little ufe, as at present we only wish to direct the attention of the reader to one of its features; which, though fubordinate, is, as is obvious in the annexed view, extremely picturéfque. Godhill, which rifes to the north of Appuldurcombe, is a small village, diftinguished by a church of Saxon architecture, which was in early ages a cell of the Abbey of Lyra, in Normandy. It had a fchool erected by J. Worsley for the education of youth. This is one of the ancient parishes that exifted before the compilation of the Doomf. day Book; and its church, which has in it many fuperb monuments of the Worley family, was one of the fix given by William Fitzofborn to the Abbey of LYRA. Its fituation is bounded by New Church on the Eaft, by Arreton on the North, by Carifbrook and Kingfton on the Weft, and St. Lawrence on the South. At Quarre, or Quarrer, in the neighbourhood, a nunnery was founded 1132. This has been fince ftated to have been a monaftery found ed by Baldwin, Earl of Devon, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. From the dedication, we are of opinion that this building was originally intended for females; though, as was fometimes the cafe, it might in after ages have been inhabited by Monks. The manor of Godthill, from which the parish took its name, (a name that indicates the fanctity of its inhabitants,) belonged, like the church, to the Abbey of Lyra, in Normandy; which, it must be obferved, as it was the richeit at bome, fo it was the most rapacious abroad, of all the Norman abbies. It was refumed by the Crown in the reign of Henry the VIIIth, and its revenues appropriated by that Monarch to his favourite Abbey and Palace of Sheen, in Surrey, together with thofe of the Priory of Carifbrook and Manor of Freshwater, which had before been wrelted from the Norman gripe. These were, in the twenty-ninth year of the fame reign, given, or rather let, to Captain Richard Worsley, for the term of fortyfix years, at the annual rent of two hundred marks. The widow of Captain Worley married Sir Francis Walfingham; and, of course, the remainder of the term of this leafe defcended to him. Sir Francis Poor afterward obtained the manor of GODSHILL in fee. It has fince paffed through feveral conveyances; and, by purchase from Sir J. Millar, Bart., is now again in the poffeffion of the Worley family. The church, as will be obferved in the plate, ftands on the top of a steep hill, and confequently commands a very extenfive profpect, including the Port of Cowes, the Southampton River, Portsmouth, and the Hampshire Coaft. Its antiquity has been already mentioned; it is a well-built edifice; the interior is divided by erofs ailes. Many of the remaining monuments commemorated the families of d'Arcia, Fry, &c.; but they are decayed, and their infcriptions are obliterated. A. mong thote that are in better prefervation, and which claim the attention of occafional as well as antiquarian vi. fitors, is the tomb of Sir John and Mary Leigh, who died in the reign of Henry the VIIIth. It has no infcription, but has the arms of Hacket, her Ladyfhip's father, emblazoned on the border of her robe, which is of alabatter. There are alfo many monuments of the Worleys, who were defcendants of the Leighs. In the month of January, 1778, this church was much damaged by light. ning, which operated with peculiar violence against the tower; but it has been fo fkilfully repaired, that nomarks remain of thofe destructive effects. The views from this place, we have already hinted, are most attractive; but if from fill life we turn our eyes upon ANIMATED NATURE, we shall find, in the female part of the inhabit. ants of this delightful Island, objects of much greater ATTRACTION. Here is constantly to be seen "the form Shap'd by the hand of harmony; the cheek Where the live crimson, thro' the native white Soft fhooting, o'er the face diffuses bloom, VESTICES, |