Romish Canons," on thofe fubjects, as glibly as Dr. Milner himself. From that moment, till the following Eafter, I thought no more of this converfation; and then, being again at Oxford, I cafually learned, to my great aftonifhment, what had been paffing, in the mean time, in your Magazine. Each Committee had a feparate room, a long way apart from each other; and a chefs-board was placed before each, Committee, with the feveral pieces, white and black on either fide, regularly arranged on the board. In a middle room, between each committee-room, was placed a feparate chefs-board with all its pieces, white and black, regularly arranged; and this intermediate chefs-board was common to both in relation to the game, being the very board at which the game really was played, and upon which it really was decided: but no members of either Committee were permitted to go into the common room B, or into the room appropriated to each other, during the continuance of the games. For the prefent, Mr. Urban, I fhall leave this narrative, without a comment, to you and your readers, that you may confider whether Mr. Le Mefurier was warranted in publishing what he has done on this fubject, by fuch a loofe converfation, at fuch a time, in fuch a place, without any farther communication with me, or any difclofure of his intention to use my authority in any manner, though he knew where a letter would reach me any day in the week. He has defired your readers to judge the Roman Catholicks by their conduct refpecting the impartial Report; I thall request the Roman Catholicks, in candour and Christian charity, not to judge Protef-the common board B, and fo, going tant controverfialifts by Mr. Le Mefurier's flatement of the refult of this converfation. With your permiffion, Mr. Urban, I shall endeavour, in your next Number (and, trufi, at no great length), to let your readers know what I did in fubliance fay, in that part of my Speech which has been fo much canyaffed by thefe doughy disputan's in your Magazine. F. LAURENCE. CHESS. THE which to tracks interested the amateurs of that game at Hence, each Committee had an opporumity of conferring, privately and in fecret, amonght its leveral members, of reafoning upon the moves, and of talking over and combining the whole plan, arrangement, and filem of their game, without the intervention or privity of the adverfe Committee. The manner was as follows: there were two Committees: one, confifted of Monfieur Guillaume Le Préton, and fix or feven other gentlemen & the other, of Monf. Carlier, and fix or feven other gentlemen, all firli-rate players. As foon as Committee A, had decided. upon its move, and had made it on its own board A, Monfieur Calma and another gentleman with him, went into the middle room. B, to the common chefs-board B, made the move upon through that room, went into the farthest room C, to Committee C, an-· nounced the move of Committee A, to Committee C, in room C, and faw it regularly made on board C, waited to know the move of Committee C, faw that alfo made on board C, returned and made the move of Commitee C. in room B, upon chefs-board B, and, going through thạt middle room. B, announced the move of Committee. C, to Commitee A, titing in room A, and made the move determined upon byard C, in Committee fooin di, on by Committee C, and already made on board A. There two gentleman followed this manner through all the moves of all the feveral games. In middle room B, at board B, fat the gentleman who is editor of the Stratagêmes d'Echecs," with another gentleman amateur; and thefe wrote down and reg flered each inove as it was made through each game, as well as through all the feveral games, There were fually played three games each night; and the Hon. Mr.Egerton gave, at his own houfe, ten or twelve parties, during his continuance at Paris The games varied ufually from about thirty-fix to fifty-two moves upon either tide. They are left in MS. with Monfieur Calma and the editor of the Stralugemes d'Echecs," and will pro bably bably be printed, with fome curious conclufions of games, as a fupplement to another volume of the Strata gemes & Echecs." Mr. URBAN, 66 July 10. That the Prahoufe, the lof THE subject of John Dean's porLXIV. pp. 919, 1098, 1183,) being, after lying dormant near 13 years, at length revived by the publication of J. W's letter in your lait, p. 536, has Jed me to fuppofe, that a reference to what has been formerly inferted in that valuable Mifcellany refpecting this man may not be unacceptable to many of its readers; therefore, for the fake of those who may not be poffcfled of the early volumes, I have taken the pains of tranfcribing every paragraph in which I have found any mention of him, or of the famous law-fuit, wherein he appears to have been the only material witness on behalf of the Eaft India Company. They are as under: Vol. XII. p. 601, November 1, 1742.. "Came on at Guildhall, before Lord Chief Juftice Lee, the Caufe that has depended fo long between the Eaft India Company and Capt, Francis Goftling, Late commander of the Suffex India-man, concerning the lofs of the cargo of the faid fip. The trial lafted till five next morning, when the Jury gave a verdict for the Company for 30,2021. Vol. XIII. p. 273. May 13, 1743, “The Court of King's Bench delivered the opinion of the Judges in the great caufe, wherein the Eaft India Company were plaintiffs, and Capt. Gofling defendant; by which the verdiét for 30,000l. obtained by the plaintiffs is fet afide, and a new trial granted." Ib. p. 388, July 12. "Before the King's Bench, was tried the cause between Capt. Golling and the Eaft India Company; and a verdiét was given them for 25,000l. Ib. 610, Nov. 15. "The Court of Direétors of the East India Company agreed to allow John Dean, the only furviving failor of the Suffex India fhip, an annuity of 100l. and sol. to his wife, fhould the furvive him. V. I. XV. p. 109, February, 1745. John Dean, the only furviving failor of the Suflex India fhip, was appointed, by the Directors of the Eaft India Company, an Elder, in the room of Mr. Adams, deceafed." Vol. XVII. p. 592, December 17, 1747, "Dict, in the Eaft India Company's hofpital at Poplar, John Dean, the only furvivor of the mariners who remained on-board the Suifex Indiaman." I can remember reading, at an early period of life, the publication referred to by J. W. with all the ardour of youth, particularly the recital given by Dean of his fufferings and adventures in Madagafcar, fubfequent to the fhipwreck of the Suflex; and it is probable that I felt the more interefied in his narrative, from one of my relations having been an officer of the Prince William Indiaman, Capt. Langworth, at the time Dean was taken off the island by that ship, on her paffage to Bombay. As J. W. appears to have access to the pamphlet which, I believe, is but a fmall one, and is now become very fearce, he could, I have no doubt, confer, an obligation on many conftantreaders of the Gentleman's Magazine, by communicating fome of the mof remarkable pallages in it. The circunafiance excited no inconfiderable degree of attention at the time. AMICUS. Mr. URBAN, THE June 10. "HE following extract from "Barrow's Travels in China," p. 569, merits the confideration of all your horticultural correfpondents; it is clofely connected with the fubje ftarted by J. Redwol, p. 231, and fupplemental to that of J. Delver, p 400; who recommends it to your notice with a view of prompting experiments for procuring farther information on the point in question. The ingenious people of China "have a common method of propagating feveral kinds of fruit-trees, which, of late years, has been prac tiled with fuccefs in Bengal. The method is fimply this: they trip a ring of bark, about an inch in width, from a bearing branch, furround the place with a ball of fat earth, or loam, bound fast to the branch with a piece of mate ting; over this they fufpend a pot, or horn, with water, having a small hole in the bottom juft fufficient to let the water drop, in order to keep the earth conftantly moist. The branch throws new roots into the earth just above the place where the ring of bark was ripped off. The operation is performed in the Spring, and the branch is fawn off and put into the ground at the fall of the leaf. The following year it bears fruit." I know not whether the following remark on the cominunication of T. C. p. 400, is worthy of any notice, I am not confident, but, I think I have obferved, the profufion of final) fpecks on Apples which renders them them unfightly for prefent ufe and unAt for keeping, the appearance of which feems to intimate the effect of hail" upon fruit the produce of Apple-trees not in the leal injured by the white downy Infect *, or, lo far as I could obferve, tainted in the fmalleft degree by the difeafe commonly (1 know not how truly) faid to have been imported from America above twenty years ago. This difeafe certainly dif figures and injures the trees exceed ingly; and, very probably, will fhorten their duration; but it does not much injure their productiveness. A Dutch codling-tree deeply infected and much disfigured and injured, with a countless multitude of knots, fometimes eaukering, but which generally are covered over with new bark, has, for nearly all the time I have mentioned, been fo full of Apples as frequently to require fupports for its borne down branches. I know of no effectual remedy for this evil, but I have checked it, and very confiderably, by brufhing off the white down, clearing of the red flain underneath it, and anointing the places infected with a liquid mix ture of train oil and Scotch fnuff. Si quid novifti rectius, &c. Yours, &c. MR. URBAN. J. DELVER. July 20. I REMIT fome particulars concerning the Rev. Mr. Laurence's work on Gardening, for the purpofe of filling up a chafm in the account of horticultural authors fent to you by the late ingenious Mr. Richard Wellon, of Leicefter, vol. LXXVI. p. 1080. Mr. Laurence's aforefaid work was published in two parts, and I poffefs both bound in one thin octavo volume. The title-page of the first is as follows; "The Clergyman's Recreation: fhewing the pleature and profit of the Art of Gardening. Quare agite, ô proprios generatim difcite cultus, This alludes to a moft deftructive Infect of the Aphis kind, which has lately infested apple-trees. It appears like a white mould, and when rubbed leaves a purple fain. The following is faid to be an effectual remedy, which has been tried with great fuccefs. Take three ounces of flower of brimstone, mixed in a quart of goofe oil, or any common oil, and with afmall brush lay it on the place where the whitenefs is feen. EDIT. Agricolæ, fru&usque feros mollite colendo. VIRG. Georg. By John Lawrence, A. M. Rector of Yelvertoft, in Northamptonshire, and fometime Fellow of Clare Hall, in don, printed for, Bernard Lintott, beCambridge. The fourth edition. Lontween the Temple Gates in Fleetfreet, 1716." : The title-page to the fecond part is, "The Gentleman's Recreation; or the Second Part of the Art of Gardening improved Containing feveral new experiments and curious obfervations relating to Fruit-Trees; particularly a new method of building walls with horizontal fhelters. Illuftrated with copper plates. Si quid novifti rectius iftis, mecum. By John Laurence, M. A. Reétor of Yelvertoft, in Northamptonshire. To which is added, by way of Appendix. a new and familiar way to find a mott exact Meridian Line by the Pole-Star; whereby gentlemen may know the true bearings of their houfes and gardenwalls, and regulate their clocks and watches, &c.; by Edward Laurence, brother to the author of this book. London: printed for Bernard Lintot, between the Temple Gates in Fleet Street, 1716." At the end of the Appendix is affixed the under advertisement: "Lordships furveyed, and maps drawn of the fame, timber measured and valued, with other artificers' work, and dialling in all its parts, performed by Edward Laurence, brother to the Author of this book, He is to be heard of when in London at Mr. Senex's at the Globe, in Salisbury Court.-N. B. In Winter, and at fuch times as he is not furveying, gentlemen may have their fons or daughters taught accompts at their own houfes, after a natural, cafy, and concife method, with the ufe of the globes and maps, and all other useful parts of the mathematicks." It is remarkable, that in the tro above copied title-pages the reverend Author's furname is fpelt differently. and the initial letters of his addition tranfpofed in the laft. As his brother's furname is fpelt with the u, I imagine that Laurence was the real name. The first part has one copper-plate, which exhibits a perfpective view of a garden, adorned with fountains and tatues, S. Gribelin fculpt. Th: 1 The fecond part has a frontispiece and three other copper-plates. The frontispiece fhews us a Fruit-Garden, with a gentleman and a clergyman converfing in it. Two plates fhew the proper difpofal of trees in gardens, and another the form of training a vine against a wall; but that form is totally different to the one now in ufe. Each part of the work has a long preface prefixed to it; and the firit has the following approbation: "Mr. LINTOTT. So far as I am judge, there is more of the art of gardening in this little tract than in all that I have yet feen on this fubje&t. L. LOYD. March 15, 1713." The Rev. Mr. Laurence defcribes the methods he took for ameliorating and planting his own garden; and he writes in fo interefting and fimple a fiyle, that he arrefts the imagination of the reader, and engages him to attend to the progrefs of his labours from the fowing the trees to gathering the fruit. He obliges us to admire his perfeverance in conquering obftacles, and makes our mouths water at the defcriptions of his fruits. It cannot be doubted but that fince Mr. Laurence's time many improvements have been made in the mode of managing fruit-trees; but, not withfanding, I dare to affirm, that his work contains many obfervations worthy to be held in remembrance, and much advice entitled to the attention of modern gardeners and orchardifis. Moreover to crown all, there are fentiments interfperfed in the course of his work, that difcover him to have been a man of fingular piety, goed-fenfe, and ingenuity. As his works were upon fale at Mr. White's in Fleet-fireet not a great many years ago, I am furprifed that Mr. Wefton was never in poffeflion of a copy. The copy in my hands is in a large clear print, and on very good paper. Perhaps, Mr. Urban, one of your Northamptonshire correfpondents will do me the favour of informing me, whether Mr. Laurence was interred at Yelvertoft; and, if he was, whether there is any memorial of him in his church? Alfo, whether the rectorial garden there continues in the form in which he left it; and any of his trees extant in it? As there is a pailge in his fit preface, intimating a probability of h's offering to the world a work on a divine fubject; I have made fiequent enquiry, whether he ever did publifh any theological work, but never have been able to obtain any information on that point. VERTUMNUS. Mr URBAN, VERY June 2. ERYARD, in his Travels in France, Italy, &c. published in 1701, thus laconically deferibes the French character: "The French are, generally fpeaking, very curious, confident, inquifitive, credueternal babblers; and, in a word, they are lous, facetious, rather witty than wife, at all times what an Englishman is when he is half drunk. They are likewife ceremonious and full of their compliments, efpecially when it is for their intereft; but take heed they coft you not too dear. No people have a better opinion of their King than the French. I was once (he adds) in company with a Prieft at Paris, who, hearing his King's conduct blamed, left the room paffionately, uttering the words of the Roman orator, Sit facrilegus, . fit fur, fit flagitiorum omnium princeps; at eft bonus imperator: Let him be factlegious, a thier, a ringleader of all vice; he is nevertheless a good prince" (literally, a good emperor.) The above-mentioned Traveller relates the following circumfiance as having occurred at Touloute, while he was there: "There happened during our stay in this City a very odd accident, which was as followeth: A company of thieves, defigming to break into a certain fhop of the in the fide of a brick-wall big enough for town in the night-time, opened. a hole one to enter; but, as they were at work, notwithstanding the utmoft dexterity, the noite alarmed the people within; who getting up and perceiving whereabout they were opening their paffage, expected them in the fhop. The hole being finished, one of the night-walkers came in with his legs toremoft, whom the people within feized when his body was half through and held him faft in the hole, that he could neither move forward or backward; and the paffage being quite stopped up the others without could by no means fet him at liberty. In the mean while one of the fervants of the houfe called the but watch, from the chamber window; before they could get thither the rogues were all fed excepting him in the hole, whom they found without an head. For, it feems, his companions finding it im ponible to get him thence had cut it off, and carried it away with them, that he might not be known, rer drawn by threats and promiles to discover the reft, who were at least ten or twelve in numMr. ber." |