of the Church of England, I expected to meet with abufe from more than one fort of perfons. But I did not expect that any individual who knew me would have joined the cry. Dr. Laurence, however, has chofen, not very wifely I think, to put himself in that predicament. It is more his concern than mine. I doubt not, with God's help, to get through this and much more. Yours, &c. THOS. LE MESURIER.

MR. URBAN,

Creecn-St.-Michael, Auguft 6. THE 'HE daily increase of Duelling is certainly one of the most prominent and alarming features of the times; and perhaps few things could, with greater advantage to the interefis of Society at large, employ the attention of the Legiflature at the prefent moment: nor could the great Council of the Nation, in the intervals of the momentous points which employ their deep and ferious confideration, pafs any Act that would be more popular than one which would effectually put a flop to this barbarous cufiom.

As your wide-fpread Mifcellany has perhaps a larger circulation than almost any other periodical publication of the day, and has therefore a chance of falling into the hands of a great many Members of both Houfes of Parliament, and particularly of fuch of them as have the real welfare of their country and the happinefs of fociety fincerely at heart, allow an humble individual, who is actuated folely by the above motive, to offer, through the medium of your interefting and ufeful Mifcellany, an hint on the above fubject.

Since the warmeft advocate for this favage cuftom has never pretended to fupport it on the ground of its being confiftent with either the laws of God or Man (which are very well known to be directly against it, though they have hitherto unhappily been unable to refirain it); it may appear unneceffary to argue the point, which has been fo of ten done by more able hands, upon thefe grounds; it will perhaps be niore effectual, if fome more efficacious reftraint can be pointed out to curb this growing evil than has hitherto been called into action. This, Sir, I cannot help thinking might be accomplished, by fuggesting a more fevere law againfi this practice than any at prefent in exiflence. So long ago as the year 1893, and in the very beginning of it, a law palled

in America to refrain this pernicious cuftom; and it may be curious to know, what has been the effect of that law, and whether or not it has tended to produce the effect intended, or whether it has failed in its object.

In a periodical publication for March, 1803, I find the following account of this law :

"An Act to prevent Duelling' paffed laft feffion in the Affembly of North Carolina, by which it is enacted, that no perfon fending or accepting a challenge, or fighting a Duel, though no death enfues, fhall ever after be eligible to places of truft, honour, or profit in this State, any pardon or reprieve notwithstanding; and fhall further be liable to be indicted, and, on conviction before any of the Courts, hall forfeit and pay the fum 100l. to the ufe of the State. And if any fight a Duel by which either of the parties shall be killed, the furvivor on conviction thereof fhall fuffer Death without benefit of Clergy! and their feconds or abettors fhall be confidered acceffories before the fact, and shall likewife fuffer Death!!-This act, adds the reporter, reflects great credit on the wisdom and enlightened policy of the legiflature of North Carolina."

I muft own, Mr. Urban, that my humble opinion perfectly coincides with that of the reporter of the above Act; for I think it is extremely just that the man who, had violated all laws human and divine, by acting deliberately in a manner that was perfectly repugnant to them, fhould never afterwards be allowed to hold any place of truft, &c. as being no longer fit to be confidered truf-worthy: 1 alfo think the punishment of the fine of 1001. for violating the laws of fociety, a very fit remuneration for fuch an unjuflifiable act. And as nothing can be more equitable than that "he who fheddeth man's blood" in an unjuft and unlawful manner, fhould have his blood likewife fhed by. man" therefore the punishment of Death, notwithstanding pardon, &e. is the due punishment for this high act of delinquency. And to make this fufficiently powerful, all feconds, aiders, or abettors, fhould fuffer the fame penalty. I have only, Sir, to add, that if all thefe pains and penalties are fill ineffectual to reftrain this crime, let the parties fight with a rope about their necks; and the party who did not die by the hands of his honourable antugonift, fhould be finished by thofe of the common hangman !!!

Yours, &c.

THOMAS COMBER. Mr.

TH HERE are probably but few individuals now living acquainted

with the hiftory of the manufacture of Durham Mufiard Prior to 1720 there was no fuch luxury as muftard, in its prefent form, at our tables. At that time, the feed was only coarfely pounded in a mortar, as coarfels feparated from the integument, and in that rough state prepared for ule. In the year I have, mentioned, it occurred to an old woman of the name of Clements, refident at Durham, to grind the feed in a mill, and to pafs the meal through the feveral proceffes which are reforted to in making flour from wheat. The fecret fhe kept for many years to herfelf, and in the period of her exclufive poffeffion of it, fupplied the principal parts of the kingdom, and in particular the metropolis, with this article; and George the First flamped it with fafhion by his approval.

Mrs. Clements as regularly twice ayear travelled to London, and to the principal towns throughout England, for orders, as any tradefman's rider of the present day; and the old lady contrived to pick up, not only a decent pittance, but what was then thought a tolerable competency. From this wo man's refiding at Durham, it acquired the name of Durham Muftard.

Mr. URBAN,

THE

Threadneedle-freet, Aug. 20.

HE infertion of the following extract from the London Chronicle of the 19th inft. in your useful Mifcellany, will much oblige a conftafit reader.

The following curious phænomenon was observed by feveral perfons, on Wednesday laft, in the neighbourhood of Forncett, Norfolk:-About 2 in the afternoon, a body of vapour, of extraoidinary magnitude, apparently rofe out of the earth, accompanied by a loud rumbling noife. It refembled the fioak of a fire, and had an igneous appearIt continued afcending for the fpace of three minutes, all the time attended with the noife and with a confiderable degree of agitation, till it mixed with the clouds above it, which then appeared, for a fhort time, to partake of the fame motion. The air was the whole time extremely oppreffive."

ance.

I fhall be much obliged to any of your Norfolk Correfpondents who may happen to have been eye-witneffes of it, to communicate a more particular account of it to me through the medium of your Magazine,

S. R.

Mr. URBAN,

Auguft 10. OUR Correfpondent, p. 636, have ing expreffed a with to be informed, whether the landlord (under) which defcription I pretume he means to include that of occupier also) of a farm that for time immemorial has never paid tithe or any kind of modus, is juftified in refufing payment of tithe for that farm; it may not be unacceptable information to him at least, that in the cafe of the Corporation of " Bury v. Evans," which is reported in Com. Rep. 643, and in feveral other contemporary reports, and which has ever fince been confidered as the leading cafe on the fubject, the Court of Exchequer decided that a prefcription in non decimando cannot be fupported either against a lay or fpiritual rector, unless the commencement of fuch prefeription is laid in fome fpiritual perfon or religious houfe; and that the prefumption arifing from a conflant nonpayment, is not fufficient, unless the occupier can fhew, either that the land was parcel of the poffeffions of fome religious houfe diffolved fince the flat. of 27 Henry VIII. c. 28, or that fome of the impropriators have released the tithes. This doctrine has been recognized in fo many fubfequent cafes, that it may now be confidered as fully efiablished. Your Correfpondent does not mention whether the farm in queftion is reputed to have formerly belonged to any religious houfe; but as it is flated never to have paid any tithes or modus for time immemorial, there is firong reaon for believing that to have been the fact (and the truth of it may eafily be af certained by fearching at the proper offices); and if fo, the exemption from tithes, claimed by the owner of the farm, will then stand on more vantageground than that arifing from mere payment of tithes.

Mr. URBAN,

W. A.

July 20. READING in your Magazine for p. 578, the Ceremonial at the foundation of Downing College; I beg leave to refer the Matter, Profeffors, and Fellows, to vol. XXXVIII. p. 817, of your excellent Magazine; where, under the head of "Hint for the Inftitution of Downing College," are fome remarks which may probably be thought deferving attention. The writer propofes his hint with modeftly and due deference, in confeque ence of the folemn opinion given in Chancery on the 17th of June, 1768. How far, after

fuch

fuch a lapfe of time, the plan propofed may be deemed in any refpect worthy of being followed, I do not pretend to judge; but I thought it pity it thould go unnoticed at this very juncture. Yours, &c. G. W. L.

Mr. URBAN, Sheffield, Aug. 31.. IN N reading Pope's tranflation of Homer lately, I was firuck with a blunder which I'fhould not have expected would have efcaped either the author or the tranflator. It may have been pointed out before a thoufand times, for any thing I know to the contrary, but I never faw it noticed. As I cannot read it in the original, I fhall be glad to be informed either by you, or any of your learned Readers, whether it is Homer or Pope who have been napping. We are told that when Hector meets Andromache at the Scean gate,

"The nurfe ftood near, in whofe em-
"braces preft,
[breaft."

"His only hope hung fmiling at her When, after a long ftory from the lady and a fuitable reply from the warrior, he attempts to take the child from the arms of the attendant; but

"The babe clung crying to the nurse's
breaft,
[ding creft."

"Scar'd at the dazzling helm and nod This bug-bear he removes, and then after taking the child from her, and having preferred a prayer to Jove for his future glory and fame, it is added, that "He fpoke, and fondly gazing on her

charms,

[arms." "Reftor'd the pleafing burden to her I know that the manners of the times permitted the gentlemen of thofe days to take great liberties with other ladies befides their own, but I think not in the prefence of their wedded loves. And had even the great Hector himself at this time dared to gaze fondly on the charms of the nurse, I am not fure that it would not have been more than the Pagan patience of even the "blamelefs Andromache" could have borne ; and that the hero, by quitting the field of battle and coming to his wife, might not have leaped out of the frying-pan into the fire. Yours, &c. S.

and executed upon a plan to correfpond with the architecture of the times; except that the artift has introduced a wreath round the upper part, of a different appearance, and which better judges than myself pronounce to have no affinity to the Gothic.

Will Mr. Carter fupply no more lucubrations on the interefting City of York and its Antiquities? He wrote a very good letter from that place, in which the writer fumbled on a certain perfon taking fketches in the Cathedral, who evinced that "a clofe mouth was proof of a wife head;" and he has written fomething fince that time; but thofe who take an intereft in his difquifitions will not think he has written enough. A feparate publication, containing a corrected and enlarged detail of that Gentleman's obfervations on the Antiquities of York and its Cathedral would, I am perfuaded, be acceptable to the publick, efpecially as Mr. Halfpenny is publifhing additional engravings illustrative of the fubject, and as Mr. Drake, the York Hiftorian, has fhewn himself fo poor an Architectural Antiquary*.

A SECOND RAMBLER.

Mr. URBAN, Harborough, July 10.
Ti
is not without furprize 1 obferve,

in a work of fo much labour and diligence as the Hiftory of Leicester fhire now publishing, there is no reference under the account of Holt, vol. II. p. 725, to any documents in the poffeffion of the Lord of the Manor, efpecially as I find at the foot of the pedigree of his family there is an addition to his name of F. S. A.

Surely, when a gentleman undertakes the arduous talk of writing, a County Hiftory, and gives fuch teftimonials of his ability for the underta king as we have received from the Hiftorian of Leicestershire, though he has not a legal right to demand, he has a rational ground to hope for the affiftance of the Members of the Society of Aiquaries. And every perfon converfant in Manorial Hiftory who reads the account of Holt, muft immediately perceive that much is wanting, which it is probable the evidences of the refpectable owner of that Manor might fupply.

P.S. There is a tender gleam of light thrown on the Hiftory of the Manor of Holt by the pedigree in vol. II. p. 224. H. L. *Witnefs his conjectures concerning the ftyle and date of the Chapter-house.

109. Beloe's Anecdotes of Literature and fearce Books. (Continued from p. 741.) ITH much pleasure we refume

of "

a

with entertainment and erudition. The first article in the Second Volume confifts of a judicious Selection Songs" from the Garrick Collection; "many of which are well worth preferving, and, from the extreme and increafing rarity of the works from which they are taken, are little likely to be prefented to the inspection of the common reader."

"I might eafily," fays Mr. B. "have added other fpecimens of equal merit; but my object was to produce a perform ance of mifcellaneous entertainment. It may be objected, that what I have inferted are not fufficiently felect, and that far better examples of the poetry of the times in which thefe fongs were compofed have already appeared in the compilations of Cooper, Headley, Aikin, Ellis, Ritfon, and others. This may be conceded; but I do not think that any of the fpecimens I have here printed are to be found but in the particular old dramas which I have had before me. They will at leaft, therefore, have the merit of novelty to those who may not have the opportunity of seeing the rare and curious volumes from which they have been

taken."

The brief Defcription of John Parkhurst and his Writings" we have already enlarged in p. 510; and hope it will be ufeful to Mr. Beloe in a future edition.

In the account here given of "Rowlande Broughton," another name is added to the Catalogue of English Poets.

Of "The Secrets of Angling, 1652," we are told,

"There perhaps does not exift in the circle of English Literature a rarer book. It is quoted no where but by Ifaac Walton, in his Complete Angler, where it is afcribed to Je. Davors, Efq. Of this perfon I can no where find any account. He has even efcaped the indefatigable penetration and industry of Ritson. The book is fo rare that Sir John Hawkins confeffes he could never procure a fight of it. My friend Mr. Douce had given me the opportunity of defcribing it, when I afterwards found a lefs perfect copy in the British Museum."

Richard Barnfield:

"This Author, a Profeffor of Civil Law, was much efteemed in his day, and publifhed many valuable works. He has, however, never been noticed as a Poet but that he deferves to be fo will fuffi ciently appear from the following defcription and fpecimen of a curious little volume, which I believe to be unique, and which has been lent me by Mr, Thomas Payne, of the Mews Gate [now of Pall Mall], whom I have invariably found prompt to affift the caufe of Literature. The title is, "The Dove; or, Paffages of Cofmography, by Richard Zouche, Civil lian of New College, in Oxford, 1613."

"A Fig for Momus, containing plea fant Varietie, included in Satyres, Ec logues, and Epiftles, by T. L. of Lin colns Inne, Gent. At London, for Clement Knight, and are to bee_folde at his Shop at the Little North. Doore of Pauls Church. 1595."

"This I prefume to be the firft Collec tion of Satires, fo named and intended in the English language. This work Warton had never seen; and what his indefatigable refearch had not difcovered cannot be of every day's occurrence. In his Ca talogue of English Satirifts, Warton gives precedence to Hall; but Hall's 'Toothleffe Satyrs, Poetical, Academical, Moral,' were published in 1597:"

After a defcription of "Euphues' Golten Legacie," a tract by Thomas Lodge, which deferves "commemoration, as well for its great rarity, as that, by the acknowledgment of all the Commentators, it furnished the plot of Shakspeare's "As You Like It," we are treated with "a brief defeription of fome rarer Epigrammatic productions of the earliest period.”

One of thefe fhall be given, as cha racteristic of the times:

"To Sir Pierce Penny-leffe. "Though little coyne thy purfe-leffe pocket lyne,

Yet with great company thou art ta'en up,

For