often striking and unaccountable; and shall we account for the defect of nuwhilst we are delighted with the for-triment at this time only in the momer, we are astonished at the latter. ther, and the consequent loss of all In whatever mode indeed the opera- her offspring? Surely these are sintions are performed, it is confessed on gular variations from the expected all sides, that it is the Divine Almighty course of things as they happened beAgent that works in all; and the in- fore, and, as I would also observe, quiry may appear to be a matter of after this large increase: for the same curiosity rather than of use, which sow has within these few weeks promode this invisible Being, may choose duced a litter of the usual number, to adopt in the works of his own hands. about twelve; and all are mostly black, Still however as the works of the Lord and likely to live, being supported by are sought out, or carefully inquired the milk of their dam. into, of all those that have pleasure therein, it may not be an unprofitable amusement, whilst we are contemplating the beautiful order that is manifested in the universe, to notice some of the variations from it; which may serve to recall to our minds an immediate superintendency, and to awaken our thoughts to the more particular exercise of a divine interposition in all things. These and such like suggestions will occasionally occur to the mind that will accustom itself to take notice of the ordinary operations of Nature, and especially in the animal world: and I have myself been led to them from observations in my farm-yard, from a cursory attention to what are considered as the most ignoble race of animals, tire very swine. I have for some years kept a little Chinese sow, mostly of a black colour, but not without some spots of white. The male companion of this animal has been usually an English boar; and the result has been large litters from twelve to fourteen or even sixteen pigs, all invariably black, with scarcely, any white marks except in the feet, legs, or tail. And she has generally reared or brought up the far greater number of her young, and acted the part of a good mother towards them. Thus far things have been regular, and according to ordinary expectation. But in the last autumn this same black sow produced a large litter of twenty pigs, of which the far greater part were all white, and with scarcely any black spots about them. At this time the mother was deprived of her usual supply of milk for her numerous progeny; and notwithstanding all possible care, within two or three days the whole litter died. Now what should occasion this extraordinary change in the colour of the young, and this great increase in their number? Or how These facts are curious; and however from their humble and familiar nature they might escape the notice of common observers, yet they can scarce fail to make an impression on the minds of men who are accustomed to thought and reflection. They may perhaps be deemed unworthy of attention, and even excite the ridicule of careless and superficial observers. But to those who are in the habit of eontemplating the works of Providence, they will assist in demonstrating that superior Ageney, which can continue, or arrest and controul the ordinary courses of things, whenever his infinite wisdom and sovereign power shall think fit and expedient. Sure it is, that the Lord worketh in all; and as there is not a sparrow that falleth to the ground without his notice, so he may introduce occasional varieties from the general order of things, for this or such-like excellent purpose, to awaken men to a due sense of his Agency, and to excite them to a proper attention to his divine power, which otherwise from its uniform tenour might too often escape from their minds. A COUNTRY PARISH PRIEST. proper station for all degrees in Society, I beg to propound that Naval and Military Officers, from Admirals of the Fleet and Field Marshals down to Navy Lieutenants and Army Captains, should precede Serjeants at Law, and Doctors of every description. There is a manifest impropriety, at least, in placing any Officer below an Esquire who stands higher in the army than a subaltern; because, although Cornets, Ensigns, and Lieutenants, are only denominated "Gentlemen" in their commissions, Captains and Majors are always termed "Esquires," and have, from thence, the double claim to that rank arising from creation and from office. It appears therefore, that the Subalterns in our Army and Navy ought to come after Esquires by birth or fortune; and those other Officers which I have before described, immediately after-Knights Bachelors. Yours, &c. SELIM. Mr. URBAN, Penzance, July 6. Tfrom the Public Prints in March HE following information, copied 1807, will, I think, sufficiently answer the Queries of your Correspondent G. L. D. in Vol. LXXX. p. 517.. "The cost of 500 copies, bound, of each of the two Treatises, is to be deducted from the Premium of £400 bequeathed to the person whose Treatise shall be judged the second in point of merit. "In order to prevent partiality, the Authors are desired not to send their Treatises with their name, or in their own hand-writing, but with a Motto, which Motto is to be also written on the outside of a sealed paper, containing the name and address of the Author. Only the Prize ones to be opened; the others destroyed and the Treatises will be returned to whoever claims by the Motto, on application to the Treasurer, Alexander Galen, Esq. Merchant, Aberdeen. All the Treatises to be with him before the 1st January 1814, and the Premiums to be paid in Whitsuntide Term next after the decision of the Judges. Intermediate inquiries between this and the 1st Ja nuary 1814, will be answered by Letters addressed, post-paid, to the said Alexander Galen, Esq. Merchant, Aberdeen, the Treasurer under the Testator's Will* " The further particulars desired by G. L. D. or others of your Readers, may be known by application to Mr. Galen, as above. Yours, &c. Mr. URBAN, H. B. February 9. GIVE every credit which is due to Glotianus for his good intentions, and consider him as a Student or Freshman, as we term it, anxious for the honour of his College; but from the time he has taken to answer me, I think be might have been more accurate; which leads me to form an opinion, that whatever studies are pursued at Glasgow, that of close reasoning (which is so much attended to at one of our Universities in particular) is there neglected. If he will take the trouble of referring to my Letter, he will find that I did not assert that the Scotch Universities had not produced great men; far from it; on the contrary, I well know we are indebted to them for many celebrated characters; and he might well have added to those names he has quoted, a Robertson and a Beattie, who do honour to the places of their education; but I only asserted, Mr. Urban, that the title of A. M. by custom, which in this Kingdom generally operates as a law, belongs to them who have taken that degree at Oxford or Cambridge, and to take it, when educated elsewhere, appears to me to arrogate an improper distinction, and puts me in mind of what I read when a school-boy,sic vos non vobis,' &c. I did not mention the names of a Newton, Addison, Locke, Bentley, &c.; for the question is not which Colleges have produced the greatest men, but merely whether a Scotch A. M. is al *We are informed, that the munificent Testator was a Clergyman of the Scotch Church, of the name of Burnet (a relative of the celebrated Bishop) and having been himself deeply infected with Infidel prin ciples, when recovered from them, he reteraction of these principles: for we unsolved on this method of perpetual counderstand the sums now offered as Premiums are not the principal, but an accumulation of the Interest of that sum; and that the Premiums will be repeated so often as the Interest shall amount to the like sum of £1600. EDIT. lowable lowable in England. Glotianus' list of names puts me in mind of Homer's Catalogue, and also of a story I have heard, of anOxford and Cambridge man disputing which University had produced the greatest men; when, after a long contest, one mentioned a number of high-sounding names in a breath, which decided it, and silenced the other. I now take my leave of Glotianus, advising him to have a Letter before him when he is answering it; and not to take the title of A. M. unless he can have an honorary one at one of our Universities, or be admitted ad eundem; for the Poet's rule is as applicable to agendi as loquendi. Yours, &c. NORMALIS. I Mr. URBAN, Newcastle, May 4. HAVE great pleasure, in reading the discussions of Science when properly contested, without the dirk of wrath and animosity. I must confess I am exceedingly sorry to see the controversy between an Amateur and an Architect carried on in such a manner by the former as to wound my feelings; it reflects not only discredit on him as a gentleman, but as a literary character. Amateur has said in a former Letter that Architect's language is coarse, ungrammatical, and muddy but nothing, Sir, can justify either a Cantab or Oxonian in giving the lie direct. I expect more politeness from them, from their education: it is an affront to the Publick; it is a disgrace to any literary man in this enlightened age that we live in; and it further seems strongly to shew, that Amateur must either feel himself at a loss for words to express his sentiments as he should do, or he is afraid he has the negative side of the argument. Nothing shews weakness so strongly, as when a gentleman of superior education condescends to have recourse to gross abuse. I do not mean to enter into the defence of Architect's opinions on our Antiquities, because he is very well able to take his own part; neither do I wish to enter into any controversy with Amateur, who may have in many respects good reasons for siding with his friend Mr. Whittington in his opinions; but I should like to see that respectable style preserved that is due to Society. It would be highly gratifying to THE my opinion. I have no other claim to your indulgence than an enthusiastic admiration of all the emanations of that genius which his Ghostship professes once to have animated; but I rely on your known impartiality. I shall endeavour to avoid prolixity for two reasons; first, that I may not trespass too much on your pages; secondly, lest my sentiments should appear as insignificant to your Readers as they do to myself. I cannot perceive obscurity in the passage quoted by the Ghost; but (to a reader who does not wish to create cbscurities, that he may indulge his genius in the illustration of them) I think it must be evident Brutus speaks of himself. The slightest dereliction of principle lays the foundation of numerous errors: thus it is with Cassius-he undertakes to be the advocate of corruption Brutus's virtue remains unshaken, though placed in opposition to the solicitations of friendshipCassius, instigated by the mingled feelings of disappointment, mortification, and regret, at finding his unworthy suit rejected, reproaches Brutus with a breach of friendship; this commences the quarrel, in the course of which, urged by the injustice of Cassius, Brutus suffers himself for a moment to give way to the influence of anger his conduct throughout is marked with the features of conscious rectitude - Cassius, with grief and shanie, half acknowledges his error; and Brutus, from whose bosom the remembrance of their former friendship is not erased, spares him a further humiliation by telling him, that he (Brutus) "carries anger as the flint bears fire; Which, much enforced, shews a hasty spark, And straight is cold again." Yours, &c, J. FITCH. Mr. |