What may truly and fairly be faid of young Betty is, that he is a very extraordinary boy. Perhaps there is fcarcely a youth of his age in five thoufand, who, with every benefit of inftruction, could fucceed fo well upon the flage as he does; but to fay that he is now a complete Actor, is to fay infinitely too much. His figure is good; and his countenance, though with no very expreffive feature, is pleafing and interefting. His voice is boyish, and his utterance not remarkably clear. He feems to have been advifed to truft a good deal to his lower tones, as requiring lels effort, and as giving him an opportu nity to deliver himfelf, in animated paffages, with an energy that is the more ftriking, on account of its dif fimilarity from the other parts of his E performance. He always gives his hear ers the notion of a youth exceedingly well taught, and never forgetful of the leffons he has received; not but that in his action, he must frequently be directed by his own feeling and good fenfe. His memory. is excellent. Wherever he is defective, you plainly fee the caufe his age renders it impoffible he fhould do better. I would be the laft to deny, admiration is often juftly excited that he fhould do fo well. 細際 The De led to to BELS Mr. URBAN, Dec. 22. A FRIEND at Norwich has juft communicated to me, that, in pulling down fome buildings in the Clofe of the Cathedral, a row of columns, &c. were discovered, obferving, "their capitals are beautiful, in good prefervation, and about the time of Stephen." Among other particulars he thus concludes: "THESE REMAINS ARE LEFT TILL THE DEAN RE TURNS.' When we are fo thoroughly convinced how the relicks of Antiquity are valued and protected, notwithstanding they may ftand in the way of fome projected improvement, it is hardly neceffary to fay what will be the fate of the "columns ;" and the more fo, when it may be recollected, that the charac teriftic and noble architectural mound girding the City of Norwich, with fuch honourable and hiftoric reference, has of late loft all, if not the greater number, of the grand gates of entrance. What is the recompence for fuch loffes? The phantom “TASTE." A circumftance of this nature, two or three months back, took place in the Abbey remains at Westminster. While workmen were preparing the face of the walls in the Little Cloifters, in order to receive a new coat of plafter and white wath, a curious Saxon window, fome pointed-arch door-ways, and other particulars, became vifible. In this ftate I faw them. Imagining of course, from the fpirit of Reftorution faid to be abroad among the walls of the facred pile, that thefe objects would be left for public view with the other curiofities meeting the eye at every step, I delayed taking fketches at that time until a more favourable opportunity; which foon occuring, behold all the relicks were departed, fmooth was the whitened wall, and all that remained for me was difappointment and regret. It is much to be feared that in a defire, on the part of his relations, to collect for him a large fum of money, his health will fuffer from exertion too frequent and violent for his years. He certainly thould not perform oftener than once, or (now and then) twice a week; and that the Managers will find very foon is as often as he need perform, for their intereft as well as his own. If he fhould live, he will, in all probability, be a diftinguifhed ornament to the Theatre. But let him beware. The Town is highly indulgent to rifing merit; and the great applaufe he gains, unless he poffels much pru dence, may be prejudicial to him. He may fairly attribute a confiderable por tion of that applaufe to his own cleyer exertions, and the judgment and pathos with which he occafionally expreffes himself; but part of it let him be wife enough to put down to the circumftances of his juvenile appearance, the novelty of a boy of thirteen upon the ftage, and the fashion which (with infinite care and fkill) his friends have made it to give him unbounded praile. ANOCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT. GENT. MAG. December, 1804. In the year 1788 I was more fortunate. A range of Saxon columns and arches (fuppofed to be part of Edward the. Confeffor's church, and fituated Eaft of the Little Cloifters) were laid open to fight in taking down fome outhoufes which had been built up againft them. I drew the lines on the noment; and in a very fhort time afterwards thefe very valuable traces of Edward's architectural magnificence were once more hid from notice, by fome new common yard-offices being again reared up against thein. J. C. Mr. Mr. URBAN, Hull, Dec. 20. RETURN Nauticus thanks for his information refpecting the Swallow tribe; but, cannot at the fame time help expreffing my allonishment that all thofe gentlemen, who have an opportunity of obferving the appearance and difappearance of thefe fingularlyinterefting little animals, are not equally communicative with your above intelligent Correfpondent. A few extracts from my Naturalift's Calendar are at Dr. Mavor's fervice; fhould he deem them worthy of notice, he may at leaft rely upon them as correct, as I have paid particular attention to the fubject. July 28th. Swifts (Hirundo Apus) begin to depart; laft feen Auguft 4th. Sept. 7th. The generality of Swallows (Hirundo Ruftica) difappeared this morning, directing their courfe to the South Weft. Wind S. E. very low, mifty. 25th. Martins (Hirundo Urbica) depart in a South Wefterly direction. Wind N. brifk; hazy. Oct. 6th. Some of the latter broods of Swallows took their departure this morning to the South Weft. Wind SW. brifk; dark, mifty, and cloudy. Oct. 7th. Martins (Hirundo Urbica) laft feen. Yours, &c. PHYSICIEN. Meteorological Diary for Nov. 1804, kept at Hull. Lat. 58°. 35'. Long, 14' W. AL 8 A.M. At 2 P.M. 2 54 2 No. 29.04 R 30.06 R 56 320.04 48 2 2 331 45 49 17 44 45 2 2 .29S 45 42.5 .02 S 44 S 48 .28 S 47 .23 S 46 No. .19 ST 29 06 S 53 B. B. L. R.B B. L. .18 S 49 78487 in 51.5 49 16 343 N 17 .IER 18 .20 R +9 199.955 50 52 48 20 30.01 21 29 38 22 .0 RRKS 44 49 47 13 140 Meteorological Diary for November 1804, kept at Baldock, Lat. 52°. 2′. Long. 5% W. The ftate of the atmosphere has been fuch during this month as to afford very few obfervations on the Sun; and at fuch times as clouds permitted a tranfitory view of that grand luminary, the air was fo remarkably undulating that it put it beyond the uttermoft power of human ken, to enter into the different minutiae of the folar phænomena. It is well known, that this tremulous undulating late of the atmosphere is very detrimental to the making of correct aftronomical obfervations; and that a bright air of an uniform temperature is doubtlefs preferable in moft cafes, especially for nocturnal obfervations; but, nevertheless, I have often found, when ufing a low power and compound dark glafs at the Sun, that the interpofition of fome forts of clouds have rather aided, than otherwife prevented, the difcovery of finall macula. The clouds most favourable to this purpose are cirri and very thin nafcent-cumuli; but when the cirrus changes to the cirro-ftratus, though the Sun may appear as bright through the latter modifications as through the former, yet when a dark glafs is ufed juft barely fufficient to guard the eye, owing to the contexture of the different clouds, the Sun will appear to advantage in the former cafe, and difadvantage in the latter. But to return to our intended fubject. On the 3d, at 10 A. M. only one fpot vifible, which was near the verge of the Sun's S. E. limb; it came on about the 30th, or 31t ult.; facule near the Western limb; air very undulating; wind at E. NE. and brifk: 8th. the fame pot vifible as was seen on the 3d; a finall clufter just coming on; air undulating; very little worthy notice (excepting undulations in the air) till the 22nd, on which day a pret. ty large clufter of macule might be feen near the Eaftern limb; facule. around this clufter; on the 27th it was near the middle of its path, and about the 3d of Dec. it quitted the iuterior difk. Hence there has been very little diverfity in the Solar phænomena this month. It is to be obferved, in the Query concerning Hadley's Quadrant, p.1021, that it relates to the taking of the Sun's altitude from reflection on an artificial horizon (which gives the dou blealtitude), and not from the horizon of the fea; for a leffening of the aperture of the fight vane in the latter cafe, would too much diminish the light at the horizon. A Barometrical Chart fhall be fent in time for your Supplement, laid down from four years observations of the Barometer, viz. from 1801 to 1804, both inclufive. T. S. The PURSUITS OF ARCHITECTURAL INNOVATION. N LXXVIII. ST. DAVID'S CATHEDRAL continued. WE E now refume the defcription of the Choir, and that part bearing to the Eaft, the roof of which is formed with open-worked timbers in manner like thofe of the Nave already fpoken of; though far inferior in regard to tracery and other adornments, ftill among the compartments are many fhields with arms. In the centre of this portion of the Choir, and directly before the fteps of the High Altar, ftands the tomb of Jasper Earl, of Richmond, father to Henry VII. It was in confideration of the relationship (if my information may be depended on) that the layer-wafte of architectural grandeur, Henry VIII, forbore to fign the deftruction of this Church in common with fo many glorious fabricks ennobling thofe realms under his dominion. On this confideration, who can approach the royal memorial without imbibing a double fhare of fatisfaction in reflecting on the " good works" of the defunct, and being fenfible his remains have been, and it may be inferred will fill continue to be, the guardian of all that makes St. David's fane confpicuous in the Antiquarian world, and fo jnftly charms thofe who conftitute the chief fupporters of a study fo delectable and to important. I have often been led to admire the confummate skill of our ancestors (to fay nothing of the religious intent) in placing in this kind of centrical fituation the tombs of regal and illuftrious perfonages; fuch works becoming from their pofition both interefting and picturefque. Thus, while inferior memorials of mortality lie on each fide of Choirs, the principal objects to be reverenced are thus rendered the grand points of view in fo bright a difplay of architectural and monumental fcenery. Forgive the expreffion, if it should be thought to favour more of the Artift than the Moralift. It may not be amifs to inftance a few exifting examples of this Sepulchral arrangement, in order to enforce the above remarks. Edward the Confeffor's fhrine, Henry VII's tomb, Westminster; King John's tomb, Worcester (if not barba roufly removed of late); William Rufus'stomb, Winchefter; thetom bof Ralph Neville Earl of Weftmorland, Staindrop church,Durham (barbaroufly removed of late into the South-weft corner of the edifice); the tombs of the Earls of Warwick, in St. Mary's church, War wick; the tomb of Bilhop Beauchamp, in his chapel in Salisbury (the tomb barbaroufly removed, and his chapel deftroyed, a fhort time back); the exquifite tomb of Thomas Fitz Alan Earl of Arundel, in the Priory church at Arundel; &c. &c. After I had fufficiently fatisfied my felf of the propriety of placing Tombs of great characters fo near the most facred pot in the "Houfe of the Lord," and being about to take account of other remarkables, there came about me a large company of pilgrims (otherwise travellers; and furely those who could leave their diftant home, their eafe, and focial comforts, to tempt the barren waste, and fill more barren hofpitality, to gaze on the religious veftiges of thrice hallowed St. David's, may, as of old, deferve fuch a diflinguifhment). M their looks, poor creatures! there was much devout curiofity; but in their demeanour there was every thing_that indicated dread and confufion. They gave little heed to the perfon who conducted them; and, on perceiving a brother wanderer butily employed in noting down the feveral Antiquities, inftantly broke in upon my labours, by enquiring about the dates of the differ * See Gough's Sepulchral Monuments. ent. ent fpecies of architecture feen about the church; what were the names appertaining to this and that Sepulchre; how far was it to the next Town; what was the purport of the drawings and memoranda I was inaking; and-Thefe Pilgrims were English, and thewed fome confequence, and, as I heard them tell the officer of the church, had ftore of money in their pockets, yet could not procure accommodations, or ineans of farther travel, either for themselves or fervants, by a change of carriages or horfes. Haftily they entered, and haftily they departed. Ah! I cried, was it always thus in the City of St. David? No; thy mighty Palace, thy noble College, and the fuperb aanfions of thy citizens, once told another tale: all then was pomp and princely greeting, now yawning ruins and miferable hovels reverfe the hours of Fate!-The Cathedral fill endures! has ولمة forenamed Prince. The fide of this tomb is likewife plain; and above the ftatue is a low arch, extremely plain alfo. The flatue has loft both the hands and the extremities of the feet. The head is borne by cufhions, and the feet reft on a lion. The armour varies but little from that of the father's, though not fo rich in ornaments. A lion is likewife cut on the body of the armour, with the label of three points. The fon has not any whifkers, as is feen on the father, nor are the features either fo handfome or fo commanding. Thefe fculptures are of the first clafs for truth of drawing, fine execution, and exact reprefentation of coftumic minutie, ranking them among the finest performances of our old mafters. Under the fecond divifion, on the North fide of the Choir, ftands a piece of architecture which is faid to be the Shrine of St. David! When there is a received opinion that any particular object of Antiquity was originally appropriated to a precife purpofe, hold, nay prefumptuous, is that perfon who may go about to do away, in any wife, fuch authority: yet, ftrong as may appear the teftimony, fome doubts may be fubmitted in "contradict line" as to the authenticity of the pofition advanced. Upon thefo grounds I fhall bring forward a few thoughts relative to the Shrine in queftion; and, if what is advanced be found nugatory, and unworthy of regard, let the furmifes difappear, not in the fhades of contempt, but in thofe of forgiveness, and be no more thought on. On the pavement, and at the right of the Earl of Richmond's memorial, are two very low Tombs, one placed at the head of the other; that Weltward ftatue of Bishop Jorwerth; that Eastward bears the ftatue of Bishop Anfelm. At the head of this latter ftatue is a canopy fupported by angels; and in its arch, confifting of three turns, is an infeription in which the name occurs. Thele two fatues are remarkably well fculptured, and in good prefervation. Within the arch of the third divifion, on the South fide of the Choir, is the tomb of Rhys ap Griffith, Prince of South Wales, who died 1197. This ftatue is fometimes pointed out as the effigies of Owen Tudor, who mar- A Shrine is underfood to be a large ried Catharine, queen to Henry V.; wooden cheft, richly ornamented, fo but the make of the armour, and other as to contain a smaller cheft, in which coftunic particulars, affign to it a much is depofited the body of fome Saint; earlier period than the reign of Henry the whole raifed on a basis of stone, VI. when Owen was beheaded. The decorated with niches, paintings, prefide of this tomb is plain; and behind cious fiones, &c. This inestimable it is a very rich open oak fcreen, which, work was placed in an infular fituation, before the divisions of the Choir were and in the centre of a Feretory, or Chaftopped up, gave view into the fide aile, pel, behind the high Altar of a Choir, &c, The bands and right foot of the fuch as we yet witnefs at Weltminster, ftatue are demolished; the head retis on the Shrine of Edward the Confeffor; a helimet furmounted with the head of and which was once beheld at Cana lion a lion rampant is cut on the terbury, the Shrine of St. Thomas à body-part of the armour. Of the ein- Becket; and at Durham, the Shrine of bellishments belonging to this warlike St. Cuthbert, &c. The fubject under habiliment the girdle is very beautiful. difcuffion is done wholly in ftone; fet The countenance is ftrongly marked, up under an arch in one of the divi and well expreffes the character of the fions of the Choir, in like manner as Hero and the Chriftian. In the divifion Tonibs and Monuments; has no traits ou the oppofite fide of the Choir is the of the ufual form of Shrines (as above Tomb of Rhys Grigg, the fon of the specified), and comes fimply under this defcription: |