from that of the female sex. We errors, proves his power of fixing his may, then, very reasonably conceive, thoughts, and this proof is of greater that a steady and rapid hand is strongly importance than it at first appears to indicative of mental energy, since be. Many persons have been unable, energy is, in point of fact, an union after years of practice, to copy withof vivacity and firmness ; it would, out erasures, for want of the power nevertheless, be ridiculous to presume of confining their attention to the to calculate the degree in which it is subject on which they were engaged. possessed ; it is sufficient if we can Regnard, in his character of the "abdiscover some traces of it. There is sent man," has taken care to repreanother mental power which consists, sent him under this point of view, if we may so express it, iu its dura- but with the addition of many hution, we mean perseverance, for con- morous circumstances, suited to the stancy rather applies to the prolon. genius of the comic Muse. gation of the sentiment than the sen- If, on the contrary, a man is suptiment itself. In the first instance the posed to be occupied with a subject band-writing is well supported to the which exercises his imagination, or last ; in the second it is always simi- bis judgment, the ease and rapidity lar. A person of a wavering dispo. with which he traces his thoughts on sition may not grow tired of writing, paper, prove the facility with which but he will be incapable of writing he composes; and it was not without long in an uniform manner.

reason that Voltaire, speaking of the There is another trait which it is Telemachus of Fenelon, admired the very possible to recognize in the neatness of the manuscripts and the hand-writing, and which is but sel- rare occurrence of erasures. R.S. dom allied to uncommon vivacity-it is mildness, or rather what the French

NUGÆ ANTIQUÆ. would call douceur. Examples of this (Continued from p. 232.) sort are often to be met with in the hand-writing of Women, and in the IN the former part of the reign of

King Hen.VIII. there did not grow it is scarcely possible for an acute ob- in England a cabbage, carrot, turnip, server to be deceived. The distin

or other edible root-and even Queen guishing points on which to form a

Catherine could not command a sallad judgment of this style are, first the for dinner, till the King brought over absence of strong and irregular marks

a gardener from the Netherlands.from the hand-writing,—such as we The artichoke, apricot, and damask have already proved to depote con- rose then made their first appearance trary qualities, and next, a certain

in England. sostoess and harmony in the form of Pocket watches were first brought the letters, with which (as has been from Germany 1577. foolishly said of the dull poetry of Coaches were iotroduced in 1580, Denham) strength, to a certain de- before wbich time Queen Elizabeth gree is also combined. We know of rod

on public occasions behind her no autographs which would more Lord Chamberlain. completely illustrate our remark than

A saw-mill was erected near Lon. those of the “mild and inoffensive” don, 1633, but was afterwards demoFenelon, the gentle Kirk White, and lished that it might not deprive the the Irish poetess, Mrs. Henry Tighe, labouring poor of employment. who were, in truth,

Coffee-houses in London were open“ Flowers of meekness upon stems of ed in 1652. grace.”

The virtues of the loadstone were It is also possible to become ac- known in France before 1180. The quainted in some measure with even marioer's compass was exhibited at the intellectual qualities through the Venice, A.D. 1260, by Paulus Venetus medium of the band - writing. We as his own invention. John Goga of have already observed, that in writing, Analphi was the first who used it in the hand follows the movement of navigation. the thoughts. The first remark with Windmills were known in Greece which this consideration supplies us, and Arabia as early as the seventh is the facility of discerning whether century, and yet no mention is made the writer be capable of continued of them in Italy till the 14th century, attention, He who wriles without nor in England till Henry VIII.

a

• The

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1819.) Nugæ Antiquæ.-Bell Tower, Salisbury. 305

The art of making crystal glass a lively picture of the antient manfor mirrors was practised by the Ve- ners proceeds one of the capital pleagetians in the 13th century.

sures we have in reading Homer;" A clock that strikes the hours was and he mighl as well have preserved unknown in Europe till the 12th cen- this passage, as have told us before tury.

that they generally killed and dressed Paper was not made earlier than their own victuals ; Od. 19 and 20. the fourteenth century — and print- And Achilles, entertaining Priam, slew ing in the century following. The a snow-white sheep, and his two art of reading made a very slow pro- friends flead and dressed it. Rousgress. To encourage it in England, seau says, that the Macassars vever the capital punishment of death was taste animal food, and are acknowremitted if the criminal could read, ledged to be the fiercest of mortals. which is termed Benefit of Clergy. The first societies were small-and Yet so small an edition of the Bible small states in close neighbourhoods as 600 copies translated into English engender discord and resentment withtemp. Henry VIII. was not wholly sold out end; the junction of many such off in three years.

states into a great kingdom removes In the age next preceding Queen people farther from their enemies, and Elizabeth there were few chimneys renders them more gentle. even in capital towns'; the fire was Before A. D. 1545, ships of war in laid to the wall, and the smoke issued England had po port-holes for guns ; at the roof or door, or window. The they had only a few cannon placed on houses were waited and plastered the deck. over with clay; and all the furniture

(To be continued.) and utensils were of wood. The people slept on straw pallets, with a log Mr. URBAN,

Sept. 29. of wood for a pillow. (Holinshed.) T the time of the great altera

The first silk stockings that were made in France were worn by Henry dral, 1790, or thereabouts, it was II. at the marriage of the Duchess of judged expedient, in order to obtain Savos.

a better view of the Cathedral, to Queen Elizabeth in the third year remove ao antient Bu ing, origiof her reigo received a present of a nally, a Bell-tower. As the splenpair of black silk knit stockings , and did accounts of Salisbury, recently she never wore cloth any more. published by Messrs. Dodsworth and (Howel.)

Brillon, contain no representation or London-bridge was of timber be account of this Building, I beg you fore the Conquest ; it was repaired by to preserve a slight view of it, iaken King William Rufus ; and was burnt about 1987 (see Plate' II.) It stood by accident in 1176, Henry II. The - on the North-west side of the Cathestone bridge was finished in 1212. dral. Yours, &c.

B. The art of making glass was imported from France in 674, for the Mr. URBAN, Lundon, Sept. 18. use of monasteries ; glass windows in MEMBER of the Antiquarian private houses were rare in the 12th century, and held to be a great luxury. ing that the reparations now in pro

Thomas à Becket had his parlour gress at Winchester Cathedral, “ strewed every day with cleao straw ; not of the best taste;" proceeds to obthis was the practice in Queen Eliza- serve, that “the roof of that part where beth's time even in her presence chain- the transept is uniled, is in imitation of ber: as industry increased, cleanli. Henry VII.” &c. With what propripess improved, and established itself ety a work executed by Bishop Fox in England.

in the reign of Henry VII. can be said Achilles bimself divided the roasted to be in imitation of the style of that beef among his guests. Pope, judg- period, I leave your Correspondent ing it below the dignity of Achilles to explain; the fact is, that the roof to act the butcher, suppresses that is of timber groined and ornamented article, imposing the task upon his in the manner prevalent at the period two friends; but “ Pope did not con- mentioned. On the part between the sider,” says Lord Kames, “that from stalls and the altar, the workmen were GENT. MAG, October, 1819.

employed

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are :

Repairs in Winchester Cathedral vindicated. (Oct. employed when I saw it on Saturday, I now proceed to consider the Aug. 21, and were doing the wbole strunge suggestion of your Corresof it to imitate stone. I will not say pondent, for the removal of the wbole there is no blue introduced in the part Choir to the East of the transept ; beof the roof towards the West, but I cause to form an entire Choir Eastconfidently assert I saw none. ward of the transept, of the same di

“ Instead of paioting that which mensions as the present (and be does 'ought to be so," he adds, “ is done with Dot intimate any desire that it should a nasty glazy varnish.” The stalls in be curtailed)ʻthe Altar would block this Chapel, which are of oak, and up the entrance to the Chapel of the 'carved io a very chaste and beautiful Virgin ; wbile the great Easi window, manner, have been varnished ; and the which terminates the present would faint remains of the legendary paiot- be about half way down the proposed jogs on the Easteru end of the North Choir, the height of which, in the and South walls, in order to preserve Eastern half, would be thereby rethem, have been varnished also; but duced from 78 to 44 feet. Nor is this I can discover vothing offensively all, for the tombs of William Ru. glazy in their appearance, much less fus, De Lucy, De Foix, and several any thing to be justly termed “pasty." others, must be removed, and the It is scarcely possible your Correspon- chantries of Beaufort, Waynfleet, dent can wish the stalls to be painted; Fox, and Gardiner, (the combined efand the walls could not, without ob- fect of which in their present relaJiterating the antient legends to which tive situations is asserted to exceed I have alluded, and which I conceive any thing in this country, if pot in every Antiquary would be anxious to Europe,) must be destroyed, or at preserve. I am therefore at a loss to least erected in other, and less elidiscover where this painting is re- gible places. The allar-screen too, quired.

so justly admired, must be taken With respect to the statues of the down, and the height of the Eastera four monarchs at the angles of the end of the proposed Choir would not tower, which possess so little of kingly admit of its being replaced, even if dignity as to be mistaken for “ four it could be effected without mutila- Scotchmen playing on bagpipes,” it tion; besides which, another screen, will suffice to say, the blame can only placed at the Eastern extremity of the attach to those by wbom they were Presbytery, wbich bas on its Eastern executed, and placed in the situations front nine niches enriched with elethey occupy:

gantly-sculptured canopies, formerly Whether the organ shall remain in containing statues of eighteen sainis its present situation under the Nor. and monarchs, must be also displaced thero arch of the tower, or he placed aod rendered useless. at the West end of the choir, is not The persons who are now directing yet (as I understand) finally decided; the repairs of the Cathedral are, the if it remains, the arch towards the Rev. Dr. George Frederick Nolt, one Southern transept must also, I con- of the prebendaries, and William Gar. ceive, continue to be stopped up; if bett, esq. architect, of Winchester. it is removed ("a consummation de. The grand principle by which they voutly to be wished”), both the arches . bave been hitherio guided, is renoopening to the trapsept will be cleared vation in preference to alteratior, of their incumbrances ; and therefore and their primary object appears to be for this alteration, as well as for tak. to reduce every thing (as far as ciring away the screen ascribed to loigo cumstances will permii) to its prisJones at the entrance of the choir, tine state, by removing all anomalous and the opening the first story of the and ineongruous ornaments and aptower (wbich would give to the choir pendages, which vitialed taste has at the sublime and impressive effect so different intervening periods introwell delineated in the engraving by duced. Radclyffe, in Britton's History of In elucidation of this remark, I Winchester Cathedral,) I am an ear- beg to observe, that they are at this Dest and decided advocate. By the time restoring with great care, and a bye, this last alteration, if made, scrupulous adherence to the original would occasion the removal of the design, the mutilated parts of the aloffensive statues.

tar screen ; wbile some uros, which a

former