N the Oxford Almanack for the ensuing year 1820, it is stated that the Lent or Hilary Term ends on Saturday, March 25. This, it is apprehended, is a mistake; since it is enjoined by the University Statutes, that if the beginning or end of any term falls on a festival, it shall be postponed to the following day; with an exception as to the third or Easter Term, the end of which, should it fall on a festival, is to be on the day preceding the festival. Tit. i. sec. 1. In compliance with this injunction, the end of the Lent or Hilary Term, which in 1820 falls on Saturday, March 25, ought, as that day is the festival of the Annunciation, to be postponed to the 26th; but as the 26th falls on a Sunday, the end of the Term should be further post poned to Monday, the 27th.

The case which gave rise to these remarks, can only occur when Easter Day falls on the 2d of April, which has taken place only three times during the period of more than a century preceding the present time; viz. in 1727, 1738, 1809. And in the Oxford Almanacks, now laying before me, for those years, the Term is said to end on Monday, March 27, and not on Saturday, the 25th.

Perhaps, some of your academical Correspondents may be inclined to direct their attention to this subject. Yours, &c. TAXIS.

ON THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF THE GREAT.

Tvidence of great men is proved by every record of history, and by the experience of modern times.

HE instrumentality, under Pro

*He is supposed to have died in Ireland, in 1724, and a good account of him may be seen in Charnock's Biographia Navalis, vol. II. p. 455.-EDIT.

Alexander founded 70 cities, so situated as to promote commerce and diffuse civilization; had those nations, says Plutarch, not been conquered, Egypt would have had no Alexandria, and Mesopotamia, no Seleucia. He also introduced marriage into one conquered country, and agriculture into another;-one barbarous nation, which used to eat their pa rents, was led by him to reverence and maintain them; he taught the Persiaus to respect and not to marry their mothers; and the Scythians to bury and not to eat their dead.Thus it will be seen, that the same infinite Wisdom often permits human evils to balance each other; and in subservience to his grand purpose of general good, not only sets good against evil, but often, where the counteracting principle of religion seems wholly suspended, prevents of human affairs, by allowing one set any fatal preponderance in the scale

The clash of parties, and the opposi tion of human opinion, are often overruled for good,-and thus, thro'

of vices to counterbalance another.

the action and counteraction of the

human mind, no jar of passion, no defeat the wise and gracious purposes abuse of free agency, shall eventually of Heaven.

Thus the Crusaders beheld in their march countries in which civilization their own; they saw foreign manuhad made a greater progress than in factures in a state of improvement, to which they had not been accustomed: thus their views of commerce were improved, and their means of extending it were enlarged. So the usurpation of the Popes, and the corruption of the Romish Clergy, becaine the cause of the Reformation, -and the capture of Constantinople by the Turks, compelled the only accomplished scholars then in the world to seek an asylum in the Western parts of Europe. Crimes by which any of these measures were preceded or accompanied, could ›never meet the sanction of Heaven ;

but the consequences of the measures, not of the crimes, were instruments for effecting good from evil.

To reduce uncertainty to method, confusion to arrangement, and contingency to order, is solely the prerogative of Almighty power.

And thus in our own times, the audacity

directs, counsels, and visits all that he has made, and that even the contests of nations shall finally manifest his praise! A. H.

Mr. URBAN,

IN

Dec. 3.

N answer to the inquiry of G. H. W. p. 386, after Sir John Chardin, I send you some interesting Extracts from "Evelyn's Memoirs;" a Work which has been lately so justly commended in your Review. A.

"30 Aug. I went to visite a French gent, one Mons Chardine, who having ben thrice in the East Indies, Persia, and other remote countries, came hither in our returne ships from those parts; and it being reported that he was a very curious and knowing man, I was desir'd by the R. Society to salute him in their name, and to invite him to honour them with his company. Sr Jo. Hoskins and Sr Christ? Wren accompanied me. We found him at his lodgings in his Eastern habit, a very handsome person, extremely affable, a modest well-bred man, not inclined to talke wonders. He spake Latine, and understood Greeke, Arabic, and Persian, from 11 years travels in those parts, whither he went in search of jewells; and was become very rich. He seem'd about 36 years of age. After the usual civilities, we ask'd some account of ye extraordinary things he must have seene in travelling over land to those places where few, if any, Northern Europeans us'd to go, as the Black and Caspian Sea, Mingrelia, Bagdat, Nineveh, Persepolis, &c. He told us that the things most worthy of our sight would be, the draughts he had caused to be made of some noble ruines, &c.; for that besides his own little talent that way, he had carried two good painters with him to draw landscapes, measure and designe the remaines of the palace wch Alexander burnt in his frolic at Persepolis, with divers temples, columns, relievos, and statues, yet extant, wch he affirm'd to be sculpture far exceeding any thing he had observ'd either at Rome, in Greece, or in any other part of ye world, where magnificence was in estimation. He said there was an inscription in letters, not intelligible, though entire. He was sorry he could not gratify the curiosity of the Society at present; his things not being yet out of the ship, but would wait on them with them on his returne from Paris, whither he was going the next day, but with intention to returne suddenly, and stay longer here, the persecution in France not suffering Protestants, and he was one, to be quiet. He told ns that Nineveh was a vast cittie, now all buried in her ruines, the inhabitants building on the subterranean vaults, which were, as appear'd, the first stories of the old cittie;

that there were frequently found huge vases of fine earth, columns, and other antiquities; that the straw which the Egyptians requir'd of y• Israelites, was not to burne, or cover the rowes of bricks, as we use, but being chopp'd small to mingle with the clay, which being dried in the sun (for they bake not in the fur

naces), would else cleave asunder; that

in Persia are yet a race of Igniculi, who worship the sun and the fire as gods; that ye women of Georgia and Mingrelia were universally and without any compare, the most beautiful creatures for shape, features, and figure, in the world, and therefore the Grand Seignior and Bashaws had had from thence most of their wives and concubines; that there had, within these hundred yeares, ben Amazons amongst them, that is to say, a sort or race of valiant women, given to warr; that Persia was extremely fertile; he spoke also of Japan and China, and of the many greate errors of our late geographers, as we suggested matters for discourse. We then took our leaves, failing of seeing his papers, but it was told us by others that indeede he durst not open or show them till he had first shown them to the French King, but of this he himselfe said nothing." Evelyn's Memoirs, vol. 1. p. 522.

"I went to visite Sir John Chardin, a French gentleman, who had travelled three times by land into Persia, and had made many curious researches in his travells, of which he was now setting forth a relation. It being in England this year one of the severest frosts that had happen'd of many years, he told me the cold in Persia was much greater, the ice of an incredible thicknesse; that they had little use of iron in all that country, it being so moiste (tho' the air admirably clear and healthy); that oyle would not preserve it from rusting, so that they had neither clocks nor watches; some padlocks they had for doores and boxes."-Ibid. p. 567.

"I went to Sir John Chardine, who desired my assistance for the engraving the plates, the translation, and printing his History, of that wonderfull Persian Monument neere Persepolis, and other rare antiquities, which he had caused to be drawne from the originals in his second journey into Persia, which we now concluded upon."-Ibid. p. 570.

"I went to see Sir John Chardin at Greenwich."-Ibid. p. 631.

"I was godfather to St John Chardin's son, christen'd at Greenewich Church, nam'd John. The Earle of Bath and Countesse of Carlisle, the other sponsors." -Ibid. p. 643.

"I din'd at the Lord Keeper's, and brought him to Sir John Chardin, who showed him his accurate draughts of his travells in Persia."-Ibid. p. 571.

Mr.

A

Mr. URBAN, Waterford, Sept. 24. LTHOUGH the recent great Recoinage in England, as not being intended for circulation in this part of the kingdom, does not so immediately concern us as our good brothers Johnny and Sandy; yet, as what interests them cannot be wholly immaterial to us, and the present Mas. ter of the Mint, the Right Hon. W. W. Pole, being our country man, we have given the subject a considerable share of our attention: and although we cannot say that some of the severe criticisms which have been so liberally heaped upon it may not be just, we may nevertheless be permitted to declare, that the very short period in which so immense a Coinage was struck must always reflect the highest honour on the ability and activity of Mr. Pole, and that the Coinage itself is in many respects deserving of high commendation, both for design and execution.

Without entering fully on these points, we may remark, that on the Sovereigu and Crown the Royal Arms are omitted, and St. George (the Patron Saint of England) encountering the Dragon, is substituted in their place. We fully approve of this change, as far as it goes; but we think, if it be restricted to this, Ireland and Scotland have reason to

complain as being neglected. If Eng. land is particularly noticed on the Coinage, so ought the other divisions of the kingdom. We leave Scotland to advocate her own claims; but we must protest against any disrespect, as well of omission as of commission, towards that country which has been truly denominated "the right arm of England." With these ideas and feelings, we have been much gratified, in looking through a recent numismatic publication, "A Supplement to Ruding's Annals of the Coinage," at p. 69, to find mention of a Pattern Crown by Mr. W. Wyon, "which commemorates the Legislative Union with Ireland." The obverse," continues Mr. Ruding, "is inscribed Georgius III. Brittanniarum Rex, F. D. 1817,' and bears a spirited, and, to my eye, a faithful portrait of our venerable Sovereign, On the reverse, which has this motto, Foedus Inviolabile,' the union of the three kingdoms is happily expressed GENT, MAG. December, 1819.

6

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by three female figures, of chaste design and masterly execution, representing Britannia, Hibernia, and Scotia, distinguished by St. George's Cross, the Thistle, and Harp, and their heads adorned with the Rose, Thistle, and Shamrock, respectively. Britannia is drawn with considerable dignity of character, and appears to be the eldest sister of the three; the other two look towards her with af fection and respect."

For this liberal and classical design, we acknowledge ourselves gratefully sensible to Mr. Wyon, and hope we shall see his ideas on the Coinage as well as on paper. We conjecture, from his name, that he is related to the late chief engraver, by whose premature death the medallic art in England sustained the greatest loss it has experienced since that of Simon— whether he is or not, we trust he will remember, that the abilities of that great artist have made Excellence and Wyon synonimous with those who study this delightful branch of the Arts. To those who can feel, we need say no more; and should these remarks meet the eye of Mr. Pole, we trust he will not deem them u seasonable, or unworthy his consideration. OBSERVATOR.

Mr. URBAN,

Dec. 21 THE Atton ridiculed for the affec Attorneys of the present day tation of styling themselves Solicitors, as if the title were an assumption of modern date. I have, however, fortunately discovered that it is of considerable standing, and that it was adopted upon a singular and very emergent occasion. It is thus related by Quevedo, in his third Vision of the Last Judgment:

"The Scriveners and Attorneys observing that (i. e. that some house-breakers and robbers were so dextrous, that they saved themselves from the very ladders), ah! thought they, if we could but pass for thieves now. And yet they set a face good enough upon the business too; which made Judas and Mahomet hope well of themselves; for (said they) if any of these fellows come off, there's no fear of us.

Whereupon they advanced boldly with a resolution to take their tryal, which set the devils all a laughing. The guardian angels of the Scriveners and Attorneys mov'd that the Evangelists might be of their counsel, which the Devils opposed;

for

Wé

for (said they) we shall insist only upon the matter of fact, and leave them without any possibility of reply or excuse. might indeed content ourselves with the bare proof of what they are; for 'tis crime enough that they are Scriveners and Attorneys. With that the Scriveners deny'd their trade, alledging that they ⚫were Secretaries; and the Attorneys call'd themselves SOLLICITORS *."

To this account of the origin of the change of title, possibly some of your Correspondents will take the trouble to add the cause of its contiR. M. R.

nuance.

THE following is an Inscription on

the Monument of Sir Richard

Hansard and his Lady, in the parish church of Lifford, in the county of Donegal :

64

....... of Biskerthorpe in the county of Lincoln, his wife, daughter of Sir Edward Martury of Geisby in the said County, Knight, who died the 3d day of October, 1619. Sir Richard Hansard,

after he had ............. of Art in Cambridge, took on him the profession of a soldier in the prime of life; he had divers and sundrie honorable places of command in the wares; mad Governor of Lifford and the parts, adjoining, where he did many good services in the time of Tyrone's Rebellion; and last of all, in Sir Cahir O'Doghertie's Rebellion. K. James I. gave hit this town of Lifford and four quarters of Croban Hill to found a Corporation there, which he effected; at his death he disposed by will of these lands and others, to divers of his name, not near of kindred to him; but for want of a feofment to enable him to dispose of his lands by will by law, it fell to his younger brother Wm. Hansard of Biskerthorpe in Lincolnshire, esq. He ordained by his will, Sir John Vaughan, Knight, Sir George Marbury, Kuight, and Thomas Perkins, Esqrs. the Lieutenant to his Company, his executors; and directed them to build the church, the school, and school-house, in this town, as now they are done; and like

AM an old-fashioned man, and, instead of viewing Swiss scenery, I have been contented with the views in North Wales. I lately made a visit to Bangor, Beaumaris, and the surrounding country, in which may be seen the sublime and beautiful ia ; the view of material naperfection; ture not only affords great pleasure, but fills the properly-arranged mind with sentiments of pious gratitude. However, in visiting a fine country, we should likewise attend to mau, as a moral being; and as such, to the education of the lower ranks in revealed morality; for it has been finely observed by Sir John Davis, in a Letter to Lord Salisbury, prime minister to James the First, that good laws (if the people are not previously moralized) were like an attempt to perform a piece of musick well composed on a lute, the strings of which were broken. I saw with pleasure the National School at Beaumaris, built by Lord Bulkeley, and most ably conducted by Mr. Joseph Holmes, who had seen better days, having been connected with a commercial house in the city that failed. This school and the teacher are particularly recommended to the attention of travellers and tourists; great assistance is given, as to funds, by Lord Bulkeley, who, fortunately for the neighbourhood, considers the happiness of his tenantry as forming much of his own. It is surprising with what ease and effect the children at this School are instructed in the four

out of his lands, videlicet, to THE WARDEN OF Lifford, xxl.; to THE RECORDER THERE. or, xl.; to the 2 Sergeants, vil.; to THE

SCHOOLEMASTER, XXX/.; to THE USHER, XX. per annum; and for that by law this land fell to his younger brother; whereby

leading principles and Facts of the Christian Religion, and what likely to make good subjects, good men, and good Christians, as a daily perusal of the four Gospels ?

gor,