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which from necessity had been dispersed in various parts of the floor, were collected, as the means of preserving them from the wanton injury to which they were exposed when lying separately. J. C. B.

Feb. 14.

HE difficulties of the lower and

perity, and happiness, of the empire. It is a fact established by the strongest and most irrefragable evidence, that labourers are generally more industrious and independent of parish aid, and that their moral habits are much better, where they hold small patches of land. How gratifying it is to the benevolent mind, to contemplate the

Tof some of the middling classes, effects of this system. In the coun

are become so visible to all ranks and parties, and their source (want of employment) is so well known, that the imagination is racked in vain to discover the cause, that so infatuates the landholders, to torment themselves by starving others. It cannot with any good grace be denied, that there are ample means of relief, when it is known, that there are more than twenty millions of acres of waste land in the United Kingdom capable of giving profitable employment to the people; and above thirteen millions of these would yield bread to the cultivators, though the proprietors retain them in an uncultivated state without any motive whatever, unless they lend themselves to follow blindly the doctrines of Malthus; doctrines from which humanity shrinks, the imagination recoils, the eye averts, and turns away with disgust.

So much has already been said on the subject of cottage husbandry, and its utility in every point of view, that since the year 1810 publications, in the shape of books, pamphlets, paragraphs in newspapers, and other periodical works, have appeared to the number of above twenty-five thousand, all recommending the system of cultivating the soil by means of cottagers having small patches of land attached to their dwelling, as the best means of alleviating the difficulties of the nation. Each of these has one or more experiments, without a single instance of failure; and all come to the same conclusion, that this practice promotes industry, furnishes employment to all ages and both sexes, prevents dependence on parish relief, is most favourable to morality, prevents little offences that tend to greater crimes, and in every district, where it has been introduced, has operated in diminishing, while in come it has altogether extinguished, poor rates.

Such measures cannot fail to benefit every rank of society, and contribute greatly to the security, pros

ties of Lincoln and Rutland, on an average of several years ending in 1815, the poor rates are said to have amounted only to eleven pence in the pound.

The poor man, deprived of his privilege of common, the garden demolished, of which he was once the happy occupant, forced into a town or village, and bereaved of every means of improving his condition, becomes the victim of sedition and despair; and thus sinks not alone, but drags his falling countrymen with him. There are, it is true, a great number of individuals, who have just claim to the gratitude of their country in this respect, and merit the name of patriots; among whom are the Duchess of Rutland, Marchioness of Exeter, Countess of Bridgewater, Ladies Evans and Shelly, &c.: and the Lord Bishop of Chester, whose desires, dolphin-like, show themselves above the element they live in, must not be forgotten; or Earl Stanhope, whose example is highly deserving imitation, not only in his building cottages, and adding patches of land at small rents, (frequently for a number of years at a pepper-corn,) but also for his general humanity, generosity, philanthropy, and, certainly not least, for his conduct to the Clergy on his estates, in uniting them with their parishioners in the bonds of friendship and mutual exchange of good offices. This he effects by contracting with them for their tithes, and thus removing a never-failing source of strife; whence they live with their flocks loving and beloved, as becomes their high office as ambassadors of the Prince of Peace. This method was begun by the late Earl, probably at the suggestion of that excellent man and eminent solicitor, Alexander Murray, esq. who had long been his Lordship's confidential friend, as well as legal adviser.

C. M. Cheere, esq., M. P. for Cambridge, deserves well of his country for the improvements on his estates

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Earl of Fife.-Scottish Merk.

of Papworth Hall in that county. What a few years ago was almost wholly a bleak and dreary waste, on which indolence, poverty, and distress, without hope, marked the countenances of the peasantry, is now divided and subdivided by hedges, ditches, fences, &c. through the united efforts of the agriculturist, the patriot, the philanthropist, and a little of the planter; so that the whole is converted into a comparative Paradise, where industry and contentment illuminate the face of every cottager. The last I shall refer to at present is the Earl of Fife; and in mentioning his name, an apology may perhaps be requisite for my absolute inability to do justice to his Lordship's extensive and varied, ornamental and useful, expensive yet profitable, improvements on his estates, in the counties of Moray, Bamff, and Aberdeen, or to his zeal, indefatigable perseverance, and personal attention in conducting them.

I would farther observe, that these extensive improvements have been hitherto carried on with little more than half of his late uncle's fortune; though he has now recovered in the Court of Session the other parts of his property, after a long protracted litigation, the surprise of his friends and agents at his Lordship's very unexpected legal knowledge displayed in these matters, is surpassed only by the admiration of his intrepid conduct and personal bravery in the Fort of Mattagorda at the siege of Cadiz by the French, when shot and shells were falling like hailstones among the living, and on the mangled limbs of the dead, while he, fearless of danger, with unruffled composure, excited his countrymen to deeds of valour in that well-fought though unsuccessful conflict.

Much has also been done by other persons for the relief of the distressed, by encouraging the fisheries, as well as agricultural improvements; yet still much remains to be done, that can be effected only by individual impulse, and natural stimulation. Indeed it must be done freely, it must be done voluntarily, or it will not be done at all; for Government cannot interfere with private property. The hereditary landholder, who may perhaps be in possession of a whole county, may occupy it, if he choose, as a bunting park; for Government cannot attempt to dictate to individuals

[Feb.

what they should do with their own. This is not under-rating the power of Princes, who may still do much as individuals by their own example, and by countenancing and encouraging their subjects to think and act as they approve. Any mark of Royal approbation conferred on meritorious individuals would not fail to excite emulation, unless the whole elements of human nature should happen to change their principles; this would be of more real utility on these points than a score of Acts of Parlia ment, if they could be passed for this purpose.

That others may be excited to follow such examples, till our country has attained a pitch of happiness and prosperity hitherto unknown, is the ardent prayer of T. M. T.

*** We regret that our limits will not admit the insertion of the whole article ; but the remainder, which is the argumentative part, shall appear in our next.

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"The Scottish mark (not ideal or nominal money, like our mark) was a silver coin, in value thirteen pence halfpenny and two placks, or two thirds of a penny; their mark, bears the same proportion to which plack is likewise a coin. This, their pound, which is twenty pence, as our mark does to our pound or twenty

shillings, being two thirds of it. By these divisions and subdivisions of their penny (for they have a still smaller piece, called a bodel, or half plack) they can reckon with the greatest minuteness, and buy much less quantities of any article than we can."

In this passage there is a trifling inaccuracy, which I beg to correct. The value of the Scottish merk was thirteen pence and one plack, or one third of a penny, which is equal to thirteen shillings and four pence, the value of the English mark, or two thirds of a pound. The half merk was in value six pence halfpenny and one bodle, or six pence and two thirds of a penny, there being six bodles, or three placks in a penny. This was equivalent to six shillings and eight pence of our money, which is one third of a pound. A CONSTANT READER.

Mr.

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JOHN CLUK was instituted June 20, 1459, on the presentation of King Henry VI. WILLIAM MERSE was instituted July 24, 1474, on the presentation of Thomas Falstaff, esq.

GENT. MAG. February, 1821.

HENRY WINGFIELD was instituted Sept.. 16, 1488, on the presentation of the said Thos. Falstaff, esq.

JOHN STANHOUSE Occurs Rector 1539, and was buried at Rendlesham, Sept. 26, 1543.

WILLIAM WISEMAN Occurs Rector here at Bp. Hopton's Visitation, 1555. Не was also Rector of one of the Thornhams.

WALTER WILLET was instituted Oct. 1, 1558, on the presentation of Thos. Howard, Duke of Norfolk, Lord of Colvylle's.-In the certificate to Abp. Parker, it is said of him, "non residet, non hospitalis!"

CHRISTOPHER HOMES was instituted July 13, 1572, on the presentation of Queen Elizabeth. Sed non tenuit.

NICHOLAS COOK was instituted Feb. 19, 1572-3, on the presentation of William Dyx and John Blennerhasset, esqrs, trustees of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. NICHOLAS COOK was instituted July 11, 1583, on the presentation of Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel.

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EDWARD EGERWORTH habuit Rectoriam Rendlesham sibi concessam per breve de privato Sigillo, July 24, 1583. Sed non tenuit.

WILLIAM PEMBERTON, S.T.B. was instituted Nov. 13, 1584, on the presentation of the said Earl of Arundel, and buried in Rendlesham chancel, Oct. 24, 1598. He was also Rector of Ufford.

ALEXANDER REVELL, M. A. exhibuit Reverendo Patri Domino Episcopo præsentationem Domina Reginæ ad Rectoriam de Rendlesham in Comitatu Suffolciæ jam vacantem, et ad regiam præsentationem pleno jure, spectantem, Jan. 17, 1598. He was also Rector of Blexhall, Chaplain to Robert, Earl of Sussex, and living 1618. JOHN OUGHTREED.

GERVASE HUBBALD, Eboracensis, was instituted Oct. 11, 1621, on the presentation of King James I. He was buried in Rendlesham chancel, April 19, 1645.

WILLIAM REDGRAVE Occurs Rector, 1649, and was buried in the said chancel, 1652.

RICHARD HOOK occurs rector 1653. BRIAN SMITH, S. T. D. was instituted Sept. 16, 1660, on the presentation of King Charles II.

EDMUND STUBB was instituted July 11, 1672, on the presentation of King Charles II. He was also Rector of Tunstall, and died in 1679.

EDWARD KEEN was instituted Oct. 13, 1679, on the presentation of the said King Charles, and died June 17, 1697.

JOSIAS ALSOP, S. T. B... was instituted Aug. 25, 1698, on the presentation of King William III. He was also Rector of Sudborne, with Orford annexed.

LAWRENCE ECHARD, M. A. Archdeacon

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