national poet Moore, Béranger, Châteaubriand, l'Abbé Lamennais, Garrick, Kean, the French tragedian Le Kain, and the Maréchal de Luxembourg, the successful adversary of our William, so well justified in his retort, when the latter called him a little hunchback-("Loripedem rectus derideat, Æthiopem albus")" He has never seen my back, and I constantly see his." Nor, as an orator or writer, are we to omit Mr. T. B. Macaulay in the enumeration. Mr. Chenevix (at page 189,) was son to Dr. Richard Chenevix, bishop of Waterford, who died in 1779, and was the friend and correspondent of Lord Chesterfield, as may be seen in his lordship's Miscellaneous Works. The editor, I perceive, mistakes Barthelemy, the medalist, as he is called, and brother of the director, (letter of 7th June, 1797,) for their uncle, the author of " Les Voyages du Jeune Anarcharsis," who died the 30th April, 1795, and, consequently, could not have been the person mentioned by Mr. Swinburne as alive above two years after, at the date of his letter. I may also inform Mr. White that the "little Frenchman of the army of Condé," who managed Sir Sydney Smith's escape from the Temple, (vol. ii. p. 288,) was Phélippeaux, educated with Bonaparte at the College of Brienne, but of opposite politi. cal principles in after-life. He was the companion of Sir Sydney at Acre, and greatly contributed to the defence of that citadel against his former schoolfellow, in 1799. French partiality, indeed, assigns to the talents of Phélippeaux, as an engineer, the chief merit of that event, so important in its results; for this first check to Bonaparte's victorious career averted his ambitious aspirations from Asia to Europe, which then became the field of those achievements that have astonished and dismayed the world. Madame de Houdetot (vol. ii. p. 213, and Gentleman's Magazine, Sept. p. 240) was the adulterous mistress of the poet St. Lambert; but, because she was supposed faithful to this single lover, she was almost considered virtuous; nor would the inference be unfair, if we make the general conduct of her associates, in that licentious age, our rule of judgment. Marmon tel, (Mémoires, tome iii. 184,) speaks of her as a model of perfection; and the passion with which, while by no means a beauty even in Rousseau's description, she inspired that unsolvable and heteroclite son of genius, is forcibly depicted in his ardent pages. He had then reached the mature age of forty-five, and never before, though, like Sterne, more or less in the chains of "some princess or other," had he felt, he says, the genuine emotion; as if to verify Voltaire's pithy inscription on Love's statue: "Qui que tu sois, voici ton maître ; Il l'est, le fut, ou le doit être." The lady, and her passive husband, attained to a great age, and, in 1798, celebrated the jubilee or fiftieth anniversary of their marriage, when among the assistants prominently appeared her old friend, as Marmontel indulgently designates her avowed paramour, Saint-Lambert! The solemnity, tended as the outpouring of gratitude rare, of course, from its cause, and infor a length of union thus vouchsafed by Providence, is never omitted, when justified by time, on the continent. Madame de Houdetot's grandson is one of the officers of the French Court, and a special favourite of Louis Philippe's. The lines quoted in the Gentleman's Magazine by the reviewer of the Letters (p. 240), in counteraction of the violent proceedings of the Jacobins, was founded so early as the 12th May 1790. Subsequently even the Jacobins were impeached as rather slack in the race of crime; and the Cordelier Club was instituted, under the appropriate banners of Danton, Cloots, Hébert, Camille Desmoulins, and colleagues, in order to give a further impulse to the destructive energies of that calamitous period; but Robespierre, to whose bosom we may warrantably transfer the rankling emotions expressed by Tasso's Tancred, "Vierò fra i mei tormenti, e fra le cure, Mie giuste furie, forfennato errante." Gier. Lib. xxii. 77. Robespierre (jealous of emulation even in congenial pursuits and kindred spirits) succeeded in quenching this spark of independant action in the blood of its promoters, on the 5th of April 1794, or, MR. URBAN, London, Nov. 18. I SEND you a very correct copy of an original letter of the celebrated Thomas Paine. The original is written on two sides of a sheet of foolscap, in a very neat and plain hand; and I esteem it one of the greatest curiosities of my collection. The letter is simply wafered. Yours, &c. S. P. C. CITIZEN, N. Rochelle, July 31, '05. I received yours of the 26 Inst. in answer to mine of the 19th. I see that Cheetham has left out the part respecting Hamilton and Mrs. Reynolds, but for my own part, I wish it had been in. Had the story never been publicly told, I would not have been the first to tell it; but Hamilton had told it himself, and therefore it was no secret; but my motive in introducing it was, because it was applicable to the subject I was upon, and to show the revilers of Mr. Jefferson, that while they are affecting a morality of horror at an unproved and unfounded story about Mr. Jefferson, they had better look at home, and give vent to their horror, if they had any, at a real case of their own Dagon and his Delilah of a thousand dollars. It was not introduced to expose Hamilton, for Hamilton had exposed if not wholly extinguished, it lost its most active powers ofevil, which became concentrated in its triumphant rival for above three months more. Suetonius, after devoting many a page to the cool and unreproving relation of the horrors of Nero's reign, closes the terrific narrative by something like an expression of surprise at the world's forbearance. "Tale portentum," we may equally say of Robespierre, paullo minus quatuor decim menses (from 31 May 1793, to 27 July 1794,) perpessus terrarum orbis, tandem destituit, initium facientibus Gallis," &c. (Suet. in Nerone, cap. xl.) And I may add "Jam non ad culmina rerum, Injustos crevisse queror; tollunturin altum, Ut lapsu graviore ruant." (Claudiani in Rufinum, lib. i. 21.) Yours, &c. J. R. himself, and that from a bad motive, a disregard of private Character. I do not," (said Mr. Hamilton to Mrs. Harris,) "I do not care a damn about my private Character. It is my public Character only that I care about." The Man who is a good public Character from Craft, and not from moral principle, if such a Character can be called good, is not much to be depended on. Cheetham might as well have put the part in, as put in the reasons for which he left it out. Those reasons leave people at liberty to suspect that the part suppressed related to some new discovered criminality in Hamilton, worse than the old story. I am glad that Palmer and Foster have got together. It will greatly help the cause on. I enclose a letter I recd a few days since from Groton in Connecticut. The letter is well written, and with a good deal of sincere enthusiasm. The Publication of it would do good, but there is an impropriety in publishing a Man's Name to a private letter. You may shew the letter to Palmer and Foster. It is very likely they may know the writer, as Groton is about five or six miles from Stonington, where Mr. Foster lived, and where, I believe, Mr. Palmer has some Relations. there is not an expression in the let As ter that renders it unfit for publication, provided the name be omitted, or the Initials J. G. be put in the room of it, I, for one, agree to the publication of it. It will serve to give confidence to those who are not strong enough in the true faith to throw off the mask of hypocrisy, as is the case in Connecticut, and there is no vice that is more distructive to morals than this yanky-town vice, hypocrisy, is. If the concluding paragraph be omitted, and the address at the top be in the plain style as I have put it, it will lose the appearance of a private letter. I have put out the word Sir in three or four places. Cheetham can have no reasonable objection against publishing it. It is a letter without offence, and he has some atonement to make for what was in his paper the Winter before last, about the "mischievous writings of Thomas Paine." If you give the letter to Cheetham, I wish him to return it to you after he has used it, or you to call for it. I am glad you have seen Mr. Barret; but it is very extraordinary that you had not seen him before, for certainly a Man in business is always to be found, though he may not be always at home the first time. Your former letter might have been interpreted to signify that he kept out of sight, for you said you had called at least a dozen times. It is certainly best that Mrs. Bonneville go into some family as a teacher, for she has not the least talent of managing affairs for herself. She may send Bebee up to me, I will take care of him for his own sake and his father's; but this is all I have to say. Remember me to my much respected friend Carver, and tell him I am sure we shall succeed if we hold on. We have already silenced the clamour of the priests. They act now as if they would say, Let us alone and we will let you alone. You do not tell if the Prospect goes on. As Carver will want hay he may have it of me, and pay when it suits him; but I expect he will take a ride up some saturday afternoon, and then he can chuse for himself. I am master of an empty house, or nearly so. I have six chairs and a table, a straw-bed, a feather-bed, and a bag of straw for Thomas, a Teakettle, an Iron pot, a Iron baking pan, a frying pan, a gridiron, cups, saucers, plates and dishes, knives and forks, two candlesticks, and a pair of snuffers.-I have a pair of fine oxen, and an ox-cart, a good horse, a chair, and a one-horse cart; a cow, and a sow and 9 pigs. When you come you must take such fare as you meet with, for I live upon tea, milk, fruit pies, plain dumplins, and a piece of meat when I get it; but I live with that retirement and quiet that suit me. Mrs. Bonneville was an encumbrance upon me all the while she was here; for she would not do anything, not even make an apple-dumplin for her own children, [though* I bought a pot on purpose to boil them in.] If you can make yourself up a straw bed, I can let you have blankets, and you will have no occasion to go over to the Tavern to sleep. As I do not see any federal papers, except by accident, I know not if they have attempted any remarks or criticisms on my 8th letter, the piece on Constitutions, Governments, and Charters, and the two Numbers on Turner's letter, and also the piece to Hulbert. As to anonymous paragraphs it is not worth noticing them. I consider the generality of such editors only as a part of their press, and let them pass. I want to come to Morrisana, and it is probable I may come on to N—Y.; but I wish you to ans this letter first. Yours in friendship, THOMAS PAINE. kind, of which no satisfactory explanation has hitherto been offered, it has struck me as not undeserving of the notice of your readers. The inscrip tion, and the lines which follow it are Here Lyeth Ye Body Of Morgan Powell Batchel Of Divinitie Whome Citie, Shire And All Yt Knew Commended, The date is inscribed on the stone itself, just beneath the plate of Brass. This inscription has been given, but without precision, by Browne Willis, in his Survey, vol. i. p. 544; and the remarkable expression in the eighth line, to which I would call the attention of your curious readers, is incorrectly printed thus, "Were ever Sydans." This appears by the context to refer either to the hospitable abundance, or to the tranquillity of his dwelling. The city of Phoenicia, called Sidon, was celebrated for its fruitful position, and the inhabitants were not less renowned for their skill in all those arts that minister to the comfort or luxury of human life. In Hoffmann's Lexicon, it is observed how continually Homer makes allusion to their proficiency; "si quid concinnum in vestibus, aut. in vasibus affabre factum, aut ludicrum in crepundiis, id tribuere solet Sidoniorum industriæ." The name Sidon is also interpreted as signifying "viaticum, vel cibarium," (see Lloyd's Dictionarium Historicum) or even may bear the sense of "esca, commeatus, cibus, victus." At first sight, therefore, I was tempted to suggest that in the mysterious use of the word "Sidons" in this epitaph, an allusion, though of an obscure character, was intended to be made to the profusion with which that city was 1621. supplied. But the expression is capable of another interpretation, and one which I am rather inclined to adopt, although by no means confident that it gives the real sense of the allusion. The city of Sidon appears to have been distinguished, almost proverbially, for the state of tranquillity, the long enjoyment of which had mainly contributed to its flourishing condition. As far back as the times of Samson, we find it recorded that the children of Dan sending forth spies into the land, on their arriving at Laish, these spies "saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure, and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing." Judges, xviii. v. 7. The expression, then, in the epitaph implies, as I would suggest, an allusion, far-fetched in truth, and obscure, to the tranquillity, and habitual peacefulness and ease that prevailed at the table and in the abode of the parson of Cradley, with whose amiable character and social virtues it is evident that the writer of the inscription had been well acquainted. I must, however, leave it to the consideration of your ingenious readers, who may be more familiar with the peculiar style, and obscure allusions, that were in vogue at the period when these lines were indited. We learn from the authority of Le Neve and Browne Willis, that Morgan Powell was installed chancellor of the diocese of Hereford, in the 29th year of Elizabeth, 5 July, 1587, and not long subsequent to the promotion of Bishop Westfaling, whose chaplain he became. He succeeded William Penson both in his dignity of chancellor, and in the benefice of Cradley; and in the year following, he was collated to the stall of Moreton Parva, in the diocese of Hereford. Yours, &c. ALBERT WAY. Cradley, Malvern, MR. URBAN, Dec. 13. AT Christmas there is a custom in the neighbourhood of Monmouth of carrying round from house to house the Merry Lewid. This is a representation, generally very well executed, of the head and neck of a white horse. The neck has some black stripes on it, so as to bear some resemblance to a zebra, and from it depends a sheet, beneath which is a man carrying the Merry Lewid elevated on a pole. The pole, swayed backwards and forwards, gives the movements of a prancing and rearing horse. The etymology of the name I am not Welchman enough to discover; but some of your more learned readers may be able to enlighten me. I suspect the latter word to be a corruption of loyd, which means grey, I believe; and the former, from the mirth occasioned to the actors, a corrupt application of an understood term to express some word of similar sound, the meaning of which was unknown to the Sassenachs of Monmouth. But no custom ever more fully exemplified the fable of the boys and the frogs. On one occasion, after a ring of the door-bell in the evening of Christmas day, I heard some alarm and confusion in the hall, and going hastily out, saw what was really startling enough to any one, much more so to a stranger, as the servant was. In the doorway, with the outline well defined in the strong moonlight, stood erect a great white horse, furiously tossing his head about. GENT. MAG. VOL. XVII. Whatever fun, therefore, the boys may derive, you may well imagine, Mr. Urban, that strangers, particularly females, would be very much alarmed thereat. I find, in Sir H. Ellis's edition of Brand's Antiquities, mention of the hobby-horse at Christmas, as follows, p. 269. He (Weston) tooke upon him to controll and finde fault with this and that, as the coming into the hall of the hobby-horse in Christmas;" and again, in the account of the Lord of Misrule, p. 273: "Thinges sette in order, they have their hobbie horses and dragons, and other antiques, together with their pipers and thunderyng drummers to strike up the deville's daunce withall. Then marche these heathen companie *** their hobbie horses, and other monsters, skyrmishyng amongest the throng." At p. 266, in a "Christmas carroll," enumerating the customs of that season, is the following quatrain : "The wenches, with their wassell-bowles, About the streets are singing; The boyes are come to catch the owles, The wild mare in is bringing." There are also various allusions to the shoeing of the wild mare; but this, I apprehend, is a different custom altogether. There is no explanation of it given by Sir H. Ellis; but, if my boyish recollections be correct, this game is played by a number standing in a ring, holding hands, with one outside the ring, who drops a handkerchief behind any one he pleases; and the point is, to be sharp in observing if it be dropped behind you, and then to be quick in overtaking the dropper before he arrives at your place the only practical allusion to a horse being in the activity, as in these allusions in Sir Henry's notes, p. 268 "The adventurous youth shew their agility in shooting (qu. shoeing?) the wild mare; and, p. 274, "Thus at active games and gambols of hot cockles, shoeing the wild mare, and the like harmless sports, the night was spent.' At the risk of being thought tedious, I will mention another custom of the same neighbourhood. On New Year's day the little boys carry in their hands, to excite the admiration and liberality G |