[ 480 ] METEOROLOGICAL DIARY, BY W, CARY, Strand. 812 813 103 21 814 |81季 265 71 pm. 36 38 pm.37 39 pm. 2634 72 pm. 37 38 pm. 37 38 pm. 2634 72 pm. 37 265 38 pm. 37 38 pm. 38 42 pm.38 42 pm. 266 79 pm. 46 48 pm. 4648 pm. 266 80 pm. 46 48 pm. 46 49 pm. 266 31 pm. 48 49 pm. 4749 pœ. 82 266 81 pm. 49 50 pm. 49 50 pm. pm. 50 48 pm. 5041 pm. 266 78 pm. 49 47 pm. 4947 pm, 74 pm.48 41 pm.4841 pm. 79 pm.45 47 pm.45 47 pm. 80 pm.45 47 pm. 4547 pm. 44 46 pm. 44 46 pm. 77 pm. 44 46 pm. 44 46 pm. 267477 pm. 45 46 pm. 45 46 pm. 79 pm.45 48 pm.4548 pm. 267478 pm. 46 49 pm. 46 49 pm. 78 pm. 48 49 pm. 48 49 pm. 268 88 pm. 49 50 pm. 49 50 pm. 82426878 pm. 50 48 pm. 50 48 pm. RICHARDSON, GOODLUCK, and Co. 104, Corner of Bank-buildings, Cornhill. JOHN NICHOLS AND SON, 25, PARLIAMENT STREET; WESTMINSTER. [ 482 ] MINOR CORRESPONDENCE. We have been favoured with numerous minute corrections and additions from "R." and "D. A. Y." on the Compendium for Suffolk. The latter will please to recollect that it is not our Compendium, but that we insert it as sent by our Correspondent S. T. to whom we shall therefore hand over such communications as we may receive. "D. A. Y." we briefly hint, that it is not wonderful for a resident in a County to be enabled to point out errors in a paper drawn up by a gentleman who has not so accurate a local knowledge, but who relies principally on established topographical works for his information. To J. N. will be much obliged by any Biographical Notices of Gilbert Dugdale, author of "Time Triumphant, 1604;" of the two Alexanders, Sigismund and Henry, prominent features in the Court Revells; of Thomas Giles, Director of the Court Dances in 1610; and of John Alleyne, a famous singer in the service of the Queen. Our Reviewer informs F. S. that the line of Pope, "Shakes his white plumes," &c. is a mere interpolation of that paraphrast: for the original (Iliad, lib. xiii. line 754, Hea xas weunen, &c.) has not a word about plumes of feathers. In AZIEL's long Letter there is much good sense, too much asperity, and (unfortunately) too much truth. But why are WE to attack the genus irritabile, or thrust our head into the hornet's nest, whilst the Censurer sits snug, and smiling under the veil of concealment, as an anonymous writer? LANCELOT informs ROWLEY, p. 290, that there is in the possession of a neighbour a little book, entitled "Bibli Summula," printed in 1621, and thus dedicated: "Generosissimo ac optima spei adolescentulo Poningsio More, eruditæ pietatis maximum incrementum, à Domino precatur Johannes Shaw." This was Sir Poyuings More of Loseley near Guilford, Surrey, created a Baronet in 1642, but I believe now extinct. The dedication includes six 12mo pages, and contains some family information. The book is neat and entire as when printed. Mr. T. WEBB, of Sowtin, near Exeter, in reply to VIATOR, p. 290, states that he has been given to understand, on good authority, that he is the representative of General Webb;" but he does not produce his authority. -n-* remarks, "The article in page 212, about Littlecote in Wilts, will admit of several additions. The Darells were a branch of those of Sesay in Yorkshire, which house of Sesay ended in Sir Geo. Darell, who died in 1466, leaving a daughter and heir Joan, married to Sir George Dawney, ancestor of Viscount Downe. (See Collins's Peerage, by Brydges, vol. VIII. p. 455.) Another branch of Darell settled at Cale hill, near P. P. says, "As we are approaching the period when our new Churches are to be opened, it is suggested by a strenuous supporter of the Established Religion, that considering this desirable renovation of our ecclesiastical concerns, whether it would not be proper and advisable (even in conformity to the improved taste of the times) to introduce more music into the service; that is to say, by having the Te Deum, &c. chaunted, and the Psalms (accompanied by the best music) sung by some of the charity boys at the organ, in parts." TALPA observes, "The lines supposed to be by Quarles (p. 208), are appended to his Argalus and Parthenia, ed. 1677, with the motto hos ego versiculos, and his name subjoined.-P. 220. Who can seriously state that the Druids sacrificed to Thor ?" S. D. will be much obliged to N. R. S. who furnished the notices of the Heath family in the Magazine of September 1822, if he will state further in what Inn of Court Benjamin Heath, Town Clerk of Exeter, was called to the Bar; or the name, residence, and profession of his father. The paper signed "INQUIRANDO" relates to a knot of ale-drinkers not worthy to be named in Mr. Urban's pages. T. S. observes, "In your Magazine for August, you mention that the Commissioners for the improvement of the Western part of the Metropolis intend removing the shabby buildings near Charing Cross. I much wish they would determine upon an improvement that would be a general accommodation; the making an opening in a line with Coventry-street into Leicester-square, and from thence to St. Martin's-lane, and the widening the West end of New-street. A. H. would be obliged by any information that would enable him to recover the original pedigree of the family of Alexander, Earls of Sterling in Scotland, brought down to 1743, and the re-grant or new patent of creation to that peerage. S. wishes to obtain any particulars of the family of John Sturt, the, celebrated engraver, who was born at London 1658, and who engraved in 1694 an elegy on Queen Mary in so small a size that it might be set in a ring or locket. He also asks are there now any descendants from the above John Sturt, and who were his parents and ancestors? THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. DECEMBER, 1823. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. THE RING OF ALHSTAN, BISHOP OF SHERBORNE, POUND AT LLYSFAEN, CARNARVONSHIRE. I Mr. URBAN, Chester, Dec. 1. SEND you sketches of the front and extent of this precious relic of the ornamental taste and magnificence of the ninth century; the ring is now in my possession. The use of rings is of very remote antiquity. Nuptial rings were worn by the antient Greeks and Romans, and Tertullian notices the custom as having been adopted by the early Christians. The episcopal ring is also of very remote origin, forming, indeed, an especial part of the ceremonial of consecration, and used occasionally as seals. Of this description is the one now under notice. It was found about 50 years ago, by a labourer, near to the surface of the ground, on a common at Llys faen. It is of massy gold, weighing nearly an ounce and a quarter. The workmanship is very neat, and the enamelling distinct and perfect. The pattern is alternately a circle and a lozenge; the outer part wrought in an ornamental style. The circular compartments, four in number, bear the epigraph. On the first (in Saxon characters), A; on the second LH; on the third ST; on the fourth A; and the Runic N, like X, forming the word Ahlstan. The lozenges are occupied with dif ferent devices; on the first is a rude representation of a dragon, the cognizance of the kingdom of Wessex, and under which Alhstan, Bishop of Sherborne, often led its armies to battle. There were three Bishops of London of this name, and one (the seventh) of Sherborne; but the ring is supposed to have been the property of the latter. (who filled the episcopal chair from 817 to 867), being well known as an efficient member of the true Church militant. Dr. Pegge, quoting the Saxon Chronicle, observes, that in 823 (after his consecration as Bishop), King Egbert sent his son Ethelwolf, Alhstan his Bishop, and Woolfherd his Alderman-a curious trio-to drive Baldred, King of Kent, across the Thames. On the accession of Ethelwolf to the throne, the Bishop distinguished himself, that is, to use the French phraseology, "covered himself 484 Ring of Bp. Alhstan.--Literary Jeu-d'esprit. with glory," in many military actions; nor was he less distinguished as a naval hero, for, according to Matthew of Westminster, he, in conjunction with Earl Other, attacked the Danes off Sandwich, put their fleet to the route, and captured nine of their largest ships. In 828 Egbert visited North Wales, in a hostile manner; and Dr. Pegge argues the probability of Alhstan having had the command of the army, and that this ring was at that period lost. We have no proof, however, that the invaders penetrated so far as Carnarvonshire, in the N.E. corner of which the ring was found. Soon after its discovery, another gold ring of much greater weight was picked up near the same place,-a situation close to the sea; but its manufacture was extremely coarse when compared with this. In order to account for the superiority of workmanship in this ring, at a time when the Saxons were so barbarous in their manners, the learned Doctor says, that Egbert the Great resided in his younger age not less than 12 years at the Court of Charlemagne, and it is not improbable that some artists in the enamelling line might have been brought by him into England from thence. This ring attracted the particular notice of Dr. Pegge, in 1771; and in 1773 he read a paper respecting its history before the Society of Antiquaries, on the 2d of December; which is printed in Archæologia, IV. 47. I have in my possession a brass medal, a little larger than half-a-crown, on one side of which is a figure in a Scotch military habit, in the attitude of command, standing on a ground strewed with flowers; beneath him is a demi-figure of a man reclining on a studded shield; encircling these are the words "CAROLUS PRINCEPS." On the other side, a figure of Fame hovering over a city, bearing in the left hand an imperial crown, and is suant from the trumpet, "TUUM CUIQUE." To what does this owe its origin? Is it in commemoration of the entrance of Charles Edward Stuart into Edinburgh? Perhaps some of your readers will satisfy me on this head? J. H. HANSHALL. [Dec. bears), from which I can scarcely doubt that those who have friendship for the Veteran will be pleased. It assumes the establishment in England of an Order of Literary Merit, and describes the members originally elected; and the subsequent candidates for admission, and the pretensions on which they found their claims, together with the objections which were made, on the part of the Chapter; for it is a Chapteral order who elect their own meinbers. In the number introduced, it contains of course a mixture of praise and censure. Among the deceased who are recorded, are Mrs. Carter, Mrs. Smith, Miss Seward, Mr. John Hunter, Hayley, Warren Hastings, Ricardo, and one particularly long dead, the unjustly-neglected Dr. Sneyd Davies. If desired, extracts of two or three more characters shall be sent you. "Next came the venerable J... N......;Most noble and honourable Chapter (he began), though the fathers of many of you were not born when I commenced the fearful, career of authorship, I humbly and with diffidence solicit at your hands the distinction so justly coveted, ere I die!— It is true that I have not entirely conformed to the changing fashions of the times; nor will it be expected, by an Order of which liberty of thought is among the primary privileges, that I should always have approved them. I have laboured rather in the regions of FACT than of FANCY: if it appears to me that the commencing century has gone too much the other way, I trust I may be forgiven. I was brought up in a school of classical criticism; perhaps not unjustly blamed, as mere verbal criticism;-but if this species of criticism was once too highly prized, it is now surely too much neglected. It may exercise the memory, rather than the higher faculties of the mind; but in seeking precision of expression, how often do we arrive at precision of thought! It is true that I was afterwards led into another course of investigation, neither so elegant, nor So scholarlike; I fell, by my intimacy with Mr. Gough, into what are called the dry, thorny, and barbarous paths of National and Local Antiquities: but I found flowers scattered continually in my way, and I can exclaim with my lamented acquaintance Thomas Wur ton, |