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CLIPSTON HOSPITAL.

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deréct that letter, and not dy'rect it, with a great mouthfull of a Y. My friend the parifh clerk fays they are both right, and the Cantab. wrong." How comes it that a cabin and a counting houfe fhould be a precedent for the pulpit? The fame gentleman, reading prayers a few weeks afterwards, aftounded me with a folemn addrefs to the Deity of Lord God of Sabbath! That Jehovah is God of the Sabbath, a day of facred reft, is true; but Bailey's dictionary tells me that the word in the Te Deum means not reft, but armies, or hofts. My late muchefteemed friend Mr. Ahton, a fellow of the collegiate church and rector of St. Mary's in this town, always made three fyllables of it, Sab-a-oth. And, according to his expofition, by the ufe of this word, we worthip, in the moft auguli manuer, the Lord God of the univerfal hofts of intelligent and created exiftences. And I could with in fature to pree vent every young clergyman, whether Ox. or Cantab. or Northern light, Kom falling into fuch lawyer-like, difugreenbelt, unfociat ell, uniarrantabell, and intolerabel! abfurdiues.

As it fhould feem ftrange, that faiJors and fcriveners thould know how to

read and pronounce English better than fcientific, learned, and profeflional men, fuch as lawyers, doctors, antiquaries, and parfons; I hope they will excufe me for recommending an agree able mode of tuition to them. This is fimply to take a pallage on-board fome fhip failing to America, where there is a clever, glib-tongued lad of a cabinboy; who fhall give them the right fea-faring cue of pronunciation, previous to their arrival in that land of liberty and happy elocution. There having thudied fome fhort time, they fhall come back to their native country adorned with every elegance, and enriched with a felicity and propriety of enunciation, which fhall charm and elevate their enraptured auditors. Then fhall bar churches be filled; and the Lar fhall be thronged!

But as this attainment will expend more time and money than every profotor can afford; let it be the qualifi ction for ferjeants, king's count, profound antiquaries, and medical and reverend Doctors. For hedge attorLeys, country apothecaries, barber-fhop politicians, and village curates, a three months trip to the Life of Max would

be enough in all confcience. But as Ire land deferves the preference, he that fhall recommend more than a two months retidence is a far more unconfeionable preceptor, than, dear Mr. Urban, your old oblyged friend, P. P.

Mr. URBAN,

CLIPS

March 3. LIPSTON HOSPITAL (Pl. II.) and free-fchool in the county of Northampton, were founded in purfuance of the will of Sir George Bufwell, dated March 18, 1677, who fettled lands in Clipfton and Hafelbech in truft for the fupport of a graduate fchool-mafter and twelve poor perfons for ever. The drawing is by the neat and faithful pencil of the youth whofe lofs you have fo feelingly recorded in vol. LXXI. p. 964. For farther par ticulars of the charity the reader is referred to Bridges, vol. II. p. 23. Yours, &c.

M. GREEN.

Mr. URBAN, Spains-Hall, Feb. 7-
HAVE tent you a drawing (Pl. II.)

of the great Oak in a farm the property of Harvey, efq. in the parith of Hemfiead, in the county of Effex, taken from a South-Weft view at about fixty-yards diftance; it is drawn by a feale of twelve feet to an inch, and in that proportion the parts may be measured and compared. The outlines of the acorn and leaf are of the natural fize, and introduced only for the purpose of pointing out to the na turalift its fpecies, and fhewing that a very large oak on its decline produces

very finall acorns.

Dr. Hunter, in his Evelyn's Silva, has given a plate of the Cowthorp oak, and fays, when compared to this all other oaks are but children of the wood;" which, within three feet of the furface measured fixteen yards, and clofe to the ground twenty-six yards round. Its height, in its ruinous liate in 1776, was about eighty-five feet; its principal limb extended fixteen yards from the bole; throughout the whole tree the foliage was at that time extremely thin, fo that the anatomy of the antient branches might be diftinctly feen in the height of fummer.

I took the dimentions of this Hemftead oak firft in the year 1794; every bough was then in health. When I again took its dimenfions in 1790, its upper branches were bare of leaves, its foliage in general thin, and the tree appareily on the decline. When this

drawing

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drawing was taken in July 1801, the dimenfions formerly taken were again proved and found exact.

This tree measures, at four feet from the furface, feventeen yards round; just beneath the feparation of the large limbs, nineteen yards round; the dimenfions at the furface I did not meafure, becaufe thofe dimenfions do not prove the fize of the tree, as they depend on the foil being worn and expofing the roots. The extent of the branches from North to South thirty-fix yards, from Eaft to Weft thirty-five vards nearly; the height, as Mr. Cock the tenant of the farm informed me, to whom thofe who come to fee this giant of the wood, are obliged for great civility, was, before its decay, about thirty-three yards. The produce of this oak in acorns has often been fold by his father for two guineas a

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March 11. me to refer W. D. LXXI. 991, to Aulus Gellius, who, on the authority of Nigidius Figulus, fays, words ending in ofus, as vinofus, mulierofus, regiofus, nummofus, delignate excefs; fo, whoever is too proue to fuperttition is called religiofus. Yet he Allows the fignification of the latter

fus, victoriofus, facundiofus, which are always ufed as terms of praife?

Aulus Gellius then offers a diftinctive criterion, which, with humble fubmiflion, I cannot but think feeble, and fine ictu*. On the whole, as the meaning of religiofus had changed even in his time, as we English apply officiofus as our denizen, in a bad fenfe contrary to its claflification above, we fhould certainly hefitate before we pronounce a latinity faulty on account of the fignification attached to verbs of an increating feries, verb of vehemence if I may hazard the term. Your readers will perceive, by this time, I am no Voffius; but to elicite farther light on this fubject would gratify me-fungar vice colis.

Yours, animosè,

NORA.

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MUS RUSTICUS.

FCQUI funt, infigniffimi doctores

quos in agendâ re literariâ priores vobis compellarem, Athenarum fcilicet noftrarum Archontas, et bonarum artium, tum ex officio, tum ex voluntate, et auxilia, et patronos. Aures igitur faciles, precor, accommodetis, dum paucis (ut poflim) verbis explicem, quædam Reipublicæ noftræ literariæ, quæ profint forfan & ufui fiant, quædam etiam commodo publico minùs convenientia leviter dum perfiringam, nec veftrûm interim nec cujufvis dignitatem meditatus lædere, nec tamen ullius cenfuram pertimefcens. "EXEUθερος γαρ ειμι την γλωσίαν, και εδεν αν

word to have deviated into what we
may call a good fenfe. And fo we find μAL
it fed in the Roman infcription found
at Bath, on a refiored temple of Miner-
va, Locum hune religiofum, infolentiâ
dirutum, &c. But though Aulus
Gellius feems deeply fmitten with the
learning of his Nigidius, he yet ven-
tures an appeal, not very ufual with
him, from the decifion of this homo
doctiffimus. If, fays he, thefe inclina-
tions of words fignify what is beyond
meafure, and in faulty excefs, as ver-
bofus, morofus, famofus, why does not
the fame rule apply to ingeniofus, for-
mofus, and officiofus, which are in-
clined from forma, ingenium, officium?
Why not allo to difciplinofus, confilio

των 8 καλώς γιγνομένων.

33

Διαλεγχω γαρ άπαντα, και λεγω τα δι κέντα και ες το φανερον, ετε δεξίως τις v2, vše úmidas TiKaduttar TN) Yvauny." Lucianus. At quifnam hic, forfan dici poteft? & quorfum hæc? Da vufne ego fim, reverendi, an Oedipus, albus au ater homo, vix è re noftrâ difquirere. Hoe tantùm pro certo velim habeatis, me ex eorum numero efle, qui vos (quâ par eft) reverentià colunt, quique vobifcum unà literas humaniores in altiffimum honoris gradum efferri volunt. Latinè quid feribani quæritis? Nempè, ut quæ fcribam, ea vobis pareant, veftrifque, & iis de quo

#Vide Noct. Attic, Lib. 4, cap. 9.

rum

rum rebus fit exercitatio hæcce, nec in vulgus abeant, protervitatis auxilia & petulantiæ. Cavendum enim eft in re tali difcutiendâ, cum variæ fint difcep tatorum fententiæ, ne profani & cratlioris ingenii homines, quali, certamen fpectatum admifli, doctos etiam viros & vel (pace veftrâ dixerim) reverendos confpiciant,

"Non doctis dictis certantes, fed maledic

tis."

ENNIUS.

Latinè præterea qui fcribit, iftâ præfertim lingua utitur, in quâ omnes, quotquot fint, colloquuntur, hic, illic, ubique, qui ad literarum ftudia humaniorum accingantur, aut ad liberaliorem quandam fcientiam fefe devoveant inftruendam.

Argumentum fuit apud vos, doctiffimi, dudum propofitum, cui difcutiendo omnes ex omni parte homines aures dederunt quam maximè attentas. Caufà tamen illa veftra, tantum abeft ut fit diéta, ut ne in juftas quidèm partes fuerit diftributa, aut hinc aut illine; et accufatori defunt & refpondenti, exordium, narratio, confirmatio, & quicquid ad legitimam pertineat orationem. Sed pofthac forfan hæc omnia. Oratores interea utrinque inflammati fatis fupérque non "remifsè ac lenitèr & urbane" egerunt, fed verbis nimiùm ardentibus, & voce maximà. Quæftio eft de puerili inftitutione, utiliúfne procedat inter plurimos in fcholis publicis, an preceptoris, inter paucos in privata domo. Ego, fiquidem operæ fit pretium noftram inferre fententiam, in eorum partes tranfeo, qui, Quintiliano duce, contendunt, pueros in ludis publicis utiliùs erudiri, dummodò ad optimam difciplinæ rationem conformati fint, optimis ufi legibus, & graviffimis prudentiffimifque cuftodibus addicti.

Cum tamen pro confello eti egregios homines permultos, doctos fanè cos, et ad docendum aptos, habiles, & idoneos, & extare apud nos, & extitiffe femper, undè tanden factum eft, ut è gvininis noftris evaferint totidem femidocti, totidem qui literas interiores & reconditas ne extremis quidem digitis attigerint, totidem quafi ex triviis prorfus barbari? Toge igitur componantur jubeo, illufirimi doctores, mecum dum recognofcatis, fiquidem liberius veritatem liceat eruere, "unde ille lacrymæ." Res etenim eft notifima, fed nec caufa quidem latet.

Sio equidem, ad rem literariam quæ pertinent, hæc omnia deridenda qui

propinant, quamplurimos effe; homuncionum dicax fanè & lepidiffimusn genus! abfurda nefcio quæ de literatorum importunâ oftentatione blatterantium. florui è numero multos adefle video, qui nullâ imbuti fcientiâ, nullis artibus inftru&ti, mercaturam tamen agentes per fas nefafque quæftuofiffimam, nibil colunt nifi quod venale, nihil in paratum; eofdem interea, quum divihonore habeant nifi quod pretio fit tiis abundent, novas vitæ rationes inftituentes, quas, vel meliori de nota homines vix aut ne vix quidèm fatis evitare conati funt. Pauci enim funt, qui, inter luxuriofos, parcè poffunt vivere! Inter delicatos modefte! Inter folutos temperanter ! "Dira per in

cautum

Quid igitur mirum eft, cum defipiant ferpant contagia vulgus." parentes, fi filiis in exemplo fint, cur nihil fapiant? Quis, ex fegmentatis cunis, nifi mollem expectat prolem? Si quis tamnèn tali de firpe, fi quis excultioris ingenii oboriatur, is inter cecos lufcus habeatur, inter Bœotos Pindarus!--In privatorum ferè quâque noftrûm domo, quis non vidit puero

rum

"acta convivia, commeffationes, cantus?" Quis non in eoruin auribus depofita audivit, inò in eorum labellis fententia fcommata inficeta, fefcenninos fales, que etiam plaufu excipere non dedignati funt parentes, ingenua tamen eadem planè indigna, & qualia vel caprimulgum aut follorem dedecere valeant. Nec certè levitèr, et, ut aiunt, primoribus labris deguftarunt has quales quales fint vitæ delicias, fed hauferunt pleno gutture, s guya xil20. viderunt." Nimirum id ili de pueritia, "Unguenta fumpferunt, Baias quodCicero remillius paulo de adolefcentiâ. Datur enim conceflu omnium profundit adolefcentiæ cupiditates; huic aliquis ludus ætati, & ipfa natura, labefacient, nullius domum evertant, quæ fi ita erumpant, ut nullius vitam faciles & tolerabiles haberi foleant.” Oh prudentes ifti & beati parentes! Qui te ufi magifiro, in dicendo feilicet optimo pellino tamen in moribus, pueritiam

tota impunè Saburra, permittunt fparfifle oculos," & pubem vixdum etiam prætextatam, in vitiis viriliter verfatain, & plaufu gratulantur, & exemplis adjuvant. Hæc tamen nova, mus ifte omnium quotquot fuerunt non effe et inaudita, teftatur integerriMarcus Fabius Quintilianus: et prudentiffimus inftitutor juvenum, nam, inquit, noftrorum mores non ipf “ Uti

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perderemus! Infantiam fiatim deliciis folvimus. Mollis illa educatio, quam indulgentiam vocamus, nervos omnes & mentis & corporis frangit. Quid non adultus concupifcet, qui in purpuris repit? Nondum prima verba exprimit, & jam coccum intelligit, & conchilium pofcit. Ante palatum eotum, quàm es infiituimus. In lecticis crefcunt; fi terram attigerint, è manibus utrinque fuftinentium pendent. Gandemus fi quid licentius dixerint. Perba, ne Alexandrias quidem permittenda delicis, rifu & ofculo excipimus. Nec mirum: nos docuimus, ex nobis audierunt.Omne convivium obfcoais camicis ftrepit, pudenda dictu fpeciantur. Fit ex his confuetudo, deinde natura, difcunt hæc miferi, antequam ferunt vitia elie. Inde foluti ac fluentes nou accipiunt è fcholis mala ifia, fed in fcholas afferunt." Nonne rem nofacu tetigit Quintilianus ille? Imo de nobis noftrifque fatus videtur. Gaudemus fi quid licentius dixerint. Nonne ante oculos ponit fatue inful fæque prolis infultos & fatuos parentes? Oh fi inter Romanos tantum hæc!

tram

Conceffum eft igitur, pueros è domo mores fuos in fcholas fecum afferre, neque enim quod domi libentiflimè permittitur, id Gbi juftè interdiétum putare foris. Sententia fatis quidem puerilis! qualis tamèn puerilem ætatem non omninò dedecet. At præceptoris ett non fictam illam & fucatam quam domi in cultu folent habere, fed vivam & expreflam veritatis imaginem difcipulis proponere, de ratione & facris litteris deduétam; nec tùm demum puerorum, protervitati licet indulgere, cum deturpentur mores hominum. Hoc enim elt equo erruenti & habenas laxare & calcar addere. Hoc eft Horauianum illud ad nofinet accommodare.

"tas parentum pejor avis tulit
Nos nequiores, mox daturos

Progeniem vitiofiorem."

At nonne cuftodum eft loris uti for

tiùs? nonne mores domefticos, qua licet, potiùs ad rectlorein normanı redigere quam deturpare fcholaflicos? At fi quis tantùm abiit a noftrà fententiâ ut rectè omnia in fcholis publicis fe habere, nec ita effe uti notavi, affirmet; ego tamen aio: Tabulas deferam; Tefimonia recitabo, e ludis campeftribus, theatris, popinis, ganeis petita. Aleatorculorum horum decoctiones, Lucullulorum denunciabo luxuriem, fumptum,ara aliena-Erit fortale qui de gancis capfulas deportantem Ga

ur

neonem velit appellare. Hæc ut libet. At vel de fierquilinio veritatem licet quærere. Aut here nimis urbem fapee quam ut Mari ruftico conveniant, erit qui fentiat. At, at, in urbem quondam mus rufticus-Sed longa eft & fatis nota fabula. Nos etiam, bis aventes moenia fubrepere," vidimus, "rubro ubi cocco tincta fuper lectos candcret veftis cburneos," & moloilos experti fumus, fortan & experturi, fed nee formidantes. De fructu fiquidem arborem liceat aftimare, quo tandem pretio æftimanda eft, illa inftitutionis ratio quæ ex pueritia ingenua, nobili, divite, juventutem dimiferit rudem & incaltai, nec bonis litteris imbutam, nec bonis moribus ornata. Pecuarium hilare & inficetum! Vobis tamen præfertim, egregii juvenes, quibus Thamesis ad ripas Regali fub aufpice, evagari contigit, eft profectò cur grainlemur, quippè qui literarum fiquidem rudes et imperiti, at faltem non dedignati fitis didicifle quam peritiflimenatare. Credo, qua fit hominum petulantia, ne in proverbium abeatis. Neque vobis equidem non gratulor, quos fcilicèt magis ad unguem factos infiitutionis ratio urbanior perpolvit, qui in Græcis litteris fi fortè non nimis infiructi, at certè in Græcis artibus cruditi, Græcari, & Græcam ferre urbem alfucti fatis, partes veftras fuftinere, maximo cum plaufu omnium calletis. At cavendum eft, quibus, in auribus perfonuit fæpiufculè Valete, & plaudite," i ne de fcena mores transferentes, Hiliriones agant in vità. Mili tamen plura meditanti dicere, Urbanus nofter aurem videtur vellere, & admonere longiorem me quàm uti par eft in epitiolam aberralle. Quid reftat igitur, quin ut falvi vos & beati fitis, jubçam, meque cultorem habeatis hos noris vefiri, imo & librorum veftrorum helluonem acerrima,

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