to two principal agents in a certain humane fociety. Nor muft I omit the characteristic propriety which adjudged Tintoret's "Blind leading the Blind" to certain modern philofophers, as it throws great light on them and their difciples in the purfuit of perfectibility Two or three ladies of quality, likewife, whofe nerves used to be very much difturbed by the lectures and hints of the late Lord Kenyon, have been again remarkably agitated and Autiered by their money returning in the fhape of Circes," and "Cleopatras," and "Meffalinas ;" and their hufbands have been equally difturbed by receiving "Bacchanalians," and Timons:" they could fcarcely have been more alarmed had it been poffible to fend them "views of mortgages" and "profpects of fuicide." In other cafes there feems a waggish allufion which will be more easily forgiven. It is to this frolickfome difpofal of Fortune's favours that we muft afcribe fo many duplicates of Teniers's "Larder," "The_Kitchen,” "The Smokers," The Topers," &c. which have been very liberally difperled among the members of the Corporation; but fome have been better pleafed with "Whittington and his Cat," "The induftrious Apprentice," and "The Roast Beef of Old England."

But, in the diftribution of fo many thousand articles of this kind, we are not to wonder if many perfons complain that Dame Fortune has made her ufual miftake in fending them what they did not want, and in difappointing them in their fondeft wifhes; and the clamours of these ladies and gentlemen were to be heard in every company for fome weeks, until an ingenious dealer in prints in the Weft end of the town gave public notice that he would, on certain eafy terms, exchange their lots for other prints from his own collection which they might prefer. The fuccefs of this fcheme cortelponded with its wifdom and liberality: all the malcontents flocked to the fhop, and endeavoured, however difficult the attempt, to please themselves. Curiofity, or rather the duty of my profetlion, led me to attend this contrivance for correcting Fortune's blunders, and rectifying her judginent, and I muft confefs I was frequently ftruck with the whimfical exchange which fome of the parties thought proper to make, and really in a few inftances they appeared

to understand their own characters rather better than the fickle goddefs. Some, for inftance, who had "Conjuga! Felicity," were bartering it for The infide of a ftable;" and others, to whom Meffis. Boydell had given Simplicity" and “ Meditation," were wonderfully eager to exchange them for "The Rake's Progrefs" and "The Race-ground at Newmarket." One grave-looking gentleman, who, I was told, was a member of parliament for a Cornish borough, flyly unfolded "Contentment and Independence," and begged to have a Perspective of the Treafury in St. James's park ;" while another very eloquent member of the Oppofition, who had got "Patience and Hope," complained that the impreffions were worn out, and too long for the only frame he had, and begged to have a proof of the "Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes."

But what vexed me mott was the frange caprice difplayed in the exchange of portraits. Some very pious prelates were given up for fox-hunters and noted game-keepers; learned judges were exchanged for jockies and bloodhorses, and not a few wealthy merchants and patriotic citizens were bartered for players, dancers, and opera fingers. The clergy, however, acted with a prudence highly characteristic, and pregnant with forefight. Thofe of them who had got the "Welch Curate" exchanged it for the " Rectory houfe," and thofe who had the "Rectory houfe" generally commuted it either for a view of the "Deanry" or "The elevation of a Cathedral ;" and fome wished to have "A view of Lambeth from the top of the Houfe of Lords," which, I think, fhewed that their tafte was not confined. In general, indeed, I obferved, much to the honour of their predilection for Gothic architecture, that they uniformly efteemed the outfide of the oldest Ca thedral more ornamental than the infide of the newest Church.

With respect to many country gentlemen of good families and great eftates, I was forry to witnefs an eagernefs to exchange "The farm yard" for "The drawing room;" and fome even gave the fine print of "The happy peafants" for the difgufting fubject of the "Welch main at the Cockpit." Military gentlemen, I know not why, but I hope it is a fign of peace, feemed very generally tired of " War's alarms."

Several

Several Volunteer officers exchanged Foote's "Major Sturgeon" for "Views of the Royal Exchange ;" and not a few Officers of the line were glad to procure Country feats" in lieu of Battle pieces."

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In general there appeared but little tafte for Scripture-prints. Holy Families" were in no repute. "The woman taken in adultery," however, feemed to fuit fome gentlemen; and the "Golden Calf" was too great a favourite to be parted with. I may alfo mention that the large print of “Anamas and Sapphira,” which fell to the lot of one of the commiflioners of income, has been by him hung up in the office of appeals.

But while this ingenious courfe of exchange is going on, it has been announced that perfons who, by accident, have got duplicate prints may have them exchanged from the proprietor's vaft collection. This will, no doubt, afford another opportunity of difplaying characteristic tafte; but, as the display will not be publick, I fhall not have it in my power to entertain my readers with the refult. All I know is, that many perfons have got more Innocence," "Temperance," and "Domeftic Happiness," than they incline to keep; and I am fadly afraid the worthy Alderman miltook the taste of the times very much in wishing to give the publick fo many excellent impreffions of "Conjugal Felicity."

YOUR correfpondent J. O.'s obfer

vation on the power and duty of Archdeacons (p. 105) gives me an opportunity of stating what I have long wifhed to ftate refpecting the condition of two parfonage-houfes in the county of Hertford. The one repeatedly prefented by the churchwardens to the bishop's vifitation, without other answer than an acknowledgment of the fees being paid, though the houfe has been inhabited near 30 years only by a labourer, fince it became unfit for the refidence of a decent rector and his family, and now is almost a ruin; and the clergyman, who comes from a diftant parifh to do the duty for the rector, refident in London, obliged to lodge at a farm-houfe adjoining. The prefent rector, I underftand, propofes to re-build and refide; but that is no apology for former neglect of the Vifitor. The other cafe is, that a rector obtained confiderable

dilapidations from his predeceffor, and fpent them before he died, leaving the houfe fit only for a labourer, though inhabited by the clergyman feveral years ago. A rectory might be named in Effex, where the houfe is become uninhabitable, and two years produce of the living, calculated by the actual receipts, including prefents, compliments, &c. which caunot in ftrictnefs be demanded, will not re-build it. F. F. March 8.

Mr. URBAN,

SHOU

HOULD we not have been told, p. 106, the fubject of the Debate and the Addrefs on which Mr. Pitt fpoke fo ably?

P. 113. The prefent poffeffor of the MS Life of Laurentius Valla, which he purchased at the fale of the author's library, not meeting with encouragement in his offer of it to refpectable bookfellers, will doubtless be obliged to Mr. Toulmin for his hint of propofing it to Foreign Literati } -if they have not productions enough of their own, or do not prefer them to foreign ones. The Clarendon prefs republishes works of known reputation; but the Life of Valla is an untried fubject; and the fame may be faid of the London bookfellers, not to mention that the public tafte, the fudden unprovoked rife of the price of paper, and the combinations of printers journeymen, is a bad profpect of fuccefs in publication.

Let Dr. Priestley's neighbours anfwer the fuppofed calumny; and let his own charges on the adminiftration of public juftice in his cafe at the aflizes at Warwick, and other pe tulant fubfequent publications, be vindicated if they can. The man that could thus arraign the juftice of his country, could not be fit for an Englifh fubject. 0.

your Magazine of last November, was thought worthy of the attention which it has received; and I willingly confefs, that I like the emendation of your correfpondent B. much more than any which I have yet feen, though I am not quite fatisfied. Where MSS. afford no light or allittance, conjecture feldom amounts to any thing better than probability.

I fhould feel obliged to your correfpondent if he could inform me of the collections and preparations which, doubtlefs, Dr. Afkew muft have made for his projected edition ?-Were they fold at the fale of his MSS. and books with MS notes? T. W. G.

Mr. URBAN,

J P. M.

March 9. S the letters which I have addrefA ed to the Author of the Purfaits of Archite&ivral Innovation” have met with more attention from the gentleman than they, perhaps, deferved, at any rate more than I expected, Í fhall beg leave to corect him in one or two particular points--and as it is generally undertod that Mr. Carter is the Author, and is he has never denied them, I fall addrefs my letter to him --When, through your kind, efs, my first letter made iis appearance Lati July, the refons which i duced me to write were, to perfilade Mr. Carter

not to infert in hus letters matter +0

tally inrelative to his fubject, and which occupied pages which might be fo much better filled; we wanted plain maiter of fact; fenfible, pertinent obfervations; measurements, and correct deferiptions; we had nothing to do with the wanderings of Plgrims, nor the prophecies of Wizude; we expect ed the entertainment and information to be found in an Architects Common place book; we wanted reality; and he has given us fights of fancy, and puerility of imagination. We did not with to read defcriptions, as fanciful as the "ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS," but accounts as accurate as time and circumftances would allow; in fhort, we wished Mr. Carter to write GENT. MAG, March, 1805.

like an Architect, which he is fully able to do, and not to attempt writing like "Mrs. Ratcliffe," or the Authorefs of the "Children of the Abbey." But, unfortunately, Mr. Carter would not be perfuaded by us; he thought he had fine talents for the fublime and beautiful in defcription; and ftill went on rhapfodizing; and, frequently writing incorrectly, he wifhed, to use the words of Sir William Jones, to foar, before he had learned to Ay.

At our remarks alfo he waxed exceedingly wrath; talked of knowing us full well; and of etching our portrait. As to his threat, I beg leave to recommend to his notice the anecdote which is told of Dr. Johnfon, when he heard that Foote purpofed ridiculing him on the age of the flavmarkets Theatre. Mr. Carter's fagacity is, doubtlefs, exceflive; and the powers of his pencil admirable; but I know not how, be is to ctch the portrait of a man, whom to my certain know-. ledge he never faw; nay, he knows not whether this letter was written by Man, Woman, or Child; he thinks me an Antiquary; doubts whether I am not an Architect; feds convinced that I am the humble fervant of Mr. Wyatt; talks of my defroying monuments and fhrines; roars about my unfair votes 66 on a certain night," in the Apartments of the Sciety of Antiquaries. There are threwd conjectures; but let Mr. Carier be allured, that I am not of age fufficient to be elected a member of the Society of Antiquaries; that I am parfaing a profeflion totally ditinét from that of an Architect; that I have certainly jeen, but never had conversation with, Mr. Wyatt; that I. never had the m ans, even fuppofing I had the inclination, of deftroying any remains of Antiquity; and that I have only been three times in my life in the rooins of the Society of Antiquaries; only one of which was a ballot-night; hill Mr. Carter knows me, and knows me well!--Shrewd obferver !—in one thing, however, he is right, 66 he knows his friend H. A. U. as well as H. A. U. knows him." II A. U. never faw Mr. Carter in his life; but thefe trifles ought not to hinder the Artift from finiting the portrait, which, if he fucceeds in, may bring him practice in the art; and who knows but that he may be called-in to paint a likenels of the Invifible Girl!" But the gentleman's

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letters