cannot but hope that our information is correct.

fcribe; he would act a really useful part, not only to prefent, but to far diftant times. But what Hiftorian, fome centuries hence, were he able to obtain the perufal of Gentleman's

patience enough

The Author, therefore, of the papers on the "Purfuits of Architectural Innovation," which have appeared in your Mifcellany, may ceafe from his remarks, would ha lamentations upon the idea of repairing or rekoring Henry the Seventh's Chapel by "fucco," or any kind of COMPOSITION: and we cannot but think that, in moft inflances the refpective Deans and Chapters of our Cathedrals have, of late years, become much more attentive than formerly to their refpective churches; and, though we must confels, that the repairs have not always been carried on with the judgment and good tafte that we might with, that it has moft frequently been done with liberality-which was not always the case.

to wade through the wild effufions of his fancy, for fuch morfels of defcription as he gives? And I queftion much, whether, if he were endued with this patience, he would understand the Gentleman's remarks, thould he perufe them, or even re-perufe them, fo buried is the atom of information in the chaos of extraneous matter, which cannot be better defcribed than in the words of Ovid:

I hall take this opportunity, Mr. Urban, of offering fome little advice to the Gentleman whofe papers have of late fo regularly formed part of your Monthly Olla Podrida." It is, I be lieve, pretty generally understood, that the writer of thefe papers is a Gentle man well known by his ingenious works on the Ancient Sculpture and Painting" of this kingdom. To his tafte as an Architect, and his abilities as a Draftfman, we cannot but give our warmeft praife but when he attempts to make his papers a vehicle for abfurd obfervations, completely foreign to the purpofe, and which he may fuppofe are fpecimens of good compofition, we mult confefs the Gentleman to be quite out of his element, and ceafe to be his admirers.

Should we, however, have laid the merits and demerits of thefe papers at the wrong door, we moft humbly beg the Gentleman's pardon; though, we believe, the Author is as we fay.

If the Gentleman wishes to communicate, to thofe who are partial to antiquarian lore the prefent ftate of the antient buildings of this kingdom, his intention is laudable: but why fhould he depart from a character he is fo well calculated to preferve? why does he not write like an Architect, as he figns himfelf, and not like a Rhupfodift? No man of common fenfe would require fine writing on fuch an occasion ; he would only expect the technical language of the Ar; fill lefs would he require an unfuccefsful attempt at fine writing. Were he to give a clear, intelligible account of the buildings which he has vifited, and he profeifes to de

"Rudis indigeftaque moles."

The Gentleman will, we truft, forgive the freedom of our remarks, and pardon us, when we advife him to findy Brevity"; or, if he be determined not to be concife, let him fill his paper in writing to the purpose, and not wandering out of the way to be addreffed as a Pilgrim, nor make his unfortunate readers drag their flow length along" through the many trifling incidents, and ridiculous exclamations, which he introduces. Nor can we difinifs this letter without noticing the abfurd lift, and equally abfurd explanations, of what the Gentleman is pleafed to call TECHNICAL TERMS. When what are really TECHNICAL terms are explained, we perceive that the Gentleman is writing on a fubject which he has ftudied, and ftudied well; when, however, he wanders from his road, and drags in words which have about as much relation to Architecture, as roast beef, or apple pie; perhaps not fo much, for a man

"from pliant pafte may fabricks raife ;" the Gentleman appears ridiculous. Who can perfuade us, that "Tafte" is a technical term? or that "Tumbling" is in any Artift's vocabulary, unlefs, perhaps, of thofe at Sadler's Wells or the Royal Circus? We can eafily perceive the reafon why the term Tafte is thus introduced, in order to cloak illiberal remarks upon an Architect, who, we allow, is as much open to cenfure for feveral depredations, we may call them, on our ancient architectural Atructures, as he is entitled to the highest praife for the many noble fpecimens of his skill, with which he has adorned his native country. It feems almost needlefs to add, that we allude to Mr. Wyatt.

Candour, however, obliges us to alwol, that, though in many inftances

the

2

the Gentleinan has introduced terms, Edition in 21 vols. of Johnson and ich we affert to be in no way tech Steevens's Shakspeare) has been long oc fill, that he frequently introduces cupied in preparing a new and im under thefe very terms remarks high- proved edition of Baker's BIOGRAS ly curious and entertaining to an An- PHIA DRAMATICA." Squaw and co tiquary; ftill, they are out of their Two-and-twenty years have elapfed place, and other means fhould be found fince the laft impreffion of that work; for introducing them. I fhould not during which period a very large acreft fatished with an actor, fhould he ceffion has been made to our catalogue play, for example, the part of Hamler of PLAYS, &c. with the exquifite powers of Garrick, dreffed as an Harlequin; nor can I read without a smile, an Architect's remarks upon the Saxon fculpture on the porch of the abbey church of Malmesbury, introduced as explanatory, under the technical term of TUMBLING." The information itself is curious, but it should be given under another drefs, or in another form.

Mr. Urban will, of courfe, obferve, that we have taken the Gentleman's laft paper as the ground-work of our remarks; though inftances ftill more abfurd and ludicrous might be discovered in any other of his feventy-one papers.

As a fpecimen of fine writing, Lear's defcription of a form, in the works of our immortal Bard, muft hide its diminished head" before the Architect's brilliant paffage, beginning with "Toil, toil up this fearful height," &c. &c. I Thall not copy it over, as it has already, by your fufferarice, been printed once-perhaps once too much. Nor have we acutenefs enough to observe, how the PURSUITS OF ARCHITECTURAL INNOVATION" are at ail exemplified in the beating of the mercilefs elements," the inclofure of the clouds," or the "dizzinefs of the Architect's head," which, I fuppofe, accounts for his train of thinking being elevated above the ufual level" and fome reafon was certainly neceflary for that extraordinary facl.

The infirmities which, unfortunate. ly, are too often attendant on a ftudious life, have induced Mr. Reed to accept of my humble affittance toward completing his defign, of rendering more perfect the part of the work which has heretofore been printed, and of continuing the AccOUNTS of PLAYS and MEMOIRS Of their AUTHORS to the prefent time.

Though I have been many years in the habit of collecting and read ing the works of the early British Dramatifs, as a favourite amufement; yet, being unexpectedly called upon to render any information that I may thereby have acquired fubfervient to the amufement of the Pub lick, I cannot but feel how greatly that intention would be promoted by any communications from gentlemen who may have made the DRAMA the companion of their leifure hours, or the particular object of their literary avocations. I therefore, Sir, beg permiffion, through your medium, to request, that any information in the way of Memoir, Anecdote, or Correction, which fuch gentlemen may have the goodness to communicate, may be addrefled to your confant reader, &c. STEPH. JONES.

Red Lion Paffage, Fleet Street, P. S. It may be proper to obferve, that the plan of the work includes living Dramatifls; and that bints toward forming perfect lifts of their Plays, &c. (mentioning their dates, and diftingnishBut, unless the Gentleman can puting whether acted or not) will be very harnefs on the reftive runaway fieed of acceptable. his wandering imagination, and will not walk over Wales to give us architectural information, without telling us of his tenants," or that he was addreffed a noble Lord's giving an ox to as a " pilgrim;" we fear, to ufe the Gentleman's own words, that all again will be gloom and one unintelligible mafs!" H. A. U,

BIOGRAPHIA DRAMATICA.
Mr. URBAN,
July 12.
IT is not, perhaps, generally known,
that Mr. REED (Editor of the last

THE PURSUITS OF ARCHITECTURÁL
INNOVATION. No. LXXII.
MONORBEER.

The Probe was not wholly done
THE cordial attention I experienced

away at this place, being about three or four miles to the Weft; a poor village now, and found in fome featstered huts inhabited by a few inoffen, five people What once marked the name of Monorbeer as famous, may be gathered from the remains of the noble cufle here ftanding, and standing in a

ftate

1

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flate more entire than any I had noted during my progrefs. I speak of the external feening, as it was not poffible to gain admittance within the walls, no one dwelling therein. The fituations of this callle was, as ufual, romantic us Welt afpect bore towards the fea, which, it may be fuppofed, at times washes its unperishable foundations. Fearless I drew this fine foene zona obtruding native turned my bway, nor difheartening circumRances occurred to drive me from my Jabour and I fhall always reflect with fatisfaction, that at Monorbeer I at leaft ceased to be under the Welsh influences in Kind Monorbeer, I give you praife; but your harmless cottagers and your poverty will never reap vany benefit from my good opinion!

The Cafle in its external arrange ment has a curious gate of entrance, large fquare and round towers, with hanging turrets at the feveral angles of the works, battlements, crofs loop holes, and others of a fingle opening. Little damage has been done to the general lines and we must prefume the noble Poffeffor, by the protection here evinced, has in mind the former great mafters of this memorable spot, the relatives of the illuftrions Giraldus, who, it is fuppofed, here first drew his breath.

field, while the right is drawing the fword. Confidering the length of time this effigies has lain in its prefent pofition, the chance of facrilegious rage, havock from whitewashers feafs fold-poles, and the like, much furpriza falls over us that it remains in fuck excellent condition, thewing well the features of the countenance, the four bars on the shield, the ring work of the armour, &c. Come, let us again prefume the noble Poffeffor above hinted at here alfo fpreads his in fluence, being fenfible of the fine foulpture, and alive to the fepulchral me morials of celebrated characters, whofe revered names and exalted deeds will in a very fhort time once more fwell the pages of history in a new and fplendid dress, under the patronage of a difinterested mind, who in fuch an undertaking will do honour to Antiquity, and fet a juft example for others in the fame dignified sphere to bring forward more of our antient relicks of literature upon a fimilar, laudable and praifeworthy plan.

Departing out of the protection which furrounds dear Tenby in a kind circle of five or fix miles, I too foon met with the reverfe of fate; the very untrodden roads, the barren fields, through which I perambulated to Carew Caflle, frowned on me in fullen preparation towards my receiving again my portion of anxious dread and apprehenfion.

CAREW CASTLE.

The Church, in its exterior, is rather fingular, from a tower which rifes between the body of the building and the chancel. In the interior the architecture is after the Pointed man- Not liking either to look at, or hold ner, and his fimple in the extreme, conference with, the people who afgiving, in moft refpects, piers and fembled round me at my arrival here, arches without plinths, capitals, mould- I did but in a manner run over the ings, or ornaments of any kind. The Castle; a mere ruin, and carrying on vault of the roof is one pointed head- many parts the architecture of the way, without rib or other decoration. feventeenth century, worked over the Notwithstanding all this fimplicity in mafonry, yet it was not without its charms; at leaf to me, who can receive as much gratification from an bumble performance in this way as in a more elaborate work not prefenting fo much of the artless as the endeavour here spoken of. On the North fide of the chancel, under a plain arch in the wall, is a plain tomb alfo, bearing the ftatue of one of the family (as it is generally underfood) of Giraldus. The hgure is in ring armour, with a few sportions of plate armour on the knees and legs, fuch as was worn foon after the Conquest. The attitude is full of animation, the left arm holding the

antient lines, in order to give an improving afpect to the walls, according to the tale of that period. Oppofite the Eaft front of the Caftle is an entire Saxon Crofs, in high prefervation, full of entwined bands, infcriptions, &c. This object imparted much fatisfaction, as fculptures of this nature (fuch as thofe already defcribed) are for the molt part tound in broken fragments. In the Church are two ftatues laid on the tone feat of continuation; one a Knight correfpondent to that at Monorbeer, and the other a Religious in his officiating habit.

The profpect of my farther progrefs began to wax gloomy, fraught with unpleafant