400 Sir Sidney Smith.-Ossian. appropriations have not been uncommon. I venture to believe that there are no cross-legged monumental effigies which can be identified with any other persons than those who had either undertaken or performed the crusade. If reverence for that symbol of Christianity had been the motive for adopting such representations, surely they would not have been confined to military persons, but such only are represented with their legs crossed; and I believe never ecclesiastics. The notice given of the Brading Monument reminds me of a trivial anecdote respecting another in the Isle of Wight, which I remember to have heard related by the late Sir Richard Worsley. That Baronet happened to visit the church of Gatcombe (where many of his ancestors were buried) in company with a gentleman whose mental faculties were unfortunately so much obscured that he was commonly deemed insane (and whose name on that account only is suppressed): and upon Sir Richard's observing that he thought of displacing an old carved wooden figure, and causing a monument to be erected there for himself, the gentleman alluded to, seeming to recover himself from a fit of abstraction, instantly said, "Then I will make an epitaph for you: When a saint is removed, [Nov. dition of an honourable augmentation, granted to him in memory of his heroic exploits at Acre. I believe too, that in the instrument recording this augmentation, it was expressly acknowledged by the competent authorities, that the paternal arms of Sir Sidney Smith were Az. a chevron engrailed between three lions passant gardant Or: in other words, the very coat borne by the Smythes of Ostenhanger, and by the Viscounts Strangford. The same arms are also used by Sir Sidney's brother, Mr. Spencer S. (formerly his Majesty's Minister at Stutgardt), who, moreover, appears to have adopted the motto of the Lords Strangford, viz.: Virtus incendit vires. As the note in Lady F.'s Memoirs professes to correct the erroneous statements of Peerages respecting the family in question, I think it desirable that its connection with the heroic defender of Acre should be fully ascertained. FABER. Yours, &c. Mr. URBAN, Bride Lane, Fleetstreet, Oct. 28. YOUR correspondent on Ossian, (p. 223) says, that "the chivalrous events have been retained in oral tradition, and all that Macpherson had to do was simply to collect them." I am old enough to remember this controversy, and so far from their authenticity having been established by Dr. Blair, his dissertation or essay went only to the era of Ossian. Mr. Macpherson always spoke of manuscripts, and Dr. Johnson challenged him again and again to show them, which he never could do. In the second volume A page 40 of the second edition of of Dodsley's Fugitive Pieces (p. 119); MR. URBAN, London, Oct. 22. T Lady Fanshawe's Memoirs, recently published, there is a note relating to the descendants of Thomas Smythe, Esq. of Ostenhanger in Kent, Farmer of the Customs to Philip and Mary, and to Queen Elizabeth; and ancestor of the Viscount Strangford. I wish to be informed by the learned and ingenious Editor of Lady Fanshawe's Autobiography, from what branch of the family of Smythe the gallant Sir Sidney Smith derives his descent. Notwithstanding the difference of spelling in the names, it is to be presumed that this highly distinguished officer must be of the family of Östenhanger, as he gives precisely the same arms as that family, with the ad Mr. were inserted "Fragments of Ancient Poetry, collected in the Highlands of Scotland, and translated from the Gaelic or Erse language." These "Fragments "first came out in 1760. Macpherson says, in the preface to them," that the diction in the original is very obsolete, and differs widely from the style of such poems as have been written in the same language two or three centuries ago;" in a fragment of the same poem, which the translator has seen," and further on he says, "by the succession of these bards, such poems were handed down from race to race, some in manuscript, but more by oral tradition." Dr. Johnson, in a letter to Mr. Bos 1830.] St. Mary's Church, Beverley.-F. Drake, F.R.S. & S.A. well, dated Feb. 25th, 1775, observes, "that, if Macpherson had not talked unskilfully of manuscripts, he might have fought with oral tradition much longer." I am of Dr. Johnson's opinion with regard to the non-authenticity of Ossian's poems; for it is very unlikely that a long poem such as Fingal could be preserved by oral tradition; and as to any ancient manuscript of this poem, it could never be shown. Mr. Macpherson, together with Chatterton, must therefore be looked upon as the ingenious fabricators of their respective poems, till such time as the manuscripts of Fingal, as well as those of Rowley, are produced for the inspection of competent judges. S. H. H. Mr. URBAN, THE Goswell Road, June 12. HE Church of St. Mary, Beverley, is one of the most interesting specimens of decorated pointed architecture in the kingdom. It consists of a nave, transepts, chancel, and ailes; with a noble tower in the centre. The interior is equally interesting with the exterior, and displays many architectural features not existing in any other church in the kingdom. The subject of the annexed engraving (see Plate II.) from Scaum's Beverlac, is a portion of the north aile of the Chancel, looking east. It has a peculiarly curious groined stone roof, which has attracted the attention of many antiquaries and architects, and makes a singular appearance, from the mode in which the ribs spring from the piers, and cross each other as they, rise upwards. The ribs which form the groins of the roof unite on the north side in a cluster at the impost, and are continued down the pier, forming with it one unbroken line, being destitute of impost, mouldings, or capi tal, but on the opposite side they all, enter into rings, without appearing be 401 strongly marked indentures produce a great effect in the crossings, and upon the north side all the mouldings, except the most prominent, coincide and disappear in the body of the column, the upper fillet and mouldings of each groin only appearing, and producing, by their assemblage, a set of flutes not unlike those of a Corinthian column. The diagonal arch is a complete semicircle. The windows of this part of the aile, which there can be little doubt was originally intended for a chapel, are enriched with tracery, and the eastern one has a very fine effect. There is also a side chapel out of this aile which is likewise groined, and through which there is now a passage leading to the vestry; all these are of decorated character, and, as before ohserved, curious for their moulding and details, some of which are by no means common. The following inscription to the memory of Dr. Drake, the author of Eboracum, has not been printed in either of the Histories of Beverley which you have recently reviewed. A beautiful ancient niche near the west door of this church has been most perversely mutilated, to admit the monument of a topographer and antiquary. "Memoriæ sacrum Francisci Drake, armig. Reg. Soc. necnon Antiquarm Socii; eruditione et studio quantum profecerit Historia ejus Eboracensis, necnon et Parliamentaria, palam testantur; si amicum, si civem, si sodalem spectes, quaque in vitæ condiin modum conciliavit; adeo benignus, adeo tione, omnium gratiam et amorem mirum benevolus, adeo urbanus, ut nihil supra. Franciscus Drake, S.T.P. filius ejus e natu maximus, et hujusce ecclesiæ Vicarius, patris tam bene meriti haud immemor, hoe monumentum fieri voluit. Obiit anno Christi 1771, ætatis 76." Yours, &c. Mr. URBAN, THOMAS ALLEN. 7 Sept. 14. low them; they do not spring, as is. A MONG the Additional MSS. in usual, from the same circumference of one circle, but are distributed; the arrangement produces this singular ef-, feet, that the ribs upon the south side cross each other, whereas those on the north side diverge uniformly; a contrast which is extremely curious. The mouldings of these groins are highly indented and characteristic; their *We believe a somewhat similar crossing of ribs occurs in the roof of part of York Cathedral. GENT. MAG. November, 1830. the British Museum is a volume consisting of the original proceedings of the Mayor and Corporation of Winchester, from the 2d Hen. IV. to the 5th Edw. VI. and containing copies of a variety of curious instruments, touching the liberties, customs, and topography of the city. On the last folio but one (the 81st) is the following memorandum : Reg' herici octavi xxxviijo, there were uūbred then 402 Black Book of Winchester, and St. John's Hospital. By what chance this "Black Book" escaped from the vigilant custody of the Mayor, those best can tell who know how such records are often kept; viz. utterly neglected, until some antiquary begs to be favoured with a sight of one of these documents, probably covered with dust and half destroyed by damp; and then, for the first time, they are considered of such value as not to admit of the gaze of any eyes but such as are unable to read them! But to return to the said Black Book of Winchester. On the verso of the 31st folio, is a curious inventory of the effects of the hospital of St. John in that city, taken in the time of Peter Hulle, Mayor; which, without further preface, I shall transcribe, for the ainusement of your Hampshire readers. "Temp'e Will'i Wyke Custodis. "Vtensilia dom' s'ci Johis.-This present indent'e berith' wittenez th Petrus Hulle, Mayre of the cite of Wynchestr', & all' the Commez of the same Cite hath' delyu'ed to s' William Wyke to our' kep' of our' hous of synt Job'nis of Wynchestr' al our' goodes and Catellis vnderwrite. Firste viij Corporas, iiij tuellis for the autres in the Churche goode & v hode,2 ij litel tuellis for the lauytory olde, j paxebrede of siluer & ou' gyld' &j neth' paxbrede, & a hede of syn' John' the Baptie of alabastre; i Box of siluer wtoute ouer gylde, ij Chales of siluer włynne ouer gylde, j Chales of siluer ygylde w'oute, ij ymagez of syn John' the Baptie of alabastre, jymage of oure lady of alabastre, v chothis 3 of sylke & a litel pelew, viij p'ies vestimentez wall' the apparel!', ij surplis feble, j awbe w' parurys, j Cristalstone, j Box w dyu's reliquis, iij Missalez, ij Antiphou's, ij Portous, vj sawters, ij legendez, ij Grayellis, j episteler, j Marteloge aud vij other diuerse bokes,iij sakeryng belles,iiij Cruettez, ij lampes of brasse, j mettable wt ij trestallis, ij belles for the Churche wt the Trunke pond. viij c. 1., j forme, ij Meteclothis conteynyng in lenthe xiiij zerdes, w'a tuwell' conteynyng [No in lenth iij zerdes & a half, ij Basoms & j lauer, j litel Morter of Brasse for Spices, to pounde on', weying xij lb. ; iiij Braspottes, j belle and j litell' posnette,7j hangynglau', xj payre of Shetes, iij payre blankettz, xxiijs keu'lytes, jCrowe,j Spade, j Shouele, j howe, Rake, j Spytele, Dongpyke, j whelbarew, j bounde w'Ire, j Cofer in the Chambre w1Munimentez and Chartes. In cui' rei testimon', &c." Some account of this Hospital may be found in Milner's Hist. vol. 2, p. 194; from which may be learned how it came under the administration of the city magistrates, and its recent appropriation as a council chamber of the Corporation. I will only make a short extract: "In the dust-hole, (writes the historian) near the apartments of the windows, amongst other curious_antiques, is seen the figure of St. John the Baptist's head in the dish, being the bust of the holy patron of the house which formerly stood over the principal doorway." In all probability, this is the very head of alabaster specified in the above inventory. Yours, &c. Mr. URBAN, HANTONIENSIS. Shrewsbury, Oct. 2. the brink of her beauteous river, to The memorial is erected on the north side of the chancel of St. Julian's Church, over which parish the Archdeacon presided with assiduous attention to the welfare of his flock for the space of thirty-five years.-It is a 7 Pipkin. 8 Counterpanes. 9 Hoe. |