threads crossing each other, like very open canvass is made, which is partially worked up with linen into patterns; the other half are plain linen, the figures being cut out on it. These two kinds alternate, and the general effect is admirable. Of course when I say it is evident, from the head-dresses, that it belongs to Tudor times, it will be supposed that the shapes of the animals are rude and droll enough; in fact, they are wilder than ever herald dreamt of, but the subjects are very curious. Monkeys in various attitudes (e. g. smoking*), ladies hawking, spinning, playing the guitar and organ; with fans, flowers, and huge keys, shepherds piping, milkmaids, all sorts of animals, incomprehensible birds, the fox-chase, &c., &c., are all pourtrayed: and the whole gives the notion of a tesselated pavement. One shield only occurs, the talbot passant of Comberfords, it occurs on others without the shield. Two female heads, in a sort of frame, also are seen, with the respective initials of M. and E. I know nothing of the history of this relict which has been termed by the family a counterpane; it has come down generation after generation without a single marvellous tale connected with it. peacock occurs on it three times-it may be an allusion to the crest, which was a peacock's head, mantled gules, doubled or powdered with red roses, and issuing from a ducal coronet. After all, perhaps, there is nothing very much against the notion that the John Ensor of 1614, is the same as the son of George, mentioned in "Shaw's Pedigree," as 5th son of Thomas Ensor and Dorothy Comberford, but I am sorely perplexed with the innumerable Johns and Ensors together, filling the Tamworth Registers.+ The The old Ensor mansion, at Wilnecote, is a comfortable stone building, of the last century. A marble tablet has 1. E. G., 1702, for John and Grace Ensor, and on a stone is rudely scratched J. E. 1736, said to have been a juvenile attempt at sculpture, by James the exciseman. There is an ancient barn nearly half composed of " post and pan-work." The old moat house, Tamworth, which had ceilings adorned with many Comberford quarterings, is, I fear, departed hence. To return from this digression to my subject matter. Dyer, in 1741, was presented by Mr. Harper to the living of Catthorpe, in Leicestershire, worth £80. a year. Here he remained about ten years, and his residence is thus described by Mr. Thorne, in his "Rambles by Rivers." "His rectory house is on a hill-side, looking over the vale of Avon, which is here very beautiful; and, all about, is just the placid scenery that such a poet might delight to wander among. And we can very well imagine how, amid such walks, he would love to stroll, and, like another clerical poet, holy Mr. Herbert,'‹ relish versing.' Here, away from the world, he employed his leisure in the preparation of his longest poem, The Fleece. The subject was, no doubt, suggested by the opportunities his residence here afforded him of becoming acquainted with the various stages of the manufacture of wool, from its being shorn from the sheep's back, to its conversion into different articles of clothing. Accordingly, he has drawn largely on the scenery of these parts, and many * Query, what weed was generally used in early times. We have Roman pipes, and they are abundant in the old ruins of some abbeys. For minutes of these registers, and for much friendly information and assistance, in re Ensor, I am indebted to the Rev. R. W. Lloyd, of Wilnecote, to whom I return my warmest thanks. portions of the poem are pleasing, though, as a whole, dull enough. The whir of the stocking loom is still to be heard at many of the villages,—it is the only sound, indeed, that disturbs the silence of the streets." In this year, 1741, he had some serious illness at his friend Dr. Mackenzie's, at Worcester. Indeed, for the rest of his life he was a weak, poorly subject, perhaps, having injured himself by too intense study in his youth. The following, occasioned by his illness, has, to my knowledge, never been printed." 44 "Wrote on recovery from a dangerous illness, at Dr. Mackenzie's, "Mackenzie's happy skill and pious care, Fill all my waking nerves with glowing life, Again, bright images of day appear, But who was she with soft melodious voice, Who oft explored the feebly uttered want; To pour around my bed the golden day, Shall grateful Poetry, with mellow note Shall Painting meet his eye, in Nature's guise, Sweetly delusive? Or, spreading on the poor my wide regard, And sing the Fleece and Loom? That, that's the lay Pleases Mackenzie!" Worc., May 25, 1743. Dear Sir,-After you left us, I sent your note to Mr. Wheeler, upon which I had a long letter. He hoped that I was a just man, and loved peace, and that I would determine matters in dispute in a righteous way, and such stuff. I answered that I did not pretend to be an arbitrator between you two, but only as Mr. Dyer's friend; if he made any reasonable offer, I would accept of it; but I gave him to know that I had too much business of my own to enter into long altercations with him; that I would, once for all, make him my proposal, which, if he did not agree to, he should never hear again from me upon the same subject, but would have Mr. Hand to settle affairs with him, in the best manner he could. In short, by the air and stiffness of my letter, he found I was in earnest; accordingly, he sent me a categorical compliance with every article of my demands, which you have enclosed, and to which I refer you. I would have you to be very complaisant to his son's curate, and assist him all you can. You will shew Mr. Wheeler's letter and note, and receive your money. I asked Hand what he expected for his trouble, he said he was twice at Droitwitch, and spent five shillings of his own money on this business; he therefore insisted on having a guinea, which I paid him I shall be glad to hear from you, and, I am, D. S., Yours in affection and service, "JAMES MACKENZIE. "To the Revd. Mr. Dyer, at Calthrop, near Rugby, in Warwickshire." Sometime before 1743, (the year of Savage's death,) a Poem addressed to him beginning, "Sink not, my friend, beneath misfortune's weight," which may be found in the "British Poets," was written, as also the following beautiful little Poem also to Savage: AN EPISTLE TO A FRIEND IN TOWN. Have my friends in the town, in the gay busy town Or heedless despise they, or pity the clown, No matter, no matter-content in the shades- Till outrage arises, or misery needs Then mine be the deed and the danger. Alas! what a folly, that wealth and domain Immense is the toil, yet the labour how vain! Then glide on my moments, the few that I have, While gently the body descends to the grave, Savage responded in "An Epistle to Mr. John Dyer, Author of 'Grongar Hill', in answer to his from the country," beginning, Now various birds in melting concert sing, And hail the beauty of the opening spring, Oh, could my soul through depths of knowledge see From shocks gain vigour and from want content. Dyer's mind was now more concentrated than ever it had been before ; his Clios and Celias had ceased to inflame his brain; he had become, a quiet married man, in a pleasant country, and we may readily believe that the days he spent at Coningsby were the most placid and happy of his life. His eldest daughter, Elizabeth, would be born (being aged 75 in 1819, when she died) about 1744. Sarah and Catherine followed, and John, his only son, was his youngest child. The map which Dyer had begun some years before, was called forth from its rest in 1749. The commencement of the pamphlet he now intended to publish will best set forth his then intentions. I am not aware whether it was actually ever printed or not. “A plan of a commercial map of England, and a discourse on the uses of it.1749. It is above twelve years since I drew up the scheme and wrote a discourse on the uses of a commercial map of England, and made some progress in the map itself, but finding it to be a work of much expense as well as labour, and meeting with no proper encouragement, I was obliged to fling it aside. The scheme, with the discourse, now appears to the public, at the desire of a person for whose understanding and virtue I have the highest regard, and who has inclined me to think that, even unattended with the work, it may be of use. J. D. "A map of England, which will describe the general courses of its hills and vales; of its coal, iron, lead, copper, and tin mines; beds of fuller's earth, potter's clay, and salt springs; of its rivers and their navigations, natural, improved, and improvable. Which will also express at all considerable manufacturing towns, their cheapest manufactures, and where communications should be made, from river to river, or from one port or town to another, by good roads or canals, for the better circulation of our trade. Around the margent will be plans (in the largest scale) of some ports, rivers, roads, &c., in supposed improvements. This map, in some measure, will be drawn scenagraphical; marking with small shadowings the most uneven surfaces of the island, &c, &c." The description with remarks on improvements and products extends to some length, and is a very beautiful MS. written on one side only. In one of his earlier MS. books is the original dedication :-" To the truly noble; and to the promoters of most great works, the merchants of England; and to all manufacturers, traders, and men of honest industry; this map is dedicated &c." Part of a sermon of 1748 is written on two draft letters as follows: "Dear B.-You have enclosed a second parcel of the Poem. I hope you are very well. I am very much recovered, and begin to fancy myself and those mistaken who thought my lungs were ulcerated, for I cough but very little, and now and then drink a glass of wine, which agrees with me. I am, Dr. Bro. &c. “Madam-Upon enquiry, I liked the character of the servant I mentioned, and having sent for him was surprised that his mother with whom he now lives will not let him go away now to service. It seems that the reaping of potatoes and onions is so profitable to the people here, that even boys set up and thrive on the business." The period we have been reviewing, is not eventful, the next will be full of literary and personal interest. Darlington, December, 1847. VOL. V., NO. XXI. FINE ARTS. Î THE effort now making in England to popularize the Fine Arts has proved very successful in its application to the beautiful materials for which Mr. Copeland's Potteries have been so long distinguished. Among the more striking and elegant specimens we have seen produced in Staffordshire porcelain, we may instance a series of groups, statuettes, &c., after Gibson, Foley, Wyatt, and other artists; Psyche, Undine, Paul and Virginia, &c., and an interesting collection of busts, including those of Shakespeare, Byron, Dryden, Wellington, and Nelson. These exquisite productions may be seen at Mr. Eldred's Repository of Arts, 168, New Bond Street, and are well worthy a minute examination. THE BALIOLS. To the Editor of The Patrician. SIR,-In your February number, appears a letter from Mr. Boys, of Margate, whom I have the pleasure of knowing to be a most distinguished professional gentleman, upon a subject which cannot but be interesting; namely, the Genealogy of the Baliols, competitors for the Crown of Scotland. I have, therefore, endeavoured, in the course of my Genealogical and Historical occupation to obtain some irrefragable evidence on the subject. For the present I will quote the Parliamentary Rolls of those who sat in Parliament, and in my next researches, bring out the records, which evidence is indisputable. Guy de Balio was a Baron of William the Conqueror, he was succeeded temp. King Stephen, by (2) Barnard Baliol, his son and heir, who was succeeded by (3) his son Eustace, reg. King John; who was succeeded by (4) his son Hugh, temp. Henry the III.; who was succeeded by (5) his son and heir John Baliol, temp. Henry III. He died in 1268, and was succeeded by (6) his son and heir Hugh, who died in 1271, without issue; and was succeeded by (7) his brother and heir, Alexander Baliol, temp. Edward I., who died 1278; and was succeeded by (8) John, his son, the competitor for the Crown of Scotland, and King of Scotland, the last "Baron" de Baliol. Alexander, his brother, was summoned to Parliament in 1300. In the reign of Henry III., there were three other Barons by tenure of "Baliol: "one Henry Baliol, supposed to have been brother of Hugh, the 4th Baron above, and died in 1245. Another, Eustace Baliol, who was living in 1269. Another, Bernard de Baliol, living in 1243. So says Sir H. Nicolas. I must reserve for a future number, particulars of these warriors, if you should think this worthy of record. I am, yours, faithfully, CHARLES DELACY NASH, Montague Street, Portman Square, Christmas Eve. |