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because neceffity or chance inforced all that could have been fought by choice, in this inftance..

When the vicinity afforded fand, clean, quartofe, fharp, well fized, and resembling our mixture of the coarse and fine; chance furnished all that fkill could aim at, in the choice and preparation of this article.

When walls of immenfe thicknefs were conftructed chiefly with fmall ftones, in the way of boulder-work, the great confumption of mortar made every practicable faving of lime an object of great importance; and as the mortar must be made ftiff for fuch work, it was neither convenient nor neceflary to mix much lime in it, or to use fine fand in it, or to exclude the rubble from it and thus, by motives of economy and convenience, rather than by any others, they were led to the measures which infured, to the cement of fuch structures, every perfection dependent on the goodness of lime and fand, and on good, if not the best, proportions of them.

When the ftones ufed in building were recently dug, or collected from the beds of rivers, the artists needed no precautions against the bad effects of dry, bibulous, and dufty ftones or bricks; and their works bad, of neceffity, every good quality attainable by the practice, which I commend, of foaking thele materials. When their water was good, the cement, abounding in lime, was not much the worle for their ignorance of the ufe of lime water.

When the ftructure was intended to ftand by its own ftrength, rather than to depend on timbers; and was, by the folidity of its bearings and the diameter of its ftoney fubftance, fecured from agitation; when the thickness of the walls prevented the cement from being haftily dried, and afterwards fecured it from being thoroughly wetted; and when the enormous weight contributed to the approximation and cohesion of the parts of the cement to each other, and to the ftoncs: every defect of cementitious buildings, of a contrary description, was obviated by the nature of the structure; which rendered it as perfect, in the hands of any artifts, as the most confummate kill could make our modern, flender, tremulous, bibulous walls.' It will naturally be expected that Dr. Higgins fhould take notice of the reputed improvement lately made in the preparation of mortar, by M. Loriot, and published by order of the King of France. With refpect to this difcovery (made public by order of his Majefty in 1774), we need fay no more to the Reader who is acquainted with the rationale of the process, as above laid down, than that M. Loriot ufes old flaked lime, that is, lime which has regained a part of the fixed air that had been expelled from it; and then, at the time of ufing the mortar,

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adds fresh powdered quicklime to the mafs. In fhort, not being acquainted with the true principles of the art, he corrects the bad quality of the old and effete lime, which conftitutes the bafis of his mortar, by the addition of fresh and non-effervefcent lime, haftily added to it, at the time of ufing the compofition, and which must undoubtedly improve the imperfect mass. On this fubject, the Author, very properly in our opinion, observes, that when an ignorant artist makes mortar with whiting inftead of lime, he can mend it confiderably by adding lime to it; but his mortar will ftill be defective, in comparifon with the beft that may be made, by reason of the old flaked lime or whiting. For on repeated trials I found this, to be the true flate of the cafe *.'

Before we conclude this article, we fhould add, that the Author's obfervations and precepts do not merely reft on the fmall trials above mentioned, made with mortar fpread on tiles, &c.; but that he has realifed them in practice, or on the great fcale, particularly in incruftations, external and internal. Towards the end of this performance is given A Specification made in confequence of letters patent' granted to him; in which are minutely delivered the most useful practical inftructions, deduced from the foregoing experiments and obfervations. We here learn too that the Author has fecured to Meffrs. James and Samuel Wyatt, architects, an exclufive right in his cement: intending to confine this privilege to them, till the public convenience requires its extenfion to others equally well qualified and difpofed to adopt his improvements in practice. With respect to his new cements employed in incrustations or fucco, exceeding Portland ftone in hardnefs,' he refers the Reader to feveral houses in London and its neighbourhood, which he fpecifies; in which public trials have been made of his compofition, towards the end of the year 1778, and laft year; and adds that Meffrs. Wyatt are engaged to stucco a great number of capital houfes with it this fummer. Thefe,' fays the Author, will be done in the higheft perfection, because the workmen are now compliant, and experienced.'

We cannot conclude this Article without obferving, that the public are much obliged to the ingenious Author for his meritorious attempts to improve an art in which they are so much interested; and for communicating to them the refults of his numerous experiments, and the principles deducible from them. Thefe principles, or at leaft a rational practice founded upon them, will foon, we hope, become known and familiar to the inferior artists, fo as to conftitute a part of their routine.

*For our account of M. Loriot's publication relative to this fubject, fee Rev. vol. li. p. 184.

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Art. VIII. Modern Anecdote of the ancient Family of the Kinkvervan. kotfdarfprakengotchderns. A Tale for Christmas. Dedicated to the Honourable Horace Walpole. 12mo. 1 s. 6d. Davenhill.

TH

HIS is the production of a sprightly mind, fomewhat of the Rabelaic caft. The ftory itself is rather a fimple one, and required very little invention as to plot, machinery, or denouëment. It is called a Tale for Chriftmas, and a perfon with a lively fancy and a voluble tongue, might have told it extempore for the amufement of a company over a good fire, on a Christmas evening.

Cecil is the beautiful daughter of a proud German Baron, who had nothing to boaft of but a long line of diftinguished anceftry. He was poor, but over full of the fentiment of familydignity, which was conftantly nourished by a fight of his family-pictures. These covered every room of his caftle. They were the chief objects of his contemplation in foiltude; and in company the chief fubject of his conversation.

Franzel, the fon of a Farmer-general, a handfome young fellow, who bore a commiffion in the army, accompanying his mother on a visit to the Baron, and conceived a strong paffion for his lovely daughter, The paffion was returned with equal warmth by Cecil. On a propofal of marriage by Madame Franzel, the Baron's pride difdained the connection of his daughter with a perfon not nobly defcended, however fuperior to himself in fortune. Cecil did not enter fo readily into her father's prejudices. She loved Franzel; and at all adventures was determined to marry the man whom her heart had chofen. Her father pointed to the family-pictures; but they could not convince her that her love was ill placed: there was an argument that pressed with greater force, and fpoke with an eloquence infinitely more affecting.

Hogreften, a relation of the Baron, and refident at the caftle, had conceived an affection for Cecil. This gentleman was alarmed with jealousy at Franzel's vifit; and was afterwards confirmed in his fufpicions of an amour, by an intercepted letter from Franzel to the young lady. This difcovery enraged the Baron, and mortified Hogreften. From a paffage in the letter, they concluded that Franzel would carry off the prize by ftratagem, or fome other means: to prevent which, poor Cecil was doomed to imprisonment in a large room that had only two windows, which were so near the ceiling, that it was impoffible for any one to reach them, even by getting on the chairs or tables.

In this confinement fhe was entrusted to the pious charge of the curate, who was inftructed to use his utmost endeavours to reduce her to the will of her father. She outwitted the curate,

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and interefted him in her views of escaping from her prifon, by affuring him that he was married to young Franzel. Through his hands the conveyed a letter to her lover, who, after reading it, answered in his ufual impetuous manner, that after such a night, he fhould pafs every fucceeding one in waiting round the caftle, or under the windows of the room fhe was locked up in, and receive her in his arms, the only place (added he) where you can be fafe from perfecution!' That is very true, thought fhe; but how to get there is the dilemma!

The fair prifoner firft tried by the help of chairs and tables, and bed-clothes, heaped on one another, to fcale the wall and 'They would not reach half get to the window. But in vain. way up the horrid room.' At laft, by the lucky help of a dream, which reprefented to her fancy the whole fuite of pictures in the room fallen down on the floor, a thought ftruck her head, when fhe awoke, that she could make a good ufe of this dream, and turn the pictures to fome better account than her proud father had done. Cecil was cunning: and having outwitted the parfon, thought it no difficult matter to over-reach her father. She arofe (the Tale fays), fent for the Baron, and told him that he could not bear to fee her honoured parents fo neglected. Obferve, Sir, faid fhe, how the duft hides the refpectable, faces of thofe that hang uppermoft. Might I be permitted a ladder to take them down, and have a little foap and water to clean them with ?'-He hefitated fome time, and then confented. He brought the ladder himself in, and took down about fifty portraits, armed and not armed, of all ages and titles: and as he took them down he ranged them according to their defcent upon the floor, against the wall, all round the room. Delightful occupation! He grew an inch taller at every great action he recited; for he told the hiftory of each of their lives to Cecil, who liftened with complacency: only the Baron obferved that her eyes were often turned towards the windows, which, as there was no view out of them, made him strongly suspect she had the ladder in view too.

The evening furprised them in their occupations. Hogreften came to partake of the amusement, and inform the Baron that dinner had waited a long time. The Baron, after having or dered the ladder out of the room, quitted it, faying, 'I fhall return to fee the progrefs of your work, Cecil: and may your Occupation remind you of your exalted birth, and may thofe refpectable perfonages teach you your duty! I intend they fhall be my aid and fupport in future, indeed,' replied fhe.

As foon as the Baron was gone, Cecil ftill locked in, washed feveral more of her ancestor's faces. Ah! cried the every now and then-ah! grim gentry, who have been the cause of fo many REV. May, 1780.

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many a tear, you fhall once in my life make up to me for all the forrow you have occafioned.'

Soon after dinner the Baron returned with the ladder, which he took great care to have conveyed out at night again; though on purpose to confirm his fufpicions, fhe defired it might re

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She could not refufe herself the malicious pleasure that evening of encouraging Hogreften's awkward addreffes. She promifed her father to marry him. When night came, the permitted Hogreften to kifs her hand, and faid, as her father went out, that she was not at all afraid of fleeping in fo large, a room with fo much good company,' pointing to the pictures. Locked in, fhe waited till fhe thought every one afleep: then flew to her honoured ancestors, and without regard to precedency or decency, the heaped grandfathers on grandmothers; knights on old maiden aunts; he coufins bearing armour on fhe-coulins bearing diftaffs. In her hurry indeed, now and then, the made by turns the ladies fupport the gentlemen, and the gentlemen the ladies here a father's head refted on a daughter's feet: there a mother's face met a fon's bufkins: fharp-pointed Aippers rubbed against flowing perukes: coifs and pinners were joined to longnecked fpurs. In fhort, heads and tails were jumbled together, and parts never intended by nature or good manners to meet, kiffed each other. Thus, one by one, the noble family, as faft as fhe could heap them on each other, made a pile which reached to the windows: Adieu, Meffieurs et Mesdames! faid fhe, as the Sprung out of the window into her hand fome Frederic's arms: -where we will leave her. Can we difpofe of her better?'

There is a pleafantry and vivacity in the manner in which this Christmas Tale is related: there is an elegance too in fome of the descriptions. The reflections are not deftitute of humour and acutenefs. As to the moral of the ftory, we must leave the fagacious Reader to make that important difcovery for himself. The grave and the gay will pafs fentence according to their different feelings. The former will call the fair Cecil a giddy, obftinate creature, who deferved to have had her neck broken when she took the lover's leap. The latter will commend her fpirit and addrefs. The inference we fagely draw from this genuine anecdote of the ancient houfe of Kink is this: that love oppofed, produces both craft and fortitude and that when a young Franzel enters a girl's heart, castles will be no defence;-fhe will fly to his arms in fpite of fathers, families, and family-pictures.

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