1831.] Book of Proverbs, by French and Skinner. than he who affecteth grandeur, yet lacketh food." Editors' note,-demeaneth himself, i. e. forgoes all outward display of greatness. " At ch. xii. 10, "The mercies of the wicked are cruel," is well explained thus: Even the compassion which he pretends to feel for others, does not really deserve the name; because it has its origin in some wicked design meditated against them." At ch. xv. 7, for "doth not so," of the common version, we have here the sense far better represented by, "is not right." Note-" and therefore no good instruction proceeds from it." On ch. xv. 8, "The sacrifice of the wicked is the abomination of Jehovah," it is remarked, that upon those who had been led to set a high value on the outward observances of the Mosaic law, the spiritual character of this proverb was calculated to produce a great effect. At ch. xv. 14, the somewhat obscure expression, feedeth upon folly," is well cleared up in the note, as follows-" as having no relish for wisdom." The sense in the obscure words, "The way of the sluggard is a hedge of thorns," is ably explained, as if he were walking through briars; meaning that every thing requiring effort becomes painful and uneasy to him who indulges in slothful habits." At xv. 33, "before honour is humility," is well explained, "lowliness of mind is the best preparation for honour and distinction. See Matt. xxiii. 12." At ch. xvi. 4, we have a greatly improved version, as follows: Jehovah hath made every thing for His own purposes, yea, even the wicked man for the day of calamity." Note,-"hath made to be an instrument in His hands, as an artificer fabricates a tool to assist him in his work." We would observe, that though this may seem to favour the Calvinistic views, it, in reality, when properly understood, gives them no countenance at all. See the note of Rosenmüller in loco. Ch. xviii. 22, is well rendered, "he who obtaineth a wife obtaineth a blessing." And the scruple which so many learned annotators had made to the truth of the gnome, without the limitation of the epithet good, to be supplied from the Sept. is in the note satisfactorily removed by simply citing Gen. ii. 18, And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be 66 509 alone; I will make him an help meet for him." At ch. xx. 30, the sense is for the first time, we believe, made intelligible by the following version: "The marks of wounds tend to cleanse the wicked man, yea, the stripes which reach the inmost parts." At ch. xxi. 5, a difficult passage is skilfully rendered: " 'The devices of the active tend only to plenteousness; but those of every one who hasteth, only to want." Note-"the devices of the active, i. e. the plans which are deliberately conceived, and executed with zeal and alacrity." The passage may be literally rendered, 'The thoughts and plans of the rightly bustling are such only for plenteousness; but every headlong hurrying man (the ὁ ἐμπλήκτως ὀξὺς of Thucydides, iii. 82), is such only for penury." See ch. xiv. 23. There is a very similar construction at ch. xii. 24; ' but he who withholdeth more than is right, [withholdeth it] only for poverty." The sense is very well expressed in the Sept. (edit. Ald.) as follows : λογισμοὶ συντέμνοντος πλὴν εἰς περισσείαν (scil. συντέμνει)· καὶ πᾶς μὴ ἐπισπουδάζων πλὴν εἰς ὑστέρημα (scil. énonovdáče,) where we would cancel the un, which seems to have arisen from misconception of the sense by the scribes or early critics, who, supposing a un wanting, would naturally insert it. This opinion is confirmed by the Alexandrian MS. κai πᾶς ὁ σπεύδων ἐν ἐλάσσονι, which will represent the sense of the concluding words. The sentiment, therefore, and the construction, are exactly like those at ch. xix. 2, "and he that hasteth with his feet is wrong." In ch. xxvi. 4-8, we remark the following much improved version : "4. Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou also become like unto him. -5. Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he become wise in his own sight.6. He who sendeth a messenger by the hand of a fool, Cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage." We notice the following improved version of ch. xxvii. vv. 15, 16, and 19: 15. A continued dropping upon a very rainy day, And a quarrelsome wife, are alike. He who would restrain her, As well could he restrain the wind, And conceal the fragrant oil which upon his right hand.19. As in water, face answereth to face, So doth the heart of the man to the man." 510 Prologue and Epilogue at Westminster School. We had noted many other passages, but we must refrain; for really we might occupy the whole of our present number, in pointing out half the instances of improved translation, and judicious and elegant annotation, to be found in this work. But, after all, the uniform attention shown throughout the whole to every minute point in which accuracy of version or truth of explanation or illustration is concerned, is what must, we conceive, stamp this work, like the former one on the Psalms, as one of the most masterly productions of the kind which have for many years appeared in this country. PROLOGUE AND EPILOGUE, Spoken by the King's Scholars, at Westminster School, on the performance of Terence's Andria, Dec. 1831: PROLOGUS. Bis sol recurrens iter explevit annuum, EPILOGUS. " (Enter Davus, and then Dromo from the Dr. Dave heus!-D. Quisnam me vocat? Oh, Dave, tui, scapulis jam pedibusque vales? [Dec. Quos volo, promoveo.-Dr. Gouffius alter eris, Profuerit. Dr. Curæ num tibi quadrupedes? modorum? D. Oh! utinam obsequium tale ferant bipedes. Castiga.-D. Ausculta-Prodit Othello Leo! Dr. Monstrum! hirsutus Othello?-D. Afrorum est finitus ortus, Nobilior nullus pulpita Maurus obit, [est Audi quæ criticus dixit. "Nil rege ferarum P. Oh te quærebam, quod, Dave, facessis Tu Glyceri formam fingis tibi, at heroinæ Suspicor-I nunc non hæc tibi arena patet! Fons, incrementum, status ultimus aldermanni (Enter Simo.) Oh noster chartam accipe.-Si. Tune theatrum D. Quid, verba hic fundis, sapientia? Age inspice Charta est musarum.-Si. Si tria verba. Dromo! (Enter Dromo.) Quadrupedem,-D. Ah minime placet hoc.—Si. Summis, quos memini, nullus habendus honos? D. Quos memoras, tandem schedula A quæ dicta, recepit Dr. Quid schedula A-D. Nescis? hoc sciat P. Ne jam in scenarum regionibus astra requiras 1831.] St. Gervaise, Rouen; and the Cathedral Spire. Nov. 9. Mr. URBAN, NEITHER you nor any of your readers need be told that there are few towns on the Continent more interesting to an Englishman than Rouen. This consideration induced me to pass a few weeks there, and in the neighbourhood, during the last Autumn. Although I cannot pretend to add much to the interesting account of that ancient city, contained in the works of those accomplished tourists, Dr. Dibdin and Mr. Dawson Turner, yet there may be a few matters touched upon not altogether unworthy of your pages. Beyond the Boulevards, on an ascent, on the north-west side of the city, is situated the Church of St. Gervaise. The exterior, except the east end, bears no signs of antiquity, nor is there any thing in the architecture to recommend it. Its principal curiosity is the crypt, to which there is a descent of 28 steps from the interior of the Church. This is an arched room, 35 feet long, 16 feet wide, and 15 feet high. An arch divides it into two unequal parts, of which that to the east is about one third of the whole. At the east end is an altar, with a bas-relief over it, rudely representing the Last Supper, with a figure of a saint or angel on each side. The light is derived from a small window over the altar. On each side of the entrance, which is at the west end, is a low circular arch in the wall, under which are said to have been interred, or rather immured, the remains of two of the earliest Archbishops, St. Mellon and St. Avitien, but there is no figure or inscription by which they may be identified. The entire room is surrounded by a low stone bench. It is presumed that this is one of the most ancient places of Christian worship in France. The arched roof, of very large stones, rudely put together, the altar and the bas-relief, give it a very romanized appearance, and it was probably erected very soon after the Romans had evacuated the country. Its origin is dated as far back as the year 386, when St. Victria received from St. Amboise a case of relics, containing amongst others the bones of St. Gervaise, which were deposited here, and a church was built over them, which was consecrated to him. Whether this is the identical building erected 511 by St. Victria is very uncertain, but I think it bears very strong external evidence of being of that remote antiquity. In the present depressed state of the French Church, and the general indifference which seems to pervade all ranks as to every thing connected with Religion, it is gratifying to know that the re-erection of the spire of the Cathedral is now in progress. The former very unseemly spire being destroyed by lightning in September 1822, it was determined to replace it with one of cast iron, the expense of which was to be defrayed by a grant from Government, from the local tax of the city, and by private subscription. When these will ultimately effect the desired object is uncertain, but the work is now going on with every prospect of its accomplishment. The spire is to be 225 feet from the summit of the present tower, to consist of eleven stages, each stage diminishing towards the top, the last of which is to be surmounted by a pointed termination of 40 feet. The iron foundation is already laid on the stone tower, and the first stage is put together in a court on the north side of the Church. This stage is composed of open Gothic arches, bolted together, and surmounted by a low crocketed crown; it is octangular, 40 feet in diameter, and 20 feet high. A circular staircase of open work is to reach to the top of the last stage. It would seem that there could not be a greater invitation to the destruction of the Church by lightning than an iron steeple, especially where thunderstorms are frequent and violent, of which the fatal effects have been often experienced; but I was assured that conductors would be so placed as to remove all probability of danger. There is in the neighbourhood of the Church of St. Maclou, an ancient cemetery, well worth a visit from the admirers of picturesque architecture, which is not noticed by any tourist, and which I only discovered by accident. It consists of a cloister, enclosing a quadrangle of about 250 feet. The lower part is divided from the square by a colonnade of stone pillars, the capitals of which are ornamented with figures and emblems of mortality; over this cloister the building is of wood - work and plaister, many parts of which are very curiously 512 On the New Metropolitan Coal Act. carved. The building appears of the age of Francis the First, and belonged formerly to a religious establishment for females. It is now inhabited by poor people. SUSSEXENSIS. IN my former communication, I ventured to adduce some remarks on the New Metropolitan Coal Act, which comes into operation on the 1st of January, 1832. I now beg leave to offer a few additional observations on the subject, with the view of showing the injustice as well as general impolicy of taxing one of the first necessaries of life, accompanied by suggestions for the greatest economy of fuel, at a period when it is probable the price of Coals may be raised in the London market to a very serious extent, through the continued restrictions imposed on the Coal trade of Newcastle and Sunderland, by orders of Council. It is not necessary, Mr. Urban, to enter into any disquisition to show the impolicy of continuing at the present day various municipal and local imposts which originated in charters, or grants from the despotic English monarchs to their favourites, or in other cases for the exclusive benefit of sundry corporate bodies. Whereever the funds derived from such royal grants have been applied to objects of benevolence, or charitable purposes, no valid objection can be raised against their continuance; but it is unfortunately the fact, that the greater portion of such funds are too frequently not applied to charitable purposes, but are wasted either in the distribution of corporate patronage, for electioneering purposes, or the more gross and sensual indulgences of the table. These remarks are not applied exclusively to the Corporation of the City of London; they are equally [Dec. applicable to many other cities and corporate towns in the kingdom, which derive a great portion of their revenues from tolls levied on the chief necessaries of life. At the period when many of those privileges were granted to certain towns, there was doubtless some necessity for maintaining a municipal power, or civil force, adequate to the protection of such towns from the inroads of the barbarian peasantry of the rural districts. Consequently, as certain expenses must have been incurred for the defence of these towns, those who availed themselves of its protection, had a right to bear a portion of its burthens, by paying a local tax upon food, fuel, or other necessaries of life. But no man will contend that at the present day there can be any serious apprehension entertained of the eruptions of "barbarians" from the rural districts; or that the handful of municipal veterans called javelin-men, and chief constables, who parade on state days before the civic magistrates, could afford any adequate protection from an attack of the less civilized peasantry.* Perhaps no fact in political economy has been more fully demonstrated, than the impolicy of levying heavy imposts on articles of merchandise. This is still more apparent with regard to internal traffic, such as tolls on roads, bridges, markets, and fairs, than with reference to maritime or international commerce.† It cannot, therefore, be defended upon any just principle, that at a period when the Government have been devising every possible reduction in the burthens of the people, by the repeal of various taxes, which bear principally on the middle and working classes,-that at such a moment a Corporate body like the City of London should procure an Act of Parlia * Though I am not desirous of offering any political opinion as to the origin of the late events in the city of Bristol, I cannot resist the opportunity it affords me of corroborating my present remarks. Bristol is supposed to have the administration of more corporate funds than any other city in England, except the metropolis; yet from the want of management in some quarter, the city was for for y-eight hours left a prey to a ferocious mob:not, however, to a mob from the rural population of the suburbs, but a set of ruffians principally residing within its walls! + If it were not my desire to limit the present communication within moderate bounds, I might adduce abundant evidence in the history of many corporate towns, showing that the imposition of local taxes is ruinous to the mercantile interests of a town; and on the contrary, that some of the most populous and prosperous towns in the kingdom are those which are most excmpt from municipal machinery and local imposts. 1831.] On the New Metropolitan Coal Act. ment by which its privileges and revenues are to be increased by additional burthens on the community, as they will be under the provisions of the New Coal Act. What arguments can be adduced in support of such privileges it is difficult to divine, when it is notorious that an additional impost on Coals not only operates as a direct tax on the poor, but also as an indirect tax upon every article where the consumption of coal enters into the expense of manufacture, as in the price of bread, beer, soap, candles, and almost every other necessary of life. But in addition to the increased price of fuel and provisions, the dues payable to the City operate as a very serious burthen on certain trades, such as glass manufacturers, founders, &c. Indeed, in many instances, the price of coals in the London market becomes a positive prohibition to manufacturers. While the inhabitants of London are obliged to pay upwards of cent.-percent. more for fuel than those of the midland and northern counties, in consequence of the expenses of freight, together with the combinations among great coal-owners to limit the supply from the pits, lest an over supply should lower the market price, there can be no just reason why that price should be still further raised to the London consumer many shillings per chaldron beyond the price at which the same coal would be sold in any of the more distant ports south of the Thames.* In the event of the pestilence which now afflicts the inhabitants of Sunderland and Newcastle, extending itself to the port of London, among other calamities it can scarcely fail to enhance the price of coals to a very serious extent. The quarantine regulations and 513 additional expenses on coal, about which the shipping interests of the infected ports make such loud complaints (and which they would, notwithstanding the undeniable contagion of the disease, wish to have immediately removed from their shipping) must eventually fall on the consumer, by the increased price of the commodity. If the disease shews itself on the banks of the river Thames, not only coals but corn and all other necessaries of life must rise immoderately, as we have lately witnessed in the enormous rise of price in certain drugs, even upon the first intimation of the Cholera reaching this country. Under such a view of this case, it will be incumbent on every prudent person to pursue the most rigid economy with regard to the consumption of coal, both for his own sake, and for the sake of the thousands of poor who will feel the privation of this great necessary of life. In my former communication I stated some of the advantages which attend the purchase of large (or round) coals, not only with regard to a greater security against fraud in mixing water with coals to increase their weight, but from the greater portion of inflammable matter, and consequently greater value, in one ton of large coals, than if the same weight were broken down into small coal. In ordinary domestic consumption there is a very large portion of fuel wasted from injudicious management, by servants or others throwing on too great quantities of coal at one time. By this system the inflammable gas is carried off in the form of dense smoke, which is so much loss of the more valuable or gaseous part of the coal, while it becomes a vile nuisance to do *The great coal proprietors of Northumberland and Durham (both in and out of Parliament) have denied the existence of such combination, in order to keep up the price of coal at the pit's mouth. But although a combination may not be proved to exist, yet that an understanding prevails with regard to the quantity worked at the respective pits, is undeniable, the labourers in the pits scarcely ever being permitted to work full time, or they would soon produce an over supply, with its natural concomitant, a reduction of price in the market. It has been estimated that, if the restrictions now existing against the supply of coal inland were removed, so as to break down that monopoly which the coal-owners of the Tyne and Wear possess in the port of London, the Metropolis would be supplied with coals at 20 or 25 per cent. below the present average price of coal. The argument used in defence of this monopoly-that it affords a nursery for seamen, however plausible in time of war, can not be available in time of profound peace. Consequently the great coalowners of the north have no just or equitable right to levy a heavy tax on the inhabitants of London and its vicinity, of at least 20 per cent. beyond a handsome return for the investment of capital. GENT. MAG. December, 1831. |