126 in Original Letters from Dr. Richard Grey. tage but by me. You have given a you "I don't know whether I am to thank you for your last piece, which I read with pleasure; but somebody unknown was so kind as to send it me; though I had purchased it before. "I thank you for your good wishes, and for the expression of your regard for me, and am with sincere respect and esteem, dear Sir, your obliged and most obedient humble servant, R. GREY." "Dear Sir, Hinton, April 9, 1765. "I am ashamed that I have not sooner answered your kind Letter, which being without a date, I know not how long it was in coming to me; but through a mistake in the direction (Hinton, near Daventry, instead of near Brackley), it had gone backwards and forwards, and was at last brought to me in so sad a condition, that in some parts of it I had much ado to read it. I have no other apology to make for this delay, but that I have been of late a good deal out of order, and extremely averse to writing, but where absolute necessity required it. To confess the truth, I find the infirmities of old age increasing fast upon me, and particularly with respect to my eye-sight. This must likewise be my excuse for my not sending you any critical remarks upon your last performance, with which I have no faults to find, though in some particular passages I cannot entirely agree with you. Perhaps, if we were to talk it over, you might be able to give me satisfaction, and indeed I should think myself happy if, by being nearer to you, I could have an opportunity of [Feb. conversing freely with you in person upon that or any other learned subject; but from doing it by Letter, I must, for the reasons I have given you, beg to be excused. "Upon your recommendation of the late Translation of the Song of Solomon*, I immediately sent for it, and like it very well. If the author's hypothesis has not a real foundation, it is, however, very plausible, and makes the poem itself more agreeable and entertaining. I suppose you may have seen a Dissertation upon the same subject, with the original text divided according to the metre, printed in the year 1751, for Millar. It was impossible that the author should be wrong in the greatest part of the poem, but in many places he has departed so much from the Masoretical pointing, and given a pronunciation of his own, so very unnatural and contrary to analogy, that I confess it did not answer my expectation, and seemed rather to increase the prejudices against the metre, than to lessen them. For if the advocates for that discovery cannot agree among themselves about the division and pronunciation of the verses, it must be an objection to the certainty of it. And though I am far from thinking with you that Dr. Lt. has closed the eyes of all the world against it, yet I am afraid that the authority of so excellent a writer will be of great weight, especially with those who are not capable of judging for themselves, and will be apt to pay a greater regard to his opinion, than to yours or mine, or even to that of our friend Mr. Edwards, who has, I think, said as much as can be said upon the subject, and perhaps more than was in strictness necessary. As to entering into a controversy myself, I have already declared my unwillingness to do it, and the right which I think every man has in such cases to enjoy his own opinion. I am much obliged to you for the offer you make me of paying for an impression of the Sweet Singers, &c. but can by no means think of laying a burden upon my friends, which I should not choose to take upon myself. Besides that great part of my intended work has been anticipated by other writers, you pay me too great a compliment when you tell me that the poetical By Dr. Percy, Bp. of Dromore. + Query, Dr. Lowth? parts 1822.] Original Letters to Rev. W. Green. parts of Scripture which remain un- "I am, dear Sir, with great respect, "Sir, Stanton, Feb. 29, 1776. "Please to accept my acknowledgments for the pleasure I have received from the perusal of your Dissertation upon the important prophecy of Isaiah concerning cur Saviour, which was conveyed to me by Mr. Lathbury. You modestly in your inscription to the Bishop of London, term it an attempt. Were I to give my opinion, I would say that by a rational and easy criticism have reyou stored the text to its original purity in general; by which means you have rendered several passages, which before were dark and obscure, plain and intelligible; and that your illustrations are full, and penned in a masterly manner. In short, Sir, your performance, without a compliment, appears to me to have a great deal of merit in it. "You will meet on the other side an attempt to explain Is liii. 9; your opinion of it will greatly blige Your obedient humble servant, GEO. SHELDON. "Isaiah liii. 9. 1 ויתן את רשעים קברו ? ואת - עשיר במתיו 3 על לא חמס עשה ולא מרמה בפיו 4 ויהוה חפץ וכאו החלי: 127 Though he had done no wrong, "1. Vide John xix. 30. Where To μ seems to supply the ellipsis here; and what makes this the more probable, is the very frequent rendering of n by Tapadidas in the LXX, and even the word itself by παρέδωκε, Josh. xi. 8, vide Kircherí Concord. V. T. "2. For the transposition of this particle, vide Numb. xxx. 8; Prov. xxxi. 28. and Noldius, in the sign. of quamvis. "3. Vide Job xvi. 17; Schultens "4. Vide our Bible version, and Nold. in the signification of tumen. "The description of Christ's sufferend more naturally with the first peings in this prophecy appears to me to riod of the tenth, according to my explication, than with the last of the preceding verse, according to the Masoretic copy." "Rev. Sir, London, July 6, 1787. "I thank you for the very obliging letter which you have done me the honour to write to me; and which Faulder delivered yesterday. "It is highly probable that a transposition hath been made in the text of Gen. xv. 12, &c.; and I have taken notice of it in my work: although I have not ventured to change the present order, for reasons which I have partly given in an Appendix to my Prospectus lately published; and of which I wish to know how I can send you a copy. Isaiah, I have not yet made up my opi "With regard to the passage of nion on it; but I think there is much plausibility in what you advance. I when I come in order to the place. shall resume the consideration of it, "To лn, in Gen. xlix. 4, I have given the very meaning which you suggest; and indeed it can hardly bear any other meaning. "I cannot so easily acquiesce in your other suggestion, that no, in ver. 5, is the Greek μaxaipa. The Rabbinical Chaldee is a bad guarantee for the etymology of Hebrew words The 128 Letters of Dr. Geddes. [Feb. The root is pure Arabic, and signifying the libraries at Alcala; but could find to devise evil. < Simeon and Levi, brothers, Accomplished their iniquitous designs.' "Darell had before rendered nearly in the same manner : They (have) executed their violent stratagems. "I have got all that you have published on the Scripture; and have often regretted that you had published so little. You will see that I have availed myself of your labours on more than one occasion. "I am sorry to learn that old age begins to lay his iron hand upon you: for what you say of your natural indolence, I am unwilling to take in the literal sense. My first volume, containing the Pentateuch and Joshua (perhaps Judges) will be ready for the press about Michaelmas next; but will not I think be printed 'till towards the end of next year. "I mean, early in the spring, to publish Proposals, with, perhaps, a specimen of the work. "I shall always be happy to have your thoughts on any passage you may have occasion to myself in Great Maddox-street. "I have the honour to be, with Rev. Sir, great esteem, Your most obedient servant, "Rev. Sir, London, July 26, 1787. "Your Letter of the 23d I received yesterday, inclosed in one from Mr. Cubit of Norwich; to whose care I shall direct this and a copy of my Appendix. "There is little doubt but that there are many valuable MSS. in the East; especially in Upper Egypt: but the great difficulty is to get free access to them; and even if that could be easily obtained, where is the man with abilities and resolution sufficient to undertake the expedition. "A collation of the Greek MSS. of the O. T. in Europe, is the first of my earthly wishes. Why are not men of letters men of fortune? Or why are not men of fortune men of letters? I have lately procured an exact catalogne of the MSS. at Vienna, which are 26 in number; and I daily expect one of those at Madrid. My friend there has, at my request, been to explore none of the MSS. used by Ximenes in his Polyglott edition, except one Latin one of the 9th century, which I mean to have collated in particular passages. The same gentleman (a canon of the Canaries) is now on a tour through the Northern provinces of Spain, for the purpose of procuring me further information of the same kind. "Dr. Hales from Dublin assures me that Bp. Newcome's Ezekiel is nearly completed; and will soon appear. Dr. Goodinge at Leeds has been for some years labouring on the Pentateuch, and purposes to publish, in a short time, the first book. 66 Although Michaëlis's Version reads well in German, it would not at all do in an English dress. It would appear by far too free a paraphrase to ears so long accustomed to a servilely literal version. "I shall be happy to hear from you, when you have read the Appendix; and ever am, dear Sir, Your most obedient servant, Mr. URBAN, N Feb. 1. this benevolent age, and in England, the dearest home of every charity, there is a fund from which all the wants of nature in distress are readily supplied. Misfortune of every kind, and vice of every degree, finds relief or correction, and it is hardly possible to point out the disease of mind or body that has not in public or private munificence an immediate remedy. But there is one case in which the most sacred depository of our most hallowed rights and choicest blessings is greatly deficient, and incapable of the good that might be done, and in this the wary dissenter has a manifest advantage over the Established Church. The officiating Minister of the Establishment in every parish, be his resources what they nay, be his condition rich or poor, is expected to be an example of every Cl ristian virtue,-to be charitable in word and deed,-to visit the sick, and to administer comfort to the afflicted. He must be charitable, however, from his own house, and must deny himself in many cases, and perhaps those cearer to him than self, not only many comforts, but frequently the very necessaries of life, if he fulfil the desire of his heart and the 1822.] Plan for the Clergy to relieve the Indigent. the expectations of the world. He has no certain source on which to draw, not to remunerate his offices of love, but to reimburse an expense incurred to relieve the wants of others at a certain inconvenience and probable injury or ruin to himself. I am myself a curate in a large parish. I have ten children, and God has been infinitely good to me,-by ri gid but a liberal economy, by the kindness of friends, by the reasonableness and assistance of an exemplary part ner, and from the prudent conduct of my children,-I am enabled to live, competently supplied with all the necessaries of life, and all its rational comforts. But when I visit my poor, or only walk through the highways of my parish, I am obliged to harden my heart, or leave my purse at home; I must otherwise abridge that home of some of the necessaries called for, or of the comforts reasonably expected. Pence are now inadequate representatives of a charitable disposition, because they can do small good where the wants of the poor call so largely for relief.. This evil is corrected by the Dissenters, who place in the hands of their ministers a fund raised by voluntary subscription, with a double view of assisting the brotherhood, and of making converts. The following anecdote is directly in point : A respectable old man in my own parish, an inoffensive, pains-taking person, with decent talents and a kind heart, met me some time since on the public highway, and as courtesy and good manners are due to all men, however they may differ from us, in the public walk of life, we began a conversation. "Sir," said he, "I am fatigued; I have been visiting my poor Lambs." "And I too," I replied; "I have been with the afflicted." "Good Sir," said he," but I have the advantage over you in this respect; I will tell you what I do: at the poor man's dinner hour I tap at his cottage door, lift the latch, put in my hand with a shilling in it, and desire that he will send for a little beer to moisten his crust and cheer his heart; this gains me a ready admission, and I can then talk of the Lord,' secure of a willing listener." "This indeed is what I cannot do, for I cannot afford to pay thus GENT. MAG. February, 1822. 129 for admission. Was I to give a shilling, or only a sixpence, wherever I visit or ought to visit, I should scarcely have one left to pay my butcher or my baker." "I know it," he replied; "but in this respect we are wiser than you are; I have a purse supplied liberally to me, from which I draw all that I require for this useful purpose." Now this anecdote by no means affects the charitable character of this very respectable old man, who, independent of his public resources, I have always found ready to contribute from his private stock for the relief of the indigent, and the promotion of any public good. But it shows a fact of considerable importance; it points out a zeal and industry in the opponents of the Established Church, which her best friends are careless of, and never practise. I have no interested view in the furtherance of a similar measure amongst ourselves. The Ministers of the Established Church stand generally beyond suspicion of unworthy motives; but I am persuaded, would the Bishops in their Charges to the Clergy, which are heard in the ears of the people, and always by that class of the people in whose hands the institution of such a measure might be most properly placed, the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Parishes around, the happiest effects might be expected. I would have this matter placed upon the securest basis, - no ill-natured, captious, foolish, or interested tongue should have it in its power to cast suspicion on the integrity of the public almoner. The choice of objects, and the manner, if not the measure, of distribution, should rest with the Minister, whose duty it is to be best acquainted with the nature and interest of the commission thus to be entrusted to him; but he should at stated periods be required to render a particular and exact account of every shilling he has expended. It is not for power, it is not for patronage, it is not for any private interest, that I would recommend this adoption of a plan to ease the burdens frequently placed with little justice on those least able to bear them ;—it is to create a counteracting power, a means of defending the Establishment from the encroachments of Dissenters, to keep those whom God hath given to us, and 130 Pedigree of the Lucy Family. and to check the inroads, not so much Mr. URBAN, CLERICUS. Jan. 8. [Feb. taken the name of Lucy, from a maternal ancestor; and Sir William Dugdale proves it to be paternally descended from Gilbert de Gaunt, son of Baldwin Earl of Flanders, whose sister HOPE this genealogical table of William the Conqueror is said to have the Lucy family of Charlecote, married; of whom and his descendants co. Warwick, will prove interesting to he gives a long account in his "Bayour correspondent Lathburiensis. ronage of England," and "Antiquities N.Y.W.G. This family is generally said to have of Warwickshire." *Baldwin Earl of Flanders......... Gilbert de Gaunt. Alice, daughter and heiress of Robert son of Hugh Mountfort. Robert Mel female heirs, temp.Edw.I. 1153. Leicester d. Robert, Thurstan of Bel-.. ob. s. p. desert, Warwick. Adeline; mar. William de Bristolio. .........; mar. Richard, son to...... Earl of Gloucester. רי Henry, ancestor to the Mountforts of Beldesert. Thurstan, surnamed de Charlecote.. harlecote..... Walter.Cicely..... 1st w. Maud, sister and coheiress to William, assumed the name= 2d w. Isabel, dau. of Absolon de Aldermonestone. John Cotele, of Brereuton, Hants. of Lucye, J William.Amicia, daughter and heiress of William de Furches, and heiress to William Fitz-Warren. Fouk. Petronil...... William. Elizabeth...... William Elizabeth................ A daughter. Geffery, son of Robert Lascells. 1st. w. Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Guy, son of Thomas,=2d. w. Thomas.Alice, only daughter and heiress of Sir William Hupford, of Middleton, Salop. says, William. Elizabeth, daughter to Reginald Lord Grey, of Ruthyn b. a Gant, Earl of Flanders. Arms: Barry of eight Or and Azure, a bend Gules (Guillim "bendy of six"). The Gaunts Earls of Lincoln bore the same Arms. b Bendy of ten, Or and Az. was his Arms. c Wotton calls him Hugh, as well as the youngest. He bore, Gules, a cinquefoil pierced of the field Ermine. • This William, who took the surname of Lucy (as Dugdale thinks) from his mother, that might be an heir to some branch of the family which was so denominated from a place of that name in Normandy. Camden. He bore for his arms, Verry, three lucies hauriant Argent, as appears by the impression of one of his seals; but by another there is nothing of Verry. The word Luce is derived from the Latin Lucius, and is made use of in heraldry to denote a fish called a pike (or jack) full grown. f His arms were, Gules, semé of crosslets, with three lucies hauriant Arg. as by his seal appears. She re-married with Richard Archer of Tamworth, Esq. From this lady both the families of Archer and Lucy are descended. The Archer arms were, Az. three arrows Or. h His Arms were, Argent, three bars Azure, in chief three torteauxes. |