306 Dr. Meyrick on Armour and Military Garments. Every critical antiquary well knows that no dependence is to be placed on any manuscript, painting, or sculptural representation which is not of the period to which it refers. I will ask then, if Maillot is to be more relied on than myseif, unless he produces better authorities. His "ten different kinds of mail" are taken from Montfaucon's faulty plates of the Bayeux tapestry; so faulty that the Society of Antiquaries employed, at a considerable expence, the late Mr. C. Stothard, to make fresh drawings of that curious fragment of antiquity. Engravings from these are now in a course of publication, and I will venture to as sert, in opposision to Maillot, that but two different kinds of mail, the mascled and flat-ringed, are all that can be found in them, the mascles being sometimes lozenge-shaped and sometimes square. I am aware that targe was sometimes employed to signify the circular plates that protected the arm-pits; and, what at first seems extraordinary, to imply a weapon of offence, but in this case as the diminutive of semitarge "a scymitar." But the " on donnoit" of Maillot is not sufficient to convince me, without some contemporary evidence, that the word "targue" was, [April, except metaphorically, ever applied to the cuirass. When I mentioned the slit-part of a Saracen's gambeson, I used the expression of the translator of Joinville, my worthy friend the late Colonel Johnes, because his translation is of easier access than the original manuscript, and I wished to shew that by those words were meant what Raymond de Agiles calls culcitra de gambasio, "the cushions of the wambais." But with respect to the plate in Montfaucon, to which the Reviewer is pleased to refer me, I will inform him, first, that the painted glass from which it purports to be taken, was not set up till near one hundred years after the event commemorated; and next, that that plate of Montfaucon's may, from those of the Tapestry, be inferred to be but a very inaccurate copy. Unfortunately, after the most diligent enquiry among the Savans in Paris, I regret to say, this glass no longer exists. The Reviewer is very kind to inform me, that the Hauqueton is older than the year 1478, but surely that is implied in my words which he quotes, for by "seenis to have taken the form" is shewn an alteration, and consequently that the thing must have had a previous existence. But by the statue of Childeric I. I rather think he means his portrait engraved on his gold ring, found in the grave attributed to him, which has on it a pectoral of small plates similar to what is represented on that of Charlemagne for the statues of the early kings of France are not of prior date than the 13th century. But I assigned the year 1478, as the time when the Hauqueton was the name given to a species of gorget. There are three papers of mine on the subject of armour and military garments in the XIXth volume of the Archæologia, and though the Reviewer has been pleased greatly to eulogize the first, he would have done me more justice, as they are intimately connected, by criticizing the whole together. Though he has not seen "any thing like Saracen armour on English monuments," I will venture to assert, that with the exception of plate, all European armour has been copied from the Asiatics. The remainder of the Reviewer's strictures on the subject, will be found in our present Number, p. 334, EDIT. I there. 1822.] Symbols of the Evangelists.-" Dives et Pauper." I therefore, in my turn, recommend this gentleman to look again not only at English monuments, but at my "dispatch," where he will find the key with the cypher," in the references to illuminations and sculpture, accessible to such as may deem it worth their while to examine them. I agree with him in one thing, that the subject requires a volume, if not more, and acquaint him that in the forthcoming work he will find eighty plates and twenty-seven vignettes, which I hope will give him more satis faction than they do Yours, &c. S. R. MEYRICK. Mr. URBAN, Retford, March 7. WISH it was, in my power to 13, form your Correspondent "C." at what period of the Christian æra, the symbols of a lion, a calf, a man, and an eagle, were first applied to the Evangelists. I possess several books printed in the fifteenth century, in which they appear as appropriated emblems; and it is proved, as well by Turner's Tour as by other volumes, that many Churches of early date were ornamented with these symbols. Any certain or rational account of the exact time may probably be despaired of; but I cannot resist the opportunity which this question affords, of giving you, out of the earliest English impression of the Book called "Dives et Pauper," (printed by Pynson in 1493) the following very far-fetched REASONS for the practice; and I shall, in my turn, be glad to have the truth ascertained as to its origin, and whether or not emanating from the See of Rome. INVESTIGATOR. Extract from the Book called "Dives et Pauper." "Diues. Why ben the iiii euagelistes peynted in such diverse liknes sith they were me al iiii. Pauper. For diverse manner of writig' & teching, Mathew is peynted in lyknesse of a man. For he principaly wrote & tauzt the mahode of Criste, and tolde howe he bicame man ; and most specially and most opely wrote his genologie. Seint John that wrote, In principio erat verbu,' is peynted in lyknesse of an egle, whiche of alle foules fleeth highest, & in sighte is sharpest, & may se the ferthest. So Seynt John spake and wrote highest of the godhode, and hadde 309 more isight & vnderstondynge in the godhede, than the other euägelistes. Seint luke is peynted i the lyknesse of a calf, or an oxe, bicause that he spekith moost openly of the passion of cryste that was offryd vp to the fadre of heuen on the altre of the crosse on gode fryday, as the oxe or the calf was offryd on the aulter in the teple, by the lawe, for saluacion of the people, which offrynge was toknynge of cristes passion. And for that seint luke spekith moste openly of cristes passion, whiche was betokn ed by the sacrifice of the oxe. There fore he is paynted & presentyd by the lyknes of an oxe. Seynt marke is peynted i lyknesse of a lyon, bicause that he spekith moost openly of cristes resurrection, how he rose frō dethe to lyf. For whan the lyonesse hath whelpid they lye dede iii daies & iii nightes, til on the thridde day, the lyon their fader cometh, & maketh an hidous cry ouir them. And anoon wt yt voice & crye they quyckne and waken, & in manner ryse from deth to lyue. And for this skille is seint mark p'esented by the liknesse of a lyon, for he spake more openly of cristes resurrecton. And therefore his gospel is rede on ester day. Also thou shalt vnderstonde yt Criste was god & man & preest & kyng. Mathewe spake moost openly of his manhode, and began att his manhode, and therefore he is paynted in the likeness of a ma. Seint John spake moste of his godhode, and began at his godhode, And therefore he is painted in the liknes of an egle, as I said firste. Seynt luke spake mooste of his presthode, and therefore he is paynted in the likeness of an oxe, or of a calf, For that was the principalle sacrifice that the prestes by the olde lawe offryd i the temple. Seynt mark spake most of his kingdome, shewing him kynge of alle thinge, And therefore he is paynted in the lyknesse of a lyon, that is kynge of vnreasonable bestes." Mr. URBAN, been March 12. of YOUR Magazine having frequently directing the hand of charity to succour meritorious want, as well as to lead unobtrusive genius up the steps of fame, I know it will gratify your good heart to co-operate with me in the honest endeavour, at least, to ac-. complish both these objects, in the person of one, who forms too hum ble 310 Dr. Booker's Recommendation of Millhouse's Poems. [April, ble an estimate of his own talents or of his own deserts, to claim kindness for himself. At present I have no other knowledge of the individual whom I wish to serve, than what is derived from a small volume of Poems, with which, some time since, he was pleased to present me, accompanied by a modest letter, expressive of his fears that it would not prove worthy of my acceptance. The contrary, however, was the case. I found much in it to admire, on account of its genuine poetic character, and much also to applaud, for a soundness of religious and moral principle. From that volume many extracts might be made, confirmatory of this impartial judgment: but I prefer a transcription of two short pieces (because they are short) which he has, this day, sent me in a letter of toograteful acknowledgment, for a trifling return I made for the present, with which he was pleased to favour me. Sincerely wishing to serve a man, apparently so deserving of patronage, he will pardon me if I introduce the short specimens, by quoting a part of his last letter. After feelingly stating the failure of a subscription to indemnify him for publishing his little volume, at a time when sickness had reduced a wife and infant child to the borders of the grave, and a stagnation in that branch of business to which he is devoted, he says, "I am now labouring under indisposition both of body and mind; which, with the united evils of poverty and a bad trade, have brought on me a species of nervous melancholy that requires the utmost exertions of my philosophy to encounter. Begging pardon for thus obtruding myself upon your retirement, and throwing myself at the footstool of DIVINE PROVIDENCE, I am, Rev. and much-venerated Sir, your very obedient humble servant, R. MILLHOUSE, Mole-court, Milton-street, Nottinghamshire. TO A LEAFLESS HAWTHORN; "Hail, rustic Tree! for, tho' November's wind Has thrown thy verdant mantle to the Yet Nature, to thy vocal inmates kind, With berries red thy matron-boughs has crown'd. "Thee do I envy : for, bright April show'rs Will bid again thy fresh green leaves expand; And May, light floating in a cloud of flow'rs, hand. "But, on my Spring, when genial dew-drops Soon did Life's north-wind curdle them And, when my Summer-blossom op'd its bell, In blight and mildew was its beauty lost." SONNET; Written in Spring. "When, in my happy vernal day of life, Oft have I felt a transitory gloom, Of melting snows,-whence the gay skymounting up, his morning carol sung, lark sprung, While violets sigh'd away their first And, fume. per But now, tho' flow'rs are all around me flung Tho', into anthems, burst forth ev'ry grove, Sad, mid the varied sweetness do I rove, And, melancholy, stray the groves among! For, ah! what charm has Nature for the [opprest?" breast That holds a throbbing heart with want These two witnesses, if I mistake not, will speak more forcibly to the of your readers, Mr. Urban, in behalf generous feelings and elegant minds of the stricken Bard, than any friend can speak for him. The fresh green leaves of the hawthorn, expanding in the bright sunny showers of April; and May, with the lightness of an Ariel, floating on a cloud of flowers,-the resurrection-day, breaking the tomb of green hill of Spring, as at the great melting snows, in which it had been imprisoned,—the lark, rising from it to sing his choral at the gate of heaven,-the pristine violets sighing away their virgin perfume,—the groves bursting forth into anthems, at the return of that glad season,-these are expressions uttered by the very spirit of Poesy; while the dark and melancholy contrasts, with which each picture is concluded, must be felt by every one not of human nature. unsusceptible of the finest impressions Should a humane and enlightened publick be disposed to aid this mentallyendowed child of Nature (his sole endowment) perhaps the promptest way of befriending him may be the best-bis dat, &c.; and that would be by speedily purchasing the remaining sets of his publication, 1822.] White-birda Presage of Death.-Crown-livings want Improving. 911 taining an intercourse with the best society, it must be acknowledged that their present provision (where the parties have no private income) is not adequate to their station." In fact, however, very many Curates never had "an university education;" and I agree in opinion with your Oxford correspondent D. N. (vol. LXXXIV. part ii. p. 335) that for many years before Lord Harrowby's bill passed, "the stipend was far from mean or inadequate," and that " an might be made, without disparagement augmentation of the poorer livings of the rank or dignity of the higher ecclesiastical orders.' In your vol. LXXXIV. part ii. p. 337, a Correspondent observes, that none of the small Crown livings have been "augmented by Queen Anne's bounty, in conjunction with the Pathey have, in fact, been less improved tron's benefaction; and consequently than many benefices in private patronage, which have been augmented by the bounty, assisted by the benefactions (of money, lands, or tithes) of the respective patrons." This is certainly no inconsiderable defect in our Church establishment. It may, however, be easily remedied. Several large tracts of waste land (comprising many thousand acres) belong to the Crown. To enclose some of those large tracts of Crown land, would be highly advantageous in many respects; and if one hundred acres were allotted to each Crown living, the clear yearly income of which does not exceed 150l. it would not only improve the value of those livings, and ameliorate the condition of the respective incumbents, but (as your Correspondent justly observes) it" would tend to the honour of his Majesty's Government, and the Good of the Established Church." And it may not be improper to add, that I am fully persuaded that the appropriation of part of the Crown lands abovementioned, to so good a purpose as the augmentation of small Crown livings, would afford great pleasure to our most gracious and beneficent Sovereign. Yours, &c. CLERICUS. Mr. URBAN, March 14. additional biographical remarks on my late learned friend Dr. Whitaker, and the interesting anecdote of him, when he was, some years ago, on a 312 Anecdote of Dr. Whitaker and Bp. Watson.-The Ant. visit at Mr. Parker's of Browsholine, in company with Dr. Watson, late Bishop of Landaff, and some other Clergymen. His Lordship, your friend informs you, was then so much struck by the Doctor's profound learning in Divinity, that he afterwards observed to Mr. Parker, "though I have so long filled the Professor's chair, yet I was obliged yesterday to go to my fourth, nay even to my-fifth shelf, to cope with the Doctor's knowledge of the old and learned authors of Divinity." Now, not long after this visit, Dr. Whitaker gave me a particular account of the conversation which he had with Bishop Watson. His Lordship having advanced some doctrine, a little heterodoxical, the Doctor thought himself bound to confute his assertion, by adducing various passages from the Fathers and Orthodox Divines of the Church of England. So forcible and appropriate were the Doctor's arguments, that the Bishop was absolutely posed, and though he might have recourse to the fourth or fifth shelf, he was unable to cope with the Doctor, but gently took him by the hand, and jocosely though artfully waved the argument by saying, "my good friend, when you come to see me at Calgarth, I shall be happy to resume the subject." Notwithstanding Dr. Watson's excessive vanity, he was a most pleasant companion. I will now, said Dr. Whitaker, give you one example of it. "I never,' remarked his Lordship, expect to rise higher in the Church, though all the world knows it is not for want of abilities." I have reason to suppose that the severe, though just critique on the "Life of Bishop Watson," in the Quarterly Review, was written by Dr. Whitaker. Some idea may be formed of Dr. Whitaker's powers of extempore eloquence, from the following narrative. Some years ago I went to pay a visit to my late respected friend at Holme. I there met with a neighbouring Clergy man. Soon after my arrival, there was a funeral of a very respectable parishioner. Supposing that an eulogy over the remains of so virtuous a character might have a good effect on his hearers, he preached a funeral sermon on the occasion. I sat at some distance from the pulpit, and observed that the Doctor's address was entirely extempore. Though he preached more than half [April, an hour, he possessed such a copia verborum, and such a degree of fluency and propriety of expression, that the learned Clergyman never observed that it was an extempore address. Finding that the Methodists began to increase in his neighbourhood, and that some of his flock were seduced by their zeal, or by their extempore though uncouth harangues, he was determined to become all things to all men, in order to gain the more. His first model of preaching, he told me, was the plain and pious Bishop Wilson. Afterwards, when use had rendered extempore preaching familiar to him, his custom was, to retire into his library about half an hour before the service began. Having selected his text, he seated himself in his arm chair and closed his eyes;-in this manner he arranged and divided his Sermons. After so short and peculiar mode of prepara tion, it was truly wonderful to hear with what pathos, correctness, and energy he addressed his attentive audience. P. W. Mr. URBAN, March 23. Yaren filled with curious circumstances and anecdotes illustrative of Natural History; and this is a branch of inquiry so rational and so entertaining, that to apologize for noticing the most minute particulars in the organization, faculties, or habits of the smallest insect, would be to insult former Correspondents, and offend my good old friend the Editor. VOUR pages from the earlest periods The Ant is perhaps one of the most curious of the insect tribe, and the eye of Philosophy and Religion condescend to look upon it with admiration and surprise for instruction and example. In most of the actions of this little creature, there appear contrivance and a degree of instinct oftentimes bordering closely on man's boasted reason-in others there is a power and ingenuity exercised, not so readily ascribed perhaps to any rational motive, but still amusing and interesting to a contemplative observer of Nature and her works. Here in the country it is frequently an amusement with young persons, aye and old ones too, Mr. Urban, to breed pheasants and partridges, and the food best adapted to rear them is found to be the eggs of Ants. The nests of these little creatures are made |