of that work, which he will also find mentioned in Censura Literaria, vol. III. 252; with the title-page of which, as there given, mine exactly agrees, but not the number, or mode of reckoning the pages, so as to indicate its having consisted of two volumes in one, pp. 144, and 110. For mine is in one volume, lettered on the back, Secret History, vol. I. but imperfectly; the ends of the words and figures apparently cut or rubbed out, and the whole over other words erased, the impression of which remains. It is paged throughout in three successive series of eighty each, one of sixty-four, another of eighty, and the last of one hundred and ten; which finishes the book, without any notice of the tragical history of the Stuarts" annexed. Neither does this division of the pages correspond with one that there is of the Letters also, of which the work consists. The first series of which ends with Letter LXXIII. of King Charles II.'s Death,' at page 23 of the last series, of eighty pages, and in the middle of a sheet; Letter I. of the second series, beginning on the opposite side of the same leaf; so that it could not have been divided into two parts there: and if, as seems to have been the case, the second part did consist of the last 110 pages, where, however, there is again no suitable division in the contents of the Work (it being between two Letters, both relating to the revocation of the Edict of Nantes). The first part in my copy contains 384 pages, instead of 144.

The editor of Censura Literaria" observes: It has been remarked, that Coke's, and Daniel Jones's Volumes (who, in his Preface, speaks of his own as a necessary supplemental part to the former, and from the appearance of the defaced lettering, I suspect my copy to have been bound in a set together, with some other, as well as to Sir William Temple's Memoirs) - contain a sort of secret history, engaging to an Eng lishman, naturally inquisitive,curious, and greedy of scandal." Of which certainly some curious specimens might be selected; one of the Letters is of Mrs. Carewell's coming into England," not immediately to be recognized, as the family name of the Duchess of Portsmouth; but any

further information respecting it, or, through you, the loan of the book itself, I should be happy to offer your Correspondent for his own satisfac

tion.

And if the Canter. editions of the Greek Tragedians shall continue so rare as your Correspondent Es. E.. S. and others have represented in your Magazine for November and December, 1816, and March, 1817; I have also at yours, or his, or any Bibliomaniack's service, "The Eschylus of 1580," a genuine Piantin copy, not certainly clad in verd antique, but in plain and good condition (apparently a second binding), which I accidentally met with, and eagerly caught at, a short time since, amongst a parcel of old books of similar size and appearance, not for six, nor four guineas aud a half, but for one and two shillings each; though I shall not now part with it for less than its present market price, as it is really and intrinsically a very choice little article. T. M.

ALLOW me to offer a few remarks

on a species of Immorality that exists amongst the higher orders.-Since the Peace, there has been a copious introduction into this country of obscene models and paintings, which their purchasers (principally the higher class) have not been contented with keeping in their studies, libraries, &c. but have been actually placed or hung up in their drawingrooms, bed-chambers, and halls. Indeed it is now no rare thing to see the young females of the family, even while gentlemen are present, admiring a new-purchased Adonis or Hercules in a complete state of nudity. Thereby making them progressively insensible to that nice regard for modesty which is the characteristick of our fair country women. I hope you will not think I am speaking against the introduction of the works of art into this country, but merely against their being so publicly exposed even to our youth. Great praise is due to the Society for the Suppression of Vice for their prompt exertions in preventing the exposing for sale those infamous French snuff-boxes.

Yours, &c. A CONSTANT READER.

1. The Fourth Volume of Wood's Athenæ and Fasti Oxonienses, with a Continuation to the End of the Seventeenth Century, by Philip Bliss, Fellow of St. John's College. Lackington and Co.

Tthis useful and laborious Work HE Three former Volumes of

have been noticed in vol. LXXXV. i. p. 139. ii. 233. LXXXVII. ii. 425. And it is with much satisfaction that we see the original production of Anthony à Wood most ably edited by Mr. Bliss; and perceive that he is actually proceeding with a new volume, for which it would not be easy to find a more accurate or a more diligent Compiler. But he shall speak for himself:

"I cannot suffer this last portion of Anthony à Wood's laborious undertaking to appear before the public, without offering, in my own person, as editor, a few words of acknowledgment and apology :of acknowledgment for the indulgent manner in which the additional notes to the original work have been generally received; aud of apology to the purchasers for the delay which has taken place in the publication of the present volume.

"Those persons who are conversant with literary undertakings, similar to this ATHENA OXONIENSES, will have no difficulty in ascribing the late appearance of this volume to the laborious task of forming a general Index; they will also allow for the length of time absolutely necessary to per fect so extensive, so troublesome, and yet so indispensable a portion of the work; and I may be permitted to hope, as I certainly believe, that all who have occasion to refer to it, will find it at once so ample, and of such important utility, as fully to compensate for any disappointment they may have experienced from the delay.

"An apparent incongruity will be discovered in the latter part of this fourth volume, which requires some explanation. When I first came to the account given by Bishop Tanner, from Wood's papers, of the writers living at the time of our au thor's death, it was my intention to have added further particulars of their lives, with a continued list of their publications; and it will he seen that I proceeded upon this plan for some few pages: it was then remarked to me by a friend on whose judg ment I place implicit reliance, that, to preserve the unity of the work, the lives of those persons who died after the year 1699, should be reserved for the New Athenæ, by GGNT. MAG. January, 1820.

which means the original chronological arrangement would be fully and most properly adhered to. To this proposition I at once acceded; and the more readily, because I found, that had I continued my must have extended the old additions, work to five, instead of four volumes, as originally proposed. The reader will therefore perceive that the additional notices after col. 475 and 882, extend only to those persons whose deaths occurred previously to 1700 the others are reserved for the new portion of the work, which will, by this arrangement, be uniform and continuous. In the mean time the reader has a com

plete history of the Oxford writers for two centuries; he possesses every word con

tained in the two former editions of Wood's Athena, with some new lives, and a large number of additional notes and anecdotes; together with a reference (it is believed) to every name that occurs throughout the four volumes.

"I shall now naturally be expected to say something on the subject of the New Athena; and it affords me the highest satisfaction to state, that by the liberal conduct of the proprietors of the work, and their ready acquiescence in all my wishes, I shall be enabled to prosecute this arduous undertaking without delay. Although I have already made very considerable collections for this purpose, I am not ignorant that a great deal remains to be done ; that it will require much time, and no small labour, to render a work composed of such various materials, and derived from such different sources, of general interest and utility. Nor is it so much with a view to lighten my own labours, as to ensure accuracy, and increase the value of what I shall offer to the public, that I again venture to solicit assistance, and request communications, from such persons as are in possession of authentic documents relative to our Oxford writers; promising on my part, that I shall thankfully receive their aid, and that I will use their information faithfully, and with all impartiality.

"Nothing remains but that I should repeat my thanks for the valuable assistance I have received from my literary friends throughout the progress of the work now before the public. I am not conscious of having availed myself of any information without acknowledging the obligation at the time; but I cannot suffer this last volume to appear without expressing how much I owe to Mr. Heber. I have to thank him for the loan of two valuable copies of the old Athenæ, with manuscript notes; I have to remind him of numerous

acts

2. The History and Antiquities of the Metropolitical Church of York, illustrated by a Series of Engravings of Views, Plans, Elevations, and Details, of the Architecture of that Edifice; with Biographical Anecdotes of the Archbishops. By J. Britton, F. S. A. 4to. 1819.

TO elucidate the Architecture and History of our Cathedrals, is an undertaking of such maguitude, demanding such energy and perseverance,we will also add, such a co-operation of men of talent and ability,-that it appears an exertion better suited to the united labours of a Society than to the efforts of an individual. It is, however, highly honourable to an individual, to engage in an enterprize so replete with difficulties, undaunted by apparent obstacles, and zealously striving to accomplish, with unabated excellence of execution, a work which, when completed, will contain an unrivalled mass of architectural information and of graphic beauty.

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and beauty of its facade, yet from the complexity of its plan, the extent of its crypts, the richness of its tombs. and chapels, and the number of antient buildings annexed to the principal edifice, together with the variety of styles and dates that it exhibits, possesses attractions more powerful for the architectural antiquary, and indeed the general visitor, than are to be found in that of York.

Indeed, in these particulars, the latter must yield the palm of superiority to its nearer neighbour at Lincoln, which possesses more architectural beauties and interesting features. These comparative and distinctive peculiarities can only be known and appreciated by a careful and impartial examination of the different edifices; and, as this advantage can be enjoyed but by comparatively few persons, we are more indebted to those authors and artists who enable us to contemplate them with nearly equal effect, and certainly more leisurely, and with opportunity of more exact comparison, in our own libraries.

The History of the Cathedral in the volume before us, is introduced by some preliminary observations relative to the city itself, the existence of which can be traced back, with tolerable precision, nearly two thousand years, although of course but faintly marked. It is rendered memorable by the decease of two Roman Emperors, and the inauguration of a third: nor less so by Edwin having here openly renounced the tenets of his ancestors, and adopted the Christian religion. His conversion was effected partly by the zeal of his Queen, Ethelburga; partly by the exhortations of Boniface, the Roman pontiff, and Paulinus. Tradition also relates that he had been predisposed towards it in consequence of a vision which appeared to him during his banishment at the Court of Redwald, King of the Angles, whose protection he sought against the persecutions of Ethelfrid. This legendary narrative will perhaps excite the scepticism of modern readers: however, it is certain that in consequence of the admonitions of Paulinus, be convened an assembly of his counsellors and priests to discuss the propriety of adopting the new faith, when his determination was speedily fixed by the advice of

1820]

Coifi, the chief of the priests, who, so far from endeavouring to support their own religion, was zealous in rejecting it as a vain and unprofitable superstition; and, not contented with a mere abjuration, he manifested the sincerity of his sentiments by openly profaning those very altars at which he had served. In the 11th year of his reign Edwin was baptized at York, in a church erected there by himself of timber, and dedicated to the apostle Peter. This may be considered as the origin of the august and stupendous fabric which has subsequently procured for the city a higher degree of reputation than it could otherwise have obtained. It is not to be ex

pected that we should pursue at length the sequel of the history, as it would not only protract this critique beyond its limits, but anticipate that information which we presume most of the readers of this article will be rather disposed to seek from the work itself.

After relating the death of Edwin, who fell (A. D. 633) in a contest against the leagued Kings Cadwallo and Penda, the writer proceeds to give some account of Osric and Eanfrid, the immediate successors of Edwin, and apostates from the faith; also of Oswald, who re-established the Christian religion. He then continues his history by acquainting us of some of the early Bishops, and of the disputes for precedency which took place between the two archi-episcopal Sees.

We cannot spare much room for quotation, but in order to afford our readers a specimen of the style and of the matter, we shall make an extract from this part of the work.

"The controversy which had been kept up for ages before, with occasional modifications of asperity, was at length to be decided in the reign of the Conqueror, though the successors to the see of York continued to urge their unavailing pretensions for a considerable time afterwards. The King having appointed an ecclesiastic, named Thomas, who was of the same country with himself, to the vacant see of York, the latter refused to profess obedience to Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury. This necessarily revived the contest which had been comparatively suspended

for a long time; and both prelates having proceeded to Rome to urge their respective claims before the Pope, he referred them back to the English King, who, in a council which he called at Windsor, A. D. 1072,

43

pronounced by Hugh, the Pope's Legate, his decree in favour of Canterbury. That see founded its claim to precedency on three propositions, or facts, against which

the northern see contended with more of sophistry than argument. It stated that bishoprics with powers perfectly indeGregory the Great created the two archpendent of each other; and that their respective prelates took alternate precedency according to the seniority of their consecrations, till Lanfranc, ambitious to domineer over the clergy, as his master did over, the laity of England, assumed an undue right over the see of York. Referring to the question of antiquity, York sought an argument in the story of King Lucius, to which we shall not a second time advert. But in conclusion that see insisted, that comparing the extent of their respective

jurisdictions, she, though presiding over the more limited space in England, had the larger in Britain, as embracing the entire kingdom of Scotland. Besides that, if the bishoprics of Worcester, Lichfield, and Lincoln, of which he had been unjustly deprived, were again restored, she might vie with Canterbury even with respect to English territory. It is not, however, of much consequence or interest to trace the history of these ecclesiastical contentions, folly and weakness of man, when he suffers which, after all, only serve to shew the pride to domineer over reason."

For several years after this event, the Prelates of York were extremely reluctant to admit the supremacy of the rival see, and at length yielded only at the express command of the Roman pontiff.

Having bestowed so much attention on this first chapter, we can only recapitulate the heads of those that remain.

The second relates to the foundation of the present church, and the successive additions that have been made to it. Wilfrid's Cathedral was destroyed by fire in 741. The second edifice built by Egbert experienced a similar fate during the siege of the Norman garrison by the Danes and Northumbrians (1069). Thomas, the Archbishop, soon restored it to even more than its pristine splendour, but in vain, for it was doomed to suffer a third time. Archbishop Roger rebuilt the Choir (1171) but the present one was erected by Archbishop Thoresby between the years 1361 and

1405.