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vate Tuition Dean Jackson did introduce, from time to time, very considerable improvements; and they were, like all his other measures, judicious and useful. But it is not so clear, in what sense he is said to have reno vated "altogether the course of Public Instruction, and reinstated the Public Lecturers in their functions."

The facts will be found to be these. The Public Lectures are classed in three departments; Divinity, pure Mathematics, and Logic, with its kindred subjects. The establishment of a Lecture in Divinity is perhaps coëval with the foundation of Christ Church. For the last fifty years, at least, it has (except with accidental intermissions) been read constantly during every term, and attended regularly. In 1783, and for some time antecedently, Dr. Randolph (afterwards Bp. of London) had the office of Divinity Reader. The two other departments of the Public Lectures were established under the auspices of Dean Markham, and had become (in addition to the Tutor's usual courses of private instruction) an effective part of the general system in 1774. From that time to the present, they have gone on with little variation. They have always been delivered, one or the other of them, daily, during Term; the attendance of the young men, according to their standing, having been coustantly required, and their progress, from time to time, the subject of regular inquiry;-not less so during Dean Bagot's time than it has been ever since. When it is recollected, that through the whole period of his Deanery, down to 1783, all these Public Lectures were in the hands of Bishop Randolph and of Dr. William Jackson (afterwards Bp. of Oxford), it does not appear that in that very year the Lectures could be renovated, or the Lecturers "reinstated." It may be added, that, very soon after Dr. Cyril Jackson had become Dean, both these distinguished men quitted this, together with their other collegiate employments, in consequence of promotion; but that the same courses of Public Lectures were carried on by their successors for many years after, and under Dean Jackson's direction, upon the same plan as before.

A history nearly the same with the foregoing may be given of another essential part of the Christ Church discipline; namely, of the system of

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Examinations at the close of every Term, usually known by the name of "Collections," and which are stated, in the "Memoir," to have been “revived" in 1783. The Institution is really antient; but it was in the latter part of Dean Markham's time that it assumed the efficient form which it has ever since continued to retain.Your present Correspondent, together with numerous contemporaries, had for fourteen times to stand before the Examination Table, while Dean Bagot sat at the head of it ;-and they all found it expedient to beware of going there unprepared.

Whether, after 1783," the Annual Speeches of the Censors became invested with additional dignity and weight" (see Gent. Mag. Nov. page 460), it is not for the present Writer to decide. It is certain that, for some years immediately preceding that date, Bishop Randolph and Bishop Jackson had held the office; and (whether it were owing to their eloquent exhortation, or to any other cause) it is certain also, that the University Prize for Latin verse came into Dean Bagot's College for five successive years: the victors being, in 1777, Lord Colchester; in 1778, the late Mr. Sawkins; in 1779, Lord Gren ville; in 1780, Marquis Wellesley; and, in 1781, the present Dean of Christ Church.

In the domestic exercises, likewise, which are specified in the " Memoir," viz. in the weekly Themes and Verses, and the annual College Competitions, in Latin verse and prose (not forgetting the elegant Lent verses), all the foregoing names, together with many others, their contemporaries in Dean Bagot's time, were continually con spicuous. Nor did the succeeding race degenerate from the fair example.

All the material points of the Memoir," which appear to affect Bishop Bagot's reputation, have now, it is presumed, been satisfactorily explained. If any, having the same tendency, remain unnoticed, it is because they are obviously trite and trifling: for the singular conceit of restraining the youth from "going to bathe *, or other public diversions," and the whimsical groupe of "Tutors, Porters, and other Servants," co-operating in a "System of Police," (page 459, col. 2), cannot be serious.

Bathe was a typographical error for balls.

1820.]

Bp. Bagot.-Mr. Taylor and M. Boissonade.

It must, after all, appear extraordinary, that upon a subject possessing so much intrinsic matter for eulo gium, recourse has been had to the weak topics of comparison and contrast. Dr. Cyril Jackson's high character did not require that others should be lowered, for the sake of increasing its elevation. It did not need the expedient of displaying its lustre by darkening the objects which surrounded it. The virtues which commanded the devotion of all who came within his sphere, and the transcendent powers which be so long dedicated to the service of Public Education and to the support of Orthodox Religion, offered from within themselves copious sources of just and appropriate panegyric. But it should not have been forgotten, that Bishop Bagot also deserved well of his Col lege and of his University, and of the Church of England. SUUM CUIQUE.

P. S. As the Writer of this Paper has rested the proof of his facts chiefly upon his personal testimony, his name is communicated to Mr. Urban here. with.

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Mr. URBAN, Hunmanby, Jun. 13. HAVE great pleasure in transmitting the Lines requested in your Magazine for Dec. 1819, p. 487, by the grateful Pupil of Dean Bagot, whom Cowper classed with Louth, in a distich of high compliment, in one of his rhymed compositions.

Si mihi, si liceat traducere leniter ævum,
Non pompam, nec opes, nec mihi regna
peto:
Vellem ut Divini pandens mysteria Verbi,
Vitam in secreto rure quietus àgam.
Curtatis decimis modicoque beatus agello,
Virtuté et purâ sim pietate sacér.
Adsint et Graiæ comites Latiæque Ca-

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El faveat, lepidâ Conjuge, castus Hymen.

Quid restat? Tandem mihi, Cura Dolorque, valete:

Hoc tantùm superest discere, posse mori. The greatest part of his wishes were granted; and he had, happily for himself, the unwonted moderation to acquiesce in them. He did not desiderate more than enough. I take leave to attempt a hasty version:

Oh might I gently wear my life away,
Not moil'd with wealth, or powers impérial
sway;
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But rather, in some sweet sequester'd
Uttering bright comments on the Holy

Book ;

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With modest glebe, and tithes paid uncompell'd,

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And not in title only Reverend' held. And O the Greek, the Roman Muse, be mine,

And mine a Wife-worth more than all the Nine!

What more? I bid you, Care and Pain, good bye

Remains but-last great task-to learn

to die.

Before I dismiss this venerable sub

ject, I cannot help noticing, that the classical compliment paid to Dr. Jackson's memory in the last Westminster Prologue (see it in vol. LXXXIX. ii. p. 600), obviously refers to the preceding lines. F. WRANGHAM.

Mr. URBAN,

A

Jan. 14.

Sa proof that, notwithstanding all times subsisted, and will, I fear, ever subsist, between the English and the French, the best understanding ters of both Nations; I send you the prevails amongst the celebrated Wriinclosed, which I request you would have the goodness to insert in your valuable Magazine. The original Letter has been in my hands, and I make myself responsible for its authenticity. M. F. H.

Mr. Thomas Taylor, the Platonist, sent by a Mr. Johnson, who is related to the Duke of Wellington, his Translations of Jamblichus's Life of Pytha goras, and of Select Works of Plotinus, to Mons. Boissonade, Greek Professor of the University of Paris, accompanied with the following Inscrip

tion:

"Viro eruditissimo Boissonado,
Δωρον τουτο μικρόν μεν,

Sed μεγάλου τιμήματος τεκμήριον,
Misit
Thomas Taylor."
On the receipt of which the Pro-
fessor sent him the following Epistle:
Tayloro, viro eruditissimo,

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J. F. Boissonade.
Johnsonus vir clariss. mihi Jamblichum
et Plotinum à te elegantissime vernacula
lingua versos tradidit; pro quo munere
gratissimo, gratias tibi, ut par est, ago
maximas. Ni me fallit Bibliopola quidam

Lipsiensis, qui non paucis abhinc annis,
vanis me promissis delusit, spero fore ut
possim tibi brevi, Proclum in Cratylum a
me è codicibus editum offerre, avridwgov
tenuissimum, pro splendidis illis, erudi-
tissimisque voluminibus, quibus me tam
benigne ditavisti. Vale, vir eruditissime,
mihique favere perge.
"Lutet, Sept. 19, 1816,"

* The

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"London, Nov. 27, 1795. "11th head. The Meeting in Palace-yard.-Could Mr. Fox and the Duke of Bedford possibly imagine, that from such a Meeting the sense of the inhabitants of Westminster was to be collected? Mr. Wilkes was once told, by his adversaries, that they would take the sense of the Ward, do,' replied Wilkes,

and

I will take the nonsense of the Ward, and beat you 10 to 1.'-This subject leads me naturally enough, to my 12th head, the Times.-I am most sorry to see such times! but if I were to indulge myself in expressing my sorrow; if I were to say all I think, my Letter (pretty long already) would swell beyond, far beyond, Letter size; and yet I cannot remain wholly silent. To be as brief then as I can. I think I may make a new division of the inhabitants of this island. I may divide them into the Supporters, and the Opposers, of the two Bills, now before Parliament. I consider the Supporters of the Bills, as persons wishing to preserve the Constitution of this Country; and to secure us from that scene of horror which must attend its overthrow.-I consider the Opposers of the Bills, either as persons intending and anxiously wishing to promote general confusion, or persons willing to risk even such confusion, in order to get into place.Though I think I am right, as to my general description of the Opposers of the Bills, yet I am willing to admit, that there are, amongst them, many, who do not deliberately mean to do what is wrong, but who are completely deluded. The conduct of these people should be added to the crimes of those who delude them. Is it possible, that any person wishing to live in peace, and wishing to preserve the Constitution of his Country, can think that the Meetings which have been held for some time past, should be still held; and that the opinions which have been spread so industriously, should continue to be spread. Now

as

it is evident, that the laws already in force; interpreted by juries as we find they are-are insufficient to prevent these Meetings, and to stop the open communication of these opinions. According to my notion, any Constitution that would not admit, upon any account whatever, of any alteration, would be a bad Constitution: it would be a bad Constitution for such beings as men. I have adopted the present and popular meaning of a Constitution; a thing made up, one would think, of a given unalterable quantity of rights, privileges, liberties, &c.: whereas the Constitution is rather, I imagine, composed of, King, Lords, and Commons: who have a right to alter the quantities of rights, liberties, &c. When certain rights, privileges, and liberties, were secured to us, by our ancestors (whether by Charter, or the Bill of Rights, or any other way, it matters not), the object was, that we should be the better, i. e. the happier for them. If those ancestors could have foreseen, that their descendants would, at some distant day, use a part of those rights and liberties to confound all right, and all liberty: that the best part of the Constitution would be employed to overthrow the Constitution itself; and that thus, what was intended to form, would actually destroy our happiness if our venerable ancestors could have foreseen all this, would they have secured to us so many rights and so much liberty? Certainly not. But, unfortunately, we see, what they could not foresee. These things strike me so forcibly, that, unless the present Bills pass, without their being so modified and weakened, as to render them ineffectual; I consider that the adversary must prevail! God only knows-for I am serious when I think of these matters-how they will end! Opinions, which, if the weak law does not call them so, sober reason must call, seditious, are preached, publicly, every night; and they are devoured with avidity.-At this very moment, I firmly believe, that nothing but the military keeps us quiet. There is a vast force in and near town. Well! But if the Bills do pass, what then? There, again, the prospect is uncomfortable; for even in Parliament, the doctrine of resistance has been preached! and much industry and ingenuity have

been

1820.]

The Queen.-Bust of a Grecian Lady.

been exerted, to prevent the Bills from answering the end intended, if they should pass. I hope, however, that Mr. Pitt will be firm, and successful. That way, we have some chance, the other we have have none at all. It is not unusual, to have a cause injured by injudicious friends.".

Mr. URBAN,

Jan. 15.

I count, and that of your corre N addition to Dr. Watkins's Ac

spondent L. G. page 488, of your last Volume, respecting the late Queen ; I take the liberty of communicating the following anecdote, if you think it worthy of insertion. Wanstead-house, the present residence of W. L. Pole, was offered, and preparations made, for the reception of the Queen, but why she did not rest there I know not. A little time after her marriage she visited the house with the King. Upon his Majesty being received at the entrance of the grand saloon by the groom of he chambers, he took him by the arm, saying, 66 you and I, Sir, will go together, and let the ladies enjoy their own conversation."

He conversed with this gentleman in the most affable manner, and finding that he had been in France and Italy, made many enquiries respecting them, and the persons who were there at the time of this gentleman's travels. On taking leave, he told him, if he would come to St. James's he should be glad to see him, and as sist him, and turning to the Queen, "It is well," said he, "Charlotte, you did not stop here in your way to the palace; for that would have been thought a mean residence after seeing this elegant mansion." F. B.

Mr. URBAN,

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Jan. 16.

N your Magazine for December, 1819, p. 543, you have inserted some verses "On seeing a beautiful female at the British Museum, gazing on the Grecian Lady."

Permit me to send you Mr. Fosbroke's fine apostrophe on this Bust, as it occurs in his "Critiques on the Townley Statues," published in a periodical Miscellany many years ago, and to the mass of the publick probably unknown; perhaps by others forgotten.

"No. 35. A BUST OF AN UNKNOWN GRECIAN LADY, represented in the character of Isis. It is gracefully

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terminated by the flower of the Nymphoa Lotus, upon which it appears to rest.

I have placed the above in capitals, to express my admiration of this precious relick of antiquity, worthy to be classed with the Apollo and other celebrated works. I think, that the murdered Winckelman, even amidst the pangs of a dying convulsion, would have given a smiling glance upon this illustrious chef-d-œuvre. If ever there was a face, which blended respect and love, it is that of this juvenile matron. We Northern Barbarians regard beauty with the gluttony of an epicure, and "Zounds, what rare dishes! Gods, how I could eat ye," would be the gross sentiments, were here to be seen the still celebrated beauty of the girls of Sparta, aided by the sweet musick of the Oriental voice; but the Grecian Lady preserves a look of dignity, which deprecates desire. Be it, that the Medicean Venus was the beauty which Prometheus created, there is still a physiognomy, depending chiefly upon the eye, and its adjacent parts, possessing a dignity, sweetness, and vivacity, which is far beyond the chill tame uniformity of faultless beauty. Such is this exquisite bust. Perhaps it was made at the particular request of thy beloved, lovely and amiable fair one! and the sweet assurance of his heart, and the conscious pride of thy triumph, sat glorious upon thy features, and exhibited that blessedness of tranquil delight, which pervaded thy full soul! Perhaps love and fortune were united in thy happy history, Grecian Lady! Perhaps, at the moment, when thou wast sitting to the sculptor, the whispers of love were poured into thy enraptured ear, by the admiring monarch of thy heart."

There is a considerable resemblance in the form of the face of this bust, and its attitude, to a singular statue of Isis, re-engraved by Montfaucon (vol. II. part ii. B. i. c. vi. 4.) from Boissard. As to the Lotus flower, it was the primitive symbol of the passive means of production personified under the denomination of this goddess. (Dallaway's Arts, p. 300.) The Bust is at first sight not so striking, as it has appeared to Mr. Fosbrooke, perhaps not an object of interest to any person unacquainted with sculp

ture;

ture; but the minute investigation of a connoisseur discovers in the physiognomy all the soul, thought, and dignity, which Mr. Fosbrooke ascribes to it. It is this strength of expression more than beauty, and that strength indicative of the softer emotions, which is its characteristick. It is somewhat discoloured by the vapour of the fires, which are obliged to be kept in winter, ICONOPHILOS.

66

Mr. URBAN,

Jan. 24.

THE
HE Christianity of the

New Testament impregnable and imperishable," by Mr. Evans, you are pleased to review in this most favourable manner: "This welltimed Discourse of a conscientious Dissenter may be read with pleasure by all who sincerely profess and call themselves Christians,' whatever may be their shades of difference, or their respective denominations. The authenticity of the sacred Scriptures, and the sublime truths which they inculcate, are, or ought to be, alike interesting to all; and they are ably supported by Mr. Evans; who in his Preface observes, When the Enemy is at the gate, internal dissentions cease. Fervently it is hoped, that the friends of REVELATION, relinquishing an excessive attachment to minor articles, both of faith and of practice, and insisting on the facts of the New Testament, in which all agree, will unite more closely together in the hallowed bands of love and charity.""

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Sincerely rejoicing in hope that time, and a better knowledge of things, may produce some approximation to the heartily to-be-wished-for event, Universal Charity, a beneficed Clergyman of the National Religion is yet at a loss to know how the complex machinery of Dissent can be brought under obedience to the "unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." For now that the licentious cry of undefined liberty has been appeased by a relaxation of some of the Christian laws enacted for the establishment of general peace and good-will amongst men, what has been the consequence? In one instance, the wretched Carlile has availed himself of the opening, and attempted to disgorge that odious stench with which the fiend-like malice of a Paine, had filthily stuffed the nostrils of the

world. This has given the alarm to Mr. John Evans, who not only fearfully affirms, "that when the enemy is at the gate, internal dissentions cease, but fervently hopes, that the friends of REVELATION, relinquishing an excessive attachment to minor articles both of faith and practice, and insisting on the facts of the New Testament in which all agree, will unite more closely together in the hallowed bands of love and charity."

As far as the essentials of religious truth are preserved and conducted in the National Church, no doubt can be entertained of her safety, in the want of any real knowledge of Christ Jesus her Lord. When the public service of the Church on every Lord'sday leads men to the attentive consideration of the multiplied portions of Holy Scripture; such as the Psalms, the Lessons from the Old and New Testament, the Epistles and Gospels, and many other extracts from the Bible, can these be said to be minor articles, about which such variety of distracting opinions are floating in the world. Are they not rather the most essential instruments by the means of which faith is secured, and practice encouraged? The inexplicable noisy bustle of opinions, under the sanction of which Dissenters agree to differ, must then be upon those minor articles to be found in the Book of Common Prayer as the compositions of men. But in this point of view, the Church ought surely to have the credit of good sense, in understanding what she prayeth for, during the whole of her religious service. And when all and every prayer is directed to the great Creator of all things, through the merits and mediation of a Redeemer, can the service be termed otherwise than reasonable? And has it not been so understood for centuries past? To her Forms, therefore, must be attributed all that discordancy of opinion which has so long, and so hostilely invaded the peace of the Church, and at length also that of the conscientious Dissenter. The alarm is now gone forth, that the Enemy is at the gate, and serious wish is entertained that all denominating Christians might unite closely together in the hallowed bands of love and charity. To this truly Christian hope, Churchmen will most assuredly consent. J. W.

Mr.

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