1 "Economical History of the Hebrides and Highlands of Scotland," by the late Rev. Dr. JOHN WALKER, Professor of Natural History in the University of Edinburgh. And, by the same Author, Miscellaneous Essays on Natural History and Rural Economy. The following works are preparing: The Fourth Edition of Mr. Bowyer's "Conjectures on the New Testament," 4to. The Border Antiquities of England and Scotland delineated. It is intended to comprise in this work the whole of the Antiquities of the Borders; exhibiting Specimens of the Architecture, Sculpture, and other Vestiges of former ages, from the earliest times, to the Union of the two Crowns; accompanied with descriptive Sketches and Biographical Remarks; together with a brief historical account of the principal Events that have occurred in this interesting part of Great Britain. "A Treatise on the Practice of the Customs, in the Entry, Examination, and Delivery of Goods and Merchandize imported from Foreign Parts, with a copious Illustration of the Warehousing System, being intended for the use of Merchants, Officers, and others concerned in this Branch of the Business of the Customs." Bv Mr. JAMES SMYTH, of the Custom House, Hull. In one volume 8vo. Christian Ethics, consisting of Discourses on the Beatitudes, &c. in two volumes. By Rev. THOMAS WINTLE, Author of a Commentary on Daniel. Habington's Castara; with a biographical and critical Essay, by C. A. ELTON, Esq. the translator of Hesiod. The English Drama Purified. By the Rev. JAMES PLUMPTRE. Four Thousand Quotations, principally from antient authors, with appropriate translations in English. By Mr. BLAGDON. A Portraitureof the Roman Cathos lic Religion; with an Appendix, containing a Summary of the Laws against Papists, and a Review of the Catholic Question of Emancipation. By the Rev. J. NIGHTINGALE, author of a Portraiture of Methodism. Mons. C. T. TOMBE'S Voyage to the East Indies, during the years 1802 to 1806, including an account of the Cape, the isles of Mauritius, Bourbon, Java, Banca, and the city of Batavia, with notes by M. SONNINI. Translated into English by Mr. BLAGDON, in two octavo volumes, with numerous plates. Mr. GUTCH of Bristol has a Catalogue of Books forthcoming, containing the valuable Libraries of several literary Gentlemen lately deceased in Bristol and its neighbourhood; and many other rare and curious Works. Some genuine manuscripts, several of which are in the hand-writing of OLIVER CROMWELL, have been discovered in a chest, containing records of the town of Haverford West. Another splendid monument of Parisian typography, in addition to the great work on Egypt, has been recently consecrated to "Napoleon the Great," namely, an Edition of Homer, in three volumes great folio, each consisting of 370 pages, (with the text only,) from the most magnificent press in the universe, that of Bodoni in Parma. The artist employed six years in his preparations, and the printing occupied 18 months. One hundred and forty copies only were struck off-that presented to his Imperial Majesty was on vellum, of brilliancy altogether unparalleled. Count Rzewuski, of Vienna, is said to have in his possession an Arabic manuscript, written in the time of the Crusades, which mentions some curious particulars relative to the use of gunpowder in war, and which cona genuine receipt for the Greek fire. The Count is now employed in translating this valuable work. tains INDEX INDICATORIUS. DUNELMENSIS shall appear as soon as the Plate can be engraved. A YOUNG BIBLIOMANIAC's hints shall have due consideration. PHILARETES requests some Correspondent to favour us with biographical notices of Gen. Hoghton, who fell with such signal honour in the ever-memorable conflict of Albuera. A CONSTANT READER'S Queries would be answered at the HERALDS' COLLEGE. THOMAS GRUMBLE versus LOESCHMAN, is a Case cognizable by Critics ELLENBOROUGH OF MANSFIELD. If the Correspondent who has in vain consulted Dr. Rees's " Cyclopædia," really wishes for the information he mentions; the address would be given by Messrs. LONGMAN and Co. W. B. in our next; with W. S. on Moore's Almanack; R. S.; &c. &c. REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 1. The Life of the Rev. John Hough, D. D. successively Bishop of Oxford, Lichfield and Coventry, and Worcester; formerly President of St. Mary Magdalen College, Oxford, in the Reign of James II.; containing many of his Letters, and biographical Notices of several Persons with whom he was connected. By John Wilmot, Esq. F. R. S. and S. A. 4to. pp. 387. White and Cochrane. W have E very recently (vol. LXXXI. Part i. p. 449.) had occasion to notice this truly respectable Biographer; and we rejoice to meet him again in this labour of love; for he is again embalming the memory of another venerable Relation. "The private, unambitious life which Bp. Hough preferred, and which he enjoyed for many years, was little calculated to afford materials for Biography, or to furnish that fund of incident and anecdote which the lives of most public men supply: besides the length of time which has elapsed since his death, now nearly seventy years, has greatly increased the difficulty of acquiring particulars of his public, as well as his private life, and might alone have furnished a sufficient apology for the scanty materials which the Editor of this work has been able to collect. But, in addition to the difficulties occasioned by this distance of time we have likewise to combat the great modesty of Dr. Hough, and his peculiar unwillingness to have any thing which proceeded from his pen made public. We are informed by a late Antiquary*, who had an opportunity of reading several of his Sermons (which he calls very excellent'), that such was the good Bishop's antipathy to the publication of these, or of any other of his writings, even after his decease, that he gave a strict charge to the contrary. - Accident alone occasioned so many of his Letters to be preserved; and it is much to be regretted that this was not the case with more of them: especially as there is reason to think, that he was in the habit of intimacy and correspondence with several of the great men who lived in the busy reigns of King William, Queen Anne, and George 1.- It was the peculiar situation in which the Bishop was placed in Magdalen College, Oxford, in the reign of James II. that first brought him before the publick, and gave rise * "Rev. Stebbing Shaw, in his History of Staffordshire, vol. I. p. 278." GENT. MAG. January, 1811. to the conspicuous part which he acted at that period, and which was the immediate cause of his elevation to the Episcopal Bench in the succeeding reign. - To the honour of this country, there is no reason to doubt, that many of his contemporaries in the Church, and many of the Clergy at other periods, would have acted the same part on a similar occasion; but none could have shewn more firmness and moderationqualities equally necessary to be united in the exercise of any great public duty. -Although Party ran very high in the reigns of King William and Queen Anne, Bishop Hough seems to have conter.ted himself with the proofs which he had before given of his patriotism, and firm attachment to the civil and religious liberties of his Country." We are informed by Mr. Wilmot, that ." He undertook this work some years ago, when he enjoyed the blessing of health; this has lately so much declined that he would not have been able to complete his design without the assistance of two learned aud valuable friends, the Rev. Mark Noble, rector of Barming in Kent, and the Rev. John Hewlett, morning preacher at the Foundling Hospital. The former, whose accurate knowledge of the different Families in this Country well qualified him for the task, obligingly supplied him with most of the materials for the Notes, which have served to render the Bishop's Letters more intelligible and more interesting; and the latter, the Rev. Mr. Hewlett, whose learning and abilities are well known to the publick by his Sermons, his able Vindication of the Parian Chronicle, his valuable Notes on the Sacred Volume, and other excellent publications (which would grace any preferment or dignity of his profession), not only encouraged the Editor to proceed, but assisted him in superintending the press, when the state of his own health rendered him very unequal to the undertaking." Whilst we lament the indisposition of the wortby Editor, it is satisfactory to find that he has had the assistance of two very able Coadjutors. It is, however, but justice to observe, that he had himself used all due diligence in pursuit of authentic documents. The journey to Worcester and Hartlebury on the probability of meeting with Bp. Hough's correspondence with Mr. Addison, though at the time unsuccessful, was praiseworthy; and the friendly friendly reception he met with, both from Dr. Hurd, the late excellent Bishop of that diocese, and his worthy successor, Dr. Cornwall, and also from Dr. Nash, the late venerable Historian of Worcestershire, must have been truly gratifying *. "The Editor must likewise express his obligations to the President and Fellows of the noble Foundation of Magdalen College for the liberality with which they gave him access to the muniments of their House. There is no danger, in these times, of any similar attack on their Society; but the Editor has no doubt, that if a similar occasion should arise, they would act with the same virtue and fortitude, which have rendered the memory of Bp. Hough im mortal." The conduct of Dr. Hough in that memorable contest forms a principal part of the present Memoirs; in which Mr. Wilmot has also given some curious particulars of a famous Quaker. "William Penn was the son of Sir William Penn, a distinguished naval officer, who had fought under Cromwell, and had been sent out by him with General Venables, in 1656, to reduce Hispaniola; but, being disappointed in that attempt, they invaded Jamaica, and made a conquest of that important island. Penn had likewise been consulted on naval affairs by the King, when Duke of York, and had fought under him during the Dutch war, particularly in the signal victory that was gained in 1665. This probably was the occasion of his introduction to James; who, having a grant from his brother, Charles II. of several large tracts of land in North America, then in possession of the Dutch, with whom Charles was at war, parcelled them out to under-proprietors, and, among the rest, to William Penn, the son of the Admiral, who died in 1670; having in his lifetime advanced several considerable sums of money to his Sovereign. As Charles had few means of satisfying the various demands upon him, he granted a patent in 1681 of another tract of land lying to the West of the river Delaware, to William Penn, the son. These tracts of land together formed afterwards the state of Pensylvania, so called from his name; and and, being at the head of his sect, a man of large property, considerable abilities, and much esteemed for his integrity and humanity, was thought to have great influence with James, which he frequently exerted in favour of his friends, and others, who suffered from the several penal laws of that time, as well as in undeceiving his Majesty with respect to the misrepresentations and wrong impressions which he was apt to receive. James, on the other hand, made use of the influence of Penn, and the weight which he had with the Dissenters in general, to promote his own designs in favour of Popery, under the colour of a general toleration and suspension of the penal laws against all Sectaries, as well as against the Roman Catholicks. Indeed, from the frequent access which Penn had to the King, and from the success of his applications, he was, both in this and the next reign, strongly suspected of Popery. This circumstance occasioned a correspondence between him and the pious, learned, and candid Dr. Tillotson, who had imbibed the same opinion, but who afterwards being convineed that it was unfounded, confessed himself perfectly satisfied of his error, and gave him a written testimony to that effect.-Penn, it is probable, was not averse to find, that the King, from whatever cause, was willing to dispense with those penal laws which affected his friends, as well as all others who were not of the Established Church. This disposition of James was followed, in April 1687, by his Declaration for liberty of conscience, and suspension of all the penal laws; on which occasion Penn presented an address to his Majesty from his brethren, who stated, that 1200 persons were thus released from a severe imprisonment, and many others from the spoil and ruin of their estates and properties. From the charge of Popery Penn likewise exculpated himself, in an answer to a letter which he received in October 1688, both of which are printed in his Life; and in his answer he acknowledges and accounts for his numerous visits to Whitehall, by observing that he frequently had business there for his friends, whom he had ever served with a steady solicitation, and for others of all persuasions, 'thinking it a duty,' he says, 'to improve the little interest I had for the good of those who needed it, his heirs were constituted both proprie- particularly the poor; I might add,' he tors and governors of this province. Mr. Penn, though bred at Christ Church College, Oxford, had early imbibed the principles of the society called Quakers; * One letter was afterwards communicated by Lord and Lady Somers; see p. 48. EDIT. continues, 'something of my own affairs too, though I must own they have had the least share of my thoughts.' As Mr. Penn therefore had suggested the propriety of some expedient in this business, it was not unnatural for the College to wish to make a trial at least of his influence; fluence: though it appears from the account given of the interview with him, that he was not at this time free from suspicion of his sincerity, and of his religious principles. This account is contained in a letter from Dr. Hough to a relation of his, a copy of which is preserved among the manuscripts of Bp. Gibson in the British Museum." The letter above alluded to is copied at large by Mr. Wilmot, and is extremely interesting. A letter from the good Bishop, to Lord Digby, at a very late period of his life, has been more than once copied in our Magazine: but we cannot forbear transcribing "an original and characteristic letter from Bishop Hough to the Rev. Mr. Lewis of Margate, written with all the piety and benevolence of a primitive Christian;" which has been obligingly communicated by the Reverend Dr. Burnaby, archdeacon of Leicester. SIR, Hartlebury, April 6, 1743. "I could not forgive myself should I forbear to return you my best and kindest thanks for your favour in distributing what I troubled you with, to the mutual satisfaction of the receivers ; and am not a little pleased that they are sensible of your kindness and mine to them. I apprehend I shall not live to see much more of the coming year, though I wear out leisurely, and am free from sickness and pain; but strength declines and memory fails. The moderate degree of understanding which God was pleased to give me does not impair The famous Mr. Waller was of opinion that age improved it: I am sure experience does. But as the contrary often falls out, I have strictly charged those about me, that when they discover symps toms of such a change, they suffer no consideration to conceal it from me. I pray not with more sincerity for myself, than for my friends; and I most heartily wish health and every convenience to you, whereby your life may be made easy and comfortable. I have no doubt but that, when our gracious Redeemer comes in all his glory to judge mankind, you and I, with all faithful people, shall, through the mercy of God, and his me rits, find a place at his right hand. What our portion may be in his kingdom, is known only to his Father and Himself; but this is revealed to us, that there are pleasures above our conceptions, and durable to all eternity. I have no more to add but that I am, Sir, your very affectionate Brother and obedient Friend, JO, WORCESTER," Another short Letter shall be given, addressed to Bishop Gibson, and the last, probably, which he ever wrote. "MY LORD, May 4, 1743., "You are pleased to ask (and I am in many respects obliged to obey your Lordship in saying), how it fares with me? I lately saw the day in which I entered into the 93d year of my life; and I thought it a very proper season to make particular enquiry into the state of it. I found the last year to have impaired every faculty of mind and body more than I could have imagined; and by such imperceptible degrees, that I was not aware how treacherously it stole upon me, and how deep impressions it made, till the several items of my loss came together in full view; and then it appeared I had suffered so much as left little to support the remainder of life. I think it can be but of short duration; and I thank God, the prospect gives me no uneasiness. Your Lordship has more than twenty years to come before you arrive at my number, and are happy in a constitution that may carry you far beyond it; but pardon me, my Lord, if I reproach you a little for having made trial of its strength, to the universal applause indeed, but to the no small concern of your Friends, who have seen some instances, and heard of many more, where great abilities have perfectly worn out themselves by over-exercise. I pray for every thing that may contribute to the happy state of your whole family, and am, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient and affectionate servant, JO. WORCESTER." The truly excellent Prelate survived the writing of the above Letter only four days. "There was an epidemical distemper in this year, which was felt upon the Continent as well as in this Country, and which carried off a great many, particularly those in years. Among others, Mr. Melmoth, aged 78; Sir Theophilus Biddulph, aged 79; Mr. Ainsworth, aged 83; the Duchess of Kendal, aged 80; &c. It appears that this venerable Prelate could not withstand the remarkably severe weather in March and April of the year * "Bishop Gibson had lately reprinted several treatises against Popery, digested under proper heads and titles, with prefaces by himself. He lived, however, till 1748, and died at the age of 79, having worn out his constitution, it is said, by a long course of study and business." † Gent. Mag. 1743, vol. XIII p. 274. 1743. 1743. His constitution, however, struggled against it for a few days after he wrote this last Letter to the Bishop of London; but at length he expired, without a groan, on the 8th of May, surrounded by some of his friends and neighbours, who attended him in his last moments, and to whom he said, We part, to meet again, I hope, in endless joys.' "The account of his death is thus given by the Rev. Mr. Meadowcourt, prebendary of Worcester, who attended his funeral, in a letter to a friend at Oxford, who inquired the particulars of it. Oct. 14, 1743. His death was occasioned by a cold, in venturing abroad during the severe Northcast winds last Spring, and by disusing fires too soon in that season: hence en ****** sued a troublesome cough, which in about two or three days grew better till the evening before he died, when it seemed to have thrown a load on his lungs, too heavy to be removed. - He then sealed his Will, and, as usual, gave directions about his family affairs, and at night laid him down in peace, not to rise again till the Resurrection of the Just. His legacies were as large as could be expected from his daily charities, during a long and most beneficent life. No man left the world with a more unblemished or more amiable cha racter. Happy will it be for the world, if the praises which crown his memory may excite his survivors to copy after so excellent a character, and make themselves patterns of good works. RD. MEADOWCOURT.' "He was buried in the Cathedral near his wife, as they both desired." "It is not surprising that such a constellation of virtues as this great and good Prelate possessed should be celebrated by Poets as well as Historians. Pope, speaking of the trophies which deck the truly good and brave, says, * Such as on Hough's unsullied mitre shine, [thine.' Or beam, good Digby! from a heart like Lord Lyttelton, to his friend Dr. Ayscough, pointing out to him the examples of Locke, Boyle, and Cambray, remarks, And a later Muse, 'See Hough, superior to a Tyrant's doom, Smile at the menace of a slave of Rome." of a "The advantages, likewise, pious and "irtuous old age, illustrated by the example of Dr. Hough, are most eloquently and beautifully described by one of the most classical pens, and one of the most amiable characters of the century in which they both lived, Isaac Hawkins Browne, esq. in his noble poem on the Immortality of the Soul." Bp. Hough's Epistolary Correspondence is printed in several classes; the first of which is a series of XXII Letters addressed to Dr. Charlet, master of University College, Oxford, and to other Friends, between the years 1692 and 1737. XLIII Letters are addressed to Lady Kaye, daughter and coheir of Sir Samuel and Lady Marow of Berkeswell, co. Warwick, married to Sir Arthur Kaye, bart. of Woodsham in Yorkshire; which we shall select a few extracts. from "Oct. 23, 1727. I have contented myself to hear of the splendid Coronation, without shewing so old a face as mine in the procession; for where the utmost gaiety is set forth, such visible signs of mortality should not appear; it is a good omen of future happiness, that no mischance or ill-accident lessened the pleasure of the day. Their Majesties are really such in their personal graces and accomplishments, as have been seldom seen together on the English or British Throne; and may they long sit there, to their own immortal glory and the joy of all their people!-We are told that one appeared among the Lords more than ought to have done, who is said to have filled his father's place. Nothing is to be wondered at from one of his caprice; but how must it grieve his good father! and how can one think on what he suffers, without lamenting the hardship of his case, and reflecting on the fickle condition of every thing in this world? Honour, so eagerly sought for by others, came to him easily and uncourted; but, instead of any thing that might have afforded comfort and satisfaction, it brought nothing along with it but trouble and vexation. I would have no manner of ill befall the young gentleman; but his ambitious expectation should continue many years, could the old one have the health and strength I wish him." "Dec. 16. Your Ladyship gave me a real pleasure, not so much in describing a splendid Court, as in observing, that every face had gaiety and content in it. In my poor opinion, it is no small fatigue |