son could not be chosen. The prosperity of our happy Country is general and increasing; Agriculture is flourishing, as well as Trade and Commerce; and the last Report on the state of the Public Finances, is most satisfactory. The moderate reform which the champions of Revolution would have annihilated, is making its slow but salutary progress on the Continent. In Asia the success of our arms is accelerating a better system, and the recent melancholy intelligence from Africa serves to remind us that our labours are not yet finished. But since our last, there are many events which demand the sympathy of the publick as a relief to the grief of individuals: Asia has to deplore the death of Maurice and Langlès; Africa, of Bowdich and Belzoni; the decease of Maseres has left a blank in mathematical science; and the dawn of Grecian independence is clouded by the funerals of Botzaris and of Byron. How, also, will the friends of Christianity lament, and its enemies exult, at the loss of Rennell! Pleasing as is the task of watching the progress of Literature, it is a melancholy one to record the deaths of its professors; yet is our strength unimpaired; England still maintains her eminence; and among her meritorious sons it shall ever be the pride of SYLVANUS URBAN to deserve a place. MINOR CORRESPONDENCE. "E. J. C." will excuse our not inserting his remarks on the New Marriage Act. With respect to the seven days' notice previous to the publication of banns, the same clause will be found in the 26 Geo. II. cap. 33, commonly called Lord Hardwicke's Act; and we think it is a very proper precaution, that the Minister may have an opportunity of enquiring as to the correctness of the parties' statement. It cannot be supposed for a moment that a marriage would be void, should the Minister publish the banns out of an improper book. We conceive the Minister would be subject to censure if he did not comply with this clause, but that it would in no wise affect the parties. The utility of this clause seems to be, the greater assurance, at the time of the solemnization, that the three publications have taken place, and in case of any question hereafter as to the due publication, there may be some kind of record of its having been regularly done, but the evidence of the marriage is the certificate of marriage, and not the publication of banns which is required. A. H. remarks, that "the case of circumstantial evidence, stated by P. W. vol. XCIII. ii. 485, could never maintain a prosecution for the stealing the coin found, because he would himself be the prosecutor; and as he had not been able to decipher the characters before he lost it in the ashes, he would be unable, without direct perjury, to substantiate the identity of that found by his labourer in the sunk fence on the following morning. The cautions taken by Judges and Juries, in all cases of circumstantial evidence, precludes the fear of injustice; and in very many, the due administration of the law would be defeated, if the admission of it were totally excluded." P. says, "I sent you an account of that part of the Poyuyngs family (see p. 603 of Supplement) which married into two families of the name of More (not Moore), not related to each other. I can answer that neither of them inherited Ostenhanger house. The sister, who married Mr. Rogers, died under age, without issue." Vol. xcm. ii. p. 609. A Corn Rent, instead of Tithe in kind, has been over and over mentioned as "fair for both Clergy and Laity." It is no more than a lease for a short term, instead of the mutually vexatious collection in kind. It is first set on an average price of corn for a certain number of preceding years; this remains for a term of seven years (sometimes fourteen), at the end of which either party may apply to the Sessions to have a new average taken. If the price of corn rises, the Clergyman has the benefit; if it falls, the Layman has that advantage; so that it is mutual. This rent is a charge on the land, not on the owner, so that the Clergyman is equally C. observes, that "amongst the numerous benevolent institutions for which this kingdom is so justly distinguished, there is not to be found a receptacle for that truly pitiable and helpless class of beings, labouring under a state of Idiotism. I scarcely need remark the unhappy number there are, since almost every parish in the kingdom can furnish one or more instances." R. C. H. will be much obliged for any information respecting Sir Ralph Sadleir. Qy. if there is any original portrait of him excepting the one (small life) at Sir John Astley's house at Everley? and where such is to be found? Mr. W. T. ALCHIN, of Winchester, inquires, "whether any of our readers, in the course of their researches, have ever met with the registers of Henry de Blois, Bishop of Winchester, and of Richard Tucklin, or Toclive, his immediate successor; referred to by Sir William Dugdale, in his “ History of Saint Paul's Cathedral," p. 92, edit. Maynard; and there stated to be in the possession of Richard (Neile) Bishop of Winchester?" M. GIORDINELLI would esteem it a favour if he could obtain any information respecting Monsieur Le Chevalier Lembert, particularly as to the time of his death and place of burial. He was born in England, and was a Banquier in Paris for English people, and Administrateur de la Caisse d'Ecompte (now the French bank). He married Miss Lenieps, a very rich English lady, who had by this marriage a son: this son in 1792 was a Captain of the body-guard of the King of England. Le Chevalier Lembert, in the midst of the French Revolution, set out for London, and did not take any of his household with him; this happened in 1795 or 1796. Mr. T. TOVEY observes, "that Captain Forman is certainly right in his assertion that his proposition has never been proved, for it is one that does not yet admit of an absolute proof, how true soever it because the nature of gravity, by which Mr. may be ; T. means the cause of those effects that are ascribed to gravity, is yet unknown. But Captain Forman must be aware that every one of those formula in physical astronomy by which all complicated motions of the heavenly bodies are explained and calculated, is built on this principle, and consequently if the principle be erroneous, the formula must be erroneous; but observations show the formula to be correct." And here Mr. Tovey takes his final leave. THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. JANUARY, 1824. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. CARL LOFTS AT SHAP, WESTMORELAND. Mr. URBAN, Rosegill, Jan. 12. till it came to a wedge-like point at the north end, near to the field called Skel A of antiquity called Carl Lofts, law. In this field called Skellaw, i. e. "the liftings of the Ceorles or husbandmen." It is composed of two rows of large stones of unhewn granite, from six to twelve feet in diameter. The form is a gentle curve, or something like the head of a well-formed mason's hammer. It commences about half a mile south of the town, and runs parallel with the Kendal road, on the east side, for about three quarters of a mile, when it turns off in a north-west direction for about the length of a mile; that is, making its whole length about a mile and three quarters, or perhaps about three thousand yards. At the south end, about twenty yards from the south-west corner, on the outside of the stones, was a small tumulus, which, since the inclosure of Shap common in 1815, is now levelled and destroyed. When this tumulus was opened into, it was found to be composed of granite and cobble stone: as the strata of stone. here is lime-stone, the granite must have been gathered on the surrounding surface, and the cobble must have been brought from some distance. At about the distance of 100 yards from the turn at the south end, on the outside, was a circle about eighteen feet in diameter of similar stones, each about one yard and a half in diameter, and in the centre thereof was one about one yard and a half high from the surface of the ground that tapered to a point. This has also been destroyed since the inclosure of the common. The distance of the stones in the lines was eight, ten, or twelve yards; but at the turn at the south end, which remains perfect, they are something nearer, being from three to eight yards. The distance between each line at the south end is eighty nine feet. This distance seems gradually to have dimi-, nished about one yard in every hundred, " which signifies "the hill of the skulls,' is a small tumulus on an eminence, which no doubt is connected with the monument, though it deviates about 190 yards to the north-east from the last stone now remaining; but it is highly probable the stones were continued a little further northward; this deviation, however, may be accounted for from the eligibility of the situation. for prospect, as from this spot the tumulus at the south end could be seen, and nearly the whole line of the monument. A few years ago a countryman wanting stones for the highway, dug into this tumulus, thinking to find stone; but not finding the appearance of any, he soon desisted. In his attempt, however, he found human bones. When the antiquary now views the remains of this remarkable monument, he cannot but regret at what, perhaps, he may call the barbarous treatment it has met with. The southern end, which extended about half a mile on the common, had both rows tolerably perfect till the inclosure of the common in 1815; since then these stones have nearly all been blasted and removed into the walls, excepting fourteen, which compose the turn at the south end, which are on a plot of land alloted to the Earl of Lonsdale, and which he has given orders to be preserved. The northern end, for nearly the length of a mile, lying among old inclosed and arable land, had generally been removed at former periods before the recollection of any person now living. There are, however, four on a piece of land, which cannot be tilled for limestone rock, which seem to form the terminating point, or at least a part of it, at the north end. They are respectively 11, 25, and 20 yards distant from each other. Probably two may have been removed 4 Carl Lofts at Shap, Westmoreland. removed from among these, as the two latter distances seem to admit of such a supposition. Between these four and the fourteen at the south end, only fifteen now remain in their original position. They are left here and there, and serve as a sort of guide to trace the course of the monument. The blasted and broken fragments of the others may be seen in the walls adjoining. One of the most prominent that remains, is called Guggleby stone, which formed part of the west line, and stands on its small end near the footpath leading to the village of Keld; it is eight feet high and 37 feet in girth at its middle. The stone next remaining north of it, which formed part of the east line, is about 13 feet long, and six feet in diameter; but it is a different kind of stone to all the rest; this is basalt or whinstone, and all the others are granite. This stone probably once was placed upon its end; for one end seems to have been squared with a chisel, and it has the appearance of having been overturned by digging limestone from beneath it. In the middle of the part squared is a hole four inches over, and two inches deep; about two feet therefrom, on a sloping corner, is another hole of about the same size. On one of the corners at the other end is a rude circle, eight inches across, and a shallow hole in the centre. By minute examination, other inscriptions of this kind, perhaps, might be found here, as on the obelisks at Aubrey described by Dr. Stukeley. These masses of granite were, no doubt, originally from Wastdale, which is about two miles from the south end of the monument: for here a bed of similar granite is found, the only bed I believe in Westmoreland. It is remarkable that, for the distance of three miles eastward from the low end of Wastdale, an immense quantity of rounded worn-like granite stones of all sizes, up to four yards in diameter, are found scattered over the face of the country to the above distance or further, which is wholly of a limestone and freestone strata. They seem to be spread in a fan-like form from Wastdale, and are more thinly scattered, and also of smaller size, as the distance increases. These primary stones being found on the surface of secondary ones, demonstrate that they have thus been thrown by some convulsion in nature of which [Jan. we have no record; or, according to Professor Buckland, in his Reliquiæ Diluvianæ on similar appearances, they have thus been transported and drifted by a diluvial current. He, indeed, supposes, that a diluvial current is the only adequate cause that can account for these appearances. See also Edin. Rev for Oct. 1823, No. 77. Whether the stones which composed the Carl Lofts were brought direct from Wastdale, or whether they were gathered from among the scattered ones, can only now be matter of conjecture; but probably they were some of the scattered ones; as they might be found nearer for carriage and already detached. But how such immense blocks (several being from 3 to 4 yards in diameter) could be carried and placed in the regular manner they were, it is difficult to form an idea. "That this monument was Danish, may be inferred from the custom of the northern nations of arranging their recording stones in forms that they seemed to determine should be expressive of certain events; those that were placed in a straight and long order commemorated the emulations of champions: squares shewed equestrian conflicts: circles the interments of families: wedge-shaped a fortunate victory."* Pennant agrees in this opinion, and supposes that "success might have attended the northern invaders in this place, which gave rise to their long arrangement." Hence, if this be correct, they have been placed here between eight or nine hundred years. Dr. Burn in his History of Westmoreland, says, " undoubtedly this hath been a place of Druid worship, which they always performed in the open air within this kind of inclosure, shaded with wood, as this place of old time appears to have been, although there is now scarce a tree to be seen, (Shap Thorn only excepted, planted on the top of a hill for the direction of travellers). At the high end of this place of worship, there is a circle of the like stones about 18 feet in diameter, which was their sanctum sanctorum, as it were, and place of sacrifice." But Dr. Burn seems only to have taken a limited view of the monument. He only speaks of the south end upon the coni *Olaus Magnus de Gent. Septentr. 1. 1. + Pennant's Northern Tour, i. 297. c. 18. mon, |