HA June 30. Mr. URBAN, AVING in the month of September last seen the faded glories of Versailles and Trianon, I was induced to visit the cachot or dungeon of Queen Marie Antoinette, the last miserable abode of that illustrious Princess. To obtain admittance I was desired to state my request in writing to the Préfecture de Police; an order for that purpose was immediately granted by his Excellency. Attended by a conductor through a long narrow passage, dimly lighted, we entered the Chapel of the Prison:: behind the Altar a small ante-room, containing, on the left, a marble tablet and medallion of Louis XVI., leads immediately, into the cell: opposite the entrance, near a window of painted glass, stands the expiatory Mo nument. The chamber is an oblong square, about twenty feet by twelve: at the end of the room, facing the window, stood the Queen's bed; near which a door, now closed up, opened into the adjoining apartment, where the attending gens d'armes were stationed. Three pictures, but indifferently executed, occupy one end and opposite sides of the chamber; the they represent full-lengths of the Queen in her cell, in the act of devotion; the separation from her daughter and the Frincess Elizabeth; and receiving the Communion, the night previous to her execution, administered by a Priest, who was admitted into the prison disguised as one of the National Guards, concealing his vestments, Sacramental cup, &c. The Cell is painted black, and strewed with yellow spots, the symbols of tears, The annexed Engraving (see the Frontispiece to the Volume) is copied from a scarce Lithographic Print by Engelmann, 204 by 14 inches. Yours, &c. C. INSCRIPTION ON THE MONUMENT. "D. O. M. Hoe in Loco Maria Antonia Josepha Joanna Austriaca Ludovici XVI. Vidua Conjuge trucidato. Liberis ereptis In carcerem conjecta Mr. URBAN, Blandford, June 2. PERMIT me once more, through the medium of your widely-extended Miscellany, to endeavour to draw the attention of the Legislature to a subject on which I addressed you last year. If, on the former occasion, I have failed to obtain the notice of those who might have it in their power to lend a hand in the suppression of those destructive machines, let me once more supply an article from the public Journals, respecting the Swings so thoughtlessly and mischievously employed, as one great source of amusement in Fairs. That it may meet the eye of some philan thropic Member of the British Parliament, and by that means obtain the suppression of these fatal contrivances, is is the the earnest wish by which I am prompted to this communication. I trust it will be acknowledged that it is no party question, but one in which the feelings of humanity alone are concerned, and as such it Per dies LXXI ærumnis luctu et squalore should pass nemine contradicente. Sed 1 GENT. MAG. July, 1820, Saturday at Bow Fair. A woman who imprudently stood up in one of the upsand-downs, notwithstanding advice to the contrary, when at its height, fell out, broke both her legs and one arm, and was otherwise much injured. She was taken to the London Hospital, where she expired in a parent once of what I deemed the beginning of theft. "How do you know it was my child?" was the answer. This reply could not have been made, if the child had had a number; so that it might make the less than an hour!" - Star Newspaper, parents more attentive to their beha May 30. Surely this paragraph, coupled with that relating to Tothill Fields Fair, in your last year's Magazine, Parti. p. 604, needs no comment. WAS glad to see one of your Correspondents had taken up his pen on Juvenile Depravity. It is an awfully-serious consideration, and I hope every Philanthropist will turn his thoughts to it. We are surrounded with the rising generation, and it behoves every one, high and low, to endeavour by all the means in their power, by gentle persuasion, remonstrances, or threats, or punishments, to stop the torrent. No one can pass the streets either in town or country, but must observe and experience the audacity of children, which of course must increase with their years. The parents are undoubtedly in fault. It is one reason for establishing Schools, to teach children the difference of right and wrong; their duty to God and man. Their parents wanting capacity or time to teach them; or what is still worse, of bad habits themselves. What are the remedies? The masters and mistresses of Schools do teach them, will be the reply; nor can they watch their conduct out of school. 1 Give me leave, Mr. Urban, to suggest a hint or two. Let the inhabitants of the place, who, if of the higher class, probably subscribe to the School; and probably assist the pa rents when in distress, take notice of any child, boy, or girl, who misbehaves in any manner; the inferior class can reprove them, or acquaint their parents, or the managers of the School. The point is, in such large Schools as the national ones, who take in two or three villages, perhaps, in the country, or several streets in town; how is it possible to know them individually? I complained to viour. The Sunday Schools cannot, perhaps, conveniently have numbers affixed to them, but the Minister or Curate of the Established Church, or the Churchwardens, or the Minister or Elders, or Deacons of the Meetings, might know them individually, or whoever patronizes them, their names at least might be set down, and their parents' names, with their employment. People are too apt to say it is a childish action, they will know better as they grow up. Alas! the evil augments with their strength. Another good custom has been left off; children were formerly taught to reverence their superiors, particularly in the country, I do not pretend to say all the higher classes are charitable; but want of charity is not the sin of our land. Who pays for their education? Who assists their parents in various ways, in employment, if not absolute charity? Should not Gratitude dictate to the parents to impress on their children a due respect to their elders, in every degree of life? I have been shocked to see a poor old man or woman pushed off the pavement, or treated with derision. I wish our good Catechism was more attended to in our Churches, the mere repetition of it is only writing on the sand; but if it was sometimes explained in the way of a lecture, or questioning the child whether he understands the answer he has just repeated; and whether he does not think it his duty to act according to it, it might dwell in his memory, and be as seed sown. The parents and others who attend the Church, might edify, from their being reminded of what they had learned in their youth, and the comments a serious Clergyman might make upon it in his lecture, or sermon, would, I trust, be useful to all hearers; and would draw many to Church to hear. No Clergyman that can make a sermon at all, can possibly find any difficulty in it. Yours, &c. EUSEBIA. COMPENDIUM COMPENDIUM OF COUNTY HISTORY. ADDITIONS TO DORSETSHIRE. VOL. LXXXVII. PART 1. p. 30. Here simple Nature reigns; and every view Thomson's Autumn. ANTIENT STATE AND REMAINS. Roman Stations. Anicetis, Stourminster-Newton; Aranus, Sherbourne. Antiquities. Earth-works at Abbotsbury, Badbury-rings, Bunbury, Bullbarrow or Rawlsbury Rings, Catstock, Chilcomb Camp, Cranborn, Crawford, Dudsbury, Duntishe, Eggerdon Hill, Flower's Barrow, Grime's Ditch, Hameldon Hill, Hodd Rings, Kingston Russel, Knowlton, Lambert's Castle, Milbourn-Stileham, Melcomb-Horsey, Pillesdon Pen, Shaftesbury, Spettisbury Rings, Toller-Fratrum, Woodbury Hill. Maze on Leigh common. (The Maze at Pimpern was destroyed by the plough about 1730.) Figure of a giant armed with a club, cut in the turf on Trendle Hill. West Woodyates Barrows, and British remains. Gorwell Druidical circle and Kistvaen. --Milton Abbey Church, Beminster Forum Chapel, BradfordAbbas Church-tower, Affpiddle pulpit, Whitchurch font, Sherbourne Castle, Abbey-house, and Alms-houses; John of Gaunt's kitchen at Great Canford. In Abbotsbury Abbey were buried its founders, Orcus, Steward of the Palace to Canute, and his wife Thola. Cerne Abbey is said to have been founded by Augustin, the Apostle of the Anglo-Saxons. In it was buried St. Edwold, brother of St. Edmund the Martyr, King of East Anglia, 871. Cardinal Morton was a Monk here. In Corfe Castle, King Johu kept his Regalia. Milton Abbey was founded by Athelstan in 940. Shaftesbury Nunnery was built by Alfred, 888. In it were imprisoned, in 1313, Elizabeth the wife, and Margery the daughter, of Robert Bruce, King of Scotland. In Sherbourne Abbey had sepulture Ethelbald, King of England, 860; Ethelbert, his brother and successor, 866; and Asser, Bishop of Sherbourne, biographer of Alfred, 910. In Tarent Crawford Abbey were entombed its founder Ralph de Kabaines, in the reign of Richard 1.; Joan, wife to Llewellyn, Prince of Wales, and natural daughter of King John, 1236; the heart of its native Richard Poore, Bp. of Durham, and founder of Salisbury Cathedral, who died here in 1237; and Joan, Queen of Alexander II. of Scotland, and daughter of King John, 1238. At Wareham was buried Brithric or Beorhtric, the last King of Westsex, during the Heptarchy, 802; his body was afterwards removed to Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire. Edward the Martyr was buried here in 979, but removed to Shaftesbury in 980. In Wareham Castle was confined, from 1114 till his death, Robert de Belesme, Earl of Montgomery, "the greatest, richest, and wickedest man of his age." Wimbourne-Minster Nunnery was founded in 713, by St. Cuthburga and St. Quinburga, sisters of Ina King of Wessex; they were both interred here. PRESENT STATE AND APPEARANCE. Rivers. Breedy, Bride, Byle-brook, Cerne, Corfe, Cornsbrook, Devilsbrook, Ewern, Fleet, Holbrook, Hook or Owke, Ladden, Milbourne, Newelle, Osmeresyate, Parret, Shrene-water, Sherford, Seate, Sturthill or Sturkill, Sydling, Symsbury, Tarent, Terrig, and Trill. Eminences and Views. Arne Beacon, Babylon Hill, Badbury Rings, BereRegis Camp (Fair held here from Sept. 18 to Sept. 23), Black-down, Bullbarrow Hill, Dogbury Hill, Duncliff or Dunkley Hill, Frampton Beacon, High-Stoy Hill, Hodd Hill, Horner Hill, Lichet Beacon, Longbear Down, or Stockland Hill, Penbury Hill, Puncknoll, Ridgway Hill, Shaftesbury Castle Castle-green, Shipton Hill, Strangeways Castle, Warren Hill, and Wolland Beacon. Natural Curiosities. Chalybeate springs at Aylwood and Faringdon; sulphureous at Nottington, Sherbourne, and Sherford; saline at Chilcombe, petrifying at Bothen-wood and Sherbourne.-Cranbourne Chase, Blakemore or White Hart, and Gillingham Forests. This County is particularly rich in extraneous fossils and antediluvian remains. Public Edifices. Beminster Forum Alms-houses and School. Bradford Forum Almshouses, bridge, pump, Church, finished 1739, cost 32001.Bridport Pier finished 1742, Reynolds engineer; Market-house built 1786 -Crawford Bridge-Dorchester Shire-hall, Hardwick architect; County Gaol, Blackburn architect, finished 1795, cost 16,1791.; Barrack, 610 feet long, Fentiman architect, cost 24,000l.; Town Hall-Gillingham SchoolLyme Regis Quay; Cobb, 680 feet long; Custom House; Public Rooms; Town Hall-Melcomb Regis Assembly Rooms; Theatre-Netherbury School-Poole Town Hall, built 1572; School, 1628; Town House, 1727; Work-house, 1739; Market House, 1761; Custom House, Quay, 192 feet.-Portland Castle. Sherbourne Town Hall.-Wareham Quay; Barrack, cost 26,000l.; Bridge finished 1779, cost 29321.; Alms-houses.Weymouth Bridge, built 1770, Donowell architect. Bradford, Rev. W. Philips. Great Mintern, Admiral Digby. Herringstone, Edward Williams, esq. Leweston, Robert Gordon, esq. Castle Hill, Shaftesbury, late E. Ogden, esq. Loders, Sir Evan Nepean, bart. Chantmarle, Sir W. Oglander, bart. Charborough, R. D. Grosvenor, esq. Charlston, Sir Wm. Knighton, M. D. Charminster, John Meech, esq. Cranbourne Lodge, His Majesty. lisbury. Melcomb Horsey, Lord Rivers. Milbourn St. Andrew, E. M. Pieydel, esq. Manor house, Marquis of Sa- Stinsford, Earl of Ilchester. Duntishe Court, Samuel Shore, esq. Sherbourne House, Wm. Towgood, esq. Spettisbury, Joseph Jekyll, esq. Tincleton, Humphrey Stuit, esq. Peerage. Blandford Forum Marquessate to Spencer, Duke of Marlborough, Bridport Irish Barony to Hood; Cranbourne Viscounty to Cecil Marquis of Salisbury; Dorset Dukedom and Earldom to Germaine; Portland Dukedom and Earldom to Bentinck; Shaftesbury Earldom to Cooper, who is also Baron Ashley of Wimborne St. Giles; Weymouth Viscounty to Thynne Marquess of Bath; Woodford-Strangeways Barony to Fox-Strangeways Earl of Ichester. Produce. Potters clay; cider; oxen ; mackarel, oysters, herrings, salmon. Manufactures. Silk, woollen cloths, sacking, tarpaulins, bags, oil. POPULATION. Places having not less than 1000 inhabitants. Portland (isle)..................382 2079 Marohull Gillingham Chardstock 1992 Whitchurch Canonicorum ...195 1065 Houses. Inhab. ........384 ........214 Total: Places 6; Houses 1543; Inhabitants 8402. HISTORY. 887. In Portland, indecisive battle between the Danes and the men of Dorset, under Duke Æthelbelm who was slain. $76. Wareham taken, and the Castle and Nunnery burnt by the Danes, who were shortly afterwards compelled by Alfred to abandon it. 877. Off Peverel Point Danish fleet defeated by Alfred, and in a storm 120 'of their vessels wrecked. 901. Wimbourne, on the death of Alfred, seized by Ethelward, who claimed the Crown in right of his father Ethelbert; but he was quickly driven thence, and the town taken by Edward the Elder. |