495 Memoirs of Leonardo Aretino. 496 beard, C. tectorum; Rough Hawk'sbeard, C. biennis; Swine's Succory, Hyoseris minima; Smooth Cat's-Ear, Hypocharis glabra; Long-rooted Cat's-Ear, H. radicata; Nipplewort, Lapsana communis; Spear Thistle, Carduus lanceolatus; and three other kinds; Carline, Carlina vulgaris; Mountain Cudweed, Gnaphalium dioicum; Inelegant Ragwort, Senecio squalidus ; Marsh Groundsel, S. aludo tus; Creeping Crowfoot, R. repens; Upright Meadow Crowfoot, R. acris; Corn Crowfoot, R. arvensis; Corn Mint, Mentha arvensis; Yellow Rattle, Rhinanthus crista galli; Marsh Lousewort, Pedicularis palustris; Pasture Lousewort, P. sylvatica; Yellow Toadflax, Antirrhinum linaria; Least Snapdragon, A. minus; Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea; Greater Broomrape, Orobanche major; Cress Rocket, Vella annua; Gold of Pleasure, Alys-sus; Marsh Fleawort, Cineraria palussum sativum; Narrow-leav'd Pepper- tris; White Oxeye, Chrysanthemum wort, Lepidium ruderale; Penny leucanthemum; Yellow Oxeye, C. seCress, Thlaspi arvense; Common getum; Common Feverfew, PyreHairy Mithridate Mustard, T. cam- thrum parthenium; Corn and Stinkpestre & hirtum; Alpine Shepherd's ing Chamomile, Anthemis arvensis & Purse, T. alpestre; Swine's Cress, cotula; Milfoil, Achillea millefolium; Coronopus ruellii; Lesser Wart-cress, Black Knapweed, Centaurea nigra C. didyma; Sea Rocket, Bunias ca- Butterfly Orchis, O. bifolia; Dwarf kile; Water Cress, Sisymbrium nas- Orchis, O. ustulata; Spotted Palmate turtium; Creeping Water Rocket, S. Orchis, O. maculata; Aromatic Orsylvestre; Annual Water Rocket, S. chis, O. conopsea; Frog Satyrion, terrestre; Great Water Rocket, S. Satyrium iride; White Satyrion, amphibium; Dwarf Sea Rocket, S. S. albidum; Coral-rooted Ophrys, O. monense; Hedge Mustard, Erysimum corallorhiza ; Ovate Ophrys, O. ovata; officinale; Alpine Rock Cress, Arabis Musk Ophrys, O. monorchis; Greenhispida; Perfoliate Cabbage, Bras-man Ophrys, O. anthropophora; Fly sica orientalis; Field Cabbage, B. Ophrys, O. muscifera; Ladies' Slipcampestris; White and Common Mus-per, Cypripedium calceolus; White tard, Sinapis alba & nigra; Wild Radish, Raphanus raphanistrum; Hemlock Stork's Bill, Erodium cicutarium; Muscovy, E. moschatum; Wood Geranium, G. sylvaticum; Crow-Reedmace, Typha angustifolia; Flea foot-leaved Geranium, G. pratense; Small-flowered Geranium, G. pusillum; Round-leaved Geranium, G. rotundifolium; Long-stalked Geranium, G. columbinum; Dwarf Mallow, Mal-U. urens & dioica; Bryony, Tamus via rotundifolia; Ramping Fumitory, Fumaria capreolata; Whiteclimbing Fumitory, F. claviculata; Milkwort, Polygala vulgaris; Restharrow, Ononis arvensis; Kidney Vetch, Anthyllis vulneraria; Yellow Lathyrus, L. aphaca; Hairy-flowered Yellow Vetch, Vicia hybrida; Smooth Tare, Ervum tetraspermum; Hairy Tare, E. hirsutum; Saintfoin, Hedysarum onobrychis; Sweet-milk Vetch, Astragalus glycyphyllos; Purple Mountain Milk Vetch, A. hypoglottis; Sulphur-coloured Trefoil, Trifolium ochroleucum; and six other In these circumstances, the cardispecies; Lucerne, Medicago sativa; nals experienced great difficulty, in Hairy St. John's Wort, Hypericum determining what steps it would be hirsutum; Yellow Goat's Beard, Tra- most advisable to take. If they degopogon pratensis; Bristly Oxtongue, clined the election, they had reason to Picris echioides; Marsh Dandelion, dread sedition on the part of the RoLeontodon palustre; StinkingHawk's-man populace, and deceit on the part beard, Crepis foetida; Smooth Hawk's- of Benedict; and if they proceeded Hellebore, Serapias grandiflora ; Narrow-leaved Helleborine, S. ensifolia; Purple Helleborine, S. rubra; Three species of Duckweed, Lemna; Lesser Carex, C. pulicaris; and fifteen other species; Plantain Shoreweed, Littorella lacustris; Roman Nettle, Urtica pilulifera; and small and great Nettle, communis; Spreading halberd-leaved and narrow-leaved Orache, Atriplex patula & angustifolia; Forty species of Grass, (Phalaris, Panicum, Phleum, Alopecurus, Milium, Agrostis, Aira, Holcus, Melica, Poa, Dactylis, Festuca, Bromus, Avena, Lagurus, Elymus, Hordeum, & Triticum genera) come into blossom in June. MEMOIRS OF THE LIFE AND TIMES (Continued from col. 426.) 497 Memoirs of Leonardo Aretino. 498 honour and integrity. On weighing the merits of each member of the sacred college with these views, their choice, at length, unanimously fell on Angelo Corrario, a Venetian, and a man of ancient strictness and sanctity, who had been a little time before, by the influence of the late Pontiff, promoted from the patriarchate of Constantinople to the dignity of Cardinal. On leaving the conclave, Angelo, who had adopted the name of Gregory XII. renewed, in his ponti oath, which he had uttered, when but a private ecclesiastic, and spoke upon the subject of union in such terms, as to induce his auditors to believe that he would spare no pains to obtain so desirable an end.* to nominate a pontiff, they were painfully uncertain as to his future determinations. At length, they adopted the opinion of that party who advised them to elect a pontiff, but to bind him, by a most weighty obligation, to vacate the pontifical chair in case of the abdication of his rival. When they had entered the conclave with this intention, there arrived in Rome Giovanni dei Dominici, the ambassador of the Florentine republic. At his request, the window of the conclave was opened, contrary to all pre-fical capacity, the promise, vow, and cedent, and he was permitted to address the fathers. The substance of his speech was, that he was sent by the Florentine people to exhort the cardinals to forbear from proceeding to the election, as such forbearance was the most certain way of effecting an union. This practised orator, enlarging upon the above-mentioned topic with great eloquence, appeared to make a considerable impression upon the fathers, who were of themselves much inclined to his opinion. They, however, answered, that as they had entered the conclave, they would proceed to the election, but would make sufficient provision, that whosoever should be elected, he should un-nardo derstand that he was not appointed as | pontiff, but merely as a procurator to abdicate the papal dignity. The conference between these learned dignitaries being thus teṛminated, the fathers returned to their business, and adopted the following precaution: Each of them solemnly promised and vowed to God, and took a sacred oath, that if he should be nominated to the vacant chair, he would write to invite the Antipope to concur with him in abdicating the pontifical dignity; that he would use his utmost endeavours to promote the unity of the church; and that he would in honest truth, and without fraud, as soon as possible, communicate by letter to all Christian kings and princes, this his solemn promise, vow, and oath, to the end that they might be witnesses of the serious obligation which he had imposed upon himself. When they had fully and particularly entered these proceedings in a register, and had individually signed them, they next began to consider whom it would be advisable to elect. They stood in need of a man, not so much qualified by his skill in business, as by his This important occasion, presented Leonardo with another opportunity of distinguishing himself as a scholar, and a man of business. The task of drawing up the letter, inviting Benedict to concur in the proposed abdication, being assigned to several of the most learned and able members of the Roman chancery, each of whom was desired to draw up an epistle to that purport; the composition of Leo was unanimously acknowledged to be the best, and it was accordingly adopted by the new Pontiff. The satisfaction which he experienced, in the flattering testimony thus paid to his merits, induced him to listen with indifference to a proposal which was about this time made to him by Nicolo Nicoli, to stand candidate for the office of Secretary to the Florentine republic, which was then vacant in consequence of the death of the successor to Colucio Salutati. To obviate certain suspicions which Nicolo seems to have intimated, that his official engagements would preclude him from the cultivation of literature; he adverted, in his reply, to the above-mentioned triumph, and at the same time communicated to him a translation of one of the Philippics of Demosthenes, promising that this should soon be followed by a version of the famous Oration for Ctesiphon.+ Leonardo was confirmed in his preference of the pontifical secretaryship to that of the Florentine republic, by Leon. Aret. Epist. lib. ii. ep. 3. + Leon. Aret. Epist. lib. ii. ep. 4. 499 Benefit derived from Learning, the Arts, &c. 500 ward. He had frequently solicited both Innocent and Gregory to appoint him to some eligible ecclesiastical living; but so great was the number and so vigilant the eagerness of expectants, that he had hitherto been disappointed. At length, finding his wishes constantly frustrated, when he petitioned in the name of another, he determined to solicit on his own behalf two vacant benefices; namely, a Canonicate of Florence, and the Priorship of the monastery of Fiessole. Having obtained these gifts from the liberality of his master, he took an early opportunity of resigning them in favour of his youthful friend.|| his sanguine hopes, that, in conse- | strength decline, he was distressed by quence of the steps taken by the the reflection that his son Salutati was sacred college in the late election, an precluded, by a weakness of sight, end would be put to the schism which from promoting his own success in had so long distracted the Christian the world by any active occupation. community.* But these hopes were He had therefore recommended him soon frustrated. A very satisfactory to the particular attention of Leonardo, answer to the letter of the Roman at the time when he took his last leave Pontiff was indeed received from Be of him, on his departure to the Roman nedict; and Savona was appointed as court. Nor had Leonardo been una proper place for the definitive meet-mindful of the interest of his young ing of the rival Popes, and of the Cardinals, who, by a new election, were to restore peace to the church. But the relations of Gregory, looking with eager eyes upon places of power and emolument, endeavoured to divert him from his resolution to abdicate the papal chair. Their entreaties and insinuations were powerfully seconded by the intrigues of Ladislaus, king of Hungary, who was apprehensive, that should the choice of the conclave fall upon a Frenchman, his claims upon the kingdom of Naples would be invalidated in favour of the duke of Anjou. The proposed meeting at Savona was therefore declined, to the great disgrace of Gregory, who began still more to suffer in the public estimation, in consequence of a sudden and unprovoked attack which was made by the troops of the king of Hungary, upon the city of Rome, as it was thought not without his connivance. During the tumults occasioned by this act of violence, the Pontiff took refuge in the castle of St. Angelo; and the Hungarian troops being at length repulsed, with considerable loss, by Odo Colonna, he soon found himself so obnoxious to the public resentment, that he determined to quit his capital, and repair to Siena.§ During the residence of the pontifical court in that city, Leonardo was happily enabled to testify his grateful remembrance of the kindness of his old preceptor Colucio Salutati, by conferring an important benefit upon one of his sons. Colucio had left several children, concerning whose future destiny he was little anxious, from the cheerful confidence that they would be able to provide for themselves, by the exercise of their respective talents. But, as he felt his Leon. Aret. Epist. lib. ii. ep. 4. + Leon. Aret. Epist. lib. ii. ep. 7. § Ibid Epist. ix. About this time, Leonardo appears to have employed, or rather abused, his leisure hours, in composing an oration, supposed to be spoken by Elagabalus to the common strumpets of Rome.¶ This composition was published by Aldus Manutius, in an edition of the minor writers of the Augustan History, printed at Venice, A. D. 1516, and 1519. Leon. Aret. Epist. lib. ii. ep. 11. Ibid. ep. 16. (To be continued.) THE BENEFIT DERIVED FROM LEARN- Ingenuas dedicisse fideliter artes Emolet mores, nec sinit esse feros. IT is a great truth, that man is left to get acquirements by his own industry; and that he is not replete with knowledge, when fresh from the hand of Nature. He has not inward wisdom to foresee difficulties, or to construct methods of escape; he is destitute of prudence to direct, and of knowledge to assist. But when mankind learn the arts of civilization, and study and reflect on their necesssities, they devise means by the exercise of reason, and regulate their affairs by the help of ingenuity. In proportion as learn 501 Benefit derived from Learning, the Arts, &c. ing increases, so much the better will be their condition. In the first place, it adorns human nature. Man, although inferior in this state of being, is capable of grasping high attainments. We have had many instances of this, both in our own country, and in other regions. We are compelled to admire the searching talents of a Locke: and we are thunderstruck, but at the same time proud, at the almost super-human abilities of a Newton. Thomson singing of Britain's worthies, says of the great philosopher, "Let Newton, pure Intelligence! whom God "To mortals lent, to trace his boundless works "From laws sublimely simple, speak thy fame "In all philosophy.” 502 which it might derive from other stu- morem, Parcere subjectis, et debellare superbos. Eneid vi. What an ornament to the nation, are the fine arts! What utility do the mechanical arts yield! When a nation is replete with learning and learned men, it is indeed an incalculable blessing; she rises in the scale of dignity, and is better able to accomplish the great ends of civil society. The man, whose attainments are vast and useful, carries with him a kind of nobility. The barren waste which overspreads his mind, is cultivated and become fruitful; the rewards of his labour and industry fully satisfy him. "He that can comprehend the regulations by which the heavenly bodies are held, who can If then a nation is so much benephilosophically search out the works fited by learning, ought it not to be of Nature, not only enjoys and rea- encouraged? Undoubtedly. First, lizes a pleasure unknown to the igno- then, a free circulation ought to be rant, but is enabled with more rap-given to books. The people of Engture and admiration to adore the Author of all those wondrous works." When the Arts and Sciences are to be seen in a nation, what a difference do they cause, if properly directed, between that nation and one which is overwhelmed by the darkness of ignorance, by luxury and folly? They render mankind sensible of their situation: they exhibit to their view an extensive surface, on which is depicted their real circumstances, and the point upon which their prosperity depends. They order their affairs, provide for the different conveniences of life, and in a great measure bestow happiness. Even those arts which are not absolutely necessary to society, but which are ornamental and ingenious, ought to be praised and countenanced. In public life, what advantages do good oratory and public speaking possess! of what vast importance are expertness in the art of government and learning, and great information in a minister of the State! There is reason to differ from the ancient Romans in this respect. They separated the art of government from any ornament land enjoy this privilege. Undue restraint creates fear; and learned per sons could hardly venture on the task of publication, if attempts to check knowledge by this method existed. A full circulation ought to second every attempt to do good; and when a man is released from fear, he will tear off reserve in his literary endeavours. Learning ought to be encouraged by patronage. Literary societies ought to be supported. Confidence and perseverance in the pursuit of an object, are the effects of support, especially if it come from high authority. Learned and ingenious men ought to be stimulated by rewards, to further labour in their praiseworthy occupation; and rewards should not be bestowed indiscriminately. There must be a scale of merit; and the recompense ought to correspond with the situation an individual holds in that scale. This will cause emulation; -a great assistant to excellence. Such men should be looked up to, and consulted on difficult subjects. They have, as it were, a legislative authority in matters of learning and science. They possess something noble, which they have acquired by their industry and intellectual labour. There is one means of extending knowledge, which I cannot overlook, viz. by periodical publications: reviews, which are perhaps the best part of them, are very welcome to those, whose pocket is not competent to purchase many books. There is one mischief which will sometimes intrude, and that is party feeling. Let this be repressed, and utility will ensue. But, after all, let us remember, that literature ought to be subservient to religion. Where religion is, there will knowledge increase. Learning will not secure heaven: Religion will. Let them both proceed together, the latter as a chief, the former as subordinate. March 9, 1821. PARISH CLERKS. "A goodly sight, I wot it were to view, And ever and anon with close of JEDIDIAH Cleishbotham, schoolmaster and parish clerk of Gandercleugh, although little celebrated for his official functions, is sufficiently so in his subordinate character, as the collector of " the Tales of my Landlord." This characteristic of tale-telling, however, is no way peculiar to the above-mentioned Jedidiah, but common to most country parish clerks. Indeed, these are not unfrequently the depositories of all the popular lore, and all the "CRONICKS (as honest William Caxton calls them) of the villages where they reside. As an individual, I confess, I have a great reverence for these rural antiquarians, and can seldom meet one of them, with sapient face, solemn gait, and ancient garb, the " suit of black he wears, "Which from the curate's wardrobe did descend;" without a pleasurable sort of mental greeting. It appears that almost five centuries ago, the parish clerk was a similar fac-totum to what he is frequently found to be in the present day; to which it seems was added a fondness for the ale, and probably also the tales, of his landlord, as witness the following lines of Chaucer: A 504 "Now was ther of that chirche a parish clerk The which that was ycleped Absolon, Wel could he leten blod, and clip, and shave, merry child he was, so god me save, And make a chartre of load, and a quittance, In twenty manere could he trip and dance, (After the scole of Oxenforde tho) And with his legges casten to and fro; Thereto he song some time a loud quinible, And playen songes on a small ribible, And as well coud he play on a giterne, In all the toun n'as brewhous ne taverne That he ne visited with his solas." Miller's Tale. The parish clerks are the lowest officers in the church; they were formerly clerks in orders, and their business was to officiate at the altar,and they had a competent maintenance arising out of the offerings. Now they are ge nerally laymen, and have certain fees with the parson, on christenings, marriages, burials, &c. besides wages for their subsistence. In country places the salary is generally insufficient; it is therefore frequently eked out by the clerk attaching himself to some other calling, often that of teaching a ing of the village alehouse, a practice, school, and too frequently the keep which I wish the law would render incompatible with his graver function. Strange as it may appear, such was the abject state of ecclesiastical affairs, at the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth, that the greatest part even of the clergy themselves, were so ignorant, that they could do little more than read. Some of them were carpenters and tailors, having taken to these employments, because they could not subsist on their benefices, and even some kept alehouses: but to return to Parish Clerks. They are expected to be twenty years of age at least, of honest conversation, and competent to the duty of reading, singing, &c. In this latter qualification, many believe themselves to excel; and many a village clerk when he pitches the tunes of the psalmody, seems to reach the acme of his own importance. Singing is, indeed, an important branch of public worship, and a brief digression of the subject will not be uninteresting. "The Romanists," says Southey, in his Life of Wesley, are indebted for their church music to the Benedictines, an order to which Europe is so deeply indebted for many things. Our fine Cathedral service is derived from them :-may it continue for ever! The psalmody of our churches was a 66 |