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On comparing Wm. Bent's Meteorological Journal of 1801, kept in London, wi h my own, of the fame year, I was very much ftruck with the great difparity in the height of the two thermometers, on the 19th of December: for, in London, at 8 A. M. on the fame day, his thermometer was only four degrees below the point of freezing, whereas mine, at Baldock, was 18.5 degrees below the faid point; hence it ap pears, that a frott may be very intenfe in one place, and at the fame time little or none in another, though at a very fhort difiance. It farther appears, that the c Ideft day in London, during that year, was January 20th, when his thermometer was 27, exactly the fame as at Baldock, at that time; but, in December, we had it as low as 24, 22, 18.5, 25, &c. And in another place, no lefs remarkable for the difference in the altitude of the barometer, viz. from May 12th to the 16th, at 2 P. M.; during this time, the barometer, at London, was about an inch higher than, at the fame time, at Baldock; and on the laftmentioned day it was 1.03 inches higher; but on the 17th, the difference was only .43 inches, which is .01 lefs than the average of the whole year; and I find few of the obfervatious dif

will turn their thoughts to the fubject
of Meteorology, and communicate fuch
obfervations and remarks as may tend
to throw any new light upon this en-
gaging and ufeful part of philofophy,
which feems to require a thorough
knowledge of electricity and chymistry.
Yours, &c.
T. S.

Mr. URBAN,

A

Guildford-fir. Jan. 7. SUSPICION has, I understand,. in one inftance at leaft, been fug, gered, that the account of the paintings, and other ornaments, some time fince difcovered in the Houfe of Commons, which Mr. Smith and myself are preparing to publish, was unidertaken in oppofition to the Antiquarian Society; and the fufpicion, unfounded as it is, has, in the infiance alluded to, been urged, as I have been told, as a reafon for not fubfcribing to he work. By thofe to whom I am perfonally kuown, I am confident no fuch opinion ever was or could be entertained; but, for the fatisfaction of firangers, and in vindication of my own character, I think it but juftice to myfelf to fiate the following facts, leaving Mr. Smith to give, as I understand he means to do, a fuller account of the tranfaction.

Before fuch a charge can be eftablifhed, it ought to be firft proved, that the Antiquarian Society have any fimilar work in hand. It is true, they have had drawings made, which, however, were not begun till Mr. Smith's were finished, nor till long after his intention of publishing was knowu to one of the leading members of the Council, and feveral other individuals of that Society for the original paintings were difcovered on the 11th of August, 1800, Mr. Smith began his drawings on the 14h of that month; and they were finifhed by the 24th of September following. On the contrary, the draw

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fer from the yearly mean difference (44) more nor lefs than four or five hundredth part of an inch; but, from the 12th to the 16th, at 2 P. M. the atmosphere over London fupported a perpendicular column of Mercury, about 6 of an inch higher than it did, at the fame time, at Baldock; the wind, all the time, blew from nearly the fame point of the compafs, as appeared by the two journals. From this may be inferred, the uncertainty of altitudes meafured by the baroineter; though I am confident, from daily observation, that this inftrument, ufed for the purpofe of a weather-glafs, is ap-ings for the Society were not begun till proaching nearer and nearer to perfection, and, perhaps, pofterity, one day or other, will, by this inftrument, be enabled to prognofticate the weather, with as much certainty as an aftronomer, now-a-days, can foretel the geocentric place of a planet. But, as I intend giving fome farther remarks on the barometer, and on the precipitation of water in air, in a future letter, I fhall therefore conclude this with faying, that I hope fome of your ingenious correfpondents (who, no doubt, are, many of them, men of fcience and leifure)

after the 24th of September, as I am well informed; at which time the originals had been removed from their firft ftation; fo that the artift never saw them as they food placed in the Houfe of Commons, but was obliged to copy them as fo many detached fubjects, without being able to afcertain their general connexion with the whole; and this, after they had been confiderably injured in the removal and fothe of them had been intirely deftroved.

It is alfo true, as I have heard, that an architectural drawing, by Mr. Dixon,

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of a part of the infide of the Houfe of Commons (in which, by the way, as I underfiand, the pictures are not reprefented) has been given by Mr. Wyatt to the Society, who have refolved to have it engraven, and it is now, according to report, in the hands of their engraver for that purpofe. But neither of thefe circumflances prove an intention of publishing any work on the fubject; for, as to the foriner drawings, it is no uncommon thing with that body to beat have drawings made of objects of curiofity, in order to preferve them, but which they do not afterwards think proper to publifh. Aud, as to the lat ter, it may be probably be intended for publication, as a feparate and detached print, in the way in which the Society have frequently publifhed others.

From what circumftance, then, in the conduct of the Society, is it that any intention of publishing a work on this fubject is to be inferred? Have the drawings made for them been put into the hands of the engraver? Has any advertitement appeared, in their name, announcing any fuch intention ? Has any refolution of the Council to that effect been declared? Or.in fhort, has any one fiep been taken by them, during the lapfe of more than two years and a quarter, from the firm difcovery of thete paintings, that indicated fuch á decided intention, or that might have been reasonably expected from any one who bid that object in view? For my own part, I can truly fay, that, if there has been any fuch (which I have very good reafon for believing there has not), am totally ignorant of it; and, fo far am I from withing to avail my felf of any unfair advantage, that, fince the difcovery of thefe Paintings, I have ftudiouly avoided attending the meetings of the Society (of which I am a member), becaufe I would not be fuf pected of deriving any intelligence on the fubject from any converfation that -night happen to pafs among the members. To fo great a length, indeed, have I carried this refolution, that, in the course of the last feafon, I attended, 1 believe, but once, which was on oc cafion of a queftion of great importauce, and nothing relating to these Paiming then tranfpired. In the preceding fealon, I do not recollect that my attendances were more numerous; bit, if they were, of this I am confident, that in to one inftance I received from them any kind of information, of

any hint whatever that could be of the finalleft ufe to me in my undertaking,

For any thing, then, that appears to the contrary, there does not feem any reafon for fuppofing that the Antiquarian Society even now really have it in contemplation to publish any thing on the fubject, unlefs, perhaps, a fingle prnt from Mr. Dixon's drawing above-mentioned, the demand for which is, however, more likely to be increased than checked by the publication of a work like ours; which, as giving a particular defcription and explanation of the whole, will confequently tend to explain and illuftrate that as well as the reft. And, indeed, I am fully perfuaded in my own mind, that the Society have no further intention; for which opinion I could ftate very cogent reafons, but choofe to decline giving them till I am called on by the Society themfelves for that purpofe.

But, whether the Society intend or not any fimilar publication, it is equally clear, that the work, in which Mr. Smith and my felf are engaged, can in no fenfe be confidered as an oppofition; { for, if they have no fuch intention, (which I believe to be the cafe) it is impotlible for us, or any man, to oppofe, not only what never exified, but what was never meant. And, if they really propofe to bring out a rival work, it is evident, that, as ours is the prior undertaking, theirs must be an oppofition to us, and not ours to them.

Neither do I believe, that, in fact, the Society themfelves at all confider our projected work as in any manner whatever an oppofition to them: if they had, it is not likely that any one individual of their body would have countenanced our prefent undertaking. Mr. Smith, however, informs ane, that upwards of forty of his fubteribers are Fellows of the Antiquarian Society.

Suficient, it is prefined, has been already ftated, to demontirate to any impartial perfon how totally unfounded the charge which occafioned this letter is; buj, before I clofe, I think it ne ceflary to lay a few words, as to my own perfonal connexion with this bufinecls. I, therefore, judge it proper, thus publiekly to dechire, that, in this undertaking, I have no further intereft than merely furnishing gratuitously the letter-prefs; and that the intended work is wholly Mr. Smith's property, publithed at his expence, aided by a very liberal fubfcription, and folely for his

advantage

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Mr. URBAN,

FEW

C. S. S. Dec. 25. EW characters of note or ability quit this terrene flate without being noticed in your Obituary; yet one has been entirely unnoticed, though of firft-rate abilities as a Scholar, and emi

ent as a Divine. The perfon alluded to is the Rev. T. Clarke, D. D. Rector of Belbroughton, co. Worcester, and Fellow of St. John's College, Oxon. He died Augufi 12, 1798, in his 56th year, and was interred at Belbroughton. I fhall efterm it a favour of any gentleman who will forward fome account of his life, or any of his poems (for there are many fcattered among his friends), through the channel of your valuable Mifcellany. B-S.

Mr. URBAN,

Jan. 19.

AS no publication is better able to give information to any inquiry of antiquity, than the Gent. Mag. I, therefore, thought it a proper place whereby I might be informed of the true etymology of the word Aftwick, the naine of a village, in the hundred of Bigglefwade, and in the county of Bedford; and alfo an English account of the faid village from Domedaybook, and what alteration the church has undergone; as. by its prefent appearance, it feems to have undergone fome very great ones; and whether this parith, at fome former period, was not larger than it now is. Or any other antient account of the above village will very much oblige T. S.

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of years, an undaunted, faithful veteran." I mean the cause of true religion and pure morality in general, and the fupport of our wife and venerable civil and religious eliablishments in particular.

Your correfpondent Benevolus's remarks are judicious; aad, had he not aimed at brevity and comprefiion, in a fomewhat greater degree than juftice to the fubject admitted, I fhould have refrained from requesting you to give publicity to my tentiments on "The Guardian of Education." The defign of the work is exactly what Benevolus fiates; but, as it is fully explained in its excellent Profpectus, permit me to tranfcribe it.

caution young mothers, and others of the female fex, who are engaged in the important bufigefs of Education, against the attempts which are making to banish Chriftianity from the Nursery and the School, in order to introduce Philofophy (as it is faltely called) in its ftead; to direct their atent on to the peculiar circumstances of the prefent times, as they are likely to affect the principles and manners of the rifing generation; and to aid their endeavours to cultivate Religion in the minds of childrent, on the basis of Christianity.

"The defign of this work is, Firft, to

"Secondly, To affift Parents and Governefes in their choice of books, for the inAruction and amufement of Children and

Youth, as far as the principles of Religion and good morals are concerned. The contents of this publication will be arranged in the following manner :

"1. Memoirs of Infidel Writers, and of Authors who have written concerning them; felected for the purpose of thewing long been formed, and is actually in operathat a confpiracy again Christianity has tion at the prefent day.

“2. Extracts from Sermons, Effays, &c. relating to Religious E tucation, by authors of former and modern times.

"3. Original Effays upon Chriftian Education, or fubjects connected with it.

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4. An Exmination of Systems of Educ tion in general, as they relate to Religion and Morals.

5. An Examination of books of inrespect to Religious and moral principles. fruct on and amufement for children, with

"6. A fanlar Exammation of the fame

kind of books for young perfons farther

advanced in life,

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the opinions of Modern Philofophers, or to controvert them.

The remaining pages of each number will be devoted to correfpondents, whofe communications will be thankfully received. To obviate all ideas of pretenfions to rivalship, or competition, which might he excited by announcing a new periodical work to the Publick, the Compilers of the Guardian of Education think proper to declare, that, being of that fex to which general crí

ticifm does not belong, they mean to keep within their own sphere, having no farther object in view, in their critical department, than to contribute to the prefervation of the young and innocent from the dangers which threaten them in the form of Infantine and Juvenile Literature."

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Such was the promife originally made to the publick; and it remains for me to fay, that fix numbers of this Work have been executed with the fame good fenfe, fteady propriety, modefly, and found principles, which dictated their propofals. The memoirs of Infidel Writers are intended to imprefs the awful difcoveries made by the Abbé Baruel, Profeffor Robinfon, and others, on the minds of thofe, who, though not intimately converfant with literature, rank in the clafs of general readers, and are, of all others, most likely to be feduced by the ftill active, or, to fpeak more correctly, never-retting fpirit of Infidel profelytifm. Thefe facts, let it be remembered, are admitted by authors who have themselves acted propagators of that dreadful fyftem, which feeks to exalt the ribaldry of Voltaire, and the fophifins of Routeau, over the doctrines of the Gofpel. While this most impure and moft deleterious poifon is circulated in a thoufand forms, the guardians of the rifing hope aud expectation of Britain cannot be too fully informed that fuch a confpiracy does exift; nay, that it even hopes to make them the agents for accomplithing its nefarious defigns; that the baleful mixture of Infidelity has been infufed into the fountain of Education; and that, unless the Mothers of the prefent day are fully apprized of the tafk impofed upon them; of the dangers which threaten their offspring; and the fophifins by which their own judgments may be perverted; the lips of babes and fucklings; ordained to utter praife, may be feduced, by the avenger and the deftroyer, to fpeak, the bold blafphemies of Atheifin, or the crude impertinence of miferable Deifi, which trembles, while it affects to difbelieve.

Under the fecond head of the ars rangement of this work, I have read, with pleasure, references to our most approved Divines, both antient and modern; and, as I perceive the Editor is too wife to flight the "old paths," and too prudent to adventure into the labyrinth of fpeculation, I truft this deparument will be enriched with fuch extracts as may, if they have no other good effect, convince many pretended Literati, that the circulating library they have been accuftomed to explore, does

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not contain all the wildom of the Uni❤ verfe; and that paft ages were not fo illiberal and ignorant as they have been taught to fuppofe. Of original eflays, only one ou Chriftian Education has yet appeared. It has been continued through the numbers yet publifhed, and feems far from being concluded, It cannot be too ftrongly recommended to all young mothers; they will find in it found practical information, ferious admonition, and perfuafive eloquence. It is written by the lady who, from the moft patriotic motives, has fubmitted to the irktone talk of becoming Editor of a work of this kind; which compels her to wade through many a region dolorous," and to encounter many an "adverfary of God and man.” Her works, calculated to reclaim the untaught child of indigeuce, to furnish fafe and improving amufement for chil dren, and to communicate the knowledge of divine truth, have already given her deferved celebrity; and, if we con fider the important ends at which the aimed, and the patience, perfeverance, modefly, and propriety, with which fhe has purfued them, we muft award her a degree of praite, infinitely tranfcending the eclat of talent, or the fplendid corrufcations of a vivid ima gination, lefs ufefully employed. Several fyftems of education have already been examined, and, I will add, juftla cenfured. It is unfortunate, that Infidels, Deifts, Sectaries, and thofe who are ftyled Moderes,have oftener troubled the publick with hints for the improvement, or, I fhould rather fay, perverfion of youth, than the fons of our National Church. Happily, Dr. Barrow's excellent tract has relieved the Editor of The Guardian of Education from the pain of unqualified reprehenfion.

Whoever has given the leaft attention to the vast mass of infant literature, with which the publick has been inundated, muli unless they.runk under the bau

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ners of the new fchool) be firmly convinced of the neceflity of a review, of fuch publications, to affift parents in their choice, or rather to prevent them from introducing publications into their Nurferies, which may blaft the hope of immortality, and introduce not only atheiltical principles, but impure pal Gous. The title of the work is generally contrived to be not only guarded, but alluring. The Guardian of Education has already configned fome of thole infamous publications to deferved contempt; and I fincerely hope it will not reft in reprobating works whofe infamy is apparent to every reader, but will alfo unveil the delicate difguiles of affected liberality, feeptical hefitation, dangerous moderation, and that overftrained candour, which degenerates into indifference. The above obfervationsare alike applicable to the 5th, 6th, and 7th departments of this work. It may be necellary to remind your readers, that it is retrospective; that the plan is original, and by no means interfering with any other Magazine, or Review; conducted on found principles; and that, though principally defigned for the inftruction of Mothers of the Eftablished Church, it treats the principles of regular Diffenters with decorum, and their valuable writers not merely with respect, but with the goodwill and brotherly kindnefs becoming all fincere followers of the Captain of our Salvation. To explain the plan, and to defcribe the execution of a work, is the best culogium, or the fevereft cenfure. Af ter having fo fully deferibed the tendency of "The Guardian of Education," I will not infult the undertandings of your readers, by fuppofing that any further perfuafion is neceflary to induce general attention to fo valuable a work. I have only to request, Mr. Urban, the infertion of thefe remarks, by which you will oblige J. W. L. B.

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try villages moft especially, but often allo in towns. Your firit correfpond ent, P. P. fays, he could bring inflances where the indolence of the Clergy makes them depart from the direction of our Rubric, to meet the corpfe at the entrance of the churchyard." The Rubric is obligatory by act of parliament, and had better not be departed from; and, though I am not fure that the expreffion, "the priest and clerks meeting the corpfe at the entrance of the church-yard," renders the minifler in all cafes" compellable" to do fo, as P. P. would infift on, yet it had better always be done, if it can without hazard; for, Sit, there is often great hazard in doing it. The entrance of the church-yard is frequently at no inconfiderable diftance from the church; and funerals often arrive there in wind and rain, hail and fnow. Now, as a minifter is not compellable to be always in good health (often rather compellable to be otherwife, as I thall fhew); and as decorum, and perhaps the law, obliges him, however incon fiderable the diftance, to go no fafter than the pall-bearers under their me lancholy but heavy load, and, be the weather what it will, with his head uncovered; I do maintain, that fome motive befides mere indolence may induce a clergyman to it this part of the ceremony if paffible. The motive I mean may be a juft dread of catching his death, if this thould not have hap pened before, by his being fo weak and complaifant as to come punctually to the time appointed, when, almoft to a certainly, he will have had to wait two, three, nay fometimes four or five hours, poflibly in a damp veftry or damper church, and this in fome cafes, perhaps, after riding himself into a perfpie ration for fear of being abused for neg ligence and indolence by such findersof fault as P. P. and B. E. No compenfation is ever made to a clergyman for the lofs and wanton abuse of his time; though, I will venture to fay,

any minifter of the Church of England wlio has not a long charge to produce of this kind againft every conductor of a funeral he may have had to do with. But there is another offence taken against the Clergy in their miniftration of this rite. P. P. thinks it very inde corous that a fee should be required for carrying the body to the church, to the exclufion of paupers; and B. E.

doubts

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