424

REVIEW. Bowles's Life of Bishop Ken.

deviation from which must be accompanied with general evil. Public opinion is therefore not to be preponderant, unless it be founded upon wisdom and experience, and such wisdom and experience are matters of scientific acquisition; and he who has never read Tacitus and the other philosophical historians, and through such neglect is ignorant of the sure though latent consequences of certain measures and events, is not qualified to give an opinion. If it has been asserted that his tory is only an old almanack; it has been happily replied, that an old almanack is necessary for making a new one; and nothing is more self-evident, than that we can only judge of the future by the past, i. e. by history.

The subject of these Memoirs, a Bishop of sound principles, lived in times when extravagance of opinion had attained to such political power, as to defy all control short of military preponderance. Had Elizabeth been the Sovereign of the seventeenth century, there would have been no civil war ; the people would have found, as their forefathers had done, that the wisdom of the Ministers guided public opinion, and that the latter was as little disposed to dictate in civil matters to the Queen, Burleigh, and Walsingham, as French Jacobinism would have been in military affairs to Buonaparte and his Marshals.

James and Charles had no Ministers properly so called; and, in a scientific view, no statesman appeared again before Cromwell.

As matters were (to employ a homely figure), the boiling pot was not skimmed; the scum was intermixed with the broth, and the latter was spoiled. We are vindicated in using the word scum in a literary view, for assuredly there was neither reason nor science in the measures of the period alluded to. Mob notions excited the insurrection, and unconstitutional tyranny guided the attempt to suppress it.

From an assimilation of this wretched period of anarchy and misrule to certain phenomena of the present times, Mr. Bowles has, from public motives, incorporated, with his biographical materials, the analogous characteristics; and very properly so, for it is certainly unworthy the "march of intellect" in the nineteenth century to suppose that all national misfortunes, nay, fevers, and epidemic diseases, can

[May,

be remedied by the impoverishment and persecution of parsons. But such was absolutely the belief of the times to which Mr. Bowles alludes. It was seriously supposed, that if a man worshipped God in a surplice, or read his prayers out of a prayer-book, it brought down divine judgments upon the nation.

With the exposure of such nonsense, nonsense so admirably depicted in Hudibras, Mr. Bowles commences his ingenious work. To adduce some particulars. The present day is vociferous against public schools; but we praise God that we were ourselves educated at one, and can confirm from personal knowledge the truth of the following statements:

"The public and academic institutions of this country are one of the most effective means of furnishing those distinguished characters in the first ranks of English society,—the scholar, the gentleman, the Christian.-p. 27.

"Certain good ladies have fears as to morals. There is infinitely more oppres sion, and more immorality in private schools. p. 28.

"The advantages of the English mode of public education are not perceived by an Westminster, Eton, or Winchester, returns anxious parent, till a son, sent a boy to a manly and high-minded youth to his parents, when this part of his education has been completed. He has now, by collision with others, been taught to estimate himself justly. If his parents move in the highest stations of society, the edge of domineering vanity has been worn down; and ( nothing, in after life, appears of that conceit which is invariably found, when there is no collision of equal minds and equal station; though, afterwards, a due respect to station, when not arrogantly assumed on one side, will be always liberally and cheerfully granted on the other. The fondest mother, reand frank mind, the scholarlike but unpemarking the pleasing manners, the generous dantic acquirements, the demeanour without conceit or awkwardness of a favourite son, will feel a tear of joy start to her eye, that his father was not deterred by the chimeras of tyranny, cruelty, &c. from giving his child that education which has produced the greatest men."—i. 26.

It is strange that a mode of education, which so moderates the pride of aristocracy, should be calumniated by persons who have a democratic bias, and who must know the interested partiality shown in private schools to the rich and great. But the truth is, it is an honourable distinction, and slandered by mean minds accordingly.

1820.]

REVIEW. Bowles's Life of Bishop Ken,

When, men of genius write books, two things are certain, that new lights will be discovered, and the thinking bear no resemblance to common-place, From such a cause it is that authors are often known by their manner and style, though they write anonymously. Mr. Bowles, from the asylum which Hammond found at Sir John Packing ton's, very ingeniously presumes that he (Hammond) was the author of THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN, a work which, adds Mr. B.

"Has been always vituperated from that time to the present by pietists of a certain class. Rowland Hill says, it has no heartwork."-p. 48.

It is stated by Mr. Bowles, that

"The instant his [Cromwell's] last breath left his frame, the whole isle was shaken by a hurricane, such as no man ever before remembered."-p. 86.

This was a very common omen, far older than the time of Cromwell, and not the only hurricane appertaining to the Protector's mortal remains; for in a newspaper of the time of the Restoration, is the following paragraph:

"The people will observe that this tearing wind was on the same day (Dec. 7) that the House of Peers ordered the digging up of the carkasses of Oliver Cromwell, &c. who, as he was hurried out of the world with a signal tempest, hath another for as much of him as is left behind.”

We shall add, for the gratification of our readers, a less known prodigy. The Mercurius Publicus, No. 4, Jan. 2431, anno 1661, speaking of the suspension of the carcases of Cromwell, Treton, and Bradshaw, at Tyburn, says,

"And now we cannot forget how at Cambridge, when Cromwell first set up for a rebel, he, riding under the gallows, his horse curvetting, threw his cursed Highness out of the saddle just under the gallows (as if he had been turned off the ladder); the spectators then observing the place, and rather presaging the present work of this day, than the monstrous villainies of this day twelve years."

Our readers will recollect the dialogue between Glendower and Hotspur, and properly appreciate these omens, which were common forgeries for political purposes, and exposed authori

* Parliamentary Intelligencer, No. 51, Dec. 10-17, 1660.

GENT. MAG. May, 1830.

425

tatively by the Magistracy. See Mercur. Pub. No. 42, Oct. 17-24, 1661.

Great disputes have arisen about the authorship of the Elxwy Basilinn. It appears from Kennet, that

"The papers written in the King's hands Rayne, Mr. Edward Symmons, to convey were entrusted to an Essex Minister, of them to a printer, but he, instead of so doing, committed them to a neighbour, which neighbour was Gauden, rector of Bocking, the next parish to Rayne. Mr. Symmons had been long dead, when Gauden made his claim to the work."—pp. 123, 125.

We are much staggered by this anecdote, and (so far as we are competent judges) are inclined to think, with Mr. Bowles, that Gauden mangled and interpolated the original, parts of which are however retained.

Every body knows that Mr. Ellis has ascribed in his valuable Letters the decapitation of the King to the com mon executioner, but Mr. Bowles quotes Lilly (p. 156) for the ascription of the nefarious act to Lieut.-Colonel Joice. One Spavin, who had been secretary to Cromwell, said to Lilly in confidence;

"It was Lieutenant Colonel JOICE. I was in the room when he fitted himself for the work; STOOD BEHIND him when he did it ; when done, went in again with him. There's no man knows this but my master, Cromwell, Commissioner Ireton, and myself. ' p. 156.

Query, if this man standing behind the executioner, was the "tall soldier" mentioned by Fuller as standing on the scaffold?" (Church Hist. cent.xvii. p. 236.)

the predestinarianism, enthusiastic exIn p. 144, Mr. Bowles shows that periences, and other visionary notions of Calvin and his followers, are actually plagiarisms from Thomas Aquinas !— pp. 143, 144.

Among the ridiculous things of puritanism is one, that they made it a great sin to eat "custard," for which Mr. Bowles says, that he finds no better reason, than that it was anciently distinguished as ROYAL. (p. transmitted name," says Mr. B. 252.) "Royal custard was probably a

Parliamentary visitors came to Oxford, they had a meeting every week to consider cases of conscience, which was therefore not unaptly nick-named the Scruple-Shop. The religious scruples were generally of this tri

"It is well known that soon after the

426

REVIEW-Bowles's Life of Ken.-Raine's North Durham. [May,

fing nature; but as to lying and murdering, there was no "scruple" at all, nor was the "shop" ever troubled with a question of the kind. So in all ages are found those who place the essence of religion in "straining at gnats and swallowing camels." These nominal Christians sat or stood at the Lord's Supper, because those whom they opposed knet. They would have knelt, if the others had sat. The cap was idolatrous, because it was square, and the bread of the Church of Rome idolatrous because it was round!" -p. 252.

"God's commandments are ten! Puritanism, from the times of Ames to Prynne, and the modern evangelists, has three great commandments; (1) Thou shalt not see or read a play! (2) Thou shalt not touch a card, whether in the spirit of gaming or not! (3) Thou shalt not go to a dance, however regulated."

We have heard that the officiousness and interference of the Saints, as they are called, in the avocations and amusements of the inhabitants of one of the largest towns of Great Britain, has been so annoying, as to excite a determined spirit of resistance, which has completely overthrown their cause. Mr. Bowles observes (page 207), that these "Solifidian shepherds" are shocking calumniators, and we could name two gentlemen of unblemished character and sound religious principles, who have been obliged to threaten clergymen of that school with actions for libel. One of these clergymen was actually compelled to resign a curacy on account of his dealings in slander. That such an encroaching artifice of low cunning to establish a domineering priestcraft, ought to be indignantly expelled from society, is manifest; and it is equally clear that it is antichristian and uncharitable. The unwarrantable and dangerous depreciation of morality, learning, and the arts and sciences, are other and as pernicious innovations. Yet with all these monstrous errors, they claim, as Mr. Bowles observes (p. 253), infallibility! To prevent, therefore, such a mischievous propagation of folly, is the duty of the able and learned Clergy; and, however unwelcome may be the task, they are not patriots or benefactors to the State if they shrink from it. A substitution of devotees and imbeciles for our soldiers, sailors, scholars, and artists, would be an evil, which would expose us to conquest and ruin; yet such is the improvement which has emanated from the school of Wesley and Whit

field. Mr. Bowles, therefore, in stepping forward as he has done, is entitled to the highest praise, and most heartily do we wish his work to have that influence and success which are justly due to his superior talents.

Raine's North Durham,

(Concluded from page 323.)

FROM a plan of the Church of Holy Island Priory, we see that the original semicircular east end of the chancel, so indicative of early periods, was superseded by the usual square termination, because apparently the apsis did not harmonize with a correct figure of the cross; but what is very unusual, the two eastern ends of the transepts were semicircular. They certainly were not coeval with the old fabric, for they are much larger than the first chancel.

The stump of the old cross was called the Petting Stone, and newly married people were made to leap over it for luck. p. 155.

The jumping is, we know, of Druidical origin. The term petting may be derived from the A. S. Pedian, conculcare, pedibus obterere.

From the inventory of the goods, &c. of Sir William Reade, taken June 21, 1604, it appears that the old knight had not a bottle of wine in his house. The miserable furniture for servants' bed-rooms is noted by Strutt in his "Manners andCustoms;" and it appears that the servants occupied five beds arranged in two lofts, the steads of which were valued at 6d. each only.-p. 178.

The chopping knives of the scullery were made of wood, for one is described "as rotten."-p. 178.

The inventory taken upon the death of William Swinhoe, in 1623, mentions,

"The kitchine, the milkhouse, the brewhouse, the buttery [in which there were 'two silver boules, one silver salt and eleven silver spoones, 10l. 10s. and no other plate is enumerated,] the cellar, the hall [where was, inter alia, one pair of playeing tables,'] the parlor [occupied by two beds), the stairfoot chamber, the grene chamber, the hartechoke chamber, the yallowe chamber, the middle chamber, the gallery chamber, and the long gallery."-p. 187.

From this statement, as well as others, it may appear how impracticable it is to appropriate the rooms of old castellated mansions and seats.

)

1830.]

REVIEW.-Raine's North Durham, Stuart's Athens.

We are inclined to think, that when
urn-burial and cremation existed among
the Britons, it denoted superior rank
in the deceased; for

"A barrow upon an eminence, which
served as a place of execution for the castle
of Bamborough in feudal times, was partly
opened in the year 1817, and was found to
contain numerous graves belonging to the
British, or unconverted Saxon period. In
some instances the skeletons were stretched
at length, in graves made of thin stones;
and in others the bodies had been reduced
to ashes by fire, and the ashes themselves
had been collected in rudely ornamented
and sun-baked urns, which were found
inverted in small square cavities of six
stones each, just large enough to contain
them."-
."-p. 188.

In the Appendix, p. 115, we have a
seal of David de Houburne, of an oval
form, which is very unusual except
with regard to ecclesiastics. The col-
lection of seals in the book is curious.

Speaking of the book, as a whole,
there is to be found in it more genuine
information concerning the articles of
domestic furniture, in use among our an-
cestors, than in any other work known
to us and to those who enjoy the inves-
tigation of old manners and customs,
the inventories alluded to are particu-
larly interesting. It appears from them,
that, generally speaking, there was a
good deal of plate, and very little fur-
niture in the rooms of the family; but
a profusion of culinary and other uten-
sils for those appertaining to the me-
nage. As to chairs in bed-rooms,
there were often none; and if they
had chimnies, only a moveable grate.
Window-curtains, drawers, carpets,
and washing-stands, are not, accord-
ing to our recollection, anywhere spe-
cified; and a warming-pan does not
occur till 1604 (p. 177), and then was
kept in the bed-room. Tongs appear
as annexations of grates, without poker
or shovel; and the family plate-chest
was part of bed-room furniture (p.
177). Stools were the substitutes for
chairs in the principal sitting-room,
in the proportion of even twenty of
the former to two of the latter (ibid);
which were evidently intended, par
distinction, for the husband and wife.
[In some old houses we have seen
fixed benches or forms around the
room.] Screens, maps, or trumpery pic-
tures, and cupboards calculated to dis-
play plate, were usual. Side-carpets,
and others of cloth, occur in the bed-

427

;

chambers of ladies, but not, we think, in those of gentlemen. London, it seems, was famous for bedsteads of joiners' work, which, with valances and curtains, were worth as much as Gl. while humble close-stools were rated at only 6d. or 12d. each (177). We find a straw-bed under a feather-bed, upon a trunk-bedstead; damask tablecloths and napkins, and a particular kind of sheets called strokin-sheets, used for stretching out the dead (p. 178). Tables there were of various kinds; among these a "drawinge-table," of which we do not know the precise meaning; perhaps it was one that would draw out, or be easily moveable. No fenders are mentioned. Farmhouses, in the modern acceptation, our ancient seats were; and setting aside certain denotations of state, as arms in the windows, hangings, armour and weapons on the walls, strong reseinings of our present yeomanry. blances may be seen in many dwell

It has been a rule, since the days of Dugdale, to estimate local history by the quantity of record and manuscript which it contains. A gossiping superficial work may construe a place, but hic haec hoc of topography. No man it will never parse it, and that is the can estimate the possible advantages contingent upon publishing the titledeeds, and local characteristics of a town or district. Estates and charities may be preserved to their right owners; litigation may be prevented, gested. A man cannot know too much and practicable improvements be sugof that which it is his interest to know. Mr. Raine's book is one of the standard and valuable kind.

Stuart's Athens, New edition.-Vol. IV. (Resumed from vol. xcvi. i. p. 284.) WE proceed now to the account of that inestimable remain, MYCENE. The plates are upon so large a scale, and so complete and extensive, that they afford the most satisfactory eluci dation of the subject. Of course, they are accompanied by a Dissertation, which, like all the others in this work, is elaborate and judicious,

It is well known that Pausanius ascribes the circuit of the walls and the gate of the Lions to the Cyclops, who built for Prætus the walls of Tirynthus. But three distinct modes