another survey, communicating with the sea at Lowestoffe. This was estimated at 87,000l. and was finally adopted. A capacious harbour will be formed at Lowestoffe, which will also be useful as affording a safe receptacle in foul weather for vessels on the most exposed part of the eastern coast. Sept. 1827, the work was commenced, and the whole, it is expected, will be completed in about two years from the present time.

In

Norwich is reckoned the seventh place in population in England; in 1811 it contained 37,256 souls; in 1821, 50,288; a large increase in ten years. This increase is observable in most of our great towns, more particularly in the metropolis; whilst our villages remain at nearly the same enumeration.

An account of the establishment of Musical Festivals at Norwich, in 1824 and 1827, is given in p. 1084.

Norwich gave birth to two musical phenomenons in James Hook and William Crotch. The former played at four years of age; and the latter, miraculous as it may appear, before he was two years and a half old. Of both these precocious individuals, ample memoirs are given; as also of several eminent musicians; some of whom, like Dr. Crotch, are still living ornaments of Norfolk.

The Norfolk and Norwich Literary Institution was established in 1822; and the Norfolk and Norwich Museum in 1824. The latter is a separate establishment, but held under the same roof. Both these useful Institutions are fully noticed.

Norwich may be termed the parent of provincial exhibitions of Paintings, being the first established out of the metropolis. It has continued its exhibitions for more than 20 years. Thus a school of art has gradually been formed at Norwich, and the productions of its professors are held in esteem.

The lovers of the Drama will find many reminiscences relative to the Norwich Theatre, condensed in pp. 1120-1127.

The following instance of genuine humanity, exhibited by Simpson the turnkey of Norwich gaol, cannot be too often recorded:

"Among the conviets whom it was his business to escort to Plymouth, to be transported to Botany-bay, was a young woman with a child at her breast. The master of

the transport refused to receive the child. Simpson, on witnessing the extreme agony of the woman at having it taken from her, returned with all possible expedition to town; taking the infant, as I have heard him describe, on his knee, and supplying to the best of his ability the place of a mother. On his arrival he went directly to the office in Downing-street, where he remained till he could obtain a sight of the then Secretary of State (as I remember, the present Lord Grenville), who immediately on hearing the case, sent him back to Plymouth with an order that the child should be received with its mother, to whose arms he was so happy as to restore it, just as the transport was about to sail. A conduct of such singular humanity could not fail to excite attention; a very clear and accurate statement of all the circumstances, drawn up by the late Dr. Rigby of Norwich, was published. The consequence was, that Lord Chedworth, and many other persons, 'signified to Simpson their approbation of his conduct, with a pecuniary donation."

In p. 1155 we have a good memoir of the historian of the County, the Rev. Francis Blomefield:

"He was born at Fersfield, July 23, 1705; was educated first at Diss, then at Thetford, and from thence sent to Caius Coll. Cambridge,,1724. In 1727 he became B. A. and on the 17th of March was ordained deacon, and in 1729 priest, both by Dr. Baker, Bp. of Norwich. In the same year he was instituted rector of Hargham, and rector of Fersfield, on the presentation of his father. Mr. Blomefield's turn for the study of antiquities was shown as early as his first residence at Cambridge, of which he published a brief account under the title of Collectanea Cantabrigiensia," 4to.; and he appears seldom to have lost sight of these pursuits, for as soon as he was settled at Fersfield, he began collecting materials for a history of his native county; this he pursued by travelling and examining in person every remnant of antiquity, every public edifice, and every sepulchral monument that illustrated the honours, the names, or the possessions of our nobility and gentry."-"In this Mr. Blomefield has been peculiarly happy."

The progress of his important work through the press was particularly unfortunate. The author would needs be his own typographer. He set up a press at his parsonage-house at Fersfield, and distributed the work in numbers, as completed, by his own servant, or by carriers; but the delay of such a mode of printing may be easily conceived. Mr. B. had scarcely got through the first volume, when a fire consumed, not only the work but

his printing-press and materials. He lost no time in restoring these, and had proceeded through two volumes, and part of a third, when, wanting to consult certain deeds at the Rolls Chapel, he unfortunately brought back into the country with him the infection of the small-pox, of which he died Jan. 15, 1751, aged 46. His papers were afterwards prepared for publication by the Rev. C. Parkin, who completed the well-known "History of Norfolk." A memoir of the Rev. John Brand, rector of St. George's, Southwark, follows; in which the date of his death is erroneous. He died Dec. 23, 1808 (see our vol. LXXVIII. p. 1134; and LXXIX. p. 275). He could scarcely have been reader of St. Peter's Mancroft, Norwich, so early as 1744.

There are several civic memoranda, from which we shall select a few curious particulars:

"1566. No innkeeper shall from this day tyll the feaste of the birth of our Lorde next coming, take any more for a dinner or supper than 4d. and to provide for them porage or stew, with befe or mutton boyled, and a stroke of some kynde of roste, and no more; and from the feaste of our Lorde till Ester, to take 5d. for a mele, and no more.

No Innkeeper shall take above 3d. the daye and nyght for a horse, and if he tarry but a nyghte, then to take 2d. and no more."

1568, 26 June, Ordered, That the Mayor's Seal of Office, which now is the picture of the Trynyte, which is not only contrary to God's word, but to her Majesty's instructions, be altered, and from

henceforth be the armes of the Citie."

1569. Robert Ringwood ys commanded to leve of from typling, who promiseth that after this daye fortnight, he will leve of from typling, and also provyde too sureties that shall be bounde that he shall occupye no more."

1619. Rachael Richardson having been cured of the King's Evil, she, to redeem her husband out of prison, did take the gold from her neck, whereby her payne ys come agayne;' she therefore prayes to be " agayne admitted to receive his majesty's favour for her further cure."

"1687. Edw. Drewrye, of Beesthorpe, gent. called before Mr. Mayor and brethren, and reproved for wearing such great hose, contrary to a lawe made against the same; and for his obstinacy therein committed to prison, with a block upon his leg."

The History of the Dissenters at Norwich will be found full and satisfactory, including much valuable biography. The account of the Society of Friends embraces anecdotes of the

wide-spreading and highly-respectable family of Gurney.

In the biographical notice of Mr. Thomas Bland, it is stated, "For a great many years the proof sheets of the Gentleman's Magazine were sent down [to Norwich] for his examination, and he largely contributed towards the most valuable part of that Miscellany. His loss was irreparable to Sylvanus Urban." This requires planation. It is true this amiable and excellent individual was, during many years, an occasional contributor to this Miscellany, under various signatureslatterly, that of "A Friend to Accuracy;" but the proof-sheets of the Magazine were never submitted to his correction.

ex

An Essay on the State of the Press, fixes the introduction of Printing into Norwich by Anthony Solempne, or de Solen, as the year 1568. After his time, singular as it may appear, the art ceased at Norwich for 130 years, as we hear no more of it till 1701, when Francis Burgess published a pamphlet, by way of apology, for introducing it again at Norwich, intituled, "Some Observations on the Use and

Origin of the Noble Art and Mystery of Printing." The first Norwich Newspaper, "The Postman," was printed in 1706.

The biographical notices distributed throughout the volumes are extremely numerous, and being in general very satisfactory, we consider this as one of its most valuable features.

In p. 1316-1335, we have numerous supplementary articles of individuals who were either natives of Norfolk, or connected with the county. These are followed by copious additions to the work; List of Augmentations of Livings in Norfolk by means of Queen Anne's Bounty; a Clerical Guide for Norfolk, containing a List of Parishes, Incumbents, Valuations, Patrons, &c.

We again recommend this highly useful and cheap work. A similar collection relative to each of the Counties of England, would form an invaluable body of topographical and biographical information.

Scripture Gazetteer; or Geographical and Historical Dictionary of Places and People mentioned in the Bible; with Maps, Tables of Time, Weights, Measures, and Money, and a copious Chronological Table. By John Griffith Mansford. 8v0.

THE utility of such a work speaks for itself; of course the execution of it is the only point to be considered. Calmet and many others have overcome the main difficulty, the first compilation. Mr. Mansford has added the improvements of modern knowledge, but adopted too hastily some of its theories. Inter alia: among others, he has vindicated the Helio-Arkite system (see Egypt), and yet admits Antediluvian idolatry; nevertheless he reconciles both, as if it was possible for a system to be derived from Noah, or founded upon his history, which existed long before he was born. The gratuitous and assumptive character of the whole theory may appear from circumstances related by Mr. Mansford himself, viz. that it splits one Noah into two, and makes the Sun another Noah; e. g. in the following passage there is the original Noah, Seth another Noah, and the solar luminary a third; or else Seth becomes his ancestor Noah, and the celestial Sun also; transformations, which it is admitted by Mr. Mansford were derived from Antediluvian books, written long before the birth of either Noah, or the pretended Seth. Thus palpable are the absurdities. We now give the

extract.

"The Celtic Druids held the same belief of books coeval, with the Deluge-books, which Mr. Faber calls the British Vedas: they were styled the books of the Pherylt, and the writings of Prydain, or Hu, who is equally identified with the Grecian Huas or Dionusus; with Seth, Budoha, Thoth, Taut, and Xisuthrus-who [Seth] was also, in his celestial capacity the Sun, and in his terrestrial, the Arkite Noah."

Nor is this all. Josephus certainly knew more of Jewish history, than any man before or since; but he is mowed down like a thistle; and Mr. Mansford, who admits that Adam might have been taught to write, yet says, that he (Josephus) is mistaken in making Seth the son of Adam, the inventor of writing; but that it was another Seth, the same person as the Egyptian Thoth both Seth and Thoth being the same also as the Chaldæan Xisuthrus, whose whole history declares him to be Noah." (Art. Egypt.) Now there is a Seth, junior, a very Proteus, and, mirabile dictu, no other after all than Noah himself; evidently so, says Mr. Mansford.

adoption of fanciful mythologies, does Mr. Mansford show (Art. Cush) the effect of civilization in making ugly people handsome; and in this article, which is excellent, we find that there is a prophecy in Isaiah of the Christianization of India. Mr. Mansford says,

"It may not, at the same time, be considered as any stretch of fancy, or of national predilection, to suppose the country addressed by Isaiah to be British India; where by the hands of British Missionaries the work is already preparing. The prophet Zephaniah alludes to the same region, when he says, From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering' (ch. iii. 10). In confirmation of which opinion, it must be stated, that both the Syriac and the Chaldee, in the last cited passage, have India for Ethiopia: as they likewise have in a parallel passage in Isaiah xi.”

Under Alexandria we find a curious character of our patron Saint of the Garter, the redoubted St. George. Mr. Mansford says, that he was an Army contractor, and Arian Archbishop, a great rogue, &c. &c. " without one single redeeming virtue."-Why this sneering Gibbonism was at all introduced, we know not. It is certain that our ancestors did not believe him to be an Arian at all, for in his Legend is the following passage:

"Thenne saynte George sayd to theym, ne doubte ye noo thynge wyth out more byleve ye in God Ihesu cryst, and do ye to be baptised and I shall slee the dragon." Gold. Leg. fol. lxxvi. ed. Jul. Notary, ao

THE

proper

8vo.

character of these Ser

the leading doctrines of Christianity. They are didactic, as lectures ex cathedra, and written in a style of great elegance. The author very wisely takes more pains to establish what is sound, than to start what is new, for there are coiners in the currency of the Christian State, as well as in that of the Realm. Recently a quantity of counterfeits concerning faith and works has been in circulation. Our author gives us the following cautions against taking them:

“We aretsaved by grace to the exclusion of works in one sense. We are saved by works and not by faith in another. There is no opposition here. We owe all we have and all we hope for to the unmerited mercy of God in Christ Jesus our Saviour. Faith and works are means by which the saving gift is applied; and these means must be in active operation until the final object shall be happily secured." P. 349.

Dr. Walker says also in excellent taste, in his Preface, p. vii.

"I have not adopted, and cannot conscientiously adopt, the current phraseology, which many busy bodies among us have adopted of late years; and which they maintain with an earnest and an exclusive zeal, that is not always consistent with charity to the persons, nor even with justice to the principles, of our clergy in general."

In the Preface also, p. viii. is the following biographical account of Mr. Ramsay, the author's uncle, mentioned in the title :

"Mr. Ramsay was born in Fraserburgh in 1733, and died in London in 1789. While he resided in the West Indies, the condition of the African slaves attracted his special attention. His benevolent work on the "Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves in the British Sugar Colonies," gave the first excitement to the public mind on that subject, and led to various improvements in their condition and treatment. Mr. Ramsay served in the Navy, first as a surgeon, and afterwards as a chaplain. To the Navy he was much attached, and he published" An Essay on the Duty and Qualifications of a Sea Officer," which was much admired. He published also a volume of "Sea Sermons," and a "Treatise on Signals at Sea." A man more truly benevolent never lived." P. viii.

The Poetical Sketch Book. By T. K. Harvey. 12mo. pp. 286. Bull.

THE talents of Mr. Harvey have long been appreciated by the public. The volume before us contains a va

riety of pleasing pieces, and a third edition of his poem of "Australia.” Many of these little effusions breathe a very melancholy air; others are distinguished by sentiment of a more agreeable cast; but all display considerable beauty and poetic feeling. Several have been already before the public in the literary Annuals, one of which was edited with great credit by Mr. Harvey, and were illustrative of some charming engravings of interesting subjects. The poems for music are not the least happy of his efforts. The following specimen is chosen for its shortness:

When in yon fading sky
Summer light closes,
And the lone spirit's sigh

Steals o'er the roses;
When in the waters, still
Twilight is sleeping,
And on the purple hill

Night dews are weeping;
Where o'er the slumbering lake
Droops the fond willow,

While the breeze cannot make

Even a billow;

When there is silence in each leafy bower,
There be our meeting-alone-in that hour!
Oh! let no cold eye

Of others be o'er us!
Stillness be spread on high,
Beauty before us!-
Then-down thy lovely cheek
Silently stealing-
Should a warm tear speak

The fullness of feeling,
Fondly I'll chide, sweet!

That symbol of sadness;
Surely, when lovers meet,

Stay till along the sky day-light is darting,
All should be gladness!
Then will we weep-'tis our moment of
parting!

The Foreign Review, No. VII.

1. Eloquence of the French Bar. The difference between the French and English bar has been this. The former has been the most powerful advocate of liberty, the latter a servile instrument of tyranny. The Church of England, because it exists by the laws, has always made common cause with them. In the time of James II.

"When the House of Commons sacrificed, instead of guarding the public liberties, whence was the first resistance.

From the House of Lords and the Bench of Bishops (says Hume), where the Court usually expects the greatest complaisance and submission'." P. 2.

Southey, in his Book of the Church, has clearly demonstrated the obligations of this country to the Church of England. The Reviewer says,

Suppose a man intent upon pursuing and making public his researches into any branch of exact or speculative science, what Church would he choose, that of Rome or of Geneva, or of Scotland or of England, with the view to indulging his speculations in unmolested freedom?-most surely the Church of England. The Church of England, on the other hand, allows, even beyond its exact precincts, a large and liberal pomoerium for conjectural sagacity and curious investigation, and has itself contributed more than its share to the common stock of knowledge in the highest and boldest ranges of meditation and discovery." Pp. 3, 4. Such have been the beneficial effects to learning and liberty, derived from the Church of England, when it was not fanaticized and foolish.

Il. History of Lithography. An excellent digest. According to M. Raucourt, what would cost in copper-plate 21. 18s. 8d. may be done upon stone for 7s. 9d. In all occasions, where numerous illustrative plates are indispensable, the utility of this cheap substitute is self-evident; but where the best style of execution possible is required, Lithography appears to us only base compared with precious metal.

III. Philosophy in France. According to this article, there is nothing in that country which deserves the name of philosophy.

IV. Life and Writings of Jovellanos. As a writer, a magistrate, a public man, and a patriot, he was, says the Reviewer, the most distinguished Spaniard of modern times. We believe so. He was a sun, and the best of his countrymen only candles. V. Novalis. The Critic here takes infinite pains to explain to us German mysticism. It is very difficult to comprehend; but, as far as we can blunder it out, these German mystics will have it that the substantiality of the works of nature, and of man, among them, is pure idea, and that there is no such thing as matter, it being only a fanciful notion taken up by us, through sensation, e. g.

"A tree is green and hard not of its own natural virtue, but simply because my eye and my hand are fashioned so as to discern such and such appearances, under such and such conditions." P. 116.

idea that walks, eats, drinks, sleeps, &c. As to sleep, Novalis says, "That it is for the inhabitants of planets only; and that in another time, man will sleep and wake continually at once." P. 128.

We cannot understand how this is to be, unless he means that one eye will be asleep, while the other is awake, and so in rotation. The Critic deprecates derision of his mystical hero. We assure him, that we are not in the habits of despising insanity. We are sincerely grieved that it has made in Germany such sad havoc of religion, common sense, and philosophy. If Novalis says, as he does in p. 130,

"Religion contains infinite sadness. If we are to love God, he must be in distress."

(The Omnipotent in distress!) are we to blame, if we think Novalis" to have been

"Mad, madder, than the maddest of March hares."*

tram. A very elaborate article, proving VI. Metrical Romances of Sir Tristhat the exploits of Tristram were celebrated by the continental poets long before the birth of Thomas of Erceldoune (p. 156). We beg here to observe, that nothing was more common than for the histories, legends, and poems of one nation, to be borrowed verbatim, and applied to another. In

stances are shown in Fosbroke's Gloucester; inter alia, from Hector Boethius, who has made a Scotchman of Caractacus, and applied his campaigns, &c. to that nation.

VII. Vitalis-Swedish Poetry. It may be wine, but it is not brandy poetry; and we would not give a straw for any poetry that does not inebriate us with only two or three glasses of it. VIII. Niebuhr-Historical and PhiThis is a capital lological tracts. article concerning that delightful traveller Niebuhr. We have read of persons being born Poets, but Niebuhr was, it seems, born a Geographer. 66 He read with his son Cæsar's Commentaries, paying as usual more attention to the Geography than the History, and making his son look out every place in D'Anville's map." He also other obstacle to learning than the had no idea that there could be any want of a teacher. P. 187.