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1082

Original Memoirs of Mr. James Cawthorn.

1745. He published, in Gent. Mag. vol. XV. p. 553, "A Rhapfody on the late Affociation in Yorkshire," relative to the rebellion; and, the fame year, a poem called "Ridley's Ghoft 8," which has confiderable merit, and the author was enquired after by a correfpondent of Mr. Shentone. See Hull's edition. See it advertised in Gent. Mag. vol. XV. p. 672.

1747 His wife died, and was buried at Tunbridge June 20. She was an amiable, fenfible, ingenious woman; but had long laboured under a bad ftate of health.

1748. He published a fermon, inti. tuled, "Benevolence the Source and Ornament of civil Diftinctions; preached at St. Antholin's, before the Skinners Company, by James Cawthorne, M. A.9"

1749. "The Vanity of Human Enjoyments, an Ethic Epifle 10," was fpoken as a school exercife, by. Mafter P. Dalyfon, before the Skinners Company, at their annual vifitation of the (chool.

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1750. Happiness the Object of all our Purfuits, an Ethic Epiftle "," fpoken on the like occafion, by Master J. Moore.

1751. "The Difficulty and Danger of rifing at Court, an Ethic Epiftie 12," fpoken, &c. by Mafter J. Moore.

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1752. Nobility, a Moral Efay 13," fpoken, &c. by Mafter J. C. Roberts.

1753- "Lady Jane Grey to Lord Guilford Dudley, an Epittle in the Manner of Ovid 24," fpoken, &c. by Mafter E. Byam.

1754. "Ann Boleyn to Henry the Eightn, an pifle in the Manner of Ovid 15," puken, &c. by Matter G.

Children:

An imperfect copy of which penes E.G. 9 See Gent. Mag. vol. XVIII. p. 432. This year he received a letter, dated "Eyndhoven, May 8, O. S." from "Capt. Hughes (fee Cawthorn's Poems, p. 17), mentioning the ceffation of hoftilities, and foliciting Mr. C. to pay a visit to the Continent."

io See Cawthorn's Poems, p. 172. 11 Not found amongst his MSS. This year he vifited Paris, as appears by a letter to his fifter, dated "June 16."

12 Not found amongst his MSS. 13 See his Poems, p. 141.

14 See his Poems, p. 97.

Is Not found amongst his MSS. This year died his father, aged 65; and his brotherThomas, hardware dealer, in LeadenhallAreet, aged 31, u married.

[Dec.

1755. "The Regulation of the Paffions the Source of Human Happiness 16," fpoken by Mafter G. Children.

1756. "Of true and falfe Tafte, an Effay," fpoken by Matter Gordon 17. 1757- "Wit and Learning, an Allegory 18," fpoken by Mafter Children. 1758. "The Birth and Education of Genius, a Tale 19," fpoken by Master Children.

1759. "Verfes occafioned by the Victory of Robach 20," spoken by Mafter Thurston.

1760. "Life unhappy, because we ufe it improperly," a moral effay 21, fpoken by Mafter Thurfton." The Temple of Hymen," a tale 22, spoken by Mafter Woodfall.

1761. April 15, he unhappily loft his life by a fall from his horfe 23. What is very remarkable, it appears from his papers 24 that he had appointed Virgil's fifth Eclogue to be recited by Meffrs. Brett and Marriott, at the ensuing vifitation of the Skinners Company; when, alas! it had a peculiar unexpected propriety.

Thus this good man made his poetical abilities fubfervient to the intereft of his pupils. But his literary talents, though very confiderable, bore only a finall proportion to his moral excellence.

In the character of a fon, he always thewed a moft refpectful and affectionate attention to his parents; as a brother, purfued every proper method to promote the intereft of his relations; as a husband, was tender, polite, and obliging; as a mafter, humane, and folicitous for the welfare of his fervants. In his fchool, he fupported his ftation with a becoming dignity; paid a ftri&t regard to his duty; and, without partiality, was ever ready to applaud merit, and difcourage indolence. He was hotpitable and generous, yet an economist; regular in his accounts, and punctual in the difscharge of every just demand: 16 See his Poems, p. 81. 17 See ibid. p. tro. 18 Ibid. p. 188. 19 Ibid. p. 36. 20 Ibid. p. 129. 21 Ibid. p. 119.

az Ibid. p. 153.

23 See a copy of verfes to his memory, addreifed to Sir Sampfon Gideon, Bart now Lord Eardley, Gent. Mag. vol. XXX I. p. 2 32.

24 This and the preceding notices relative to the fchool-exercifes are from Mr. Cawthorn's MSS. penes E. G.

fhewed

thewed a becoming focial chearfulnefs in company, yet was temperate; and, in private, was beft pleafed with the plaineft diet. In a word, thofe who best knew him had the most reafon to value him, and lament his diffolution.

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Mr. URBAN, Birmingham, Nov. 12. S the Gentleman's Magazine is now become famous all over the globe for curiofities of all forts, permit me, through the channel of that muchefteemed Publication, to relate a converfation that paffed fome few days ago in a company of fox hunters. One of the gentlemen faid, he made it a conftant rule always to drown the first litter of whelps that his young bitches had, as it was generally understood fuch puppies always went mad. Another faid, that when his cat kittened he thought of keeping a boar kitten, having been fome time troubled with females (cats, I mean, Mr. Urban,); but, on picking out one for its beauty, before a particular examination of its fex, his wife began to laugh at him, and asked him if that was his be cat, for the never knew a be bave three colours; and, upon a more minute examination, it proved a female. Now, Mr. Urban, if any of your learned correfpondents will inform us if "fuch things are," and their reafons, it will very much oblige numbers of your readers, and in particular a young naturalift.

Permit me, Mr. Urban, alfo to afk Capt. Newte when be visited Birmingbam? I have known that town very well for near thuty years, and, thank God, my eyes are yet pretty good, but I could never difcover what that gentleman has found out, viz. that the footpaths are laid with flag-tones like the London streets, and defy him to mention one street that is flagged on both fidcs, or even one fide from end to end. Some few individuals have got a few on their own fronts; and one fide of the High-ftrect, from the corner of NewAreet to Corbet's-alley, is laid with flags nearly in the London tafte; but how he could fay, "it is not above three years fince pavements on foot-paths, formed of Aag-itones upon the London pan, were first introduced in this place (Birming ham); the ladies of Birmingham at first confidered thele fmooth pavements as very great grievances; they were not fo convenient, they faid, as their old footpaths, or easy to walk on." F. Newte,

efq. had much better have been filent aBout Birmingham, becaufe every one in the town, and thoufands out of it, muft know this to be a moft palpable faijbood, and will confequently fufpe&t all or moft of this tour to be fabricated in his own houfe. And fo far from the ladies difliking thefe flag-ftones, the very reverse may be obferved any day by the numbers that cross the High ftreet on purpofe to have the pleature of walking on that small part of it that is flagged as beforementioned. He also says, "what religion there is in Birmingham is to be found amongst the Diffenters." Now, from my obfervations thefe twenty years and upwards, I think the religion of the Birmingham folk to consist in variety; for, as foon as any new place of worship is opened, it is fure to be well filled for a few months, let their creed be what it will; fo that fonie wags have faid, if the d-l was to open ihop at Birmingham, he would have plenty of cuftomers. As to Methodists, they fwarm all over the town; and the Roman Catholic chapel, or mafs houfe, was always very crowded till the New Jerufalem or Swedenborgians began, and now they overflow in fuch a manner that they talk of making an addi. tion; but, fhould they wait till fome more na places of worship open, most likely they will have room enough. I understand that the amphitheatre is divided, and to be opened foon, one fide by the Prefbyterians, and the other by a company of young gentlemen of the town as a playhouse, so that Dr. Priestley may have an opportunity now of coming to Birmingham (if he dare), and fighting the devil on his own ground. Yours, &c. SENEX.

THE EARL OF BUCHAN'S EULOGY
OF THOMSON THE POET.
(Concluded from p. 1021.)
THOMSON to Mr. Ross.

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"Dear Rofs, London, Nov. 6, 1736. OWN I have a good deal of affurance, atter afking one favour of vou, never to aniwer your letter till I afk another. But, not to mince the matter more to a friend, and all apoiogies apart, hearken to my request. My fitters have been advised by their friends to fet up at Edinourgh a little milliner's shop; and it you can conveniently ad vance to them twelve pounds on my account, it will be a particular favour.

"That will fet them a-going, and I

defign,

1084

The Earl of Buchan's Eulogy on Thomson.

defign, from time to time, to fend them goods from hence; my whole account I will pay you when you come up here, not in poetical paper-credit, but in the folid money of this dirty world. I will not draw upon you, in cafe, you be not prepared to defend yourself: but if your purfe be valiant, please to enquire for Jean or Elizabeth Thomson, at the Rev. Mr. Gufthart's *; and if this let ter be not fufficient teftimony of the debt, I will fend you whatever you fhall defire. It is late, and I would not lofe this poft. Like a laconic man of bufinefs, therefore, I must here ftop fhort; though I have feveral things to impart to you, and, through your canal, to the deareft, true, and heartieft youth that treads on Scottish ground.

"The next letter I write you shall be washed clean from bufinefs in the Caftalian Fountain.

"I am whipping and fpurring to finish a tragedy for you this Winter, but am ftill at fomne diftance from the goal, which makes me fear being diftanced. Remember me to all friends, and, above them all, heartily, heartily to Mr. Forbes: though my affection to him is not fanned by letters, yet it is as high as when I was his brother in the virtù, and played at chefs with him in a poft chaife. I am, dear Rofs, most fincerely and affectionately yours,

JAMES THOMSON.

To Mr. George Rafs, at the Hon. Mr. Duncan Forbes bis boufe in Edinburgh."

THOMSON to Mr. Ross.

"Dear Sir, London, Jan. 12, 1737. "HAVING been entirely in the country of late, finishing my play, I 'did not receive yours till fome days ago. It was kind in you not to draw rafhly upon me, which at prefent had put me into danger; but very foon, that is to fay, about two months hence, I fhall have a golden buckler, and you may draw boldly. My play is received at Drury-lane playhouse, and will be put into my Lord Chamberlain's or his deputy's hands to-morrow. May we hope to fee you this winter, and to have the affiftance of your hands, in cafe it is acted? What will become of

One of the minifters of Edinburgh, father to Dr. Gufthart, of Bath. By that wor thy clergyman I was baptized on the 8th of June, O. S. 1700; and he was always fo kind to me, that I wish I could perpetuate the me mory of his virtues."

[Dec.

you if you don't come up? I am afraid the Creepy and you will become ac quainted.

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"Forbes, I hope, is chearful and in good health shall we never fee him? or fhall I go to him before he comes to us? I long to fee him, in order to play out that game of chefs which we left unfinished. Remember me kindly to him, with all the zealous truth of old friendship. Perite came here two or three days ago: I have not yet feen the round man of God to be. He is to be personified a few days hence. How a gown and caffock will become him! and with what a boly leer be will edify the devout females!

"There is no doubt of his having a eall, for he is immediately to enter up. on a tolérable living. God grant him more, and as fat as himfelt!

"It rejoices me to fee one worthy, honeft, excellent man raised at least to an independency. Pray make my com pliments to my Lord Prefidentt, and all friends. I fhall be glad to hear more at large from you. Just now I am with the Alderman, who wishes you all happinefs, and defires his fervice to Joe. Believe me to be ever most affectionately yours, JAMES THOMSON."

When the Earl of Buchan had read thefe letters, he said,

"In thefe letters you fee exhibited the gentleman, the man of elegant taste, the kind relation, and the affectionate friend.

"In his poems, thofe who are happy enough to be able to taste and relish that divine art, which raises the man of clay from the dirty foil on which he vege tates to the heaven of fentiment, where he can roam at pleasure in the regions of fancy, will delight in feeing the beautiful pictures of Nature prefented to their eyes as fpectators, and not readers: and after thefe delightful impreffions are over, they will find themselves happier and better than they were before.

"They will behold none of the enervating beauties of the Sacontalà of the Hindoos, or of the dry meditations of our modern poetafters; but they will every where find what comes home to the heart, and to the enlightened unand the lovers of Virtue. I have in my derstanding of the admirers of Nature,

"The Rev. Patrick Murdoch, the Oily man, characterited, con amore, in the Caftle of Indolence."

"Duncan Forbes."

hands

hands a copy of "The Seafons," which my father received from the author; and on it, fince I have not the buft of the poet to inveft, I lay this garland of bays.

"Hail Nature's Poet! whom she taught
alone

To fing her works in numbers like her own;
Sweet as the thrush that warbles in the dale,
And foft as Philomela's tender tale.
She lent her pencil too, of wondrous power,
To catch the rainbow, or to form the flower
Of many mingling hues; then-fmiling-faid
(But firft with laurel crown'd her favourite's
head),
[thine,
These beauteous children, though fo fair they
Fade in my SEASONS, let them live in the,'
And live they fhall, the charm of every eye,
Till Nature fickens, and the Seafons die."

On the above occafion Mr. Burns,
the Ayrshire Bard, now fettled in the
honourable and ufeful occupation of his
ancettors, in the neighbourhood of
Dumfries, compofed the following ad-
drefs to the fhade of the Bard of Ednam:
"While Virgin SPRING, by EDEN'S flood,
Unfolds her tender mantle green,
Or pranks the fod in frolic mood,
Or tunes Eölian ftrains between:
"While SUMMER, with a matron grace,
Retreats to DRYBURGn's Cooling shade,
Yet oft, delighted, flops to trace
The progrefs of the spiky blade:

While AUTUMN, benefactor kind,
By TWEED erects his aged head,
And fees, with felf-approving mind,
Each creature on his bounty fed:
"While Maniac WINTER rages o'er
The hills whence claffic YARROW flows,
Rousing the turbid torrent's roar,
Or fweeping wild a waste of fnows:
"So long, fweet Poet of the Year,
Shall bloom that wreath thou well haft won;
While SCOTIA, with exulting tear,
Proclaims that THOMSON was her fon."

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O admire the works of Nature "T in her ufual courfe is a laudable difpofition; many content themfelves with her ordinary operations only; but there is alfo an additional fecret pleasure in contemplating her bye-ways, or feeking to examine her fportive aberrations." Such, Mr. Urban, are the just remarks on the fudy of Nature made by a deceafed refpectable correfpondent of yours in vol. LIX. p. 1187. The pleafute he defcribes I fenfibly feel whilft attending to the investigation of the Origin of Fairy-rings, notwithstanding httre progress towards difcovery can be

yet reported; but the unremitting obfervations of Naturalifts, and the communication between them afforded by your Magazine, will, I truft, in time produce the elucidation of the mystery. Concerning these appearances many hypothefes have been formed, and nearly as many overthrown. In your Mifcellany the queftion was firft brought forward by C. Berington, whofe enquiry failed of meeting attention. It was reintroduced by J. M. (vol. LX. p. 710) in a letter rather fingularly worded. J. M. favs, thefe rings exift in a meadow at the back of his houfe, which "has been in the fame state full twenty years, except once ploughed about nineteen years ago, during which hole time there has been no alterations in the rings." He then very gravely and ther anyone will be fo hardy as to afearneftly appeals to the publick, whefert they ever faw any cows, &c. &c. turning round" whilft expelling their dung or urine? But before this, J. M. affronts the memory of "our great dra matic Bard," by imputing to him the folly of having entertained and encou raged a belief of the circles being really caufed by Fairies. The existence of Fairies, Mr. Urban, is an elegant chimera, admirably applicable to the fupport and embellishment of feveral kinds of poefy. It is a fiction fo truly poetical, and fo particularly concordant with the excurfive fancy of Shakspeare, that it is no wonder that that Child of Nature fhould avail himself of it, and interweave it in his dramas. The ufe he has put it to in his "Midfummer's Night's Dream" is fimilar to the ufe Pope has made of the Roficrufian fyftem in the

Rape of the Lock." In other parts of his works Shakspeare has applied it in the way of embellishment, as two ingenious poets of the prefent day have done likewife in "The Village Curate," and the poetical romance of "Arthur." (See Village Curate, p. 38, and Arthur, p. 184). Mr. Pope, in his dedication to Mrs. Fermor, has implied his want of faith in Sylphs and Gnomes: but as the unknown author of "The Village Curate," and Mr. Hole, the writer of "Arthur," have not particufarly implied any difbelief in the Fairy fyftem, J. M. may poffioly attribute to them the fame abfurdity as he has attri buted to Shakipeare, and he may do it with as much reafon.

There is no atfertion, how inane foever, but what has its advocate. J. M.

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1086

Recapitulation of the various Opinions on Fairy-Rings. [Dec.

did not deem it poffible that the affertion refpecting the circular movements of cattle whilft evacuating their dung could find one; yet T. E. (p. 800) was hardy enough to ftand forward in favour of it, though he does not go quite fo far as to declare himself ever to have been an ocular witness of fuch an evolution, a circumftance indifpenfably neceffary to proving a fact fo ludicrously inconceivable. As T. E. fuppofes thefe circumlocutions to have been performed round fcrubbing-pofts, it fhould be observed, that Fairy-rings are too fmall ever to have had fcrubbing-pofts for their cen. tres; and that, according to that fuppofition, the fields wherein Fairy-rings abound must have had formerly, either at one or at different times, fcrubbing-pofts in every part of them; an improbable cafe. Befides, the rings appear (as M. C. p. 1191, and D. D. vol. LXI. p. 8, have obferved before me,) in places whereto cattle have not had accefs in the memory of man, or perhaps fince the Conqueft. No doubt thefe were the reafons which induced B. L. A. (vol. LX. p. 1193) to fav, very unceremoniously, I deny that Fairy-rings have always fcrubbing-poft in their centre; I never faw one in that predicament." Notwithstanding this gentleman's roughness, I agree with him.

T. L. and B. (pp. 1007, 1106,) both fententiously afcribe Fairy-rings to the effect of lightning; the one quoting Dr. Priestley, and the other Mr. Jeffop. Be feeching forgivenefs of thefe four gentle men for prefuming to differ from them (which is being yet more bardy than T. E. beforementioned), I must confefs, that I think they have promulgated a Scientific prejudice whilft endeavouring to difpel a vulgar one. They are of a different kind; but philofophers have their prejudices as well as the commonality, and they are as tenacious of them. Mr. Jeffop's friend, Mr. Walker, might fee a new circle immediately after a thunderform, for a fresh appearance might as probably attract his notice on a day on which a thunder-form had happened as on any other day; but it might have appeared on that day, fince a form is no impediment to the rings appearing, tho' the lightning does not caule them. On the contrary, 1 apprehend that the circle, obferved by Mr. Walker, was brought out to view (as the painters term it) by the additional verdure which the rain had given to the furrounding herbage. Had Mr. Walker ftooped to it, and perceived

a smell of fulphur proceeding from it (as all fubftances blafled by lightning emit that effluvia), his evidence would have had weight. A fafhion has exifted fome years, among the medical people, of attributing every complaint they could not comprehend to defective or difordered nerves. Philofophers and lecturers have fallen into a fimilar habit of afcribing every natural phænomenon they are incapable of accounting for to electric fire: in conformity to this fyftem, Fairy-rings have been called the effect of lightning. Did lightning caufe them, we should fee them upon corn, stubble, garden-crops, &c.; whereas they never appear (as I ever faw or heard) but upon greenfward or clover aftermath. Did lightning caufe them, they would be moft numerous thofe years when there is moft lightning, and vice verfâ; but the year prefent furnishes an infance of the contrary. Dur ing the three elapfed quarters lightning was neither particularly frequent or uncommonly violent; yet the additional number of Fairy-rings which presented themselves to view at the ufual time (July and Auguft) of new ones appearing is (at least in my vicinity) greater than common.

C's fuppofition (p. 1180) is amufing. Surely this writer never faw a Fairyring, and as furely never noticed the dimenfions given by J. M. Were we to fubftitute Fairies for Britons, we might, from his other words, imagine ourselves fellow-inhabitants of Fairy-land, fince his ideas and expreflions are more appli cable to the children of Fancy than to thofe of Adam. Inftructed by C, we might, from the appearance of a fresh circle, know as well when the Fairies had been performing religious rites, or celebrating feftive revels, as we do now when we perceive by scattered feathers and extinct ashes that a gang of Giplies have had a luxurious regale under a hedge. But I must not trefpafs further on the province of Antiquaries, to whom C. has, with all due deference, referred the digeftion of his idea; and that with very great propriety, as the digeftive powers of fome of thofe gentlemen are entirely equal to the task.

Ants and moles have been mentioned; but the hillocks of thefe laborious beings would be feen invariably in the vicinity of the rings, did they occafion them. Ants ever affect dry places, and Fairycircles often appear in moift. Moles happen to work under them fometimes. J. G. of Kendal, investigates the mat.

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