ter with great attention (vol. LXI. p. 336). He is exceeding exact in obferving moft of the vifive circumftances incident to the circles, and reafons from thefe circumstances with great acuteness. I cannot fay I am every way fatisfied with his fuggeftions, though feveral of his remarks are juft, and he is undoubtedly purfuing the right tract towards difcovery; fince the patient attention he is beflowing on the fubject is the only clue exifting to guide the refearch. It is only a long feries of observations that can attain the defired end; but this is not a confideration to difcourage a true Naturalift. In one point I muft fet J. G. right; and, if he fhould find occafion, I hope he will do the fame by me. He partly mistakes in saying, "marks of this kind are only to be met with on the fides of bills, and of fandy paftures, where the earth is commonly poor and open." That this is the cafe in Weftmorland I make no doubt, becaule J. G. afferts it to be fo; but in the South of England they are as often vifible in flat, rich, moist meadows, and upon Aiff blue and yellow clay, as any where else. I acknowledge that there is fometimes a small proportion of hungry fand, or fharp gravel, intermixed with the above clays, but the clay lies above either. J. G. has opportunity of obferving whether Fairy-rings exift upon peat-moffes, and whether they appear, or are plentiful, on the furface of a foil replete with coal or mineral; and, if they are feen at all in thofe fituations, whether they differ in appearance from thofe on the fides of hills and fandy paftures. By afcertaining thefe points, a judgement may be formed of what depth of foil is neceffary to the generation of Fairy-rings, and whether the caufe of them exifts above or below the furface of the earth. As I have profeffed myself diffatisfied with J. G's fuggeftions, it behoves me to offer others, though they may puffibly be found exceptionable likewife. It is my idea that, throughout the course of this inveftigation, the cause has hitherto been uniformly mistaken for the effect. I think that fungi are not the effect, but the primary cause of Fairyrings; an opinion grounded on the following hypotheles: The edible mushroom, and most of the other varieties of terrene tungi, arile fpontaneously either in circles or in curvilineal lines; and the fungi which generate on the arms of antient apple-trees difcover a like tendency, by two or more of them frequently encircling the decaying arm. Hence it fhould feem, that the innate active principle in fungi poffeffes an original predifpofition to exert, extend, and increase itself, circularly. Moreover, if one fungus arifes, and attains maturity, the different winds blow its feed around it, and that feed produces a circle of fungi the following year. If, during the diffufion of the feed, the wind happens to blow higher from one quarter than the reft, it conveys the feed to a greater diftance, and forms a process iffuing from out of the circular line. The circle is liable, moreover, to be interfected by other circles, formed by neighbouring fungi in the fame manner. J. G. fays, "the caufe that produces Fairy-rings deftroys the grafs growing on them, root and ftem." Again, he lays, "fince each ring remains bare for a year, it is evident that fomething is loft which is neceffary to the nutrition of plants; and therefore we have arrived at this conc'ufion, that this fucceflion of withered tracks is occafioned by each track being fucceffively deprived of fome principle of vegetation." This conclufion of J. G's is juft, and my hypothefes confiftent with it. I argue, that the fungous fpawn attracts and ingroffes to itself all the terreftrial nutriment which before fed the plants that pre-occupied the fpace; that, after producing the fungi of that year, this fpawn extends itfelf beyond the firft circle for the formation of another, leav ing the space it filled before so exhausted of the faline, or other particles peculiarly effential to the vegetation and fuftenance. of fungi, that no more fungi can arife from it during a confiderable period. The roots and feeds of gra's then poffefs themfelves of the vacancy, and, finding the earth highly meliorated by the rotten fibres of the former grafs, and the decayed parts of the fungi, they readily eftablish themfelves therein, and thrive to luxuriantly that the blade becomes rank, and is rendered further unpalatable by the ftrong tafte and fcent which it imbibes from the fungous manure which contributed to its growth, in like manner as early afparagus contracts a favour of the dung which forces it. The rapid attainment of fungi to maturity demonftrates the vegetative principles to be infinitely more active and powerful in fungi than in herbs. From this fuperio rity in the vegetative principle it is rea fonable to conjecture, that fungi attract and require a larger portion of terraque 1088 Fairy-Rings.-Suffragan Bishops.-Hiftory of Reading. [Dec. ous nourishment than vegetables do, and found in it. I have met the felf-fufficiency, Mr. Urban, to attempt impofing my hypothefis, concerning the origin of Fairyrings, on your readers for a confirmed, incontrovertible One: I am ready to relinquish it with pleafure whenever another, established by time and repeated obfervations, may be advanced. I have only remitted it for the purpofe of turning the attention of the intelligent J. G. towards Fungi, and to affift the gentleman who, in one of your latt numbers, has with fo much god-will cxprcffed his readiness to follow up any hints that might be given him for promoting the defired difcovery; an offer too acceptable to pafs neglected. A SOUTHERN FAUNIST. P. S. The correfpondent who fent the account of the lacertus vulgaris (vol. LXI. p. 816), has my thanks both for the attention he has honoured my hint with, and for the communication concerning the above reptile; which communication fupplies Mr. Pennant's deficiency on that head, and removes an inconvenient prejudice. In the long and rich meadow at Ifling. ton, which leads to Canonbury, we recollect feeing, thirty or forty years ago, immenfe quantities of thefe rings, and fungi in all of them. Q. Do they still exist there? EDIT. Mr. URBAN, THE Dec. 7. HE few following corrections, &c. of "Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica, No. XXVIII. containing fome Account of the Suffragan Bishops in Eng land," having been found in the copy of the author of the notes figned L, are now, in juftice to him, tranfmitted to you for infection in your valuable Repofitory: P. 11, notes. 1. 10, read "Parker's." 1. 11, erase "enough.” 1. 4, read "VII.” 13, 14, 16, 1. 3. read "p. 71." See Leland's "Col 1. 7. lectanea," VI. 25. In your volume for 1785, p. 373, among your corrections of this tract, col. 1, 38, erafe "for hall." In p. 927 of the fame volume, an intimation is given of an Appendix of the corrections, there inferted, of "No. XXXI. containing a fhort genealogical View of the Family of Oliver Cromwell," as intended by the indefatigable Editor. This intention does not appear to have been hitherto fulfilled. J. L. Mr. URBAN, FR Dec. 8. ROM what you fay, p. 998, of St. Lo Kniveton's collections being lodged in the Lanfdowne library, may we infer that the whole of the Yelverton MSS, of which they made a part, retreated thither from the fale attempted to be made of them at Squibb's auction-room in May, 1784, when only the four first lots were fold, and the remaining 182 withdrawn becaufe 500l. was not offered for them in the lump? The Chartulary of William Briewer would be a great curiofity, and perhaps the only inftance of a collection of deeds and charters belonging to an individual of fo early a date. I rejoice to hear Mr. Coates's inten tion of giving us a Hiftory of READING; and will give him the little affittance in my power, with hearty good wishes for his fuccefs. In the mean time, I recommend to him an enquiry after the papers of an aiderman of that town, who collected with the fame view, which were fuppofed by Mr. Spicer, a native, and mafter of the school, to be in the hands of his executor. Spicer's Letter to Mr. Morcs, 1759, in Bibl. Top. Brit. No. XVI. pp. 92, 93. See Mr. Mr. S. was rector of Tidmarsh and Pul- Mr. I Mr. URBAN, 08.27. HAVE fent you a drawing of the very curious fhrine of St. Werburgh, a Saxon faint and princefs, which is very well preferved, and makes the epifcopal throne in the cathedral church of Chefter (fee plate II.). The other parts of the throne, fuch as the canopy, &c. are of wood, and very ili fuired to the elegance of this ftructure. I have, therefore, not troubled your engraver with copying a piece of workmanship fo uncouth and heavy. An ornamental canopy, compoted of Gothic arches, and admirably adapted to the architecture of the thrine, has been defigned by an ingenious artist of this place; and it would give great pleasure to every lover of ecclefiafiical improvements to fee it execured. As fome of your readers may be unacquainted with the h:fiorical account of this antient ftru&ure, I take the liberty of fubjoining an extract from a pamphlet that was published at Chefter in the year 17494 "The epifcopal throne in the cathedral church of Chefter, allowed to be the thrine of St. Werburgha, to whom the abbey was dedicated, is a ftone structure in the antique monumental ftyle, of an oblong, quadrangular form, eight feet and nine inches in height; in length, from Eaft to Weit, feven feet and fix inches; in breadth, from North to South, four feet and eight inches, ornamented with fix Gothic arches, two towards the North front, two towards the South, one at the Eaft end, and the other at the Weft; above each of thefe is an arch, reprefenting a window, in the fame style of architecture. "This fabrick is decorated with variety of carving, and embellished with a number of images, about fourteen inches in height, in different habits, beautified with painting and gilding. Each of thefe held in one hand a fcroll or label, upon which were infcribed, in Latin, but in the Old English character, the names of kings and faints of the royal line of Mercia. Many of the labels are broken off, others are fo much defaced that only a fyllable or two can be read. "The perfonages intended to he reprefented by thefe statues were either the anceftois or near relations of St. Werburgha. She very early formed a refolution to dedicate herfelf to God in a state of religion and virginity, and afterwards fuperintended feveral religious virgin focieties, viz. the monafte ries of Trentham, in Staffordshire, Weedon, in Northamptonshire, and Hanbury, in Staffordshire, in the laft of which her remains, according to Higden, were depofited. But in the year 375. almost an hundred years after her death, her body, which had remained incorrupt all that time, was removed to Chester, as a place of fafety from the havock and barbarities of the Danes." Mr.Pennant thus defcribes this farine: "The bishop's throne ftands on a ftone bafe, as remarkable for its fculpture as its originalufe. Its form is an oblong fquare, and each fide mot richly ornamented with, Gothic carving, arches, and pinnacles. Around the upper part is a range of little images, defigned to reprefent the kings and faints of the Mercian kingdom; each held in one hand a fcroll with the name infor.bed. Fanatic ignorance mutilated many of the la bels as well as figures; but the laft were reftored about the year 1748. But the work. man, by an unlucky mittake, has placed female heads on male thoulders, and given manly bodies to the faces of the female fex. At first there were thirty four figures; four are loft; the remainder are faithfully defcribed, and the history of each monarch and faint accurately given, in a little pamphlet, publifh. I in the year 1749 by the worthy Dr. William Cowper, who dedicated the profits for the ufe of the Bluecoat-hospital in this city. I beg lewe to diflent tron the notion of this having been the fhrine of St. Werburgh, as it is popularly called. It cetainly was nothing more than the pedeal on which the real thrine, or, as the French call it, la chak, itood, which contained the facred reliques. There are made of gold, filver, vermeil, i. e. filver gilt, or fo.ne precious materials, and often enriched with gems of great value. They are of different forms, fuch as chalices, cabinets, &c.; and, thould the relique be a head or lirub, the cbafe is made conformable to the shape of the part. Thefe are feated within the thrine on an elevared place, and are always moveable, in order that they may be carried in proceffion either in honour of the faint, or to divert fome great calamity. Thus, in 1180, the fhrine of St. Werburgh was brought out to ftop the rage of the fire in the city, which was for a long time invincible by every other means; but the approach of the holy remains inftantly proved their fanctity, by put ting an end to its furious devaftation †.” * Dr. C. by this effay in Antiquarianifm, which he is faid to have ftolen from the MS Collections of Mr. Stones, a minor canon of this church, is reported to have railed a great outcry against himself. When he prefented his pamphlet to the Society of Antiquaries, they defired a drawing of the farine, which he fent immediately; but it does not appear at prefent among their Collections. Brit. Top. I. 253 + Pennant's Wales, I. 180. GENT. MAG. December, 17911 And 1090 Anecdotes of Mr. Thomas Cooke, the Poet. And Mr. Gough, in the new edition of Camden, adds, "The fhrine, as it is called, or rather the [Dec. timents, on a variety of occafions, I think it neceffary now to declare, that I fhall not hold myfelf in any manner obliged to fupport the truth of his criti outer cafe of the farine, of St. Werburgh, which fupports the bishop's throne, is chargcifms or opinions upon any fubject what ed with figures, which formerly bore fcrolls of their names, reprefenting the Mercian kings and faints, in the whole thirty-four." We do not ind, from any of the old writers, about what time her fhrine was erected t. The monaftery had experienced the liberality of the royal Edgar, of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and of Hugh Lupus, the firft Norman Earl of Chester. A T. B. Mr. URBAN, Botleys, Dec. 2. S the publick liftens, with avidity, I believe, to anecdotes of literary and other memorable characters, I am induced to fend you fome of Mr. Thomas Cooke, the poet, better known by the name of Hehod Copke. His long refidence at South Lambe h, a village betwixt Vauxhall turnpike and Stockwell, gave me frequent opportunities of knowing his character, as I lived from a little boy at Vauxhall, with a maternal uncle of mine, Jofeph Pratt, Efq. That uncle belonged to a club with Cooke, (originally held weekly, at the Spring Gardens, afterwards at the Vine and Royal Oak inns, which was ufually compofed, amongst others, of feveral literary characters,) and, keeping a plentiful table, Cooke and his friends were frequently at it. When that uncle died, I fucceeded to his place in the club; and Cooke afterwards held a place at my table, whenever his leifure or inclination led him to it. Be fides a finished tragedy, never acted, nor printed, called Germanicus, I have in my poffeffion three volumes in folio of his, in manufcript, which he called Common Place Books, in which it was his cuftom to infert extracts from, and obfervations on, many of the authors he read, from the year 1731, to October, 1756, inclufive, a fhort time before he died. I mention thefe circumstances to fhew, I must know much of the man at leaft; and I fubfcribe my name to the account, only because I am perfuaded no anonymous publication could polfibly obtain credit. As I thall give fome extracts from his Common-Place Books, and his other Works, for the better manifeftation of his character and conduct, as well as fen Vol. II. p. 432. ever for, though they appear to me to be well-founded on many occafions, they are certainly questionable and erroneous in others. Cooke, many years before his death, publifhed Propofals for perfecting the English Language, and his orthogra phy was of a peculiar fort: whenever I quote him, I fhall give fuch quotations in his own manner. "Whilft I was tranflating Cicero's book, De Naturá Deorum, which I compleated in the years 1736 and 1737, I read thro' a book, entitled, Reflections upen ancient and modern Learning, by William Wotton, B.D. Chaplain to the Earl of Nottingham." In his remarks and criticisms on that book, he takes notice of Dr. Worton's preface, in which the latter fays, “As foon as I had drawn up a rude fcheme of the work, I intended to have given it over, if the importunate folicitations of my friend, Anthony Hammond, Esq. had not at laft prevailed upon me to try what I could fay upon it, &c." Cooke, on the mention of Hammond's name, fays: "I was many years intimate with Mr. Hammond. He was a wellbred man, had but a small portion of folid understanding, and was a great flatterer. He was a pleasant story-teller, and feldom fad. He courted men of letters and genius, and was fond of being taken notice of by them in their writings. He would ask them to mention him in their works; he afked it of me. dyed in the year 1738, near 70 years of age. My acquaintance with him began in 1722, when I was in the 20th year of my age. He had reprefented the county of Huntingdon, and the university of Cambridge, in Parliament." He From the above account it appears, that Cooke muft have been born in the year 1702, or 1703. Probably about the clofe of the 15th, or beginning of the 16th century, when the greatest part of the prefent church was erected. EDIT. I have heard him frequently declare, he was educated at Felfied school. How long he ftaid there is not known; but he was diftinguished for his diligent applica. tion to the business of the school, and for his great acquirements in the learned languages. In one of the five or fix odes of his writing, published fingly by Dodfley, a few years before his death, (which I thould have fomewhere among my papers,) I perfectly well remember he fays: "Felfted! pride of Effex (wains, And the nurfe of gen'rous youth; Το Firft engag'd the virgin's truth," &c. He left Felfed without going to any university, and, I have heard, was for fome time domefticated in the family of the Earl of Pembroke, a nobleman who had filled many high emplovments in the ftate, as Lord Privy Seal, Lord High Admiral, &c. and who was diftinguished by his love and knowledge of letters, and for his patronage of learned men. him LOCKE dedicated his Effay on the Human Understanding; and with him, when Privy Seal, he held regular weekly conferences. Cooke must have been recommended to Lord Pembroke on account of his abilities, and he probably was ufeful to him in the arrangement of his noble collection of books, &c. How long he lived with that noble Lord is not certain, nor when he came first to London; though he himself fays, in the fecond volume of his Common-Place Book, p. 203, "Dagget was dead before I came to London he was famous in the character of Ben, in Love for Love; in Hob, in The Country Wake (which farce was of his own writing), and in various other characters." From the Earl of Pembroke, who died in 1733, he received many acts of friendfhip, to the end of that nobleman's life, who probably fuggefted to him a tranflation of Hefiod; his Lordship himself alfifting with fome notes for that work.Cooke, in print and in private, always fpoke highly of him; and in his Remarks on Locke's Elfay on the Human Under ftanding, (fpeaking of his dedication to that Lord, and the praises bestowed on him in it,) he fays, in his Common-Place Book, vol. I. p. 238, "I have no reafon to doubt Mr. Locke's veracity, becaufe I have feen many of Lord Pembroke's papers, which thew his depth of thought, his great learning, and exactnefs. A fincerer, nor more earneft patron, certainly never was." At an early age, notwithstanding Lord Pembroke's friendship, he must have been thrown upon the town for a livelihood. He was all his life long a strenuous al fertor of Revolution principles, and therefore he foon got connetted with Tickell, Philips, Welfted, Steele, Dennis, and others, whofe political opinions agreed with his own. He wrote in fome Weekly Journals of the time, and was confidered as a man of great learning and good abilities. Without fortune, and without any certain income, he married, about that time, Mrs. Anne Beckingham, a relation of Stephen Beckingham, Efq. of Bourn, near Canterbury, in Kent. brother, Mr. John Beckingbam, was himfelf an author. He must have met with early difappointment, as appears by the following Ode, taken from his volume of printed poems, written in 1725: Her "To Mr. JOHN MOTTLEY, in the Country. "STRONGLY, dear friend, paint in thy mind A wretch, the remnant of a wreck, In fight of land, yet, fate unkind! By cruel waves ftill driven back. "So, in his fchemes, the Pot cross'd, When Chance, or Envy, blasts the bays, He, to his taftelefs Patron lofs'd, Despairs of profit, or of praise. "What mighty plans thy friend has lay'd, What golden Indias had in view, Thou know it, and how his toils are pay'd; Yet till he dares his flight renew. "While thus the Mufe is held in fcorn, No funs of joy to me are known ; But few obferve the Bard forlorn; My griefs I only make my own. "Does Heav'n no joyous minutes fend? No balm to all by forrows give? In which I more than feem to live. "The hours to friendship fet apart, In which the wretch his comfort finds, True fource of joy to noble minds! Thro' a long interval of woe. Thefe tender thoughts of Friendship please ; Methinks I view thee in a ftate Where nothing interrupts thine ease. "Or wand'ring in the woodland glade, Or by the painted meadow's stream, Or lay'd beneath the cooling fhade, You make the tender Nymph your theme, "Indulge, |