June 21. A very fevere froft. 23. Bees begin to fwarm. 25. Birds ceafe to fing in the middle of the day. 26. Extremely hot. 27. Wheat in bloom. 29. Thunder ftorm.15. Remarkable honey-dews ever fince the beginning of this month. Jaly 4. Thunder form. 5. Thunder at a fmall diftance. 9. Very cold. 10. Turnips de17. Swarms of bees, late, few, and not strong. 18. Corn not forwarder than lift year. Aroyed by the fly. At a village, fituated about 30 miles of the Thames, the undermentioned March 13. A pair of white wagtails. held on the days fpecifically noted: Very fine day, W. from London, and in the vicinity birds were this year first heard and be April 3. A pair of fwallows. Wind E. Great blight.-N. B. Perhaps thefe birds were tempted out by the myriads of infects. April 8. Wryneck. Wind NE. Fine warm day. April 1o. Cuckow. Wind SE. Cloudy and oppreffive. April 11. Nightingale. Wind ditto. April 20. Martins building. The number of fmall birds is unu fually great this year; a circumftance probably owing to the mildness of the two laft winters. Qu. Are the hirundos uncommonly numerous this fummer? If they are, the fact will be an argument against the fuppofition of their autumnal retreat to Senegal, though it will not prove that they do not retire to fome part of Eu rope. As the Memoirs of the Lausanne Phyfica Society are not likely to fall into the hands of your readers, Mr. Urban, I wish that either your Reviewers, or one of your correfpondents, would favour us with a tranflation of the paper on "the Redftart," inferted in the laft volume published by that Society. Qu. What bird did Edwards (fee Preface to first vol.) mean by "the Greater Redftart?" Did that indefatigable Naturalift notice more than one fort of that elegant bird? A FAUNIST. P. S. Yellow lilies thrive well in a London garden.-Spread birdlime upon boards for beetles. Mr. URBAN, Wood-freet, Aug. 6. Mr. URBAN, July 31. To the particulars already furnished you refpecting Dr. Robert Greene, vol. LIII. pp. 226, 657, you may add, from a letter of Mr. Tho. Baker to Mr. Thomas Hearne, dated 1730, and preferved in the Bodleian library at Oxford, "Dr. G, author of the philofophy, who died in Staffordshire, ordered his body to be diffected by a skilful furgeon, his skeleton to be hung up in King's College library, for public ufe, without a monument. The furgeon declined the work; and the Provost refusing to admit the body, it was buried in All Saints at Cambridge. His will, in nine or ten fheets, appointed for his executors the heads of Clare hall, St. John's, Trinity, Jefus, Sidney, and Chrift's colleges; most of his effects to his own college; but, if his will was not executed in every particular, to the above colleges in fucceffion." In another letter, dated 1734, Mr. Baker fays of Bishop Burnet's 2d volume of the "Hiftory of his own Time," which he had juft read, that "it is not fo entertaining as the first, being less inftructive, and written with more temper and referve. His life, by his fon, is the best part of the book; which, if it may be depended on, fhew him to have been a great, and no bad, man; and I cannot forbear thinking that his enemies have blackened him beyond what he deferved. I have reafon to fpeak well of him, for he treated me with great humanity, as his letters to me will fhew." 66 The editor of Mr. Bigland's "Glouceftershire Collections" mistakes in faying of the ornaments of Eikeftone church, YOUR correfpondent Dern, will find P. 559, that accurate drawings and degreat fervice in frequently washing fcriptions of thefe discoveries were com well with clear water (from the rose of a municated to the Society of Antiquaries watering-pot) the young leaves of his by Samuel Lyfons, Efq. F.A.S. and plants, as it takes off all infects, eggs, published in the "Archæologia," vol. &c. As foon as the flowers of carnations IX. p. 819, Mr. L's communication beare become withered they should be pulling of Roman discoveries at Comb-end ed out, but not fo as to injure the pod, where the feed grows, that place being a very fine harbour for earwigs, and then they may be easily got the better of. Carnations require but little water; they grow beft in a foil made of loam, earth dug out of the ground when diging for a cellar, and aried hoife-dung. But Nature is the beft inftructor. Let him fee where the plant grows wild, obferve it, and he need not fear of foon being able to cultivate it to perfection. A CULTIVATING FLORIST. farm near Cirencester. Elkestone is published in the fecond number of his Views and Antiquities *." Speaking of Beckford church, of Glouceflerfbire, p. 146, Mr. B, or his editor, fays, "over the North door remains a curious hieroglyphick;" which, we fuppofe, is like thofe at Quarrington, in the fame county. In defcribing the monuments of James Lord Berkeley and his grandton Tho * See our Review, p. 744. EDIT. 718 Original Letter from Dean Swift to Mr. Towers. [Auguft, Original Letter from the Rev. DEAN At the annual meeting of the Bath Agriculture Society, in Dec. 1789, it was agreed, that the merits of feveral Drill Machines fhould be tried, and that each proprietor fhould appoint an um I CANNOT imagine what bufinefs it pire. Accordingly, on the 22d of April is that fo entirely employs you. I am fure it is not to gain money, but to spend it; perhaps it is to new-caft and contrive your houfe and gardens at 40el. more expence. I am forry it fhould cost you two pence to have an account of my health, which is not worth a penny; yet I ftruggle, and ride, and walk, and amn temperate, and drink wine on purpofe to delay, or make abortive, thofe fchemes propofed for a fucceffor; and if I were well, I would counterfeit myself sick, as Toby Matthews, Archbishop of York, ufed to do when all the Bishops wère gaping to fucceed him. It is one good fign that giddinefs is peculiar to youth, and I find I grow giddier as I grow older, and, therefore, confequently I grow younger. If you will remove fix miles nearer, I fhall be content to come and Spunge upon you as poor as you are, for I cannot venture to be half a day's journey from Dublin, because there is no fufficient medium of flesh between my fkin and my bones, particularly in the parts that lie upon the faddle. Therefore, be pleafed to fend me three dozen ounces of fleth before I attempt fuch an adventure, or get me a fix-mile inn between this town and your houfe. The cathedral organ and back fide are painting and mending, by which I have faved a fermon; and, as the rogues of workmen go on, I may fave another. How, a wonder, came young Achefon to be among you? I believe neither his father nor mother know any thing of him; his mother is at Grange with Mrs. Achefon, her mother, and, I hear, is very ill of her afthma and other diforders, got by cards, and laziness, and keeping ill hours. Ten thoufand fack. fulls of fuch knights and fuch fons are, in my mind, neither worth rearing nor preferving. I count upon it that the boy is good for nothing. I am, Sir, with great truth, your obedient, humble ferJ. SWIFT. vant, 1790, the feveral machines were set to work at Mr. Fitchew's, near Devizes, in a field extremely well prepared, and particularly adapted for Mr. Cooke's drill; but, though the land was a light loam, free from fones, Mr. Cooke, with his utmoft exertions, could not poffibly keep the coulters to an equal regular depth; a great quantity of the feed, even the whole on the declivities, remained on the furface. Mr. Cooke was obliged to go over the fame ground the fecond time, with his fcarifiers, to cover the feed. The quantity of land drilled by my machine was 3 roods, 20 perches, and 23 links; the grain fo compleatly covered that none could be feen, and the land left fo even as not to require rolling; whilft Mr. Cooke's drilled only 1 rood, 35 perches, and 16 links, and which was left in a very rough ftare. My private business prevented attending till the 5th of June, when only one of my ridges, adjoining to Mr. Cooke's, was hand-hoed, and that produced lefs in proportion than the unhoed ridge; which I attribute to many of the plants being unavoidably cut and injured, owing to their being grown fo high, and hoed too late, The umpires fixed on the aft of September for alcertaining the experiments. I conceived that two days would have been fully fuf ficient for compleating the work; accordingly I accepted a gentleman's appointments from Hampshire, on particular bufinefs, to be at my houfe on the 3d of September. On the aft of September, Meffrs. Mr. URBAN, Brifol. July 4. the Bath Chronicle, demands an anfwer, which I beg your permillion to give; fimply ftating real facts for the confideration of thote who may be pleafed to attend. ing each other, including good and bad, acre acre fhould be made. pinion. This was my Mr. Cooke's ridge (which was my lot, but, at his request, religned to him) measured in breadth 17 feet from the centre of its furrows. About 3 or 4 perches in length of his head-land was without any vacancies, and very different to the other parts, which, I must repeat, contained numerous uncropped (paces, that appeared to me either to have had no grain depofited, or fuch torn up by the fcarifiers. My adjoining ridge contained no fuch uncropped spaces; the breadth thereof, about 35 feet, was more than twice the breadth of Mr. Cooke's. About 2 perches of my head-land were flatter, and not fo healthy as Mr Cooke's narrow ridge; the crop on that part evidently difcovered it; accordingly, abour one perch was permitted to be cut off bath our ridges. After, a fhort length, and exact breadth of 15 feet (which Mr. C's rows of corn exactly occupied where there were no vacancies), were cut, which was calculated to produce in proportion to 66 bufhels, i gallon, and I pint, per acre. The fame meafure, being not so good as other parts of my ridge, was cut, and produced in proportion 63 bufhels, 2 pecks, and quart. My other ridge, unhoed (two ridges diftant from Mr. C's), produced in proportion to 66 bushels, 2 pecks, I gation, and 1 quart, which is a greater produce than Mr. C's above experiment; and my unhood crop was about 3 buthels per acre more than my improperly-hoed corn produced which adjoined Mr. C's. And be it remembered, that Mr. Cooke chofe this ridge, and that the calculation was made from 15 inflead of 17 feet, the real breadth thereof. The chain extending lengthways, and acrofs into the middle of the ridges, the measurement being calculated from 1 perch and 1-10th, which is only equal to the 146th part of an acre, cannot be a proper proportion to alcertain the real produce; for the chain unavoidably covering only a few plants out of their proper fituation, the variation on so jmail a icale as the 146:h part of 160 (being fo many fquare perches in an acre), muft make a material difference in the calculation; hence I will confidently fay, that the experiments were by no means properly, but very improperly, attempted to be afcertained. Let any impartial man, understanding agriculture, reflect, and properly inveftigate the facts I have produced, I doubt not of his immediately being convinced of my aff rtions being true; and am certain, from what has been done, that, had the experiments been properly made, the produce of mine would have exceeded Mr. Cooke's many bushels per acre. I now will further affert, that Mr. Cooke's machine cannot drill advantageouflv, much more than hoe, in ftony and ftiff land, where mine can. The ze of September was employed in threshing. On the 3d I was engaged to be in Bristol; but, on my arrival at Bath, accidentally I met the gentleman who had engaged to be at my houfe; and, after fettling our business, I immediately returned to Mr. Fitchew's, with a full intention to have the refidue of Mr. C's and my ridges cut and compared, but found them mowed, and mixed together. In the courfe of this fpring I expect to have an opportunity of having a proper trial made between Mr. C's and my machine; and accordingly I hereby invite Mr. C. or any perfon poileffing his machine, to meet me near Bath, not to afcertain by cutting only the 146th part of an acre, but by cutting two or more adjoining ridges, as fall be deemed equitable by Mr. Matthews and two other impartial perfons; and, as a compenfation for lofs of time, the lofer to pay the winger the value of his machine, exclusive of the premium from the Society. Mr. Cooke profeffes kimfelf a firanger to the art of jockeyfhip. I never lalu ne was a jockey; nor did I ever fay that he was pofefed with cunning. But I will fay that, as he did publish, he ought to have mentioned all circumstances as they really occurred. Capt. Lloyd, of Killgwyn, in Cardigandhire, invented, about eight years ago, a hoffe-harrow and rake with tines of different fizes; and I have lately been informed that Mr. Mayes, of Notown, near Ipfwich, invented one alfo, which Mr. C. faw prior to his being made public in 1788 or 1789. However, as having feen Capt. Lloyd's, I can affert, that Mr. C's vaunted horte-noe and fcarifiers are conftructed on the exact fame principles as Capt. Lloyd's. Extract of a Letter to Mr. Winter from Mr. W Weeks, who occupies a Farm to the Amount of about 500. Year. Dated Salisbury, Marc. 12, 159. "I now am able to inform you of the produce of the x acres of carle, which you fuperintended the towing of the laft felon. You 720 The Pendrell Family.-Luxury of Clouted Cream. [Auguft, will, I do not doubt, recollect that I did not fow quite a bufhel and a half per acre, and I had exactly four quarters per acre, nine-gallon measure, of the best marketable corn; very little tailing, it was fo even growed. This is full a third more per acre than where we sowed five bushels per acre broadcast." N. B. Mr. Weeks had fowed upwards of 60 acres broadcaft, prior to drilling the above on the 14th of April, 1788. The fucceeding fesfon was fo dry, that no rain fell till about the latter end of July; and the drought was fo great, that, in numerous parts of this kingdom, the farmers did not reap even two for the one bufhel of feed they fowed. I extremely exult in the peculiar prerogative of a Briton, that, when he is illiberally and maliciously attacked by any perfon, he has a right to enjoy the privilege of felf-defence. Such is my, fituation. Mr. Cooke was pleased to attack me firft in a certain "Encyclopædia." We have fince had feveral controverfies. How far his expreffions may appear to be illiberal, and filled with acrimonious invectives, I will fubmit to the determination of the publick, and those who have noticed our publi cations. Mr. URBAN, GEO. WINTER. August 2. fenfible cor granted to Nicholas Ridley, Bifhop of London, and his fucceffors for ever, as long ago as the fourth year of Edward VI. that is, about 1550. This will eafily reconcile any doubt upon this fubject. I hope E. I. will continue to favour you and your readers with other useful and entertaining remarks. And you may probably hear again, upon fome topick or other, from your humble fervant, and a former correfpondent, V. Mr. URBAN, Honiton, Aug. S. As you cater very happily for the public in general. I think you may not difapprove presenting your readers with a delicacy peculiar to Devon, and the borders of its adjoining counties; what I allude to is the mode of producing that cream termed fcald, or clotted cream: this deficience only could have fo long confined fo luxurious a treat to the more Western parts of England. The obvious purpose of making it is for fuperior butter than can be procured from the ufual raw cream, to which it is preferable for flavour and keeping: fome perfons will eat no other. Thofe dairies that make feald-cream butter cannot ufe leaden cifterns, but brafs pans, for the milk; and that which is into the pans morning MAfpondeanks to your deres his fer- Rand till the next, when, who is let ters from Uppingham, and gives you fome account of the Pendrells, and of that worthy prelate Dr. Jeremy Taylor. He obferves, that Mrs. Terefa Sykes was the laft furvivor of that antient name of Pendrell, at leaft of that branch of it in Staffordshire; and therefore there may be another furviving branch, which your correfpondent A Loyalifi mentions. And we fhall be glad to hear that any thing is done for Mr. Thomas Pendrell, of which he and his ancestors may be deemed worthy. The manner in which the burial of Mrs. Terefa Sykes is inferted in the Regifter, with the addition of her maiden name of Pendrell, is agreeable to the mode which the prefent refpectable Bishop of Durham recom. mended to his late clergy of the diocefe of Salisbury, and may have its use in many inftances. I would remind E. I. that Dr. Jeremy Taylor was probably presented by the Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1637, to the rectory of Uppingham, as being his Grace's option from the Bishop of London for that turn; for E. I. mentions, that the advowfon of that church was turbing it, it is placed over a steady, brifk fire, on which it is to remain from feven to fifteen minutes, according to the fize of the pan; but the point of time for removing it must be carefully attended to, which is when the furface begins to wrinkle a little, or fhew figns of being near the agitation of boiling; it is then inftantly to be taken off, and placed in its former pofition, when the next day it will prefent its fine clotted cream, which is ready for the table, or to be converted into butter, which the delicate hand of the neat dairy-woman foon accomplishes by ftirring only. Some know when it is proper to take it from the fire by founding the pan with the finger; it will then be lefs fonorous: but this art can only be acquired by experi ence. As the procefs is fimple, I may therefore hope, when I vifit different parts, to fee the tables adorned with the regale of Devonshire cream. Yours, &c. J. F. Mr. URBAN, Argyle fireet, Aug. 10. YOUR to affitt. In the courfe of my correspondent T. T. I wish life, |