894 Honorary Degrees at Oxford, how generally bestowed. at Oxford in 1782, fhortly after his de gree; the other at the fame place the next year. In the introduction to the firft, p. vii. he mentions, with refpect ful gratitude, the recent honours with which the University, to whom he owed his education, had crowned his chemical labours.” An idea got abroad, to which L. L, it feems, ftill adheres, and which, indeed, the foregoing paffage might countenance rather than refute, that the degree was given on account of the supposed discovery. In the "Advertisement," therefore, prefixed to the fecond and greatly-altered edition, the author corrected the miftake in the following paragraph, in which I mark thofe words only which he himself marked. "He alfo begs leave to remark, that the gentlemen who, in fome of the public prints, reprefented his late degree as conferred in confequence of thefe experiments, must have been misinformed. There was not the leaft connexion between them, as is well known to almost every member of the Convocation; nor indeed could there be, fince the degree was given fome time before thefe experiments were known in Oxford. It was conferred exprefly on account of his former chemical Jabours; in a manner indeed fo honourable, that he thought it but decent to fhew his grateful fenfe of it in the introduction to his pamphlet." The unfortunate experimentalift, if, fince your correfpondent has revived his memory, this may be added, died by fwallowing laurel-water, Auguft 8, 1783. "The coroner's inqueft brought in their verdict Lunacy, upon general evidence of his having, in many inftances, acted like a man infane." It was "generally fuppofed," in the neighbourhood of Guildford, where he lived, "that his studies hurt his mind." "His feelings alfo were nice, and he could not ftand the ridicule of the news-papers about the gold bufinefs." This, and other things together, "overfet him. He left about 130l. a year, real eftate; and ten or twelve thousand pounds in the funds *." But I return to L. L. who is ex tremely erroneous alfo in what he favs, in the fame page, with regard to Mr. Burke's projected degree. But upon this it is lefs neceffary to animadvert, as an accurate account (fuch I believe, and, in great meafure, know it to be) of that matter is given in your Maga * Extract of a letter from a neighbouring gentleman eight days after the event. zine, p. 99. It would have been-ingenuous in your correfpondent, when he faw that letter, which appeared after the date of his own, to fend you the neceffary corrections of his paper, or defire you entirely to fupprefs the conclufion; in which, whether he "conceived it a digreffion from his fubject" or "not," he fhould then at least have known there was much of idle furmife, and much of groundlefs affertion. But the peroration could by no means be fpared. Academic honours are one of the favourite topicks of his panegyrick; and, next to the Hierarchy of the Church of England, he seems to hold the University of Oxford in cordial efteem and veneration. It is common, I think, with corporations, to admit honorary burgeffes, who enjoy part, not all, of the privileges of thofe who are born free, or regularly made fo. The freedom of the univerfity is conferred by degrees; and an honorary degree entitles him who has it to fome of the privileges, not to all, that belong to a degree given in the ufual mode, or granted by diploma. What there is that is abfurd or ridiculous in all this, a perfon of ordinary candour, I apprehend, will not cafily perceive. Made of the fame materials with other men, we plead no peculiar exemption from error; and I am not now going to applaud, or to defend, all that the Univerfity has ever done or not done; but of this I am perfuaded, that, in the judgement of the impartial, and with the allowance which equity will ever make for human infirmity, her conduct will be found, nine times out of ten, to be more than juftifiable. A few years ago the refufed a degree to the Abbé Raynal; and, with the unanimous fuffrages of a crowded theatre, the recently conferred one on the truly venerable Rector of Whittington; and every fincere friend to religion and to his country will applaud the learned body for what they gave and for what they withheld. But I must fill beg the indulgence of Mr. Urban and his readers, for we have not yet done with academic rewards. This fame correfpondent (p. 702, col. 2) has another accufation againft the "Oxonians;" or rather he is fo fortunate as to have a double charge against them in the fame individual. They did "not" make "Johnson a * See p. 670. Doctor Doctor on account of his Dictionary or moral works;" and they did so diftinguish him "for his Taxation no Tyranny." A perfon, who has no better means of information at hand than this letter of L. L. would probably fuppofe the University baftowed on Dr. Johnfon one degree only, and that merely on the fcore of the political tract mentioned. But, waving all comment, let us mark the fact. February the 4th, 1755, the Chancellor of the Univerfity wrote the following letter to the Vice-chancellor, to be communicated, in the ufual way, to the Members of Convocation: "Mr. Samuel Johnfon, who was formerly of Pembroke College, having very eminently diftinguished himself by the publication of a feries of Ellays, excellently calculated to form the manners of the people, and in which the caufe of Religion and Morality is every where maintained by the ftrongeft powers of argument and language, and who thortly intends to publish a Dictionary of the English Tongue, formed on a new plan, and executed with the greatest labour and judgement; I perfuade myfelf that I fhall act agreeably to the fentiments of the whole University in defiring that it may be propofed in convocation to confer on him the degree of Mafter of Arts by diploma, to which I readily give my confent; and am, Mr. Vice-chancellor and Gentlemen, your affectionate friend and fervant, ARRAN." The diploma irfelf, dated February 20, expreffes the fame ideas in Latin *. Twenty years after this, it was in the contemplation of the Univerfity to give a fecond degree to the fame illuftrious author, in the like honourable way; and the letter on this occafion, from Lord North, then Chancellor, March 23, 1775, referring firft to the former diploma, and the reafon of it, proceeds thus: "The many learned labours which have, fince that time, employed the attention and difplayed the abilities of that great man, fo much to the advancement of literature, and the benefit of the community, render him worthy of more diftinguished honours in the republick of letters: and I perfuade my felf," &c. The diploma, March 30, also refers to the former degree; and then says, "Cum vero eundem clariffimum virum tot poftea tantique labores, in patriâ præfertim linguâ ornandå et ftabiliendâ [the very words which they had ufed in the former diploma, fpeaking of the Dictionary] feliciter impenfi, ita infigniverint, ut in literarum re *See Bofwell's Johnfon, I. 154, 155. publica Princeps jam et Primarius jure habeatur; Nos," &c. * And thus, Mr. Urban, the Univerfity, at the diftance of many years, conferred two degrees on Dr. Johnton, and in neither of them is there the flightoft allufion to that pamphlet, for which L.L. fays a Doctor's degree was given; and in both of them there is exprefs mention of, or direct reference to, that very "Dictionary" and thofe identical "moral works," yea, and, among all his multifarious productions, to that Dictionary and thofe moral works alone, on account of which L. L. denies that the Doctor's degree was given !! It is very true, Dr. Johnfon had publifhed his Taxation no Tyranny" not long before he received this second mark of favour from the Univerfity; and I fhall not venture to affert that there was no individual in the collective academic body who did not the rather with the degree to be conferred on account of that recent difplay of the great writer's abilities, added to all his former ufeful and elaborate works. But if the prevailing fentiments of the place were fuch at that time as they appear generally to have been, and I have no reafon to think they were different, this memorable pamphlet, much as it might te admired and applauded by the Univerfity, and I believe it was very highly applauded, would operate, on the ground fimply of the fubject there treated, to impede, rather than to promote, the intended honour: and all that can juftly be faid on the occafion is, that this performance did not prevent the bestowing of the academic crown, when, upon every other confideration, it was fo eminently due to tranfcendent abilities and unrivaled merit. I have known more inftances than one where the Unvertity have forborne to give a degree entirely or principally because the perfon in view was a diftinguished public character; but, as far as I can recollect, I never knew nor heard of a fingle inftance of a degree being conferred be caufe the candidate was rendered confpicuous by his politicks, whether as a writer or a fpeaker, whether for or againft the reigning adminiftration. The leading idea (if conftant refidence and fome obfervation may pardonably warrant a folitary individual to hazard a conjecture as to what feems to be the opinion of that University of which he *Bofwell, 1. 469. has Epitaph, at Burford, on Lord Chief Baron Tanfield. On the South fide: Here lieth interred Sir LAWRENCE TAN FIELD, Knight, fome time one of the Juftices of his Majefty's Bench, and late Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, who continued thofe places of judicature 20 years, wherein he furvived all the Judges, in every Bench at Weltminster. He left behind him one only daughter and heirefs, who married Henry Lord Viscount Falkland, Lord Deputy General of Ireland. He deceafed the 30th of April, A. D. 1625. His noble and virtuous Lady, to the memory of her most honoured husband, hath erected this monument of his virtues and her forrows. On the Weft: Not this fmall heap of ftones, and straitened room, The Bench, the Court, Tribunal, are his tomb. This but his duft, but these his name interre, Pity his memory engaged should stand, Here fhadow lie, So fhall I be With him I loved, On the Ealt: Paucam des operam tibi, Viator; Non ignobile te rogat fepulchrum. Olim inter monumenta fan&tiora, et Nepoti critico, Labor futurus His nempe in fpatiis, fitus quiefcit Mr. URBAN, Sept. 10. ASI find, by the fermon which was preached at the funeral of, that eminent prelate, Bishop Taylor, publifhed lately among fome of his works, by the Rev. Mr. Wheeldon, that "my Lord of Canterbury (viz. Archbishop Laud) bestowed upon him the rectory of Uphingam, in Rutlandshire," I have no doubt but that that living was his Grace's option for that turn, as the patronage of it had been fo long before granted to the Bishops of London. I do not recollect to whom Mr. Wheeldon refers, in the latter part of his dedication, by a quotation from an eminent writer. I much approve this publication, as well as the letter from E. J. and any thing else that may contribute to fet the character of good Bishop Taylor in the diftinguished light which it deferves. And, if his great admirer R. N. has any thing to add upon the fubject, I hope he will infert it in your favourite Magazine. I am glad to inform Q. Q. that Mr. Wheeldon's publication is to be purchafed at Mr. Goldfmith's, in Pater-nofter-row. In your Index Indicatorius, for July, "A Conftant Correfpondent" makes an enquiry relative to the worthy Bishop of London's authority or reafon for his mode of confirmation, to which, highly as I refpect his Lordship, I own I cannot be fatisfactorily reconciled, any more than to that mode of giving the bread and the cup in the Sacrament to fo many at a time, notwithstanding all that Clericus has faid upon the fubject. If Bishops would hold their confirmations oftener, and in more parishes of their diocefe, the numbers at each place would not be fo great at one and the fame time; and, confequently, the fatigue of confirming each perfon feparately would be lefs, and the time would well admit of it. And I should hope that the late melancholy accident that happened, poffibly from the church be. ing over-crowded, at one of the late confirmations of the refpectable Bishop of Chefter, and which, I am fure, muft have given his Lordship much concern, will fuggeft the propriety of this plan to their Lordships in general, as well as chufing an early hour of the day, and as early a season of the year, as poffible, for their confirmations, that they may not interfere, more than can be avoided, with the domeftic bufinefs, or fummerhusbandry, of the poor, which is too apt to be made an excufe, together with the length of the way, by fome of them, for not attending at the place of confirmation. But though few, it is appre. hended, will be profeffed advocates for giving the bread and the cup at the Sacrament otherwife than feparately to each communicant, yet perhaps fome latitude may be allowed for three or four to be confirmed at a time, as I myfelf have been an eye-witness more than once, where that has been done by the prefent worthy Bishop of Durham, in his former diocefe, who, I have no doubt, will be defervedly refpected in that to which he has been lately tranf lated, and whofe mode of confirmation, I speak it without flattery to his Lordhip, and without the leaft difrefpect to the rest of the Epifcopal Bench, may well be fet forth as an example of uncommon decency and folemnity. His Lordship ufually appoints a very early hour, about feven or eight in the morning, when 1 have obferved feveral of the neighbouring parishes affembled near the church where the confirmation is to be held. But, by his Lordup's orders, there is to be no admillion into the church till he himself arrives. Up. on his arrival, his chaplain, alifted by the parish-officers, admits the parithes, alphabetically called, at the churchdoor, and receives their tickets, figned by their respective minifters, when they and their minillers proceed towards the communion table, near to which the Bihop is feated, and as many of them as the rails will hold kneel round them, others upon haflocks and cushions, in rows, in the chancel, one row behind GENT. MAG. October, 1791. the other, at certain diftances; and others on each fide of the principal aile of the church. The office then begins, and the Bishop proceeds to confirm, first, thofe round the rails of the communion table, then the different rows in the chancel, and in the ale of the church, they all continuing to kneel on the fpot where they were first placed, unto the very end of the fervice, which the Bishop returns to the communiontable to conclude, and then difmiffes them with a very folemn and affecting charge, which, likewife, the Bishop of London gave at his laft confirmation. Great decency and reverence prevail during the whole fervice, to which the perfons to be confirmed are required to bring their prayer-books, and to make their anfwers audibly. They are orderly and quietly difmiffed at the church-doors; and another fet, called as before, fucceeds. This makes the whole of confirmation, as inftituted by the Apostles, a very ferious and ftriking office, and, as fuch, most likely to make a deep and lafting impreffion upon the minds of young people. I have lately feen a printed paper, Upon Confirmation, which would have been more complete if the author had added a Confirmation Prayer upon the back of it, but which appears more full, and plain, and ufeful, than another paper that was diftributed by the very refpectable Society for promoting Chriftian Knowledge, and therefore it poffibly may be admitted upon their lift. That Society has lately printed and diftributed a very plain and ufeful paper On the Sacrament, and the Obligations we all lie under, as Chrif tians, to receive it. But they would likewife have rendered that paper more complete if they had added a Sacrament Prayer at the back of it. O. C. 898 Defcription of Barfrefton Church.-The Wanderer's Diary. [O&. as ufual to this ftyle of building, with the most abfurd and grotefque figures, particularly a row of heads, with moft horrid and distorted countenances, no two of which are alike, fupporting the cornice around. The Eaft end is adorned with a beautiful circular window, curiously fculptured; and in this part thefe ornamental deformities are more plentifully difpofed. At the foot of the wall are two circular arches, forming confiderable receffes, meant, probably, as places of fepulture, perhaps for the founders of the church, or at least the chancel, who, by this contrivance, fe cured a place of interment under the walls, at a time the actual burial in churches was prohibited. The grand South door, now partly hid by a modern porch, is moft curioufly wrought, and a good fpecimen of this style of building; an engraving of it, by F. jukes, dated July 21, 1773, by no means does it juf tice, no more than that of a view of the Eaft end of the church, by Dent and Innes, dated March 2, 1773. The Weft head of the church is more modern than the rest of the building; it has at prefent no tower, a fmall wooden one, from its ruinous ftate, having been taken down a few years fince. The church is fmall, confifting of a nave and chancel, feparated by a circular arch, fupported by two most elegant zigzag pillars. In the angles formed by them in the nave, on each fide, are cavities or niches, in which, probably, were altars formerly, and, most likely, ftatues; fome of the cement ftill remaining in one of them, that fecured the back of it. Thefe cavities have fince been confiderably enlarged by cutting into the main wall on each fide, apparently to widen the pews. The roof of the chancel has been lowered, much to the detriment of the edifice; but the chief injury the church has received feems to have been by the blind zeal of bigoted Reformers, in depriving the numerous niches on the outfide of their ftatues, and defacing others, probably thofe which gave offence by their mere human resemblance. In the chancel, and there only, are three monuments, one of marble, against the North wall, with an infcription in Latin, to the memory of Thomas Boys, of Barfreften, gent. of the family of Fredville, ob. 1599, æt. 72, pridie Kal. Martis; his wife, Chriltian, daughter of Thomas Searles, of Wye; had by her fix fons and four daughters. Arms: at top, a griffin fegreant, within a border Gules. Other hields have been formerly affixed to the monument, but are now gone. Another, of marble, in Latin like. wife, against the South wall, to the memory of Robert Ewell, rector and patron of this parish, and one of the fix preachers of Canterbury Cathedral; ob. 16 Dec. 1638, æt. 75. By his wife, Margaret Harris (bonefta familia orta), he had five fons, four of whom survived him; and three daughters, all of whom died before him. Arms, at top of the monument, broken off. A gravestone to the memory of the Rev. George Smith, 41 years rector of this parish; ob. 16 May, 1752, æt. 74. Alfo, of his wife Hannah, ob. 21 Sept. 1758, æt. 76. No arms. Mr. URBAN, Verfailles, Sept. 10. THE tranquillity of Paris by day, the activity of bugs by night, and a face like one juft recovering from the fmall-pox, determined me to leave the Hotel Modène, Rue Jacob, and to try what the air of this deferted village would do towards enabling me to tell you all about the King's having regain. ed his liberty, the fquabbles of the National Affembly, &c. &c.; but, alas ! I find it firft neceffary to touch upon a more important fubject, nothing less than the lofs of my own liberty! You must, therefore, have a fpecimen of French li berty at the expence of English freedom. Having paid my hoft and Captain of the National Guard his full price for lodgings, &c. as fine and as filthy as hands could make them; I determined to quit his bôtel with an éclat, which I vainly concluded would have produced common-place thanks, if not a Oui, mi Lord, from an old gentleman in wooden fhoes, but known bett by the name of Garçon d'Ecurie; fo I gave him four livres four fous, i. e. full three fhillings and fixpence, for having made my horfe's bed fix nights, and put him to my chaife for my departure hither. That Jum, however, which would have produced feveral bows from Tom Oftler, at the Red Lion at Brentford, Monf. Garçon thought infufficient! He returned it to me in the prefence of the noble Captain, his mafier, who was above interfering in the bufinets. I, therefore, put the money in my pocket, with a determination to exercile that liberty alfo, which I thought belonged to both bis kingdom and mine, and to give |