Your correspondent has been very liberal in his praise of Sternhold's 9th and 10th verses of the 18th Psalm, and even prefers them to Merrick and Buchanan, as possessing the only true spirit of the Psalmist; but I conceive he has been rather unfortunate in his selection of this solitary instance of Sternhold's taste, for, on a close examination, this captivating verse neither preserves the true sense of the Psalmist, nor, indeed, any sense at all.

On cherubs and on cherubims

Full royally he rode,

And on the wings of all the winds,
Came flying all abroad.

This verse has been commended, and even imitated, by the immortal Dryden, but surely he could not seriously approve of such gilded rubbish.

1

A worthy clergyman of the Church of England, hearing this version of the 18th Psalm highly extolled, probably because Dryden had expressed his approbation of it, took the pains to examine it, and, as his remarks are judicious, I shall here oppose them to the high commendations bestowed upon them by Dryden and your correspondent, Mr. H. K. White. Speaking of the roth verse, he says, "Let us see, whether these golden lines, which shine the brighter for being found, by chance, in a heap of rubbish, will themselves bear the touchstone.

Cherubim is the plural of cherub, but our versioner, by adding an s to it, has made them both plurals; and so we have just as good sense, as if you should say

On horses and on horses,

Full royally he rode, &c.

The next lines, which should give us the sense of these words, He came flying on the wings of the wind, run thus:

And on the wings of all the winds,

Came flying all abroad.

Now if any one can inform me, to what point of the compass a person directs his course, who flies at the same time on the east or the west, the north and the south winds, I will then freely ac

* T. Sternhold wrote it all the winds, as may be seen in the Old Edition of the Common Prayer, and Dryden has literally copied the quhole beauty of the

idea.

C-VOL. XII.

knowledge, that more sense has been discovered in these lines, than my penetration can reach.

Besides, the sense our old translation aims at, is not the sense of holy David. The expression of riding full royally, i. e. with the pomp and majesty of a King; and of flying all abroad, or this way and that way, gives us some faint idea of the most high God (I mean by the ministry of his angels,) whereas the text is a poetical representation of the Almighty, coming from Heaven, to display his glory, but with inconceivable swiftness, to execute speedy vengeance on David's enemies, which I think is well expressed in the New Version.

The chariot of the King of Kings,
Which active troop of angels drew,
On a strong tempests's rapid wings,

With most amazing swiftness flew.

I am willing to allow, that, in Sternhold's lines, there is a kind of rumbling sound not unpleasing to the ear, but if you examine them closely, and look for sense, you will be wholly disappointed."

On the perusal of the above remarks, I hope your correspondent will be convinced that the praise he has bestowed on Sternhold is unmerited; and that he will think, with me, that the sooner the Old Version of the Psalms is consigned to oblivion, the better it will be for rational devotion.

Beaumaris, June 15.

WM. TOONE.

ANECDOTES.

MADAME BOUILLONS.-When two French duchesses went to compliment Hartny, who was a very handsome man, on his election to the archbishopric of Paris, he turned to Madam Bouillons, and said, formosi pecoris custos (the keeper of a handsome flock ;) the duchess finished the verse, and answered, formesior ipse (he himself handsomer.)

KING OF PRUSSIA, 1764.-A soldier, in the garrison of a small town of Prussian Silesia, being suspected of making free with the ex voto, or offerings made by the pious Roman Catholics, to a celebrated image of a wonder-working Virgin, was watched, and, upon his being searched, two silver hearts were found upon him. He was dragged before the magistrate, imprisoned, tried, and

doomed to death, as a sacrilegious robber. In the course of his trial, he had constantly denied having committed a theft, but alledged that the Virgin herself, in pity to his poverty, had ordered him to take the above offerings. The sentence, with the prisoner's defence, was, as usual, laid before the king. His majesty conversed with several of the Popish divines, asking them whether such a miracle was possible, according to the tenets of their religion? They unanimously answered that the case was very extraordinary, but not absolutely impossible; upon which the king wrote, in his own hand, the following words:

"The culprit cannot be put to death, because he positively "denies the charge, and the divines of his religion declare, that "the miracle wrought in his favour is not impossible; but we strictly forbid him, under pain of death, receiving any present "in future from the Virgin Mary, or any saint whatsoever."

OLDYS, the Historian,-having been for several years in the Fleet Prison, had contracted such habits and connections there, that, when he was at length enlarged, he made it a frequent practice to spend his evenings there, and lodge with some friend all night. Rapping at the door one night, rather late, the keeper reprimanded him for giving him such constant trouble, adding, that, “ though he had a great regard for him, yet if he kept such hours in future, he must be under the necessity of locking him out."

Origin of the application of the word LADY to every woman of fashion and fortune.-In ancient times, it was the fashion for the rich to reside, the greatest part of the year, at their mansion in the country, and once a week, or oftener, the mistress distributed bread to her poor neighbours with her own hands, and she was called by them the Loff day, in Saxon the Breadgiver: these two words were in time corrupted, and the meaning is now as little known, there is too much reason to apprehend, as the practice which gave rise to this laudable custom. Speramus meliora, or, in the words of a well known toast in defence of an old custom, "better times." Thus may our fair countrywomen be esteemed no less remarkable for their charity, than they are so eminently distinguished for their beauty.

MR. PRATT, BROTHER TO THE LATE LORD CAMDEN.This gentleman was a very singular character.-He had a remarkably tenacious memory, and was reckoned one of the first whist players in the kingdom. He remembered all the cards that were played in a hand, from an ace down to a deuce, and could recapi

tulate their order of playing, which he has done for a considerable wager. He dined every day, alone, at the Queen's Head Tavern, in Holborn, and always drank a bottle of port to himself. He occupied chambers in Gray's-inn, and lived in the highest floor, to prevent any disturbance over head. His taciturnity seemed even to exceed his memory; a remarkable instance of which he gave in a voyage to the East Indies, when in the service of that company. -He had not opened his lips to any person on board till they had arrived off the Cape of Good Hope. At that time one of the sailors crying out, from the top-mast-head, that he saw land; Mr. Pratt was induced to say, "Damn the rascal, I perceived it above half an hour ago."

LOUIS XV. — When Lord Kinsale served in the English army, at the battle of Lafeldt, he was taken prisoner, and introduced, covered, into the presence of Louis XV. whose tent stood at a short distance from the field of action. When the French Monarch had received an explanation of the reason why he wore his hat, his majesty, with singular complaisance and good sense, invited him to dine at his own table. Lord Kinsale answered this polite invitation, certainly, in less courteous phraseology than that which the French Monarch had used. "Sire,-Je n'ai pas faim." With all the feelings of insulted royalty, Louis replied, as the other turned upon his heel and was walking off" I did not ask you if you were hungry, but whether you would have the honour of dining with the King of France." A reproof which even the blunt Englishman felt.

ORFORDIANA.

TO RICHARD BENTLEY, ESQ.

Battel, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 1752.-KNOWLE.-From Sevenoak we went to Knowle. The park is sweet, with much old beech, and an immense sycamore before the great gate, that makes me more in love than ever with sycamores. This house is not near so extensive as I expected: the outward court has a beautiful, decent simplicity, that charms one. The apartments are many, but not large. The furniture throughout magnificence; loads of portraits, not good, nor curious; ebony cabinets; embossed silver in vases, dishes, &c.; embroidered beds, stiff chairs, and sweet bags, lying on velvet tables, richly worked in silk and gold. There

are two galleries, one very small; an old hall, and a spacious great drawing room. There is never a good staircase. The first little room you enter has sundry portraits of the times; but they seem to have been bespoke by the yard, and drawn all by the same painter: one should be happy if they were authentic ; for amongst them there is Dudley, Duke of Northumberland; Gardiner of Winchester; the Earl of Surrey, the poet, when a boy; and a Thomas, Duke of Norfolk; but I don't know which. The only fine picture is of Lord Goring and Endymion Porter, by Vandyke, There is a good head of the Queen of Bohemia; a whole length of Duc d'Espernon; and another good head of the Clifford, Countess of Dorset, who wrote that admirable haughty letter to Secretary Williamson, when he recommended a person for Member for Appleby: "I have been bullied by an usurper, I have been neglected by a court, but I won't be dictated to by a subject:-Your man sha'n't stand. Ann Dorset, Pembroke and Montgomery." In the chapel there is a piece of ancient tapestry: Saint Luke, in his first profession, is holding an urinal. Below stairs is a chamber of poets and players, which is proper enough in that house; for the first earl wrote a play, and the last earl was a poet, and, I think, married a player.

Arlington-street, Dec. 19, 1753.-I little thought, when I parted with you, my dear Sir, that your absence* could indemnify me so well for itself; I still less expected, that I should find you improving daily but your letters grow more and more entertaining; your drawings more and more picturesque; you write with more wit, and paint with more melancholy, than ever any body did your woody mountains hang down somewhat so poetical, as Mr. Ashe† said, that your own poet (Gray) will scarce keep tune with you. All this refers to your cascade scene and your letter.

Strawberry Hill, Nov. 3, 1774.-My chief employ in this part of the world, except surveying my library, which has scarce any thing but the painting to finish, is planting at Mrs. Clive's, whither I remove all my superabundancies. I have lately planted the green lane that leads from her garden to the common. "Well," said

Mr. Bentley was now in the Island of Jersey, whither he had retired, on account of the derangement of his affairs.

+ A nursery man at Twickenham. He had served Pope. Mr. Walpole telling him he would have his trees planted irregularly, he said, " Yes, Sir, I understand: you would have them hang down somewhat poetical.