even nfe their medicines, which at the time increased my anxiety for the event, are furely convincing proofs of the little danger attending inoculation. On my return to Luton, I mean to recommend annual inoculations at the parishcharge. This may be fupported on princi ples of economy, as well as on principles of humanity. The health and fafety of the people ought ever to be the fupreme object of parochial management. The life of an induftrious parent is abfolutely invaluable; and he, who thinks it can be rated too high, is no lefs ignorant of policy, than deftitute of feeling. For nine years that I have held the living of Luton, the average number of fall-pox patients is 25. Thefe, at the lowest computation, ftand the parish at two guineas escu, exclufive of medical affiftance. The chfeafe is fo apprehended in the country, that the nurfes require double pay; and both they and the patients are confined in an airing-houfe feveral weeks after the recovery. Should my plan of annual inoculations take place, the expence would not amount to the fifty guineas which are now prid for those who have the fmall-pox naturally. But, alas! thefe fifty guineas are but a fmall part of the real charge and inconvenience produced by this dreadful malady. Its almost conftant effect is a permanent augmentation of the parish expenditure. If a labourer dies, his family must be fupported. If a mother is kost, the children must be removed to a workhouse, as their father cannot fpare time for employments that are merely domeftic. In a workhoufe they lofe innocence, reputation, and that fente of independence which is the fureit principle of industry. I have troubled you with thefe obfervations, because I am confident they are applicable to more parishes than mine; and becaufe I am equally confident, that, were noculation generally practifed, it would Jesien human mifery, fave many a useful life, and even promote that œconomy which many think the only object worthy of at tention. I am, Sir, your faithful fervant, eruption on it—age 5 weeks. Churchwarden. From the circumftance of not more than two fhillines being paid for inocu. the foregoing letter, it appears at once lat ng each of the paupers mentioned in at how fmall an expence a great many valuable lives may be faved to the public, by a little attention on the part of the nobility, clergy, gentry, and others. Luto", Jan. 6, 1788. {FRA NASHT In the very defirable event of their adopting the benevolent ideas of my Hon. and Rev. friend, I would remark, that the propereft feafons of inoculation are, when the juices are leaft likely to be contaminated by infectious or conta gious dileafes, which rage most in the autumnal months; begging leave at the fame time to recommend the ufe of from 50 to 100 drops of the concentrated spirit of lea-falt dilated in barley-water, or any other mucilaginous liquid, in the proportion of 50 drops to a quart, for preventing the juices from falling into that putrid ftate which renders the fmall-pox fo much more deadly. I would farther advife an equally free ufe of the fame fpirit in every town and village through the kingdom, as a prefervative againft inf &tion, as well as a great aid in curing the worst forts of putrid fevers, which have been of late fo deftructive in fo many parts of England.--I am, Sir, your most obedient fervant, WILLIAM FORDYCE. Letters to the People of Great Britain, on the Cultivation of their National Hiftory. N my LETTER III. laft it was hewn that our hif tory is neglected, from the carelessnefs and inaccuracy difcovered in the publication of one of its most important monuments. It fhall not be afferted, that our other ancient hiftorians are published with equal inattention, and want of literary fkill. But certain it is, that all of them fhould be collated afreth with the MSS. feveral of which lic libraries, fince the publications were have come to light, and paft into pubmade The fpirit of philofophy and criticifm was hardly known in antiquities till the prefent century; and the vaft fuperiority of the recent publications of ancient monuments over the former is univerfally felt in all foreiga countries. That Letter III. on the Cultivation of our National Hiftory. That many important remains of our history ftill lurk in MS. is well-known, and evinced from the catalogues of great libraries. Some may also be in private hands. That every care fhould be exerted to recover and print fuch pieces, needs not be infifted on. But there is another matter which claims confideration, as a convincing proof that our history is neglected; and, after ftating this, it may be prefumed that the reader will be convinced that these letters are not groundless and, of courfe, this preliminary being adjusted, the other parts of the plan may be confidered in their order. This other proof that our history is neglected, confifts in the amazing deficiency of differtations by our literati, upon curious or intricate points of ancient English hiftory. In moft foreign countries, the works of this fort, written by the most eminent writers, are very numerous. If the reader will look into the Hiftorical Libraries, published for the feveral countries, he will be ftruck with aftonifhment to fee that English works of this kind, compared with thofe of France, Germany, Italy, nay, the Northern kingdoms, are in number about as one to one hundred. Let him only take up the large Hiftorical Catalogue, in four volumes, at the end of Lenglet Du Frefnoy's Methode pour etudier l'Hif toire, ed. 1772, 15 vols. 12mo, he will find all the works published on Engfish history thrown into a few pages; while thofe on French, German, Italian, almoft fill volumes. It is believ. ed, that fingle works of Selden, Verfegan, Sheringham, and Langhorne, form almoft the fum total of books expreffly written to illuftrate our hiftory: and all of them published before criticifm was introduced into antiquities, and before we had got fo far up the hill of fcience as to difcover much around us. Selden was indeed a man whofe erudition, independently of his other great merits, does high honour to his country. But he was quite immerfed in Oriental learning; and his works on Englih antiquities are by far his worft, and abound with paffages which cannot stand against found criticifm. The anquities of the middle ages were but beginning to be ftudied in Selden's time. No Du Cange nor Muratori had appeared. The diplomatic fcience, in particular, was unknown: and Dugdale, another very eminent antiquary, has, in his Monafticon Anglicanum, published 285 charters, which Germon, De Re diplo matica, has evinced to be forgeries, from marks fo grofs as to need no inveftigation. Unfortunately, we have begun quite at the wrong end of our hiftory. We abound in general hiftories; but want the proper authorities and proofs, the foundations upon which they should ftand. The object is, first to fettle the grounds of our hiftory; and, after that, build the fabric who will. A hundred points of the greatest confequence remain to be treated in detached differtations, to be examined to the bottom by fevere criticism, and all the authorities produced. Suppofe, as parallel instances to fimilar differtations of foreign writers, we had difquifitions, On the Commerce of the Phoenicians and Greeks in Britain: Whether any British Nation paid Tribute to the Romans before the Time of Claudius: On the ancient Languages in Britain: On the Use of the Latin Tongue in Britain; and how it comes to pafs that Britain did not furnish one Latin Writer in the Roman Times, while Gaul, Spain, produced many: If Severus built any Wall in Britain: What was the real Cause of the Arrival of the Iutes in Kent, Chance or Invitation : The Extent and Hiftory of each Heptarchic Kingdom: The Form of Saxon Government: Of Regal Power among the Saxons: Of the Power of the Peo ple: The Private Life of the Saxons: From what Year, and what Time of the Year, our old Hiftorians reckon the Chriftian Era, &c. &c. &c. These instances are only given as they flow from the pen; and the reader may easily fuggeft to himself other fubjects more important and curious. It fhall only be added, that fuch pieces would, in the hands of dull and illiterate writers, become infipid, as all other fubje&s would; but that, in foreign countries, fuch differtations not only appear, but are produced by writers of the greatest learning, literary experience, and critical fagacity; often with every charm of elegant and vivacious language. The latter qualities are, indeed, more pleafing than neceffary in treating fubjects of inftruction; and in which truth becomes fufpicious if arrayed in the gorgeous drefs of eloquence, fo often worn by falfhood. Let this point be closed with enumerating a very few names of foreigners diftinguished by the illustration of their national hiftory, that we may confider what we have to oppose to them. 280 them. The Germans boaft of Cluverius. Conringius, Schard, Reineccius, Freher, Lindenbrog, Schilter, Heinack, Leibnitz, Mafcou, Schoepflin, &c. The French of Vignier, Patquier, Du Chefne, Valois, Fauchet, Mezeray, La Cerry, Malion, Hottoman, Pithou, Petau, Baluze, le Duc d'Efpernon, Du Cange, Montefquieu, Du Bos, Le Gendre, Labbé, &c. Italy has fo numerous names for each petty ftate, that the difficulty lies in the choice; but let Sigonius and Muratori be fele&ted, names equal to a thousand. Topography may be confidered as an hiftorical department, which has thriven much in Britain of late, chiefly by the foftering cares of the author of the British Topography, and the editor of the Bitliotheca Totographica. It gives great pleasure to fee that, in this branch at leaft, we are perhaps equal to other nations. But the warmett admirers of topography will not put it on a par with the general history, or even geography, of a whole kingdom. Local history, however, may contribute materials for general hiftory; though, in the run of our topograpliers, the hiftorical part be feldom profoundly treated. It is alfo remarkable, that while Germany has Cluverius and Cellarius; and France Her Sanfons, De l'Iles, and D'Anvilles; Britain cannot boaft of any geographer who has obtained the smallest fame. In Chronology, Uther and Simfon yield to ment to learning, or fupport the dignity of the church. The greatest and mutt glorious patriot is the munificent rewarder of merit. J. H N. "As defert was, above all things, regarded in the difpofal of preferments, fo it was especially in ecclefiaftical ones. Whatever motives might, in other times, have recommended clergymen to bishoprics, at this feafon nothing could do it but merit. It was not fo much confidered who had made their court beft, but who had deferved it best; and the men, who were then raifed to that high ftation, were fuch, and fuch only, as had been moft eminent for their learning, moft exemplary in their lives, and firmeft to the Proteftant intereft. "Whilft thefe qualifications only were confidered, fuch a man as Dr. Cumberland could not eafily be overlooked, though he himself did, leaft of any man, look for fuch a promotion. The King was told, that Dr. Cumberland was the Atteft man he could nominate to the bishopric of Peterborough. Thus a private country clergyman, without poking to conit, a place he had rarely feen, without fuing to great meu, without taking the leaft ftep towards foliciting for it, was pitched upon to fill fo great a truft, only becaufe he was fittell for it. He walked, after his ufual manner, on a poft-day, to the coffees houfe, and read in the news-paper, that one Dr. Cumberland, of Stamford, was named to the bishopric of Peterborough; a greater furprize to himfelf than to any body elfe." Cumb. Sanch. pief, p. 12. *We are much obliged to the worthy Defcendant of Dr. Wallis, for the communication of his good Ancestor's Papers and Memoirs; and thall extract from them, for the entertainment of our Readers, fach par→ ticulars as are not already in the "Biogra phia Britannica."We with Mr. W much fuccefs in his intended publication of the Doctor's original Sermons, LETTERS ON EDUCATION, (Continued from p. 117.) LETTER V. Vaft happiness enjoy my gay allies! A youth of foliy-an old age of cares: Young, yet enervate; -old, yet never wife; Vice waftes their body, and their mind ime pairs. Strictures on the modern Syftem of Education. they are early introduced into life-to I formerly reckoned this a most unfriendly climate; but things are greatly mended, and, in order to ripen the harveft, I fhall fubjoin a few directions. If the fon has been educated upon the plan pointed out in my former letters, and which, I have reafon to think, is the most approved of, he will make a rapid progrefs towards being a fafbiona able fine fellow. Having no refraint upon his mind from a fenfe of his duty to his CREA TOR, the witnefs and judge of all he does not having been taught to confi der the motives of his actions, or to act from principles of juftice, by doing to others in every cate as he would with to be done to himfelf in like circumftances having no fenfe of obedience to parents from duty or affection-having had no ideas impreffed upon his mind of the deftiny of his nature the importance of time-or of fulling the duties of the 287 ftation allotted him—all fuch things being reckoned much above his compiehenfion, or neglected till he becomes-a man; he will, before you immagine, confider himself a man without them, and be as free as the inhabitants of the foreft; and like them too he will act. His own inclinations will be the only rule of his conduct, and thefe he will purfue without regard to any view buc prefent gratification. And now comes the mother's vexation; the father's uneafinefs will come a little later. SHE muft wink at all her fon's faults, and carefully conceal them, especially as they will generally reflect upon her own conduct. If the father thould chide him, or be harth for his mifdemeanors, it must be reprefented by the mother that it will break the boy's fpirit. If the father fhould make any enquiry about the conduct of his fon, or how he has paffed his time, let the mother amufe him with a cock and a bull ftory. The boy will foon learn, from the example, to deceive them both; or, if he should be detected in a faltehood (although he has always been told to tell the truth), he will very naturally fay, did you not do fo yourfeif? I have no objection to parents giving good precepts, if they contradict them in pracIf he thould live fome years, the parents need not be furprifed if he fhould curfe the way he had been brought up; but more of this afterThe mother may, perhaps, upon occafions, find it neceffary to give her fon advice; but her admonitions will now come too late. Her words go for nothing; he knows her indulgence too well, and he can coax her at any time. She muft carefully conceal all his faults, for fear they fhould be corrected. tice. wards. It the father is a right father, let him fwear freely before lus fon, and, by way of wit, bring in double entendres in his converfation; but if he has no wit, he may ufe the jingle, which is much easier understood. His fon will foon Turpafs him in all the three accomplishments of fwearing and double and pingie entendre, and will treat his mafter very properly with difrefpe&t. Some people, even yet, are fcrupulous how they speak before young perfous; but this is being over delicate. There is nothing more common than for the father to fav-N-ver mind him, he is but a boy."My young friends, however, me not fo unoblerving, and inpreflions on their minds are indelible. No No word or action of thofe they look up to is loft; and therefore I wish the example to be continued, as it brings them forward in their education. Give your fon always plenty of pocketmoney, and he will eafily find proper companions to spend it with. The gingerbread and bun period is now over, and he must now be more amply fupplied. He will entertain his companions with what his father said, and how he gulled his mother. Instead of attending the French or any evening-fchool, he will now and then rake about the ftreet, and in the groupes of idle youths and girls, and my knowing female friends, who, by a proper indulgence of the police, infeft it, his knowledge and manners will be highly improved. When young miffes come to vifit at home, they will not find your fon beepish or bafb ful! Some mothers complain, that they dare not truft their daughters out of their fight, the boys are fo early vicious, and fo foon turn blackguards. I fhall give my advice upon this point, when I come to speak of FEMALE EDUCA TION. The next step is, to have a fashionable bairdreffer. Your fon must have no regular time of dreffing, if he wishes to be fabionable. Let his hair be combed in the morning-half-dreffed before dinner-and full-drefled in the evening. An hour at leaft, each time, must be employed in this important business Brown powder in the morning-a mixture of brown and white before dinnerand in the evening, white fcented. In the morning the hair may be loofely plaited, and turned up, like a lady's, on the top of the head; but as this fashion has now got down to footmen, fɔme new mode mult be devifed. Let my young friends always follow the fabion of the ladies, and they cannot be far wrong. Your fon will receive much inftruction by being fo long in company every day with the hairdreifer. The news of every family he attends, and their economy, will be narrated. How the miffes are employed-how to be dreffed-their converfation and their engagements; befides, he may drop a hint now and then, &c.-By this means the hairdreffer will become a molt domeftic animal, and the mafter or mistress need not be furprifed if he fhould fometimes be their lodger for a night. NANNY and BETTY, the fervants, are prudent girls, and your fon or daughter may profit fome day by their circumfpection ! IN anfwer to your correfpondent (p. 188), who defires an explanation of Tid, and Mid, and Mifera, Carling, Palm, and Good-pas-day; Tide, and tile, are words in common ufe in the North of England, fignifying foon, or quickly; and tider, or titter*, fooner or nearer. The tider you come, the tider you'll go," [proverb] probably a corruption of the buber. Tid, then, in this inftance, means the first Sunday in the firft line; Mid, the middle of the firft three; of Mifera, I can only fuppofe it to be the firft word in fome office appropriated to that day in the miffal. Grey peafe are called Carlings in fome counties; but whether the peafe were denominated after the festival, or the feftival after the peafe, remains to be proved. Carling, or Careing, may be derived from carefully preferving and preparing the heft peale for the purpose, or perhaps, Charing, or Charling, from parching the peale like charcoal; or, laftly, if (as is alerted) this feast was the ears of corn by the difciples, might inftituted to commemorate the plucking when written, being very frequently not it not be earing-Sunday? an e and a c, diftinguishable; and many mistakes have doubtlefs thus originated, and coptinued undetected. Palm requires no explanation; and Good-pas-day is obviously either an abbreviation of Pajque, Pafchal, or Pafover. VAILS (as it is commonly pronounced), I conceive to have been originally well gifts to fervants. the Latin Vale, as it is applied to fareR. P. * When I was on a vifit in Yorkshire, I found the family one morning employed in fecuring a fwarm of bees, which had fixed on a high tree in the garden. A poor neighbour came in to aflift, and the first words fhe fpoke, I write exactly as the pronounced them: "Ya fed a cute doon i' bewfs titter, and tok" em iewe." It is impoffible, however, to defcribe on paper her accent, or the rapidity of her utterance, which rendered it ftill more unintelligible. Does this woman fpeak English? whispered I to my friend. Yes, faid he; and her words are, "You fhould have cut down the boughs titter [fooner], and taken them into the hive." Mr. |