Fain would I fly the haunts of men,

I seek to shun, not hate mankind; My breast requires the sullen glen,

Whose gloom may suit a darkened mind. Oh! that to me the wings were given

Which bear the turtle to her nest! Then would I cleave the vault of Heaven, To flee away, and be at rest.

ALIMENTARY CALENDAR.

The oyster season commences on the fifth of August, when there is a large supply from Feversham, Whitstable, and

other nurseries in Kent: but those who would eat oysters in perfection must_wait the approach of cold weather. It is stated, as remarkable, that these, and all shellfish, are best at the full of the moon.

River-salmon is a leading dish during this month: the salmon-trout is a seasonable delicacy, and, with eels, roach, and dace, are the fresh-water fish principally in request. London is mostly supplied with trout from the Wandle, and other mill-streams and rivulets in Surrey and Sussex. Turbot, whiting, skate, soles, and flounders, as well as lobsters, crabs, and cray-fish, are still in great plenty.

Leverets now come to table, and roasting pigs occasionally obtain a distinguished place there. As French beans are at maturity during this and the following month, there is no apparent diminution in the consumption of bacon and ham. Fruits for the dessert are now in great abundance and variety.

VEGETABLE GARDEN DIRECTORY.
Sow

Winter-spinach; the prickly seeded, in the first and second week.

Cabbage-seed; early York, sugar loaf, Fulham, for the main summer supply, between the sixth and twelfth of the month.

Onions, to come in about the end of March, not later than the second week. Radish, for autumnal use, two or three times in the month.

Lettuce; the white cos, brown Bath, or Capuchin, for late autumnal supply, or to be transplanted next month to stand the winter :-sow some early.

Cauliflower; between the 20th day, and the close.

Plant

Lavender, rue, rosemary, sage, hyssop, and marjorum in slips.

August 2.

On the 2nd of August, 1711, was born, in Dean-street, Soho, Mr. Charles Rogers. He was sent to a private school near the mews, where he made no progress; but, being placed in the custom-house, he rose to become the principal of his department. He employed his leisure hours in cultivating his mind; and, acquiring a taste for literature, he formed valuable collections of prints and drawings, became acquainted with persons who indulged in similar pursuits, and was elected a fellow of the Antiquarian and Royal Societies. He planned and executed "A Collection of Prints in imitation of drawings," with lives of their authors by himself. The plates were engraved by Bartolozzi, Ryland, Basire, and other eminent artists, from the originals, in the collections of the king, the duke of Marlborough, earl of Bute, earl Cholmondeley, earl Spencer, lord Campbell, sir J. Reynolds, and his own. The expense of this spirited undertaking was not reimbursed to him, on account of the high price of the work, and, not long before his death, he had an intention of publishing the remaining copies in twelve numbers, at one guinea each number, but ill-health prevented him, and it was not issued in that form.

In 1782 Mr. Rogers produced an anonymous translation of Dante's Inferno, in which he aimed at giving the sense of his author with fidelity. He wrote some antiquarian papers in the "Archæologia,” and a letter to Mr. Astle, on the early engravings on wood used in the printing of block books, before moveable types were generally adopted. He was never married, but lived a domestic and quiet life with some near relations. On twelfth

day, 1783, he was run over in Fleet-street, by a butcher's boy on horseback. From this period his health declined, and on the second of January, 1784, he died, and was buried in St. Lawrence Pountney burying-ground. *

August 3.

66

On the 3d of August, 1721, died Grinlin Gibbon, an eminent sculptor, and carver in ivory and wood, who was discovered in privacy at Deptford, and raised to celebrity by John Evelyn. 1670-1. Jan. 18. "This day," says Evelyn, “ I first acquainted his majesty with that incomparable young man, Gibbon, whom I had lately met with in an obscure place by mere accident, as I was walking near a poor solitary thatched house in a field in our parish, near Says Court. Looking in at the window I perceived him carving that large cartoon, or crucifix of Tintoret, a copy of which I had myself brought from Venice-I asked if I might enter: he opened the door civilly to me, and I saw him about such a work as for the curiosity of handling, drawing, and studious exactness, I never had before seen in all my travels. I questioned him why he worked in such an obscure and lonesome place; he told me it was that he might apply himself to his profession without interruption; and wondered not a little how I had found him out. I asked him if he was unwilling to be made known to some great men, for that I believed it might turn to his profit; he answered he was yet but a beginner, but would not be sorry to sell off that piece; on demanding the price, he said £100. In good earnest the very frame was worth the money, there being nothing in nature so tender and delicate as the flowers and festoons about it, and yet the work was very strong; in the piece was more than 100 figures of men, &c. I found he was likewise musical, and very civil, sober, and discreet in his discourse. There was only an old woman in the house. So desiring leave to visit him sometimes I went away. Of this young artist, together with my manner of finding him out, I acquainted the king, and begged that he would give me leave to bring him and his work to Whitehall, for that I would adventure my reputation with his majesty that he had never seen any thing approach it, and that he would be exceedingly pleased and employ him. The king said that he would himself go and see him. This was the first notice his majesty ever had of Mr. Gibbon." Evelyn introduced Gibbon and his carving to Charles II., who "no sooner cast his eyes on the work but he was astonished at the curiosity of it; and having considered it a

long time, and discoursed with Mr. Gibbon, commanded it should be carried to the queen's side to show her, where he and the queen looked on and admired it again, the queen believing he would have bought it, being a crucifix; but, when his majesty was gone, a French pedling woman, one Mad. de Boord, who used to bring juttinats and fans and baubles out of France, began to find fault with several things in the work, which she understood no more than an ass or a monkey, and this incomparable artist had his labor only for his pains, and he was fain to send it down to his cottage again; he not long after sold it for £80, without the frame, to Sir George Viner." Evelyn pushed Gibbon's interest at court and recommended him to Sir Christopher Wren, and May, the architect. The king gave him a place at the board of works, and employed him to ornament the palaces particularly at Windsor. The following is a literal copy of a letter from Gibbon to Evelyn:

"Honred

"Sir, I wold beg the faver wen you see Sir Joseff Williams[ Williamson]again you wold be pleasd to speack to him that hee wold got me to carve his Ladis sons hous my Lord Kildare, for I onderstand it will [be] very considerabell, ar If you haen Acquantans with my Lord to speack to him his sealf, and I shall for Ev're be obliaged to you, I wold speack to Sir Josef my sealf but I know it would do better from you.

Sir, youre Most umbell
Sarvant,

G. GIBBON."

London, 23d March, 1682. Gibbon's best sculpture may be seen in the monument of Noel, Viscount Camden, in Exton Church, Rutlandshire; and in the statue of James II., behind the Banqueting-house, Whitehall, which is a work of uncommon merit. His performances were often so very fine, in marble as well as ivory, that they required to be defended by a glass-case. He excelled in the carving of wood, and executed most of the work within the choir of St. Paul's Cathedral. Many of his flower pieces, in private collections, are light almost as fancy, and shake to the rattling of passing carriages. Walpole terms Gibbon" an original genius, a citizen of nature." He adds, "There is no instance before him of a man who gave to wood the loose and airy lightness of flowers, and chained to

gether the various productions of the elements with the free disorder natural to each species. It is uncertain whether he was born in Holland or in England."

In like manner Vandyck discovered William Dobson, the painter, and obtained for him the patronage of Charles I. Dobson came of a decayed family at St. Albans. He was born in St. Andrew's Holborn in 1610, and put apprentice to Sir Robert Peake, a court painter in the reign of James I., under whom, and Francis Cleyn, and by copying some pictures of Vandyck, he improved so much that one of his paintings being exposed in a shop window of Snow Hill, Vandyck passing by was struck with it, and inquiring for the artist found Dobson at work in a mean garret. He took him from thence and recommended him to the king, who on Vandyck's death appointed him his serjeant-painter. Dobson attended the king to Oxford, where Charles, Prince Rupert, and several of the nobility sat to him. His pictures are very faithful transcripts of nature, and are thought the best imitations of Vandyck. He painted history as well as portrait. His pictures in the latter department rise above that denomination: they usually contain more than a single figure. Walpole describes many of his pieces. One of the woman taken in adultery contained portraits of persons then living, among whom was Cowley the poet. Another represented Prince Rupert, Colonel John Russel, and Mr. William Murray, drinking and dipping their favor-ribands in wine. At Blenheim is a family, by some said to be that of Francis Carter, an architect and scholar of Inigo Jones; by others, of Lilly the astrologer, whom Vertue thought it resembled, but Lilly had no family; the man holds a pair compasses. Walpole says, "I have seen nothing preferable to this; there is the utmost truth in it."

Dobson addicted himself to pleasure, and, not having had time to enrich himself, became involved in debt, and was thrown into prison, from whence he was delivered by Mr. Vaughan of the Exchequer, whose picture he drew, and thought it the best of his portraits. He died soon after, at the age of thirty-six, and was buried at St. Martin's, October 28, 1646.