caldron is on the fire. Some are pre- Here are feen two large tables; the one is round, and is defigned for the officers belonging to the Court; the other, more remarkable, is in the form of a half-circle. At this are feated Duke William and the Barons of his fuite. A Bishop bleffes the table, and a page on his knees prefents the cup. No. XLIV.-Odo, Eps. Willelm, Rotbert. Bithop Odo, William, Robert. The Duke of Normandy holds a council at Haftings on the operations of the campaign. He is feated between his two brothers, with his fword in his hand. At his right hand is Odo, Bifhop of Bayeux, and Robert, Count of Mortain, is on his left. Probably it is decided in this council to encamp themselves, and fortify Haftings; to await there the approach of the enemy, who, proud of his victory over the Norwegians, marches in full confidence to give battle. No. XLV.-Ifte juffit ut foderetur Caftellum, ad Haftengam.-He, Robert, orders that a ditch be dug around the fortified camp at Haftings. As this infcription immediately follows the name of Robert, it appears that this Count of Mortain had the charge of fuperintending the operations ordered in council. It is, therefore, this officer who, with a fmall standard in his hand, encourages the labourers to work. They are digging in the trench, and already the camp is palifadoed. The infcription Ceaftra, for Caftra, fhews the camp. No. XLVI.-Hic Nuntiatum eft Willelmo de Harold. William receives news refpecting Harold. A foldier approaches William, whom he appears to inform, with a mysterious air, of the enemy's approach. No. XLVII.-Hic Domus incenditur. The troops fet fire to a house. It appears that, in confequence of the news of the enemy's approach, William's troops fet fire to a houfe, which embarrassed the movement of the army. A woman, leading her fon by the hand, is coming out of the houfe, to which two men are fetting fire. Hiftory is filent on this fact. It No. XLVIII.-Hic milites exierunt de The Duke of Normandy did not wait for Harold in his camo, but marched out to meet him. The Duke is feen completely armed, and ready to mount his charger. The horse are marching towards the enemy. No XLIX. Hic Willelm Dux interrogat Vital, fi vidiffet Exercitum Haroldi.Duke William inquires of Vital if he had feen Harold's army. The Duke, at the head of his horfe, a baton in his hand, is questioning a horfeman, who approaches him on the full gallop. The horleman appears to be the chief of a troop of cavalry, fent to reconnoitre. The infcription gives us his name; he points to the fide on which the enemy is approaching. No. L.-Ife nontiat Haroldum Rege. de Exercitu Willelmi Ducis.-A perfon informs King Harold that the Duke's army approaches. The King of England had also fent to reconnoitre; he had even fent ipies into the camp of William, who, difcovering them, ordered every part of his preparations to be shown to them, and then fent them back to their malter. A foot foldier who precedes Harold points to the enemy. No. LI. Hic Willelm Dux alloquitur fuis militibus, ut preparent fe viriliter et fapienter ad prelium contra Anglorum exercitum.-Duke William harangues his troops. He exhorts them to combine prudence with valour in engaging the English army. The two armies are drawn up in the prefence of each other; the Duke of Normandy harangues the French, encouraging them to the onfet; the hif torians of the time give his speech. In the picture William appears to be near the conclusion of his fpeech; his troops begin to charge the enemy there is only a fingle horieman near 4 R2 William, William, who turns round to listen to his concluding words; the battle commences; the horse couch their lances; the archers, marching on foot before the horse, have their bows bent; a shower of arrows are difcharged; the bucklers of the enemy are stuck full of them; many of the enemy fall, the carnage is great. The border of this pannel is covered, at the bottom, with dead bodies; in the fame manner the bodies of Amazons form the frize of a Sarcophagus, on which is reprefented their battle with the Athenians: fo the bodies of the children of Niobe ornament the borders of a tomb, the bas-relief of which represents the vengeance of the son of Latona on that unfortunate family. No. LII.-Hie ceciderunt Lewine et Gurd, Fratres Haroldi Regis. - Lewin and Gurd, Brothers of King Harold, are flain. The latter, who is here called Gurd, is known in history by the title of Count of Word; he and his brother Lewin fell in the combat. No. LIII-Hic ceciderunt fimul Angli et Franci in prelio.-Here is a dreadful carnage of English and French. Hiftorians speak of a ditch where the French are thrown into confufion towards the end of the battle. The English are feen rallying on the edge of the ditch. The conteft is bloody, and numbers of the combatants of both armies are feen plunged together into the ditch. No. LIV.-Hic Odo, Eps. baculum tenens comfortat Francos.-Bishop Odo, with a baton in his hand, encourages the French. The misfortune at the ditch difconcerts the Duke of Normandy's troops. Bishop Odo, mounted on horfeback, and completely armed, raifing his ba ton, reanimates the French, and leads them back to the combat. The latter words of the inscription are effaced. No. LV.-Hic eft Dux Willem. - Duke William is feen here. The Duke is at the ditch encourig. ing his troops. He raifes his calque to show himself to his men. As he had been wounded, it is probable, that news had difcouraged his troops. He revives their fpirits; and, from that moment, the victory is no longer doubtful. No. LVI.-Hic Franci pugnant, et cetiderunt qui erant cum Haroldo. - The French rally; and Harold's army is cut to pieces. The tapestry here reprefents the French, who return to the combat with more vigour than ever. The English are routed, and cut to pieces. No. LVII.-Hic Harold Rex interfe&us eft.—King Harold is flain. He dies with his arms in his hand.He is here feen fallen from his horte, and extended on the ground. He had reigned only nine months. A horieman, without difimounting, pierces H1rold's thigh; at which, according to the hiftorians, Duke William was to much difpleated, that he degraded him from the rank of a horfeman. The battle of Haftings, which placed Wiliam the Conqueror and his defcendants on the throne of England, was fought on the 14th of October, 1066. tilda. Some of the latter figures are a This finishes the Embroidery of M1little injured by time. Some learned men have been of opinion that this te ries of pictures carried on the story to the crowning of William; which epinion is not improbable, although asthing remains to put the quetion out of doubt. ACCOUNT of the late DR. JOSEPH TOWERS, concluded from page Sufi of our laft Number. every enlightened and upright fenator. The Monthly Reviewers, with whom our author was wholly unconnected, gave fo favourable, and at the fame time fo juft, an account, not only of this work, but alfo of the author's talents and principles, that we have given an extract in the note below*. In the year 1792, was formed, "The Society of the Friends of the People, affoeiated for the Purpose of obtaining a Par liamentary Reform." Doctor Towers readily joined in the establishment of this inftitution; and the advertisement, notifying its existence, gave a lift of the firft hundred affociators, among which there were no lefs than forty Members of Parliament. This fociety foon after publithed an Account of the State of the Reprefentation of England and Wales, the fubftance of which was afterwards formed into a petition, and prefented to the Houfe of Commons, by Mr. Grey, on the 6th of May, 1793; the facts, contained in this Statement were accurately afcertained, and were beyond controverly strictly true; at the fame time, they were fo glaring and pointed, that no little management and addrefs were neceffary, to forten the impreffion they apparently made, both in and out of the Houfe, as well as to avoid entering into the merits of the petition, and the arguments deducible from the allegations it contained. This was, however, the cafe, and one fide of the Houfe confidered it as a triumph of no inconfiderable confequence; for "facts are stubborn things," and the business had an unpleasant aspect, when the confequences refulting from them were urged with fuch manly force, as to stagger the most determined and infenfible. This laudable attempt, however, entirely failed, and the reprefentatives of the people are till appointed and chofen by the perfons, and under the fame influence and "The merits of Dr. Towers, as a judicious and candid political writer, are already well known to the public. His prefent per formance difcovers the fame ardent and enlightened zeal for liberty, undebafed by any narrow party-views or attachments; the fame liberal defire of extending to others of every defcription, that freedom of thought, fpeech, and action, which he claims for himself; the fame enlarged and truly patriotic love of his country, unaccompanied with any mean with to deprefs or injure the country of his neighbours; the famie manly openness of fentiment, anmixed with any rude perfonalities or offenfive cenfures; and the fame perfpicuity of style, which have diftinguished his former publications." direction, as were pointed out by the fo ciety. In 1793, befides his fhare in the Biographia, the Doctor brought out a pamph let entitled "A Dialogue between an Affociator, and a well-informed English man, on the Grounds of the late Affociations, and the Commencement of a War with France;" foon after which, he alfo publifhed another pamphlet called "Re marks on the Conduct, Principles, and Publications, of the Affociation at the Crown and Anchor, in the Strand, for preferving Liberty and Property against Republicans and Levellers." The e pamphlets, which were published anonymously, contain fome ftriking and popular arguments against the Affociations, then recent ly formed, with obfervations on the motives which might lead fome perfons to fupport them, and encourage their increase. Our Author contends against the neceffity and propriety of them: and particularly in the last pamphlet, he animadverts, with great force and fpirit, against the proceelings and fentiments of the Crown and Ancher Affociation. Much of the politics of the time, and the fpirit and views of the two parties, into which the people were at this time divided, may be feen in these pamphlets. The tranfactions alluded to, being generally known, it is not at all neceffary on this occafion, to enter further into the fubject; the fame reafon maybe affigned for only fhortly noticing two other fmall and anonymous publications of our Author; one of which came out in the year 1796, and the other (being his last production) in the year following. The former of thefe is entitled, "An Addrefs to the Electors of Great Britain," and the latter, "Thoughts on National Infanity." The advice given to the electors could not be objected to by men of any party; in all refpects, it was pro; er and falutary; well fuited to infpire them with juft fentiments, and lead them to act as became freemen and independent members of a flate, enjoy. ing peculiar privileges for which their anceltors had long ftruggled and fought. Our Author's principal, aim in his last pamphlet was, to imprefs on the minds of the people, the ruinous confequences of the late war; the folly of attempting by force to re-establish monarchy in France; and the impolicy, as well as injuftice, of this country's interfering with the internal government of a neighbouring nation. In 1796, Dr. Towers collected, and published by fubfcription, thirteen of his principal Tia&ts, and Pamphlets, in 3 vols. 8vo. the contents of each vol. in the order they they ftand, are given below; to the 1ft vol. are prefixed an admirable portrait of our Author, and a very refpectable lift of fubfcribers. Thus clofed the public literary labours of the fubject of thefe Memoirs, and we hall conclude our account of his writings with obferving, that, in his laft four pamphlets the fame ardour and independent fpirit are confpicuous that diftinguished his former publications, on political fubjects, which the circumstances of the times called forth. Firm in his attachment to the cause of feedom, he preferved a strict uniformity of conduct through life; retaining to the laft the political creed, which from his early days had ever his frenuous fupport. Steady as Dr. Towers was in his principles on political points, he was not lefs fo in his fentiments on, theological fubjects; he often, and but a short time before his death, mentioned, that the opinions he had formed on controverted points of Divinity, at the time he fent his first pamph. et into the world, he had feen no reafon in his maturer years to retract or doubt of. As to the question fo frequently and warmly agitated of late, respecting the doctrine of the Trinity, he adhered to the opinion of the late Dr. Samuel Clarke; except only that he was not fo high an Arian as that great man. Though he was in habits of intimacy with many diftinguished characters, who embraced and were warm advocates for Unitarian principles, in the ftricteft fenfe of the word; he expreffed no doubts of the pre exiftence of Chrift; nor did he become a convert to their notions refpecting materialism, or what is called philofophical neceffity. He Vol. I. A Vindication of the Political Opinions of Mr. Locke.-A Letter to Dr. Samuel Johnfon,--and Obfervations on Mr. Hume's Hiftory of England. Vol. II. Obfervations on the Rights and Duties of Juries A Letter to Dr. Nowell.An Examination of the Charges brought againt Lord Ruflell and Algernon Sidney.A Dialogue between two Gentleman, concerning the Application to Parliament, for Relief, in the Matter of Subfcription, &c.—A Review of the genuine Doétrines of Chritia. rity, and an Oration delivered at the Interment of Dr. Caleb Fleming. Vol. III. Thoughts on the Commence. ment of a New Parliament.-A Dialogue between an Affociator, and a well-informed Englishman-Remarks on the Conduct, Principles and Publications of the Crown and Anchor Affociation.And an Effay on the Life, &c. of Dr. Samuel Johníon. had enlarged views of the divine benev lence, and was difpofed to think that, whatever might be the means of meliorating the hardened and wicked in another ftate, the whole human race would ultimately have reason to acknowledge, that their exifte ce was a bleffing bestowed by the Father of Mercies. Dr. Towers had enjoyed an unusval fhare of health and fpirits, until about the beginning of the year 1795, when both appeared evidently to decline. The lofs of his great and excellent friend, Dr. Kippis, towards the end of that year, was an event which we have reason to think dwelt much on his mind; their friendship was of the most lafting kind, founded on mutual esteem, and fixed by mutual worth; it had been many years ripening, knew no interruption, and by death alone could be diffolved. Soon after this event his activity abated, and he lived more retired than ever; few of his evenings were fpent from home, nor did he mix much in the fociety of literary men, as be had hitherto been accustomed. It is probable, that the want of his ufual exercife occafioned the jaundice, which had several times attacked him, to gain ground, and undermine his conftitution. When free from this disorder, his strength fometimes appeared to be renewed, and his mind to refume its accustomed vigour; which afforded, both to his family and friends the flattering expectation, that his health might be completely restored: but the winter of 1798, which proved very long and trying to many perfons of delicate habit, and particlarly to thofe in advanced life, evidently fhook and fhattered his frame, which brought on a perceptible, though gradual, decay. He, however, continued occafionally to visit his friends and regularly te difcharge his duty as a Minifter, until the Sunday but one preceding his diffolution. His family did not apprehend that this event was fo near as it proved. Though low, and extremely weak, he retained the exercite of his mental faculties to the laft, and on the very day of his deceafe, Mrs. Towers and his fon talked fome time with him, on the most ferious fubjects; when he briefly, but fcarcely articulately, began a religious converfation, in which he fpoke of the fteadiness of his faith: he pronounced a bleffing on his fon, who addreffed a prayer on his behalf to the Deity, at which he expreffed his cordial fatisfaction; at the fame time declaring his thankfulne fs for the cares and attentions of an affectionate wife. After a short interval, patient and refigned, without a fruggle, and almost without a groan, he breathed his laft on the 20th day of May, 1799, but a few weeks after his entrance into the 64th year of his age. His remains were interred in a moft refpectful manner in Bunhil-Fields, and to evince their affectionate regard to the memory of their late paftor, the expences of his funeral were defrayed by his congregation; five mourning coaches, and two gentlemen's carriages, followed the hearfe; and those who attended in perfon, to pay the laft mark of regard to their deceafed friend, were, like him, diftinguished for their learning and their worth. Doctor Towers had never more than two children, a fon and a daughter; the latter died young; and the former has already diftinguished himfelf as a writer on an interesting and difficult fubject, being the author of a work, published in 1796, entitled, "Illuftrations of Prophecy." Mrs. Towers, who furvived Dr. Towers, until January, 1803, as a wife, was active and affectionate, ever attentive to his interefts, and difcreet in the management of his concerns. A partner of fuch a character and difpofition was to him of effential importance, he being, as is not uncommonly the cafe with literary men, but little difpofed to attend to pecuniary matters, and thofe minute circumstances, which, when once neglected, often embarrass families, whofe finances admit not of unneceffry expence. We have before noticed Dr. Towers's funeral fermon, preached by the Rev. Mr. Lindsay, and which, with an oration pronounced at his interment, by the Rev. Thomas Jervis, have been publifhed to gether: the compofition of thefe pieces is of a very fuperior kind; they difcover abilities, not often difplayed upon fuch occafions; in both, his character is faithfully delineated, with the pen of genius, and the feelings of friendship, from perional knowledge, acquired by frequent and familiar intercourfe for near 30 years past; the prefent writer can, however, affert, that the excellencies thofe gentlemen have noticed, and the encomiums they have beltowed on the deceated, were neither dictated by partiality, nor fprung from the impreffions of the moment; they did not exceed his merit. To the fe memorials of his virtues, and his worth, we refer the reader; it would indeed be difficult to follow the fame track, to occupy the fame ground, which they f well have trodden, without appearing to confiderable diadvantage. With refpect to his general character, we fall only oblerve, that its molt promi "nent features were, a deteftation of every "He would not fide where juftice is oppos'd, Though Penury's dread form, with hollow And all her meagre train, of Laffitude, Docto Towers was in the pulpit, animated, practical, and argumentative; he reafoned powerfully, and aimed more to imprefs and fecure the understanding on his fide, than to agitate the feelings. Indeed, pathetic defcription, or fcenes of feigned distress, is, in no part of his numerous publications to be found. Accul tomed, himself, to act from reafon's dictates, a conviction of the intrinfic excellence of virtue, and the perfection of chriftian morality; he exerted not his endea vours to work on the paffions of his auditory, or to take them by furprize. The u'ual style of his compofitions was more trong than brilliant. His biographical writings poffeis peculiar merit, the tyle being diftinguished by its neatness and perfpicuity; though plain, it is forcible and though familiar, it is never flat or infipid. His voice was strong, but far from being hath or unpleafing. Confidering how much and well he wrote, the great variety of works of different authors, in almost every department, which came under his infpection, and required accurate investigation to enable him to judge of and appreciate the merits of the writers; it may be faid, that his understanding was of the firit clafs, his mind uncommonly vigorous and comprehenfive, and that his muft, indeed, have been a life of affiduous study and laborious exertion. Doctor Towers was in ftature rather below the middle fize, his features were regular, his complexion fair, and his countenance open and engaging, denoting that kind of |
