tique copper arms might be their manufacture; and Mr. G.remarks that they answer to the defcriptions given by their writers, to the figures on their antient monuments, and are formed after their own peculiar ftyle, which diftinguishes them from those of other countries. Other European nations are fuppofed not to have had plenty of copper, and to have rather preferred iron for warlike purposes. Remarks made in a journey to the Orkney ifles, by Principal Gordon, of the Scots college, Paris. Among other particu lars here mentioned, is a phænomenon, oblerved at Eastnaby in Stromnefs, which, fays the writer, cannot be accounted for on any principles of philofophy know.' On rocks, rising from the ocean, are found ftones marked with figures of all hapes: they feparate gradually from the rocks in thin ftrata of different thickneffes: they are often washed away by the bilJows: but new ferata, figured as the former, fucceed. The fide of the ftone lying next to the rock has no figure, but, if raised so as to give the air admiffion, it by degrees takes the fame which had been formed on the other fide; if removed from this fpot before they are figured, they receive none afterward; if removed when figured, they retain the fame figure without alteration; whereas, when left on the rocks at Eaftnaby, the impreffion becomes always ftronger. Mr. Gordon inclines to think that the fea air may occafion this fingularity, but the operation is to him inexplicable. An ancient obelife in Berwickshire receives, an ingenious defcription and comment from Roger Robertfon, Efq. who concludes that it was erected after the year 1154, and that it is the monument of the father of Sir John de Soules, lieutenant er viceroy of John Baliol. Obfervations and facts relative to the breed of horses in Scotland, in antient times, are communicated from the fame pen. The most remote evidence on the fubject is before the year 1200 exportation of horfes prevailed, with fome checks, till a total prohibition appeared in 1567: but the breed remained. unimproved till James II. introduced ftallions and mares from Hungary. James V. afterward applied himself to breeding ufeful horfes of every kind; which, in the following reign, increased fo greatly as to require fome kind of reftraint.-The purposes for which they were used forms an amufing part of the article. An account of antiquities in the isle of Lewis, one of the Hebrides, is written from memory, by Colin McKenzie, Efq. They confist of different articles, ftone-circles, monumental ftones, cairns, round forts or duns, religious places, and cafiles. To the above we fhall only add, at prefent, the last letter in the volume which is from R, Barclay, Efq. containing fome obfervations on Agricola's engagement with the Caledonians, under their leader Galgacus, of which, we think, we have formerly given a fufficient account. These seventeen articles we have felected, because, together with two or three others on Scotch mufic, poetry, &c. which are too long for prefent notice, they fall more directly under the description of antique; while long accounts of diftricts and parishes, although they may have fomething of antiquity belonging to them, feem more properly to clafs with works of the topographical kind. We fhall not fail, however, foon to offer to our readers a brief view of thefe; as alfo of the remainder of those papers which partake more immediately of the antiquarian character. TH [To be continued.] 6 Hi...s ART. IV. Select Views in Leicestershire, from original Drawings: containing Seats of the Nobility and Gentry, Town-Views, and Ruins; accompanied with defcriptive and hiftorical Relations. By J. Throfby. Vol. I. 4to. pp. 360. 21. 25. Boards. Richardfon HE contents of this amufing volume are diftributed under the following heads,-Caftles, Religious Houses, Seats, Views of Towns and Village Churches: under each, hiftorical and descriptive accounts are added. The drawings and engravings feem to have been' principal objects with the author; who hopes, by means of thefe views, to rescue as it were their originals from the devaftation of time, and to convey to pofterity an idea of them, as accurate as may be:'but, though this is the chief intention, he farther obferves that beauty and embellishment, as fecondary confiderations, have been regarded, and fome liberties accordingly taken; as, in refpect to feats, or country-houses, the introduction of a tree, the removing of another, rejecting ordinary buildings, or fometimes faintly expreffing them; - thefe, he apprehends, are a kind of correction, which every gentleman of tafte will commend:'-for, he adds from another writer," when deformities are removed, beauty, in some shape, generally makes its appearance." Tours and Travels, Mr. Throsby remarks, prefent us with particulars open to every obferver; on the other hand, he expreffes a wifh that those who have leifure and ability would fearch for the bidden beauties, and produce them for general entertainment. Mr. T. profeffes himself aftonifhed to find in the little county of Leicester such a variety of pleafing fcenes, which which he doubts not will be equally delightful to his friends and patrons when they are viewed on paper.' The affiflance afforded by the fubfcribers he refpectfully mentions; acknowleging that, however he might have been otherwife difheartened, he has, under fuch a patronage, been enabled to proceed with pleasure. He appears accordingly to have been diligent in his researches, especially for the improvement of the views. True it is, ubi amatur, nen laborat, and fo, no doubt, it has been with him: for, after having fpoken of antiquaries, he finishes his introduction with this fentence:-I wish to be understood by fuch gentlemen, that it is not vanity, but a favourite amusement, through my life, which has been the occafion of obtruding this work on the public, which is now offered with due and humble deference.' * The caftles here enumerated are feven, of which the remains are inconfiderable; of fome it may be faid, as Lucan remarks of an object far more magnificent,etiam periere ruine.-Leicester caftle, though funken in obfcurity, affords matter for feveral pages.Concerning thefe edifices of defenfive and offenfive hoftility, the author obferves, Although the human mind may boaft of its being enlightened, and of its advancement in civilization; yet it cannot glory in the lofs of warfare; the change is not expected; the creation varies not from the beginning: beats prey on beafts, birds on birds, fish on fish, and the little infect is not a whit behind; and man, with all his exalted acquirements, indicates po traces of lefs ferocity.'-This pofition opposes a fentiment juftly maintained by fome of the best writers of the prefent period. Chriftianity, directing and affifting human reafon, has undoubtedly done much toward correcting the favage difpofitions and manners of men; and, were it permitted to operate in its unrestrained and genuine influence, would probably have yet greater efficacy: though it never can accord with ambition, avarice, and luft of dominion; which in every age have been productive of fo much wickedness, and fo much mifery to the race of mortals! Religious houfes were fufficiently numerous; twenty-fix are here mentioned;-many of them have now little other memorial than the name affigned to the fpot on which they once flood. Leicester abbey was the principal of these antient Structures; remarkable, among other things, as having been the laft fhort, refidence of Cardinal Wolfey, who here expired. -The royal plunderer, as Mr. Throby ftyles Henry VIII. difmantled it:-but, though we concur with him in condemning the avidity and voracioutnefs of Henry and his courtiers, we can never lament the downfal of bigotry, prieft-craft, and fuperftition. In defcribing feats,-or, as the writer more diffufely denominates them, the dwellings of the rich and opulent; the pride and ornament of nations;' nobility generally claims the first notice of this rank we meet with fix, under the titles of Rutland, Stamford, Ferrers, Harborough, Wentworth, and Rawdon. Whether Belvoir caftle, the Rutland mansion, appertains strictly to the county of Leicester, or to that of Lincoln, appears not to be precifely determined: it is a fplendid refidence, and affords remarks which are at once inftructive and entertaining.-Bradgate, the property of the Earl of Stamford, is in ruins it is memorable and venerable as having been once a favourite abode of Lady Jane Grey *.-Stanton-Harold we merely particularize on account of a letter written from Bruffels by Charles II. to Lady Shirley, after the death of her husband, Sir Robert, in the Tower: it affures her of his friendfhip it bears date 20th October 1657. A fac fimile of this letter is given to the public at the expence of Lord Ferrers ; the exact and admirable manner in which it appears to be executed entitles it to our approbation of the artift. The manfions of baronets, alfo, next prefent themfelves in due order; and thefe are followed by the feats of private gentlemen. In fome of thefe defcriptions, Mr. Throby adds, to other particulars, an account of the paintings and engravings with which the edifices are enriched. In the variety of articles here offered, fomething will doubtlefs engage the attention of readers in every clafs. We might, without difficulty, fix on a few extracts and remarks not unfuitable to our work: but from this our limits greatly restrain us. At Beau-manor-park-hall, the feat of William Heyrick, Efq. this writer was admitted to the perufal of papers which had been referved in chefts, unopened for more than a century. By fome of these old writings, it appears that Sir William Heyrick, knight, was not only at times preffingly folicited, by many of the nobility and gentry of his day, for loans of money, but alfo by king James I. himfelf:they feem alfo to betray the impoverished state of the exchequer in this and the fucceeding reign. Some of thefe papers are curious; feveral fignatures are alfo furnished, of which we have the fac fimile; among them we fee IV. Laud, G. Abbott, Robert first earl of Salisbury, Lord l'erulam, &c. but the principal are, one of Queen Elizabeth, to a very large parchment containing an account of her new-year's gifts in 1559, and another on the See Monthly Review, New Series, vol. ii. p. 417 Jike like occafion, of Queen Mary.-Some of these have by other means been laid before the public. Toward the end of the volume, we meet with additions and emendations' which occupy feveral pages:the remarks on "Bofworth fight,' as the author terms it, will appear to many readers fingular at least, when it is faid that it cost one of the greatest heroes, England ever produced, his crown and life, and levelled his conqueror and fucceffor with the lowe of the human race. Unlettered peasants, butchers, and chimney-fweepers, have killed their fellows in a conflict; but none of them infulted the bodies of the helpless flain. That alone was left for the earl of Richmond and his followers.'-The ftory, preferved in Peck's Defiderata Curiofa, relative to a natural fon of Richard III. is here retailed: but what credit is due to fuch traditionary reports cannot eafily be determined.In the notes to this part of the work, we find an alphabetical arrangement of towns, villages, &c. with their present and their antient names :-but we are to expect a more particular account in a volume which is to fucceed the prefen, under the title of Excurfions. Of this volume an account will be given in our next Review. -The engravings are indeed numerous and pleafing: it is, as we before hinted, for the fake of them principally, we apprehend, that the book has been compofed: they are upward of fixty in number, including fuch as appear on the running pages. Hi... s. ART. V. Plantarum Icones hactenus incditæ, plerumque ad Plantas in Many fpecies in this fafciculus are now for the first time mentioned; and, as the Doctor himself truly obferves, fi de raritate plantarum agitur, hic (fafciculus) cæteris quidem pretiofior du cendus eft. We are always happy when we can give unquali • Or Supplement. + For the firft Fafciculus, fee M. Rev. for Aug. 1789, p. 112. For the 2d, fee Q&t. 1790, p. 157 |