The Rev. S. REEVE of Walton, near Ipswich, says, "In making a tour last summer through the southern parts of the kingdom, I was very much surprised to find, in several reading rooms, a wretched novel, published in a magazine form, entitled Fatherless Fanny, by the author of the Old English Baron,' and edited by one Pritchard of Warwick-lane. I beg leave to say (in justice to the memory of my late revered aunt, Mrs. Clara Reeve,) that she was not the author of the trash in question; and as all her papers, after her death, came into my possession, I positively deny the fact. The preface to Fatherless Fanny' is almost a verbatim copy of the original one, by Mrs. Clara Reeve, to the Old English Baron,' being a scandalous piracy both upon her most popular publication, as well as her

name.

p. 198, on the consequences of certain popular projects of the day, notices, under the head of religious enthusiasm, the atrocious act of arson as at York Minster.' It immediately occurred to me, to guard against the possibility of so lamentable and destructive a calamity to this stupendous structure in future, that instead of wood, as proposed, no materials but that of stone should be used in restoring the vaulting or inner roof, which our cathedrals in general fortunately have. On viewing this unrivalled edifice some years ago, the verger, to increase, as he supposed, my admiration of the roof, informed me that the whole of it was wood; the description had a contrary effect."

SEXAGENARIUS requests assistance in appropriating to its right author a volume of Poems which has lost its title. It is a small 8vo of 168 pages, licensed 25 Oct. 1688, Rob. Midgley, dedicated to the Right Honourable the Countess of Clarendon; and

J. P. R. observes, "Your very intelligent Correspondent Mr. Broughton (p. 229) seems to have quite mistaken what was meant by the writer of this respecting the infamous Paine. That the fellow was guilty of imposition, there is little doubt, but he did not affect to have written the Song alJuded to, on the Death of Washington, but on that of Gen. Wolfe. The supposed parody was never seen nor heard of by J.P.R."

Ĥ. P. begs to state, that Sir Baldwin Leighton died Nov. 13, and not Oct. 13, as stated in p. 98; also that he was a member of the Corporation of Shrewsbury for several years, and served the office of Mayor for that borough in 1803. His remains were interred in a vault in the parish church of Alberbury, co. Salop.

Dr. Monk, the Dean of Peterborough, is about to send to the press The Life of Bentley,' a work upon which he has been long engaged; it will comprise a great variety of literary, biographical, and academical history, derived from unpublished sources. If any of our readers possess original letters written by Dr. Bentley, or relating to him, and will communicate them to the Dean, or to the Editor of this Magazine, their kindness will be thankfully acknowledged.

G. W. L. remarks, "Your Correspondent Anti-Quackery,' in your last number,

dress to the worthy Mr. Roderick, upper master of Eaton School, subscribed your dutiful scholar,' &c. Translations from Synesius, Anacreon, Bion, and others, Parting with his dear Brother Mr. Ash Wyndham,' and other verses to the same person; several amatory poems to his mistress Idera;' and to his valentine Hemiera, Madam A. R." a paradox in praise of ambition, to his dear friend Mr. Edward Taylour of Merton Colledge in Oxford,* &c. These little Poems are not devoid of merit.

Any particulars relative to Sir Christopher Hoddesdon, Knt. who held considerable estates in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire in the reign of James the First, and whose daughter Ursula is supposed to have been married to an ancestor of the Lords Leigh, would much oblige Q.

P. 179. Sir Brent Spencer was son of Conway Spencer, esq. of Irumery, co. Antrim, and brother of Mrs. Canning of Garvagh, mother of Lord Garvagh.

ERRATA.

Vol. xcvi. ii. p. 569, a. 31, read Capt. Andrew Snape Douglas.-P. 585, b. 17 from bottom, for πρεπων read πτερων.

Vol. xcix. p. 148, a. l. 20, for depreciate read deprecate.-157, b. l. 22 from bottom, for Forence read Florence.-170, b. 1. 31, for Largo read Lago.-219, b. 9 from bottom, for homage read adage.

Mr. URBAN,

April 1. As the public attention is freed S the public attention has been

and the state of its inhabitants; aud such strange alterations in the opinions of many in this country respecting the causes of the discontent and turbulence which afflict the Sister Island have taken place, a short review of its former state may not be uninteresting.

In making this brief sketch, it is desirable to avoid entering into the religious disputes which have led to so much rancour and bad blood; but it will be impossible to avoid some allusion to the principles of Popery. If the Catholic religion is of so estimable a character as its votaries maintain, we may at least be allowed to say that we have yet to look for some of its good effects on the morals of the people of Ireland.

It has been said by an honourable Member in Parliament, and repeated by others, that the evil which produces so much misery in Irelaud, lies neither in the climate nor character of the na tives, an observation the justice of which must be admitted. I am not by any means disposed to agree with a certain author that these "Celts are of all savages the most deficient in understanding and intellect, and totally unable to raise themselves in the scale of society;" but I believe I shall be able to show that the source of the national distress and misery is to be traced chiefly to the dispositions of the people themselves, coupled with the effect which a belief in the power of the priests to pardon transgressions, is calculated to produce on ignorant minds.

The poverty and utter destitution of the Irish are dwelt on with great feeling, and are put down as an effect of the disabilities under which they have lain. Their wretchedness must excite commiseration; but would it exist to so painful a degree, if the people were 19

exert themselves as industrious and peaceable members of society? Whatever may be said in their favour, the Irish are certainly most obstinately adverse to steady and well-regulated industry, and the introduction of improvement. Their country is proverbially fruitful-the earth bountifully rewarding the smallest efforts of the husbandian, yet the Irish peasant is but too often found, instead of exerting himself for his own comfort, to drag out his existence in indolence or immorality. He will bask himself in the sunshine, or sit by the fire, surrounded by swarms of pigs and children, scrambling together, until perhaps the want of fuel may compel him to go to the bog, or the prospect of a fight at an ensuing fair rouse him to an exertion that only disturbs the peace of the country.

Instead of adopting any means of ameliorating their condition, they are naturally opposed to all innovation. A deviation from established custom but too often excites the hostile resentment of surrounding neighbours, and if any one improves his circumstances sufficiently to enable him to rent a better farm, he is likely to get his cattle houghed, if nothing worse befalls him. The Irish are inveterately attached to their rude aud barbarous customs, and the gentlemen of the country are, perhaps often unjustly, charged with neglecting their tenants. I have heard from a person of property in Ireland, that in a certain village the 18 or 20 families who inhabited it possessed but one churn for making their butter, and thinking to confer a favour on the poor people whose poverty might have prevented them froin procuring more, several others were given to them. What improvement could be made in the condition of a people who had, as he afterwards ascertained, got rid of all the new utensils, and cheerfully