raife it without lofs. The confequence will be, a total change in the course of hufbandry. Oats, which we now purchase from abroad at the expence of near half a million fterling annually must be raised at home, the importation of them from abroad prohibited, and the lands that are now employed principally in the culture of wheat, must be converted to the purposes of that grain for which there is an immediate demand; for the farmers, rich as they are now thought, cannot long continue to raise a dead commodity.

"That this change is at no great diftance needs not the gift of prophecy to foretell. The lands of France, now that the fpirit of agriculture is gone forth, will raife more than fufficient in favourable years to fupply the inhabitants with bread; the lands of Italy want hardly any cultivation to affift their fertility; and the Pope is faid to have offered very advantageous terms to encourage their improvement; and though the climate of Spain and Portugal, and the genius of the people, promife no great progrefs in a profeffion that requires labour and attention, yet the overplus of France, the fuperabundance of Sicily, and above all, the accumulated produce of our American colonies, will pour upon them fuch an abundant fupply, that those who grow little or no corn for their own fubfiftence, will eat bread cheaper than those who grow the most ; and instead of the bounty now fo grievously complained of by fome fuperficial reafoners, double the present bounty will not be fufficient to enable the English merchant to go to market abroad upon equal terms with his competitors.

"While the feafons remain unfavourable, and little more wheat is raised in England than what is annually confumed by the people, these obfervations will be difregarded; but when the scene changes, and plenty (which in the nature of things fhould be received with thankfulness as the greateft bleffing which Heaven can bestow) overfpreads the land, then will murmurings begin; and poverty, bankruptcy, feizures for rents, decay of trade, imprisonments, beggary, and all the evils concomitant on national distress, will foon follow; then too will

It is to be remarked that this was written in the year 1767 or 1768, when the importation of oats amounted to more than half a million annually.

the enormous load of national debt begin to be feverely felt, rents will begin to fink, intereft of money to rise, and gentlemen of small fortunes, having no other means of fubfifting, must occupy their own lands, as no farmer will be able to pay the prefent rent, nor indeed any rent at all if he cannot difpofe annually of his produce."-Here this fenfible writer clofes his reflections with an apology for introducing them at fo unfeasonable a time. The writer of this addrefs needs no fuch apology; every gentleman of landed property muft feel the force of them, and some thing fhould be done to prevent the evils here foretold, otherwise the ruin of many will take place, before parliament, though ever fo well inclined, will be able to apply a remedy.

Would it not even now be prudent totally to prohibit the importation of wheat from abroad till it fells at the average of five fhillings a bufhel, and of oats till they fell at half that price? And if fome means could be devised, (and furely that cannot be beyond the wifdom of fo refpectable a body as the British Parliament) to keep bread corn and oats to that standard at all times, no clafs of men would have reason to complain; the farmer would then be paid for his labour, the landed gentleman for his rent, the tradefman and manufacturer would eat bread at a moderate price, and the poor be employed and paid with chearfulness and

content.

On the contrary, if, in the violent contentions of party, this business is totally neglected, much unfufpected mifchief will inevitably enfue. If the labourer cannot be paid his prefent wages, (and furely the farmer if the price of his produce finks much lower will not be able to pay them,) let any thinking perfon figure to himself the confequences. Coals, candles, foap, tea, fugar, (now become neceffaries of life to the poor as well as the rich,) and the whole catalogue of taxable neceffaries, are things permanent in their price, and nothing but bread and meat liable to leffen. What then must the poor man's family do, if from eight fhillings and fix pence a week, (the average price of the husbandman's labour throughout England) his pay is reduced to feven? Is it poffible that a wife and three or four children can be supported within the circle of fifty miles round London by fuch a fcanty pittance? And, if that is impoffible, it is left with gentlemen

gentlemen of landed property to think teriously of what must follow.

Men in the full vigour of health will not starve in the midst of plenty. Instead of patient fufferers they will foon become troublesome complainants; and, at length, rendered defperate by their feelings, will themselves endeavour to redrefs their own grievances. The multitude, already ripe for mifchief, want but little encouragement to engage in the most defperate attempts; and, if any fudden confufion fhould happen in confequence of general difcontent, the fatal effects that may be expected to enfue, are dreadful even in idea. A fhock to public credit at this critical juncture, would infallibly involve the nation in one common calamity. It is therefore hoped, that gentlemen of Janded property will look forward, and guard, as far as human forefight can enable them to guard, against an evil of fuch magnitude, which, by prudent caution, may be prevented; but, if fuffered to arrive, as arrive it will if left to the natural course of things, will require more than common wisdom to re-establish peace, order, and legal government.

It should be remembered, that in the year 1748, when our abundance was fuch, that our annual home confumption was by no means equal to the annual produce of our lands, Parliament, then fitting, confented to a propofition made by France for furnishing their army with 40,000 quarters of English wheat, at fifty shillings a quarter and five fillings freight. Though we were then a&ually at war with that power, and knew that their army could not take the field without our corn, yet relieving the farmers at that time appeared fo preffing, that Parliament

Refolved, nemine contradicente,

That the exportation of corn to foreign parts is very beneficial to this kingdom, and ought not to be prohibited at this time."-See the Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. XVIII. p. 41.

legory and real facts, in Dr. Delany's "Revelation examined with candour," Differtation v. in Part i. p. 64-68. London, 1732.

The word criticized in the note on p. 350 fhould be "balani."

The lines addreffed to Voltaire by Dr. Young (fee p. 363, col. 2, note) should ftand thus:

"Thou'rt fo ingenious, profligate, and thin,

At once thou'rt Milton, and his Death,

and Sin."

Mr. Lindfay, who is noticed in p. 434, 471, publifhed "The fhort Hiftory of the Regal Succeffion, &c. with Remarks on Whifton's Scripture Politicks, &c." Lond. 1720, 8vo; which occurs in the Bodleian Catalogue, His valuable Tranflation of "Mafon's Vindication of the Church of England," Lond. 1734, folio, has a large and elaborare Preface containing "A full and particular Series of the Suc ceffion of our Bishops, through the feveral Reigns fince the Reformation," &c. He dates it from "Ilington, 13 Dec. 1727." In 1746, he published in the fame fize Two Sermons preached at Court in 1620 by Francis Mafon" which he recommends "as well for their own intrinsick value, as to make up a complete Collection of that learned Author's Works." Mr. Blackbourne, who is alfo noticed in p. 434, was the Editor of Bale's "Chronycle Concernynge Syr Joan Oldecaftell," with an Appendix, Lond. 1729, 8v0. Hearne had mentioned the first edition of it as wonderful rare," in p, 645 of his Gloffary to "Peter Langtoft's Chronicle,” in 1725; which might occafion Blackbourne's republication of it; though it was only valuable from being scarce, as appears from p. 441 of "Hift. Ricardi II." &c. publifhed by Hearne in 1729. The edition of Bacon, 1740, 4 vols folio, was by Mr. Blackbourne.

The mention of Mr. Hughes in p. 456, 457, reminds me of No. 237 of the " Spectator," which in Mr. Dun-,

combe's Praface to his Works is attributed to him; though Mr. Tickell bas admitted it into his quarto edition of his Works of Addifon. It is obfervable, that no fignature is added to to this paper in the editions of the "Spectator."

The note in p. 493 would not have been inferted, if the annotator had adverted to the just account given of 'I oland's performance, by Harris, in p. 274 of Ware's "Hiftory of the Writers of Ireland," folio.

In p. 495 inquiry is made after the family of Lady Cutts. It appears from Wilford's "Memorials," p. 609, that she was bred up under the care of her near relation the old Lady Pickering.

In p. 506 notice is taken of the new edition of "Hudibras," in the firft volume of which at p. 78, note, 1. ult. for "Irish" we should read "first ;” as we are directed in the Errata perfixt to Dr. Grey's edition in 1744: and in p. 143, notes we should read, "Smectymnuus."

In p. 512 an account of Dean Chetwood is folicited; fome notices of whom may be collected from Echard's "Hiftory of England," in the places referred to, under his name, in the Index; and of vol. i. of Browne Willis's quarto "Survey of Cathedrals ;" and in the English Baronetage" under Chetwode; and in Letfome's" Preacher's Affittant."

Browne Willis, in his octavo "Survey of St. David's Cathedral," p. 31, will answer the query in p. 540 relative to canons curfal. He fays, "they received their lots or portions in a cycle, which made a fixed and a known courfe among them; from which these fix Prebendaries are properly called Curfals."

Dr. Bentley's "Oratiuncula," noticed in p. 546, col. 1, is prefixt to his edition of Terence, Amfiel. 1727, now before me; and his Letter to Dr. Davies, noticed in col. 2, is printed in the third volume of Mr. Duncombe's edition of Hughes's "Letters" &c. p. 31-37. In the fame column for "Horace" read "Homer." Surely in the following page there is no great difplay either of candor, judgment, or tafte, in the animadverfion on Alfop. In p. 551, col. 1, 1. 89, read "congruentia," and col. 2, 1. 8, "Browne;" I. 35 for "William" read "Wilmot." Could Mrs. Bonner, in p. 566, col. 2, be a regular lineal defcendant from the Popib Bishop of that name? In p. 578, col. 1, 1. 33, read " 35 Ed. I." In p. 593, col. 2, 1. 56, read "41, 42;" and in p. 594, col. 2, 1. 25, for "Dryden" read "Denham ;" and in P. 595, col. 1, 1. 44, for "raifed"

read" careffed ;" and in 1. 56 erafe "of them."

Dr. Johnson remarks, in p. 13 of bis Preface to Rofcommon, that his Lordship, "foreseeing that fome violent concuffion of the State was at hand, purposed to retire to Rome; alledging, that it was beft to fit near the chimney when the chamber Smoked; a sentence of which the application feems not very clear." I might have added to my ftrictures in p. 594, that this fentence evidently shows, that, in his Lordship's opinion, the troubles in King James's reign proceeded from the Court of Rome. He therefore purposed to retire thither, upon the fame principle that induces any one to fit near the chimney when the chamber smokes. The obfervation about the fmoke is well known, and the application in the present inftance is fnfficiently clear, in the opinion of Jan. 25. SCRUTATOR.

Mr. URBAN, Jan. 1, 1780. HAVING for fome years been col

lecting notes from various authors which might elucidate any difficult paffages of Scripture, I take the liberty of communicating to you an explanation of the 29th verfe of 1. Epift. Cor. c. xv. and its connexion with the fubfequent verfes; it is as follows: ver. 29, St. Paul feems here to use the word baptizing in the sense of Suffering, as in Matt, xx. (22, 23,) and in Mark x. 38, 39-As if he had faid thus: Why are we apoftles immerfed in fufferings for the fake of a dead unrifen Saviour? and why do we stand in jeopardy of yet more fufferings that await us? I proteft by our rejoicing which I have in Chrift Jefus, I die daily; a daily fucceffion of perils environ me every where: His fwearing in that manner by their common rejoicing, by a fublime turn of thought gives exiftence and certain being to their rejoicing; in the certain knowledge of a living, arifen Saviour, and in confidence of ample rewards from Him when He raises their injured bodies from the grave:υπερ νεκρων feems to be put in the plural, because the hope of the refurrection of the dead in Chrift is infeparably connected with and folded up in that of our Saviour's: -The words thus underflood: The beauty, ftrength and advantage of St. Paul's argu ment is confpicuous; as to fuffer in

the

the flesh, and rejoice in the fpirit for Christ being rifen; and a profpect of a recompenfing (refurrection from Him is a ftronger evidence of any one's believing in and being affured of the truth of both, than what can arife from any difciples being otherwise baptized in his name, or into his death and refurrection.-Smith's Deifm delineated.

V. 31. It is hard to make fenfe of this verfe without changing your into our, which in the Greek is but the fmall change of one letter, and one or more manufcripts have the word our to fupport the alteration. The way to keep the devout paffions awake and lively in religion, is to live much in the faith of unfeen things, and to die daily: This was St. Paul's practice? I proteft by our rejoicing, which I have in Chrift Jefus, I die daily; and his daily living in the views of death had an happy influence to maintain his rejoicing in Chrift.-Dr. Watts.

I am, Sir, yours, &c. P. K.

Mr. URBAN,

AS I am a clergyman, and very de

firous of knowing, by means of the prefs, the prefent itate of learning in the kingdom, I frequently fend for fermons and other books as they come out under promifing names; but I must own it grieves me much, either to forego my curiofity, or elfe to pay extraordinary for the gratification of it. By the prefent manner of printing all books with an extravagant blank of margin, the contents of a hilling pamphlet hardly afford entertainment for twenty minutes: a five fhilling book, of three or four hundred pages, is fkimmed over in an evening and a guinea quarto is, with as much eafe, gone through in a day.

Of late we must pay a fhilling for a fermon, because printed in quarto, though it contains not twenty pages; and fermons in octavo are mostly brought to that price. Now and then, indeed, we are prefented with fpecimens of honeft ingenuity, and liberal learning at a moderate rate. Two excellent inftances of which I beg leave to recommend to the public, one under the title of "an Inquiry into the Defign of the Chriftian Sabbath," the other called "Serious and Free Thoughts upon the Doctrines of Election, Reprobation, Free-will, the Fall of Man and his Reftoration through jais Chritt:"ach of them fhilling

pamphlets, replete with found inftruetion, and learned entertainment, and can neither of them be read through in less than three or four hours. Recommend me to the honeft divinity of a Scotch Profeffor, who entertains and inftructs you two or three hours for a fingle fix-pence. In like manner, let valuable works that are meant to furvive the day, instead of being eked out with wide margins, unnecessary breaks, unfinished pages, and a thoufand other tricks invented to magnify a book by, be for the future printed on the thinnest and whiteft Dutch paper, with a narrow margin, and a thin type. Be faving of both paper and types, and don't be so absurd as to put at the top of every page, for four or five hundred together, the repeated name of the book, such as The Hiftory of England, The Hiflory of Marcus Tullius Cicero: but let your aim to bring as much useful matter within as small space as may be. Any honest bookfeller I doubt not would find his account in liftening to this hint, in printing, for instance, Sherlock's admirable five volumes of fermons in three, and other standard hooks in the fame manner. The book feller who would have the fpirit to amputate the unneceffary excrescences of books, which have for a long time been growing upon us, would (befides a most extenfive fale of fuch contracted divinity, in particular, as he should judiciously felect from the capital compofitions, which of late have done honour to learning) do more real fervice to religion by the extension of knowledge, fo facilitated, than has been done for so many ages.

Mr. URBAN,

IN the late Mr. Granger's Biogra

phical Hiftory, no intimation, as I understand, is given by the author, of his having been able to discover an engraved head of Sir Robert Knolles, who made a diftinguished figure in the wars in France, during the reigns of Edward the Third and Richard the Second. Should any of your readers be informed of any portrait or other reprefentation of this celebrated officer,

Our correfpondent does not confider that, if the running titles was to be omitted, the numbering of the page would accupy the fame space.

The four first volumes have long fince been reprinted by the proprietors, in three volumes 12mo, on a fmall type.

Formerly