ページの画像
PDF
ePub

Fifty bolls of the former, old High land measure, are every year brought from thence to Harris, and all the western iflands hardly produce any thing fo good of the kind. Potatoes have been introduced among that people only of late, and hitherto they have raised but small quantities of them.

The only appearance of a garden in this whole land, fo the natives call their principal ifland in their own language, is no more than a very inconfiderable piece of ground, which is inclofed, and planted with fome cabbages.

The ground on the north-weft part of the island is incomparably better, in fome parts of it, than that round the village. The fteward, or in other words, the perfon to whom the proprietor gives the management of the place, prevailed with fome of the people, a few years ago, to make an experiment on two or three fmall pots there, by turning and fowing them; but fo rank were the blades, and fo weak the ftalks, that the whole was laid before the ears were perfectly formed. From this unfuccefsful experiment they draw an argument irrefiftibly ftrong; they would have it thought fo, against all future trials of the fame kind. But their real and great objection against all improvements in this way, is the terrible inconvenience of wanting the finest part of their grafs; which they are fenfible

enough would be, in fome measure, loft to them, were this rich ground once tilled. It is true, their cattle are much more beneficial to the fteward than to them; as he has an old prefcription right to all the milk they yield, from the beginning of May till after Michaelmas; but fill they are of fome confiderable advantage to themfelves; as their wives and daughters are employed in milking thefe cattle, in which the owners are most interested only when lefs useful.

Another mighty difcouragement is, that the steward will always have it in his power to monopolize the whole trade of this ifland, if one may fo fpeak; or, in other words, to ingrofs every thing it produces, excepting what is neceffary to keep the people alive; nor is it an eafy matter to redrefs this grievance. So peculiarly unhappy is the place in its fituation, that the inhabitants muft, I am afraid, to the end of time, be wholly at the mercy of fome one perfon, who may fwallow all the fmall commodities this inland can afford; and rule the whole community with a rod of iron, unless reftrained by honour, confcience, or an uncommon fhare of humanity.

This being a true state of their cafe, to raife up larger quantities of corn than their land now produces, or what will bé neceffary to fupport them, would contribute very little to the happiness of the St. Kildians.

Defcription of the TRIUMPHAL ARCH of Septimius Severus, and
St. MARTIN'S CHURCH, di Rome,

ROM
OME abounds with fuch an
amazing variety of magnificent
and agreeable objects, that it would
be an endless task to enter into a
June 1764.

minute defcription of all the temples, churches, palaces, and other curious remains of antiquity, which every where engage our attention, T

and

and fill the mind with a pleafing admiration. We flatter ourselves, therefore, that our readers will not be difpleafed with our intention of prefenting them, occafionally, with views and defcriptions of thofe places which are deemed moft curious and deferving of notice. The plate we have annexed to this number exhibits the triumphal arch of Sep imius Severus, with the church of St. Martin; defcriptions of both which places we have here fubjoined.

The triumphal arch of Septimius Severus ftands at the foot of the Capitol, being of marble, and fill entire, though fomething funk un

der the prefent furface of the ground. On each fide are reprefented in bas relief, the victories of this emperor; and on the infide the vaults is finely wrought with flowers, of which no two are of the fame fhape. It was erected to the honour of the em peror Severus, in memory of his Parthian conquefls; but being under great concern at the civil difcords he met with on his return to Rome, he feigned himself ill of the gout, and deputed his fon to triumph in his ftead. The infcription on the arch is as follows, in large Roman characters, viz.

IMP. CAES. LVCIO SEPTIMIO. M. FIL. SEVERO, PIO. PERTINACI AVG. PATRI PATRIE. PARTHICO. ARABICO ET PARTHICO ADIABENICO. PONTIFICI MAXIMO TRIBVNIC. POTEST XI. COS. III. PROCOS. ET IMP. CÆS. M. AVRELIO. I. FIL. ANTONĪNO AVG. PIO. FELICI TRIBVNIC. POTEST VI. COS. PROCOS. P. P. OPTIMIS FORTVNATISSIMISQUE. PRINCIPIBVS. OB. REMP. RESTITVTAM. IMPERIVMQVE POPVLI ROMANI PROPAGATAM. INSIGNIBVS. VIRTVTIBVS EORVM DOMI FORISQUE. S. P. Q. R.

St. Martin's church is part of the baths of Trajan. Under it are fome pieces of the old Mofaic floor, and other remains of the ancient building. The pillars of the church are antique, taken from the baths; the

capitals feem modern; the order is Corinthian. In this church it is faid the Chriftians had the first free exercife of their religion in Rome. In it are fome fine landscapes in fresco of Gafpar Pouflin.

METHODS for the Speedy Recovery of the Ufe of the Foot or Hand that has been violently Sprained.

[blocks in formation]

themselves to their natural lengths.

Second, That the great elongation of the veffels (which deprives them of their contractile power) leffens the diameter of their cavities, ob. ftru&s the free courfe of the fluids through them, makes them fwell and become painful and incapable of their usual services, or of being moved by the acts of the will, as before the accident happened.

· These effects of violent ftrains may lead us to conclude, that the beft remedies are thofe applications which may beft attenuate their obftructed fluids, recover an easy circulation of them, and fufficiently contract the elongated veffels.

For these purposes I advife vine. gar, the rectified fpirits of wine, fuch as are burnt in lamps, friction, and motion, in the following manner, viz.

Suppose the ancle sprained. Firft, Let it be fomented with vinegar, a little warm, for four or five minutes at a time, once every four hours; this will render the circolation of the fluids, in the parts affected, more eafy, and either pre

vent its fwelling, or promote its fubfiding.

Second, Let the perfon ftand three or four minutes at a time on both his feet in their natural posture, and fometimes move the ftrained foot; and fometimes, when fitting with his foot on a low ftool, let him move it this way and that, as he can bear it; this will contribute much to contract the over-ftretched veffels, and to recover a due circulation of their fluids through them.

Third, Let a gentle dry friction with a warm hand be fometimes ufed to the part affected, which will conduce much to the fame ends.

'Two hours after every application of the vinegar, let the parts affected be juft wetted with rectified fpirits of wine, and then gently rubbed.

By thefe means, perfons to whom I have advised them, have recovered from the effects of very violent fprains in a few days, when others have been weeks in recovering, where different ways of management, fuch es continual refting of the ftrained foot, and difufe of its motions, &c. had been recommended.

Extra of a Letter from Leverpoole, May 25, concerning the OCTAGON Society.

"THE congregation you so much

enquire after is well fupportcd. Travellers of every denomination vifit them; people who never before ventured into a diffenting place of worship, attend their fervice with fatisfaction, and speak of them, at leaft, with candour; frequently, I can tell you, with fingular approbation. Their public fervice has been printed, under the title of, "A Form of Prayer, and a new Collection of Pfalms, for the Ufe of a Congregation of Proteftant Diffen,

ters in Leverpoole." "Thefe compofitions (fays the preface) are not the hafty production of any one perfon, but the joint labour of feveral; improved by the judicious remarks of many. The fociety, for whose ufe they were drawn up, have now made them public; and hope they will receive many farther improvements, from the candid examination of those who have not yet perused them."-The liturgy, both as to its ftyle and manner, feems much to be indebted to that of our Common Tt2 Prayer.

Prayer. It is divided into short colJets; a firit and fecond leffon are introduced; aud fome acts of praife and thanksgiving (like our Te Deum) are repeated by the minifter and people. Befides, the morning and evening fervice, they have an occafional one, called the Third Service, to be used at the choice of the minifters. The Lord's prayer is enjoined once only, at the end of each fervice; after which follows a pfalm, and then the fermon, with the Bene dition, which difmiffes the congregation. Their prayers are obviously in the Unitarian ftile. I have been haftily turning them over, in order to give you what fatisfaction I can. The Holy Ghof feems not once to be mentioned through their feveral fervices; and the name of Jefus Chrift but fparingly in their acts of praife indeed, they thank God for the manifeftation of his fon, whom he raised up to blefs mankind; to turn them from darkness to light, &c. &c. In two or three of the collects, they conclude their petitions by offering them up in the Name and as the Difciples of Jefus Chrift; and in the thanksgiving for women after childbearing, "may that life which thou haft fpared, and that inftant life which thou haft given, be devoted to thy obedience and fervice, thro! Jefus Chrift." They have occafional

forms alfo, which are calculated for a variety of circumftances; yet the minifter is at liberty to introduce fuch of his own as he may more perfectly adapt to the circumftances of the time, and his congregation, in order that the fociety may enjoy the advantages of free Prayer, as diftinguished from thofe of a precom pofed Form. At the end of the fervice book is added their “new collection of Pfalms ;" in number one hundred and fifty. Each pfalm has its diftin& Title prefixed; and tho' no occafional offices for fafts or feftivals are to be found in their Liturgy, one of these pfalms I fee is appointed for Chriftmas Day. As for the rites of Baptifm and the Lord's Supper, thefe are adminiftered, for the prefent, as among Proteftant diffenters, until fuitable offices are compofed for them. Permit me to add, that the devotions in question are compofed in a strain of fuch unaffected piety, in fo manly and ele vated a ftile, that I fhall much wonder if your righteous metropolis, already fplit and fhattered into fo many fectaries and difputants, fhould not yet produce one shoot from this new Leverpoole ftock; too rational, however, (affure yourfelf) to rival methodism and enthusiasm; too fimple and impotent to contend with orthodoxy and establishments."

* On the first Sunday in every month, instead of the fecond leffon, at evening fervice, the commandments are appointed to be read to the congregation standing, but I do not obferve that this, or any other part of their service, is bleffed with a fingle Creed, Nicene, Athanafian, or even Apostolic.

The Origin of SURNAMES, from Mr. Henderson's Life of William the Conqueror.

BEFORE

the arrival of the Normans, men were usually named from their condition and properties,

as Godred, the Saxon word for good advice; and a woman was called from fome quality of her body, as

Swcan

Swcan halfe, for the whiteness of her neck; but after that period, men began to be known by their dwellings, and to have an appellation from the poffeffions they enjoyed; at that time the names of John, Thomas, Nicolas, Francis, Stephen, and Henry, were introduced, with others fcriptural, and now in ufe among us. Such as had lands affigned them were called from thefe; thus, if Thomas had got the townfhip of Norton, Sutton, Knowles, or

Combe, he was thenceforth called Thomas of Norton, of Sutton, or of Come; others again preferred the places in Normandy or Britany, whence they had arrived; thus if a man

came from a village called Vernon, Montague, Howard, or Spencer, he tranfmitted to his posterity the furname of Vernon, Montague, Howard, or Spencer, to be put after their Chriftian names fo long as any of them should remain,

Account of the heroic Composure of the late King of Pruffia, at his Death.

KING

"It is already on you, Sire," ánfwered M. Euler; "I feel the pulle receding, and it beats under your elbow. But where does it stop at laft?" The doctor replying, "It will totally ceafe beating in about an hour, the blood making its way to the heart." The king answered with the most tranquil refignation, "God's will be done !" and about three o'clock expired. Bibliotheque des fei

ING Frederic William died with great firmness and devotion, after frequent converfation on governments with his fon, and with his chaplains on the future ftate, and the duties of a Chriftian on his departure out of the prefent, At one in the afternoon he fent for M. Euler, his first phyfician, to know whether his life and pains could ftill be of any long continuance, and whether his agony would be fevere ?ences,

Account of the prefent King of Pruffia being made a Free-Mafon. BEING with his father at Loo, on

a visit to the late prince of Orange, the table-talk, one day, fell on mafonry; and the king having spoke disadvantageously of it, count Lippe-Buckebourg modeftly took on him to vindicate it, and owned himself a free-mason. After the enter tainment, the prince royal privately fignified to him his defire of being a member of that fociety, and that he fhould like to be admitted at Brunf wick, whither his father was going,

and from the great refort of ftran

gers at the fair, the coming of the brother mafons for making a lodge would be lefs fufpected. Count Lippe applied to baron Oberg, to procure to the order fuch a glorious acquifition. Every thing was planned and tranfacted accordingly at Brunswick, the reception of the prince royal be ing performed there on the night of the 14th of August, 1738, without the king his father fufpecting any thing of the matter.

Poetical

« 前へ次へ »