The appendix, which forms the greater part of this number, confifts of five articles: 1ft, Prebendaries of Ifledon, or Iflington. 2d, Priors of St. Bartholomew. 3d. Vicars of Iflington. 4th, Epitaphs from the old church, Iflington, with those in the prefent church, 1788. 5th, Infcriptions in the church-yard, 1788. The connection of thefe addenda with Canon-bury is but fmall; they rather belong to the general hiftory of Iflington; and accordingly we obferve at the end of this number, queries, to the amount of twenty-fix, refpectfully fubmitted to the inhabitants of Iflington, preparatory to an intended topographical defcription of the parish, its antiquities, &c.' Among the vicars of this town, two are of fome note in the learned world; Dr. Hanmer and Dr. Cave. The former, Meredith Hanmer, died at Dublin of the plague, in the year 1604. Befide his writings against the Jefuits, and fome other works, he tranflated all the church hiftorians, excepting four books of Eufebius concerning the life of the Emperor Conftantine. The latter, William Cave, who died in 1713, feems to have taken the hint from his predeceffor, of applying himself to ecclefiaftical hiftory. His publications are well known, as is alfo his controverfy with Le Clerc, who charged Dr. Cave with two unfair proceedings: That instead of writing the lives of the Fathers, he had written their panegyrics; and, that he had forcibly drawn Eufebius, who was an Arian, to the fide of the orthodox, and had made a Trinitarian of him. The remark of our editor, on this charge, is candid, and worthy of a man of fenfe: we notice it the rather, because it is very clear that Mr. Nichols is generally partial to churchism and reputed orthodoxy. The remark is as follows: we may just be permitted to fay, without any intention to leffen the value of Dr. Cave's work, that he did not entirely clear himself of the charge.' The reader may perhaps infer, that it remains in full force against him.

Five engravings belong to this number, viz. North-west view of Canonbury: weft view of Canonbury, Queen Elizabeth's lodge, &c.: priory feal of St. Bartholomew: an ancient epitaph; and two views of the old church of Islington.

No. 50 of this work, likewife compiled by Mr. Nichols, is very large. It bears this title: Collections towards the History and Antiquities of the Town and County of Leicester.' Different parts of Leicestershire have already been noticed by Mr. N. and one or two of the articles on this fubject are as informing and amufing as any in the Bibliotheca. In the preface to the history of Afton Flamville*, &c. the prefent

* See Review for Dec. 1780, vol. Ixxix. p. 494•

number

number was faid to confift principally of brief church-notes, and a few monumental infcriptions: information, however, it feems, flowed in fo fast, as not only to have increased greatly the fize of this volume, but alfo to afford ample materials for one yet larger. These collections, though numerous, are frequently unimportant. The name of the faint, to whom, according to ancient fuperftition, the church was dedicated; or of fome, (perhaps only one,) of the minifters, with an infcription or two, (and perhaps not fo much,) conftitute the chief of what we learn, befide the name, of many parishes. Some apology is offered for this, in the introduction to the remarks which are made on the town of Leicester. It is there observed, that what is haftily thrown out as to that ancient town, has not the leaft pretenfion to be confidered as in any degree approaching to a regular hiftory: they are only detached papers, printed in this form for their better prefervation, and as preparatory to a work of much more confequence.'

Some places prefent confiderable fupplies for our editor, as no doubt all others would in a degree, were they to be diligently and judiciously inveftigated. In the account of the village of Langton in this county, the Rev. Mr. Hanbury*, now deceased, furnished fome materials. Whatever we might be inclined to think of his plan, (to which we fuppofe none of our readers are ftrangers,) we cannot but honour his benevolence and virtue. It fometimes happens that excellent intentions are mifreprefented, or fail, at least, of all the fuccefs which might have been expected, partly through a malevolent oppofition. Such feems to have been the cafe as to Mr. Hanbury, and alfo to the charitable purposes and endeavours of another gentleman, Mr. Alderman Newton, of Leicester +. While we condemn the ingratitude and mal-treatment which they are faid to have received, may it not be asked, whether there was not fome mistake in their schemes, or in the execu tion of them, by which this was, in fome meafure, occafioned?

Bradgate, is an ancient manor in this county, and worthy of notice, as having been the refidence of Frances Brandon, niece of King Henry VIII. and wife to Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk. Her three daughters, all unfortunate, fane, Catherine, and Mary, were born at this place. The unhappy fate of the firft most amiable lady is well known; the fecond, Catherine, was married to the fon and heir of the Earl of Pembroke, who found it neceffary to procure a divorce, and the lady was confined in the Tower, where fhe died, after an imprifonment of nine years. Mary, the third daughter, was

See Review, vol. xix. p. 535.

+ P. 481, 482. affrighted

affrighted at the misfortunes of her elder fifters: but chufing rather to fecure her life than honour, married one fhe could love, and thought nobody could fear, Martin Keys, of Kent, Efq. Serjeant-porter, a judge at court, indeed, but of dice only, and not of law. She died without iffue, April 20, 1578.'

Under the name of Lindley, we obferve the following re. mark: This lordship was one of the firft which was inclofed in the county, and in confequence thereof is now become an inconfiderable place.' Concerning the juftice of this reflection, we cannot determine: we incline to confider inclosures as beneficial: but the monopolizing of grounds, and destroying the fmall farms, fo ferviceable in many refpects, is a practice, which, like other prevalent practices, though it may be profitable to fome rapacious individuals, is very baneful to the public. Concerning this lordship of Lindley it has been obferved, with what juftice we know not, that neither adder, fnake, nor lizard, were ever feen there, though common in the adjoining grounds. The name is faid to be derived, either from lin, a lake or pool, or from linden, a tree fo called, and ley, a field.

Under the article Lutterworth, John Wickliff is naturally mentioned. Whether the account of his death is perfectly exact, we have fome doubt; though we acknowlege that the memoirs of thofe times are involved in fuch obfcurity, that it is very difficult, if not almoft impoffible, in fome cafes, to obtain the truth. It is here faid, that he died at his rectory houfe of an attack of the palfy, which feized him as he was hearing mafs, juft at the elevation of the hoft. From fuch a relation, the reader may be led to conclude, that he countenanced, in his laft hours, that doctrine of tranfubftantiation, which, it is very clear, in the latter part of his life, he wholly rejected and condemned. It is fufficient to know that, as he attended divine worship to the laft, he received the fatal stroke of his diforder in his church at Lutterworth, in the year 1384.

In the course of this work, an account is given of several learned and refpectable perfons; fuch as, Francis Peck, M. A. rector of Godeby, near Melton, an induftrious antiquary, known by many publications, and particularly by Defiderata Curiofa; Dr. Parry, of Market-Harborough, who died in 1780; the ingenious and learned Dr. Richard Grey, rector of Kilncote, author of the Memoria Technica, &c.; Dr. Bentley, rector of Nailefton, nephew to the celebrated critic, and likewife confiderable in the learned line; Sir Edward Leigh, of Shawell, author of the Critica Sacra, and other learned works; Thomas Hayne, of Thrufhington, M. A. a noted critic, who died in 1645, and left the principal part of his books to the

library

library at Leicester; Emanuel Bourn, M. A. rector of Waltham on the Woulds; Thomas Jacombe, of Burton Lazars, &c. Some of the above names will be recognized as not belonging to the national church, of which number is the laft, to whom a high character is given. To the lift, fhould be added Dr. Taylor, rector of Market-Bosworth, and friend of Dr. Johnfon; Edward Wells, M. A. rector of Cottefbach, author of feveral useful tracts in the arithmetical, geographical, chronological, and mathematical line; the famous William Lilly alfo claims this county as his birth-place-but Mr. Nichols recurs, with particular pleafure, as in a former number, to Thomas Stavely, Efq. and the Oneby family, feveral of whofe letters form an amusing part of this collection.

In the account of Quenby, in the parish of Hungarton, is the following particular:

It is principally famous for being the ancient inheritance of a refpectable family, from which Shuckburgh Afhby, Efq. a character of first-rate moral and literary excellence, is defcended. This gentleman refides on his paternal inheritance, and is truly a parent to all his dependants. Under his benignant care, a village of new cottages has rifen up, which he permits the inhabitants to enjoy at a quit-rent of 6d. a year.'

The library at Leicester contains 948 books, principally Latin. Among the MSS. which are few, the most noted is the New Teftament in Greek, commonly called the "Codex Leiceftrenfis." There is alfo an Hebrew book in Syriac characters, curiously written on paper, bordered with gold. The building was erected in the year 1633, at the fole charge of the corporation, on the motion, and by the approbation, of the Bishop of Lincoln. It might be fuppofed that this would prove a ufeful establishment, as there are in moft towns fome perfons capable of deriving entertainment and improvement from fuch a provifion, and alfo of communicating them to others. It does honour to the memory of thofe who promoted and effected the defign; for it is too plain that, in general, it is the aim of policy, both ecclefiaftical and civil, to keep people in ignorance, and render them fuperftitious, and to do this under the delufive idea of affording encouragement to learning.It is a pity that there are not a number of good English volumes in different branches of science, in this library at Leicester.

We have thought it right to give the reader fome view of this volume, and to offer a few obfervations on it. The collections, for fome parishes, are indeed fo trivial, that we may fuppofe that half an hour's converfation at the place, or with any perfon acquainted with it, might have furnished much more: however, all may yield fome affiftance toward the in4

tended

tended history, for which many and fill more substantial materials will poffibly be requifite than have yet appeared to the public of thele, perhaps, we may find a larger ftore in the next number of this work; which, together with the 52d and laft, is now before us, and will foon be farther noticed.

Among the plates in this number, are Cary's map of Leicefterfhire: monuments in Barwell church, &c. Knapton encampment; this was difcovered in August 1787, lying by the fide of the turnpike road, about midway between Leicester and Nafeby, in Northamptonshire, and feems rather to be a British or Saxon, perhaps Danish, entrenchment, than a Roman one; it has been before defcribed in the Gentleman's Magazine:-infcription in All Saints church, Leicester ; painted glafs, at St. Margaret's, town-hall, &c.; Roman pavement, or opus teffelatum, which was discovered in digging a cellar about the year 1675; three Roman pavements found in the year 1754, in a piece of ground in Leicester, called the BlackFriars; another pavement, the difcovery of which is more recent, in a field called the Cherry-ground, Leicester. These mofaic (or mufaic, from mufa and mufiva,) works are very pretty, but their frequency renders them lefs the fubject of curious notice. Old ftones from Jewry wall, Leicester. One of thefe ftones is in the form of a cross, thirteen inches over; the other has a crofs excavated in it, about ten inches long. A fac-fimile of hand-writing of eminent perfons. Also feveral portraits, views, &c.

Hi.

ART. XI. Letters on Agriculture, Planting, &c. Selected from the Correfpondence Book of the Society inftituted at Bath, for the Encouragement of Agriculture, Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, within the Counties of Somerfet, Wilts, Glocester, and Dorfet, and the City and County of Bristol. Vol. V. Svo. PP. 472. 6s. Boards. Dilly. 1790.

A s man derives his fubfiftence from the produce of the earth, agriculture is his first and most important bufinefs; and to improve any foil or article of growth, is doing more effential fervice to fociety, than to cultivate ideas merely fpeculative, even to the highest degree of refinement. The farmer knows nothing of metaphyfics, nor would his tillage improve by fuch abstract ftudies; while the metaphyfician, however his mind may foar above earthly concerns, lives in daily dependence on the hufbandman for fubfiftence. In cultivating a barren foil, the farmer raifes food, not only for himfelf, but for his neighbours; while the cultivator of many a literary fubject—a Reviewer, for inftance,-cannot procure a dinner, excepting