Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

farther learn, that the author is about to republish it with large additions.

For this reason I will venture to borrow some extracts from the account given of it by the British Critic (Vol. VII.) p. 247,) because that account was written by one whose authority is decisive on the subject.

The Critic says, "It may perhaps be but justice to declare, that the ingenious author of the work has comprized, in the space of an 8vo. volume, all that is worthy of general promulgation on the subject of Heraldry. To those superficial students of the science, who mean to content themselves with blazoning arms and sketching pedigrees, his book will be useless. It will neither enable them to detect the owner of a single coach; nor will it add one alliance to their store of genealogical information; but the historian and the poet, nay the lawyer and the politician, will peruse it with pleasure, while the most careless reader, who, pursuing none of the regular paths of literature, steps occasionally into all, will be equally gratified and surprized when he finds that heraldry has some relation to all sciences, is connected with every branch of civil polity, and influences in a considerable degree the general manners of society."

***** It is a pleasing circumstance to find elegance and liberal information thus happily connected with a science usually perplexed, as Heraldry is, by technical terms and grotesque figures. Mr. Brydson's book may be recommended to intelligent readers of all descriptions, who will find in it much that is amusing and instructive, without any unpleasing mixture."*

A. Wood mentions a book of Heraldry, 1682, 8vo. by Payne Fisher. This author died 2 April, 1693.

Addenda

Addenda to the List. '

Art. 32. The Worthy Tract of Paulus Jovius, contayning a Discourse of rare inventions, both military and amorous, called Imprese; whereunto is added a Preface contayning the Arte of composing them, with many other notable devises. By Samuel Daniell, late Student in Oxenforde. London. Printed by Simon Waterson, 1585, 8vo.

Art. 33. Blome's Art of Heraldry, 1685, 12mo.

ART. XXXI. Brief Biographical Notices.
[CONTINUED FROM P. 224]

19. MRS. WRIGHT, (Poetess.)

(Extracted from a MS. Letter of Mr. Wm. Duncombe, to Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, 1752.)

"You desire some account of Mrs. Wright. She was sister to Sam. Charles, and John Wesley. The first was Under-Master at Westminster School, and died Master of Tiverton School in Devonshire. Charles and John are eminent preachers among the Methodists. If you have read the Bishop of Exeter's Letter to the former of them, Charles, you will not think very favourably of his morals. Her father also was a clergyman, and author of a poem, called the Life of Christ. It is a pious book, but bears no character as a poem. But we have a volume of poems in quarto by Sam. Wesley, whieh are ingenious and entertaining. He had an e cellent knack at telling a tale in verse. I suppose you must have seen them. I think she told me that her father had 18 children, if

[blocks in formation]

not more, who lived to be men and women. Mr. Highmore, who knew her when she was young, told me she was very handsome. When I saw her, she was in a languishing way, and had no remains of beauty, except a lively piercing eye. She was very unfortunate, as you will find by her poems; which are written with great delicacy; but so tender and affecting, they can scarce be read without tears. She had an uncle a physician, and a man midwife, with whom she was a favourite. In her bloom he used to take her with him to Bath and Tunbridge, &c. And she has done justice to his memory in an excellent poem.

"Mr. Wright, her husband, is my plumber, and lives in this street; an honest laborious man, but by no means a fit husband for such a woman. He was but a journeyman, when she married him; but set up with the fortune left her by her uncle. She has been dead two or three years. On my asking, if she had any child living, she replied, I have had several; but the white lead killed them all.' She was then just come from Bristol, and was very weak. How, Madam,' said I, 'could you bear the fatigue of so long a journey? We had a coach of our own,' said she, ' and took short stages; besides, I had the King with meThe King! I suppose you mean a person, whose name is King!'-No; I mean my brother Charles, the King of the Methodists!'-This looked like a spice of lunacy.

[ocr errors]

"She told me, that she had long ardently wished for death; and the rather,' said she, because we, (the Methodists) always die in transports of joy!' I

am

am told, that she wrote hymns for the Methodists, but have not seen any of them.

"It affected me too much to view the ruin of so fine a frame; so I made her only three or four visits. Mr. Wright told me, she had burned many poems, and given some to a beloved sister, which he could never recover. As many as he could procure, he gave me. I will send them to you speedily.

"I went one day with Mr. Wright to hear Charles Wesley preach. I find his business is only with the heart and affections. As to the understanding that must shift for itself. Most of our clergy are in the contrary extreme; and apply themselves only to the head. To be sure, they take us all for stoics; and think, that, like a young lady of your acquaintance, we have no passions.

20 Nov, 1752.

"W.DUNCOMBE."

20. MISS SYMMONS.

On June 1, 1803, died Miss Caroline Symmons,* aged 14, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Symmons, wellknown in the literary world, and author of a Life of Milton, lately published. This lovely girl exhibited the most affecting traits of early poetical genius; and her disposition was as delightful, as her talents were admirable. Mr. Wrangham, at the end of his Poem, entitled "The Raising of Jairus's Daughter," 1804, Svo. has preserved some specimens of her poetry, and accompanied them by a short Memoir of her, which it is impossible to read without the deepest interest,

See a beautiful character of her brother Charles Symmons, who died 23 May, 1805, æt. 22, in Gent. Mag. LXXV. p. 584.

[blocks in formation]

and astonishment at her wonderful endowments. Af twelve years old, she produced the following exquisite lines:

The Flower-Girl's cry.

"Come, buy my wood hare-bells; my cowslips come buy; O take my carnations, and jessamines sweet;

Lest their beauties should wither, their perfumes should die, Ah! snatch'd, like myself, from their native retreat.

"O ye, who in pleasure and luxury live,

Whose bosoms would sink beneath half my sad woes; Ah! deign to my cry a kind answer to give,

And shed a soft tear for the fate of poor Rose,

"Yet once were my days happy, sweet, and serene, And once have I tasted the balm of repose;

But now on my cheek meagre famine is seen,

And anguish prevails in the bosom of Rose.

"Then buy my wood hare-bells, my cowslips come buy; O take my carnations, and jessamines sweet;

Lest their beauties should wither, their perfumes should die, Ah! snatch'd, like myself, from their native retreat!"*

21. DEAN MILLES.

In the church of St. Edmund the King, Lombard Street, London, on a monument executed by Bacon, is the following inscription.

"In memory of Jeremiah Milles, D.D. Dean of Exeter, Rector of these united parishes, and President of the Society of Antiquaries, who died Feb. 13, 1784, aged 70 years; and of Edith his wife, daughter of the

See Brit. Crit. Vol. XXIV. p. 384.

most

« НазадПродовжити »