those whose minds are impartially disposed to weigh the merits of the question, I would add, the Christian's hope of future existence is not only ascertained by the Gospel, but the nature of his enjoyments hereafter defined, as clearly as present circumstances can permit. Shall any thing be impossible to Him who created all things? Shall not He who gave life at first, have power, when he has taken it away, to restore it? Shall not He who can controul all Nature, be able to re-unite those particles of matter which may be requisite to qualify me for the glories of that future world, where there shall be no more sorrow, nor pain, nor sin; but God shall wipe away all tears from my eyes, and make me completely happy in His presence, where is fulness of joy, and at His right hand where are pleasures for evermore? He can, and will. In that blessed abode, nothing shall be found to hurt or to destroy. The spirits of the just made perfect shall there unite in services suited to their immortal natures, before the Throne of God and of the Lamb. The wicked, who here so often subvert the laws of order, and deface the creation of God by their licentious conduct, shall there at length cease from troubling, and the weary be at rest. I shall behold the Almighty face to face, being presented spotless through the merits of my Redeemer, before his presence with exceeding joy, owned, accepted, and blessed by Him who died that I might live again.-Contrast with all this, the highest hope of the Deist, and we shall find it summed up in these few words:-To be we know not what, we know not where, through that mercy of which we have no assurance, unless we find it in the Gospel*; for, be it remembered, that this alone brings life and immortality to light; that this, and this alone "tells us (to use the words of the learned Prelate, before referred to), what we are all most concerned

to know, that we shall certainly be

raised from the dead, that we shall

How far we may forfeit our claim to this mercy, when we refuse to receive it on those terms on which it is offered, let the Deist well consider. The true antient Theist would gladly have received and cherished it.

Mr. URBAN,

Exeter, Oct. 16.

MOST of your Readers are doubt

less aware that the Poet GAY was a native of Barnstaple. A curiously formed Chair has lately been discovered there, which appears incontestibly to have been his property: on examination of this piece of furniture, a private drawer was found which contained various documents and interesting papers, some of them in the hand-writing of the Poet. The discovery was made by a cabinet-maker of Barnstaple; the papers are the property of Mr. Henry Lee, who intends publishing some of them, under the title of "Gay's Chair."

Mr. Lee is already known to the publick, as author of "Poetic Impressions;""Dash," a tale; "Caleb Quotem," &c.

Description,

Under the arms of the Chair are drawers, with the necessary impleing on a pivot, and has attached to it ments for writing; each drawer turna brass candlestick.

The wooden leaf, at the back, for reading or writing upon, may be raised or depressed, at the student's pleasure.

Under the seat in front, is a drawer for books or papers; and behind it is the concealed or private drawer, in which was found the manuscripts. It is curiously fastened by a small wooden bolt, connected with a rod

in front, not perceivable till the larger drawer is removed. The Chair is made of dark-coloured mahogany, and considering its antiquity in pretty good repair. E. EDWARDS.

Mr. URBAN,

Oct. 6.

As your pages are occasionally devoted to the preservation of Letters from eminent men, I send you copies of two Letters from the author of the "Seasons" to two of his sis

ters. These letters have never appeared in any edition of his Works. The original of the first is in my possession; the second was copied some years ago from the original in the possession of the late Rev. James Bell, minister of Coldstream, a nephew of the Poet's. Thomson had three sisters, viz. Elizabeth, married to the Rev. Mr. Bell, minister of Strathaven; Jean, married to Mr. Thomson, rector of the Grammar School at Lanark; and married to Mr. Craig, father to the ingenious, Architect, who planned the New Town of Edinburgh. (See Boswell's Life of Johnson, vol.III. p.151, 2d edit. 8vo).

Yours, &c. A CONSTANT READER. London, Jan. the "Dear Sister, 12th, 1737. I have been very busy of late in finishing a Play *, which will, I believe, be acted here this season: this

is the reason I have not hitherto an

swered your two last. As to the money I promised you lately, and which you say will enable you to live at Edinburgh pretty comfortably, you may chuse how, and in what manner you will have it paid, which shall be accordingly done. If Baillie Hamilton will advance it to you, let me be informed by your next, and I will immediately write to him for that purpose. What other things you ask, I will send by the first proper opportu nity. Assure yourselves that nothing in my power to render your lives con fortable, and (if I can) nappy, shall be neglected. Remember me kindly to sisters, and all friends. Let me hear from you upon receipt of this. Believe me to be ever your most affectionate brother, JAMES THOMSON. "To Mrs. Jean Thomson, at the Rev. Mr. Gusthart's House in Edinburgh."

*The play here mentioned was his Agamemnon, which was brought upon the stage in 1738,

From Mr. Thomson to his Sister Elizabeth.

"My Dear Sister,

"I received a Letter from Mr. Robert Bell, Minister of Strathaven, in which he asks my consent to his marriage with you. Mr. Gusthart acquainted me with this some time an answer, which he tells me he has ago; to whose Letter I have returned showed you both. I entirely agree to this marriage, as I find it to be a marriage of inclination, and founded upon long acquaintance and mutual esteem. Your behaviour hitherto has been such as gives me very great satisfaction, in the small assistance I have been able to afford you. Now you are going to enter upon a new state of life, charged with higher cares and duties, I need not advise you how to behave in it, since you are so near Mr. Gusthart, who, by his good counsel and friendly assistance, has been so kind to you all along; only I must chiefly recommend to you to cultivate, by every method, that union of hearts, that agreement and sympathy of tempers, in which consists the true happiness of the marriage state. The economy and gentle management of a family is a woman's natural province, and from that her best praise arises. You will apply yourself thereto as it becomes a good and virtuous wife. I dare say I need not put you in mind of having a just and grateful sense of, and future confidence in, the goodness of God, who has been to you a "father to the fatherless." Tho' you will hereafter be more immediately under the protection of another, yet you may always depend upon the sincere friendship, and tenderest good offices of your most affectionate brother,

"JAMES THOMSON.

"By last post I wrote to Jeany about the affairs she mentioned to me. Remember me kindly to all friends."

graces," not to be found in the text, a plausible excuse has been offered in the consideration of the difference of the two languages, and the amplification which rhyme requires. Thus he has rendered the following verse in this manner :

"In' d' żyw où núow, apie mir xal

γῆρας ἔπεισιν.”—Iliad, A. 29.

"Till time shall rifle ev'ry youthful grace, And age dismiss her from iny cold em brace."

This, though it is an amplification of the original, is yet very beautiful; but in his translation of the concluding lines of the same book, he appears to have totally forgotten the sense of one verse. The learned Reader will judge:

σε Ζεὺς δὲ πρὸς ὃν λέχος ἤι Ολύμπιος ἀσεροπηγής,

Ενθα πάρος κοιμάθ ̓, ὅτε μιν γλυκύς ὕπνος ἱκάνοι·

Ἔνθα καθευδ ̓ ἀναβάς· παρὰ δὲ, χρυσόθρο

vos "Hpn.”—Iliad, A. 609–611.

"Jove on his couch reclin'd his awful head,

And Juno slumber'd on the golden bed." It is evident that the line Ενθα πάρος, &c. is left unnoticed by the Translator. A judicious expansion or decoration of the text may in some cases be allowed, but an omission of the sense in translating, is an unpardonable fault. The following lines, perhaps, though inferior to the beauty of Pope, may come nearer to the original:

"The accustom'd couch receiv'd the Olympian King, [wing, Where late the power of Sleep, with balmy The god compress'd, while near the splen[head." A golden couch supports his consort's

did bed

Original Letter of Sir Jonathan Trelawny, Bart. Bishop of Winchester, to Mr. Archdeacon Echard.

"Sir,

You

Chelsea, Feb. 16, 1718-9. YOU having in one of the newspapers, acknowledged a mistake in relation to the Hampden Family, I am sure, by your very valuable History +, you have that true concern for the honour of our Church, that you will not refuse to do justice to the seven tower'd Bishops (at least, to me and the rest of us who were sent to the Tower), whom you have represented to have invited over the then Prince of Orange. To convince you that you have been misled,

I send you a copy of my letter, wrote to the late Bishop of Worcester on that subject, and bis Lordship's answer by his son, the Chancellor of Worcester, he not being able to write himself.

"I leave this to your consideration and am your affectionate friend and brother, JONAT. WINCHESTER.

;

"I have very good authority to believe not one Bishop of England wrote to invite him over, though in his Declaration they were said to have done so."

DE THIRLEWALL states, that about the 20th Eliz., Katherine, daughter and sole heir of Nicholas Carus of Kendal, Esq. was married to Rowland Philipson of Calgarth in the county of Westmoreland, Esq. He would be grateful to any of our Correspondents to say, who his mother and grandmother (by the father's side) were.

"An occasional Correspondent,” (p. 194), enquires respecting an Essay on Duelling; T. W. presumes he must allude to Mr. Iley's two Prize Essays on Duelling and Gaming, published at Cambridge, in separate pamphlets, thirty years ago; and which are now reprinted with a third Essay on Suicide, in a single 8vo volume.

"The History of England."

Bp. Lloyd.

Mr.