new year, of which fee a ftriking performance in p. 1185, the following lines are addreffed to SYLVANUS URBAN by a Friend and Correfpondent. "RING ye the bells, ye young men of the town!" Ring our next year! The parting Century's knell URBAN, ring on thy varied useful chime, Ring out, ye cryftal fpheres," and fpeed the time, R. G. NCE more we have the pleafing task of the revolving feafon, to return thanks to friends and correfpondents; whofe indulgent partiality for SIXTY-NINE YEARS has not only alleviated, but rewarded, our exertions for their amufement and information. Ill indeed fhould we deferve the preference fo long received, did we not acknowledge that the chief merit of our volumes confifts in the originality and authenticity of refources beyond all purchase, and fupplied alone from the voluntary contributions of Learning and of Genius. Thefe have invariably been our firm fupporters; and if, in the fecondary rank of Literature, we are the inftruments of eliciting the talents of others, the fervice is certainly praifeworthy. [Not to mention our immortal JOHNSON, or a countless hoft of excellent departed Writers; there are many living Ornaments both of Church and State, who have tried their Ulyffes's Bow in our long-established Mifcellany. Unfortunately, fuch is the lot of the human race, fcarcely a month elapfes without the painful task of recording in our faithful Obituary (a portion of the Magazine which we may proudly call unrivalled) the lofs of fome eftimable Correfpondent: yet the bufinefs of the world is carried on; and the grandchildren of many of the early coadjutors of Mr. URBAN, are now fome of his most valuable friends. We are about to enter on the concluding year of a moft eventful Century; and who can forefee what it may yet produce? A war which has been carried on by a magnanimous country pro aris et focis, though productive of the most glorious trophies to the British name, has not yet produced all the defired effects. Arbitrefs of the fate of Europe, this Nation has braved the ftorm with matchlefs intrepidity; and given an effectual check to the ravages of an implacable and deftructive foe in every quarter of the Globe. May the Tutelary Angel continue to protect our Fleets and Armies against this Demon of Difcord, till a due fenfe of their enormities fhall induce the ferocious Republicans to confult their own happiness, and that of the whole human race, by a return to focial order, to harmony, and peace. Before the expiration of another year, it is more than probable that the defirable event of an Union with the Sifter Kingdom may take place; an event which prefents the the fairest profpect of permanent fecurity, to the whole Empire. Commixing in a friendly phalanx, what foreign power can interrupt our harmony, what mercantile affociations can rival our commerce? Our attachment to a Sovereign who "reigns over a free Nation with the fole view of rendering it happy;" our refpect to the Laws and Religion of the Country; and an appeal to the uniform tenor of all our preceding volumes; are a better pledge for future conduct, than the most pompous profeffions. Earneftly hoping, therefore, that we may have it in our power to congratulate our Readers, at the opening of the Nineteenth Century, on the completion of the important topics of Peace and Union; we affure them, that our exertions for the enfuing year fhall be unremittingly employed in rendering the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE a repofitory for whatever is most valuable in Belles Lettres or in Politicks; in recording every fpecies of useful Invention and Improvement; and, what is not lefs material, in fupporting to our utmost the best interests of Morality and Religion. The numerous Friends by whom we are daily honoured with communications, will take, it is hoped, in good part the unavoidable poftponing of communications, unacknowledged at the time merely because it is our full intention to infert them, though thofe intentions are occafionally fruftrated by a preffure of more temporary articles. It would be endless indeed to notice the many letters we receive. They will pardon alfo our fuggefting that, cæteris paribus, brevity is entitled to preference; and that, if they would kindly keep a copy of their letters (we fpeak now more efpecially to our poetical friends), they would now and then prevent the disagreeable anxiety we cannot but experience, at not being able to return to them fuch productions as, from a variety of accidents, may not have reached the press. To meet the wishes, however, of many of our Readers, the Mifcellaneous Department will be printed on a new and larger Type; and, that we may ftill continue to make room for as many of the favours of our Correspondents as poffible, the number of pages in each month will be extended to at leaft NINETY-SIX; and, occafionally, a THIRD PLATE will be introduced. To acquit ourselves, in the mean time, as far as poffible of many long arrears, the prefent SUPPLEMENT is enlarged to nearly double the ufual limits. Dec. 31, 1799. . GAZETTE Canterbury 2 Chelmsford ST JOHN'S Gate. JANUARY, 1799. CONTAINING Manchefter 3 Newcastle 3 Northampton Norwich z Nottingham OXFORD Portsmouth Reading Salisbury 2 SCOTLAND 12 Sheffield 2 herborne, Surry Shrewsbury Staffordshire Stamford 2 Worcester 2 Meteorolog.Diaries for Dec.1798 and jan. 1799 2 | Family of Wrighte.-Epitaph at Englefield 30 On Productions of modern Dramatic Writers 14 Old Peterborough Houfe at Parfon's-Green? 31 Sir John Gifford ?-Robert Herrick, the Poet Antient Maps of London and Westminster bid. Poetry or Profe, Criterion of Pronunciation? ib. A very famous Paffage in Daniel luftrated 32 A valuable Life preferved, and by what Procefs 6 Notes on Mr. Brand's Popular Antiquities 33 Anetdore of Dr. Johnfon.-Family of Locke 7 Impropriety of taking Texts from Apocrypha ib On the prefent Condition of the inferior Clergy 8 Attention of Humane Society at the Serpentine 34 Sermon at the Funeral of Mary Q. of Scots ib. Remarks on what is ftyled RationalChriftianity Memoirs and Character of Dr. Stephen Hales 9 Naval, Military, Legal, Commercial, Peers, &c. 36 Remarkable Foffils found near Newmarket 12 Fences of the New River fhamefully neglected 37 Inferiptions from Eartham Church, Suffex 13 On preventing the felling Bread fhort of Weight 37 Tomb of Richard King of England at Lucca 14 Character of Mr. Jaques,of Highgate, vindicated 28 Account of Places, &c. in Berkshire requested ib, Aldworth..Locke's Hiftory of Our Saviour ib. Apician Anecdotes of fome very great Men ib. Proceedings in the prefent Seffion of Parliam. ib Epitaph on Mrs. A. Barlow at Eifton, Hants 15 REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS The Hiftory of Phyhognomy, Letter XIV. 16 INDEX INDICATORIUS-Queries aufwered b 41-59 Monument of Richard Oufeley at Cou.tenhall 17 SELECT POETRY, Antient and Modern 60-64 The fineft Feelings of Man arife from Solitude 20 Interesting Intelligence from London Gazettes 65 On the Life of Chatterton,jbis Drawings, &c. 21 Narrative of Proceedings of Ld. Nelfon's Fleet 67 A Commentary on the Farnefian Infcription 25 Fore,gn News-Intereit. Intell. from Ireland 76 Purfuits of Architectural Innovation, No.VI. 27 Country News-Domeftic Occurrences, &c. 72 Prince Fanferedin-Owen Glyndwr's Sword 10 Marriages, Deaths of eminent Perfous 7-36 Arms and Autograph of the gallant Ld. Nelfon 6 Theatrical Regifler.-The Bill of Mortality 82) A Critique on Pope.-Dr. Johnfon's 'Rail-las 29 The Average Price of Grain for One Month 87 The Priorefs Vernon to Lord Cromwell ibid. Daily Variations in the Prices of the Stocks Embellished with Portraits of Dr. STEPHEN HALES and ROBERT HERRICKк the Poet; a Monument of the OU ELEY; the Arms and Hand-Writing of Lord NELSON OF THE NILE; Sword of OWEN GLYNDWR; and the famous FARNESIAN INSCRIPTION. 88 By SYLVANUS URBAN, Gent. Printed by JOHN NICHOLS, at Cicero's Head, Red-Lion Paffage, Fleet-freet; 1 where all Letters to the Editor are defired to be addreffed, PosT-PAID. 1799. 4. The buds of the honey fuckle are green and turgid.-13. A moft unpleasant day> befides the guftinefs of the air, duft rifes in eddies.-16. The mildnefs of this day has raifed the redbreaft'stone both frequent and strong.-19. The redbreaft repeats his fong; blades of the frow-drop have broken ground.-23. The primrose flowers.-27. The ice one inch thick in the courfe of laft night: the froft has penetrated five inches into the folid darth.-28. In the courfe of last night ice 2 inches 4-10ths thick. Looking back Dec. 1796, the thermometer and the thickness of ice exacly correfpond; the ice ta- |