That the Poor Rates have increased, are increasing, and ought to be diminished, is a position applicable to most Parishes; and I am persuaded, your correspondent Clericus is aware of this truth by the philanthropy he displays on behalf of the Lower Orders of the people. He has, I am convinced, from goodness of heart, endeavoured to point out a mode of alleviating the distresses of the Poor, by devoting a certain number of acres of waste land totally for their use, which, I must confess, in theory has a very promising appearance; and, if it could be carried into effect with ease and at a moderate expence, would in all probability prove beneficial; but I fear, when we come to reduce it to practice, we shall find many difficulties arise that may not be expected. In the first place, we must purchase the land, or take a lease from the proprietor; and secondly, there will follow the expence of inclosing and perhaps draining, &c. also the purchase of grain to crop the ground, with ty thes, and the great expence of hiring persons to plough, drag, and harrow, together with boeing, reaping, threshing, and carriage, with hiring of barns, &c. so that, I fear, when all these expences are brought to account, there will be but very little profit left, (if any) to benefit the Parish. There are many difficulties in arable land to persons who have not a team of hor, ses and men always at their command, that many individuals are not aware of; such as,when you want to get your ground ploughed, or the field sowed, the teams or strength you may want, the farmers perhaps cannot spare, because they are employed in getting in their own crops; therefore you must wait until theirs are finished, which may prove too late, and very proba, bly you may lose the season, This I have experienced in my little por, tion of land; and it is not unlikely that it would be the same in other parts, for we cannot expect the far imer to leave his own lands to accommodate others. I perceive so many inconveniencies in the system of Cleri cus, though well intended, that I fear it would not be so productive as he calculates. However, it is certainly worthy of trial under Salisbury Plain, where probably the farmers may be more accommodating and such diffi culties as those I have stated may be obviated. In a parish not far from where I reside, the Freeholders have come to a very excellent resolution which, I am of opinion, were it adopted by others, would answer a better purpose, towards reducing the Parish Rates, than the plan proposed by Clericus. Every gentleman or individual, who has inclosed a piece or pieces of land on the waste, commons, or forest, the Parish have obliged to pay after the rate of twenty pounds per acre, which sum, if not complied with in a certain time, the lands are thrown out to common as before; but the latter very rarely occurs, and the money arising from this mode is paid into the hands of the Parish Officers, which is vested in the funds for the express purpose of the Poor Rates, and the interest alone is applied to the laudable purpose of reducing them, which it has done nearly one-third; this is an absolute fact, and worthy of imitation by other, Parishes when they have waste or common lands. As I am speaking of the Poor Rates, I beg leave to intrude a little further on the subject of the Labourers or Farmers' Servants, who, as the major part of them are married and have families, according to the present mode of paying them, increase the Parish Rates, and are the principal means of the Parish burthens. Commerce and Agriculture are acknow ledged by all to be the parental strength and energy of this country; consequently, labourers, who are the vital springs that give motion and celerity to the existence of either, deserve our regard and attention; and I cannot fathom why the votaries of the latter should starve on a scanty meal, whilst the Farmer is enjoying himself and his family on a comforta ble one (of meat) every day. In every branch of our Manufactures, we find, that as the necessaries of life increase, the Journeymen employed therein have their wages advanced, according to the pressure of the times, without recourse to the Parish for assistance; while, on the contrary, the poor industrious Husbandman toils from 4 o'clock in the morning until 7 o'clock at night, exposed to hail, rain, snow, and frost, and all kinds of weather, for the poor pittance of twelve shillings per 1 per week, to keep himself and family in food and raiment, which is barely sufficient, according to the price of flour, to keep them in bread alone. I must acknowledge that, if he applies to the Overseers, they relieve him with a loaf for every two children, which certainly is of service; but this increases the Parish Rates, which should come out of the Farmer's pocket, and not burthen the Parish. I cannot view the situation of a labouring Husbandman, otherwise than as that of a distressed individual doomed (if married, and with a family of children) to continual starvation; not being able, with all his exertions, to procure more than one meal of meat in the space of a week: all this he bears with Christian fortitude and resignation. When I contrast his situation with the Mechanic, I cannot refrain from saying that the industrious Husbandman must be viewed by the world in general as of a different species; therefore it is necessary he should be kept, like the poor Negroes in the West India Islands, on a short allow ance. I will admit that it is necessary there should be somebody to bale the water out of the long-boat; and that it is also proper there should be persons in subordinate situations, from the Peer down to the Peasant: for Man is naturally dependent on Man. But the precepts of the Church of England teach us universal charity and benevolence, with every other precept to adorn and dignify the mind; and we live under a Government the wonder of surrounding Nations, supported by the Bill of Rights; shall then the industrious poor Husbandman be oppressed, and the reward of his exertions, a sufficiency of wholesome food, be withheld whilst his enployer is able, from the profits of his business, to remunerate him?When I behold him (which I have many times in the course of my travels) seated at his table with his wife and seven or eight children, to a meal consisting only of bread and potatoes six days out of seven, I cannot refrain from exclaiming, Oh! Shame, where is thy sting? oh! Virtue, where is thy glory? I could wish that the Legislature of the country would take into their consideration the situation of Husbandmen, and make their lives more comfortable; such a measure L would add lustre and dignity to the Members of Parliament, and extend the fame of their wisdom and goodness. I am chagrined to remark, that in many Parishes the business relative to the Poor, and the Finances of the Parish, are very ill attended to; in some I have found ignorance and inattention; in others, apathy. That people should be thus deaf to their own interest, is astonishing. I can only account for the apathy I have observed, by what I have lately seen and heard at a Justices' meeting, where the Overseers were summoned to appear on business of the Parish; when the Magistrate who presided opened the business to the parties with so much hauteur, and in such an imperious and tyrannic manner, that the appellants were deprived of power of utterance. His tone of voice, his manner and language, almost persuaded me that I was in a court where an Eastern despot, a Turkish bashaw, or an alguazil of Buenos Ayres, presided. The parties, after they had retired, declared that the Parish affairs might look out for themselves, for they would not expose their feelings to such insults in future. I That excellent Act of Parliament, known by the name of Mr. Gilbert's Act, is not sufficiently known; by which the Parish is placed under a Visitor and two Guardians. have witnessed its salutary effect where it has been adopted; and in one Parish particularly, which is a very large one and incumbered by numerous Poor, the Rates have been reduced more than one-third; and where Parishes are small, blending two or three in one would be more œconomical and humane, than suffering the Poor to be farmed. It rejoices me very much to find that Agriculture, one principal spring of our national greatness, is flourishing and still improving; this is a blessing for which we have just cause to return our humble thanks to the Divine Being. Notwithstanding the calamities of war and rapine committed by the Tyrant of France on the Continent, and his endeavours to distress our commerce, we are enabled to baffle and counteract his insidious acts. Let these considerations impress our minds with the bountiful goodness of the supreme Disposer of all events, Dec. 1. ber of pupils being rarely above four or five and twenty, who consequently can, one and all, be perpetually under the eye of their much respected Governor. The irregularities committed at Chelsea have been comparatively trifling; and they have almost invariably been found to proceed more from the gaiety and sportiveness of juvenile minds, than from any real proneness to evil. +++ I Dec. 10. Mr. URBAN, DANVERS Hose, Cheraistory 439, is mistaken in stating that the late Judge Hyde never filled the office of Chief Justice of Bengal. I think, when I was writing the article pp. 203, 204, that an India friend of mine informed me of his having latterly succeeded to that post; but I will not speak confidently. That worthy character was on the Bench for the long space of twenty-one years, viz. from 1774 to 1796; and the Bar of Calcutta never was, nor perhaps ever will be, more adorned by splendid talents both legal and classical, than it was during the last twelve years of that period. Amongst the most eminent Barristers of that day we may enumerate Mr. Scott, nephew of the Duke of Buccleugh, and the writer of the Inscription p. 204; the late Mr. Stephen Cassan, who filled, I believe, more than once, the office of Cassan, Esq. M. P.; Mr. James Dun of that place, is situated in Cheyne Walk, directly faces the river Thames, and joins the mansion of your benovolent Correspondent Mr. Neild. It was, as I have been informed, the antient family-residence of the equestrian family of Danvers, whose coat of arms, on a very small but exact scale, is to be seen at the top of one of the doors on the first story. The house is large and commodious, and has for a series of years been held by that truly-worthy character the Rev. Weeden Butler, for the purpose of youthful institution. The eldest son of this distinguished Clergyman succeeded a few years since to the situation of head-master of Harrow School; and another of his sons, the Rev. Weeden Batler, a gentleman not unknown in the paths of literature, assists his father in discharging the duties of his very labo-High Sheriff of Bengal, and son of M. rious and responsible avocation. Having myself been, for many months, akin, cousin of Sir William; Mr. Damember of this well-known school, and having witnessed its internal regulations, I consider myself qualified to say that there are few, very few private Seminaries, and particularly in the vicinity of the Metropolis, where the education, the comfort, the health, and, above all, the morals of the Students are more closely attended to, or more anxiously desired. The leading principle of the School is, to call forth the good qualities of the youthful mind more by gentleness, and by virtuous precepts and example, than by coercive means. A sense of honour and of duty here reigns paramount, and banishes the servile fear of castigation, a fear which debases the human mind, and damps the best, the noblest energies of the youthful breast. These excellent principles can here be more uniformly acted upon, from the Bum vis, afterwards Advocate-General; Mr. Strettel, son of T. Strettel, Esq. of Cork, who I understand is still practising at Calcutta. The Hon. Mrs. Hyde married, secondly, the Rev. Mr. Payne of Hampshire; and a daughter by her first husband married, three or four years ago, Mr. Hamilton. Yours, &c. Mr. URBAN, H ASIATICUS, R. W. Magdalen Hall, Oxford, Nov. 15. AVING endeavoured for a long time in vain, through the medium of private communication, to procure some authentic and satisfactory account of the life of the Rev. Dr. Hamilton (author of Letters respecting the Basaltic Country of the North Coast of Ireland, and many other philosophical papers) of whose melancholy melancholy fate a most interesting account has been inserted in your vol. LXVII. p. 974; and having occa sion for every information which I can procure respecting this muchlamented Divine and Philosopher, whose works are now preparing and nearly ready for the press in a collected form, I have takeu the liberty, through the medium of your widely disseminated publication, to request that such of your Readers as possess any authentic information respecting him, will have the goodness to communicate the same to me, by a letter addressed to W. H. at Mr. John Fry's, No.10, Gay-street, Kingsdown, Bristol, as early as may be convenient. The leading points on which I am desirous of procuring information are, the date of his birth, some short account of his family, and from what part of Scotland his grandfather came, the date of his commencing his academic career, with the dates of his several degrees, and of his subsequent election to a Fellowship; the period at which the Royal Irish Academy, of which he was among the most active founders, was established, with a copy of the inscription placed over his monument (if any has been erected), and any other particulars which may appear illustrative of his truly-valuable life. By giving this letter an early place in your Magazine, you will oblige Yours, &c. W. H. P. S. Among the literary labours of Dr. Hamilton, was a series of vaJuable Letters on the Rise, Progress, and Consequences of the French Revolution. This tract is now out of print, and being deprived, through the dishonesty of a bookseller, of the only copy 1 possessed, I have made numberless efforts to procure another, but in vain. Should, therefore, any of your Readers be fortunate enough to possess a copy, their either favouring me with the loan of the work for a few weeks, or obliging ine with an accurate transcript, will ever be esteemed a favour; and the book, if lent, shall be returned to the person free of expence, and in perfect safety, with my most grateful thanks. The book to be forwarded according to the address already given, at Mr. John Fry's. W. H. Mr. URBAN, B E Dec. 6. pleased to inform your Correspondent Economy, p. 428, that the Receipt for Lord Pembroke's Artificial Red Port Wine may be found in the "Family Receipt Book," by Oddy, p. 550; and Barley Wine in the same, p. 237; and many other Receipts for making Wines may be found in the same book. But perhaps the best Receipt for English Wine is to be found at p. 187, in the "New Family Receipt Book ;" which book contains near 700 Receipts, one for almost every purpose; and it is the application of Science to the common purposes of life, that renders it truly valuable. In " Culina," p. 43, is the following Receipt for making Malt Wine, by Dr. Hunter, of York: "Take of (strong beer) sweetwort 16 gallons; to every gallon, put of lump sugar one pound; boil it half an hour; when, removed from the fire, it is become only luke-warm (such as in brewing you would put the yeast) turn it into a cask, putting to each gallon two pounds of raisins, picked from their stalks, and to the whole, four ounces of isinglass, with a little yeast; let it work out of the cask (keeping it full) stirring it every day with a stick, for 3 or 4 weeks; when the fermentation is completed, add to this quantity one gallon of brandy, and bung it up. At the end of twelve months, it may be racked off, and bottled." made a mistake, in directing four I was sure that Dr. Hunter had ounces of isinglass; I therefore wrote the person who gave bim the Receipt to the Doctor, who informed me, had deceived him, for the quantity should have been only half a dram! Notwithstanding this mistake, there are many valuable Receipts in that book. Permit me, through your useful Magazine, to present iny hearty thanks to your Bath Correspondent, p. 409. You certainly could not confer a greater favour on your numerous Readers, than you have done by inserting his observations. Perhaps no instrument should ever be used on a single opinion, for the poses he mentions. *Only half an ounce should be used. Eart. GENT. MAG. Suppl. LXXX. PART II. pur Ginger Ꭰ Ginger Beer. Boil one ounce of ginger, bruised or grated, and the rind of one lemon, in one gallon of water; then add the juice of the lemon, and one pound of lump sugar, and the white of one egg; give it a boil, scum it, and strain it, and pour off the clear liquor; let it stand 24 hours: then put it in a barrel, but not bung it tight: in 6 days, bottle it; and in 14 days, it will be fit for drinking. Soda Water, or Soda Beer. Take supercarbonated soda, and tartaric acid, of each 30 grains, rubbed fine, separately; then put them into a pint of porter, or stale beer, or into half a pint of water, and drink it immediately, in a state of effervescence. It may also be made with concrete acid of lemons, and aërated kali, in water. To give a strong body, and fine colour, to Cider. Powder two pounds of loaf sugar, melt it in an iron pot very gently over a slow fire, so that in about two hours the sugar will be melted; stir it often: by this time the sugar will look the colour of treacle. Take great care it does not burn. Take it from the fire, and pour in a very little hot cider at a time, and keep stirring it, till you have put in two quarts; pour in the cider with a long ladle, and take care it does not fly in your face, or on your hands; and at the same time, another person should stir it with a long stick. The next day, when the liquor is cold, put it into 40 gallons of cider, that which is one year old. Mix it well, and stop it close; and tap it in six or eight months. If the cider is thin and poor, four pounds or more of sugar may be used, Durable Ink for marking Linen, Cotton, &c. Take lunar caustic, now called nitrate of silver, one drachm; gum arabic, and sap green, of each four grains; water, a quarter of an ounce; mix it in a glass mortar, and keep it in a phial, well stopped. The Liquid to prepare the Linen. Take salt of soda (or salt of tartar) one ounce; vermillion, four grains; water, one ounce and half, or more; mix it in a phial: Wet the linen, &c. where you would write, with a flat pointed stick, dipped in the bottle of liquid. When dry, write lightly thereon with the durable ink, with a clean pen, that has a fine stiff nib. Though pale at first, expose it to the sun and air, and it will soon turn a deep black. It may be proper to rinse it through water, before it is laid by. Stir the powder of the durable ink well up from the bottom; and before you write with it, rub the linen with the back of a spoon. The vermillion is added only to colour the linen. Mr. Parkes, in his Chemical Catechism, p. 302, says: "A solution of nitrate of silver, mixt with a little gum water, forms the Indelible Ink used in marking linen;" and in a few lines below, he says: "This work is designed principally for the use of the young and inexperienced." He should have said, that the nitrate of silver, although mixed with gum water, would burn the linen, unless the linen was first prepared with a solu tion of salt of soda, or salt of tartar. Tartaric acid is in the Bartholomei Pharmacopoeia, but not in the last London College Dispensatory. Dun can and Thomson have copied tincture of myrrh from the College Dispensatory; myrrh, 3 ounces; rectified spirit, 22 ounces; water, a pint and half. This makes a muddy mixture, not a clear tincture; only half a pint of water is sufficient. * Yours, &c. D. ** In addition to Dr. Hunter's Receipt for Malt or Beer Wine, contained in the above letter from our old and benevolent Correspondent, we have selected the following, from a very considerable number which have been sent; and doubt not but that they will be considered abundantly sufficient. as Receipts for Beer or Malt Wine. 1. Take one pint of sweet-wort to a gallon of water, and three pounds of good moist sugar to each gallon; boil them together half an hour; take the scum off clean as it rises, then work it in a tub with a little yeast. Tun it; and, when done working in the cask, add to every two gallons one lemon, with part of the rind, and a pound of the best sun raisins; bung it down, and it will be fit to drink in three or four months. 2. To thirty pounds of moist sugar, put ten gallons of water; beil it half an hour, skim it well when cold, put to every gallon a quart of good ale-wort of the first running, and let it work in the tub for |