Calcavi atrium quadratum, Quo juvenum examen Confluxit olim-Video pratum Quod densem tegit gramen. Adibam lubens scholam musices, Quam fœminæ & joci Ornassent pridem: sed tibicines Jam nusquam erant loci. Conscendo orbis illud decus, Bodleio fundatore : Quod minime mirandum, Nam inter bardos tot & stultos; There's few could understand 'em. Dominico sequente die Ad sacra celebranda, Tenebar mox intrandi metu, Solicitus ut ante; Procuratores sine clavibus, Decrevi venerandos "Custodem custoditum." Ad Corpus Christi flecto gressum, 1 The fanatics abolished the use of Saint as attributed to the Apostles, &c. and applied it only to themselves. Mr. Addison (Spectator, No 125) tells a humourous story of Sir Roger de Coverley's danger in enquiring for Saint Anne's-lane during these times. A curious instance is to be seen in an inscription on the porch of Ellesmere church, in Shropshire; where Saint John was originally carved; afterwards, the Saint was cut out; and at the Restora--tion, the Saint was restored to its original situation on the defaced spot. 2 Edw. Reynolds, D. D. appointed vice-chancellor by an ordinance of both houses, ob. 1676. 3 Macaronicè; without staves or maces. 4 Edm. Stanton, D. D. appointed president of Corpus Christi by the Parlia ment, ob. 1671. 5 Sheldon, afterwards archbishop. · Rogavi ubi sit orator1 Tam sancto præside3 cadente, Nam tanta desolatione, Quam quis nefandam dicet, Occurrunt nusquam tres Persona, Scruteris usque licet. Reverso tristis fertur casus, Et miserandum omen Collegii, cui Rubens Nasus Præ foribus, dat nomen. Dederunt illi principalems Rectores hi severi, Distortis oculis, & qualem Natura vult caveri. Mox ædes ingredi conatus Quod dulce nuper domicilium Ad flentem me recipio tandem Et Quæ felix dudum ornabatur Nunc lapsis fulcris, queis vigeba Et prole densâ, quâ gaudebat, Pro præside? cui quenquam parem Quocunque i The learned Dr. Henry Hammond. He was public orator. 2 St. John's College. Richard Baylis, D. D. He married Laud's niece, and succeeded him in the presidentship. 4 The noted fanatic Francis Cheynell, who rendered himself so ridiculous at the funeral of the immortal Chillingworth. 5 Daniel Greenwood, D. D. ob. 1673. 6 New College. Mr. Collier, afterwards beadle, was put to torture by Colonel Kelley. Isaiah xiii. 21. 9 John Oliver, D. D. 10 Thomas Goodwin, D. D. ob. 1679. He was a famous independant; and, at the Restoration, was ejected from the presidentship, and Dr. Oliver was restored. The epithet capularis alludes to his practice of wearing severat caps; whence Quocunque, breviter, flectebam, In templis quæris conciones, Aut dirigebam visum, Doctissimos ejectos; Stolidulos suffectos. O probam reformandi artem; Aut quicquid est decorum? Habebis hæsitationes Extemporaneorum. Interea quid Oppidani, With all their quaint devices? Qui novas hasce, males ani, Exoptavere vices? Erecta cornua gerebant, Dum montes hi parturiunt; Et nunc fastidiunt quæ volebant, Et fortiter esuriunt. Heu! ingens rerum ornamentum Nam vix à quoquam, quod narratur [An English Version in our next.] whence he was called Dr. Nine-caps. He is the person meant by the Tatler, where he speaks of a young fellow of his acquaintance, who upon his admission at Oxford, during the fanatical times, was terrified at being shewn into a dark room, and being interrogated by the head of his college on his progress in grace instead of his proficiency in literature. The Academical altered cap. LITERARY INTELLIGENCE. THE Rev. Dr. Buchanan, in travelling in 1806, into Travancore, for the purpose of visiting the ancient Syrian churches, found fifty-five of these structures in the district of Malayala, of the Christian communion, which are built in a style not unlike some of the old parish churches in England. These churches acknowledge the Patriarch of Antioch, and their liturgy is derived from that of the early church of Antioch, called Liturgie Jacobi Apostoli. The Christians of Malayala differ, however, in their ceremonies from every other existing church, and their proper designation is "Syrian Christians," or "the Syrian Church of Malayala." The doctrines of this church are contained in a very few articles, and are not at variance in essentials with those of the European churches. Their bishop and metropolitan, after conferring with his clergy, delivered the following opinion: "That an union with the English church, or at least such a connection, as should appear to both churches practicable and expedient, would be a happy event, and favourable to the advancement of religion." It is in contemplation to send to England some youths of the country for education and ordination. The present bishop, Mar Dionysius, is a native of Malayala, but of Syrian extraction. The church of Malayala has till lately received its bishops from Anti T travelling in 1806, into och; but that patriarcha te being now nearly extinct, they are inclined to look to Britain. The Syrian Christians are also connected with the churches of Mesopotamia and Syria (215 in number), which are at present in a declining state, and struggling with great difficulties. The Syrian Christians in Malayala still use the Syrian language in their churches, although the Malayaline is the vernacular tongue. Efforts have been made to translate the Syriac Scriptures into Malayaline; but it has not hitherto been effected, for want of suitable means. On its being proposed to send a Malayaline translation to each of the fiftyfive churches, on condition that they would transcribe it, and circulate the copies among the people, the elders replied, that so great was the desire of the people to have the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue, that it might be expected that every man who could write, would make a copy on palm leaves for his own family. On investigating the SyroChaldaic manuscripts in Malayala, some of great antiquity were discovered. The Syrian version of the scriptures was brought to India, according to the belief of the Syrians, before the year 325 of our æra, and they alledge that their copies are exact transcripts, without any known error, to the present day. Some of these are certainly of ancient date; one found in a remote church contains the Old and New Testament engrossed on strong vellum, in large folio, having three columns in each page, and written with beautiful accuracy. The character is Estrangelo Syriac, and the words of every book are numbered. The volume is illuminated, though not after the European manner. It has suffered some injury from time or neglect, some of the leaves being nearly decayed. The Syrian church assigns to this manuscript very high antiquity. The order of the books of the Old and New Testament in it differs from that of the European copies, a chronological arrangement being more attended to in the former. The first emendation of the Hebrew text proposed by Dr. Kennicot (Gen. iv. 8.) is found in this manuscript. The disputed passage in 1 John, c. v. ver. 7, is not in it. In some other copies that verse is interpolated in black ink, which was done by the Portu guese priests in 1599. Two different characters of writing appear to have been in use among the Syrian Christians, the common Syriac, and the Estrangelo; the oldest manuscripts are in the latter. There are other ancient documents highly interesting, amongst which are certain tablets of brass, which were supposed to have been lost, but have been since recovered, and which are stated to contain grants of certain privileges to the churches of Malayala. The plates are six in number, closely engraved, four of them on both sides the plate. The oldest tablet is engraved in triangular-headed letters, resembling the Persepolitan or Babylonish. On the same plate there is writing, which has no affinity to any existing character in Hindostan. The grant on this tablet appears to be witnessed by four Jews of rank, whose names are written distinctly in an old Hebrew character, resembling the alphabet called the Palmyrene, and to each is prefixed the name of Majen, that is, chief. The Jews of Cochin also produce tablets, which they contend are of equal, if not of greater antiquity. It is intended to print a copper-plate fac-simile of the whole of these plates, making fourteen pages, and to transmit copies to the learned societies in Hindostan and Europe. Some very ancient manuscripts have also been found among the black Jews in Malayala. An old copy of the law was found written on a roll of leather about fifty feet in length, the skins being sewed together. It is intended to deposit such of the Syriac and Jewish manuscripts as may be found to be valuable, in the public libraries of the British Universities. The Rev. John Bidlake, of Plymouth, has in the press a new volume of Sermons. Dr. Charles Burney, is printing at the Cambridge press, the Chorusses of Eschylus, with Notes and Illustrations. Mr. Hoole is printing a Poem on the subject of the Exodus. The Sermons of Bishop Jeremy Taylor are re-printing, and nearly ready for publication. A work will appear in a few days, entitled "Characteristic Anecdotes of Men of Learning and Genius, natives of Great Britain and Ireland, from the reign of Henry VIII. to the |