often read and well digested in my infancy, wherein a Mason, a Carpenter, and a Currier, are described as conferring together, and each decidedly proposing the material in which he traded, as the most eligible substance for the fortification of a City. However absurd the story of this fable may appear to the dispassionate mind, even of a child, it has often been, and will still be verified in the experience of every credulous employer.

Now, Mr. Urban, if your Old Correspondent, or any new Correspondent, will undertake to shew by good and clear evidence, or fair reasoning, that the changes above stated do really restore our antient buildings to their original and proper characterif he will prove, for instance, that the present front of the Guildhall is as truly beautiful, and perfectly according to the rules of the Antient English Architecture, as was the old front, with its statues and battlements -that the West front of Lincoln Minster is now as chaste as before its unnatural union with this favourite composition-or that the very costly, yet, I believe to the present hour, fatherless, new front to the House of Lords, is as beautiful as any given specimen of the British Architecture in the ages when it prevailed, he will then, so far forth, at least answer Mr. Carter; but merely to say, that Mr. W- - is an honourable man, or that the Deans and Chapters employ the most skilful persons they can find, even if the assertions were strictly correct, is not answering Mr. Carter's objections. A. C.

Bishop Stortford, Mr: URBAN, August 4. THE HE subsequent quotations and remarks, it is hoped, may point out some coincidence of custom between the antient Trojans, and the Abyssinians of the present day, with respect to the Cereale Solum, mentioned by Virgil; and probably induce some one of your learned Correspondents to enter more fully into the discussion than this Paper presumes to.

In Æn. I. iii. v. 255-7, we have the following well-known prediction of a most alarming famine.

Sed non ante datam cingetis mcenibus urbem,

juria cædis

Quàm vos dira fames, nostræque in[sas. Ambesas subigat malis absumere menBut the accomplishment of this seemingly awful Prophecy, instead of being a serious event, was, in reality, ludicrous; which we have an account of, En. 1. vii. v. 111–116.

Et Cereale solum pomis agrestibus

augent. [morsus Consumptis hic forte aliis, ut vertere Exiguam in Cererem penuria adegit edendi; [orbem Et violare manu malisque audacibus Fatalis crusti, patulis nec parcere quadris: [quit Iülus? Heus! etiam mensas consumimus, inThe Cereale solum, or trencher of bread, here said to have been in use with the Trojans, is what more immediately constitutes the object of the present inquiry. This was composed of flour, which, after having been moistened, was formed into a broad cake, resembling a round trencher, and when dried, became so exceed ingly hard, as to be used instead of a plate or trencher. During its formation it received the impression or mark of a cross, like the letter X.; and this is what is supposed to be signified by the expression, patulis quadris.

It is probable, the Cereale solum was used chiefly as a plate or trencher, and seldom eaten, as the circumstance of its being so, in the instance above cited, appears to have been accidental.

Whether this usage was peculiar to the Phrygians, or common to the provinces of Asia, or imported from more distant regions, does not appear.

But there is a custom nearly allied to this, mentioned by the celebrated James Bruce, Esq. in his Travels to discover the Source of the Nile; where he records a bloody banquet of the Abyssinians on living flesh.

"There are then (he says) laid before every guest, instead of plates, round cakes, if I may so call them, about twice as big as a pancake, and something thicker and tougher. It is unleavened bread of a sourish taste, far from being disagreeable, and very easily digested, made of a grain called teff. It is of different colours, from black to the colour of the whitest wheat-bread. Three or four of these cakes are generally put up permost

permost, for the food of the person opposite to whose scat they are placed. Beneath these are four or five of ordinary bread, and of a blackjsh kind. These serve the master to ipe his fingers upon, and afterwards the servant for bread to his dinner.

"Two or thrce servants then come, each with a square piece of beef in his bare hands, laying it upon the cakes of teff, placed like disnes down the table. The company are so ranged that one man sits between two women; the man cuts a thin piece; the women take the steak and cut it lengthways, like strings, about the thickness of your little finger, then cross-ways into square pieces, something smaller than dice. This they Jay upon a piece of the teff bread, strongly powdered with black pepper; they then wrap it up in the teff bread like a cartridge.

"In the mean time, the man, with each hand resting upon his neigh bour's knee, his body stooping, his head low and forward, and mouth open, very like an idiot, turns to the one whose cartridge is first ready, who stufts the whole of it into lus mouth. No man in Abyssinia, of any fashion whatever, feeds himself, or touches his own meat." Bruce's Travels, vol. IV', p. 483—4.

I forbear at present to subjoin more remarks on these two apparently similar customas, leaving it to the discretion of the Reader to trace their common analogy.

Yours, &c.

J. DRIVER.

Mr. URBAN, July 11. YOU 7OUR insertion of a few strictures on Mr.Wiffen's description of Hoddesdon which he has given (not in commengam) with the Vicarage Church of Broxbourne, will contribute much to the satisfaction of several of yourReaders resident in this neighbourhood.

Broxbourne and Hoddesdon to one who is travelling thro' them, must appear as like each other (to use a coarse but significant illustration) as two Peas; saving only that one may possibly be more populous than the other, and the houses in Hoddesdon more contiguous; I shall therefore make Mr. W's description of Broxbourne serve for both, as any one will see it may easily do, mutális mutandis.

"The Hamlet of Hoddesdon stands upon a small eminence" (an advantage it

has over Broxbourne by the bye)" situate very agreeably for business or pleasure. It is about four miles S. of Ware, and the same distance from Hertford; and conveyances to the metropolis for persons or gools by stages or waggons, are easily obtained, as they are passing through every hour of the day. The Country round is beautifully diversified by hanging woods; the meandring courses of rivers, the spires of distant Churches peeping from behind the verdure which envelopes the landscape, present to the observing eye an interesting sight."

1 now proceed to make a short comment on the offensive passage.

"Of the situation and appearance of Hoddesdon little can be said; it is not calculated to excite admiration either by its rusticity or elegance, and does not ingly choose to spend his days in." seem a place which a person would will

But it is to be hoped there are other things in the world equally calculated to excite lasting admiration, as rusticity, or elegance. Besides, the objection to the situation of this cheerful little Hamlet has already been obviated by the proofs of its resemblance to Broxbourne, in the praises of which Mr. W. has been justly so lavish. The plain act is, that there are many respectable and pleasant families of a different way of thinking from Mr. W. who have passed many of their days in Hoddesdon, and who are likely to spend the

rest there in their accustomed harmony and happiness; and which they have probably no inclination to seek for in Lansdown Crescent, or on the sides of Windermere, or the mountains of Cumberland. The situation of Hoddesdon is confessedly salubrious, having attracted many to it by choice, and being recommended to others as invalids.

"It is situate at a convenient distance

from London, yet is without Trade.”

A slight mistake of cause and effect; for if the assertion be true, the effect is probably owing to the very cause, which our writer thinks ought to produce Trade, viz. its vicinity to London! Trude is a term of great latitude: and if Hoddesdon hath not the stalls of Leadenhall, or the high houses of Spital-fields, it loses nothing of rusticity or elegance on these accounts. But it hath shops, and a mill; and I dare venture to affirm, that Messrs. Christie and Cathrow could disprove our writer's assertion

by

by more substantial documents to the contrary, than any which he may be in possession of; and indeed, the extensive Premises of their Brewery are alone well calculated to excite the admiration and thirst of any traveller whatever.

"It is near two rivers, yet derives no advantage from either."

That is being bliud indeed, if it be true-(a third stream might have ben added, it being nearer to the Stort than Broxbourne is) but does it get nothing? neither water, nor water-carriage, nor fresh-water fish? (that rustic tho' inelegant fare.) The fact is, it gets all three and every other convenience cominonly found in similar situations, near navigable rivers. Now comes the heavycharge, which is to sink poor Hoddesdon for ever, most eloquently reserved for the last. "It has no curiosities, or antiquities, of any note."

And therefore (by the context) is not calculated to excite admiration! I could confidently name some modern excellences which it boasts of, well calculated for such a purpose; but I suppose he means it has nothing to amuse idle Travellers: then let such keep away. Yet he allows of one antiquity-the old clock! which is all (he says) that is left of the old Chapel, which w spulled down. This indeed, is little enough for an Antiquary, who may say with the Poet,

YOUNG.

"We take no note of time But by its loss." Had the writer looked to right as well as left, he might have seen an elegant modern Chapel built in the room of the old one. And if he is just, he must allow this good practice of the inhabitants of Hoddesdon to be of very great antiquity. I mean the custom of restoring to the full, venerable buildings that have been pulled down: so antient, that it is almost lost in modern Europe, where, if they can but pull down, no matter who rebuilds. I may add, it is worthy of just admiration-more so, perhaps, than some writers are willing to allow.

But even amongst Antiquities, this writer has omitted the famous thatched House where Isaac Walton and his friend ir H. Wotton used to regale themselves after having reaped some amusement at least from the water. And the good Samaritan,

pouring forth her saubrious streams, purer than which Pindar himself, that antient Encomiast upon water, never drank at Dirce or Aganipp". And opposite to her, the little squab figure, which, from its curiosity, shape, and peculiarity of phiz, might puzzie the ablest Antiquary to determine whether it be Pagan or Jew, Angel or Devil.

It would be expecting too much to suppose, that any one fond of Antiquities could condescend for once to sink the Antiquary in the convenient Traveller or Tourist: yet I dare answer for it honest Daniel Patterson will be read with profit when this Writer's opinions are lost or forgotten. That Compiler kindly mentions two things to be seen at Hoddesdon, well worthy the taste of travellers of every description; I mean, a Bull and a Liou! where the most curious thing would be, their finding nothing to eat, and the greatest Antiquity to be found, old Port to drink.

Some Tourists, Mr. Urban, (as you have doubtless remarked) make their observations with so much haste, and upon so feeble an authority, as well as with so little judgment of selection, that it would appear they took a sort of pride in writing as fast as they could travel; which will naturally bring to your Readers' minds the example of the celebrated Foreigner, who, in order to get over the Principality of Wales within a prescribed time, visited one half of that beautiful country by moonlight; of course, therefore, if he saw some things less distinctly than others, and many things not at all, we cannot wonder that his journal should partake of the like defects: but then, Sir, it should be remembered in mitigation, that he was travelling and writing for his bread; and consequently he might well resemble that famous Bird of Wisdom, which rarely ventures abroad in quest of its food till after sun-set. Yours, &c.

a

Mr. URBAN,

A MODERN.

July 18.

SHALL be very glad if you will perit me to repeat the notice * of great mistake in grammar, which has been adopted for several years by very eminent writers. I mean, the phrase of “it were needless, it were *See in January, p. 38.

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