he published in two volumes 8vo. "Letters upon Subjects of Literature." In the Preface to this work he says, most of these little essays were written many years ago; they have been collected from detached papers, "and revised for publication as a relief to the author's "mind, during a confinement now of more than eighteen "months continuance. It seemed good to the Supreme Disposer of all things to reduce him in a moment, by "an apoplectic stroke, from the most perfect state of "health and cheerfulness, amidst his friends, to a paralytic permanent debility; a debility, which hath "not only fixed him to his chair, but brought on spasms 66 66 so exquisitely painful, and frequently so unremitted, "as scarcely to allow a single hour's repose to him for "many days and nights together. Under the pressure "of these afflictions, God hath graciously been pleased "to continue to him his accustomed flow of spirits, and "to preserve his memory and his understanding in some degree of vigor. These alleviating blessings have "enabled him to borrow pleasure from past times, in "support of the present; to call back the delightful and instructing conversations he enjoyed in a society of "worthy and ingenious friends, and to resume those "studies and amusements, which rendered the former "part of his life happy." 66 His writings in general evince a sound understanding, a correct taste, and a benevolent heart. He died April 8, 1797, in his 75th year, and lies buried in the chancel of the Church of Onehouse, but without any inscription to his memory. NO gilded roofs here strain the gazer's eye; No goblets flow with noxious luxury; Sleep, balmy Sleep, here rests his downy wings, Nor waits the purple pomp of gorgeous coverings; No gems here dazzle the offended sight; No trilling airs inspire unchaste delight; No servile bands with crouching necks appear, But lofty groves of beauteous forms are seen, Nor less the shrubs their wholesome fruits afford, And blooming orchards still supply the board: ↑ The Manor of Onehouse, in the reign of Edward the Third, was in the possession of Bartholemew Lord Burghersh, (one of the twelve noblemen to whose care the Prince of Wales was committed at the battle of Cressy) with grant of free warren for all his demesne lands in Suffolk. A farm house hath been built on the site of the old hall, where he probably resided, which was encompassed with a moat, upon whose eastern bank an oak is now growing, and apparently sound, the circumference of which, at the smallest part of the bole, is sixteen feet, and twenty-four at the height of three yards from the ground. Notwithstanding one of its principal leading arms, with several other massy boughs on the north side have been broken off by tempests, it contains, at present upwards of four hundred and ninety feet of solid timber by measurement, in its stem and branches About sixty yards to the southward of this venerable tree, is a broad leafed elm, whose boughs in the year 1781, extended fifty four feet towards the north, and near forty upon its opposite side, measuring each way from the center of the trunk, The greater part of this parish, two centuries ago, was a wood, except a narrow strip declining to the south east near this large distinguished mansion, which was beautifully situated upon a rising ground, gently sloping into a valley, with a rivulet winding through it. In the base court, or the outside of the moat towards the east, which is a square of half an acre, now the milking yard of the farm house, there were growing in the year 1776, as many ashen trees as contained upwards of a thousand and three hundred solid feet of timber This estate, with the manor and advowson of the rectory, is now in the possession of Roger Pettiward, of Great Finborough Hall, esq. The church, which is small, and has a baptistery, or font, of unhewn stone, seems to have been a Saxon building; but a part of the north wall only, extending about ten yards from the tower, which is circular, is all that remains of the original struc ture. It is situated two hundred yards to the north of the moat that surrounded the old mansion house, whose grandeur and solitary situation probably gave name to the parish No less than a fifth portion of its lands at present consists of woods and groves finely planted with timbers; and even a part of the rectorial glebe adJoining to the parsonage house is a wood of ten or twelve acres. Earth spreads her charms, with flow'rs the meads are crown'd, And smiling Ceres pours her gifts around. How sweetly does the love-lorn nightingale Beneath this straw-thatch'd roof, this humble cell, † 2 + The Parsonage House, now the residence of the Rev. Daniel Pettiward, M. A. Rector of the Parish, and Vicar of Great Finborough; whose valuable and extensive library will afford ample gratification to the Bibliomaniac, and whose kind and hospitable manners will ever endear him to his friends. SONNET To Great Blakenham, the Residence of a Friend. BY MISS S. EVANCE. This small village is distant about five miles from Ipswich, and situated on the road leading to Stowmarket. Walter Giffard, Earl of Buckingham, temp. R. Will. Ruf. gave this Manor and Advowson to the rich Abbey of Bec in Normandy, to which it became a distinct Alien Priory. After the dissolution of these Priories, K. Hen. VI. ann. reg. 19. gave them to the Provost and Fellows of Eton College; and K. Edw. IV. confirmed the bequest. In this village resided the Rev. Edward Evanson, M. A. well known to the world by his controversial writings; a man of high literary attainments, and of the strictest honor, integrity and benevolence. Blakenham! although thy bounded scenes among No forests wave, no lofty hills arise, Whence far-stretch'd prospects meet the raptur❜d eyes: No winding sea-dasht shores to thee belong, (Sublimities that most delight the mind) Yet, Blakenham, thy still meads, where riv'lets wind, Thy corn-fields, waving 'neath the rustling breeze, And thy secluded copses-they are dear To me; and when I go far, far away, Full oft amid thy scenes will memory stray. Ah! virtue, taste, refinement pure are here; And these, when view'd by fond affection's eye, Give thee an interest-which shall never die! STANZAS Written after visiting the Beach at Felixton, BY MR. BERNARD BARTON. The shore at Felixton is bold and steep, being composed of a hard sand, intermixed with shingle, and perfectly free from ooze; and the marine view delightful. The beach can by no means be denominated va barren one, as it frequently happens that very large and fine pieces of jet and amber are cast ashore, and picked up at low water. During the late war, several Martello Towers were erected here, at a very considerable expence, for the protection of the coast. On the cliff, about three miles from Languard Fort, is situated FELIXTOW COTTAGE, the residence of Sir Samuel Brudenell Fludyer, Bart. It was formerly a mere fisherman's hut, and was purchased by the eccentric Philip Thicknesse, Esq. then Lieutenant Governor of the Fort, for £55. whose taste, aided by the embellishments of his wife's pencil, soon converted it into a charming occasional retreat; and here they resided during the summer months. On relinquishing his Lieutenant Governorship, he disposed of this Cottage to the Dowager Lady Bateman for £400: about half the money which he had expended upon it. The beauties of this place have been fully described by Mrs. Thicknesse in her Memoirs; but great alterations have been made both within and without since the period to which her account refers: in particular, the arch, which she mentions as being formed of huge stones in front of the cottage, has been removed; by which a most extensive marine prospect is opened from the terrace that winds round the edge of the cliff. An engraving of the Cottage, when inhabited by Governor Thicknesse, on a reduced scale, was inserted in the Gent. Mag. Aug.1816: p. 105. from a larger one, which is now become scarce. The mother of the present possessor purchased it for £2000. |