lium splendorem virtutibus augenti, ad publica populi Comitia jam legato; in optimatium vero Magnæ Britanniæ Senatu, jure hæreditario, olim concessuro. Vim insitam varia doctrina promovente, nec tamen se venditante, prædito. Priscâ fide, animo liberrimo et morum elegantiâ insigni, in Italiæ visitandæ itinere socio suo honoratissimo. Hasce juris prudentiæ primitias, devinctissimæ amicitiæ et observantiæ monumentum D. D. C. Q. Jacobus Boswell. We do not observe that Mr. Croker has marked any faults omitted by Dr. Johnson; which, as Editor, we think he should have done. The letter Boswell writes (p. 4), to defend this jargon ought to be read, to complete the effect. Vol. 1. p. 14. "Consult Dr. Robertson, to whom I am a little known; I shall be satisfied about the propriety of what he may direct."-Upon these words of Johnson's, relating to the publication of a letter of Boswell's, Boswell writes in a note:-This paragraph shows Johnson's real estimation of the character and abilities of the celebrated Scottish historian, however lightly, in a moment of caprice, he may have spoken of his works.-Mr. Croker has a proper comment on this; and says, " Johnson seems never to have spoken otherwise than slightingly of Robertson's works."―We beg leave to relieve Johnson from the injurious impression given by his friend, that his judgment of Robertson was capricious-which we shall do by showing that very competent judges agree with him in opinion. H. Walpole-" Robertson's reading is not extensive: he only reads what may conduce to the purpose in hand. His introduction to the History of Charles the Fifth, abounds with gross mistakes. In mentioning the little intercourse among nations in the middle ages, he says, a Prior of Cluny expresses his apprehension of a journey to St. Maur. He supposes the Prior's simplicity a standard of the mode of thinking of that time. In many other instances, he has mistaken exceptions for rules." On the merits of Robertson's History of Mary Queen of Scots, see Stuart's History, Vol. 1. p. 402. On the History of Charles the Fifth, "The reader must beware of following Robertson's romance-his so-called History of Charles the Fifth," v. Europe during the Middle Ages (Lardner's Cyclopædia), vol. 1. p. 280. "Robertson, if he had applied to Monsieur Gerard of Brussells, keeper of the archives, and many other persons in the Austrian Netherlands, might have procured documents and information which would have rendered the History of Italy something more than a barc splendid relation of facts already known to every common historical reader." v. Thicknesse's Journey through Austrian Netherlands, vol. 1. p. 53. "Robertson's History, admirable for the sagacity with which it is compiled, but too much abridged in the part relating to the Toltecks and Aztecks." Humboldt, Res. in America, vol. 11. 248. "What Robertson has said of Ant. Solis, may be applied to himself:-" I know no author, in any language, whose literary fame has risen so far above his real merits." Southey's Omniana, vol. 1. p. 141. "Hume is chargeable with a want of industry, and Robertson in a far greater degree, beyond any writer of eminence, not even excepting the Abbé Raynal." Annual Review, vol. iv. p. 467. "Robertson, in what he calls his History of America, is guilty of such omissions, and consequent misrepresentations, as to make it certain, either that he had not read some of the most important documents to which he refers, or that he did not choose to notice the facts which are to be found there, because they were not in conformity to his own preconceived opinions. The reputation of this author must rest upon his History of Scotland, if that can support it. His other works are miserably deficient." Southey's History of Brazil, vol 1. p. 639. So much for the fame and merits of Dr. Robertson, to which we add, that his style is artificial and tiresome.* We may as well add, in taking our leave of the Doctor Historicus, that the account of his America, in the Annual Register, bears the marks of Burke's Philosophical Criticism. It shows an extent of moral and political views, similar to that which his writings usually display. See Bisset's Life of Burke, p. 290; and see Foreign Quarterly Review, No. xvII. p. 108-110, on the America. And now we shall close our present notices, by presenting to our general readers a short account of a document totally unknown to Robertson. 1. Epistola Christofori Columbi, cui ætas nostra multum debet, de Insulis Indie supra Gangem nuper inventis, ad quas perquerendas octavo antea Mense missus fuerat. Nobilis ac literatus vir Aliander de Cosso ab Hispano idiomate in Latinum convertit, tertio kal. Maii, 1493. 2. Epistola Christofori Columbi, cui ætas nostra multum debet, de Insulis Indie supra Gangem nuper inventis, ad quas perquerenda, octavo antea Mense missus fuerat. Nobilis ac literatus vir Aliander de Cosso ab Hispano idiomate in Latinum convertit, tertio kal. Maii, 1493. Impressit Rome Eucharius Argenteus, Anno MCCCCLXXXXIIT. The above two editions of Columbus's celebrated Letter, which was long supposed to be lost, were both unknown to Robertson. It is the first document ever printed relating to the history of America. It is doubtful which is the first edition; but it is presumed that they were both printed the same year. The one without a date, has been supposed to be the first. The title appears to have been the transcript of the official address, ́Auspiciis et ære invictissimi Fernandi'; in the edition with a date it is, ' ære invictissimorum Fernandi et Helisabet. Would the Queen's name, once introduced, have been afterwards dropped? The King was averse to the expedition, and refused to pay any part of the expenses out of the revenues of Arragon. The Queen offered to pledge her jewels to assist Columbus, and made her hereditary kingdom of Castile responsible for his outfit. Of the letter without a date, three copies have been discovered: of the one with a date, only one is known to exist. We believe that all four copies are in England, and that the Duke of Buckingham has one at Stowe. P. 55. He allowed high praise to Thomson as a poet, but when one of the critics said he was also a very good man, our moralist contested this with great warmth, accusing him of gross sensuality and licentiousness of manners." The chief proof which we possess to support Johnson's assertion, is found in some Greek verses of Thomson's composition, which are trop libre. It has, however, been asserted in some late publication, we forget whether Taylor's Reminiscences or elsewhere, that Thomson had a wife, whom he never owned, but kept in Scotland, and that he passed off in London as a single man. We do not know the authority for this assertion. That he was very indolent, every one knows. Mrs. Piozzi says-“ Thomson wrote from his lodgings at a milliner's in Bond-street, where he seldom rose early enough to see the sun do more than glisten on the opposite windows of the street;" vide Travels in Italy, 1. 416; and Cave says, in a letter, "We still agree on Tuesday, and I think shall see Claremont as we saw Cannons, and then come to dine at Richmond. Had I best send Thomson word that we shall be at such an inn at Richmond Green, his *The following phrases occur in Robertson's America :- -Warrantably,-almost none,--superintending over,-united together, almost never,-unhealthful. He says, "the Deer of America are not equal in size to those of the Old World." What, not the Elk, and the Wapiti!! So much for his Natural History. hour of rising ?"-We could, had we room, throw together many curious anecdotes of Thomson and his writings; but we shall end by giving the first sketch of the inscription which Shenstone placed on a seat dedicated to the poet, in Virgil's Grove, at the Leasowes : Celeberrimo Poetæ JACOBO THOMSON, Qui, cum quicquid ubique ruris est, aut amænum, aut varium mirè depinxerit, hasce etiam fontes non fastidivit. NOTE-Catalogue of Dr. Johnson's Library.—We mentioned our desire of seeing the Catalogue of Dr. Johnson's Library, and we have been obligingly favoured with a copy. The books were sold by Christie in Pall Mall, on Wednesday Feb. 16, 1785, and three following days. There is in the Library a good collection of classical works, both Greek and Latin, and many of the Fathers; some works of Criticism and Philology; most of the best works of English Divinity, in the old folios; in Medicine, such as Van Helmont, Boerhaave, Swieten, and Hoffman; two Shakspeares in folio, 1623 and 1664. The only scarce work is the Earl of Northumberland's Household-book, probably a present from Dr. Percy. The number of Lots is 662. It is a very useful scholar's library, of that time; and more ample than it might have been presumed that Johnson's limited means would have enabled him to collect. The manner in which the Catalogue is arranged and printed, is the most shamefully careless and inaccurate that we ever saw. CARFAX CHURCH, OXFORD. THE accompanying plate presents a scene well known to all who have formerly resided in Oxford, though it is now materially changed. In the following illustrative particulars, we shall in great measure avail ourselves of the words of Dr. Ingram, in his interesting "Memorials of Oxford;" though we should mention that a much fuller description of the building, in an architectural view, will be found in the Gentleman's Magazine for Sept. 1819, accompanying a view from the northwest, or contrary side, next the churchyard. The foundation of the church of St. Martin at Carfax (that is, the Crossways, the Quatrevois, or Quadrivium), is of great antiquity. The advowson originally belonged to the Crown, and was given by Canute the Dane, about 1032, with the manors of Great and Little Linford in Buckinghamshire, and other revenues, to the Benedictines of St. Mary at Abingdon. In the charter, which is preserved in the Abingdon cartulary, the church is called "Monasteriolum,"—a little minster, "because," says Dr. Ingram, "it was served by the monastic clergy; as the majority of churches then were." It was confirmed to the abbey successively by Pope Eugenius III., Hugh Bishop of Lincoln, and Pope Innocent III., between 1147 and 1202; and remained in their possession until the dissolution of monasteries in the 37th Henry VIII. when it reverted to the Crown, to which it still belongs. The rectory has always been a very poor one, and with some modern improvements is worth only 627. per annum. The parish is of small extent, containing 70 houses, and 490 inhabitants. Several chantries are enumerated by Wood; some of which were well endowed, particularly that of the fraternity of St. John the Baptist. In the first year of Queen Mary, an attempt was made to revive the chantry of St. Thomas the Martyr; but soon after the accession of Elizabeth, an item occurs in the parish accounts, "For blacking out St. Thomas his altar, 6d. &c." The Church consisted of a nave and two side aisles, the east windows of which were exposed to the full view of the High-street. Highly enriched windows, filled with the beautiful tracery of the fourteenth century, had been inserted in the east and south sides, and one on the north. The Doric frontispiece of the south door, shown in the view, was erected in the year 1624; at which time also the pediment was added to the east end, and the heavy clock and chimes erected at the south-east corner. In 1819, on account of the decayed state of some parts of the edifice, it was judged necessary to pull it entirely down, and erect a new one. This was not done, however, without considerable controversy,* as many parts of the building were in a sound condition, and the whole was both venerable and handsome, within and without. The first stone of the new church was laid on the 23d of October 1820, and it was opened for divine service on the 16th of June 1822. Messrs. Harris and Plowman of Oxford were both the architects and builders; and a view of the new structure, which is in the florid style of Gloucester cathedral, will be found in Ingram's "Memorials." The old Tower remains; and, though it does not harmonise well with the modern church, is venerable for its antiquity. It is said that it rose originally much higher, but that it was partly taken down, with some other parts of the church, by command of King Edward the Third, in the 14th year of his reign; "because upon the complaints of the scholars, the townsmen would, in time of combat with them, retire there as to their castle, and from thence gall and annoy them with arrows and stones." At present the upper part of the tower is more * Part of this found its way into the Gentleman's Magazine; see vol. LXXXIX. ii. 122, 201, 580. modern than the rest; and from the stoutness of the building, and its having no exterior door, it appears well calculated to stand a siege, if required. The ancient Font is also still preserved, though in a rather mutilated state. It is octagonal, ornamented on each side with a statue and with buttresses, paneling, and blank shields; and is altogether a rich specimen of the style of the fourteenth century. A representation of it is given in the "Memorials of Oxford." Attached to the east end of the Church, just under the windows, was Penayless Bench, now best known by T. Warton's humourous description of it in his "Companion to the Guide, and Guide to the Companion;" but Wood informs us, that "here the Mayor and his Brethren met occasionally on public affairs,”—probably when proclamations were to be made. This Bench is mentioned in the parish accounts in the reign of Henry the Eighth, and was then either first erected, or entirely rebuilt; it was again rebuilt, with a shed over it, supported on stone pillars; which were afterwards removed, and a sort of alcove substituted for them, as shown in a woodcut in the "Memorials." In 1747, it was represented to the City Council that "the old Butter-bench, otherwise Pennyless bench, was a great nuisance, being a harbour for disorderly people," and it was then immediately after taken down, and a substitute formed on the opposite side of the street. Its site continues to be a favourite loitering-place to this day, and it is still the custom for labourers out of employment to wait about this spot, the very centre of the city of Oxford, for the chance of being hired. lish Dictionary; and among them he will find some, upon which we are totally at variance. The first peculiarity that I shall proceed to specify, consists in the classification of the words, with their immediate derivatives;* followed by one comprehensive interpretation, adapted to the whole. There are instances, where this latter portion of the rule was not fairly practicable; but these are exceptions. This method of arrangement is attended with these advantages, at least. The tediousness of incessant repetitions, by no means necessary for the rational use of a Dictionary, is entirely avoided, a more comprehensive as well as intelligible deduction of usages from the intrinsic meaning may be consistently pursued, and instruction unsought will be forced upon the mind. The whole family, or rather, more generally, the whole branch of a family, is presented to the eye and understanding at once: a collateral branch, or even all collateral branches, may be conveniently placed in juxtaposition, and a single glance will acquaint us with the relative barrenness or fertility of each. A little additional attention, a more prolonged inspection, will, with the less difficulty, afford the opportunity of distinguishing such abuses as may have silently gained admission in the process of composing words; and of forming some laws to direct us in our efforts towards a general improvement of our vocabulary. The very fact, that this arrangement presents a stumbling block (and such is said to be the case), to hasty and impatient reference, confirms the propriety of adopting it. A certain degree of knowledge and of thought, a certain portion of grammatical learning, is undoubtedly required, as a condition precedent to the use of the New Dictionary; but the painfulness of thinking will speedily diminish; facility will be the result of very short practice, and the habit of contemplating each individual word in close connection with all the immediate descend ants of the same branch, will produce an enlightened acquaintance with our language; before which every shadow of obscurity will quickly fade away, and leave a clearer and a broader prospect, to invite and gratify the gaze of inquiry. These remarks may and probably will seem trivial to persons even of small pretensions to literature; perhaps more so to them than to the sounder and more reflecting scholar: but 1 have been admonished that the illiterate form a very large and respectable portion of the community. I think they do; though not because they are illiterate. But, since they are so numerous and so respectable, I should not feel excused to myself, if I passed them unregarded, without a word of encouragement to increase their respectabilityby making, with no very toilsome exer. tions.an useful addition to their learning. I must, however, exact from them this degree of erudition: that they should know an abstinent man to be one who abstains; the contents of a book, to be the matters contained in it: and then that they keep in mind, when consulting the Dictionary, the necessity of referring directly to the word from which each subderivative is formed, viz. to abstain and to contain. If, then, in a reference for the purpose of finding other such subderivatives, they should, as most assuredly they will, be disappointed, if they expect to discover it at all times in its precise alphabetical position, let them mitigate their disappointment by the reflection, that, from the very circumstance of their being obliged to make that slight employment of their intellect, which will bring the rule to recollection, they are instructed and improved; that at every instance, the labour of recollection will decrease; and that the quantity of knowledge gained at the moment above the quantity required by the exigencies of the moment, may be held in store for future service. They will soon become sensible that, though the Dictionary presents obstacles to be surmounted, it will shortly repay the trouble. The words, with their immediate derivatives, thus classed together, are succeeded by the cognate terms in other languages: if the origin be Latin, for instance, by the Italian, French, and |