North Wales Gazette

II THE GENIUS OF THE ROCK. Vax—et nihil prmterea. Art-ate one even I chanced to iotray I met a fairy on my way Not one of that mischievous brood Who never do, or think of good, But this was one whose glowing face iBeam'd comfort to the human race. A mantle over his shoulders thrown, Around his waste an azure zone, His head an eagle's plumage bore. And sandals on his feet he wore His whole appearance struck the vie* As something strange, as something new; And while astonished I survey'd, In sweetly soothing tones he said, Let not my form your spirits shoclj, 41 I am the Genius of the Rock. Behold where yon black cliffs ascend And curving o'er the chasm bend, 4* Where dark beneath the turrents flow, And wildly roar in notes of woe, If ever strangers wander there, To guard them is my pleasing care. U Oft rapid as etherial light, To Indian realms I urge my flight, I pierce those climes to man unknown, And travel earth from zone to zone Or on those mountains crown'd with snows, Which Indians deem creation's close, Whose summit ne'er by man was trod I stand and view the works of God! 44 Anon, unclogged by earthly clay, (A wish will lead me on the way) I rise beyond this mortal sphere, II And floatonair sublimely clear, To all those stars that wheeling run 41 TT'pru?' circles round the sun, t. To Jupiter's quadruple nighf, 44 ro Saturn's en ded zone of light, n To distant Herschell's mighty round, •• Nor stopped by the solar bound, 44 I unexhausted, ceaseless rise To other systems, other skies 44 But see in yonder grassy nook «' Where murmurs by the mountain brook, 44 When Cynthia, thron'd in pearly light, Makes mountain tops and vallies bright, H Vhi h many a frisking gambol gay The fays and fairies meet to play i From thence we view the state of things 44 Midst peasants, lords, dukes, and kings. 45 The peasant, thankless for his store, *4 Loudly comptains he has no more, 41 The lordling cringes for a place 44 And lies and flatters to His Grace, 44 His Grace more proud, vain glorious grown, «« Aims to he absolute, alone; is While kings, by glory madiy dr-iv'n, 44 War with the world and siu 'gainst heav'n 4, Can man divine his maker's mindj «» Ilis motives for his actions find? 44 Why one is here with riches bless'd? « Another their in rags is dress'd ? 44 Whv evil should to this befal ? 41 Why good to that, and not to all ? 44 Why every thing to his short sight Should not be tkang'd to make it right? 16 Alas 1 the pleasing virtues go, it And leave you to despair and woe; «* Content, with mildly—beaming eye, CI Has sought her throne in yonder sky, "And peace, oil sylphid pinions borne, t. Leaves ye, bewail i tA;r,sa(l, forlorn, «* And happiness with cheerful mien, 44 No more amid your vales is seen 1 Mild as the fragrance of the spring, The Genius wav'd his downy wing, Then shot as fast as solar light tIp to the mountain's tow'ry height, jknd siooij evanished from my view, £ 4 night her sable curtain drew. JY«w«d</s» the tdhors of the North frates Gazette. GENTLEMEN, The late vrortliy Mr. Yorke, our Cambrian antiquary, has, in his Welsh Tribes, given a beautiful engraved portrait of the late Lord Chancellor Egerton. I flatter myself, that it may be entertaining to some of your readers, if you admit the following account of the ancestors of that great Statesman, and himself into jour columns. V/ DEVA. /"}. THE ancient family of Egerton, are de- scended from the Barons of Malpas, and Philip, who was the second son of David., Baron of Malpas, being seated at Egertou took that surname; from whom in lineal de- scent was Sir John Egerton, of Egerton, Knight, who fighting valiantly for the house of Lancaster, under Lord Audley, General for King Henry VI. was slain at the great battle of Bloreheath, in Staffordshire, Sept. 23, 1459. This Sir John was succeeded by Philip his eldesn son, who had issue, John E. of Egerton; and Sir Ralph Egerton of Ridley, Knight. This estate was given him out of the forfeited estates of Sir William Stanley, of Holt, by King Henry VII. He was made Escheator of Cheshire, with Roger Mauwar- ing, in 1509 and Sir Ralph was constituted Ranger of the forest of Delamere, during life. He was knighted by Henry VIII. for his valour at the sieges of Toriiene, andToiir- nay, at the famous battle of Spurs, and had the office of Standard-bearer of England, with 1001. per annum for life. He died about 1509, but his will is dated in 1502, and he was buried in a C hapel he had erected in Bun- bury Church. His directions for his inter- ment, and curious bequests I mean to send to you. He had a son Richard, who came of age in the 23d of Henry VIII, who was after- wards knighted, and by Alice, daughter of —— Sparkes, of Bickerton, had issue, Sir Thomas Egerton of Dodleston, who was made Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England by Queen Elizabeth, and by King James I. Baron Elesmere, Viscount Brackley, and Lord Chan- cellor of England. The daughter of Sir li I- chard, (the Chancellor's father) having no issue, he settled all the estates he could be- queath on the Chancellor, whose mother had been so neglected by her seducer, that she r) was reducQp to the necessity of begging for her support. A neighbouring gentjeman, a friend of Sir Richard's saw her asking alms, followed by her child. lIe admired its beau- ty, and saw in it, the evident features of the Knight. He immediately went to him, and laid before him Llift disgrace of suffering his own offspring, illegitimate as it was, to wan- der from door to door. He was affected with the reproof, adopted the child, and by a pro- per education laillthc foundation of his future ? fortune. After a well spent and useful life ho died, 15th March, 1617, aged 77, and was buried at Dodleston. He held the seals from May 1596, to March 1617, and bad three wives. His son John, by his first wife, suc- ceeded him, from whom (helatc Duke of Bridgewater was descended. Archbishop Williams, of Penrhyn, was his chaplain, to whom he gave four of his books, guying.,— Well, I know you are an expert workman, take these tools to work with, they are the best I have." And Fuller says, 41 That Wil- liams made such use of them, that he tran- scribed these four books into his own brains." The great Sir Francis Bacon was honoured by his friendship, and promoted by his favour, and at his death succeeded him in the office of Lord Chancellor. His town residence was in the White Friars, Chester. The following Anecdote is recorded, of him. He happened to be in Court, when a cause was trying, in which it appeared that three graziers had vested a joint deposit of money in custody of a woman, who lived in Smith- field, upon condition, that she was to deliver it up, upon their coming all together to de- mand it. One of the graziers, by persuading her that he was to receive the money by his two partners, who were bargaining for oxen, and only waiting for the money to, conclude the purchase, prevailed upon her to entrust him with it, and he immediately absconded. The other two commenced a suit against the woman to recover the money. The cause was brought on, and nothing now appeared to remain, but that a verdict should be given for the Plaintiffs; when Mr. Egerton stepped forward, as Jmicus Curiae, Upon obtaining permission, he took care to establish the con- ditions upon which the defendant was entrust- ed with the money. These being allowed, as before stated, he then said, 44 The defendant is-ready to comply with the agreement—the Z, plaintiffs only may be deservedly charged with its violation. Two of them have brought a suit against this woman, to oblige her to pay them a sum of money, which, by agreement she was to pay to those two, and the remain- ing partner jointlv, coming together to de- mand it. Why do not these plaintiffs bring their partner along with them ? When they do this, and fulfil their agreement on their parts, she is ready to come up to the full ex- tent of hers; till then, I apprehend he is bound by law to retain the possession of the money deposited in her hands." This turned the cause, and a verdict was given for the de- fendant. (To be continued.) -0

To the Editors of the North Wales Gazette. GENTLEMEN. IT would be deemed nugatory in an Agri. culturist to adduce to the notice of Farmers the benefits that lands receive by being pas- tured in comparison of the injury which they receive by tillage, unless they are constantly renovated by manure. But permit me to ob- serve, that many Farmers, that I know, do not receive the beneficial effects from their rest grounds as they might obtain, by a little attention.—It is conceived by some, that when once a piece of ground is devoted to pasturage, that there is no need to take any further trouble about it, whilst it remains in that state. This is a great error in judgment. It is well known, that cattle and horses, make ptheir droppings generally on one spot, which rif suffered to remain unspread, smothers the grass below for a considerable length of time, and then, when the grass springs through the b b muck, ft is so offensive, and sour, that no. thing will eat it. Now in the lands which I occupy, I take care to have every dropping spread, every week, or fortnight, which not only spreads over a considerable surrounding portion of the field, but likewise enables the grass to shoot, in a short time, and its herb- age is sweet.—Whenever some of these kind of Farmers see their pastures filled with these tuffocks, they conceive ithightime to plow it again, as the land does not produce grass that the cattle will eat. The consequence is, that where it is sown with corn, in those particular rank spots, the corn is more luxuriant than in others, and ripens sooner, and often sheds the grain before the surrounding parts are ready for the sickle. Another fatal error is, that they do not take care to cut down all the weeds, before they go to seed the conse- quences are, betwixt the tuffocks and weeds the cattle are deprived of herbage sufficient for their wants. And then again when the lands are ploughed, and sown, the seeds arc buried in the soil, spring up, and the crop is infested with them. There is another matter of great consequence which is frequently un- attended to; which is, not taking care to ex- tirpate the moles in their pasture lands, and spreading their hillocks, conceiving that when the plough comes into the field, the moles will be drove away it frequently happens, they go into the adjoining lands, and there encrease more abundantly. It is a material advantage to cattle, to have a place to shelter in, from the flies in the summer tiiiie this advantage is the most effectually obtained by planting the corners, or recesses in the fields, with spreading trees, such as planes, syca- mores, elms, &c. under whose shade they can find relief. It these suggestions should merit a ptace in your News-paper, you will oblige AGRICOLA.

To the Editors of the J\"orth Wales Gazette. G EN TLJEM E N, Blount, in his Treatise on anticnt Tenures, and jocular customs, has not. mentioned one, which is ohsersed on making new freemen at Alnwick, in Northumberland, which affords as much mirth as any he lias recorded, and is at tins-time in full force. It is as follows — In the tEcigu of king John. that monarch al- f() ride across Alnwick moor, then called the Sforcst of Arden, he fell with his horse into a or morass, where he stuck so fast that he Was with great tiohcoUy pulled out by some of liis attendants. The king, in- censed against the inhabitants of the town, for not keeping their roads over ihe moor in better repair, inserted in their charter, both by way of memento and punishment, that for the future, all new created freemen should on St. Mark's day pass on foot, through that mo- rass, called the Freemason's Well. In obedi- ence to this clause of their charter, when any new freemen are to be made, a small rill of water which passes through the morass is kept dammed up for a day or two, previous to that oil which this ceremonial is 10 be exhibited by which means, the bog becomes so thorough- ly liquified, that a middle sized man is chin deep in mud and water in passing over ii, be- sides which, unlucky wags frequently dig boles and trenches; in these, filled up, and rei.dered invisible by the fluid mud several freemen have fallen down, and been in great danger of suffocation. In short, iu proporti- on as tire new made freemen are more or less popular, the passage is rendered more or less difficult at the best, however, it is scarcely preferable to the puuisbmeut of the horse powd kifflicle.d by the mob on a detected pick- pocket. T'be day being come, the candidates, for they are literally so, being dressed all in white, preceded by a cavalcade, consisting of ¡ -it the castjc Bailiff, the four Chamberlains, the freemen of the town, and a baud of music, repair to the scene of action. And on the word, or a signal being given, they pass through the bog, each being at liberty to use the best method, and pace, which to him shall seem best, some running, some going slow, and some attempting to jump over the SlIS- pected places, but all in their turns tumbling and wallowing like porpoises in the sea, or hogs in the mire, to the great amusement of the populace, who usually assemble in vast numbers on this occasion. The scene being over, the parties return to the town, and en- deavour to prevent, by good cheer, the ill t, effects of their mornings exercise. f >

To the Editors of the North Wales Gazette. GENTLEMEN, I HAVE been lately much entertained with the perusal of the Bibliomania, an Epistle ad- dressed to Richard Ileber, Esq. by the Rev. Thomas Frogual Dibdin, F.S.A. In his ac- count of the various symptoms of this disease, which he terms the Bibliomania, in page '60, he speaks thus of the symptoms of one of the seven, which rages amongst the literati in these present times, for purchasing uncut copies of books. -1 Of all the symptoms of the Bibliomania, this is probably the most extraordinary. It may be defined in a passion to possess books, of which the edges have not been sheared by the binder's tools." Permit me, without any intention of hurting the feelings of any of these book collectors, to request the following anecdotes may appear in your columns. Mr. John Rowley, who about the year 1752 kept a bookseller's shop in Chester, pur- chased the valuable library of Mr. Wright, of Stretton, who published his Travels into Ita- ly, where he collected a great number of scarce and valuable books; and as this mania had not in those days spread far beyond the Metropolis, the books hung heavy on his shelves; and lie having purchased them at a very low value, so, to get rid of them, he made lumping penny worths, in order to get rid of them. Mr. Woolwright, master of the Free Grammar School, was a good Classic scholar, having been educated under the late famous Mr. Lawson of Manchester. He made many purchases from Rowley, particularly some fine editions of the Blzivir, and Vario- rum editions of the classics, which he took a pride in shewing to his scholars. His real and personal property after his death devolved to a very distant relation. Here, I shall relate the catastrophe. Amongst many other anti. ent books, was a quarto volume of plays, poems, &c. edges uncut, as thick as a church bible, printed mostly iu 81aok Letter, with numerous Wood Cuts, in the earliest stage of 1 Printing which, being neither legible, nor 9 intelligible, to him or his family, he consign- ¡ ed to the Temple of Cloacina, where it served for opus et usus, for several years. The lite- rati, will hence conclude, that the race of the Goths, and Vandals, are not yet entirety ex- tinct. His feelings have been greatly morti- fied, since he was informed that probably, in tLese days, the book would have sold for upwards of 201. I know a bookseller, who, about 30 years ago, sold to the late Dr. Per- cy, a thick volume 4to, edges uncut, of plays, poems, &c. by Shakespear, Spencer, &c. for 15s. which the Doctor considered as one of the most rare books in his collection. The late Mr. Leacroft of London, purchased from the same Bookseller's catato-kie. uncut copies of Davies's Welsh Dictionary, Barnes's Euri- pides, and a fine copy, with extensive mar- gins, of the first edition of Shakespear; also two large folio volumes in Greek, superbly bound, with arms gilt on the sides, which had formerly belonged to the Abbey of Bas- ingwerk, near Holywell, and were presented by one of the lady Mostyn's of Trelacre, to her Romish priest, whose library this book- seller purchased. These, you may suppose, are now amongst his penitentiaIs; but permit me to observe, that he, not being a. Greek scholar, subjected them to the inspection of a school-master, who pronounced them to he obsolete things, and of little value. The ill- sertion of these two volumes, occupied one whole page in Mr. L's catalogue, without a price; he never would acknowledge what price he sold them for but said, that he sent them into Italy, and they probably now are amongst the plunder that Buonaparte ravaged from that desolated country. I must again beg leave to observe, that this present com- plaint the Bibliomania had not extended into the country, except in the following discre- ditable instance. It was the practice of a gentleman, to lounge a few hours almost everyevellillg in some one or other of the bookseller's shops, and took an opportunity, unobserved, to take a leaf, or sometimes a folding of the book he wished to possess, and in a few days afterwards, ask the price of it, which being told, he used to say 11 but this book is imperfect, it wants so many leaves and then got it for a trifle—he was suspected and afterwards detected. Tilt Bibliomania had taken possession of him, we will allow.— If this should merit a place in your Gazette, you shall hear again from A SUBSCRIBER.

The Manners and Customs of the Russians, ex- tracted from Sir R. Ker Porter's, account of the Russian Empire. Picture to yourself nearly an hundred na- ked women, flapping, splashing, and sporting in the water, with all the grace of a shoal of porpoises. No idea of exposure ever crossed their minds; no thought of shame ever flush. ed their checks but floundering about, they enjoyed themselves with as much indifference, as when standing in all their trim attire, star- ing at the gay groupes in the summer garden. Even on the confines of their bath, the Chin river, r.av in the very midst of it, lusty boors were filling their water casks for the use of the city. Who could believe, unless upon the most indisputable authority, that in the very centre of Europe, there should exist any part of a people, thus insensible to all natural mo- desty. I cannot omit mentioning a strange custom which they have amongst them; one very repugnant to nature, and to British feel- ings even shocking to think of. Fathers marry their sous to some blooming girl in the village at a very early age, and then send the young men either to Moscow or St. Petersbusgh to seek employment, leaving their brides a few days. after marriage to the care of their parents. At the expiration of some years, when the son returns to his cottage, he finds himself the nommal father of several children the offspringof bis own parent, who had deem- ed it his duty to supply the place of a husband to the young wife. This fashion continues all over Russia and when the son becomes a resident in his native village, if he have a nu- merous stock thus raised to him, he sends them packing, and then enjoys himself like a Turk, in his seraglio, among their wives.— These two instances of barbarism are sufficient to do away all the extravagant representati- ons of the French writers, with respect to the civilization of the lower orders in Russia.— What must, in fact, be the condition both of the moral feeling, and of the faculty of judg- ing, amongst a people thus instructed. It has been indeed well established by the travellers iato Africa, that even the Hottentots, the most stupid race of human beings are not guilty of this promiscuous intercourse. So much there- fore for the progressive civilization of the Ru-. ssian peasantry.

I MISCELLANIES. An idea of the extent of Norfolk farms may be formed, when it is known that one occu- pier, in the Western district, last year expend- ed more than 11001. for only one sort of ma- nure, (brought many miles) notwithstanding the immense quantity made at home, and the great number of sheep annually folded on the grounds. On another farm, 45 acres are con- sumed in roads across the lands. A few days ago, a person at Warwick, in the neighbourhood of this city, after having felt considerable pain in the region of the bladder, voided by urine, a considerable quan- tity ofunitnalcul-, of the tadpole species, and nearly of the same size. However extraor- dinary this may appear, and no natural histo- rian has ever mentioned a similar case, (nor is it possible to conceive how they could have been introduced into the bladder) what we have related is an undoubted fact. Whtu passed, these animalcula were inclosed in a thin membrane or bag they are of a dark brown colour, and covered on every part with strong bristlei.-They are now ill the posses- sion of a physician in this city and we un- derstand that a particular account respecting them will shortly be transmitted to the Philo. sophical journal.—Carlisle Journal. Mr. Canning's new statement is long enough, if that be a recommendation in such matters and the ttybu we mUit do him the justice to iay, is admirably appropriated to the length. It is, indeed a model ol that species of com- position which R man IB » V read a considerable time before be becomes wiser. On Friday afternoon, Mr. ThomasBoacW. sen. of Rochester, left his wife and family, saying he was going to see his niece, who rc. sides a short distance out of the town, and should stop and drink tea with her. He being a very regular man, in general at home at ten o'clock j at twelve o'clock his wife being uneasy, sent her son, attended by a lad willa a lanthorn, in search of his father.-Thcy proceeded along the New Road by the bar- racks, and after going some distance they found a hat which proved to be his fa- ther's. After proceeding a short distance far- ther they found his shoes. This caused great alarm in the son's mind, but he had riot pro- ceeded much farther, when his fears were in- creased, by observing blood on the road, aid they had only gone t) a short distance, vhfu they discovered the body of Mr. Thomas Bou- cher, sen. apparently thrown over some JOTT railing, with his throat cut, and they suppos- ed him to he dead; but, on examination found he was not. They therefore conveytd him to the nearest medical man. They foucd near his person his own penknife, which, it is supposed, did the horrid deed, as it was open, and in a very bloody state. All his pockets were turned inside out, and robbed of their contents. He was not dead on Saturday evening, but little hopes were entertained 0 r his recovery. Mr. Boucher is so highly respec- ted, that the geutlmen of the town, in conse- quence of the horrid deed, have offered a re- ward of 1001. upon the apprehension of the perpetrator of the dreadful act. A house of a singular construction was lately erected by a gentleman in Nichol-forest, in this county. It is a circular building, con- taining every convenience for a farm house, finished off, at top, in a conical form, with a. kind of slate or flag-stone and so disposed as to he completely impervious to the inclemencr- of the weather, yet without a roof of wood of materials to support the slate or stone cover- ing. Our correspondent, who coi-ninunicates, the above, adds, that if the plan were more ge- nerally adopted, it might, perhaps serve the double purpose of economising wood in its present scarcity, and rendering buildiugs aluffost proof against fire.—Carlisle Journal. Our brave Tars, it appears from the Gazette Extraordinary, did not forget to celebrate the JUBILEE in the Mediteranean by firing of ? guns, aud jire works upon a new scale i Twenty- four pounders, served instead of Pop-guns- the cannonading was a good apology for crack- ers, and the blowing up of three French ships of the line, were good substitutes for Flower- pots, Roman-candles, and Sky-rockets. In this age of ivagering nothing can exceed one which took place in the Bridhcnd of Duni-, fries, a few days ago;—An itinerant tailor. well kuown in the North of England and tha 1 South of Scotland, by the name of White a v en Jack, reading the newspapers, noticed wa- gers taking for walking or riding hundreds and thousands of miles against time: he would undertake, for five guineas, to roast and eat a sheeps's head, drink four quarts of ale, and two <iills of whiskey, in one thousand secondss which was accepted of; and he accomplished his wager to (he satisfaction of the judges, in nine hundred and fifty-three seconds.- Caritsle • Journal.—MUNCHAUSEN- must now lie dor- ment. A young couple, who resided at a village in Yorkshire, went to the parish church to be married the curate, judging from the mean- ness of their, appearance, that they had not much money, before he began the ceremony asked for his fees; the man produced half-a- crown; (his whote stock of cash) which tho parson said was not enough, and refused to marry them. "Well," said the groom, "at I have not money enough for all the ceremony. please to let me have as much as you c^n afford for half-a-crown." The Wellesley Family-Sir Dudley CoHey. Bart, succeeded his father in 1637, and was father of Elizabeth, who married Garret Wel- lesley, Esq. of Meath, whose son leaving no issue, devised his whole property to Richard Colley, one of his mother's family. Sir Dud- ley was succeeded by Sir Henry, who, by his marriage 1674, with Mary daughter of Sip William Usher, had Henry and Richard, Henry, ill 171 9, married Lady Mary Hamilton, daughter of James, sixth Earl of Abercorn, and sister of Lady Blizabeth, who married Joha Vesgy, first Lord Knapton, grandfather of the present Viscount De Nesci, and father of fis. countess Pery, and of Viscountess Northland, and of the wife of Sir Robert Staples, Bart. father of Issabella, who married GeraldFitz- Gerald, Esq. son of the late Right Honourable Colonel Fitz-Gerald, by his second wife, the younger daughter of Mercer, Esq. and co-heiress with her sister the widow of Stephen Cassan, Esq. of Queen's County, who died 1773. Richard Colley, before named, who assumed the names of Wellesly, was created Baron Mornington, 1746 and was father of' Garret; advanced 1760, unto the titles of' Viscount Wellesley, and Earl of Mornington, who by Anne Hill, a daughter of the first Vis-, count Dungannon, was father of Richard Col, lev, the present Marquis of William, M. P. who, 1788, assumed the name of Pole; of Sir Arthur, K. B: born 1769, now Viscount Wet. lington of Gerald, in holy orders; of Henry a Lord of the Treasury, &c. The present Mar" quis was 1797, created Baron Wellesley of" England, and in 1799, Marquis WeilesJey of Ireland. POLICE.—Jtfordecai Myers, a Jew Pedlar, was brought before the sitting Magistrate, charged 011 suspicion of having stolen a silver watch-case, the property of James Poulin, a travelling pie-merchant. It appeared that the Prosecutor had frequently, in his walks# met the Prisoner, and admired the glitterilig treasures which were displayed in his portable warehouse amongst other things were some fashionable watch-keys, which particularly attracted the Prosecutor's attention, and ho determined to purchase one he accordingly gave his watch to the Prisoner, to have on# fitted to it. A customer soon after coining up# who wished to go heads or tails for a relish, the Prisoner returned the watch, saying hfe had not a key that would fit, and the Prose- cutor, putting it into his pocket, proceeded, to serve his customer nor did he, till two hours afterwards discover the trick which had been put upon him, when on taking out his watch to look what o'clock, he perceived that when honesi Mordecai returned the watch, Le forgot to replace the ouiside case* lie }'fa. committed for re-examination,