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the old wall hereabouts. Beside this wall is another built of small blocks of chalk, united with similar grit. Several opinions have been advanced as to the purpose of its erection. I think that it is part of the foundation wall of the first monastery, built in 670; whilst a learned antiquary, resident in Thanet, believes it was part of old Mynstre Pier, built for the accommodation of vessels, when in a remote age they landed their goods at Mynstre Fleet, the water of the Wantsume then washing the walls of the churchyard: an old map of Thanet, extant in one of the colleges at Cambridge, illustrates this. A little expense for excavating this ground

might be the means of throwing some light on this question. Antiquaries might find much to interest them in Thanet. Only four miles from here is Sarre, where some valuable relics were found some two years since. Sarre was anciently on the shore of the Wantsume, where there was a ferry for passengers travelling from Thanet to Canterbury, and situated on high ground on a bend or elbow, where Rutupia and Regulbium might both be seen. Probably this was the site of a secondary castrum, which connected the castles of Richborough and Reculver.-I am, &c.

R. B. BUBB. Minster, Thanet, June, 1862.

THE DESECRATED CHURCHFS OF NORWICH. MR. URBAN,-In your notice of the "Norwich Spectator" in your last number, you draw attention to a "painfully interesting paper" on "the Desecrated Churches of Norwich," from which you gather that forty-two churches and chapels, that might have been preserved, have perished since the Reformation. This appears to be the feeling of the writer of the paper in question, and also of the Editor of the Magazine in which it is printed; but I have the best reasons for knowing that this is incorrect, and I will, with your permission, explain how.

Conventual churches and charnel chapels when built in the open country may well have been suffered to remain for the admiration of later ages, but this could hardly have been expected to be the case in the centre of populous cities. With the fall of the Roman Catholic form of religion their uses ceased; and where they could not be turned to public purposes (as was the case with the Black Friars' Church-now St. Andrew's Hall, and the charnel chapel-now the Free School), they were almost of necessity demolished, and the inhabitants of the place no sufferers in the matter of church accommodation. Twelve in the list of desecrated churches, and the six extramural chapels, are of this class.

Again, some of those in the list were demolished when others were built. St. Michael Conisford and St. Anne were destroyed to make way for the Austin Friars, about 1300, and St. Michael Tombland for the Cathedral, in the eleventh century. Others were demolished when the great pestilence of 1349 depopulated the city. Ten of the churches in the list fall within these two classes. Of the remainder, five parishes had been, as early as 1368, from decrease of inhabitants, annexed to other parishes, and the churches but little used. And of the remaining nine, but a very few were destroyed at the time of the Reformation. Several suffered in the great fires that have happened at Norwich, and others from the fluctuations of population. Meantime, the larger parishes, such as St. Peter Mancroft, St. Stephen, St. Giles, St. Andrew, and others, had, during the hundred years prior to the Reformation, rebuilt their churches very much larger than they were before.

I have before me an authentic account of the goods and ornaments of the Norwich parish churches in the year 1368. There were then forty-seven in use; eight others are noticed as being at that

GENT. MAG., March, 1861, p. 304.

time desecrated; and five of the forty. seven were already annexed to others, and were shortly after desecrated. So that really the church accommodation "circa 1400" consisted of forty-two churches only, to thirty-six now--a considerable disproportion doubtless, but still not so great as by the comparison of the figures would appear.

The change of ritual at the Reformation, by doing away with the multitude of little chapels with which the naves and aisles of churches were encumbered, and the throwing open of the chancels, must have enormously increased the church accommodation, and for a considerable time there must have been a superabundance of space for public worship.

These sensation papers are calculated to do more harm than good, unless the facts are most carefully stated. If people will not build churches to the glory of God and for the welfare of their fellowcreatures, they will not be shamed into

it by an exhibition of the "pious liberality" of our ante-Reformation forefathers, particularly when it is known that that pious liberality was evoked on grounds which Protestants are in the habit of considering superstitious and baneful.-I am, &c.,

HENRY HARROD, F.S.A.
Aylsham, June 9, 1862.

[The above letter would have been more properly addressed to the "Norwich Spectator" than to us-indeed, may have been so addressed, for aught we know--but we give it a place on account of one or two statements of fact, that appear among a good deal of irrelevant matter. We do not allow that the article on which we remarked merits the title of a "sensation paper," any more than we agree in Mr. Harrod's general denunciation of "pious liberality," or approve of the conversion of churches to "public purposes," which we regard as desecration.]

THE NAME OF THACKWELL.

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MR. URBAN,-In your April number "Vigorniensis" has asked what is the origin of the surname "Thackwell." Allow me to suggest whether it may not be derived from the Anglo-Saxon verb thaccean, or thaccian, to strike' or to thwack,' the termination well having its common adverbial meaning. Sir Walter Scott, whether in jest or earnest, takes this view of the derivation of the name, when he alludes to the commanding-officer of the 15th Hussars as “Colonel Thwackwell,” (Thackwell,) in a letter to his son in 1824, to which allusion has been already made in your pages. The assumption of Lower, in his Patronymica Britannica, that this name is a corruption or abbreviation of the three Saxon words - the,

GENT. MAG., Sept. 1861, p. 307.

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GENT, MAG, VOL. CCXIII.

M

Historical and Miscellaneous Reviews, and Literary Notices.

The Invasion of Britain by Julius Casar; with Replies to the Remarks of the Astronomer Royal and of the late Camden Professor of Ancient History at Oxford. By THOMAS LEWIN, Esq. Second Edition, (Longmans.)— We like the tone of this work, though we cannot accept the conclusions at which its author has arrived. He approaches his subject in a spirit very different from that of older writers, who, as Campbell, the naval historian, long ago complained, seemed to think

that Cæsar did the barbarous Britons a great honour in coming among them and subduing them. He, on the contrary, gives them due credit for courage and skill, and shews that the mighty Roman really gathered no laurels in our island. We wish, however, that he would reconsider his data, and not insist on landing Cæsar in Romney Marsh. Until a comparatively recent date, it was generally accepted as a fact that the Romans sailed from Gessoriacum and landed near the South Foreland; now both points are disputed, but, as it appears to us, after all, on very insufficient grounds. We gave a short time ago Dr. Cardwell's argument in favour of the landing "in the neighbourhood of Deal"," and we see nothing in Mr. Lewin's reply to induce us to alter the opinion that we then expressed. Still there is much valuable mater, and some useful maps, in Mr. Lewin's book, relating to the region that he would make historical. The district is less known than it deserves to be, but it would no doubt command the attention of antiquaries, if they could be once persuaded that the Castrum at Lymne occupies the site of Cæsar's naval camp;

GENT. MAG., Dec. 1861, p. 585.

indeed Mr. Lewin, ignoring the researches of Mr. Roach Smith, has almost persuaded himself that the existing ruins are remains of the camp itself. We have no inclination to discuss so wild a fancy as this, and willingly pass it over. As we have said, the work will repay perusal, though it leaves the main question that it professes to discuss very much as it found it.

The Authenticity and Messianic Interpretation of the Prophecies of Isaiah Vindicated. By the Rev. R. PAYNE SMITH, M.A. (Oxford and London: J. H. and J. Parker.)-This is a recasting of some sermons delivered before the University of Oxford in 1858, the main object of which was to point out the cumulative character of the evidence offered by prophecy to the mission of Our Lord. The prophecies are scattered, but not contradictory; they all converge to one main conclusion; and extending as they do over so long a period of time, it is justly considered that this agreement proves the Bible to be the Word of God. The general nature of prophecy is discussed at length in the

Introduction; and nine sermons are devoted to the consideration of the passages in Isaiah. The author has largely consulted German theologians, but he gives no countenance to the neologists; he has examined, only for the purpose of confuting them.

A Treatise on the Grammar of the New Testament. By the Rev. T. S. GREEN, M.A. (Bagster and Sons.)—This is a new edition of a work that is calculated to be very useful to students. Some considerable changes have been made from the arrangement of the

former edition, mainly with the view of affording more space for the discussion of passages of peculiar importance or difficulty. The work now embraces observations on the literal interpretation of more than 600 passages, arranged in due grammatical order, whilst reference to any one of them is made easy by an Index of Texts.

Daily Steps towards Heaven. Twelfth Edition. (Oxford and London: J. H. and J. Parker.)—The new edition of this admirable work is rendered peculiarly interesting by a touching notice of its amiable author, the late A. D. Troyte, esq. He died in June, 1857, surviving his wife but a few months, and leaving nine orphan children. "Two small iron crosses, each marked with the initial letter of a Christian name, at the head of grass graves in a quiet country churchyard, mark the spot where faithful and loving hands laid the bodies of wife and husband near the church which their care had just restored."

thirteen months from March 1, 1861, to March 29, 1862, amounted to £1,266 9s., on which the " 'expenses of management" were only £2 2s. 9d.; so that any one who makes the Hon. Mrs. Talbot and her friends his almoners, need not. fear that any large proportion of his contribution will be swallowed up by office expenses.

Reminiscences, Personal and Bibliographical, of Thomas Hartwell Horne, B.D. (Longmans.) — Our pages have recently contained a full biography of this learned and excellent man. The present work is mainly an autobiography, with some notes and the necessary connecting matter by the venerable writer's daughter, Mrs. Cheyne, and an introduction by the Rev. J. B. M'Caul, who was twice his curate, and for sixteen years his intimate associate. Mr. M'Caul justly claims for his friend the appellation of "the nursing-father of English biblical criticism," a proud distinction even if its object had enjoyed all the advantages of education that Universities can bestow, but still more remarkable when achieved by a man who owed all beyond the rudiments of learning to his own unassisted endeavours whilst labouring hard for his bread as a lawyer's clerk. His first situation was one that gave him what he properly calls "the very narrow income of £20 a-year, with coarse brown bread at 1s. 6d. the quartern loaf." He, however, set resolutely to work to help himself, and, as might reasonably be expected, he eventually found friends to help him also. He taught himself various languages, and wrote on all sorts of subjects for the booksellers. The list is a very curious one, ranging from works translated from the French on Prizes and Prize Law, to Statutes of Sewers and other law bo ks, Itineraries and Tours, the Complete Grazier, Hints on Sunday Schools, &c., &c., until it reaches bibliography, and theology, on which he took his stand, and laboured until the end of his days. By such un

Parochial Mission - Women: their Work, and its Fruits. By the Hon. Mrs. J. C. TALBOT. (Rivingtons.)-This is a very interesting record of a most promising attempt to reach the very poor, by sending among them "a living witness that one of themselves may be something better and happier than they are-one who at once puts before them encouragement to think that they can do something for themselves, coupled with the cheering feeling that there is some one who takes an interest in them." This is real work, the success of which, we are glad to learn, has been very encouraging. The promoters of the plan aim at the only sure mode of elevating the poor, that of teaching them the value of "self-help," and they will be glad to enter into communication with any persons who entertain the like views. In these days of investigation of the accounts of Charitable Societies, it may interest people to be told that the "Parochial Mission- Women Fund" for the

wearied industry Mr. Horne gradually rose above the necessity of literally writing for his bread; he deserved, and obtained some preferment in the Church; and, fortunately for the cause of sound · learning, he eventually became connected with the British Museum. His labours there are too well known and appreciated to need a record. His life was a protracted one, and furnished a valuable

volume, in a List of the English Refugees at Geneva, in the time of Queen Mary.

Passages in the Life of a Young Housekeeper. Related by Herself. (Hogg and Sons.)-There is an air of truth and reality about this little book which ought to reco mend it to all young ladies who, like L. E. L., are about to "commence

example of “self-help" and the benefits housekeeping with a plentiful stock of

that an earne-t-minded man can confer on all around him, though he may receive but a very moderate pecuniary acknowledgment for his pains. We should mention that a portrait of Mr. Horne, from a recent photograph, ad 'rns the work, which is of moderate size and price, and would make a very suitable present for studious youth.

(J.

The History of Farish Registers in England, &c. By JOHN SOUTHERDEN BURN, Esq. Second Edition. Russell Smith.)-S› well-known a work as Mr. Burn's "His' ory of Parish Regis ters in England" needs no commendation from us. We merely notice the appearance of the s cond edition to call attention to the fact, that though the non-parochial registers of England and Wales and the registers of Scotland have of late years been collected and placed in safe custody, no similar step has as yet been taken regarding the parochial registers, which exceed both the other classes in extent and importance. If any one should be ignorant of the dangers to which these invaluable documents are still exposed he will do well to consult Mr. Burn's book. It is more than thirty years since the first edition was published, and consequently there must be many persons, who are either officially or personally interested, and yet are not acquainted with what our author has to tell. Mr. Burn is also the author of "The History of the Fleet Marriages" and "The History of the Foreign Protestant Refugees in England;" the readers of the last of these works will find some additional matter to interest them in the present

inexperience." The writer details her own mistakes and follies as a warning to others, and draws from them simple rules for the management of a house, and the directions to be given to servants, on which, as she truly remarks, so much of the comfort of a young master and mistress depend.

The Cricket Tutor. By the Author of "The Cricket Field." (Longmans.) — Probably but few of the readers of the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE are now active participants in the labours and excitement of the cricket-field, whatever may have been the case in earlier years, but they very likely may still have an interest in it on behalf of their boys at our Public Schools. If so, the warm approval of a Kentish friend justifies us in directing their notice to Mr. Pycroft's little book, which is written in a lively, off-hand s yle, likely to take the fancy of "the Captains of Elevens in the Public Schools of England," to whom it is dedicated.

A Handbook to the Guildhall, and to the various Offices of the Corporation of London. Illustrated. Second edition. (Collingridge).-We noticed the first edition of this Handbook some time ago, and gave to it the praise that it deserved. It has now been added to, and improved in various ways, and is calculated to be very useful to all, whether Londoner or stranger, who either have business to transact with the good old Corporation that still holds its own amid the fall of so many similar bodies, or have a reasonable curiosity regarding its history.

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