112 Chronological Conjectures. 13 Russia Danes 376 296 263 ...... 304 207 ........ 990 188 317 Added together, these amount to 350 monarchs, and 6292 years, or on an average of nearly 18 each. I wish here to prove the correctness of the date of 904 for the destruction of Troy. Velleius says that Caranus founded the kingdom of Macedonia about the time of Sardanapalus; but if the date of that event in his text be correct, he is mistaken here. He says Alexander was the 17th from Caranus, who was an Argive, and 16th from Hercules. There are 19 monarchs between Caranus and Alexander, who ascended the throne B. C. 337. His 11 predecessors reigned 161 years; admitting his nine predecessors to have reigned 164 each (the medium between 18 and 15) their united reigns will amount to 148, therefore Caranus must be dated B. C. 646 instead of 807. Again, supposing that the 16 predecessors lived as long as the 20 monarchs, and 16 succeeding generations, Hercules will fall about 956. According to the testimony of Velleius (I.) Hercules died 40 years before the Trojan War. It is then probable he died 944, or 12 years after the birth of the son, whence Caranus descended; and the destruction of Troy falls in the year 904. According to Herodotus, Lydus, son of Atys, established the kingdom of Lydia, called before his time Mæonia. Homer mentions the Mæonians, Il. 11. 864, among the Trojan allies, under Mesthles and Antiphus, sons of Pylemon. [Aug. If then Mæonia was called Lydia at this time, Homer would have distinguished it by that name; but as he does not, I must place Lydus posterior to Homer, or at least to the time when the Iliad was composed. Velleius affirms, that in the reign of Orestes, Lydus and Tyrrhenus by lot emigrated to Etruria, on account Herodotus (Clio, 94) of a famine. mentions also a famine in the reign of Atys, son of Manes; and says it lasted 18 years; and says that Tyrrhenus, son of Atys, emigrated to Umbria, thence called Etruria. They must allude to the same event. This Lydus, therefore, I suppose, if he did emigrate, returned again to Lydia on his father's death, and gave it his Orestes died 77 years after the destruction of Troy (Velleius) after a reign of 70 years. If then we place the Lydian emigration in his 40th year; according to our date of the war it happened B. C. 857. name. To this conjecture it may be replied, that Herodotus (Clio, 7.) expressly says that the Atyada first governed Lydia; and then the Heraclid for 22 generations and 505 years. Now as the last died B. C. 716, it is easy to calculate when the first commenced to reign, i. e. 1220; and so says Larcher. But I have little hesitation in calling the passage corrupted. I conjecture that imi duo xai eixoσ YEYERS drew is the addition of some inexperienced copyist, who saw in some other author a catalogue of 22 monarchs; reckoned from the original founder. To the same skilful hand I also attribute the number ь TETE και πεντηχοντα, for πεντε και έκατον, or 105 years. The mistake was easily made. What strengthens my conjecture is, the fact that no historian mentions more than five of these princes, i. e. Agron, Ardysus, Alyattes, Myssilus, and Candaules, the four last of whom Lavoisne dates 797-761 747- and 735 to 718; so also Usher. How does it happen that these five only should be mentioned? or why should we believe that there were kings (between the two) whose names no one could learn? According then to this, Agron, (or Argon) began to reign 823 (or 820). 824 is the date assigned by Newton to the return of the Heraclide; at which time also it is probable that Argon was restored. Argon was son of Belus, son of Ninus, son 1825.] Destruction of Kibworth Church Steeple, Leicestershire. son of Alcæus, son of Hercules, and a slave of Jardanus, King of Lydia. This places Hercules as before, about 940. According to Herodotus, Homer and Hesiod lived about 400 years before his time, (i. e. 455); but whether he alludes to the births or deaths of these poets, is uncertain. I prefer the latter; for I believe that Homer was living at the very time of the Trojan War, and that in the Odyssey where he describes the blind Bard, who, at the Court of Phocoa, sung to Ulysses, and celebrated his exploits. The Arundelian marbles place him B. C. 907, Velleius 920, (Lempriere says 968; but has misunderstood the author.) These are neither inconsistent with one another, nor with Herodotus if he refers to his death, How could Homer have been able to describe the war, the Trojan and Grecian chiefs so elegantly, so consistently? and what could have induced a poet to signalise an event which took place 280 years before, and the memory of which could only have been preserved by tradition; as Cicero denies that even Homer could write? If too he lived so long after the war, why did he not mention the returns of the Heraclidæ, which oceurred but 80 years after? for if he had heard of it he would certainly have mentioned it. There is a passage, II. 20. v. 307, Νον δε δη Αίνειαιο βιη Τρώεσσιν ανάξει, In my opinion, we may conclude that the grandson of Æneas was contemporary with Homer, or about 50 years after Troy was taken. Other critics explain this away, on the ground that the Trojans were not entirely subdued till the third generation after the destruction of Troy. Velleius Paterculus says that Homer lived longer after the war than was generally supposed; we may on that account be the more bold in opposing that author's opinion. Velleius endeavours to prove what he advances by the expression in Homer, 006 TOY Boro But for a refutation of this, I must refer to Mr. Mitford's Greece. SEPTEMDECIMUS. GENT. MAG. August, 1825. Mr. URBAN, 113 Kibworth Rectory, July 27. Taken place at Kibworth, co. Leicester, together with the causes that led to it, having been variously represented, I deem it proper to request your insertion of the following particulars, authenticated by my own personal observation. At nine o'clock in the forenoon of Saturday last, the ancient and venerable tower and spire of Kibworth Church fell to the ground. Various symptoms of decay, about the lower part of the South-west angle, had been discovered, and partially remedied, above two years ago. The originally defective materials having, since that period, more visibly yielded to the pressure of the superincumbent mass, Mr. Wm. Parsons, of Leicester, was called in about a month ago, to inspect the state of the tower; and, under his direction, the masons had made considerable progress in the work of reparation. On Thursday last, however, the fissures and bulgings which had appeared in numerous places, were found to have increased in so alarming a degree, that Mr. Parsons was again summoned without loss of time. On his arrival on Friday morning, he ordered that the tower should be propped with inclined beams, till permanent support could be given, by removing all the decayed parts, and supplying their place with strong masonry. The carpenters began their operations on Saturday morning, but were almost immediately compelled to desist. Violent disruptions in various places, accompanied by threatening sounds, were now incessantly going on, and the pile was left to its inevitable fate. A short time before the final event, I had been informed at the Rectory that Mr. Oldfield, who had just arrived from Leicester for the purpose of beginning to paint the pews, desired to see me at the Church. Unacquainted as yet with the imminent danger, of which Mr. Oldfield had been equally ignorant, I immediately went to the Church, entered at the chancel door, advanced toward the West end where the mischief was gathering, heard the noises before mentioned, suddenly retired by the same door, proceeded round the East end toward the North gate 114 Account of Kibworth Church, Leicestershire. gate of the Church-yard, and there As the singular and much-to-be lamented catastrophe detailed by our Correspondent, will naturally create a considerable interest, we have annexed to his Letter some account of the Church of Kibworth, acconspanied by a view of it. (See Plate II.) The Church, which is seated on an eminence, amidst a group of trees, is dedicated to Saint Wilfred. It consisted of a nave and chancel, with two lateral ailes; a steeple at the West end, and two large porches. The steeple was lofty and taper, measuring 53 yards in height, and rising from a sexangular basement without battlements or pinnacles. It was probably erected posterior to the Church. The steeple was repaired, the Church new floored, and some other improvements took place in 1778 at an expence of 801. Over both of the porchies there are niches; the windows of the nave are lofty, and the Church is flanked by buttresses. The buttresses which flank the chancel window at the East end, are very obtuse, and the apex of the roof is ornamented by a quatrefoil. The East window is divided by mullions into five bays, with quatrefoil lights above. The architecture of the chancel differs in general appearance from that of the ailes, the arches being more obtuse in the former. The extreme length of the Church from the altar to the steeple is 120 feet, and the breadth 54 feet. The nave is separated from the ailes by four pointed arches, springing from light and airy pillars. The pulpit is curiously carved, and the font, which is octagonal and plain, [Aug. has a corresponding cover. On the South side of the chancel are three handsome stone seats and a small piscina. The galleries are of modern construction, and very neat. Kibworth is situated nine miles from Leicester, in the great turnpike road from London. The parish is about four miles in length, and contains nearly 4000 acres of land. Near the Hamlet of Kibworth Harcourt, is an encampment, consisting of a large mount, encompassed with a single ditch, the circumference of which, at the bottom, is 122 yards. The height of the slope of the mount is 18 yards, and its diameter at top is 16 yards. About 200 yards from the meeting-house, is a large barrow on elevated ground. The Free Grammar School was founded and supported upon a liberal plan; but the founder, and the precise period of the foundation, can not be easily ascertained. Mr. Nichols thinks it was originally founded near the close of the 15th century. A new Schoolhouse was built in 1725 by Francis Edwards, esq. a gentleman eminent for liberality and munificence. The Trusteeship for the School was about expiring, when a few years ago Mr. Cradock, one of the last remaining Trustees, called a Public Meeting at the Church, and the number required was then filled up, and a new deed, which was judged necessary, was supplied from the Court of Chancery. Mr. Cradock was unanimously thanked by the gentlemen assembled, and his conduct has since been approved by the Court appealed to.-EDIT. MERTON CHURCH, NORFOLK. (Description continued from p. 14.) THE HE South aile is lighted to the West by one window, and to the South by two windows, all pointed, and divided into cinquefoil-headed lights, with a quatrefoil above; the mouldings are ornamented on the inside by small heads and grotesque figures. The East window in this aile Is pointed and divided into cinquefoilheaded lights by two stone mullions, which form trefoil and other lights above. There are many fragments of painted glass. The South doorway is pointed, the moulding terminated with small heads. The seats are open; one of them, about the middle of the aile, ha's |