Burses for eDruary, 1787; and March, 1786. METEOROLOGICAL TABLE for February, 1787. Height of Fahrenheit's Thermometer. ~~ | D. of 27 28 78 99 79 2 30 Night. Barom. Weather in. pts. in Feb. 1787. 40 45 47 29,9 rain Height of Fahrenheit's Thermometer. Month. D. of 8 o'cl. Morn. Noon 11 o'cl. Night. Feb. 29 23 29,9 now 31 33 29,64 now 29. 34 30 45 46 48 fair 41 30,27 fair 44 30,27 fair 19 4 35 47 36 30,27 fair 39 55 33 41 36 30,5 fair 51 41 29,6 mall rain 37 48 30, 46 fair 41 29 43 rain 26 44 96 3445 46 45 52 52 II 43 45 42 29,21 rain 33 30,12 fair (mall rain W. CARY, Mathematical Inftrument-Maker, oppofite Arundel ftreet, Strand. Sea-gulls (lari) over the Thames.2 Therm. 23 at 1 P. M. Freezes within.-3 Therm. 19 at 11 P. M.-4 Therm. 15 at 8 A. M. and 24 at 11 P M. Sun, though almoft equinoctial, hath little effect on the fnow in open places.-5 Therm. 20 at 8 A. M. much diftreffed for food.-6 Therm. 24 at 8 A. M. and 20 at 11 P. M. Many frogs -Birds killed by this froft. The preceding warm weather had revived them from their torpid ftate, after which it became neceffary for them to afcend frequently for freth air to the furface, where they were arrested by the ice. Fifhes were not injured, as they could keep below. -7 Birds fing again: "Now fmallè foulis makin melodye." Draba verna full bloom. Male bloffem of the yew-tree expands, and difcharges its farina 10 Becs (99 THE Gentleman's Magazine: For FEBRUARY, 1787. BEING THE SECOND NUMBER OF VOL. LVII. PART 1. GENUINE COPY OF A LETTER name; but the candour and benevo FROM DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON. SIR, London, th July, 1777. XXXO the Collection of Eng T lish Poets I have recommended the volume of Dr. Watts to be added. His name has been long held by me in veneration; and I would not willingly be reduced to tell of him, only, that he was born and died. Yet, of his life I know very little; and therefore muft pafs him in a manner very unworthy of his character, unless fome of his friends will favour me with the neceffary information." Many of chem must be known to you*; and by your influence perhaps I may obtain fome inftruction. My plan does not exact much; but I wish to distinguish Watts; a man who never wrote but for a good purpose. Be pleafed to do for me what you can. I am, Sir, your humble fervant, MR. URBAN, Ifle of Wight, Feb. 12. 1 AM fure you will be pleafed with the above. If it does honour to Watts, it fhines on Johnson with re-communicated luftre. He fpeaks the language of the gentleman and the Chriftian. Pari felicitate illuftravit;-free from all the prejudices of party, and defirous only of eresting a monument to moral and literary excellence. And truly excel. lent was Watts. Bigots revolt at his At this time the writer had the honour of poffeffing Dr. Watts's correspond. ence with his great friends. Some curious papers from this felection are intended for the Gentleman's Magazine. lence of his writings, which were the expreffions of his amiable life, will ever endear him to kindred minds. The poefy of Watts, when he did not purpofely let himself down from the heaven of his fublimity to accommodate ed merit The fire of the Mufe is equal vulgar understandings, has diftinguishto the ardour of his devotion, and the force of his friendship. Richer garlands were never twined around her columns than many with which he adorned her temple. As Baron Bielfield fays of Voltaire : public. Le Kuiffeau, qui porte ses eaux à Je fuis charmé de lui rendre un hommage la mer, ne la fait point groffir à nos yeux, ni n'en augmente l'éclat, quoiqu'il lui rende un léger tribut de les ondes. Yours, &c. W. SHARP, jun. ORIGINAL LETTER from Archbishop SECKER 10 Dr. SHARP, Archdeacon of Northumberland. Lambeth, Dec. 5, 1759. Good Mr. Archdeacon, I excellent Charge. It is at the fame time the genuine growth of the foil in which you are planted, and fruitful of moft feafonable inftructions to the clergy throughout every part of the nation. I am furprized that I had not feen it before, nor heard of it till about a fortnight ago. You ought by all means to advertise it in London; indeed to reprint it there, unless the impreflion in the North was fo large as that a confiderable number of copies are still remaining for there are few fuch admonitions, and there is need of many. What you fay of ordaining per THANK you moft heartily for your fons I Bees frequent the crocuses, which are in high beauty. Brown and brimftone butterflies (papilio urticæ et rhamni) appear. Pilewort (ficaria verna) in bloom. Bloom of apricot begins to open.-12 Frogs spawn.—23 Plants, especially evergreens, which had been encouraged by the mild weather, much dwarf daffodil (narcifus minor) in bloom, 1 by the late fruft-14 Almond tree and Seeds of whole crabs, fown laft fpring, for want of moisture did not appear till now. ICO Original Letters of Dr. William Coward. fons without academical education is MR. URBAN, Feb. 6. OT knowing whether any Life of NOT Dr. CowARD be intended for the approaching volume of the Biographia Britannica, (he is omitted in the Biographical Dictionary;) I fend you two original letters of Sir Hans Sloane, from Harl. MSS. 4041; and fhall prefix to them fome brief notes of the writer, extracted from the " Sup❝plement to Swift." William Coward, a native of Win. chefter, became a commoner of Hart Hali in May 1674; and was admitted a fcholar of Wadham College in 1675. He took his Doctor's degree in phyfic, July 2, 1687; and, having practifed a while at Northampton, came to London in 1693. He tranflated" Abfalom and "Achitophel" into Latin verse in 1682; for which, Wood favs, “he was fchool "ed in the College " Dr. Coward was author of "Meditations of a Divine "Soul, 179;;" of "Holy Thoughts ❝on a God made Man, &c. 1704; of "The Grand Effay; or a Vindication "of Reafon and Religion, againft Im"poftures of Philofophy, &c. By W "C. M D. C. M. L. C.; of A juft Scrutiny into the modern Notions of the Soul, &c. ;" and from thefe, and fome other publications, hath been denominated a Free thinker. He was likewife author of the Lives of "Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, an heroic "Poem, 1705;" and of "The true teft " of Poetry, 1709." To the Worthy Dr. Sloane, at his house by don. I think it ought to be no barr to its li cence. commendation of the tender confcience of And should I add any thing in phyficians in points of religion, (if on that be interpreted a drol! or ridicule in the account a licenfe be denyed), it would face of the world, rather than an excufatory juff plea, which I would by no means give a ground to. So in this dif ficulty pray speedily advife, Yours to command, WILLIAM COWARD. May 28, 1706; London. corrector but myfelf, who carryed the I was very unhappy that I had no quently muft pafs over many notorious matter fenfe in my head, and confe errors. From the Green Belt over against the For Sir Hans Sloane, Bart. and Prefi- SIR HANS, I PRESUME to write to you concerning a report fpread in our News let. ters, that her Grace the Dutcheffe of Marlborough will give 5co guineas to any person who fhall prefent her with an Epitaph, fuitable to his Grace's character. Now I have one by me which gives him his juft character, without flattery or oftentation, and which I verily believe may be acceptable to any learned man. I hear it is to be proved by Dr. Hare, Dr. Freind of Westminfter School, and Dr. Bland of Eaton School; if this be true, pray give me leave to fend it to you for your approbation and recommendation, and you will highly oblige your most humble fervant, WILLIAM COWARD. Ipjovich, Suffolk, Aug. 14, 1722. ap CHARACTER OF THE PRESENT KING "THE Hereditary Prince of Pruffia lives in a fmail houfe in the town of Potsdam. His appointments do not admit of that degree of magnificence, which might be expected in the Heir of the Crown; but he difplays a fpirit of hofpitality far more obliging than magnificent; and doubly merito rious, considering the very moderate revenue |