and the Mendip fchools, we fhall felect a few ftriking obfervations. "In all thofe moral virtues, which are of fuch inestimable value through life-of industry and fkill I fay nothing, for it is obvious that inftruction and habit are their vital principle-but in moral virtues, in fidelity, truth, juftice, and integrity,every attainment is cafual and accidental,-all improvement deceitful and uncertain, except that which originates in principle, and whofe bafis firmly refts on the fure ground of a religieus education. "The abfurd prejudices that have existed against extending the common and general benefits of Education to the children of the poor, and the extraordinary fuppofition, that an uneducated and neglected boy will prove an honeft and useful man,—that a youth of ignorance and idlenefs will produce a mature age of induftry and virtue,-are now in great measure exploded. Swit zerland, and Scotland, and the northern counties of England, where the education and occupation of youth are particularly attended to, afford very gratifying evidence of the contrary pofition. The individuals of thofe counties are not only more induftrious and more thriving, but, of all parts of Europe, peculiarly exempt from criminal habits. "To occupy life with fatisfaction,-to improve the morals, and increafe the happiness, of the circle around us,-to ftrengthen the bonds, and infure the peace, of fociety,—and to draw gra titude and bleffings from a virtuous and thriving neighbourhood, -thefe are not pleasures of an ordinary caft, or of inferior con. fideration. These enjoyments, however, and more than thefe, may be attained by thofe individuals who may be induced to adopt the example of what has been here detailed; and to form themselves into focieties, for the protection and improvement of the poor. Great indeed would be the benefit of fuch affociations, for the affiftance of middle age, for the relief and confolation of declining years, and for that object, the importance of which cannot be too ftrongly or too frequently stated, the education of youth in steady habits of industry and integrity, and in the gr nuine principles of Chriflianity. "Of education it may be truly faid, that it is the only earthly bleffing, capable of being univerfally diffufed and enjoyed, with an exemption from all inconvenient confequences. I fpeak of that genuine and well directed education, which is calculated to fit perfons to act a ftrenuous and useful part, in their allotted station in life;-of that education, which teaches and demonftrates the advantages of early and fteady habits of attention and induftry, and forms in the heart, ftable and permanent principles of con duct. It is this, and this only, which fupplying the mind with competent funds of human knowledge, and with juft conceptions of man's probationary state in this world, drawn from the fources of ➡f revelation, doth thereby preferve it from the danger and taint of infidelity; that never confidently attempts, and very rarely fucceeds in debafing and corrupting the heart of man, unlefs where it has been left vacant and unoccupied, for the evil spirit to fix his abode in. "In the prefent ftate of Ireland, and (to take a wider and more awful fcope) amid the tremendous convulfions which have for fome time agitated Europe, let us reflect how much of the evil is to be attributed to an improvident neglect in the education of the poor; a neglect, which has left them a defenceless prey to the fophiftry and delufion of the teachers of infidelity, and of the diffeminators of fedition. Ignorant, unprincipled, incapable of giving a reafon for their faith, or of explaining the benefits of civil order and fociety, to what miferies have not the poor, in many parts of Europe, been expofed? How have they been taught by fad and calamitous experience, that without the fanc tions of revealed religion, and the reftrictions of civil polity, man is of all animals the most favage and noxious? and that reafon, which is his boaft and pride (and juftly fo when properly directed) becomes in a perverted ftate, the potent inftrument of vil; and enables him to furpafs the ferocious beaft, and the venomous animal, in the magnitude and extent of the calamities, too often inflicted on his fellow-creatures. "Every attainment of man carries in it the principle of decay and corruption; with exception only of that inftruction and infitution, which prepares him for the performance of duty here, and for the enjoyment of happiness hereafter. Of manufactures, of commerce, of both individual and national profperity, nay even of science itself, the extended and abundant increase tends to complete the fatal circle; and, by decay, convulfion, anarchy, and mifery, to produce a new and renovated order of things. In an advanced state of fociety, where the meridian is attained or paffed, nothing can prevent or even protract the evil day, except the revivifying influence of education, operating to correct the vices which flow from affluence and profperity." With a fhort extract from the clofe of a paper in the Appendix of "the Comforts of the poor," we fhall for the prefent conclude our observations on the Reports of the Society. "Laftly, the great and effential comfort of the poor, and particularly in old age and in fickness, is RELIGION. In labour and fatigue, in forrow and anxiety, it is most confoling to the affied mind to look up with habitual hope and gratitude to THAT BEING, whofe tender mercy is over all his works. It is by confidence in his wifdom and goodnefs, and by the hope of unfailing happiness hereafter, by thefe confolations delivered to us in his revealed will, and by thefe only,that the rugged path of life can can be fmoothed, the crooked ways of man be made ftraight, and the rough places plain. It is, therefore, of infinite confequence that the poor fhould have the full benefit of RELIGION; that they fhould be taught, in the fanctuary of Gon, the ufe of those gradations of rank and wealth, which in infinite wisdom he has thought fit to eftablish in this tranfitory life, as ftimulants to the industry and energy of man ;-and that he fhould be inftructed to look forward to that bleffed ftate, where they fhall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither fhall the fun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne fhall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters and GOD SHALL WIPE AWAY ALL TEARS FROM THEIR EYES.'-To the aged this comfort is of peculiar importance. At a time, when the power of labour and activity is enfeebled, and the gratification of the fenfes diminished and exhaufted, it is, indeed, true charity to give the poor the advantage and comfort of religious meditation; and to open their eyes, and raise their hopes, to thofe fcenes of blifs, which become brighter, and more enchanting, as we approach the confines of the grave.” (To be continued.) ART. XI. An Historical and Topographical Account of Chelsea and its Environs, interfperfed with Biographical Anecdotes of illuftrious and eminent Perfons who have refided in Chelfea during the three preceding Centuries. By Thomas Faulkner, of Chelfea. Large 8vo. 15s. Egerton. 1810. NOTWITHSTANDING its vicinity to the metropolis, and its various local claims to the curiofity of the antiquary, we have no more particular account of Chelsea than is to be found in the environs of London by Mr. Lyfons. This, as far as it goes, is fatisfactory enough, but Mr. Faulkner, who has long been refident on the fpot, thought, and thought juftly, that fo diftinguifhed a place merited more minute and circumftantial defcription. He has accordingly exerted great diligence, and no contemptible fagacity, in procuring, from various fources, an abundance of materials, which he has judicioufly arranged and difplayed., Mr. Faulkner has alfo introduced a great deal of new mat ter, relating to the manor and ancient houses of Chelsea; and his biographical sketches of eminent perf.ns are entertaining and fatisfactory. We have only room for a thort fpe cimen.. "The "The prefent Bishop of Winchester having been, in the year 1791, obliged, by the bad health of a part of his family, to feek the climate of Italy, collected there many curious articles of antiquity, modern art, and natural history; the principal of which are Greek fepulchral vafes, called the Etrufcan vases, fpecimens of ancient marble, used in the Roman villas; mural paintings from Herculaneum; beautiful works in Mofaic, bronzes, gems, China, &c. Thefe are difpofed with great taste in various apartments of this houfe, and fome of which we fhall here enumerate: "The great entrance hall is forty feet long and twenty wide. On a table stands an antique juvenile buft of Bacchus, much admired: "Tibi inconfumpta juventa? Tu puer æternus, tu formofiffimus alto Confpiceris cœlo, tibi, cum fine cornibus adftas "On the great ftair-cafe is an ancient fepulchral Roman vase, ornamented with rams' heads and feftoons of flowers, with the following infcription: "SEMPRONIÆ. ELEGANTIORIB. CHOREIS. PER CRUDELIA FATA DIREPTAE MOER. M. P. "Near the preceding is a plaifter caft, from a buft of Dr. Burney, taken from the original marble buft by Nollikens, in the poffeffion of the Rev. Dr. C. Burney of Greenwich. Here are alfo placed feveral large glafs cafes filled with Etrufcan vafes, and other curious remains from the ruins of Herculaneum, and some fine ancient China vases. "There are two drawing-rooms of the fame dimenfions as the hall: the first is ornamented with feveral Mofaic and mural paintings from Herculaneum, and other works of antiquity and ancient art. "In the next apartment are portraits of the prefent Bishop of Winchester, and the late Mrs. North. "Along the gallery, which leads to the garden, are difpofed in cafes a great variety of beautiful fhells, fpars, ores, and a large collection of various Italian marbles. This houfe is alfo decorated with many fpecimens of modern art, in modelling, painting, &c., executed by Mifs S s BRIT. CRIT, VOL. XXXV. JUNE, 1810. North, North, Mr. Brownlow North, and others of his lord/hip's children." P. 334. PAVILION HANS PLACE. "When Mr. Holland took the above leafe he referved to himfelf twenty one acres of land; on which he erected an elegant houfe, and laid out the adjoining grounds for his own refidence. This is called The Pavilion, a view of which is annexed, and is how the property of Peter Denys, Efq. who purchased it of the executors of Mr. Holland. The pavilion confifts of three fides of a quadrangle, open to the north. The approach is from Hans Place through a handfome pair of iron gates, into an avenue of trees. There is alfo año. ther entrance from Sloane Street through Pavilion Street. The fouth front faces an extenfive lawn, gently rifing to the level of the colonade and principal floor. "This front was originally built as a model for the Prince of Wales's pavilion at Brighton, and is ornamented by an elegant colonade of the Doric order, extending the whole length of the building. "This front contains the mufic-room, drawing-room, diningroom, library, and lobby; the whole of which, being one hundred and fourteen feet in length, may be feen at one view by means of two fuperb mirrors placed at each extremity. "The wings contain various offices and apartments. "The entrance to the houfe is through an octagon hall in the centre, paved with black and white marble, from which you approach the principal fuite of apartments by a fight of ftone fteps. In the centre of the houfe is placed a curious clock of large dimenfions, made by Thwaites, which acts upon the dial of the north front, and communicates with feveral dials in different apartments. "In the east lobby is a proof caft from the original buft of Lord Nelfon, taken from life. "To attempt a panegyric on Lord Nelfon would be a waste of words : "As long as Egypt's pyramids fhall ftand, As long as Nile fhall fertilize the land, Shall add to England's glory, Nelfon's name." "There are, befides, feveral bufts, among which are thofe of Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox. "The death of thofe diftinguished luminaries has left a chafin in the political hemifphere, which ages may not fupply; tern from their country at a period when infulted Europe was groaning under the tortures of a marble hearted tyrant, compared with whom, Nero may be deemed merciful, and Caligula juft. |