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Mr. URBAN,

Jan. 3. Cens, of which the inclofed is a HALKE church in the connty of

North-Eaft view, ftands on an eminence adjoining the high-road, between Gravefend and Rochefter; the attention of travellers is fonetimes drawn to the fingularly-grotefque decorations of its porch, already deferibed by Mr. Thorpe, in Bibl. Top. vol. 1, and fince engraved in the Archeologia of the Society of Antiquaries.

The internal appearance of this church is plain, though antient. It cofitis of a nave, a chancel, and one. aile on the North fide; but was for merly more extenfive, as the remains of ruinated walls on the South, and the patched-up condition of the prefent South wall, clearly point out the fite of another aile. The prefent remain ing North aile, the roof of which has evidently been lowered, is feparated from the nave and chancel, by four very plain pointed arches, refting on fquare jambs, adorned at the angles with three quarter columns in a fiyle much refembling, and which I conjecture immediately fucceeded, the Norman. Within this aile, and in the North wall, are two very low receffes, under obtufely-pointed fubdivided arches, fuch as are frequently feen over the recumbent figures, or altar tombs, of the founders or benefactors of chantries.

The tower at the Weft end is a ftately well-built pile, may be feen at a confiderable diftance; and the fame ftyle of grotefque ornament is obfervable on it, about the moulding under the battlements, as is exhibited on the porch.

A few brafs inferiptions from this church are inferted in Thorpe's Regiftrum Roffenfe; of which not one remains; and no painted glass. T. F.

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a finall landed eftate, which defcended to this her only child.

He was educated at the school of Repton, near Hartfhorn, firft under the Rev. Dr. Prior, and latterly under his fucceffor, the Rev. William Bagfhaw Stevens, a very ingenious poet and fcholar, who died in 1800, and of whom an account may be found in the early part of your LXXIft volume,p. 109. From this accomplished inan, for whom he retained an unabated friendship til his premature death, he early imbibed a warm love of literature.

At the clofe of October, 1780, he became a refident member of Queen's College, in Cambridge; and in a few weeks commenced an intimacy with the writer of this article, who began his refidence at Queen's the fame term," which only ended with his lamented diffolution.

At this period, his firft literary predilections were fixed on English Poetry, of which he had caught an enthufiaftic fondnefs from his laft mafter. But' even this partiality vielded to his propentity for Mufick, in which his performance on the violin occupied a large portion of his time, and had already attained confiderable excellence. But while his friend, difgufted at the narrow plans of academical ftudy then in fashion, too rafhly refufed to pay them a moderate attention; Mr. Shaw accommodated with more wifdom to, what was required, and qualified himfelf to pafs properly through the preferibed ordeal. In due time, therefore, he took his degree of B. A. was elected to a fellowship, and went into orders. In this progrefs, indeed, it would have been firange if any impediments had occurred; his unimpeachable morals, his good tem, his freedom from all envy, malice, intrigue, and guile, his philanthropy and fondnefs for fociety, were qualities not likely to raife enemies, or clog his way with oppofition. I have now forgot how the first year or two of freedom, from the trammels of a college life, after having attained his bachelor's degree, were palled. But I look back with fond regret on the vifit of a few weeks, which he then paid me in Kent, when our hopes were warm, and "the world was all before us!" Some of thofe days are impreffed on my mind, with a vividnefs which 1 fhall not hazard the ridicule of here defcribing,

defcribing, though I fhould be forry were it to fade from my memory.

Not long afterwards, the intimacy which for almost half a century had fubfifted between his father and his neighbour Sir Robert Burdett, of Foremark, in which hofpitable manfion the fon had patled many of his early days, induced him to undertake the fuperintendence of the prefent Sir Francis, then lately releafed from Weftminfter fchool, at his father's villa a Ealing. With this pupil, he made a tour to the Highlands of Scotland in the autumn of 1787, of which he kept a diary. This diary, originally compofed merely for private amufement, he afterwards too inconfiderately publifhed; and thus, it must be confeffed, made his first appearance as an author with difadvantage; luckily, however, the publication was anonymous.

In the following year, he made a tour to the Weft of England, of which he published a more laboured account with his name. The book was well received; and though the ftyle is not as fimple and eafy as could have been wifhed, which indeed the author never attained; yet it already exhibited confiderable improvement, and difcovered a dawning attention to the hiftory of families and property, to which his induftrious refearches were afterwards directed with so much fuccefs.

In 1789, about the time of the publication of his Tour, he obtained admiffion to the reading-room of the British Mufeum. His account of the vaft ftores of topographical and genealogical materials depofited there, fired the imagination of his friend, who now refided in London, and with whom he paffed much of his time. The fubject was opportune; a domestic affliction, which happened in his friend's family immediately afterwards, required the full force of whatever could ftimulate his attention.

Such was the origin of the periodical publication, entitled "The Topographer," which commenced in the Spring of 1789. The plan was hafty; the materials were indigefted. He who is gone, ought not to fhare in the blame of this. His coadjutor was inconfiderate and impetuous; he fought for fomething to engage his mind, and he did not give himfelf time to anticipate the languor and avocations which followed. The work was carried on for more than two years, during which

it will fcarcely be deemed prefumptuous to fay, that fome ufeful materials towards the Topographical Hiftory of the Kingdom were communicated. Amongst other refearches, Mr. Shaw fpent part of the fummer of 1790 in Suflex, and vifited very many parishes, and collected a large ftore of church notes, of which only a finall number was exhaufied when the work clofed.. In thefe perambulations, his Own faithful and conftantly-exercised pencil, enabled him to be doubly useful.

In the Summer of 1791, Mr. Shaw retired to his father's houfe at Hartfhorn. Here ftill amusing himfelf with topographical refearches, he foon af terwards, during his frequent vifits into Staffordshire, conceived the idea of undertaking the Hiftory of that County. The fcheme at first appeared bold even to the partiality of his friends; and no one trembled more for his fuccefs than his old Coadjutor on fimilar topics. He perfevered, however; his mild and inoffenfive manners procured attention to the affifiance he afked; his acquaintance every day enlarged, and his materials accumulated. Inftead of con

fining himfelf merely to the dry inveltigations of Antiquarian lore, he conciliated by an attention awake to every thing which the title of his work could comprehend. Natural hifiory, agriculture, fcenery, manufactories, and arts, all excited his curiofity, and flattered the various turns of thofe by whom the acquifition of his materials was facilitated.

At length, by his affiduous enqui ries, he difcovered and obtained the vaft treafure of MSS. written and collected by Dr. Wilkes for a fimilar undertaking; which had long been fuppofed to be loft, and of which fame malicious attempts were made, by the atlertion of wilful falfhoods, to fuitle his purfuit.

From the moment of this acquifition, his fuccefs became certain; the expectation of the County rapidly increafed; and he received countenance and affittance from every quarter.

He had already made a great variety of drawings of mansions, churches, monuments, and antiquities; and many of these were now engraved at the expence of the owners, fome of which have fince enriched the part already publifhed; and a large propor tion fill remain with his unpublished materials. He now employed four

years

years in augmenting and digefting his collections; and about 1796 began to print the first volume, which was laid before the publick in Auguft 1798.

his only relation, an affectionate halffifter, the daughter of his father by a fecond wife. They went first to Rainfgate, and thence removed to the more quiet feclufion of Sandgate, near Hythe. Here he paffed the Autumn, and was fo well that he joined fome friends in a few days expedition to the oppofite coaft, and visited Boulogne.

Towards the end of October, his diforder fuddenly returned with more violence than before. After a struggle of ten days, it was deemed right to remove him to London for better advice, where he died foon after his arrival in his 41ft year, deeply lamented by all who knew him, and leaving a chafm in the department of literature which he had embraced, not eafy to be fupplied.

It will not, I truft, be partiality to affert, that it answered and exceeded the expectations it had raifed. It is in truth a rich and fplendid volume in many refpects. The typography, the number and variety of engravings, the Juminous and well-laboured genealogical tables, the inexhauftible notices of the paft drawn from the buried treafures of Time, intermixed with modern facts and deferiptions of more general attraction, render the work highly valuable, and will fecure the reputation of the compiler: they raife, indeed, aftonishment at his patient and unwearied industry. To fuch a work, it is not a minute and captious criticifm on detached parts that can do juftice: it is a furvey of the extent and variety of the whole; and though the. author had no pretenfions to splendour To the writer of this memoir, the of talent, nor indeed exhibited either lofs can never be recompenfed. An in converfation or by the ftyle of com-intimacy of two and twenty years, a pofition the powers which he poffeffed, I fall venture to affirm that his work exhibits merits which could not have been the refult of a common mind.

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In 1801 he published the firf part of his fecond volume, which was in all respects equal to the former. He had now fucceeded his father, who died at the clofe of 1799, in the living of Hartshorn, a village rendered remarkable as the birth-place of the celebrated Dean Stanhope, whofe father enjoyed this preferment. Here he fpent the Summer, and found fome relaxation from his fevere ftudies, in improving his house and garden. But his enjoyments were not uninterrupted. Abilious habit rendered him perpetually fubject to flow fevers. The fatigue of exercise in a burning fan now brought on a more fierce attack. He recovered, however, and returned to London in the Winter of 1801, and went on with his work. But it was foon perceived that his conftitution had received an alarming fhoek.

Early in the Spring he found him, felf unfit for his ufual occupations. A new attack of a dreadful and lamentable fever enfued; but from this too he was at length reftored.

All application to books was now prohibited; and in June or July it was deemed advifable for him to pay a vifit to the Kentish coaft, attended by

His vaft treafures of MSS, drawings, and engraved plates, remain; and fome qualified perfon will, I hope, be found to continue his most valuable work,

fimilarity of purfuits, and a thoufand atfociations, contributed to make the fhock inexpreffibly afflicting to him. The leffon too was awful. Taken away in the full vigour of his age; in the height of his enjoyments, with an ealy fortune, a mind daily improving, with inexhauftible materials and full leifure for the indulgence of his favou rite purfuits, with an acquaintance daily extended, and increafing respect and reputation! Had I been called on but a few months before, to felect the perfon whofe fituation was most adapted to his wifhes, I fhould have named my departed friend!

After the obfervations I have made, it will not he necellary for me to analyfe his intellectual character. It must not be tried by purity or vigour of style, or accuracy of detail. Yet, when all the various qualities neceffary for the undertaking in which he engaged are confidered, his fuperior will not often L. N. S.

occur.

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ther things in themfelves are become more ridiculous, or whether mankind in general are now endowed with an extraordinary portion of wit, are queftions which I fhall not pretend to determine. But I may affert with fafety, that amidst all our difficulties or calamities of a publick or private nature, we have not beeu induced to forget or Jay afide any of thofe incentives to laughter which have been handed down to us from father to fon, and which we feem difpofed to convey to our pofterity, not only without injury or dilapidation, but with very confiderable additions and improvements, fo that, if the fate of ridicule goes on in its prefent progreffive flow and fwell, we may expect that, at fome future and perhaps not very diftant period, every thing will be a joke, and, every man a wit.

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But, befides that new fund for ridicule which the various and everchanging manners of the age prefent, there are, it may be obferved, a fet of ftanding topics, which fome hundreds of years have not been able to wear out, and which will probably laft as long as laughter itfelf, that is, as long as man can be defined animal rifibile; for, if I miftake not, Naturalifts have determined that no other animal Jaughs, a doctrine which I am leaft inclined to call in question when I obferve the treatment beflowed upon the moft ufeful of the brute creation in this. metropolis, and which has certainly no tendency to excite the rifible faculties, if the hackney or dray horfe, or the cattle in Smithfield, had, the happinefs to pollels fuch powers of expreffion.

Among thefe ftanding topics of ridicule, we are certainly good-humoured enough not to fpare ourselves. Man is a perpetual fund of ridicule; first in his fiugle fiate, when he has a certain number of jokes to bear, long before he arrives at that general fubject of ridicule, an old bachelor; an old, fufty, ufelefs fellow, that drones and fleeps away his time, does no good in his generation, and leaves his fortune to his bed-maker, or his milk-woman. Secondly, if he efcapes this feries of provocatives of laughter, he only exchanges it for one more fertile and copious, the married man, the henpecked hufband, one who dare not fay his foul is his own, married to a "creature of a wife, and every body

wonders what he could fee in her ;" with a parcel of fqualling brats, and a thoufand fiories and bon mots from Joe Miller and Ben Jonfon, on cuckolds and horns, and Doctors Commons; for, while marriage is reckoned a very good joke, a divorce is the best joke of all, and will fupply clubs of wits and columns of newpapers for a month. The fair fex, too, come in for a plertiful fhare of the ridicule bestowed on the fpecies, and there is one state peculiar to them of which they exclufively enjoy all the produce of laughter; for, befides the common farcafins on old maids and wives, when they come to be widows they are univerfully accounted fair ganie. In this ftate, efpecially if they happen to be rich and young (although age or poverty is not always a ferious matter), they are be-rhimed and be-profed with no great degree of delicacy. To the fpecies in general alfo belongs a vaft fund of wit, at the expenfe of natural defects, lamenefs, blindnefs, deformity; and pertous above fix feet, or under four, are butts for many a thread-bare jeft.

If we next look to the Learned Profeffions, we fhall find that they have always been fertile in topics of ridicule. The Divine has certain probationary jokes to go through when only a poor parfon, a word that once had a ferious meaning, but is generally now applied as a humorous epithet. As he advances, he is honoured with a fresh fet of allufions to fatnefs and fleep, which feem to be either the qualifications or the confequences of a good benefice; and now we hear much of Dean Drowfy, Dr. Paunch, Archdeacon Spintext, &c. &c.; until we arrive at the Billops' beuch, when we must encounter another firing of quibbles and puns upon mitres, lawn-fleeves, &c. Perhaps thefe might be tolerated by the Dignitaries of the Church, and perhaps, indeed, no man ought to hold a living who cannot take a joke ; but our wit does not always end in perfonalities; and whoever confiders the prefent fiate of ridicule as applied to the Clergy, will perceive that the defign of many wits lies deeper than the merely railing a laugh at the tenant of a pulpit, or the thumper of a cushion.

As to the Law, which we generally rank as the fecond of the learned profellions, we thall obferve a crowd of jokes following the Lawyer, from the Attorney's office to the Chancellor's wooltack.

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