D Advertisement. OCTOR Birch, in his Summary of has published a fhort Extract from the following obfolete Author, which, for the Elegance of the Latin, and the remarkable Defcription of Queen Elizabeth, has been defervedly admired: Her beft Portraits fcarcely exhibit a more lively Image. The original Work, of which perhaps there are not above four, or five Copies in England, is an Itinerary through Germany, England, France, and Italy, performed by Hentzner; a travelling Tutor to a young German Nobleman. That Dr. Birch has extracted the moft interefting Paffage in the whole Book, is certain: Yet it records fome Circumstances and Customs, not unworthy the Notice of an Eng lih Antiquarian, and which are mentioned no where elfe. For thefe Reafons I flatter 2 my felf myself, that a Publication of the Part relating to our own Country, might not be an unacceptable Present to Perfons of Curiofity. The Tranflation was the Production of the idle Hours of another Gentleman. The Author feems to have had that laborious, and indifcriminate Paffion for SEEING, which is remarked in his Countrymen; and as his Tranflator obferved, enjoyed as much the doubtful Head, of a more doubtful Saint in Pickle, as any upon the Shoulders of the best Grecian Statue. Fortunately fo memorable a Perfonage as Queen Elizabeth, happened to fall under his Notice-Ten Years later, he would have been as accurate in painting Anne of Denmark ! The Excefs of refpectful Ceremonial used at decking her Majesty's Table, though not in her Prefence, and the Kind of Adoration and Genuflection paid to her Perfon, approach to Eaftern Homage. When we observe such Worship offered to an old Woman, with bare Neck, black Teeth, and falfe red Hair, it makes one fmile; but makes one reflect what mafculine Senfe was couched under those Weakneffes, and which could command fuch Awe from a Nation like England? Not Not to anticipate the Entertainment of the Reader, Ifhall make but one more Reflexion. We are apt to think that Sir William Temple, and King William, were in a Manner the Introducers of Gardening into England: By the Defcription of Lord Burleigh's Gardens at Theobalds, and of those at Nonfuch, we find that the Magnificent, though falfe Taste, was known here as early as the Reigns of Henry VIII, and his Daughter. There is fcare an unnatural and fumptuous Impropriety at Verfailles, which we do not find in Hentzner's Defcription of the Gardens above mentioned. With regard to the Orthography of proper Names, though corrected in the Translation, I have left them in the Original as I found them--Accuracy in that particular, was not the Author's Merit: It-is a Merit peculiar to Englifhmen: The French are negligent of it to an Affectation; yet the Author of Les Melanges Hiftoriques complains that other Nations corrupt French Names! He himselfgives fome English ones in p. 247, 248. whichit is impoffible to decypher. Baffompierre calls York-house, Forchaux, and Kenfington, Inbimthort. As a Soldier and Embassador, he was. was not obliged to know the Names of Houses; when he turned Author, there was no Excufe for not being intelligible. Even Voltaire who writes the Language fo well, is careless in our Titles. In England, it is the Defect of a Servant to blunder in Proper Names. It is one of those filly Pretenfions to Politeness, which Nations that affect a Superiority, have always cultivated For in all Affectations Defects are Merits. The Readers of History love Certainty : It is pity the Writers do not. What Confufion would it have faved, if it had not been the Custom of the Jews to call every Darius and Artaxerxes, Abafuerus! It were to be wifhed, that all Nations would be content to use the Appellations which People, or refpective Countries have chofen for themselves. Proper Names ought never to be tortured to any particular Idiom. What a ridiculous Compofition is Aulugel! Who can conceive that Meylandt, fignifies Milan; or Leghorn, Livorno? When one is misled by a proper Name, the only Ufe of which is to direct, one feels like the Countryman, who complained, That the Houfes hindred him from feeing Paris. The Things becomes an Obftruction to itself. HENT. HENTZNER's TRAVELS. W E arrived at Rye, a small English Sea-port. Here, as foon as we came on Shore, we gave in our Names to the Notary of the Place, but not till he had demanded our Business; and being answered, that we had none but to see England : We were conducted to an Inn, where we were very well entertained; as one generally is in this Country. We took poft Horses for London: It is furprizing how swiftly they run, their Bridles are very light, and their Saddles little more than a Span over, Flimwell, a Village; here we returned our first Horfes, and mounted fresh ones. We paffed through Tunbridge, another Village. Chepfted, another Village; here for the second Time we changed Horfes. VOL. II, R London, |