colnshire and Yorkshire. This jurifdiction is exercised by a Commiffary, or Vicar-general, chofen by the Chapter out of their body, who holds vifitations, &c. twice a year. Befides thefe, there are two Synods yearly, at which all the clergy of Nottinghamfhire attend; and a certain number of the Prebendaries, and others of the confiderable clergy, are appointed, by commiffion of the Archbishop of York, to prefide at the Synods.

The civil government of the jurifdiction of Southwell is diftinct from that of the county at large, and is called the Soke of Southwell cum Scrooby,' which is another town in this county. There are about twenty towns fubject to this jurisdiction.

The Cuftos Rotulorum and the Juftices of the peace are nominated by the Archbishop of York, and conftituted by a commiffion under the Great Seal of England, who hold their feffion both at Southwell and Scrooby, and perform all other jufticiary acts diftinct from the county.

The church is a ftrong, plain Gothic building; it has no painted fi gures in the glass-work, nor images, nor fo much as a niche capable of placing an image in; and from hence it has been conjectured, that it was probably built, before image-worship was practifed among Chriftians.

On Monday, the fifth of November 1711, about ten o'clock at night, the top of the ball on one of the fouth fpires of the church was fired by lightning; which, backed by a furious wind, that drove it almost directly on the body of the church, in a few hours burnt down the fpire and roof, melted the bells, and fpared nothing that was combuftible, except the other fpire, till it came to the choir, where, after it had confumed the organ, it was by a fingular providence ftopped and extinguished. The damage was computed at near four thousand pounds.

The church is built in the form of a crofs, with a great tower in the middle, in which are eight bells, and

two fpires at the weft end. On the north fide of the choir is a handfome Chapter-houfe. The length of the church, from east to west, is 306 feet; the length of the cross ifle, from north to fouth, is 121 feet; and the breadth of the church is 59 feet. There are no very remarkable monuments in this church, except one of Archbishop Sandys, which is within the Communion rails, and is a fair tomb of alabaster, with his effigies lying on it at full length, and a fine infcription, in Latin, greatly to his honour.

This church being reputed the mother church of the town and county of Nottingham, King Henry VIII. allowed it to be Sedes Archiepifcopalis; and on the fouth fide of it are the ruins of a very grand palace, which belonged to the Archbishop of York, and is fuppofed to have been built by one of the Archbishops of the name of Booth, there being a chapel by the fouth wall ftill called Booth's Chapel. This grand palace was demolished in the time of the civil wars. The church escaped the fury of thofe times, by the good offices of one Edward Cludd, Efq; a Gentleman in the Parliament's intereft, who lived at Norwood in the parish of Southwell, in a house belonging to the Archbishop. Here were no less than three parks belonging to the Archbishop, which, tho' fome time fince difparked, ftill retain the name; one of which is Norwood Park, in which is a good house, and has been greatly inlarged and beautified by Mr. Burton, a defcendant of the above Edward Cludd, Efq.

Adjoining to the church is a freefchool, under the care of the Chapter, where the chorifters, with other boys belonging to the town, are taught gratis. The mafter is chofen by the Chapter, and must be approved by the Archbishop of York.

There are alfo two fellowships, and two scholarships, in St. John's College in Cambridge, founded by Dr. Keyton, Canon of Salisbury, in the 22d

year

year of King Henry the Eighth, to be chofen by the Mafter and Fellows of the faid College, out of fuch as

have been chorifters in the church of Southwell.

[To be continued.]

GENTLEMEN,'

Among defervy difriis questions

that difcuffion, may be worth enquiring whether the world grows better or worfe? If we judge from common opinion, this question is foon decided; because men generally determine in favour of ancient times; and fide with the poets, who give us pleafing defcriptions of the golden age, and the reign of Saturn. But, as it is unfafe to rely on general opinions and poetical fictions, we muft feek from examples, particulars, and illuftrations from history, to ground a true judgment upon.

Before ftates or focieties were formed, and laws enacted, men lived in, what is called, a state of nature; of which we can fay very little, because moft of the ancient hiftories are here dark, imperfect, and full of fable and fiction. It is, however, evident, that vice prevailed in this state, to fuch a degree, that men abandoned their best jewel, their liberty, for the common fecurity; formed focieties, and fubmitted to rule and dominion. Such a remedy evidently fhews, that the disease was great; and that mankind fuffered, as it were, the lofs of a limb, to preserve the body.

The poets and hiftorians may give us what descriptions they please of the golden times, and the reigns of the Thepherds; but the early founding of focieties, the use of penal laws, prifons, and gibbets, plainly prove the ancient ftate of mankind was not fo fimple, equitable, and pure, as these Gentlemen pretend. We alfo find, that fuch a fuppofed natural state was of no long duration; for focieties and

kingdoms were formed soon after the

As foon as we have any knowledge of hiftory, we find, that the world had its good and bad times, its ebbs and flows; and that it always was wicked, though the fcene has frequently changed; for one kind of corruption, vice, or wickedness, no fooner disappeared than another fucceeded.

The fevere judgments paffed upon latter times feem owing to men's not confidering the world in the whole, but only in particular parts; and examining feparate countries inftead of the earth in general. When we furvey kingdoms or republics fingly, moft of them appear to have been found and healthy at firft; and to have grown fickly, weak, and infirm, as they advanced in years; till at length they became fo degenerate and corrupt, that folly, vice, and wickedness, getting the upper hand, completed their ruin. This particular idea of a country, men have unwarily transferred to the world in general; and thence make the whole globe to have its youth, manhood, and old age, which they fuppofe muft needs be its weakest and wickedeft state.

That this opinion is adopted without examination, appears upon laying the intire hiftory of the world before us; where we fee, that every kingdom and republic is commonly good at its original foundation; each founder making his honour confift in supporting and preferving his own work. But as, out of a fick and fallen kingdom, new and found republics may arife; and fresh and vigorous king

doms,

ther the moderns keep their better laws ftricter, than the ancients did their worse.

Law fuits appear more tedious a mong the moderns, than among the ancients. Our forefathers did as much bufinefs in one day, by a fingle decifion, as modern Judges do in years: If the study of the law had flourished as much formerly, as it does at prefent; or if the ancients had been provided with fuch multitudes of able lawyers, as we are; their law-fuits would have been as numerous, and fpun out to as handsome lengths, as at prefent; for the ancients were as revengeful as the moderns. I much queftion, whether all Europe could now be brought into an alliance for carrying a war into Afia, in order to revenge the fingle crime of adultery. But, it must be owned, we quarrel about trifles, efpecially with regard to theology.

Promises were held more facred among the ancients, than among. us; their bare affirmation, or shake by the hand, was a stronger obligation, than our oaths or legal contracts. The ancients had lefs diffimulation than the moderns, and could pretty well diftinguifh an honeft man from a villain. At prefent, it is the fashion to go masked, cover deceit with a robe of honour, and wickednefs with the cloak of religion.

State, pomp, and fhew have prevailed fo much in later times, especially among the middling people, that the different orders of men cannot be diftinguished by their dress or equipage.

The love of liberty, and zeal for the public good, was greater in ancient times, than at present. What heroical and almost incredible things were performed by the ancients from this principle! But, with us moderns, it is the fashion to do little for the public, and as much as we can for ourfelves. Few among us are fuch Patriots, to facrifice our perfons, our children, or even our eftates, for the public advantage, or honour, of our

country. This generous ambition has dwindled and decayed with time; and felf-love, narrow pride, and fordid principles reign in its ftead. Poffibly, the old fimple world might have entertained no high opinion of this reigning modern character.

The ancient comedies were coarse, obfcene, and scandalous; but the moderns have, in a great measure, corrected these faults, and rendered plays more chafte; fo that whoever compares the ancient comedies with the modern will, doubtlefs, be pleased to find the old grofs dialogue changed, in the last and prefent century, for eloquent and ingenious morality.

The education of children, among the ancients, was generally bad, schoolmasters acting more like tormentors than teachers. The ancients alfo had a falfe and monstrous principle in refpect of children, whom they gave up not only for the good of the public, but even the private advantage of families. Princes and Governors, in thefe early times, divided their territories among their children; whereby many powerful and flourishing kingdoms were reduced to a miferable state. The numerous tragical fcenes, that happened from fuch unfeasonable care about provifions for children, had not force fufficient to regulate or restrain this destructive practice: For the cuftom of dividing the patrimony among children was every-where continued down to the last century; when the right of primogeniture, or jus majora. tûs, was first introduced into moft

countries.