1815.] State of Church Livings. Queen Anne. Now permit me to in- Knowing a person willing to under- When did the Christians first begin to bury in the church-yard? MR. EDITOR, I RESUME my account of very interesting particulars in the writings of Plato and Aristotle, and their Greek Commentators, and shall in the next place present your readers with what Aristotle says of colours in the 3d chapter of his Treatise on SENSE AND SENSIBLES. On this subject, therefore, the following remarkable passage occurs :-"There are many colours that are in proportion; for it is possible to place them near to each other in the ratio of three to two, and of three to four, and according to other numbers. But others, in short, are in no ratio, but subsist according to a certain incommensurable excess and defect. It is likewise possible that these may subsist after the same manner with symphonies; for the co 505 lours which are in the most proportional numbers, as is the case with symphonies, are those which appear to be the most delightful of colours, such as the purple and the light red, and a few others of the same kind. Or it may be said, that all colours, as well those that are arranged, as those that are without arrangement, have a ratio to each other; and that these very colours, when they are not pure, become such because they have not a ratio." modes de (xgoas) T❤ heyw• τρία γαρ προς δυο, και τρια προς τέσσαρα, και κατ' αλλους αριθμούς εςι παράλληλα κείσθαι τα δ' όλως κατα μεν λόγον μηδένα, καθ' υπεροχήν δε τινα και έλλειψιν ασυμμέτρον" και τον αυτόν δη τρόπον έχειν ταυτα ταις συμφωνίαις, τα μεν γας Εν αριθμοίς ευλογίσοις χρώματα, καθάπερ εκεί τας συμφωνίας, τα ηδιςα των χρωμάτων είναι δοκούντα, 0109 το αλουργον και φοινικούν, και ολίγα ατλα τοιαυτα, ἢ και πασας τας χρόας εν αριθμούς είναι, τας μεν τεταγμένας, τας δε ατακτους, και αυτας ταύτας, όταν μη καθάραι ωσι, δια το μη εν αριθμοίς είναι, τοιαύτας γινεσθαι. If the reader compares this with what is asserted by Newton in his Optics, p. 92, 4to. viz. "That the confines of the colours red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, divide two parallel lines after the manner of a musical chord," he might be led to conclude that the prince of modern mathematicians was indebted to the Stagirite for one of his most splendid discoveries. This, however, is by no means probable; for in the days of Newton, as well as at present, it was fashionable to defame Aristotle without reading him, and to confound the barbarous jargon of the schoolmen with the doctrines of one of the most powerful, refined, and prolific geniuses that ever existed. The next remarkable dogma in the philosophy of Aristotle, and which does not appear to have been noticed by the moderns, at least not in its full extent, is what he calls the GREAT WINTER, which only takes place in very extended periods of time. This dogma is to be found in the last chapter of his first book, On Meteors, as introductory to which, he observes, "That the same places of the earth are not always wet or dry, but are changed according to the generations and failures of rivers. Hence places about the continent are changed, and also those about the sea, and some parts do not always remain land, and others sea through the whole of time; but where there was land sea is produced, and where there is now sea there will again be land. Yet it is requisite to think that these changes take place according to a certain order and period. 506 Mr. Taylor on certain Passages of Aristotle and Plato. [July 1, The principle and cause however of these mutations is this, that the inward parts of the earth, in the same manner as the bodies of plants and animals, have their acme and old age: except that to the latter these things do not happen according to a part, but it is necessary that the whole should at once arrive at its acme, and at once decay; but to the earth this happens according to a part, on account of heat and cold." He adds, "when rivers are changed, disappearing indeed here, but being generated analogously in other places, the sea is necessarily changed. For where the sea being impelled by rivers superabounded, there when it recedes, it is necessary that it should make dry land; but where abounding with streams it becomes dry, there, when it is again spread abroad, it becomes stagnant. In consequence, however, of all natural generation about the earth subsisting from succession, and in a very great length of time with respect to our life, we are ignorant of these mutations: and entire nations are destroyed and corrupted before these changes are remembered from beginning to end." Afterwards, we observes, "We should conceive however that the cause of all these particulars is this, that as winter is produced in the seasons of the year, so in destined times, in a certain great period, there is a great winter and an excess of rain. This, however, does not always happen in the same regions, but takes place just as that did which is called the Deluge of Deucalion. For this happened principally about Greece, and especially ancient Greece; and this is about Dodona and Achelous. For this river has in many places changed its stream; for the Selli dwelt there, and those who were then called Graikoi, but now Hellenes." The principal part of the commentary of Olympiodorus, one of the best of the Greek interpreters of Aristotle on this chapter, is as follows: "The thing now proposed by Aristotle, says Olympiodorus, is to show that the parts of the earth change according to dryness and moisture, from being Tgaixo. This word, says Olympiodorus, the Romans mark with an acute accent in the penultimate syllable, calling it yeaixos. He adds, "But universally, the Romans mark every noun in this way, in consequence of their arrogance and ostentation; whence they are called by the poets "beyond measure proud." moist becoming more dry, and from being dry becoming moist. But moisture being triple, viz. either potable, or salt, or marshy, he shows that all moisture changes into dryness. For that earth changes from potable moisture into dryness, and from dryness into potable moisture, is evident from the disappearing and appearing of rivers. For places which were formerly aqueous have now become dry, and those which were formerly dry now abound with moisture. And this happens indeed with respect to potable moisture. It also happens with respect to salt or marine moisture. And that this is true is evident from the contincnt becoming sea, and the sea becoming continent. This, however, Olym piodorus adds, happens, in consequence of what is called the great winter, and the great summer. But the great winter is when all the planets become situated in a wintry sign, viz. either in Aquarius, or in Pisces. And the great summer, is when all of them are situated in a summer sign, viz. either in Leo, or Cancer. For as the sun alone when he is in Leo causes summer, but when he is in Capricorn, winter, and thus the year is formed, which is so denominated, because the sun tends to one and the same point, (evalos), for his restitution is from the same to the same; in like manner there is an arrangement of all the planets effected in long periods of time, which produces the great year. For if all the planets becoming vertical heat in the same manner as the sun, but departing from this vertical position refrigerate, it is not unreasonable to suppose that when they become vertical, they produce a great summer, but when they have departed from this position, a great winter, In this great winter, therefore, the continent becomes sea: but in the great summer the contrary happens, in conse quence of the burning heat, and there being great dryness where there was moisture. Aristotle also assigns another cause of the sea becoming continent, and the continent sea. For rivers in running into the sea, by the mud which they bring them, forin shores. and thus that place becomes land; but when they do not run into the sea, they cause the land to become sea. Except that rivers, both when they run, and when they do not run into the sea, produce each of these changes, yet not after the same manner. For if a river should happen to run into the sea about the southern part, the sea becomes continent. In 1815.] Meteorological Observations for 1814. this case, however, it is necessary that the sea should be impelled to the opposite continent, and that continent become sea. And this happens indeed, if a river runs into the sea. But if it does not, the water again returns to its proper place; and thus that which was formerly sea becomes continent, and that which was formerly continent becomes sea. That the sea however be comes continent, and the continent sea, Aristotle evinces from Egypt. For for merly it was sea; and the Nile always bringing with it fresh mud, (whence also it was called Nile) which became accumulated in the oblique parts of the river and the sea, from the addition which by this means was gradually made, the sea at length became a continent. Hence Herodotus calls Egypt the gift of the Nile; but Aristotle calls it the work of the Nile. And Aristotle denominates it better than Herodotus, because he calls it by an agricultural name; for the Nile as it were cultivates Egypt. Not indeed that Herodotus uses an unappropriate name; for the Egyptians possess the formation of their land as the gift of the Nile. "But that Egypt was formed from the mud accumulated by the Nile, Aristotle shows from three arguments. First, that all the mouths through which the Nile exonerates itself into the sea, except the Canobic (or Canopic) were made by the hand, viz. by human art, and not 507 by the river. Hence it is a sign that these mouths were opened by men, and that they excavated the channels of the river, in order that the Nile thus flowing more easily into the sea, a great part of the region which was occupied by that river, and was marshy, might be dried and rendered habitable. But that the Canopic mouth, says Olympiodorus, is not the work of the hand is evident; since Menelaus in the course of his voyage sailed into it; whence also it was called Canopic, from Canopus, the pilot of Menelaus. The second argument is, that Egypt was anciently called Thebes : and this is an indication that formerly the upper part of Egypt in which Thebes is situated, was alone inhabited, but that the other part was added by the Nile, and gradually began to be dried and inhabited. The third argument is from Homer, who so speaks of the Memphitic region, as if it did not then exist, or at least as if the whole of it did not exist. This therefore is a sign that all that part of Egypt, which is extended from Memphis as far as to the sea, was made after the time of Homer by the inundation of the Nile. But it reasonably happens that places nearer to the sea, as being lower, are more slowly left by the sea, and afterwards for some time remain marshy, till being gradually dried they become habitable." Manor-place, Walworth. T. TAYLOR. (To be continued.) The coldest day, Jan. 10, Thermometer 15"-The hottest day, July 5th, Thermometer 76. • Some of the Observations in January, are extracted from the London Journals. The above Observations were taken in the County of Chester, and may be depended upon as accurate. A NATURALIST. It is much to be wished that a regular Series of Monthly and Annual Meteorological Observations for the last 20 or 30 years were collected and published. In London such a collection might easily be made, and a ready sale would cover the expense, 508 Queries suggested by a History of Basing House. MR. EDITOR, I HAVE just had put into my hands a pamphlet, lately published, entitled "The History of Basing House, in Hampshire; containing an interesting Account of the Siege it sustained during the Civil War: with Notices of Distinguished Persons concerned in its Transactions." It appears to have been compiled by some person in the neighbourhood; but it is so brief as to render it desirable to obtain further information respecting the family who resided there, the history of the house, and particularly of the transactions of the siege. These particulars, perhaps, some of your readers may be both able and willing to communicate. I will take the liberty to make some extracts from the work on which to found my inquiries. "Basing, or Old Basing, is a considerable village in Hampshire, about two miles north-east from Basingstoke. The name is Saxon, and signifies a coat of mail; to which it is said the place once bore some resemblance, referring perhaps to its military strength. That it was previous to the Conquest, a place of more importance than Basingstoke, there is no reason to doubt, from the Saxon addition of stoke (or hamlet) added to the latter. Basing is memorable for a bloody battle fought here between the Danes and the Saxons, commanded by King Ethelred and his brother Alfred, in the year 871, in which the latter were defeated. It became still more famous, however, for the gallant stand made against the forces of the Parliament, in the reign of Charles the First, by John Pawlet, Marquis of Winchester, a lineal descendant of Hugh de Port, Lord of Basing, who, at the period of the Doomsday Survey, held 55 fordships in this county. Basing, the head of these extensive possessions, appears to have been very early the site of a castle, as mention of the land of the old castle of Basingt occurs in a grant made by John de It appears that "Hugh de Port, Lord of Basing, heid at least two manors, Cerde ford and Eschetune, by inheritance from his ancestors, before the Conquest ;" and "Wm. Rufus he took the habit of a monk at Winchester." "His son, Henry de Port, Lord of Basing, was buried at Cerusie in Normand (Gent. Mag. Aug. 1787.) Was he, or was he not, of Norman descent? Can any of your correspondents favour us with an account of his ancestors; or of his descendants prior to Sir Wm. Powlet, the first Marquis of Winchester? Can any of your readers inform us when the Old Castle of Basing was built, or give any other information respecting it? [July 1, Port, to the neighbouring priory of Monk's Sherborne, in the reign of Henry the Second. William, his grandson, assumed the name of St. John; and Robert, Lord St. John, in the forty-third of Henry the Third, obtained a license to fix a pole upon the bann of his moat at Basing, and also permission to continue it so fortified during the king's pleasure. In the time of Richard the Second, Basing, with other estates of this family, was transferred by marriage to the Poynings; and again, in the time of Henry the Sixth, to the Pawlets, by the marri age of Constance, heiress of the former, with Sir John Pawlet, of Nunny Castle, in Somersetshire." "Sir Wm. Pawlet, knt. third in de scent from this couple, created Baron St. John of Basing by Henry the Eighth, and Earl of Wiltshire and Marquis of Winchester by Edward the Sixth, was a very polite nobleman, and greatly in favour at court through most of the successive changes that occurred in the reigns of Henry the Eighth, Edward the Sixth, Queen Mary, and Queen Eliza beth. He held the office of treasurer nearly thirty years.* Being asked how he contrived to maintain his situation in such perilous times, wherein so many great changes had taken place in church and state, he answered, by being a willow, and not an oak. Ile rebuilt the castle at Basing in a magnificent and even princely style; so much so, indeed, that Canaden, in allusion to the vast expense of living entailed on his family by its splendour, observes, that it was so overpowered by its own weight, that his posterity have been forced to pull down a part of it.'" "Here King Edward the Sixth was entertained by the Marquis of Winches ter, with his retinue, for four days King Philip and Queen Mary, whom the Marquis had accompanied to Winchester after their marriage, were also enter tained here for five days. Here also, in the year 1560, he entertained Quest Elizabeth with all good chear,' and . He is said to have left a manuscriptac count of his life;, and also gave a particula detail of the siege of Boulogne, where he was one of the principal commanders. Can any of your correspondents oblige us by an account of either of the above manuscript, or of their contents, or of any thing est respecting him? Can any of your readers favour us with an account of either of the entertainment at Basing House?-The writer believes Wat ner has an account of them in his collec tions for the History of Hampshire, pablished in five or six volumes, folio. 1815.] man, Inquiries suggested by a History of Basing House. much to her satisfaction, that she playfully lamented his great age; for, by my troth,' said the delighted sovereign, if my lord treasurer were but a young I could find in my heart to have him for a husband before any man in England.' This nobleman died in 1572, at the age of 97, having lived to see 103 of his own immediate descendants: he was buried in Basing church. "William, his great grandson, and fourth Marquis of Winchester, had likewise, in the year 1601, the honour of having Queen Elizabeth for a guest, and that for a period of thirteen days, to the greate charge of the sayde Lorde Marquesse.' During her residence here, the Duke of Biron, accompanied by about 20 of the French nobility, and a retinue of nearly 400 persons, were lodged at the Vine, the seat of Lord Sandys, which house had been purposely furnished with hangings and plate from the Tower and Hampton Court, and with sevenscore beds and furniture, which the willing and obedient people of the countrie of Southampton, upon two dayes warning, had brought in thither to lend the Queene.' When Elizabeth departed from Basing, she affirmed that she had done that in Hampshire that none of her ancestors ever did, neither that any Prince in Christendome could doe: that was, she had in her progresses, at her subjects' houses, entertained a royal am bassador, and had royally entertained him. This marquis died in 1628, at Hawkwood, now Hackwood, the present seat of his descendants. "John, his son, the fifth Marquis of Winchester, was the brave nobleman who rendered his name illustrious by his gallant defence of Basing House, in the cause of Charles the First, during a tedious siege and blockade, or rather a succession of them, with short intermissions, continued upwards of two years. "This noble mansion was built upon a rising ground, and was surrounded with a brick rampart, which was lined with earth, and all encompassed with a dry ditch. Basing House is not to be confounded with the castle; to the east of which it was situated at a small distance, some remains of the foundations still existing. "In the beginning of the Civil Wars, this garrison much distressed the Parliamentarians by the command it had of the western road, insomuch that it was several times besieged by their forces under Col. Norton, Col. Morley, and Sir Wm. Waller, who greatly distressed, but NEW MONTHLY MAG.-No. 18. 509 could not take it. The Marquis declared, that if the King had no more ground in England than Basing House, he would hold it out to the extremity. At first there were none but the Marquis's own family, and 100 musqueteers from Oxford, but afterwards the King supplied him as occasion required. To inspire the garrison with courage and perseverance in the resolute contest, he wrote with a diamond in every window Love Loyalty; for which reason the house was called Loyalty House, and the words in French, Aimez Loyaulté, afterwards became the motto of the family arms, as they are to the present day. "The investment commenced in Au gust, 1643: the first material assaults were made by Sir Wm. Waller, (called from his former successes, William the Conqueror,) who thrice within nine days attempted to take it by storm, with 7000 men, but was repulsed, and obliged to retreat with great loss to Farnham. "The final investment of Basing House appears to have been undertaken by Cromwell. When the king's cause declined every where, this general came with his victorious troops out of the west, and attacked Basing House, and so vigorously pushed on the siege, that the royalists saw it impossible for them to hold out as they had formerly done, and thereupon desired a parley; but Oliver was resolved to chastise them for their obstinate loyalty, and would hearken to no proposals, intending to take it by storin. Having therefore posted his army around the house, the attack was begun, and Sir Hardress Waller's and Colonel Montague's regiments having forced the works of the besieged, mounted the walls and entered the house before the defendants perceived their danger. Thus Basing House, which had held out so long, and had been thought almost impregnable, was length taken by storm, Oct. the 14th, 1645, and burnt to the ground. Seventytwo men were lost on the king's side, and about 200 (another account says 400) taken prisoners, among whom was the Marquis himself, and several other persons of distinction, whom Cromwell sent up to the parliament, and received the thanks of the house for these successful services.* The number of soldiers slain before the walls, from the first commencement of the siege, is recorded to have been upwards of 2000. at |