THE Gentleman's Magazine AND HISTORICAL REVIEW. BY SYLVANUS URBAN, GENT. M DCCC LXII. JANUARY TO JUNE INCLUSIVE. BEING VOLUME XII. OF A NEW SERIES, AND THE TWO-HUNDRED-AND-TWELFTH SINCE THE COMMENCEMENT. ST. JOHN'S GATE, CLERKENWELL, THE RESIDENCE OF CAVE, THE FOUNDER OF THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, 1731. London: JOHN HENRY AND JAMES PARKER. PREFACE. SYLVANUS URBAN has great pleasure in placing another volume of his Magazine in his readers' hands. He takes this opportunity of addressing his friends to explain the object of a Circular issued by him during the year, which has been, he is sorry to say, made the excuse for some wanton statements recently circulated that he was about to cease existence. These statements, set on foot by his enemies (for SYLVANUS URBAN has lived too long and enjoyed too much patronage to escape malice and envy), unfortunately were believed by some of his friends, so cleverly and so industriously had those whom his honest criticism had offended propagated the report. He will not particularize the journal which, as far as he can discover, first circulated the statement in print, as he is unwilling to enter into a personal controversy. Suffice it to say, that there was no warrant for so mischievous a statement; and it is much to be regretted that the journal in question, in its anxiety to give the latest gossip, should care so little to enquire as to the source whence the so-called information was derived. The object of the Circular was a very simple one. It was to explain the position of the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, because, as time has passed on, the Magazine which SYLVANUS URBAN, now one hundred and thirty-one years ago commenced, has given rise to very many others. It is true that the greater part have died soon after their birth, but still there are some occupying a portion of the ground once covered by SYLVANUS URBAN; this has rendered it necessary for him to prescribe certain limits for his labours. While, however, Magazine after Magazine has been set on foot, none has ever clearly marked out for itself the ground which has ever held the most prominent place in the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, namely, History and Archæology. But though this has been the case, SYLVANUS URBAN has not been without his trials. Archæology, which in his early years was not patronized as it is now, has obtained so many students that there are almost as many Archæological Societies in England as there are counties. SYLVANUS URBAN is of course pleased to see this, and it ought to be conducive to his prosperity. It so happens, however, that nearly all of the Societies seem to think it their business, for the advancement of archæology, to have a Magazine of their own. The increased interest in archæological studies has therefore not been of that benefit to SYLVANUS URBAN which he might have anticipated. The GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE has done. more than any periodical to support and promote archæological tastes and studies. In former years it is true much of |