306 : 
fince it is certain that the world had con- 
tinued very fiationary in intellectual ac- 
quirements, if it had never given birth to 
any but men of plain fenfe.” 
«¢ No wonder if virtue be fometimes loft 
inthe blaze of kindling animation, or that 
the calm menitions of reafon were not: 
fufticient to fetter an imagination which 
fcorned the narrow limits and reftrictions 
that would chain it to the level of ordinary 
minds.” ) 
Without being {0 ** rugged. a moralift 
as toregret that Ovid has <clebrated his 
Corinna, or that Anacreon has fung be- 
neath his vine,’ Iam fo mucha philan- 
thropift.as-to lament the con/fecration given 
to vice by a fair hand, which might have 
admirably exerted itfelf in detence of 
wounded virtue. Iregret too the triumph 
thus afforded to conceited Dullnefs, who, 
this Bacchanalian orgies, fhakes hands 
with degraded Genius, and fays—Am I 
not a brother ? 
— 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, . 
“SPPEW of your readers can have read 
K without concern the paragraph in p. 
1620f yourMagazine forMarch, announcing 
Mr. Wakefield’s intention to decline the 
publication of his Greek and Englifh Lex- 
icon. Many of them, probably, would 
alfo feel, as I’did, a deep fenfe of fhame 
for having contributed to the failure ofa 
work fo. intereftmg and important, by 
yielding to the influence of that procrafti- 
nating f{pirit, which is too often the occa- 
fion why.that which, it is imagined, may 
be done at any time, fails of being done 
at all, I have already met with five 
friends, who, having found themfelves in 
the fame predicament, have given me au- 
thority totranfmit their names immediate- 
ly, and I fend you along with them this 
public acknowledgment of our neglect, in 
the hope that its inlertion may be 4 means 
of exciting fuch a number to follow our 
example, as may induce the learned and in- 
defatigable projector to refame bis imper- 
tant undertaking. I am, &c. 
Wack - 
Eee 
For the Monthly Magazie. 
TOPOGRAPHICAL SKETCH of WOOD- 
STOCK, with a ViEW of the STATE of 
SOCIETY there. 
WY OTHING, Mr. Editor, can be more 
JV ufeful or entertaining than impar- 
tial triftures ‘on the exifiing manners and 
the flate of fociety in provincial towns; 
Topographical Sketch of Woodftock. 
and it is hoped, that a fair view will in. 
time be given, in your valuable Magazine, 
of the principal places in the united king- 
doms, for the benefit and information of 
all. I contribute my mite, and, trifling 
as it is, I truft it will mot be difre- 
garded. 
W ooDsTOCkx is a very pleafant, hand- 
fome, but fmall borough-town, diftant 
about eight miles from the Univerfity of 
Oxford, and fixty-three from London. 
ftands on an elevation, in a pureand falu- 
brrous air, and is bounded on. one fide by 
the river Glyme, which flows through fer- 
tile meads, and on two other fides by 
Blenheim Park, at once its pride and its or- 
nament. The population amounts to 
about 1300 fouls, according to an accurate 
account, faid to be taken in 1797,and con- | 
tains 200 houfes, or feparate tenements, 
making an average of fix perfons and a 
half to each. In grofs ftatiftical calcula- 
tions, five perfons only are allowed toa 
houfe, and probably this-is pretty near 
the truth, in moft fituations ; but when we . 
conlider the employment furnifhed to a 
number of labourers at Blenheim, and the, 
effets of a contiderable manufa&tory of 
gloves, &c. added to the healthfulnefs of 
[May t, 
Te 
ay 
Oe 
3 
tlie place, we need not be furprifed that the — 
inhabitants exceed the ordinary propor= © 
tion. , 
The corporation is compofed of five al- 
dermen, one of whom is always mayor, 
eighteen common-council, a lord high- 
fteward, and a recorder. ‘The freemen are 
100. ‘The corporate body, with the free- 
men, return two members to parliament, 
who at prefent are Sir Henry Watkin 
Dafhwood, bart. of Kirtlington,. and 
Charles Moore, efq. fon to the Archbifhop 
of Canterbury. Among its reprefentatives, 
Wsodftock has had the honour to enrol 
fome very eminent names in the political 
world; and, for obvious reafons, it cannot 
be fufpeéted of ranking among thofe cor- 
rupt and venal boroughs, which can nei- 
ther be defended on any juft principle, 
nor perhaps reformed, without much more 
injury than advantage to the conftitution. 
Honourable influénce always exifted, and — 
will exift, but venality ought not to be tole- 
rated. 
The great family in the immediate vi- 
cinity, as well asa long fucceffion of kings 
whofe domains it inherits, have been liberal 
patrons to this place; and whatever prof- 
perity it has to boaft of, is principally de- 
tived from this fource*. 
* From the time of Ethelred to the reign 
Lhe'¢ 
