1803.] 
his own words) ‘¢ thofe whom’ the artifi- 
cial refinements of modern tafte have not 
rendered totally infenfible to the humble 
effufions of unpolifhed nature, and the 
fimplicity of old times,"’ (Anc. Pop. 
Poetry, Pref. p. xiii) are deeply indebted. 
Indeed he merits (till higher praife for the 
light which his learned raftanches have 
thrown upon the literary antiquities of this 
country.. The death of fuch a‘man isa 
national lofs ; and to his friends a matter 
of deep regret. As a‘friend anil. corre- 
{pondent I Jament him fincerely.. My per- 
fonal acquaintance with him was flight ; 
it was confined to three interviews in the 
year 1792. The morofenefs which dil- 
tinguilhes his. writings, did not appear 
in his manner; it was civil and. unaflum- 
ing. It was when, he took up his: pen, 
that his bile role. His manner asa con- 
trovertialift cannot be defended: it was, 
as his biographer obferves, ‘‘ remarkable 
for rudenefs, bitternefs and infult.”” An 
enthufiaflic lover of hiitoric truth, he 
fought it with an ardour which often ren- 
dered him intemperate. ‘Though the fub- 
jects of which he treats generally Jed him 
into the bewildering gloom of the Gothic 
ages, he feldom indulged in conjecture ; 
indeed, fuch was the native integrity of 
his mind, that he feemed afraid to form 
an hypothefis left he fhould be feduced 
into the perverfion of truth for its fup- 
port. As an hiftorian he was rigidly ac- 
curate—as a critic, he was wncharitably 
fevere. We cannot, however, entirely 
difapprove of his feverity in regard to li- 
terary forgery. Though we do not, with 
him, think it a crime deferving the gal- 
lows, we muft admit that it certainly merits 
reprehenfion. 
He was, fays his biographer, * at all 
times forward to confefs his ignorance ot 
the learned languages, of the philofophy 
of the mind, and the graces of compofi- 
tion.” Of the Greek language he was 
probably ignorant; but he certainly e- 
vinces a familiar acquaintance with the 
Latin language, though it is poffible he 
might not have been critically fkilled in 
it. Many of his authorities exift only in 
that language; and his quotations from 
the Roman poets are apt and frequent, 
With French, Spanifh and Italian, he 
was, I believe, intimate. A man ac- 
quainted with one dead language, and 
three living tongues befides his own, may 
be fafely deemed learned, and is undoubt- 
edly fully qualified to fet up as an author, 
@ critic, and an antiquary, Greek is by 
Mr, Ritfoa—Large Fofil Bone. 
408 
no means an indifpenfable requifite. If 
Mr. Ritfomaflerted no claim to the graces 
of compofition, it mutt be allowed he 
was entitled to the praife of clearnefs. 
His meaning is always obvious 3 it is 
never darkened by his ttyle. His letters_ 
are good ; they are full of mater. It is 
therefore to be withed that a {elect collecs 
tion of them may be prefented to the pub- 
lic. They might be employed to illu 
trate a fuller narrative of his life by the 
biographer who has already done him fo 
muft juftice. Of his family, and his do- 
meftic habits, we have ftill fomething to 
learn, Some account too fhouid be given 
of his journey to Paris. , 
In the lift of his publications given by 
his biographer, two, which lie before me, 
are omitted. ** Antient Songs irom the 
time of King Henry the Thirdto the Re- 
volution, 1790.’ Pieces of Ancient 
Popular Poetry, 1791.’ He publifhed 
alfo the ** Ballads ; or, Garland of Robin 
Hood,’ in 3 vols. and I have heard it 
faid, that he condefcended to edit the 
*¢ Durham Minftrel,”’ and the“ Yorkthire 
Garland,”’ two little pieces whefe circu- 
Jation has, probably, been local. 
I am, &c. 
Now. 8, 1803. GUISEPPR, 
es 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
TAKE the liberty of informing the 
public, through the medium of your 
ufeful and entertaining Magazine, of an 
enormous bone, found in the parifh of 
Wrenbury, near this town, about the 
middle of Oétober lat paft, by the work- 
men, in digging the Ellefmere Canal! © f¢ 
was difcovered about five feet below the 
furface of the ground ; and, in extricat- 
ing it from the earth, one of the condyles 
was unfortunately broken off. The dimen. 
fions are as follow ; circumference inthe 
broadeft part, two feet two inches; dia- 
meter in ditto, 10 inches 5-S8ths. Cir- 
cuinference in the narrowett part, one foot 
three inches, diameter in ditto, five inches 
4-8ths. Circumference round | the lower 
condyle, oné foot feven inches; moft ac 
curate diameter, 6 inches 5-&ths; ex. 
treme length, three feet nine inches. — 
The greater and lefler trochanters are 
wafted off, which expofes the cavity of 
the marrow. It is perfettly dry and hol- 
low; and in this ftate, weighed, after i¢ 
had been expofed to the air fome days, 
the furprizing weight of 39 pounds. Its 
texture 
