boat, for the invention of which the world owes fo much to your ingenuity and perfeverance. Hiftory may record the glory of battles won and blood spilt; but you will have furnished it with an invention of greater utility, and not lefs honourable, the happy means of faving the lives of your fellow-creatures. In teftimony to the truth, I must, in juffice to your excellent invention, ftate, that during the diftrefs of the crew of the Pallas, Captain Temple, of his Majefty's ship the St. Albans, confulted his Mafter, Pilots, and Officers, who were upon deck the whole time, watching a favourable moment, but could not find one, that they dared to venture out any of their boats; being unanimously of opinion, that it was impoffible to approach the Pallas: thus had it not been for the Bawdfey Life-boat, every foul must have inevi. tably perished. We had very great difficulty in launching the boat, the wind and tide full on thore; and the oldeft people here fay, they never faw fo high a fea or fo much furf. Perfeverance, however, by the bleffing of God, made up for fkill, and at length we got her afloat, and the performed more and better than the most skilful failors could form an idea of. I beg you will accept my best thanks for your book; and Lieutenant Hailes, who dined with me yesterday, brought with him the print of the Life-boat which you fent him: he intended to have written to you, but I took upon me to fay, that you would accept his thanks through me. He is much gratified by the notice you have taken of his fervices; and it gives me great pleafure to find that Life-boats are increafing in number, and I truft you will find that your invention, fo ufeful to the world, will be rewarded on earth; hereafter I doubt not but that you will be much more amply rewarded. Molt heartily wishing you and your family every fuccefs in life, I am yours, &c. &c. Alderfton, April 8, 1804. RD. FRANK. P.S. Should any invention of any machine, or other means of facilitating the launching, occur to you, or any im. provement in the mode of managing the boat be found out, you will oblige me much by communicating it to me. THE SHAKSPEARE GALLERY. [WITH AN ENGRAVING.] Ε E prefent our readers with an accurate engraved View of the Front of the Shakspeare Gallery towards Pallmall, which forms one of the prizes of the Shakspeare Lottery; and we are happy to hear, from the very rapid tale of the tickets, that the Lottery is likely to be drawn the ensuing autumn. This front was defigned by Mr. Dance; and the alto relievo, with which it is ornamented, was designed and executed by that eminent ftatuary Mr. Banks. The fubject is-SHAKSPEARE feated on a rock, between the Dramatic Mufe and the Genius of Painting. The Dramatic Muse has a double mafk, both of Tragedy and Comedy, as indicative of the powers the has bestowed on her favourite Poet, whom he is crowning with bays; while the Genius of Painting is pointing him out as the proper object for her pencil. SHAKSPEARE is leaning his hand on her shoulder, as accepting her affistance. This elegant building, though the front is not extenfive, is of great depth. The ground floor is one large room of 130 feet long, the cieling of which is entirely covered with iron plates, to prevent the communication of fire. The Gallery of Pictures above this is a lofty room of the fame length, divided by arches into three compartments, lighted from the top by three very large lantern windows. This Gallery contains upwards of 170 pictures, painted by the first Englifh mafters, on purpose to illuftrate the magnificent national edition of SHAK SPEARE. The pictures, befide their own intrinfic merit, will ever poffefs the additional celebrity of having had very elegant prints engraved from them, to adorn the finest book that ever was printed. The building, which is entirely covered with copper, is fo fubftantially conftructed, as to be convertible to any purpofe; and being fituated in Pallmall, the fashionable parade of London, becomes a very desirable property. * We fhall in our next Number give an Engraving of the beautiful MEDAL, executed by the ingenious Mr. BOULTON, of Birmingham, which the Proprietors of the SHAKSPEARE mean to prefent to their Subfcribers.-And thus will conclude the most magnificent undertaking that ever was executed by the branches of a fingle family any age or in any country. in VESTIGES, VESTIGES, collected and recollected. By JOSEPH MOSER, Efq. No. XXV. THE following memorandums being put into my hands by my refpectable and learned colleague, John Nares, Efq., with whofe family they are connected, it gives me great pleasure to have both permifion and opportunity to publish them, as I do conceive that they are not only curious, in fhewing the operation of a feries of well regulated minds upon great undertakings, but useful, as they point to the perfons that were principally concerned in those magnificent works which, after fo dreadful a calamity as the Fire of London, the munificence, the fpirit, and, let me add, the fanctity of the nation, induced them to undertake and execute, in a manner which, from the refult of claffical ideas, introduced the pureft claffical tafte into the architecture of the metro polis, and ultimately of the kingdom. Thefe notices are alfo ufeful in another point of view, as they fhew, with the greatest accuracy, the expenfe of the works herein defcribed, by which thofe who are fond of calculation may be led, while they contemplate the extraordinary increase of every other article, to estimate whatfoever has any con. nexion with building as having arifen in a ftill greater proportion. To deduce, from premifes accurate as thefe, the reafons that have combined to caufe fuch an enormous rife in public works, and confequently in public expenditure, may form a fpeculation connected with political economy, certainly curious, and, as I have obferved, if properly appreciated, in a high degree useful, Copy of Memorandums of Works in Mafonry done by Mr. Edward Strong, Sen., and bis Family: Wrote by him the 12th of May 1716, and copied from his original Manufcript the 7th of October 1740. By Robert New, his Grandfon. London, May the 12th, 1716. Memorandums of feveral works in Mafonry done by our family, viz. by my grandfather, Timothy Strong; by my father, Valentine Strong; by my brother, Thomas Strong; by myself, Edward Strong; and by my fon, Edward Strong. My grandfather, Timothy Strong, as I have been informed, was born in VOL. XLVI. JULY 1804. Wiltshire, but fettled at Little Barring ton, in Gloucestershire, and had thole quarries, and thofe at Teynton, in Oxford@hire, in his poffeffion. He had feveral apprentices, and kept feveral mafons and labourers employed in thofe quarries, to ferve the country with what they wanted in his way of trade. And about the year 1630 he built the fouth front of the houfe at Cornbury, in Oxfordshire, with the vaulted cellars, great hall, and rooms adjoining the fame. He had only one fon, named Valentine, and one daughter, named Ann. About the years 1631 or 1632, Valentine married Ann, daughter of Edmund Margetts, of Charlbury, in the county of Oxon, and when married fettled at Little Barrington before mentioned with his father, and continued there during the life-time of his father Timothy, who died about the year 1635 or 1636. The faid Valentine and his family fhortly after that time removed to Teynton, in Oxfordshire; thefe quarries, as well as thofe at Little Barring ton, being left him by his father Timo thy, About the year 1640, he built a house for William Whitmore, Efq., at Slaughter, near Stow in the Wold, Gloucetterthire, and about that time some other buildings for other Gentlemen in that county near adjoining. About the years 1651, 1652, 1653, &c., he built a houfe for John Dutton, Efq., at Sherbourn, in Gloucesterfhire. About the years 1661, 1662, &c.,` he built a houfe for Andrew Barker, there he died before the faid houfe was Efq., at Fairford, in Oxfordshire, and finithed, and was buried in the churchyard there, (as the date upon his tomb fets forth,) in November 1662, with the following epitaph on his monu ment : Tho' Strong he was, a ftronger came than he, And robb'd him of his life and fame we fee. Moving an old houfe, a new one for to rear, Death met him by the way, and laid him here." He had by Ann his wife, fix fons and five daughters, viz. Ann, Thomas, William, Elizabeth, Lucy, who died young, Sarah, Valentine, Timothy, Edward, John, and Lucy, the fecond of that name. All his fix fons were bred to the mafons' trade; and Thomas, the elder, finithed the forefaid houfe of Mr. Andrew Barker, after he had been at Longleat, in Wiltshire, doing busi nefs for Sir John Thynne (or James Thynne, Efq.) About the year 1663, he built those large ftables for the Earl of Clarendon, at Cornbury, in Oxfordshire, which front the town of Charlbury, by direction of Hugh May, Esq. About the year 1665, &c. he built lodgings for fcholars at Trinity Col. lege, Oxford, under the direction of Dr. Chriftopher Wren, of Wadham College. About the year 1665, &c. he built that part of Cornbury Houfe fronting Oxford, and all the terrass walls thereto belonging; but it must be obferved, that the tone ufed in the terrafs walls was dug in the park, and standing against the body of earth raifed against them; which earth gave a moisture to the faid walls, and was the occafion of the froft fplitting and deftroying the face of all thofe walls, which were by him again repaired, new faced with a more durable ftone from Teynton Quarry, by directions of Hugh May, Efq. In the year 1666, before the 'forefaid houfe at Cornbury was finished, hap pened the dreadful fire of London, which deftroyed the greatest part of that city. In the year 1667, artificers were in vited by Act of Parliament to re *It is a curious circumftance, if we attend a little to the regulations propofed, and the improvements adopted at the meetings of the Commiflioners and Surveyors under this Act, (19 & 20 Car. II,) to reflect upon what a tate the old city must have been in, that could build the City of London, and accordingly the aforefaid Thomas Strong pro vided ftone at the quarries which he had the command of, and fent the fame to London, and fold great quantities to other Mafons. He also took up Masons with him to London to work with him to ferve the City in what they wanted in his way of trade, and continued there in that employment for many years, till most of the houses and halls were built; and about the year 1672, he began building the parish-church of St. Stephen's, Walbrook, by the direction of Sir Chriftopher Wren, Surveyor; in which building Mr. Chriftopher Kempfter was his affiltant t In the year 1675, he made the first contract with the Lords and others the Commiffioners for rebuilding the Cathedral Church of St. Paul's, in London; and on the 21st of June that year, laid the firit ftone in the foundation with his own hands . In this year he alfo built a front of ftone betwixt the wings of Lord Cra ven's houfe at Hempstead Marshall, in Berkshire. The old Church of St. Stephen, Walbrook, was finished in the year 1439. Confumed in the fire of London, it was rebuilt as it now appears 1676, and, as is well known, is confidered by every nation in Europe (except perhaps a few moft confummate Critics in our own) as the true ftandard of architectural tafte and architectural elegance. The remains of the old Church being (blown up and) taken down, the first fone of the prefent noble pile was laid by Mr. Strong, a Mafon, the fecond by Mr. Longland, June 21, 1675. (Seymour, Vol. I, p. 662.) This Church was confumed in the fire of London; the prefent was finished in the year 1683. ftin's by St. Paul's, by the fame direction *. Thefe Churches before mentioned he began, but did not live to fee them finished; but dying about Midfummer 1681, (unmarried, left all his employ ment to his brother Edward, whom he made his fole executor. The faid Edward Strong continued to carry on the feveral works before mentioned, as well what was by contract as otherways, which was the Eaft end of the Cathedral of St. Paul's, (from the middle of the moft Eaftwardly window on the North fide,) till the fame was finished as it now is. Alfo the North Portico of the faid Cathedral, together with the North Weft leg or quarter of the great dome, and fo continued weftward to the middle of the window of the morning prayer chapel to the middle line of the body of the faid Church, under the direction of Sir Chriftopher Wren, until the fame was finished. The faid Edward Strong finished what was left undone of St. Auftin's Church, and St. Bennet's, Paul's Wharf. The faid Edward Strong continued carrying on the building of St. Stephen's, Walbrook, with Mr. Chrifto. pher Kempiter, who was, as afo.elaid, partner with the faid Thomas Strong till the faid Church and tower to the lanthorn were finished. In the year 1681, the faid Edward Strong laid the foundations of St. Mildred, Bread-street Church, and did all the Mafons' work in the faid Church †. This, which is the only parishchurch in the City dedicated to this Saint, ftands on the North fide of the Wet end of Watling-treet, and in records is termed "Ecclefia Sancti Auguf tire ad Portam," because it was near the gate that formerly gave entrance to St. Paul's Church-yard out of Watling. Breet. It was finished in 1682; the itceple in 1695. † A mot curious window, divided into five compartments, and highly ornamented, is ftated to have been defroyed with this Church. In thefe compartments were five most beautiful paintings in glafs; which art, after having long lain dormant, had a partial revival in, and a little after, the reign of Elizabeth; when, under the intuence (I think) of Flemish mafters, In the year 1683, he began to rebuild the parish-church of St. Clement's Eat-Cheap, both stone and brick-work, and finished the fame t. In the year 1683, or 1684, he laid the foundation of a houfe for King Charles the Second at Winchefter, in which Mr. Chriftopher Kempster, before-mentioned, was in partnership with him for the foundations only, and from the water-table upwards the faid Edward Strong had the greatest fhare of the mafons' work, and had the defigns of all the mafons' work committed to his care by Sir Chriftopher Wren, the Surveyor. In the year 1684, &c. he built the parih-church of St. Mary Magdalen, Old Fish-treet |. In the year 1687, &c. he built the parish-church of St. Michael Royal, upon College-hill §. In the year 1694, he performed all the ftone-work of Sir John Morden's Hofpital, on Blackheath, near Green wich. In the year 1695, he rebuilt the tower to the battlements at the West This Church was finifhed 1685. § Richard Wittington, who, in a very curiously illuminated or finance, dated the 21ft day of December 1424, in the pof feffion of the Mercers' Company, is ftated to have been oftentimes Mayor of the aid City, (London,) tounded and " Ordeyned a commendable College of certain Priests and Clerkis, and Houle of Almes for the perpetual futtentation of x111 pouer folk fuccellively for evermore." Thefe eftablithments were annexed to this Church, wherein the raid Richard Wittington was three times bunted. Firit, by his executors; fecondly, in confequence of his tomb being violated from an idea that in his cofin was contained great riches, which he had ordered to be buried with him; and, thirdly, in the reign of Queen Mary, when the parishioners replaced the original monument, C 2 end, end, and repaired the rest of the walls of St. Vedaft, Fofter lane Church. In this work he took in for partner Mr. William Collins, who, living in the parish, defired to be concerned in the faid works, and at the request of Sir John Johnson and fome others he was admitted. In the year 1696, he began the ftonework of the building of the Royal Hofpital for Seamen at Greenwich, in Kent, in partnership with Mr. Thomas Hill, till the faid Mr. Hill left the work; and after that he took in as partner Mr. Ephraim Beacham, till he alfo left the faid works; and after that he took in his fon Edward as partner in the fame works, who continues to be with him, and they are jointly concerned in the fame, viz. 1716. In the year 1705, Edward Strong, The Queen's Meffage came down to the Commons, January 17, 1704-5. A Bill was confequently brought in, and the Comptroller of her Works ordered to build in Woodstock Park a magnificent palace to be called Blenheim Houfe. Sir John Vanbrugh, the architect, has been cenfured, becaufe in building a manfion, which was to remain as the monument of a victory, or rather of a series of viories, which, while they repreffed the inordinate power and (for a time) the inordinate ambition of France, placed this country upon the very pinnacle of glory, he confidered stability as the first requilite; domestic arrangement only as the fecond. Voltaire says, “If the rooms were but as commodious as the walls are thick, the house would be convenient enough" but Voltaire wrote with the pen of an enemy, as this fneer well evinces, and, I have no doubt, was as much offended by the fculptured pun, the British Lion tearing the Gallic Cock, (which is indeed unworthy of a national fabric,) as by any part of the building. His cenfure of this and many other things which he faw in England, I confider as natural; but the cenfure and malignity of the friends of Sir John, for his prefuming to have infufed into his comedies more genuine wit and humour, and into his architectural defigns more original genius, than any man in his age, it has been faid, was not to be endured. Now I muft obferve, that all the impotent fpite and malice which he had every day occafion to laugh at, were quite fen., and Edward Strong, jun., before mentioned, began to build Blenheinthoufe, in Woodstock Park, in Oxfordhire, and carried it on till the 12th of July 1712, at which time a stop was put to the faid building by the (fuppofed) enemies of the Duke of Marlborough, for whofe honour and good fervices to the nation the faid houfe was erected. About the year 1706, Edward Strong, jun., began the lanthorn on the dome of St. Paul's, London, and on the 26th of October 1708, Edward Strong, fen., laid the laft ftone upon the fame †. Alfo the faid Edward Strong, jun., laid all the marble paving under the faid dome, and in the crofs aifles to the North and South porticoes. He alfo repaired all the blemishes and fractures in the feveral legs and arches of the dome, occafioned by the great weight of the (faid) dome preffing upon the foundation, the earth under the fame being of an unequal temper, the loamy part thereof gave more way to the great weights than that which was gravel; fo that the South Weit quarter of the dome, and the fix finaller legs of the other quarters of the "Beneath the rubbish we efpy "We may expect to fee next year † It is a curious circumstance, that one brother fhould lay the first stone of this magnificent ftru&ture, and, at the distance of thirty-three years, another brother should lay the laft. dome, |