Ossian Collection > Gentleman's magazine, and historical chronicle > Volume 66, Part 2

796O Z^*". Darwin. — Hogirth^ Pai filings. — G rzy^s Elegy. 635
the foundation of the paradox. Per-
ceptions and ideas are diftinft things.
Perceptions are fenfations produced by
irritation; and, if thefe are not at-
tended to, they remain fenfations ;
but, if they be attended to, they pto-
duce idtas. Dr. Darwin would, there-
foie, have been more correct if he
had faid, perceptions are fenfations ex-
cited by iiritatioD, and are the cnufes
of ideas when they are attended to.
This notion of the matter deftroys the
paradox. In fliort, Nature admits not
of a paradox; and it may always be
concluded that, \viien any thing like a
paradox occurs, there is I'ome mifcon-
ception of the mattei under confide-a-
tion, which being difcovered, the pa-
radox will vsnifli. The mift.ike in the
caff before us lies in confounding per-
ceptions with ideas. If the whole of
what Df. D. has faid upon ihis fubjeft
be analyzed, it will amout 10 this :
ideas irritate, irritation caufe» fenfa-
tion, fenfation excites perception, and
perceptions generate ide.-is.
So the Almanack-maker:
" War begets poverty,
Poverty pe.ice ;" &c.
The eldifi P. Q_. in your Cornir.
Mr. Urban, Juh 16.
IN the "Anecdotes of W. Hogarth,
1782," p. 192, is as follows ;
" The original paintings both of the
Rake's and Harlot's Frogrefs were atFont-
hill, in Wiltlhire, the feat of Mr. Beck-
ford* ; where the latter (for ivhich he paid
2 2 guitieai each) were deftruyed by a fire in
the year 1755 ; ihn former jet (which coft
him 132 guineas) were luippily preferved."
Yet, in p. 430, it is f-iid, the eight
paintings of the Rake's Progrefs loid
for 2 2 guineas each. By which appa-
rent contraoi6\i<'n it is not evident
which (et of paintings weie burnt, whe-
ther the Rake's or Harlot's Prog.clsf.
Yours, &c. L. L.
Mr. Urban, Difs, July 20.
I SHALL be greatly obliged to any
of your numerous correlpondents
who will favour me with an explana-
tion of the following o'ufcure palFagc
in Gray's jultly-celebratedElegy in a
Couniry Church-yard:"
♦Afterwards twice lord-mayor of Lomlon.
t The fetof the lUrkt't Piogref (which
90ft 881. 4s.) was burnt ; the Rake's
(which coft 1 84 1. 16 s.) was faved. See
Jheeditiojiof 1785, pp. 44^ 2311 Edit, ,
" On fome fond breaft the parting foul re )
lies,
Some pious drops the clofingeye requires ;
E'en from tlie tomb tlie voice of N.uure
cries,
E'en in our afheslive their wonted fires."
I have never yet feen any comment
on this ftanza, except a quotation ia
the Italian of Petrarch, which is print-
td among the Notes on this author's
Works; and, being myfelf ignorant
of that language, the Y>:i['a.je ftiil re-
mains with me in its former obfcurity.
I am rather furprized that Dr. John-
fon has not noticed this defeft (for,
every obfcurity in :his fptcies of com-
pofition is evidently a defeat) ; but, I
am rather inclined to believe that the
Doifor did not underftand it himfelf,
and, therefore, chofe rather to let the
obfcurity remain, than to ri(k his criti-
cal abilitks on a vain conje6)ure of the
author's meaning. Philopoesis.
Mr. Urban, July 25.
T^ROM the Journals of the Houfe
JL of Commons, under date of June
30, 1645. 't^ appears, th.it various or-
ders were made for " examining,
printing, and fafe keeping," of the
papers and letters of Charles I. to his
queen, t,ken at the battle of Nafeby,
which were left at Guildhall for pub-
lie infpeaion. Now, I (hall conlider
myfelf much obliged to any correfpon-
dent, who will, through the medium of
your Magazine, inform me where thofe
papers and letters are now depolued, or
what was uLimately their fate.
On the 15th of Auguft, in the fame
year, the Commons oideied a Com-
m ttce " to take care that three or four
hundred of the king's cabinet-le'ters
may be communicated to the Houfci"
but the Journals ate alterwards hltnt;
and it is well kno■^n that 38 letters
only, and " Inftruftions t-Coi Cook-
ran, to be purlufcd in his Ncgociatioa
to the king of Denmark," are all that
compr.fe that very fcarce book, "The
King's Cabinet opened." pubiifiied by
•• fpccial order of tlie parliaii-icni. 1645."
The book I bought, in 1794, at
Lackington's for is. Sd. Mr. Char es
T.-wnlcnd, wh-n Chancellor of the
Exchequer, paid for ancther copy
" three pounds ,nd odd money*."
Is there any trauflation into Englifli
or Fitnch of " Muraton Ant quit. Ita-
lic, medi. ^vi." M.H. FS. .A.
Appendix to Hoilis's Memoirs.
Mr<