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408

Dr. Forster's Aërial Ascent.

comparable to a balloon at rest. Picture to yourself, reader, two persons suspended in a small wicker basket, slung under an inflated bag of huge dimensions, buoyant in the air, immediately beneath a canopy of mist, and in the elevated plane of evaporating clouds, whose grotesque forms are gradually becom ing lost amid the shadows of greyhooded evening, in perfect stillness, without any perceivable motion, and looking down upon a great and apparently concave amphitheatre, divided like a map, and made up of objects rendered too diminutive by their distance to be well defined;-and you may get some idea of the sensation produced by a view from a becalmed balloon. One seems as it were to have been divested of all terrestrial connections, and, raised above the smoke and stir of that dim spot which men call earth, to be breathing, in delicious tranquillity, the purer ether of celestial regions. The thing which at first seems most inexplicable is, that at such an elevation, persons, unaccustomed to great heights, do not often turn giddy; but I am convinced, by both experience and reasoning, that it is owing to the idea of complete insulation. Few people could rock ever so gently for ten minutes, sitting on the truck of a frigate afloat, without losing their balance, yet I found I could hang over the slender osier woof of the car of the balloon in the air without any sensation of giddiness. In the case of being on the mast, or on a high spire, the real cause of vertigo is the consciousness of connection with the tottering or floating body below us. I proved this by looking up at our connection with the flying balloon above us, and then, for sake of experiment, imagining the possible bursting of the machine, or the snapping of the ropes, which in a moment created all the sensation of vertigo, but which did not last longer than I chose to entertain it.

To return to our voyage, from which philosophy has induced me to digress, we found at about six o'clock that the balloon was still gently ascending; and at this time I became conscious again of increased altitude by a loud snapping in the ears. At length we thought it time to prepare for our descent, and pulling the valve again got into a faint breath of wind, probably only some stray eddy from the interstices of clouds, or the replenishing breeze of some of those slight electrical vacuums which I believe often take place in variable weather. A second or third pull made us come down more rapidly, and we were soon floating over the pine trees near Broomfield Lodge. In a few minutes we felt something take hold of the anchor, and a boy and some men hauled us down into the middle of a field of oats, the property of Mr. James Christy, of Broomfield, to

[May,

whom, for his polite attention, in rendering us every possible assistance and accommodation, we beg herein to offer our united and sincere thanks.

We experienced no other inconvenience whatever during the voyage than the sensation in the tympanum of the ear, notwithstanding the constant rotatory motion of the balloon and car.

I shall now record, for the benefit of my philosophical friends, some observations made during the aërial voyage. And firstly with respect to the organ of hearing and the propagation of sound. I must observe that at a very moderate elevation, all the sounds below us, loud as they were, became inaudible; while it is well known that a lark on the wing above our heads on a spring morning is as distinctly heard to sing, when almost out of sight from elevation, as when he is near the ground; hence I admit the suggestion of Mr. Green, that sounds descend better than they rise.

I had an opportunity of noticing very distinctly the manner in which cumuli below us subsided into fog in the evening, which, stretching over the marshes as it descended along the course of the water, had the appearance of white smoke.

On first rising into the air, I observed that by a sort of deception of vision, the earth seemed to recede instead of the balloon seeming to ascend. This 1 account for, from the novel manner of noticing those changes in the surrounding scenery, which suggest the notion of change of place in bodies without us.

When at a great height the prospect below seems concave, the horizon being elevated all round like the ridge of a bowl, at least so it appeared to me. On a mountain, the convexity of our terrestrial support, and the peaks of other mountains, probably destroy this effect.

We have not room at present for any further extracts from the observations of Dr. Forster, who, we understand, is contriving an elastic circular basket, for the purpose of carrying up instruments into the air.

J. W. R. requests us to ask whether any of our antiquarian friends are acquainted with examples of tenure by cornage; that is, of lands held by the service of blowing a horn; and what authorities should be consulted to obtain an exposition of the origin, nature, and use, of this species of tenure, and its varieties? And whether there is any connexion between cornagium, hornagium, horngeld, horn with horn, horn under horn, horngarth, &c. and tenure by cornage?

1831.]

Ardfert Cathedral, Abbey, &c. co. Kerry.`

Mr. URBAN, Cork, April 10. ARDFERT, much celebrated for the remains of its Cathedral and Abbey, is about six miles distant from Tralee. Stewart says, that "the See is said to have been founded by St. Ert in the 5th century, and it was otherwise called Ardart, and was successively governed by its own Bishops till 1663, when it was united with Aghadoe to the See of Limerick."

The

The common people still call Ardfert Ardaght. The Cathedral stands in the borough of Ardfert, and was dedicated to St. Brandon, a native of this county. The walls of the nave and choir remain perfect, being, I should think, about 120 feet in length, and 30 in breadth. The destruction of the Cathedral is said to have occurred in the civil wars of A. D. 1641. great east window may be termed in the lancet order. It has three divisions, and is about 26 feet in height, which gives it a very bold appearance. The interior of it is ornamented by cluster pilaster columns, the effect of which is light and elegant; on each side is a niche. In one stands the figure (formerly recumbent) of an early Bishop, lately discovered in sinking a vault. It is in very perfect preservation, little more than alto-relievo, workmanship rude, the dress fully episcopal, with his crosier in his left hand, the right in the act of blessing, with a ring on the third finger. Near this, in the choir, is another of much superior workmanship, the head supported by angels. There is no inscription on either.

On the south side, near the altar, are nine windows, ornamented with pilaster columns, ending in a trefoil arch. At the west end, on the north side, at a considerable height from the ground, are two square windows; opposite which, on the south side, are three bold arches resting on square pillars, which led from the Cathedral into probably a Chapel. Besides which, there are two other entrances into this part of the Cathedral. The principal is at the north-west corner. Here are still remaining four (there have been five) Norman-Saxon arches. The centre is the largest, and was the door-way. The workmanship very coarse.

There

does not appear to have been any columns, either for ornament or to support the roof. Much of the building GENT. MAG. May, 1831.

409

is of red stone, brought many miles from this. A doorway at the northeast led into an addition to the Cathedral of a later date, part of which only remains, which in 1668 was purchased by the then Dowager Countess of Kerry, for her tomb, and has since continued as the vault of the Crosbies of Ardfert. Detached to the west of the Cathedral are two other buildings: one with the circular Norman-Saxon arches; the other more modern and sharp arches. The round tower mentioned by Smyth, as standing near the Cathedral, fell, I was informed, about sixty years since.

The Abbey of Ardfert is not half a mile to the east of the Cathedral, and stands in a beautiful park of the late Earl of Glandore's. It is stated by Smith to have been founded by Thomas Fitzmaurice, first Baron of Kerry, A.D. 1253, and reformed to Observants, A.D. 1518. The style of architecture is much more modern and elegant than the Cathedral. What remains, forms a cross the nave and choir, with a lofty tower, at the west, a chapel on the south, and the refectory on the north, adjoining which are two sides of the cloisters. The tower was not a belfry, but evidently the residence of the Abbot and principal persons of the Abbey. All the arches but one, (that which leads as a door-way from the south chapel) are sharp. The great east window is bold, and has five divisions. On the south side, the choir received light by nine windows, under which are five arches in the wall, and from their different heights and styles, were most probably inserted at different periods, as monumental recesses for abbots. In the second is now an altar monument, where repose the last Earl and Countess of Glandore. great window in the south chapel is quite perfect, and the details very handsome. This chapel was connected to the nave by three noble sharp arches, supported by massive but peculiarly elegant circular columns. On a buttress, supporting that nearest the tower, one of the stones has been partly smoothed, to admit an inscription of three lines, which has long been the wonder and puzzle of visitors. One writer supposes it Ethiopic, and tradition affirms it Irish. Aided by Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Williamson, after having scrubbed off the moss and dirt,

The

410

The Seat of the Crosbie Family, co. Kerry.

and taking all advantages of light and
shade, we consider the inscription to be
"Donaldes Fitz Bohen hoc
Dormitor Fecit H-O-us (Hoc Opus?)
Orate pr' eo Ao M.CCCC.LIII."
which we submit to the revision and
correction of better judges, as also
whether Donald was the person at
whose expense the present structure
altogether was erected? or the south
chapel only? or indeed whether he
was only the architect? I should
rather incline to the idea that he
added the chapel; for the buttress we
may suppose was originally outside,
which would lead to a belief that the
nave had been enlarged.

In the choir are several very ancient
gravestones; on one are the effigies of
an Abbot, and on another a cross
composed of two twisted ropes, ending
in leaves at the top. Below are two
lines of inscription.
The first line we
thought read,

"Filius Thome Filiai."

Near the Abbey stands the mansion of the Crosbie family, who have resided here since the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The celebrated Col. David Crosbie, who was so distinguished in the war of 1641, mentions, in his claims to Government in 1653, that the Irish rebels burnt his house at Ardfert, which had cost him more than a thousand pounds building. The inscription of this erection remains

"Hoc opus inceptum ao dni 1633. "Et finitum Ao Dai 1635.

"Ubi fides et veritas Deus providebit." The present house was modernized in 1620, and has been greatly improved by its present occupant, Mrs. Crosbie. The dining and drawing rooms contain a variety of paintings, mostly portraits. The best are- -the Earl of Darnley, father of the first Countess of Glandore; the Countess of Kerry, mother to the wife of the first Lord Branden; Viscount Sackville, father, and the Duke of Dorset, uncle, to the late Countess of Glandore; Lord Sackville's is by Sir Joshua Reynolds, by whom also there is a full-length portrait of Lady Glandore, a very choice specimen of this great artist's abilities. It is painted with equal strength and delicacy, and the colouring is ex

She died before his elevation to the Peerage.

[May,

quisitely beautiful; more fortunate than many of Sir Joshua's, it retains all the vividness of nature. The countenance possesses singular sweetness and animation, and it makes a most captivating picture, from the interesting expression of a face, rather pretty than handsome. The difficulty of the grotesque head dresses of his day, Sir Joshua has surmounted very happily, but he has not been altogether so fortunate in the arrangement of the heavy and cumbrous drapery, then fashionable. There is also a portrait of the Earl, painted by Hamilton of Dublin. It has great truth and strength, and reminds one strongly of King George the Third.

Near this is a splendid picture of the present family, Mrs. Crosbie, her two daughters and two sons, painted in Italy by an Irish artist, named Atkins. Mrs. Crosbie is standing looking at the young ladies, who are dancing, and the boys are in the foreground, playing with a dog. It is an unequal but fascinating picture; brilliant, though very unfinished in some parts. But in the portraits of the Miss Crosbies, so much loveliness is exhibited, varied by the rather thoughtful intellect of one and the arch witchery of the other, that, in good sooth, the hesitating critic is lost in the charmed spectator.

The library is extensive, the works well selected, and the books well preserved. There is also a great collection of manuscript papers, but in complete disarrangement. We spent several hours in looking through a portion of them, and met a variety of very curious and interesting original public papers, from 1630 to the Revolution; autographs of Oliver Cromwell, the Duke of Ormond, the Commanders of the Irish rebel army 1644, the Earl of Kerry, Lord Broghill, Lord Inchiquin, the Lords Justices, the original articles on the surrender of Kinsale 1649, Sir P. Trant, Colonel M'Gillicuddy, and others. With the greatest kindness and liberality, Mrs. Crosbie allowed a selection of these and every other paper we met with relative to Kerry, to be made for my friend John James Hickson, esq. of Tralee, who purposes shortly to republish Smyth's History of Kerry, illustrated by a collection of original papers and information, which he has been many years forming, and which,

1831.] Original Letters addressed to the Crosbie Family.

though primarily interesting to the inhabitants of this county, will afford great historical information, and throw much light on the period of the civil war. Among those, which, though interesting, are not local, I selected two for your Magazine. The first has not the date of the year. Sir Maurice Crosbie was created Lord Branden 1758; therefore it must have been previous to that period. The writer evidently was the descendant of a Cromwellian.

The seal has the head

of Oliver, very well copied from his shilling, and round it is inscribed "The Glorious Protector."

*

For William Crosbie, Esq. att Ard-
fert, near Tralee.

My dr sweet William,
Aug. 23.
Nothing but the greatest hurry should
have prevented my answering your
letter. I wrote about Mr. FitzMau-
rice to Bob Hickman, who will cer-
tainly take care justice shall be done
him, and should be always proud to
execute any com'ands of yours: what
with goeing to fairs and regulating a
little disorder'd family, have not yet
seen one soul in town, but hear that
at the meeting you will have war (God
send it, and downfall to Primats). Is
it true black George is created Lord
Dover, to screen him from just resent-
ment? The Almighty damn the Scotch
with Lord Rothes at the head, who
has been playing the devil in camp.
Cornet Scott and Dawson in arrest;

the latter, when told by his Lordship
he should be broke, replied,
"if soe,
he hoped to have the honour of fight-
ing him.'
God send the Cornet good
luck!

I will not trouble about my you entertainment in Kerry, but be assured of a heart full sincerely of the highest acknowledgments. With best compliments to S Maurice and family from my rib and dr Billy's ever oblidged and most affec'

J. BURTON.

To the Rt. Honourable Lord Branden. My Lord, Kilkenny, July 19, 1765. Since I wrote last, I have heard nothing from the county Tipperary, tho' a gentleman promised to give me some authentic intelligence of that un

* Succeeded his father as Lord Branden 1762, and created Earl of Glandore 1776.

411

happy affair which has raised sorrow in many families. The last pacquet has brought over somewhat like a thought one of any duration, when settled Ministry, but it can hardly be we consider who are dismissed and left out. No provision is made for. Pitt, Temple, and the Grenvilles. The whole weight of Bedford muster in the opposition, and indeed it is a wonder it did not so happen before, as it is hard to submit to his violent temper. rity, that in a late conversation with I am assured upon good authothe K-, he behaved with so much arrogance, that his M- was much discomposed, and at length said, “I am in your hands, will your Grace permit me to go to the Queen's

palace?"

I wish Pitt's terms of accommodation were to take place, as they promise honour and permanency to the administration. He proposed that the ministry should be formed out of the most respectable English families; that the discarded officers should be restored; that there should be a parliamentary condemnation of general warrants; and a league formed to counterbalance the family compact now so much to be dreaded. But it seems matters are at present in too much confusion to admit the establishment of such wise measures. Perhaps Pitt would not have the head of each family employed, but some proper person out of it, as he would probably prefer Lord Tavistock to his father, because he might be more tractable, both from temper, and his conDowdeswell, till he was appointed nection by marriage. I never heard of Chancellor of the Exchequer. If Lord Hertford pleases to come home, he marle will succeed him at Paris. If may be our Viceroy, and Lord Albethen Albemarle will be our governor. Hertford is pleased with his situation, I believe Lord Kildare has certainly resigned. Whether this be a voluntary act, or the consequence of Lord Holland's disgrace, I will not take upon me to pronounce, as people determine the point differently. Many are of opinion that the Marquis could not survive his friend. Perhaps the pacquet of this night may clear up matters more fully, tho' the private letters of best authority confirm the promotion mentioned in the last, with this addition, that it is the work of the

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Mr. URBAN, St. Servan, France. THERE are few subjects in history so imperfectly elucidated as the Greek kingdom of Bactria, notwithstanding the labours of Bayer and De Guignes, as well as of Wilford and Gillies. This last writer, in his History of Greece (from Alexander to Augustus), has so far sketched the events of that kingdom, as to make a more extended account desirable. M. de Marlés, in his recent Histoire de l'Inde, has treated them more at length; and I offer a translation of that part of his work, in the hope that it may produce inquiry and discussion among your readers. The extract is from vol. 1. p. 303312, or Historical Chapter II.

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conquests, by which he extended his
territories. Shortly after, he was de-
throned by Euthydemus, who
240.
continued the war on the banks
of the Sind, until being attacked in
his turn by Antiochus the Great, he
was on the point of losing his posses-
sions. Being reduced to implore the
clemency of the conqueror, he sent his
son Demetrius to him; and the king
of Syria, according to Polybius, was
so charmed with the fine personal ap-
pearance of the Prince that he not only
granted advantageous conditions to
Euthydemus, but gave his daughter in
marriage to Demetrius.

204.

After having settled the affairs of Bactria, Antiochus prepared to enter India with his victorious army. He had already passed the chain of the Paropamisian mountains, when Sophagasenus, (who then reigned at Canoge, or at least over the provinces of Upper Hindostan), hastened to demand peace, on condition of paying a tribute of elephants. Antiochus dictated the conditions, and returned immediately after into Syria. Demetrius had succeeded his father Euthydemus, and every thing seemed to promise him a happy and tranquil reign; but scarcely had ten years elapsed since the departure of Antiochus, when he was obliged to partition his kingdom with Menander, the enterprising Greek Prince who reigned in Pattala.§ It seems that by this division the Indian provinces fell to the lot of Demetrius. It is probable that after the death of Menander, he possessed himself of the whole of the territory which unites Pattala to Bactria. Ptolemy mentions a town called Euthydemia, situated between the Hydaspes and the Sind, but nearer the latter, and built by Demetrius in honour of his father. After a stormy, but not undistinguished career, the Prince ended his days in exile and misery.|| At the age of nearly

King of India. C.

*The first King of Parthia. C. So Polybius. Sophagasenus, of whom none of the Sanscrit books speak, was probably one of the descendants of Jona. Feristha says, that this Prince and his posterity reigned ninety years, but does not name any of his successors.

§ He traversed India with an army, invaded Bactria, and established a connection between the two colonies. His name creates some confusion, as he is often reckoned among the Bactrian kings. C.

It is asserted that he had carried his arms beyond the Ganges. Therefore Justin always styles him King of India. Nevertheless, this kingdom of India probably included no more than the provinces through which the Sind passes, extending along a line of four hundred leagues, but far from being the whole of India, as Justin supposes.

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