Mr. URBAN, WIT 7ITH this you will receive a View of a beautiful Religious Structure in the neighbourhood of Liverpool, (see Plate I.) accompanied with a description, for which I am indebted to Mr. Britton's "Beauties of England and Wales," and Enfield's History of Leverpool." SEFTON is a parish and manor, formerly belonging to the Molyneux family, who had a seat here, which they possessed from their Norman ancestor, William de Moulins, who settled here on the grant made him by Roger de Poictiers, by consent of the Conqueror. Previously, this property had been held by the Thanes, who were the gentry of the AngloSaxons * Charles-William ninth Viscount Molyneux was created an Irish earl by the title of Earl of Sefton in 1771. He died 1794, leaving issue by Isabella, daughter of the Earl of Harrington, the present Earl of Sefton. The ancient seat of the Moly. neux family at this place has long since been demolished; and the family have removed to Croxteth. The Church at Sefton is a large and handsome pile of building, with a nave, two ailes, and a tower with a steeple. It is said, that this building was erected in the time of Henry VIII by Anthony Molyneux, a rec. tor of this place, and who was distinguished for his preaching, and for many acts of piety t. The chancel is divided from the nave by a screen, and contains sixteen stalls, of elegant carving. In this place are deposited the remains of many of the Molyneux family, and several curious and fine monuments are still remaining to perpetuate the race. Among these are two cross-legged figures in stone, with triangular shields, which, Mr. Pennant says, are expressive of their profession of Knights Templars. These effigies are drawn in a book in the Heralds office, from a fine pedigree sent them by Lord Sefton. Around an altar-tomb, of white marble, is an inscription in memory of Sir Richard Molyneux, who died in 1439, and Joan * See Pennant's Tour from Downing to Alston Moor, 4to. + See Lodge's Irish Peerage. GENT. MAG. December, 1814. his wife. He was Lord of Bradley, Haydike, Warrington, Newton, Burton-wode, and Newton-in-the-dale; distinguished himself in the battle of Agincourt, and received the honour of knighthood from Henry the Vth. In the chancel, on a flat marble, are inlaid the effigies, in brass, of Sir William Molyneux and his two wives, with their respective arms over their heads, and underneath, his own shield, quartering 11 coats, besides that of Molyneux, with the motto, Endroit Devant. On a brass plate is the following inscription: nus de Sefton, ter adversus Scotos, regGulielmus Molyneux, Miles, Dominante in Anglia Rege Henrico Octavo, in prælium missus, fortiter se gessit; maxime vero apud Floydun, ubi duo Armorum Vexilla, Scotis strenue resistentibus, suo manu cepit. In Pace cunctis charus, amicos consilio, egenos eleemosinis sublevavit: Duas uxores habuit, priorem Jonam, Richardi Rugge, in comitatu Salopie, Militis, unicam filiam & hæredem: ex quâ Richardum, Janam, & Annam; posteriorem Elizabetham, filiam & hæredem Cuthberti Clifton, Armigeri, ex qua Gulielmum, LXV vixit: hle in spe Resurrectionis Thomam, & Annam, genuit. Annos cum majoribus requiescit, Anno Domini M.DXLVIII, mense Julii." Sir William Molyneux signalized himself in three actions against the Scots, in the reign of Henry VIII. and in that of Flodden took two banners. The Lancashire archers contributed much to the victory: and Henry, under his own seal, sent Sir William a letter of thanks for his share of it. In the same part of the church is in brass of Sir Richard Molyneux an handsome tomb, with the effigies between bis two ladies and their children; by the first of whom he bad 5 sons and 8 daughters; and by the second, 5 sons and 1 daughter, who are all arranged by their respective mothers, with the following inscription, and quaint epitaph, underneath. Sir Ricbarde Molyneux Knighte and Dame Worshope was my guide in life, And And thoughe that Deathe with dinte of Darte Hath brought my corps on sleepe, The eternal God, my eternall soule Eternally doethe kepe." In Lord Molyneux's chapel, on the South side of the chancel, are several modern monuments of this family; one in particular of white marble to the memory of Caryll Lord Viscount Molyneux, who died in 1699, father to William Lord Viscount Molyneux, who died in 1717. On this elegant tomb, the family arms are well carved. Caryll Lord Molyneux was an eminent but unsuccessful Royalist: his family raised a regiment of foot and another of horse in support of Charles I.; for which he was subjected to heavy penalties during the Usurpation; but after the Restoration was advanced to high honours. Near it is the tomb of his lady, who was daughter of Alexander Barlow, esq. of Lancashire, as appears by a brass inscription to her memory. There is also another monument of black marble, to the Lady Bridget, wife of William Lord Molyneux, the daughter and heiress of Robert Lucy, esq. of Charlcot in the county of Warwick, with her family arms. There are two achievements in this chancel with the arms of Molyneux and Brudenell; and on the East window, in painted glass, is this inscription: Orate pro bono statu-Molyneux Militis, Qui istam fieri fecit Anno Dom. Millmo. ccCCCXLIJ. With three shields of arms underReath. On the middle South window of the Church is the following inscription Of yor Charitye pray for Margett Bulcley, daughter of Rich Molynex, Knyght, and Wyff unto Joh. Dutton, and Willm Bulcley, esq. whose goodness caused this window to be made, of the will of Sir Robert Pkynson, executor to the said. Margett, the yere of o Lord 1543. Which said Margett decessed the xxj daye of Februa' the yere of or Lord 1527. of whose soule ihu have In'y. ame'. On the next window, Westward, is this:-Orate pro bono statu -- Ireland Armiger. de Lydiate e Elen Anno Dom. 1540. in the East window are a great amber of illegible inscriptions, and some fragments extremely well drawn, particularly two, of St. Anne and St. Clement, near which on the top is the date, 1545, on a curious Jabel. There is also another chapel, belonging to the antient family of the Blundells of Ince-Blundell, wherein is an achievement of the arms of Blundell. According to the Parliamentary Return in 1811, the parish of Sefton coutained six uninhabited houses, one building, and 460 houses occupied by 484 families (818 of whom were chiefly employed in agriculture, and 75 in trade, &c.) consisting of 1392 males and 1460 females; total 2852. Yours, &c. B. N. SOME Mr. URBAN, Dudley, Nov. 16. OME years ago, a very intelligent, handsome, and promising youth, whose name is Henry Pargeter Lewis, the son of a respectable attorney in this town, was placed, for a probationary time, previously to an intended apprenticeship, with a surgeon and apothecary, of the name of Powell, in the immediate neigh bourhood of one of our great public schools. He had not been there long, before one of the scholars, whe lodged at the surgeon's (in league with the servant-boy of the house) devised the following stratagem to frighten him.-One night, during an absence of the master, the servantboy concealed himself under the bed of Henry, before the latter retired to rest; and remained there till the hour of midnight; when, on a preconcerted signal of three raps at the chamber-door, it suddenly opened, and in stalked the school-boy, babited in a white sheet, with his face horribly disguised, and bearing a lighted candle in his hand;—the servant-boy, at the same moment, heav ing up the bed, under Henry, with his back.--How long this was acted, is not known. It was done long enough, however, completely to dethrone the reason of the unfortunate youth; who,it is supposed,immediately covered himself with the bed-clothes; and so continued till the morning.On his not rising at the usual time, some one of the family went to call bim and, not answering-except by incoherent cries, was discovered in the state just described. The The melancholy tidings of his situation were conveyed to his friends, on his removal to them; the facts having been disclosed, partly by the confession of the servant-boy, and partly by the unfortunate youth himself, during the few lucid intervals which occurred in the course of the first year after his misfortune.-His father and mother were then living; but they are now both dead: and the little property they left to support him is now nearly exhausted, ogether with a small subscription, which was also raised, to furnish him with necessaries, and to remunerate a person to take care of him. He is perfectly harmless and gentle, being rather in a state of idiotcy, than insanity, seldom betraying any symp toms of violent emotion; except, Occasionally, about midnight (the time of his unhappy disaster)-when, full of indescribable terror, he exclaims, "Oh! they are coming! they are coming!"-All hope of recovery is at an end: more than twenty years having elapsed since the catastrophe happened. My motives, Sir, for requesting its insertion in your valuable pages, are these: 1st. That it may stand a chance of meeting the eye of him who was the contriver and chief agent of the fatal mischief; that, if living, he may make the only practicable amends in his power, by contributing towards an alleviation of the misery which he himself has occasioned.-His name and that of the school (though no blame attaches to the latter) are withheld, from a principle of delicacy. I am told he was then a young gentleman of large expectations:perhaps be is now in possession of affluence. If so, his own heart will dictate what he ought to do. A second motive for thus giving publicity to the pitiable Case is, that it may prove a warning to inconsiderate youth, by showing what dreadful effects may follow such wauton sorts of mischief. Lastly, my hope is, that the simple narrative may move the good hearts of some of your Readers, to assist with their Charity the wretched object, whose case is thus laid before them. Perhaps their humane feelings may be somewhat more interested con cerning him, when they are informed that his mother was remotely related to the Royal House of Stuart:-and her person, since the writer of this could remember, bore evident traits of dignity, as well as of beauty. Her grandfather, Thomas Ward, esq. who had a residence in London, another at Warwick, and a mansion and seat at Kenilworth, expended large sums of money in the cause of Charles the IInd. Her husband's fa ther possessed large landed property at Eastham in Worcestershire. Her maiden name was Lucy Ward. She survived her husband some years: and, upon her death bed, became (as it was natural she should) most tenderly solicitous about the welfare of this her only son. been a mere annuitant with a scanty Having herself income, which ceased with her, she most earnestly prayed that Divine Providence would raise him up sufficient friends to afford him "food and raiment,"-shelter and protection from further injury.-May her prayer be heard! May HE who be comes the Father of the Orphan 66 temper the blast" to this shorn sufferer! The smallest donations will be received with thankfulness, and applied with integrity, for his use, transmit ted to Messrs. Masterman and Co. Bankers, in London; or to, Sir, Yours, &c. L. BOOKER, Vicar of Dudley. Nov. 20. Mr. URBAN, N p. 340, a Correspondent gave a brief notice of the new system of Craniology. Should you think the following summary of " A Demonstrative Course of Lectures on Drs. Gall and Spurzheim's Physiognomical System" now delivering by Dr. Spurzheim in Rathbone-place, worthy of insertion, it is at your service. Whatever may be the fate of the system itself, which professes to be founded, like all our knowledge of natural phenomena, on logical inductions from observation and experience, it must be admitted that its illustrations present us with many original and important views of the nature and operations of the human mind, and that it unfolds the characters of the passions and affections more completely and satisfactorily than than all our metaphysical writers from Aristotle to Dr. Cogan. "The object of these inquiries is, the examination of the Nervous System in general, and the Brain in particular; the determination of the primitive faculties of the mind, and of the material conditions necessary to their manifesting themselves; and the art of distinguishing by external signs both the innate dispositions, and the activity of those dispositions. As the nature of man is so little known, as this know ledge concerns ourselves, and as it is the basis of all the institutions of society, it is evident that these inquiries are of the highest importance to mankind, tó the philosopher, the artist, physician, teacher, moralist, and legislator." In the Introductory Lecture, Dr. Spurzheim, who, although a German, and only a few months in this country, speaks extempore with a fluency of language, and often with a felicity of expression, which surprizes even his philosophical auditors, proved the existence of Physiognomy, with Lavater, from the fact that every man is a physiognomist. He exhibited a great variety of skulls, busts, and heads of philosophers or great men; exposed the erroneous theories which have been proposed to account for the diversity of genius; refuted the humoral system of temperaments influencing the faculties; shewed the characters of idiotism and of great mental powers; stated the distinction between the skulls of males and females, by shewing that the latter are always longer, smaller, and project more backwards. The ancients were acquainted with these sexual characters, and formed their statues accordingly. The moralists and divines possess most knowledge, reason most, and best know human nature; they are the observers of human actions and passions; whereas philosophers, wholly occupied with some particular study, judge of all men from their own feelings, and not from observation and experience. Yet, physical and moral truth are the same; both must be equally permanent. Mind is always the same, however it cannot manifest itself at all times. Nature is constant; and laws and religious opinions are permanent according as they are founded in nature. The mind, however, manifests itself only by, the organization; we cannot perceive the mind, but only its effects on the body, and from these effects we judge of its existence and its powers. When the same effects are uniformly attended with the same characters of mind, we necessarily deduce the latter from the former, although, in truth, the physical effects are only the visible conse quences of the operations of the mind, which is invisible. Hence the deduction of the characters of mind from the physical appearances of the body, neither favours materialism nor fatalism; as the mind is proved to be distinct from matter, and although it influences the body, it is not by neces sity, as the sense of smell may exist without being necessarily indulged always with fine odours. The First Lecture of the course Dr. S. began by observing, that he proposed to treat of the anatomical demonstration of the brain, and to prove that mind manifests itself only by the organization. Mind is not material, and the brain is only its organ or instrument; hence, as the bone or cranium is not the brain, neither is craniology to be understood as treating of it, but of the physiology of the brain; the skull only bears marks of the brain, whence its existence and form are inferred. The brain contains all the faculties, but we do not know the faculties themselves, we only know their m nifestations; one may possess the fa culty of musick, but we cannot say whether he excels in sacred or pro fane musick; we can only discover the power or susceptibility of such and such a skill, but not the precise character or quality of that power; it is the latent, not the determinate action which is indicated by the brain. Diseases of the brain are not accompanied by equal diseases of the mind. because all the central parts are double; as we have two eyes, two ears, &c. so is the brain double; henc the reason why loss of brain is not immediately followed by a loss of intellect. Here, however, Dr. S. remarked, that all our observations this case are very imperfect, and that many facts may have escaped the so tice of medical and other persons He refuted the error hitherto com monly received by anatomists respecting the ossification of the brain, shewed that the supposed ossified |