The National Register.
London, England, 1809-04-09 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER;

EASTER HOLIDAYS.

The sports of this festival commenced Monday, and the Ispm-
bre sadness of Passion Week was succeeded by the gas hustle of
holiday folks, the opening of the Summer Theatres, and a variety
of customary scenes, which are hailed with pleasure by the iuha-
tants of our metropolis. •
EPPING HUNT.—Yesterday, at an early hour, the industri-
ous sons of Spitaltields, Bethnal Green, and Whitechapel, dis-
daining the semnific powers, rose at the blush of Aurora, and
prepared for the far-famed Epping Hunt, big with the fate of
Cockneys. The road from town to the sportive scene was
throriged by hunters of every description. Some were heavily
dressed, and others as hare of covering as Meleager when le.
killed the Celedonian hoar. The gallant troop displayed all
the colours of gay Iris, and sable bearings of a chimney-sweeper
were often blazoned by the powderings of barber's apron. The
cattle were composed of horses, asses, and mules, all high in
bone, and low in flesh ; and the pack displayed every class of
the canine species, from the hull to the lapdog. After having
regaled with copious libations of genera, the motley groups ar-
rived at the Eagle, Snaresbrook, and other houses contiguous to
the forest. A fine stag had been previously carried from a sta-
ble. Hi?, horns were sawed off, as usual, except the front ant-
lers, which were braided with ribbands, and he was turned out
to the mercy of his pursuers, near Buckets-hill. Finding him-
self at liberty, he dashed into Fair-maid Bottom, and sought re-
feee in the Forest. The scent was then givea, and off went the
Cockneys,—" Like wind and tide meeting."
In a few moments the ground was covered with hats, wigs, and
the bodies of fat Citizens. Riders were seen looking for their
horses, and horses for their riders. The venders of gin and eat-
ahles, v, ho stood prepared for the scene, immediately rushed
in to dispose of their ware, and glasses of coreial consoled the
downcast hunters for bruises and pain. Several Nimrods, who
had pursued the sport of the day in taxed carts, tvere overthrown
with the loss of their wheels, and the coufti-ioa which prevailed
produced coesiderable mirth, at the ex pence or tailors, tali ow -
chandlers, weavers, and soap-boilers, who had not been able to
restrain the fury of their vicious kicking donkeys, and tins-
chievous cart-horses. The stag, as usual, escaped from the fury
of its unqualified pursuers, and many of the hunters who had lost
their horses returned on foot to the Bald-faced Stag, to celebrate
their lucky escape from the perils of the chace. After sacri-
.ing at the shrine of the Jolly God, they returned to town.
Gaer.sityleu Pi RlC—The Fair at Greenwich, and the Park,
displayed a numerous assemblage of gay holiday lads and lasses.
hut the sear') easterly wind proved a drawback to the pleasures
of Roles( Poles., and those scenes, in open air, which attract City
A pprent ice and good-natured l'emalOs. In the evening the
votaries Or Bacchus enlisted under the Banners of Mars, and
rua.n.y a well-contested battle was fought on the Kent-road.

ANNA SEWARD.

2SI

This lady paid the common debt of human nature, onSatur-
day March `?5, after a lingering decay, at Litchfield, where she
principally resided. She lived rather too long for her fame, but
not long enough for her friends.
Miss Seward was daughter of the Rev. Dr. Seward, who for-
merly held considerable cleric;d preferineht. Mr. Seward paid
very anxious attention to his daughter's intellectual improvement,
having conceived, very justly, the most favourable opinioa of
her mental powers. She was born, about the ear 1743, at the
village of Evam, in Derbyshire. of which her father was then
rector. lie became afterwards Prebendary of Salisbury, and
Cannon- Residentiary of Litchfield. I t was on the latter of her
father's promotions, that :Vino Seward removed to Litchfield,
w here she (.0110110e:I to reside, since her thirteenth year, in the
Bishop's Palace. She became originall'y emitamt, as one of the
female poets of our times, by her poetic novel entitled 6 Louisa.'
Her other publications hate beet, Poems in Lady Miller's
!lath E•iston Volume,' an Elegy on rapt. Coo!:,' a Monody
nu Major Andre,' an Elegy on (her friend) Lady Miller,' an
Ode to General who was afterwards made Lord I I eath-t
field, her poem of Llangollen Vale,' Sonnets,' acd several
Poetical Miscellanies, together r. letter on the Sch (MI of
Southey, inserted in Mr. Davenport's Poetic::l She
also wrote some Memoirs of Erasmus Darwin.' lier Monody.
oil Major Andre is one of her best poetical productions. and her
•demoirs of Lraonos rwin the least eretlitalik of her prosaic
efforts. Her Literary Correspondence was widely extensive,
and highly respectable.
Anna Seward was once as admired for the splendour of her
sexual beauties, as for the lit-Oh:toe, of h,o- liter,try reputation.
she was highly accomplished ; an,i morn e,;eeme f-r the sua-
vity of her manners, as well as the imeiestin:: vivacity of h.er
convetsation. Sae lived, however, till there could bi- very little
to her desirable in life. Departed friends, dissolvi d connexions,
iiienaterl aliretions, augmenting mil ties, must render I;iis
e.orld, especially to females, little to be valued at the age of
sixty-six years. Considered with r' ference to lror poetical dm-
meter, iu which only she can now live, Anna Seward was for-
Innate enough to attract many admirers; and, among other in-
stances of homage to Iser talents, Mr. }'ark's poetical dedication
of his Poems to her is not the least deserving of distinction.
April 1, Mil.

MENTOR.

TO THE VESTRY7IIEN OF THE PA.RIST-1 OF SAINT

MATIJEW, BEHINAL GREEN.

Cr.NTLEstEN,—Allow me to return you my most sincere
thanks, for the very liberal and friendly support I received
from von on Monday last, when a nai,:!rabte attempt was made
to oppose my Election, as pin- Vestry (let k, for the present
vear, after having been fur twenty years before unanimously
Elected —Had any charges been brought against me that pos•
seised the least appearance of probal)ility, I should certainly
have entreated your permission fully 1,0 exylain them befcre the
Election, but such as were produced were so foreign to any
thing that related to my public character, that 1 did not deem
it necessary to make any particular reply to them. Indepen-
dently of the gratification I !ere iv cd from yonruna.nirnouschoice.
of me as your Vestry Clerk. I have further to thank you fur
the very handsome manner in ;eh you pa•scd a NOiC of thanks,
and approbation of toy otlo i; I conduct daring the lime I have
been in your employ, all :I tont you con,ideted the charges
brought against me as irk otooq and vexatious.--This vote,
Gentlemen, is by your ordoN entered into .our Vestry Bonk ;
and 1 shall never read it wit hotti feeling the stron;est emotion' of
gratitude for the friemlship r have received at your bands w hick
will only stimulate. the to grcater exertions, in order to merit
the continuance of our favours. Altho' I felt a consciousness
of any innocence, still this unprecedented oppositiun has given
me some uneasiness; and when I consider the channel from
which this conspiracy against my chara-ler procee,!ed, I think
it my duty to take some steps to bring the authors to punish-
ment, hut ins this as in any other case which has any relation to
,ov public character, 1 shall certainly he guided by the advice
• my friends.
I have the honour to he, Gentlemen,
With every sentimeet of regard and esteem,
10, Bethnal-gr-en-road, Your faithful humble servant,'
.4615, lion. JAMES 41Ale