opening its gates to a bafe and barbarous enemy, a defign was formed to relieve it; and the intelligence was conveyed to the citizens by a letter which was tied under the wing of a pigeon.

THUANUS, lib. Iv. c. 5.

The fame meffenger was employed at the fiege

of Mutina, as we are informed by the elder Pliny.

Hift. Nat. x. 37.

NOTE 16. Verse 342.

Hark! the bee, &c.

This little animal, from the extreme convexity

of her eye, cannot fee many inches before her.

NOTE S

ON THE

SECOND PART.

NOTE 17. Verse 114.

Yet ftill how fweet the foothings of his art!

THE
HE aftronomer chalking his figures on the

wall, in Hogarth's view of Bedlam, is an admira

ble exemplification of this idea.

See the RAKE'S PROGRESS, plate 8.

NOTE 18. Verse 173.

Haft thou thro' Eden's wild-wood vales pursued, &c.

On the road-fide, between Penrith and Appelby,

ftands a small pillar with this infcription:

G

"This pillar was erected in the year 1656, by Ann Countess Dowager of Pembroke, &c. for a memorial of her laft parting, in this place, with

her good and pious mother, Margaret, Countess Dowager of Cumberland, on the 2d of April, 1616: in memory whereof she hath left an annuity of 41. to be diftributed to the poor of the parish of Brougham, every 2d day of April for ever, upon the ftone-table placed hard by. Laus Deo!" The Eden is the principal river of Cumberland, and has its fource in the wildest part of Weftmoreland.

NOTE 19. Verse 183.

Thus, with the manly glow of honeft pride,

O'er his dead fon old ORMOND nobly figh'd, &c.

Ormond bore the lofs with patience and dignity: though he ever retained a pleasing, however melancholy, fenfe of the fignal merit of Offory." I would not exchange my dead fon," faid he, "for any living fon in Chriftendom." HUME, vi. 340.

The fame fentiment is infcribed on Mifs Dol

man's urn at the Leafowes.

Heu, quanto minus eft cum reliquis verfari, quam tui meminiffe!

NOTE 20. Verse 225.

High on exulting wing the heath-cock rofe.

This bird, according to Mr. Pennant, is remark

able for his exultation during the spring; when he

calls the hen to his haunts with a loud and fhrill

voice, and is fo inattentive to his safety as to be

When lo! a fudden blaft the vessel blew.

In a lake, furrounded with mountains, the agi

tations are often violent and momentary. The