THE FIRST MAGAZINE.
The Gentleman’s Magazine unaccountably passes for the earliest periodical of that description; while, in fact, it was preceded nearly forty years by the Gentleman’s Journal of Motteux, a work much more closely resembling our modern magazines, and from which Sylvanus Urban borrowed part of his title, and part of his motto; while on the first page of the first number of the Gentleman’s Magazine itself, it is stated to contain “more than any book of the kind and price.”
MRS. TRIMMER.
This ingenious woman was the daughter of Joshua and Sarah Kirby, and was born at Ipswich, January 6, 1741. Kirby taught George the Third, when Prince of Wales, perspective and architecture. He was also President of the Society of Artists of Great Britain, out of which grew the Royal Academy. It was the last desire of Gainsborough to be buried beside his old friend Kirby, and their tombs adjoin each other in the churchyard at Kew.
Mrs. Trimmer, when a girl, was constantly reading Milton’s Paradise Lost; and this circumstance so pleased Dr. Johnson, that he invited her to see him, and presented her with a copy of his Rambler. She also repeatedly met Sir Joshua Reynolds, Dr. Gregory, Sharp, Hogarth, and Gainsborough, with all of whom her father was on terms of intimacy. Mrs. Trimmer advocated religious education against the latitudinarian views of Joseph Lancaster. It was at her persuasion that Dr. Bell entered the field, and paved the way for the establishment of the National Society. Mrs. Trimmer died, in her seventieth year, in 1810. She was seated at her table reading a letter, when her head sunk upon her bosom, and she “fell asleep;” and so gentle was the wafting, that she seemed for some time in a refreshing slumber, which her family were unwilling to interrupt.
BOSWELL’S BEAR-LEADING.
It was on a visit to the parliament house that Mr. Henry Erskine, (brother of Lord Buchan and Lord Erskine,) after being presented to Dr. Johnson by Mr. Boswell, and having made his bow, slipped a shilling into Boswell’s hand, whispering that it was for the sight of his bear.—Sir Walter Scott.
LORD ELIBANK AND DR. JOHNSON
Lord Elibank made a happy retort on Dr. Johnson’s definition of oats, as the food of horses in England, and men in Scotland. “Yes,” said he, “and where else will you see such horses, and such men?”—Sir Walter Scott.