Mr. URBAN,

Exeter, Jan. 1. In the Review of Mr. Polwhele's Letter to the Bishop of Exeter, in your Number for the last month, there is a passage tending to throw obloquy on the Bishops, of which, as it is founded on an erroneous view of the fact, I am sure you will give a place to an explanation. The Reviewer, proceeding upon an assertion that the Bishop receives a fee of one guinea a year for allowing a license for non-residence, assigns that as one of the causes of non-residence; and thus, as one of those grievances which, in his view of the matter, stop the Wesleyans from joining the Church. It will not be difficult to remove an impression, if it should exist, so entirely unfounded. The simple truth is, that the Bishop receives no fee whatever of any kind, for any license of non-residence, or in any way way relating to the subject. It is true that a fee of ten shillings is paid to the secretary and registrar of the Bishop for all the business preceding the license, for the instrument itself, and for its registration and transmission to the party,-the Act has limited the remuneration to that sum; and as the license is usually granted for a period of not less than two years, the cost to the incumbent is five shillings a-year. Now, to use the Reviewer's own language, if this is a grievance, I know not what may not be so called. Yours, &c. RALPH BARNES,

*

Secretary to the Bp. of Exeter.

In reply to Z. (p. 2), Mr. WOOLLCOMBE, President of the Plymouth Institution, "having long felt how desirable it would be to possess an accurate account of the numerous provincial Societies in England," readily embraces his invitation; but thinks Z. has not been sufficiently explanatory in his views; "for I do not understand whether he designs to have Mechanics' Institutes noticed; whether Societies confined to the establishment of Libraries are to be enumerated; and whether strictly professional Societies should be mentioned. In one case I should return, 1. The Plymouth Institution, established for the promotion of literary and scientific pursuits, by the delivery of lectures, the foundation of a library, museum, &c. and the occasional exhibition of paintings, drawings, specimens of sculpture, and other works

There is in some cases, but not in the case of the want of a fit house, a stamp duty also to be paid of one pound; but surely the Bishop or his officers are not respon

for that.

of art. In a more extended view, I must add, 2. The Plymouth Public Library. 3. The Plymouth Mechanics' Institute. 4. The Law Library. 5. The Medical Library.-Different views taken of this matter would lead to different conclusions. My wish would be to obtain a communication, annual at least, between the different Societies of Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, &c. &c. for the investigation of scientific objects within districts." We shall be happy to receive from Mr. Woollcombe his report for the counties of Devon and Cornwall.

In answer to the request of Mr. B. THORPE (Dec. p. 562), Mr. THOMAS THORPE, the Bookseller, explains that he

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purchased the copy of Junius's edition of Cædmon of the publishers of Mr. Thorpe's edition a few days only before it appeared, and was shortly afterwards told by a gentleman that the notes were then of no value, as they had been inserted in the new edition; I am sure of it (added he), by many notes and passages I see here.' Recollecting from whence I obtained the volume, I felt convinced that I had been duped; and was much more so, on observing the striking resemblance between the two translations, particularly in two passages (pp. 162, 222), and of which Mr. Thorpe acknowledged his version was purely conjectural. It is certainly very probable that this resemblance may have been the effect of accident, as the versions of two good scholars would be far more likely to correspond than those of two bad ones; this, however, I leave to the decision of more competent judges, and should it appear to them that the resemblance has been accidental, it will afford me infinite pleasure, not only that it will give additional interest to Mr. Thorpe's translation, but that the unedited one by Lye and Manning, which I have since presented to the Society of Antiquaries, will be much more valuable and interesting in the hands of that learned body."

In reference to our Memoir of Charles Wesley, esq. Dec. p. 655, we have the pleasure to state that his brother Samuel is still living. We were misled into a supposition of his death by the Dictionary of Musicians, 12mo, 1824.

The communications of Plantagenet, J. H. &c. are received, and shall be inserted hereafter.

M. D. next month.

SCOPA is assured that his manuscripts are very acceptable, and we regret that room has not been found for one of them in our present Magazine.