Four more, and the lady's wishes are blest:

And mine, too; since then I look for some rest!
They're done though in truth, when I ventured upon it,
I thought not so quickly to scribble a SONNET.

J. W. P.

NORWIC.

"That is North Castle, Wic in Saxon importing Castle, and Norwich had its name from being situated northward of the Old Roman Camp at Castor."

Here then was the nucleus and origin of our present populous city of Norwich. The neighbouring people were accustomed to assemble round such stations for the double purpose of protection, and of selling the product of their land to the legions. Booths merely for shelter from the inclemency of the weather were first erected; but when the camps promised to be stationary, huts were built; whence arose towns, boroughs, and cities.

After the departure of the Romans, the Saxons conquered the kingdom, and for their security built forts and castles in these localities; and the right of holding markets was confined to the neighbourhood of such castles.

The exact period at which a castle was erected here is uncertain. It is, however, on record that in the reign of Anna, king of the East Angles, A.D. 642, Norwic was a royal castle, and his residence. During the Danish wars the castle frequently changed masters, until Swain, in the year 1004, came with a fleet to Norwich, and destroyed both town and castle.

The present castle was probably built shortly after this event, and is thought to be the work of Canute-because he was a great builder. He built the abbey of St. Edmund's Bury to atone for the wickedness of his countrymen, murdering Edmund king of the East Angles. monastery of Winchester.

He repaired the old church and He also built the abbey of St. Benedict de Hulmo in Norfolk; as well as churches and monasteries in most places where he had fought battles, and spilt much blood. Hence it is likely to make reparation for the damage his father did by burning and destroying old Norwic, that the son built a new castle in its stead.

An objection to this exists in the supposition of Cambden, that Bigod's arms are carved upon the wall of the castle. This objection is however met by another antiquary, who asserts that the arms (lions) are neither saliant nor rampant, but “lions passant regardant"-which are not the arms of Bigod. Besides it having always been a royal castle, it would have been high presumption in Bigod to place his arms in a royal foundation. The fact also that Canute bore for coat armour "lions passant gardant" points strongly to him as its builder; especially as a carver ignorant of heraldry might easily in stead of gardant carve lions passant regardant.

But whether Canute or any other was the builder, it is very certain that the period of its erection was anterior to the reign of William I, for Ralph Guader, earl of Norfolk, and constable of the castle of Norwich, being defeated in his rebellion, took refuge in the castle and there defended himself, till in the night he made his escape, and fled beyond the sea,—and his countess held out till she obtained terms and a safe conduct to the sea coast, when she was allowed to follow her husband into Brittany.

It is therefore obvious that the building of the new or present castle must have taken place between the destruction of the old castle by Swain, and the reign of the conqueror,—and no monarch, Canute excepted, appears to have reigned long enough for the accomplishment of such a work.

The edifice, whether it be Anglo-Saxon, Danish or Norman architecture, or a mixture-for we profess not ability or information to decide the question, is a noble relic of "olden times”

-and we trust, that the work now carrying on will not, for want of taste or judgment, mar such a specimen of antiquity. When it stood in its solitary grandeur, unobstructed and unobscured by the surrounding mass of buildings, which time and the improving spirit of successive ages have called into being, it must have been an object of commanding aspect and interest amid the widely extended scene of barren heath; and appropriately distinguished by the epithet blanche-flower, which Sir Edward Coke says was anciently applied to it-probably from the whiteness of the stone, while it was new and fresh.

For many centuries it continued a royal castle, and the custody of it was committed generally to the earls of Norfolk. The principal royal castles of each county were, during the reigns of

Edward I, II, and III, committed to the earl of the County, and then his vice-comes the sheriff was to keep criminals in safe custody till the jail delivery-But the earls sometimes refused to suffer the sheriffs to imprison criminals in these castles. In consequence of which an act of parliament was made in Edward III's reign placing the custody of these jails and prisoners in the power of the sheriffs-By virtue of such act the castle of Norwich was, in the 19th year of Edward III's reign, adjudged to the king, and was confirmed to the vicecomes of the county of Norfolk to keep the king's prisoners in safe ward, and has so remained ever since annexed to the county of Norfolk as a county jail.

CIVIS.

N. B. We are indebted for the information herein contained to a reprint of a valuable work intitled "an essay on the antiquity of the Castel of Norwich, its founder and governors, from the kings of the East Angles down to the modern times."

CULINARY ANTIQUITIES.

I. GASTROLOGY.

LA MOTHE LE VAYER was the first who solemnly proposed to recognize cookery as one of the fine arts; and under the denomination of gastrology, to compile learned quartos on the science of enhancing the physical and moral pleasures of the palate. The ear, he contends, if given to man for need, is employed for luxury ; and we hold it honorable to listen to sweet music, or to fine oratory. The eye may have been intended only to guard us against a post; but who is content with its necessary office? For a fine prospect we laboriously climb a hill: for the painter Schneider's inside view of a pantry we gladly exchange our gold. And shall an organ, no less exquisitely sensible than the ear and the eye, whose percipiency gives to all the pleasures of taste their generic name, be less regarded then they, less honoured, less philosophized about? Some flavours are naturally pleasing, as of milk, honey and grapes. Yet the highest relish of these foods evidently consists in the associated ideas which they happen to excite, in the

accessory imaginary perceptions which accompany them. Who likes milk in the country? Who does not enjoy it in the heart of London, when he can obtain a draught fresh from the cow, foaming in the jug, scattering its musky fragrance, and calling up before the fancy rural ideas of green meadows, corn-clad hills, and smokeless air. Honey soon cloys; but let the honey be that of Hybla, famous in the classic page, and the Sicilian traveller will suck it up with delight. The grape, which hardly ripens on our garden-walls, is still a welcome dish at the dessert; because it awakens so many thoughts of mirth and grace derived from Bacchanalian songs. Some flavours are naturally displeasing, as of an oyster, or an olive; yet from being tasted in the society of friendship, or rank, and mingled in our recollection with the joys of life, they often become exquisitely enticing. Now if it be true that the moral power of every mouthful exceeds its physical power, and that the accessory ideas have more influence on the likes and dislikes of the palate, than the direct sensation occasioned by the thing applied, eating (q. e. d.) must be as well entitled as language itself, to be studied. It is well that words should be individually euphonical; but it chiefly imports that the excited ideas should delight and stimulate. It is well that food should be wholesome; but it chiefly signifies that it should beckon into the soul agreeable trains of thought, about its far fetched material, or its traditional préparation.

NORWICH MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

IT is with great pleasure that we devote a corner of our magazine to a brief notice of this institution, which has of late excited so much attention and interest in the minds of a large proportion of the inhabitants of this city. That such a society is in existence is probably known to most of our readers. And we are happy to state that it is now in comparatively a prosperous and flourishing condition.

In common with most other institutions, it has had in its infancy to contend with numerous and various difficulties; but those difficulties have vanished; and every barrier presented by prejudice to impede its progress has disappeared. The clouds of

ignorance have dispersed before the rising sun of instruction, exposed to the genial influence of which, it is fast ripening to maturity, and producing fruits, which minister to the improvement as well as the enjoyment of the mind.

Connected with it is a good and increasing library of books. A lecture is addressed to its members every alternate Tuesday evening; and every Thursday a debate is held on a given subject,

literary or scientific. Of course every thing of a sectarian character, whether in theology or politics, is excluded.

On Thursday evening the 18th ult. the following important question was discussed. Is it the duty of a free state to provide

for the education of the poor?

It was opened by Mr. John Copeman, Jun. who read a most beautiful and talented essay on the subject. In it he answered the question in the affirmative, which was the prevailing sentiment of the speakers and perhaps of the audience generally. In the course of the evening, however, it was objected that in its legislative capacity a government could have no right to compel any individual to subscribe toward the moral improvement of his fellow creatures-that no general system of education could embrace all classes and that it might be done more efficiently by other means.

On Tuesday the 23rd ult. a very instructive and interesting lecture was delivered by Mr. J. W. Dowson, on "Vegetable and animal physiology;" and we regret that we cannot give it insertion, as it was written in so easy a style, and contained so much valuable information, that it would grace the pages of any periodical.

We cannot conclude this brief sketch without reminding our readers of the importance of such an institution; nor without expressing our hearty desire, that it may go on to enjoy increasing prosperity, and become a means of restoring our city to the proud position which she once occupied.

Our limits forbid further reference to it now; but our next number will be found to contain a more extended notice; and at no very distant period we hope to present to the public a report of some one of the interesting debates held among its members.

PRINTED BY J. FLETCHER, UPPER HAYMARKET, NORWICH.