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THE
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FOR
j u l r, I7S9.
VOL. XXV.
On ^ Advantages ^PUBLIC ELO QJJ E N C E„
Qui imaginem ipfam Eloquentise divina quadam mente conceperit, Reginam rerum
omnium ponet ob oculos. Quint.
Ilia regit didlis animos, & peclora mulcet. Virg.
His Mind is divine, that can conceive the exprefs Image of Eloquence 5 for fuch a Portrait, aptly delineated, mull prefent him with a View of the Queen of all Things.
She rules the Mind, and
THE greateft geniufes, ancient and mo¬ dern, have been profufe in their elo- giums of civil and public eloquence. The fictions of poets have tranfmitted to us an Orpheus, who by the fweetnefs of his mufi- cal ftrains could draw after him favagebeafts, rocks, and other inanimate creatures. By this, they fain would have us underhand, that it is in the power of eloquence to bring over to the ufe of reafon, men, even of rocky and barbarous natures. We may juftly fup- pofe, that the * founders of cities could not have made an embodied people of a vaga¬ bond multitude without the charms of per- fuafive words 5 nor law-givers without an extraordinary talent of fpeaking, oblige men to bend their necks under the feverity of their laws. We even are confcious to our- felves that the precepts of morality, though
* Quint, de Inftitut, Orat, lib
Numb. CLXX, Vol, XXV,
fweetly fooths the Heart.
with deep veftiges impreffed on our hearts by the Author of nature, receive an addi¬ tional beauty, and infpire our minds with a more intenfe love for them, whqn illufirated by the ornaments of difcourfe.
Certainly the gracious Creator of our being has diftinguifhed us in no refpedt more from other animals than by the gift of fpeech„ They furpafs us in bulk, in ftrength, in the enduring of toils, in fpeed, and Hand lefs in need of foreign helps. Guided by nature alone, they learn fooner to walk, and to go in queft of their food. On their bodies, they have a fufficient covering to guard them againit cold : They all have their innate weapons of de Pence 5 their victuals maybe faid to lie on all fries of them ; and we, in¬ digent mortals ! what anxieties do not vve often experience for the acquisition of fuch
ii. c. 17. “f Quint, ib,
A
necelfa-
THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE
neceflaries ? But God, a beneficent parent, has bellowed on us reafon for our portion 5 a gift, which makes us partakers of a life of immortality : But this reafon would be of little ufe to 11s, and would be much em- baraffed to manifeft itfelf, unlefs we fignified by words our conceptions. This is what animals want, more than a degree of thought and underftanding, of which, it cannot be laid, they are intirely deftitute : For to con¬ trive for themfelves fure and commodious habitations, to interweave their nefts with fuch art, to rear their young with fuch care, to make them fliift for themfelves when grown up, to lay up provifions for winter, to produce fuch inimitable works as wax and honey, are inftances perhaps of a glim¬ mering of reafon ; but becaufe they are not endowed with the faculty of fpeecn, all the extraordinary things they do, cannot dif- tinguifh them from the brute-part of the creation : And indeed, let us take a view of dumb perfons 3 how does the heavenly foul informing their bodies operate in them ? We perceive its help but weak, and its aflion but languid.
If then the divine Difpenfer of all good tilings has not imparted to mankind a greater bieffingthan the talent of fpeaking 5 what can we efteem more deferving of our labour and improvement, and what object is more wor¬ thy of our ambition, than that of railing ourfelves above rnen, by the means they raife themfelves above brutes ?
Should we pafs in review the hiftories of remote ages, it will appear, that the fplen- cior and welfare of moft Hates and common¬ wealths were chiefly owing to the force of eloquent counfels. Athens, the pride of Greece, the great nurfery of arts, fciences, and all politenefs, never decayed in power, •never loft its liberty, till it was deprived of its orators. The like may be remarked in fieve/ul other ftates 3 and nothing was fo ad¬ vantageous to the Roman republic, nothing heigthened fo much its glory, as the en¬ couragement given to oratorial talents, and the laudable exercife of the lame noble fa¬ culties. Hence fo many fpeeches and ha¬ rangues in the affemblies of the people, and in the Senate, which were efficacious to ob¬ tain what could not be extorted by the in¬ junctions of public edicts. In like manner the Generals of armies, as often as they were to give battle 5 as often as {edition and mu¬ tiny had alienated the foldiery ; fo often they were wont by powerful eloquence, either to invigorate their hearts with manly courage, or recall their minds to a fenfe of their duty.
The title caules of the great, credit of the civilians, under the Roman Emperors, may not improperly be attributed to the abjeCt •••' : 3
ftavery they infenftbly led the fubjeCl into* Whilft Rome preferved her liberty, no great account was made of the civilians. The orators held the firft rank in that city, as well as at Athens 3 and this is the reafon why the Greek and Roman eloquence was fo highly efteemed and applauded. Auguf- tus, an able politician, perceived the danger lie was in from the orators. Fie well knew, that whoever has a genius for a noble elo¬ quence, is bold, aCtive, and a great enemy to llavery. In order therefore to bring down the orators, he let the civilians againft them, and ordered the judges to fubmit to their decifions, which till then had no further au¬ thority than the poffibility of perfuading the Judges.
It is plain, that, when Auguftus raifed the civilians, he depended upon their compli¬ ance 5 wherein he was not miftaken : For they explained the laws in his favour, and made it their bufinefs to juftify his unjuft, though mild ufurpation. They found a way to reunite in his pencil the moft important dignities 3 and when they had by degrees accuftomed the Romans to make application to him alone, and had rendered him mafter of a people, who had conquered the world 5 thev made him mafter of the laws bv virtue
j J
of this famous maxim, which they took care to inculcate : 4 Quod Principi placuit, Legis vigorem habet 1 What pleafes the Prince, Hands for a law.’ By this means they afcribed an abfolute royal power to Auguffi tus. The following Emperors imitated that Prince : Vefoalian railed the civilians to the higheft degree of authority, and completed the deftruCIion of liberty and eloquence.
In conlequence of this deltruChon, but firft by a gentle Hiding down from Auguftus, were ftudied the myfteries of the cabinet, and that abfurd doChine was hatched of the intereft of the Prince, as it is feparate from the intereft of the ftate, and generally runs counter to the public good, judgment, ca¬ pacity, and fecrefy, were changed into craft, artifice, and diffimulation. Good, and ijl actions were no longer known by them- felves j every thing was interpreted accord¬ ing to the nice intention of the Prince, or was judged by the curioufnefs of feme mali¬ cious {peculation. Complaints, which in all ages of the world, have been allowed to the unfortunate, for the relief of their miferies 5 tears, thole natural expreffiens of our grief 3 and lighs, which flip from us in fpite of our will 3 nay, bare looks at laft, became fatal. The leaft endeavour to ufe the perfuafive force of eloquence was thought the height of arrogance, even the limplicityof difeourfe was fancied to cover evil defigns, and the diCretion of fiience to conceal mifehieveus
FOR JULY, 1759.' 3
intentions. To {peak, to be iilent, to re¬ joice, to be afflifted, to be fearful or un¬ daunted ; all was criminal, and very often incurred the moll rigorous punilhment.
Thus it was that this noble people, from tailing the fweets ol the belt regulated liber¬ ty, which had its fources in, and was nur¬ tured by nervous eloquence, fell into the fnares of the word of tyranny and oppref- fion ; and fuch likewife are the calamities that mult await all other nations, when they prize more the limiter arts of life than the beauty of order and integrity, the natural re fu It of free and uncontrouled eloquent counfels.
There is now no nation that lias, in point of civil eloquence, erected for itfelf fuch a ftandard of praife and glory, as the Britifh nation. We behold, in its molt auguit Se¬ nate, a number of upright patriots, as lb many Governors and oracles of the people committed to their care. They hand up in defence of their rights and privileges 5 their wildom enacts for their obfervance whole- ibme laws, and their prudence attends to all their exigencies. Thefe matters of lo great importance are the happy effects of eloquent fpeech, and this eloquent fpeech is the happy effect of the Britifh conllitution, which, founded on the liberty of the fub- jeft, mud of confequence promote and add hrength to the exerting of this excellent faculty.
It has been always obferved, that nothing has fo much inhanced our national happinefs, as a prudent choice of proper perfons to repre- fent us in the grand Alfembly of our hate. In them we place our greateft confidence, them we invert: with the power of enacting laws for us, and them we appoint the guardians of all our liberties and privileges. A mighty truft ! a mighty confidence ! But how lhall they worthily acquit themfelves, and what are the qualifications we (hould naturally expert in them for fulfilling thefe important duties ?
A true Representative of the Britifh na¬ tion ought, as the perfect orator and real fage, described by Quintilian in his Infti- tutes, to be endowed in an eminent degree with every good quality that can make him fliine with confpicuous luftre to the eyes of mankind. His education fhould be, of the beft, that it might be prefumed he is in¬ telligent in the laws and cuftoms of his country, that he has ftudied its real interelf, and that he can both by eloquent words and upright actions fhew himfelf a generous de¬ fender of the caufe he has undertaken. Be- fides thefe pre-requifites, he fhould approve kimjejf worthy of the choice his condiments
* Quint, de Inrtitut,
have made of him, by an unwearied afTidui- ty in the difcharge of his functions j by a drift fidelity in his fervices ; by having a heart inacceffibie to the bafe arts of cor¬ ruption, and a foul uninfluenced by the awe of power ; by meriting applaufe from public- fpirited afts 5 by adhering to loyalty with¬ out groveling in fertility, and by loving li¬ berty without running into faction.
Such ought to be all Britifh Repfefenta- tives, and fuch is the illuftrious Senator now fitting: at the helm of affairs, who, be- fides the advantage and pleafure he reaps, from procuring wholefome laws to be en¬ acted, from governing the Senate by his counfels, from feeing himfelf the oracle of the people, and clireftor of armies, has raifed himfelf by the faculty of nobly fp caking and thinking a lafting monument of praife and glory, and fo as to feem to the minds of men, not fo much to difcourfe and fpeak, but as a * Pericles, to make his words thun¬ der and lightning.
But it will not be fufficient to make the eulogium of the advantages of public elo¬ quence, unlefs alfo fome curfory inftruftions are pointed out for thofe whofe bufinefs leads them to fpeak in public. To attain therefore to the perfection of eloquence, a man ouo-ht to have a fund of good fenfe and wit, a lively imagination, a faithful memory, a comely prelence, an agreeable tone of voice, a correct pronunciation, a noble gefture, a becoming affurance, and a great facility of fpeaking. The four lad: qualities may be acquired by the precepts of art, and long exercife ; the other are the gifts of nature, which art may polifh but cannot beftow. Thefe talents comprehend abundance of things, yet do not complete an orator ; ftudy and a thorough acquaintance with the world muff do the reft. Before a man undertakes to fpeak in public, it is re- quifite he fhould cultivate his judgment by reading the molt celebrated authors, and particularly thofe that have written belt in all fciences ; it is requisite that the conver- fation of learned men, and the advice of fome honed judicious friend, fhould fit and accommodate it to the tafte of his own age. It is convenient likewife, that he fhould con- verfe with wife Courtiers, pay ferious vifits to Ladies of wit ; in fhort, that he fhould read the bed books of his own time ; nay, and make fome fmall attempts in poetry, in order to polifh his manners and language.
If it be true, that a man may be fo happy as to poffefs thofe advantages, he ought in this manner to apply the precepts, which Cicero and Quintilian, the bed maders of eloquence, and others have delivered. When
Orat. lib, ii, c, 17*
h 2
the universal MAGAZINE
the choice of the Subject depends purely upon the orator, he ought to pitch upon one that 5s capable of force and ornament 5 he ought to preferve order in his defign, an^l connec¬ tion in his thoughts ; and, if poffible, his difcourfe Ihould never laft longer than an hour. His di£tion ought to be pure and proper to the fubjeft, rich and adorned with¬ out fuperfiuity, ftrong and clofe without drynefs, fuitable to the perfon that fpeaks, to the place, to the time, and to the auditors. He cannot take too much care to avoid an¬ tiquated words, as alfo thofe affected in the company of Ladies, for the fake of their novelty. Let him endeavour rather to render himfelf 'intelligible, than to appear learned 5 Jet him fo exprefs his thoughts that the m£ an eft capacities may underftand him, and the moft knowing admire him. However, let him avoid thofe exprefiions that grate upon delicate ears by their Plebeian mean- nefs, together with thofe that favour too rank of affe&ation, or are only allowable in the greateft licences of poetry. Let him ftudioufty Shun what was formerly called the Afiatic tumour, which is an enemy to good fenfe and truth. Let an orator remember, that it is to truth alone that he ought to fa- crifice the firit produftions of the warmth of his wit : Let him courageously dilengage himfelf from all interefts, that may oblige him to a fervile flattery : Let him lay a re- lfraint upon his tongue, whenever it begins to lead him into fatire and invedlive 5 and let him furmount that fooliih pride which hinders us from following good advice ; and guard himfelf againft the inlinuations of felf- Jove, which, it is natural for us to Shew to our own compofitions. His narration ought to be 'exaft, clear and concife ; it ought to run majeftically, like a great river, and not with rapidity, like a torrent : Its elevation ought to coniift in the greatnefs of the things lie treats of, and not in the greatnefs of the words he ufes. He can never be too fcru- ulous to rejeft whatever may Shock proba- ility. He may now and then allow himfelf the liberty of digrefTing from his Subject, provided he does not lofe light of it, but re¬ turns immediately to it with more force and agreeablenefs. His comparifcns ought to be juft and fhort ; his metaphors all of a piece, and natural 5 his quotations few and well chofen, more felclom taken from a foreign than his native language, unlefs they can¬ not be tranllated with the fame beauty, or tarry more weight and authority in the tongue wherein they were firft written. He ought to avoid all cold, frivolous observations, proverbial or equivocal expreSfions, points and quibbles, as fo many ill habitudes con¬ tracted from a fordid education, and orna¬
ments unworthy of folid manly eloquence* We can fcarce forgive them in Gentlemen, when they are jeSting with one another in free converfation. In Short, it is requifite that the paftions be moved, but then they are to be managed with great difcretion, and mingled with great variety . The figures ought to be difpofed with fo much nicenefs, and the artifice of them fo well diiguifed, that the orator may be never reproached for making his difcourfe referable the receipts of thofe quacks, who have but one remedy for all forts of diftempers, and who perpetually ufe the fame drugs, and the fame quantity of them in all their compofitions.
In the road to perfect eloquence, and to the good and the true in writing, care Should be taken to have always in view the belt models : For it will be as impoSIible for the young orator to form himfelf to the truth of eloquent fpeech, or the tafte of a good ftile, among the many wretched examples that now reign, as to attain to the noble and eafy air of the court among the pedantry of the fchools.
Not to difpleafe our circumforaneous ora¬ tors and fcribbiers, we may with juftice af¬ firm, that they have the honour of being the only corraptors of eloquence. They ruin the dignity of this admirable art, which formerly gave Pericles, Demofthenes, and Cicero, fo great an afcendant over their auditors. They rob it of all the force of thoughts, while they wholly bufy themfelves in the placing of their words, and in the^ pompous cadence, as they vainly fancy, of their periods ; or if they fpeak of paflions, whofe character is diredtly oppofite to the fwelling metaphors of a high ftile, they fall on a Sudden into the contrary excefs. No¬ thing then but fomething like diminutives will go down with them 5 every word, in¬ deed, muft be fweet and lufcious, as if it had been Steeped in honey, and their thoughts are trifling and puerile to the laft degree. They affect quibbles and little turns of wit, when they Speak of their amours,- and their expreSlion is accompanied with a languishing air ; but inftead of being tender, it is nau- feoufly infipid. Before theSe noble instruc¬ tors educated in obicurity, and who never faluted letters but at a distance, had vitiated the tafte of young Gentlemen, eloquence carefully applied itielf to form the judgment. Truth, reafon, and peripicuity were its end and rule in all difcourles. It fupported it- felf by the greatnefs of things, and not by the onentation of words : It was. never led out of its way by the vain enthufiafms of fome of our highly enlightened modern preachers, which tranfport an auditor, as it. were, by magic, into unknown countries,
FOR JULY, 1759.
snd do not bring him back again to the fubjeft, till his patience is quite exhaufted. Poetry itfelf, which is allowed to take greater liberties, was free, without being impudent ; and adorned, without being aff'efted. She fpoke a fublime language, yet did not talk extravagancies. Sophocles and Euripides jfometimes wore buftSns, but they did not walk upon hilts, like the fcribblers ot our age. Homer, who knew well enough how far an heroic poem ought to go, did not fuf- fer himfelf to fall into fuftian, when he de¬ signed to be fublime 5 for there is a fimpli- city of expreffion, which is not in the leait prejudicial to the grandeur of thoughts ; and it does by no means follow, that becaufe a thing is great, it muft therefore be expreffed in big rumbling words. In truth, this in¬ comparable poet l'ucceeded fo happily in this fort of poetry, that Pindar and the nine Lyric poets, not daring to think they could equal him, were obliged to try how they could perform in another kind. If it fhcuid be objected, that an orator is not to govern himfelf by the example of poets, let us fee whether Plato, JEfchines, or Demofthenes, would have taken leffons from thefe people, whom they called fophifts, and we call pe¬ dants. On the contrary, they always de¬
clared againft them, as cormptors of man¬ ners and language. . Plato, among the rdf, banifhed them from his republic, and faid of them, as well as of the poets : 4 Let us give them crowns, only to turn them the more honourably out of our dominions.’ True, and if it may be 10 exprelfed, chafte eloquence has nothing but what is real and juft ; it uies no fucus or paint, to appear more agreeable ; it derives none of its charms from borrowed colours : All its ornaments are proper to it ; and it is by the graces of its natural beauty that it conquers and af- fefts us. Its majeftic air lets the fame dif¬ ference between it and falfe eloquence, as we eafily obferve between a Lady of virtue and a coquette.
* 4 Let us therefore, with all the affec¬ tions of our heart, iue for the very ma- jefty of eloquence, than which God has imparted nothing better to man, and with¬ out which, all would be mute in nature, and deftitute both of a prelent emolument, and future remembrance. Let us always make advances towards what is belt, and ftrive, if pofiible, to perfect ourfelyes : Thus, we fhall either reach the height, or at leait we fhali fee many behind us.’
The Temper and Difpofticn of the Stuart Family , particularly cf King Charles II. and the Duke of York, his Brother . — From the Continuation of the Life of Edward Earl of Clarendon , &c.
THE truth is : It was the unhappy fate and conftitution of that family, that they trufted naturally the judgments of thofe, who were as much inferior to them in under- ftanding as they were in quality, before their own, which was very good 5 and fuf- fered even their natures, which dilpofed them to virtue and juftice, to be prevailed upon and altered and corrupted by thofe, who knew how to make ufe of forne one infirmity that they dil’covered in them $ and by com¬ plying with that, and cherifhing and lerving it, they by degrees wrought upon the mafs, and facrificed all the other good inclinations to that iingle vice. They were too much inclined to like men at firft fight, and did not love the converfation of men of many more years than themfelves, and thought age not only troublefome but impertinent. They did not love to deny, and lefs to ftrangers than to their friends j not out of bounty or generofity, which was a flower that did never grow naturally in the heart of either of the families, that of Stuart or the ether of Bour¬ bon, but out of an unfkilfulnefs and defeat in the countenance : And when they pre¬ vailed with themfelves to make fome paufe
# Quintilian concludes his Inftitutes
rather than to deny, importunity removed all refolution, which they knew neither how to ihut out, nor to defend themfelves againft, even when it was evident enough that they had much rather not confent ; which often made that which would have looked like bounty, lofe all its grace and luftre.
If the Duke feemed to be more firm and fixed in his refolutions, it was rather from an obftinacy in his will, which he defended by averfion from the debate, than from the conftancy cf his judgment, which was more fubjefl to perfons than to arguments, and fo as changeable at leaft as the King’s, which was in greateft danger by furprife : And from this want of fteadinefs and irref’olution (whencefoever the infirmity proceeded) moft of the misfortunes, which attended either of them or their fervants who ferved them ho- neftly, had their rife and growth. It can¬ not be denied, and was obferved and con- feffed by ali, that never any Prince had a more humble and dutiful ccndefcenfion and fubmiftion to an elder brother, than the Duke, had towards the King : His whole demea¬ nour and behaviour was fo full of reverence, that it might have given examule to be
of the Orator with this exhortation.
imitated
6 THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE
imitated by thole, who ought but did not obferve a greater diftance. And the con¬ fidence and refentment he had within him- felf, for the tally he had made in Flanders, made him after fo wary in his addons, and fo abhorring to hear any thing that might leffen his awe for the Fling, that no man who had moil credit,, with him durft ap¬ proach towards any thing of that kind 5 fo that time was never lefs ground of jealoufy than of him. And (as was laid before) the King (who was in his nature fo far from any kind of jealoufy, that he was too much inclined to make interpretations of many words and actions, which might reafonabiy
harbour other apprehend on s) was as inca¬ pable of any infufons which might leffen his confidence in his brother, as any noble and virtuous mind could be. And there¬ fore thole ill men, who began about this time to low that curfed feed that grew up to bear a large crop of the worft and ranked: jealoufy in the fucceeding time, did not prefume to make an 7 reflection upon the Duke htmfelf, but upon his wife, i upon the fate file affirmed, and the height of the whole family, that lived in much more plen¬ ty,’ they laid, ‘ than the King’s, and were more regarded akoad.’
Of the reciprocal Contempt of Nations , proceeding from their Vanity.
IT is with nations as with individuals : If every one of us believes himfell infallible, places contradiction in the rank of offences, and can neither elleem nor admire any thing in another, but what refembles fomething in himieif ; fo every nation, in like manner, never elleem s, in others, any ideas that are not analogous to its own, and every contrary opinion is a fource of contempt.
Let us caff our eyes with rapidity over the tmiverfe : The Englifh take the French for giddy-headed mortals ; and the French fay, that the brains of the Jfnglilh are difordered. The Arab, perfuaded of the infallibility of his Khaiif, laughs at the credulity of the Tartar, who believes the Great Lama im¬ mortal. In Africa, the negroe paying his adorations to a root, the claw of a lobffer, or the hern of an animal, fees nothing on the earth but an immenfe mafs of deities, and laughs at the fcarcity of gods among us 5 while the ill-informed Muffelman ac- cufes us with acknowledging three. Farther fall are the inhabitants of the mountain of Bata, who are perfuaded that every man who eats a reafted cuckow before his death, is a faint ; they confequently make a mock of the Indian. 4 What can be more ridicu¬
lous, fay they, than to bring a cow to the bed of the fick ; and to imagine, that if the cow whom they draw along by the tail, hap¬ pens to pifs, and feme drops of her urine fall upon the dying, this renders him a faint ? What more abfurd in the Bramins, than to require of their new converts to eat no other food for fix months than cow’s dung.
The reciprocal contempt of nations is al¬ ways founded on feme difference of manners and cuftoms. From this motive the inhabi¬ tants of Antioch, formerly defpifed, in the 'Emperor Julian, that limplicity of manners, and that frugality which juftly obtained the
admiration of the Gauls, religion, and con fen
The difference of of opinion, in¬
duced at the fame time the Chriftians, mor® zealous than juft, to blacken, with the molt infamous culumnies, the memory of a Prince, who, by diminifhing the taxes, reftoring mi¬ litary tiifcipline, and reviving the expiring virtue of the Romans, fo juftly deferved to be placed in' the rank of the greateft Emperors.
If we caft our eyes on all fides, we fee every place thus unjuft:. Each nation con¬ vinced, that file is the foie poffefibr of wif- dom, takes ail others for fools 5 and nearly re¬ fembles the inhabitants of the Marian iflands, who, being perfuaded that theirs was the only language in the univerfe, concluded from thence, that all other men knew not how to (peak.
If a fage defeeflded from heaven, and in Ins condubf coniulted only the light of rea- fon, he would univerfally pais for a fool. He would be, as Socrates fays, like a phyii- cian, whom the paftry-cooks accufed before a tribunal compofed of children, for having prohibited the eating of pies and tarts ; and would certainly be condemned. In vain
■j
would this fage fupport his opinions by the lirongeft demonftrations ; ail nations would be, in refpeft to him, as the nation of hump¬ backed people, among whom, as the Indian fabulifts fay, came a god, beautiful, young, and well-proportioned. This god, they add, entered into the capital, where he was loon furrounded by a multitude of the inhabi¬ tants : His figure appeared extraordinary $ their laughter and taunts declared their afto- nifhment : And they were going to carry their affronts ftili farther, if, to fave him from danger, one of the inhabitants, who had doubtlefs feen other men that were not hump-backed, had not fuddenly cried out, O my friends ! what arc we going to do ? Let us not infult this unhappy piece of de¬ formity : If heaven has granted to us all the gifts of beauty; if it hr s adorned our backs with a mountain of flefii, kt us be filled with
FOR JULY, 1759.
gratitude to the immortals, repair to the temple, and return thanks to the gods. 1 his fable is the hiftory of human vanity. All ' people admire their own defeHs, and de- ipile the contrary qualities. _ To fucceed in any country, we mult carry the hump of the nation into which we travel.
There are in every country but few advo¬ cates who plead the caufe of the neighbour¬ ing nations ; few men who acknowledge in themfeives the ridicule they call upon ft ran¬ gers, and take example from I do not know what Tartar, who, on this iubjedt, had the addrefs to make the Great Lama himfelf blufh at his injuftice.
This Tartar had travelled through the north, v in ted the country of the Laplan¬ der's, and even purchafed a wind of their forcerers. On his return to his native coun¬ try, he related his adventures ; and the Great Lama, refo lying to hear him, was ready to burft his fkles with laughing at his ftory. Of what folly, cried he, is the human mind capable! What fantaftic cuftoms! Ho vv^ cre¬ dulous are the Laplanders ! Are thefe men ? Yes indeed, replied the Tartar : I might in¬ form you of fomething even flail more firr- prifing. Thefe Laplanders, with their ridi¬ culous wizards, laugh no Ids at our creduli¬ ty than thou doft at theirs. Impious! cried the Great Lama, dareft thou pronounce this blafphemy, and compare my religion with theirs ? Eternal father, replied the Tartar, before the fecret impohtion of thy hand on my head had walked me from my fin, I would have reprefented that thou oughteft not to have engaged thy fubjedts to make a profane ufe of their reafon. If the fevere eye of examination and doubt was fpread over all the objects of human belief, who knows whether thy worfhip itfelf would be •flickered from the raillery of the incredu¬ lous ? Perhaps thy holy urine, and thy facred excrements, which thou doft diftribute in prefents to the Princes of the earth, would appear lets precious ; perhaps they would not find they had ftill the fame favour : They would no longer put it powdered into their ragouts, nor any longer mix it in their fauces. Already, in China, does impiety deny the nine incarnations pf Vifthnou. Thou, whole penetrating view comprehends the paft, the pfefent, and the future, haft often repeated it to us : It is to the talifman of blind belief that thou owe ft thine immor¬ tality, and thy power on earth : Without this inti re fubmiflion to thy doctrines, thou wouldeft be obliged to quit this aboad of darknefs, and afeend to heaven, thy native country. Thou knoweft that the Lamas, fubieci to thy power, are one day to raife altars to thee in all the, countries ’ of the
world. Who can affure thee, that they will execute this project, without the aftiftance of human credulity j and that without it, inquiry, which is always impious, will not take the Lamas for Lapland wizards, who fell winds to the fools that buy them ? Ex¬ cuse then, O living Fo, the difeourfe dic¬ tated by my regard for thy worfhip ; and may the Tartar learn of thee to r effect the ignorance and credulity which heaven, ever impenetrable in its views, feems to ordain in order to make the earth fubmit to thee.
Few men perceive the ridicule of theii* own nation, which they cover from the eye of reafon, while under a foreign name, they laugh at their own folly : But there are ftill fewer nations capable of improving by fuch advice. All are io fcrupuloufiy attached to the intereft of their own vanity, that in every country they give the title of wife only to thole who, as Fontenelle fays, are the fools of the common folly. How fantaftic foever a fable is, it is in feme nations believed, and whoever doubts of its truth, is treated by that nation as a fool. In the kingdom of juida, where they adore the ferpent, what man dare deny the tale which the Marabouts tell of a hog, which, fay they, infulted the divinity of the ferpent, and eat him up ? An holy Marabout, they add, perceived it, and carried his complaints to the King. In an inftant, fentence of death was palled upon all the twine : The execution followed, and the whole race was going to be extirpated, when the people reprefented to his Majefty, that it was not juft to punifh fo many inno¬ cent fwine for one guilty hog. Thefe remon- ftrances fufpended the Prince’s wrath 5 they appeafed the Grand Marabout ; the mafia* ere ceafed, and the hogs were ordered to be¬ have with more refpeft to the Deity for the future. Thus, cry the Marabouts, the fer¬ pent, to be revenged on the impious, kind¬ led the wrath of (Lings, that the whole uni- yerfe might acknowledge his divinity, his temple, and his high-prjeft, at the order of the Marabout appointed to ferve him, and pf the virgins ccnfecrated to his worfhip,. If, retired at the bottom of his fin 61 u ary, the ferpent-god, invisible to the fight even of the King himfelf, receives not his queA, tions, and makes no anfwer to his requefts, but by the mouth of the prieft, it is not for mortals to pry into thefe myfteries with a profane eye ; their duty is to believe, to urofirate themfeives, and adore.
a J
In Afia, on the contrary, when the Per- fans, ftained with the blood of the ferpents faerificed to die God of goodnefs, and ran to the temple of the Magi, to bpaft of this act of piety, can it be thought, that, if a man haft .(topped them, in order to prove the ridicu-
lonfnefs
THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE
S'
loufnefs of their opinion, he would have been well received ? The more foolilh an opinion is, the more it is praife -worthy, and the more dangerous it is to prove its folly.
Thus, Fontenelle was accuftomed to lay, that, c If he held every truth in his hand, he would take great care not to open it to Ihew them to men.’ In fac’c, if the dilcovery of one truth alone, even in Europe, threw Ga¬ lileo into the prifons of the Inquilition, to what punifhment would he be condemned who revealed them all ?
Among the rational part of my readers, who at this inftant laugh at the folly of the human mind, and are filled with indignation at the treatment of Galileo, perhaps there is not one who, in the age of that philofopher, would not have foilicited for his death : They would then have been of different fdn- timents ; and in what cruelties are we in¬ volved, when barbarity and fanaticifm are united to our opinions ? How has this union deluged the earth with the mod dreadful evils ! and yet it is an union that it muft be equally juft, ufeful, and eafy to diftolve.
In order to learn to doubt of our opinions, it is fufficient that we examine the powers of our minds, confider the pifture of human follies, and recollect, that, 600 years after the eftabliftiment of univerlities, there arofe an extraordinary man [Defcartes] who was persecuted by the age in which he lived, and at length placed in the rank of demigods, for having taught men to admit nothing for truth of which they had not clear ideas 5 few
men were capable of knowing the extent of this principle; for, among the greatefb part of mankind, principles include no confe- quences.
However great the vanity of mankind may be, it is certain, that, if they frequently call to mind fuch faffs ; if, like Fontenelle, they often fay to themfelves, 1 No-body ef- capes from error, and am I alone infallible? May I not be deceived in thofe very things which I maintain with the greateft fanati¬ cifm ?’ If men had this idea habitually pre- fent to their minds they would be more oil their guard againft vanity, more attentive to the objections of their adversaries, and bet¬ ter prepared to receive the force of truth ; they would be more mild, more inclined to toleration, and doubtlefs would have a let’s high opinion of their own wifdom. Socrates frequently repeated, ( All that I know is, that I know nothing.’ In our age we know every-thing, except what Socrates knew. Men would not be fo often furprifed into error, were it not for their ignorance ; and their folly is in general the more incurable, from their believing themfelves wife.
This folly, which is common to all na¬ tions, and is in part produced by their vanity, makes them not only defpife the manners and cuftorns that are different from their own, but makes them alfo regard, as a gift of na¬ ture, that fuperiority which fome of them have over others ; a fuperiority that is folely owing to the political conftitution of their nation.
An Hiforical Account of the Proceedings of the lafi Sejfion of Parliament.
THIS feflion was opened on Thurf- day, the 23d of November, 1758, by a fpeech of the Lords Commifiioners, appointed by his Majefty, which was deli¬ vered by the Lord Keeper to both Houfes (See Vol. XXIII, page 265) and addreftes of thanks were unanimoufly agreed to by both Houfes, and the ufual Committees appointed.
On the 28th, the Commifiioners of the Cuftoms prefented to the Houfe, purfuant to feveral afls of Parliament,
No. 1. An account of prohibited Eaft- India goods brought into the Eaft- India warehoufes in St. Helen’s, in the port of London, fmce Michaelmas 1757} alfo what have been exported from that time, and what remained at Michaelmas 1758; and alio
No. 2. An account of prohibited Eaft- India goods brought into the Eaft- India warehoufes at Leadenhall, in the port of London, fince Michaelmas 1757 ; and alfo what h^ye been exported from that time*
and what remained at Michaelmas 175S ; and alfo
No. 3. An account of prohibited Eaft- India goods remaining in his Majefty’s warehoufe in the port of London, at Mi¬ chaelmas 1757; what have been fince brought in, what exported, as alfo what remained at Michaelmas 1758 ; and alfo No. 4. An account of Eaft- India goods, prohibited to be worn in this kingdom, ia the refpeflive warehoufes, in the out- ports, at Michaelmas 1757 ; what have been fince brought in, what exported, as alfo what remained at Michaelmas 1758 ; and alio No. 5. An account of prohibited Eaft- India goods, which have been delivered out of the warehoufes at St. Helen’s, Leaden- hall, Billher lane, and Cuftonr houfe, in- the port of London, fince Michaelmas 1757, in older to be dyed, glazed, &c. what have been returned, and what remained out of the laid warehoufes at Michaelmas 1758} and alfo
N.o. 6. An account of naval ftotes im¬ ported
FOR JULY, 1759.
jpcrted from Ruffiainto the port of London, from Michaelmas 1757* to Michaelmas 1758; and alfo
No. 7. An account of naval ftores im¬ ported from Ruffia into the ports of Eng¬ land (commonly called the out ports) from Michaelmas 1757 to 1758 ; and alfo
No. 8, An account of the number of fhips which have been employed in the whale fifhery to Davis’s Streighrs and the Green¬ land feas, with their refpeftive names and burthens, from whence they were fitted out* and at what pert in Great Britain they were difeharged $ and alfo what quantity of oil or whale fins each 111 ip has imported in the year 1758.
On the 29th, Sir John Philipps (accord¬ ing to order) reported from the Committee of the whole Houfe, to whom it was refer¬ red to take into confederation an aft, made in the laft feffion of Parliament, intitled * An aft: for continuing certain laws, made in the laft feffion of Parliament for prohi¬ biting the exportation of corn, malt, meal, flour, bread, bifeuit, and ftarch $ and for prohibiting the making of low wines, and fpirits from wheat, barley, malt, or any other fort of grain, or from meal or flour j and to allow the tranfportation of wheat barley, oats, meal, and flour to the Ifle of Man, for the ufe of the inhabitants there j and for reviving and continu¬ ing an aft, made in the fame feflion, for difeontinuing the duties upon corn and flour imported, and upon corn, grain, meal, bread, bifeuir, and flour taken from the enemy 5 and to permit the importation cf corn and flour into Great Britain and Ire¬ land in neutral ftiipsj and to authorife his Majefty, with the advice of his Privy- council, to order and permit the exporta¬ tion of fuch quantities of the commodities aforefaid, as may be neceflary for the fuf- tentation of any forces in the pay of Great Britain, or of thofe of his Majefty ’s allies, afting in fupport cf the common caufe ; and to prohibit the payment of any bounty upon the exportation of any of the faid com¬ modities to be made, during the continu¬ ance of this aft.’ The refolutions, which the Committee had direfted him to report to the Houfe, were as follow :
That it is the opinion of this Committee, that fo much of the aforefaid aft, as relates to the exportation of corn, malt, meal, flour, bread, bifeuit, or ftarch, which was to continue in force to the 24th day of De¬ cember, 1758, be continued to the 24th day of December, 1759 5 fubjeft neverthe- Jefs to luch provilions for fhortening the laid term of its continuance, as fliall here¬ after be made by any aft of this feffion of
Parliament, or by hrs Majefty, by an d with the advice of his Privy Council, during the recefs of Parliament.
That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the aft made in the thirtieth year of his Majefty’s reign, intitled, 4 An aft to dif~ continue, for a limited time, the duties upon corn and flour imported ; and alfo upon fuch corn, grain, meal, bread, bif¬ euit, and flour, as have been, Ir fhall be taken from the enemy, and brought into this kingdom,’ which, by an aft made in the laft feffion of Parliament, was to have continuance to the 24th of December 1758," is not proper to be further continued.
That it is the opinion of this Committee,, that the aft made in the 30th year of his Ma¬ jefty’s reign, intitled, 4 An aft to prohibit, for a limited time, the making of low wines and. fpirits from wheat, barley, malt, or any other fort of grain, or from any meal or flour,1 which, by an aft made in the laft feffion of Parliament, was to have continu¬ ance to the 24th day of December 1758, be further continued to the 24th day cf De¬ cember 1759.
The two firft refclutions of the Commit¬ tee, being read a fecond time, were agreed to by the Houfe, nemine contradicente ; the laft refolution of the Committee, being read a fecond time, was alfo agreed to by the Houfe, and leave was given to prepare and bring in the fame.
The fame day* Mr. Samuel Martin having leave to move the Houfe, it was refolved.
That an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, that he will be gracioufly plea- fed to give directions for the ifluing, till fur¬ ther provifion can be made in Parliament for that purpofe, fuch money as fliall be found neceflary for the pay and cloathing of the militia, for the year 1759, according to the rates mentioned in an aft pafled in the laft feffion of Parliament, intitled, 4 An aft for applying the money, granted by Par¬ liament, towards defraying the charge of pay and cloathing for the militia, for the year 1758 j and for defraying the expen- ces incurred on account of the militia, in the year 1757 5’ and that this Houfe will make good the fame to his Majefty.
On the 30th, Mr. Charlton (according to order) reported from the Committee of the whole Houfe, to whom it was referred to con- fider of the fuppiy granted to his Majefty, their refolutions, which were as follows :
That 60,000 men be employed for the fea- fervice, for the year 1759, including 14,845 marines : Alfo, that a fum not exceeding four pounds per man per month be allowed for maintaining the faid 60,000 men, for 1 3 months, including the ordnance for fe$ fervice.
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On the i (l of December, 1758, Mr. Thompfon (from the office of Regifter- gene¬ ral of trading fhips) prefented to the Houfe, purfuant to their orders, a bock, intitled, * Lifts of the names of every fiiip in the merchants fervice, belonging to Great Bri¬ tain, returned from any of his Majefty’s Plantations, or foreign ports, to any port of Great Britain, from Chriftmas 1754 to Chriftmas 1757;’ and alfo a book intitled ‘ Lifts of the names of every fiiip or veffel belonging to the fubjefts of any foreign Prince or State, arrived in any port of Great Britain, from Chriftmas 1753 to Chriftmas 3 757*’
The fame day, the Lord Barrington pre¬ fented to the Houfe, purfuant to their addrefs to his Majefty,
An eft im ate of the charge of the guards, garrifons, and other his Majefty’s land for¬ ces, including thofe in Germany, and on an expedition under the command of Major-ge¬ neral Hopfon, for the year 1759; and alio
An eftimate of the charge of his M'ajefty’s forces in the Plantations and Gibraltar, for the year 17595 and alfo
An eftimate of the charge of four regi¬ ments and one battalion of foot, on the Irilh eftablifhment, ferving in North America and Africa, for the year 1759 5 and alfo . An eftimate of the charge of the General and Staff Officers, and Officers of the hofpi- tals, for the year 1759.
Mr. Earle prefented alfo to the Houfe, pur¬ fuant to their addrefs to his Majefty, an efti¬ mate of the charge of the office of Ordnance for the year 1759, land fervice.
The fame day, Mr. Cawne (Clerk to the company of Mercers of London) prefented to the Houfe a paper, intitled, i The ac¬ counts of the Wardens and Commonalty of the myftery of Mercers of the city of Lon¬ don, from the 10th of Oftober 1757 to the 30th of Oftober 1758.
On the 2d, Mr. Charlton reported (from the Committee of the whole Houfe, to whom it was referred to confider of ways and means for railing the fupply granted to his Majefty) their refolutions, which were agreed to by the Houfe, and are as follow :
That, towards raffing the fupply granted to his Majefty, the fum of four ihillings in the pound, and no more, upon lands, tene¬ ments, hereditaments, and perfonal eftates ; and alfo the fum of four fhilimgs in the pound upon offices and penfioms $ be raified in that part of Great Britain called England, Wales, and the town of Berwick upon Tweed, within the fpace of one year from the 25th day of March 17 59 5 and that a proportion - able cefs, according to the ninth article of k
the treaty of union, belaid upon that part of Great Britain called Scotland.
That, towards raffing the fupply granted to his Majefty, the duties on malt, mum, cy¬ der, and perry, which, by an aft of Parli¬ ament of the 31ft year of his Majefty’s reign, have continuance to the 24th day of June, 1759, be farther continued and charged upon ail malt which fhall be made, and all mum which fhall be made or imported, and all cyder or perry which fhall be made for fale within the kingdom of Great Britain, from the 23d day of June 1759 to the 24th day of June, 1760. — A bill or bills, purfuant to the faid refolutions, w«re ordered to be prepared and brought in.
On the 4th, Mr. Charlton prefented to the Houfe (according to order) two bilk, the firft for granting an aid to his Majefty by a land tax, to be raifed in Great Britain, for the fervice of the year 3759 ; and the fecond for continuing certain duties upon malt, mum, cyder, and perry, for the fervice of the fame year. — -Both were received, and read the firft time, and ordered to be read a fecond time.
On the 5th, the bills, prefented the fore¬ going day by Mr. Charlton, were read a iecond time, and committed to a Commit* tee of the whole Houle ; as were alfo the bills for continuing fo much of the aft as relates to the exportation of corn, &c. and for prohibiting the making of low wines, &c. The bill to continue, for a time to be limi¬ ted, an aft made in the laft feffion of Par¬ liament, for permitting the importation of falted beef, pork, and butter from Ireland, was committed, and the bill with amend¬ ments was ordered to be ingroffed.
On the 6tli, Mr. Hume prefented to the Houfe (according to order) a bill for the more effeftual manning of his Majefty’s navy, and for preventing defertion from the fame , as alfo for the relief and encouragement of Teamen and others belonging to fhips or vef- fels in the merchants fervice ; and the fame was received, and read the firft time, and or¬ dered to be read a fecoiid time, and the faid bill to be printed.
The fame day, Mr. Elliot (from the Com- miffioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain) prefented to the Houfe, purfuant to their addrefs to his Majefty, the ordinary eftimate of his Majefty’s navy, for the year 1759*
Mr. Elliot alfo (from the aforefaid Com- miffioners) prefented an account of the num¬ ber of men protefted by the faid Commif- fioners, from Chriftmas 1753 to Chriftmas 17 57, in obedience to an a6I of Parliament for the mcreafe of mariners and fearaen to
navigate
FOR JULY, 1759: 11
navigate merchant- fhips, and other fhips or vellels 5 and alfo an account of the number of men and boys protected, exclufive of thofe protefted by aft of Parliament, from Chrift- mas 1751 to Chriftmas 17575 fetting forth the different lervices for which fuch pcrfons were intended to be protefted 4 and diftin- gui filing the number protefted in each year.
The fame day, the Commons paffed the bill relating to the importation of Irifh pro- vifions.
The fame day alfo, refolved, nemine con- tradicente, that the thanks of the Houfe be giyen to Admiral Bofcawen and Major-ge¬ neral Amherft, for their fervices to their King and Country in North America 5 and alfo to Admiral Ofhorne, for his, in the Medi¬ terranean, and that Mr. Speaker %nify the fame to them.
On the 7th, the Chamberlain of the city of London prefented to the Houfe, purfu- ant to the directions of feveral afts of Par¬ liament, an account of the furplus of the fund for the relief of the orphans and other creditors of the city of London, on the 5th of July 17585 and alfo
An account of money received and paid, in purfuance of the aft to improve, widen, and enlarge the paffage over and through London bridge, from the 5th of December
1757 (exclufive) to the 5th of December
1758 (iriclufive.)
The fame day, the Commons palled a bill for dividing and inciofmg the common fields* Sec. in the parifh of Efton and county of Northampton.
The lame day, Mr. Earle prefented to the Houfe, purfuant to order, an effimate of the charge of the office of Ordnance, for the year 1759? land lervice 5 as alio, an ac¬ count of the number of perfons protefted by the principal Officers of his Majefty’s Ord¬ nance, from Chriftmas 1753 to Chriftmas
s 7 57'
The fame day, Mr. Charlton reported (from the Committee of the whole Houfe) their refoiutions as to the fupply granted to his Majefty, which were as follow :
That a number of land forces, including thofe in Germany and on an expedition un¬ der the command of Major-general Hopfon, and 4.000 invalids, amounting to 52,543 effeftive men, commiffion and non commii- f on Officers included, be employed for the fervice of the year 1759.
That a fum not exceeding' 1,256,130 b ics. 2 d. be granted to his Majefty, for de¬ fraying the charge of the 52,543 effeftive men, for guards and garrifons, and other his Majefty’s land forces in Great Britain, Guernfey, and Jerfey, for the year 1759.
That a fum not exceeding 52,484!. 1 s*
8 d. be granted to his Majefty, for the pay
of the General and General Staff Officers, and Officers of the hofpitals tor his Majeftyh* land forces, for the year 1759. *
That a fum not exceeding 742, 531 1. 5 s*
7 d. be granted to his Majefty, for maintain¬ ing his Majefty’s forces and garrifons in the Plantations and Gibraltar, and for provi- ftons for the garrifons in Nova Scotia, New¬ foundland, Gibraltar, Providence, Cape Breton, and Senegal, for the year 1759.
That a fum not exceeding 40,879 1. 13 s„
9 d. be granted to his Majefty, for defraying the charge of four regiments and one batta¬ lion of foot on the Irifh eftablifhment, ferving in North America and Africa, for the year 1759.
On the 8th, Mr. Tomkyns (from the Commiffioners of the Cuftoms) prefented to the Houfe, purfuant to their order, an ac¬ count of the quantity of grain and meal im¬ ported into England, from Michaelmas 1757 to Michaelmas 1758, diftinguifhing the fe¬ veral fpecies, the places from whence brought, and the ports at which imported.
The fame day, the Commons paffed a bill for granting an aid to his Majefty by & land-tax, to be raifed in Great Britain, for the fervice of the year 1759.
On the 9th, the Commons paffed a bill for continuing and granting to his Majefty cer¬ tain duties upon malt, mum, cyder, and per- ry, for the fervice of the year 1759.
The fame day, Mr. Tomkyns (from the Commiffioners of the Cuftoms) prefented to the Houfe an account of all corn, meal, malt, flour, bread, bifeuit, and ftarch, that have been exported to any place whatfoever, from the 30th of November 1757 to the 10th cf Gfteber 1758, purfuant to the afts of the 30th and 3 fit of his prefent Majefty, diftin* gui fhing the countries whereto exported.
The fame day alfo, the Lord Barrington prefented to the Houfe (by his Majefty 8 command)
An eftimate of the charge of 38,000 men, of the troops of Hanover, Wohenbuttel, Saxe Gotha, and Count of Buckeburg, from the 25th of December 1758 to the 24th of December 1759, both mclufive, being 365 days 5 and alfo „ _
An eftimate of the charge of the troops of the Landgrave of Heffe Caffel, in the pay of Great Britain, purfuant to treaty, for 9® days, from the 25th of December 1758 t® the 24th of March 17 59, both incluSve.
On the nth, Mr. Seddon prefented tti the Houfe a ftate of the proceedings of the? Commiffioners for building Weftminfter bridge, from the 6th of December 1 7 57 to the \oth of November 17 $8, iflftu live § and alfo
B z
Accounts
*2 THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE
Accounts of the Treafurer to the Com¬ miffioners for building Weftminfter bridge, from the ioth of Oftober 1757 to the 10th of Oftober 1758.
On the 1 2th, Mr. Charlton reported (from the Committee of the whole Houfe) their refolutions, which were agreed to by the Houfe, and are as follow :
That a fum not exceeding 220,789 b 11 s. 9 d. be granted to his Majefty, for the charge of die office of Ordnance for land fervice, for the year 1759.
That a fum not exceeding 323,987!. 73$. 3 d* be granted to his Majeity, for defray¬ ing the extraordinary expence of fervices per¬ formed by the office of Ordnance for land fervice, and not provided for by Parliament, in 1758.
That a fum not exceeding 238,4.91 1. 9 s. 8 d. be granted to his Majefty,Tor the or¬ dinary of the navy, including the half pay to fea Officers, for the year 1759. And That a fum not exceeding 10,000 1. be granted to his Majefty upon account, towards the fupport of the Royal hofpital at Green¬ wich, for the better maintenance of the fea- men of the faid hofpital, worn out and be¬ come decrepit in the fervice of their coun¬ try.
The fame day, the Commons palled a bill to. enable Chriftoper Codrington, Efqj to take and ufe the furname and arms of Bethell, purfoant to the will of Slingffiy Bethell, Efqj deceafed j as alfo
A bill to continue for a farther time the prohibition of the exportation of corn, malt, meal, flour, bread, bilcuit, and ftarch ; and alfo to continue for a farther time the pro¬ hibition of the making of low wines and ipirits from wheat, barley, malt, or any other fort of grain, or from meal or flour.
The fame day alfo, Doftor Hay (from the Commiffioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain) prefented to the Houfe an account of the number of men and boys protefted by the Commiffioners for viftualling his Majefty’s navy, from Chriftmas 1753 to Chriftmas *757-
On the 14th, the .Lords having agreed to the aforefaid bills, without any amendment, which were palfed by the Commons, the Royal affent was notified, by virtue of his Majefty ’s commiffion, to the faid bills, which are as follow :
An aft for granting an aid to his Majefty by a land-tax, to be rajfed in Great Britain, for the fervice of the year 1759.
An aft for continuing and granting to his Majefty, certain duties upon malt, mum, cyder, and perry, for the fervice of the year W9-
An aft to continue, for a limited time, an aft made in the laft fellion of Parliament, intitled, 4 An aft to permit the importa¬ tion of falted beef, pork, and butter from Ireland, for a limited time,’ and to amend the faid aft.
An aft to continue, for a farther time, the prohibition of the exportation of corn, malt, meal, flour, bread, bifcuit, and ftarch j and alfo to continue, for a farther time, the prohibition of the making low wines and ffiirits from wheat, bailey, malt, or any other lort of grain, or from meal or flour ; and, to prohibit, for a limited time, the making of low wines and fpirits from bran.
An aft for dividing and inclofing the common fields, common paftures, common meadows, common grounds, and wafte grounds, in the pariffi of Efton, in the county of Northampton.
The fame day, the Commons paifed a bill for dividing and inclofing open, arable, mea¬ dow, pafture, and wafte grounds, in the pa¬ riffi of Honington, in the county of War¬ wick.
On the 15th, the Commons pafled a bill for punifliing mutiny and defertion, and for the better payment of the army and theiy quarters.
On the 1 8th, Mr. Charlton reported (from the Committee of the whole Houfe, to whom it was referred to confider further of the fupply granted to his Majefty) their refolutions, which were agreed to by the Houfe, and are as follow :
That a fum not exceeding 398,697 1. 17 s.
2 d. L be granted to his Majefty, for defray¬ ing the charge of 38,000 men of the troops of Hanoyer, Wolfenbuttel, Saxe Gotha, and Coppt of Buckeburg, together with that of General and Staff Officers, aftually em¬ ployed againft the common enemy, in con¬ cert with the King of Pruffia, from the 2 5th of December 1758-to the 24th of December 1759, both inclufive, to be iffiaed in advance, every two months, in like manner as the pay of the Median forces now in the fer¬ vice of Great Britain j the faid body of troops to be muftered by an Englifh Commiffary, and the effeftive ftate thereof to be afcer- tained by the fignature of the Commander . in chief of the faid forces.
That a fum not exceeding 59,646 1. 1 s.
8 d. | be granted to his Majefty, for defray¬ ing the charge of 2121 horfe and 9900 foot, together with the G eneral and Staff Officers, the Officers of the hofpital, and Officers and others belonging to the train of artillery, the troops of the Landgrave of Hefi'e Caffel, in the pay of Great Britain, for 90 days, from the 25th of December 1758 to the 24th of March 1759, both indulge, together
with
FOR JULY, 1 759. ,3
with the fubfidy for the faid time, purfuant to Houfe, which was agreed to by the Houle, treaty. and as folio weth :
That a fum not exceeding 500,0001. he That a fum not exceeding 1,000,000 1. granted to his Majefty upon account, as a be granted to his Majefty, towards paying prefent lupply, towards defraying the char- off and difcharging the debt of the navy. & ges of forage, bread, bread- waggons, train On the a otlg Mr. Collingwood, Secretary of artillery, and of provifions, wood, draw, to the hofpital for the maintenance and edu- &c. and other extraordinary expences and cation of expofed and deferted young chil- cpntingencies of his Majefty’s combined dren, prefented to the Houle army under the command of Prince Ferdi- An account of what number of children nanc*' have been received into the hofpital, from
On the 19th, Mr. Julliott (from the Ex- the jft of June 1756, inclufive, to the nth chequer) prefented to trie Houfe, purfuant of December 1758, inclufive, diftinguiflimp- to order, an account of the income of the the years j and alfo an account of the num~ fund for paying annuities, granted anno ber of children now living ; and alfo the ages 1757, with the charge on the fame fund, &c. of all the children, received within that pe- The lame day, Dr. Hay (from the Com- riod, at the times of their reception ; and alfo mi hi oners for executing the offioe of Lord An account of what number of children High Admiral of Great Eritain) prefented have been returned to their parents, or other to the Houfe, purfuant to their addrefs to perfons, and at what ages, from the 3 1 ft of his Majefty, an eftimate of what may bene- December 1757 to the 9th of December celfary for the buildings, rebuildings, and 17585 and alfo
repairs of his Majefty s ftiips, for the year An account of what wet and dry nurfes *759* # have been employed in the care of the chil-
Doftor Hay alfo (from the faid Commif- dren, from the 31ft of December 1757 to fioners) prefented to the Houle, puriuant the 9th of December 1 7 5 8 j and alfo their older, ^ A paper, intitled, i The orders and re+
A paper, intitled, ‘ Accounts of the num- gulations eftablifhed, and now liibfilting, for ber of men and boys, proteaed by the pan- the government and management of the hof- cipal Officers and Commiffioners of his Ma- pital 5 and alfo
jefty^ navy, from Chriitmas 1753 to Chrilt- An account of all the monies received and mas 1757, fetting forth the different fer- paid, on account of the faid hofpital, from vices for which fuch perfons were intended the 3.1ft of December 1757 to the 9th of De- to be proteaed, diftingui filing the number comber 1758.
proteaed for Ihips outward bound, on dif- The fame day, Mr. Charltpn reported tant voyages or foreign countries, from thofe (from the Committee of the whole Houfe, for Ihips or v.efl’els making fhort voyages or to whom it was referred to confider of the ufmg the coafting trade 5 diltinguifhing petition of the Sheriffs, and of the Grantees bkewife thofe granted to boatmen, barge- of poft fines) their refolutions, which were men, or others, working on the water, in agreed to by thje Houle, and are as follow : imall-craft, together with thofe granted to That the method now ufed of colleaing private Ihipwrights, boatbuilders, riggers, poft fines is attended with unneceffary trou- or others, for the protection of artificers, ble and exper/ce, and often with great lofts feamen, labourers, or others, employed by to the feveral Sheriffs, whofe duty it is, at them 5 as alfo thofe granted to the artificers, prefent, to collect them 5 and
labourers, or others, working for his Ma- jelty’s fervice in and about his Majefty’s deck-yards 5 with the total number of per¬ fons protected in each year,’
The fame day alfo, Mr. Charlton reported a refolution of the Committee of the whole
That a more fpeedy payment of poft fines would be a great relief to the feveral Sheriffs, and would not be any inconvenience or lofts to the revenue arifing therefrom, or to the1 Grantees thereof.
[ To be continued. ]
’ Ely.
Account of the Cafe of a Boy troubled with convidfvc Fits , cured by the F) if charge of Worms. By the Rev. Richard Oram, 1/1. A. Chaplain to the Lord B if op oj Read before the Royal Society, Jan. 26, 1758.
From the Philofophical Tranfaclions, Vol. L.
JOSEPH, Ion of j ohn and IMary Poftle, tdl he was about (even years of ape.
of Ingham, m the county of Norfolk, bout that time, they began to attack him in vas fuhjeff to convulfive fits from his in- all the varieties that can be conceived: ancy 5 which were common and tolerable Sometimes he was thrown upon the ground 5
foinetimes
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THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE
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foraetimes be was twirled round like a top by them ; at others he would Ipring up¬ wards to a coniiderable height, Sec. and once he leaped over an iron bar, that was placed purpofely before the lire to prevent his falling into it. He was much burned ; but was rendered fo habitually ftupid by his fits, that he never expreffed the lead; fenfe of pain after this accident. His intelle6l was io much impaired, and almoft deftroyed, by the frequency and violence of his fits, that he fcarce feemed to be confcious of any thing. He did not acknowledge his father or mo¬ ther by any expreflions or figns 5 nor feem¬ ed to diftinguifh them from other people. If at anytime he efcaped out of the hou'e without the obfervation of the family, he had not underftanding to find and return to it ; but would purfue the direftion or road he firft took, and fometimes lofe himfelf. Once he was milling for a whole night ; and found, the next morning, in the middle of a fen, duck fait in mud as deep as his bread. He was very voracious, and would frequently call for fomething to eat ; which was the only indication he gave of his knowing any thing. No kind of filth or naftinefs can be conceived, which he would not eat or drink without didinbhon. He appeared to be as ill as he really was ; for he was become a mod fhocking fpebfacle. He was fo much emaciated, that he feemed to have no flefh upon his bones 5 and his body fo diftorted, that he was rendered quite a cripple. His parents confulted a phyfi- cian at Norwich, who very judicioufly (as it will appear) conlidered his dilorder as a worm-cafe, and preferibed for it accord¬ ingly ; but (being afraid, I prefume, to give" too violent medicines to the boy) with¬ out fuccefs. In Ihort, he was 1b fmgularly affiiHed, that his parents told me they could not help thinking him under fome evil in¬ fluence.
It was obferved, that his diforder varied, and grew worfe, at certain periods of the moon.
In thefe miferable circumbances the poor boy continued to languifh, till he was about eleven years of age (July 1757) when he accidentally found a mixture of white lead * and oil, which had fome time before been prepared for fome purpole of painting, let by on a flielf, and placed, as it was thought, out of his reach. There was near hair a pint of this mixture, when he found it ; and, as he did not leave much, it is thought he iwailowed about a quarter of a
pint of it. There was alfo fome lamp¬ black in the compofition ; which was added to give it a proper colour for the particular ufe it was intended for in painting. It was* as I fuppofe it ufualiy is, linleed oil, which had been mixed with the lead and lamp¬ black.
The draught began to operate very foon, by vomiting and purging him for near 24. hours in the mod violent manner. A large quantity of black inky matter was cl {char¬ ged ; and an infinite number of worms, al- moft as fmall as threads, were voided. Thefe operations were fo intenfe, that his life was defpaired of. But he has not only furvived them, but experienced a mod won¬ derful change and improvement after them ; for his parents allured me, in November 1757, when I faw him, that he had daily grown better, from the time of his drinking the mixture, both in body and mind. In¬ dead of a fkeleton, as he almoft was before, he is become fat, and rather corpulent ; and his appetite is no longer ravenous, but moderate and common. His body too is become ftraight and erecl. -His underftand¬ ing is at leaft as much benefited by this pe¬ culiar remedy. It cannot, be expected, that he fhould already have attained much know¬ ledge, as he leemed, before he was fo wonder¬ fully relieved, to be almoft deftitute of ideas. But he appeared, when I faw him, to have acquired nearly as much knowledge in four months, as children ufualiy do in four years ; and to reafon pretty well on thofe things which he knew. He is now capable of being employed on many occafions ; is often lent a mile or two on errands, which he difeharges as carefully, and then returns as fafely, as any per foil.
It is farther remarkable, that the boy’s mother, her father, and lifter, are frequently infefted with worms. Her father, though about 60 years of age, is ftill much trou¬ bled with them ; the worms, which he voids, appear flat, and much larger than thole, which his children have obferved. Her lif¬ ter is often exceedingly difordered by them. About three months fince they threw her into violent convulfions, and, for fome time, deprived her of her fenfes ; but the mother of the boy has been affefled in a more ex¬ traordinary manner than the reft. About 20 years ago, fire voided fome worms, which forced their way through the pores of the fkin, as it is fuppofed 5 for they were found in fmall clufters under her arms. As fhe was very young then, fhe does not remem-j
* It is not improbable, that a confidcrable portion of whiting might be ufed inftead of pure whiwj leach which is frequently done ; and this liippofition is favoured by the mixture’s not proving 'fatal to the bov, as inch a quantity of white lead in all probability would,
bei
FOR JULY, 1759. 75
Iber how She was particularly affected 3 only ufually attack her in bed, and lad three or Bthat die buffered violent druggies and con- four minutes 5 but She cannot certainly fay, millions. She is dill, about five' or fix times though there is very little reafon to doubt, iin a year, feized with fainting fits, which that they are occafioned by worms.
An Account of the fame Subject, in a Letter from Mr. John Gaze, cffWalket, in the County off Norfolk, to Mr. Wm, Arderon, F. R. S. Communicated by Mr. Henry Baker, F.R.S, Read before the Royal Society, Jan. 26, 1753.
From the Philofophical Tranfadlions, Vol. L.
JOSEPH Podle, fen of John Podle, of Ingham in Norfolk, until about the ;age of feven years, was an healthy, well- llooking child ; but, about that age, was laffiiffed with doppages, which often threw him into convulsive fits, and at lad rendered him quite an idiot. He continued in this condition for about four years, eating and drinking all that time any thing that came in his way, even his own excrements, if not narrowly watched. His father took the ad- vice of Several eminent phyficians, both at Norwich and elfewhere ; but all their pre- feriptions proved of no Service.
About the beginning of Auguft lad, he (happened to get at a pamtmg-pot, wherein
there was about a pound of white lead and lamp-black, mixed up with linfeed oil. This he eat aimed all up, before he was disco¬ vered. It vomited and purged him, and brought away prodigious numbers of final! worms. In a few days he grew well, his denies returned, and he is now able to give aS rational anfwers as can be expedled from a boy of his age. His appetite is good, he is very brifk, and has not had the lead re¬ turn of his former disorder.
I heard of the above by feveral people 5 but, not being fatisfied, got my friend to go to Mr. Podle’s houfe, of whom he had the foregoing account.
January 12 th, 175S.
OCCASIONAL LETTERS. Letter LXVIII.
Vc prevent the mifiaken Notions fame may entertain from the Reading of M. de Voltaire’
Candid, or All for the Bed.
Whatever is, is Right.
POPE.
I D I C U L E very often works its way, and obtains its end more effectually, than a ferious difeourfe 3 Such is M. Vol¬ taire’s attempt (in his { Candide, ou f Opti¬ mism’) to fet in a ridiculous light the notion, that f All things are for the bed 3’ whereby the wife conduct of the divine Providence, in the adminidration of this world, feems to be called in quedion. Weak minds are but .too apt to receive ill impreffions from mggedions of this fort 5 and it is therefore the follow¬ ing animadverfioiis, in opponton to M. Vol¬ taire’s fentiments, are inculcated, which, it jis hoped, will not be found amifs.
At he ids, meaSuring the infinite power and wifdom of God with their own weaknefs, believe no more than they know ; and call 111 quedion the providence and judiceof God, becaufe they cannot comprehend the reafon of his fecret judgments. Nothing is more apparent to the underftanding and eyes of men than the execution of God’s justice here on earth, yet nothing is more abftrufe, in¬ scrutable, and incomprehensible than his judgments : St. Paul * cries out, c O the depth of the riches both of the wifdom and knowledge of God ! How unfearchable are
* Rom. chap. xi. 33, 34!
his judgments, and his ways pad finding out ! For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his Counfellor ?' Whereupon St. Augudine fays, c Doff thou Seek a reafon of God’s judgments ? I, for my part, fear and tremble at them : Reafon • and argue thou, and I will wonder and ad¬ mire ; difpute thou, and I will believe : I fee the pit, but cannot found the depth ; and, feeing the Apoftle fays, that the ways of God cannot be found, thinkeft thou to find them out ? To feareh things infcrutable is as im¬ possible as to fee things invifibie or to fpeafc things ineffable.’ Thus this learned Doc ¬ tor acknowledges his own weaknefs and in- capacity, though, for diarpnefs of wit, excel¬ lent knowledge and learning, both human and divine, and other notable gifts of nature, he was- inferior to few that lived, either be¬ fore or after him 3 yet, now, every jangling fophider, witling metaphysician, and poor grammarian, plunges himfelf boldly into the depths of God’s facred counfels ; and either mud have a reafon of them, or will deny his- ju Price, providence, and Deity, mot consi¬ dering in the mean time how little men know, or even can conceive, of the common and
Aug. de Verb. Apod, fair, 20,
3 *
trivial
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trivial things which are daily before their eyes.
Ignorance undoubtedly is the parent of atheifm, it being evident, that the only rea- ibn why atheifts call in queftion the providence of God, is becaufe they cannot account for his judgments ; hence they argue as a blind man, who would prove that the fun does not Ihine, becaufe he does not fee its light. But let us examine fome of their principal arguments, which confift in the following points :
If God, fay they, has care of men, and is alfo infinitely wife, bountiful, and omni¬ potent, why does he fuffer lb much evil and mifchief in the world ? Why is innocence oppreffed, truth obfcured, virtue neglefled, vice embraced, good men defpiled, wicked men honoured and advanced, and thofe who ferve God bell, frequently more oppreffed and afflibled than his greateft enemies ? Either, add they, God can remedy this, and will not, or he would and cannot, or he neither can nor will, or he both can and will : If he can remedy it, and will not, he is not infinitely good and bountiful ; if he would, and can¬ not, he is impotent and weak ; if he neither can nor will, he is neither omnipotent, nor infinitely merciful and good, and confe- quently not God ; and, if he can and will, why does he not remedy fuch great incon- veniencies ? Why does he not exterminate all evil out of the world, cherifh and honour his friends, punifh his enemies, advance virtue, fupprefs vice, and maintain and lup- port innocency and truth ? And why does he fuffer fuch confufion as we daily fee in mens affairs, by reafon of the uncertainty of good and bad events, which are common to all men alike, whether juft or unjuft ; wherein, according to them, there rather appears mere chance and cafualty than a divine providence.
Thefe arguments may be reduced to one general head, which is the permiffion of evil : All evil, as St. Auguftine * fays, confilfs * In peccato, vel in poena peecati,’ Either in fin, or in the punifhment of fin ; either in the offence of God, or in the mifery juftly inflicted by God on men for the fame ; and all fin proceeds from man’s free will, as the fame Dodtor f affirms in thefe words : c The free will of man is the caufe cf all the evil in the world.-’ For the clearing up of thefe difficulties, and the explanation of this whole matter, it will be neceffary to confider two things — Why God gave free will to man, and how it could ftand with his mercv and godnefs to liifler man to be tempted, know¬ ing that he would abide his free will, and
* Aug. de vera Religione, cap. xii. Sc xxiii.
J Aug, de Civif, Dei, lib, xxii, c. i.
confequently incur his indignation, and draw upon himfeif all that mifery which has lince fallen upon him.
Many reafons and proofs may be all edged in regard to tho caufes why God gave free will to man : Firft, the dignity of man’s nature required it ; for it pleafed God not only to create him of an intelligent and rea- fonable nature, and to his own image $ but all’o to make him Lord of the earth, and of all earthly beings, and, as it were, his vice¬ gerent over them. It was mod convenient likewife for man to be Lord of his own willy that is, not to be moved to work by necef- fity or compulfion, as other creatures his inferiors ; but freely and by eleftion of his own will, as by it, and by his underftanding, he became the image of God, his Lord and Creator ; and therefore it appears it was mod honourable for him, and requilite to the dig¬ nity and excellency of his nature, to have free will.
Secondly, God gave free will to man, that it might thereby appear, that, though he or¬ dained man for his fervice, he had no need of him; whereas men, the more need they have of their fervants, the more they feek to bmd them to their fervice, and deprive them of liberty and freedom of will ; but God, meaning to drew he had no need of man, gave him free will to do what he would.
Thirdly, That thereby his juftice and equity might appear, in rewarding and pu- nulling every man according to his deferts ; which could not take place, if man had not free will.
Fourthly, To fhew his infinite bounty, in propofing to man fo high a reward as ever- lafting glory, to be obtained by the means of free will, affifted with his grace.
Fifthly, That the endlefs treafure of his riches might appear, byr not appointing or ordaining for man any certain meafure or limits of his rewards, but by giving him freewill to obtain, with the help of his grace, as much as he defired.
Sixthly, To fhew his omnipotency and infinite wifilom in governing the affairs of men, the freedom of their wills being in no refpeft able to hinder the execution of his 5 for all the adlions of men, though never fo voluntary or freely done, and even the ac¬ tions of wicked men, finally concur to the working of his holy will, through the ad¬ mirable difpoiition of his divine v.dfdom and omnipotency, acting in fuch manner as a man would that was able to direft the arrows of all the archers in the world to hit one butt, though all ffiot at rovers, or at an infinity of fiindry marks : This St. Auguftine £ fig-
*f Rctraffat, cap. ix. & de Lib, Arbit. cap. i„
nifiex
4 4'
ruffes when He fays, 4 Many things are done fcy ill men again ft the will of God $ but fuch is his wifdom and power, that all thole things which feem to be contrary to his will do finally tend to thofe ends which he of his bounty arid juftice has foreleen arid or¬ dained,’
Other re afons might be added $ but by thefe it fufficiently appears that it was mbit
convenient for man to have free will, not
only tor the glory of God and the manifef- tation of his infinite power, wifdom, juftice, and mercy, but alfo for the dignity of" man’s nature, and his exceeding great advantage.
How it could ftand with God’s infinite goodnefs to fuller man to be tempted, know¬ ing he would fall into fin and mifery 5 it may be firft laid, that God herein did man no injury, having given him fufficient means to overcome with eafe the temptations of hi$ ridverfary, Beiides free will, he gave him the light of underftanding, reafon, and con- fcience, ever moving him to good, to which
FOR JULY, x759, 1 7
dom was determined to draw out of the fame.’
The firft good or benefit, accruing from man’s fin, is, that the world itfelf becomes thereby much more perfefl ; for though evil, confidered in itfelf, is hateful and loathlome, yet, when compared with other things necef- fary to the compofition of the world, we lliall find it in feveral refpe&s convenient for the farne.The very nature and condition of earthly things feem to require a mixture of good and bad. Heaven containing nothing but good¬ nefs and felicity, and hell nothing but ill and mifery, it was very convenient that this our terreftrial world, which is between both, fhould in fome degree participate of both ; wherefore St. Auguftine || fays, 4 That God made three habitations, or manfions, the higheft, loweft, and middlemoit, of which tire two extremes are altogether' contrary, and
that in the nfidft has a great affinity or like
nefs to both extremes.
God having compofed the world of con¬ traries, as of jarring elements, dlfagreeing
he alfo incited him by the promife of reward qualities, of moifture and drynefs, heat and for virtue, and terrified him with threats of cold, light and darknefs, day and night, foft punifhments, in cafe he fhould tranfgrefs his and hard, high and low, it was convenient he law : Beiides, he was ready to affift him with fhould alfo permit the oppofition of evil to his grace, if he placed his confidence in him, good, that the good thereby might become as St. Auguftine * teaches : 4 Man was fo more confpicuous, eminent, and laudable 5
framed and ordained, lays he, that, if he for contraries, fet together, beautify each
a
had trufted to the help of God, he had over- other ; and, as a ffiadow in a picture, come the temptation of the bad angel/ little mole or wart in a beautiful face, or a
Secondly, Though God knew that man foil under a diamond* though of themfelves Would abufe free will to his own prejudice, imperfections, are, notwithftanding, orna- yet it was not convenient that he fhould ments in their compofition 5 fo fays St. Au- therefore exempt and free him afterwards guftine**, 4 That which is called evil, being from temptation 5 becaufe, as on one fide well ordained and difpofed in the univerfity temptation would be a great benefit to him of things, that is, in the whole world, does if he had refiifed it, as he eafily might have more eminently, or excellently, fet forth done if he would ; . fo alio, on the other, good things, to make them the more delight - when he fell, it miniftered to God fufficient ful and commendable.’ occafion ana matterto Ihew his infinitemercy, In another place, concerning this matter, juftice, wifdom, and omnipotence, in turn- he fpeaks to thispurpofeft ft ; 4 Thatas a man ing the fame both to his own glory and man’s of very ffiort fight, who looking on a great benefit ; for which reafon St. Auguftine ft table of inlaid-work, and not able to fee fays : 4 That, though God knew that man more than two or three little pieces, could would fin, yet he made him of a mutable not difcern the ingenuity of the workman, nature, and differed him to be tempted, be- in the compofition of the whole, but fhould caufe he forefaw what great good he would perhaps blame both the work and workman f draw out of his fall ; judging it to be better, fo it happens to ignorant men, whofe weak and .more for his glory and manifeftation of underftandings, not being able to comprehend his power, to do good by the occafion of evil, the great art ufed by God in the compofition than not to fuffer any evil at all to Happen.’ of the whole world, are often fcandalifed oir And St. Chryfoftom 1 to the fame effect fays confidering fome particular things : 4 Where - alfo : 4 God, who knows things to come, as, fays he, if they could lift up their eye? made man in his own image and likenefs, and to fee and confider the whole together, they gave him precepts, forefeeing both hi$ tranf- mould find everything wonderfully ordained, greffion and the great good his divine wif- and difpofed in due place and form.’
* Aug. de Civit. Dei, lib. xiv. cap, 27. ft Idem, lib. xxii. cap. I. j Chryfoft. hom. de Lapfu primi Komin,s, 10. [j Aug, de triplici Habitaculo. ** Ejufd, Encuind, ad Laur,
10. ft ft Ejufd, Lib, de Ordine, cap. 1, & Jib. ii. cap. 4,
Of
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Of thefe particulars we fee evident exam¬ ples in every man, every houfe, and every commonwealth : If we look to fome parts of men in themfelves, they are unfeemly and loathfome ; yet, conlidered with the whole body, are convenient and necelfary : The fame may be faid of fome homely places in the moil beautiful palaces, or or fome bafe and odious offices in commonwealths ; as of bailiffs, hangmen, and fitch-like, which are notwithftanding very neceffary 5 and St. Augufiine * fays, i What is more filthy than bawds and harlots ? Yet they are Sometimes neceffanly permitted in cities.’ What more offends the ear than a diicord in mufic ? Yet, well placed m a mufical compofitioh or per¬ formance, by mingling flats with fharps, it graces the harmony, and gives fatisfafhon to the ear : In like manner, all evils in the world, being regarded apart, feem incon¬ venient and abfurdj but, conlidered together with the univerfity of all other things, add to their confummation and perfection.
There is no evil in the world but good comes of it one way or other, whether tire evil be natural or moral. In natural things nothing is abfolutely evil ; for whatever is natural is of God, and consequently good : That which is againfl the nature of any thing, and helps or tends to its corruption, may be accounted evil in relpect to it ; but, the corruption of one thing being the gene¬ ration of another, it follows, that whatever is hurtful to one thing, that is, to that which it corrupts, the fame is convenient and good for that which is to be ingendered by it ; and Such is the providence of God in all his creatures, that there, is nothing in the world So vile or bafe, fo loathfome, flank¬ ing, or poifonous, but it is good for Some¬ thing, and Serves to fome ule or other, as daily experience fliews, in duff, afhes, dirt, and even the very ordure of men and beafts, which Serve to many good purpofes. The fame may be faid of poifons, which Some¬ times are made medicinal, and may Several ways be applicable to necelfary ufes 5 as, in fome countries, they have been ufed for the execution of juflice in punifhing malefaflors, inflead of halter, fword, water, fire, or other Inftruments of juflice.
The like appears in moral evils, I mean luch as proceed from the malice of men, as all fin or Sinful actions, which are commonly hurtful either to him that commits them or to fome other man $ and yet both ways al¬ ways turn to fome good or other. Could the love and good-will of Jofeph’s brethren have been of as much benefit to him as their malice and hatred, which were inftrumental
* Tip. lib. ii. de Ord. cap. 4. f Pint. Lib. cl i! Prod vui. u. * Laftant, Lib. de Ira Dei
to advance him to great honour and dignify 5 and does it not happen at other times, that one man, intent upon deftroying another, preferves his life ? This is verified by the teftimony of Plutarch p, in regard to the life of one Prometheus, which was Saved by his enemy, who, meaning to kill him, flabbed him with a fword, and lanced an irnpofihume within his body, which otherwife could ad¬ mit of no cure. In like manner, we have frequent examples that the malice of wicked againfl good men, in procuring their perse¬ cution, torments, and death, turns to their exceeding great benefit, and God’s great glory ; and whenever God penults any mif- chief or evil to fall upon ill men, by the ma¬ lice of others, the fame is either a warning for their amendment, and consequently an effect of God’s mercy 5 or elfe a due punifh- ment for their fin, and fo an aft of juflice, whereby he is glorified.
As to the fins of men, which are hurtful only to themfelves, they fometimes turn to their good, by making them fee their own weaknefs, and rely more than before on God’s grace and afliflance. Sometimes they Serve as examples to others : The fall of the Prophet David and St. Peter are warnings to make us vigilant how we truft to our own ftrength. Sometimes alfo men’s fins are pu- niftiments of fins, as in the Philofophefs of whom the Apoftle J lays, that God gave them over to a reprobate mind, as a punifliment of their ingratitude and idolatry.
Whatever way fin is committed it turns to God’s glory, as he either fliews his mercy in pardoning it, or his juflice in punifhing it ; and the infinite goodnefs and mercy of God affords tp man inch excellent remedies againfl it, that the benefits he receives by them, far furpafs the harms that proceed from evil : Such is the benefit of wifdom, of which Solomon || fays, c Wifdom is better than rubies ; and all the things that may be defired are not to be compared to it f for it teaches us to diftinguifh between good and bad, and inftrufls us in our duty to God, and confequently in the way to eternal fal- vation ; whereupon. Laftantius ** difeourfes admirably : 1 If there were no evil, nor dan¬ ger, nor any thing that could hurt a man in the world, all matter for wifdom to work upon would be taken away, and fo it would become unneceflary 5 for, if nothing were propofed to us but good, we fhould ft.and in no need of dilcourie, underflanding, knowledge, or reafon, as finding every thing befitting and commodious for us, whatever way we fhould turn. — If a rnan fhould bring infants, that have not the ufe of reafon, to a banquet of
Uiilitate capiendu ab Ininfids, } Rom. i. 28, cap. 13.
fweef
FOR JULY, i759. J9
fweet and wholefome meats, there would be virtue, of which all the force confifts in bear- no danger for them to eat of whatever their ing up againft or overcoming evil ;’ which eye or appetite ftiould induce them to; neither is confirmed by St. Chryfoftom J, where he for that purpofe would they require difcre- fays, < Take away the heap of evil out of ticn ; but, if there were feme nnwholefome the world, and there will be no fulnels of or poiloned meats among the reft, they might virtue ; take away perfecutors, and there will receive by them great prejudice or death, not be no martyrs; take away the lovers of being able to difcern between the one and the adultery, and chafte men will have no praife cthei. I herefote we lee, that we ftand in of per feel ion : Therefore, from the corn- need of reafon and wifdom, rather in refpeft pariion with ill men grows the commenda- of evil than of good ; and that God does not tion of the good.’
take away evil from us, becaufe he has given The excellency of virtue, and the benefits us fo great a remedy as wifdom, wherein arifmg from it, are not confpicuous only by there is far greater good and pleafure, than its comparifon with vice, but much more trouble and vexation in evil ; becaufe by from the confi deration of the rewards due to wifdom we come to know God, and by that it. Thefe rewards are far greater now, by knowledge we attain to immortality, which means of fin and the evils that flow from that is pci .ee v. feheny. ^ fource, than they could have been if man
Have we then the benefit of wifdom only had never finned nor fallen into mifery : to compenfate evil ; have we not alfo for Though he was ordained to eternal glory every evil a particular good, for every harm and would have enjoyed it, had he never fm- a help, for every lore a falve, for every vice ned ; yet he would not have had thofe op- a virtue, and for every malady an allured portunities and matter of reward he now has' remedy, if we pleafe to ufe it? St. Chry- by his continual combat and conflict with foftom * auures us that we have: ‘ All evils fin. Man’s life, as Job fays, is a warfare have their contrary goods, by which they upon earth, in which every foldier deferves may be overcome.’ By the virtue of chaf- a different honour and crown, according; to tity we fubdue all the vices of thefl efh ; by his different labours and valour (hewed humility we conquer pride ; by juftice we againft his enemies ; and in this refpeft the fupprefs all iniquity ; by liberality we over- Apoftle deferibes, as it were, a combat be¬ come avarice; and by fortitude and patience tween us and our enemy the devil, who af~ we triumph overall the naileries of the world, faults us with fiery darts and fpiritual arms Thefe and fuch other virtues being the pro- of wickednefs, and therefore he advifes us per ornaments of man, whereby he excels to take the whole armour of God, the breaft- bmte beafts, and is made like to God, fome plate of righteoufnefs, the fword of the Sni- of the chiefeft of them would be utterly ex- rit ; which he expounds to be the word'of tinguifhed, and the reft wholly obfeured, God, the fhield of faith, and the helmet of if there was no fin nor evil in the world. falvation : And of himlelf he fays, that he
For, if there were no paffions, _ no intern- had fought a good fight, and therefore ex-' perance, no injuries, no affliftions, how petted a crown of righteoufnefs, which the could there be any virtue of continency, pa- juft Judge had laid up for him, and all the tience, temperance, or fortitude, which faithful in general, further teaching that confift either in reftraint and fuppreffion of no man (hall be crowned except he’ftriye paffions, or in the buffering of injuries, or lawfully.
in the tolerating of miferies and afflictions ? But, if there were no fin nor temptation.
If there were no fins of the fleih, what com- there could be no fight, no fight no viftorv* mendation could be given to chaftity ? If and no victory no crown, whereby it appears there was no pride, who would be praifed what benefit redounds to man by fin/ and for humility? If no man was either covetous other evils, as, from the conqueft of them, or prodigal, who would be counted liberal ? refults the great glory which God will not For, as by darknefs we know the benefit of fail to beftow on his fervants. light, by pain the contentment of eafe and It is manifeft, from what has been faid, plealure, by ficknefs the treafure of health ; that both natural and moral evil can be well °, by the turpitude and loathfomenefs of and fully explained under one, good, boun- cice, we know the worth and excellency of tiful, merciful, juft, and all-wife’ God, virtue. _ _ without having recourfe to. the two prinej-
Therefore Lattantius f has this juft re- pies of the Manicheans, the confideration. nark : < If all evil were taken away, there of which will make the Abject of another would not remain fo much as any fign of letter.
* Chryfoft. in vi,. Matth. hom. xv, f Laftant. de IG, cap, xiii, J Chryfoft. hom. de papHAdami,
C 3 fthe
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THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE
The History of England (Vol. XXIV, Page 361.) continued.
During this whole reign, the King’s re¬ ligion was To great a fecret, that very few were acquainted with it 5 and therefore the King mpre boldly protefted his zeal for the Proteftant religion, and, on all occalions, declared he would maintain it againft the attempts of the Papifts. Thcfe proteftations might then have fome effeft, lince it is very natural for a King to favour his own reli¬ gion 3 but, f nee it had been certainly known that Charles II. was a Fapift, had abjured the Proteftant religion before his re¬ iteration, and profeffed, though fecretly, the Popiih religion 3 thefe l’o folemn and lo fre¬ quent proteftations muft be thought very ftrarige, being intended only to deceive his fubjefts.
After the Speaker was chofen, and ap¬ proved by the King, the Houle of Com¬ mons immediately diicoverea what was to be expefted from them, by expelling fome of their Members, for having been Abhorrers. But, not content with punching their own Members, they ordered an addrefs to be prelented to the King, to remove from all public offices Sir George Jefferies, Serjeant at law, Recorder of London, and Chief Juftice of Chefter, as guilty of the fame crime, and a betrayer of the rights of the Tub j eft.
As this was a new Parliament, and as the affair of the plot was to be refumed at the King’s own defire, the witneffes, who had already depofed, laid before the Houle their informations, and were joined by Dan¬ ger field, Jennifon, Dugdale, and one Tur- berville, a new evidence 3 feme likewife came from Ireland. Upon a report made to the Houle, that Dr. Tonge, who had firft djfcovered the plot to the King, had received r.o gratuity, he was now recommended to liis Majefty for the firft good ecclefiaftical preferment that fell in his gift 3 but the Doftor was hifappointed of the benefit of this recommendation, by leaving the world not long after. The King, on this occa- fion, difeevered no lefs zeal than the Com¬ mons, and iffued out a proclamation, with a promile of his pardon to any perfon who fhould, within two months, give farther in¬ formation and evidence concerning the hor¬ rid and execrable Popiih plot.
But this diffiraul alien was not capable of deceiving the Commons. Five days after the opening of the Parliament, the 2 6th of Oftober, the Lord Ruffe! moved, 1 That they might, in the firft place, take into con- fideration how to fupprefs Popery, and pre¬ vent a Popiih fuccelTor. He was feconded by Sir Henry Capel, brother to the Earl of
Effex, who, in a long fpeech, related what had been done to the prejudice of tire king¬ dom during the prefent reign. He aferibed the whole to Popiih counfels : He fpoke of the firft Dutch war 5 of the divifion of the fleet 3 of the affair of Chatham J of the fire of London 3 of the difeharge of the prifoners concerned in that wicked aft, without trial j of the violation of the triple league 3 of the feizing the Dutch Smyrna fleet before war was proclaimed 5 of the fecond Dutch war ; of the permilfton to the Irilh Papifts to wear arms 3 of the alteration of the government of Scotland, by lodging it in a Commif- lioner and a Council, befides an army of twenty thoufand men. He faid the Papifts were emboldened to aft any thing, by the hopes of having the Duke of York for King : That they were moreover encou¬ raged by the French Ambaffador, who, by his frequency at Court, Teemed to be rather one of the family, and of the King’s houl- hold, than a foreign Ambaflador 3 and, by his free recourfe to his Majefty, rather a prime Minifter of State of this kingdom, than a Counfellor to another Prince : That, fince all thefe irregularities and enormities proceeded from the Popiih party, fupported by the Duke of York, it was high time to think of fome effeftual expedient to prevent Popery and a Popiih fucceifor.
Several other Members fpoke to the fame effeft, fome more, fome lefs 3 and no man offered to vindicate the Duke, or fpeak in his behalf, till the Houfe came to the two following relolves, upon die zd of No¬ vember :
( 1. That the Duke of York’s being a Papiff, and the hopes of his coming fuch to the crown, hath given the greateft counte¬ nance and encouragement to the prefent de- figns and conlpiracies againft the King and the Proteftant religion.
( 2. That, in defence of the King’s per- fen and government, and the Proteftant reli¬ gion, this Houfe doth declare, that they will ftand by his Majefty with their lives and' fortunes 5 and that, if his Majefty Ihould. come to any violent death, which God for¬ bid, they will revenge it to the utmoft of their power on the Papifts.’
Upon thefe two votes, the Lord Ruffel moved for a Committee to bring in a bill to difable the Duke of York from inheriting the crown. This affair was now debated with great fpirit in feveral eloquent fpeeches on both Tides of the queftion . Thefubftance of what was urged for the bill was, that the evils which the kingdom had felt, and ftill laboured under, proceeded from Popiih coun¬ fels.
FOR JULY, 1759; 21
ftk, begun and beaded by the Duke of York: That the danger mu it be extreme, fiiouid he ever enjoy the crown : That it might be read in Scripture, 4 That one man ought to die for a nation, but not that three nations mould die for one man.’ The op- pofers of the bill offered not to (hew there was no danger in a Popifh King. This they were willing to fuppofe ; but pretended, that there were other expedients to prevent this danger, than that of exc Union : That, befides, it could not be expecled, that the Duke of York, and many others, would fu bruit to this law, the conieouence whereof would be a civil war, in which the Duke of Y ork would be fupported by all the Princes of Europe.
To this objection it was anfwered, That no expedient could be thought of to fecure the Protefiant religion under a Popiih Prince, who would have a Popifh Council, Popifli Judges, Popiih Magistrates and De¬ puty-Lieutenants, Popiih Commanders at lea and land, nay, and Popifh Biihops too. That the excluding the Duke from the fuc- ee (fi on was no depriving him of his right to the crown, of which he had rendered him- feif incapable, by embracing a religion con¬ trary to that of the kingdom 5 for a Popifh King and Protefiant fubjeois were irrecon- cileable.
The others replied, there was no law which, for a difference of opinion in religion, deprived any man of his right.
In conclusion, it was refolved, 4 That a bill be brought in to difable the Duke of York to inherit the imperial crown of this realm.’
Hitherto the Court party had only fkir- rnifhed, as I may lay, in hopes that an en¬ gagement might be avoided 3 but, when this vote had palled, and the bill was read the find time, Sir Leoline Jenkins, Secre¬ tary of State, flood up and argued direridy againit it, by alledging : ,
4 1. That it was contrary to natural juf- tice to condemn any man before the con- viflion, or the hearing of him.
4 1. It was contrary to the principles of our religion to difpoffefs a man of his right, becaufe he differs in point of faith.
4 3. He was of opinion, that the Kings of England had their right from God alone, find that no power on earth could deprive them of it.
4 4.. It was again!! the oath of allegiance, taken in its own fenfe, without jefuitical eva- fions ; which binding all perfons to the King, his heirs, and fuccefibrs, the Duke, as prefumptive heir, muft be underflood..’
The advocates for the bill anfwered to the firft objection, 4 That not only the Duke of
York’s interefls were concerned, but thofe of the whole kingdom 5 and that, if the Duke of York had withdrawn at the time the Parliament was going to meet, his ab- fence ought not to prevent their providing for the good of the kingdom.’ To the fe- cond objection it was anfwered, 4 That, in efiabhihing for principle, that difference of opinion in religion ought to be no caufe for difpcffefilng any man of his right, all the acts of Parliament, made fince the reformation, a^ainft PaDifts and fecfaries were condemn- ed, who, as fubj erics, had rights in common with the reft 3 of winch, neverthelefs, it was thought expedient to deprive them, on ac¬ count of the dangers to which the kingdom would be expofed, if they were left in the enjojnnent of them. That this was a max¬ im generally received in all ftates, Protefiant and Popiih. That it was very true, the fub- jerils of a different religion might be injured by being deprived of their rights j but that this injury proceeded not from, the Govern¬ ment’s having no right to take this precau¬ tion, but from taking it unfeafonably and groundlefly, through prejudice, pride, paf- lidn, revenge, and hatred.’ To the third objection it was anfwered, 4 That, allowing the principle, that the Kings of England had their right from God alone, it fhould at leaf! have been fpecified wherein confifted this right, and it would pever be proved, that the Kings of England were invefled with power from God to alter the conftitu- tion, or introduce a new religion at pleaflire. But, it by this right was underflood only that of the fucceffion, the principle was falfe, as might be proved by many inftances in the Englifh fucceffion ; for all the Kings and Queens fince Henry VII. mounted the throne by virtue of an aft of Parliament, which had fettled the fucceffion upon the pofterity of that Prince, and had fince been confirmed by others.’ It was replied to the fourth objection, 4 That the oath of allegi¬ ance, which bound the iubject to the King’s heirs and fucceffcrs, was to be underflood, when thofe heirs and fuccefibrs were on the throne, and not while they were yet fub- je£ls : But, fijppofing even the oath to be meant of an engagement to acknowledge for King the next heir, it certainly became void, if, that heir rendered himfelf incapable of fucceeding by his ill condufl. That the laws which impofed oaths had always in view a certain conftitution of government, which they fuppofed ccnftant and unalter¬ able, becaufe all cafes that might happen could not be forefeen. But that it could not be denied there were poffible cafes, in which thefe oaths would become intirely null 3 as, for example, if the prefumptive heir fhould
declare
22 THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE
declare openly again# the constitution of the State, and clearly discover, that he intended to alter it, when on the throne 5 and if, in that cafe, it was pretended the tub j eft was ftill bound, by his oath of allegiance, to this fucceffor, the plain meaning of the oath would be, Tfyat the fubjefts bound them- felves £0 Slavery, whenever the Prince Should think fit to impofe it ; which was abfurd : In fine, that the Parliament was the foie Judge of fuch cafes.
But the advocates for the bill, not con¬ tented with replying to Jenkins’s objections, added iikewife other reafons to demonstrate tlie legality, the expedience, the neceflity, of the exclusion of the Duke of York. They proved the firlt point by precedents taken from the history of England ; by which they demonstrated, that, on Several occasions, the Parliament had really difpoS’ed of the crown in a different manner from the ufual cuStom. Edward III. was acknowledged King, in his father’s life-time 5 and Henry IV, while Richard II. was Still living. The Parlia¬ ment, moreover, granted the crown to Hen¬ ry IV, and fettled the fucceffion in his posterity, contrary to the known and natu¬ ral right of the Eari of March, who was next heir to Richard II. Then they Settled the crown upon the Duke of York, and his posterity, after the death of Henry VI, tho’ Henry had a legitimate fon living. After the home of Y ork had enjoyed the crown for three fucceffive reigns, though that houfe had a numerous iitue, the Parliament tranf- i erred the crown to Henry VII, and his posterity. They gave a power to Hen¬ ry VIII. to name his fucceffors, and fettle the fucceffion as he Should think proper. Laitiy, on the fucceffion of James I. to the crown, though no aft was demanded by him to confirm his right, the Parliament, however, made one, in order not to lofe their own. As to the objeftion, ‘ That thefe Princes were poSTeSTed of the crown, when thefe afts were made j’ it ought to be ob¬ served, that, though they had the power in their hands, and were in pofleffion, they thought fit to demand the Parliament’s con¬ firmation, as a thing absolutely neceflfary to jiffiify their right. In fine, it was impof- iible for the Parliament, considered as con- fifting of King, Lords, and Commons, to aft any thing contrary to the laws, Since their power of repealing old, and enafting new laws, could not be disputed. That the fupreme and absolute authority refides in the Parliament, compofed of King and both Houfes : For what is the Parliament, but a body confiding of a].), the Members of the State, to which no power on earth hath a right to preferibe? To fay, therefore, that
the Parliament can aft unjuftly again# the laws, is to fay, that all the Members of the fame body may aft unjuftly to themfelves, and be refponfible for this injuftice 5 which is an abfurdity not to be defended.
As to the fitnefs and benefit of this bill, it was not neceffary to ufe many arguments to Shew, that it was expedient and fit, that the Government and religion Should be fe- cured, and the people delivered from their fears and fufpicions. It could not even be denied, that the exclufion of the Duke of York would be attended with thefe advan¬ tages. But, as it could not be fuppofed that the Duke of York, and his adherents, would Submit to this bill, which might occafion a civil war, wherein the Duke might be fup- ported by foreign aid ; to this objeftion it was anfwered, That it was better to hazard fuch a war, than he expofed to a more certain danger, namely, of feeing the laws and religion invaded by a PopiSh Prince.
But it was principally to demonstrate the neceSfity of the exclufion bill, that the ad¬ vocates for it displayed all their wit and elo¬ quence. They maintained, that all pre¬ cautions to limit the power of a PopiSh Prince would be fruitless, becaufe his pro- mifes and oaths could not be relied on, from, which the Pope, through a motive of reli¬ gion, could abfolve him. That, before the reformation, the reign of Henry VII. fur¬ nished very remarkable in fiances, and it did not appear, that Popes, fince the reforma¬ tion, had relinquished their principles. That, belides, the Duke of York’s zeal fox his re¬ ligion, and his principles concerning the Go¬ vernment, were well known, fince the let¬ ters of his Secretary, and his intimate union with France, had clearly Shewn he was not only difpofed to undertake any thing to fupport the interefts of his religion, but had even, for that end, engaged in meaSures very prejudicial to the State. That it was to PopiSh Councils, and to the Duke in par¬ ticular, thaf the two Dutch wars, fo con¬ trary to the interefts of England, were to be aferibed. That to him were ow¬ ing the non-execution of the laws made againfi PopiSh Recufants, the pernicious de¬ signs of the Cabal j and that Coleman’s let¬ ters made it as clear as the fun, that he was the chief author of the frequent adjourn¬ ments and prorogations of the Parliament, at the very time they were employed in feek- ing out expedients to fave Europe and the Prote Slant religion from certain ruin. Other arguments were alfo alledged- to prove, that all. the precautions which could be taken would be to no purpofe, when the Duke Should be on the throne. Firft, it. was faid, that his uni-on .with France would fupply ■
FOR JULY, 1759,
turn with money, without his being obliged to apply to the Parliament. That he might thereby maintain what forces he pleated ; and, h iving an army at his command, would be m after of the kingdom, and free to per¬ form, or not perform, the conditions on which he fhould be raifed to the throne. That with this army he might influence the elections, and procure ftich a Parliament as would fubvert all poflible precautions. That there was too much reafon to believe, that the late army had been raifed with this de- flgn, lince, being certain that it was not in¬ tended againft France, it could only be de- flgned againft the fubjefts. Nay, it was likely this was the intent of the expedient propofed, that, when the King fhould hap¬ pen to die, the Parliament then in being, or the laft that was in being, fnould aftemble and fit a competent time, without any new fummons or elections ; fo that, after the ex¬ piration of this competent time, the kingdom would fall into the inconvenience juft men¬ tioned. That, if the trar.faftions lince the Kang’s reftoration were confidered, it would be found, that nothing had been done, with relation to the Government, but what tended to fubvert it, and introduce Popery. That the Duke of York’s influence in the King’s Councils was well known : That, though he was abfent, his adherents and creatures enjoyed the principal places in the Court and kingdom, and that from him proceeded all the evils wherewith England was afflifted, and all the dangers the nation had to fear. That if, after fo manifeft a difcovery of his deligcs j after the laft teftimony of Bedloe on his death-bed 5 after ail the evidence of an execrable plot againft the State and reli¬ gion, the Duke’s fmcerity and flattering promifes were to be trufted, the confequence would be a too late and fruitlefs repentance. From thefe reafons, and many others, it was inferred, that the exclulion-bill was abfo- lytely nsceffary, and that the people juftiy oxpeiled from their Reprelentatives this ex¬ traordinary precaution, to free them from their fears.
The Court party were extremely embar- .raffed. There were fafts alledged againft the Duke, which could not be anfwered j and there were others which they durft not direftly deny, for fear of farther dilputes, at a time when the torrent ran fo high againft the Duke $ nay, very few ventured to ap¬ pear openly for him. Amongft thefe, were Sir Leoline Jenkins, Secretary of State 5 Mr. Hyde, a Privy-counfellor and one of the three who then managed the Duke’s affairs 5 Mr. Seymour, and one more. Sir Leoline Jenkins deflred the Houle to confider, ‘ That the Duke of York was the King’s brother, 9
3
and fon of Charles I, for whole memory the nation had a great veneration : That the Duke was inriched with excellent endow¬ ments, which he had employed in the fervice of the nation, by lighting their battles and defending them from the oppreffion of their enemies 3 and was only guilty of this one crime, which he hoped, upon a mature deliberation, would not deferve fo
great a condemnation.’ - He remembered
them, ‘ that there were laws already for the puniihment of the crimes he was accufed of $ and therefore humbly conceived they ought not to chaftife him, by making a new law
before any hearing.’ Mr. Hyde added, - -
‘ I do not know, that any of the King’s murderers were condemned, without being heard ; and mu ft we deal thus with the bro¬ ther of our King ?— — It would conlift much better with the juftice of the Houle to im¬ peach him, and try him in a formal way, and then cut off his head, if he deferve it. I will not (continued he) difpute the power of Parliaments $ but I queftion whether this
law, if made, would be good in itfelf. - .
f or aught I know, when you have made this law, it may have a flaw in it ; if not, I am confident there are a loyal party, which will never obey ; but will think themfelves bound, by their oath of allegiance and duty, to pay obedience to the Duke, if ever lie fhould come to be King, which muft occa-
flon a civil war.’ -
_ In the courfe of the debates on this bill. Sir Francis Winnington alledged, 4 That an aft of the thirteenth of Elifabeth made it trealon for any man to fay, that the Par¬ liament could not alter the liicceflion.’ To which Mr. Finch replied : £ I will not fay, that afts of Parliament cannot difpofe of the fucceflion, becaule it was made trealon by a ftatute in the 1 3th of Elifabeth ; but I will deny, that the Kings of England rule by virtue of any ftatute law, as was fuggefted 5 for their right is by fo ancient a preicription, as that it may juftiy be faid to be from God alone, and that no power on earth ought to difpute it.’
Though tins queftion was only acciden¬ tally railed, and carried no farther, I think it ought not to pals unregarded, becaule it ferves to difccver the two opinions among the Englifh concerning the fucceflion. Some believe, that, in extraordinary cafes, the Par¬ liament has power to dilpofe of the fuccef- flon, becaufe the Parliament is fuppofed to include the whole nation, from the King to the meaneft fuhjeft ; and it is abfurd to dif¬ pute the power of the whole nation, united ih one body, to order what is for their well¬ being, Others maintain, that the fucceflion is unalterable, and admits not of any
change,
THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE
24
change, either by the nation in a body, or by the Parliament : That, it this is done, it is unjuftly, and the parties concerned are not obliged to fubmit to the Parliament’s deci- fions : That fuch changes were never made, without cauung troubles and civil wars in the kingdom ; becaufe, as it is not in the power of the King to deprive the nation or the Parliament of their rights, fo neither is it in the power of the Parliament to deprive the next heir of the fucceffion, to which he is inti tied by nature and birth. This quef- tion has never been unanimoufly decided ; but each party maintain their opinion, and determine according to the ftrength of their reafons. In all appearance, this difpute will be ftill long continued.
At la!!, after feveral days debates, the exclufion-bill palled the Houfe by a great majority. This bill was much the fame with the other, brought in during the lad Parliament, only it had this additional claufe : £ That, during the life of James Duke of York, the a 61 Humid be given in charge at every affixes and general feffions, and read openly, in every cathedral, parifh- church and chapel, twice every year, imme¬ diately after divine fervice, that is to fay , on the 2 5th of December, and upon Eafter-day.1
While the Commons were proceeding on this bill, the King endeavoured to inter¬ rupt their debates by two meffiages : By the firft, he defired them to expedite fuch mat¬ ters as were depending before them relating to Popery and the plot; alluring them, that all remedies they could tender to him, con¬ ducing to thefe ends, Ihould be very accept¬ able to him, provided they were fuch as might confiit with preferring the fucceffion of the crown in the legal courfe of defeent.
Upon this meffage, an addrefs was pfe- fen ted to the King By the Houfe, in which they faid, ‘ That, though the time of their htting had not much exceeded a fortnight, yet they liad, in that time, not only made a conliderable progrefs in fome things a b fa¬ in tel y neceffiiry for the fafety of his Ma- jefty’s perfon, the effe6lual luppreffion of Popery, and the fecurity of the religion, lives, and eftates of his Majefty’s Protelfant fubjefts ; but, even in relation to the trials of the live Lords impeached in Parliament, they had fo far proceeded, as they Ihould in a Ihort time be ready for the fame. But they could not (without being unfaithful td his Majefty and their country) omit hum¬ bly to inform his Majelly, that their dilfD culties, even as to thofe trials, were much increaled by the evil and deftru6live coun- fels of thofe perfons, who advifed his Ma¬ jelly firlt to the prorogation, and then to the diffolution of the ball Parliament, at a time when the Commons were prepared for thofe trials ; as likewife bv the many and long prorogations of the prefent Parliament, before the fame was permitted to fit. That a principal evidence was unfortunately dead, between the calling and the fitting of the Parliament. That others had been taken off, or difeouraged from giving their evi¬ dence. To prevent the like inconveniencies for the future, they made it their humble requeft to his Majefty, that he would not buffer himfelf to be prevailed upon, by the like counfels, to do any thing which might occafion either the deferring a full difeovery of the plot, or the preventing the confpira- tors from being brought to fpeedy and ex¬ emplary juftiee and punilhment.’ — —
[To be continued.]
The compendious Syftem of Natural Hiffory continued , from VoL XXIV. Page 189,
Wiih the Indian Bullard coloured from Nature.
ITS height is calculated to be about 20 inches, in the a6lion or pofture in which it is drawn : It is a dimmer bird (having longer legs in proportion) than any other bird of this genus I have yet feen.
The bill is longer than in our Englilh buftard, and of a whitifh colour ; the eyes ax’e large ; the irides hazle-coloured ; the eye-lids alh -co loured ; the fides of the head, all round the eyes, are of a bright brown colour; the top of the head, and the whole neck, are covered with black feathers, hang¬ ing a little loofe, with narrow points ; the back, rump, and tail, are of a bright brown ; the feathers on the back have their middles black, with a finall powdering of the fame colour on their brown parts ; the tail has tranfverfe bars of black, with the like pow¬
dering on the intermediate brown bars ; from the tipper part of the back, the brown fpotted with black paffes quite round the lower part of the neck before ; all the covert- feathers of the wings are white, except that the fmaller feathers about the joint or bend are edged with black ; the quills, or greater wing-feathers neareffthe back, are brown ilh, with black fpots ; the middle quills are white, with tranfverfe bars and powderings of black ; the greater or outer quills have their outer webs white, their tips gradually becoming of a dark afh-colour ; the whole under fide, from the tranfverfe brown bar on the bread; to the cover.- feathers under the tail, is co¬ vered witli b ack feathers ; the legs are long, and the toes ihort in proportion : they are void of feathers a pretty way above the knees ;
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FOR JULY, 1759.
the toes are only three, all Handing forward, as in all birds of the bulfard kind 5 they are covered with fcales of a whitilh colour \ the claws are dufky.
This bird is a native of Bengal, in the Eaft- Indies, where it is called Churge. The annexed figure was taken from a drawing in the collection of the late worthy Dr. Mead, Phyfician to the King, and is the only figure I have ventured to introduce ijato this hiftory, of which I had not feen either the whole, or the principal parts, of the real thing in nature. I believe this to
be as genuine a piece, as if I had drawn it myfelf from life : It was drawn by the pro¬ curement of Mr. Cole, a Grentleman refuting in Bengal, who had particular obligations to Dr. Mead, and fent over to the DoCtor, as a return of .favours received, about 20 drawings of different birds of that country, which were attefted to be drawm ItriCtly from nature. I believe we have hitherto no ac¬ count of this bird, though it feems to be among!! the firft that would attract the no¬ tice of a curious obferver.
A Glimpfe of Pafioral Life , ihe Danger of Profperity9 and the Happinef of Solitude 5 nvith the Hifory of a Hermit . — From the Hifory of Ra&sELas, Prince c/'Abiflinia,
RA S S E L A S was flill eager upon his inquiries after happinels 5 and, having heard of a hermit, that lived near the lowed: cataraCt of the Nile, and filled the •whole country with the fame of his fanclity, refolved tovilit his retreat, and inquire whe¬ ther that felicity, which public life could not afford, was to be found in folitude 5 and whether a man, whole age ancl virtue made him venerable, could teach any peculiar art of fhunning evils, or enduring them.
Imlac and the Princels, his lifter, agreed to accompany him, and, after the necefiary preparations, they began their journey. Their way lay through fields, where fhep- herds tended their flocks, and the lambs were playing upon the pafture. ‘ This, faid the poet, is the life which has been often celebrated for its innocence and quiet \ let us pafs the heat of the day among the fhep- herds tents, and know whether all ourfearches are not to terminate in paftoral fimplicity.’
The propofal pleafed them 5 and they in¬ duced the fhepherds, by fmall prefents and familiar queftions, to tell their opinion of their own ftate : They were fo rude and ignorant, fo little able to compare the good with the evil of the occupation, and fo in- diftinCt in their narratives and defcriptions, that very little could be learned from them. But it was evident that their hearts were can¬ kered with difcontent ; that they confidered theml'elves as condemned to labour for the luxury of the rich 5 and looked up with ftu- pid malevolence toward thofe that were placed above them.
The Princefs pronounced with vehemence, that Ihe would never fuffer thele envious favages to be her companions ; and that flie fhould not foon be aefirous of feeing any more fpecimens of ruftic happinefs ; but could not believe that all the accounts of primeval pleafures were fabulous, and was yet in doubt whether life had any thing that could be juftly preferred to the placid grati¬
fications of fields and woods. She hoped that the time would come, when, with a few virtuous and elegant companions, fhelhould gather flowers planted by her own hand, fondle the lambs of her own ewe,1 and liften, without care, among brooks and breezes, to one of her maidens reading in the fhade.
On the next day they continued their journey, till the heat compelled them to look round for flielter. At a fmall di fiance they faw a thick wood, which they no fooiier entered, than they perceived that they were approaching the habitations of men^ The fhrubs were diligently cut away, to open walks where the fliades were darkeft ; the boughs of oppofite trees were, artificially in¬ terwoven 5 feats of flowery turf were raifed in vacant fpaces ; and a rivulet, that wan¬ toned along the fide of a winding path, had its banks fometimes opened into fmall ba- fons, and its ftream fometimes obftruCted by little mounds of ftone heaped together to increafe its murmurs.
They paffed flowly through the wood, delighted with fuch unexpected accommo¬ dations 5 and entertained each other with conjecturing what, or who, he could be, that, in thole rude and unfrequented regions, had leifure and art for fuch harmlefs luxury.
As they advanced, they heard the found of mufic, and faw youths and virgins dan¬ cing in the grove ; and, going ftill farther, beheld a ftately palace, built upon a hill, furrounded with woods. The laws of Eaf- tern hofpitaiity allowed them to enter ; and the mafter welcomed them, like a man libe¬ ral and wealthy.
He was fkilfui enough in appearances, foon to difeern that they were no common guefts, and fpread his table with magnifi¬ cence. The eloquence of Imlac caught his attention, and the lofty - courtefy of the Princefs excited his refpeCt. Whta they offered t® depart, he intreated their £hy$ D * ** and
26 THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE
and was, the next day, (till more unwil¬ ling to difraifs them, than before. They were eafily perfuaded to ftop, and civility grew up, in time, to freedom and confi¬ dence.
. The Prince now faw all the domeftics ehearful, and all the face of nature finding round the place,, and could not forbear to hope, that he fhould find here what he was ieeking ; but, when he was congratulating the mafter upon his pofleffions, he anfwered, with a figh : 4 My condition has indeed the appearance of happinefs ; but appearances are delufive. My prolperity puts my life in danger ; the Bafia of Egypt, is my enemy, incenfed only by my wealth and popularity. I have been hitherto protected againft him by the Princes of the country ; but, as the favour of the great is uncertain, I know not how foon my defenders may be per¬ fuaded to, fhare the plunder with the Bafia. I have fent my treafures into a diftant coun¬ try, and, upon the fir ft alarm, am prepared to follow them 5 then will my enemies riot in my manfion, and enjoy the gardens which I have planted.’
They all joined in lamenting his danger, and deprecating his exile ; and the Princefs was fo much difturhed with the tumult of grief and indignation, that fhe retired to her apartment. They continued with their kind inviter a few days longer, and then went forward to find tiro hermit.
They came on the third day, by the di¬ rection of the peafants, to the hermit’s cell; it was a cavern in the fide of a mountain Qverfhadowed with palm-trees, at fiich a difiance from the cataract, that nothing more was heard than a gentle uniform mur¬ mur, fuch as conipofed the mind to pehfive meditation, efpeciaily when it was alfifted by the wind whiffling among the branches. Tire firft rude efiay of nature had been fo much improved by human labour, that the cave contained feveral apartments, appro¬ priated to different ufes, and often afforded lodging to travellers, whom darknefs or tempefts happened to overtake.
The hermit fat on a bench at the door, to enjoy the coolnefs of the evening : On one fide, lay a book, with, pens and papers ; on the other, mechanical inflruments of various kinds.. As they approached him unregard¬ ed, the Princefs obferved, that he had not the countenance of a man that had found* or could teach, the way to happinefs.
They filmed him with great refpeft $• which he repaid like a man not unaccuf- tomed to the forms of Courts : 4 My chil¬ dren, fin'd he, if you have loft your way, you {hall be willingly fupplied with fuch for tilt night, as this cavern
will afford. 1 have all that nature and you will not expe£l delicacies in a her¬ mit’s cell.’
They thanked him, and, entering, were pleafed with the neatnefs and regularity of the place. The hermit fet fiefh and wine before them, though he fed only upon fruits and water. His difeourfe was chear- ful without levity, and pious without en- thufiafm. He foon gained the efteem of his guefts, and the Princefs repented of her hafty cenfure.
At laft Imlac began thus : 4 I do not now wonder, that your reputation is fo far extended ; we have heard* at Cairo, of your wifdom, and came hither to implore your direflion for this young man and maiden in the choice of life.’
4 To him that lives well, anfwered the hermit, every form of life is good ; nor can I give any other rule for choice, than to re¬ move from all apparent evil.’
4 He will remove moft certainly from evil, laid the Prince, wfiio ihall devote him- felf to that folitude which you have recom¬ mended by your example.’
4 I have, indeed, lived fifteen years in fo- litude, faid the hermit ; but have no defire that my example fhould gain any imitators. In my youth I profefted anus, and was railed by degrees to the higheft military rank. I have traverfed wide countries, at the head of my troops, and feen many battles and fieges. At laft, being difgufted by the preferment of a younger Officer, and finding my vigour beginning to decay, I refolved to dole my life in peace, having found the world full of fnares, difeord, and mifery. I had once efcaped from the purfuit of the enemy by the fhelter of this cavern, and therefore chofe it for my final refidence. I employed artificers to form it into chambers, and ftored it with all that I was likely to want.
4 For fome time after my retreat, I re¬ joiced like a tempeft-beaten failor at his en¬ trance into the harbour, being delighted with the fudden change of the noife and hurry of war to ftillnefs and repofe. When the plea- lure of novelty went away, I employed my hours in examining the plants which grow in the valley, and the minerals which I col- l.eded from the rocks : But that inquiry is now grown taftelefs and irklome. I have been, for fome time, unfettled and diftrafled ; my mind is difturbed with a thouiand per¬ plexities of doubt, and vanities of imagina¬ tion, which hourly prevail, upon me, be- caufe I have no opportunities of relaxation or diverfion. I am fometimes alhamed to think, that I could not lecure myfelf from vice, but by retiring from the praflice of virtue, and begin, to fiftpeft, that I was ra-
FOR JULY, 1759;
fiber impelled by refentment, than led by devotion, into lolitude. My fancy riots in icenes of folly ; and I lament that I have ibft fo much, and have gained fo little. In folitude, if I efcape the example of bad men, I want 'ike wife the counfel and converfation of the .good. I have been long comparing the evils with the advantages of iociety, and refoive to return into the world to-morrow.
The life of a folltary man will be certainly miferable, but. not certainly devout.’
They heard his refolution with furprife, but, 'after a fhort paufe, offered to conduct him to Cairo. He dug up a confiderable trea- lure, which he had hid among the rocks ; and accompanied them to the city, on which, as he approached it, he gazed with rapture.
An Account of the late Di/coveries of Antiquities at Herculaneum, and of an Earthquake there', in a Letter from Camillo Paderni, Keeper of the Mufeum at Herculaneum, and F* R. S. to Tho. Hollis, Efq; F. R. S. dated , Portia, Feb. 1, 1 qf. — Read before the Royal Society, April 6, 1758.
From then Philofophical E have been working continually at Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabiae, fmcemylaft of Dec. 16, 1756. The moll remarkable difeoveries made there are thefe which follow :
Febmary 1757, was found a fmall and moft beautiful figure of a naked Venus in bronze, the height of which is fix Neapoli¬ tan inches. She has filver eyes, bracelets
Tranfaflions, Vol L.
of gold on her arms, and chains of the fame metal abo ve her feet \ and appears in the at¬ titude of loofening one of her fancfals. The bafe is of bronze inlaid with foliage of fil¬ ver, on one fide of which is placed a dol¬ phin.
In July we met with an infeription, about twelve Neapolitan palms in length, which I have here copied :
IMP; CAESAR, VE S P A S I AN V S> AVG> PONTIFF MAX
TRIE, ?OTj> VII* IMP* XVII. P‘ P- COS- VII* DESIGN* VI.1I TEMPLVM, MATRIS, p.EVM.* T ERRAEi MOTVj CONLAPSVMj RESTITVIT
After having found a great number of vo¬ lumes of papyrus in Herculaneum ; many pugillaries, ftyles, and hands with ink in them, as formerly mentioned ; at length, in the month of Augud, upon opening a finall oox, we alfo found, to our exceeding great joy, die indium ent, with which they ufed to write their manuferipts. It h made of w©od, of an oblong form, but petrified, and broke into two pieces. There is no flit in It, that being unneceflary? as the ancients did pot join their letters in the manner we do, but wrote them feparate.
In September were difeovered eight mar¬ ble buds, in the form of terms. One of thefe reprefents Vitellius, another Archi¬ medes 7 and both are of the fined work¬ man fliip. The following characters, in a black tint, are dill legible on the latter, namely, APXIMEA, which is all the inferip¬ tion that now remains.
In October was. dug up a curious bud of a young perfon, who lias a helmet on his head, adorned withacivic crown, and cheek- pieces fadened under his chin. Alfo ano¬ ther very fine bud ©f a philofepher, with a be aid, and fhort thick hair, having a flight ch apery on his left fhoulder. Likewife two female buds ; one unknown, in a veil $ the otnei Minerva, with a helmet 5 both of middling workmanfhip.
!n November, we met with two bulls of
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philofophers, of excellent workmanfhip, and, as may be eauiy perceived, of the fame artid 5 but unfortunately, like many others, without names.
In January, was found a fmall but mod beautiful eagle, in bronze. It hath filver eyes, perches on a praefericulum, and holds a fawn between its talons.
In the fame month we difeovered, at Stablae, a term, fix palms high, on which is a head of Plato, in the fined prefervation, and performed in a very mafierly manner. Alfo divers vafes, indruments for facrificing, feales, balances, weights, and other imple¬ ments for domedic ufes, all in bronze.
At length I have finifhed, with much labour, the examination and arrangement of the feales, balances, and weights, which are very numerous in this Mufeum ; and, what is remarkable, many of the former, with all the weights, exaAly anfwer thofe now in ufe at Naples. At prefent, I am conlidering the liquid meafures ; and alfo engaged in difpofmg the paintings in the new apartment allotted for them. Thefe affairs, with my ufual province of infperiing the workmen, who are bufied in digging 5 my being obliged to keep an exa£l regider of every thing that is difeovered 5 belldes other daily and accidental occurrence’s ; em¬ ploy my time fo intirely, that I have not a moment’s repoih, but m my bed,
P * ' The
28 THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE
The fquare belonging to the palace, in which the Mufeum is depofited, will be fi- rdfhed, and completely ornamented, by Eai- ter. In the center of it I have placed the bronze horfe, which was broken in many pieces, and reftored by me, as mentioned in my laft. In the walls of the colonades are affixed all the infcriptions hitherto difco- vered ; and I fhall yet adorn them with al¬ tars, cim.de chairs, and other antiquities proper for fuch places. The principal en¬ trance into the Mufeum hath been made to correfpond with the grand flair-cafe. On the right fide of it Hands the confular ftatue of Marcus Nonius Balbus, the father; and on the left, that of Marcus Nonius Balbus, the fon; with two infcriptions relating to, and found near them. Upon the flair-cafe, are placed eight antique flatues in bronze, C>n beautiful pedeflals of polifhed marble. In an opening in the center of the right- hand colonade, is fixed the ftatue of the wife of the elder Balbus, with the antique infcription belonging to it. At the entrance of the fquare, a magnificent pair of iron gates, with palifades, are juft put up, orna¬ mented with many bronzes, wnich are gilt 5
and, on the fides of thefe gates, are tw® other conffilar ftatues of perfons unknown.
The whole day and night of the 24th of lall month, it feemed as if mount Vefuvius would again have fwallowed up this coun¬ try. On that day, it differed two internal fractures, which intirely changed its appear¬ ance within the crater, deftroying the little mountain, that had been forming within it for fome years, and was rifen above the fides, and throwing up, by violent explo- fions, immenfe quantities of ftones, lava, allies, and fire. At night, the flames burft out with greater vehemence ; the explofions were more frequent and horrible, and our houfes ffiook continually. Many fled to Naples, and the boldeil perfons trembled. For my own part, I refoived to abide the event here at Portici, on account of my fa¬ mily, confifting of eight children, and a very weak and aged mother, whofe life rauft have been loft by a removal in fuch circum- ftances, and fo rigorous a feafon. But it pleafed God to.preferve us ; for the moun¬ tain, having vented itfelf that night and the fucceeding day, is fince become calm, and throws out only a few allies.
A Dissertation on the Ufe c/CURIOSITY.
A Common queftion is propofed, by the vulgar, to men who are bufied in exa¬ mining the productions of nature, and that with fome fort of fneer : To what end are all thefe inquiries ? By which they mean to infinuate, that thefe virtuofi are at the bottom but madmen, who fpend their time in a kind pf knowledge which promifes no advantage ; and in this way of thinking they are the more convinced of being right, as they find natural hiftory no part of public inftitutions, nor re¬ ceived, into academies among the philofophi- cal fciences, and holding no rank either in church or ftate ; for this reafon they look on it as a mere curiofity, which only ferves as an amufement for the idle and indolent.
The kind of men, who moft frequently afk this queftion, c To what end all thefe in¬ quiries ?’ are of a heavy, dull, and phlegma¬ tic difpofition, of weak judgment, and 'low education. Amongft ourfeives, in great ci¬ ties, in large towns, and at academies, the fearching into nature ceafes now to be un¬ common ; nor is this queftion ever heard among rnen of folid learning ; it is chiefly, and frequently, put in the more remote pro¬ vinces by the inferior order of people ; who think of nothing but indulging their own ap¬ petites, and look on every thing as ufeleis, which does not ferve that purpofe*
We were created for the glory of the Cre¬ ator, which cannot be manifelled unlefs we,
know him, either by revelation or the\ works of the creation. As to the latter, I (ufpe.61 that many come into the world, and remain here even to old1 age, who never law the cre¬ ation but from alar ; juft like brute beafts, which cannot fail of feeing the verdure and various colours that clothe the earth, but proceed not farther. This feems as if one, who ftiould be carried into a botanic garden, to fee the immenfe variety of plants brought together from all parts with incredible trou¬ ble, care, and expence, fliould only obferve that the leaves were green, and the flowers of various colours, juft as they are every- where elfe. Could fuch an orte be truly and juftly faid to have feen the garden ? Or, if any one fliould go into a mufeum, filled with na¬ tural objects of the rareft kind, preferved in fpirit of wine, and fliould only attend to the clearnefs of the liquor, and, though he faw a body hanging in it, fliould not inquire what body it was, would not he, who took the trouble of (hewing thefe fights to fo incu¬ rious aperfon, think his time thrown away ? Would fuch a ipeflator deferve to be let into fuch a place ?
I cannot help, on this occafion, calling to mind the manner in which a Profeffor ufed fometimes to excite attention, by an apt fi- militude, when he was demon fixating infects to his pupils. The fimilitu.de, or rather fa¬ ble. was as follows ; Once upon a time the
fevdn
FOR JULY, 1759.
{even wife men of Greece were met together at Athens, and it was pi'opcfed that every one of them fhould mention what he thought the meat e it .wonder in the creation : One of
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,them, of higher conceptions than the red, propofed the opinion of fome of the aftrono- mers about the fixed ftars, which they be¬ lieved to be fo many funs, that had each their planets rolling about them, and were bored with plants and animals like this earth. Fired with this thought, they agreed to fupplicate Jupiter, that he would at lead permit them to take a journey to the moon, and day there three days, in orc^er to fee the wonders cf that place, and give an account of them at their return. Jupiter conferred, and or¬ dered them to afiemble on a high mountain, where there fhould be a cloud ready to con¬ vey them to the place they defired to fee. They picked out fome chofen companions, who might aflift them in deferibing and paint¬ ing the objeffs they fhould meet with : At length they arrived at the moon, and found a palace there well fitted up for their recep¬ tion ; The next day, being very much fa¬ tigued with their journey, they kept quiet at home till noon ; and, being dill faint, they refrefhed themfelves with a mod delicious entertainment, which they relifhed fo well, that it overcame their curiolity : This day they only faw through the windows that de¬ lightful fpot, adorned with the mod beautiful flowers, to which the beams of the dm pave an uncommon lubre, and heard the finging of mod melodious birds, till evening came on. The next day they rofe very early, in order to begin their obfervations ; but fome very beau¬ tiful young Ladies of the country, coming to make them a vifit, advifed them firft to recruit their drength, before they expofed themfelves to the laborious talk they were about to un¬ dertake.
The delicate meats, the rich wines, the beauty of thefe damfels, prevailed over the refolution of thefe brangers : A fine concert of muiic is introduced, the young ones be¬ gin to dance, and all is turned to jollity 5 fo that this whole day was fpent in gallantry, till fome of the neighbouring inhabitants, glowing envious at their mirth, rufhed in with drawn fwords : The elder part of the company tried to appeafe the younger, pro- inidng, the very next day, they would bring the rioters to juftice : This they performed, and the third day the caufe was heard ; and what with accufations, pleadings, exceptions, and the judgment itfelf, the whole day was taken up, on which the term fet by Jupiter expired. On their return to Greece, all the country flocked in upon them to hear the wonders of the moon deferibed ; but all they could tell was (for that was all they knew)
that the ground was covered with green, in- intermixed with flowers, and that the birds fung among the branches of the trees 5 but what kinds of flowers they faw, or what kinds of birds they heard, they were totally ignorant ; upon which they were treated every-where with contempt. If we apply this fable to men of the prefent age, we fh all perceive a very jufl limilitude : By thefe three days, the fable denotes the three ages of man : Firft youth, in which we are too fee¬ ble, in every refpeff, to look into the works of the Creator ; all that feafon is given up to idlenefs, luxury, and paftime : zdly, manhood, in which men are employed in fettling, marrying, educating children, pro¬ viding fortunes for them, and raifmg a fa¬ mily : 3dly, old age, in which, after having made their fortunes, they are overwhelmed with law-fuits relating to their e dates. Thus it frequently happens, that men never con- iider to what end they were defined, and why they were brought into the world.
As to bodies, the vulgar are ready enough to admire them in the larger kinds of ani- mals, piants, minerals, and metals 5 but, when they perceive any one examining into the minute parts of nature, fuch as infedts and ihells, grades and modes, earthy parti¬ cles and petrifaftions, they look upon it as idle curiolity. The ancients were of opinion, that the bodies about us concerned us no far¬ ther than as they were good for food or phy- lic. Hence their inquiries, all tended to find out what were fit to eat, and what would cure fome didemper ; and whatever plant or ani¬ mal could not be referred, to one of thefe dalles was negledied. It is true, that the immediate ufe of many bodies is hitherto unknown to us, yet we have great reafon to believe, that all the bodies in the univerfe, fome way or other, contribute to our advan¬ tage. Hay, which men take fuch pains to colled! in the dimmer, is cf no ufe to man immediately, but it is a commodity of the ut- mob conference to him mediately, as being the food of cattle of all forts, without which we could not well fubfifl. The nettle is a plant which is fcarcely eat by any domebic animal ; but the Author of nature has allot¬ ted to it more feeders than to almofl any other plant, viz. butterflies, moths, wevils, cher- mes, &c. which devour it almob intirely 5 and thefe infedls are a prey to many birds, which could by no means live on the plant immedi¬ ately. Minute aquatic worms are eat by the larger, they by fifhes and aquatic birds, and thefe by us 5 and, befides food, thefe birds fupply us with mod delicate foft down, to warm and repofe ourf elves upon. It would be tedious to enumerate all the mediate ad¬ vantages which we obtain from the mod con-
teifiptible
3o THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE
temptfbte, as they are deemed, both plants and animals.
Many look upon (hells and corals, of va¬ rious kinds, which are collected and ranged in mufeums by the diligent inquirers into na¬ ture, as an idle ttiriofky, fince they neither ferve for food or phyfic j but, if thefe are neglefled, how many of the wonderful works of the Creator would be unknown ? What man of fenfe is not brack with' wonder, when he beholds the innumerable objects which the Author of nature has buried, as it were, in the great abyfs ; objects, for colour, ilrape, and mechanifm, fo admirable, that they fur- pafs the imagination of man to conceive, without feeing them. To describe every fhell on this occafion would far exceed the bounds of my defign ; at prefent I will only mention one, viz. the knotted marginated cvpraea, a finall ihell, about the bignefs of a hazle nut, gathered in the Maldiveeiflands, arid fent in confiderab'le quantities to Africa, Bengal, and Siam, where they ferve as gold nrnd lilver, with us, for all kinds of commerce. In other countries other (hells are made ufe of forv arious piupofes 5 feme inifead of horns to blow with at their religious ceremonies ; feme for veffels for walking 5 feme for cups 5 feme for boxes 5 feme for inlaying 5 all of them far exceeding the beb artificial works.
Nor are thofe innumerable petrifactions, fe various in fpecies and ffruclure, to be looked upon as vain curiofities. We find m .our mountains, and even in the middle of bones, as it were, embalmed animals, (hells, and corals, which are not to be found alive in any part of Europe : Tliele alone, were there no other reafon, might put us upon looking back into antiquity, and confi- dering the primitive form of the earth, its in- create, and rnetamQrphofis. This is a fub- jeCt that would require a whole volume to treat it as amply as it deferves.
Wild beabs and ravenous birds, though they feem to diburb our private oeconomy, rue not without their ufes 5 which we biould be fenfible of, if t-hev were extirpated : Thus, in Suffolk, and in feme parts of Norfolk, the f aimers find it their intereb to encourage the breed of rooks, as the only means to free themfelves from an in fed called fcarabteus, which, in its grub bate, deftroys the roots of the corn and grafs to fuch a degree, that all the turf of a piece of pallure land might be ealily turned up with the foot. The vultures in Cairo are invited yearly and daily to re¬ main there : Thefe creatures of- prey cieanfe the ground from carcafes, and make it whole- fome and pure 5 and, beikles, they ferve to keep up a due proportion between animals, fo that one fort may rot barve the reft.
The vulgar think, gnd thqie >yhp tfiink
themfelves wifer than the vulgar make no fcruple to fay, let him who has nothing to do employ himfelf in hunting after moffes and flies j by which they would infinuate, that hunting after minute plants and animals is unbecoming, or at leafl unneceffary, for a rational creature. As for modes, I grant we have not authority on our fide j fog till the end or the lab century, they were almoft wholly neglected ; but now, within thefe fifty years, their hibory is very near complete. We have many experiments which fhew their ufefulneft, a few inbances of which I bial! fubjoin : The bog mofs covers deep bogs with its fpongy fubbance, and thus, by de¬ grees, turns them into fertile meadows, not to mention its repelling virtue in medicine ; at ptefent alfo its turf is ufed mbead of wood in many provinces, and it is a cubom eba- blifhed, among the workers in metals, to burn it into cinders in their forges : The fontinalis antipyretica, a kind of mofs, con- trary to the nature of all other moffes, guards the walls of hoiifes in cafe of fire 5 the cy- prefs mofs furni flies a yellow dye ; the up¬ right fir mofs frees cattle from vermin, and purges brongly ; and the fountain mofs points out cool fprings.
As to lichens, or liverworts, they are not of left ufe , for many of them afford a beau¬ tiful dye, as, for example, theroccella yields a mob valuable red colour, to which purpofc the lichen tartareus ferve s as a fuccedaneum ; the lichenes bygius, onuphalodes, &c, af¬ ford alfo a red dye, and the lichenes croceus, vulpirms a good yellow. There is bo doubt but that many colours, in procefs of time, may be obtained from this kind of plants.
If we confider the virtues of the lichenes, or liverworts, upon animate bodies, taken in¬ ternally, they are not inconfiderabie ; the lichen pyxidatus, or cup mofs, is efficacious in the whooping cough : the lichen jubatus, or rock-hair, in exulcerations of the fkin j the lichen omphalodes in bopping haemor¬ rhages 5 the lichen aphthofus in thruflies, and againb worms 5 the lichen caninus, or affi- coloured ground liverwort, in the hydropho¬ bia and madnefs ; the lichen puimonarius. or lung-wort, is found to lie good in con- fiimptions j the lichen pubulatus may be converted into a very black pigment j the very finall lichen, called leprofus, covers barren rocks, and makes them look piea- fant 5 it gives birth to black mould, and coa- fequently affords the firb degree of vegeta¬ tive power. After all this can any one jubly fay that the knowledge of thefe plants is ufe- left ?
The mufhroom kind alfo make a clafs of vegetables, by no means to be defpifed : One fpecies igpfed in amputations and luemor-
riiages,
FOR JULY
rhages, asd another. Is lately come into re¬ putation for [topping the bleeding of arteries. The truffle and phalli contribute to make our foups more delicate, and are commonly uled at the tables cf the great : Many muthrooms are eaten, but fome of them are a molt deadly poifon ; lb that it is ol the utrnoft confequence not to commit mi (takes in this part of know¬ ledge.
There is a muflirocm called agaricus muf- carius, on account of its driving away flies, and the fame plant is the fafelt remedy hi¬ therto difcovered to deftroy the bug. Thus the knowledge of thefe plants is of great ufe to man.
The graces alfo are a kind of plants of great value, as affording food for cattle.
The molt minute feeds of grafs afford nourilliment to fmall birds j the grades be- lldes give a molt agreeable colour to the earth, agd fill up the intervals between plants of other kinds ; fo that they ferve both for plea- lure and utility. The Creator has affigned certain fpecies of grafs to eveiy different fpe¬ cies of foil, which the hufbandman is obli¬ ged to know, in order to make the moil ad¬ vantage of his lands : Befides, certain grades are eat by fome animals, and left untouched by others ; fo that, without the knowledge of thefe, he cannot avoid falling into error.
He that would exercife the art of hulban- dry with the greateft advantage, ought to en¬ deavour to get acquainted with all kinds of vegetables, and find out what fort of foil fuits each of them bed: : He ought to know that fome delight in open and expofed lituations, others in ffiady ; fome in moift ground, others in dry ; that fome plants thrive mod in fandy foils, others in clayey, others in black mould, others in fpungy ground, others in watery j fome ought to be Town in pools, others oil the tops of hills.
It is alfo neceffary for the hufbandman to know the duration of every plant he lows in his delds and meadows, viz. whether it be perennial, biennial, or annual.
We fee how many, in a time of dearth, differ for want, fall into difeafes, and even perifh, for no other reafon but becaufe they do not know what plants are eatable, and how great a plenty there is of them in our country. Many people wonder, why the cu¬ rious inquirers into nature will give them- felves fo much trouble about exotic plants $ but they do not diffidently condder, that many kinds of grain, many roots, legumes, fruits, fallads, and trees, in common ufe with us, for nourifhment, houfhold utendls, Cioathing, and ornament, are originally ex¬ otics. We have fome of our molt efficacious medicines, and belt f pices, drum the ibuchern
3
*759- 3,1
parts of the world ; and, were it not for the curious in botany, they had been negleded.
T here is, as it were, a certain chain of created beings, according to which they feera all to have been formed j and one thing dif¬ fers fo little from fome other, that, if we fall into the right method, we fhall foarcely find any limits between them j this no one can fo well obferve, as he who is acquainted with the greateli number of fpecies. Hence the botamlls of this age have been bulled about fettling natural clafles, which is an af¬ fair of the greated importance and difficulty. Where the natural claffes are fettled, we hud the vegetables fo near akin to one another, that ws can fcarcely diftinguifli them $ as iti the umbeiiated, the liliquole, the ieguminoie, the compoiite, &c. molt of thefe orders grow m Europe, and therefore could be eaiily known and ranged.
He that knows but a few plants paves characters which aim ealy to find out, but arc mfufficient fettle any thing, and therefore tend to confound rather than to advance knowledge ; fo that the natural method fo the ultimate end of our fyftematical inqui- ties ; Without this all is a mere chaos ;; and, if the knowledge of vegetables foils, all that ufe of them is gone, which the learned in tins' way might diicover, to the great benefit of mankind.
It is true indeed that vegetables a£l upon the human body by fmeli arid tafle ; but thefe marks are not iiiihcient, unlefs vve know the natural orders of plants.
Thefe being known, and the virtues of fome vegetables being difcovered, vve may go on fafely in the practice of phyfic, other- wife not. It follows from hence, that he who deiii es to make any coniiderable improve¬ ment in this branch of knowledge muff en# deavour to get acquainted with thole plants,, whole ufe he does not know j and thus he is obliged not to negleff the moll contemp¬ tible j as, for example, no-body was able to form a right judgment of the cafcsrilla, who did not know its natural order j no phyfi- cian would have even fufpefifed, that our milkwort would be uleful in the bite of fer- pents_ and inflammatory fevers, unlefs the principles of botany had led him to it.
Without this knowledge of the natural or-* ders, the materia medica would be Hill as un¬ certain as among the ancients, which is ofi the utmoft importance to us, if life and health befo. •
We are ready enough to put a due value on the larger animals ; but many look on the minute tribes of mleffs rather created to torment than to be uleful to mankind. Wfo grant that they are., very troubleforae to us $
But:
THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE
But is therefore all care' about them to be o-iven up ? By no means 3 on the contrary, we ought to con.tr ive means to get rid ot them, that they may not deftroy Doth us and our pofieffions : This cannot be brought about, unlefs we know their nature 5 when tiiat is known, we fhall more eaiily find out remedies again!! them. We have lately had a proof that the knowledge of the nature of in lefts may fometiffies be lerviceable to us : The fa- gacious Dr. Wall of Worcefter, upon feeing the cafe of the Norfolk boy, who was cured of worms by taking down a large quantity of white lead and oil, guefled that the cure was performed by the oil, knowing that oil is fatal to worms and other infefts : Upon this, he has force tried oil in worm cafes with great appearance of fuccefs.
We oftentimes find cur largeft trees in- tirely ftripped of their leaves by the caterpil¬ lars of the moth kind, &c. but, when we fearch after them, we find they aie all eat up by the larger kind of carabi, called lyco- phantae 3 from whence we n>ay learn, that there is no remedy more efficacious in our gardens, where leaves, flowers, and fluits are almoft every year deftroy ed by thole ca¬ terpillars, than gathering and preferving the abovementioned carabi till they lay their eggs, and then placing them at the roots of tiees, in rotten wood, till they are hatched 3 and thus we fhould effeftually. guard our tiees from thefe inhofpitable guefts.
But, if we do not think it worth our while for any other reafon to turn our attention to the works of nature, yet finely, for the glory of the great Creator, we ought to . do it ; fince, in every plant, in every infeft, we may obferve fome lingular artifice, which is not to be found in any other bodies 5 and, upon ©omparing thefe together, we may be con¬ vinced, that this does not happen by chance, but was contrived for fome certain end, viz. either the propagation or prefervation of the plant or animal, with relpeft to thofe ot her bodies. We find how many plants are fen¬ ced againft the inclemencies of the elements and the devaluations ot animals 3 and how every animal is furnilhed with fome means by which it may defend itfelf againft the de¬ predations of the reft 5 fo that no fpecies can, ever totally perilh which has been created.
Laftly, from the contemplation of nature we may fee, that all created things, _ fome way or other ferve for our ufe 3 if not imme¬ diately, yet by fecond or third means : Nay we may fee, that what we imagine to be moil noxious to us is not feldom highly ufeful : Without fome of thefe things our oeconomy would fufFer extremely : Thus, were there no thiftles or briars, the earth would be more barren. We ought not to overlook the mi¬
nuted ohjefts, but examine them with ttid glafs 3 for we fhall then perceive how much art the Creator has beftowed upon them.
He who beholds one of the jungermania/ a kind of wrack, with a microfcope, muft be forced to confefs, that he beholds a raoft ftu- pendous and wonderful phsenomenon. Ma¬ ny thoufands of people are fupported by rye bread 3 not one of them perhaps ever faw in how iurprifing a manner its hums are armed ; which any one, who is defirous, may fee by the help of a glafs.
Hie day would fooner fail me than mat¬ ter, were I to take notice of every thing, which this fubjeft affords : Let this then be looked upon as the end of created beings, that fome may be ufeful to man as phyiic, others as aliment 3 fome in oeconomy immediately, others mediately 3 fome vegetables prepare the ground, fome proteft thofe which are more tender, others cover the earth with a green and mod beautiful tapeftry, and that perennial 3 fome fonn thofe groves to which:' we fiy for coolnefs, others adorn our globe with their molt elegant flowers, and regale our noitrils with their moft delicious odours. Laftly, all things demonftrate abundantly the omnifcience of the wife Creator, who cre¬ ated nothing in vain, but contrived every thing with fo much art, that human art,, however great it may be, cannot imitate the leaft of his produftions. He has fettled an oeconomy in this globe that is truly admi¬ rable, by means of an infinite number of bo¬ dies, and all neceffary, which bear fome re- femblance to one another, io that they are linked together like a chain ; for as, in our oeconomy, neither the plough, nor the hedges, nor the dunghill, are fit for food or phyiic, yet are abfolutely neceffary ; fo, in the oeco¬ nomy of nature, there are many things that are as neceffary, but not immediately. Men reckon their ceconbmy amongft the chief of human inventions 3 confider then the l’ubli- mity of the divine oeconomy : The Creator has fo framed the world, that man fhould every-where behold the miraculous works of his hands, and that the earth fhould afford an endleis variety, ieemingly with intent that the novelty of the objefts fliould excite his curiofity, and hinder him from being difgufted by too much uniformity, as it has happened to fome wretches, whofe ftation in life placed them above labour, and who wanted curiofity to look into thefe things. Some objefts were made to pieafe the frneli,, the tafie, the fight, the hearing, or other lenfes, fo that nothing can be laid to be without its ufe : That branch of knowledge which ferves to difcover the ehauafters of natural things, and teaches us to call them by their names, leems, perhaps, by no
means
✓
t
.V
Engraved for tlie XJniverfal ]Vfagazine .
FOR JULY, 1759,
means necefftiry ; but let it be confidered, that the firft degree of wifdoni is to know things when we fee them, i. e. to know them by their names $ and without this knowledge force any progress can be made. To know the letters of the alphabet, to join them into fyllabks, to underhand words is not folia ■ erudition $ yet it is abfo lately neceffary for him who would become learned : Thus the characters and names of things mult be tho¬ roughly learned, in order to obtain any ufe from natural hiftory. We find, in" the journals of travellers, many things mention¬ ed, partly curious, partly ufeful, concern¬ ing animals, plants, and hones ; but thofe obfervations can be of no ufe to m, till we are able to refer each to its dihinCt fpecies, that we may make them a part of the fy- ftem, and know that this curiofity, or me.
belongs to this or that obje<R, when it hap¬ pens to come in our way.
If man was created to give praife to his Creator ; if the Creator has made himfelf known to man by revelation and creation ; if all created things are formed with won¬ derful mechanifm ; laftly, if all things were created for the ufe of man, and nothing but natural things, and the elements can be of ufe to him, then it may be inquired, with the fame reafon, to what end any other thing was created, as well as man, the Su¬ preme Being having created nothing but for a certain end, and for fome valuable purpofe j we are often ignorant what that purpofe is„ but it would therefore be impious to fay that any thing was created in vain, fince he declared, ( That every thing which he had created was good.’ Gen. i. 31.
An Account of the memorable Events of the Ruffian Empire , and of the Perfon and Character of the reigning Emprefs Elisabeth Petrowna, with her Head finely engraved. See an Account of Ruffia as it was in 1710, in Vol. XXIII Page 227, and 278, of this Magazine.
THE Ruffes are of Scythian or Tar¬ tarian extraction, a wandering peo¬ ple without any fixed habitation ; the very name of Ruffe, being faid to imply a wan¬ derer. Kiof, the capital of the Ukrain, Wis the firft city they built. Their Prince Wolodomir, having extended his conqueft far towards the eaft, laid the foundation pi another city, in the year 1000, to which he gave his own name. To this city he removed the feat of the government ; and having married the daughter of the Grecian Emperor, Bafilius Porphyrogenefta, profef- fed himfelf a Chriftian, and introduced the G reek religion in Ruffia. Many more of the Tartar Leaders left their rambling life, and built them towns about the fame time ; but the Ruffes being the molt potent tribe, made the reft dependent on them. The Tartars of Caffan, Afiracan, and other eaftern people, obferving the growing power of the Rufles, entered into a confederacy again ft them, in 1x77, antP after a war of fome duration, obliged them to become their tributaries 5 and they remained fubjeft to the kingdoms of Caftan and Afiracan upwards of 200 years. The Ruffians, having thrown off the Tartar yoke, removed the feat of the government to Mofcow, in the 1 3th century. John Bafilowitz, who began his reign in 14.50, united the feveral dates and principa¬ lities of the Ruffians, and added the dutchies of Novogrod andTweer to his dominions, as his fon did the dutchies of Plefko and Smolenfko. John or Ivan Baftlowitz, hk grandfon, who began his reign in^i 540, made a conqueft of the kingdoms of Caftan and
Aftracan, and was firft acknowledged So¬ vereign of that vaft traft of country called Siberia, which extends eaftward as far as China. It was in this Prince’s reign, that the Englifh, under Captain Cancellor, who went out with Sir Hugh Middleton, to dif- cover a north -eaft: paftage to China, hap¬ pened to be driven into the port of Arch- angel, and firft eftabliftied a trade with Ruf¬ fia by fea ; which had never been vilited by the fh ip ping of any nation whatever till then. The Englifh entered on this expedition in 1 553? in the reign of Edward VI. King of England.
John Bafilowitz did not only make very confiderable foreign conquefts, but fubdued the vaftal Ruffian Princes, dnd perfectly de- ftroyed the conftitution, which he could not eftecft, till he had caufed feveral of the tri¬ butary Princes with their families to be maf- facred, and feized on their territories, from whence he obtained the name of the Tyrant. The Coffacs or Czercaftes, who inhabit the Ukrain, fituate between the rivers Don and Nieper, fubmitted to the Czar Alexis Mi- chaelwitz, father of Peter the Great: Many of the Calmucs, Circaffians and Georgian Princes have alfo fubmitted to the Ruffians.
The Czar, Peter the Great, reigned joint¬ ly with his elder brother John, until the year 1696; when John died, leaving three daugh¬ ters, the Princefs Catherine, married to Charles -Leopold, Duke of Mecklenburg- Swerin ; the Princefs Anne, married to Fre¬ deric- V/illiam, Dukc of Courland, and the Princefs Profcovia.
Czar Peter, the firft year he became foie E Monarch.
THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE
Monarch of Ruffia, laid fiege to Afoph, which lies on the Palus Meotis, near the mouth of the river Don, and took it from the Turks in 1696. In 1700, he made a truce with them, and declared war againft Charles XII, the young King of Sweden, having firft entered into a confederacy againft that Prince, with the Kings of Denmark, Poland, and Pruffia. He was very unfor¬ tunate in the beginning of that war, being defeated by the King of Sweden as he lay before Narva with an army of 100,000 men, lofing all his cannon and baggage, though the Swediih army did not amount to 20,000 men. However, he obtained a viblory over the Swedes in Livonia, in the year 1702, and took Marienburg, and feveral other towns. It was in the laft mentioned city that one of his Generals took the Lady Ca¬ tharine, whom the Czar afterwards made his Emprefs, though an obfcure virgin of mean extraction.
The Czar obtaining that decifive victory over the King of Sweden, at Pultoway in the Ukrain, in 1 709, foon after made an in¬ tire conqueft of Livonia, depofed Staniflaus King of Poland, and replaced King Augus¬ tus on th at throne .
The Turks breaking- the truce with him
a ^ ,
m 17 1 1, the Czar entered Moldavia, in ex¬ pectation of beiqg joined by Mazeppa, their General, with a great body of troops ; in which being deceived, he was furroundedby the Turks on the banks of the Pruth, and, after a battle of three days, forced to pur- chafe peace, and agreed to deliver up Afoph, and all the places he was polfefled of on the Black fea. In 1713, he reduced the Swedifh Pomerania, and the year following his fleet defeated that of Sweden in the gulph of Fin¬ land. In 1718, he ordered his only fon the Czarowitz, to be tried for a confpiracy againft him, whilft he was abfent in France the fore¬ going year; and procuring him to be con¬ demned, the young Prince died in prifon. In 1721, a peace being concluded between him and the Swedes, Livonia, Ingria, Ca- relia, and the diftnCt of Wyburg in Fin¬ land, were confinned to Pm Ilia. About the fame time the Czar took upon himfelf the title of Emperor of all the Ruftias, and was afterwards acknowledged as fitch by all the Powers of Europe. In 1722, taking ad¬ vantage of the civil wars in Perlia, he made himfelf mafter of feveral provinces in that kingdom., particularly of the fonth-weft coafts of the Cafpian fea. About the fame time he obliged his fubjeds to fwear they would obey whomfoever he fhould nomi¬ nate his fucceffor ; after which he appointed the Emprefs Catharine AFxiewmy, his fe- x
cond wife, to fucceed him ; and, dying in 1724, fhe afcended the throne of Ruffia. ,
The Czarina dying after a reign of two years, Peter, a minor, grandlon of Peter the Great, and fon of the Czarowitz who died^ in prifon, was advanced to the throne ot Ruflia, by her appointment. On his death, which happened by the fmall-pox, not long after, the Emprefs Anne fu'cceeded ; and, in 1733, with the Emperor of Germany, ad¬ vanced Auguftus III. to the throne of Po¬ land, though the French faction had pro¬ claimed Staniflaus ; which being refented by the French King, he with his allies the Kings of Spain and Sardinia, invaded the Empe¬ ror’s dominions in Italy and Germany.
The Ruffians fent 30,000 men as far as the Rhine, to the affiftance of the Germans , but, the Emperor being forfaken by all the reft of his allies, was forced to yield up Na¬ ples and Sicily to the King oi Spain’s fon> Don Carlos ; and the Duke of Lorrain was forced to exchange Lorrain for Tufcany in Italy. This war was no £oo.ner ended, but the Turks invaded Ruffia and the ^empire of Germany ; and though the Ruffians were fuccefsful on their fide, over-running Crim Tartary, and Little Tartary twice, and tak¬ ing Oczakow, and other places on the Black fea ; yet the Emperoiy being driven out o f Senna, and Belgrade befieged, he found him¬ felf under a neceffity of clapping up a peace,, without including the Rullians his allies. After which the "Ruffians were obliged to relinquifh all their conquefts on the Black fea, and make as good terms as they could fbr themfelves ; and not long^ before the Czarina furrendered to the Perlians all the conquefts Peter the Great had made in that kingdom, near the fit ores of the Cafpian fea.^ The Czarina Anne, dying o the 28th of October, 1740, appointed for her fucceflor John the fon of Anthony-Ulric, Duke of Brunfwic-Wolfembuttle, and Anne his wife,, daughter of Charles Duke of Mecklenburg, and of the Princefs Catharine, who was daughter of the Czar John, elder brother to^ Peter the Great. During the minority of the young Emperor, who was fcarce lix months old at his acceflion. Count Biron, Duke of Courland, had been nominated Re¬ gent by the late Czarina ; which the Prin- cefs Anne, the Emperor’s mother, imagining fhe was better intitled to, if not to the throne i tie If, ordered Count Munich to apprehend the Duke of Courland, caufed him to be tried for high treafon, and condemned to die, but was content with banifhmg him to Siberia. After which fhe affirmed the re¬ gency, but did not enjoy it long; for the Ruffian guards and Generals oi the ar-*
FOR JULY, 1 759- 35
my, confpiring with the Princefs Elilabetb, yotmgeft daughter of Peter the Great, by his Emprefs Catharine, proclaimed her Emprefs on the 15th of December, .1741 3 and made the Infant-Emperor, with his father and mother, the Duke and Dutchefs of Brunf- wic-Wolfembuttle, prifoners, together with Count Munich, and Ofterman the Chancel¬ lor. The fentences palled againft the fami¬ ly of the Dolg-oxuki’s, and other Noblemen, in the reign ot the Emprefs Anne, were re¬ velled, and the Duke of Courland was re¬ called from his exile in Siberia. Count Munich and Ofterman were condemned to die, and led to the place of execution, but their fentence was changed to banifhment in Siberia.
The revolution was fo prompt and well condufled, that one only night ferved for its beginning and end. This Emprefs was born the 29th of December, 1759, and be¬ gan her reign the 6th of December, 1741. She was one of the moft accomplifhed Ladies of her rank, nor was her perfon lefs amiable. Time, which wears off the charms of youth, has rendered her corpulent, but flie is ftill for her* age aclive, and dances, hunts, and rides on horfeback. On certain days fhe appears in mens' cloaths, particularly on the day of her acceffion to the throne, when fhe treats her life-company of grenadiers at flip¬ per in the grand faloon of the palace, and fits at table with her Officers, in regi¬ mentals, as their Colonel, in which fhe makes an agreeable figure. This compa¬ ny, for ftature, comehnefs, and elegance of drefs, is hardly exceeded by any troops in Europe. The Emprefs is in every in- lfance gracious to an extreme : The great tendernefs of her heart, or lbme other caufe, has even forbid the execution of malefactors of whatever denomination f fo that it is faid there have been in different parts of the em¬ pire near 30,000 criminals in prifon at one and the fame time 3 but this, among many good affions, is a fpecies of mercy, which neither her fubjects nor foreigners pretend to underfthnd.
Soon after her fucceffion, fhe invited the young Duke of Holftein, defcended from her elder fifter, into Ruffia, declared him her heir, and gave him the title of Grand Prince of Ruffia 3 whereupon he relinquifhed his pretenfions to the throne of Sweden, to which he was alfo next heir, and profeffed himfelf of the Greek church, and is fince married to the Princefs Alexiewna of An- halt-Zerbft, by whom he hath iffue a fon, named Paul^Petrowitz, for whole birth great rejoicings were made in England, and other foreign countries, as well as at Peterfburg, the capital of Ruffia,
Ruffia has been generality efteemed an hereditary monarchy 3 though there are in- ftances of the reigning Prince difpofing of the crown to diftant branches of the royal family, and femetimes to perlons no way re¬ lated to it in blood, as when Peter the Great conftituted his fecond wife Catharine, Em- prefs, though of mean extraction, to the ex- clufion of his grandfon Peter II. The crown of Ruffia may be now deemed eledive, and of the worft kind of elective monarchies, the prefent Emprefs being, as mentioned, ad¬ vanced to the throne by the foldiers, with¬ out confulting the States, though fhe had the ieaft pretenfions to that throne of any of the royal family : However, fhe has got all the heirs of the crown in her power. The infant John and his mother, with the reft of her children, fhe keeps clofe prifoners 3 and the Duke of Holftein, her declared heir, who has indeed a prior title, fhe keeps in her palace, and never luffers him to ftir out with¬ out her.
Never any nation received fo intire a change bs this did in the reign of Peter the Great, as to their habits, improvement in fciences, military difcipline, and naviga¬ tion. They defpiied all arts and fciences, and looked on every other nation with the utmoil contempt, never imitating any of their improvements, or travelling among them. Their armies were a confuted mul¬ titude, and they had not a fingle fliip on their coafts 3 when Peter I. travelling through all the polite nations of Europe, in- the begin¬ ning of this century, obliged his fubjects to do the fame, and be initialled in every ait and fcience. Pie alfo eftablifhed academies at Peterfburg, and brought learned men thither from every nation in Europe. But nothing did he endeavour at with greater applica¬