the council at Calcutta had of this letter, was by a grievous letter from their factory at Dacca, dated 10th of January, 1763, inclosing a copy of this letter, and of the Subah's order, which had been communicated to them by the Subah's chief officer at that place; and representing that not only they but the trade of the company would be ruined, if the terms contained in this letter fhould be enforced. The council at Calcutta were, upon reading the letter, of the fame opinion; for in a confultation on the 17th, they unanimously declared, "That in the faid letter from the prefident [Governor Vanfittart] to Coffim Ally Cawn [the Subah] he affumed a right to which he was no ways authorized; that the regulations propofed by him are difhonourable to us as Englishmen, and tend to the ruin of all publick and private trade; and that the prefident's iffuing out regulations independently of the council, is an abfolute breach of their privileges." In confequence of this, directions were fent to Dacca, to fufpend paying any regard to these regulations and orders, which the Subah had fent to their factory; and I fuppofe the like directions were fent to the other factories. And, at the fame time, it was agreed to fend orders to the chiefs of all their factories, except Patna and Chittigony, (they being at too great a distance) to repair immediately to Calcutta, that they might have a full board to confult upon a matter of fo great importance. When the governor returned, he en deavoured by a long memorial, to juftify what he had done, but as the reft of the council continued of their former opinion, nothing was refolved on; and in the mean time the trade was thrown into confufion; for the factors and brokers could not pay duties upon any goods without an order from the council, and the Subah's officers could not let them pass before payment of the duties, confequently feized and ftopped them till the duties fhould be paid. Nay, they either could not, or would not, diftinguish between goods for inland trade, and goods for foreign, or, as it was called, for fhip merchandize; but feized and stopped cloth, falt-petre, and other goods that had, and by the aforefaid letter were intitled to have, the company's duftuck. Besides, they were guilty of several acts of oppression, and when complaint was made, the officer, as might have been expected, was always juftified by the country magistrate; fo that letters of complaint were daily coming from every one of the factories. In this confufion, things continued till the 15th of February, when a full board met in confultation at Calcutta, which was opened by a minute, or memorial, of the governor's, wherein he firft endeavours to fhew, that he had the authority of the council for what he had done, and then adds as follows: But, as much as I am inclined to give the officers of the country government their due authority, yet am I by no means disposed to submit to an abuse of that authority, or to fuffer them to go beyond the limits prefcribed by thofe regulations, which, if they were strictly observed by both parties, would, I think remove all occafion of complaint on both fides. But I grant, that the late conduct of the government's officers, in every part of the country, give me too much reafon now to think, with the rest of the board, that they cannot exercise authority without oppreffion, and that whatever cause they might have of complaint against the English Gomaftahs, their own tyrannies are yet more insupportable; for instead of freeing our trade from any impediment, detention, or obstruction, under pretence of customs, duftore, &c. which was my only intent for laying down fuch rules, they have had a quite contrary effect, the officers of the government, prefuming on the restraints laid on our agents and gomastahs, having gone directly contrary to the conditions prescribed to them. I agree, therefore, in the neceffity of entering into other articles of agree ment ment with the Nabob, fuch as fhall appear more proper for regulating the manner of carrying on our trade in thofe articles, which before the troubles ufed to be deemed illicit, and for confining the government's officers, and our gomaltahs, within the due bounds of their refpective employments; of which articles, copies fhould be given to every officer of the government, and every gomaitah for their guidance." : The refult of this confultation has not yet been published by any authority, but it is faid, and from what afterwards happened, it is probable, that they applied to the Subah for having new regulations fettled, and that he not only refued it, but refused it in an infulting manner, which produced immediate hoftilities of thefe I fhall not pretend to give any relation, as no account of them has been published by authority; and I cannot think that our people in India were fo foolishly rash, as to begin hoftilities, before they had called in all their distant factories, and assembled all their forces at Calcutta: if they had begun in this manner to prepare for war, they' might have obtained from the Subah's fears, thofe equitable conditions, which they found they could not obtain from his gratitude, and, I hope, they did not defire any conditions that were not just *. And much less can I believe, that they have, upon declaring war, refolved to place Mhir Jaffeir again upon the mufnud; for if he was fo generally hat ed by the people, as has been reprefented by those who concurred in forcing him to abdicate, will not such a refolution unite the people of all the three provinces againft us? But even fuppofe that he was fo generally hated by the people, is it not probable that this popular odium arofe from his allowing our people a freedom of inland trade, whilft at the fame time he loaded the natives with heavy taxes? If king William had been fo weak as to allow the Dutch a trade to and in this country free from any of those taxes, excifes, or tolls, to which the natives were fubject, can we think that he would not foon have incurred the general hatred of the people, notwithstanding his having faved us from popery, flavery, and arbitrary power? If this was really Mhir Jaffeir`s cafe, and he fhould be again restored folely by our power, can the natives expect any better ufage from him? Will they not therefore to a man oppofe his reftoration ? Upon the whole it is evident, that the prefent difturbance, and all the misfortunes we have lately met with, in Bengal, have been owing entirely to the weakness of our own conduct, ever fince the lord Clive left that place; and ultimately to the treaty, as it is called, which our governor made with the Subah of his own creating, without any explicit authority from the council, upon which treaty the author of the abovementioned pamphlet called Facts, &c. makes one obfervation, so natural and fo well fupported, that I fhall give it in his own words, as follows: "The Inland trade was become a matter of great confequence; no person was engaged in it to a greater extent than Mr. Vanfittart, particularly in the article of falt. It is even affirmed by feveral gentlemen of character, acquainted with the affairs of that country, that his share of that trade was alone equal to that of all the other fervants of the company put together -All merchants naturally aim at monopoly, we cannot doubt that Mr. Vanfittart, whose abilities are universally acknowledged, muft have perceived the importance of ingroffing to himself almoft the whole of this trade, and that he must have wifhed to prevent as much as poffible the other fervants of the company from interfering with him. It is impoffible to fay, whether or not he was influenced by that motive in concluding the treaty in question, but it must be obvious to all mankind, that he could not have devised a more cer See the Chronologer. tain tain method of ingroffing this trade, and of excluding every fervant of the company, whom he happened to dislike, from sharing in it, than by this treaty. As all correfpondence with the country government is carried on by the prefident, as he is conceived by them to poffefs whole power of the company, and in the prefent cafe enjoyed the particular favour of the Nabob, it is evident, that, whatever outrages the Nabob's officers might take upon them, in confequence of this treaty, to commit a gainst the trade of the other servants, the governor's trade would meet with little or no obstruction. he would affift them wherever he could. No one will doubt that this drogah would give Mr. Vanfittart the preference to every other person." And I fhall conclude this long but impartial account of the late difturbances in Bengal, with this fincere prayer, that no British subject, either at home or abroad, may ever allow himfelf to be actuated by that pernicious fort of emulation which destroyed the great Roman people, ne quis fit ditior alter, I am, &c. *XXXXX-XXXXXXX From the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. A Chapter read, as if from the Bible, by a Gentleman in America, on the late inhuman Maffacre of the Indians. CHAP. XXII. A ND it came to pass after these things, that Abraham fat in the door of his tent, about the going down of the sun. 2. And behold a man, bowed with age, came from the way of the wilder nefs, leaning on a staff. 3. And Abraham arose, and met him, and faid unto him, Turn in, I pray thee, and wash thy feet, and tarry all night, and thou shalt arise early on the morrow, and go on thy way. Accordingly this was the effect which immediately followed, of which fome examples shall be mentioned. Mr. More, the prefident's agent at Rungpoor, under pretext of having farmed, from the country-government, the duty upon opium, produced in that quarter, at 600. rupeees per annum, with the affistance of the Foufdar, or officer there, took muchulcas, or obligations, from all the dealers and makers, restraining them from dealing with any but him; and the confequence was, that tho' no other person could obtain a single chest, Mr. More difpatched, for Vanfittart's account, 102 chefts, the profit upon which amounted to a very confiderable fum. The last clause in the treaty, obliging the English to buy only from the Nabob's drogah at Rangamatty, muft, in like manner, have had the effect to throw the whole trade of Affam, Rangamatty, and Boutain, into the hands of the governor. The company's fervants, before this treaty, were at liberty to buy from whom they pleafed, without payment of any duties, nor had the Nabob any title to regulate the trade of Affam, a country which does not belong to him. So foon as Mr. Vanfittart had fixed his new duty upon these goods at 9 per cent. and established four factories in these parts, and thrown the whole purchases into the hands of the Nabob's drogah, his next ftep was to recommend his own agents, Mr. Baillie and others, to this drogah, and defired 4. And the man said, Nay, for I will abide under this tree. 5. And Abraham pressed him great. ly; fo he turned, and they went into the tent; and Abraham baked unlea vened bread, and they did eat. 6. And when Abraham faw that the man bleffed not God, he faid unto him, Wherefore doft thou not worship the most High God, Creator of Heaven and Earth? 7. And the man answered and faid, I do not worship the God thou speakest of, neither do I call upon his name; for I have made to myself a God, which abideth alway in mine house, and pro videth me all things. 8. And Abraham's zeal was kindled against the man, and he arose and fell upon upon him, and drave him forth with blows into the wilderness. 9. And at midnight God called unto Abraham, faying, Abraham, Where is the ftranger? Yo. And Abraham answered and faid, Lord, he would not worship thee, neither would he call upon thy name; therefore have I driven him out from before thy face into the wilderness. 11. And God faid, Have I borne with him thefe hundred ninety and eight years, and nourished him and cloathed him, notwithstanding his rebellion against Me; and could't not thou, that art thyfelf a finner, bear with him one night? 12. And Abraham said, Let not the anger of my Lord wax hot against his fervant: Lo, I have finned; forgive me, I pray thee. 13. And he arofe, and went forth into the wilderness, and fought diligently for the man, and found him : 14. And returned with him to his tent; and when he had entreated him kindly, he fent him away on the morrow with gifts. 15. And God fpake again unto A. braham, faying, For this thy fin fhall thy feed be afflicted four hundred years in a strange land. 16. But for thy repentance will I deliver them; and they shall come forth with power, and with gladness of heart, and with much fubftance. ************** From the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. Curious Chronological Anecdotes from Mr. Anderfon's Hiftory of the Rife and Progress of Commerce, &c. 1266 Cities and boroughs were firft represented in parliament. 1299 Spectacles and windmills were invented. 1300 The convenience of chimnies was not known, but every family fat round a stove, in the middle of a fmoaky house. Wine was then fold only by apothecaries, as a cordial. The houses were all of wood, and it was reckoned a kind of luxury, to ride in a two-wheeled cart. The mariner's compafs invented, by which a voyage could be performed in three months, which before took up 3 years. The parliamentary grants to the King were then in kind, and 30,000 facks of wool was this year's grant. 1302 1340 1344 1351 Gold firft coined in England. Groats and half groats were the largest filver coin. Ondon's first free char- 1547 ter for electing their own magistrates, was obtained. turnips, and cabbages were imported from the Netherlands. Pins firft made in England, before which the ladies used skewers. Silk ftockings firft worn by the French King. In the year 1208 L 1561 Queen Elizabeth wore the firft pair of filk stockings in England. Watches were first brought into England from Germany. From Hiftory of Clelia. LELIA was born in Eng land, of Romish parents, about the time of the Revolution. She feemed naturally framed for love, if you were to judge by her external beauties; but if you build your opinion on her outward conduct, you would have deemed her as naturally averfe to it. Numerous were the garçons of the polite and gallant nation, who endeavoured to overcome her prejudices, and to reconcile her manners to her form. Perfons of rank, fortune, learning, wit, youth, and beauty fued to ber; nor had fhe any reafon to quarrel with love for the shapes in which he appeared before her. Yet in vain were all applications. Religion was her only object; and the feemed refolved to pafs her days in all the aufterities of the most rigid convent. To this purpose the fought out an abbefs that prefided over a nunnery in Languedoc, a fmall community, particularly remarkable for extraordinary instances of felf-denial. The abbefs herself exhibited a perfon in which chastity appeared indeed not very meritorious. Her character was perfectly well known before the went to prefide over this little fociety. Her virtues were indeed fuch as the thought moft convenient to her circumstances. Her fafts were the effect of avarice, and her devotions of the fpleen. She confidered the cheapnefs of house keeping as the great reward of piety, and added profufenefs to the feven deadly fins. She knew fackcloth to be cheaper than brocade, and ashes, than fweet powder. Her heart fympathized with every cup that was broken, and the instituted a faft for each domeftick misfortune. She had converted her larder into a ftudy, and the greater part of her library confifted of manuals for fafting-days. By thefe arts, and this way of life, the feemed to enjoy as great a freedom from inordinate defires, as the perfons might be fuppofed to do who were favoured with her smiles or her converfation. To this lady was Clelia admitted, and after the year of probation assumed the veil. Among many others who had follicited her notice before the became a member of this convent, was Leander, a young physician ofgreat learning and ingenuity. His períonal accomplish-. ments were at least equal to thofe of any of his rivals, and his paffion was fuperior. He urged in his behalf all that wit, infpired by fondness, and recommended by perfon, drefs, and equipage, could infinuate; but in vain. She grew angry at follicitations with which the refolved never to comply, and which she found fo difficult to evade. But Clelia now had affumed the veil, and Leander was the most miserable of mortals. He had not fo high an opinion of his fair one's fanctity and zeal as fome other of her admirers; but he had a conviction of her beauty, and that altogether irresistible. His extravagant paffion had produced in him a jealoufy that was not eafily eluded. He had obferved his mistress go more frequently to her confeffor, a young and blooming ecclefiaftic, than was, perhaps, neceffary for fo much apparent purity, or, as he thought, confiftent with it. It was enough to put a lover on the rack, and it had this effect upon Leander. His fufpicions were by no means leffened, when he found the convent to which Clelia had given the preference before all others, was one where this young friar supplied a confeffional chair. It happened that Leander was brought to the Abbefs in the capacity of a phyfician, and he had one more opportunity offered him of beholding Clelia through the grate. She, quite fhocked at his appearance, burft out into a fudden rage, inveighing bitterly against his prefumption, and calling loudly on the name of the Blessed Virgin and the Holy Friar. The convent was, in fhort, alarmed; nor was Clelia capable of being pacified till the good |