board, fhould, in the reign of the most amiable prince of the houfe of Brunf wick, be thus rewarded after all its fervices and they will fay it could not have been done if fome TORIES had not been the chief inftrument; who fought every means to put a ftigma upon the descendants of those who accomplished the. No doubt, there fore, but a base ungrateful faction, who, by themselves and their agents, are daily aiming a deadly blow at the liberties of their country, will now rejoice, and none but fuch will rejoice, for a generous and difcerning public will unceasingly mourn the lots of such an univerfal friend.

From the RoYAL MAGAZINE.

No one will, I believe, venture to fay my doubts are groundless, when there is fo recent an inftance of the changeable difpofition of the English in that almost neglected, though praiseworthy planned scheme, of fupplying the cities of London and Westminster with fish by land-carriage. Did not every one at first run to the Society's ftalls for what fish they wanted? But when the fcheme began to have the defired effect, namely, the reducing the exorbitant price of fifh demanded by fishmongers, and obliging thefe fiflimongers to feil at lower prices, did not every one run back as eagerly to buy of thofe very fishmongers whom they had left before for their exorbitant and

I rejoiced much to

proclamation for the free importation of Irish provifions in the Gazette; yet, I fear, from the wavering difpofition the people of England are so remarkable for, that it will not be attended with the defired effect. They at first will, as ufual, be in a manner fcrambling to be the first purchalers; and they will as foon be eager to depreciate the goodness of the commodities imported it is the remarkable characteristic of the English, and from which they will never deviate; but as there are many, very many families in this metropolis, whofe circumftances are fuch, that, live as near as poffible, they can hardly make the two ends of the year meet, it is to them I more particularly addrefs myfelf. If they are united, and refolve to become purchafers of the provifions imported, it will confequently reduce the price of provifions in our markets, which every houfe-keeper is fenfible are now at an extreme high price, owing entirely to forestallers and regrators, and which is not a sudden rife, but has been of long duration, notwithstanding the fine and plentiful harvefts we have had. This

true!Think ye, ye deferve your grievances to be redreffed, when you have not the refolution to pursue any fcheme that is fet on foot for the good of all?-It is not a dozen, or even a hundred public-fpirited perfons, that can fupport a fcheme of this fort in fo populous a place as this metropolis; every one must concur, or the fcheme will fink.-I think the instance I have produced fufficiently fresh in every one's mind, and in which, to the best of my knowledge and defign, I have advanced nothing but facts. It therefore behoves every one not only to become purchasers at the first, but to continue fo as long as the proclamation permits the free importation of such provisions (notwithstanding their butcher and cheefemonger, may lower the price of beef, butter, and bacon) which, by the quick returns of money, will enable the contractor to import none but the beft of every kind.

If you think the above thoughts crude, wandering, and undigested as they are, have the leaft fhadow of truth in them you will find them a place in your Magzine, which may induce fome

his reception, in quality of brother to the king of Great Britain. As foon as his arrival was notified to the master of the ceremonies, under the title of the earl of Ulfter, fix noblemen deputed from the state, went on board the Centurion, and waited on his royal highnefs, with the compliments ufual in fuch cafes, upon his arrival, and offered him a palace for his refidence, during his ftay in their city. This example was copied by most of the nobility, who felicitated his royal highnefs, and with a politenefs natural to the Italians, convinced him how much they esteemed the honour he had done them, by fo gracious a vifit. On the 30th the officers of the republic prefented his royal highnefs with stores of all forts of wine, wildfowl, fruit, oil, fweetmeats, &c. and in the evening of the fame day, the deputies entertained him at the palace prepared for his reception, with a ball, and a fupper of forty covers, though it was the time of Advent, when, according to the rubric of the Roman church, all balls, plays, and masquerades are prohibited; and in order to render this ball more brilliant, the doors were fet open about two hours after it was begun, to admit every body that was masked.

Every day brought forth fome object of amusement, to make the ftay of this royal vifitor as agreeable as poffible. Its nobility emulated each other in their addreffes to him, by all imaginable honours, and by diverfifying his diverfions; fome entertaining him with vocal and instrumental concerts, others by polite and numerous affemblies of both fexes. In all of which we had the pleasure to fec, that his royal highnefs captivated the affection of every rank and degree, with his affability, and that addrefs which adorns a prince of GreatBritain.

Thefe favours were repaid by a most elegant entertainment, given after the English manner by his royal highnefs, on board the English men of war, for the principal nobility. They expreffed their due fenfe of this condescension in fo illuftrious a prince, by repeated mafk

ed balls; one of which was given at the theatre on the 22d of January; another, on the next night, by the deputies, at the palace intended for the refidence of his highness. The reft of his time, the prince filled up with every part of knowledge, that was to be picked up in that part of Italy; and at last he took his leave of the Genoefe, with most magnificent prefents, to the amount of 40,000 ducats, in jewels and toys, which his royal highness gave to the princes and state.

My own time, during our stay in Genoa, was not totally loft. My intention was not to be an idle spectator, but to be in fome fort active in his highness's retinue. The hours I could fnatch out of the circle of pleasures and entertainments, and from admiring the luftre of the prince's conduct in every fcene, contrived to display his amiable qualities, were conftantly employed in exploring the beauties, ftrength, and curiofities of this city.

The legislative authority of this republic is in the great council of 400 noblemen, and citizens of fortune, elected annually out of the freemen; and four fifths are required to enact every law that is made. The executive power is in a person called a doge, or duke, who must be 50 years old, is elected only for two years, and at his installation is dignified and crowned with the name, ftile, and title of king of Corfica.

Genoa is fituate at the end of a gulph, partly on the brow of a hill, that furrounds the gulph, in the form of a crefcent, and partly on a little plain, between the foot of the hills and the fea-fhore. The ftreets are narrow, and the houses in the lower town are fix or feven stories high: but are lower, as the afcent rifes by degrees, and affords a pleafing profpect at a diftance, tho' attended with feveral internal inconveniences.

Their churches and religious houses particularly demanded the attention of a traveller, both for their beautiful appearance, and the richness of their fur

niture

niture and ornaments, though perhaps we may meet with more piety, where there is lefs oftentation.

If you view this city from the fea, at about a mile distance, it affords a very elegant prospect, the houfes in the streets rifing like the feats of a theatre. And if you visit their places of devotion, nothing can be more fuperb than the form, nor any thing more idolatrous than the matter of their worship: of which I need give you no other inftance than the adoration paid by the Genoefe before a rich fhrine, fupported by four beautiful columns of porphyry, brought from Smyrna in the year 1098, and believed to contain the afhes of St. John the Baptift.

His highness's ftay at Genoa could not escape the remarks of fpeculatifts. No body could be perfuaded, that fo great a perfonage would cross the ocean, without fome special errand, of a more national kind, than to fee countries, men, and fashions. The politicians were not at a lofs for reafons. Some prefumed, that he was tq fettle an advantageous treaty between the two na. tions, which fhould put trade upon a better footing, and counterbalance the French interest. Others were pofitive, that there was a treaty on foot about the island of Corfica; and that the malecontents were agreed to fubmit, and acknowledge him for their fovereign.

But in the height of thefe conjectures, his royal highnels fet out from Genoa by land for Alexandria, and convinced them all, that they were out in their politics.

fion of fome serious question, that tended not only to innocent amusement, but to moral inftruction, and their better acquaintance with the obfcure parts, and feeming inconfiftencies of fcripture; that the general harmony and confiftency thereof might (if poffible) be difcovered, and the members confirmed in the belief of the facred truths therein contained, and fortified against the fubtle attacks, and fophiftical reafonings of the fecret or declared enemies of religion. Such is the plan of this fociety, and I doubt not but every good man will fay it is a laudable and useful one; for the obfcurity and feeming incon fiftency of feveral parts of fcripture, are the foundation of numberless objections, and even of modern infidelity; and are often cast for ftumbling blocks in the way of the fimple and unwary, (tho' fincere) chriftian, who, for want of ac quaintance therewith, is, by the fubtilty of his adverfaries, often brought to renounce his faith, as a cunningly. devifed fable.

This fociety, in its beginning, was favoured with the attendance of feveral gentlemen, whofe converfation was not only beneficial, but ornamental to it; and though by various acidents, it is deprived of fome of them, yet, from a principle of affection, the members ftill continue affociating; and, as every one contributes alike towards the expence, fo has every one an unquestionable right (by the rule of equality obferved amongst them) to propofe his fubject | for converfation, to fpeak his opinion, and start his objections freely, without critical obfervations being made on his manner, gesture, or pronunciation: this rule has always been obferved, except when Mr. Obfervator happened to be amongst them, who himself, (by the bye) for all his boasted advantage of a liberal education, is not unexceptionable as to his language and gefture.

To the order, with which this fociety is conducted, Mr. Observator is him. felf a witnefs; rejoiced am I to find he has honetty enough to speak nothing in difpraife of it, though in other refpects

he

be feems to have preferred indulging his fatire to candor and juftice: Nemo juftus effe poteft, qui quidquam æquitati anteponit.

As we endeavour in all things to

ter of the fociety,) and fuppofing thefe really spoke as he has reprefented, the other part of it may notwithstanding speak with more propriety and elegance.

From the COURT MAGAZINE.

Mr. Obfervator fays, In this focie ty Mr. Prefident, like a learned bishop, has a Bible before him, the feeming inconfiftencies of which they are determined to clear up.'-A prefident indeed we have, but not invefted with any particular privilege of infpecting into the Bible, nor fuppofed to excel in knowledge or abilities; he bears that office only to keep order, and therefore every Member takes it in his turn. The Bible too we have (and glory that we have it) for every one occafionally to refer to, each of us defiring to conform our converfation to its innocency, purity, and truth, and our lives to its precepts; but we are not quite fo vain, as to think ourselves able to clear up every difficulty; this indeed we endeavour to do, but, after all may fometimes fail, what then? may not the converfation be entertaining and ufeful? not to say fatisfactory and decifive.

The fubjects difcuffed in this fociety are too numerous to be mentioned in this account, but they are chiefly drawn from that invaluable book we have conftantly before us.

:

The two firft queftions your corre fpondent has quoted, are perhaps unexceptionable, and have employed the thoughts of many ingenious and learn. ed men had this gentleman given a candid account of what was faid, the fociety would not have appeared in fuch a defpicable light; but every one knows it is the practice of a fatyrift, to render the object of his fatire as ridiculous as poffible; with this defign he quotes only four perfons (icarce a quar

Anecdote of Dr. Barrow and the Duke of Buckingham.

D

R. Ifaac Barrow was a moft fublime genius, an accomplished divine, and a profound mathematician, the glory of Cambridge; but, withal, one of the greatest flovens in nature; fo careless of his dress and perfon, that his appearance was frequently disgusting. It happened, that coming up to London from the univerfity, he was appointed to preach before Charles II. at Whitehall. Towards the close of his fermon, the duke of Buckingham came into chapel, and was a little shocked at the exterior of the parfon, which promifed nothing very excellent. In fhort, having no knowledge of him by fight, he took him for fome low country clergyman; and was not a little offended at feeing him in that honourable ftation. The duke, it is well known, was the veriett wag of the court, and had a talent above all men for turning every thing into ridi cule. He was now determined to exercife it on this miferable ecclefiaftic, as he deemed him; and accordingly fingling him out in the anti-chamber, whither the doctor was come after service, he abruptly accofted him with, I think, mafter, you preached before his majefty to-day. Barrow, who was as little acquainted with the duke, as the duke was with him, replied, yes, Sir, I had that honour. Pray, faid the duke, are you a country clergyman, or are you beneficed in London? I am of Cambridge, Sir, anfwered the doctor, and am come lately from thence hither. Oh ! fays the duke, from Cambridge; ave, that is a noble univerfity; you have feveral confiderable men there. Yes, Sir, faid the doctor, there are many very eminent. Well but, however, fid

the