By the Rev. T. WARTON, Poet-Laureat.

N rough magnificence array'd,
When ancient Chivalry difplay'd
The pomp of her heroic games;
And crefted Chiefs, and tiffued Dames,
Affembled at the Clarion's call,

In some proud Castle's high-arch'd hall,
To grace romantic Glory's genial rites;
Affociate of the gorgeous feftival,

The Minstrel truck his kindred ftring, And told of many a fteel-clad King, Who to the tourney train'd his hardy knights; Or bore the radiant red-crofs fhield Mid the bold Peers of Salem's field; Who travers'd Pagan climes to quell The wizard foe's terrific fpell; In rude affrays untaught to fear The Saracen's gigantic fpearThe liftening Champions felt the fabling With fairy trappings fraught, and hook their plumes fublime.

[hime

Such were the themes of regal praife,
Dear to the Bard of elder days;
The fongs, to favage Virtue dear,
That won of yore the public ear!
Ere Polity, fedate and fage,

Had quench'd the fires of feudal rage,
Had ftemm'd the torrent of eternal ftrife,
And charm'd to reft an unrelenting age.
No more, in formidable state,

The caftle thurs its thundering gate; New colours fuit the fcenes of toften'd life: No more, bestriding barbed fteeds, Adventurous Valour idly bleeds: And now the Bard, in alter'd tones, A theme of worthier triumph owns; By focial imagery beguil'd,

He moulds his harp to manners mild; Nor longer weaves the wreath of War alone, Nor hails the hoftile forms that grac'd the Gothic Throne.

And now he tunes his plaufive lay To Kings, who plant the Civic bay; Who choose the Patriot Sovereign's part, Diffufing Commerce, Peace, and Art; Who fpread the virtuous pattern wide, And triumph in a nation's pride: Who feek coy Science in her cloifter'd nook, Where Thames, yet rural, rolls an artless tide; Who love to view the vale divine, Where revel Nature and the Nine, And clustering towers the tufted grove o'erTo Kings, who rule a filial land, [look; Who claim a people's vows and pray'rs, Should Treafon arm the weakest hand! To thefe, his heart-felt praife he bears: And with new rapture haftes to greet This feftal morn, that longs to meet, With luckieft aufpices, the laughing Spring, And opes her glad career with bleflings on her wing!

1

AN ELEGY,

Written by Dr J-W-*, on the Death o his Wife.

Lo, to the iron hand of Fate

My dear Statira, meek-foul'd mate,
Refigns her tuneful breath!

Though lock'd her teeth, her lips thoug pale,

And blue each harmless finger-nail,
She's beautiful in death.

Soon as I heard the laft fweet figh,
And faw her lovely closing eye,

How great was my surprise!
Yet did I not, with impious breath,
Arraign the fudden flhaft of Death,

Nor blame the righteous skies! Why do I groan in deep despair? Since he's a first-rate angel fair:

Ah, why my bosom simite?
Could grief Statira's life restore!
But let me give fuch ravings o'er,
Whatever is-is right.

Ye friends, who come to mourn her door,
For God's fake, gently tread the room,
Nor call her from the bleft!
In fofteft filence drop the tear,
In whispers breathe the fervent prayer,
To bid her fpirit rest.

Reprefs the fad, the wounding feream,
I cannot bear fuch grief extreme,
Enough-one little figh!
Befides, the wild uproar of grief
In many a mind might raise belief,
That all our grief's a lie.

Good people! fhroud my lamb with care;
Her limbs, foft touching, kindly fpare;

Her mouth, ah, gently close!

Her mouth, the fwecteft tongue that held,
Whofe mild, commanding tone compell'à
To peace my loudest woes.
And, carpenter, for my fad fake,
Of touteft oak her coffin make,

I'd not be faeaking, fure:
Of feel procure the strongeft fcrews,
For who would paltry pence refuse,

To lodge his wife fecure?
Ye mourners, who the corpfe convey,
With caution tread the doleful way,

Nor fhake her precious head!
Since Fame reports a coffin toft
With careless fwing against a post,
Did once difturb the dead.
Farewell, my love, for ever loft;
Ne'er troubled be thy gentle ghost,
That I again may woo!
By all our paft delights, my dear,'
No more the marriage chain I'll wear,
-Plague take me if I do.

* Peter Pindar, Efq;

AD

Then horn, for horn, they ftretch an' strive,
Deil tak the hindmift, on they drive,
Till a' their well-fwall'd kites belyve

Are bent like drums; Then auld gudeman, maift like to rive, "Bethanket" hums.

Is there that owre his French ragour,
Or olio that wad ftaw a fow,
Or fricaffee wa'd mak her fpew

Wi' perfect fconner,

Looks down wi' fneering, fcornfu' view
On fic a dinner?

Poor devil! fee Him, owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rath,
His fpindle-fhank a gude whip-lash,
His nieve a nitt;

Through bloody flood or field to dash,

O how unfit!

But mark the ruftic, haggice-fed,
The trembling earth refounds his tread;
Clap in his waly nieve a blade,

He'll make it whifsle,
An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will foed
Like taps o' thrifle.

Ye Pow'rs wha gie us a' that's gude,
Still blefs auld Caledonia's brood
Wi' great John Barleycorn's heart's blude,
In ftowps or luggies;

And on our board that king o' food,
A glorious Haggice!

On a GOLDFINCH ftarved to death in his cage.

[From CowPER'S Poems.]
Ime was when I was free as air,
The thistles downy feed my fare,
My drink the morning dew:
I perch'd at will on ev'ry spray,
My form genteel, my plumage gay,
My trains for ever new.

The gaudy plumage, fprightly ftrain, And form genteel, were all in vain,

And of a tranfient date;

For caught and cag'd, and starv'd to death, In dying fighs my little breath

Soon pafs'd the wiry grate.

Thanks, gentle fwain, for all my woes,
And thanks for this effectual clofe,

And cure of ev'ry ill;

More cruelty could none exprefs,
And I, if you had fhewn me lefs,
Had been your pris'ner still.

Parody of SAPPHO's celebrated Ode. By Mifs C- - a child of eight years of age, but remarkably quick, now at Mrs D--'s Boarding School. Addreffed to the Rod, with which he had just been corrected by her Governejs.

I.

URST as the meaneft wretch is fhe,

Clucky girl juft whipt by thee,

Who fees and feels thy ftinging rage, Which nought but time can e'er affuage.

II.

'Tis thou that plagu'ft us ev'ry day,
To hame and fmart mak'ft us a prey.
Is aught mildone-straight o'er the knee,
Poor culprits, we are twigg'd by thee.

III.

Thy Shatter'd ends, and fhabby plight, Show e'en thou fuffer'ft by thy fpight; Judge then, thou ugly faggy thing, How my poor flesh can bear thy fting.

IV.

Guardian pow'rs, protect me, then,
Let me ne'er tafte fell birch again;
To naughty boys confine its rage,
And not with tender chits engage.

AN EPITHET for the PRESENT AGE,
By Dr FORDYCE.

POETS man tapete ce the higheft stage!

OETS with rapture fing the Golden Age,

In darkest shades they paint those Iron Days, When men nor Virtue fought, nor Virtue's praife.

Our times to both, to neither are allied;
In fhow fupreme, of anfw'ring worth de
void!

Shining like gold, yet full of base alloy;
And hard like iron, yet light as childish toy!
Could feiences and arts lolt fame restore,
'Tis own'd that thefe have never flourish'd

HISTORICAL AFFAIRS.

TURKY.

Conftantinople, Dec. 7. The plague ftill continues here with little variation. Amongst the fufferers is the Prefident of the Ottoman Chancery, Rashid Effendi, who, in a very fhort interval, has had the misfortune to lofe his wife, one of his children, and eight fervants, by this cruel diforder. Lond. Gaz.

Late letters from Egypt make mention of a bloody battle having been fought in that country, in which Murat Bey was dangerously wounded. The Ottoman

troops were victorious at firft; but a detachment of 2000 Africans coming to the affiftance of the enemy, gave a turn to the battle, and forced the Ottomans to give way.

POLAND.

Warfaw, Jan. 1. A letter from Cracovia gives the following account of the effects produced by the earthquake which took place in that Palatinate on the 3d

ult.

All the houses at Cafimierez, which ftands in a northern fituation, were fo much fhaken, that all the doors were burft open, and the ftoves fcattered about the rooms. The walls of Sendonier con

vent were deeply cracked in feveral pla

ces. The church of Ketzowitz has been confiderably damaged, and the steeple fo far fhaken by the flock, that the bells were fet a ringing. It is faid that the earthquake was felt with far greater violence in the Carpatha mountains. The annals of this kingdom have preferved the record of the various earthquakes its inhabitants have experienced at different times, by which it appears, that the most confiderable were felt in the years Ioco, 7016, 1200, 1257, 1303, 1348, and 1358.

A convention concluded in November

laft between Pruffia and Poland, on the fubject of regulating the limits of Silefia, was ratified at the laft dyet held at War. faw, and the fenate affigned 50,000 crowns, to indemnify thofe who fuffered by the demarcation.

SWEDEN.

Stockholm, Dec. 12. On account of the great fcarcity of corn here, a ftop has been put to the fale and diftilling of bran dy, allowing however a certain quantity for family confumption, to be had at the magazines of the Crown, for which certificates are to be granted. Lond. Gaz,

GERMAN ́Y.

The Emperor, as Sovereign of the churches in Germany, has ordered the Baron de Lahrback, to declare, that he will not permit any nuncio from the Pope to exercise any jurisdiction in the Empire, contrary to the established conftitution.

The Elector of Cologne has expreffed great indignation at a circular letter lately diftributed in his dominions by the Pope's nuncio, refpecting difpenfations for mar riages, &c. On the 17th of December his Royal Highness ordered an ordinance to be iffued, addreffed to all minifters, curates, &c. not to pay the fmalleft regard to the letters of the faid nuncio; and not to obey any brief, bull, or difpenfation whatever, unless iffued by his Highnefs.

The Electors of Mentz and Treves have followed the example of his Serene Highness of Cologne, and have iffued out ordonnances, ftrictly forbidding their bishops and clergy to pay the leaft regard to any bull or brief that may be iffued by the Pope's nuncio.

An earthquake happened at Ratisbon on the 3d of December, at five o'clock in the evening, which was preceded by a loud fubterraneous noise; it was felt at Czenowitz, and in several parts of Sile fia. The furniture in many houfes was thrown out of its place, the doors and feveral large gates were beat open, and the church-locks ftruck in an irregular manner, accompanied with the tumbling of tiles and chimneys, by which a few perfons were killed and others wounded. On the fame day and at the fame hour it was felt at Cracow in Poland.

Drefden, Dec. 20. An infectious diftemper has broken out among the horned cattle, at the village of Stolpen, and in its neighbourhood, at the distance of about four German miles eastward from Drefden, which is fuppofed to have been brought thither by fome oxen lately imported from Poland. The progrefs of the diftemper has been rapid; but as a cordon is now formed round the villages where it has made its appearance, and every other precaution taken, it is hoped that it will be prevented from spreading into the neighbouring country. Lond. Gaz.

Drefden, Dec. 20. Loffes by fire having been very frequent in this country, and the fufferers hitherto indemnified in part out of the public revenues, a new regulation is enacted, to take place

from

from the rft of January next, by which every proprietor of a houfe throughout this electorate is to enter it in a public regifter, at a valuation fixed by himself. The loffes by fire are to be computed every fix months, and an equivalent fum collected from the whole of the proprietors, in proportion to their property as registered, which is to be applied to the individual fufferers, according to the valuation contained in the regifter. This rule will naturally induce the proprietors to deliver in a fair valuation of their property. Lond. Gaz.

The Emperor has reduced the intereft of his public funds to three per cent, and an affignment of eight millions yearly is made to pay off the debts of the Hereditary States, which amount to only eleven

millions.

Vienna, Dec. 30. The late partition of the kingdom of Hungary into ten large diftricts, with only the fame number of courts of judicature, having been found infufficient for the speedy diftribution of juftice among the lower claffes of people, his Imperial Majefty has eftablifhed, in each of the thirty-eight coun. ties of that kingdom, an inferior tribunal for the decifion of all causes between individuals in the first inftance. As these tribunals are conftituted on a much more liberal and folid footing than formerly, the moft falutary effects may be expected

from them. Lond Gaz.

Oftend, Jan. 6. An Imperial edict was iffued here on the 11th ult. repealing all edicts, ordinances, and regulations concerning the corn-trade in these provinces, and declaring that henceforward every one fhall be at liberty to export or import all kinds of grain and meal, without being fubjected to the inspection of the police, or any other reftriction or formality whatever, except the payment of the duties hitherto paid on the exportation or importation of those arti

cles. Lond. Gaz.

Berlin, Jan. 9. The Royal Bank has reduced the intereft paid to individuals for their capital from two and an half to two per cent. But the capital of minors is exempted from any diminution, and they continue to receive three per cent. for their money. The Bank likewife continues to pay two and an half per cent. for money belonging to the church, and to pious establishments, as well as for the money deposited under legal adjudications.

ITALY.

Florence, Dec. 16. The Great Duke of Tuscany has juft issued a new code of criminal laws, which is ordered to be obferved in all his dominions. It confifts of 119 articles, by which capital punishments are abolished, as having been found to leave too flight an impreffion on the minds of the people for the prevention of crimes, and more vifible and ftead. Torture is prohibited. Confifcapermanent sufferings ordained in their tions are declared unjuft, as involving the innocent with the guilty. Propor tionable penalties are inflicted for flight offences, and a more equitable mode of trial is established, particularly with regard to evidence.

Soon after the publication of this new code, a man condemned to the gallies

for a moft inhuman murder endeavoured to perfuade the companion to whom he was chained, to efcape with him; but upon his refufal, he took an opportunity of picking up a large ftone, with which, notwith&tanding his chains, he maffacred his companion, in the prefence of the guard. So horrible a deed, under fuch circumstances, almost overcame the Great Duke's humane temper. He immediately ordered a gallows to be erected in the moft public part of Pifa; but his Imperial Highnefs countermanded the order for his execution, and the criminal was fentenced to a more excruciating, and red between four walls, where, almoft lafting punishment, that of being immuunable to move, he muft end his life in offence can scarcely be committed, puthe utmost mifery. As a more flagrant nishments by death are not expected to be revived in this country.

Naples, Jan. 2. Mount Vefuvius continues to difgorge a great quantity of lava from its crater, which cools before it can arrive at the cultivated parts of the mountain; no damage therefore has hitherto enfued from this eruption. Lond. gaz.

On Sunday, Dec. 24. two fhocks of an earthquake were felt at Venice, which were not very violent.

By the late determination of a convocation held at Rome, on the affairs of the Cardinal de Rohan, that Cardinal has been reinftated in all his functions, and his former fufpenfion erased.

"Having refolved to affemble the moft qualified perfons of my state in their different conditions, fo as to communicate to them my wishes for the eafe of my people, and the order of my finances, and the reform of many abufes, for which I have thought proper to call them together; I fend you this letter, to inform you, that I have appointed the 29th of Jan. 1787, for the meeting of this affembly, at Verfailles; and it is my intention that you meet there on that day. I am affured that I fhall receive from you that aid which I ought to expect for the good of my kingdoms, which is the object of my calling you together; upon which I pray God to take you into his holy keeping. Given at Versailles, this 29th of December 1786.

LOUIS."

There has not been a fimilar meeting to the above fince the year 1626, and all France is on the highest pitch of expec

tation.

An edict has been iffued, and was in force on New-year's day, ftrictly commanding all perfons belonging to, or holding any places in, or otherwife belonging to the court, to refide in Paris, and always to appear full-dreffed.

SPAIN.

Teneriffe, Nov. 16. The Volcano at the top of the mountain in the Inland of St Magdalena, vulgarly called the Pike of Teneriffe, from which there has been no material eruption for a long series of years, burft out very fuddenly in the morning of the 10th, with a black fmoke, which was fucceeded by a liva, and the cafting up hot ftones, fome of which fell on board the fhipping, and caufed great alarm. It has fince leffened, but the flame is prodigious.

Paris, Jan. 2. The Count d'Aranda, Ambaffador from the court of Spain, has received an exprefs from Madrid, with the important intelligence, that the King of Spain has had a stroke of the pally, which had affected his intellects, and totally deprived him of his mental pow

ers.

His eldeft fon, the Prince of Afturias, has taken up the reins of government.

BARBAR Y.

Madrid, Jan. 8. An exprefs has arrived at Carthagena from Algiers, with

an account of the plague having broken out at Conftantia, with fuch violence as to spread the alarm over all that part of the coaft. The number of deaths was faid to be from fifty to eighty in a day; and the Confuls and other foreigners at Algiers had fhut up their houses, and renounced all communication with the rest of the inhabitants. Lond. Gaz.

AMERICA.

The following is a translation of a letter from the Emperor of Morocco to the United States:

"In the name of God! Mahomet Ben Abdala!

"Moft Illuftrious Congrefs of Ame rica!

"We have received your letter by the hands of your ambaffador, and perufed its contents with all due attention. We have remarked therein the inclination

you exprefs of concluding with us a treaty of peace. To this we willingly have affented, and even ratified the plan, fuch as you have propofed, by fetting thereto our Imperial feal. Wherefore we have, from that very moment, given strict command to the captains of our ports, to protect and affift all fhips under American colours, and, in short, to fhew them every favour due to the most friendly powers: being fully determined to do much, when an opportunity offers. We write this in full teftimony of our fincere friendship, of the peace which we offer on our part.

"Given the 20th day of the Ramadan, in the first year of the Hegira, 1200, that is the 24th of July 1786." Extract of a private Letter from a Gentleman at Virginia to his Friend in Eaft Kent, Sept. 23. 1786.

"Soon after my arrival, 1 waited on Gen. Washington, by whom I was received very politely, and hofpitably entertained for two days 1 ftaid with him at Mount Vernon. This is a handsome feat, delightfully fituated on the banks of Potowmack, a few miles below Alexandria; the houfe commanding a fine and extensive view up and down the river, and over into Maryland. The river is upwards of a mile broad, and, when I was there, was actually covered with wild fowl, with which, during the feafon, as well as with a variety of fine fish, the General's table is always plentifully supplied. The General is faid to be rather diffident, filent,

and