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Epifle from a Gentleman in London to a
Friend in the Country, recommending a Wife.

I

Dear Sir,

M told you want a fecond wife

To folace your remains of life:
Bor, left you're taken by the heart,
And fall a prey to female art,
Accept the counfel of a friend,
And take the wife 1 recommend.

To prove the lady's just pretence,
She does not want for tober sense;
Not over young, not over pretty,
But comely, crummy, fair, and witty
With humour good she'll daily smile,
And thus your weighty cares beguile;
At noon and night with you regale
On hard or foggy home-brew'd alet:
She'll trace your licids and view your flockst,
And fometimes feed your hens and cocks;
And, when it fuits your fovereign will,
She'll make a party at quadrille.
"But hold methinks I hear you say,
"Has the mo fortune, Sir, I pray?"
Fortune why yes: but why this stuff?
Suppofe the has none, ha'n't you enough?
But wili the, Sir, her lord obey?"
Oh! yes, for ever and for aye.

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Then 'tis a match: I feize the fair."
But foft, my friend, ftill have a care!
Fosfake not the unerring plan;
While he's the wife, be you the man ;
For thould you fwerve from Nature's rule,
To act the tyrant, brute, or fool,
She vows he'll comb you with the three-
legg'd ftool.

INSCRIPTION for a BOWER.
By a very young Gentleman.

"E who in ftately villas dwell,

YE

Yet deign a visit at our cell;
Not here extent of ground you find,
Adorn'd by art, by taste defign'd;
No ftatue here, no ftreams are seen,
To vivify the fading green.
Enough that, to regale one fenfe,
The flowers a fweet perfume difpenfe;
That for one plain and rural board,
Our little orchards fruits afford.
Let vain Ambition figh for more,
Contentment is the ampleft store.
Nor let the man, who dares difdain
The haunts of one good honeft fwain,
Profine the waiks, or tread the bow'r,
Rear'd out to paf, the peaceful hour.
Reflexion here a feat may find,
And Friendship may dilate the mind.
Nay Love may fometimes hither fly
And Delia hear her Damon figh:

• A modern elegant term for fat or jolly.

By broken words and looks exprefs
The tender tale of his diftrefs.
And while upon the verdant ground
The feather'd fongfters hop around,
Or warbling, chear the fultry day,
Or build their nefts upon the fpray,
And glad perform the task defigna-
'Tis fit each Delia fhould be kind.
IMPROMPTU on hearing Mifs Harrop frg,
8: September, 1780.

H

ARROP, fweet excellence! whofe mek-
ing frains,

Than thofe the bird of melancholy pours
More pleafing, fteal upon the charmed fenfe,
And lap it in Elyftan softness; may
Thy modeft merit, unaffuming fk.11,
Be crown'd with every bieffing life can yield!
And, when the public ear no more shall joy
In thy fweet voice, may mufing memory flill
Call forth, in fond idea, thofe lov'd notes
Which hymning angeis only can excel!
SALLY. By A. B.

M

Y love is of a finer grain
[plain,
Than are the nymphs that trip the
And dance o'er hill and valley

The verfe that merit bids to flow,
None ever more deferv'd, Itrow,

Than does my lovely Sally.

My love is of a finer mould
Than are the nymphs that tend the fold,
And eke with fhepherds dally.
The fimple flole, that Nature wears
In her own meadows, best declares,
The genuine charms of Sally.
My Sally tours above the rest,
In modeft dignity confeft,

And feems a queen in ftature:
Alike fuperior in her mind,
That fcarcely praise itself can find
In her a fault to flatter.
She is at least as much divine
As Harriot, Lucy, Caroline,

As Charlotte, Bell, or Sophy;
Nor will the Mufe withhold her aid,
But foon you'll fee my bride array'd
In many a tuneful trophy.
Ye poets, all go tell the Mufe
Her choiceft phrases the muit ufe

With fuch a theme to rally;
And fhould the glide into the room,
And ask me what was Beauty's bloom,
I'd fay 'twas lovely Sally.
Full thirty years, or more, have seen
My love, who never trist on green,

Nor danc'd o'er hill and valley;
Yet ftill he's dearer than before,
Though thirty waning moons, or more,
I've call'd her now-my Sally.

This writer's other poem will be used in the manner be intended it fould be,

It is remarked, by the gentleman's friends, that his ale is generally too new or too ftale; erufig ently generally difagreeable.

A confilerable part of the gentleman's eftate is appropriated to grazing.

$ Let the three laft lines fhould be thought invidions on the part of the author, he thinks ip to declare, that both the fentiment and expreffion, the verification excepted, are the

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08. 15.

A most violent whirlwind or tornado burst on Hammersmith, Roehampton, Richmond, Kingston, and the environs. The form feems to have come in one direction from S. to N. it beat open the S. door of Hammerfmith church, though a very strong one, and the chandelier becoming a conductor to the lightning, it paft directly through the church, and beat out a very large Gothic window on the N. fide, which was full of ftrong workmanship both in iron and stone; tore down the fronts of fome houfes, blew down walls, and tore up large trees by the roots; all the windows on the S. fide of the church were broken by tiles from the adjacent houses. The time of its duration at Hammersmith did not exceed four minutes. At Roehampton a barn with fome poor people in it was blown down, and feven out of eleven were fant to the hofpital; a ftable full of horfes was likewife deAroyed. The effects of the lightning on the ground of the fields, and of the storm on the largest trees, was moft aftonishing, and ftill continue to draw a concourfe of spectators. It has been faid, but we do not vouch it, that the ftorm carried a large tree clear across the Thames.

The violent form, which did fo much damage in the neighbourhood of London, was ftill more feverely felt at Cherburgh on the coaft of France, where feveral fhips were driven out of the bay; the fea rofe to an alarming height; at Vologne the convent was frack with the ligh.ning; in the foreft of CANT. MAG. November, 1780.

Tour le Ville the trees were fet on fire by the flashes which were inceffant for fome time; in short, the inhabitants on that part of the coaft for many miles were thrown into the utmoft confternation.

The council-house at Salisbury, a building erected about 200 years ago, and containing the law courts, was burnt down. It was ob ferved on fire at five in the morning, and extinguished by nine. Happily the charters, pictures, and furniture, were faved. 08. 17.

The fleet under the command of Admiral Darby paffed by Plymouth, from whence fome time after his majesty's fhips Cumberland, Edgar, Prudent, and Proferpine, failed to join him.

A letter of complaint was received at the admiralty-office from Capt. Collin, against the trade under his convoy from Le th to Elfneur, who in a gale of wind left him, by which he was not able to collect tore than 25 fail; but when he came to Elfineur found the rest already arrived, except two, who had been captured by a French privateer of only 14 four-pounders. This, it feems, is a common trick of the trade, to leave convoys, and run it, to get first to market,

08. 18.

His Swedish majefty arrived in his own dominions, after his tour to the German Spa. 08. 24.

The great weir in the Holmes near Derby, which supported the head of water that fupplies the mills near that town, blew up, and has done incredible damage.

08. 26.

A court of common council was held at Guildhall, to take into confideration the fuit of Mr. Langdale, commenced against the lord mayor for the recovery of damages received in the late riots, when it was refolved, that the city folicitor be inftructed to appear and defend the faid fuit. In the debate that hap pened on this occafion Mr. Sheriff Crichtop contended, that the difturbance began in Westminster, and that administration had it múch more in their power to have stopped the dif turbances than the magiftrates of London.. 08. 30.

News was received on Change of the failure of J. and C. Van Tarclink, one of the first mercantile houfes in Amfterdam, for 270,000l. owing, it is faid, to their fpeculations upon

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o'clock. They returned accordingly, and chofe Charles Wolfran Cornwall, efq; There were very warm debates in the houfe on this occafion. The oftenfible reafon for fetting afide the late Speaker, was the infirm ftate of his health, of which La G. Germaine faid they bad repeated proofs the last feffions of the laft parliament; but Sir Fletcher, the late Speaker, obferved, that he must be polfeffed of the cre dulity of a child if he believed that to be the real reafon. Upon a divifion, for Mr. Corns wall 203, Sir Fletcher Norton 104.

This evening the ceremony of chriftening the young prince was performed in the great council chamber by his grace the archbishop of Canterbury. His R. H. the Pr. of Wales and Pr. Frederick being godfathers; and her R. H. the Princess Royal godmother. His Royal Highnefs was named Alfred.

THURSDAY, Nov. T.

His Majefty came to the houfe of peers a bout two o'clock, and having afcended the throne in the ufual ftate, and the ceremony of prefenting the Speaker being ended, his Majefty addreffed both houfes in the following words:

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

Ir is with more than ordinary farisfac. tion that meet you in parliament, at a time, when the late elections may afford Me an opportunity of receiving the moft certain infor mation of the difpofition and the wifhies of My people, to which I am always inclined to pay the utmost attention and regardi

The prefent arduous fituation of publick affairs is well known; the whole forte and faculties of the monarchies of France and Spain are drawn forth, and exerted to the utmoft, to support the rebellion in My colonies in North America, and, without the leaft provocation or caufe of complaint, to attack My deminions; and the undisguised object of this confederacy manifeftly is to gratify boundless ambition, by deftroying the commerce, and giving a fatal blow to the power of Great Britain. By the force which the laft parliament put into My hands, and by the bleffing of Divine Providence on the bravery of My fleets Ind armies, I have been enabled to withfland the formidable attempts of My enemies, and to fruftrate the great expectations they had formed; and the fignal fucceffes which have attended the progrefs of My arms in the provinces of Georgia and Carolina, gained with fb much honour to the conduct and courage of My officers, and to the valour and intrepidity of My troops, which have equalled their highelt character in any age, will, I trust, have important confequences in bringing the war to a happy conclufion. It is my moft earnest defire to fee this great end accomplished; but I am confident you will agree with Me in opinion, that We can only fecure fafe and honourable terms of peace by fuch powerful and refpectable preparations, as fhell convince our enemies, that We will not fubmit to receive the law from any powers whatfoever, and that

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We are united in a firm resolution to decline no difficulty or hazard in the defence of Our country, and for the prefervation of Our ellential interefts.

* Gentlemen of the House of Commani, "I have ordered the estimates for the enfuing year to be laid before you. I fee and feely with great anxiety and concern, that the various fervices of the war muft, unavoidably, be attended with great and heavy expences but I defire you to grant Me fuch fupplies only, as your own fecurity, and lafting welfare, and the exigency of affairs, shall be found to require.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

I repofe an entire confidence in the zeal and affections of this parliament, conscious that, during the whole courfe of My reign, it has been the conftant object of My care, and the with of My heart, to promote the true interefts and happiness of all My fubje&is, and to preferve, inviolate, Our excellent conftitu tion in church and fate."

The commons then returned to their house, and the new Speaker having taken the chair, he informed them that he had received the approbation of his Majefty, and his commands to enter upon that office. He was then (worn himself, as were likewife feveral other members till four o'clock, when the heufe adjourned, and appointed the hours from twelve ll four for the fame fervice till all are íworn.

The lords at the fame time proceeded to take his Majefty's speech into confideration.

Ld Westmorland moved the addrefs, and was feconded by Ld Brownlow, who frongly recommended the continuance of the war, as the only means of leading to a safe and ho ncurable peace. The idea was adopted, and the question for the address was carried without à divifion; an amendment was propofed by Ld Carmarthen, but rejected 68 to 23.

Ld Westmorland, among other reafons for continuing the war, held forth the great example of the Romans, with whom it was a maxim never to treat with an enemy when under misfortunes, nor make peace without a victory.

Ld Abingdon, in the courfe of his oppofition to the addrefs, faid, if all their lordships rejoiced at the birth of another prince, he muft declare himself fingular; his reafon was, that while their Majefties had thirteen children we had thirteen American provinces to help to maintain them, but now the thirteen provinces were loft, there was nothing left but poor Old England to support them all.

Some papers found in the polfson of Mr. Laurens (now in the Tower) were presented by the Stadtholder to the affembly of their H. M. the States General, relative to a treaty in negotiation between the United Colonies and the States of Holland, which his ferene highnefs difclaimed the leaft knowledge of; and their H. M. came to the following refolutions: Refolved, that the independence of America, which is acknowledged by no one

power

power in Europe except France, hath never
been fo by their H. M. Refolved, that the
above notification fhall be fent to the re-
gents of Amfterdam, in order to obtain the
neceffary lights concerning it.

In conféquence of this notification the regents of Amsterdam returned their answer, acknowledging the part they had taken for a treaty of commerce, built however upon even. tual circumstances, and only to take place in cafe the independency of America fhould be acknowledged by Great Britain. This, how sever, is likely to be a very ferious business, as, on the one hand, the regents infift on their H. M. juftification, and on the other, the court of G. B. infifts not only on their renunciation, but on their punishing the perfons concerned in fetting the treaty on foot.

Friday 2.

The Houfe of Peers waitedupon his Majefty at St. James's, and prefented their Address, which contained their mot dutiful congra'tulations on the birth of another prince; their full approbation of those spirited and vigorous exertions which the arduous fituation of public affairs demands; their heartfelt indignation at the confederacy leagued against us in the profecution of a war waged in violation of public faith, and for the fole purpofe of gratifying koundless ambition; their fatisfaction at the fuccefs of his majefty's arms in Georgia and Carolina.; their determined refolution to concur in thofe vigorous meafures recommended by his majelty; andtheir grateful fenfe of his majesty's conftant follicitude to promote the true interests of his fubjects, and to preserve inviolate our excellent constitution in church and stare.

His Majesty's anfwer concludes in thefe words:

Your wife and fpirited refolutions to profecute the wat with vigour, and to mainrain, at every hazard, the effential interefts, dignity, and honour of Great Britain, give me the highest fatisfaction, and must be productive of thote falutary effects, both at home and abroad."

Mandy 6.

The ceremony of fwearing the members of the Houfe of Commons being over, the Houle proceeded to bufinefs, and the new -Speaker having twice read his majesty's fpeech, Mr. De Grey moved for an addrefs. He prefaced his motion, as ufual, with a recital of the principal events of the war, the meafures that had been purfued, and the fuccefs which had attended them; and from this general statement of our affairs he drew many cogent reafons for continuing the war in America, and purfuing it with additional vigour. He expatiated on the conduct of our · generals, and paffed high encomiums en that of general Cornwallis in particular, and the valour and bravery of his troops; concluded with recommending fortitude and perfeverance in the strongest manner.

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who, among other things, expreffed his fa-
He was feconded by Sir Richard Sutton,
had met with the wishes of the people, which
tisfaction that the meafures of government
proved.
the late event of elections had mott evidently

Thefe gentlemen were reply'd to by others in oppofition, who in the accuftom'd fryle vengeance on those who had been the caufe execrated the American war, and denounced of it. Obferved, that all the evils with which we are now threatened, and the lofs of our tranfmarine' poffeffions; the independency of the colonies; their acceffion to the power of our natural enemies; and their poffethion tain as a great nation, was all foreseen and as effential to the very being of Great Briforetold before the tyranny of administration fend themfelves against the frantic acts of had forced the colonies to take up arms to detheir oppreffors, who in the wantonnefs of power profcribed fome, alarmed all, and in hort, fet no bounds to their unreasonable They disliked the form of the addrels, and demands fhort of unconditional fubmiffion. propofed an amendment, but that was rejetted by a majority of 212 to 130.

This day, Mr. Erikiue moved the Court Gordon, that he may forthwith be put upon of King's Bench in favour of Lord George ment. his trial, or discharged from his confine

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Tuesday 7.

manded by the colonels Frafer and Ogilvie, This day the aft and 13th regiments, comembarked on board the transports that "lay ready at Portsmouth to fail to the Weit Indies. The Royals and 69th regiments are in readiness to embark for fome fervice.

The report of the addrefs to his majesty's fpeech was brought up, and when the Speaker was about to put the question,

tion which Ld Geo. Germaine had made Mr. Fox arofe, and obferved on a declarathe evening before, that America swould break with this country to-morroco provided as allerved her independency. What he [Mr. F.] withed to know was, whether America would break with Great Britain for herfelf as a feparate power, or as in alliance with Frence. If the fermer, he laid, it became the noble Lord to thip, in his opinion, would be the meffenger tell the Houle io, as in that cafe, his lordof good news.

Lord George thanked the the hon. gentleman for giving him an opportunity to explain himself on that head. His meaning was, dence, will treat, but not without communithat Congrefs, if you allow them indepenof France. cation with France, nor without the confent

Mr. Fox, in reply faid, we were then in a
lamentable fituation.

adjourned.
The report was agreed to, and the Houfe

Wednesday 8.

Being the birth-day of the Princefs A

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Monday 13.

Mr. Adam rc, and complained bitterly against thofe illegal, unconftitutional, feditious affociations, which, he faid, were framing under the vigilance and direction of factious leaders; and particularly against the Westminster Committee and Affociation, who had caufed an infamous libel to be inferted in the Morning Chronicle, which, through the cloak of a general expression, pointed at him; he therefore hoped that thefe affociations might become the objects of parliamentary interference; that men who dare to violate the decarum of expseffion to the unjuft afperfion of honeft characters may not pass unpu nished. He concluded with declaring in thefe words, that whoever has been concerned in this advertisement [meaning that already alJuded to] or whoever tells me that he affents to the fcurrility which is there pointed at my character, fhall be the object of my sovereign contempt."

Mr Fitzpatrick faid, he heartily agreed with the refolution of the Westminster Committee as exprcfied in the advertifement referred to; that if the honourable gentleman chofe to apply any part of it to himself, he mult ufe h's pleasure, though there was nothing perfonal exprefly mentioned on the face of it. And

Sir James Lowther put an end to the affair by obferving that the honourable gentleman faemed fand of applying generai propofitions,

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as if directed particularly to himself; that this was not the first time; and that he faw no reafon for the order of the day to be delayed by fuch frivolous altercations.

Lord Lilburne then moved that 90,000 men be voted for the fervice of the navy in the enfuing year, including 20,000 marines.

The Lords of Council nominated the gen tlemen for his Majefty to prick the Sheriffs for the year enfuing.

A man, 75 years old. for a wager of a guinea, ran round Queen fquare, Ormond-fir. 17 times, being four miles and an half. He was allowed an hour, and performed it two minutes within the time.

Tuesday 14.

Mr. Dunning obtained a mandamus from the Court of King's Bench to transfer stock at the Bank, which was refused by the directors, on pretence that baftards could not devife by will; which was held nugatory. Wednesday 15.

A letter from Sir Henry Clinton to Lord Geo. Germaine, dated New York, Oct 12, -and published in the London Gazette of this day, informs his lordship, that the American Major-gen. Arnold had quitted the rebel fer'vice, and joined the king's ftandard; and of the unfortunate failure of a plan, which he had the most fanguine hopes, if carried into execution, would have been productive of the greatest good confequences to his Majesty's fervice, but which terminated moft fatally for Major André, his adjutant-general, who being taken prifoner, was tried by a board of rebel general officers, and condemned by their fentence to fuffer death; which fentence was ordered by the rebel general Washington to be carried into execution upon that unfortu nate gentleman on the 2d inft. He fincerely lamented the melancholy fate of that officer, who was a very valuable affiftant, and promifed to be an honour to his country, as well as an ornament to his profeffion.

In the fame letter he likewife informs his lordship of an intended expedition to the Chefapeak; which, he fays, will certainly take place as foon as the wind will permit. This is the fubftance of Gen. Clinton's letter, but the circumftantial detail of the reasons that induced Arnold to leave the continental army, and occafioned the untimely death of Major André that accompanied it, is not yet pub, lifhed by authority.

Captain Brisbane came alfo in the Fortune frigate, from Adm. Rodney, giving an account of his arrival at New York with eleven fail of the line and four frigates, and of his having taken upon him the command of his Majefty's fhips on that station,

Adm. Arbuthnot, having accidentally fallen in with the Fortune frigate, availed himfelf of the opportunity to acquaint the admiralty board that he had met with transports for New York, and had seen them fafe to Sandy Hook; that fince his last fix privateers mounting

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