"I think I see a national church founded upon a rock, a secured claim of right, hedged and fenced about by the strictest and pointedest legal sanction that sovereignty could contrive, voluntarily descending into a plain upon an equal level with Jews, Papists, Socinians, Arminians, Anabaptists, and other sectaries.

"I think I see the noble and honourable peerage of Scotland, whose valiant predecessors led armies against their enemies upon their own proper charges and expences, now divested of their full orders and vassalages, and put upon such an equal footing with their vassals, that I think I see a petty English exciseman receive more homage and respect than was formerly paid to their Maccallanmores.

"I think I see the present peers of Scotland, whose noble ancestors conquered provinces, over-ran countries, reduced and subjected towns and fortified places through the greatest part of England, now walking in the Court of Requests, like so many English attornies, laying aside their walking swords when in company with the English peers, lest their self-defence should be found murder.

"I think I see the honourable estate of burons, the bold assertors of their nation's rights and liberties in the worst of times, now setting a watch upon their lips, and a guard upon their tongues, lest they be found guilty of scandalum magnatum.

"I think I see the royal state of boroughs walking their desolate streets, hanging down their heads, wormed out of all the branches of their old trade, uncertain what hand to turn to, necessitated to become apprentices to their unkind neighbours, and yet after all finding their trade so fortified by companies, and

secured by prescription, that they despair of any success therein.

"I think I see our learned judges laying aside their practiques and decisions, studying the common law of England, gravelled with certioraris, nisi priuses, writs of error, injunctions, demurrers, &c. and frightened with appeals and advocations, because of the new regulations and rectifications that they may meet with.

"I think I see the valiant and gallant soldiery either sent to learn the plantation trade abroad, or at home, petitioning for a small subsistence as the reward of their honourable exploits; while our old corps are broken, the common soldiers left to beg, and the youngest English corps kept standing.

"I think I see the honest industrious tradesman loaded with new taxes and imposition, disappointed of the equivalents, drinking water instead of ale, eating his saltless porridge, petitioning for encouragement to his manufactures, and answered by counterpetitions.

"In short, I think I see the laborious ploughman with his corn spoiling on his hands for want of sale, cursing the day of his birth, dreading the expense of his burial, and uncertain whether to marry or to do

worse.

"I think I see the incurable difficulties of the landsmen fettered under the golden chain of equivalents; their pretty daughters petitioning for want of husbands, and their sons for want of employment.

"I think I see our mariners delivering up their ships to their Dutch partners; and, what through

presses and necessities, earning their bread as underlings in the royal English navy.

But, above all, my Lord, I think I see our ancient mother, Caledonia, like Cæsar, sitting in the midst of our senate, ruefully looking round about her, covering herself with her royal garment, waiting the fatal blow, and breathing out her last," looking to where the squadron (a soi-disant independent party) sat, "with an et tu quoque, mi fili!”

Following up the affecting image thus presented to his hearers, he proceeded to charge the advocates for the union with conspiring to give the death-blow to their country; and called on all who would avoid participating in the damned guilt, to join with him in protecting it from violation.

"Shall we not," he exclaimed, "speak for that for which our fathers have fought and bled? Shall the hazard of a father unbind the ligaments of a dumb son's tongue? And shall we be silent when our more than father---our country, is in danger?"

After speaking for some time in the same strain, he made a solemn pause.

My lord," he said, "I shall here make a pause, till I see if his grace, the lord commissioner, will receive any proposals for removing misunderstandings from amongst us, and putting an end to our fatal divisions. Upon honour, I have no other design; and I am content to beg the favour on my bended knees."

He stopped, and threw himself upon his knees. None interposed. He could expect none to interpose; but the impression upon the house was very powerful. He then arose, and finished his speech.

A considerable time elapsed before any member on the opposite side attempted to speak. At length, the Earl of Marchmont rose, and said, " My Lord Chancellor, and gentlemen, I have heard a long speech, and a very terrible one; but it only requires, I think, this short reply: Behold, I dreamed; but when I awoke, lo! I found it was all a dream!"

NAVAL ORATORY.

Admiral Blake, when a captain, was sent with a small squadron to the West Indies, on a secret expedition against the Spanish settlements. It happened in an engagement, that one of the ships blew up, which damped the spirits of the crew; but Blake, who was not to be subdued by one unsuccessful occurrence, called out to his men, 66 Well, my lads, you have seen an English ship blown up; and now let's see what figure a Spanish one will make in the same situation!" This well-timed barangue raised their spirits immediately, and in less than an hour he set his antagonist on fire. "There, my lads," said he," I knew we should have our revenge soon."

LORD DUNCAN.

During the mutiny which unfortunately appeared to pervade almost the whole British navy in 1797, Admiral Duncan was blockading the Dutch fleet. The disaffection raged to such an extent in his squadron, that he wasl eft with only three ships, but with these he still remained firm in his station off the Texel, and succeeded in keeping the Dutch havv from proceeding to sea.

The speech which he made on this occasion to the crew of his own ship, on the 3rd of June, 1797, was an admirable specimen of artless and affecting eloquence. His men being assembled, the admiral thus addressed them from the quarter deck: "My lads, I once more call you together with a sorrowful heart, from what I have lately seen of the disaffection of the fleets; I call it disaffection, for the crews have no grievances. To be deserted by my fleet, in the face of an enemy, is a disgrace which I believe never before happened to a British admiral; nor could I have supposed it. My greatest comfort, under God, is, that I have been supported by the officers, seamen, and marines, of this ship; forw hich, with a heart overflɔwing with gratitude, I request you to accept my sincere thanks. I flatter myself much good may result from your example, by bringing those deluded people to a sense of the duty which they owe, not only to their king and country, but to themselves. The British navy has ever been the support of that liberty which has been handed down to us by our ancestors; and which, I trust, we shall maintain to the latest posterity; and that can only be done by unanimity and obedience. The ship's company, and others, who have distinguished themselves by their loyalty and good order, deserve to be, and doubless will be, the favourites of a grateful country; they will also have from their individual feelings a comfort which must be lasting, and not like the fleeting and false confidence of those who swerved from their duty. It has often been my pride with you to look into the Texel, and see a foe which dreaded coming out to meet us. My pride is now humble indeed! My feelings are not easily to be