pearance, made me fufpected for fome runaway fervant. After dinner my defire to fleep returned, and I threw myself upon a bed, where I flept till fix o'clock in the evening. I was then called to fupper; afterwards I went to bed at an early hour, and flept foundly till morning." Among many other curious traits the Doctor mentions a scheme which he and an acquaintance, of the name of Keymer, once had of establishing a new sect of Religion, Keymer," fays he, " had a large portion of enthufiafm, and was fond of argument, and we frequently difputed with each other. I was fo much in the habit of using my Socratic method, and had fo frequently entrapped him by my queftions, which at first appeared very far removed from the matter in debate, but notwithstanding led to it by degrees, embarraffing him in difficulties and con tradictions from which he could not ea fily extricate himself, that at laft he became ridiculously cautious, hardly an fwering the moft plain and familiar queftion without previously asking me, But what will you infer from that? From hence he formed fo high an opinion of my talents for refutation, that he feriously proposed to me to become his colleague in the formation of a new fect of religion which he dehgned to eftablish. He was to propa. gate the doctrine by preaching, and I was to refute the arguments of all oppo nents. When he came to explain to me his peculiar dogmas, I found many things which I could not fuffer to país, except ing that he would agree to adopt fome of my opinions alfo. Keymer wore his beard long, because Mofes had faid, Thon fbalt not mar the corners of thy beard. He lik wife obferved the Sabbath, or the Seventh day: and these were with him two indifpenfable points. To me they were both disagreeable, but I confented to adopt them, provided that he would agree wholly to abftain from ufing animal food. "I doubt," faid he, "that my conftitution cannot fupport the change." On the contrary, I affured him that he would find bis health improved by it. He was naturally a gluton, and I wished to amufe myself by tarving him. He confented to make trial of this regimen, provided that I wou!! bear him company; and we in fact continued it during three months. A woman in the neighbourhood pre pared our victuals, and I gave him a lift of forty dishes, into the compofition of which there neither entered fleth nor fish. This fancy was the more agreeable to me as it faved money, for the whole expences of our living did not exceed eighteen-pence a week for each. I have fince that time observed feveral Lents with the utmoft rigour; and I have all at once fubftituted this regimen to my ordinary diet, without perceiving the fmalleft inconveniency to refult from the fudden change; which has led me to confider the advice commonly given, of being cautious how we alter our diet, as being of no confe quence. I went on cheerfully, but poor Keymer suffered terribly. Tired of the project, he longed for the fleth-pots of Egypt. At length, one day having ordered a roaft pig, he invited me and two ladies to dine with him; but the pig being ready a little too foon, he eat the whole himself before our arrival; and thus ended our enterprise." STATE PAPERS. Address from the National Convention of the Republic of France to the Thirteen Helvetic Can tons. BRETHREN and ALLIES, The draw you into the league formed a HE Houfeof Auftria has long endeavoured gainst the liberties of France; your declaration of neutrality has not difconcerted it; and it is feeking new pretexts in the events of the roth of Auguft. It dares ftill to hope you will be feduced by the language of calumny and intrigue. We will fpeak to you that of freedom and reafon. Louis XVI. reigned only by a Conftitution which he had sworn to maintain; the power he held from it he employed to fubvert it; numerous armies were already advancing under the guidance of his brothers; it was in his name. they came to conquer France; he had every where hatched treafons; the throne of Defpotifm was to be again erected. The people feared for their liberties, they complained, and the answer they received was, the fignal for maffacring them, given in the palace itfelf of their first officer. At the head of his affaflin, were the Swiss Guards, whom the conftitution had ordered to be dif banded, and to whom, nevertheless, we had referved their rank and pay, as an effect of that good-will which unites the French to the Helvetic Nation. It was neceffary to conquer-it was neceffary to destroy the inftruments of fuch an attempt, or again to receive our chains. And you who know the value of liberty, you we aik-ought Bree Citizens to deliberate in their choice? Such, Brethren and Allies, are the events which our enemies fhew you under fuch perfidious colours. We have fhaken off the tyranny of the Bourbons, as you did formerly that of the Auftrians; and it is to you that thefe Auftrians propofe to affift the accomplices in their hate to liberty. The French do not dread one enemy more; they know how to refift the efforts of every defpot, and thofe of every people who can have the baieness to ferve their ferocious projects. But it is with grief they shall see ranking among their enemies a nation which Nature appears to have deftined their eternal Ally. We will not recal to your memory what they have done for you, and particularly what they did in the laft century, to force Auftria to acknowledge your national independence. It is your prefent intereft, it is your glory, it is your political exiftence that we invite ou to confider. Is it not indifpenfably neceffary to your country to be enlivened by an uninterrupted commerce with France? What have our enemies to offer you as a recompence for the lots of our friendship? Do you not fee that our enemies are yours? Have you forgot the inclination that Joseph difcovered in spite of himself? They are hereditary in his Houfe, which, faithful to the principles of tyrants, ftill regards SWITZERLAND as its property. Should your long miftruft of its political conduct abandon you in a moment that the great ruggle which is taking place between Defpotifm and Liberty may perhaps decide for ever the fate of nations, to what difgrace, to what dangers even do you not expose your felves, if, after having by your example taught modern nations that the people are imprefcriptibly Sovereigns, you should e fpoufe, against emancipated France, the cause of a race of tyrants which has conftantly fhewn itself the enemy of all popular fovereignty. Ah if ever you fhould have declared yourtelves against France, it ought to have been when one of its guilty chiefs had formed with Auftria the most monstrous of alliances. Now that this alliance is broken, their caufe is again become yours! It is par ticularly fo fince they are become a Republic. What fignifics, then, these jealoufies with which it is endeavoured to infpire you on the march of our armies It is not against them but against the French refugees among you; it is again fome of your members fold to defpotifm; it is against wicked men, who feparate their caufe from that of the people, and who would impel you to facrifice the general interest of the Helvetic Body to their perfonal ambition; it is against thefe that you fhould have been on your guard. Our armies have no other destination but to drive tyrants from the land of the French Republic, and at the fame time to attack the coalition in its own dwellings. They will ever respect the territory of neuter or allied powers. They will refpect property even on the land oppreffed by the tyrants who have provoked us; and will avenge themselves of thofe only, by offering liberty to the people whom they hold in bondage. REPORT of the Minifter for foreign Affairs prefented to the National Affembly, refpelling the order given to the French troops to enter Sardi nia. Mr PRESIDENT, I Concutive council, to give an account to the National Affembly of the meatures which the honour and fafety of the state have obliged us to pursue against the King of Sardinia. Come, in the name of the provisional This Prince, gentlemen, has for a long time been provoking us to employ those meafures; for a long time he has, like other kings, paid a tribute of hatred and malevo lence to the French revolution. The Court of Turin was the first afylum of those great criminals, whom the vengeance of the people fo juftly followed; there was the first focus of their bafe confpiracies formed; and thence iffued the firm hordes of armed rebels, who have fince increased and infested the shores of the Rhine, the Mofelle, and the Scheldt. It would be only amufing the Affembly with needlefs details, were 1 to trace out the multiplied injuries which the French have fuftained for the three last years from the Sardinian Government; we have not even though it neceffary, gentlemen, to fubmit to your examination the formal propofal for making war on a Prince, who, in respect to us, has violated all rights, treaties, and agree ments. We will carry on war against him in an open and manly manner, but the guilt of that war will fall upon him alone. He himself, indeed, declared war against us the day when he dared to infult the majesty of the French nation in the person of our ambassador, arrested on the most frivolous and odious pretences on the frontiers of the kingdom, open on all fides to our enemies. He declared war against us, when, notwithftanding the exprefs tenor of ancient treaties, he filled with troops the fortrefs of Montme lian, and encreased his hostile preparations in Savoy. He declared war against us when he acceded to the impious league of tyrants; when he invited the Auftrian cohorts into his territories, and ordered an incampment to be traced out for them near his capital. It it is worthy of remark, gentlemen, that when the Court of Turin was proceeding to fuch exceffes again us, it had not even the events of the 10th of August, a day which, by banishing the remains of that charm which is fill attached to the name of King, laid among us the folid bafis of empire, liberty, and equa lity, to ferve as a pretence for its conduct. If that day did not give us a new enemy in the King of Sardinia, it at least supplied fresh fuel to his hatred, When an account of the events of that day reached Turin, a grand council or fort of congrefs was held, for the purpofe of deliberating on the meafures neceffary to be adopted in regard to France. The question whether or not it would be proper to attack us was long debated in that council; and though the refult of the deliberation was to fufpend that extremity, and to be contented with acting a paffive part, we ought not to fuffer ourselves to be the victims of illufion. It was not inclination, but strength, that was wanting to our enemy; his rage is not allayed, it is only feeble; and we have reason to be apprehenfive, that if we allow him time to augment his refources, he will some day carry fire and fword into the Southern Departments. Gentlemen, a nation may be placed in fuch circumftances, that the only method of defending itfelf with advantage, is to act on the offenfive. Such are those under which we are at prefent in regard to the King of Sardinia By paying refpect to his apparent and perfidious neutrality, we should only lofe the lervice of a fine army, which may be usefully employed, while that prince, in concert with our enemies, might, every moment, unite his forces to thears by his Italian States; put them in poffeffion of the important paffages of the Alps; and overawe us until a favourable opportunity might occur of falling upon us with more hopes of, fuccefs.. Under thefe circumstances, gentlemen, you will doubtless agree that we have only one courfe to take that of forcing to combat that enemy who wishes to lull us afleep by a pretended appearance of inactivity. This is the determination of the provifional executive council. in virtue of your decree of the 16th of July laft, which authorifes to repel by the force of arms every declared enemy who may be in a state of actual hoftilities against the French nation, the commander of the armies of the South had already made difpofitions for entering Savoy, and only waited for a formal order, which we tranfmitted to him on the 8th of this month. Allthofe fubfidiary means which are likely to enfure the fuccefs of this measure, have been purfued by the executive power. Formidable diverfions will fecond the effort of our arms, and before winter we fhail propably make ti● Alps a barrier between Frenchmen, the fons of liberty, and the tyrants of Italy. ! VOL LV. January 1793. NEW BOOKS. Travels through North and South Carolina, MR John Bartram, the father of our Mr William Bartram, whofe travels are now before us, informs his readers, that he undertook to fearch the Floridas, and the western parts of Carolina and Georgia, for the discovery of rare and ufeful productions of nature, chi, fly in the vegetable kingdom; at the requelt of Dr Fothergill, of London. He embarked for Charlestown, South Carolina, in April 1773; and thence profecuted his journey, fometimes by land, fometimes by water, fometimes alune, and fometimes in company, as opportunity offered. As a fample of the hazards and alarms to which he was expofed, we may produce the following adventure: It may be proper to obferve, that I had now paffed the utmoft frontier of the white fettlements on that border. It was drawing on towards the clofe of day, the fkies ferene and calm, the air temperately cool, and gentle zephyrs breathing through the fragrant pines; the profpect. around enchantingly varied and beauti. ful; endless green favannas, chequered with coppices of fragrant fhrubs, filled the air with the richest fume. The 1 Quakers. He was of the profeflion of me. gaily attired plants which enamelled the green, had begun to imbibe the pearly dew of evening; nature feemed filent, and nothing appeared to rufe the happy moments of evening contemplation: when, on a sudden, an Indian appeared croffing the path, at a confiderable distance before On perceiving that he was armed with a rifle, the first fight of him startled me, and I endeavoured to elude his fight, by ftopping my pace, and keeping large trees between us; but he efpied me, and turning fhort about, fet fpurs to his horse, and came up on tull gallop. I never before this was afraid at the fight of an Indian, but at this time, I must own that my (pirits were very much agitated: I faw at once, that being unarmed, I was in his power; and having now but a few moments to prepare, refigned myfelf entirely to the will of the Almighty, trufting to his mercies for my preferva. tion: my mind then became tranquil, and I refolved to meet the dreaded foe with refolution and cheerful confidence. The intrepid Siminole stopped fuddenly, three or four yards before me, and filently viewed me, his countenance angry and fierce, shifting his rifle from thoulder to fhoulder, and looking about inftantly on all fides. I advanced towards him, and with an air of confidence offered him my hand, hailing him, brother; at this he haftily jerked back his arm, with a look of malice, rage, and difdain, feeming every way discontented; when again looking at me more attentively, he inftantly (purred up to me, and with dignity in his look and action, gave me his hand. Poffibly the filent language of his foul during the moment of fufpenfe (for I believe his defign was to kill me when he first came up) was after this man. ner: "White man, thou art my enemy, and thou and thy brethren may have kill. ed mine; yet if may not be fo, and even were that the cafe, thou art now alone, and in my power. Live; the Great Spirit forbids me to touch thy life: go to thy brethren, tell them thou faweft an Indian in the forefts, who knew how to be humane and compaffionate." In fine, we fhook hands, and parted in a friendly manner, in the midst of a dreary wilder. nefs; and he informed me of the courfe and distance to the trading houfe, where I found he had been extremely ill treated the day before. I now fet forward again, and after eight or ten miles riding, arrived at the banks of St Mary's, oppofite the ftores, and got fafe over before dark. The river is here about one hundred yards acrofs, has ten feet water, and, following its course, about fixty miles to the fea, though but about twenty miles by land. The trading company here received and treated me with great civility. On relating my adventures on the road, particularly the laft with the Indian, the chief replied, with a countenance that at once bespoke furprife and pleasure, "my friend, confider yourself a fortunate man: that fellow," faid he," is one of the greateft villains on earth, a noted murderer, and outlawed by his countrymen. Laft evening he was here, we took his gun from him, broke it in pieces, and gave him a severe drubbing: he, however, made his escape, carrying off a new rifle gun, with which, he laid, going off, he would kill the firft white man he met." If fuch were his perils among false brethren by land, it will appear that he was not always more secure by water. He took an extenfive voyage, up the river St John, in Eaft Florida, alone in a fmall boat, going from one plantation or store to another, as long as he found them, and paffing his nights on the banks where he found none. In this folitary progrefs, he makes us fhudder in defcribing one of his evening disturbances: "The evening was temperately cool and calm. The crocodiles began to roar and appear in uncommon numbers along the fhores and in the river. I fixed my camp in an open plain, near the utmoft projection of the promontory, under the shelter of a large live oak, which ftood on the higheit part of the ground, and but a few yards from my boat. From this open, high fituation, I had a free profpect of the river, which was a matter of no trivial confideration to me, having good reason to dread the subtle attacks of the alligators, who were crowding about my harbour Having collected a good quantity of wood tor the purpose of keeping up a light and fmoke during the night, I began to think of preparing my fupper, when, upon examining my ftores, I found but a feanty provifion. I thereupon determined, as the most expeditious way of supplying my neceflities, to take my bob and try for fome trout. About one hundred yards Mr B. calls the, indifcriminately, Crocodiles and Alligators. above my harbour began a cove or bay of the river, out of which opened a large la goon. The mouth or entrance from the river to it was narrow, but the waters foon after spread and formed a little lake, extending into the marshes : its entrance and thores within I observed to be verged with floating lawns of the piftea and nymphea, and other aquatic plants; thefe I knew were excellent haunts for trout. The verges and iflets of the lagoon were elegantly embellished with flower ing plants and fhrubs; the laughing coots with wings half (pread were tripping over the little coves and hiding themselves in the tufts of grafs; young broods of the paint ed fummer teal, fkimming the still surface of the waters, and following the watch ful parent unconscious of danger, were frequently surprised by the voracious trout; and he, in turn, as often by the fubtle greedy alligator. Behold him rufhing forth from the flags and reeds. His enormous body fwells. His plaited tail brandished high, floats upon the lake. The waters like a cataract defcend from his opening jaws. Clouds of fmoke if fue from his dilated noftrils. The earth trembles with his thunder. When immediately from the oppofite coaft of the lagoon, emerges from the deep his rival champion. They fuddenly dart upon each other. The boiling furface of the lake marks their rapid course, and a terrific conflict commences. They now fink to the bottom folded together in horrid wreaths. The water becomes thick and difcoloured. Again they rise, their jaws clap together, re-echoing through the deep furrounding forefts. Again they fink, when the conteft ends at the muddy bottom of the lake, and the vanquished makes a hazardous escape, hiding himfelf in the muddy turbulent waters and fedge on a diftant fhore. The proud victor exulting returns to the place of action, The thores and forefts refound his dread fal roar, together with the triumphing fhouts of the plaited tribes around, wit Beffes of the horrid combat. My apprehenfions were highly alarmed after being a fpectator of to dreadful a battle, It was obvious that every delay would but tend to increase my dangers and difficulties, as the fun was near fetting, and the alligators gathered around my harbour from all quarters. From thefe confiderations I concluded to be expeditious in my trip to the lagoon, in or der to take fome fish. Not thinking it prudent to take my fufee with me, left I might lose it ver board in cafe of a battle, which I had every reafon to dread before my return, I therefore furnished myself with a club for my defence, went on board, and penetrating the first line of those which furrounded my harbour, they gave way; but being purfued by feveral very large ones, I kept ftrictly on the watch, and paddled with all my might towards the entrance of the lagoon, hoping to be sheltered there from the mul titude of my affailants; but ere I had half-way reached the place, I was attack. ed on all fides several endeavouring to overfet the canoe. My fituation now became precarious to the laft degree; two very large ones attacked me closely, at the fame inftant, rushing up with their heads and part of their bodies above the water, roaring terribly and belching floods of water over me. They truck their jaws together fo clofe to my ears, as almost to stun me, and I expected every moment to be dragged out of the boat and inftantly devoured. But I applied my weapons fo effectually about me, though at random, that I was fo fuccefsful as to beat them off a little; when, finding that they defigned to renew the battle, I made for the thore, as the only means left me for my preservation; for, by keeping close to it, I fhould have my enemies on one fide of me only, whereas I was before surrounded by them; and there was a probability, if pushed to the laft extremity, of faving rayfelf, by jumping out of the canoe on fhore, as it is eafy to outwalk them on land, although comparatively as fwift as lightning in the water. I found this laft expedient alone could fully answer my expectations, for as foon as I gained the fhore, they drew off and kept aloof. This was a happy relief, as my confidence was, in fome degree, recovered by it. On recollecting myfelf, ducovered that I had almost reached the entrance of the lagoon, and determined to venture in, if poffible, to take a few fish, and then return to my harbour, while day-light continued; for I could now, with caution and refolution, make my way with fafery along thore; and indeed there was no other way to regain my camp, without leaving my boat, and making my retreat through the maribes and reeds, which, if I could even effe&, would have been in a manner throwing myfelf away, for then there would have C 2 been |