been entered this year than laft, owing to the late bankruptcies and fearcity of

money.

This day came on before the High Court of jufticiary, the trial of John Watfon, indicted at the inftance of his Majefty s advocate, for breaking into the houfe of the Rev. Mr Beattie, minifter at Marytown, near Montrofe, and that of Mr John Forrest at Welt : Grange, and for ftealing from thence fundry articles. After hearing counfel upon the relevancy of the indictment, the court was pleased to find the fame relevant to fuffer the pains of law. The examination of the witneffes lafted till 7 o'clock, when the evidence for the. crown was fummed up by the Solicitor General, and for the prifoner by Mr Grant. The jury were then inclofed, and returned their verdict this day unanimously finding the pannel guilty of the crimes libelled, whereupon he was fentenced to be executed in the Grafs Market, on the 24th of March next. The manner of Watfon's being difcovered was very accidental. After the robbery committed at Marytown, he on purpose to disguise himself, put on Mr Beattie's cloaths, and tied up his own in a parcel, which, through hurry and confufion he forgot to take away. The cloaths being found and known to be his, fearch was immediately made after him, when he was apprehended.

The court of Jufticiary delayed proceeding in the cafe of the theep-ftealers, which was to have come on this day, till Monday next; the informations appointed to be given in to the court, not being ready.

The following perfons, viz. John Craig, James Davidfon, Thomas Davidfon, Charles Bruce, Charles Graham alias Wallace, and George Watt, having for fome time paft been confined in the tolbooth, for crimes of various kinds, were on Saturday fhipped for London, in order to proceed for the Eaft Indies, having indented themselves to ferve the Hon. Eaft India Company in that part of the world.

Wednesday fennight Robert David

fon, a mafon, at Rofedon, near Wooler, was taken up on fufpicion of murdering Alexander Moffat (formerly mentioned) with whom he had worked for two years paft, and examined before feveral of his Majefty's Juftices of the peace on Friday, at the Black Bull Inn in Wooler, who, from many fufpicious circumftances, committed him to Morpeth Jail, to take his trial at the next allize.

PERTH.

Jan. 30th, Died at Stobhall in Perthshire, in an advanced age, Jane Dutchefs Dowager of Perth, Lady of James Duke of Perth, eldest fon of John Chancellor of Scotland, who followed the fortunes of James VII. and was created Duke by that Prince during his refidence at St Germains. She was daughter of George first Duke of Gordon, and is great Grand Aunt to the prefent Duke.

Feb. 4th, At her Lodgings in Canongate, Mary, alfo Dutchefs Dowager of Perth, Lady of Lord John Drummond, alfo fon to the Chancellor who, on the death of James and John Dukes of Perth, fons of James above menti oued (who were both engaged in the Rebellion 1745) took the titles of Duke of Perth. She was danghter of Charles fifth Earl of Traquair, and fifter to John the prefent Earl.

It is pretty remarkable, that another Dutchefs Dowager of Perth is ftill alive. She is Lady of Lord Edward Drummond, alfo fon to the Chancellor, who on the Death of Lord John last above mentioned, took the titles of the Duke of Perth, and who died at Paris 1760. She is daughter of Charles Earl of Middleton, who in the 1688 likeways followed the fortunes of James VII. and refided at St Germains 'till his death. This Lady ftill continues in France.

On Saturday laft, was brought from Dundee to this town by a party of the military, Richard Roberfon, as being concerned in the late riot at Milnfield.

THOUGHTS on TRAVELLING.

FOR

OR one who enters into the genius of those nations with whom he has converfed, who difclofes their morals, their opinions, the ideas which they entertain of religious worship, the intrigues of their minifters, and their fkill in fciences, there are twenty who only mention fome idle particulars, which can be of no use to a true philofopher. All their remarks tend, neither to make themselves nor others more happy they no way contribute to control the paffions, enable them to bear adversity, to inspire true virtue, or raife a deteftation of vice.

Men may be very learned, and yet very miserable: it is eafy to be deep geometricians, or a fublime aftronomer, but very difficult to be a good man. The traveller who inftructs the heart is to be esteemed; but he who only indulges the imagination is to be defpifed. A man who leaves home to mend himself and others is a philofopher; he who goes from country to country, guided by the blind impulfe of curiofity, is only a vagabond. Those great men, who have endeavoured to unite the world by their travels, are highly to be honoured: fuch men grow wife as well as better, the farther they departed from home, and feemed like rivers whofe ftreams are not only increased but refined as they travel from their fource. VOL. III.

Memoirs of John Holbein, the celebrated Painter.

H

WOLBEIN was born at Bafil in

1498. He difplayed great genius in many hiftorical pieces, particularly in two, which he painted at London; one was the triumph of riches; the other the state of poverty. We have defcriptions of his dance of peasants, and his dance of death, engraved on wood: this laft piece was in high efteem, being treated with a kind of religious enthufiafm. This painter fuc-' ceeded alfo in portraits. He took great pains in finishing them, which made them appear harsh, and took off from the boldness of the colouring; nor is his drapery much admired.-Holbein was remarkable for painting with his left hand. His drawings and defigns, which are very numerous, were also held in esteem.

Holbein was a particular friend of the celebrated Erafmus, his cotemporary. This painter did his picture, and the grateful author celebrated him in his writings. He induced Holbein to come over to England, where his talents would receive a proper recompence; and he alfo recommended him to the chancellor Moore, who became his patron, and Holbein was his guest for three years, during which time he painted feveral pieces for the chancellor.

Moore having one day invited Hen-
G g

ry

ry VIII. to a feaft, fhewed this prince the masterly performances of the paint er, and intreated Henry to accept of them. The king charmed with the talents of the artist, asked if it was not poffible to have Holbein in his fervice. Moore called him in, and prefented him to the king, who named him his painter, faying to the chancellor, "I leave you without reluctance the prefents that you have made me, as you have procured me the author."

Holbein being one day shut up in his clofet, employed in painting, defired to be concealed, a nobleman of the first .rank called upon him, and infifted upon being admitted. The painter at first excufed himself in the politest terms; but the Earl thinking this refufal an infult to his dignity, was going to force open the door. Holbein, naturally of a warm difpofition, turned the lord down ftairs. When his choler fubfided, recollecting the infult he had of fered the nobleman, he flew to court, and threw himself at the king's feet to implore his mercy. The enraged Earl was there almoft as foon as the painter, to complain of the treatment he had met with, and demand juftice. Henry liftened, and endeavoured to appease his wrath; but the Earl raised his voice, and became clamorous for punishing the painter. Henry, piqued at the want of refpect fhewn his perfon, faid to him, My lord, at the peril, of your own life, I charge you not to attempt that of my painter. The difference I find between you is fo great, that of feven peafants, I can in a moment make as many Earls as you; but of feven Earls like you, I fhall never be able to make a Holbein,"

The behaviour of this man led me to reflect upon thofe adepts in politics, who confider more attentively the ftate of Europe, than they do the state of their accounts; and are more follicit ous about the balance of power than they are about the balance of their own books: the death of a German prince affects them more fenfibly than the death of a relation; and a revolution in Sweden gives them a greater shock than a ftroke of the palfy.

At this time when our Gazette teems with bankrupts, and every Tuesday and Saturday makes the trader tremble, it behoves every man of business to leave the political fyftem of Europe to minifters and statesmen, and carefully attend to their own affairs, in order to obviate the difficulties in which they may otherwife be involved. The Quidnuncs are now far more nnmerous than they were in the time of Sir Richard Steele, and to one political upholsterer then, there are twenty political tradefmen now, who cannot too forcibly be lafhed out of their folly. I am,

SIR,

As

SI have paffed all my life in the country till within thefe few weeks, there are many things and expreffions in this metropolis that puzzle me to account for. I fhall at present only defire you to explain to me the meaning of an honeft fellow, as I find it admits of various, and almoft oppofite interpretations: for my part I was ignorant enough to fuppofe it literally meant a good fort of a man, whofe morals and probity were never impeached; but in this opinion I find I am entirely mistaken.

I was the other evening at Nando's coffee-houfe, when I took my attorney afide to ask him concerning a very extraordinary figure that made its appearance there. He replied he is a Scavoir vivre, a very honeft fellow. As I did not understand French, I defired him to explain to me the fignification of an honeft fellow in English, to which he replied, "It was a man who knew the world and dreffed like a gentlenian." I put this definition down in the strong eft characters in the tablet of my memory, refolving not to be again miftaken in an honest fellow; but before half an hour was elapfed, he met with an old acquaintance, and profeffed foxhunter, with a round hat, and all the other apparatus of drefs denoting his character. 66 Pray" faid I, "what may your friend be?" To which I was anfwered in a half whisper, "He knows nothing of the world, and always dreffes as you fee him-but he is a very honeft fellow." Here I was again difconcerted, and began to think my former opinion was right; but I was foon convinced of my error; for presently my friend shook hands with counsellor whom I was told lived with another man's wife, and drank very hard; but that he was a d-n'd honeft fellow."

"

Being thus bewildered by such contrary definitions of the fame character, I thought by applying to you, Sir, as you feem to know a good deal of the

*** I am not furprized that this gentleman fhould be at a ftand to determine the exact fignification of an honeft fellow, as it means almost a different character in every different quarter of the metropolis; at Arthur's it implies a man who pays his gaming debts with punctuality, and cheats his tradefmen: in Covent Garden it denotes the Buck who can fwallow the greatest dofe of claret, and utter the moft uncommon collection of prophane oaths: about the Temple it means one who understands and practifes all the chicane of the law; and about the 'Change it fignifies the fair trader who breaks and defrauds none but his friends.

New ACCOUNT of the EGYPTIAN MUMMIES.

UMMIES are what most people

Mi

make mention of in England,and my making a fhort ftay here enables me to give you a few particulars on that fubject. Mummies are dead bodies embalmed and wrapped up in certain linen cloths well impregnated with gums, wax, &c. to prevent the bodies corrupting; they are to be found in great quantities about the village of Salcana, a fmall distance from Cairo, where I now am. The ground where they are found is like a vast burying place, adorned in divers places with many pyramids; there are under the ground inany vaulted rooms cut in quarries of white ftone, with a hole like the mouth of a well, to defcend into them; thefe walls are square, built with good stones, and filled with fand to close the grotto, which fand is taG.g 2

· ken

ken out when people are defirous to go in and fee them; the vifitants are let down, by ropes properly applied, to the bottom, where the door is; the rooms are commonly fquare, and contain many bye places, where the mummies are depofited, fome in ftone tombs others in chefts or coffins made of fycamore-wood, with many other ornaments. The dead bodies are wrapped up with rollers or fillets of linnen cloth dipped in a compofition fit to preferve from corruption; thefe fillets are fo often wrapped about, that there are fometimes more than a thousand ells going in length from head to foot, which are often adorned with many hieroglyphicks painted in gold, reprefenting the qualities and brave actions of the deceased; fome have a golden leaf delicately fet on the face, others have a kind of a head-piece made of cloth, and prepared with mortar, on which the face of the perfon is reprefented in gold. In unwrapping them mall metal idols are fometimes found turiously wrought, and fome have a little piece of gold under their tongue: fome mummies are fhut up in chefts made up of many cloths pafted together, which are as ftrong as wooden ones, and never rot. The balin that preferves thefe bodies is black, hard, and fhining like pitch, and fmells pleafantly. Some of these are found three thousand years old.

not believe, nor do I believe them now, knowing the countefs's temper, and how much he was offended at you.

Firft fhe faid, That a perfon, to whom you had promifed marriage in prefence of a lady of your bed-chamber, had lain with you an infinite number of times, with all the freedom and intimacy of a husband with his wife; but that certainly you were not like other women; and that therefore it was great folly to prefs your marriage with the Duke d'Anjou, as it never could take place; and that you would never part with the liberty of having love made to you, and of wantonly dallying, at any time, with new lovers: fhe, at the fame time, regretted that you would not content yourself with Master Hatton, or fome other of this kingdom: but that which vexed her most, for the honour of the country, was; that you had not only parted with your honour to a foreigner, one Simier (going in the night to meet him in the apartment of a lady, whom the countefs greatly blamed on that account, where you kiffed him, and ufed many indecent familiarities with him) but that you alfo revealed to him the fecrets of ftate, thus betraying your own counfels; that you behaved in the fame loofe manner to the duke his mafter, who went one night to the door of your chamber, where you met him with nothing on but your fhift and your bed-gown, and foon fuffered him to come in, and he staid with you near three hours.

That, as to Hatton, you followed him fo, that the whole court took no tice of your paffion for him; and he himself was forced to leave the court; and that you gave Killgrew a blow on the ear, because he could not, as you ordered him, bring back Hatton, who had parted from you in anger for fome abufive language you had given him, on account of fome good buttons he had on his cloaths.

That he had endeavoured to make