Character of a Friend, in an EPITAPH which he defired the Author to write.

UNDER

NDER this turf, to mould'ring earth confign'd,

Lies he, who once was fickle as the wind.

Alike the fcenes of good and ill he knew,

From the chafte temple to the lewdeft ftew.

Virtue and vice in him alternate reign'd; That fill'd his mind, and this his pocket drain'd,

Till in the contest they so stubborn grew,

Death gave the parting blow, and both withdrew. R. FERGUSON.

The MINUTES of the Select Committee, appointed by the HOUSE of COMMONS, to enquire into EASTINDIA Affairs.

(Continued from page 245. VOL. III.)

2. Whether Sujah Dowlah iffued the orders for the removal of the Armenian gomastahs in general from his dominions?A. The orders were iffued by the Select Committee; but fome months prior to thofe orders, Sujak Dowlah had applied for a guard to take up fome people at Banaras, who under pretence of being fervants to English gentlemen, were committing all manner of disturbances.

2. Who were thofe gentlemen?— A. There were fo many I cannot particularize them.

2. Do you know of any mal-practices committed by Coja Gregory, or Coja Rafael?-A. I don't know them perfonally.

2. Had you ever any reprefentations against them by name?- A. Many.

2. Please to state them?- A. Reprefentations from Bulwantfing, and complaints from Sujah Dowla, that they carried on a forced trade in that country without any kind of reftraint, and paid no duties, and without obedience to the country-government.

2. Were the reprefentations in writing? A. Not in writing.

2. Was Bulwantfing's reprefentations against Rafael and Coja Gregory by name. I can't particularly

recollect,but think I remember the name of Rafael; but they were comprehended in the general complaints against the Armenians. I know them more by the name of Mr Bolts's gomastah's than by any other name. Mr Bolts's gomaftahs were particularly fpecified.

2. Did you ever receive a letter from Mr Maddifon,refident at the Durbar, particularly naming these Armenians?-A. I never had any correfpondence with him when he was refident.

2. Did you know Mr Gentil?A. I did. He was a Frenchman, who received his fubfiftence from Sujah Dowla. I apprehend he refided there to acquire intelligence of the European fettlements. He was much in his favour; but I believe had no oftenfible office.

2. Do you know of a letter from Mr Bolts to Mr Gentil, which you tranfmitted to the Committee at Calcutta?- A. A copy of it was sent to me, and I thought it of fo extraordinary a nature, that I looked upon it as my indifpenfable duty to transmit it to the Committee. I obtained the original, which I also tranfmitted to the Committee.

Padre Rafael.

India Company; wherein the Dutch

2. From your knowledge of the country, are you of opinion that the general orders for recalling the gomastahs of the English were proper or neceffary? A. The reprefentation that I made to the counc the 3d of January 1768, is very strong and very pointed to that pu pofe. I thought it abfolutely neceffary to recall them.

Evidence, and Armenian petition clofed.

Lord Clive acquainted the Committee, that having recollected an omission in his evidence of May 4 defired the following words to be inferted.

"After this, two treaties were concluded, one between the English EastIndia Company and the Dutch East

greffors, and agreed to pay to the English Company all the expences of that war. We reitored to them all their fhips together with all the treasure and effects on board, amounting by computation to about half a million fterling.

His Lordship alfo acquainted the Committee, that upon recollection he finds he was miftaken in the answer he made the fame day to the following question, "On whofe application were you made an Omrah?" And upon recollection, his anfwer to the faid question is-" By Meer Jaffier's to the Mogul, and without any application on my part."

His Lordfhip likewife ftated his having mentioned to the chairmen two or three days ago, his defire to make this addition and alteration—The fame was confirmed by the chairman.

2. Whether the Dutch, according to that treaty, did pay the expence of

the armament?A. I believe it was, but have a doubt about it, having left India in the February following the date of the treaty, which was in De çember.

(To be Continued.)

of religion, thefe three confequences will be unavoidable; 1. He muft fupport oppofite religions; 2. He muft fupport hurtful religions; 3. He muft fupport fuch religions as are directly subverfive of his own authority.'-Having illuftrated these points, he proceeds to refute the main reafons which have been alledged by the petitioners in fupport of their late application to parfiament. All of them, he thinks, may be reduced to three, heads, viz. that the laws which require fubfcription, are unjust, inexpedient, unnecessary. Nn 2

There

There are feveral pofitions and principles in this charge which will, probably, fall under the animadverfion of adverfaries, and be thought extremely unfavourable to rational Christianity. We shall only mention thefe two. The opinions of the people are, and muft be, founded more on authority than reason only deny the ufe of I reafon to the bulk of mankind, on religious fubjects, because they cannot ufe it, because many of them want capacity, most of them opportunity, to thin and judge for themfelves.'

In answer to this it may be obferved, that the moft effential articles of religion may be determined by an appeal to common fenfe; but, particularly, that our Saviour appealed to the understanding of the moft itupid people on the face of the earth, when he faid, Why even of yourfelves judge ye not what is right? Luke xii..57. 2. Our author fays, I mean to defend not popery only, but paganism itself. I mean to defend every established religion under heaven.--The worst religion is better than none.-Religion, even falfe religion is the great bond of human fociety.'

An Addrefs to the Clergy of the church of England in particular, and to all Chriftians in general. By Francis Wollafton, LL. B. F. R. S. 8vo. 6 d. Wilkie.

This writer offers his fentiments to the public on our prefent articles, li turgy, fubfcriptions, &c. with great modefty and candor; and propofes an application to the bishops, and through their means to the legislature, for fuch alterations as they fhall think proper to make.

A Vindication of the Proteftant difDenting minifters, with regard to their Late application to Parliament. By Andrew Kippis, D. D. Second Edit. 800.2. Robinfon.

In this edition the author has made a number of corrections, with regard to file and compofition, and fome few Alterations with refpect to fentiment,

He has likewife enlarged his performance about fourteen or fifteen pages. Thefe additions, one or two inftances excepted, the propriety of which was fuggefted by others, are, he fays, the refult of his own farther thoughts upon the subject, and are fuch only as ferve to complete the argument.

State Papers relating to the Change of the Conftitution of Sweden. 8vo. is. 6 d. Cadell.

The revolution which has lately taken place in Sweden was one of the most sudden, unforeseen, and best conducted tranfactions of the kind that we meet with in the hiftory of any nation; nor is it lefs remarkable for the celeri ty with which the new form of government was completely established. The fpeeches of the Swedish monarch are expreft in the ftrongeft terms of. patriotifm, and the unfeigned love of his people; while thofe of the speakers of the feveral orders difcover the fincereft joy, the most fubmiffive obfequioufnefs, and the most entire confidence in the rectitude of the king's intentions.

The Rambles of Mr Frankly, publifhed by his fifter. 2 Vols. 12mo. 55.ferved. Becket.

If the author of thefe little volumes had kept clear of imitation he wouldhave been entitled to more than a little praife. In all these where he apparently writes in his own manner, he gives us a very favourable opinion of his head and of his heart. Mifs Freeman's ftory is interefting, affecting, and pleafingly related.Si fic omnia fcripciffst! We fhall be very glad to see a new performance of this author's in the fame ftyle of compofition, as we think he would fhine in the pathetic; but we fhall be forry to find him continuing to tread upon the heels of Sterne.

Letters from Academicus to Eugeni us, 8vo. 1 s. 6 d. Evans,

This publication confifts of three letters. In the firft the author expatiates on the pleafures of his academical retreat. In the fecond he endeavours to fhew, that the monarchy of

Great

Great Britain will foon become abfolute, if there be not an interpofition of the people in favour of liberty.' In the third he proposes objections to feveral paffages in the Old and New Teftament, which he defires his friend Eugenius to answer. The objections are fuch as thefe: that it seems unworthy of the Supreme Being to be employed fix days in the fabrication of this world; that the Mofaic account of the creation contradicts fome of the great truths of natural philofophy; that all the inhabitants of the earth cannot easily be fuppofed to have defcended from one

TURKEY.

Smyrna, Dec. 13. The 11th inft. was a day of trouble, confternation and affright. Ayves Aga, a perfonal enemy to Cara Ofman Oglou, our Governor, pretended to have received a Firman from the Grand Signior, containing an order to ftrike off the Governor's head privately: In confequence of this order, he entered this place at two in the morning on the 11th, at the head of 400 men. The Governor, who had learnt his defign about half an hour before, provided a fmall number of foldiers with ammunition, and in hafte fortified himself in his palace. Ayves fired against the palace, which was immediately returned, and continued for about ten hours; at length Ayves, defpairing of being able to feize the perfon of Oglou, fet fire to the houfes near the palace, in hopes of its communicating to the palace; but Oglou not only faved the palace, but was happy enough to extinguish the

fire.

to FEBRUARY 26. ·

While this was tranfacting Cara Ofman Oglou, efcorted by a number of Janiffaries, retired by the other part of the city to Maguefia, from whence he returned yesterday in the afternoon, at the head of 3000 men, and has taken poffeffion of his government, which has been afresh confirmed on him by the Grand Signior. The place fuffered very confiderably during the ten days that Ayves was in poffeffion of it. All the inhabitants, who had retired on board the fhips, being informed that tranquillity was re-eftablished, are returning to their houses.

not immediately receive it. The confequences attending fuch a ftep must be dreadful, and it is apprehended that the three Potentates who have divided the kingdom, will in fecrecy encourage the mutinous spirit of the troops, as it will divide them into parties, and afford a pretence of punishing them for any outrages they may cominit.

The King's body of guards, the corps of Huffars, and another regiment, have juft fet off from Cracow without orders, on what account it is not publicly known.

DENMARK.

Copenhagen, Feb. 2. They being this day to beat for failors, to man the four men of war which are fitted out here, and are put to fea as foon as poffible. Preffing will likeways foon take place again, and all failors who are on board merchant ships, whether Danish or foreigners, are obliged to give up their letters of leave. It is moreover affured, that orders are fent to raise 6000 failors in other parts of this kingdom.

GERMANY. Ratisbon, Jan. 28. The Pruffian officers who are recruiting here have received orders to hold themselves in readiness to join their regiments on the firft notice.

Prince Radzivil is now at Manheim, and will not go to afflift at the approaching Senatus Confilium. His etates and effects are all confifcated by the Ruffians; his revenues amounted to two millions of Polifh florins, and he could bring 20,000 men into the field. The Ruffians have offered to reftore him all but his liberty and plate, if he would return and acknowledge himself a veffal; but he answered, "I "was born free; my ancestors were "free, I will die fo!"-Thofe anceftors feem to have forefeen the prefent troubles. They were poffeffed of the twelve apoftles in maffy gold, each a foot and half high, which they placed,

in the church of Dievich, one of their lordships, and the Dean of the Chapter was to produce them every year to the reigning Prince. When the prefent Prince faw how affairs were likely to turn out, he had the twelve apoftles privately removed to Munich; four of them have been melted down, and it is likely the others will foon follow.

Hanover, Jan. 30. Prince Charles of Mecklenburgh Strelitz is gone to Zell, where the Hereditary Princess of Brunswick is expected this day, in order to spend some time with the Queen of Denmark.

Hamburg, Feb. 2. According to letters from Riga, great military preparations are making in Ruffia, which renders our hopes of peace very doubtful, notwithstanding the pacific intentions of the Court of Petersburgh. These letters add, that feveral regiments of foot and horfe, very well equipped, have lately paffed by there in their way. to Revel, whither they are to be fol. lowed by feveral others. We here likewife, that the Foundery at Petersbourg is commiffioned to furnish, as foon as poffible, a confiderable number of field-pieces of cannon.

It is affured from very good hands, that the affair between the Courts of Peterburgh and Copenhagen, concerning Holftein, is arranged in fuch a manner, that the Grand Duke of Ruf. fia is to have, for his portions of Holftein, the counties of Oldenburgh and Delmenhorst.

Berlin, Feb. 3. His Pruffian Majefty has given oders to make out a complete lift of all the cities, towns, and vilages in his new acquifitions in Poland, together with the number of inhabitants in each, their avocations, &c. for the purpose of laying them under the reftriction of a new code of laws, which, it is faid, the Monarch is now forming himself. He has likewife. given orders for ftrengthening the fortifications in all places of any confequence, efpecially at the Viftula, which

feems