generally prevail amongst the proteftant diffenters. After a very extraordinary panegyrick upon the church of England, and the clergy of her perfuafion, of which I am not inclined, in the leaft, to difpute the propriety, you give us a ftriking contraft in these remarkable words: "Whereas the principles of those who differ from them, as well in one extreme as the other, are equally and totally destructive of thofe ties and obligations by which all fociety is kept together; equally incroaching on thofe rights, which reafon, and the original contract of every free ftate in the univerfe, have vefted in the fovereign power; and equally aiming at a diftinét independent fupremacy of their own, where fpiritual men and fpiritual caufes are concerned."

Popish principles, undoubtedly, are one extreme to which you here allude; and, I think, diffenting principles, at least when they are carried to their utmost length, muft be the other. It is true, the examples, which you immediately produce in fupport of this branch of your affertion, are of fome enthufiafts both at home and abroad in the laft century: "The dreadful effects you say, of fuch religious bigotry, when actuated by erroneous principles even of the proteftant kind, are fufficiently evident from the hiftory of the anabaptifts in Germany, the covenanters in Scotland, and that deluge of fectaries in England, who murdered their fovereign, overturned the church and monarchy, fhook every pillar of law, juftice, and private property, and most devoutly established a kingdom of faints in their ftead.

The only objection I think proper to make to the fentiment fuggefted in this round and warm paragraph, is, that it cannot vindicate the univerfality of your cenfure on the principles of thofe who, among proteftants, differ from the church; unless upon fuppofition, that the principles of all proteftant diffenters are of the fame nature and

tendency with thofe, which, being carried to an extreme by the anabaptifts in Germany, and the fifth-monarchy-men in England, in the last century, produced very extravagant confequences. This conftruction offers itfelf fo readily, that, if it was not your intention to ftigmatize the diffenters of the prefent age in any degree, but only fome particular enthufiafts of the laft age both at home and abroad, it might furely have been expected, that fome exceptive or qualifying expreffions fhould have been inferted in their favour. And after what you have faid of the modern diffenters, in your reply to Dr. Pricftly, I hope this will be done in future editions.

to you, if you really do not intend this cenfure for them,) I fhall offer a few remarks, in order to fhow, that the principles of the dif fenters are entirely the reverse both of popish principles, and of thofe enthusiastic principles which you mention, and can never produce the dreadful confequences to civil government which flow from either.

The church of Rome, indeed, afferts her own fupremacy over the civil power, in every country. And accordingly the demands an abfolute fubmiffion in all her members, subverfive not only of the rights of a free people, but of all the obligations of fociety, and the very foundations of civil policy. She claims an utter exemption of all ecclefiaftical perfons, and of all their rights and poffeffions, from the jurisdiction and authority of the magiftrate. But is there the leaft fimilarity to this, in the fentiments of the proteftant diffenters ? No, certainly. It is their opinion, I own, that the magistrate should not expect, much lefs exact, obedience or fubmiffion in matters purely religious; and that in things pertaining to confcience, it is the duty of the subject to act upon the principle of the apoftles and primitive christians; that is, to "obey God rather then men." But then there is nothing in this sentiment, in the smallest degree, inconfiftent with civil obedience :" rendering unto God the thing's which are God's," is no objection to rendering unto Cæfar the things which are Caefar's." The diffenters are so far from setting up the fuppofed interests of religion, or, as you exprefs it," fpiritual men, or" fpiritual caufes," against lawful magiftracy, or the peace and good order of fociety, that they allow of the exemption of none from the authority of the civil magistrate; holding all to be equally under his jurisdiction; and that no plea of facred character, or of religion and confcience, is to be admitted in bar to his procedure, in matters of a criminal or merely civil nature. And as, in their opinion, it is his duty to protect all good fubje&ts in the profeffion of their religious principles or profeffions, he is to punish all offenders againft the peace of fociety. Now how is this "fetting up an independant fupremacy of their own, where spiritual men and spiritual caufes are concerned?" If, as they fay, all men are to judge for themfelves, and act accordingly, in matters of faith and worship, and the falvation of their fouls; if, in these refpects, they are not to controul, ufurp upon, and domineer over one another, and are at the fame time to be all alike fubject to the civil magiftrate; this appears to me to be so far from letting up an imperium in imperio, that it leaves no imperium, no fupremacy, indeed, na power at all, in fociety, but that of the civil magiftrate. Thefe principles, therefore, can never ifiue in a diftinct independant fupremacy of those who profefs them, whether fpiritual men or others. The principles of the papists, indeed, directly lead to and sup

port

port this fupremacy: the principles of the diffenters are diametrically oppofed to it.

And as their principles are quite of another nature, another genius and complexion, than thofe of the enthufiafts whom you have mentioned, I know no diffenter on the earth, who holds, that dominion is founded in grace, and that the faints must rule the world; or any principles which have the leaft tendency and afpect towards fuch a conclufion. On the contrary, they all to a man affert that religion is fo far from vefting in its profellers a title to dominion, that it is no exemption from civil fubjection. It is in matter of confcience only, they apprehend, they are alone accountable to God; and that not fo as to excufe thereby any criminal overt aðts, inconfiftent with the peace of fociety.

X. The Youth's geographical Grammar, &c. By Stephen Addington. 8vo. 4s. Buckland.

We recommend this article as a very ufeful companion to the geographical student; and think the public not a little indebted to the induftry of the author.

XI. An Elegiac Epiftle from John Halfar, who was imprejjed on his Return from the East Indies, to Sufannah his Wife; infcribed to Lieutenant Ayscough.

Though we have not read this epiftle with much fatisfaction, we have much compaffion, and heartily with it may procure the honest author his enlargement from the tender. Were the mufes to put in commiffion for the admiralty, they would be actuated by our fentiments, and we hope that Mr. Halfar's attempt in their fervice, will, on this occafion, entitle him to the pity of his country.

XII. The Fables of Flora. By Dr. Langhorne. 4to. 3s. Murray.

Dr. Langhorne's name is well known in the literary world, and we think there is no little merit in his fables; though we can no more allow that he firft enlarged this fpecies of writing, by the introduction of imagery or fentiment, than we can allow him an equal rank with many fabulifts, whose works conftitute a part of every elegant library.

XIII. A Philofophical Enquiry into the Nature and Properties of Water. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Murray.

Dr. J. Rotheram is the author of this phi lofophical enquiry, which appears to be ingenious, and is decorated with a copper-plate containing figures of the feveral falts for the better elucidation of his fyftem.

PROLOGU E to the Tragedy of ALMIDA By WILLIAM WHITEHEAD, Efq. Spoken by Mr. REDDISH. RITICKS be dumb-to-night a lady fues, From foft Lalia's fhores, an English. mufe;

C

Tho' fate there binds her in a pleafing chain,
Sends to our stage the offspring of her brain:
True to her birth the pants for British bays,
And to her country trufts for genuine praite.
From infancy well read in tragic lore,
She treads the path her father trod before;
To the fame candid judges trufts her caufe,
And hopes the fame indulgence and applaufe.
No Salique law here bars the female's claim,
Who pleads hereditary right to fame.

Of love and arms the fings, the mighty two,

Whole powers uniting muft the world fubdue;
Of love and arms! in that heroic age,
Which knew no poct's, no hiftorian's page;
But war to glory form'd th' unletter'd mind,
And chivalry alone taught morals to man-
kind;
[fpire
Nor taught in vain, the youth who dar'd a-
To the nice honours of a lover's fire,
Obferv'd with duteous care each rigid rule,
Each stern command of labour's patient school;
Was early train'd to bear the fultry beams
Of burning funs, and winter's fierce_extremes;
Jan, 17710

Was brave, was temperate; to one idol fair His vows he breath'd, his wishes center'd there :

Honour alone could gain her kind regard,
Honour was virtue, beauty it's reward.
And shall not British breafts, in beauty's
cause,

Adopt to-night the manners which the draws?
Male writers we confefs are lawful prize,

Giants and monsters that but rarely rife!

With their enormous fpoils your triumphs grace,

Attack, confound, exterminate the race
But when a lady tempts the critic war,
Be all knight's errant, and protect the fair.
EPILOGUE. By Mr. GARRICK.
Spoken by Mrs. BARRY.

Female bard, far from her native land,

AA female should protect-lo! here I

ftand,

back

That each might take a load upon her: [fack, Out march'd the dames, but carry'd no stuft They bore their loving husbands pick-apack!

The fame domeftic zeal has each fair fhe,
In full perfection at the coterie;

For don't they bargain, when they quit their houfes,

At pleasure's call to carry too their spouses?
Where, as with you, ye fair ones, fhall we fee
That Roman virtue-Hofpitality!
The foreign artifts can your fmiles fecure,
If he be finger, fiddler, or frifeur.
From our dull yawning fcenes fatigu'd you go,
And croud to Fantocini's puppet-shew;
Each on the foreign things with rapture ftares!
Sweet' dears!-they're more like flesh and
blood than play'rs !

them,

As what we do, you modifhly condemn,
So now, turn'd wood and wire, we'll act like
[a-new,
Move hands and feet, nay even our tongues
Eb bien Monfieur! comment vous partez-vous ?
Once more I challenge all the critic knights,
From city jokers, to the wits at White's;
From daily fcribblers, volunteers, or hacks,
Up to those more than mortals, at Aimacks!
Shou'd any fribble critics dare to dent,
Gad's-cufs-I'll throw a chicken glove at
them:
(grin-

And if to fhew their teeth, they ftill will
Let'em come on- I draw my corking pin!*
But should our foldiers, failors, raife our fears,
They only can be conquer'd by your † tears.
Your fmiles may foften, but your tears can
melt'em,
[felt'em.

The braveit, boldeft, mightiest men have Ay, you may ineer, ye wits, your hearts are

fteel,

I fpeak of mortals who can fight, and feel!
In peace or war, ye fair truft only those,
Who love the fex, and always beat their
foes.

Will none accept my challenge ?-what
difgrace,

[race, To all the nibbling, fcribbling, Aland'ring Who dare not meet a woman face to face! The auth'refs and our fex have gain'd their caufe! [plaufe. Complete their triumph, give'em your ap

RETIREMENT.

THOU fweet composer of tumultuous

Here filent fhades difpel the clouds of life.
Infpire my foul with reverential fear,
Of him whofe eye pervades me ev'ry where:
Tho' fafe from haman fight I am conceal'd
To him my inmoft thoughts ftand ali reveal'd.
Make me forgetful of each vain puriuit,
And keep, far from me, all that can pollute;
Collect my fcatter'd thoughts, my views re-
fine,

And let my breast o'erflow with love divine:

* Stands in a pofture of defence.

If the following Tranflation of Scarron's Epigram in the London Magazine for laft Month fhould be thought worth Notice, your inferting it will oblige

A

Your conftant Reader T. L. Confeffor I met t'other day very jolly,

Who obferv'd, when a man has come mitted a folly,

By fubmitting all faith he flies quickly to me, When, confeffing his guilt, I can foon fet him free; [done, But unfortunate me, when a crime I have Confolation's deny'd me by every one;

In which cafe I muft, if from grief I escape, Take comfort myself, in the juice of the grape.

Imitation of Shenstone's Paftorals.

The roles and jeffamines bloom,

HO' Summer exerts her sweet pow'r,

Tho' the eglantines twine round my bow'r,
And spread all my fields with perfume,
No joy can these prospects impart,

When Phillida fhe is not nigh;
Like a turtle then droops my fond heart,

When depriv'd of its mate and its joy.
When winter howls thro' the dark skies,
When the forms and the tempefts arife,
And the fun scarce illumines the day,

And the thrush fits alone on the spray, Then if Phillida grace my low cot,

How charming the profpects appear! The cold of the season's forgot,

And it seems but the fpring of the year. Thro' the fields and the meadows fo gay, How oft do we carelessly roam,

Or paft the foft riplets do ftray,

Nor think of our distance from home; The turtle that cooes for its mate,

The lambkins that play in the grove,
New pleasure these objects create,

And fupply us with topics of love
But hark! the hoarfe tempefts arise,
The torrents impetuous defcend,
Black clouds fweep along the dark skies,
And we fpy no kind refuge at hand;
Even fo when our youth is no more,
And our juvenile fun-fhine is paft,
'Tis then the gay fcenes are all o'er,
And we fhiver before the bleak blaft.
But love fhall a refuge supply,

When youth, wit and beauty, fhall fade,
Tis love which shall ease the deep figh,
And conduct our old fteps thro' the gladeş
And when we refign our last breath,

'Tis love fhall his fuccours impart Shall blunt the keen arrow of death, And raise with soft comfort the heart. Leverpoole, Dec. 19. 1768.

To the ladies in the boxes.

ODE

ODE for the NEW YEAR.

GAIN returns the circl'ing year,

A Again the feftal day,

Which uthers in it's bright career,
Demands the votive lay:

Again the oft accuftom'd mufe
Her tributary task pursues,

Strikes the preluding lyre again,

Weaving many a foldier's doom,
Orkney's woe, and Randver's bane.
See the griefly texture grow,
('Tis of human entrails made,)
And the weights that play below,
Each a gafping warrjour's head.
Shafts for fhuttles, dipt in gore,
Shoot the trembling cords along.
Sword, that once a monarch bore,

Atrain.

Britain is the glowing theme,
To Britain facred be the fong:
Whate'er the fages lov'd to dream
Lycean fhades among,

(When raptur'd views their bofoms warm'd
Of perfect ftates by fancy form'd)
United here and realis'd we fee,
Thrones, independence, laws, and liberty!
The triple cord, which binds them faft,
Like the golden chain of Jove
Combining all below with all above,
Shall bid the facred union laft.
What tho' jars inteftine rise,

And difcord feems awhile to reign,
Britain's fons are brave, are wife,
The ftorm fubfides, and they embrace again.
The mafter fprings, which rule the land,
Guided by a skilful hand,
Loofening now, and now reftraining,
Vielding fomething, fomething gaining,
Preferve inviolate the public fame,
As, tho the seasons change, the year is still
the fame.

O fhould Britain's foes prefume,
Trufting fome delufive scene
Of tranfient feuds that rage at home,
And feem to fhake the nice machine,
Should they dare to lift the fword,

Or bid their hoftile thunders roar,
Soon their pride would mirth afford,

And break like billows on her fhore;
Soon would find her vengeance wake,
Weep in blood the dire mistake,
And 'gainst their wild attempts united fee
Thrones, independence, laws and liberty!
THE FATAL SISTERS. AN ODE.
By the celebrated Author of an Elegy in a
Country Church-Yard.

NF

WOW the ftorm begins to lower, (Hafte, the loom of hell prepare,) Iron-fleet of arrowy shower, Hurdes in the darken'd air, Glitt ring lances are the loom,

Where the dufky warp we strain,

Miffa black, terrific maid, Sangrida, and Hilda fee, Join the wayward work to aid: Tis the woof of victory. Ere the ruddy fun be fet, Pikes muft fhiver, javelins fing, Blade with clattering buckler meet, Hauberk crafh, and helmet ring. (Weave the crimson web of war) Where our friends the conflict share, Let us go, and let us fly, Where they triumph, where they die, As the paths of fate we tread, Wading thro' th' enfanguin'd field: Gondula, and Geira, fpread O'er the youthful king your fhield, We the reigns to flaughter give, Ours to kill, and ours to fare: Spite of danger he shall live. (Weave the crimson web of war.) They, whom once the defart-beach Pent within its bleak domain, Soon their ample fway fhall ftretch D'er the plenty of the plain. Low the dauntless carl is laid, Gor'd with many a gaping wound: Fate demands a nobler head; Soon a king shall bite the ground. Long his lofs fhall Eirin weep, Ne'er again his likeness tee; Long her strains in forrow steep, Strains of immortality! Horror covers all the heath, Clouds of carnage blot the fun. Sifters, weave the web of death; Sifters, ceafe, the work is done. Songs of joy and triumph fing! Hail the task, and hail the hands! Joy to the victorious bands: Triumph to the younger king. Mortal, thou that hear'ft the tale, Learn the tenour of our fong. Scotland, thro' each winding vale Far and wide the notes prolong. Sifters, hence with fpurs of fpeed: Each her thundering faulchion wield; Each beftride her fable fteed. Hurry, hurry to the field.

Milton's Par. Regained. Shakefp. Jul. Cafar.

G z

THE

..

office.

THURSDAY, Dec. 27,
IR Charles Knowles, lately
appointed chief prefident of
the admiralty to the emprefs of
Ruffia, fet out with his family
for Petersburgh, by the way
of Calais, to take on him that

This night there was a very hot press on the river Thames; they paid no regard to protections, but fripped every veffel of all their hands that were useful. They boarded the Glatton East-Indiaman; but they made a ftout defence, got on fhore, and came into London about twelve o'clock. It is computed that on the river, and on fhore, they took upwards of 700.

SUNDAY, 30.

This day arrived in town from Boston in New-England Capt. Preston, who was tried there lately on account of fome lives being loft in a riot between the town and the fol diery, but was honourably acquitted.

FRIDAY, Jan. 4, 1771.

The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor made a moft ufeful regulation upon the corn-market in Mark-lane. The meal-weighers, by order of his lordship, took an exact account of the quantities of wheat bought, the different prices given, and the purchasers names. This regifter was fuck up in the most confpicuous part of the market, to the great pleafure of the publick, but great mortification of the wheat buyers, millers, factors, &c. who were fo incenfed, that they abused and infulted the officer, obliterated their names, and even attempted to tear down the regifter. It is hoped that his lordship will perfevere in this excellent plan, as it will be the means of preventing collutions, and of difcovering the ingroffers of this article, which is justly termed the ftaff of life.

WEDNESDAY, 9.

Yesterday the Devonshire, Capt. Watts, continued lying on the Sterlings of London-bridge. This fhip, which arrived lately from Malage, having lain at Fresh wharf a longer time thin ufual, in confequence of her hands having been preffed, and the Captain not being able to get her unloaded, fhe was wilfully cut away at high-water, and foon after dafhed against the fterlings of the bridge, by which her fides were beat in, her head, rudder, and bowiprit, broke to picces, and 30 cafks of wire, with feveral valuable commodities, which made part of her cargo, fo much damaged, as to be of little or no value. FRIDAY, II.

The carl of Sandwich kifled his majefly's hand at St. James's on being appointed (for the third time) first lord of the Admiralty, in

the room of Sir Edward Hawke, who has refigned.

Notwithstanding the very short time the earl of Sandwich has been fecretary of state, it is faid his lordfhip is intitled to a quarter's falary, and a complete fervice of plate, both equal in value to 4500l.

Extract of a letter from Canterbury, Jan. 10.

"About eleven o'clock last night I difcovered a comet; its place in the heavens at that time was 20 degrees from Procyon, 11 degrees 30 minutes from Cor Hydræ, and 18 degrees 15 minutes from the planet Saturn; nearly on the equator. It appeared faint, owing probably to its great diftance from us at prefent; yet the nucleus feemed very diftinét, furrounded with a confiderable coma, which extending towards the South Eaft, formed a tail of five or fix degrees apparent length: A right line drawn from the nucleus, in the fame direction as the tail, would pass two or three degrees to the Eastward of Procyon. This comet now rifes at a quarter after feven in the evening, and fets about the fame hour in the morning, and probably in a few days will be much more confpicuous." MONDAY, 14.

This night the Royal Academy met at their new apartments in Somerset houfe, for the first time. It is faid to be the most superb of any academy in the world, and the best stocked with cafts after the antique, Sir Joshua Reynolds took the lecturer's chair, for a few minutes, to expatiate on the indulgence his majefty has fhewn to the arts by conferring on them fuch honour, in prefenting the A demy with apartments in a royal palace: afterwards Mr. Sanby, profeffor of architecture, read his lecture. There were prefent with the Academy, the duke of Cumberland, and feveral of the nobility, gentry, &c.

The Thames was froze quite acrofs near Richmond and Hammerfmith."