- ny from the time of his prefenting his D The bank notes thus humo. roully ridiculed by our correfpondent, are part of the paper currency of Scotland, the regulation of which is now c actually under confideration of parliament. The plan propofed is, 1. to abolish the optional caufe; and, 2. to limit the quantum of thofe notes to twenty fhillings, or a larger fum. A. gainst the first, it is urged, that it will occafion runns on all the banks, which they are by no means in a condition to answer; and against the latter, that it will fpread an univerfal diftrefs all over the country. In the remote parts of Scotland, the feat of the linen manufacture, the want of filver had become a great interruption to business, which was in a great measure remedi. ed by thefe little notes, an incredible number of which has been iffued for that purpose: If thefe, therefore, are fuddenly abolished, the paper credit of Scotland will receive at once its death's wound. E F The value expreffed in every note is due by fomebody to the banks; if the banks are called upon to pay fuch notes, they have no other method of anfwering the demand than by forcing it out of their debtors; fo that it is not the banks, but the inhabitants of the country that will fuffer the distress; and one may fafely_aver, that there is not a fingle man of property or bufinefs in Scotland who will not find him-G felf involved in the calamity. Every man muft, in that event, expect to be profecuted for every fhilling he owes, and to meet with infolvency where money is due to him. Where nobody has the means of paying, it will be in vain to call upon tenants for rents; they themselves will be profecuted and imprisoned for their own particular debts, or their engagement for others, a fituation too common in Scotland. *The expectations of those who hope to receive money where they now receive notes, are vain; the money does not exist in that country; and till time and patience has brought it back, they must expect to receive nothing but excuses. H Mr URBAN, I Dare day you have frequently heard it faid by thofe who have a great defire to have or to do something, that they have a months mind to it, and it is probable that neither you nor any of your readers can account for the expreffion. I am not sure that I can do it perfectly myself, but I have fomething to communicate on the fubject, that will perhaps afford entertainment if not inftruction. The following is an extract from the will of Thomas Windfor, Elq; which was dated in the year 1479: • Item, I will that I have brennying, at my burying and funeral service, 'four tapers, and twenty two torches of wax, every taper to conteyn the weight of ten pounds, and every torch fixteen pounds, which I will that twenty four very poor men, and 'well difpofed, fhall hold, as well at the tyme of my burying, as at my monethe's minde. Item, I will, that after my monethe's minde done, the faid four tapers be delivered to the church-wardens, &c.'. And that there be roo children within the age of 16 years to be at my monetbe's mind, to fay for my foul. That against my monethe's minde the candles bren before the rude in the parish church.' Alfo, that at my monethe's minde, my executors provide 20 priests to 'fing placebo, direge, &c., The Manethe's minde mentioned in this extract, was a fervice performed for the dead, one month after their decease; there were alfo Week's mindes, and Year's mindes, which were fervices for the dead performed at the end of a week and of a year. The word mind fignified remembrance, a month's mind was a remembrance after a month, a years mind a remembrance after a year. The phrase month's mind furvived the cuftom, of which it was the name, and the words being still remembered as coupled when their original meaning was almost forgotten, it is I think eafy to conceive that a person who had a strong defire to a thing, might inftead of faying I have a mind to it, fay I have a month's mind to it, as meaning something more. Yours. &c.. To Mr GARRICK on the report of his leaving the An Imitation of the Curfus Glacialis, in the Mufæ W Stage. Scenis decora Alta Faturis. VIRG. HEN Philip's fon had overthrown He rul'd at will the subject ball; Not long their power they could maintain, They loft the world which he had won. Such (fmall with great things to compare) O thou! to whom the fifters twain R. B. Anglicane. WHAT new appearance meets my won O'er nature's face a dim pale horror lies! Thofe fports the rigours of the feason claim, Which add new ftrength, and warm the shiv'ring frame. Forth rush the lufty youths, a num'rous train, Thus as their sports they eagerly pursue, But if unequal to the fkaiter's force, Thus have you feen the nimble fwallow speed Skill'd in these arts the nimble Dutch we're told, Whofoever delights to join in the fociety of eminent men, Muft improve himself in learning, a good poffeffion! For knowledge is to men more excellent than riches, And wifdom is better than fine gold, But as the foul is to remain for ever, being immortal Prudently meditate upon divine virtue. * Mr URBAN, THE following little poems are the rival perform ances of two young gentlemen brought up under the fame preceptor upon their going together to the play; a circumftance that never fails & fill a young mind with many images, to excite great curiofity, and eager expectation. These poets are nearly of an age about 13, and though they bave both written on the fame fubject, yet their performances will not for that reafon be less entertaining to your readers, as the comparing them together, and remarking the different turn of fentiments of two minds, on the fame eccafion, will perbaps give a greater, as it certainly will a more rational pleasure than can arise from the mere poetical beauty of a finished compofition. A Defcription of the PLAY-HOUSE. THE HE doors no fooner open flew Than enter in the noify crew. All forts of folks both high and low, In rows fat wifhing for the fhow; And cuckolds there forget they're fo. Each mortal leaves at home dull care, For low-liv'd wit, and waggish air. The demi gods in vollies throw Chew'd apples to the pit below. When on a fudden fome one cries: Pickpocket! And attracts all eyes; Men, women, boys, cry tofs him o'er! Thy art thou ne'er fhalt practice more; Amidst this hubbub, and this din, Fiddles and fiddlesticks come in. Seated in flips with practis'd art, The town lafs wins the failor's heart, Now enter flow, the great, the gay, The boxes filling in array. They fit in many a fhining row, And every belle has here her beau: Now, to the gallery turn your fight, Perhaps you there may fee a fight: Alas! Alas! my words are true: The combatants are black and blue. Critics with fpleen and pride grown mad; Condemn the play, ere heard, for bad. The actors through the curtain peep ; If a thin houfe, in fact they weep. The with'd for play is now begun; Now ends the gallery's noife and fun. At length, ftern heroes mount the ftage, Still mouthing out their senseless rage, And warriors on a carpet fpread Expire, then fup and go to bed. This Epigram was written in imitation of those antient Greek Posts and Philofophers, whofe manner it was to convey an inftructive, ufeful moral, in fbart fentences and epigrams, for the condu& of buman life, A Defcription of a PLAY-HOUSE, HE anxious crowd with eager pace, Hye to the play to get a place: First come the gods who all in rows, Themselves in loftiest feats difpofe, Next wenches draggled to their bum On foot; in hackney coaches fome. Now all is husht, and now a fong, Wide fpreads a laugh through all the throng, But if pickpockets intervene, We rifk a broken leg I ween. For oft the noify voices roar, Tofs o'er the rascal, tofs him o'er : Then oranges in clusters fly, And quids half chew'd rough tars fupply: The mufic next with pleafing strains, Close to the ear the foul detains, While painted nymphs in flips appear, And fome unthinking youths enfnare; Critics themselves to pit betake, And make the tragic authors quake: The ladies locks with brilliants shine, (Sure God deffes were ne'er fo fine) Oft as the moon they change their faces And yary with the mode their graces: The mufic's done, the roarers fcoff, And Gods in thunder cry, off, off, O that I could the Mufes bribe, How would I then the play describe. See Oroncko treads the ftage, What varying burfts of grief and rage, From each bright eye the tears he draws, The bard and players beft applaufe. The curtain falls, the play is done, And now the magie art comes on. The pantomime, where cunning hags, On broomsticks ride, instead of nags, And at the found of thunder clap, Together vanish through a trap. Thus fhall we go, each man a play'r, We know not how, we know not where. To St VALENTIN E. Lately I thought, O holy blessed flick, To hail thy morn, brifk, frolick, blith What fcenes of raptures heedlefs did I paint, So fhall my dying lips declare thy praise. With friendship, love, and every thing that's Yet may the think on my untimly fate, [dear; And o'er my afhes drop a farewel tear. See how the linnet warbles thro' the grove, The blackbird whistles to his conflant mate; Ye gentle fongfters of the vernal grove, Verfes banded about, as the production of ber prai The SURPRIZE, or, Love at first fight. WOW oft, at the legend of love, H Have I rail'd as an idle romance! Refolving to lighten his fpleen, He plac'd all his hopes, in Mifs Pank; From my book, at an innocent view, She fetch'd my poor heart,-fuch a tank! How plump, and how rofy was I! Till Cupid had play'd me this prank; Each day, but for her, I'm a blank; 1 I'd brave, to be bleft with Mifs Pank. [We recommend the following rbimes to this auther, in order to compleat his performance; thank, ipank, hank, drank, dank, lank.] The GRUMBLER corrected. A FABLE. A t His humours thus began to vent. · Carry poifon in the rear, Pain attends, we figh, we groan." A friend who heard each fretful word, Peace! thou gloomy Grumbler, know The heart fhould bound with grateful praife: And be to providence refign'd," G Jent M -y. I Enteel is my DAMON, engaging his air, His face, like the morn, is both ruddy and fair; Soft love fits enthron'd in the beam of his eyes, HA prepare The bliss I must forego, But, tyrant! in your turn, Perhaps may humble you. Epigram on the Death of a Friar. And ftrait to hell he pofts away; BY Y letters from Genoa, a total revolt of the republick's fubjects in Corfica was apprehended from the conduct of theCount de Marbaf, the French general, who treats the inhabitants with great rigour. An account of the receipts and disbursements of the Free British Fifhery company, from Dec. 31, 1763, to Dec. 31, 1764, has, A pursuant to order, been laid before the house; and a parliamentary aid will speedily be granted for improving this national mine of wealth to the best advantage. The confervators for keeping free the navigation of the river Tyne are to be called upon by authority to account in what manner the farge fums of money paid into their hands B for this purpose, during the laft feven years, bave been applied; a petition from the mafters and owners of hips in the coal trade in the port of Shields having been presented to Parliament on that account. The Emprefs-Queen of Hungary has ordered the regency of the Auftrian Netherlands to lay a duty of four livres and a half (near 41.) on every cwt. of fugar imported into thofe terri- C tories from England and Holland, in order to favour French lugars. The government of Quebec have passed an aa, making all bills of exchange, drawn fince the soth of Auguß laft, by persons in that government on perfons in Europe, and return'd protefted, liable to 72 per cent, damages, and Ex per cent. per annum intereft on the princi- D pal fum drawn for, from the date of the proteft till paid. And all fuch bills drawn on perfons in any of the American colonies, and Tent back protefted, are liable to 4 per cent, damages, and intereft as aforefaid. The inland of Grenada is already fo far cultivated as to produce 1o.coo hogheads of fugar, 3,500,000lb. of coffee, and 200,000lb. of cocoa, befides cotton and indigo. An exprefs has been dispatched to the conquered inlands not to levy the impoft of 4 1half per cent, as directed by prerogative of the king's letters patent, till further orders, E The parliament of Paris have fuppreffed the Pope's late Bull in favour of the Jefuits, and his three briefs, addressed to the bishops of Grenoble, Alars, and Anger; and no bulls F or briefs are for the future to be accepted, unlefs they are accompanied by the king's letters patent. A cod fish was lately fold by a fisherman of Blytb near Newcastle, in the belly of which a gold ring was found, which had remained there fo long that the infcription was wore off, though the fcrolls in which it had been G written remained entire. Two fhips, one from Kewima in Siberia, the other from Kamischatka having failed upon difcoveries to the northward; that from Kowima had the good fortune to double the cape of Ifcbuktfcbi, at 74 degrees of latitodes and failing down towards the fouth through the ftrait, which feperates Siberia from America, they difcovered islands that were inhabited at the fixty fourth degree of Juitude. They landed on these islands, and fettled there a trade in the most beautiful pelken with the inhabitants. Those of KamfMarch 1765.) H chatka went towards the north, and there met with their companions among these ifles. The Lords Juftice and Council of Ireland have iffued a proclamation, offering a reward of 300l. for the apprehending Nicolas Sherby, popisk prieft, who not only fands indicted at the affizes for that county the 28th of Mareb laft, for high treafon and rebellion; but is alfo charged on oath with having been fince concerned in feveral treasonable practices tending to raise a rebellion in that kingdom. In confequence of this reward he has fince been apprehended, and is now lodged in prifon in the lower Cafle-yard, Dublin. A hint has been given for reducing the price of wheat by ufing potatoes inftead of that commodity for making ftarch, against which there is now a law fubfifting, which 'tis hoped will be repealed. Letters from Paris fpeak of a horrid murder committed there on a baker who had got money in the lottery, by his man, who came behind him with a cleaver, fplit his skull, and then cut off his head. The villain afterwards went up ftairs into his miftrefs's bedchamber, who was fome months gone with child, and ftrangled her with a cord whilft she was afleep, and then broke open the drawers, and took out all the money, plate, and other moveable effects of value, and made his escape. Letters from Truxillo, about 50 miles from Vera Cruz, in Mexico, dated July 28, 1764. bring a moft fhocking account of the moun tain Mano Blanco, in that neighbourhood, opening and throwing out flames, combustible Atuff, and black ftones, fome of great fizes As there never was a volcano there before, it intimidated the inhabitants to fuch a degree, that a great number died of the fright. Many people were deftroyed, with 118 Indian huts: The wild beafts, as lyons, tygers, deer, &c. left the foreft, and came into the town for refuge, fixty three of which were shot in the ftreets. Signior Mangoli, the Italian finger at the Haymarket, got no lefs, after paying all charges of every kind, by his benefit laft week, than 1000 guineas: This, added to a fum of 1500, which he has already faved, and the remaining profits of the feafan, is furely an undoubt ed proof of British generofity; one patriotic lady we are told complimented the above gentleman with a 200/. bill for a fingle ticket on that occafion. a A lady lately deceafed, has, by her will, left confiderable fum to pay the creditors of her nephew, who was formerly a grocer in London, and about 20 years ago fail'd, and paid only 10. in the pound. His majefty has been pleased to order that North America be divided into two districts, viz. Northern and Southern, by the river Potomack, and a due Weft line drawn from the head of the main branch of that river, as far as his majesty's dominions extend, and a furveyor-general appointed in each, to make geIneral furveys both of coaft and main, in order to facilitate the navigation, and promote the Speedy fettlement of the new acquifitions. An account of the annual balances of the dead cash and fecurities of the Bank of England |