cuted. They fay it is because his flesh was putrid from his illness that the fcull has fo foon been left bare; and as to the jaw, Sir,which, you may obferve, is broken and hanging down, that was broken by fome boys of the town who amufed themfelves in throwing ftones at it!" I turned away with difguft from this fhocking tale. What morals, faid I, what feeling, what humanity, what virtue can exift among a people, where to infult the miferable remains of mortality is the amusement of the populace!

Nor is it merely among the lower order of the people that this fpirit of ferocity has been excited and is kept alive in Ireland. On the fame day on which the above converfation took place, I happened to dine in company with fome of the first people of the town; there were fome ftrangers prefent belides myself, who after dinner turned the converfation to the topic of thefe heads. It was obferved by one tranger, that it was a violation of public decorum to obtrude fuch horrid fpectacles fo near the eye and obfervation of the paf fenger; by another, that it tended to harden and brutalife the public mind; and by a third, that it was impolitic, now that the rebellion was completely crushed, to keep alive the animofity of party by fuch public and difgufting monuments of crime and punishment; better would it be, he obferved, to obliterate every remembrance of what was paffed by removing from the eye and ear of the public whatever could revive that remembrance perpetuate fentiments which might again kindle into partial infurrection. "Sir," faid one gentleman of the town, who feemed to speak the fenfe of his countrymen, "I with we had more heads up if it were likely they could again roufe the villains to infurrection; for we are fully able to put them down, and the more of them we

or

or to improve their eflate; fuch loans having been of late very difficult to obtain. This difficulty, however, by no means arifes from a want of a fufficient

quantity of paper money, which we are now taught to confider as the proper circulating medium of the country; but from the circumftance of there being at prefent many ways in which perfons hav ing money to fpare, can employ it with much greater profit than by lending it on mortgage. It is well known, that previous to the war money was readily obtained on landed fecurity, and it was thought a favour to have the discounting of good bills: if ever 3 per cents fhould be again at 80 or 90, and the profits of foreign trade fomewhat reduced by France and Holland recovering their fhare therein, loans on landed fecurity will be obtained with as much facility as ever; but without fome fuch change of circumftances, no iffue of paper money would produce this effe&t, as it would foon be all abforbed in the channel that produced the greateft gain. Projects of this nature fhould be attempted with the utmoft caution, they fhould be formed on general principles, and the propofed benefits not be confined to a particular clafs of perfons, nor the execution of them be likely to encourage dangerous fpeculations. If ftockholders obtained a double profit on part of their capital by issuing notes thereon, the poffeffors of many other fpecies of property would think themfelves entitled to the fame advantage; and if landholders could borrow money at a moderate rate of intereft, why fhould not manufacturers and others be accommodated on the fame terms? August 16, 1799.

X.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

OT finding an anfwer given to

ciples and fuch the feelings which feem to actuate every defcription of men, in a country once remarkable for good-nature, affection, and humanity. W.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

HOUGH I do not apprehend that

of property in the public funds, of which an outline is given in your Magazine, p. 513, will ever be carried into execution, the projector of it at leaft deferves thanks for his intention, the defign of the plan being to procure affiftance to those who want to borrow money on the fecurity of Jand, to enable them to pay their debts,

in your Magazine for May an explanation of the caufe of the faltnefs he obferved on trees and hedges in April laft, in the county of Kent;-I beg leave to repeat the folicitation; at the fame time obferving, the phænomenon was first noticed by me in an extraordinary manner, of April

of the counties of Warwick and Oxford.

The wind for fome time had been brisk, proceeding from the points betwixt north and east, with a confiderable haziness and moisture in the atmosphere, which without rain fuddenly chaiged to dryness and clearnefs. At this time being obferving the difference of appearance of the buds

of

of trees at that feafon, I was furprised at what I took for the hoar-froft upon the trunks and branches, in the middle of fo fine a day; but upon examination, was foon convinced, by the taste and appearance of the cryftals, of its being the natron muriatum, or common falt, and which I also perceived were depofited only on the fides of the trunks and branches facing the wind, and upon the gates, ftyles, rails, &c. having the fame afpect. I pointed out the circumftance to feveral of my friends, who had never witneffed it before, nor could account for it; and I gathered fome branches of hawthorn, on which the crystallization was very perceptible, and preferved them a confiderable time. As from the particulars above-mentioned I had reafon to confider the falt was brought and depofited from the atmosphere;-I would afk, is it poffible that the violent and continued action of the wind in the fame direction upon the ocean could raise the spray or particles of water in fuch a manner as to convey and depofit them fo far inland; the distance from the ocean being at leaft one hundred miles ?—And as there is reafon to believe the fame occurrence frequently prevails, muft it not greatly affect vegetation? CHIRURGUS. Burton on Trent, August 16, 1799.

SOME GENERAL PARTICULARS CON

CERNING THE CHINESE.

By ANDRE EVERARD VAN BRAAM HOUCKGEEST, late Chief in the Direction of the Dutch East India Company in China, and the fecond Perfon in the Embally to the Court of the Emperor of China.* HE Chinese are fuperior to Europeans in feveral branches of knowledge, efpecially in agriculture. The construction of their bridges and their dykes are excellent, the latter are equal to thofe of Holland.

TH

Their architecture in the palaces of Pekin and Yuen-ming-yuen is noble, majeftic and regular, in which ornament and elegance are difplayed without fuperfluity and vain oftentation. The Chinese are unacquainted with the five orders of architecture made ufe of in Europe; yet the laft vifitors to that nation affure us that there are none of the temples or imperial edifices which would not be viewed in Europe with admiration. They poffefs alfo a very extraordinary and unrivalled fkill in the art of diving under water for the recovery of treasures at the bottom, without the aid of any machine; of this *Thefe articles have never before been published.

In

the following is a fufficient proof. June 1772, the Dutch East India Company had the misfortune to lose one of their fhips, called the Rynfburg, upon the coaft of China in a hurricane. This fhip funk while at anchor in twelve fathoms water, in the isle of Meru. There were only eight men faved, who, after being at fea upon rafts for twenty-four hours, were thrown upon the fhore.

This fhip richly laden, had, among other things, more than thirty chefts of money. All hopes of recovering the cargo were relinquished; when fome Chinese came and propofed to undertake recovering the money on condition of having one third for their trouble, and making no demand if they fhould not fucceed. Their propofal was agreed to, and they began to attempt it in 1773; but not being fufficiently acquainted with the construction of the Dutch fhips, they did not fucceed. But in the fame year having been conducted on board another veffel of the Company for the purpose of studying the particular form and conftruction of the hip, and the manner of placing the chefts in fimilar cafes, they recommenced their labours in 1774, and brought to the factory of the Company every cheft of money which had been loft; befides the filver buckles, knives, forks and fpoons belonging to the officers. They had been obliged to break up two decks in order to come at the chefts. They next undertook the recovery of other parts of the cargo, and would have fucceeded but for the great fwell which had taken place in the bales of Indian cotton on board, through which the divers found it impoffible to penetrate to the merchandize under it. The money restored was divided into three parts, of which the Chinefe Government had one, the Dutch Company another, and the divers the other.

This fact of the recovery of money from a veffel under fuch circumstances, has been regarded as a proof of skill of which Europe does not afford an example.

it with that perfection of which it is capable. It would be too tedious and difficult to detail all its rules; but they may be found in a book printed in China, which has been brought to Europe by the late Dutch Embaffy to that nation. This game requires more filence and attention than that of chefs, and is the favourite amufement of the learned and men of the higher orders. The fecond game is called Tche-on-khie. It is the real game of chefs, introduced among the Chinese about four centuries fince by one of their Generals, and is fo common among them that it is played at by the lowest of the people. They do not ufe figures of the fame form as thofe made ufe of in Europe, but round pawns fuch as Europeans play at draughts with, upon each of which the name of the piece is engraved neither do they play upon a draught-board of two colours, but upon fimple paper with lines drawn acrofs it in fuch a manner that they place the pieces upon the angles where the lines cross each other. Those who are acquainted with both thefe ways of playing prefer that of the Chinese to the European manner. The great conformity between the two ways of playing is truly aftonishing, because the Chinefe General could not be acquainted with the European manner.

The third game is called Ta quat-phay. It exactly resembles our game of Domino, and is played in the fame manner. Their game at cards follows next, it confifts of thirty cards of three kinds. If there be but two players, one pack is fufficient; and when there are four or more, they put two or a greater number of packs together. This game is very easy to be learned, and is the amusement of women and the common clafs of the people. There are feveral other inferior games among the Chinefe, but we shall leave them to fpeak of their public theatres.

The people in general are very fond of thefe public amufements, which are carried on in all feafons and even for whole days together. The inhabitants of each vicinity enter into a common fubfcription for the payment of the expences of the entertainments. In general the pieces performed are very tedious, and accompanied with mufic extremely piercing and noify, being more agreeable to the fpectators than finer harmony and fofter tones. But there are many companies of players who act in the houses of individuals in a more agreeable and fuperior manner. And when the Chinese merchants make a party of pleasure for Europeans, thefe companies perform before them very agreeable pieces of the fentimental kind.

One of these plays, called Chon-fon hau, had given fo much pleasure to a gentleman of the Dutch embaffy twenty years before that he was induced to folicit its reprefentation again, which request was granted after much difficulty; for there were but few players to be found who could recollect this ancient piece. It was acted in a fuperior ftyle, and imparted as much pleasure as it had done before; and it was the opinion of the European part of the audience, that if it were tranflated into their language by an elegant pen it would give pleasure to every mind fufceptible of fine fenfations. The writers of the relation of the Embassy has given a particular, account of each of the five acts of this play. Though acted in a language he did not understand, the Chinese actors performed their parts with fo much natural energy that it was easy to comprehend the whole plot, which was very interesting, and excited much emotion.

I

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, THANK notice of my for you pamphlets in your Supplementary Number, though I feel being called a dif ciple of Burke but an ambiguous compliment. I have ever difliked a certain legerdemain, eafily discovered in both the life and literature of that bufy partizan, without either temper or talents to direct any party. In the courfe of Edmund Burke's Life I fee great attention to felfintereft, with much fictitious fenfibility, accompanied with a careleffnefs of private expenditure next to prodigality, a want of economy which at length embarrassed his principles as well as his pocket, and then drove the dependent on aristocratical affiftance to watch the wishes of the monarch rather than the weal of the monarchy, and to put on a Gallophobia which he willingly worked up in his harangues to a height bordering on infanity, well knowing, at the time, where he was gra cioufly heard, well knowing where he would meet with a fure though late reward. His debts are now paid both great and fmall; but let no man boaft of conftancy in his public principles who does not live within his private income, whatever it may be. In the ftyle of Edmund Burke's writing, I fee every thing except the enthufiafim of the heart. It wants that promethean heat which the impaffioned conviction of truth always gives and communicates. The flos ingenii, la fleur de l'efprit, wants that aroma which is more delightful than beauty, and more captivating than a fancy that flutters ever on

the

the wing, and quits the original thought of the fentence in chace of every, and often the coarseft, fimilitude. The fpirit of his life was party fpirit, and the fpirit of his ftyle had the brilliancy of poetry without any of the infpiration. He was as little fenfible to the enthufiafm of Rouffeau, as Dr. Johnfon was to the genius of lyric poetry in its fublimeft production the Bard of Gray. It is curious that we have never heard of Burke, man or boy, making a verse, or tagging a few rhymes; and I am inclined not to think well of a literary man, who, in fome part of his life, has not at least made fome attempt of this kind. I dare fay, Sir Ifaac Newton himself compofed a fonnet, which was no doubt confumed in the fire that made him exclaim to his favourite dog, who was the caufe of it, "Ah, Diamond! you little know what mifchief you have done!" Dublin, W. DRENNAN. Marlborough freet, Aug. 16, 1799.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magasine.

SIR,

ONE of all the domeftic infects is more

N generally abhorred than the fpider,

It is ge

which, I think, is owing partly to its. hideous form, and partly to the idea of its being poisonous. I cannot but confefs, that I alfo was infected with this antipathy, and joined in the general warfare againt an infect which, by its external appearance, is fo little qualified to recommend itfelf to our fight, till of late I was unexpectedly cured of this habitual abhorrence. This cure was effected by the perufal of the account of a difcovery, made fome years fince by Mr. Quatre mere D'Isjonval, adjutant-general to the famous Pichegru, which convinced me, that this infect is not fo ufelefs as we generally think, and that we rather ought to court than to loath its fociety. nerally known, that the tate of the atmofphere has a visible effect upon certain animals, and that, for inftance, cats, dogs, frogs, hogs, &c. have a very strong prefentiment of every change, which is preparing in it. The abovementioned gentleman has difcovered that the spider poffeffes this quality in a more eminent degree than all other animals, and is peculiarly fit to ferve as an unnerring barometer. A brief statement of his obfervations will, I think, not be foreign to the fcope of your ufeful and inftructive Magazine, and reconcile its readers to an animal, which they hitherto held in abhorrence, or, at least, thought to be one of the moft ufelefs in the creation of God.

The fpider, fays Mr. Q, D'Isjonval, is

a more unerring indicator of impending changes in the atmosphere than the heft barometer. Thefe infects have two different ways of weaving their webs, by which we can know what weather we are to have. When the weather inclines to turn rainy or windy, they make the principal threads, which are the foundation, as it were, of their whole web, very fhort, and rather thick; whereas they fpin them much longer, when fine and warm weather is to be expected. Thence it appears clearly, that the fpiders have not only a near, but alfo a diftant prefentiment of the changes which are preparing in the air. The barometer foretells the state of the weather with certainty only for about twenty-four hours, whereas we may be fure that the weather will be fine twelve or fourteen days, when the fpider makes the principal threads of its web long. Itis obvious how important the confequences of this infallible indication of the state of the weather must be in many inftances, particularly with regard to the operations of agriculture; for which reafon it has been frequently lamented, that the best barometers, hydrometers, thermometers and eudiometers are principally in the hands of the confumers, and very rarely in those of the planters of the harvest. How fortunate is it therefore, that provident nature, amongst other gifts, alfo has beflowed upon the cultivator of the country fuch a cheap inftrument, upon the fenfibility and infallibility of which, with regard to the impending changes in the atmosphere, he can rely! The barometers are frequently very fallible guides, particularly when they point to fettled fair; whereas the work of the fpider never fails to give the most certain information. This infect, which is one of the most economical animals, does not go to work, nor expends fuch a great length of threads, which it draws out of its body, before the most perfect equilibrium of all the conftituent parts of the air indicates with certainty that this great expenditure will not be made in vain. Let the weather be ever fo bad, we may conclude with certainty that it will not last long, and foon change for fettled fair, when we fee the fpider repair the damages which his web has received. Thofe who will take the trouble to watch the operations of this useful infect, will be convinced by experience, that Mr. Q. D'Isjonval deferves the thanks of his cotemporaries for the communication of his important difcovery, and in future show more indulgence to this object of almoft general abhorrence, than they have done hitherto. Londen, Aug. 12. P. W.

For

For the Monthly Magazine.

HINTS CONCERNING MODERN JESUI

TISM.

your

readers.

A literary manicheifm feems to divide the German hierarchy of writers: they are angels of light, or meffengers of darknefs; votaries of Ormuz, or of Ariman. The one fet affects exclufively the name of Aufklärer, Illuminants or Enlighteners. Their radical doctrine is the perpetual improveability of mankind; and they are for ever labouring to popularife fome fpecific amendment. Chriftianity is to be brought nearer to the idea of a perfect religion; government nearer to the idea of a perfect commonwealth. Language, diet, furniture, clothing even, are to be refashioned by the most approved models. Progreffion, amelioration in all things is their aim. On their adverfaries they endeavour to impofe the names of Finsterlinge, Obfcurants or Bedarkeners. Of thefe, the radical doctrine is the hereditary depravity of man, the hopelefinefs of any victory over his felfishness but by his folly, and the confequent probability of deterioration by every change. Religion and government, according to them, ought to be of the moft extenfively and laftingly eftablished kinds. For fuperftitions the moft groveling they have a fneaking kindnets: prefs licenfing, inquifitions, arbitrary powers, whatever has prolonged the existence of ancient institutions, they view with favour; and on what is already ftabile they afpire to confer immutability. Retrogreffion they prefer to any untried

innovation.

MONTHLY Mag, No, xlix,

1

Both thefe fects are, in fact, continuations of the grand fchifm which took 'place in the literature of France under Louis XV. when the encyclopedifts undertook to new-model, and the priesthood to bolster up, the old-fashioned religious and governmental opinions of that country. With a traditional though abfurd prejudice, the German parties till affect to confider the terms jejuit and atheist as the bitterelt nick-names in the difputant's vocabulary; and ftill afcribe to the rival leaders the one or the other of thefe characters. The first practical victory won by the Enlighteners over their antagonists, was the fuppreffion of the Order of Jefuits by Clement XIV.; as from that period the balance of erudition and talents began to incline toward the fide of the reformers or refashioners.

Now this fuppreffion (according to the one army of German writers) has been merely nominal. The jefuitical order has ever fince continued to receive profelytes, to act in concert under hidden fuperiors, and to pursue its ambitious hereditary views.

Many members of this order were permitted or cominanded to embrace fecular occupations, to wear a lay-habit, and even to marry; and have thus remained in the western ftates of Europe in ftrict cohesion, but viewlefs difperfion. Many others migrated into Poland, and especially into † White Ruffia; where

*Nachricht von der wahren Beschaffenheit des Infiituts der Jefuiten. Berlin 1785.

Berlinifcher Monatschrift, 1786 to 1789; a magazine conducted by Biefter and Gedike.

Reifebefchreibung durch Deutschland und die Schweit, von F. Nicolai: fee especially the 7th vol. article Augsburg.

Unterfuchung der Befchuldigungen, by the fame. This is a defence of the foregoing Travels, as far as refpects the alarm of exjefuitifm.

epoche, 5 Theile. Frankfurt 1785 and 1786. Sendfchreiben eines Layen über die Jefuitender Jefuiten. Regensburg 1786. Die eigenthümlichen Lehrsätze und Maximen

Enthüllung des Syftems der Welt-bürger Republik, 1785.

Magazin zur Gefchichte der Jefuiten. Erfurt 1787.

Saint-Nicaife, Anti-Saint-Nicaife, and Archidemides, 1786, 1787, and 1788.

Allgemeine Gefichte der Jefuiten. Zurich 1789.

+ Vorläufige Darstellung des heutigen Jefuitifmus, 1786.

Merkwürdige Nachrichten vor den Jefuiten in Weifs Reuffen. Frankfurt 1785.

This work is a tranflation from the Italian 4 H

Lettere