each fide of the capital are too powerful for their head; and the empire, weakened by interior commotions, will not eafily ward off the blow that is prepared for it in the north. Egypt is held by it under a very precarious tenure; and the time is not come, when that country, the former feat of fcience and of arts, is to thake off its difgraceful yoke, and ceafe to be the baleft of kingdoms, the fubject of flaves. The Mahometan fuperftition feems, however, like its fifter the Popith fuperftition in Europe, to be on its decline. Arabia begins to enquire into the pretences of its antient prophet; and its return to truth may open the road to thofe fcenes, of which, in the prefent state of the world, very few can entertain any conception. Every thing, however, feems to portend fome great changes in both parts of the antient Roman empire, which will excite the furprife of those who have not contemplated the regular procefs of Providence in the government of the affairs of men.

ardour and fuccefs in our fettlements in India. The King of Ceylon is faid to have quitted his capital, and to be trembling for his fate his name will probably foon increafe the lift of fovereign princes who have bent underneath the yoke impofed on them by a company of traders in England. America prefents to us a very different picture. In the northern parts, they who were formerly, and they who ftill remain, fubject to the English name, are with great industry and perfeverance bringing their woods into cultivation. The United States are, by a wife policy, taking advantage of the troubled ftate of Europe; and whilft they are increafing their coinmerce, agriculture is improved, new towns are fpringing up in the deferts, and the burdens of their revolution are daily leffened by the frugality of their government and the improvement of their refources. The fcheme attempted of affimilating their conftitution more to that of European ftates has completely failed; and the reprefentative fyftem is taking fuch deep root, that it will not hereafter be easily fhaken various caufes contribute to the probability, that the United States will baffle the conjectures of most politicians. The great extent of country, and the cafe with which new fettlements are formed, render the influence of party lefs fenfibly felt than in the mother country; and the great ufe that is made of the prefs, together with the cuftom of the reprefentative communicating to his conftituents the grounds of his conduct and votes, diffufe a mafs of political knowledge, to which the fubjects of any other itate in the world have not been hitherto accustomed. One of the first things now established in an infant colony is a printing prefs; and on the banks of the Ohio are print

Whilft Europe is thus agitated, the immenfe regions in Afia and Africa are perfectly unconcerned in the difputes. The majesty of China may, perhaps, have heard, that fome petty princes of a petty diftrict are contending for fupcriority; but the annihilation of both parties would not be felt in thefe diftant regions, and, in their fyftem of politics, the balance of the European powers is much beneath their notice. If we extend our views to thofe immenfe plains whence our ancestors migrated to feize the northern parts of Europe, and to exchange a roving for a fettled life, we fhall fee the Tartar purfuing his ufual mode of occupations, and travelling with his waggons, un- heedful of thofe objects which are of fo much importance to us, and as ignorant of our contentions as we are ofed the tranfactions of European armies the fcenes which are daily taking place among his wandering tribes. In India the found of war is more diftinctly heard. The natives of the country are themfelves fcarcely involved in the quarrel; and, as the French power is very trifling in that part of the world, the politics of the Company will continue nearly the fame during the whole of the conflict. They are now too ftrong for the neighbouring powers; and the fame fyftem of aggrandizement, which has fo much increased the territory of France, is purfued with equal

or philofophical focieties. This premature eftablishment of fuch a manufacture is chiefly owing to the impolicy of our government, which by its duties has fo railed the price of books, that a trade is now nearly loft, which by tolerable prudence might have been preferved for nearly a century in this country. The religious toleration that is eftablished every where in thefe States is a phænomenon from which fome curious refults might be expected; and, by the last intelligence from Kentucky, it appears that religious controverfy is

State of Public Affairs.

there carried on with fo little rancour,
that congregations can separate on im-
portant topics without breach of focial
union. The Governor himself is a mi-
- mitter of a congregation, and his peo-
ple are divided into nearly as many
tects as are to be found in England.
The trinity was the fubject of contro
verly in his fect; and in oppofing it his
influence had no fway, though feveral
congregations embraced his opinion.

The fouthern provinces of America
prefent little of activity: they continue
their obedience to the mother state
more from habit, and the mildness of
the government, than from the fear of
any confequences that might refult
from difobedience.
peace which thefe provinces have en-
The length of
joyed could not fail of adding to the
improvement of the country, and, in
fome degree, of the minds of the inha-
bitants; but little can be known of
their internal state, from the difficulty
of accels to fuch remote regions, and
the very few publications that make
their way to Europe from thefe coun-

tries.

From fuch a general furvey of foreign countries we naturally turn to the contemplation of what more concerns our own domeftic politics; and here a wide field is open for difcuffion, much too extenúve for our limits, and on which we must leave the future hiftorian to expatiate. He will trace the prefent appearance of things to the fyftem which was planned fomewhat more than forty years ago, and has been carried on to this time with unwearied affiduity and aftonithing fuccefs. It has, indeed, quintupled the national debt, occationed the lofs of America, changed in a great degree the manners of the people, and produced eftablishments againft which the jealoufy of our ancestors was perpetually on its guard. Great were the difficulties which the fyftem had at firft to encounter, and it required many favourable circumftances to mature its progrefs. The late adminiftration made every thing eafy, and a minifter chofen by the fovereign, and fupported by the people, was a fit inftrument for the meafures to be put into execution. He anticipated the fchemes, planned probably before he was in existence; and faw in his adminiftration the horrors perpetrated by the Duke of Alva in the Netherlands renewed in Ireland.Equally, at laft, difagreeable to the

61

king and people, he made room for regard for the old conftitution of Engone of milder manners, and a greater its ufual course; and an insurrection in Ireland, which would probably by the land. Juftice was permitted to take late administration have been converted into a lafting rebellion, was quelled by a proper exertion of the powers with which the civil government was entrusted: a rigour beyond the law was not thought neceffary, nor were tortures inflicted to extort confeffion.

quence no longer adorn the Treasury Bench; but it has been found, that The commanding powers of eloa loan may be negotiated without fuch a waste of words, and prudent meafures may be adopted, though they are not inforced with all the pomp of the country feemed to acquiefce withidle declamation. After the measure of declaring war, in whofe propriety out hefitation or enquiry, the volunteer fyftem is the boldeft feature of the adminiftration. This will probaformation of corps of volunteers, bly be the fubject of many interesting amounting to upwards of three hundebates in feffions of parliament. The fail to prefent fome irregularities, on dred thousand effective men, cannot forgetting the benefits that have arifen which its opponents will dwell with the utmoft acrimony, at the fame time raifed in fo fhort a time, and at fo little expence. Volunteers are not to to the country from an armed force, them, in the fame manner as a regular army: local circunftances require difbe treated, nor is it neceffary to treat emulation that prevails amongst them amply compenfates for that difcipline, ferent arrangements, and the laudable whom war is purfued as the means of gaining a fubfiftence. which is neceffary for thofe with may not, from the hatte in which they that difputes fhould arife in fome It is natural corps: the conftitution of them all were formed, have been drawn up affim late their regulations nearer to with equal judgement; yet time would each other. One of the braveit Genecorrect thefe errors, and experience rals that this nation has produceti, ftation in which he is now placed, bas and whofe triumphs in the late war expreffed his approbation of the voexcite no fmall furprife at the inferior luntary force now in arms; and if their purfuits in life might render

62

them unfuitable to all the exercises of a foreign campaign, they are affuredly competent to all the calls that can be made on their fervices in their own country.

The arming en maffe, the original plan, was fuperfeded by the volunteer fyftem. Recurrence to its principle may obviate fome of the prefent difficulties; and if the firft levy, confifting of thofe between twenty and thirty years of age, were trained to the ufe of arms, without drawing them to a diftance from their homes, or cloathing them in an expensive military garb, a fyftem may be eftablished, which fhall give a military strength to the kingdom, far fuperior to any power of the enemy. On this, however, parliament will deliberate, and no one can doubt that the utmoft caution will be applied in fpeaking on fo important a queftion; fince it is evident to all, that, if the bulk of the people are not capable of bearing arms, the nation mult in cafe of an invafion fall, like Switzerland or Holland, under the preffure of a vigorous enemy.

In the finance bill the minifter followed the fcheme of his predeceffor A tax is orunder a different name. dered to be raised on income; but the difficulties in the wording of the act, render its execution problematical. The evident inequality in the tax, and the inquifition into the circumftances of each individual, by bodies of men acting in fecret, excite a degree of odium against it, which cannot long be fmothered; and when the gain is balanced with that odium, we cannot doubt that the prudence of the minifter will fee reafon for its repeal. What is to be faid in defence of it, when an officer of the army, compelled by his fituation to appear like a gentleman, thall be taxed in the fame fum as a private individual, who may live as he pleases on the fame income? The funds of the one may expire to-morrow; thofe of the other remain not only during life, but may be bequeathed to his children, and remoter pofterity.

From fubjects of a general nature, the attention of the legislature will probably be called to one in which the interefts of many and eventually of all the community may be concerned. A fociety is formed under the name of the Society for the Suppreffion of Vice, which profeffes to aim at a purer morality, by reviving obfolete laws, and bring

ing to public juftice those, whom it has
emyloyed fpies and informers to hunt
out for misdemeanours. The dangerous
confequences of fuch a fociety are ob-
vious. Thefe fpies muft do fomething, or
their employers will withdraw their re-
wards; and many may be denounced
to the fecret committee, whom it will
not think proper to prosecute by a re-
gular courfe of law, as it poffeffes effec-
tual means to ruin them by fafer and
Men who make
more fecret devices.
fuch pretenfions to fanctity are fel-
dom overburdened with the milk of
human kindness; and they who can
degrade themselves fo low as to em-
ploy all the arts of efpionage will not be
very fcrupulous in the ufe of any other
means to obtain their ends. The spy,
alfo, will not be content with the fa-
lary he obtains from his employers: he
will have his favourites and his foes;
and for one, whom he denounces,
ten may be induced by terror of a trial
to pay him an exorbitant compenfation.
That fuch a fociety is wanted, no
conftitutional is notorious. The con-
proofs have been given; that it is un-
ftitution has provided a grand jury in
every diftrict to enquire into every kind
of misdemeanour; and gentlemen
might in their proper places perform
their duty, where they thought it re-
quifite, in a manner honourable to
themfelves, and beneficial to their
country. A felf-conftituted inquifition,
with a regular train of spies, cannot
long be tolerated in a free country.

The alarm fpread on the fubject of
invafion produced fome effect both on
the trade of the country and the pub-
lic stocks. Specie difappeared. Indi-
viduals prudently availed themselves
of the opportunity of guarding against
future contingencies; and the cash fo
hoarded was doubtless preferved in a
manner more beneficial to the public
than in the cells of the Bank. The
ftrange power allowed to a banking
company of coining paper money, with-
out permiffion even to give cafh in ex-
change for it, or, in other words, the
annual prefent made by government of
many hundred thousands, continues in
full vigour: the natural effect on the
price of provifions and articles of life
has followed, and men in general de-
pair of the bank returning to its antient
ufages. That it should recover its an-
tient credit, is impoffible, for credit is
of a most delicate nature; and the mo-
ment a government interferes with the

DOMESTIC INCIDENTS;

Most important Births, Marriages, Deaths, &c. in and near London: tógether with Biographical Memoirs of eminent Perfons deceased.

64

and was fo much agitated on receiving no answer, that in his confusion and dread, he was unfortunate enough to commit the rath action; but he folemnly declared to God that he had no malice against the deceased, nor any intention of taking away the life of any individual.

The mother-in-law of the deceafed was called to prove that the deceased had once before been taken for the ghoft, in confequence of his white drefs; The therefore advifed him to wear a great-coat.

Several refpectable perfons gave the prifoner an excellent character for humanity and good temper.

The Lord Chief Baron, in charging the jury, obferved, that in point of law nothing had been ftated on the part of the defence which could take it out No of the legal definition of murder. man, from a fuppofition that another had acted wrong, could take the authority to punith into his own hands. If a man went out to fhoot robbers on the highway, and fhould take it into his head that fomebody he faw walking along was a robber, and with that idea kill him, fuch killing, whether the man were a robber or not, was murder. In the prefent cafe, it appeared that fome malicious and wicked perfon, taking advantage of that credulity which belonged to a great portion of mankind, had gone about at night, and spread terror and unhappiness throughout a whole neighbourhood. Under fuch circumftances, no man had a right to call that act a capital offence, and to fuppofe he could be juftified in putting to death the perfon who did that mich ef, however criminal Even if the fuch perfon might be. perfon who appeared in this manner as a ghoft had been killed, fuch killing was murder. But here a man thought he had a right to go and kill any perfon he faw in a light-coloured coat. The prifoner went out with a loaded gun, intending to kill, contrary to law, and killed a man who was innocent. "Gentlemen," continued his Lordfhip, "I thould be betraying my duty as a judge, and acting contrary to the opinion of my brother judges near me, if I did not tell you, that this act of the prifoner's, provided you believe the facts given in evidence, amounts to nothing lefs than murder." In this cafe there was no accident, no fudden or violent provocation; nor was there

any attempt made by the prifoner to
apprehend the fuppofed ghoft: but he
went and thought himself intitled to
kill that perfon; and with a degree of
rafhnefs, which the law would never,
allow, he killed another person.

The jury retired for better than an
hour, and returned with a verdict-
Guilty of Manslaughter. The Lord
Chief Baron declared, that fuch a ver--
dict could not be received; for if the
jury believed the facts, they must find
the prifoner guilty of murder, or they
muft acquit him. The jury then con-
fulted for about a minute in the box,"
and pronounced a verdict, GUILTY OF
MURDER.-The Recorder then fen-
tenced the prifoner to be executed on -
Monday. The Lord Chief Baron im-
mediately reported the cafe, and in the
courfe of the evening the prifoner was
refpited during his Majefty's pleasure.

The Park Ghoft-In confequence of the different reports which have been circulated, refpecting a fupernatural · being having been feen in St. James's Park by feveral fentinels, Sir Richard › Ford lately fent for the man who has related the moft particulars. The man told his tale to Sir Richard privately, after which he was cautioned against the folly, as well as wickedness, of in-: venting fuch ftories, and to endeavour to recollect himself, that at that time his mind was not got the better of by. fear from the darkness of the night, and the reports he had heard of the ghoft at Hammerfmith. He was de-. fired to confider of it well against the evening, at which time he perfifted in his ftory: being asked if he would make oath to what he had faid, he replied in the affirmative; and he depofed as follows:--he faid his name: was George Jones, a private foldier in Colonel Taylor's company of the fe cond battalion of the Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards. He was on guard on the last day of the old year," and was appointed, at one o'clock in the morning, fentinel at the Recruit, Houfe Gate, in the Birdcage Walk, St. James's Park, where he remained until about a quarter before two, when, as he was flanding at eafe by his fentry-box, he faw, all on a fudden, fomething which feemed to come out of the ground, and had at firit the appearance of a cloud, but could afterwards diftinguifh the shape of a woman, and faw her arms diftinctly, but no head: the appeared to have on a clofe gown