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Foreign and Domestic Intelligence.

Conyers, late one of the Prebends to the Cathedral of St. Mary at Norwich. Friday, Dec. 20. Yesterday the Sheriffs went to Newgate to view the body of Davis, capitally convicted for rob bing the mail, who died the day before; and it is fuppofed that he had taken fomething to put an end to his life.

Saturday, Dec. 21. A few days fince a vefiel coming from Newcastle to London, at fea, within five miles of the port of Shields, took up a wooden cradle, with a child in it. The child was alive, and is now well. The cradle is fupposed to have been carried to fea by an inundation in one of the places adjacent.

Laft night the houfe of Sir Robert Ladbroke, upon St. Peter's-hill, was broke open, and the following things, with feveral others, were ftolen therefrom, viz, a coronation gold medal; a broad five-and-twenty; a gold commonwealth; a guinea of George the Firft, with a lock of the wig refembling a horn; a diamond ring; a ring fet with diamonds; a clufter ring; a diamond ditto, forty mourning rings; about 151. in crown pieces; three tea-fpoons; an old table-fpoon; three filver faucepans; two filver kewers; two filver tea-canisters with covers; a pair of tea-tongs and ftrainer; two gold fnuff-boxes, in one of them an hiftorical piece; a diamond breaft-buckle; and an Alderman's gold chain.-Four perfons are already in cuftody for this robbery.

Monday, Dec. 23. It is certain that the Duke of Gloucefter lodged by accident in the fame hotel with the Pretender, in a certain city of Italy; but had only a tranfient view of that adventurer's perfon, when he was carried to bed one night dead drunk by four of his attendants.

Tuesday, Dec. 24. Last night a countryman was decoyed into a house near the Fleet-market, by two women, who after making him drunk took from him a leather bag, in which were 17 guineas; they afterwards led him into the Market, and laid him on one of the butcher's blocks, where he was this morning found, but could not tell where the houfe was in which he had been robbed.

Warfa, Nov. 30. Our advices from Great Poland confirm, that the Pruffian troops are fortifying Pofnania.

The Heyduck, who was wounded in defending his Sovereign and died of his wounds, was a Diffident, and fome of the Romish Priefts ipared no pains in his

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laft moments, to engage him to abjure his errors, and die a Catholick. When they had exhaufted all their rhetorick, and he found himself near his end, he replied cooly," You ftun me with your folicitations, but happily for me they cannot last long, your zeal would be better employed in converting the affaffins of my King." Soon after he had spoken these words, he expired.

Wednesday, Dec. 5. We can affure the public, that a memorial was lately fent off from St. James's to the Spania Court, demanding a release of English prifoners, which have been, at different times taken by Spanish veffels on various pretences. From the fame authority we alfo affert, that there is not a royal feaport town in Spain, which has not at this time a greater or lefs number of Englifh prifoners in clofe confinement. The above points must be fetted before the difputes now fubfifting between England and Spain can be brought to any termination.

The collection which the Lord Mayor made for the prifoners in the feveral jails of this City yesterday at the coffeehoufes, &c. amounted to 551. in money; which is faid to be 131. more than ever was collected before on the. like occafion. In the markets a very large quantity of provifions was given. Neither of the Sheriffs or Under Sheriff attended.

Thursday, Dec. 26. On Monday latt, two men went to Rag-fair, to purchase a coat, which then were to give a guinca for; they paid for it with a crown piece, and 32 freth fixpences (Sir Robert Ladbroke has lost about three pounds in fresh fixpences) when notice was immediately given to the Marshal, who car ried them before the Lord Mayor; his Lordship fent them for examination to Sir John Fielding. They pleaded very hard not to be carried before Sir John, as they faid he knew them. They were committed,being unable to account for the money found upon them.

Yesterday an exprefs arrived from Dublin, with an account, That the Commons of Ireland have rejected the Money-Bill, on account of an alteration made in council here, greatly to the prejudice of Ireland; fo that the old bill determined on the 25th inft. and leaves that country without any law fubfifting by which the revenues can be collected, tili a new bill can be obtained. The Numbers were,

For rejecting the bill
Against it

95

771

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Foreign and Domestic Intelligence.

So that the Court loft it by a majority of eighteen. A fresh proof of the refent ment of Ireland, for the oppreffions that Country is hourly made to undergo. Would to Heaven there was the fame relentment in the British Houfe of Commons, to punish an arbitrary and perfidious Court!

On Tuesday laft died at Epfom in Surry, after a long and painful illness, which the bore with exemplary patience and refignation, Mrs. Rily, wife of John Rily, Elq; of Bread-ftect-hill, in this city.

Saturday, Dec. 28. The estimate, that is generally made by the French of their national debt, is two thoufand millions of livres, or one hundred millions of pounds fterling. The debt of Great Britain is above one hundred and forty millions. What wretched minifters we mult have! The debt of France, at the conclusion of the peace, was greater than

ours.

Notwithstanding the great ftir the French parliaments have made for liberty, they are not the reprefentatives of the people, but the nmety deputies of the ftates, who have not met ince the time of their Henry the Third, or our Elizabeth. But drowning people are willing to grafp at every ftraw. Hence the popularity of thefe annihilated bodies. Some perfons having wondered at a noble lord accepting the poft of envoy to the inferior court of Bruffels, and at Mr. Hamilton's confenting to return again in that character to the court of Naples, it may not be thought amils to pur fuch people in mind, that the appointment of envoy has annexed to it, for the fplendid fupport of the character, 3000l. per ann. and that in thofe cheap places it is fcarcely poffible, merely as envoy, to expend more than the moiety of that not inconfiderable fum.

It is faid that the prifoners for debt in the city were fo exasperated at Mr. Wilkes's declining to beg for them along with the Lord Mayor, that it was with the greatest difficulty the keepers, affitted by the felons, (who are Wilkes's faft friends) could retrain them from burning the arch-patriot in effigy.

A Gray's-inn correfpondent fays, that the Benchers have ordered that the walks fhall be kept in better order than heretofore. A new gate-keeper to be appointed, and the old worn-out one to retire on a pention.

We are told, that Lord Shelburne is now in great esteem with his Majesty, and will very quickly occupy a place in Administration..

Saturday, Dec. 28. This day the lottery ended drawing at Guildhall, when No. 29,691, as last drawn, was entitled to 1000l. No. 33,901, was drawn a prize of tool. No. 3,902, 35,132, prizes of 501.

They write from Warfaw, of the 4th of Dec. that the Emperor has wrote a letter with his own hand, to the King of Poland in which his Imperial Majefty makes him an offer, not only of his friendship, but also of his affistance, in cafe of need; adding, that he should be glad to fee a Polish minifter at his Court.

The Court of Vienna has published an ordinance in all the hereditary countries, enjoining all the Confederates that are there, to depart within the space of one month, and previously to difcharge whatever debts they may have contracted.

Wednesday fenninght, the Charles and Jane Nixon, and the Jenny, Heath, both of Newcastle, were, in a hard gale of wind, drove on the Salt Scars, near the Tees, and loft; the crews faved.

Letters from France say, that a ship lately arrived at Rochford, from the Canary Islands, brought home a fea rofe-tree, which had been fished up above a year. It is as hard as any coral, hath leaves, &c. of the colour of a rofe-tree, and its feent is very agreeable.

A finall piece of ground in Piccadilly, bought fome years ago, when a field, for 301. by a brewer, as a waste place, to put his butts in, was lately fold for 25001.

Early this morning, a coal-barge going through London-bridge, truck against one of the sterlings, and was funk, by which accident a inan and a boy were drowned.

Last night fome villains broke into the shop of Mr. Sowerby, pawn-broker, in Sparruck-row Southwark, and stols from thence plate, wearing apparel, &c. to the amount of 704.

On Tuesday latt Mr. Reynolds, an eminent furgeon of Chiffelhurtt, in Kent, was thrown from his horse a few miles from that place, and killed on the Apot.

There is now living in Pepper-ftreet, Southwark, one John Piney, who for many years has been employed as a carman: He is above 100 years old, has been married to eight wives, who bore him thirty-feven fons, and nine daugh ters, the youngest of whom is now about twesty years old.

SUPPLE

ΜΕΝ Τ

TO THE SEVENTH

The Oxford

VOLUME OF

Magazine;

For the OXFORD MAGAZINE.

Quid avarus?

Stultus & infanus.

HOR.

UEVEDO calls a covetous rich man, one who knows where a trenfure is hid. A fentiment, which, I think, fets this perfon in a most just and ridiculous light. If there be any vice, which carries with it a more cfpecial mark of madness than all the reft, it is this. The devil may be faid to deal with the covetous man, as Dr. South tells us, he does with the fwearer, to cheat him of his foul without giving him any thing for it.

A friend of ours having communicated to us the following dream or vifion, we hall give it the public without any farther preface.

The PALACE of WEALTH.

A VISION.

METHOUGHT I was conveyed into
a large plain, at the upper end of
which stood a huge old fabric of the
Gothic kind: Its outside feemed all of
pure gold, and by the reflection of the
fun beams made the most charming ap-
pearance I ever beheld. As I stood
fome time ftili, admiring this stupen-
dous structure, which feemed capable
of receiving an infinite number of in-
habitants, I obferved feveral paffengers
país by me in all manner of vehicles,
and fome on foot, who all made di-
rectly to it. Most of the foot-paffen
VOL. VII.

gers were heavy laden, and fome were
Icarce able to ftand under their bur-
then. They feemed alfo to fhew great
apprehenfion of one another, fcarce
two being in company together, and
often looking round them with great
My curiofity encreafing
caution, left any one approached too
near them.
to know whither all thofe perfons conid
be going, I took an opportunity of
joining one, whofe countenance ap-
peared lefs forbidding than the reit,
and afked him the name of the place,
which he and fo many others were ap-
proaching. Infead of returning me a
direct antwer, he replied with a pitecus
tone, "Ah! Sir, I am afraid I never
not the
fhall get thither: I am
man the world akes me for. Betore
the South-Sea, indeed, I had fome
hopes, but that gave me fuch a pull-
back, that I am afraid I never fhali r-
cover it. I have been travelling night
and day ever fince, and yet am not fo
far as I was before that curt year."
As I faw he was mending his pace,
and defired to leave me, I turned
about from him, and found myfeif
overtaken by a grave old gentleman,
whofe journey was confiderably re-
tarded by a well-dreffed yourg fellow
of about five and twenty, this latter
was continually pulling him by the
fleeve, and defiring him to stop, for
that he had gone far enrugh of all
"That he should be undone,
confcience: To which the other an-
fwered,
he could not fupport him; that if it

Hh

had

242

Wealth.-A Vifion.

The Palace of had not been for lugging him along, he fhould have been at the palace long fince; that he had fometimes dragged him further back in a day, than he had been able to recover in a month.". I had just time to recollect the faces of both, and knew them to be a very rich citizen and his fon-when I beheld a jolly plain-dreffed man with a pack on his fhoulders, which almoft bent him to the ground. He was followed by a very comely perfonage in embroidery, who bowed to him every three fteps, and begged that he might eafe him of that burthen, which he promised to deliver to him again at the palace gate : This, however, the other refused; and I heard him fay, "My lord, this burthen is not fo heavy as you imagine, nor is it my own, wherefore I can by no means truft it from my thoulders, to which it is indeed fo faft fowed that it will be difficult to feparate them." This couple had no fooner paft me, than there came up a coach and pair, in which was a tall thin man of a very meagre afpect, who feemed in great hafte, and was continually calling to his coachman to drive a pair of fkeleton horses as fast as he could. He had fcarce reached me, when he was overtaken by a very beautiful young lady on horfeback, who stopped his coach, and taiked to him fome time. I was near enough to hear feveral amorous expreffions, and a frequent repetition of the words fettlement and honourable defign. At laff, the young lady alighted from her horfe, and got into the coach, which was immediately ordered to turn about, and I cbferved drove back with much greater precipitancy than it had advanced, fo that it was foon out of my fight. I now refolved to lofe no more time, but to halten to the palace: In my way thither I overtook feveral, and was overtaken by others; I could hear, as I paffed, frequent mutterings of the words poverty, undone; nor mult I omit feveral melancholy objects which appeared on the road, fuch as racks and gibbets, on which were beltowed the bodies of feveral malefactors. I faw too feveral, who by over-travelling, without allowing themselves time fufficiently to efresh themfelves, fainted on the jour

taken up by others. Some of whom carried them on towards the palace, ney, whose burthens were immediately and others hurried them back again it was common enough to fee an elderly perfon followed by half a dozen over the plain. For which purposes, people, who all waited to take up the burthen, when he who carried it funk under it; and fometimes I observed it belonged; which contefts were rarely decided, till the whole was torn to them quarrelling and difputing to whom pieces. Thefe pieces were usually gathered up by two grave men in black gowns, with green bags in their hands, who drove each of them a very large fragments. Thefe gentlemen would cart, into which they loaded all the often wrangle very feverely on those occations, and difpute into whofe cart the faid fragments fhould be put; but I obferved them always very good overheard an agreement between them friends at the end of the conteft, and Amongst the multitude of my fellowto make an equal divifion of the booty. filed, and whispered to every one he travellers, I took particular notice of pafied by; upon which I faw feveral a very complaifant perfon, who bowed, perfons take from their own burthens, and heap on him, till he became as heavy loaden as any on the road, empty. I was furprized to hear him though at first his fack appeared quite tell a very ugly fellow juft before me, figure he had ever feen, and that he "That he knew a young lady who was enamourwas the moft agreeable ed with his perfon to the last degree." Upon his paffing by me without taking ticularly civil to every one elfe: I was any notice, though he had been para little piqued, till I confidered it the only perfon there without a pack might poffibly happen from my being eyes from this object, when I beheld a at my back. I had fcarce taken my man in a full-bottomed wig, who travelled with great speed, and overthrew feveral of whom were unable to rife great numbers of people as he paffed, again: I was curious to enquire who this perfon was; and was informed that he was a phyfician in great

vogue.

A.

The Palace of Wealth.---A Vifion.

As I now approached very near to the palace, I obferved the crowd to thicken on me, which I at first wondered at, but foon perceived it was occafioned by a great number of perfons who were denied entrance at the palace gates; where I was informed no one could be admitted till his burthen became of fuch a particular weight. It is impoffible to defcribe the dejection which appeared in the faces of thofe who were repelled; fome few of these I obferved to turn back again, others to go off a little to a road which they told me led to the cattle of content: But the far greatest part immediately applied themselves to filling up their bags by all manner of means till they became weight.

Upon my arrival at the gates of the palace, which I was now told was the palace of wealth, I was asked by the porter, in a hoarse voice, what was the name of him who had the impudence to attempt entring there, without a packet on his fhoulders; to which I had no fooner answered, but the doors were thrown wide open.

At my firft entrance into this vaft palace, which was fo beautiful and refplendent without, I found myself in a very large hall, whofe walls were all over adorned with the richest ornaments in fculpture, paintings, precious ftones, gold and filver; in thort, every thing noble, rich, and magnificent; at the upper end of which fat, on a throne infinitely more glorious than thofe of the richest monarchs of the eaft, a very beautiful young lady, whofe perfon was fet off with all the nicety of art, and a vaft profufion of fhining ornaments. As I attempted to approach the throne, I was interrupted by one of her guards, who told me, that none was ever fuffered to come beyond those fteps, to which I was then advanced, that the beautiful perfon whom I beheld, was the goddefs of wealth; that I might feaft my eyes as long as I pleafed at that distance; but that the goddess, who was a pure virgin, and had never been enjoyed by any, never admitted the greatest of her votaries to approach nearer. As I was admiring the profound folemnity of the place, and the great distance at

243

which the deity kept all her attendants, I obferved feveral of thofe, whom I had before feen without the palace, to enter the hall, and having paid their refpects to the goddefs, to pass on to other apartments. My curiosity soon perfuaded me to follow them, and they led me into a vaft gallery, which furrounded a huge pit, fo very deep, that it almost made me giddy to look to the bottom: This, as I afterwards found, was the cave of poverty. There were very high and trong rails, which prevented any poffibility of the spectators falling from the gallery to the bottom of the cave, and yet I obferved a great tremor and palenefs to feize every one who durft venture to caft their eyes downwards; notwithstanding which, it was very remarkable, that not one of the company could prevail on himself to abftain from furveying the abyss. I had not been here long, when I perceived an old gentleman, whofe face I thought I had fomewhere feen before, to raise himself with great agility to the top of the rail, whence endeavouring to lay hold on fomething a little out of his reach, it gave way, and he tumbled down backwards into the cave. Not long after, I faw a very grave man, ftanding on the top of the rail, attempting to lift others up, whofe packs he had before received, tumbling down into the cave, and pulling all thofe whom he had laid his hands on down with him: Upon this I heard feveral mutter to themselves, "Ay, ay, I warrant he will not hurt himself, we fhall fee him foon again;" and indeed I foon perceived they were in the right, for I fhortly after found him in the gallery looking much fresher and plumper than before; though the fame did not, as I faw, happen to any of thofe whom he pulled down with him. This made me inftantly conceive, that there was fome very eafy way of alcent from the bottom of this deep cave, to the gallery whereon I ftood. But I was foon delivered from this error, and informed, that from the bottom of the cave it was almoft impoffible for any one to afcend again, but that there was a refting place in the defcent, from whence iffued a pair of private stairs up to the gallery; that the gentleman

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