a perplexed and intricate, to a more fimple and intelligible fyftem. To trace this alteration through every branch of the bufinefs, to mark all its effects, that it does not in anywife disturb the pay of the army, perplex the accounts, or throw difficulties or delay in the paffing them; to point out the fteps by which it ought gradually and methodically to be introduced, is a work of long ferious attention and accurate examination; but the ap. pearance this plan carries with it of being practicable, and the advantage it holds out to the public, in an office, that certainly ftands in need of fome reform, afford us fufficient reafon for fubmitting the confideration of it to the wildom of the legislature. Guy Carleton, (L. S.) Office of Accounts, Surrey-ftreet, 10th August 1781. his majefty's fubjects in the island of Newfoundland, to bread, flour, Indian corn, and live stock, to be imported in none but British-built hips, actually belonging to British fubjects, and navigated according to law, clearing out from ports of his majesty's European dominions, and furnished with a licence according to the form thereunto annexed. An act for augmenting and af certaining the income of the rectors of the parish church and parochial chapel of Liverpool. An act to explain and amend certain provifions of an act made in the 24th year of the reign of his prefent majefty, refpecting the better regulation and management of the affairs of the Eaft India Company.. An act for obviating all doubts which have arifen, or might arife, with refpect to the exclusive power of the Court of Directors of the Eaft India Company to nominate. and appoint the governor general and council of the prefidency of fort William in Bengal. An act for vefting certain fums in commiffioners at the end of every quarter of a year, to be by them applied to the reduction of the national debt. An act for regulating the time of the imprisonment of debtors imprifoned by process from courts initituted for the recovery of small debts; for abolishing the claim of fees of gaolers and others, in cafes of fuc imprifonment; and for afcertaining the qualification of the commit fioners. An act for the further relief of debtors, with refpect to the imprifonment of their perfons; and to oblige debtors who fhall continue in execution in prifon beyond a certain time, and for fums not exceed 7 ing what are mentioned in the act, to make discovery of, and deliver upon oath, their estates for their creditors benefit. An act for augmenting and fixing the falaries of the lords of feffion, lords commiffioners of jufticiary, and barons of exchequer, in that part of Great Britain called Scotland. An act for the further regulation of the trial of perfons accused of certain offences committed in the Eaft Indies; for the repealing fo much of an act made in the 24th year of the reign of his prefent majefty, intituled, "An act for the better regulation and management of the affairs of the Eaft India Company, and of the British poffeffions in India, and eftablishing a court of judicature for the more speedy and effectual trial of perfons accused of offences committed in the East Indies ;" and for the more eafy proof, in certain cafes, of deeds and writings executed in Great Britain or India. An act for appointing commiffioners further to enquire into the fees, gratuities, perquifites, and emoluments, which are or have been lately received in the feveral public offices therein mentioned, to examine into any abufes which may exist in the fame, and to report fuch obfervations as fhall occur to them for the better conducting and managing the business transacted in the faid offices. An act for appointing and enabling commiffioners further to examine, take, and state, the public accounts of the kingdom. An act for appointing commiffioners further to enquire into the loffes and fervices of all fuch perfons who have fuffered in their rights, properties, and poffeffions, during the late unhappy diffenfions in America, in confequence of their loyalty to his majesty, and attachment to the British government. An act for appointing commiffioners to enquire into the loffes of all fuch perfons who have suffered in their properties in confequence of the ceffion of the province of Eaft Florida to the king of Spain. An act to empower the Archbifhop of Canterbury, or the Archbifhop of York, for the time being, to confecrate to the office of bishop perfons being fubjects or citizens of countries out of his majesty's dominions. An act for appointing commiffioners to enquire into the ftate and condition of the woods, forests, and land revenues, belonging to the crown, and to fell or alienate feefarm and other unimproveable rents. An act for incorporating certain perfons therein named, by the name and ftyle of "The British Society for extending of the fisheries, and improving the fea coafts of this Kingdom ;" and to enable them, when incorporated, to fubscribe a joint ftock, and therewith to purchase lands, and build thereon free towns, villages, and fifhing stations, in the highlands and islands in that part of Great Britain called Scotland, and for other purposes, CHARACTERS. CHARACTER S. IT is ufual, I know not why, when a character is given, to begin with a description of the perfon; that which contained the foul of Mr. Johnfon deferves to be particularly defcribed. His ftature was remarkably high, and his limbs exceedingly large: his ftrength was more than common I believe, and his activity had been greater I have heard than fuch a form gave one reafon to expect his features were ftrongly marked, and his countenance particularly rugged; though the original complexion had certainly been fair, a circumftance fomewhat unufual: his fight was near, and otherwife imperfect; yet his eyes, though of a light grey colour, were fo wild, fo piercing, and at times fo fierce, that fear was I believe the firft emotion in the hearts of all his beholders. His mind was fo comprehenfive, that no language but that he ufed could have expreffed its contents; and fo ponderous was his language, that fentiments lefs lofty and lefs folid than his were, would have been encumbered, not adorned by it. Mr. Johnson was not intentionally however a pompous converfer; and though he was accufed of ufing big words as they are called, it was only when little ones would not expreis his meaning as clearly, or when per haps the elevation of the thought would have been difgraced by a drefs lefs fuperb. He used to fay," that the fize of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth;" and his own was never contemptible. He would laugh at a ftroke of genuine humour, or fudden fally of odd abfurdity, as heartily and freely as I ever yet faw any man, and though the jeft was often fuch as few felt befides himself, yet his laugh was irresistible, and was obferved immediately to produce that of the company, not merely from the notion that it was proper to laugh when he did, but purely out of want of power to forbear it. He was no enemy to fplendour of apparel or pomp of equipage Life (he would fay) is barren enough surely with all her trappings; let us therefore be cautious how we ftrip her." In matters of ftill higher moment he once obferved, when speaking on the fubject of fudden innovation, He who plants a foreft may doubtlefs cut down a hedge; yet I could wifh methinks that even he would wait till he fees his young plants grow." With regard to common occurrences, Mr. Johnfon had, when I first knew him, looked on the ftillfhifting fcenes of life till he was weary; for as a mind flow in its own nature, or unenlivened by information, will contentedly read in the fame book for twenty times per *In our preceding volume there is a character of Dr. Johnfon, by Mr. Bofwell. The characters of eminent men become the more interefting, from being delineated by fuch different perfons as had the best opportunities of knowing them. VOL. XXVIII. B haps, |