directed thee to the attorney-general, for he knows it is not in my power to grant thee a Noli profequi. And so wrote his Mittimus to keep his bre thren company.

FATAL TEXT.

The lord-lieutenant of Ireland having prefented Dr. Sheridan, who was a keen sportsman, and loved fhooting better than praying, to a living in the country; the first Sunday he preached to his new parishioners happened to be the anniversary of the king's acceffion to the throne, and he undefignedly took these words for his text; Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Though the fermon itfelf had nothing of politics in it, yet fome people took occafion to represent him to his excellency as a disaffected perfon, and indeed his excellency was fo much offended at the impropriety of the choice he had made of a subject, that he gave him to understand, he had nothing farther to expect. This was foon whispered about, and when it was told to Dr. Swift, who indeed loved him, but could not spare his jeft; Poor Sheridan, faid he, is so true a markfman, that he has hot his preferment dead with a fingle text.

BISHOP BULL.

Upon the restoration of King Charles II. the Rev. Mr. Bull, (afterwards Bifhop) who had loyally and learnedly maintained his Majefty's caufe, while in exile, and had fuffered for it, was presented by the king with a grant of his former living, which the lord-chancellor Hyde made fome difficulty to confirm, as the then incumbent had no complaint preferred against him, either in point of loyalty or religion. Mr. Bull finding his pocket exhausted by this delay, but being a man of wit, and knowing his Majefty's humour, took occafion to whisper him one day as he was in company, that he had just had his pocket picked of all his money, and had not a fhilling left.-Well, faid the king, and can't you tell the thief?— Why, replied Bull, if I may speak the truth, I have caught your Majesty's hand in it; and out he pulls the grant. What! faid his Majefty, are you not yet prefented to your living-No, replied Bull, nor ever fhall, either with the chancellor's confent or mine; for neither of us would willingly difplace your Majefty's friend. The king then gave him a recommendation to the chancellor for the next vacancy that happen'd worth his acceptance; which he immediately went and deliver'd, because, faid he, delays are dangerous. The chancellor, in order to make a memorandum of it, afk'd his name. My name is Bull, anfwered he. Bull! faid the chancellor, Where are your horns? Please your honour, replied Bull, the Horns al ways go along with the Hyde.

MILITARY STRATAGEM.

A regiment of horse in K. William's time being quartered at Canterbury, and Archbishop Tillotfon being then at his palace in that city, invited all the officers of the regiment to dinner, giving them a day's notice beforehand. One of the cornets, an unlucky youth, whofe turn it was to be upon duty, and who for that reafon could not have the honour to attend the Archbishop, thought of a stratagem to get himself off. A brother officer, when the invitation came, happened to be on a party of pleasure, and heard nothing of it; and therefore he took care to be the first to inform him; adding, that all were to be catechised that went, and those that were perfect were to dine with the bishop; but if any were not, the punishment

punishment was, to dine with the fervants. Then, by G-d, faid the captain, I'll march out of town directly.-No, replied the other, if you'll mount guard for me, I'll go in your room, for I am perfect enough. That he would do, he fwore; accordingly the youth went to dinner along with his brethren. His Grace, who was one of the politeft churchmen of his time, and knowing very well the cuftom of the army, enquired of the, colonel, who the gentlemen were that were upon duty, intending to fend them a feparate invitation the next day. The Colonel faid, that Captain Forbes, a Scots gentleman, was the only abfent officer, who that day mounted guard by his own choice; and then took occafion to relate the ftory; with which the Archbishop was highly diverted. His grace made no use of the hint, however, but fent, as he had defign'd, a fervant to the abfent gentleman, defiring his company by himself. The captain hurried to his friend, to know how he came off, and whether he had best to go or not; telling him that now the Archbishop had sent a particular meffage to him, and he could not with good manners excufe himself. The cornet, by all means, advised him to go, For, faid he, we were only asked a question or two, and all was over. The Captain, thus confirmed in his refolution, went accordingly; and being introduced to his Grace, paid his civilities with fome confufion, expecting every moment to be examined, and longing to have his talk over. Sir, faid the Archbishop, I am forry I could not have the pleasure of your company yesterday. The Captain excused himself very politely, by reprefenting the neceffity of difcharging the duties of his poft. May I crave your name, faid his Grace. Thomas, replied the Captain, in a cold sweat. What countryman? faid his Grace. My god-fathers and god-mothers, anfwer'd Forbes. I do not mean to catechife you, faid the Archbishop, with a fimile; gentlemen of the army are apt to be witty with each other, but churchmen must not indulge it. The Captain was glad to find it a jeft, and fat down with his Grace, and laugh'd heartily.

NEWTONIAN PHILOSOPHY.

Sir Ifaac began his philofophical ftudies upon the Cartefian principles, which then were almoft univerfally adopted; but a thought ftarting into his mind to try whether the fame power did not keep the moon in her orbit, notwithstanding her projectile velocity, which he knew always tended to go along a ftrait line, the tangent of that orbit, which makes ftones and all heavy bodies with us fall downward, and which we call Gravity; taking this poftulatum, which had been thought of before, that Juch power might decreafe in a duplicate proportion of the distances from the earth's center. Upon Sir Ifaac Newton's first trial, when he took a degree of a great circle on the earth's furface, whence a degree at the diftance of the moon was to be determined also, to be 60 measured miles only, according to the grofs measures then in ufe; he was in fome degree difappointed, and the power that reftrain'd the moon in her orbit, measured by the verfed figns of that orbit, appeared not to be quite the fame that was to be expected, had it been the power of gravity alone, by which the moon was there influenced. Upon this difappointment, which made Sir Ifaac fufpect that this power was partly that of gravity, and partly that of the Cartefian vortices, he threw afide the paper of his calculation, and went to other studies. However, fome time aftewards, when Monf. Picart had much more exactly measured the earth, and found that a degree of a great circle was 69 fuch miles, Sir Ifaac, in turning over

fome

fome of his former papers, ftumbled upon this old imperfect calculation; and correcting his former error, discovered that this power, at the true correct distance of the moon from the earth, not only tended to the earth's center, as did the common power of gravity with us, but was exactly of the right quantity; and that if a ftone was carried up to the moon, or to 60 femidiameters of the earth, and let fall downwards by its gravity, and the moon's own menftrual motion was stopt, and she was let fall by that power which before retained her in her orbit, they would exactly fall towards the fame point, and with the fame velocity, which was therefore no other power than gravity. And fince that power appeared to extend as far as the moon, at the diftance of 240,000 miles, it was but natural, or rather neceffary, to fuppofe it might reach twice, thrice, four times, &c. the fame diftance, with the fame diminution, according to the fquares of fuch diftances perpetually. Which noble difcovery proved the happy occafion of the invention of the wonderful Newtonian Philofophy.

PRESBYTERIAN HYPOCRISY.

After fentence of death had been pronounced against King Charles I. endeavours were still used by his friends to fave his life; and among the reft, Col. John Cromwell, a near relation of Oliver's, was employ'd for that purpose. It was well known that Oliver would put no faith in the king, because he had once before deceived him; and therefore the colonel was dispatched to Holland with certain papers to be ratified by the statesgeneral. The colonel fucceeded in his commiffion, and foon returned with credential letters from the States of Holland, whereto was added a blank, with the king's fignet, and another with the prince's, both confirmed by the States, and directed to Cromwell, for him to fet down his own conditions, if he would now fave his Majefty's life; for the due per formance of which conditions, the States held their faith engaged. With these dispatches the colonel waited upon Oliver, and with difficulty ob tained an audience. After the first ceremonies had paft, the colonel defired to speak a few words with him in private, and began with much freedom to fet before him the heinousness of the fact then about to be committed, and to tell him with what deteftation it was looked upon abroad; adding, That of all men living, he never could have imagined, he would have had any hand in fuch an act, who, in his hearing, had protested fo much for the king. To this Cromwell anfwered, It was not his doings, but the army's; but fuppofing it was, faid he, and that I had once thought favourably of the king, yet times are alter'd now, and Providence feems to order things otherwife. He added, That he had pray'd and fafted for the king, but no return that way was yet made to him. Upon this, the colonel ftept a little back, and fuddenly fhut the door, which made Cromwell apprehend he was going to be affaffinated; but the other pulling out his papers, faid to him, Coufin, this is no time to trifle with words; jee, here it is in your own power not only to make yourself, but your family, relations, and pofterity, happy and honourable for ever; otherwife, as they have changed their name before from Williams to Cromwell, fo now they must be forced to change it again; for this fact will bring fuch an ignominy upon the whole generation of them, that no time will be able to deface. At this Cromwell paus'd a little, and then faid, Coufin, I defire you will give me till night to confider of it; and do you go to your lodging, but not to bed, till you hear from me. The colonel did accordingly, and about one in the morning, a meffenger was fent to tell him, he might go to reft, and expect

no

no other anfwer to carry to the king; for the council of officers had been feeking God, as he alfo had done himself, and it was refolved by them ail that the king muft die.

The following apologue is to be found in the 3d vol. of Herder's Works, among his Scattered Leaves. It is not intended to make any obfervations upon it, (though it appears to merit pretty ftrong cenfures, as favouring in no flight degree of German heterodoxy) further than to remark, that he feems to have been indebted for the main idea, upon which, however, he has certainly improved, to the Jewith fable here fubjoined to it.

THE OFFSPRING OF MERCY.

When the Almighty was about to create man, he fummoned before him the angels of his attributes, the watchers of his dominions. They ftood in council around his hidden throne.

'Create him not,' faid the Angel of Juftice, he will not be equitable to his brethren, he will opprefs the weaker.'

'Create him not,' faid the Angel of Peace, with human blood: the firft-born of his race brother.'

he will manure the earth will be the flayer of his

'Create him not,' faid the Angel of Truth, he will defile thy fanctuary with falfehood, although thou fhouldft ftamp on his countenance thine image, the feal of confidence.'

So fpake the angels of the attributes of Jehovah; when Mercy, the youngest and dearest child of the Eternal, arofe, and clafping his knees, Create him, Father,' faid fhe, in thy likeness, the darling of thy loving-kindness. When all thy meffengers forfake him, I will feek and fupport him, and turn his faults to good. Because he is weak, I will incline his bowels to compaffion, and his foul to atonement. When he departs from Peace, from Truth, from Juftice, the confequences of his wanderings fhall deter him from repeating them, and fhall gently lead him to amendment.'

The Father of all gave ear, and created man, a weak faultering being, but in his faults the pupil of Mercy, the care of ever active and ameliorating Love.

Remember thine origin, O man, when thou art hard and unkind towards thy brother. Mercy alone willed thee to be. Love and Pity fuckled thee at their bofoms.

A JEWISH FABLE, taken from Berefchith Rabba. Sect. 8. When the Holy and Bleffed God was about to create the firft man, the miniftering angels divided themselves into parties and fects. Some of them faid, "Let him not be created." Other fome faid, "Let him be created." This it is which is written (Pf. 85. 11.) Mercy and Truth are met together, Righteousness and Peace have kiffed each other." Mercy faid, "Let him be created, because he will be merciful." Truth said, "Let him not be created, for he will be fond of lies." Juftice faid, "Let him be created, for he will practise equity." Peace faid, "Let him not be created, for he will be a fower of contention." What did the Holy One? He took Truth and caft it upon the ground; according to that which is written (Dan. 8. 12.) "And he caft down the truth to the ground." The angels miniftering before God faid, "Lord of the worlds! why despisest thou thus the ornament of thy feal." Let truth afcend from the

earth;

earth; for fhe it is of whom it is written (Pf. 85. 12.) Truth fhall flourish out of the earth."

ON THE DUEL BETWEEN MR. TIERNEY AND MR. PITT.

When the duel between Mr. Tierney and Mr. Pitt, was the general topic of converfation, a nobleman of diftinguished literary attainments, at present in an high office, applied the following quotation from Cicero's Oratio pro Milone.

"Ei viro autem mors parabatur cujus in vita nitebatur falus civitatis; eo porro reipublicæ tempore, quo, fi unus ille occidiffet, non hæc folum civitas fed gentes omnes concidiffent,"

His lordship ended here, but there are many who would not have objected to the addition of the fentence immediately following.

66

Nifi forte, quia perfecta res nom est, non fuit punienda: perinde quafi exitus rerum, non hominum confilia, legibus vindicentur. Minus dolendum fuit re non perfecta; fed puniendum certe nihilo minus.”

POWER OF ENTHUSIASTIC ELOQUENCE.

A remarkable inftance of the perfuafive power of enthufiaftic eloquence occurs in the life of a Capuchin friar, one Jerom de Matini, of Narni, a popular preacher at Rome, near the middle of the feventeenth century : from whofe fermons the people never departed without tears, many of them crying out for mercy in the streets. And what is more extraordinary, we are told, that preaching before Pope Gregory XV. upon the fubject of nonrefidence, he ftruck fuch a terror into his audience, by the vehemence of his oratory, that no lefs than thirty bifhops fet out poft for their diocefes, the very next day. We are told also that the good man was fo far disgusted with obferving the great numbers who came to hear him, out of mere curiofity, without reforming their lives, that he retired to his cell, and spent the reft of his days in writing the history of his order.

BENNET LANGTON, ESQUIRE

Was of an ancient and honourable family in Lincolnshire. Mr. L. hap pily blended together great fuavity of manners with dignity of character. He was a very able Greek fcholar, a firm friend to the Church of England, and conftant in his attendance on her fervices. Of this gentleman it is no mean praise to relate, that he was the particular friend of Dr. Johnson, and one who was able to relish and improve from the conversation of the great English moralist.

Mr. L. was peculiarly correct in his morals, and elegant in his manners: he was deeply learned, without pedantry; and fincerely pious, without bigotry. Few men ever paffed their life with more respect, and more juftly beloved, than did Mr. Bennet Langton.

CAPTAIN HOWELL DAVIES.

Some years ago there was a ftrange out-of-the-way gentleman in Glamorganfhire, of the name of Howell Davies, who was a captain in the militia, and a methodistical preacher. Some notice of him will be found in Whit field's and Wefley's journals, but with thofe famous works we are not acquainted. Let this, however, país; the curious reader will, we are certain find the name of the Reverend Captain Howell Davies, in one or other of those journals; and we have, moreover, feen his picture, finely engraven in mezzotinto. He was a very great orator; and of his talents in the way of preaching, we fhall give the following fpecimen. Holding forth one evening in Lady Huntingdon's chapel at Bath, in the

true