1796.] Provincial Occurrences.-Ireland. Ireland-The Pigeon-house, at the entrance of Dublin harbour, was ftruck with lightning, on the night of January the 20th, and completely demolithed. Lately, in Dublin, John Frayne, a bankrupt, under the ftatute for not making full difclosure of his effects, and fecreting part of the fame, to the value of 1061. 118. 9d. with an intent to defraud his creditors, was found guilty, and received fentence of death. The iron-works, near Carrick-onShannon, in the variety and excellence of the articles manufactured, bid fair to rival the celebrated establishment at Carron, Scotland, or any other in the foundry line, within the British dominions. The Royal Irish Academy have offered 50l. fterling to the writer of the beft effay on the following fubject: "To what manufactures are the national interefts of Ireland beft fuited, and what are the best modes of improving fuch manufactures?" Alfo a gold medal to the writer of the beft effay on "The variations of English Profe Compofition, from the Revolution to the prefent time:" and another gold medal for the beft effay on "The authenticity and value of Irish manufcript hiftories, of ages prior to that of Henry II." A fleet of men of war and tranfports, failed from the Cove of Cork on the 9th inft. They amounted to ninety fail,. and were deftined for the West Indies. -The fame malignant fortune which fo long hovered round, and at length defeated the expedition under admiral Chriftian, purfued and overtook this feet alfo. It had fcarcely been at fea, when a violent gale arofe, difperfed the veffels, and, after a ftruggle of three days, compelled them to return for fhelter, to whatever harbours they were feverally enabled to reach. In the Irish Houfe of Commons, on Thursday the 28th ult. Mr. Curran, after a fhort introduction, moved, that a committee be appointed to enquire into the State of the poor, and the price of labour in that kingdom. The Chancellor of the Exchequer oppofed the motion, as tending to encourage the fyftem of anarchy fo generally prevalent, and therefore moved the question of adjournment, which, after a debate of fome length, was, carried 127 to 16. A general affociation is forming, as well of Catholics as Proteftants, with a view to put a stop at once to the growing fpirit of infurrection and depredation. 87 DUBLIN, Feb. 13. Thursday night a horrid murder was committed at Luttrelftown; two brothers of the name of M'Cormick, who were bound to give evidence against a principal defender, had been lodged by lord Carhampton in a mill-houfe, at the corner of his lordfhip's domain, in order to prevent them from being feduced from giving their teftimony. At the hour of midnight, twenty men, armed and habited in brown clothes, proceeded to the room in which these unfortunate brothers lay, the youngest of whom (a lad about fourteen years old) they fhot through the heart, and the elder through different parts of his body. The unhappy victims died be fore morning. The privy-council of Ireland have offered rewards of 200l. and 100l. for the difcovery of the murderers of Patrick and John Cormick at Luttrelftown, and of James Hyland and his wife at Killeale. Married.]-At Waterford, the Rev. Mr. Wallis, to Mifs Moore, daughter of Mr. Al derman Moore. Mifs Beresford, daughter to the Archbishop of Lately, at Dublin, T. B. D. Sewell, Esq. to Tuam. G. Beamish, Eq. of Lake Mount, to Mifs Evanfon. Evans, of Dublin. At Kilkenny, the Hon. Robert Fitzmaurice Deane, eldeft fon of Lord Muskerry. 12. At Dublin, in an advanced age, Charles Coote, D. D. Dean of Kilfenold, and chanter of Chrift-church, Dublin; eminently distinguished in early life, for tafte, acumen, and claffical learning; and beloved and revered in riper years for the exercife of generofity, hofpitality, and every focial virtue. He was an ardent lover of his country, having, in a fingle inftance, furnished a loan of £.10,000 (to Mr. Bradshaw) in order to introduce the cotton manufactory into the Queen's County, where he himself refided. He alfo lent out large fums, to the towns of Mountrath and Maryborough, free of intereft, for the benefit of poor tradefmen. publick and private charities were numerous fine, the death of this really worthy man, has been, a gentle wafting to immortal life." His AGRICUL In [This Article will be regularly made up from an actual Correfpondence eftablished in about twenty Diftricts, throughout Great-Britain. The Failure of fome of our Correfpondents this Month has, however, prevented our perfecting this Plan, agreeably to our first Intention. In future Numbers, we truft we shall be enabled to do Juftice to fo important a Subject.] THE reports this month from the feveral districts, contain the agree. able information, that far more wheat has been fown this year than ufual, and that the farmers are already bufily engaged in fowing their fpring corn. This circumftance, by the confumption of feed, cannot but tend for the prefent to occafion a trifling advance of grain in general, though it must tend eventually to a reduction. No opinion of the next year's crop can as yet be formed from its prefent full and promifing appearance, as, from the uncommon mildnefs of the feafon, and the late general rains, the crops of wheat promife equally well in good and bad foils, and whether properly or improperly cultivated. In confequence of the late mild weather, the land is now in excellent order for breaking up the wheat ftubble, and receiving the crops of barley and oats. In the western districts, this will commence in about a fortnight. Graffes, and every kind of herbage, are in the moft luxuriant and forward ftate. In the grazing counties, there is a profufion of turnip tops, and other 'winter greens: this cannot fail in a fhort time to bring down the price of mutton confiderably, as the grafs mutton will fpeedily overtake the turnip fupply at Smithfield market. The late dry weather has been favourable to the improvement of fheep; in the month of January, the continuance of rainy and stormy weather was injurious, and occafioned them to look thin, efpecially on the fea coaft. Milch cows and fat cattle were never fo fcarce and dear, in the memory of experienced graziers, as at prefent; and they are likely to remain fo for fome time. The price of ftores will of courfe be on the advance. Ufeful horfes, on account of the continued demand for the army, are every where rifing in price. Although keep of all forts is fo high, yet ftore pigs were never known to fetch better prices. The market for the laft month has been very heavy for hops; bags have been from 50 to 96s, and pockets have fold from 70s. to 5 guineas the cwt. Cheefe ftill keeps up an extravagant price; it fetches in the fouthern counties, from 49 to 53s. for prime dairies. Wheat has experienced a fingular fluctuation during the laft month, as may be obferved in the following statement of average market prices in fix counties, in correfponding weeks of January and February. Feb. 95 Feb. 89 it Lincoln Jan. 97. Wilts 93. Feb. 106 Jan. 97. Feb. 96 Jan. 88. Feb. 106 Mark-lane Jan. 96. Feb. 103 In Mark-lane, Leicester, and Durham, appears to have rifen confiderably; whereas in the markets of Lincoln, been a moderate reduction. Northampton, and Wiltshire, there has Perhaps this variation in the ebb and flow, goes a refolutions of the Gloucefter bakers, "that good way to prove the justice of the late the advance of price is in great part occafioned by fpeculation." The importation has lately been very confiderable, efpecially in the port of Liverpool; but, in a time of general war, little permanent effect can be looked for from foreign fupplies. TO THE PUBLIC. The Conductors of the MONTHLY MAGAZINE, having proceeded thus far in the Plan and Execution of their Work, fubmit themselves and their Undertaking, with the utmost deference, to the candid Difcernment of a liberal and enlightened Public. They are fully aware of the Magnitude of the Attempt they are engaged in; confcious that, on their fpirited Exertions, and on thofe of their Correfpondents, in future, must depend the ultimate Etablishment of a Work, adequate to the Expectations, the Tafte, and Penetration of the Age. Some Parts of their Plan being entirely Original, muft, of course, be proportionately liable to Errors and Anomalies. Such may, poffibly, have crept into fome of the preceding Pages, for these they do not judge themselves to be refponfible, from any deficiency of Atten tion or Sedulity; but are obliged to plead as their Excufe, the extenfive and complicated Nature of the Objects treated of. To their CORRESPONDENTS they feel that they have many Thanks to tender; the Work itfelf obviously evinces the Value of the Obligations conferred. They have alfo, at the same Time, to apologize for the Omiffion of feveral much-efteemed Favours, which are poftponed unavoidably for Want of Room. It is earnestly requested, that Communications may be tranfmitted as early in the enfuing Month as possible To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, THE able letter inferted in your First Number, concerning the population of Great Britain, may, I prefume, be confidered as a fair invitation to the difcuffion of that important fubject, which, certainly, ought to be fully and freely inveftigated, however mortifying the refult may prove to a lover of his country. But I am willing to flatter myself that the cafe is not fo bad as that writer re prefents on the contrary, I think good arguments may be brought to evince, that population is, and has long been, confiderably on the increase in all the three kingdoms of this empire. I do not dwell much on the obvious acceffion to the buildings in this metropolis, and in other large towns; well knowing, that a great part of this, at leaft, may be attributed to different modes of living; and that the central districts have been difburthened of a crowded population, which has been thrown out on the circumference. Yet the vaft increase of all our trading towns has been abundantly shown by actual enumerations, and by comparisons of their bills of mortality at different periods; of which ample fpecimens may be found in the valuable Account of Manchester and its Environs, lately published by Mr. Stockdale, under the direction of Dr. Aikin. Nor, in the manufacturing districts of Lancafhire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire, &c. have the towns increased at the expence of the country, but the villages have had their MONTHLY MAG. II. full proportion in this augmentation. Now, if it be confidered, that the number of hands accumulated in manufacfpot than could be maintained by the emtures is prodigiously greater in a given ployments of agriculture, and that the fpace at prefent occupied by the manufacturers in Great Britain is very extenfive, furely it will appear probable, that the diminution of people in thofe countries where the growth of grain has been abandoned for pafturage (almoft the only amply compenfated. One way of judgcafe of probable depopulation) must be ing of the number of a people is to confider the effects refulting from it-that is, the work done by them. But while there is no proof, that I know of, that the agricultural products of this island are leffened in quantity (I have feen quire the contrary ftated, from good auproducts of trade and manufactures, the thority) it is undoubted, that all the hipping, &c. are, beyond measure, increased; fo that if the number of people were greater at any remote period, they must have had, comparatively, nothing to do. But no political axiom is better founded, than that demand will produce fupply, and this, as well of men as of com modities. What is it that caufes the ra pid increase of people in America, but demand for hands? and why should not the fame cause produce the fame effect in Great Britain ? The great argument of fact adduced by your correfpondent, to prove a depopulation, is the diminution of houfes, as apparent from the returns of the furveyors N. go Mr. Wakefield on Pope....Of the Sea Kale. at different periods. But the validity of this entirely depends upon the accuracy of those returns; and if reafons can be given why, in late periods, there fhould be more houfes omitted than in former ones, the conclufion will fall to the ground. Now, I happen to know, that in various manufacturing diftricts, the proportion of omitted houfes is vaftiy beyond the allowance of former times; and I am well affured, that this proportionate omiffion is ftill progreffional, being defended upon the humane principle, that every poffible burthen fhould at this time be taken from the poor and thrown upon the rich. Befides, it is evident, from the enormous augmentation of the poors' rates, that the number of actual paupers in the kingdom, that is, of those who pay no taxes, and of whom there is there fore no return, is now many times what it was at the Revolution-a melancholy and alarming circumftance, furely! but one that dees not indicate a diminished population. That Scotland has much increafed in populoufnels is demonflrated by the statiftical accounts collected by Sir John Sinclair. That Ireland has done fo to a ftill greater degree, appears from authentic documents laid before the parliament in that country. And why England fhould lie under fuch different circum ftances, I own, I cannot perceive. I hope, however, the fubject will be much farther elucidated by fome of your correfpondents, and that facts will be affiduoufly fought for, as the only found bafis for arguments. Before I conclude, however, I fhall exprefs my entire agreement with M. N. that deftructive wars, and overwheiring debts, will infallibly bring on the evil of depopulation, as well as many others; and, that the two or three laft years have, in an alarming degree, diminished the people of the manufacturing towns in Lancashire, appears from the work above. mentioned. I am, fir, Your's, &c. AN OBSERVER. [March, however, one or two exceptions occur which it may not be indecorus, even in me, to controvert. In many inftances, the objections are, indeed, incontrovertible; and in those of a doubtful nature, I feel no difpofition to oppofe my opinion to fuch refpectable authority. On that verfe of the Meffiah, And heap'd with products of Sabean springs ; if the remarker will confult my fecond volume of Obfervations, he will discover, that I was once mistaken in my conception of the paffage, as he is now. On the verfe of the Elegy, There the first rofes of the year fhall blow, the remarker oppofes my amendment, because "rofes do not blow till fummer." A fufficient anfwer to this objection would be, perhaps, that the fcenery lies in anour own: other climate, of a warmer latitude than Primus vere rofam. Virg, Geo. iv. But the direct and proper anfwer is, that the first rofes are primrofes; that is, prime, or early, refes, which flower in the fpring; and are fuch rofes as might be expected to grow in a field, or high road, where this lady was buried: What, though no facred earth allow thee room? With refpect to a propofed conftruction of the remarker, on epift. vi. would not the notion of a young lady "learning to hear a fpark, and learning to think no danger nigh," be fomething exceedingly like nonfenfe? But I fubmit this to the decifion of your readers, with a repetition of my thanks to the remarker. GILBERT WAKEFIELD, Hackney, March 1, 1796. OF THE SEA KALE. SIR, IF you think that the following com munication will at all tend to promote Kale, and in tafte much resembles Afpa Th 1796.] Shakspeare and Lucian..... Grotius and Malherbe. The Sea Kale is propagated either by feeds or roots; if the former, it should not be cut till the 3d or 4th year; if the latter, i.e. by tranfplanting, it will be fit for ufe the 2d year.-The feed is fown very thick, and remains in the feed-bed one year, the roots are then taken up, and tranfplanted at the diftance of a foot from each other, which fpace they will foon fill up; indeed this plant propagates itfelf fo faft, that you may almoft fay it is with difficulty eradicated. It fhould, however, be covered during the winter, with long dung, to preferve it from the froft. When expofed to the air, it turns green, and then is not fit for the table: for the space, therefore, of ten or twelve days previous to its being cut for ufe, it must undergo the process of blanching, which is done by burying it, during that time, in coal alhes, or fand. Miller mentions this plant in his Gardener's Dictionary, under the article Crambe Maritima, and fays, that it is found wild upon fea-fhores in divers parts of England, particularly in Suffex and Dorfetfhire. It is found alfo upon the fouthern coaft of Devonshire, where it fhoots itself up among the fands. But it is now very much propagated in our gardens; and it is in order to increase the cultivation of fo ufeful a plant in more northern counties, that I trouble you with this communication. Your's, &c. T. N. Devonshire, March 9, 1796. To the Editor of the Monibly Magazine. SIR, I BELIEVE none of the commentators on Shakspeare have noticed the following ftriking coincidence of a paffage of his with one in an ancient writerI call it coincidence, being well convinced that it is not at all likely to have been an imitation. In the TRAGOPODAGRA of LUCIAN, the goddefs Podagra, being braved by a couple of noftrum-mongers, is reprefented as challenging them to a trial of powers; in confequence of which the break out in the following invocation : Δευρώ σκυθρωποι, ι. "Hither, ye Torments, minifters of my fury, affemble from all parts. You, fire the bottoms of the feet to the toe ends-you, feize upon the ancles-you, infuse your sharp venom from the thighs to the middle of the knees-you, twist all the fingers," 91 The Torments anfwer, "See, we have obeyed your commands: the wretches lie miferably howling, tortured in all their limbs by your embraces!" In SHAKSPEARE'S TEMPEST, Profpero fets on his fpirits to hunt the confpirators, Caliban. Stephano, and Trinculo, with thefe words : Prof Fury, Fury, there; Tyrant, there; Go charge my goblins, that they grind their joints make them Than pard or cat-a-mountain. Your's, &c. J. A. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, THE difficulty ftarted by your corref pondent G. W. refpecting a poem claimed both by Jortin and Bourne, reminds me of a fimitar one, which I accidently fell upon in my reading, the folution of which may, perhaps, give fatisfaction to other readers. In the Latin Poems of Grotius, in a short piece, entitled "Oftenda Loquitur," relative to the famous three years' fiege of that town, under Spinola, the fublimity of thought in which has been much admired. In the Poefies de Malherbe, under the title of " Profopopée d'Oftende," are four ftanzas, containing the very fame thoughts in the fame order; fo that one of thefe pieces is obviously a translation of the other, though neither of them is marked as fuch. At the taking of Oftend, Grotius was about 21, and Malherbe 47; but when I reflected upon this circumftance, it appeared to me no argument againft the originality of Grotius, fince he was a remarkably early genius, and wrote Latin verfe at twelve. Moreover, the Latin lines have fuch a fuperior air of originality, that I was decided in my own judgment in favour of Grotius, before I found the matter cleared up in the Scaligeriana, where it is directly afferted, that Malherbe's verfes are a tranflation of the other. I confefs, I cannot think the want of an acknowledgment in Malherbe a venial omiffion; and I imagine it probable, that the French poet defignedly decorated himself with the fpoils of the young Dutchman, whom he might fuppofe unknown to most of his readers. I will copy the lines of Grotius, with the hope, that fome of your poetical corN 2 refpondents |