UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES MEMOIRS AND A N E C D O F E S PHILIP THICKT^ESSE, LATE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR o F LAND GUARD FORT, AND UNFORTUNATELY ATHER TO GEORGE TOUCHET, BARON AUDLEY. 9221. 1? DUBLIN: PRINTED BT ORAISEERRY AND CAMPBELL t FOR WILLIAM JONES, NO. 86, DAME-STREET, M.DOC.XC. TO JMES MAKITTRICK, ALIAS ADAIR, \) JAMES MAKITTRICK ADAIR THEN, GREETING, As it is to you, James Makittrick ADAIR, to 2 whofe conduct I am obliged, for the very ho- nourable and refpectable names, which appear 3 at the head of the following chapters ; and who have kindly enabled me (without expence) to * vindicate my character, and to defend my ho- > nour againft a bafe defamer, a vindictive libeller, and a fcurrilous, indecent, and vulgar fcribbler; you are certainly the propereft man exifting, to 5 addrefs them to; for it is you, and me; to <. whom alone, they can be interefting. And as you tell us in the preface to your medical med- |J ley, that you enjoy a decent competency; and \ that you publifhed that cautious performance ; not for the fake of profit, but " to make fome " compenfation for the manifold errors, you " muft neceflarily have committed, in the " courfe of near forty years extenfive prac- tice" 448998 iv DEDICATION. " tice" * fo I publifli the following corrections, to expofe, not the " manifold errors" of your phyfical tranfactions, but the private and dark mifdoings of your clofet. Ignorance, might plead fome excufe for your medical errors, but impudence and difregard to truth, and juftice, can only account for your defamatory prefcriptions. I am ready to allow, that your practice has been extenfive it is a great way from the nor- thern hills of Scotland, to the burning fands upon the coaft of Africa it is a great way too, from the African coaft, to the ifland of Anti- gua, that lovely fpot, where you gathered the independent fweets of your retired life, and therefore as you fo boldly boaft, of the unpal- atable truths, you have told, and how regardlefs you are of the confequences ; fo I alfo, take up my * This man obtained his beaded independence, by black and white praftice, among the Negroes in the Ifland of Antigua,- where he was known, by no other name, than James Makittrick, but as that was but an awkward name, to go to bcdviitb, among -white people, he returned to England, made a trip to Spa, where he found a very refpeftable practitioner of phyfic, of the name of Adair, and c oujiat d bimfelf, inti bit family name ; in his medical " morceau ' he has taken care to let us know, that he has feen the bed chamber of the Queen of France, but, as if that arrid I/land, upon the furface of which, he obtained " tis independence" had been funk by an earthquake, he has omitted to let us know, tbat the language, and manners of the Negroes, was the only living language he could utter a word of, for of the French, he knows no more than the late learned pig. DEDICATION. v my pen, to expofe your unpalatable falfhoods; and will prove, that you have dared to write, to print, and to publrfh; not only a vile defa- matory, and falfe libel, but even to fct at defi- ance the civil law of this country, by fending exprefly to me, one of your libels, and writing upon the title page, that it was for the ufe of my council! a libel too, of fuch a nature, that you have forfeited all pretenfions to the name of a gentleman, or to the fociety, or counte- nance of honeft men, for whatever there may be found from Scotland, I am convinced, there is not in the kingdom of England, or Ireland, a fingle gentleman, * whether of a civil, or military profeflion, who will not allow, that to charge an officer, bearing the King's commiflion in his pocket, with flying from his colours, and that too, in the hour of action, is not aiming a deeper blow, to a fufceptible mind, and to an innocent man; than either lead or iron can im- prefs; yet you, James Makittrick, ftruck that deadly blow at my breaft, you ftruck it too, in the moft cowardly and bafeft manner, for you ftruck it at a time, that you fuppofed I lay upon my death bed. Now I believe I may venture to aflert, that a charge of cowardice, or even an inlinuation of it, on a military man, i5 deemed * Gentlemen Blac^ Legs are exccptsd . vi DEDICATION. deemed a matter of as much delicacy, as that of defaming the character of a virtuous woman, I therefore, call upon you James Makittrick, alias Adair, to tell the publick, what punim- ment you would think due to a man, were he to write, to print, and privately difperfe ; five hundred pamphlets, as you have done, ftating therein, that your daughter, who, for aught I know, is of unfullied fame, and as chafte as fhe may be fair; had been debauched at An- tigua, by a Negroe flave; that flie had been delivered of a Mulatto child, and that you had quitted that Ifland; returned to this, and here taken upon you, a new name, at the age of above three fcore, in order, the better to con- ceal, the lewd and wanton conduct of your daughter, * " that a gentleman of refpectable " character /.. 4 , Extract from Barnes Mackittrick's Libel. * " With rerpet to your tnvn narrative, of the flight of you, and " your Friends, from the runaway negroes, I have better authority than " yours. A gentleman of refpeftable character, who had long refided " in Jamaica, related the flory very cucumftaniially, to feveral perfons " in Bath Th hr.d the fole command of the party, and having " confulted his perfonal fafety by an early retreat, the Serjeant' defeated " the negroes, and carried feveral of them prifoners to the guard-houfe, " almoft as foon as the officer had told his dreadful tale of blood, flaughter " and defeat." Now who is, and where is, that refpeflable gentleman, who told this tale fo circumflantially? where is one of thofe feveral geiitlrmtn in Bath, to whom he told it? no wheiei there is but one man, who fait! it, and thou wretch art that man; 'for thou haft faid it, writ- ten it, and aftaflin at thou art, hath printed and difperfed it. DEDICATION. vii " character, who had long refided at Antigua, " related the ftory at Bath, very circumftan- " tially, to feveral perfons," and that this was the caufe of your running away from Antigua, quitting the only name you had been known by for upwards of three fcore years, and taking upon you that of Adair ; and yet your falfe charge againft my honour and character, is in- finitely more criminal, becaufe your daughter's innocence could have been proved by an hun- dred living witnefles, but you have dared to go back a compleat half century, to charge me with the moft difgraceful conduct, a military officer could be guilty of ; and for which, I was liable to fuffer death ; and you have taken that diftant period, falfely to accufe me, in hopes, that I am the only furvivor of my own difgrace ; and that I mould be unable to refute your wicked charge, and expofe you to that univer- fal contempt, which is due to fo vile a tranf- action , for not content, with holding me out, merely as a fugitive, to avoid perfonal danger, by flying from my colours ; you have placed me in a ftill more infamous light, and humi- liating condition, by afferting that I was found, boafting of my own perfonal prowefs, at the very inftant, that my victorious Sergeant (from whom I had fled) returned, furrounded with prifoners,, viii DEDICATION. prifoners, and wearing upon his brow, thofe laurels I had fo fhamefully blafted. The feeble powers of my agitated mind, render me un- able to exprefs the indignant contempt to fobafe, fo wicked, and fo infamous a contrivance, but if I hew (AND I AM SURE I CAN) that I had not thefole command, that I did not run away, that no prifoners were taken, no victory ob- tained, I am fure alfo, that every man of honor, fenfe, and humanity, will hold your name, whe- ther it be James Makittrick, or James Adair, in abhorrent contempt, and agree with me ; that there is no language, no afperity, I could have made ufe of, that I might not juftly em-- ploy, to expofe fo bafe a caluminator. It is attention therefore to my very refpectable fub- fcribers, and I flatter myfelf alfo to many ref- peclable readers, of the following meets ; that I have confined my language to you, within the pale of -decency ; for if you could fuppofe, that your " medical morceau" would become a fafhionable " powdering book" and that every fine gentleman and lady muft make it a toilette piece of furniture, fure I may humbly venture to hope, that thefe memoirs, may be conlidered, as a proper pickle to preferve that farrago of felf conceit, affuming arrogance, . matchlefs DEDICATION. ix matchlefs impudence, and daring falfhoods, which fo ftrongly mark all your writings. John, Duke of Marlborough, one of the greateft Generals, and one of the ableft ftatef- men of the times he lived in, and who was well acquainted with the human heart ; always gave a young officer who difcovered any fym- toms of fear, the firft time of being in aclion, a fecond tryal : and his grace obferved, that in general, they became good officers : now in the aclion, from which you have fo falfely charged me with flying ; I was a raw unexperienced boy, it was the firft time I ever had been expofed, to the fire of an enemy, and when I found myfelf (without one moments previous intimation; furrounded by a volley of fhot, poured down from the fide of a fteep mountain, coming from an invifible enemy, and when I had not even a weapon of defence in my hands, and faw my men bleeding at my feet, at which inftant more than two thirds of our party inftantly run away ; I knew too that the fire came not from a generous enemy, who would, if they conquered, give us quarters and treat us with humanity, but that it came from a crew of the moft favage and bru- tal race of men upon the habitable globe, and whom x DEDICATION. . whom I alfo knew, often tied their prifoners to flakes, and encouraged their children, to treat them with every wanton cruelty they could de- vife, even to that of cutting from them their own flefh, and compelling them to eat it, I will not fay therefore that if the fole command had, at that time, been vefted with me, that I mould not have fought my own perfonal fafety by flight, as two thirds of my companions had juft done ; but as my commanding officer did not, I flood by him, and with him too, for many hours, and if his high ideas of military honor had not overcome his judgment, and good fenfe, he certainly would have retired alfo, when he perceived, that he was abandoned, by two thirds of his men, and when there was no more probability, of conquering the enemy ; than there was of removing the mountain, on which they were concealed. In the following pages, I fhall prove, that the whole flory is the production of our own head, and the promul- gation of your wicked heart, and that the vile tale, originated with the publifher, YOU James Makhtrick, alias AD AIR. The late Mr. Ford, a gentleman \vell ac- quainted with the law, and the modes of dif- covering, and detecting infamous villains, was fenf DEDICATION. xi fent for by a foreign minifter, to trace a vil- lain who had forged his name, and drawn large fums out of the hands of his banker, Mr. Ford, obferving that the forged notes, were all fpelt according to auricular orthography, in- ftantly conceived, that the forgery was com- mitted by a foreigner, and foon after, ftrongly fufpeded, the minifter's own fecretary, (then prefent) to be the forger, with that man how- ever he was left by the minifter, to confider what were the uioft prudent fteps to be taken, to make a difcovery, after a little converfation between them, Mr. Ford propofed inferting advertifements, in all the public papers, offering therein a reward to the difcoverer, to which the fecretary very readily agreed; but Mr. Ford, under the pretence of having left his fpeftacles at home, defired the fecretary to write, and ' that he would dictate, and fo contrived it, that he introduced, into the advertifement, every word, which in the forged drafts had been fpelt according to auricular orthography, and as every word tallied to a tittle, Mr. Ford retired, fatisfied in his own mind, that he had difco- vered THE MAN ; the advertifements were how- e \ r printed in the public papers, and about a fortnight afterwards, Mr. Ford waited upon the minifter, but found only the fecretary at home xii DEDICATION. home. After mutual civilities, Mr. Ford placed himfelf near, and almoft vis a vis to the fecre- tary, who afked him whether he difcovered the forger ? Mr. Ford looking the fecretary fted- faftly in the face, replied, I have ; he then per. ceived fuch a fudden change of countenance, that as foon as the fecretary had fo far recovered his alarm, as to afk him, who is the man ? Mr. Ford, clapping his hand violently upon the knee of the fecretary, faid you fir, are the man ! confcious guilt ftruck him to the foul, and the window being near and open, he in- ftantly jumped out, and impaled himfelf upon the iron rails before the door ! Now -James Makittrick Adair, go thou and do fo likewife, FOR THOU ART THE MAN. AN OCCASIONAL INTRODUCTION. OHOULD any book come from the prefs, at a time that fo great a national calamity has befel us, without offering up our prayers to GOD to remove it ? I think not ; efpecially when I fee with the deepeft concern, that inftead of our uniting in fupplicating the ALMIGHTY to ftrengthen us, we feem threatened with ftill greater calamities ! ! I will therefore fuppofe, that there exifted no abfolute law of this land, that if the father of a family was rendered by the vifitation of GOD, unable to manage his eftate, or to govern his houfliold ; but who had a fon of full age, and abilities to govern for him, till it ihould pleafe God to reftore his father to his former health, and THE INTRODUCTION. and ftate of mind ; a fet of ftrangers fliould take poffeflion of his houfe and eftates ; and fay to the fon, " Go hence, we have an equal right with you ! no law exifts to deprive us of the power we affume, and therefore we will exer- cife it.'* Suppofe then the aftoniflied fon obtains a power to convene a council of wife and honeft Judges to eftablifh the LAW OF RIGHT ; what would be their deciiion ? would they not una- nimoufly fay, let the law of GOD, and of NA- TURE, take place ; let the fon who is to inherit his father's fortune when he dies, manage it during his parents incapacity. It is his inheri- tance, and he is the moft likely to govern it with prudence, difcretion, and moderation. How much more important then is it, when fuch a matter is to be determined for a Father, not only of a family, but of a great and mighty Kingdom ? Shall the fon of our unfortunate Monarch, be fliut out of that temporary power over thefe Kingdoms, and that houfehold to which he is the legal inheriter ? GOD FORBID. I am fure all loyal fubjecls will fay, GOD FOR- BID; it is the voice of NATURE ; it is the law of GOD, and it is the only reafon that the law of man has not been exercifed to confirm it ; k would be flying in the face of GOD and NA- TURE, THE INTRODUCTION. TORE, to controul it. This is not fubtile Lo- gical, Oratorial language, but it is I hope and believe, the language which- will imprefs every honeft man's bofom who reads it, for it is un- adorned truth. I will not, though I am pof- fefied of fufficient matter, point out the great mind and elevated underftanding of the Prince, who muft be called upon to exercife the powers of SOLE REGENT, or I could fliew how for- tunate it is for the nation, that while our KINGLY FATHER is incapacitated to govern ; his PRINCELY fon will hold the reins with dig- nity to the HIGH STATION he is called to, and with fatisfaction to his ROYAL FATHER'S LOYAL SUBJECTS. THE AUTHOR. Dec. tit ^5tb, 1788. MEMOIRS AND ANECDOTES O F PHILIP THICKNESSE. CHAP. I. knowing of what competition all mankind are compofed, and that however dif- ferent our coming into Life, or paffing through it may vary ; that there is no difference between us at the moment of quitting it ; I hope to be excufed, if I deal freely and openly with that part of mankind, whom it has been my lot in life to have been connected with to converfe with or to correfpond with ; I mean I fay, B to to deal freely, openly, and candidly; and therefore when matter arifes, in which I may find it neceflary to mention men, whether dig- nified by birth, or elevated by ftation; pro- vided I do it with truth and decency, the can- did Reader, I truft, will think it juftifiable; efpedally as no man can be more difpofed to fhew deference and refpect to fuperiors, to whom refpeft is really due. I have nearly con- fumed a long Life among the bufy Crowd, and am now in fuch a Retirement as to give me leifure to look over with deliberation, my own vices and follies, and the errors and failings of thofe with whom I have been converfant ; many of whom have been deemed great men, but very few of them perhaps have appeared fo " in the eyes of their valet de charnbre" I do not fit down to write my life, but to relate the out- line of a long, a fingular, and an exceedingly checquered one; it may be of fome ufe to others, and will, I am perfuaded be of fome advantage to me ; yet it is a meafure I have been forced to (for nothing elfe could) by a late publication, written by an ignorant coxcomb, who never law me, 'till I was 66 years of age, who knows nothing of me; and yet has put forth a book privately printed, and fecretly difperfed; which he calls memoirs of my life: but ( 3 ) but which my friends affure me, is filled with fcurrility, falfhood, vulgarity and impudence. I do not know the Libeller's real Name, his profeflion however, is that of a Doflor, his practice has chiefly been among the negroes in the Weft-Indies, and his degree, I fuppofe; as he is a fcotch highlander, was procured him by a two guinea bribe to his countryman, Dr. S , but before I proceed any further, I wifli to prepare my readers with an anecdote, and to intreat them to keep it in their minds eye, throughout the remaining pages of this book. A gentleman of high rank and diftinguiihed abilities, to whom I have the honor to be known, had an only fonat fchool; waiting one day upon his father, I was prefented to the young gentleman, and we had fome conver- fation together, of rather a cheerful caft, after which, the young fcholar took an opportunity to obferve to his father, how unlike I appeared in his eyes, to what he had expected from a perfon he had fo often heard of, adding, that he thought to find me a thin, peevifh, fretful looking being; inftead of which, he found me fat, and as much difpofed to laugh as any man. His father, from whom I had this information, was pleafed to inform his fon, that he believed B2 the the latter to be my natural difpoiition, but that a great variety of unfortunate events, having fell one after another upon me, had in fome meafure rendered me liable to the impu- tation of the former. Flattering as that dif- tinction may appear, I am difpofed to hope there was fome truth in it, at leaft enough to plead for me with the candid reader if he mould here and there catch me tripping on fome of the rough roads 1 have to travel a fecond time over; efpecially, as I aflure him I fet out with no fuch difpofition, for though the fprings on which my carriage hung, were not fo exquifite, as many who fet out in life with me, they have held me up a very long journey, without breaking quite down ; and if they had, I have been always able to walk upright, without the aid of a crutch, or a woollen fhoe to the next inn, this I am proud to boaft of, becaufe it implies a life of temperance, but 1 have not only that blefling to boaft of, but one of more importance, and that is, that I am of an anci- ent and virtuous family, of which I mould not fpeak, but that it is poffible all the fcotch doc- tor's books may not be yet got to the paftry cooks, or to the cloyjlers of darknefs, for I have now before me a pedigree of the * Ralph Thicknefies * A Ralph Thicknefle, Lord of Barterley, was flain at Bloar- Hcath, fighting under Geergc Lord Audley! I C 5 ) Thicknefles of Barterley-Hall, in StafFordfhire, from the id year of the reign of Edward the firft, down to the prefent time ; and a letter from Mr. Bignall, Somerfet, of the Herald's office, wherein he called upon me for it, in or- der to qualify my fon to take his feat in the houfe of lords, and recommending it to me, to continue it at that office, as nothing he fays had been done there relative to it, fmce the Year 1614. My father, however was a younger branch of that family, who, after obtaining a good academical education, ftudied divinity at Ox- ford, was there ordained, and his uncle foon after (Sir John Egerton, Bart, of Rhyne-hill) prefented him to the rectory of Farthingoe in Northamptonfhire, a benefice of fomething more than two hundred pounds a year, which, with another fmall church within diftance was all the preferment or fortune he poffefled; the duty of both, he conftantly and confcienti- oufly performed, in its fulleft extent to the day of his death.* He married Joyce Blen-' cowe, niece to Mr. Juftice Blencowe, one of the judges of the court of Common Pleas, and daughter of a neighbouring clergyman, with whom * He died fuddenly upon a vifit to Dr. Grey. ( 6 ) whom I believe he had no other fortune than her many virtues. My father died in 1725, in the 55th year of his age, and left my excellent mother with eight children, one only of whom was provided for, viz. a fifter married to Dr. Grey, rector of a neighbouring village : and here I hope it will be excufable, if I relate by what ftrange incident, that happy connec- tion was formed. Within a mile of Farthingoe ftands a beau- tiful little church, a rectory of 81. a year, * . near to which, in my memory, flood the anci- ent and hofpitable manfion houfe of Lord Crew, bifhop of Durham, and thither the bifliop came to refide ; being a temporal and fpi- ritual peer, and keeping open houfe, he was vifited by all ranks of people far and near, and particularly by the clergy, but it fo happened that my father, the neareft of his neighbours, omitted to pay his refpe&s at Stearie. The bi- ihop, who was a proud ftately prelate, was hurt to find a refpeclable clergyman, whofe refi- dence was fo very near him, to be fo fingular- ly remifs, and therefore fent Mr. Grey, his do- meftic * Dr. Grey obtained Queen Anne's bounty tc the little Reftory, and during his life, preached there once a month. ( 7 ) meftic chaplain, to vifit my father, and to fifii for the caufe of what certainly feemed a flight, but which in fact: was not omitted from any want of attention to his lordfhip. It fo hap- pened, that before Mr. Grey had feen my fa- ther, he had met my fitter, an object which at- tracted much of his attention, and when he came into my father's ftudy, inftead of dif- clofing his bufinefs, he afked my father whe- ther a young lady he had feen in the court yard, was his daughter ? my father informed him he had two daughters, and that probably it might ; blefs me ! faid Mr. Grey, it made my heart leap to fee fo fine girl in fuch a country village. This fo offended my father, that he felt difpofed to have made his body and heart leap together, out of his ftudy, had he npt quickly perceived my father's cUTapprobation, of fo novel a mode of addrefs, He then ex- plained his errand, and my father finding him to be an ingenious man, began to feel as much partiality to the young parfon, as the parJfon had conceived for his youngeft daughter. Mr. Grey repeated his vifits, and before my fifter was well out of her white frock, fhe became the rector of Hinton's wife, where fhe may be feen at this day, in her 84th year, with many traces remaining, of that beauty which fo fud- denly ( 8 ) denly caught the attention of her departed huf- band. Nor can I omit repeating a fmgular kind of joint compliment Mr. Grey paid her, the day he had obtained (for it was not eafily obtained) my father and mother's confent, to fix that of his happinefs. When walking with my fifter and mother in the garden, he led her upon the grafs plot, and after walking round and round her feveral times, and admiring her perfon, well faid he, Mifs Joyce, I own you are too good for me, but at the fame time I think myfelf too good for any body elfe.* When my father died, I had two brothers juft removed from the foundation at Eton, to King's College in Cambridge; one upon the foundation at Winchefter, another at the Char- ter-Houfe, and my eldeft fifter, and next bro- ther at home with my mother, for fome time I was * Dr.GreyhadalfotheReaory of Kimcotc in Leicefterfhire, was a prebend of St. Paul's, and Archdeacon of Leicefter. His Connexion with Lord Crew, probably (hut him out of a Mitre. He died however rich, and left three Daughters, the eldeft is married to Dr. Lloyd, Dean of Norwich, and well known for her genius in working in Worfted. Lord Crew was a (launch Friend to the abdicated Family, and as he lay dying upon the Marble Hearth before the Fire, he called out feveral Times to my Brother faying, "Did, don t you go we r to them, don't you go over to " ttcm." ( 9 ) I was placed at Aynhoe fchool, * and then re- moved with my mother to London, where, by the favour of Dr. Friend, high matter of Weft- minfter fchool, I was admitted a gratis fcholar, not a King's fcholar, and I believe I could at this day mew upon the back of my Hands, fome marks of the favors frequently confer 'd upon them, by that truly beautiful nobleman the prefent Earl of , for as cafli often ran low with me, and Nan Bachelor's \ tarts and cuftards were as grateful to my palate, as to any lord's in the fchool, I did fometimes fpend that money which was given me on die bougie account, by my mo- ther, rather too haftily, fo that I had no othcr means of light for the fchool, and keeping my mother in darknefs, than expofmg the back of my hand, to a yard and half of doubled wax candle, at fo much a cut ; and his lordfliip was of fo generous a difpofition, that I was as fure of my night or morning's bougie from his lord- fhip's bountiful hand, as a poor woman is who goes * AYNHOE, the feat of the Cartwrights. In the year 1747, John Cartwright the County Member, who was one of the nobleft works of God^ and who voted according to confcience (not to the minifter) never fpoke but two words in the houfe, viz. aye and no. Some wags printed his fpeech, on a large fheet of paper, and had it cried about the ftreets of London, one fide of the paper was AYE, and the other NO, and thofe two words united made AYNHOE. f See her Epitaph. C 10 ) goes to the humane pawn-broker with her laft fhift, to borrow a {hilling upon, to buy bread for her children ; nor indeed was that the only kindnefs I have experienced from bis lord/hip^ for he was fo obliging as to attend, at my requeft, the hoitfe of lords upon an appeal to that great and dernier court ofju/lice, which I brought thither from the court of chancery. I muft however own that fometimes when his lordfhip was not difpofed to make his own exercife, that I have had a fupply of wax candle for the ufe of my fingers. Nor was the want of wax candle the only occafion of my frnarting at that fchool, Vidal, the ufher, under whom I was firft placed, did not re- ceive the ufual prefents at breaking up 'Times, from my mother, as he did from the opulent parents, and the wretch was fo mean, as to let that operate to my difad vantage : * for I could never keep my place an hour, after a boy of rank or fortune got next to me ; nor commit a trifling fault without being fliewn up to Dr. Nicholls j that good old man, I believe, perceived : * Boys who have a little Money in their Pockets, are very apt at School to take it out, especially thofe who have but little, and feldom any. Vidal, when he knew I had, would watch me, as a Cat does a Moufe, and has frequently detefted me in taking it out of my pocket in School Hours, and then never omitted fending me under a trujiy GWi/ to put it into the prisoners box at the gate way, then a pi him at the end of Tothill-ftrect. ( 11 ) perceived it, for I was not without a box full of filver groats, pence, &c. which the gene- rous doclor had given me, perhaps more on other accounts^ than any merit of my fchool per- formances. At this time I lived in St. James's place, and having an exercife to make between the morning and afternoon fchool, my dinner to eat, the diftance to go, and to return, and my flow capacity united; I became unable to do it properly at any time, and often not at all ; this fubjected me to be fair game to Mr. Vidal, and at length, fearful of the mafter's la/h, and fmarting often under the noble lord's bougie, I played the truant for i o days together, during which time cafli running low, I melted down all my box of little groats, &c. on the eleventh day, two ambajfadors were fent by Mr. Vidal, to my mother, to know the caufe of my ab- fence ; here my pretended ham exercifes, and all the fibs my idlenefs of courfe produced, came forward, and my mother very prudently deli- ver'd me up to the hands of juftice ; never did I fee two officers of fchool police, more intox- icated with power ! I was held by each arm, as fecurely as if I had been apprehended for murder, and there was fuch an appearance of delight in their countenances, that I truly be- lieve their joy was equal to my fears, not that they ( 1* ) they were my enemies, on the contrary, they were my bofom friends, but they were boys, *. e. little men. When I entered the lobby, and became vifible to all the boys in the firft fourm, I heard them with one voice as it were, joy- fully exclaim, here come's Thicknefie, here come's Thicknefle, and their joy feemed as ge- neral as if the fecretary of ftate had juft pro- cured them a holiday. I was delivered to Maf- ter Vidal, who inftantly fhewed me up to Dr. Nicholls, here was nothing to be faid in plea of mitigation : I pleaded guilty, and was in- ftantly expofed to fhame and punifhment ; af- ter which, however, at the ftrong inlerceffion of Mr. Vidal, all my fmartings were appeafed, by the folio wing fentence^ for I was told in the language of the court, that my future atten- dance at that fchool would be difpenfed with, a joyful fentence to me, after I had convinced my mother of the real caufe of my mifconducT:, and obtained her forgivenefs, for I was one of thofe unfafliionable children, who could not perfectly enjoy peace of mind, while I lay under her difpleafure j having got hold of a little la- tin j being born the feventh fon, without a daughter between^ and indeed havingy?rc/(W away federal ivens^ and fuch diforders as are apt to difappear without medicines, it was thought advifeable to ( 13 ^ to breed me to a phyfical profeflion, and I was placed with a very refpectable apothecary in London, whofe name was Marmaduke Tifdale, upon what is called likeing, and with him I ac- tually refided till I found out that a compolition of aqua mirabilis and fyrup of faffron, was the beft cordial his fhop afforded; but that mix- ture, not fitting fo well on Marmaduke's fto- mach (tho* he was a very honeft fellow) as it did upon mine, we agreed to part ; the truth was, that I had been fo poifoned by the glaring colours in which Ogelthorpe had in his printed books, difplayed the profpects of his new colo- ny of Georgia, that I was determined to go thither ; and at length prevailed upon my mo- ther to confent to it. While this project had filled me with infinite delight, for I then con- fidered myfelf as one fetting out to begin the forming of a new world j my mother told me, that if I chofe a verfe in the 3pth chapter of Geneiis, in which there are 33, it would un- fold to me the future events of my life, now it happened to pafs in thofe days, that the Scriptures were not only believed, but ferioufly attended to ; fo I fixed upon the 26th verfe, and when I found that the blejfings of my father would extend to the utmoft bounds of the everlqfting hills, and be upon ( '4 ) upon the head of him who was feparated from his brethren.* 1 felt a delight and a faith too, not to be removed ; and my mother, tho y afenfible woman^ was weak enough to become -a partaker with me, in that heart felt iatisfaclion, fhe perceived to be fpread over my countenance ; nor could, at that time any offer, however advantage- ous in appearance, have diverted me, from adding one to the number of the foolifh Georgia emigrants. 1 1 was then the firft of the family that feparated from his brethren- CHAP. CHAPTER II. UPON our arrival at Georgia, I was much furprifed to find the town of Savanna, or ra- ther the fpot where the town nowjlands, fitu- ated upon a high bluff of barren fand, and di- rectly oppofite to a low fwampy ifland ; on the muddy fhore of which (within a fmall compafs) I could count at leaft twenty Allegators bafking thereon! Mr. Caufton, the chief Magiftrate, to whom I had letters, received me civilly, and Mr. John Weftley, to whom I alfo had a let- ter, feemed difpofed to admit me among the number of his elect. Mr. Caufton's Niece, a very pretty young lady, was one of Mr. Weftley 's early prayer attendants at the chapel, after which, flie, with feveral other young peo- ple, pie, ufually attended Mr. Weftley to domeftic lectures for further edification, at his own apart- ments, but Mr. Williamfon, a gentleman who came over in the fame veflel with me, paid his addrefles to that young lady, and foon after married her, by which means he was in poflefli- on of many pious letters written by Mr. W. to Mrs. Williamfon, but he not approving of that kind of correfpondence, fhe no longer frequent- ed his domeftic lec"hires, and I believe, like my- felf, became rather flack in attending his early morning prayers. Mr. Hutton, a worthy cler- gyman, of whom I fhall fpeak more fully here- after, who had recommended me to Mr. Weft- ley, I found had been informed foon after my arrival, by Mr. Weftley, that I did not give him too much of my company, and to fay truth, I did not covet much of his ; and I will give my reafons. Dr. Hutton was a clergyman of worth and character, who could not reconcile himfelf to take the necefiary oaths, whereby he could hold his church preferment, he there- fore refigned, and took a houfe in College- Street, Weftminfter, and had feveral boys of that fchool boarded with him ; his own family confifted of a wife, a fon, and a daughter ; the ion is ftill living, and is, or was, well known among ( '7 ) among that feet called Moravians, f My Fa- mily were intimate with Dr. Button's, and my fifter, who was about the fame age of Mifs Hutton, became fo far her confidant, that fhe Ihewed her a great number ,of letters written by Mr. Charles Weftley to her, in which the care of her foul and body too, feemed to claim much of his regard ; for 1 muft obferve, that Meffrs. Weftley- and Whitefield, who were the firft movers of the methodift feet, were conti- nually at Dr. Hutton's, praying, eating, &c. my fifter, who perhaps had more knowledge of the world and mankind, than Mifs Hutton, (for tho* of good underftanding, {he was very deaf) did not approve of that fpiritual corre- fpondence, between Mr. Charles Weftley, and her female friend. She perceived it made the young woman unhappy, and therefore prevailed upon her, to drop that fort of correfpondence with him, obferving to her, at the fame time, that man- kind have various ways of purfuing happinefs C through f He was bred a Bookfeller, and opened a Shop near Temple-Bar, from whence he went to Moravia, to fetch himfelf a Wife, of that Na- tion and religion ; but this is not the Age for Bookftllers to make For- tunes by the Sale of Bibles, Prayer Books, &c. and as Mr. Hutton .vould fell little elfe, that Bufinefs would not do, and he betook him- fdf to one which it leems did, that of a Moravian Leader. through this life to a better, and as I did not find Mr. John Weftley feemed to have any di pofition of correfponding with me, and think- ing too, that my foul was of as much import- ance to him, as the foul of any young lady whatever, I had very little intercourfe with him afterwards. 1 muft not however omit to, mention a fingular misfortune which befel him, in confequence of his zealous endeavors to re- form a fair, but frail lady, then at Georgia, whofe immoral conduct had been much cen- fured by Mr. Weftley, and who fent to defire him to call upon her ; it was natural for him to conclude, his vifit was to pave the way to repentance and future good conduct ; he ac- cordingly attended her, but the inftant he en- tered her apartment, me laid violent hands upon him, threw him upon the bed, and threatened him with the immediate lofs of life, or what fome men might deem as dear as life, nor did fhe difmifs him, till flie had deprived him of all the Adonis flowing locks, which at that time, adorned one fide of his meek and goodly countenance ; yet fuch was his humility, that he appeared the funday following at church, in his partial and ear-crop' d head of hair ; the lady perhaps intended to have made Mr. Weft- ley a Monk, as the Duchefs of Montpenfier did Henry ( 19 ) Henry the third. Let it be remembered how- ever, that a defire of fuch fpiritual correfpon- dence with the fex, which appeared in both thefe brothers, might arife from the utmoft purity, and virtuous intentions ; however their letters might be conftrued to convey fufpicion of finifter defigns ; thofe gentlemen were not ignorant, that there never was, nor ever can be, a new fedl formed, (and that was their great object) if women were not engaged to promote it ; they knew that Arius did more by engaging Conftantla^ the Emperor's fifter, into his way of thinking, relative to the con- fubftantiality of the world, than he could have done by gaining over a thoufand male fol- lowers. The Weftleys, and Whitefield, firft ftarted the methodittical plan, but Lady Hun- tingdon, in reality, is the fole perfon who has eftablifhed its permanency; and there is no doubt but her motives were good, becaufe her life and manners are exemplary, and truly vir- tuous : me may appear in the eyes of fome of us, righteous over much, but then remember a text of fcripture, containing only two words; and from which my father made an excellent difcourfe, ;'. e. " judge not." C 2 After ( 20 ) After this, Mr. Weftley and I feldom met, but the day I had embarked with a view of re- turning to England, I was agreeably furprifed to find him with me, in a fmall floop bound to Charles Town in South Carolina, in which I had engaged my paflage ; he was going to get prayer books printed, and I to find a con- veyance to England. Our floop commander, proved to be a perfect reprobate mariner, and we, frefti water failors, thought he carried too much fail. I urged him, (for it blew hard) to fhew lefs canvas, and Mr. Weftley implored him tofwear not at all ; but our prayers pre- vailed not, more fail, and more oaths, feemed to be the confequence of our requefts ; by this time we were out of light of land, the gale encreafed, and we run gunwhale under water ; if there was no real danger, we apprehended much, and Mr. Weftley, (to my great fur- prife) faid, well Mr. Thicknefle, I have a fmall book in my little trunk here, which I mould be unwilling to lofe, and with the utmoft fang froid, opened his trunk, and put the book into his pocket ! now what was I to conceive by this fingular tranfa&ion ? for though the {hip, Whitefield failed in, to Geor- gia, flood Jlill in the atlantic ocean, when all her fails were Jleeping, in a frefli gale of wind, Ifaw I faw no poflible chance of faving our lives, even with empty pockets, had the {loop overfet ; nothing but a float of Allegators, with lock faddles along fide, ready to take us on fhore, could have prefer ved us. I did not take- the liberty to afk Mr. Weftley, his plan of preferva- tion, or if his book was the charm, which con- tained it ; he had but one, fo I mufl let that remain in enigmatical obfcurity, along with Mr. Whitefield's -m'otionlefs frigate. We got however fafe on fliore at Charles Town the next morning, where Mr. Weftley and I parted in good fellowfhip, and therefore, though I have not done with Georgia, I hope the candid rea- der will excufe my taking him over to England for a little while to relate my next meeting with this very Singular gentleman, though at the diftance of near half a century ! it is only juft to crofs the pafiage of the Severn with my old fellow traveller, and then I {hall have done with him, till we meet, and I trull and hope we {hall, where neither ftorms can difturb us, wa- ters divide us, and where : O bleffed reflec- tion ! if we do meet, we muft all be of the fame way of thinking. It fo happened, that from the time we parted at Charles Town, and from our profligate fait water Captain, we did not meet again, till within a very few years fince, f 22 ) fince, and then under the fame kind of difafter, with a frefh water brute ; for crofting the Se- vern with a female friend, one of the boatmen (I ihould fay one of the Captains, for they are all Captains) puflied the Thyller fo fuddenly a weather, that he had nearly thrown my friend overboard. I immediately unfliipped it, and with an appearance of being in earneft, ac- companied by words, not proper to repeat, threaten'd to knock the fellow down with it, this threat brought before me, a goodly look- ing old man, who with a perfuafive tongue, and the gentleft manners, befought me to fay no morej the lady, he obferved, was fafe, and that in a few minutes, we fhould be no longer within his reach, that though my pro- vocation was great, oaths, or refentment, could not mend the matter, and he fully fucceeded in his attempt, for his manners were captivating, his arguments convincing. At this time I thought I recognifed my old acquaintance Mr. Weftley, and it promifed me pleafure, in mak- ing myfelf known to him, for I had no longer any doubt as to hisperfqn, having that inftant heard one of his attendants (for I think he had feveral) mention his name : I availed myfelf therefore of fo fair an occafion to obferve that it was not the firft time he and me had been in difficulties . . .-. 3 difficulties together upon fait water : he feemed furprized ! and afkedme when, and where we had been fo circumftanced ? I then reminded him of our Charles Town Pilot ; why faid he, what is your Name ? and being told, inftead of kindling thofe fentiments, which were warming in my own bofom into a flame, he treated me, and the event, with cool indif- ference ; and fcarce fpoke afterwards ! now un- cle Toby would not have done fo ; would he courteous reader? this was not Shandean in- deed Mr. John Weftley ; I will not fay it, look- ed like want of chriftian charity, but I will fay, had not fuch a want of fentiment been evident, this tranfaclion had never come onjhore. Why I proteft Mr. Weftley, that were I to meet even Jemmy Mac Kittrick, alias Adair * fifty years years hence upon the fevern, I fhould only jobe him, for printing and publifhing a parcel of no- torious lies, and remind him of the ambufh I fell into, " when I had the fole command" of a detach- ment of foldiers, and a SENIOR officer, was one of the party ! Eoccacio * This lying fellows real name is James Mac Kittrick, as may be feen in an obfcure corner, upon a (lone placed by himfelf over the bones of his own brother in St. Michael's church yard at Winchefter, " John Mackittrick, 1784." iO) the Italian wit, obferved, that no- body, " fwerved more from the law, than " lawyers ; that none obferved a courfe of diet, " fo little as phyficians ; and that none fear " the remorfe of confcience, lefs than divines, " who tho' they lay down fo many articles of " faith to others, believe but few themfelves." It is true, I believe, that lawyers feldom go to law, and that phyficians feldom take phyfic ; and I can affure my readers, it is true, that the late Lord Chief Juftice Willes (I mean not Mr. Jujilce Willes) advifed me, when I alked his opinion about a law matter, to fit down quietly under any injury or oppreflion what- ever, rather than go to law. I hope therefore, my reader will confider this piece of honeft in- formation (for it came from the mouth of as able and upright a judge as ever adminiftered juftice) to be worth ten millings and fix-pence, if he will not, he here has it under my hand, that I have defrauded him of half a guinea. I thought to have done with this meriodiftical fubje'cT:, but I cannot lay down my pen, with- out obferving, that however ferioufly, and in earneft, many of the leaders of thofe people no doubt are ; yet they are all, men of 'warm conftitutions, and that if they had been natives of ( 25 ) of a Mahometan country, where women are excluded, even religious focieties, they never would have feparated from the eftablimed mode of worfhip. Thofe who know the hiftory of the Mamiliarians may recollect the ftory of La- badic, who having fet a female fcholar to a de- vout lefibn, and prepared her for inward recol- leftion, and mental prayer, came fuddenly to her, when be -thought foe was thoroughly rccol- letted, and put his hand into her bofom : but meeting with a fevere* repulfe, he ferioufly befought her to confefs humbly her iveaknefs, and to beg pardon of Gcd for having been Jo Hi tie at- tentive to the myfteries of meditation, ctherwife, faid he, you would have been infenfible to my at- tempted touch! And MAREST, (Cardinal Rich- lieu's favorite wit) owned that he employed his fanatic eloquence among women \ purely to deceive, to delude, and to enjoy them ; and rather than not fucceed, he taught them to believe that vice is virtue ; and acknowledges that he betrayed God, by mifmterpreting his laws. When Philip the iecond of Spain afked the Jefuits and confeffors, who were about him, how they could attend fo many fair penitents, be alone with them, and yet remain chafte ? they informed his Majefty, that they carried with them a certain plant, which always pro- tected C 26 ) tecled them from the danger of uncleannefs. The King urged them to let him know the name of that precious weed, till they were obliged to own, it was called " The fear of " God." That plant might have bden grow- ing then in Spain for aught I know, but I am pretty confident, it is not to be found in their botanic gardens at this day ; the weedy plant, arbor vita, has utterly deftroyed /'/, and when I fee a female penitent retire with her confef- for, | always think of St. Dominic, who finding a nun in an extacy, he brought her out of it, by anqiptjng her with the unguentum amons ; Thofe who know human nature beft, know that auricular confeflion, not only of deeds, but of thoughts alfo, are more than human nature can be fafely trufted with, when the parties are only two, and of different fexes. CHAP. CHAPTER IIL XlAVING efcaped Jhipwreck a fecond time, with my old acquaintance, Mr. Weftley, and leen him fafely landed on the coaft of Somer- ietfhire ; I muft, as I obferved above, beg leave to call my reader's attention back again, to the plains of America ; in order to introduce him to the knowledge of a very different cajl of men, from either methodifts or indigent wanderers ; who, under the name of civilized Chriflians, went thither, to deprive the In-y dians of their native rights ; and what I fear was much worfe, of their fimplicity of man- ners, and frugal mode of living ; which is now no longer to be found among them ; inftead of which they have got difeafes, before un- known to them ; fpirituous liquors, which render them frantic, and they are ftill ftran- gers to every thing which belongs to Chriftia- nity, but the conducl of Chri/tians to them^ and to mother. It is fingular, but true, that there are : ( 28 ) are no two created beings, more unlike in manners and difpofition, than the red Indians of America, and the negroes of Africa ; I could perceive no traces of that bloody and revengeful difpofition 'among the Indians, of which we have in thefe later days heard fo much. TOMO CHACHI, the Creek Indian King, was not only a very humane man, but I may add, he was a very well bred man, for Mr. Ogel- thorpe, having fignified to Tomo, that he wifh- ed to build the firft City of his Colony upon the very fpot where Tomo's Palace then ftood, lie found it no difficult matter to prevail upon his Majefty, to remove his court three miles higher up, on the banks of the fame river. The Bluff, upon which the town of Savanha is built, was called by the Indians, Tamacra, and Tomo C/yachi, was King of Tamacra ; nor did I difcover any other traces of a cruel or favage difpofition in King Tomo, than thus moving to oblige Mr. Ogelthorpe ; and ftepping in be- tween a Criminal, and the Executioner ; fay- ing, whip me, whip me, when one of our people was under the lafh, for ill-treating an Indian Woman. Their rude drefs, painted faces, fliced ears, nofe bobs ! and tattooed Skins, rendered their external appearance, to us Bri- tons, fingularly favage; but by making fre- quent quent excursions to the court of new Tamacra, and picking up a little of their language, I foOn became convinced, that my perfon and property was as fafe at the court of Yamacra* as at any court in Chriftendom ; nor could I perceive, that King Tomo, Cenaukc^ his Queen, or Tonohoi, their nephew and heir, were not as happy as the princes of the moft polifhed courts in Europe. And yet, they had not been long returned, from vifiting the court of Great Bri- tain, where Sir Robert Walpole, or the Duke of Newcaftle, I forget which, made fome dif- ficulty, of fitting down in their prefence ! the King's coach, with the Lyon arid the Unicorn fupporters, did not incline them to forget their own fupporters of Bears and Buffaloes ; NA- TURE, with which they had only been accuf- tomed to converfe, furpaffed, in their imagi- nation ! all that art could produce. The firft vifit I made the court of Tdmacra^ their Majef- ties were juft returned in their Canoes, from an Ojjler'mg party, and I had the honor of par- taking with them, a repas, to which they fat down with as good an appetite, as ever Euro- pean princes did, to a barrel of Pyefleet.* Strange * The Indians, \vho dwell within the reach of the fait water Creeks, make fires at low water on the Iflands of oyflers, which are then left high arid dry, and roaft the greateft part of an Ifland at once. It is i ./- ( 3 ) Strange as it may appear to us rail/led Bri- tons ; who have been accuftomed from our in- fancy, to admire paintings, buildings, jewels, &c. I am convinced that thofe Indians at that time wereinfenfible to every kind of our works of art, but fuch as ftruck their fenfes with the perfonal comforts the objects would produce, and that King Tamo's blanket, whichkept him warm, was, in his opinion, more valuable, than the gold watch given him at St. James's. After cultivating a good acquaintance with thofe children of nature, I foon became fatisfied, whether I met them alone or in company, that I was perfectly fafe, and therefore I made frequent excurfions into the woods, apprehenfive enough of the danger of rattle fnakes, but without any from the ftrag- gling Indians ! and I had many proofs that my conjectures were well founded. In one of my woodland excurfions, and about four miles from Sa'vanha, I found a fertile piece of ground, upon the banks of a rapid Creek, which at high wa- ter, was Ifolated ; this fpot, fo delighted me, that with Mr. Caufton's permiffion, I built a wooden, not an iron houfe thereon, and there I patted much of my time ; my gun fupplied me fold too, that the Racowx and Pofiums vifit thofe iflands, and flip a dead (hell into a living oyfter, in orderto avail themfelves of the next tide to eat what their forecaft anu fagacity, had made thereby ccme-at-aile prey. ( 3' ) me with fquirrels, wild fowl, &c. and the town only, with rice, to boil by way of bread, the Indians fometimes vlfited my I/land for a day or two, and then I had plenty of venifon, which they boil'd down, and eat dipped in wild honey, this was a true Robinfon Crufoe line of life ; but it was fuch, as even in thofe days, fuited my romantic turn. In this lituation I wanted nothing but a. female friend, and 1 had almoft de- termined to take to wife one of Queen Cenauke's maids of honor, I ferioufly paid my addreffes to her, and fhe in return, honor'd me with the appellation of Auche (friend) me had re- ceiv'd a pair of Indian boots, fome paint, a looking glafs, a comb, and a pair of fciflars as tokens of my love, and one buffloe's fkin, had certainly held us, had not an extraordinary inci- dent arofe, which determined me to return im- mediately to England, and this it was. Walk- ing upon the margin of my creek, and playing upon the flute, fuch was the effect of an affec- tionate and warm imagination, that I had a tranfient, but as perfect a fight of my mother, as if me had actually been before me, in Propria Perfona. Strongly poffeffed with the talk and idleries which children hear, and many men cannot overcome, its no wonder that a boy, as I then was, concluded it was my mother's departed departed {hade - f my fqua, my ifland, -and my Rdbinibn Crufoe plan, inftantly loft all their charms, and though at that time I had an account of a very ufeful fervant, bound to ferve me four years, being on his paffage to join me, I determined to leave the foadow, and feek, the fubftante ; and had my mother, whom I found upon my return, in perfect health, died about that time, I might have been nfee'r offpirits to this day. I immediately fet out for Savanha, and on my way thither, having my fowling piece reverfed at my back, I was more fubftantially alarmed, by a very uncommon rat- ling at my heels ; at that time I had never feen a rattle fnake alive, but I inftantly fufpecled, what it proved to be, my fright however, was fo great, that I drop'd my gun, and run haftily to fome diftance, and when I turned about, I faw the fnake winding her tail foremoft into a hole in the ground, and though I was exceedingly alarmed, I by degrees ventured to go back for my gun ; at a little diftance from which, I perceived not only the fnake which firft alarmed me, but two others, half of each of their bodies out of their holes! -and the fun, which fhone in between the trees, rendered their backs as beautiful, as their tails were dreadful, but as they did not offer to ftir, I ventured to lay my gun ( 33 ) gun upon the ground, and getting their heads upon a line, I {hot them all three, the largeft had feven rattles, and the other two, had five each : it is faid, they are three years old be- fore the firft rattle appears, and that they have an additional rattle every year, as long as they N live! and though I could hear of none in Georgia, which had been killed, having more than fix or feven rattles ; I have feen in the ca- binets of the curious, lixteen ! but perhaps fome art had been ufed, for it is fcarce credible, that providence, would give fo long a life, to fo dan- gerous, fo deftructive, and fo prohTic a reptile ; the leaft ftroke however upon their heads, with a fmall fwitch, inftantly kills them ; and I am aifured the deer are neither ftrangers to the danger of the rattle fnake, nor of the fafeft manner of deftroying them, to effect which, they raife themfelves erect, and leap, fo as to let their hind feet come down upon the make's head, and I once actually faw a deer in that action, but I could not find the fnake, the In- . dians fay, if it were not for the great number deftroyed by the deer, it would be ten times more dangerous than it is, or rather than it was, for among the fettlements I prefume they are rarely feen now. The Indians wear fhoes, called maugazeens, they are of one piece D of ( 34 ) of deer Qdn, gathered up and fewed like a purfe at the toe, with a deer's linew ; they cover their legs and thighs with pieces of leather, and leave broad flaps which play too and fro* as they walk, at which the rattle fnakes generally bite, and thereby they avoid the danger. I am to think, however, they feldom purfue or bite, but when any living creature approaches too near their young in breeding time. When the Indians are bitten, they tie a leather thong, tight above the wound, and their wives or children fuck forth the poifon, but not always with fuccefs^ the limb fwells immediately, and the patient dies in twenty four hours, perhaps no remedy is of fuch good effect as olive oil, well and long fomented, with the patients own hands. biJjSiyiflQil fi: .(;gO ,lM ^Sffiil 3lfc liw^Jiol ad 03 jasmigai * to' ha(j&J 8 Las i^noIcQ wsa eid ~io ao/i^bb sdj lot lo arnoi basaian^df ut aoifihni^q bsil ijgioiq ojrf.-^i 04 igpbiio oresw I ac uJ :aoj QJ luq fsd} aflouiui/p ^di iL & HA". ( 35 ) . ?r;ft bsoid ikw CHAPTER IV. ;frM : i - . ibitil T* 1 HE Colony of Georgia was, at the time I returned to England, ftill under the manage- ment of certain truftees, and as I was the firft of the Emigrants, who had returned from thence, I was fent for to attend thofe gentle- men, at their office in Old Palace Yard. At that time, Mr. Oglethorpe was juft nominated Colonel of a regiment to be forthwith raifed for the defence of his new Colony; and as he had permiflion to recommend fome of his friends to ferve in it, he promifed me a pair of colours, and I concluded the examination I was to undergo in Old Palace Yard, would ef- tablifh his friendfhip to me, as I went thither determined to anfwer openly, and candidly, to all the queftions they put to me: fo, when they mewed me upon paper, Forts raifed, where Da no ( 3 6 -,) V %/ | A , . no ground had been broken, and flags flying, where no ftaffs had been erected, I plainly told them the truth, and though it was faid the Queen (Caroline) had worn, on her birth day, a gown made of filk, the manufacture of that Colony, I affured thofe gentlemen that I had not feen worms fufficient to reel off a fingle fkain of filk; the Truftees, feemed perfectly fatisfied with the account I gave them, but I did not find myfelf higher in the favor of my Colonel^ nay, on the contrary, I foon perceived, if I did not raifemy own flag Jiaff^ by fome more friendly hands, than his, I might probably be only commiffioned, to ferve in one of thofe paper forts, 1 had feen elevated in Old Palace Yard. At this time I had two brothers, both fellows of King's College, in Cambridge, both in high favour with the late Sir Edward Wal- pole, and one, who had fteadily engaged in the intereft of the Honourable Thomas Townf- hend, then member for that Univerfity. My brothers therefore, united in an application to thofe gentlemen, and they to Sir Robert Wai- pole, and obtained that great minifter's pro- mife. Mr. Townfliend, in his reply to my brother, faid, " you have a right Sir, to com- mand me upon all occafions, and I will not be wanting on this." The King, was at that time, ( 37 ) time, at Hampton Court, and my uncle, Mr. Wace, who was firft clerk in the fecretary of ftate's office, foon after, informed my mother, that he had juft filled up a commiffion for his nephew Philip, and that it would be figned by the King the next day, he had given the fame notice to my brother, who was one of the Affiftants at Eton, and on that day, we both met in my uncle's office at Hampton Court, but inftead of meeting with my Jigned commiffion, we found my uncle had been directed to put it afide, and to fill up another for Mr. John Le- mon, and that too, by the exprefs commandf of Sir Robert Walpole himfelf : this was a hea- vy blow to them ; and to me, it was as bad as a fentence of death, which my affedionate brother perceived ; thus ftimulated, furprifed, and concerned ! he made ufe of a piece of addrefe^ and got himfelf placed in a paflage, through which, Sir Robert Walpole was foon to pafs, and there, with the lofs of one of the heels of his half jack boots, and a wig with fcarce a crooked hair in it, he accofted that great minif- ter : by reminding him of his promife, to Mr. Townfhend, and to his fon. My brother's perfon, was unknown to Sir Robert ; but his- name, from an hundred humourous Eton tranfaftions he had heard from his fons, was weD 443398 . , '.' ( 3 ) well known to him : fo that the minute he knew his name, he was no longer furprifed at the un Etiquetijh mode of being fo flopped ^ in the King's Palace ; Sir Robert, who in all pri- vate tranfaftions of life, was one of the moft friendly and captivating men of the age, took my brother back to his apartments, followed by Mr. Arnold, the deputy Secretary at war, who had under his arm, thofe very Georgia commiffions, from which I had been fo fuddenly difmifled : he then told my brother, that Sir William Younge, the Secretary at war, who was ill in Cornwall, had fent Mr. Lemon ex- prefs to him, for the purpofe of obtaining a pair of colours in Oglethorpe's regiment, and fo recommended, that he could not be reject- ed ; ' I fent faid he for Mr. Ogelthorpe, and told him one of the prefent named Enfigns muft be difmifled, and he obferved ; that I had put clown your Brother myfelf\ and as all the others were fo ftrongly recommended, I found it lefs painful to take a liberty 'with myfelf, than with another. This Sir, faid he was the cafe, and is the reafon, your brother was put by ; adding, however, in a very pointed manner ; but Mr. Thicknefle, your brother mail be provided for : as my brother did not feem difpofed to retire, Sir Robert turned to Mr. Arnold, and afked, if "" there ( 39 ) there was, in any other corps, a pair of co- lours, vacant ? Mr Arnold informed him there was not, but that a Lieutenancy of an inde- pendent company at Jamaica was. Then faid Sir Robert, in a manner which could not be mifunderftood, MR. THICKNESSE YOUR BRO- THER SHALL HAVE THAT. We foon after met Mr. Arnold at my uncle's office, and there, the good old man, thus accofted me. Come young man faid he, next thurfday morning to the war office in White Hall, and then, I {hall have the pleafure of wiming you joy of a Lieutenancy, inftead of a pair of colours, with better pay, feven years fervice gained ; aye, faid he, and a better country and climate to ferve in, all which was compleatly fulfilled at the appointed time : whe I went to return my thanks to Mr. Townfliend, he was pleafed to fay, he had rendered me this piece of fer- vice, from a delire he had to ferve me, upon my own account ; adding, and I have promif- ed your brother to pufh you up to the rank of Captain, to mew my regard to him. 1 fliall in another part of thefe memoirs, fhew how religioufly that good man performed his promife, even after / alone could be fenfible of the rectitude of his heart, and the amiable- nefs of his difpofition. Thus become a captain^ it ( 40 ) it is with mame I reflect, and much more to write, (were it not for the good of other fuch captains) of what importance I confidered myfelf, but when I had received three months pay, I was quite intoxicated, I quitted my mother's houfe, hired a firft floor in Dartmouth-ftreet, Weftmi.nfter, and had not what I then thought a moft fatal misfortune befel me, took my honor a little down, I know not what extra- vagance or folly I might not have been guilty .pt_,, j ? , will therefore relate my misfortune, though it be to my fhame. Being a captain, as obferved above, I thought it captain-like to fpend my evenings at a certain female coffee-houfe, in .the neighbourhood of Covent-Garden ; and in order to be quite tonijb, at twelve o'clock one evening, I ordered a chair to be called, but I -was 1 not fo perfectly initiated into that fafhion- able line of life, but that I did not care, even the chairmen fhould know the houfe I lived in, and therefore, though it rained hard, I defired to be fet down at fome diftance from my own door j at which time I had twelve guineas and two fhillings in one pocket, and four-pence of copper in the other, after having given my worthy carriers the two {hillings, they urged my honor to give them fomethingto drink, and I had not drank too much myfelf, yet their C 4i ) their hurry, my own, and the rain, urging difpatch, inftead of giving them copper, I prefented thofe boneft fellows with twelve guineas more ! they kindly thanked my honor ^ and were, I dare fay, a mile off by the time Betty had been awoke, and able to conduct me to my bedchamber, but behold ! the next morning, taking my breeches by the isjrong end alfo, I was furprifed to fee a parcel of half-pence roll about the floor, but what was my aftonifhment, when I found they were all that was left me of twelve pounds fourteen millings and four pence ! At this inftant the poft man brought me a three penny letter from Cambridge, and then, the captain's honor, was left with but one penny in his pocket ! however I hoped the letter might turn up fomething favourable, as I knew itcame from a brother, fmcerely loved, but alas, it was to exprefs his concern, leaft I mould be failed for Jamaica, before he could be in town, and de- firing, inftead of a few guineas he might then have furnifhed me with, that I would accept in good part, the following golden rules which he had put down in lieu thereof. The rules it is true, were excellent, but the gold at that time would have proved more acceptable; under this dilemma, I perceived, to make my diftrefs to my mother, was not to be thought on, ( 4* ) gn, but after a variety of expedients, I hit upon the only one which could have fo well fucceeded. The laft cafli, (I fliould fay the/ry? cafn^ I had received) had been paid me by Mr. Popple, the agent to the eight independent companies in Jamaica, who having receiv'd me with great politenefs, induced me to think I might get afliftance from him. I accordingly waited upon him, and told him openly, what had happened; and he, inftantly perceiving, how exceedingly I was embarrafled in the rela- tion of it, put his hand upon my moulder, young gentleman, faid he, fay no more, I know how to make allowances for fuch youthful in- difcretions, and as you are going abroad, I will advance you fix months pay, he did fo, with- out agent deductions, and the name of Popple has ever fince, been refpectable in my ears. For till that bufmefs was done, I was within one penny of being in the fame fituation of a Frenchman, who frequently wrote to me from one part of London to the other, by the gene- ral poft, and when I told him of his error, and that he mould fend his letters by the penny i not the general poft, he replied, I no dat.very vcl ; then why do you not fend them fo : ? maifoy^ faid /6 Now as thefe memoirs may be pe- rufed, by ir.nny noble captains like myfelf, I will aiTure ( 43 ) affure them, that the twelve pounds fourteen ihillings paid to two chairmen, from Covent Garden to Dartmouth ftreet, Weftminfter, was the beft laid out money of my whole life, for I never vifited afterwards, houfes which ren- dered it neceflary to be fet down before I got to my own door, and I have fcarce ever been within a chair fince. It is a machine only fit for women j and nothing but abfolute neceffity, or want of health, Ihould induce a man, much lefs a fol- dier, to be feen in fuch a vehicle ; about four hundred years ago, a Baron of this realm, was to be tried for high crimes and mifdemeanors, and among other charges, one was, for fuffer- ing himfelf to be carried about in his garden, by two of his own fpecies : this early difafter, put me upon my guard ever fince, about money matters, or I had probably continued to this day, as indifcreet in that matter, as I have in all others, for I know not any other folly I have guarded againft, but that of not being one of thofe fools, who will be as fine as their neigh- bours, whether they can afford it, or not. Lord Bateman, who upon many occafions has honoured me with marks of great kindnefs, once afk'd me, privately, (not as the prefent S r of the H of C ns alk'd A 1 G r publickly Ln the rooms at Bath) how I made it out ? ( 44 ) out ? obferving at the fame time, that I had a large family, and was rather difpofed to be generous ? I told his lordfhip that if I had but fifty pounds a year, I would fpend but five and forty, and that I was always in a condition to draw upon my banker for twenty ; then faid my lord, jocofely, you have the advantage of me, Thicknefse, for that's more than I can do ; his lordfhip however, muft excufe my remind- ing him, what he has chofe to forget, that he has had fome years in his pofleffion, a draft of mine for foe twenties, upon my banker, a circum- ftance I would not mention, but that I would not' have bis lord/hip think, I have forgot it afi. /iy oj &tm oil sp" iijfifii DV,' . ^iii(?gr^d* JI^\/ bsiujj. L ?>^j , : lt.(b|sqi odw 0^*'^ <* /hi// <%{: in! orfw CHAP. C 45 ) r CHAPTER V. fym :-)FHT .3fIT TV/T JVlY Cow/ Garden dif after ^ taught me to a& in future, with more caution, as to money matters ; I therefore, not only fecured an early paffage to Jamaica, in a good river built fliip, but paid the captain twelve guineas for my paffage, who was to entertain me at his table, and furnifli even wine at meals, for that fum, and having foon after, procured him another paffenger, (a brother lieutenant in the fervice) we failed for Jamaica, and by touching at Ma- deira, and flaying ten days, at that half-way houfe, we mould have enjoyed our good fare, and our civil captain's attention to us, much better, had we not been curfed with the com- pany of a Mac. Kittrick ! an upftart coxcomb", who called himfelf a Jamaica merchant, but who in fact, was a Scots pedlar, with a cargo of tagged laces, pins, needles, combs, and fcif- fars ; this coxcomb pofieffed every fpecies of impudence ( 46 ) impudence (except that of affuming another man 1 ! name,) and whofe ignorance was fuch, that he would have laid his pack to a baubee, that our commiffions were not figned by the King's own hand. This " beggar on horfeback" had been twice before, in Jamaica, and was continually alarming us, with the extreme danger of the climate of that country ; it was no uncom- mon thing, he faid, to fup with a friend, one night, and follow him to the grave the next ; but when we came in fight of the ifland, (which from the fea, is rather an alarming than an inviting object) he embraced an hundred occafions, to alarm us ; fuch as, " God knows which of us may flip his windfirft" this day feven- night, may occafion great alterations, " The ne- groes will fay when you land, ki maffa, meforry for that poor Bacara\ him go to the parfons pen^\ with a variety of inuendoes, of the fame caft ; yet it rnuft be confefled the fellow had a little fmattering of the fecond fight about him : .for for within forty eight hours after we did land, we might have followed him to the grave, for to ufe his own phrafe, hejlipt his 'wind firft, be- fore his pack had been opened, and we laid claim to twenty pounds worth of his wares, as he had taken a guinea from each of us, to give t White Man. \ The Church Yard. ( 47 ) give us twenty, if our commiflions were un- der the King's lign manual; though he had feen it under the great feal. Such was his ig- norance, but no man could equal his impu- dence, except an arrogant affuming impo/ior, who refides at Bath, and who even now dares to fhew his face among gentlemen, after being expofed as an infamous liar, a fcoundrel, and a coward. Fortunately for my purfe, and my perfon too, the company to which I was ap- pointed, was quartered on the north fide of the Ifland j I therefore, after paying my re- fpefts to the governor, fet off the next morn- ing, at three o'clock.; (to avoid the violence of the fun) for my country quarters, and about eight, I found myfelf in Sixteen mile walk, a beautiful country, adorned with many gentle- mens houfes. Being at that time, very hungry, very hot, and a little fatigued, I afk'd my foot guide, (a negro, who had his hand twifted in my horfe's tail) who was the befl gentleman in Sixteen mile walk? for as there are no country Inns in Jamaica, every gentleman's houfe- is open to all white travellers. My guide, confi- dering the richeft genilman, to be the beft, named Col. Price, and accordingly conducted me to ROSE-HALL. A mulatto fervant took my horfe, and another conducted me into a fpacious ( 48 ) fpacious hall. A raw boy as I was, thus enter- ing a ftranger's houfe, did not fit eafy upon my mind, but when I heard the important cough of my hoft, from the next room, I would gladly have got out of mine. At length, a tall, grave, ftately gentleman appeared, with a white hat, deeply charged with Point D'Ef- pagnc, to whom I made an aukward, but fuf- ficient apolpgy, to extort from him: -you are welcome (Sir t yet I perceived I was not : and began to fufpedt that I had been impofed upon, as to the travelling fajhion of the country. The Colonel, however, ordered breakfaft, and while the chocolate, tea, pine apples, water melons, and a profufion of good things were fetting forth, he called for a glafs of brandy, and in- vited me to drink another ! I then told him, I had been fo warned again ft drinking any kind of fermented liquors, that I had only drunk two glafles of wine, at Governor Tre- lawney's, fince my arrival ; then pray, Sir, faid he, how long have you been arrived ? and when he found I was a ftranger, only of a few days, the mift was removed, his referved coun- tenance vanifhed at once ; and in the moft ob- liging manner he expreffed his concern, that he had received fo very a ftranger to the coun- try, with the leaft mark of indifference ; add- in g> ( 49 ) ing, that he had a very large acquaintance, and pointing to a houfe, about a mile diftant, told me, that it was his fteward's, a gentleman, to whom he allowed eight hundred pounds a year, for managing his eftates, and to entertain fuch travellers as were not of his acquaintance. I do not fay this Sir, to direct you to go thither in future, for I mall always expert you tojhng in a hammock at Rofe Hall ; but to explain away that embarrafment, you and I were under, juft now, for I mould have faid, that I had told him at firft, I was going to Bagnell's Thickets, to join a company there, to which I was a Lieu- tenant; he then perfuaded me to drink a dram of brandy, before I fat down to breakfaft, and allured me, that where one perfon died in that country, by drinking too much, twenty died by too much eating ; a truth to which I moft fmcerely fubfcribe. After breakfaft, Mr. Price, feeing my miferable fcald horfe brought forth, for the hire of which I had paid three piftoles, * he was fo offended with the owner, and fo polite to me, that he mounted me upon a fine horfe of his own; then mewed me a houfe on the brow of a diflant mountain, 'inhabited by his relation, there laid he, you will dine, and my E coulin * He made the Man return half the Money to me. ( 5 ) coufin will remount you to Bagnell's, where I am fettling a new plantation, and I hope we fliall of- ten meet there, and here too ; I mould not have been thus particular, but to mew the firft fpeci- men of the hofpitality I met with, in a country, where the fame would have been repeated, throughout the whole Ifland ; and at the houfe too, of the only man in it, who did not ufually receive grangers. During my refidence at Bag- mil's, I was frequently fent out with four or five and twenty men, in fearch of the wild Ne- groes, as the affembly of that Ifland, allowed feventy pounds for every pair of wild Negroes ears which were brought in. Juft in the fame man- ner, as the tame Negroes, are allowed a bottle of rum, for every dozen of rat tails, they bring in ; I thank GOD however, in that bufmefs, I was fortunate ; for I never gathered a Jingle pair. I thank GOD too, that I very early in life, had perception enough to learn, that however ho- nourable it may be deemed, to invade, difturb or murther men of diftant climes, it did not tally with my ideas of Juftice. I would fight, and either perifli, or conquer, men, who came from afar, to difturb me, from the enjoyment of that land, which my birth, gave me a na- of ( Si ) tural footing in ; but I feel no difpofition, to murther thofe, who like Tomo Chachi, are con- tent with their own. After near a year's duty at Bagnell's, I was removed to Port Maria Bay, within one mile of a gentleman's plantation, with whom I had been acquainted, when he was a boy in London, * as foon as I had fettled my men, I waited upon my old acquaintance, who received me with the utmoft marks of kindnefs, and deiired me to be one of his fa- mily, while I remained on that ftation. His houfe was fmall, having only a large falle a manger, and two bedchambers befide out-buildings, for the kitchen, fervants, &c. I found, at his houfe, his lady, a bro- ther, and his wife, and a Captain Hill ; all at bed, and board with him ; and yet he urged me to flay all night, and when I objected to it, he told me that Captain Hill had a mattrafs, with a Jheet laid over it -j- on the dining room floor, and that it was wide enough for two, for, to tell you the truth, faidhe, I have lain E 2 upon * Richard Bafnett, Efq. a Gentleman well known at Bath and at Southampton, by his amazing Dexterity in (hooting an Apple with a lingle Ball ; and which I have il-cn him throw up and hit, ten times to- gether. f Orrly one fhcet is laid, two, is one too many. C 5* ) upon it for this week paft, but if you will take my half, I can fleep with my wife. Mrs Baf- nett had given me reafon enough to admire her, and therefore I thought it a good reafon to accept of the invitation, but before either of us were afleep, I perceived the door to open, and a human figure came in, I told Captain Hill, who obferved, that it was probably one of the houfe Negroes, come to fteal the Plantation * which always ftands upon the fide board ; but foon after, I found myfelf pulled by the fleeve, and heard a low voice, fay, " maffa me da come" vaflly furprifed ! I reached out my hand, and put it upon fomething, as round as an apple, but as large as a pumpkin, my furprize encreafed then exceedingly ; fo I got up,, in a great paf- fion, and fent the nocturnal thing out of the room, with a flea in her ear, I fay her : for I verily believe, it was a young negro wench, whom maffa had ordered to fetch the Planta- tion away, after Mrs. Eajkett and the family were gone to bed, for when I related this cir- cumftance, the next morning, to Mr. Bafnett ; he began to put on fome of wolejerious looks, I had, experienced at Rofe Hall, before mat- ters were explained, and now I am upon this fubjeft ' * Small four Punch. ( 53 ) fubject, for I am glad of any fubjeft rather than myfelf, I may, I hope relate a ftory of Mr. Anthony Henley; who was thought a great wit, and who poffefled a Mac. Kittrick mare of impudence. He informed me, that he invited two gentlemen, and their wives, to fpend a fortnight with him at the Grange. In thofe days, gentlemen travelled with their ownhor- fes, and Mr. Henley made two days journey, from London to Winchefter, and knowing that his friends, were no enemy to the bottle, he put a fmall hamper of claret behind his coach, for the men, and a couple of bottles of cowflip wine, for the ladies ; the narcotic influence of the cowflips, foon fent the ladies to bed, and Mr. Henley, who was one of the ftrongeft, and handfomeft men in England, fo plied the hufband's with claret, that by twelve o'clock, the chamber maid was called, to lead them to their ladies bedchambers, but previous thereto, Mr. Henley charged the maid*, to obferve, that the lady in the green riding habit, belonged to the gentleman in red, and the brown riding habit, to the blue coat gentleman, but either the maid or Mr. Hen- ley, miftook the colours and crojfed the hujbands^ but what was worfe, he had made them promife to be off by eight the next morn- ing, yet neither appeared till near ten ; Mr. Henley, however informed me, that after he ( 54 ) he got the Ladies to the Grange, that they both owned to him, no mifchief had been done on the Road. * The chambermaid, however took the blame upon herfelf, for I believe the cham- ber maids, upon that road, were all in the in- tereft of Mr, Henley, though he did not make ufe of Mr. Durming's art, to win them over to him. f * This facetious gentleman, once afked me to breakfaft, at the Grange, and after fhewing me Lady Betty's Cage, and other Curio/ities, of his hou/e, I was taken into a light elegant Clofet, in which were Corn Sacks, tied up, and labelled, thus. From Southampton. From Win- chefter. From Andover. From Stockbridge, &c. It was natural to afk the Contents ? he informed me, they were Love Letters. I could not faid he, poor Devils f have the heart to burn them ; at another Time he took me to Little Dunford to Breakfafl with Mr. Young, Lady Rochford's Father, who had the nick Name of BRASS YOUNG, and it was really entertaining, to fee, and hear, thofe two pieces of Brazen Metal. founding together. Mr. Henley, however, was victorious ; for he made Mr. Young own, that his Miflrefs was Young's Coufin ; but Young infifred alfo, that Mrfs Culliford, was related likewife to Lord Pembroke. fli ffl^fil 'io /UMU ' f The young men upon the circuit with Dunning, were always afto- nifhed to find, fuch a mean figure, gained the preference of all the cbajle chambermaids, his method, was this, the minute they alighted, Dunning called for the chamber maid ; are you, faid he, child, the perfon who provide the beds ? I am Sir : then laid he there's a guinea for you, and that retaining fee, fecured his /beets being always the beft aired! and furely fuch a generous roan, was the fitteft to oblige. Dunning well knew the effeft of a fee before hand. ( 55 ) CHAPTER VI. 1 Am now arrived at that important period of my life, (yet a compleat half century ago,) that James Mac. Kittrick, alias Adair, hath charged me with having " thefole command" of a party of foldiers, when in the woods of Jamaica, and falling into an ambufh of the wild Negroes ; fecuring my own perfon, by an early retreat, and leaving the battle to be fought, by my victorious Sergeant, who brought many of them in prifoners, at the inftant that I was boafting of my own perfonal exploits, I will not call this double named doctor, " a " beqft) a reptile; anajfajjln^ and murder-monger" but the reader will I am fure excufe me, in fay- ing he is a ,bafe libeller, a liar, and a wicked defamer, and has no pretenfions to be confider- ed as a gentleman, if he has dared to write, print, ( 56 ) print, and publifh, fuch falfehoods. But be- fore I expofe and refute this wicked callumina- tor : it may be neceiTary to give fome account of the (late of that Ifland, between the years feventeen hundred and thirty, and that of thirty nine, when under the government of Mr. Trelawney ; who made a permanent peace with thofe black people. Such who are unac- quainted with that Ifland will be furprifed when they are told, that all the regular troops in Eu- rope, could not have conquered the wild Ne- groes, by force of arms ; and if Mr. Trelawney had not wifely given them, what they con- tended for, LIBERTY, they would, in all pro- bability have been, at this day, matters of the whole country. The mountains in that Ifland are exceedingly fteep and high, much broken, fplit and divided by earthquakes, and many parts inaccefilble, but by me'n, who always go bare footed, and who can hold by withes, with their toes, almoft as firmly, as we can with our fingers. In Governor Trelawney's time, there were two formidable bodies of the wild f Negroes in the woods, who had no connection with each other, the weft gang, under the com- mand of a Captain Cudjoe: the eaft, under Captain Quoha. A ftraggling prifoner of >ue- ha's gang, being taken, he was fent to inform his ( 57 ) his brethren, with the conditions Mr. Trelaw- ney held out to them, and which were accept- ed, by Cudjoe long before Captain Quoha^ had heard any thing of it. At this time, I had been removed from my Port Maria Say, duty, to a place called Hobbie's, five miles from the fea, in the parifh of St. George's ; under the com- mand of Lieutenant George Concannen, a gen- tleman, who had been long in the Ifland, and brother to Mathew Concannen, then the at- torney general of Jamaica. The parifli of St. George's, one of the fineft, and molt fertile in the Ifland, had in a manner been laid defolate, by the wild Negroes, fo much fo, that though it once abounded in fugar plantations, we were obliged to fend thirty miles for our rum, and many other neceffaries, nor durft we even ap- pear without the walls of our barracks, after it was night, as the wild Negroes furround- ed us, and frequently, when they heard our centinels call all's well ; would reply, ki! ki! Becara call all's well, while we tee-ve their corn ; at this place, Mr. Concannen was reinforced with a Lieutenant, and fifty militia men, black and white /hot, as they were there termed, and feventy baggage Negroes ; his orders were to march up a certain river-courfe, till we difco- vered a wild negroe town, fuppofed by good information, information, to be upon its margin, or very near it ; after two or three days march from Hobby's, towards the fun fetting, we came to a fpot, on which the impreflion of human feet, of all ages, were very thick upon the fands, as well as dogs, &c. We were certain therefore, that the object of our fearch was near, but as there is very little twilight in that country, it was determined, that we fhould lie quietly all night upon our arms, and make our attack at the dawn of day, the next morning ; and be- fore the fun appeared, we perceived the fmoak of their little Hamlet, for the Negroes, always have a fire burning in their huts to drive away the mufquitoes : we therefore flattered ourfelves, that we might take even them, napping : if thofe people, ever ftand their ground, it is up- on fuch, as is almoft inacceffible by white men, and the firft notice of their attack, is a heavy fire, from invifible hands ! however the little Hamlet I am fpeaking of, was not a principal town, but a temporary^/fc/Tzg and hunting villa, if I may be allowed the expreffion ; it was fitu- ated on the margin of the river, acceffible every way, and confequently not teenable : and therefore the inhabitants, who had difcovered our approach, were gone off in the night, or perhaps but a few minutes befor,e we entered their ( 59 ) their town, for there were feventy-four huts, and a fire burning in each, but no living crea- ture in it. Here the duty, upon which we were fent, was compleatly performed ; but Mr. Concannen, thought it then became his duty, to communicate to us, the orders he had re- ceived, in the governor's name, from Captain JAMES AD AIR, (not one of the Adairs of the Highlands of Scotland, but really CAPTAIN ADAIR) * brother to the late well known, and much refpecled, William Adair, of Pall Mall, Efq. when I faid confulted us, I meant myfelf, the lieutenant of militia, and our young Scotch furgeon : I do not know what Mr. Concannen's own opinion was, but he adopted ours, which I am fure was a very weak one, and that was to burn the town, and purfue the enemy; both which, we inftantly put into execution, and followed the very track, which the Negroes had, in fome meafure made paflable, * by cut- ting the buflies before us. At every half mile, we found Cocoes, Tarns, Plantains, &c. left art- fully by the Negroes, to induce us to believe, they were in fear of our overtaking them, and at length we found a fire, before which they had left feveral grills of wild hog, probably well feafoned Killed before Bo^ba Cbiea. ( 60 } feafoned for us, we continued the purfuit, till near night, and then, hearing their dogs bark, we concluded they had heard us alfo, and we gave over all hopes of feeing or hearing any thing more of them : we had marched with great expedition, the whole day, and were much fatigued; but foon after, we got upon, the margin of Sfani/h River, * where we in- tended to enjoy ourfelves, and reft that night, and the next morning, to follow the Stream, to the fea fide, in order to find our way back to Hobbies : for the ftream only, could have directed us which was our courfe back again. As I was the fecond in command, my ftalion was, in the rear of the whole bo- dy of men, baggage Negroes and all ; and as foldiers on that duty, can only march Hedge-fafhion one after another, I may venture to fay, I had been all the former days, a mile at leaft from Mr. Concannen, who marched in the front, except a ferjeant, and twelve black and white Jhot, which preceded him : but as all idea of fervice was over, I defired Mr. Concannen, to permit the militia Lieutenant, to bring up the rear, that I might have the pleafure of his company, and converfation, on our way down to the fea fide ? this being agreed to, after drinking * The Rivers in Jamaica, are the beft Paflesfor Foot paflengers, es- cept in heavy Raius, and then they carry all before them. ( 61 ) drinking our wild fage tea, we gave our fu- zees to the drummer, and moved forward. The Negroes, fome of whom, had been in our rear, all the preceding day, and others before us, had placed themfelves, from top to bot- tom, on a very fteep mountain, thickly cover- ed with trees and bufhes ; on the other lide of the river, under which, they knew we muft pafs, as the water was too deep on our lide, and as that mountain was not an hundred and fifty yards from the fpot, on which we had flept, they had an opportunity of knowing our num- bers, and feeing which of us, were the Grande- men, for as to external drefs, we were all very much alike, in courfe jackets and trowfers. The Negroes therefore, permitted the advanced fer- jeant, and his party, to pafs unnoticed, but the minute us Grande-men got under their am- bufh, a volley mot came down, which muft have killed or wounded moft of us, had they taken any aim, but they are fuch cowards, that they lie down upon their bellies, ftart up to fire per hazard^ and then fink down, to re-load \ feveral of the foldiers, for the militia were at fome diftance, though not out of gun mot, were mortally wounded, and the drummer, at our elbows, was fhot through the wrift : at this inftant, the baggage Negroes,- (feventy) who had had but jufl got their loads upon their heads, threw them down, and run away ; and the militia, to a man, their officer excepted, (whom however we did not fee) followed them. The wild Negroes at the fame time, firing and call- ing out, Be car a run away Becara run away, it is probable too, that we fhould have followed, but fortunately, there were fome large mafles of the mountain which had caved down, and which lay in the middle of the flream, juft under the foot of the ambufh, and we took fhelter behind them, but though we could hear the Negroes and even converfe with them, not one was to be feen ! 1 our original flock of foldiers, did not exceed thirty, and to the beft of my remembrance, we were not above fix- teen or feventeen behind the rocks, nor was it in our power, to reftrain, that handful of men we had, from firing at thefmoak only, of our enemies, till they had not a fmgle cartridge left 1 The Surgeons inflruments, and all the fpare ammunition, with the proviGons, &c. was caft down in the river above, and to fay the truth, we durft not run away, for the Ne- groes, only fired, when they could fee a head, or an arm of any of our people, above the rocks, and there we ftaid, more out of fear, than from any hopes of victory, up to our waifts in water for ( 63 ) for four hours and a half, with a burning fun upon our heads, and in momentary apprehen- fions, of being all taken alive, for I believe that fear, overcome the fear of immediate death, I own it was fo with me, and at length, how- ever, one of our men, was fhot through the knee ! it was impoffible that he could have been fo wounded, from the ambufh lide, and there- fore we naturally, and fearfully too, concluded, the Negroes had crofled the river, either above or below us, and that they would inftantly pufh in upon us, and take us alive, we therefore agreed to quit our place of melter, and take our chance of their referved fire ; and put the beft face we could, upon our enemy, on the other fide, with prefented, bnt unloaded arms, for Mr. Concannen, myfelf, and the furgeon only, had a few fpare cartridges, we according, ly haflily paffed over the river, which was not forty yards, from the thicket, and was as thickly be-fpattered on our retreat, as by their firft falutation, the men who were mortally wounded, and who perhaps never intended to move from the (tones in the river on which they were repofing for death, were fo alarmed, to think that their laft minutes, were to be fpent in the pofleflion, offuch enemies, defying their wounds, their agonies, and their miferies, jumped jumped up and followed us, and one in parti- i 11-1 1 /T t, 'hittiii :uii/ic.'k cular, who had been (hot through the body, tit the firft fire, received another bullet in at his back, and out at his belly, and yet not only went over with us, but actually clambered up a fteep mountain, and there befought its to di patch him. Before we had been two minutes in trie oppofite wood, the militia lieutenant joined us, he had concealed hirhfelf behind a tree, for what elfe could he do ? and as we dread- ed a purfuit ; we afccnded as faft as crippled, fatigued, and for myfelf, I will add, frighten- ed men could afcend, the fteepeft mountains, during which we heard the horrid fhouts, drums, and rejoicings of our victorious enemies in the river below; not only rejoicing over -ouf MtlMF, btead., ham^-'&c. &c. but bearing as we afterwards found, the heads of our dead men in triumph. The run away militia, got among the fettlements the fame evening, and had not their binder wounds, contradicted their forward declarations ; they would have made thfefr Neighbours believe they had fought vali- aritiy, I believe that a report had prevailed, that Mr. Concannen, and the whole party, had run away, * that report aggravated Mr. Con- 4 *> floiBbfiog 1 * ,'fnifto "Pvrfuof I never heard cf any cculd fbnt! againft the ambuflies of thofe canhen*s friends, and then it was as wickedly propagated that becaufe Mr. Concannen, the attorney general, and Mr. Trelawney the go- vernor, were upon bad terms, that the gover- nor had feht his brother, the lieutenant, upon this hazardous expedition* with a handful of men, to facrifice him to the private refentment, he bore to the attorney general. I am happy even at this diftant period, however, to fay, that Mr. Trelawney, was too wife, too good, and of too noble a difpofition ; to be capable of any bafe, mean, or fpiteful action. The town being found according to the information given us, is fufficient to prove, that it was for the good of the fervice only that fuch orders were given, and that Us, younger counfel of war, whom Mr. Concannen confulted, led him into that difafterous fituation, in fpanifh river, Mr. Grenville, had a ftatue creeled to him, when he quitted his government of Barbadoes, where there were no wild Negroes to fubdue ; and if *he inhabitants of Jamaica, had been as wife, as hey were generous, they too mould have erect ^ nej to Mr. Trelawney, before his door, at St. Jafr.^ the p re ferver of the Ifland, and the author 01 ^ prcfent ^ poffeffion of it. I muft now i to brother offi and fellow ^^^^^ Con _ cannen ( 66 ) carmen, -by ftanding fo many hours in the wa- ter, with a perpendicular fun upon his head, and a mind deeply differing no doubt upon many accounts, was fuddenly feized with a violent fever. Before we afcended the firft fteep mountain, but we thought it prudent, if practicable, to afcend to the very higheft, and with great difficulty, and crippled as we were, did fo ; the poor drummer, who had been wounded at the firft onfet, got a ball through each thigh, when we retreated, and called loudly for water, or he could proceed he faid no further ; Mr. Concannen, was in the fame diftrefled condition, but not a drop of water was to be had, my friend, and brother officer, then lay down, and defired me to make the bed of my way, with fuch men as were able to follow me, and not to facrifice the whole to two or three, miferable wretches un- able to proceed. One of the foldiers, had a lit- tle hammock, made out of a barrack flieet, at his back, and flinging that between two trees, we with much difficulty got Mr. carmen into it, for he was a tall b he then procured water, but of h'isvS makin S> in his hat, and from time W* moi/iened indulge his appetite in Jt ' for ;/ of of the fame powers of fupply I the night ap- proached, and as a profound filence was neccf- fary, every man bore his wretched condition, without a groan, though we were all in a con- dition, / hope as bad as thofe fufferers in the hold at Calcutta, which has been fo pathetical- ly related, by a ftili furviviog, and refpeclable iufferer, Governor Holwell. For myfelf, I lay down upon my back, by the fide of my brother officer, with my tongue out, and praying to god to let that dew fall, which is confidered ratal to thofe who expofe themfelves to it. The next morning, providentially, we found an enormous cotton tree, the fpurs of which, grew fo fantaftically, that they had formed a rcfervoir of rain water, it was as black as coffee j but it was more acceptable, than a treafure of gold, on the evening of that day we got to the fea fide, and among fome inha- bitants where hofpitality and humanity was not wanting, notwithstanding the prefent hue and try- about ilavery, cruelty, c. Jamaica is an ifland as remarkable for longe- vity as any part of the known world, and I hope and believe, there are many people liv- ing there, and here too, who will remember this tranfadion, not only as it occafioned much F 2 converfation converfation among the principal people of the iflar.d, relative to the flanderous reports about the governor and the attorney general, but as being our laft acl of hoftility, as will appear in the next chapter, between the wild Negroes, and the civil inhabitants, a moil important ./Era, in the annals of that wonderful, beau- tiful, and I will add, plentiful and luxurious ifland. - loD3i o.t basuo'i barm Jud OHIHTOKL x itelio-ig si* yd b'n^ikrw; bne fc luo qg^v/^d ^^^^ ixon^dJ fli *atnl6idfilniSivb ^ bn 3n f J )o eknfijE sdl euohuxd bns luttriolq ,bbf Wiw* I b NOTHING but a mind rouzed to recol- leclion, and awaken'd by the groffeft falfe- hoods, could have recalled fo perfeclly to my memory, tranfaclions, which from the great diftance of time, feemed to me but as a dream, though it may be obferved, that people in age, frequently forget the events of the year, and even the day in which they live, yet have a perfect recollection of what paffed in their youth. About three months after this unfor- tunate run-away bufinefs in Spanilh river, Go- vernor Trelawney, like the Duke of Marlbo- rough, honoured me with a fecond tryal, for I was again ordered out with a party of three hundred regular troops, under the command of Captain Adair, we were in pofleflion of a prifoner, one of Captain, Quoha's people, and Jie too was one of their hornfmen, and under- took tool (7 ) >fj JbimbL o) . . ,n* mill -teii-tat arft ok to lead us to their principal town, for 'at this time Quoha did not certainly know, that Cudjoe (the captain of the weft end of the Ifland gang) had fubmitted upon Governor Trelawney's terms. It was utterly impoflible that thofe two parties could have any kind of . t , communication or cprrefpondence with each other ; our prifoner, the hornfman, was well affured however, that the weftern gang had laid down their arms, and were in poffeflion of that for which they contended ; LIBERTY, he affured us too, that we mould fail, if we attempte^ to poffefs ourfelves of their town by force : it was fo fituated, he faid, that no BODY of men, or fcarce an individual could ap- proach it, that they would not have five or fix hours notice, by their detached watchmen, or out centinels ; nothing but ocular demonitra- tion, can convey a perfect idea of the fteep and dangerous precipices we paffed, and which men, wearing fhoes, could not be fo iecurc ay Negroes, who being bare footed ; had it.- gers, as well as hands, to fccurc them from falling. After two or three days fatiguing march, the tornfman, conducted us to the foot of a very fleep arid high mountain, where we found in the vale beneath, a plantation of yams, plantancs, &c. he informed us that on v - * the ( 7' ) the other fide, equally deep to defcend, ftood their town, and the only acceffible way to it, was up a very narrow path, tha| f ^|^re cut, from place to place, about four foot deep, all the way up, and down, with crutch flicks fet before them, for the entrenched Negroes, to reft their guns upon, and that the firft man who appeared would be fired at, and another Negroe ready loaded, to take his place for the next comer, in fliort, that it would be impof- iible to lead our men in force, even to the top of the mountain, where the Negroes, who knew of our approach, were waiting for us ; Captain Adair perceiving that force of arms would not do, to my great fatisfaclion, order- ed the bornfman to found his horn ; the Ne- groes then were at no lofs to know that their miffing companion was with us, and they re- turned the falute, by founding theirs, but all this while, not a man of them was to be feen ! we then hailed them with a trumpet, and told them we were come to agree, not to fight ; that the governor had given Cudjoes people freedom, and that the fame terms were open to them 5 this account tallying exactly to that which the poor Laird of Laharret had com- municated to them, had much weight, but when they were, informed, that we were fol- diers, ( 7* ) fliers, not militia, they were alarmed, obferv- ing, that foldiers had no tatta, no mamma., and that one foldier dead, Mother tread upon him, i r i ' .1 i however, alter a long trumpet pane, they agreed to fend one of their Captains, in exchange, for one of ours, in order to fettle preliminaries, and this being agreed, to our utter aftoniflv ment, we faw in an inftant, an acre of under wood cut down, and that acre covered with Negroes ! every man having cut down a bufli at one blow in the twinkling of an eye ! foon after, terms being agreed to, we marched, or rather fcrambled up the narrow path, and found at proper diftances, the holes and crutches exactly as defcribed by : the hornj'man ; when we had defcended a path equally ftecp and narrow on the other fide, and approached the town, it became wide enough to march our men in, two a breaft, under the beat of drums, this novel appearance, to their women and children, feemed fo terrible, that they could not ftand it, but taking their children by their arms, run away with them into the woods \ however, when our drums were iilent, and the men inactive, they returned, one, or two, at a time, till all was quiet, as I was the hoftage, and firft in their town, I took up my abode at Captain guoba's habitation, and it was . ( 73 ") was fome amufement then to obferve, with what deteftation his pcccananes (children) were bred, to feel againft white men ; for though they faw their father in civil converfation with me, they could not refrain from ftriking their pointed fingers, as they would knives if they had been permitted, againft my breaft, faying in derifion, a becara becara /. e. i- I I.' I J t T 1 J T white man ! white man ! and here I had the mortification of feeing the poor laird of Lahar- rets* under jaw, fixed as an ornament, to one of their hornfmen's horn, and we found that the upper teeth of our men, {lain in Spanifh river, were drilled thro' and worn as ankle, and wrift bracelets, by their Obea ivomen., and fome of the ladies of the frft f aft/ion in to-ivn ; however, upon our informing >uoba, that fucli objects were very painful to us, they did not appear the next^day, I was very inquilitive to know in what manner the poor laird was put to death, but all I could obtain, upon that fubjecl, was, that he had pleaded his own caufe, and the Negroes too, fo well (for he war, a man of ienfe, and learning) that <$uoha told foe, lie had put bracelets upon his wrifts, and deter- mined to have fent him down to Governor . * The lairds teeth were fo very particular, that fome of our men could have fworn to the identity of the jaw bone. ( 74 3' Trelawney, \vith offers of iubmifiion upon the fame terms j the laird hid allured him, GWr^r had accepted; but laid .^?Wy#, whimlcanrulted our >&# woman, me oppofcd-the.ineafure, and laid, A/; /;' becara for take the 1o-ivn^ fo tut him bend off. But God knows what the poor laird fuffered, previous to that kind operation. The old Hogg? who patted fentence of death upon this unfortunate man, had a girdle round her wafte, with (I fpeak within compafs) nine or ten different knives hanging in fheaths to it, many of which I have no doubt, had been plunged in human flefh and blood; the fufcep- tible reader therefore can better conceive, than I can defcribe, what my feels were, who had fo lately efcaped from ibme of her horrid ope- rations in the ufe of them. But in the midil of this calm, and when we had reafon to think all was peace and fecurity, an event took place, which had not only nearly loft us the honor of making peace, and the iflands the benefit of it, but involved us in a civil v/ar, for a militia colonel, was out at the fame time, with a large party of his men, and hearing by ibme ftrag- gUng negroes, that Mr. Adair had brought the negroes to terms, he joined us at Trelawney town, and being of fupcrior rank to Adair, in- filled upon it, that the terms of peace fliould '-v 1 * be f 75 ) be lent down in his, not Captain AdairYname; and this difpute, between us regulars, and the militia officers, arofe to fuch a height, thai Adair had put us all under arms, and if 'the militia colonel had not fubmitted, I verily be- lieve we Ihould have come to blows. The ne- groes could not be indifferent fpecbators to a fcene of fuch confufion, and fo big with ifclf- chief, and it was with fome difficulty we could prevail upon Qv&ba to confide r himfelf, and Ms people fafe, between two contending parties of white men: and if Quoha had not beerf a plan- tation Jiavci who knew fomething of the cuf- toms, and manners, of the white people, all had been loft, it was clear however, that the peace was the act of Captain Adair, though the militia colonel might afiume, upon our junction, the command of the whole, but even that, Captain Adair would not fubmit to. As JQuoba fpoke tolerable good Englifli, and feem- ed a reafonable man, I queftioned him very clofely about the tranfaction in fpaniih river ; and the fate of thofe wounded men whom we left there, but he anfwered my qucftions fo cautioufly, that it was plain the truth was not to be told, but when I alked him what mifchief our random fire at their fniotil- ha< I < he fharply replied, " maffa fit nvfwitoii bd&'3n ( 76 ) my cheek? one of your Jhot bounce again my gun , him flly up, and makeum" and he was the only man who loft a drop of blood on their fide, on a day that we fuffered fo feverely, both in body, and mind. One of the liftening negroes, to my conversion with Quoha, then told me he had obferved me in particular, after we quitted the ambum, for when we left the river, and got into the thicket, I found a little keg of fhrub, which one of our baggage negroes had caft from his head, in the firfl flight, and a foldier near me, having a little tin pot at his girdle, we all took a potation from it, and a moft feafonable relief it afforded, after ftanding a long time up to our hips in water, with a vertical fun upon our heads. I then queftioned the negroe where he was at that time ? it feems he and another ne- groe, had been hunting wild hog, and was not with the negroes in ambufh, but the reports of our firing, had brought them to the fpot, and they had concealed themfelves behind a large cotton tree, and ventured to fire only once, upon us, before we had left the river, and then it was, that the man was mot in the knee, and that mot it was, which determined us to quit the river ; finding that we were fired upon from both fides, and appreheniivc that the negroes would have ruined in upon us, and taken MS alive, ( n 3 alive* for that only was our fear, we would have compounded for immediate death ; but we dreaded the fentcnce of death, and the execu- tions of it, from the hands of that horrid wretch, their Obea woman. I have been thus particular, as to this part of the bufmcfs, be- caufe the ingenious author of the hiftory of Ja- maica, in fpeaking of the peace made with the wild negroes by Governor Trelawney, has npt mentioned it as two diftintt afts^ and with two feparate bodies of men, under different leaders, and quite unconnected, but as if it had been one act of grace ; to one body of people ; where- as, it was as diftmcl a matter, as making peace with the French, without including the Spani- ards, or the Spaniards without the French. This great and important fervice rendered to that ifland, mould have been marked by the aflembly with a ftatue at St. Jago, before the governor's door, to the man, who preferved their lives, and properties ; and as they are a generous, a brave, and an hofpitable people, I hope, when they fo properly place a ftatue to Lord Rodney's memory for fo gallantly de- fending them from an attack by fea, that they will not forget, what they owe to him who fe- cured them interior benefits of equal importance to their purfes and perfons. Though it is fifty years C 78 ) years lince thefe tranfactions look place, there can be no doubt but that there are many per- fons now living in England, and in Jamaica, who perfectly remember the two events I have been forced to relate in vindication of my mi- litary character, and if the falfe defamer, Mac- kittrick, does not produce the gentleman of " refpcclable character, ncr thofe to whom that rcfpcclabk gentleman told it to at Bath, to confirm, that I had the fole command" that I run away, that my ferjeant obtained the victory, while I was boafting of my own prowefs" the candid reader will I am convinced agree \\ith me, that the charge was bafe, wicked, cow- ardly, and fuch as no man, not utterly void of every fenie, of honor, cohfcience, or rectitude! would have dared t.o have pub- e * >rn CHAP. fiKK)jrn an i. -ill-- 'J-SL\ * Let ivTr. ATackittrick produce ilot gentleman of character, or the rentlemcn to whom lie related fo crrcumjisr.tially this maltcr, and if th-jy are really men of character, thereby promife to ack:ie\vied-r \ny ihame in the puolick papers ; but I fnall expeft Mr. Mackittiick ibr ever to hick liis head among the barren hills, which gave fuch a wretch life, if he cinnot, an'.! I tell him he cannot ; the man docs not live \\lio can ,. C 79 ) (( M/;oh on 3d ni gntvil wo/? VlfDs'iior . C H A P T F V ' , 1.N confequcnce of thefe twofmarttng expediti- ons againft the wild negroes, and hearing that there was a talk of railing ten regiments in England, I applied to Mr. Trelawney for fix months leave of abfence, and having obtained that indulgence, Captain Wyndham, of the Greenwich man of War, was fo obliging, to give me a paffage home with him, in which Ihip I bore my mare in two of the greateft ca- lamities, to which mariners are fubjecT:: FIRE, AND WATER ; for in the windward paf- fage, during very fine weather, and fmooth water ; the cooper dropped a lighted candle into a half puncheon of rum, which wasjfe/ in the after hatch-way ; and which ftpod upon many others. The fire burn: forth with great- fury, even to flame up to main-top ! all com- mand C 80 ) tnand inftantly ceafed, and fiich a fcene of con* fufion took place, as is utterly undefcribable. Captain Wyndham, and his firft lieutenant Mr. Crookmanks, (now living^ affifted by the other officers, and fuch men as were not deprived of reafon (for I faw many who were) exerted all their fkill and prudence, in extinguiming the flames, by covering the fpirits with water, for had they flopped the bunghole, as fome propof- ed, it is probable the air within, would have been fo rarified, as to burft the veflel, and fet all the dry materials on fire alfo. Fourteen fail of Merchantmen, which were under oar convoy, feeing the condition we were 'n, and knowing that our guns were all {hotted, ^lood off. The men had left the wheel, nd the fhip, with her fails fet, took her own rourfe ! during this time, or a great part of ii, I was the only perfon upon the quarter dirrk, for there were more about "he fire than could be of fervice, and I experienced nfecond tryal, al- moft equal to that in Ipanifh river. In bad weather failors will obey orders, but in a fhip on fire, it is every man, a dram out of his own bottle, and I believe many bottles were poured down during that time; for either a temporary madnefs, or extreme drunkennefs, feemed to have taken place, among the greateft part ( 8i ) part of the crafctf Sun*;*** were raving, fome laughing, while others were endeavouring to get the boats over the fide ; yet I am firmly perfuaded, had the {hip been burnt, thofe men who preferved a little reflec- tion, and refolution, would have be^en faved. The water was perfectly fmooth, and though the Merchantmen flood off, all their boats would have been out, the minute the fliip had blown up, not only to fave the people, but many loofe things which fuch a fudden explo- fion, muft neceflarily fet on float ; it was a trying time with us all, and as I had nothing to do, but to confider my own fafety, I fecur- ed an oar, and laid it upon the netting of the quarter deck, determining, if the fire gained upon the fliip, to perifti by water, rather than fire, or to fave myfelf by .fwimming, and float- ing with my oar. However the good fenfe and prudence of thofe about the fire got the better of it, and peace and order again took place* As we had not only Commodore Brown, the late Sir William Burnaby, and feveral ladies paflengers, the fociety, on board was very agreeable, and much heightened by the oblig- ing conduct of Captain Wyndham ; one of the beft bred gentlemen in the britifli navy, but when we got into the latitude of Bermudas, we G were were taken by a gale of wind, or rather by a furious ftorm, fuch as landmen cannot con- ceive, and fuch as few feamen ever experience, if I miftake not, we run eleven knots (miles) under our bare poles, we then attempted to lyq to, but the fhip would not bear it, and we were obliged to run before it, a under fore fail, while we were in this fituation, the mountai- nous fea which followed us, becalmed the fore fail, and die fea made a breach over us, and with fuch force too, that the poop, the cabins beneath it, and all the upper works were fb {love in, that the great cabin was laid quite open, and rlufh with the main deck, Sir Wil- liam Burnaby's hammock and mine, flung fide by fide, at this time, in the gun-room, and the fea, which came pouring clown the hatch ways in fuch quantities, induces us to believe, that the fhip was under water, and that we had no longer to live, than till me was fill- ed between decks, but as I fat in my hammock, with my face to the tiller-head, the canvas hav- ing been beat in, I perceived light, for it was juft at break of day that this pooping fea had broke over us. I then got out of my ham- ioek, and with difficulty, in my fhirt only, gained the deck, but good God ! what a fight did it exhibit, there lay poor old Commodore Brown j Brown ; ladies, both black and white, naked among the fragment of furniture, bedding* fheets, blankets, all heifer-falter without any covering, but their wet fhirts and ihifts, and poor captain Wyndham, a cripple with the gout, holding himfelf from being blown overboard, by the main-meet ; I crawled, (for I could not walk) to Commodore Brown, and afked if I could ren- der him any fervice: hefaida few dry blankets j would be of ufe to the poor ladies, and as Sir William's hammock and mine, were perfectly dry, I got down again into the gun room, and having fecured two or three blankets, and a pot of ginger ( which coft me feven pounds fterling) 1 attempted to make my way up again, but a iea broke over us which not only threw me down the hatch-way, but broke my pot of gin- ger, which the jacks 9 fopped as it was, in fait water, and dirt, devoured in an inftant. It is very fmgular, that though all the after cabins were wafhed away, and even the btdfteads on which feme of the paflengers lay were fplinter- ed, no one was maimed, wounded, or warned overboard ! The paflengers, ladies and all, were got down into the purfer*S cabin, and bread room, and the gale continued in its greateft force, I think for more than eight and forty hours j I have been much at fea, and in what G a has ( 84 ) has been called by feamen very hard gales of wind, but they were mere breezes to this Ber- mudian gale. Upon my arrival in England, I found ten new regiments were to be raifed, fix of marines, and four of foot, my brother, who was then at Cambridge, fent me a letter to Mr. Townfhend, and directed me to deliver, it myfelf, either in town or country, and upon en- quiry, I found Mr. Townfhend was upon a viiit, with that great and good man, Mr. Poyntz, at Mitcham, andthitheI went with pofthorfes, for no fuch thing as a poft chaife exifted in thofe days, it was very fevere weather, and I arrived there fo froft bitten, that I could not have re- turned even to Reading. Mr. Poyntz there- fore humanely invited me to flay a day or two, as he kindly termed it, to warm myfelf, and then faid he, part of my family, who are going to London, can give you a corner in my coach, and I went back, with an open letter in my pocket from Mr. Townfhend to Sir William Younge. This letter (was not written in a court favor ftyle) but to ckfire I might be pro- moted.in the new raifed corps to the rank, of captain, which \vasaccordingly done, being ap- pointed Captain lieutenant to Brigadier Jeffe- ries's marine regiment of foot, for at that time the marines were independent of the admiralty board. board. Our head quarters was fixed at South- ampton, and after two or three months fuccefs- ful recruiting, I was ordered to quarters. A few days after my arrival there, fourteen or fifteen officers, all ftrangers to each other, were collected to eat our firft regimental dinner together, and here I hope I fhall be excufed, if I relate a very unfortunate circumllance which aroie even before I had drank a glafs of wine with my brother officers. I am well aware that events of fuch a nature ought not to come from the pen of either party, but as Jemmy Makittrick has charged me with want of fpirit among the blacks, I hope to be pardoned, if I relate part at leaft, of my conduct among my white brethren at Southampton, for previous to our fitting down at dinner, obferving one of the compa^ ny to have his hand fupported by a black filk fling, I afked by what accident he had fuifered ? he replied that he had been involved in a fray at Portfmouth the evening before, and that two of his fingers had been cut off. It was natural to alk him what company he had been in ? he named feveral, and among them Lieutenant Briggs, a gentleman whom I knew and efteemed, and who w r as juft appointed to that vacancy, which my promotion ; had made in the company at Jamaica. I was afto- nifhed, and concerned, obferving that Mr. Briggs. Briggs was my friend, and particular acquain- tance ; he may be your acquaintance, replied the wounded gentleman, but I allure you he is not your friend, for he abufed you in the groffeft terms, intimating at the fame time that it :*w lucky the 'wind was not eajlcrly^ or he ivould /?,/:r 'been failed Jor 'Jamaica. I underftood by this hint) what was expected, for it feems the abule Mr. Briggs had beftowed upon me, had been imparted to all the company. And here I muft obferve that this young man had run out a very pretty fortune, and was fo diftreffed', f as to go over to Jamaica, a cadet in the company to which I belonged ; that I had pitied his con- dition, that he eat often with me, was fome- times affifted with a little pocket money from mine ; and that we never had the leaft differ- ence together, that I had rejoiced to hear he had fucceeded me in the commifiion I quitted, and that if I had been afked his character, I ihould have mentioned him as a genteel well bred young man, for whom I had a real efteem an'd regard; " ** "J _>;; > j^ic'o .tic . > 1 ..j; -t^fn z The reader may eafily conceive niy fituation at dinner, with fourteen or fifteen gentlemen, who would never have eat again with me per- haps, had Mr, Briggs been failed, I therefore made made a fhort meal, drank the gentlemcns healths, and defired them to fufpend their judg- ment for a few hours, as I underftood Mr. Briggs was Hill at Portfmouth, and that I would endeavour to fee him before I flept, or eat again. I was at this time a very young man, and neither the colony of Georgia, nor the moun- tains and ivild negroes in Jamaica, had given me much opportunity of knowing how to conduct myfelf, upon an occafion fo very novel and un- expected ; but as the late General Sir Richard Lyttleton, was one of the company, and though not older than myfelf, I knew he had been page to the Queen, and much better ac- quainted with life than me, I fent for him out, and defired him not only to honor me with his advice, how to proceed at that time, but to give his affiftance throughout -the whole affair, provided I acled with that fpirit which I ought, and which he approved. Mr. Lyttleton faid many polite things upon the occafion, thought hjmfelf particularly honoured, and being fin- gled out from fo many brother officers, equally zealous to ferve me, and then obferved, that Mr. Briggs muft be a paltroon, to have fo nearly timed his indecent attack, upon an abent gentleman, therefore faid he, do not challenge - him but cane him foundly, and tell him he will find ( 88 ) find you ready for him whenever he is at leifure to call upon you at Southampton ; adding, that I fhould thereby interrupt his prefent voyage, and render him the challenger. With thefe in- ftructions I inftantly took my leave of Mr. Lyt- tleton, and fet off for Portfmouth, it was in the month of April, and the day that Admiral Gavendim gave a ball, upon being elected member for that city. I did not find the young gentleman at his lodging, but while I was wait- ing for him at the coffee houfe, I faw him {landing at the King's Arms Tavern door, very elegantly dreffed, for the ball, and to do his perfon juftice, he was a very elegant man, he had a fword on, and a cane in his hand, and as I had only a fword, and a fmall riding ftick, I drew a more fubftantial one out of a bundle, which ftopd to be fold at the next door, and without ftaying to pay the owner for it, I determined to pay Mr. Briggs with it, I believe he faw me draw it out, for before I got over to him, he was as white as the paper I am now writing upon, my word, and my blow went in urtifon, at his head, and brought forth blood enough to fpoil half a dozen brocade uaiftcoats, he did not draw his fword, but ftruck at me with his cane, I then followed my blows, till I had fhivered my ftick to pieces over over him, and then I took him, flick and all, and laid him at full length in the gutter of the high ftreet, before the King's arms door, gave him a blow or two with his own cane, and told him he would find me at his fervice at South- ampton whenever he had any further com- mands for me. Portfmouth being a garrifon town, we were both, in an inftant put under arreft by the Governor, and the next morning according to Etiquette Militaire brought before him tojhake hands and be friends ^ and then we were fet at liberty, but as Mr. Briggs was not in t a condition to take notice of his dreffingfor the ball, at that time fo I told him again, where I was to be fpoken with, and returned to Southamp- ton. The next morning I was informed Mr. Briggs was dangeroufly ill, indeed it was with difficulty he could be brought before the go- vernor, to perform the Etiquette Mititaire, to take off his arreft ; I then returned to South- ampton, again letting Mr. Briggs know, where I was to be found, mould he hereafter have any commands for me, but before I had been two days at quarters, (where I was very well receiv- ed by Captain Lyttleton, and my brother offi- cers) notice came up, that Briggs was dying. Captain Smyth, a natural fon to Sir Thomas Lyttleton, and confequently a natural brother to Captain ( 90 ) Captain Lyttleton, was then commander of a fiiip of war, at Spithead, and bound for New- foundland, Captain Lyttleton therefore went down to Portfmouth, to procure me a birth with his brother upon that ftation, till it might be deemed fafe for me to return, in cafe of Briggs's death, however about a fortnight after I received the following letter from my adver- iary. , " Sir, I came laft friday in expectation " of feeing you, but being difappointed in my " defign, I fend you this, which is to acquaint " you, that the ill treatment I have had from " you obliges me infift upon feeing you to mor- " row, the nth of May, 1741, between the " hours of ten in the morning, and two in the " afternoon, and that you will fend me word " by the bearer what hour, and what place, " otherwife you may depend upon my pofting " you in every place I come in.'* BUTTON BRIGGS. MAT 10, 1741. " P. S.lf you come alone or bring a friend, " let me know." - r v? , - .;>syc^ f~ sj&iS. b3~sii' The reader will perceive that the poftfcript to Briggs's letter conveys more than meets the eye, confidering the rough manner he had been treated treated at Portfmouth. After confulting Cap- tain Lyttleton, I replied that I would meet him upon Titchfield common the next day at one o'clock, that Captain Lyttleton would honour me with his attendance as my fecond, and that I fliould. bring a cafe of piitols, and a fvvord, and expected him to do the fame, foon after our arrival upon the common on horfe back, and confequently booted and fpurred, Mr. Briggs, dreffed like a dancing mafter, appeared in a chaife and one, accompanied by a Lieuten- ant Morgan, who propofed to Mr. Lyttleton, that if I would afk Mr. Briggs's pardon, the matter might be/o fettled, this not being agreed to, Mr. Briggs, who was a good fwords-man, and had often given me inftruclions with florets in Jamaica, was afked where his piftols were ? he had none he faid, his arms were on board of Ihip, that a fword was a gentleman's weapon, and began to bind up his right arm with a filk handkerchief ; being in boots and fpurs, and my adverfary in pumps, I objected much to decid- ing the matter with fwords, and Mr. Lyttleton offered Briggs his choice of three cafes, his own, mine, or his fervants, but Briggs abfolutely objected to ufe either, and flourifhed his fword ; t Mr. Lyttleton, then obferved to me, that he was a coxcomb, and that he believed he was a coward ( 92 ) coward alfo, however faid he take him with his own weapon ; I accordingly did fo. For the reft many of Sir Richard Lyttleton's friends are ftill living, to whom I know he related the tranfaction ; * and therefore I mail only fay, that Briggs did not kill me ; here I muft obferve, that three months afterwards, Mr. Briggs did me the favor of a viiit at Southampton, \.o know my commands for Jamaica, and then I afked, him, what could have induced him to fpeak fo difrefpeclfully of one who had always efteem- ed him ? now it is to be obferved that his chriftian name was Hutton, and that he had a rich aunt of that name in Weftminfter, who was a very intimate acquaintance of my mother and lifters ; fo intimate, that the foolifh neigh- bours, imagined the old lady had left her whole fortune to my mother and fifter, and as Mr. Briggs found fhe had been told, fome ex- traordinary tales of his extravagance, he had conceived me to be the tatler of thofe tranf- aclions, in order to deter his aunt from leaving it to him, but he had been fince convinced, that I did not even know they were related, and befide his aunt was then dead, and had proper- ty * Lord Harrington, was at that time a particular Friend of Sir Richard's, and I believe Mr. Monckton, now an eminent Surgeon at Southampton, was behind the Hedge. Lord Banington is no Friend of mine, but he is a Man oj ti utli and uon<>r. ( 93 ) ly difpofed of her fortune to her own relations, not to mine ; this ftory mould not have ap- peared here, if I had not been fo bafely charged with running away from the wild negroes, and befide, however wrong duelling may be deem- ed, for flight offences, there are fome, which according to the prefent mode among mankind, and particularly among military men, which cannot be decided otherwife ; had Briggs been failed for Jamaica, I might foon have been in the fame Situation with fome officer of my own corps. ., ; . , ANECDOTE ( 94 ) l ill. "lo .&UQ$ .?&*' .b^ c ^n^ici^cJo^rlv ibih fljodlo ^mb Jan ^ramiqo on* / ii)i/l "^ Mr> bib J 3ie! sdj V 3ud i- qfrftbiol, iu'H . isb (,^ \ 4 Li .-JJs$'f? 'CiVS^'O' 4 . *- 5 ^- CHANCELLOR tft^RLO^C Yj riAyiNG tired myfelf, and my reader with too much on one infignlficant Being^ which I hope will be pardoned, as it is a j unification of my military character. I fhall change the fubjecl to a man of the firft importance in the kingdom, and relate the fingular manner in which Lord Thurlow did me the honor of making me perfo- nally known to him. It was at Bath, in the year 1780, when he came thither for the benefit of his 'health. It may prove ufeful to many others, both in a phyiical and political light, " .7* for ( 95 ) for at that time I had no knowledge of his lord - fhip, further than that he had been with my refpeclable friend Mr. Madocks, one of my council at the bar of the court of chancery, and the houfe of Lords, in an unfuccefsful caufe, whereby I loft ten thcufand pounds, contrary to the opinion, not only of both thofe able men, but of the late Lord Chief Juftice Willes, and Sir Dudley Ryder. His lordfhip came fo ill to Bath that the general opinion was he could not recover, his diforder \vas bilious in an high de- gree ; he however walked up to my hermitage, in company with a lady, and feemed much pleaf- ed with a romantic fpot I was then building a hermifs neft upon. Exclufive of his rank, I was charmed with his free and eafy manner of con- verfation, he obferved that I had chofen a bit of ground to which nature had been very libe- ral, and fuch as might be improved to advan- tage ; I then told his lordlhip if I poflefled any .talent, it was the earlieft and humbleft of all ; that of cottage making, and informed him, that I once bought a thatched cottage for five and forty guineas, which had fmce been fold for two thoufand. Why ay, fays my lord, that is Fe- liatow cottage, is it not ? adding, I know it, and by my faith I think it worth but five and forty pounds now : I thought this but a courfc compliment, ( 96 ; compliment, Ib I roughed him again in my turn, which, he not only took in good part, but re- plied, you will come and dine with me not- withftanding that ; nothing could betray better : fenfe, or better temper than fuch a reply from fuch a man as his lordfhip, to fuch a man as we. Upon further converfation, I obferved, that by his lordfhip's completion, and other fymp- toms, he certainly had ftones in the gall blad- der ; how fhould you know that ? becaufe I am the firft and beft gall doctor in England : who made you fo ? five and twenty years dreadful fufFerings under that moft painful of all difor- ders, and if your lordfhip will permit, if you have that diforder, I will not afk, but tell you what the fymptoms are you fuffer under. He defired I would breakfaft with him the next morning, and was fatisfied he had every rea- ibn to believe my conjecture was well founded. I then informed him I had pafled feven and twenty gall ftones in one day, and aflured him that art, not phyfic, was alone to be ufed to remove them ; he defired me to explain it, and after affuring his lordmip, I pretended not to poffefs any phyfical or anatomical knowledge, but what extreme perfonal fufFerings had woe- fully inftrucbed me with ; I obferved that the coagulated bile concretions generally formed with ( 97 ) with irregular mulberry like external furfaces, and confequently when nature f which is al- ways aiming to difcharge morbid matter) forced them into the gall duel, their rougfr coats irritated the duel: fo as to create not only exquifite pain, but frequently immi- nent danger ; that the firft thing therefore 19 be done was to render^ the externals of the gall ftones perfectly fmooth, and that could only be effected, by a hard trotting horfe. I then enquired whether he walked, or trotted his ? he walked him, for trotting he obferved hurt him ; for that very reafon he mould ride one of his coach horfes, obferving that were I to put fome par-boiled peas into a bladder, and hook to my button hole, I could ride a horfe from London to York, without crufh- ing them, but that I could not trot from Lon- don to Turnham-Green, without reducing them into one mafs. * H I am * The gall ftone is a diforder unknown to the ancients, and very little known to the modern phyficians, till about the year I7JO, when Dodor Coe, of Chelmsibrd, wrote a very ingenious treatife upon that fubjeft. My mother died of that diforder, and I had fuffered grievoufly under it ior many years, before I knew the raufe, yet it is, and probably always was, a very common dif- ordcr, ( 98 ) 1 ' -T-- 1 *' t I am the more particular in this relation, be- caufe I am confident I am right, and that horfc exercife, keeping the body gently open, and a free ufe of laudanum, twenty, thirty, or forty drops, every hour, when the ftones are paiT- ing, and a tepid Bath, is all that can be done, to relieve the intolerable pain, and fave the patient, I am convinced too, that Hones, or coagulated bile, which a trotting horfe either paffed, or feparated, was the caufe of his Lord- ftiip's rapid recovery, for he trotted himfelf from that day, in a few weeks, to be fo well recovered, as to defire all my family, to do, as I had order, and Confequcntly mifmaiiaged ; drams and all. hot things are mifchievous, among the many curious anatomical prepara- tions of the late ingenious Dr. Frank Nicholls is the gall bladder of a woman much extended, and quite full of innumerable gall-ftones, three mulberry coated ones are in the duel, which caufcd her death, yet they are Hot one third of the lize I palled with fmooth furfaces,! am aflured that few men die who have not concretions in the gall bladder, in the Hotel D:eu at Paris, all who die there arc opened, and in all, gall ftones are found, Mackittrick has laughed at Goes book, Dr. Heberdcn has highly commended it, and if I miftake not, has acknowledged himfelf inftruft- ed by it. The Rev. Mr. Smith who died lately at Bath, according to the account of Dr. Parry, a very ingenious and obferving phyfician, had two thoufand nine hundred gall ftones in the gall bladder, yet he never fufpected it to be the caufe of his diforder, as the ftomach is the feat of life, may we not naturally conclude, that a due and regular flow of bile is the firft and principle conception in the prefervation of health ? it feems by its fitnation, to be better fecured than even the heart, from any external injury, and is in a great meafute out the reach even of medicine, and can be operated upon only by that which effects the whole frame, opium. ( 99 ) I had frequently done before ; to eat a parting dinner with him before he left Bath, I cannot be fo vain, as to fuppofe a man of his abilities, could find any entertainment in my company, and therefore I may fairly impute the many tte a tete dinners I was honoured with at his table, arofe from an idea that I had contributed to the prefervation of his health, and life. Before his lordfliip left Bath, he took occa- fion to mention the fenfe he had of my atten- tion to him, and mentioning the unfortunate caufe he had been a party in, on my behalf, at the bar of the houfe of Lords, afked me in what he could ferve me ? Soon after his Lord- ftiip's return to London, I took the liberty to mention to him a young Clergyman, the fon of my particular friend, a young man of un- common good parts, of much learning, and of irreproachable character, and hinted to his Lordfliip, the affecting ftory of Swift's two fcholars, one of whom, (a fcrub,) who be- came high in life, while the virtuous man, of learning and abilities, died an obfcure vicar, and was faid after ftarving out a long life, " to " have been thought anotable man in his youth" Now faid I my Lordj if you knew this young man, as well as I know him, he would not H 2 want want fuch an advocate as I am, if therefore your Lordfhip will give him a living, / will furnijh him with a wife. Lord Thurlow anfwer- ed my letter by. the fame poft, he approved much he faid of my plan, " but doubted whe- " ther he was then able to fet him up" fuch a re- ply, from fuch a man, as the Lord Chancellor, to fuch a man as myfelf; 1 conceived, and alas ! fo did more than me, to be a promife, his Lordfhip however did not think it fo j becaufe his enemies allow, that among his many good qualities, one is, that he never breaks his word. His Lordfhip's letter however kept the young man and two more in fufpenfe for fome years ; my daughter indeed was more fortunate ', for fhe has been -provided for by that unerring LORD, of the WHOLE UNIVERSE, who fees what is beft for his creatures, and whofe DECREES are unalterable. That my readers may not fup- pofe I have been boafting of higher marks of his Lordfhip 's partiality, and favor, than be- comes me ; I here prefume to give a copy of one of the many polite marks of his Lordfhip's attention to me, while he was on his valetudi- narian vifit at Bath. " BATH, Aug. z6th, 1780. " The Chancellor prefents his beft refpefts to " Mr. Thicknefle, and returns him many " thanks * e thanks for a very agreeable morning's amufe- " ment, and for the many important advices, " and ufeful truths, he met with. It feems to " be the moft ufeful way of teaching ; but it " certainly is the moft pleafant to hear thefage " ri dent urn die ere verum"*. After impatiently waiting a year or two, I determined to go abroad, and defired his Lord- hip would permit me to have the honor of waiting upon him on my way through Lon- don to BrufTells, to which requeft I received a flattering anfwer, and as his Lordfliip had of- ten conlidered a wonderful piece of art in my poflefllon, as the firft of its kind, and the only one in England, I took it with me to town, and defired his permiffion to put another man's head into his houfe in a country, where I had at that time, no place to put my own in ! juft as I came to his door I found his Lordfhip pre- paring to go in form, to the court of chance- ry. * The above card was wrote by his lordihip, after reading the Vale- tudinarians Bath Guide, wherein the mode of getting rid of the gall flones, is particularly pointed out, and which by his Loidfhips permif- fion I dedicated to him, I may fay with truth too, that I have had a large correfpondence with many gentlemen and ladies, to whom I am not perfonally known, on gall (tone complaints, and have the fatisfac- tion of knowing the methods I have ufed, have been fuccefsfully tri?.;i bv many, nay by all. 1 ry, I therefore concealed my /wo /fotfdj-, till he was gone, and then made my depofit in his library, where I found, and confounded, the Bifhop his brother, by the light of it, I then took my> departure from Bruflells, and faw nor heard any more of his Lordfhip, while he was Chancellor, but on my way from Spa to Eng- land, I met Lord Thurlow at the Hotel de Bourbon at Lifle. He received, me with marks of freedom and favor, and told me my depofit was fafe and at my fervice in great Ormond Street, whenever I chofe to fend for it. The truth is, I never intended to have fent for it, had he not given me this hint to remove it, but I underftood by that hint, his fdence, and indeed his being out of power, that I had reckoned without my hoft. His Lordfhip however, honoured me with his name as a fub- fcriber to my Pats Bas Journey, and fent me his five guinea fubfcription, foqn after, loofe his grooms leather breeches pocket, in a man- ner I thought rather indelicate, from a great fortunate Lord, to a little unfortunate private gentleman, and 1 {hewed my refentment to it, by a very fevere letter, which I dare fay he threw into the fire, without reading it, as he has done hundreds of letters from men of rank and confequence. About a year after, I received received the following poft letter with a bank note of twenty five pounds enclofed. " This comes from one who efteems you, " and has been obliged to you, though he has " reafon to believe you think otherwife, the " enclofed note he hopes will difcharge the pe- " cuniary obligation, and he wifhes he could " with the fame eafe difcharge that of grati- " tude. This is a fecret, and it is defired it *' may remain fo, when he fees you he will c reveal himfelf." . The letter I had wrote to his Lordmip, when he fent me his five guinea fubfcription, and an- other not lefs fevere upon the untimely death f my daughter, fhut out all idea then that the bank note came from Lord Thurlow, and as any man's gueffes in fuch a cafe^ muft be con- fined to a few, I wrote to thofe few, whom I fufpecled, but it ftill remained in enigmatical obfcurity. Lord Keppel was one whom I fuf- pecled, not from his generofity, (for I knew he had none) but from his juftice, however he was obliged, by the laft letter he ever wrote, to fay " /'/ 'was not me" At length I fufpecled it came from a GREATER MAN, and wrote to his private fecretary, ftating the particulars, and ( 104 ) and as it is faid filence gives confent, I mult conclude, from the poHte diction of the card, and its accompaniment, it came from Lord Chancellor Thurlow, and I therefore thus pub- lickly render him my thanks ; he treated me, I thought with neglect, I refented it with Seve- rity, but as he is, I verily believe, in his judi- cial Capacity, fuch as I have reprefented him to be in the dedication to the valetudinarians Bath Guide, long may he live to fend the van- quifhed fuitors away, fatkfied by the argu- ments they have heard, that they had been miftaken in their claim ; fuch a life, entrufted with a place of fuch infinite importance to equity, and juftice, is invaluable, and if I contributed to the lengthening of it, I have been amply rewarded. I confefs I was led to expect, from the partiality I had experienced, fomething more ; for when a very powerful man, fays to his inferior, you have been un- fortunate, felf-love conflrues it into a favo- rable turn, when I folicited a mark of that good man Lord Rockingham's favor, alas ! at the laft levy he appeared, he held my hand between his, and added, to my arguments, what his Lordfliip thought frill ftronger, than what I advanced, by faying " aye Mr. Thick- ne/e, and the father of a Peer,' 1 No looks, no face j face j no words ; could imply a more deter- mined refolution to fulfil his intention, and a certain nobleman foon after told me, that his Lordmip's death was a fatal blow to me, as well as a great national lofs, for furely if there ever lived a truly good man, the Marquis of Rockingham was fuch. , ANECDOTE ( .06 ) 'imfff 1noi& oj.n^j; ] : ->no airfo gnhlniffo bn, bfl ^nblnnb rmd foil ;nup uxll' I jfi* W ! C D O T E b^fts I t 3bii;q 3 n't no mi? .iim baiuJjcn bo. /rlw mirf v^o^ vWV fciff to Jji3w alorlw zdl rfriw no ^RiWuq ^riLiib -, {>:>ilipi f rriiff{ n b v 3no I ym A WILTSHIRE ESCLNOW LIVING. 1: -. ^ri f / IIw ; , TOV ABOUT the year 1749 Mr. QUIN came in- to the lobby of the rooms at Bath, it was after dinner. Quin was what he would call in an- other man, fack-mellow ; at this time I was in converfation with the Efquire to whom Quin walked as fteadily up, as he could, and putting his heels upon the Efquire's-.toes, made them crafh again ! and then without faying a word, walked off. Whether pain, furprife ; or timi- dity, overcome the Efquire's upper-works I can- not fay, but as foon as he could fpeak, he afk- ed me whether I had obferved Quin's conduct, and whether I thought it was an accident, or done done with defign to affront him ? I recollefted, that upon fome occafions, the truth was not to be fpoken, and thinking this one ;. I replied, that Quin had been drinking and probably did not know, what he was about ; but the next morning, meeting him on the parade, I alked him why he fo treated a good natured man, with the whole weight of his body corporate? d n him, replied the comedian, putting on one of his moft contending looks ; the fellow, faid he, invited me to his houfe in Wiltfhire, laid me in damp meets ; and feduced my fer- vant : fed me too, with red veal, and white bacon ; ram mutton, and bull beef; adding, and as to his liquor, by my foul it was every drop four, except his vinegar, and yet the fcrub, had the impudence to ferve it upon dirty plate, I believe Quin's twinge on the toes of that gentleman, is to this day vifible in his face, if a face it can be called, yet I ihould not at this diftance of time, have fliewn in what manner Mr. W fed his friends, in the year 1749* had he not in the year 1778, made his fix feet high young wife, write a very extra- ordinary letter to a certain " copper faced Cap- tain." This gentleman's firft wife, was more honorable * The year 1745, and 1749, were the moft important years ia tlie /quire's life. honorable than her hufband, for fhe was a Lord's daughter, and made her hufband and fervants, caU her your ladyjhip, it fo happened, that Johnny her hufband, being out with the Wilt- fiure hunt, obferved a military gentleman, with a black crape about his arm ; this being a novel fight to Johnny, he enquired the eaufe ? why replied a wag, do not ye know ! he married a Lord's, not an Earl's daughter, and it is by that means only, his wife's rank can be made known ; the next day Johnny ap- peared at the hunt, with his wife's black in- Jignia twifted about his arm : by his fecond marriage, johnny has no external badge of dif- tindion, except a fine boy, begotten in the fe- venty feventh year of his age, with a carrotty pate and a turnip completion. N. B. When Johnny's firft. wife's daughter died, that lady caufed to be infcribed upon the monumental ilone. Here lie the remains of "Williaroelia, Leonora Charlotta, W the only- daughter of the honourable Mrs. W by her hufband John. I will not add that which a wicked wight tacked to it with his chalk, for flic was a good woman, as the world goes, only laid too much ftrefs upon her quality, pray Mr. Thickneffe faid flie, in the rooms at Bath, Bath, who is that lady? I do not know madam ; I fuppofe flie is an Earl's daughter faid (he, becaufe he cut the cards before me! at another time, Johnny and my lady being upon a viiit at a friend's houfe, Johnny was indifpofed, and taking a little buttered fmall beer, went to bed at nine; and about eleven, found him- felf in- a nice breathing perforation, that was the word, for my lady would not hear the wordytert mentioned, as foon as her ladyfliip had got all off, to her under petticoat, fhe called upon Johnny to get out of bed; out of bed my lady, why I am all over in a perfpi- ration perfpiration or no perfpiration, faid my lady, you muft get up, for it fhall never be faid that the Hon. Mrs. W n, went to bed to a Shepherd's grandfon ; though I believe it was his father, not his grandfather, who was a Shepherd at " I r on the Down " Three miles from any Town." I wifh I could with the fame propriety, re- late an anecdote, whereby the laugh would take the other turn, and -in which the come- dian was much more dirtily treated. Let it be remembered however, that Mr. Quin pof- feffed among his many failings, fome great and v J and excellent good qualities. His ill nature^ and wit, are only recorded; becaufe he care- fully conceal'd the inumcrable acl:s of benevo- lence and generofity he daily committed. A brother of mine, it feems had been offended by Quin behind the fcenes, not by treading upon his toes, no man durR have done that, but it was an offence my brother thought he merited reprehenfion for; and foon after, a very dirty recipe was fhewn my brother in M. S. called " maw wallop afoop" to which he delired permiflion to add half a dozen lines, four of which I have forgotten, but the two pinching ones, which I retain were> " With a nice pippin paring, and all finely fhrtd, " Which lay where that lay, that Quin eat o' bed." I will not tell where the pippin had lain, but every body at that time knew, and Quin ever after, preferred a John Dorey, to a golden pippin. Being one of four, who fpent an evening or rather a night with this facetious entertaining man, at the White Hart in Bath, and Lord Kilmorrey being one of the party, I may venture to fay, that it was a pleafant even- ing to the other two, who were brothers. To- wards day light, Lord Kilmorrey, who fuf- pecled a motion would be made to part, ob- ferved, ( III ) ferved, that it was probable we four might never meet again , and fo faid he, let us call for a bill and go. My Lord knew that Quin would object to this motion, as it flood, and make the amendment, of a bottle and a bill. The bill patted, nem. con. The next time I met Mr. Quin, he expreffed'the great fatisfaclion and pleafure our par tie quarre had given him, adding, I will put down that jolly fellow Jack Need/jam in my will, and did fo : * Quin never broke his word, not even with Daniel Lackie the fcotchman, who taking the opportunity of afking him, when he was drunk, to whom he would leave his gold watch when he died? he replied, to you Daniel, and did fo, in the following words, as may be feen in his will. " I leave, according to a foolifh promife made, " my gold watch and feals to Daniel Lackie." This was throwing a bone which would have made a dog cry. ANECDOTE Lord Kilmorrey will excufc this Freedom, it was a name equally thofe tjays, to Lord Kilmorrey in thefe. - ' . ANECDOTE " EXTRAORDINARY KIND OF PAROQUET, ITS UNTIMELY DEATH, AND THE CONSEQUENCE THEREOF TO TWO YOUNG LADIES OF FASHION AND FORTUNE. MOST people, at leaft moft people who have honoured me with their names to this trifling publication, have heard of my favorite fellow traveller, Jocko; but few have heard of Mrs. Thicknefle's; this bird, which had the ufe of his wings as perfect as any bird what- ever, travelled from Marfeilles to Calais, quite at liberty, in an open chaife, and moft part of the day fat upon Mrs. Thicknefle's moulder or bofom ; or hung by his bill at her tippet j and he ( "3 ) lie would fit by her for hours at the Inns, gild- ing his eyes with fuch delight, that it would almoft induce one to believe the tranfmigration of fouls, and that the bird was animated by the fpirit of a departed parent, or a deceafed lover, for to me he was a determined enemy! Upon my return to Calais, where I took a houfe, fome ftranger entering the room, while the bird was fitting in the open window, he flew out and was abient a day or two, for the boys had hunted him from tree to tree all round the city, till at length he returned to the very firft tree he had alighted upon when he flew from the window, and foon after found his way in again, and perched upon the bofom of his miftrefs; it is needlefs, I pre- fuir.e, to fay, that this bird was of fo ineftim- able a value to her, that no fum of money could have induced her to part with it. At this time there pafied through Calais, a friend of mine, a gentleman of fafhion and fortune, with four daughters, who had been fome time in a convent at Paris, and as an unfortunate difagrecment had taken place between him and his lady, a woman of beauty and virtue, he found it very aukward to be encumbered with four daughters, and two or three fons at his houfe in town, and as I was then in I London, '( .1*4 ) Lontiotf ft>r i few days, he defined I wouB write to Mrst''Thtekne8e< and'^hen-if it would prove 'agreeable to let the two youngeft of his daughters fpend the fummer with her at Calais: this being agreed to, I was to conduct the ladies over-, ihe eldeft was of the age of fourteen, the yotiajgeft between eleven and twelve, both lovely handfome children, but the youngeft of uncommon vivacity and beauty. I Was a little hurt to find in the arms of the latter, the day we fet out, a favorite dog, and hinted to her, that I feared that dog would be attended with great inconvenience to her, and me too ; how- ever we all fet off in good humour, and to avoid their ileeping at a Inn, I got them lodged with a family at Canterbury for whom I had much efteem, where the dog gnawed the carv- ed clawed feet of the mahogany chairs, and did much injury, the next night however, we were fo lucky to be landed at Calais, and at fupper, the dog was placed in the charming little girls lap, but I obferved that I too had a favorite dog, who had travelled through Spain with me, but that 1 did not permit him to Jit at table^ and defired fhe would put hers down, this requeft WaS complied with but reluctantly, and I found I had given much offence to one whom J wifh- ed to obligej and with whofe animated difpo- fition C "5 ) iition I was highly delighted. The next morn- ing, the dog was put into the clofet where the bird roofted, and he there eat for his breakfaft, what fifty louidores would not have purchafed. I need not fay how much I was irritated at this, and how it was aggravated by feeing Mrs. Thick- nerTe in tears, but I leave the reader to imagine, what we both felt, when in the midit of this diftrefs, the little fpirited girl, with a fmgle feather flicking in her hair, began to hum lady Coventry's minuet j I then called for the dog, and threatened to cut his throat, but was told if I did, me would cut hers, and I offered her my pen knife as being better adapted to the purpofe than her own, I however fent my fer- vant with the dog to the packet, and returned him to England, and then within the fame half hour, I told the young lady that before the ex- piration of one hour more, flie mould be in a convent, till the pleafure of her father was known ; and turning to her elder fifter, defir- ed to know whether flie would accompany her fifter in the convent, or honour Mrs. Thicknefle with her company till we had heard from Eng- land? ihe replied with great propriety, and good lenfe ; that flie loved her, and would not part from her, a reply as much to her honour, as it was to my fatisfacUon, and fo giving each I 2 a bras. ( "6 ) a bras, I conducted them to the convent door ; where, foon after, obtaining a Parle with the Lady Prieur, I told her the young ladies were the daughters of a gentleman of fafhion, that a little mifunderftanding had happened between them and Mrs. Thicknefle, and therefore I defired her to accommodate them with every comfort, the infide of her convent could afford, to allow them a fille de chambre, and in fhort every indulgence that could be granted them, exclufive of liberty, till their father's pleafure was known, and there I left them, not doubt- ing but that their father's letter would liberate them in a week or ten days at fartheft, but cir- cumftanced as he was, and knowing that they were in perfect fecurity, he fuffered them to remain there, I think near three years, a con- duct I could not difapprove, yet a punifhment, as it originated with me, I could not but la- ment. A young French lady v my vis a vis neighbour, told me that if I pulled out a few bricks from the wall of a ware-houfe which be- longed to my houfe, I mould have a view of my little temporary nuns, I did fo, and often faw, and always lamented, that inftead of conduct- ing them daily as was agreed upon, in their Jbayfe and one, I could only fee them encaged and deprived of liberty j this tranfaction rendered V- me me for fome time very v odious in the eyes of all the family, except their father ; but time and truth, overcomes all falfe reafoning, and I have the fatisfa&ion to live in friendmip at this day with their mother and all the family. I can- not clofe this little unfortunate narrative with- out lamenting that the young lady, when me was juft arrived at an age, to have beftowed her own irreliftible charms, to fome worthy ob- ject, died ; much lamented by all who knew her, and by none more than he who had con- vented her^ for a hafty inconftderate act, which her youth, vivacity, and heedleffnefs might be juftly pleaded in extenuation of, if not tho- roughly excufe. ANECDOTE * ) j^aqo-b/b IL- xod bw, ( j:ibD.:nd iiummoD 'io^no ssil aii 1 - o* Vgnii sifo lo Jndb-iq x ej;w Mu yd ,Y)i3gI} q 3f{j T.nr(-nfrr , - lad ti v ., ^j . iv/ vrn bnx: , ; - ,[jj v , tnii^i/if r }Q['jD nadv/ r ^ , -.,boq Ym-ni'stufii'. it f 'tr3fh: )iii v s IIO qjj g^y, J MINIATURE PICTURE, NOW IN THE POSSESSION OF , - {TJ | HER MAJESTY THE QUEENj ^ tfiDfltoicJ'fefrf lo bmolpii -oniw^ffr -orq Yfft b^uboiq ^frf!flbo'i-l -j -gjsaftinj /DEJI. -bo3'jX3 ^f b-^iimb/ MR. Ford, Mrs. Thickneffe j s father, having bought the Dutchefs of Kendal's houfe and fur- niture at Ifleworth, among other pieces which Jififent to his own, was a very curious com- mode dreffing table of exquiftte workmanihip, this table being placed in his daughter':? bed- chamber, and having a great variety of private drawers in it, there was found in them, two or three curious miniature pictures, on one of which was the portraits of the Prince of Wales, th^prefent King's' father, and his three filters, fitting ( "9 ) fitting in the ftage box at the opera. The pic- ture is the lize only of a common bracelet, and no doubt was a prefent of the King's to the Duchefs. * When it became my property, by marrying the poffeffor of it, ftruck with the ta- lents of the artift (for it is exquifitely painted) and with refpecl: for it, both as a fervant and fubjecl to the family it belonged, I fet it round with brilliants, and my wife wore it upon her wrift as a bracelet, but unfortunately, having the picture in my pocket one morning, when I was upon a vifit to Mr.s. Forrefter, the wi- dow of the late Governor of Bellifle, and find- ing with her, Mr. Dutens, a French clergy- man who was mewing her fome of his brothers parifian trinkets f I foolifhly produced my pic- ture. at length Mr. Dutens admired it exceed- ingly, and obferved what an acceptable pre- fent it might prove to the Queen, I confefled I had more than once conceived it might be fo, but at the fame time obferved it was matter of great delicacy, and hinted at the ftory of King Jzimes, giving a great turnip, as a very proper * * Miftrcfs to George the Firft. j- Mr. Butens is a native of Paris, of a good catholic farr.il}', his bro- ther is now a filverfmith at Turin ; Mr. Dutens was left !>y IMr. Alao " jj poundsaycar " th a faiary of fevcn Iumdl " jj rebuke ( 120 ) rebuke, to a fubject who had prefented him \vith a fine horfe, yet I could not help think- ing that as I was the firft fubjecl: who welcom- ed her Majefty to thefe dominions, and in pof- feilion of an original family pifturt ', not to be pur- fbafed^ it might, if properly offered, be kindly accepted, Mr. Dutens then told me he had a friend who faw the Queen every day, and that if I would truft the picture a few days to his care, it mould be ftiewn to her Majefty ; to which propofal I foolifhly complied, he then alked me what was to be faid if her Majefty feemed difpofed to accept of it ? I defired that his friend (whom I fuppofed to be a perfon of fafhioo) would fay, that I was perfectly fen- iible of the great impropriety of a man in my low ftationj to offer a prefent to fo exalted a purfonage, but that being the firft fubject who has received her Majefty on her arrival to thefe dominions,! and accident having put me in px^feffion-of'fuch a family picture, I humbly hoped her Majefty would excufe the liberty I took in : offering to reftore it to a family to whom dc more properly belonged; a day or two t The fytyfaA wj[s t^jf^^itenant Gqvernor of Land Guard Fort, and announced her h^ppy .Arrival, by the Report of one and twenty two and forty pdunSerCj under tf;e fire of which the yatch pafied into rf.of Harwich, ( 121 ) two afterwards, Mr. Dutens informed me that the Queen, on feeing the picture, was much ftruck in perceiving fo ftrong a family likeneis, and alkcd if me might mew it to the King? her Majefty was then informed it was wholly at her difpofal, provided it was deemed worthy of her acceptance. The Queen then afked whofe property it was? and being told, me was pleafed to fay, I know Mr. ThickneiTe, he lent me off fome refremments at fea, when I arrived upon the coaft ; truth however obliges me to fay I did not, but I had Lord Anfon's thanks for having fired nightly, minute guns, in dark teinpeftuous weather, when her Ma- jefty was expected upon the coaft, that the frequent explofions might fliew the bearings of the fort, and him how the land lay, and his lordihip was pleafed to fay it was a good piece of land feamanjhip. Not hearing for fome days, I concluded the Queen had accepted of the picture, but Mr. Dutens then informed me by a note, that the King and Queen were very deiirous of keeping the miniature picture, and yet could not receive it as a prefent ; but if I would name a price they would be equally ob- liged to me. In reply, I told Mr. Dutens, he had fet me too arduous a tafk, I knew not where to draw the line j too high, or too low a price., a price, might be deemed Equally improper, ' I again urged their Majcfties at- f the nioit refpecl- of fucceeding in my humble requeft very much fufpecl was not properly deHvere<$)' I received a threatening card- tfre nefct- day, from the Rev. divine, informing rnc^ if I did not name a price, " by inns o'clock " /fo /w#/ morning" the piclure would be re- turned ! To this, I replied, I could only la- ment, that what I had offered with the hum* bleil refpecl, fliould have met with fo unfor- tunate a termination, and therefore concluded, before nine the following day, Mr. Dutens would have returned me my picture, but no picture, nor meflage was fent me. I then was allowed the honor of levying Mr. Du- tcns, (and very often waiting a hour before I had an audience) at the houfe of Mr. Mac- ke'fizte, but even- then, I could not learn in whofe hands the picture remained, nor by ^3fe s/ nSftd$'ilt .had been conveyed to;.^ Queen, but as I certainly knc\v the .Queen was too juft, and too good, not to wi.'Ii the pi-- nire might be returned to the right (\vn;T, i was determined not to fit down under the dif- pleafure of the Queen on one fidey and the lofs of of my picture on the other ; therefore, tired of levying this ingcnkus foreigner, and alarmed about the fate of my picture, I waited uppa Mrs. Forrefter, and told her the fituation I was in, from the confidence I had placed in her friend, and required her to let me know, who Mr. Duiens friend was, whofaw the. Queen every day, but who \vas likely to continue forever, a ftranger to my eyes, and fhe foon after in- formed me, it was Dr. Majendie, her Majefty's language mafter, I then had the honor of levy- ing another foreign divine, but with no better fuccefs; he had carried the picture to the Queen he faicl, but he knew not in whofe hands it now was, he fuppofed however it might be in the hands if tbofc German women, meaning I fuppofe Madame Schwellanbergen, or fome of thofe foreign ladies about the Queen's perfon, and in fhort, gave himfelf many of thofe lively airs, which an elated Frenchman may eafily be conceived to exhibit, who had the honor of " feeing the Queen every day." I could not but again obferve, that as he knew the Queen had declined accepting the pic^u^, her Majefty moft certainly understood it was to be returned to the owner, and alked him to whom it could be given, but to him who had firft produced it ? and therefore I required him ( 124 ) him to return it to me, but I could not make this celebrated language matter underftand my language, " he knew nothing of the matter " not he" and I left this fecond upftart, with a determination, rather than lofe my picture, to go to court, and break through all etiquette, by throwing myfelf at her Majefty's feet for an explanation, and accordingly went thither, to fee what could be done ; but feeing in the draw- ing room the late Dutchefs of Portland, to whom I had prefented a miniature of Lewis the fourteenth by Petitoe, and whofe daughter was then holding the Queen's train, I told her grace my errand to court, in hopes that fhe might feel for my fituation, and offer me her afliitance to regain my loft picture. The Dutchefs however politely aflured me that when PrincefTes received prefents, they were generally put by in a drawer and no more heard, or thought about them ; juft in the fame manner I fuppofe, as her grace had put up the enamelled Petitoe I had prefented to her : I felt agitated and difappointed, till turning my head aiide, I faw that honeft, open, and noble countenance fhone upon me, of the late Dutch- efs of Northumberland, and having formerly been well known to that truly good lady, I claimed the honor of her acquaintance, and told ( '25 ) told her my name, her ladyfhip (it was before flie obtained that high rank fhe afterwards did Iionor to,) faid Ihe remembered me very well, and was glad to fee me, then madam I believe you will be glad to ferve me, if you will permit me to relate my prefent embarraffment, I then repeated what I had juft before related to the Dutchefs of Portland, and though I had never prefented her ladylhip with a miniature picture, fhe inftantly exprefled her furprize, that fhe had neither feen, nor heard of fuch a pichire having been fliewn the Queen, * adding, how- ever you lhall not lofe your picture Mr. Thick- nefle, for I will aik the Queen in whofe pof- feflion it is, and if you will call at Northum- berland houfe in a day or two, you mall have certain information about it, and there it was I learnt that the picture had been returned yv -weeks before by her Majefty (not to ihefe German women) but to that Rev. Divine who knew nothing of it ! / with this good intelligence, I waited a fecond time on the Rev. Doctor, whom I found a little c reft fallen, and who informed me, I had done him a great injury, by going to the drawing room at court, and complain- ing of his conduct relative to the miniature pifture, ' * Her Ladylliip was then one of the lady's of the Bedchamber. picture, for at this time, he did not know all the information I had obtained at Northumber- 'iafect houfe : but inftead of hearing his grievan- ces, I dclired ; ht4o^fd redrefs mine, \md de- liver me up the picture, he replied, tbat the uccn would he believed have given it him, that very morning, had not the King came in juft at that minute, but faid he would bring it me to morrow. In the afternoon cf \hefame day however, I met the Doctor in the ftreet, his hand was in his fide pocket, and I believe the picture was in his hand, I accofted him, for he feemed loft in a Reverie, but as foon as ie re- covered his recollection, he brought (c^.h the picture, faying, " There fir is your picture; I " wifh you fuccefs with /Y, but I fear you have loft et all chance ofprefenting it to her Majefty*' look- ing with eager eyes, upon my recovered jewel, and obferving that all the colours were as vivid, as when I foolifhly parted with it, I told the Doctor I thought 1 had been fuccefcful ; by re- covering my picture again, and took my leave of him with a falutation ; I will not repeat here, becaufe the man is gone elfewbere, now the rea- der will be aflonifhed, at lean! I was, to know that foon after this tranfaction,. Mr. Dutens wrote to Mrs. Forrefter to exprefs his furprife, that I had treated his friend Merjendie fo rude- ly! ( "7 ) ly ! if I did treat him rudely, I treated him juftly,^ if I di4 not, I call upon Dutens to de- fend his departed friend, it is his duty, and if he has truth en his Tide, he has capacity fo to do, and ought : but let him not forget, that his defence may fall under the eye of a LADY, who is ALL TRUTH, and goodnefs, and who will not, CANNOT BE MISTAKEN, the picture being returned to the arm, from whence it went, was again worn by Mrs. Thickneffe, but on the King's Birth day. at Paris, when all the Englifh were celebrating it, at the table of the late Earl of Rochford, his Majefty's ambafTa- dor to that court, it was taken from her arm, handed round in a gold plate and much admir- ed by all the company prefent, I then related the out line of the above ftory, and Lord and Lady Rochford both feemed to think it a pity it was not again offered with propriety to the Queen, I therefore, waited upon his Lordfhip the next morning, obferved that as he was go- ing to fpend a fortnight in England, I begged leave to prefent the picture to him, hoping that her Majefty might be prevailed upon to accept ' that from his hands, which could not be taken from mine, Lord Rochford objected to accept it as too valuable a prefent, but faid, had it been a family picture of li own, he would not C 128 ) not have refufed it, I had taken it otft of the fetting, before I went, and to cut the matter mort, I affured him, that if he would not accept of it, I would call for a peftle and mortar and fmafh it in his porters lodge, * and I would certainly have done fo. This peremptory declaration, fettled the bufi- nefs, Lord Rochford caufed it to be elegantly fet in plain gold at Paris ; took it with him, and without defiring an audience of her Ma- jefty ; requeued one of thofe German women as Merjendie called them, to deliver the picture in his name to the Queen : his lordfhip fent for me foon after, to dine with him, and informed me, that when he appeared at court, the Queen pafled all the foreign minifters, came up to him, and thanked him for a picture flie had once feen, but had defpaired of ever feeing again ; he' then told her majefty from whom, and how he had received it, and I have the fatisfaction of knowing that the picture is now in her Majefty's poffeflion, without being paid for, but at the fame time I may be allowed to fay, that fome time after, inftead of my pof- fefling ten thoufand pounds, which all the greateft lawyers in this Kingdom, but ONE, had * The Rev. Mr. Fountaine then chaplain to the embafly and Mr. Higdesi his LordlTup's dooifciHc fecretary, probably remember this cir- ( "9 ) had been clearly of opinion belonged to me, and that inftead of receiving fuch fum, I had fix hundred to pay for law, I then humbly ftated to her Majefty, that what I had once refpecl:- fully declined to receive, would now 5 be ac- ceptable ; but in money matters, throughout life, I have been unfortunate, /. e. if it can be deemed unfortunate, to have been confined to one good dim of meat, inftead of two ; if it can be deemed unfortunate ; to have efcaped the gout, which two dimes might have con- dueled me to, or if it can be deemed unfortu- nate, to have been confined to a life of tempe- rance, to the feventieth year of my age, with- out feeling any of the infirmities which gene- rally belong to fuch who attain a length of days, to which not one man in fifty thoufand arrive ; nor one in a hundred thoufand, without find- ing fuch an age, render life, rather a burthen, than a blefling ; I will not therefore allow that my LIFE has been unfortunate, becaufe I have more than I can eat, and confequently fome to fpare for thofe who want it, accompanied with health, fpirits, and powers as fully to enjoy it, as at any period of my life, and that too, at nearly the full age of man, " THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN.'* K ANECDOTE 130 ANECDOTE GEORGE THE FIRST, AND HIS COLONEL,* FATHER OF THE LAT UNFORTUNATE ADMIRAL KEMPENFELT. IVlR. Kempenfelt came over to England with King George the firft, who having been his friend in private life, deemed him worthy of his protection when he became a King. The King, who had tafted of the fweets of focial and private life, continued to enjoy his even- ings, according to his wonted manner, and Mr. Kempenfelt was often of the party, when the King fmuggled in a Savoyard girl, to ling him a German fong, accompanied with her vial, Kempenfelt, * The King always called him bis Colonel. Kempehfelt, was an expenfive man, and the King, having made him a lieutenant Colonel, (for he often faid he had not intereft enough to procure him a regiment) more than oiice paid his debts, at length however he was fent over, lieutenant governor of Jerfey, where he died, leaving behind him a widow and four children, two fons and two daughters, with nothing elfe to fupport them but the mother's penfionj when I was appointed a lieutenant of an inde- pendent company at Jamaica, I found my old fchool fellow, the late Admiral, a melancholy midfhipman in Port Royal harbour, lament- ing that he was without friends, without in- tereft, and without money; yet I think he was under Captain Knowles command, in the diamond, his brother Guftavus Adolphus, got a commiffion in the army, but I believe he ob- tained no higher rank than that of a Captain; much merit is due to him, for the filial affecti- on he mewed to his mother and fifters, with- out which they could not have fupported themfelves fuitable to their condition in life. The Admiral was a man of great nautical knowledge, very referved, and my even of thole he efteemed, when upon half pay, he generally fpent his winters at Marfeilles, to avoid the feverity of this climate, and I have often wondered, who it was, who had know- K 2 ledge ( 13* ) ledge enough of him to know, that he not only poflefTed great nautical abilities, but with it, an enlarged and enlightened underflanding, for he was very- careful to conceal it, nothing but a long acquaintance, and a confidential correfpondence, could bring it forth. His Will I fuppofe funk with him, and his brother, my fchool fellow alfo, I prefume pofieffes the for- tune he left. Admiral Kempenfelt was in all things original, I never left his company with- out hearing things I had never heard before. I fent a young man on board his fhip to him, who was very ingenious, but friendlefs, but as he was a good mathematician, a good draughtf- irian, and underilood the theory of navigati- on y inftead of afking his admiffion on board tlie victory as a favor, I defired the Admiral to thank ?ne for having fent him fuch an ingeni- ous young man to provide for ; he accordingly thanked me, and fhewed the young man par- ticular marks of his favor; and afterwards put him on board with that honorable and gallant captain, George Berkly, that he might have a. chance of prize money. I never knew any other naval officer to whom I would have ven- tured fo to exprefs myfelf, except the late Ad- miral Medley, who, upon all occafions, feerned is much delighted to ferve young men of merit, as ( '33 ) as they could pofiibly receive by being provided for. Whea I failed with him to his Mediterra- nean command, a fingle inftance of his polite- riefs to me, and his readinefs to reward merit, I cannot help relating. A feaman on board of the fleet, had married a Southampton woman ; and he learnt that I alfo had married one of the fame city ; this kind of country kindred ; he con- ceived to be fufficient, to claim fome notice from me, and defired I would recommend him to the Admiral as one who merited a better birth ; the ridiculoufnefs of the claim, in- duced me to . relate it at .dinner; but the Admiral immediately obferved, that it was probable the man felt in his own bofom, unrewarded merit, adding, I will therefore learn his real character, and after dinner made a lignal to fpeak with his Captain, and find- ing that his fuggeftion was ftriclly true, made him gunner of a feventy-gun fhip. Being wife- fick, I left, this gallant Admiral three months only before he died, or probably he had left me a large ftiare of his fortune, for though he readily confentcd (after I had ferved one year under his command) to let me depart, he took it unkind of me, for he had repeatedly told me, thofe to whom he intended to leave his fortune, had never fent him even a barrel of Yorkfliirc ale, ( >34 ale, though he had fupplied their cellars with wine, and we both parted with wet eyes, the Admiral loved a prefent ; moft men who are liberal themfelves do j and I was glad he lived long enough to receive a little token from me, as a mark of the many Singular and pointed ones, of his partiality and kindnefs, during the pleafant year I ferved under him on board the Ruflel. This gallant Admiral, who could drop a tear at parting from a friend, had a tear alfo for his country, for I faw him weep, for want of an opportunity to regain the loft credit of the navy, which he thought had been greatly fullied, by the conduct of Leftock ; when un- fler the command of Admiral Mathews ; it is with pleafure I thus regifter, after a diftance of forty three years, the excellent good qualities, which Mr. Medley pofleffed, becaufe a hafty difpofition, had created him many enemies ; he threw his wig in Admiral Buckle's face, but the provocation Was great, and I have heard him over, and over, make fuch apologies as any other man, (under fuch high obligations, us Mr. Buckle * was to him) would have deem- ed fufficient ; but Buckle would riot forgive either him, or me ; becaufe when he told me the * He was the Admiral's Captain, \vho took him from the Command ~f ths Spence Sloop. ( '35 ) the next day, he would refign his ihip, I re- plied not I hope to fight the Admiral, for I will take care you mall not ; and as he was an ex- cellent officer, urged upon him not to give up eight hundred pounds a year, in purfuit of a phantom, nobody faid I, can doubt the per- fonal courage of either, and befide, he could not fend the admiral a challenge, nor the Ad- miral accept it (at that time) if he did ; yet I verily believe, had Mr. Medley lived to return to England, Admiral Buckle would have called bim out* ANECDOTE '36 ANECDOTE DOCTOR DODD. WHEN I confider {he real chara&er, and conduct of this unfortunate man, as well as the conduct and character of a great variety of other men and myfelf, I am apt to fufpect, we have complimented ourfelves, with what does not perfectly belong to mankind ; are we I lay to myfelf rational creatures ? I fufpect we are not : Dr. Dodd was one of the beft tempered men I ever knew ; his talents ; his time ; and even his purfe, when he had any money in it, were at the fervice of every claimant, for aflifl- ance ( '37 ) ance or pity ; he was a man of ftrong paffions, cxpenfive to an high degree, void of all pru- dence. poffelTed of extreme fenfibility, and went through (long before he fuffered death) a tor- ture of mind, between hope and fear, which was worfe than a thoufand deaths, if therefore he had been pardoned, he would not have efcaped without an adequate punifhment for his manifold fins ; and fome little allowances might JiaVe been made in conlideration thereof; he once vifited me, when I was the inhabitant of a gaol ; and though it was neither for debt, nor treafon, yet it was a gaol, and I thought myfelf bound to vifit him, under fuch dreadful circumftances ; and having done fo once, I could not refrain from repeating it, while I thought my vifits, could either alleviate his for- row, or aflift him in his wants, the firft vifit I made him, I found Mrs. Dodd with him, but delirious in a fever, he told me he had not clofed his eyes all night, becaufe they had been unri vet- ing the fetters of a number of criminals, who were executed that morning; adding, that every blow which was given, ftruck him, as with an ELECTRIC SHOCK ; after Mrs. Dodd left newgate, I contrived to call at thofe hours, fhe was not ufually with him, but the laft time I faw him, was in a fituation, neither to be de- fcribed fcribed nor conceived, it was after he knew his certain fate, and when Mrs. Dodd was taking her everlafting farewell of him ; they were alone ; and at the upper end of a long room, I walked up to them, and found their hands locked in each others, and their minds as much departed, as if they had been both dead ; after being almoft as loft as they were for about a mi- nute, and plainly perceiving, that they neither faw me, nor one another ; I quitted the room. This was the only minute of my life, I coveted fovereign power 5 I would have been a beggar all my future days, to have poflefled kingly authority for one minute, I returned home, and wrote him a letter, wherein I gave advice, not fuch as a rational man would have given, and the following is his anfwer to it. "Dear Sir, " I am juft at prefent not very well and inca- " pable of judging, I fliall communicate your " kind paper to my friends, my brother will " be at Mrs. Porter's this evening ; many thanks for your attention, I rather think <( it would do hurt and be deemed a mob.'* Your's in great mifery, W. D. Dodd Dodd was the firft mover in the reconcilia- tion between me and Lord Orwell, and prefled me to apply to him, to iign his petition to the King, as Vice prefident of that charity which Dodd had inftituted, but his Lordfliip denied the boon feemingly with reluctance, for at the fame time he declared, he wifhed he might obtain the King's pardon, though he could not recommend him as an object, who in his opinion had any claim to it; perhaps as a MAN he> might not have been an object of mer- cy, but as a Clergyman who had been a pttblic, and an admired preacher, it might have been prudent to have made him the Botany bay cu- rate. Dodd was an excellent companion, when he fell into fuch company (as he called it) whom he could truft^ and I have heard him, after making all the old women cry at church in the morning, make his trujly friends laugh, as much in the evening, by iinging a fong, of Adam and Eve going a journey, and flopping in the land of nod, to haw their horfes Jhod, a iiiatter more excufable, in my opinion, than that of him, and his wife, dining fete a fete, at one tavern, in the moft voluptuous manner, and fupping in the fame ftyle, on the fame day at another! but which I am affured they frequently did. That a man who fuffered fo long 140 long the fear of a dreadful death: and then death itfelf, mould have given his friends par- ticular inftruclions to endeavour to re-animate his body, is to me the moft extraordinary part of his conduct, furely to covet reiloration to fuch a life, as his muft have been, was as irra- tional, as the hopes were abfurd. Mrs. Wright, the wax modeller (a crazy pated genius) mo- delled his head, as me informed me, and car- ried it to him under her pettycoats, in order to favor his efcape, by the ufe of it ; a thing certainly fas he was circumftanced) not imprac- ticable. His room was large and long, the fire was at the further end of it, and the en- trance door oppofite to it, at his fire fide flood a large table covered with books, on a carpet; now as he was without irons, had eight; or ten of his friends came in one after the other, fo as to have all gone out together, he might pofiibly have gone with them, if he had drefied up a figure in his night gown, with Mrs. Wrighfs head thereon, for his keeper only appeared at the door when he rung the bell, and then, feeing his figure fitting at the table with his hat flapped, and his head reclined, he would not have regarded the number who went out, being fare he left his prifoner fafe within, {he faid, Dodd had not courage to attempt it, nor nor am I clear fhe had refolution fufficient to have aflifted him, and befide, it would have been in Dodd, a worfe forgery upon Mr. Aker- man's humanity and indulgence, than that committed on the noble Lord's purfe; whofe tutor he had been, with whom he had often eat, and drank, and been merry, and who, when Dodd went to vifit him at Geneva, rode feveral miles to meet him in fuch weather, that he was froft bitten on the way, and when he ar- rived there, gave him a round of dinners, to all his friends, prefented him to them as his chap- lain, &c. in fhort Dodd feemed to lament his want of that pity from Lord Chcfterfield, which he faid he had fome right to expecl, for having faithfully, as his tutor, done his duty towards him, and loved him perfonally. Dodd has af- fured us, he died in charity with all mankind, but he certainly did not live in charity with his Lordfhip, had Dodd lived to this time, he would have called himfelf probably the britiih Nuacamar, had Dodd's friends, been half as powerful as his enemies, he might have ef- caped: I have been told by one who lived in great intimacy with the ingenious Ryland, who fufiered alfo for forgery, that if he were to name the moft friendly, benevolent, and good hearted man a long life had made him ac- quainted quainted with, he ihould in truth and coufci- ence name Ryland the engraver! fuch is the unaccountable mixture, of good, and bad, in the competition of that wonderful being, MAN a lock was forced, and an out building in my garden was entered lately in the night, a tea box and other trifles were taken away, I know the robber, and where the tea box is, but knowing that it was perfonal fpite to me, and that the man's profeilion is not that of houfe breaking, has faved him from the gal- lows, becaufe I felt in my own bofom, a per* fonal refentment to him, his execution there- fore (however confiftent with the law of the land) would in me y and by me, be deemed ma- lice prepenfe, a certain Lord, {aid he was go- ing " a parfon hunting" focn after Dodd was taken into cuftody ! I hope therefore he was in at the death, but Uncle Toby would not have faid fo would he Torick? ON ( 143 ) ON THE AQUA MEPHITICA ALKALINA, SOLUTION OF FIXED ALKALINE SALT, SATURATED WITH FIXIBLE AIR, IN CALCULOUS DISORDERS, AND OTHER COMPLAINTS IN THE URINARY PASSAGES. THAT thefe felfijh and infignificant flieets may be ftamped with a few pages of the ut- moft importance to the good of mankind, I fliall publifh (for no publication mould I think come from the prefs without mentioning it, till it is univerfally known) fome account of this medicine, and more efpecially as Doctor Munro has, in his pharmaceutical chemiftry, been pleafed to fpeak of it fo flightly; to have given its preparation fo imperfectly; and to fay he knows of but one inftance of its efficacy; will ( '44 ) will the learned Doctor permit me to afk him why, -he did not know of more inftances? his own bookfeiler, Cadell, cotild have furnifhed him with many, under the names too, of men as eminent -for TRLTTH and CANDOUR, as the Doftor bimfrlf. Is this the way in which a chy- mical phyiician, treats a difcorery of the firft importance to mankind? it is the way indeed that Mackittrick treated Mr. Tickell's ^Ether, and may be the way of fome of our northern practioners; but it is highly reprehenfible, and therefore I earnestly recommend to him, the perufal of Mr. Colborne's experiments, and die cafes publimed by Doctor Falconer. Does the leUrned Doctor know, that Mr. Colborne is a gentleman of Bath, of large and indepen- dent fortune, of great chymical knowledge, who has for many years been indefatigable in trying, by various chymical experiments, the means to relieve himfelf, and others from their fufferings in calculus complaints, and who has, I can venture to fay, not only wonderfully fueceeded, but generoufly given the public, the means alfo of preparing, at a trifling ex- pence, a medicine of the firft importance, ancl the laft to have been expected in the materia medica; for if it be not a "iblvent for calculi already formed in the human bladder, it will unquestionably ( us ) unqueftionably prevent fuch concretions from forming or enlarging, after they are formed. I know nothing of phyfic, but I have heard, and feen, fuch extraordinary accounts of the efficacy of this medicine, both in M. S. and print, under the refpectable names of thofe who have made their grateful acknowledge- ments to Mr* Colborne, that I fpeak from UN- iQU ESTIONABLE AUTHORITIES. I have the honOt too, to call this gentleman my friend nor could he have beftowed it upon one who ef- teems him more, not only for his philanthro- pic difpofition, but for the amiablenefs of his general conduct, and the many virtues I have for years pafi, known to be inherent in his numerous finii'y; to all of whom, God has given length of days, and affluence of fortune, fufficientto DO A? THEY WOULD BE DONE UNTO. Thofe who would fee particular inftances of the efficacy of this medicine, v-:Jl find it at Cadell's, by Dr. Falconer of Bath> I {hall therefore only give one inconieftible proof of the effect this medicine has in correcting any acrimonious difpofition, in the urine, becaufe it does not appear among the cafes publifhed, but proves paft all doubt,- what a wonderful change it occafions in that excrement. A boy, I think of feven or eight years of age, had L been been cut for the ftone, and for feven years af* tcrwards, could not retain his water, all the phyfical people concluded, that the fphincter had been cut in the operation, and that the boys condition was paft the reach of either me- dicine or art. Mr. Colborne thought other- wife; he gave him this medicated water, and the boy can now retain his, as well as any per- fon whatever; this proves beyond a doubt, that the want of retention, did not ariferfrom any injury done to his perfon in the operation, but from an acrimonious irritating difpofition of the urine itfelf, which the medicine correct- ed; now if the proximate caufe of calculi, (as fome great phylicians have afferted; originates from a tartarious fait, conveyed out of the blood, into the fmall duels of the kidneys (for it is the nature of thefe falts, to contain a con- fiderable quantity of that fubtle matter which Sir Ifaac Newton has fhewn to be the caufe of cohefion of bodies) this grievous diforder is accounted for. If therefore the kidneys fur- nifh a nucleus, when that nucleus gets into the bladder, it cannot fail of being daily aug- mented by additional lamela like the coats of an onion. I lhall therefore only tranfcribe ac- curately, the method of preparing the medi- cine from Mr.. Coiborne's own receipt, and as i " ( U7 ) the glafs apparatus may be had compleatly made for the purpofe, at Parker's warehoufe Fleet- Street, nothing more need be {aid, as every man in theie cafes, may become his own DOC- TOR, even without the advice of Doflor James Mackittrick late medical cautioner of Bath., and formerly one of the Quorum of Antigua, from whence he lately returned.* ' all arrid dry, Like the parched ftubble in a dog-day fky. The exact method of preparing the medi- cated water, from Mr. Colborne's directions. " Put two ounces and a half troy weight of dry fait of tartar into an open earthen vefTel, and pour upon it five quarts, wine meafure, of the fofteft water ; fuch as is clean and limpid, and ftir than well together, with a piece of wood, after ftanding twenty four hours, care- fully decant, from any indiffoluble refidium that may remain, as much as will fill the middle part of the glafs machine for impregnating wa- ter with fixed air. The alkaline liquor is then to be expofed 10 a ftream of air, according to the directions commonly given for impregnat- ing water with that fluid. When the alkaline L 2 folution * The true englifh, and meaning of this cmtvmt Doftor is, to frighten all womenkinJ, if not all mankind, from taking any kind of medicine without the advice of a phyfician, and confequently If ttiy are ii>>ft, to take his. folution Has remained in this fituation till the fixible air ceafes to rife, a frefh quantity of the fermenting materials fliould be put into the lower part of the glafs machine, and the folu- tion expofed to -^fecond ftream of air, and this procefs repeated twice more. After the liquor has continued forty eight hours in that fituati- en, it will be fit for ufe, and fliould be care- fully bottled off in pints, clofely corked, and put with their bottoms upwards in a cool place, it will then keep good feveral weeks. About eight ounces of this medicated water have been taken thrice in twenty four hours, for a confi- derable time together, and hath agreed well with the ftomach, appetite, &c. but a pint in twenty four hours, will be fufficient to begin with." . " . -; ANECDOTE 3^a^lailr^ml ;ii fo k-ua>O -*3jif The Marble Powder, Oil of Vitriol, and proper InflruOions to ' uie the Machine for impregnating Water with fixible Air, may be had at Parker's Glafs Warehoufc, and I think the Medicine ready prepared aifo. , zoi im;:;^} c C *49 ) d* ni hsokms-j esrl *>ih 05 ?t ,>uq 3d bkforft gk bm; yfolob ' '&&iqt tod yl I Ico'j> ni iVntci^w ?m j ; . 3irodA .filar' VNFORTUNATE SERJEANT, SHOT AT LAM> GUAIUJ FORT, FOR DESERTION. HAVING refigned the command of the arnfon to Major Debrifay, of Hudfon's regi- lent, with an intention to fpend a winter W or two in town, I met at the late Duke of Cumberland's levee the General, who in- formed me it was his Royal Highnefs's com- mands, that I returned, in order to refume Y command, while the Major fat as prefi- t of a court martial upon a fergeant for 'fertion. A general court martial upon a for fuch a crime, implied death upon nwc Y m gnrob u\ \ m io uifejrjr SJ } o a A ri 3110 A bli/ori} :tioft ad 1 blidw ,-mrfto -gni ai ii "j TpteinD toe?:.- . A'irl J^aqai nkg marf J ymD noc!) liai/iw eisbiolib gnoflnoDo ai 1 sal o'i aqo/I I hnfi t tiaf.iyj "to foi oliod 3fi^ gnbdsbiq oHi 13; ni laibfol c d)ii ^rmQiniJ' ?d Rijrf 3l I yd fc>3j uO brtuJ .Ofil ni J 'ItuT? to lUOVl uf.'hroflj r,,vj 'jrii bf/;q Offv.- vnol^nir- iffol. c yiom ANECDOTE / Jfl^b loi ifi")/ s ^bnuoq ^J^il )/$ iio X 15* ) er// yllLi luii 31! no ^ffHlAv ^ u A k * K 8 ' .-d biu; ^kW }o 33nh*"l bsIHIio^d i ( ;i) x ^ibfyft 3/f (33-Ig3b .oldfilOJ. NATHANIEL S, ANDRE, ' i\m^ girl . HE WHO THE SAME NIGHT MR. MOULINEUX DIED, U ^ E^ t T OFF WITH LADY BETTY, , HIS WIDOW, AND MARRIED HER. t>oG lo -aft nf IT was the fafhion at Southampton, in the year 1743 and no where elfe in the Kingdom, to viiit Lady Betty and her hufband St. Andre, who was coniidered there, by many of the then inhabitants, as a miracle of wifdom and know- ledge of every kind. St. Andre was a Ger- man, and bred a fencing matter, but finiihed his education, by travelling with an itinerant doctor. Thus. qualified, he arrived in.England, 1 called called himfelf a great Anatomift, and fpeaking the native language of George the firft, was not only introduced to his Majefty, but was appointed the King's Anatomift, and actually attended his Majefty to inftrud him in that occult art ! by this extraordinary fituation he became noticed by many people of falhion, and among others, by Mr. Mollineux, fecretary to the Prince of Wales, and by means of his bafs viol, fiddle, &c. (for he poffeffed all thofe tra- velling accomplifhments in a tolerable degree) he wriggled himfelf into his favor, and at length, from his anatomical knowledge ^ into Lady Betty's ; and then into their houfe en famille. That he was ignorant to a degree fcarce to be conceived, may be feen in his filly pamphlet, written to prove that the impoftor, Mary Toft, of God- aiming rabbets, were preternatural human fae- tus's, in the form of quadrupeds, which pam- phlet he afterwards, bought up, and fo effec- tually fupprefled, that I was twenty years in fearch of it, before I could obtain a fight of one. I do not know who killed poor Mr. Mollineux, but I have been affured that he who publifhed, lately, the fecond edition of that curious per- formance, killed St. Andre, be that as it may, it is pretty certain, that his foolim book, and Sir Richard Maningham's illiterate one, upon , the f 160 2 the fame dirty fubjeft, fliews the wretched ftata of pihyfical practice and Anatomical (kill, in this Kingdom, bout fixty years ago. Soon after, indeed, a REAL GENIUS in this way appeared j Doctor Frank Nicholls, who by his ingenious* public lectures, and curious Anatomical prepa- rations, put an extingurfher upon the heads of a train of fuch impoftors on one fide, and pre- tenders on the other. After Maningham had been as much irnpofed upon, as St. Andre, and another high German Doctor whom the King had lent down to Godalming, to examine Mrs. Toft's rabbet warren j he too, wrote a curious pamphlet, to mew how that impoftrefs was de- tected, but without faying a word, to hew how, fo many great men could have been im- pofed upon, by a very fimple wicked woman, , f and by the moft obvious fraud that ever was ... attempted ; however I give him credit for the truth of cue affeition in his ingenious " Diary " of what was obferved during a clofe attend- " aiice- upon Mary Toft the pretended rabbet " breeder, from Monday the 28th of Nov. to " December the yth, 1726, by Richard Man- " ingham,Kinght, fellow of the royal fociety and " of the college of Phyficians, for fays this fel- " low of the royal fociety, on Tuefday the 6th^ " " Sir Thonus, (meaning Sir Thomas Clarges the , ^ncqnmoi-tui -ajtsl) Q j) i^ 1 ^ 1 ^ E ,?riow \-fniBi -id ^rri c '; ;ihrw b;jii^aK>^/Htrpvi ?id l>i (bd'/h'm vlbnlil : >nnfb djrfj 01 IDCJ ri33 ^n gii'-- // /j^IoO ' -THE DUKE OF SOMERSET, THE FATHER OF THE ^tfCl^O MARCHIONESS OF GRANBY. ! .1^ --CI bioj. yM fl^ THERE happened fuch a conteft at King's college, Cambridge, in the year 1742, between the equally divided Fellows, in their choice^of a Provoft, that neither party could prevail ; my brother, who was of the whig party, but a moderate man, and efteemed by both, was defired immediately to take his doctor's de- gree, and that they would unite, and elect him. As the JGng was juft fetting out for Ha- nover, my Brother was obliged to go imme- diately diately to London to get his mandamus, and to apply to the Duke of Somerfet, who was chancellor of the univerfity, the inftant he arrived in London, which happened to be on a Sunday, he was utterly " unknown to the . Duke, but wrote him a fliort letter the copy of which now lies before me, the Duke, to his great furprife, fent to deiire his company at dinner, my brother accordingly went, was kindly received, and his requeft complied with ; previous to the dinner being ferved ' up, the company, confiding of ten perfons beiide the Duke, were fitting in the great Hall, a fervant entered, holding a filver flaffin his right hand, fomething like a Bifliop 3 ^ crofier, and bare head- ed, announced the fplendid repas three times thus; Forte f Piano, Pianifimo. My Lord Duke of Somerfet. My Lord Duke of Somerfet. My Lord Duke of Somerfet. Your Graces dinner is upon the table. I believe my brother was the only undignified clergyman who was ever admitted to fuch an honor, and as he died fuddenly, a few days after, he died without knowing why this fingular mark of attention was Ihewn him, and therefore I will ventage to account for it, from one expreflion in his letter to the Duke: it is, " nothing could in- " duce ' i66 ) " duce me to give your Grace this trouble up- " on a Sunday, hut the King's going fo foon " abroad'* Ihc Duke perhaps did not lay much ftrefsupon the day, but he was gratified; and perhaps flattered, to find a clergyman who fuppofed he did. Mentioning this matter fome years afterwards, to the Dowager Lady Bate- man, I obferved that the pride of the father, feemed very confpicuous in the deportment of his daughter, Lady Granby, for {he appeared to me to walk in a more (lately manner, than I had ever feen any Lady move. Lady Bate- man, who was intimately acquainted with the Marchionefs, and who admired her for her many virtues, and above all, for being far above any pride but fuch as was becoming her rank, laughed at me for having conceived an idea fo contrary to truth ; as to her manner of walking Ihe obferved, that might be eafily ac- counted for, for faid me, Lady Granby never was fuffered to walk alone, till after fhe was married, nor eyen to go up or down flairs, without: being fupported by a groom of the chambers, or fome gentlemen, adding, you fhall go with me fome morning and breakfaft with Lady Granby, and foon conferred that honor upon me. I here acknowledge my mif- take, take, for I found Lady Granby as devoid of pride, as fhe was covered with irrefiftible charms, and I was as proud of my extraordi- nary introduction to the Marchionefs, as my brother could have been t^.^^^ke her father. -3tea \'J^J ..if)^woQ arf^.oj .,rifi H<, i) baviikJo I c fi&rn to Jfismttoab sdJ ni 21/0, ^i 10 ionnjsm jfateft aiora ni i 8w o/lw ( aOf odw b '^1 ; ivd ^nimoDsd esw ?> ibul Jud j3bhq, > ^TOD ^aivfil icft 3iri ^E'bori^UEi ,..- u : uotp' r ^ ANECDOTE ( 168 ) ?xw oil bit nkmoi a-isd ii T bn ^Difto fbiKrft E oJ 'isltel mill JUG aiDjft rrBP 8Jr-'J f 'CniDt cO'^^T E fcs<^.$vyi& W\ \ "n fo ni naWnw. bjsrf I modw "o ,5m gni^rido ^o auoiitob ^13V gniad r "fovei aid brie T oi^rueioni ano mirf gnib'icrjDf ,fftiii bsnndifii 13fi biod o* TflittiA , PLAYER, b-,. UOY f n f uo^( loft isy ?-bnuoq A. BOUT eight or ten years fince, a young^ man was brought to me, who was thought to poffefs fome Theatrical talents, and the fpeci- mens he gave of it were fuch as induced me to recommend him to the manager of a Theatre who employed him, either upon my opinion, or his own, at a finall weekly falary; at this time, the man, who I think had been bred a coach maker, owed fome money, and honeftly propofed to his creditors, to give them up a moiety of his little income, till they were paid, but ( '69 ) but that propofal was rejefted, and he was ob- liged to fly to France, and there remain with- out his fubfiftence, till he could be what, is, I think, called white wafted; I thought his cafe hard, and his creditors unreafonable, and there- fore gave him a letter to a french officer, and a weekly allowance to maintain him there out of my own pocket till the 'whiting had been put on. The officer, to whom I had written in his favor, being very defirous of obliging me, went to him one morning in a great hurry, and informed him, according to the french man- ner of expreffion, that he had procured him a penflon, meaning thereby, a family to board with; procured me a penfion, replied the young comedian! you aftonifh me! pray Sir how much is it ? forty pounds a year for you and your wife. Good God Sir, how fhall I reward you ? you have laid me under an ever- lafting obligation, what a lucky man I am, firft to find a friend to fend me into a foreign coun- try, and there to find a ftranger to ferve me fo eflentially. The frenchman who had been too much accuftomed to hear fuch expreflions made ufe of, for trifling favors, did not, per- ceive that the Englimman, was thanking him for procuring him and his wife a pcniion dur- 'Ofbf' in ( '7 ) ing life, of forty pounds a year; but after a little further converfation, the matter was ex- plained on both fides. If this man was not fo lucky, on the otter fide of the water, as he had for a while believed, he has had it amply made up to him on this fince his return, for he now holds a place under government, faid to be worth a thoufand pounds a year, and yet his name does not appear among the lift of my fubfcribers! hefent // indeed, but notproperfy> and befide, it is not the firft time that he has reminded me of a very juft obfervation ; viz. that ingratitude is a crime of fo deep a dye, no one was ever found hardy enough to ac- knowledge himfelf guilty of it ; * tho* I am apt to believe, he was intimidated from doing it by his comedian matter, who I have often feen in his blue fleeves, dipping candles in a . greafetub; but that was all fair, and mould not . e O07 . "^ ^fcfcn the late Duke of St. Alban's married, he fent ~ wedding favor to Lord George Beauclerck. Lord George returned it, and de- liied the fcrvant to inform his grace, that t-wo or none, (hould have been fent.to him, Lord Geoige having juft before married his lady, fo this fortunate comedian fent me one mark of lit gratitude, but as I had fub- Icriixid to him and his lu'ife too, during the tvbite ivafiiiig Imfviefs at Ca- iais, I declined the favor, agreeing with Lord George that two favors, or none mould have been fent, one to me, and we to my wife, for we had both ft.lf. riled to tie*. not have been mentioned here, had he con- ducted a negotiation between a father and a Jon with truth, candour or juftice, but low birth, however cultivated will always have a fmack of it, neither good company, nor good luck; can do them quite away. The wife of the firft artift in this Kingdom, nay of any Kingdom, and who frequently earns fifty guineas before he fits down to dinner, carries this beggarly difpofition to a pitch fcarce to be conceived. Her hufband who is by no means young, con- flantly {lands upon his feet during five or fix hours every day, and then before dinner walks into the park for a little frefh air, or into the city upon bufinefs, by which time, he be- comes fo foot fore, that he takes a hackney coach to return home, but he durft as foon eat his palate as be fet down within fight of his own door, for fear of another fet down, from a little bit of redflejh which grows in this Scotch woman's mouth ! ! what renders it worfe too, is, that the hufband is as generous, as he is in- genions, and feels thofe dirty doings at his finger ends, for no man living poflefles a cunninger fin- ger, nor a more beggarly and mean fpirited jea- lous pated wife, who would rather deprive him of the company of thofe friends who fincerely love love him, for his many good qualities, and who admire him for his inimitable talents, than that an extra bottle of wine, or a bit of roaft mutton mould be eat at his table, and yet this woman has an annuity fettled upon her for life, four times more than fhe has ipirit to fpend, or ge nius to enjoy, nor is this the meaneft inftance I could with truth advance, but inftead of which, I will relate one of an Englifh Farmerefs, wlft) died worth thirty thoufand pounds, and who was my neareft neighbour offafhion at Land Guard Fort. On my firft journey to that gar- rifon when I came to Walton, a village only three miles from it, having been previoufly told there was no neighbourhood near it, I was de- lighted to fee a magnificent houfe, and an At- chievcment over the door ! a few days, after tevfl^'Warfkdif ; u to the village, an old hag, refembling one of the witches in Macbeth, came forth from this goodly looking manfion and thus accofted me. " Tour fervant your honor, I ^ftfawe flail ferue you with butter, eggs, and things " in our iuay, ive always fervcd Governor Hayes <; vAir honor, sV." upon enquiring of the par- this woman was worth attl'Wmoney, and that in the laft ill- h ^d ojf' i ' I ^ * 10} f mu\ siefs of her hufband ; the old man, when he found himfelf going, faid " wife if tbee would/}., " I will fend over to Ipfwichfir Dr. Venn, for indeed " / am deadly bad''' fend for Dr. Venn replied the wizard, why you auldfeule you, what figni- fies your throwing away your money upon Doc- tors ftuff, when you knaw you cant hauld it above a day or two, but as the Doctor was not fent for, the old man told Thomas-, who was going with the teem to Ipfwich market, to bring him a bit of veal, and Thomas would have brought it, but that fhe privately forbid him, unlefs it could be had at five pence a pound ! the old man died a few days after, without the afliftance of Dr. Venn, or Dr. Veal; yet this man, who fubmitted to be thus treated by fuch a mean animal, for me merited not the name of a woman, I am well affured, had the fpirit to give my predeceflbr, a handfome horfe whip- ping. When it came to the old woman's turn, to have nothing more to do with butter and eggs, me fent for the Layer, to make her will, and the following converfation paiTed between them. Your fervant Mr. Kilderbey, your fervant Ma- dam, to be fure Mr. Kilderbey I am deadly bad ; to be fure Madam you are ; to be fure I have a great deal of money to leave behind me ( 174 ^ T^M , t t r ,r 1 me Mr. Kilderbey; to be' fure Madam you have ; and I am very unwilling to part with it ; to be fure Madam you are ; then lifting up her eyes for the firft time to heaven, (pre- vious, to her doing what fhe had never in her life done before) fhe obferved, that a fait goofe hung in the paflage, and defired Mr. Kilderbey to put it into his pocket ; and he did fo, for Mr. Kilderbey finding that fhe was difpofed to leave all her money, where he wifhed it to be left, he would have put her in his pocket ra- ther than have thwarted the old lady at fuch a critical time, for he too perceived, that neither Dr. Venn, nor Dr. Veal's afiiflance, could make her hauld it above a day or two, and fo poor Mr. Kilderbey, after having made her will, was con- tent to ride thirteen miles home with a fait goofe in his pocket, the very emblem of the hag, whofe will he had made, fo much to his own fatisfaclion, being in favor of his friend, a re- putable Farmer in the neighbourhood, who had a very large family, we have heard of high life above flairs, and high life below flairs, but where fhall we place the lives of two fuch Jefa- bells as are above delineated ? if the reader fhouidJke difpofed, either to laugh, or to cry, at at fuch inftances of human depravity, for here is matter for both, he is required not to doubt, the truth of either, for I have the BEST AUTHO- RITY to fav they are TRUTH ITSELF. -) ijd qu .iM bo'u b 3d btit> i i32tooq girl >ioqiib 8W oil- jbl r }i baifiiv. U taafroq aid ni Ta-\ juq 3VfI biuov/ ?A'' * \hjBl bfc ^di avid j is ,Hj c bavi' i blijOD f o-jnfhitr> t r ^l .iQ. - ."id di bnfi e c > lei ^ .iliWlDii .. iw, ornoii ? a v | i ! . ;r/od ( ripui py/j - 13riw glbd A FEW . - sir f isgmD5 *., vvftfj 21 ji Ji/d C m3rfi oJ ay?* rif^n^i^ ^yilte 13 " f ijS3c.qfi\80Vft ii .v-xV^kVjy drivel dldjcivhiq fount jstyyifi '(fib &rfj alfi^Jb jEflw i '.rfibo33 bn t "b4ibil J . ii ^isikm^o -^h'. bwb nibiioa ii^rfl,ijajtti J^ti^ ^x>b wrd I gt- -fl wo gnisd ' aiBft bns.nuldH) 3Ta toib vdL tiutw^- of ,the Galleys, but the verie/l Jlaves I have ever feen, are the day labourers of England and Ireland, and the all work maid fervants- of London; .while fuch a hue and cry is made about the freedom of black flaves, r^qdreds. of free born Englishmen are ac- tually in flavery under the barbarian moors in Africa who are not thought of! the late Mr Henry Grenville when he was Governor of Barbadoes, contrary to the cuftom of the country, told me, he dined with his coat on, and expected aM whom he invited to his table to wear theirs ; for what faid Mr. Grenville, is a King in his waiftcoat? may we not go a little further, and fuppofe him without any covering whatever, and then who would be able to diftinguifti which is the King, and which was the flave. Lord Chefter field's obfervation is very juft, when he faid, " drels is a foolifh thing, yet it is a ** foolifh -thing not to be well dreffed," the wifeft men cannot conquer that abfurdity, and the multitude are governed by it, to a A 'pickpocket under the character Juftinian, with his fon, and prin- eefs, lived eleven months fplendidly, at Spa, in Germany, \\ithout a fmgle farthing in his pockety or fcarefina.vftirt^Q Iput on ; merely by ment, by dint of the fun and ftars being em- broidered on an old coat bought of a Friperie, at Paris. When I fee on Lord Rodney a ftar, and ribband, I confider it as an ornament due to the great and eminent fervices he has rendered his country, but when an Trim Earl makes ufe of that badge to introduce him- felf and his wife into my garden, or when I am not at home, to afk impertinent queftions of my fervants; I look upon him with con- tempt, and embrace this public occafion, to de- fire he will not take that liberty with me again, nay to tell him, HE SHALL NOT; his coat, his ftar, and his ribband ; are as infignificant in my eyes as he is. 1 Oioqqi/J brif .rj/'fuji sijjri . gjp There are in our Well India Iflands, particularly in Jamaica, a great number of free Negroes and Mulattoes, who poflefs flaves of their own, and it is among them only cmelties are exercifed! I was more than an eye witnefs to the following affefting fcene in Jamaica. A gentleman at whofe houfe I'was upon a vifit, had (truck his head boyler, a very old man, rather too heavy a blow, and the only blow the man had during his long life received. The man was hurt in body and mind too, and feemed to be in danger, his forrowful matter and mif- trefs daily vifited him, and (hewed him every mark of attention in their power, the old man was fenfible -of their kindnefs, and often faid he hoped to recover fo as to boil off the prefent crop and got out again, but in a few days relapfed and died. The day of his funeral his matter, his mittrefs, and myfelf; were .lookers on at this melancholy fcene, for it was a more melancholy fcene to us, than it feemed to be to his nume- rous relations and companions, when the bearers had carried him to the margin of the grave, they run fuddenly away with the corps, faying blm aofave go to the grave. A con fult at ion was then held, as to the caufe ! oh, he he had not taken leave of his. friends, the body was then carried to the door of every hut in the Negroe town, and fome one fpoke for the de- ceafed thus, farewell tatta, farewell mamma, Sec. he was then a fecond time carried to the grave, but a fecond time alfo, him no fave go, and a fecond confultation took place, when it was found, that he had not taken leave of his Mafla and Mififs, fo up a high hill the corps, and the crew were mounted, and the Sheridan among them, thus harrangued us three Seecarat. Good bye Maffa, good bye Mififs, good byegemem, me always ferve you true Majja, my heart burn true Mafla, and you never teat me no more tban once, me fbrry to die before me boil the crop; fb Maffa and Mi/lft went crying away, and ordered the bearers a large jug of rum, and then poor >uamina went as quietly to the grave, as could be ex- Ki'i :.:. ev/*; btfrb 7T4HU0 .* . r \-"->?V ^ .? >/> .vffi 1 ^i?j 3ilf ~ rj . ai io j/^q hib/iip sif %f . I'-sfil ' |f>Mi ^ffjtjy^ od nii* i.i AN hJ doi alcj iii ftgi lo .^m -Jill oi ib! ,boiii - . '.d i'Jtt ytyvf '>o^cr "/ 9ffi ' Dii.ti? t W\esw3i nsrfw ( 93Blq Xoc.J nobfiJlw")aco booasV ..i^ aid 'to JWAsI ^ =*Y^ POOO .iati>iS. 33n;fv iri ^nrr t s%!JL aini HOY ana'i ?YwI.) . OBSERVATION !irfl brwj OR TWO, ON THE MODERN DOCTRINE OF LIBELS. A BURNT child (fays the old adage) dreads the fire; I have been libel-burnt, I therefore afk the candid part of my countrymen, whether it can be juftly faid, we live in a free country, while every man among us a few only excepted, is liable to be tried by a jury, who may be perfuaded to find his Peer guilty of publijhing only, and then leave his unknown punifhment to the court of King's Bench* Is not a man fo convicted, left to the mercy of Judges, who may C 184 ) may nail his ears to a pillory ; nay, who may cut his ears off? who may imprifon him for life, or fentence him to find fuch high fecarities, as may detain him for life in a prifon, and that too, for a crime, which if the punifliment had been left to the bofoms of his jury, would nei- ther have deprived him of liberty, or fined him five pounds. I willftate my own cafe, becaufe it is applicable to many other FREE 'BORN Englifli- men. Lord Orwell, afterwards created Earl of Shipbroke ! * was appointed prefident of a court martial upon the tryal of a military, or rather an unmilitary officer of his own corps, but under my command in a frontier garrifon ; in war time, and at the time the Queen was hourly expecled to land at, or pafs under the very muzzles of the cannon of that garrifon. This officer quitted his duty without my leave, contrary to repeated and pofitive public garrifon orders, I fent a ferjeant to the place he had re- treated (thirteen miles off,) to order him to re- turn to his duty ; yet in defiance to all military difcipline, to duty, and decency to the perfon of his fovereign, he would not return ; but aggravated his crime by abfenting himfelf two days more ; unwilling to embarafs gOVern- frc:) -6.M dJnf->/'o zB-a wctf rr.^rl: mpnf nainttlfi -j^im rtairiw 1p *isq< WlEJ.jrtj- Vv*? 30 ,nlto r J ' * He ferrcd an apprentice (hip to'ii -'IWrt'flefl* ' by trying fuch a militia culprit at a court martial, I put him firft in arreft, and gave him twenty four hours time, to confider of his improper conduct, in hopes, that he would make fuch an apology as he ought, or at leaft, fuch a one (for I would gladly have accepted of any) that might fave appearances in me, and fpare trouble to the folks above, but finding he did not apply to me ! I applied to him, and aiked him whe- ther he had any reafons to offer, why I mould not lay his very extraordinary conduct before the fecretary at war, in order to receive the King's commands* ? but this obftinate country Efquire (Captain Lynch of Ipfwich) had none ! ! nay, he confidered himfelf fo /'// ufed, that he infifted upon being tried at a court martial ! Lord Orwell, and twelve more of his refpeclable corps, fat in judgment upon us both, for they rather tried me, than him ; and after (what might have been done in one hour) three days mature delibe- ration^ the honorable court found the prifoner 'not only, not guilty, but acquitted him with honour ! ! The King however could not, as appears by the Judge ami j|ni ; * I had defined the Serjeant t tell Mr. Lynch that I cxpefted him to let me know whether his going without leave was owing to his con- tempt to difcipline, or io me? the latter part of which rather alarmed the noble Captain, and induced him to prefer the matter being fettled by his Brother Officers, than bit-ween ii'anltlf 'and me. ( 186 ) Judge advocates letter, confirm this very extra- ordinary and honourable acquittal, but I had not TWO, I had a thoufand acquaintance, among whom I hope were many who wifhed me well ; but I could not fay I had any right to expect one of them, to fubjecl: himfelf to the payment of five hundred pounds as a proof of it. Is not therefore a man found guilty of a libel ( J90 3 libel by a jury of only publijhing it ; liable to imprisonment for lire ? and if he be, is he ; can he be faid to be a native of a free country, who can be tried and punifhed only, by twelve honeft men his Peers, and countrymen ? I have not the honor to be known to Mr. Bowes, but I have the pleafure, (if it can in the leaft be pleafing to him,) to know, that I feel deeply for the length of time he is fentenced to be fliut up, with fo many fins and daughters of woe, for that of itfelf, is a grievous punifli- ment to a fufceptible mind. f f In the fequel, I (hall relate the ftory of the WOODEN GUN, as I flatter myfelf it may convey fome ufeful hints, I am fure it will fome extraordinary events, and fljew as Lord Bacon juftly obferves, what z fire may be lighted only from a fpark. otk tl AtS ".it^^q Jc^-ig g-i^-i ANECDOTE ' o) B^'-V ? VbV/:< siiJiii hv * 101) t dtr. ib /lib? ww 3! J^rfl ^Ji ANECDOTE HENDERSON. AT the time that Palmer allowed him only a guinea, or a guinea and half a week, there were people at Bath, who were not ftrangers to Henderfon's great powers as an after, and ftrength of underftanding as a man. Lord Bateman, who firfl faw him at my houfe in private, was fo much offended with his man- ners, (for he poflefTed neither modefty, nor fentiment) that it was with difficulty I pre- vailed upon his Lordfhip to fee him in any other character than his own, yet he was fo much C '9* ) much delighted with his ftage endowments, that' he defired me when we met in town, to bring Henderfon to dine with him ; as we were on our way up Oxford road, it occurred to me that Lady Bateman would be more dif- gufted with Henderfon's ufual table deport- ment, than my Lord had been, I therefore took an occafion to tell him, that Lady Bateman poffefled a good underftanding, and was very delicate as to the propriety of the behaviour of thole who came to her table, and as it was probable Lord Bateman might, after dinner, defire him to give her ladyfhip a fpecimen of his ftage abilities, entreated him, as he could act even the part of a very fliy modeft man, to play it y both before, and at dinner, obferving, that then, whatever he was kind enough to do after dinner, would come forth with double force. Henderfon played the part of the knife and fork, always in the beft manner^ and during the time of dinner, Ifatu him in a new and Jin- gular character, if he did not difplay much good breeding, he was in all other refpects, the thing. My conjecture too, proved right ; for Lord Bateman obferving that as Lady Bateman had not been at Bath in his time, he would gratify her curiofity by a little fpecimen either comic, or ferious, of an affumed character, from that inftant C '93 ) inftant, Mr. Garrick, not Henderfon was 'at the table ! neither Gainfborough, nor Rey- nold's ; could have given fuch a portrait of that firft of all actors ; they could only give his face, eye, and perfon ; but Henderfon, al- moft without face, eye^ or perfon f gave us the LIVING MAN tho' outred to the extreme, in every part. That Henderfon fhould be unable to with-hold fuch very extraordinary powers of mimickry, and thereby endeavour to ridi- cule the only rival he had, is not much to be wondered at, but that he poffeffed effrontery enough to take off Garricx, TO Mr. GARRICK, which he did in the fame manner, will ever remain a wonder, but to thofe who knew him as well as I did, and will CufKciently juftify me, for giving him the Oxford Rodd Hint. Mr. Gar- rick was ihocked when he faw himfclf in Hen- derion's Mirrour, and only faid, (as well he might) "What! is that me?" When I aiked Henderfon how he could be prevailed upon to do it, he faid Mr. Garrick defired him ! Did Henderfon then poffefs either modeity or fen- timent ? | but what niuft we think, when I af- O fert, f His perfon was void of elegance and his own face bad. t He poileJitJ however the nnl of rJ! virtues, that of filial affection to his aged Mother in a high degies. ( '94 ) fert, that I have feen feveral letters from Mr, Garrick to Henderfon, while he was an early performer on the Bath ftage, wherein Mr. Gar- rick had given him fuch kind and important hints, as to his conduct on, and off the ftage, that they appeared to me not only friendly, but as parental admonitions ; Mr. Henderfon how- ever flighted them, as puerile and ufelefs. Mr. Ireland, the fenfible, honeft man, who wrote Henderfon's life, was his firft and beft friend, yet Henderfon took him off, ftill better than he did Mr. Garrick ! for when Mr. Ireland failed in buiinefs, and failed too, in all probability, from the expences Henderfon and his afibciates had led him into (for Mr. Ireland's houfe was his only home) he was his only creditor alfo, who refufed to fign his certificate ! and yet with what candour and ingenioufhefs has Mr. Ireland written Hender&n's life, lince Henderfon was taken off himfelf. *- J >msr ; ANECDOTE mcni nwjtoi \uz raft*. -aoo> rftaS Jfi am gm ' When Huideribu was itrioufly complaining pf his lofs by Mr. Ireland's Failure, a wag in company, whp knew that he had got all Air*. Ireland's myrtles -and bough-pots from the window's in maiueri lapp, oMbrved, why ^wkat would you taffe >orei have you not got all : his timber ? ^Jr*;' ')flj Mi bin co Lnfii^nJ. ( '95 ) ' - -lw .^,il ibea 5fb use? wt mid no/J^ I *ud " ANECDOTE alhi 'iv?' 'ft Oil'// <.. >dbfii et bib'adfuHi - adhsbnoH vjliii bnjJorf A LORD, A MONK, AND A FOOL. . THE Earl of Coventry, to whom, I was nei- ther known nor obliged, further than ' that he had honoured me with his name, and a guinea, as a fubfcriber to my journey into Spain, meet- ing me at Bath foon after my return from thence, was pleafed to inform me, and to fur- prife me alfo, byt elling me it was in my power to render him a fei vice which no man elle in England could ! he then gave me a lift in latin, of the name of every tree, fhrub, and flower, which the extraordinary mountain of Montfer- O 2 rat */U nf tat produces, and defired I would *,vrite to my friend Pere Pafcal, to caufe the feeds and bul- bous roots it produces, to be collected at the proper feafons of the year, and fent to him, and that whatever expence attended it, he would moft thankfully pay, and feel himfelf highly obliged ; I immediately wrote in the moft preff- ing terms to the good Monk, and told him they were for a nobleman of my country, of high rank, and great fortune. This requeft opened a corr efpondence between me and the good old man, one year, before the Spanifh war commenced * and continued one year after for PERE PASCAL, lived in PEACE with all mankind ; in his reply to me, he exprefled fuch a willingnefs to oblige his Lordfhip, and fuch regard to me and my family that it un- manned me ; if bringing a tear or two in my eyes when I read it, be unmanning^ fuch poor beings as the beft of u;, are. My only concern faid the Monk is, " 'ieaft we fliould not fulfil " thy commands with that zeal and ardour we as our apothecary is the only man in we *an confide/' After two years cxpenfive The Spaniards I fuppofe mean to (hew tlieir refpecl to their cor- rcfpondents, by enodofmg their letters in feveral covers, or perhaps (as in Spain they pay bj' weight) to prevent wear and tear, in foreign letters their paper being very thin, for my letters often had double covers. ( 197 ) expenilve correfpondence to the Monk, and myfelf alfo, he informed me that he had that day fent to Mr. Macdonald their Agent at Bar- celona, two boxes, one, containing feventy four parcels of feeds, all properly marked and numbered ; and the other, filled with bul- bous roots. " lyhen this valuable cargo arrived" Lord Coventry honored me with a, letter of which the following is a copy. ;3'J7 ysffj Pear Sir, " I am this minute favoured with your " moft obliging letter, I return you a thoufand " thanks for the trouble you have been at on " my account, I hope you will fee next year " the produce of your own bounty, though it " muft appear in an infant ftate, I ain really " thankful for what I could not have obtained < c by any other means, and whatever expenfe " may have attended this valuable cargo in. its " P a JS" a Z c to England, I fhail moft gratefully pay " to your order, it is the only fhip that I wim " may efcape Admiral Rodney's vigilance, for " under every adminiftration I muft always " wifh well to that of Britain, I return you '' the Monk's letter * and join in his bleflings, being * All the Monk's letters were trandatcd and fent to his LorJfliip '( VpS J) " being dear Sir, your moft faithful humble " Servant' * ; "' -ifHrtoih: julfl HI &>fbi br;:i raifiiti ajj tnari? COVENTRY. As his Lordfhip only feemed by this letter, defirous to pay the expences of the fea fwfi-ge, of this valuable cargo, I replied, by poin.ing out, the only means I knew of, to tranfmif ibme gratuity to* the Monk's and the Apothecary, who had, as I did then, and do now believe, traverfed a mountain fixteen miles in ciroimfer- ence in the hot autumn of Spain to collect them, and to the Monk who had parceled them, num- bered them provided boxes for them, and fent thbm ail-properly packed up, to their agent forty miles, from Montferrat,. to Barcelona. I there- fore informed his Lordiliip that as it was war time, if he 'transmitted his donation to Mr. -Walpole-the britifh rainiiler at Lnbon, that gen- rtiemanmight be able to- convey it by fome fafe ineans to Moht4ei*at.' 'His^ Lordfei^y did not 3io'iior me with an) reply to that letter, but foon after, called upon Mr. Brown, my bookfeller, ^S^^fj^^gf^ and gave him a vuinea I for their reward, and defired I would remit it to them, I did not remit it ; but I did ( 199 ) not keep it, but gave it to a Spanifh prffoner who was almoft naked, and pennylefs, and there the matter had refted in filent aftonifh- ment in my own bofom, had I not a year af- terwards, met with a Spanifti gentleman at BruiTels, who delicately hinted to me (for he was juft returned from Montferratj that the Monks were much furprifed, that a briti{h nobleman, (Hoivio Ricco,) mould have- oflfered.fo fmall a return for their trouble and expenfe ! I too, was not only furprifed, but deeply hurt, for as his Lordfhip had feen all the Monk's letters, he could not but have obferyed one remarka- ble expreffion in them, towards the clofe of our correfpondence, viz. " I fhall be al- " ways glad to oblige you, but I muft in- " form you, that the poftage of your letters " have coft me eighteen pecettoes (fhillings,) * c which is a great fum out of a poor monk's " pocket. "| Upon this alarming and pain- ful hint, I wrote to Lord Coventry and told him I would vindicate myielf, not being able to endure the moft diftant fufpicion, of having Jood yr I My letters were all a fingle fheet of the thin.reft paper I co.uld pro- cure and fcalcd with a thin wafer; the reader will therefore judge of my expencc of poftage when I aflert that th replies were always in two :r.i fdivetimes three cover?! ( 200 } having behaved either ungratefully orunjuftly to Grangers, who had received me with kindnefs and treated me with much hofpitality ; his Lord- fhip in return, by a letter dated Croome, Sept. 22, 1782, fays, " Sir, the reafon of my leav- ing a guinea with Mr. Brown for the ufe of the Spanifh Apothecary, was becaufe you told me a few {hillings would be a fuflticient gratuity, and I really meant to be liberal, I have not the fmalleft objection to depofit another guinea or two with the fame perfon when I go to town next winter and I mall certainly do fo, though I never bought docks and weeds at ib high a price j the gentleman certainly did not collect them upon Montferrat, but proba- bly before his own door without going a yard to procure them. The Hill is known to con- tain fome curious plants, of which I troubled you with a catalogue, but inilead of thofe productions the contents of the box were pre- cifely what I have defcribed as feveral of the beft botanifts can teftify, who have feen this whole cargo. "When I left the money with Mr. Brown I fully explained the purpofe for, which it was intended, and told him that ycp^ had no other concern in it than being the ,y.e^ ( hide of it to a poor Apothecary at Montferrat, mirl^i/'Vb^' - t .not) jt is therefore, furprifing that there mould have been any mifapprehenfion about it." I am Sir, your obedient Servant, COVENTRY. cr ^ ' But with all due refpect tp the noble Earl, may I not fay, that I had not only been the vehicle to procure " the box" but to procure TWO BOXES from Montferrat, that I had been at fome expence, and had fent, befides poftage of letters, a prefent to the Monks, in confide- ration of their kind attention to my requeft, and was not repaid, nor even afked what ex- pences I had been put to, I was therefore ob- liged to trouble his Lordihip with another let- ter from Bruffells, to exprefs my concern,, that J mould at the ufe of my intereft, the expence of my purfe, and the moft ardent defire to ferve his Lordfhip, incur his difpleafure ! his Lordfhip in reply does me the honor to fay *' Sir, Nothing could furprife me more than your letter of the 4th. inft. interpreting a for- mer letter of mine to convey that I was highly cf ended wth you, could I be offended with a gentleman who being almoft an entire ftranger to me, obligingly undertook to write into a foreign country ? could I be offended with him for having punctually executed that commif- fion ? ( 202 ) fion ? as to the expence of collecting the feeds I always imderftood that I was to pay it, and I think fo ftili, with that idea I applied to you to know what demands there were upon me, and received in anfwer only a few {hillings to a poor Apothecary who had the trouble of gathering the feeds, I thought I could not fend him lefs than a guinea, which fum I left with Mr. Brown, your bookfeller, fully explaining for whofe ufe it was intended, and fully ftat- ing, that I believed you would be kind enough to remit it to Barcelona, having myfelf no correfpondence with that place. The charge attending poftage of letters I confefs did not occur to me, but if you will let me know what may be due on that account and what you ?iow think a proper gratuity to the Apothecary, I will readily fet right the miftake and pay the money to any perfon in London who may bq appointed to receive it," fits* r i^Ui^d bii ( ' -ara ( L qacw a rrv Your obedient humble Servant, COVENTRY. CROOME, - {q bluow D/t ft ted* t ioiiiM miof ""2 tannoiru After an additional trouble, and expejicejn a frefli correfpondence with the monk at Bruf- fells, ( 203 ) fells, I returned to England, and living within three or four doors of Lord Coventry, and confequently often feeing his Lordfhip, I again took the liberty of ftating to him that I was fome pounds out of pocket, for having punc- tually executed his Lordftiip's commands, and even offered to fwear within the mark to the fum expended ; a day or two after, meeting his Lordfliip in Piccadilly, he was pleafed to tell me, if I would call at his door, his porter had a note for me ; as 1 had never in my life been within his Lordfhip's doors, I declined that honor, but fent my fervant for the note, and thus it was written, in his Lordfhip's own hand, If Mr. Thickneffe will call at Mr. Cun- " ninginir.'s, Hofier, the corner of St. James's " Street, the day after he receives this note he " will (ind his demands enquired into and ad- " jutted" but I declining that honour alfo ; and Sir John Miller called at my houfe a few days after, and faid he had brought ten guineas, which he was dclircd to deliver to me, from Lord Coventry, as a douceur for the Monk and Apothecary ; here again I was under the ne- ceility of declining this fubftantial offer, but I informed Sir John Miller, that if he would pay it to DON VIRIO, fecretary to his excellency the Marquis Del Campo, the Spanifh Ambaf- fador ( 204 ) lador, I was very fure that he would remit it to the Monks, it was accordingly paid to him, but it arrived alas ! too late for Pere Pafcal to know how the matter flood. The Prior of the convent however informed me, that he had received the ten Britifli guineas, and that he would not part with them, till he had my in- ductions how they were to be difpofed of, I therefore defired that after deducting the eigh- teen pecettoes for the poftage of letters, the price of the boxes ; their carriage ; and embarka- tion at Barcelona, for the ufe of the convent ; that the remaining mm, mould, if he pleafed, be given to the Apothecary, who collected themira- only grow, and I have fince received a letter from Don yofe Ferret Eoticaria de Montferrat en Cata- luna, acknowledging the receipt of the balance, and offering me his future fervices in the moft polite and friendly terms ; and now I have on- ly to lament, that Pere Pafcal, who (hewed me and my family fo much attention in the moft romantic and retired fpot upon the habitable globe, died without being thoroughly fatisfied, that I had not been difhoneft or ungrateful, for, the fingular attention he (hewed me and my family, during our (lay at his moft enviable habitation habitation, and that my fincere and expensive endeavours to oblige Lord Coventry, ended in my being fent to a Stocking Grocer, on a fixed day, to have my demands " enquired into, " and adjufted." That Lord Coventry may be thoroughly fatisfied that no part of his bounty remained with me, the following ex- trad from Don Virio's letter, dated London, the 3 oth of July, 1785, will fhew. Dear Sir ' " I received fix weeks ago an anfwer " from my friend at Madrid about the affair of " Montferrat, he had delivered the ten britifli " guineas to an agent of that convent with "a particular charge, that this fum Ihould be " paid to the Apothecary, as unluckily our " good Padre Roderego, Pafcal is no more. Not " fatisfied with this anfwer, I wrote to my " friend, that he fhould infift on having an " anfwer with a proper acknowledgment from " the perfon that was to receive the money, " and confeqo.cntly, by a meflenger juft ar- " rived, I received the enclofed letter f HI bswsilV -,v/j nchnsJir, Tr r li.i "which nub T "fk f " * The letters was from the Prior of the convent as mentioned above, ^who had received the money, and paid the balance to the Apothc- carv. ( 206 ) " which I dare fay will give fome better infor- " mation, &c." Subfcribed, J. VIRIO. i TA dniafcaji wo# ^YOAJI A so OAK jnyrAJiaa aar .-, .- : - YUA. uoy v/on ^yioii "io gi^uam^q arfj i3ri o* qu nwoig ais iio*^ ifoum bslbxs vji 0ov TH THE STORY WOODEN GUN, AS IT WAS HASTILY SKETCHED OUT FOR THE INFOR- MATION OF A LADY, NOW RESIDING AT BATH, AND LONG BEFORE THE RELATOR HAD ANY IDEA OF PUBLISHING IT.f IT is very natural Madam, that you fhould wlfh to hear the particulars of a ftory, now you are grown up to years of maturity, which you fay excited much of your curiofity, even when you was a child, for I verily believe, that during fome years, the wooden gun was a topic t The Lady of Admiral G r. ( 208 ) a topic as often touched upon in Britain, as the Iron mafk was in France, and perhaps, is at this day as little underftood ; I {hall there- fore Madam, as well as my memory can, with- out any minutes to aflift it, comply with your requeft, in relating the moft material points of a quarrel, which commenced by what the French call un mal-entendu, and which, though trifling in the beginning, was attended with very ferious confequences to the two princi- pals, and even involved many other perfons into very difagreeable and untoward fitua- tions ; ridiculous as fuch a narrative may ap- pear, at the diftance of full twenty years fmce its commencement it may have its ufe, by {hewing in what manner, little mifunderftand- ings may become productive of fatal confe- quences, and how neceffary it is not to be too quick in forming opinions, by conceiving rude- nefs or incivility is meant, when attention, and the utmoft propriety only was intended. The circumftances arifing from the difpute between Lord Orwell and myfelf, has dearly convinced me, that it is much fafer to have a mifunder- ftandiag with a fenfible knave, than with a vain proud, or weak honeft man ; and here it may be neceflary to obferve, that the confe- quences, and cenfure, ought to fall on the firil aggrdTor, aggreffor, and I flatter myfelf Madam, however partial I may infenlibly become by relating fads, in which I was fo feriolifly an interefted party, that you \vill believe I cannot deviate fo much from candour and truth ; but that you may be able to fee your way j to form a juft judgment ; and determine on which fide the weaknefs, the wickednefs of the profecu- tion (I was going to fay perfecution) prepon- derated. I believe Madam that you and every perfon of fenfe will allow, that military know- ledge, cannot be conveyed by the King's fign manual, and that nothing but infpiration can impart the knowledge or duty of a foldier, the minute the fovereign is pleafed to confer a mili* tary command. In this fituatiort however, Colonel Vernon, the late Lord Orwell, and fince, Earl of Shipbrook flood, when his Ma- jefty appointed him to the command of the Eaftern Battalion of the Suffolk militia ; but before I proceed further, it may be neceflary for me to obferve, that Colonel Vernon was the nephew of the renowned Admiral Vernort, and fingled out from his other nephews, to be his fole heir, and that as I had ferved in the fleet at Jamaica, under that Admiral's com- mand, and not approving of his conduct to the foldiers under mine, I had rather a diflike P to ( 210 ) to the name, and therefore, when Mr. Vernon came to take poffefliOn of the Admiral's houfe and eftatCvS, in the neighbourhood of Land Guard Fort, of which garrifon I was then Lieu* tenant Governor, I did not vtfit him, but meet- ing him one day near a little cottage I then* poffefled, in a very narrow lane, I pulled off my hat as we paiTed ; foon after which, he ilop'd at a little farm of his own, and defcribing my perfon, alked the farmer what officer it was he had juft met ? and being informed, he rode back to my cottage, and without alighting, entered into a very civil converfation with me, and when he went away, faid he mould be glad to fee me at N AC TON ; and though I was far jfrom feeling any perfonal diflike to Mr. Vernori, after this converfation, it fo hap- .pened, that I did not vifit him, but foon after, Mr. Vernon was appointed Colonel of the Suf- folk militia, confiding of eight companies, four of which were fent to do garrifon duty under my command. It then inftantly occurred to me, how negligent I had been, in not vifiting Mr. Vernon, and how neceflary it was inftantly to vifit Colonel Vernon, as he could not, with- for it feems, that Lord Orwell had faid to the Bailiff of Ipfwich, that he would not carry the addrefs of that borough to the King, in company with fuch a f 1 as Mr. S n, Mr. S n being told this, buckled bimfelf on to an ( 22 5 ) an old fword, and fent to Lord Orwell to meet him in the Tower church yard, Ipfwich, and there demanded fatisfaclion, but this was de- clined, and his Lcrdfhip retired to Scarborough. I muft now return to the Fort, where Major Negus commanded the four companies of Lord Orwell's corps, and who, either from, fimpli- city, or obftinacy, fet the garrifon orders at naught, which I did not at that time much at- tend to, as Lady Betty, my late wife, was in a very alarming and dangerous ftate of body and mind, nor mould I have attended then to his mere difobediencc to orders, had he not drawn his men up in array^ under her bed chamber window, and made them fire their pieces, fo as not only to alarm my wife, but fo terrified her, that me did not recover her right fenfes till three days afterwards. Indeed the paflion fuch an infult, offered to her, and to me, under fuch afflicting circumftances, drove me almoft mad, and I plainly told the Major, I would confine him in the black hold, if he did not inftaritly' difmifs his men, and keep'filence, which he then did. Lady Betty furvived this infult about three weeks only, and the night I had followed her to the grave, after my fervants and the Chaplain were gone to bed, I v/rote the Major a letter, requiring Q him ( 226 y him inftantly to meet me at the back of it, and give me fatisfaction for fo bafely violating the diclates of humanity, and difobeying gar- rifon duty ; as I could fee into his apartments from mine, I perceived he was up, and I con- eluded for a confiderable time, that he was preparing to meet me as I had defired, but up- on my fending a fecond Letter, he returned me the following anfwer, the original of which now lies before me. . . -. rttjrir e i3Wa! Sir, . . . " You will excuie my giving you fatisracuon in the manner you require, and at the fame time give me leave to allure you that I never intended any infult either to the departed Lady or yourfelf, and further give me leave to con- dole with you for the late Lady Betty whom T i j r t, - * I efteemed for her many virtues. bsomvnoo ilomu: . il )xf*&8| Sir, i^jjsi gjrf Hi nsmuJ Your VM&&8885&M tt - t>fl bri e rrfijimble Servant, . --or! biLs .aganir/bfi off"- NEGUS. LMn-GiTAW&nft? d > ift paft TWO o'clock in-theMaab^rm 1^0 nq I 1 ' " 1 Thus Thus warmed by refentment, and deprefled with affliction, I rafhly fent a letter to the St. James's Chronicle wherein I obferved, that where an officer firft difobeys the orders of his fuperior, aggravates it by difregarding the dic- tates of humanity, and when called upon to anfwer for fuch infolent and wanton conduct, writes the following letter, little fpirit or fer- vices could be expected from fuch a man, when called forth into public fervice. The Major's letter, thus publiflied, and fo feverely pre- faced, induced Lord Orwell, who hated him, to call forth a cosfulation of his Corps, the re- fult was, that the eldeft Captain, mould wait upon him, and tell him he muft either fight me, or refign. The Major declared he would not fight in a wrong caufe, and that as he was, or feemed to be, the aggreffor, he would ra- ther refign ; by this time however I had been almoft convinced that what the Major had faid in his letter was true, and that it was rather an inconfiderate aft than an inhumane one ; he had ladies with him, and he had a mind' to mew himfelf to advantage, and how well his inen could perform their Evolutions, fo that the only part of my conduct in this long con- tefted bufinefs, which at this day gives me any feniible concern, is, my being the caufe of the (^2 Major's ( 228 ) Major's refignation, a gentleman to whom I believe the pay as Major was of fome impor- tance to his family ; but they had infmuated that the firft time I met him in public 1 intended to infult him ; to obviate which, I wrote to him, urged him not to refign, and allured him that whenever we did meet, he mould receive no incivilities from me,, but all I could fay availed nothing, he would he faid refign, and did fo. After this long preamble Madam, you will naturally afk, but where is the wooden gun, and what has all this to do with the pith of the difpute ? why Madam the gun was all this time a Scare-crew on board of fome collier's fhip in the ocean, but being wafhed over board, or drop't over by fome accident, it was driven at my feet, on the fea beach near the Fort, while I was taking my evening walk ; and at that inftant, it occurred to me, that it might prove a piece of fuitable ordnance to accom- pany the noble Lord's regiment, as they were juft going to camp. I therefore took it home with me, tied a label round what is called the Cornijh*bitjr of an- iron cannon, and the follow- ing addrefs. "With Major Negus's compliments to the right Honorable Lord Orwell to be -left in in the Tower church yard 'till called for ; that being the place where Mr. Stanton had invited Lord Orwell to a pointed interview, which 1 he had declined ; but though the addrefs on the gun was in Major Negus's name, the direction was of my hand writing, and it went to Ip- fwich with me ; flood fome hours viable in my chaife before it took its ftation on the tomb-ftone, in the Tower church yard, and had been vifited by hundreds in both places, till at length, a ftay maker who lived there, took it into his houfe, and mewed it to the curious, at a penny per perfon. As foon as the news of this piece of artillery arrived at Nacton, Lord Orwell, who very well knew the train in which it came, pleaded ignorance, and wrote to the major to afk him whether he had fent it ? he replied, by affuring his Lord/hip' be did not !! I then took occafion to obferve, in the coffee-houfe at Ipfwich, and in the pre- fence of feveral of his own officers, that if he would make the fame enquiry of me, which had been made to Major Negus, I would inform him -icbo lent it, and why it was fent ; but to my great aftoniihment, I found the next en- quiry was at the bar of the King's Bench, where he fwore that I had fent it to reflect on his cou- rage as an officer, and to render him ridiculous in ,;,.:,* 23 y in the eyes of his Majefty's fubjech, that he be- lieved the hand writing to be mine, and that I had difperfed a paper at Ipfwich, during the time of his election, intimating that he had been guilty of wilful and premeditated perjury on the tryal of Captain Lynch. ^ff} This bufinefs came to tryal before a fpecial jury, fome months after at St. Edmund's Bury, where (though I acknowledge I was guilty of the whole charge) I proteft I was convicted by the moil impudent p y ; but not procured, I verily believe, by Lord Orwell. The late Sir William Bunbury, father of Sir Charles, had very kindly invited me to fpend a week at Bar- ton, near St. Edmund's Bury, previous to that tryal with a view, I believe, of fhewing the court, and the country gentlemen what bis opinion was v*xil W/.T> I rnflrfw 01 Jhrrrro") .vm "in Tetwroui as thole Gentieo.cn were for the *r./rfr carp, upon :. ft4ing jhvir Major held out in the St. James's Chronicle 5 there had ap- peaied ii> the lame paper, a much feverer Letter, a Letter \\!>ich r.-f.efJ- d highly upon the conducl of their mask Court Martial, and when 1 had 4od Jud r ;Sav'd - * Jhc Harbour of Land Guard Fort is fo called. Sav'd by the favor of the tide, Lo ! high I hang to fhevv my pride, The pride of Nacton, happy ftation, A village fani'd throughout the nation ; For though I'm only heart of oak, I fpeak it not by way of joke, I coft in money hard and found, The mm of fifteen hundred pound, And every year for feven to pafs, Shall every lad, who with his lafs, Of Nacton parim join their hands, And TtoVpftart forbid the banns, Shall find within this homely cot, A hearty welcome to the pot, A pudding fmoaking on the board, And all that houfe and hoft afford, Nay, not to baulk them of their fun, A lodging found them at THE GUN, Provided that the maiden fay, I'll have it Roger, on the ;th of May.* JflTJ& 3g1Iil bilii I W3fl^. The novelty of the houfe, the angularity of the wooden gun, and the oddity of the paltry lines on the front of it ; brought an infinite number of people to fee it, befide all thofe who vifited his Lordfliip ; for there was not a window in the front of his houfe, which had not; * The day I came out of prifon. ( ^37.) not High Hall in view. Here was no libel ; no King's Bench Bar to fly to, nor any breach of the peace ; what then was to be done to heal this dreadful eye fore ? Why a Petition to the King, to remove me to fome other garri- fon ; but even that might not remove High Hall. At length however, Mr. Welbore Ellis was pleafed to fend me a verbal meflage, defir- ing when it was convenient, to fee me in Town, and when I arrived there, to follow him into the country as far as Twickenham ; and there, in the houfe of the departed Mr. POPE, I found the living Mr. Welbore Ellis, who not thinking I had not fpent quite money enough among lawyers, in a prifon, &c. honoured me with this little jaunt to fee his Villa, and to receive the Kings command's ; and fo with that gentlenefs of man- ners 9 and inconceivable addrefs which has rendered him the admiration of all the world for half a Cen- tury, he told me that the king had not taken any notice of my incapacity to do my military duty, that his Majefty knew I had a large fami- ly, and as he believed I was a man of fomc abi- lities, he was difpofed to overlook my paft con- duel to Lord Orwell, provided I would give my word, of honor never more to difturb the peace of his Lordfhip ; obferving, that we were both fervants, as well as fubjects, and that his Majefty Majefty expected to be obeyed. I exprefled how happy I mould be upon all and every oc- cafion, to pay obedience to the King's com- mands, and obferved alfo, that if I had not been fo particularly honoured, by being called two hundred miles from my home and my fa- mily, a letter would have enjoined me as ftea- dily to my obfervance, as the perfonal inter- view I was then honoured with ; and befide, that I flattered myfelf I had laid Lord Orwell's conduct fo compleatly before the public, that it would have appeared downright cowardice in me to meddle with him any further ; and after again exprefling my obligations to Mr. Ellis, which -JJhall never forget, I took my leave, and returned once more to my duty at Land Guard Fort. I well knew that Lord Orwell could not have the face to tell Mr. Ellis in what manner High Hall was embeliimed, but being tired down with the weight of metal, though not of gold, in this bufmefs, I determined to take down the wooden gun, blot the doggrel lines and to think no more of Naclon Kail, its Lord, nor of High I lalh I accordingly houfed . my Cannon, and burnt my larfes. This move, I have reafon to 'believe removed from the noble Lord's mind, a great deal of deep op- preflive matter, for he told every body, that I had ( 239 ) I had done more than I was enjoined to do, and that he flattered himfelf he mould be able to enjoy the remainder of his days in peace, for I have good reafon to believe, though he loved money, he would have given half his fortune that the peace had not been broken between us. However, this permanent ptaee in appearance, was but of fhort duration ; a par- cel of fools took it into their heads> that they could draw up charges againft my military con- duct, which would fall heavier upon me than my late civil profecution, but then it would be attended with an expence they could not afford ; they had prepared the charges, and very weighty ones they appeared on paper, and very heavily they muft have fallen upon my head, had any of them (for they were eight in num- ber,) been well founded. Thofe charges were fhewn to Lord Orwell, and they met with his approbation and encouragement to proceed upon them, and fo I once more experienced the atten- tion of Mr. Welbore Ellis, who obligingly fent me extracts of thofe charges, to hear what I bad to fay to them before be took the King's commands, by laying them before his Majefty ? in reply, encouraged by a confcious innocence, I hum- bly befought his Majefty to grant me a tryal before a Court Martial, and that it might not be ( 24 ). be privately at Land Guard Fort, but at the horfe guards where my innocence of my guilt might be more publickly brought for\vard ; the charges all affected my bread, and character, and fome of them my life, one of which was for reak the feals, locks and naiisl 1 in order, be faid, to give the ladies a ball in rny dining room, fo that my Organ, my liquor, and my papers were now all at his mercy 1 and he or his man made very free indeed with what r 248 ) what they found convenient, or agreeable ; but no King's ftores could be feen, but they found a vaft cedar cheft, feven feet long and four feet broad, which was quite full, and very heavy ; and there no doubt they con- cluded the King's ftores were concealed. Some attempts were then made to force the locks and bolts of the cheft, but not fucceeding, they unfcrewed the cheft, which was dove-tailed together, and got the front fo to open at the bottom, as to examine part of the contents, but could not fhut it up again, without taking out feveral parcels of pamphlets which were tied up to the number of feven hundred and fifty, in parcels of five and twenty each, and by thus drawing them from the bottom, a muff box rolled down, from the top, which con- tained a gold medalion of the prefent King, which coft me fifteen guineas, a five moidore piece, and feveral fm?Jl pieces of old gold, to the value of about forty pounds, no part of which I ever faw afterwards, and was thankful to find my plate fafe, which was lapped up in a blanket with the muff box, but that alone had fallen down. I therefore drew up four charges againft the Captain commandant, one of which was for behaving in a fcandalous infamous man- ner, fuch as was unbecoming the character of an officer ( 249 ) officer and a gentleman, by breaking open my doors, whereby I had fuftained confiderable lofs, a.ndfpeci/ied the particulars. This officer being chofen by Ellis to command in my abience, and he who thought eight heavy charges againft me, not too many to defend, found four againft the Captain, too many for him, for he in- formed me that the King bad ordered the Captain to be tried on two of them, but had referred the other tivofor his further confideration. At the Captain's tryal I clearly proved, by the girl who made his bed, that one of the feven hundred and fifty pamphlets which came out of thecheft (for not one had been publifhed) me had feen, read a part of, and even quoted almoft verbatim^ a card addrefled to Lord Orwell, and fent by Mrs. Thickneffe, wherein fhe afked him " if he " intended being at the aflembly at St. Ed- " round's Bury that night, for if he did, fhe " would meet him there as furs as a Gun.'* The court however only found the Captain in- difcreei in breaking open my rooms' But why he was not broke for doing it, or I for charging an innocent man with behaving in a fcandalous in- famous manner, muil be determined by Gene- ral Parflow and a majority of the members who tried him, and who heard the charges* for ac -cording to my weak judgement, both ought not not to have born the King's commiflion, one mitft have behaved mfamoufly ; but neither of us was punifhed ! ! and here let me obferve, and with gratitude and refpeft acknowledge it, that had it not been for Lord Walkworth, now Duke of Northumberland, and Lieutenant Co- Jonel Darby, both utter ftrangers to me, I had certainly been undone at this Tryal, for there was not want of P y fufficient to have de- molifhed half a dozen innocent men, but thofe two worthy perfons, either from poflefling fuperior parts, or feeling more attention to- wards the guilt or innocence of a prifoner be- fore them, took uncommon pains to get to the bottom of every circumftance ; one of which, was managed with fuch addrefs, that I cannot forbear repeating it. In the fummer time, I generally refided at a little cottage three miles from the Fort, and when my fervant there, informed me, while I was in London preparing for my own tryal, that my rooms had been broke open, 1 inftantly went down, and took him with me to the Fort, and then faw that my cheft had been forced alfo, but clofed up a]^?&?fc^ifetay marks of violence vifible enough. Now in order to mew that the Cap- tain commandant had not broke open the cheft, cfvfdSnfie TO iMuffht to prove that I came one morning biof - b morning at four o'clock alone into the Fort, and fhut myfelf up in my own houfe for two hours, and confequently robbed myfelf. I then poili- tively allured the court that I was not there either morning, noon, or night ; and that if it could be proved I was, I would allow they could not be too fevere upon me in their cen- fures, obferving that the draw bridge was con- ftantly drawn up every night, that it required eight men to lower it, and confequently fome of them muft remember lowering it at fo early an hour ; and my pafllng at the fame time clofe to two centinels. But this vifit of mine was to be proved, by the only uifible profecutor of me when I was tried, viz. his wife's and his maid. This was one Enfign Agnus Mac- donald, an Enfign who could neither read or write, but who, got a pair of colours in Ameri- ca, by the favor of Lord Towr.mend. To prove this early vifit of mine to my o-m-n houfe 9 his fcotch fervant, a girl of very uncouth appear- ance, was firft examined. Did you, faid the Court, fee the Governor^ attain day cpm^ into the garrifon ? yes ; v/hut time of the day was it faid Colonel Derby ? a little after four *CJil- 7 'jJOiv) TlJ^v*OrA ^rl^JUOiTsJ only ? How did you know the hour ? I looked at the clock 5 and what did you then? I went into ir.y miftrefs's room, and faid lord lord Madam, the Governor is come into the Fort ; aye, what o'clock is it ? a httle after four. Colonel Darby then took his watch out of his pocket, and bid the girl tell him what hour it was by that ? but me feemed totally unac- quainted with the machine. He then ordered her to be taken down between two trujly men, to fee the Horfe guard clock, a clock exactly iimilar to that at which fhe had read the hourfo exaftly by at Land Guard Fort ; but that too, was above the capacity of a poor illiterate, ignorant, wicked girl, who had perhaps never feen a clock, till fhe arrived by the fea at Land Guard Fort. Colonel Darby then alked her what coloured coat 1 had on ? after a little paufe (for that matter had not been previoufly fettled be- tween the miftrefs and the maid) fhe replied a red one. The next witnefs was her miftrefs another Highland Lady, almoft as uncouth, and full as well inftructed as her maid. Being afked whether fhe had feen the Governor on the fame day her maid had fworn to ? yes me had feen him, but not till eight o'clock, for faid fhe, I have a young child which 1 fuckle myfclf, and my maid brought it into the room andfaid, Lord madam, the Governor is come into the Fort ! why what o'clock is it ? almoft eight ; what could bring the Governor fo early into the Fort ? and C 253 ) and after many fhrewd queftions put to this good lady by Lord Walkworth, and Colonel Darby, they afked her alfo what coloured coat I had on ? this being a point not fettled between Madam and her maid, he replied a green one : in Ihort the prevarication of Macdonald, his wife, and his fcotch maid were fuch, that the audience groaned them, and the Prefident told him, that he was alhamed to afk a man who had the King's commiilion in his pocket, whe- ther he knew the nature of an oath, " but faid " he, you prevaricate fo, that your conduct is " fcandalous, I had almoft faid infamous" yet this obfervation is omitted in the minutes I required, and received at the Judge advocates t office ! for notwithstanding what the Prefident, General Parflow faid to Mackdonald, he feemed far from being difpofed to favor me, either at my own tryal, or on my profecution of the Captain commandant ; and I verily believe he wimed to find matter fufficiently ftrong to crufli me if pofllble. I was an utter ftranger to the General and fo was the Captain com- mandant, and he could not have treated me with fuch feverity while I flood a prifoner be- fore him, and when my life, bread, and honor was pending, if he had not been induced to be- lieve by fomebody that I merited no favor ' ., from ( 254 ) from the Court. One inftance will fuffice, to ihew his unguarded partiality to the Captain commandant, and I could produce a dozen. The Captain in order to ingratiate himfelf in the neighbourhood, had given a ball on a faturday night to the neighbouring ladies, the Chapel, a confecrated one, was appoint- ed for the dance ; the Communion table for the punch and the negus ; and about four o'clock on funday morning^ the ball broke up, but not before Sir John Barker and many of the Gentlemen, were compleatly drunk. Doc- tor Smyth the late worthy reRor of St. Giles's and his wife, were witnefies on behalf of the Captain commandant on this tryal, and after the Reverend Doctor, then only a country Vi- car, had given his teftimony, I had him to crofs examine, and did fo, as follows. . . Was you at the ball which the Captain com- mandant gave at Land Guard Fort ? no ; you was at the Fort however during the ball was you not? yes and your lady I think danced there ? yes, where was the dance given t in the chapel ; did the Captain afk you whether there was any harm by dancing in the chapel ? he did ; what was your reply ? I told him there ( 255 ) there was none ; here the numerous by ftan'ders gave the Rev. Divine fome heavy groans. As many of the members of this court never were at Land Guard Fort, pray inform them what kind of place the Chapel is? It is a great room, has it not at one end a defk, a pulpit, and Pews ? yes, and what is at the other end ? why a great window and what is under that window ? a table for what ufe ? to adminifter the facrament from, and is it not elevated above the floor and railed off? it is, and pray where was the negus, punch, and wine put ? I believe upon that table ; here another uni- verfal groan took place ! ! but General Parflow with a look of the grcateft complacency, obferved, that wherever the ladies were aflembled for dancing, there muft be refrefhments provided. An obfervation however that did not pafs without a more unanimous groan than any which had been beftowed upon the Reverend Divine, and I am very fure it mufl at this hour, if he reflects on his conduct AT THAT ; caufe fenfations of a very different compaction in his bofom. And I was well affured that the fame day that the Rev. Divine had given his evi- dence, and had been crofs examined even till he burft into tears, that Lord W h faid when he return'd to Northumberland houfe that Parfon Parfon Smyth is the d deft raical I ever met with, j- He however married a great man's coufin, and was made Reclor of St. Giles's. I mall conclude this narrative with a few ob- fervations, for though, much foreign matter from the wooden gun has already been intro- duced, yet it all originated from that fource. The libel profecution, 'coft me a thoufand pounds, and the Horie guards Tryal fome hun- dreds, and at length, determined me either to fell the government of Land Guard Fort, or rclign it, and difentangle myielf from fools and knaves ; which by the favor of that good man the late Marquis of Rockingham, during his ihort adminiftration I fortunately effected, and got two thoufand four hundred pounds for what I would have fold for the four hun- dred pounds only, rather than have continued in fuch a fervice, to be perfecuted and unpro- tected in the evening of my days, after an ac- tive life in different parts of the globe, where I had ferved the King, to the beft of my poor abilities. And now Madam, I think I hear you iky, but how happened it that for fome years f The doctor cHeci lately at Bath, with an income of above fixteea hundred pounds a year, and yet before he was eartbtJ, his houfe at Nor- wich was entered, his goods feized by his creditors, and many of them are become gieat fuffercrs. before before Lord Orwell's death, he and you were upon good, nay even upon viliting terms ! ! To make the ftory compleat, I will tell you ; you may remember that I was bound to keep the peace for feven years, with all his Majefty's liege fubjects, but juft at the conclu- fion of thofe feven years, a decifion was made againft my claim in the court of chancery ; and in the houfe of lords afterwards confirmed, f by which I was deprived of ten thoufand pounds, I thought my property from the clear opinions of Sir Dudley Rider, Lord Chief Juftice Willes, Mr. Madocks, and in ftiort moft of the ableft lawyers in the kingdom (Lord Mansfield excepted) for they tho't it as clearly my property, as that the fun fhines at noon day; fo that inftead of my receiving ten thoufand pounds, I had fix hundred pounds to pay to lawyers, a heavy blow, and which determined me to leave my native country with a refolution never to return to it. At this time I was in- formed that Lord Orwell was preparing to go to the fouth of France, the very Rout I alfo was taking, I therefore wrote him a letter, and obr ferved that as he was going fouthward for the' S benefit t -Earl Po-.vLt moved to have the opinion of all the judges, but that being over-ruled ! ! he took his h?t, and with indignation in hi* looks quitted ths houfe, and other Lords followed his example. benefit of his health, and I the fame road for the convenience of my purfe, I hoped we mould meet there, and then fettle that little matter which had been fo long pending between us. To that letter you may conclude I received no reply, but when I came to London, I met in the park, the unfortunate Doctor Dodd, who told me he had dined the day before with ;;;y friend Lord Orwell; and I told him of the letter I had written to his Lordlhip; I have feen it faid he, and though I cannot juftify his conduct towards you, I cannot help confider- ing that letter cruel towards him ; I do not think faid he, Lord Orwell will live fix months, and you have hindered his fouthern expedition, he will not go, left you fhould follow him, ob- ferving at the fame time, that he, who often attended fuch high crefted men in their fick- nefs, or on their death beds, could better per- ceive their real condition than I could, and confequently was more dilpofed to pity and feel for them, for I muft obferve that Dodd was as good and pleafant a tempered rafcal as ever lived, or as ever was hanged, and I left, the Doctor fully determined, though I did not tell him fo, to write another kind of a let- ter to Lord Orwell, and went to a coffee houfe directly and did fb. The fubfiajice of which was, < 2 59 ) was, that though I had once alked him to for- give me, when he had the ROD OF JUSTICE HIGH LIFTED OVER MY HEAD, he thought proper to refufe that requeft; yet I felt myfelf thoroughly difpofed to forget and forgive all that was paft, wifhed him a good journey, and a/ perfect re- eftablimment of his health, adding, that per- haps neither he or I had long to live, and that I was willing to die in perfect forgivenefs of all thofe who had injured me, and in hopes that thofe whom I had injured would do fo like- wife. Not dating my letter from any particu- lar place, Lord Orwell was three days before he could find my addrefs, and then he wrote me a very handfome and proper letter, in which he thanked me, for mine, and allured me both as a Chriftian, and a gentleman, all his refent- ment ceafed, and good will and wimes fuc- ceeded it. I met with him at Lyons on my way out, and found him at Aix in Provence on my return from Spain, and while he re- iided at Bath, we fometimes vilited each other, and now and then he fent me fome game ; but as he was a very rich man and had materially injured my family, aridvwas without any chil- dren of his own, the candid reader will per- haps think with me, that one, or all my chil- dren mould have found a place in his Will \ he S 2 was was the firft aggreffor, and acknowledged hmr- felf to be fo. That fatal quarrel to him and to me too, began juft as his fortune arid honours- fell upon him, and from that time till his death, he had but little peace of mind, or bodily health ; probably the bottle was his con- ftant refource, for he died a martyr to the Gout, and perhaps too, without a friend to clofe his eyes. He was a man of a violent vin- dictive temper, paflionately fond of money, but far from being void of confcf ence or moral rectitude. When Dodd was under fentence of death, he defired me to prevail on his Lordfliip to fign his petition to the King for pardon ; I did apply, and Lord Orwell refufed my re- queft, but with great propriety and fentiment, I wifh faid he to oblige you, I wifh too, that Dodd may be pardoned, but I cannot give it under my hand, that I think him an object worthy of it, becaufe I know tranfaclions of his, infinitely worfe than that on which he ftands convicted, but do not laid he tell him fo ; and as he certainly wiflied to oblige me, and to ferve the man, who though by mere chance, was the caufe of our reconciliation, it is but fair to conclude, he refufed my requeft merely on the fcore of confcience. I (hall now finifh this long Narrative with a copy of a let- ter ter I wrote to Lord Orwell, at the earn eft re- queft of that good man, the late Lord Litch- field, previous to my receiving the judgment of the Court of King's Bench, a letter that all his friends, and all mine agreed, he ought to have rejoiced at receiving, and to have been happy to have accepted; but paffion and re- fentment prevails often over prudence and even good fenfe, and though Lord Orwell did not poflefs either in a high degree, he lived to fin- cerely repent his refufing to comply with fo reafonable a requeft, a requeft fo binding on my part, and fo triumphant on his ; yet that letter made part of his Counfels Brief to ag- gravate my guilt, when I received the judge- ment of the Court of King's Bench* But peace to his manes. It is probable he obtained the Earldom and took the title of Shipbrooke, merely to drop the well known title of Lord Orwell, becaufe that name was conftantly connected with the Wooden gun. ( 262 ) Copy of a Letter to Lord Orwell, previous to my receiving the "Judgment of the Court of King's- Bench. My Lord, " I mould have taken this method of addref- fing your Lordfhip much fooner, had I not depended (I now find too much) on the pro- mife of fome powerful friends,* to ufe their utmoft endeavours to put an end to a diffe- rence which I hope arofe from faults on both fides, but which I am fenfible has far exceeded the bounds of decency on mine. Thofe who are quick in anger are often led into indif- cretions they become forry for, and I am not aihamed to fay this is my cafe; and therefore 1 flatter myfelf your Lordfhip will confider the very great expence, and the painful fufpence, of a profecution that has already coft me more than double of my whole years in- come, to be a fuflident punilhment to me, and a fufficient reafon to your Lordfhip not to carry this matter any further. Your Lordfhip has a manifeft advantage over me ; by waving which you muft either forever lay me under an obliga- tion to behave towards you, as to one I muft think * Lord Bate had undertook for a while to flop Proceedings, and isd fo, for icafons hereafter to be mentioned. think myfelf obliged to in fo doing, or I muft for-ever lye under the imputation of acting contrary to fenfe, decency, and gratitude, I profefs too, my deftre is, (exclufive of the con- fequences of this profecution) to be laid under that obligation ; and as it has been my cafe to offend againft the laws of my country in gene- ral, and againft your Lordfhip in particular ; it may be yours to forget and forgive the lat- ter, that I may appear in Court, with a better grace, to receive the judgment due to the former, / have the honour to be your Lord/hip's moft obedient, And hope to be your moft Obliged humble Servant. P. THICKNESSE. Lord Halifax, Lord Litchfield, and indeed all the friends to both parties agreed, that the above letter was fufficient to bury in oblivion even the greateft injuries ; Lord Orwell alone thought otherwife, but lived to repent it, and at length became thankful to accept that forgivenefs from the writer, which he had fo injudicioufly rejected when a profecutor. It muft be obferved however that I erected a printing- ( 264 ) printing-pffi.ce in my own houfe, and that my prefs teemed wtihfquibs, crackers and inuendoes innumerable, and that many of the very pro- voking means I made ufe of to inflame and irri- tate Lord Orwell, do not appear in this nar- rative, a narrative I meant to have related as a matter of mirth, and in another mode, but the many ferious circumftances attending it, re- ftrained that vein of pleafantry with which I was difpofed to have given it, for alas ! what do all the moft important things end in? why with a Hie jacet Lord Orwell, Hie jacet Philip Thicknefle. Neverthdefs Madam, I will not conclude this long winded ftory ferioufly, but finifli it with a fong from my own pen and prefs, which you may fing if you pleafe, To the tune of " A Cobkr there was fcfr." THE THE WOODEN GUN, A NEW SONG TO AN OLD TUNE. J.'LL fing you a fong of a RIGHT NOBLE PEER, Whofe manhood of late, has been queflion'd we hear, But left this aflertion fome people may doXibt, I'll tell you good folks how it all came about. DERRY DOWN, &C. When DISCORD was raging in L Orwell's Corps, And nothing but BLOOD SIR, wou'd HONOUR reftore, Dame fortune o' cruel ! was pleas'd to declare, His L p fhou'd alfo come in for a fliare. A CHALLENGE in form, he receiv'd the next day, The heart of a CO WARD, his face will betray, Had you feen but his looks, which difcoyer'd his fears, You'd have fworn it was Garrick, when BANCO appears. For ( 266 For learned hiftorians have joyntly agreed, His L p is fprung from the true V n breed, And like a good CHRISTIAN, thinks fightingafin, For what the world talks of he cares not a pin. Now fatyr who neither regards RICH, or poor, Began to let fly at the PEER, all his ftore, Not many days after, to heighten the FUN, His L p receiv'd fa, a frefentj a GUN. This gun made of BRASS, STEEL, or IROW, was not, Nor ever had fwallow'd ball, powder, or (hot, But harmlefs and limple, a mere country ELF All wood, neatly varnifhM and GILT like himfelf. Enrag'd and confounded, the donor fufpetling, And thinking this gun on his honour reflefting, To Council he haftens, lays open the cafe, And aflss if an ACTION here, may not take place ? The grave man of Laiv foon pronounc'd 'Eft ftobatuni, I'll prove right or wrong it is SCANDAL MACNATUM, For Lawyers you know, never let flip good prizes, So the Gun's to be tried at next SURf Afflzes. His L p's the firft, I may venture to fay, Who on oath has had Courage, his fears to betray. And while to his fhame, there is light in the SUN, He'll be the TOWN fport aye, as fure as a GUN. DERRY DOWN, &( As As the interpofition of Lord Bute, to put a ftop to Lord Orwell's proceedings, has been hinted at above, it feems necefiary to mention the caufe, efpecially as it is faid his Lordmip has lately received a gratuity from the Lord know who ; for the Lord knows what. Soon af- ter Lady Mary Wortley Montague's letters were publifh'd, Mrs. Forrefter, the widow of the late Colonel Forrefter, a woman of fupe- rior underftanding, and pofleffing a much better heart, having determined to fpend the remainder of her days at Rome, put into my pofleflion, letters and pieces of poetry of Lady Mary's correfpondence with her for more than twenty years, and gave me a difcretional power to publifli fuch of them which I thought proper. Thofe letters were not, like the Conftantino- ple correfpondence, intended for the eye of the public, and therefore I confidered them, and fo did my bookfeller too, a very valuable acquifition, and I proceeded to print off the firft thoufand (heets ; but upon giving them a fecond and more attentive reading, it appear- ed to me that many parts thereof might prove painful to Lord Bute or fome part of his fami- ly. Lady Mary had in many places been un- commonly fevere upon her huiband, for all her her letters were loaded with a fcrap or two of poetry, at him, * I therefore wrote to Lord Bute, and told him that fuch papers were in my pofleflion, and that the firft thoufand meets had been printed off, but that upon more ma- ture conlideration, I thought it prudent not to proceed in a matter of fo much delicacy, with- out previoufly acquainting his Lordfliip ; yet at the fame time, I cautioufly avoided letting him know, whether her I.adyfhip's correfpon-* dence was with a male or a. female friend. Upon the receipt of my letter, his Lordmip employ- ed the late Sir Harry Erfkine to ufe all his per- fuajrve arts to prevail upon me to fold the let- ters up, to wait upon Lord Bute, and then fliew- ing me the abject attitude, of uplifted Jhoulders, and a downeaft head, how he would, were he in my place, prefent the original letters to Lord Bute, for he affured me Lord Bute never omit- ted to ferve eflentially thofe who obliged or gratified him, of which truth faid he, I am a living example. Upon my obferving that my Friend had not given me power to beftow upon any one the original letters, Sir Harry's Ihoulders again gave a hint of iv bat he 'would do, though and fcarcc a dreaming head." .* " Juft left my bed a lifelefs trunk, ( 269 ) though he would not he faid pretend to dictate to a man ofmyfenfe; for what has honor, truth or juftice to do, when a Prime Minifter is to be gratified? Notwithftanding Sir Harry's can- dour and friendly advice, I would not let him catch that which he was fifliing for, namely, whether Lady Mary's correfpondent, was a male or a female, for that was a matter I be- lieve of great importance to be known. Hav- ing received no letter from Lord Bute, I did not depend much upon Lord Harry, and I afked him how Lord Bute came to turn me over to him? why faid he his Lordlhip writes to no- body, but he fuppofed we foldiers all knew one another, and fo it proved, for my Regiment had the honor you know of being under your command at Land Guard Fort. In fhort it was Sir Harry's way, as he affured me, to be quite candid and open, fo he prefTed me to drink a glafs of Champaigne, tho* it was neither after dinner nor after fupper, for he was kind enough to difpofe me to be as open as himfelf. I then obferved that though it was true that we foldiers knew one another, yet that the great ones did not know what the little ones often fuffered, that I had been profecuted, and perfecuted too, for want of a proper fuppcrt, in doing my military duty with propriety as a foldier, Jl.%* I, foldier, and with decency as a fubjecl; and then I told Sir Harry my fituation with Lord Orwell, and a Lord of trade alfo, and wiflied Lord Bute's interpofition relative to putting an end to that expenfive bufinefs. Lord Orwell and Lord M d too, were fpoke to, and my re- ceiving the judgment of the court of King's Bench was, fome bow or other ; poftponed to fee what could be done, for another term or two, but which only added to my expences; during which time Sir Harry often vifited me, and I him, and in one, (for I have many,^ of my unguarded minutes, I happened to read to him part of a letter I had juft received from Mrs. Forrefter, for he was always fifhing for the name, or fex of my correfpondent. Upon reading part of her letter he obferved, that my friend muft have made fome figure in the republic of letters hwifelf, for he did not fuf- peft, either by the ftyle or fubject, that it wad a female friend, but alking me where my friend was, at a time that my head was where it fhould not have been in fuch company, I re- plied at VOREE upon a vifit to Mon/ieur Helve- titts, I inftantly perceived I hzdjhot my fools bolt, and that the negociation was at an end. Sir Harry then wrote to know what Englifli gen- tleman, of erudition, was upon a vifit at VOREE, his C 2 7' ) his anfwer was no one, for the Lady was over- looked j confequently I had faid the thing that is not. Sir Harry then renewed his vifits to me, and obferved, that even Lady Mary's hand writing was a curiofity, and his cur'wfay led him to afk to fee a fpecimen of it, I had fufpecled that would be the cafe, and had put feveral notes into my pocket book for the pur- pofe, being fuch as no one could tell whether they were to a male or female >correfpondent. Sir Harry was then fure I had fome of the Lady's letters and that convinced him I might have more; fo another exprefs was fent, to make further enquiries at VOREE, and then, it was found, that Mrs. Forrefter a Scots woman, and a Scotfman's widow too, had been there upon a vifit, and was juft gone from thence to Rome, but as flie had left an unmarried daughter be- hind her in London, Sir Harry judged his vi- iits to that young Lady, might prove not only more efficacious, but certainly more agreeable, as me was a very accomplifhed fenfible young woman. Sir Harry therefore wifely dropt me, I had the honor of being placed in my winter quarters in St. George* s Fields, where foon after Mifs Forrefter vifited me, and informed me at that vifit, that if any advantages were to arife from Lady Mary's letters, (the property of her ( 272 ) her mother) flie, not me, was certainly beft entitled to it ; and at length told me, that if I would return the letters to her, flie could ob- tain a penfion. Efteeming her and knowing that while her mother lived her fortune was but fmall, I thought it juftice fo to do, and flie accordingly obtained the penfion, which flie now enjoys, and I the expence of printing off a thoufand copies of what was never pub- limed. I then wrote a fecond letter to Lord Bute, told his Lordlhip the candid manner in which I had acted in that buiinefs, and obferved that as by my gentle fentence^ I was to pay a fine of one hundred pounds to the King. I en- treated his lordfliip (he was then, I think THE MINISTER) to procure a remiflion of that fine, as I thought I had fuffered enough on both the noble Lords' account; but in many matters, I muft repeat it, I have hitherto been unfortu- nate, though I am in daily expectation of a packet of bank notes being foifted upon me, by the Lord knows who, efpecially as it is now J find to be the ton to ad in that clandeftine manner. I often perceived with what con- tempt Lord Harry held me when he found I made any fcruple to murk up my moulders, and beftow on Lord Bute, that which I could not with propriety beftow j for what fignifies propriety propriety when it is to oblige or ferve a minif- ter of ftate, or a King's Friend? Let a man who will not do that ftarve in a corner, he de- ferves no better condition in this life, and ought to be d d for a fool in the next, and thus ends the ftory of the Wooden Gun, and the Golden Lords. I know how to value good men, who by rank, and great fortune, are placed high on earth, but I know too, thank God, how to look down with indignant con- tempt on thofc who aft otherwife, upon Score of, I DARE. ANECDOTES ( 274 ) ANECDOTES GEORGE TOUCHET, BARON AUDLEY, AND PHILIP HIS BROTHER. ' IT was my determination, when I began to write thefe memoirs, to have left unnoticed, and to their own courts of conference, two wretch- ed and undutiful fons, the eldeft, fhamefully Negligent of Ids duty to a father who moft af- fectionately loved him, the younger, infamoufly abandoned and wicked ; but the poft boy hav- ing juft left a letter with me, addrefled to Phi- lip ThicknefTe, and the word junior being obli- terated by the red poft mark, denouncing it *REE, Audley, I opened it by miftake; and found ( '75 ) found in it the following poftfcript. So, and this confcientious changing was promoted to the honor of being a committee man among the Independents of his new mode of faith, and found a difcarded lawyer, converted to hold forth the laws of GOD, ready enough to aflift him, and who more than once attempted to bully me, to deliver up the note, though I re- peatedly offered to cancel it, if he would fwear to the truth of his letter to Mr. Goodall ; nay, to give it to Mr. Goodall for that purpofe, if he would attend him and his new PASTOR, to the altar of his Independent meeting houfe, and at that altar, and in their prefence only, folemn- ly declare before them in the name of GOD, that the note was given for the purpofe he had declared in his wicked and infamous letter. His law friend, was then forced to find out the following feeble apology for his declining it, viz. that doing fo, after knowing that his father had fworn the contrary, would be inde- licate ! Could any thing fuch a wretch could iay or fwear at the Altar of INDEPENDENCE be indelicate, after fo grofs a letter to Mr. Goodall ? even if the note had been given for the purpofe he faid it was, coniidering I could no ways be interefted therein, it was highly triminal ; for why did he not//-/? apply to me C 2 93 ) ' and point out my wicked conduff privately before he expofed me for committing fo infamous a deed? but to give one fpecimen out of many I could produce of this young man's delicacy -, Ifliallpre- fent my reader with the copy of an anonymous letter this delicate wretch^ wrote to me in his own plain hand writing, a letter which even baffled his Prieftly Father and Lawyer- * NOV the 6th. J78(. SIR, " Low life abufe and falfehood is too con- temptible to be offended at, and I Ihould have fuppofed it had equally have been beneath the dignity of a man of underftanding and a gentleman, but I find it is not, I {hall there- fore only obferve, that you would do much better to fend your younger fon to fea, than to abufe bis as well as your benefactor, though God forbid that he mould undergo the hard- fhips and ill treatment that I his brother have experienced from the age of eight years to twenty fix, through the means of an unnatural Father." And * The minute his N^!c Brother heard of this mifunderftandingf, resolutions, and oaths were laid atlde, and a friendly correfpondencc lias lubiifk'd ever fmce ! between t'le hi'o Rroiltrs. ( 294 ) And yet this fon, who had been fo cruelly treated by an unnatural Father , from his infan- cy, up to manhood; no fooner became of age, than he prefented his unnatural Father with an hundred pounds, always addrefled his letters <; Dear and Honoured Sir, 5 ' gave him a hun- dred pounds more for the Hermitage than was alked! and at the full age of man, and totally independent of that unnatural Father with whom he by choice lived, gave him a note of hand for five hundred guineas, and for va- lue received too, three months before the date of the writings 1 iwt as a free gift, but for the payment of, and in full ', for value received, for an Eftate not conveyed, nor even mentioned in the note ! If any perfon wifhes to fee what an ingenious Independent Lawyer, and his young committee man, have faid on this fubjec~t, when I called upon them in the Bath Chroni- cles and Journals to defend themfelves, they may find a long correfpondence between ^un- natural Father, and a dutiful fon, in thofe pa- pers.* A Letter to Cruttwell, the Printer of the * No fooner was this tranfalion known to the Nolle Lord Audley, but he immediately commenced a coirefpondcnceand afterwards vifited his-dear biother at Bath, though there had been a total f'eparation for a!ve five years, the young gentleman who was fo delicate about con- traditing his father upon catli, had no objedlion to break his own, when ( 295 ) the Bath Chronicle, from Mr. Philip Touchet, Lord Audley's Brother, now lies before me, in it was to lead to a reconciliation with his dear brother who^ faid he ha. I mounted him upon a run-a-\vay horfe at one time, and who had nearly buried him alive in a (lone quarry at another before be -was of agr. \ forgot too to obferve that tniign Thick ne fie when at Gibraltar, ad- ckefied me as his Lear P^ifa, but when he became a Lord and had jockeyed me out of a thoufand pounds, I was kept at a proper diftance by " Honoured Sir" and his dear mother was become one morning the price of her Afparagus, flic made fo high a demand, that thinking myfelf at the Jerfey, inftead of the Southampton mar- ket, I replied in French, c'eft trop. Indeed lir, replied my elegantJfr-tf/ter^/V " / have not drank a drop to day.'* I inftantly recollected my miftake, explained it, and afked her what me fuppofed I had faid to her ? She replied, (ftill preferring her temper and the utmoft ad- drefs and good manners,) I thought fir, you faid I were drunk, I begged her pardon, and exprefied my furprize ! that flic could have fuppofed I could have faid fo rude a thing to fo a handfome, and fo well behaved a woman, and we parted both perfectly fatisfied. A South- ampton friend who dined with me that day, commending her Afparagus very much, I thought a little commendation due alfo to the accomplimed vender of them ; related what had pafTed between us, and defired he would obferve her appearance from the window as me was ftill at her ftand in the market. Do i you know who me is faid my friend ? that wo- man Sir, faid he, is the Sifter of the prefent Duchefs of Chandois ! ! I determined early the next morning to give her handfale, and the following dialogue patted between us. Pray Madam faid I, are you Sifter to the Duchefs of ( 34 ) of Chandois ? yes Sir, I am ; and does your Sifter take no kind notice of you ? yes Sir, fhe takes a proper notice of us all; we are many Sifters : what fort of notice does fhe take ? why fhe fent for us all up to London, cloathed us fuitable to our ftations in life, fent a fervant to mew us fuch things in London as wete moft likely to amufe fuch ftrangers, put fome money in our pockets (obferving that the Duke is not rich,) and then paid our journey back again : adding, what elfe could fhe do ? for we were not fit to be fet down at the Duke's table! What an inftance was here of good fenfe and refined judgment ; it were a pity thought I that there had not been another good tempered Duke, to have bought this woman alfo of her hufband ; * for fhe too was certainly worthy of gracing any man's table. * Her Grace when a girl of fourteen years of age, ferved as Pot Girl, to an old woman who kept an ale houfe near the entrance gate of the city of Winchefter, and when the old Harridan was told of the hidden, and exalted fkuation of her qaandam maid. Aye aye faid (he, I alwavs told her, " J?an youllccpH h "tod: youil ame tt good Nun." A FEW ( 305 A FEW REMARKS ON THE PRESENT SITUATION OF GEORGE BRIDGES, BARON RODNEY. 1 T is impoflible for a man of reflection to look over the many eminent fervices this gallant and able Sea officer has rendered to his King and country, not only in the late, but in for- mer Wars, without recurring to the nume- rous inftances of public ingratitude of Greece and Rome, or our furprife would be greater, to obferve with what neglect the prefent men in power only, treat, a Nobleman of fuch dif- tinguifhed merit ! I fay in power only, for the X nation nation at large look upon Lord Rodney as an officer who has laid at the foot of the THRONE, more and larger Branches of LAU- RELS than any Admiral of the paft or prefent Century, but it is a melancholy re- flection, though not a new one, that the crime of INGRATITUDE TO PUBLIC BENEFAC- TORS, is as old almoft as the world. Bodies of men will clo that which each individual, muft condemn, and what the poet fays, P lor aver e fuis non refpondere favorem fperatum mentis, is applicable to the valiant and wife of moft ages and countries. " When TIMOTHEUS had by a decifive and victorious battle at fea, compel- led the Lacedemonians to acknowledge the Athenians fuperior in that element^ what was his reward? His countrymen punifhed hi?n by jine, at the inftigation of a bafe, a mean, and an artful faction ; and may we not fay, as the friends of SCIPIO did ? That two of the greatefl Cities in the world have again been found, highly ungrateful at the fame time, to their chief commanders! Count de Grafle, after having loft upwards of four hundred men killed out- right in the VILLE DE PARIS, and himfelf more than once left almoft alone upon his quarter deck, was received by his King with fallen fadncfs !! and Lord Rodney; either by the ( 307 ) the careleflhefs, or treachery of office, has been as ill fated in this ! ! THE KING indeed, fenfible pf his eminent fervices, has in the moft gra- cious manner and without expence, made him noble, and marked his perfon with a badge of diftinction ; a badge, which mould never ap- pear, but upon the breafts of military Heroes ; but furely while every parifli in the Ifland of Jamaica are inftrucling their reprefentatives, to confer fome diftinguifhed and fubftantial proofs of their efteem upon this great fea officer, for fecuring to them their lives and poiTeffions ; Lord Rodney's private property, mould not be neglected at home. To fee a gentleman who has fo juftly deferved the applaufe and efteem of mankind ; of polimed and refined man- ners ; of great political and nautical know- ledge, grown old in the fervices of his country, not made as eafy and happy as age and infir- mities can render him, is indeed a melancholy reflection. It is now I think fix years fince the flag of France ftruck to that of Britain .in the Ville De Paris, and yet though ke'cl after KEEL, of mips of War have been laid, the lofs of that noble fhip has not, nor would not, have been re- vived here, had not a land, not a fca officer, been placed at the head of the Admiralty. A wife -rcfolution of Mr. Pitt's. That feat, mould X 2 never ^ never be filled with a feaman ; of the juftnefs of this feeniing paradoxical aflertion, we have lately had fufficient proofs, too recent, and too painful to be repeated. I am under no other obligation to Lord Rodney but as an individual of that Kingdom, which owes to him fo MANY high OBLIGATIONS ; but I have been urged to fay thus much, from my indignant contempt to an anonymous writer (who calls himfelf an officer,J of a pamphlet manifeftly calculated, and I dare fay wrote for hire by a garretteer book maker ; the drift of which is, to fteal from the brow of Lord Rodney, fome of thofe branches of Laurels he fo bravely gathered, in order meanly to tack them to a man to whom they do not belong; whenever great actions are performed, it is always under the eye of envious men, who are never in want of the word IF. ? This pamphlet officer is fond of that word, and 1 too will ufe it for once, and fay, IF Lord Rodney had feen the whole fleet of France, and had twenty two fail of copper bottom mips under his command, though he might not have thought it prudent to have given them battle, he would not have given an order to twenty two Britifh Captains, commanding line of bat- tle C 39 ) tie ihips, to put out their lights, leave their anchors and Cables behind them and run away! inftead of which, he would probably have ftood out to fea all night in a clofe line of battle, and clofe upon the wind, in hopes of finding himfelf by the morning to windward of the enemy, but had he found the enemy even in that fituation, he would not have fhrunk from a prudent brufli with them, though they poffefled a few more fliips of the toe. I tmf woid Difj I 311." " BIRDS jirfT o lol JJ &u IHw ooi 1 ;jtod ie>qqro : k) Jkl ovrt rrlgim 31! jdguoifj t tnfnmo3 tiA rsaba.it iEd modt novrg ovcrf ot ^nsfci/tq 3i irfguoilj oi -jsbio nr> nsvrg svcrl ion bluow 311 .>^ f i!fii,JqLO julbiiS owi C 310 ) " BIRDS OF THE SAME FEATHER, FLOCK TOGETHER.'* 1 did not intend to have flamed a fmgle page more of this work, with the odious name of Mackittrick, as it has beea too often held up to ihame already; and becaufe more powder and fliot has been beftowed upon .it, than fuch a Carrion crow was worth ; had not Mr. Tickell's fecond edition of the cafes and cures effected by his JTHERIAL ANODINE SPIRIT, rendered it neceffary, becaufe that gentleman lias proved beyond the power of contradiction, that his medicine has fucceeded in a great va- riety of cafes ; after the beft advice, and all other powerful medicines have failed, I lhall therefore ( 3" ) therefore annex to this chapter, a fingle and moft extraordinary cure effected thereby, be- caufe I have feen it under the patients own hand, and it does not I think appear in Mr. TickelPs fecond edition, but I muft firft t>b- ferve, that it has been my province to expofe the impudence of Mackittrick, it has been Mr. TickelPs, to exhibit his ignorance , for in both inftances (his friends if he has any) cannot durft not, attempt to defend him. Doctor Falconer was the only medical pigeon, among more than twenty ingenious relidentiary Phy- ficians at Bath, with whom Mackittrick could form any acquaintance, but Falconer, finding him a man capable of writing, printing and publiftiing whatever falfhoods his malevolent difpofition urged him to, he ufed him as a proper tool to work with, /', e. to fay, and write, fuch things which he had not fpirit to do himfelf. I had, fome years be- fore, called Dr. Falconer to an account, for writing, printing and publifliing, POSI- TIVE ASSERTIONS, in what he calls his analyfu of the Bath waters * that LEAD \vnsfolubk there- in, * This learned clymift fays, that the chief efficacy of the Bath waters arife from the great quantity of fixed air contained in them. Dr. Prieftly ^(acknowledged to be the a-bltft.chymift in Britain,) fays the Bath waters do not contain more fixed air than h.is common pump water .at Calnein WiJtfhire. ( 3" ) in, and thereby founding a ferious alarm to the public. I afierted that it was a falfe alarm, by a letter in the St. James's Chronicle, leaving my name with the printer, in cafe the Doctor mould call for it. The Doctor pofiefied himfelf of that information, and in the true Mackittrick Jlyle and manner^ thns replied in the fame paper. ,iC[ *At- SIR ' I obferved in your Paper of the 2oth of laft Motith, a Letter addrefied to me by Name, on the Subjed of the Bath Waters which I under- ftandis the Production of Mr. Philip Thicknefle. I do not think either they?y/(? or matter of this curious Epiftle worth any anfwer from me, .but as part of it relates to an affair of public concern, on that account only, I offer an ex- planation, In the Year 1770, the ftone which covers the lead ciftern in the middle of the King's Bath, and which ciftern lies about two feet and a half under ground, was taken up in order to clear the ciftern of fand, which had accumu- lated fo much, as to clog the pipes that convey he water to the Pump Room at the King's "Rotli . ( 3*3 ) Bath. By accident a piece of the upper part of the ciftern, about a pound and a half weight, was broken off, and was brought into the cof- fee-houfe in the Grove, and there examined by feveral perfons, and myfelf among others, who all agreed, that the furface of it that had been next the water, appeared in a ftate of having been acted on by the water, from the furrows or irregularities that appeared upon it. Dr. Harrington, who I believe brought it into the coffee-houfe, can vouch for this fact ; this was the foundation of what I advanced as a caution, and not as an aflertion or infinuation of actual danger, but merely to obviate fufpicions of that kind. This was all meant by a recommenda- tion of the change of the pipes from lead to wood or iron, and fo every candid reader has underftood it, and I doubt not will do fo. As for Mr. Thicknefle's aflertion, that tjie infide of the ciftern is now in a pure and per- fect condition, I affert he fpeaks what is not matter of fact, to his knowledge, as he has never feen more of it than a fmall piece, about two or three ounces in weight, * which was accidentally Yet the penetrating Dr. has feen every part of it ! See page 299 of hU effty, where he fays, tilt corroding are -j'tftllt in every part on tbewfde ( 3*4 ) accidentally broken off, as the ciftern itfelf has not been taken up or examined, but remained covered with a foot and a half thick of earth at leaft. . :/ ^ As for his belief concerning the ciftern hav- ing been more expofed to examination now than ever before fmce it was put down, every perfon who is acquainted with the baths, can inform him, that it has been opened every two or at moft three years, and laid open juft as much as lately, ex- cept only about eight inches of gravel, which were lately removed, but which did not bring to light any part of the ciftern, which was ftill under ground at leaft a foot and a half below thedeepeft part lately dug up. * Had he made the proper enquiries before he formed this article of his faith, he would not have betrayed his ignorance of this well known fact. Having thus, as briefly as I could, ftated the matters of faff. I {hall trouble myfelf no ; - u r u- a more on this fubieo:. I S' & N^FALCONER. jfe ^$ 4V8?' K ^ TO>i ~'ili loiboCi tefft-r- , ami that the water is capable ofjoperaiing on both fides, for the truth of this ;ukUion I apptral to Mr. Baldwin the Bath Arch iteft, to Dr. Lee, General Jobndwn and many "other gentlemen who faw italfo. ( 3'S ) Extraft from Falconer's Book. " The action of this metal (lead) has BEEN " SUFFICIENTLY PROVED, and that it is poflible " that the unfavorable fymptoms fometimes " produced on drinking them, which we know " not how to account for otherwife, may be pro- " duced by fome fuch impregnation as this me- " tal, though its effects are fometimes latent, " is feldom inactive, it may be perhaps owing " to this caufe that fome diforders of the Spaf- " modic kind as Optfhlotonus feems fometimes " rather enhanced by drinking the waters, " when bathing alone is of great fervice." Reader ; obferve what is faid in the above ex- tract from his own book, and compare it with what he has faid in his own letter , and confider whether I, or he, have faid the thing that is not. If I have, I will afk his pardon, if he has ; he mould long fince have alked mine, inftead of fetting a mad dog to bark, becauie he durft not bite ; nor is this the only falfliood he has printed and publiflied; for I do aflert that Doctor Harrington DID NOT bring the piece of lead into the coffee houfe that Doctor Har- rington, will not vouch for the fact. It was not the foundation of what Falconer advanced nor nor was it an affertion to obviate fufpicions. To Doftor Harrington, I appeal, a gentleman of the utmoft probity, refpeclable as a man ; able as a Phyfician, and an accurate obferver of every thing worthy of notice, I appeal ; whether that very piece of lead, was not brought into the coffee houfe by Mr. Atwood, a plumber, to prove the very reverfe of what Mr. Falconer has afferted in the St. James's Chronicle ? Mr. Atwood brought it to thofe gentlemen to fliow, that the ancient plumbers caft their fheet lead upon very courfe rough land, and confequently, the underfide would be very irregular, the upper perfectly fmooth, and the piece brought into the coffee houfe be- ing exactly in that ftate, after having lain fome hundred years in con tad with the Bath waters, appeared in the fame infoluble ftate * for the indents of the courfe fand were perfect on one fide, the other perfectly fmooth, and proved beyond a doubt, that the water had not alter- ed its original form, to all who poffeffed either eyjes to fee, or faculties to conceive; that LEAD T f; ' * This foolifh and alarming ideji.had got into Trance, and the /'.//- otxr sf Paris, Moiifieur SlJctle lias faid juf I can djiilte, diflalovit k plornb, ,Qne ce metal reft {implement tn fufpenfion dans 1'eau, &c. but it lias been proved in France as well as in England ; que ces afilrlioris and ks enxius qu' e}les ont produites font cgalcroent fauires. ( 3-7 ) LEAD is NOT SOLUBLE IN THE BATH WATERS: yet Falconer has had the temerity to fay it " has been proved" and to deny that he has fo faid ! ! and that too in as perfect a Cook maid ftytey as thefe meets, or any other trafh which ever came from the prefs. If the above ex- tract from his analyfis does not prove it to the fatisfaction of the reader, he is referred to the hook itfelf, or to a book I publifhed, addreiTed to this man of 'mettle -, in the year 1775, in which I have voted him a medal of lead, as a reward for his extraordinary talents, ^\. faying^ and un- faying in&fince 'which he has united with Mac- kittrick, to decry a medicine, which all the 1 other Phyficians at Bath, have the candour to acknowledge to be a valuable acquifition to the Materia Medica. One proof of which I mall infer t here, having as I faid above, feen the ac- count under the patient's own hand; befidc, 1 have experienced the efficacy of the yEtheriai Spirit in my own per fon, as well as the fkill, attention, and abilities of Mr. Tickell, during a cliforder in which I was in imminent danger, and during which ffuch was my confidence in Mr. Tickell's abilities) I did not call in any other afliitaiice j furely therefore, if 1 entruft a medical gentleman with that which is of moit importance to all men (LIFE.) I have a right to ( 3'8 V to fpeak of his abilities as a man, and of his medicine (of which I know the good effects) with confidence ; yet that was the catrfe only, of bringing two mighty Docforial Gentlemen's vengeance ftom the prefs, who did not confided, that they were to endure the pain ; and there- fore I do again aiTert, that Mr. Tickell's JEthe- rial Anodyne Spirit, pofleffes antifpafmodic virtues in an eminent degree, and that it lately fucceeded in a moil obflinate rheumatifm, at- tended with fuch frequent and intolerable fpafms, as rendered life abfolutely a burthen ; but happily the patient poffeffed a moft equa- ble temper, and many chriftian virtues. The fpafm, or if you will, that fubtile hu- mour which violently irritated the nervous fyftem (and fudden in its tranfition as the gouty; generally made its firft attack in the Jbwer extremities, rapidly patted up the hinder part of the leg and thigh, and terminated about the loins, where it exerted its cruel ravages on the fpine. The duration of extreme pain was but fhort, for if it had lafled many feconds, no human patience could have been equal to the conflict. The waters of Buxton had proved unfuccefsful, nay rather increafed the com- plaint, and thofe of Bath were made trial of with ( 3*9 ) with no better effect. Such medicines alfo, as might naturally have been concluded, would have afforded relief, proved altogether ineffi- cacious. Salivation was at laft propofed, and the fuffering patient, readily fubmitted to make the experiment, during the height of the ptya- tifm, the fpafms totally ceafed ; but as it dimi- nifhed, they returned with equal violence. Under thefe circumftances, the ^Etherial Spirit was recommended, and from the time of taking the firft dofe, to the end of a week, therewas not a fingle attack. The fpaiins afterwards return- ed, but were neither fo violent nor fo frequent, and as neither drinking Bath water nor bath- ing, appeared to be of the leaft fervice, the gen- tleman by fhort ftages returned home, and took no other medicine but the JEtherral Spirit, which he continued once or twice in twen- ty four hours, till he remained perfectly free from this diftreffing complaint for feveral days. On any flight return, the patient had again recourfe to the fame Spirit, repeating the dofe, five or fix times. The attacks became more flight, and lefs frequent, and when he wrote the laft account of himfelf, he had been perfect- ly free from any fymptom of fpafm for two months, had regained his ufual flrength and -mo. ii health, io tarn -vbtim ,('< 3*0 ) health, except now and then, a trifling rc- memfcrance of the rheumatic' affection. * Having found fuch frequent occafions to produce inftances of ignorance, impudence, and falfhoods, not only in this chapter, but in the preceding ones, the reader may conclude I might naturally reflect on the conduct of that King of impudence and falfliood, whom I have more than once heard hold forth in my young- er days near Lincoln's Inn Fields ; I mean the celebrated Orator Doctor Henley, of whom the following ftory feems apropos; Henley chal- lenged any two difputants to meet him on a certain day, to propofe their own fubjects .of difcuffion, and declared that he would meet them, and determine the merits of the caufe, with the ftricteft regard to impartial juftice. Two ingenious and fpirited Oxonions, fixed with the Orator, and on the appointed day, went well fupported with a party of their friends ; and being called upon by the Orator to propofe their Themes, one of them told him he had undertook to prove the impudence of the Orator himfelf, adding, and my friend vfe here ' * Since this fheet has been at the prefs, I have feen a letter from Dr. Bree of Leifter, wherein he fays he has performed two veiy extraordi- nary cures, with Tickell's JEther and holds the medicine in high efteem. C 321 ) here, has undertook to prove your ignorance. Henley had a private way from the Roftrum into his own houfe, through which he prudently retired, poftponing the award to a future day. May I not now fay, that I have proved the im- pudence and falfhoods of two great phyfical philofophers, and that Mr. Tickell has proved their ignorance, and that if an inftance of their modefty could be offered, it is, that one has re- tired from his Roftrum at Bath, and hid him- felf in a little village near Portfmouth, called Titchfield, where he may " fnarl and bite and " play the dog," and that the other, has fre- quently put forth in the Bath and other papers, a fulfome panegyric, which was fent him with the Fothergillian medal, to which I could wifh to add a companion to it, of'infoluble lead, wherein I would have the two medical philofo- phers heads vis a vis, and underneath them, I DARE. Y ANECDOTE >^& 3(1 nisi: >i, ANECDOTE . li/Vij ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. 1 HAVE been told by a very great man, and a very proud man too ; that proud men are al- ways particularly humble to their inferiors. If that obfervation be a juft one, the Arch- Bifhop of Canterbury is not a proud man, and therefore I am convinced his Grace will excufe my relating the following tranfaclion, which I will endeavour to do with all imaginable refpecT: to his prefent high ftation* I became C 323 ) I became firft acquainted with Mr. Moore at the houfe of my Brother in law, Dr. Richard Grey at Hinton in Northamptonihire, where i found him Garcon defamiUe^ much efteemed by my Brother and Sifter, and much admired, I dare fay by their four daughters, for he was a very handfome young man, and if I miftakc not he admired one of them particularly ; as it was during the Aftrop feafon, it there fell to his lot and mine, to decide the fate of a pool at commerce, each of us equally anxious, for the Lady on whom the luck was pending, and I had then an early fpecimen, of the great fuf- ceptibility fo trifling a matter excited in Mr. Moore's bofom, relative to a decilion, on which neither of us were otherwife interefted, than on behalf of our fair friends. It was about that time I believe, that the late Duke of JVlarlborough (whofe truly princely and noble difpofition will never be forgotten,) afked my brother Grey, whether he knew an ingenious learned young Clergyman, or a fel- low of a College, of character fufficient, to be taken into his family, as Tutor to his fon Lord Charles Spencer ? Doctor Grey did for he knew Mr, Moore and recommended him in a pointed and particular manner sis an unex- Y 2 ceptionable ceptionable perfon, and fully qualified to exe- cute fuch a truft with fidelity and abilities. I will not, I need not fay, how fortunately, or I might fay it (confidering the high ftation his grace now fuftains, with the fame credit he did his low one) that ages may not produce the like again. It was natural for me, knowing this, to imagine fome little attention was due from Mr. Moore, through every ftation of his future fortune, to the relations of Dr. and Mrs. Grey. After Dr. Moore became a Prebend of Durham, I had the honor of fpending fome time withhim at Shobdon Court, the feat of Lord Bateman, in HerefordQiire, we daily rode out together, and he afterwards honoured me with letters couched in the moft friendly terms, and defired me to procure him a fingular weather cock of my own conftruction, which I fent him, and which coft me fomething more than a guinea. When he was appointed Bifliop of Bangor, I took the liberty to tell him a caufe of great importance to me, and my family, was foon to come on before the houfe of Lords ; fent him I think, the cafe of the appellant and refpondent, and entreated him to i what I pre- fume was his duty) attend it. To this requeft I received a very fhort reply indeed ! it was a ft Sir, and an humble Servant" letter to tell me he he could not! I concluded therefore, fome other Dr. Moore had been appointed to the See of Bangor, and that I had addrefled a ftranger, for I did not till then know, that it was impro- per to addrefs a Bilhop, or congratulate him upon his good fortune in the ftyle of a friend who rejoiced to hear it. The event in the houfe of Lords is WPLL KNOWN, and 'will bs never forgotten. I foon after went a wandering into Spain, and upon my return to Calais, I again addrefled the Bifhop of Bangor in a -proper man- ner, for my requeft was complied with in the following manner. Sir, Yefterday brought me the favor of your let- ter upon the fubject of your intended publica- tion, through France and part of Spain, I ihall be one of your fubfcribers" 1 8 ^ And am your moft obedient n Humble Servant, jr 4 ^Y OUJIfl in] * :>n 1 Boon ( 3*6 ) Soon after jny return to England, and after my firft volume had been delivered to the Bifhop, being at my Bookfeller's fliop, (Brown's the corner of Eflex Street) the Bifhop accidentally came in, and noticed me with " your fervant Captain TbickneJJe" and then turning to the bookfeller, ordered his paper, &c. to be fent to BANGOR and retired. I was aftonifhed ! I con- fidered myfelf an unfortunate man and no way obliged to the Bifhop. I had received his guinea indeed, but fo had he the weather cock. After he was gone, the bookfeller and his boys ex- prefled their furprife alfo, for they it feems had heard the Bifhop fpeak of me as one I had the honour to be well known to, and by his repeated enquiries for the book he had fub- fcribed to ; and Brown could not help faying I tho ught you Had been well known to my Lord Bifiop and intimate friends. And I replied I thought he had been mine ; but as I now had reafon to think otherwife, if he would furnifh me with a fheet of paper, I would take the liber- ty" to afk his Lordfhip, what fin I had com- * * mitted, or what fin I lived in the commiflion of, that he fhould treat me with fuch disregard, as to occafion the bookfeller and his boys to ob- ferve it ? I will not repeat more of the contents of my letter, though a copy of it lies before me, me, becaufe I muft own it was written in anger, and in very intemperate terms, but my bofom heaved as his Loidfliip's did, at the pool of commerce, for inftead of receiv- ing ten thoufand pounds, a fum I had for twenty years before been affured by the ableft lawyers in the Kingdom would become my property, I had at that time fix hundred pounds to pay for my vain efforts to re- cover it, and I thought I mould have met the Bifhop with a better face, if I had, Kke him, been a fortunate man. Nothing could be more temperate than the Bifhops reply, for he declared that he was not confcious of any flight or neglect of civilities due to me, but as he was, even after he had paid his fubfcription, rather in my debt, than I in his, I told him he owed me a guinea, for I could not afcertain the exact fum I had paid for the weather cock, and defired it might be paid ; this was accordingly done, a guinea en- clofed between two cards, and another very temperate civil letter accompanied it j though I mufl own, neither of my letters merited .fo much politenefs. * And now 1 may obfcrve, i * io\v ,c^; t t,,0 ; ,u, J N ( 3*8 ) how cautious even the greateft men, either by birth, or high ftation fhould be, in their con- duct to their inferiors, for would not the reader conclude that here the bufmefs ended. Will he not fay, there is now for ever an end to all correfpondence between the Bifhop and Captain Thicknefle ? Certainly he will think fo, but no fuch thing ! it was only the beginning ! For a few days after, I dined with Mr. Bate- man (Lord Bateman's brother) and there re- lated, what had patted between me and the Bifhop of Bangor. I related it perhaps with a degree of warmth, natural to my temper r and when I had fo done, Mr. and Mrs. Bate- man faid they were not furprifed, for that his Lordfhip had {hewn the fame flights and want of attention alfo to them. If they were not furprifed, I was ; for however infignificant I might appear in the Bifhop's eyes, it was won- derful to me, to find that a refpeclable and ho- norable gentleman, nearly related to the Duke of Marlborough)\ could have been overlooked by any man, much lefs by Dr. Moore. I then told Mr. Bateman that my anger and refent- ment was at an end, and that I would that very day write to the Bifhop, and humbly afk his I r. f Mr. Bateman's mother was Sifter to the late Duke of Marlbo- rough. < 3 2 9 ) his pardon for the warmth exprefled in rny former letters ; and did fo, for I had juft learnt, I faid, that he had flighted alfo near relations of the Duke of Maryborough, and therefore I had not the moft diftant preteniions to be hurt by his overlooking or flighting me. My letter upon this point, feemed to give his Lordfhip pain indeed, he left his name at my door, the next day, and urged me ftrongly, to let him know (if I were not bound to fecre- cy,J by whom of the Duke of Marlbor ough's family he was fo accufed ? adding, that if he were guilty, he mould think himfelf the moft offending man alive. In reply, I informed his Lordfhip, that though 1 was not bound parti- cularly to fecrecy, I confidered myfelf not at liberty to difclofe private converfation which palled at a friend's table, but allured him that they were people of veracity, and therefore I could not doubt the fact, and that the reader may not doubt this relation of it, I will obferve that though my refpeclable friend Mr. Bate- man is dead, his lady is ftill living. This bufi- ncfs however feemed to give the Bifhop deep concern, and he determined not to drop his enquiry, till he found within whofe doors the complaint was lodged; and knowing that I 11 had ( 33 ) had the honor of being often with Lord Bate- man, he feared the complaint originated there, but upon enquiry found it did not ; yet there perhaps, he got a hint that it lay in Hartford Street, for thither he went alfo. Mrs. Bate- man would not be feen, but Mr. Bateman ac- knowledged the charge, nor did the vifit and apologies, which no doubt were made, occalion any renewal of their acquaintance. 1 have the Bifhop's letters before me, one of which his Grace I am fure will excufe me in prefenting to my readers, as it is relative to the preceding part of this tranfaclion, efpecially as I fent the propofals of printing my memoirs to his Grace, and to the Duke of Mar/borough, who upon a for- mer occafion honoured me with his name^ and who upon no occafion can notice any man, who has more refpect to his aimiable character, f SIR, ii'-yr v-y c* r " It is not much like a proud man to write to you again after the letters I have received from you. But it is like a man who knows * U i rj X how to excufe even injurious treatment from J one f His Grace is dill a few (hillings in my debt, and therefore from the tenor of the following letter, filled with <*J n : jlfs ) it rather difap- jwinted me, as I preface it will every candid reader. ( 33' ) one he wifties well to ; when he fees that treatment was the effect of refentment ground*- ed on mifapprehenfion. You afk me, if I did not know that you had lately a very great mif- fortune and great injuftice done you ? I did not, nor od I know at this moment what you allude to. I was alfo ignorant, till I received your letter, of the other events you mention, that a title and fortune had fallen to your chil- dren. The truth is, my thoughts and time have been engaged for fome time paft folely with a very near relation, and a friend, both in a very bad ftate of health, and I have heard little, and attended lefs to what was going on in the world. And now Sir let me afk. you a queftion in my turn, where is the crime in my not having been acquainted with thofe circum- ftances ? or how are you juftified in loading me with opprobrious accufations, for not hav- ing taken notice of them when I met you ? /You will do better to keep your anger for thofe who deferve it, I do not deferve it ; I am really and unaffectedly forry for your misfor- tunes, and the injuftice that has been done you, of whatever kind they may be, and I am ftill v capable of receiving a iincere pleafure, from hearing of any good fortune that befalls you, or your children, and the greater the extent of it T>dL3i 4 ( it is, the greater will be my pleafure. This is the truth ; and I expeft to be believed, and that for the beft of reafons, becaufe you neve? in your life could charge me with untruth. You tell me again and again of my obligations to your family, I am ready to acknowledge a thoufand obligations to Dr. and Mrs. Grey in a long friendfhip of many years, particularly to him whofe advice I have profited by, and may as long as I live, if it be not my own fault, but not one of thofe he has left behind him will tell you, I have forgotten thofe obligations. But enough of this, I will put an end to this let- ter with repeating the advice, don't be affronted at the word, it is not meant to affront, I have given once before in it ; diftinguifh between thofe who are difpofed to behave infolent to you, and thofe who are not between your friends and your enemies, I can never have a place among the latter, and perhaps it may be immaterial to you whether I have any among the former or not. io 23qOff fi'Jl Olb bsrf Vlfl) li ^ 03 3ii3w 13!; am Sir, Your Humble Servant, J. BANGOR. It ( 333 ) It is many years fince I read the above letter, and therefore it urges me now to obferve upon it, that it certainly is written with a temper and difpolition fuitable to a wife man, and a chriftian Bifhop, it is true alfo, that my fitter now eighty four years of age, and her three daughters, fpeak as highly of his grace as any of his friends ; and think as highly too, nay I know my lifter has left him a picture worked by her daughter, Mrs. Lloyd the Dean of Norwich's wife, of real value, merely becaufe the Bullfinch which is pecking at a bunch of grapes in a cabbage leaf, was copied from a Bull-finch, Mr. Moore Ihot ; but may I not fay in my turn, that Dr. Grey has three daugh- ters, who have fons at the univerfity unpro- vided for, and a daughter married to an inge- nious young man, who has no other fubfift- ence than the fmall Curacy of Uphill in Somer- fetfhire, and then may I not afk, has his grace conferred any mark of favor further than civil words, upon any part of Doctor Grey's family ? two of whom would at this day have been in holy orders, if they had the leaft hopes of any preferment, yet before this chapter went to the prefs, I wrote to my Niece, the widow of the Rev, Doctor Bowles, and youngeft daugh- ter ( 334 ) ter of Doctor Grey, and alked her the ftate of her fatnily, and whether the Arch Bifhop had taken any notice of her, or any of her family. In reply ihe was quite filent^ as to the latter Querie, but fays, " as you was pleafed to en- quire into the ftate of my family, I fhall trou- ble you with a fmall account of it. I have four daughters and three fons, the eldeft of which is deiigned for the Church, and is of Trinity College, Oxford, he is not yet in orders, but might have been fome time ago, as he is nei- ther wanting in knowledge, character or abili- ties ; his prefent view is to be fellow of the College, to which I imagine he will fucceed the firft vacancy, my fecond fon is as you know, in the phyfical line, and my youngcft is bred to the law ; if you can form any idea of the expence of a univerfity education, I prefume you will eafily fee why there was only one fent thither, my eldeft daughter married without our knowledge or confent, a Clergyman of very fmall fortune indeed, he is Curate of Uphill in Somerfetmire, where they now live." This is the iituation of Dr. Grey's daughter "'aid grandchild, the Uphill Clergyman has thirty pounds a year, and the eldeft fon might have been in orders, but being 'without a pa- tron ,.fj ?.l i>,... : . . . .fa* . ( 335 ) iron or a friend, waits to obtain a fellowfhip of Trinity College ! and yet his Grace of Canter- bury tells me, " that not one of thofe" (mean- ing Dr. Grey's family) " whom he has left behind, will tell me he has forgotten thofe obligations" it may be fo, but I can tell his Grace, that not one of thofe, have yet bene- fited by the goodnefs of his memory, and I hope at leaft the poor Curate of Uphill, who certainly cannot deal with the Village Butcher above once a fortnight ; will be remembered effeftually. I never faw him nor his wife ; but I flatter myfelf his Grace will not let a grand daughter of Dr. Grey's ftarve, when a Vica- rage of four fcore pounds a year would make him and his wife happy, for fortunately, they have no children.* I might * The late Dr. Garnett, an Irifti Bifhop, and the Author had been intimate friends in their youth, long before the Doftor had any idea of wearing a mitre, many years however feparated them, till chance threw them together at a mufick meeting in London. The Author thought k was his old fiiend, but not being certain, after looking ftedfaftly at hum, and not being able to make up his kips for the utterance of the two words, MT LORD; he thus addrefTed the worthy Prelate. // it yen, or it it not ; for I protsft I am not fare? Yes faid he, it h me, (and taking one of my hands into both his) nor \viJl we part faid he till we have ate and drank together. Thii was manly, if not prieftly, and when this good man died, he directed his Executors C 336 ) I might afk his Grace in my turn too, (were not the queftion fo high above my reach) whe- ther if he had not been full as fufceptible of flights, neglecl, or ill breeding, evenjin a rapid line of profperity, as I might be found in ad- verfity, why, when a certain old Duchefs be- farfoned him at Blenheim, he inftantly took his horfes and a French leave, and went to Durham, and from thence made his excufe to the Duke of Marlborough and defired per- miffion to return when the Duchefs left Blen- heim ? If he did fo, furely I might have been excufed if I difliked being be-Captained in a bookfeller's fliop ! I could alk his Grace ano- ther queftion, and relate another extraordi- nary anecdote, but which I with-hold, out of HIGH RESPECT TO OTHER PERSONS tO whom it might give great pain, though no ways diflio- n our able to any perfon now living, f Executors to fend me the Portrait of a Brother of mine ; which had hung thirty years in his houfe, and yet that brother had no hand in lead- ing him to an inftallationjbut he had been his friend, when in an humble ftation, and when a Curacy of fifty pounds a year would have made him happy. f Since this book has been in the prefs, Mrs. Bowles has been honoured with more than one letter from the Arch Bifhop ; expreffing an unbounded regard for her and her family, and has promifed to provide for the Curate of Uphill and her ingenious Ion, (now in orders) \ at ( 337 at Oxford, for I mufl own I did anonymoufly remin'd his Grace of the fituation of my widow niece and her large family, and thereby pro- cured fome notice to be taken of them not only by letters, but by his Coach fentfrom Lambeth, to fetch fome part of the family to dine at the Palace. It is near a year fince, but I have not yet heard of any other place, than a place in the Coach of Lambeth, - | . 7 ANECDOTE ( 338 } ANECDOTE OF THE PRETENDER, PRINCE CHARLES, LADY Mary Touchet a beautiful Englifli woman, and fifter to my late wife, made her firft public appearance at a ball at Paris, given by the Pretender juft before his expedition into Scotland, in the year 1745. The Prince not only attracted by her perfonal charms, but being the fifter to a Englifli Catholic Peer; took her out, as his partner, and before they parted, he communicated to her, whither he was go- ing, and the importance of his expedition. I cannot tell, but I can eafily conceive, to what a pitch ( 339 ) a pitch of enthufiafm, a beautiful young Eng- lifh woman of the fame religious principles, and fo particularly honoured at that time, might be led to fay upon fo trying an occafion ; but whatever it were, he inftantly took his pen knife from his pocket, ript the ftar from his breaft, and gave it her as a token of his par- ticular regard, and I doubt not that foe con- cluded, fuch an external mark of his partiality, had he fucceeded, was given as a prelude to the offer of a more precious jewel which had lain under the ftar within HIS BOSOM. As that beautiful woman, died at the age of twenty, the ftar fell into the lap of her fifter, and as me foon after fell into mine, I became pofleffed of that ineftimable badge of d\ftlntion y together with a fine Portrait of the Prince by Hulfey. Being a whig and a military man, I did not think it right to keep either of them in my pofleffion, and a fimple old Jacobite lady, of- fered me a confiderable mm of money for them, but having three nieces, whofe father had lived in intimacy with the late Sir John Dolben^ I prefented both to them, and I be- lieve that valuable relift of the departed Prince Charles, is now in the poffeffion of Mrs. Lloyd, my eldeft niece, and wife to the prefent Dean of Norwich. Lady Mary Touchet, was the Z 2 firft ( 340 ) firft woman who appeared in England, in a French drefs, about the year 1748, which was then, fo particular, that Ihe never went out at Bath, the place of her conftant reiidence, without being followed by a crowd; for at that time, the general drefs of France, was deemed fo outre in this, that in moft eyes, it diminifhed the charms, of both her face, and perfon; which fhe otherwife had the utmoft claim to. She danced on the Friday night ball, and died the Sunday following, a lady who aflifted in laying her out, told me fhe could fcarce be- lieve fhe was dead, for that ihe never faw fo much beauty in life, and that fhe exceeded in Symmetry, even TITIANS VENUS. That this unfortunate man was in London about the year 1754, I can POSITIVELY ASSERT, he came hither, contrary to the opinion of all his friends abroad, but he was determined he faid, to fee the capital of that Kingdom, over which he thought himfelf born to reign. After being a few days at a Lady's houfe in Effex Street in the Strand, he was met by one, who knew his perfon in Hyde Park, and who made an at- tempt to kneel to him, this circumftance fo alarmed the Lady, at whofe houfe he refided, that a boat was procured the fame night, and he returned inftantly to France. Monfieur Maffac, Maffac, late Secretary to the Duke De Noailles, told me he was fent to treat with the Prince relative to a fubfequent attempt to invade Eng- land. Mr. Maflac dined with him, and had much converfation upon that fubject; but ob- ferved that he was rather a weak man; bigotted to his religion, and unable to refrain from the bottle, the only benefit he faid he had acquired, by his expedition among his countrymen into Scotland. An Irifli officer with only one arm, for- merly well known at the Coffee de Conti in Paris, * aflured me that he had been with the Prince in England, between the years, forty five and fifty fix, and that they had laid a plan of feizing the perfon of the King (George the fecond) as he returned from the play, by a body of Irifh chairmen, who were to knock the fervants from behind his coach, extinguifli the lights, and create confufion; while a party carried the King to the water fide and hurried him away to France. It is certain, that the late King often returned from the theatres in fo private a manner, that fuch an attempt was pot impracticable, for what could not a hundred or JWr. ( 34* ) or two, defperate villains effect, at a eleven o'clock at night, in any of the public Streets of London? Ten minutes ftart would do it, and they could not have failed of a much greater length of time. He alfo told me that they had more than fifteen hundred Irifli chairmen, or that clafs of people, that were to aflemble op- polite the Duke of Newcaftle's houfe in Lin- coln's Inn Fields, the inftant they heard any particular news relative to the pretender. I cannot vouch for the truth of this ftory, but it may be right to relate it, to prevent fuch an attempt, mould any other pretender ftart up, for I have the BEST AUTHORITY to fay fuch a thing is practicable, and that a perfon was taken off in broad day light, and in the mid- dle of a large City, though under the protec- tion of an Englifli Major, andfeven old French women, and that too, by an individual.* It was * There are many people now living at Southampton who remember that tranfaitrion. Dr. Grey, long before he died, was perfeUy cured of Jacobitifm, he obferved that when the pretender was at Rome, his friends here kept his birth day, and fpoke of him with ardour, but when he was in Scotland they feemed to fotget him every day, now faid the doftor, if I had been King, I would have pardoned all thofe who (hewed their mif- taken loyalty openly, and hanged all Ins cowardly adherents who durft not appear to ferve him, when their fervices were wanting; but thank God, that filly bufinefs is all at an end, and the Catholioks know, the fweets of living under a PROTES TANT PRINCE, and a free government. ( 343 ) was not a King it's true, who was taken off, nor it was not a man, but before the furprife of the Major, and his female party were over, the lady was far out of their reach. ANECDOTE ( 344 ) ANECDOTE MRS. GARRICK, WHEN SHE WAS THE ADMIRED MADAME VIOLETTE. IN the year one thoufand feven hundred and forty nine, that lady was at Bath, and though I had not then nor fince the pleafure of being perfonally known to her, I never faw her but with admiration ; her perfonal beauty, and the delicate manner of her drefs, could not but at- tract attention, I mean not frippery or finery, but rather the reverfe ; mentioning that ele- gant woman to Lady Vane, who perhaps was the next woman in the Kingdom, to be ad- mired ( 345 ) mired on account of tafte, in drefs, &c. {he agreed with me, and added, her breeding alfo, correfponds with her external appearance. Are you then Madame, faid I, acquainted with Ma- dame Violette ? no, I am not, but flic always pafles me with good breeding, obferving that well bred people, betray that, even as they pafs ftrangers. This juft obfervation ftruck me exceedingly, I had often obierved it in the late Duke of Hamilton, when he paffed ftrangers in the public walks ; but Lady Vane could not but notice Madame Violette's polifhed man- ners, as moil of the un-fly-blown wives and miffes, ufually paffed her with a tofs of the head, or a look of contempt, though perhaps at the bottom of the mixture^ there might have been found a few grains of envy. During Madame Violette's ftay at Bath, Mr. Nafli was defired to take her out to dance a minuet, and certainly her dancing there at that time, was conlidered by all well bred perfons as a favour. She was accordingly the lirft lady afked, after thofe of precedence had danced ; and then ihe danced a minuet, as void of any flourimes, as it was full of grace and elegance ; but behold ! the next lady afked, refufed ! what ! dance af- ter Madame Violette ? Mr. Naih took care me ( 346 ) fhould not dance then, nor at any fubfequent ball, and Mifs returned to her Papa, an Iron- monger at Salifbury, without fliewing the beauxs of Bath, what an ear fhe had for the muftcks, for Mifs had learnt to play upon the Jpinnet, as well as the fpinning wheel. Having mentioned the late Duke of Hamilton, I can- not deny myfelf the pleafure of recording a fingular inftance of the quicknefs of his parts, and the readinefs of his addrefs. When he firft went to Edinburgh with his handfome Duchefs ; his country folks charged them both with Ihewing too much hauteur, not only in public, but even at their own table ; a charge which his Grace, one would think could not merit. However a prodigal Laird, not long defcended from the mountains, who thought himfelf as guede a cheeld as any Duke or Laird on earth, determined to put his Grace to ftiame at a public ball given at Holy Rood Houfe. After the whole nobleffe of Edinburgh were feated, and the mufic waiting to ftrike up, on the entre of their two Graces, a rumour was heard at the lower end of the room, here conies the Duchefs here comes the Duchefs, and accordingly the crowd of gentlemen, moved to the right and left, to give her Grace a paffage, < 347 ) paffage, amidft their humble and bended bo- dies, but before her Grace had been feated at the upper end five minutes, a fecond alarm was announced, here comes the Duke here comes the Duke, the avenue was again cleared for his Grace's entrance, by all but the Highland Laddy mentioned above, but he turning his back to the door, and fetting his arms a kimbo, placed himfelf in the very center of the Gang "joay. The Duke inftantly perceived who it was ; and why it was ; fo walking ftedfaftly up, linked his arm under his champion's, fay- ing Mackittrick how do you do ? and keeping him in familiar converfation till he had led him to the upper end of the room, and joined his Duchefs, and there left Jemmy to walk back again, an object of as much contempt, when he appeared as the village doctor before Lord Moreton to whom one would think he had been formerly a f During the difpute between the author of thefe fheets and the Doftor, the following grub was handed about the City of Bath. How or why a man educated at the only univerfity in Britain, capable of turning out able P/iy/iciam, could fufpet the grub to allude to him, I can- not fay, but he certainly offered a reward in the Bath Chronicle of fifty pounds to difcover the author, he is therefore now informed gratis, that Joe Millar was the author, and P. Thicknefie the editor. A CAUTION ( 348 ) A CAUTION TO THE CAUTIONED, A true Talc told by Lord M R N, Addrefled to a Medical A/a/, H) and a Foohfybcr of Bath; /^l OING fome years fince into Scotland, faid his lordfhip, I flopped *-^ early at a fmall town in the north of England, it being'winter, and a long evening before me, I confulted my landlord, what chance I had of finding in that town, a fbciable companion to fup with me ; the parfbn, after whom I firft enquired, was juft dead ; the lawyer was gone to London ; and in fhor.t, the doctor was the only man my landlord in- formed me, who was genteel enough to be admitted. I accordingly enquired his name, and fufpecting thereby he was a North Briton, I fent the compliments of a travelling ftranger to the doctor, and defired the favor of his company at fupper with me ; the waiter foon informed me, that the doctor was in the bar, for having learnt there, that I were a lord, Jie waited for a fecond invitation ; upon his entering the room, I perceived an uncommon degree of embaraflment in his countenance, which I endeavored to remove by making an apology for the liberty I had taken, and entreated him to fit down, and favor me with his com- pany without ceremony ; ne, ne, -replied the doctor, I mud declene that oivner no, no, doctor, pray be feated ; en troth my guede lord you muft excufe me, -for though your lordfliip do na ten me, yet I ken your lordfhip rite loetl ; de you not remember your auid ferrant Jemmy Macmnrditb ? what do I fee Jemmy, in the capacity of a doctor of phyfic ! ibftly my guede lord, let me wbejlcr a word in your lugg, fpeak low lefl our landlord inould'hear what pafles ; it is your auld fervant Jemmy who now ftands before you ; well Dr. Jemmy faid my lord, fit down, however, and let me hear without referve, how you became a practitioner in phyfic ; Jemmy then acquainted hU Lordfhip, that his houfe fteward having loj} ajilir fpoon the day before he left his lord- /hip's fervice, refufed to give -him a character, and being opt of employ, he entered on board a Guinea man, in the flave trade, and having, fays he, a leitil Liitin as ye know my lord, we atve haw in my guts, I foon perfuaded our South Bretan furgeon, that I knew a little of phefyeck alfb, and he gave up the care of a-we the black devils to me, from Geiicne to Antigua. well, and were you fuccefsful in your fiift outfet ? in troth no my lord, I was gelty of manifold errors, and we loft more than a moiety of our living cargo; but fortunath for poor Jemmy, the furgeon himfelf, tbo' I did the beft I could for him) died the very day we caft ancor at Antigua, ( 349 ) Antigua, and I returned to Bretan in the capacity of furgeon's mate, and then got another ftation to the fame tlemate, as full furgeon ; tbes my lord, put fome money in my pocket, and when I returned I purchafed a deplema, and have praftifed now feven years in this town, and the hamlets rouud about, as a regular ftefecian ; well Jemmy and I hope, faid my lord, with better fuccefs than on your fouthern excurfions ? in troth, my lord no, I have nothing to boaft of in that way neither ; but however, let me tell your lordfliip, that I have pretty well revenged the battlt of Flvwden Field. A ROBBERY ( 350 ROBBERY COMMITTED BY THE LATE ALDERMAN K- JVI.R. K n, having a pleafure yatch of his own, often made a trip in her with a few friends to Calais, Boulonge, &c. and hap- pened to arrive at Calais, juft as I was re- turned from my Spanifli Tour to Montfer- rat. At this time I had engaged an Artifl to engrave, from a painting 1 had got executed at Lyons, a view of that extraordinary moun- tain, and which I wanted an opportunity of fending fafe to England. The late Mr. Red- mond Simpfon, of the Queen's band of mufic, being ( 35' ) being in the Alderman's fuite and a careful ho- neft man, I defired him to take charge of it to London, and to deliver it to my departed and valuable friend Mr. Alexander Whitchurch, who had promifed to fuperintend the execution of the plate ; Mr. Simpfon, therefore placed the picture with great care, under the green baize, and the uppermoft article in his port- manteau. The cuftom houfe officers at Dover knowing their men, merely for form fake, meant only to lift up the covers of the Alderman and his friend's trunks, but could not even do that without the picture appearing, and then they Were, reluctantly enough, obliged to feize it; in vain did poor Simpfon plead his readinefs to forfeit every thing which was his own, pro- vided the picture, another man's property, and for fo particular a purpofe, could be deli- vered up, but all was ineffectual, the picture was feized as contraband, and could not be re- ftored ; poor Redmond related his grievances pathetically to the good natured Alderman, but nothing could be done. The next morn- ing, Mr. K n, vifited the cuftom houfe, and after talking with the collector and the other officers on different fubjects, pray faid that gentleman mew me the picture of Mont- ferrat, which you feized yefterday ; it was ac- cordingly ( 35* ) cordingly produced, he took a flight view of it, and then entered upon fome other fubjecl, till at length, bufineis called the officers to different part of the office, and then Mr. K n rolled up the picture, put it under his arm, and walked off with it ! a circumftance which pro- bably was full as agreeable to the officers who had feized it, (for it was of no real value) as it was to Mr. Simpfon who had it, and to whom it was reftored. If this was a crime, it was a crime which muft be regiftered among the many generous and benevolent crimes Mr. K n, was frequently committing, by relieving thofe who were diflreflfed in either body, mind, or purfe ; he perceived how hurt his friend Simp- fon was, and would have given the beft picture in his houfe to redeem his friend from fuch anxious concern, fuch was the difpofition of a gentleman, taken off in the prime of life, loved and lamented by all who knew him. ANECDOTE ( 353 ) ANECDOTE HALF PAY LIEUTENANT OF THE BRITISH NAVY. W HEN I had the honour of fpending a few months in the King's Bench Prifon, (an honour I am difpofed to hope my candid readers may be induced to think I was led into from not being properly fupported for doing my duty with pro- priety as a foldier, and with decency as a fub- ject,) * I declined during thofe three months, any the leaft acquaintance, with that clafs of people called the gentlemen of the Bench, though many of them were in the very laced waiftcoats A a which * Perhaps I might (however wrong it certainly would have been) have confined Captain Lynch before, but that I had reafon to think Ix>rd Anfon might have landed the Queen at the Fort, certain I am that the Fort could have accommodated her Majeftr better than any boufe in Harwich. ( 354 ) which had procured them their outward' doub- lets ; indeed a volunteer female prifoner who ac- companied me thither, and a numerous train of vifitors would have prevented me, had I been difpofed to affociate with a worfe clafs of people than even Captain Dunn, or the fcratch- ing family of cock lane. This rendered me rather obnoxious to the laced coat gentry, to not one of whom I ever fpoke. About a fortnight be- fore the day of my enlargement, my female friend left me to prepare a King's Garrifon, for the reception of a King's Bench Prifoner ! Such are the viciffitudes of human life ! During this laft fortnight of my durance, I had leifure to look about mej as far as the walls of a prifon extended ; and though I doubt not there were many wretched beings among my fellow pri- foners, one only ftruck my attention, fuffici- ently to promote a defire of fpeaking to him ; lie always walked alone, fmoaked his pipe, and had the appearance of a reduced tradefman. I invited him to drink a glafs of wine with me, and found that his mind and his affairs were foen to be made eafy, I offered him a little pre- fent affiftance, which: he declined, and defired I would beftow my attention upon a prifoner who was under the fame roof with me, a Lieutenant of a man of war who had told him, that ( 355 ) that when my dinner was brought up flairs, fuch was his extreme hunger, that he was often obliged to run down, and walk in the garden, to avoid even the fmell of it ; I defired him immediately to wait upon that gentleman, and to beg the favor of his company to eat a bit of cake and drink a glafs of wine with us, which he often did, and the following is the ftate of his cafe. He was a man of neither family, nor intereft, but the late gallant Ad- miral Bofcowen, had taken notice of him as a very active good feaman, brought him aft upon the quarter deck, and promoted him by degrees to the rank of a Lieutenant. After the peace, being upon half pay, and much better acquainted with NEPTUNE and ^ELOUS, than the artifices of women, as he was fauntring about the royal exchange he faw a weeded widow leaning over a hatch, over which was written in LETTERS OF GOLD ASSURANCE OFFICE. Pray Madam faid ;;;/ Lieutenant, what is it you infure ? Ships, Sir, from the dangers of the fea, &c. a further con- verfation enfued, and old Mrs. Affitrance invit- ed the young Lieutenant, in to drink tea with her. The Lieutenant, who was rather before hand with his half pay agent, thought he had found a good peace birth on more, made pro- A a 2 pofals ( 356 ) pofals to the old lady, married her, and the next week was conducted to an apartment near mine, in the ftate houfe of St. George's Fields for her debts. I pitied him, and fo I am fure will the reader, and therefore I told the public in a letter printed in the St. James's Chronicle, that being the inhabitant of a goal, and the day of my liberation near at hand, I had depofited a few guineas in Mr. Davis's hands, Bookfeller in Sackville Street, to begin a fubfcription, which I hoped the public would confider due to a young man who had deferved well of his country in war, but now fhut up in a prifon, and who had loft his only patron and friend the gallant Admiral Bofcawen ; in fhort I fo ftated his cafe, that Mrs. Bofcawen happened to hear of it, and finding it to be truly ftated, fhe nobly fupported the collection, and I had not only the pleafure of feeing my Lieutenant liberated before I obtained my own, but when I did, I quitted the goal, on that ac- count^ with the eclat of a general huzza, of my fellow prifoners, at the head of which, was a late Weftminfter Jiiftke of peace, other- wife I make no doubt 1 mould have expe- rienced the very reverfe, for I had now and then a letter thruft under my door, to remind me that I was a CRIMINAL PRISONER, and ought ( 357 ) ought to be put on the common fide, not to mix with the gentlemen of the Bench, who only had been guilty of defrauding every tradefman who were weak enough to give them credit, for what they knew they were unable to pay. A DANGEROUS ( 35 ) <' of' H DANGEROUS MOB, OF BATH, BESET THE AUTHOR'S HOUSE AT BATH-HAMPTON. SoON after I had publifhed the Profe Bath Guide, in which I had told fome tales out of fchool, that proved offenfive to fome Butchers and difhoneft tradefmen ; the mob, like Lord George Gordon's, (who always hold out falfe colours) aflembled to the amount of fome hun- dreds, in order to befet my houfe, or deftroy me, under the pretence, that I had caufed my man to be treacherouily imprefled at Briftol. In order to explain this matter, it may be neceflary to fay, that being in want of a man fervant who could occafionally work in my garden ; an innocent pretty country wench, then in my family, embraced that favorable opening- to recommend her fweet heart, the confequence C 359 ) confequence of which was what I expe&ed, that Betty would foon become thin about the nofey and thick about the ivaijl^ but -before poor Betty's diforder appeared, John informed me that his father and brothers with-held from him fifty pounds, and would neither pay him principal nor intereft, and that he had no other fecurity than a note of hand ; but upon the note being produced, I found he had not even that, for it had neither name nor date to it ! Such a fhameful piece of bufinefs, I thought too grofs to let pafs unnoticed, I therefore em- ployed a reputable attorney, and put John's fifty pounds fafe into his pocket. Soon after this tranfacUon, it appeared that John had given Betty a note of word only, that he would marry her, but having found out the riddle without the affiftance of the parfon of the pa- rim, he would not Jign it. I took occalion to talk ferioufly to him upon this fubjecl ; offered a two guinea wedding dinner in my orchard, for him and his friends, but all to no purpofe ; J tlien obferved, that as I had rendered him a piece of juftice, I would endeavour alfo, to render juftice to the woman he had fo highly injured, and accordingly went to Briftol, and fettled my plan of operation with the Lieute- nant of a prefs gang, obtaining at the fame time ( 36 ) time his promife, that if the man agreed to marry the girl, he fhould difmifs him. The next day I took John to Briftol with me, and the Lieutenant took him on board a Tender. Soon after my return, being, at Bath, a mile and a half from my houfe at Bath Hampton, I was informed, that a mob, confifting of fome hundreds, were gone to pull my houfe down, I immediately ordered a chaife from York Houfe, to fetch my wife and two daughters to town, and followed the empty chaife on horfe back, previoufly putting piftols to my faddle, I found men, women and children fit- ting upon the road fide, and afking them what occafion brought them thither, they informed me, IJhouldfoon know, and as I paffed a mow, two men upon the top of it, ftruck their forks down at me with fuch force, that had either of them hit me or my horfe, it might have deftroyed us, when I came within a quarter of a mile of Bath Hampton, I heard the fhouting of voices, rattling of tins, founding of horns, &c. and upon an hundred yards nearer ap- proach, I faw a grimalkin hanging in a tree, which 1 fuppofed to be a reprefentation of the OFFENDER. Upon entering the town neither I, nor the chaife, could hardly approach my houfe, for the numbers which furrounded it ; Ifaid I faid nothing however, till I had put my fa- mily into it, and feen them drove off towards Bath. . The mob were all infantry, except one horfe mounted by a fecond reprefentative of, the culprit. Upon fuch occafions as thefe, in fpite of whatever apprehenfions may lurk in the bofom, the fafeft way is, to pretend at leaft, not to be apprehenfive of perfonal danger ; I therefore fcood my ground, till all the mobility had gathered around me, and then with the appearance of good temper, afked them the caufe of their afTembling, and whether they had any thing to charge me with, from which I could not defend and juftify myfelf. They faid I had, in a moft treacherous manner, ta- ken my fervant with me to Briftol, and fent him out to buy lemons, in order to throw him into the hands of a prefs gang, who had con- fined him on board a Tender. As all things under the fun are governed by women, and as many of my afiembly were of that fex, I confidered it fafeft, (for I did not think myfelf fafe) to appeal to them, I obferved that many of them knew our Betty, that me was a hand- fome, and I will add faid I, a virtuous girl, that John had, under the moft folemn promifes of marriage, feduced and ruined her, and now re- fufed to fulfil his engagements, that I had ren- dered dered him fervices, and now wifhed to do fo by the woman he had fo highly injured. And as we were in fight of the tree where my effigies was fufpended by a rope, I took occafion to obferve, that by the laws of this country, no man ought either to be condemned, or exe- cuted without a tryal, and a jury of his coun- trymen ; but as they hanged mejir/t, I begged they would try me afterwards, and inftantly declared my willfngnefs to have a jury of twelve women impannelled upon the fpot, and that I would fubmit to a tryal, and to the fen- tence of that female jury; for I began to per- ceive approbation from every female eye; thus encouraged, I further affured them, that I was fo confident of my own innocence, and their impartial juftice, that I would no longer fit amidft fo many of countrymen armed, as if I were afraid, but truft my perfon wholly to their difpofal, and accordingly threw my piftols over the hedge. I then re-pleaded the conduct of the bafe deceiver, touched upon the be- trayed beauty and innocence of the deluded girl (the cafe probably of all my jury, if not .of all the females prefent) and in fliort, I was not only acquitted with honour, but I had the pleafure of feeing myfelf cut down from the fa- tal tree, at the root of which the next day I placed ( 363 ) placed a barrel of ale, and I and my neighbours become better friends than ever. It was the fenfe however of my jury (may I call them my conflituents?; that John mould be liberated, I therefore wrote to Lord Sandwich (a facetious clever man) fuch a letter as I thought a proper one upon fuch an occafion to him, and obferved therein, that though it might feem a matter of no confequence to his Lordfhip, to whom I was unknown, whether I died in my bed, or was knocked on the head by an enraged mob, yet I begged leave to obferve, that as it was mobb- ing time; a mob which began with me, might end with his Lordfhip; and I hoped therefore he would order the man to be difcharged. It is a pleafant thing to tranfact bufinefs with a man of fenfe and difcernment, Lord Sandwich inftantly ordered the man's difcharge, before he was under the neceflity of flying from a mob himfelf, of greater magnitude in London; with- out time, fcarceto put on his breeches. Such a man fhould always be JF IRST LORD of the AD- MIRALTY. The man was accordingly difcharged, and Lord George's mob, foon after, convinced his Lordfliip, that my obfervation was not al- together ill founded. It is a pleafant thing I fay to have dealings with a man of fenfe. Lor4 Sandwich felt the truth of my obfervation, he : '* % faw ( 364 ) faw the reafonablenefs of my recneft, and though he did not apprehend any perfonal dan- ger to himfelf, he did as he would be done un- to, fuch men fhould always be at the head of every department. Men of fenfe and fpirit, are infinitely fuperior to your fine fmooth flowerly Orators or claflical fcholars. Sir John Barnard, without much of either, faid more to the purpofe in plain language, than half the Orators of the prefent Century; we frequently fee men as great coxcombs in language, as we do others in drefs. V SINGULAR ( 365 ) SINGULAR LAW ANECDOTE. 1 HAVE faid above, that in money matters I have been always unfortunate, but I muft re- call that expreflion j I once in my life was for- tunate, and that too, under the guidance of a lawyer! but I muft firft obferve, that I had put a chancery fuit into the hands of an emi- nent lawyer who treated me with venifon and turtle, and who kept me at bay, till he wanted to make two peafants in Languedoc, (if they were to be found) parties to my bill. I knew nothing of law, but I knew that I had no bufi- nefs with Meffrs. Saboe whatever he had, fo I called for my bill, paid him fifty three pounds, and found myfelf juft where I was, and as I was, except the lofs of my fifty three pounds, and and the lofs of time alfo. Under this dilemma I happened to fee an advertifement in the daily advertifer, which began thus. " The difficul- " ties, diftrefles, embaraffments of law affairs, " &c. fpeedily adjufted by O. Q^ who was to " be fpoke with every day on certain hours at " a coffee houfe upon London Bridge." De- termining that O. Q^ ftiould neither tofs me into the Thames, nor jockey me out of another fifty three pounds, I waited upon him, 'and told him what my dijlrefles and embarajjinents were, and defired he wouldjpeedify adjuft them. Mr. O. (^ gave me a very patient hearing, and then with much feeming candour and ingenu- oufnefs informed me, that he thought my caufe a very good one, but of too great a magnitude for him to undertake, obferving that they only did little matters in the conveyancing way, &c. I was pleafed with the fimplicity of his manners, treated him with a difh of chocolate, and took my leave; but before I had got terra frma under my feet, Mr. 0. J^purfued, over- took and thus addreffed me, " It is plain Sir by your application to me, an utter ftranger, that you do not know a proper folicitor in chancery to undertake your caufe, and there- fore as I told you before, though it is too much for ( 367 ) for us to undertake, yet I can introduce you to a gentleman of refpectable character, of long and experienced practice in the court of chan- cery, who will undertake it, and who will car- ry it to a hearing more expeditiouily than any man in England ; do not faid he rely upon my word, but enquire his general character and abilities of his neighbours, I will inftantly wait upon you to his houfe, and did fo, and there I found a man of a certain age, with an ey as brilliant as a hawk's, and as deep as a well, with whom my conductor left me, and to whom I communicated my claim, and the manner I had left my venlfon lawyer. Have you paid him Sir faid he? I have; then Sir your caufe is a good one, and I am faithfully at your fervice. It was now I thought my turn to queflion him ; how came Mr. O. Q^ faid I, to bring me to you ? I do not know, for the man is ahmft a ftranger to me. Pray Sir what do you think your bill may amount to, in doing this bufi- nefs ? I cannot tell, but at moft fifty or fixty pounds, not more, then Sir inftead of treating me, * Mr. P e \vas well known to a gentleman who now refides at Bath. ( 368 ) me with turtle and venifon, I will treat you with a draft on Mr. Hoare for an hundred guineas to be paid the day after a decree is made, whether I fucceed or not. That replied my Hawk's eyed folicitor, is very handfomely faid, but it is irregular, and much more than my bill can amount to, but reft afilired, I will execute the bufmefs with fpeed and punctuality, and he did fo ; for by prefenting a petition to the mafter of the Rolls, fetting forth that I was an officer going abroad, that it was a mat- ter of great importance to me and my family, to be decided before I went, he got it heard at the matter's houfe (Sir John Strange) pre- vious, I think to feventy caufes which ftood before it, and in three months time, I had a decree in my favor, and the fome thoufand pounds in my pocket. Mcffrs. Wilbarham and Willes were my council, and it had nearly taken an unfavorable turn by the well meant, but ill managed pleading of my old fchool fel- lowy but as his father was an intimate friend of my fathers, kind to all his children, and had allowed me to fend my folicitor from time to time, to confult with him during the proceed- ings, (befide having given his fon the ufual fees) as foon as the caufe was decided, I put a handfome filver bread bafkct upon his fide board, ( 3*9 ) board, as a further mark of my regard to his family. A mark however, that gentleman overlooked, when he accepted Lord Orwell's two guineas, to become an advocate againft me, in a caufe which merited rather the appella- tion of a perfection than a profecution ; indeed it was after the death of his venerable father j he would not ; he durft not, have taken it had his father been living. If the reader has not already found out Mr. O." QJs riddle, I will give him the folution of it ; O. Q^ was Q^ in the corner to my folicitor, or what is vulgarly called, Barker, to that excellent and adroit lawyer, for during my attendance upon Mr. P e, I often obferved Mr, Q^ coming or going, with I prefume other Q^ in the corner bufinefs ; and now as Mackittrick has faid that Mr. FQOT, of facetious memory, obferved that I am as ftupid as an owl, and as fenfelefs as a goofe ; I cannot deny myfelf the pleafure of relating one inftance of the juftnefs of his ob- fervation. This fame Mr. Foot, took it into his head, when he firft opened his very hu- mourous and entertaining mode of giving cho- colate to his morning viiltors ; of taking off as the phrafe is Mr. Counfellor W s, in the tryal of Betty Qannin^ of infamous memory, B b and ( 370 J and by taking the advantage alfo of his fqueek- ing voice, and effiminate face, when crofs exa- mining the witneffes, in what manner their toaft and. butter was ferved up, or whether buttered on bothfides^ or only on one, fet the fon of my refpeclable friend hi a very ridicu- lous light, foon after which, Foot, having ob- tained a licence for the little Hay market theatre, I was informed he intended to enter- tain his company there alfo, with a repetition of that crofs examination the firft night of his opening the theatre, I therefore went early to the houfe, got behind the fcenes and procured an audience with Mr. Foot, I then told him, no man either in the theatre, nor out of it, felt or enjoyed his humourous pleafantry more than I did, when it was exercifed to mark, either wicked or infamous characters, but that when he brought before the public, men of refpectability, remarkable only for the imper- fections of their perfons or intellectual faculties, no man could fee them with more abhorrence, and as I underftood he intended that night to exhibit a gentleman who came under one of thofe denominations, defired he would well unfider what he was about, afluring him if he did I would take the fenfe of the houfe upon- ( 37" ) it, and if they would not refent it, I would. I then retired to a place I had fecured in a box, near the ftage, in which I found Mr. W s brother, and with whom I had the pleafure of partaking of the evening entertainment, with- out any thing paffing, either painful to him, or to myfelf j and I am glad of this occaiion to record fuch an inftance of Mr. Foot's pru- dence, good fenfe, and found judgment. The night before my tryal came on at St. Edmund's Bury, I wrote a letter to the following pur- pofe to Mr. W s. SIR, " It has been a matter of much furprife and concern, to many of my friends, and to fome of yours, that the fon of Lord Chief Juftice Willes, whofe favour, friendfhip and kindnef-. fes, were always open to me and to all my fa- mily, mould engage in a paltry and oppreflive caufe againft an old fchool fellow, and there- fore you will excufe me, if I relate a caufe in which I was engaged in, FOR; not AGAINST YOU." I then related what had patted behind the fcenes, between me and Mr. Foot, and fug- gefted, that which it probably prevented paf* fing before them. Mr. Willes, who was a good B b ? tempered ( 372 ) tempered man, felt I believe very awkward upon receiving fuch an unexpected piece of in- formation, for he inftantly came to my lod- gings, and I believe would have thrown up his brief, had I admitted him, I believe it, becaufe when I appeared to receive the gentle punijhments for my offences, at the bar of the King's Bench, he did refufe his brief, and thereby offended Lord Orwell, more than, he did even the " falfe, fcandalous and infamous " libeller' 9 he had convicted at St. Edmund's Bury. I muft alfo do Mr. Willes the juftice to fay, that I never faw him after this tranf- adion, either in or off the Bench, that he did not convince me,, that he was either afhamed or forry, for what had paffed. I will not at- tribute that colour which flufhcd in his cheeks- upon thofe occafions, to have arofe from anger, becaufe when I had the honor of meeting him and his lady at Lord Kilmorrey's table, he was uncommonly polite to me, nor was Mrs. Willes lefs fo to Mrs. Thickneffe ; indeed he was pleaf- ed to tell me it was right, that he fhould be counfel again/I me, becaufe I might be very fure, that nothing would be faid fevere to me upon the occalion, and I muft own, I \vas never under any apbrehenfwns that he ivoufd : but as that tryal coft ( 373 ) coft me a thoufand pounds, I could not help thinking Mr. Willes, fhould have had fome little confideration for my own bread bajkst^ as well as for that which I prefented to him. A DIGRESSION. - ( 374 ) DIGRESSION. 1 HAT Lord Audley might have it in his power to return me the thoufand pounds, or infure his life againft mine, leaft I might out- live him, and thereby out-live the real want of the fifty pounds a year, I could not have wanted during my old age, if I had not been too forward in making his youthful days more happy. I fent him that chapter in which he and his brother make no conipicuous a figure ; but the only notice taken of it, is contained in the following anonymous letter, I juft re- ceived from his baby brother Philip. Mr. Touchet's compliments to Mr. Thicknefie, Sejiior, begs leave to recommend to him to crafe certain words which he aflerts were inferted in an affidavit 'written by himfelf^ though he feems now ( 375 ) now to have totally forgot both the writer and the words expreffed therein, namely ; "Jtttinghim " Mr. T. Junior i on a run away horfe; and like- " wife his being of the age of nineteen or twenty^ " as there is not the moft diftant hint of the " former, the latter being totally falfe, as will ** appear by comparing the time Mr. T- was " born with the date of the affidavit, the firft " was in 1760 the latter dated 1778, which " makes it clear he was but eighteen years of age " when he was compelled to take it, truth will be " truth, tho* every power may be made ufe of " to oppofe it. And therefore if Mr. T. Senior, " does not erafe thofe words, the original affi- " davit fhall belaid before the public to confute him. * " And if he pleafes this alfo may be inferted, " as he feems to be very barren for even " decent matter to fill up his catch penny publi- ** cation. LONDON, Nov. 29, 1788. " On perufmg this catch penny performance " further, Mr. Thicknefle, Senior, afferts po- "Jitively, * Mr. Toutbet b requeued to ptiblifli the affidavit, lip was compelled to make at only the age of eighteen, it was read by Mr. Wiight in hi* prefence, and J believe Mr. ,Wi ight knows he made no more pbje{tion to .f\veaj it, ihan he has now to break it. ( 376 ) page two hundred and eighty-five, " that it was not at the age of eighteen, " the oath was taken, which proves he: Was " aftiam'd of it, as w r ell he might, and alfo his " total difregard to even the fhadow of truth !" To this infolent letter I mall only obferve, that it is probable the caufe of his making that affidavit about the run away horfe, may not be inferted in the affidavit, and that the baby was only eighteen years of age when I compelled him to make it, but he was an independent baby, and furely would not have made it without fome real or imaginary caufe ; has he forgot the day on which Lord Audley urged him to go to Sandridge Hill with him, and why I made them both give their word- and honour that he mould return the fame night to Bath ? but finding he did not return, I fent an exprefs from York Houfe the fame night, and when the brothers came the next day, did he not tell me what an efcape he had had^ from a ftone quarry which had fallen in upon both, and nearly deftroyed him ? why was that exprefs fent ? I believe Mr. Lucas of York Houfe knows, I am fure he knows, that an exprefs was fent, and Mrs. ThickneiTe and I are both ready to 2 "" ' ^ fwear ( 377 ) fwear that he charged his brother Lord Audley with thofe two acts oi fraternal off ettion. I hope neither were true, and as he was known throughout BATH, and at Moore's academy, by the name of the BruffeWs Gazette, it is very probable both were falfe, nor will he dare to fay he did not write to his brother and renounce him, and all correfpondence whatever with him. Why mould I have laid the elder brother under fuch a reftraint ; but that the younger had told me of the horfe expe- dition^ and his fears ? could a baby only eighteen years of age have been prevailed upon, to ex- hibit fo d ble a charge againft his brother without any foundation ? Yes he might, be- caufe he has exhibited as vile a one againft his father, does he even attempt to deny it in his infolent letter ? a fon who would dare to infult his father with fuch letters, arid fuch crimes, as he has done, might eafily be wicked enough to charge his brother as falfly, and I am now much inclined to believe the ftory of the run away horfe, is a wicked falfhood. It is a fad, a melancholy reflection, but what my brother (who has had hundreds of children fays, I fear is too true) Did you ever faid he, know inde- pendent children behave otherwife to parents ? no, I reply I never did, but I never knew or heard of independent children charging their parents ( 378 ) parents with committing forgery, taxing them with cruelty, and yet giving them notes of hand, for five hundred guineas, value received, for an eftate before it was conveyed, and with- out mentioning the conditions, there is fome- thing novel in fuch deeds, is there not young Mr. Touchet ? A SINGULAR gj" The above inlblent letter has determined me to negociate the young gentleman's note of hand, and then if he dares, he may try the validity of it. ( 379 ) A SINGULAR INSTANCE OF MINISTERIAL JUSTICE. A ART of a marching regiment being on duty at Land Guard Fort, under my command, an officious and over pious Major, commanding the other part of it at Ipfwich, wrote to the Secretary at war, Lord Barrington, complain- ing that the deputy chaplain to the garrifon, not only omitted his duty there on week days, but frequently on the Sabbath, without even mentioning the matter to the deputy, whom he faw every day, and who lived in the fame city! Lord Barrington did not reply to the pious Major, but wrote to me to know with whom the neglect lay, whether with the pro- per chaplain, or the deputy? I informed his lordfhip that it was a queftion difficult to anfwer, but a complaint I apprehend improperly lodged, that ( 38 ) that the neglect, if any, was in the deputy, but fubmitted it to his lordfhip's confideration, whether it were not the duty of the regiment chaplain, to attend his own corps, and not ex- pect it to be done by the Fort chaplain, without fome recompence; and whether Mr. Lloyd, the proper chaplain, who was Rector of Rotherham in Yorkfhire; who had a good paternal for- tune who was chaplain alfo to a regiment, and who had never even feen Land Guard Fort, ought not to allow his deputy the whole pay, inftead of one milling a day? and laftly whether a gentleman could be expected to ride fix and twenty miles, two or three times a week, for fo fniall a pittance? Lord Barring- ton in reply to this reprefentation, delired I would recommend a proper perfon, to be ap- pointed chaplain to the garrifon, and faid he would move the King to fuperfede Mr. Lloyd, 1 therefore recommended the deputy, who had been fo unhandfomely complained of, as an honeit fenlible man, with a large family, and much to the honour of Lord Barrington's head and heart he did fo; Mr. Lay ton was ap- pointed chaplain, and was paid a milling a day alfo, by the regiment's chaplain for doing his duty. The Major whofe duty led him Ib much aftray upon this occafion, was foon after called upon ( 38' ) upon to anfwer at a Court Martial, for a crime of too deep a nature to be mentioned here, and fuch as led him further a field, for rather than appear before the Court Martial, he quitt- ed his country in order to avoid the mame and confequences of fuch a horrid charge. This fhews that whenever a man pretends to appear better than his neighbours, there is much rea- fon to fufpect him fomewhat worfe, a drunken man is always acting the part of a fober one; nor was this the only inftance I could give of Lord Barrington's impartial juftice, for when a whole corps had ignorantly united to fend my garrifon orders to Lord Barrington, as be- ing unwarrantable, and exercifmg a power not veiled with me, in order to be laid before the King, which they told me they had done, and lamented the confequence, becaufe 1 had in my private capacity fhewn them many marks of politenefs, Lord Barrington informed them that there were none of thofe orders which were not right and proper, and that he was forry to find that any troops in the Britifti Army were fo ignorant of their duty, as not to know, that the governor of a garrifon had the indisputable command of every officer and foldier doing duty therein. Truth however compels me to fay, that I mould at this day have have been in the fame command, had not Lord Barrington wrote me fuch a letter, as I thought incompatible with my honour to ferve any longer, under fuch reftrictions, which he had the candour to inform me, he had recom- mended to the King to lay me under ; and though I do not believe he meant me any in- jury thereby, yet it was fuch, that an igno- rant attorney of Ipfwich, conftrued as a dif- miffion from the fervice, but the block-head has been often guilty of miftakes, though not of fo deep a dye, as the miftakes of his Infamous parfon brother. I therefore told his lordfhip if I might not be permitted to fell my commiffion, I would relign it. I was told that was imp6 iible, but Lord Rockingham (it was in his VIR- TUOUS ADMINISTRATION^ was kind enough to let me refign it, with a recompence of two thoufand four hundred pounds from the pre- fent pofleflbr, Captain Singleton. A MADMAN MADMAN CONCEALS HIMSELF BY NIGHT, IN THE AUTHOR'S HOUSE. the year 1 747, I rented a houfe of Mr. Johnny Wadmarfs, at Old Sarum, it was a cottage in the form of a roman L, in which my man fervant's bed-chamber was at the ex- tremity of the upper limb of the L, over the brew houfe, and quite detached from the other part of the family, the man going into his bed- chamber without a candle, about ten o'clock, during the longeft fummer days, faw a human figure fitting in the chair by his bed-fide, high over which was the only window in the room ; but what added to his fright exceedingly was, that the figure appeared to have two heads! one leap I believe brought him down flairs, and he really appeared to me (with his porcu- pine head of hairj as terrific as the two headed monfter C 3*4 ) monfter had appeared to him. As fpon as he was able to fpeak, for he could not at firft, he informed me that a man, or a ghoft, having tivo heads, was fitting by his bed-fide ! believ- ing there was only one bead, and that a bad one, in the bufmefs, I went half way up the ftairs but whether rny heart failed me, or pru- dence dictated, I cannot fay (perhaps both had their fway; I returned and took a highland broad fword in my hand. On entering the room there was light enough to perceive the double head- ed monfter, but his hands and arms, being in ihadow from the fituation of the chair under the window, it was impoiTible to fee whether he had any other arms, He appeared quite mo-* tionlefs as I approached him, with my uplifted fword, till I took him ftoqtly by the collar, and. then his upper head fell to the ground. |. He made fome efforts to recover his bundle, but would not fpeak a word, not even when threatened and provoked to it, by fome fmart blows, with the flat part of the fward blade. Thus irritated by his obftinate filence, I brought him down into the court yard, where there was light fiifficient to perceive he .was a goodly looking man about three fcore, decently dreff- ed in grey cloaths, but iiill regardlef j of my threats, f A Curt or two, and (lockings. C 385 ) threats, he would not fpeak! at length he pointed to the pump, tc which I led him, and holding him faft, threw up fome water to the fpout, and after he had drank of it, I again afked him who and what he was, and why he had concealed himfelf in my houfe ? he then replied with great moderation ; S/>, I have an impediment in myfpsech but is that a reafon you fliould fecret yourfelf in my fervant's bed. chamber? why whofe houfe is this faid he, and what is your name ? being told ; where then faid he is my uncle Townmend ? I re- plied, that a gentleman had lived and died in that houfe of the name of Townmend, and that I was tenant, and I Sir faid he am his heir, and come to take pofleflion of my eftate. It grew late by this time, and not knowing very well what to do with this new heir and vilitor, I took the liberty to lock him into a little temple hard by, and told him he muft give fome more fatisfaftory account of his embafly before we parted the next morning, though I began to fufpecl his errand, was neither to rob or mur- ther. Soon after I had fecured my prifoner, a neighbouring farmer who had prudently heard the buftle from a window out of which he would only truft his head, (upon my telling him what had palled under mine) laid he be~ C c Ueved, ( 386 ) lieved he could in fome meafure account for it, lie faid that the deceafed Mr. Townfhend had maintained an unfortunate nephew many years in a mad houfe at Box, near Bath, and proba- bly faid he this is the man who has broke outj I never faw him, but if it be him, he is a cler- gyman, and his name is Acourt. I inftantly re- turned to myprifoner, and afking him his name found the farmer's fuggeftion fo far right ; I then opened the door, afked Mr. Acourt's par- don, for the rough manner I had received him, and pointed out the danger both he and I had efcaped, by his coming to take poflefiion of his fortune in fo private and dangerous a manner, but as he was now in pofleflion of it, I begged 'lie would accept of the ufe of that bed which he had chofen for himfelf, I then gave him fome refrefhment, put him to bed, locked him in, and fecured the door of the brew houfe be- neath. While he was preparing for bed, he told me he always flept in the parlour bed- chamber in liis Uncle's time, lent me his M. S. fermons which he had wrote at Box, upon condition that I would not take a copy, and to me he was very civil and fenfible too, confider- ing his condition, but he had told the fervants he was not afoldier, and did not like to be beat. In the mornihgT found both doors broke open ancl ( 3*7 ) and my prifoner gone ; he returned however at night, and lodged with me a confiderable time, always enquiring whether an imaginary wife from Frome had been to enquire for him during the paft day. Pitying more than ad- miring my new lodger, I applied to the Magif- trates of Salifbury, to confine him, as there was at that time a place for the reception of fuch unfortunate people, but they either would not, or could not perceive, that the poor man was not as fenfible as they thenifefoes, though I fliewed them a hole in his fkull, in which might be feen the working of his brain ! he therefore continued my nightly vilitor, (for I never faw him during the day) till I was informed that he had been Rector of Bridge Town in Barba^ does, and that the firft mark of his infanity ap- peared by his tearing a young child limb from limb. This alarming information to me and my family, fome of whom were young chil- dren, determined me to quit the houfe to the ufe of the heir at law. The unfortunate man however did not break out of Box mad houfe, he was turned out, but why he was turned out, Mr. Wadman the other heir at law, muft explain, I cannot ^ for he quitted fyis abode reluclantly, and the humane keeper of that houfe parted with him reluctantly alfo, and gave him gold C c 2 ifi in his pocket when they fo parted. And now, being upon this, of all others, the moft melan- choly fubject ; I cannot help mentioning a few obfervations I have made on the conduct of mad perfons. No man in his perfect fenfes contrives to carry his defigns into execution, with more craft, and fecrefy than mad men, but however mifchievous or dangerous the acts committed are, they never make any at- tempts to efcape or to conceal it. Many of them will converfe for hours together without difcovering the leaft fymptom of a difordered mind, unlefs that fubject which moft affects them is mentioned. Mr. Gujlaldi? Minifter from Genoa to this country, with whom I lived in intimacy in the year 1753, with whom I often ate, and who was a very learned and ingenious man, difcovered only one fingle proof of being the leaft difordered, and that was lamenting that he was immortal ! ! I can not die faid he, that is my only misfortune. Lord Ferrer's was a mad man, and fo is Lord George G n, the former was an object of pity, the latter is fo, I do not know him, but I lament that his confinement is not more luitaple to the condition of his mind, and his rank in life. Whom among us can fay that I {hall not become a mifchievous mad man P'why then ( 389 ) then mould mifchievous mad men fuffer more than thofe who are paffive ? The former furely are the greateft objects of pity. It is afthns more than words, by which the fane, from the infane are to be known, a dangerous mad man fliould be confined, but he mould not be pro- voked to a greater degree, by infulting para- graphs in news papers, or too fevere confine- ment, it is enough that he be confined. g g bairn Oifo - bioJ *i oi but c ojstfi Ikin .zsw 3lo fiajdo its gw 'iw.oioi ^Ht t u-j O r rair iij^l s 81 ^T-r^-rx^T ANECDOT . "< 9 ->ri ,. \ A ^l' ln C D O T E ANLCDOTL ,15 OF OLD f Ic ora : *.:--' TOv/bio.' LORD AND LADY THANET. ~3Vi .r-^I 1 HAT Lord and Lady lived upon fuch bad terms together many years, that at length they could agree in nothing but to part, during the negotiation of that bufinefs, which was tran- lacled at NEW BOTTLE in Northamtonfhire, they both frequently vifited my brother and lifter Grey at Hinton, to confult about the meafures each fhould take, previous to the fe- paration. My Lady was lifter to the late Lady Burlington, and reckoned a great wit, my Lord, much addicted to long ftory telling, and that garrulity generally attendant upon old age. In one of my lady's confultations with Doclor Grey, me told him fome very extraordinary refolutions flie was determined to take, and the Doctor pofitively afiured her, that if Hie did, ( 39' ) did, her Lord will do fo, and fo, in return ; that is impoffible faid my lady he cannot, he durft not ; fhe accordingly carried her plan into execution and my Lord inftantly did as Doctor Grey had foretold. My lady highly exafpe- rated, wrote the Doctor the following letter. Dear Doctor, You told me if I did as I told you I would do, my Lord would dofo andyo, and fo he has, which convinces me, that one tyger always knows what another tyger will do; however we both can agree to fee you when you have leifure to vifit Dull- Bottle.* lamdearDoaor TourFnend^c. The Doctor's patron and friend Lord Crew, buried his lady in Steane Chapel, the little rectory mentioned before, and when Lady Crew's monument was erected, he fre- quently took the key, retired to the chapel, and placed himfelf near her remains, and op- of)l o? bafoibbs rbi/m * Her ladyfhip always called Nnu Bottle, Dull Bottk, wheje.fhe declared ihe had heard the fame dull (lories told over and over again fo often, that it was one of her chief reafons of quitting her Lord and Manfion, pray Mrs. Grey faid her ladylhip, lias your hufband any one flory that he tells over and over again to every body who approaches him ? my fifter confefled the Doftor had, and as the Dotfor himfelf can never relate it again, I will tell it the reader, oily once. C 392 ) pofite the monument, under which he directed his own body to be placed; and there it is prefumed, he often contemplated on mortal men, and immortal life, but the fculptor hav- ing put a very ghaflly grinning alabafter Ikull at the bottom of the monument, he took an occafion to fay to Doctor Grey, I wifli Dick that horrid ikull had not been placed there? The Doctor, who affectionately loved the biihop, and wilhed to render his latter days as eafy and happy as poffible, fent to Banbury for the artift to confult with him whether it were poffible to turn the Ikull into a pleafing, inftead of a difagreeable object? after much confidera- tion the fculptor determined that the only thing he could convert the fkull into, was a bunch of grapes, and that was accordingly done, and fo remains to this day, this was the Doctor's ftory he fo often told. i{loo a-> ^lirorf ':> 3uo g >niEi/pD bio wal s ^fioffts qiiftb: E iftlwfliM ba/ffimifi 'svfid faijjoo I itrd ^Diii OT I Jjsxb ?A ibirfw t flol3i ionoift fount bns C i3qq oildnq K al -yifioftssjo 3.: virS^fc ^a s-\^ Vkt^.x :d oi THE 2 CONCLUSION. A A PARTICULAR friend of mine, fays he is often afked why I have fo many enemies? he replied you fhould alk me why he has fo few. Some of the preceding anecdotes will account fbr a numerous lift of them, but a man faid he who lives in abfolute retirement, who never goes into public fociety, and who never fpends an evening out of his own houfe, can only look for friendfhip among a few old acquain- tance; but I could have furnimed him with a much ftronger reafon, which is that I am known to write occafionly in a public paper, and confequently every rafcal, (and there are a few in the world} becomes of courfe my enemy. I never made any fecret that I affifted the St. James's Chronicle, becaufe I have made it an invariable ( 394 ) invariable rule, not to make any perfonal at- tack upon the character or conduct of any man, without leaving my name with the printer, or being ready to acknowledge myfelf the author if called upon for an explanation, if they were perfons who were efteemed men of character. One fingular inftance of which, I will relate. Ten or a dozen years fince a gentleman of this city, a man of genius and character, but per- haps like myfelf, rather eccentric, was attacked in the St. James's chronicle, it was a long fim- ple letter, and therefore a prating old woman of: Bath,* laid it at my door, I was in London when the letter was publifhed, and there I read it, but fome parts being local, about tran- fa&ions at Bath Eafton Villa, I did not even underftand it, for I pofitively declare I did not then, nor do I now know the author of it. Upon my return to Bath, 1 was informed the gentleman it alluded to, was much exafperated, and was preparing a two and fixpenny poetical reply to it, I was alarmed, I own I dreaded to nd my hand fo near a lyon's mouth, and I defired a friend therefore, who was intimately . known to the offended gentleman, to allure him* that I was one of the public, who had been highly entertained by his writings, and b3i)ilk I brif, ^nivia therefore Mrs. C 395 ) therefore felt myfelf obliged to him ; and that I did in the moft unequivocal manner, declare myfelf an utter ftranger to the tranfaction, my friend who delivered this meflage to the offend- ed party, told me at the fame time, that my name had been mentioned as the author, and as three months patted without any notice be- ing taken of my declaration, I had too much reafon to fear it had not met with the credit it ought, and I confefs it was three months painful fufpence, for I knew the prefs was in labour to chaftife the fuppofed author. How- ever when the peeviih brat was born, it was laid at the door of a Rev. Divine, who it feems had been all that time under a much more painful fufpenfe than I was, not that he was more guilty, for he alfo was perfectly innocent ; but he was in a bad ftate of health, and fo oppreff- cd with nervous complaints, that his friends thought it would kill him. However he pub- lickly declared his innocence, and moft fokmnly allured the unjuftly offended poet, that he ne- ver wrote a line relative to him, except an elegant poetical compliment which he repub- lifhed with his defence. The real authqr of the nonfenfical letter, is to this day unknown. I then became a fellow feeler, as well as a fel- low fufferer with the Divine, and I affifted him C him as well as I could, in every kind of news paper reprifal which lay in my power, but be- fore I left Bath to make my 'wandering tour into Spain, I wrote the doubly and unjuftly oiFended gentleman a letter, and therein again asffured him, I did not write the foolifh letter which had given him fo much offence, but as he had kept me three months in hot water, at a time he ought to have removed my anxie- ty, and had wantonly attacked another inno- cent man, I had made myfelf a partaker of his injuries, and that I did write myfquibs, crack- ers and inuendoes afterwards ; I muft however obferve, that the poetical reprifal, was full as contemptible and defpicable as the profe ac- cufation. * And now having toJd my garru- lous ftories, as well as my age, hurry and opium enabled me, I cannot look it over without being reminded by the voice of our town- BELL-MAN, how much my profe performance refembles his, the Bdl man's poetical addrefs to an* o no If after the unjuftly attacked clergyman wanner declared his innocence, nay proved it, By itpublifhing the com- ptoK^rtary verfiss? the fcfal-Crowji epiiHc ftill appeared in the Book- ;ci!ers windows in London, though it were fupprefTed at Bath, I flull .iot dread the bittevdl mode of direction, the poet can'devife, for hav, injtolJ thetaie, I have told it foi- truth fake, adi." to deter other u-> Horn leapbg before thsy .jo^k, nqt ftom perfoaal icflatment for I feel acme. ( 397 ) to his noble mafters and wiftrej/cs. I therefore like him, beg leave to return my moft refpecb- ful thanks to the many Noble mafters and mil", trefies, who have fo generoufly contributed to enable me to defend my military character, fo falfly attacked by a daring impoftor, and to affure them, that I have caufed advertifemmls to be inferted in the Jamaica Gazette, in hopes of finding fome gentlemen ftill living in that Ifland, who can atteft that Mr. Concannen, was the unfortunate gentleman who commanded me, and the foldiers in Spanilh River, more than fifty years ago, and that he, not me, had the fole command, and that James Mackittrick is the fole perfon, either there or here, who has dared to aflert the contrary; and I hereby pledge myfelf, if I receive any information from Jamaica on that fubjecl, whatever it be, to lay it before the public in the St. James's Chronicle, the inftant I receive it ; provided it comes from a gentleman of character with his real, not an affumed name. If the ingenious Doctor now imagines himfelf in pofleffion of the field of bat- tle, much good may the Laurels he has won do him. I folemnly promife never to engage with Jl 1 7' . 7 * A- ^r-,^1 a. valiant champion again, nor ever to read a line he writes, nor hear a word he puts forth, during the remainder of my days, but as he tias f 398 ) has fo falfly fet forth a timid tranfaftion of my youth, I will record a bold one of his, in his old age. His own and only brother, who died lately at Winchefter, fent for him in his illnefs, and left him and his fon, at his death, all he had to leave, about a thoufand pounds. Upon Doctor Adair's arrival to vifit his brother Dr. Mackittrick, the well Doffor Adair, perceived that the fick Doctor Mackittrick, could not hauld it above a day or two ; Dr. Adair therefore with that fpirit which he has in his cautions fo ftrongly recommended to his brethren, fent immediately for the plumber to take meafure for his brother's leaden doublet ', but as the poor man was as fenfible, as he was fick, his brother would not treat him as a criminal is when he is to be hung in chains, very humanely laid be- fore the plumber a fuit of the Doctor's old cloathes, for meafure, however the goods came home too fliort by the head, and the poor doc- tor, thought not hung in chains, was buried with a wry neck as if he had been a malefactor ? This is not a wild Negroe Jiory, nor one with- out head or tale, I pledge myfelf to produce a Lady of falhion and character, an inhabitant of Winchefter, and one who had much regard for the wry necked D oft or, who was fo fhocked at this ( 399 ) this inftance of fraternal affeftion, that fiie left the town the day of the funeral, to avoid feeing fo painful a proceflion. IfipMn flfn -bjfii But I have been fmce told the furviving Doc- tor Adair, fays that the dying Doctor Mackll- trick, defired he might be " coffined asfoon as be ivas dead, and buried as foon as he ivas cold." The fpot where the departed brother's cold remains lie in St. Michael's Church Yard, is marked from the pen of the living brother thus, " Jn Mac- kittrick, M. D. 1784." And as I dare fay the living Doctor will caufe his remains to be laid by the fide of his dear departed brother, I think the following epitaph written by our Bell man would not be amifs. -3d * hit i Here lie the bodies, blefs their Skill, Of two Scots Brethren, of the Pill, Pray Mr. Devil, have an eye to James, Don't let him Nick you by chanffinar names. J / 65 And now, that the turbulent fcene of life, nay of life itfelf, is nearly over, I would not have it thought that I conlider rnyfelffo much an unfortunate, as an unlucky man ; I fet out in life, without any patrimony, and in ftruggling through it, I have obtained that ( 400 ) that which every man aims at, but few ac- quire; SOLITUDE and RETIREMENT, and have not only been in pofleffion of for fome years, but have been fenfible that it is the only line in the laft ftage of life, where with a few friends a man can find peace. The duplicity of mankind; and the fatiety of enjoyments, all tend to fhew, that even the fplendid fcenes which furround the palaces of wealth and great- nefs, are never thought compleat, unlefs marked by fome fhady Cave and the abode of an ima- ginary Anchorite, nor is all the magnificence cf Architecture difplayed in Temples, Columns, and Porticoes, fufiicient to adorn our modern Edens, without the contrafted form of fome humble Cot, where folitary fanclity might be iuppofed to retire, for where is the man whofe lot has been caft in the active fcenes of the world, who has not often in the midil of them, exclaimed with the prophet Jeremiah ; that I had a -place in the Wildernefs? though there are but few who have the refolution to obey the impulfe which would guide them thither; fome lurking paffion yet unfatiated; fome idle hope yet unextinguimed, fome natural weaknefs yet unremoved, keeps rrioft men halting be- tween the engagements or pleafures of life, and the leifure of retirement, till it is too late. Whether ( 401 ) Whether I have found fuch a retreat, the reader will be able to judge when he has read the fol- lowing feeble attempt I have made, to defcribe my humble Cabane, in the following letter to a friend at Bruffells. I flatter myfelf he will think I have, becaufe I can allure him, it is fome years that the fun has not fet upon it, without my being prefent, and a fpectator of the nobleft fight of GOD'S wonderful WORKS. 1 O TJ afk me, dear Sir, * to fend you a de- fcription of my delightful Hermitage; and though your relidence in another kingdom, and my deiire to oblige you, urge me to Attempt it, yet I muft apprize you, that it is impoflible to comply with your requeft. Defcriptive writing is, of all others, even with an able pen, the moft difficult, and though I might fucceed a little in the defcription of Montferral, 'an object fo fmgularly novel,) yet I feel myfelf utterly incapable to defcribe fuch a fpot as this a fpot fo fortunately placed, fo irregularly marked,, and a little improved by my own hands. For when all is faid that can . Dd be * Sir John O'Carroll, Bart- ( 402 ) be faid, the beft defcription would convey but a Very imperfect idea of the place. Suppofe, for inftance, I had never feen your beautiful daughter, and you were to write me a particular defcription of her perfon, features, &c. I could only conclude, that fhe is a very charming and beautiful woman ; but yet I could not know her when we met by that defcrip- tion. If then, the feature of a human face or perfon cannot be defcribed, how can the afpecl of hills, dales, wood-lands, in clofures, rivers, buildings, &c. be otherwife delineated, than with an able pencil, inftead of a pen ? and there- fore I can only fay, that the fituation is inferior to few fpots any where, that the tout enfemble renders it in my eyes a little bijou, and obferve that moft ftrangers are pleafed with it. It commands a fouth-weft profpect, and hangs on the fide of Lanfdown hills, and fo clofe under a high tump to the north, that we are perfectly flickered from the fevere winds of that quarter, and in a great meafure from the eaft winds alfo; for though it is a quarter of an hour's fteep walk from the weft end of the Royal Crefcent in Bath, and commands juft fo much profpect that the eye can take in the verdure, C 403 ) verdure, and no more, yet Lord THURLOW was pleafed, in pleafantry, to name it Gulty-Hall. From my little ftudy window, however, I look down upon BATH with that indifference, which age, and a long knowledge of its con- tents, or rather difcontents, have furnifhed me, and with infinite pleafure on a mile and a half of the gentle AVON gliding down the vale, and now and then, feeing the fwelling bofoms of deep-laden barks freighted .with merchan- dize; which I confider as returning meflengers, whom I have fent forth to fetch me Tea from Afia, Sugar from America, Wine from France, and Fruit from Portugal. But to return to Gully-Hall; for when great rains fall on the mountains which fo fhelter us from the northern winds, yet they do not hin- der a very rapid ftream which fometimes tum- bles down with mighty force indeed; but by being kindly attended to, and invited to take a few turns ^between a variety of little breaft- ivorks, with which the buxom valley is adorned, I rather confider it an ornament than a defect; though none of the bofoms on the banks are barren, and fome yield a conftant ftream of the pureft water, in or near Bath. Dd 2 No C 404 ) No little fpot of ground can be more beau- tifully irregular, broken, and divided, than- this dingle; and no wonder; for it is as GOD formed it, and as He willed the ftately trees to grow, which made it, and who caufes the whole furface annually to be covered with the primrofe, violet, and all the elder fifters of the fpring. I have therefore taken a few fteps about it, but with caution, to avoid difturbing iuch adorable marks of the founder of all things vifible and invifible; and my eyes are as often turned upwards as downwards, with delight and gratitude, that fuch a walk, nar- row and humble as it is, and limited as I am, is to be my laft fcene on this fide the grave. The infolence of a fellow who pofleiTes more land than manners or honefty, once drove me out of this fequeftered {hade, and I fold it to my youngeft fon ; the houfe I then left upon it (if a houfe it could be called) he was pleafed to improve, and now its front refembles Alder- man Pudding's houfe, over againft the Pack- Horfe on Turnham -Green, and therefore the inclofed drawing is fketched from a point, in which only a bit of the houfe is feen, peeping through the trees. You will fee however, the hermit's hut, built on the fide of the dingle, at which we chiefly refide in the fummer. So So much for a little art and nature : but I muft inform you, that from the great quantity of broken urns which were turned up, where- ever we opened the ground, on a little lawn which overhangs the dingle, I was led to fuf- ped: this to be the fpot where the ROMANS bu- ried their dead, when they inhabited BATH; and upon deeper enquiries, I found my conjec- ture eftablifhed beyond a doubt. But unfor- tunately the SAXONS, or fome fucceeding race, made the fame ufe of it, fo that I have never met with a perfect urn, but thoufands of their fragments, and many of the convex ftones which covered the tops of the urns to prevent the incumbent mould from mixing with the aflies of the dead. Three ftone coffins have been dug up, two Saxon, and one Roman; the latter had the body in it, quite perfect, and fome of the fielh on the fkull. It had been covered with a pic- kle, which preferved it. Faft fixed (and never more to move) on the fide of my hermit's hut, is fecured the body of my old Wandering Shaife; and on an old decayed oak, which grows through the roof of the the kitchen, the following lines are engraven on the rind, as a memento to MAN : u Stranger, kneel here, to age due homage pay ! When fiift ELIZA held Britannia's fvay My growth began : the fame illuflvious morn, Joy to the hour, was gallant SYDNEY born. SYDNEY, the darling of Arcadia's fwains, SYDNEY, the terror of the martial plains, He pej-ifti'd tarly ; I juft ftaid behind An hundred years, and lo ! my clefted rind, My wither' J "boughs, foretell deftraftion nigh. We all are mortal ; Oaks and Heroes die. Near a rude arch, on all fides embraced with the twifted eglantine, is a perforated rock- ftone, from, which conftantly runs a fmall ftream of the pureft water imaginable, that falls into a Saxon coffin dug up hard by ; from the length and narrownefs of which I have difpofed myfelf to believe the body which I found in it to be that of a beautiful Saxon vir- gin ; fo that inftead of being hurt with the idea of its original ufe, it is become only a me- mento of what we muft all come to. And who knows but " fome kindred fpirit" may, a thoufand years hence, make the fame ufe of my departed daughter's coffin ; which alas ! lies hard by, and in clofe contact with the old Roman knight's mentioned above, which is to receive what remains of myfelf. Now Now do not wonder! for I muft inform you, that fome years fmce 1 had fcooped out a cave on the fide of the dingle, under the fpreading roots of an am tree, and turned a rude arch in front of it ; and there placed, cut in relief, the head of that wonderful genius THOMAS CHATTERTON, with the following lines beneath it. w Sacred to the Memory of THOMAS CHATTERTON. Unfortunate Boy ! Short and Evil were thy Days, But the Vigour of thy Genius fhall immortalize Thee. Unfortunate Boyl Poorly waft Thou accommodated, During thy Short Sojourning among us. Thou lived'ft unnoticed, But thy Fame fliall never die.' v Since which, the long, painful, and hope- lefs illnefs of my daughter, which had worn her down to death, and her parents to fuch a deep forrow, that the idea of the proceflion of removing her remains down the hill feemed to us but one remove lefs painful than that fa- tal remove between LIFE and DEATH; and therefore, as fhe was virtuous, dutiful, and not void of fome genius, we -have depofited her body beneath the only monumental ftone railed in Britain to the greateft Genius Britain, or ( 408 ) or perhaps any other nation under the fun, has produced : apologizing, however, for fo bold a ftep, by the following beautiful lines from POPE, and fulfilling, in fome meafure, the of- ferings propofed : " Whattho' no facred eaith afford thee room, ~" Nor hallow'd dirge be mutter'd o'er thy tomb ; " Yet fhall thy grave with rifmg flow'rs be drcft, ** And the green turf lie lightly on thy breaft. " Here (hall the morn ht-r earlieft tears beftow, " Here the firft rofei of the year fliall blow ; " While angels with their diver wings o'erlhade " The ground now facred by thy reliques made." Since which, fome (unknown) admirer of my daughter publifhed in one of the Morning Papers, the following lines, which he modeftly terms ' Elegiac Lines' offered to her memory. They were too flattering to be neglected, and therefore on the model of the LYONS Taurobo- Hum, which guards the unhallowed fpot, they likewife are impreffed, and are as follows : " READER, if Youth ftio-jld fparkle in thine eye, " If on thy cheek the flow'r of Beauty blows, " Here died a tear, and heave the penfire ligh, " Where Beauty, Youth, and Innocence, repole. " Doth Wit adorn thy mind, doth Science pour " It's ripen'd bougties on thy vernal year ? " Behold, where death has cropt the plenteous flore ! " And heave the figh, and fhed the penfive tear. " Docs Mufick's dulcet notes duell on thy tongue, ' And do thy fingers fweep the founding lyre ? Behold ( 409 ) Behold, where low flic lies ! who Aveetly fung " The melting (trains a Cherub might infpire. " Of Youth, of Beauty, then, be vain no more, " Of Mufick's power, of Wit, ami Learning's prize, " For whik you read, thcfe charms may all be o'er, " And afk to (hare the grave where Anna IKS" I cannot, however, quit this melancholy fubjecr, without mentioning an accidental ob- ject, which, on a fuperftitious mind, might operate very forcibly. The workmen, in turn- ing this rude arch, put by the ftones unhewn, in the moft irregular manner ; yet it fo hap- pened, that two whitifh ftones, fomething of a baftard alabafter kind, were fo laid, that^/fon? my daughter's death, and the place becoming more an object of ferious attention, I perceived that thofe flones, at a certain oblique point of view, offer a very ftriking figure of a winged angel, and confequently are now emblematical of the lines, which almoft touch the " filver " wings'* of this natural piece of fculpture. It is a pleafing idea and no unnatural one, I hope, (however it may favour of Popery) to fuppofe that there are an hoft of faints and angels offering up their prayers to GOD in behalf of departed fpirits. Surely then the inhabitants of an hermitage may fo far join in the prayers or faith of the Catholic Church, that that however divided we are he re, as to parti- cular points of faith, that by their interceffion we may all meet hereafter : for alas ! I fear there is little probability of you and I meeting here. I am, dear Sir, &c. &c. P. S. Dr. YOUNG, author of the Night Thoughts, being introduced where I was on a vifit in London, he attracted the attention of all the company, but in a particular manner that of an elderly lady, who was fo aftoniftied to find him a cheerful lively old man, inftead of the gloomy being fhe had conceived him to be, that flie could not help exprefling to him her agreeable furprife. " O Madam," replied the Doctor) " there is much difference between writing and talking :" So, that you may not conclude me alto- gether loft in forrow and fadnefs, I muft give you the epitaph on one of my fellow travel- lers. He was a very honeft fellow, as the fol- lowing lines will teftify : - True True to his mafter, gen'rous, brave, His friend, companion, not his flave ; Fond without fawning, fttll the fame, When fortune fmil'd, or when the dame, Led the poor Wanderer fuch a dance, An exile fad, thro' Spain and France. Blufh then, ye human fons of b s, Who fawn on rafcals for their riches, Yet grudge the tribute of a tear, To the poor dog which (lumbers here. Mrs. THICKNESSE, who prefents her com- pliments to you and your's, calls out " Pray put me in, for I am afraid I fhall die foon." So I repeated to her the following Epigram : My fickly fpoufe, with many a figh, Oft tells me " FRILLY, I (hall die." I griev'd; but recollecting ftrait, 'Twere bootlefs to contend with fate; So refignation to Heaven's will, Prepar'd me for fucceeding ill. 'Twas well it did ; for on my life, 'Twas Heaven's will to ffare my -wife. You will conclude, my dear fir, that a fpot which is fo refpeftable for modern as well as an- cient endowments, and which is to be farther en- riched with kindred qfhes, will not be left liable to the precarious difpofal of an auctioneer's wooden hammer : No, fir ; if no child of our's ( 412 ) ofour's furvive us to enjoy it, it mall devolve to a moft refpectable GENTLEMEN of BATH, or to his heirs ; a Gentleman, -with whom I ne- ver ate or drank, and for reafons he, or they, will then know ; but which I will carry to the grave with me. The following lines, which are in a little re- cefs at the foot-path gate, are too applicable to be omitted, though they may be rather out of place : Here let Time's creeping winter feed His hoary fnow around my head ; And while I feel, by flow degrees, My fluggard blood wax chill and freeze, Let thought unveil to my fix'd eye The fcehes of deep Eternity ; Till life diffolving at the view, I wake ! and find thofe vifions true. St. Catherine's Hermitage, Feb. ift. 1786. Since ( 43 -) (* Since the preceding Sketch has been print- ed off, the following IMPROMPTU, written by the ingenious Mr. TASKER has appeared in the European Magazine ; and 1 own I am too much pleafed with the compliment paid to the Quick and the Dead, to omit it on that account. So, by way of Codicil to my Let- ter, I add that, and the Hermit's Prayer. J.F breath of mortal fame can pleafnre yield To fliadesof Genius in Elyfian field ; Spirit of injur'd CHATTERTON ! rejoice, And hear of fame the late applauding voice ! Chill penury deprefs'd thy Mufe of fire, 'And SUICIDE'S rude hand unftrung thy lyre. Tho' all the Mufes fmil'd upon thy birth, And fhew'd thee as a prodigy on earth ; Ix> ! fuch the hard conditions of thy fate ! Living defpis'd, lamented when too late : Thy thread of life (by too fcvere a doom) Was early cut, e'en in thy youthful bloom, Nor was thy name yet honour'd with a tomb. O CHATTERTON ! if thon mayh'ft deign to fmile On one recefs of thine ungrateful ifle; Supprefs a-while thy jufl: indignant rage, And view well pleas'd the WANDERER'S Hermitage ; There thy delighted eye at hit may fee The grateful monument arife to thee : One worthy individual thusfupply'd What all thy boafted patrons have deny'J. THE ( 414 ) THE H E R M I T's PRAYER. VJOD of my Life, who numbereft my days, teach ,me to meet, with gratitude or patience, the good or ill which the tide of time {hall float down upon me ; but never, O God, I humbly befeech Thee, withdraw from me thofe native fpirits which have been the cheering companions of my exiftence, and have fpread a gliding even upon my misfortunes. Continue to me, O GOD of Life, thofe pow- ers, that I may view with rapture the inex- hauftible VOLUME of NATURE, which Thou haft fpread before mine eyes ; in every page of which, I read the impreflion of thy omnipotent hand. It ( 415 ) It is with inexpreffible concern that I now find myfelf under the Ne- cefllty of adding to the above Defcription, to my paradifiacal Abode; the following Advertifement, but I have lived to perceive, that two Events are not very remote, and if either of them happen in my Life, it will render my Refidence here, incompatible with my fcanty Income. ADVERTISEMENT. Onthe ijthof JUNE, 1789, will be Soldby Audion, ST. CATHE- RINE'S HERMITAGE, near Bath. For further Particulars, en- quire of Mr. FORES, Bookfeller, in Piccadilly; or of Mr. PLURA, Auctioneer, at Bath. 1 HAT 1 may finifh this motley performance with a tail piece, to tally with the occafional in- Irodutfion ; I will do it by congratulating my country men under the prefent melancholy condition of the Sovereign, that the Prince his fon is vefted, though imperfectly, with that re- gal power which is not only due to his ROYAL HIGHNESS'S birth, but confiftent alfo to his PRINCELY ENDOWMENTS. It feldom falls to the lot of any Kingdom, to fee a Prince at the head of it, who has mixed with mankind, and thereby gathered that worldly knowledge which cannot be taught in private, as it is to be obferved, when that has happened, it has proved fortunate to the peo- ple fo governed. The education of Princes in general, is fo different from that of private gentlemen, that when they poiTefs power it is often without iuilicient knoweldge to exercife it t jt with judgment and then, fome bold dar- ing minifter wrefts the Sceptor in a manner from his hands. Did THE PEOPLE imagine from the fete violence, the two parties conducted themfelves before the Regency was fettled, arofe purely from a defire to promote the wel- fare of the ft ate ? if they did, they were egre- gioufly miftaken, I doubt not by a few good men on both fides, were fo actuated, but at fuch times, it is particularly neceffary to keep a watchful eye upon the moft clamourous, and more particularly on fuch men who endeavour to be thought better than their neighbours, as they are in general fomewhat worfe. A drunken man is always acting the part of a fober one, and a man may be as much intoxi- cated with power, as with wine, and not only think himfelf upon an equality with his Prince, but unguarded enough to avow it publickly. A Nation governed as this HAS, is, I hope al- ways will be governed, finee the GLORIOUS RE- VOLUTION, fhould never veil too much power in the hands of fuch arrogant men ; it is a foolifh wifdom fays Mr. HUME- " which is fo " carefully difplayed, in unvaluing Princes, " and puting them upon a level with the mean- " eft of mankind ; though it be true, that an EC " Anatomift ( 4i8 ) " Anatomift finds no difference'in the greateft " Monarch, than in the loweft day labourer or " peafant, for what do all thefe reflections tend " to ? we all of us ftill retain thefe prejudices in " favor of high birth, and family, and in our feri- " ous occupations, and mod carelefs amufe- " rnents, can never get rid of them." It is for the welfare of fo ciety it fhould be fo, and we may juftly pronounce fuch men who deli- ver fentiments contrary to it unworthy of power, nay dangerous to be trufted with it. The fubjecl: who declares himfelf equal to his Prince, would become his fuperior if he could. It is a matter of very little confequence who is prime minifter in fuch a Kingdom as this, if the fovereign be a man of fenfe, and though I have long fince 'ceafed to entertain any very high opinion of Mr. Fox further than of his parliamentary Knowledge, yet were that to hap- pen here, which did happen two thoufand years Fgo, at Athens, between ESCHINES and DEMOST- HEJIGS, I fhould not wonder if he were to do, as the viftoriousflatefman did there, who hav- ing by his fuperior eloquence caufed his com- petitor to be exiled, followed him privately, ibothed him with topicks of confolation, and offered'him money to confole him under his misfortune^ whereupon the baniflied ftatefman exclaimed, ( 419 ) exclaimed, alas ! with what regret do I leave a country, and my fellow citizens j where my very enemies are fo generous. If what Mr. Sheridan declared in the houfe, and which ftands uncontradicled be true, may we not fay with Sir John Harrington. Ferro, non auro, vitam cernamus vtrique, Vot Hfvelit, telme regnare bora quid-veferatfors. Try me with glittering WORDS, not glittering Gold, Which of ut two, the HIGHEST SEAT SHALL HOLD. Ee a ( 420 ) A- HE Author, unable to bear the imputation of having fhamefully fled from his colours, as fully charged by the daring impoftor, put forth the dedication prefixed to this book, as foon as it was printed ; and the following paper was laid at the bookfellers by its fide, a paper which needs no comments, for HE is THE MAN, who thus has replied to a charge brought agai'nft him, for writing, printing, and fecretly publishing, a falfc, fcurrilous and wicked un- truth. I know not which of the two to defpife moil, whether the worthlefs author, or the un- grateful printer. " Doctor Adair has been lately informed that Mr. Meyler has exhibited for the amufement of his cuft.oiTjers a dedication worthy of the illite- rate and malignant driveller who publiflied it. A has not read it, nor will he, until it is prefixed to that precious morfel of biography, the fpeedy publication of which Thickneffe, has announced ( 421 ) announced in his mumping fubfcription adver- tifement, though the dunce has been a hackney fcribler/or half a century, yet his letter to A exhibits in every page fuch grofs ignorance of grammar and even of orthography as would difgrace a footman or a cook-maid, A there- fore'advife (fas eft ab horte doceri) that as he has quarrelled with his old friend C s, whom he formerly employed to correct his blunders, he would put his M. S. into the hands of fome perfon who is qualified to tranflate his jargon into tolerable En glim, and that in fris narrative he will tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, otherwifeone of his grub ftreet brethren will certainly be employed to publifh a cheap edition of his life embelliflied with genuine anecdotes, and explanatory annotations. It is expected that Mr. M. will evince his impartia- lity by allowing this paper a place on his fhop table." March I4th. ERRATA. The Authjr is in his Seventieth Year and never pretended to be an accurate Writer. THE END. 9221. 11 University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 305 De Neve Drive - Parking Lot 17 Box 951388 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90095-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY A 000000710 4