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Foreign and Domeftic Intelligence.

met; and, it is faid, their fate will be determined in lefs then two months."

Thursday, Feb. 13. Orders are fent to the Governor of Mahon, and the commander of the fleet in the Mediterranean, to ftop the Danish men of war in that part of the world till further orders. This fpirited act of the miniftry will greatly embarrass the Queen-Mother of Denmark's party, who have given orders for that fleet to fail immediately for Copenhagen.

Orders were iffued out on Tuesday, that all carts belonging to the city hall pay toll no more than once in the day for going over Black-friars-bridge.

Yesterday morning twenty-three deferters were conducted by a Serjeant's guard to Gravefend, in order to be fent to fome of the regiments abroad for life; which punishment, we are told, is to be inflicted on all deferters for the future.

Monday night the following daring obbery was committed on Mingtonroad: Eight robbers well armed attacked the Iflington-ftage; two got on the coach-box, twe behind, two held the horfes while the other two entered the coach, and robbed the paffengers of a gold fnuff-box, four watches, and about sol. in money.

Yesterday morning about three o'clock fome villains broke open the Chambers of Mr. Studman, in Little Temple-lane, from which they carried off effects to the

value of 60!.

Friday, Feb. 14. A Petition to Parliament is now ligning by a number of citizens, praying for leave to bring in a Bill to fix the qualification of a Common Councilman to the fum of Three ThouJand Pounds.

Her Majefty's mourning confifts of two bombazine facks, a bombazine fuit of white crape the laft is the deepest mourning of all, and the Queen intends wearing it the first month in her Drawing-room.

The Earl Marshal's order for the prefent general mourning is more strict than any former one; for it fays, it is expected that all his Majefty's fubjects will put themfelves into deep, instead of, into decent mourning, as was the term generally used on fuch occafions, even for crowned heads.

The Danes feem as if apprehenfive of a speedy rupture; for they are diligently encreafing their land forces, and fortify, ing Copenhagen on the tea fide with fuch an additional force, as must make it a

79. real fervice of danger to bear down a fquadron upon their capital.

Saturday, Feb. 15. The following is' an exact copy of the Requifition of the Livery of London, prefented to the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor for a Common-hall.

To the Right Hon. WILLIAM NASH, Efq; LORD MAYOR of the CITY of LONDON.

"We, the underwritten Liverymen, on behalf of ourfelves and brethren the Livery of London, do most earnestly request your Lordship will fummon a Common-hall on any convenient day, previous to the 15th inftant, for the purpofes of giving public inftructions to our Representatives in Parliament, relative to the very important motion intended to be made by Mr. Alderman Sawbridge, in the Houfe of Commons, for fhortening the duration of Parliaments."

Signed by ONE HUNDRED and FORTY-THREE LIVERYMEN. When the above was prefented to his Lordship, the Gentlemen received for anfwer, he would confider of it; and on Wednesday, the 12th of February, the following anfwer was fent to Mr. Charles Sommers, of Walbrook :

"The Lord-Mayor defires the favour of Mr. Sommers to prefent his' compliments to the Gentlemen, who yesterday made an application to him in writing, requesting him to fummon a Common-hall on any convenient day, previous to the 15th inft. for the purpose of giving inftructions to the City Reprefentatives in Parliament, relative to the very important motion intended to be made by Mr. Alderman Sawbridge in the House of Commons for fhortening the duration of Parliaments: And the Lord-Mayor defires the Gentlemen may be acquainted, that he is very defirous of embracing every opportunity of testifying the most respectful attention to the withes of his fellow-citizens; BUT that as the right of the Mayor to fummon extraordinary Common-halls has been brought into question, and is now in litigation of a Court of Justice, he thinks it proper to fufpend the exercife of that right till the question has received a legal determination; and the rather, as all motions of confequence, relative to matters arifing within the City or in which the Coporation are fuppofed to be interested, may be fubmitted to the confideration of the Court of the Comhop-Council, which he will be roady

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Foreign and Domestic Intelligence.

to call together on all neceffary occafions.

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Manfion-houfe, Feb. 12, 1772.

When the above anfwer was read to the Livery, affembled at the Half-moontavern laft-night, it was received with univerfal marks of difapprobation.

Tuesday, Feb. 18. The Princefs of Brunfwick, before her departure, faid, on her being preffed to ftay longer in England, "When my mother was dangerously ill, I thought it my duty to attend her; but the being now dead, I think it my duty to return to my husband and children."

Wednesday, Feb. 19. So full is the prefent Lord Mayor of the dignity of his office, or rather fo near is his head being hurt by it, that upon going lately to the Bank to receive his dividend upon fome ftock, inftead of fubfcribing himfelf fimply William Nafh, he fubfcribed

himfelf William Nash, Efay Mayor.

Thursday, Feb. 20. Yesterday the feffions began at the Old-Bailey, when one prifoner was capitally convicted, viz. Thomas Crofts, for robbing Samuel Gates on the highway of twelve fhil lings. Seven were cat for transportation; one convicted of petit larceny; and eleven were acquitted.

On Thursday feven were caft for tranfportation.

On Friday two prifoners were capitally convicted at the Old-Bailey, viz. Jofeph, otherwife James Bowman, for burglarioufly breaking and entering the dwellinghoufe of James Bellinger, the Crownalehoufe, in Crown-court, St. James's, and ftealing thereout feven filver tabie fpoons, and other plate. Andrew Welch, for being concerned with others in rob bing James Hayfan, on the highway, of a filver watch and fome money, in the King's-road, Chelfca.-In confideration of his civility to the profecutor, during the robbery, and by whofe means his life was faved, he was recommended both by the profecutor and the gentlemen of the jury as an object of mercy. Nine were catt for transportation, and nine acquitted.

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On Saturday twenty-two prifoners were tried, one of whom was capitally convicted, viz. Thomas Page, for robbing Mr. George Mathews; Samuel Wesley was tried for the murder of William Unwin, aud found guilty of manflaughter; ten were calt for transportation; one whipped; and nine acquitted. Monday five prifoners were tried, one of whom was capitally convicted, viz. Mr. James Bolland (late a candidate for the City Marthalfhip) for forging an ac

ceptance upon a note of hand for 100l. two to be transpored, and two acquitted.

Thursday, Feb. 27. Yesterday his Majefty went to the houfe of Peers, and being feated on the throne, the Commons were fent for, and being come with their Speaker, the royal affent was pronounced to the land-tax bill, the maltbill, the mutiny-bill, the marine-bill, and to four private bills. Extrait of a letter from Bury St. Edmunds, dated February 24.

"An odd circumftance happened here on Thursday evening, which makes much noife, and as it may be differently reprefented in the papers, the following is the real ftory, and may be depended on as a fact.

"Some workmen who were employed in the ruins of the Abbey digging for ftone, found a leaden coffin made after the ancient custom, exactly the shape of the body. This had been enclosed in an oak cafe, which, by length of time, was decayed, but the lead remained quite perfect. On fearching it close, it was found to be the body of Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, uncle to Henry the Fifth, and depofited there in 1427. The workmen opened the lead, and to their great furprise found the flefh, hair, and toe and hand nails, as perfect and found as though he had not been dead fix hours.

"A furgeon in the neighbourhood was fent for, who made an incifion on the breaft, and declares the flesh cut as firm as in a living fubject, and there was even an appearance of blood; multitudes of people were present and faw the fame. At this time the corpfe was not in the leaft noifome, but being expofed to the air, it prefently became puirid and offentive. The workmen coming early on Friday morning, refolved to make prize of the lead, and therefore cut him out, tumbled him into a hole near at hand, and threw the dirt on him. The lead was conveyed directly to a plumber's, and there fold for twentytwo fhillings. Thus, in Shakespeare's phrafe, was a great man knocked about the fconce with a dirty fhove!.

"I forgot to mention above, that the corpfe was done up in a pickle, and the head and face wrapped up in fear cloth."

We are informed by a correfpondent, who declares he heard it from a very credible intelligencer, that the late P. D. of W. during the fiery conteft between patriot Wilkes and apoftate Horne, declared the thought" the former the most honeft man of the two."

The Oxford Magazine;

For MARC H, 1772.

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ENCOURAGED by the protecti- quaintance, had occafion to penetrate in

on you have granted to our Sex, and your declared intention to devote your labours chiefly to their fervice, I have taken the liberty to trouble you with my humble fentiments, on the caufes of matrimonial difagreements, fo common at present in all ranks of life, and of the averfion to matrimony, which is daily getting to fuch a height, that, unlefs fome remedy is feriously thought of by the Lords of the Creation, and of this kingdom, an emigration of neglected maids muft neceffarily take place, and myfelf, with fome twenty thousand more must feek for a change of condition in a more generous climate.

An affociation, Sir, is already formed, and I affure you, that if the young gentlemen do not mend their manners, they will very foon fee us in the arms of foreign hufbands: how far it may be political in the state to fuffer fuch a female revolution, I will not pretend to determine, but I think I may venture to predict, that the race of heroes fpringing from this alliance will hardly be the friends of Britain, efpecially if the main body of the eloping army fhould take fhelter under the aufpices of the King of Pruffia, who has ftrongly invited us to Berlin.

Having frequented the great world, and obferved the conduct of both fexes in high life, having alfo, from extenfive family connections and a numerous ac VOL. VIII,

fecret receffes of married and unmarried friends, you will permit me to lay before you the faults I have discovered on all fides, that if poffible, you, in your capacity of public Cenfor, or fome perfon of greater influence with the mi-, nitry, may stand in the gap, and prevent the bad confequences to a nation, of lo-, fing twenty or thirty thousand pure virgins.

A juft deference to the married state, for which I am a warm advocate, obliges me to ftate the grievances, to which I have often been an unwilling evidence, in that fituation.

I am told, that in China and fome other Pagan countries, it is an unchriftian cuftom for people to marry, in order to be as infeparable, or in other words, as often, and as long in each other's company as poffible---in Britain, men and women appear to me to be the best compa nions in the world, while they are faying all the foft things immaginable, and practifing every art to come together, but when once they have been to the altar--that little pill" for better for worse, difcovers almost inftantaneously, the effects of indigeftion: for two couples out of three, I verily believe, without exaggeration, marry with no other view, but to live as little as poffible with each other: in short, most of our marriages now-a-days are perpetual divorces. You will perhaps think this a paradox, and L

accufe

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Author of the Cenfor.

thefe circumstances, who would readily have exchanged their noble rank, thus acquired, with all its appurtenances, for an obfcure lodging, and the more rational converfation of the journeyman mercer, who measures their Ladyship's filks. While Fr the fongftrefs lives, tho' changed to D----d--n, can we forget that the fortune, the fettlements made on her

Diana's Letter to the accufe me of falfe logic, but, Sir, tho' a woman, I am miflrefs of rhetoric, and armed at all points, in defence of my poftulatums. Know then, that there are a variety of caufes which engage people to join hands together, whofe hearts are à thousand leagues diftant from each other. When I have given you a detail of thefe, I fancy pou will no longer be aftonished at what happens every day---by the late Earl of H---x, he was enabled that foon after the nuptial benediction is pronounced, the facade of the beautiful edifice which courtship had raised, falls to the ground, and only the carcale of Hymen remains in the ruins.

The first principle of the Gentlemen is "intereft," the God of this terreftrial globe! who has fixed one of his chofen feats, in this all-grafping Iland. Regardless of temper, wit, perfon, or age, the young, the middle-aged, and the old man, if he can find acceptance, preflès forward to the goal, without any confideration for future events---Let us begin with a nobleman---has a run of ill fuck, or want of fagacity to difcern that he is the dupe of the Right Honourable Pickpockets his Companions, impaired or half ruined his paternal eftate, by gaming--a prudent marriage will indemnify him, and preferve his oaks for the next heir---on this plan he bends his course to the city, and finds out fome mean, degenerate old dotard, who has not the fenfe or spirit to difcern, that to be a citizen of repute, in a free commercial kingdom, is a more honourable, a more illuftrious character, than to be an indolent, ufelefs peer: a beggar in the drawing room of a palace! to fuch a fordid wretch, who, to her misfortune, happens to have a daughter, the noble -Lord lays fiege, produces his genealogy, the rent-rolls of his mortgaged land, and memoirs of the honours his ancettors have derived from Kings---ftruck with the pageant exhibition the noble Lord is courted to vouchfafe the honour of an alliance, the completion of which is the only means of faving him from inevitable deftruction.---As to the young Lady, the feal of the bargain: if ambition has not blinded her, if the coronet, if title, ftate and equipage have not bewitched her, how deplorable muft be her fituation? Pardon my warmth, Sir, but by heaven, I have known Counteffes under

to make, by a lucky, city match. The circumflances are fingular and fuitable to our fubject, a fhort narrative of them may be useful, as a caution to stupid old fools, to convince them how eafy it is, when they are mouldering in duft, to evade, what is called, the last will and teftament of a frenzical mifer, who has got more money, by fraud, rapine, cir cumvention and monopoly than he knew how to difpofe of prudently.

The father of the late Countess of H-x, having obferved with concern, the folly of many of his fellow citizens, in purchafing titles for their daughters at fo dear a rate as that of facrificing them to emaciated, profligate nobles, took an idle method to prevent this evil in his family. He bequeathed a moft capital fortune to his only daughter, on con dition that the fhould marry a tradefman or artifan, one who had been regularly bound apprentice to a citizen of London. His device might have fucceeded, if the young Lady's inclinations had been confined within the city walls, but as ambition knows no bounds, the condition of the father's will was very artfully complied with in part, and in fuch a manner as to fulfil the letter. though not the fpirit of it, but lawyers always referve to themselves the power of chufing to which they will adhere. Mifs charmed with the whiftling of a name, yielded to the allurements of the ermined robe, and confented to marry the Earl, if it could be done without forfeiting her fortune, and this being his Lordthip's chief object, the following device was carried into execution: the noble Earl was bound apprentice to a fadler, and actually worked at the bufinefs in an open fhop, where feveral perfons were invited to fee him, that they might be evidences in his favour, in cafe the heirs at law to the Lady fhould fet up any oppofition to the effect of this

ftratagem.

Diana's Letter to the Author of the Cenfor.

Aratagem. Thus the noble fadler accomplished his defign, but what felicity, what union of difpofition could be expected from fuch a connection, where interest on the one fide, and ambition on the other, only forged the chains of thraldom, inftead of infpiring fentiments of conjugal affection? The Countess did not long enjoy the charms of a Coronet, for death releafed het: and Mrs. D--d--n found an eafy accefs to his Lordship's heart, and part of my Lady's fortune.

This is only one inftance out of many in this high path of life, and two degrees lower, they are innumerable: I mean amongst the gentry, or what are commonly called country Efquires. If one of thefe has a landed estate, which is too fcanty to admit of the expence of a pack of hounds---fome rich heirefs is hunted down, with all the arts of a fox-hunter, and when obtained, he is deferted for the pack---his dogs, his horfes and his bottle companions engross the good hufband's time, from the dawn of day 'till the time that this carniverous animal finds the calls of nature too preffing to be refifted---then he returns to his domeftic flave who is only diftinguished from her chamber-maids, by the pre-eminence of fatigue and attention to get favoury meats prepared for her wood-land favage. This duty done, the may indeed partake of the repaft, pinioned to her chair, and obliged to be the laborious diffector of the food deftined for nine or ten voracious wild beafts from the foreft, whofe whole converfation turns on the cruel perfecution of the timid game, till in expiring agonies, it falls a prey to thefe boatted Lords of the Creation---the meal ended, as if panting to be releafed from the reftraints which beauty, modefty and virtue lay upon the noify fons of riot--brutal, English cuttom ordains, that the Lady of the manfion, and her blooming virgins, be they daughters or vifitors, muit withdraw, and leave them to the purfuit of debauchery and obfcenity--it is true indeed, they feem in this one cafe to have fome fenfe of fhame, for confcious that they are going to degrade themfelves below the brute creation, by perverting the ufe of fpeech to the vileft of purpofes---lewd converfation--and by Twallowing down fuch quantities of precious liquors, given by providence for

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the prefervation, not for the deftruction of their health, that they lofe all the faculties of the human mind, and are the mott miferable, beastly objects of contempt and derifion, the eye of a rational being can behold---they endeavour to conceal from that fex, which they hold under fubordination, and account the weakest, these proofs of their own imbecility, which if openly given, and generally without referve, must turn the tables against them, and establish the fuperiority of women beyond contradiction.

But not from all our fex can the foul effects of inebriation, and fettled habits of filthy converfation be concealed: no,. Mr. Cenfor, let me, as my blushes are not betrayed on paper, nor my real name known to you, throw in a memento to married people.

Too often have I been imprifoned in fuch a family as I have described, in the country, where but thin partitions feparate the chambers---I have retired to mine, with eyes half closed and ready to refign myself to peaceful flumber, buɛ unfortunately it has been my lot to be contiguous to a fox-hunter and his lady: and to add to my diftrefs, I have been confidered on a familiar footing, not as a stranger---but in the common phrase--

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as one of us," you need no more, you can expect no more from a chafte pen--you are not to know that where a couple do not live upon good terms, they fometimes cannot contain their disagreement before ftrangers: Judge then of my fituation, confidered as one of the family, Gods how I have wifhed to tear a wide paffage to the infulting monster's heart! how I have funk down on my bed overcome with the affecting fenfations of commiferation, when I have heard a virtuous woman, the pride of her fex, decently, but with proper fpirit, remonitrate with the filthy drunkard, half recovered from his fit, and now making a worfe ufe than before, of his inflamed reafon---how I have deplored the unhappy fate of our fex, condemned to toil from ten to fixteen or eighteen years of ages through the arduous paths of polite education, to acquire every accomplishment that can add to a lovely form, only to be facrificed at that period to fuch brutes, who have no other fense of the L 2 precious

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