well as of the forts Marlborough and St. Charles, upon the hoftages being fent on both fides, for the faithful execution of the foregoing articles. The ftaccado that is the port fhall be removed, and the going in and coming out fhall be left open, at the difpofition of the French, until the whole garrifon has marched out: in the mean time, the commiffaries on both fides shall be employed; thofe on the part of his excellency General Blakeney, in making an eftimate of the effects in the military magazines, and others; and thofe on the part of his excellency Marshal Richelieu, in receiving them; and to deliver to the English fuch part thereof as has been agreed upon. Plans fhall also be delivered of the galleries, mines, and other fubterraneous works. Done at St. Philip, the 29th of June, 1.756. From the Old Maid. Number XXXV. Cowards die many Times before their Death, The Valiant never tafte of Death but once. SHAKESPEAR. TH "HERE is nothing which appears to me fo extraordinary as that any man fhould dare to behave like a coward: That even the braveft may fometimes feel for a moment a kind of conftitutional horror at the appearance of danger, I can fuppofe; but that the fear of death fhould be fo ftrong as to get the better of the dread of infamy and univerfal contempt, of the love of our country, of our family, and our friends, is one of the most aftonishing phænomena in nature. What daggers has an unworthy Commander of our fleet planted in the breafts of his relations! How has he difhonoured a name, before fo glorious! How has he betrayed that confidence, his King and his country repofed in him, and which, untried as he was, could hardly have been denied to a fon of the brave Lord Tor-on! Why did he seek a command for which he could not help knowing he was unfit? It has been fuppofed by fome, there was treachery in the cafe; but I am convinced, it is to cowardice we are to charge his ill conduct: No bribe, I am certain, could have been powerful enough to have made him fight: Had he been brave, however treacherous, he could not have been within fight of the fort, which held the godlike Blakeney, without endeavouring to relieve him; indeed the circumftance of leaving this heroic General a prey to the French, is fuch an aggravation of his guilt, that death, though the only punishment cowards fear, and therefore here the proper one, is, if he is guilty, infinitely too mild for his crime. Nothing can, I think, be a ftronger -proof of his cowardice, than the extravagant and exaggerated praifes he bestows on Admiral Weft, for having done his duty in the action; praises, which I am fure, will be as offenfive to that really brave man, as they must be to every person who reads them. I am fays he, to thank you a thousand, and a thousand times for your gallant behaviour' this day; I wish you had been better fupporttd,' (in this with every Britain will join) your behaviour was like an angel. How unlike is this to the honeft rough plainnefs of a British failor! and how evident a proof of the infinite obligation he thought himfelf under to the gallant Mr. Weft, for fo angelically ftanding between him and danger! To me, who remember, though very young at that time, the glorious campaigns of the Duke of Marlborough, and whofe first ideas of public affairs were thofe of conqueft and victory, thefe occurrences appear indeed extraordinary: I remember the French humbled and fuppliant to us, and can hardly believe that this people, who owe almost their existence to the mercy mercy of Queen Anne, fhould now be able to imprefs us with fuch terror, as to drive us to the unconftitutional and mortifying step, of calling in foreign forces, to defend a populous nation, who, if armed, and infpired with their former courage, might defy the united force of Europe to conquer them Nor is it lefs ftrange to me to hear of British fleets flying before enemies weaker than themselves, and bafely abandoning fuch a General as Blakeney, with his brave garrifon, to a force which, unaflifted, and weak as they were in number, was almost impoffible for them to refift. ply himself with an infinity of helps and inftruments neceifary in his daily occafions. After having built himfelf houses, fculpture and painting have done their utmost, in emulation of each other, to adorn his abode ; and, that nothing might be wanting to his fatisfaction and delight, mufic has been introduced to fill up his moments of leifure with grateful concerts, which reft and refresh him after his labours, and make him forget all his pains and cares. What more can he defire? Happy, if he could not be disturbed in the poffeffion of advantages he has purchafed at fo dear a rate! But, alas! the rapacious appetites, the avarice and ambition of mankind, interrupt this general feli city, and render man the enemy of man. Injustice arms herfelf with force The noble Defence made by the intrepid to inrich herfelf with the fpoils of Blakeney at Fort St. Philip, on the her brethren. He, who, moderate Ifland of Minorca, demands the grate-in his defires, confines himself within ful Acknowledgments of every Briton inspired with the Love of Liberty. I bave contributed my Mite to the general Applause, in the following Reflections, and hope they will be honoured with a Place in your extenfive Coling Monarchs, would foon disturb his lection, To the Proprietors of the MAGAZINE of MAGAZINES. GENTLEMEN, Your's, &c. A. C-r-t. Reflections on the Neceffity of cultivating the Art of War, and liberally rewarding those who diftinguish themfelves in the Service of their Country. AN, after his creation, having, blished himself in the enjoyment of all the conveniencies of life, it is natural to think, that nothing farther was neceñary for his happinels. The earth, cultivated by his care and labour, fupplied him, in return, with a profufion of riches of every kind: Commerce brought him, from the most remote countries, whatever their inhabitants could fpare; it has caried him into the bowels of the earth, and to the bottom of the fea, not only to inrich and adorn, but to fupVOL. XII. the bounds of what he poflefles, and should neglect to oppofe force by force, will foon become the prey of others. He would have caufe to fear, that jealous neighbours, and neighbour tranquility, ravage his lands, carry away his riches, and lead himself into captivity. He has, therefore, occafion for arms and troops to defend him against violence, and afcertain his fafety. At first, we behold him employed in the most exalted and fublime parts of the fciences; who, born and nurtured in repofe, and cannot be too much careffed, honour- OCCASIONAL LETTER. ed, and efteemed by his King and country. England, however, may boaft of many, in whom every requifite for forming an Hero has centered; and, among thofe who now fupport her againft her perfidious enemy, the brave, the generous Blakeney. None can be ignorant how gloriously he defended Sterling Caftle against the rebels. With a handful of men he preferved that important fortress, though furrounded and attacked by His behaviour in that multitudes. Castle will be remembered with gratitude, whilst liberty continues to refide in the breafts of the inhabitants of Britain; and this, with his late defence of St. Philip's Caftle, will render his name immortal. The fortifications of St. Philip's are fo extenfive, that a very numerous garrifon is requfite to defend them; fo that Mr. Armstrong, who is well acquainted with the place, and an Engineer by profeflion, tells us, that, unless the place fhould be fuddenly relieved by our fleet, a powerful army, well provided for fuch an undertaking, would foon make herself mafter of the place.' And, indeed, it was the general opinion, that Admiral Byng could not arrive there, before the place was taken. But the have Blakeney, with a fmall number of men, defended thefe extenfive works, against a powerful and nua powerful and numerous army, provided with every neceffary, from the 18th of April to the 28th of June; and, had our Admiral acted with the fame refolution, that important place, in all probability, had ftill continued in our poffellion. But, being abandoned by the fleet, and in want of every neceffary, the brave, the intrepid General was forced to fubmit. He procured, however, very honourable conditions: A convincing proof, that the French dreaded his valour, and were willing to grant him the honours he demanded. rather than be any longer expofed to his terrible and deftructive fire. On Juflice, and the Neceffity of putting The Man in confcious Virtue bold, And the ftern Tyrant's Brow, in Act to rage, defies. Tempestuous Tyrants of the Seas, Let the rough Winds their Horrors raise ; Let Jove's dread Arm with Thunders rend the Spheres, Beneath the Cruth of Worlds, undaunted hẻ appears. HORACE. HERE is no virtue fo truly great THE and godlike as juftice. Most of the other virtues are virtues of created beings, or accommodated to our nature, as we are men. Juftice is that which is practifed by God himself, and to be practifed in its perfection by none but him. Omniscience and omnipotence are requifite to the full exertion of it. The one to discover every degree of uprightnefs or iniquity in thoughts, words, and actions: The other, to measure out and impart fuitable rewards and punishments. As to be perfectly juft is an attribute of the divine nature, to be fo, to the utmost of our abilities, is the glory of a man. Such a one who has the public administration in his hands, acts like the reprefentative of his Maker, in recompenfing the virtuous, and punishing the offender. By the extirpating of a criminal, he averts the judgments of Heaven, when ready to fall upon an impious people; as Mr. Addifon, in his tragedy of Cato, much better expreffes it, in a fentiment conformable to the character of that eminent Roman: When by juft vengeance impious mortals perish, The gods behold their punishment with pleasure, And lay th' uplifted thunder-bolt afide. When a nation once lofes its regard to justice, when they do not look пром upon it as fomething venerable, holy, and inviolable; when any of them dare prefume to leffon, affront, or tentify thofe who have the diftribution of it in their hands; when a Judge is capable of being influenced by any thing but law, or a caufe may be recommended by any thing that is foreign to its own merits, we may venture to pronounce, that fuch a nation is haftening to its ruin. For this reafon I always rejoice when I fee a tribunal filled with a man of an upright and inflexible temper, who, in the execution of his country's laws, can overcome all private fear, refentment, follicitation, and even pity itself. Whatever paflion enters into a fentence, or decifion, fo far will there be in it a tincture of injuftice. In short, justice difcards party, friendfaip, kindred, and is therefore always reprefented as blind, that we may fuppole her thoughts are wholly intent on the equity of a caufe, without be ing diverted or prejudiced by objects foreign to it. The following inftance of impartial juftice, executed by one of the Sulfans of Perfia, is worthy imitation, and cannot fail of being agreeable to the reader. As one of the Sultans lay encamp ed on the plains of Avola, a certain great man of the army entered by force into a peafant's houfe, and finding his wife very beautiful, turned the good man out of his habitation, and went to bed to her. The peafant complained the next morning to the Sultan, and defired redrefs; but was not able to point out the criminal. The Emperor, who was very much incenfed at the injury done to the poor man, told him, that probably the offender might give his wife another vifit, and, if he did, commanded him immediately to repair to his tent, and acquaint him with it. Accordingly within two or three days the Officer again entered the peafant's houfe, and turned out of doors the owner; who thereupon applied himelf to the imperial tent, as he was ordered. The Sultan went in perfon, with his guards, to the poor man's houfe, where he arrived about midnight. As the attendants carried each of them a flambeau in their hands, the Sultan, after ordering all the lights. to be put out, gave the word to enter the house, find out the criminal, and put him to death. This was immediately executed, and the corpfe laid out upon the floor, by the Emperor's command. He then bid every one to light his flambeau, and stand about the dead body. The Sultan, approaching it, looked upon the face, and immediately fell upon his knees in prayer. Upon his rifing up, he ordered the pealant to fet before him whatever food he had in the house. The peafant brought out a good deal of coarfe fare, on which the Emperor fed very heartily. The peafant, feeing him in fo good a humour, prefumed to ask him, why he had ordered the flambeaux to be put out. before he commanded the adulterer to be flain? Why, upon their being lighted again, he looked upon the face of the dead body, and fell down by it in prayer? And why, after this, he had ordered meat to be fet before him, of which he now eat fo heartly? The Sultan, willing to gratify the curiofity of his hoft, anfwered him in this manner: • Upon hearing the greatness of the offence, which had been committed by one of the army, I had reason to think it might have been one of my own fons, for who elie would have been fo audacious and prefuming? I gave orders therefore for the lights to be extinguifhed, that I might not be led aftray, by partiality or compaffion, from doing juftice on the criminal. Upon the lighting of the flambeaux a fecond time, I looked upon the face of the dead perfon, and, to my unfpeakable joy, found that it was not my ton. It was for this reafon that I immediately fell upon my knees, and gave thanks to God. As to 'ny eating heartily of the food you have let fet before me, you will cease to wonder at it, when you know that the great anxiety of mind I have been in, upon this occafion, fince the first complaints you brought me, has hindered my eating any thing from that time to this very moment. Such was the juftice executed on the offender by the eastern Monarch, and fuch the motives for his taking fo extraordinary a method. And furely every one, who reflects that his actions are observed by an omnipotent being, who will certainly punifh iniquity, ought to be very careful in the execution of this duty; for, as he is of too pure eyes to behold iniquity, and will by no means fuffer the guilty to efcape, fo, on the other hand, he will feverely punish thofe who opprefs the weak, and make the rod of justice a terror to the in nocent. Translation of a Letter from London, publifhed in the Utrecht Gaz. June 29. THE war as that "HE precautions neceffary to be which has broke out between England and France, have occafioned the carrying into the Downs a certain number of veffels navigating under the colours or flag of the States General, which the king's fhips of war met with off the ports and coats of France. The captains and mafters of thofe veffels who defired to come up to the metropolis, having had leave to do fo, a good number of them came the 13th initant to the house of Lieut. Gen. Hop, envoy extraordinary of their high mightineffes, and made the following complaints to him: "That though they had exhibited their bills of lading, invoices, and other documents, to the captains of the king's fhips that ftopped them, they were neverthelefs carried into the Downs: That fuch a procedure appeared to them contrary to the tenor of treaties; and therefore they begged his excellency would cadeavour to get their veffels releafed, and their papers restored to them.” To which Mr. Hop made anfwer, "That he would readily do them all the fervice on this occafion that lay in his power; that the moment he was apprized of the affair, he fent an account of it to the States General, and that he expected to receive forthwith their high mightineffes orders on this head: That in the mean time he had applied to the king's minifters, and demanded the release of thofe vellels ; but they told him, that all the documents had been put into the hands of the king's council learned in the law, in order to be examined; that this examen would take up fome time, and that they would endeavour to dispatch the bufinefs as foon as poffible." Upon which thofe captains and mafters of veffels reprefented to Mr. Hop. That the road of the Downs was not fafe enough for fhips fo confiderably laden as theirs were; and therefore they prayed he would at least get them conducted into fome other place, where they might be fafer." Mr. Hop prothem; but at the fame time being wilmited to endeavour to obtain this for ling to take all the precautions which the nature of the affair might require, he asked the mafters of thofe fhips "whether they could in truth declare, that they had no contraband goods on board ;" and they affured him, that their fhips contained no fort of prohibited merchandize. He then enquired whether they or their crews had received any harth ufage; and they anfwered, that they had no room to complain on that head, for that they had been treated with all the civility poffible. Several of thefe captains and mafters have folemnly protefted againft the prejudices which the freighters fuffer from the detenfion of the fhips and papers. At the prefling follicitations of Lieut. Gen. Hop, the minifters of state affembled the 16th to deliberate on this affair; and as the particulars thereof have been referred to the king's counfel, it was agreed to wait for their report, which they are ordered |