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in his men, who disrobed the mansion of its furniture by six o'clock the next morning, having work< ed hard all night. At nine o'clock in the morning came an execution, under virtue of which the remaining part of the property was sold by auction on the premises.

No discovery has yet been made as to the place of residence of this swindler. Mr. Pearce, haberdasher, of St. Paul's Church-yard, met her a short time since in Bishopsgate-street, dressed in man's cloaths and boots, with Miss Sharp leaning on her arm. The following persons have been defrauded to a large amount: at Greenwich, the carpenter of 1,400l. the bricklayer of 9ool. the painter and glazier of 700l. the stable-keeper, who lent the horses, of 300l. The nurseryman, for lawns and pleasure-grounds, of 400l. Mr. Clark, of Fleetstreet, silversmith, a superb sideboard of plate. Messrs. Ord and Morris, and Mr. Pearce, of St. Paul's Church-yard, are among the number defrauded. A milliner, in Bond-street, for dresses and laces, of 2601.

This female Proteus pretended to great sanctity in religion, was a devotee, and attended several Presbyterian and other meetings, where she worked upon the christian bowels of the compassionate and liberal, by borrowing money in the way of loan, representing herself as a person of family in distressed circumstances. In person she is plain, much marked by the small-pox, about five feet two inches in height, insinuating in her manners, and speaks in an elevated tone of voice.

The following further particulars have transpired-On leaving Blackheath, Miss Robertson, and her companion, Miss Sharp, set off in the mail coach for Devonshire. At Penzance, in Cornwall, they took up their residence at the hotel. Miss Sharp describing her protegee as a Madame Douglas,

who was a lady of large fortune in the north of England, travelling for the benefit of her health; that being of a recluse turn of mind, she wished to avoid travelling with a retinue, the care and anxiety attending which would more than counterbalance any comforts. Miss S. added, that her name was Sydenham, a distant relation of Madame Douglas, that being of minds congenial, they had resided together many years. This conversation passed between Miss S. and the landlady at the hotel, the motives for which were that all further inquiry might be prevented; but their conduct during the time of residence at the inn was so remarkable, they seldom going out till the evening, and then with deep veils over their faces, seeing no company, &c. that suspicion was excited.

The chambermaid over-hearing a conversation, wherein the names of Oakley and Creasy were frequently mentioned, immediately recollected the particulars which were published of the female swindler. On communicating the affair, a letter was written to Blackheath, but the next day the party decamped, after remaining only a week at that place. A writ was made out by Messrs. Martyr and Swinton, and sent down with proper officers to execute it, and, by indefatigable inquiry, Miss Robertson was traced to Huntingdon, and conducted to the county gaol, where, for the present we will leave her, trusting she will meet that punishment which her past conduct has so justly merited; and of which we shall be able to give a further account in a future number.

THE REFLECTOR.

[No. L.]

THE WINTER'S EVENING,

BY WILLIAM COWPER, ESQ.

Come ev'ning once again, season of peace;
Return sweet ev'ning, and 'continue long l
And whether I devote thy gentle hours
To books, to music, or the poet's toil,
To weaving nets for birds-alluring fruit
Or twining silken threads round iv'ry reels,
When they command, whom man was born to please,
I slight thee not, but make thee welcome still!

Ta

COWPER.

O Winter Evenings we are now about to bid adieu, and hail the more cheerful seasons of the year! Nature possesses an engaging variety. Her revolutions, which are unceasing, are absolutely necessary to our welfare and felicity. Let us not, however, despise winter, which has its peculiar advantages, endearing it to the contemplative mind. Such was the soul of Cowper-and his muse has dwelt upon these advantages with his accustomed simplicity.

From this book we might select various passages of exquisite beauty. But we chuse to confine ourselves to the introductory part, where the arrival of the post-boy, and the perusal of the newspaper, are delineated with an interesting sensibility. First attend to the arrival of the post-boy:

Hark! tis the twanging horn, o'er yonder bridge,
That with its wearisome, but needful length,
Bestrides the wintry flood, in which the moon
Sees her wrinkled face reflected bright;

He comes, the herald of a noisy world,

With spatter'd boots, strapp'd waist, and frozen locks,
News, from all nations, lumbering at his back.
True to his charge the close-pack'd load behind,
Yet careless what he brings, his one concern
Is to conduct it to the destin'd inn;

And having dropp'd th' expected bag, pass on.
He whistles as he goes, light-hearted wretch,
Cold and yet cheerful: messenger of grief
Perhaps to thousands, and of joy to some;
To him indiff'rent, whether grief or joy.
Houses in ashes, and the fall of stocks,
Births, deaths and marriages, epistles wet
With tears, that trickled down the writer's cheek
Fast as the periods from his fluent quill,

Or charg'd with am'rous sighs of absent swains,
Or nymphs responsive, equally affect

His horse and him, unconscious of them all.
But oh! the important budget! ushered in
With such heart-shaking music, who can say
What are its tidings? Have our troops awak'd?
Or do they still, as if with opium drugg'd,
Snore to the murmurs of the Atlantic wave?
Is India free and does she wear her plum'd
And jewell'd turban with a smile of peace,
Or do we grind her still? The grand debate,
The popular harangue, the tart reply,
The logic, and the wisdom, and the wit,
And the loud laugh-I long to know them all;
I burn to set th' imprison'd wranglers free,
And give them voice and utterance once again!

The reader will now be prepared for the subsequent paragraph, where the reading of the newspaper forms a pleasing part of the Winter Evening's entertainment. No individual can contem plate the picture without the liveliest emotions of joy :

Now stir the fire, and close the shutters fast,
Let fall the curtain, wheel the sofa round,
And while the bubbling and loud hissing ura

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Throws up a steamy column, and the cups
That cheer, but not inebriate, wait on each,
So let us welcome peaceful Evening in.

Not such his evening, who, with shining face,
Sweats in the crowded theatre, and squeez'd
And bor'd with elbow-points thro' both his sides,
Outscolds the ranting actor on the stage;

Nor his, who patient stands, till his feet throb,
And his head thumps to feed upon the breath
Of patriots, bursting with heroic rage,
Or placemen, all tranquillity and smiles!
This folio of four pages! happy work!
Which not ev'n critics criticise; that holds
Inquisitive attention while I read,

Fast bound in chains of silence, which the fair,
Tho' cloquent themselves, yet fear to break;
What is it but a map of busy life,

Its fluctuations and its vast concerns?

Here runs the mountainous and craggy ridge
That tempts ambition. On the summit sec

The seals of office glitter in his eyes;

He climbs, he pants, he grasps them! At his heels,'

Close at his heels, a demagogue ascends,

And with a dextrous jerk soon twists him down,

And wins them but to lose them in his turn.

Here rills of oily eloquence in soft

Meanders, lubricate the course they take;
The modest speaker is asham'd, and griev'd
T'engross a moment's notice, and yet he begs,
Begs a propitious ear for his poor thoughts,
However trivial all that he conceives.
Sweet bashfulness! it claims at least this praise,
The dearth of information and good sense,
That it foretells us always comes to pass.
Cat'racts of declamation thunder here;
There forests of no meaning spread the page,
In which all comprehension wanders lost;
While fields of pleasantry amuse us there,
With merry descants on a nation's woes.
The rest appears a wilderness of strange
But gay confusion-roses for the cheeks,

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