that in consequence of the last war, we are now seventy millions in debt, and they scarce a fingle fhilling: forgetting that the people of this country annually pay taxes to the amount of 1,500,000l. for the American fhare of the war, befides 400,000 more for the expence of their civil and military eftablishments: forgetting the variety of bounties which this country pays to them for the encouragement of their trade: forgetting all their past profeffions and prefent obligations, they chufe now to fet out a new, and to confider themselves as e merging out of a state of nature Inftead of obeying the laws, under which they have hitherto flourished, and have grown up to their prefent greatness, they recur to a jargon of their own about a state of nature, which they never were in; and tell us of natural and unalienable rights, which, as both they and we were born fubjects of the British conftitution, never exifted; and then plainly declare, that they will no longer obey the laws of the realm; that acts of parliament, being made without their confent, are of no force; and that they will be governed by a code of laws of their own affemblies.

From a prudent caution, however, Bot to give too violent an alarm to the whole trading intereft of this kingdom, in their fourth resolution they profefs to retain fome regard to the acts of trade and navigation, though they avow the paying none to any of the reft.

But if you attend to the well-guarded terms in which these great masters of femblance have chofen to exprefs themfelves, you will find, that they have taken due care, after having got rid of our other acts of parliament, to leave themfelves loose enough from any restraints by acts of trade.

Their words are these : " But for the mutual intereft of both countries, we chearfully confent to the operation of fuch acts of the British parliament as are bona fide restrained to the regulation of our external commerce," &c.

We confent, they fay, not to the authority, but to the operation of such acts, &c. Authority implies obligation, and that is too great an infringement upon their independence, for thefe new-erected states to admit of. The fingle ground upon which they chufe to reft the operation of these acts, must be their own voluntary confent,

In order to enable us to judge how far this confent will go, it is neceffary to take in fome of the other refolutions which accompany it. In their feveral charters, the crown provides, that the revenue-officers shall have free admiffion into their ports; and referves to itself a right of appointing admiralty-courts, and of naming the judges of them; and thefe courts, from the beginning, have decided caufes without a jury, juft as the admiralty-courts in civil caufes do here in England. These admiralty-courts have at times undergone fuch regulatious as have been found necessary to meet the feveral frauds as they arise.

Thefe regulations are now all to be taken away, while the arts of evading the laws, against which they were made, are ftill to remain. You will also remark, that previous to these gentlemens chearful confent to the operation of acts of trade, the board of customs is stated as a grievance; and the poor revenue-officer is to be left alone in every port, naked and defenceless, to be tarred and feathered, if he prefume but to look in the face of an illicit trader.

And then at length, after we have made all these conceffions, and removed every thing out of the way, which can give a check to their smuggling, then at laft they tell us, that they will chearfully confent to the operation of fuch acts of the British parliament as they fhall find to come within their description of acts of trade. And there is no danger of their facrificing too much by the declaration for after having taken away all the authority of parliament to command the obfervance of thefe laws, and after having taken away all the efficacy of the courts of admiralty, which should punish the breach of them, they may without doubt chearfully leave them to their own operation. Stript of all the means of en forcement, without authority, and without a fanction, they well know that they will have no operation at all.

About fifty carpenters arrived at Bo fton, from Halifax, in the beginning of November, to assist in fitting up barracks for the troops.-The committee of Portf mouth, New Hampshire, refolved, to confider the perfons who engaged thefe artificers, as alfo the artificers, (unless they immediately return to their habita tions), as enemies to the community.

On the 8th of November the troops

quitted

quitted their incampments on the common of Bofton and Fort-hill, and went into barracks in different parts of the

town.

According to a letter from Boston, of Dec. 2. the following troops then lying there were, the 4th, 5th, 10th, 23d, 38th, 43d, 47th, 52d, 59th, and 64th, regiments, three companies of the 18th, and two of the 65th; alfo fix companies of the train of artillery.

The number of fouls in the following provinces, according to an estimate faid to be made in the congrefs, was as follows, viz. New Hampshire 150,000, Maffachufet's-bay 400,000, Rhode - ifland 59,678, Connecticut 192,000, New York 250,000, New Jerfey 130,000, Pennfylvania, including the lower counties, 350,000, Maryland 320,000, Virginia 650,000, North Carolina, 300,000, South Carolina 225,000. Total 3,026,678.

A town-meeting at Bofton, Nov. 7. refolved as follows. "We recommend, That as his Excellency the Governor has affured the town, that he will do all in his power to fecure the peace and good order of the town, that the town, on their part, will exert their beft endeavours to effect the fame defirable purpofe; and to this end would augment the town-watch; and it is recommended to the selectmen of the town, that they increafe the watch to the number of twelve men in each watch-house, for the fecurity and safety of the inhabitants, and that they be directed to patrole the ftreets of the town for the whole night the enfuing feafon. And it is earneftly defired, that his Majefty's juftices of the peace, and other peace-officers, would exert their authority for the obfervance of the laws, and prefervation of peace and order. And it is feriously recommended to all mafters of families, that they reftrain their children and fervants from going abroad after nine o'clock in the evening, unicfs on neceffary bufinefs."

The Bofton gazette of Nov. 7. contains the declarations of a great number of perfons, the sheriffs of counties, as well as the various officers of the militia, that they will not accept of commiffions under the regulations made by the late oppreffive acts [xxxvi. 660.] of parliament.

"Edinburgh, Jan. 21. By accounts from Virginia we learn, that the people there were obliging every individual to fign a

deed, binding himself to conform to every refolve of the congrefs. This was complied with, by many, with great reluctance; and others did actually refuse. But they at laft fell upon an expedient at Williamsburgh, the provincial capital, to remedy this backwardnefs. They erected, at the principal avenue to the town, a very high gibbet, upon the one fide of which they hung a barrel of tar, and on the other fide a bag of feathers, and on each of them the following infcription: A cure for the refractory. In a very fhort time the deed bore teftimony, that there was not one who had not experienced the salutary effect of fo healing a medicine."

At a meeting of the inhabitants of Bofton, Dec. 7. a committee of fixty-three perfons were appointed to carry into execution in that town the agreement and affociation of the grand congrefs; of whom seven to be a quorum. At the fame meeting seven gentlemen were appointed, "to draw up a vote of thanks of the town of Bofton, expreffi ve of their gratitude for the benevolent assistance which they have received from the other colonies during their prefent calamities, and particularly for the generous recommendation of the refpectable Continental Congress, for further fupport from the colonies, during their unhappy struggle under the arbitrary and oppreffive measures of the British administration."

In the provincial congrefs at Cam. bridge, Dec. 1o. the delegates came to the following refolutions.

"Inafmuch as many ftates have been taught by fatal experience, that powers delegated by the people for long periods, have been abufed, to the endangering the public rights and liberties; and this congrefs having juft reason to suppose, that their conftituents, the good people of this province, when they appointed their prefent delegates, were not apprehensive that the bufinefs neceffary to be done would require their attendance for any long time,

Refolved, That the adjournment of this congrefs on the 29th day of October laft was ordered and made from a due confideration of the preffing exigencies of the public affairs, and the evident ne ceffity of further deliberation thereon;

And whereas, for the reafon first mentioned, it is not expedient that there

should

should be a further adjournment of this congrefs; therefore

Refolved, That after the business neceffary to be immediately dispatched shall be finished, the congrefs be diffolved.

And this congrefs being deeply impreffed with a fenfe of the increafing dangers which threaten the rights and liberties of the people of this province with total ruin, our adverfaries being ftill indefatigable in their attempts to carry into execution their deep-laid plans for that wicked purpofe; and confidering the indifpenfable neceffity that an affembly of the province fhould be very frequently fitting, to confult and devife measures for their common fafety; there fore

Refolved, That it be, and it is hereby earnestly recommended to the feveral towns and districts in this province, that each of them do forthwith elect and depute as many members as to them fhall feem neceffary and expedient, to reprefent them in a provincial congrefs, to be held at Cambridge on the firft day of February next enfuing; to be chofen by fuch only as are qualified by law to vote for reprefentatives in the general affembly, and be continued by adjournment, as they fhall fee caufe, until the Tuefday next preceding the laft Wednesday in May next, and no longer; to confult, deliberate, and refolve, upon fuch further measures, as (under God) fhall be effectual to fave this people from impending ruin, and to secure those ineftimable liberties, derived to us from our anceftors, and which it is our duty to preserve for pofterity.

And confidering the great uncertainty of the present times, and that unexpect ed important events may take place, from whence it may be abfolutely neceffary that the delegates who may be elected as above propofed, fhould meet fooner than the day aforementioned, it is recommended to the feveral towns and diftricts, that they instruct and authorise their faid delegates to affemble at Cambridge aforefaid, or any other place, upon notice given them of the neceffity thereof, by the delegates that may be chofen by the towns of Charleftown, Cambridge, Brookline, Roxbury, and Dorchefter, or the majority of them, in fuch way as they fhall judge proper. And it is further recommended to the delegates to be elected, that they conform themselves to fuch inftructions. VOL. XXXVII,

Signed by order of the Provincial Congrefs,

JOHN HANCOCK, Prefident."

"Bofton, Dec. 12. The day before yesterday it was moved in provincial congrefs, that arms be immediately taken up against the King's troops. But one of the members got up, and told them, fuch a motion was infamous, when at the fame time the members knew, that neither Connecticut nor any of the fouthern colonies meant to oppofe his Majefty's arms. On which account the congrefs immediately diffolved, and a new one is to be chofen, to meet the 10th of next month. At Plymouth they are now beating up for volunteers to attack the troops: the parties fent for a parfon to pray for them, who refused to comply; but he was obliged to attend on being fent for a fecond time, on penalty of being shot."

"Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Dec. 16. We have been in confufion here for two days paft, on account of an exprefs from Bofton, informing, that two regiments were coming to take poffeffion of our fort. By beat of drum 200 men immediately affembled, and went to the caftle in two gundalows, who on their way were joined by 150 more, and demanded the furrender of the fort; which Capt. Cochran refufed, and fired three guns; but no lives were loft: upon which they immediately scaled the wails, disarmed the Captain and his men, took poffeflion of 97 barrels of powder, put it on board the gundalows, brought it up to town, and went off with it to fome diftance in the country. Yesterday the town was full of men from the country, who marched in in form: they chose a committee to wait on the Governor; who affured them he knew of no fuch defign as fending troops, fhips, &c."

"New-Town, Suffex county, Nov. 24. Yesterday David Campbell, a pedlar, was discovered in offering to sale a pamphlet, intitled, A friendly addrefs to all reasonable Americani, on the fubject of our political contentions, &c. a work highly injurious to the caufe of American liberty, fpeciously recommending the base principles of paffive obedience to tyranny, calculated to excite jealoufies and divifions among the inhabitants of the different colonies, and terrify weakminded perfons into fubmiffion to the late oppreffive acts of parliament. The

D

man,

man, as foon as queftioned, protefted his innocence; and, the dangerous tendency of the pamphlet being declared to him, he promised to fell no more of them, one only having been difpofed of. -This day the county-committee called him before them, when he declared, that thefe infamous pamphlets were delivered to him by Mr Rivington of New York, printer, who recommended them as excellent pamphlets, and very faleable.

Previous to his appearance before the

committee, the man, being convinced of his offence, and defirous to fatisfy the people, had voluntarily confented to their being burnt by the hands of the common hangman; and they were burnt accordingly, in prefence of a numerous concourfe of people. The pedlar, having promifed to be more cautious in future, was difmiffed." [31.]

On the 7th of November, a difcovery being made, that there were eighteen fheep in a floop in the harbour of New York, bound for the West Indies, a number of citizens informed the captain, that the exportation of theep was contrary to a refolution of the continental congrefs: the sheep were landed, and returned to the proprietor; and the people difperfed quietly.

A letter from New York, dated, Dec. 26. fays, "The butchers in general that attend the market in Philadelphia, in order to comply with the affociation of the congress, and to increate the breed of theep, have folemnly agreed, and pledged themselves to the public, that they will not hereafter purchase any ewe mutton or lamb until the firft day of May next, nor any ewe lamb from the faid first day of May until the first day of October following; nor will they after the firft day of January kill any ewe mutton or lamb, on any account or pretence what foever, until the first day of May following; nor any ewe lamb whatever from the faid first day of May until the firft, day of October following."

"New York, Dec. 15. Letters by the laft packet bring information, that his Majefty has been graciously pleafed to found a profefforfhip of divinity in the college of this city, with a falary from home; and to appoint the Rev. John Wardill, A. M. at this time in England, to be the Royal Profeffor; the first inflance, we apprehend, of the like nature in America.'

NEW BOOKS; with the Prices, Publishers Names, Remarks, and Extracts. [The fignatures annexed, fhow to whom we are indebted for the remarks, c.; M. denoting Monthly Review; C. Critical Review; G Gentleman's Magazine, &c.]

A journey to the Wellern lands of ScotLand. [By Dr Johnson.] 5 s. boards. Cadell.

OF this journey, which pofterity will

confider as no lefs claffical, and is, in truth, far more interefting, than that of Horace to Brundufium, we fhall give a short epitome.

Our author, having long defired to vifit the Hebrides, was induced, in the autumn of 1773, to undertake the journey, by finding, in Mr Boswell [the friend of Paoli, a companion, whose acutenefs (he fays) would help his inquiry, and whofe gaiety of converfation, and civility of manners, are fufficient to counteract the inconveniencies of travel in countries lefs hofpitable than those which they paffed. They left Edinburgh Aug. 18. directing their course northward, along the eastern coaft of Scotland, and accompanied the first day by another gentleman [unnamed], who could ftay with them only long enough to fhew them how much they loft at feparation. As they crcffed the frith of Forth, they firft vifited Inchkeith, a fmall island, never before vifited by either of our author's companions, though conftantly lying within their view. This is defcribed as nothing more than a rock, covered by a thin layer of earth, with the ruins of a small fort, little injured by time. Through Kinghorn, Kirkaldy, and Cupar, they then proceeded to St Andrew's, a city once archiepifcopal, where lodgings had been provided for them, "by the interpofition of fome invifible friend," at the house of one of the profeffors, whofe "eafy civility," and

elegant lettered hofpitality," are amply rewarded by as elegant an elogium. But this "kindness did not contribute to abate the uncafy remembrance of an univerfity declining, a college alienated, and a church profaned and haftening to the ground." On these several topics our author defcants with his ufual energy and pathos, paying a compliment, by the way, to the "modern Latinity" of Buchanan, and obferving, at St An

drew's

drew's, only one tree, which "might be a fhow in Scotland, as a horfe in Venice." Over the frith of Tay, they paffed, by Dundee, to Aberbrothock, a monaftery renowned in the hiftory of Scotland, and ftill magnificent in its ruins; thence proceeded to Montrofe, a "clean, airy, well-built" town; and were then drawn out of their way to the houfe of Lord Monboddo, "by the magnetifm of his conversation." At Aberdeen, our travellers were politely noticed by Sir Alexander Gordon, known, twenty years ago, to Dr Johnfon, in London, and now Profeffor of Phyfic in the King's college. Both the old and new city, and alfo the colleges, are briefly defcribed, and we are told, that the writer had the freedom of the city politely given him in the town-hall, by the Lord Provost. "The honour conferred (fays the Doctor) had all the decorations that politeness could add, and, what I am afraid I should not have had to fay of any city fouth of the Tweed, I found no petty officer bowing for a fee." To Slanes-Caftle, built on the margin of the fea, the feat of the Earl of Errol, they were invited by his Lordfhip; and, with Mr Boyd, vifited Dun Buy (the yellow rock), a rocky peninfula, difcolcured by the dung of innumerable feafowls, and the Bullers of Buchan, a rock perpendicularly tubulated, of which the defcription cannot be read with indifference. Pursuing their journey, our travellers faw neither flocks nor herds, and, in thefe 200 miles, had obferved only one tree not younger than themfelves. At Banff, their next ftage, nothing particular was obfervable, but the incommodioufnefs of Scotch windows, which kept them very closely fhut. Through Cullen they proceeded to Elgin, a place of little trade; and here, defcribing the ruins of that cathedral, the Doctor af ferts, that our own cathedrals (alfo) are mouldering by unregarded dilapidation," and that "the monuments of facred magnificence are defpifed." This intelligence is new and alarming, and we could with that thefe dilapidated churches had been fpecified, especially as, on many (English) cathedrals, to our knowledge, great fums have lately and very judiciously been expended. But to return To Forres they went forwards the fame day, "to an Englishman claffic ground," being "the town to which Macbeth was travelling, when he met

the weird fifters;" at Fochabers, a feat of the Duke of Gordon, saw the first orchard; and, at Nairn, entered on the Highlands, there" firft feeing peat-fires, and hearing the Erfe language." From the house of Mr Macaulay, the minister who publifhed an account of St Kilda, they vifited Calder-Caftle, of which Macbeth was Thane, and, from this ancient tower, went to a moft regular modern fortification, Fort-George, where the elegant converfation of Sir Eyre Coote, the governor [diftinguished by his actions in India], was preferred, by our author, to the delicacies of his table.

As, in this route, our author muft unavoidably have croffed the Spey, and have paffed near, if not over, the field of Culloden, we cannot help wondering at his ftudiouly avoiding to mention that decifive battle; and cannot but be of opinion, that most of his English readers, at leaft, will think the fcene where the fate of three kingdoms was really determined, of no lefs importance than any of the imaginary actions of Macbeth, though celebrated by Shakespeare.

At Inverness, "the capital of the Highlands," they quitted their poftchaife for horfes, now entering a country "upon which, perhaps, no wheel has ever rolled;" and on the banks of Loch Nefs, vifiting, by the way, and defcribing, a Highland hut, and the celebrated fall of Foyers, rode to Fort Auguftus; of which the courtesy of Mr Trapaud, the governor, is not forgotten. Two days more brought them, through the Highlands, to the weftern coaft; hearing, as they passed, of the raifing of rents, and confequent emigration of the inhabitants; and painting, with a glowing pencil, the hills and ri vers, and, in particular, one pleasant bank, which first fuggefted the thought of this narration. Leaving our author philofophically to investigate the reafon of thofe peculiarities which generally diftinguith fuch rugged regions, and, afterwards, as philofophically to fleep on a

bundle of hay, in his riding-coat, we haften to the Isle of Sky, where Dr Johnfon and Mr Bofwell landed Sept. 20. and were met on the fands, and entertained at Armidel (his feat) by Sir Alexander, Macdonald. From Sky, they were invited to the Ifle of Raafay, which lies eaft of it, the arrival of ftrangers having foon excited rumour and curiofity. For the manners and cuftoms of the natives

D 2