Printed at St. Jobn's Gate, for D. HENRY, and fold by F. NEWBERY, the Corner of St. Paul's Church-Yard, Ludgate-Street.
of the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE.
CLOSE, URBAN, close th' historic page
Disgrac'd with more than civil rage*; And may our annals never tell To that dire rage what victims fell! Let dark oblivion hide the plain O'erspread with heaps of Britons flain, Friends, brothers, parents, in the blood Of brothers, friends, and fons imbrued! While Canada difclaims our way, Thofe laurels withering in a day, Which searce whole years of toil could yield, The growth of many a well-fought field. For this, with tranfient glory fir'd, Have Britain's bravest sons expir'd? For this was Howe, was Wolfs, decreed To fight, to conquer, and to bleed? To thun this agonizing fight, Brave Saunders, by a noble flight, -A fafe, a peaceful port obtain'd, Ere that was loft which he had gain'd +.
Griev'd at the past, yet more we fear The horrors of the coming year, Ships funk or plunder'd, flaughter'd hofts, Towns burnt, and defolated coafts. Yet, sever'd by th' Atlantic main, Though great, our efforts must be vain: Resources so remote n 2 fail, Nor skill nor valour can prevail : When winds, waves, elements, are foes, In vain all human means oppose.
At length, when all these contests cease, And Britain weary'd rests in peace, Our fons, beneath yon Western skies Shall see one vast republic rise; Another Athens, Sparta, Rome Shall there unbounded sway affume; Thither her ball shall Empire roll, And Europe's pamper'd ftates controuk, Though Xerxes rul'd and lash'd the fea, The Greens of old thus would be free; Nor could the power and wealth of Spain Th' United Netherlands regain.
Plusquam civilia bella --Luc. lib. 1.
+ Admiral Saunders died December 7, 1775, much about the time that Quebee was taken,
ERRATA-IN page 464, col. 2, 1. it, for "Invins" read "Treveris." Page 577, col. 1, 1. 47, read" Trapano." - Page 583, col. 1, 1. 49, for "223" read "283;"- " col. 1, 1. penalt. read "Chandler;"-col. 2, notes, 1. 8, after " Rob. Wood," add "Tho, Brand."-Page 606, col, 2, 1. penult. and ult, read" Vanacker."
WonHE contentions of the Americans for independence, and of the WA Mother-country for fovereignty, form an interesting part of the con cats of the present volume; in the recital of which we have endea- soued to do justice to the arguments adduced in favour of the pretenfions on tech fides; nor have we been less attentive with regard to the papers, white, for want of room, we have been obliged to omit, than to the choice of those which we have thought proper to select. The letter from Gen. Lee e to to Gen. Burgoyne, on his arrival in America, was omitted, because that from Gen. Burgoyne, by way of anfwer, was found too long to accompany it. Other omiffions of the same kind are to be accounted for on the like ground. This being premised, we shall proceed, in our ac- cuslomed manner, to recapitulate the leading articles throughout the year.
In JANUARY the profecution of Count de Guignes, in France, for gam- ing in the English tunds, opened a large field for polirical speculation: nor was the petition of the American Congrefs to the King less interesting. The account of Dr. Johnson's Journey to the Western Iles, inferted in the Review of Books, is characteristic, and needs no recommendation.
In FEBRUARY the contents of the American Governors correfpondence with Government form a remarkable series of authentic intelligence, that fome time or other will furnish materials for an interesting history of the present times. Of this kind is the copy of Lord Chatham's conciliating bill, and the account of the expedition to Port Egmont.
In MARCH the leading articles are of a mixed kind: among others, the important question relative to the establishment of a permanent society for the benefit of widows, thoughts on relieving the poor, and the secount of stilling the waves by means of oil, &c. are articles that deserve attention; Lord Cheslerfield's Creed, Dr. Johnson's Taxation no Tyranny, and the Life of Dr. Cheynel, will always be admired as literary compo- fitions, and the forgeries of the Perreaus lamented as crimes, for which the punishment may have been misapplied.
In APRIL there are some curious obfervations on parish registers, by the late Rev. Dr. Hales, never before printed; articles fufficient, without the addition of others, to recommend that month's publication to the notice of the curious.
In MAY the calculations, with a view to a permanent establishment for widows, are capital articles; as are those respeding the importation of corn into England and Scotland, for the last four years. In that month the Ridleian controverfy began by a defence of Archbishop Secker, &c.
In JUNE Gov. Trumbull's letter to Gen. Gage, and Gen, Gage's Much-admired answer, are articles of great curiosity. The description of an antient picture in Windfor castle, a print of which was copied and en- graved at the expence of the Antiquarian Society, and, by their order, disposed of to the curious, gave pleature to many readers. In that month the trial and defence of the Perreaus are recorded.
In JULY the sketch of their Majesties mode of living at Kew gave great fatisfaction. The strictures relative to the late Queen of Denmark;
« PreviousContinue » |