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ceded by three flambeaux, as he fuppofed going to some rout. This being a manner in which that lady never used to appear, Thoughtless is ftartled at the information, feems very uneafy, and has his chagrin confiderably encreafed by the receipt of an anonymous letter, which Senfible had privately fent for that purpofe, telling him, that Mrs. Thoughtlefs had actually eloped. Upon this he fets out inftantly for home, and examines Pompone, his wife's woman; but flie, having received her inftructions, only adds to his anxiety, and encreafes his diftrefs. Almolt distracted, he fends for his fifter to advise him; but here, instead of meeting either comfort or counfel, he finds nothing but animated reflections on the profligacy of his life, and invectives on the fhameful inattention he has fhewn to the happinefs of his family. Mr. Senfible coming in, tells Thoughtlefs, that his wife is at lady Candid's; and a letter just arriving from Mrs. Thoughtless herfelf, confirms his report. In this letter Mrs. Thoughtlefs laments the unhappy neceffity that had compelled her to fo difagreeable a step; a step which was highly repugnant to thofe fentiments with which the had met him at the altar; but fays, as from his behaviour to her, the was inclined to think it could not be difagreeable to him, he was lefs uneafy herself upon the point.-She further informs him, that the has put herself under the protection of a perfon of honour, a relation, and leaves it to his own humanity, without any interpofition of their friends, to appoint the neceffary allowance for her fupport; and hopes, that as fhe has bid adieu

to all the pleasures of life, in her parting from him, he will take a little care that the neceffities of it may be decently provided.

Thoughtless, who neither wants fenfe nor generofity, greatly affected by this letter, fets out immediately for lady Candid's, in order to procure a reconciliation with his wife. While he is waiting in a parlour for her lady fhip's appearance, he breaks out into the following foliloquy, which may be taken as a fpecimen of the language and fentiments of the author.

"In what manner fhall I behave? Shall I reproach her? But won't that be reflecting upon myself, for having driven her to this extremity? I have a good mind to purchase her forgivenefs, by a thorough reformation: Ay, but damn it, how my friends would laugh at me-why let them-who are they-a fet of rafcals who affemble with an infamous defign upon each other's pockets-fools at beft, who having no grain of confcience themfelves, laugh at every body who has."

Lady Candid coming in, a converfation enfues between her and Mr. Thoughtless, in which her ladyfhip artfully raifes up his paffion to the highest degree, and affures him that Mrs. Thoughtless is not in her house, for as he did not choose to countenance her elopement, that lady had put herself under the protection of lord Loveall, her relation. Nothing could have so effectually tortured poor Thoughtless as this information: lord Loveall had been a man of profeffed gallantry, had ruined a variety of women, and had formerly been a very great admirer of Mrs. Thoughtlefs, but refufed by her friends on account of

the

the profligacy of his character. He was now, however, much reformed, and the confederates had fo good an opinion of him, that they even made him a principal agent in the execution of their defign, in confequence of his being a party. Pompone is difpatched to him with an account of their proceeding, and alfo to inform him that Mr. Thoughtlefs vows vengeance against him for the fuppofed concealment of his wife. - Pompone having been among the number of thofe yielding fair ones who had been rather too complaifant to his lordship, he is talking of giving her a thousand pounds with whatfoever man the likes, as fome compenfation for that innocence of which he had difpoffeffed her; during this difcourfe, a fervant running in, announces the arrival of Mr. Thoughtlefs, and fays he would not wait for an anfwer, but had followed him up ftairs.-Pompone, upon this, is thruft into a closet, but not fo quick but Mr. Thoughtless has a view of her gown before the gets entirely in-fired with a fuppofition of her being his wife, he demands admittance in a very peremptory manner into the clofet, and lord Loveall's affurances that it is not, have fo little effect upon him, that he draws and demands fatisfaction; my lord inftantly follows his example, but Pompone, terrified at the noife of the fwords,

runs out of the closet shrieking, and caufes a ceffation of the combat.Thoughtlefs, however, convinced from Pompone's appearance fo unexpectedly, that my lord knows fomething of his wife, prepares for a renewal of the engagement, when Mr. Senfible coming in with news of Mrs. Thoughtlefs having gone home, Thoughtless is immediately appeafed, and politely apologizing. to the nobleman, readily obtains an excufe, the good-natured peer alfo accompanying him home in a carriage with Mr. Senfible.--A reconciliation immediately followsMr. Thoughtlefs difclaims all his follies, declares an extravagant love for his wife, and determines to make her the happiest of women.-Senfible, and Mifs Thoughtless, agree upon their marriage, and the whole is happily concluded.

If all the women who live uneafly in a married ftate, were to follow the example of Mrs. Thoughtless, we fear the precedent would be very dangerous; and that few would be found to imitate the conduct of her husband.

There is fome good fentiment in this piece, and no defpicable endeavour in the part of Pompone at fomething like character. The author has made Pompone continually endeavouring at hard words, and as continually making herfelf ridiculous, by failing in the attempt.

Heads of the Act for granting to his Majefty feveral Additional Duties upon
Wines imported into this Kingdom, and certain Duties upon all Cyder and Perry.

THAT from and after the 31ft

day of March 1763, the following additional duties fhall take place, viz.

· April, 1763.1

On French wine and vinegar imported 81. per ton; and all other wines and vinegar imported, 41. per ton; to be colle&ted, levied, and Z

paid

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paid, as expreffed in the act of Jac. II. or in any other act by which the duties thereby granted are made perpetual.

Damaged and unmerchantable wines fhall be exempted from thefe additional duties.

The faid duties fhall be under the management and direction of the commiffioners of the customs; and fhall be paid over weekly by the receiver-general into the Exchequer, apart from all other monies, and fhall be entered accordingly in proper books to be provided there for the purpose.

No allowance fhall be made for leakage, but upon wines imported directly from the country or place of their growth, &c. Madeira wines imported from the British plantations in America excepted.

From and after July 5, 1763, an additional duty will be laid on all cyder, and perry, viz. On all cyder and perry imported, 40s. per ton; and upon all cyder and perry made within Great Britain 4s. per hogshead, to be paid by the maker.

The duties upon cyder and perry made in England, to be under the receipt and management of the commiffioners and officers of Excife there, and thofe in Scotland, under like officers there. The commiffioners fhall appoint a fufficient number of officers, and the duties fhall be paid into the Exchequer, apart from all other monies.

The makers of cyder or perry (not being compounders) fhall enter their names, and the mills, preffes, or other utenfils, ftore-houses, and other places to be made use of, at the next office of Excife, ten days before they begin to work, under

the penalty of 251. for ufing any unentered place.

The officers of Excife, upon requeft made, fhall have free access in the day-time, to all places entered or made use of for making or keeping perry or cyder, and fhall gauge, and report the contents to the commiffioners, leaving a copy for the maker. The duties fhall be paid according thereto, within fix weeks from fuch making charge; and the ufual allowances fhall be made in refpect thereof.

Perfons intending to fell, or remove any cyder or perry in their poffeffion, made before July 5, 1763, fhall fend a figned particular thereof to the next office of Excife, ten days before the faid 5th of July; that the officer may attend, and take an account thereof, and grant certificates occafionally, for the removal of a like quantity, without charging the duty, &c.

No cyder and perry, exceeding fix gallons, fhall be removed, &c. without a certificate, on forfeiture thereof, with the package. Officers of Excife may feize the fame. A time shall be limited, for which the certificate fhall be in force.

Perfons making cyder or perry, to be confumed in their own private families only, fhall be admitted to compound for the duties, they giving in a lift of the number in family, and paying at the rate of 5s. per head per annum. This compofition fhall be renewed annually, and the money paid down at the fame time. The houfes, &c. of perfons who fhall thus compound, fhall be exempted from furvey or fearch. But upon increase of the family, a new lift shall be given in; and 5d. per month per head, fhall

be

be paid for the additional number, during the fubfifting unexpired term of the year. Compounders neglecting to deliver in fuch lifts, and to pay their compofition-money, fhall be charged with the duty, and become liable to a furvey. Perfons delivering falfe or defective lifts, &c. fhall forfeit zol.

Children under eight years of age shall not be inferted in the lifts. Compounders may fell, difpofe of, or remove, any cyder or perry more than fufficient for their own ufe, giving two days notice to the proper officer, who fhall attend, and take an account thereof, and charge the duties, and report the fame to the Excife-office; leaving a copy with the compounder. Such cyder or perry shall not be afterwards removed without a certificate. Compounders being guilty of any fraud, or in felling, exchanging, or delivering out cyder or perry, fhall forfeit zol.

No compounder fhall let out, or lend his mill, or other utenfils, for making cyder or perry, without giving three days previous notice to the proper officer to attend, and charge the duties; unless the cyder or perry be the property of another compounder, or of fome perfon not liable to the duty; and no part of it fhall be removed without a certificate; under penalty of 101.

Perfons using their own mills, &c. or procuring cyder or perry to be made at the mill, &c. of any other person, shall be deemed makers.

Compounders for malt fhall not be liable to compound, or pay duties, for cyder or perry, to be made and confumed in their own famies, unless they fhall fell, or other

ways difpofe of, any part thereof; in which cafe they shall comply with the directions given with refpect to compounders in like circumftances.

Occupiers of tenements not rated above 40s. per annum, to the landtax, and not making more than four hogfheads of cyder and perry in the whole in a year, fhall be exempted from duties, or compounding.

Thefe new duties on cyder and perry fhall be drawn back on exportation; and upon diftillation thereof into low wines and fpirits ; and upon the fame being made into vinegar, and charged with the duties as fuch.

The penalty of oppofing an officer in the execution of his office, or of refcuing, or ftaving any cyder or perry, after feizure made thereof, fhall be sol. for every fuch offence. Informations for offences against this act, by the makers of cyder or perry, fhall be laid within three months after being committed; and notice thereof fhall be given them.

Perfons aggrieved by the judgment of any juftice of the peace, touching the duties or penalties, may appeal to the quarter-feffions; and the determination of the faid court fhall be final.

Appellants fhall give notice to the other parties, and the court fhall award cofts as they fee fit, to be levied by diftraint.

For want of fufficient time intervening, an appeal may be made to the fecond quarter-feffions.

A re-hearing fhall be had of the merits of the cafe upon appeals; and defects of form in the original proceedings may be rectified by the court.

All powers, rules, methods, peZ z nalties,

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nalties, and claufes in 38 12 Car. II. or in any other act relating to the revenue of excife, where not altered by this act, fhall be put into execution with refpect to the duties on cyder and perry.

The penalties and forfeitores relating thereto, fhall be recovered or mitigated, as by the laws of Excife, or in the courts at Weftminfter, or the court of Exchequer in Scotland, and fhall be employ ed, half to the ufe of the king, and half to him that shall fue.

The duty on cyder and perry

brought from Jerfey, Guernsey, Sark, or Alderney, fhall be paid by the importer before landing, on penalty of being feized and forfeited.

The monies arifing hy the refpective duties granted by this act, fhall be entered in proper books in the Auditor's office, feparately from each other, and from all other monies; and fhall be a fund for the payment of the annuities chargeable on the principal fum of 5,000,000l. borrowed on the credit of this act.

COMPENDIOUS HISTORY OF FRANCE. [Continued.]

LE

EWIS and Charles, like young men, lot in a great measure the fruits of their victory, the former returning, with the utmost diligence, into his own territories, and the latter following Pepin into Aquitaine, As for Lothaire, he retired to Aix-la-Chapelle, and by the help of thofe artificial expedients, of which he was a great mafter, fet on foot a new army, with which he once more entered Neuftria; caufing it to be given out by his emiffaries, that Charles was killed in the battle, and the monarch of Bavaria fo wounded, that he could not live. Charles, perceiving his mistake, returned into Neuftria, but with fo fmall a force, that he was constrained to entrench himself on the other fide of the Seine. Lothaire marched to attack him with a numerous army, and found the waters fo low, that he might have have done it without difficulty. His irrefolution hindered him, till the river, fwelling on a fudden, render

ed it impracticable. The prelates and nobility of Charles's party cried this up for a miracle, by which, in a fhort time, his army was fo much augmented, that he was enabled, without fear of difturbance from Lothaire, to continue his march for Strafburgh, where he joined the army of Bavaria, which his brother Lewis commanded in person, and there, in the prefence of the prelates, nobility, and troops, they swore perpetual concord and amity, and pufhed things fo far as to declare, that, if either of them broke this treaty, his fubjects were abfolved from their allegiance, and at liberty to adhere to the other; which was attended with very pernicious confequences in fucceeding times. For the prefent, their union was in itself wonderful, and produced wonders; they eat together at the fame table; they flept under the fame roof; their councils, and even their pleasures, were in common: and this harmony diffufing itself thro'

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