counts of a nation at a great diftance up the Miffouri (a branch of the Millifippi), in manners and appearance refembling other Indians, but fpeaking Welth, and retaining fome ceremonies of the Chriftian worship; and at length this is univerfally believed to be fact. Captain Abraham Chaplain, of Kentucky (a gentleman whofe veracity may be entirely depended upon), affured me that, in the late war, being with his company in garrifon at Kafkafki, fome Indians came there, and, fpeaking the Welsh language, were perfectly understood, and converfed with, by two Welshmen in his company; and that they informed them of their fituation as mentioned above.' Thus far tranfcribed out of Mr. Filfon's book. Then Mr. Morgan Edwards proceeds: The faid Miffouri river is faid to run a courfe of 3,000 miles before it falls into the Miffifippi. Kentucky was difcovered by one James McBride in 1754. Since the peace, abundance of people have emigrated thither. This country was certainly inhabited by white people many years ago, as appears by the remains of two regular fortifications, the plowing up of broken earthenware, a pair of millitones, &c. all which were unknown to the Indians. Mr. Filson afcribes them to the Welsh, who removed from thence to the Miffouri, as he fuppofes.' Thus far Mr. Morgan Edwards. As this is a new affair, or rather a fubject long and deeply buried in oblivion, and of late thus raifed up, I can fay no more to it of any importance. 1 have heard fome hints of Welsh people being about the Miffifippi about forty years ago; and fome other hints, of no use now, because I do not perfe&ly remember the particulars and authority of them. I am, &c.

"JOSHUA THOMAS."

In addition to the above account of Mr. Thomas, I here add a paffage from his Hanes y Bedyddwyr, i. e. The Hif tory of the Baptifs in Wales: mentioned above. It is as follows:

"Mae amryw awdwyr yn fôn am y Cymry hynny (yn America). Mae'r geiriau canlynol mewn llythyr o Philadelphia, oddiwrth Mr. Reynold Howels at Mr. Miles yn 1752: Cafwyd allan yr Indiaid Cymreig, y maent yn byw y tu gorllewin i'r afon fawr Mithfippi." (Preface, p. 18). In English thus:

"Many authors mention this Welsh nation (in America). The following words are in à letter from Mr. Reynold Howels to Mr. Miles; dated at Philadelphia in 1752: The Welth Indians are found out; they are fituated on the Weft fide of the great river Miffilippi."

You perceive, Mr. Urban, that all accounts agree in placing these people Weft of the Milifippi. It is very posfible that fome of your readers know nothing of them but what has appeared of late in your Magazine; but if they

will be pleafed to look into Mr. Warrington's Hiftory of Wales, p. 307 of the fecond edition, they will fee there an account of the difcovery of America in the year 1170, by Madoc, or Madog, youngest fon of Owen Gwynedd, Prince of North Wales; the occalion of his expedition, and the colony that he planted there. See alfo Wynne's Hiftory of Wales, pp. 195, 196, 2d edit.; and Owen's British Remains, printed in 1777, p. 103, &c. &c.; and all thofe accounts, with many others, in a well-▾ written pamphlet, lately published by the Rev. Dr. Williams, of Sydenham. The infertion of this in your next Magazine will oblige many of your Welsh readers as well as,

Yours, &c. EDWARD WILLIAMS. P.S. I can truly fay with the Rev. Mr. Thomas, that I have, ever fince I remember, heard many anecdotes of thofe Welsh Indians; of their having been difcovered occafionally by traders, miffionaries, foldiers, &c.; but I am not able to recollect enough of the particulars of thofe relations: they are confequently of very little authority; and I must not disgust your readers with fuch things. Yet I cannot help obferv ing, that thofe little anecdotes, though mulate as to become the univerfal reof obfcure origin, when they fo accuport of a country or people, are worthy of fome notice.-Mr. Owen and myself had an opportunity lately of confulting Mr. William Pritchard, book feller and printer, of Philadelphia, who is now, or lately was, in London, about the Welth Indians. He told us, that he had often heard of them, and that they were, in Pennfylvania, univerfally believed to be very far Weftward of the Miffifippi, and that he had often heard of people that had been amongst them; but the most particular account that he had received, was what he heard within thefe very few years of Dr. Samuel Jones (who is mentioned in Mr. Jothua Thomas's letter). He knows now, he fays, feveral in Pennfylvania who have. been amongst thofe Indians; and is very active at prefent in that country in endeavouring to obtain all the information poffible on this curious fubject; and fays that, if he should be but a very lit tle affifted, he would immediately vifit thofe Well tribes. E W.

*Intituled, "An Enquiry concerning the first Dicovery of America by the Europeans, &c. By the Rev. John Williams, D.D."

SYL

I

SYLVANUS URBAN,

Aug. 20. HAVE in my poffeffion a copy of an extract of a letter from a celebrated literary female to a Biographer of Dr. Johnfon, containing her account of the difpute between the Doctor and M. Knowles, of which another relation is given in the Gentleman's Magazine for June laft. As fome particulars relative to the principal subject of the difpute are mentioned in the abovefaid letter, it may not be improper to infert that part of it in a future Magazine; and I therefore fubjoin it, for that purpose.

Permit me now to make a few remarks on the Salopian correfpondent's illiberal reflexions on a peaceable fect of Chriftians, of whofe real principles and tenets he appears to be in the darkeft ignorance; an ignorance which, I doubt not, will plead his excufe with the majority of thofe he has fo unjustly attacked.

From the bigoted malignity of his ftrictures, I strongly suspect he is as much "chafed" with the reading of the dialogue, as the good Doctor himself was in his weak and peevish fupport of his part of it; for weak, indeed, are even Coloffal ftrength and learning, when they affail the impregnable bulwarks of reafon and of truth.

It has ever been, and I trust ever will be, a maxim with me, to make myself fully acquainted with the grounds of the perfuafion and practice of another, before I either condemn or approve and I am thoroughly convinced it is a maxim which, if more generally adopted, would prevent much fruitlefs and unprofitable contention among the profeffors of Chriftianity. Had this been attended to by W. C. I am certain there would have been no caufe for this reply; but, ji vult decipi, decipiatur: and there is a certain air of High Church authority and domination pervading the whole letter, which abfolutely precludes enquiry, and, with an affectation of sovereign contempt, exchanges candid refearch for groundiefs affertion, or wilful mifreprefentation. What kind of Quakers this doughty polemick has met with, or by what arguments he contrives to have them fo “properly dealt with,” I cannot devife; but I am bold to affert, that it is utterly impoffible for him, or any other ecclefiaftical fophift whatever, let his acutenefs be what it may, to establish a single proof of the most remote tendency to Defm in the doctrines, tenets, or practices, of the people called

Quakers. I am equally ready to affert and prove, that there is no body of Chriftians, whose care is more uniform. ly extended to lay the foundation of the religion and education of all its members on the facred Scriptures of truth. And I have no doubt, if those, who think to exalt their own opinions by defaming thofe of others, would take the pains of a candid and unprejudiced en. quiry, they would difcover, that it is the humble endeavour, and ardent wish, of the Society collectively, to make their tenets and practice quadrate with the divine doctrine and example of our Saviour Jesus Christ, as much as is attainable in a state of human frailty: they would also clearly fee, that their faith, in and through him, the true Head of the Church, is the genuine fource of their hope and confolation.With regard to the unqualified and abfurd affertion, that "this fubtile fect was originally fyftematifed by the Je fuits," it is almost ridiculous to notice it: but I call upon him to prove it, by any hiftorical or other evidence whatever. It is not my wifh or intention to defend my principles by comparison with thofe of others; but I appeal to the impartial readers of the Gentleman's Magazine, for their decifion, whether or not the profeffion and practice of the people called Quakers have been injurious to the religious and moral interefts of fociety in general?-I am afraid the prefent fate of this country is not particularly favourable to the propagation of a fimple and pure religion, free from the modern pageantry of the Romish and other churches; W. C. may there. fore be affured, there is no great ne ceffity for republishing the mully polemicals of a Gittins or a Leflie, whofe "Snake in the Grafs" was weil fwitched near a hundred years fince. I can alfo affure him, that the reveries of the Quakers, as he is pleafed to ftyle them, are as oppofite to thofe of the Swedenborgians as light is to darkness.-To conclude: I refer to the unerring criterion and touchflone of every order of profeffors, "by their fruits ye fhall know them."

A Conflant Reader of the G. M.

of inferting their difpute in your meditated work, the Life of Dr. Johnfon, it is neceffary that fomething fhould be known concerning the young perfon who was the fubject of it. Mifs Jenny Harry was, for fhe is no more, the daughter of a rich planter in the West Indies, who fent her to England, to receive her education in the house of his friend Mr., where an ingenious Quaker lady, Mrs. Knowles, was frequently a vifitor. This gentleman affected wit, and was perpetually rallying Mrs. K. on the fubject of her Quaker principles, in the prefence of the young, gentle, and ingenuous Mifs Harry; who, at the age of eighteen, had received what is called a proper and polite education, without being inftructed in the nature and grounds of her religious belief. Mrs. K. was often led into a serious defence of her devotional opinions, upon thofe vifits at Barn Elms. You know with what clear and graceful eloquence she speaks on every subject. The antagonists were fhallow theologifts, and oppofed only a pointless raillery to duly and long-studied reafoning upon the precepts of Scripture, delivered in perfuafive accents and harmonious language. Without any defign of making a profelyte, the gained one. Mifs Harry grew very ferious, and meditated perpetually

on all that had dropped from the lips of her Quaker friend, till it appeared to her, that Quakerifm was true Chriftianity. Believing this, the thought it her duty to join (at every hazard of worldly intereft) that clafs of worhipers. On declaring thefe fentiments, feveral ingenious Clergymen were employed to argue with her; but we all know the force of first impreffions in theology, and Mrs. K's arguments were the first the had liftened to on this important theme. This young lady was reafoned with, and threatened, in vain; the perfifted in refigning her fplendid expectations, for what appeared to her the path of duty. Her father, on being made acquainted with her change of principles, informed her, that the might chufe between one hundred thousand pounds, with his favour, if the continued a Churchwoman, or two thousand pounds, if she embraced the Quaker tenets. She lamented her father's difpleasure, but thanked him for the pecuniary alternative; affuring him, it included all her withes in respect to fortune. She foon after left her guardian's houfe, and boarded in that of Mrs. Knowles; to whom The often obferved, that Dr. Johnfon's difpleasure, whom he had often feen at her guardian's house, and who had always been fond of her, was among the greatest mortifications of her then fituation: and once the came home in tears, and told her friend the had met Dr. Johnfon in the ftreet, and had ventured to ask him how he did, but that he would not deign to fpeak to her, and paffed fcornfully on the added, "You and he are to meet foon, on a literary party; plead for

me."-You remember our all dining together at Mr. Dilly's, and the conversation after dinner began with Mrs. Knowles faying, 'I am to entreat thy indulgence, Doctor, toward a gentle female, to whom thou used to be kind, and who is very unhappy in the lofs of that kindness; Jenny Harry weeps at the consciousness that thou wilt not speak to her.'"

Here follows the account of the Doc

tor's furly reply, and of the whole con verfation; which, I think, differs chiefly in manner only from that given in the Magazine.

PAR

C. R.

Mr. URBAN, Middlefex, Sept. 8. ARTICULAR and proper notice was taken, fome few days of ago, a Conftant Correfpondent's reflexions, p. 659, on the Bishop of London's manner of adminiftering the Apoftolical rite of Confirmation. What this writer feems offended at, as if contrary to the Rubrick, others allow, as confiftent with it. Many years ago, at Stow on the Wold, and perhaps other places, in Gloucestershire, the Bishop of the diocefe confirmed in recollection of any perfon's finding fault the fame compendious way. There is no with it, except the brother of an author whom the learned Prelate had formerly difparaged. This manner of confirming is no more contrary to the Rubrick, than, when feveral children are at the fame time brought to the font (where only, unless in imminent and apparent danger of death, the Rubrick permits them) to be baptifed, for the Minifter to use the Baptifmal Office for them all together, rather than tediously for each feparately, which the ftri&teft adherers to the Combear. It is indeed requifite for the Mimon Prayer-Book have no fcruple to fornifter baptifing to take each child into his hands, and for the Bishop confirming to lay his hands on the head of every one feparately.

The zeal of our Diocefan on this important occafion was extraordinary. On the Sundays immediately before Confirmation, he directed a fuitable exhorta. tion to be read in church, preparatory for it. Inftantly after folemnly confirming at Hammersmith, the Right Reverend Paftor exerted himfelf admirably, in a difcourfe of very confiderable length, de-livered extempore, or memoritèr, prefling fuch as had ratified their baptifmal vow, not to "go their way, forgetting straightway what manner of perfons they [con

Here the eminent James Usher, Abp. of Armagh, preached lus lait fermon.

Jequently]

fequently] ought to be;" but continually and comfortably to lead a Chriftian and correfpondent life. 'Tis hoped that, on fome at leaft, the earnest and affectionate addrefs will make a lafting and indelible impreffion. But lamentable is the impiety of the age we live in! Confirmation, and other facred offices, are too generally made light of, as little things. No judicious perfons flight them, because they duly moft regard the effential things fignified and promoted by the right and folemn ufe of them.

Mr. URBAN,

Τ

Eu-s.

London, May 8. IT is not my intention to controvert what your correspondent, p. 329, advances refpecting" the fettlement of the Madawgwys" in America; but only to request to know what degree of credibility is due to the evidence advanced by Mr. Bowles, who, if I mistake not, came down to Penfacola, in Weft Florida, in 1777 or 1778, in the very humble flation of an Indian packhorfe-man, or trader, and always fo much affected the manners and drefs of his colleagues, that he never could be induced even to speak Englih, although it was fuppofed at the time that he was an Irishman, of very low birth and manners. There are merchants now in this city, who can, 1 be lieve, fpeak more particularly concerning him. I do not recollect that he was confidered as a Chief, or a perfon of any intelligence, but, as I have mentioned above, occupying a menial fiation. Thele hints are fimply with a view to your correfpondent's information, that he may not offer to the publick any other evidence than fuch as can be ftamped with refpectability and certainty.

An Indian Chief of the Creck nation frequently came down, and his name was the Mad Dog Indian.-Perhaps fome ingenious commentator may difcover an affinity between it and Madawg; for, barbarous as they may be fuppofed, and fond as the Chiefs are of titles, no one would imagine that any man would take up one that carries an idea fo vile; and particularly the Chief 1 fpeak of, whofe good-nature was remarkable.

Yo

L.

Mr. URBAN, Wood-fireet, Sept. 3. YOUR correfpondent D N. muft in the courfe of next month take into the house, or put into a frame covered with glafs, all his geraniums, myrtles, &c. which require hufing in the winter, or otherwile the cold nigias and mornings will materially injure them. In the day-time let them have plenty of air, as

air and light are two very effential quali ties in the growth of all plants. His cuttings which have been fet fome time fince fhould now be removed into pots fingly by themselves, there to remain all the winter, and in the fpring may be removed into larger pots.

If he wishes to have flowers early, I would advise him to set the feed now (as I intend doing myfelf), and keep them in a dry place until about January, then expofe them to the weather. If he obferves, he will find all felf-fowed feed produce much better, much fironger, and much earlier plants, than thofe sowed in the fpring; therefore it evidently appears, that feeds fown late in autumn will produce much better flowers in fpring.

To all flowers whofe leaves decay away after having blown, the root remaining fill good under ground, he will find great benefit by throwing a little good loam on the top.

A CULTIVATING FLORIST.*

Mr. URBAN,

BY

Sept. 5. Y inferting the following epitaph, from Burford church, Oxfordibire, and of which feme correfpondent may probably favour me with a tranflation,) you will oblige, P. W.

EDMUNDUS HARMANUS, Armiger, quem Deus, innumeris beneficiis, ab ineunte atate profecutus eft, hoc Chriftianæ memoriæ monumentum, fibi & AGNET 1, unicæ & caftillimæ conjugi, & 16 liberis, Deo benedicente, ex illa fufceptis, pofuit, 1560. Nullus eram, &, faciente Deo, fum natus ut effem ;

Jam nunc, de proprio femine, rurfus ero : Inque die maguá, qua nunc abfumpta pu

tamus

Corpora, cernemus furgere tota Deo. Pellite corde motum, mea membra, & credite vofmet [ille,

Cum Chrifto redditura Deo; nam vos gerit Et fecum revocat. Morbos ridete minaces; Inflictes cafus contemnite; & atia fepulcra Defpicite: exurgens quo Chriftus provocat, ite; [ona. Chriftus erit cunctis Regnum, Lux, Vita, Co

CANDIDUS fays, Though fuch flowers as The Cu tivating Fhrift mentions may do well in fome town gardens, I fear moft who plant fuch will have thrown their money away, unless they bring good earth into their garden. In general, about a foot deep in lit tle gardens in town, there is nothing but rubbish; which, I think, is the reason why fo few things do well in a town-garden.— But, whoever will take the trouble to have their garden free from that, and good earti put in the place of the rubbish, will, I fancy, have reafon not to repent the expence."

Mr.