drefs, remonstrance, and petition, laying their complaints and injuries at the feet of the Sovereign, as father of his people, able and willing to redress them, cannot but be confidered by his My, as difrefpectful to himfelf, injurious to his P-t, and irreconcileable to the principles of the Conftitution.'

This motion being regularly read by the Speaker, the Noble Mover fpoke to the following purport:

My L-5,

I am to confider, in confequence of this motion, what it was the Lord Mayor, &c. of the city of London requested, in order to difcover what reafons they gave, by this requifition, for fuch an anfwer-an answer fo harth, that it baffles my reading in the hiftery of this country to equal it. They requefted, iny L-s, very humbly, a reftoration of the freedom of election, a difmiffion of unjust fervants, and a diffolution of a Pt that protected them, as they (the citizens of London) could not, legally, be reprefented by fuch. Now, my L-s, I do avow the truth of this petition; and I do likewife avow, that the citizens of London, with the rest of his My's fubjects, have a right to petition, not only by Magna Charta, and the Bill of Rights, but by a variety of acts of Parliament, numerous as they are expreffive. Now, my L-s, let us confider the answer, No particular part of it is replied to, but the whole Contents is at once difpofed of.' "That this petition was difrefpectful to himself, injurious to his P—————t, and irreconcileable to the princi. ples of the Conftitution." I am too well acquainted, my L-s, with the benignity and mildness of his M-y's heart, to think him capable of giving fuch an anfwer -nor could he do it with propriety, either in his regal, or perfonal capacity. I muft beg your patience, my L-s, to confider this a little more attentively: "First," "Difrespectful to himself." How is a K to know this? Is he a judge what is difrespectful to him? No, my L-s; the laws are to determine this for him, the juft interpreters of offences." Injurious to my Pt!" How injurious to P-t? when the very nature of part of the petition refers to that freedom of election in the people, by which they became a Houfe of Judicature;'"Irreconcileable to the principles of the Conftitution," when the very effence of the Conftitution not only permits, but requires petitioning the throne; and what the Starts never dared to thwart in the zenith

of power.-I repeat again, my L-s, the K could never give fuch anfwer from himself; I have too established an opinion of his head and heart; and indeed, my L-s, poor as my opinion is of Administration, I can hardly think it was a joint advice, but the opinion of one, or a few ; for it is impoffible, but if there were many, who were confulted about this measure, fome one of them muft fee the abfurdity of it.-For, let me tell you, whoever they were (I don't care of what confequence) they were either Fools or Knaves; if the latter, they deferve to be treated with the juft contempt of an injured people; if the former, they ought to have been fent to school, before they were fuffered to take the lead in public office.

When I mentioned the livery of London, I thought I faw a fncer upon fome faces; but, let me tell you, my L-s, tho' I have the honour to fit in this illuftrious Chamber, as a Peer of the realm, coinciding with thefe honeft citizens in opinion, I am proud of the honour of affociating my name with them. The Lord Mayor of London was a Principal amongst the twenty-five Barons who received Magna Charta from King John, and they have ever fince been confidered to have a principal weight in all affairs of Government. How then have these respectable characters been treated! They have been fent away fore afflicted from his M-y's prefence, and repri manded for pursuing their undoubted privileges.

Lord P

-t made a fhort answer to this fpeech. He obferved, 'That the Chamber had been of late almost totally taken up, by a popular Nobleman, on a popular fubject, and that he was forry to find business fo much impeded by requifitions incongru ous in their very natures; as if thefe Noble L-ds would, in the courfe of about fix weeks, fo change their opinions as now to condemn a meature, they had then approved of, by addreffing his My on the propriety of his anfwer.'

The E-1 of Sk replied to him. He obferved it was no unufual thing for the greateft Lawyers to reverse their decrees; and he appealed to two Noble L-ds on the wool-pack, (meaning L-d Md and L-d C- -n) whether they did not lately declare they should be always ready to do fo, when convinced that they had erred; but he was afraid, he faid, the public had to do with a perverfe Miniftry, who seemed pleased in thwarting their measures, as appeared plainly in their different treatment of the people of Ireland and England; in the former contrary to public defire (after they had L12

taken

taken away their money) they diffolved that Pt for a twelvemonth; and in the latter they continue a Pt, though its di lolution is echoed for from every part of the kingdom.'

L-d S -e fpoke next, and called upon the Miniftry to reply. No, my L-ds, continued he, you fit fecure in your majority. He then mentioned a precedent which Ĺ-d Pt had purpofely omitted, because it was in the reign of King William; the affair of the Kentifh petition; upon which the Parliament in that reign was diffolved. He quoted Burnet's account of this matter; and took his obfervations upon it from Bishop Kennett; who fays King William diffolved this Parliament, agreeable to the defires of a part of his fubjects, to convince them all, he was not playing any double game:' He wifhed to have a Parliament whom they all approved of. His Lordship repeated it, that the King was willing to fhew his fubjects he was playing no double game.'

L-d Te ftood up, and conjured them to make fome defence. He begged it as a favour, and he was not used to ask favours, he faid; for their own fakes, he intreated them to make fome defence ;-to fay fomething for themfelves. He called them the Dumb Administration.' He congratulated them upon their filence, which was convincing to the public they were not able to make any defence against the Noble L-d who made the motion.

A paufe now enfuing for fome time, and none of the Miniftry replying, the D-e of R- -d rofe up, and called upon them, a fecond time, to defend themfelves.-A Noble L-d, fays he, who spoke just now (meaning L-d P t) harped upon an expreffion, dropt by a Noble Lord (L-d Cm) relative to fecret influence, and femed to call for an explanation of that phrafe. I will explain it to that Noble Lord, that fecret influence are measures adopted by a fet of men, who, cn his M-y's acces fion to the Throne of thefe realms, lifted under the banners of the Earl of Bute, and have ever fince directed all their attention more to intrigues, and their own emolu-. ments, than the good of the public. This is that fecret influence; and, if that Noble Lord, or his adherents, want to be further informed, I refer them to an excellent pamphlet juft publifhed, called Thoughts on the Caufe of the prefent Difcontents.'

At the end of every fpeech the C-t Lds were calling out, the Question! the Question! And it being near fix o'clock, the Chamber divided; when thirty-feyen

were for the Refolution, and eighty-five were against it.

Again, May the 14th, the E-1 of Cm made a motion in the H. of L. for an addrefs to the K-g, to defire he would diffolve the prefent Parliament. He ftated the public difcontents in England, Ireland, and America: Affirmed that the people had no confidence in the prefent Houfe of Commons, who had betrayed their truft; and thewed, from the fituation of public affairs, the great neceffity of having a Parliament in whom the people can place a proper confidence. At length, he told the leaders of the Adminiftration, that they might be affured there was a thunder-bolt hanging over their heads, red with uncommon wrath, which would, e're long, fall down, and blaft the men, who ow'd their greatnefs to their country's ruin.

All arguments were in vain : And, the debates having lafted till nine o'clock, the Court L-s called for the Question! the Queftion!' and put a negative upon it.

On Friday, the 18th of May, the D-e of R -d made a motion for taking the affairs of America into confideration. He obferved, that, though his My, at the opening of the feffion, had recommended the ftate of government in America to their ferious attention, yet not one word had fince been faid upon the fubject in that House. -Adminiftration had never fo much as appointed a day for fo important a confideration. -Even when the frivolous and trifling revenue-acts were repealed, they would not utter a fyllable. He fhould therefore offer to the confideration of their Lordships a number of propofitions, in the form of refoJutions.

Hereupon L-d Hgh ftood up, and faid, That the affairs of America ought to be left to the confideration of the Ministry, who might form fome plan, during the recefs of Pt; and then moved to adjourn.

L-d Se observed, That the refolutions against him being moved to be put off by himself was fuch a manifeft violation of juftice, and fuch a prostitution of P- -t, that he hoped IMPEACHMENT would foon follow.' He reproached Ad miniftration for having put into the K-'s mouth, at the beginning of the feffion, a recommendation of the affairs of America, as one of the principal objects for the confideration of Parliament; and then fuffering every day to elapfe, without so much as noticing that great object; and now that it was come to the last day, and the matter moved by the Noble D-e, they, with a

And then that tender ftrain, fo love-creating, Turas to, Death, Madam, hold your curfed prating,

You quite diftract me prithee farther

ftand

I won't be teaz'd-Zounds, take away your hand

This is a fad change, Ladies, but 'tis common,

Man will be man, and woman will be woman ;

For Villars is a phoenix, where's his brother? "Twill take a hundred years to find another. Yet you, ye fires, whom time fhould render wife,

You act as if each moment it could rife; Forgetting all what you yourselves have been, You trust your girls with Dormers at fifteen; Throw your poor lambkins in the tyger's

way,

Then ftare to find a rake-a beaft of prey. Learn prudence here-and, O! you precious blades,

Whether cockaded, or without cockades ;
Whether haranguing for the public good,
You shake St. Stephen's-or the Robinhood-
Who ring our charms for ever in our ears,
Yet inly triumph at a virgin's tears;
Be now convinc'd-the libertine disclaim,
And live to honour, if not dead to fhame.
What is the plaudit of a fool when mellow,
Roaring in raptures, a damn'd honeft fellow ?
Will that repay you for the bofom ftings?
Damn'd honeft fellows oft are worthless
things-

But I'll ftop here, I will not fermonise-
A foolish woman can't inftruct the wife.

To the King of PRUSSIA, on bis Recovery, written by VOLTAIRE, tranflated by the Rev. Dr. FRANKLIN.

IN

N Pluto's dark abodes, the fifters three, Who weave too fast the threads of deftiny,

As 'long the Styx they took their evening walk

Had often heard the wand'ring fpirits talk
Of Pruffia's gallant deeds, the laws he made,
The wars he fought, the virtues he difplay'd.
As thus they trac'd the hero from his birth,
They took him for the oldeft King on earth;
And as his wond'rous acts they counted o'er,
Instead of forty, wrote him down fourfcore.
Then Atropos, to Kings a hateful name,
Difpatch'd by gloomy Dis, to Berlin came;
Her fatal fhears prepar'd, expecting there
To find a poor old man, with filver hair,
And wrinkled forehead :-Great was her fur-
prife,

To fee his auburn locks, and sparkling eyes;
To fee him wield the fword, to hear him play,
On the foft flute, his jovial roundelay.
She call'd to mind how once Alcides great,
And smooth-tongu'd Orpheus, brav'd the
pow'r of fate;

She trembled when the faw, in Pruffia join'd,
The voice of Orpheus, with Alcides' mind;

Affrighted, threw her fatal fhears afide,
And, home returning, to her fifters ery'd,
For Pruffia weave a new and golden thread,
Lafting as that for god-like Lewis made.
In the fame caufe did both the heroes fight ;
'Gainst the same foes with equal zeal unite.
Both gain'd by wond'rous acts immortal
fame;

The fame their valour, and their end the fame;

And both hereafter fhall-but foft; the mufe
No longer the unequal task purfues;
Two living Monarchs aptly to defign
Requires an abler pen, and ftronger pow'rs,
than mine.

* This very pretty complimentary letter is not to be met with in the new edition of Voltaire's works, and was never printed before, though written above fifteen years ago.

The TRAVELLER and RAINBOW: A FABLE.

Gaudy rainbow, vivid, gay,

A Refplendent with the various ray,

Arrefts a trav'ler's raptur'd gaze,
While thus he cries with wild amaze,
"Heav'ns! what a fight! how rich a glow!
Can art a fcene thus lovely fhow?-
The pallet this emboss'd with teints,
That nature ufes when the paints!
And fuch an arch!-It fure fupports
Olympus, and the thunderer's courts;
The hemifphere beftriding wide,
Magnificent, from fide to fide:
Would Jove but mount me to yon fphere,
Where I might view this wonder near,
Where I might all its glories trace,
Which distance greatly muft efface;
Would Jove but grant me this request,
How thankful fhould I be! how bleft!'

No fooner faid, than quick as thought,
Aloft in diftant air he's caught
'Mid floating oceans chill'd to death,
'Mid fogs almoft depriv'd of breath:
When words like thefe, in accents clear,
Strike the affrighted trav'ler's ear :-
What late your admiration drew
In genuine colours here you view;
Mere earth-born vapours, mist and rain,
Rais'd by the fun to float amain,
Which gilded by his beams appear
Thus glittering to your lower fphere;
To dazzle wond'ring eyes, and show
What outward ornaments can do ;
Learn hence with caution to decide
On objects at a distance spy'd;
Nor think that Fortune's fmiles impart
Contentment to the garter'd heart;
The gaudieft flowers oft contain
Within their core a cank'rous bane.

Learn too that men who often show,
When diftant, like the glittering bow,
If nearer fearch'd, prove fogs at beft
By an illufive fun-beam dreft.'

Ended the voice, the trav'ller found
Himfelf replac'd upon dry ground,

T. R.

HALL

At thy benign approach Night throws afide
Her raven-colour'd veft, and from her cave.
Starts forth to vifibility. And now,
With thy bright edging burnish'd, on the eye
The tree tops glitter; hills, and vales, and
plains

Thy fofteft influence feel. The tir'd ox,
Forgetful of the labours of the day,
Slumbers at cafe beneath thy kindly beam.
Tho' now the lamp, that late illum'd the
day,

Its blaze withdraws to light up other worlds,
I cannot weep its abfence, while this scene
Invites to fpeculation more refin'd.
Witness this canopy of clufter'd stars,
In dazzling order fpread, immensely bright!
Witness yon glitt'ring mounts, and valley
1treams,

Dancing beneath thy filver-fhedding orb.
Mute are the choral warblers of the day;
Yet tho' the choral warblers of the day
No more fymphonious lull Attention's ear,
And tho' nor linnet fings, nor laughing finch
Shrill twittles from the fpray-O fmiling
Night,

Still, ftill, thou haft thy charms, while Phi

lomel

Is thine. Ah! let me hear th' extatic fwells By Eccho's voice return'd.-So sweet's the ftrain,

The nymph inamour'd doubles ev'ry note,
Save ever and anon thy fofteft trill
In imperfection dies upon her tongue.
If aught of found the troubled breaft can footh,
And from its course avert the tide of grief,
"Tis thine, thou sweet musician. Tho' thy
dirge

Be querulous, yet does it fill the mind
With folemn mufing and celeftial wonder.
Nor yet I fcorn, O Night, thy loving bird,
As on her ivy-flaunting turret perch'd,
Wooing thy browneft folitude, the hoots,
To fome difcordant-yet again-ere morn
Affright thine eye, and rob me of thy note.
Oh! 'tis a pleafing melancholy air,
Which Fancy well may melodi.e. How oft
From jarring ftrings harmonious founds are
drawn !

Turn upwards, eyes! and fee yon flaming
arch!

How glows each facred light! Yon falling

ftar

Behold There view the Deity immense;
"Tis he who fhines in all, th' Eternal One,
Who form'd and rules with awe the won-
d'rous whole.

Here let the atheift tremble as he looks,
And blush into belief-But can there live

thou wake

In torments wrapt, when Death disturbs thy dream.

For know (poor crawling worm of little faith) Thou canst not die the wretch that thou haft liv'd.

Here let me gaze, and in the trance of thought

Forget that I am mortal-But behold!
Alas! the profpect leffens, and each star
From the fair face of fun retires, eclips'd
With luftre more predominant. Farewell,
Sweet nurse of Virtue, Contemplation fage!
For I must leave thee now. The bufy Day
My ling'ring chides. I go, till Night's re-
turn,

To plunge into that fea of fin—a bustling world.

J

The Diftribution of GIFTS, a Fable.

Ove once, 'tis faid, was angry grown
With all mankind; and we must own
With reason too: Th' ungrateful race
Dar'd even to their Maker's face,
Unthinking, infolent and vain,
Presume of hardships to complain.
Say, did not I (thus spoke the god)
Create at will that human clod?
Endow it with a foul divine,
That attribute a spark of mine?
Did I not place him on yon ball,
That earth, and make him lord of all
Did I not give him full command
O'er every creature in the land?
O'er all that in the waters swim,
O'er all that thro' light ether skim?
Nay more: I gave a loving wife,
To be the folace of his life;

A fair one too. (Jove fwears and vows
He'd gladly club for such a spouse:
For Jove we know would now and then,
By way of frolick, act like men)
The very being of a state

Confifts of fmall, as well as great ;
From first to laft there must be ranks;
Man's bleft in all, yet gives no thanks:
To every one Jove's bounty flows;
To these bright honours, wealth to thofe :
And they who dwell in humble cot
May boaft indeed the happiest lot:
Instead of grandeur, pomp, and wealth,
I give them mirth, content, and health s
Nay fome have ftill a luckier hit,
As country squire, and London cit,
Great appetites, and little wit.
What would ungrateful mortals have?
How dare they fay, Jove nothing gave?
To please mankind's no easy task;
Give e'er fo much, they've more to afk.

}