coolness never before witnessed, which | Anne, but, to his style upon the re-discovery of the author of the Draper's had the effect of imparting surprising verse, were added his German titles, Fourth Letter, a note was sent to Swift, firmness to his troops. It is truly remark with FIDEI DEFENSOR, which then, with the following text, from 1 Sa able, that though these troops await the for the first time, appeared upon the muel, chap. xiv. ver. 45:- And the charge perfectly immoveable, they drop coins, although it had been constantly people said unto Saul, shall Jonathau off with great celerity when exposed to a lively fire. The general's forces are ex- used in the style of our monarchs from die, who hath wrought this great salvapected to be entirely broken early in the Henry VIII., on whom it was con- tion in Israel? God forbid. As the summer, and preparations are making for ferred by Pope Leo X., in the year Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of a vigorous pursuit of the entire success 1521. In 1718, a new species of mo- his head fall to the ground; for he of which, the most sanguine hopes are enney was coined, called a Quarter-Gui- wrought with God this day. So the tertained. PHILO-CALORIC.' in value, and bearing the same impres- not. It was said to be written by a nea, being the fourth part of a guinea people rescued Jonathan, that he died A proclamation was also issued, | Quaker. which inforced the provisions of a former decree, that no gold or silver money should be paid without weighing it, and making an allowance for any deficiency of weight.

Advertisement. For sale by auction, by Nicholas Knockdown, at the Observatory, on the coldest day in January next, a quantity of nankeen, the property of a gentleman who expected to get into the Pacific in September last.

Flannel and furs will be gladly taken
as part payment.'
'A Pun.
The commander exclaim'd, "What a fine
thing is peat,

For making a fire and giving out heat;"
"That's true," replied Furclad, who by it was
seated,

sion.

The want of small money in Ireland was so great in 1722, that the manufacturers were compelled to pay their men with tallies, or tokens of card, signed upon the back, to be afterwards ex« I strongly advise you to have it re-peated."' changed for money. In order to supThe plays were performed once a ply this want, a patent for fourteen fortnight by the officers. The stock years was granted to William Wood, of dramatic productions was very li- Esq. for coining halfpence and farmited; so that they could only per- things in that kingdom, to the extent formMiss in her Teens, The Liar, The of three hundred and sixty tons. This Citizen, A Bold Stroke for a Wife, and measure was attacked with great, The Mayor of Garratt,' until a new mu- and, as Mr. Ruding clearly shews, sical entertainment was produced, en- with unjust severity, by Dean Swift, titled the North West Passage, or the not only in the celebrated Draper's LetVoyage Finished. This piece was in ters, but he also preached two sermons five acts, and traced the progress of the on the subject. It appears, that Ireexpedition, in anticipation, from Win-land would have sustained a loss of ter Harbour, through the passage to Behring's Straits, and thence home to Deptford, when the sailors, assembling at the Prince of Wales public-house, are joined by their sweethearts, to whom they recount their difficulties and good fortune. This was a great favourite with the crews, and we cannot but admire the philosophy of the officers who could perform this and the other farces at the time that the thermometer was twelve degrees below zero on the stage!

This work, though curious, is scarcely of sufficient importance for a distinct publication; but, from the nature of Captain Parry's narrative, it could not have been admitted there except as an Appendix, which it must now be considered, though rather a more expensive one than we could have wished.

Annals of the Coinage of Britain and its Dependencies. By the Rev. R. Ruding.

(Concluded from p. 298.) DURING the whole of the reign of George I., the money was of the same species and value as that of Queen

80,000l. or about 6000l. a-year, if
Wood had coined the whole quantity
allowed by his patent, according to the
lightest of those halfpence which he had
sent over into Ireland; but it is proved,
from Sir Isaac Newton's report of the
assay of these coins, that some of them
actually exceeded in weight the terms
of the patent; and that, although they
were of unequal size, yet, one piece with
another, they were of full weight, and
better copper money than had been
coined for Ireland in the reigns of
Charles II., James II., and William
and Mary.

Although Swift denied that there had been any want of small change in Ireland, yet no sooner were Wood's halfpence withdrawn, than the want was so great, that, in 1728, local tokens were struck in several towns in the north of Ireland.

In the reign of George II., the gold coins were often reduced in their size, by unprincipled men, who filed to the amount of nine or twelve grains from the edge of each guinea. This was afterwards prevented, by adopting the suggestion of the Rev. Peter Vallavine, Vicar of Monkton, in the Isle of Thanet, which was to place the letters as near the edge of the coin as possible; the laws, in regard to uttering counterfeit money, were made inore severe; and increased rewards offered for the apprehension of offenders. No alteration was made in the style upon the coins during this reign.

At the accession of George III., the coinage wae found to be in a very im perfect state. The crown pieces had almost wholly disappeared; the halfcrowns were defaced and impaired, and the shillings and sixpences had lost almost every mark of impression, either on the obverse or reverse. A coinage of gold took place in 1760, and one of silver, though to a very small extent, in 1763. Nothwithstanding new and more severe enactments, the coinage. became worse and worse, the gold was deficient in weight, and three-fourths of the silver in circulation was counterfeit. This, indeed, continued to be, in a great measure, the case during the whole reign, until the coinage in 1816.

Of these facts, Swift was not ignorant, but he revenged the neglect of the administration, by attacking it through Wood's halfpence, which he The striking of provincial coins and rendered so unpopular, that the patent tradesmen's tokens, which was sugwas relinquished. Among other mis-gested, and in some degree justified, representations, Swift calls Wood a by the disgraceful state of the copper mean ordinary man, a hardware dealer, coinage, began with the Anglesey when, in fact, he was a great proprietor penny, in 1784, and from that time, and renter of iron and copper-works in increased rapidly, until they were su England, and had a lease of all the perseded by an issue of lawful coins in mines on the crown lands, in thirty-nine the year 1797. The coinage transac counties. tions of this year form a strange and inaly in the history of the mint. The

When a reward was offered for the

3-deficiency of the silver coins was attempted to be supplied by the issue of Spanish dollars, countermarked upon the neck of the bust, with the mark of the king's head, used at Goldsmith's Hall; and the jealousy which had hitherto confined the art of coinage with in the walls of some place under his majesty's jurisdiction, was now so completely lulled asleep, that a contract was entered into with Mr. Boulton, of Soho, near Birmingham, for the coinage of five hundred tons of copper-money, in pence only; this was afterwards followed by a coinage of two-penny pieces, halfpence, and farthings.

was

On the union of Great Britain and Ireland, in 1801, it was declared, that from henceforth, his majesty's royal style and title should be GEORGIUS TERTIUS, DEI GRATIA BRITANNIARUM REX FIDEI DEFENSOR. In 1804, it having been discovered, that the stamp upon the dollars had been frequently counterfeited, the old dollar re-stamped at Mr. Boulton's manufactory, with his majesty's head and an inscription on the obverse, and Britannia on the reverse; these were made current at five shillings, and were a sort of token issued by the Bank of England. In 1811, they were raised to five shillings and sixpence, and the Bank issued tokens of three shillings, and of one shilling and sixpence value. All these have been called in, and are no longer current.

which we alluded in the outset-that justed, that the over-rating of one may
fundamental error that has pervaded the not produce the destruction of the other.
whole system of the coinage, and vi-
And let the quantity of the various
tiated every proceeding under it-the metals to be coined be regulated, accord-
mistaken notion that pains and penal-ing to the nature of the exchanges which
are most commonly effected. These,
ties can be devised more powerful in from the increase of wealth amongst us,
their effect than the temptations of ava- will require that the gold should form the
rice. On this subject, Mr. Ruding principal part of the coinage, and that the
shows clearly, how insufficient the ter- silver and copper should be considered
ror of punishment is, when the crime only as aliquot parts, or as fractions, of it.
is so lucrative and so easily committed;
If this plan, or something equivalent
and he offers, as the only means of pre- gold and silver must be altogether aban-
to it, cannot be adopted, the coinage of
venting the crime, the following sug-doned, and those metals must circulate,
gestions:-
as they do in China, by weight.

The theory of coinage must be sim- But surely the time is not yet come, plified, by casting out of it the considera- when it will be necessary, or even expe tion of the manner in which our money dient, to make so near an approach to the will be received by the neighbouring na- barbarism of simple barter. The good jion, and if the balance of trade be against of regulating the weight of the money, tions. For they will take it only as bul- sense of the people will feel the propriety us, and must be made good by gold and according to the increased value of the silver, it is most expedient that it should precious metals; and they will readily be done by the plain metal, which will agree to a diminution of weight, propor cost nothing in the coinage. tioned to the security which they will reThe theory, thus simplified, will receive against the imposition of countergard only the convenience of the subjects feits. of that monarch by whom the money is struck; and therefore, in our case, the sole consideration will be, whether we will receive the coins at such a weight as the highest price which bullion has ever attained will allow, or whether we will be contented with a scarcity of gold, with adulterated silver and copper, and the miserable expedient of filling up the void, either with tokens, or with paper money of any man's issuing, who can find credit sufficient to force it into currency.

If we are, as unquestionably we with justice may be, dissatisfied with that compound medium which is now in circulation, the remedy seems to be of no difficult attainment.

'One thing alone will then be wanting to the perfection of the coinage, and that is, the superseding of heraldic ensigns, by reverses allusive to public events, according to the proposal of Dean Swift, in the reign of Queen Anne, which has been al ready mentioned, but is in my mind of so great importance, that I do not scruple to repeat it.

666

By this means, medals, that are at present only a dead treasure, or mere curiosities, will be of use in the ordinary commerce of life, and, at the same time, perpetuate the glories of the monarch's reign, reward the labours of his greatest In February, 1817, an extensive silsubjects, keep alive in the people a grativer coinage was issued and exchanged tude for public services, and excite the for the wretched silver money then cur- Let the weight of the coins be so re-emulation of posterity. To these generent: All English shillings and six-duced as to prevent their being affected rous purposes, nothing can so much con pences, however plain, were taken by by variations in the price of bullion; and tribute as medals of this kind, which are the Bank of England, and at the places let the workmanship of them be of the of undoubted authority, of necessary use appointed in various parts of the memost exquisite kind that the artists of this and observation, not perishable by time, tropolis for issuing the new money. country can effect. By these means, the nor confined to any certain place; prodestruction of the money by melting will perties not to be found in books, statues, In the same year, a new gold coin be prevented, and the possibility of coun- pictures, buildings, or any other monuwas issued, the Sovereign, which, how-terfeiting will be confined to workmen of ments of illustrious actions." ever, never obtained much circulation; the highest order, who will rarely be but now the Bank has resumed cash tempted to fraud by the pressure of want. payments, we begin to see them pretty Let the standard of fineness be contiplentiful, Half sovereigns were also nued as heretofore; because few persons coined a few months afterwards. Up-ture of the alloy; but every man can are able to judge with accuracy of the nawards of five millions of sovereigns, weigh the coins, and therefore the dimithree millions of half-sovereigns, and nution in that respect, will be open to the fifty millions of shillings, and thirty examination of all. millions of sixpences, had been coined up to June, 1818. A coinage of new crown pieces also took place in that year.

Having now given a rapid sketch of the British coinage, from the earliest period of its history to the year 1818, we shall not extend our remarks further, than by noticing a subject to

Let the money be made smaller in diameter, and of greater thickness than it is at present, in order to allow higher relief to the impression, and to prevent the loss of weight by wearing, which is, in a great degree, according to the extent of surface. This will also allow the edges to be defended by the impression of a legend.

Let the proportionate value of gold and silver to each other be accurately ad

'I would not, however, limit the reverses to the sole recording of what are commonly understood to be illustrious actions, but would extend their province veries in manufactures, commerce, art, or so as to comprehend all remarkable discoscience, or, in short, to whatever tends to promote the perfection and happiness of

man.'

Although Mr. Ruding did not live to reap that rich reward of fame, which a work like his Annals of the Coinage must have insured him, yet it will re main an imperishable monument of his indefatigable zeal, talents, and industry. The quarto volume of plates contains well executed engravings of all the British coins that are known, and

presents, at one view, the progress of
the coinage of the kingdom, from its
rudest form, with all the alterations that
it has undergone.

Memoirs of the Secret Societies of the
South of Italy, particularly the Car-

bonari.

pre

page of the Constitution of the Luca-
nian republic, is as follows:-

town of Grottaglie, was destined to the ecclesiastical profession, and entertained it very young. His brothers are respectable farmers; his uncle, the Canonico

Ciro, condemned for the murder of

the Motolesi, to fifteen years of chains, or

exile, by the tribunal of Lecce, remained there in prison four years, at the end of It was then that he began, and afterwards which time he succeeded in escaping. continued for several years, to lead a vamost atrocious crimes. At Martano, he gabond life, which was stained with the penetrated with his satellites into one of the first houses of the place, and, after having offered violence to its mistress, he massacred her with all her people, and carried off ninety-six thousand ducats.

nisters, Medici and Tonimaci. But the reputation of Menechini soon declined, and he set out for Messina, to organize Carbonarism in Sicily. It was long imagined, that the Po Patitaro, is a man of learning and information, and never took any part in the crimes was the boundary line of the sect in of his nephew. The latter began his inItaly; but this is a mistaken notion, famous career by killing a young man of as its principles, under different forms, the Motolesi family, in a fit of jealousy. (Concluded from p. 310.) are very widely diffused. It has been His insatiable hatred pursued every memIn the early period of the reign of Mu- questioned, whether the Neapolitan ber of the family, and exterminated them rat, his suspicions were excited against Carbonari aim at a republic, or would one after the other, with the exception of a single individual, who succeeded in the Carbonari, and he began to hate be contented with a constitutional moand persecute them. He also narchy. The author of these memoirs evading his search, and who lived shut up vailed on the Pope to issue an edict proves, by the publications of the Car- in his house for several years, without ever daring to go out. This unfortunate against freemasons and secret societies, bonari, that nothing short of a republic being thought that a snare was laid for in 1814. The Carbonari, kept under would satisfy them. Their hatred to him when people came to tell him of the by an active system of police, only be-kings, who are invariably called ty- imprisonment, and shortly after of the gan to put their doctrines in practice rants, appears in their proclamations, death of his enemy; and it was with difwhen Murat's power began to totter; their oaths, and their songs. The ly-ficulty that he was induced to quit his reand when, in 1815, the Austrian army rical motto, which decorates the title treat. advanced on Naples, they chose that moment for revenge, and joined the cause Thy plant will strike its roots alone of King Ferdinand. On this occasion, 'Midst fragments of a shatter'd throne; the Carbonari made a momentary junc- Nor freshest dews its leaves may nourish, tion with the Calderari (Braziers), a 'Tis regal blood must make it flourish.' society that had been organized to The Western Lucanian Republic is counteract the power of the Carbonari. more crafty in the pursuit of its obIn 1817, the government of Naples ject, and conceals it better. It somebegan to be alarmed at the operation times assumes the credit of wishing to of this sect, as manifestoes were distri- support the constitution, and states its buted in all directions by its means, intentions mildly, though its ultimate calling on the king to give a constitu- object is that of republicanism. This tion to his people, as he had promised. society, which is said once to have Severe measures were threatened, but amounted to one million, cannot, hownot carried into effect, and the opera- ever, have been very unanimous or detions of the Carbonari were for a time termined; for, if the late revolution suspended. The sect continued to in- in Naples had been so popular as it crease daily throughout the kingdom. was said to be, a million of Carbonari, In the city of Naples, there were up- to whom blood and carnage has no horwards of three hundred and forty lodges. rors, would not have tamely submitted The Capri line of battle ships alone to the yoke of Austria, without making contained three. In March, 1820, the a single effort for independence. The number of Carbonari enrolled, amount-author of these Memoirs, in conclusion, ed to six hundred and forty-two thou- says, that the society is daily losing sand. ground by its imprudence, and that, as The persons who, from the begin- the curiosity of its members is no ning, have directed the labours of the longer excited by an unknown obCarbonari towards a political and con-ject, their zeal is no longer kept alive stitutional object, have always been by mystery. few in number. The impulse once As a supplement to these Memoirs, given and received, they voluntarily the author has given a particular acwithdrew behind the scenes, and have count of General Churche's campaign been forgotten. Of these, the Cano- against the brigands of Calabria and nico Menechini, at Nola, was one of the Abruzzi, in 1817. One of the the most popular. He was appointed most celebrated leaders of those lands one of the members of the Committee was the Priest Ciro Aunichiarico, who, of Public Safety, in the late revolution, and twice served the cause of humanity; first, by calming the enraged populace assembled before the royal paface, at the time of the massacre of the Neapolitans; and afterwards by disarming the resentment of the ferocious Carbonari, in the field of Mars, when they threatened the lives of the Ex-mi-l

driven from society for his crimes,
took refuge in the mountain forests,
and having collected a band of despe-
rate outlaws, long carried on his depre-
dations unmolested. Of this prince of
freebooters, we have an interesting ac-

count:

'Ciro Annichiarico, born of parents in easy circumstances, in the little

'He was in correspondence with all the hired brigands; and whoever wished to himself to Ciro. On being asked by Capget rid of an enemy, had only to address tain Montorj, reporter of the military commission which condemned him, how many persons he had killed with his own hand, he carelessly answered, "E chi lo sa? saranno tra sessanta e settanta." sixty and seventy. One of his compaWho can remember? they will be between teen; the two brothers, Francesco and nions, Occhiolupo, confessed to sevenVito Serio, to twenty-three; so that these four ruffians alone had assassinated upwards of a hundred !

The activity of Ciro was as astonishing as his artifice and intrepidity. He handled the musket and managed the horse to perwell mounted, found concealment and supfection; and as he was always extremely port, either through fear or inclination, every where. He succeeded in escaping from the hands of the soldiers, by forced marches of thirty and forty miles, even when confidential spies had discovered his place of concealment but a few hours before. The singular good fortune of being imminent dangers, acquired for him the reputation of a necromancer, upon whom ordinary means of attack had no power among the people, and he neglected nothing which could confirm this idea, and increase the sort of spell it produced upon the peasants. They dared not execrate, or even blame him in his absence, so

able to extricate himself from the most

mules. This little piece produced great effect. The tiles and bricks which fell, forced Ciro to descend from the second

story to the first. He was tormented with a burning thirst, for he had forgotten to provide himself with water, and he never drank wine. This thirst soon became insupportable.

After some deliberations with his companions, he demanded to speak with General Church, who, he believed, was in the neighbourhood, then to the Duke of Jasi, who was also absent; at last, he resolved to capitulate with Major Bianchi. He addressed the besiegers, and threw them some bread. Major Bianchi promised him that he should not be maltreated by the soldiers. He descended the ladder, opened the door of the tower, and presented himself with the words, Eccomi, Don Ciro!"-Here I am, Don Ciro!

He begged them to give him some water to quench his thirst, and desired them to liberate the farmer and his family, who had been shut up all this while in the straw magazine. He declared that they were innocent, and distributed money among them.

He suffered himself to be searched and bound patiently; some poison was found upon him; he asserted that his companions had prevented him from takwith Major Bianchi on the road to Francavilla, and related to him the principal

circumstances of his life.

In prison, he appeared to be interested for the fate of some of his partisans, begging that they might not be persecuted, and declaring that they had been forced to do what they had done.

'He had entertained some hope, till the moment when he was placed before the Council of war, under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Guarini. He addressed a speech to him, taking him for General Church. He insisted on speaking to that officer; this was refused, and he resigned himself to his fate, dryly saying, "Ho capito," (I understand).

his breast. He was then informed, that
malefactors, like himself, were shot with
their backs towards the soldiers; he sub-

mitted, at the same time advising a priest,
who persisted in remaining near him, to
withdraw, so as not to expose himself.
'Twenty-one balls took effect, four in
the head, yet he still breathed and mut-
tered in his throat; the twenty-second put
an end to him. This fact is confirmed by
all the officers and soldiers present at his
death. "As soon as we perceived," said
a soldier, very gravely, "that he was en-
chanted, we loaded his own musket with a
silver ball, and this destroyed the spell."
It will be easily supposed, that the people,
who always attributed supernatural pow-
ers to him, were confirmed in their belief
by this tenaciousness of life, which they
considered miraculous.'

Our readers will perceive, that this
is a very curious and interesting vo-
lume, and that the author is well ac-
quainted with the subject on which he
writes. The facts are, however, stated
in so desultory a manner, that it is dif-
ficult to form a connected narrative
from them. The plates, which are in
lithography, are numerous, and include
several portraits; with fac-similes of
the Patents of the different ranks of
Carbonari, &c. The work exhibits a
singular picture of the state of society
in Naples, and, as containing details of
one of the most remarkable institutions
of modern times, will be read with
great interest.

rious rivers, which flow into it, derive their sources.

The charge of plagiarism has been brought against Lord Byron, evidently from malice. But whether the charge be true or not, I will venture to assert, that there never was a GREAT poet, who did not cull flowers from every field within his reach.-To know diamonds when he sees them in the quarry; to polish them; and to set them in his own casket, is the very business of great poets. It is what little poets dare not do, and cannot do.-Their rivulets are easily formed to constitute great rivers, vast tracks of country, must contribute their supplies.-This subject is very well elucidated by the elegant author of the Beauties, Harmonies, and Sublimities of Nature,' an account of which you gave in one of your reZ. Z. cent numbers.

PROPOSALS FOR A NEW AND

AMPLE MISSIONARY FUND. To the Editor of the Literary Chronicle. SIR,-At this annual return of the assembling from all parts of the empire, of the friends and favourers of the missionary cause, to unite their counsels, their exertions, and their substance, to send the gospel to the heathen; allow me, through your paper, to throw in my mite into the evangelising treåsury. Circninstances constrain me to say, with Peter and John, when an Original Communications.alms was requested from them, silver

and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I unto you; a happy sugON PLAGIARISM. gestion of a ready and an abundant peTo the Editor of the Literary Chronicle. cuniary supply. In addition to the SIR,-Observing some observations in weekly penny offerings of children and a cotemporary literary journal, relative servants, the large donations of opulent to the imitations, or plagiarisms, of individuals, the society, and the conLord Byron, will you permit me to ask gregational offerings, let all the minis When condemned to death, a mis- the author of those Rivers of Mace-ters who favour the dust of Zion,' sionary offered him the consolations of re- don and Monmouth,' whether he has throw off their golden rings that are ligion, Ciro answered him with a smile, ever read Virgil, or Tasso, or Spenser, upon their fingers, and convert them * Lasciate queste chiacchiere; siamo dell'or Milton, or Gray?-And if he should into guineas, in order to promote the istessa professione; non ci burliamo fra chance never to have heard of those conversion of the heathen. Were ever noi."-Let us leave alone this prating; transcendent writers, I presume to ad- the fingers of the Apostle Paul adornwe are of the same profession; don't let vise him to spare a few of his leisure ed, disgraced, with the glitter of a gold hours to their perusal; and when he ring? Nay, were ever the fingers of one has done so, for every plagiarison of infinitely greater than Paul so ornaLord Byron, that he has pointed out, I mented? To the honour of the zeal will undertake to point out forty in and piety of the venerable David, when Virgil, thirty-five in Tasso, fifty in his princes and his people were assemSpenser, and one hundred in Milton. bled to collect for the building of the A man of an enlarged mind, and of ex- Temple of Jerusalem, it is expressly tensive reading, can no more trace the recorded (1 Chron. xxix. 8.), And they chronology of his thoughts, or know with whom precious stones were found, whence he has acquired the stores gave them to the treasure of the house treasured in the precincts of his imagi- of the Lord. Go to now, ye opulent nation, than the ocean can be presumed sons of Levi, whose consciences are to know from what mountains the va- not the most flexible, see if you can

us laugh at one another.

As he was led to execution, the 8th of February, 1818, he recognized Lieutenant Fonsmorte, and addressed these words to him, "Se io fosse Re, vi farci Capitano,"If I were King, I would make you a Captain. This officer was the first to arrive at Scaserba with his soldiers.

The streets of Francavilla were filled with people: there were spectators even upon the roofs. They all preserved a gloomy silence.

On his arrival at the place of execution, Ciro wished to remain standing; he was told to kneel, he did so, presenting