Monthly bills of mortality 575, 616 : Examination of Gen. Shy's conduct Our kind correfpondent of Birmingham's effay, shall be inferted in the Appendix, as also the verfes fent by Rufticus, Hor. Ode xv. tranflated, the genuine account of Ofwego, verses on Tully's Head, &c. Et. Many pieces in profe and verfe, particularly the remarks on Macbeth, must be deferred till the month of January. About the Middle of JANUARY will be Publifhed, ТНЕ APPENDIX to the LONDON MAGAZINE: For the YEAR 1756. Illuftrated with a curious and elegant emblematical Frontifpiece, a fine Profpe&t of the Tow and his Majesty's Dock Yard at Woolwich, and a Title to the Volume, all beautifully engraved on Copper: Likewife compleat INDEXES, and every other ufeful and neceffary Article to accommodate the Purchafers of the LONDON MAGAZINE. This Appendix will contain fuch Speeches in the Polítical Club, and in it will be concluded fuch a Number of curious Pleees, as are of the most interesting Importance. Amongst many other Particulars will be inferted the following, viz. State of our political Contests. Life of Theodore Baron Newhoff. The interefting History of our Northern Colonies of America. Enquiry into the Conduct of G1 Shy. Lift of Ships taken on both Sides. Genuine Account of the Taking of Ofwego. Cure for the Be of mad Animals. Many felect poetical Effays. Numbers of original Effays on various Subjects General Bill of Christenings and Burials: And fuch Foreign and Domeftick Occurrences as fer to complete the Tranfa&tions, or Hicry, of the laft Twelvemonth; and without which_t' ТНЕ LONDON MAGAZINE. For DECEMBER, 1756. A STATE of the chief political Contefis that bave happened this Year amongst us, taken from fome of the Pamphlets lately publifhed. I N every country where the liberty of the prefs has any tolerable indul- A gence, the best minifters will find objections made to their conduct, and the worst will find advocates for justifying their measures, which, in this country, of courfe produces numberless papers and pamphlets upon subjects of a political nature: Therefore we hall conclude the year with extracts from fome of the most remarkable, beginning with the pamphlet intitled, A Fourth Letter to the People of England, which contains what may be called an arraignment of our public meafures, from the first differences on the Ohio, to the taking of Minorca by the French. The author, after taking notice of our prefent fituation, goes on thus: "In this place, the more effectually to lay before you the real caufes of this war, it will be neceffary to lead you back to a tranfaction not fufficiently known by all of you, which paffed between the m -y of France and England. B d the Ohio, and not withdrawing on a like meffage with the former, their goods were confifcated and themselves carried prifoners to Quebec, from whence they were brought to Rochelle in France, and fill detained in prifon. Not confcious of having violated the laws of nations, or traded on any ground to which the king of Great-Britain had not an undoubted right, they remonstrated to the Bh m- -y, infifted upon being claimed as B—sh subjects, and honourably dif charged from prifon, as perfons unoffending the laws of nations; nay they enter tained the honourable hopes of Englishmen, that the my of Ewould not ceafe to demand an indemnification for the lofs of that merchandize which had been unjustly taken from them, and reparation for the infult and long imprifonmentof their perfons; expectations becoming men who value their liberties, properties, and nation's honour. In this they were deceived, the true fpirit of an En-fh mr no longer dwelt amongst us, the ambr at Paris, instead of demanding thefe fubjects of his master, as men unjustly held in prifon, and reparation for the injuries they had received, was ordered by the my to follicit, as a favour from the court of France, the discharge of them only, acknowledging their offence. Were not your (—— n's Ꭰ rights, and your own privileges shamefully given up? Were not the lands on the Ohio confeffed to belong to the king of France? Were not the French justified in imprisoning your fellow-fubjects, and confifcating their effects, by this tame behaviour of the Bh m C In the year 1750, or 1751, fome American traders, fubjects of the king of Great-Britain, travelled to the borders of the Ohio, to traffick with the natives of thofe parts. This being known to the Canadian French, meffengers were difpatched to acquaint them, that unless they withdrew from their master's territories, their effects would be confifcated, E and themfelves carried to prison at Quebec. This meffage the traders thought fit to obey, and withdrew in confequence of it. The fucceeding feafon another company of British fubjects came to trade on December, 1756. 572 POLITICAL CONTESTS. of the French on his majesty's fubje&s in North America were laid before the house. As their authenticity is incontrovertible, I have only the eafy task of copying them faithfully for your full fatisfaction. Extract of a Letter from the Earl of Albemarle to the Earl of Holdernesse. A Paris, February 19, March 1, 1752. "I must acquaint your lordship, that in the month of November I received a letter from three perfons, figning themfelves, John Patton, Luke Erwin, and Thomas Bourke ; reprefenting to me, that they were Englishmen, who had been brought to Rochelle, and put into prifon there, from whence they wrote; B having been taken by the French fubjects, who feized their effects, as they were trading with the English and other Indians on the river Ohio, and carried them prifoners to Quebec, from whence they have been fent over to Rochelle, where they are hardly ufed. Upon this infor mation I applied to Mr. St. Contest, and C gave him a note of it, claiming them as the king's fubjects, and demanding their liberty, and the reftitution of their effects that had been unjustly taken from them. D Thefe three perfons I find, by the paper your lordship has fent me, are of the number of thofe demanded of the French by Mr. Clinton, and named in Mr. de la Jonquiere's letter. I have wrote to a merchant at Rochelle to enquire after them, and to fupply them with money to make their journcy hither, if they are not gone, that I may receive from them all the informations neceffary. On my feeing Mr. St. Conteft, next Tuesday, I will reprefent the cafe to him, in obedience to his majefty's commands, that la E Jonquiere may have pofitive orders to de. fit from the unjuftifiable proceedings complained of; to releafe any of his majefty's fubjects he may ftill detain in prifon, and make ample reftitution of their effects. And I fhall take care to fhew him the abfolute neceffity of fending inAtructions to their feveral governors, not F to attempt any fuch encroachments for the future." Extrait of a Letter from the Earl of Albe marle to the Earl of Holderneffe. February 26, March 8, 1752. I am now to acquaint your lordship, that I faw monfieur Rouillé yesterday and that having drawn up a note of the feveral complaints I had received orders to make of la Jonquiere's conduct, I delivered it to him, and told him in general the contents of it; infifting on the neceffity, for preferving the good underAtanding betwixt his majesty and the most G Dec. Christian king, of fending fuch pofitive orders to all their governors as might effectually prevent, for the future, any fuch encroachments on his majesty's territories, and committing fuch violences on his fubjects, as had been done in the past. I added to my remonstrance, that I hoped they would be taken into confide ration quickly; that he might be able to give me an anfwer next week, or as foon after as he poffibly could. This minifter told me he would use his best endeavours for that purpofe; affured me it was the intention of his court to prevent any difputes arifing, that might tend to alter the prefent correfpondence between the two nations; and that I might depend upon fuch orders being fent to their governors accordingly. Of the three men I mentioned to your lordship in my letter of last week, that had been brought prifoners from Canada to Rochelle, whom I fent for to come to Paris, two of them are arrived, and the third is gone to London. I will take fuch informations from them, as may be ne ceffary for my own inftruction, to support their receiving fatisfaction for the injuries that have been done them." Tranflation of Part of the Memorial delivered by Lord Albemarle to Mr. Rouillé, on the 7eb of March, 1752. "As to the fort which the French have undertaken to build on the river Niagara, and as to the fix Englishmen who have been made prifoners; lord Albemarle is ordered by his court to demand, that the most exprefs orders be fent to Mr. de la Jonquiere, to defift from fuch unjust proceedings, and in particular to caufe the fort abovementioned to be immediately razed; and the French and others in their alliance, who may happen to be there, to retire forthwith; as likewife to fet the fix Englishmen at liberty, and to make them ample fatisfaction for the wrongs and loffes they have fuffered; and laftly, that the perfons who have committed thefe exceffes, be punished in fuch a manner as may ferve for an example to thofe who might hereafter venture on any like attempt." To be continued in our Appendix.] The WORLD, Dec. 16. HE exorbitant exactions of fervants TH in great houfes, and the neceffity impofed upon you, after dining at a friend's table, of furrendering all the money in your pocket to the gang in livery, who very dexterously intercept every, avenue to the street-door, have been the subjec of a former paper. This cuficm, ilhbe ral 1756. Complaint of Mr. GEORGE MEANWELL. ral and prepofterous as it is, neither the Yet this abufe, grievous as it is to the To Mr. FITZ-ADAM. SIR, I am a plain country gentleman, poffeffed of a plentiful fortune, and bleft E with most of the comforts of life; but am at prefent (not thro' any fault of my own, that I can recolle) in great diftrefs; which I am as much at a loss how to remedy, as I was unable to prevent. Tho' I have loved peace and quiet all my life, and have endeavoured conftantly to F maintain good order and harmony in my family; I owe my grievances to the intrigues and jealoufies which have unhappily fubfifted for fome time paft amongst my fervants. I give them good wages, which I pay punctually; I indulge them in every reasonable requeft, from a defire to make them happy; and I have been told by all of them in their feveral turns, G that I am, without exception, the very beft of masters. Yet, with all my care and kindness, I cannot establish a proper fubordination amongst them; without which, I am fenfible, no family. government can long fubfift; and for want of which (as they cannot find a decent and reasonable caufe 573 of complaint against me) they are perpetually quarrelling with one another. They do not, I believe, intend originally to hurt me; on the contrary, they pretend my advantage alone is the occafion of their difagreement. But, were this really true, my cafe is no lefs deplorable; for, notwithstanding the zeal they exprefs for my fervice, and the refpect and affection they profefs to my perfon, my life is made miferable by their domeftic fquabbles; and my eftate is mouldering away daily, whilst they are contending who fhould manage it for me. They are fo obliging as to affure me, upon their honours, that their contefts are only who can best serve fo good a mafter, and deferve and claim the first place in his favour; but, alas! I begin to be a little apprehensive that their ftruggle is, and has been, who fhould get moft vails, and have most power under me; or, as you may think perhaps, over me. The first appearance of this inteftine difcord was upon the following occafion. I have a very troublesome neighbour, who is continually committing encroachments upon my lands and manor. He attacks me firft with his pen; and pretending to have found out fome flaw in my fettlements, he commences a fuit of trefpafs against me; but, at the fame time, fearing left the law should happen to decide in favour of right, he fends me word be wears a fword. Not long ago he threat ened me that he would break into my park, fteal my fish out of my canal, and shoot my hares and deer within my pales, Upon the advice of my fteward and other fervants, I fent to my estate in the north for a trufty game-keeper (whole bravery and fidelity I could rely upon) to come to my affiftance, that he might help to preferve, not only my game but my family, which feemed to be in no fmall danger. Thefe orders were no fooner difpatched, than, to my great furprise, my poftilion bolted into the parlour where I was fitting, and told me, with all the warmth of a patriot, that he could not consent to Ferdinand the game-keeper's admission into the house, for that he humbly conceiv ed it was neither for my honour nor my intereft to be indebted for any part of my protection, or even fafety, to a foreigner a For you must know, Mr. Fitz-Adam, that, very unfortunately for me, my poor honeft Ferdinand did happen to be born fomewhere or other in Germany. You may imagine, however, that I paid little attention to this remonstrance of my postilien ; but difmiffing him from my fervice, I fent for Ferdinand, who, upon the first fummons, travelled night and day to come to my relief. Th 574 CASE of THOMAS, the old COACHMAN. The next fit of affection that embarraffed me, broke out in my ambitious belper. He profeffed himself so exceffively careful of my perfon, that he did not think it fafe for me to be driven any longer by my old coachman; on which account he grew impatient to afcend the box himself. But his contrivances to fa- A cilitate this removal, were plain indications that he attended to his own advancement, more than to my preservation; for I have been informed, that he has often frightened the horses, to make them start unexpectedly out of the quarter: At other times he has been detected in laying great ftones in the way, with a defign to everturn the coach; and in B roads of difficulty and danger, was fure to keep out of the way himself; nay, at laft he tried to perfuade the fervants, that it was the coachman's intention to drive headlong over them, and break all their necks. But when he found I had too good an opinion of old Themas to entertain any fufpicion of his bonefly, he came one C morning in a pet, and gave me warning. I told him with great temper, he was to blame, paid him his wages, and bid Thomas provide himfelf with another belper. But I leave to you to judge of my grief as well as furprife, when Thomas answered me with tears in his eyes, "that he muft intreat my permiffion to retire from my service: He found, he faid, he D had many enemies, both within doors and without; my family was divided into various parties; fome were favourable to the belper, and others had been wrought upon by the late poftilion; he thould be always grateful for the goodness I had thewn him; and his laft breath should be employed in praying for my profperity." It was with great reluctance that I confented to his requeft; he had served me honestly above 30 years, from affection more than intcreft; had always greafed my wheels himfelf, and, upon every one of my birth-days, had treated all his brother whips at his own expence; fo that, far from being a gainer by my fervice, he had spent above half what he had faved before he came into it. You may ima. gine I would willingly have fettled a comfortable annuity upon him, but you will wonder at his behaviour on this occafion; indeed I have never met with any thing like it in one of his low ftation; he declared, that he would rather live upon bread and cheese, than put my honour to G any expence, when he could be no longer ufeful to me, Thus have I been reduced, contrary to my inclinations, to hire another coachman. The man I have now taken bears a very reputable character; but he happens to be fo infirm, that he is fcarce yet able to E F Dec. get upon his box; and tho' he promises, and I believe intends, to take all poffible care of my horfes, I fear he has not been accustomed to drive a fet fo reftive as mine are, especially in bad roads. I have also been perfuaded to take my pofiilion again, as he is a great favourite of my prefent coachman. Between them they are new modelling my family for me, and difcharging thofe fervants whom they happen to diflike. My experienced bailiff, who used to hold my courts, has left me; and my game-keeper, who has been obliged to lie, during this hard winter, in a tent in the garden, is ordered back again into the north, tho' he has given no fort of offence, but on the contrary, has been greatly inftrumental in protecting me from the infults of my blustering neighbour; fo unpardonable a crime is it to be born in Germany! Good Mr. Fitz-Adam, advise me, as a friend, what courfe to take. We mafier, as we are improperly called, are become of late fo fubfervient to our fervants, that I fhould apprehend this universal want of fubordination in them, muft at last be detrimental to the ftate itself; for as a family is composed of many servants, cities and countries are made up of many houfes and families, which together conftitute a nation. Difobedience in the majority of individuals to their fuperiors, cannot fail of producing a general licentioufnefs, which must terminate at last in anarchy and confufion. TH I am, Sir, Your conftant reader and admirer, GEORGE MEANWELL. Some Account of the Dramatic Piece of one At, lately performed at Drury-Lane The atre, entitled, LILLIPUT. (See p. 607.) OHE authorling of this petit piece feems to have made a very tiny proficiency in wit and humour, as well as in the knowledge of the drama in general. The charms of novelty are loft in impropriety, and the whole mirth of the picce confifts in obfcene and indelicate raillery, lifped forth from the mouths of habes and fucklings. Yet the performers in this Lilliputian drama, young and fmall as they are, are Brobdignagians in proporti. on to what the economy of the fable requires them to be: For when we see the fize of the children, who are the actors, all the drollery of Gulliver's Lilliput is loft in the reprefentation. It is, indeed, one of thofe fubjects which come not within the rule of Horace, quoted by our authorling in the ridiculous letter prefixed to the piece, and is not proper to be oculis fubjecta fidelibus. How can we imagine it probable that a Gulliver, no bigger than Mr. Branfby, thould tofs off a whole hogshead |