trader wears a gravity becoming a charge, he had only paid one hundred guilders. The man, well convinced, accepted the one hundred guilders, half his original demand, and retired fatisfied with the bargain. of Divorces. HEN the late infainous mar WHEN man becomes a bankrupt, he is cen- Thoughts occafioned by the Frequency fured or acquitted by the perfons appointed to look into those affairs, in proportion as his accounts are more or less regularly adjusted. Fience the merchants have their books under various titles, all comprehending the whole of their receipts and disbursements. As a proof of the exactnefs of the Dutch in this refpect, I will relate a story which I, the other day, heard from a gentleman of unqueftionable veracity, riage-act was agitated with great warmth in the Houfe of Lords, a diftinguished nobleman declared, that "fooner than give his confent to have it pafs, his daughter fhould be indulged with liberty to marry a footman." This was carrying the matter to too great a length; but as his Lordship only intended to exprefs, in the ftrougeft terms, his extreme abhorrence of the bill; fo the experience of late years may ferve to convince us, that the nobleman's diflike was but too well founded; and that in the marriage-act are contained the feeds of all thofe ruinous vices, fo deftructive to the welfare of fociety in general, and the peace of private fami In a commercial ftate like that of It happened that a fhop-keeper, who had frequently facrificed at the shrine of Venus, was accused of having gotten a willing damfel with child. The fact being clearly proved, the proper officer was fent to his houfe to demand a certain fum of money, as a fecurity for the woman's iffue not becoming burthenfome to the public. Perceiving the tradef-lies in particular. man's wife in the fhop, the man expreffed a defire to fpeak with him England, all poffible encouragement alone. The fhop-keeper in return fhould be given to matrimony; be◄ gave the meffenger to understand, that caufe an increase of population is, to he had no transaction to which his fuch a kingdom, an increase of riches. wife was not privy: "Why then, So far from an act of the legislature fays the perfon, I am come to demand to refrain, there should be every intwo hundred guilders, on account of ducement for young people to enter a baftard child which you are the fa- into wedlock, and the lawful comther of." "Two hundred guilders !" merce of the fexes ought, in found replied the dealer with fome aftonish-policy, to be promoted by government, "Why, I never paid more than half the fum a-piece for all the children I have got in my time:" then turning with great compofure to his wife (who was prefent ail the time)" Hand me down, fays he, the book of bafiardy;" and opening it," There, fays he; this will convince you that your demands ment. Confidering the parliament of Great Britain as a reprefentative of the people at large, it is aftonishing how the members, acting in that capacity, could ever confent to the passing a bill, which they must know the majority without doors would never approve. are exorbitant;" when he fhewed A number of perfons meet, under him, that for each child laid to his the pretence of tranfacting the nas tion verfal empire, and total destruction of this kingdom. This is commonly called the family compact. The means by which Pitt became acquainted with this piece of fecret history, the perfons who procured him the rough draught, and the motives which incited different states to enter into this folemn league, thefe are curious particulars which deferve a feparate confideration, and fhall therefore be difcuffed in fome future number; for the prefent it may fuffice to obferve, that one of the articles wherein Spain obliges herself to fuccour France, "if fhe is engaged with a maritime power," feems fo evidently calculated against England, that the allufion is impoffible to be mistaken. Bute was not altogether destitute of abilities, or at leaft it evinced, that the adminiftration was not that def picable junto the partifans of Mr. Pitt would make us believe. The conqueft of the Havannah, Martinico, and the fpirited exertionsof the British forces in Germany, clearly fhewed, that although the great Commoner might abandon us to dangers, yet even his abfence could not throw the nation into the gloomy horrors of despair. On the contrary, whilst the war continued, our feamen, as well as fòldiers, feemed endowed with as great a fhare of intrepidity and genuine heroism, as when he condefcended to guide the ftate machine. Whilft our foreign affairs were in this fituation; whilft our arms were crowned with a feries of victories fufficiently important to make the haughty Bourbons crouch, faction at home had fown the feeds of civil difcord. France and Spain made an attempt to draw Holland over to their confederacy; but perceiving the ineffectuality of their threats and promises, they fignified their intentions of making Portugal feel the heavy effects of their displeasure, if the refufed to enter into conjunction, and purfue their hoftile intentions. Here again they were disappointed; Portugal feemed determined to preferve a ftrict neutrality, and England was obliged to fhip arms, troops, and warlike ftores, for the defence of that king-fucceffion was deemed now firmly dom. The fupplies granted this year by parliament amounted to upwards of eighteen millions fterling. But it must be confeffed the national burthen was enormous; a war with France and Spain, a prodigious fubfidy, or, if you please, annual tribute to the king of Pruffia, and the expences attending the defence of Portugal; thefe were fo many clogs on the wheels of government, that a kingdom lefs fruitful in resources than England must have fuffered the difgrace of an univerfal bankruptcy. War, however, was carried on with vigour; and feveral fuccefsful campaigus in 1762 demonftrated that A maxim had formerly been adopted at Leicester-house, that "all partydiftinctions fhould be abolished;" and that the different appellations of Whig and Tory fhould, by being difcountenanced, be rendered altogether obfolete. The Hanoverian eftablished in the nation, and the exiled family was looked upon as a bugbear too contemptible to frighten even the vulgar. Agreeable to this fyftem, the great offices of state were, during Bute's administration, occupied by men, fome of whom perhaps carried their notions of monarchical power, to unwarrantable lengths. This occafioned an outcry in the nation; and the vulgar, the illiberal, and the fordid, took advantage of the minifter's country to foment divifions amongst the inhabitants of two kingdoms, between whom a famenefs of views, as well as political connexion, ought to ferve as the cement of perfect union. The The Whig party exclaimed at being banished from the royal prefence; they deplored the fate of old Newcastle; and many who continued in office following his example, refigned in ill humour. That the Tories (if Lord Bute's affociates really were fuch) fhould exclude the oppofite party from power, is natural, and easily accounted for. Besides, it hath been the conftant practice, ever fince, the Revolution; and if it must be deemed a fault, it is a fault that the Whigs, whenever they have poffeffed the means, have made no manner of fcruple to commit, Perhaps it may be alledged, that "the Whigs, being ftaunch friends to the house of Hanover, are, on all accounts, the most proper perfons to be about the Sovereign, and affift at his councils." But there is a neceflity to inform those who adopt this propofition, that it is not univerfally true; because when James the Second, after abdicating the crown of England, refided at St. Germains, the Whig-party, by whose means William was feated on the throne, actually entered into negotiations with James, in order to reftore him to his crown and dignity. This is capable of proof not to be contradicted. Lord Bute, therefore, in pursuance of his plan, only expelled those who, if in power, would, from principle, have expelled him. We mean not to justify, but to be impartial. A ftrong oppofition, however, was formed by those who had been difgraced; and every method imaginable was taken to counteract the meafures of administration, by rendering the fupplies uncertain. Hence, if the ministry found it difficult to continue the war, an oppofition was ready to conftrue this incapacity. If, on the other hand, war was ftill carried on with fuccefs, terms of peace the moft unreasonable would be demanded by the nation. In this dilemma, the miniftry turned their thoughts to peace. The French were well apprifed of our internal fituation; and as the great expences of war had reduced the ftate of their finances to the lowest ebb, they were now in earnest to put a speedy conclufion to carnage and defolation. On the part of France, the Duke de Nivernois; on the part of England, the Duke of | Bedford, were chofen ambaffadors. The laft negociation, which Pitt rejected, was made the basis of this treaty. Our ally, the king of Pruffia, by furmounting a series of difficulties, had rendered himself formidable yet our miniftry most readily agreed to drop his alliance. This, by men of fagacity, was deemed a flagrant blunder in politics. To diveft an ally, at a time when his affistance might be of effential fervice, and effectually turn the fcale in our favour; this was fo fingular a refinement upon common sense, that vulgar minds were altogether incapable of perceiving its propriety. The difputes relative to Portugal were adjusted, on condition that all its territories fhould be evacuated without diftinction. As the war with France had originally been occafioned by fome depredations committed on our territories in America, the boundaries of our poffeffions in that quarter of the globe were affigned with precision. Florida was accepted in lieu of the Havannah; but the most acute amongst the minifterial writers could not, in this particular, make even a tolerable defence for their master's conduct. The French were allowed in a manner a share in the Newfoundland fishery, at least they were permitted to fish within three leagues of the coaft, in the gulph and river of St. Lawrence. Spain laid no claim to any fifhing in thofe feas. In the Weft-Indies we retained the Grenades. Spain, 66 What can match? hath an utter abhorrence. tion's business. The daughters of a few great men, following the dictates of nature, marry." From an inconfiderateness infeparably annexed to youth, they make choice of a perfon every way improper; the fenators take the alarm; their pride is piqued; and, to prevent fuch confequences for the future, they frame a bill, for-path was not fo beaten. But I must, footh, prohibiting what they call at the fame time, lament the cause "clandefine marriages;" that is, of thefe difafters. Selfifh vanity, for fear their families fhould be difgraced, or their vanity mortified, they profcribe an inconceivable number fron entering into that fituation to which, by every law divine or human, and by every motive political or commercial, they ought to be animated. which gave birth to the marriage-act, is chargeable with all the deftructive confequences that have followed; and I will venture to prophefy, that unlefs the bill for preventing clandeftine marriages is fpeedily repealed; unless fome effectual fteps are taken by the legiflature to promote, and not difcourage matrimony; unless these, or fimilar alterations, take place, divorces will multiply, the kingdom will be depopulated, and a general diffolutenefs of manners will univer Granting that the road to matrimony were so easy, as frequently to tempt fome young lady of fashion to ftep into it with an unfeemly partner; granting that a set of fupernumerary parfons kept the gates of Hy-fally prevail amongst both sexes. men conftantly open; is it because a few unthinking, giddy girls, precipitantly ventured in, that you are to exclude others, and not fuffer those to enter, in favour of whom the confideration of nobility does not ope-ORTLEY Montague, brother rate. : But the matter of fact is, that even the evil, defigned to be remedied by the "marriage-act," ftill exifts in a multiform variety of fhapes. The daughters of the nobility, if they cannot follow the dictates of the heart, and give their hand to the man of their affections, will, I fear, make him a prefent of fomething more valuable at least, I fhould tremble for the virtue of a young lady under fuch a critical temptation. Should this not be the cafe, what is the alternative? Why, that a fine young creature, who, like a new-blown flower, finells of the fweets of innocence, muft, in obedience to her father's will, fubmit to the mortification of being joined with a man for whom, in all human probability, she A fingular Anecdote of the famous in-law to Lord Bute, hath travelled through the East for a series of years. Some time fince, he fell into company with an European merchant and his lady, who, on a tour of pleasure, had vifited Perfia. The lady being remarkably beautiful, foon captivated Wortley, who tried, but in vain, every ftratagem to gain her affections, and feduce her from her husband. Obferving his arts to have no manner of effect, he refolved to cultivate a warm friendship with the husband, and wait until time, chance, or opportunity, should favour his defign. The gentleman was entertained with Wortley's converfation, and, in fhort, conceived an high opinion of his horrour. Although he originally propofed propofed to vifit Egypt, whither Montague was going, yet receiving fome letters of confequence, he found himself obliged to return, for a little time, to his native country. Not, however, laying afide his defign, he propofed to leave his lady at Contantinople until he had dispatched his affairs, when he determined to profecute his tour, in company with Mr. Montague, who was to wait his arrival at Conftantinople. Matters being thus adjufted, the merchant embarked. Wortley now began to think this à most favourable opportunity. He renewed his addreffes to the wife, expreffed himself in most paffionate terms, and faid every thing that our readers can conceive upon the occafion; but all in vain-the lady was deaf to his intreaties; the repulfed his ardor with coldness: in fhort, her virtue was impregnable. Wortley, thus defeated, promifed for the future to be filent upon the fubject, and propofed a journey into fome parts of the adjacent country. The lady agreed, and they fet out. Wortley, who from his youth had been hackneyed in every fpecies of artifice, determined to accomplish by ftratagem what he could not gain by fair entreaty accordingly, he procured letters to be written to himfelf as from a friend; the purport of which was, to inform him that the lady's husband had died fhortly after his arrival in his own country. The accident was deplored, and Wortley was requested, in thefe fpurious epiftles, to inform the lady of her miffortune in the most delicate manner, left an excess of grief fhould impair her health, and injure her conftitution. Wortley, with an apparent fadnefs in his countenance, difclofed the difmal news. The lady was inconfolable; and, that he might have time to vent her griefs, Wortley abftained from fecing her for fome weeks. This artifice accomplished, ftill a great difficulty remained. The hufband might in a little time arrive, and thus the whole defign be rendered abortive. To prevent this, whilst the lady was deploring her lofs, Wortley fet himself down, and, in his own name, writ fome letters to the hufband, diffuading him from his intended voyage, and telling him that his wife had expired foon after his departure from Conftantinople; and that, upon receiving proper directions, he would order the lady's corpse to be shipped on board fome veffel bound to the place where the husband then refided. We leave our readers to judge of the misery the fond husband underwent, for he was paffionately ena moured with his wife. This task finished, Wortley returned to the lady, whofe grief he found fomewhat abated. The hufband, fuppofing his wife no more, ftopped, of course, all further remittances, The lady found herself embarraffed, in a ftrange country, and separated from every perfon in whom she might place the finalleft degree of confidence. Wortley knew the fex too well not to improve thefe advantages. He rehearsed his former story, urged the vehemence of his paffion, pleaded the husband's death as a removal of the only thing that could be confidered as an obftacle to his felicity; folicited the fair one's confent in wedlock; and concluded with intimating his intention of departing fpeedily for Egypt. The lady helitated-the low ftate of her finances feconded Wortley's defign-in fhort, a thousand confiderations arofe in her mind and the at length confented to entomb her griefs in the bofom of her dishonourable paramour. They were married according to the ceremonies of tl.e country. Let us now return to the hufband. He had complied with Montague's request. |