The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-02-14 00:00:00, page 2

THE firong propensities in the human mind, which
we fee peculiar to every age and flation, and
"Which Mr Pope calls happy frailties, are, perhaps,
nidi penfaby necessary to prefefve the due order and
course of things. Shime is given to the virgin, as
well to throw a In fire over her charms, as to awaken
her fortitude when her virtue isin danger. The pride
of the matron throws a fide all virgin bathfulnefs, which
w mid fit but badly on the married woman, who, as
the mifirefs of a family, must rule with dignity and
authority. Fear is given to the ftatefmm, left too
hafly determinations should involve his country in ru
in ; w^ile some degree of rashness is neerffary to him
who is engaged in hazardous and daring exploits. Were
not kings pfefumptive, and thought not themselves
luperior to other men, they would never be persuaded
to wear the yoke of royalty; nor would the people
obey him, were they not credulous. All these hap
py frai'ties, however, when carried to excess, are hurt
ful and pernicious. By being too baihful, the virgin
my be condemned 'o die a maiden ; and the matron,
by being too proud, may become the difguflful ter
magant. By being too fearful, the flatefman may in
jure his country ; and, by being too rash, the chief
may ruin it. By being too presumptive the king may
hazard his crown ; and the people, by being too cre
dulous, 'may lose fneit liberties. To place the pro
per boundary between the medium and the extremes
of these happy frail ids is, perhaps, a talk too diffi
cult for the v.ifert o' us, since confutation, habit, and
example, c^rry every tiling before them. It is in
chedmuch enlier to lay down rules for the conduct of
or ers, than to follow them ourselves ; and it is much
eafur for a man to explo e the err' rs of other people,
than to be made feeble of his own, so partial are we
i % judging of ourselves.
'Humanus is a man of considerable fortune, and the
goodness of his heart is as extensive as his purse: The
mos ldainty feafi is by him forfaken, when he is inform
ed that humanity at a difiance seeks his protection, and
that honour, probity, and virtue, are in dirtrefs: he
rates his; happiness on the buffings he every where dis
penses, and thinks that day loft in which he has not
done some good. But he joins not in parties of cards or
dice; he overturns not the regular crier of day and
night, nor ruins his confiitution in feenes of riot and
debauchery : Th#re are, therefore, those who will
not allow these to be happy frailties, but represent them
as laughablefollies and absurdities. Innumerable is that
class of people w'o have no innate ideas of generosity
b6t such as owe their birth to pride, vanity and popu
larity: who will give largely to public fubferiptions
that are made known to all the world, while they shut
thtir eyes, their hearts, and their purses, to objeds of
private charity : but ^enthis may be considered asa
happy frailty, since good is here, in some measure pro
duced from evil.
The fpendthrift, who comes to the estate of a de
ceased mife#, generally spends in a fliort time, what
the old fool bad been many years (craping together,
and starving himfelf to accumulate. Yet even this
may be confi ered as a ha, py fraity, since that gold,
which had been so long mouldering in iron cherts,
ub less to its owner and the communi y at large, is now
circulated among numberless individuals. I know not,
indeed, whether even luxury irfetf is not, in some
points of consideration at leaf!, a happy frailty, since,
were an universal economy adopted, and rich and
poor were Squally-alike contented with the necessaries,
of life, as well with refped to their eloathing as their
tables, one half of our induflrious manu aßurers
would be soon starved, and become not only trouble
some, but dangerous members of the community.
Tn short, many of those actions which we are so apt
to censure in others, are, perhaps, oftentimes nothing
more than happy frailties. Q
MINORCA is an island situated in the Mediter
ranean sea, about too miles south of Catalonia,
in Spain, and 5c north raft of the island of Ma
jorca. It is about ,0 miles in length, and 12 in breadth
where broadest. The air of Minorca is more clear,
than that of England, and yet the vallies are not free
from fogs; the air is of such a coroding nature, that
it is almost impossible to preserve brass and iron from
rust. 'The summers are dry, clear, calm, and very hot;
the autumns moist, warm and unequal: in winter;
florms are not frequent nor long, but sometimes very
violent; and in spring, the weather is variable. In
summer, the mornings and evenings are calm, but the
middle of the day is cooled by refreshing breezes, which
die away atthe approach of night. About the autum
mabequinox, the rain fills in such quantities, that the
water runs down the hills in a torrent, tears up trees
by the roots, carries aCTy the cattle, and greatly da
mages the gardes and vineyards. The furface of the
island is unequal, and in many places divided by long,
narrow, and deep vales In most places there is so
little earth, that the whole island seems to be one large
irregular rock, covered here and there with mould,
and an infinite variety of stones. They till the ground
with a plough so light, that a man can carry it on his
fhoolder ; and? it is drawn by an heifer, and sometimes
by an ass, amfled by a dog. They get in their barley
in the latter end of May, and their wheat in June ;
September is the season for the vintage, and the wine is'
very good. They have beans, vetches, kidney beans,
and lentilss, and infome places there are fields of hemp,
flax, and tobacco; there arealfo a few peafe in the
vineyards and gardens, for the tables of the rich. The
gardens produce potherbs and roots in great plenty,
all the year ; and in summer they have guinea pepper.
Besides the fruits common in England, they have pome
Seehappy frailties to all ranks apply'd,
Shame to the virgin, to the matron pride;
Frar tothe llatefmau, rashness to the chief ;
To king's prefump ion, and to crowds belief.
Description of the Island of MINORCA.
Tc the PRINTE R.
granatrs, lemons, cifront, almonds, oranges, and the
Indian fig. The trees of the gardens are the laurel,pop
lar, Egyptian thorn, bead-tree, and the fig-tree, which
produce two crops of excellent figs in a year ; they
have also the palm tree; besides these there are many
vegetables that grow wild, particularly the aloe ; and
aromatic plants which perfume the air. This island
abounds in cattle, fhtep, and goats, which supply the
inhabitants with cheese and wool. Pork and bacon is
in great plenty all the year. Besides these there is
great plenty of rabbits and land turtles, and variety
of poultry and water-fowls. In the woods and fields
are ring doves, red legged partridges, stone curlews,
quails, black birds, solitary sparrows, nightingales,
goldfinches, and an infinite number of other small
birds.
The natives are spare, of a middle statute, but well
built, strong, and of an olive complexion. Their hair
is generally black and curled- They are of a choleric
disposition, prone to anger and seldom forgive injuries ;
and the quarrels of families are kept up from father to
fun. The girls soon arrive to maturity; both sexes
are extremely amorous, and are married at fourteen.
They retain many cufloms of the ancient times; and
the present inhabitants are as dextrous in the use of the
fling :s their ancestors were.
This island was in the hands of the Spaniards in
1708, when major general Stanhope took it, with the
loss of 40 men only; and it was ceded to the English
by the treaty of Utretcht, who kept it till 1756, when
it was taken by the French, for want of fuccours, as
t'r an obstinate refinance under the brave general
Blakeney, but it was reflored to the English by the
peace of 176?.
General Murray is the present governor, from whole
approved military capacity, prudent conduct, and
well known courage, are formed the most sanguine ex
peaations.
Ofto. 5. The combined fleets are now blocking up
the mouth of what was once called the Britdh channel.
When admiral Dirby has received every reinforcement
that can possibly be murtered his fleet will amount to
only 36 or 37 fail of the line. The French and Spani
ards are said to have 49 in the channel: at leaf! it js
their own fault if they have not ; for we are confident
they had a muc ' greater number ready for sea at dif
ferent ports in June last. The French have, at this
moment, eight or ten fail of the line tady for sea in
Bred; anl while our enemies are lording it in our
channel, and insulting us in our very I.arbours, ad
miral Darby is compelled, for mere security, to moor
his ships in a line of battle with springs on their Cables
in Torbay. Oh Britain, how art thou fallen!
It is confidently reported that lord G C G n
will shortly retire with a riband, a peerage, and every
mark of royal approbation : his lordship, it is said, will
be succeeded by lord Walfingham (late Mr. de Grey)
and firft secretary in the American department.
An evening paper fays, the departure of lord Dun
more for Virginia must convince the public, that go
vernment are in possession of very favourable accounts
of the disposition of the people in that quarter, as it
certainly would be the most impolitic measure in the
world to appoint a governor, unless the people were
well inclined to receive him!!!!
It was yeflerday reported that the Spaniards had
railed the siege of Gibralter.
A letter from an officer in the Bretagne to his father
at Paris fays, " You will scarcely credit me when F
tell you, that the count deGoichen has been three times
in a cutter, close into Torbay, to reconnoitre the En
glish fleet, without being observed, or taken for an
enemy, and finding them moored in so strong a positi
on, and the late season of the year, induced him to give
over all thoughts of attacking them.'
A letter from an officer at Havre de Gracee to his
friend in London, fays, " I have been a prisoner here
fix months with many more of my unhappy country
men, four months of which we laboured under the
greatef lhardfhips. The fellows who were employed to
serve us with the necessaries of life cheated us of near
half, so that we had no more than would just keep us
alive ; nay, they even cheated usof part of the straw al
lowed us to lie on, and o herwife used us in a barbar
ous manner: at length we had an opportunity of lay
ing our complaints before the commanding officer of
this port, since which we have had our full allowance
of every thing, and treated with great humanity, but
many of our people have died through the hardships
they before fuffered. The persons we complained of
are difmiffed.”—An example worthy of a British ad
ministration.
Extra& of a letter from Leghorn, Sept. 6.
" The families of the governor of Mahon, and the
commander of that port, and several other persons,
arrived at our Lazeretta last week on board a Venetian
vessel ; having finished their quarentine, they were per
mitted to land."
Extrad of a letter from Oftend, Sept. 29.
" The Maria Cornelia, Hagneron, an imperial ship,
from this port to St. Thomas, was drove on shore, and
entirely loft in a violent storm, in attempting to make
this harbour from the read, part of the cargo saved;
there were many wrecks on the coart the 28th, a Swe
dish vessel in ballast, three or four near Blankurbung,
of which two are said to be Swedes, without a person
on board, and one a large Danith ship from the Wert-
Indies towards Dunkirk ; there are also three or four,
one of which is a large Swedish ship bound to Bred
with naval flores."
Extras of a letter from Dublin, Sept. 22.
" We are confidently in formed, that lord Rawdon is
actually upon his passage home, difgufled withe the
service, and perfediy convinced of the total impracti
cability of reducing any part of America."
Extras of a letter from Dublin, Sept. 25.
" From a very authentic channel of information we
learn, that admiral Digby is arrived off the coatt of
America. As fir Samuel Hood's squadron will proba.
bly soon join the admiral, their combined force, with
L ONDO N,
those fllips of the line that are at New-York, will exr
ceed that under the French admiral de Graffe."
Articles of intelligence from tue other daily papers
of yesterday.
Comte de Graffe has been superseded in the com
mand of the French squadron in the Weft-Indies ; and
monf. de Vaudreuil has been appointed to succeed him.
This latter officer is shortly to embark for the place
of his declination ort board the Triumphant of 80 guns
several persons of diftin&ion are going out with him,
particularly M. de Belcombu, the uew governor of Do
mingo, M. de Bougart, intendant of the fame island,
and Mr. Faulkner, intendant of Gaudalou pe. The
admiral is also to take out with him a strong reinforce
ment in ships of .war.
We are forryfto remark, that the last Ipswich Journal
contains no less than go advertisements for iale of the
flocks and goods of different farmers in the circuit of
that paper.
Extract of a letter from Vienna, September 7.
" There is, undoubtedly, something of the greatest
moment on the tapis at the court of Vienna ; and the
minirters for foreign afFairshave been uncommonly busy
since the arrival of an express from one of our ambas
sadors. The chancery of state fits daily, with very Lit
tle interruption ; it is generally believed that a general
peace is the great object our monarch has in view.
Thus much, however, is certain, that the greatest
number of couriers that are dispatched from our court,
take the roads chiefly of Petersburg, Paris, Madrid, and
London ; but still the emperor does not depend solely
on nezociations. At court he seems to pant for peace;
view him iu the coutry he breathes nothing but war.
He ha# camps formed in diff rent parts of his dominions,
and k eeps his men to as Arid duty, as if be was aßually
in a Rate of h flilities with some of his neighbours.
'* Immediately after his last return from France,
he set out for Perth, acc^mpained by general Brown?
He just refreshed, himfelf, and went to camp. The
generale was beat at midnight; at two o'clock in the
morning the whole army, horse and foot, were under
arms; at five the indefatigable monarch reviewed them,
and afterwards made them go through a variety of mi
litary manoeuvres, and the troops were not dismissed
to their tents till twelve o'clock ; the emperor remaiii-
Q? n " e g'? u hd the whole time, and appeared the most
aciiveman in his army
" From Perth, in Hungary, his majesty set off, with*
sut delay, attended by bis brother Maximilian, and
Advice is said to be rece ved from Cadiz, by the
way of France, that the Algerines have taken two
Spanish ships of war, and carried them into Algiers;
they were part of Don Louis Cordova's squadron, ft
parated from him in a storm, and were so much dama
ged that they were obliged to throw their guns over
board, to keep them above water; so that when they
fell in with the Algerine corsairs they had not a gun to
fire, and therefore fell an easy prey to the barbari
ans.
Wednesday morning a humorous feene was exhibi
ted in Shoreditch, viz. the landlord of a house there
having sent a person to seize the goods, and to fake
possession of ti:e premises of a tenant, the lodgers net
being arrear to the original landlord, turned the fel
low out of possession below flairs, and handing their
goods down from window to window, got them all
clear off the premises before the deputed party was
permitted to re-enter.
Lord North has been much commended for his Rea
dy consistency. The like commendation is also due to
the sage politician of Pall Mall. On the plains of Min
den he difeovered his attachment to modern patriotism,
and his subsequent conduft has evinced the firmeft ad
herence to its principles. C are always more con
fident than brave men.
On Tuesday la ft one of the privates belonging to the
16th regiment of light dragoons put a pistol to his
mouth, in a flable at the ship in Feverfham, and fired
it off, which carried off the under part of his jaw, and
part of his tongue. A surgeon was immediately sent
for, who afforded him such assistance as gave great
hopes of his recovery, and the next morning he was re
moved to Leuham camp
The great New York and South Carolina fleets be
ing all got round to Portsmouth, and the convoy be
ing ready, they have received orders to put to sea im
mediately. The earl of Dunmore, general Matthew
who focceeds general Vaughan in the chief command,
in the Weft-Indies, and colonel Thompson, take their
passage in this fleet. Lord Dunmore, by directions of
the lord of the admiralty, g es on board the Afirea
man of war, and general Matthew and Mr.Thompfon,
(who was to proceed immediately to New-York) on
board the Rotterdam.
News has been recently received at the admiralty,
which lias produced no small derangement in the plans
and golden hopes of the firft lords of the admiralty-
A few days ago one of our frigates, whicn was upon a
cruize, took a French vessel that had separated from
her cenvoy, and was bound for America. In examin
ing her papers, it was found, among other things, that
the combined fleets had received orders to join the
squadron at Rhode Island and Boston, giving a reason,
that they found the English were determined to make
North-America the feene of aßion, and therefore such
a number were determined upon to be sent by them,
as might give them a decided superiority in that quar
ter.
The report of the arrival of the fix Eaft-Ixdiamen
at Kinfale, which has unfortunately proved premature
took its rife from the ollowing circumstance : a ship
bound from Kinfale to Bristol being under fail, difce
vered fix fail of ships under convoy, making for that
harbour. The master immediately dispatched a boat
on fhofe tn Kinfale, and the fleet not being then Come
within fight of the place, and the inhabitants too pre
cipitately concluding from the number that it must be
the Eaftlndiamen, sent word back positively that was
the case. The master brought this account to Bristol,
and it was transmitted by fir James Laroche to the
government, who have received no farther intelligence
concerning this valuale fleet, but have had letters from
fir James explaining the origin of the mistake as descri
bed above.