The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1780-01-17 00:00:00, page 2

from the ADVEN;CRER-,, |
I HAVE sometimes heard it dilputea in con
versation, whether it be more laudable or
definable, that a man should think too highly
cctoo meanly of himfelf: it is on all hands
agreed to be best, that he should think right
ly ; but since a fallible being will always make
feme deviations from exaft reditude, it is not
wholly useless to enquire towards which fide
it is fafer to decline.
The prejudices of mankind seem to favour
him who errs by under-rating his own powers,
he is conficered as a modest and harmlUs
member of society, not likely to break the
peace by competition, to endeavour after Such
Iphndor of reputation as may dim the luflie of
others, or to interrupt any in the enjoyment of
themfclves; he is no man's rival, and, tneie
fore, may be every man's friend.
The opinion which a man entertains of
himfelf ought t be distinguished, in order to an
accurate dilcufion of this qu/ffion, as it relates
to perfins or to things. To think highly of
< urfelves in companion with others, to aflume
by our own authority that precedence which
none is willing to grant, mull be always in
vidious and offensive; but to rate our powers
high in proport on to things, ard imagine
ourselves equal :o great undertakings wive
we 1 ave oth rs in poftefton of the fame abili
ties, cannot with equal justice provoke cen
sure.,
It mull be confeffed, that f Iflove may d'f
pofe us to decide too haft;ly in our own fa
vour; but who is hurt by the raillake ? If we
a.e incited by this vain opinion to attempt
more than we can perform, ours is the labour
and ours is the d:fgrace/
But he that dares to think well of himfelf,
will not always prove to be mistaken ; and
the good effects of his confidence will then ap
pear in great attempts and g:eat performances :
if he should not fully complete his design, he
will at lead advance it so far as to leave an
easier talk for him that succeeds him; and
even though he should wholly fail, he will fail
with honour.
But from the opposite error, from torpid
despondency can come no advantage ; it is
the froft of the foul which binds up all its
powers, and congeals life in perpetual llerihty.
He that has no hopes of fuceefs, will make no
attempt; and where nothing is attempted,
nothing can be done.
Every man should, therefore, endeavour to
maintain in himfelf a favourable opinion of
the powers of human mind; which are per
haps, in every man greater than they appear,
and might, by diligent cultivation, be exalt
ed to a degree beyond what their poffefor pre
faces to believe. There is scarce any man
but has found himfelf able at the instigation of
heceffity, to do what in a fate of leisure and
deliberation he w< uld have concluded impossi
ble ; and some of cur species have fignalifed
themfclves by such atchievments, as prove
that there are few things above human hope.
It has been the policy of all nations to pre
serve, by some public monuments, the me
mory of those who have served their country
by great exploits; there is the fame reason for
continuing or reviving the names of those,
whole extensive abilities have dignified hu
manity. An honest emulation may„be alike
excit'd ; and the philosopher's curiosity may
be inflamed by a catalogue of the works of
Boyle or Bacon, as Themiflocles was kept
awake by the trophies of Miltiades.
, Among the favourites of nature that have
from time to time appeared in the world, en
riched with various endowments and contra
rieties of excellence, none seems to have been
more exalted above the common rate of hu
manity that the man known about two centu
ries ago by the appellation of the Admirable
Crichton ; of whole history, whatever we
may fuppre;s as furpafiing credibility, yet we
Shall, .upon inconteftible authority, relate e
noug h to rank him among prodigies.
Virtue; fays Virgil, is better accepted when
it comes in a pealing form : the person of
Crichton was eminently beautiful; but his
beauty was confident with such activity and
Length, that in fencing he would spring at
one bound the length of twenty feet upon his
antagonist; and he used the fivord in either
hand with such force and dexteritv, that scarce
any one had courage to ^ -gage him.
Having studied at St. Andrew's in Scotland,
he went to Paris in his twenty firft year, and
affixed on the gate of the college of Navarre a
kind of challenge to the learned of that uni
versity to dispute with him on a certain day ;
offering to his opponents, whoever they should
be, the choice of tin languages and of all the
faculties and sciences. On the day appointed
three thousand auditors assembled, when four
doctors of the church and fifty masters appear
ed against him ; and one of his antagonists
confeffes, that the dolors were defeated;
that he gave proofs of knowledge above the
reach of man; and that a hundred years,
passed without food or ileep, would not be
fufficient # for the attainment of his learning.
After a difputution of nine hours, he was pre
sented by the president and profeffors with a
diamond and a purse of gold, and dismissed
with repeated acclamations.
From Paris he went away to Rome, where
he made the fame challenge, and had in the
presence of the pope and cardinals the fame
success & Afterwards he contrasted at Venice
an acquaintance with Aldus Manutius, by
whom he was introduced to the learned of that
City ; then visited Padua, where he e framed .
in another public disputation, beginning his
performance with an extemporal pcem in
prarfe of the city andthe assembly then present,
and concluding with an oration equally un
premediated in commendation of ignorance#
He afterwards published another ch He^r,i
in which he declared himfelf ready to d-tect
the errors of Aristotle and all his commenta
tors, either in the common forms of Logic, or
in any which his Antagonists should propose
of a hundred different kinds of verse.
These acquisitions of learning, however
ftupendbus, were not gained at the expence of
any pleasure which youth generally indulges,
or by the omission of any accomplishment in
which it becomes a gentleman to excel : he
pradifed in great perfection the arts of drawing
and painting, he was an eminent performer in
both vocal and instrumental music, he.danced
with uncommon gracefulnefs, and on the day
after his disputation at Paris exhibited his Skill
in horfemacfhip before the courtof France,
where at a public match of tilting he boar
away the ring upon his lance fifteen times to
gether.
He excelled likewise in domestic games of
less dignity and reputation ; and in the inter
val between his challenge and disputation at
Paris, h- spent so much of his time at cards,
dice, and tennis, that a lampoon was hxd
upon the gate of Sorbonne, directing these
that would fee this monster of erudition, to
look for him at the tavern.
So extensive was his acquaintance with life
and manners, that in an kalian comedy condo
led by himfelf and exhibited before the court of
Mau.ua, he is Lid to have performed fifteen
different characters ; in all which he might
;Succeed without great difficulty, fne he had
' such power of retention, that once hearing an
!oration of an hour, he would repeat itexaclly,
I and in the recital follow the speaker through
I all his variety of tone and gesticulation.
INur was his Skill in arms less than in learn
ing, or his courage inferior to his Skill : there
was a prize-fighter at Mantua, who travelling
about the world, according to the barbarous
cullom of that age, as a general challenger,
bad defeated the most celebrated masters in
Imany parts of Europe ; and in Mantua, where
!he then resided, had killed three that appeared
iagainft him. The duke repented that be had
Igranted him his protection ; when Crichton,
'looking on his Sanguinary fuceefs with indig
nation, offered to Stake fifteen hundred pif
toles, and mount the Stage against him. The
duke with some reluctance contented, and on
the day fixed the combatants appeared : their
weapon seems to have been single rapier,
which was then newly introduced in Italy.
The prize-fighter advanced with great vio
lence and fiercenefs, and Crichton contented
himfelf calmly to ward his passes, and Suffered
him toexhauft his vigour by his own fury.
Crichton then became the assailant; and pres
sed upon him with such force and agility ; that
he thrust him thrice through the body, and
saw him expire : he then divided the prize he
had won, among the widows whose husbands
had been killed.
The death of this wonderful man I should
be willing to conceal; did I not know that
every reader will inquire curiously after that
fatal hour, which is common to all human
beings, however distinguished from each other
by nature or by fortune.
The duke of Mantua having received so
many proofs of his various merit, made him
tutor to his son Vincehtio di Gonzaga, a
prince ofloofe manners and turbulent disposi
tion. On this occasion it was, that he com
posed the comedy in which he exhibited so
many different characters with exaCt propriety.
But his honour was of Short continuance ; for
he was one night ip the time of Carnival
rambling about the streets, with his guitarin
his hand, he was attacked by fix men masked.
Neither his courage nor Skill in this exi
gence deserted him, he opposed them with
such activity and Spirit, that he soon dispersed
them, and disarmed their leader, who throw
ing off his mask difeovered himfelf to be the
prince his pupil. Crichton falling on his
knees, took his own sword by the point and
presented it to the prince: who immediately
Seized it, and instigated as some fay by jea
lousy, according to others only by drunken
fury and brutal resentment, thrust him thro'
the heart.
Thus was the admirable Crichton brought
into that State, in which he could excel the
meanest of mankind only by a few empty hon
ours paid to his memory : The court of Man
tua teftified their elteem by a public mourn
ing, the contemporary wits were profufe of
their encomiums, and the palaces of Italy
were adorned with pictures, representing him
on horse back, with a lance in one hand and a
book in the other.
From Rebel Papers.
LONDO N,
Sept. 15. Letters received from Tralce, in
Ireland, mention, that on the 26th of lad
month, the Squadron under the command of
Paul lones were blown out of Ballynfkeligs,
by a violent gale of N E. wind, which obliged
them to quit that bay with such precipitation
that a long boat belonging ro one of the fri
gates, with a Lieutenant of marines, and 13
hands were left behind, and captured by a de
tachment of the Kerry legion.
The Druid latter of marque, Captain Brown
fon, has, after a desperate engagement of three
glasses with the Perdrix, a French privateer
from Calais, taken her and lent her in 0 Har
wich. She has five ransomers on board.
Application was on Tuesday made to the
Lords of the Admiralty, that the fame men of
war which are to fail for Ireland to convoy the
East India ships from Limerick to the Downs,
do likewise take under their convoy the rich
Manilla Ship, which is carried into Cork, to
fee that fafe into the Downs likewise, which
was granted.
Oklers are sent fibm>he Admit by Office to 1
the Comma Her in the Downs, to permit no
Ship watever 0 run through ti^e.-e without
firft undergoing a Strict search, and to treat Ml
such as are found endeavouring to evade it as
enemies. The like orders are sent to the guard
ship at the Nore.,
A great number of transports are taking up
by the Navy Board to carry troops ; and fix tail
of armed ships were contrasted for in the river,
by the Admiralty, on Wednesday last, all
which occasions much (peculation, when the
season of the year is considered.
A letter from Dublin, dated September it,
fays, “ Our harbour is fortifying in many
places. A battery of 28 twenty-four pounders
is created on Spike Island, nearly fronting the
entrance, of the harbour; another °i b cannon
at another point of that island; a bumb batte
ry at Prince Rupert's Tower, on the left of the
harbour going out, call'd Dog's Note; ano
ther of ten cannon on the right fide of the har
b>ur, called Rain Point; another at a place
called Rochel Cadle.
rtferda, the Earl of Sandiui'cb arrived in
toivn from Porfaoutb, was afterwards at Court,
and laid before bis Majed, a sere of the grand
fe^ undtr (be commaud of Sir bbarfs Hird,. It
appears that before their re b wn, they were in
great dfrefs for avahr and fmjh prevfons,
whith was the rea/on of their putting into that
p ort '
The wound which Admiral Barrington received
bp the engagement with the French fleet, it tn the
left thigh, and st is hrped will not endanger the
loss of bis limb as reported.
Extras of a letter from Portfmouib, Sept. 9.
" You ma, depend upon it that all reports f Sir
Charles Hardy being to be faperfeded in command
are entirely without foundation : Lord Sandwich
;and he were frequent 1, together, and the moftper-
I fed arnisy aud confidence Jeem to prevail between
!them. Admiral Graves is indeed arrived here,
'but not for the purpose of taking the head command.
I It was the opinion of Sir Charles that it would
I contribute much to the facilitating the execution of
orders, if the fleet after the considerable reinforce
ment it will meet wits here, should be divided in +
to jiue squadrons. Lords Sandwich and Mu/grave
were both of the fame opinion, and Admiral
Graves was font for to take the command of the
fifth division.
On the march of the troops from Bengal to Poo
nah, the, travelled no less than 24 . miles without
being able to get one single drop of water, though
the heat of the climate was at that time excessive.
Advice is received from Figo, that afire had
broke out at that place, which bad reduced near
100 houses to afoes, and that several Spanijh fami
lies, with their efftas, had perifoed in the flames.
When Lord Sandwich wat at Spitbead the
other day, be took occasion to aft the young Prince
" how he liked afea life ?" " I really dont know
(replied bis Highness) for I have seen nothing but
a dead calm yet."
A ship from the East-Indies, bound to Suez, is
loft in the Red Seas, on board of which, it is said,
was Mr. Chevalier, the late Governor of Chan
denagore, in the river Ganges. The letter which
brought this intelligence, mentions, that Captain
Waugh, of the Britannia, and seven gentlemen,
bound to India, were beset b, the Arabs, seven
miles from Suez, and all murdered.
The Hector privateer of Guern/e,, Capt. Naf
tle, has taken the N. S. de Mifericordia, Captain
Salvidore Caffans, from Buenos A,res to Cadiz,
a large ship being in fight, and supposed to be an
enemy, Capt. Nafle left bis prize, taking out of
her seven chests, containing 20,000 dollars, which
he brought to Guernfe), with the Spanijb Cap
tain.
Portsmouth, Sept. 13. Sir John Lockhart Ross
having struck his flag on board the Royal
George, and hoisted it on board the Romney,
has this instant got under way, with the Ber
wick of 74 gnns, the Hon. Keith Stuart, the
Beinfaifant of 64, Captain Macßride, the Ju
piter of 50, Captain Reynolds, and the follow
ing frigates, viz, Diana, Phcenix, Southamp
ton, Ambuscade, Crescent, Milford, Brilliant,
and Porcupine; the Griffin and Nimble cutters,
the firebrand and incendiary firefhips.
We learn from the north that the regiment
of South Fencibles, have, with a noble spirit,
petitioned the Duke of Buccleugh, fitting
forth, that in the present alarming crisis they
will dispense with the clause which enacts that
they (hall not be cbliged to march into England
except in case of an actual invasion ; but that
they will cheerfully march at present to repel
the foe, should they attempt to land.
September 23. A letter from on board the
Romney, Sir Lockhart Ross, dated Portland Road,
Sept. 19, fays, " Contrary winds have drove us
in here with the squadron. We learn there is no
force at Concalle, to which place we were defined
to deftro, any thing there might have been there.
By two defertersfrom St. Ma/oes, we learn all the
transports are hauled up but fifteen, which are in
tended to attack the Islands of Guernsey and ferfey,
as soon as they received some frigates from Bre/1 :
God find cue may meet wi + h them ! The French
bad 3000 Jick in the combinedfleet when they put
into Brefl. They have 30,000 men at and near
St. Ma/oes. This is ail the news I can gather.
ITe fail again to morrow."
A letter from Weymouth, dated Sept. 20, fays,
Last night Sir John Lockhart Ross put into
Portland Road with his fleet, but failed again
early this morning. Ao person from bis squadron
was admitted on Jbore.
Letters from Holland fay, matters are tak
'ng ' °favourable a turn there in favour of
Great-Britain, that little or no doubt is en
tertained through any of the provinces, but
that the answer of the States General to Sir
Joseph Yorke's memorial will be, in every re
fpeft as favourable as we could wish.
, By a letter from Brunswick we learn, that a
oody of co,ooo Prussians have received orders
to assemble on the Lower Rhine, and they are
fopbrn tLe.i that with & Hanoverian
ihcirown tro% , and thufe that m y be pro
curefo m Ilef ; this wil. Operate to turn the
balance by enabling the Dutch freely to de
clare for Great-Britain.
We hear that Lord M'Cartney'sconduct
in the defence of Grenada, has met with the
fulleft appr bation of his Majelty.
Ex^aa of a letter from Madrid, fAy 28.
“ You may be assured this Court has too
much business on her hands. The revolt of
the S.uth-American provinces, which is now
no longer doubtful, sos of too much conse
quence to be neglected, and will take up tee
much of their attention for them to wish to
lengthen their dispute with the English.”
Extras of a letter from Chatham, Sept. 4.
" Ihe Montague of 74 guns, which was
launched lafl Saturday, is esteemed a no.t
beautiful ffiip; she was matted on Sunday,
taken into dock on Monday, and yederdav
morning at feveii o'clock, seven companies of
ship wrights, confiding of 8z men, viz. ^1
@n the larboard, and the fame number on tie
starboard fide, completed her fhea hing at 8
o'clock this morning, which is reckoned &
v ry extraordinary inhance of dispatch, and
does great honour to the workmen, who a : e
so zealous, that they would give their lives, for
their King and country. —The laid th p was
put st of dock this afternoon, and was cbni
miffioned on Sa.uiday latt."
Sept. 20. The Baltic fleet of 70 fail, are all
got fafe within Scarborough Caftie, having
pushed off in the firft engagement between bis
Majesty's ships Serapis and Scarborough, and
the fleet of haul Jones.
BASSE I I ERRE, (in St. Cbrifophers)
Nov. 24.
We are just informed that the privateers
have fallen in with a fleet from Martinico ard
Guadaloupe, bound to St. Euftatius, under
convoy of two armed vessels, which were ta
ken after an engagement of four hours by two
brigs—one of them belongs to Nevis. It is
reported the Greyhound has taken fix of the
above convoy, A New-York privateer has
brought in a prize said to be one of the above,
BALTIMORE, Dec. 21.
The British Parliament were to meet for the
dispatch of bafinefs on the 18th of November
last.
Capt. Cauldfield, who arrived here since
our last, from Cape Francois, informs, that a
squadron of the Count D'Eftaing's fleet, con
fiding of § ships of the line under the com
mand of the Count de Graffe had arrived there
from Georgia. This squadron was defined
for Chefapeak Bay, but was obliged by ftiefs.
of weather to bear away for the Wed-Indies.,
Previous to the arrival of these ships at the
Cape, a privateer from Jamaica, commanded
by a Captain Pickering, had greatly annoyed
the French trade on the coast of Hispaniola.
London papers as late as September 3, men
tions, that the British court have received the
strongest assurances from the court of Portu
gal, of all the friendfhip and assistance that
court is able to give them—That another ne
gociarion for peace is again on the carpet,
thro' the mediation of Russia and Prussia, by
their Ministers at Versailles—That the King
of Great-Britain's baggage hath all been got
ready for his departure as a moment's warn
ing; it being that Monarch's intention to
take the field in case of an actual invasion of
Britain or Ireland That Admiral Mann has
taken 20 transports, and two xebeques, and
defeated the Spanish Admiral Barcelo, in a
naval engagement, near Gibraltar—That Sir
Charles Hardy's fleet was augmented to 5”
ships of the line That the Ruffian Ambassa
dor at Paris had presented a spirited memo
rial to that court, and was on the point of
taking leave That the Swedish merchants
complain bitterly against the English, for
their depredations on their commerce—That
the Ruffians, Swedes, Danes, and Dutch are
making great warlike preparations.
PHILADELPHIA, December 23. ±
The London, papers brought by Capt. Yal
lot, arrived at Baltimore, down to Sept. 28,
further advise, The the treaties of Amity and
Commerce between the Stapes-General and
his Prussian Majesty, which are nearly expir
ed, are now renewing with some additional
fecrct articles, which the present critical situ
ation cf affairs seem to dictate. That the
French loft in their attack of the islands Demi
n:co, St. Vincent and Grenada, two thousand
men ; that Mr. Clever, a patriot, and late a
London Alderman, was in Grenada when it
was taken ; he had large pt ffeffions on that
island. That Sir Charles Hardy's fl ect, when
joined by that under Sir John Lockhart Ross,
(gone on the fitret expedition, supposed for
the destruction of transports on the coall of
France) would consist of 50 fail of the line,-
the 50 gun ships, 20 frigates, 7 fire ships,
several sloops, bomb vessels and confers. Ad
miral Graves commands the sh division of
this fleet. The combined Heers had returned
to Brel!, but were to put to sea again when
they had taken in the necessary refreshments,
A camp of eight thousand men was to be form
ed on the Isle <f Wight ,Immense warlike
preparations were making throughout Great-
Britain and Ireland; in the latter kingdom
there were independent corps amounting t^
forty nine thousand, four hundred and fixy
men, besides thir een thousand regulars in
camp, all said to be very fine troops The
Ceuntefs of Inchequin, a noble Lady born
deaf and dumb, was entirely at her own ex
pence fitting out at Cork a privateer of 2^
guns, and 150 men, the Royal Charlotte.
That a rebel brigantine with icß hogflieads of
tobacco, had been carried into Liverpool,
and a rebel privateer had been funk 00 the
Irilh Coast by two British frigates.