Oracle post — Portsmouth, N.H., 1805-06-04 00:00:00, page 2

lion, therefore, two persons are necessary ; the
one tQ see whatever is presented to the globe on
the top of the dome of the temple, the other to in
form. For this purpose, two grandoles with lat
tice work/ are placed in the exhibition room oppo
site dach other ; or transparent paintings will an
swer the same purpose, these girandoles or paint
ings are considered by the company merely as or
©aments. Behind one of these there is a small a
perture, through the partition to an adjoining room,
where the person appointed to see whatever is pre
sented to the ball takes his station. His business
is to communicate, in a whisper, to the person who
is to inform the company of what is presented to
the ball or incomprehensible mirror, so termed, on
the top of the dome. To effect this, there is a
(pipe tor the purpose of conveying this information
leading from the apartment of the spectator to the
person closeted for speaking singing, &c. who, when
asked what is held to the ball, claps an ear to tlie
communicating pipes. The one behind the Giran
dole whispers, a gold ring, or whatever happens to
be held. Then the invisible answers, a gold ring,
to the astonishment of the company.
_®—
From the Political Register.
Tripoli, July 17. —The view exhibited by Tripo
li increases in beauty as you draw nearer to it.
This town is situated on the borders of the sea, at
the foot of an immense forest of palm trees.
The kingdom of Tripoli, so called from having
formerly had under its jurisdiction the three great
towns of Sabrata, Oer, and Leptis Magna, is neith
er so populous nor so rich as Tunis. Tripoli, the
capital, is built upon the spot where formerly stood
the ancient Abrotonum, and is surrounded with
good fortifications. The houses are built# brick
and stone, and are but one story high : they are
white washed ; and this added to the dust and rub
bish with which the streets are filled, occasions,, the
greater part of the inhabitants to have sore eyes ; a
complaint very prevalent among the Tunisians ow
ing to the same cause. The gates of this place are
arched, and so small that it is necessary to stoop in
order to get through them : a custom established to
Tender the passage more difficult in the Que of an
insurrection.
At the entrance into the city is a triumphal mon
ument of the composite order, which according to
the inscription, seems to have been erected in hon
or of Marcus Aurelius and his colleague, on account
of the victory which the latter obtained over the
Armenians. The flowers, vine leaves and trophic
are in good preservation ; but the statutes, which
are in the notches, have been destroyed : and the
rage of superstition has mutilated the four busts
placed above them, as well as all the figures in bas
relief. On that side of the arch, however which
contains the inscription, is an upright figure by the
side of a woman sitting, and surrounded by little
children, the drapery of which is perfectly entire.
Some of the pieces, of marble, of whicli this monu
ments composed, are of an enormous size. On ac
count of the great heat, I was not able to copy what
remains of the inscription.
Some of the Tripolitans, perceiving that we look
ed attentively at this monument, began to examine
it also themselves ; and one of them even extended
his curiosity so far as to ask us, at what period the
infidels had erected it.
The Franks enjoy priviliges here, of very great
importance in a country where, the populace, are
under so little subordination. For example, if one
ofth^m happen to have been insulted he has the right
of causing the offender to be arrested by one of the
Janissaries belonging to the consul of his nation, and
taken before a judge. There are consuls here from
France, England, Holland, Denmark, Spain,Venice
and Naples.
There are neither wells nor fountains in this place
and notwithstanding every precaution than can be
taken to preserve the rain water, it often happens,
in dry seasons, that none of it is to be found.
Roman and African medals, both of silver and
copper, are found in this country : we purchased
some copper ones, which have a horse's head on
ope side, with a palm tree and dates on the other.
We yesterday paid a visit to the Bey, yho did us
the honor to give us a particular audience in a spa
cious saloon. A great number of persons among
whom the most conspicuous was his own son, were
standing before him, while a slave with a large fan
made of swans feathers cooled the air Sc drove the flies
from him. He was armed with pistols an^poinards
You would naturally suppose that the first compli
ment was made by the consul. But this was not
the case ; a janissary, stepping before the compa
ny, advanced towards the Bey, and, after kissing
his hands, spoke a few word to him. The Bey at last
desired us to be seated and soon after some slaves
spread large pieces of muslin fringed with gold up
on our knees, and brought us coffee and various
sorts of sherbet. One of the slaves then poured
rose water over us, whilst another perfumed us
with myrrh and aloes—all the while making seve
ral inclinations of the head. .
The son of-'the Bey having expressed a wish to
see our frigate, a council was held to determine
whether this proceeding was consistent with his dig
nity ; but it being observed, that neither his father
nor grand father had ever been on board a foreign
ship of war, it was decided in the negative.
— «ra * ram
FROM LEWIS'S COMIC SKETCHES.
Although performers neglecting the study of their
profession, deserve reprehension, yet I must exempt
sucli from censure as have been neglectful from
their endeavors proving unsuccessful. In this situ
ation Was the late facetious George Alexander Ste
vens, at Lynn, in Norfolk. Having played there
srveral nights to empty benches, he neglected to
study the part of Lorenzo, in the Merchant of Ve
nice, which he had to perform before the company
left town. He, however, bustled through it tolera
bly well, until he came to the last act, where he
'should have said to Jessica
" In such a night as this, Leander swam the Hel
lespont, and braved the winds and waves for Hero's
sake," &c.
Instead of which he began thus:
" Oh Jessica ! in such a night as this the—man
—swam oyer the water—and he div'd and he duck'd
—and he duck'd and he div'd—till he got to the
other side—and—there, you know, he met with his
—sweetheart—and there, Jessica, jou know they
met each other."
This yas intolerable ! The audience peceiving
the cause, expressed their disapprobation by a gen
eral hiss from every part of the theatre.
Stevens, greatly irritated by this, resolved to quit
,e town, as he termed it, in a blaze. He took
therefore, Jessica by the hand, and leading her for
ward addressed the audience thus,
"O Jessica 1 in such a night as this, we came to,
town,
And since that night we've touch'dbut half-a-crown ,
Let you and I then, bid these folks good night,
Forif we longer stay they'll starve us quite':
Q-imel"
THESES, from whence Thebais had its name,
might vie with the noblest cities in the universe.
Its hundred gates, celebrated by Homers, are uni
versally Inown, and acquired it the surname of
Hecatonpylos to distinguish it from the other The
bes in Bobtia. It was equally large and popu
lous; and according to history, could send out at
once 200 chariots, and 10,000 fighting men at each
of its gates, The Greeks and Romans have cel
ebrated its magnificence and grandeur, thougli the
saw it onlyjn its ruins; so august were the re
mains of this city.
In Thebe' now called Said, have been discov
ered temples and palaces which are still almost
entire, adorned with innumerab.- columns and stat
ues. One palace especially is admired, the remains
whereof seem to have existed purely to eclipse the
glory of the most pompous edifices' .Four walks,
extending farther than the eye % see, and bounded
on each side with tyhinxes, composed of materials
as rare and extraordinary as their size is remark
able, serve for avenues to four porticoes, whose
height is amazing to /behold. Besides, they who
give us the description of this wonderful edifice,
had not time to go round it, and are not sure that
they saw above half :however, what they had a
sight of was astonishing. A hall, which in all ap.
pearance stood in the middle of this stately palace,
was supported by 120 pillars, six fathoms round, of
a proportionable height, and intermixed with obe
lisks, which so many ages have not been able to
demolish. Painting had displayed all her art and
magnificence in this edifice. The colours them
selves, which soonest feel the injury of time, still
remain amidst the ruins of this wonderful structure
and preserve their beauty and lustre ; so happily
could the Egyptians imprint a character of immor
tality on all their works. Strabo, who was on the
spot, describes a temple he saw in Egypt, very
much resembling that of which I have been speak
ing.
CHAPTER 11.
•Middle Egypt, or Heptanomis.
MEMPHIS was the capital of this part of Egypt.
Here were many stately temples, especially that of
the god Apis, who was honoured in this city after
a particular manner. I shall speak of it hereafter
as well as of the pyramids, which stood in the neigh
bourhood of this place, and rendered it so famous.
Memphis was situated on the west side of the Nile.
Grand Cairo, which seems to have succeeded Mem
phis, was built on the other side of that river. The
castle of Cairo is one of the greatest curiosities in
Egypt. It stands on a hill without the city, has a
rock for its foundation, and is 'surrounded with
walls of a vast height and solidity. You go up to
the castle by away hewn out of the rock, and which
is so easy of ascent) that loaded horses and camels
get up without difficulty. The greatest rarity in
this castle is Joseph's well, so called, either because
the Egyptians are pleased with ascribing their most
remarkable particulars to that great man, or be
cause there is really such a tradition in the country.
This is a proof, at least, thatthe work in question is
very ancient ; and it is certainly worthy the mag
nificence of the most powerful kings of Egypt.
This well has, as it were, twostories, cut out of the
rock to a prodigious depth. One descends to the
reservoir of water, between the two wells, by a stair
case, seven or eight feet broad, consisting of 220
steps, and so contrived, that the oxen employed to
throw up the water go down with all imaginable
ease, and the descent being scarce perceptible. The
b well is supplied from a spring, which is almost the
only one in the whole country, the oxen are con
tinually turning a wheel with a rope to which buck
ets are fastened. The water thus drawn from the
first and lowermost well, is conveyed by a little ca
nal into a reservoir, which forms the second well ;
from whence it is drawn to the top in the same man
ner, and then conveyed by pipes to all parts of the
castle. As this well is supposed by the inhabitants
of the country to be of great antiquity, and has in
deed much of the antique manner of the Egyptians,
I thought it might deserve a place among the curi
osities of ancient Egypt.
Strabo speaks of such an engine, which, by wheels
and pullies,,threw up the water of the Nile to the
top of a vast high hill ; with this difference, that
instead of oxen, 150 slaves were* employed to turn
these wheels.
Thf part of Egypt of which we speg is famous
Ancient History.
I? The following Extract from Rollin will
shew the style and arrangement of this excellent
work.—Those Gentlemen who have honored our
Subscription Paper with their flames the last week,
are particularly thanked for the patronage.
INTRODUCTION.
The Usefulness of Profane History, especially with
regard to Religion.
What is to be observed in history, besides the events
and chronology.,
THE study of profane history would be unworthy
of a serious attention, and a considerable length o*
time, if it were confined to the dry knowledge of
ancient transactions, and an unpleasing inquiry into
the eras when each of them happened. It little con
cerns us to know that there were once such men
as Alexander, Caesar, Aristrides, or Cato, and that
they lived in this or that period ; that the empire
of the Assyrians made way for that of the Babylo
nians, and the latter for the empire of the Medes
and Persians, who were themselves subjected, by
the Macedonians, as these were afterwards by the
Romans.
1. The causes of the rise and fall of empires.
But it highly concerns us to know, by what meth
ods those empires were founded ; the,steps by which
they rose to the exalted pich of grandeur we so
much admire ; what it was that constituted their
ti ue glory and felicity, and the causes of their de
clension and fall.
2. The genius and character of nations and of the
great persons that governed them.
It is of no less importance to study attentively the
manners of different nations ; their genius, laws
and customs ; and especially to acquaint ourselves
with the character and disposition, the talents, vir
tues, and even vices of those men by whom they
were-governed ; and whose good or bad qualities
contributed to the grandeur or decay of the states
over which they presided.
Such are the great objects which ancient history
presents ; exhibiting to our view all the kingdoms
and empires of the world, and, at the same time,
all the great men who were any ways conspicous ;
thereby instructing us, by example rather than pre
cept, in the arts of empire and war, the principles
of government, the rules of policy, the maxims of ci
vil society, and the conduct of life that suits all a
ges and conditions.
CHAPTER I.—THEBAIS.
Providence, May 25.
LABOUR IN VAIN!
On Tuesday night last an attempt was made to
;rob the Exchange Bank in this town, fae villains
broke a back door, and got into the entry ; wheth
er they found the door leading to the baim-room
too strong to be forced, or were apprehensive of
,detection, dqes not appear—but they went off with
out accomplishing their purpose Had the bank
room been entered, they would not have fo^nd any
, booty, and the doer of ,tne vault must have present
ed insuperable difficulties, as without interruption
they could not have passed this massy barrier in
less than 24 hours.
for several rarities, each of which deserves a par
ticular examination. I shall relate only the princi
pal, such as the Obelisks, the Pyramids, the Laby
rinth, the Lake of Mceris, and the Nile.
BY THE PRILLS.'
— — «raro ®®® en I
Unoin (Penn.) April 5.
Bones of General Braddock.
On the Btli of July, 1755, the army of General
Braddock was defeated, and himself killed by the
French and Indians, within ten miles of Pittsburg.
The ground on which the battle was fought, is
known by the name of Braddock's Field. The Ge
neral received a musket shot througli the right
arm and lungs, of which he died in a few hours,
having been carried olf the field by the bravery of
Lieutenant-Colonel Gage, and another of his offi
cers. His body was buried at the encampment of
the rear division of his army, nine miles eastward
of this place. It seems that the great road, lead-'
ing from Fort Cumberland to Union Town, was ac
cidentally laid out so as to pass over hi, grave.—,
The road having been mucli cut by waggons, and
the earth swept away by rain, toe Bones of the
General have been lately dis covered in-the bottom
of the road, and taken up ; several of them are
now in tins town—they appear sound, and are very
large ; from the best -information, it appears un
questionable, that the place from whence these
bones were taken, is the spot in which the body of
the General was interred.
Captain Burroughs, who arrived yesterday in 43
days from Morlaix, does not bring payers so late
as accounts already received from France by Am
sterdam, but has related some particulars, which
place the naval sortie from Brest in a different
point of view from the Frencli statement,ana is un
doubtedly more correct.
Captain Burroughs was in Morlaix at the time
the Brest fleet put to sea. He informs that the
fleet consisted of 21 sail of the line, that they had
a large number of troops on board and were desti
ned lor some expedition. That the English squad
ron commanded by Sir John Orde, consisting of 15
sail only, gave chase ; —that the French fleet put
about, but were pursued by the English who were
within half an hour of cutting off their return, and
did actually give them several shot. He further
states that it was a subject of great rejoicing on
shore, that the fleet had escaped an engagement as
their object was not to fight, but to proceed to some
other quarter.
Captain Burroughs saw the English squadron off
their usual cruizing ground, augmented to twenty
five sail. ——•—
Toulon Fleet out.
'Later and Important.
Captain Folger, arrived here on Saturday, in
35 days from Lisbon, is the bearer of the very in
teresting Intelligence of the escape of the French
fleet from Toulon. He states, that on the 14th April,
the Doric transport ship, captain Lamb, arrived at
Lisbon, dispatched from Sir J. Orde, off Cape St.
Vincents, to the British minister, with news of the
Toulon fleet being off Cadiz consisting of 10 sail of
the line, and four frigates ; that the Defence, of 74
guns, narrowly escaped being taken as she lay with
her yards and topmasts down when the French fleet
hove in sight. The English Minister at Lisbon, im
mediately ordered out two Packets,the Orphens fri
gate and a gun-brig, then in port, with dispatches
for England ; the brig was, however obliged to
put back, having sprung her bowsprit and foremast
in crossing the Bar. 46 hours after sailing, captain
F. spoke the British fleet under Sir John Orde, con
sisting of two 74^6 and 3 frigates only, standing for
England.
" Captain Folger further advises, that the French
minister had arrived at Lisbon, and was escorted
from Bellisle Castle to this city, by the nobility and
Prince's Horse Guards. Jerome Bonaparte had set
out for 'France, by the way of Madrid—and his la
dy was a passenger, on board the Erin, which came
out of Lisbon intompany with capt. Folgier, bound
for Amsterdam. •
A late Kentucky paper suggests the probability
of an immediate war between several tribes of In
dians, on the Misissippi. In this contest the United
States will, it is expected, be compelled to take a
part. — —
The Richmond Inquirer, an open and decided de
mocratic paper, says, “ It is confidently reported
and believed, that the President of the United States
will serve in his recent office; no longer than his
present term." If Mr. Jefferson has authorised this
publication, we hope he will n+tjorget his promise.
By the arrival of the brig Supcib, capt. Bos
worth, from Liverpool, we have been supplied
with London and Liverpool prints to the u2a April.
The contents of these papers, though they afford no
extraordinary detail of intelligence, of a general
nature, present many indications or active aid im
mediate operations, belli by " flood and nela." A
mong the tew articles, we have been enables to se
lect, from the latest dates, will be obsei ved, that
very important Dispatches had been received J rom
Russia, and that they were understood to be high
ly favourable to the prosecution oj the war; that
the Grand Secret F&pidition had actually sailed ;
that the naval armaments in the ports of fr rance,
Spain and Holland nad made many dispositionsJor
putting to sea, having received on board large
quantities of troops arid military stores.
In the earlier dates of our present files of Lon
don papers much is said of the improper conduct of
Lord ivlelvilie, while in office, at the head-of the
Admirality, and a very general interest excited by
the manner in which the affair has been discusser: in
parliament. It appears very fully that his Lordship
Avas actually guilty, either of speculating himself
with the public money, for his private interest, or
knowingly suffering his Secretary, (Mr. I .rotter) to
do so, to an immense amount ; and that in conse
quence thereof, he has been compelled to resign his
office and suffer the disgrace of having a Resolution
passed against him in Parliament or gross violation
of the law, and a high breach of duty.
Lord Hawkesbury is said to have been appoint
ed to the office of First Lord of the Admiralty thus
vacated : and that Lord 'Harrowby succeeds to die
Secretaryship of the Home Department.
1, FURTHER PARTICULARS.
Boston, may 27; 1805.
Latest from Europe.
MAY 28.
In the House of Representatives the Votes for
Clerk, (which is the first officer chosen) were 32%
of widen number aVicholas Tillinghast, Esquire,
had 1/5, and was accordingly chosen. In the ballot
for speaker the whole number was 323,0 f which
Hon. limothy Bigelow, had 169, and was declarea
to ue elected. [The Democratic Candidates fcr
^fypeuker and Clerk, were Perez Morton, Esq. and
"Charles Pinckney Sumner, Esq. Mr. Morton had
151 votes for the former office, and Mr. Sumner
The two legislative branches of the government be
ing thus organized, they were joined by the Gover
nor and Council, and escorted in procession to the
Old South Meeting House by the Independent Ca
dets, under command of Col. Apthorp, where a
very excellent sermon was pronounced by the Rev.
John Allyn, of Duxborough.
The two houses convened in the afternoon, for the
purpose of tilling up the vacancy in the Senate,cre
ated by the incomplete election of Senators for th^
County of jYork ; but owing to some irregularity
in the return of votes, the Committee, appointed to
examine them, could not agree, and the Senate, af
ter enlarging the Committee, adjourned. The House
was employed in appointing Committees and organ
ising the internal regulations of their department.
The Hon. Mr. Bigelow, on being conducted to
the Chair, as Speaker of the Honse of Representa
tives addressed the Members as follows :—
Gentlemen of the House ts Representatives,
It can hardly be necessray for me to declare
that I entertain a very grateful sense of the honor
done me by your vote, which has just been announc
ed. It would not perhaps be proper, were it in hi,
power to express how highly 1 appreciate the obli
gation. I will therefore only say that relying on
your candour support, I accept the appointment.
And sincerely desirous as I am to discharge the du
ties of it with fidelity, impartiality and diligence, in
a manner best promotive of the interest of our Con
stituents, as well as the honor of this House. I
shall esteem myself happy, at the end of our politi
cal year if I shall not be found to have forfeited
your good opinion,
• MELAACHOLLY!
" Canterbury, April 16, 1805."
« On Sabbath morning, the 14th inst. the body of
Mr. John Carter, of this town, was found lifeless,
about 50 rods north of his own house. He was re
turning home from a neighbouring town, and it is
conjectured he fell f om his horse, which caused
bleed freely at the nose—attempting^ proce&
home, he fell into a small rivulet from which
thro' weakness, he was unable to extricate him
self; he there perished, (aged 54) leaving a wife
and seven children to lament their loss."
[Concord Courier.]
Beware of Gating. —On 24th ult. acountiQ^h, *
in the act of gazing and gaping to see the wonders
in the town of Boston, was seized with a fit of gap
ing ; and actually put his jaw out, which occasioned
considerable bustle ; but medical aid being soon
obtained, he was restored to the pleasure of again
shutting his mouth 1 Boston
Caleb Gardner, Esq. is appointed President of the
Bank of Rhode-lsland, made vacant by the death of
Christopher Champlin, Esq.
COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT.
British, Consular Office, Boston, May 25.
John Coles His Britannic Majesty's Consul, ad Inter
em, tonthe States of Massachusetts and New-Hamp
shire, has this day received through the medium of
the Consul General, the following Communication
from nis Britanic Majesty's minister plenipotentia
ry to the United States of America, the following
communication, which he requests may be publish
ed tor the information of the merchants trading to
tiic British Islands in the West-Indies. %
" Accounts had been received at Lisbo) ,, e „
capture of two valuable Brazille ships off Q, ^"°'
Corvo by the Algerine squadron. \
COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
FROM LISBOA, MAY 3.
" Since our last of the 26th ultimo, we have had
the arrival of several more cargoes of wheat from
France and some of flour from America, the great
er part of which would probably have been re-ex
ported to Spain in our ,small coasters ; but this
trade for a moment is checked by the appearance
of an Algerine squadron, who have made some cap
tures near Cape St. Vincents; a Portuguese squad
ron is fitting out to oppose them. In the interior
sales' for exportation are suspended, and for the
consumption of the country they are not now so
brisk as they have been._
“ The appearance of our harvest is very favour^
able and should it continue so, prices will be no
doub^ lower during the summer—which we think
our uuty to communicate to you, and hope the ill
information may be useful. Flour twelve dollars
50 cents."
" Notice having been published and circulated
about four months since, throughout the United,
States of a resolution, bearing the date 21st of Nov
ember lastj whicli had been passed by the Lieut.
Governor and Council of the Island of Jamaica,
prohiouing after the expiration of six months, from
that date, tne importation of provisions and lumber
in American or other neutral vessels ; and it hav
ing been represented, at the same time, that the
above-mentioned resolution had taken place in con
sequence ofihstructious from his Britannic Majesty's
gov ernment, of so peremptory a nature, as not to
leave the Governor and Council any latitude to at
tend to the remonstrances which had been made a
gainst the said resolution by the inhabitants of Ja
maica : It is thought necessary to declare that no
orders have been sent by his majesty, to the gov
ernors of his colonics in the West-Indies, by which
they are deprived of the discretion formely intrust
ed to them, of relaxing, under certain circumstances
the rigid provisions of. the navigation laws ; and
that it is therefore presumable that as soon as the
explanation on this subject shall have reached Ja
maica and the other British colonies in the West-
Indies, (where' it is believed that they may be al
ready arrived) the importation of provisions and
lumber will again be permitted in American or 0-
ther neutral vessels. ,
Yesterday forenoon the Legislature of Massachu
setts, for the current year, met at the new State
House, in this town, and proceeded to the regular
organization of the several branches of the govern
ment. ^
The Senate made choice of the Hon. HARRI
SON GRAY OTIS, for President and Wendell
Davie, Esq. Clerk. [The number of Members as-I
sembied was 37 of whioh number Mr. Otis had 19.
The democratic Candidate was the Hon. John B& ;
con. In the choice of Clerk Mr. Davis had 21
votes ; the opposition Candidate was a Mr. Dur^
bar. The Hon. L. H. Derby, and one other Ho&
member.
146, for the latter. There were but three scatter
ing votes on each balloting.]
—•+• — may 3:
MASSACHUSETTS ELECTION.