The New-Hampshire gazette and general advertiser (Portsmouth [N.H.]), 1787-09-15 00:00:00

NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE,  AND GENERAL ADVERTISER.
SATURDAY,
SEPTEMBER 15, 1787.
PORTSMOUTH:
PRINTED and PUBLISHED
By JOHN MELCHER,
in MARKET-STREET.
§ 8s. per Annum. §
"WHEN ANGRY NATIONS PART IN LEAGUES OF PEACE, LET PRIVATE FEUDS AND CIVIL DISCORDS CEASE."
AN ESSAY ON HUMILITY.
Gentle Reader,
I AM a child of affliction—I have been called in this my early part of life, to pay my last respects to my worthy parents, frequently do I visit their tomb, and drop the affectionate tear—I then return to my humble habitation, and scarcely can I realize that my parents are gone,—gone,—yes, they are dead—Those of you who have been deprived of your tender parents, will mingle a tear with me—those who are so happy as to enjoy their protection and friendship will commiserate my situation.—Alone as it were in life, with a few friends to give me assistance, I ruminate on my unhappiness.—Once I knew what it was to be blessed with parents to cheer my hours; but now alas! Delia mourns the departure of those who never knew her to sigh without endeavoring to suppress it—never saw her smile without rejoicing in her happiness—but unfeeling Death has deprived me of what I held most dear, and I am left to wander alone.—These things teach me Humility.
Come then, sweet Humility, let me hold thee to my bosom,—'Tis thou that makest us contented with our situations in life; and when sorrows come, 'tis thou that teaches us to reflect, that the hand who sends them is divine—amiable child of an indulgent Parent, who, when upon earth, was reduced to an humble situation; but dignity shone conspicuous in Humility.—Happy are they who attended to the precepts of their Creator, for his language is, my children be contented, repine not under your afflictions, but remember that you experience them in order that you may be prepared for the joys of immortality.
I have been led by my misfortunes to reflect that our happiness will be increased in proportion to our Humility.—Mankind are liable to afflictions—health may bloom in the countenance, but disease will cause the bloom to fade,—riches may afford temporary gratification, but these take to themselves wings and flee away—we may be blessed with friends who share our pleasures and pains, yet they often prove our greatest enemies; but Humility will give us that peace of mind which the world cannot give nor take away: it will raise our thoughts to that Being who is kind to his creatures, and whose tender mercies are over all his works.—To our superiors we should be humble, yet generous; with our equals familiar, yet respectful; and towards our inferiors we should exercise that kindness and condescension which will increase and enliven their esteem.
How opposed to Humility is Pride, or that self-conceit which too often influences our conduct in life.—The person of a haughty disposition looks down with sovereign contempt upon all those who are not as well situated in life as he is; he views the person who is obliged to earn his food by the sweat of his brow with an indifferent eye, and very rarely does he associate with him.—To such I would observe, that although you live in splendor, and flourish in the blaze of luxury, yet you do not answer the end of your creation, unless you are willing to distribute a
small part of your riches among the children of want.—From whence does this pride originate? If you have riches, it is owing entirely to the goodness of your God;—propitious fortune blows the gale, and you are clothed in your silken robes.—How ought your hearts therefore to expand with benevolence, and with what Humility should you receive your blessings? But not too arrogant in prosperity; be friendly to those who move in a humble sphere, then will an indulgent Heaven smile upon your wishes, and crown you with untading laurels.
Humility teaches us to be contented with the allotments of Divine Providence. We are so situated in life that we are subject to many disappointments and afflictions; we form schemes of happiness that we never realize, and erect a castle in the air which may be destroyed by the smallest unfriendly gale.
Afflictions are the lot of humanity; they invade us when we least expect them, and often when we are in the zenith of happiness, they gather around us.—How apt are we to repine at the dispensations of Heaven; we had rather languish in the shades of melancholy than to listen to the language of wisdom. There are persons in the world who possess many of the amiable feelings of the heart, and as they are very susceptible they suffer their happiness to depend too much upon the opinions of mankind. Does the critic animadvert upon their observations: they feel themselves injured in a tender point;—Does fortune frown upon their wishes: they murmur at the unfriendliness of fortune:—Should their friends turn their enemies, they would say that friendship is but a name: Are they reduced to poverty, will they not embrace death that they might extricate themselves from their miserable situation.
But Humility is the grand virtue which leads to contentment.—The possessors of it feel tranquil amid the noise and bustle of the world; they accuse not the decrees of heaven when adversity encircles their brow; but with a pleasing serenity thrilling through their cheerful hearts, they reflect that the gentle hand by whom the wounds is given, will yield a balm to ease its poignant smart.
Thus will they glide smoothly along the stream of time, every day will bring joys before untasted, and when they find that all earthly enjoyments are failing, they will look forward to that inevitable period with tranquillity, and when no longer able to do good, they will give themselves up to those hopes which the virtuous and humble mind alone can entertain.—Thus will they smile through life, and when they die, Heaven will receive them to that world where sorrow never comes; and their Humility when on earth, will give them a place at God's right hand, where flow pleasures forevermore.
DELIA.
THE MONITOR.
THE attentive observer will readily perceive the aptitude of the following observations, at this day, when the depravity
of our youth is so glaringly notorious—to endeavour to remedy it is laudable.
Youth is of no long duration, and in maturer age, when the enchantments of fancy shall cease, and phantoms of delight dance no more about us, we shall have no comforts but the esteem of wise men, and the means of doing good. Let us therefore stop, whilst to stop is in our power. Let us live as men, who sometimes to grow old, and to whom it will be the most dreadful of all evils to count their past years by follies, and to be reminded of their former luxuriance of health, only by the maladies which riot has produced.
That the highest degree of reverence should be paid to youth, and that nothing indecent should be suffered to approach their eyes, or ears, are precepts extorted by sense and virtue from an ancient writer, by no means, eminent for chastity of thought.—The same kind, though not the same degree of caution, is required in every thing which is laid before them, to secure them from unjust prejudices, perverse opinions, and incongruous combination of images.
Youth is the time of enterprise and hope, having yet no occasion for comparing our force with any opposing power, we naturally form presumptions in her own favour, and imagine that obstructions and impediments will easily give way before us.
From the Newport Herald.
Mr. Edes,
The following memoir may perhaps be acceptable to some of your readers, and fill up a gap in your Herald with more probability of benefitting mankind than a religious controversy.—Your inserting it will oblige at least one Customer.
TO THE MEMORY OF SIR JOHN MASON,
WHO tho' but threescore and three years old at his death, yet lived and flourished in the reigns of four princes, viz. Henry the 8th, Edward the 6th, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth; and was a privy counsellor to them all, and an eye-witness of the various revolutions and vicissitudes of those times. Towards the latter end of his life, being on his death bed, he called for his clerk and delivered himself in the following terms:
Lo! here have I lived to see five princes, and have been a privy counsellor to four of them.—I have seen the most remarkable occurrences in foreign parts, and have been present at most state transactions for thirty years together; and I have learned this, after so many years experience,—that Seriousness is the greatest wisdom—Temperance the best physic—and a good Conscience the best estate,—and were I to live my life over again, I would change the court for a cloyster, my privy counsellor's buckler for an hermit's retirement, and the whole life I lived in the palace for an hour's enjoyment of GOD in the chapel,—All things else forsake me besides my GOD, my duty, and my prayer.
EPITAPH ON A DRUNKARD.
AT length my friends, the draught of life is o'er; I've drank sufficient—and can drink no more: My night is come, I've spent a jovial day; 'Tis time to part; but, oh!—WHAT IS TO PAY?
DICK'S Plea for beating his WIFE.
SINCE beauty they say ne'er so lovely appears As when the fair nymph is dissolv'd in tears; To know then how solid this maxim will prove, Dick beats pretty Peggy to heighten his love.

Late European Advices,
Received by his Britannick Majesty's Packet Dafford , Capt. Roberts , arrived at New York, and the Brig Favourite , Capt. Caldwell , arrived at Boston.
P A R I S, June 17.
They write from Versailles, that France, as a friend to peace, has demanded of the states general to interpose once more her mediation between their high mightinesses and the stadholder. They add, that the conferences are to begin immediately.
H A G U E, June 17.
We learn from Schiedam, that a resolution passed in the council of that city, to grant pensions to the widows of the burghers who have been killed, and to such as were wounded in fighting for the liberties of their country.
L O N D O N,
June 16. Bella! horrida Bella! is the cry in the city, and as there appears every reason to credit the report, should such be the fact, Mr. Pitt and his friends must go out.
The royal exchange is at present full of whispers and conjectures; among which we can only overhear the expressions—War with France—sitting out—Stadholder to be supported—stocks to be down to 60—bank of Amsterdam shook, &c.
Our able negotiator at Paris, and his immaculate masters in London, have made a pretty piece of business, with their commercial treaty, and new fangled system of friendship with our old enemy. —They have sowed the seeds of war—stocks have fallen—the merchants are alarmed—and India veers towards a French government.—Every thing left of British glory is however to be sacrificed to preserve peace—and, if nothing else will do, Gibraltar is to be ceded.
The duke of Richmond is making every preparation for war—all the old muskets are scouring—the mortar and the pestle are brightened up, a new ramrod is bespoke for the old blunderbuss, a fosse and ditch are immediately to surround Privy gardens—the play-house is to be converted into a barrack for the artillery—and his grace loaded with plans, means to survey Tower Ditch, Black-wall, Deptford, Greenwich, and the isle of Dogs, where lighters filled with combustibles, and command by Captain Luttrell, and other experienced officers are to be stationed, to annoy the French men of war, in their passage up to London-bridge. A fleet of those light transports called sculls, are to scour the Thames up to Staines, and a heavy fortification of pop guns and patteraros, are to defend Privy garden on the backside. His grace, (should the French attempt Westminster bridge) means to command in person, in the very coat he wore when he made that spirited concession to Lord Rawdon in the house of peers.— Who's afraid?
The first blow which the French strike will be in the East Indies. They have now in that part of the world a large fleet, fully adequate to the destruction of all British property; and the army of Hyder Ally, under the discipline of French teachers, is now as fine a body of troops as any in Asia.
Should a war take place, the marquis of Buckingham, will take an active part in the cabinet.—He is a soldier, and has been in the militia, and in camp, and knows something of marches and counter-marches, and all that sort of things.—In short, he is the man of all men to face the French on the field, and the chancellor in the cabinet.
June 26. In a former paper we mentioned the large naval equipments going forward at Cadiz. In addition to which, we now inform the public, that similar preparations are making at Ferrol, and all other capital sea-ports in Spain.
The Portuguese have fitted out a small squadron, part of which is ordered to convoy a fleet of merchant-men and transports to the Brazils.
The French fleet have not yet sailed from Brest.—But are ready to proceed at a moment's notice.
By letters received yesterday from Cadiz, we learn, that two ships have just arrived there, with bullion to a considerable amount, from the West-Indies.
We hear from Leghorn, that on the 1st instant, news arrived there, that the king of Sardinia has thought proper to invade and take four forts, and the town of Savona, belonging to the states of Genoa, under pretence that the herdsman belonging to the states, committed ravages on the Piedmont territories. The states have in consequence sent a courier to Paris, and another to Vienna, to implore the protection and mediation of the two courts; and another to the Swiss cantons, to obtain from the Helveticks a body of six thousand men, to defend the republic from any future attacks from Sardinia.
June 27. A Congress is talking of to meet
immediately, in order to mediate the affairs of Holland, consisting of the English, French, and Prussian ambassadors; and from their friendly interposition a restoration of peace, and of a future good understanding, is expected.
The only colourable charge against his highness the prince of Orange is, that he designedly protracted the sailing of the Dutch fleet, and thereby prevented their joining the French and Spanish fleets. Were this the fact, it proves the stadholder to have the true interest of his country at heart; because, if through the aid of Holland, England had been crushed, the Dutch themselves would ultimately have been solely at the mercy of France and Spain.
Upwards of two thousand letters from Boston have been received by the merchants last week, which contain some very capital remittances, and orders for large quantities of various sorts of goods.
The merchants and others concerned in the export trade to America, have just delivered a memorial to the lords of the treasury, stating the injuries that have been sustained by the large duties laid upon British goods, amounting nearly to a prohibition.
Letters received on Monday, upon 'Change from Spain, mention large naval equipments being now making at Cadiz, Ferrol, and other places.
By an Indian which passed the fleet bound to Batony-Bay, near the Medieras, a letter has been received from an officer on board the commodore's ship, which gives a melancholy account of the state of the convicts.—In many of the ships, they have behaved in a manner so outrageous, that the most severe punishments have been insufficient to keep any degree of order.
June 28. By the last letters received in Paris from the circumnavigators, messrs. de la Peirouse and de Langle, we have the following account of their progress:—They put into Teneriff the 25th of August 1785, arrived St. Catherine, Brazil, the 9th November following; at Conception in Chili, March 11, 1786; and lastly at Monterey, to the north of California, latitude 36 and a half, and 135 degrees to the westward of Paris. They were at that place on the 17th of September last, after having sailed along the western coast of America as far as in latitude 60, where Captain Cook had made no observation. It is presumed that those navigators, whose principal object is to ascertain the precise figure of the earth, had reached the Indian seas by the latter end of January, and are expected to return in the spring, 1788, after a voyage of twenty-five thousand leagues.
The Captains Bernard, Davis and Scott, had arrived at London, previous to the sailing of the Favorite .
June 29. Administration have certainly acted with the greatest spirit, on account of the disturbances in Holland; they ordered their ambassadors at the courts of France and Spain, to demand an explanation on the steps those powers meant to pursue, and are perfectly satisfied with the answers received.
The Dutch war will probably afford a nouvelle style of slaughter and devastation:—other powers may pursue the old mode of opening trenches, and blowing their foreign enemies to perdition, by the mouths of their cannon; but the Mynheers will only open their dyke sluices, and drown legions of their own countrymen, like so many blind puppies!
An order was lately sent from the admiralty to the general of marines for an immediate muster and return of all his majesty's marine forces.
July 4. Letters received yesterday from Amsterdam confirm the account that the government of that city are seriously preparing for the worst that may happen. The fortifications of the walls, &c. are hastily repairing, old cannon are dismounted and others put in their room.—In the arsenal there are various artificers at work cleaning and repairing muskets, &c. all which is the surest indication of what they expect the result of the present dispatches.
Among the present easy arrangements of modern life, we observe judges in little wigs, sergeants at law in less, and simple barristers parading Westminster-hall in gown, tye, bands, boots, and leather breaches.
We are enabled to inform the public,—that very little doubt remains of a part of the illustrious House of Orange being at this time in confinement.—Dispatches being received at the Marquis of Carmarthen's office, which mention the events.
A very alarming circumstance is said to have happened at Zutphen, and that the populace, supported by the Regiment of Plettenburgh, have committed excessive disorders. We are impatient for further particulars.
A riot is also mentioned to have taken place at Helvoetsluys.
The Prince of Orange's army has taken post at
Bilt, about one hour's march from Utrecht. It consists of two thousand five hundred men, part of whom are encamped in three hundred small tents, which may be seen from the top of one dome of the church of Utrecht.
We are informed from respectable authority that the French Ministry last week dispatched two private memorials; one to the British, another to the Court of Berlin, to the following purpose:
"That in the present commotions in Holland, it is their fixed and decided determination not to intermeddle, except separately, or conjunctively, called upon as mediator ;—but if any power in Europe shall take up arms either for or against the Republic, they no longer hold themselves pledged to this determination; but shall consider themselves at liberty to act, as the exigencies of affairs may require."
"We are informed that an Edict has been published by the King of Prussia, during the late disturbance in Holland, entirely counteracting the policy of his predecessor. It gives entire and unrestrained liberty to all foreigners who may be disposed to settle in his dominions, to leave Prussia whenever they shall think proper, provided the State has no pecuniary claims upon them unanswered. To this circumstance the late Monarch never would consent, always expecting those who had accumulated fortunes in Prussia to continue there for the remainder of their lives. The present Sovereign very sagaciously endeavours to avail himself of the uneasiness and discontent now prevailing in the Republic of Holland, and it seems the Edict above mentioned has already operated to his wishes. Many merchants, with several individuals of independent fortunes, having already removed their wealth and families to a country in which the solemn word of a great and powerful Monarch is pledged for their security."
Extract of a letter from Brussels, June 26.
"Their Royal Highnesses received early this morning a messenger from Vienna, with the ratification of the Count of Kaunins, first Minister of the foreign Departments, signed in the name of the Emperor, of all that was agreed and signed between our States and Governors the 30th of May last. A few minutes after his arrival, their Royal Highnesses came into the balcony of their palace, and waved their handkerchiefs, to demonstrate their joy to the people, and to announce to them this good news, which was answered with loud applauses. This sudden change may perhaps make this country one of the most flourishing in Europe for the future. All corruptions in church and state will be corrected, and proper measures taken for the extension of our commerce and happiness; we shall be governed by our ancient laws, statutes and privileges. Count Belgiojoso, our present Minister, is to depart directly, and we think and hope Count Kagineck, the present Ambassador at the Court of Spain, will succeed him in this high department."
From the mails which arrived yesterday from Holland we can only discover, amidst their contradictory and jarring representations, that the state of affairs in that distracted Republic, is at present in the utmost confusion, the Deputies from the several provinces have received orders and counter orders to vote in a manner unknown in that assembly.—In some of the provinces, assemblies have been called, who elect Deputies to the States General, in opposition to those already elected. Mean time the city of Amsterdam, the mart of their commerce, partakes of all the miseries resulting from civil dissensions. The most opulent merchants, are under the necessity of having guards to protect their property, not knowing how soon they may be devoted to the fury of a misguided populace. Some of the States are for calling in the assistance of the King of France as a mediator only; and it is certain that the English, French, and Prussian Ambassadors, hold frequent and long conferences together, acting from the private instructions of their respective courts. Such is the present situation of Holland.
Couriers between the courts of London and Versailles, in consequence of the troubles in Holland, are almost incessantly passing and repassing. No less than six French messengers were together in town last week: their uniform is scarlet, trimmed with gold lace, with three fleur de lis embroidered in the place of our greyhound .
By Monday's French mail we learn that the isles of France and Bourbon have suffered considerably by a hurricane, and that twenty-five vessels are lost there. Moreover, that no fleet is yet sailed from Brest; but that twelve ships, from fifty guns and upwards, are ready to put to sea, some of them for the West-India islands, and the other for the East Indies, where they are to relieve the men of war that are to come back to Europe.

The Bishop of London's sudden relapse, indicates a speedy dissolution.—Dr. Wilson, Cannon of Windsor, will certainly succeed to lawn sleeves, on this event; but the Metropolitan Mitre will be suspended for some time, between the contending interests of Hencliffe and Porteus .
The most authentick letters received on Monday from the continent, some of which were produced upon 'Change, mentioned, that the Prussian troops in the dutchy of Cleves, which by the most respectable accounts amount to 22,000 men, were lying ready at Rhos-dyck, Emmerick, Leinstedt, Ringdebourg and Cleves, ready to march forward towards Holland, on the first notice. At Cleves the cavalry amounts to 1300 men, belonging to the Curassier, who had been real service, and were put among the foremost on the list, when a quarrel had nearly happened, a few years since, between the emperor and his late Prussian majesty.
July 14. The Cabinet of our Court, it is reported, are warmly and earnestly divided upon the subject of Dutch affairs. Mr. Pitt and the Marquis of Strafford are stated to be against interfering with the present dispute in Holland, and every other Member of the Cabinet is stated to have declared himself in support of the Stadholder.
Extract of a letter from Naples, July 9.
"M. de Suffrein is certainly gone to Brest, and an order has been sent to M. d'Hector, the Governor of that port, to get ready, immediately fourteen ships of the line. Their destination, is a profound secret."
Allen's New-London Marine List, of Aug. 24 h, informs of the arrival of a brig from Martinico, which advises, that at that island, on the 20th July, was a severe earthquake, by which many houses and lives were lost—the damage sustained, estimated at 70,000, currency.
July 28. We are informed from good authority, says a morning paper, that notwithstanding the last Dutch mail contained an assurance that the King of Prussia had not given the smallest orders for the movement of any part of his troops, a column of 16,000 men have entered Maestrich, to prevent the French troops forming a junction with the Dutch patriotic army; while a second column of 16,000 Prussians have absolutely marched to the assistance of the Prince of Orange, who have formed the determined resolution of proceeding immediately into the province of Holland, where he intends to act, at once, with firmness and vigour, as the only probable means left that is any way likely to terminate the present unhappy dissensions.—What the result of those movements may be, a few days will discover.
From the New-York Packet.
Messrs. LONDON,
As the truth of the following extracts may be fully depended upon, and as I conceive the subject may greatly tend to display the glory of the Redeemer's grace, you will oblige a friend by giving them a place in your paper.
Virginia, July 11, 1787.
My Dear Brother,
I MUST inform you of the glorious work which has lately been done in this state, as I know it will afford you great joy. Mr. E. and Mr. J. came into Brunswick circuit seven weeks ago last Sunday, and I verily believe, 300 souls have found peace with GOD since that time. The first Sunday 6, the next 21, and the fourth Sunday about 35. I believe no person ever saw such a work in any one circuit; it is not in one or two places, but quite around. It seems, if it continues, there will be very few excepted. The people, in general, at first, flew from the power, and said it was the work of the devil; yet afterwards they would come to see and bring others with them, and many of those very persecutors would be struck to the ground, and lie as though they were dead for hours. This would convince others; and so the work was carried on. Backsliders and persons of various ages was brought to GOD: Five, ten and twenty are converted in a day. Mr. E. has four or five hundred hearers every week day, and on Sundays thousands. Last Sunday at the Methodist Church, near M. Maybry's, it was supposed he had three or four thousand. Such a day I never saw, and I believe never was seen in America. There is a great work in Sussex, under Mr. C. and Mr. G. a young preacher, who has only travelled since last conference. O what a wonderful thing is faith. Glory be to GOD! O my brother, let us praise him.
Your's, &c. D. T.
Petersburgh, 15th July, 1787.
Dear Brother,
THE Lord is carrying on the greatest work through Brunswick, Mecklenburg and Sussex, which perhaps was ever known in any day. Three or four thousand souls attend the preaching in country places on the Sabbath day. It is sup-
posed that between three and four hundred have been converted to GOD in Brunswick, since the last Methodist conference. About 200 in Sussex, and it is supposed 7000 are under deep conviction. I hear the work is very great in New-Hope, and many other places to the south. Oh! my dear brother, how can we sufficiently praise GOD for all his mercies? I am yours, &c. G. D.
This is a most extraordinary work of GOD, considering that it was all wrought by his Grace in the space of but a few weeks. It looks like the dawn of some glorious period. How ought all the pious to unite their prayers, that the Lord may also say to the north, "give up," Are there not thousands and thousands in this part of the country, who live as if there were no GOD. Let Christians then drop all discord and party-spirit, and unite their hearts in prayer to GOD, that all may experience sound conversion and have their sins blotted out, now this time of refreshing is coming from the presence of the Lord. Amen.
HALIFAX, August 9.
Accounts from St. John's, New-Brunswick, says that the Indians have commenced hostilities on the frontiers of Canada, and that several soldiers of his majesty's 65th regiment had been killed in a skirmish with them.
PHILADELPHIA, August 29.
Every enterprise, public as well as private, in the United States (says a correspondent) seems suspended, till it is known what kind of government we are to receive from our national Convention. The states neglect their roads and canals till they see whether those necessary improvements will not become the objects of a national government. Trading and manufacturing companies suspend their voyages and manufactures till they see how far their commerce will be protected and promoted by a national system of commercial regulations.—The lawful usurer locks up or buries his specie, till he sees whether the new frame of government will deliver him from the curse or fear of paper-money and tender-laws. The wealthy farmer views a plantation with desire, for one of his sons, but declines to empty his chest of his hard dollars for it, till he is sure it will not in a few years be taken from him by the enormous weight of state governments and taxes. The public creditor, who, from the deranged state of the finances in every state, and their total inability to support their partial funding systems, has reason to fear that his certificates will perish in his hands, now places all his hopes of justice in an enlightened and stable national government. The embarrassed farmer and the oppressed tenant, who wish to become free and independent by emigrating to a frontier county, wait to see whether they shall be protected by a national force from the Indians, and by a national system of taxation, from the more terrible hosts of state and county tax gatherers. In short, the pulse of industry, ingenuity and enterprise in every art and occupation of man, now stands still in the United States: and every look, and wish, and hope, is only to—and every prayer to heaven, that has for its object the safety of our country, is only for, the present august national Convention!
BOSTON, September 13.
Extract of a letter, dated Paris, June 22, 1787, from that persevering friend to America, the Marquis DELA FAYETTE, to his friend in this town.
"I have just heard that a fire has destroyed many houses in Boston—What I feel on this occasion you will easily guess from my attachment to the town, and its beloved citizens—Our accounts are yet imperfect; I hope they may be exaggerated—I know that your house is safe:—Pray let me know every particular, that may be interesting to a heart most sincerely devoted to your capital."
We have authority to assure the public, that in the same letter this generous Nobleman has directed Samuel Breck, Esq. to pay TWO HUNDRED GUINEAS on his account, for the relief of the poor sufferers by the fire
Tuesday morning arrived here, a Cutter of His Most Christian Majesty, from France—of the dispatches she has brought we are unacquainted—it is however said, the French Squadron in this port will in consequence sail immediately.
—We part with the utmost regret from the French fleet, which, for this month past, has been in this harbour—The General—the Captains, and the Officers, have secured the affection and esteem of those who have been honoured by their acquaintance—there is not a true American who is not deeply interested in their fortune—even the sailors have been perfectly unexceptionable in their behaviour.—Not the least disturbance has taken place during their stay in this metropolis—the crew of a British ship would have created an hundred tumults in the same period: The citizens of Boston are witnesses of the different behaviour of the two nations, under the same circumstances, and as long as they exist, they will recollect and acknowledge with pleasure, the politeness and good conduct of the former,
as they have assisted to spurn and chastize the insolence of the latter. If our friends are recalled to enjoy in peace the honour they have obtained in war, we can only wish them the happiness they merit: But if new dangers demand new proofs of their courage, the Americans cannot be indifferent to the consequence, but must be anxious for their success, as in the event of their victories, or misfortunes, we may find our independence established past the "bolts of accident" to injure, or may be involved in new struggles with the British, to preserve the liberty we have with such difficulty acquired.
PORTSMOUTH, Sept. 15.
By history it appears, that about 222 years have elapsed since that valuable root, potatoe were first known in Europe: They were first imported into Ireland in the reign of queen Elizabeth in the year 1565. The importer was John Hawkins, who brought them from Sant Fe in Spanish America. They were planted for the first time in Ireland, it is said, by no less man than sir Walter Raleigh, who had an estate in that kingdom: but the natural history of the potatoe was so little understood at that time, that sir Walter resolved to renounce the expectation he had formed of bringing this exotic to perfection in Ireland. When in due time after he had planted the first potatoes the stalks grew up, and he perceived upon the stem a green apple, he thought that was the fruit, which he had no idea of being concealed under the earth. He caused some of these apples to be boiled; but finding them nauseous to the taste, he concluded that he had lost his labour; and for some time, thought no more of potatoes. However, having some time after given directions that the ground should be dug up, or ploughed, to his very great surprise he found a plentiful crop of fruit, which proved most grateful to the taste. They soon got into general use, and became the principal food of the Irish peasantry. From Ireland they spread into England, where it has generally, though erroneously, been believed that potatoes were natives of Ireland.
The conduct of the United States with respect to their governments may be illustrated by the following story: An old man arrived, after a long and dangerous voyage, upon the coast of America, with a family, consisting of a wife a few choice old servants, and thirteen sons. As soon as they landed, they joined and built a large and commodious dwelling-house, where they lived in safety for several years. The sons, however, grew weary of the company of their parents, and each of them built a cabin for himself, at a distance from the family mansion-house. They had not lived long in this way, before they began to suffer many difficulties and wants.—one of them had his implements of husbandry stolen from him—another lost a crop, from not having strength enough on his farm to erect a fence in time—a third had all his sheep devoured in one night by the wolves—a fourth narrowly escaped being scalped by a party of drunken Indians—a fifth caught a cold and fever, from the roof of his cabin having been blown away in the night by a thunder-gust—a sixth had his whole flock washed away by a great flood—and each of the rest met with some one or more of the disasters that have been mentioned. At last twelve of them met by agreement upon a plain, and agreed to petition their father to be admitted again under his protection. The venerable old man opened his doors to them, and they again became members of his family. They first joined in repairing and fortifying the old mansion-house. They, moreover, added two more rooms to it, for the separate use of the old man and his wife, in order thereby to preserve their dignity and authority. From this time the whole family became respectable, happy, and prosperous, nor did they separate from each other till the death of both their parents, when the accession of new settlers, and the cultivated state of the country, made it safe and prudent for them to set up for themselves.
The thirteenth son, who refused to accompany his brothers to his father's house, after living a miserable life for three years by him himself in the woods, was found hanging by his garter to the limb of a tree near his cabin.
Died, since our last, Mrs. Mary Mutchmore, aged 51 years, wife of Capt. Joseph Mutchmore, of this town.—A Child of Mr. Joseph Trickey.—And a child of Mr. William Sowersby.
NAVAL OFFICE.
PORT OF PISCATAQUA, Sept. 15, 1787.
ENTERED,
FROM.
Schooner Tryall, Lord, St. Eustatia. Ship Three-Sisters, Palmer, St. Vincents. Brig Abigail, Peirce, St. Bartholomew. Sloop Henriette, Whitney, St. Martins. Sloop Cripple, Hollister, New-York. CLEARED, FOR. Schooner Success, Jackson, St. Peters. Sloop Sally, Parker, Philadelphia

Parnassian Spring.
Of the Vanity of Life.
H OW gay at first life's chearful dawn Attracts our ravish'd sight; While on its flow'ry fields are drawn Fair scenes of soft delight?  With joy alert, we swift ascend, With trifling baubles pleas'd; On such our youthful fancies bend, By these our wants are eas'd.  Next learning, with majestic port, Allures us to her side: With ardour we favors court, Neglecting aught beside.  Thro' ev'ry maze we boldly stray, And ransack all her store; In toilsome studies spend each day, Yet, panting, sigh for more?  On manhood's stage we next appear, And think to roll in joy; But oh! how oft sharp woes severe Our darling hopes destroy?  Ten thousand crosses round us rise, Misfortune's meagre train: With Gorgon horrors frights our eyes, And fills our souls with pain.  Thro' thorney paths thus forc'd to go, With grief we journey on; Lamenting at each pungent throe, That e'er our lives began.  Too soon we find that all those joys, For which life's flame we waite, Are but delusive empty joys, Which vanish 'ere we taste.  Next hoary age, with wrinkled brow, Spoils ev'ry pleasing sense; Our youthful spirits cease to flow, And sink to indolence.  The gout, the dropsy, stone, and rheum, With ev'ry tort'ring pain; Our strength and faculties consumes, While help's invok'd in vain.  So, when death's awful King appears, We ask no pow'r to save; But meet his dart, devoid of fears, And court the gloomy grave.  Then who would ask life? Painful boon! Tho' seeming joys invite, When we reflect, they jade how soon! And woe succeeds delight.  Let virtue then our pilot prove, Thro' the hard toilsome way; Then we'll like autumn's spoils remove, And gently glide away.
For Ireland, The Brig Dover, Thomas Manning, master,
will sail in all November next; any gentleman that wants to ship flax-seed, pot or perl-ash, or to take passage, will please to apply to Thomas Manning, near liberty bridge, who gives cash for flax-seed.
Grafton, ss.
T HE subscribers having been appointed by the hon. Judge of Probate for said county, commissioners to receive and examine the claims of the several creditors to the estate of James Blake, late of Northumberland, Esq. deceased, under the administration of Mary Blake, represented insolvent, hereby give notice that a further time of six months, from the 2d day of August instant, is allowed for the settlement of said estate, and that we will attend upon said business at the dwelling house of Thomas Peverly, in Northumberland, on the first Tuesday of November next, and the first Tuesday of the two following months, from two to six of the clock, P. M. on said days.
JOSEPH PEVERLY, DANIEL SPAULDING, } Commissioners. THOMAS PEVERLY, }
Northumberland, August 31, 1787.
FOR SALE,
An elegant new fall-back Chaise, Inquire of the Printer hereof.
To be Let,
A convenient Dwelling-House,
situate in Market Street, having a Shop in one end & a compleat Cellar under the whole House, a good Well of water near the door, a large Garden and a convenient Store, Barn and Chaise Houie adjoining, all in good repair. For further particulars enquire of
JOHN NOBLE.
Portsmouth, Sept. 7.
A QUANTITY OF
Flax-Seed wanted,
For which, Cash, Coffee or Cotton Wool will be exchanged by JOHN SIMES.
Portsmouth, Sept. 4.
State of New-Hampshire.
N OTICE is hereby given to the non-resident owners of land in Heniker, who have not paid their taxes for the year 1786, that so much of their land will be sold at public vendue, on the second Tuesday of October next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, at the house of Timothy Gibson, Esq. in said town, as will pay the taxes and charges unless prevent by previous payment.
   N. R. Q'tys. d. q. s. d.   silver. certif't.     James Wilson 6 4 60 0 8 5 1 4   John Clark 18 5 30 0 4 3 0 9   James Humphrey 4 6 100 1 7 3   Jotham Odiorne 14 6 100 2 9 2 4 2   Common land 6 11 100 1 1 10   Ditto 6 12 100 1 1 10   Rev. Wm Davidson 2 13 100 1 2 1 2 3   William Ayers 13 7 15 4 3 9   Robert Wier 8 6 20 1 1 1 10   Blanchard & Comp'y 10 6 100 9 2 1 6   James Wilson 7 1 100 1 7 3   Ministerial lot 13 1 100 1 2 1 2 3   Daniel Lasley 14 1 40 6 1   Law lot 11 12 100 1 9 2 3 4   James Smith 10 2 100 1 2 1 2 3   Thomas Wallingsford 11 2 100 1 2 1 2 3   John Barr 17 2 100 1 2 1 2 3   Ditto 9 5 100 1 2 1 2 3    JAMES JOSEPH, Constable, Heniker, August 23, 1.87.
State of New-Hampshire.
N OTICE is hereby given to the non-resident owners of land in Ackworth, who have not paid their taxes for the year 1784, that so much of their land will be sold at public vendue, on Tuesday, the 2d day of October next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, at the house of Mr. Thomas Dodge, innholder in said town, as will pay the taxes and charges, unless prevented by previous payment.
   N. R. Q'tys. d. q.     J. Crage 2 7 50 0 9 3   David Mcgragory 5 7 83 1 4 0   Elisha Dexter 4 7 50 9 3   Oliver Pierce 16 7 9 1 3   Sampson Stoddard 17 7 100 1 7 3   David Mcgragory 1 8 100 1 7 3   John Rob. & Hunt 15 8 100 1 7 3   B. Butterfield 4 9 100 1 7 3   James Blanchard 5 9 100 1 7 3   James Blanchard 3 10 100 1 7 3   David Brown 4 10 100 1 7 3   Ditto 5 10 100 1 7 3   Samuel Wentworth 16 10 10 1 3   Moses Parker 1 11 100 1 7 3   Nathaniel Butterfield 4 11 100 1 7 3   Sampson Stoddard jr. 5 11 100 1 7 3   Robert Adams 9 11 80 1 3 2   John Hardy 12 11 100 1 7 3   W. Caggett 13 11 50 9 3   Ditto 14 11 50 9 3   Thomas Davis 1 12 100 1 7 3   Robert Fletcher 3 12 37 7 0   Ditto 4 12 51 9 3   Daniel McFee 9 12 100 1 7 3   Peter Levias 10 12 100 1 7 3   Ditto 11 12 100 1 7 3   Ditto 12 12 100 1 7 3   Seth Groot 7 8 30 0 5 2    WILLIAM MITCHEL, Collector. Ackworth, September 4, 1787.
State of New Hampshire.
P UBLIC notice is hereby given, that a petition hath been presented to the General Court by James Hayes, of Barrington, in the county of Strafford, yeoman, setting forth that Thomas Hayes, late of Dover, deceased, that in his life time, did make and execute his last will and testament, which after his decease was duly proved and allowed. By which testament, he devised all his houses and lands to his two sons, Thomas and Benjamin, that after the decease of the said testator, the aforesaid devisees made a division of the real estate bequeathed as aforesaid, by deed to each other; that after said division, Benjamin Hayes sold the petitioner fifty acres of land in Barrington, being what he took by the aforesaid division, as his part of the land devised as aforesaid, that afterwards said Benjamin went to sea, and left the aforesaid division deed, signed by his brother, but not recorded, in a chest unlocked, at his said brother's house, and on his return said deed was missing, and has not since been found, that lately four persons creditors to the said Thomas, the joint devisees have brought actions against the said Thomas, recovered judgment against him, and have levied their several executions on the land purchased by the said petitioner of the said Benjamin, to the amount of upwards of seventy pounds L. M. and the said Benjamin, by misfortunes, is so reduced as to be unable to pay any part thereof; wherefore he prays that he may have leave to bring in a bill to vest the property of the aforesaid fifty acres of land in him, his heirs and assigns; whereupon the General Court ordered that the said James Hayes may be heard thereon before them on the second Tuesday of their next session, and that in the mean time he cause that Daniel Rogers of New Durham Gore, Daniel McDuffee and Benjamin Odiorne of Rochester, and Jona. Wentworth of Somersworth, be served with a copy of the petition and order of said Court, also cause the substance of said petition and order to be published four weeks successively in one of the New-Hampshire newspapers, prior to the day of hearing, that any person or persons may appear and shew cause, if any they have, why the prayer of said petition should not be granted. Attest,
JOSEPH PEARSON, Sec'y.
Exeter, July 24, 1787.
All sorts of West-India
GOODS,
TO BE SOLD
By N. Rousselet,
At his Store opposite Mr. Blaisdell's, in Buck-Street.
Flax-Seed and Scale Fish will be received in payment.—
Also for sale,
A quantity of Woodland, in lots that may best suit the purchasers, situate in Tuftonborough, country produce will be received in payment. The conditions of sale will be made easy enough to make it well worth the attention of any person who wishes to become a purchaser.
Portsmouth, Aug. 24.
Blank bills of Laden, printed on large paper, with a variety of other blanks for sale at the Printing Office in Market-Street, at the Boston low prices.