The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-04-28 00:00:00

IRELAND.'

APftIL 9.5.
A splendid fall and Slipper were given by tll,-.it
Excellencies at the Castle, on Thursday night.
YeAm-day the Easter Quarter Assembly was held
in William:street.

Ihe elution of Magistrates for the ensuing year
lving about to take place, it was suggested, that the
office of Sheriff having of late become very lucra-
tive, it was but reasonable that the persons elecled
should contribute to the support of the Blue-coat
Hospital ; and a resolution that each Sheriff and Al-
derman should, upon his elation, pay 100 guineas
towards that charity, was unanimously agreed to.
The Board of Aldermen having sent down to the
Sheriffs and Commons the name of Alderman I high
Crothers, as a fit person to serve the office of Lord
Mayor for the ensuing year, a ballot took place,
when there appeared, in approbation of Alder:min
Crothers, 76 votes—against him, 3—Majority, 73 ;
on which the worthy Alderman was declared duly
el?.,fted.

The Sheriffs and Commons then proceeded to
nominate eight persons to be returned to the Board
of Aldermen for the seleetion of two Sheriffs.
Upon a ballot, the numbers appeared to be as fol-
lows :

irshita Ponnden B6
Mark Bloxham
u..orge Carlett:ii
John Crrarhorit
Moulitifurd John nay 66

li:tac: De Joncourt
Ri:;liarzt S seer . 'et
Robert Mallet 4(
Juba (Rtioairt

The first eight being returned to the Board of
Aldermen, Joshua Bounden and Mountiford John
Hay, Emirs. were elected Sheriffs for the year com-
mencing at Michaelmas.
The freedom of the Corporation was unanimously
voted to die Earl of Meath.
The freedom of the Corporation was voted, wit',
an address, in a gold box, value 25 guineas, to the
Lird High • 'hancellor of Ireland.
There vi-as an investigation of the City Accounts,
and a balance of 18,0001. appeared to be due to the
City Tre:.surer.
A great deal of ordinary business was then dis-
patched, and the assembly broke up.

AVCIENT MUSIC.

Last night their MAJEsTirs and the
CESSES honoured the Concert of Ancient Music with
their presence. The performance was, as usual, e-
tremely scientific. Mrs. BILLINGTON appears to
gain additional favour at every Meeting. She sung
What Passion," (DRYDEN'S Ode) by HANDEL, in
the most delightful style. Mr. NEIL') is also en-
titled to praise. BARTLF.MAN, KNYVETT, and the
rest of the performers, were excellent in their re-
spedive parts. A numerous assemblage of the
Nobility were present, the most distinguished of
whom were the Earls of Ux BRIDGE, CHESTERFIELD,
and DARTMOUTH, the Duke of ORLEANS, his bro-
ther, and the Duke of PORT L AND. Their MA-
JESTIES, with the PRINCESSES,. did not retire till
a late hour. This is the eleventh time the Concert
has been performed this season.

Among the singular and curious produaions with
which the approaching exhibition at Somerset-house
is expected to be enriched, is a most masterly
Flight oat of Egypt," executed some years ago
(yet kept in the hack ground), by one NAPOLEON
CORSICANENSIS, but not a ROYAL. Academician.
His d-signs are said to be grand, his touches bold, but
his colours upon this occasion were Acting. It is
not true that his rival artist, one SYDNEY SMITH,'
framed or endellisked this piece, he only wed it (and
with great success) a: his canvas manufactory, when
he set up at Rochester.
If this be not the Augustan av, it certainly is the
Black-letter age. A lot of old Pamphlet, published
about the time of the Usurpation, was on Saturday
knocked off a: LLic;it and SOTHEBY'S, for the
rue sum of 75 guineas ! I !
The frigates and other light vessels of Vice-Ad-
miral 1)i: WIN r ER'S squadron will continue to cruis-,
in the Aleirterranean under the command of Vice-
Admiral Hatt r.itNit, v.-ho will remain for a twelve-
month on that station, to proteft the Dinch tralc
the Archipelago, and on the coasts of Italy.
On Tuesday sennigfit. the French Commander in
Chief in•peCted the French and Dutch troops,
ing the garrison of Bergen-op-Zoom, and saw them
go through their exercises. It .is ex,eaed that an
kospital for the French will be establLhed M that
town.—The artillery that was in the arsenals of
Flushing and Middleburgh has been carried to line
the batteries on the coast of the Isle of Walcheren. •

The Drama of the Harper's Daughter, which is
to be performed at Covent garden Theatre 'next
week, is a translation from the celebrated play of
The Robbers, by Sell( ILEX. It has, however, under-
gone several material alterations and improvements
by Mr. M. LEwis, who has adapted it to our stage.
By a new regulation adopted in France, foreigners
who travel through that country in their own car-
riages, must deposit a third of the value of the car-
riage at the first custom-house they come to. On
leaving France, one-fourth of this bum is to be re-
imbursed.
The following ships were ordered into commis-
sion on Tuesday, and the Captains, whose names
are subjoined, were appointed to command them :
At Chatham.... Dictator, of 64 guns, Capt. Newhouse.
Ritavior, of 54 guns, Capt. Tonyn.
Ambuscade, of 36 guns; Capt. Hawkins.
At Portsmouth.. Phi:etas:, of 36 guns, Capt Wiresford.
AtSheerness.... Unicorn, of 3* guns, Capt. T. Baker.
Sophie, of IS guns, Capt. Roscithagen, (re-
commisiioned).
An Arrete in the name of the French Govern-
ment, concerning the foreigners established in the
colonies of Martinique and fit. Lucia, was published
at Martinique on the 19th February :—lt is con:
, sidered by British merchants and settlers I'n the
ceded islands as contrary to the Treaty of Amiens,
which allows three years for winding up affairs and
disposing of property. The settlers having stores;
had, in order to enable them to dispose of them,
given orders for goods to be sent out from France to
form an assorted stock, because otherwise they-must
have sold their property at a great -disadvantage.
But it appears that not only they are not to%be per-
mitted to enjoy this facility for winding tni their af.
fairs, but by the Sd Article of the Arrete, they are
to be compelled to sell their stores within three
months, ending the 20th of June. This compulsory
sale is certainly contrary to the 13th Article of
. the Treaty of Amiens, by which British or other
settlers are to have three years to settle their affairs
and dispose of their property.

PILCR

ON A PICTURE OF HYMEN CROWNED WITH
ROSES.

THY br,w4, 0 it, men ! b;nd, to show
rut wrdloek%saau and warp togethcr grow.

R EASON.‘BLE GRIEF. •
Fam'd Cranial, when his (,'rite Mallet died,
I.lltc a soft whimo'rhig female, sohti'd and died :
But as (n peacmhle and virtuous men,
All /tuition, he could slay his thousands ten.

TO A PERSON WHO DESPISED POETRY AND POETS.

Plow dar'st th.iu Atheist ' thus abuse
Apollo, and insult the Muse!
1 see thou'st scap'd poor Marsrig' fate,.
TIT Ate is whale--hut for thy pare.
flick, had's' thou no preieging lean?
Peel. thou lust got dull Midis' ears.

TITS QJLSTTON.
Thy SersAn Lapert, dips, they they ay,
In I..r6a's Rood, rase inuan and nlacale.
BLIt where MCI that blest river *tr. iy
Whrrie nraling w.ve ran wash away
The Lepr,sy 1.5.414

♦ Naansn.

MISS ABRAMS' CONCERT.

Miss A se•l4% gave. on 'Tuesday eveoirr; last, an
elegant Concert to all the amateurs. and a select
party of friends. at her house in Park-lane. The
musical talents, combined with the power, elegance,
and peniut of these young ladies, reader all praise
superfluous. The music was chiefly of Miss
A sasses' own composition, and had an astonishing
di la. The Miss Asses us were aided by the power
and talents of Messrs. NEVIT is and BAITLLIKAIII,
&C. Among the company were—
rarri.—Tallkervillt. a L.,

Kell and Welk
Coodow,—..korliar., Tanker.,dle, and Ninunt Edgecumbe.
Ledilra.Aluniuzus, Perin, Bromley, Ridley, L. Curry, .trid

Cia/rs
Srs—W. Phipps, L Phipps, M. Ridley, and J. Hort.
Mows —Mrtlidesi, Francis, Hamiton, \Vuodroffe, Penn,
Temple, Stani6wth, Upt ~,,, R Miry, W. Cassamajo7,
toe, Lewis, M L•fari,.. G. Rittye, Moore, Clargua, M. P. An-
d:tree Lickl:e, Dunlop, Williams, and Warnm.
!(Wrens—Methuen, St3mforth, Gosling, Hamilton, 11:a-
-don, Culbectran, Lushington.and Lewis.
lisserp—Maltueu, Drummond, Curzon, and Rid (7.

This day her MAJESTY will hold a Drawing-,
Room.
Yesterday morning his M.ussrv, accompanied
by the Duke of CuUDER LAND, attended by General
v NNE, took an airing on horseback by Fulham-
bridge to New, and iticpeaed the new Palace,
and the improvements in Richmond gardens and re-
turned by Hammersmith to the Queen's-hoase, be-
tween two and three o'clock.

The Earl of BARrY moot took yesterday an ele-
gant house in I)uke-street, Manchester-square.
Part of the suite of Prince Esr tRH AzY arrived in
town last night; his Highness, 3:c. is expefled in a
few days from Paris.
The presentation of Miss KUTZLENAN to her
MAJESTY at St. James's, is unavoidably postponed
in consequence of her indisposition.
SALOMON'S third Lady's Subscription Concert will
be given next Sunday at the 'ones: of SALIt
buoy's, in Arlington-street.
Sir CLEJLINT COTTALLL DORNIIR left town last
night for his seat in Oxfordshire.
The Hon Tuomas Covtsr KY'S Sir "'dm runs
this day a: Newmarket against Mr. DawsoN's Gulli-
ver, for 1000 guineas aside.
Sir DIGIrr NIACEINO2TII and family, left BATT'S
Hotel, yesterday, in Jermyn-street, for Oxford.

The name of the beautiful German Countess who
arrived in town lan Monday, and has taken up
her residence in Manchester-street, is, we understand,
L'INST A T I.
Major TATO os, late Aid-de-camp to Lord Her-
emission in Egypt. ariived in town last night from
lteland, at Barr's Hotel. in Jermyn-strect.
Mrs. Rosipsene's Rout last night, in Albemarle-
street, was extremely splendid.
Sir C. Aso; u. set off yesterday to take the com-
mand of the army in the Limerick district of
lieland.
Mr. Jona Masi:it's, brother to the Duchess of
ST. At. a* Ns, lies dangerously ill at his lodgings in
St. James's-street; his indisposition has been occa.
sifted by the bursting of a blood vessel.
The Duchess of BOL TOP'S Rout. Grosvenor-
sqn.are ; Lady CitiItINGTON'S Ball, St. James's-
place ; Countess of CA etto•xrTow's Rout, Bruton-
street; blissesCAßDtir and LLActet Concert ; and
Mrs. Ext.tot's Rout, will occupy the attention of
the fashionable world this evening.
Mr. Cost, Member of Parliament for Norfolk,
has t..'sen up his residence for the season in Bennet-
street, St. James's.
Sir R. Lt.:carom arrived in town last night, in
Jermyn-street, from Bath.
The Hon. T. Co v rt:T es• has been greatly bored
by the report of his having matched his Sow to
run against Mr. B-.11--T. There is no truth in the
report.
the green rear at Mr. ST. GEORG' CAUL-
g mut:is late supper cost an buttdrtdguirszas !
The Dowager Countess of Monroe has taken an
elegant house in Lower Brock-street.
Mr. Etas, of Stratford-place, is a candidate for
the place of East India Diretior, vacant by the
death of Si .1. SMITH &GESS.
Mr. THOMAS, who for many years kept the hotel
in Berkeley-square, died yesterday in consequence
of the bursting of a blood-vessel in a tit of coughing.
Mr. and Mrs. Mos-raw:a, arrived in town on
Tuesday night, from his seat at Sandleford Priory,
Ikrks, at Ins house in Upper Berkeley-street.
The receipts•at Sadkr's !Ye& are greater in pro-
portion to the time since its opening, than at any
lurmer season.
From the unprecedented applause with which the
New Grand Serious Speftacle called Louisa of Lom-
bardy; .r, the Scarce Nuptial', has met with, and in
which Mrs. PARKER sustains the part of Lomita ;
we are happy to inform our readers, that it will be
repeated this Evening for the fourth time. The
House was very crowded last night.

Lire ThriPLLIGEINtE.

COURT OF KINGS BENCH, We?.-rmticstEr, ir,te. 27.
This being the first day of Easter Term, the
Judges commenced the business of the respeetivo
Courts with the accustomed soleMnitieF.
Mr. Campbell made his report of the state of tha
moviets employed on the River Thames, Woolwich
Warren, and other places. It appeared they were,
with very few exceptions, in perfeCt health. The
report stated, that several of the men on board the
Prudentia, who bad been convided of a mutiny, had
particularly distinguished themselves by their good
conduCt.

CRIMINAT. INFORMATION.
Mr. ERSKINE moved the Court for leave to file. a
Criminal Information against Mr. John O'Riley,
an apothecary at Windsor, and late surgeon in the
Sixteenth Regiment of Cavalry. The affidavit of
Dr. Mingay, of Windsor, stated, that he had in-
troduced Mr. O'Riley, and given him every assistance
in his power ; that being called upon to prescribe
for a Mr. Clode, he sent the prescription to the De-
fendant to be made up ; the Defendant, however,
thought proper to do it in his own way • he did not
chuse to make up the prescription conformably to
its direftion, but he must throw in a dash of some
ingredients of his own; upon Mr. Mingay's saying,
he could not be responsible for the effea of the me-
dicines if they were not made up precisely as he or-
dered them, Mr. O'Riley had thought proper to
send him the following letter :
D: sot, Jail, 10,1803.

The uitjustiiable and unwarrantable liberty yon have taken
with my chararte., in eons:rim/ace of the misunderstanding
betwerli you and me, demand+, on your part, full expiana-
von. I &rise you will appoint the time and place when: the
menu of the dispute may b. discti•sed ; foe I tint it iieeeiiary
t.• put a stop to the unbridled liretiee of your tompe. No one
shall vilify win' impunity the cliaretcr of
JOHN O'RILEY.
The letter sent by Mr. Mingay in answer to this,
stated, that as Mr. O'Riley had taken the liberty of
altering his prescription,he could not think of sending
any more to him. Some time after this, the Defendant
met him, and said, " You d—d cowardly scoundrel,
if you do not wish to go back with me to my house,
and wait with me 6111 have got my pistols, and go
with me to Long Walk, I will post you for a cow-
ard." Dots or Mingay took no notice of him, but
he afterwards met him, armed with his pistols, and
intercepting him in his path ; Dr. Mingay found it
the more necessary to apply for the interference of
the Court, as he had every reason to fear his life
was in danger, and that the Defendant was still
pursuing his malicious course.—Rule granted.
Mr. Jutvis moved for a Writ of Habeas Corpus,
to be direEted to the keeper of the gaol of Dorches-
ter, to bring up the bodies of Francis Hastings,
Lieutenant of L'iligle; John Fortescue Morgan,
the master's mate ; and several other persons ; in
order that they might be bailed. And also for a
Writ of Certiorari, to remove the proceedings be-
fore the Coroner and the Magistrates, respelling
the nririers of which Hastings, Morgan, and
others, stood charged. The Learned Counsel
stated, that this referred to the unfortunate transac-
tion at Portland----the two prisoners had been com-
mitted for trial—an inquisition had been held on the
bodies of the persons who fell in the conflia with the
press-gang, and the Jury had found a verdid of
wilful murder againv. the prisoners and the Captain
of 12.1i.;/e. Of the validity of that verdiEt, their
Lordships would judge when the proceedings were
before them. Mr..lLavis stated rom several affi-
&wits the whole of the case, at least as far as it
can be developed by the rx parte statement of the
accused. We feel that we '.houid be aEting in vio-
lation of the repeated direEtions of the Court, were
we to presume to detail any part of the information
conveyed by the affidavits. The subjeEt is too im-
portant to justify a partial statement of it ; we con-
sequently decline the least mention of any of the
particulars.

POLICE.

M I ON-HOUSE.

Yesterday, shortly after ten o'clock, Mr. R.
Aslett, assistant to the principal Cashier in the Bank
of England, was brought to the Mansion-house,
privately; and, about eleven o'clock, he was ad-
mitted to the Lard Mayor's private parlour, where
he underwent a final examination before his Lord-

ship, Alderman Watson, Benjamin Winthorp, Esq.
the Deputy Governor, &c. The examination
lasted above two hours. The several examinations
sworn against him were read over in his presence,
and he was allowed to interrogate the several wit-
nesses who attended. After these forms were gone
through, he was fully committed for trial for em-
bezzling Exchequer Bills, contrary to the Alt of the
15th of George 11. The charge does not, we be-
lieve, specify any thing on account of ommiuni.—
Mr. Aslett, during his examination, seemed to pos-
sess much resolution ; but after the commitment

was made out for Newgate, to which he was con-
veyed by Mr. tioldsw.)1111, the ( ity Marshall, he
became very melancholy and tit jeded.
juhn toper and 77motar St*: also underwent
a private examination before his Lordship, on a
charge of being concerned in committing several
robberies, the most material of which was in a
merchant's compting-house, in Thames-street.—
Cooper, in consequence of being admitted an evi-
dence for the Crown, implicated several persons
who appeared to live in credit ; among them is a
person named Pritchard, who has been before exa-
mined. The latter, two days since, attempted to cut
hi, throat, but was prevented from doing the same
effeaually. He could not, from the dangerous si-
tuation which he was in, be brought up, but is or-
dered for further examination on a future day, with
the other prisoner, Staples.

As Doetor BOWEN, an eminent surgeon of Bath,
was riding in his carriage on Friday evening last,
near the Grove, his horses took fright, and run down
the street with great violence ; his coachman was
thrown from the box ; a poor labouring man in en-
deavouring to stop the carriage, was trampled under
the horses feet, the carriage went over his body,
and he was killed on the spot. Soon after the car-
riage was stopped, and the lloaor escaped unhurt.
On ' Monday the workmen began pulling down
the houses, which have been so long shut up, at the
west end of St. Clement's Church-yard, for the pur-
pose of extending the noble improvement carrying
on at the west side of Temple-bar. New and hand-
some houses are intended to be built for some dis-
tance up the Strand and Holywell-street, as well as
at the end facing the Church-yard, many of the
houses being already empty, and shut up for the
purpose.

or.n
M'EIINIEFDAV, APKIL
Before Join St LVLSTEIt, Esq. the Common SergeaM
Patric!: Cop, alias William Boulton, was capitally
indiaed for falsely personating Patrick Coffee,
Scrje.tnt of Marines, belonging to his Majesty"
ship Hetior, with intent to receive certain prize-
money, his property.
John Crossdell said he was a clerk to Mess. Cook
and Alfred, of Beaufort-buildings, Prize-agents
for the.Beaor, of 74 guns. On the ‘,.!:id of March tic
prisoner came to his office, and asked fur his pri;e-
money for the Hector; he said his name was Patrick
Coffee, and produced a certificate which he had
received from Lieutenant Rice of that ship ; witness
looked at the hand-writing, and immediately dis-
covered the signature to be forged, a 4 he was ac-
quainted with Lieutenant Rice's writing ; he thc:c.
fore took the prisoner before Mr. Alfred, who sent
for an officer, and had him taken into custody. He
was conveyed to Bow-street office, v.-here hathouvlit
proper to say his name was not Coffee, but William
I3oulton.

Lieutenant I lenry Rice, of the He or, stated, that
he had known such a man on board that ship as
Seijeant Coffee, and that the prisoner Was not that
person. The certificate which had been produced
was a forded one, and the signature was not his
hand-writing.
Two Serjeants who had known Coffee, said that
the prisoner tvas not that person.
Admiral Montague stated, that he was Captain
of the Haar at the time Coffee was on board ; he
had known that person, and was certain the pri-
soner was not like him.
A Clerk to the Navy-OGce produced the Hesor's
muster-book, by which it appeared that Coffee had
been drowned on the 24th of March, 1801.

The prisoner had nothing to sty in his de-
fence.

The Jury found him—Gwly, Death.

• LONDONDEIIRY ASSIZES.

John Dhumore, "Wm Stewart, George Stewart, IV.
111‘ Kay, Charles Stewart, and John Dontrey, being in.
diaed for the murder of Neil M' Peer and John
M'Reynolds, at Kilrea, ou the ith of June last, and
for a riot ; and John Hanna, Hill Campbell, John
Kane, Thomas Hart, Patri,:i Kane, Patrick Bradley,
lobar M'Kcnna, John O'Neil, and liusbMooney, being
indiaed fora riot at the same time and place.
Mr. Jameson, Counsel for the Crown, having
begged to refer the Court to the examinations of
Henry Paterson, Esq. in which the whole case was
fully disclosed, that the magnitude of the riot, in
which some hundreds of Freemasons were engaged
on the one side, and some Orangemen on the other,
and for which the traverwrs stood indiaed, had
arose to such a pitch that it seemed as if the late re-
bellion had still raged ; and that in the dreadful
conflict two men had unhappily lost their lives, and
several their limbs; that the Government of the
country, determined to, punish all offenders against
the public peace, whether Orangemen or Freema-
sons, Protestants, or Catholics, had sent the Crown
Solicitor to the spot to investigate the fans ; that in
consequence of his exhitions eight of the rioters had
been convicted at the last assizes, and the persons
charged with the murder, and the other persons now
in the dock charged with the riot, had been broUght
in for trial; that on the fullest and most minute ex-
amination of all the persons who could be produced
on both sides, there appeared to be nothing cf mur-
der in the unhappy killing; that all parties, both Free-
masons and Orangemen, having felt the strength
and effea of the laws, and being sensible of their
own crime, had wished to become friends and re-
turn to their industry, to cultivate a good under-
standing with each other, and shake hands; that the
Counsel for .the Crown thought it unnecessary to
take up the time of the Court in further investigating
a killing which was now so fully ascertained to be
free from any of the circumstances which constitute
the crime of murder ; and as the public justice of
the country has been satisfied by the punishments
which had taken plate, in order to assist in the re-
storation' of the peace of the country, he would
not trouble the Court by producing any witnesses I
against the traversers or prisoners.
The prisoners and traversers having been acquit-
ted, the lion. Baron GEORCE, who presided on the
trial, with a dignity peculiar to himself, said—
" ou, prisoners, who are now going to be dis-
charged from the dock, being acquitted of the mur-
der, and you traversers, who have been acquitted of
the riot, you are all about to return to your homes
and your families, and before your departure I wish,
to address a few words to you as your common
friend. You have heard from the Counsel for the
Crown, that the Government is determined to pro-
secute all descriptions of offenders against the public
peace of the country, without respea to parties or
persuasions, whether they be Freemasons or Orange-
men, whether Protestants or Catholics, until they
shall have restored the morals of the people to that
good order and peaceable disposition to each other
from which they have been torn by the late horrid
rebellion. I exhort you to embrace one another
and return to your homes ; lay aside all differences ;
vie with each other in obedience to the laws—vie
with each other in industry—vie with each other in
loyalty—yon are all subjeas of the same king, you
are all inhabitants of the same country, you all
worship the same Almighty God, you all hope for
salvation through the merits of the same blessed Re-
deemer, you pray for forgiveness of your faults—
forgive then one another; open your arms and em-
brace one another as friends and brothers, and bear
enmity to none but the foes of your King and coun-
try, for they are your only mortal enemies: you
will then live more peaceably, you will die more
happily ; you will not be hunted by constables or
officers of justice ; you will not be confined in a
gaol, nor brought to the bar of a criminal court.
Go home, then ; return to your habits of industry,
peace, and obedience to the laws, and so May God
bless you all."

JOHN GRANT is fully committed for trial by
N. Boso, Esq. and Sir W. PARSONS, under the
Black Mt, charged with shooting at Joil SPENCER
TOWNSIIEND, Lsq. in St. James's-place, with an
intent to kill.
The tide upon the Sussex coast, owing to the
strong S. W. winds, rose last week unusually high.
To such a height did it swell on Wednesday last, at
Rye, and so rapidly, that upwards of 80 sheep, be-
longing to ha Esti A H CORMS, ESCI• were drowned
by the overflowing of the sea on some salt marshes,
before the least danger was apprehended.

• -
DE. AN KIR /i"..1/4
On Sunday sennight a Charity Sg.tton wig
preached in 'St. Thomas's Chnrch, DWb,ln, by the:.,
P.Pv. Dean Kittran, in aid of the Diveniary for In;
fain Poor.

Neva:. was the celebrated Preacher heard to
greater advantage--an eloquence so long the re-
source of the misery of the capital never bloornel
in brighter colours ; never bore fruit of more ric:t
and genuine oratorical flavour: those who listened
and could not feel, were formed of " impenetrable
stuti"—those whom he could not induce to charita-
ble exertion, must have been alike insensible to the
influence-of eloquence, and of necessities which,
but to be plainly told, were in themselves most elo-
quent.
A correspondent who was present on that occa-
sion, and strongly felt the force of the appeal made
to public benevolence in support of an institution
fraught with most important benefits to society,
presumes attempting a faint sketch of the Sermon,
in the hope of communicating to persons, unable
from distance or other causes to have been present,
a portion of that charitable spirit which the discourse
infused into himself, and if, after the first richness
of the harvest, he can succeed in gleaning for the
poor little objects of his solicitude, but a few scat-
teted ears in the field of benevolence, he will be
fully gratified, not feel conscious that he owes anr •
apology to any human being for the deliciencies
which he must . display.—The eloquent Preacher
chose his text from the 12th chapter of St. Luke,
COth verse:—
" Thou fol, this night thy soul shall be required of thee:
" the.' whose Audi those tiling.; be winch thou hast pm-
" videcl?"
On.thit text, so apposite to the °Ned of his dis-
course. he descanted with, perhaps, more than a
common portion of his great talents: he began with
observing, that amidst the revolutions of the world,
and the mutability of all things, Christian Revela-
tion stood unchanged, and its judgments were' cer-
tain ; deemed certain, and expeikd, by all sincere
believers—and that even those not wholly hardened
by Infidelity, but involved in the indifference which
the pleasures and occupations of the world produce.
looked forward to the judgments of God, hut only
as t hrough an inverted telescope, the terrors of futurity
diminished by supposed distance, and the human pas-
sions and affedions taking refuge in that divine mercy
which they wearyagainst thejusticewhich they are un-
ceasingly offending : this feeling. hesa id, had becomes°
general ac to lea vesca rcely any other trace than an a:Fec-
cation of Cbri sti ani ty: a wretched corn promise between
that invincible convi&ion of the future judgments of
God which all must feel, and the immediate uncon-
trouled enjoyment of a life, of which we can be sure
of nothing but the uncertainty of its duration. In
vain is it that the warnings of mortality are daily
multiplied around us ; we hear not, we see not, nar-
rowing all our senses within the little passion of the
hour, we walk on with bold and idle stop in the path
of life, unconscious or unmindful of the dangers
that surround us, and as if every individual was ex-
clusively invulnerable to the missiles of death, which
in so many varieties of form arrestthcheedless course
of confident humanity. Nay, the victim is struck
in our very arms. Our parents, our friends, our
children ; the dearest firstlings of our hearts arc tons
from our aching grasp, and consigned to the grave ;
yet are we uninstructed of the uncertainty of life,
and the very tomb which receives and records the
evidences of our mortality, seems but to emit
sparkles to rekindle our affedions for a perishable
world! Alike insensible to the awful lessons of
fads, and the solemn truths of religion, we go oft
day after day the blind slaves of our passions, un-.
mindful of death, forgetful of God, and totally neg-
ligent of those duties, the observance of which
robs the one of his terrors, and propitiates the nier-
cies of the other. Here the reverend Preacher
took occasion to ask how the last Lent was observed'
in this metropolis ; that season so solemn and sacred'
with the primitive Christians, and ordained far the
purpose of more particularly calling back oar strayed
affeEtions to God ? It had been marked, he said,
by the indulgence of pleasures of all others the most n
boldly licentious and abominable ; where vice,
masking its approaches, ranges unshamed and un-
checked, and strews its path with the most deadly-
poisons ; where, under the licensed freedom of man-.
ners and discourse, intrigue is busy to destroy do-
mestic peace and virtue. Libertinism throws off'
the asramption of decency as an unnecessary burden,
impurity mingles with purity, and the ear of the
modest innocent maid is violated with language
which she should never have heard, and which, it
is but too probable, she would never forget. It was
an amusement never known, nor would everhave been
tolerated amongthe pure professors of Christianity ; it
mattered not how laudable weretisepretexts assumed;
or the precedents under which the pradice sought a
sandion,theexample was but the more audacious,and
no pretext or example could justify a species oflicen-
tiousness, which in the Season of Lent seemed a.
particular and premeditated mockery of that absti-
nence and suffering by which our Saviour designed
to instruct us in an occasional severity of duty,
which, by freeing our souls, as much as possible,
from the gross influences of humanity, would fit us
for divine communion. From this subject, the Dean
recurred again to that of his text, further enlarging-
on the uncertainty of life, the certainty of death,
and the equal certainty of the divine judgments
hereafter in the distribution of rewards and punish-
ments. The Gospel pronounces as a truth, admit-
ting of no modification or constructive subterfuge,
that, "as we live, so shall we die," yet the greater
part of mankind live as though they were never to
die, or that living in sin they ware not to die
in sin. Most men live as if there was no respon-
sible futurity ; or reposing in the mercy of their ne-
glected and offended GOD, they calculate on ba..
lancing the great account between them and their
Maker, by appropriating to him a little remnant of
that life which, when longest, is but too short for his'
service : in this species cf traffic the world pays
down, and is the purchaser: pleasure, avarice, am-.
bition ; the lust of wealth and of power, are the pre-
miums for which we sell the invaluable inheritance-
of eternal happiness 1 we say to ourselves as in the.
context.
"And I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much goods
laid up for many yearsi talc.: thine ease, cat, drink, and be
merry."
•
But in the midst of our security, while we thit\t'k
that all these things are ours, and ours for many
years, comes the fatal summons—" Thou fool! this
night thy soul shall be required of thee."—Vain it
is that this great truth, the uncertainty of life, is

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