Star.
London, England, 1801-08-26 00:00:00

FO NT HI L L AUCTION.

TPIRD DAY—AUGUST 21.
A br'ef account of this day's Pale will give our
Readers a competent idea of the whole. There
never was in this part of the country, or perhaps in
the world, a collcCtion of finer or more luperb fur-
niture, in proportion to its quantity. So very ill
founded has been the foolifh furmife that nothing
was meant to be fold hut old fa(hioned and worn-
out articles. The books and a very few of the belt
paintings only have been kept back.
The general fenfation this uliexpeClA
txcited, more efpecially in thefe parts, can hardly
be etmuived. Even the harveil has but lade re-
Itt•tinecllthe popular cut intity. The diilinguilhed
elegance of this noted feat, the natural beauty of
the grounds, the art and expence fu prottifely la-
\ ilhed on their improvement; the tine and erten-
thett of water, ftretching as far as :he eye can
clifcern in a (trait line by the eaflein wing of the
houfe, and rendered eminently pleafing and majef-
tic by the flocks of lwans which play on its baron;
the various cluares of wide branchin trees, which
diver Illy the park in every direCtion (the gardens,
enriched and embellithed by every Ipecies and de-
gree of European and Afiatic luxury; a fpacious
family manfion in the heft (tile of modern architec-
ture, replenithed with an excels of the moft volup-
tuous accommodation, naturally attradedi as may
well be conceived, all the fathion far and near.—
From Salilbury, Andover, Bath, Weymouth, &c.
all the fubordinate towns, the villas, and even the
hamlets in their refpeCtive vicinities, the road;
fwarmed all the morning with fhoals of the young
and gay, flaying as they could to this fplendid ex-
hibition ; and, long before noon, every chamber
in the houfe, as well as all the adjacent grounds.
wete crouded with genteel people ; the court and
liable-yard with carriages, and all the gates, doors
and paffages with lackeys, and beggars.
The auction was in the great halt, where an or-
gan fix and twenty feet high and fifteen feet wide
is placed. This very mallerly inftrument, bui.t
and finifhed in fach fuperlative mile, that it is aid
to have coil nearly two thoufand pounds, played till
the bufinefs of the day commenced.
The AuClioneer began with an eulogium on the
goods to be expofed, and Rated them to be the
moll fplendid and tranfcendant he ever had the
honour of bringing to the hammer. Indeed there
was not an item in this day's tale which might not,
both for value and magnificence, fuit any Palace
in Europe —Not a (tool, or tripod, or fpringblind,
or window curtain, brought fo little as a guinea.
Some marble nabs went at more than an hundred
guineas each. A bull of old Homer was knocked
down at twenty liven, and that of Virgil at nine-
teen.—A young lady inadvertently had placed
herfelf by a fine flatue of the Venus de Medici::
When this delicate and beautiful article was put
up, a wag hallowed out, " Which of the two was
meant ?" The AuCtioneer modefty replied, " The
one was above all price, and he was authorifed
only to difpofe of the other."—Every thing in the
room fitted ala Torque, fold immenfely
The richnefs of the hangings, all (ilk or fain, of
fuperlative quality—the brilliant French plates of
glafs which decorated and enlivened every fide in
the room—the fofas formed in the molt fumptuous
(tile of Oriental magnificence—the chairs and
(tools, all gilt with burnifbed gold, aurae:fed every
eye, and it was laughable to fee even our Wiltfhire
farmers furnithing their homely parlours with the
gorgeous accumulation of inordinate fortune, and
of effeminate tafte.

All this indicated no want of money. Some
articles fold, notwithilanding, much under value.
Even the organ went for no more than two hur-
dred and ninety pounds, and every one thought it
fell into good hands—the Rev. Mr. Oe Ls, brother.. .
in-law to Mr. SHERIDAN, M. P. Two Library
Tables, alto of the moft elegant conftruaion and
exquifite workmanfbip, hardly brought one half of.
what was expeeted for them.

One could kneel/ conceive fo many purchafers
for fuch a colleaion of finery, incomparable as it
was; and what renders their eagernefs the more
fingular, is, that no one piece taken from the reit
can ppffibly accord with any other Houfehold of
ordinary zxcellence. The fad is, this extraordinary
Auction has drawn forth all the falfe mite and fu-
perfluous gaiety of the county. It has pampered
the vanity of the old, and fired the pons of the
young with the tinfel of faihion, and-ffie gewgaws
of luxury.

We truft that the audible murmurs and the figni-
ficant criticifms of the company, during the exhi-
bition, will have a falutary effea, however, upon
their minds, and teach them that he only can er-
pea to fit down happy in the enjoyment of what
he buys, who is governed in his purchafes by mo-
deration and fimplicity.

Yefterday a boy employed to hold a !torte be-
longing to Capt. Lucite of the navy, imprudently
attempted to ride him; the animal threw him, ard
He was taken to the Weft.
minfter Infirmary.
Much mirth was excited oppofite the New White
Horfe Cellar in Piccadilly yefterday, by a momen-
taryfratat, originating from the following circum-
fiance :—An Irsy6 Sado', wifhing to go to Briftol,
had taken his place in the coach ; but, till he had
mounted on the oatfide, never refle,sed that he had
paid for an made place, which, in the interim, was
occupied by a Lady, whofe fluency and figures of
fpeech plainly proclaimed her from the vicinity of
Baxilgate. The Tar, defirous of reetifying the
millake, intimated to the fai--orie the necetlity of
changing fituaticns; but this fhe refuting, from her
legal knowledge that poireflion was every thing,
he very deliberately proceeded to heft her up
through the porn-bole, and had half effeaed his pun.
pore, when, from the rotundity of the Lady, the
thick fall. Her fcreams alarming the phr the
box, he interfered, and having, with fume difficul-
ty, calmed the enraged failor, by an adjufiment of
the pecuniary difference, the Lady inf.:fled upon fi-
nally compromifing the difputc by a libation of
gra:. This perfealy finished the f.tflor, who,wifhing
the Amazon joy of her birth, told the coachman to
vvr4b anchor, and went off, expreffively Pinging--
"Blow bil4, bbvsv kw," &c.

70 THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.

Sir—Being lately in a company where the con-
terattion turned on the extraordinary appearance
of the Planets this year, all of which were to he feen
at once on the northern tide of the Ecliptic, I fit
about to dilcover in old books of Aftionomy, whe-
ther fuch a pheenonienon had been prediCted or no ?
A friend of mine referred me to Merlin's Prophe-
cies, publilhed by Hawkins, in the reign of Henry
the Eighth, in which, he laid, this circumimance
was alluded to; but in terms fo loofe that nothing
could be made of it, and which might be applied
to any period of the reader's fancy, as well as the
prefent. I found it accordingly in what arc c.:llcd
Merlin's Centuries ; and the patrage fremed to me
fo curious, that I refolved to publith it, with fuels
explanations as in my mind render it very intelli-
gible,and fircongly pointed to the commencement of
the prefent Century. Of this let others judge as they
pleafe: I here fend yon the whole patfage referred to,
in the very fpelling of the time, as I traufcribed it :
Three workend wars in Hondrcdcs muldi
• A Dozeine whol and balk biholde
Titer eomyth 004 off doncefulle fare,
QRhom Albion that briskly prize.
Though at fyrft dawne he ehmange her name,
And Ulondes twine make Dote one Brame;
Though Derth and Farryne rage withyn, •
And Gould and Corn ben hardlie fene ;
Wittrostenben youre Fame Poffcfet
Be North and Suth, and Efte and Weft.
A Daye is loft, a Kinedome won.
Thar thyngea happe fyrft. Than 'fpyeth &lane
North off hys rode, in fpryngfulle gam.
Hys ehildern (porting wyth a Rant.
Nove Race to corn fro Saxon Zoe,
Threde Kinge doth el' fro Credks Norte.
He that echo& Invader Dane.
. A Muddy (word, bps Golfe to Raw.,
That arm (lull beare that bore a Ibefid,
And Battles wyu wheir is one feilds.
My Sons, thynk on threde Bdwarde's glorie;
Hys Term *gen hats tould Is Rorie.
Neve clot off Tyme ten three be three;
Agee come Rotate Juhlk7 !
Theo dauney th Tamps long bye Braude,
Arid merit daye bath auld Yaglonde.
Trues time yrre's land nine torns }hall! ee.
Com feeood fteptcred Jubilee)
• Auld greye malt than be chaunged to groin
• Loli! thee, men • Maydene g_oeffe!
, The above is all that is necelfary for the prefent
' pirpofe. Now I beg the reader's attention to the
following notes :
Three woriisig cash.—The old Bard is writing
of Centuries, and plainly defcribes the prefent,
igth. Three weeks of fix days each in hundred%
make r 800, or a dozen and a half hundreds. Af-
ter which, comes one
Of dasibtfulfise.—That is the prefent Century;
• about the beginning of which, fome wits would
puzzle us during the whole of it, to find out when
it began.
Me' arferfi davva.--It opened with the Union of
Greet Britain and Ireland, the two ;Bands that
make but one reshot, or royalty. The fcarcity of
raid
etdlaal erne miles a reflexion too fevere to be much
upon. But we may with pride and plcafure
agree with the Seer,in extending our national fame
to ill the four quarters of the globe—Denmark.
Egypt, Eaft and Weft Indies, feadily (satisfy: thofe
words, the firth: of which comes peculiarly in time
aow.
• .4 die u 10.—This line at fill made me defpair
• of tlifeovering a proper application. I think, how-
ever, I. have found it in the lois of die leap-year's
day.of laft year ; which in the ordinary coorfe
would have been a leap-year, but by the change of
fat became otherwife. The Kitscimit won is eafily
known, as above mentioned.
Then forth the Sere—North, fee.—This very extra-
ordinary pofition of ail the planets, not excepting
the Georgian, fo as to be feen all at the fame time
its the North, can only refer to the prefent Spring.
As they are the attendants of the Sun, they are
properly called hie children. fportieg with the
Rant alludes to the Seafon when the Sun is in Aria:
For whether a Planet be teen from the Sun, or the
Sun from a Planet, the effetl is the fame with re-
gard to the fign of the Zodiac.
The new race from the Saxon (bore, can be no
other than the illuftrious Houfe of Brunfwick. In
Merlin's time the whole north of Germany was
called Saxony.
Third Kiag cloth give from Cradle: fonr—Tbis may
to fome appear myfterions, but it is very plain, if
the laft obfervation is jun. Cradle among our an.
cellors was a word ufed metaphorically for de-
fcents, or generations : for the fame cradle nurfed
all the children of the family. Now his Majefty
is the fourth in defcent of this sew rare, and the
third Sovereign: His father having died when
Prince of Wales.
Invader Dime.—Yrhat Ca.. %hot.. btu• to
but it.• i.ie glorious news from the Golf of thefe
our ancient invaders! whore invalions terrified this
whole ifland in Merlin's time; and the word rebel
may be aptly given to our prefent retaliation upon
their own home. And by whole Sword ? The
arm that bears it is Paid to have borne °Add Here
I mull again dip into the Saxon cultoms. They
deceribed by Swortlarm and Shield-arm the right
and left ; and the conqueror alluded to (if my ex-
planation is juft) has only left a fbieid arm to wield
this bloody (word, that fiained the Danilh gulf.
Where u see ifeld—The Sea, the element of our
vi&ory.
Third Edward's glory.—This part of the pro-
phecy remains to be fulfilled, and may be worth
all the ref!, if it infures us (as I am willing to hope)
a continuance of the life of our beloved Sovereign
to the extent of that of EDWARD 111. We fhould
hope, on this account. that everything in the above
description is really what it appears to be, a pro-
phetic view of the prefent generation ; which oni.
•
nion may be entertained without impiety. 'I he
allufion I take to he the famous yabike proclaimed
by EDWARD the Third, in the yoth year of his
reign, when that great King. full of years and ho-
nour, was preparing to take leave of the world.

Time's new year's fend nit!!t turns fall fer.—The.
above verfes, in my explanation, delcribe the open-
ing of the prefent ccntury, nine years turns from
which brings us to 18x.,9. In that year, his Ma-
jtlly, if he live to the withes of his fubjeils, will
accomplial the ffidh year of his reign, and may
have a frond frepred jubilee. What follows, when
grey (or age) is to be fucceeded by green (or youth)
I will not pui foe ; having arrived at the point I
moll earnedly wilh for, and with st hich I (hall be
content. Some of your readers may perhaps re-
mark, that the year alluded to is jell cue century
beyond that of Swift's explanation of another pro-
phecy of Merlin's ; but with that I have nothing
to on, further than to obferve, that Dr. JouiesoN,
in writing of it, lays, that it cannot be read with
out amazement.—l am, Sir, your conftant Reader,
OSIRIS.

From the LONDON GAZETTE, Awe 25.

MII.rI'ARY PROMOTIONS.

WAR-OFFICE, AUGUST 21.

His Majefty has bccn pleafed to appoint Gene-
ral His Royal Highnefs Edward Duke of Kent,
K. G. to be Colonel of the ift (or Royal) Regi-
ment of Foot, vice General Lord Adam Gordon,
deceafed.

WAIL-OIFICC, AUGUST 25, 18ci.
GARRISON.

Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Abereromby, K. B. to be Go.
vernor of Edinburgh Oak, vice General Lord Adam Gor-
don, accented.

HOSPITAL. STAFF.

Robert Jackfon, M. D Phyilcian to the Force', and Head of
the Hofpital at Chatham, to be Phyfician to the Forces,

and Head of the Hofpital at the Ifle of Wight.
James Borland, M. D. to be Affilldnt Infpator of Hofpital, to

the Forces.
4th Regiment of Dragoon Guarea—Hofpital-Mite William
Richards tube A ffillant-' urgeon, vice Dowdell, who refigns.
7th Ditto—William Jordan Alcock, Gent. to be Cornet, by
purcbak, vice Dekfon.
ad Regiment of Dragoons-- I.eatham, Gent. to be Cornet,
without purchafe, vice carter, promoted.
3d Ditto—John A fhburnharn; Gent. to be Cornet, by purchafe,

vice Clovies, promoted.
aids Regiment of 1 ight Dragoon♦—M}jot Thomas Paterfon.
fronthe math Light Dragoons, to be Lieutenant-Colonel,

vice Sir William Lee, dec;afed.'
26th Ditte--I.Lutenant Charles Peter Hay, from the ad Dra-
goons, to be Captain, by purchafe, vice iirktaiu, who retires.
27tk Ditto—Lieutenant William Stutbart, from the 33d Foot,
to bo Lieutenant, vice Byrn, who exchanges.
tit Regiment of Foot Guards—Major-General the Honorable
Francis Needham to be Lieutenant• Colonel, vice Drum-
witted, promoted to the C,paunand of a Battalion of the sth
Foot ; Major-General Harry Burrard to be Firit Major, vice
Needham ; Colonel ,he Honourable John Leflic, to be Second
Major, vice Burred ; Colonel Henry Ni
cynyard to be Third
Ma*, vice Leilk; Lieutenant-Colonel John Lambert to he
Captain of a Company, vice Wynyard; aptain John Francis
Kelly to be Captain-Lkutenant, vice Lambert • Lieutenant
- . . .

Henry. Cooke to be Lieutenant, vice Kelly.
Sd Regiment of Foot—Captain Thomas Weft, from the Half-
pay of Captain Biifett's late Levy, to be Captain, vice Halli-
day, vain) exchange&
4th Ditto—Lieutenant John Swinton to be Captain, by Fur'
chafe, vice Murray, who retires.
sth Ditto—Major-General Richard England to be Colonel,
vice Sir Alined Clarke, appointed to the Command of the
Royal Fox:neer' ; Major-General Andrew John Drummond,
from the aft Foot Guards, to be Colonel Commandant of a

battalion, irk: England, appointed to the Command of the
Regiment.
7th Ditto—Lieutenant-Central Sir Alurcd Clarke, K. B. from
the sth Foot, to be Colonel, vice his Royal Highnefs the
Duke of Kent, appointed to the Command of the Royal Rea
giMent of Foot.

saki Ditto—Trevor Owen Jooes, Gent. to be EnSp, by pi:r-
ake; vice Dslnac, promoted.
3yth Ditto—Enfign Colin Campbell, from tie z R WeR India
Regiment, to be Lieutenant, by purchafe, vice Stack, who
retires.

39th Ditto—Er.fign George Symes to be Lieutenant by par-
chafe, vice Hall, who retires.
44th Ditto—Alexander Fearer, Gent. to be Liths, by pur-
e/safe, vice Pierce, promoted in the 2 d Foot.
45th Ditto—Enfyra Edward Dale to be Lieutenant, by pur-
chafe, vice Hlky.
334 Ditto—Lieutenant Frederick Byng, from the 27th Light
Dragoons, to he lieutenant, vice Stothart, who exchanges;
Mathew Millet, Gent. to be Enfign, by purchafe, vice Aylit.
ford, removed to the 18th Light Dragoons.
64th Ditto—Thome Phibbs, Gent. to be Enrign, by purchafe,
vice Bufcbc, promoted.
69th Ditto—Enfign Junes Sheri:. to be LiCatllll7l4 vice Ban-
gay, deceafsal.
73th Dit: o--Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel J. Popham Watfon,
from the Half-pay of the late t i 7th Foot, to be Major, vice
Hall, wbo Ck :Images.
Hsth Ditto.-I.leutenant Richard Broad, from the Devon and
Coniwull Miners, to be Adjutant vice Watton, who rafigns.
sd Royal Manx Fencibles.
Kase Humphreys, Gent. to be Enfign, vice Pearce, deceafcd.
Colonel M.Neill's Fencibles.
Robert Harker, Gent. to be Enfign, vice Dove, promoted.
Loyal Surrey Rangers.
Enllgn Monek to be Lieutuunt, vice Graham, who
refigns.
Cowan, Gent. to be Enftga, vice Monck.
Ludlow Gentlemen and Yeomanry Cavalry.
Robert Touch, Gent. to be Cornet, vice Mofely, deceafed.
Warwick Gentlemen and Yeomanry Cavalry.
Lieutenant Abraham Grimes to be Major of a Troop, vice
Mama, deceafed.
Northern Regiment of Yorkfbire, Weft Riding,
Gentlemen and Yeomanry avalry.
Tim Bainbridge, Gent. to be Cornet.
Cowbridge Volunteers.
Captain n,..vsus to be-Major Commandant.
Lieutenant 'I homes Williams to be Captain, vice Beavan.
Lieutenant Francis Taynton to be Ditto.
To be Lieutenants.—Enfign Thomas Rees, vice Williams ;
Cornet *Thomas Leclunere on the half-pay of the King's
American Regiment of Dragoons, vice Taynton ; Whitlock
Nkholl, Gent.
To be Earl—Thomas Samuel, Gent. vice Rees.
Loyal Knsrefborou h Volunteers.
Lieutenant William Holland to be • ommandakt, vice
Robinfon, who refigns.
, Second Lieutenant Robert Stockdale to be Flrft Lieutenant,
vice Holland.
Thomas Nurfaw, Gent. to be Second Lieutenant, vice Stock-
dale.
Thum Robinfon, Gent. to be Ditto.
Reverted Samuel Clapham to be Chaplain.
Royal Liverpool Volunteers.
Thomas Brawler, Gent. to be Enfign.
Cornwall Infantry and Engineer Volunteers.
'Thomas, Gent. to be ucutcnant, vice Pcnberthy,
deceafed.

Percy Tenantry Volunteers.
Tlotnas Stilton, Efq. to be Captain, vice Wilkie, deco:Ara
Selkirk Volunteers.
Alexander Pringle, Efq. io be Captain.
Jobn Lapp, Gent. to be Lieutenant.
Alexander Park, Gem to be Enfign.
Loyal Swanfea Volunteers.
wittiam Jones, jut. Efq. to be Captain.
Daniel Thomas, Gent. to be 1., utenant.
Wilma Wdlianw, Oces. w be Longa

Stamford Volunteers.
Feign William Jackfon to be Lieutenant, vice Thomu Jac/i-
-ron, demoted.
Scritant John RIUs to be F.nfign, vice Jackfon.
Leonad Stmenfon, Cent. to be Surgccn.