Star.
London, England, 1801-03-04 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER i.11:1;.1R1;

Panton4quare.
This Society held its anniverfary Mettiiig on
Thurfdiy lalt, at the 'Thatched-Route Tavern,
in St. james's-iteeet, when their Preftdeut, Earl
MOIRA, took the Chair. It was numeroutly at•
tended by a highly felpeflable company, who ;pent
the day with the greateil conviviality and good
burnout. After feveral loyal and appolitc toalii
bad been given, the health of the Noble Chairmal
was propofed, and drank with enthufiatin. Lord
Mout• then role and (poke to the following deft:
" Gentlemen, I beg you to accept my intermit
acknowledgments for the honour yon have done
me. My pleafure in doing fo has been encrcafed by
the great addition to your numbers, which I have
Ko-dayobferved, and likewife by the affurances I
have received of the peace, harmony, and good
order which diilinguifh the Members of this ailb-
ciation. Thefe circumitances are no lets honour.
able to the Society in general, than they are par-
ticularly flattering to him on whom you have con-
ferred the office ol your Prefident.. I have before
Rated my opinion of fuck inftitutions, not only as
they relate to the benefits which are perfonally
derived from them, though certainly taken even
in a confined point of view, they are at once fa-
vourable to Rudy, and ferviceable as a bond of,
• friendfhip, but alto as they tend to the advantage.
of fociety at large. I fay of fociety at large, face
it is impoffible to calculate the boundlefs benefits
that the community may derive from eflablifh•
meats of this fort; which may by degrees diffufe
the rays of fcience through every part of the habi-
table world. Nor, while we acknowledge the
good effete which-may arife from the laudable
parfaits in which we are engaged (for I am proud
to clafs myfelf ameng you), ought we to forget
the rewards which are defervedly attendant on the
labours of leaming, and the flights of genius.
The induarious Rodent ought to feel with triumph,
that under the advantages which the prefent Rate of
Europe, and the improved art of Printing afford
him, he no fooner commits an artful or original
thought to paper, than be becomes a benefaeor
of mankind, (for- Purely they merit that name
who either inns's& or impeove us) and enjoys the
Angular privilege of converting that. which was
but a fancy—a chimera of his own brain, into a
real4y, a property, an inheritance. which be.
!long to him for ever, and confer on his name he
honours of immortality ! I fincerely hope that
the Weßminfter Library may every day encreafe
in numbers and reputation, and repeating my
naafi heartfelt thanks, I have the honour to drink
your health."
This fpeech was received with the highell ap-
plaufe ; after which Lord MOIRA propofed the
health of the Vice-Prefidents, particularly Mr.
Kaox, " whore folteriog hind had greatly affilled
in railing the Society to its prefent enviable height."
That Gentleman allured the Meeting, that he re-
gretted extremely that their partiality, and the
ablence of the other Vic e•Prefidents, obliged him,
who was of all others the leangifted with the
powers of eloquence, to addrefs them on this oc-
cation. " Perhaps, however," raid he, "we have
lately had too much eloquence, I fhll therefore
content myfelf with fimple fads. It is with plea-
fure I inform you that the Society has received an
encrcafe of fifty Members within the left year, be-
fides nineteen eleded this day. This addition to
our numbers, and confequently to our fund, has
enabled us to purchafe all the new publications,
betides many valuable works, to which our Noble
Prefident has added a fplendid prefent of the Ea-
cyclopa,dia Britannica."
On tLe health of the Committee being given,
Mr. Bst,taw returned thanks in their name, and
obferved, that after the eloquence difplayed by
the Noble Chairman, and-the clear Itatement of
falls with which they had been favoured by Mr.
Isms, it would be prefumptuous in him, were he
to add any thing to a fimple expreffion of gra-
titude for the honour they had done the Com-
mittee in general, and himfelf in particular, by
the mail they had jail drank.
The Meeting concluded with great harmony;
about two hundred Gentlemen were prefent,
among whom we obferved Sir JOHN MUSGRAVE,
Mr. Wit.t.:ara Sutra, Mr. flosnouss, and Ave.
ral other Members of Parliament, and diftinguifbed
LiteraryCharaften.

CHINA.—By way of Madras we have received
letters from Canton, which Rate that a fchifmatic,
named Q.Liai Teing, had broached a doarine tend-
ing to fubvert the ancient cuftom of polygamy in
the Northern diarias. The novelty, aspoilibly
the reafon, of the tenet, made many profelytes ;
the women were unanimous and decided in their
support. The projed was, however, encountered
by powerful oppofition • ferious difturbances en.
cued, and it at length became necelfary to march
an army of 3000 men againft the innovators, who
in the Wile were difperfed, andm%aLiTeing. with
Tome of his difciples, was compelled to By into
Weflern Tartary for fafety.
The new herrfy, however, had acquired fueh
root, that the influence of the Mandarins was in-
effeCtually exerted to retard its progrefs, and at
the date of the accounts, it had diffnfed itfelf
through a great part of the Empire. The op
Fite parties maintain their refpeaive opinions woh
the utmoft inveteracy. The fehifmatics had, in
many inaances, burnt the gods of their anceftors
put from them all their wives but one ; and re-
, fufed to pay the public revenues.
The Emperor had kill recovered from a dan-
gerous illnefs, during which he had named his file-
et (for, and made every arrangement neceffary in
the event of death; his recovery had been cele-
brated by public rejoicings throughout the empire.
The crops of rice in the level country were abun-
dant; but the pea, and other valuable fruit trees,
have, in many parts, been deftroyed by the late
inundations.
We bear from India, that the confpiratews who
lately attempted to atfaiEnate the Prime Mini Mar be-
longing to his Highnefs the Nabob of Omi, have
all been apprehended, aatlicat under confutemeat
to rysabad, is 0:146

COURSE OF Is XCHANGE.
Flamburgh 3t 3ai U. Napirs
Altona • sr at U. Venice
Leghorn • t 544 Lllbon
Genoa . • 46 Oporto
Palmo% to poses for!.o Dublin