event, which was about to fix the moft important era of my life, and dreffed myself in my best black fatin breeches and blue filk ockings. I had little doubt but that I fhould come off on this occafion with great eclat, and thought myself juft emerging from obfcurity but vain and empty are the brightest views of ambition! "Towering Ambition over-vaults itself," as Macbeth fays in the play: all turned out wrong. To be fure, I did very well till I got to the Colonel's houfe, and then I was feized with the first attack of any confequence that I can remember of this cruel diforder. When the Captain gave a thundering knock at the door, I felt an indefcribable tremor feize me all over, that carried away all my fpirit in a moment. I would gladly have parted with half my ftock to have been playing, as I was wont to do, at all fours or crib. bage, with my poor mother, when the was alive, at the old lodgings in Distafflane: but there was no alternative: a dafhing fellow in livery opened the door, and I followed the Captain in, like a thief going into the Public-Office at Bow-street. I, who fet out as merry as a grig, was now, all at once, as flat as a flounder. In this hopeless fituation I was introduced to the Colonel in the drawing-room, who addreffed me with great condefcenfion and affability but all would not do; I only made a number of awkward bows in return he asked me the news of the day; but unfortunately I had not read the morning paper, and fo I answered not a fyllable, and looked like a fool. Dinner was announced, and the Colonel led the way; Blutter and three more dahing fellows offered me the precedence, which I had the prefence of mind to difpute till they were glad to leave me to follow behind, which I did, frightened at the scene I had to act. I, however, took my chair at the table, when, most unluckily, the Colonel picked me out to cut up a capon that was in the difh next me. I never was in fuch a fcrape before, and knew nothing of the matter. Pride, however, got the better of Prudence, and, alarmed at the idea of being thought ignorant, I handled the knife and fork, and with fome difficulty diflodged the wing with part of the breaft-bone attached to it; but in the action of difmembering this formidable fowl, I made a splash among the gravy that

:

fprinkled the cravat and waistcoat of a Captain of Horfe, who grinned a ghaftly fimile that frightened me almoft out of my life. I was in a moft dreadful pucker; but nothing was faid, and my alarm fubfided by degrees; but in fpite of entreaty I could not eat two mouthfuls. At laft the ftained table-cloth, the object of my difgrace, was happily removed; when thofe ugly things called water-glaffes, with which I was then utterly unacquainted, were next introduced, and occafioned a new and dreadful miftake in my manners. I conceived that the company meant to keep themfelves fober by drinking negus; and, taking them to be a new fafhion of glaffes, I decanted half a bottle of herry into the one before me, to the infinite aftonishment of all prefent: the Colonel ftared, the Captain of Horfe grinned again, and Blufter, for the first time I ever obferved him in my life, looked confused. I began to difcover that I had made a fad blunder, particularly when I found the reft of the Gentlemen washing their mouths and hands, juft as if they were using fo many wafh-hand basons, and which was what I could not poffibly have conceived to be confonant with goodbreeding in company. Blunder now fucceeded after blunder. When I was afked for a Lady toaft, I gave an Alderman; and when applied to for a fentiment, I drank the Wet Dock Company. I was next called upon to fing; and as I had reason to think I had a good voice, and was a tolerable judge of mufic, I concluded my fuccefs in that would be certain. But what was my aftonishment when, owing to a fit of my cruel complaint, I found that I was not able to articulate a fingle note, and, what was worse, that I totally forgot the words. A Gentleman at my right advised me to try another key; and another on my left to begin again; and so I did, with the fame ill fuccefs as before, and with the laft verfe of the fong inftead of the first. I was nevertheless loudly applauded by the company, one of whom cried out vociferously, "Encore." Į took these for marks of genuine applaufe, and was actually about to oblige them a third time, when Blufter whif pered me by no means to fing again, and I was prudent enough to take his advice. The bottle now went round freely, and I felt a fenfation that I had never experienced while drinking my

good

good mother's gooseberry-wine; one of the fymptoms, no doubt, of my unhappy complaint. While the Captain of Horfe was finging, "Flow thou regal purple stream," I felt a fudden qualm, which was followed by an event that covered me with confufion, and at the recital of which you would ficken, if I were to defcribe the minutiae of my misfortune. I retired in difgrace, and determined to give up all thoughts of going into company, and of the trade; but Bob Blutter encouraged me with freth hopes, and advised me by all means to have an eye to bufinefs, as I had asked the Colonel to fee my cellar at St. Dunstan's Hill. The next Friday, fure enough, he called, and I invited him and his friends down. The stick candlesticks were prepared, and we explored our way through alleys of binns, and pipes of port and Madeira. I invited the Colonel to tafte fome of the beft London particular, with which he readily com plied; and we drank until the wine-merchant himself was laid proftrate among the faw-duft in his own cellar. I began to reflect very feriously when I recovered, and to think that I should never be able to make any thing of the bufinefs. Nevertheless, I fent in the Colonel's order, and many others which he had recommended me the pages of my ledger were filled with titled names, and I was prefently doing a great stroke of bufinefs. At Chriftmas I fent in my bills; in June I ven. tured to call, but my complaint always took me when I was about to afk for my money. The next Chriftmas paffed over; and now I began to experience new difficulties, and found that I could no longer do without a fupply. Bob, however, gave me comfort, affured me that my money was perfectly fafe, and advifed me to borrow till I should get paid. This was a terrible tafk to one with that unhappy complaint upon me. I fet out, however, one morning on the errand; and the firft perfon I called on was my neighbour Mr. Broadcloth, the woollen draper; he was in his compting-house, but I was a long time before I could mufter refo lution to open the bufinefs; at laft I ftammered out that I had great occa fion for the loan of a hundred pounds. Broadcloth ftared, told me he was very forry, but he had drawn his banker fo close that he could not accommodate me. I next went to my friend

Mr. Scrip, the ftock-broker, and asked him; but when he found that I did not want a transfer, he told me, he was fo very bufy that he could not poffibly attend to me just then. I waited an hour for him in the Rotunda; but he did not fhew his face again, and I went away, with my old complaint confiderably increased. I made Blufter acquainted with my ill fuccefs; and having received a bill of exchange from the country, I asked him if he could get it discounted at his banker's, as mine had declined to do it. Blufter fmiled, took me along with him, walked into the thop with an air, asked for one of the Gentlemen, addressed him with great familiarity, "How d'ye do to-day? Any news? Is mo. ney fcarce? Want a good bill dif. counted: You're the people for mo ney, I know :" when, to my utter aftonishment, my friend Bob, who had never kept more than fifty pounds at a time in their hands, came off with fuc. cefs; but, as we were returning home, he took an opportunity to borrow a round fum out of it, which, added to a great many more advances I had made him, and the bad debts he had recommended me to, left me in no very enviable circumftances; and I had the prudence to leave off business juft in time, and go a little way from town till I could fettle my affairs; but I found, that as foon as I had ceased to furnish the Colonel with wine, he ceafed his invitations to dinner, which I was not very forry for, as I could never entirely get rid of my complaint. Now, Sir, as I am about to turn over a new leaf, and to lay out the little I have left to advantage, and as I cannot rely upon my friend Blutter; I fhall be much obliged if you will advise me, as foon as you conveniently can, on the following points and queries:

Firft, As to what line of business would fuit me beft, taking my com plaint always into confideration ? and, Whether you do not think that I might poffibly fucceed if I were to turn Qua ker, as they are able to speak when the Spirit moves them.

Secondly, As to what courfe I ought to purfue to fhake off my complaint in company; and, Whether if I were to mix a little among ladies of pleature, and learn to box, it might not be ex. tremely falutary to one in my condi

tion.

Thirdly, Whether if I can learn to fivear

fwear genteelly, it might not affift in giving me the Ton.-N. B. I have never been able to bring myself to a point of perfection in this art; and though the other day, Patty (my maidfervant) fpilt a glafsfull of fpruce beer into my plate of boiled mutton and turnips, I involuntarily exclaimed, "Zounds, Patty, What are you about ?" yet I have never been able fince to pronounce it with the like happy facility, emphasis, and advantage of expreffion; and as for "Demme," it is truly extraordinary that I can never bring myself to speak it with elegance and propriety.

Fourthly, Whether if I were to belong to the Pic Nics, it might not be the means of improving my manner; or if I were to go up in a balloon, Whe. ther it might not give me fome new

airs.

N. B. I can't dance, though I went for fix months to a mafter who teaches grown Gentlemen; but he could never, with all his pains, advance me further than the five pofitions.

In addition to the above queries, I beg to be instructed,

How I may find my tongue in company?

How I may drink wine withouthaving the head-ache?

How I may fucceed when I want to borrow money?

How I may walk up a room full of people; for I intend to go to the affemblies as foon as I have got the steps?

How to fwear commendably?

How I may court to advantage; as I want a wife, but am afraid to ask the queftion?

And, laftly, How I may get rid of my unhappy complaint and, Whether you advile Bark, Steel Lozenges, Sea Bathing, or Velnos Vegetable syrup, by way of corroborants? or, Whether I am, in your opinion, altogether an incurable?

Your early attention to the above will oblige,

Yours ever,

BARNABY BASHFUL. Maidenhead, Sept. 10, 1802.

You are now arrived in the most celebrated City in the World; a Commercial Emporium, "fpeckled with all complexions of mankind, and spotted with all crimes."

Here, young man, you will be expofed to innumerable temptations. On your circumfpection or careleffnets at the outlet depends the happiness of your life.

You have chofen the employment of a Merchant it is a refpectable, an honourable avocation; and the bustle of business will probably, for fome time, prevent you from being attracted by the amufements of the town. When leifure permits, you will naturally with to gratify your curiofity by visiting public places, particularly the Theatres. Youthful companions will hurry you to the tavern; and although an abftemious courfe of life may be im practicable in this elegant and luxurious metropolis, yet it would be advifable to adhere as much as poffible to the precepts of temperance.

Beware with whom you affociate. Your youth, and the comeliness of

2

your perfon, will inevitably expose you

to the feductive arts of licentious beauty; but if you permit the Circean cup of voluptuoufnels to touch your lips, diffipation, difeafe, and death, await you!

The frantic orgies of the tavern is another baneful destroyer of the health and morals of young men. Enchanted with the wit and gaiety of his compa. nions, the tyro in debauchery is afhamed of his infipid decency. He foon learns to drink, fwear, utter an obfcene jest with an arch air, and fport a few guineas at the gaming-table. The tavern is a preparative for the brothel, till a ruined conflitution, and the ftings of remorfe, render his existence an infupportable torment.

In order to avoid fuch wretchednefs, my friend, let your companions of both fexes be virtuous and refined; attend to your bufinefs with affiduity; obey the fimple precepts of morality; and your reward will be riches and honours, health of body, and ferenity of mind. AMICUS.

MR. JOHN RANDALL was the younger fon of a respectable Ship-builder at Rotherhithe, who having, by perfevering industry and integrity, raised a confiderable fortune, was denrous of giving his children fuch an education as fhould fit them for entering into a wider fphere of life than that in which he himself had walked. The early lofs of his elder fon ferved to itrengthen thefe liberal purposes in regard of the remaining one, who, after receiving the ufual inftruction of a school, was placed under the tuition of the venerable Dr. Price and Mr. Denham. From these able and justly-eminent men he received the rudiments of thofe moral qualities, which afterwards, through the course of life, procured to him that unbounded confidence which all who were connected with him in bufinefs foon perceived they might fecurely place in him, and that warm and affectionate attachment which he experienced on the part of his intimate friends.

Until the age of twenty, or later, Mr. Randall's mind was therefore wholly directed to literary studies, which had already formed his tafte, and rendered him an elegant fcholar; when, on the death of his father, he found himself unexpectedly called on to devote a portion of his time to the investigation of numerous and complicated accompts, relative to the extenfive concern in which his father had been engaged. However difficult this novel talk might appear to him, he undertook it with alacrity, and in confequence of the perfect view which he acquired of the fubject, he formed the truly laudable refolution of relinquithing the ornamental purfuits of life for the useful purpose of continuing and conducting his hereditary bufinels.

Fortunately gifted by Nature with a capacity of directing his mind to any object which he thought it his duty to purfue, he had no fooner fettled his plan, than he vigorously applied him. felf to the means of its accomplishment. In order more effectually to bring within his reach the ready arrangement of multifarious accompts with which fuch a concern is neceflarily

VOL. XLII. SEPT. 1802.

loaded, he entered on a diligent courfe of mathematical ftudies, and of fuch of the higher branches of arithmetic as he perceived bore a relation to his art; and in both thefe sciences he is faid to have attained a more than ordinary proficiency.

In the examination and settlement of his father's affairs, fome difficulties arofe, which by his perfeverance and prudence he ably furmounted; and thus early warned, he never afterwards omitted to keep the whole of his various concerns under the strictest and clearest regulations.

Having fully eftablished the regular methods of his bufinefs, he continued his profeffional studies, with unwearied attention, for many years, and proceeded fo far as to have collected materials for a Treatife on the Improvement of Naval Architecture, but the publi cation, in France, of fome works which he thought had in a great meature foreftalled his defign, prevented the continuation of his literary efforts. The advances, however, which he had made in fcience, convinced him that much yet remained to be added by theoretic knowledge to the ordinary practice of his profeffion, and he not only exerted the utmost diligence in procuring and imparting fuch communications as promifed advantage to maritime fcience, but took a most active part in all the tranfactions of this country which have been directed to the fame end.

On the inftitution of the Society for the Improvement of NAVAL ARCHITECTURE, he materially affitted its establishment, both by personal attention and by advancing feveral hundred pounds towards the promotion of its laudable purposes.

In the whole time during which he conducted his business, there were built at his Docks

50 Ships of War, and other Vessels for Government,

31 Indiamen, and
60 Merchant Veffels ;

nor should it pass unnoticed, that during the American war, when the reduced state of the Navy of this country demanded

Сс

the utmost exertions to raise it to its wonted pre-eminence, Mr. Randall completed for Government 35,000 tons of fhipping an extraordinary quantity, when confidered with reference to the limits of a private Dock-yard.

By a ftrict and judicious economy of time, Mr. Randall was enabled to fulfil his refpective duties to his family and the Public; and to enjoy all the delights which Friendship, Literature, and Claffical Studies could afford him. Mufic alfo, in its turn, formed a fubordinate part of his amufements, and, under the inftructions of the celebrated Cervetto, he had made himself a competent perfo mer on the violoncello. It will fcarcely be allowed poffible for one man to acquit himself equally well in ftudies and purfuits fo oppofite in their nature and tendency; but fuch was the force and steadinefs of his mind, that amidit the variety of these occupations, from fome of which he derived his chief amufement and delight, he was never, in any fingle inftance, led to deviate from the obfervance of that accuracy and punctuality by which he had at first regulated the conduct of his mercantile concerns.

After the fketch thus given of the progrefs of his life, it is our painful

talk to make a brief mention of its melancholy termination.

As he had, with the most judicious liberality, confented to the augmenta. tion of his Shipwright's wages, during the overflow of bufinefs occafioned by the late war, he thought it equally confiftent with justice, that. at the return of peace, their gains fhould like wife return to a ftandard correfponding to his actual contracts for ships on the ftocks, and to fuch as he thould make for the building of thips in future. With thefe propofals the Shipwrights refused to comply; and Mr.

Randall, after many and long trials, finding them obftinately deaf to entreaty or remonstrance, determined to apply to the Admiralty for leave to bring workmen from the King's Yards at Deptford at the ufual rates of labour,* in order to enable him to complete the contracts he had entered into with the Eaft India Owners*. This request not only received the affent of the Government, but offers were likewife made to him of fending fuch military aid as he might think requifite to the prevention of violence on the part of the mal-contents. He revolted at any fuppofition that force could be neceffary, in order to protect industry in the performance of its duty. The new workmen arrived but the rage and defperation of the former Shipwrights, who had, with concerted refolutions, wholly feceded from any offers of fervice, were fo inflamed by the fuccefs of this mea. fure, that they declared their intention of oppofing the new comers by violence, and of driving them from the yards. A body, confifting of three or four hundred of these men, accordingly marched to Mr. Randall's Yard, feized all those workmen whom their menaces failed to deter, and, conveying them by force from the Docks, fent them away in chaifes previously stationed for that purpose.

It was in this moment of tumult that Mr. Randall entered the Dock yard. He flew inftantly to meet the disturbers of legal peace and private freedom, and, with his accustomed humanity, employed every argument of reafon and friendly admonition to bring them back to a just fenfe of their duty and of their own intereft. But he was unable to put a top to their outrage, and, after the most anxious, but ineffectual, efforts, he returned to town, difpirited and dejected at the total failure of his hopes.

The