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increased with such rapidity that before the engines could be brought from Howden (a distance of four miles) the entire building was on fire; by which the whole, with the leaden covering, was entirely consumed, except one chamber, with the outer and some parts of the inner walls. It is supposed to have been occasioned by a chimney taking fire, from which no danger was apprehended when the family went to rest. The south side, or principal part of the quadrangle, being the only part left undemolished in 1650, contained the diningroom, drawing-room, and chapel, used as the parish-church ever since the other was ruined in the civil wars. In the two principal chambers were some beautiful stair-cases of singular contrivance, containing double flights of stairs, winding round each other, after the designs of Palladio.

24th.

The following melancholy 'occurrence took place. As the ferry boat was crossing the river from Common-staithe quay to Old Lynn, at seven in the evening, with about 30 persons on board, it ran foul of the cable of a barge, and was unfortunately overset, by which accident it is feared that upwards of 20 persons have lost their lives; four more must inevitably have shared the same fate, but for the active and vigorous exertions of one of the passengers (John Price, a sailor), who at the imminent hazard of his life, and with that humanity and intrepidity which are the characteristics of an English sailor, rescued four fellow-creatures from death; he had seized a fifth (a woman), but the rapidity of the tide tore her from him, and he himself had

nearly perished in the attempt to save her life. Eight only of the bodies have yet been found, It is just 166 years since a similar accident happened at the same ferry, when 18 persons were unfortunately drowned.

DIED. 7th. At his lodgings in Bath, John Sibthorp, M. D, F. R. S. and regeus professor of Botany in the university of Oxford. He was indefatigable in his researches for new and rear plants, and travelled twice into Turkey and Greece to collect them. The fatigues he underwent in his last tour entirely destroyed his constitution, and he has fallen a victim to his favourite study. He took the degree of M. A. June 28, 1780, of B. M. Dec. 8, 1783, (about which time his father resigned to him the professorship), and of D. M. Jan. 20, 1784. Some years ago the university appointed him a travelling fellow on Dr. Radcliff's foundation, and in that capacity he visited a great part of the European continent. At Gottingen his abilities where held in such estimation, that he was honoured with a

degree in physic by the university. In 1794 he published a Flora Oxoniensis, and has left an estate of 3001. per annum to the university, in trust, to defray the expences attending the publication of a Flora Græca, taken from specimens in his own valuable collection. After that work is finished, the sum of 2001. per annum is to be added to the salary of the Sherardian professor, on condition that he reads lectures on botany in every term. His excellent collection of plants and books he has bequeathed to the botanical library of the university. 17th. In

B 4

17th. In his 59th year, James Macpherson, esq. M. P. for Camelford. Of this celebrated author of Ossian some anecdotes shall be given in a subsequent department of this volume.

4th.

MARCH.

Mr. B. D. Cock, driving a curricle round Camden-place, near Bath, the horses, in consequence of being too much curbed, became restive, and one of them, having broken the bar, suddenly dashed over a precipice upwards of 100 feet deep, by which the gentleman was literally dashed to pieces, the curricle destroyed, and the horses killed on the spot.

In the court of exchequer, in Dublin, a jury of merchants, on the 20th of February last, gave lord Westmeath a verdict of 10,000l. damages, against Mr. Bradshaw, son of sir Henry Cavendish, (who took the name of Bradshaw for a large estate), for crim. con. with lady Westmeath.Lady Westmeath was a Miss Jefferys. She was married to lord Westmeath in 1784, and has two children by his lordship.

Derby. What particularly 10th. engaged the attention of the public at our assizes was a charge against a woman of the name of Ann Hoon, aged 24. for the wilful murder of her infant child, about 14 months old. The cir cumstances of this murder were as follows: On Friday last, this poor creature, who is the wife of a labouring man, was about to heat her oven, and being short of wood, had broken down a rail or two from the fencing round the plantation of

a gentleman in the neighbourhood; some of her neighbours threatened her with a prosecution, and told her she would be transported for it. This much alarmed her mind; and the idea of being separated from her child, of whom she had always appeared remarkably fond, so wrought on her imagination, that she formed the horrible design of putting it to death, in order that, by surrending herself into the hands of justice, she might be executed for the murder, and so be for ever re-united in heaven to that babe whom she had loved more than life. As soon, therefore, as her husband was gone out to his labour, she proceeded to put this diabolical design into execution : she filled a large tub with water, when the babe, smiling in its mother's face, disarmed her for the moment, and she found herself unable to commit the horrid fact. She then lulled the babe to sleep at her breast, and wrapping a cloth round it, plunged it into the tub, and held it under water till life became extinct; then took it out of the tub, and laid it on the bed, and taking her hat and cloak, locked her street-door, and left her key at a neighbour's for her husband, when he should return from his labour. She then proceeded to walk eight or nine miles to a magistrate, and, requesting admission to him, told him the whole story, concluding with an earnest desire immediately to be executed. She was tried this morning; and, many strong instances of insanity for some years past appearing, the Jury found her not guilty.

At Stafford assizes, a remarkable cause was tried, in which Mrs. Docksey, sister and heir at law of

the

the late Peter Garrick, esq. of Lichfield, (brother to the celebrated David Garrick) was plaintiff, and Mr. Panting, surgeon of that town, defendant. The defendant claimed all the real and personal property of the deceased, (nearly 30,0001.) under deeds of convey ance executed by Mr. Garrick at the advanced age of 85, to the total disinherison of all his relations and their families, and in derogation of many wills made in their favour, the last dated in 1791. Mr. Erskine led the cause for the plaintiff; and after a most eloquent and impassioned opening of the case, which lasted upwards of two hours, and the examination of several witnesses, the cause was relinquished on the part of the defendant. Birmingham. Binns and 11th. Jones, two delegates from the London corresponding society, regardless of the laws and peace of the country, delivered (the one at the Swan in Swallow-street, and the other at the Bell public-house, in Suffolk-street in this town) their inflammatory lectures; information of which being given to William Hicks, esq. one of our magistrates, he immediately repaired, with the peace officers, to the illegal assemblies. The meeting at the Swan had broken up; but at the Bell they found Jones in a room haranguing about 70 people. As soon as he saw the magistrate, he was silent; but Mr. Hicks being made acquainted, by several who were present, of the seditious language he had held, immediately ordered the proclamation against disorderly meetings to be read, and the people in a few minutes dispersed. Jones was admonished by

the magistrate, who warned him to beware of his conduct in future, as a strict watch should be kept over him and all his associates.

16th.

Were executed opposite Newgate, pursuant to their respective sentences, Tho. Kemp, the letter-carrier, Joseph Francis Bodkin for robbing Mr. Ardesoif, and William Fogden for horse-stealing.

25th.

This evening about six o'clock, a disagreeable accident happened in Greek-street, the corner of Compton-street. Two men intoxicated to a great degree, assaulted every person they met ; and one of them, who had a hammer in his hand, struck a passenger on the head with it, near the eye, which was beat in by the blow. They were at length secured, and carried to the office in Marlborough-street, whence they were removed to Tothill-fields bridewell.

Mr. Halhed has thought 31st. proper to dispose of all his oriental manuscripts, which he acquired with great labour and expence. These manuscripts the British museum has very laudably purchased.

Vienna. On the presentation of the princess royal of France, a particular circle had been formed for the solemnity, and the court was as numerous as it was brilliant. The empress presented the princess to the ambassadors and their ladies, and to certain ladies of the first rank. After which the other ministers and nobility were, in their turn, presented to her royal highness, by the grand mistress of her Imperial majesty's court, by the grand treasurer of the court, count Dietrichstein, and by prince

Gravres,

Gavres, governor of the princess's court. The princess of France exceeded the general expectation on this occasion. Her beauty, her sensibility, her grace, her affability, and easy deportment, excited at once surprise and admiration. She said the most flattering things to field marshals Lascy, Clarfait, Colloredo, and Pelegrini, and to count Trautmansdorff. The French emigrants were presented to her royal highness by the marquis de Gallo, the Neapolitan ambassador. They were six in number: the duke de Guiche, captain of the guards to Louis XVI. who distinguished himself on the fifth of October, 1780; the marquis de Riviere, the Blondel of his master; count de Gourci; count de Merci; the marquis de la Vaupaliere, and M. D'Aschepar. Amongst the other French and foreigners, who were acknowledged by the princess, were the duke of Richelieu, count de Fersen, the chevalier Meyer, so well known for his literary productions; the bishop of Nanci, alike celebrated for his virtues and his talents; the duchess de Guiche, who shed tears; the countess de Vauban, and the countess d'Oude narde. The presence of these faithful and unfortunate nobles contributed not a little to render this scene peculiary interesting.

DIED. In his 84th year, Abbé Raynal. He walked to Paris a week before his death; got a cold, which was followed by a catarrh, and kept his bed some days. On the day of his decease he got up, shaved and dressed himself. At six in the evening he went to bed; heard a newspaper read, and made some critical observations upon the operations announced in the paper.

The jus

At ten o'clock he died. tice of the peace of the section des champs Elysées, did not chuse to bury him until he had asked the government whether it was intended to pay him any funeral ho nours. He was employed, just before his death, upon a new edition of his philosophical history, and had presented an address to the directory to obtain from the agents of the republic in foreign countries the documents, of which he stood in need, relative to the commerce of different nations, to the East India companies, and some other objects of his work. The directory immediately complied with his request, and sent the necessary orders to the French ambassadors in Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, and Italy. It is known that the abbé had, among his manuscripts, a history of the revocation of the edict of Nantes, in four volumes; but it is rumoured that, under the reign of Robespierre, he burnt part of his papers.

17. At the Hague, Peter Paulus, president of the first national convention there, and one of the principal authors of the revolution in Holland. In him his country loses one of its most zealous defenders, the patriotic party their chief support, the convention its head, and marine its ablest director. He has fallen a sacrifice to his exertions as president. His death has produced the same sensations at the Hague as the death of Mirabeau did at Paris. The greatest honours have been paid to the first president of the Batavian convention; and a degree of that assembly declares that he never ceased to deserve well of his country; which decree, written on vellum, the

convention

convention has resolved to present to his widow; and to give her, at the same time, the national scarf with which he was decorated at the opening of the convention.

At his house in Norton-Street, sir William Chambers, knight of the polar star, surveyor-general of his majesty's board of works, treasurer of the royal academy, and fellow of the royal and antiquarian societies. A further account of this architect shall be given under the head of characters.

2d.

APRIL.

The intimation of the first 'performance of a piece ascribed to the pen of Shakspeare produced this night the effect which might naturally have been expected in a metropolis filled with his admirers. At four o'clock the doors of the theatre were besieged, and, few minutes after they were opened, the pit was crowded solely with gentlemen. Before six not a place was to be found in the boxes, and

the passages were filled. The play of Vortigern was announced for representation as the production of our immortal bard; but the tale of its long concealment and happy recovery was not heard without suspicion; which his votaries wish ed to heighten into immediate in credulity. The town, however, retained its candour; and, we believe, the predominant sentiment in the audience, on this evening, was a wish to welcome with rapture the recovered offspring of their beloved Shakspeare. A play was therefore performed, founded in some degree on the historical acCount of the ambition of Vorti4

gern, the usurper of Britain; his murder of Constantius; his alliance with the Saxons; and his passion for Rowena, the daughter of the Saxon chief. The events are warped into a resemblance to those of Macbeth, Richard III. &c. with the inadvertency of a copyist, who was more intent on imitating the language than the genius of Shakspeare. The characters are such as would not have been drawn by that astonishing writer in the excercise of his usual faculties. He is remarkable in seldom borrowing from himself. The play is destitute of all those gigantic metaphors, and bold allusions, which, approaching the limits of possibility, astonish and alarm our imaginations into a sympathy with his sublime concep tions. The language, though evi dently an imitation, is infinitely beneath the original, which posses ses an aptitude, a facility, and harmony, which has never been surpassed. The audience betrayed symptoms of impatience early in the representation; but finding its taste insulted by bloated terms, which heightened the general insipidity, its reason puzzled by discordant images, false ornaments, and abortive efforts to elevate and astonish; pronounced its sentence of condemnation, at the conclusion of the play; and we have no doubt that Vortigern, if it be published, will rank in character, though not in merit, with the perverted and surprising labours of the unfortunate Chatterton.

This most gross and impudent imposition had, however, its supporters, as the following attestation, drawn up by the rev. Dr. Parr,

shews.

We whose names are hereunto subscribed,

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