The queftion in fpeculative philofophy for the fame year, is, Whether metaphyfical truths in general, and particularly the first principles of natural religion and morality, are fufceptible of the like evidence with geometrical truth; and if not fufceptible of fuch evidence, what is the nature and degree of certainty, and whether fufficient for conviction."

The learned of all countries are invited to the concurrence. The prize is a gold medal of fifty ducats weight. The memoirs to be written in Latin, French, or German, and tranfmitted to Mr. fecretary Formey, before the ift of January 1763, The authors, inftead of naming themfelves, are defired only to fend a motto, accompanying it with a billet fealed, and containing the motto, their name and place of abode. The academy's decifion will be declared the 31st of May 1763.

Paris, Nov. 13. The academy of arts and sciences at Lyons have offered a prize for the year enfuing, to any perfon that can find out a new manner of washing filk, with out lofing any of its quality or glofs. Civita Vecchia, Oct. 30. Both the commiffioners of the Mount of Piety at Rome, Binni, and Ferretti, according to their fentence for betraying their truft by embezzlements, were brought to this place, in order to be put on board the papal gallies during their lives; but Ferretti, on account of his great age (being above 84 years old) hath ob. tained to finish his days there afhore in prison.

30th. The following noblemen and gentlemen were elected to be of the council of the royal fociety for the year enfuing.

Members of the late council con

tinued. George earl of Macclef field, prefident, Muf. BritanniciCurator, Thomas Birch, D. D. fecretary, Muf. Brit. Cur. James Bradley, D. D. Aftr. Reg. James Burrow, Efq; V. P. Lord Charles Cavendish, V. P. Muf. Brit. Cur. Peter Daval, Efq; V. P. Charles Morton, M. D. fecretary, James Short, A. M. Acad. Reg. Suec. Soc. William Watfon, M. D. Muf. Brit. Cur. James Weft, Efq; V. P. Treaf. Muf. Brit. Cur. Hugh lord Willoughby of Parham, V.P. Muf. Brit. Cur.

New members elected into the council, Mr. Henry Baker, Mr. John Belchier, Samuel Clark, Efq; Mr. Peter Collinfon, Lewis Curfons, D.D. the earl of Marchmont, Nicholas Munckley, M. D. James Parfons, M. D. Matthew Raper, Samuel Wegg, Efqrs.

One of the burghers of Mentz, after eight years evidence, lately prefented to the regency a new piece of artillery, not of metal, but of paste, of a kind of glewy nature; which carries a ball four hundred yards, and will beat down walls at that distance. The ball is alfo of a particular compofition; the piece need not to he fpunged till it has fired a hundred times; it weighs but fifty pounds, and each ball but two and a half; fo that one man may carry the piece, and another the ammunition. What carnage, adds this account, if in an army of 20,000 men, ten thousand of thefe pieces were employed; and then exclaims, Was it a man or a devil that invented this detef table machine? But it is hoped that fo extraordinary a compofition may be applied to better purposes. About the middle of this 312 ift. month, fome gentlemen a [N] 3

courfing

courfing near Snaith in Yorkshire, observed a swallow fly round them feveral times, a thing very uncommon at this feason of year.

Died lately. Cornelius Newton, of Bromyard, in Herefordshire, aged 103. Mrs. Jane Lindow, of Jerfey, aged 109.

Mr. Marfh, of Liverpool, aged

III.

2d.

DECEMBER.

His majesty went to the houfe of peers, and gave the royal affent to the bill for fettling her majefty's dowry. When the act paffed, her majefty, who was prefent, and placed on a chair of itate on the king's right hand, rofe up, and made her obey fance to the king. On prefenting this bill, the Speaker of the honourable house of commons addreffed his majefty as follows:

"Moft gracious fovereign, "It has been the first care of your faithful commons, to take it into their confideration what your majefty molt affectionately recommended to them from the throne, namely, the enabling your majefty to make that provifion for the queen, in cafe fhe fhall furvive you, to which her royal dignity, and her own merit, give her the jufteft claim.

"On fuch an occafion, I fhould ill difcharge the truft which has lately been repofed in me by the commons, and moft graciously confirmed by your majefty, if I omitted to affure you, that they feel the warmeft fentiments of gratitude to your majefty, who have made their happiness, and that of their pofterity, your principal object. Of this your majefty has given abundant

proof, by your royal nuptials with a princess, whofe illuftrious anceftors were early affertors of the civil and religious liberties of mankind, and in confequence clofely attached to your majefty's family; a prince's whom the most diftinguished virtues and amiable endowments pointed out to your majesty's choice, and made the partner of the brightest crown in Europe.

"I cannot but efteem it a very fingular honour and happiness to myfelf, that the first bill, which, by command of the commons, I prefent to your majefty, is a bill, in which they have, with the greatest zeal and unanimity, endeavoured to teftify their duty to your majefty, and your royal confort: and that it is no lefs acceptable to your majefty, than to your commons, and all whom they represent.

"But, Sir, though they have paffed it with the utmost expedition, which their forms allow, yet it is a matter of real fatisfaction to them, that they can entertain the most pleafing and well-founded hope, that it will be a long courfe of years, before it can have any effect. And the domeftic happiness of the queen is fo infeparably connected with the public interefts of your people, that, on the behalf of her majefty, as well as of every fubject of your realm, your faithful commons will never cease to implore the Almighty, that he will be pleafed to diftinguish this nation by. his divine favour and protection, in prolonging your majefly's happy reign beyond an ordinary date; and that if ever the provifion of this bill fhall become effectual, it may be lamented only by pofterity.

"The bill, Sir, which I have in my hand, is entitled,...

An a&t for enabling his majefty to make provifion for fupporting the dignity of the queen, in cafe fhe fhall furvive his majesty.

"To which your commons, with all humility, befeech your majefty's royal affent."

The fog was fo very thick in and about London, that even chairmen loft their way in the ftreets, and carriages run againft carriages, by which much mischief was done.

His majefty went to the 4th. houfe of peers, and gave the royal affent to the land and malt tax bills, the bill for repealing the compulfive claufe in the laft infolvent act, and to one private bill. By the above act for repealing the late compulfive claufe, &c. thofe that have already had the benefit of it, are ftill to enjoy it, it being only enacted,

"That from and after the 19th day of November 1761, fo much of the faid act as relates to credi-` tors compelling prifoners charged in execution to deliver up their eftates, and to fuch prifoners being thereupon discharged, fhall be repealed to all intents and purposes whatsoever.

Provided, That this act fhall not extend, or be conftrued to extend to pardon, indemnify, or difcharge any person who hath incurred, or before the faid 19th day of November, 1761, fhall incur any penalty or forfeiture, by committing any offence againft the faid act made and paffed in the faid first year of his prefent majefty's reign; but that every fuch offender fhall be liable to the forfeitures and penalties incurred, or before the faid 19th day of November, 1761, to be incurred, under the faid act, made and paffed in the

faid firft year of his prefent majesty's reign, as if the faid act had not been repealed, and had continued in full force."

Paris, Nov. 26. At a meeting of the academy of belles lettres of Paris, held the 13th inftant, thefe two questions were propofed for the fubject of the prize to be given at Eafter 1763. 1. What were the rights and prerogatives of the fovereign pontiff of ancient Rome, over the priests of the city and provinces? 2. Whether the authority of that fovereign pontiff extended to the priests and the temples of the Roman deities introduced in conquered countries, and to those of the national deities ?

They write from St. Reine, a village in Burgundy, that as fome workmen were digging in a small eminence near that place, they dif covered a strong work of masonry, and on demolishing part of it, they found that it ferved to mask the entry of a fubterraneous paffage extending feveral leagues.

Several lords and ladies of 9th. the first distinction were prefent at the debates in the house of commons, on the expediency of the German war. The house was fo crowded with ftrangers, that it was with difficulty the members could take their places, which we hear has produced an order, that no ftrangers fhall be admitted this feffions.

Extract of a letter from New-York, October 3.

The fociety of Scotch merchants here have taken the laudable refolution of employing all fuch poor women belonging to this town, as are capable of working, and who, for want of employ, are in great diftrefs; a large houfe is taken for

[N] 4

their

their reception, and they are to be employed in knitting and fpinning. Several public-fpirited perfons are already become benefactors to this charity, in order to make it the more extenfive. Bills have been fluck up in public places of this city, advertifing thofe poor people to apply to the faid charity, and they will be admitted to immediate employ, and have good wages." The feffions ended at the 12th. Old-Bailey, at which the following perfons received fentence of death.

Daniel Looney, for the murder of captain Shanks, by fhooting him with a loaded gun. Looney was the maller of a trading veffel belonging to Shanks, with whom Looney's wife lived as a houfekeeper; the quarrel happened in a fit of jealoufy. The prifoner had an extreme good character, and was much pitied.

Robert Greenftreet, for the murder of his mafter, to whom he had ferved his time, and actually liyed with as journeyman, pleaded guilty. Thomas Afton, a dragoon, who guarded the Briftol mail, for robSing the Bath ftage waggoner on the highway. All of whom have been executed. Befides three women for theft, who were pardoned on condition of tranfportation for life.

Nineteen were caft for tranfportation, ten of whom have fince re ceived the king's pardon, on condition of ferving his majesty in the regiment of foot now at Jamaica; three ordered to be privately whipped, one to be burnt in the hand, and one to be publickly whipt.

This day the following ad. 14th. vertisement appeared in the

public papers. «Any nobleman, gentleman, or other, poffeffed of fishing royalties, are earnestly requested to tranfmit a defcription of the shore each of them refpectively hold; a gentleman having, thro' intense application, and at a great expence, found out an eafy and advantageous method of catching fish in all weathers; which, when put in practice, will not only turn out of great emolument to fach gentlemen's eftates, and afford comfortable fupport and employment to the induftrious inbabitants, but will foon prove of univerfal fervice to the public; which information fhall be gratefully acknowledged, and due refpect paid to: and fuch defcriptions as answer the author's intention, thall certainly have in anfwer an explicit ac. count of the invention, and reafonable propofals offered.

N. B. This new method of taking fith, will only answer where there is a good bottom, and the fhore not rocky. Pleafe to direct (poft free) to Mr. James Hamilton, at Jacke's coffee houfe in Dean frect, Soho, London.

It is not improbable that this method of catching fifh is by the machine already mentioned, pages 98, & 111.

Paris, Nov. 4. M. de Chamoufet," ever fertile of invention, hath propofed the effablishing in Paris, on the footing of the hackney coaches, one horse chaifes, to be hired at the rate of fix fols the hour [three pence fterling.] Our penny, or penny pofts, as 'tis called here, was a fcheme of that gentleman's. It is faid that it brings in 7 or 800 livres daily to the farmers general, who, we hear, allow M. de Chamoufet a penfion of 20,000 livres.

The nobleffe and clergy of the province

province of Languedoc, at their general meeting on the 26th paft, worked up by a speech of the archbishop of Norbonne, refolved to appropriate the penfions they receive from the king, to pay the interest of the money that will be neceffary to build a fhip of 74 guns, of which they intend to make a prefent to the king; and their example has been followed not only by feveral of the lay and ecclefiaftical communities of that kingdom, but even many individuals, who have fubfcribed large fums for that purpose. Perhaps, as the Dutch obferve, the king has put fums of money into the hands of fome wife men private ly, that with fuch fums they might begin a fubfcription, in order to induce fools to follow their example. A man was executed on 14th. board the Duke, at Spithead, for the murder of the mate of the Burford, captain Gambier, by ripping up his belly on his ftriking him with a rattan, at grumbling to do his duty.

Joshua Ward, Efq; fo well 21ft. known by the name of Doctor Ward, died at Whitehall, aged 76. This gentleman was formerly a member of the house of commons: but on account of a particular af fair, was obliged to go abroad, where he remained fome years; but at last received his late majesty's pardon. He then came to England, where, foon after his arrival, he purchased three houfes at Pimblico, near St. James's park, which he converted into an hofpital for his poor patients; over the door of which he had infcribed moft fignificantly in large characters.

MISERIS SUCCURERE DISCO; And very foon became fo eminent in his profeffion, as to be applied to

by all ranks and degrees of people. Meeting with great fuccefs in his practice, and the poor from all parts flocking to him for relief, he took part of a houfe in Threadneedle-street, for the better diftribution of his medicines to the poor, which he gave generously to all who asked his advice: that, as well as his houfe at Whitehall, was every day crowded with objects of charity, to whom he always gave, with the greatest humanity, his medicines and advice gratis, and often relieved them with money. Of late years he was particularly applied to by the nobility and gentry, even after they had been given over by regular phyficians, upon which account he used facetiously to call himfelf the fcavenger of the faculty; and it is well known that many, who have been pronounced dead, have been restored to life (SubDeo) by his medicines. So that all allow he richly merited the great fortune he died poffeffed of.

Paris, Dec. 14. Of forty prelates to whom it hath been referred by the king to take into confideration the affair of the jefuits, one part is for leaving them on their prefent footing; another part is for giving them a vicar general inde. pendent of the general at Rome, and forming new conftitutions for them free from all dangerous doc. trines, and agreeable to the liberties of the Gallican church; and a third part is for expelling them the kingdom.

In

M. Cambalufier has lately pub. lifhed a very feasonable piece on the Poiton or the Painters Cholic. part I. is a narrative of a poiton cho-" lic, occafioned by fome lattice wood painted green, which the duke de la Valiere's gardener, at his feat at

Mon