natural is as the body politic. Now the body politic, when afflicted with revolutionary motions, can be cured, as we are all agreed, only by ftarvation. At this moment we are applying that remedy to the loofe principles of the French and English; and fhall we not alfo find it efficacious, when applied to remove the lax state of the body natural? If nothing goeth in," continued the Secretary at War, "it is manifeft that nothing can come out. Extreme cafes require vigorous applications: I fay, therefore, STARVE HIM. Perifh the ftomach; let the conftitution live!"

Mr. Dundas perfectly agreed with the worthy Secretary on the wholesomeness of starvation; but, with becoming modefty, hinted a doubt how far it might be poffible to preferve a man's conftitution, after his ftomach was deftroyed. He would have no objection, he faid, to try the experiment on any number of acquitted felons that Mr. Windham pleased, or even on a few of his own fpies, but he confidered it dangerous to tamper with fo valuable a life as that of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. "Let us rather," faid Mr. Dundas, "replenifh his ftomach with abundance of food, and take an obvious method to prevent its escape."

This idea was eagerly applauded by all prefent; and it is impoffible to fay what good effects it might have produced, had it been adopted. But as it involved an operation in furgery, not admitted into regular practice, the medical gentlemen prefent refufed to act; and their plea was allowed to be perfectly good by Sir John Mitford, who declared, that in no cafe whatever ought a profeffional man to advance a single step without a precedent; and, leaft of all, in fo delicate and momentous an affair, as the stopping up of a Prime Minister.

* This is an allufion to Watt, a Government spy, hung at Edinburgh, a fhort time before this article was written---the only man who has fuffered death for treafon in Great Britain, from the beginning of the war to the prefent day..

An

An end was thus put to all further proceedings, and the Council broke up, leaving the poor Minifter in the moft deplorable ftate of mind.

It was now towards the middle of the third day of his illness, when he began to entertain very ferious thoughts of dying, which agitated him extremely."Ah, George!" faid he, feizing Mr. Rofe's hand, "I fear I have been a fad dog, and have much to anfwer for." The Under-Secretary fhook his head, but faid nothing.

"I with, George," continued the Premier, " I could recollect fome of the good actions I have done; it would be fome relief to me at the prefent moment to think of them. My memory, alas! fails me: but can'ít thou not affift me to recal fome of my good deeds, my dear friend?"

As he faid this, he looked up very tenderly in Mr. Rofe's face; who, with correfponding looks of fympathy, flowly paffed the back of his hand over his eyes, to wipe away the precious drops of pity that were overflowing them.-"Ah! my dear mafter," faid this faithful fquire, "your good works are without number. Do they not extend over all the Continent? Is not the red book a durable and ample memorial of your good works and your charity? But why do I go fo far for examples? I have only to point to myself. Did you not find me a purfer, and have you not made me a Minifter of State? You found me dealing out my flops, with my ink-horn at my button--and lo! by your fa vours, have I acquired gold and filver, lands and forefts, with power over many cities."

"Oh! do not torture me," exclaimed the Minifter," with the recital of my crimes. Tell me-oh!

* It is fuppofed by many, that the wonderful rife of this quondam nip-cheese has made him very proud of his own abilities. This is not the cafe. One day, when Mr. R. was inviting agentleman of great and acknowledged talents to dine at his house, he told him that he would ask another fenfible man to meet him.

if poffible, tell me if I ever raised one worthy man into power, or ever employed one individual in the fervice of the State from pure motives. I employed you, indeed, and others, whom I tremble to think of; and grievously I fear muft I answer for it. Laft night, methought, I faw the angry fhade of my father, which frowned on me as it paffed, but deigned not to speak. It seemed to reproach me with my degeneracy, with the bafeness of my affociates, and the perfidious duplicity of my conduct. I am feized with horror, when I view the injuries I have done mankind. I am"

He was proceeding, in a very folemn tone of voice, when the Under-Secretary clapped his hand on his mouth, and entreated him, for the love of God, to hold his tongue, as there were people in the room. Then turning round to the physician, he whispered him not to mention a word he had heard, as the Minifter was evidently out of his fenfes. This learned perfon, however, very properly confidered that Mr. Pitt's laft fpeech was as neceffary to be given to the public as that of Averfhaw's*, or any other great man, who raises himself, by his abilities, over the reft of his fpecies. And our readers, we truft, will rejoice that he judged in that

manner.

We omit that part of the learned phyfician's report which relates to the medicines he prefcribed for his illuftrious patient. It may be proper, however, to mention, that a large bolus of opium was found to have confiderable effect in quieting the violence of his emo-tions, by inducing a kind of ftupor. While this lafted, it is incredible what odd conceits he took up, mistaking the names and qualities of perfons and things. He infifted that a veffel which ftood under the bed was the river Scheldt, and he eagerly defired that Mr. Burke might be called to drink up the contents, to prevent the French, as he faid, from giving them away.

A highwayman, who was hanged for murder.

A little

A little fcabby cat having got into the room, he charged Mr. Rofe to take particular care of it; fwearing it was worth fifty thousand men, and fifty millions of money; and that if the Catholic King perfifted in his attempts to steal it, he would raise an army, and destroy all the cats and dogs in Spain *!

"And that hero fhall be my General !" he exclaimed, pointing to Mr. Jenkinson; who immediately protested he was no General, but a Senator." I cry you mercy," faid the Premier, "I took you for Alexander the Great."

Mr. Canning, grieved to fee his friend making fuch mistakes, asked him if he knew who he was?" O yes," replied the Minifter, "perfectly well; you are the tame magpye that flew out of Sheridan's parlour into Lord Hawkesbury's pantry +." Upon this, poor Mr. Canning fell a crying, and could not be comforted, till the house-keeper brought him a flice of bread and butter, fprinkled with fugar!

My Lord Hawkesbury hearing his name mentioned, ftept up; but the moment Mr. Pitt faw him, he covered his head with a blanket, roaring out that the devil himfelf was at length come to fetch him. And fo great was his terror, that the virtuous Nobleman was obliged to leave the room.

The violent agitation into which the Minifter was thrown, brought on a furious fit of his diforder, accompanied with what our friend the phyfician calls a colliquative fweat, which weakened him fo much, that it was thought neceffary to difmifs all the vifitors, and fend for a clergyman. Fortunately, Dr. Prettyman, his old preceptor, entered the room at the very moment he was wanted. This venerable Prelate had taken care to

An allufion to the armament against Spain, on account of our trade in skins at Nootka.

This young gentleman, before he enlifted under the banners of the Minifter, is faid to have received a great deal of political instruction from Mr. Sheridan.

inftil into the mind of his pupil, in early youth, thofe upright principles for which he has been remarkable in his maturer age. He had efpecially instructed him never to utter a falfehood-unlefs his intereft evidently required it. And the grateful pupil had defervedly rewarded him with the mitre of Lincoln. The good man faw at once that no time was to be loft, the Minifter's nose being now exceedingly pointed, and of a dark blue colour at the tip. He therefore fat him down on the bedfide, and kindly taking hold of the Minifter's hand, afked him how he felt himself; to which he replied, that he feared all was over with him. The Bishop then asked him if he was afraid to die. The Minifter made no answer, but only fhook his head, and wept. The Divine was exceedingly moved to obferve fuch fymptoms of apprehenfion, and began to inquire if any thing troubled his confcience. The poor Premier fobbed most piteously, and remained several minutes almost choaked with fomething that appeared too big for utterance. At length, he fighed out, with dreadful figns of horror and agony, "The war, the war!"

The Bishop hereupon began to adminifter confolation; reminding the Premier, that the war (as he himfelf had often proved) was a war for religion, and was therefore the moft meritorious of all things." No, no," faid the Minifter, with a deep groan, "fuch pre tences will not avail me now. Religion cannot be ferved by war." The aftonished Divine asked him haftily, if he was not a Chriftian then, or what religion he was of? To which the Premier replied, that did not recollect. The furprife of the pious Churchman may be easily conceived. However, he thought it uselefs to enter into any difpute, and therefore propofed to read fome prayers. For this purpose, he drew out his book; but in turning it over, he found that, instead of the book of common prayer, he had, in his hafte, brought away Swift's Effay on Political Lying; and there being no prayer-book in Downing-ftreet, the fervice was of course given up. It was fuggefted to the Bishop