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and Quebec, two mountains were levelled, and their contents formed a point or cape, which advanced half a quarter of a league into the river. Oppofite to Saguenay, two people, being in a boat, found themselves toffed about as if they had been overtaken by a tempeft, and, cafting their eyes on fhore, beheld a mountain bounding about upon the plain. It whirled round like a top, and then fuddenly disappeared.

Then

A man in the fields faw the earth ftone. open close to him, and hardly escaped by In the intervals between the great flight. thocks, a motion was felt, like the une qual pulfation of an intermitting pulse. The great fhocks were fometimes fudden and strong, and fometimes they feemed to encrease in gradual vibrations. the rapid parts of rivers appeared quite fmooth, while all the reft was violently agitated. Such was the concuffion of the earth, that many perfons were feized with that kind of nausea, known by the name of the fea-ficknefs. This dreadful earthquake extended to New-England, and New-Holland, now called New-York; and the shocks continued more or lefs frequent for the fpace of fix months, during which time there was not one life loft, in confequence of the dreadful agi❤ tation; not did it produce any fort of epidemical diftemper.

In the neighbourhood of Quebec, a fheet of fire, feemingly a whole league in extent, appeared in the air, coming from the northward, croffed the river, and vanished upon the island of Orleans. Oppofite to Cape Torment, great torrents of water rushed down from the mountains, fweeping all before them. A little above Quebec the river St. Laurence turned into a new course, leaving part of its ancient channel dry, and the highest parts of its banks funk in fome places to the level of the water, which continued three months very muddy, and of the colour of brim

[To be continued]4-20

Some account of two theatrical pieces, viz. The CITIZEN, and the OLD MAID, as now acting at Drury-lane theatre.

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Written by Mr. Murphy.

Beaufort, from whofe conversation the audience is informed, that the latter is ftrongly enamoured with Maria, fifter to the former, a girl of great wit, sprightlinefs and fenfibility, and in whose breaft Mr. Beaufort has made an equal impreffion; but that her father fir Jasper Wilding, and Mr. Philpot, a merchant of immense property in the city, have agreed on matching her with the fon of the latter, at the fame time decreeing Mifs Sally Philpot, the fifter of Maria's intended lover, as a wife for her brother, young Mr. Wilding.---This however the young people are determined on preventing at any rate, and on the entrance of Maria, who comes in finging, and notwithstanding the importance of the occafion still pursues her fong, addreffed fometimes to her brother, and fometimes to her lover, with a playful and innocent levity, which renders her character extremely amiable; it is concerted amongst them all, that Maria fhall by a ftratagem compel young Philpot to refuse the match.---This ftratagem is no other, as it is there declared, than an imitation of Leon's behaviour in Rule a Wife and have a Wife, that is to fay, that the fhall affume fuch a degree of fimplicity and aukwardnes

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aukwardness of behaviour as fhall terrify her lover, who has never yet feen her, and to whom the has been recommended as a fenfible and ingenious girl, from venturing on a connection with her.---In the course of this converfation Maria defcribes the characters of her own father and her lover's: the first of which is a country foxhunting Knight, fond of his daughter, and priding himself on her qualifications, yet fo eager on the pleasure of ruftic (ports, as not to bear even his most important family-concerns to interrupt the courfe of them without impatience.---Old Philpôt is defcribed, what he appears afterwards to be, an old avaritious curmudgeon, still brooding over his money, and folely bent on the profecution of the main chance, yet not without fome fufpicion of fecretly purfuing pleasures ill fuited to his years and received character. A portrait of his fon, young Philpot, is also given by Wilding, from which he appears to be an extravagant foolish would-be rake, who at the fame time that he wears, when in the city and in company of his father, the external of being folely attached to the bufinefs of getting money, yet has private lodgings and a kept miftrefs at the other end of the town, and runs into every expence of gaming, racing, &c.---Such is the fituation of the drama at the conclufion of the first scene.

The scene then changes to the lodgings of Corinna, young Philpot's kept miftrefs, where two fervants are difcovered afleep, with wine, pipes, &c. before them, as fuppofed fitting up for their mafter; to thefe, previous to his entrance, come in three tradefmen, viz. a butcher, a coalmerchant, and vinter, with bills for pay ment, when a fcene of collufion is difclofed between them and one of the fervants, to cheat young Philpot, in confideration of a bank note presented by them to his fervant.---He himself, at length, makes his appearance, aukwardly and tawdrily dreft, complaining, that he has been cheated to the value of 2500l. at the gaming table, by two gamblers Hazard and Fineffe, yet confoles himself that he fhall make his father pay for all. The gamblers then come ir, and after grofly flattering him on qualities which he does not poffefs, bully him into giving a bond for the money loft, which he, who appears to be an errant coward, foon agrees to.----His mistress Corinna then enters, to whofe

extravagance also, he is a dupe; and the act ends with his changing his dress to a grave garb of business, in which he refolves to go into the city as ufual, and fqueeze the fums he wants out of the old gentleman.

The fecond act prefents us with old Philpot's houfe in the city, where Philpot in a converfation with Dapper and his own clerk Quilldrive, relating to an infurance of three thousand pounds on a fhip, fhews the character given of him, by Maria to have been a just one; as does alfo his behaviour in regard to a loan he makes to his fon, who at the fame time dupes him by a long and plausible story of a great lofs in business, and from whom he extorts the most unreasonable terms.

While the young fellow is gone to prepare matters for the fettling of this affair, Sir Jasper Wilding introduces his daughter, with whom young Philpot, on his return, is left alone; on which a scene of great humour enfues, wherein, in confequence® of Maria's closely pursuing the projected plan, Philpot concludes her to be a downright ideot, treats her as such, and leaves her, wịth a firm resolution never, on any account, to confent to marry her.---On mutual complaints, however, made by both parties, to their respective parents, they determine on a meeting in the evening to reconcile matters, and fo ends the act..

The third act, which being the concluding one, is the busiest of them all, begins with a fcene in Corinna's lodgings, in which old Philpot introduces himself to Corinna, by means of a letter, to be enrolled in the number of her keepers; on pulling out a watch, which the thinks proper to admire, he declares it to be a repeater which has been long in the family, and which, as he intends it to continue ftill longer, he puts again into his pocket. ---After · presenting her however with twenty guineas, he proceeds to fome amorous freedoms, but is alarmed by a noife, which induces him to fly for concealment under the table, till the approaching vifitor fhall be dispatched.----This vifitor proves to be young Philpot, who, feating himself on the table, relates to Corinna every circumstance of the cheat he had put upon his father, to get the money from him, intermingling his relation with every term of contempt and ridicule... This exafperates the old gentleman to the

highest

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highest degree; yet the fear of detecting himself obliges him ftill to remain concealed, when Wilding, who appears to be Corinna's favourite gallant, comes in, calls young Philpot to account, who, after giving him the lie, fubmits to a hearty beating from him; immediately after which, the ftriking of old Philpot's family watch, gives an alarm, and Wilding, by turning up the table, difcovers the father and fon to each other, whose mutual reproaches afford a scene of confiderable hu

mour.

The scene then fhifts to Sir Jafper's houfe, whither, according to appointment the elder and younger Philpot, together with a lawyer, are now come to conclude the intended match, in order to which young Philpot is once more left alone with his mistress, who entirely changing her conduct, and exerting the utmost vivacity in her power, terrifies him as much in this interview, from the apprehenfion of her being a wit, as she had in the other, from the fear of her being a fool, and confirms him in his former resolution of having nothing to say to her, which he is declaring to the two old gentlemen, when young Wilding enters, who having never before feen his intended father and brother-in-law, but in the laft-mentioned fcene at Corinna's, is unable to contain his laughter at the ridiculousness of their appearance, and running off to indulge it, is followed by his fathes, who returning with him, joins in a banter on them, in regard to that ftory which he has now had related to him by his fon.---In the midst of this confufion the Lawyer has withdrawn, but returns with Maria, who on young Philpot's again confenting to the match, declares herfelf already married to Mr. Subpæna the Lawyer, who on throwing off his law peruke, turns out to be no other than Mr. Beaufort in difguife ---Sir Jasper then confents to the match, and fo the piece concludes.

The OLD MAID.

THIS piece confifts of but two acts,

and is much more fimple in its plot.----Two ladies, viz. Mrs. Harlowe, and her husband's fifter Mifs Harlowe, a vain peevish old maid of forty-three, are supposed to have been seen at Ranelagh by Mr. Clerimont a young gentleman of family and fortune, who falling defperately in love with Mrs. Harlowe, enquires their names, of which being informed in gene

ral terms only, he, judging by appearances, concludes Mrs. to be mifs, and mifs to be Mrs. Harlowe ---On this he applies to the family both by letters and personally to be admitted to pay his addreffes to mifs Harlowe---This mistaken offer tranfports the old maid into every abfurdity, that vanity, affectation, and antiquated defire can produce, and in the mean time Mr. and Mrs. Harlowe, tho' unable to conceive the poffibility of a such a phonomenon, look on the offer as too good a one to be rejected, and therefore as well as mifs Harlowe give Mr. Clerimont every poffible encouragement ---All the feveral interviews with him are carried on in a manner fo natural and yet so ambiguous, that very near two acts, and those rather bufy ones, are carried thro' before an eclairciffement is brought about by a pofitive declaration of his paffion to Mrs. Harlowe, whom he still concludes to be mifs Harlowe, and her informing her husband of it, who, reproaching him with making love to his wife, is appeafed by his abfolute denial of it; immediately after captain Cape, an Indian Captain who had for three years dangled after mifs Harlowe, and was on the point of marriage with her, but whom he had rejected with difdain, on the profpect of this new admirer, had in like manner called him to an account on the affair, and had been likewise fatisfied by his affuring him that the lady who juft went out, (viz. mifs Harlowe) was not the object of his paffion. On the entrance of both the ladies together, however, Clerimont rushing forwards to Mrs. Harlowe, and taking her in his arms, to the great disappointment of mifs Harlowe, who has already opened hers with rapture to receive him, is at length convinced of his error by Mr. Harlowe's interfering, and informing him that that lady is his wife, when begging pardon for his involuntary mistake, he takes his leave.

Mifs Harlowe, now convinced of her mistake likewife, and of the ridicule it will

incur, would fain repair her false step by

offering her hand once more to the Captain, who in his turn treats her with the fame difdain fhe had before fhewn to him, and leaving her to the repentance due to her folly, the likewife quits the stage in a fit of grief, rage, and disappointment; and the farce ends with a reflection or two from Mr. and Mrs. Harlowe,

PRO

PROLOGUE to the CITIZEN.

SOME

ME strange caprice for ever rules the
stage,

And this we call the Prologue fpeaking age;
Without a Prologue nothing can be done,
So dearly you all love a little fun !
To tame this rage in vain we often try!
The niceft art--But Prologue ftill you cry!
And yet our Bard--Bards will be ftill abfurd
Comes without one preliminary word :
He's quite forgot his Prologue--Yet be quiet
My honest friends above--you need not riot.
You'll have your pennyworth to appeafe
the ftorm!

You fee I come in black--the ufual form!
I bow, I smile around,--Obferve me, pray,
[To the Galleries.
(Bows to the boxes) An't that as well as aught
thefe poets fay?
[hit,!
The Pit comes next--But how your taste to
--You are the fovereign arbiters of wit--
You have the...Oh!...nature...passion...art,
Wit, judgment, humour, every critic part,
Plot, fituation, Shakespear, Johnson,
Rowe.

Beaumont, and Fletcher,...very high!... damned low! [know. Take all amongst ye,..all is yours you And now the Gallery...there I should be witty; [City.... What fhall I fay?...No hint....Oh, ay, the Attorneys..Milliners the tender squeeze, Soft hinting elbows....and love kindling knees, it as you please. And...and...you take me right...fo word "To you, ye gods, (To the upper Gallery) I make my laft appeal,"

(ceal.

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I still should bid you fome compaffion To Bays within..yonder he trembles..Oh If tender pity e'er you heart inclines, (Wiping his eyes)..That will do full as well as twenty lines. [muft fay; You have had a Prologue now, you needs And fo I hope, you'll kindly hear the play. [Going off, returns, One thing I had forgot....this night appears A fair adventurer....full of doubt and fears, If genius prompt her....and not vain defire, 'Tis yours to fan each spark of struggling

fire,

I fee you fmile....Relaxed are critic laws, Her years and form conjoined, will plead her caufe, [plaufe. And dawning merit meet with fure ap-

To the Authors of the BRITISH MAGAZINE, IN the reign of queen Elizabeth, Sir Oli

ver Wilkie was chofen member of parliament for the city of Bristol: and as he was a gentleman of extensive benevolence he gave so sumptuous an entertainment at his election, that a maiden aunt of Sir Oliver's gave ten thousand pounds from him and the family, as the esteemed him prodigal: as I had the honour to marry into the Wilkie family, and part of fir Oliver's library coming to my share, I found in an old Herodotus, his election dinner as it appeared upon the table, with a receipt in full if you please to give it a place in your Magazine, the public will then fee the amazing prodigality at our modern elections, when compared with the frugal days of the glorious Elizabeth, I am, &c First Courfe. Calves feet foop at the upper end At the bottom of the table, roast rabbit o 2 At Sir Oliver's right hand, stewed coc

kles

Z.

s. d. O I

O I

Left fide, poached eggs with hop tops o
To the right of fir Oliver, fried hafty
pudding

Oppofite fide, broiled mushrooms
Middle, Black Caps

Second Courfe.
Dish of fish at the up. end? (fried sprats o 1!
At the bottom, tripe ragoo'd in its own

liquor

Next to fir Oliver's right hand, rice

fritters

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Ram at Bristol, June 4, 1561. Received then of Mr. Cuthbert Cowledge, fteward to fir Oliver Wilkie, one shilling and feven pence halfpenny (he deducting a farthing for prompt payment) being a fult confideration for fir Oliver Wilkie's election dinner, and received in full by me,

RALPH KILDERKIN.

'COMPENDIOUS HISTORY OF FRANCE. [Continued.]

Anno RANCE was now wholly go596. verned by two of the moft intriguing and ambitious women that ever lived. Brunehaut acted as regent for her two grandfons, Theodobert king of Auftrafia, and Thierry fovereign of Burgundy, who refided at Orleans, as the capital of his dominions. Fredegonda was no fooner apprized of Childebert's death, than the affembled her forces to take poffeffion of Paris, and the other towns upon the -Seine. Brunehaut raised an army to oppose her progrefs, which artny was routed with great flaughter: but Fredegonda did not long furvive her good fortune. She died in a little time after her victory, and was buried at St. Vincent; after having for thirty years maintained her influence by a series of the most cruel and perfidious practices, that crafty ambition, void of principle and humanity, could fuggeft.

Brunehaut being freed from this detefted rival, conceived hope of establishing her authority in such a manner, as to elude the efforts of time and accident. She purchased a peace of the Avares, who had made incurfions into Francia Germanica: the confirmed the treaty made fome years before with Agilulphus king of the Lombards: fhe prevailed upon Pope Gregory the Great, to engage as mediator, in compromifing fome difputes between the emperor and her fon Thierry: but, with all her art, fhe could not preferve her influence in the kingdom of Australia. The nobles, impatient of a female government, exercised in acts of tyranny and oppreffion, excited an insurrection against her, fecured the person of her son Theodobert, and made fuch an impreffion on his mind, by their remonftrances, that he confented to her being banished the kingdom. Without waiting for this fentence, she fled for fhelter to the court of her younger grandfon Thierry, king of Burgundy, from whom the met with cordial reception, which, however, did not interrupt the good understanding between the brothers. On the contrary, they joined their forces, in order to recover the towns of which they had been deprived by Clothaire, king of Soiffons, who gave them battle upon the little river Ouaine, in Burgundy, and was entirely defeated.

July, 1761.

[An. 600.] In confequence of this victory, they retook the towns upon the Seine, and Clothaire fuing for peace, granted it on very hard conditions. He was obliged to cede to the king of Burgundy, all the towns he poffeffed between the Seine, the Loire, the frontiers of Bretagne,, and the fea; and to yield part of the country lying between the Seine and the Oife, to Theodobert king of Auftrafia. After this pacification, the conquering brothers marched against the Gafcons, inhabiting the country on the other fide of the Pyrenees, who had made hoftile irruptions 'into France.

These were foon fubdued, and rendered tributaries to the French princes, who fubjected them to the government of a duke named Genialis. Hlad the union long fubfifted between the two brothers, in all probability they would have greatly aggrandized their power, and extended their dominions. But their unanimity was in a little time deftroyed, by the ambition and revenge of their grandmother Brunehaut. She could not forgive the indignity with which he had been expelled from Auftrafia; and the thirited after the fupreme authority in both kingdoms. Actuated by these motives, the fomented diffenfions between her two grandfons. She found means to remove from his employment Berthoalde, mayor of the palace in Burgundy, who had been a check upon her conduct, and filled his place with a nobleman called Protade, of whose perfon fhe was faid to be enamoured. Senfible, that a young queen might supersede the ascendency she had gained over Thierry, the industriously defeated every scheme of marriage that was proposed to this young prince; and in order to alienate his mind from the reftrictions of matrimony, she took care to indulge her grandfon's paffions with a variety of agreeable objects, which effectually engroffed his time, and amufed his imagination.

In the mean time, Clothaire king of Soiffons, having enjoyed a respite of fome years, fince his last disaster, thought himself fufficiently recruited to retrieve the dominions he had loft, and fuddenly marched into the country, between the Seine and the Loire, where he reduced fome towns, and A a a detached

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