SIR,
S

Edinburgh, December 1764.

As to utful,

care should be taken to render them as exact and complete as poffible. With this view, I fee you frequently request notes to be fent, of the time, place, and proper defignations, that you may be enabled to give a short, but diftinct, account of Marriages, Births, Deaths, and Preferments. If thefe lifts were complete, you justly observe, the relations of different families, the offices enjoyed by, and the times of any changes in them, might at any time be readily difcovered, by turning up your indexes; which would not only be a great Latisfaction to private perfons, but would often help to throw light on the hiftory of our country. Sure, then, every man who has the leaft fpark of public spi. rit, muft blame himself for any neglect of duty in this refpect to his family and his country.

When a perfon of any confideration dies, a note is commonly inferted in the news-papers, fomewhat refembling a meffage-card, as a notification to the rela tions. Thefe cards are of use: but they are frequently written in a very flovenly manner. Sometimes neither time nor place are mentioned; if the time is mentioned, the place is often omitted; and we are seldom or never told in what county the place is, or the marriage and iffue of the deceated.

This method of notification was introduced by the late Lord Drummore, on the
death of Sir John Schaw of Greenock, in 1752 His Lordfhip omitted none of
the above particulars; and he concludes with telling by whom the notification
was given, and what his relation was to the deceased, thus: "Hew Dalrymple of
Drummore, Efq; one of the Senators of the College of juftice, Sir John's bro-
ther-in-law, to avoid miftakes which probably might happen in giving particu-
lar notice to the numerous relations of the decealed and of his widow, takes
this method of acquainting them of their friend's death." [xiv. 156.]

There is great propriety, and fomething of dignity, in this conclufion; and
his Lordship's example was followed for fome time: but we have by degrees
dwindled into the careless form above described; and the conclufion is as mean
as the rest of the card is flovenly: "It is hoped his [the deceased's] relations
will accept of this as a fufficient notification of his death; "—as if the notifica-
tion was given by the news-writer; because, one must think, no person of
character could be found who would own any relation to the poor defun&!
What would a lady or gentleman think of the perfon who would fend them such
a card on the most trifling occurrence? and fure greater deference is due to the
friends and relations of a family when addreffed in general, than to a private
perfon: nor is there perhaps any occafion on which a proper decorum should be
more nicely obferved, than in notifying the death of a parent or near relation.
It may juftly be confidered as a part of the laft offices due to his remains.

But pofterity are still more interested in this matter than the prefent generation. The records of baptifms and burials are often reforted to for clearing up difputed claims; your lifts are already of fome ufe in this refpect; and the longer your Magazine fubfifts, they will be of the greater ufe. Should a difpute fall out a century hence among the defcendents of Sir John Schaw, a tree of the family might be formed from your lifts, if they be made complete. The marriages of his two grandchildren are to be found in your two volumes next after that in which his death is recorded. Several articles in the lift of deaths in the prefent volume are likewife tolerably complete; as Lord Preftongrange's, p. 291.; John Stewart's, p. 350.; the Earl of Findlater's. p. 351; Sir Patrick Murmy's, p. 464.; and Mr Lockhart of Carnwath's, p. 576. Law-fuits may very pof

fibly

fibly be prevented by appealing to thefe in after times, when the defcenden perfons whofe marriages and iffue are not fo diftinctly recorded, may be in ved in a tedious and expenfive litigation.

None of the articles above fpecified are fo full in the news papers; and haps it is not neceffary they fhould be altogether fo full, in loofe papers, wh are feldom preferved, and in which, though preserved, it would be often diffic to find what one wanted. But however fhort fuch notes be, the perfons inf ing them, whether a gentleman or a lady, and their relation to the decea fhould always be mentioned.

the following effect, for a nob

For your Magazine the form might be to
an or gentleman who dies in the country.
"On the day of-
died, at his feat of -

in the county of

[Here infert bis name, furna

, (only [or

"and title, and the offices be beld, if he held any]. By his lady, deft, fecond, &c. or youngeft] daughter [or child] of infert the name, furname, and title, of the lady's father], deceased), who furviv "he has left iffue, fans, viz. and daughters, [mentioning the names of all the children, in the order of jenio ty, and the marriages of Juch as are married, and the offices or employments of fons if they are fettled in life]. This note is fent by - [or by -], eldeft fon and heir of the deceased, to The proper alteration may eafily

in the abfence of

-

"inferted in the Scots Magazine."made in cafe the lady be dead, or her father alive; and a note may be eafily apted to any other cafe.

Characters fhould always be confined to what is hiftorical. Every man prefumed to be irreproachable in his morals; and the encomiums of friendl are juftly difegarded; nay, fometimes, provoke cenfure. [xix. 197.]

If you approve of these hints, I fhall expect to fee this letter inferted; and am, & RECORD. Mr RECORD's plan, so far as depends on us, shall be carefully executed, with any charge to those who fend us fuch notes, other than paying the poflage of them.

A CHRONOLOGICAL SERIES of EVENTS, continued from our preceding volun To every article is annexed the number of the page of this volume in which it is to be found. 1763.

July 16. Major Adams defeats a body of the Nabob Coffim Aly Cawn's troops. 162 Aug. 2. Major Adams defeats another army of the Nabob. ib.

08. A number of British prifoners in India barbarously murdered.

2764.

Jan. 19. Mr Wilkes expelled the house of Commons. 52.529.

March

343.

21.- convicted of publishing the North Briton and the Effay on Woman, ro The Edinburgh banks take the benefit of the option in their notes.

229

26. A proclamation iffucd relative to the fettlement of the islands ceded to G. B tain by the peace. 164.

27. The Archduke Jofeph elected King of the Romans. 157.

April 3. An amicable agreement between Sir William Johnston and the Seneca Indian

336.

19. The bank of England continued a body-corporate till Aug. 1. 1786. 647. July 15. Prince Ivan, the depofed Emperor of Rullia, barbarously murdered. 45

510.

Sept. 6. Count Stanislaus Poniatowsky elected King of Poland. 509.

Oct. 12. A proclamation ifited permitting the importation of falted provifions fro
Ireland to England. 522.

Nov. 1. Sentence of outlawry pronounced against Mr Wilkes. 629

17. Prince William Henry created Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh. 633 30. The ports opened for importation of grain into Scotland. 686.

HISTORY. A fummary or recapitulation of || An addrefs concerning the BANK of ENG

PUBLIC AFFAIRS of the year 1763. throne, while every bey has at the fame time endeavoured to act like a fovereign in his particular district. The principal competitors for fome years paft have been Prince Heraclius of Georgia, a country in fome meafure dependent on the Turks, and two natives of Perfia, namely, Fat Ali Kan, and Kerim Kane This laft has for a confiderable time had the fuperiority, being matter of Ifpahan, the capital, and a large territory around it. According to accounts received in the course of last year, Kerim Kan had obtained a fignal victory over Fat Ali Kan, near the ci ty of Tauris, of which he afterwards becane mafter. The defeated Kan, finding himself without either army or refour.

ces, had fubmitted to the conqueror at difcretion. Azad Kan, the Agwan chief who once made a great figure as a competitor, had alfo thrown up his pretenfions, and was in Kerim's power. We were told, that Zancharim, Kan of the Tartars connected with Perfia, was marching towards Ipahan, at the head of a numerous army, with which he proposed to place a defcendent of the famous Kouli Kan on the throne. Of that attempt we had no further notice; but received pofterior advices, bearing, that Kerim was become master of all the vaft Perfian empire except Corazan, which still adhered to Shah Rouk, Kouli Kan's grandson, who would not be able to maintain himfelf there. We are informed, that fince Kerim Kan clearly gained the afcendant, the highways have been fafe, caravans have been frequent, trade has revived, and between 15 and 20,000 Perfian families, who had retired to Bagdad in the Turkish dominions, have been returning fucceffively to their own country, which, under his wife and vigorous adminiftration, feems to be on the point of recovering its ancient fplendor.

ject; but with private inftructions, as was faid, to accept of any acknowledgment by way of palliative. It cannot be doubted, but that a breach at present with fo great a power, which, in confequence of long peace, must be supposed to abound as much in men and money as at most times heretofore, would be very imbarrafling to the Emprefs-Queen, lately almost exhausted of both, by a tedious, expensive, and destructive war. Of those who allowed that the behaviour of the Turks looked like the effect of hoftile intentions, fome, afcribed it to the difpofi. tion of their then grand vizir, who has fince been removed from his office; while others reckoned, that it was the confequence of a league, entered into a confiderable time before, between the Porte and the King of Pruffia. It was indeed affured, a good while before the conclu fion of the late war, that the Grand Sig. nior had engaged to affift his Pruffian Majefty, in cafe his enemies wanted to cruth him entirely. Now that peace is restored, it is not easy to fee what good the Porte can do to that monarch, by even the ap. pearance of intending to break with any neighbouring powers on his account, otherwife than by increafing his importance in their eyes, and fo conducing to prevent their entering into future confederacies against him The Grand Signior's taking fo remarkable a step, as to fend a public minifter lately to Berlin, can fcarcely fail of having effects to this purpose. Whatever might be intended by the military preparations of the Turks, and whatever the cause of the exceffes they committed, the court of Vienna took measures to be prepared against all events. The Auftrian troops were not only kept on as refpectable a footing as during the war, but orders were at length given for raifing 5000 additional cavalry and 15,000 infantry, befide the fending immediately of reinforcements and recruits to the frontiers.

During the year under review, we were told, from time to time, of great warlike preparations making by the OTTOMAN PORTE. This gave fome uneafinefs to the courts of Vienna and Peterfburgh; but as to appearances the former had most reafon for it. Early in fummer a body of Turks invaded the Austrian Croatia, pillaged feveral villages, and carried off numbers of cattle, with a quantity of forage and provifions. They who wanted to put the mott favourable conftruction upon this conduct, faid it was owing to great scarcity in that neighbourhood, occafioned by the plague's breaking out among the Turks, which had caufed the communication to be ftopped between them and the fubjects of the Emprefs-Queen. Not long after, an irruption was made into Elclavonia, from whence a picket of Auftrian troops was carried off. One account of this invafion hore, that it was not made by the Turkish militia, but by a company of banditti. Another affured, that it was both at the inftigation of, and by Turks, whether the Grand Signier would think fit to countenance his people in fuch proceedings or not: that for coming at the knowledge of his fentiments, orders were fent to the Auftrian minifter at Conftantinople to make proper reprefentations on the fub

For a good part of last year, there were altercations between the King of POLAND and the court of Petersburg. The occafion of them was this. In 1737, John Erneftus Biron, whom Anne Emprefs of Ruffia had raised, from the lowest rank, to the highest honours in her own dominions, was chofen, by ber influence, to be Duke of Courland, which is a fief of Poland. At the fame time he continued to have the chief direction of affairs at the court of Petersburg. The Express

Anne,