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DESCRIPTION of the PALACE of MARLI.

HE palace of Marli is fituated in a beautiful valley, and near the middle of a park contiguous to that of Versailles, about twelve miles from Paris. The valley was originally very marshy ground, fo that it became neceffary to fill it up, in order to make the gardens belonging to this palace.

Coming from St. Germain's to Marli, you enter first into a round court of three hundred feet diameter, where ftands the guard-room, and where terminate the feveral courts for ftables, coach-houses, &c. From this round court you fee the caftle at the end of an avenue 1500 fathoms in length, and ten broad, with a wall on each fide, built in order to fupport the earth. From this avenue you go down into an anti-court, feparated from the garden by ironrails, with ftone pillars at each end, adorned with fine vafes of the fame. Here are two pavilions, in one of which is the chapel, whofe infide is embellished with pilafters of the Corinthian order. In the other is the guard-room, and on the groundfloor. Above stairs are lodgings for feveral officers of diftinction. Oppofite to thofe two pavilions, there are two more, in which the great nobles of the court have apart

ments.

The palace itself confifts of a large pavilion, or ftru&ture, ftanding detached from any thing elfe, as alfo of twelve fmaller ones, fix on each fide; the outside of the great one is adorned with paintings in frefco. The fteps are embellished with figures of fphinxes, groupes of children, vafes, and the like. In the great hall are fixteen pilafters, and April, 1764.

it is alfo adorned with fine lookingglaffes and pictures. In the king's apartments, and thofe of the royal family, there are feveral beautiful pieces of painting that reprefent the fieges Lewis XIV. carried on in perfon.

The fmall pavilions are joined to one another by arches, through each of which you go into a little harbour made of lath work. In all those pavilions there are apartments for perfons of quality. These contain nothing very remarkable, only that in each of the two laft there is a globe, of which cardinal d'Eftrees made Lewis XIV. a prefent. They are eleven feet eleven inches and an half in diameter, having been invented and conftructed by father Coronelli. The infcriptions, by which they were dedicated to the king, are engraved on two plates of gilt-brafs, but contain the most fulfome flatteries. There are alfo in thefe pavilions, all the inftruments neceffary for aftronomy and geometry.

In the gardens there is a large cafcade; it is properly a river, which, falling from a very high place, forms very beautiful fheets of water. At the bottom are several bafons, adorned with groupes, ftatues, &c.

The fide of the parterre, fronting the large pavilion, prefents a moft extenfive and beautiful profpect., From this parterre you go down into another, which is adorned with marble statues, and has a fine balon in the middle, where are several water fpouts in the form of a wheatfheaf. Beyond it is a large bafon, furrounded with walks and grassplats. In going ftill further down. you

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you meet with two other bafons, adorned with shell-work, and groupes of white marble reprefenting rivers and nymphs. The water falling out of these basons form feveral fheets, and fall into another bafon below. Among innumerable other pieces of water is another cafcade, falling from a very steep hill into a large bafon, in the middle of which there rifes another small one of gilt metal, fupported by three tritons of the fame metal. Here are alfo two long walks of fine linden-trees, which were brought from Holland by order of M. de Louvois.

The hydraulic engine of Marli, for railing of water, ftands on the river Seine. It is compofed of four

teen wheels turned by the current, which fet two hundred and twentyfive pumps a going at once. By this means the water is carried up into a tower, which is fix hundred and ten fathoms diftant from the river. Hence the water runs into an aqueduct three hundred and thirty fathoms, and from this it is conveyed through iron pipes of eighteen inches bore, into the refervoirs of Marli, which are three hundred and fifty fathoms further; and these again fupply all the water-works of Marli and Verfailles. All this has coft immenfe fums, the water being conveyed over three or four high hills.

Heads of an Ad passed this Seffions for altering and amending the CYDER Act of laft Sefions.

WHEREAS by an act made in

the last feffion of parliament, a duty of four fhillings per hogfhead was granted upon all cyder and perry made in Great Britain, over and above all other duties: and it was thereby directed, that the faid duty fhould be paid within fix weeks, from the time of making the charge by the officer of excife; and all makers of cyder and perry were thereby authorized to compound for this duty, in refpect of the cyder and perry to be confumed in their own private families: And whereas it would be a great relief to the perfons fubject to the faid duty, or to the compofition in lieu thereof, many of whom are induftrious perfons, with large families, if the time for payment of the faid duty were enlarged, and the compofition of five fhillings, authorized to be made by the faid act, were lowered.

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From and after the 5th day of July, 1764, the time limited by the former act for payment of the du ties, fhall be extended to fix months; after the expiration of which, they fhall be recovered and levied, as hereby directed.

In lieu of the former compofition, officers of excife are authorised to compound with private families, at the rate of 2 s. per head per ann. for each perfon of eight years old and upwards, in the lifts delivered into them. Which compofition fhall be renewed annually; and in cafe of an increase in the family during the year, an additional lift fhall be given in, and 2d. per month paid for every perfon added, during the fubfifting unexpired term of such year.

The compofitions shall be applied as the duties. Other parts of the former act relating to compofitions, fhall continue in force. MakersTM

Makers of cyder at other preffes than their own, not being compounders, fhall enter their names at the next office of excife, ten days previous to fuch making; together with the mills, and owners thereof, and the cellars or ftorehouses for keeping fuch cyder, under a penalty for their using any unentered mill, ftorehoufe, &c. of 25 1. Officers of excife hall have free access to the faid mills, ftorehoufes, &c. in the day-time, to gauge the cyder, &c. and to make and report the charge, leaving a copy with the maker; who fhall pay the duty according to fuch charge.

Proprietors of cyder mills, &c. fo lent out, fhall not be obliged to give notice thereof.

Where the compounder intends to fell or difpofe of cyder, &c. immediately from the mill, the officer fhall deliver to him blank certificates and counter-part for the purpofe, to be filled up occafionally; which fhall protect the removal of fuch cyder. The counter-part fhall be filled up and figned, at the fame time with the certificate; and shall be returned to the officer, and a receipt fhall be given him for the certificates. The certificates and counter-parts not ufed, fhall be produced when called for. The quantities fold, and

Procefs for making Sal Mirabile, TAKE calcined kelp, any quantity, powder it in an iron mortar, put it into an earthen pan well glazed, and pour upon it boiling water, in the proportion of a quart to a pound; ftir ir about for a little time, and either filtrate or decant the clear liquor from the fediment; pur the clear liquor into a glazed

certified for, fhall be verified on oath. Returns of the quantities difpofed of, as aforefaid, fhall be made by the officers of excife to the commiflioners of excife, and the duties charged from the counter-parts; a copy of which returns fhall be left with the makers, who fhall pay the duty accordingly within fix months from thence. A maker of cyder or perry not complying with thefe regulations, or being guilty of any fraud, fhall forfeit 25 1. Certificates for removal of cyder from the mill, fhall be in force but between 1 Sept. and 31 Dec. yearly. Blank certificates and counter-parts fhall be delivered up within ten days after, on penalty of 25 1.

The penalty of obstructing an officer in his duty, fhall be 501. If any officer of excife fhall refufe or wilfully neglect to leave a true copy of his report in writing, or to grant a certificate for the removal of any cyder or perry, upon reasonable requeft made for that purpose; or if any maker of cyder and perry authorised to compound, fhall offer to make fuch compofition, and if any fuch officer fhall refufe or wilfully neglect to accept fuch compofition, he fhall, for each refufal or neglect, forfeit and pay the fum of 40 s.

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evaporate to a pellicle, and fet it by to cryftallize.

By the above process I obtained from a pound and a half of kelp, eight ounces and a half of fal mirabile; and found that fomething less

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than two ounces of oil-vitriol was fufficient for the faturation.

Sal mirabile may be alfo made. from barilia inftead of kelp; but not fo cheap.

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The HUMOURIST.

be otherwife in his company. He quafhed the loudeft tempeft of laugh. ter whenever he entered the room, and men's features, though ever fo much roughened, were fure to grow fmooth at his approach.

A Character from the Second Volume of the Works of William Shenstone, Efq. O form an estimate of the proportion which one man's happiness bears to another's, we are to confider the mind that is allotted him with as much attention as the circumstances. It were fuperfluous to evince, that the fame objects which one defpifes, are frequently to another the fubftantial fource of admiration. The man of bufinefs and the man of pleasure are to each other mutually contemptible, and a blue garter has lefs charms for fome than they can difcover in a butterfly, The more candid and fage obferver condemns neither, for his pursuits, but for the derifion he fo profufely lavishes upon the difpofition of his neighbour. He concludes, that schemes infinitely various were at firft intended for our purfuit and pleasure; and that fome. find their account in heading a cry of hounds, as much as others in the dignity of lord-chief juftice.

Having premised thus much, I proceed to give fome account of a character which came within the fphere of my own obfervation.

Not the entrance of a cathedral, not the found of a paffing bell, not the furs of a magiftrate, nor the fables of a funeral were fraught with half the folemnity of face!

Nay, fo wonderfully ferious was he obferved to be on all occafions, that it was found hardly poffible to

The man had nothing vicious, or even ill-natured in his character, yet he was the dread of all jovial converfation; the young, the gay, found their fpirits fly before him. Even the kitten and the puppy, as it were by instinct, would forego their frolicks, and be ftill. The depreffion he occafioned was like that of a damp, or vitiated air. Unconscious of any apparent caufe, you found your spirits fink infenfibly and were any one to fit for the picture of ill luck, it is not poffible the painter could felect a more proper perfon,

Yet he did not fail to boat of a fuperior fhare of reafon, even for the want of that very faculty, rifibility, with which it is fuppofed to be always joined.

Indeed he acquired the character of the moft ingenious perfon` of his county, from his meditative temper. Not that he had ever made any great difcovery of his talents; but a few oracular declarations, joined with a common opinion, that he was writing fomewhat for pofterity, completed his reputation.

Numbers would have willingly depreciated his character, had not

known fobriety, and reputed fense deterred them.

He was one day overheard at his devotions, returning his most fervent thanks for fome particularities in his fituation which the generality of mankind would have but little regarded.

Accept, faid he, the gratitude of thy moft humble, yet moft happy creature, not for filver or gold, the tinfel of mankind, but for thofe amis able peculiarities which thou haft fo graciously interwoven both with my fortune and complexion: for thofe treasures so well adapted to that frame of mind thou haft affigned me. That the furname that has defcended to me is liable to no pun. That it runs chiefly upon vowels and liquids.

That I have a picturefque countenance rather than one that is esteemed of regular, features.

That there is an intermediate hill, intercepting my view of a nobleman's feat, whofe ill-obtained fuperiority I cannot bear to recollect.

That my estate is over-run with brambles, refounds with cataracts, and is beautifully varied with rocks and precipices, rather than an even cultivated fppt, fertile of corn or wine, or oil; or those kinds of productions in which the fons of men delight themselves.

That as thou divideft thy bounties ⚫ impartially, giving riches to one, and contempt of riches to another, fo thou hast given me, in the midst of poverty, to defpife the infolence of riches, and by declining all emulation that is founded upon wealth, to maintain the dignity and fuperiofity of the mufes,

That I have a difpofition either fo elevated or fo ingenious, that I can derive to myself amufement from the very expedients and contrivances with which rigorous neceffity furnifhes my invention.

That I can laugh at my own follies, foibles, and infirmities; and that I do not want infirmities to employ this difpofition..

This poor gentleman caught cold one winter's night, as he was contemplating, by the fide of at crystal ftream, by moonfhine. This afterwards terminated in a fever that was fatal to him. Since his death I have been favoured with the infpection of his poetry, of which I preferved a catalogue, for the benefit of my readers.

OCCASIONAL POEMS.

On his dog, that growing corpulent, refused a cruft that was of fered him.d

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To the memory of a pair of breeches that had done him, excellent fervice.

Having loft his trufty walkingftaff, he complaineth.

To his miftrefs on her declaring that he loved parsnips better than potatoes.

On an ear-wig that crept into a nectarine that it might be fwallowed by Chloe.

On cutting an artichoke in his garden the day that Queen Anne cut her little finger.

Epigram on a wooden peg. Ode to the memory of the great modern - who first invented fhoe buckles.

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