And reafon this truth in a whifper let fall, [at all." My friend, recollect you've no genius But Vanity bawl'd, and had fo much to fay, [to give way. That Reason, poor Reafon, was forc'd "By your mother you always was taught to believe,

fure of a fleeve ;

Thofe that fhap'd for a coat would be [to write, And though Virgil took years the Æneid Heroics, like mushrooms, now rife in a night." [well, Thus Vanity argued, and pleas'd me fo That old Homer I ftraightway refolv'd to excell. [of man ! But how vain are the beft refolutions For, alas! it is harder to do than to plan. And on viewing Boffu, ali fuch thoughts I refign'd, (boundless my mind. For my patience had bounds, tho' quite But though here unluccessful, I still had fome hope, [Pope.

wit.

If not equal to Homer, I might be to Ode, Patt'ral, and Sonnet, then courted my Mufe, [excufe. And each, in their turn, got a civil For the ill-natur'd Satire I never was fit, The Song wanted eafe, and the Epigram [and terle, I next found that rhyme was too gothic And refolv'd, like a Milton, to write in blank verfe. [means to difpenfe, Tho' thus with the rhyme I found I could not, like fome, do the fame with the fenfe. [with a hifs, So at laft, like the fmith who was pleas'd In spite of the Mufes, I fcribbled off this; And having been taught what I knew not before, [no more. Shall try to squeeze blood from a turnip Jan, 1802.

EPIGRAM.

ICARUS.

[vale, Penfive and lonely wandered down the Where he was wont his fighs and tears to pour, [lefs gale! And ftrike his wild lyre to the heedThe world regarded not his mournful fong! [unfeen,

ever-green!

Th' unfeeling world! when lo! a hand As flow he trod his path forlorn along, Wreath'd round his brow a fprig of [known! Hail "Fancy's child," to me, alas ! unIf e'er thy footsteps near my cottage [life's devious way, As, "woe-begone," thou tread ft. Come to my hearth, and breathe out all thy moan! [eafe, be mine, And tho' nor power, nor wealth, nor Yet here fhall Pity mix her fighs with thine.

stray,

RUSTICIUS DELLIUS.

Cottage of Mon Repos, January 3, 1801.

SONNET TO STELLA. BY AMBROSE PITMAN, ESQ. Forma bonum fragile. STELLA! tho' Beauty's Queen denies To grace thee with exterior charms, A ruby lip-and sparkling eyes— Such as excite impure alarms; Nature moft bounteously has giv'n And more-the choiceft gift of Heav'n! A heart fufceptible and kind; A virtuous and enlighten'd mind. Thefe, STELLA! are poffeffions far Surpaffing all exterior grace; The charms of Beauty tranfient areWitnels old CHLOE's painted face. Ah! what are lips and eyes we beauteous call[them all. VIRTUE and SENSE, like thine, exceed Dec. 30, 1801.

EPITAPH

IN THE CHURCH-YARD AT DATCHET, NEAR WINDSOR.

HERE lies the body of John Bidwell, Who when in life with'd his neighbour no evil :

In hopes up to jump,
When he hears the laft trump,
And triumph over Death, and the Devil.

FRIDAY, NOV. 27, 1801.

THE Amended Lottery Bill, Molaffes Distillery Bill, and Expiring Laws Bill, were read a third time and paffed.

TUESDAY, DEC. 1.

Several private Bills were brought up from the Commons.

THURSDAY, DEC. 3.

The Militia Bill, and the Foreign Correspondence Bill, were brought up from the Commons, and read a firit time.

The Houfe in a Committee, Lord Walfingham in the Chair, went through the Militia Regulation Bill, and ordered the fame to be reported.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9. The Foreign Correspondence Bill, and Militia Bill, were read a third time and paffed.

The Exchequer Bills Funding and Loan Bills, Prize Goods Bill, and Pro vifion Bill, feverally went through a Committee.

THURSDAY, DEC. 10.

The Foreign Correspondence Bill as amended in the Lords, the Irish Wheat Distillery Prevention Bill, the Irish Starch Bill, and feveral others, were brought up from the Commons, and read a first time.

Lord Moira prefented two Petitions from certain Debtors confined in the Gaols of York and Cheiter, which Pe titions were ordered to lie on the Table. VOL. XLI. JAN. 1802.

FRIDAY, DEC. 11.

His Majesty's affent was given, by Commitlion, to the Militia Bill, Foreign Correfpondence Bill, Lottery Mistake Bill, Corn Importation Bill, Naval Stores Bill, Exchequer Bills Pending Bill, Exchequer Bills Loan Bill, five Inclosure and Road Bills, and eight Bills of Naturalization.

MONDAY, DEC. 14.

Read a third time, and paffed, the Organzine Silk and Flax Bill, the Rice and Potatoe Starch Bill, and the Irish Distillery Bill.

TUESDAY, DEC. 15.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge was introduced with the ufual ceremonies, by his Royal Brothers the Dukes of York and Clarence, and took the oaths and his feat.

The Commons being in attendance below the Bar, his Majesty's affent was given, by commiffion, to the Organzine Silk and Flax Bill, the Irith Distillery Bill, the Rice and Potatoe Starch Bill, and one private Bill.

The Commiffioners prefent were, the Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Duke of York, and the Duke of Clarence.

MONDAY, JAN. 4.

Lord Walfingham brought in a Bill to diffolve the marriage of Charles Brydges Woodcock, Elq. with Ann, his now wife, late Ann Crosbie, and to enable him to marry again, and for other purposes therein mentioned, which he moved be now read a firft time.

In reading the Bill, the Lord Chancellor particularly read the breviate thereof, which in fubftance fet forth, that the parties, Mr. and Mrs. Wood. cock, were married in the courfe of the year 1790; that fome time in 1794, in confequence of their not agreeing well together, a deed of feparation was mutually executed. That in fome time after, it was alledged, an unlawful in tercourfe was detected between her and Mr. Hutchinson, who, it was afferted, had fhortly after left the coun try, from which he was abfent feveral years, and in confequence, as the Petitioner ftated, he was advifed that an action for damages could not regularly be brought against Mr. Hutchin fon in the Courts below; but that, in the interval, the neceffary proceedings had been inftituted in the Ecclefiaftical Courts, where the ufual fentence of divorce between the parties was pronounced in favour of Mr. Woodcock, &c.

On the question for the fecond reading of the Bill,

The Lord Chancellor quitted the Woolfack, and deemed it incumbent upon him to offer to their Lordships an obfervation upon the cafe, which he thought one of a rather fingular nature, and requiring a degree of ferious confideration. The breviate which their Lordthips had juft heard read, afforded them an outline of its merits. What he fhould first have to call the attention

of the Houfe to, in the prefent inftance, was the circumftance, that recurrence was not had to his Majefty's Courts below, as was the regular cuftom in all fuch cafes. The reafon alledged for this was, the abfence of the offending

party from the country. It was certain that their Lordships had no pofitive order againft entertaining Bills of Divorce, on the fubject of which a verdict of a Jury of the Country was not recurred to, on the question of, Whether the party was entitled to damages? But at the fame time, it was equally well known that their Lordships were not in the habit of receiving Bills in which fuch an omiffion had occurred. There was also another circumftance, of ftill more important confideration, in the prefent cafe, namely, that the parties had, previously to any alledged. ground for the prefent measure having taken place, entered into a deed of feparation. With refpect to this point, their Lordships would recollect, that it was lately held in the Courts of Westminter Hall, that fuch a voluntary proceeding tended to obviate the grounds of claiming for damages in fuch a cafe, as by that act it was clear, that the Petitioners parted with the folatium of marriage; for the lofs of which the compenfation in the way of damages was obviously given. Thefe peculiar circumftances forcibly ftruck him as requiring fome ferious confideration; and a rather longer paufe than ufual on the part of the Houfe. Under this impreffion, he thought the first day of next month could not be deemed too late a period for the fecond reading of the Bill, which the Noble and Learned Lord then regularly moved fhould be fixed for the fecond reading of the Bill, and which was ordered accordingly.

The ufual orders were then made for the attendance of the parties, &c. on the day fixed for the fecond reading of the Bill.

The Earl of Caffilis, one of the Scots Reprefentative Peers, was fworn, and took his feat.

Some routine bufinefs was then difpofed of; after which, the Houfe, on the motion of Lord Walfingham, adjourned till Thursday the 14th.

THURSDAY, NOV. 26.

MR. NEWBOLD had leave to withdraw his Overfeers Poor Relief Bill, in confequence of the imperfect tate in which it was prefented, and to bring in a new one, in a correct shape.

Mr. Newbold then brought up the new Bill, which was read a first and fecond

time, and after a few words from Sir W. Elford and Mr. Shaw Lefebre, was ordered to be committed to-morrow,

Mr. Sheridan, adverting to Sir Fran

one.

MONDAY, NOV. 30.

The Sheriffs of London appeared at the Bar, and prefented a Petition from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, praying that the Act prohibiting the Distilleries might be continued. The Petition was ordered to be laid on the Table.

Mr. Alderman Curtis rofe, pursuant to notice, to move for leave to bring in a Bill for repealing two Acts of the 37th and 38th of the King, relative to the Affize of Bread. He itated, that inftead of benefit arifing from thefe two Acts, the greatest evils had refulted. The price of bread was regulated by the price corn was at upon one day. This required fome correction, and he hoped that the provifions in the Bill would be found to adminifter the remedy. He also meant to put the bakers under certain reftrictions, by which they would be obliged to make bread of a certain weight and quality. He concluded by moving, that leave be given to bring in a Bill to repeal the faid Statutes.

Sir John Anderson feconded the Motion. The price of flour, to his certain knowledge, had been regulated by the price of bread, inftead of the price of bread being determined by that of flour. Leave was given.

The Houfe went into a Committee of Supply. The estimates for the fervice of the army in Ireland, and the estimates for the mifcellaneous fervices for Ireland, were referred to the Committee.

The House then refolved into a Committee of Ways and Means.

Mr. Addington moved, that a fum

Mr. Alexander brought up the Report of the Committee of Supply, which was read a firit and fecond tine. Mr. Alexander then brought up the Report of the Committee of Ways and Means.

Upon motion of Mr. Addington, that a Bill be brought in agreeable to the Resolution,

Sir John Parnell wished to be informed with regard to the fupply for Ireland. He faw no fum ftated for that country, and therefore he was defirous to know whether it was intended that Ireland thould be provided for out of the general provision for the public fervice.

Mr. Addington said, that the fum in the Report was not a loan. It was propofed that one million, raifed by Exchequer Bills, fhould be applied to the fervice of Ireland. The Refolus tion was then agreed to.

Lord Glenbervie moved, that leave be given to take off restraints upon correfpondence by letter between perfons refiding in Great Britain and Ireland, and thofe in foreign countries. Leave given. The Bill was then brought in, and read a first time.

Mr. Alderman Curtis brought in a Bill to repeal two Acts of Parliament, one of the 31ft Geo. II. and the other 38th Geo. III. relative to the Allize of Bread. Read a first time.

Mr. Addington, after enlarging upon the points of the Bills as they would affect the bakers and the public, concluded by declaring for the fecond reading. The Bill was then read a fecond time.

The Report of the Poor Badge Bill was taken into farther confideration, and after a short debate was agreed to.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2.

Read a third time, and paffed, the Poor Badge Bill.

Mr. Claudius Beresford gave notice, that, after the receis, he thould move for leave to bring in a Bill, which was very neceffary, in his opinion, for the commercial intereits of this kingdom; he meant to amend the Bankrupt Law. The Houfe must be aware, that when a H 2

man

man became a bankrupt, those who held his acceptances could not prove their debts, unless the Bills were due. The object of the Bill, therefore, which he had in contemplation, would be to amend the oath, fo as thofe debts might be proved.

The House refolved itself into a Committee upon Alderman Curtis's Bill for amending the mode of regulating the Affize of Bread within the City and Vicinage round London, Ten Miles from the Royal Exchange. Several amendments moved by Alderman Curtis were agreed to.

But upon his moving an amendment, for allowing 4d. per fack to the baker for falt, to be continued until the falt duties were repealed, and no longer,

Mr. G. Rofe obferved, that the amendment was unneceffary under the law as it at prefent itood. The Magif trate regulating the Affize of Bread was armed with the power of making fuch allowance. But there was an evil, in his mind, of the molt ferious kind, to which no part of the Bill icemed to apply any remedy. It was the enormous difproportion between the price of wheat and that of flour, owing to a regulation which allowed fix bushels of flour to be equal to the quarter of eight buthels of wheat, thus making to the miller the enormous allowance of two bushels to the quarter. This was the caufe of the evil which pinched the poor moit feverely, and called loudly for remedy.

Mr. Alderman Curtis obferved, that

under the former law allowance was made for 5d. per fack for wheat for falt, but no ftipulation was made for flour. As to the prefent Bill, it was a Bill rather to repeal laws already enacted, and found 'inefficacious, than to enact any new principle; and therefore the evil alluded to by the Honour able Member might form the fubject of another Bill. He was ready to allow it was an evil which called for regula

tion.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer having, he faid, already troubled the Houfe at length upon this fubject, fhould not now, trefpafs at any length on the attention of the Committee. The prefent Bill he confidered only as a preparatory step towards a meature which, the more he confidered it, the more he thought it neceflary; namely, the complete difembarraffment of the baker from any fettled allize of bread,

and the opening of a fair competition for the true principle, in his mind, in which articles of general confumption were most likely to find their fair level, was to difembarrafs them from reftriction, and competition would do the reft. He was convinced it was the best mode to free the baker in this cafe from the extortions of the miller and mealman; and that it would be the best for the public. The only question with him was, whether the public mind was prepared for the change, which he thought would come much better when the public would have less cause to be anxious on the fubject..

Mr. Alderman Curtis fully agreed; and hoped the time was not far diftant when the public mind would have fully confidered the advantage of fuch a regulation, and be prepared to receive it. At

prefent, the principle of the Bread Alize Law, instead of regulating the alize by the price of wheat or flour on the lalt market-day, had retrospection for two weeks, and was productive of the most vexatious mifunderstanding in the public mind for instance, this very day corn had fallen in the market above 6s. the quarter fince the alt market day, and yet the Chief Magitrate was obliged by law to strike the allize by the average price a fortnight fince; and thus the public conceived, that at the moment when there was a fall in the price of corn, there fhould alfo be a fall in the price of bread, and that the Lord Mayor was doing them injuftice. The principal impediment he found to the falutary operation of this Bill, was the state of dependance to which the difficulties of the times, and the enormous fortunes accumulated by millers and mealmen, bad enabled them to reduce that honeft and induftrious body of men, the bakers. For he truly believed, that of 3000 bakers within the district of this Bill's operation, 2500 were rendered dependant on the millers and mealmen; and until fome measure could be fuggeited effectually to cut up that dependance, he feared the public would never experience adequate relief, which, if effected, would reduce the quartern loaf to eight-pence; at which it thould in juftice ftand this day, instead of one hilling.

Mr. Dent obferved, the worthy Alderman undoubtedly had a right to advocate the caufe of his constituents, and come forward with measures for their relief, but furely he would not

deny