a practice which most degrades the cha- also, that his operations could not be on contracted. debts. He took care also to ask my leave His success, on the contrary, was so to pass a few days in the country. His rapid with Mr Morphy, that his third prelages were soon realized. The funds part of the profits in one particular day rose considerably; and on Saturday the produced him 70,000 livres. He assured 20th, he fled from London. . his associates, that I partook of these On Sunday the 21st, I was dresling profits, and had the baseness to pass for myself to go to court, when about elemy agent. None of the persons, how- ven in the morning, Madame Morienever, to whom Tort infinuated that he court, whom I had never seen, haviog acted for me, ever spoke to me, or caụ. desired to speak to me, was introduced sed me to be spoken to, nor endeavoured into my apartment. She appeared to be to obtain from me the Nightest assurance in great trouble ; and told me, without of it, by word of mouth or in writing ; doubt I must know, that Mr Salvadore blinded by their avarice, and by the hopes had jobbed for me in the funds, by or. of playing at a certainty, they swallow- der of M. Tort, for considerable fums. ed greedily all the fables he related to Astonished and exasperated at this efthem. frontery, I answered this woman, as I In this career of successful villany, ought, with some warmth. She then an anonymous letter, received by the assured me, that Tort must be gone off. Prince de Masserano, in March 1771, She entered into a detail of the odious deranged the enterprises of M. Tort. means he had made use of to gain her The Prince was informed, that his secre- confidence; and added, that M. Vachon taries, and M. Tort, gamed in the pu was at her house in tears. I opened the blic funds. The Prince imparted this door, and told Madame Moriencourt, letter to me. An anonymous writing dismissing her at the same time, that, it was not sushicient to deprive men of their Tort had deceived her, I was sorry for cmployments; but it was sufficient to it; that I should know how to recover engage us to have a strict eye over their him; and thar I would give him up to ha conduct. Diflimulation then became a dead or alive. necessary duty for me; and I withdrew It was now time to go to court. A my confidence by degrees, even without soon as I returned, I loft no time in pro suffering it to be perceived, curing further explanations from m Agreeable to this plan, Tort no long- household. I sent to Mell. Roger ani er registered the interesting dispatches re- Vachon. They confeffed, that Tort hai ceived by me; he no longer wrote nor given them to understand, that I gamer knew any thing of importance; and the in the funds; and that they were in absurdi manner in which he conducted formed, that he employed for this pur liis jobbing concerns after this, proves poíe, not only Mr Salvadore, but fever: othe at bei other English merchants. I reproved wards appeared, Salvadore went direct them in the strongest terms for their un- ly to Paris, where he delivered a letter -decor derhand dealings, and their concealment. to M. Boyer, my agent, informing him Fired: They excused themselves, by saying, that, of the sum of 85,000 livres being due to being subordinate to a man who enjoyed Salvadore, and requested an interview at ak my entire confidence, they had thought Chantilly, where Tort said he would it their duty to be filent, and acknow- more fully explain the matter to Boyer. ledged, that he had gained them over This fortunate event led to the discovery to it by promises of rewards. I have of Tort, who was afterwards apprehendfince discharged both the one and the o- ed at Paris by means of Delpech, and ther. committed to the Baftile. About seven the same evening, I heard Delpech, now the friend of Tort, and of Tort, by one of my couriers who re one of his witnesses, endeavoured to turned from Calais, and had met him. make a merit with me of his imprison A few minutes after, the domestic who ment, and wrote me two letters, soliis bad attended him, arrived, and brought citing bis place, and offering to lay open me a letter, in which Tort informed me, all his maneuvres and treacheries.' It Tort was obliged to submit in the I made up my dispatches immediately, Bastile to the two first examinations by and the same evening my couriers set off. interrogatories, in which he accused I gave an account of all that happened to himself on every point. The Duke de the Duke de Vrilliere; I imparted the Vrilliere transmitted them to me; I in mcafures I had taken to the English mi- fifted on a severe punishment. After two Baptifry, and to the diflomatic corps. months imprisonment he underwent a I wrote at the same time to my uncle third interrogatory, which the same mireér the Commandeur de Guines, to inform nister addrested to me on the 30th of him of the behaviour of Tort, and of his June; at the same time acquainting me, for fight. that it appearing evident, that Tort had The next and the following day, I was no other design but that of gaining money, more circumstantially informed of his it was hardly possible to detain him any I lofamous practices, and I wrote in fub- longer in the Baftile. haftance to the Duke de Vrilliere, that About this time, the Duke d’Aiguilut when I first had the honour to give him lon was nominated by the King to fill an account of the light of my secretary, the department for foreign affairs, in the I was ignorant of the particulars of the room of the Duke de Vrilliere. This cines of which he was accused; that I minister sent me, the latter end of AuEww had proofs, that he had betrayed the gust, a recall, which I had not required. fecrets with which he was intrufted; that as soon as I arrived, he told me; that toe King was interested to make an exam- the secret object of my return was a rese of hin; and that the notoriety of his crimination against me on the part of crime demanded an exemplary punish- Tort, which had already been laid benerit. I annexed a description of Tort's fore the council of state. I was greatly perlon; 2.d I represented the necessity surprised to find myself thus accused to of reclaiming him, where-ever he should the King, by a man, whom I, as accu fer, had delivered into the hands of goThe same day, or the following, I vernment. keard of Tort from a person who had Two months had elapsed since this afDet bim at Montreuil. This was the fair had been carried to the council, and Et intelligence I had received of the no information bad been sent to me, of toate be bad taken. I instantly sent off the unheard-of change that had been oUn courier to the Duke de Vrilliere, aod perated in it. are bim fure indications to have him Tort had begun by protesting beforearreted. hand against every thing he had said in At Montreuil he bad an interview with the course of his examinations. He had Salvadore the Jew, and they there con- undergone three upon oath: these three certed their future operations; in con- interrogations had been transmitted to Sequence of which, Tort pursued his me, but I had not been informed of the journey to Chantilly; and, as it after- proteft. MK be found. M. Tort produced proof of his impu- fice. The fame letter concludes with the tation. I thought myfelf obliged, how. following intimation: “ Before any thing ever, to oppose him by several memo- is decreed respecting this matter, his Majerials, which I presented to the council fty would know, Sir, what you think of of state. I proved, that all the particu: it, and what you may desire on his part; lars of his accusation were alike absurd be it to leave a free course to the complaint, and contradictory. or to prevent the pursuit of it. I fall exWhile I was employed in this refuta- pect your answer, that I may let his Mation, a report prerailed, that the embas- jelly know.” sy with which I was honoured, was go I replied, that I hoped the King would ing to be given to another. I appre- do me the justice to believe, that I was hended it the more, as it had been en- incapable of accepting the aid of his augaged the first bour of my return to the thority, to stop the course of a complaint Baron de Breteuil; who, informed of already lodged, on an affair, the result the object of my recall, had the civility of which, moreover, must be the justifito release the Duke d’Aiguillon from his cation of my conduct. promise. I had the honour to write to Thus was I forced into the neceffity the Duke; who, on the 5th of Novem- of maintaining a criminal process, which ber, wrote me the following answer. but ill agreed with the character of the “ His Majesty has always appeared to representative of the King's person. me determined io send you back to Eng. The fituation I found myself in was land, as soon as you have given the necef- very novel, and very delicate. As a cisary eclaircissements, to destroy the imputa- tizen, I had no other part to take, but tions of M. Tort. He has never varied upon to follow exactly the course of justice; this lubject, and you ought to look upon as an ambassador, having delivered up a all that may be told you to the contrary criminal into the hands of government, as falsehoods." and that government having punished My last memoir was read at the coun- him, I might have availed myself of the cil-board, and completely overthrew all King's authority to stop the progress of calumnies; at least I had reafon to think a decision in which the secrets of state fo, because my return to London (made were necessarily involved: but I chose to dependent in the most precise terms, in begin, by condescending, in the eyes of this minister's letter, on the annihilation all Europe, and of the whole diplomatic of Tort's imputations) had been resolved corps, to put myself on a footing with a on by the King. man who was formerly my secretary, I set out for England on the roth of with respect to a justification, from which January 1772; M. Tort was released I took care not to fhelter myself under from the Baftile a few days after. my public character. I heard publicly at London, that the [Here the Ambassador brings togeuse he made of his liberty was to publish ther a variety of circumstances, which, that he had been justified by the coun- he says, amount to so many proofs in cil; I know that he caused the fame im- his favour; bụt finally refts his cause on postures to be circulated at London, a the truth of the four following facts.] letter which M. Thelufson wrote to me First Fact. That England offered confirming the report. France and Spain to set them the ex. It was some time after before his plan ample of disarming. of recrimination manifested itself. M. SECOND FACT. That on the sth o Tort attacked me in the criminal court; April, I had received the dispatch from and, to give more weight to this proce- my court, which positively announce dure, he has prefumed to assure the of- to me, that France did not refuse to fol ficers of justice, that he had been obliged low the example given by England o to niake his complaint to the ministry, before difarming, and that Spain concurre he deposited it at the ffice. with France on this point. The effrontery of this affertion is, THIRD Fact. That the dispatch ¢ however, contradicted by a letter from the 4th of April, which arrived at Lon the Duke d’Aiguillon, which proves, don on the 7th and 8th, as positively an that the ministry never had any cognisance nounced to me, that Spain was detet of Tort's complaint but from the lieutenant. mined to rely on his Britannic Majeft çrimircl, afiir it had been budged in the of and his ministry, for the evacuation of but in vain : with great calmness and Falkland illands. composure, he resolutely perfifted in afTort neither registered, nor knew of firming, that the event would verify his these dispatches. predi&tion. On the day he had fixed, Fourth Fact. That on the 14th the house-clock, being put forward, Itruck of April , I knew for a certainty, that the hour before the time: he saw through the answer of Spain left no further por- this deception, and told those that were fble object of dispute between the three with him, that when the church-clock powers, struck, he should expire. He did fo. It results from hence, that, on the 14th Mr Fletcher left a memorandum in of ripril, I should have been in time to writing to the above purport; and Bishop have caused the transactions to have been Trimnell, about the year 1722, having covered; Mell. Bourdieu and Thelusson heard this story at Winchester, wrote to having confeffed, in their confronta- New College, of which Mr Lavington bons, that it would have been sufficient was then fellow, for farther information. to have known the answer of Spain on His answer was, that “ John Needs had the fixteenih, or even on the eighteenth, to indeed foretold, that the Bishop of Win. have gained immensely. chester (Mew) and old Mr Carman fhould I hould then at least have jobbed for die that year; but then they being very Peact. If I had jobbed, I should have old men, he had foretold, for two or gained. This fingle propofition should three years before, that they should die decide the cause. in that number of years. As to foretel ling the time of his own death, I believe A NEC DO T E S. he was punctually right. IN the year 1707, John Needs, a Win Dr Lavington gave the same account chefter scholar, foretold the deaths of to his friends after he was Bishop of ExeMr Carman, chaplain to the college, Dr ter, Nex, Bishop of Winchester, and himself , within that year, to several of his bool-fellows, anong others, to George A Bout the year 1735, a book was pu blished, intitled, “ The cure of DeLavington. This exposed him to much ism.” The author, Mr Elisha Smith, railery in the school, and he was ludi- had the misfortune to be confined in the sously styled Prophet Needs. Mr Car Fleet prison, for a debt of 2001. Wilzu died about the time he mentioned. liam Benson, Erq; one of the auditors for this event, however, he had little of tee imprest, was highly pleased with redit; it being said, that the death of this work. He inquired who the author fach an old man might reasonably be expeded — Within the time prefixed Bi- was, and, having received the foregoing Aso Mew also died, by a strange acci- fome letter, but discharged the whole account, not only sent him a very handdent. He was subject to fainting, fits, debt, fees, '&c. and set him at liberty. from which he was soon recovered, by This deserves to be recorded, as an un telling to fpirits of hartsorn. Being common instance of generosity and goodwized with a fit while a gentleman was nature; though Mr Auditor Benfon, haarb him, perceiving its approach, he pointed eagerly to a phial in the 'win: ving been thrust into the Dunciad, will : the visitor took it, and, in his probably be known to pofterity only as a bad critic: tuite , poured the contents down the BiHap's throat, which inftantly fuffocated on two unequal crutches propp'd, he came, This incident was accounted for Milton on this, on that one Johnston's a the same manner as the other. As the time approached which Needs bud prefixed for his own dissolution, of Of Milton be erected a monument in Sch he named even the day and the Westminster-abbey, and gave Mr Dobker, be fickened, apparently declined, fon, of New-College, 10col. for trans od kept his chamber, where he was lating Paradise Lost into Latin ; Johnkaquently visited and prayed with by Mr ston's Latin Psalms he preferred to BuPatcher,' fecond matter of the school, chanan's. M: Benson published, howad faker to the late Bishop of Kildare. ever, a translation of the first and second Kreasoned and argued with the youth, Georgics, which had merit, SIR, name. SIR, Pall Mall, Jan. 20. by his own infolence, Should the miniA Fter a great deal of unavalling argu- ftry thew any backwardness in seconding mentation, the dispute between the this ardour in the people, and treat this Americans and us seems now to be redu- feathering as a teierrinia belli causa, their ced to the fingle question, Whether we eternal oppofers would not fail to lay are able by force to reduce them to obe- hold of so favourable an occasion of redience, or not? It is a mere question presenting them as traitors to their counof fact, in which, as the lawyers say, the try, and of driving them out of their fo. parties join issue, and so is ready to be much-wilhed-for places. If, on the consent to trial, without any farther demur. trary, the ministry should engage heartiring; leaving the cause to be finally de- ly in a war, the most hungry orator acided, as the weight of evidence shall mongst the patriots would not dare to preponderate in favour of one fide or the open his mouth against them. other. On the other hand, the groffest insults That the power which so lately carried offered by an Engliliman, not only to an on a successful war against the united inferior officer, but to the highest persons forces of France and Spain, should not and departments in the government, and be able to fubdue a parcel of planters which manifeftly lead to other practices and merchants, who have no fleet, no totally subversive of the ftate, are treated army, no public treasury, no artillery or with the utmost temper and moderation. military stores, and who have no respect. If he is called to account for this ofable head of authority to produce uni, fence, he becomes immediately the faformity of concuct, or to prevent muti. vourite of the populace, and zealously ny and fedition in those, who, from a supported by the minority in both houses fpirit of fedition only, take upon them to of parliament. Tho' the laws of Eng. be foldiers, is what no man will erfily land are of themselves sufficiently formconceive, who is in the least acquainted ed for the protection of the individuals, with the history of human dealings. At every quibbling interpretation of them, the same time, in examining how the by every factious or mercenary lawyer, powers of G. Britain are to be brought to is readily admitted in his defence; none act hoftilely against the Americans, I am against him. Every evidence against sensible of some difficulty; the causes of him examined with the utmost scruwhich I shall here endeavour to investi- pulousness, and every informality in the gate. mode of trial is allowed to operate in bis The English nation has hitherto divi- favour. And lastly, his jury, who are ded the whole human race into two claffes much more nearly allied to him than to only, viz. Foreigners, who are always his accusers, are easily induced, not onsupposed to be at bottom enemies ; and ly to let him come off unpunished, when Englishmen, who are always supposed to every rational man esteems him punishbe at bottom friends, to England. In able, but may posibly ordain heavy dacompliance with this distinction, not ill mages to be given to him by his profefounded in the nature of things, two ve cutors for any irregularities they mayin. ry different plans of conduct have been advertently have fallen into in the course constantly followed by the people of Eng- of their proceeding. Jand, whenever any insuli bas been of When we look back for the cause of fered by the one or by the other of those this extraordinary heat of the English, in i wo claffes to any branch of their go- resenting the affronts done to those who vernment. Were, for instance, a cap- represent their state in one of those cases, tain of a French or Spanish man of war and of their no less extraordinary coolto order the cockswain of an English ness in the other, it plainly turns out to long-boat to be tarred and feathered in be this : That any contempt fhewn by a i he bay of Campeachy, the news would foreign power to their rulers, is suppoput all England in an uproar : Fleets fed to be levelled at the whole commuwould be immediately fitted out, officers nity, and at every individual of it ; put into commission, and men pressed at wliereas the insults of an Englishman, every port, to resent the affront put up- who is himself a member of the commuon the British flag; and all this, without nity of England, and interested in its any cool or regular examination into the welfare, cannot be supposed to mean any fact, or how far the cockswain might not mischief to it, or to his fellow.citizens ; have drawn this feathering upon himself and the spirit of liberty, which requires them |