probable. Had not the affembly then juft ground to fufpect, that they were receiving members, not only in the eye of the law, but in fact and reality, unqualified; and that the prefbyteries, however willing, did not, because they could not, atteft them?

If it be faid, that the gentlemen attefted are good men, but reftrained by modefty from worshipping God in their families; we admit, that, in fome few inftances, a wife and good man may want courage to pray before others; but the elders of our church do not feem deficient in fpeaking with all becoming boldness before numerous and venerable courts, where one would think modesty would operate as ftrongly as in their own houses. Befides, the station of fome of them enables them to keep chaplains, as their fathers did. After all, truly religious and modeft men fhould rather decline being members of affembly at the expence of setting afide a rule fo important, than, by claiming a seat in this venerable court, introduce fuch as want other appearances of religion, as well as family worship: for let it be obferded, that family-worship is not the only religious qualification which prefbyteries are ftraitened to atteft. And therefore the argument of modefty, however much regard we pay to it, is far from being conclufive.

7. We think we have the greater reafon to complain of fuch a decifion, as it feems to be the conclufion of a gradual progrefs that has been made by different affemblies in this matter. It was alledged in the reafoning, that the church was refolved to fuffer this rule to go into defuetude. And in fact we find, that though, no longer ago than affembly 1744, all informal commiffions were rejected, and a fpecial act made to prevent the like for the future, yet fince that time feveral have been received. In 1753 informalities were overlooked; but it was declared it fhould not be a precedent: but now commiffions wanting the atteftation in terms of act 1722, are received without any fuch provifo. A period therefore feems to be put to all queftions upon this fubject, and a new

phrafe introduced, of not fastaining the commiffions, but receiving the members that bear them. An end is put to the ufe of the committee for revifing commiffions, and a door opened for filling the affembly with men of the most exceptionable characters.

8. This decifion, in itself so contradictory to order, muft naturally be productive of the greatest confufion. For as the commiffions of all members bear, that they are to confult, vote, and determine according to the acts and conftitutions of this church, as they will be answerable; what if prefbyteries should call their members to account, for thus voting directly in the face of a standing law? What more plaufible accufation could they found upon that clause of the commiffion? and yet what confufion must be occafioned, if in different proceffes any general affembly should be called to determine the legality of votes in that which preceded it?

9. As our public acts and conftitutions have the fanction of the civil law, and as many of the decifions of the fupreme court have an effect on civil property; fuch a difpenfing power affumed in making up the court itself, may provoke parties who fuppofe themselves aggrieved by the determination of any queftion, to proteft that the court has been illegally conftituted, and therefore the whole proceedings abfolutely void and null. Thus they may refuse to obtemper fentences, till the civil courts fhall again decide and confirm them. Many lefs plaufible pleas have occafioned proceffes carried even to the court of parliament. And as we have often to do with bodies of men in the fettlement of parishes, if they fhould learn this way of bringing on a new trial, or at least expreffing their refentment by protracting the execution, how troublesome and how unhappy would be the confequences?

Jo. WITHERSPOON, [of Beith.]
THO. WALKER, [of Dundonald.]
ARCH. WALKER, [of Temple.]
THOMAS RANDALL, [of Inchture.]
JOHN ERSKINE, [of Culrofs.]
GEO. DICKSON, [of Bedrule.]
DAV. BLAIR, [of Brechin.]
JA. WALKER, [of Leuchars.]

METEO

METEOROLOGICAL JOURNALS of the WEATHER. [196.]

In Ludgate Street, London, by Ja. Ayscough

LOVE'S

ARTIFICE. The third eidyllion of Bion imitated.

ENUS one night ('twas in a dream) Vifiting from heaven came; Cupid ftood hamless by her fide, And bow'd his head, while thus fhe cry'd, "Here, fhepherd, take this idle thing, "And teach him juft like you to fing."

She disappear'd. I play'd my part,
And fondly taught my rural art,
(Pan's workmanship, the various reed;
Th' invention of the blue-ey'd maid;
The fubtle Hermes' tuneful fhell;
And Phoebus' harp, and matchless skill):
I lectur'd-but he would not hear;
I ftorm'd-he anfwer'd with a fneer.
At laft- -"Good Sir," he fmiling fays,
"Lay by your rules and learned phrafe;
"Be patient while I teach you better,
"For you know nothing of the matter."
He fung the glories of his reign,
The loves of gods, and mortal men.
Careless of what did first employ,
I liften'd to the wondrous boy;
And from that hour-('tis true as fove)
My thoughts, and fongs, have all been love.

An EPITAPH
Defigned for its author.

C

HISTORY.

Hanges ftill continue to be made in the OTTOMAN miniftry. Early in April the Reis Effendi was depofed, and ordered not to flir out of his houfe. One Becher Effendi fucceeded him in that office, a man, as they fay, of great experience and abilities. Soon after, several fubordinate officers in his department were removed, and others rein. ftated.

Letters from PETERSBURG observe, that the manufactory of printed linens, fet up there about three years ago, by two British merchants, has been improved and increased to such a degree, as to be able to answer the demands of the whole Ruffian empire; and that the fenate, in order to render it still more flourishing, have iffued an edit for doubling the duties on all foreign printed linens, except fuch as fhall be imported by the way of Aftracan, Orenberg, and Temernicoff. The British merchants at Petersburg having discovered fome un

Beneath this lowly turf in peace is laid, [frame; eafinefs, that there was no talk of re

mould'ring fragments of a mortal's

No bufy noise invades this filent shade,
No vain afpiring longings after fame.
Like you, I once have trod the maze of life;
Like you, have languifh'd after empty joys;
Like you, have labour'd in the stormy ftrife,

Been griev'd for trifles, and amus'd with toys.
To Reafon's dictates when I lent an ear, [breaft;
Harmonious heav'nly sweetness footh'd my
When Paffion rul'd, 'twas all tumultuous care,

A racking confcience, and diftemper'd rest.
The foul that once inform'd this brittle clay,
To regions far remote has wing'd its flight;
Balks in the radiance of celestial day,

Or howls amid the gloom of endless night.
Forget my frailties; thou art alfo frail:
Forgive my failings;-thou thyself mayft fall:
Nor read unmov'd my artlefs, tender tale;
I was a friend, O man, to thee, to all.
Kd

MORITURUS.

April 9. 1757.
EPIGRAM on a late tranfaction. [256]

THE what he values moft, to each the fent:
HE two great rivals London might content,

Ill was the franchise coupled with the box;
Give PITT the freedom, and the gold to F-

EPIGRA M. [206.]

BAnn'd by the empire, Fredrick fill pursues

His noble conquefts, his exalted views; Oh! Francis, rash, uxorious, headstrong elf, Eie long thou'lt fuse have cause to ban thyself.

newing between their nation and that empire the treaty of commerce which is on the point of expiring, the ministry has fignified to the British conful, that though the treaty is not yet renewed, his Britannic Majefty's subjects may ftill continue their trade on the fame footing as formerly. The Empress is faid to be dangerously ill of a dropfy; and this is affigned as the reason why her troops have fo long delayed their march. We were lately informed, that fome of the Ruffian coffacks, who had ftopped, and plundered feveral waggons belonging to Pruffian peasants on the frontiers of Courland, were feverely punished, that the waggons were fent back, and the peasants had money given them. According to a letter from Warfaw, dated May 4. the advices then laft received there from Lithuania bore, that the Ruffian cavalry, which had been for fome time at Orz and Dulranau, and in that neighbourhood, was then certainly marching towards Minfk and Wilna; but that as it had a long way to pass before it could join the grand army, which had not begun to march, it was impof.

Letters from Stockholm represent the fpirit of disturbance in SWEDEN as totally fubfided, more respect being paid to the King than ever, and feveral of the most powerful fenators feeming to look upon the present conjuncture as favourable, or at leaft capable of being rendered fo, to the views of their country. To this cause they attribute the naval and military preparations making in that kingdom, with intention to put both their fleet and army in a refpectable condition.

fible that the Ruffians could begin their in giving him proofs of it, when not operations till the month of June. hindered by other confiderations; but that the prefent fituation of affairs was of fuch a nature, as not to permit his continuing to wait on the Queen of Poland. On the receipt of this answer, the Duke dispatched a courier for Naples. The King of Pruffia had taken great care to keep his troops in a good condition; and we have been affured that in fact they never took the field in a better than they were in last spring. Such was his Majefty's fituation as rendered the utmoft expedition neceffary to fuccefs. So foon as the feafon permitted, he fuddenly affembled three armies, one on the fide of Silefia, commanded by Marfhal Schwerin, another in Lusatia, under the Prince of Bevern, and the third in Saxony, headed by himself. Thefe armies he immediately put in motion, in order to enter Bohemia all at one time, and surprise the Austrians before they were prepared. His plan had been kept an impenetrable secret to the laft, nay, after it began to be carried into execution. His Majesty caused part of his own army march towards Egra; from whence his enemies judged, that though he defigned to enter Bohemia with the armies commanded by Schwerin and Bevern, yet he did not propofe to join them with his own. The Auftrians feeing the Pruffian troops thus divided, fent a confiderable detachment, under the command of General Aremberg, to oppose the body that was marching to Egra. This was juft what the King of Pruffia wanted; fo that corps made a fudden motion to the left, by which the junction of Aremberg's detachment with the main body of the Auftrians was rendered very difficult. His Majefty entered Bohemia at Aufig, almost without oppofition Mean while the Prince of Bevern's march foon brought on an action; the account of which, as published in the London Gazette, is as follows, dated, From the King's head quarters at Linay in Bohemia, April 24.

The tranfactions of a public nature in GERMANY continue to be numerous and important. "Tis faid, that the King of Pruffia's conduct towards Madam Bruhl, as in our laft, was on account of her having formed a defign to have him affaffinated by means of one of his pages, who had a pair of piftols, each loaded with a brace of balls. They fay, that with the one he was to have performed the horrid deed, and then, by laying both near, made it be believed he had deftroyed himself.- -His Pruffian Majefty, before he left Drefden, thought proper to forbid all perfons to approach the court of the Queen of Poland, except her domeftics. The Duke of St Elifabeth, minister from the King of the Two Sicilies, having afterward repaired to the palace, the officer upon guard objected to his admittance, not withstanding which the Duke paffed on. The officer thought himself juftifiable in not stopping him, because he was the minister of a foreign potentate allied by marriage to the royal family; but as no fuch distinction had been made in his orders, he received a mortifying punifhment for his difobedience. Next day the Duke of St Elifabeth went again to the palace, but was peremptorily refufed admittance by the fame officer; upon which he returned to his houfe, and wrote a letter to the King of Pruffia complaining of this ufage. His Majefty immediately fent him an anfwer to the following purpofe: That he had all poffible regard for his character and perfon, and would always take delight

"His Highness the Duke of Bevern having marched, the zoth, at the head of a body of the army which was in M m 2

Lufatia,

Lufatia, from the quarters of canton- giving the horse-grenadiers a very warm ment near Zittau, poffeffed themselves reception, notwithstanding the enemy's immediately, without the lofs of a fingle artillery took them in flank. Lt. Gen. man, of the first poft of Bohemia at Leftewitz, at the fame time, attacked Krottau and Grafenftein, drove away with our left wing the redoubts which the enemy the fame day from Kratzen, covered Reichenberg. Though there and marched towards Machendorf, near were many defiles, and rifing ground, to Reichenberg. The fame morning Put- pafs, which were all occupied by the kammer's huffars, commanded by their enemy, yet the regiment of Darmstadt Colonel and by Major Schenfeld, rout- forced the redoubt, and put to flight ed fome hundreds of the enemy's cui- and purfued the enemy, after fome difraffiers, commanded by Prince Lich charges of their artillery and small arms, tenstein, who were pofted before Kohlig, from one eminence to another, for the and took prifoners, one captain, two diftance of a mile, as far as Rochlitz fubalterns, and above fixty horse. The and Dorffel. The lofs of the enemy a, reft were entirely dispersed, and scarcely mounts, as far as we can learn at prefent, able to rally near Kratzen. The night to 1000 killed and wounded. We have coming on, obliged the troops to re- made about zo officers and 400 foldiers main in the open air till the next morn- prisoners, and have taken three standing. The 21st, at break of day, our ards. Cannon and ammunition-wagtroops marched in two columns by Ha- gons are faid to have been found among bendorf towards the enemy's army, the felled trees and intrenchments; but posted near Reichenberg, and com- the departure of the courier prevents our manded by General Count Konigsegg, giving an exact lift of them at this preand 28,000 ftrong. As foon as the lines fent moment. Gen. Porporati is fupwere formed, they advanced towards posed to have been killed, because some the enemy's cavalry, which was ranged letters directed to him have been found in three lines of about thirty fquadrons. upon the field of battle. The action The two wings were fuftained by the began at half an hour after fix o'clock, infantry, which was posted among felled and continued till eleven. On our fide trees and intrenchments. They imme- there were seven subalterns, and about diately cannonaded the enemy's caval- 100 men killed; Gen. Normann, Major ry; who received it bravely, having on de Mellin of the regiment of Amftel, their right a village, and on their left a Col. Lettow of D'Armstadt, Majors wood, where they had intrenched them- de Platen, de Normann, and de Beyfelves with felled trees and pits. But ern, of Wurtemberg, the Captains de the Duke of Bevern having caused fif- Pabftein, de Normann, and de Putteen fquadrons of dragoons of the fe- kammer of Amftel, feven fubalterns, cond line to advance, and ordered the and 150 men were wounded. The ofwood on our right to be attacked at ficers and private men equally deferve the fame time by the battalions of gre- the higheft commendations. His Highnadiers of Kahlden and of Moellendorff, nefs the Duke of Bevern in particular, and by the regiment of the Prince of who had before distinguished himself in Pruffia, who cleared all the felled trees fo fignal a manner in former campaigns, and the intrenchments there, our dra- and laft year at the battle of Lowofitz, goons, who had by this means their in this action gave fresh proofs of that flanks covered, entirely routed the e- fkill and courage which will tranfmit nemy's cavalry. The Generals Nor- his name to pofterity. mann, Katt, and the Prince of Wurtemberg, fignalized themselves extremely on this occafion.

The following is the Austrian account of that affair, taken alfo from the London Gazette. "Vienna, April 25. Laft night an officer arrived here from the frontiers of Bohemia, with the news, that the Prince of Bevern having advan

ced