This description of the temple and its inhabitants, is followed by an account of feveral candidates for admittance; which feems to be nothing more than an encomium on particular perfons; among whom are the Rev. Dr Stephen Hales, the Rt Hon. Mr Pitt, the late moft excellent Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Herring, and a Lord Chancellor, who is diftinguished by his ability as a fatef man, by eloquence, by liberality, and the name of Talbot. Gent. Mag. Extract of a letter from an eminent phyftcian of the province of New York, concerning an Indian remedy for the venereal difeafe. Peter Kalm, a Swedish gentleM mat, fent from thence at the public expence, to examine the natural productions of North America, was feveral times with me in paffing through this province to and from Canada, and to and from Oniagara; and from him, the last time I faw him, in Nov. 175°, I had the following account. While he was in Canada, M. Galiffonniere, then governor of Canada, a gentleman of more knowledge and literature than he expected in one of his profeffion, told Mr Kalm, that the Indians of the Six Nations (Iroquois) had a fecret for curing the venereal difease in its worst ftate, of which they had given repeated proofs; but that the French had never been able by any means to obtain the fecret. Mr Kalm, in either going to or coming from O. niagara, was at Col. Johnfon's (now Sir William Johnson's) house, and told him what he had heard from the French governor. Col. Johnfon confirmed the truth of it; and while Mr Kalm was with him, prevailed on two Indians, fe parately, and without the one knowing what the other had done, to fhew him the plant. Mr Kalm told me, that it is the Lobelia ferotina, caule fimplici, flori. bus cæruleis, N° 206.* of the defcrip* The description of this important plant here, referred to, is as follows. LOBELIA ferotina, floribus cœruleis. CAL. Perianthium monophyllum, campanulatum, ftriatum, femiquinquefidum: laciniis longis, an tion of the Coldengham plants, printed in the acts of the academy of Upfal, 1750. A fpecies of this, with fcarlet flowers, is commonly known in your gardens by the name of the Cardinal flower, and I fufpect they do not differ in their virtues. This plant, the first year of its growth, fhoots only leaves, and the fecond year fhoots up a ftalk, with a fpike of flowers on the top, about three feet high. They ufe the root of this of the first year only, and fuch are always found among them which bear flowers. The root is boiled in water, and they give a quantity of the decoction (I know not how much) at firft only once a-day, afterwards twice and is requifite. They wash the ulcers a-day, and oftener as the cure goes on, wife with the fame decoction. The like woman who fhewed the plant had lately diftemper, that he was become infupcured one who was fo far gone in the portable to others, from the fmell of his the roots, and likewife fome of the feed, fores. If I can, I fhall fend fome of by one of the fhips in the fall. G. M. Some account of the AUCTION, as it har been acted feveral nights, with great ap plaufe, Mr Cibber auctioneer. HE names of the bidders at the THE auction, are Lady Tootblefs, Col. Thunder, Mifs Leflant, Sir Gilbert Gouty, Mrs Oppofite, Billy Thoughtless, Sir Caput Mortuum. The first lot put up to fale is a cheft of charity, which, not being bid for, Mr Cibber, the auctioneer, orders his fervant to put it up on the old shelf, where the bottles of tincture of humanity are placed, with a caution not to reach them; but adds, "Though now guftis, acutis, omnibus reflexis.- -COR. Mono petala, ringens, et cærulea-Limbi laciniæ lanceolata, omnes reflexæ.. -STAM. Tubus cylindricus, pofteriori latere convexus, anteriori concavus: inferius quadrifidus, amplior; fuperius integer, anguftior; Anthera prominentiæ quædam in ore tubi. PIST. Tubo flamineo inclufum. Germen, pyramidale, angulatum. Stylus unicus, tubo ftamineo longior, apice curvato verfus antheras. Stigma ovale. PER. Capfula ovata, fuperius plana, calycis laciniis coronata. erectus, fimplex, ad altitudinem tripedalem et ul tra affurgens. FOL. ovata, Caulis I think on't, 'tis all in ftone bottles, there is no great danger." The fecond lot is a box of Venetian toothpicks, which are knocked down to Lady Toothlefs at 301. Lot. 3. A pair of dancing pumps, made of the fkins of frogs, originally defigned for Monf. le Dauphin: thefe Sir Gilbert Gouty becomes proprietor of for 12 guineas. Lot. 4. Three grains of common fenfe. Lot. 5. A fmall box of reflection. Neither of which two lots is bid for. Lot. 6. Honefty in different parcels, of which Lady Toothlefs buys two lots, one as a prefent for her fteward, the other for her waiting-woman, but not for herself; obferving, that it is not material whether perfons of fortune have it or no.— Daysg ci -A Among the rest of the lots are, a Swiss porter and valet, bought by Billy Thoughtless at 25001.-English hofpitality, purchased by Billy Thoughtless for the fake of being talked of.collection of fermons, no bidders.—A Cremona fiddle, Lady Toothless carries off at 2000 guineas.- -A young modern beau, by the fame lady.-Goodnature, fincerity, and honour, no bidders. The auction closes with a fubscription in favour of Signora Mincotti, and Mynheer Van Poop Broomstickado for the opera; and the auctioneer concludes with a reflection on the foppery and folly of the feveral people he had had to deal with, in acting directly opposite to nature and reafon. Lit. Mag, METEOROLOGICAL JOURNALS of the WEATHER. [435-] In Ludgate freet, London, by Ja. Ayscough. Near Carlisle in Cumberland. Baro meter Wind. WEATHER. meter Wind. 2229,77 58 59 SW 23 29,66 54 58 24 29,66 5458 SW SW cloudy and rain 25 29,925956| S W m.rain, funfh. aft. 2630, 5955 2729,706056 SW 2829,26 55 54 S W S W S 29 29,62 58 53 S W WEATHER. 30 29,505552 2130,6 5748 NM W S. 30,27 57 53 230,236055 m. fair, rain aft. cloudy and small rain morn. fm. ra. fair aft. m. fair, rain aft. SW ditto SW ditto 330,376460f NW ditto 430,3664601 NE ditto 330,28 5953 S W 630,296055 m. fair, rain & clo. aft. N Wm. fair, cloudy aft. 55 SW rain from 10 till 1 2329, 53 SW 2429,1063 SW 2529,3952 S W 26 29,40 55 2729, 58 S W 23 28,65 52 SW 2929, 55 SW 3029,1544 SW ditto. 3129,6052 SW ditto 129,70 60 229,8055 SW 329,9562 E 429,85 51 $ 29,90 59 629,8565 SW gentle froft W fair all day, fhower in ni. Wair all day NE Jitto 30,236156) NE fair day 729,95 55 830,8 62 57 NE ditto 29,90 5858 20 30,5 6166 130,135653 1230,2561 56 N W m. clo. fair aft. morning much rain SW fair all day 1129,60 46 S fair all day NW ditto rain between 5 1330,35957 NW ditto fair all day 1430,25 6157 1429.7062 SW ditto Accounts and extracts * of a book lately published, intitled, An effay towards a general history of feudal property in G. * Britain. By John Dalrymple, Efq; [Advocate.] O ftudy is better calculated to en N large the mind, and to fill it with generous ideas, than that of jurifprudence, confidered in an extenfive view, as connected with philosophy and hiftory. Nor can there be a more agreeable or instructive spectacle, than the contemplation of laws in their progrefs through a state, from their firft fimple origin in the wants and neceffities of men, to their alteration, refinement, or declenfion, from the fluctuating manners, and more complicated interefts of civilized fociety. To difcover the proper clue, in order to trace this progrefs, and to point it out with accuracy and precision, should seem to require a more than ordinary share of difcernment and good fenfe. With regard to the performance before us, which is an attempt to trace, from the earliest feudal times, the great outlines of the laws which relate to land-property in England and in Scotland, fo far as they relate to a feu dal origin, Mr Dalrymple has acquitted himself very much to his honour. His production appears to be the refult of great application and labour, under the conduct of fuperior judgment and pene tration. His firft chapter contains the hiftory of the introduction of the feudal fyftem into G. Britain; from whence we shall extract the following paffage. "The thought of diftributing among a conquering people the lands they have conquered, and of annexing to the gift a condition of military fervice, is in itfelf an exceeding fimple one. Accordingly we learn from hiftory, it has been often reduced into practice, as among fome of the Roman colonies on the confines of the Roman empire, among the Timarriots in the Turkish empire, and among other nations. But there were particular circumstances at * [In the extracts we have been favoured with feveral corrections by the author.] VOL. XIX. tending the conquefts of the German nations, which never did attend those of any other conquering people; and without a peculiarity of caufe, there never will be a peculiarity of effect. "The Greek and Carthaginian colonies came from republics. If they did not preferve a dependence on their na tive country, they at least preferved a great connection with it. They went out in fmall bodies, and as fuch they formed themselves into republics. Equality among the citizens had been a rooted and political principle with them at home; it became now, from their fituation, ftill more the natural and confiftent principle of their union. "The various conquefts of Afia by Afiatics, have been made for one man, and not for a people; and therefore ftanding armies have always been kept up to fecure them. "Alexander and his army fought not for habitations, but for glory and dominion. That dominion was maintained by armies and cities. He and his fucceffors referved to themselves the ancient revenues of the prince, together with the military and political administration of the ftate. The armies found a refuge in the cities for themselves and their plunder; but the ancient inhabi, tants preferved their land-property and their laws. "The Hebrews in Canaan followed extirpated, for neceflary reafons, the different principles of conqueft. They ancient inhabitants, inftead of associating with them. "The modern European colonies are kept in fubjection, not only to their native country, but even fometimes to particular companies of merchants in it. They are confidered merely as inftruments of commerce, and are therefore generally allowed to be regulated by the laws and police which happen to whence they came. prevail in the different countries from Their principles of fettlement are not determined by the natural circumftances attending a fettlement, but by the particular views with which they are fettled. "The Romans, who extended their 3 U empire oligarchy, and not of equality.Simple both in their manners and in their views, they could have no conception of a standing army, with the expence, and difcipline, and resources necefla. ry to fupport it.- -On the contrary, having quitted their own countries in vaft bodies from neceffity, being in queft merely of a habitation, and purfuing neither glory nor dominion but with a view to attain that habitation, they took up with the fimple thought, of spreading themselves all over the country, among the ancient inhabitants.As the nations they con quered were more numerous, fo were they likewife more polished, and expert in arts, than themselves; they durft not therefore put fuch nations to the sword. empire farther than all other nations, preferved their conquefts too by colonies; but as the members of them were for a long time taken from the dregs of the people, they went out without any extenfive fubordination. Afterwards, when the foldiers conftituted the colonies, and paid military fervice in return for their lands, they had indeed a regular fubordination: but then their connection with their native country was not broken, and befides they were in continual danger from the incurfions of the enemy. In these circumftances, it was not natural that the poffeffions fhould be hereditary; for in the fucceffion to a vacant poffeffion, valour, where valour was fo neceffary, would be preferred to confanguinity: nor would the preference be complained of by men Unacquainted even with commerce having connections with the mother country, and ftill confidering Rome as the feat of their fortunes. Accordingly none of the lands given under the condition of military fervice, to the members of thefe colonies, went in defcent; a few given by the Emperor Severus excepted; and which, though ordered to defcend, seldom in reality ever did defcend to heirs. "In almost all thofe various tranfmigrations, it is obfervable, that the conquerors either conformed to the civil laws of the conquered people, if they left a people at all, referving to themfelves the political and military adminiftration; or they retained their own laws among themselves, leaving to the conquered people the enjoyment of theirs. The reason was, a contrary regulation would have been either impoffible for them to compass, or useless when compaffed. "On the other hand, in every one of thofe various circumstances, the fituation of the Germans was different. As there was no general fyftem of government in their own country, they had been fubjected in their various diftricts to that chieftain who could do them most good or moft hurt. When they iffued abroad, then, they went rather as a band of independent clans, than of independent members, with a fpirit of itfelf, they were still more unacquainted with the refinement of being made the inftruments of it to others. As long as the most distant views to their native country remained, and as long as continual danger obliged them to be ready for continual defence, the poffeffions, it is true, upon the death of the tenants, could not regularly defcend to their heirs, who perhaps were not able to defend them, but were given to those in general who appeared the most likely to be able to do fo; yet when in course of time that fituation was changed, and this valour was not fo continually neceffary, then the poffeffions we are speaking of, in contradiction to all others in the hiftory of the world which have any refemblance to feudal ones, became hereditary. When fuch were the circumftances attending the conquests of the German nations, it followed in the courfe of things, that being an army, thefe conquerors would fail into a fubordination in their fettlement; it followed in the fame courie, that being very valiant, their genius as well as fi tuation would lead them to institutions, which made it an obligation upon almoft the whole body to be ready at a military call; and this fettlement, fubordination, and obligation to military fervice carried in themfelves a fyftem of laws, without the plan of a legiflator, which, however the laws of the conquered people might for fome time fubfift, could not fail in the end to fwallow up all the laws of all the countries where it came. Naturally fond of the institutions of our ancestors, we are apt to make this fyftem the refult of the most confummate political prudence and refine ment. But, regular and extenfive as the fabric became, it was originally no more than the very natural confequence of very natural caufes. In inventing other caufes, we only deceive ourfelves, by transferring the refined ideas of our own age to ages too fimple to be capable of forming them." The remaining part of this valuable performance contains the hiftory of tenures, of alienation, of entails, of fucceffion, of conveyances, of jurifdictions, and of the conftitution of parliament. It hath been a great lofs, Mr Dalrymple very juftly obferves, both to history and law, that they have too little contributed their mutual aids to each other. Lawyers themselves feldom give deductions of laws, and hiftorians feldom meddle with laws at all, even those which give occafion for the conftitution of a state, and on which, more than on battles and negotiations, the fate of it doth often turn. To confirm this obfervation, and to fhew how necessary to an hiftorian a thorough acquaintance with law-fubjects is, before he can be qualified to judge properly of political queftions, we fhall tranfcribe fect. 2. from our author's history of fucceffion, in which he treats of the progrefs of fucceffion in the collateral line. "Such being the progrefs of fucceffion and representation in the descending line, a ftill farther progrefs, and from the fame caufes, may be feen extending itself in the other lines of fucceffion. trouble to him, to wit, his perfonal fervice; he was well contented to get it to himself and his pofterity; but thought not of afking the fucceffion to his collaterals. "Nor is it any objection to this doctrine, that collaterals are observed, in the earliest fiefs, to have fometimes fucceeded: for this their fucceffion was not in a fief acquired by the vaffal himself, but only in feudo paterno; and in a fief of this laft kind, the fucceffor took as defcendent to the original vaffal, and thereby nominée in the original grant, but not at all as collateral to the last vaffal. Accordingly, in a law in the books of the fiefs, the diftinction between the fucceffion to the one of thefe fiefs, and that to the other, is laid down: Frater fratri fine legitimo herede defuncto, in beneficio, quod eorum patris fuit, fuccedat. Sin autem unus ex fra tribus a domino feudum acceperit, eo defuncto fine legitimo herede, frater ejus in feudum non fuccedit. And by the promulgation of that law, it appears, that even in feudis paternis, the real quality of defcendent to the original vaffal, had been fo far forgot in the feeming quality of collateral to the last one, that a public law was neceffary to overcome the difficulty which was made of receiving fuch real descendent. 66 By degrees, however, the collateral fucceffion gained ground. It firft took place in brothers only, afterwards it was extended to the father's brother, and, in procefs of time, to the collateral line, even to the feventh degree. Craig relates, that whether this fucceffion was extended beyond that degree, was fo much a doubt, as to be the subject of two contefts before courts in his time. But when wars came to be waged in Europe by ftanding armies, and not by vaffals; when trade, manufactures, and money, introduced luxury; when by this luxury the great lords were impoverifhed, and that money was in the hands of thofe who had been formerly their flaves; it then became of little confequence to the lord, who was the vaffal in the fief; and therefore he gave it to him who was willing to advance molt money 3 U z for |