fand people in a town, as ten thousand fpread over the country? By no means. The agriculture of the kingdom wanting encouragement fo greatly, was attended with those effects, which the Duke of Sully, had he lived in Colbert's Ter 1 time, would have predicted. Those refources which the latter minister depended fo much upon, proved in a good meaføre delufive; and France, while fo bufily employed in the manufacture of trinkets, gewgaws, and fuperfluities of all kinds, became dependent on her neighbours for bread; and during the course of many years, expended almost as much for corn, as the received for manufactures. So great was her distress, in this respect, that Lewis XIV. more than once recruited his armies, by providing them with bread, and taking no care of fupplying the people in general. Nor were the refources of revenue lefs precarious than those of men: the numerous manufactores had not diffused those truly fubftantial riches which refult from a vigorous cultivation of the foil; they refted in the undertakers and monopolizers of expenfive works ;-great fortunes were acquired; —a vaft inequality among the people became vifible;-thofe branches of luxury which are beyond all doubt pernicious, were encouraged;—and thus the acquifition of riches, in numerous inftances, was of no advantage to the increase of national industry and wealth; all of which circumstances are totally different with the acquifitions made by agriculture, create. Is that fo great among ten thou- who owned, eum cum ipfa rem habuisse, ut alii mariti folent; et ufque ad 12 annos retroactos folitum cum ea congreffum frequentafe. Further, that he had a large breast; lungs not fungous, but sticking to his ribs, and diftended with much blood; a lividnefs in his face, as he had a difficulty of breathing a little be fore his death, and a long lasting warmth in his arm-pits and breaft after it, which fign, together with others, were fo evident, in his body, as they ufe to be on those that die by fuffocation. His heart was great, thick, fibrous, and fat. The blood in the heart blackish and diluted. The cartilages of the sternum not more bony than in others, but flexile and foft. His vifcera were found and strong, especially the ftomach; and it was obferved of him, that he used to eat often by night and day, though contented with old cheese, milk, coarfe bread, fmall beer, and whey; and, which is more remarkable, that he did eat at midnight, a little before he died. His kidneys covered with fat, and pretty found; only on the interior furface of them were found fome aqueous or ferous abfceffes, whereof one was near the bignefs of a hen egg, with a yellowith water in it, having made a roundifh cavity, impressed on that kid. ney: whence fome thought it came, that a little before his death a fuppreffion of urine had befallen him; though others were of opinion, that his urine was fuppreffed upon the regurgitation of all the ferofity into his lungs. Not the least appearance there was of any ftony matter, either in the kidneys or bladder. His without. His fpleen very little, hardly bowels were also found, a little whitish equalling the bigness of one kidney. In fhort, all his inward parts appeared fo healthy, that if he had not changed his diet and air, he might perhaps have lived a good while longer. An account of Old Thomas Parre, and of the diffection of his body after his death. From a manuscript of the famous Dr Har. vey, who discovered the circulation of the blood. THOMAS PARRE was a poor countryman of Shropefhire; whence he was brought up to London by Thomas Earl of Arundel and Surrey, and died after he had outlived nine princes, in the tenth year of the tenth of them, at the age of 152 years and 9 months. Being opened after his death (ann. 1635. Nov. 16.) his body was found very felby, his breaft hairy, his genitals unimpaired, ferving not a little to confirm the report of his having undergone public cenfures for his incontinency; efpecially feeing that after that time, diz. at the age of 120 years, he married a widow, The caufe of his death was imputed chiefly to the change of food and air; for as much as coming out of a clear, thin, and free air, he came into the thick air of London; and after a constant, plain, and homely country-diet, he was taken into a fplendid family, where he fed high, and drank plentifully of the beft wines, whereupon the natural functions of the parts of his body were over. charged, his lungs obftructed, and the habit of the whole body quite difordered; upon which there could not but ensue a diffolution. His brain was found, entire, and firm: and though he bad not the use of his eyes, nor much of his memory, feveral years before he died, yet he had his hearing and apprehenfion very well, and was able, even to the hundred and thirtieth year of his age, to do any husbandman's work, even threshing of corn. An account of the_new-invented DEN- THis ingenious and useful inftrument (which tends to reduce the fcience of Plane Trigonometry to an easy mechanical operation) derives its principles chiefly from the 2d, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 33d propofitions of the 6th book of Euclid. It is conftructed to measure, by inspection only, the length and diameter of any ftanding tree, or bough thereof, with much greater accuracy than heretofore; and thence by the help of tables (annexed to a treatise of its ufes lately published) to give the certain quantity of timber, either in round or fquare meafure, without calculation, or the use of the fliding rule. By this means a criterion is, at length, fixed between the buyer and fel Jer of an article, which is becoming every day more and more valuable; as either party has it now in his power to prevent error, and to detect impofition. But although the true measurement of ftanding trees, by a procefs fo extremely fhort and familiar, is no incoufiderable acquifition; yet we perceive, that this inftrument, when fitted to a theodolite, is applicable to more extenfive and important purposes; viz. For the practical measurement of the heights and distances of objects, acceflible or inacceffible, whether fituated in planes parallel or oblique, to the plane in which the inftrument is placed; for the taking of all angles, whether vertical, horizontal, or oblique. in any pofition of the planes in which they are formed; whereby the tides and angles of all plane triangles, right-angled or oblique, are determined upon the inftrument, from the ufual data, without any trigonometrical computations; and that, whether level to the line of flation, elevated above, or depreffed below the fame, acceffible or inacceflible, upon their own planes, and alfo upon the plane of the horizon. From hence, we apprehend, it will be found very useful in fieldoperations, particularly in the practice of engineering and land-furveying. For by the method of applying the altimeter, ele vation-index, and other moveable parts o the inftrument, the measure of the re quired fides and angles (right or oblique is determined to fufficient exactnefs with out any computation, or the ufe of tables hitherto neceflary to affift the theodolite and all other graduated inftruments. I it will be found of fingular ufe, as no the practice of engineering, we conceive only the distance from any fortification but also, from any vifible part or projec tion thereof, together with the fituation of the plane and place (with respect to the fortification) whereon a battery i proper to be raised, may all be readily obtained, without being under the ne cellity, according to the present mode of practice, of advancing upon the spot, or of approaching too near the enemy's fire. Then its usefulness in land furveying, efpecially on hilly ground, is clearly evi dent; as we obferve, that the perpendicular rife or fall of the land, the hypothenufe, and base-line (neceffary for protraction) are determined at once, upon the inftrument, without calculation, and confequently without the risk of error. In fhort, as it appears, that, by this in vention, new and very extraordinary ac quifitions in fcience are obtained, the measurement of standing trees rendered certain and familiar, the practical o perations of engineering, and land-furvey ing, &c. greatly facilitated, we fincerely with the DENDROMETER may meet with fuccefs equal to its merit and importance. Reference to the Plate. A. The femicircle. B. The diame ter. C. The altimeter. D. The chord. E. The radius. F. The elevation-index. G. The fmall femicircle on the altimeter. H. Stays to the altimeter. I. The fcrew to draw the radius backward and forward. K. The ftay by which it is confined to the fpring: focket. L. The plummet. M. The flock of the fliding piece. N. The axis. O. The key to move the forew of the radius. P. The fliding-piece. Q. The moveable limb of the fliding piece. R. The horizontal in dex, on which the telescope is fixed. S. Small circular arches to confine the moveable limb of the fliding-piece and the horizontal index in any pofition, &c. T. The fmall quadrant on the horizontal index. Gent. Mog. January 1769. rogance of my will; that is, in other words, every affectionate anxiety which he man fefted for the advancement of my felicity. The hand, the upright hand of Heaven, however, has justly punifhed my ingratitude, and the very difobedience in which I triumphed, is now, by the wife difpenfation of Providence, a rod of fcorpions to itself. If I can, Sir, I shall pursue my unfortunate ftory: yet the recollec SIR, IT is a common obfervation, but a very just one, that children do not know the duty which is owing to their parents, till they come to have a progeny of their own. Then indeed the numberlels hours of folicitude which they experience for the happiness of their little ones, awake them into the full fenfibility of a filial affection, if they are not wholly callous to the fineft feelings of humanity; and they learn a just knowledge of the obligations_tion of my guilt almost stings me into they lie under to the authors of their being, by the reverence and love which they expect from thofe on whom they have conferred the bleifing of existence themselves. I myself, Sir, am a melancholy proof of the foregoing observation. -My father, Sir, is a man of family and fortune, who, though he had feveral other children, equally intitled to his attention, yet treated me with such an extraordinary fhare of affection, that I was generally distinguished by the name of the favourite. Tais diftinction, however, instead of giving me a laudable ambition of deferving the parental partiality, filled me only with a fhameful inclination to abuse it; the continual indulgence which should excite my gratitude, ferved entirely to fwell my pride; and the favours which I ought to have received with the deepest respect, I looked upon as fo many actual debts to my fuperior accomplishments. Nay, Sir, I frequently thought my father much obliged to me, when I condefcended to accept a token of his tendernefs; and resented as an abfolute indignity to my merit any neceffary document which he gave on the glaring improprieties of my behaviour. Volatile and vain, my regards were folely centered in myself, and I imagined bim either unnatural or kind, as he confulted the gratification of my wifhes. Yet though I expected he would upon all eccafions comply with the particular turn of my temper, I never recollected that any thing was due to his peace; I never remembered that his happiness materially depended upon my prudence, nor confidered how cruelly an act of disobedience must stab him to the heart: on the contrary, Sir, to my everlasting disgrace be it mentioned, I always wanted his repofe facrificed to my own humour, and even found an exquifite pleasure, in revenging on the good, the venerable man, every oppofition which he had made to the arVOL. XXXI. madness; and I even bluth to ask compaffion from the world, where I am confcious fo little pity is due to my tears. Indulged as I was by the goodness thus abused, Sir, and poffeffed of a perfon, perhaps, paffable enough, it may be eafiiy fuppofed, that when I approached to maturity, I received fome flittering addrefles from your fex, especially as I had pretenfions to a genteel fortune. My poor father, indeed, was extremely defirous of feeing me fettled in the world, and recommended a gentleman to my at tention, who was every way qualified to make me happy, if I had entertained any rational ideas of happiness. But the very argument which fhould have reconciled me to this offer, I mean the recommen dation of a parent, materially determi ned me against it. I could not bear the thought of being governed: my lover was, befides, a man wholly without spirit, that is, without either the fathionable follies, or the fafhionable vices of the age; and there was no enduring the lifeless morality of fuch a character: he was, therefore, fpeedily difmiffed; and my father prefuming to be offended at my folly, I complied with the preffing folicitations of a young captain of dragoons, who had newly inrolled himself among the number of my admirers, and fpiritedly accompanied him on a matrimonial tour to Scotland, without ever asking a fingle question relative to his circumstances or his family. Oh! ye amiable, ye now fmiling daughters of Profperity, who enjoy the bleflings of a paternal protection, learn from my wretched fate to fet a juft eftimation on the tenderness of a father: do not think dilobedience a proof of good fenfe, nor imagine it a mark of heroifm to be unnatural. Unacquainted with the ways of the world, you require instruction from the wife, and none can be fo faithful a monitor, as he who is moft deeply interefted in your happiness. Had I preOpinels. dently dently followed the leflon which fatal experience enables me to inculcate, how many days of anguifh had I avoided! But recollection now only ferves to harrow up my bosom, and the mifery which must mark the remnant of my life, is for ever to be aggravated with the confcioufnels of its being justly merited. For fome time after my marriage, Sir, I expected every day to receive an overture of reconciliation from my father, and my pride began to be severely mortified at the bare imagination that it was poflible for him to caft me wholly off from his affection. But this pride was ftill more mortified when my husband informed me, that he had lost a large fum of money at play, and that, unless my family immediately did fome very handfome things for me, he must not only be under an indifpenfable neceffity of felling his commitlion, but muft eternally bid adieu to his country. Thunder-ftruck at this information, I felt all the guilt of my late mifconduct with the keenest fenfibility. - Nav, my very vanity upplied the place of virtue; and pointed out the meanness of applying only in the hour of diftrefs, and even then of applying merely for relief, to the father whom I had fo infamouflv delerted, for an acquaintance of a month. However, the application was unavoidable: my huf band's difficulties, if removed, were to be removed inftantly. I therefore fat down blushing with flame, yet trembling with apprehenfion, and wrote a penitential letter to my father, acknowledging my faults, fetting forth my diftreffes, and conjuring him, by all he held most dear, to take pity on my wretched fituation. This letter I difpatched by a footman; who returned in a little time with the excruciating answer, that my father had folemnly determined never to hold the leaft intercourse with an unnatural wretch who had deftroyed his everlafting peace of mind, and brought an indelible ftain upon his houfe, by marrying a de1picable gambler. Dreadful as this reply appeared to me, the information it contained, with regard to my husband's character, was the most infupportable part of it. I always looked upon him to be a gentleman at leaft; though imprudently married, I did not fancy myself married difhonourably. But my father's opinion of my choice was unhappily too juflly founded; and when the contemp tible fellow, in whofe hands I had placed the whole happiness of my life, difcovered that my expectations of a fortune were entirely at an end, he quitted the kingdom, and the first intelligence I received of his flight, came from a man to whom he had fold, not only the furni ture of his house, but all the little ornaments I carried with me from home, even to the gown in which I was then dreffed.; leaving me but two guineas, to enter upon an inhofpitable world, and to fupport a hple's poor infant, who was as cruelly delerted as its unfortunate mother. To whom, or what, or how could I complain? In the first moments of my diftraction, nothing but the agonizing fondnefs which I felt for my unhapov little boy, prevented me from fome act of deferation on my own perfon. When I confidered the miferable state to which I had reduced myself, my mind was burried into madness; but when I law my sweet innocent and recollected his life immediately depended upon mine, mp defpair was melted into anguilh, and found relief in a plentiful flood of tears. With the two guineas already mentioned, and a few finall fums which I have borrowed from the friends who still condefcended to own me, I have made a fhift, Sir, to fubfift for a twelvemonth, which has now juft elapfed fince the flight of my barbarous husband. But, alas! Sir, these refources now begin to fail me. People induftrioufly feek caufes to avoid an intercourfe with the wretched, and I who once thought it difgraceful even to make conceffions to a father, am now obliged to fupplicate the compaffion of ftrangers for a precarious bit of bread. What will become of me, Heaven only knows! unless I am speedily affifted. My beautiful prattler lies at this moment dangerously ill of a fever, and must inevitably perifh for neceffaries, if the miniftering angel of Providence does not quickly ftretch forth fome blessed hand to his relief. To my father I dare not look up for pitv.. - Yet, venerable author of my being! if you could conceive but the finallet idea of what your abandoned Maria feels for her difabedience, if you could but know the pangs which tear her bofom, while fhe thus relates her in gratitude to you, and weeps upon the melancholy cradle of her expiring infant, your generous heart would be struck at her her afflictions, and your humanity would be interested for the fellow-creature, though your juftice might prevent you from looking with tenderness upon the daughter 10 then, with mercy, hear her prayer:-fhe does not prefume to addrels your fondness as a father, but your charity as a man-fave her dying little one-and the afks no compaflion for berfelf-fnatch him from the grave, and give her to death without reluctance : he is called after yourself, and may yet live to make some atonement for his mother's crime. — No ! — 'tis too late; be is now in his last agonies; and all will be ipeedily over with MARIA MORTIMER. IMPORTANT EAST-INDIA AFFAIRS. THE following propofals, made by a majority of the directors of the EaftIndia company to the Lords of the Treafury, and their Lordships answer thereto, have been tranfmitted to us by one of our correfpondents, who took them down in fhort hand whilst the clerk of the compaBy was reading them to the proprietors, at the Eaft-India court, Dec. 21; and as they were ordered to be read a fecond time, he had an opportunity of correcting fome few mistakes he had made. Upon the whale, he says, we may venture to give them to the public as being nearly accurate copies. Pr. 1. To 3. To prolong the charter five years. 4. The public to receive, or allow in payment, what may be due to the company for the expences incurred by then in the reduction of Manilla. 5. The company to be impowered to raile 500,000l. on bond. A. My Lords are of opinion, that the matters contained in the 3d, 4th, and 5th articles, are so totally feparate and diftin&t from the confideration of the territorial acquifitions lately obtained in India, that their Lordships cannot approve of their being mixed with, or making any part of, a propofal to be offered to parliament for a further agreement refpecting faid acquifitions and revenues; but Lords are nevertheless willing to direct, that the demand of the 4th article be inquired into, and liquidated, in order that if, upon inquiry, it thall appear the company have anv just claim on the public, they may receive fatisfaction on that account. my 6. Whatever furplus fhall remain after the difcharge of the company's fimple-contract debts bearing intereft, and the reduction of their bond-debt to the fum that fhall be due from the public to the company, faid furplus fhall be lent to the public at two per cent. per ann. A. My Lords approve of the general plan of the 6th article; but do not think themfelves fufficiently informed to give a full and complete opinion on the terms of this propofition, till the court of directors fhall have laid before their Lordships the amount of the fimple-contract debts of the company bearing intereft, and of the excels of their bonds above what is due from the public to the company. 7. In cafe of a war in Europe, if the company fhall be obliged to lower their dividends, the public to abate in proportion froin the fun of 400,000 1. above of fered. NUMBER I. Propofitions from the Court of Directors for an agreement with the Public; and Board of Treafury's answer thereto. то continue 400,000l. a-year to the public for five years. 2. The company to be at liberty to increafe their dividend to twelve one half per cent, during the faid term, but not to exceed one per cent. in any one year. Af My Lords would not have thought My Lords are further of opinion, that thenicives juftified in confenting to re- in cale there is an agreement between commend the 1st and 2d articles of the the public and the company, the company directors propofals to the confideration of ought to be obliged by exprefs covenant to parliament, if any fum lefs than 400,000l. export every year, during the continupann, had been offered to be paid to the ance of fuch agreement, goods and mer Fablic during the term of the agreement, chandife of the growth or manufacture if the liberty to increafe their dividend of G. Britain of the like value, and of to twelve one half per cent. had not the like amount, as fhall appear to have been propofed to be fo regulated and been exported annually on an average reftricted, as that this increase fhould five years preceding fuch agreement. not exceed one per cent. in any one A. My Lords see no objection to the 7th article. year, C 2 NUM |