He that to battle fober goes, Will dimly fhine in future story; As wine the heart of man can cheer, Make others shake when he gets mellow. This world 's a wondrous work, and fine, 'T was wife though not to bid the tide FREEDOM OF SPEECH. [From the Gazetteer.] THROUGH the channel of your paper permit me to pour forth the effufious of my joy, on my happy return to my native country, after a very tedious peregrination, and woful fufferings, the confequence of an unfortunate laxity of fpeech, which makes me inconfiderately exprefs every idea that rifes in my mind. Being in Ruffia at the acceffion of the prefent Czarina, I very imprudently took it into my head to investigate her title to the Imperial crown, and the means by which the afcended the throne. The Czarina hearing of it, fent an officer to me, who told me, in French, that his mistress, understanding that I was a traveller of great penetration, had graciously determined to fend me to Siberia, where I F 4 might might make obfervations upon the foil and climate, free of expenfe. I remained there till towards the clofe of her firft war with the Turks, when I was sent to join the army that was befieging Adrianople. Making my efcape from thence, I reached the capital of the Ottoman empire, at a time when the Muffulmen were going in folemn proceffiou to call down bleffings from Heaven upon their arms, and were killing a Jew and an als at every place where they made a halt. Though I had almoft forgot the ufe of my tongue in Siberia, I could not help faying that the murdering of Jews was an odd way of thewing their refpect for the great prophet Mofes, whom all Mahometans pretend to revere; and that if they thought to gain victories by killing affes, they were affes themfelves. I was overheard, and carried before the Cadi, who liftened attentively to the depofition againft me: Allah is merciful," faid he; give the Chriftian dog three hundred blows on the foles of his feet, and fend him to the gallies." I had not been long there, when, in the only battle fought by the Pope's gallies in the prefent century, it was my good fortune to be taken by the Capitana, and carried into Civita Vecchia. } From Civita Vecchia I went to Rome, where I was afked by a Signor Abbate, if it was not my intention to kifs the Pope's toc. "If," faid I, "the Pope imitated him whofe Vicar he is upon earth, he ought rather to wath my feet, than expect me to kifs his. The Prieft being an informer, accufed me to the Holy Office, who fent a Captain of the Guards to arreft me. As the fcirocco was blowing, the Captain came in fanning himself; and after fuffering me to treat him with ices, explained the nature of his bufinefs, and This is actually the practice of the Turks, when they meet with any fignal military misfortunes. carried carried me to the Castle of St. Angelo, in the name of the fantiffimo Padre. At the Jubilee in 1775, a general and plenary indulgence for their fins was granted to all Catholics, and a general remiffion of their punishment to all prifoners; fo that I once more obtained my liberty. But I did not preferve it long; for going to Venice, I could not help expreffing my horror at the letter-boxes fuck in the walls of the Doge's palace, to receive denunzie fegrete against fuch as fpoke of ftate-affairs. I alfo ventured to hint at fome improvements in the Venetian government, which would be equally beneficial to the fenators and people. It was Carnival time; and as the Sbirro, who came to take me into custody, was dreffed in a black domino, and had a vizor mask upon his elbow, I took it for a mafquerade frolic. I foon found it, however, more ferious than I fuppofed, and was detained ten years in prifon. At the end of that period, a Senator waited upon me, and told me, with great politenefs, that my feclufion from fociety did not proceed from any fears entertained by the Senate, who governed the people for their own good; but that it was a little falutary admonition they were accustomed to give to foreigners, by way of rendering them more cautious in countries where iniprudences of the like nature were looked upon in a more ferious light. From Venice I went to Spain; where I had fcarcely been two days, before I found myself fnugly lodged in the prifon of the Inquifition. Soon after an old Monk afked me, in the most affectionate manner, if I could not guess at the caufe of my confinement? but, as I hope to be faved, I am fo great a reprobate, that I could not divine for which of my profane jokes I was laid in limbo, till, being put upon the rack, I recollected that I had called the Recollet friars, who have no beards, but wear the fame habit as the Capuchin Monks, the females of that fpecies of animal. This reminifcence faved me from further torments; and it pleased God to let me get out of their hands, with no injury but the diflocation of my wrifts and ancles, and a little flagellation, by way of penance. I will not tell you how I was put into the Baftile by the old Government of France; nor how I found my way into one of the King's Caftles in Pruffia: thefe are accidents of an ordinary kind; but I muft again exprefs the joy I feel at being in a free country, where a man, who, like me, fays every thing he thinks, is in fafety. Here we are in no danger of imprisonment, pillory, or transportation, for delivering our opinions; here a man may fay which kind of government he thinks the beft, without referve. Here are no fpies, no informers; nor, if they were, would they be liftened to. Here a man may indulge his paffion for liberty over a bottle. Here we are not obliged to whisper our opinions in coffee-houses, or look behind us in the public walks.-Here we are in no danger of illegal commitments, by Juftices of the Peace,Here a few unguarded and unmeaning words,: fpoken in fmall companies, are not tortured into fedition, which means an open attempt to ftir up the people to acts of violence against Government. Here no Judge endeavours to influence the jury; gives a ftrained interpretation to the law, or inflicts exceffive punishments. Here there are no abufes; or, if there are, they are immediately reformed.-Here no attempts are made to delude the people, because our Governors confult the general intereft of the community alone. -No; the privileges of free Britons, which we have enjoyed fo long, we ftill enjoy in the fullest extent, and live in the utmost happiness and harmony. What a pleasure is this for a COSMOPOLITE * ! *This letter appeared foon after the establishment of Mr. Reeves's inquifition, and about the time of Mr. Froft's imprisonment, the fentences of the Scotch Judges, and many extraordinary commitments for fuppofed feditious words. IMITATIONS ΤΗ IMITATIONS OF HORACE. CARM. LIB. I. ODE XIV. TRANSLATED. THE ARGUMENT. HE Poet makes a voyage to Britain, in pursuance of his promife-lib. III. Ode iv. lin. 33."Vifam Britannos hofpitibus feros"-" I will: vifit the Britons, inhofpitable to ftrangers.' The veffel in which he failed was called the Britannia, whether from the place of its deftination, or from the circumftance of being built of British wood, I cannot determine; but, I believe, for both reafons. After a tedious voyage, at laft he arrived fafe at Portfmouth. -The fhip was grievously shattered; but the Captain determined to go out again immediately, before the was well refitted, and while the weather was very unpromifing. Several of the crew were heard to mutter, in confequence of this proceeding; upon which the Captain, by advice of the pilot, put them in irons.-But the most curious incident was (if we may believe Quintilian), that Horace was indicted for a libel, as if, under the allegory of a fhip, he had intended to paint the dangers and diftreffes of the commonwealth -Whoever perufes my verfion, will fee how groundlefs and abfurd this accufation was-The reader need only keep in mind, that the Poet, more fafe at fhore, makes this pathetic addrefs to the veffel, in which his life and fortunes were fo lately rifked TO THE GOOD SHIP BRITANNIA. BRITANNIA, while fresh ftorms are brewing, Put back to harbour, might and main,. Nor venture out to fea again: Your |