country. The affembly returned a try anfwer, but ordered his release; and he at length arrived fafely in his own country.

Such was the fate of a minifter, who had paffed through fuch courses of popularity, as, perhaps, have fcarcely been equalled by any foreigner in any country. Yet, fo uncertain is the state of public favour, and fo rapid the decline of popularity, that he now retired to his native country without the fmallest mark of honour, efteem, or regret from that nation, which had in the preceding year, commenced a rebellion againft its fovereign on his account. Whatever Mr. Neckar's political faults or errors might have been as a minifter, he 'offeffed fuch excellent qualities as a man, as must ever entitle him to refpect. His integrity was in both charac. ters beyond doubt or fufpicion; and his strict attention to the difcharge and practice of all the moral duties and virtues was never called in queftion by his enemies. Happy he may now confider that concurrence of circumstances and caufes which obliged him to quit France at fo early and timely a period; and his family may confole themfelves in his prefent existence for that, now, hopclefs property which he left be

hind.

New contefts with the clergy afforded the principal objects of bufinefs in which the national aflembly were engaged for the remainder of the year. Thefe arofe from the various measures adopted, and decrees paffed, for, what was called, the organization of the church. One of thefe was, the rendering every benefice in the kingdom, from a curacy to a bishopric, elective. Another was, the admitting people of

all religions, not excepting Jews, vote at thefe elections. And another was, the totally altering the anciently established extent and limits of diocefes.

The clergy became troublesome upon thefe accounts. They faid that whatever right the nation migh have to feize their revenues, it neither could have any right or pretence to interfere or to make any alteration in the difcipline or fpiritual government of the church; they therefore demanded the convocation of a national council to fettle thefe matters, as they could not poffibly without that determination fubmit to the prefent decrees. As nothing could be more oppofite to the ideas or liking of the national affembly than to admit by a87 means of the calling together fuch an affembly, they were highly incenfed at thefe objections made by the clergy to their decrees, and in that fpirit determined at once to punish their refractoriness, and to cut off the means of all future difputes, by impofing a new oath on them, by which they were bound to obferve and fubmit to the constitu tion as decreed by the affembly, im all cafes whatever.

Vaft numbers of the clergy refufed to take this oath, and among them many who had in the beginning been firmly attached to the commons, and furthered the revo lution by every means in their power.

But fuch aids were not now wanted. Many offered to take the oath if they were allowed, as a falvo, that it did not extend to admit of any fpiritual authority in the affembly; but though that bedy had generally difclaimed all interference in the fpiritual part of religion, yet they would not allow of any referve

in the oath, or admit any explanation of it. All the clergy, without exception or diftinction, who refufed to take the oath, were immediately ejected from their benefices, and others placed in their room; the bishoprics were filled up by curates. The oath being confidered as no less than perjury, being a direct breach of that taken at ordina

tion, it may not be difficult to form Some judgment of the character of thofe men who were now to instruct the people in the duties of reEgion and morality. It afforded a glorious inftance of the integrity of the French clergy, that of 131 bifhops, only three were found fervile enough to betray their confcience and their honour, in ftooping to take the oath for the prefervation of their bishoprics.

This meafure occafioned a fchifm

among the people as well as the elergy; for the more devout and fcrupulous, who were ftill not a few

in the kingdom, refused to acknow ledge thefe new pastors, and particularly to receive the facraments at their hands; which, according to their religious perfuafion, it was the height of prophanation, if not facrilege, for them to adminifter. They were the farther confirmed in this opinion, by the utter disapprobation of the oath which the pope had publicly expreffed. Thus did France produce in an inftant the moft numerous body of nonjuring clergy which ever exifted in any country: and fuch was the defpotifm which prevailed in a republican affembly, that would compel men's perfons, minds, and confciences, to bend in all things, without referve, to its almighty will. Even the more moderate of the democratical writers, regretted and condemn. ed, as a harsh and imprudent mea, fure, the forcing of fuch an oath at once upon minds unprepared to receive it.

CHRONICLE.

ift.

JANUARY.

T

HIS day there was no court either at Windfor or St. James's, as ufual on New Year's day, confequently the Laureat's ode was omitted. The New Year's ode not being performed as ufual, has occafioned much fpeculation-It may not be unacceptable to our readers to give them the following paffage from Mr. Gibbon's laft volume of the Hiftory of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: "The title of Poet Laureat, which custom rather than vanity perpetuates in the English court, was firft invented by the Cafars of Germany. From Auguftus to Louis, the mufe has been too often falfe and venal; but I much doubt whether any age or court can produce a fimilar establishment of a ftipendiary poet, who in every reign, and at all events, is bound to furnifh, twice a year, a measure of praise and verfe, fuch as may be fung in the chapel, and, I believe, in the prefence of the fovereign. I fpeak the more freely, as the best time for abolishing this ridiculous custom is while the prince is a man of virtue, and the poet a man of genius."

The Oxford Canal was this 2d. day opened by the arrival of VOL. XXXII,

upwards of 200 tons of coals, befides corn and other effects. The firft boat entered the bason a few minutes before twelve o'clock, difplaying the union flag, and having on board the band belonging to the Oxfordshire militia.

At a meeting, lately held, of the trustees of John Stock, efq. late of Hampstead, who bequeathed 200% a year to be divided among ten curates of the church of England, whofe incomes did not exceed 40% per ann. thirty-eight petitions were prefented and received from poor curates to partake of this benevo lence, many of whofe ftipends were not more than 251. a year, with which they had to fupport large families.

4th.

The prifoners, convicted at the Admiralty Seffions, were executed at Execution Dock purfuant to their feveral fentences, viz. John Clark and Edward Hob bins, for ftealing off the Land's End a boat, feveral fails, and a wooden compafs, the property of Meff. Hurry and Co.; John Williams and Hugh Wilfon, for a mutiny on board the Gregfon of Liver pool, at Duke's Cove, off the coast of Africa; and Thomas Brett, for ftealing from a Dutch hoy, at Dungenefs Roads, three cafks of geneva, 16 bales, and other merchandize, the property of perfons un[N]

known.

known. They are all ordered to be hung in chains.

The bankrupts in 1788 were 709; in 1752 were 116. These were the moft and leaft numerous fince 1740; in 1789 there were 584.

16th.

The Severn flooded a few days ago higher than has been known for these twenty years. At Shrewsbury and its environs, particularly at the Abbey Forgate, Frankwell, and cotton-mill, there was no paffing without a boat.

On the lakes and high mountainous land of Cumberland and Weftmoreland, there has been fcarcely any fnow, and not any ice two inches thick. The wind and rain have exceeded, as much as the fnow and ice fall fhort of, the ufual proportions. Both are unexampled in the memory of man.

The feffions ended at the

19th. Old Bailey, when fentence of death was paffed upon 13 convicts; one was fentenced to be tranfported for 14 years, 29 to be tranfported for feven years, feven to be imprifoned in Newgate, 18 in Clerkenwell Bridewell, 21 to be publickly whipped, and 16 were delivered by proclamation.

21ft.

As his majefty was going in flate to the houfe of peers, on paffing the corner oppofite Carleton House, in St. James's Park, a ftone was thrown at the coach by a tall man dreffed in a fcarlet coat, black breeches, a ftriped waistcoat, a cocked hat, with an orange-coloured cockade; he was immediately apprehended and taken to Mr. Grenville's office, in the treafury, Whitehall, where he underwent an examination by the attorney general and fir Sampfon Wright, before Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, the duke of Leeds, Earl of Chathara,

&c. which lafted four hours, when he was committed to prifon for further examination. He proves to be the fame person who wrote a libel against his majefty, and fuck it on the whalebone in the courtyard, St. James's, about a fortnight fince, and figned his name John Frith, lieutenant of the fecond battalion of royals. After undergoing feveral other examinations, he was committed to Newgate for trial on a charge of high treafon.

The accounts relative to

the early appearance of 31ft. fpring this year are too numerous to be particularized. Almost every production that the month of April ufually exhibits in the garden, and in the field, were to be feen at the clofe of this month in various parts of the kingdom.

DIED, at Horfeley, county of Derby, at the age of 107, Mrs. Frances Barton. It is faid the well remembered the revolution in 1688, and that the danced at a merry-making on that glorious occafion. Her huťband had been fexton of the parith church 70 years; and this antient pair frequently boafted that she had brought into the world, and he had buried, the parish twice over.

At Miles-court, Bath, aged 79, Mrs. Burr, grand-niece of fir Ifaac Newton, by a daughter of his mother, who married, for her fecond husband, the Rev. Mr. Smith. She had a perfect recollection of that great philofopher, and remembered paffing much time at his houfe in St. Martin's-lane; and that, when a child, he had fpent whole evenings in his ftudy, as he was remarkably fond of children. She remembered, alfo, the ftrength of his fight, his examining old coins, and reading the fmalleft print without fpecta

clés ;

tles; the ftrict œconomy of his expences, with the regularity of his domeftic arrangements, and that he feldom dined without company, with whom he was remarkably pleafant and chearful.

A Portuguese woman, who, fome days before her death, had attained the age of 109.

Lately, at Rome, aged 43, Brother Barnabas, of St. Nicholas, a religious queftor, of the order of the barefooted Auguftines. A great multitude of people vifited the convent where his body was exposed, for four days. A number of miracles are faid to have been performed by him both before and after his

death.

to the king's bench to receive judg ment for two libels of which he had been convicted. He was fentenced for the firft, which was on the prince of Wales and the duke of York (charging their royal highneffes with having fo demeaned themfelves as to incur the juft disapprotion of his majefty) to pay a fine of 100l. and be imprifoned in Newgate one year after the expiration of his prefent confinement;-and for the fecond, which was on the duke of Clarence, he was fined 100%.

The libel against the duke of Clarence afferted that his royal highnefs returned from his ftation without authority from the admiralty or the cominanding officer.

8th.

His royal highnefs the prince of Wales had a state levee, for the first time, at his palace of Carlton-house.

Sir Joshua Reynolds, who has honourably filled for 22 10th. years the chair of the royal acade my, formally notified to the council his refignation as prefident."

A man of the name of Edward Derick, who either is, or affects to be, a maniack, went to St. James's this evening, and defired the marfhalmen to introduce him to his majefty; he was of courfe informed that his request could not be com→ plied with. He then faid, that he had letters of the utmost import→ ance for the queen, and must be admitted. The marfhalmen stopped him; and his behaviour in confequence was fo riotous, that they were under the neceffity of taking him into cuftody. He fays he was born at Caldecot in Cheshire, and that he flept on Tuesday near Rumford in Eflex. He is about 24 years [N2]

of