His father happening to die during his infancy, his maternal uncles took him under their protection, endeavoured to inftruct him in the principles of religion, and gave him an education fuitable to his years and their own fituation: but from his earlieft infancy he is faid to have fhewn himself fo averfe to a virtuous courfe of life, that he would not remain at the feminary of St. Roch, at Palermo, where he had been placed for his inftruction. In a memoir published by himfelf while in England, being defirous to conceal the fecret of his origin beneath an impenetrable veil of myftery, he pretended that he could not fpeak pofitively as to the place of his nativity, nor in regard to the parents from whom he derived his birth. This circumftance gave an ample fcope to the imagination of his followers, fome of whom pretended that he was the offspring of the grand mafter of Malta, by a Turkish lady, taken captive by a galley belonging to that ifland; while others, with equal probability, afferted that he was the only furviving fon of that Prince, who about thirty-five years ago fwayed the precarious fceptre of Trebifond! To infufe into this ftory a greater proportion of the marvellous, it was added, that a revolution taking place, in confequence of which the reigning fovereign was facrificed to the fury of his feditious fubjects, his infant fon was conveyed by a trufty friend to Medina, where the Muffulman Sherif had the generofity to edu-It is recorded, among other things, cate him in the faith of his Christian parents. He himself afferted, that at an age, when he first became confcious of his existence, he found himfelf in the city of Medina, was called Acharat, had a perfon of the name of Altotas for his governor, was attended by two eunuchs, who treated him with the utmost deference and respect, and refided in the house of the Mufti Salaabym. This account, which, it must be acknowledged, has all the air of a romance, could neither fatisfy nor impofe upon the inquifition. The holy fathers accordingly made the ftrictest fearch after the origin of Caglioftro, and at last discovered, that this pretended prince and heir apparent to the kingdom of Trebifond, was the fon of Peter Balfamo and Felicia Braconieri, both of them perfons of mean extraction, and that he was born at Palermo, on the 8th of June, 1743. At thirteen years of age he was fent to a convent at Caltagirone, where he affumed the habit of a novice, and being placed under the tuition of the apothecary, he learned from him the first principles of chemistry and medicine. He did not continue long in this afylum; during his ftay, however, if we are to put implicit confidence in his right reverend biographers, he exhibited for many new fymptoms of a vicious character, that the religious were often under the neceflity of chastifing him. that being employed to read during meals, as is cuftomary in all holy communities, he could never be prevailed upon to recite what appeared in the book before him, but, on the contrary, he would repeat whatever occurred to his own imagination; nay, he has even confeffed, that in reading the matyrology, he used to fubftitute the names of the most famous courtezans of the time, instead of thofe of the female faints!! Having foon after abandoned his convent on account of the rigour of its difcipline, and the fevere mortifications he was exposed to, the friarelect returned to Palermo. There he was frequently feized and imprisoned on account of his conduct, and at length was forced to fly from the place of his nativity, on account of having duped a goldfimith of the name of Morano, cut of about fixty pieces pieces of gold, by taking advantage of his avarice. The exasperated jeweller not only applied to a magiftrate for juftice, but also threatened to revenge his wrongs by means of his ftiletto, and to avoid thefe impending calamities, Caglioftro thought proper to withdraw himself from his vengeance. We shall not follow this celebrated adventurer through the feveral capitals of Europe, nor recapitulate the various deceptions by which he procured immenfe fums of money. His connection with Cardinal de Rohan, and with Madame de la Motte, in the memorable affair of the diamondnecklace purchased in the name of the Queen of France, his two journies to England, and his tricking a quaker, during his refidence in London, out of a fum of money, by the agency of his wife, are all detailed at full length. The fecrets too of his Egyptian mafonry, and his fuccessful impofitions by means of a pretended intercourse with the world of Spirits, are related and commented upon. After committing a multitude of frauds in various kingdoms, and efcaping from the hand of justice in almost every capital of Europe, Caglioftro at length, by uncommon fatality, was arrested in his career, and condemned to death in the only metropolis, perhaps, in which he could not have been convicted of a breach of the moral obligations that connect man with fociety. Having repaired to Rome in 1789, he endeavoured to procure difciples, and even inftituted a lodge of Egyptian mafonry. The papal government, jealous of its authority, and terrified, left this affociation should plot against the fafety of the ecclefiaftical ftate, ordered him to be feized on the evening of the 27th of December, in the fame year, and, after an exact inventory of his Inoveables had been taken and fealed up in his prefence, he was fecretly conveyed to the caftle of St. Angelo. We fhall not enter into the particulars of his trial, but content ourselves with obferving, that it is afferted with uncommon acrimony, that his religion tended towards deifm;' that during twenty-feven years of his life he was never perceived to make the fign of the crofs; and that he was not a diligent oblerver of the precepts of the church, which enjoin the hearing of maís on feftivais, and fafting and abstaining from fiefh meat on certain occafions.' The only crime fairly proved against him was that of being a free mafon: this however is a capital felony within the ecclefiaftical state, by an edict of Clement XII of glorious memory,' confirmed by a buil of the immortal Benedict XIV. Accordingly, Caglioftro being convicted of this deadly fin,' notwithstanding the knowledge and abilities of Signor Gaëtano Bernardini, and Signor Charles Louis Conftantini, the counsel affigned him, he was condemned to death. The procefs was then carried before the general affembly of the holy office, on the 21st of March, 1791, and, according to cuftom, was referred to the Pope on the 7th of April following. We fhall conclude this curious article by a copy of the definitive fentence, which will convey a lafting reproach on the reign of Pius VI. who, under fuch flight presences, detained, tried, and condemned Caglioftro to perpetual imprifonment. Jofeph Balfamo, attainted and convicted of many crimes, and of having incurred the cenfures and penalties pronounced against formal heretics, dogmatifts, herefiarchs, and propagators of magic and fuperftition, has been found guilty and condemned to the cenfures and penalties denounced, as well by the apoftolic laws of Clement XII. and of Benedict XIV. against those who in any man. ner whatever favour or form focieties. and and conventicles of free mafons, as by the edict of the council of ftate, again ft those who are guilty of this crime at Rome, or any other place under the dominion of the Pope. Notwithstanding this, by way of Special grace and favour, this crime, the expiation of which demands the delivery of the culprit over to the fecular arm, to be by it punished with death, is hereby changed, and commuted into perpetual imprisonment, in a fortrefs, where the culprit is to be ftrictly guarded, without any hope of pardon whatever. And afrer he fhall have made abjuration of his offences, as a formal heretic, in the place of bis imprisonment, he fhall be abfolved from ecclefiaftical cenfures; and certain falutary penance is to be prefcribed to him, to which he is hereby ordered to fubmit. The manufcript book, entitled, Egyptian Mafonry,' is hereby folemnly condemned, as containing rites, propofitions, a doctrine and a fyftem, which open a road to fedition, as tending to deftroy the Chriftian religion, and as being fuperftitious, impious, heretical, and abounding in blafphemy: this book fhall therefore be burnt by the hand of the executioner; and alfo the other books, fymbols, &c. &c. appertaining and belonging to that feet. By a new apoftolic law, we fhall confirm and renew not only the laws of the preceding pontiffs, but alfo the edict of the council of itate, which prohibits the focieties and conventicles of free mafons, making particular mention of the Egyptian fect, and of another vulgarly called the Illuminated; and we fhall enact the moft grievous corporal punifhments, and principally thofe provided for heretics, against whofoever fhall affo-ciate, hold communication with, or protect thofe focieties.' The BENEFICENT JUDGES. An Anecdote. N unfortunate artizan, of the the fum due to the creditor. The A city of Roten, having been unhappy debtor, being fummoned arrested for debt, was conducted before the Chamber of Commerce. The Judges demanding what he had to alledge in his defence; the poor man answered, with an affecting frankness, that he could fay nothing. "My wife," faid he, "is infirm, and has long kept her bed. I have the fole care of four children, and the diftreffes of my family have torn my arms from my body!" [His very expreffions.]-He is defired to withdraw. His Judges, who were huniane as well as equitable, had heard his cafe with compaffion: they paid into Court again, is informed that his debt is paid. He throws himself at the feet of his benefactors-but tears only can exprefs his gratitude. Nor could the Judges themselves refrain from tears at this affecting scene. They give additional proofs of their goodness; in a word, they make a whole family happy.-And with what fatisfaction are we enabled to give the names of these benevolent, thefe excellent men: they are Meffieurs Prével, fenior, Gorlier, Taillet, and Bournifien. ANECDOTE. A Gentleman hearing of the death of another, I thought,' faid he to a perfon in company, you told me that his fever was gone off?' Oh yes,' replied the latter, I did fo; but forgot to mention that he was GONE OFF along with it!" MAGALHANES's MAGALHANES's VOYAGE in the SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN. TH [Continued from page 294, and concluded.] HEY left the bay of St. Julian the 24th of Auguft, and went to the river Sta. Cruz, difcovered by Juan Serrano, where they continued September and October. Fray Gafpar fays, having wooded and watered at Sta. Cruz, they failed from thence in the end of October, and kept coafting to the fouthward with much trouble, on account of the bad weather, till they came to Cape Virgins, fo named by Magalhanes, because it was difcovered on St. Urfula's day.' Herrera relates, that on difcovering this Cape, Magalhanes fent two fhips apart to reconnoitre, with orders to return within five days: they returned; thofe of one fhip faid they had found nothing but fome inlets of fhoal water, with very high breakers. Thofe of the other faid it was a frait; for that they had gone up it three days without difcovering an end, and the farther they went up the fea ftill followed them, they conftantly founded, fometimes they had no ground; and because it appeared to them the floods were greater than the ebbs, it was impoffible that this arm of the fea, or firait, did not proceed farther on. Magalhanes hearing the relation of the two fhips, having gone about a league in the ftrait, ordered to Enchor, and that a fquif with ten men fhould go afhore, to fee what twas to be found there; and at one third of a league they found a houfe, wherein were about 200 graves of the Indians, for it is cuftomary with them in fpring, to come down to the fea coaft, and inter there those who die, and in winter they go inland. Returning, they faw a very large dead whale clofe to the fhore, and many other bones of them, from VOL. III. No. 6. whence they judged this country fubject to great storms. On the 28th of October, in this place, being to W. of Cape St. Severin three leagues, they obferved the fun's altitude 53 deg. 30 min. declination 16 deg. 26 min. Z. D. 37 deg. 4 min. lat. 52 deg. 56 min. S. Wherefore, as Magalhanes now found himself in the beginning of November, and that the nights were not more than five hours, and that the strait, or arm of the fea, which he had difcovered, ran from E. to W. judging it was what he fought, he was folicitous to reconnoitre it again, and for this fent the St. Antonio. Although they went fifty leagues they could find no end, and judging it was a frait passing into the South Sea, they returned. The gencral and every one received much content from this news. Magalhanes fummoned the captains, pilots, and chief people of the armada to council; he ordered an examination to be made of the provifions they had, for he now looked on the paffage to the Malucos fecure as it was found that each fhip had three months provifions, it was the general opinion, every body being in good fpirits, that it was right to go on, and fulfil the purpose they were engaged on, fince it would not be well to return fruitless to Spain. Estevan Gomez, pilot of the St. Antonio, replied, that fince they had found the ftrait to pafs to the Malucos they should return to Spain, to carry another fquadron, for that they had a great fea to pafs; and that if they met with a few days calms or tempefts all would perish. Magalhanes, with a very compofed countenance, faid, That if even B be be thought they could is reduced to the neceffity of eating the hides which were on the yards, he would go on to difcover what he had pronijed the emperor, for he trufied God would affift them, and bring them to a good conclufion.' He ordered throughout the fhips that no one, on pain of death, fhould fpeak of the voyage, or of the provisions, for he intended failing next morning, and that the fhips fhould be got ready. In this he fhewed much prudence and conftancy, for with the opinion of Erevan Gomez, who was held a great mariner, the people fhewed a difpofition of changing. vember he failed into the Great South Sea, giving infinite thanks to God, that he had permitted him to find what was fo much defired; and that he was the firft who had found the paffage fo much fought after. Whereby the memory of this excellent captain fhall be eternally celebrated.' Barros fays, Magalhanes feeing the fhip St. Antonio was gone, and in it Alvaro de Mesquita, and fome Portuguese, and that he was only fupported by captain Barbofa, and a few others, for the rest of the Spaniards were difgutted with him for the great hard fhips they had fuffered, he was fo perplexed that he did not know what to determine. In juftification of himself, he wrote two orders of the fame tenor, and fent them to the two fhips, not chufing that the chief people fhould come to him, left, when they were all collected together, fome difpute should arife, on his not confenting to their defires.' Barros adds that Andres de St. Martin entered in a book the order to the hip in which Barbofa was, and the reply to it, that he might always be able to give an account of himielf; after his death at the Malucos, this book, and fome of his papers, came into my hands, and, as not foreign to this hiftory, both the order and reply of Andres de St. Martin are here tranflated, to fhew not by our but their own words, in what condition they then were, and what track Magalhanes had contrived to go, by our discovery, if he had failed in his oven attempt. The following are the very words and expreffions of the writing entered by St. Martin, without altering a letter. They obferved the land here was very ragged and cold; and becaufe they law in the night many fires, it was named Terra del Fuego. Farther on finding that there was another branch of the fea, Magalhanes ordered the St. Antonio to go, and difcover if they could by it get to fea, and that they fhould return in three days. The fhip went; the general failed on with the others one day, and anchored to wait for the St. Antonio; and in fix days, which he ftaid, he made a great fishing of fardinas and fabalos, and alfo took in wood and water; the foriner fo odoriferous, that when they burnt it, it was very refreshing. Af ter fix days he fent the Vitoria in queft of the St. Antonio, and becaute they did not appear in three days, he went with all three flips in queft of them; although Andres de . Martin told him, that he should at lofe time, for be underflood that flip was returned to Spain; notwithtanding this, he went in queft of it fix days, and was much concerned at the want of provifions this cccaGioned He proceeded on his voyage; and it pleafed God, that at the end of twenty days, that they navigated by that trait, on the 27th No-bofa, captain of the fhip Vitoria, I Ferdinand Magalhanes, knight of the order of St. Jago, captaingeneral of the armada which his Majesty fent to discover fpices, &c. make known to you Edward Bar ⚫ and |