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1788.

Epiftle, confifting entirely of Monofyllables.

other of 32 guns. Thefe were built under his particular direction, by Mr. G. Louch, and a few black carpenters at Bengal, at his own expence, and have proved the fwifteft failors of any fhips hitherto known.

The Colonel's genius was formed for great
undertakings. He was judicious in planning,
cool and intrepid in action, and undifmayed
in danger. He studied mankind, and was a
good politician. Few, perhaps, better un
derftood the interests of the several nations of
Europe and the Eaft. He was humane, be
nevolent, and the friend of indigent genius.
His friendship and generolity towards Simp-
fon's widow is well known. And when Mr.
Rollinfon, a man of great abilities, as a ma-.
thematician, conducted the Ladies Diary,
after the death of Mr. Simpfon, and was
barely fubfifting on the pittance allowed him
by the Stationers Company, the Colone!
fought and found him in an obfcure lodging,
and generoufly relieved his neceffities, though
a firanger to his perfon. This the old man
related, while the tears of gratitude ftole
down his checks. He furvived the Colonel's
bounty but a fhort time.

By long and hard fervice in an unfavoura-
ble climate, he found his health much im-
paired, two or three years before he left In-
dia; and therefore, in 1785, he put his af-
fairs in a train of fettlement, in order to re-
turn to England, not only to try the effects
of his native air, but to profecute the Eaft-
India Company, for not fupporting the faith
of the grant they had folemnly made to him
for the dock-yard. In the fpring of 1786,
he embarked on board the Deptford India-
man; but the flux, and a bilious complaint
with which he had fometimes been afflicted,
fo much reduced him by the time he reached
St. Helena, that he was not able to profe-
eute his voyage in that hip. This ifland is
remarkable for the falubrity of its air, of
which the Colonel foon found the benefit;
but the importunity of his friends, or his own
impatience to fe England, got the better of
his prudence, for as foon as he began to ga
ther ftrength, he took his paffage into Affa;
the confequence was a relapfe, which weak
ened him to fuch a degree by the time he
arrived at Dover, that he lingered but a short
time, and at that place departed this life on
September 17, 1786.

He was buried in a vault made in the body
of the church at Dover, on the 22d of the
fame month, in a private manner; only three
of his confidential friends attended the fune
tal, namely, John Barchard, Efq. his agent,
Mr. James Creaffy, and Mr. George Louch,
Fais fhip-builder.

It is to be hoped that the Colonel's plan Fill ftill be carried into execution; but it is uch to be regretted that he was not permit red to finish it himself; his knowledge of the

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country, joined to his great skiff, in a little
time must have laid the foundation for a fu-
periority of the British arms in the East; and
onal lofs. No English engineer, fince Mr.
therefore his death may be accounted a nati-
Benjamin Robins, F. R. S. poffeffed equal
abilities. The fame climate proved fatal to
both; Mr. Robins died at Madras, in the
Company's fervice; and it may be faid of
the Colonel, that after he had quitted it, he
lived but just long enough to bring his bones-
to England.

A Letter from a Gentleman in London to his
Friend at Cambridge, in Aufwer to an eta-
borate Epiftle full of fefquipedalia verba.
[Confiling intirely of Minojyllables.]"
Dear Hay,

joy your thoughts fquare with mine; YOUR laft long sheet gave me no finall but your long, fix foot words, are by no means to my tafte. For my part, I hate long word when a thort one will ferve my turn.

You prefs me to tell you what I think of the Night Thoughts of Young. I have read them with care fince your sheet came to my hands, and will make hafte to let you know how they ftrike me.

Here and there a line comes in my way fo dark, that I am quite at a fault.-What can you make of there lines?

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"If a God bleeds, he bleeds not for a
Night 4-
worm.'
"O be a man, and thou fhalt be a God."
Night 9.

"Hell had been, though there had been
no God."

Ibid.

"The proud run up and down in queft of Night 7. eyes,

He calls death,

Night 2. "A wrench from all we love, from all we hate."

This is a poor line; but to give the old bard fair play with his blank verfe, I will now quote fome Iines which may be read, I truft, more than once, and not tire the ear nor the mind.

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"The bell strikes one, we take no note of time,

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"But from its lofs, to give it then a tongue Night 2. Were wife in man.' There is, I think, much strong fenfe in thefe lines, fenfe which come to our hearts; and pray mark, there is not a long, nor a hard word in them.

Of the fame ftamp are the lines with which I fhall fill up page.

this

"When the cock crew, he wept-fmo by that eye,

"Which looks on me, on all." Night

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HEN the cataplafm was ready, a fcruple of decorum had unfeasonably rofe up in Sufannah's confcience about hold, ing the candle, whilft Slop tied it on; Slop had not treated Sufannah's diftemper with anodines-and so a quarrel had enfued be. twixt them.

-Oh! oh!-faid Slap, cafting a glance of undue freedom in Susannah's face, as the declined the office;—then, I think I know you, madam.-You know me, Sir! cried Sufannah faftidiously, and with a tofs of her head, levelled evidently, not at his profeffion, but at the doctor himself,-you know me! cried Sufannah again-Doctor Slop clapped his finger and his thumb inftantly upon his noftrils;-Sufannah's fpleen was ready to burft at it-Tis falfe, faid Sufannah.Come, come, Mrs. Modefty, faid Slop not a little elated with the fuccefs of his laft thruft,-if you won't hold the candle and look-you may hold it and fhut your eyes:That's one of your popifh fhifts, cried Sufannah:-'Tis better, faid Slop, with a nod, than no fhift at all, young woman; I defy you, Sir, cried Sufannah, pulling her hift fleeve below her elbow.

It was almoft impoffible for two perfons to affift each other in a furgical cafe with a more fplenetic cordiality.

Slop fnatched up the cataplafm, Sufannah fnatched up the candle:-A little this way, faid Slop; Sufannah looking one way, and rowing another, inftantly fet fire to Slop's wig, which being fomewhat bushy and unctuous withal, was burnt out before it was well kindled. You impudent whore cried Slop,(for what is paffion, but a wild teaft)-you impudent whore, cried Slop, getting upright, with the cataplafm in his hand;--I never was the deftruction of any body's nofe, faid Susannah,—which is more than you can fày :---Į içried Slop,

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excited on the fubject of dreams; the lower people in all countries are inclined to regard them with reverence and awe; but of men have been at great variance with rethe opinions of the more enlightened claffes fpect to this phænomenon. Some have been led to confider dreams as one fpecies of proof, that there is exifting within us a principle, independent of the material frame. The vivid appearance of objects, the new and furprising combinations formed, the exertions of the paffions, the regular trains of reafoning, the play of the imagination, seem, occafionally to be as much realized in the ftate of slumber, as when awake and in motion. It may be afsumed as a certain fact, that almost every man has, at some one period or other of his life, experienced in fleep a confcioufnefs of every action he would have performed when awake. He travels over extended regions; he runs, walks, rides with freedom and agility, and not unfrequently feems endued with new and fuperior powers; he foars aloft, and is wafted through the air, or, gently defcending, he glides through the waters, and with fuch perfect command and security, that, when he awak; ens, he is hardly perfuaded it was but a dream. In oppofition to these observations it is urged, that exactly fimilar effects are produced from difeafe; fuch is its influence in numberless cafes, that the fubject feems just as forcibly prepoffefied as from any ideas that could be received from actual impreffion. Perfons infane will perfevere in exercises beyond their ufual ftrength, feeming all the while never to entertain a doubt but that they are moving in carriages, on horseback, per, forming military exercife and evolutions, or buried in philofophical experiments. Multitudes of fuch inftances will readily occur; and it is argued, that as the mind, in thofe examples, is evidently not difengaged from the controul of the body, fo neither, in the other, is there any reafon to fuppofe it different, the circumftance of heep and infenfibility being fomething not unlike difeaf, a ftate of fufpenfion of many of the active powers.

HE curiofity of mankind has been often

Şome

HANDY in her lap ·

"I never kitcried Stopthrowing the Cataplasm rasleft in the pan.

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Some philofophers imagine that the mind never remains inert, that fucceffions of ideas inceffantly prefent themselves, and thought is always employed. With respect, however, to this notion, it may be alledged, that it is highly improbable that dreams, which, according to the fuppofition, muft perpetually occur, fhould be fo seldom and fo faintly recollected. To this it may be anfwered, that the fame thing happens when we are awake. Let any perfon try to recall the whole train of ideas that has paffed through his mind during twelve hours that he has been ftirring about in the ordinary bufinefs of the day, he will be able to remember particular effential transactions; but, if he attempts to recover the mass of ideas that filled his mind for that portion of time, or even of a confiderable part of the time, he will find it impracticable labour; he will in vain endeavour to trace the connection of his ideas; the fame broken confused assemblage will be perceived, even by him who poffeffes the moft retentive memory, as when he first awakens with that imperfect consciousness that is ufually termed a dream. Were we to commit to writing, in the minutest manner, every idea our remembrance then fuggefted, it would be difficult, perhaps impoffible, to collect fuch a number as would employ one hour to read over.

The popular belief, that dreams are a kind of preternatural admonition, meant to direct Our conduct, is a notion extremely dangerous. As nothing can be more ill-founded, it ought to be strenuously combated. Innumerable reafons might be offered; but it will be fufficient to say, that it is inconfiftent with the general defign of Providence, it would overturn the principles that regulate fociety. The benign intention of the Author of Nature, is in no inftance more eminently difplayed, than in withholding from us the certain knowledge of future events. Were it otherwife executed, man would be the moft miferable of beings; he would become indifferent to every action, and incapable of exertion; overwhelmed with the terrors of impending misfortune, he would endure the mifery of criminals awaiting the moment of execution. The proof unanswerable and decifive, that dreams are not to be confidered as prognoftics, is, that no example can be produced of their fuccessful effect, either in pointing out means of preventing harm, or facilitating benefit. Certain inftances may be alledged, where the conformity of a dream with fome fubfequent event may have been remarkable; but we may venture to affert, that fuch difcoveries have generally happened after the facis, and that fancy and ingenuity have had the chief fhare in tracing the refemblance, or finding out the explana tion.

If it be granted that thought never ftops, and that the mind is perpetually employed; the wonder fhould rather be, that fo few cafes of fimilitude have been recorded. If millions of the human species through the whole extent of time have been, during their ftate of flumber, continually subject to dream; perhaps the calculators of chances would be apt to maintain, that near coincidences have probably happened much more frequently than they have been either noticed or recal. lected.

Among the various hiftories of fingular dreams, and correfponding events, we have lately heard of one, which feems to merit having been refcued from oblivion. Its Yuthenticity will appear from the relation; and we may furely pronounce, that a more extraordinary concurrence of fortuitous and accidental circumstances can scarcely be produced, or paralleled.

One Adam Rogers, a creditable and de cent perfon, a man of good fenfe and repute, who kept a public-house at Portlaw, a fmall hamlet, nine or ten miles from Waterford, in the kingdom of Ireland, dreamed one night that he saw two men at a particular green spot on the adjoining mountain, one of them a fmall fickly looking man, the other remarkably strong and large. He then faw the little man murder the other, and he awoke in great agitation. The circumstances of the dream were fo diftinct and forcible, that he continued much affected by them. He related them to his wife, and alfo to feveral neighbours, next morning. In some time he went out courfing with grey hounds, accompanied, amongst others, by one Mr. Browne, the Roman Catholic priest of the parifh. He foon ftopped at the above-mentioned particular green fpot on the mountain, and calling to Mr. Browne, pointed it out to him, and told him what had appeared in his dream. During the remainder of the next day he thought little more about it. Next morning, he was extremely ftartled at feeing two ftrangers enter his house, about eleven o'clock in the forenoon. He immediately ran into an inner-room, and desired his wife to take particular notice, for they were precifely the two men that he had feen in his dream. When they had confulted with one another, their apprehenfions were alarmed for the little weakly man, though contrary to the appearance in the dream. After the ftrangers had taken fome refrethment, and were about to depart, in order to profecute their journey, Rogers earnestly endeavoured to diffuade the little man train quitting his houfe, and going on with his fellow traveller. He affured him, that if he would remain with him that day, he would accompany him to Carrick the next morning, that being the town to which the tra

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