2 Anecdotes of the Ruffian Army. been hardy enough to infinuate that the medical tribe themfelves are no enemies to this King of terrors, and, that many of the faculty bring him on their patients before their time; empyrics, no doubt, frequent ly do fo; for as many people in this age affume the pompous title of Doctor, as of Captain; every quack is ftyled Doctor, from the farrier and illiterate mortar-pounder, to the regular bred physician; and every man is dubbed a Captain, from the master of a Potatoe-boat to the commander of a firstrate man of war, or from a disbanded Serjeant to a real commander of a company;· almost every body now a days is either a Doctor or a Captain. Anecdotes of the Ruffian Army, and other cu-, rious Military Particulars. Tranflated from the German of Captain Tielke. COSSACKS. HERE are many different colonies of large, known are, the Don Coffacks, the Zaporog, or Zaporovian Coffacks, and the Ukrain Cof facks. The Don Coffacks are fuperior to the reft. General Mannftein fpeaks in high terms of the bravery which these latter difplayed on many occafions, and particularly at the tak ing of Oczakow, when they fought on foot, and ftormed with much intrepidity. However, they were never held in any efteem in the campaigns between the Ruffians and Pruffians, fo that, perhaps, one may now apply to them what General Mannftein, who gives an account of the principal colonies of these people, fays of the Ukrain Coffacks-"They ferved in the Ruffian army against the Turks, but they were of no other ufe than to encrease the numbers; and one may on good grounds conclude, that their former bravery is totally extinguifhed."-In their laft campaigns almoft the only duty that they did was the efcorting provifion waggons. Every Coffack carries a pike, a fword, and one or a brace of piftols, in a girdle, or hanging by his fide. Some have alfo a rifle gun. They ride well, manage their pikes dextroufly, and are remarkable for their fidelity: but they plunder all the inhabitants who are not their declared friends, and treat them with inhumanity. Ja RUSSIAN HORSE GRENADIERS. THE horse-grenadiers are the flower their dragoons, but they were not bett mounted; their horfes were weak and sma and very much worked down. Their un form is like that of the dragoons, viz. blu coats, turned up and lined with red, an traw-coloured waiftcoats. They have cap, which is a good defence against fun an rain, at the fame time that it is very orna mental. The regular Ruffian troops yield to none in Europe in point of exact difcipline, and, perhaps, furpais, in this refpect, most ar mies. The Ruffian grenadiers, who, in conjunction with the Auftrians, under the command of General Laudon, took Schweidnitz by a coup de main, remained on the walls under arms, and not a man moved out of his rank or attempted to run into the houfes to lunder, Cyrus's foldiers are faid to have General Mannftein, in one part of his ad count of the Rufians, reckons twelve hun dred and thirty-one men; and in another onl feven hundred I have never been able t come at their true ftrength; but, accordin four hundred and fourteen ftrong. It is cer to the public accounts, a regiment was onl tain that they were very weak at the time allude to in the text. A clever cavalry officer, who faw th Ruffian cavalry during their laft war again very much improved, not only in their horfes which, especially in the Cuiraflier regiments are large and ftrong, but also particularly in point of manoeuvring. He faw them exercise; and afferts, that they are not inferior to any German cavalry. Ruffian Grenadiers. THE grenadiers are very fine, both in point of men and clothing. Their caps, which are a fort of helmet with pumes, give them a Roman appearance The officers plumes are made of feathers; the foldiers, of yarn. They drefs their hair in three curls, which they faften themfelves with little pieces of wood, it is aftonithing o fee thefe men, when they come off a atiguing march, in bad weather, and bad roads, appear per fectly clean and well deffed an hour after their arrival in camp. The musketeers are very inferior to the grenadiers; and they d not attend so much to their drefs. Every private in thegrenadiers wear large rufiles, and has bothhoes and boots. All the infantry wer green coats, turned up and lined with rd, and red waiftcoats and breeches. On te waiftcoats they have little green lappels, ad capes. In the fum mer they go in the waiftcoats, and carry their coats on the aggons: they have allo cloaks, which theroll and carry on their backs. General Mannftein calls the eftabiithments of a nusketeer regiment including officers, $75 men; but he does not reckon thin the field, at above 1000; that is, ach battalion 500; and they could not reckoned at more in this campaign. N T 1789. Hiftory of the Reign of Peter the Cruel. The Hiftory of the Reign of Peter the Cruel, King of Cafile and Leon, by John Talbot Dillon, Efq. B S. R. E. Member of the Royal Irift Academy of Sciences, and bono. rary Member of the Literary and Philofophical Society of Manchefter. 2 vols, 8vo. Richardjon. 1788. HE utility and importance of hiftory, This univerally acknowledged; by toy. biting in a favourable point of view, the actious of good princes and virtuous men, and by unveiling the crimes and villainy of the bad, it becomes a kind of mirror of human life, which if properly, confulted might be of the greatest service to mankind. On this account, therefore every author who adds to the general flock, when his work is executed in a tolerable manner, deferves the thanks of the public, and much more those who make us acquainted with periods, the events of which were before little known, or veiled in obfcurity and darkness. Peter, king of Caftile, whom all nations have branded with the deteftable epithet of cruel, was the fon and heir of Alfonfo XI. king of Caftile, by Maria, daughter of Alfonfo, king of Portugal, and at the age of fifteen fucceeded his father, who died of the plague in 1350, while befieging the fortrefs of Gibraltar, which had been wrefted from him by furprise. Soon after his ac ceffion to the throne, he fent the bishop of Burgos and Don Alvaro Garcia de Albornez, to demand in marriage the accomplish ed Blanche, daughter of the duke of Bourbon, but happening to fee the beautiful Donna Maria de Padilla, at the house of Albuquerque, his prime minifter, he became fo enamoured of her that he could not enjoy a moment's reft till he got poffeffion of her perion. While Peter was fpending his time in fond dalliance with this beautiful favorite who had been delivered of a daughter, news was brought that Blanche of Bourbon was arrived at Valladolid, where the queen mother refided. This information gave the amorous monarch great uneafinefs, and it was not without much entreaty that Albuquerque prevailed upon him to fulfil his engagement, and efpoufe the daughter of the duke of Bourbon. Three days however after his nuptials he deferted his new queen, and returned to the arms of his miftrefs, while the unfortunate Blanche, attended by the queen-mother, retired to Otordefillas, where the wafted her youth in affliction, without any other confolation, than that of being lamented by thofe who knew the cruel treatment she had met with. Peter, like moft tyrants, was capricious and fickle; enjoyment foon cooled his affection for Padilla, and having feen Jane de Caftro, widow of Don Diego de Haro, who 3 the was proclaimed queen of Caftile. With ftruck his fancy, he married her publicly, and this lady, however, he remained only two nights, after which he abandoned her, as he had done the unfortunate Blanche. His affection for Padilla began now to return, and he haftened once more to the arms of a mil trefs, who foon recovered all that dominion over him which the feemed to have loft. At length by the inftigation of this woman, whom he wished to raise to the throne of Caftile, he ordered queen Blanche to be poisoned; who accordingly fell a facrifice to the wanton caprice of this brutal tyrant, in the twenty-fifth year of her age. Padilla did not long enjoy her triumph: he was "foon after feized with a fit of illness, which carried her off in the Alcazcar of Seville, to the great grief of her paramour, who caufed her to be interred with great pomp in a monaftery of her own founding. Among many other acts of cruelty, Peter ordered his two baftard brothers to be put to death, the eldest of whom was only nineteen, and the younger no more than fourteen years of age; but after an unfortunate reign, he himself was murdered by his baftard bro ther Henry, count of Traftamara, who had taken up arms against him. The account of this event, together with the author's character of Peter, we thall give in his own words as it will ferve as a specimen of the work. As foon as it was known in Henry's army that the King had retreated into the caftle of Montiel, orders were given that it should be immediately furrounded with troops, and clofely watched, fo that nothing could itir out without being inftantly perceived. Among the few who got into Montiel with King Peter, there was a knight, whofe name was Men Rodriguez de Senabria, who had been taken prifoner at Bribiefca, when Henry was first proclaimed King of Caftile, and had been ranfomed by De Guefclin, on his telling him he was a native of raftamara, which county was ceded to De Guefclin, by Henry. This knight hearing that De Guef. clin commanded the detachment that lay before the caftle of Montiel, fent a meffage to let him know he wished for a private con. ference; which De Guefelin confented to. He then offered him two hundred thousand guld doblas, and many lordships and cities in Caftile, if he would fuffer the King to escape. De Guefclin apprifed Henry of what had paffed, who thanked him, and faid he was better able to give that fum and those lordships than Peter, and would reward him with them, and engaged him to accept of the conference, and perfuade the King to come to his own tent. For this purpose a fafe-conduct was offered on the oath of De Guefclin and others; but this was no foon A 2 4 Hiftory of the Reign of Peter the Crucl. er known in the camp, than rumours of trea- Thus, by the hands of his baftard brother Henry, was miferably murdered on the 23d of March 1369, in the 36th year of his age, and 19th of his reign, the unfortunate Peter, King of Caftile, the laft male heir of his line, defcended from Raymond, Count of Burgundy, who, about the year 1100, married Urraca, daughter of Alfonfo VI. King of Caftile. Jan. the right of Henry to fucceed, as a baftard, being ftrongly called in queftion; and many Caftilians went into voluntary exile rather thar. fubmit to him. The King of Portugal claimed the crown of Caftile, as great grandfon to King Sancho by Beatrix his daughter, and sent a challenge to Henry. The kings of Navarre and Aragon likewife endeavoured to recover those places which they thought they had a right to; but the greateft ftorm fecnied to be from England, where John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancafter, ftiled himself King of Caftile; and not only demanded that crown in_right of Conftance his wife, daughter to Peter, but embarked for Spain, and headed an army to fubftantiate his claim. The late Peter, King of Caftile, was handfome in perfon, and of a fair complexion. He had a flight impediment in his fpeech, and rather ftammered. What is fingular, the fame defect is attributed to his cotemporary Peter King of Portugal. His conftitution was robuft and free from infirmities, enduring all manner of fatigue without the least inconvenience. Like his father, he was fond of the chace, which was the reigning paffion of the age. He was of an amorous difpofition, and extremely inclined to the fair fex; fufpicious, covetous, and fanguine; valiant withal in the field, in contradiction to the general habits of those vices. Hiftorians have faid that he was a ftrict difpenfer of Juftice; that the country was free from robbers during his reign; that evil-doers stood in dread of him, and many quitted the kingdom; for which his countrymen qught to have acknowledged fome obligation in that ferocious age, when robbery and plunder were fo common in Europe, and fcarcely confidered as offences ; particularly in England, where they role te fuch a height that it was as dangerous to travel there as among the Arabs; infomuch that Peter King of Cyprus and Jerufalem, who visited England about this time, viz. in 1363, had been barbarously robbed on the highway, and ftripped of his money and baggage. King Peter is generally branded with the epithet of Cruel. Foreign writers fet no bounds to their acrimony and abuse. Mattheo Villani, an Italian writer, calls Peter, The body of Peter was left for three days unburied expofed to the people, out of policy, that all ranks might be certain he was no more. With this unfortunate monarch there alfo fell two gallant Englishinen, who were flain for having drawn their fwords in his defence when grappling with Henry. These were Sir Ralph Holmes and James Rowland, whofe fpirit and bravery deferved a better fate. The life of Fernando de Caftro was fpared on account of his a cruel and beaftly King, whose royal long attachment and fidelity to his fovereign. The governor of Montiel immediately furrendered the cafle to Henry, who took him into favor, as he did all others who fubanitted to him, rewarding generously his friends, as well foreigners as his countrymen; and with the title of Henry the fecond and the bountiful, began his reign as King of Caftile and Leon." A violent oppofition arose from abroad; 33 mind confifted of the most cruel tyranny; a perverfe intoxicated monarch, the tyrant of Spain, unworthy the name of a king." Yet after the paffions of men were cooled, and thofe were no more, who deprived him of his kingdom, and were interested in blackening his fame, he was called El Jufticiero. The fame was alfo obferved with ref pect to Peter, King of Portugal, of whom the Portuguese hiftorians fay, that he was by fome + The Theatre. e called The Cruel, by others Execur of Jelice; which laft title, they add, properly belonged to him. The fate th thefe kings was remarkable; the er was deprived of the realm of Caftile, f his life, by his baflard brother Henand the baftard fon of the latter got on of the kingdom of Portugal. The Theatre. DRURY Lan (alon, and the Lamp of RURY Lane has produced no panto din exhibited at Covent Garden, glimArs but weakly, fo that the manager perwill foon be obliged to extinguish it. The compofers of this ill constructed piece e totally deviated from the beautiful etal tale which gives it name, and which certainly contained moft excellent metals for an elegant pantomime. The patings, it is true, have confiderable me, and part of the mufic is good? but it ats that humour of dumb character, and Cation, which alone renders fuch exhias attracting. As an auxiliary to the bes, Humphreys and Mendoza, the noas bruifers, have been introduced upon tae stage to fhew their dexterity in boxing. This degradation of a theatre royal, was ppy reprobated by the audience in geeral, though fepported even with blows by tome of the pugilifts friends; yet the argumata baculum did not prevail. Some ing better must be produced to oppofe the adions of Siddons and Jordan, than ruf beath the lath of fatire. ABINGTON Therefore has been again engaged, and forting what every one elfe remembers, and her glaf fhould daily bring to her recollec 5 lighter fcenes of comedy, but want the dignity of tragedy, though the latter is by no means deficient in expreffion. In her voice we could diftinguish tones of tenderuefs, but it wanted powers. Pope in Tancred difplayed very refpectable abilities. Mifs Wallace has fince played Belvidera, but to this character her powers are very inadequate. THE CHILD of NATURE. We do not mean Mifs Wallace, for from what we have heard as yet-the is the child of art-that is, the has acquired every embellishment that education can beflow, and her extrintic accomplishments are greatbut we fpeak of the tragic comedy which came out under the fanction of Mrs. Inchbald's name, though the real production of Mifs Elliot, touched up by the other lady; and Mifs Elliot has actually claimed the money which Mrs. Inchbald received for the copy right of the manufcript. KEMBLE Has attempted two new characters, Shylock and Zanga. In the first, comparison world as well as in the memory of the auruins every effort.- -Macklin lives in the dience.Kemble fhould not have played Shylock.-Kemble fhould not have played Zanga; in conception and execution, in every thing but figure, Ryder exceeded him, but Kemble has this merit "he who dares greatly does greatly." KELLY. His Macheath is excellent in the vocal , that the is not growing younger, the parts, which he gave with the natural fimplicity of the old airs. Reps forward the juvenile charac tals of antiquated comedies. This conduct fighting against Time, is as abfurd as the raters in the pantomime boxing against Death; and we truft, for the fake of propety, that this excellent and favourite actress immediately adopt a caff of parts fuitato that appearance, which the exertions t art can no longer conceal. MISS WALLACE, Of whom so much has been faid, and from fo much was expected, has at laft de her appearance in the character of Siunda. We are apprehenfive that the ne opinion of her friends have led her carly into a profeffion, which requires Purity of judgment; and we are confirm opinion that nature has not endow her with qualities for the tragic line.Le figure and face are well Anacre [οι με ειπ&rc fic пос силом NEW PIECES. A comedy called THE TOY, faid to be written by O'Keeffe, and a farce called HIDE and SEEK, tranflated from the French by a Mr. Walter, are preparing at Covent Garden. The IMPOSTOR. This comedy is the avowed production of Mr. Cumberland, and in point of fable and character is at leaft equal to any of his former productions. The intereft of the piece is fupported till the opening of the 4th act, where the great art of the drama fails, for from that period the audience are able to anticipate the future events. The language would be chaffe, claffical, and pointed, if 6 Account of the Inhabitants of the Roffes. generated into puns; a fault which he has binfelf found in the works of Ariftophanes. Mr. Cumberland has written moft happily to the power of Mrs. Jordan, who with all the other performers did ample juftice to their author. The prologue and epilogue appear to be well written, at leafi they were fo well fpoken by Palmer and Mrs. Jordan, that every point was received with approbation by the audience. Sir Solomon Sapient refolves his daughter fhall marry a nobleman only, which induces Singleton, who had been valet to Lord Janus, to affume his mafter's title, and introduce himfelf and Polycarp, another fharper, to Sir Solomon's houfe. Polycarp pretends an attachment to Dorothy, an old maid and after to Sir Solomon. Elenor however imbibes a paffion for Sir Charles Freemantle, who had faved her life, when endangered by a reftive horfe; and Sir Charles being invited to dinner, the sharpers are alarmed, be being an intimate friend to Lord Janus. To prevent his reception Singleton protefts againft fitting in his company, which being communicated to Sir Charles, he imputes it to jealoufy, and refolves to leave the house, firft defiring to fee Lord Janus. Singleton drefles as a footman, waits upon Sir Charles, calumniates Elenor, and is at laft difcovered to be the impoftor. This is the ground work of the fable, in which there appears very little novelty, and indeed it is palpably ftolen from an old co-. medy in Dodfley's collection, from which Johnson borrowed a principal epifode, and which alfo appeared at Covent Garden fome time ago, worked into a musical farce, and was played for Mrs. Bannifter's benefit under the title of The Odd Trick. Short Account of the Cufoms, Manners, and Drejs of the Inhabitants of the Roffes, on the Coast of Donnegal, in Ireland. tude and bleak fituation of these if lands, none of the inhabitants wear more than two garments, and thofe of flannel of their own manufacture: the men, a waiftcoat and breeches, the women a gown and Jan. petticoat, but linen is not in common ufe among them; and very few of the women wear either fhifts, fhoes, or ftockings. Notwithstanding, the feeming neglect of their perfons thefe iflanders are not without a fpice of vanity; for they have invented dye-ftuffs to diverfify the colours of their cloaths; and their dying materials are the produce of their own foil; the principal are a kind of mud called mire-black, which makes a very deep and durable black; a kind of ftuff called carker fcraped off the rocks, a very fine red; and a kind of plant nearly alike and of the fame effect as madder. The men's cloaths are of divers colours; the drefs of the women are entirely uniform, black gowns with red petticoats; but a diftinction is obferved in the head-drefs of the females. The maidens wear the front part of the hair neatly platted about the face; the reft hanging down long behind in feparate locks, platted with hair-lace, and adorned at the end with worfted taffels of divers colours: but the matrons do not plat their hair, only tie it with a final ftring, below which they let it play loofe upon their backs. Their ufual fummer diet confifts of milk, curds and butter, with most excellent fiin of feveral kinds; in winter they live on potatoes, fish, rabbits, and butter; and fome of them, but very few, have a little bread made of barley or oaten meal. In one of the largeft iflands called Oiey, they kill a great number of feals, the flesh of which they falt for winter; and are fo fond of it, as to prefer it to any other kind of meat. Their houfes are mere huts, confifting chiefly of one room with the fire in the middle of it, but what is moft. surprising, is their extraordinary mode of accommodation for the night's repofe. All the family li together in one bed; and if any vifitors come in the evening; they fleep with them; for they fet no bounds to their hofpitality. To provide lodgings for the whole company the youngeft men are fent out for heath of bent bushes; which they spread across the floor, to a length fufficient for the numbe prefent, and in breadth about fix feet: ove this litter the miftrefs of the house place part of a long plaid or blanket, on which the others, having flipped off their cloaths lay down, men and women together, a naked: then the miftrefs, having drawn th reft of the blanket over them, lays dow laft herself, allo naked. This they call thorough bed. Yet this hofpitable people they appear at firft fight to firangers to be fier and wild; but after a little acquaintanc prove gentle and humane, especially to tho they were in awe of; for in all their fimpl city, there is a strong mixture of cunning The |