spouse. She, poor woman, imagined herself with child, and treated herself accordingly, though her complaint was a dropsy, which carried her off in the second year of her marriage; his income was now reduced to £2000 per annum, and he reduced his establishments in pro portion. He came to London well recommended to the Commander-in-Chief, and purchased a majority, in a regiment stationed in the East Indies; he proceeded there, and at the Cape of Good Hope, fought a duel with one of the passengers going out as writer, whom he killed. A military enquiry was held, at which the Governor-General presided, and he was honourably acquitted. Our hero landed at Bombay, and joined his regiment, which was soon actively employed, and his name often mentioned with honour in the Governor's despatches. He was made lieutenant-colonel, and had other marks of distinction bestowed upon him by his grateful sovereign.

The General had now a fair opportunity of reaching the summit of his profession, and being an honour to his country, when, unfortunately for him, he was called from the field to fill a high situation at Madras.

He was much addicted to the company of frail ladies, and the pleasures of the table. At Madras he got acquainted with the famous Mrs. Nicholas-paid her lucky husband 60001. damages, and took a bad bargain off his hands. Her extravagance knew no bounds, and she soon involved him deeply in debt. Gaming only rendered his case more desperate; and, finally, he sold his chere amie to Berwackrapsee, a rich native banker, for 30,000 pagodas, which he and the lady very conscientiously shared; and, in process of time, he, by ber assistance, completely ruined the banker, who commenced three actions for conspiracy and fraud, against them, all of which he lost, and he, broken-hearted, made a pilgrimage to the tomb of Buda, at Ramisseram, near Ceylon, where he put on the garb of a priest, and passed the remainder of his days.

The Colonel was now reckoned the deepest gambler in Madras, and seldom played the losing game. He received several raps on the knuckles from his superiors,

and become more cautious. Mrs. Nicholas did not live with him, though he evidently countenanced all her infamies: after a career of guilt, which would astonish an European, she planned the murder of a rich Jew, and attempted it by poison; her detection led to a public exposure, and the Colonel became implicated in the transaction. She was imprisoned, and ordered to prepare for trial. Her condemnation was certain, and to avoid the pains of a disgraceful death, she did to herself as she intended to do to the Jew, swallowed the poison, and died. Truth is not to be called up from the silent grave, and there are many who reckon the death of this woman as the salvation of B—r—n's life, at least of his reputation.

He threw up his employments at Madras, and returned once more to the tented field.' He served three campaigns with an eclat that wiped away the stigma attached to his peaceful life; and finally, by his conduct and courage, he greatly contributed to gaining an important victory. He was sent home with the despatches, and bade farewell to India with £30,000 in his pocket, and a troublesome reputation, admired by some and censured by others; however, he was acknowledged to be brave and fortunate, which is almost all that is required in the profession of a soldier.

In England he was but coldly received; the prime minister (Pitt) had some moral qualities about him, which he looked for in others, before he rewarded or esteemed them; he had heard of B-r-n's exploits at Madras, and did not favour him. As a matter of course he was made a general officer, but placed on the half-pay list, and neglected at court. He got a seat in the House of Commons, and attaching himself to the opposition, was introduced to the Prince of Wales by Charles Fox.

Carlton house was then the focus of intrigue and dissipation, and one of the chief in its nocturnal revels was General B-n. There he became acquainted with a French lady of distinction, a particular friend of the once great and infamous Duke of Orleans, whose memory is detested under the name of Duc de L'Egalite;

she had prostituted her pen and her talents to the ser vice of the opposition party, and her person to its illustrious head.

This was no dis-recommendation to the General, he wanted her money, and her person was also very engaging. He married her; and as it appeared after her death, he turned Roman Catholic before she would have him. The go-between on this occasion was the celebrated Madam Fitz, who attempted to make more exalted proselytes to her religion than General B. Suffice it: the General got by this manoeuvre 50,0001. and he soon let the world know it. He took a house in Portman Square, and purchased an estate on the road to Brighton, and became the constant companion of the great wits and gamblers of the day.

Colonel O. R., (since dead) was his right hand man on the turf and in the closet, and they succeeded in all their nefarious enterprizes.

Doctor Johnson somewhere speaks of a man possess ing a strong in-kneed understanding. The General had what we may call a bow-legged understanding, for it was the most crooked that can be imagined; even his party were afraid to trust him beyond a certain length of tether; he had a knack at debating upon literary questions, which always took hold of the house, and he has often made the war minister appear foolish, and turned the scale of opinion against him. Charles Fox once said, when the General had made a very brilliant essay, don't let us praise him too much, it will make him think he is worth bribing, and if he once thinks so, he will not be long before he gives them an opportunity of buying him over, for by God he is no more to be trusted than a lighted match in a magazine.

Yet with such an opinion of him did the second person in the kingdom admit him into his most private parties, and stagger arm-in-arm with him to the hells surrounding his dwelling.

Mrs. General B. had a powerful influence over her husband, and she prevailed upon him to lend Sherry 4,0001., of which it may be supposed he lost every

penny. Charles Fox also got from him, at sundry times, double that sum, and old Mother Fitz had her debts paid from his purse, to the great satisfaction of a certain person, who caressed the General as much in public, as he did his wife in private.

At Newcastle the General had a handsome stud, and one of his horses ran against the Earl of D—r—n's. The General was a great favourite, and in the opinion of the knowing ones, sure to win. He betted against his own horse, by which he won 20,0001., the animal losing by foul play on the jockey's part, who was disgraced by the jockey club, and ordered never to ride again: it was not known till the General's death, that he had betted against himself, and given Wilson 2,0001. to lose.

General B. was at the bottom of the disgraceful business, for which a certain great man was expelled the jockey club, and would have been basketted,* had he not, by timely warning, escaped the punishment.

*The culprit detected in cheating is placed in a basket, and suspended by a cord from the middle of the Jockey Club Room during a convivial meeting; when they are tired of his company he is lowered down, and kicked out of the room. What a fate for R-y to endure.

(To be Continued.)

Fashionable Gallantry.

TO HIS MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY THE KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, &c. &c.

The humble Petition of the Distressed Lady Abbesses "of the Cities of London and Westminster.

(PRESENTED BY THE MARCHIONESS OF C

-M.)

MOST HUMBLY SHEWETH,-That your petitioners belong to a numerous and deserving class. of Your Majesty's faithful fe male subjects, who day and night labour in their vocation to earn

an honest penny; but that times have of late been so hard, that it is in vain to lay themselves out to catch customers; most of them having either wholly left off, or restricted themselves to a niggarly monthly allowance of those articles in which your petitioners deal. That on this account, your petitioners have a surplus of stuff on their hands, in a decaying state, for want of being used their doors are now seldom entered, except by taxgatherers and constables; and few or none have a score against them at a Geneva shop.

That your Majesty's humble petitioners are driven from the streets by a wooden-headed Alderman, who treats us worse than he did your Queen. That in spite of all decent exertions to get forward, your petitioners are continually thrown backward on the world, and struggle vainly to come at a point where they may find comfort and support.

Most humbly Sheweth,-That your petitioners have discovered the cause of their loss of trade, in this warm, stimulating, spiritstirring weather, they find that your Majesty's Royal Garden of Kensington has been turned into a Grand National Brothel, kept by an old cock-bawd named Casey, who keeps his wares at an under price, thus undermining our bottoms, and sapping the foundation of all straight-forward regular honest trade. That the frequenters of this place do not as we do, confine themselves to in-door trade by day, and occasional jobs under the shades of night, but expose the mystery of their craft amongst trees, and in the face of the blessed sun.

Most humbly sheweth,-That in consequence of the great convenience which the said Kensington Gardens afford for gratifying the sinful lusts of the flesh, it is resorted to by noblemen and statesmen; wives, widows, and supposed virgins, of all ranks; which occasions gentlemen to leave off all street business, in search of wood-nymphs and garden flowers.

Most humbly sheweth,-That this brothel is under the especial care of the Vice Society. Several Bishops and high church Dignitaries who, by their presence and practice, do, as it were, consecrate it to letchery and worse things.

That amongst its patrons and supporters are, Lords Bexley, Sidmouth, Gambier, &c. William Wilberforce, J. Butterworth, and George Canning. Duchesses of Argyle and Manchester; Ladies Borrington and Anglesea; Mrs. Coutts, and Co.

Most humbly sheweth,-That your petitioners know, from