APOLOGY.

WE fome days fince gave our Readers an account

of a day's fhooting on the fea-coaft. The principal sportsman is one of our friends; and being, as the French term it, a man, qui entend raillerie, he gave us permiffion to relate the whimfical accidents he inet with in the course of his amufement. It not being in every one's power to divert the public, he was glad to afford a laugh, even at his own expence, especially as no blame can attach to mere mifchances; and as, all things confidered, he had fome reafon to be proud, not having miffed a fingle fhot, though he had never shot before.

We little thought that the mifapplication of this innocent story would expofe us to remonftrances. Such, however, we have received, and of fo wrathful a tenor, that there is reafon to fear, left

"The children yet unborn fhould rue

The SHOOTING of that day."

As we did not mention the name of the perfonage, and as the great number of Bankers, who refide in the vicinity of the Manfion Houfe, left a wild field for conjecture, it is rather ftrange, that any one should have wrongfully placed this fancied ridicule upon himfelf. The firm of a refpectable houfe was cafually introduced, it is true, but only to fay, that its paper was deemed a fatisfactory compenfation by the wounded Ifraelite, which is paying as high a compliment to the credit of a commercial eftablishment, as can well be imagined. We can therefore only fuppofe, that this misunderstanding has arifen from fome other city gentleman's having met with the fame accident as our friend; although it is almoft incredible, that two perfons fhould each have fhot a pig and a few. If, however, the gentleman, who thinks himself aggrieved, will come forward and fay, that he really met with fuch mifchances during his trip to the water-fide, we will readily name him; and affure the public, that though he shot a pig

H

and

and a Jew, it was not he who fhot the pig and the Jew. that we spoke of.

ON READING THE ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OF ST. AMAND.

ENIUS of Britain! was it thou,

From whom th'admiring nations caught
That sense of right, that patriot glow,
That love of fcience, force of thought,
Which o'er Oppreffion's face diffufe
Guilt's wild palenefs-Terror's dews?
Genius of Britain! is it thou,
To whom the vales of Gallia fair,
The beauteous banks of Delaware,

Their deareft, best of plants, the plant of Freedom owe?
It was not thou !—the hand which sow'd,
Would ne'er with impious hate have ftriv'n
To blaft the boon its love bestow'd,

Those bloffoms dear to Man and Heav'n.
The natural mother will not so

Direct the murderous, defperate blow,
Against the offspring of her womb,
As when acrofs the Atlantic wave,
Thy veteran legions, vainly brave,
Were fent to crush the birth they idoliz'd at home.
It is not thou!-From Amand's wood,
What means the dire, conflicting found?
Angels of mercy!-Is it blood

Which dyes fo dreadfully the ground?
What mighty motive has thus join'd
The butchers fierce of human kind,

The luft of power, or luft of 1poil?
Say whence the murderous phrenzy springs !
Is this the fav'rite game of Kings *?

Are these the bleft effects of confecrating oil?

"War is a game that, were their fubjects wife,
"Kings would not play at."

COWPER.

But

But who are those whose timely aid
The routed ranks of Slavery cheers,
'Midst hosts of tremblers undifmay'd?
My country!-do they call thee theirs?
"Ah! who are thefe," exclaims the hoft
Of patriots, in amazement loft:

"Can Freemen-Freemen wifh t'enthral ?"
Their bofoms heave with generous throes,

Their hearts refufe to call them foes,

And not a Briton drops, but France bewails his fall! *
Source of all guilt and all diftrefs!
Detefted War!-whate'er thy plea,
The votaries of the Prince of Peace
No fellowship can have with thee.
But, when to introduce again
Oppreffion's harpies, Slavery's chain,
And Superftition's glozing crew;
When to perpetuate vice and woe,
Thou bid't the ftreams of crimson flow,
What words, invented yet, can paint th'abhorrence due !
Sweet Mufe of Hiftory! as thy art
The lamentable fcene difplays,
I fee the workings of thy heart,

I feel the light'ning of thy phrafe!
Oh! hide it, hide it, Mufe fublime,
Where the keen eye of future Time
find:

The difmal record ne'er may
Nor in the number of the year
Let that opprobrious day appear,

When Freemen join'd the league of Courts againft

Mankind!

COLONUS.
Gazetteer.

*It is a fact, that when the French, at the affair of St. Amand, faw the red coats of the English troops---of a nation they were inclined to love before this horrible war broke out---they cried out, with a mixture of furprize and commiferation---" What is it brings thefe gallant Englishmen here, to fight against the defenders of liberty, and of their country?"

H 2

A SAI

YOU

A SAILOR'S LETTER.

OUR Honour must know that I am juft returned a from a long voyage; and that, on my coming amore, I met my old meflimate, Jack Spritfail, under a jury. malt, he having had his ftarboard prop carried away in fome fight with the French, under my old Commodore Howe, in which, it feems, the Mounfeers were fwinged. Jack has given me a mefs of news; but I cannot believe half of it, unless I hear it confirmed by your Honour. When I fet fail, the English army had taken the Dutch in tow, with fome other outlandish fellows, who, I think, are called Auftrians and Pruffians; they had run down the French army, and upfet Landrecies, a place which ftood in their way, and were getting a-head at the rate of nine knots an hour, on their march to fome fresh-water port, which I think they call Paris. Now Jack tells me that I had no fooner cleared the land, than the French, under Mounfeer Pichegru, fteered feveral points from the wind at firft; but presently luffed up, and broke the line at Menin and Courtray: that the Duke of York was obliged to back his fails; and that, when he came along-fide the French, they made him broach to, and almoft fet him on his beam-ends; that the Duke sheered off; and that the French fteered directly after him all the way into Holland, giving him feveral broadfides by the way; and that they have recaptured Valenciennes, Conde, and all the Duke's other prizes.

Jack alfo tells me, that fome ftrange things have bappened at home; as how that the Habeas Corpus Act, which is the main-maft of English liberty, has been fprung; and that Mr. Pitt, our head boatfwain, has thrown Horne Took, and feveral of his old mefsmates, into limbo. These things are all fo ftrange, .that I know not how to believe them till they are confirmed by you; but as your Honour knows of every thing that is a-float, I hope you will fend me a line at the Bowl of Grog. Let me know whether you think

the

the Duke of York will be able to repair his damages, and tack about again. I hope to make another voyage at the present high wages.

I am your humble fervant to command,

JOHN OAKUM.
Chronicle.

you

A DIALOGUE.

The Alarmifts.

not fee those men upon the heath ?-A ftrange, four-looking gang, with a Parson at

their head.

John Bull. I think I do; but I am somewhat nearfighted.

Alarmifts. There have been many robberies committed on this heath formerly.

John Bull. So I am told.

Alarmifts. You heard of the terrible fire last night over the river at Gaulftown?

John Bull. I did.

Alarmifts. A moft fhocking fact-supposed to have been fet on fire by the gypfies. There was horrid plundering and murdering; and feveral women and children found roafted in the rubbish.

John Bull. Indeed!

Alarmifts (fignificantly.) Thofe people must be the very gypfies.

John Bull. They are coming this way, fure enough. Alarmifts. Highwaymen of the worst fort! You had better be upon your guard. House-breakers, footpads, pick-pockets, fortune-tellers, all in one! There are feveral foreign ruffians come over lately to join them.. John Bull. I have a deal of property about me.

Alarmifts. The foldiers are very near; we had better fee them to ftand by us.

John Bull. Aye, do, do.

A By-ftander. Really, Sir, there is no danger.
John Bull. No danger, wretch! I fuppofe you are