proofs of his confequence, and melancholy prognoftics of what may happen. Lord Shelburne by forfaking the men who in troduced him into power, is understood to have adopted fentiments inimical to the views which contributed to raise him to importance. The detefted system of favouritifm may again flourish; attempts may again be made to augment the influence of the crown; and this unfortunate country, after enjoying a moment of happiness and hope, is now involved in fears, darkness, and perplexities. A View of the State of Mankind in the Fourth Century. IN N the bofom of the church, the errors of Donatus and Arius poifoned the firft feeds of the faith; bithops were in arms against bishops; the people efpoufed their quarrels with a degree of fury; the temples, and the bafilics were difputed, fword in hand, and sprinkled with the blood of the citizens; odious accufations and a trocious calumnies were reciprocally feattered abroad by the chiefs of each party, whilft these fanatics tore one another in pieces, with a ferocity which, to borrow the expreflion of a cotemporary author, furpaffed even the ferocity of wild beafts*. The first emperort, educated in the principles of Christianity, introduces his reign with the murder of his uncle, and of his firft coufin. He madly throws himself into the party of the Arians, whilft, at one moment, a bloody perfecutor, and at another moment, an ignorant conciliator, he either deals out his orders for executions, or affembles councils. The bishops, per petually hurried from place to place, abandon, for idle controverfics, the care of their flocks; whilst the provinces, drained by the expences of thefe journies, become at length, scarcely able to defray them. The fame iniquity, the fame injuftice, prevailed throughout the civil adminiftra tion. A jealouly, equally extravagant and cruel, became the leading principle of the government. Informers infefted the provinces, nor did their fuperiors blush at having established them as a body, and given them a particular rank. The adminiftration degenerated into a barbarous inquifition; punishments were inflicted with additional cruelty; criminals were burnt for flight offences; the faith of treaties were no longer kept facred; kings were affaffinated in the very midft of N O T E S. Nullas infeftas hominibus beftias ut funt fibi ferales plerique Chriftianorum." Ammian. Marcelli. 1. xxii. + Conftantius. peace, and even during the convivial joy with which they celebrated their festivals ; public morals became more and more corrupted; eunuchs, the vile inftruments of the moft abominable pleasures, were appoint-, ed generals and prime minifters; the ex pences of the table, and the luxury of the court, were, at once, boundless and ab furd; the laws, by being multiplied without end, were equal proofs of the depra. vity of the government, and the wickednefs of the people: in fhort, every thing was altered; every thing was corrupted; even the difcipline of the armies, and the intrepidity of the foldiers, were disordered and extinguished; thus the destruction of whole generations became the only remedy against the evils which afflicted the earth; in like manner, as the setting fire to thorns and briars, which over-run neg. lected fields, proves the fole means of obtaining a new and advantageous harveft. Whilst we are painting this melancholy picture, the affecting ftrokes of which are not heightened beyond reality, we anxioufly with to remove, from the reader, every occafion of fufpecting, that we have the fmalleft intention of attributing to Chriftianity thofe diforders against which we have exclaimed. Far from harbouring fuch an idea, our only aim is to prove, that the misfortunes of the times did not permit religion to procure for mankind, an happier fituation in this life. Perhaps, even this very religion became a new fource of evils; for, as the pureft aliments are apt to grow corrupted in bodies attacked by difeafes, fo the moft facred tenets of the faith are frequently converted into the inftruments of the most fhocking disatters. Of all the enemies of human nature, the moft modern and the most cruel enemy is intolerant perfecution, which, following religion in her progrefs ftep by step, extended itself as the extended, and untheathed the fword wherefoever the voice of zeal had propagated the word. Anecdote of Mr. Wilkes, as related by bimfelf. HEN Mr. Wilkes judged it pru WHE dent to go abroad, he vifited Italy. Whilft he paffed the Alps, the weather was intenfely cold, and he was literally almoft petrified. Nevertheless, he had warmth of imagination fufficient to fay to bis fellow traveller, "How diametrically oppofite is the ftate of ME, and my EFFIGY.-I am freezing upon the Alps, and, according to this paper, (pulling out a print he had just received from England) my unfortunate EFFIGY is now burning at Edinburgh." A car A correct Lift (in numerical Order) of all the 201. Prizes and upwards, in the Prize. No. Prize. No. Hiftory of the Proceedings and Debates of the House of Commons of Ireland, the fourth Seffion of the third Parliament in the Reign of his present Majefly. HOUSE of COMMONS. ΤΗ Tuesday, October 9, 1781. HE houfe met, purfuant to prorogation. The number of members prefent was much greater than has been known upon the opening of any former feffion. A meffage was received from his excellency the lord lieutenant, by the usher of the black rod, requiring the attendance of the fpeaker and members of the house of commons, in the houfe of lords; where being affembled, his excellency delivered the following speech: "My Lords and Gentlemen, "In obedience to his majesty's commands, meet you in parliament, as chief governor of this kingdom; and though I feel with diffidence and anxiety the weight and importance of the trust with which I am honoured, yet it is a matter of encouragement to my mind, that I arrive at a period peculiarly aufpicious to Ireland. The fubftantial effects of those benefits which the wifdom and liberality of the British parliament have lately communicated to this country, are already apparent in the increase of her manufactures, and the extenfion of her commerce. From the progrefs which has been made, notwithtanding the obftacles that industry must have fuffered from a war, which extends itfelf over fo great a part of the globe, it is but proper to expect, that every fource of national employment and wealth, will deffufe itfelf much wider, when ever the bleffings of peace fhall be restored. "It gives me the fincere: pleature to execute his majelty's commands, by affuring you, in his royal name, of his determination to continue the most parental attention to the ring profperity of this country'; the true intereits of which are, and must ever be, infeparabie from thofe of Great Britain. ed an increate, and the proteftant fucceffion a "His majesty's domestic happiness has receive further fecurity, by the birth of another prince. “Gentlemen of the House of Commons, * Your falt grants being nearly expired, it 20 900 will now reft with your deliberation and prodence, to furnish fuch supplies as you fhail deem adequate to the maintenance of public credit, the honourable fupport of his majesty's govern ment, and the fafety of the kingdom. "I have ordered the proper accounts to be laid before you; from these you will be made acquainted with the ftate of the revenues and expences, and will be enabled to judge what provifions may be fuitable to the circumstances of your country, and the exigencies of the public fervice. If any measures can be deviled, tending to improve the management of the f nances, and to effectuate a more compleat and more fecure collection of the revenue, they will have my chearful concurrence. "My Lords and Gentlemen, "Conscious that it is my indifpenfable doty to promote whatever may contribute to extend occafion to call your earnest attention to the enthe advantage of civil lociety, I take the firit Couragement of your trade, and the improve the maturing and enforcing of your interior po ment of your manufactures; and especially to lice, as well by your deliberations, as by the in Auence of your councils and examples, impre ing upon the minds of the people becoming re verence of the laws. which influence your fupport of the proteftant "The humanity and wisdom of those motives charter chools, as receptacles of true religion and honeft induftry, will continue to engage your regard. "am fenfible alfo of the expediency and good policy of the encouragements which are accustomed to be given, as well to the linen manufacture as to tillage, to the fisheries, the inland carriage and export of corn, and other great national objects. It will deferve, however, your best attenti Briet and due expenditure of fuch fums as may on and vigilance to afcertain and enforce the be granted for thefe wife and benevolent purpoles. "His majefty ardently withes the happiness though I am not directed to call upon you for of his people of Ireland, in whofe affection and loyalty he places the firmeft reliance. And any extraordinary supplier, in this time of gere raj hoftility, when thefe kingdoms are expoled to an uppatural and dangerous combination of enemies, enemies; I have not the smalleft doubt, that I Thall be able to affure his majefty of your cordial difpofition to give him every affiftance compatible with your means and circumstances. "No event could more contribute to the public fecurity, than the general concurrence with which the late fpirited offers of affiftance were prefented to me from every part of this kingdom: And I am fully convinced, that if the neceflity had arilen, it was in my power to have called into action all the ftrength and fpirit of a brave and loyal people, eager under my direction, to be employed in aid of his majefty's regular forces, for the public defence. I trust that every part of my conduct will demonftrate how much it is the with of my heart to engage your confidence: I fhall claim it only in proportion as I fhall be found to deferve it, by an unwearied endeavour to promote the prof perity of Ireland. And I am fenfible, that this is the best method of recommending my services to our fovereign, and of obtaining your concurrence towards the eale and honour of my adminiftration.” The members being returned from the house of lords, and the speaker having taken the chair, the right hon. John O'Neil moved, that the following addrefs be prefented to his majesty :The humble addrefs of the Knights, Citizens and Burgeffes in parliament affembled, to the King's molt excellent Majefty. "Moft gracious Sovereign, "We, your majesty's most dutiful and loyal fubje&s, the commons of Ireland, in parliament affembled, approach your majefly with unfeign. ed and beat felt expreffions of duty, loyalty, and attachment to your majefly, for having placed in the government of this kingdom a nobleman, from whofe cultivated ta ents, experienced abilities, and known virtues, we have every reason to expect that the happiness of Ire. land will be fecured and increased. "The great and fubftantial benefits which have been communicated to this country through the benigo influence of your majefty's love for your fubje&s, and the wildom and liberality of the British parliament, are already felt in the increase of our manufactures, and the extenfi on of our commerce; and we may reafonably expect farther facilities to the extenfion of induf try, and a farther diffufion of national employ ment and wealth, when the bleffings of peace fhall be restored to the world. The gracious affurances of your majefty's royal determination to continue the most paternal attention to the increafing profperity of Ire. land, cannot but imp els upon our minds the warmest fenfations of gratitude; and we feel the cleareft conviction, that the mutual fecurity and ftrength of your majefty's kingdom can ne ver be promoted but by the fpirit and effect of that policy, which confiders their true interefts as ever infeparable. "Deeply interested for our sovereign's domeftic felicity, we offer our congratulations to your majefty, upon the birth of another prince; and confider every increase of your majesty's family, as adding fecurity so that happy speceffion to which your majefty's loyal fubjects of Ireland have at all times fhewn the moft fteady and inviolate attachment. "Animated as well by our affections to your majefty, as by our attachment to the effential welfare of our conftituents, we fhall, so far as the circumftances of the country will permit, with the utmost chearfulness, grant such supplies as shall appear adequate to the maintenance of public credit, the honourable fupport of your majefty's government, and the fecurity of the kingdom; and we fhall, without delay, apply our attention to whatever may contribute to im prove the management, and fecure the collection of the public revenues. "We acknowledge your majefty's tender concern for the public welfare, in what has been re commended to us from the throne, respecting the linen manufacture, tillage, and proteftant charter schools, the corn bounties, the interior police of the kingdom, and other national ob jects; and we shall not fail on our part, in that regard which matters of such importance deserve. "We are farther fenfible of your majefty's goodness in not having called upon your kingdom of Ireland for any extraordinary fupplies, in this time of general hoftility, and your majefty may be thoroughly perfuaded of our earneft difpofition to give every affiftance compatible with our means and circumstances, towards refifting and repelling the unnatural and dangerous combination of enemies to which your dominions are at prefent exposed. "That the ardour with which the late offers of fervice were prefented from every part of the kingdom, has afforded the most convincing proof, that the ftrength and spirit of your majefty's faithful people are animated by the warmelt loyalty towards your perfon and government; and we feel a conscious pride, that the character which this country must bear in the eyes of Europe, will tend to establish the glory of your majefty's government, and the fafety and happiness of this kingdom." Mr. Holmes feconded Mr. O'Neil's motion for an addrefs. The addrefs then paffed without a diffenting voice. Mr. O'Neil then moved, that the thanks of the house be given to all the volunteers of Ireland, for their exertion and continuance, and for their loyal and fpirited declarations on the late expected invafion. Mr. Conolly feconded the motion, and it passed unanimoufly, after a confiderable debate. Lord Charles Fitzgerald moved an address of thanks to his excellency the lord lieutenant; to which the houfe unanimously agreed. Otober 10.] The recorder moved for leave to bring in heads of an habeas corpus bill, prefacing his motion by obferving, that the liberty and fafety of the fubjects of Ireland were infe cure until an habeas corpus act should take place; that arbitrary power had made great ftrides and innovations on public liberty, but was effectually restrained by this faw, which had its full operation in England, but did not exift in this kingdom. It was, he said, the opinion of great and learned judge, that this law wast Tiis grand bulwark of the conftitution. Leave was granted, and Mr. Yelverton and the recorder were ordered to prepare and bring in the fame, Mr. Grattan faid, he was willing never to condemn an administration, until he thoroughly knew he had fufficient grounds. The miniftry of England had offered America the regulation of her own armies; he could not fee any rea fon why the loyal people of Ireland fhould be deDied that benefit. He would, he said, in due time, bring forward the mutiny a to be agitated upon that fubject, and if it was oppoled, it would at least have the conftitutional freedom and spirit of the country to contend with. A bill for rendering the judges independent during good behaviour, and fome other bille were spoken of-When fir Lucius O'Brien arose, and said, that a matter of the utmost importance To the nation had too long remained undecided our freedom of trade with Portugal, where goods of Irish manufacture had been flopt, and would not be permitted for fale. That he could not think of going into the committee for reguJating duties, which duties had hitherto been to very favourable to Portugal, until fomething was done relative to nur trade with that kingdom; and he did not mean to throw any cenfure either upon the English or Irish miniftry, but that the thing had too long remained in doubt, and he wished to have a committee appointed to take into confideration the state of the trade of Ireland, where, he doubted not, it would be fully explained. Mr. Eden now arofe. He agreed with Sir Lucius, that a great deal of time had been spent about this very embarraffing bufinels, but affur. ed the house that the utmost exertions had been used both at this and the other fide the water, to bring it to a happy determination. He thought that matters being now in a profperous train, it might be highly imprudent, by an appearance of hafte, by any precipitate measure, to risk a difappointment; he believed the time would foon arrive when fuch an enquiry might be gone into with fafety and fatisfaction, but at prefent there were frong reafons against it; he there fore requested the honourable gentleman would agree to lufpend this business 'till a more favou rable opportunity. October. The fpeaker, attended by the members, carried up to the Caftle, the addrefs to the throne; as alfo the following addrefs to his excellency the lord lieutenant: The humble addrefs of the Knights, Citizens, and Burgeffes, in parliament aflembled, to his Excellency Frederick, Earl of Carline, Lord Lieutenant General, and General Governor of Ireland. pecially fubfifting between us and those countries with which we otherwife fhould have much commercial intercourse, must have raised powerful obstacles to the encouragement of industry; but from the progrefs which our trade and manufactures have nevertheless made, there can be little doubt, that when the bleffings of peace fhall be restored, the fublantial effects of thole benefits which the wildom and fiberality of the British parliament have lately communicated to this country, will be univerfally felt in the extenfive diffusion of national employment and wealth. "We cannot fatisfy ourselves in expreffions adequate to our fentiments of gratitude for the affurances given by your excellency in his ma jesty's name, of the royal determination to con tinue the most paternal attention to the increas ing profperity of this country, nor can we fuffi ciently thank your excellency for the pleature you exprefs in the execution of thefe his majel ty's commands. We regard the measures which have conduced towards that profperity, with the molt cordial fatisfaction, and, convinced that the true interests of his majefty's kingdoms are, and ever must be infeparable, we revere the com prehenfive wildom and found policy which feek their mutual ftrength and fecurity. "We enjoy the highest pleasure in every ad dition to our gracious lovereign's domelic happi nels, and especially in the birth of another prince, rendering the proteftant fucceffion more fecure in the auguft houfe of Hanover. "Zealously folicitous for the bonourable fepport of his majesty's government, the fafety of the kingdom, and the maintenance of public credit, we will moft chearfully make fuch pro vision for thofe neceffary purposes as shall be fuitable to the circumftances of our country, and the exigencies of the public fervice; and we shall confider what may be requifite to im prove the management of our finances, and to give fecurity and effect to the collection of the revenue; and we entertain a due fente of ynar excellency's readiness to concur with us in fuch measures. "Your excellency's benevolent defire to pro mote whatever may contribute to the advantage of civil fociety, cannot but receive the fullest acknowledgments; and we humbly thank your excellency for calling our attention to the improvement of our manufactures, the encourage ment of our trade, and the perfecting and enforcing of our interior police; in which laft we fhould confider our deliberations of no avail, did we not firmly refolve by counfel, and by the more prevalent influence of example, to imprefs upon the minds of the people, becoming reverence for the lawr. "We shall continue our attention to those feminaries of true religion and honest industry, the proteftant charter schools; as alfo to the encouragement of the linen manufacture, of tillage, of the fisheries, the inland carriage and ex port of corn, and other objects of national importance; in your excellency's recommending which to our confideration, we fee and acknowledge a fresh instance of your regard to the welfare of this kingdom; and we shall apply our ut most attention to the framing fuch regulation of the |