figures, and have remarkably good complexions: but foon after marriage they become corpulent, and all their beauty after they have once entered into that ftate, quickly vanishes away.The females appear to be more numerous than the other fex. I compute, that at the leaft five-fixth parts of the whole number of European defcent are female, and male children under manhood. About one fourth part of those who are defcended from Europeans, refide at Cape-Town, and about two fifths of the flaves. The people of this place, are lefs the defcendants of the Dutch than of emigrants from France (after the revocation of the edict of Nantz) from all the proteftant ftates in Germany, and from the Auftrian Netherlands. Moft families manufacture their own leather, make the coats, vefts, breeches, ftockings, fhirts, and fhoes of the men; and the facques, gowns, petticoats, fhifts, ftockings, caps, thoes, &c. &c. of the ladies, together with most articles of houfehold furniture; fo that they are only obliged to import from Europe and Afia the grofs materials, fuch as woollens and cottons, draperies and filks, and a few of the fimpleft articles of conveniency, and ftill fewer of luxury. They require few the countenance, dress, gait, and converfation of these people, I was willing to attribute this extraordinary regulation to one or other of these two caufes. I imagined, either that it was intended to refrain a certain kind of frolickfome immorality in private, or to fecure, as in Amfterdam, the punctual payment of a tax, in fcrupulous proportion to the quantity of cuftom, on a certain licensed order of goodnatured and public-fpirited damfels, who occafionally adminifter to the entertainment of ftrangers. But I found on enqul. ry that the fpirit of this law had for its only object, the difcouragement of all intercourfe with ftrangers. As the Cape of Good Hope has, for many years, been a half-way houfe for refreshment, out and home, boarders as well as hofts of quick conceptions and fome genius, have had frequent opportunities of drawing the ftrangeft medleys of characters, and of remarking the vari ous effects of wealth and climate on the paffions and manners of men. The various degrees of rank, and the different stations and circumstances of perfons travelling to and from India have furnished ample scope for obfervations of this kind. An Anecdote. WIFT, Arbuthnot, and Parnell, who tradesmen, because all mechanical fervices were all contemporaries and intimates are for the most part performed at home, as of old among the Greeks and Romans, by flaves. The fervant who waits at table, is equally dextrous at his knitting and fewing-needle, fciffars, cutting knife, awl, the axe, the faw, the plane, the trowel, and the painting-brush. Their ftreets are fpacious, airy, and regularly laid out at right angles; and they feem to have inherited and preferved the cleanlinefs of Haerlem and Delft. But there is one inconveniency which they cannot remedy by all their industry: the trong fqualls of wind which often force themselves through narrow paffes between the furrounding mountains, and raise duft in the streets, in troublesome quantities, in fpite of the frequent applications of water from canals and occafional gutters. Every housekeeper, the governor and members of the council excepted, take penfioners (boarders) and it is but juftice to their tables, beds, and linen, to acknowledge, that they are all good and reasonable. But of the difcouragement that is fhewn to ftrangers from fettling at the Cape, I need mention only one inftance. All housekeepers are obliged to account every evening to the lord-fifcal, for every perfon entertained within their roof, under pain of cenfure and a forfeiture. As there is an outward appearance of devotion, and folemn morality in of Lord Bathurst, took a walk down to a little place his Lordship had about eleven miles from town. When they were about half way, Swift pretended he did not like their pace, and faid he would walk on be fore, and inform his Lordship of the journey. This they agreed to, but he was no fooner out of fight than they, judging bis errand, fent off a horfeman by a bye way, to inform his Lordship of the particulars. The man got there time enough to deliver his meffage, when his Lordship recollecting Swift never had the fmall-pox, thought of the following device. When he faw him coming up the avenue, he ran out to meet him, expreffing his happiness at feeing him, but faid he was mortified at one circumftance, and that was, that a raging fmall-pox was in the house, but begged he would accept such accommodations as a little houfe at the bottom of the avenue would afford. Swift was neceffitated to comply, and in this lonesome fituation, afraid to speak to any one around him, he was ferved with dinner. In the evening, the wits thought proper to release him, by going down in a body to inform him of the deception, and that the fifth best room and bed in the house were at his fervice. Swift, however he might be inwardly mortified, thought it his intereft to join in the laugh: when they all adjourned to the manlionhoufe, and spent the evening very happy. Hiftory Hiftory of the Proceedings and Debates of the Hufe of Commens of Ireland, the fourth Seffion of the ibird Parliament in the Reign of bis present Majesty. (Continued from p. 437.) HOUSE of COMMONS. HE Houle met purfuant to adjournment. TE The Recorder prefented a petition from the guild of merchants, ftating, that the great advantages which this nation was promised by a freedom of trace to all the world, were likely to prove merely imaginary-as from the prefent almoit univerfal war, our commerce was confioed to very few nations, and amongst them the kingdom of Portugal, from which the greatest hopes had been formed, had refuted to receive our manufactures, quantities of which were now actually detained in the cutlom-houfe of Lifbon; and praying the houfe to interfere for redrefs. Mr. Eden then informed the house, that his majelty had been graciously pleated to return thanks to their dutiful and loyal addrefs, which he read in his place, as follows; His majelly returns hie thanks to the house of commons for their dutiful and loyal addrefs, and confiders their affectionate congratulations upon the birth of another prince, as Arong and expreffive marks of their faithful attachment to his majefty's perfon and royal family. "His majetty has the firmett reliance upon the dutiful declaration of the house of commons, to grant his majesty fuch fupplies as may be ade. quate to the maintenance of the public credit, the honourable fupport of his majetty's government, and the lecurity of the kingdom. And his ma jelty is perfuaded of the difpofition of his faithful commons, to give every affittance which the circumttances of their country will allow of, towards the refitting and repelling the unnatural and dangerous combination of his majefty's ene mies. "The increase of the manufactures, and the extenfion of the commerce of Leland, are confiterations that afford the greatest fat sfaction to his maj fly; and his majelly's faithful com mons may reft altured of his majefty's unalterable defire and endeavours, to promote the interest and prosperity of his loyal fubjects of Ireland." Mr. Latouche prefented a petition from the refiners of lugar; Rating the great injury and decay of then trade in conlequence of the low duty affixed to English refined sugars, on impor tation into this kingdom, and praying relief. The Reconter.I beg leave to call the attention of the house to a subject, which feems to me to be of the utmoft confequence to the hap. piness of this kingdom, I mean the adminiftration of its justice. For that purpose, after faying a few words to explain my intentions, Ifhall move you, that the committee of courts of juftice do fit the fi-ft Monday after the Chriftmas recefs. I pottpone it to that time, left the ordi, nary business of this part of the feffions fhould be impeded, which is by no means my with. The first fubject I mean to agitate upon that occafion, is relative to the mafter of the rolls, a character we hear of and feel, but not in his Hib. Mag. Sept. 1782. proper ftation-that of difpening equity to his majelly's fubjects. I have long been a witnes to the abilities, patience, politeness, and integrity of the noble and veserable lord who fo worthily fills the first flation in the court of chancery; and I am fure, that as far as in the power of one man, the bufinefs of that court is ably tranfacted. But is it not highly unreasonable, that the venerable character I take the liberty to allude to, and the public, fhould be deprived of the affiftance of lo material an officer as the mafter of the rolls ought to be? Does not a great thare of the bufinefs of the chancery of England fail to the mafier of the rolls? We fee that this Country is rifing in point of commercial confequence; if fo, the agreements between man and man will increase, breaches of agreements will more frequently occur, á further fource of litigation will happen, and of course, an increase of bulinefs in our court of chancery. I do not mean to injure the prefent matter of the rolls; his convivial ipint, and the obligations he has conferred, have procured him many friends, who might think his enjoyment of the moft lucrative place in his majesty's dominions infefficient, without receiving fomething out of a kingdom which he does nos condelcend to vifit. But furely it will not be improper to inform his majelty, if a vacancy should happen, that this country flands in need of a legal and efficient character in the office of mafter of the rolls. The next fubject I mean to bring forward is of molt ferious moment to us all, it refpects the masters in chancery. It is well known that they are entrufled, at times, with very large fums of money and fecurities. It is to be believed, that conftituted as they sow are, they do not give fecurity to the amount of one fhilling. I know the pretent mafters, and do not mean to question their conduct, but we may not always have men of equal fidelity; and if fome regulation is not timely adopted, there will fome day happen a crush, and the legislature will, for its neglect, meet the curfes of the widow and the orphan. It would be improper to conceal from you, that I mean to being into confideration the very inadequate ftipends which our judges receive. Precarious as their tenure is, yet furely they fhould be paid equal to the labour and troub! they are at. Yet, that the benches are fo well filled as they are, and the bufinefs fo well don as at prefent, is to me maiter of astonishment; for when we look into the public accounts, and the expences of each court, we shall find but a very Imall part of the expenditure imputable to the judges. It is high time to make a mo ample provifion for men of learning, whode vote their time and abilities to the public fervice, and no time can be 'fo proper as the prefent, when there feems to prevail a general barmony and wish to promote the welfare of this coun try. I hall alfo, before the fame committee, propole tome regulation relpecting a part of the community whole time is extremely precious, I mean the merchants of this city. It almoft conitantly happens every term, that the merchants of this city are lummoned to attend on juries at the hour of nine o'clock in the morn ing, and afterwards are not called on by the court until one or two; and frequently at that hour are difimiffed to a future day. This is highly difgufting to the man who confiders punctuality as the life of bufinefs, and it is at the fame time of the greatest inconvenience; for thofe hours which he mifpends in the courts, might be more properly devoted to the duties he is obliged to difcharge. In England, if I am rightly informed, if a juror attends at the hour he is lummoned for, and waits half an hour, he enters his name in a book, after which he may go away without fear of a fine. Some regulation of this kind mult of neceflity be adopted in this kingdom. I have mentioned a few of the outlines of my intentions in wishing for this committee. Let me once for all declare, I do not mean to cenfure any person or any proceeding: I have no fuch idea in contemplation. I mean to conciliate advantages, not to excite refentment; and in fo doing, I hope for the affiftance of every gentle man, particularly the gentlemen of the long robe. Many matters of reformation in our courts will occur to their minds, and I make no doubt but the wisdom of the legislature will provide for them. I have not at prefent touched upon the chancellorship of the exchequer. It certainly is a grievance, that fo great an employment thould be enjoyed by an ablentee, who does nothing for it. But as he could only fit with the barons, and as that court is fo ably filled, especially in the perfon of the noble lord who prefides, I do not think the prefence of the chancellor of the exchequer fo abfolutely neceffary. 1 fhail therefore move you, that the committee for courts of justice do fit on the first Monday after the Christmas recefs. Tuesday, Oober 30.] Mr. Fitzgibbon brought in heads of a bill for the better regulating trials of contetted elections. The Provoft faid, that as the master of the rolls, the attorney and folicitor general for the time being, were exempted from being of the committee for the trials of contefted elections, he hoped the honourable gentleman who brought in the e heads, would have no objection to include his majetty's principal fecretary of state in that exemption. Mr. Fitzgibbon replied, that he could not confent to the right hon. gentleman's request, as he looked upon the employment in this kingdom, to be an office of no businels; and as the gentleman who now held the place, was fo eminent ly poffeffed of abilities and real confequence, he fhould be forry the house fhould lole fo powerful an aid on fuch occafions. The Provoft laid, he should fubmit his request to the indulgence of the house, at a proper period of the bill; for that the hon. gentleman was miftaken when he fuppofed it an office of no bufinefs. Several accounts, &c. were moved for; and Some petitions were prefented to the house. Wednesday, October 31.] The house in a committee of accounts, Monck Mason, Esq; in the chair, examined the feveral documents of the national accounts, under their respective exis. [day, November 1.] Sir Lucius O'Brien moved, for a committee of enquiry into the That of of the principal outlines of a speech which muft have coft Sir Lucius great application and lat bour, and which took up two hours and three quarters to deliver. He moved "that a committee be appointed to take into confideration the trade between the kingdoms of Ireland and Portugal, to a certain how far that had been eftablifhed according to the laws of nations, and to investigate whether that trade has received any interruption, and what methods, confiftent with the dignity and intereft of Ireland, can be purfued to put it on a proper footing. Mr. Corry faid, that it was fome confolation that the houfe, which was now for the first time this feflion divided in opinion, upon iuch an important quellion, was not divided in opinion whether every effort fhould be used to ferve this country, but merely as to the point of time, whether now entering on the business, or deferring it a little, was most likely to be crowned with fuccefs; for his part, he doubted much the propriety of now entering on the question, and his doubts were much increafed when he perceived the two honourable gentlemen (Sir Lucius and Mr. Grattan) were not agreed between themselves. He thought that any rash or hafty refolutions, which might give offence to the court of Lisbon, fhould be carefully avoided; that the matter was in a fafe and happy train, if not unwifely interrupted; that no imputation of delay had been, or could be thrown upon the Jord lieutenant, Mr. Secretary Eden, or lord Hillsborough; that the affectionate attachment of that noble lord to Ireland, was too manifeft to be for a moment held in doubt. He was himfelf an Irishman, partial to the merits, of his countrymen, his pleasure, his pride, was to exalt them into notice; his life had been spent in improving and embellishing this country, and it was well known that the exprefs condition on which he accepted of his prefent high office, was that all reftrictions should be removed, and that Ireland fhould have a full and free trade to all the world. Mr. Bushe preffed the motion on the fame ground Sir Lucius had taken; he said it was but a committee of enquiry; that from what had fallen from the learned baronet, the houfe had received much information, and from the matter that would come before a committee, the house would receive greater information ftili; that by this the nation might hope for that redress which it could not expect from an Englith minifter, furrounded with English monopolifts. Mr. Forbes declared, that at the opening of the feflion he had flattered himself he fhould have been enabled to fupport the prefent adminiAration, but their having thus early shewn themselves, alarmed him, and he feared their declaration that they had nothing to afk, was only, in other words, if you do not attempt to do any goed, we will do you no harm." When I find, continued he, that the Portu guele, against their intereft, refufe to trade with Ireland, I fufpect fomething at bottom; efpecially at this time, when the court of Portugal is in the greatest amity with Great Britain; a moment of gratitude for England's having given free entrance to the produce of the Portuguefe plantations, This is the time, continued he, for fettling commercial affairs: Britain, engaged in a war with a great part of Europe, and the remainder leagued againit her under the pretence of an armed neutrality, has abrogated or fufpended all commercial treaties which must be renewed or revived. Mr. Ogle faid, that the fecretary of a lord lieutenant could not readily diveft himself of the prejudices of an Englishman, but when he came here to do the nation's business, muft ever be fuppofed to caft a longing look behind; that, therefore, it behoved us carefully to guard what' England gave with so much reluctance. Mr. Grattan placed the question in a variety of new lights, and declared that though the crown of Ireland was infeparably annexed to the crown of England, yet the king of England had no right to rob the king of Ireland of the brightest jewel of his crown, (his trade) to embellish that of England. He made fome fevere observations on the practice of adulating minifters and lord lieutenants while in office, but abufing them when no longer in power; and faid that when the first attempts were made, in the British parliament, to enlarge our trade, that very minifter who now promised to much attention and friendfhip, was one of the very perfons, in 1778, who oppofed us, and that he declared himself the exclufive champion of British merchants, who from the revolution till the prefent day, were uniformly contending for a monopoly in favour of England; and that he was neglecting the interefts of the merchants of Ireland whilft he fhewed himself an enemy to an enquiry of fo much importance. Mr. Eden faid the honourable gentleman had no right to affign motives for his conduct, in the English parliament of 1778, as he happened at that time to be on the Atlantic or in America; he had no right to intimate that he gave any exclufive encomium to the merchants of England, he vindicated them, indeed from unmerited alperfions; but that from every experience he had had of the Irish merchants, he was bound to an unremitted anxiety for their interefts, to respect for their characters, and to gratitude for their favour; laftly, he had no right to fay he was an enemy to this enquiry, he only oppofed it at prefent, during an undecided negociation, as premature, imprudent, and moft likely to be perni cious to the mercantile and public intereft of Ireland, The Attorney General faid he was furprifed to fee gentlemen in fuch a violent hurry to quarrel with Portugal, the only friend we had in Europe; that the house might truft itself for a little month, nay, perhaps a week, to hear the answer of that country; that resentment would come time enough when offence was certain, But how difgraceful would it be, if after lome violent refolution paffed by the house, notice fhould come that our affairs in Portugal were amicably lettled. Mr. Flood rofe, and faid, the fate of the na-. tion depended on the prefent motion; and that they should not trust any minister that countenanced a perpetual mutiny bill. That they would be execrated by potterity, if they aban doned the prefent motion. Mr. Malon anfwered thofe parts which related to the points before the house; and the question man whofe fentiments on this fubject, he found being put, there appeared Ayes, 44 Noes, 117 Tellers for the ayes, Mr. Grattan and Sir Luius O'Brien. Tellers for the noes, Mr. Fitzgibbon and Mr. Parnell. Friday, November 2.] After the committee of accounts adjourned, feveral papers were called for, and petitions prefeited. Saturday, November 3.] Mr. Forfer prefented a petition from a company which has undertaken to eftablish a manufactory of catguts, gauzes, &c. &c, amongst us. He faid that the company had already brought over 47 perions from Scotland, well skilled in fabricating tho e goods; that they had actually at work no less than ninety looms, and that if it was contidered that fo large a fum as 200 oool. was annually fent abroad for thofe articles, he doubted not but parliament would think the undertaking worthy of encouragement. The houfe adjourned until Tuesday. Tuesday, November 8.] Several petitions were prefented, and amongst them, one from captain Brooke, brought in by Mr. Huffey Burgh. The captain, he faid, was the first perfon who, from a motive truly patriotic, had attempted to beneit the nation by the late glorious extenfion of its trade. In this, he had a tenfold merit, being a gentleman of eafy fortune, quietly fettled in the country, and having no temptation to rifk his property in the hazardous undertaking of manufactures, but bis zeal for the national profperity. That his conduct in that purfuit was as generous, as the undertaking was noble; for, totally divested of the narrow fpirit of monopo ly, he had established a manufactory for the ma shines used in the various and extended branches of the cotton, linen, filk, and worsted bafinefs, which he had undertaken; and to this manufactory of machines every artift was at liberty to repair, to infpect, or purchafe any machinery neceffary to his own bufinefs. Mr. Burgh then proceeded to fhew the great works which captain Brooke had conftructed for his extenfive manu. factories-a handfome town built by him near the grand canal, and many other improvements equally useful to the nation, and expenfive to himself. He concluded by declaring, that though the captain was worthy the highest pub lic favour, it was not emolument he fought, but the approbation of the people's representatives, the approbation of that house. The Recorder prefented a petition from the merchants of Dublin, praying that parliament would equalize the duties payable on the importation of refined fugars. He iaid that in his opinion, refering it to a committee of ways and means would be the ufual mode of giving the fairest investigation, and would be most fatisfactory to the petitioners, who had deficed it. Mr. Forbes oppofed the idea of fending it to the committee of ways and means; he thought a special committee appointed for the fole purpofe of enquiring into this complicated fubject, was the proper mode of giving fatisfaction to the petitioners and to the nation. He declared, that when laft in London, he had converted with e of the molt eminent fugar bakers there more liberal than thofe of the ith legidature; far from that monopolizing ipirit imputed to the English merchants, he had refused to join in the petition against our duties at first established. He feared that it was intended to hurry this bufinefs forward, by blending it with the other great affairs which came before the committee of ways and means; and therefore he ardently withed to refer it to a special committee. The Recorder came over to Mr. Forbes's idea. Mr. Mafon faid that if the honourable gentleman who now oppofed referring the fubject to the ways and means, bad attended it in the latt committee of ways and means, he would not now oppofe his going thither, as he would know that that was the place in which it was likely to meet with the greatest justice. Mr. Eden faid, that it appeared to be the usa nimous with and intention of the house to give the petition the fulleft and fairest examinatica and difcuffion, and he would for himself tay, it was his most determined and anxious intention to do fo. This examination he thought could be only given in a committee of the whole houie, and that committee being a committee of ways and means, it was his opinion that the matter fhould be referred thither. If the business were referred to a fpecial committee, that committee would fit fo early, that it would be impoffible for him to attend it, and he should think it very hard, indeed, if he was to be forced to decide upon evidence, which he could not have the opportunity of hearing, or the power of examining or controverting. Every man knew, that on his Gruation it was impoffible for him to give his attendance to morning committees, and it was on that account he oppofed the motion, that he himself might affift, in giving juttice and fatisfaction to the nation upon to contetted a point. He then analyzed his expreffion of justice and fatisfaction; by the former he meant, that full and compleat invefligation of every part of the lub ject which was demanded; by the latter, that producing of evidence and proofs, which would convince the kingdom that the procedure of the houfe upon the point was not injurious to the intereft of the nation. Mr. Burgh faid, he was content the petition should be referred to the committee of ways and means, if he could be affured by the minifter, that that committee fhould fit long enough for that purpose. Mr. Eden faid, it would be very unparliamen tary in him to lay how long a committee should fit, or not fit, but as it would be ablurd in ha if the matter could be difculled in forty-eight hours, to keep it open a moment longer; a were it neceffary that it should last for forty-eight days, he fhould think himlelf bound to prevent its ciofing. Mr. Burgh then faid, that as he could not be fecure that there would be fufficient time for difcufling the fubject in the committee of ways and means, be should object to its being referred thither; for he laid, it must first be referred to the committee of fupply, which cannot confider it at all. Then what are you doing? In order to ditcuts the matter fully, you are referring it to a committee which cannot difcufs it at all; and |