gins to be more interefting, when the princes of the houfe of Savoy having become powerful by the union of feveral fucceffive fiefs, began to entertain thoughts of feizing upon that city. Many were the artifices, intrigues and efforts they ufed to obtain their ends, and as frequently were their schemes defeated, by a spirited people and virtuous magiftracy. the beginning of the year 1500. This proud and enterprifing prince, in concent with the bishops, entered fometimes into the city with great pomp and fplendor, for the purpose of gaining fome, and in timidating others. To fo great a pitch did his arrogance and cruelty at laft ar rive, that he laid hold upon those citi zens who had the courage to refift his tyrannic will, and upon the imputation alone of crimes, without proof, he deli vered them over to torments and the executioner. In this melancholy and forlorn ftate di affairs, the prudent conduct of a fingle c tizen contributed to fave this falling com The counts of Maurienne, after having extended their dominions, were invefted by the emperor Henry V, with the title of Counts of Savoy. Of these Amadeus V. was the fir! who had defigns on Geneva. He forced the bishop to yield up to him a part of his revenue, and in this step he was even favoured by the people, jealous of the pow-munity. Dreading that his native city er of their paltor. His fucceffor, Amadeus VI. in confequence of fomne pompous commiffion and empty title from the Holy See, came, and with permiffion of bishop and people, fat in the city in a judicative capacity. Ademor Fabri, elected bishop, 1355, apprehenfive of thefe innovations, thought it proper and expedient, to have the rights, customs, and immunities of the different members of the ftate, fpecified and confirmed in a folemn manner. The growing power of the houfe of Savoy rendered this measure highly neceffary. Amadeus VIII. now become a duke, and having added to the county of Savoy that of Genevois, was more formidable and more ambitious than ever, In 1420, he ventured so far as to make propofitions to the bishop, to perfuade him to yield up his rights as fovereign of the city, in confequence of a bull he had received from Martin V. But the wife and honourable prelate thought he could not do any thing in this affair without confulting the general affembly of the people, who intreated him neither to alienate his own rights, nor to facrifice the freedom of the city. And thus the offer was rejected. The dukes of Savoy, successors of Amadeus VIII. did not abandon his views upon this city. It was a kind of hereditary ambition which was handed down from father to son, and which, according to the characters of the feveral princes, manifested itself in bold attacks, low in trigues, and infamous ftratagems. They fucceeded upon feveral occafions, in caufing the epifcopal dignity to fall upon the younger fons, and even the bastards of the family, and fo great was their influence, that they had creatures devoted to their service among the magiftrates of the city. Befides, the richest citizens from the eftates they poffeffed in Savoy, became folicitous to fecure his favour and good will. Such was the perilous fituation of Geneva, in the time of duke Charles III. towards was just about to drop into the hands di an arbitrary prince, he went to the canton of Fribourg, and got himself enrolied a citizen of that Republic, that in cafe of neceffity he might find a power to defend and protect him. He infinuated upon this occafion to the leaders of that state, that a treaty of alliance with Geneva might procure them fome advantages, and that it was certainly their intereft to prevent that city from being subjected by an ambitious neighbour, already too powerful, He was fuccefsful in his negociation. The treaty was concluded, and the courageo his fellow citizens fupported it. c of This ftep, however, was more burchcial in its confequences than productive of inftantaneous good to the itate. Doke Charles, irritated by a measure which tended to prevent him from feizing on bil prey, became more txasperated and merc rapacious than ever. He entered the city in a hoftile manner, with a band of troops, by a breach made in the walls, and forced the astonished citizens to renounce the new alliance; and by his intrigues with the Swifs cantons, he fo far fucceeded, that Fribourg gave up the treaty that had been fo lately formed. This virtuous, this patriotic citizen, foon afterwards fell a victim to the refentment of this prince. In imitation of fuch atrocious conduct, we find that even the bishops, forgetting the purity and moderation connected with so sacred a character, entered into the general affembly of the people, accompanied by an armed force, and deposed magiftrates and dictated laws, Happily, however, for Geneva, thefe violators of het privileges, though they were impetuous and ardent, were not close and fteady in their attacks. After committing fome momentary violence and outrage, they ge nerally left the city, and retired into the country. The citizens being thus left to themfelves, began to refume their courage, and to 1782. Curfory Thoughts on various Subjects, to feel refentment. Their frequent applications and moving intreaties at last awak ened the zeal of the Swifs cantons, which the duke had hitherto fo artfully contrived to fupprefs. Berne, as well as Fribourg, formed a new treaty of alliance with Geneva. The valour and courage of thefe Republican tates, fo frequently called forth, and fo fuccefsfully exerted, gave weight and importance to the negociation. The duke, unable to prevent it, after a few empty menaces, gave up for a while the content, and defifted from farther attempts. (To be continued.) Curfory Thoughts on various Subjeïs. (Never published before.) Selected from the Writings of various Authors. News Papers. Nev'ry Newfpaper-that copious sheet-- IN meet: Knowledge fo various, that the hurried mind Thro' columns scarce a refting place can Well do our Chronicles difplay the times, with crimes: Yet while we read them, oft 'tis hard to fay, Which is the truth or falfhood of the day; And, therefore, puzzl'd by suspence, re main Like him who liv'd in our Sixth Henry's reign; Now drawn by this, now by the other rofe, Of fundry articles, a numerous train Are to weak intellects no trifling trials- And keep the mind in a perpetual night. Obfervations. One of the principal amufements of the idler is to read the works of thofe minute biftorians the writers of news, who, tho' contemptuously overlooked by the compofers of bulky volumes, are yet neceffary in a nation where much wealth produces much leifure, and one part of the people has nothing to do but to obferve the lives and fortunes of the other, To us who are regaled every morning 543 and evening with intelligence, and are This univerfal diffusion of instruction is, Whatever is found to gratify the public, will be multiplied by the emulation of plenty indeed produces cheapness, but venders beyond neceffity or ufe. This cheapness always ends in negligence and depravation. The compilation of news-papers is often committed to narrow and mercenary minds, not qualified for the talk of delighting or inftructing; who are content to without induftry to gather, or discernment fill their paper with whatever matter, to felect. Thus journals are daily multiplied withThe tale of out increase of knowledge. the morning paper, is again told in the evening; and the narratives of the evening are bought again in the morning. Thefe repetitions, indeed, wafte time, but perufer of news is tired before he has they do not fhorten it. The most eager completed his labour, and many a man called away to his fhop, or his dinner, enters a coffee-houfe in his flippers, is before he has well confidered the state of JOHNSON. Europe. Military Ambition. T' acquire diftinction in the fields of war, gore; But when the bus'ness of the day is done, great, Is he contented with his share of fame? 0 Obfervations. It is not a little furprising, that mankind have in all times delighted in war, that notwithstanding all the miferies it has brought on them, they ftill continue to rush into it with as much alacrity as ever; the true reafon of which, is certainly this: there is implanted in human nature, fo ftrong an approbation of virtue, that how ever determined men are to indulge their civil administrations, they never enjoy them with fatisfaction, unless they find out means of hiding their deformities, not only from the eyes of others, but from their own; and they are fond of every expedient that ean affift them in this favourite flf-deception, and procure them leave to be wicked with a good character, and a good confcience: now war is of all others the muft effectual for this purpose; as it grants us a plenary indulgence for every Vicious difpofition in the human mind, exempted from punishment or cenfure, as well as from reluctance and remorse: it fo dreffes up idlenefs and profligacy, malevo. lence and revenge, cruelty and juftice, in the amiable habit of zeal for the profperity of our country, that we can give a loose to them all, not only from the approbation of the world, but with the approbation of our own hearts; and of such eftimati. on is this privilege, that we think it fufficient recompence for all miferies and defolation which the mutual exercise of it cannot fail to introduce. JENYNS. The indigence of authors, particularly poets, has long been the object of ridicule, compaffion and contempt. The neglect of economy, in which great geniufes are fupposed to have indulged themselves, bas unfortunately given fo much authority and juf tification to careleffuefs and extravagance, that many a rhymer has fallen into diffipation and drunkenness, because Butler and Otway lived and died in an ale-boufe. It ought not to be concluded from a few examples to the contrary, that poetry and prudence are incompatible, a conclufion that seems to have arifen from the behaviour of the debauchees that difgraced the mufes and the court of Charles II. by their lives and writings. Let those who are bleffed with genius, recollect that œconomy is the parent of integrity, liberty, eafe, and health; and that profufenefs is a cruel demou, that involves her followers in dependance and debt; that is, fettera them with irons that enter into their fuuls. On Dryden's Tragedies in Rhyme. In our great Dryden's most poetic plays, He has leaft claim to the dramatic bays; Faults, glaring faults, in ev'ry act are found, And fenfe is ficrific'd to empty found; In various fcenes, indeed, the poet shines, And charms our ears with his harmonious lines; But when he gives most musical delight, Of nature, beft of guides, he lofes fight; And in those tragedies adorn'd with rhyme, Such ftrokes we meet with of the falfe fublime, [pret, Mix'd with bold thoughts fo happily ex So well conceiv'd, fo elegantly dreft, That we, at once, with pleasure and with pain, [dain. His dramas read, with praife and with di Obfervations. Dryden had a great capacity; and as for a general genius, there is no fuch thing in nature. A genius implies the rays of the mind concentered and determined to fome particular point; when they are scattered widely, they act freely, and ftrike not with fufficient force to fire or diffolve the heart. As what comes from the writer's heart reaches ours; fo what comes from his head, fets our brains at work, and our hearts at eafe. It makes a circle of thoughtful critics, not of diftreffed patients; and a paffive audience is what tragedy requires. Applaufe is not to be given but extorted; and the filent lapfe of a tear does the writer more honour, than the rattling of a thousand hands. Applauding hands and dry eyes are a fatire on the writer's talent, and the fpectator's tafte-Dryden, destitute of Shakespeare's genius, had almost as much learning as Johnfon. He was a ftranger to the pathos, and, by expression and fentiment, ftrove to make amends for it, The noble nature of tragedy difclaims an equivalent; like virtuc, it demands the heart, and Dryden had none to give. Let epic poets think, the tragedian's point is rather to feel; fuch diftant things are a tragedian and a poet, that the latter indulged, deftroys the former. Hiftory The Hiftory of the Proceedings and Debates of the firft Seffion of the House of Commons of the fifteenth Parliament of Great Britain, appointed to be held at Westminster, on Tuesday, October 31, 1780. {Continued from our Mag for May laft p. 268.] Monday, April 8, 1781, M R. Orde brought up the report from the committee of ways and means respecting The additional duty on fheet almanacks, which, after a fhort converfation, was agreed to without divifion. The house then refolved itself into a committee of fugly, in which Lord North moved, that 1000!. per annum be distributed in equal parts between the two universities. Sir Edward Aitley hoped that the grant now moved for might be made chargeable on the produce of the additional duty on Almanacks and on that produce alone; fo that if the new tax fhould not produce the fur the noble Lord expected from it, the annuity might not be charged upon any other fund, but immediately ceafe and determine. Lord North replied, this was his intention, The new tax was to be confidered as a public regulation of the revenue, as well as a mode of raining an annuity for the universities. The motion then pafled; as alto a fecond, by which it was refolved, that the above annuity of 10:0l. per annum should be charged on the fund arifing from the additional duty on Almanacks. Tuesday, April 10.] Mr. Elwes read a report from the committee on the Prefton election, by which Lieut. Gen. Burgoyne was declared duly elected. The report allo informed the house, that as the declaration of the Houfe of Commons in 1761, defcribing the right of voting at Pref. ton, appeared rather indefinite, the chairman was directed humbly to recommend to the house, that a bill fhould be brought in to confire the right of voting to refident burgeffes, and others, boufholders paying foot and lot in the borough of Prefton. Mr. Elwes then moved, that as the business was of importance, the further confideration of the report thould be adjourned to the first of May. A short converfation then took place between General Burgoye, Mr. Fox, Sir H, Houghton, and Sir John Delaval. The laft gentleman, tpeaking of the contrivances that had been luggefted for making voters for Pretton, laid, that a gentleman's counsel had informed him, that if a chimney Sweeper should go down a chimney into a houte, and occupy it, without any apparent legal right, he would infift that his vote was good, and that he had this right from defcent. The queftion was carried without a divifion. Thursday April 12.] The Houle met for the difpatch of fome ordinary bufinels, previous to their recels for the holidays, after which they adjourned till the 24th inftant, Tuesday, April 24.] The houfe met purfuant to adjournment; but tranfacted no public buBoels. Friday, April 27.] Lord North acquainted the houfe that there was a bufinefs which certainly called for the attention of the legislature, Hib, Mag. 08. 1782. and ought to be carefully investigated; he meant the late irruption of Hyder Ally into the Carnatic. The accounts of that calamity had been obtained by accident; and though it arrived before the recess, yet as there was not then any been improper to have fubmitted it to the conofficial difpatch to authenticate it, itwould have fideration of the house. Official accounts had arrived, and now the calamity was fo authenticated, that the house ought not any longer to delay an enquiry into the cause of it. It was not his object to criminate any man; all he looked for was the caule of the misfortune that the East India company must feverely feel. He would there fore move for a fecret committee, to inquire into the extent of the calamity, and afcertain the cause of it. He preferred a fecret committee to any other, because it was the most bkely to proceed with dispatch, which was greatly ne ceffary in the propoted inquiry. After a long debate, wherein Mr. Fox moved for an amendment, viz. inftead of a committee of tecrecy should be inserted a select committee; at last the house divided on Mr. Fox's amendment, when there appeared, for it 80, against it 134, majority 54. Tuesday, May 1.] The report from the com mittee of fupply respecting the provision for 89 new independent companies was brought up, and agreed to by the houfe. Wednesday May 2.] The committee appointed yesterday o fcrutinize the lifts on the ballot for a committee of fecrecy, reported the following members to have had a majority on the ballot. Mr. Gregory, Mr. Attorney General, Mr. Solicitor General, Lord Advocate of Scotland, Mr Ellis the Secretary at War, Lord Lewisham, Hon. Mr. North, Sir G. Howard, Mr. Jacklon, Mr. Thomas O de, Mr. Yorke, Mr. De Grey, Sir Adam Ferguson, and Mr. Macdonald, The Solicitor General then acquainted the houfe, that he had a propofition to make, which he held to be very neceffary for the fupport of religion and morality. A practice, he faid, had of late obtained, of opening places of amulement on Sundays: fome were held out as places of mere amuliment, others as places of inftruction where religious queflions were agitated. Of the fitt defeription was Carlife Houfe; whither, for the feeming purpose of walking and drinking tea and coffee, perions abandoned to all fente of flame, of decency, and religion, made it a point to refort. Thefe perlons pro! Fonally invited the public to immorality; virtue was undermine ed, and religion was of courfe facrificed to vice, In the places et apart for debating religious quel tions, religion was trampled under foot by igno rant people, who wifhed to acqui a reutation for eloquence in an affembly compofed of the low, the vulgar and the illiterate. He read two adverti ements, the one for a theological fociety in High Holborn, where the exilence of the divinity was the theme prop fed for difcuffion; the other for a theological academy,, at the museum, Spring Gardens, for bringing forward a differtation about the existence or tepce of purgatory. He left it to the houte to determine, whether it was likely that religion or morality could be promoted in fuch affery long Complaints, he f id, had been made to leveral of X X X non-ex.f the bishops, and they would have brought a bill into the upper house for reftraining fuch affem blies, if they had not been prevented by the rules and practice of the lower houfe, which would not confent, that an bill for levying money on the fubject should originate in the house of lords; and a bill of this nature would be deemed a money bill, because it was to operate by fine. He then moved for leave to bring in a bill for the better preventing profanations of the Lord's Day, commonly called Sunday. He juft obferv. ed, that if the house should think it proper to reftrain fuch meetings as he alluded to, it would be neceffary to pass an act for the purpose, at no law exifted at prefent by which they could be prevented. from the com.niffioners of accounts was to be confidered; and he proposed to move, that the commiffion fhould be continued for another year, with an exprefs inftruction to proceed first with an examination of the army eftirates. His lordship then stated the fams that had been iffued for the fupport of the army in America, under generals Clinton and Haldimand respectively; the former amounted to more than 1,600,000l. and the latter to upwards of 600,0col but of this little more than 100,ocol, had been remitted in fpecie, including what had been fent to the Weft-Indies, all the remainder being paid here upon bills drawn in America. His lordship alfo ftated the fums iffued for the fupport of the gar ritons of Minorca and Gibraltar, with many other particulars, which we pass over for the want of room. Mr. C. Turner was exafperated at the idea of bringing in a bill, which, in his opinion, was little better than introducing an inquifition in Colonel Barre profeffed his fatisfaction to bear religion. What had a man to do with the religion that the noble lord meant to prolong the com of his neighbour; it was acting between him miffion of accounts, for he admitted that much and his Maker; and no earthly power ought to good had already redounded from it; yet he was interfere between them. If religion was good? not fo dead to parliamentary feelings as not to It would bear difcuffion; if it was bad, it was recollect, that the controul of public expendinot worth preferving. He took occafion alfo to tures was the peculiar bafinefs of that houfe, ridicule learning, and faid it did more harm than and that it was relinquishing one of their grandgood. A learned man, in the parliamentary eft privileges, when a commiffion was appointed, fenfe, was he who could beft puzzle a caufe, from which members of parliament were excludand mislead plain men, and delade them out of ed. He should, therefore, when the noble lord their fenfes. He concluded with conjuring the made his propofition, though fure of not fuc houfe not to blast the protestant religion fo much creding, move an amendment to it, for the pur- pofe of reftoring the inquiry into its proper channel; but it defeated in this attempt, he should cheerfully acquiefce in the noble lord's motion, withing rather to have an imperfect commiffion than none at all. He now stated fome objections to the estimates, thewing their great progreffive increase for many years, and deduced from a long chain of numerical reafons, that 100l. per mao was iffued for the support of the American army, exclufive of their pay and clothing. He called upon fome of the lords or gentlemen over the way, to juftify fuch an extraordinary fact. as to accede to the motion. After some converfation the queflion was then put; and leave was given to bring in the bill, Monday, May 7. The houfe having refolved itfelf into a committee of fupply, the fecretary at war rose and moved, that the fam of 3443,2171. 10s. 8d. h. be granted to his Majefly for the purpose of making good the extraordinary expentes of the army for the prefent year. To fhew the neceflity of this grant, he went through a great variety of eftimates and ac counts, in which we shall not attempt to follow him, as it would be impoffible to do it with accuracy. He took a comparative view of the pretent eftimates, with relation to thofe of the latt year; and where the former were found to exceed, juftified their increase by the greater extension of military operations, and other fubilantial caufes. Lord North rofe, and entered more fully into that part of the estimates which were to be voted for the fupport of the American war. He regretted exceedingly, that the expences of laft year bould to largely have exceeded thofe of the preceding one, their excels being no less than 900,000l. Berling. The campaign had been a buty one; and as commiliary generals were appointed to controul every article of expenditure, he esit tained no doubt that the accounts were juft: bi he did not mean to argue that, be at he entertained that opinion fo large a fum Ghould be voted without inquiry; on the contrary, he would recommend a full investigation of thefe eflimates to the attention of the house; and in order thereto fhould makes propofition on Thursday next, which he doubted not would be very acceptable. On that day the report Lord North replied, that though the number actually provided for was 83,000. nine months fubfidence had been iffued for 15,000 men in the Weft-Indies, and Boco in other quarters, which were not included in that amount. The number of men to be actually employed on the dif ferent fervices could not be certainly afcertained at the beginning of a campaign; but the come mander in chief delivered an ellimate to the fe cetary of fate, computing how many would be wanted, and their fubfiflence was iffued from the treafury accordingly. With refpect to the increase of the expences, that might refult from other caufes than a proportionate increase of numbers, as the operations of the army might be more expenfive one year than another. Col. Barré laid, if 83,000 men were to be provided for, it was neceffery the public should be satisfied fo many were actually employed; but he would maintain, as he had done formerly, that the number of effectives did not exceed 40 oco. Mr. Burke oblerved, that after a fix years contefl, and many millions wanted, we had got nothing but the information that nobody was in fault, and we were now contending, not for the dependence |