directions as hereafter are expressed. Wherefore all persons, inhabiting as aforesaid are hereby in his Majesty's name, straightly charged and commanded to furnish themselves with sufficient quantities of firing, to wit, of Sea-coal, or any other combustible matter, to maintain and continue Fire burning constantly for three whole Days, and three whole Nights and in the mean time all extraordinary concourse of People, and employment of Carrs, and whatever else may be troublesome in the Streets, is to be forborne. And fervent prayers to be offered up to the Throne of Grace, for a Blessing upon the means. Every six houses on each side the way, which will be twelve houses, are to joyn together to provide firing for three whole Nights and three whole Days, to be made in one great Fire before the door of the middlemost Inhabitant; and one or more persons to be appointed to keep the Fire constantly burning, without suffering the same to be extinguished or go out all the time aforesaid; and this to be observed in all Streets, Courts, Lanes, and Alleys; and great care to be taken where the Streets, Courts, Lanes, and Alleys are narrow, that the Fires may be made of proportionable bigness, that so no damage may ensue to the Houses. It is supposed that one Load of Sea-coal will maintain a fire for three days and three nights, by first kindling two Bushels, and afterwards a Bushel at a time laid on to continue the fire, whereby six bushels will maintain fire for twenty-four hours, and consequently eighteen Bushels (which is a Load) will be sufficient for three Days and three Nights, which will not amount to above eighteenpence or two shillings for each House, the three whole Days and Nights; toward which charge all the Inhabitants that pay two-pence a week to the Poor, and upwards, are to be charged with a certain Tax, if they will not furnish the money voluntarily. And that none may avoid their share of this so necessary a charge, by their absence out of town, the Deputies, Common Councilmen, and Church-wardens of each Parish are required to disburse the money; and the

Justices will take care that a certain Rate be imposed upon such as are absent, or shall refuse to do it voluntarily, for the repayment of those that shall disburse any money. The Ministers of every Parish are desired to exhort the people to be forward in so hopeful a means, if God shall please to grant his Blessing thereupon. And that notice be given, that upon Tuesday the fifth of September, at eight of the clock at night, the Fires are to be kindled in all Streets, Courts, Lanes, and Alleys, of the City and Suburbs thereof; and all officers whatsoever of the several Wards and Parishes, as also the several Inhabitants, are to take special care for the punctual performance hereof, as they will answer their neglect at their utmost peril.

SIR JOHN LAWRENCE was Lord Mayor at the time of issuing the above Proclamation; and he was succeeded in the Mayoralty, on the 30th of September, by SIR THOMAS BLUDWORTH; the memorable personage to whose incapacity and want of moral courage at the commencement of the Great Fire of 1666, the writers of the time have attributed the extensive spreading of that conflagration.

No. V.

OPINION OF DR. HODGES ON THE VIRTUES OF SACK.

DE FOE, in the latter part of his "Memoirs," (vide p. 314, of this edition,) has noticed the case of a physician whose constant use of remedial cordials occasioned him to become a confirmed sot. Most probably the person meant was Dr. Hodges, the author of "Loimologia," from whose work De Foe derived so much of his information, and who, from pecuniary embarassments, became a prisoner in Ludgate, and died in confinement. Like Sir John Falstaff, the doctor found great virtue in sack; and he has thus stated his high

opinion of its excellence in the account of his method of practice during the contagion.

"But before I proceed further, gratitude obliges me to do justice to the virtues of sack, as it deservedly is ranked amongst the principal antidotes, whether it be drunk by itself or impregnated with wormwood, angelica, &c., for I have never yet met with anything so agreeable to the nerves and spirits in all my experience. That which is best is middle-aged, neat, fine, bright, racy, and of a walnut flavour; and it is certainly true that during the late fatal times both the infected and the well found vast benefit from it, unless they who used it too intemperatively: many indeed medicated it with various alexipharmic simples."

Again, in noticing tobacco as a prophylactic, Dr. Hodges says, "I must confess at uncertainties about it; though as to myself, I am its professed enemy, and was accustomed to supply its place as an antidote with sack." He next mentions amulets as worn against infection; and, after characterising them as baubles, proceeds to give directions "more conformable to reason and the rules of medicine," concluding his discourse with the subjoined account of his own practice.

"I think it not amiss to recite the means which I used to preserve myself from the infection, during the continual course of my business among the sick.

"As soon as I rose in the morning early, I took the quantity of a nutmeg of the anti-pestilential electuary; then after the despatch of private concerns in my family, I ventured into a large room where crowds of citizens used to be waiting for me; and there I commonly spent two or three hours, as in an hospital, examining the several conditions and circumstances of all who came thither; some of which had ulcers yet uncured, and others came to be advised under the first symptoms of seizure; all which I endeavoured to despatch with all possible care to their various exigencies.

"As soon as this crowd could be discharged, I judged it not proper to go abroad fasting, and therefore got my

breakfast. After which, till dinner-time, I visited the sick at their houses, where, upon entering their houses, I immediately had burnt some proper thing upon coals, and also kept in my mouth some lozenges all the while I was examining them. But they are in a mistake who report that physicians used on such occasions very hot things; as myrrh, zedoary, angelica, ginger, &c., for many, deceived thereby, raised inflammation upon their tonsils, and greatly endangered their lungs.

"I further took care not to go into the rooms of the sick when I sweated, or were short-breathed with walking; and kept my mind as composed as possible, being sufficiently warned by such, who had grievously suffered by uneasiness in that respect. After some hours' visiting in this manner I returned home.

"Before dinner I always drank a glass of sack to warm the stomach, refresh the spirits, and dissipate any beginning lodgment of the infection. I chose meats for my table that yielded an easy and generous nourishment, roasted before boiled, and pickles not only suitable to the meats, but to the nature of the distemper; and indeed in this melancholy time, the city greatly abounded with variety of all good things of that nature. I seldom likewise rose from dinner without drinking more wine. After this I had always many persons come for advice; and as soon as I could despatch them, I again visited till eight or nine at night, and then concluded the evening at home, by drinking to cheerfulness of my old favourite liquor, which encouraged sleep and an easy breathing through the pores all night. But if, in the day time, I found the least approaches of the infection upon me, as by giddiness, loathing at stomach, and faintness, I immediately had recourse to a glass of this wine, which easily drove these beginning disorders away by transpiration. In the whole course of the infection I found myself ill but twice; but was soon again cleared of its approaches by these means, and by the help of such antidotes as I kept always by me." -See "Loimologia," Dr. Quincey's translation, pp. 217-226.

No. VI.

THE BAG-PIPER IN TOTTENHAM-COURT ROAD.

THE following traditionary anecdote, which has an immediate reference to De Foe's story of the blind piper, is derived from the London Magazine for April, 1820: it was addressed to the editor by a correspondent; but the original source of the information has not been ascertained.

"I forward you a rather remarkable anecdote relative to a statue, the original work of the famous Caius Gabriel Cibber, which has, for many years, occupied a site in a garden on the terrace in Tottenham-Court Road.

"The statue in question is executed in a fine free-stone, representing a bag-piper in a sitting posture, with his dog and keg of liquor by his side; the latter of which stands upon a neat stone pedestal.-The following singular history is attached to its original execution:—

"During the Great Plague of London, carts were sent round the city each night, the drivers of which rung a bell, as intimation for every house to bring out its dead. The bodies were then thrown promiscuously into the cart, and conveyed to a little distance in the environs, where deep ditches were dug, into which they were deposited.

"The piper (as represented in the statue) had his constant stand at the bottom of Holborn, near St. Andrew's church. He became well known about the neighbourhood, and picked up a living from the passengers going that way, who generally threw him a few pence as the reward of his musical talent. A certain gentleman, who never failed in his generosity to the piper, was surprised, on passing one day as usual, to miss him from his accustomed place: on inquiry, he found that the poor man had been taken ill, in consequence of a very singular accident.—On the joyful occasion of the arrival of one of his countrymen from the Highlands, the piper had made too free with the contents of his keg: these so over