The LONDON MAGAZINE:

Or, GENTLEMAN's Monthly Intelligencer.

For APRIL, 1757.

To be continued. (Price Six-Pence each Month.)

Containing (Greater Variety, and more in Quantity, than any Monthly Book of the fame Price.)

With the NEPENTHES, or Wonderful Plant, and a Representation of the SHOOTING of Admiral BYNG, on board the Monarque, curiously engraved on Copper. MULTUM IN PARVO.

LONDON: Printed for R. BALDWIN, at the Rose in Pater-Nofter-Row; Of whom may be had, compleat Sets from the Year 1733 to this Time, neatly Bound or Stitch'd, or any fingle Month to compleat Sets.

CONTENT S.

ESTIMATE of the manners of the

STIMATE of the manners of the Hints relating to broad wheels

The piece from Candidus, and many other pieces in profe and verfe, are deferred to our next; by which time we hope to obtain an authentick account of Damien the affaffin. The lip of ships taken on both fides will then be resumed,

THE

LONDON MAGAZINE.

For APRIL,

175.7.

From a very ingenious Piece lately published, entitled, The ESTIMATE of the MANNERS, &c. of the TIMES *.

1. Of the national Capacity.

I

In a nation thus circumstanced, it is.

perate ridicule, diffolute mirth, and loud peals of laughter, would be the ruling character of fuch an affembly.

odds but you would fee even fome of its moft publick and folemn affeinblies turned, into fcenes of unmanly riot; inttead of the dignity of freedom, the tumults of licentioufnefs would prevail. Forwardness T was a fhrewd obferva- A of young men without experience, intemtion of a good old writer, "How can he get wiflom, whofe talk.is of bullocks?" [Book of wifdom.] But rufticity is not more an enemy of knowledge, than effeminacy: With the B fame propriety therefore it may now be afked, "How can he get wisdom, whose talk is of drefs and wagers, cards, and borough jobbing, horfes, women, and dice? The man of fashion is indeed cut off from the very means of folid inftruction. His late hours occafion a late ri- C fing; and thus the morning, which should be devoted to the acquifition of knowledge is devoted to fleep, to drefs, and ignorance.

E

How weak then must be the national capacity of that people, whofe leading members in publick employ fhould, in general, be formed on fuch a model? If in- D ftead of a general application to books, inftead of investigating the great principles of legiflation, the genius of their national conftitution, of its relations, and dependencies on that of others, the great examples and truths of hiftory, the maxims of generous and upright policy, and the feverer truths of philofophy, on which all these are founded; if inftead of thefe they should feldom rife in political study higher than the fecuring of a borough; inftead of history, be only read in novels; inftead of legiflation, in party pamphlets; inftead of philofophy, in irreligion; inftead of manly and upright manners, in triffing entertainments, drefs, and gaming:If this fhould ever be their ruling character, what must be expected from fuch eftablished ignorance, but errors in the first concoction.

April, 1757.

It is true, that in every assembly of this kind, the publick measures are generally determined by the few whofe fuperiority is approved and acknowledged By the few, who have been fo unfashionable as to defpife the ruling fyftem of effeminacy: And before they had appeared in a higher ftage, had laboured and fhone in a college. But what an increase of national capacity muft arife, if those mafter-spirits were aided, and their plans of government ex-. amined and improved, by men of the like application and ability?

But if, in any nation, the number of fuperior minds be daily decreafing, from the growing manners of the times; what can a nation fo circumftanced have more to fear, than that in another age a general cloud of ignorance may overshadow it?

Let us next confider the natural effects. of thofe effeminate manners, on fleets and armies.

It would, I apprehend, be ill taken, to fuppofe, that the fashionable and prevailing manners abound not in the army and navy. The gentlemen of these profeflions are even diftinguished by their tafte and drefs, their skill at play, their attendance on every amusement, provided. it be but fashionable. And fure it must be by miracle if this trifling and effemiF nate life conduct them to knowledge, or produce capacity. It were unjust to deny. that men of ability in this order, are yet among us. But it would be matter of great pleasure and expectation to the publick, to find ignorance in this profeffion either uncommon or disgraceful. Would

U 2

* Printed for L. DAVIS and C. REYMERS, in Holborn.

156
Would thefe gentlemen please to look
into history, they would find that in po-
lithed times, few have ever diftinguithed
themselves in war, who were not eminent
or confiderable in letters.

MANNERS of the TIMES.

B

It is true indeed, that in barbarous ages, there want not inftances of unlearned lea- A ders, who have done mighty actions in battle. But we must observe, that these were, at least, practifed in their own profeffion. It is farther to be obferved, that in fuch time, the fate of war depends little on ftratagem or difcipline. But it is chiefly to be obferved, that no general rule can be drawn from a few inftances. A man of great natural talents takes mighty frides in any fcience or profeflion: He is felf-taught: While the common run of men, whom nature hath deftined to travel on to improvement by the beaten track of induftry, thro' a blind C and ill understood imitation of his fuperior conduct, must for ever fall the victims of their vanity and ignorance.

April

life is to flumber in a stall, haunt levees, or follow the gainful trade of election jobbing?

If falle pleafure and felf intereft thus take poffeffion of the heart, how can we expect that a regard for religion and chriftianity fhould find a place there?

on

In confequence of thefe ruling habits, muft we not farther lament, that a general neglect of letters is now creeping even upon this profeffion, which ought to maintain and fupport them? Instead of launching into the deeps of learning, the fashionable divine hardly ventures the fhallows. The great works of antiquity, the monuments of antient honour and wifdom, are feldom opened or explored; and even mere modern books are now generally read at fecond hand, thro the falfe mediums of bald translations, or forry abitracts.

2. Of the national Valour or Spirit of Defence.

Our effeminate and unmanly life, working along with our ifland climate, hath notoriously produced an increase of low fpirits and nervous diforders, whofe natu ral and unalterable character is that of fear.

And even where this diftemper is not," the prefent falfe delicacy of the fashionable world effectually difqualifies them from enduring toil, or facing danger.

Enthufiaftic religion leads to conqueft ;. rational religion leads to rational defence; but the modern fpirit of irreligion leads to rafcally and abandoned cowardice. It quencheth every generous hope that can enlarge the foul; and levels mankind. with the beats that perish.

There is another profeffion, which, under the article of the national capacity, the vulgar reader will naturally expect to find confidered. I mean, that of the D clergy. But the general defect of religious principles among the higher ranks hath rendered this order of men altogether utelets, except among thofe in middle life, where they till maintain a certain degree of cftimation. The contempt with which not they, but their profeffion, is treated E by the ignorant and profligate, is equally common indeci to high and low life. But while I defend and honour the profeffion; I mean not to flatter the profeffors. As far, therefore, as the influence of their conduct and knowledge can be fuppofed to affect the national capacity; fo far they feem falling into the fame unmanly and effeminate peculiarities, by which their cotemporaries are diftinguished. Such of them, I mean, as have opportu nity of converfing with what is called the world, and are fuppofed to make a part of it. In their conduct, they curb not, but G promote and encourage, the trifling manners of the times. It is grown a fashionable thing among thefe gentlemen to defpife the duties of their parish; to wander about, as the various feafons invite, to every fcene of falie gaity; to frequent and thine in all publick places, their own H kingdom. pulpits excepted.

Or if their age and fituation fet them above thefe puerile amufements, are we not to lament, that inftead of a manly and rational regard to the welfare of mankind the chief employment of many a clerical

F

Can the debility, of modern honour produce the manly spirit of defence? Alas, if ever it is put in action by any thing beyond the vanity of fhew; it is rouzed by an affront, and dies in a duel.

How far this daftard spirit of effeminacy hath crept upon us, and destroyed the national fpirit of defence, may appear from the general panic the nation was thrown into, at the late rebellion. When those of every rank above a constable, instead of arming themselves and encouraging the people, generally filed before the rebels; while a mob of ragged highlanders marched unmolested to the heart of a populous

Nay, fo general was this cowardly and effeminate fpirit, that it was not confined to the friends of liberty and Britain: In England, it infected even their enemies; who, while the hardy Scots rifked their

lines

1757.

DISCOVERIES of DR. HALES.

lives in a strange country, amidit the inclemencies of a fevere feason, fat like cowards by the chimney corner, tamely wifhing the fuccefs of that mischief, which their effeminate manners durit not propa-, gate.

For a natural difplay of the genius of A the times, commend me to the frank de claration of an honeft gentleman, during the impending terror of a French invation.

157

to the rails of the frame a board over the hole, with a round hole in it, near four inches in diameter; the board to be like a wedge, fo much thicker at its lower end than the upper, as to have its furface horizontal; on which to fix (by fliding under finall ledges or mouldings, the lower fpread-out part, fo as readily to take off or put on) a tin tube four inches in diameter, and a foot high, with a cowl on it, made readily to turn to and fro by means of a vane, fo as to have its clofed fide always to the wind, and its open part from the wind, for the foul vapour, which arifes from the dung, and perfpiration of the plants, to pafs off inceflantly as it' rifes; which it will do by this means," without admitting any cold air, as is done by the common method of raifing the glafs covers a little, which endangers the plants fuffering by cold. It is probable, C that more than two of thefe tubes, with vanes, will be wanting, in long frames.

For my part, I am no foldier; and therefore think it no difgrace to own myfelf a coward. Here is my purse, at the fervice of my country: If the French come, I'll pay; but dl take me, if I B fight."

Where then fhall we feek for the ge nuine fpirit of defence? Where, in truth, fhould we most feek for it, but among those who are our defenders by profeflion?

Are not our army and navy the great fchools of courage and honour where thefe fhining qualities are of courfe obtained?-Truly, it hath long been fo affirmed, fo long, that the affirmation hath, till of late, paffed for proof. But the nation is now beginning to grow fceptical in this point; and require fomething more than affirmation for the fupport of an ar- D ticle of fuch importance.

It is true, that when armies take the field, and fleets put to fca; when fieges are undertaken, and battles fought, and glory is the prize of toil and danger ;then indeed armies and navies become the schools of courage and warlike honour: E Here is a strong and continued bias put upon the mind of every individual, of force to conquer its earlieft obliquities. But where nothing of this happens; where land officers in the capital are occupied in drefs, cards, and tea; and in country towns divide their time between milliners F fhops and taverns; and fea-officers, even in time of war, inftead of annoying the enemy's fleets, are chiefly bufied in the gainful trade of catching prizes.-In fuch a cafe, the army muft of neceffity be the fchool of avarice, to the ends of effeminacy.

How far thefe general reafonings are confirmed by a feries of recent events, the world is left to judge.

An Account of rational and eafy Methods to
purify the Air, and regulate its Heat, in
Melon Frames and bot Greenhouses. By
the Rev. and publick spirited Dr. STE-
PHEN HALES.

1.Teach end of the upper fide of a
TA
AKE a pane of glass out, at

melon frame, or hot-house; and then fix

When plants by this means enjoy a conftant fresh air, they will probably thrive with vigour, and also become more hardy, by being always in a temperate air, than when they are fometimes stewed" in the foul, hot, and clofe confined va-' pour of the hot-bed, and perfpiration of the plants; fresh, pure air, being as requifite and falutary for plants as for ani-' mals. There is in the middle of the tin tube a round valve, which turns on an axil, fo as to open or clofe the tube more or lefs, if it fall be found needful, in' proportion to the different degrees of the heat of the dung or bark, and the different temperatures of the outer air. Or there may be a fliding fhutter at the lower wedge-like board, on which the tim tube is fixed.

It is very probable, that the flavour of melons and pines will by this means be confiderably more delicate, than when, in the common way, they are long tewing in the foul vapour of dung or bark, and of what perfpires from the plants. For it is a matter of common obfervation, that G the fruits on trees both thrive mott kindly, and are alfo the better flavoured, the more freely they perfpire in a pure air.

H

2. There is alfo another improvement, which, as I have lately found on trial, will be of further confiderable benefit in melon frames and hot-houses, viz. I laid floping, in a heap of dung, a leaden pipe, which was eight feet long, and an ch and quarter wide within. The lower end of the pipe, which was bent a little downward, was near the furface of the ground. The upper end of the pipe, being bent upwards,