Foreign and Domeftic Intelligence, which the fhark made towards a boat lying at a little distance, when one of the people, luckily having a gun, on his coming along fide, fhot him inftantly dead. They afterwards towed him on fhore, opened him, and took out the two parts of the man, and buried them. The Calais packet boat from Calais to Dunkirk, is loft two leagues to the Eaft of Dunkirk Harbour. Leghorn, Sept. 21. Capt. Brown, of England, who arrived here yesterday from the Ifle of Paros, brings advice that the Ruffians have not yet made any progrefs; that they have fuffered much by want of provifions, that being deceived by the Greeks, they had put a great number of them in irons; and that part of the fleet had failed to Raguía to raife the contribution they had demanded of that republic. Tuesday, Oct. 22. The Nancy, from Parkgate to Dublin, in a ftorm about three weeks ago, had several passengers washed overboard, who would not obey the order of the Captain by going under deck. Extract of a letter from Dunwich in "We have had for feveral days paft very blowing weather. Every tide affords us a fhocking fight of the bodies of poor failors which are thrown on fhore, of different countries, from which we apprehend that a vaft deal of damage has been done at fea," Thursday, Oct. 24. Yesterday morning, between nine and ten o'clock, the two Sheriffs, Mef. Wilkes and Bull, attended the Old-Bailey, to fee the new regulations complied with. The prifoners are arraigned fingly, and their trials come on by rotation as they ftand on the lift. The fame morning the galleries at the Seffions-houfe were ordered to be opened, except the Sword-Bearer's, the profit arifing from which he purchafed for 6000. Mr. Sheriff Bull's fervants faid their key was loft, but their mafter went up ftairs and ordered the gallery-door to be forced open. Another account fays, that Mr. Wilkes yesterday morning finding one of the gallery-doors at the Old-Bailey fhut, fent for a carpenter, who broke it open. The gallery was fo much crowded, that the bufinefs of the Court was much retarded. The patriots of Ireland are in high fpirits fince the majority they obtained over the Court party in the last divifion. 159 On the debate, on the first amendment, the majority fell ten of the original number; fo that from the expec tation of a fresh fupply of Irifh members from England, they have the ftrong.. eft hopes of routing them after a few trials; or, at leaft, reducing them to a prorogating. The patriots had fo much the advantage of the courtiers, on the arguments on the addreffes, that few of them, a la mode de l'Anglois, thought proper to reply. A formidable fquadron lately failed from the Havannah, under pretence of putting a top to a clandeftine trade, which the Dutch, at St. Euftatia, are carrying on with the inhabitants of New Spain; but it is fhrewdly fufpected they are bound to a different quarter. A frigate, however, has been dispatched by Admiral Rodney, to reconnoiter their courfe, and follow them till they put into fome port. The Packet-boat, which failed from Dublin for Holyhead the 8th, inftant, and was feared to be loft, arrived with the paffengers all well, after being in the greateff diftrefs imaginable, and more than once given given up for loft. The young Cub has won near 20,000l. at Newmarket races. Henry Stanley, Efq; is appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the Third (or King's own) regiment of Dragoons. Richard Whyte, Efq; is appointed a Major in the faid regiment. Henry Hatton, Efq, is appointed Captain of a company in the 8th (or the King's) regiment of foot, commanded by Lieut. Gen. Webb. Robert Keily, Gent. is appointed a Captain Lieutenant in the third (or King's own) regiment of dragoons, commanded by the Earl of Albemarle. Llewellin Bullock, Gent. is appointed. a Lieut. in the fame regiment. William Potts, Gent. is appointed Capt. Lieutenant in the 8th (or the King's regiment of foot) commanded by Lieut. Gen. Webb. Francis Wilkie, Gent. is appointed an Enfign in the 14th regiment of foot. Squire Morgan ftill continues his amour with a certain Baronefs, at a houfe near Cavendish-fquare. His conduct being no fecret at St. James's, is it poffible, that our very moral and pious Kfhould connive at fornication in one brother, and open adultery in the other, with a facility that would fhame even a Borgia, or our 2d Charles, of moft libidinous memory! York, 160 Foreign and Domeftic Intelligence. York, Od. 22. Laft Tuesday a man, who had been shooting, came with his gun loaded into a public-houfe at Markington, where feveral of his neighbours were, one of whom laid him a wager of a pint of ale, that he would throw up his hat in the air, and that he did not hit it, which being done at the door, the gun hung fire, and when he took it from his fhoulder it went off, and fhot Benjamin Theakfton dead on the fpot. P Sherborne, Oct. 21. A gentleman on Tuefday morning laft, at the White Hart Inn at Andover, was found dead in his bed. The evening before he made a hearty fupper, and was very chearful; and what is very remarkable, the day before he died he made his will with a peneil, in his pocket-book: He had been to Weyhill fair to buy hops. Birmingham, Oct. 21. Tuesday fe'nnight a labourer of Litchfield was found hanging in his barn, in Baker's-lane, in the faid city. It is fuppofed, that being by drunkenness reduced to needy circumftances, he was inftigated to bring himfelf to his unhappy end: Accordingly the Coroners Inquest brought in their verdict, Felo de fe. Warsaw, Sept. 5. The account of Count Oginski having taken the town of Niefwifz and made 150 Ruffians prifoners is not confirmed; on the contrary, we know that he demanded the town, but that the Commandant fent him for anfwer, that he might try what he could do, if he pleated, but that he, the Commandant, would die in defence of the place. Upon this, Oginski fet off for Mier, and afterwards to Stolowica not far from Slonim, where he ended his campaign in the following manner: When Col. During had pla ced his corps of about Sao men in the most advantageous pofition, and shewing an extenfive front, Oginski was quite furprized, and thought the Ruf ans had all affembled themselves there. The Count upon this turned to the right, by which means he fell in General Suwarow's way, who had only two pieces of cannon with him. This General wondered the Count did not immediately attack him, and taking advan tage of the opportunity, fell on him in the night, and totally defeated him. The Count's cavalry is faid inftantly to have taken flight, and about 800 of the infantry furrendred themselves prifoners of war. Count Oginski loft his whole baggage and all his cannon by this afSr, and with great difficulty faved his -life: Morgan the highwayman, who fled to Dunkirk, is now a private man in the French guards, and has likewife an allowance of half a crown a day from fome unknown hand in England, fo that he feldom does any duty. Saturday, Oct. 26. Yesterday being the anniversary of his Majesty's accelfion to the throne, the Lord Mayor, atcompanied by Mr. Sheriff Bull, went to St. Paul's church, where a fermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Evans, his Lordship's chaplain. After divine fervice, his Lordship was met at the church by the Artillery company, who marched before the state coachwith colours flying, drums beating, and mutic playing, to the Mansion-houte, where the principal officers, and other gentlemen, upwards of 100 in the whole, elegantly entertained by his Lordfhip. After dinner the Lord Mayor, and the officers, appeared under the portico, where they stood while the company marched by the Manfion-houfe, paying the proper falutes. were On Thursday evening Mr. Gray, of King-ftreet, St. James's, on his return to town, was robbed near Acton by a fingle highwayman of his watch, seven gumeas, and fome filver. Letters from the continent advise, that the Prince of Brunswick, and fome volunteers of the Ruffian army, very nearly fell into the hands of the Confede rates, with their efcort the 29th ult. but they attacked and drove them off with confiderable lofs. His Royal Highness, and the reft, are now fate in General Romanzow's camp. This morning, the houfe of Mr. Strangeways, a grocer, near the George and Vulture at Tottenham, was broke open, and the fhop robbed of a cannifter of tea of about fifty pounds, but the rogues miffed the cafh. Soon afterwards the fhop windows of Mr. Hemet, oppofite the High-crofs, were forced open, as fuppofed, by the fame gang of villains, but being furprized before they effected their intended depredation, made off and escaped. This morning early a gentlemen, in High-street, Marybone, who had been delirious for fome days, leaped out of a two pair of ftairs window, and was killed on the frot. The Lord Chancellor has been pleafed to appoint Francis Dighton, of Bedale in the county of York, Gentleman, attorney at law, a Mafter Extraordinary in the Court of Chancery. The Oxford Magazine; For NOVEMBER, 1771. For the OXFORD MAGAZINE. THE CENSOR. Virtuous man, and a good citizen, A will always be Tembly concerned for the honour of his country; and as it will give him the higheft fatisfaction to hear that her fame is exalted above that of the other nations of the earth; fo will he be deeply afflicted to find the is characterized by any particular vice, to which his fellow-fubjects are addi&ed, in fuch a degree as to render it a notorious and general charge. Valour, integrity, and amity, are the virtues for which Englishmen are renowned. Intemperance and fuicide are the vices with which they are branded as a people. The intemperance of my countrymen is chiefly confined to the three following articles, women, wine, and money. In the gratification of their inordinate luft, under either of thefe heads, I am forry to fay, I apprehend we have no rivals. The annals of modern gallantry contain the most melancholy proofs, that no laws, facred or prophane, no ties of friendship or gratitude, can stop our career, when a fine woman is the object or our defires. I defy any country around us to produce inftances of fuch perfidy, brutal indecency, and low debauchery, as are to be met with in the depofitions on the one part and the other, published (contrary to all good order and found manners) in the Grosvenor cause. The black ingratitude of Capt. Sutherland and Lady Mary Scott; the mean lewdness of Mrs. By, and de contemptible, mercenary difpoli VOL. VII. NUMBER XIII. tion of that vile tool her husband, are corroborating evidences of the volup tuous intemperance, and fordidnefs, which are daily gaining ground in the capital of this kingdom. No lefs confpicuous is the difgraceful vice of drunkenness, exhibited every night in our streets, at the breaking up of tavern and alehouse clubs; and as to the last branch of intemperance, money, we know that there are numbers amongst us, who are dead to the calls of humanity, and to every focial. feeling; and who will act the most unnatural and unjustifiable parts, when intereft is in view. But it will be faid, avaritious men are to be found in all countries, and that the thirit of gain is not peculiar to the English; this will readily be granted; yet most certain it is, that no people on earth have done fach mad actions merely for the fake of money. I wish we could ftop here, and that the pages of recent history did not confirm the opinion, which all foreigners entertain, that fuicide is the English crime. I have taken fome pains to examine from whence this notion of our countrymen is derived, and I find, that for one European of any other nation, that has deftroyed himfelf within the last half century, there have been > no less than thirty of our countrymen; and this is the more furprifing because the natural valour for which we are famed, it might be imagined, would infpire us with fortitude to encounter thofe adverlities in life, that are 162 The CENSOR. are the common causes of fuicide. Thofe, indeed, who contend that the act of felf-murder is a proof of valour, will reconcile this vice to our nation character of bravery; and on this principle, they may account for its being more frequent in England than elsewhere. It has been a question amongst the learned, whether the commiffion of this crime does not always fuppofe a state of lunacy, and from this fuppofition it has become the ufual practice for the Coroner's Inqueft, upon these melancholy occafions, to bring in a verdict of Lunacy; but if we confult the records of antiquity, or take a critical review of fome of the fatal catastrophes that have happened in our own country, we fhall find, that the cool, deliberate manner in which many perfons have prepared themfelves for a voluntary death, and the refolution with which they afterwards encountered this terrible foe, were the fureft indications of a found mind, and of the full use of their rational faculties. It is not my intention, however, to juftify this crime, but fince we are branded with it as a national one, I would willingly leffen the odium, and refute the ridiculous opinion, that it is always an act of Lunacy. It has been maintained, that the celebrated Cato put himself to death through an imbecility of mind. But whoever confiders what fortitude he must have poffeffed, not only to overcome the most powerful instinct of nature, but to determine on preferring death, to a life which he thought ignominious; when we reflect that his generous foul could not bear the idea of flavery, and that his affection for his country would not permit him to be hold her fubjected to the ufurpation of Cæfar, we cannot but acknowledge he had the perfect ufe of his reafon. We muft grant likewife that Brutus, Caffius, the fublime Arria, the Emperor Oths, Marc-Anthony, and many more celebrated heroes of ancient Rome, had not the leat fymptom of lunacy when they calmly refolved to quit life, rather than live to be taken pritoners, and to be led in fhameful triumph through the eities in which they had been honoured with the firft dignities of the commonwealth, and been held in the highest veneration. By their deaths they knew they fhould confecrate their names to made captives, they were affured their lateft pofterity; by furviving, to be memories would be eternally disgraced, and their perfons despised. existence upon occafions, which, in the But the Romans put an end to their unjuftifiable; when they were afflicted eyes of Chriftians, muft appear very with any painful, or lingering disorder, for which they knew no remedy, they deliberately fettled all their worldly affairs, acquainted their families that they were refolved to die, prepared their nearest and dearest relations to bear the fhock of the tragic scene that was to enfue; and even brought them it the fanction of their approbation. to confent to the measure, and to give And as a proof that fuicide was neither confidered as an act of lunacy, greatest philofophers of antiquity have nor yet of cowardice, fome of the written in defence of an action now univerfally condemned; in fact, as neither the religious or civil codes of the heathens forbid the practice, it became a part of the customs of the nation, and was at length confidered as a mark of heroic virtue. The teftament of a fuicide was deAnthony, which was never revoked; creed to be valid, by a law of Marcbut the wills of perfons who were deemed infane, were always null and curfory review of fuicide, in the most void by the Roman laws. From this renowned republic of Rome, once the miftrefs of the world, it will be hard famous punishments, which have been to account for the penal laws, and inintroduced into the civil inftitutes of mott modern countries, with respect to crime, and formerly accounted a viran action now confidered as an horrid tue. proceeded on the principles of ChriftiIf our modern legislators have anity, it is incumbent on them, as Voltaire juftly obferves, to point out any pofitive ordinance concerning fuicide, either in the Old or the New Teflament; the filence of fcripture on this head has induced fome modern writers of no fmall repute, though educated Caducated in the principles of Chriftianity, to apologize for this fatal error, for fuch it certainly is, as I hall make it appear before I quit the fubject; my intention being only to invalidate the falfe notion, that all fuicides are madmen or lunatics; and to excite our attention to the caufes of the frequency of these tragic fcenes in England, in order that we may ufe our best endeavours to prevent them. I am concerned to find all the blame lie at the door of the unhappy victims, while thofe wretches who may be faid to have murdered them, though they did not actually give the mortal blow, efcape uncenfured. We derive many ftrange customs from our cannon law; amongst others, that of confifcating the perfonal effects of fuicides; of denying them the rights of fepulture, and of rendering their names infamous. But by a ftrange infatuation, hardly to be accounted for in an enlightened age, we do not ftigmatize the obdurate, unrelenting parent-the cruel, perfidious feducer of female innocence-the avaritious oppreflor of the diftreffed in circumstances the violator of the rights of humanity-the implacable villain who never forgives, but purfues his refentment, till the deftruction of its object is accomplished-thefe all Live to enjoy their fuccefsful triumphs over the unhappy fuicides, to whom they have adminiftered the poison of despair. In the cafe of duels, as well as fuicide, it seems equitable, that the parties who have fomented the quar rels which occafion a fatal catastrophe, fhould be called to account by the civil power; but fince we have no laws to punith fuch offenders, The Cenfor thinks it his duty to remind thofe pretended Chriftians, who are the causes, by their conduct, either of duels or felf-murders, that they are more guilty than the victims themselves, and ought to be expelled from fociety, inftead of being received into all companies as perfons of honour and reputation. In every age and country it has been remarked, that particular vices have been rendered habitual by custom. In Rome it was the fathion for men to deltroy themselves whenever their fituation in life appeared to be intolerable, 163 In France, at a certain period, duelling was fo much in vogue, that the govern:nent was obliged to proceed to the utmoft feverity against the furvivor: Yet this could not totally prevent the practice; for the Duke de Montmorency, the Marshal de Marilac, de Thoue, Cinq Mars, and fome other noblemen of quality, preferred the risk of being executed like common felons, to the imputation of having difhonoured themfelves by refufing a challenge; and being fo unfortunate to furvive their antagonists, were carried through the ftreets of Paris in fledges, and fufered at the common place of execution for the lowest criminals. Had it been the fashion to deftroy themfelves, thefe men would have had the refolution, to prevent a more ignominious death. At Japan it is the fashion, when two perfons of rank have quarrelled, for the offended party to hip up his own belly, in prefence of his enemy, and to challenge him to do the fame: Ridiculous as this cuftom may appear; yet no Japanefe, who values his reputation, dare refufe initantly to plunge the fatal knife into his body, and expire with his antagonist; to furvive, would be to entail difhonour and infamy on himfelf and his posterity. Me Such being the force of custom in all countries, though differing in its modes of operation, furely they ought to be deemed the moft deteftable of men, who by their villainy eftablish vicious and destructive habits, or favour a propenfity to acts of bloody violence. He who teaches his fellow-citizen falle principles of honour, which urge im to fheath his word in the bowels of his belt friend, or to fall a victim to his own idle refentiment, should be put to death by the fame weapon. fhould be confidered as the abettor and accomplice of murder. The hardened wretch, who, by his cruelty and ppreffion, drives another to the dreadful act of fuicide, ought in juftice to share the fame fate; but if he is fuffered to live, he thould be thunned by all mankind; none thould converse with him; no man of credit fhould have any connections with him. The horror and averfion to a living moniter of this fpecies, which the author of the Cenfor X 2 has |