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Not thinking they would look on me,
Guess then how frighten'd I must be,
When suddenly they turn'd around,
And through our door-way entrance found:
My changing colour told my fright,
try'd to hide me from their sight;
For fierce the aspect that they bore;
Dirty the coverings which they wore ;
Their skin appear'd their clothes between,
And naked all one shoulder seen;
Across which hung a monstrous bow,
The tomahawk was slung below;
Within their belts some arrows stood,
With knives, suppos'd to cut their food :
Their looks were dark, austere their eye,
They made a sign I should not fly;
And try'd to make my husband see,
They meant no injury to me;
Yet though at his command I staid,
My trembling said I was afraid;
When he who seem'd the chief of these,
Thinking he would my fears appease,
His hand upon my necklace lay'd,
Then touch'd the feather on my head,
Trying to make me understand

He wanted them within his hand :
My necklace quickly off I tore,
And the feather I had wore;
gave
He seem'd delighted, danc'd and sung,
The others disappointed, hung.

Their heads, with anger in their eyes,
As if they would dispute his prize;
My husband try'd their rage to lower,
By giving trifles from the store;
One chose a knife, and seem'd to try
Its sharpness with a sparkling eye;
The next a pair of scissars took,
Pleas'd with the brightness of their look:

A long steel watch-chain charm'd the last,
On it an anxious look he cast,
Eager to have it did appear,
And quickly hung it on his ear.
Still not content, with jealous eyes
Again they view'd their chieftain's prize,
My feather, plac'd upon his hair,
My necklace, dangling from his ear,
Was by them all so much admir'd,
That they by signs again desir'd
I'd give each man a feather too,
Then quietly away they'd go;
So I was forc'd to fetch some more,
That we might get this visit o'er:
Tho' with my feathers loth to part,
And very angry in my heart,
I them in this awkward cause,
gave
To rid me of the Catawbaws*.
Who all the day grotesque appear'd,
With my tall feathers highly rear'd,
Encircled with a cock-tail crown,
Of red and yellow, black and brown.

Can we deny that the principle of sonal decoration is natural to man? we see how strongly it predomina such simple sons of Nature. We ma it luxury if we will; but whether it want or a weakness, all mankind are ject to it; the rude no less than the ref As ladies do not often publish their tra in poetry especially, we are seldom g fied with a bill of fare, and prices of &c. equal to that of this good housew those who mean to visit America, consult it with advantage. We shall her description of the customs atten on marriages and funerals.

The rooms were dress'd with flow'rets The company in best array, Converse, and pass the time away, Till Sol withdraws his brilliant ray; When entering the drawing-room, The parson shews the hour is come; The parents then fetch in the bride, The bridegroom walking by her side, Attended by the bride-niaids fair, And bridegrooms-men, in all three pair. One would suppose this preparation, Led to a solemn celebration; The matrimonial form well said, With serious tone devoutly read: But no such thing, tho' they confess, And protestants themselves profess, Yet at the revolution made

for

No law by which the clergy pray'd
That when they christen or they marry,
They never on the service tarry;
The ceremony soon is o'er,
The preacher saying little more,
Than you take John and John take thee,
I give my blessing heartily.
The contract o'er, the company
Wish the young couple health and joy;
Then all unite in cheerful mirth,
The laugh, the dance, the song, goes
Till late th' evening hours advance,
When they all quit the song and dancè,
Ent'ring the supper-room to eat
Some of a light refreshing treat;
The table elegantly spread,
With the young couple at the head;
Where chickens, oysters, tarts, and fruit,
With cakes and syllabubs to suit;
Confections, trifles, floating cream,
All there in high perfection seem,
Well frosted o'er; in fact they show
A table cover'd with sweet snow.
Th' effect is pleasing to the sight,
Bright sparkling with the glare of light;

* Generally eight in the evening.
+ The clergy in Virginia are allowed

* Indians residing between North and liberty in performing any part of the chu

South Carolina.

service.

The bridegroom's men and bridemaids wait
Upon the company in state;
Who, when retiring, wish repose,
And ev'ry good the world bestows.
But true enough it's often said,
The brightest prospects soonest fade:
So was it with this blushing bride,
For ere the year was o'er she died.
Here we, with David, may compare,
And say, that youth is transient fair;
That like a flow'r at morning's light,
Blushes at noon, is dead at night,
feeting is the loveliest bloom,
Early condemn'd to fill the tomb.
The house so late with flow'rets dress'd
When flatt'ring love became the guest,
Now ev'ry part with white was hung,
Ver all the glasses linen Alung;
With all the outward marks of woe.
On ev'ry box and chest they throw
Sheets, table-cloths, whate'er is white,
To hide the furniture from sight.
In the best room, on table high,
The dead within their coffin* lie,
Dress'd in the clothes they us'd to wear,
No woollen shroud is needful there.
Three days, the longest time they save
The mould ring relics from the grave;
Aad during Sol's autumnal pow'rs,
The grave is clos'd in thirty hours.
No outward ornament appears,
No gilded plate the coffin bears;
Th' initials of the name put on,
The day on which they died upon
With small brass nails, also the year,
Is the remembrance usual there.
Two silken cords and tassels bound
Twice loosely o'er the coffin round;
If young and single were the dead,
White are the cords and tassels spread :
If lately married, black and white;
If aged, black they think is right,
A stand is near the coffin's head,
Cover'd with white, and on it spread
A pillow, and a pray'r book there,
Against their preacher should appear.
For there the sermon is prepar'd,
And in the house with rev'rence heard;
It is expected ev'ry friend

And every neighbour should attend,
A compliment that few neglect,
It being meant to show respect.
Their fav'rite text while I was there,
And general sermon, was from Blair;
The one, where speaking of man's doom
He says, "Man's gone to his long home;
"The mourners who at present meet,
"Will soon be walking in the street,

The same is done whether the person is single or married.

• Every thing is covered with white but the coffin.

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Forget that such a one had been," That literally was the case,

Of those who died within that place.
The sermon o'er, all done their part,
The corpse plac'd safely in the cart;
For its more like a cart than hearse,
Their mode of drawing it is worse;
One shabby horse, who scarce can crawl,
Conveys the dead, without a pall,
Quite open to the public eye,
Where the deceas'd is meant to lie.
Sometimes they're in the church-yard laid,
Sometimes in their own garden's shade,
Just where the burial-place remains,
Which their old ancestors contains,
And those who have no vault, must lay
In Potter's-field their senseless clay.

A Biographical Index to the present House of Lords. Corrected to October, 1808. By the Author of the "Political Index to the House of Commons," to which work this volume is intended as a companion. Price 12s. 12mo. pp. 676. God. dard. London.

We cannot choose a better specimen of this Index than by selecting the history of the house of Bridgewater, to which England has been so much indebted for the introduction of those extensive canals which have proved such a source of riches to the country. It will at once evince the nature of the work, as well as remind our readers of that illustrious family.

EARL OF BRIDGEWATER.

NAME, TITLES, AND CREATIONS.

The Right Honourable John William Eger ton, Earl of Bridgewater, in the county of Somerset (May 17, 1617), Viscount Brackley, in the county of Northampton (Nov. 7, 1616), and Baron Ellesmere, of Ellesmere, in the county of Salop (July 17, 1603).

Motto :-Sic, donec. So, until.

In this motto much more perhaps is meant than meets the ear. It is intended as a perpetual admonition to all successive generations of this family, down to the latest posterity, that they are to be noble, and shall continue so, until the Virtue which first raised then to Nobility forsakes them; that Fortune will attend them only while accompanied with Virtue; and, that they are to continue Great, only so long as they are good.

DESCENT.

This is one of the old genuine original families of England, descended, according to Camden, from Robert, Baron of Malpas, in the reign of William the Conqueror; whose son, Robert, as appears from Doomsday Book,

1

held in Cestrescire, and other parts, thirtytwo different manors, or lordships. Robert dying without male issue, Lætitia, his only daughter, and sole heir, married John Le Belward de Malpas, in the reign of William Rufus. His son and heir, William, married Beatrix, daughter of Hugh, Earl of Chester, and sister of Ranulph, Earl of Chester; and, by her, left issue, three sons, David, Robert, and, Richard: from which three sons are descended all the families of Egerton, and all the several families of Cholmondeley. David, Baron of Malpas, was justice of Chester, and, High Sheriff of the County of Chester, in 1248, 36 Hen. III. He had two sons; William, Baron of Malpas, who left no legitimate issue, and Phillip, High Sheriff of Cheshire, in the reign of Edward the 1st. who being possessed of the manor of Egerton, in the county of Chester, took, according to the custom of that age the surname of Egerton, from the place of his residence; which said manor, and estate, of Egerton, has remained in possession of the Egerton family, until this day.

ANECDOTES OF THIS HOUSE.

Thornas Egerton, Lord Ellesmere, was constituted Lord Keeper, by Queen Elizabeth, and Lord Chancel or, by King James the 1st. No Person has yet held the Seals for so long a period as he did, namely, from the 6th of May, 1596, to the 3d of March, 1617. And, at the same time with the Seals, he also held the Mastership of the Rolls, till the 18th of May, 1603.

According to the accurate Camden, on the 3d of March, 1617, "The King went to visit the Chancellor, who from age and infir"mity, was desirous of resigning the Great "Seaf, and received it from his hands with tears of gratitude, and respect." His Majesty further sent, by Mr. Secretary Winwood, this gracious message, "That He Himself "would be his deputy, and continue so, un"til Ellesmere no longer lived to bear the "title of Chancellor."

In his time happened the important question about Equitable Jurisdiction, between him, and Lord Chief Justice Coke. The

chief point in controversy between them was, Whether the Chancery can relieve, by Subpoena, after a judgment at law, in the same matter. Two indictments were prefered against the Lord Chancellor Egerton; and his lordship was threatened with a Premunire in the Star-Chamber. "This matter," says Sir William Blackstone, in his Commentaries, Book III. Chap. IV. " being brought be "fore the King, was, by him referred to his "Learned Counsel, for their advice, and "opinion: who reported so strongly in favour "of the Courts of Equity, that His Majesty gave judgement in their behalf: but not contented with the irrefragable Reasons,

46

"and Precedents, produced by his Cou "(for the Chief Justice was clearly in "wrong) he chose rather to decide the q "ton by referring it to the plenitude of

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Royal Prerogative." And thus the Ju diction of Equity, as well after, as bef judgment at law, has ever since, been co nually exercised without effectual controve or interruption.

Some of Ld. Chancellor Egerton's speech and writings, are still extant.

There are several pictures of the Lord Ch cellor, at the Duke of Bridgewater's, the I of Stamford's, the Duke of Dorset's, &c: A also many different prints of him, by H Simon Pass, Richardson, Thane, Trot Bond, and Sylvester Harding.

John Egerton, third Earl of Bridgewa heartily joined in the Revolution, and beca a member of the Privy Council, in the re of William and Mary. Bridgewater-house, in Barbican, was destr During his l ed (April1687) by fire, and two of his sons w burned to death. Scroop, the eldest surviv son, was created a Duke. Of this noblem there is a portrait, by Kucller: and two prin one, by Blooteling, and another, by J. Smi

"Scroop Egerton, Earl of Bridgewater a very hopeful young gentleman, hath be abroad, is married to a daughter of the D of Marlborough: not twenty-five years ol Mackey's Secret Memoirs, p. 109.

This Countess of Bridgewater, who third daughter, and co-heir, to John the Gr Duke of Marlborough, appears to have bee not only one of the most celebrated beauties the court, but also, one of the most virtuo the most amiable, and the most regretted

women.

An Angel's sweetness, or Bridgewater's Eyes.
-Beauty waking all her forms, supplies
Muse! at that name thy sacred sorrows shed
Those tears eternal, that embalm the Dead:
Call round her tomb each object of desire,
Each purer frame inform'd with purer fire:
Bid her be all that charms or softens life,
The tender Sister, Daughter, Friend, and Wife
Bid her be all that makes mankind adore,
Then view this marble, and be vain no more!

Pope's Epistle to Jervas, v. 46, & se And again, in the 75th line of the sam Epistle.

With Zeuxis' Helen thy Bridgewater vie. To this great, and illustrious, House Bridgewater, the United Kingdom is in debted for having first conceived, and execu ted, the plan of Inland Navigation, by the system of canals.

Scroop, Duke of Bridgewater, who died in 1744-5, obtained, in the year 1732, 10 Geo. II" An Act for making a Navigabl "Canal from Worsley to Manchester."

ancis, his fifth son, upon the death of, 1808, taking into his royal consideration, the Earl's descent, through his father, from the Princess Mary, Queen Dowager of France, younger Daughter of Hen. VII. by Elizabeth, his queen; and also his several descents, all likewise mixed with heirship, through his mother, from Hen. III. Edward I. and Edward III. was pleased to grant, under his Royal Sign Manual, by a writ, which recites all the above descents, that Francis Henry, only younger brother, and Amelia, only sister of the above earl, should enjoy the same titles, place, &c. as if their father had lived to suc ceed to the Earldom of Bridgewater.

ur elder brothers, became Duke of ewater and, as the law of England d him to cut off the entail of the imEmily estates, which, thus, he inheriobtained the additional advantage of it in his power to raise large sums upon unty of these ancient hereditary estates: these means, he expended several hunof thousands of pounds sterling, in ing and executing the system of Inland on. He not only continued, and ed, the Canal which was originally red by his father; but, he yet further ed the line of Navigable Canal, which is name, so as, ultimately, to effect a a with other projected canals, and,

to open to this commercial country, , easy, and secure, communication, by between the ports of London, LiverIristol, and Hull; and by his example, cess, he taught the Nation to pursue in, and system of Inland Navigation, is now so generally, and so advantageExtended throughout the United King

THE PRESENT PEER,

in 1753, is the eldest surviving son of John Egerton, Bishop of Durham, by st wife, Anne Sophia, daughter of Grey, Duke of Kent. Early in life, a commission in the 7th Light Drawas promoted a Major-general in and a Lieutenant-General in 1802. e, 1797, he was made Colonel of the Duchess of York's own, regiment of Dragoons; and, on the decease of Franird and last Duke of Bridgewater, in without issue, he became the 7th Earl. de a commoner (John William Eger), he was returned for the borough ckley in 1780; but in 1783, was abGring the memorable debate on Mr. East India bill.

788-9, being then Colonel Egerton, he with Mr. Pitt, in respect to the of Wales's claims to the Regency. the trial of Viscount Melville, the Earl im "Not guilty" on all the charges. is Steward of the lands appertaining to chy of Lancaster, in the county of

Earl of Bridgewater, who has become a griculturist and breeder, &c. in 1783, d Miss Haynes, an heiress. portrait, by Edridge, was exhibited at yal Academy, in 1807.

present Majesty, as appears by the te, published by authority, 22d January,

le was re-elected in 1784, 1790, 1796, and 1806, until he became Earl on the t of his uncle.

Country Seat-Ashridge, Hertfordshire. Town House-Grosvenor Square.

Perlege si Vis. A Letter addressed to the Right Reverend Spencer, Lord Bishop of Peterborough, in Answer to an Appeal made to the Society for defending the Civil Rights of the Dissenters," relative to the important Question of Church Burial by the Established Clergy, &c. By John Wight Wickes, M. A. Rector of Wardley cum Belton, Rutland. Price 2s. pp. 50. Drakard, Stamford, 1808.

We give no opinion on the merits of the cause, to which the world is obliged for this publication: we are equally strangers to both parties: but, we have two purposes in view, in noticing it. The first is, to predict, that a minister of the Gospel who rests his cause solely on hufew can judge) in opposition to the injunc man enactments and canon laws (of which tions of Gospel authority, (of which in this land of Bibles and Testaments, most can judge)-we mean meekness, self-denial, condescension to the weakness of others, &c.-will see the Dissenting interest, which he hates, flourish in spite of him. He himself is pulling down the church, and building up the conventicle. Secondly, we desire to be furnished with a proper term for the modesty of that clergyman who could address such uncandid language, with such calumnious insinuations, &c. as the following, to his diocesan.

John Swingler's was not the only conventicle in the parish. Mr. William Kemp, junior, by a family connection with some of the faithful, cemented moreover by an happy union with a female of the spiritualized, open a second shop of sanctity, gratuitously, in opposition to the pic-nic subscription house of poor Johnny Swingler. The chances

were in favour of the former, and the flock of the new man increased most wonderfully. Males that had transgressed, and those that wished to transgress, mixed in rapturous concord with females that had sinned, and females that wished to sin. Strengthened by the all insinuating gestures of his brother Thomas, servant to his uncle, and of sonorous squeaking excellence, he continued the good work without ceasing. A rivalship soon commenced between these loving brothers of the same qualifications. The struggle for preeminence in the tub of humility, was compromised by a partnership in trade: so that William and Thomas, or Thomas and William alternately acted as preachers and readers to their illuminated audience, who very ungratefully told tales of love out of school.

pause awhile, thinking it likely th notwithstanding her acknowledged tale the work she has thus ushered before public, might be a stupendous product of the genuine German school. In t however they will be most agreeably dis pointed.

"The Marshal Prince

Ligne," as the editor tells us in her pref (page 1 and passim,)" was acknowle ed by all Frenchmen (those of happ times, of course) as one of the liveli best bred men in France; and seldom they give that praise to a man who not born among them. The Prince Ligne is even the only foreigner, perha who in French composition may be ta Nor did this rapturous spirit of sanctity stop as a model, instead of being considere here. The fair sex likewise received the puff a copyist [we know another foreig of inspiration, and hoisted the banners of much superior to the prince in the or the new birth over the thatch of her humble nality of his French compositions, dwelling. The celebrated Mrs. Fawkes, the mean our countryman Hamilton], his i quiet rib of Jerry Lapstone, the sole-mender of very had that dashing character of in Belton, kept her occasional love feasts and tuosity, which is usually attributed creeping nights, (these I understand are tech-French courage. There is reason to nical, but sublime terms of this sect,) and astonished the more profane multitude by her

sudden conversion from a former life of suspicious purity, by adding herself to the number

of saints.

pect that on various occasions, since date of his letters, the Prince de Li would have wished for more opportuni to display his French bravery against French. It follows of course, that editor has not taken upon herself to ret or to support,any of the opinions maint ed by the Prince de Ligne, on diffe subjects," &c. This alludes princip to the sentiments expressed by the Pri Lettres et Pensées du Maréchal Prince de on the French nation, and French rev Ligne, publiées par Madame la Baronne detion; sentiments not perfectly conge Staël Holstein. Letters and Thoughts of Marshal Prince de Ligne, published by the Baroness de Staël Holstein. 2. vols. in 8vo. Price 10s. Dulau & Co. London, 1809. THE name of the fair editor, which graces the title page of this publication, might, alone, afford a strong presumption in its favour; for in this mode of literary adoption, the judgment of a writer of her high reputation, and discernment, cannot be biassed by those parental feelings, which too often are the prolific source of self-delusion. Indeed, some over-cautious critics, knowing the lady's extraordinary turn of mind, her romantic democracy, her subtle metaphysics, and her perfectibility of melancholy,* might

When so incautious and rude a shep herd shears his flock, they will think he cuts them to the bone; and they will run away from him, on the first opportunity.

Mad. de Staël has written to prove, that the absolute perfection of human nature is a state of perfect melancholy; and that, we are

to those of the editor; or to those of present ruler of France. This blen however will not weigh heavily aga the Prince de Ligne in the judgement our readers and they will peruse wit lively interest, the spontaneous effusi of a nobleman already known by seve valuable publications on history, and military affairs,-a nobleman who saw company courted, and his conversat sought after, by the greatest men of age; who served his sovereign successf ly, both in the cabinet, and in the fiel who enjoyed the favour, and even the timacy, of six crowned heads; ame whom were Frederick II. of Pruss Joseph II. of Austria; and Catherine of Russia; who to the most brilliant g

distinguished from brutes, only by a disp tion to arrive at that perfect state: to exp which she has coined the word perfectibil

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