attic ftory, the failure was manifeft; and in that ftate at this moment are the walls of many scores of houses begun on a plan of elegance. In fome parts, purchafers have cleared the wood from their grounds, and erected temporary wooden buildings; others have fenced in their lots, and attempted to cultivate them; but the fterility of the land laid out for the city is fuch, that this plan has alfo failed. The country adjoining confifts of woods in a state of nature, and in fome places of mere fwamps, which give the fcene a curious patch-work appearance. The view of the noble river Potomack, which the eye can trace till it terminates at Alexandria, is very fine. The navigation of the river is good from the bay of Chesapeak, till the near approach to the city, where bars of fand are formed, which every year encroach confiderably on the channel. The frigate which brought the Tunifian embaffy grounded on one of thefe fhoals, and the barbarians were obliged to be landed in boats. This is another great difadvantage to the growth of the city. It never can become a place of commerce, while Baltimore lies on one fide, and Alexandria on the other; even admitting the navigation to be equally good-nor can the wild and uneven fpot laid out into ftreets be cleared and levelled for building upon, for many years, even with the most indefatigable exertions. The Capitol, of which two wings are now finished, is of hewn stone, and will be a fuperb edifice, worthy of its name. The architect who built the first wing, left the country foon after its completion; the correfponding part was carried on under the direction of Mr. Latrobe, an Englishman*; from whofe taste and judgment much may be expected in finishing the centre of the building; the defign of which, as fhewn to me by Dr. Thornton, is truly elegant. The Prefident's houfe is fituated one mile from the Capitol, at the extremity of Pennfylvania Avenue. The contemplated ftreets of this embryo city are called avenues, and every State gives name to one. That of Pennfylvania is the largeft; in\ fact I never heard of more than that and the New Jerfey Avenue, except fome houfes uniformly built, in one of which lives Mr. Jefferson's printer, John Harrifon Smith, a few more of inferior note, with fome public-houfes, and here and there a little grog-fhop. This boafted avenue is as much a wildernefs as Kentucky, with this difadvantage, that the foil is good for nothing. Some half-ftarved cattle browzing among the bushes present a melancholy fpectacle to a ftranger, whofe expectation has been wound up by the illufive defcription of fpeculative writers. So very thinly is the city peopled, and fo little is it frequented, that quails and other birds are conftantly thot within a hundred yards of the Capitol, and even during the fitting of the houfes of ongrefs. Ten years ago Mr. Weld, fpeaking of the Prefident's houfe, tells us of its being then erected; and of an hundred acres of land left for pleasure-ground, and a park, or mall, to run in an Eafterly direction towards the Capitol-that the buildings on either fide of this mall were all to be elegant of their kind, and that among the number it was propofed to have houfes built at the public expence for the accommodation of public minifters. This traveller then proceeds with informing us that other parts of this city are appointed. for churches, theatres, colleges, &c. In nearly the fame ftate as Mr. Weld faw the city fo long ago, it ftill remains, except indeed that fome of the few houfes which were then building are now falling to ruin, the unfortunate owner having been ruined before he could get them roofed. "Mr. Benjamin Latrobe is the second son of the late Rev. Mr. Latrobe, minifter of the Moravian Chapel in Fetter-lane, London, a man highly esteemed and respected, not only by his own fociety, but by all to whom he was known. His maternal relations were natives of America. He received his education at the fchool of the United Brethren at Fulneck in Yorkshire, and afterwards went to profecute his ftudies at their feminaries at Niefky and Barby in Germany. On his return, he refided for fome years in London, where he held a fituation in the Stamp-office. During this interval he introduced himself to public notice as the tranflator of the "Hiftory of Counts Struenfee and Brandt," and "Anecdotes of Frederic the Great of Pruffia." Mr. Latrobe particularly excels in the art of defign, and to this talent he is probably indebted for his appointment to the fituation he holds in America, of which country he has been an inhabitant, I believe, about twelve years. His brother, the Rev. Chriftian Ignatius Latrobe, one of the prefent minifters of Fetter-lane Chapel, is diftinguished for his knowledge of mufic; and their maternal uncle, Mr. John Antes, by birth an American, and now refident at Fulneck, is well known for his mechanical genius, having received feveral premiums for inventions and improvements from the Society of Arts. This gentleman lived many years in Egypt, where he made a perfonal acquaintance with the celebrated Bruce, then engaged in his expedition to difcover the fource of the Nile. There too he underwent the fevere difcipline of the baftinado; the particulars of which tranfaction, together with various obfervations on the country, were published by him, about t year 1801.", Neither Neither park, nor mall, neither churches, theatres, nor colleges, could I difcover fo lately as the fummer of 1806. A fmall place has indeed been erected fince Mr. Weld vifited Washington, in the Pennfylvania Avenue, called a Theatre, in which Mr. Green and the Virginia company of comedians were nearly ftarved the only feafon it was occupied, and were obliged to go off to Richmond during the very height of the fitting of Congrefs, Public offices on each fide of the Prefident's houfe, uniformly built of briek, may alfo, perhaps, have been built fubfequent to that period. That great man who planned the City, and after whom it is named, certainly entertained the hopes that it would at fome future period equal antient Rome in fplendour and magnificence. Among the regulations for building were thefethat the houfes fhould be of brick or ftone -the walls to be at least thirty feet high, and to be built parallel to the line of the ftreet. The Prefident's houfe is certainly a neat but plain piece of architecture, built of hewn ftone, faid to be of a better quality than Portland ftone, as it will cut like marble, and refift the change of the feafons in a fuperior degree. Only part of it is furnished; the whole falary of the Prefident would be inadequate to the expence of completing it in a ftyle of fuitable elegance. Rooms are fitted up for himself, an audience chamber, and apartments for Mr. Thomas Man Randolph, and Mr. Epps, and their refpective families, who married two of his daughters, and are members of the houfe of reprefentatives. The ground around it, inftead of being laid out in a fuitable ftyle, remains in its antient rude ftate; fo that, in a dark night, instead of finding your way to the houfe, you may, perchance, fall into a pit, or ftumble over a heap of rubbish. The fence round the houfe is of the meaneft fort; a common poft and rail enclosure. This parfimony deftroys every fentiment of pleature that arifes in the mind, in viewing the refidence of the Prefident of a nation, and is a difgrace to the country. Among the fufferers by the Washington fpeculation is Mr. Thomas Law, who invefted the greatest part of the money he obtained in India in building near the Capitol, where he ftill refides, *Of this gentleman, who is fon of the late Bishop of Carlisle, and brother to Lord Ellenborough, lord chief juftice of the Court of King's Bench, and who, early in life, went to the Eaft Indies under the patronage of Mr. Haftings, obtained through the intereft of the Bishop, and, there aequired a fplendid fortune, fome interefting anecdotes are given by Mr. Janfon, p. 154-157. under the mortifying circumftance of daily witneffing whole rows of the fhells of his houfes gradually falling to pieces." American Navy : "It has been afferted that a feventyfour gun fhip was building on the waters of the Potomack, from which circum ftance no doubt was entertained of its channel being deep enough for fhips of any burthen. This, like moft travellers' exaggerations, is not true-no fhip of the line, nor even a frigate, was ever conftructed on the Potomack. The fhip carpenters employed by Government have enough to do to repair thofe already built, moft of which are in a ftate of decay. I faw the plank and fome of the timbers of the frigate called the United States, built at Philadelphia not twelve years ago, fo rotten, that they crumbled to powder on being. handled. The timber of America is not fo durable as that of Europe. The only part of this City which continues to increase is the Navy-yard; but this circumftance is entirely owing to the few fhips of war which the Americans have in commiffion being ordered there to be fitted out and paid off. Tippling fhops, and houses of rendezvous for failors and their doxies, with a number of the loweft order / of traders, conftitute what is called the Navy-yard. On my laft vifit to this yard, I found fix frigates, dismantled and laid up in ordinary, and one nearly equipped for fea, for the purpofe of carrying back the Tunifian embaffy to Barbary. A fmall veffel of war, pierced for 20 guns, had juft been launched. Mr. Jefferfon, two years ago, adopted an idea of his own, in order to raise the credit of the American Navy, and for the deftruction of the powers of Barbary. This is, to build a number of fmall veffels of about 100 tons burden, to be called gun-boats, each of which is provided with two heavy pieces of ordnance-one at the ftem, and the other at the ftern. Though the inutility of these mockeries of men of war has been manifested on many occafions, yet the Predent perfifts in riding his naval hobbyhorfe, even in Kentucky; where feveral gun-boats are building on the river Ohio. One of them was nearly loft on a voyage to the Mediterranean-being, the whole voyage, to ufe a fea phrafe," wet and under water." Another, gun boat, No. I. (thus they are named, to No. 8,) in a hurricane in South Carolina, was driven nearly a mile into the woods. These veffels must be very unmanageable in action. It would not be amifs if the projector could invent a piece of mechanifm which would quickly turn them round; for, in this cafe, they might as we turn a wheel, first prefent the head gun, and then, while it was loading, by a magic touch, in a fecond give a ftern fhot! Thus thefe nimble and redoubted gun-boats might chance to beat off an Algerine or Tripoline rover. Added to thefe, the Americans have a frigate and two or three fmall veffels of war in the Mediterranean; and which. conftitute their Navy. One of their fineft frigates, in attempting to bombard Tripoli, grounded; and every exertion of the crew to get her off proved ineffectual. She was taken poffeffion of by the armed boats of the Barbarians, and the whole crew led into flavery, where they endured greater hardships, and bore heavier burthens, than their own domeftic Negro flaves." "Alexandria was about eight years ago a very flourishing place; but the great loffes fuftained from the capture of American veffels by the French in the Weft Indies, occationed many failures. In the year 1803, the yellow fever, which broke out there for the first time, fwept off a number of its inhabitants. Thefe fhocks have fo deeply affected the mercantile intereft, that the town has but two or three ships in the trade with Great Britain; and there is little profpect of its ever attaining to its former profperity. The navigation of the Potomack, on whofe banks the town is built, is very good. I queftion whether a line of battle fhip might not come up from the fea, and lie alongfide of the wharfs, which is a distance of 289 miles. Six miles higher on this river is the city of Washington, but a bar impedes the navigation up to the navy-yard of the Government. The following appropriations were made by the government of the United States for the Navy for 1805, a year when they were at war with Tripoli. Dollars Cents Pay and fubfiftence of officers, and pay of feamen 415,578 Provifions 227,086 10,750 Repairs of veffels 411,951 The corps of marines 82,593 or about 278,0541. 15s. 6d. sterling-not much more than the yearly charge of two line of battle fhips in the English navy, manned, and with a year's provifion. This too was a war year; in peace, their appropriation will hardly amount to a third of this fum.” Tunis; the extraordinary conduct of The defeription of an Embafly from the Tukifh negotiator, and the drunk-' ennels of his attendants; a deputation from the Creek and Olage Indians, their appearance in the Houfe of Reprefentatives, their fongs, a dance of Savages in the Washington Theatre, and the fudden death of one of their chiefs, are particularly interefting. A chapter on the Law infpires no very favourable idea of its practice in America; and another, on the Drama, affords very little encouragement to the fons and daughters of Thelpis. "Charleston has proved a grave to the theatrical corps in America. The high falaries given there, from the great plenty of money, and riches of the principal inhabitants, who are great amateurs, drew thither numbers of performers on the expiration of their engagements with the Northern managers. Among thofe of eminence who fell a facrifice to an unwholefome climate, we have to lament Mrs. Wrighten, then married to Mr. Pownal, a druggift in New York, and one of her daughters, who was following the mother in the fame line of ftage bufinefs. Mifs Broadhurst's death was attended with melancholy circumstances. Viewing with dread the havock, made among the perforvers, the intreated her mother to fpend the fickly, months with her on Sullivan's Ifland, a place at thofe times of great refort, and to permit her to declipe a proffered engagement as first vocal performer, in the concerts at the public gardens. The parent refufed to acquiefce, and the victim prognofticated the fatal confequen 20 ces. She entered upon the duties of her 60 engagement-fung a few nights-was then taken ill, and in a few days expired. To. this young and accomplished female must be added Mifs Fontenelle, who first appeared in Moggy M'Gilpin at Covent-garden, and whofe remains are interted at Charleston. In the lift of deaths in this 20 place are alfo the names of Mr. Williamfon, and Mr. and Mrs Jones, from the Salisbury theatre, Mrs. Kenna, and her fon, a rifing young actor. Mr. Jones had rifen to eminence in the late Mr. Edwin's ftyle, and was acting-manager under Placide. Jones was fucceeded in his manage ment by Mr. Villiers, a young man of 40 *Though the American Navy is fearcely twelve years old, yet the reader will perceive, by this charge, that the repairs are nearly equal to the pay and fubfiftence of the officers, and the pay of the Leamen." GENT. MAG. July, 1807. fuperior fuperior addrefs and education, who, from his own account, left a very genteel family and good connections to become a player in America. His real name was not Villiers; and, from the fame motives which probably influenced him to conceal that of his family, I decline making the difcovery. He was a good low comic actor, ftudying Nature in all he attempted; and he was a great favourite. In the fummer of 1805, he came as far as New York on the bufinefs of his theatre, and was proceeding up the Hudfon river to Albany, where the Old American Company were performing, when he was fuddenly feized with ficknefs, and landed at a fmall town called Efopus, where he died, with the most violent fymptoms of the yellow fever, imbibed during his short ftay at New York. From this mortality, the American ftage is at prefent fomewhat depreciated and it is not to be expected that Engtand can fpare a fupply of fuch performers as have been laft named, with the celerity with which a Carolina climate may carry them off. At New York Cooper has lately been invefted with the theatrical command, having rented the theatre of the proprietors: from his tafte in felection, added to his abilities in performance, much is expected. The death of Wignal has thrown the direction of the Philadelphia company into the hands of Warren, who is well qualified for the arduous undertaking. Wignal was alfo cut off fuddenly. He had recently married Mrs. Merry, and in a very few months she was left in a state of fecond widowhood. "Williams, who acquired confiderable literary notoriety in London under the affumed name of Anthony Pafquin, and who has fince been reduced to the drudgery of editing a Bofton newspaper, in his late publication intituled "The American Drama," fhews that he poffeffed but little information on the fubject. He erroneoufly afferts that the firft theatrical company on record who enacted in North America, is a little troop who came from the Weft Indies, the management of which devolved upon a performer of the name of Hallam, who travelled and performed in all principal towns.' With fomewhat more correctnefs he reprobates the custom of smoking fegars, and drinking, in the American theatres. The filthy cuftom is now fomewhat abated-the beastly practice increafes. The lobbies of all American theatres are provided with bar-rooms, to which the men refort between each act to drink, and from which the ladies are regaled in their feats with glaffes of their favourite beverage. Thus, on the fall of the curtain, the dashing fellows are in a state of intoxication. Smok ang is a fill greater evil in a crowded house; to prevent which, the managers are conftantly making unavailing remonftrances." (To be continued.) 95. The Scriptural Method of governing and injiructing Children; being the Substance of a Sermon preached at Hawley Square Chapel, Margate. By W. Vipond. TWO Sermons by this young Methodist have been fully noticed in pp. 551-555. The prefent one, on a very interefting fubject, is thus introduced:" "That the general method of educating Children differs widely from the Scriptural plan, must be evident to all who ferioufly confider the fubject. Whether the following Sermon be calculated to lead Parents to juft views of this important fubject, and to a strict attention to the best interefts of their Children, judicious readers mit determine. If it be, the Author trufts, that the Publick will receive it cordially if not, his earnest with is, that it may fink into deferved contempt!" Without entering into the doctrinal part of Mr. Vipond's Difcourfe, fome extracts fhall be given which are cre ditable to the Preacher. "We are not to fuppofe that the Apoftle intended to forbid neceffary, or even fevere correction; but, 1. all needless feverity. Never impofe on them a painful task, but when it is really neceffary; and, if poffible, always give them a reason for every command, which has the appear ance of feverity: this cannot be done in their infancy, but should be attended te as early as poffible. This will greatly tend to conciliate their efteem and love; and when this is done, your commands will be eafy; the heaviest yoke will appear light to them, and instead of being irritated or difcouraged, they will obey you with pleasure. 2. Never punish your children for your own pleasure, but for their profit. Some parents are notoriously culpable here: fond of difplaying their power, and exerciting their authority; their children are called to their bar like criminals upon the moft trifling occafions; and after a few auftere and menacing expreffions, are punished in a mannet which ought never to be done, but in capital cafes! Such a line of conduct, especially when ftrangers are prefent, befpeaks the parent a tyrant; and is direfly calculated to mortify and provoke the child. Let your children fee that you have no pleasure in punishing them at all; and that, when you are under the neceffity of doing it, you have no defire to ex pole them, 3. Never continue the pupifh. ment longer than is really needful to bring. them them to repentance and submiffion. Many children are irritated even to defperation, by being punished for an improper length of time defpairing of refloration to favour, they become the moft obftinate rebels! As foon as an offending child humbles himself and becomes penitent, a Chrif tian parent is bound by his religion, as well as reafon, to forgive, and restore his child to favour again. And this ought always to be done in a way that is calcu lated to convince the child that the parent feels a far greater pleature in forgiving than in punishing. 4. Never withhold from your children, the encouragement they deferve. This greatly tends to difcourage and provoke them. The approbation of a parent is, in the estimation of a child, a very great reward. It encourages them to obey your commands, and to endeavour to please you. The hope of reward fweetens labour,' and is one of the principal fprings of exertion. This hope a wife parent will not difappoint, because that would tend to deftroy it he will rather ufe every lawful and prudent means to keep it alive. At the fame time your children must be taught that it is their duty to obey you without any reward'; and that the rewards you beftow upon them are so many proofs of your affection and favour. 5. Be not difficult to be pleased. This is a great fault in a parent, and has the maft unhappy influence upon the mind of a child. If your children endeavour to pleafe you, and you are fatisfied they intended it, you ought to be pleafed; yea, even though you difapprove of the action itself! You may easily fhew that you are pleafed with the intention, though you discountenance the action. If children find, after feveral attempts to please their parents, that they are not pleased, they will be difcouraged, and not likely foon to attempt it again : but if they find their attempts fuccefsful, they will be encouraged to perfevere.”. "A general acquaintance with the word of Truth is of the utmoft importance. Even thofe parts of Scripture generally ftyled Hiftorical, contain fuch a rich variety of important narratives delivered in a ftyle fo fimple, and yet so striking, that they can hardly fail to intereft a young, mind; and the vices of men are to recorded as to make them appear more odious, when viewed in connexion with their confequences and punishments, by far, than they would have appeared, had the infpired writers reafoned upon their impropriety. Domeftic fcenes are here reprefented in a ftyle fimply elegant and truly affe&ting. The young reader will find pleasure in viewing them, and pleasure will lead to profit. I cannot help lamentg that the rifing generation are not made more acquainted with the Bible.. The practice, that too much prevails, of almoft difcarding the Bible in fome feminaries of learning, is infufferable! Human compofitions, however good, bear very little proportion in real value to the Bible. I am perfuaded that incalculable advantages would arise from making children well acquainted with the Scriptures while young. Infidels would not find it fo eafy a matter to corrupt the minds of our youth, if they were well acquainted with the word of God; but, having a very flight acquaintance with it, their cfteem and veneration for it is fmall; and a few plaufible objections raised by a witty infidel will shake their faith and finding the Bible unfavourable to their finful propenfities, they are foon brought to disbelieve, or at leaft difregard it entirely." and Children is judicious; and to those Mr.Vipond's Addrefs both to Parents who alledge that "they have delayed too long-that their authority over their children is loft," he properly replies, "This indeed furnishes matter of the deepeft regret and forrow; but still there is hope. The bitter confequences of your paft neglect will follow you, and ('tis probable) embitter all your future days; but ftill fomething may be done. By reafoning, by intreating, and by mildly and cautiously endeavouring to exert your authority, you may yet recover your influence (at least in part), and preferve your families from utter ruin. If you cannot do all you would, neglect not to do all you can, and lament the past folly by which you are now fettered. Lofe not a fingle hour, but immediately enter upon your duty in the name of the Lord.". 96. Cafe of the Bishop of Oxford against the Parish of Piddington, in a Caufe of Simony; extracted from Eaft's Reports for Easter and Trinity Terms, 1806. With an Appendix, containing the Endowments of Ambrofden and Piddington. A CHAPEL in the township of Piddington was endowed, in 1428, by a deed executed by the then Impropriator of the rectory, the then Vicar, and the Jahabitants of the township, and confirmed by the Diocefan; whereby, in confideration of a yearly payment to the Vicar, it was provided that the Curate of the faid chapel fhould receive all the tithes due to the Vicar from the faid Inhabitants, and fhould be appointed by them; under which deed they continued to exercife, the power of appointment and prefenta tion. In 1797 (1757) an Act paffed for inclofing open lauds in the town |