THE spacious firmament on high, With all the blue ethereal fky, Soon as the evening thades prevail, THE VAIN ATTEMPT OF A GUILTY KING AT REPENTANCE. Ο H what a wretch, a finful wretch am I, Not fit to live, yet unprepar'd to die! What has my life thro' all it's stages been, But one vaft chain of long continu'd fin, Where link on link fucceffively depends, So that the dire delufion never ends. O difmal ftate! O bofom black and foul! O fin-polluted,guilt-entangled foul, The more it ftrives, and ftruggles to be free, The more, O vice, is it attach'd to thee! So when a black-bird, or breaft-fpeckled thrush, Is taken by the lime anointed bush, The more he flutters and attempts to foar, His wings unto his fides adhere the more; No inore he cuts the air, or mounts the fkies, Fix'd to the fpray the helpless captive dies. Try then repentance, try what it can do l What can it not, when 'tis fincere and true? But, ah! what fignifies the weak intent, When one can't pray, and therefore can't repent? Teach me, ye angels ! in what form to pray Thro' grace, thou mayft become as foft and mild As the lithe finews of a new-born child: Thy faults are paft, and tho' of fcarlet grain, Or tho' like crimfon of a deeper ftain, Mercy can make thee, as the lily, white, Or bleach thee far beyond the blaze of light." My words alone, I fear it, upwards go, Whilft my affections ftill remain below; Thy pray'rs, my foul! can ne'er afcend the sky, Unless thy thoughts mount with thy words on high! MATTHEW SNAVE. Let reafon, fresh as early morn, O'er ev'ry act prefide; And always view with honeft fcorn When peace the midnight moment brings, Let fancy paint what countlefs ftings To fcreen the houfelefs head. Where pamper'd pow'r fhall e'er opprefs, Nor ever let a thread-bare drefs In plenty while my board is drefs'd Where virtue feels a ruffian's stroke, Thua life's light bark fhall smoothly skim And brighter worlds be mark'd for him Who made fuch ufe of this. CHRO 1 CHRÓN ÓLÓGICAL DIAR Ý. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. Naples, Nov. 18. O circumftantial and, authentic account hath yet appeared of the misfortunes which Calabria and Meffina experienced in February laft. According to the most certain advices, the number of the dead amounts to about 400,000. Providence feems to be difpofed to make thofe countries amends by an abundant produce; that of filks has been excellent, and that of oils promifes to be very plentiful; these are their principal products. Madrid, Dec. 5. We learn from the village l'Alduludia, near Almeria, (in the kingdom of Murcia), that a disastrous accident happened there on the 29th of October : part of the mountain which commands that village (named the mountain of the Moors), opened in two places, and tumbled down with a terrible noife, burying in its fall 27 houfes, in which fix men and women, and fix children were killed. His majesty has ordered all the prisoners. in the kingdom (except thofe for high treafon) to be fet at liberty, on account of the birth of the twin princes, of which the princess of Afturias was lately delivered. Copenhagen, Dec. 6. The matter of a Dutch fhip, a native of Iceland, and named Johan Engemundfon, has depofed, that paffing under Greenland, he difcovered a new inland, from which a thick fmoke iffued out by day, which by night became a flame, and enlightened the furface of the fea a great way; he added, that part of his fails were burnt by the fparks which iffued from that ifland, and which were driven to a great distance. Cambray, Dec. 9. This morning, about four o'clock, a loud noife was heard like the going off of feveral pieces of cannon as quick as poffible; all the inhabitants were much alarmed at it, and more fo on a fimilar noife, but not fo loud, being again heard about a quarter of an hour after. We do not know whether this noife was occafioned by any violent explosion, or by a fhock of an earthquake fome chimnies were thrown down by it, large pieces of ftone fell from many of the public buildings, and all the mufquets in the guard rooms were thrown down. The fame noife was heard in many of the neighbouring villages. Elbing, Dec. 1o. It is no longer doubted, that the king of Pruffia hath accepted the mediation of the emprefs of Ruffia relative to the affair of Dantzick. This news hath happily prevented rigorous proceedings on both fides. Vienna, Dec. 11. Orders have been fent to Byda, to furnish the apartments of the pa lace there, the Emperor having refolved to pafs the greatest part of next fummer. there; our Chanceries remain here, but the minifters and ambaffadors will follow his Majesty thither. Some difeafes having broke out among the Imperial troops ftationed on the frontiers of Turkey, they have received orders to go to their quarters. This will probably be the clofe of this campaign. It is much to be feared that the next will not be fo tranquil. GAZETTE INTELLIGENCE. St. James's, December 26. THIS day the right Hon. James Grenville was, by his majesty's command, fworn of his majesty's most hon. privy council, and took his place at the board accordingly. St. James's, Dec. 26. This day his grace the duke of Dorfet had the honour to kifs the king's hand, on being appointed his majesty's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Moft Chriftian King. And Daniel Hailes, Efq. had, at the fame time, the honour to kifs the king's hand, on being appointed his majefty's fecretary of embally to the Moft Chriftian King. The king has been pleased to appoint his grace the duke of Chandos, to be lord steward of his majefty's houthold. The king has also been pleased to appoint the earl of Salisbury to be lord chamberlain of his majefty's houthold. Alfo to appoint Lloyd Kenyon, Efq. one of his majesty's counfel, to be his attorney general; and Richard Pepper Arden, Efq. alfo one of his majesty's counsel, to be his folicitor general. Whitehall, Dec. 27. The king has been pleased to conftitute and appoint the right Hon. William Pitt, John Buller, fenior, Efq. James Graham Efq. (commonly called marquis of Graham) Edward James Eliot, and John Aubrey, Efqrs. to be commiffioners for executing the office of treasurer of his majefty's exchequer! The king has been pleased to grant to the right hon. William Pitt, the offices of chan cellor and under-treasurer of his majesty's exchequer. Alfo to grant to his grace the duke of Richmond the office of mafter-general of his majefty's ordnance: To Gibbs Crawford, Efq. the office of clerk of his majesty's ordnance. To John Aldridge, Efq. the office of keeper of his majesty's ordnance. And to Thomas Baillie, Efq. the office of clerk of the deliveries of his majesty's ord nance. Verfailles, Dec. 6. Yesterday died her T royal 1 royal highness Mademoifelle, daughter of his royal highness the count d'Artois. [This Gazette contains a further enlargement of the term of the proclamation, relative to our trade with the American ftates,, to the 20th of next April.] Whitehall, Dec. 30. The king has been pleafed to grant to Thomas Pitt, Efq. and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, the dignity of a baron of the kingdom of Great-Britain, by the name, ftile, and title of lord Camelford, baron of Boconnoc, in the county of Cornwall. The king has been pleafed to conftitute and appoint the Right Hon. Richard vifcount Howe, Charles Brett, John Jefferies Pratt, and John Levefon Gower, Efqrs. Henry Bathurst, Efq. (commonly called lord Aptley,) Charles George Percival, and James Modyford Heywood, Efqrs. to be his majefty's commiffioners for executing the office of lord high admiral of the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the dominions, iflands, and territories thereunto refpectively belonging. The king has been pleafed to grant to the Right Hon. William Wyndham Grenville, the office of receiver and pay-master-general of his majesty's guards, garrisons, and land forces. Alfo to grant to the Right Honourable Henry Dundas, the office of treasurer of his majefty's navy. And to William Smith, Efq. the office of treasurer and pay-inafter of his majesty's ordnance. Conftantinople, Nov. 25. The plague diminithes daily, and its effects are fo much abated as to be hardly perceptible. DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES. Lord Clarendon, who is again restored to the high office of chancellor of the dutchy of Lancaster, received the appointment without the fmalleft application upon his part. His lordship, we are happy to hear, like his immediate predeceffor lord Derby, takes the office without any of the great emoluments heretofore annexed to the appointment. Extract of a letter from Edinburgh, Dec. 25. "Yesterday we had another general meeting of Citizens in St. Mary's Chapel, about the propofed application to Parliament for a reformation of the prefent contracted and arbitrary fyftems of election in the Burghs. The meeting took under confideration a report of progrefs by their committee, and unanimoufly approved of it. The 25th of March next is now fixed for the convention of delegates from the different Burghs. The committee are determined to puth on this bufinefs with vigour, and have printed and circulated, gratis, a great number of pamphlets on the fubject of reformation. They are well fupported by the burgeffes of the dif *ferent Burghs, who are exceedingly eager for a change of fyftems. Indeed, a confummation of the prefent fyftem is devoutly to be withed for; fuch a mafs of abfurdity, oligarchy, and tyranny, is difgraceful to a free country." Letters by the last mail from New York affure us, that the affection formerly fhewn to this country by America is daily reviv ing, and that the French intereft lofes ground every hour. In the commercial line, Great Britain has every where the preference. His majefty's floop Oreftes, commanded by Capt. Ellis, has had the good fortune to fall in with, and capture a very capital fmuggling cutter. The Oreftes was lying at Weymouth a few hours before, repair ing her rigging, which was not quite compleated, when Capt. Ellis gave orders to weigh and put to fea; his object was to craize for two fmugglers who had efcaped him in a fog a few days before. On the fmuggling cutter above-mentioned appearing in fight, they gave chafe to her, when the fet all the fail the could poffibly go under. The Oreftes, however, came up with her at five in the evening, and fired a thot at her, after which a running action commenced that continued for three hours, whenthe fmuggler ftruck her colours. Capt. Ellis fent an officer on board to take poffeffion of her, and carried her immediately into Yarmouth port, on the western coaft of the le of Wight, and the next morning brought her to Spithead. The above cutter had several men wounded in the action, many of whom have fince died. She did not frike, till her canvas and rigging were entirely rendered ufelefs by the fire of the Oreftes. She is faid to be the finest feaboat that has been taken fince the war, being near 300 tons burthen. She mounts 22 fix pounders. Her cargo confifts of teas, brandy, filks, and lace, and is eftimated at upwards of thirty thousand pounds. Letters from the north, and various parts of the kingdom, bring melancholy accounts" of the diftrefles and damages done by the late very fevere weather and the fudden thaw, many bridges have been broken down, much cattle loft by inundations, and many lives loft by accidents, &c. particularly in the Ifle of Ely, where the inhabitants of the fens have fuffered beyond description. The number of common beggars which infeft the ftrects at this feafon of the year, feem greatly increased, notwithstanding the prodigious fums annually applied to the fupport of the poor. In Holland, the diftreffed part of the inhabitants have no refource but in their own labour, and yet there are no beggars in their streets. Upwards of thirty lottery-office-keepers have been convicted within the laft fortnight, upon the statute against insuring; many of them 、 them have paid the penalty of fifty pounds, and a few have been committed for fix months to hard labour. On Thursday the 18th inftant, a fire broke out in the dwelling-house of Mr. Thomas Oates, of Sheffield, which burnt with fuch dreadful rapidity that Mr. Oates and an apprentice boy were confumed in the flames, and all the effects and the infide of the houfe: Mrs. Oates, three fons, and two fervant maids, efcaped with great difficulty. This accident was occafioned by leaving a winter edge of cloaths too near the kitchen fire. Norwich, Dec. 26. On Friday the 19th inft, the right Hon. Charles Townshend was attacked near Copped-hall, in Effex, by a fingle highwayman, who prefented a pistol, and demanded his money; Mr. Townshend gave him three or four guineas; but the fellow infifted upon his purfe, which he delivered, containing about fifteen guineas, and a rol, bank note, and the highwayman immediately rode off. On Chriftmas-day the house of Mr. Scott, ftay-maker, of Salisbury-fquare, Fleet-street, as well as that of Mrs. Baker, of the fame neighbourhood, were broke open and robbed to a confiderable amount. The villains were obferved to knock at the above doors, by which they found the families were out. It appears by the doors they used a kind of jack, by which they can force open the ftrongest door without any noife. On the 31ft, early in the morning the houfe of Philip Martin, Efq. near Epping, was broke open by four villains, three of whom entered the apartments, while the other flood centry at the door. Their faces were all blacked; they were well armed, and after behaving in a very inhuman manner to the fervants, carried off plate and other valuable articles to a very confiderable amount. The next day William Weft was examined before Sir Sampfon Wright, touching the above robbery, and committed to New Prifon for further examination. The detection of the above Weft was occafioned by a very remarkable circumstance. He had on Saturday last paid half a guinea for the lodgings of a girl in Marybone, with whom he cohabited, and took a receipt of her landlord for the fum, which memorandum being found in Mr. Martin's houfe, after the villains had committed their depredations, was tranfmitted to Bowfreet, and in a few hours, by the fagacity of Mr. Bond, the offender who refuses to difcover his accomplices, was apprehended. A few days ago two men were apprehended at Newcastle, charged with stealing a pair of faddle bags from an inn at Newcaftle-under-line, containing rool. in cash, 7col. in bank notes, and fome wearing apparel. A daring robbery was committed on Sunday at a houfe on Saffron-hill by three fellows, who came to enquire after a fictitious name, and getting admittance into the houfe robbed the whole family, and ftripped the house of every thing valuable. ECCLESIASTICAL PREFERMENTS. The Rev. Samuel Raymond, B. L. to hold by difpenfation the rectory of Middleton, with the vicarage of Bulmer and Belchamp annexed in the county of Effex and diocefe of London. The Rev. St. John Prieft to the rectory of Weft Barfham in Norfolk. The Rev. Thomas Decker to the rectory of Wattisfield in Norfolk. MARRIAGES. At Dublin, lord viscount Valentia, to Miss Cavendish, daughter of the right Hon. Sir Henry Cavendish, Bart. Capt. Conyers, of his majefty's marines, to Mifs Sufanna Scott, of Painfwick in Gloucestershire. Thomas Milbourn, Efq. of Shappenhanger, Berks, to Mifs Thiftlethwayte of South Audley-ftreet. Capt. William Chambers, of the royal nany, to Mifs Mead, eldeft daughter of capt. Mead, of the royal navy. John Bond, of Hampstead, Efq. to Mifs Ratcliffe, daughter of the late Charles Ratcliffe, of York, Efq. Peter Wright, Efq. of Greville-street, to Mifs Colville of Parliament-freet. DEATHS. Charles Rogers, Efq. fellow of the royal and antiquarian focieties. At Bath, Mr. John Heffe, of the cominiffary's office. Mr. Chorley, many years mafter of the Ram-inn, Smithfield. Dan. Wray, Efq. in the 82d year of his age: he was many years deputy-teller of the exchequer under the earl of Hardwicke. George Hart, Efq. of Newington Butts. Mr. Young, affiftant furgeon to St. Bartholomew's hofpital. BANKRUPTS. Peter Grant, formerly of Coleman-ftreet, in the city of London, and late of the itland of Jamaica, in the Weft-Indies, but now of the Inner Temple, London, merchant Daniel Stephens, of the city of Bristol, hofier. Patrick Hanfbrow, of Martin's-lane, Cannon-street, London, merchant, (carrying -on trade by the names and firm of Edmonfon and Hanibrow.) Henry Cook the younger, of Waltham Holy Crofs, Effex, patent fponge-maker Tt 2 The |