preferved a rich fleet of merchant-fhips from Scanderoon, under the convoy of three or four frigates, from falling into their hands. The French fleet lay in their way in the bay of Tunis; and nothing could have faved them from being taken, but that which happened in the critical minute in which they needed it: A thick fog covered them, all the while that they were failing by that bay; fo that they had no apprehension of the danger they were in, till they had paffed it. [To be continued. ] Obfervation on a MARINE SPUNGE.-From The Hiftory [just published] of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, for the Year 1766. M. to the as an envelope for hells of different forts; Academy a fpecies of marine fpunge, but did not know to what clafs he hould refer it. This fpunge was really a fea-production, and of the genus fpecified by Tournefort under the name of Alcyonium, and known commonly by that of the Sea-fig, as ufually affecting the figure of that fruit. The fea-fig has almost always an aperture in its head, and adheres to corals and thells of different forts by one, and fometimes by two pedicles or ftalks; but M. du Tour's embarrassment, after opening his alcyonium, proceeded from finding the middle of it occupied by a shell of the spiral kind, which ferved as a nucleus to it. Though the alcyonium does not, commonly, contain any foreign fubftance, it fometimes, however, happens, that it ferves and then a dreadful reverse of fortune is likely to await the inhabitant of the fhell, which will infallibly meet with deftruction, the growth of the alcyonium being, probably, quick enough to close it round. M. Fougeroux has fhewn feveral of this fort, among which there was one, whofe nucleus was a fpiral fhell two inches long, wherein were feen fragments of the fort of crab called Bernard the Hermit, or Soldier ; and the greatest fingularity here was, that, very near the fhell that ferved as a nucleus, there was an open cavity outwardly in the fubftance of the alcyonium, which ferved as a lodge for another hermit; but this, more fortunate than the former, had found a retreat, where the other had met with his grave. From The PUBLIC ADVERTISER, April 3. SIR, IN N my last letter, I offered you my opinion of the truth and propriety of his Majefty's answer to the City of London, confidering it merely as the fpeech of a Minifter, drawn up in his own defence, and delivered, as ufual, by the Chief Magiftrate. I would feparate, as much as poffible, the King's perfonal character and behaviour from the acts of the prefent Government. I with it to be understood, that his Majefty had, in effect, no more concern in the fubftance of what he faid, than Sir James Hodges had in the Remonftrance; and that, as Sir James, in virtue of his office, was obliged to fpeak the fentiments of the people, his Majefty might think himself bound, by the fame official obligation, to give a graceful utterance to the fentiments of his Minitter. The cold formality of a well-repeated leifon is wide'y diftant from the animated expreffion of the heart. This distinction, however, is only true with refpect to the meafure itself. The confequences of it reach beyond the Minifter, and materially affect his Majesty's honour. In their own nature, they are formidable enough to alarm a man of prudence, and difgraceful enough to afflict a man of spirit. A fubject, whofe fincere attachment to his Majefty's perfon and family is founded upon rational principles, will not, in the prefent conjuncture, be fcrupulous of alarming, or even of afflicting, his Sovereign. I know there is another fort of loyalty, of which his Majefty has had plentiful experience. When the loyalty of Tories, Jacobites, and Scotchmen, has once taken poffeffion of an unhappy Prince, it feldom leaves him without accomplishing his deftruction. When the poifon of their doctrines has tainted the natural benevolence of his difpofition; when their infidious Councils have corrupted the ftamina of his government; what antidote can reitore him to his political health and honour, but the firm fincerity of his English fubjects? It has not been usual in this country, at least fince fince the days of Charles the Firft, to fee the Sovereign perfonally at variance, or engaged in a direct altercation with his subjects. Acts of grace and indulgence are wifely appropriated to him, and should conftantly be performed by himself. He never fhould appear, but in an amiable light, to his subjects. Even in France, as long as any ideas of a limited monarchy were thought worth preferving, it was a maxim, that no man fhould leave the Royal prefence difcontented. They have loft, or rather renounced, the moderate principles of their government; and now, when their Parliaments venture to remonfrate, the Tyrant comes forward, and anfwers abfolutely for himself. The spirit of their prefent conftitution requires, that the King fhould be feared, and the principle, I believe, is tolerably fupported by the fact. But, in our political fyftem, the theory is at variance with the practice, for the King fhould be beloved. Meafures of greater feverity may, indeed, in fome circumftances, be necessary; but the Minifter, who advifes, fhould take the execution and odium of them intirely upon himself. He not only betrays his Master, but violates the spirit of the English constitution, when he expofes the Chief Magiftrate to the perfonal hatred or contempt of his fubjects. When we fpeak of the firmnefs of government, we mean an uniform fyftem of measures, deliberately adopted and refolutely maintained by the fervants of the Crown, not a peevish afperity in the language or behaviour of the Sovereign. The government of a weak, irrefolute Monarch may be wife, moderate, and firm;-that of an obftinate, capricious Prince, on the contrary, may be feeble, undetermined, and relaxed. The reputation of public measures depends upon the Minifter, who is refponfible, not upon the King, whofe private opinions are not fuppofed to have any weight againft the advice of his Council; whofe perfonal authority fhould therefore never be interpofed in public affairs.-This, I believe, is true constitutional doctrine. But, for a moment, let us fuppofe it falle. Let it be taken for granted, that an occafion may arife, in which a King of England fhall be compelled to take upon himself the ungrateful office of rejecting the petitions, and cenfuring the conduct of his fubjects; and let the City Remonftrance be supposed to have created fo extraordinary an occafion. On this principle, which I prefume no friend of Adminiftration will difpute, let the wisdom and fpirit of the Ministry be examined. They advife the King to hazard his dignity, by a pofitive declaration of his own fentiments; they fuggeft to him a language full of feve rity and reproach. What follows? When his Majefty had taken fo decifive a part in fupport of his Miniftry and Parliament, he had a right to expect from them a reciprocal demonftration of firmness in their own caufe, and of zeal for his honour. He had reafon to expect (and fuch, I doubt not, were the bluftering promifes of Lord North) that the perfons, whom he had been advised to charge with having failed in their respect to him; with having injured Parliament, and violated the principles of the conftitution; should not have been permitted to efcape without fome fevere marks of the displeasure and vengeance of Parliament. As the matter stands, the Minifter, after placing his Sovereign in the most unfavourable light to his fubjects, and after attempting to fix the ridicule and odium of his own precipitate measures upon the Royal character, leaves him a folitary figure upon the fcene, to recal if he can, or to compenfate, by future compliances, for one unhappy demonftration of ill-fupported firmnefs and ineffectual refentiment. As a man of fpirit, his Majefty cannot but be fenfible,, that the lofty terms, in which he was perfuaded to reprimand the City, when united with the filly conclufion of the business, refemble the pomp of a mock-tragedy, where the moft pathetic fentiments, and even the fufferings of the Hero, are calculated for de-, rifion. Such has been the boafted firmness and confiftency of a Minifter, whose appearance in the House of Commons was thought effential to the King's fervice;-whole prefence was to influence every divifion ;-who had a voice to perfuade, an eye to penetrate, a gefture to command. The reputation of thefe great qualities has been fatal to his friends. The little dignity of Mr. Ellis has been committed. The mine was funk ;combuftibles provided; and Welbore Ellis, the Guy Vaux of the public, waited only for the fignal of command. All of a fudden, the country Gentlemen difcover how grofsly they have been deceived;-the Minifter's heart fails him; the grand plot is defeated in a moment, and poor Mr. Ellis and his motion taken into cuftody. From the event of Friday laft, one would imagine, that fome fatality hung over this Gentleman. Whether he makes or fuppreffes a motion, he is equally fure of his difgrace. But the complexion of the times will fuffer no man to be Vice-treasurer of Ireland with impunity. I do not mean to exprefs the fmallest anxiety for the Minifter's reputation. He acts feparately for himself, and the most shameful inconfiftency may, perhaps, be no dif grace to him. But, when the Sovereign, who reprefents the Majefty of the State, appears in perfon, his dignity fhould be fupported. The occafion fhould be important; the plan well confidered;-the execution fteady and confiftent. My zeal for his Majesty's real honour compels me to affert, that it has been too much the fyftem of the prefent reign to introduce him perfonally, either to act for, or to defend his fervants. They perfuade him to do what is properly their bufinefs, and defert him in the midst of it. Yet this is an inconvenience, to which he muft for ever be expofed, while he adheres to a Ministry divided among themselves, or unequal, in credit and ability, to the great task they have undertaken. Instead of referving the interpofition of the Royal perfonage, as the laft resource of government, their weakness obliges them to apply it to every ordinary occafion, and to render it cheap and common in the opinion of the people. Inftead of fupporting their Mafter, they look to him for fupport; and, for the emolument of remaining one day more in office, care not how much his facred character is prostituted and difhonoured. If I thought it poffible for this paper to reach the Closet, I would venture to appeal at once to his Majefty's judgment. I would afk him, but in the most respectful terms: As you are a young man, Sir, who ought to have a life of happiness in profpect;-as you are a husband';- -as you are a father [your filial duties I own have been religioufly performed] is it, bona fide, for your intereft or honour to facrifice your domeftic tranquillity, and to live in a perpetual difagreement with your people, merely to preferve fuch a chain of beings, as North, Barrington, Weymouth, Gower, Ellis, Onflow, Rigby, Jerry Dyson, and Sandwich? Their very names are a fatire upon all go vernment, and I defy the graveft of your Chaplains to read the catalogue without laughing.' For my own part, Sir, I have always confidered addreffes from Parliaments as a fafhionable, unmeaning formality. Ufurpers, idiots, and Tyrants have been fucceffively complimented with almoft the fame profeffions of duty and affection. But let us fuppofe them to mean exactly what they profefs. The confequences deferve to be confidered: Either the Sovereign is a man of high fpirit and dangerous ambition, ready to take advantage of the treachery of his Parliament, ready to accept of the furrender they make him of the public liberty;-or he is a mild, undefigning Prince, who, provided they indulge him with a little ftate and pageantry, would of himself intend no mischief. On the firft fuppofition, it must foon be decided by the fword, whether the Conftitution fhould be loft, or preferved. On the fecond, a Prince no way qualified for the execution of a great and hazardous enterprife, and without any determined object in view, may, nevertheless, be driven into fuch defperate meafures as may lead directly to his ruin; or difgrace himself by a fhameful fluctuation between the extremes of violence at one moment, and timidity at another. The Minifter, perhaps, may have reafon to be fatisfied with the fuccefs of the prefent hour, and with the profits of his employment. He is the tenant of the day, and has no intereft in the inheritance. The Sovereign himself is bound by other obligations, and ought to look forward to a fuperior, a permanent intereft. His paternal tenderness fhould remind him how many hoftages he has given to Society. The ties of nature come pewerfully in aid of oaths and proteftations. The father, who confiders his own precarious ftate of health, and the poffible hazard of a long minority, will wish to fee the family eftate free and unincumbered. What is the dignity of the Crown, though it were really maintained;-what is the honour of Parliament, fuppofing it could exift, without any foundation of integrity and juftice-or what is the vain reputation of firmness, even if the fcheme of Government were uniform and confiftent, compared with the heart-felt affections of the people, with the happiness and fecurity of the Royal family, or evea with the grateful acclamations of the populace? Whatever ftyle of contempt may be adopted by Minifters or Parliaments, no man fincerely defpifes the voice of the Englifh nation. The Houfe of Commons are only Interpreters, whofe duty it is to convey the fenfe of the People faithfully to the Crown. If the interpretation be falfe, or imperfect, the Constituent Powers are called upon to deliver their own fentiments. Ther fpeech is rude, but intelligible;-their ge tures fierce, but full of explanation. Paplexed by fophiftries, their honeft eloquence rifes into action. The first appeal was to the integrity of their Reprefentatives;-the fecond to the King's juftice;-the laft argument of the People, whenever they have r courfe to it, will carry more, perhaps, than perfuafion to Parliament, or fupplication to the Throne. JUNIUS. Cure for the BITE of a VIPE R.From The History [ publifhed] of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, for the Year 1766. HE Academy gave an account to the Tpublic, and my gave an account to the cold, bite of a viper, performed by the Eau de Luce,' which M. de Juffieu made one of his pupils take who had been bit by one of thefe animals. Here is a fact of the fame kind, which happened at the house of the First Prefident de Malefherbes, who communicated it to the Academy. There was. a ferpent among fome faggots of brushwood that were kept in this Judge's barn; and a man, who came to kill the animal, taking it for an adder, amused himself with imitating it. The viper, for it was one, bit him in the hand, and he instantly felt a very fharp pain, and his arm in a few moments fwelled confiderably. The furgeons of the place, who were called to his relief, made him take a great quantity of theriaca, and applied blifters to him, but the whole unfuccessfully. M. de Malefherbes was not apprifed of what had happened till the next morning, and he found the patient in a very deplorable condition; the fwelling had already got to the top of his fhoulder, and he was almost without pulfe, his extremities cold, and he had frequent anxieties or heartM. de Malefherbes then remem-· bered how M. de Juffieu had cured his pupil, and he resolved to make use of his remedy. He immediately fent a perfon with a bottle of this water. Scarifications were made on the patient, and the water applied to them. He was made to fwallow fix drops in water, and in the afternoon fmall dofes were adminiitered to him every half-hour. The remedy revived his pulfe, brought on him ftrong fweats, moderated his anxieties, and calmed his vomiting: In fhort, he grew conftantly better, and was at last intirely cured. -This is a fecond example of the efficacy of that remedy, and proves it fo much the more, as M. de Malefherbes fufpects he was not very exact in his prefcribed regimen, had, eaten flesh-meat, and drank wine plentifully. It might be thought that Nature had infpired him with the appetite for wine, as a help added to the remedies, if this fame appetite did not exift more frequently than is neceffary, in those who have not been bitten by vipers. The DEMONIAC; a NOVEL, tranflated from the Spanish. Hare the refources it has for uniting two hearts fmitten with each other, notwithstand ing all cross accidents and oppofing obftacles! If any one thould doubt of this truth, the following adventure will afford ample proof of it. OW ingenious is love! How many A number of ftrangers, compofed chiefly of very amiable women, arrived at an inn of the city of Lucca. As they entered, a man was going out, whom they fancied, by his garb, to be a phylician. They found themfelves not mistaken, over-hearing his converfation with the Miftrefs of the houfe. I cannot yet, faid he to her, discover whether this girl be mad, or poffeffed with the devil, but I think he is both; yet, notwithftanding her mad freaks, and the demon that has taken poffeffion of her, I believe I fhould cure her, if her uncle, in too much hafte to continue his journey, was to give me time to effect a cure of fuch importance. What is this? faid the ftrangers; we can never lodge in a houfe that entertains mad folks and demoniacs. Let not your Ladyships be alarmed, anfwered the hottefs. Believe me, remain here, and you will fee, without the leaft danger, what the curious would come a hundred leagues to fee, if they had any knowledge of what is tranfacting in my house. The ftrangers hereupon came to a refolution among themselves to stay, and asked. what were thofe extraordinary things they were defired to expect. Follow me, faid the hoftefs, addreffing herself to the women, and you will be able to judge of the matter yourselves. They ftepped with her into a chamber, where there was a bed fumptuously adorned. There they faw lying a very beau tiful girl, of the age, as it seemed, between fixteen and feventeen. Her arms were tied down to the bolfter of the bed. Two women, that served as attendants to her, were hufy in keeping her legs alfo faft bound to the bed, and the was earnest in intreating them to defift, because modesty would deter her from being guilty of the least indecency. Then turning fuddenly to the ftrangers, O ye, faid the to them, that are undoubtedly angels incarnate, and, perhaps, are come down from heaven to restore my health to me, I conjure you, pure intelligences, by the power you are commiffioned with from our common Creator, to command thofe material fubftances, who have bound me, to fet me free this inftant. All I want is to bite four or five times my arms, and then I shall be fatisfied, and made incapable of doing the leaft mischief. Poor niece, cried an old Gentleman, who had juft entered the room, my dear Ifabella! recommend thyself to God for recovering thy fenfes, from whom thou haft received them, and, far from coveting to devour thy delicate flesh, eat of that which thy uncle, who loves thee tenderly, would fain prefent thee Speak, tell me thy wants? We are rich enough to enable me to fatisfy thy appetite with the most exquifite produce of the earth and waters. I want nothing but reft, replied the young Lady. Let thefe angels be left with me; their prefence may chafe far from me the demon I am belaboured with; for, furely, he cannot abide in fuch company. The old Gentleman went out, and every one with him, except the ftrangers. When Ifabella faw herself alone with them, he prayed them to look about if any one remained in the chamber that might hear them. They affured her there was no one. Then the fat up as well as the could, and fhewed a defire to explain herfcf. She opened her mouth; but, instead of words, nothing found vent but fighs, and these with so much vehemence, that it was thought the was going to breathe her laft. This, however, was fucceeded with fo great a dejection of fpirits, and fuch weakness, that the fainted away on her bed. The women called out for help, and the uncle ran in, holding in one hand a crucifix, and in the other a brush dipped in holy water. Two friars came in likewife, who, fully perfuaded that the devils were tormenting Itabella, promifed to plunge them back again into hell's abyfs. Ifabella, recovering from her fainting fit, and viewing the whole apparatus of exorcifm: Good Sirs, faid the to them, your endeavours are to no purpose; you cannot compel me to quit this place; I will not leave it but when I pleafe, and this shall not be till Andrew Marulli comes, a young cavalier, who was born in this city, and who now is a student in the univerity of Salamanca, and quite regardlefs of what is pafling at Lucca. This fpeech helped to confirm thofe that heard her in the opinion, that Ifabella was really poffeffed by a malign fpirit; for how otherwife could the know, that, in a city fhe was never in before, there was a family of the name of Marulli? From fuch inconceivable knowledge it was evidently con cluded that the devil spoke by her mouth. Full of this notion, the two friars exerted themselves to deliver Ifabella; but their citations of the fpirit were fruitless, the devil would not quit hold. Ifabella, who had her reafons for not getting rid of him, prayed the exorcifts to defer their good offices to another time, and to withdraw; which they did, together with the old Gentleman. The doors were fhut again. The beautiful fick Lady, being fatished she could speak without fear: The first thing I require of you, faid the to the women that remained in the chamber, is to difincumber me of the embarraffment I am under; for, though these bandages are not over-tight, they still incommode and hinder me from converfing with you at my ease. On a request made with fo much good fenfe, he was unloofed. Ifabella fat up in her bed; defired the Ladies to draw near, and even feat themselves on the bed; the took each of them familiarly by the hand, and spoke to them as follows: Very probably, Ladies, you take me for what I am not, and my extravagance might authorife your opinion as well-grounded; but be not prejudiced, I beseech you, and believe that the demons have no fhare in the character I here affume in spite of me. My name is Ifabella Caftruccio, and, though born of very noble and opulent parents, who fometimes praised Heaven for granting me fome beauty, I am the moft unhappy perfon in the world. My father and mother were originally of Capua, in the kingdom of Naples, and I was born at Madrid. Having loft them in early life, I was brought up in my uncle's houfe, the old Gentleman you have feen, who has long refided at Court. But, alas! why should I go fo far back with the hiftory of my misfortunes? Let us pass to their principal cause. A young cavalier came to Court, when I was with my uncle. I faw him for the firft time at church. He fixed my whole attention. I could not help entertaining for him very tender fentiments, which no other had infpired me with. You may blame me, perhaps, for not having made myself miftrefs of my firft emotions. I accufe myfelf of it; but, young as I was, and without any experience of love, how could I make refftance against an object that prefented itfelf with all the graces that nature could endow it with? In fhort, I loved him; I faw him a fecond time at the fame place, and my love received an additional incresfe. I loft no time in getting information of his birth qualities, and his occupation at Court I learned that his name was Andrew Marulli, |