ful: It, being a most fubtile and refined mat→ ter, will fometimes burn a perfon's cloaths · while his body remains unhurt. And, on the contrary, it will fometimes break a man's bones while his cloaths and flesh receive not harm. In like manner it has been known to melt or break the blade of a fword, and the fcabbard remain untouched. It has drank up veffels of water, the cover being left untouched, and no other token remaining. Gold, filver, and brafs have been melted, and the bags wherein they were contained not burnt, nor even the feal of wax defaced. Marcia, Queen of the Romans, was thunder-ftruck when he was far gone in her pregnancy. The child was killed in her womb, and the received no harm. The fishes in ponds have been frequently flain by lightning. The reason of thefe ftrange and contrary effects philofophers can but conjecture; imputing it to the different figure and quali moment the chamber he ly in appeared filJed with lightning, which inftantaneoufly vanished, leaving behind it a remarkable photphorine fmell. From that point of time he thought he found his natural faculties more alert; and his feelings fo greatly altered, that he fancied his cure to be accomplished; which he was induced to perfuade himself of, from a fudden fenfation defcribed by him to be, as if fome obftruction in his cheft, or a great adhesion therein, had been fuddenly removed, and his breaft had then recovered its former full liberty of expansion: The oppreffion and confinement he had there before fuffered feeming to be intirely gone. And he now enjoyed, in imagination, at least, the agreeable opinion of repoflefling perfect health. But how much greater was his joy when he arofe in the morning, and began to move about, upon finding the fancy he had indulged, during the night, fully verified by the intirety of the particles of the lightning, or to the eafe and complete health he then really enjoyed. His head was quite ferene; his breaft unloaden of its wonted oppreffion, and eased of its habitual pain; He could move all his limbs with as much steadiness and agility as he used before his complaint: Torpors, tremblings, and the long unhappy train of miferies which before afflicted him were now gone: The joy of health was, like the dawn of the morning, renewed; and every paralytic symptom, with his defpair of recovery, vanished like the preceding night; and he avers that, though the day before he was unable to walk more than half a mile, and that with great difficulty and pain, he could, the morning after the fhock the lightning gave him, have walked with eafe ten or twelve miles; fo propitious was that event. And, on the 20th of September, 1762, he was, and I believe ftill continues, in a perfect state of good health. To eftablish and fecure which bleffing, to fignally recovered, he was then returned to a courfe of the Tunbridge waters; where this account was delivered by hirafelf of his diforder and the cure. It may not be improper here to obferve, that, as Mr. Winder is well known to be a Gentleman of frict veracity, and found, plain fenfe, we cannot fufpect therefore either his head or his heart to be capable of deceiving us in this relation, which himself deliveled, and which I was very careful to note down as circum tantially as pofiible, that it might be fatisfactory to all who may think it of fo much importance as to be favoured with their attention. OBSERVATIONS.. rarity and thickness of the fire, for the more fubtile penetrates more eafily, and the thicker with more difficulty; whence the latter does more harm than the former, and though it produces various and wonderful effects, yet it is of fuch fingular use to the inhabitants of the earth, that they could fcarce subfift without it; for it clears the air, deftroys and confumes all the redundant and noxious fteams and particles that float in it, breaks the clouds, and fends down rain upon the earth. Electricity, applied to the animal body, accelerates the circulation of the blood; greatly quickening the pulfe, it rarefies it, and enlarges its volume. Hence we find by experience, that it often removes obstructions, and is a temporary remedy or a perfect cure in many diforders proceeding (as moft do) from obftructions; and it is applied with peculiar fuccefs in fome female complaints, which arife from that common origin. On the contrary, by withdrawing this fire from an healthy body, or from one in a fever, the circulation is retarded, and the pulfe rendered flower. It has a further effect on animals ftruck with it, fimilar to the effects of lightning; for fuch as are killed with the electrical fhock are thereby inclined to almost instant putrefaction: fo it is with bodies flain by lightning, which acquire therefrom fuch a putrefcent difpofition as to offend almost inmediately after. And from this property in electricity it is, that we find fowls or cattle killed by lightning or a fhock of electricity, if eaten directly afterwards, prove as tender as if they had been killed two or three days. Since the publication of the above cafe, in the the courfe of my converfation with the ingenious and learned author of many new and curious discoveries in electricity, Dr. Franklin, I was informed, that fome time ago, when an house in America was ftruck with lightning, two people in the fame were ftruck dead, and one rendered paralytic, which he continued to be to the end of his life. I am affured, by a very worthy Lady, that the was told, by a late Dignitary of the church in Ireland, that he knew for certain a Gentlewoman in that kingdom, who was cured of a moft deplorable cancer by a fudden flash of lightning, which ftruck her upon the difordered breaft (as if attracted thither by fome hidden property then in the part) and dried up and confumed the roots of the cancer in fuch a manner, as totally to prevent its farther progrefs; fo that, when by art abandoned to defpair, her perfect cure was, I may fay, miraculously accomplished by accident. I am informed by good authority, that a Gentlewoman in Great Ruffel-ftreet had a pally communicated by lightning, which was cured again, fome time after, by a flash of lightning. And I am told the Apothecary at St. Thomas's Hofpital recovered a paralytic pa tient by the electrical fhock, which being afterwards repeated, the disorder returned and continued incurable. A foort CHARACTER of the late Lord Chancellor. DURING the time his Lordship held the office of Attorney-general, he never failed to be an advocate and protector of the liberties of the people. His conduct then in Parliament will do him honour when he is no more. As the Law-officer, to whom the exercife of the prerogative was delegated, he will ever be revered: No harth tyrannical profecutions were fet on foot by him; and the mandate of a Treasury Board, for fheltering under the prerogative an extortionate fervant, or falfe witacís of the Crown, was regarded by him as wafte paper. On a fingular occafion, his anfwer to fuch a mandate was, His Majefty has delegated that part of the prerogative to me, and I will exercife it in fuch a manner as I can anfwer to the King, my confcience, and my country. An answer that one may venture to fay had not been given for fome tine before by the King's Attorney-general to the Treafury Board, nor may happen to be fpeedily given again. No wonder their Lordships were furprised at the boldness of the reply, it being novel to them, from a in fuch an office; but their fubmiffion to his determination added to his honour, and was no diminution of their own. man View him next placed out of the way, in the Court of Common-pleas, whither he was fuppofed to be removed, because the then Ministers thought, in that situation, his inflexible integrity, and love of the Constitution, could never interfere with their politics. But in that station there foon came on before him a great and national queftion in the perfon of Mr. Wilkes. His conduct on that occation is too well known, and the bufinefs too recent, to need a recapitulation. Suffice it to fay, that it is engraved on the grateful breaft of every honest and unbiassed Englishman. From the Common-pleas, let us pafs on to the Court of Chancery. It will not be denied, that he has given the molt perfect and intire fatisfaction. Were it poffible to forget his paft conduct of a Lawyer and a Stateman, his conduct upon the political queftion, that now occupies the attention of every thinking man, being of the laft importance to our liberties, would indear him to his country. That a full conviction of his being right was the fole ground for his having taken the part he has, no man can really doubt, for he was in the first office the Crown could bestow-could be no greater, and was liable to be removed therefrom at pleafure-He rifqued all, and gained nothing but the bleflings of a grateful people. FOREIGN ADVICES. THE following in a trapnation of the HE following is a translation of the Georgia, to declare to the whole world, the as, against the Ottoman Porte: A juftifiable defire of liberty, natural to all nations, and the shame of paying a tribute imposed on us in the time of our adverfity, are the motives which determine the people of firm and immoveable refolution they have We goods, Foods; but this haughty Power, as a tribute, demands the proftitution of our daughters, to the pleasure of their Prince. From this moment we abolish fuch a fcandalous cuftom, and are determined to get rid of this tax, even at the price of the last drop of our blood. At leaft, we shall erect a monument to our glory, and oblige pofterity to acknowledge, that a people, who were termed Barbarians, facrificed their lives for the prefervation of their honour, and the fupport of their liberty. And, that it may not be thought this effort is the offspring of prefumption, I, Prince Heraclius, do hereby declare, that, being animated in the - caufe, I am ready to put myself at the head of fifty of our hips, and five thousand men. Such of the neighbouring Princes, who prefer death to ignominy, convinced of the juftnefs of our caufe, will join their troops to ours, in order to abolish a fax, which at once makes us flaves, and difgraces humanity'. Conftantinople, Nov. 18. On the 5th, 6th, and 7th of this month, very long conferences were held at the Mufti's, in regard to the measures to be taken by the Porte in the prefent circumstances. The Grand Seignior appears still difpofed to continue with vigour the war against Ruffia. The preparations making for the enfuing campaign leave no room to doubt but it will be extremely interefting. It is fill believed that his Highness will command his army in perfon. The land forces are to be fuperior to thofe employed in the last campaign, and the naval force no lefs confideratle. The hips lately returned under the Captain Pacha are to be careened and refitted, after which part of them will be fent to the White Sea, to join thofe which have been there fince the beginning of fummer. Petersburg, Dec. 5. A few days ago the Court received from Gen. Count de Panin, Commander in chief of the fecond army, a circumftantial account of the expedition of the Count de Witgenstein, near Bender, at the head of four battalions of grenadiers, 800 hunters, and two regiments of fufiliers. In feveral little engagements he had with the enemy, the latter were always defeated, and the Ruffians, befides prifoners, took from them five pair of colours, a General's ftaff of command, a pair of kettle-drums, 264 camels, 21,000 horses, 10,500 oxen, 67,cco fheep. Leghorn, Dec. 14. Some of the Ruffian fhips of war have put in at Sardinia, in order to wait there the remainder of their fleet. The Dutch Vice- admiral Roefmer is collecting his fquadron, which is to confist of twelve vellels of war, with which he is to fcour the Mediterranean, but we know not for what reafon. The fhips and galiots of the Grand Duke of Tuscany have likewife received orders to hold themfelves ready to fail, under the command of Captain Smith. Warsaw, December 16. The Count de Romanzow, General in chief of the Ruffian forces, has fixed his head-quarters in the Uk raine, that he may be at hand to oppose any incurfions which the Tartars may make upon the frontiers. We learn from Zytomiers, that the Haydamacks, to the number of 3000, strengthened with cannon, begin a new their inroads; but Mr. Stembkouski, quarter-mafter of the Crown, has been sent against them, with his detachment of Polish troops, and fome hundreds of Ruffians. We are informed from good authority, that on the roth of this month Major Drewitz attacked the Confederates near Konfkie, killed 300 of them, and made 150 prisoners, among whom are nine foreign Officers. An affair has likewife happened at Petrikau, where feveral Marthals of the Confederates had assembled with their troops, amounting to 5000 men. Thefe, being informed that Colonel Ronne was marching towards them, quitted that town, into which Captain Caftelli entered with about 250 men, the greater part of them horfe. The Confederates, being informed of the smallness of this detachment, returned directly and attacked them. Captain Caftelli took his measures fo well, that he forced his way through the gardens, tho they fired upon his men out of every window; however, when he came to the Jefuits Convents, he was killed. In the mean time the Confederates learning, that not only the remainder of the Vanguard, but alfo the Colonel himself, with all his forces, was coming up, they took their cuftomary refolution of retreating, after setting fire to both the fuburbs, through which Mr. Ronne was to pass. This obliged the Ruffians to make a circuit, and gave the Confederates time to retire. The Ruffians had about 30 killed, and as many wounded. The Jefuits are fufpected, with a good deal of foundation, of having facilitated the reentry of the Confederates through their convent and thickets, well known to them. It is even faid, that many of those religious were taken with arms in their hands. Warfaw, Dec. 20. The Confederates under Marshal Zaremba attacked on the 12th inft. in the neighbourhood of Petrikau, the advanced guard of a body of Ruffian troops, commanded by General Weymar, and took fome prifoners; but upon the approach of that body they ran away with precipitation, and fet fire to the fuburbs of the town, so that the Jefuits church was reduced to ashes. They write from Cracovia, that the Confederates had received orders from their Chiefs to evacuate the place and come there no more. We learn that, among other advantages fucceffively obtained over the Turks, Colonel Colpakow has lately defeated a body of 500 Tartars of the Crimea, under the command of two well known partifans near the frontiers of Bohemia, when upwards of 100 men were cut to pieces, among whom were the two Commanders, and their standards were takes with 160 herfes. Warsaw, Dec. 23. The Chan of the Tar tars has quitted his refidence at Kausany, not thinking himself in fafety there, and is retired farther into the country. The Turkish army, which is on the other fide of the Danube, leffens every day in its numbers, the janiffaries deferting by whole platoons at a time. In the mean while it is certain, that the Ruffians are mafters of the Danube, and alfo of Ifaccia, which puts them in a condition of opening the campaign with advantage; for which purpofe they have formed large magazines in Wallachia. The Counts Potocki A and Krafinski are guarded at night by the Ottoman, and the greatest diffenfions reign among the Confederates, one part of whom have chofen the Sieur Krafinfki for their chief, and the other part of the Sieur Moftowski. The Chunt de Romanzow is fet out for Petersburgh, in order to affift at the confultations which are to be held there concerning the operations of the enfuing campaign, and the command of the Ruffian army is delivered up till his return to Count Olitz. Hiftorical Chronicle, January 1770. January 1. LETTER from Philadelphia, dated November 30, fays, By Capt. Miller, from Savanna-le-Mar, in Jamaica, we learn, that on the 20th of October a floop was brought in there by two Englishmen, which had been taken fome time before by a Spanish guarda cofta, who put fix Spanish foldiers, and an Officer, on board, and left only the two Englishmen to affift in working the veffel, with orders to follow the frigate that took them to Carthagena; but the Englishmen altered the floop's courfe in the night, and freered to the northward; the next day, when the Spaniards loft fight of the frigate, they were in great confufion, as they did not know which way to look for the land, and defired the Englishmen to carry them into fome Spanish port, which they readily promifed to do, but brought her fafe to anchor at the above port; the Spaniards were fo ignorant, they did not know it was an English port, till they went on fhore, and, to their great furprise, found none but English about them. The loop belonged to Kingston.' January 5. The Society for encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, gave a gold medal to Mr. James English, for the cultivation of rhubarb in England. January 8. Dublin, December 26. His Excellency George Lord Viscount Townfhend, Lord Lieutenant-general, and Geperal Governor of Ireland, his Speech to both Houses of Parliament, at Dublin, on Tuesday the 26th Day of December, 1769. My Lords and Gentlemen, THE Attention you have fhewn to the great objects which have been particularly recommended by me to your confideration, and the provifions which have been made for the fafety and fecurity of this kingdom, call upon me not only to express my approbation of, but to thank you, as I now do, for your conduct in thefe particulars. Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons. IT is with great pleafure that I thank you, in his Majesty's name, for the fupplies which you have granted, and the provifion which you have made for the prefent eftab. lishment, the public credit and the safety of this kingdom. 'When I first met you in Parliament, as I knew, and could rely upon it, that nothing could move from his Majefty but what would be expreffive of his conftant and ardent defire to maintain and preferve every conftitutional right to his people, I little thought that any thing would happen, during the course of this feffion, that could poffibly affect the juft rights of his Majesty, and of the Crown of Great Britain, fo as to afford his Majefty any juft caufe of diffatisfaction, and make it neceffary for me, fpecially, to affert and vindi. cate those rights. It is therefore with great concern that I have feen and obferved, in the votes and journals of the Houfe of Commons, printed by your order, & late proceeding by you, of fuch a nature, and of fuch effect, with respect to the rights of his Majefty, and the Crown of Great Britain, as to make it neceffary for me, on this day, and in this place, to take notice of, and animadvert thereupon: I mean the vote and refolution of the twenty-first day of November last, by which you, Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons, declare, that a bill, intitled, An act for granting to his Majefty the feveral duties, rates, impofitions and taxes, therein particularly expressed, to be applied to the payment of the intereft of the fums therein provided for, and towards the discharge of the faid principal fums, in fuch manner as is therein directed, which had been duly certified from hence to his Majefty, and, by his Majefty, had been tranf mitted in due form, under the great feal of, Great Britain, and which had been read a first time by you, and which was rejected by you on that day, was fo rejected, because it did not take its rife in your House. This vote, and this refolution of yours, declaring that the faid bill was rejected, be caufe it did not take its rife in your House, being contrary to the acts of Parliament of this kingdom of the 10th of Henry the VIIth, and the 3d and 4th of Philip and Mary, and the ufage and practice ever fince, and intrenching upon the jufl rights of his Majesty, and the Crown of Great Britain, to tranfmit fuch bills to be treated of and con fidered in Parliament here: I am now to affert his Majesty's royal authority, and the rights of the Crown of Great Britain, in this respect, and in such a manner, as may be moft public and permanent; and therefore I do here, in full Parliament, make my public proteft against the said vote and refolution of the Houfe of Commons, by which you, Gentlemen of that Houfe, declare that the faid bill was rejected by you, because it did not take its rife in your Houfe, and against the entries of the faid vote and refolution, which remain in the journals of the House of Commons: And I do require the clerk of this House now to read my faid proteft, and to enter it in the journals of this House, that it may there remain, to future ages, as a vindication of the undoubted right and authority of his Majefty, and of the rights of the Crown of Great Britain, in this particular. In this proteft, I think myfelf warranted in all refpects; and if it needed, as 1 conceive it doth not, any other ftrength than that which it derives from the ftatutes which I have mentioned, and from the ufage and practice ever fince, it would be found in that precedent which appears in the journals of this Houfe of the 3d day of November, 1692, under the reign of that glorious and immortal Prince King William the Third, the great deliverer of thefe kingdoms, and the conftant and magnanimous affertor and preferver of the civil and religious rights of mankind.' After which the Lord Chancellor, by his Excellency's command, said, My Lords and Gentlemen, IT is his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant's pleafure, that this Parliament be prorogued to Tuesday the 20th day of March next, to be then here held: And this Parlia ment is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday the 20th day of March next. January 10. Westminster, Jan. 9. This day his Ma. jefty came to the Houfe of Peers, and being in his royal robes feated on the throne with the ufual folemnity, Mr. Quarme, Ufher of the Black Rod, was fent with a meffage from his Majefty to the Houfe of Commons, commanding their attendance in the Houfe of Peers. The Commons being come thither accordingly, his Majefty was pleased to make the following moft gracious fpeech: My Lords, and Gentlemen, IT is with much concern that I find myfelf obliged to open this feffion of Parliament with acquainting you, that the diftemper among the horned cattle has lately broke out in this kingdom, notwithstanding every precaution that could be used for preventing the infection from foreign parts. Upon the first notice of its actual appearance, my next attention was to endeavour to stop, if poflible, its farther progrefs; and, as the fuccefs of thofe endeavours muft, in all probability, have bren intirely defeated by any the leaft degree of delay in the application of them, I thought it abfolutely neceffary, with the advice of my Privy-council, to give immediate directions for every step to be taken that appeared most capable of checking the inftant danger of the fpreading of the infection, until I could have an opportunity of confulting my Parliament upon fome more permanent measures for fecuring us against fo great a calamity: And to your immediate and ferious confideration I earneftly recommend this very important objet. I have given my Parliament repeated affurances, that it has always been my fixed purpofe to preferve the general tranquillity; maintaining at the fame time, the dignity and honour of my Crown, together with the just rights and interests of my people. The uncommon burthens which my fubjects have borne fo chearfully, in order to bring the late war to a happy conclufion, must be an additional motive to make me vigilant to prevent the present disturbances in Europe from extending to any part, where the fecurity, honour, or intereft of this nation may make it neceffary for my Crown to become a party. The affurances which I receive from the other great Powers, afford me reafon to believe, that my endeavours will continue to be fuc cefsful. I fhall ftill make the general inte refts of Europe the object of my attention : And while I fteadily fupport my own rights, I fhall be equally careful not to acknowledge the claims of any other Powers contrary to the h mitations of the late treaties of peace. It is needlefs for me to recommend to the serious attention of my Patliament the ftate of my government in America. I have endeavoured on my part, by every means, to bring back my fubjects there to their duty, and to a due fenfe of lawful authority. It gives me much concern to inform you, that the fuccefs of my endeavours has not anfwered my expectations; and that, in some of my colonies, many perfons have imbarked in measures highly unwarrantable, and calculated to deftroy the commercial connection between them and the mother country. Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons, I have ordered the proper estimates for the fervice of the current year to be laid before you. I am perfuaded, that your affection for my perfon and government, and your zeal for the public good, will induce you to grant fuch fupplies as are necessary; and you may be affured, that, on my part, they shall be managed with the strictest economy. My Lords, and Gentlemen, As the welfare and profperity of my people have always been the object of my withes, and the rule of my actions; fo I am perfuaded, from my experience of your conduct, that you will be governed in your proceedings by the fame principles. My ready concurrence and fupport, in every measure that may ferve to promote thofe ends, you may always depend upon. On you it will be now, more than ever, incumbent, most carefully to avoid all heats |