well-intentioned friend, has said, and others as thoughtless,
may say, 'do you attempt to write down the use of ardent drink?
Notwithstanding all you have said, or may say, people will continue
to drink as usual.' In the first place, I answer, _I am not sure
of that_--and in the next place, _I am sure_, that if they will
continue to use spirituous liquor as _a daily table drink_, and
give and receive it as the _token_ of _friendship_ and _good will_,
thereby associating the _vice_ of _drinking_ with the _virtue_ of
_hospitality_--if they will _accustom their children to the use_ or
_witness_ the use of ardent drink, and rear them in _idleness_ and
_extravagance_, with the mistaken idea of thus making them _ladies_
and _gentlemen_--if they will continue to 'have wine in their
(public) feasts,' and license taverns by thousands, and create a
thousand temptations to frequent them--if they will persist in the
practice of giving strong drink to the working class of society,
and _thereby contribute to degrade their character, and bring
useful industry_ into contempt--if they will continue to celebrate
their anniversaries by a course of unrestrained intemperance--then,
I again repeat, _I am sure_, that notwithstanding all their
professions of patriotism, morality, philanthropy and religion, they
cannot escape the imputation of loving ardent spirits more than the
work of reformation: and moreover, cannot avert, and will merit all
the ills which are flowing, and must continue to flow, from the
demoralizing influence of intoxicating drink. Intemperance, the
reigning sin of the nation, will go on 'increasing to increase,'
till immorality, spreading far and wide, shall debase the people,
corrupt their rulers, and destroy the liberties of our country.
Then dark illimited despotism, with its genial concomitant, blind
superstition, weak-minded bigotry, and black-hearted fanaticism;
while forging the chains, preparing the wheel, and igniting the
faggots of unholy and merciless persecution, will rear its head, and
impiously exult in the downfall of the only government on earth,
the existence of which, is not a reproach to the common sense of
mankind."
"_New York, January, 1819._"
_A view of Botany Bay._
In the 63d number of the Edinburgh Review, for July last, we find an
interesting account of the settlement called Botany Bay in New South
Wales, discovered by the Dutch in 1616, and taken possession of by
the British in 1770. On the close of the war by which the United
States obtained their independence, the government of Great Britain,
at a loss for a receptacle for convicts sentenced to banishment, at
last selected this remote country, and made the first settlement
there in 1778. This colony, now a very flourishing one, was thus
planted with the rogues of England, Ireland and Scotland, sent
thither, in exile, as a punishment for their crimes--transportation
to that distant and savage land being more dreaded there, perhaps,
than our penitentiary is here, from which escapes are made with
so much facility--the _certainty_ of punishment deterring from
the commission of crime more than its _severity_. The criminals
landed in this southern clime, finding themselves placed in a
new situation, where little could be got by theft, and having a
better chance than in the mother country of earning a comfortable
subsistence, often changed their habits, and became industrious, if
not honest men. They are probably destined to be a great nation,
having an abundant scope of territory, 2,700 miles in length, and
2,000 in breadth, (three-fourths the extent of Europe,) and will,
at a future day, in imitation of America, cast off the shackles of
colonial subjection, and assert the prerogative of self-government.
The climate of Botany Bay is represented to be equal to any in
Europe, but rather Asiatic than European--Favourable on the whole
to health and longevity. December, January, and February, are the
summer months of that country, and then the heat, which at noon is
at 80 deg. is tempered by a strong sea-breeze. The winter months,
June, July, and August, have very cold nights, and fire through the
day is comfortable.
The Reviewer humorously calls this colony "a land of convicts and
kangaroos," and sportively observes, that, "in this remote part of
the earth Nature (having made horses, oxen, ducks, geese, oaks,
elms, and all regular and useful productions, for the rest of the
world) seems determined to have a bit of play, and to amuse herself
as she pleases. Accordingly, she makes cherries with the stone on
the outside; and a monstrous animal, as tall as a granadier, with
the head of a rabbit, a tail as big as a bed-post, hopping at the
rate of five hops to a mile, with three or four young kangaroos
looking out of its false uterus to see what is passing. Then comes
a quadruped as big as a large cat, with the eyes, colour, and skin
of a mole, and the bill and web-feet of a duck--'puzzling Dr. Shaw'
and rendering the latter half of his life miserable, from his utter
inability to determine whether it was a bird or a beast. Add to this
a parrot, with the legs of a sea-gull; a skate with the head of a
shark, and a bird of such monstrous dimensions that a side bone of
it will dine three real carnivorous Englishmen; together with many
other productions that agitate Sir Joseph, and fill him with mingled
emotions of distress and delight."
The colony has made the following progress:
In 1778. 1817.
Horned cattle 5 44,753
Horses 7 3,072
Sheep 29 170,920
Hogs 74 17,842
Land cultivated _none_ acres, 47,564
Inhabitants 1,000 20,379
Sydney, the principal town and seat of government, has a population
of 7000 souls; it has a newspaper, a bank, and many public
and private buildings, that would not disgrace the best parts
of London--So says Mr. Wentworth, a native of Botany Bay, who
has lately published a statistical, historical, and political
description of the country.
The attention paid to the education of the children, by their
"larcenous forefathers," is worthy of commendation and of imitation
in other parts of the world, where the morals of the parent stock
are less depraved. "The town of Sydney contains 2 good public
schools, for the education of 224 children of both sexes. There
are establishments also for the diffusion of education in every
populous district throughout the colony: the masters of these
schools are allowed stipulated salaries from the Orphans' fund. Mr.
Wentworth states, that one-eighth part of the whole revenue of the
colony is appropriated to the purposes of education: this eighth he
computes at 2500_l._ Independent of these institutions, there is an
Auxiliary Bible Society, a Sunday School, and several good private
schools. This is all as it should he: The education of the poor,
important every where, is indispensable at Botany Bay. Nothing but
the earliest attention to the habits of children can restrain the
erratic finger from the contiguous scrip, to prevent the hereditary
tendency of larcenous abstraction. The American arrangements
respecting the education of the lower orders, is excellent. Their
unsold lands are surveyed, and divided into districts. In the centre
of every district, an ample and well selected lot is provided for
the support of future schools. We wish this had been imitated in
New Holland; for we are of opinion that the elevated nobleman,
Lord Sidmouth, should intimate what is good and wise, even if the
Americans are his teachers. Mr. Wentworth talks of 15,000 acres set
apart for the support of the Female Orphan schools; which certainly
does sound a little extravagant; but then 50 or 100 acres of this
reserve are given as a portion to each female orphan; so that all
this pious tract of ground will be soon married away. This donation
of women, in a place where they are scarce, is amiable and foolish
enough. There is a school also for the education and civilization
of the natives, we hope not to the exclusion of the children of
convicts, who have clearly a prior claim upon public charity."
Great exertions have been made in public roads and bridges. Toll
gates have been established on all the principal roads. The general
average of unimproved land in the neighbourhood of the town is 5_l._
sterling per acre. The inhabitants of New South Wales have suffered
greatly from the tyranny and caprice of the rulers placed over them
by Britain. There is no sufficient check on the Governor of the
colony--far from the parent country, there is no Council to restrain
his excesses, nor any Colonial Legislature to assert the rights of
the people. There is no trial by jury. The Governor imposes what
taxes he pleases.
[_Geo. Journal._
INTELLIGENCE.
Died, at Windsor Castle, George William Frederic Guelph on the 29th
of January.
His Majesty George the Third, was born on the 24th of May, 1738,
which since the alteration of the style, has become the 4th of
June. At his death, therefore, he had reached the advanced age of
eighty-one years seven months and twenty-six days. He was proclaimed
king on the 25th of October, 1760.--On September 8th, 1761, he was
married to her late majesty, and had issue seven sons and five
daughters, of whom six of the former and four of the latter survive
him. His royal highness the Prince of Wales was appointed Regent
on the 6th of Feb. 1811, and from that time he has been virtual
sovereign, acting in the name and on the behalf of his majesty. His
majesty, from the appointment of the Regent, remained in retirement
at Windsor Castle, under the guardianship of a council, who met
every month, or more frequently as occasions might require, and
issued a report of the state of his indisposition.
After the death of his late majesty had been formally announced, the
following instrument was prepared and signed.
"Whereas, it hath pleased the Almighty God, to call to his mercy
our late sovereign lord, king George the 3d. of blessed memory, by
whose decease the imperial crown of the united kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, is solely and rightfully come to the high and
mighty prince, George prince of Wales: We, therefore, the lords
spiritual and temporal of this realm, being here assisted with those
of his late majesty's privy council, with numbers of other principal
gentlemen of quality, with the lord mayor, aldermen and citizens
of London, do now hereby, with one voice and consent, of tongue
and heart, publish and proclaim, that the high and mighty prince,
George, prince of Wales, is now, by the death of the late sovereign,
of happy memory, become our only lawful and rightful liege, lord
George the 4th. by the grace of God, king of Great Britain and
Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. to whom we do acknowledge all
faith and constant obedience, with all hearty and humble affection;
beseeching God, by whom kings and queens do reign, to bless the
royal prince, George the 4th with long and happy years, to reign
over us.
Given at the court at Carlton-house, this 30th day of January, 1820.
GOD SAVE THE KING."
Then follows the signature of the Privy councillors, &c. present.
The king's fourth son, Edward Guelph, duke of Kent, &c. died at
Sidmouth, after a short but very severe illness on the 23d of
January. He was born November 2, 1767.
The interment of the king of England, took place on the 16th of
February; and on the following day, both houses of parliament
convened according to adjournment. A message from the new king
was received and read, and _an address of condolence and
congratulation_ was adopted in the house of lords.
A new parliament is to be summoned; and great activity every where
prevails in preparing for the approaching general election.
_Ancient Custom._--On the day that the present King was to be
proclaimed as George the Fourth, a procession was formed fronting
the Palace of Carlton-house, and proceeded for the city, when, on
the cavalcade arriving at Temple-bar they found the gates, according
to ancient custom, closed. "The City Marshall was sent forward to
the gate, intimation having been given to the lord Mayor that there
was a loud knocking at the gate, and a demand of admittance from
some persons outside. The Marshall went to the gate, and asked, 'Who
knocks,' and was answered, 'The Herald King at Arms. I attend with
a warrant to proclaim King George the Fourth. Open your gates.' The
City Marshall answered, 'I shall inform the Lord Mayor that you are
waiting at the gate.' The Marshall then rode back to the Lord Mayor,
and having informed him that the Herald King at Arms was in waiting
for admission, to proclaim George the Fourth, King of England, was
directed by his Lordship to give the admission required, which was
to be limited to the Herald King at Arms. The Marshall upon going
to the gates, said to the officers, 'Open one side of the gates
and admit the Herald King at Arms, and him alone.' The Herald then
rode in, supported by his guards, and was accompanied by the City
Marshall to the Lord Mayor. The Herald King at Arms presented
the warrant.--The Lord Mayor immediately said, 'admit the whole
procession into our city of London.'"
Sir Isaac Heard, the Garter-King-at-Arms, is 90 years of age.
George the 4th was proclaimed as King, at Liverpool, without parade,
on the 31st of Jan. but was proclaimed there again on the 19th
of Feb. with much pomp and ceremony.--There was a grand military
and civil procession; and among the latter, all the mechanic
professions, each with appropriate standards.
The late King is said to have given between 60 and $70,000 a year in
charities.
_London_, Feb. 18.
We have received this morning the Paris papers of Tuesday. They
are, of course, painfully interesting, for they communicate a
variety of facts connected with the assassination of his Royal
Highness the Duke de Berri. Among the most important of these is
the undeniable one, that the atrocious crime was committed from
political motives. This alarming truth was distinctly admitted,
not only by the Members of the two Chambers, who met to address
his Majesty, upon the mournful occasion but it is recognized by
the King himself, in the concluding sentence of his answer to the
Address of the Deputies.--"The Chamber cannot doubt," said his
Majesty, "that, feeling as a man, and acting as a king, I shall
adopt every necessary measure to preserve the _State from dangers,
of which I am but too forcibly forewarned by the crime of this
day_." The assassin himself, indeed, according to the letter of our
private correspondent, upon being interrogated, avowed that he had
exterminated the Duke, as the youngest of the Royal Family, "knowing
that nature would soon relieve him from the necessity of abridging
the days of the King."
The Duke of Berri was in his 42d year, and was, next to his aged
father, Count d'Artois, heir to the throne.
"The assassin is about 30 years of age; his name is Louvel. It
appears he was one of those who went and returned with Bonaparte
from Elba, and has since been employed, up to the very time of the
fatal deed, in his Majesty's hunting establishment.
A vessel has arrived at Portsmouth from St. Helena, which place
she left on the 10th of December. Bonaparte, at that time, was
well, and continued his out-door exercise, in the grounds attached
to Longwood. "His new house was nearly ready for his reception,
and it is in every respect a most spacious and commodious mansion;
containing, with a ball room, 17 excellent rooms."
MISCELLANY.
From a late report of the Secretary of the Treasury it appears that
the banking capital of the United States, including the United
States' bank, and excluding all banks incorporated since 1817,
amounts to $125,000,000.
A curious circumstance occurred on Monday week at Market Levington,
Wilts. A person named Jane Webb attended divine service attired
precisely in the same suit of mourning for our late sovereign George
III. as was worn by her for king George II. The singularity of its
make, attracted much notice. This venerable and frugal spinster has
attained her 76th year.
An oil spring has been discovered in the county of Morgan, Ohio,
which is stated to yield an inexhaustible quantity of this liquid.
It sells for fifty cents a gallon. It is used for lamps, for
currying leather, for mixing in medicines, &c. Whether it is
calculated for mixing in paints had not been ascertained.
_Worm in a Horse's eye._--Dr. William Scott, of Madras, has
extracted a worm from the aqueous humour of a horse's eye to which
he gave the name of _Accaris pellucidus_.
The legislature of New Jersey has passed a law for incorporating a
company for the purpose of embanking and draining the salt marsh on
Barbadoes neck in that state.
In the British Quarterly Review, mention is made of a British
statute now in force, in which the punishment of a certain offence
is _transportation_ for 14 years; and on conviction, one half
thereof is to go to the _informer_, and the other half to the
_king_! Did ever an Irish parliament make such a blunder as this?
_Virginia_ is much engaged in laying out works of internal
improvement; especially with a project of uniting the waters of
James river with those of Kenawha.
_The Bordeaux ship of discovery_, (says a New York paper) has
arrived at Bordeaux, after an absence of three years and a half.
This ship has traversed the Pacific Ocean, and collected at the
Sandwich Islands, some interesting accounts of the fate of _La
Peyrouse_ and his companions. A London paper states, that the
account will soon be published.
_Shawneetown, Illinois, Feb. 17._
_Arrival from New York!_--The Steam Boat Manhattan, from New
York, arrived here this day, 30 days from New Orleans. She brings
consignments for two houses in this place, from the city of New
York. Freight three dollars only.
_Imports at Liverpool from the United States._
_Flour, bbls._ _Rice, casks._ _Tobacco, hds._ _Cotton, bags._
1817 540,000 195,000 7,361 314,330
1818 350,000 100,000 110,000 423,500
1819 43,000 78,000 8,790 366,000
The Maine and Missouri questions are at length settled. Both
districts of country are admitted into the Union, as states; the
former, from its population, requiring no restriction of slavery;
and the latter admitted on the same terms--4 majority in the house
of representatives in favour of the bill as it has passed. The bill,
however, excludes slavery from all the territory North of 36-1/2
deg. of N. latitude, Missouri excepted.
From a respectable correspondent in Pauling, Duchess county, we
have the following singular case. Mr. Luther Brownwell of Beekman,
in that county having, in the month of April 1815, a sow with a
litter of five pigs, and she dying when they were only two days
old, he appropriated the milk of one of his new milch cows for
their support. The cow was milked four or five times a day for this
purpose, and the pigs were learned to drink the milk. When pasturing
time came, they were put in the field where the cow with nine others
was kept. At the age of two months, the pigs had the sagacity to
single out this cow from the rest, and when hungry would come round
her, root at her legs, squeak, and exhibit the usual signs of their
wants. The cow at length learned to lay down, and let them suck what
they wanted. In this way they grew very rapidly until some time in
September, when they were put up to fatten, and were killed the
November following. Their average weight was _240lbs._ or _1200lbs._
of pork, which he sold for $8,50 a hundred.
Aside from the singularity of this case, the inquiry naturally
presents itself, could the milk of the cow have been put to a more
profitable use? Is it not probable that her milk made an addition of
at least _600lbs._ to the quantity of pork? [_Plough Boy._
An apprentices' library is about to be established in New York, on
the same plan as the one in this city and in Boston. The library in
Boston consists of about 1000 volumes, principally of books on the
mechanic arts, of history, travels, and other useful knowledge, and
on moral and religious subjects.
_Steam Boats._--Among many interesting articles in the second number
of the German Correspondent, published in New York, we find the
following:
"The steam boat Blucher was lately launched at Potsdam. Several
members of the royal family were present, and Prince Albseeth
conferred the name. This is probably the largest steam boat in
Europe, the whole length being 200 feet. It draws but 20-1/2
inches of water. The boat contains _two_ engines, which perform
exceedingly well. The utmost precaution is used against accidents by
fire. As this vessel will carry merchandize of great value, and in
large quantities, the hold has been divided into nine compartments
by water proof partitions, so that, in case it should spring a leak,
there is every probability that the vessel would not fill--besides,
by means of tubes there is a communication between these chambers
and the locations of the engines, which are so arranged as to pump
any quantity of water out of the divisions where the leak may exist.
This improvement appears to be well calculated for the steam boats
on the Mississippi."
_Sagacity of a bear._--A bear which had stolen a sheep, being
closely persued by several dogs, promptly resorted to a most
ingenious expedient. He tore the sheep in pieces, and threw the
dogs one of the hinder legs; and while they were partaking of this
repast, had full time to escape.
This fact is formally certified, by a game-keeper in Transylvania,
where there are a great many bears. The most remarkable circumstance
was, that from that time the dogs would never attack any of these
animals, but on the contrary, received them in the most friendly
manner, as if they expected a dinner. The owner of the flock was
obliged to have the dogs shot, that he might not have those hungry
guests always about him. [_German Paper._
PHENOMENON.
_To the Editor of the Literary Gazette._
SIR,
I lately read an account of the figure, which, under some peculiar
state of the atmosphere, appears on the Hartz mountain, in Germany.
It reminds me of an extraordinary illusion to which I was once
exposed; if it have interest enough for publication, it is at your
service. About seven years since, I was one evening, in the month of
October, returning late from a friend's house in the country, where
I had dined, to the neighbouring town, about a mile distant: the
night was exceedingly dark, and I had been requested to take with
me a lantern; a pocket one could not be found, and I was provided
with that which the servants generally carried swung in the hand. I
had to pass through some fields over high ground: soon after I had
entered the second of these, I observed something large moving along
with me. I placed the lantern on the ground, and walking toward it,
saw a gigantic figure retiring with astonishing speed. I immediately
perceived it was my own shadow on a fog, which I had not before
observed. The appearance of retiring was phantasmagoric, and arose
from my interruption of the rays of light from the lantern, at a
lesser angle, as my distance from the light increased. My return
to the light was terrific; the figure appeared to advance upon me
with frightful rapidity, till it seemed forty feet high. If I had
been ignorant of the cause of this appearance, the effects might
have much alarmed me, and led to my telling such stories as I should
not have gained credit by relating: but aware of the cause, I was
delighted with the singularity of my situation; and might have
been thought mad by an observer, for every fantastic attitude and
action I could assume I did, to be mimicked by my new and shadowy
acquaintance. I am, sir, your obedient servant,
W.
_English vegetables._--In the former part of the reign of king Henry
VIII. there did not grow in England a cabbage, carrot, turnip, or
other edible root--and even Queen Catherine could not command a
sallad for dinner, till the king brought over a gardener from the
Netherlands.--The artichoke, apricot, and damask rose, then made
their first appearance in England.
_Coaches._--Coaches were introduced in 1585; before which time,
Queen Elizabeth rode, on public occasions, behind her Lord
Chamberlain.