For FEBRUARY, Memoirs of Lord Macartney, Governor of 53 The Hypochondriack, No. XLI. 55 nued State Paper, No. I, 70 74 No. II. 76 PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY. Debates in the House of Commons 80 in the House of Lords 81 on Lord Stormont's Motion for an Addrefs to his Majesty ibid. on Lord North's Motion for an Addreis to his Majefty ibid. -on Mr. Fox's Motion difapproving the Appointment of Sir Hugh Pallifer to the Government of Greenwich Hofpital 84 on General Smith's Motion for taking into Confideration the Petition of the British Inhabitants of the Provinces of Bengal, Bakar, and Oriffa 86 REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. Ruffia; or, a complete Hiftorical Account of all the Nations which compose that Empire 87 Medical Commentaries, Part III. for the Year 1780 88 Government, addreffed to the Publick. go New Letters from an English Traveller ibid. POETICAL ESSAYS. Epifle from a Winchefter School-Boy, to his Friend at Bath MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER. Particulars of the Trial of Lord G. Gordon, in the Court of King's Bench, in Weftminster Hall, on a Charge of High Trea fon With the following Embellishments, viz. An elegant Engraving of the Right Hon. LORD MACARTNEY, from an original Drawing AND A curious Print of the LADY OF LORETTO. LONDON, printed for R. BALDWIN, at No. 47, in Pater-nofter-Row. Of whom may be had complete Sets, from the Year 1732 to the prefent Time, ready bound and ftitched, or any fingle Volume to complete Sets. 3 per C. 3 per C. reduced 56 1 58 301 India PRICES of STOCKS, &c. in FEBRUARY, Long Short An. Ditto India confols An. 1777. 1778. Stock Ann. ༡༠ ༔ 1781. India Bonds. S. Ann. South Old Ann. Now 13per C. Navy Lottery Excheq An. 1751 Bills. Tick. Bills. Wind Weath. at Deal. London 10 13 1/2 31 56 106 I 66 55 57 581 555 54 $ 13 13 147 54 1 12 107! 58 1471 3320 55 13 55 55 & 13 33 4 55 103 54 13 58 12 10 55 13 58 161 70 12 11 Sunday 13 5555ut 12 Rain 13 108 57 S W 58 161 148 ΙΟ NW Fair NE 21 NE Snow AVERAGE PRICES of GRAIN, by the Standard WINCHESTER Bushel. Wheat. Rye. Barley. Oats. Beans. Wheat. Rye. [Barley. 1. d. 3. d. Scotland 4 O Oats. Beans. 3. d. s. d. 2 11 I 70 2 3 THE LONDON MAGAZINE, FOR FEBRUARY, 1781. FOR THE LONDON MAGAZINE. MEMOIRS OF THE RIGHT HONORABLE LORD MACARTNEY, THE NEWLY APPOINTED GOVERNOR OF MADRASS. EORGE Lord Macartney, baron G of Liffinure in the kingdom of Ireland, is defcended from a family, His lordship was born in May 1738; he completed his education at Trinity College, Dublin, of which he was a fellow commoner; after taking up his degree of Master of Arts, upon coming into poffeffion of a confiderable eftate by the death of his grandfather, he made the tour of Europe, during which he formed connexions with fome of the moft diftinguished characters of his own country, then upon their travels; connexions which have lafted ever fince: he was alfo particularly noticed, as we are informed, by the celebrated Voltaire, at whofe feat near Geneva, he spent fome time, Being a man of taste and knowledge, he has been fuppofed to have been the author of fome fugitive compolitions, which were efteemed at the time; but his mind was foon bent to politicks, by being appointed in August 1764, to be envoy extraordinary to the Emprefs of Ruffia, and he was knighted by his majesty on taking Leave in the month of October following. His embally was of material benefit to this nation, for he brought about an advantageous treaty of commerce, which is now the only basis of our alliance with that country. If we may credit fome anecdotes then current, his perfonal accomplishments at a female court had fome share in this remarkable fuccefs. In 1766, having previously obtained the confent of his own Lovereign, the King of Poland was pleafed to elect him a knight companion of the most antient and royal order of the White Eagle; and in 1767, his minifteria! dignity and powers were enlarged by his being nominated ambalador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Empress of Ruffia. In the month of February 1768, his lordship married the Right Honour able Lady Jane Stuart fecond daughter of John Earl of Bute, Knight of the Garter, &c. &c. At the general election in the month of April following, he was elected member for the borough of Cockermouth in the British parliament, and in July of the fame year, for the borough of Armagh in the Irish parliament: he was likewife appointed principal fecretary to Lord Vilcount Townshend, then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and fworn of his majesty's privy council of that kingdom, in the beginning of 1769. In that turbulent and difficult employment, he acquitted himfelf not only with political abilities, but with a temper that contributed not a little to allay the violence of party and oppofition. In 1772 his lordship was elected knight companion of the most honourable order of the Bath. In December 1775 he was appointed captain general and commander in chief of Grenada, the Grenadines, Tobago, and other iflands in the Weft Indies dependent thereon. He found Grenada, the principal colony of his government, diftracted by party, which deftroyed its credit, and prevented the promotion of its welfare. His lordship had the addrefs or good fortune to put a speedy end to all diffenfions. Harmony in the legiflature was followed by provifion for their public debts. Individuals profpered, and the inland became, beyond all doubt, next to Jamaica, in G 2 revenue revenue and importance. His lordship was alfo the first governor who was able to establish a militia in that ifland, to the general fatisfaction of the people, and this establishment contributed not a little to the refolution with which they stood upon their defence, when, in July 1779, Count D'Estaing appeared before the fland with twenty five fhips of the line, fourteen frigates, and eight battalions of infantry. Of this attack the governor had fome fhort previous information, by intelligence which he procured from Martinique, and by veffels employed by him to watch the enemy's motions; wherupon he dif patched expreffes to General Grant at the neighbouring ifland of St. Lucia and alfo to Admiral Byron; and on the arrival of Count D'Etaing retired with the few regulars and militia which he could collect to the Hofpital hill, where he foon received a fummons to furrender, with menaces of military execution in cale of resistance, but but without any terms of capitulation in cafe of compliance. In this fituation, to give up a valuable colony, when relief might loon arrive, and without any poflible advantage, was a conduct too difhonourable to be adopted by him; nor did either intereft or apprehenfion of danger induce any of the inhabitants to propole fuch a difhonourable meafure; he therefore returned a modeft but firm answer to the funmons he received, and withstood an attack upon his lines, which he repulfed with fome lofs of killed and prifoners on the part of the enemy; but the next night his entrenchments were attacked on all fides, and after a brave and obftinate defence and much flaughter, in which the lofs of the French in killed and wounded was equal, if not fuperior to his lordfhip's whole force, the hill was taken by ftorm. His lordship loft all his effects to a very considerable amount, his plate, writings, and even his clothes, which were divided as plunder among the French foldiers. The Count D'Eitaing thought him too likely to thwart his defigns if he allowed him to go to any of our fettlements, and therefore fent him a prifoner to France; but before his departure, the inhabitants of Grenada waited upon him (no longer their governor) to give him their last and unfeigned thanks for the wifdom and justice of his conduct while he prefided over them, and to join, as they expreffed it, their voices to the acknowledgment of the conquerors, of the well-planned and fpirited defence which he had made with fuch inferior force; alfo teftifying that the example of his coolness and intrepidity, during the feveral attacks, influenced all the perfons under his command to the full exertion of their duty; and that he had, to the laft moment of his command, and of his negotiations with the conqueror, united with his duty to his fovereign, a true regard to the people who had been committed to his care*. It is probable that the reputation his lordship thus acquired in the several employments with which he had been intrusted, led to the choice of him as the propereft perfon to compofe the diffenfions and restore the profperity of one of our most important East-India settlements; and though upon this occafion his friends had to combat, not only with the efforts of gentlemen who had views on the fame appointment, and even thought themfeves intitled to it, but alfo to overcome a prejudice carefully inculcated against perfons, not gradually rifing in the company's fervice; yet all parties had but one voice, in relation to his character, conduct, difpofition. and abilities. His lordship had occafion to addrefs himself twice to the proprietors in the general court; and the good fenfe and spirit of moderation confpicuous in his speeches, together with the modeft but manly manner of his delivery, gained him many new friends, and confirmed his former ones, in the propriety of their choice. He was accordingly nominated governor and prefident of Fort St. George, Madras, on the 14th of December, 1780, and fworn in the next day. This nomination of the directors met with the concurrence of the proprietors without even the ceręmony of a ballot. The fituation of the East-India com pany's affairs on the coaft of Coromandel requires, indeed, a man of the moderate but firm fpirit, and of the abilities fo univerfally attributed to Lord Macartney, and it behoves him to maintain See the original addrefs in our Magazine for January 1780. VOL. XLIX. p. 47. maintain the high character he has obtained in the world. His lordship is in his perfon fomewhat above the middle ftature, and has been confidered as remarkably handfome: his engaging manners and address have been admired by both fexes, and as a public fpeaker he is clear and convincing, but feems to avoid paffion or impetuofity. His lordship was created a peer of Ireland on the roth of July 1776, by the ftile and title of Lord Macartney, Baron of Liffanure in the county of Antrim, and was elected a reprefentative in the prefent parliament of GreatBritain for the borough of Beeralfton in Devonshire. THE HYPOCHONDRIACK. No. XLI. Tu tamen vel me autore mentem iftam mutabis, & cælibatu reli&to, fterili ac ERASM RASMUS has written fo well upon fo many fubjects, that his works alone might make a very good study for molt men. But what I peculiarly admire in him is a pleasant ferenity of mind that fhows itself in the cafe and vivacity with which he treats every lighter theme on which his thoughts have been employed. As he vifited England, he may be confidered as naturalized among the literati of this ifland; and indeed much has been done by them in his honour. Let me only mention his life by Dr. Jortin, and the heroick encomium upon him by Mr. Pope. Having been obliged to him for a motto to this paper, I have been led to introduce it with fomething faid in praise of one of my most favourite writers. But I have taken care to ftop fhort, left I fhould not leave myfelf room enough for the fubject of the prefent effay, which I mean fhould be Marriage. Upon this fubject, indeed, one may write volumes, because it is fo extenfive, and makes fo effential a part of the hiftory of mankind. I am to write upon it, as I have done upon other fubjects, in the course of these my monthly lucubrations, with little fyftem or order, but with a frankness of communication, and a benevolent with to entertain, and perhaps in fome degree inftruct my readers. There has perhaps been no period when Marriage was more the general topick of converfation than at prefent; when a celebrated popular preacher has ventured to publish under the title of THELYPHTHORA, an elaborate, nay, as he profeffes, a religious exhortation to the comforts of a plurality of women. I am not going to enter upon the wide field of Marriage, in all its varieties in different parts of the globe. My reflections are to be limited to the good, plain inftitution established in our own country, with which we are all well acquainted; in fhort, to Britifh Marriage as by law established. And, instead of attempting an answer to Thelyphthora, till I have more leisure to confider whether it is right or wrong, I fhall in the mean time relate an anecdote which I had from grave authority. Mr. Blount, who wrote what he calls The Oracles of Reafon, having loft his wife, fell in love with her fifter, a very beautiful woman, and having compofed with a great deal of ingenuity a treatife to prove that it was lawful for him to marry her, he fent it to the Bishop of London, and afterwards waited upon his lordship to afk his opinion. The bishop did not wish to entangle himself in difputation; fo he calmly faid, "Your arguments, Mr. Blount, may be very good; but I'll tell you, if you marry the lady you will be hanged." To the fubject of Marriage we may well apply the obfervation which the Spectator fo humourously returns to Sir Roger de Coverley, Much may be faid on both fides." Erafmus amufed himself in the way of declamation upon it in different views, by writing "Suaforia de ineundo Matrimonio-Argu ments |