their bufinefs of fuffocation with mud, he called on them to defift. They anfwered calmly-" It is our cuftom-it is our cuftom-he cannot live-our god fays he muft die." Then the operation went on till the unhappy youth expired. This is a fact; and thoufands here, of equal barbarity, might be collected.Such, dear fir, is the Hindoo religion, in fome of its fruits. It is full of malignity and all manner of extremely common practice. My very learned friend, Mr. William Chambers, has computed, that about fifty thoufand widows are, in thefe provinces, burnt annually with their hulbands. Many of them are young and child-bearing, and night, by fecond marriages, have been, upon an average, mothers of two children each. The three or four principal wives generally burn; and often the inferiors, compelled by difgrace, and the exceflive hard-abominations.-The temples are hips they are inftantly expofed to, follow their example. In fome few inftances this appears to be a vohuntary act, but the majority are terrified into it." "The whole of this letter is curi ous, though too long to infert here. The horrid cuftom alluded to above, though denied by fome to be now in practice, is too well eftablifhed to be any longer denied, and is noticed by Robiníon in his hiftorical works. "Brown, in what follows, is fpeaking of fick perfons, who are left on the banks of the Ganges, to be borne away by the overflowing tide: filled with dancing.girls, whofe history you know from books. I cannot fpeak of their deteftable rites. The old filthy fyftem of paganifm of Greece and Rome is, in fpirit, the fame as that now in being among the Hindoos-and, perhaps, not lefs polluted, though it be fomewhat more retired. – I am aflamed to fay, that my eyes have seen what I now teftify. But unless I had feen it, my teltimony would have been fcarcely credible; and I never could have fpoken with fuch abhorrence as I now feel.-I am fully convinced that the Hindoos are without a fingle moral principle, and that they are extremely cruel and malignant in their tempers.-So deeply corrupt are they in their practices, fo tied and bound with chains of prejudice, and fo wonderfully are they darkened in their minds, that every remedy must fail, but the know "They are (he fays) fwept with by this bloody fuperftition. A CURIOUS DISPUTATION: or (From an authentic Manufcript in W HEN king James I. vifited his native and ancient kingcarneft defire to honour the college dom, in the year 1617, he had an of of Edinburgh with his prefence, and hearing of ane public difputation in philofophy. But the multitude of bufinefs diftracting him all the time at Holyrood-houfe, it pleafed his majefty to appoint the mafters of the college to attend him at Stirling, the 29th day of July; when, in the royal chapel, his majefty, with the flower of the nobility, and many of the most learned, men of both nations, were prefent, a little before five o'clock, and continued with much cheerfulness, above three hours. answers, and cleared the purpose, Mr. Reid difputed thirds, anent Mr. Henry Charteris, then principal of the college, being naturally averie from public fhows, moved, that Mr. John Davidfon, then minifter of Libberton, thould prefide at the difputation: Mr. James Fairly was chofen to draw and defend the thefes: Mr. Patrick Sands, Mr. Andrew Young, Mr. Francis Reid, and Mr. William King, the other four regents, were appointed to impugn. They divided the thefes, each of them choicing three; but they infifted only on fuch purpofes as were conceived to be most acceptable to the king's majefty, and the auditory, The fpecial purpofes agitated were: ft. That the heriffs and other inferior magiftrates ought not to be hereditary,-| oppugned by Mr. Sands with many pretty arguments. The king was fo well pleased with the answers, that after he himself had preffed fome arguments to the contrary, and the defender had directed his aniwers to Mr. Sands, his majefty turning to the marquis of Hamilton, who was ftanding behind his chair, and, at that time, was heritable fhelyes given to the oppugners. And riff of Clyfdale," James, (faid he) why fhould not you, Mr. Sands, be you fee your caufe loft." Mr. Young, the firit to enter the fands? Now I who difputed next, infifted, upon clearly fee all fands are not barren, the nature of local motion, preffing for you have shown a fertile wit this many pretty things by clear tefti- day, Mr. Young, you are old in monies of Ariftotle's text. To Ariftotle. Mr. Reid, your face which when the defender made his need not be red with blufhing for After the difputation, his majefty went to his fupper, and, after a very little time, commanded the mafters to be brought before him, In their prefence he difcourfed very learnedly of all the purposes which hod been agitated. Then he fell to fpeak of the actors: "Methinks (fays he) these gentlemen, by their names, have been predeftinat for thefe acts they have had in hand this day. Adam was the first father of us all; and therefore, very fitly, you, Adam-jon had the first part to act. You, the defender, are rightly called Fairly; your thefis had fome fairlys in it, and you fuftained them very fairly, with many fair A a 2 your Your actings. As to you, Mr. King, you have difputed in a royal manner, and to a kingly purpose, concerning the fupremacy of reafon over anger and all other paffions. 1 am fo well fatisfied with your exercises this day, that I will be godfather to your college, and have it called the college of king James. And although I fee many look up. on it with an evil eye, yet I will have them to know, that, having giving it this name, I have efpoufed its quarrel.” One who ftood by, told his majefty, that there was one of the company of whom he had taken no notice Mr. Henry Charteris, principal of the college, (who fate upon the prefident's right hand) a man of exquifite and univerfal learning, although he had no knack of fpeaking in public beforé fo auguft an affembly. "Then (answered the king) well does his name agree with his nature; for charters contain much matter but fay nothing." Those who stood by the king's chare much commended his majefty's fagacious allufions to the actors' names; and his majelly preffed that the fame fhould be turned into poefy, wherein his majefty both delighted much, and had an excellent faculty; which was accordingly done. One of the English doctors wondering at his majefty's gift in the Latin tongue, "all the world (fays he) knows that my mafler, George Buchanan, was a great mafter in that faculty. I follow his pronounciation both of the Latin and Greek, and am forry my people of England do not do the like; for, certainly, their pronounciation spoileth all the grace of thefe learned languages: but ye fee my learned men in Scotland exprefs the true and na tive, pronounciation of both." His majefty continued his difcoulies upon the purpeles venti. lated that day, till ten o'clock at night, with much fubtilty of know. ledge, to the admiration of the understanding hearers. After which, he declared, that, as he had given the college a name, he would alfo (in convenient time) give it a royal god-bairn gift (as we fay) for en. larging the patrimony thereof. Enigmatical Lift of YOUNG LADIES now refiding at Dartford, in Kent. 1. A ftinging weed, and a pen for fheep. 2. First letter of a running fream, a cobbler's tool, part of a bird, omitting the firft letter, adding a confonant. 3. A young fhoot, and the four laft letters of a water-fowl. 4. Three fourths of an ornament to the hair, the laft letter again, and the two first letters of a part of the face. 5. Three fir letters of a bird of prey, and a monarch, adding a confonant. 6. Take half a bad woman, and the firft and laft letters of the tameft animals. 7. Three fourths of a farmer'scarriage, an ornament to the ear, and the greatest weight. 8. The hufks of corn. 9. The reverfe to poor, an 'expreffion of furprise, omitting the first letter, and a male child. 10. Inquifitive, and the two laft letters of a long fpear. II. The reverfe to narrow, and two thirds of a place, and a confonant. 12. The first letter of an 'element, and half the reverfe to its flowing. 13. The failor's harveft, and a drinking veffel, E. CADFOW. [it bears; It claims refpect, fihce Shakspeare's name That name, the fource of wonder and delight, [flands-To a fair hearing has at least a right; We afk no more-with you the judgment lies: common cause your verdict now demands. No Before the court immortal Shakspeare That mighty mafter of the human foul, Who rules the paffions, and, with ftrong controul, [heart, Thro' ev'ry turning of the changeful Directs his courfe fublime, and leads his pow'rful art. [fmil'd, When on his birth propitious Nature And hung transported o'er her fav'rite child; [fhower'd, While on his head her choiceft gifts the And o'er his mind her infpiration pour'd; \[cree fulfil : "Proceed," me cry'd," the high de 'Tis thine to rule, with magic fway, the will; [lefs pace, On Fancy's wing to stretch o'er boundAnd all Creation's varied works to trace: [fue; 'Tis thine each flitting phantom to purEach hidden pow'r of verfe to bring to view; To fhed o'er British tafte celeftial day, And reign o'er Genius with unrivall'd fway." [choice Such was the high beheft-the facre Long has been fanction'd by your candid voice: [fpeare's hand The favour'd relicks of your ShakUnrivall'd and inimitable stand. If hope of fame fome modern bards To catch iome portion of his facred fire, The flimfy vapour, by your breath dif No forgeries elcape your piercing eyes; Unbiafs'd, then, pronounce your dread decree, Alike from prejudice and favour free. If, the fierce ordeal pafs'd, you chance to find · [tin'd, Rich, Berling ore, tho' rude and unre Stamp it your own; affert your poet's fame, [honour'd name And add fresh wreaths to Shakspeare's' charm us, Your Benedict is fond of a coquette: For though he vows he'li think no more about you, [out you. He means to marry-he can't live withKind, faithful Imogens are here, to [us,Mad Edgars, ancient Pistols, to alarm And Hotspurs, too, who feek the glori ous boon, [fac'd moon." To pluck bright honour from the paleBelides, we have our Touchftones, Shylocks dire, Jagos falfe, and many a fhallow 'fquire. Nay, there are ladies, who, in their own houfes, [fpouses. Are Defdemonas, plagu'd with jealous 'Tis true, there is fome change, I must confefs, [of drefs. Since Shakspeare's time, at least in point The ruffs are gone, and the long female waift ¡tafle; Yields to the Grecian, more voluptuous While circling braids the copious treffes bind, And the bare neck spreads beautiful beOur Senators and Peers no longer go, Like men in armour, glitt'ring in a [we note But, for the cloak and pointed beard, The clofe-cropt head and little fhort great coat. row; [hind. Yet is the modern Briton ftill the fame, The STORM. The following elegant Lines were written Feb. 1, 1796. By Mrs. ROBINSON. DARK was the dawn! and o'er the deep The chilling whirlwinds blew; The fea bird wheel'd it's circling fweep, And all was drear to view! When on the fandy beach that binds our fhore, the deaf'ning roar. The love-lorn Nancy fhriek'd, amidk Her ftreaming eyes beheld the main, No found could William hear, Save the fhrill yelling of the fateful blaft, While ev'ry meffmate's heart quick fhudder'd as it past! "Be ftill," the cried, "loud tempeft, cease;" Ah! fpare the gallant fouls! Mysterious Heaven! the winds increase! The fea, like mountains, rolls! While from the deck the florm-drench'd victims leap, [billows fweep! And, o'er their lifelefs forms, the furious "Oh! cruel power! Oh! ruthless fate! Does Heav'n's high will decree, That fome fhould fleep on beds of flate Some in the roaring sea ? Some, nurs'd'in lux'ry, deal oppreffion's blow, [and woe?" While humble merit pines in poverty "Could the proud rulers of the land The fable race behold; Some, bow'd by torture's giant hand! And others, bought with gold! Then would they pity flaves, and cry with fhame, fill the fame." "Whate'er our tints may be, our fauls are "Why feek to mock the Ethiop's Why goad the hapless kind? Does |