transported into the ocean by thefe winds, is there warmed and faturated with water: and, a great accumulation of air upon the fea being the ncceffary confequence of the long continuance of thefe cold winds from the fhore, upon their ceafing the warm breezes from the fea neceffarily commence, and spreading themfelves upon the land far and wide, affift the returning fun in difmantling the earth of the remains of her winter garment, and in bringing forward into life all the manifold beauties of the new- ̧ born year. This warmed air which comes in from the fea, having acquired its heat from a contact with the ocean, is, of courfe, faturated with water; and hence the warm fhowers of April and May, fo neceffary to a fruitful feafon. The ocean may be confidered as the great refervoit and equalizer of heat; and its benign influences in preferving a proper temperature in the atmof phere operate in all feafons and in all climates. The parching winds from the land under the torrid zone are cooled by a contact with its waters, and, in return the breezes from the fea, which, at certain hours of the day, come into the fhores in almost all hot countries, bring with them refreshment, and, as it were, new life and vigour both to the animal and vegetable creation, fainting and melting under the exceffive heats of a burning fun. What a vast tract of country, now the moft fertile upon the face of the globe, would be abfolutely barren and uninhabitable on account of the exceflive heat, were it not for thefe refreshing fabreezes? And is it not more than probable, that the extremes of heat and of cold in the different feafons in the temperate and frigid zones would be quite intolerable, were it not for the influence of the occan in preferving an equability of temperature? And to thefe purposes the ocean is wonderfully well adapted, not only on account of the great power of water to absorb heat, and the vaft depth and extent of the different feas (which are fuch that one fummer or one winter could hardly be fuppofed to have any fenfible effect in heating or cooling this enormous mafs) but alfo on account of the continual circulation which is carried on in the ocean itself, by means of the currents which prevail in it. The waters under the torrid zone being carried by thefe currents toward the polar regions, are there cooled by a contact with the cold winds, and, having thus communicated their heat to thefe inhofpitable regions, return toward the equator, carrying with them refreshment for thofe parching climates. The wifdom and goodnefs of Providence have often been called in queftion with regard to the diftribution of land and water upon the furface of our globe, the vaft extent of the ocean having been confidered as a proof of the little regard that has been paid to man in this diftribution. But, the more light we acquire relative to the real conftitution of things; and the various ufes of the different parts of the vifible creation, the lefs we fhall be difpofed to indulge ourselves in fuch frivolous criticifms. Anecdotes of Lord Bath. ORD BATH, in the latter part of his life, ufed to declare, that nothing gave him fo much uneafinefs as his oppofition to Sir Robert Walpole's famous Excife Bill, which he thought the wifeft' Bill that was ever planned by any Minifter. Lord Bath had, indeed, in conjunction with the reft of the Oppofition to Sir Robert, refolved not to peak againft it until, according to the Dean of Gloucefter, these excellent Patriots were told by that eminent one lord Bolingbroke, that he fuppofed they . did not intend that Sir Robert fhould be Minifter for ever; that he knew as well as they did the wifdom of the Bill; but the wifer any measure was that was propofed by a Minifter, the more it fhould be oppofed by thofe who wifhed to fucceed to him. "A foolish measure, "added he, "always entails difgrace upon its propofer: fo fpeak againft this meafure-declaim strongly againft it-tell John Bull that his houfe is his caftle, and that no fervants of the Crown ought to enter it," &c. Dr. Johnfon ufed to fay, that he believed Sir Robert Walpole was the wif eft and the beft Minifler this country ever produced; "for," added he, "he would have kept it ever in peace, if he had not been forced into a war.' And that excellent politician the Dean of Glucefter fays of him, that by one Act of Parliament he took off one hundred an twenty rates from the Cuftom-houfe books. Even David Hume gave him credit, in two of his effays, for good intentions, fome abilities, and good humour; and who fhall defire greater praife than that of his adverfaries? Lord Bath was a man of great wit as well as of great eloquence. "How many Martials are in Pulteney loft." faid Mr. Pope of him. A lady of great obfervation, now living, faid one day in difcriminating between him and lord Chelterfield, that the one could not help being always witty, and that the other was always trying to be fo. Lord Bath was fo fordidly covetous, that on the death of his only fon, lord Pulteney, who had a little time before that event fent over from Spain fome wine as a prefent to the late Mr. Charles Townfend, he applied to Mr. Townfend for the money for it, which was tranfmitted to him. Lord Pulteney on his death bed left a relation of his (the only thing he could leave him) his poft chaife. For this Lord Bath obliged him to pay. The late Mr. Thomas Davies, in his Review of Lord Chesterfield's Characters, mentions that Lord Bath used to pack up light money in bags, with which he paid his tradefmen every week. If however, they objected to this, or affected to count it, he used to tell them, they must call again—he had not time then to wait upon them. This, the late Dr. Johnfor ufed to fay, feveral of Lord Bath's friends withed to contradict, but were not fuccefsful in their attempt. So it is in human characters but too often as in other things-Medio de fonte leporum furget amari aliquid. Lord Bath, on the death of Lord Wilmington, fent over to George the Second to offer him his fervices in his room: the King would not, however, cept them, and faid fomething very contemptuous of him, that he did not know what he would be at, and that he would not truft him When the Sovereign one day expreffed his diffatisfaction and apprehenfion at the retiring from Administration of fome Dukes and Earls, &c. Lord Bath faid very coolly, "Your Majefty has no occafion to give yourfelf much trouble about that, I can get you Duke for Duke, Lord for Lord, and Baronet for Baronet, to fupply their places, as long as your Majefty wants them." Mr. Pope fays, "See all our Nobles panting to be flaves." Lord Bath ufed occafionally to vifity Newmarket, not to gamble, but to amufe himfelf with the diffipation of the place. On his going there foon after his being created a peer, a venerable Lawyer, now living, remembers to have feen him fo fhunned even by the frequenters of that immaculate spot, that he was feen walking alone with Buckhorfe upon the Parade. Lord Bath was one day complaining to the Dowager Lady Townfhend that he had a pain in his fide." How is that poffible?" replied the female wit; "I never knew that your Lordship had any fide." Extracts from Original Letters from Edward Wortley Montague, Junior, Efq. to an Eminent Phyfician in London, dec. Refetta, in Egypt, Feb. 16, 1773 Dear Sir, TAM much obliged to you for the compliment that you pay my beard, and to my good friend Dr. Mackenzie, for having given you an account of it advantageous enough to merit the panegyric. I have followed Ulyffes and Æneas→→→→ I have feen all they are faid to have vifited, the territories of the allies of the Greeks, as well as thofe of old Priam, with lefs eafe, though with more pleafure, than moft of our travellers traverfe France and Italy. I have had ma ny ny a weary ftep, but never a tirefome hour and however dangerous and difagreeable adventures I may have had, none could ever deter me from my point, but, on the contrary, they were only ftimuli. I have certainly many materials, and claffical ones too, but I was always a bad workman; and a fexagenary one is of all workmen the worst, as, perhaps with truth, the fair fex fay. This is very true but, 'the Patriarchs only began life at that time of day, and I find that I have a Patriarchal conftitution. I live as hardly and as fimply as they did-enured to hardthip I defpife luxury-my only luxury is coffee, and the concomitant of claret, exceptis excipiendis. I ftaid a confiderable time at Epirus and Theffalia-theatres on which the fate of the world was the drama. I took exact plans of Actium and Pharfalia, and should have fent them to you to communicate to the Royal Society, but there are no fhips failing directly for Europe. I cannot tell you the pleasure I take in the fuccefs of Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander. I fhall be happy when their discoveries are made public. Good God! how happy muft thofe Gentlemen be, in having been fo ferviceable to mankind! I have lately followed Mofes in the Wilderness-I have fince followed the victorious Ifraelites, and have vifited all their poffeffions. But, with all thefe materials, I am idle with regard to them. What fhall I fay to you?-I am now fo fmitten with a beautiful Arabian, that the wholly takes up my time -The only is the object of my every attention; fhe, though not in blooming youth, has more charms than all the younger beauties. I am totally taken up with the ftudy of the Arabic language, and as I daily find fresh beauties in it, I become the more eager in my purfuit. My fair miftrefs is not coy; the admits my careffes, but, alas in this I find myself a fexagenary lover: I carefs her as much and more than I fl.ould have done at five and-twenty, but with lefs fruit. Indeed, I have fo far fucceeded, that though I read but little profe, I have attached myfelf to I fent our friend Mr. Anderfon, the other day, a very large afpic, which, if I miftake not, is the very afpic of the antients. Pray, examine it, and put it in the British Museum. Mr. Anderson can fhew you my picture, and my Views of Egypt. Pray affift Mr. Anderson in the choice of fome medicines that I have defired him to fend me. Pray make my compliments to Mr. Banks's goat; fhe has made me a bad man, that is an envious one, for I envy her having been three times round the globe. I beg you will order for me, from your Bookfeller, Grammatica Arabica dicta Cafia, magno et eleganti Charactere ex Typographia Medica. You will much oblige Your moit obedient and 62 Original Letters from Ed. Wortley Montague, Jun. Efq; July, fever, for it was attended with no head- However, when I perceived the effect Now, my dear Sir, it would be im- ived from Arabia Felix and Abyffinia. I hoped to have had fome fine account of Savao, the capital of Arabia Felix (which was the feat of a celebrated race of Kings called Tobais, long before the time of Mohammed), but he met with nothing that anfwered his expectation. Natural Hiftory will be much obliged to him for the great difcoveries he has made indeed with incredible fatigue. He goes by this fhip to Marseilles, and directly to England. I hear that he intends to complain of our Ambaffador at the Porte; but as the complaints will be without foundation, I hope they will be fruitlefs; for every body muft do Mr. Murray juftice; for we never had at the Porte fo difinterefted a Minister, nor one who fupported our interefts and privileges with fo much firmness and vigour as Mr. Murray. He is admired for it by every body; and the Grand Vizir told me, he wifhed the Sultan had one man in his Miniftry fo attached to the interefts, of his country, and fo little attached to his own private intereft, as Mr. Murray. Refetta, May 10, 1773. THIS town is fituated in thirty-one degrees of latitude; the town is on the western bank of the Nile, and fix miles from the mouth of it. It is three miles in length, and its general breadth is about one mile. It is defended from the parching fouthern gales by two very confiderable fand-hills; they are of fand mixed with rubbish, which I fuppofe to be the only remains of Canopus :-Canopus urbs eft Egypti diftans 120 ftadia ab Alexandria terreftri itinere, fays Strabo. I have no proof that this is really the fcite of Canopus; but as they were digging there the other day for fome ftone, I faw taken out a quantity of hewen ftone, and eight large granite pillars; and behind this hill one may perceive the remains of a canal that went to Alexandria, in which I fuppofe the paffage-boats mentioned I believe by Juvenal (for I have not that Author with me to confult) were either failed or towed. The whole space between it and the fea is taken up with beautiful gardens, with each a pleafure-houfe of fome kind on it. Thefe gardens are evir green, or never green, as Mr. Pope ufed to fay of what was commonly called ever-greens. I thank you for the receipt of the powder. I do not know how it is, but you poffefs in a fuperior degree the great art of obliging perfons, without feeming to intend it. I fhall fend you foon my copper-plates. You may exhibit the plan (that of the Battle of Actium) to the Royal Society, and afterwards prefent it from me to the Mufeum. If the Society think fit to publifh it, they may make use of the plates. But in that cafe the Dedication fhould be altered; and if the Society chufe to publifh it, I imagine a Dedication improper, unless it is to the King. Make my compliments to Mr. Banks and Solander, and do not forget me to Omai. Is there no news yet of Captain Cook? I am impatient to hear more of the Southern World. Rofetta, in Egypt, June 1, 1773. FORMERLY there was a confiderable quantity of fugar made here, but the French import that article fo cheaply, that they have very few fugar-houses, not one out of fifty of the number they had formerly. From the rice-grounds, and the quantity of water, you may imagine the air bad; but, on the contrary, it is efteemed, it is excellent; for though it is rather moift, yet as there are no fwamps and marthes, it is not charged with thofe very heavy and pernicious vapours attendant on fenny grounds: add to that the vapour, as homogeneous to water, is retained by the furtace of it and carried off by the Nile (which is a full mile; broad); befides, the ventilation, from our proximity to the fea, muft be of great fervice. Periodical diforders are not. known here, nor indeed fcarce any other diforders, except putrid fevers in Autumn, but thefe only amongst the common people, and I believe proceed merely from the quantity of green fruit, cucumbers, and fuch trash as they eat the during the Summer. I imagine the purity of the blood here must be in a great meafure attributed to the water of the Nile, which, when it firft comes down (I mean when the Nile begins to increat |