in Holland between his first and fecond appearances. It was agreed by myfelf, and the two other affignees, in prefence of the feveral creditors, that this bill, with the other property as it came in, fhould be depofited in the hands of a particular banker, whofe credit was fufficiently fatisfactory to us all, and that an account fhould be opened in our joint names. As it was late in the evening, and the bill muft of neceffity for the prefent remain in the hands of one of us alone, at leaft till the morning, it was agreed that Mr. -, fhould take it, and that myfelf and the other affignee would call on him in the morning for the purpose of settling this bufinefs. We accordingly called next day on Mr.- ; who, to our utter astonishment, acquainted us, with the moft unruffled countenance imaginable, that he had paid in the bill to the banker in queftion, with whom he kept cash, on his own account: and on our remonftrating upon the impropriety of fuch conduct, very coolly obferved, that he knew very well, before then, what it was to be an af fignee, and we might ufe our pleasure. As it was impoffible to procure any other fatisfaction from this gentleman, we determined on fummoning the creditors together immediately, that we might lay before them the tranfaction, and refign into their hands the ineffectual authority with which they had invefted us. At the meeting held in confequence of this refolution, it was thought moft advisable to infit on an immediate dividend, by way of drawing from this defigning man the property he fo unjustly held; and, in cafe of his refufal, to apply to the Lord Chancellor for relief. This we all thought a very effectual method; but it proved much lefs fo than we had imagined. On our informing Mr. - of the determination of the creditors, he affured us that he had not the smallest objection to making a dividend whenever we might think proper; and the day was accordingly fixed. In the mean time, he contrived to procure fictitious claims on the bankrupt's eftate to the amount of near 6oool. fo that when the effects in hand came to be divided, though they would have answered near ten billings in the pound on all the real debts, yet in confequence of this manoeuvre they only paid three, and of course left above 2oool. ftill in his hands to answer thefe imaginary claims. Thefe claims have not yet been fubftantiated, and certainly never will; it is now three years fince the commiffion was firft taken out, and we are apparently no nearer the attainment of this part of the bankrupt's property than we were at firft. We have applied to attornies and folicitors on the bufinefs, but nothing has yet been done, and we have almost ceafed to expect it. In the mean time, as I am a conftant reader of the Bufy Body, I thought this affair, the authenticity of which may be fully relied on, might be well worth attention, and have accordingly fent the particulars, which are much at your fervice: they will, I hope, caution creditors in general against trufting any fingle or fufpicious affignee with too much of a bankrupt's property, and thereby rendering themfelves liable to experience fuch bafe and injurious treatment as that which has been felt by myfelf and the other creditors in confequence of this iniquitous tranfaction. I am, Sir, MAY 2, 1783. The Bufy Body muft defer till next month, the infertion of the other interesting letters received on this almost inexhauftible fubject; when his readers may, however, expect to fee it concluded. REVIEW AND GUARDIAN OF LITERATURE. MAY 1783. ART. I. The Lady's Poetical Magazine; or, Beauties of British Poetry. 14 Vols. 8vo. 11. 4s. Harrifon and Co. A 1 S any particular praise of this elegant Collection of Poems, might fubject us to the fufpicion of a partiality we are determined never improperly to practife, we shall content ourselves with merely giving a general idea of the work. Mr. Harrifon has in a Poftfcript acknowledged himfelf the Editor, fo that the first. poem in each volume is from his own pen; our readers will judge of his claim to a place in the Temple of the Mufes from the fpecimens we fhall lay before them, The four introductory poems, (if we may be allowed fo to denominate thofe pieces with Nor leave a fingle flower, tho' gay or fair, Left it's foul breath contaminate the whole, Think, by your means, each fair-one may adorn And fafely pluck whatever flower she please;. From a connected ftory it is not eafy to give a fufficient fpecimen ; the following lines from Albina and Lothario may perhaps furnish fome idea of the execution of that perfor mance.. Enough of grief—be it henceforth our care, Where vice-the blackeft vice-fo lately ftood 'confefs'd. O fon Lothario yet I call thee fon What has thy guilt, thy guilt and weakness ⚫ done! which the Editor has thought pro-And pleas'd I fee contrition heave the breast, per to commence each volume) are on the following fubjects. 1. Introductory Addrefs. 2. Albina and Lo. thario; or, The Fatal Seduction; a Moral Tale. 3. Conjugal Felicity; a Poem, in Familiar Blank Verfe. 4. A Monody to the Memory of the Seven Innocents, Offspring of James and Mary Woodmafon, who were confumed by Fire in the DwellingHouse of their unhappy Parents, Leadenhall Street, London, January 18, 1782. The firft of thefe poems at once points allegorically to the nature of Paffion demands a recompence fevere, • enthron'd, the Collection, and to the circum-Through guilt's depos'd, and humbler worth stance which renders it peculiarly calculated for the Ladies. • Great is the task my Genius has affign'd, "Look down, Albina, then-the wanderer take'And O forgive him, for a father's fake!' The conclufion of the poem on Conjugal Felicity comprehends as much of the subject as any extract we can eafily felect, Ah! deareft, faireft, loveliest of thy fex! (Turn not away; no vain, mean flattery this; 2 Z For For thou art fo to me:) wilt thou not own, "O let it not be long-for foon, too soon!- We shall take the liberty of laying the whole of Mr Harrison's Monody before our readers; as well because it is confiderably fhorter than the two preceding poems, as because the melancholy fact on which it is found, ed, renders this piece peculiarly interefting. Ah! whither, Goddefs of the tearful eye,” And drain, at once, our fprings of forrow dry? Still, ftill fhall we complain; Till from thy lay we feel excefs of grief, For, ah! no fleep my weeping eyes fhall clofe, Till thy lov'd form before my fight appears, tears. • Say, doft thou fit beneath the swelling tide, That decks the angry God's retreat? There doft thou fit, and with fast-falling tears' 'Doom'd to a watery grave, And, by her vile intrigues, Wealth, power, and folly, leagues, The rage herself enflames And, as her intereft prompts, the dup'd allies she Or, rather, Goddess, say, Ah, never to return! Millions of children from a parent's fide! That ftains the guilty land, Falls by his offspring's hand: Amidst the general madness, chang'd to hate Him once his fole delight; Alas! in fcenes like thefe, Friends, brothers, lovers, fathers, hufbands The ever-ftreaming eyes Of their dear kindred ties O'erwhelming grief will ceafe alone to drain, When Death shall kindly end their being with their pain. Sheathe, heathe the murderous blade, dif- Nor rafhly urge the defolating foe; And ceafe the hated blaft of war to blow! A hation weeps the unmatch'd private woe, Alas! no ftranger hears Or, knowing, never bade one fmiling babe adieu. Ceafe, bufy memory, ceafe! Whofe poignant griefs too long remain'd unfung, The mournful harp, at friendship's call, I ftrung, And not to wake my own! And hall these eyes, that view'd the fever's flamé Shrink day by day a first-born darling's frame; That faw, convuls'd, a fecond infant lie; Recal the deadly fcenes, and ftill continue dry! Tho' countless fighs the tortur'd bofom heave, Tho' countless tears the uncfos'd orbits leave; Time, the great foother of the human breaft, Perfuades, at length, "whatever is, is best,” And gives the bofom peace, the weary eye-lids rest. 'Tis his to heal the agonizing fmart That long has rack'd each hapless parent's heart By means unknown a tranquil calm to give, And bid the drooping mourners feek to live. • The embryo infant now the mother bears, • But, ah! what sufferers, in this mortal state, And leaft, where moft they've felt th' afflictive hand of fate. Then grieve not, if th' Almighty has ordain'd, Their deeply suffering hearts hall ftill be pain'd; As fond remembrance Heaves th' unbidden figh, As Aarts the gushing flood to either eye, When their new pledge fits prattling on their knees, And fome forgotten charm fad recollection fees! Yet, as the foft diftrefs they turn to hide, And want of memory, want of feeling, chide; Their lovely, Imiling boy, Shall bring them back to joy; « Thou, Lord, haft given—and thou haft taken away." Contrary to all other collections we have hitherto feen, the name of the author is prefixed to each poem; and though, for the reafon glanced at in the beginning of this article, we are refolved not to fay any thing refpe&ting the internal merit of the work, the ingenious artifts employed in it would be the height of injuftice to furnishing the embellishments, not to mention, that the vignettes, headpieces, and other beautiful engravings, are all executed in a file of very peculiar elegance. ART. II. The Reports of the Commiffioners appointed to examine, take, and fate the Public Accounts of the Kingdom, prefented to His Majefty, and to both Houfes of Parliament: With the Appendixes complete. By William Mollefon, Secretary to the Commiffioners. Vol. I. 4to. 11. ıs. Cadell. HIS work is intended to preferve correct copies of the reports and appendixes of the commiflioners of public accounts, as they may from time to time be prefented to parliament. The volume now published contains the whole of thefe articles compleat, from the establishment of this inftitution in 1780, to the end of the laft feffion of parliament; and thofe prefented during the prefent feffion are promifed to be laid before the public in a fhort time, with a general index to the whole. In this firft volume there are feven reports, (befides the introductory one, on the general nature of the bufinefs) comprehending the following impor tant fubjects. 1. Balances in the hands of the Receivers General of the Land Tax. 27.2 2. Re 2. Relative to thofe Accountants who receive Public Money from the fubject to be paid into the Exchequer. 3. Balances in the hands of the Treasurers of the Navy. 4 Balances in the hands of the Paymaster General of the Forces out of office. 5. Balances in the hands of the Paymaster General of the Forces in office. 6. Salaries, Fees, and Gratuities, received by Officers and Clerks in the Pay Offices of the Navy and Army, and in the Receipt of the Exchequer. 7. Accounts of the Extraordinary Services of the Army incurred and not provided for by Parliament. Thefe Reports having been long fince published at large in almost every newspaper, there can be little occafion for any extract; and of the Appendixes, which comprize, indeed, near three-fourths of the work, it will be difficult to give any other account, than that they contain a variety of examinations, on oath, of paft and prefent officers in the feveral departments, with certificates and other authentic documents, from which we obtain the melancholy information, that there are more public defaulters, and for confiderably larger fums, than has generally been imagined. As the chief of those who have pub lic money in their hands have declared on oath, that they have no objection to paying their refpective balances into the Exchequer, on receiving their quietus, we hope fuch measures will be speedily adopted by parliament as may enable them to realize these af furances. Indifputably, this country never had greater occafion than at prefent for at leaft it's entire revenue; no part of which ought, in our opinion, ever to remain long in the hands of any individual. Mr. Mollefon informs us, that it was his original intention to have prefixed a fhort historical sketch of former commiffions of accounts; but the difficulty of procuring materials for an accurate investigation of the fub ject, made it neceffary for him to poft-· pone it at present. His Majefty, with his ufual goodness of heart, has graciously patronized this work; thus, in effect, publicly avowing his entire approbation of the conduct of the commiffioners of accounts, in the discharge of their important duty, who feem, indeed, to have been happy enough to receive, from perfons of all defcriptions, that universal applaufe to which they are fo unqueftionably entitled, but which it is at the fame time fo extremely difficult to obtain. ART. III. A Review of the Polite Arts in France, at the Time of their Establishment under Louis the XIVth, compared with their prefent State in England: In which their National Importance, and several Pursuits, are briefly stated and confidered. In a Letter to Sir Joshua Reynolds, Prefident of the Royal Academy, and F. R. S. By Valentine Green, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, Mezzotinto Engraver to his Majefty, and to the Elector Palatine; Member of the Royal Academy, London, and Profeffor of the Electoral Academy, Duffeldorff. 4to. 35. Cadell. THIS gen champion for the engentleman is a very zealous couragement of the arts; his arguments are well-founded, and juft, and they are fometimes delivered in a stile of confiderable elegance. Perhaps the reafoning contained in the following extract has not always heen fufficiently confidered. The Royal Hofpital at Greenwich, with not quite fo rooted an antipathy to Painting as what some other public bodies have poffeffed, but certainly far more competent to judge of it's importance by it's effects, have commiffioned Mr. Weft to paint the Shipwreck of St. Paul on the Island of Melita, where he was attacked by a viper, for the Altar-piece of it's Chapel, as foon as it's renovation is com pleted. |