Of rifted ice !-Oh, man of woe O'er his dear cot-a mafs of fnow, By the ftorm fever'd from the cliff above, Has fallen and buried in its marble breaft, [poffeft, All that for him-loft wretch-the world His home, his happiness, his love! Aghaft the heart-ftruck mourner stands, Glaz'd are his eyes-convuls'd his hands; O'erwhelming anguish checks his labouring breath; Crufh'd by Defpair's intolerable weight, Frantic he feeks the mountain's giddieft height, And headlong feeks relief in death. A fate too fimilar is mine, But 1-in lingering pain repine, And fill my loft felicity deplore; Cold, cold to me is that dear breast become, Where this poor heart had fondly fix'd its home, And love and happiness are mine no more. TO MADAME DE SISLEY. FROM Gallic horrors, and the rabble's roar, Welcome, fweet Syren! to the British fhore : Notes lefs melodious fam'd Amphion drew, And ftraight Boeotia's ftones to order flew, Leap'd into form, obedient to command, And own'd the magic of the mafter's hand. Hadft thou attun'd thy well refponfive ftring, *Thine, and thy bleeding country's wrongs to Ang; Hadit thou bewail'd in thy all-powerful ftrain The King a captive, and his Nobles slainWhilft law, and right, the crozier, and the throne, One equal undistinguish'd ruin own ; The hoary Prelate from the altar tears, maids Drags into day, and wounds their pious ears With taunts infulting, and indecent jeers ; The rabble's felf had furely learnt to feel, Rebellion's felf had fheath'd his murd'rous fteel; Difcord, for once, had bade her horrors cease, race The ancient fathers of the foil difgrace: No more they own their Monarch's rightful fway, Nor Love's more fafcinating rule obey, Traitors to every power they once ador'd, And true alone to licence and the fword. Then, lovely Syren, welcome to our Ifle, Where temper'd Liberty has deign'd to fmile; Where equal laws the peer and peafant bind, And Princes learn to venerate mankind; Where ev'ry Muse has fix`d her willing feat, Where ev'ry talent finds a fure retreat; Where foft Humanity, the country's boast, Beckons each fuff'ring stranger to her coaft. There, whilft thy quivering fingers strike the lyre To notes of horror, or of foft defire ; Each fweet variety of vocal found; There, whilft refponfive to the well-ftruck ftrings, The Loves and Graces fan their purple wings, AN ENGLISHMAN, * Madame de Sfley was related to the unfortunate M. Bertier, Intendant of Paris, who was murdered by the mob of that City two years ago. † Madame de Sifley's father had a very confiderable place in the Finances of Paris, which be loft by the late Revolution in that country. VOL. XX. From BIRMINGHAM IN confequence of an advertisement, on Thursday the 14th inft. upwards of go Gentlemen met at the Hotel, to commemorate the French Revolution. It is previously to be observed, that fix copies of a feditious handbill had been left early in the week by fome person unknown in a public-house; for discovering the author, printer, or publifher of which a reward of One Hundred Guineas was offered by the Magiftrates; and which having been very generally copied, caufed no fmall fermentation in the minds of the people. In confequence, on Thurfday afternoon a confiderable number of perfons gathered round the Hotel, hiffing at the Gentlemen as they affembled; and fubfequent to their departure (which happened two hours after) every window in the front was completely demolished, notwithstanding the perfonal appearance and interference of the Magiftrates. The mob next attacked the New Meetinghoufe (Dr. Priestley's), and after trying in vain to tear up the feats, &c. they fet it on fire, and nothing remains that could be confumed. The Old Meeting-houfe was completely emptied of pulpit, pews, &c. which were burnt in the adjoining Burying-ground, and afterwards the building was levelled nearly with the ground; it being confidered dangerous from its fituation to fet it on fire. Dr. Priestley's houfe at Fair-hill (a mile and a balf from hence) next met a fimilar fate, with the whole of his valuable library, RIOTS. and more valuable collection of apparatus for philofophical experiments. Here one of the rioters was killed by the falling of a cornice-ftone. On Friday morning the infatuated mob continued their depredations, for there was no armed force in the town, and the civil power was not fufficient to repress them. Armed with bludgeons, &c. and vociferating "Church and King!" they fpread a terror wherever they appeared. About noon they attacked and demolifhed the elegant manfion of Mr. Joha Ryland (late Mr. Baskerville's), at Easyhill, where many of the rioters, who were drunk, perished in the cellars, either by the flames, or fuffocation by the falling in of the roof. Six poor wretches, terribly bruifed, were got out alive, and are now in our Hofpital, and ten dead bodies have. fince been dug out of the ruins; but a man, who had remained immured in one of the vaults from the preceding Friday, worked his way out on Monday, with little injury. This afternoon the Magiftrates, anxious to preferve the town from further outrage until military aid could be procured, attended and wore in fome hundreds as additional conftables, who, with mop-ftaves in their hands, marched up to Mr. Ryland's to dif perfe the mob, who at first gave way; but rallying, after a ftout conflict, in which many were feverely wounded, the Poffe Comitatus was obliged to retire without effecting any useful purpose. The The country refidence of John Taylor, Ely. Bordefley-hall, after the greatest part of its fplendid furniture had been demolished or carried away, was fet on fire, together with the out-offices, ftables, ricks of hay, &c. and altogether exhibited a moft tremendous scene of devastation. Every exertion to preserve this elegant feat was made by Captain Carver, but in vain; on offering them his purse with 100 guineas to fave the boufe, he was huftled amidst the crowd, with a cry of No Bribery!" and narrowly elcaped their fury. In the night of Friday, the houfe of Mr. Hutton, in High-street, was completely ftripped; his large ftock of paper, his very valuable library of books, and all his furniture, destroyed or carried away. Fire was feveral times brought by a woman (women and boys were particularly active in all the depredations), but the majority of the popu lace, in tenderness to the town, would not fuffer it to be applied. From Mr. Hutton's they proceeded to his country-house at Wafhwood-heath, about three miles from town, which with its offices they reduced to ashes. Saturday morning the rioters made an atback on Mr. G. Humphreys's elegant houfe at Spark-Brook, but were repulfed, and one man killed; the mob, however, on a fecond attack carried their point, and went off after ranfacking the house of all its valuable furniture, but did not burn it, Mr. William Ruffell's houfe at ShowellGreen experienced all the violence of fire and devastation. The house of Mr. T. Hawkes, MofeleyWake-Green, was ftripped of its furniture, which was either broken to pieces or carried away. Mofeley-hall, the refidence of the Dowager Counters Carhampton (but the property of John Taylor, Efq.) Mr. Harwood's, and Mr. Hobfon's, a Diffenting Minister, were all on fire at once. Lady Carhampton had notice on the preceding day to remove her effects, as their vengeance was not directed against her; the good old Lady gave directions accordingly, and Sir Robert and Captain Lawley immedi ately attended on their noble relation, whom they accompanied in fafety to Canwell, Sir Robert's feat. The whole of Saturday, bufinefs was at a ftand, and the hops moftly clofe fhut up, ⚫ notwithstanding the appearance of the Magiftrates and feveral popular Noblemen and Gentlemen; for the reports were fo vague and various of the number and the Strength of the infurgents, and having no military fave a few undifciplined recruits, ne force could be fent out against them. In the afternoon and evening fmall parties of three or five levied contributions of meat, liquor, and money, with the fame indifference that they would levy parifh taxes; but the night paffed without interruption in the town. On Sunday the rioters bent their courfe towards Kingfwood, feven miles off, extorting money and liquors by the way.There the diffenting meeting-house and the dwelling-houfe of their Minifter, were reduced to afhes; as were the premises of Mr. Cox, farmer, at Worstock, the fame day. The reports of every hour of this day appeared calculated to excite alarm in the town, whilft depredation and extortion were committing in the furroundig villages and country feats. Sunday night, foon after ten, three troops of the 15th Light Dragoons arrived amidst the acclamations of the inhabitants, whofe hopes and fears had been visibly depicted through the day in every countenance, as reports of the near approach of the foldiery were fpread or contradicted. The town was immediately illuminated, and before morning every thing was tolerably quiet, but the rioters were ftill continuing their depredations in the country. Their vifits to Mr. Hunt's at Lady-wood, Mr. Coates's at the Five Ways, and Dr. Withering's, Edgbaston-hall, were attended with great alarm, but not the injury reported. They exhaufted the cellars at each place, and received various fums of money to prevent their proceeding to further violence, but were at the last mentioned place in great force at the time the troops arrived; which they no fooner had intimation of than they began to flink off in fmall parties, and the peafantry, taking courage, put the reft to flight in various directions. So rapid were the Light Horse in their route for the relief of this place, that they came here in one day from Nottingham, a diftance of 59 miles, but to the great injury of their horfes, one of which, a famous old horfe that had been in the regiment eighteen years, died the following day. Monday. The town in perfect fecurity, but as much crowded as during the three preceding days, in viewing the military; the mub keeping at fuch a distance as to render all accounts of them dubious; at one time faid to be at Alcefter, the next hour at Bromfgrove, &c. which reports, however, were refuted by the Earl of Plymouth, who kindly attended as a Magiftrate of the county of Worcester, as did the Rev. Mr. Cartwright, of Dudley. Tuesday. Flying rumours of depredations near Hagley, Hales Owen, &c. and in the L 2 evening evening certain information was received that a party of rioters were then attacking Mr. Male's, of Belle Vue. A few of the Light Dragoons immediately went to his affiftance; but they had been previously overpowered by a body of people in that neighbourhood, and ten of them are now confined at Hales Owen. Wednesday. This morning the country round, for ten miles, was fcoured by the Light Horfe, but not one rioter to be met with, and all the manufactories are at work, as if no interruption had taken place. Three troops of the 11th Light Dragoons marched in this morning, and more troops are still expected, DR. PRIESTLEY'S LETTER to the INHA My late Townsmen and Neighbours, AFTER living with you eleven years, in which you had uniform experience of my peaceful behaviour, in my attention to the quiet ftudies of my profeffion, and those of philofophy, I was far from expecting the injuries which I and my friends have lately received from you. But you have been mifled by hearing the Diffenters, and particularly the Unitarian Diffenters, continually railed at, as enemies to the prefent Government in Church and State. You have been led to confider any injury dope to us as a meritorious thing; and not having been better informed, the means were not attended to. When the object was right, you thought the means could not be wrong. By the dif courfes of your teachers, and the exclama. tions of your fuperiors in general, drinking confufion and damnation to us (which is well known to have been their frequent practice), your bigotry has been excited to the highest pitch; and nothing having been faid to you to moderate your paffions, but every thing to inflame them, hence, without any confideration on your part, or on theirs, who ought to have known and taught you better you were prepared for every species of outrage; thinking that whatever you could do to fpite and injure us, was for the support of Government, and especially the Church. In deftroying us, you have been led to think, you did God and your country the moft fubftantial fervice. Happily the minds of Englishmen have a horror of murder, and therefore you did not, I hope, think of that; though, by your cla morous demanding of me at the Hotel, it is probable that, at that time, fome of you intended me fome perfonal injury. But what is the value of life when every thing is done to make it wretched. In many cafes there would be greater mercy in difpatching the inhabitants, than in burning their houses. However, I infinitely prefer what I feel from the Spoiling of my goods, to the difpofition of those who have misled you. You You have destroyed the most truly valuable and useful apparatus of philofophical inftruments that perhaps any individual, in this or any other country, was ever poffeffed of, in my ufe of which I annually spent large fums, with no pecuniary view whatever, but only in the advancement of fcience, for the benefit of my country and of mankind. have deftroyed a library correfponding to that apparatus, which no money can re-purchase, except in a long courfe of time. But what I feel far more, you have destroyed manuscripts which have been the refult of the laborious study of many years, and which I fhall never be able to re-compofe; and this has been done to one who never did, or imagined you any harm. I know nothing more of the band-bill *Of which the following is faid to be an authentic Copy: "My Countrymen, "The fecond year of Gallic Liberty is nearly expired. At the commencement of the third, on the 14th of this month, it is devoutly to be wished that every enemy to civil and religious defpotifm would give their fanction to the majestic common caufe by a public cejebration of the Anniverfary. Remember that on the 14th of July the Baftille, that high altar and castle of Despotism, fell!-Remember the enthusiasm, peculiar to the caufe of Liberty, with which it was attacked!-Remember that generous humanity that taught the oppreffed, groaning under the weight of infulted Rights, to fpare the lives of oppreffors !-Extinguish the mean prejudices of nations, and let your numbers be collected, and fent as a free-will offering to the National Aflembly-But is it poffible to forget your own Parlament is venal, your Minifter hypocritical, your Clergy legal oppreffors; the reigning Family extravagant; the Crown of a certain Great Perfonage becoming every day too weighty for the head that wears it-too weighty for the people that gave it; your Taxes partial and oppreffive; your Reprefentation a cruel infult upon the facred rights of Property, Religion, and Freedom ?-But on the 14th of this month prove to the Sycophants of the day, that you reverence the Olive Branch; that you will facrifice to public tranquillity till the majority fhall exclaim, "The PEACE of Slavery is worse than the WAR of Freedom !"-Of that day let tyrants beware i which is faid to have enraged you so much, than any of yourfelves, and I difapprove of it as much; though it has been made the oftenfible handle of doing infinitely more mifchief than any thing of that nature could poffibly have done. In the celebration of the French Revolution, at which I did not attend, the company affembled on the occafion only expreffed their joy in the emancipation of a neighbouring nation from tyranny, without intimating a defire of any thing more than fuch an improvement of our own Conftitution, as all fober citizens, of every perfuafion, have long wished for. And though, in anfwer to the grofs and unprovoked calumnies of Mr. Madan and others, I publicly vindicated my principles as a Disenter, it was only with plain and fober argument, and with perfect good humour. We are better inftructed in the mild and for bearing fpirit of Christianity, than ever to think of having recourfe to violence; and can you think fuch conduct as yours any recommendation of your religious principles in preference to ours? has received a greater blow by this conduct of yours, than I and all my friends have ever aimed at it. Befides, to abuse those who have no power of making refiftance, is equally cowardly and brutal, peculiarly unworthy of Englishmen, to fay nothing of Christianity, which teaches us to do as we would be done by. In this business we are the sheep, and you the wolves. We will preferve our character, and hope you will change yours. At all events, we retura you bleffings for curfes; and pray that you may foon return to that induftry, and thofe fober manners, for which the inhabitants of Birmingham were formerly distinguished. I am Your fincere well-wisher, London, July 19, 1791. The following NOTE was addreffed to the PRINTER of the WHITEHALL EVENING POST, in which Paper it appeared on the 21st of July. AN injurious report having been spread, that an obnoxious Toatt, given by Dr. Priestley at the Hotel Meeting in Birmingman, on the 14th inft. was what instigated the mob to deftroy his houfe, &c. I de hereby declare, that fpent that day with him, from nine in the morning till five in the afternoon; that he was not at the Hotel or any other public meeting; that I dined with him at his own houfe, where the whole company was himself, Mrs. Priestley, my wife, fon, daughter, and myself. You are still more mistaken, if you imagine that this conduct of yours has any tendency to ferve your caufe, or to prejudice ours. It is nothing but reafon and argument that can ever fupport any fyftem of religion. Anfwer our arguments, and your business is done; but your having recourfe to violence, is only a proof that you have nothing better to produce. Should you destroy.myfelf, as well as my houfe, library, and apparatus, ten more perfons, of equal or fuperior spirit and ability, would inftantly rife up. If those ten were deftroyed, an hundred would appear; and believe me, that the Church of England, which you now think you are fupporting, Lancaster, July 17. FOREIGN A. WALKER, LECTURER IN PHILOSOPHY. INTELLIGENCE, FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE, EAST-INDIA INTELLIGENCE. Extract of a Letter from the Governor and WE E have the fatisfaction of informing your Honourable Court, that the grand army moved from their encampment near Pondanslee on the 5th inft. and Lord Cornwallis was expected to reach Vellore on the 11th. Tippoo, by the latest intelligence we have received, was at Muntoprpet near Trinomalay. "Upon the approach of our army towards Madras, the beginning of last month, the enemy broke up his encampment near Tiagar, and appeared fuddenly before Permacoil, which being a fmall poft, with a few fepoys, was furrendered on capitulation, Tripatore, a fmall fort in the Barramaul, has alfo been retaken from us; but thefe trifling loffes are of no confequence whatever.The rapid movements of our army towards of its leader, will not only, we hope, speedily the Myfore country, and the known ability reftore to us the bleffings of peace, but effe&tually curb the ambitious fpirit of the enemy." Copy of a Letter from the Governor and Council of Madras, in their Political Department, to the Court of Directors, dated 17th February 1791. "Honourable Sirs, "Since clofing our difpatches of yeflerday, we have received advices from Earl Corn |