The trufty damfel, bearing it abroad Her little boy unto her barm the clips Her little child lay weeping on her arm, Non bis orta parentibus mascula proles, HOR. SAT MR. UREAN, Oxford, May 20. ATIRE has ever been efteemed a favourite fpccics of compofition. It has claimed the attention of bards whofe writings have furvived the injuries of time. It is calculated to point out the follies of a degenerate age, and cenfure the immoralities produced by refine ment. The most polished state of Greece and Rome could not, I may venture to pronounce, exhibit greater luxury and extravagance than the neighbourhood of Westminster and St. James's. Every fpecies of refined prodigality is intro duced. Balls, plays, operas. routs, masquerades, and gaming-houfes abound without number. Fresh cargoes of nonfense arrive weekly from the continent, and families are fupported by the fale of lavender and cofmetics. Ef tates are melted down in soups and ragouts; and the public entertained with GENT. MAC. July, 1783, 圈 celestial lectures, the wonderful philo~~ fophic wonders of wonderful Katterfelto, and the deceptions of Breflaw. News-papers are crammed with pantomime and proection, Egyptian pyra mids, feats of menago, and the efficacy of bear's-greafe. In the prefent fyftem of education the heels take precedence. of the head, Homer and Juvenal give place to Slingby and Veftris, and the modern gunt. is formed under the fago direction of a French dancer, or a Swils renegado. Commiflions are fquandered upon men whofe field of action is a drawing-room; whilst the sturdy foldier, who fought the battles of his country, is rewarded with difappointment and neglect. In an age of profligacy, examples of fortitude feldom occur; the want of them fhould foften the rigour of invective, and produce pity instead of cenfure. OLD BLUNDERRUSS. AS, amongst your readers and corte fpondents, there are many who take pleasure in whatever relates to an cient ufages, and in tracing their origin, I have thought my intention could not be fo well anfwered by any other means as by procuring a place for what follows in your entertaining and inftructive Magazine. I have often wished to know the first foundation of feveral popular cuftoms, appropriated to particular feafons, and been led to think, however widely they may have deviated from their original defign and meaning, of which we have now wholly loft fight, they are derived from fome religious tenets, obfervances, or ceremonies. I am convinced that this is the cafe in Catholic countries, where fuch like popular ufages, as well as religious ceremonies, are more frequent than among us; though there can be little doubt but that the customs I refer to, and which we retain, took their rife whilft thefe kingdoms were wholly Catholic, immerted in ignorance and fuperftition, and in every thing led, and dictated to, by the priests and religious communit ties. To give an inftance, which will illuftrate or better explain my meaning: the inhabitants of Paris, on Thursday in Pallion Week, go regularly to the Bois 378. Ancient Customs enquired after and elucidated. Bois de Boulogne, and parade there all the evening with their equipages. There ufed to be the penitential psalms, or Te nebres, fung in a chapel in the wood on that day, by the most excellent voices, which drew together great numbers of the best company from Paris, who still continue to refort thither, though no longer for the purposes of religion and mortification, but (if one may judge from appearances) of oftentation and pride. A fimilar cavalcade I have alfo feen, on a like occafion, at Naples, the religious origin of which will probably foon ccafe to be remembered. In the idea that many customs retained amongst us fpring from fome inftitutions which have a reference to religion, I have endeavoured to recollect and add fuch as have fallen within my obfervation (fome of which may probably be Local) joining to each a vague, hafty conjecture as to the poffible foundation of them; not pretending to affign thefe as the real reasons, but hoping to draw information, not cenfure, from fome of your readers, who are poffeffed of more knowledge, and will bestow more shought on the fubject. In the midst of that feftivity and hof pitality, and thofe marks of general joy which prevail at the anniversary of the birth of Chrift, it is a very common custom to ornament the houfes (and many churches) with evergreens; and minced pyes are a conftant difh. May we refer the branches (as well as the palms on Palm Sunday) to this: "And they cut down branches and strewed them in the way:" and may not the pye, a compound of the choiceft productions of the Eaft, have in view the of ferings made by the wife men, who came from afar to worship, bringing fpices, &c.? Some things cuftomary probably refer fimply to the idea of feafting or mortification, according to the feafon and occafion. Of thefe, perhaps, are lambswool on Chriftmas-eve; furmety on Mothering-funday; Braggot (which is a mixture of ale, fugar, and fpices) at the feftival of Eafter; and crofs-buns, faffron-cakes, or fymnels, in Paffion week, though thefe, being formerly at leaft unleavened, may have a retrofpect to the unleavened bread of the Jews, in the fame manner as lamb at Eafter to the Pafchal Lamb. This, perhaps, may be the cafe alfo with respect to pancakes on Shrove Tucfday; unlefs that fhall be fuppofed e allude to "the egg at Eafter," an em blem of the rifing up out of the grave; in the fame manner as the chick, entombed as it were in the egg, is in due. time brought to life. So alfo the flowers, with which many churches are ornamented on Eafter day, are moft pro.. rection, having juft rifen again from the bably intended as emblems of the refurearth in-which, during the severity of winter, they feem to have been buried. The barbarous practice of throwing at think I have read, has an allufion to a cock, tied to a stake, at Shrove-tide, I the indignities offered by the Jews to crucifixion; as, perhaps, the custom of the Saviour of the World before his impofing upon and ridiculing people on the first of April may have to their mockery of him. Something like this, which we call making April fools, is practifed alfo abroad in Catholic countries on Innocents day, on which occafion people run through all the rooms, making a pretended fearch in and under the beds, in memory, I believe, of the fearch made by Herod for the discovery and deftruction of the child Jefus, and his having been imposed upon and dehis orders and expectation, "returned ceived by the wife men, who, contrary to into their own country another way." many places, of lifting, as it is called, doubt, which I forget, or have omitted, H. T. MRY 1 MR. URBAN, June 3. HE following remarkable circumftance may ferve to exercise the THE pens of our political arithmeticians, or difpofe fome curious enquirers into the laws of nature to endeavour to account, phyfically, why the air of Worldham parifh fhould be fo particularly fatal to married perfons of the male fex. Extract from Worldham Regifter, 1621 or 2. Mem. That at this prefent, viz. June 9th, there are, in Worldham parifh, ten women living, who have had buried fifteen hufbands, of which women two are married again, and eight remain widows, which eight have had buried thirteen husbands, and might perhaps have had buried many more, if they had had them; but all the men in Worldham parish, at this time living, have had buried but three wives." "1622. George Fay, born, as himfelf faith, 1563, was buried Allhallows day. At this time there are fo many women dwelling in Worldham parish as have buried fifteen hufbands, but all the men now dwelling in Worldham have buried but one wife." 事 I heard the Lord Mayor of London whif per Mr. Sheriff Taylor-between you and I -the dignity and police of the city is well fupported. I heard Lord Abingdon whisper to a num ber of noblemen and commoners at feveral times between you and I-there are a great pumber of poor tradefmen starving. I heard Mr. Cumberland whiğer Mr. Andrews-between you and I-there is a deal of damped stuff and plagiarism brought upon the stage. I heard an old General whifper a young Irish Enfign-between you and I-my wife's with child. I heard Ld Rodney whisper Gen. Vaughan -between you and I-the plunder of Euftatius was unjust and cruel. I heard Lord Townshend whisper Mr. Rigby-between you and I-we will finish thefe twelve bottles of claret. I heard Col. Onflow whifper Mr. Martin between you and I-there is as little com mon fenfe in the fenate as there is wit. I heard the Attorney-General whisper Mr. Silvefter-between you and I-there is a greas deal of illiberality and too much perfonal abufe at the Bar. I heard Earl Temple whifper Mrs. Aare become difgufting. bington-between you and 1-wfpaper puff's I heard Katterfelto whifper Graham-between you and I-the English are duped. I heard Mr. Flood whifper Lord Beauchamp-between you and I-Ireland will ftand forth with new claims. I heard Mr. Burke whifper Mr. Pitt-between you and I-Economy and reform have become a farce. market. I heard Lady Grofvenor whifper Lady Worfley-between you and I-virtue is all in a band-box. I heard the Duchefs of Rutland whisper the Duchefs of Devonshire-between you and I-virtue illuftrates beauty. I heard Wefley whifper Hill-between you and I-hypocrify and fenfuality encrease prodigiously. I heard a Middlefex Juftice whifper a Magiftrate of Weftminfter-between you and great numbers come to the gallaws. I heard Lord Keppel whifper Mr. Foxbetween you and I-the navy will become refpectable. I heard the Duke of Rutland whisper the Duke of Devonshire-between you and Ithe nation will regain her honour. Vinegar-Yard, Drury-Lane. SQUIR MR. URBAN, Carlife, June 18. THE HE Gentleman's Magazine being a repofitory for curious matter, whether borrowed or original, I enclofe a Jeu d'Efprit that was diftributed in different of the Public Adverpapers tifer for the year 1770. These paragraphs were fuppofed to be the amufement of one of our late editors of Shakspeare, who was willing to try how far his readers would be impofed on by a feries of accounts as deftitute of truth as probability, The war between the Turks and Ruffians afforded fcope for his experiment, and the Ruffian Envoy attempted without fuccefs to controvert his information; for fhort unornamented denials could make but a weak stand against affertions abounding with imagery, and rendered fpecious by a long deduction of circumftances. How much geography was violated by defign in the first of the following fables, every skilful reader will perceive; and the coffeehoufe politician may begin to fufpect, from the innocent frauds practifed on his predeceffors, that unicfs he brings a certain portion of intelligence with him when he fits down to judge of foreign articles in a newspaper, he is liable to be the fport of every wanton wit who has leifure to fabricate traps for ignorance and credulity. Yours, &c. 1. "We are at liberty to affure the public, that the following narrative was received on Thursday night by a perfon of diftinction from his friend at Paris: "A courier that lately arrived in eight days from Petersburg to Paris, brings an accont of a battle, by which the fate of the Turkish empire feems to be determined. The Ruffians had been for fome time fraitened in their camp, and beginning to want forage, refolved to leave Bender blockaded, and to make a vigorous puth with the main army into a more fruitful and healthful country; they therefore ftruck their tents, and began their march towards Couflantinople. This, as might be expected, alarmed the Divan. Four Batas of three tails were immediately difpatched with orders to risk a general engagement. The old Vizier, who had hitherto commanded the Turkish army, at fight of this order funk into defpatr, alleging, that as the Ruffians were now far diftant from their own country, nothing more was required for their deftructien but to cut off their convoys, break up the ways before them, harrafs them with mock attacks, and wait till winter fhould do the ref. The Baffas told him that their orders were peremptory, and that he must fight, or figu to those who had greater courage. The Vifier replied, that he was willing to die, though he was not willing to fight that he would lead on the army, and as he was refolyed never to live to apologize for his defeat, he charged them to remember and report his opinion. The two armies met upon a kind of peninfula formed by the confluence of the Neifter and the Danube. The difpute was very bloody, and the event was for fome time doubtful. They began, as is the prefent custom, by a dreadful fire of the artillery, during which the Vifier's horfe was fwept from under him, and the left hand of General Rotczinsky carried away. The main battle foon joined, and the impreffion made by the Janizaries, who, throwing away their muskets, charged with their feymitars, was fo dreadful and violent, that, if they had been well feconded by the Spahic and Tartars, there is reafon to believe they would have gained the day. The firt line of the Ruffians was broken, and fell back in diforder upon the fecond. The Janizaries preffed on with favage clamour, but in the ardour of fuccefs relaxed their ranks; while the Ruffian right wing, having encountered and dispersed 20,000 Tartars, wheeled round upon their backs, and obliged them to make two fronts to oppofe the Ruffian foot on one fide and their horfe on the other. Juftice requires us to declare, that the Janizaries thus furrounded defended themfelves with unexampled bravery, but the number of their enemies was too great. They were at last o verwhelmed: and the Vifier died in his post, according to his prediction. "Of thofe that efcaped the fword, fome perifhed in the Niefter, and fome in the Danube; and thofe few of the foot that remained were generally made prifoners. The Turkish horfe, as they fought but little, did not fuffer much. Th exact number of thole killed or taken is not yet known. Two of the Baffas of three tails are among the prifoners; and the Ruffians confefs the lofs of fix General Officers. Such are the calamities of war, to which (however we may rejoice at the fuccefs of the Ruffians) we hope an end will fpeedily be put by the British mediation." II. "A Letter from Scanderoon brings the following account: "It is well known over Europe, that the Baffa, Governor of Egypt, having lately paid very little regard to the orders of the Turkish court, has been for fome time raifing forces, as it was imagined, to maintain himself in a ftate of independence. About the middle of June, having filled his magazines, and collected carriages from all parts of the kingdom, he drew his troops together, and began his march towards Arabia, with a defign, as was fuppofed, to plunder Mecca, or perhaps to make himself matter of fome provinces in that wide-extended tract, where he might have enjoyed the pleafures of royalty without the crime of rebellion, A band of Ja Janizaries which he had perfuaded to follow him, when they came to the edge of the defert, began to mutiny. This he had forefeen, and for this he had prepared. He immediately affembled the reft of the army round them, and feizing upon those officers who had been most refractory, difmiffed them with their beards fhaven and their robes cut short; a punishment equivalent to that of being drummed out of a regiment in European fervice. He then diftributed money throughout the army, and all promifed to go forward with him. When he had advanced fifteen days march into the defert, a meffenger arrived in his camp with the following letter from NISAREDDIN, an Arabian Prince, the fon of him who a few years ago intercepted the caravan of pilgrims. "To the moft illuftrious and renowned Baffa of Egypt. "That thou haf advanced thus far into countries through which neither thou nor thy matter have a right to país, confider as the effect of NISAREDDIN'S clemency. I hoped that the fight of the defert would have taught thee wisdom, and have therefore given thee time for reflection and retreat. The fine of feparation is now drawn, and within two days march is the camp of NISAKEDPIN. If thou canst arife into the air and fail upon the clouds, if thou canst mingle. with the waters and glide through the caverns, then may'ft thou hope to view the regions beyond the defert. But the furface of the earth is given to the ftrongest lance and to the tharpelt arrow; and he who dares to pafs farther, muft encounter that nation whofe prowels no man ever yet returned to tell." "The Bafta fent no answer to this letter, bat (according to the custom of Barbarians), by cutting off the thumbs of the meffenger. He then continued his march for three days, without any other notice of an enemy than the clouds of duft for fome time feen flying at a distance. But towards the evening of the fourth day the Arabian horfemen began to harrafs him, and the night after affaulted his camp in all quarters. The Turks being now prepared, cafily drew together, and maintained their ground; and the Arabs, whether through terror or stratagem, retreated to a small distance. The Turks purfing their victory pushed forwards, and left their baggage a little behind them; when a freth party of the enemy from another point fet fire on a fudden to their carriages. Fire, in fandy defert, is not eafily quenched. The Turks, thus entangled on ali fides, faw their provisions and their warlike flores almost totally destroyed. Nothing now remained but to return, and this was made very difficult by the interruption of their pursuers, and the want of water About the third part of the army has perfthed, and the reft have regained the frontiers of Egypt." III. "Extract of a private letter from Copftantinople. "The North Eastern parts of Europe are at prefent both delighted and terrified by a fpecies of magnificence with which the world has been for fome time unacquainted. The Grand Signior has at laft taken the field in perfon. He is the only Turkish Emperor who has headed his own armies fince the time of Selyman the Magnificent. When notice was given in the feraglio that au imperial camp was to be formed, it may cafily be conceived what was the furprize, and what was the tumult. As all the preparation was new, every officer of the houthold had fomething to do which he had never done before, and which therefore he knew not how to do. It was obferved that the Grand Signor, who through all the accidents of this war had preferved a natural or affected tranquillity, came out of his haram folicitous and dejected, having been, as it is fuppofed, rulled by the diforder of the women and their attendants, of whom fome were weeping and fainting because they were felected for the march, and others furious and clamorous, because, being left behind, they thought themselves neglected. But, in the courts of Eastern Princes, fear and refentarent are idle paffions. The order of the mafter muft be obeyed. The Grand Signor fets out with a pomp becoming what he styles himself, the Mafter of the World. The imperial tent contains a fquare of one hundred feet every way, and is covered on the outfide with the cofilieft rapeftry. All the furniture is of filver, and over every apartment into which it is divided is a banner interwoven with gol den threads, and edged with diamonds. The crefcent, which is raised high over the entrance, is of maffy gold. Around this pavilion are the tents of his women and their attendants, into which it is death to enter, and which are therefore diftinguished from all others by a covering of yellow filk, and by white plumes of oftrich feathers waving on their tops. Their march is Fttle tes magnificent that their encampment. The waggons which convey the women, and which are probably the fame as the Armamaxæ of the ancient Perfans, are covered in like manner with yellow filk; and the hareefs of the hories is adorned with praris, When the women difmount from these carriages, notice is given by a particular fund of the inftruments of war, and the whole army turn their backs that they may not look upon them. It is eafy to perceive, that how ever this magnificence may gratify the Sultan's vanity, it can contribute little to his fuccefs. The Rufians will fight with more eageruefs to gain these riches for therafelves, than the Turks to pieferve them to their maker. "That no encouragement may however bɛ wanting, on the fifth day of their march wac published the following proclamation zzt, |