brought away fomething that remained mers; et penfant en grande homme, upon his memory and upon his imagi- il fut indigné de la Convention de Clofter nation. A verbuin ardens, a glowing Seven, qu'il regard.it comme l'opprobre word, a happy facility of expreffion, des Anglais." an appropriate metaphor, a forcible image, or a fuble figure, never failed to recompenfe the attention which the hearer had bestowed upon him. This great minifter was born at Stratford Houfe, at the foot of the fortrefs of Old Sarum; an engraving of which is appended to this collection, to fatisfy that grateful curiofity with which we ever contemplate the birthplace of those who have been the friends and the benefactors of their country. Soon after fir Robert Walpole had taken away his cornet's commiffion from this extraordinary man, he used to drive himself about the country in a onehorfe chaife, without a fervant. At each town to which he came, the peo- Anecdotes of Cotys. From Athenæus. ple gathered round about his carriage, and received him with the loudest acclamations. Lord Chatham thought very highly By W. Beloe, F. S. A. THEOPOMPUS, in his first Book of Philippics, writes thus :-On of the effects of drefs and of dignity of the third day he came to Onocarlis, a manner upon mankind. He was never place in Thrace, remarkable for a grove feen on bufinefs without a full-drefs of great beauty, and exceedingly pleacoat and a tye wig, and he never per- fant, particularly in the fummer feafon. mitted his under-fecretaries to fit down It was one of thefe in which Cotys took before him. unusual delight, who of all the princes that had ever reigned in Thrace was moft eminent for luxury and voluptuoufnefs.--In his progrefs through the country, wherever he met with a place well fhaded with trees and agreeably watered, he never failed to felect it as a fcene of feftival. Here he paffed bis time, offering up facrifices to the gods, and living familiarly with his officers; till he, at length, was induced to be guilty of impiety towards Minerva, and to offer her the greatest infults. A general officer was once afked by Lord Chatham, how many men he fhould require for a certain expedition? "Ten thoufand," was the anfwer. "You fhall have twelve thoufand," faid the minifter, "and then if you do not fucceed, it is your fault." The original of the character of Praxiteles, in Mr. Greville's very entertaining book of maxims, is faid to have been Lord Chatham. 66 When cardinal Stoppani (furnamed in the conclave of cardinals Il politico) was informed that Lord Chat ham had ceafed to be minifter of England, he told an English gentleman that he could not give any credit to it. "What heir," he added, on coming to a confiderable eftate, and finding it excellently well managed by a fteward, would difmifs that Reward merely because he had ferved his predeceffor?" The late king of Pruffia, in his hiftory of the feven years' war, thus defcribes Lord Chatham: "L'eloquence et ia genie de M. Pitt avcient rendu l'idole de la Nation, c'étoit la meillure tête d'Angleterre. Il avoit fubjugué la Chan.bre Baffe par la force de la parole. Ily regnoit, il en étoit, pour amfi aire, Parvenu au timon des affaires, il appliqua toute l'étendue de fon genie à rendre à fa patrie la domination des l'ame. The fame writer relates, that Cotys prepared a banquet as if he was about to be married to Minerva, and, intoxicated with wine, made ready a bridal chamber, as if in expectation of the presence of the goddefs. When no one appeared, he fent one of his guards to fee whether Minerva was yet come.✈ The man came back, and faid, no one was in the apartment; in a fit of anger the king immediately put him to death. He then fent a fecond meffenger, whom, in the like manner, when he returned, he put to death. A third was difpatched, who, knowing what had happened. came back, and faid that the goddefs expected him in the apartment.-On this the king, being feized with emotions of jealoufy with respect to his fuppofed wife, mangled the man in a ver barbarous manner. The Road Collector. T was my misfortune to find myself once more without any vifible means of getting a livelihood; and, having no money, I used to walk about and count the pawnbroker's fhops, wishing I had fomething to carry them. I always avoided the cook's-fhops, and efpecially where they fold a-la-mode beef, for fear the fmell of the dishes should put me in mind of my appetite. When I was almost starved, a friend recommended me to be clerk in a lotteryoffice in the Minories, at ten fhillings a week, during the drawing. My malter was a Jew, and had fourteen offices in all; fome in Petticoat Lane and fome in St. Giles's; and when the clerks were informed against in one place, he removed them to another. I was stationed over a trap-door, that led into a faw pit, and thence into another street; and one morning, after taking fifteen pounds of the poor gin-drinking folks, in fixpences and half-pence, the myrmidons of the Lord-Mayor rushed in: I, difliking all forts of wrangling, gently opened my trap, and defcended into hell, for I found the devil ready to receive me, in the shape of a conftable. you "My lad," said he," you are my prifoner, and muft go along with me to Guildhall, for breaking the peace." "My dear, charitable fir," cried I, falling down on my knees, "if will forgive me this time, I will never break the peace again. I will not open my mouth for this year to come." He, taking this for a jeer, feized me by the collar, and dragged me along, although I told him I had been the king's fervant, as well as himself. His lordship was foon fatisfied of my guilt, and faying he remembered me to be an old offender, ordered me on an excurfion to the Counter for fix months. My mafter bribed all the other officers, and fo my brother Numberers efcaped. In order to keep me from fnitching, they fent me my wages; and having, befides, plenty of bread and water, gratis, I lived a jovial fort of life enough. Here all forts of roguery was to be Hib. Mag. Jan. 1796. learnt gratis; but I, always hating low life, only got acquainted with two z three highwaymen. One of them, who had once been a great fpeaker at Coach-maker's Hall, ufed to tell me many of his old tricks. ❝ I once Jack," fays he to me, overtook an old grazier on Putney Heath, dreffed like a beggar; but I knew the old dog did not want for money: fo I takes half a dozen guineas out of my purfe, and gives them to the old man, faying, My good old honeft friend, there are three or four very fufpicious men behind us, I therefore beg that you will put this money in your pocket for me, for by your drefs they won't fufpect you of being worth their notice.' The old man, pleased at the confidence I put in him, and taking me no doubt for a gentleman, anfwered, Sir, I have fifty guineas tied up in the fore lappet of my thirt, and I will put your's with them for fecurity: fafe bind, fafe find, you know is an old maxim, and a very good one too.' After travelling for fome time together very lovingly, we came into a lane very well fuited to my views of convincing my companion that there was no rule without exceptions. Old gentleman,' faid I, as nobody feems willing to rob you to-day, I muft even take that trouble myfelf. I am a gentleman of the road by profeffion: To pray, hand over the lappet of your fhirt, or- The fight of a piftol did not much terrify the old jockey, because he loved his money better than his life; fo that I was obliged to difmount, and cut off the lappet myfelf, vi et armis. As I left him he roared out, O my money! my money! my money!' and concluded by vowing that he would never do a good-natured action any more as long as he lived. ་ Another time," continued my brother prifoner, I fell in with a lawyer at Uxbridge: finding he was going to town the fame evening, I pretended bufinefs there too. jogged on, I complained that my neighbours cattle had broken into my meadows, and done me a mort of mischief, G As we and and that if I knew an honeft lawyer look very devout: your life is a continual pilgrimage, and in humility you go almoft bare-foot, thereby making neceffity a virtue.' Ah, mafter, needs muft when the devil drives; and had you no more than 1, you might go without boots, and fhoes too.' might be, faid I. I reckon you Į would fet him to work. He faid, by way of recommending himself as politely as poffible, that the injury I had fuftained was highly actionable, and in law was called Dainage Fefant. Pretending to know his profeffion by his manner of anfwering me, I faid, May I be fo bold, fir, feeing that you are a lawyer and a gentleman, as to afk you what you call an action in trover?' He anfwered, with no little importance, • Sir, it fignifies, in our common law, an action which a man has against another, that, having found any of his goods, or gotten them in truft or confidence, refuses to re-deliver them upon demand, but converts the thing in queftion to his own ufe.' True, fir,' fays 1: and fo' prefenting a little bulldog to Qui Tam's breaft, "if I fhould find any money about you, and get unlawful poffeffion of it, why that is only actionable in trover, you fay. Therefore, you harpy, hand over the rhino inftantly! for I am refolved to defend the action. If you refuse,' take a habeas for the other world, and move your caufe back, by certiorari, into Weftminfter Hall, if the devil has no objection!' This,' replied the lawyer, 'will amount to a robbery, and requires no lefs fatisfaction than a man's life.' But parfon Brief could not outpreach me: I took a fee of forty guineas, and rode off." :: "Pray, brother Scamp," fays I, "how is it that you gentlemen of the Piftol never get rich enough to leave off in time: fifty guineas and forty guineas is-" "Phaw! Jack," cried he, ninety guineas won't laft one of us an hour fometimes there are the runners, the whores, and mum-money at turnpike gates and livery-ftables: befides what is neceffary to fupport the character of a gentleman, a little gambling, and a purfe now and then to a friend in limbo, for it is impoffible to go to heaven this way without money. "I once overtook a tinker on Blackheath, whom I fufpected to be rich, in fpite of his calling. Well overtaken, brother Tinker,' faid I: methinks you That march all over England with your pots and kettles.' Yes, fir, I go a great deal of ground, but not fo much as you ride! Go where you will,' faid I, it is my opinion that your converfation is irreproveable, because you are ever on the mending order. 1 wifh, fir, I could fay as inuch of you,' answered he. Why, you dog of Egypt,' rejoined I, do you think that I am like you, in obferving the ftatutes, and therefore had rather fteal than beg, in fpite of whips or imprisonment!' The tinker replied, Sir, whoever you are, I'd have you to know that I take a great deal of pains for my livelihood.' Now, thinks I, my friend I have you. Yes, Mr. Honesty, I know that your rule is, 'To mend one hole, and make three! fo that you are always fure of employment.' While the mender of holes was ranfacking his budget of wit, I produced an unanfwerable argument for a transfer of his property; and, in fpite of his cries, which might have foftened a chicken at the bufinefs, I proceeded to a fearch; and, to my joy and aftonishment, found feventy guineas in an old kettle, and a hundred pound bank note wrapped up in an old fnuffy paper! I now thought it high time to have done with irony; therefore just telling my petrified antagonift, that I had cut hin: out work for the next twelve-month, I gallopped off, and made this day's earnings laft me a whole week!' "The next adventure I met with turned out comically enough; but, damme, Jack, mind, mum's the word, my boy! meeting a gentleman between Chelinsford and Colchester, I accofted him in the old way; but he folemnly affured me, with a mighty grave face, that he had no money about him. Not knowing how to reconcile this affurance either with his confcience or my own, be I proceeded to examine his pockets very by a fpirit ever fince my grandfather's minutely, and after the greatest induftry, had no reason to doubt his word. His coat, however, happening to be much better than mine, I propofed an exchange, which he did not think proper to refufe, and I took my leave. Riding on, and curfing my hard fortune, I beard fomething jingle in my new pocket, and pulling out an old fteel tobaccobox which lay there perdue, I found it contained the feasonable fum of twenty yellow fhiners! barber cut his throat in it, for the love of a coy chamber-maid, who slapped his face, and cried out for affiftance. The fpirit appears with a razor in one hand, and a bafon in the other, crying, in a hoarfe, difmal voice, will you fhaved?' we have put feveral to bed there, who were ignorant of this troublefome appearance, and they were all glad to find their way down ftairs again long before the morning. 66 Caring very little about a live fhaver, I had not any dread of a dead one: I ridiculed the priestly juggle of apparitions, and affured the gentleman I did not want a more agreeable apartinent than the one he had mentioned. believe that I was in earnet; but when I had convinced them, fome took me to be more than human; fome endeavoured to diffuade me from an enterprize which they called both dangerous and prefumptuous; others laughed in their fleeves, to think what excellent midnight fport they should have. "But fortune did not always find me tobacco-boxes when I wanted them. I was once at Chefter, where lofing my Wondering at my refolution, he all at gambling, even my horfe, I was invited me into the parlour, defired me foon reduced to the greateft diftrefs to enjoy myself, and entertained his imaginable, and wandered about the guests with the boldness and whimficacountry in a miferable condition. One lity of my propofal. Scarcely would they evening I faw a building at a distance, well lighted up, to which I directed my courfe: it turned out to be the feat of an antient family in Shropshire. Drawing near, my ears were faluted with mufic and finging, which infpired me with fo much refolution, that I ventured to knock at the door. The mafter of it, being within hearing, demanded my Supper being ended, the company bufinefs: I answered, that I was a player, adjourned into a large, old-fashioned and was going to join the company at hall, and proceeded to cards and dice. Shrewsbury, but had miffed my road, As foon as they were all fet to, and the and therefore entreated his hofpitality ftakes, to a large amount, put on the for one night, merely to fkreen myself table, I being a filent fpeétator, proje&ed from the night-air. The gentleman a fcheme to convert the whole to my anfwered me in a very civil manner, own ufe, without compulfion, or even faying he was afraid he could not grant fufpicion. my requeft, for it was the aniverfary of his birth-day, and he had a great many of his friends within, most of whom would fay all night. "Finding the gentleman in a merry mood, I refolved to urge my fuit in more moving terms, when at laft the good man faid there was only one vacant room at command: but if you venture to lie there, you may poffibly repent it; for it is ten to one but you fall into fome misfortune. To tell the plain matter of fact, fir, it has been haunted 66 For this purpofe I retired to one fide of the hall, and requested a fervant to fhew me to my appointed lodging, being, as I faid, very much fatigued for want of reit. The fellow gave me a candle, with neceffary directions to find the room, bidding me good night! at the bottom of the ftair-cafe; for though he was a lufty fellow, he was fo terrified at my intrepidity, that he would not have ventured himself farther for the world. G 2 "I lay ing. "I lay down very quietly for two none ventured forth till the next mornhours, expecting the goblin, but in vain for which reafon I refolved to "When the coaft was clear, I turned perfonify him, that fuch an antient back, involuntarily as it were, to the member of the family might not be gaming-tables, and conveyed all the wanting at a time of general joy and rhino into my magic bafon : I then went, feftivity. In order to appear in charac- in folemn character, back again to my ter, I rubbed over my face with the bed-chamber, and undreffing myself, white of the wall, and tied my hair fo and putting out the light, I enjoyed a ingeniously, as to make it project up. profound fleep. wards. Í next covered myself with a "Next morning, the company being fine white sheet; drew out my razor, collected together, I made my appearfor I always fhave myfelf for fear of ance among them; and began by telling accidents; and took up my chamber-pot, them the Hory of my fufferings in the which was luckily pewter, and would night. The ghoft,' faid I to the ferve very well for a bafon, affifted by gentleman of the house, came to me the glimmering of the candles. Thus exactly in the manner you faid he used equipped, I foftly defcended the ftairs, to appear; and upon my refufing to let on my ghoftly expedition. him fhave me, he attempted to cut By this time the wine was pretty my throat, but providentially be only well got into the noddles of the compa- wounded me here, in this finger. Afterny, which, added to their great ear- wards he went down ftairs, finding that neftness at play, gave me an opportunity he could make nothing of me; and in of entering the room unperceived; at about five minutes he returned, rattling laft one of the fervants discovered me, fomething in his bafon.' Pox take him !' and, starting a few paces, his hair as cried one of the company, then that erect as mine, he bellowed out, in a was our money, which he stole off the tone furpaffing the human voice, The table.' It may be, fir,' faid I, that Ghoft! the Ghoft!-The Ghoft, the fome of your forefathers owed bim Ghoft, the Ghoft!' money for fhaving, and probably he "This, as well it might, alarmed took this whimsical method of collecting the whole company, who turning round, his debts.' My joke met with little I advanced with my pifs-pot and razor, applaufe, the company being yet abthe latter of which I had made bloody forbed in contemplations on the advenby cutting my finger with it, crying ture, fome confidering it as a dream, out, in a hoarfe and dreadful tone, and fome as a reality. Will you be fhaved'?' "Immediately, as if by common confent, they all rofe from their feats, and made towards the door, without once adverting to the large piles of money on the table; happy he or he who could first reach the door: the ufual deference paid to the ladies was on this occafion difpenfed with, and many of the dear creatures were overfet, to the great confufion of delicacy, nay even of decency. I purfued the terrified throng at a refpe&ful diftance, repeating the dreadful interrogation, Will you be shaved ?' till the hall was cutirely eared; fome running below into the cellars, fome to the out-houfes and ftables, from whence "After breakfast was over, I politely took my leave, fully convinced that no one fufpected me of having played foul. "The fum which I had thus acquired in my ghoftly function, enabled me to buy a horfe at Shrewsbury market, and other neceffaries, when I again recommenced my exploits on the highway; but being laft week overpowered on Hounslow Heath, they placed me here for the prefent." Poor Scamp was tucked up foon afterwards; and I, thinking it no harm tó tell the fecrets of a man who has danced a whole hour with a rope about his neck, have blabbed all I knew. Curious |