For DECEMBER, 1749. To be Continued. (Price Six-Pence each Month.) Containing, (Greater Variety, and more in Quantity, than any Monthly Book of the fime Price.) 1. Extracts from a Pamphlet, intitled, Seafonable and affecting Obfervations on the Mutiny. Bill, &c. II. Birds, Beafts, Fishes, &c. in America. III. Paffage in Dr. Newton's Life of Milton. IV. Pernicious Effects of Luxury. V. Everlafting Fire in Perfia. VI. The Sentiments of Saluft the Philofopher concerning Oligarchy, &c. VII. Extracts from Confiderations upon a Reduction of the Land- Tax. VIII. The JOURNAL of a Learned and Political CLUB, &c. continued: Containing the SPEECHES of Pomponius Atticus, C. Popilius Lænas, and L. Tolumnius, on Motions to addrefs for Letters and Papers relating to the Peace. IX. A Scheme of the Proportions paid by the feveral Counties to the Land-Tax, St. X. Abstract of Mr. Garnett's Differtation on the Book of Job. XI. Reflections on Atheism and Superftition. XVI. Remonttrance of Reaton and Judg ment. XVII. A Collection of ridiculous Epitaphs. XVIII, Dr. King's Character of Sir Watkin Williams Wynne. XIX. Geometrical Queftions. XX. A new Defcription of Penzance. XXI. Court Martial at Deptford. XXII. New Order about dilemper'd Cattle. XXIII. POETRY: The Lover and the Friend; Polyphemus and Acis ; the 'Squire and the Parion; a Song; Anto Mifs tous, a Tale; from Mifs D Jy H―n, c. real Security; EpiLove and Honour, a new Song, grams; fet to Mufick, &c. &c. XXIV. The MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER: Westminster Election; Sions at the Old Bailey, Trials; Acts pats'd, &c. &c. &c. XXV. Promotions; Marriages and Births; XXVI. Prices of Stocks for each Day. With a fpacious and beautiful View of the South-Weft Profpect of the CITY of LINCOLN, elegantly engrav'd on Copper. MULTUM IN PARVO. LONDON: Printed for R. BALDWIN, jun. at the R in Puer- Notter-Row. Of whom may be had, compleat Sets from the Beginning to this Time, neatly Bourd, or Stitch'd, or any fingle Month to complete Suis. 536 537 A remarkable paffage in Dr. Newton's life of Milton The mifchievous effects of luxury to par- Subitance of the weekly-journals 541-550 The JOURNALS of a learned and political 548 SPEECH of Lart. Tolumnius on the mo- To Mils D- and Mifs J-y H-n The MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER Strange phænomenon in Gloucestershire Scheme of reducing the intereft of the national debt ibid. Advices relating to Nova Scotia 574, 575 State of the Westminster election ibid. Seffions at the Old-Bailey 575 Cafe between the masters and journeymen 453 Order of the French king for evacuaung ibid. A particular delcription of the Bifon Ame Advice from Morocco ibid. jhid. The remonftrance of reafon and judgment against wit and declamation, &c. Extract of a letter from Tetuan, fetting forth the hardthips and indignities impos'd upon the British ambaffador to the emperor of Morocco 550 A collection of ridiculous epitaphs 557 Latin fpeech, lately published which re- 559 The fentiments of Saluft the philofopher Court martial at Deptford for trying admi Enigma, from the Fool Marriages and births Deaths 579, 577 577 ibid. ibid. Ecclefiaftical preferments ibid. ibid. ibid. Prices of stocks; wind, weather 5-8 ibid. FOREIGN AFFAIRS 579 Catalogue of books 580 Perfons declar'd bankrupts About the Middle of January quill be Publifhed, NAPPENDIX to the LONDON MAGAZINE for 1749, with a A General Title, compleat Indexes, and feveral other Things, necciary to be boun up with the Volume, THE LONDON MAGAZINE. DECEMBER, 1749. Extras from a Pamphlet, intitled, Seafon - T HE feveral points confidered in this pamphlet are, 1. Whether a com- A petent number of landforces he not neceffary in our prefent fituation, even in time of peace? 2. Whether a ftrict difcipline be not neceffary for the good government of it, and whether it be not impracticable to maintain fuch a difcipline by the civil magiftrate? 3. Whether the late alterations in the mil- B tary plan were neceffary to good discipline? 4. Whether the rivifal of the fentence of a court-martial was not very different from a civil court's fending back the jury?. 5. Whether fo frequent a denunciation of death, upon feemingly flight occafions, was neceffary? 6. Whether the half-payofficers fhould be fubjected to military law? C And, 7. Whether a defire to circumfcribe the authority of a certain great perfon, had not a share in the late oppofition to the mutiny-bill? As to the first point, the author admits, that in our prefent circumstances, a standing military force may be neceffary; but that the militia, by proper regulations, might foon be made to fupply that neceffity ; and that even in our prefent circum- D ftances, a lefs number of regular forces might be fufficient, as 7000 was judged and found fufficient, for our fecurity, after the peace of Refwick. Upon this fubject he takes notice of the affectation of late grown fashionable, of calling in the military aid upon every trifling incident; and thereupon makes this obfervation : Whether an army is neceffary to enforce the law, or whether an army shall give the law, miferable is the cafe, and more miferable the profpect of the fubject. December, 1749. E Already, if a disturbance happens at the Pay-office, or if the reciprocal infolence and folly of oppofite parties occafion a fcuffle at the Play- houfe, a guard is fent for to restore the peace: And if notorious bawdy-houfes, in confequence of their ill behaviour, are in danger of fuch fort of chaflifement, as pick-pockets are every day expos'd to in the freets, they know where to apply for fafe-guards: So that even nufances of the most obnoxious kind, which the law holds in deteftation, and which the prerogative itfelf cannot licence, are put into a state of fecurity and protection.' As to the fecond, the author allows, that ftrict difcipline is neceffary, and that for this purpofe fome bye-laws are highly proper; but that the utmoft caution ought to be used, left they should clash with the fundamental laws of the land; and by an examination of the articles of war, he fhews, that, as to many of them, no fuch caution has been used. In fhort, he confiders all the other points or questions above mentioned, and thews, that every one of them ought to be answered in the negative; after which he proceeds to examine, how the prefent government of the army may affect the community in general; and to fhew this, he lays claim to the two following poftulata : 1. That according to the present track of management, the moft vicious and tyrannically-difpofed prince that can be imagined to fit on this throne, would not fail to infift on the very fate degree of confidence, which is now repoled in the true father of his people. And, 2. That a very weak prince in poffeffion of that truft, who had no ill purposes of his own, might transfer it to a favourite-minifter, or iavourite general, who had none but i purposes to ferve; and who wanted nothing but that truft to effect them.' Upon the first he fhews, that fuck Yyya pras prince by means of fuch a numerous army, governed by fuch laws, might overourn our connitution; and adds: Your lordship will bear me witnefs, that no man living entertains a higher idea than mytelf of the integrity and honour which generally accompanies the profeffion of arins. But thofe virtues may wear out A of talhion, perhaps out of ufe, perhaps encumber the owner, and when preferment is in fight, or difgrace to be incurr'd or avoided, I am not fure, that a foldier who had faced death a thousand times in the way of his duty, would fhew more firmnels than a courtier. Obedience with them is the law and the prophets; And he that gives the order, they think, is the only perfon aniwerable for it." the earth continually burns; but the most remarkable is a hole about 4 feet deep, and 14 in diameter. In this caravanfary live 12 Indian priefts, and other devotees, who worship the fire, which, according to their traditions, has burnt many thousand years. It is a very old vaulted building, and in its walls are a great many chunks, whereto if a candle be applied, the fire catches inftantaneously, and runs inftantly wherever the chinks communicate; but it may be easily extinguifhed: They have hollow places in the houfe fitted to their pots, which they boil without any other fuel; and instead of candles, they stick reeds into the ground; from the tops whereof, upon applying B fire thereto, a white flame immediately comes forth, and continues to burn without confuming the reeds, until they think proper to extinguish it, by putting little covers over them for that purpose. Upon the fecond, he fhews, that fuch an EXTRACT of a LETTER from Dr. S the natural hiftory of Perfia is but A little known, and the authors of the D Univerfal Hiftory have given no true account of the everlasting facred fire which the Gauers worship, I shall now send you a description thereof, which you may depend upon, as there was a Ruffian army for fome years in the kingdom of Dagestan, where E that fire is; and I took down what I am going to relate from the mouths and jour. nals of many officers that were there, and more particularly from what was communicated to me by Archiater Fifcher who received an account thereof from Dr. Lerch, physician of that army. This perpetual fire rifes out of the ground F in the peninfula of Abfcheron, about:0 miles from Baku, and 3 from the Cafpian shore. The ground is very rocky, but has a fhallow covering of earth over it. If a little of the furface be fcraped off, and fire be applied to the hollow, it catches immediately, and burns without intermission, and almoft without confumption; nor is ever extinguifhed, unlefs fome cold earth be G thrown over it, by which it is easily put out. There is a spot of ground, about two English miles large, which has this very wonderful property; and here is a caravanfary, round which are many places where They burn lime of the ftones dug here. abouts, first making an hollow in the ground, and then heaping the ftones on one another. This done, on applying fire to the hollow, a flame bursts out, and is dispersed at once with a very great crack thro' the whole heap of ftones; and after it has continued burning for 3 days, the lime is ready: But ftones placed in this fire for fetting their pots on never turn to lime; which cannot be made but by heaping them on one another. The earth and flone are no farther warm than where the fire reaches: And what feems well worth obfervation, this flame of fire gives neither fmoke nor fmell, however great it be. About an English mile and half from this place there are wells of white naphtha, which is exceedingly inflammable ; and tho' the flame of naphtha affords both fmoke and (mell, it is highly probable the perpetual fire I have been defcribing is owing to naphtha, but fo purified, in filtring thro' the stone, that it becomes divested of all fuch particles as produce (moke or smell. The flone and earth are grey in colour, and faltish to the taste; and indeed much falt is found on this peninfula of Abfcheron. There is alfo a fait lake, near the fide of which the white naphtha flows by five different fprings. This naphtha is made use of only in the medicinal way. It is yellowish from the spring, but when diftilled refembles fpirit of wine. They give it internally, in gonorrhoea's, diforders of the breaft, and for the ftone; and they apply it externally in gouty cafes, contractions of the finews, and cramps. Black naphtha is produced 8 or 9 miles from the perpctual fire; it is thick, and being diftilled grows not clear but yellow. About Baku there is fome of it fo thick, that they employ it for greafing wheels: But But the best and greatest plenty, is at Balachame, where there are above so fprings, the greatest whereof produces every day 500 batman, each batman containing ro rufs pounds, which are fomewhat less than English weight. You hear it make a confiderable noile in rifing out of the ground, tho' the fpring be 20 fathom deep. A In Baku they have little or no other fuel" to burn befides naphtha, but it must be mixed with earth or ashes to make it fit for ufe. The fire it makes is only good to boil with; and this inconveniency attends it, that all their food fo boiled fmells and taftes of naphtha. For baking and roafting they make use of abrotanum, abfynthium, and fuch-like; but in general naphtha is their B nefs of the foul; fhe creates want even in the midst of plenty, and converts all nature's bleffings into curfes; fhe, like the fword, untimely crops life's beauteous flower, and, like a raging peftilence, devours all human health and happiness; like Circe's cup, the intoxicates the foul, chills and benumbs every rifing virtue; whereever her bloated countenance appears, pains or poverty attend; fhe, like the fhades of night, fteals upon reafon's retiring rays, and, like a cutting north-east wind, the blafts each virtuous bloffom of the foul. See fmiling temperance! with a beauteous bloom appears, like a charming country maid, where health of body, and peace of mind, unite; here fwollen luxury, with deformed countenance, like a tainted harlot of the town, who, like fruit that's rotten before ripe, fhews age in youth, a withered vifage and tormented heart: Luxury brutalizes the blood, clogs and impedes the acting of the intellectual power. When we eat only to please our palates, we feed on moft pernicious poifon, and at every intemperate draught we fwallow down a fubtle enemy; for it is certain, the more we devour of brute creatures, the more we in our natures resemble them. Behold the gewgaw butterfly, the beau, who looks like a girl, and fmells like a civet-cat, whofe very words are female, and his gesture of the doubtful gender, who plumes himself upon his taylor's art, and, like a peacock, proudly spreads his gaudy feathers, whofe utmost knowledge is the newest mode, and higheft ambition the most admired drefs; this pretty painted paltry creature is like a rich purfe that has no money in it, or foolish book, finely gilt and covered; the life of this poor Narciffus, like a transforming infect, entirely depends upon the cut and colour of his cloaths; he lives but while they laft, and when a fresher fashion, or finer coat appears, he dies. But of all kinds of luxury that is furely the most odious and abominable, where our country's gold is dehafed and barter'd away for foreign follies; where the wealth of the nation is injuriously squander'd away to enrich fome ftrolling vagabonds. As industry produces plenty, and idleness poverty, so all virtue and happiness neceffarily flies from, and every vice and evil flies to a people of debauched corrupted fpirit. Luxury ftupifies the fenfes, and makes men tame, and fit for flavery; the bows their minds, and caufes them to stoop, like affes, to Greceive the flavish burden, and bafely court the iron hand of arbitrary power; the, with her twin fifter corruption, have always been the bane of the greatest states and empires; no throne that has not truth and virtue for its bafis can ever laft; as HE following paffage, taken from the Τ learned Dr. Newton's life of Milton, prefixed to the new edition of Paradife Loft, D feems to deferve the notice of the publick, and to be peculiarly proper at this time. After having acquainted the reader, that Milton was appointed by the council of ftate their Latin fecretary for foreign affairs in the time of the civil wars, he adds this just remark : E The republick and Cromwell fcorn'd to pay that tribute to any foreign prince, which is ufually paid to the French king, of managing their affairs in his language; they thought it an indignity and meanness, to which this or any free nation ought not to fubmit ; and took a noble refolution neither to write any letters to any foreign ftates, nor to receive any anfwer from them, but in the Latin tongue, which was com- F mon to them all. And it would have been well, if fucceeding princes had followed their example; for, in the opinion of very wife men, the univerfality of the French language will make way for the universality of the French monarchy.' From the FOOL. No. 588. UXURY is the effeminate debafer of the foul, the corrupt impoverisher of the mind, the vicious parent of innumerable evils; from her pernicious root springs every difeafe of the body, and every fick well |