pain. This may poffibly be accounted for, by the difference in the texture of the furface of the fkin, as the manner of the electrical fluid's coming from a glass tube is different when its furface is altered by being rubbed with different fubftances, as has been lately taken notice of in a letter to the Royal Society.

These are the principal obfervations, the fhort time I refided at Surinam, allowed me an opportunity of making relating to this extràordinary animal.

An Efay on Matrimonial Quarrels ; Includ.

ing Edmond and Rofetta. A Story. AMILY divifions frequently fpring

Ffrom very immaterial accidents, which

gather ftrength by reputation, till they are augmented in fo formidable a manner as to Sweep before them all the domeftic virtues, and abolish all the amiable tenderness for which woman was originally intended by the Divine Creator-I have been a frequent fpectator of fuch fcenes of infelicity-where I was in most expectation of finding the celeftial feeds of connubial happiness flourishing in exquifite beauty, there have I been the most disappointed. Inftead of beholding a paradife, I have found nothing but a garden of noxious weeds, which occafion me to fend you the following flory. It may be of utility to fociety, as by holding up the mirror to the view of inadvertency, it may affright her by known deformity.

Edmond and Roietta have been married upwards of three years they were equally matched both in refpect of fortune and age, the one being fufficiently affluent for the purchafe, and the other for the enjoyment of the pleatures of life. For fome time after the celebration of their nuptials they entertained a reciprocal affection-fhe was all fondnefs, he all indulgence; but their intimacy instead of increating, diminished their inutual regard her beauty, the more it was familiar to his eyes, grew the lefs attractive to his heart; and his converfation grew the lefs engaging, the more fhe partook of the natural levity of her fex. He renewed his Bacchanalian acquaintance found more pleasure in discharging her vi fits than her domeftic offices. In fine, both became difintentionally indifferent-their meals were irregular -their converfation little; till at laft their affection feemed dwindled away, to nothing but ceremonial complaifance.

in a fhynefs for two or three days together. Though they were both fo far eftranged from the lambent flame of love, yet their difagreement frequently exhibited a conviction of their honefty, by a reconciliation which juft ferved to blow up the dormant embers of affection, though ftill they were continually manifefting the difference of their tempers. They were both haftily paffionate he was fometimes furlily ill-natured, while fhe was too apt to conceive what he never intended. They were both fenfible of

their folly, yet they ftill perfifted in their obftinacy if he was defirous of tranquillity, he grew turbulent. The vanity of pedigree, and the oftentation of fortune

were often bandied backwards and forwards this ushered in indecency from his tongue, and left her abandoned to a misguided paflion.

Reiterated quarrels aggravated their imprudence-he frequently fwore-fhe railed --and blows enfued-She felt the effects of his violence-he bore the marks of her fury. When their paffion abated, he fat penfively; venting the guthing forrows from her eyes, he grew mollified, and after innumerable careffes, recompofed her agitated fpirits-the quarrel renewed their tenderness-they gent ly upbraided themselves, confessed their folly, refolved to oppofe the excurtions of paffion, and for fome time lived with all the appearance of a durable felicity. But when paffion has once got the head, reafon vainly attempts to guide the reins. Though Edmond and Rofetta, on the repetition of every quarrel, became fenfible of their smothered affection, yet they never endeavoured to light up the extinguished lamp of Hymen. they continued their intemperate fallies, and were at laft fo habituated to fuch an ig. nominious cuftom, as to give an unbounded loofe to their paffion before company, till they are now become the derifion of all their acquaintance.

Ro

Nature was foon more predominant than the ties of gentility, or the rules of decency. Their tempers were perpetually buriting from the formality of referve -trivial accidents gave alternate uneafinefs to one or the other, which were pro live of fuch difputes as often terminated in

What a melancholy reflecting is this, that

two

two perfons, once united by the filken hand of love, fhould fo difown its empire for the gratification of fome ridiculous humour, is moft aftonishing-That two perfons, who could fo easily enjoy the beatitudes of life, fhould fo voluntarily banish themselves from the flowery road of happinefs is amazing: but their conduct ferves only to evince this golden maxim "That Reafon is the beft gift of Nature," for without her facred in Auence monarchs in their palaces are lefs happy than peafants in their cottages. For the infertion of this, I will remain, Mr. Editor,

CA

Your obliged Servant.

COMMENTATOR.

The Life of Queen Catherine Parr. ATHERINE PARR was born abont the beginning of the reign of King Henry VIII. She was the elder of the two daughters of Sir Thomas Parr, of Kendall, by dame Maud his wife; who gave her a liberal education as the most valuable addition could make to her other accomplishments; and her attainments in literature fully anfwered his expectations, infomuch that he foon became juftly celebrated for her learn ing and good fente, which the employed to the best purposes through every ftage of her hie.

Her first husband was John Nevil, Lord Latymer. After his deceafe, the perfections of her body and mind fo powerfully attracted the affections of King Henry, that he was married to him at Hampton Court, July

12. 1643.

She always took a peculiar pleafure in reading the facred writings, and in fearching after divine truths. She feems indeed to have been pioufly difpofed from her infancy, as appears from a book of her own compo. fing, as will be hereafter mentioned; but the religious duties fhe fo carefully practifed in her youth, were according to the blind devotions of that age; and the errors fhe then imbited, the not only retracted afterwards, but was very flenuous in advancing the reformation, and encouraging the proteftant caufe. Thefe good defigns the purfuted, as far as the mutaide and perverfe difpofition of an arbitrary prince, and the iniquity of the times would adinit ; and even farther than fe could do, without expofing herself to the utmoft danger. For though ber endeavours were managed with great prudence, and as much fecrecy as the nature of the thing would admit of; yet they were maliciously obferved by Stephen Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, who, with chancellor Wriothefley and others, confpired againft her fo artfully, that, having drawn up articles, they got a warrant figned with the king's own hand, to commit to the tower; which being

accidentally dropped, was luckily found by one who conveyed it to the queen. The fight of it, and the recollection of the hard fate of fome of her predeceffors, threw her into a violent diforder, which confined her to her bed. The king hearing of her illnefs, made her a very kind and feafonable vifit; fpoke to her all the kind things imaginable; and fent her Dr. Wendy, one of his phyficians, to advife for her health. The doctor foon gueffed, from outward fymptoms, the real caufe of the queen's indilpolition; and well knowing her fingular prudence, and relying on her fidelity, he ven tured to open the fecret to her. The king being at that time fomewhat out of order, the doctor advised her by all means to go and chear him up, and recruit her drooping fpirits; not doubting but that by her good fenfe and prudent management the might avert the impending danger. The queen took his advice, and foon after made his majefty a vifit, attended only by her fifter the lady Herbert, and the lady Lane. She found him fitting and talking with fome gentlemen of his chamber. The king feemed pleafed with her vifit; and breaking off his difcourfe with his attendants, he began of his own accord to confer with her about matters of religion; feeming, as it were, defirous to be refolved by the queen of certain doubts which he then offered to her. The queen inftantly. perceiving the drift of his difcourfe, answered with great humility and fubmiflion:

"Your majefty doth know right well, neither I myfelf am ignorant, what great imperfection and weakness by our first creati on, is allotted to us women, to be ordained and appointed as inferior and subject unto man as our head; from which head all our directions ought to proceed; and that as God made man in his own fhape and likenefs, whereby he being indued with more fpecial gifts of perfection, might rather he ftirred to the contemplation of heavenly things, and to the earnest endeavour to obey his commandments: even fo alfo made he woman of man, of whom, and by whom, fhe is to be governed, commanded and directed. Whefe womanly weakness and natural imperfections ought to be tolerated, aided, and borne withal, fo that by his wildom, fuch things as be wanting in her ought to be fupplied.

"Since therefore that God hath appointed fuch a material difference between man and woman, and your majefly being fo excellent in gifts and ornaments of wifdom, and Ia fimple poor woman, fo much inferior in all refpects of nature unto you; how then cometh it now to pais that your majefty in fuch diffufe caufes of religion, will feem to reqe my judgment;' which, when I have uttered, and faid all I can, yet muft and

will refer my judgment, in this and all other cafes, to your majesty's wisdom, as my only anchor, fupreme head, and governor here on earth, next under God to lean unto?

"Not fo, by St. Mary, (replied the king) you are become a doctor, Kate, to inftruct us (as we take it), and not to be inftructed by us."

"If your majefty takes it fo (fays the queen), then hath your majefty very much miftaken me, who have ever been of the opinion, to think it very unfeemly and prepofterous, for the woman to take upon her the office of inftructor or teacher to her lord and husband, but rather to learn of her husband, and be taught by him. And where I have, with your majefty's leave, prefumed heretofore to difcourfe with your majefty, in which I have sometimes feemed to diffent from you, I did it not fo much to maintain my opinion, as to minifter difcourfe, not only to the end that your majefty might with lefs grief pass over this painful time of your infirmity, by this kind of engagement, which I fancied might afford you fome relief; but alfo that I, hearing your majefty's learned arguments, might from thence gain to myfelf great advantage. And I affure your majefty, I have not miffed any part of my defired end in that behalf, always referring myself in all fuch matters unto your majefty, as by ordinance of nature it is convenient for me to do."

"And is it even fo, fweetheart, (faid the king) and tended your arguments to no worte end? Then are we now perfect friends again, as ever we were before.' And as he fat in his chair, embracing her in his arms, and faluting her, he said, that it did him more good at that time to hear those words from her own mouth, than if he had heard prefent news of an hundred thousand pounds fallen to him. Upon which, it being then late at night, he gave her leave to depart, and in her abfence spoke highly in her commendation.

The day, and almoft the hour, appointed for fending the queen to the tower being come, the king took a walk into his garden, with only two gentlemen of the bed chamber, and sent for the queen who inftantly came to wait on him, attended by lady Herbert, lady Lane, and another lady, who were all to be apprehended with the queen. The king feemed in high spirits, and entertained them with all the gaiety imaginable. But in the midft of their mirth, the lord chancellor approached his prefence, with forty of the king's guards at his heels. The king looked upon him with a very ftern countenance, and walking a fmall diftance from the queen, called the chancellor to him, who, upon his knees, fpoke foftly to his majefty. The king, in a rage, called him knave, arrant knave, beaft, and fool, Gent. Mag. Nov. 1788.

and commanded him inftantly to be gone from his prefence. On his departure. the king returned to the queen, who perceiving him to be greatly moved, ufed all her e'oquence to foften his difpleasure, intreating his majefty, if his fault was not too great, to pardon him for her fake.

"Ah! poor foul, (replied the king) thou little knowest how evil he deferveth this grace at thy hands. Of my word, sweetheart, he hath been toward thee an arrant knave, and fo let him go."

Thus remarkably did Providence interpofe for her fafety, and happily delivered her from this imminent danger; and which fhe paffed fafely through the remaining part of this tempeftuous reign.

She was convinced that the principles of religion in which she had been bred, were not founded on holy writ: yet fhe would not truft wholly to her own reafon to be her guide in an affair of fuch importance; for the kept feveral eminent divines conftantly with her, to folve her doubts, and inftruct her in the true religion, in quality of chaplains. With thefe fhe had frequent conferences in private concerning the reformation, and the abufes crept into the church: but particularly in Lent she had a fermon preached to her in her chamber, at which the la dies and gentlewomen of her privy-chamber and others were prefent. She was likewife very affiduous in ftudying books of divinity, and especially the feriptures. Being thus qualified, fhe began to commit fome of her own thoughts to writing. Her first compofition feems to have been that intitled, Queen Catherine Parr's Lamentation of a sinner, bewailing the Ignorance of ber blind Life. London, 1548, and 1563. This discourse was found among her papers after her death, and was published by fecretary Cecil, who prefixed to it a preface of his own writing.

She alfo compofed many pfalms, prayers, and pious discourses. These books being exceeding fcarce, the reader will find an account given of them by Mr. Strype. And as the very well knew how far learning was fubfervient to the promoting of piety and virtue among the people, fo fhe ufed her utmoft endeavours for the establishment and improvement of it. For, as Mr. Strype obferves, when the act was made, that all colleges, chantries, and free chapels fhould be at the king's disposal, the univerfity of Cambridge was under terrible apprehenfions, and well knowing the queen's great affection to learning, they addreffed their letters to her, by Dr. Smith, (afterwards Sir Thomas Smith, fecretary of state to king Edward) intreating her majefty to intercede with the king for their colleges; which he effectually performed.

This fhews the great influence she had over
Ессе

the king, and the good ufe fhe made of it; fhe deferved his favour, for the feems to have made it her principal care to be obfequious to his will. And as it was her fortune to share with him in the latter part of his life, which was attended with almoft continual indifpofitions; fo his ill health joined fuch fiercenefs of manners to his former intractable difpofition, as rendered it a task extremely difficult even for his prime favourites to make themfelves agreeable to them, and retain his efteem; yet fuch were the amiable qualities of this queen, that by a moft obliging tenderness, and an engaging turn of converfation, the not only preferved his affection, under all his pains and fickness, but greatly contributed to the alleviation of them, which fixed her fo intirely in his good graces, that after the bishop of Winchefter had failed in his scheme, none of her enemies durft make any attempts against her.

Her great zeal for the reformation, and earneft defire to have the fcriptures underftood by the common people, induced her to employ feveral learned perfons to tranflate Erafmus's paraphrafe on the New Teftament into English, at her own expence. She engaged the lady Mary (afterwards queen) in tranflating the paraphrafe on St. John, and wrote to her an epifile in Latin for that purpole.

King Henry dying January 28, 1546-7, when the had been his-wife three years, fix months, and five days; fhe was married not long after to Sir Thomas Seymour, lord admiral of England, and uncle to king Edward VI.

This unhappy mariage raised her a new fcene of troubles; for between the matchlefs pride and impericufnefs of her fifter-in-law the duchefs of Somerfet, and the boundless ambition and other bad qualities of the admiral, fuch furious animofities enfued, as proved the deftruction of both families; which neceffarily involved her in fuch troubles and perplexities, as to put a final ftop to her ftudies, and to all temporal enjoy

ments.

She lived, however, but a thort time with the admiral; for, after being delivered of a daughter, he died in childbed, in September 1584, not without fufpicion of poifon, as feveral of our writers obferve. And indeed the herself apprehended fome unfair dealings, and on her death bed feverely reproached the admiral for his unkind ufage.

Where the died, or in what place interred, (ftrange as it may feem) we cannot find. None of our hiflorians who mention her death, take notice of thefe particulars; not even the induftrious Mr. Strype; but to make fome amends, he has obliged the world with a Latin epitaph, in praife of her, inribed to her memory hy Dr. Parkhurft, one

of her chaplains, and afterwards Bishop of Norwich.

NA

Curious Obfervations respecting the Condor. JATURAL hiftory, and above all that of remote countries, to which few travellers have had accefs, can never fail of affording pleasure; especially to thofe who are fond of contemplating the works of nature. People who are feparated from other nations, and confined to one spot, where the fame fcenes are inceffantly prefented to their eyes, become, in a manner, infenfible of the wonderful objects with which our globe abounds; and their curiofity can only be awakened by remarkable and extraordinary obfervations. Of this kind are the following refpecting the condor.

This monftrous and fingular bird is found in Peru, on the coafts of Chili, in the mountains of Quitto, in the Cordilleras, and other parts of South America. The diflance from the tip of one of its wings to the tip of the other, when extended, is generally 15 feet. Its claws resemble thofe of domeftic fowls rather than those of birds of prey; but its bill is ftrong enough to tear up the belly of an ox. It frequents the mountains, as its conftitution feems to require; for it would foon languish and droop, were it to remain in the low lands; it however comes down from the mountains in the time of rain, or when the cold is fevere. The ftrength and voracioufnefs of thefe birds are fo great, that we are affured they fometimes carry off and devour children of twelve years of age. This perhaps may be a little exaggerated; but it is certain that they orten feize lambs, and carry them away with the greateft facility.

The Indians have devifed various ftratagems to furprise them, and to ftop their tavages. Sometimes they place traps for them near fome carrion; others kill fome useless animal, and rub its flesh with certain noxious herbs, in order to poifon them; after whick they bury the flesh, until it becomes a little corrupted, and until the effluvia of the herbs be entirely evaporated, for these birds would not approach, did they in the leaft fmell them. They then take the animal from the earth, and leave it expofed to the open air. The condors come in great numbers to feed upon it; but they are foon intoxicated, and become giddy; they fall motionlels on the ground, and while they are in this ftate, which continues for fome time, the Indians have leifure to attack and kill them. Mr. Condamine relates another method used to defroy these animals, fo deftructive to the flocks. They expofe, as a bait, the figure of a child, made of a kind of earth, remarkably viscous and glutinous; upon this they dart down, with in

credible

credible force, and entangle their talons in fuch a manner, that they cannot extricate them. The condors have fo much flrength, that, with a fingle blow of their wings, they fometimes knock down a man who attempts to feize them. They even parry, in fome measure, with the affailants, and prefent one wing to ward off the blows which are aimed at them; fo that it is with great difficulty they can be either taken or killed.

T

The Hiftory of Okano. The Fragment of a Voyage to St. Domingo. [From the French of the Mercure de France.] HE Caribs, fo numerous in the American iflands when Columbus difcovered the new world, have been almoft entirely extirpated. The feeble remains of thefe people, which are ftill fcattered in the Weft, Indian Ifles, are either degenerated or nearly extinct. The inhuman conquerors who be gan this depopulation, have thought proper to paint them with the most unfavourable colours; but in thus traducing thefe poor people, in order to leffen the horror which their deftruction muft excite, they have not been able to conceal from us, how much the manners of these unfortunate Indians were diftinguished by gentleness and infantine fimplicity. When we contemplate them, even in the blackened pictures of the Spanish hiftorians, we fhall find a ftriking refemblance between these Caribs and the iflanders of the South Sea, which the celebrated Captain Cook and M. de Bougainville have exhibited in fuch interefting views. Such, indeed, is the man of nature; mild, artlefs, and intent only upon enjoyment, The fertile foil, the happy climate which he inhabits, afford in profufion without the flighteft labour, whatever can contribute to his felicity; and the primitive goodnefs of his heart is undegraded by the factitious paffions of civilized nations, or by the wants of thofe favage tribes that dwell in lefs favoured countries. Love is the only paffion to which he is fenfible with more than ordinary animation; that alone which can difturb the tranquillity of his foul.

The Caribs, notwithstanding their natural apathy, experienced the exceffes of this irrefiftible paffion; and as they obeyed its impulfe with greater impetuofity, and better underfood its delights than thofe nations do whom other cares engage, they felt allo with more impatience, perhaps, the reftraints of oppofition and impediment. These peaceful beings would then so far forget their natural character, as to yield to the horrid dictates of revenge and cruelty. Of this the following narrative is an inftance, which may give us, moreover, fome idea of the character of a people, whofe hiftory will, probably, ever remain unknown.

Torn, fome years ago, from the follies, infatuation, and heedleffnefs of youth, as well as from all the pleafures of study and friendship, I croffed the ocean, and landed at St Domingo. Fortune, which had juft exiled me from all that was dear to my heart, now appeared, as it were, difpofed to make me fome compenfation, by introducing me to one of thofe uncommon men, in whom the virtues are not less confpicuous than genius, and who ever command unfolicited admiration and refpect. Notwithstanding the inftantly gave me the moft cordial welcome. difparity of our years, this excellent man The climate had fubjected me to that cruel change, to which all are expofed who ar rive at the torrid zone. My generous friend, therefore, prevailed upon me to leave Cape Francois, for change of air, and to endeavour to perfect my recovery at his plantation.

Here I had liberty to indulge in that folitude, and in those reveries, of which I had been ever fond. With a volume of Homer, of Racine, or of Fenelon in my hand, I wandered often along the plantations of fugar-canes, to vifit the banks of a fine river, which almoft furrounds my friend's extenfive eftate. I then followed a majeftic walk of bamboos, that extended to the mouth of the river. A fmall meadow, partly fhaded by a foreft of logwood and mangoetrees, prefented in this fpot an enchanting landscape. On the other fide of the river, are the downs that separate the Limba from Port Margot; and, beyond thefe, is an immenfe extent of ocean, where the eye is amufed by the veffels conftantly paffing in all directions.

While I was admiring this magnificent profpect, and my foul, borne, as it were beyond the waves, followed the diftant veffels, or flew towards my country and my friends, I perceived a naked man often cross the fhore at fome diftance from me, caft his net into the fea, and return, laden with fish, to a little grove of mangoes. I took him, for fome time, to be one of the mongrel inhabitants of the island, a fisherman in the neighbourhood. But, at laft, his industry in this folitary fpot excited my curiofity; and, one day, I followed him as he was returning to his afylum. Here fome leaves of the palm-tree formed a little hovel fuffici ent to shelter him from the violent rains. A hammock, made of a kind of hemp that fpontaneously grows here, was fufpended on two trees; and many calabashes of different fizes, admirably carved, were all the utensils he had*.