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Printed by JOHN NICHOLS, for DAVID HENRY, late of St. John's
Gate; and fold by ELIZ. NEWBERY, the Corner of St.
Paul's Church-Yard, Ludgate - Street. 1786.

To SYLVANUS URBAN, Esq. ON COMPLETING HIS FIFTY-SIXTH Volume.

VOLUme.

'HOUGH Fortune, with capricious hand,

TH

Disjoins the literary band;

Though rocks and defarts intervene,

And though whole oceans roll between;
Yet, not by defarts rude confin'd,

The mind fweet converfe holds with mind
. Their mutual commerce to restrain,
Rocks rife and oceans roll in vain.

What Fortune's wayward will denies,
URBAN, thy useful work fupplies;
Thy grateful arts, thy friendly page,
Approximate the diftant fage;
To us, a grateful tribute, bring
What bards in other regions fing,
The frozen wafte, the torrid zone;
And all their labours are our own.

O grateful to the wife and good,
Be ftill that useful art pursued!
And, unimpair'd by toil and time,

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Still mayft thou Learning's fummits climb!
Nor faint or falt'ring step betray

The fickly fymptoms of decay!

And though your polish'd labours, pure
From meretricious charms, allure
No literary fempftrefs' eye,

And though no 'prentic'd ftripling buy:
URBAN, for thee a nobler train

And better patronage remain;

The Bard, Philofopher, and Sage,
Approve thy toil, adorn thy page:
And, grac'd with fair and well-earn'd fame,
Thy candid work, thy friendly name
Secure fhall live to latest days,
Confirm'd by JOHNSON's aid and praise.

PREFACE TO THE FIFTY-SIXTH VOLume.

H

AVING now completed the FIFTY-SIXTH VOLUME of THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, we may, we hope, without Vanity, be permitted to fay, that, as it is the FIRST in Seniority, it is ftill the FIRST in the public Eftimation. We have nothing to hazard by afferting, that the Entertainment and Inftruction it contains is agreeable to the Polite and the Learned of all Denominations; fince that Entertainment and that Inftruction is communicated by Correfpondents of the first Confequence in every Department of Literature. Not only patronifed, but in a manner created, by fuch admirable Auxiliaries, THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, as a faithful Mirror of the Times, cannot fail of exhibiting to the next Age the Genius and the Talents that are confpicuoufly displayed in this. On the part of the Conductors of it we fhall only add, that the very great Increase of Sale fince the Enlargement of their Volumes is the most folid Proof of the general Approbation of their prefent Plan; and that their greatest Difficulty is, the being under a frequent Neceffity to poftpone, much longer than they could with, the Infertion (and even the Acknowledgement) of Favours received. Several Fapers under this Defcription will be found in the prefent SUPPLEMENT; and many others will appear in JANUARY. In the mean time, we must entreat the further Indulgence of our Friends, for those we are yet unable to bring forward.

Dec. 31, 1786.

INDEX INDICATORIUS.

ZEPHYRUS fuggefts the Practicability of a Junction in the narrow Part of the Irish Channel, between Scotland and Ireland; and earnestly recommends a Survey to be made, as the Execution of such a bold Design would attract the Admiration of the World, and immortalize the Reign in which it was begun, and the Era in which it should be completed. What an extenfive Afylum would this afford for the numerous Swarms of Felons, Vagabonds, Vagrants, idle and disorderly Perfons, who, instead of being, as at prefent, an intolerable Burthen on the Publick, might all be usefully emploved on the moft ftupendous Work that ever aggrandized a Country! Should Minifters be inclined to adopt this Scheme, no Time fhould be loft in furveying the Coaft, and reporting on the Practicability of it; for there cannot be a Doubt of the Concurrence of Parliament (if it fhould be judged practicable) to carry it into Execution. In the Works now carrying on by the French at Cherburg, it is afferted that more than 10,000 Men are employed.-A Friend to Peace moft heartily joins with other Correfpondents in withing and requesting that our ufeful Repofitory may never be made the Channel of Religious Controverty. For the Sake of that Charity which thinketh no Evil, he entreats us not to admit any more "railing Accufations, or perverse Wranglings," into our hitherto impartial Mifcellany. He trufts, that to Effays, &c. recommending practical Religion and found Morals, it will always be open; and, we will add, to Letters explanatory of the Sacred Text; but to violent Contentions and unmannerly Perfonalities it fhall be fhut for ever.-LAICUS, highly

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offended

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