By perfeverance and bribery he acquired the whole, when the plot was difcovered, and he fled with the utmost precipitation, on board a fhip, at the hazard of his life, taking with him two natives, who had favoured his intereft and his life, at the risk of their own. But though he judged the danger over, he was yet to become a facrifice.

Arriving fafe with his acquired knowledge, he fixed upon Derby as a proper place for his purpofe, becaufe the town was likely to fapply him with a fufficient number of hands, and the able ftream with a conflant fapply of water. This happened about the year

1717

He agreed with the Corporation' for an ifland or fwamp in the river, five hundred feet long, and fifty-two wide, at eight pounds per am, where he erected the prefent werks, containing eight apartments, and 468 windows, at the expence of about 30,000l. This island, with another, called the Byeflat, were part of the continent, but feparated, ages paft, by cutting two fluices to work four fets of mills. The ground continuing Bat, farther weit, would yet allow one or two fets

more.

This ponderous building ftands upon huge piles of oak, from fixteen to twenty feet long, driven clofe to each other with an engine made for the purpose. Over this folid mafs of tinber is laid a foundation of tone."

During three or four years, while this grand affair was contracting, he hired various room; in Derby, and particularly the Towa-hall, where he erected temporary engines, turned by hand. And although he reduced the prices fo far below thofe of the Italians, as to enable him to monopolize the trade, yet the overflowings of profit were fo very confiderable, as to enable him to pay for the grand machine as the work went on.

ral years before the leafes were executed, which was not done till 1724, and exren led to Seventy-nine years.,

Being established to his with, he procurea,in 1718 a patent from the Crows, to fecure the profits during fourteen years. But, alas! he had not purfued this lucrative commerce more than three or four years when the Italians, who felt the effects of the theft from their want of trade, determined his deftrust on, and hoped that his works would follow.

An artful wo nan came over in the character of a friend, alíociated with the parties, and affisted in the bufinefs. She attempted to gain both the Italins, and face eded with one. By thefe two, flow poifon was fuppofed, and perhaps juttly, to have been administered to Joha Lombe, who lingered two or three years in agonics, and departed. The Italian ran away to his own country; and Madam was interrogated, but nothing tranfpired except what fire.thened fu picion.

John dying a bachelor, his property fell into the lands of his brother Witham, who enjoyed, or rather poffelled the works, but a fort time; for, being of a melancholy turn, he fhot himfelf. This fuperb eretion, therefore, become the property of his confin Sir Thomas Lombe. I believe this happened about the year 1726.

If the Itahans deftroyed the man, they miscarred in their defiga upon the works; for they b came more fuccof fal, and contiuued to employ 2bout 300 people.

In 1732 the patent expired; when Sir Thomas, a true picture of human nature, petitioned Parlament for a renewal, and pleaded, "That the works had taken fo lorg a time in pafecting, and the people in teaching, that there had been none to acquie emolument from the patent." forgot to inform them that he had already accumulated more than 85,00ul. thus veracity flics before proht. It is, however, no wonder dignife should

It appears that the building was completed, and in full employ, feve

But he

appear at St Stephen's, where the heart and the tongue fo often difagree. Government, willing to fpread fo ufeful an invention, gave Sir Thomas 14.col. to fuffer the trade to be open, and a model of the works taken; which was for many years depofited in the Tower, and confidered the greatest curiofity there.

A mill was immediately erected at Stockport, in Che hire, which drew many of the hands from that of Derby, and, among others, that of Na

thanial Gartrevalli, the remaining Ita lian, who, fixteen years before, canie over with John Lombe: him I per. fonally kaew; he ended his days in poverty; the frequent reward of the the man who ventures his life in a base caufe, or betrays h's country. Since then, eleven mills have been erected in Derby, and the filk is now the ftaple trade of the place: more than a thoufand hands are faid to be employed in the various works, but they are ali opon a diminutive fcale compared with this.

3. Various Tracts concerning the Peerage of Scotland; collected from the Public Records, Original Inftruments, and Authentic Marufcripts; to which is annexed, an Appendix, containing many Original Papers; and, among others, an authentic Account of the Foundation of the Principality of Scotland; with the Diplomas of fundry of the Nobility, particularly of thofe Peers whofe Votes were oljected to at the laft General Eletion. pp. 164. 400. burgh, rinted for the Author, and fold by Witfon, Elder, and Co. J. Manay, London. 1791.

Edin

following pages, the author tells us, contain much curious Totter refpecting the nobility of Scotland,ot highauthority and great moment. The years 1320 and 1606 were the moft memorable æras in the whole annals of the Scotch peerage: the 1320 for the glorious ttruggle they mide for their independency, which is fufficiently explained in their letter to the Pope. The 1606 was replete with the proceedings which took place before the commiflioners authorifed by King James VI. concerning the precedency of the nobility, fufficiently explained in the preamble of the De

creet of Ranking. Thofe proceed ings are now fubmitted to the public, printed from an authentic copy of a manufcript collection depofited in the Ebrary of the Faculty of Advocates, written by Sir James Balfour, of Denmila, Lord Lyon King at arms to Charles I. What the editor apprehends fhould enhance the value of this publication, is, that the privy council records for the 1606, from whence thofe proceedings were collected, are now loft.

The fecond part contains memorials out of the un rinted books of parliament, which were co lested by the fame learned autiquary about the year 1610; a period when our records were much more perfect than they now are.

Part third is certified by a late Lord Clerk Register; and the append x is taken from original inftruments, from papers written by Sir Lewis Stewart, advocate to King Charles I. and by the late George Chalmers, writer to the fignet; both of whom were men of diftinguished abilities, and are well known to the learned. The diplomas were excerpted from the records, by a late under-keeper thereof, about thirty years ago.

The editor hopes that it will be no unacceptable

acceptable piece of information to the public, to lay before them the report given by the Lords of Council and Seffion in 1740 to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, refpecting the and the ftate of the public repeerage cords of the kingdom of Scotland. Their Lordships reported thus: They prefume humbly to inform your Lordhips, that, through various accidents, the fate of their records, particularly of their most ancient, is imperfect; for, not to mention other misfortunes, it appears by an examination to be found among the records of parliament 8th January, 1661, that of the regifers, which having been carried to England during the ufurpation of Cromwell, were bringing back from London, after the restoration, by fea, eighty-five hogheads were, in a form, fhifted out of the frigate the Eagle into another veffel, which funk with thefe records at fea; and ten hogfheads more of the records, brought down from London at that time, lie ftill unopened in the General Regifter Houfe, through fome neglect of the officers to whofe charge they were committed, that cannot well be accounted for; fo that, upon this feparate account, your lord hips will perceive a fearch into the ancient records cannot give reafonable fatisfaction.

In addition to what their lordflips have reported, the editor can, with much certainty add, that the rolls of parliament, from 2d December, 1673, to 28th July, 1681, are loit, he being in poffefion of a certificate to this purpofe.

Under thefe imperfections and chaims in our records, the editor humbly fubmits the propriety of the prefent publication. For, to the leaft informed mind, even a copy of a copy taken from a record which does not now exift, or is now in an imperf.& ftate, is of moment.

The contents of this work are: De Jure Prelationis Nobilium Scotia, in

three parts. Part first contains the whole production, &c. made by the noblemen in 1656, &c. collected from the records by Sir James Balfour, of Denmiln, Knight, Lord Lyon King at Arms. The Decreet pronounced by the commiffioners in 1606, commonly called the decreet of ranking. Part fecond, memorials extracted out of unprinted books and acts of parliament, collected alfo by Sir James Balfour, anno 1610. Part third. Certificate concerning rolls of parliament. -The appendix contains a letter from the nobility of Scotland to Pope John in anno 1320, tranflated into English. The foundation charter of the principality and stewartry of Scotland, by Robert III. Another charter by King Robert, in anno 1405. Memorial concerning the principality, writ.en in 1752, including the cale of le duchy of Cornwall. A&t of parliament annexing the lands of Drumcoll, and others to the principality, extracted from the colle&ions of Sir Lewis Stewart, advocate to King Charles 1. Decreet at the initance of King James IV. agiinit John, Lord Carlile, anno 1488. A&t of parliament, fhewing that the principality was erected before 1489. Acts of parliament, fhewing that the king's eldeft fon was called prince. Abtract charter of ing George I. creating his eldcft fon, George Prince of Wales, and Earl of Chefter, anno 1714. Abstract of charter by King George 11. creating his grandfon (King George III.) Prince of Wales, aud Earl of Chetter. Contract of marriage between Mary Queen of Scotland, and James Duke of Orkacy, Earl of Bothwell, &c. Letter from Queen Mary to the Laid of Smeiton, 1568. The diplomas of the nobility, viz. the Duke of Queenf bury, &c. Earl of Marchmont, &c. Lord Belhaven, Lord Naiper, Newark, Lindores, Dunbar, Loudon, Sinclair, Ochiltree, and Caithnels; and, laftly, the union roll.

An

2. An impartial Account of the conduft of the Excife towards the Brew eries in Scotland, particularly in Edinburgh.Svo. No Publifher's name.

THIS is a violent attack on the principal officers of Excife in Scotland. It accufes them of betraying their trust, of confulting their own privare intereft at the expence of the public revenus, of partiality to the fraudulent and rigour to the fair trader. From the intemperate and abufive nature of this publication, joined to the circumftance of its being anonymous, we are precluded from any expectation of hearing the other fide of the question.

It is natural to imagine, that men charged with the execution and infore.ment of fovere and ungracious, though neceffry laws, will not cafily etcipe cenfure; the odium excited by thefe laws in the perfons fubject to them, will, by an eafy tranfition, be imputed to those who watch over their excution; and the charge of rigour and partiality, which every one is prone to make when he himself is concerned, will always be applied to off cers of the Revenue in proportion to the zeal with which they do their duty to the public. Accordingly, in this pamphlet, the perfons attacked are not baly made antwer.ble for the feverity of the Excife laws, but for opinions of King's Counfel, and decitions of Judg.s.

It is not long ago fince a more univerfal clamour was raid against the fame officers by certain perfons engaged in the diftillery. It was faid, that by their ignorance of the Excite laws, or from wilful malice, they had ruined the complainers, and had effectually crufired a manufacture which was to have enriched the country. A prof.cution was raised against them in the Exchequer, the attention of the country was folicited to the proceedings, damages to the amount of one hundred thousand pounds were ex

acted, and nothing lefs than the removal of the Commiffioners of Excife from the board, and of the principal officers under them, was talked of as fufficient punishment for the delinquency. But when the day of trial came, the judg ment of the Court, and the verdict of a special Jury, compleatly justified the proceedings and integrity of the defendants, and the high-founding pretenfions of the profecutors vanifhed into

air.

With regard to the fubject of this impartial acconut, it is fill more prudent to be cautious in fo ming a judgment. The candid will always be prepoff ffed against a caufe which needs to be fupported by perfonal invective and illiberal infinuation.

3. A Letter from Major Scott to Philip Francis, Efq; pp. 77. 8vo. 2s. Debrett, London, 1791.

THE object of this letter is to fhew, in a fhort and perfpicuous manner, the abfurdity of all the charges exhibited againit Mr Haftings, and the inconfiltency of his accufers. This the author does by proving, that many of them (particularly the opium contract) had the perfect concurrence of Mr Francis and others, befides the warmeft encomiums of Mr Pitt and Mr Dundas, and the approbation of that houfe which is now become his accufer. It is alfo fhewn, that the plans propofed by Mr Haltings, adopted by Lord Cornwallis, and fanctioned by the Board of Controul, the India Company, and Parliament, have been the means of increafing the indian revenue in all its branches.

It fhews the great difficulties Mr Haftings had to struggle with-the difapprobation expreffed at one part of his conduct refpecting the Rajan of Tanjore, and which conduct has fince been adopted by, and approved of, in another-that the miniftry, who are trying him for a variety of tuppofed oppreflions, have not, in a fingle inftance, altered his fyftem. &c. &c.

The

415

TH

HE cruel Isfandiar, King of Chechian, a little after his accellion to the throne, refolved to destroy his brothers and their children. Tifan was the youngest of thefe ft. At the age of feven years he found himself under the care of a Vizier, for whom his father had a particular friendinip. Cenghis, (this was the name of the Vizier) had a fon of the fame age with Tifan, and the only means of preferving the life of the young Prince, was to deliver his own fon to the murderer whom Isfandiar employed. Genghis had the courage to make fo great a facrifice, and preferred to the life of his own foa the fafety of one who might afterwards become the father of a whole people.

He retired with the young Tian, who paffed for his fon, to a remete province on the fouthern frontiers of Chechian, He ftopt in a fertile but uncultivated valley, furrounded with mountains and deferts, which feemed to be defined by nature for an afylum to the man who could find his happiness in himself, and to the young Prince who, at fo early an age, had already experienced the incon tancy of fortune.

In this place Genghis clablished a fort of colony, by giving liberty to a cercaia number of flaves of both fexes, whom he had bought for the purpose from the neighbouring Circaflians, condition of their allifting him to cultivate the deferts. Nature recompenced his attempts by the happiest fuccefs. In a few years the greater part of thole barren waftes was changed into fertile fields, into gardens and meadows, watered by a thousand rivulets which Genghis and his companions had connect from the neighbouring mountains. The happy inhabitants lived in abundance of the Deceffaries of life, and in that happy indigence of its fuperfluities which is the wealth of the fage and of him who is ignorant of them. Although all his companions had been his flaves, Genghis arrogated to himself no authority over them.

Every fpecies of inequality that is not dictated by nature herself, was banished from the cottages of these happy mortals. The fathers of families formed a fort of council, which deliberated on the general good, and compofed the little differences that could arife in a fociety fo fmall, fo content, and

thought neceffary, whatever fate might de termine concerning him. If he is deftined to the throne, faid he to himself, the people will blefs the afhes of the honeft Genghis for having formed for them a King who has lived in the habit of confidering men, even of the low ett clafs, as his equals; of expecting nothing from others which they may not in their turn exac from him; of owing his mar tenance only to his own labour a King incapable of entertaining the mad idea that millions of men were brought into the world sorely to maintain him in a fe of idk refs, and to put him in a condition of gratifying his every caprice. If fate, on the contrary, fhall referve him for a life of abfearity, ignorance of his origin will be a bleffing to him. To tell him that he was born for a higher can-lition of life, would in this laft cafe be cruelty.

Accordingly, Tifan, while he was feeding his flocks, had no idea that his birth had defigned him for fwaying a fceptre inftead of a crook. The royal blood that ran in his veius, was fo far from giving him any hint of his title to, I know not what, innate prorogatives over other men, that he, on the contrary, acknowledged as his fuperiors thofe who could work better than limfel, as they were certainly more ulcie. Often when the good Genghis faw the Prince retorning from his rural labour in a coat of the coarfeft ftuff, and his forchead bedewed with fweat, he would laugh inwardly at the ridiculous impudence of parafites,who would perfuade the great, that there is fome fecret charm in noble blood which conmmunicates an air of grandeur to their perion and their actions, fomething which diftinguithes them from oder nien, and which commands involuntary refpect. "Who would fay, that yonder young peaf nt is the fon of a King? He is sandfome, it is true; his eyes are ful offire; his features indicate a foul glowing with feufthi ty and engy; but, except my felf, no body fee, in him any thing but the fon of a petant, born to labour the ground; he himle' is fully convinced that our neighs bour Hyfire is incomparably a much better man than he."

From the courfe of life in which his reputed father educated Lim, the young Tifn loft that delicate complexion of lies and rofes, and that cffeminate air which doubtlefs would have detinguished him from the other children of the earth, had he beer bred in a court. But in recompence he gained a robuftand durable conftitution, the brown