My late Townfmen and Neighbours, AFTER living with you eleven years, in which you had uniform experience of my peaceful behaviour, in the attention to the quiet ftudies of my profeffion, and thofe of philofophy, I was far from expecting the injuries which I and my friends have lately received from you. But you have been mifled. By hearing the diffenters, and particularly the Unitarian diffenters, continually railed at, as enemies to the prefent Government in Church and State, you have been led to confider any injury done to us as a meritorious thing; and not having been better informed, the means were not attended to. When the object was right, you thought the means could not be wrong. By the difcourfes of your teachers, and the exclamations of your fuperiors in general, drinking confufion and damnation to us (which is well known to have been their frequent practice), your bigotry has been excited to the highest pitch, and nothing having been faid to you to moderate your pallions, but every thing to inflame them; hence, without any confideration on your part, or on theirs, who ought to have known, and taught you better-you were prepared for every species of outrage; thinking that whatever you could do to fpite and injure us, was for the fupport of Government, and efpecially the Church. In defroying us, you have been led to think, you did God and your country the moft fubftantial fervice. Happily the minds of Englishmen have a horror at murder, and therefore you did not, I hope, think of that; though, by your clamorous demanding of me at the Hotel, it is probable that, at that time, fome of you intended me fome perfonal injury. But what is the value of life, when every thing is done to make it wretched? In many cafes, there would be greater mercy in difpatching the inhabitants, than in burning their houses. However, I infinitely prefer what I feel from the spoiling of my goods, to the difpofition of those who have mifled you. You have deftroyed the most truly valu able and useful apparatus of philofophical inftruments that perhaps any individual, in this or any other country, was ever poffeffed of, in my ufe of which I annually spent large fums, with no pecuniary view whate ver, but only in the advancement of fcience, for the benefit of my country and of mankind. You have deftroyed a library correfponding to that apparatus, which no mo time. But what I feel far more, you have destroyed manufcripts, which have been the refult of the laborious ftudy of many years, and which I fhall never be able to recom pofe; and this has been done to one who never did, or imagined you any harm. I know nothing more of the band-bill, which is faid to have enraged you fo much, than any of yourselves, and I difapprove of it as much; though it has been made the oftenfible handle of doing infinitely more mifchief than any thing of that nature could poffibly have done. In the celebration of the French Revolution, at which I did not attend, the company affembled on the occafion only expreffed their joy in the emancipation of a neighbouring nation from tyranny, without intimating a defire of any thing more than fuch an improvement of our own Conftitution, as all fober citizens, of every perfuafion, have long wifhed for.And though, in answer to the gross and unprovoked calumnies of Mr Madan and others, I publicly vindicated my principles as a Diffenter, it was only with plain and fober argument, and with perfect good humour. We are better inftructed in the mild and forbearing fpirit of Christianity, than ever to think of having recourfe to violence; and can you think fuch conduct as yours any recommendation of your religious principles, in preference to ours? You are still more mistaken, if you imagine that this conduct of yours has any tendency to serve your caufe, or to prejudice ours. It is nothing but reafon and argument that can ever fupport any fyftem of religion. Answer our arguments, and your business is done; but your having recourfe to violence, is only a proof that you have nothing better to produce. Should you deftroy myself as well as my houfe, library, and apparatus, ten more perfons, of equal or fuperior spirit and ability, would infantly rife up. If those ten were deftroyed, an hundred would ap pear; and believe me, that the Church of England, which you now think you are fupporting, has received a greater blow by this conduct of yours, than I and all my friends have ever aimed at it. Befides, to abufe those who have no power of making refiftance is equally cowardly and brutal, peculiarly unworthy of Englishmen, to fay nothing of Chriftianity, which teaches us to do as we would be done by.In this bufinefs we are the fheep, and you the wolves. We will preferve our character, and hope you will change yours. At all events, we return you bleflings for curfes; and pray that you may foon return to that industry, and thofe fober manners, for which the inhabitants of Birmingham were formerly distinguished. I am, Your fincere well-wisher, The following are a correct list of the houfes destroyed :— Dwelling houfes burned. Dr Priestley's, Fair-Hill. William Ruffel's, Efq. on the Lon on Mofley-Hall, fome miles from Birming ham, Mr Hobfon's, near Mofley, Mr Hutton's, near Wathford Heath, Meeting-Houfes burned. A Meeting, King's Heath. Houses gutted. Mr Hutton's, Birmingham, Some little injury at Hay-Hall; a few windows broken, and fome small damage done elsewhere. July 13. The first General Court of the Sierra Leona Company was held at the London Tavern. Sir John Call was voted into the chair, and after confirming fome preliminary bye laws, which had previously been agreed upon by a Committee, they proceeded to the choice of the follow ing thirteen Directors :-Granville Sharp, Efq.-Henry Thornton, Efq-John Kingfton, Efq.-William Wilberforce, Efq.-Sir Charles Middleton, Bart.-Philip Sanfom, Efq.-Jof. Hardcastle, Efq.-Vickeris Taylor, Efq-William Sandford, Efq.-George Ernft Woolff, Efq.-The Rev. Thomas Clarkfon-Samuel Parker, Efq.-and Mr Tho. Eldred. SCOTLAND. The French Revolution was celebrated at London, Edinburgh, and the other principal towns, both in England and Scotland, Extract of a Letter from Lerwick, Shetland, without any disturbance. 20th June. "Such a fortnight of weather I never re The following address has been read in member; almost a constant storm; so much all the Catholic Chapels in London : To all the FAITHFUL, CLERGY, and LAITY fo, that there has been no intercourse with choly accounts from the fishing boats; a she North Ifles. There is the most melancertainty of the lofs of eight boats and their crews; many other boats loft; feveral people have been washed overboard by the fea, and taken up. Mr Sanderfon has loft three boats and their crews, and half of another boat and crew; Mr Bruce of Urie, one; "A humane and generous legiflature has Mr Edmonton, one; Mr Chyne, one ; and feen the oppreflion under which we have another North Maving boat. The accounts laboured, and, by an act worthy of its enwe have are, that there are 54 men drownlightened wifdom, has redreffed the grieved, and above 150 fatherless children left. ances of which we complained. "At length the day is arrived, when I may congratulate with you on the greatest of bleffings-the free exercife of our holy religion. As our emancipation from the preffure of penal laws muft awaken every feeling of a grateful mind, haften to correfpond on your part with the benignity of Government. Hafen to give our gracious Sovereign that teft of loyalty which the legiflature calls for, and to difclaim every principle dangerous to fociety and civil liberty, which has been erroneously imputed to you. *Continue to perform a uniform virtuous line of conduct; giving no offence to any man, that our miniftry be not blamed. Provide things good, not only in the fight of God, but alto in the fight of all men, and let an univerfal benevolence ever characterife you in the eyes of your fellow-citi zens. God help them! Their profpects are deplorable. The severity of the weather and northerly wind has deftroyed every fort of vegetation in the country, and very foon there will not be a stone-weight of meal to fell in Lerwick." For the unhappy widows and orphans of thefe unfortunate people, fubfcriptions were fet on foot, and feveral liberal collections made in Edinburgh and other places. lea feven Juftices of the Peace to be Com- Andrew Wauchope of Niddry, Efq; Robert Trotter of Bush, Efq; ་ The Commiffioners named in the act are: The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, The Members in Parliament for the City. The four Bailies of Edinburgh, The Convener of the Trades of Edin- The Admiral of Leith, The Baron Bailie of Canongate, The Sheriff-fubftitute of the County of The Commiffioners, thus appointed and elected, any nine or more of whom are declared to be a quorum, are appointed to meet annually in the Parliament Houfe, upon the firft Monday of July, to elect a Prefes, who is to have his own, as well as a cafting or decifive vote, in cafe of an equality; and thereafter they are authorised to elect fix of their number as a Committee to continue for one year, which Committee is to have the fame powers as are vested in the whole Commiffioners, provided that two of the fix are Juftices appointed Commiffioners by the Freeholders of the county of Edinburgh. This day, July 4, at one o'clock, a meeting of the Commiffioners accordingly took place, in terms of the Act of Parliament, when they unanimously made choice of the Right Hon. James Stirling, Lord Provost, to be their prefes, and John Gray, Efq. one of the principal City Clerks, to be their Clerk. The Meeting, afterwards, upon the motion of the Lord Advocate, adjourned to the Council Chamber, where they made choice of the following Committee to manage the bufinefs till the firft Monday of July next, viz. The Lord Provost, David Milne, Efq. Firft Bailie, James Rocheid of Inverleith, Efq. The following are the appointments for the enfuing Autumn Circuits: North-LORD JUSTICE CLERK and LORD Perth, Wednesday, 7th Sept. 9th Sept. 15th Sept. HIGHLAND SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND. A General Meeting of this Society, agreeable to their charter, was held here, when, after a ballot, as required by the laws of the Society, before proceeding to other business, the following new Members were dulyeleced, and admitted, viz. Moft Hon. the Marquis of Huntly, the Society, as contained in the advertisements made by the Directors, offering Premiums for the Introduction of Manufactures, improving the breed of Black Cattle, for encouraging proprietors to establish and build Inland Towns and Villages in the Highlands of Scotland, and to the Authors of Effays of Merit and useful Communications on the fubject of the Fisheries, and other articles connected with the plan of this inftitution, and also for promoting of Agriculture, and for improvements in the mode of manufacturing and making Kelp. The Meeting alfo approved of the Report of the Committee of Directors as to the purchase which they have made of a Hall on the South Bridge for their meetings, to which they have been encouraged by the exertions of the Directors in carrying for ward the plan of this inftitution, and thereby promoting the profperity of the Society. It gave much fatisfaction alfo, to learn by a letter from Mr Nicholfon younger of Lochend, to Sir John Sinclair of Ulbfter, one of the Vice Presidents, that the premiums for the production of fine-wool'd Shetland tups, at the exhibition to be foon held there, have excited a fpirit of exertion and emulation among all ranks; fo that the intention of this Society, by their offer of premiums for improving the fleece in these iflands, fo remarkable for fine wool, will, it is hoped, have the defired effect, and tend greatly to the public benefit, as well as to the private advantage of that part of the country. SHEEP-SHEARING FESTIVAL. FRIDAY, July 1. This festival was held at Newhall's inn near the Queensferry. About 30 ladies and 70 gentlemen of rank were prefent, who were received, as they arrived, by Sir John Sinclair, the Chairman of the Society for the improvement of British wool. The company began to affemble abont one o'clock, and were conducted to a grafs plot in a garden belonging to Mr Dundas of Duddingfton, adjoining to the inn. In the centre of the green a pole was erected, with erofs branches, on which were fufpended specimens of various kinds of wool, and in particular, fome dreffed skins of the Shetland breed of sheep, with the wool adhering, which were greatly admired. Latin infcriptions appeared on a tablet fixed at the top of the pole, applicable to the occafion of the meeting. There were fheep of various breeds and countries collected in the garden, and on the neighbouring banks, víz. Spanish, English, Scots, and Shetland; and to add to this group, Mr Dundas of Dundas fent there fome theep from Abyffinia. The sheep-fhearing began about two o'clock, which Mr Cully's clipper performed, and was much praised. The wool of the various breeds was exhibited, with labels denoting the kind and peculiarities of its texture. During the sheep-fhearing, a band of mufic attended, and played a great variety of favoutite Scots airs adapted to the occafion. The ladies were in general dreffed in white muflin, with flowers and various coloured ribbons, and each bore a shepherdess crook decorated with taste and fancy. The day being favourable, the appearance on the green, of fo much beauty and elegance, afforded a spectacle at once pleasing and entertaining: and here none was more distinguifhed than the venerable patriotic Countefs Dowager of Dundonald, whose hat was decorated with a bandeau of wool from her own flock, and dyed by herfelf, of various beautiful vivid colours, which had a fine effect. Several of the gentlemen were prefented by her ladyfhip with cockades, and other ornaments of this material. The gentlemen were dreffed varioufly, as tafte and fancy fuggefted. Some of them appeared in cloth made from their own flocks, with crooks on their buttons, &c. and fome of the ladies in gowns of their own spinning. A little after four o'clock, the company left the garden, and sat down to an elegant entertainment in a large room adjoining to the inn. The first toaft, given by Sir John Sinclair, who was in the chair, was, "the Royal Shepherd of Great Britain, and fuccefs to his flock." A fignal was then made to the Hind frigate, which lay at anchor at a little diftance, and a round of twenty-one guns was fired in honour of fo popular a toaft. A number of other loyal and patriotic toafts were afterwards given, and the amor patria appeared to glow fo much in every breaft, that no affemblage could have exhibited more harmony and happiness than appeared on this occafion. After tea and coffee, the ball was opened by the Countess of Hopetoun and Sir John Sinclair, and continued till near twelve, when the company feparated, highly pleased with the day's entertainment. Their country is much indebted to the Noblemen and Gentlenen for promoting fo very important objects; and in this inftance of the feftival they have pleafantly united the dulce cum utili. It is impoffible to give the names of all the refpectable and diftinguished characterswho were prefent on the occafion; but we may mention a few, viz. the Marquis of Huntly, the Earls of Morton and Buchan, the Dowager Countess of Dundonald, the Earl and Countess of Hopetoun, Lady Hopes, Lord and Lady Elibank, Lord Macdonald, and the Hon. Mr Macdonald; the Hon. Captain and Mrs Cochran, Mr Heron. ard Ladu Lady Elizabeth Heron; Hon. Lieut. Murray, the Lord Chief Baron, his Lady and family; the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Sir Thomas Blacket and family; Sir Gilbert Elliot, Sir John Inglis and family; Sir Michael Malcolm, Sir John Henderson, Sir James and Lady Foulis; Sir William Ramfay, Sir John and Lady Sinclair; Lady Clerk, Mark Pringle, Efq; M. P. Mr and Mrs Belfches; Capt. and Mrs Mackay; Mr Ramfay of Barnton; Mr Afkew of Pallinfburn, &c. Sir Thos Blacket, Mr Afkew, &c. came from England to attend Meff. Robert Young, Charles Kerr, Robert Anderson. Those marked thus are newly elected, the others continued. EDINBURGH RACES. this pleasing festival, which we are happy July 18. The City of Edinburgh's Plate of to find is to be celebrated annually hereafter. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, July 11. This day came on the election of Chairman, Directors, and Office Bearers of the Chamber of Commerce here for the enfuing year, when the following gentlewere unanimously chosen : William Ramfay, Efq, of Barnton, Chair man. Neil McVicar, Esq. Senior Deputy Chair man. Robert Allan, Efq. Junior Deputy Chair man. George Kinnear, Treasurer. AUDITORS OF ACCOUNTS Meff. Andrew Bonar, John Hay, James Rennie, David Ramfay. Robert Walker, Chaplain, Meff. George Hay, Francis Sharp, David Steuart, L.50 was won by Mr Spence's bay mare Gipfey-An excellent Tuesday laft, between two and three o'clock afternoon, we had a heavy rain, which lafted about fifteen minutes, and inundated many parts of the city to such a degree, that for fome time there was no paffing along the pavement. Soon after the rain, the expanfe became amazingly clear, and the fun fhone uncommonly bright, attended with great heat. About that time an appearance was feen in the heavens, refembling a ferpent, flying in the direction of from weft to eaft. The horizon being perfectly clear in that direction, it was visible for fome minutes, and then feemed to part in a great many pieces. Before its feparation, it was to appearance at least two hundred yards long, and its motion refembled that of a fhip's pendant difplayed at the masthead in a gale of wind. COURT |