fpiracies four thousand piaftres; giving him, at the fame time, leave to take what route he pleafed. The Dutch director, expecting to derive fome information from him concerning our voyage, received and fent him to Batavia. They left Macao the 14th of January 1772; landed at Fort Dauphin in Madagascar April 12; and at Port Louis in France on May 24. Auguft 6, the count obtained an interview with the duke d'Aiguillon, and concerted plans for forming a fettlement on the ifland of Madagascar.

"In France I had the happiness to And my uncle, the count de Benyow, commandant of the caftle and town of Bar, commander of the royal order of St. Lazare, and chevalier de St. Louis. The affiftance of this worthy relation, and the benevolence of his majesty, put me in a condition to fend an exprefs into Hungary, to enquire after my Spoufe and child. She arrived at the end of the year; but she had the miffortune to fee her fon expire, at the inftant of the arrival of my courier. An event which was the more affecting, as I was then in a fituation to provide for him very advantageoufly in France." On March 22, 1773, the count failed with three hundred men, for Madagafcar, to form a fettlement on that ifland, in favour of the French. On February 14, 1774, he arrived there; and the fuccefs of his enterprize, which is minutely given in this work, will be fufficiently understood by our readers in the following declaration, afterwards made to the British court.

DECLARATION.

"The count de Benyowfky, magnate by birth of Hungary, who has the honour to prefent the annexed propofitions to his Britannic majesty, has been charged, on the part of his late majefty Lewis XV. to form an establishment upon the island of Madagascar, in the year 1772, with orders to contract treaties of commerce and friendship with the natives of the country. He followed his miffion for five years, and having accomplished it, he acquainted the court of Verfailles with his fuccefs; but the French miniftry, being defirous of changing the treaties of commerce

and friendship into an unlimited fubmif. fion, on the part of the chiefs and people of the ifland, fent orders to the count de Benyowfky to change the fyftem agreed upon, and to establish an unlimited fu periority, which could not be executed without infringing the primitive treaties concluded with the natives of the country: he thought proper, therefore, to forward his refignation to the court, which immediately fent Meffrs. Bellecombe and Chevreau, in quality of commiffaries and inspectors for the king, to examine the conduct of count de Benyowfky, who was found to be fully juftified by the original inftructions; and the commiffaries of the king could not refufe him a juftificatory act. As foon as he had obtained this, he gave up his charge of commandant and governor-general, by entirely renouncing the fervice of France. The chiefs and people of Madagascar being informed of the mortifications the count de Benyowfky had received, and being defirous of teftifying their gratitude, affembled, and conferred upon him the charge of fupreme judge, and fupreme chief of the nation. Furnished with this title, he has obtained authority and power to treat in Europe, for the eftablifhment of connections, either of trade, intereft, or friendship, in order to accelerate the civilization of the inhabitants of Madagafcar. With this charge, the count de Benyowfky returned to Europe, where he experienced a violent perfecution, on the part of the French miniftry; to avoid which, he paffed into the fervice of his majefty, the emperor, in hopes of obtaining from that fovereign, the affistance he was in want of for Madagascar. But having foon received information, that the interefts of his Imperial majefty were not calculated to accomplish his engagements, he regularly quitted that fervice; and, during two years, has employed himself in the execution of his charge.

"His good fortune will be complete, if he fhould fucceed in interefting his majefty, and shall obtain the affiftance he is in need of, to accomplish the defires of an amiable and worthy nation, which has given him their unbounded confidence."

The

The count failed for Maryland April 14, 1784, with a cargo worth near four thousand pounds, for Madagascar trade but no European flag being obtained, a refpectable houfe at Baltimore accepted his propofitions, and joined in the fcheme; they fupplied him with an armed hip of four hundred and fifty tons, eftimated with her cargo and ftores at as much more as the London goods. October 25, 1784, he failed from Baltimore: on July 7, he landed and unloaded on the island, and proceeded overland to the bay of Autoagil, where the fhip was to meet him. But, at, tempting, in conjunction with the natives, to drive out the French, he was overtaken by a frigate from the idle of France, and, in an attack on their factory at Foul Point, May 23, 1786, was fhot dead, with many of his men, between a fmall redoubt which he had thrown up. His wife, whether Polish or Japanese is not certain, appears to have been with him at this period, and was most probably involved in the fate of himself and his party. To add to her misfortunes, he was at the time pregnant.

Mr. Nicholson, the tranflator, in fumming up the character of this adventurer, fays, that he has not yet feen any thing against him which will not bear two interpretations, or which has not been written by men who had an intereft in traducing his character. Nothing, however, is more certain, from the count's relation, than that he was deficient in the principles of morality and integrity: he undoubtedly poffeffed a daring fpirit for enterprize, and much perfonal courage: with a purer heart, it is probable, that his designs might have been carried into execution, with credit to himself, and with advantage to his patrons.

Mr. Sheridan's Editions on a revifal however, it turns out that fomne fmall articles have been admitted. The three following pieces are not in this predi cament.

"THE COURTIER'S CREED.

"I believe in k. G. the Second, the greateft captain and the wifeft monarch between heaven and earth; and in fir R. W. his only minifter, our lord g who was begotten of Barret the attor ney, born of Mrs. W. of Houghton, accufed of corruption, convicted, expelled and imprisoned: he went down into Norfolk: the third year he came up again. He afcended into the adminiftration, and fitteth at the head of the Treafury, from whence he fhall pay all those who vote as they are commanded.

"I believe in Horace's treaties, the fanctity of the bishops, the independency of the lords, the integrity of the com mons, restitution from the Spaniards, refurrection of credit, difcharge of the public debts, and peace everlasting.

Amen.

The lady to whom the following letter is addreffed, the doctor feriously meant to have married.

"To Mifs JANE WARYNG, "MADAM,

Dublin, May 4, 1700. "I am extremely concerned at the account you give of your health; for my uncle told me he found you in appearance better than you had been in fome years, and I was in hopes you had still continued fo. God forbid I fhould ever be the occafion of creating more troubles to you, as you feem to intimate! The letter you defired me to anfwer I have frequently read, and thought I had replied to every part of it that required; however, fince you are pleafed to repeat thofe particulars where in you defire fatisfaction, I shall endeavour to give it you as well as I am able. You would know what gave my temper that fudden turn, as to alter the style of my letters fince I laft came over. If there has been that alteration you observe, I have told you the cause abundance of times. I had used a thousand endeavours and arguments, to get you from the company and place you are in both on account of your health and humour, which I thought were like to suffer very much in fuch an air, and before fuch examples. All I had in answer from you, was nothing but a great deal of arguing, and fome times in a ftyle fo very imperious as I thought might have been spared, when I reflected how much you had been in the wrong. The other thing you would know is, whether this change of ftyle be owing to the thoughts of a new mistress, I declare, upon the word of

a Chriftian and a gentleman, it is not; neither had I ever thoughts of being married to any other perfon but yourself. I had ever an opinion that you had a great fweetnefs of nature and humour; and whatever appeared to the contrary, I looked upon it only as a thing put on as neceffary before a lover: but I have fince obferved in abundance of your letters fuch marks of a fevere indifference, that I began to think it was hardly poffible for one of my few good qualities to pleafe you. I never knew any fo hard to be worked upon, even in

matters where the intereft and concern are entirely your own; all which, I fay, paffed eafily while we were in the state of formalities and ceremony; but fince that, there is no other way of accounting for this untractable behaviour in you, but by imputing it to a want of common efteem and friendship for

me.

"When I defired an account of your fortune, I had no fuch defign as you pretend to imagine. I have told you many a time, that in England it was in the power of any young fellow of common fenfe to get a larger fortune than ever you pretended to: 1 afked, in order to confider whether it were sufficient, with the help of my poor income, to make one of your humour easy in a married state. I think it comes to almoft a hundred pounds a year; and I think at the fame time that no young woman in the world of the fame income would dwindle away their health and life in fuch a fink, and among such family converfation: neither have all your letters been once able to perfuade that you have the least value for me, because you so little regarded what I fo often faid upon that matter. The dif mal account you fay I have given you of my livings, I can affure you to be a true one; and, fince it is a difinal one even in your own opinion, you can bett draw confequences from it. The place where Dr. Bolton lived is upon a living which he keeps with the deanry; but the place of refidence for that they have given me is within a mile of a town called Trim, twenty miles from hence; and there is no other way, but to hire a houfe at Trim, or build one on the fpot; the first is hardly to` be done, and the other I am too poor to perform at pre

fent.

fent. For coming down to Belfast, it is what I cannot yet think of, my attendance is fo clofe, and fo much required of me: but our government fits very loofe, and I believe will change in a few months; whether our part will partake in the change, I know not, though I am very apt to believe it; and then I fhall be at leifure for a fhort journey. But I hope your other friends, more powerful than I, will before that time perfuade you from the place where you are. I defire my service to your mother, in return for her emembrance: but for any other dealings that way, I entreat your pardon; and I think I have more caufe to refent your defires of me in that cafe, than you have to be angry at my refusals. If you like fuch company and conduct, much good do you with them! My education has been otherwife. My uncle Adam afked me one day in private, as by direction, what my defigns were in relation to you, because it might be a hindrance to you if I did not proceed. The anfwer I gave him (which I fuppofe he has fent you) was to this effect: That I hoped I was no hindrance to you; becaufe the reafon you urged against an union with me was drawn from your indifpofition, which still continued; that you alfo thought my fortune not fufficient, which is neither at prefent in a condition to offer you: that, if your health and my fortune were as they ought, I would prefer you above all your fex; but that, in the prefent condition of both, I thought it was against your opinion, and would certainly make you unhappy: `that, had you any other offers which your friends or yourself thought more to your advantage, I fhould think I were very unjust to be an obftacle in your way. Nor for what concerns my fortune, you have answered it. I defire, therefore, you will let me know if your health be otherwife than it was when you told me the doctors advised you against marriage, as what would certainly hazard your life. Are they or you grown of another opinion in this particular? Are you in a condition to manage domeftic affairs, with an income of lefs (perhaps) than three hundred pounds a year? Have you fuch an inclination to my perfon and humour, as to comply with my defires and way VOL. II.

of living, and endeavour to make us both as happy as you can? Will you be ready to engage in thofe methods I thail direct for the improvement of your mind, fo as to make us entertain ing company for each other, without being miferable when we are neither vifiting nor vifited? Can you bend your love and efteem and indifference to others the fame way as I do mine? Shall I have fo much power in your heart, or you fo much government of your paffions, as to grow in good humour upon my approach, though provoked by a ? Have you fo

much good-nature as to endeavour by foft words to fmooth any rugged hu mour occafioned by the crofs accidents of life? Shall the place wherever your hufband is thrown, be more welcome than courts and cities without him? In fhort, these are fome of the neceffary methods to please men who, like me, are deep-read in the world; and to a perfon thus made, I fhould be proud in giving all due returns towards making her happy. Thefe are the questions I have always refolved to propose to her with whom I meant to pafs my life; and whenever you can heartily answer them in the affirmative, I fhall be bleffed to have you in my arms, without regarding whether your perfon be beautiful, or your fortune large. Cleanline's in the first, and competency in the other, is ail I looked for. I defire. indeed a plentiful revenue, but would rather it should be of my own; though I fhould bear from a wife to be reproached for the greatest.

“ I have faid all I can poffibly fay in anfwer to any part of your letter, and in telling you my clear opinion as to matters between us. I fingled you out at firft from the rest of women; and I expect not to be ufed like a common lover. When you think fit to fend me an answer to this without hall then approve myself, by all means you fhall command,

Madam,

I

CONTINUATION OF BRUCE'S TRA

VELS. FROM P. 341.

WE are at length arrived at the fourth volume of Mr. Bruce, which is by no means devoid of entertainment, nor barren of incident. It contains an account of his return to Cairo, through the kingdom of Sennaar, and the great Nubian defert. By the way of the Red Sea he came to Gondar. Mr. Bruce, foon after leaving the fource of the Nile, ftopped at the houfe of Shalaka Welled Amlac, a refolute Maithain robber, whom he had cured of the intermitting fever at Gondar. This man was from home on their first arrival but the family made our traveller welcome, and one of Amlac's fifters intimated that he was to fleep with her the enfuing night! In the mean time the mafter of the house arrived, and caufed additions to be made to the provisions already prepared.

"Welled Amlac's fifter, whofe name was Melectanea, took a particular charge of me, and I began to find the neceffity of retiring and going to bed while I was able. Here the former itory came over again; the invariable cuftom of all Maitha and the country of the Galla, of establishing a relationship by fleeping with a near of kin, was enlarged upon; and, as the young lady herfelf was prefent, and prefented every horn of drink during this polite difpute concerning her perfon, 1 do not know whether it will not be thought a greater breach of delicacy to have refuted than to have complied:

But what fuccess Vanessa met
Is to the world a fecret yet;
Can never to mankind be told,

Nor fhall the conicious mufe unfold.

:

with him about five hundred foot-and forty horfe he brought with him a number of large horns for carrying the king's wine, and some other such trifles. He was a little, thin, cross-made man, of no apparent strength or swiftness, as far as could be conjectured; his legs and thighs being thin and small for his body, and his head large; he was of a yellow, unwholesome colour, not black nor brown; he had long hair plaited and interwoven with the bowels of oxen, and fo knotted and twisted together as to render it impoffible to distinguish the hair from the bowels, which hung down in long ftrings, part before his breaft and part behind his shoulder, the most extraordinary ringlets I had ever seen. He had likewise, a wreath of guts hung about his neck, and feveral rounds of the fame about his middle, which ferved as a girdle, below which was a fhort cotton cloth dipt in butter, and all his body was wet, and running down with the fame; he feemed to be about fifty years of age, with a confident and infolent fuperiority painted in his face. In his country it feems, when he appears in ftate, the beat he rides upon is a cow. He was then in full drefs and ceremony, and mounted upon one, not of the largest fort, but which had mon◄ ftrous horns. He had no faddle on his cow. He had fhort drawers, that did not reach the middle of his thighs; his knees, feet, legs, and all his body wers bare. He had a fhield of a fingle hide, warped by the heat in feveral directions, and much in the shape of a highcrowned, large, ftraw-hat, with which the fashionable women in our own country fometimes difguife themselves. He carried a fhort lance in his right hand, with an ill-made iron head, and a shaft that feemed to be of thorn-tree, but altogether without ornament, which is feldom the cafe with the arms of barbarians. Whether it was neceffary for the poizing himfelf upon the fharp ridge of the beaft's back, or whether it was meant as graceful riding, I do not know, being quite unfkilled in cowmanhip; but he leaned exceedingly backwards, pufling his belly forwards, and holding his left arm and shield ftretched out on one fide of him, and his right arm and lance in the fame way on the other, like wings.