198 The troubled Confcience. afcended one fide, and went as near as they fafely durft to one of the orifices, where, among other frightful founds, they plainly and diftinctly heard the following words, "make hafte, make hatte, the rich Antonio is coming." at which being in a great confternation, they immediately haftened on board, and the mountain beginning to pour out lava and vaft volumes of finoke, they weighed anchor, and the wind continuing in the fame direction, made the best of their way back to Palermo, and enquiring after Antonio, they found that he died, as near as they could calculate, at the fame inftant they heard the voice at Stromboli fay he was coming. Mr. Gresham fafely arriving in England, related this furprizing accident to King Henry the feventh; and the feamen and the other gentlemen being cited before his Majefty, attested the truth of the whole by affidavit. This circumftance made fuch an impreffion upon Sir Thomas's mind, that he foon after gave over merchandifing, employing his vaft wealth in charities and works of public munificence, of which the Royal Exchange is one of the nobleft monuments extant. Clark's Mir. C. 33, p. 115. of Man, p. 203. Hiftory ry, of which I have lately gained the Things continued in this fituation for feveral years; till the wife was perfuaded to give her hand to a neighbour, who was thought to be very deferving. He made her a good husband, and for a little space of time they continued happy. But at laft it appeared that all was not right with him; his wife was the firft who perceived this change in his temper and carriage; he would frequently ftart, as if he beheld fomething fupernatural of a fudden; he was troubled in his fleep, as if his dreams had been difagreeable. She would fometimes afk him the reafon of thofe emotions; but he always excufed himself. His fears grew upon him every day, and his neighbours perceived that he was neither fo bold nor to fteady in his deportment as usual. One night, in a party at an ale houfe, Happy Impulfes. houle, where a pretty large company were collected, he got elated with drink, and recovered his wonted fpirits, fo that he was as cheerful and merry as the reft. In the midft of their feftivity, he was obferved to start with great terror, and fix his eyes upon a particular place! The whole company thought him mad or drunk, as they jokingly faid: however, he could not be appeafed; and at last giving a fhrick he cried out loudly" O there he is! look, he fees me! it was me !"-There now arofe great confternation in the house, and he was immediately feized, upon fufpicion of having murdered OMINOUS IN the weft of England a man had been murdered, but four years had elapfed fince, and the murder had not been difcovered. It happened, however, four years after, that a large company being affembled at an ordinary, one of them looking earnestly at a countryman, cried out inftantly, "You are the murderer! you are, fir, the man that killed our neighbour, farmer Watkins!" The countryman turned pale as death, and taggered fo that he was forced to fit down in a chair. The company gathered round him, and afked him if the accufation was juft. He fell on his knees, and with great contrition and tears, confeffed the fact, and was condemned and executed for the fame. DR. MEGGS. Doctor Meggs, a phyfician of confiderable practice at Portfmouth, had occafion to attend a family in the Ille of Wight in April 1787. Being detained till a late hour, he took a bed in the houfe; but after tumbling about for fome hours he rofe, and rung up the fervants. He told them he had tried in vain to fleep, but his imagination was haunted with the idea that his wife and child was murdered. No perfuafions 199 Dunftable-he was tried foon after ; and confefled the affair-that he had murdered him, and thrown his body in a deep pit, which had been partly filled up, and which had efcaped the vigilance of thofe who made fearch for him. The body was found, as defcribed; and the murderer received his due reward. Whether in fuch a cafe the apparition of the deceafed appeared to the murderer, or whether it might be the effects of his troubled imagination, is not eafy to fay but it is fufficient to prove, that fuch wicked and premeditated deeds will fome day or anɔther be brought to light. IMPULS E'S. could prevail on him to ftay-He fet off-It was a blowing night, and it was with difficulty that he could perfuade the boatman to take him over. He, however, arrived fafe at his own house, and knocked at his door. His wife opened it-He eagerly enquired if all was well-if the child was fafe-and why he had opened the door herself? She laid, the child was perfectly well; and the had opened the door because the fervants would not come-they had behaved very impertinently to her. He called one of them, and questioned her as to her conduct. She gave him fome pert answers; but at length, falling on her knees, fhe faid, that he had come home provideatially, for that fhe and her fellow-fervant had refolved to murder their mistrefs and the child, that they might plunder the houfe. The other fervant made the fame confeflion in the morning, upon oath, before a magiftrate. DR. HERVEY. Doctor Hervey, who was afterwards fellow of the College of Phyficians in London, being then a young man, and was fetting out upon his travels, and coming to Dover, with feveral others, and there fhewed his pals to to the governor as the reft did; but the governor told him he must not go, for he had a commiffion to ftop him. The Doctor was furprifed, and begged to know, what he had done that he fhould detain him? The governor told him it was his will to have it fo, the reafon he should know hereafter. The packet-boat hoifted fail in the evening, and fet off, it being then very fair, with all the Doctor's companions in it; but ere long, a fudden storm arofe, the packet-boat overfet, and all the paflengers were drowned. The fad news of which was the next day brought to Dover; then the governor told the Doctor the reafon of his ftopping him, though he had no real knowledge of him, only by name; but that the night before he came there, he had a perfect vifion in a dream of Dr. Hervey's coming to pafs over to Calais, and had warning to stop him from going. This the governor affirmed to the Doctor: and he beffed his good angel for his care of him. This ftory the Doctor often related to many of his friends in London. DOMESTIC NEW S. A LATE letter from Dr. Magenis, of the Irish College, at Lisbon, gives a moft awful account of the carthquake which happened in that city, on Sunday night, the 27th of November. The firft fhock was felt about twenty minutes after eleven, and confifted of five or fix ftrong vibrations, fo clofely following each other, that they could fcarce be diftinguifhed. After a paufe of about five minutes, one very violent undulatory motion that fhook the whole houfe fucceeded, attended by a loud and tremendous crash, which, after a rustling noife and feveral hiffes, like those we might imagine to proceed from a great mafs of flaming iron fud denly quenched in cold water, went off with the report of a cannon. Mean time the streets were crowded with the multitudes flying from their houíes, whofe chimnies were falling about their cars. The bells of St. Roche tumbled in all directions, and tolled in the moft horrid founds. After the firft fright had a little abated, the churches were opened and foon filled with multitudes, to deprecate the mifchiefs of 1755, and implore the Divine Mercy. Between fix and feven, her Majefty, with her household, fet out for Belem, followed by almost every perfon of quality, who retired to fome diftance. So lafting was the confternation that no bufineis was done at the Exchange, the Cuftom-houfe, or Quays. The theatres were fhut, and all public diverfions forbid till further orders. Prayers were made three times a day in the churches, and the whole city, like that of ancient Nineveh, feemed repenting in fackcloth and afhes. On Monday the 2d inftant at his feat at Maiden Bradley in the county of Wilts, died, the moft noble Edward Duke of Somerset and Baron Seymour, one of his Majefties moft Honourable Privy Council: his Grace dying a batchelor, is fucceeded in his titles and eftate by his next brother the Right Honorable Lord Webb Seymour, of Farley houfe in the county of Somerfet. There is now living in Birmingham, in great diftrefs, a grand-daughter of Charles the Second; and in London there is now living, as a chair-woman, a woman who goes out to other perfons' houfes to work, a great-granddaughter of Oliver Cromwell. What a reverfe of fortune! On the 2d inft. a melancholy acci dent happened in the park of N. Scottone, Efq. of Chefham, Bucks:-as two boys, about twelve years of age, were left to fodder the deer in the abfence of the keeper, fome words arofe; when one ftruck the other with a fork and made a pufh at him, and ran the tine five inches into his ear-the boy languifhed Domef languished about ten days, and then died in the greatest agonies, to the great grief of his two kind friends, who had adopted him as their fon. A jury was called, who fat about feven hours on the body, and brought in their verdict Wilful Murder. Upon which the boy was committed to Aylesbury gacl to take his trial next March affizes. Thomas Ayles was lately indicted at the Guildhall, Westminster, for an affault, with intent to commit a rape on a married woman. The defendant appeared to take his trial, and brought his wife with him to hear it. The profecutrix did not appearindeed there was no reafon to fuppofe that she was very angry with the defendant, for fhe had declared after the profecution was commenced, and a fhort time before the trial, that fhe only exhibited the complaint to please her hufband! The defendant was of courfe acquitted, and on going out of the court he thanked his Counfel for bringing him through. A very unfortunate accident lately happened at Paris; a beautiful girl, Madlle. Rofe Mainvile, finding her name included in a lift published of fuppofed Ladies of pleasure, the calumny had fuch an effect upon her mind, that the poisoned herself by fwallowing a quantity of aqua-fortis. Calamities. The laft accounts from Calcutta mention, that a raging and mortal fever had almoft depopulated the city of Midnapore and the adjacent country. Its attack is fudden-its crifis fix hours--and its duration 24;· from the crifis to the clofe, if the patient furvives, he fweats profufely, and generally bleeds at the noitrils; but if these fymptoms do not appear, the cafe is mortal, and the patient dies raving mad. In England there was once a complaint fomething fimiJar. Lately died at Philadelphia, William Bradford, Efq. Author, Printer, and Soldier. During the American, war he wrote, printed, and fought for his 201 country. His father and grand-father had been both printers. His rank in the army was that of Colonel. Dr. Franklin faid of him, that his writing was fpirited, his press correct, and his fword active. His Majefty's cutter Seaflower, Lieut. Webber, had been fent to Falmouth to infpect into the lofs of the Brill Dutch frigate (in a heavy gale of wind) mounting 36 guns, and 350 men, foldiers and failors. She was a new fhip, and never at fea before; fhe was bound for Lifbon, and to proceed from thence to Demarari; all the people are faved except fix-fhe went on fhore between the manacles and Falmouth. As foon as she was perceived by the country people, they went down to the wreck in great numbers, armed with weapons, and plundered the ship and people of every thing they could lay hold of; they even tripped the people of the cloaths off their backs! About fifty of them are arrived at Ply mouth in the Seaflower. In attempting to fave fome of their quarter-deck guns, which were brafs, the Cornishmen cut away her mizen-maft, which immediately went overboard, and by that means prevented their defign. An unfortunate young woman, confined in the Marfhalfea Prifon, of reputable parents, about fixteen years of age, cut her throat from ear to ear, and expired immediately. A young gentleman in attempting to force from her the weapon of her deftruction, received a fevere wound in the abdomen, and lies without hopes of a recovery. A fatal attachment to this very young man, who, in all probability, will lofe his own life in attempting to fave her's, is fuppofed to be the cause of her committing this rafh act. They were both prifoners, and both unfortunate in having difobliged their friends by repeated acts of juvenile indifcretion. On Tuesday a prifoner in the fame prifon, died of want. On Wednesday, the 7th, the Coro ner 202 Calamities of the Month. ner's inqueft was taken on the body of a man who put a period to his exiltnece at the Sun Tavern, in Chatham. It appeared in evidence, that the deceased went from London, and refided two or three days at the abovementioned tavern; he then went to Sheernefs, and returned on the Tuesday. No fufpicions were entertained to his prejudice until Wednesday morning about ten o'clock, when the report of a piftol alarmed the family. The bed-room of the deceased was locked, and on forcing it open, the unfortunate man was in the agonies of death, having difcharged the contents of a piftol into his mouth; while a fecond remained clinched in his other hand, ready, in cafe the first had not done its office. The deceafed had taken uncommon pains to prevent a difcovery of his name, which he had defaced in the lining of his hat, and attempted to do the fame in one of his boots. By the Jatter, however, the name was traced out. A violent fhock of an earthquake was experienced at Zant, on the 13th of November, which did confiderable damage to one half of the Ifland. The greater part of the inhabitants were obliged to live under tents in the fields. Twelve or fourteen perfons only loft their lives, but many were wounded. On Monday morning the 16th, a man of genteel appearance, about 50 years of age, was found dead lying on the logs of wood on Mill Bank, near Hodges's diftillery. He was carried to St. John's bone-houfe to be owned, Nothing was found in his pockets. Tuesday morning the 17th, at two o'clock, died, at his houfe in Queen's Square, Bath, the Right Rev. George Horne, D. D. Lord Bishop of Norwich, He poffeffed to the laft moments thofe faculties which have long been an honour to his country, and which have been fo fuccefsfully employed in the caufe of religion, Saturday morning the 14th between one and two o'clock, the Painter's room in one of the new buildings which had been added to the Pantheon, to enlarge it fufficiently for the performance of Operas, was difcovered to be on fire. Before any engines were brought to the fpot, the fire had got to fuch a height that all attempts to fave the building were in vain. The flames, owing to the fcenery, oil, paint, and other combuftible matter in the houfe, were tremendous, and fo quick in progrefs, that not a fingle article could be saved. It was even with difficulty, that the family of Mr. Kempe, the clerk of the Houfe, which occupied the apartments adjoining the Painter's room, got out of the house before the total destruction of his furniture was completed. The fire kept burning with great fury for about ten hours, by which time the roof and part of the walls having fallen in, it was got fo much fubdued, that all fears for the fafety of the furrounding houfes were quieted. We are happy in ftating that no lives were loft, nor any perfon hurt during the whole time, though the hurry and confufion, as may naturally be expected on fuch an occafion, was very great. It was a fortunate circumftance that the engines, after they did arrive, had a plentiful fupply of water, otherwife it would have been impoffible to have prevented the flames from fpreading devaftation through that populous neighbourhood. The houfe, it feems, was infured to the full value, or nearly to its amount, fo that the lofs will fall upon the Infurance Offices. The Performers, next to the Infurance Offices, will be the greateft fufferers; for they have put themfelves, as ufual, to great expences preparing for the fcafon, and many them were obliged to do this upon credit, but their falaries ending with the exiftence of the house, and before any of them had their benefit nights, they have now no means of extricating themfelvss from their extreme difficul . ties, of |