Paris, and fill continues a favourite entertainment of that gay and airy metropolis. The Cobler is, if we rightly remember, an imitation of a little French piece entitled Le Savetier.There is a fcene of a club in the first act, the huhour of which is tranfcribed from one of the effays of Dr. Goldsmith.

The following glee is remarkably pretty.

Now wives and children make no noife,

And care with mirth we feafon; Let's puth about the bowl, my boys,

For drinking is no treafon: Here's love and friendship-hand and heart,

To worth, here's health and freedom, May every rogue have his defert,

More friends to those who need them.

Account of a new Comedy of two Acts, called the Romance of an Hour. By Mr. Kelly.

Mrs. Green. Mrs. Bulkeley.

VELIDA, the only child of Abdallah, an Indian Nabob, having been fome years in England in the family of Sir Hector Strangeways, for the advantage of an European education, conceives an affection for her ladyfhip's brother Mr. Brownlow, lately arrived from India, with the account of her father's death, and of his last request, that the fhould marry colonel Ormfby, an English officer of merit and fortune, who was expected to arrive in England by the first fhips.

Brownlow, though paffionately in love with Zelida, deems it highly difhonourable to betray the confidence repofed in him, or to endeavour to engage the affections of his friend's miftrefs, and therefore ufes every argument with her to prevail upon her to marry the colonel on his arrival, fo far concealing his paffion for her, that the concludes him previouf

ly engaged to another. In confequence of this interview, however, the deter mines on quitting Sir Hector's house fecretly, and procuring, by the fale of her jewels, a paffage back to India for herfelf and faithful Gentoo.

The Colonel arriving the moment her elopement is difcovered, is informed of it, whofe amazement is increased by a letter found on lady Strangeway's toilet, in Zelida's hand-writing, attributing the cause of her abfconding " to the advice given her by Mr. Brownlow, which fhe deemed neither confiftent with her honour nor happiness." The Colonel remonftrates warmly with his friend on this point, but receives no answer but his affurance of his innocence. However, being driven to extremities by the Colonel's impetuofity, he informs him that the only advice he ever gave her was to marry him, and fo fulfil her father's defire. Deeming this but a paltry evafion, the Colonel infifts on a private meeting, in order to receive fatisfaction for the injury he sustained from his infidious friendship.

Želida, in the mean time, took refuge in the houfe of a woman, who proved to be the fifter of Sir Hector's purfer; Pillage, therefore, having offended the admiral, concludes that he can make his peace, if not his preferment, by introducing this fine girl to the old officer, and accordingly writes him word that he has got a titbit for him. Sir Hector arrives, and is announced as a person who can accommodate her with a pallage, to the mutual furprize of both parties. The admiral, however, turns the matter off to his folicitude for her fafety, and informs her that her abfence will be the death of Brownlow, as the Colonel was going to cut his throat because the refufed to marry him.

Zelida now refolves to fave the man fhe loves, by giving her hand to Colonel Ormfby: returning home with Sir Hector with that view, they find Brownlow and the Colonel engaging in a duel, which the admiral, however, prevents. She now confents, though with evident reluctance to wed colonel Ormsby,when the Gentoo brings about the eclairciffement, by difcovering her penchant for Brownlow. The colonel, friendly (however unfafhionably) gives up his claim, and the piece concludes to the fatisfaction of all parties. The ftory of it is chiefly taken from a tale of Marmontel, called The Teft of Friendship.

A Hiftory

A Hiftory of the Fourth Seffion of the Second Parliament of Ireland, in the Reign of bis prefent Majefly, begun on Tuesday the 12th of October, 1773, and ended June 2, 1774. (Continued from p. 726 of our Mag. for Dec. 1774.)

THE

THE committee of ways and means, fat on Saturday Nov. 20, the right Hon. Anthony Malone in the chair; when Mr. Attorney General gave an account of what new taxes were intended. He then made thirty five motions for refolutions to continue the old accuftomed duties, which, after fome debate, were all carried, and the confideration of the zew ones, poftponed till the next fitting. When the committee broke up, and the speaker had taken the chair, Mr. Sheil moved for leave to bring in " Heads of a bill for reviving,continuing and amending feveral temporary laws." Leave was given; and that gentleman, with Mr. Le Hunte, were ordered to prepare the fame. The house then adjourned till the Tuefday following.

On Tuesday Nov. 23. A petition was prefented from Peter Chaigneau, L. L. D. affiftant fecretary to the Dublin fociety, praying a continuance of an allowance of 6ol. for arranging the claims of premiums for preferving corn upon flands; which petition was ordered to lie upon the table. The house then went into the committee of ways and means; when Mr. Attorney General repeated his former preamble on the neceffity of new taxes, to equalife the revenue with the expences of government; he then enumerated the feveral intended taxes in a fomewhat different manner from his former account; faying that administration had dropped the additional duty on plate; and that the ad per gallon on all homemade fpirits, was to be appropriated for the ufe of the Dublin fociety: He said he fhould first bring on the motion for the annuity loan: becaufe, according as that was adopted, or not, more or lefs taxes would be neceffary; for the fame reafon he should next proceed on the ftamp-tax, and then the abfentee-tax would come under confideration; after which the other new duties would follow.

He then moved to refolve, that towards raifing the faid fupply, the fum of 265000l. fhould be borrowed on life annuities, with the benefit of furvivorship. Sir William Mayne oppofed this scheme as it was a novelty, was raised for unJanuary, 1775.

known purposes, to pay off exceedings on barrack, concordatum, &c. and with new taxes might prove dangerous, and he would rather move, that that fum might be raised by Exchequer bilis, at four per cent. which would be a fafer and cheaper way of procuring money.

Mr. Langrifhe was of opinion, that Exchequer bills was the worit way imaginable: that they would encrease the nominal, but not the real wealth of the kingdom; and would introduce all the various evils of paper credit without any of its advantages, as they would be the image of cafh which did not exist in the nation.

Sir William Mayne replied, Exchequer bills would have government fecurity, and would be received as cash by the government.

Mr. Vefey, Colonel Brown, and Mr. Attorney General spoke against the mode of Exchequer bills, for the fame reasons Mr. Langrishe gave.

Mr. Flood declared his diflike of Exchequer bills, and his approbation of the annuity fcheme. He faid Exchequer bills were received at the bank in London just as a Banker here would receive his own notes: but fince debentures were not current here, there was no reason to think Exchequer bills would. be fo. That the quantum of the loan was already determined, but the question now was the proper mode of raising it. In the last feffion he had ftrenuously oppofed the borrowing of money in the old manner, and prophefied what would be the confequence-that after borrowing 200,000l. as much more would be wanted the next feffions; but fince fo much as 265,000l. was found neceffary, he thought railing it by annuities was the moft eligible way. That the furplus of the laft loan duties might be appropriated towards reducing the national debt, and not be made a pernicious finking fund, which he should ever oppofe. That Government and parliament fhould mutually aid each other in the prefent crisis. That the great end was to set the nation clear, and make the income equal to the expence, which could be only done by encreafing the one, and leffening the other till they met each other. Government, to their honour, had made retrenchments and favings to the amount of 50,000l. a year; the rest must be done by new taxes, the overplus of which,and the furplus of the loan duties would C

make

make a faving of 40,000l. a year towards discharging the national debt.-Some taxes were neceffary, which he would men tion; that on abfentees he thought proper (under good regulation) that it was once thought popular, but that was whilft it was impracticable; for no fooner was it known to be attainable, than the voice both within and without doors was as inveterate against, as the people were before eager to embrace it; that in refpect to it, he would only now fay, if our apprehenfions (as to its evil tendency) were groundless, the tax will then be found ufeful; that it ought not to be confidered as a tax on the people, but as a reftitution from thofe, who, by fpending the income of the kingdom in another, had done a real injury to the country:-As to the duty on Tobacco, that indeed he objected to, as it was oppreffing the poor by taxing the only little luxury they enjoyed, that gentlemen ought to concur in abolishing old, and not raifing new taxes which were unneceffary; that when people faw that government were not intent upon new loans every year, debentures would confequently rife, and that, in juftice to the public, we ought to endeavour at this, as there now was 900,000l. under par. That our œconomy ought to be on the fole system of neceffity itfelf, and then it would become not œconomy in vain but in reality. He obferved, a duty on ftamps might be fo modified as to be very useful; but to prevent it from hurting the poor, it should not extend to civil bills; and the expence of commiffioners might be faved, as the commiffioners of accounts might do that duty, He added that he thought the prefent administration good, candid and fincere, and that independent gentlemen fhould affift all its good intentions, and not waste their time in useless oppofition.

Mr. Barry Barry oppofed annuities, and by long calculations of lives from Dr. Halley's tables, ftrove to fhew it was not a faving fcheme. He propofed a lottery at four cent, as the best method of raising the fum wanted, and moved for fuch a refolution.

Colonel Blaquiere faid, that he could not follow the honourable members who fpoke laft through all the mazes of algebraical calculations, which may amaze but not inftruct; yet he was warranted to fay from De Moivre, that fourteen years purchafe was the average price of a life annuity. That Exchequer bills would not circulate to pay the civil and

military officer, the artificer or the foldier. That a lottery would introduce ftock-jobbing, the most deftructive of all kinds of gaming. That he thought a finking fund very proper, as the wisdom of parliament might prevent any bad confequences. That he gave up the additional tax intended on tobacco, and no tax was proposed that could affect the poor; and concluded with obferving, that till within about three weeks an abfentee tax was the favourite object of the people.

Mr. Huffey afked what tax was to be appropriated to the intereft of the annuities.

Colonel Blaquiere replied, the new duties on brandy and cards.

Mr. O'Hara and Mr. Mason spoke in favour of the annuities. Mr. Barry defended his calculation by new calculations.

Mr. Flood again spoke against a finking fund; adding, that fince the plan for finances at prefent appeared unexceptionable, he would there.n fupport this adminiftration, as readily as ever he oppofed the laft. That by fo doing he might lay himself open to malicious afperfions, and expofe himself to the cenfure of those who thought whoever was the opposer of the worst adminiftration, must also oppofe the beft, at the expence of popularity. That he had been for fourteen years no unprofitable fervant, and fhould ever act as he thought beft for the good of the nation.

Mr. Barry moved to ftrike out all the words of the motion after the fum, and infert in their place the words by a lottery; but withdrew his motion, on being told, that if a negative was given to the motion for annuities, he might then propofe his method.

The question was then put, and carried with only two voices against it.

Mr. Attorney General then made nine feveral motions, explanatory of the mode of fubfcribing, and the times of paying in the money, which were all carried.

Mr. Meade, then moved to refolve, that towards raising the supply a tax be laid of four fhillings in the pound on all falaries of employments created fince the 24th of June 1768, except the additional falaries to the lord chancellor and the other judges.

Mr. John Burke, jun. moved to amend by expunging all the words between the word employments and the word except,

Mr,

Mr. St John Jefferies faid, as this was to be a tax on all the drones of the ftate, the non-refident clergy should be inclu

ded.

Mr. Scott oppofed the motion; and Mr. Meade withdrew it to propofe it at a more convenient time.

On Wednesday Nov. 24, leave was given to bring in heads of a bill to explain and amend the acts made for the encouragement of the fisheries of this kingdom, and for promoting the good end propofed by the faid laws; and Mr. Hill, Mr. George Hamilton, and Mr. Cramer, were ordered to prepare the fame.

The house then went into the committee of ways and means, when Mr. Attorney General moved the preliminary motion for the ftamp duties, viz. that towards raising that fupply, there fhall, for the feveral and refpective things, herein after mentioned, which shall be written or engroffed, fundry rates, from March 25, 1774, to Dec. 26, 1775.

Some gentlemen refufing to agree to this refolution, till they knew what these rates should be, thereupon Col. Blaquiere gave fifty two resolutions to be read by the clerk.

When these were read, Mr. Barry Barry and Mr. Gardiner spoke against the whole idea of a stamp duty. Mr. Robert French faid, a duty on the prefs was an excife on wit, intelligence and literature. Mr. Ponfonby was alfo against this tax, but reserved himself till the refolutions came before the house. Mr. Chapman likewife opposed the stamp duties, which were defended by Mr. Mafon, Mr. Holmes, Mr. Hamilton, and Mr. Serjeant Dennis. Mr. Brownlow liked fome of the resolutions, and difliked others. But at the putting the refolutions, they were each feparately carried. The lift of them we forbear to give in this place, as they must be particularized on the report, therefore fhall only mention that Col. Blaquiere, withdrew that for fixing a 5s. ftamp on all marriage licenfes and certificates; and one fhilling on every beer and ale license; and that the duty of three pounds on all degrees taken in the univerfity of Dublin, was withdrawn on the oppofition of Dr. Clement.

The next day, Thursday Nov. 25, there was a long debate in the fame committee, on a motion of the right hon. Silver Oliver, that 25. in the pound be paid for the nett produce of lands, te

nements, &c. of perfons who did not refide fix months in the year in this kingdom. This abfentee tax was urged by Mr. Oliver, Mr. Longfield, Mr. Gardiner, Mr. Bufhe, Mr. Serjeant Dennis, Mr. Carleton, Mr. Langrishe, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Burke, jun. Sir Lucius O'Brien, Mr. Holmes, Mr. Brownlow, and Mr. Flood, and oppofed by Mr. Ponfonby, Sir Charles Bingham, Mr. Tighe, Mr. Ogle, Sir William Mayne, Mr. Talbot, Mr. Barry Barry, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Conolly, Mr. O'Neil, Mr. French (of Galway) Mr. Forster, and Mr. Dennis Daly. Gen. Cunningham moved an amendment, by putting one fhilling in the pound instead of two fhillings, on which the house divided. For the amendment Against it.

Majority against it

107 119

12

The queftion was then put on the ori ginal motion, which paffed in the negative by a majority of fourteen, there being

Ayes Noes

106

120

Moft of the gentlemen who oppofed this tax feemed to do it only on the opinion that it was become a minifterial measure, and that it would be a prelude to a general land tax.

On Friday Nov. 26. Several additional duties were moved for and carried in the committee of ways and means, which will appear when we come to the report.

On Saturday Nov. 27. The fitting of the committee of ways and means was adjourned, as the houfe was employed in a fresh debate on the propriety of an abfentee tax, which was again brought on by two motions of Mr. O'Neil, relative thereto, but nothing was concluded, and the affair dropped.

On Monday Nov. 29. The committee went through the remainder of the ways and means, and Mr. Malone was ordered to make the report the next day, and that no other bufinefs fhould intervene. Leave was then given to bring in "heads of a bill to explain and amend an a&t paffed in the third year of his prefent majefty's reign, intitled an act for the better regulating the linen and hempen manfactures," and the right hon. James Fortefcue, and Mr. Forfter were ordered to prepare the fame.

On Tuesday Nov 30. After ordering a new writ for electing a citizen for the C 2 city