disposed of by Mr. Squibb's hammer. Alexander Campbell, alias Iverach, at the The Portrait of Lord Sondes for 35 gui-advanced age of 117 years, He was born neas, Lord Lyttleton 41, Mr. Murphy 98, in 1698, carried arms in 1715, under WilDr. Goldsmith 127, Sir Jos. Reynolds 122, liam Lord Ross, and, till his death, shewed Sir Robt. Chambers 80, Mr. Garrick 175, the characteristic hardihood of a HighMr. Baretti 82, Dr. Burney 80, Mr. Burke lander, to an uncommon degree. In the 240, Dr. Johnson 360. The above were severest weather he went with his neck all painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds. We and breast bare, and to the last walked are glad to see, that the portrait of the ve- perfectly erect; his dress the short coat, nerable and mighty teacher of morals and kilt, and plaid, and his staff generally sound philosophy far exceeded the others across his breast. Till the uncommon in the estimation of the company, in which storms of snow of last winter, he could were many of the surviving friends of near-walk down to Gladfield and the Manse, ly the whole school; and that Mr. Burke stood next to him. Indeed, all the prices bore more proportion to the learning and genius of the persons represented, than to the various merits of the pictures, as works of art. The library consisted of about 3000 volumes of the best authors, which sold well, but none of them being scarce, there were no remarkable prices. IRELAND. Catholic Proceedings in a day, the distance being about eleven miles. He entered as a scholar, last、 year, in one of the Gaelic Society Schools in the parish, actually learned the alphabet, and began spelling, when his father progress was arrested by the failure of his sight. He waited last harvest on the Right Hon. Lord Ashburton, at Rosehall, when his Lordship, with his wonted benevolence, gave him a shilling for every year of his life, and a farther sum to buy a little of his favourite usquebaugh, to keep his old age comfortable, in all, upwards of six guineas. At a Meeting of the Roman Catholic Prelates in Ireland, held at Kilkenny on the 27th April, a principle of Domestic Nomination was agreed to, at the same time that they objected to any interference HINTS, PLANS, and PROCEEDINGS on the part of the Crown, in the regula tion of their ecclesiastical concerns. On the latter part a strong remonstrance to the Pope was agreed upon; and also a Petition to both Houses of Parliament, to be presented by the Earl of Donoughmore and Sir Henry Parnell, expressive of the sentiments of the Irish Bishops on those points. The total number of debtors committed to prison in Ireland, within the last five years, was 17,785. The amount of fines demanded by officers of the Revenue, for illicit distillation on and near the banks of the Shannon, in the county Tipperary, is not far short of 14,000l.-(Dublin Paper.) SCOTLAND. Children: Hours of Labour. At a General Meeting held at Glasgow by the operative cotton-spinners of Glas-" gow and suburbs, it was unanimously agreed to petition Parliament in favour of the Bill brought in by Sir R. Peel, for shortening the hours of labour for children and others employed in public works. The petition, in the short time of one day and a half, was subscribed by 1,170, and was sent off on the 12th, to be presented to the House of Commons by Mr. Rose. LONGEVITY. Died, lately, at Glencalvie parish of Kincardine, Ross-shire, Benevolence. Homo sum: Humanum nihil a me alienum puto. LITERARY FUND. In the infancy of all Societies, and geneit is for obvious and dreadful sufferings. rally in their progress, if there be any pity, The sentiment of compassion, and sympathy with distress, is susceptible of improvement, in proportion to the advancement of civilization; the impressions of misery are gradually combined with the reflections of the mind, on the nature and utility of the objects. Orphans, therefore, and widows, the lame, the blind, the dumb, and all objects of obvious misery, produce opulent and splendid charities-while Authors, who have formed our understandings; taught us the art of reasoning; and directed us in the best modes of profiting by our bodily exertions, have been suffered to languish in poverty, and to perish in want. Presuming, however, that the distress and misery of an useful writer must be acknowledged as affixing on the public an imputation of ingratitude of the worst description, because it suffers a benefactor to be punishsd by the benefit he has conferred; that all Societies which authors contribute to instruct, to solace, or even to amuse, owe them protection and support; that the existence of political bodies, their strength, security, and happiness, depend on the circulation of real knowledge, which is the soul, the tutelar genius of the State, and of which authors, meriting that honourable appellation, must ever be the ministers; it was proposed to a select Club of Literati, in 1773, to establish a Fund, on which writers of real utility in distress might rely for assistance and relief. After several deliberations the proposal was not considered practicable. In the year 1788, the idea of a Literary Fund was revived by the death of Floyer Sydenham, a learned and amiable man, in consequence of an arrest for a small debt, and in most distressful circumstances. The author of the proposal determined to make his first appeal, not to the justice and gratitude of the public, but to the humanity of individuals. At the next meeting of the club he obtained EIGHT GUINEAS to insert an advertisement he had drawn up; which during two years, produced only subscriptions to defray its own expence, and to print the Constitutions on which it was proposed to form the Society. In 1790, the Society was publicly founded; for it held an anniversary; appointed of ficers, and bestowed a benefaction. In 1792, a gentleman associated with him several private performers in a play, for the benefit of the Institution. In 1794, he recited a poem at the anniversary-he was joined and succeeded by several gentlemen† of considerable talents and reputation, who have rendered poetic recitation a pleasing and advantageous part of the Festival. In 1795, a gentlemant proposed to subscribe £100, which he afterwards bequeathed, to form a capital. In 1797, the proposal was made in a different manner, and the subscription for the Permanent Fund was opened. In 1803, a Nobleman§ of high rank and character, became a Member of the Institution, declaring it to be his duty, as a Statesman, and a Member of his Majesty's Cabinet, to encourage a Society, whose * Captain Thomas Morris. + Mr. Fitz-Gerald, Mr. W. Boscawen, Dr. Symmons, &c. Mr. Samuel Salte. deliberations and proceedings may affect important sources of public prosperity and public happiness. The Noble Earl submitted that opinion to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who adopted it in the most gracious manner; accepted the Patronage of the Society, and assigned a house for the meetings of its Committees, and the reception of its records and books. Such, however, was the consideration of the Society for the humane destination of its funds, that in providing furniture, &c. it determined to shield them by a special provision; and a subscription for THE HOUSE FUND was opened, which allows the subscribers the same rights in the Institution with the other members. The PRINCE'S Patronage, and the public notice that the Literary Fund was established in a house, drew the attention of THOMAS NEWTON, Esq. representative of the family of Sir ISAAC NEWTON; the great philosopher having no descendants. At the age of eighty-six, he exclaimed, with euthusiasm, "This is the Institution for the Representative of NEWTON;" and he bequeathed his property to the Literary Fund. To obtain pecuniary contribution, and at the same time to leave the obligation on the contributor, may be a novel and difficult art: but it is that of the best friends of the Society; and several have adopted this honourable method with great effect and advantage: instead of solicitation, they have pleaded the cause of the unfortunate, who have presented the public with the fruits of their experience, and of the studies of their lives: and they have procured not charity, but liberal consideration and justice. By this method the principal contributions to the Society have been obtained'; and without efforts of this nature, by those who understand the principles of the Insti tution, its pecuniary resources may remain inadequate to its objects, and inferior to those of comraon charities. The Society consists of Annual Subscribers, and of Subscribers for Life. An annual subscription of not less than a guinea, continued for three succeeding years, entitles the subscriber to a voice in the deliberations of the Society; and a donation of ten guineas and upwards constitutes the donor a Subscriber for Life. The General Committee transacts the ordiuary business of the Society, and meets for that purpose on the Second Wednesday of the month. It determines the relief to be afforded to the persons who are pro posed to the Society for the objects of its | Paid for Purchase of Stock . 5795 0 7 beneficence. It has fallen to our lot to rescue the distinguished scholar from a workhouse: to foster the family of departed genius, and of talents languishing beneath a foreign chain: to support the last fainting years of the writer, whose moral narrative had supplied thousands with improving entertainment: to carry comfort to the indigent old age of the dramatist, who had often bathed the theatre in tears, or had set it on a roar: to hold him above the wave, who had dived for the pearl of eternal truth, and had happily recovered it in the depths of oriental mythology: to snatch from despair the man, who had instructed our legislators, and whose information had been cited with applause in our senate-house.-In some instauces, also, has it been our fortune to throw a transient gleam over the prisonhours of the author, and to cherish, for a time, the literary victim of neglect and his species. With this conviction that we have not existed in vain, we confidently call upon the enlightened and the liberal to aid us with their efficient co-operation. From the inspiring success, with which we have already pleaded A GREAT COMMON CAUSE, we are sanguine in our expectations that the period is approaching when the public will be feelingly sensible that we are contending for their interests indissolubly connected with the encouragement of letters; and when, on the full display of the power of our plan in its maturity to redress the effects of contemporary injustice, we shall be hailed, by the universal voice, as the genuine friends of our country. The seed is sown the spirit of vegetation is in vigorous activity: the furrows are green with its produce; and soon will our extended land be ornamented and enriched with its golden and profitable increase. CHARLES SYMMONS, D. D. JAMES ANDERSON, LL. D. JOHN NICHOLS, F. S. A. Registrers. The tribunal of the Holy Office at Rome, after invoking the illumination of the Holy Ghost, has annulled the proceedings commenced by the inquisitor of Ravenna, against Solomon Moses Viviani, who, after embracing the Roman communion, had relapsed to Judaism. His Holiness, in the decree issued upon this occasion, thus expresses himself.-"The divine law is not like the law of man: it carries with it mildness and persuasion. Persecutions, exile, prisons, are the means employed by false 8 prophets and false teachers. Let us pity the man who is deprived of the light, and who even wishes to be deprived of it; for 907 5 0 the cause of his blindness may serve to promote the grand designs of Providence, Balance, May 10, 1816. 449 6 8 Also Three India Bonds (cost £.302. 16s. 9d.) Abstract of Cash-Account, of the Fund. Paid, by order, Applications 1856 11 &c. His Holiness has ordered that no future proceeding of the kind shall be attended with loss of life or limb to the culprit. If we are not mistaken, this is one result 5846 19 4 of the execration, general throughout Eu rope, in consequence of the violence done | enemies. Thus, we see, that the country to Protestants in the south of France. which last year was considered as able to Ou that most criminal proceeding, the overwhelm us with its products is now unvoice of the public was too distinctly heard able to supply itself! What prodigious imto be mistaken. It is probable, also, that the portations! was the cry. Why, then, are Catholic Sovereigns themselves united with its people, in some places, now wanting Protestant Powers to represent to his Holi- food? In Italy, too, the population is in ness the danger incurred by the Catholic distress.-Did those who complained of too cause while such means of supporting it were plentiful supplies from France conceive resorted to; for, every body would draw the that its produce would always be supersame inference against the Church of Rome | abundant? Let them now learn wisdom. -that if it were supportable by truth, it would not need recourse to violence." Who knows what further changes of opinion and conduct may take place at Rome? Certain it is, that the Sovereign Pontiff has lately had much to do with heretics: from mere Christian charity we warn him of his danger-should he prolong his in Says the Farmer's Journal, "Our correspoudent from Normandy states, under date the 7th May, that the appearance of the wheat crop has altered very much for the worse, having lost root from the continued bad weather, that the price of wheat has risen to 7s. 6d. per Winchester bushel; and discretion, who knows how soon he mayat towards the south and the east it is become Evangelically Methodistical, or Methodistically Evangelical? still dearer, and that though they expect an importation of flour from America, it will require a great deal to make any imIt passes also for certain, that his Holi-pression on the market, as their consump ness has advised the Catholics of Ireland to lower their tone, and return to Common Sense. That they have thwarted their own intention, and ruined their own cause, all the world knows. But, we hope, in time to see that great question which they have so utterly mismanaged, conducted by cooler heads to a happy arrangement. These are pleasing prospects. We have reason to think that they are not the only prospects favourable to our country. It is understood that the Minister's Budget will do very well without the Property-Tax; and that the additional burdens for this year, are merely nominal. We may, therefore, hope, that after a short time, a circulation much more animated than of late, will produce a remedy for many of the complaints, which have lately distressed the public. Some of these complaints have in sundry places in the country broke out into tumult. We are heartily sorry that any of our countrymen should be such fools. We never could be brought to believe, that burning commodities of any kind is the way to render them cheap. If all the corn in the kingdom were under a progress of burning, surely as the quantity decreased, the prices would rise. Government has taken prompt measures to suppress these lawless proceedings. tion of bread corn is so great. In French Flanders, and through the north of France, a disorder has prevailed among the young cattle, which has carried off many. It begins on the skin, by a small swelling in one spot, which spreads rapidly all over the body, and the animal dies in a few days. The Belgian States will be all the better for the doctrine of moderation taught by the Pope. There wanted but this to make that country happy. It is now the peoples' own fault, if they suffer any thing to disturb their tranquillity. Their trade and commerce is reviving; their safety in a political and military sense is encreasing, and their possessions have lost nothing of their intrinsic value." The army stationed on the Frontiers of France and Belgium, cannot but be favourable to the owners of land, and to the dealers in every kind of agricultural produce. That it answers important political purposes, is now evident: for although the South of France has been the scene of Jacobinical movements and insurrections, vet those who affect good information, assert, that neither the North nor the metropolis, was without its secret hordes of banditti. The councils of Spain appear to be unsettled. If report say true, the intended marriages with the family of Portugal meet The past month has been devoted to with difficulties if report say true, the compliments: it was natural and proper. person of the Monarch has been the object May the Illustrious Pair enjoy mutual feli- of plots and machinations. Whatever our city, and the nation, eventually have occa-opinion may be on some parts of his consion for unmingled joy! FRANCE has had its troubles too; partly arising from a scarcity of corn, partly from the unsuppressed malignity of the King's and violence. That the King is not impeduct, nothing can justify such disloyalty netrable to reason, may be inferred from his release of a prisoner who had been arrested, and given up by the government of Gibraltar: he is again released. It may he hoped that this is a good omen; but the fluctuation of court measures, forbid us from forming any clear opinion, or probable conjecture. TURKEY, which government said nothing against the independence of the Seven islands, while they were under the protection of Russia, affects to find obstacles now they are under the protection of Britain. As if the Sovereignty, after what has happened, could revert to Turkey. Why did she not claim them against France, from whom they were taken? We suppose, that some rising Bashaw, wishes for a place of secure retreat for his lasnai and his Huram, in case of his head being demanded with "the Grand Seignior's compliments", by a courtly Capigi. Such are the satisfactions of living under despotism! . Our readers will see however, that even despots may sometimes be brought to reason The abolition of the slavery of Christians throughout the Mahometan States in the Mediterranean, will be a monument of the present times, to future ages. They will, indeed, be lost in wonder why it was so long endured: but, that will always be connected with recollection of the period at which it was suppressed. Nor will the benefit stop at this: it will lead to other, not inconsiderable, advantages. If we cast our eyes to the north, we are gratified with the sight of monarchs no longer agitated by the terrors of war, but attending to the commercial prosperity of their dominions. This is the proper mode of replenishing exhausted treasuries. Exports and imports, not spoil and rapine, are the true source of honourable wealth, both to nations and to individuals. It is true, that variations in these, by public authority, as in the instance of established Tariffs, produce answerable variations among merchants, but these are easily solved, and bear no proportion in their -difficulties to those consequent on capture of vessels, or bombardment of towns. The mention of Tariffs, reminds us of America. The United States have, at length, made out a Tariff, regulated on the principles we have already explained. Science is favoured by it; which is hint enough to the intelligent. As to Politics, we have no great deal to say about America; as to Morals, we learn that the usual attendant on population and wealth, licentiousness, encreases rapidly, and, we venture to say, will encrease with accelerated motion, in consequence of the influx of Frenchmen into that receptacle for the dis charges of Europe:as to Religion, our readers have seen some causes of complaint: there are others, not to be overlooked. Commercial Chronicle. STATE OF TRADE. Lloyd's Coffee House, May. 20, 1816. THE most striking incident in the Commercial World, for the month of May, is, the fluctuation that has taken place in the Corn Trade. How is it, that the whole of this Trade should be subject to such sudden changes in the value of the article? One day, it rises ten shillings; another day, without any assignable or at least, any adequate cause, it lowers ten shillings. On the whole, however, it has kept advancing, and this to a considerable difference. The averages have stood thus: These taken in the aggregate, make a difference of 25 per cent, or a quarter of the original value, in about four weeks. It surely is imposible that any real change in the value can justify this: and if it has been effected by speculation, then the incident tends strongly to confirm the reports that have been current for a long while past, of the undue influence of Jobbers and Middle Men in Mark-laue and its euvirons. It will be recollected, that the price at which the ports are open, generally, is 80 -so that a few shillings advance above the averages will bring the market to that level, and the appointed remedy. The circumstance is of importance; especially in connection with public feelings. Provisions, in general, have felt somewhat of the advance of corn. Prime mess Beef is becoming scarce, and more money is asked for it. Bacon is higher; and that of prime quality is in brisk demand. Butter is low; very low. The state of the weather, in the early part of the month, was very unfavourable to agriculture; and want of seed has been assigned as a reason for the high price of the markets, as it is found necessary to supply the cattle with more costly provender than grass. The lambing season, also, has been in some places very trying, from the severities of |