ward III. in the twelfth year of his reign, and it has ever since sent members to Parliament by prescriptive or inherent right. The modern history of this borough is of a very different complexion. If any one borough in the country is more corrupt than another, it is this. The expences of a candidate at a contested election here, is from ten to thirteen thousand pounds. The right of voting is in the corporation, and about four hundred burgesses, not more than a fourth part of whom reside in the town. The rest are distributed in London, Bristol, the East and West Indies, Botany Bay, and all over the world. About seventy of them reside in London, and are conti These honest electors had once the fortune to have a candidate as suppery as themselves: he distributed drafts for large sims payable in London; treated the voters with dinners and entertainments; and went off a day or two before the election, leaving his agents, managers, and the unfortunate landlord, who was an innocent m'n, (having neither a vote nor any concern in the election,) all unpaid, as were his drafts upon London, which he had the folly to be lieve would secure his election. WEYMOUTH AND MELCOMBE REGIS. Weymouth and Melcombe Regis have been subject to continual contests and pe committee was appointed to try the merits titions from 1804 till the prescut day. A of the petition of John Arbuthnot, Esq. on the 10th of February, 1804, against the reSteward, Mr. Garthshore, and Mr Adams, turn of Sir James Pulteney, bart., Mr. The case of the petitioner consisted almost cutirely in a charge of occasionality against the freeholders who voted for the sitting marking that there had never yet been any members. The counsel for the latter, reresolution as to the right of election in this borough adopted by the house, delivered which they meant to contend in the fol in a statement of a particular right for nually upon the hunt for candidates, under pretence that one of their members is ill, or about to accept a place, or to be created a peer, so that a vacancy is expected, and the person applied to is sure to be chosen, if he will but give a dinner or a supper to the burgesses residing in London, and a few guineas to each by way of a retaining fee. They will, on these conditions, be certain to write to their friends in the country to inform them what a generous candidate they have procured. This will produce an invitation from those who reside there, to the gentleman who has made so good a be ginning, to come down and be elected. One or two of these managers, as they callowing words. "That it is in the mayor, althemselves, are to be sent down with their pockets well supp.ed, to give a supper at Bristol, and another at Barnstaple, and get the invitation signed. They return with the triumphant instrument. The candidate accordingly arrives; he is ushered into the borough with ringing of bells, is drawn round the town by the populace, and may think himself fortunate if he gets away without being ruined. Above a score gentlemen we could name, can bear witness to the losses they have suffered by these impositions: even a learned knight and doctor of civil law is minus about a thousand pounds by the excitement held out to him of becoming member for Barustaple. habiting within the borough; and in perdermen, bailiffs, and capital burgesses, inborough; whether by descent, devise, or pursons seized of entire freeholds within the said chase, and not split or divided, unless split by descent or devise; and not receiving aims. in a statement of the right in the terms of The counsel for the petitioner delivered the agreement in 1730, admitting the split freeholds. the statement delivered in by the petitioner. The committee determined in favour of Son.e In consequence of the above determination, two hundred freeholds were immeders of Weymouth were to be found in diately split into two thousand. Freeho!London, and in almost all the towns and . When a candidate arrives at this place, in the islands of Jersey and Guernsey, villages to the land's-end in Cornwall, and the very burgesses who signed their names to the invitation, make no scruple of refus-brought at an enormous expense to vote at whence many hundreds were afterwards ing him their votes, informing him they every election for this borough. only set their names to the paper to bring even voted for the thirtee: hundredth part of him down that they might see how they liked him; and we have known a great Sir John Johnstone, father of the present a sixpenny freehold. Upon the death of number of the freemen of this place re- infaut proprietor, no less than twelve bu ceive six guineas each to bear their charges dred freeholds, created for occasional votfrom London to Barnstaple at an election, ing, and made for the joint lives of Sir , and at the poll every one of them has voted John Johnstone, and the freeholder, beagainst him to get their expences paid over came extinct; and it cost more than ten again by another candidate. thousand pounds to renew the parchmeuts 2K 2 for creating a new set of surreptitious voters, who are made for the joint lives of Mr. Ure, one of the trustees of the estate of Sir John Frederic Johnstone, and the nominal freeholder. The reader may, perhaps, be surprised that so many persons can be found to answer such a time-serving corrupt purpose; but such is the state of political morality in this country, that we have seen numbers make interest amongst the attorneys emplo ed for the purpose, to get their names inserted in the deeds, that they may par take of the drunkenuess and entertainments that are going on upon these occasions. Not the least wonderful part of elertion matters, is the infatuation of the candidates. Who does not know instances of gentlemen, possessing very pretty estates, who, with Sir Francis Wronghead, have "run these estates out at elbows," by electioneering contests? Who does not know of "worthy knights" condemned to the purlieus of a jail, or, at best, to a state of perpetual sufferance, for the rest of their lives, insuring also the beggary of their families? If there be any person so fortunate as not to know such instances, let them peruse Mr. Oldfield's volumes carefully, So then the split freeholds of the and they will find many. Usually, too, Isleworth millers was not an original the embarrassmeuts arising from these thought! instead of being the master-party attempts run through several gepiece of invention, behold, it is in truth,nerations of borough meddlers; and pobut a clumsy imitation of Weymouth verty spreads her blasting wings over worthies, voting for the thirteen hun- the Mortimers, the Bryants, and the dredth part of a sixpenny freehold! Benfields, successor after successor. Were there no creditable freeholders in the County of Middlesex whose hearts were inflamed at this gross outrage on their privilege? After all, it often happens, in the most numerous towns, that parti-s are equally poised. Every reader can recollect instances of this; as striking an instance as any, is the CITY OF GLOUCESTER. This city has had but two remarkable contests for many years. The first was upon the death of Sir Charles Barrow, in 1789, when their present member, licury Howard Molineux, Esq. and the late John Pitt, of this city, Esq. were candidates. Voters were brought from all parts of the kingdom, and not a single freeman that could be found was left unpolled. After the contest had lasted fifteen days, and more than 5000 electors had polled, Mr. Pitt succeeded by a majority of one vote. Mr. Howard Molineux was chosen the other member in 1790. The next contest was on the death of Mr. Pitt, when the Duke of Beaufort attempted to establish an interest in the city of Gloucester similar to that which prevails in the county. Lord Arthur Somerset was proposed by his Grace, and opposed by Robert Morris, Esq. a banker of this place, who succeeded by a very great majority. The corporation are in the interest of the Duke of Norfolk, who is an alderman and high steward of Gloucester, and has nominated one member ever since the year 1790. Travels in various Countries, by (Resumed from page 758.) Dr. Clarke is well entitled to the character by which Homer distinguishes Ulysses, of having seen the manuers of many men and many places. To what a confined space was that famous traveller's voyages limited, compared with those of our adventurous countryman! Our countryman, too, had more numer ous objects of research than the king of Ithica, who, if he could but save himself from present danger, was contented to assume disguises, and to display dexterities, foreign from his royal character. Yet Ulysses is much more frequently commended by his bard for being Polymetis, wise in all purposes, and wary in all places, than for being Polytropos, skilful in many mens' manners and fashions. Whoever follows Dr. Clarke in his route through some of the same countries as Ulysses visited, will be convinced of the necessity for vigilance and presence of mind, at every moment: for sometimes displaying authority and power, and sometimes concealing them; for occasionally declining what he much wished to possess, or averting his steps from a place which he greatly desired to inspect. Neither were the enquiries of the modera traveller directed exclusively te the characters of the people whom heyet, in point of taste, it is so exceedingmet with in his journey; he wished to ly superior to the more ornamented and ascertain the scenes of events, long ago crowded capital which was afterwards deprived of importance in the world, of introduced, that both the rival connoscities, whose very names are unknown centi of Athens, Lusteri and Fauvel, to their present masters, of rivers, moun- have designed and modelled it; and tains, grottos, plains, marked by his-they have spoken of its discovery as tory, but not always intelligibly, and forming an epocha in the history of the distinctly, marked by nature. Antient art." Geography is under great obligations to Dr. Clarke; as it is also to several Gentlemen who travelled about the same time. They have retraced by their ruins, many towns once flourishing, and have thrown considerable light on many interesting subjects of an-esting. Among them we distinguish tiquity. The Dr. mentions this article in three places; but has refused to grainy our curiosity with so much as an outline of it; is it possible, that as men of taste, we should pardon this negligence? Antiquities he visited, is highly interDr. C.'s report on the state of the the Cave of Trophonius, the entrance of This volume opens with an account which is rendered inuch more intelligiof numerous discoveries of vases, comble by a plate than otherwise it would monly called Etruscan, in the tombs be;-the grove of the Muses, the birth of Greece; and these curious subjects, place of Hesiod, &c. on Mount Helicon ; formerly attributed solely to Italy, are a Mountain that we are happy to find now found to have been common to has its fertile spaces, which "have both countries. Dr. Clarke also, distin-been cultivated from immemorial time." guishes in the convolutions of a certain Nor must we forget the number of tombs water plaat, the origin of the Ionic of illustrious persons identified by our Volute. We have been rather accustom-traveller, but with different degrees of ed to accept the horn of a sacrificed credibility-such as, the tomb of Oranimal, as that origin; and there are instances of the Volute winding like a goats' horn, yet remaining from the days of antiquity. We should be glad, nevertheless, to see this plant ascertained; and its properties submitted to modern cognizance. a novice pheus, near Dium; the tomb of Hesiod, near Orchomenus; the tombs of the Macedonian Kings, entered, and left undisturbed, by Mr. Fictt, at Edessa; who being, as he confesses " in the Sexton trade," left the bodies, the ornaments, the clothes, and the vases, We are obliged to Dr. C. for many just as he found them. This might be a interesting Engravings, which highly il- very honest feeling; but the man who lustrate his volumes; but, are rather sur- could indulge it, must never expect to prized that he did not favour the admirers obtain distinction as an Antiquary. No, of Eschylus, with such a plan of the city no; what reason can be given why of Thebes, as would have formed a very those who were buried two thousand acceptable companion to his play of years ago, and have enjoyed these nonthe Seven Chiefs against Thebes. necessaries long enough, should not reomission of the same kind, vexed us sign their property to honest Antiquaheartily, on the subject of a Corinthian rian travellers, who want them for the capital, "without Volute for the corners, purpose of enriching their collections, and having a single wreath of the sim-and who, in fact, cannot do without plest Acanthus foliage to crown its base. There is not in Europe a single instance of this most elegant variety of the Corinthian in any modern structure. In fact, it is only known to those persons who have seen the very few examples of it that exist among the ruins of the Grecian cities. There is no trace of it among the ruins of Rome; " An them, as all their learned brethren are ready to testify by athidavit before Minos, or Rhadamanthus himself, if necessary. The numerous inscriptions of ancient origin, contained in this Volume afford much curious matter, with occasion for deep reflection. We find the people honouring with commemorative applause domestic excellence: says one inscrip- | costly and magnificent monument, whattion: "The Senate and the People ever opinion may prevail as to the taste fhonor) the daughter of Theogiton, of its workmanship. There is no inthe wife of. on account of stance known of a triumphal arch that was more richly adorned with sculpture The piers all around were adorned with three compartments of basso relievos, one above another, each divided by others that were twelve inches deep, covered with foliage and flowers.” Unfortunately, the plague raged in this quarter of the city, which is prin cipally inhabited by Jews; as was also the case in Stuart's time, and occasioned his precipitate departure. her virtue and her modesty." Another informs us, that "Charopeina, daughter of Tiberius Claudius Didymus, a priestess of Diana, is honoured by the Cheroneuns for her virtue, and reli-relief being four feet two inches deep, gious attendance on the Deity." These erections by the voice of the community, to virtue, modesty, and devotion, appear not a little singular, in a country where there is as much of either, and of all, these excellent qualities, as in any country on the face of the earth. Yet had these very people their weak side; Thessalonica is a considerable city, for, on the other hand, we find them re- having a population of sixty thousand cording, that, on the fifteenth day of souls, of which about half the number the Month Alafcomenius (October) Phi-are Turks; the Greeks are about sixloxenus being Archon, Alexon, the son teen thousand; and the Jews twelve. of ishodon, dedicates his own slave Di-thousand; with a mixed population of onysia, as sacred to the God Serapis, she having remained blameless with him all her life." Was this a favour to the slave? Was the temple service more honourable, or lighter, than that of an ordinary master? Or was it a gift to the God, of a property no longer valuable to himself, this slave having lived out her best days in his service? If it were a token of gratitude, would not liberty have been the preferable way of shewing that sensibility? Negroes and Gipsies, amounting to two thousand more. This city is enriched by the export trade; its principal com modities consist of cotton, wool, tobacco, bees-wax, and silk. It is the port for all Macedonia. The imports are principally from England. West India coffee is often sold in the Levant, under the name of Mocha coffee, (particularly at Smyrna,) whence it is sometimes shipped, and brought back again to England, under that name. We follow this learned traveller, with Here, owing to the plague, our tragreat attention, in his Volume, from vellers could not purchase a proper Greece, to Macedonia, and admire with dress for the interpreter; but were comhim the snowy summits of Mount Olympelled to clothe him coarsely, to avoid pus; but our space here, forbids us from infection, with a rough shepherd's cloth, indulging ourselves. As he approaches which was fumigated, and passed through Thessalonica, the terror of the plague, water. then raging there, almost checks our hopes of his visit to it; although we much wish that one traveller were permitted by prudence to examine this city, with out reserve. Stuart had brought us acquainted with that interesting Antiquity known by the name of the Incantada; but, we do not recollect, that he mentions the Rotunda, an edifice resembling the Pantheon, at Rome; or the triumphal arch erected in honour of Octavius and Anthony, after the battle of Philippi; and another to Constantine, which is almost entire. "It was certainly a most Author, where Euripides wandered, on We cannot stay to wander with our the banks of the lake Beshec, nor to visit the ruins of Amphipolis, nor to speculate on the dirt and unseemliness of Turkish Khans in some places. In his approach to Constantinople, he found the country in rebellion, and his situation at Fairy, was strikingly perilous. The Metropolis of the Turkish Empire, and-if the Turks say true, the very centre and seat of Orthodox Islamism, is Constantinople; but it was more interesting to our traveller as a [926 city once eminent for splendour, and still | night's lodging beneath their humbler retaining unquestionable marks of anti-sheds. The Greeks are, for the most part, quity. The breach made by Mahomet indolent and profligate, vain, obsequious, I. when the city was taken by the ostentatious, poor and dirty. The Albanians Turks, is still distinguishable; and are industrious, independent, honourable, clumps of old trees, wave in desolate deanly, and hospitable. They are a hardier and a healthier race; passing their lives, grandeur over the spot where fell the last of the Paleologi. su' dio, either in the fields or upon the, mountains: their sons possess a manlier But, we must now relinquish our at-disposition than the offspring of the Greeks, tention to the memorials of antient days, who are always eleminate; and the daughters of Albanians are not charac and endeavour to communicate some notions, though very partial, of our travel-terized by those relaxed habits and that ler's opinion, on modern men, and manners. This is the more desirable, because, public expectation locks strongly towards the East for an approaching shi't of scenery; and the possession of the Ionian islands by the British power, is supposed to be connected with further possibilities in that part of the globe. early fading which may be observed in the Grecian damsels. A girl of Grecian parents scarcely attains her twentieth year before she begins to exhibit the marks of a premature old age; and all the Grician women exhibit a matronly appearance long before they enter into the marriage state. Some of them are, it is true, exceedingly beautiful; and Nature seems to have been more lavish in the distribution of female charms among the Grecian than among the Albanian women; because the Albanian women have almost all of them the complexion and the features of gipsies: but beauties which they possess; they make then, the former seldom display the natural their appearance disguised by cosmetics and paint, and by the artificial ornaments of false hair; tricked out, at the same time, by all sorts of finery, and smelling of es seuces and of musks. The Albanian women Dr. Clarke has an amusing Artitle on the privacy of the Greek Gynaceum, concerning which he observes, that unless a stranger be intimate enough with the master of a family to penetrate to the retirement set apart for its female relatives, he may come and go without meeting any one of them." This seclusion is not derived from the Turks, but is the ancient custom continued. Dr. C. was happy enough to obtain an in-are fond of finery,—and, indeed, where are terview, by means of an invitation to a ball, with an assembly of the wealthiest matrons of the Greek families, seated in a row, with their daughters standing before them." They danced, too, but not delightfully, if we may beheve our author;-they had expression enough of a certain kind, but neither grace, nor dignity; and the simplest English country dance, they found too fatiguing. the women, except in highly civilized society, who are not fond of it?-but the Albanian finery consists, principally, m and their dress is remarkable for the serua display of colours strongly contrasted; pulous attention to cleanliness by which it is distinguished. Our readers will gather from these hints, that the liberation of Greece, whenever it takes place, will not be due to the energy, spirit, or unanimity of It is not from the Greeks, but, the Greeks; and perhaps, it may bear a it is from the Albanians, the Dr. ex- question, whether that race, as it is chapects service, whenever an opportunity racterized, at present, be much more shall present itself of vindicating the li-worthy of independence, than their herty of Greece. These descendants of sent masters are worthy of comman 1. the ancient Macedonians, have, it is true. the character of robbers; but, says our author, Future travellers in Greece will do wel to profit by our experience, with respect to the Albanian peasantry,—a race as distinct as possible from all the other inhabitants of the country. We never had reason to complain, when we consented to forego the accommodation offered in Greck houses for a pre In whatever can be said on the ignorance of the Turks, Dr. C. joins unreservedly; but he does justice to other qualities, which it is not fair to undervalue. We insert an amusing instance of the first, and, to shew our impartiality, several instances in support of the latter, observation. At Kishan, advancing towards Constantinople; |