the author) was fpoken by Mr. Wilfon, in the character of a cook; it turned upon a ludicrous comparison between larders and theatres, with fome humorous allufions to the Receipt Tax, and was favourably received by the audience. The author, likewife, in the courfe of the farce, has introduced many allufions to the tax on receipts, and the confequences it may produce, but in doing fo, he has rather endeavoured to raife a laugh and turn them into pleafantry, than cenfure a tax, which, however difagreeable and inconvenient to individuals, is fully juftified by the exigency of the state in general.

Aug. 23. At Mr. Jewell's benefit, a dramatic proverb, intituled SEEING IS BELIEVING, was prefented to the public. To thofe who love laughter, and confider fun as the effence of hu mour, this little piece must afford great entertainment.

Theatrical exhibitions have long borne the name of tragedy and comedy. About the beginning of this century

T

the term farce was introduced, when after pieces began to form part of the evening's entertainment. The present age may claim the invention of the Dramatic Proverb. What honours our neighbours the French derive from it, we fhall not, at prefent, pretend to determine; but content ourfelves with fpeaking of the merits of Seeing is Believing.

The impofition on Credule, who is perfuaded to think himself blind, and make his will, is certainly farcical, though not original; and the whimfical medley of incidents which attend the deception are highly laughable.

The piece, however, owed much of its fuccefs to the exertions of the performers, and we are afraid it will not bear examination in the closet. During the representation, the audience fcarcely found leisure to reflect, why they were amufed. They were merry rather than wife, and feemed willing to illuftrate one proverb under the fanction of another.

SUNDAY, July 20.

HIS evening happened one of the most tremendous and general thunder ftorms, perhaps, ever remembered. The peals of thunder were uncommonly loud, and the flashes of lighten-, ing vivid and frequent. We have heard of no confiderable damage being done by it in the metropolis. It was feverely felt at Kentish-Town and Highgate, and in that direction, to the N. E.; at Brentwood, and around that part of the country, particularly at Warley Common: Mr. Matters's houfe fuffered greatly, the lightening penetrating the roof, and every other part of the houfe: fome of the fathes were beat in, and the panes of glafs thattered to pieces; the wires of the bells melted, the wainscot fhivered in many places: two balls of tire burit in the houfe, one in the kitchen among the fervants, and the other in a back parlour where Mr. Mafters and his lady were at fupper: Mr. Miller, the city marthal, being with them on a vifit, was beat down from his chair by the violence of the explosion, but providentially received no further damage than a ilight hurt on the fide of his head. The ball made its way into the china clofet, where it broke the greatest part of the china to pieces, and burnt fome of the linen on the beds.

At Bromley in Kent, what deferves the particular notice of the publick, the lightening was obferved to fet fire to the noxious vapour, with which the atmosphere had been loaded for more than a month before. The whole expanse was LOND. MAG. Aug. 1783.

fucceffively in a blaze after every flash, without any thunder being heard, and even after the thunder and lightening had ceafed, which did not continue violent more than half an hour; the blaze of the vapour refeinbled what is called the white lightening, feen after fummer's heat, but much more illuminated, as the light was momentarily fo bright, that one might have seen to read by it.

At Norwich, though it began about nine o'clock, and lafted, with a short intermiffion, till near three the next morning, providentially the effects in the city and neighbourhood were flightly felt; but in the hamlet of Pockthorpe, a ball of fire fell on a dwelling-houfe, and paled through it without doing any material injury: the chimney of another house was beaten down. At Needham, near Harlefton, a barn belonging to Mr. Chilvers was burnt down by the lightening; a man and a boy had but a few minutes before taken fhelter in it, who luckily received no other hurt than one of them having his eyebrows finged. A large oak tree was split at Starfton, and another at St. Faith's. A heifer belonging to Mr. Cunningham, of Rufhall, was ftruck dead. Many parts of Suffolk were likewife vifited with the fame tempeft. At Pakenham, near Eufton, a man-fervant belonging to Mr. Noble, going to the door to look at the tempeft, was fuddenly beat backwards, and remained infenfible for fome minutes. At the fame time a fhepherd, who lived in a cottage not 2

far

lations eftablished for the due performance of quarantine to be punctually and strictly observed, and carried into execution: whereof the faid officers, and all others whom it may concern, are to take notice, and govern themselves accordingly.

STEPH. COTTRELL

[This gazette alfo contains a further order of council, for the better obfervance of quarantine by fhips from the places above-mentioned, as likewife by thips from Dantzick, or any port or place in Royal or Ducal Prufia, or Pomerania, certain information being received that the plague has broke out at Chenon, at Oczakow, in the country which is called the Tartary of Oczakow, and in the Crimea, and hath manifefted itfelf upon the frontiers of Poland: likewife fpecifying the places where they are to air their goods, and all other effential rules neceffary to be obferved for the public fafety.

In the fame gazette is alfo an order of his Majesty in council, for making void all fuch grants of land in the province of Nova Scotia, dated prior to the ft of January, 1774, as have not yet been carryed into execution, and that the commander in chief iffue no future order of furvey, or pafs any grants under the feal of that province.]

SUNDAY, 27.

At Plymouth, there was a dreadful ftorm of thunder and lightening, accompanied with violent rain. A gentleman belonging to the navy, near the Mill-Prilon, was ftruck with the lightening, but recovered himself after fome time; another had his legs fcorched, and feveral perfons were ftruck blind for half an hour.

MONDAY, 28.

This morning letters were received at St. James's, from Prince William Henry, of his embarking, and fetting off with a fair wind from Harwich for HelvoetЛluys.

Notice was fent down to every feaport-town, with ftrict orders not to fuffer any ships or vellels of foreign nations to come into port, without first performing quarantine.

At nine o'clock, Emanuel Pinto, a Portuguese, was carried from Newgate in a cart, and executed at the end of Nightingale-lane, Eaft-Smithfield, for the murther of William Adair, by stabbing him in the belly: he was afterwards carried back to Surgeons-Hall to be diffected.

Came on the election of a member of parlia ment for Portsmouth, in the room of Sir William Gordon, K. B. when the Hon. Thomas Erskine, barrister at law, was elected without oppofition.

The affifes for the county of Berks were held at Abingdon, before Mr. Juftice Nares, and Mr. Serjeant Walker (in the room of Lord Loughborough) when three prifoners were capitally convicted, but were all reprieved before the judges

left the town.

Extract of a letter from General Sir Guy Carleton, K. B.Sc. dated New-York, Jane 20, 1783. My Lord,

I tranfmit for your lordship's information a copy of Colonel Deveaux's letter, conveying an account of the recapture of the Bahama Inlands, together with a copy of the capitulation. I am my lord,

Your lordship's most obedient,
And most humble fervant,

GUY CARLETON.

Right Hon. Lord North.
Extract of a letter from Col. Deveaux to Sir Guy
Carleton, dated New Providence, June 6, 1783.

I Have the pleasure to inform your excel lency, that on the 1st of April laft, not having heard that peace was concluded, I formed from St. Auguftine an expedition against New Provi dence, to restore its inhabitants, with those ofth adjacent iflands, to the bleffings of a free go vernment. I undertook this expedition at my own expence, and embarked my men, which did not exceed 65, and failed for Harbour Inland, where I recruited for four or five days; from thence I fet fail for my object, which was the Eastern Fort on the Inland of Providence, and which I carried about day-light, with three of their formidable gallies, on the 14th. I immediately fummoned the grand fortrefs to fur render, which was about a mile from the fort 1 had taken; his excellency the governor evaded the purport of my flag, by giving me fome trifling informations, which I took in their true light. On the 16th I took poffeffion of two commanding hills, and erected a battery on each of them of twelve pounders. At day-light on the 18th, my batteries being complete, the Englifh colours were hoifted on each of them, which were within mufquet-fhot of their grand fortrefs. His excellency, finding his fhot and fhells of no effect, thought proper to capitulate, as you will fee by the enclosed articles. My force never at any time confifted of more thak 220 men, and not above 150 of them had mufquets, not having it in my power to procure them at St. Auguftine.

I took on this occafion one fort, confifting of 13 pieces of cannon, three gallies carrying twentyfour pounders, and about 50 men.

His excellency furrendered four batteries, with about 70 pieces of cannon, and four large gallies (brigs and fnows) which I have fent to the Havannah with the troops as flags; I therefore ftand in need of your excellency's advice and directions in my prefent fituation, and shall be exceedingly happy to receive them as foon as poffible.

I had letters written for your Excellency, on this occafion, fince the middle of the laft month; but the veffel by which they were to have been conveyed went off and left them; therefore, hope your Excellency will not think it my neglect in not having the accounts before this. I have the honour to be,

Your Excellency's most obedient, And very humble fervant, (Signed) A. DEVEAUX, Colonel and Commanding Royal Forresters. New Providence, June 6, 1783. ARTICLES entered upon between Don Antonio Claraco y Sanz, Governor of the Bahama Z 2 Mands,

far from the farm-houfe, was thrown on the ground in like manner, but recovered. Another man, who stood near, very happily escaped the troke, as the cottage was immediately in a blaze, and he had but just time to fave four children, by dragging them out of bed, and expoting them naked to the weather.

At Woodbridge, in Suffolk, it lafted feveral hours: the chimneys of many houfes were beaten down, and the windows thattered to pieces. Several perfons were much hurt, and next morn ing, cattle of all kinds were found dead in the fields. At Olney, Bucks, fome of the ftones were driven out of the church fteeple. A ball of fire fell down the chimney of Mr. Hind, glafrer: his wife, himself, and a woman, were fitting in the corner, and it making a great hiffing as it came down, gave them fome notice of its approach, but not fufficient for them to get away; the man was ftruck down, and lay as if dead on the floor for at least ten minutes, one of the women had her face much fcorched, and the other (who was not hurt) fays the faw the fire run along the hadfe as though a train of gunpowder had been lighted; from whence it turned up the ftairs, made a large hole in the plastering, went through a wainscot partition at the top, and turning again paffed through a large crack in another, and damaged the chamber ceiling.

At Shrewsbury, a great deal of damage was done to the houses; many windows were thattered to pieces, and feveral perfons much hurt; a great number of fheep were ftruck dead, with feveral horfes and other cattle.

Thefe violent effects very forcibly indicate the neceflity of conductors to all houses, particularly to large and public buildings; but let it be remembered, at the fame time, that they ought to be constructed with fcientific accuracy, and all their parts frequently and carefully examined, to fee that they be entire and free from ruft; after a thunder ftorm, this ought never to be omitted, becaufe the conducting rods are fometimes melted by the fightening, without any damage done to the building. Without thefe precautions they bring with them infinitely more hazard than fafety.

MONDAY, 21.

By accounts from Newcastle, Stockton, Yarm, Darlington, Stokefley, and other places in the north, we are informed of great damage being done by the thunder and lightening this day. A brig belonging to Sunderland was ftruck by the lightening off Robin Hood's Bay, and fplit quite through the middle, fo that the funk immediately; but the crew faved themselves in a boat.

TUESDAY, 22.

About five o'clock in the evening a moft alarming ftorm of thunder and lightening happened at Shipton, in Worcestershire, where William Phillips mowing in a field near that place, in company with Samuel Bradley, both of them ran for fhelter beneath an elm tree, where the former was itruck dead; and Bradley, by the force of the lightening, ftruck fenfelefs for fome time, and thrown to a confiderable diftance. The poor man, upon recovering fo far as to be able to crawl in fearch of Phillips, found him quite dead, and himleit fo much torched

and bruifed as to reach the town with great difficulty-Phillips has left a widow and two chil dren. THURSDAY, 24

Came on to be heard before the Committee of Council at the Cockpit, Whitehall (Lord Thurlow fitting for Lord Loughborough, who was ill) an appeal from a judgement in the courts of Jamaica, in a caufe of property, 10,000l. per annum, sterling; the Duchefs of Chandos, appeliant, and Waldron Fearon, Efq. refpondent when judgement was given in favour of her Grace, for a reverfal of the judgement in Ja maica, with immediate poffeffion, and restitution for damages. FRIDAY, 25.

At Birmingham, the mills belonging to Meff. England and Co. near Tamworth, were all unfortunately burnt down, except the corn-mill. By what means they took fire has not yet been discovered.

SATURDAY, 26.

This morning, at fix o'clock, his Royal Highnefs Prince William Henry, attended by General Buda, his preceptor, fet off from Windfor, on his way to Harwich.

This day's Gazette contains the following order of his Majesty in Council:

At the Court at St. James's, the 25th of July, 1783,

Prefent, The KING's Moft Excellent Majcfty in Council,

WHEREAS information has been received from Sir Robert Ainttie, his Majesty's ambal fadour at Constantinople, that the plague had begun to fpread in different quarters of that city, and had alfo appeared in places in the neighbourhood, and had alfo broken out at Foglieri, or Foggio, in the Bay of Smyrna, his Majesty in Council this day took the fame into confideration, and although it appeared that a quaran tine of forty days is at this time fubfifting, by order of this Board, upon all fhips and vellets coming from or through the Mediterranean, or from the Weft Barbary on the Atlantick ocean, or from any of the ports of the kingdom of Spain within the Mediterranean, or from Minorca or Gibraltar, into any of the ports of this kingdom, or the ifles of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark or Man; and alfo upon all thips and veffels whatsoever, arriving in the faid ports, having any books, filk raw, thrown, or wrought, linen, cotton-wool, cotton-yarn, grograin or mohair yarn, goats hair, Carmenia wool, carpets, camlets, burdets, or other manufacture of filk and cotton, kid fkins, fkins in the wool or hair, fponges, wine and oil in chefts, thread stockings, all goods packed with ftraw and cotton, matts and matting, and fails, being goods more efpecially liable to retain infection, and which may have been brought from Conftantinople, and other places in the Levant, into other countries, and from thence imported into his Majesty's dominions in fhips not obliged to perform quaran tine; his Majefty judges it neceflary upon this occafion to caufe the faid orders to be enforced; and to that end his Majefty doth hereby require and command all the officers appointed for the Tervice of quarantine to ufe their utmost care and diligence in caufing the feveral rules and regu

lations