Foul minifters, dark-working by the force THOMSON. The following is one of the various inftances adduced in proof of this illuftrious patriot's incorruptible integrity. When the lord-treafurer Danby was fent by Charles II. to offer him a thousand pounds in money, as an unconditional prefent from the king, and only a tribute to his great merit, he fpurned the infidious offer: though, as foon as that nobleman had withdrawn, Marvell was obliged, from the narrowness of his circumstances, to borrow a guinea from a friend. The honeft man, Simple of heart, prefers inglorious want PHILIPS. Subtract the loan from the intended court bribe, and bring the remainder into farthings. Anf. 958,992 farthings. No. 376. AN AMERICAN PATRIOT.-Times of civil war and commotion, as they fometimes give rise to the most shocking vices, produce likewife, upon particular occafions, the moft exalted virtues, the pureft patriotifm, the greatest elevation of mind, and the moft fteady and incorruptible principles; of which the following noble and high-fpirited answer is a memorable inftance. When the British commiffioners were in America, endeavouring to promote a re-union of the two countries, Mrs. Ferguson, the intimate friend of Governor Johnftone, one of the commiffioners, informed General REED, at Philadelphia, that he might have ten thousand pounds, and any office in the colonies in the king's gift, if he would engage nis intereft to forward the bufinefs of their miffion. I am not worth purchafing, replied the patriot; but, fuch as I am, the King of Great-Britain is not rich enough to do it*. * Dr. Gordon's Hift. Amer. War, vol. iii. p. 172; or, Dodsley's Annual Register for 1799, P. 221 It It was the fhameful boast of an eminent statesman*, that every man had his price; but here is a man who, like our immortal MARVELL, plainly appears to have been above all price; In whom corruption could not lodge one charm. THOMSON. Gold, filver, ivory, vafes, fculptur'd high, POPE. How many farthings and guineas are in the fum above mentioned. Anf. 9,600,000 farthings; 9,523 guineas, 17 fhillings. No. 377. Two VILLAGE-HAMPDENS.-I will deferve, fays that learned and ingenious writer, Mr. Gilbert Wakefield, the applauses of every true Briton, and honest patriot, by recording the memorable exertions of two individuals in private life, which will fanctify their remembrance to the worshippers of LIBERTY in ages yet unborn : Two Village-Hampdens, that with dauntless breaft Sir Robert Walpole, afterwards Earl of Orford, in Suffolk; who, moreover, it is afferted upon unquestionable authority, uttered the following man-degrading fentiment, which, for the honour of our fpecies, we hope applies chiefly to court-dependents." So great is the depravity of the human heart, that minifters, who only could know it, were, in charity to mankind, bound to keep it a fecret." Agreeable to this is, however, in fome measure, the language of Dr. Young: Heav'n's Sovereign faves all beings, but himself, Sir Robert Walpole was born at Houghton, in Norfolk, in 1674. He was prime minifter to George I. and II. and enjoyed plenitude of power from 1725 to 1742, when he was compelled to refign his places. He died in 1745, The ་ The first of these incomparable heroes is Mr. TIMOTHY BENNETT, of Hampton-Wick, near Richmond, Surrey; and the following is a fhort hiftory of his achievement. "I have The foot paffage from this village, through Busby-Park (a royal demefne), to Kingston-upon-Thames, had been for many years fhut up from the public. This honeft Englishman, " unwilling" (it was his favourite expreffion) 66 to leave the world worse than he found it," confulted a lawyer upon the practicability of recovering this road, and the probable expence of a legal procefs. feven hundred pounds," said this admirable perfon, "which I fhould be willing to bestow upon this attempt. It is all I have, and has been faved through a long courfe of honeft industry." The lawyer informed him, that no fuch fum would be neceffary to produce this effect: and Timothy determined accordingly to proceed with vigour in the profecution of this public claim. In the mean time, Lord Halifax, ranger of 'Bufhy-Park, was made acquainted with his intentions, and fent for him. I am, adds Mr. Wakefield, poffeffed of an excellent engraving, which reprefents this worthy, of an inimitably firm and complacent afpect, fitting down in the attitude of his converfation with his lordship*. "And who are you, "My that have the affurance to meddle in this affair ?" name, my Lord, is Timothy Bennett, Shoe-Maker, of Hampton-Wick. I remember, an't please your lordship, to have feen, when I was a young man fitting at my work, the people cheerfully pafs by my fhop to Kingston-Market; but now, my lord, they are forced to go round about through a hot fandy road, ready to faint beneath their burdens; and I am unwilling to leave the world worse than I found it. This, my lord, I humbly represent, is the reafon of my conduct." "Begone, you are an impertinent fellow," replied the Lord. However, upon mature reflection, his lordship, convinced of the equity of the claim, notwithstanding the advice of his friends to perfift, beginning to compute the ignominy of defeat-LORD HALIFAX, the NOBLEMAN, nonfuited by TIMOTHY BENNETT, the SHOE-MAKER-and the improbability of The infcription beneath the engraving is, Timothy Bennett, of Hampton-Wick, Middlefex, Shoe-Maker, aged 75. fuccefs, fuccefs-defifted from his oppofition, and opened the road; which is enjoyed without molestation to this day. The other patriotic hero was Mr. LEWIS, of Richmond, who nobly refifted fome meditated royal encroachments; for the particulars of which we muft, however, refer to Mr. Wakefield's Memoirs, p. 250, firft edition. "Such difinterested inftances of public virtue," fubjoins Mr. Wakefield," redeem the degenerate age, in which we live, from an univerfal imputation of fervility and corruption." How many guineas, pence, half-pence, and farthings, are in the venerable Mr. Timothy Bennett's fortune? Anf. 666 guineas, 14 fhillings; 168,000 pence; 336,000. half-pence; 672,000 farthings. Sweet is the breath of vernal show'r; GRAY. There is, as Mrs. Griffiths obferves, a charming glow of affection and gratitude, with a pleafing defcription of the yirtue and fobriety of the ancient peasantry of England, and the difference of manners and morals between thofe times and the more modern ones, in the following affecting fpeech of a peasant to his lord: I have five hundred crowns, The thrifty hire I fav'd uuder your father, When service should in my old limbs lie lame, I'll do the fervice of a younger man SHAKSPEARE. Valuing Valuing each crown at 4s. 6d. . how many pounds fterling do they contain? Anf. £114 15.-3d. No. 379. DEATH OF CARDINAL BEAUFORT.— Horror gnaws the guilty foul Of dying finners; while the good man fleeps GLYNN. No document, no example, as Mrs. Griffiths well remarks, is fo effectual a warning to the mind, as the view of a wicked perfon in his last inoments. This speaks to the heart, as well as to the understanding. We then fee things and actions in their true light, which the false glare of gain or pleasure, or the involved and complicated nature of fin, are but too apt to hide from our notice. *Sweet are the flumbers of the virtuous man. ADDISON. On the contrary, an evil confcience is a brew that gives most fhocking curtain-lectures. The great delineator of human nature reprefents the wicked as incapable of tafting "the gifts of all-compofing fleep." Not poppy, nor mandragora, SHAKSPEARE. An ancient fatirift represents the fleep of the delinquent as accompanied by a sense of guilt. Next mark, my friend, his flumbers !-If repofe no more, LEWIS'S IMITATION OF JUVENAL. A death |