the one seventh of her population, two years ago, were locked up in poor houses. We hear every day of the blessings of the British constitution. Mr. Saurin, our Attorney General, on the trial of the unfortunate Catholics, asserted it was the happiest in the world. It may be a happy one for a public prosecutor, who has been taken from poverty to wrestle with his country, for the wages of an English minister, but, the blessings are much depreciated, when it is an indisputable fact, that three millions of Irishmen have no means to obtain fuel, food, clothing, or lodging, but what a father perhaps of seven children can purchase out of five pence a day. It is a fact officially given to the public, that of the haughty tyrants of the ocean, one million and seventy-eight thousand, were perishing in hospitals in the year 1809. These are the blessings which we are to inherit by emancipation, when Britain who commands the ocean, and forces the productions of every climate to her own shores, canuot prevent her people from the most melancholy state of human misery; what can she spare to those unfortunate people? every one of whom, is considered part of the property of the meanest pauper in England. From the irresistible course of political events, emancipation will naturally flow, but to be begging boons and prosperity from bigots and paupers is a waste of time, and betrays a sickness of intellect. As we said before, any man who cannot patiently wait for the decision of time, if he wants immediate possession of solid happiness remote from war, poverty, and taxation, America is his best refuge. Clerical Humanity. tleman in black most humanely employed in overseeing a dog-boy feeding a pack of hounds, on a large mess of such oatmeal as would have made the chops of any Scotchman water-this young gentleman was not only a sportsman but a man of mirth, for so often as a group of bare-foot hungry children attempted to gather the crumbs which fell from the table of his darlings, he would most dexterously give them a sly skelp of a thong-whip, which almost threw them into fits, and afforded infinite laughter to his groom, his huntsman, whipper-in and dog-boywho all relished “the joke of his Reverence, whom I since learned is the Parson of ParishNever shall I forget his pious and pastor like attention to the poor dumb animals-nor the justice and humanity which he exhibited in correcting the knavish propensities of the little naked starvelings, who would now and then snatch up the drivellings of "Ringwood or Belman."-Yet this is the Divine whom the Parish of St. Andrew were ungrateful enough to accuse of inhumanity and indolence!!! I afterwards learned, that this pack of hounds was to be exhibited at the new shew of fat animals, to be held at the Farming Repository. Mr. Cox. DEAR SIR, As a constant reader and great admirer of your very interesting and entertaining Magazine, I beg to point your attention to the following facts, which I this day discovered on looking over the Dublin Directory, for the ensuing year, 1812; namely, that amongst the clarified committees appointed by that enlightened body, the Dublin Society, (near Poolbeg-street,) you will in the list of the "Committee of Fine Arts," find the erudite names of these refined and polished members of the Community Joseph Shanley, Shanley, Esq. formerly Rough Rider to Banker (now Bankrupt) Beresford's Slashing Corps-and your old friend the redoubtable Major Henry Charles Sirr, Sheriff's Peer and Chief Coadjutor of Pemberton the Comb-maker, at the Head Police Office; (near the Royal Exchange Privy.) No wonder that the fine arts flourish!!! Your Obedient, &c. &c. BRITISH PROSPERITY! Importations into Liverpool in 1810 and 1811. In 1810, Foreign Colonies Coffee, Rum, bags, do. 4,280 do. 4,670 bags, do. The art of printing is the only true black art that is known to us. It is the magician, that works wonders. A free press transforms a political desert into a paradise-the night of superstition into the day-tide of truth. • Introduce the press into Turkey, and it will be Turkey no longer. It is this powerful wand which is now diffusing the beams of light over South America, and preparing the citizens of Caraccas for the enjoyment of liberty. But to work all its wonders, this magician must be left at liberty; it must NOT, like the necromancers of old, be Bircumscribed within a circle. • The ample earth ITS area, and the arch of heaven ITS dome.' New Method of Blowing up Rocks. (From the New-York Commercial Advertiser.) MR. LEWIS, The frequent accidents that occur in the charging of rocks with powder for blasting, occasioned by the priming wire or rod striking fire against ake rock while hammering down the 92,200 brick on the charge; and two very serious instances having lately occurred at Belle Vieu, to a Mr. Melville, who was employed by the corporation in blowing, I am induced to send you for publication an account of a new me thod, which, if it should prove suc cessful, will, where it is known, ever prevent, it is presumed, accidents of the like kind in future. I found it in a late European publication; but want of opportunity has prevented my try. ing its effect. As the expence of ascertaining it will not cost six cents, and will be of no injury to the bore if it fails, I hope some one employed in that dangerous occupation, will give it a trial, and that it may answer the wished-for purpose. T. H. SALE OF PICTURES. Sir Ruebens Legboard, Virtuoso, Hosier and City Orator, late of the Golden-leg Academy, in Oxmantown; informs the admirers of the fine arts, that he has added to his collection two portraits by the pencil of Solomon Williams, house or domestic Painter to the Major. One is a full length figure of the gallant Captain Francis Huddlestone, giving his testimony againsts the Papists, in the Court of King's Bench. The ease and steadiness with which he delivers himself is the best representation of bible exercise yet reduced into pencil expression. Sergeant Biblemouth swearing statesman, under the Major, was so struck by his conscious inferiority to that of this new candidate for ministerial patronage, that it is conjectured he formed one of the conspirators, who entered Sir Rueben's gallery a few nights since, and attempted to assassinate the canvass hero. To obviate any similar attack until the painting is forwarded to Lon don, for the inspection of his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland, the picture is deposited with the partner and friend in state affairs of the Captain, Doctor John Brenan; Prince of Idoagh, whose ancestors, agreeable to his system of chronology, were losing principalities when other men were digging potatoes; that is two hundred years before Irish potatoes were first invented, and by such losses of states, principalities and potatoedigging, said, John's mother was so reduced in worldly affairs, that, she was obliged about ten months since, to emigrate into the dominions of Benjamin the IId, King of the Beggars, Channel-row; where her son Doctor John, allowed her to be re-united to her princely ancestors, by the rapid assistance of water-gruel, leek soup and salted herrings, about four months ago, while the same Wrestling Doctor was piously assisting Captain Huddlestone to secure the state against the machinations of domestic traitors, and FOR FEBRUARY, 1812, VOL. V. for which the Doctor has been advanced eighty pounds, to redeem his house from an ejectment, settle with his pawnbroker, and add two shirts and a blue surtout to his wardrobe. Sir Ruebens will have the satisfaction of accommodating the patrons of his establishment with an exhibition of the Doctors picture, in the ensuing week, as there remains nothing to be done of it but to blacken one shoe, which shoe was neglected by Mr. Solomon's anxiety to have Captain Huddlestone forwarded, for the amusement of his royal countryman. The Doctor is drawn in his study, but like his new friend the Major, the only book on the one shelf is a copy of the new testament, which he occasionally handles, in the intervals that occur between scratching his head and composing bawdy verses, for the only newspaper in the world, that, would submit its columns to his vulgar ribaldry. Around him are hung portraits of some of our principal patriots, to whose memories and persons he has been reconciled, by the eighty pounds, advanced on the Huddlestonean arrangement. Wellesley Pole, Jemmy O'Brien, the Major, Corporal Firethatch, Biblemouth, Bladderchops, Woloughan Enniskillen, Tom Reynolds, Miles Duigenan's Alderman, Lord Carhampton, Mary Llewellen, Lord Clonmell, and other illustrious persons; to whose labours the happy gentlemen who aspire from the low conditions of potatoe-digging, and other servile occupations, owe their ease and affluence, by the exercise of their functions, in our courts of crimi. nal laws, or in private assemblies, collecting state anecdotes, and swearing to their correctness. A very good likeness of Mr. Manning, chief Jugsmeller, since the demise of the venerable old Trooper, Adjntant Sidearms; performing a bible proof before the Major, swearing Capt. Huddlestone and Doctor Brenan were utter strangers to each other, though I engaged engaged more than two years together, Lord Norbury twisting his wig, as literary performers on the Hibernian Journal. This picture has so attracted the taste of the worthy converts, Messrs. Crowley and Tumbler Cow. zens, that, they have recommended it to the Turnpike Bishop of Glassnevin, as a fit and elegant production of Irish genius, to be added to his gallery of paintings, Mark Magrath, employed very whimsically, building a country villa, with whiskey naggins, by the classical pencil of Solomon. This painting has considerable merit in point of design, but, the pewter materials are deficient in spirit and colouring, the impropriety of the minaret of porter quarts, surmounted on the smaller vessels, is rather a proof, that, the gentleman has not much more merit in architectural proportion, than a want of judicial economy. Miles Duigenan's wife crying after the demolition of her house, the tears are made to roll in well formed succession, but the likeness of the Aldermans Engineer with his hand in her pocket, searching for the money received during the week, before the investment, is incomparable; the young drummer holding the Civic Generals sword, and a bundle of bed-quilts, while the pocket inquiry is making, is unparrelled in point of expression, in Irish military pieces. Mr. Manning accusing an old widow of selling a pint of porter on the sab. bath, while Mr. Dugdale was preaching a Sermon on mercy, to a congregation of Beresford's Blood-hounds, possesses considerable merit, the Painters name is not annexed, but though coming before the public as an anonymous production, we presume to say, it it not deficient in explaining official cruelty, judicial avarice or canting hypocrisy, the effect is evident by the tenpennies advanced by the widow, and the very dignified austerity visible en the faces and by the attitude of the Conscientious arbitrators. and adjusting his judicial toga, while Roger O'Conor, is expressing the following words, on the trial in the Court of Common Pleas, the 21st of last December, in which O'Conor was plaintiff, and James Fagan was defendant, it is allowed to be the most finished delineation of bench embarrassment known in the history of the fine arts, "Gentlemen-On a late occasion at Trim, to which I have alluded, where I received an insult, which I shall never forget, Lord Nor bury remarked, that had I employed counsel, the result would have been different, and I should have been ac quitted, from which it is evident that the offence I had offered to the English laws, was the not having committed my defence to lawyers," and I recollect, he concluded with a trite and no origi nal observation, "that every man who pleaded his own cause had a fool for a client."-" Perhaps gentlemen I am a fool-better fool than knave; the public, and myself have one consola. tion, I can hide my folly in retirement. How miserable is the condition of that man, who both fool and knave, is constantly exposed to the scorn of the people, and how deplorable the sate of that country, any portion of whose affairs is administered by a man of such a description," The Irish Stage. This subject is never fairly brought before the public, because, our newspapers are so easily silenced, by fear or corruption, that silence may be purchased, by those to whom silence is a guarantee for their frauds. So petty are the rewards given on the part of stage managers, for the praise or silence of newspapers, that, the public must be surprised, it amounts to no more than advertizing in each paper, and admitting the printers devils and editors, to every representation gratis. There is no amusement more rational than than that of a well regulated stage, but, we have it to say, the Irish Stage was never so debased in character, nor was the public taste or opinion more disregarded by stage managers. The public understanding has long since detected both the degeneracy of taste expressed by our managers, and their arrogant disregard for the public accommodation; the public have expressed their disgust so far, at the manner theatrical representations are latterly distinguished, that, the more spirited and intelligent have abandoned the pursuits of such amusements. Patriotism, as well as the manner of the stage, have so disgusted every reflecting person, at stage degeneracy, so much that, the seats of the Dublin Theatre have not been at any one time, wholly occupied,since the year 1798, except when the mob's curiosity has been attracted, by puffing advertisements, which, on inspection of the gross attitudes, and ignorant buffoonery of a Bradbury, the galloping of a Welch Poney, or the grimaces of an African Ape; have only contributed to add to the public disgust. Horses, Apes and English demi Savages, have succeded our Barrys, Mossops, Ryders, and O'Reilly's, and so far has just taste, letters and critical chastity, been disregarded, that, the hopes of restoring genuine theatrical refinement is now given up. The Poney, the Elephant, Ape, and well dressed dumb human brute, appear to have secured their monopoly against any other competitors. Mr. Frederick Jones may sneer at Our observations, under the safeguard which a lease against public reprehen sion may promise him, he knows his power, and we confess, we acknow. lege it too, it is to such an extent, that, he would not despair having a law enacted to make us pay for play-acting, whenever we cease to indemnify him by our voluntary contributions. We may be reduced to the condition of the French people, under the mild adini nistration of the Bourbons, who pru dently made their subjects pay the duty on salt, whether they used, or used not salt.. King Frederick may have an equal privilege inserted in his patent, he may have a tax equal to his best expectations, whenever the public have such a just sense of their own consequence, as to retire from such representations, by making us pay,-play or play not. So much does Mr. Jones differ from others, on the capacity of the Irish, either as actors or spectators, that he has rejected without one exception, the services of any native of this country, as unfit to be employed, even in the meanest offices in his Theatre. The very females who sweep the house and light the fires, are imported from Wales, and such is his idea of our judgment, or so careless is he of our indignation, by being independent of us, from an exclusive patent, for exercising the trade of an actor, that he imports nothing from amorg his favorite English, but the very rabble of their stage. Even the Poneys, who have superseded our Barrys, Woffingtons, and Bellamys ; are brought over with the human brutes from Wales; our men and our horses have so degenerated in the opi aion of this paste-board monarch, that they are not qualified to eat the corn of their own country We believe stage despotism was never carried to such an insulting extreme of arrogance, and contempt, a by this man, nor has any man in his line of trade been more liberally rewarded, because, the people who have of late years devoted themselves to stage amusements, have been those whose education or idle manners were not calculated to i quire into the causes that have lowered the stage. --Others, are FO indifferent to what the stage ought to taste is too gross for any higher or rational ideas, than what a tumbler or a poney exhibit. The present stage and 2 I e, their its |