148 men courageously advanced against the enemy. Before they began the engagement, as was ufual with them, they fell down to prayers, which made the Duke's jefter lay," Leopold, my Countrymen (for he was a Swifs) have all lift up their hands, and worn to Almighty God to kill thee." An Auftrian officer, abferving their undaunted countenance, advised to delay the battle till next day; but a nobleman declared," he would deliver that handful of boors before fupper into the hands of the Duke roafted or boiled, as he fhould beft like them." The nobility were fo eager to engage, that they difmounted, gave their horfes into the care of their fervants, and would not fuffer any but themselves to hare in the honour of the day. It happened that a young nobleman, in cutting off the long point of his foe, as all the reft did, wounded his toe, which made him cry; whereupon they ordered him out of the rank, as unworthy to fight. His brethren were all fain, and his life was faved. When the battle began, the fuperior power of the Auftrians in men and arms foon appeared, and fixty confederates were killed before they could make the leaft impreffion on their enemy: in this diftrefs a brave knight of the family of Winkelried refolved to facrifice his life for his country; he accordingly advanced boldly, and with his arms grafped and bent down as many of their long pikes as he could hold, which his companions obferving, they prefied after him with irrefiftible fury, broke in with their halbards upon the Austrians, and made dreadful havock. Defeat and Death of Duke Leopold. It is faid, that before the engagement they proclaimed that every man who thought himself infufficient to encounter ten Aurians might withdraw, and that about 300 withdrew accordingly; but when thefe faw the Außrians order of battle broke, they haftened to aflift their brethren, The Duke was feveral times entreated to, withdraw, but feeing his banner in danger, he advanced to rescue it, and fell in the attempt. When the fervants, who had been ordered in the rear with the horfes, faw the defeat of their mafters, they mounted their mafters horfes, and left them to fuift for themselves. It is March fuppofed the lofs of the Auftrians amounted to 2000, including 667 of the nobility, and among them 350 with crowned cafkets. The Swifs loft about 200, who were all carried to their respective homes. The third day they permitted the enemy to carry off their dead, among whom was the Duke, put into a great box (still extant) which, it is faid, had been full of halters to hang the confederates. The Swifs, in hopes of obtaining peace, were fparing of the blood of the Auftrians, and did not purfue them in their retreat: they had reafon to repent afterwards of their lenity; but the continuance of the war ferved only to increase the victories and fame of the Swifs confederates. The fons of the defeated Leopold made great preparations for war, and many imperial cities joined with them; a truce was indeed concluded, which the Auftrians badly kept, and by furprize and fecret intelligence made themfelves mafters of Wefen, the poffeffion of which laid the whole canton of Gla, ris open to their ravages. The Swifs confederates advised tirat canton to get the best terms poffible; but thofe propofed by the Auftrians were so exceffively fevere, that the treaty came to nothing. The Auftrians then inva,' ded that country with about 8000 men the inhabitants had caft up an entrenchment, which was defended by about 350 men; when the Auftrians advanced, thefe finding themselves too weak to refift, retreated to a rifing ground; the Auftrians penetrated into the country, and burned the village of Nafels, and then attacked the abovementioned handful of inhabitants, who received them with a fhower of ftones; the Auftrians having retreated a little to put themfelves under cover, the Swifs feized the favourable moment, and fell upon them with fuch fury, that after an engagement of five hours they were forced to fly. The Swifs came up with them at a bridge, and the Auftrians in their confufion, not aware that the bridge was broken, preffed on; thus numbers were drown ed. The lofs of the Auftrians was computed at 2000, while that of the Swifs did not exceed 55 men. The dukes of Auftria again confented to a truce, by which the Swifs were to remain in poffeffion of all their con 1776. Regulations among the Swiss Cantons. conquefts; this truce in 1314 was renewed for twenty, and in 1412 for fifty years longer. The Swifs made ufe of this tranquillity to give ftability and perfection to their military difcipline. In 1393 they agreed upon the following regulations among them felves. 1. No church or chapel to be attacked, unless it be made ufe of as an afylum by the enemy. 2. No_woman to be violated or infulted. 3. Every Swifs engaged to facrifice his fubftance and life for his country. 4. No Swifs to forfake his poft, even tho' wounded. 5. None to pillage without leave of his commander, and the fpoils to be equally divided. 7. All that fend provifions to the Swifs fhall be protected. 8. No canton to make war without the confent of the reft. 9. No Swifs to take away any thing by violence from another, neither in time of war nor peace. The Swifs carried their military difcipline to fuch perfection, that Machiavel fays no nation ever exceeded them in that respect, except the Ro mans. On the whole then, the rife and progress of liberty in Swifferland was thus: 1. They had fome rights and liberties granted them by emperors, 149 which do not appear very confiderable. 2. The Emperors of the house of Auftria endeavoured to feparate them from the Roman empire, and bring them to fubjection to the then rifing House of Austria. 3. Against this the Swifs remonftrated, petitioned, and pleaded their charters. 4. Governors were fent among them, who were to opprefs them, in order to drive them to fome act of defpair, which their enemies intended to term rebellion, and under pretence of it reduce them by force of arms. This, 5. at length produced confederacies, first only of three men, by degrees of three fmall countries, which increased gradually to thirteen cantons, befides fome confederates. 6. To fubdue them, a ftop was first put to their trade, and afterwards they were attacked by force. 7. When attacked, they defended themfelves with incredible bravery, and under every poffible difadvantage refifted every attack, and at laft obli ged their enemies not only to defift, but to declare them a free ftate; and though furrounded by Austria, France, and Savoy, they have continued free and brave ever fince; and may they do fo to the end of time! For the LONDON MAGAZINE. Memoirs of the celebrated Tom Wefton the Comedian. gaged himself and wife at Norwich, Tom, at the close of this season, in the Hay-Market, got an engagement Z. played there during Mr. Garrick's abfence in Italy, Abel Drugger, and it is faid, excelled every one who played that part. He faw himself now in poffeffion of three pounds a week at that theatre, and fo began to confider his appointments larger than they were; though a good fcholar, he was no great arithmetician; he could eafily tell his receipts, but could not count his expences. He now began to get behind the lighter, and therefore to learn economy, took a young lady into keeping at apartments at a glafs fhop facing St. James's place,in St. James's ftreet. This fair one he brought out at the Hay-Market in Cherry; but his behaviour did not agree with her notion of things, and not readily putting Anecdotes of Tom Weston: 150 putting up with the affronts the daily received, he looked out for one who would fuit his purpose better. His falary at Drury-Lane, though three pounds per week, was pawned to the managers for money advanced to his creditors, who had been obliged to take difagreeable means; he therefore did not receive above half, on which he and his demoiselle were obliged to fubfift. In this fituation he felt fome diftrefs; for the pittance he received on the Saturday, was owing before it came, for lodging (for they had no faith) chandler's fhop, public houfe, &c. and yet, notwithstanding is fituation, he would frequently neglect the rehearsals, and fometimes even absent himself the night of performance a continuation of this behaviour obliged Mr. Garrick to difcharge him from the theatre. Tom's diftrefs was now great, but Mr. Foote, who on every occafion was his very good friend, mentioned his cafe to feveral of the nobility, and a fubfcription was fet on foot for him, and feventy pounds fubfcribed, to go towards paying his debts. This ferved to stop fome gaps, though Tom took care to have a part of it, by giving a friend a couple of notes of hand, which he compounded for, and returned Tom the money he received for them, which he spent jovially, laughing at the trick by which he purchafed his pleasure. During this feafon Mr. Foote took a leafe of the Edinburgh theatre for three years of Mr. Rofs, at fix hundred pounds per annum, and the managers of Drury Lane not fending to Tom, he entered into an agreement with Mr. Foote for Edinburgh, at five pounds per week (at this time he had an hundred guineas for the Hay-Market feason, which amounted to about the above fum;) but to prevent any difagreeable vifitors (for there were a number of people who wanted to fee him) he took up his refidence in the theatre, during the fhutting up of the Hay-Market, and the fetting out for Edinburgh, which theatre does not open before the first or second week in November. During this recefs he kept close prifoner, except on a Sunday; ufually after dinner, as the dreffing rooms March wherein he lived were rather dark and dull, he brought a table into the lobby of the theatre next the Hay-Market, and fhutting to the half door which had fpikes on the top of it, took the air and fmoaked his pipe without fear of catch-poles: once indeed he was outwitted by one of them, whose face he was unacquainted with: he came to the hatch over which Tom was looking, and having fome clothes covered with green cloth like a taylor, asked if Mr. Foote was at home; Tom, not fufpecting the cheat to be on him, anfwered yes, and opened the hatch, where, as foon as the bailiff entered, he acquainted our hero that he had a writ against him. A thought immediately truck Tom, who not feeming fhocked, told the officer to follow him in, and Mr. Foote would fettle it, either by paying the money, or giving fecurity: unfufpetting, he followed Tom to the paffage, which then led to the ftage behind the fide boxes, and was very dark; the bailiff groped flowly along, but Tom knowing the way, foon got to the door (which had fpikes alfo to it, and bolted it) then croffing the ftage, went through Foot's houfe into Suffolk ftreet, leaving the catchpole to lament his credulity. As he had not touched Tom, it could not be called an escape; fo when the coaft was clear, he returned to his ufual refidence, but was never after off his guard. While Wefton kept himself clofe in Foote's theatre, he asked a perfon of his acquaintance, to dinner with him; they had a quarter of lamb roasted, and with it a cucumber, which coft fix. fhillings, and had only fomething refembling a cloth thrown upon the table, without the form of spreading. The perfon who cooked his victuals, was a man of the guards, whom he kept for that purpose, and likewise to keep the bailiffs from him. The room wherehe entertained his friend was exceedingly fmall, in which was a bed he and his wife always lay in, and during his friend's ftay that afternoon, four different people dreffed themselves in it. He was in general a rude companion, continually in broils, often when any perfon touched him greatly, he would take an opportunity to run 1776. His Charater as a Comedian. run at and strike him with vengeance, and immediately fall down and fay he would fight no more. By the interpofition of Mr. Foote, a reconciliation enfued between Tom and the Drury-lane managers; terms were agreed on both fides: they were, that Tom fhould have five pounds a week, and furthermore, twenty fhillings for the lady, who called herself Mrs. Wefton. In fact, they only gave him money to pay themselves, for half was stopped to discharge the debt he owed them. Though he had often fmarted for the confequences, yet nothing could deter him; neither his health nor reputation bore any weight with him; the pot or bottle was always on table, and the duns at the door. Though the receipts from Drury-Lane and the Hay-Market amounted, with his benefits, to near fix hundred pounds per annum, yet he engaged with Jefferson at Richmond, to play every Saturday at that theatre, Mr. Foote not performing on that day. Here he received the emoluments of a benefit, which turned out very profitable, though in the end he was a lofer by the engagement, as he staid at Richmond Saturday night, fometimes Sunday and Monday, till his business called him to the Hay-Market. In thefe tours he would expend a great deal of money; his girl went with him, and always fome crony; for, like his betters, he had always a hanger on, who must also be provided for, and the bills at a tavern or inn could not be very trifling, wherever he came. Liquor, from whence he derived his greatest pleasure, proved his greateft curfe; during even the performance of a part he must have a dram; and as the fervants of the theatre were forbid providing 'any, Tom generally brought it himself. One evening coming to the house very late, Mr. Foote met him juft as he entered the ftage door, at his houfe in SuffolkStreet, and after a flight reprimand for his delay, asked him what he had in his hand under his coat. Tom faid, a bottle of Seltzer spaw water, which the doctor ordered him to drink. Mr. Foote fufpecting it was gin, infitted upon tafting, and Tom as perempto rily refufed; at length the manager's 151 defire was complied with, and the contents of the bottle proved Holland's gin, as was fufpected; on which, he threw it on the ground, broke the bottle, and fpilt its contents. Our hero immediately fwore he would not play that evening, unless it was replaced, and Mr. Foote was forced to comply with his demand, or difmifs the house, as he remained inflexible to all manner of advice. His health now began very vifibly to decline; numbers of his friends told him this melancholy truth, but he commonly laughed it off with a joke, or feemed regardless when death fhould make his appearance; though four months of the feafon had elapfed wher he died, yet he had played during that time, but very few nights; he never appeared to have very great fpirits, and during his illness, had lefs than might have been expected from one of his way of thinking. He was attended by feveral eminent perfons of the faculty, but his infide was perfectly deftroyed. Alleviation was all they could do for him, and like the glimmering of an expiring taper, he lived fome weeks, but nature at length, quite worn out, like the foundation of a fabric, at length gave way, and the mansion fell to its parent earth, on the 18th day of January, 1776. Mr. Wefton's character as a low comedian, undoubtedly ftood unrivalled; the stage has not his equal, nor perhaps ever had, unless we allow that Nokes, an actor towards the latter end of the laft century, may be put in competition with him; indeed from the account Cibber gives of him (whofe judgment of the ftage is to be relied on) he feems to have been a performer of equal merit; their talents appear to run in fuch exact parallel lines, that the following character of Nokes would almost do for Wefton. or His natural countenance, fays Cibber, was grave and fober, but the moment he spoke, the fettled ferioufnefs of his features was utterly difcharged, and a dry, drolling, laughing levity, took fuch full poffeffion of him, that I can only refer the idea of him to your own imagination; in fome of his low characters that be came it, he had a huffling fhamble in his gait, with fo contented an ignorance in his afpect, and an aukward abfur 152 Genuine Will of Tom Weston. Such was Nokes, and such we may nearly fay was Wefton, and what was rather fingular, fuch was not any other actor between the dates of their refpective times. Grimace has often fupported our best comic actors; Shuter owes much to it, yet by his happy management, the foureft critic will fcarcely fufpend his laugh to take notice of it; nay, even Mr. Garrick, that God of ftage idolatry, has frequently drawn upon this clap trap for applaufe. Wefton was always fuperior to it; the playing of his character was fo chaftely conceived by him, and fo' naturally ftamped upon his face, that like the fombre colouring of a mafterly portrait, he derived all his merit from the truth of his profeffion. Genuine WILL of Mr. WESTON. A book being lately publifted in which the public are impofed on re fpecting the will of my late husband; if the real and only one be worth your notice, you'll oblige an injured woman by inferting the contents of it, who is, Sir, Your's, M. WESTON. L March THE WILL. "Principally, and first of all, I' give and recommend my foul into the hand of Almighty God that gave it; and my body I recommend to the earth, to be buried in decent chriftian burial, at the direction of my execu. trix; nothing doubting, but at the general refurrection I fhall receive the fame again by the mighty power of God. And as touching fuch worldly eftate wherewith it has pleafed God to blefs me in this life, I give, demife and difpofe of the fame in the following manner and form: "Firt I give and bequeath my all to Martha Wefton; and laftly my Scrub's wig to Ned Shuter. "THOMAS WESTON." Witnefs, D. HOLDSTOCK, RICHARD HUGHES, HENRY KAYLOCK. Mr. Editor, I have attefted the above; and further, he died in peace with all mankind, frequently acknowledging the obligations he was under to a few friends, Mr. Garrick in particular, and with every acknowledgement to him that became a man and a Chriftian. St. James's Place. R. HUGHES. MATHEMATICAL CORRESPONDENCE.' Anfwers to the Queftions in our Magazine for January last. [46] QUESTION I. Anfowered by Mr. John Hampshire. 3.1416, 2t the tranfverfe, and 2e the conjugate diameters of the ellipfe, and the periphery; then by Rule II. p. 229 of Mr. ET m Hutton's Menfuration, if the tranfverfe diameter be given, c = and if the conjugate diameter be given t -cm m nearly; nearly; now the ellipfe being determined, the remainder of the queftion is to find the fide of an equilateral triangle infcribed therein, which has two cafes; when the vertex of the triangle falls in the extremity of the tranfverfe, or conjugate diameters, put the distance from the center of the ellipfe to where the fide of the triangle cuts the diameter, then by the property of the ellipfe, when the vertex is in the extremity of the tranfverfe, t2: c2 :: t + x x 1-x: x 2 = to the fide of the triangle required; when the vertex is in the extremity of the conjugate, then ca: tac+xx c −x + 12 Cor. In all cafes four equilateral triangles may be infcribed in an ellipfe, having their vertexes in the four extremities of the diameters. We |