οι προτήρων στην αποτροπαια. και ιδειν σε αυτόν ταύτα φησι βάιλεως δις ποιησαν $170.." Columella fays, in treating of domeftic fowl: Plurimi etiam infra cubilium ftramenta graminis aliquid, et ramulos lauri, nec minus ailii capita "cum clavis ferreis fubjiciunt; quæ cuncta remedia creduntur effe adverfus "tonitrua, quibus vitiantur ova," Lib, viii. c. 5... Pliny likewife remarks, that an iron Spike placed under a neft of eggs is a semedy againft thunder. "Remedium contra tonitrua, clavus "ferreus fub Atramine ovorum pofitus.* Hift. Nat. lib x. c. 75. This is alfo mentioned in the Geopo nica, lib. xiv. c. it. Palladius obferves, "Contra grandinem multa dicuntur ..... item cru"entæ fecures contra cœlum minaciter "levantur..... vel ferramenta, quibus "operandum eft.". Lib. i. tit. 35. The fucceeding quotations are from the Geoponica. "If the keys of feveral houfes are "hung up, the hail will pass by that "diftrict." “ Ει δε και ΚΛΕΙΔΙΑ πόλλα διαφόρων τον οικηματων κύκλω το χωριό εν Cxovais απαρτήσεις, παρελευσεία, η χαλαζα. Lib. i. c. 14. "Iron placed on the head of a veffel "preferves the liquor from being da"maged by thunder and lightning." * ΣΙΔΗΡΟΣ τοις σώμασι των πιθών επιτιθεμενον απερύκει την από των βρον σε πων και αστραπών βλάβην, Lib. vii. 6.11. It is a custom at this time, in fome parts of the country, to put iron on barrels of beer; and I have heard it afferted, that, in a row of them, thofe which had iron placed on them have been preferved, while the others were turned four by thunder: I do not give this as a certain fact from my own knowledge, but the experiment is worth trving. I have alfo fomewhere heard, or read, of turning harrows with the iron tines, or teeth, upward, to avert lightning. It cannot reafon.bly be imagined that these prefervatives against light ning fhould uniformly conft of iron, unlets fome notion, obfcure and confufed however it might be, had prevailed, that the explosive flroke was conducted, or carried off, by that metal, T. H. W. On the fouth wall of the outside of the church of Winfley, a village near Bradford in Wilts. Near this place lie the remains of Jane Sarfen. She spent a great part of her life in nurfing young children, in which station she behaved with that faithful diligence and thy the imitation of all thofe who undertake tenderness, that her example is highly worfo important a truft. Elizabeth Oliver, who owes her life to the indefatigable pains and unwearied attendance of this good woman, thinks it her daty to pay this laft grateful tribute to her memory. MR. URBAN, HE Norrwich, June 4. HF ftone erofs defcribed in p. 177 of your April Mag. and engraved in that for May, is 6 feet in length, 2 feet 8 inches in breadth at the head, and 2 feet 3 inches in breadth at the feet. It is very rifing in the middle; but, when it was difcovered, the cross was turned downwards. It is thought to have been the memorial of one of the priors. Mr. Coufin is one of the fub-facrifts of our cathedral. Yours, A Conftant Reader. SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT, Sess. IL Debates in the prefent Seffion of Parlia ment, continued from p. 449. Monday, April 4. HE Commons met according to adTHE journment. Mr. Pitt moved, "that the Lancashire petition, which was left unfinished, might be taken into confideration to-morrow;" which was agreed to. He then moved for leave to bring in a bill to continue" an Act investing his Majefty with powers to difpenfe with cersain documents and inftruments, ufually required from veffels trading from North America, to the 5th of April, 1786." He acquainted the Houfe, that the former act being near expiring, the Houfe would be under the neceffity of going through with the bill with a degree of expedition which that circumftance alone could justify. Mr. Fox declared himself an enemy to the powers entruffed by this bill to a certain branch of the legislature, and had hoped that fome permanent regulation would before now have been fettled between the two ftates. As in that he had been difappointed, he was for fhortening the term of the act, that fome effectual meafure might be brought forward before the end of the prefent feffion. To this it was replied, that the length of the term now propofed was of no confequence, as the operation of the prefent act mult cease of courfe when any fpecific measure should be adopted. There being no other objection, the bill went through the committee, and the House was refumed. Mr. Pitt then rofe, and gave notice, that on Monday next he intended to move the question for a Parliamentary Reform. Mr. Eden fubmitted to the Rt. Hon. Gent.'s opinion, whether a longer day would not be more advileable, in order that the members might be apprited of the importance of the bufinefs that was to be brought before them, and the neseffity of their attendance. After fome fhort converfation, Mr. Pitt agreed to defer his intended motion to Monday the 18th. Among a number of petitions from different places and different manufactu rers against the Infh propofitions, Mr. Blackburn rofe, and prefented a petrion * from the oleachers and divers of cotton and callicoes at Lancaster, praying of the principal manufacturers, who em and came to the following refolutions unaniployed 42,000 workmen, held a meeting, moufly: 1. That the deftructive fyftems adoptedtowards the manufactures of this kingdom, and this town and neighbourhood in particu lar, reader it incumbent upon them immedi ately to appoint delegates to go to Ireland, for the purpofe of treating with any public body, or individual nobleman or gentleman, refpecting a proper fituation for conducting an extenfive cotton manufacture. 2. That Mr. James Edge, and Mr. Jofeph Gough, be appointed immediately to go to Ireland for that purpofe. countrymen, for adopting a meafure so re3. That, to justify their conduct to their pugnant to their feelings, and fo ruinous to the nation, as tranfplanting the cotton manufactures to foreign parts, and thereby depriving Great-Britain of one of its moft principal refources, they beg leave to give the following reafons: "That, from the fair trial they have given the act of laft feffion, they find it impracticable to carry on their trade without inevitable rain: "That of all modes of taxation, those under the excife laws are moft obnoxious: "That of all the excife laws, that upon dyed and bleached fuftians operates more vexatiously, and produces more evils, than any heretofore enacted, owing to the complex nature of that manufacture: "That amongst the many grievances this law produces, the amazing number of excife officers, neceffary to enforce it, is not the leaft: That, in our opinion, not less than three bundred additional excifemen can effectually fuperintend the act, whofe operations will ruinously retard the bufinefs: disturb the harmony and arrangements of "That fuch an influx of thofe gentry to their manufactures, to deprive them of perfonal liberty, and the free exercise of their property, is unzuife, impolitic, and unjust. "That every manufacturer daily experi ences a variety of troubles, inconveniencies, loffes, and difcouragements, in the neceffary operations of his bufinels, without additional cramps and fetters of excife laws: "That by this law the inhabitants of the county of Lanc fter are more oppreffed than thofe of any other part of the kingdom; confequently they do not enjoy an equal par ticipation of the bleffi gs of liberty, and the fame free exercife of their property, with the reft of his Majfy s fubjects: "That as thy contri ure equally with the reft of us Majesty's fobjects, towards the general expenditure of the empire, they are While this peuition was p g, 18 equally entuled to partake of its benefits: That tions. The House refolved itself into a committee, pro formâ, to receive the answer of the commiflioners to the question put to them (fee p, 447); which being read, and ordered to lie on the table, the committee adjourned. The report of the committee on the petition prefented by Sir George Collier from the officers and men on the expedition to Penobscot, praying that headmoney might be allowed for the rebels deftroyed there, without fpecifying their numbers as the act directs; Mr. Pitt thought it highly improper to proceed upon the matter at prefent, as it militated against the exprefs letter of the act; but as the committee had come to a refolution, that thofe officers and men were entitled to their claim, he pro "That as the law deprives them of fome of the most valuable bieffings of the empire, they conceive themselves injured in being liable to bear its burthens as fuch; they are, therefore, compelled immediately to feek a more hofpitable thore: "That at a time when thefe deftructive and obnoxious fyftems are enforced to deprefs the genius of their artists, the minifter is belding forth the most unbounded prafulion, to extend the commerce and manufactures of the fifter kingdom. "That, to introduce vexatious and reftrictive excife laws amongst the manufactures of this kingdom, when forr unding nations are panting for a participation of them, and offering the most tempting allurements to our artifts to emigrate, is a measure wholly unjuftifiable, and unwife in the extreme. THOMAS FALKNER PHILLIPS, Chairman. pofed that time fhould he allowed for in, veftigating the matter, and therefore he fhould move, that the report be brought up that day three months." Sir George Collier made a moft pathetic fpeech in favour of that body of brave men, who, unacquainted with the exact letter of the law, or the modes of regular proceeding in the House of Commons, had preferred their prayer as they had been advised, and had obtained the favourable report of the committee to which their petition had been referred; he, therefore, thought it fomewhat hard on the navy, somewhat unfriendly to our feamen, to reject the report, and to put off the claims of those brave fellows for three months, who had rendered the molt effential fervice to their country of any that had been performed during the American war. He hoped, therefore, that the Houfe would not comply with the motion of the Right Hon, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but give leave for a bill to be brought in for their im mediate relief. Mr. Eden faw no hardship whatsoever in poftponing the report for three months, that gentlemen might have time to turn it in their thoughts, as acts of parliament are not rafhly to be difpenfed with. The queffion was put, and Mr. Pitt's motion carried without a divifion. More petitions were prefented; and a question arose about the propriety of receiving petitions, figned by one perfon only, in the name of a whole body; and, after a warm debate, an order was made against receiving fuch petitions, Thursday, April 7. More petitions were prefented, and as, mong them one, entitled, The humble pe tition of the merchants, manufacturers, and others, of the town and neighbourbood of Manchester, figned by 55,332 perfons, humbly praying, that this Hon. Houfe will reject the whole fyftem [of refolutions] before them, as unjuft, un wife, unreafonable, and impolitic; not having either equity or reciprocity for its batis. This petition was received, and ordered to be read. Mr. Grenville then rofe, in confe quence of notice he had given a few days before, to move for an alteration in the bill which his father had left as a me morial of his wifdom and his uprightness, in a'certaining the mode of trial on all controverted elections. He did not, he faid, mean to propose any material alte ration this year, but only to make d temporary improvement, which the mul tiplicity tiplicity of petitions made neceffary, and which the difficulty of getting members fufficient to make a ballot would juftify. It was, he faid, not only the number of petitions that made fome alteration neceffary, but the vexatious tendency of fome of them, calculated only to create expence, owing to the impoffibility of punishing the offenders, as he believed it was the only court in the kingdom where colts could not be recovered when the jury found the party entitled to them. He would therefore propofe, that, whenover a petition was prefented, the parties fhould enter into bond for the payment of cofts, if the petition, after trial, fhould be found frivolous and vexatious. Another caufe of the increafe of petitions was, the doubt about the right of voting in the different boroughs. This he would propofe to afcertain. A third great point was, the punifhment of returning officers, who fhould be found to have violated their trust. There likewife appeared to him to be feveral alterations neceffary in the formation of the committee. It had been forefeen, that, as the committee was to be chofen by ballot, it might happen, that at the meeting of a new parliament none but young meinbers, little skilled in the bufinefs of the Houfe, might be elected; to obviate which, each party had leave to nominate one member of fkill and experience as a guide to the reft; but of late it has been found that thofe nominees (although upon oath to act impartially) had behaved more like advocates than judges, and had frequently entered into the caufe like partizans, rather than as free and unbiaffed members. To prevent this, he would with the nominees to be the effect of chance, and chofen like the reft, or by the 13 which first compofe the committee. Another alteration which he wished to introduce, was in the number when the parties are to begin to challenge; at prefent It was 49, and the greatest difficulty had been found in getting 49 eligible members out of 100. Now he did not with to reduce this number, but the number to ftrike the committee trom, which he meant thould be 39 inttead of 49. This nuinber left each party a compleat pannel, and 13 to object io. As the law now ftands, the committee is not to proceed on bufinefs with lefs than 13 members; the bill makes no allowance for death or fickness of more than two out of 15; and if, after a committe had fat leveral months, three of its members fhould be unable to attend, the committee muft break up, and the. expence the parties had been at, loft: he therefore had to propofe, that the committee might have leave to proceed with 12, or even nine members, should it be made appear that the abfence of the others was occafioned by death or illness. It might be a matter worthy confide ration, to limit the number of committees which fhould fit at one time; for, as the number of members eligible for bufinefs was but few, when feveral commit tees were fitting at the fame time, the bufinefs of the Houfe was fure to be obftructed; therefore he would propofe, that the bill might be altered to as to permi: the Houfe to receive the report of a committee previous to a ballot, as it would not only add the two members re turned, but the is that had tried the election; and the 17 might go in addition to make up the number wanted to make up the new ballot. The laft regulation, he faid, that he fhould propofe, was, to obviate any inconvenience that might arife from a proAs the bill now rogation of parliament. ftands, hould a prorogation take place while the committee is fitting, all that they have done goes for nothing, and the parties, after all their expence, muft begin de novo at their next meeting. He would, therefore, with the committed might be enabled to proceed during the prorogation, or that what had paffed might be brought in evidence when the committee fat afresh. Thefe, he faid, were all the points that he had now to trouble the Houfe with, and concluded with moving " for leave to bring in a bill to amend and explain Mr. Grenville's act relative to the tryals of controverted elections." Mr. Montagu faid, he rofe with pleafure to fecond the motion. Lord Mahon exprefled his concern whenever he was obliged to differ in on nion from his Right Hon. friend; by could not help obferving, that one propofitions jult mentioned, viz fuffering the public bufinefs t though the ballot fhould fail, up the principle of Mr. C root and branch. The all public bufinefs til parliament expired. He was not against reducing the number of members neceffary to conflitute a committee, which he thought would anfwer every good purpofe. Mr. Popham faw much good, and fome few exceptionable things, in the motion which had, with fo much propriety, been introduced by the Right Hon. mover. To a reduction of the numbers he could by no means comply; nor did he approve of what was propofed refpecting hominees. He could not, however, help attending to that which went to the recovery of cafts. Every gentleman must be fruck with the neceffity of that alteration, as they must have feen enorinous expences frequently incurred on the most frivolous pretences. He approved of committees fitting during the time of prorogation. Like other juries, they ought not to be fuffered to depart till they had finished the cause. The Lord Advocate of Scotland was against leffening the number of members on committees. He complimented Mr. Grenville on the propriety, in every refpect, with which he had brought forward his motion. He adopted his idea as to nominees, and fpoke in general of the delicacy of that truft. There could hardly be fuppofed a cafe, he faid, in which a competent knowledge of the laws of the land and of elections was fo abfolutely neceffàry as in thofe committees. He recommended a reference 20, the judges when knotty points of law oc curred. Mr. W. Stanhope faid, he had the miffortune to differ eflentially from the learned Lord. He had always oblerved, that in cafes of elections, that which was obvious to the common-sense of every honeft man, was often, by the fophiftry of the bar, involved in fuch a cloud of learned obfcurity, that lawyers only could understand. For his part, he had ever thought, that no one act of the legiflature had brought fo much emolument to gentlemen of the long robe as this act of Mr. Grenville. It had put more than 100,ocol. into the lawyers' pockets, without the intereft of elections being one whit the better for it. He hoped, therefore, that, when the new regulations fhould take place, fomne fpecial provifion might be made to this effect; for he was frongly of opinion, that on all committees one counfellor was fufficicnt, Mr. Taylor role chiefly to combat the doctrine of the last speaker concerning Oa the gentlemen of the long robe. He infifted that no one man, let his knowledge and experience in the law be ever fo great, was equal to the task of deciding on the various complicated cafes that often occurred; and he was fure no one man would fingly undertake it. many of the objects of the motion now before the house he would not hazard an opinion; but thus much he would fay, that whatever affected the principle of the bill ought not to be rafhly hazarded: and he trufted that public butinefs would never be admitted as a pretence to superfede a ballot. This great principle of the bill he would never forfake. Mr. Demper expreffed his diflike to whatever, in the minuteft manner, tended to affect what, in his mind, conttituted the great operative principle of the bill. He could name fome of the moit refpectable courts in which all businets ftood fufpended till the powers of the court, and the qualifications of its members, were acknowledged; it was the preffure of public hufinefs that gave the law its energy. And why, he faid, thould not the reprefentation of the people be as compleat as the nature of the cale will admit before the public bufinefs could proceed? If he were alked, where the fault of delay tay? He would answer, In the laziness and want of attention in members to their duty; a defect which he feared would not be remedied, by accommodating the matter to their difpofitions; it must be by a ftimulus to accommodate their difpotitions to their duty. Mr. Powys role to fave time, by calling the attention of the Houfe to the question before them, which was for leave to bring in the bill, not to debate upon it before gentlemen could know precifely the tendency of its contents. If it had appeared, that the Right Hon. Gentleman had meant to bring in a bill to defeat the purpose of that of his an ceftor, he thould have been as unwilling to give him countenance as the Noble Lord who had reprobated the motion in fuch harsh terms; but, as the reverie appeared to be the cafe, he thould give the motion and the bill his fupport. Lord Mahon declared, he never meant to lay a difrefpectful word against the motion, farther than as it appeared to him calculated, in one mitance, to defeat the Right Hon. Gentleman's own purpofe in bringing in the bill, Mr. Grenville thought himself ho noured by the attention of gentiemen to what |