center must be incomparably greater moon, by the powerful tubes of Dr. than that which draws it towards the Herschell; and still more, if we concenter of our earth; these being the sider that all projections from the two forces which must principally af- earth encounter and suffer an enorfect such a body; but supposing it to mous resistance and diminution, by recede from the moon, a point of the dense atmosphere of this planet, station will at length be found, be- while it has been rendered probable tween the two planets, where these from optical considerations, that the forces are exactly equal, so that a moon has little or no atmosphere at body placed there must of course re- all, to give any such resistance. main at rest, or, as it were, in equili- The case of possibility being thus brio; but if it be removed still nearer made out, and the natural effects acto the earth than this planet, would cording with the supposed cause, the have the superior attraction, and the concomitant circumstances will likebody must descend towards it. Now, wise afford a very high degree of prosupposing a mass to be projected from bability, perhaps little short of certhe moon's surface, in a direct line tainty itself, to this hypothesis. Now, towards the earth, by a volcano, or the chief known and visible pheno from the production of steam ope- mena, and leading circumstances, rating by the means of subterranean that attend these blazing meteors, or heat, then a force projecting the body burning stones, may be thus enumewith a velocity of 12,000 feet in a rated and summed up; and with second, on the Newtonian estimation these we shall conclude the present of the moon's mass, would be suffi- article. 1. They blaze out suddenly, cient to carry it beyond the point of or appear to do so. 2. They move equal attraction. But this estimate of with a surprisingly rapid motion, the moon's mass is now allowed by nearly horizontal in its direction, but much to exceed the truth; and, on a little inclined downwards. 3. They M. La Place's calculation, it appears move in several different directions, that a force of little more than half considered with respect to the points the above power would be sufficient of the compass. 4. In their flight to produce the said effect; that is, a they emit a loud whizzing sound. force capable of projecting a body 5. They commonly burst with a viowith a velocity of less than a mile and lent explosion, and loud report. a half per second. But we have 6. They fall on the earth with great known cannon-balls projected, by the force, in a sloping direction. 7. They force of gun-powder, with a velocity are very hot at first, remain so for a of 2500 feet per second, or upwards; considerable time, and exhibit manithat is, about half a mile. It follows, fest indications of fusion on their surtherefore, that a projectile force com- face. 8. The fallen stone masses have municating a velocity about three times that of a cannon-ball, would be sufficient to throw the body from the moon beyond the point of equal attraction, and cause it to reach the earth.

all the same external appearance, and contexture, as well as internally the same nature and composition. And, 9. They are totally different from all other bodies, both natural and artificial, that have been discovered on the surface, or in the entrails of our terrestrial globe.

A TOUCH UPON THE TIMES.
PRO BONO PUBLICO.

To the Editor of the Universal Mag.
From my Apartments in
Grub Street.

Now, there can be little doubt that a force equal to what is here mentioned, is exerted by volcanoes on the earth, as well as by the production of steam from subterranean heat, when it is considered, that huge masses of rocks, many times larger than cannonballs, are on such occasions often thrown to heights so much greater. I AM a bit of a politician, and preWe may easily imagine such cause of sume to think I have so much knowmotion to exist in the moon as well ledge of the world as to be able to as in the earth, and that in a superior judge of the propriety and general degree, if we may be allowed to rea- tendency of our public transactions as son from the supposed symptoms of a nation, and of the measures of govolcanoes recently observed in the vernment. As such, allow me to tell

SIR,

you, Sir, what I verily believe myself, by inserting my cynical snarlings in and what, perhaps, almost every your judicious work, and especially young gentleman school-boy in the as I shall give my opinion gratis, and kingdom must know, that the great without a bribe.

affairs of this country are at present in Our government is at present, I am very bad hands, and that the adminis- free to say, though it sounds rather tration of them is marked with unpar- queer, AN OLD WOMANISH ONE; and donable negligence and mismanage- it puts a man of my turn in a very ill ment. I am a plain man, Sir, and humour, makes me weep and grumble hate all fulsome flattery-what the in the gizzard, shocks, disgusts, mormobbish gentry call palavering; nor tifies, and even alarms me, in an emido I set up any pretensions to particu- nent degree, when I see that greatest lar scholarship or wit, (although I re- of all human plagues, an insolent preceived as good an education as most mier, taking upon himself, with a in the parish wherein I was born): lofty look, an impudent stare in our but notwithstanding this, I think I faces, and an overweening notion of have as much solid sense as some of his own self-sufficiency, audaciously our modern Ahitophels, and trust that to force our wills, proudly to insult I can make as good use of it. My our understandings, and to manage, motto is to be sincere, rather than impose upon, and completely dupe over-civil and ceremonious ;-how- us, as he pleases. My feelings are ever, I do not mind trifles; (on the severely hurt, deeply wounded, when contrary, I can be occasionally pleased I contemplate the petty, cowardly, with them); nor is it my custom or unfortunate, baby things that rule inclination to make sullen and chur- over us. Like certain Indian tribes lish reflections on my neighbours, be- that wear rings in their noses, so is ing never so happy as when I see all our nation led! Years have elapsed the world pleased about me. But, since I have devoutly wished and Sir, I will not give up the independ- prayed that I might live to see a time ence of my mind, as an honest Eng- when things might be ordered for the lish yeoman; and when I cannot better; but, alas! since that period, suppress my chagrin, I see no reason why I should hold my tongue, although I shall use it as decently as if I were, in troth, a gentleman. By the bye, Sir, I am only like some other men that I know, who, when they have got a little learning, cannot help shewing it.

almost every thing has undergone a most fatal change for the worse. A man may be stung almost to madness with a guat-and it fills me with pity and regret, dissatisfaction and gloom, to think and wonder that persons who are held in the highest contempt, even old women and children I had almost said, are sometimes permitted, by the special judgment of God in his wrath, to govern the world.

Now, Sir, you will allow me to say, that I cannot submit patiently, and without grumbling, to modern times and manners, to "things as they We are now, and have for three are," and to Mr. Pitt's "existing cir- years, been engaged in a war which cumstances." I should like, if it were has infinitely more than drunk up all possible, to jog on in the road of life the savings of our boasted political with soine tolerable degree of plea- economists;-and yet, with such an sure and satisfaction. But, merciful immense mass of military and naval Heavens! these horrid wars, public force as our active and industrious andebts and taxes, put my pipe out, and cestors never heard of, have not all when I would be social and comfort- our plans and modes of operation able, easy, and good-humoured, make been a series of blunders? What, I me sullen and stingy, in spite of my- pray, hath been performed, excepting self-and this it is that occasions my the loss of Hanover, a furious, exortroubling of you, Sir, with the pre- bitant, excessive, intemperate, and sent scrawl. Now, Sir, I'll tell you profuse prodigality of expences, and what-I intend to give Mr. Pitt a the superflux thrown to the dogs good jobation, to bestow a little sea- the remainder squandered away in sonable and proper correction upon kickshaws, junketings, and Atholhim; and you will highly oblige me compensation bills-what I have heard

some among the foolish, swinish mul- the GREAT Mr. Pitt, his father, wept titude, call scandalous jobs. in the same place, in a style of pathos The politics of our court caballists and animation, inexpressibly grand have been long marked out for the and impressive, or rather inimitable, most mischievous, cruel, impious and on the fall of Wolfe) when the naval abominable, (almost, if not altogether, commissioners had so featly detected, in the true spirit of Machiavel) that and Mr. Whitbread denounced with so can be-and (this is an important fact) good a grace, certain clean and lightlyare really detested of all other nations. fingered manoeuvres, &c. &c. Under the colour, mask, and mantle And then, for their inconstant huof a pretended religion, morality mour, in chopping and changing about and social order, these continued de- so! Nautical experience, true British structionists make no scruple to exer- sailorship, Lord St. Vincent dismissed cise the most horrible enormities, to with disgrace, and the GREETE MON sin against humanity itself, and to made an admiral! Like the Athenians think all inconsistent and ridiculous of old, who could make ten generals in things lawful for them. a year; while on the contrary, Philip

Sir, I live very strictly and laconi- of Macedon, in many years experically myself, and I think that now, exce, could find but one, and that if ever, this country hath need of was Parmenio! But I will tell the fools such to be placed in authority and an ancient tale, from the mouth of command over us, as excel in virtue Cleobulus, one of the wise men of -such as have clean hands and pure Greece, as Plutarch saith. Once hearts. And then there is such a upon a time, the moon desired her charming pair of them! What think mother to make a petticoat that would you of that good, that very superla- sit close to her body. And how is it tive servant of all work, Lord Mel- possible, my dear, answered the moville? This very man (tell it not in ther, that I should make one to fit Milan, publish it not in the streets of thee, when I see thee sometimes full Paris) is to be tried, ere long, on the all over, sometimes in the wain, and charge of being concerned in swind- anon, swelling and growing again? ling transactions; and from certain And what! for almost two months, strong facts that have already come no lame account or scrap of news, out, it striketh me (and so the com- about Lord Nelson, or the destination mon bruit hath been) that frauds have of the enemies fleets, and all those been carried on in our public offices, things! What a testification of mys to an unlimited extent; and my hand terious skill, by those who conduct trembleth to write, that a peculiar the business of our naval departments, spirit of peculation, hath, I doubt, and whe lay out such vast sums, in been the order of the day! order to procure intelligence! But The Romans, ere they had degene- alas! alas! when I came to overhaul rated from their ancient simplicity, the public papers, in a certain place, were esteemed of all other nations, whither I usually repair, in order to for the fame and commendation of peruse and wonder at the remarkable, their public justice. The greatest po- extraordinary, and surprising events litical sinner, who enjoyeth the world of our day, I learned that those subtle, in state, in the true scale of moral es- unconscionable fellows, the French, timation, deserveth punishment no have been strangely fortunate of late, less than the petty delinquent. Pub- having fairly capsized (at last, when it lic justice, however, seems to have came to the pinch) our famous, mighty, been long overlooked amongst us; and powerful schemes of blockading and, together with all sense of decen- and excommunicating their sailors in cy and moderation, in husbanding of their own ports; and it grieves me to the public purse, these virtues have say it, a greater evil hath been since been exploded considerations. produced, our convoys captured, very And then Mr. Pitt, to shew his considerable mischief done, and the extreme sensibility and sentimental inhabitants of our West India islands feeling, wept, and wept too in the midst driven to the last extremities. of the senate house; but alas! it would not do! but not such tears as angels, weep, or as that consummate statesman, Pitt.

And then, to bestow a word of advice, an useful admonition on Mr. In former times, Sir, when

virtuous ministers were honoured, you peace, and the truly patriotic conduct would have been despised; and it can- of your adorable father. I do not not escape, even your very short deny that you have an admirable camemory, that in these our days, you pacity for civil and forensic employhave often had the horrid mortifica- ment; but the misfortune is, instead tion to be branded with the name of of being considered as a most useful an APOSTATE. With your vices or Palinurus, to pilot the state on great virtues in private life, I have nothing occasions, to extricate us out of our to do; neither do you affect any ridi- difficulties and exigencies, your dronculous juggleries in religion. But not ish and tardy measures shew too to make you or my readers more se- plainly that you are thoughtless of rious than they care to be, I shall the commonwealth, and of its safety, only, at present, point out to your You waste your life and cramp your consideration a sentence of advice, genius, in mean, mercenary, dishoI've σEαUTOV, or, Nosce te ipsum, which nest arts, to corrupt the national virthe Greeks esteemed so highly of, that tue; and the chiefest object of your they gave the glorious title of WISE care and contrivances, is first to bear MAN, to its author Thales, and having away the paper and cash out of our caused it to be engraven on a plate of scrutoires, and then to get rid of it, gold, most reverently hung it up in like a DRUNKEN SOT, in all the most the temple of Apollo, at Delphi. irregular and unaccountable ways Short as this precept is, it conveys a imaginable! satisfactory summary of all instruction, both moral and political. For whoever knows himself, will seriously reflect on the relations wherein he stands to society, and the duties which he owes to his country and to man- THE following is the substance of a kind. When people act out of cha- letter lately communicated to the soracter, or mistake their proper talents, ciety at Gottingen, by M. the Inspecthey will always become ridiculous. tor Harding, at Lilienthal. After reHow preposterous is it to find you, marking that at, or rather after the Sir, whom nature never intended to hour of ten o'clock in the evening, he fill the character of a war minister- had discovered a new planet in the to tread in the steps of a Louvois or a Constellation of Pisces, and had obChatham, (although you will perverse- served it since for almost every night, ly aspire to be such, contra numina, he proceeds as follows: "This star in spite of fortune or of fate), groan- appears to have a white, vivid lustre, ing and swelling, raving and fretting, is exactly of the 8th magnitude, and at your devices being everlastingly is retrograde with a southern declinabaffled and outwitted by the jilting tion, augmenting, agreeably to the goddess. rules of theory, in its present posi

CRITO THE GENTLE.

ASTRONOMICAL DISCOVERY.

For the Universal Magazine.

MR. EDITOR,

Military politics, Sir, is a subject of tion. which you are entirely ignorant, and "On the first of September, when if you were to make it the study of I perceived it at ten minutes past ten all your life, you would never be an in the evening, I computed its right adept in it. To attempt a thing you are totally unfit for, betrays a deplorable ignorance of yourself and of your own abilities.

ascension at two degrees 24 minutes, and its northern declination at 37 minutes. On the 4th, I made a computation, but only an ocular one, at twenty minutes past ten, the first at two degrees, and the last at one minute.

And in your general character, have you not manifested that you have no real value for public virtue, or good internal economy, which alone can "After having perfectly convinced give a proper strength, dignity, and myself of the real movement of this firmness to the state? You have pre- star, by repeated observations, I inferred the empty reputation of back- formed M. Olbers, of my discovery stairs influence to the real happiness on the spot, and I learned that he which you might have enjoyed in the had already, on the 7th of September, generous and sincere esteem of the himself observed this same strange people, had you regarded your own planet."

To the Editor of the Universal Mag.
SIR,

humiliation of appearing to be defeated. Had the first decision of the ALLOW me to give you my senti- house been produced by the decided ments on the late extraordinary pro- ascendancy of one party over another, ceedings in parliament, relative to the its proceedings would afterwards have mode of trial proper to be adopted in been regular and consistent, and an the case of Lord Viscount Melville. impeachment would have been the The guilt of the noble culprit, so far immediate consequence of so strong from being rendered doubtful by the a suspicion of guilt; but the minister, further investigation of his conduct, still hoping to triumph, determined has received additional confirmation, to combat not only his opponents in even from his own confession. On the house, but to defy the opinion of this point there cannot be two opi- the country, though so strongly exnions; neither could it be supposed pressed. To defeat the views of opthat there would be any doubt as to position, and to conciliate the modethe method by which he ought to be ration of the Sidmouth party, he protried; an impeachment being so ob- posed the nugatory mode of a civil viously the constitutional practice prosecution, which for a time answeradopted in all cases of high crimes ed his purpose, and seemed to rescue and misdemeanors, which are not his friend from the gripe of the comwithin the grasp of mere legal forms mons, and put him into the hands of and subtleties. It is also better suit- the lawyers, by whose tedious forms ed to the dignity of the parties who and quibbles he hoped the ends of prosecute, and of him who is prose- justice might be defeated. But at cuted. Nothing but the obstinate re- length, when the increasing voice of luctance of Mr. Pitt to acknowledge the country seemed to give confidence the guilt of his friend and colleague; to the opposition, and Mr. Whithis determination to protect him with bread was emboldened to move an the whole force of his influence, and impeachment, the minister was comhis haughty, arbitrary temper; could pelled to submit to the more expedihave caused the inconsistencies with tious mode of trial proposed by the which the conduct of parliament has independent party, and suffer the probeen marked, throughout the whole secution by a civil suit to be super of this momentous transaction. His seded; but, determining not to be aversion, at all times, to have the con- conquered, no sooner did he find the duct of government questioned, or parliament begin to thin, and his own inquired into, would, at all events, superiority manifest, than he resolved. have led him to resist any motions in to take them by surprise, and propothe house of commons which had sed, on a sudden, the very mode which this object in view. An additional he and his friends had all voted amotive for his opposition to the late gainst, and carried the question of enquiries, was, no doubt, the intimate impeachment, merely to defeat the public connection, and strong private party of Lord Sidmouth, and convince friendship, which subsisted between them that they should not again trihim and Lord Melville: and in addi- umph over him. A minister who tion to all this, his pertinacity has can thus trifle with the dignity of been increased, by the feelings of in- parliament, merely to gratify his own dignation, at being defeated where he love of command, is the greatest foe was so fully determined to conquer. to his country. And it deserves to From the first decision on the crimina- be remarked, that at this very time, lity of Lord Melville, we must consider when all the energy and talents of the the whole proceedings of parliament country should be united, to secure as a struggle between the virtuous, us from the intrigues and the attacks independent party of Lord Sidmouth, of our most vigilant enemy, the goand the old opposition, on the one vernment is divided by party squabside, and the domineering influence bles, and feelings of mere personal of Mr. Pitt on the other Every inch consideration. The late war I have of ground which was gained by the ever considered as the most calamiformer, he was determined to fight tous contest that ever arose in the hisover again, that he might avoid the tory of this nation; and the present VOL. IV.

will