Animated with hope, they conti nuc thus until the 5th, when hunger and thirst preyed upon them: Mr Carter', would was fo painful that he begged to have it examined, which Midalkett did while Mr Shaw held the Heer oar. With great difficulty the hair was cu' from the head, which, with the handkerchief and his hair, were entirely clotted with blood. The wound as in the back part of the head, and appeared to have been made with a hatchet. After having been washed with falt water, Mr Haf kett tied it up with a piece of his fhirt, and Mr Carter found himself after the dreffing much relieved. In the afternoon they discovered land, which they fuppofed to be the S. W. extremity of New Guinea; and on running down towards it, perceiving a reef extending to the Southward, on which were feveral negroes, whole heads only were out of the water, they were at firft mif taken for breakers above the water, but as foon as their mistake was difcovered, no one was eager to try their friendship, the fate of their companions being too fresh in their memory; not even though one of the negroes held up to them a large fish: no small inducement to men who had not broke faft for fifty-two hours. They paffed the reef, however, without in the least noticing the natives, and continued their courfe to the Weftward, Mr Shaw and Mr Haskett relieving each other every two hours at the steer oar. On the 6th in the morning they discovered a fand bank to the Southward, quite dry, to which they gave the name of Forlorn Hope. A great number of birds being perceived about this bank, they endeavoured to make for it, in the hopes of killing fome of them and gathering eggs, but found that the boat was drifting to the leeward of the bank; they therefore hauled down the fail, and endeavoured to row up to it, but found themfelves fo exhausted for want of food and water, that it was impoffible to make their way towards the bank; indeed fo much had that attempt fatigued them, that it was with the greatest difficulty they could accomplish ftepping the maft and again hoifting the fail. This fatigue, after the boat was again on her course, occafioned them to repine and murmur at their miffortunes; but reflection on the goodnefs of that Providence who fo far had protected them, changed it into a perfect reliance on his mercy. On the 7th, in the morning, they found two fmall birds in the boat, one of which they immediately divided into three parts, each devouring his share with the keenest sensations of hunger: the other bird was referved for another meal. Even with this fmall share of fuftenance their fpirits were confiderably raised; they still fteering to the Weftward; the fun being their guide by day, and the ftars by night. Shortly after fun-fet this day they found themfelves in fhoal water, and breakers all round them; however, they ftood on till about nine at night, when, having deepened to about five fathom, it was propofed by Mr Shaw, and agreed to, that they should come to and reft themselves for the night. On the 8th, in the morning, they discovered land on both fides of them, which was at firft very difcouraging, but Mr Shaw, perceiving a current fetting to the Weftward, conjectured that there was a paffage through, and that after clearing the land they should find an open fea, by which means they might fhortly reach Timor. Having, therefore, ftood in between the islands, they found there was a paffage between them, and, not perceiving any figns of inhabitants, agreed to land and look for water: Mr Shaw and Mr Haskett accordingly landed, and finding a hole full of water, Mr Shaw could not re frain from drinking heartily of it; after which, however, and that a keg of it had been filled, it was found to be as brackish as the water alongfide. They stood on thro' thefe ftreights, which they named God's Mercy. In the afternoon Mr Carter's wound be, came very painful; and on Mr Haf kett's opening it to wash it as usual with falt water, he found three pieces of the skull had worked out; which circumftance, however, he did not communicate to Mr Carter, but, on the contrary, gave him every af. furance of its doing well. Mr Carter having been very weak from the opening of the wound, the throat of the remaining bird was cut and applied to Mr Carter's mouth, and, yielding a few drops of blood, gave him great relief. They divided the bird in the fame manner as they had done the other. (To be continued.) THE SEASONS," TO DR. CRANSTON *. LETTER FROM J. THOMSON, AUTHOR OF "D Sr (COPY.) dence; but, having blamed you wrongeoufly last time, I fhall fay "I WOULD chide you for the nothing, 'till I hear from you, which flackness of your correfpon- I hope will be foon. 3 L 2 "Ther's * Doctor Cranston, to whom this letter is addreffed, appears to have been the companion of the early youth, and the confident of the mature life, of Thomson. He was fon of the Gentleman who was then Minifter of Ancrum, on whofe death Mr John Cranston, another of his fons, fucceeded to that office. Dr. Cranston having died foon after his father, all his papers fell into the hands of his brother, who lived to an advanced age in the paftoral charge of Ancrum ; and at his death, which happened a few years ago, both his own and his brother's manuscripts came into the poffeffion of his furviving family. From this period, the prefent letter lay unnoticed among ft lumber till lately, when it was taken out by a maid-servant, and devoted by her to the purpose of packing up fome candlefticks, which were fent to Kello to be exchanged. The person into whose hands it thus fel! (Mr William Muir, junior, coppersmith, Kelfo) fortunately difcovered its value; and has obligingly furnifhed us with it on the prefent occafion. The copy we have taken, and which is now fubjoined, is exact and literal; the spelling, penctuation, and even the errors of the original, being fcrupulously preferved. The Public will perceive, that this interesting epifile is without date, and is figned only with initials *. But, independent of the fimple narrative of the means by which it has been rescued from oblivion, it seems to carry in it fuch intrinfic marks of authenticity, that no one who is in the leaft acquainted with the peculiar character of the productions of Thomson, can hesitate a moment in afcribing it to him. Befides gratifying that laudable curiofity which the Public naturally feel to become acquainted with the moft minute circumftances in the lives of eminent men, we confider this letter as peculiarly interefting in many other points of view. It appears to have been written at a moft critical period of the author's life, being foon after his arrival in England, whether he went upon the death of his mother. It exhibits the interefting spectacle of an elegant and inexperienced mind, labouring under the preffure of pecuniary embarraffments, and ftruggling with thofe feelings of conscious dignity by which he had long been prevented from foliciting affiftance, and which the horrors of impending indigence alone enabled him to overcome. But the account he then proceeds to give of the origin and partial progrefs of "The Seafons" more nearly concerns the Public, and merits the attention not only of the Biographer, whom it enables to throw light on an obfcure part of the hiftory of this work; but alfo of the Philofopher, whom it muft forcibly imprefs with the reflection, that *From the Poft-mark it seems to have been written from Barnet. the "Ther's a little bufinefs I would communicate to you, before I come to the more entertaining part of our correfpondence. "I'm going (hard talk!) to complain, and beg your affistance-When I came here, I brought very little money along wt. me; expecting fome more, upon the felling of Widehope, which was to have been fold that day my mother was buried, now 'tis un fold yet but will be difpofed of, as foon, as it can be conveniently done: tho indeed, 'tis perplex'd wt. fome difficulties. I was a long time here living att my own charges, and you know how expenfive that is: this, together with the furnishing of my self wt. cloaths, linnens, one thing with another, to fit me for any bufinefs, of this nature here, neceffarly oblidg'd me to contract fome debt. being a ftranger here, 'tis a wonder how I got any credit; but, I cant expect 'twill be long fuftain'd, unless I immediately clear it, even, now, I believe it is at a crifis. my friends have no money to fend me, till the land is fold and my creditors will not wait till then you know what the confequences would be-now the affiftance I would beg of you, and which I know, if in your power, you won't refuse me, is, a letter of credit, on fome merchant, banker, or fuch like perfon in London, for the matter of twelve pound; till I get money, upon the felling of the land, which I'm, att laft, certain off. if you could either give it me yourself, or procure it; tho you dont owe it to my merit, yet, you owe it to your own nature, which I know fo well as to fay no more on the subject; only allow me : to add, that, when I firft fell upon fuch a project (the only thing I have for it in my prefent circumstances) knowing the selfish inhumane temper of the generality, of the world; you were the first perfon that offer'd to my thoughts, as one, to whom I had the confidence to make fuch an addrefs. "Now, I imagine you feized wt. a fine romantic, kind of melancholy, on the fading of the year. now I figure you wandering, philofophical, and penfive, amidst the brown, wither'd groves: while the leaves rustle under your feet. the fun gives a farewell parting gleam and the birds Stir the faint note, and but attempt to fing. then again, when the heavns wear more gloomy aspect, the winds whiftle, and the waters fpout, I see you in the well known Cleugh, beneath the folemn arch of tall, thick, embowring trees, liftening to the amufing lull of the many fteep, mofsgrown cafcades; while deep, divine contemplation, the genius of the place, prompts each fwelling awful thought. I'm fure, you would not refign your part in that fcene att an eafy rate. none e'er enjoy'd it to the height you do, and you're worthy of it. ther I walk in fpirit, and difport in its beloved gloom. this country, I am in, is not very entertaining. no variety but that of woods, and them we have in abundance. but where is the living ftream the airy mountain? and the hanging rock? with twenty other things that elegantly please the lover of nature ?-Nature delights me in every form, I am just now painting the most trivial circumftances fometimes affect the whole tenor of a man's life, and that, by causes apparently the most inefficient, his fame and fortune may be for ever decided, as well as the nature and extent of his influence on mankind. Had not Mr Riccleton, a man who is now altogether unknown as a poet, composed a small production on Winter, the immorral "Seafons" might never have exifted; and thus, not only might Scotland have derived comparatively fmall luftre from the genius of her Thomfon, but the world might never have been delighted with the enchanting imagery and glowing defcription of the Poet of the Year. Nor can I o departing Summer! choose That chear the fpirits, and ferene the Then terrible floods, and high winds, that ufually happen about this time of year, and have already happen'd here, (I with you have not felt them too dreadfully) the firft produced the enclosed lines; the last are not completed. Mr Rickleton's poem on winter, which I ftill have, first put the defign into my head. in it are fome masterly strokes that awaken'd me-being only a prefent amusement, 'tis ten to one but I drop it in when e'er another fancy comes acrofs. catch hold of his knees, which I take in him to be a degree of mirth, only inferiour, to falling back again with an elastic fpring. 'tis very (here a word is obliterated) printed in the evening poft; fo perhaps you have feen thefe panegyrics of our declining Bard; one on the Princeffes birth day: the other on his Majefty's, in (obliterated) cantos: they're written in the fpirit of a complicated crazi nefs. "I was in London lately a night; and in the old playhouse faw a comedy acted, called, Love makes a Man, or the Fop's Fortune, where I beheld Miller and Cibber fhine to my infinite entertainment. in and about London this month of Sept: near a hundred people have dy'd by. accident and fuicide. ther was one blacksmith, tyr'd of the hammer, who hang'd himself, and left written behind him this concise epitaph. I Joe Pope liv'd wt out hope And dy'd by a rope. or elfe fome epigrammatic muse has bely'd him. "Mr Muir has ample fund for politicks, in the prefent pofture of affairs, as you'll find by the public news. I fhould be glad to know that great minister's frame just now.➖➖➖ -Keep it to yourself.-you may whisper it too in Mis John's ear.-far otherwife, is his lately myfterious Br. Mr Tait employed.-Started a fuperannuated fortune, and just now upon the full fcent.-'tis comical enough to fee him from amongst the rubbish of his controverfial divinity and politicks furbishing up his antient rufty gallantry. "I believe it had been much more for your entertainment, if in this letter I had cited other people instead of myself but I muft refer that 'till another time. If you have not feen it already, I have just now in my hands an original of Sr Alexander Brands (the craz❜d Scots Knight wt the wo"Yours fincerely, J. T. ful countenance) you would relish. "Remember me to all friends. Mr I belive it might make Mis John Rickle, Mis John, Br. John, &c." The paffages printed in Italics are written on the margin of the original letter. A BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS PUBLISHED IN LONDON, MAY 1797. Theology. SHORT Cominent on the moral By G. Croft, D. D. 8vo. 58. Riving tons. Letter to Mr Wilberforce on his late Publication. By G. Wakefield, 25. 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