Nor ever figh for less inclement skies. And, Ladies, moralize on all you fee. Let phyfics next your meditation be ror near, As ev'ry planet, in a cloudless night, Distributes one unfully'd blaze of light, Yet, brought by Herfchel's wond'rous mirIts faults and beauties undifguis'd appear: So characters, contemplated from far, Appear unfpotted as the evening star; But when acquaintance our inquiry aids, The features magrify, the luftre fades, And reafon's telescope difcovers foon Spots in the Sun, and marshes in the Moon, As infects, by the microfcope defcry'd, Enlarg'd appear, and fprawl in glitt'ring pride, So riches can ideal greatnefs bring, The magic lantern, in a dextrous hand, Performs more wonders than a wizzard's wand, And can the foul, like fuperftition, blind, A love-fick damfel long had figh'd in "A fpotlefs wife, the choiceft gift of "heav'n." Warn'd by the vision, to the church he hied, And, all obedient, made the maid a bride. eye, The bright Aurora fhoot across the sky? Now here, now there, with rapid motion dance, Or, swift as thought, through th' empyrean glance? So, when glad tidings thro' the country fly, Flutters each heart, and sparkles ev'ry eye; Touch'd by th' electric, ev'ry pulle beats higher, And each to each communicates the fire. You too have feen (the scene so lately gay. Sadden'd by storms which hid the face of day) The forky lightning flash athwart the cloud, And heard the thunder bellow long and loud, While ev'ry befom felt a nameless dread Left the next bolt fhould mark them with the dead. Thus evil tidings, in their quick career, Chill ev'ry breast, and smite each heart with fear; Thus Eli fell, at news of Ifrael's woe, Nor murmur from a darling voice to part; Kings, princes, nobles, from their grandeur hurl'd, Nor draw the fcorn and pity of the world Now, fo capricious is the will of fate, Regain their honours, and refume their state; The shifting fcen'ry gets a diff'rent name, The puppets change, the ftage is ftill the fame. But, O forbid! the gaieties of youth Should e'er feduce you from the paths of truth! Sweet is the mildly modeft maiden grace, Long had religion, injur'd heav'nly maid, Wail'd unconfol'd, 'mid fuperftition's fhade, When reason, with his foul-enliv'ning ray, Explor'd the gloom, and brought her inte day; Thro' diff'rent clines he led the meek-ey'd fair, Her star-like beauty beaming ev'ry where; The nations bow'd, adoring as she pass'd, And fea-girt Albion welcom'd her at laft: Albion! where wealth has rear'd her golden dome, Where exil'd virtue ever finds a home; Where kindred breafls with gen'rous ardour glow, And native pity melts at foreign woe. O! kindly cherish, in your friendly fhades, Ye Anglian nymphs, ye Caledonian maids, The lovely guest; for, trust me, she alone Will prove your friend when other friends are gone. Too true it is, whole legions are combin'd To taint the virgin beauty of your mind, With hellish aim t' affaffinate the foul, And urge you on to fin without controul. Does e'er reflection in your minds create A fad foreboding of a future ftate? They laugh to fcorn, and bid you ceafe to highly diftinguifhed Officers, Gen. Sir A DISPATCH, of which, the follow- Ralph Abercromby and Lieut. Gen. Dun ing is a copy, was received late this evening from Field Marthal his Royal Highness the Duke of York, by the Right Hon. Henry Dundas, one of his Majef ty's Principal Secretaries of State. Head quarters, Zuyder Zluys, O. 4. 1799. das, whofe exertions, as well as the gallantry of the brave troops they led, cannot have been furpaffed by any former inftance of Britin valour. On the night of this memorable day, the army lay upon their arms, and yefterday moved forward and occupied the pofitions of the Lange Dyke, Alkmaar, Bergen, Egmont-op-Hoof, and Egmont-op-Zee. The enemy's force, according to the beft information I have been able to obtain, confifted of between twenty-five and thirty thousand men, of whom a very fmall proportion only were Dutch. Gen. Daendels, who commanded the latter, is wounded. The French troops who have been continually reinforcing themfelves, and whofe lofs has been very great, were commanded by Generals Brune, Vandamme, and Boufet. SIR, The inclemency of the weather which prevailed at the time of writing my laft Difpatch, and which, as I therein explained, alone prevented me from putting the army in motion, having in fome measure fubfided, and the neccary previous arrangements having been made, the attack was commenced on the whole of the enemy's line on the morning of the 2d; and I have now the happiness to inform you, that after a fevere and obftinate action, which lafted from fix in the morning until the fame hour at night, the diftinguished valour of his Majelly's and the Ruffian troops prevailed throughout; and the enemy, being entirely defeated, retired in the nighted without ferious lofs. At prefent I am from the pofitions which he occupied on the Lange Dyke, the Koe Dyke at Bergen, and upon the extenfive range of fand hills between the latter place and Egmont-op-Zee. The points where this well-fought battle was principally contefted, were from the fea fhore in front of Egmont, extending along the fandy defart or hills to the heights above Bergen, and it was fuitained by the British Columns under the command of thofe From the continuance of the action, and the obftinacy with which it was contefted, the victory has not been gain not in poffeflion of particular returns, but I have the fatisfaction to fav, that no Officer of rank has fallen. The British Army has to regret Major Gen. Moore's being wounded in two places ; and the Ruffian Army, Major General Emme's being alfo wounded; but I am happy to fay that their wounds are not of a nature to lead me to apprehend that I hall long be deprived of the affiftance of their abilities and gallantry. It is impoffible poffible for me at this moment to do juf tice to the merits of the other Generals and Officers of the Allied Army who diftinguished themselves, as I must defer until to-morrow paying my tribute of praife to them and to the troops generally, as well as giving the details of the Battle of the 2d. inft. My attention is feriously engaged in making the arrangements which are neceffary for occupying a for ward pofition in front of Beverwyck, and Wyk-op-Zee, to which line the enemy has retreated. I entertain no doubt that the extent of country which will now be under the protection of the Allied Army, and rescued from French tyranny will afford an opportuuity to its loyal inhabitants of declaring themselves. The town of Alkmaar, which is the feat of the States of North Holland has opened its gates to our troops, and a confiderable number of Dutch troops have come over to the Prince of Orange's ftandard. In order that you may be in poffeffion of such information as want of time will not at prefent allow me to detail, I charge my Aid-de-Camp Captain Fitzgerald with this difpatch. He is entirely in my confidence, and I request leave to recommend him to his Majefty as an Officer of superior merit and intelligence. I am, Sir, yours, Frederick. Admiralty-Office, Oct. 8. Extract of a Letter from Vice-Admiral Mitchell to Evan Nepean, Efq. dated Babet, off Enkhuyfen, O&t. 1, 1799. This morning a Lieut. of the L'Ef. piegle brought me the accompanying letter, which I have fent for their Lord. fhips' information, Much zeal and gallantry has been difplayed by Captains Bolton and Border, with their Officers and Men. On Friday morning at fix o'clock, came to an anchor with the Haughty and Piercer, close to L'Efpiegle, diftant about fix miles from Lemner; from Captain Boorder I received every informa tion I could defire. Finding the enemy had a thousand regulars in the town, and defperately determined to defend it, I immediately gave directions for completing the flotilla which Capt. Boorder with his ufual judgment, had begun. He had preffed two fchouts; on board of each were put two L'Espiegle's fix-pounEd, Mag. Jan. 1800. K ders, which, with the two flat-bottomed boats, and Ifis's launch, formed a respec table armament. Being willing to fpare the effufion of human blood, especially of innocent victims, on Saturday at day. light I fent Capt. Boorder on fhore with the following letter: SIR-Refiftance on your part is in vain; I give you one hour to send away the women and children; at the expira tion of that time, if the town is not furrendered to the British arms for the Prince of Orange, your soldiery shall be buried in its ruins. I have the honour to be, your obedient Servant. W. Bolton, Capt. of his Majefty's fhip Wolverene. To the Commandant of Lemmer. Soon after Capt. Boorder's departure I weighed and ftood in fhore. About nine A. M. I oblerved him returning, and foon after a flag of truce came out of the harbour. Before Captain Boorder arrived, I noticed the gun-boats which had been moored across the harbour, moving towards the canals; I inftantly difpatched Lieut. Simpfan with a flag of truce to inform them, that I confidered their removal, or any other military arrangement, as a breach of the armistice, and if perfifted in I should inftantly bombard the town; before he returned, the flag of truce came on board with the following letter: To Captain Bolton, Commandant. I have received your fummons; the Municipality requeft 24 hours to fend to their proper Authority to accede to your demands. P. Van Groutten. (Signed) Commandant. N. B. Pleafe to fend an aufwer by the bearer. I immediately replied as follows: SIR-I have received your letter; and have the honour to inform you, that if the Prince's colours are not hoifted in half an hour after the receipt of this, ↓ fhall bombard the town. Your obedient Servant, To Mynbeer B. Van Groutten, Commandant of Lemmer. W. Boltons by fome eighteen-pounders, taken from the gun boats, which made a little alteration in our difpofition neceffary; and I was much concerned to find my brave able Dutch pilot declare, that from the foutherly winds the water was fo low, the Wolverene could not get in.. Finding it a regular oozy flat for two miles, I pushed through the mud until within mufquet fhot of the fhore. The gun. brigs paffed a-head within piftol fhot of the Pier; but both, as well as myself, were, and not in the most favourable pofition, completely a-ground; but feamen ought never to be at a lofs. The enemy, notwithstanding the flag of truce, commenced a heavy fire, which in an inftant was returned from every part of the fquadron: the action continued nearly an hour, when the enemy flew from their quarters, the foldiers deferted the town, and the Piercer's boats crew planted the British ftandard on the Pier. I do not wonder at the ftrong oppofition, as the troops were moftly French. men, with a flotilla on the canal, can I have the honour to be, Sir, &c. Admiralty Office, O&t. 12. [A letter from Admiral Sir Hyde Parker inclofes a lift of five armed and 28 merchant veffels, captured by the fquadron under his command; and a letter from Admiral Kingsmill ftates the capand 40 men, laden with bale goods, ture of a French privateer of to guns wines, &c. by the Cerberus, Capt. J. Macnamara.] Downing-Street, O&. 13. Difpatches, of which the following are copies, were this afternoon received from Field-Marfhal his Royal Highness the Duke of York, by the Right Hon. Henry Dundas, one of his Majefty's principal Secretaries of State. [The firft difpatch contains the particulars of the action of the 2d, and a return of the killed and wounded on that day, of which the following is the total:] Major, 5 Captains, 5 Subalterns, 11 Serjeants, 215 rank and file, 44 horfes killed; a Colonels, 2 Lieur. Colonels, 3 Majors, 22 Captains, 39 Subalterns, I Staff, 46 Serjeants, 7 Drummers, 980 rank and file, 78 horfes wounded; 1 Captian, 4 Subalterns, 7 Serjeants, 3 Drummers, 178 rank and file, 3 horfes miffing. Return of Officers killed, wounded, and miffing. I cannot too much praife the valour and conduct of the Officers and Men under my command. Lieutenants Mends and Field led their gun-brigs in with great courage; the fame with the Officers who commanded the fchouts and flatboats. I feel great obligation to Capt. Boorder for his affiftance; but his praife is beyond my commendation. Lieut. Reddy, of the Speedwell, and Lieut. Simpfon, of the Ifis, diftinguifhed themfeves particularly the former I fent with a flat boat to get off the Piercer; the latter the Haughty.-To Captain Boorder I confined the arrangements on fhore. The gale freshened faft, and it was neceffary to preferve the Wolverene; with fome difficulty her bow was hove round: the wind tortunately came round to the fouthward and by flarting all the water with a heavy prefs of fail for two miles, I dragged her through the mud, fleering by fails only into eleven feet water, where the now lies. All laft night it blew exceffively hard, the fhip truck repeatedly, but ulug every means to lighten her, the rode it out tolerably well. This morning at ten o'clock I obferved a body of the enemy advancing againft the town along the northern caufe way; I immediately fent to Capt. Boorder to Grenadier Battalion of the Line.apprife him of the danger; in a little Capt. Leith, of the 31st Regiment of time the town was attacked on all fides, foot; Captain Pratt, of the 5th Regt.; but.very foon I had the fatisfaction of Lieut. Stafford, of the 31ft Reg.; Lieut. feeing the enemy retreat. From the maft- Philpot, of the 35th Reg.; Volunteer head I perceive the town is nearly fur- Barrington, wounded; Capt. O'Neil; rounded by water, fo that a few brave wounded and mifling. Staff.-Major-Gen. Moore of the 4th Brigade; Lieut. Col. Sontag; Major Calcraft, of the 25th Light Dragoone, Aid-de-Camp to Colonel Lord Paget; Capt. W. Gray, of the Queen's Regmt. Brigade Major of the 3d Brigade; Lieut. Charles Jackson, of the 40th Regiment, acting on the Staff with the Ruffian Army: wounded. 15th Light Dragoons.-Lieut. - Col. Erfkine wounded. Royal Artillery.-Capt. Nichol wounded, fince dead. |