At Tiverton, the Rev. R. Lane, of CofHeet, to Mifs L. Dennis, daughter of L. Denais, Efq. of Ashley, near Tiverton. At Southmolton, J. S. Fownes, Efq. of Lincoln's Inn, to Mifs F. Hlbert, daughter of the late W. Ilbert, Efq. of Brownringfleigh. At Rattery, Mr. William Cocker, aged 105. who till within two days of his death retained the ufe of his limbs and faculties; he was carried to the grave by his grandfons, and followed by 139 of his children, grand children, and great grand children. At Exeter, the Rev. Charles Churchill M. A. prebendary of St. Peter's, and 50' years vicar of the parish of St. Thomas, the Apoftic. Mrs. Baker, a refpectable widow lady. Mrs. Phillips, wife of Mr. D. Phil lips, builder. CORNWALL. Married.] At St. Hilary, William Millet. Efq to Mifs Hitchins, daughter of the Rev. Mr. Hitchins, vicar of that parish. Died] At Moufhole, near Penzance, aged So, Mr. John Wills. The principal Marriages and Deaths in Wales, Scotland and Ireland, are deferred till our next for want of room. MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT. THE peculiar fauation of fome of the principal ftates of Europe, which has for feveral years past contributed to throw an additional proportion of foreign trade into the hands of the mer-' chants of this country, continues to increafe this proportion, and confequently to enable us to fupport a confiderable part of the enormous expence of the war, from which this comparative monopoly of foreign trade arifes. From the vaft returns of our extended commerce, combined. with our manufactures and domeftic industry, we are now enabled to raise upwards of twenty millions of revenue, notwithstanding the further fums raifed by taxes of a different nature, a confiderable part of which depends, though less directly, on the profits of trade. The increase of foreign commerce generally implies an increase of shipping, though not always in the fame proportion, as from trading to different places or in different commodities, the fame veffels may in one year anfport articles of much greater value than in another; the tonnage of shipping employed in the merchants fervice at prefent is 1,400,000, valued at 11,500,000, The number of veffels of different defcriptions that arrive annually in the port of London is about 13,500; and the actual value of the goods imported from foreign parts amounts to thirty millions. The exports confift of about twelve millions in value of British manufactures and fourteen millions of foreign merchandize, together 26,000,000. The value of the goods imported in gooo coafting veffels averaged at 500l. each is 4,500,000l. ; and the value of the goods exported by about 7000 of these coafters, at 1000l. each, is 7,co0,000l. making with the fo reign trade, the total value of the property, shipt and unfhipt, in the port of London in one year 67,500,000l. For the better fecurity and accommodation of this great proportion of our commerce, fome steps have at length been taken; the propofed canal and docks, in the Isle of Dogs, are begun, and as the feafon advances the progrefs will be more confiderable. We cannot however but regret, that the general conviction with refpect to the nature and magnitude of the evils ta be remedied, did not produce greater unanimity, with refpect to the most eligible mode of removing them; and that particular interefts or prejudices fhould have divided the abilities and means which, united, might have accomplished the object in a fuperior and more adequate manner. The distance of the Isle of Dogs from the prefent feat of trade is an inconvenience that will be very ftrongly felt by every perfon in London connected with the Weft India trade; and we have little doubt, that if docks are alfo formed at Wapping, almost every ship which is at liberty to use either: will prefer the latter. The fcarcity of provisions, and their confequent great advance in price, have naturally drawn the attention of fome of our merchants to articles of this defcription; though there can be no doubt they would have been more ready to tranfmit their orders to other countries, and lefs strict in the limitation of them, had it not been for the recollection of the injudicious interference of government on a fimilar occafion a few years fince, in purchafing corn abroad on the public account, as it is evident individuals must act with much difadvantage and uncertainty under a competition of this nature, while the benefit to the country is probably lefs than it would be if the importa tion was wholly left to the merchants; for there can be little doubt that while the price here of corn, or any other article, is fuch as to afford a reasonable profit on importation, orders will be fent for as much as can be obtained, and if the price is not fuch as to afford this profit, there can be little occafion for importation at all At prefent the affiftance of government has been confined to bounty on importation, on the principle of indemnity to the importer for the difference between a certain price and the average price when the corn fhall arrive. All common kinds of provifion and moft articles which can be in any way fubftituted for them, may at prefent be imported duty free, yet they continue to advance in price; Carolina rice is at prefent from 46s. to 48s. per Cwt. Eaft India ditto, from 425. to 44s. The neceffity of raifing additional revenue has caufed the following new duties to be impofed, commencing from the 24th of February laft, viz. An additional duty of one penny on every gallon of fermented wort or wash made in England, from malt or any kind of grain, or of wath er liquor brewed or made from any kind of British materials, or from any mixture therewith for extracting Spirits for home confumption.. Alfo on every gallon of wort or wath from melaffes fugar, which shall be distilled into Spirits, on or before the 1st of June next; with a further duty 1 duty of one halfpenny per gallon on the latter after the 1ft of June. Additional duties have likewife been granted on Spirits made in Scotland and imported into England; alfo on Brandy, Rum, and other foreign fpirits imported. The act paffed in the prefent feffion of parliament to prohibit the making of low wines or fpirits, from wheat or other forts of grain, or from meal, flour or bran, in Scotland, has been continued to the 1st of February, 1801. An additional excife duty of 5 per cent. has likewife been laid on all tea fold by the Eaft India Company for 2s. 6d. per pound or upwards, from the 24th of February, or which having been fold (hould be found in any warehoufe belonging to the company after that day; to be computed on the grofs prices at which the tea fhall be, or fhall have been fold. Though this duty does not extend to the lowest priced teas it produced an immediate advance of fuch teas at least equal to the amount of the new duty. The quantity of wrought copper exported during the year 1799 was 97,125 Cwt. 2 qrs. 7 lb., and the nominal value thereof 515.043 os. 44. The average price of wrought copper exported during the year appears, by the declarations of the exporters, to have been 1295. per Cwt. and agreeably to that rate the total value of the above copper is 626,459 195. 6d. The quantity of brafs exported in the courfe of the year 1799 was 77,033 Cwt. 3 qrs. 16 lb. and the nominal value thereof 346,652 155.; the nominal and real value of plated ware exported was £18,172 8s. od The average price of the wrought brafs exported, appears by the declarations of the exporters to have been 7145. 8d. per Cwt. and agreeably to that rate, the total value of the above brafs amounting to 77,033 Cwt. 3 qrs. 16lb.is 595,728 155. 5d. According to thefe accounts it appears that although the high price of copper and brafs has continued, and even increased, during the last year, the quantity exported has been greater than during feveral years preceding. Since our laft, raw fugars have not experienced any material alteration in price, but refined fugars are higher; lumps are at prefent from 94 to 110s. fingle loaves, 107 to 118s. powder loaves, 110 to 125s. tips, 60 to 69s. middles 65 to 80s. and faces 82 to 90s. Coffee is rather lower; ordinary at prefent from 110 to 1245. middling 125 to 129s. good 130 to 1398. and fine 140 to 1578. The importations from Rotterdam, Oftend and Calais, continue; the articles imported being chiefly Geneva, ox, cow, and horfe hides, calf íkins raw and tanned, madder, clover-feed, ftarch, cheefe, &c. The Communications of our Friends, who refide in Manufacturing Districts or SeaPorts, to this Article, will be acceptable. MONTHLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT. THE bufinefs of hufbandry has proceeded without much interruption during the greatest part of the month, in all the fouthern and many of the northern diftricts, the plough has been almoft conftantly employed; a great deal of land has of courfe been broken up and prepared for the reception of different forts of crops. Much oats and fome barley has been already fown. The bean and earlier potatoe crops too have in fome places been put into the ground. Good feed of every fort is fcarce and difficult to be obtained, that of potatoes now is at a moft enormous price. This caufe we are fearful may operate in fome degree to leffen the extent of grounds intended for the growth of fuch crops. The young wheats, from the fudden fharp frofts and the cold easterly winds, have been a little checked in their growth, and have not quite fo healthy an appearance as might now be expected. Some indeed of thofe that were late fown, are only just beginning to fhew themfelves above the furface of the ground. The latter part of the month has been uncommonly favourable for harrowing, rolling and putting the grafs and hay lands into complete order, as well as for the fowing of all forts of graís-feeds and much bufinefs of this kind has been performed, efpecially in the vicinity of London and many large towns. Grain. The prices of this article ftill continue extremely high, it would feem however, probable from many circumstances, that fome diminution muft foon, take place. The rate of wheat in Mark-lane is at prefent from 80 to 1225. the quarter; the average of England and Wales is 108s. 1od. and of barley 58s. 6d. Potatoes in the London markets are from 8 to 18s. the hundred weight, and but few that are really good. Cattle-turnips being now either wholly confumed by the fheep and neat cattle, or deftroyed by the feverity of the repeated frofts, and hay continuing in moft places extravagantly dear, it is evident that the fupplies of far stock muft confiderably diminish in the markets, and that of courfe an augmentation of price in different kinds of butchers meat must take place, probably for most or all of the fpring months. In Smithfield market at this time, beef is from 3s. 8d. to 5s. 4d. mutton, from 5s. to 6s. Veal, from 4s. to 6s. pork, 4s. 8d. to 5s. 8d. per ftone of 8 lbs. Linking the offal. Kay. This continues a moft fcarce and expenfive article in most of the diftricts of the kingdom; but in the northern ones not quite fo mich wanted as last year. In fome provincial fitua-/ tions it now fells at the enormous price of feven pounds per ton. In St. James's market it is from 72 to 1328. per load. Strate is higher than our last return. In St. James's market it is from 54 to 635 ACCOUNT of the INVENTION of CITIZEN MIONET, at PARIS, of PASTES of ANCIENT MEDALS. By PROFESSOR BOT TIGER. THE HE late Profeffor Eckkel, at Vienna, the immortal author of the Doctrina Nummorum, had made the plan of illuftrating his claffical work, in which the ancient numifmatick was firft raised to the rank of a fcience, by a fet of copper-plates illuftrating ancient medals; but, how defirable foever such a collection might have been, the great expences connected with it would fcarcely have allowed him to execute his defign. However, the beft engravings of coins, though they furpaffed in exactnefs and truth thofe of Pellerin, or even Neumann's Nummi inediti, which may, without hesitation, be efteemed the most accomplished in their kind, are only a very imperfect fupply of a want, and will never be fit to accuftom our eyes and tafte to a right eftimation of those works which often contain, in the fmalleft fpace, the higheft perfection of Grecian fculpture. The number of those who may get accefs to a collection of Grecian coins, and inftruct themselves by contemplating the originals, is very fmall; the acquifition of coins becomes every day more doubtful and expenfive; for the robberies of the French in Italy have done injury to the fcience of numifmaticks in feveral refpects. It would be well, if all the coins taken from public and private collections were re-affembled in the public museum of the French nation, fo that every traveller might contemplate them there at leifure; all ftrangers being received there with the higheft politenefs, and being welcome as often as they pleafe to fearch it without any remuneration. But the rapacioufnels of the French commiffaries in Italy fuffered only fmall contributions to be derived into the national collections, and the beft and choiceft coins of the Italian collections are come exclufively into the hands of rich dilettanti in England, and fo fhut out for ever from every public ufe!! However, the antiquarian, the geographer, the philologist, and the artift might learn more by them, than till now has been fufpected; and what Addifon attempted with good fuccefs for the illuftration of the Roman poets by coins, might now, after so many and so important numifmatical difcoveries, be executed in MONTHLY MAG. No 58. of VOL. 9. the most advantageous manner, with refpect to the whole encyclopædia of antiquities and arts, to be illuftrated by coins, the work of Spanhemius, calculated to ferve the fame purpose, being too diffufe, and in many parts defective now. The hiftory of arts, particularly, which is ftill involved in fo much obscurity, would receive more illuftrations from an exact comparifon of the Greek coins of Lower Italy and Sicily, than by other remains of ancient arts. For coins only lead to certain epochas, and remove all fufpicion of falfification. It is related that Rubens poffeffed a choice collection of ancient coins, and learned much by it in allegory and compofition; and this should not be lost for our fchools of arts, and academies of painting. These remarks feemed neceffary to thew in its full extent the merit of Citizen Mionet, underkeeper of the national cabinet of medals at Paris, who has moft fuccefsfully attempted to copy the finest coins of antiquity in faithful pattes. As his fulphurs are entirely arranged according to Eckhel's plan, the dilettanti may now the easier difpenfe with the engravings for that work. As they are made with the greatest faithfulness and beauty, the ftyle and elegance of thofe works of art may as well be ftudied by them, as by the originals themfelves; and, as the price is extremely reafonable, and one may chufe freely what one wishes moft to poffels of the whole collection, the buying of such a collection of paftes is rendered extremely easy for public inftitutions and academies, and for private men." This fuite," says Citizen Mionet, in a letter of the end of Septemher, "is formed after the immenfe collection of the coins of nations, towns, and kings, in the national museum. The catalogue belonging to them, and which will appear without delay, follows, in every particular, the claffification of Eckhel in his Do&trina Nummorum. Each medal is numbered, fo that it will be easy for every dilettanti to give commiffions for entire provinces or fingle numeros, which he wishes to get from the collection, without danger of being misunderstood. My wifh was to enable every dilettanti to acquire, in a fhort time, the knowledge of all the legends and types. They should receive a fure means, by which they might the eafier read and judge the coin in their or Sf others others' cabinets, and fo I hoped to give Thus far the account of Citizen Mionet himself. The hard fituation of all the confervators and employés of all the museums and national collection, who have for feveral months got not a single farthing of their falary, has alone retarded the impreffion of the catalogue, which, however, now has probably left the prefs. But I can now already lay every thing in praise of its arrangement. At the head, the town is marked in capital letters, together with a fhort indication of the infcription and the ftamp. Pellerin, Eckhel, Flores, Neumann, Zoega, Hunter, Combe, &c. are quoted whenever it is neceffary. A particular refpect is held to thofe coins which have not yet been made known, and they are marked out in the catalogue as Inediti. I have at this moment fix teen pattes before me, which, according to the fenience of all connoiffeurs, leave no room for cenfure with respect to the truth and thatpnels of the delineation in the figures as well as in the letters. A friend of mine has taken them indifcriminately cut of the whole collection, and no mercantile deceit can of course be fufpected. They are illive even in their metallic varnih, very light, but however durable. How much is then to be expected from the whole collection, if we may judge by this effay! How much inftruction may be afforded by it, as the richest collection of medals known in Europe is the bafis of it! I hope, Sir, that this piece of intelligence will prove very agreeable to all Englishmen of true tatte and literature. I have feen feveral attempts in cafting and moulding ancient coins, made by Taffie, Marchant, and other artifis of great reputation amongst your countrymen, and I am far from under-rating their value; but, I can affure you, that thofe medals fent from Paris stand quite unparalleled, and are far fuperior to all that have been tried in a fimilar way. Encouragement therefore fhould be given to that difcovery, without any prejudice against the country in which it has been made: for the fine arts, and useful difcoveries for the improvement of knowledge and literature, are of no country, and thould not fuffer by the clafhing paffions of a cruel and implacable warfare. I shall not fail to inform you, Sir, about the fuccefs of thefe pates in Germany, a complete fet of which fhall be viewed next Eafter Fair, at Leiphc. Weimar, in Saxony, I am, Sir, Your's, &c. For the Monthly Mcgazine. HE Jewith Feaft of Parim was fo TH named (we are told, Efther ix. 26), from the word pur, a lot, and fignifies the feaft of lets; a derivation not very fatis. factory. It was celebrated yearly on the 14th and 15th Adar (ix. 24), that is, in the beginning of March. The book of Ether was then read aloud in the fynagogues; and, at the mention of Haman's name, the audience ufually expreffed their abhorrence, by ftriking with their hands on the benches and boards. After this act of worship, the viands of hofpitality were diftributed. From the whole ritual, it may be inferred, that the later Jews derived their notions of this feftival merely from the book of Either. * Godwin's Mefes and Aaron, p. 138. From From the ninth chapter of this book, it appears (ver. 1-6), that on the 13th Adar the Jews, by order of the King of Perfia, gathered together in the cities throughout all the provinces of the empire, to lay hands on fuch as fought their hurt; that no man could withstand them, as all the rulers of the provinces, the lieutenants, deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; that the Jews fmote all their enemies with the froke of the jword, and flaughter and deyiruction; and that in Shushan alone the Jews flew and destroyed five hundred men. This feftival then was the annual commemoration of fome exten five maffacre patronized by the fovereign of Perfia. Uther fuppofes that this Perfian fovereign, this Ahafuerus, was Darius the fon of Hyftafpes; which is the more probable, as Darius in fact divorced his first wife, the daughter of Gobryas (Herodot. Polymnia, 2), in favour of Aroffa or Ha. daffah, the daughter of Cyrus, and the mother of Xerxes, to whom perhaps Efther (ii. v. 7), was nurse or handmaid. Now Darius alone, of all the Perfian kings, was, in fact, the author of a very extenfive maffacre (Thalia 79), and folemnly ordained its yearly celebration*. The Jews in this very occafion were on the fide of power. Arioch, chieftain (Judith i. 6) of the Elamites, a Jewish clan (Nehemiah vii. 12), was intrufted with the execution of this fevere meafure (Daniel ii. 14 and 15), and is known to have been on courteous terms with Daniel, and to have concerted with him (v. 24) various exemptions from the profcription. The Jews therefore were confulted and employed by Darius, and the other authors of the carnage. The idolatrous priefthood, often called Chaldeans (Daniel ii. 10, and Herodot. Clio, 181), but fome. times Mages, who had encouraged the Babylonians to fupport the claims firft of Smerdis, then of fome younger defcendant * Darius I. is called Ahafuerus alfo in Ezra (iv, 6), by a patronymic (Daniel ix. 1) metonomy. So Haman is marfhalled (Efther i. 14), by the name Amadath or Admatha, which was (iii. 1) his father's name. The Intaphernes of Grecian is probably the Haman of the Jewish hiftory. Early in the reign of Darius, and under a pretext of violating the king's domestic privacy, Intaphernes, with all his fons, were put to death (Herodot. Thalia 118 and 119). Thefe very circumstances are related of Hainan (Efther vii. 8. and ix. 25.) of Cyrus, in oppofition to Darius, were the chief fufferers; as the Perfian hiftorians afcribe an univerfal perfecution of this priefly Order under Darius (Univerfal Hiflory, v. 399), to the influence of Zerdufht and his fect, with whofe opinions thofe of the Jews were evidently in a natural alliance. The quarrels of the fireworshippers and idolaters in Perfia clofely refembled thofe of the Monotheists and Polytheifts under the kings of Ifrael and Judah. The Magophonia, therefore, (for fo Herodotus calls this deed of blood), is the event commemorated by the Jews in their yearly feast of Purim. READING lately the DUKE DE LIANCOURT's Travels in America, I was much truck with the following account of a tranfaction to which he was an eye-witness, in the year 1796, in South Carolina. "In our journey," he says, "we met a drove of negroes (you cannot use a more proper term), who were fent from Cambridge to the market of Charlestown. Their mafter, an advocate of Cambridge, one of the diftri&ts of the ftaté, has relinquifhed his plantation to employ his money in fome other branch of bufinefs. Planters of fmall fortunes do this very often, and, from the high price of negroes, it is at prefent done more frequently than at other times. They were about one hundred in number, men, women, and children. The fale of the husband is not neceffarily connected with that of the wife, nor is the purchafer of the mother obliged to buy the child fucking at her breast. The advantage of the buyer is the only binding law." Vol. i. p. 592. Now, Mr. Editor, for argument's fake, I would admit, what the advocates for the cruelties exercifed on these people have this traffic alledge, that the accounts of been much exaggerated: that not only the planters, but their overfeers, and laft of all, as they are emphatically ftyled, the flave-drivers, are all of them bound by intereft, if not by humanity, to allow them fufficient food, not to beat unmercifully, or maim, or kill a negro, at least, while he is able to work; admitting, I fay, all Sfa this |