DIMINISHING THE COIN.

May 10, 1774.-The House of Commons went this day into a committee on the present state of the gold coin. Mr. Chamberlain, whose evidence was corroborated by several other respectable witnesses, gave the house a very entertaining account of all the persons who had been convicted of clipping, coining, filing, or otherwise diminishing the coin of the kingdom. He was particularly severe on Yorkshire, where he said he had been down, and seen many guineas which had been reduced 5s. 3d., some 5s. 4d., but the general run was from 2s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. each; that almost every woolcomber, in the north, kept a file for the purpose; that they were at no loss to sell their filings, for there were several private mints that would coin them a guinea, or half a guinea, for a shilling. He said he had enquired into the nature of these private mints, and found they were so private, that it was almost impossible for any person to find them out in their unlawful proceedings; for their houses were so situated, that they could distinguish a person half a mile before he reached their house. The principal master belonging to these mints (who was their sovereign, and, in order to give him a preeminence, was called king David) had been detected, and hung; but the practice still went on to a great extent. It was common, he said, in the north, to give twenty shillings for the use of twenty guineas for two hours; or they would give you two shillings for the use of two guineas for half an hour!

The coin having, since that period, been made current by weight as well as by tale, the temptation to such frauds has been removed; and if they now take place, it can only be to a very inconsiderable extent.

LOTTERIES IN ENGLAND.

THE first English Lottery I have met with, was drawn A. D. 1569. It consisted of forty thousand lots, at ten shillings each lot. The prizes were plate; and the profits were to go towards repairing the havens of this kingdom. It was drawn (as Maitland from Stow informs us, vol. 1, p. 257) at the west door of St. Paul's cathedral. The drawing began on the 11th of January, 1569, and continued, incessantly, day

and night, until the 6th of May following. At this time there were only three lottery-offices in London. The proposals for this lottery were published in the years 1567 and 1568. It was, at first, intended to have been drawn at the house of Mr. Dericke, her majesty's servant, (i. e. her jeweller,) but was afterwards drawn as above-mentioned.

Dr. Rawlinson shewed the Society of Antiquaries, in 1748, a copy of the preceding lottery scheme, and it is thus entitled "A proposal for a very rich lottery, general without any blankes; containing a great number of good prizes, as well of ready money as of plate, and certain sorts of merchandizes, having been valued and prised by the commandment of the queene's most excellent majestye's order, to the intent that such commodities as may chance to arise thereof, after the charges borne, may be converted towards the reparation of the havens, and strength of the realme, and towards such other further good works. The number of lots shall be forty thousand, and no more: and every lott shall be the summe of tenne shillings sterling only, and no more. To be filled by the Feast of St. Bartholomew. The shew of prizes are to be seen in Cheapside, at the sign of the Queene's Armes, at the house of Mr. Dericke, goldsmith, servant to the queene. Printed by Henry Bynneman, 1567."

In 1612, King James, for the special encouragement of the plantation of English colonies in Virginia, granted a lottery to be held at the west end of St. Paul's. One Thomas Sharplys, a tailor, of London, had the chief prize, amounting to four thousand crowns in "faire plate."

In the reign of queen Anne, it was thought necessary to suppress lotteries as nuisances to the public.

In the reign of George I. it was found expedient to revive them, as helps to government in bribing the representatives of the people to vote away the rights and property of their constituents:

"To raise a new fund to pay placemen their wages."

In the reign of George III. they were still continued; no longer, certainly, for purposes of bribery, but for a purpose equally flagitious, that of supporting a Christian government by means of the worst vices that can possibly afflict a community.

EPIGRAMS.

Expedition exemplified.

"ASHAM'D of loose, inglorious ease,"
Cries Tom, "I'll tempt the dangerous seas;
And on Valencia's plains lay low,
With vengeful arm, the miscreant foe."
At twelve, the wond'ring guests discover
The gallant man's already half seas over?

On a very short Lady, accused of Pride.
"She's vastly proud," I've heard you cry;
But you must be in fun;

For does she not (in truth reply)
Look up to every one?

The Opiniative.

Tom his own genius sees-how just his pride!
Since he sees more than all the world beside.

A Hint to Gamesters.

Accept this advice, you who sit down to play,
The best throw of the dice is to throw them away.

On a Parson, who fell asleep at a Party.

Still let him sleep-still let us talk, my friends;
When next he preaches we'll have full amends.

Spithead.

Our Prince has chosen well the coast
His royal yacht should steer to;
"Tis fit that he, who rules the roast,

Spithead should anchor near to.

On the Marriage of a Lady to a Gentleman of the name of Gee.

Sure, madam, by your choice, a taste we see;
What's good or great, or grand without a G?
A godly glow must sure on G depend,

Or oddly low our righteous thoughts must end:
The want of G all gratitude effaces,

And, without G, the Graces would run races.

Woman's Mind.

Imitation of Seneca.-" Vento quid levius, &c."

What can be lighter than a breath?
The vivid flash that's wing'd with death.
Than this aught lighter can you name?
That oft illusive phantom-Fame.
This sure's the lightest you can find?
Not so; there's yet a woman's mind.
Pray what is lighter than this last?
A truce, my friend,-you have me fast.

On Matrimony.

Dick prais'd his friend, who'd chang'd his state,
And tied himself for life to Kate,

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So oft his toast o'er wine :

'Wedlock's the end of life," Dick cry'd;
"Too true, alas!" quoth Tom, and sigh'd,-
""Twill be the end of mine!"

On an Impertinent.

"By the powers!" said a fopling at lady B.'s ball, I'll dance with the fairest, or I'll dance not at all!" Suppose," quoth my lady, "the fair should dispense With the devoirs of all but men of hon'r and sense?" "Well, supposing they should-pray, madam, what then?" "Why then, you, sir, for one, would ne'er dance again."

On a Curate.

A vicar, o'erburthen'd with years and with wealth,
Commanded his curate to pray for his health;
Who pray'd for't so drily, that many folks said,
"Mr. Curate had rather th' old boy were dead."

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Oh, no!" he replied; "a false motive you're giving;

For his death I've ne'er pray'd, though oft for his living!"

VERSES FOUND WRITTEN ON A PANE OF GLASS IN THE QUAKER MEETING HOUSE AT EDINBURGH.

APPROACH this place; with reverence come;

Serve God, although each tongue be dumb.

Experience that mysterious art

To feel His presence at thy heart;

And hear His whispers, soft and kind,
In holy silence of the mind:

Then rest thy thoughts, nor let them roam
In quest of joys-for heaven's at home;
And feel the beams of purest love

An emblem of the bliss above.

O may each soul with power extend
Beyond where time and nature end;

And reach those heights, that bless'd abode,
And meet the kindest smiles of God!

A LEAF FROM PARTRIDGE'S DIARY.

DEAN SWIFT, it is well known, was a sad thorn in the side of poor Partridge, the almanack maker; whose death he had announced, and which he positively maintained, notwithstanding all the ephemerist's protestations to the contrary. It is probable, however, that Partridge might have given the first provocation. In a MS. in the British Museum, which belonged to Partridge, among other historical notes in the margin of the Ephemeris, is the following memorandum :

"October 12,-At the end of this month, the villains made a band-box plot to blow up Robin and his family with a couple of ink-horns; and that rogue Swift was at the opening of the band-box, and the discovery of the plot."

Swift was certainly no favourite with Partridge; for, in a "List of Jure Divino Villains," in the same manuscript, he thus gibbets him: "Swift, a bog-trotter, and a very rogue." The following extracts are also from this diary, which is entirely in the hand-writing of Partridge ;

"Sir Robert Walpole.-Jan. 17, 1712. Sir Robert Walpole censured in Parliament, and committed to the Tower; whither he went, on the 19th, in the morning, He had foul play in the house.

Monsters, The vast numbers of monstrous wolves in,