arch of about twenty-five feet broad. Fragments of the parapets remained, and the bridge itself feemed to bear the appearance of frequent repairs, and many attempts to ruin it; otherwife, in its conftruction, it was exceedingly commodious. The Nile is here confined between two rocks, and runs in a deep trough, with great roaring and impetuous velocity. He was told no crocodiles were ever feen fo high, being obliged to remount the stream above half a mile before they came to the cataract, through trees and bufhes of a beautiful and delightful appearance.

This cataract was the most magnificent fight which Mr. Bruce ever beheld. The height has been rather exaggerated. The miffionaries fay the fall is about fixteen ells, or fifty feet. The meafuring is, indeed, very difficult; but, by the pofition of long fticks, and poles of different lengths, at different heights of the rock, from the water's edge, Mr. Bruce imagines he may venture to say that it is nearer forty feet than any other measure. The river had been confiderably increased by rains, and fell in one sheet of water, without any interval, above half an English mile in breadth, with a force and noife that was truly terrible, and which ftunned and made him, for a time, perfectly dizzy. A thick fume, or haze, covered the fall all round, and hung over the courfe of the ftream both above and below, marking its track, though

Jerome Lobo pretends, that he has fat under the curve, or arch, made by the projectile force of the water rufhing over the precipice. He fays he fat calmly at the foot of it, and looking through the curve of the ftream, as it was falling, faw a number of rainbows of inconceivable beauty in this extraordinary prifm. This, however, Mr. Bruce, without hefitation, avers to be a downright falfehood, A deep pool of water, reaches to the very foot of the rock, and is in perpetual agitation. Now, allowing that there was a feat, or bench, which there is not, in the middle of the pool, it is abfolutely impoffible, by any exertion of human ftrength, to have arrived at it. Although a very robust man, in the prime and vigour of life, and a hardy, practifed, indefatigable fwimmer, Mr. Bruce is perfectly confident he could not have got to that feat from the shore through the quieteft part of that bafon. It was a moft magnificent fight, that ages, added to the greatest length of human life, would not deface or eradicate from Mr. Bruce's memory; it ftruck him with a kind. of ftupor, and a total oblivion of where he was, and of every other fublunary concern. It was one of the most magnificent, ftupendous fights in the creation, though dċgraded and villified by the lies of a groveling, fanatic peasant.

ANECDOTES.

I.

FRANKNESS.

BALDWIN archbishop of Canterbury, in the reigns of Henry II. and Richard I. was, it is faid, fo very temperate, that he never tafted a morfel of flesh from the time he commenced monk till the day of his death. Being met one day by an emaciated old woman, she asked him If it was true that he had never

tafted

archbishop, not offended at her freedom, promifed to repair her lofs with another cow of greater value: fo that the poor woman had no cause to repent of her frankness.

II.

WIT.

DURING the time Mr. Pilon was paying his addreffes to Mifs Drury, he was met by an old acquaintance who lived in Covent Garden, whofe fifter he had formerly courted; and in the midst of their converfation, the gentleman took an opportunity of telling Pilon, that his fifter was much furprised at his long abfence from their houfe! To this the wit replied, That he had paid his addreffes to Covent Garden fome time; and now, in return, felt him felf inclined to pay his refpects to Drury!

INSTANCE OF INGRATITUDE.

[Tranfmitted by H. C.]

DURING Monmouth's rebel lion, in the reign of James the Second, a certain perfon knowing the humane difpofition of one Mrs. Gaunt, whofe life was one continued exercise of beneficence, fled to her houfe, where he was concealed and maintained for fome time: hearing, however, of the proclamation, which promifed an indemnity and reward to thofe who difcovered fuch as harboured the rebels, he betrayed his benefactrefs; and fuch was the fpirit of justice and equity which prevailed among the minifters, that he was

AT a time when peace was eftablifhed between the Caffrees and colonifts, while they lived together in tolerable good intelligence, having no apparent reason either to fear or perfecute each other; a tyger of Bruyntjes-Hoogte, who found his fchemes difconcerted by this good fellowship, being only happy in the bofom of horror and carnage, in hope of renewing the flame of war, contrived to purchase at Cape Town, fome old unferviceable mufket barrels, which he knew he could readily exchange with the unfufpecting Caffrees, who are always in want of that metal. The bargain being made, before he delivered them he nailed up the touch-holes, and having loaded them with a double charge of pow der each, rammed in bits of broken brafs, old iron, &c. up to the mouth. The unhappy favages, who underftand only the dreadful effects of fire-arms, and nothing of their me chanifm, took home their purchase, and immediately fat about converting them into affaygays: the fire is kindled, and the fatal inftruments of deftruction difpofed on it; prefently the powder takes fire, and produces a dreadful detonation, which fcatters in an instant the barrels, their contents, and the flaming brands that furrounded them, burning and wounding in every direction. One among them, who related this event, which the whole hoord had been witnefs of, made me remark the fcars of feveral wounds he had re

ACCOUNT

"When fir Thomas Moyle built

TURAL SON OF RICHARD III.

[In a Letter from Thomas Bret, LL. D. to

William Warren, LL. D.]

IN our laft Number, p. 160. we inferted an account of the Natural Son of Richard III. which was copied from a fcarce French book: but an ingenious Correfpondent, who is equally anxious with ourfelves, to correct historical errors, has fent us the following extract, from Peck's Defiderata Curiofa; which proves the former relation to be, in part, erroneous.

"Now for the story of Richard Plantagenet. In the year M, DCC, XX. (I have forgot the particular day, only remember it was about Michaelmas) I waited on the late lord Heneage, earl of Winchelfea, at Eaftwell House, and found him fitting with the register book of the parish of Eaftwell lying open before him. He told me, that he had been looking there to fee who of his own family were mentioned in it. But, fays he, I have a curiofity here to fhew you. And then fhewed me (and I immediately tranfcribed it into my almanack) Rychard Plantagenet was buryed the 22. daye of Defember, anno ut fupra. Ex regiftro de Eaftwell, fub anno 1550. This is all the register mentions of him; so that we cannot say, whether he was buried in the church or churchyard; nor is there now any other memorial of him, except the tradition in the family, and fome little marks of the place where his houfe ftood. The itory, my lord told me, was thus.

Mr. Peck fays, that he faw another account, the most material differences of which he gives in a note, as follows-" The knight, once coming into his room, while he lay alleep, with his hand on the table, he faw a book lying by him."

+ " I was," faid he, "brought up at my nurfe's houfe (whom I took for my mother) till I was feven years old. Then a gentle man, whom I did not know, took me from

he obferved his chief bricklayer, whenever he left off work, retired with a book. Sir Thomas had á curiofity to know what book the man read; but was fome time before he could discover it he ftill putting the book up if any one came toward him. However, at laft, fir Thomas furprised him, and fnatched the book from him; and looking into it, found it to be Latin. Hereupon he examined him; and finding he pretty well understood that language, he enquired how he came by his learning. Hereupon the man told him as he had been a good mafter to him, he would venture to truft him with a fecret he had never before revealed to any one. He then informed him †—

"That he was boarded with a Latin schoolmafter, without knowing who his parents were, till he was fifteen or fixteen years old; only a gentleman (who took occafion to acquaint him he was no relation to him) came once a quarter, and paid for his board, and took care to fee that he wanted nothing. And one day, this gentleman took him and carried him to a fine, great house, where he paffed through feveral ftately rooms, in one of which he left him; bidding him stay there.

"Then a man finely dreft, with a ftar and garter, came to him; asked him fome queftions; talked kindly to him; and gave him fome money. Then the 'forementioned gentleman returned, and conducted him back to his fchool §.

thence, and carried me to a private school' in Leicestershire.

"Who examined me narrowly, and felt my limbs and joints, and gave me ten pieces of gold, viz. crown gold, which was the current money then, and worth ten fhillings a piece.

"About a year after, he fent for me again, looked very kindly on me, and gave me the fame fum." "Some

tent. The king embraced him, and told him he was his fon. But, child,' fays he, to-morrow I must fight for my crown. And, affure yourself, if I lofe that, I will lofe my life too: but I hope to preferve both. Do you ftand in fuch a place (directing him to a particular place) where you may fee the battle, out of danger. And, when I have gained the victory, come to me; and I will then own you to be mine, and take care of you. But, if I fhould be fo unfortunate as to lofe the battle, then shift as well as you can, and take care to let nobody know that I am your father; for no mercy will be fhewed to any one fo [nearly] related to me.' Then the king gave him a purfe of gold, and difmiffed him*.

"He followed the king's directions. And, when he faw the battle was loft and the king killed, he hafted to London; fold his horfe, and fine cloaths; and, the better to conceal himself from all fufpicion of being fon to a king, and that he might have means to live by his honeft labour, he put himself apprentice to a bricklayer. But, having a competent skill in the Latin tongue, he was unwilling to lofe it; and hav

* "He asked me, whether we heard any news at our school? I faid the news was, that the earl of Richmond was landed, and marched against king Richard. He faid he was on the king's fide, and a friend to Richard. Then he gave me twelve hundred of the fame pieces; and faid, if king Richard gets the better in the conteft, you may then come to court, and you fhall be provided for. But if he is worfted, or killed, take this money, and go to Lon

will give you the running of my kitchen as long as you live.' He answered, Sir, you have a numerous family; I have been used to live retired; give me leave to build a houfe of one room for myself in fuch a field, and there, with your good leave, I will live and die; and, if you have any work that I can do for you, I fhall be ready to ferve you.' Sir Thomas granted his requeft; he built his houfe, and there continued to his death.

66

"I fuppofe (though my lord did not mention it) that he went to eat in the family, and then retired to his hut. My lord faid, that there was no park at that time; but, when the park was made, that houfe was taken into it, and continued standing, till his [my lord's] father pulled it down. But, faid my lord, I would have as foon pulled down this house; meaning Eaftwell Place.

66

"I have been computing the age of this Richard Plantagenet when he died, and find it to be about eighty-one. For Richard III. was killed August 23, M,CCCC,Lxxxv. which (fubtracted from M, D,L,) there remains LXV. To which add xv, (for the age of Richard Plantagenet at that time) and it makes

+"After the battle was over, I fet out accordingly for London. And, just as I came into Leicester, I faw a dead body brought to town upon an horfe. And, upon looking ftedfaftly upon it, I found it to be my father. I then went forward to town. And (my genius leading me to architecture) as I was looking on a fine houfe which was building there, one of the workmen employed me about fomething, and finding me very handy, took me to his

LXXXI. But, though he lived to that age, he could fcarce enjoy his retirement in his little houfe above two or three years, or a little more. For I find, by Philpot, that fir Richard Moyle did not purchafe the estate of Eaftwell till about the year M,D,XLIII, or IV. We may therefore reasonably fuppofe, that, upon his building a new houfe on his purchase, he could not come to live in it till M,D,XLVI, and that his workmen were continued to build the walls about his gardens, and other conveniencies off from the house. And, till he came to live in the house he could not [well] have [an] opportunity of obferving how Richard Plantagenet retired with his book. So that it was, probably, towards the latter end of the year M,D,XLVI, when Richard and fir Thomas had the forementioned dialogue together. Confequently Richard could not build his houfe, and have it dry enough for him to live in, till the year M,D,XLVII.~ So that he must be lxxvij or Ixxviij years of age before he had his writ of eafe."

ANECDOTE OF ESOP. [Tranfmitted by T. C. of Faversham.]

IT was Efop's fortune to be sent to Ephefus, in company with other flaves, to be fold. The mafter, who bought him, had a great many burdens for carriage; Æfop, one day, begged of his companions not to overload him. They generously bade him please himself. Efop, on this, pitched on a pannier of bread, twice as heavy as any of the others! His fellow flaves, obferving the great weight of the lot he had chofen, called him a thousand fools for his feeming ignorance. They, however, took up their luggage, and trudged off together. About noon, dinner was delivered from fop's basket, which made his burden lighter by one half: and after the next meal had been taken out, he had only the empty basket left him to carry. The conpanions of Efop now began to wonder at their own ftupidity; and, in proportion as they found their underftandings fhallow and confined, did the wit of fop rife in their estimation.

SINGULAR CUSTOM IN ABYSSINIA.

I

[From Bruce's Travels.]

T is the conftant practice in Abyffinia to befet the king's doors and windows within his hearing, and there, from early morning to night, to cry for justice as loud, as poffible, in a diftreffed and complaining tone, in order to have their fuppofed grievances heard.

In a country fo ill governed as Abyffinia, and fo perpetually involved in war, it may be eafily fuppofed there is no want of people who have real injuries and violence to complain of; but if it were not fo, this is fo much the conftant

ufage, that when it happens (as in the midst of the rainy feafon), few people can approach the capital, or itand without in fuch bad weather. A fet of vagrants are provided, maintained, and paid, whofe fole bufinefs it is to cry and lament, as if they had been really very much injured and oppreffed; and this they tell you is for the king's honour, that he may not be lonely by the palace being too quiet.

This, of all their abfurd cuftoms, was the moft grievous and troublefome to Mr. Bruce. Sometimes, while Mr. Bruce was bufy in his room, in the rainy feafon, there would be four or five hundred

people,