A LIST of those who have been declared Bankrupts Jonathan Edward Evans, of Henley upon Thames in Oxfordshire, Innholder and Dealer. John Hogg, of the City of Bristol, Chapman. Robert Meadows, of Colchester in Effex, Merchant. Francis Nixon, of the Parish of St. Leonard Fofter-Lane, London, Glover and Henry Plaistow, of the Parish of St. Clement's Danes in Middlefex, Haber- James Holt, late of Bury in Lancashire, Chapman. John Parfons, of Spittle-fields in Middlefex, Silk-man and Silk-thrower. George Vickery, of Great Queen-street in St. Giles's in the Fields in Middlefex, Pilkington Robinson, late of Charles-freet, Weftminster, Chapman. John Ball, of Horton-street, in the Parish of St. Clement's Danes in Middlesex, James Angleras, of London, Merchant. George Airey, late of Gateshead in the County of Durham, Mercer. William Howard, of Great James-ftreet, in the Parish of St. Andrew's Holborn in Middlefex, Baker and Cornchandler. Benjamin Peele, late of Manchester in Lancashire, Shopkeeper. Peter Prieft, of Colchester in Effex, and late of London, Goldsmith. OK? Abraham Baker, of Falkingham in Lincolnshire, Mercer. Ifaac Bedford, of Hampftead in Middlefex, Carpenter. Henry Wood, of Whitecross-ftreet in the Parish of St. Giles without Cripplegate, Thomas Parfons, late of Lincoln's-Inn Fields in Middlefex, and fince of Holborn, Richard Marryott, of Market-ftreet in the Parish of St. James in Middlefex, John Arnold, of the Parish of St. Bride, alias Bridget, London, Apothecary. Thomas Wild, of the City of Norwich, Worfted-Weaver. John Mills, late of the Parish of St. Giles in the Fields in Middlefex, Cornchandler. fofeph Huntman, of Bishopsgaveftreet, London, Mealman. THE FH THE Univerfal Mercury For the Month of JANUARY, 1725-6. T O divert and to inftruct are the Ends every new Writer promifes the Publick to purfue; but the great Difficulty lies in the Manner of doing it: Our Minds are generally unapt to be taught, efpecially by any one who affumes a magifterial Air; and on the other Hand, we foon confider thofe Works as trifling and impertinent, which are only calculated to please our Imaginations, without conveying proper Inftructions. As the Authors of the Univerfal Mercury therefore are fatiffied, that the Generality of Mankind are foon weary of any one Thing, however amiable or useful in it felf; they defign to entertain their Readers with Variety, and to be as unconfin'd in their Subjects as in their Title. The Learned, in the Course of this Work, will meet with Philofophical Tranfactions, Memoirs of Literature, Phyfical Controverfies, and Lifts of Books, printed both at Home and Abroad; the Gay Part of the Town fhall have News from the Court, the Park, the Masquerade, the Opera, and the Play-Houfes; the Mechanick may often find ufeful Discoveries in his way; nor fhall the Tradefman have reafon to complain that his Intereft is forgot. The Politician naturally claims a confiderable Share in this Work; but our Readers may be affured we fhall very rarely fpin out a Paragraph, or fill the Page with impertinent Reflections; there being no Danger of our wanting Matter of Confequence enough to fill up Six Sheets, which is the Size of the Book we propofe. We fhall therefore be as concife in our News as we can, without becoming obfcure, or omitting fuch Facts as actually deserve to be recorded; and we flatter our felves, that the Obfervations we fhall make will not be thought unneceffary. Nor will we prostitute our News, and fall into thofe Meanneffes fo many Writers are guilty of: A Perfon who never deferved a good Character whilst living, fhall not have one bought here at his Deceafe; and a Woman of mean Extraction may venture to marry, without being under the dreadful Apprehenfions of feeing her Name in our Matrimonial Lift; nay, the Man whose Memory is famous for nothing but the Money he leaves behind him, may die in peace, and without fear of our disturbing his Afhes, by a Recital of the Funeral Pomp and Magnificence with which he was interr'd: Such Lifts fhall be, as they were originally defigned, only for the People of Quality and Distinction, or for Perfons of uncommon Note and Merit; and we fhall often, at the Death or Marriage of People of Fafhion, take an opportunity of inferting the Genealogy of their Families; which may be of double Service, by putting the World in mind of the Refpect due to their Births, and by reminding them how much the World expects from them and their Succeffors; for as a long Race of Ancestors is the highest Honour to those who tread in their glorious Paths, and ftrive to emulate their Virtues, fo it is. the utmost Difgrace to thofe, who degenerate from their Examples, or only copy their Vices. The Ladies, to whom we fhall always fhew a particular Regard, will not only have the Benefit of that part of our Work which is calculated for the Gay, but may ever and anon expect an Inftructive Novel, and to be entertained with fuch Poems and Songs as were never published, or thofe which are only handed about by the Curious. We We fhall never appear Dogmatical but when we affume the Part of Criticks, and take upon us to reform Abuses in our publick Diverfions, which very often ftand in need of fuch Refor mations. But then we fhall to the best of our Power act the part of true Criticks, and be as ready to point out Beauties, as to expofe Faults; nor will we ever be Refpecters of Perfons, or fpare even a Pluto or Mercury, or any other Deity, when they fhall fa meanly debase themfelves, as to affume the Form of a Modern Harlequin. Thus have our Readers a fmall Sketch of the Work propofed; and fhould it happen to hit the Taste of the Town, a fhort time will produce Variety of Circumstances to make it more useful and entertaining; tho' it cannot be expected it will appear in its utmost Perfection for the first fix Months; for as there are feveral Correfpondences of neceffity to be fettled in foreign Countries, as well for Political as Learned Intelligence, till we fee how our Mercury is receiv'd, 'twould be a Folly to purfue fo chargeable a Method of Inftruction; but if it be attended with the Approbation of the Polite and Judicious, the Society of Gentlemen by whom 'tis undertaken, are determined to fpare no Coft or Pains, but to make their Work as agreeable and ferviceable to the Publick as they poffibly can. In the mean time, thofe who are willing to contribute to fo good a Defign, by correfponding with the Authors, are defired to enclofe their Letters in a Wrapper, directed to Mr. Roberts, near the Oxford- Arms in Warwick-Lane. Two Letters from M. Capperon, ancient Dean of St. Maxent, to a Friend, concerning thofe Plants, various Shells, Tongues, Teeth, and other Parts of Serpents, Fifbes, and of divers Animals, which are often found, preferved, and fometimes petrified in Mountains, Quarries, and other Parts of the Earth, and of the feveral Impreffions left by them on Stones and Pebbles. The first dated from Eu in the Upper Normandy, May the 20th, 1724. OU may very well remember, Sir, that as we have fre Yo Y quently difcourfed on Phyfical Subjects, you have talked to me of Plants and Shells, and petrified Animals, which you have met with in the Closets of the Curious; as well as of feveral Impreffions of these things which you have obferv'd upon Stones, Pebbles, and pieces of Marble. As you informed me at the fame time, that they were ever and anon to be found in Mountains, Quarries, and even in common Lands and Grounds; I thought, that if I would give my self the trouble of seeking after them, I might eafily enough find fuch things; and indeed, after a little Search I have met with feveral of them, which you may fee in my Study whenever you please; and in the mean time, I thought you would be glad to have a particular Account of them. There are amongst these Curiofities which I found, feveral Shells of different kinds, which we met with in our Mountains, amidft the rough Stone and Shards which we dig there, whether it be actually in the deepest Quarries, or when we fink Wells; for in this Province, dig where we will, we are always fure of finding Stone; and thefe Shells have often been difcovered Twenty or Thirty Fathom deep in the Earth, fome of them filled with Shards, others quite petrified. We have found fome Pebbles too, |