I protest and I beg, that no word in this scrawl
May be thought to reflect on the late Duke at all;
But I blame him for keeping your Lordship's lips clos'd,
And your Lordship for keeping the silence impos'd.
I most deeply regret the reserve kept so fast,
To Lord Cgh first, and to me at the last;
For by that came to pass, (what I ne'er wish'd to do;)
That, in turning him out, I turn'd out myself too.

I regret that I should not have learnt too in July,
That your Lordship had never been party most truly
To the general assurance of C-gh's friends;
And that one the description above comprehends,
Who'd a Cabinet place, but whose name I won't stir,
(As I've heard since that time) had refus'd to concur.

Had I known but all this, I'd have made up my mind,
And then, even then, I'd have boldly resign'd.
Quite convenient bad then been my prompt resignation,
And 't would not have then been suppos'd by the nation,
That our army's misfortunes, that Flushing's affair,
Or the thousands of Britons we 've sacrific'd there,
Or causes like these unimportant, inspir'd
My heart with the motives for which I retir'd.
But howe'er I regret, I don't mean to rebuke
Any part of the conduct pursu'd by the Duke;
Nor can it to aught in the Duke be imputed,
But the mildness of nature for which he was bruited,
Which made him endeavour the quarrels to cool
Of the Cabinet he had the pleasure to rule;
And any arrangement most cordial to meet,

Which could fix his own Ministry firm in their seat;
And to make us all friends, and one object embrace,

And turn all our attention to keeping in place.

None who knows how the Duke love or friendship could

win,

Or how I've ador'd him, since first I came in,

Will think that, to render my own fame more bright,

I mean to abuse him, whatever I write.

Such a base vindication be sure I'm not planning.
My Lord, I'm your Lordship's obedient

MRS

MRS. CUNNING'S STATEMENT.
[From the General Evening Post, Dec. 5.1

Mr. Editor,

TEPPING down Parliament Street the other day,

I picked up the following fragment of a letter, signed Elizabeth Cunning; and, as it appears to be. full as explicit and interesting as some other letters. lately published and signed, by a name somewhat similar, I have conveyed it to your press.

I am, Sir, yours,

"TO MRS. PRATT.

PETER PARODY.

(part torn off)" and so, Madam Pratt, by way of explaining the matter, since folks make such a fuss about the rumpus between me and Bob Stewart, our cook, I will tell you the thing just as it happened. It is as far back as May last since I told Mr. Bentinck, our old butler, who is now dead and funct, that I did not like Bob Stewart, and I wished that master would employ him somewhere else than in the town-house : however, I did not wish him to know all this from me, but continued to give him his sop at noon, and his sleepy draft at night as usual; but to be sure I did. bargain that you and the old butter, rest his poor soul, would somehow and somehow give him a hint; for I wanted the privy emptied, and my plates and dishes put in new order.-Well, I was put off from time to time, until I threatened at last to give my master warning: Don't do that, says the old butler, and you shall have your way, Betty and so I agreed to stay, but at a month's end, the d- an inch of my way could I get so I said again, says I, I tell you what, Mr. Bentinck, I'll give my master warning directly; I'll not sleep another night under the roof with Bob Stewart, and that's flat ;-and so I axed you again to tell Bob so; but not from me, for I would not for the world have him know that I was at the bottom of it:

The

The fellow, says I, is not fit for his place, and I had plague enough whitewashing him last winter, when folks said that he had made away with the dripping and candle-ends. Well, upon this, you all said, Dear Betty-it was always Dear Betty when you wanted to gain your ends don't give your master warning now; you shall have every thing your own way--but consider, master has ordered great preparations for a grand dinner, and we can't do without Bob, says you.-Well, says I, if so be that be the case, I'll stay; and we had a great deal of more talk about it-and I am sure, though I want Bob out of the way, I behaved very good-natured-for I made this bargain with you all says I, Well I hate Bob; but for that reason I consent that he shall stay out the summer. We are to dress a great dinner for some foreign folks-and Bob can no more. dress a dinner than he can fly; and, for that reason, I consent that he shall dress the whole, and I will make believe that I am helping him; but mind this, says I, as soon as the dinner is over, be it well-dressed or ill-dressed, whether all the fat is in the fire, or just where it should be; whether the things be underdone or overdone; done to a T, or burnt to a coal; at the end of the business, Bob shall pack off.—I am sure this was very good-natured on my part, and acting like an honest servant, who prefers her master's interests to her own squabbles in the kitchen. And what have I got by it? Now you have forced me out of the house, and Bob has called me names, and I called him names, until we fit, and all the world laughs at us-and this is all your doing, and the old butler's ;. but, as I said, he is dead and funct, and so I'll lay the blame on you, Mrs. Pratt, and the whole set of you-I'll let master know what you all are, and so you may-(torn off here J

ELIZABETH. CUNNING.

LOSS

( 333 )

LOSS OF THE WARSPITE,

OFF THE STRAITS OF WALCHEREN, COMMANDED BY THE HON. CAPTAIN GEORGE CG.

[From the Morning Chronicle, Dec. 7.]

THE following diary contains the account of her voyage from the day of her sailing, April 2, to her foundering at sea, on September 21:

April 2.-Hazy weather. Sailed in company with Admiral Van Bentinck, in the Bergen-op-Zoom, an old Dutch three-decker; Vice-admiral Castlerag, in the Traffic (commander of the gun-boats); Commodore Cn, in the Ponderous; Captain

in

the Mysterious; with the following smaller vessels: the Charles Ellis, store-ship; Leverson, war brig; George Rose, King's cutter; Stu-ges Be, Hussk-n, and Dog-Dent, traders.

3

April 4 to 8.-Foggy. Found my ship did not sail well; wrote Admiral Van B.; represented state of fleet; said I wished to strike my flag (but had no intention of doing it); changes must be effected; Admiral a stupid old fellow wants more detailed explanation. Admiral upright and disinterested patriot, faithful, devoted, and affectionate subject, blameless man and noble-minded; keeps the best cook in town; is a good Protestant, an excellent Catholic, staunch Whig, and great Tory.

April 16.-Light breeze. Admiral opened the subject to Captain, of the Mysterious. Alack! he never told his name. The Commodore knows it. Captain objects; won't have any alteration in affairs till after the decision respecting the Vice-admiral's sale of the store-keeper's office.

April 25.-Squally. That question decided.

April 28.-Severe gales. The Admiral spoke again Commodore C. Commodore agrees that his friend the Vice-admiral is a dd bad officer, and ought

to be cashiered; but the Vice-admiral's feelings must be consulted. Captain

admiral in a sloop.

proposes to put the Vice

May 5-A great swell. The Admiral determines to lay the whole before the Admiral of the Fleet, and go on board the Royal Sovereign.

May 10.-Cloudy. Hauled my wind. Sounded. Admiral goes on board the Royal Sovereign; finds the Admiral of the Fleet very angry. He d-ns us all for a parcel of lubbers; swears he'll make his own attor. ney commander of the fleet. (Want to be so myself.) May 31-Very stormy. Took in three reefs. Lowered studding-sails. Went on board the Royal Sovereign; swore I'd strike my flag. D-ly frightened lest I should be taken at my word.

June 8.-Light breeze. Write to Admiral Van B.; tell him his arrangement is a bad one; nevertheless am ready to hoist my flag in as many different ships as he pleases, and work double tides sooner than go out of office. Thought the Vice-admiral would not like it. Did not care about the public feeling.

June 18.-Stormy. Admiral proposes new plan. Vice-admiral won't agree.

June 21.-Wind blows from every point. Admiral says, new arrangements shall take place.

June 27.-Foul wind. Dd angry with the Admiral, who had not communicated with the Viceadmiral. Wrote him a letter full of point and sarcasm; he can't understand it. Told him, old women should not command fleets and armies.

June 28.-Lowered my sails. Went again on board the Royal Sovereign; said I would strike my flag if the Vice-admiral was not cashiered. Commodore C. is positively to tell the Vice-admiral of the intended arrangement.

July 5.More squally than ever. New difficulties arise: Admiral goes on board Commodore's ship;