found, in November 1795, grazing in a luxuriant meadow, about 38 miles from Paramatta. The herd was exceedingly wild, and had increafed to upwards of fixty. Many propofals were made to bring them into the fettlement; but it was confidered that if they were fuffered to remain undisturbed for fome years, they might, like the cattle of South America, at length prove a market fufficient for the inhabitants of the country; and perhaps not only for their own confumption, but for exportation. The governor therefore determined to guard, as much as was in his power, against any attempts to deftroy them*. In June, 1796, the herd had increafed to 94t.

Proper machinery for grinding corn was long wanting. As late as March, 1794, neither wind nor water-mill had been erected. In 1795, however, an overhot water-will was erected in Norfolk Island, at the trifling expence of three ewe sheep to the conftructor, which ground and dreffed 18 bushels of flour in a day §.

Among remarkable circumstances we may notice that a printing-prefs, which had been brought into the fettlement by Governor Phillip, remained unemployed till November, 1795; and that a play-houfe was opened at Sydney, in January, 1796. The managers and actors were convicts: their houfe was fitted up with more propriety than could have been expected, and their performance was far above contemp. A benefit for a widow and her family produced 12)**.

Of the state of the colony at different periods, the reader will be enabled to form fome idea from the prices of provifions at different periods.

"At Sydney, May, 1792++. Flour, from 6d. to is. per lb. Maize, from 12s. 6d. to 15s. per bufhel.

Chickens, fix weeks old, 1s. each.
Eggs, 3d. a piece.
Fresh pork, is. per Ib.

Potatoes, 3d, per lb.

Good cabbages, id. each.

Turnips, 6d. per dozen.

Coffee, zs. to 2s. 6d. per lb.

Salt pork, from 83. to 9d. per lb.
Tobacco, Brazil, 3s. to 5s. per lb.

Sydney, December, 1793.
Wheat, per bufhel, for cash, 10s.
Ditto, in payment for labour, 145.
Potatoes, per lb.

I

English flour, 6d. per lb.
Flour of the country, 3d. per lb.
Kangooroo, 4d. per lb.

Sows, in pig, from 41. 10s. to Maize, 75. per bufhel.

61. 6s.

Sucking pigs, 10s. each.

Sydney, September, 1796 §§.

Cows, Sol.

Moift fugar, from 1s. 6d. to 2s. 6d. Horses, gol.

per lb.

Sheep, 71. 105.

A good chart is much wanting to this work. That which accompanies it is confined to a few miles round Port Jackson: neither does it notice feveral places that are mentioned in the work.

We regret fome grammatical inaccuracies; but the style is, in general, correct, and fuited to the fubject. As a fair fpecimen of the compofition, we felect the following account of the deaths of two well-known characters.

"At three in the morning of the 16th*, Mr. Jofeph Gerald breathed his laft. A confumption, which accompanied him from England, and which all his withes and efforts to fhake off could not overcome, at length brought him to that period when, perhaps, his ftrong enlightened mind muft have perceived how full of vanity and vexation of fpirit were the bufieft concerns of this world; and into what a narrow limit was now to be thruft that frame which but of late trod firmly in the walk of life, elate and glowing with youthful hope, glorying in being a martyr to the cause which he termed that of freedom, and confidering as an honour that exile which brought him to an untimely grave. He was followed, in three days, by another victim to mistaken opinions, Mr. William Skirving. A dyfentery was the apparent caufe of his death, but his heart was broken. In the hope of receiving remittances from England, which might enable him to proceed with spirit and fuccefs in farming, of which he appeared to have a thorough knowledge, he had purchafed from different perfons, who had ground to fell, about one hundred acres of land adjacent to the town of Sydney. He foon found that a farm near the fea-coaft was of no great value. His attention and his efforts to cultivate the ground were of no avail. Remittances he received none; he contracted fome little debts, and

found himself neglected by that party for whom he had facrificed the dearest connexions in life, a wife and family; and finally yielded to the preffure of this accumulated weight. Among us he was a pious, honeft, worthy character. In this fettlement his political principles never manifefted themselves; but all his folicitude feemed to be to evince himself the friend of human nature. Requiescat in pace.” P. 469.

It is fome comfort to find that, in this inftance, the mind appeared meliorated by exile. We fear, however, that Jacobinifm is in general incorrigible.

The device of the feal of the colony, Sic fortis Etruria crevit, appears to us to be equivocal: we prefume its true meaning is, that Old Rome rofe to greatnefs by industry and virtue; but it may likewife be interpreted to fignify, that Old Rome, like New South Wales, was founded by a band of robbers.

We fincerely hope that fome gentleman, refident in the fettlement, will continue Mr. Collins's journal; as it is a work which, we must again obferve, will be of the greatest use to both legiflator and hiftorian*.

ART. VIII. A New and General Biographical Dictionary. (Concluded from our laft, P. 254,)

WE proceed in our account of this ufeful and interesting work, by giving extracts from the volumes which remain, and feverally taken from parts executed by the other editors. It has been before observed, that the ten last volumes were configned to two writers, who chose to take them alternately. There must be very few of our readers to whom the following life of the great Lord Chatham will not be highly acceptable.

"PITT (WILLIAM) Earl of Chatham, one of the most illustrious ftatesmen whom this country has produced, was the fon of Robert Pitt, efq. of Boconnock in Cornwall, and grandfon of Thomas Pitt, Governor of Madras, who was purchaser of the celebrated diamond, afterwards called the regent. The family was originally of Dorfet. fhire, where it had been long and refpectably eftablished. William Pitt was born Nov. 15, 1708, and educated at Eton; whence in January, 1726, he went as a gentleman-commoner to Trinity college, Oxford. It has been faid that he was not devoid of poetical talents,

* We are happy to find, that the Committee of Finance have recommended, as a measure neceffary to enable the Houfe of Commons to form a proper judgment refpecting this colony, that as foon as convenient after the next arrivals, information should be called for on a copious plan, exhibiting the ftate of the colony down to the latest period. 28 Report from the Select Committee of Finance.

of

of which a few fpecimens have been produced; but they do not amount to much, and of his Latin verfes on the death of George the First, it is natural to fufpect that the whole merit was not his own. When he quitted the univerfity, Pitt was for a time in the military line and ferved as a cornet, but his talents leading more decifively to another field of action, he quitted the life of a foldier for that of a ftatesman, and became a member of parliament for the borough of Old Sarum, in February, 1735. In this fituation his abilities were foon diftinguished, and he fpoke with great eloquence against the Spanish convention in 1738. It was on the occafion of the bill for regiftering feamen in 1740, which he oppofed as arbitrary and unjuftifable, that he made his celebrated reply to Mr. Horatio Walpole, who had attacked him on account of his youth (though then thirty-two) adding, that the difcovery of truth is little promoted by pompous diction and theatrical emotion. Mr. Pitt retorted, with great feverity, "I will not undertake to determine whether youth can juftly be imputed to any man as a reproach, but I will affirm that the wretch who, after having feen the confequences of repeated errors, continues ftill to blunder, and whofe age has only added obftinacy to ftupidity, is furely the object of either abhorrence or contempt, and deserves not that his grey head fhould fecure him from infults. Much more is he to be abhorred, who, as he has advanced in age, has receded from virtue, and becomes more wicked with lefs temptation; who prostitutes him. felf for money which he cannot enjoy; and spends the remains of his life in the ruin of his country."

"Though he held no place immediately from the crown, Mr. Pitt had for fome time enjoyed that of groom of the bed-chamber to Frederick prince of Wales, but refigned it in 1745; and continuing fteady in his oppofition to the me fures of the miniftry, experienced about the fame time that fortune, which more than once attended him, of having his public fervices repaid by private zeal. The dowager dutchess of Marlborough left him by will 10,000l. exprefsly for defending the laws of his country, and endeavouring to prevent its ruin. It was thought foon after an object of importance to obtain his cooperation with government, and in 1746 he was made joint vice-treafurer of Ireland; and, in the fame year, treasurer and pay-maftergeneral of the army, and a privy counfellor. In 1755, thinking it neceffary to make a ftrong oppofition to the continental connections then formed by the miniftry, he refigned his places, and remained for fome time out of office. But in December, 1756, he was called to a higher fituation, being appointed fecretary of ftate for the fouthern department. In this high office he was more fuccefsful in obtaining the confidence of the public than that of the king, fome of whofe withes he thought himself bound to oppofe. In confequence of this he was foon removed, with Mr. Legge, and fome others of his friends. The nation, however, was not difpofed to be deprived of the fervices of Mr. Pitt. The moft exalted idea of him had been taken up throughout the kingdom: not only of his abilities, which were evinced by his confummate cloquence, but of his exalted, judicious, and difinterested patriotifm. This general opinion of him, and in fome degree of his colleagues, was fo itrongly expreffed, not merely by perfonal honours conferred on them, but by addreffes to the throne in their favour, that

the

the king thought it prudent to restore them to their employments. On June 29, 1757, Mr. Pitt was again made fecretary of itate, Mr. Legge chancellor of the exchequer, with other arrangements according to their wishes. Mr. Pitt was now confidered as prime minifter, and to the extraordinary ability of his meafures, and the vigour of his whole administration, is attributed the great change which quickly appeared in the ftate of public affairs. It was completely fhewn how much the fpirit of one man may animate a whole nation. The activity of the minifter pervaded every department. His plans, which were ably conceived, were executed with the utmoft promptitude; and the depreffion which had arifen from torpor and ill fuccefs, was followed by exertion, triumph, and confidence. The whole fortune of the war was changed; in every quarter of the world we were triumphant ; the boldelt attempts were made by fea and land, and almost every attempt was fortunate. In America the French loft Quebec, in Africa their principal fettlements fell, in the Eaft-Indies their power was abridged, and in Europe their armies defeated; while their navy, their commerce, and their finances were little lefs than ruined. Amidst this career of fuccefs king George II. died, October 25, 1760. His prefent majefty afcended the throne at a time when the policy of the French court had juft fucceeded in obtaining the co-operation of Spain. The family compact had been fecretly concluded; and the English minifter, indubitably informed of the hoftile intentions of Spain, with his ufual vigour of mind, had determined on ftriking the firit blow, before the intended enemy fhould be fully prepared for action. He propofed in the privy council an immediate declaration of war against Spain, urging with great energy, that this was the favourable moment, perhaps never to be regained, for humbling the whole houfe of Bourbon. In this meafure he was not fupported, and the nation attributed the oppofition he encountered, to the growing influence of the earl of Bute. Mr. Pitt, of much too high a fpirit to remain as the nominal head of a cabinet, which he was no longer able to direct, refigned his places on the 5th of October, 1761; when, as fome reward for his eminent fervices, his wife was created baronefs of Chatham in her own right, and a penfion of three thousand pounds was fettled on the lives of himself, his lady, and his eldest fon.

"No fallen minifter ever carried with him more completely the confidence and regret of the nation, over whofe councils he had prefided but the king was alfo popular at this time, and the war being continued by his new minifters with vigour and fuccefs, no difcontent appeared till after the conclufion of peace. Our triumphs in the West Indies over both France and Spain, had particularly elated the fpirits of the people, and it was conceived that we ought either to dictate a peace as conquerors, or continue the war till our adverfaries fhould be more effectually humbled. With thefe ideas, when the preliminaries for peace were difcuffed in parliament, Mr. Pitt, though he had been for fome time confined by a fevere fit of the gout, went down to the houfe of commons, and spoke for nearly three hours in the debate. He gave his opinion diftinctly upon almost every article in the treaty, and upon the whole, maintained that it was inadequate to the conquefts, and juft expectations of the kingdom. Peace was however concluded