aboard the enemy's fhip Convention, to dine with Captain Briffot, who was my particular friend, and the fhip's company gave out that I wanted to defert, and fo had me difmiffed. 2. What did you plead in your defence?-A. I told them my friend Captain Briffot was not only the ableft feaman, but the moft virtuous man in the world, and that, if I had been able to borrow a few of his regulations, and his book of fignals, it would have been of the greatest advantage to our fervice; but they found out that he had one bad habit, which they happened to difcover, of which, however, he was cured. 2. What was that?-A. Beheading his fuperior officers. 2. How was he cured?-A. By being beheaded himfelf. 2. Have you never tried to get employment again? -A. I wanted to be employed in my old fhip Patrician, by getting the birth of a man whom I laid hold of as he was going up the fhip's fide; but he being stronger, pushed me overboard: and I lately endeavoured to be appointed hangman to the London, but the crew hiffed and huftled me out at the quarter gallery. In fhort, my defire for employment is fo ftrong, that if your honours would recommend me, I would accept of the loweft ftation, even that of powder-monkey to a firefhip, for which I think myfelf particularly qualified. The petulant manner of this witnefs feemed to make his evidence have little weight with the Court. The prisoner having examined feveral men from the St. Stephen's, as to his general character, and an old woman, Nancy M-y-d, who faid the always confidered him as a man at bottom, finished his defence, and was removed. In a fhort time, he was brought again to the bar, and the Prefident addreffed him thus: Prefident." The Court having confidered the evidence with the utmost impartiality, unanimously find you guilty of all the charges, and hereby adjudge you dif qualified to ferve his Majefty in any capacity whatfo ever." The prifoner cried much on receiving fentence; but we are forry to add, that immediately on being difmiffed from the bar, he joined fome of his old affociates, and foon grew as clamorous as before against his officers, and as defirous to embarrass and difturb them in the exercife of their duty. The Court rofe, having agreed to try the mutineers of the St. Stephen's next day. Francis B-f-d is a tall good-looking man, and would have much the appearance of a gentleman, if he did not wear his hair cropt, and without powder. POLITICAL DICTIONARY. KING and Confiitution. The prefent heaven-born Adminiftration, their friends and families. Difaffection to the King.-Whatever points out the grievances of the People, and endeavours to remove a weak or wicked Minifter. A Sower of Sedition.-A man who digs potatoes*. The Licentioufnefs of the Prefs.-Its truth. Prudence and Economy.-An increase of taxes, to lavish the treasure upon favourites. Subverfion of the Conftitution.-Petitions for Reform. Laws agreeable to the Conftitution.Acts to deprive us of the gift of fpeech. The Senfe of the Kingdom.-The voice of the Mi nifter. Religion. A bloody war, carried on in contempt of the fpirit of Christianity. *In an Irish proclamation, it was ftated, that the populace of certain parts of the country had been guilty of fedition, by digging potatoes, &c. They had affembled in great numbers to dig the potatoes of perfons confined on fufpicion of treafon. Rewards Rewards of Merit.-Places and penfions to apoftate Whigs. Regard for the Dignity of the Crown.-Support of Mr. Pitt. 1 An Enemy to his Country.-A perfon folicitous to fave it from deftruction. Humanity.-A manufacture of widows and orphans, inftituted Jan. 1793, and fill flourishing. National Debt. Indemnity for the paft and fecurity for the future. A true Englishman.-A man without eyes and ears. Negotiation for Peace.-A method of raifing a loan. Regard for the Poor.-Clothing our foldiers in flanHigh Confideration. Kifs my nel. An able Negotiator.-One who does nothing, and who has nothing to do. Full Power. That of difpatching couriers t. Abujes.-The most valuable part of a conflitution, and which every good fubject is bound to defend by his life. Parliamentary Reform. In Scotland, a fhort paffage to Botany Bay. Flourishing State.-A ftate of unparalleled degradation and difgrace. Inexhaustible Refources.-Raifing money at 12 per cent. A Friend to the French.-A perfon who wifhed to make peace with advantage and honour. Spirit of the Laws.-Any conftruction that a lawyer may give them. Starvation.-A curious experiment, which, after be ing tried in America and France, has fucceeded tolerably well at home. *The bitter and infulting notes that paffed between Charles de Lacroix and Lord Malmbury, always ended with " High Confidèration.” In allufion to Lord Malmbury fending couriers to his court, before he answered any propofition of the French negotiators. Barracks. Barracks. Symptoms of loyalty. Social Order.-Abfolute monarchy, and a military government. Corruption.-Reasoning. Convincing Arguments.-Any fum from 500l. to 5000l. a year. ORGIES OF BACCHUS. PART I. I SIR, LEARN from your paper, that an expreffion in Mr. Frend's pamphlet, "The orgies of Bacchus," has been much bandied about. As I apprehend that many of your readers may be in as great doubt as I was, concerning thefe fame orgies of Bacchus, I hope the following brief sketch will not difpleafe them. In drawing up this account, I have had recourfe to my two excellent friends, the Rev. Thomas Kipling, wouldbe Profeffor of Divinity to his Majefty, and Thomas Taylor, felf-created Polytheift of Great Britain. Thefe two amazing men, quos longe fequor et veftigia femper adoro, have kindly condefcended to chalk out the plan of the following differtation, and to furnifh me with feveral valuable hints for its conduct. Let me here indulge myself in giving a fhort character of these two worthies. The one, by the mere force of genius, without the flightest tincture of learning, has founded all the depths and foals of Chriftian theology; the other, without flaying to learn even the inflexions of Greek words, has plunged to the very bottom of Pagan philofophy, taught by the heavenly mufe to venture down the dark defcent, and up to reafcend, though hard and rare. But to bufinefs. There are fome rumours, indeed, of Bacchus being an Egyptian, but I fhall lay no ftrefs upon them. What gave rife to these rumours, is probably the fact which Apollodorus relates, that he fojourned fome time in Egypt. The common opinion is, that he was the fon of Jupiter, king of gods and men, by Semele, a mortal female of Thebes. This fyftem, while it was defended by his difciples and followers, was denied or ridiculed by the profane. In this latter number were fome of his own family, who afferted, that Bacchus was no more a child of Jupiter than themfelves; but that "Semele (a), having been too well acquainted with fome mortal man, dignified her difgrace by calling Jupiter the father of the child." Of this injury Bacchus complains in very pathetic terms, and threatens to make them fmart for their incredulity. "For (b) which reafon," fays he, "I have put on a mortal appearance, and have changed my form into the nature of a man," or, as he expreffes it elsewhere," I have changed myself to an human form from a god.' Among the obftinate unbelievers were Alcithoë and her fifters, who denied that Bacchus was the fon of Jupiter, and had the impudence to work, after the prieft had given orders for a general holyday (c). Ovid is rather too luxuriant in his defcription for an hiftorian; fo he tells us, in his allegorical ftyle, that these unfortunate fifters were changed into bats; other authors fay, into owls and bats (fee Antonius Liberalis, in his tenth ftory); but take either account, the meaning is equally clear. These poor girls, for daring to fpeak their minds, were fo perfecuted by the drunken inob, who called themfelves Bacchanalians, that they (α) Διόνυσον οὐκ ἔφασκον ἐκφῦναι Διός. Σεμέλην δὲ συμφευθεῖσαν ἐκ θνηθου τινος, Μορφήν τ ἐμὴν μελέβαλον εἰς ἀνδρός φύσινα Eurip. Bacch. 26. Bacch. 53. racch.4. (c) At non Alence M nycïas orgia cenfet Accipienda Dei, fed adhuc temeraria Bacchum Progeniem negat effe Jovis feftum celebrare facerdos Jufferat Ovid. Metamorph. IV, init. were |