1752. Various EXPERIMENTS for that Purpofe. 23 feen, and confidering the great ufe that might be made of rockets in determining the pofition of diftant places, and in giving fignals for naval and military purpofes, he refolved to order fome rockets to be fired at an appointed time, and to defire fome of his friends to look out for them at feveral very diftant A places. The places fixed upon for this purpose, were, Godmarfham in Kent, about 50 miles diftant from London; Beacon-Hill, on Tiptery-Heath, in Effex, at about 40 miles; and Barkway, on the borders of Hertfordshire, about 38 miles from London. Mr. Robins accordingly ordered fome B rockets to be made by a person many years employed in the royal laboratory at Woolwich; to which fome gentlemen, who had been informed of Mr. Robins's intentions, added fome others of their own making. Sept. 27, 1749, at 8 in the evening, was the time appointed for the firing of them; but, thro' the negligence of the engineer, they were not let off till about half an hour after the time agreed upon. There were in all a dozen rockets fired from London Field at Hackney; and the heights were meafured by Mr. Canton, Mr. Robins being prefent, at the distance of about 1200 yards from the poft from whence the rockets were fired. The greatest part of them did not rife to above 400 yards; one to about 500, and one to 600 yards nearly. C By a letter I received the next day from the Rev. Dr. Mafon, of Trinity college, Cambridge, who had undertaken to look out for them from Barkway on the borders of Hertfordshire, I was E informed, that, having waited upon a hill near the town with fome of his friends till about half an hour past the time appointed, without perceiving any rockets, as they were returning to the town, fome of the company feeing thro' the trees what they took to be a rocket, they immediately haftened back out of the clofes into the open fields, and plainly F faw 4 rife, turn, and fpread: He judged they rofe about one degree above the horizon, and that their lights were ftrong enough to have been seen much farther. From Effex I was informed, that the perfons on Tiptery-Heath faw 8 or 9 rockets very diftinctly, at about half an G hour past 8; and likewife, greatly to the eastward of thefe, 5 or 6 more. The gentlemen from Godmarsham in Kent having waited till about half an hour past 8, without being able to difcern any rockets, they fired half a dozen; which, from the bearings of the places were most probably those seen to the eastward by the perfons upon Tiptery Heath; and if the fituations, as laid down in the common maps, are to be depended upon, at about 35 miles diftance. The engineer being of opinion, that he could make fome rockets, of the fame fize as the former, that should rife much higher, Mr. Robins ordered him to make half a dozen. Thefe laft were fired the 12th of October following, from the fame place, and in general they rofe nearly to the fame heights with the foregoing; excepting one, which was obferved to rife 690 yards. The evening proved very hazy, which rendered it impoffible for them to be seen to any confiderable dif tance. It being obferved in these trials, that the largest of the rockets, which were about 2 inches and a half in diameter, rofe the higheft, Mr. Robins intended to have made fome more experiments; in order to a farther difcovery what fize rockets would rife higheft: But his en gagements with the East-India company preventing him, Mr. Samuel Da Coftaj late of Devonshire-fquare, a gentleman of an extraordinary genius in mechanicks, and indefatigable in the application, Mr. Banks, a gentleman who had for many years practifed making rockets, and two other perfons, undertook the profecuting thefe enquiries; and having made feveral ex→ periments as well with regard to the compofition, as the length which rockets might be made to bear, in proportion to their diameters, and of different-sized rockets, from 1 inch and a half to 4 inches diameter, they intended in the winter (1750) to have made trial of fome of a yet greater diameter, had not the death of Mr. Da Cofta prevented it. I fhall therefore beg leave to give some account of the fuccefs which has hitherto attended their undertaking, fo far as they went. Amongst some rockets fired the fame year in the fpring, there were two made by Mr. Da Cofta of about 3 inches and a half diameter, which were observed to rife, the one to about 833, the other to 915 yards. At a fecond trial, made fome time after, there was one made by Mr. Da Cofta, of 4 inches diameter, which rofe to 1190 yards. The last trial was made the latter end of April, 1750, where 28 rockets were fired in all, made by different perfons, and of different fizes, from 1 and a half diameter to 4 inches; the most remarkable of each fize were as follows; one of 1 inch and a half I rofe 24 A LETTER concerning GOVERNMENT. Jan. rofe to 743 yards; one of 2 inches to As the making of large rockets is not only very expenfive, but likewife more uncertain than thofe of a leffer fize, fo from the last experiments it is evident, that rockets from 2 inches and a half to 3 inches diameter, are fufficient to anfwer all the purposes they are intended for; and I doubt not may be made to rife to an height, and to afford a light capable of being feen to confiderably greater diftances than thofe before-mentioned. B C Before I conclude this account, it may not be improper to take notice, that, tho' the heights of the rockets are fet down to a fingle yard, it is not pretended the method made ufe of (tho' fufficient for all the purposes of thefe experiments) is capable of determining the heights to fo great an exactnefs; for, as they were measured by only one obferver, it is evident, that, if any of the rockets deviated from the perpendicular, fo as either to incline towards the place of obfervation, or to decline from it, the height would be given either greater or lefs than the truth; but as the bafe upon which they were measured was 1190 yards, the greatest error that can arife E on this account will be but very inconfiderable. If we fhould fuppofe there might be an error of 30 or even 50 yards, which is very highly improbable, it must then be allowed, that feveral of these rockets rofe to 1000 yards, one to 1100, and another to 1200 yards, or double to any of thofe fired in the Green-Park. F I have been informed, that the relation of this affair has appeared fo very extraordinary to fome gentlemen converfant in fuch matters, that they have mentioned it as their opinion, that there must certainly have been fome mistake, either in placing the inftrument, taking the heights, or otherwife. In answer to which I would obferve, that, in all the ex- G periments mentioned in this paper, the beights were all taken by the fame perfon, viz. Mr. John Canton, and that the last trial was made in the prefence of feveral very worthy members of the royal fociety: That the inftrument, being firft fixed to a proper angle was not altered during the whole time of trial; and therefore, if there had been any mistake in fixing it, that mistake would have varied the height of all the rockets as much as thofe of Mr. Da Cofta's; but it was thofe of Mr. Da Cofta's only, and that at three different trials, which rofe to fuch extraordinary heights; and therefore I think we have fufficient reafon to conclude, that their measures were certainly taken very near the truth. ALETTER concerning GOVERNMENT, with fome Account of what is called the PARLIAMENT of PARIS. SIR, Eth VERY man having fomething of the fool and fomething of the knave in him, one or the other quality predominating, as conftitution, education, paffions, examples, and other accidents turn the fcale, mankind have unanimoufly agreed, that it could not be safe to truft their concerns to the management of any fingle mortal; not only becaufe it is fo difficult to find out one of abilities equal to the important trust, but that it is alfo no rarity to fee a bad heart joined to a clear head. Therefore fuch focieties as fell into the monarchical fyftem of government, thought it abfolutely neceffary to place counsellors about the king's perfon, fome in the capacity of private advisers, to be confulted in thofe affairs which require fecrecy, and others to act as the publick, grand council of the nation, or representatives of the whole community; the latter being originally accounted the fupreme council, the other accountable to it for its conduct, and both bound by laws founded in reafon and equity, from which no legislators have authority to deviate. In those countries, where the authority and prerogatives originally delegated to kings have degenerated into defpotism, we fee the monarch is ftill obliged to keep up fomething like a fhadow of the grand national council, in compliance with the common fenfe of mankind, who would not fo tamely bear the heavy burdens laid on them, if impofed only by the will of the fovereign, or the direction of a cabinet council. Of this we have an inftance in the French government, (to mention no other) where the will of the monarch is the law, because he has always 40 or 50 legions at command, ready to cram it down the peoples throats: And yet that arbitrary 1752. Of the PARLIAMENT of PARIS. bitrary prince, tho' furrounded with fo B Hence it comes to pafs, that fince the finishing blow was given to the liberties of Frenchmen, in laying afide the ancient parliaments, or ftates general of the kingdom, the prince has been obliged to have recourfe to an affembly of lawyers, dignified with the name of parliament, to give a fanction to his edicts; C it being fo natural for mankind to think there must be more fafety in a multitude of counsellors than in a few. Of this fort of modern French parliaments there are 12 in the kingdom; but that at Paris, being nearest to the court, has a kind of pre-eminence, and to it the king always fends bis edicts, in order to their being registered; which when done, they acquire the force of law, but not elfe in the judgment of the people, tho' the standing army forces both parliament and people to obey. This parliament, feeing the nation wants a better, takes greater liberties, and affures more extenfive privileges, than the court thinks confiftent with its E original inftitution. The people having no reprefentatives, the parliament is willing to fupply the want of them as well as it can: The members of this body rightly conceive, that if an ordinance or edict of the prince is brought to them to be registered, it does at least tacitly imply a faculty of examining whether fuch edict be for or against the publick good; and if fo, they must confequently have a power of approving or rejecting; otherwife, they are convened to regifter an edit only for form fake, to impofe upon the people, who depend on their judgment in thefe cafes, and think all is well when king and parliament do not differ. When they diflike any arret of council or edict, they make remonstrances to the king about it, point out the errors of it, fhew the ill confequences it January, 1752. F G 25 may be productive of, and pray his majesty to revoke or amend his ordinance: In which remonftrances it is farther obfervable, that they never glance at any evil counsellors; because, where the monarch engroffes all power to himself, it must be taken for granted he is capable of doing wrong, unless they would fuppofe him to be infallible, which would be as great an abfurdity in politicks as an human unerring authority in religion. Thus much I prefume may be acceptable to fome of your readers, on occafion of the late difference between the French king and his parliament *. That Britons may ever be tenacious of the bleffings they enjoy, never exchange the fubftance for the fhadow, nor fee laws enforced by pike and gun, is the hearty with of Your humble servant, A new PIECE having lately appeared, under the Title of, The Adventures of a VALET, written by himself, we fball give our Readers the following Account of it. HIS BOOK I. The Valet begins with telling us, of which he had any remembrance, was, that the earliest incident of his life, his having been severely whipped for entertaining himself with giving the fame difcipline to his top in York minster, in the time of divine service. For nine years after this, he was under the care of a clergyman near that city; after which he was removed to London, where he was lodged with an old gentlewoman, who could not help giving fome hints, that he had a father who could provide for him, and a mother who had reason to be ashamed of him; and when between 15 and 16, he found himself placed in the custom-house, the profits of which place were only to ferve him for pocket money, being boarded and lodged in a little family near, without knowing who paid for it, and cloaths furnished him by a taylor, whofe very name he was not acquainted with; and at the fame time he had information, that the poft he then had, was only a necessary step. to a much more confiderable employment. While in this poft, he often went with his companions to the playhouse, of which he grew fo fond, that he at laft became ambitious of being himself a player, and particularly of acting the part of king Richard, which he was inD vited *See Lond, Mag. for Dec, laft, p. 575. 26 The ADVENTURES of a VALET. vited to do by one of the actors, who got that play for his benefit.. In this he fucceeded fo well, that he was invited to fup that night with the manager, who inticed him, before they parted, to enter into an article, by which he bound himfelf to him as an actor for fix years, and the manager bound himself to pay him A 5ool. a year. Next morning he received an anonymous letter, telling him, that by acting on a publick stage he had difobliged the perfon on whom he depended; and that if he ever did the like again, he would be given up for ever by one who had both ability and inclination to make his fortune. On this he waited on Mr. Fleetwood, and begged to be let off his engagement; but was perfuaded by him, that it was only a plot of the master of the other houfe; fo he refolved to abide by his agreement, and all the enfuing fummer prepared for appearing upon the ftage the next winter. B As it was in the mean time given out C that he would act no more, his poft of 8ol. a year in the Custom-house was changed to one of 200l. and by his taylor he received another anonymous letter, in the fame hand with the former, telling him, that if he would dance with a certain lady named in it, at one of the halls in the city, on the Thursday following, it might commence an acquain-D tance, that he should have great reason to be pleased with; but the taylor abfolutely refufed to let him know from whom the letter came, adding however, that he would fome time or other know it to his great fatisfaction. He accordingly danced with the lady, with whom he became heartily in love, and who received favourably both his vifits and a declaration of his intentions; fo that matters were drawing to a period that would have made him happy for ever, when it appeared in the play-bills, that the part of Hamlet was to be performed by the gentleman who had acted king Richard the feafon before with fo much applaufe. F Upon this he received a third anony. mous letter, in the fame hand, threatning him with utter ruin, if he appeared again upon the ftage; and tho' the meffenger told him he had received it from an unknown gentleman in the street, he refolved to write an answer, which he did as to a father, telling him of the rafh engage-G ment he had entered into, and begging his excufe; but he never received any reply. Being obliged, notwithstanding his utmoft folicitations, to perform his engagement to the playhouse, he was Jan. difmiffed from the Cuftom-house, as alfo from his lodgings, where he had hitherto lived at free coft, and the lady, his mif trefs, having changed her lodgings, he never could fee her more. And to add to all these misfortunes, he never fucceeded in any other part at the playhouse, nor could ever get one fhilling of his falary from Mr. Fleetwood; fo that being forced to run confiderably in debt, he was at last arrested, carried to a spunging-house, and after being there fome days, was put into a coach and carried to the proper prifon; but at the very gate was met by a ftranger, who got into the coach and prevailed with the bailiff to carry him back to the fpunging-houfe, where this ftrange gentleman paid all his debts, cofts, and charges, fet him at liberty, and prefented him with rool. In a few days after, he was arrested again by the fame bailiff, and carried to his former habitation, for 861. for neceffaries pretended to have been farnifhed upon his credit to one of the under-actreffes who had lived with him; whereupon he received that afternoon a letter in the fame hand with the former, upbraiding him with this fecond arrest, and warning him not to ruft to any farther fervices from the fame quarter; on whith the bailiff came to a compofition with him, and gave him his liberty at the price of every farthing he was worth in the world. Thus he had his liberty, but had not a fhilling left to purchafe a dinner; fo he went to dine where fuch gentlemen usually do, in the park, and there foll accidentally into converfation with the beautiful lady Revell, who obferving him to be melancholy, invited him to dine with her at half an hour after four, and then to tell her the occafion of it. BOOK II. After dinner he related to lady Revell the whole ftory of his misfortunes, and the, after fome compliments upon his person and behaviour, unfolded to him an affair fhe wanted to employ him in, which was this: She was deeply in love, and had an intrigue with colonel Secure, notwithstanding the colonel's being married to a lady of a great fortune and tolerably handsome, but the lady by her marriage articles had taken care to keep the management of her fortune in her own hands: Now, fays lady Revell, if we could get the management of the wife's fortune put into the husband's hands, as it ought to be, it would, if joined to mine, reduce extravagance itself into the bounds of œconomy; and the way to do this, is to get her proved guilty of adultery, 1752. The ADVENTURES of a VALET. adultery, by which you know she would This propofal fhocked him, which the the interval he resolved to undertake the affair, but that, if he fucceeded, he would never betray the lady; and upon his agreeing to undertake it, a large ready furnished house, a fine equipage, half a dozen fervants, &c. were provided for him, by means of which he fet up for a rich young gentleman, gave routs and affemblies, and was made acquainted with Mrs. Secure, with whom he at laft fucceeded, but always denied it to lady Revell; and as they were on this, account often in private together, he had one day all the fuccefs he could defire with her too. 27 Reveil, inviting him to come immediately to her, when, inftead of the storm he expected, the lady received him with a fmile, excufed his deceiving her, and propofed his continuing his intrigue with Mrs. Secure, in order that the hufband might difcover it under proper circumftances, which he had not yet done. For this piece of fervice the repeated her promife of a reward, with fome very fevere threatnings in cafe of refufal, notwithstanding which he gave her a flat denial; whereupon he was arrested at her fuit for 20ool. and having again refufed to comply, upon a vifit from her, whilft he was in the fpunging-house, the officer had orders to carry him to the proper prifon; but as he then had a little money, he got himself removed to the Fleet and lodged in the rules, where he withstood many new offers for his conditional releafment. BOOK III. . Here he continued till he had spent all his money, and pawned all his cloaths, except thofe on his back, and had not wherewithal to buy a dinner, in a place where there was nothing to be got upon credit; but when he thought himself in the utmost danger of ftarving, a fcheming bookfeller, likewife a prifoner in the rules, applied to him to become the author of a new work which he had planned, in which he readily, engaged, and by this he fupported himself for fome months; but the work not meeting with fuccefs, it was dropt, and he again left deftitute, which put him upon projecting to write his whole ftory with lady Revell, by way of a novel, for which the bookfellers agreed to pay him 30 guineas, when finished. Upon this he fat down tơi write, but while he was about it, a thought came into his head, by which he fancied he might obtain his liberty. In pursuance of this ha fent his friend the bookfeller with a copy of the title-page to lady Revell, and to inform her, that he was the perfort who had the care of printing it. The lady stormFed, declared it was all an infamous forgery, and threatned ruim to all concerned in it, which fo terrified all the booksellers that they declared off the bargain. He now thought that by this scheme, instead of getting his liberty, he had entirely undone himself, and must farve without refource. But whilst he was in this gloomy mood, a gentleman came to him from the lady, discharged him from prifons and gave him rool. upon his giving a promise in writing never to publish any fuch book under the penalty of 2000l. After being difcharged he again comD 21 menced However, he continued his intrigue with Mrs. Secure, and to carry it on with the more fecrecy, he took a lodg ing in a different part of the town, where they met together as a couple newly married without the confent of their friends; but unluckily, as Mrs. Secure was one day stepping out of her chair to meet him there, Mrs. Fringe passed by, who was one of those useful women, that under pretence of felling Dresden work and artificial flowers at ladies houses, manage their intrigues for them; and as the knew both Mrs. Secure and lady Revell, as well as colonel Secure, after having learnt as much as the could in the neighbourhood, who the gentle. folks were that lodged or met at that house, she went and told both the colonel and lady Revell what he had seen and heard, for which the received from each a very handfome reward; the natural consequence of which was, that the two lovers were foon after surprised in their apartment there by the colonel, and a duel at pistols enfued, in which the colonel was dangerously wounded, and the other made G his escape, The colonel's wound did not however prove mortal, and upon his recovery aur adventurer again appeared, foon after which he had a letter from: lady |