Views of various Public Edifices at Dublin illuftrated. and ftrong lands. In the former inftance, the farmer is obliged to be more urgent in his tillage. This will, I hope, be fufficient to juftify the line of Gray's which has given rife to the enquiry, as well as to anfwer a note of the late ingenious editor of Milton's Juvenile Poems, who thinks his author has not confined himfelf to English ground in his defcription of the evening in Comus, where he introduces the "labouring ox" in his return from the furrow. Mistakes of this fort, I believe, are frequently imputed to authors by those whofe obfervation is limited to a certain fpot. GEORGICUS. MR. URBAN, IN April 21. N p. 5 of your laft volume a reference might have been made, in the notes, to an admirable letter to Mr. Beach in P. 443, 4, of that for 1779. P. 106. As to Mr. Knox's character of Dr. Jortin's fermons, it occurs in your vol. for 1777, p. 594. See also that for 1778, p. 60, 61. P. 238, col. 1, lines 33, 4, 5, and lines 39, 40, have reference to the fame individual, and will correct each other. Yours, &c. Mr. URBAN, SCRUTATOR. May 10. ALLOW me to trefpafs upon you with this reprefentation (plate II. fig. 7.) of the unfinished front of St. Anne's church, Dublin; a strong reAlection upon that opulent parish, which for about 50 years hath fuffered fo much of the building to remain in its prefent paltry ftate, while almoft 50 new buildings (and fome of them churches) have been erected in Dublin during one half of that period; and in which state this church is likely to continue for 50 years to come. The infide of the church is, however, very decent, if not rather elegant; but the outfide is fuch as now reprefented unto you. Yours, &c. TRISTRAM GRUNDY. Mr. URBAN, THE 397 May 14 HE inclofed drawing (plate 11. fig. 8.) reprefents the front of the Meath Infirmary, on the Combe, Dublin, for the relief of the fick in that populous and diftreffed part of the city. Although the front here reprefented is but fmall, the building is capable of containing near 100 patients. This charity is fupported by private donation, and the tax impofed in Ireland for the maintenance of infirmaries in the several counties of that kingdom, this being the parliamentary infirmary for that county; in whofe circuit it really ftands, although joined to the city by continued ftreets, and an uninterrupted range of building. The act of parliament impofing thefe taxes, allows certain annual falaries for the physician and chirurgeon of each infirmary: and let it be remembered, to the honour of every fuch medical attendant upon this, that their feveral annual allowances [1001. yearly] have always been, and now are, given up to the ufe of the charity; an act of difintereftedness which I with extenfively to cominunicate by means of your most eftimable compilation. Yours, &c. A. T. M. Mr. URBAN, May 20. THIS inclofed fketch (plate II. fig. 9) reprefents the front of the church of St. Nicholas within, Dublin, being fo called as within that city, and in contradiction to that of St. Nicholas without, which ftands beyond the cir cuit of the city walls. This building is not remarkable for any thing but for being the most antient parochial church now ftanding in Dublin; it having been built foon after the Reftoration, whereas all the other parish-churches of that city are of more modern erection. To preferve the reprefentation of it when the building may probably be deftroyed, I request a prefervation of it in your valuable Mifcellany. D. Dowsɛ. SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT, SESS. 11. Debates in the prefent Seffion of Parliament, on Mr. Baftard's Motion for a Copy of the Report of 1784 on Fortifications, continued from p. 320. Wednesday, February 22. whatever channel information was communicated, it ought to be received if it tended to elucidate the fubject. He had a very high opinion of the Rt. Hon, Gentleman at the head of affairs; but he MR. Martin obferved, that on fuch could not, he faid, approve of a measure an important occafion, through which went in fact to establish a standing GENT. MAG. May, 1786. army 398 Summary of Proceedings in the prefent Seffion of Parliament. army in this kingdom, Mr. Pitt affured the laft fpeaker, that, by the fyftem now to be established, a much less ftanding force would be neceffary than had been maintained at any former period. On the queflion being put, the motion was rejected without a divifion. Capt. Macbride, as he had diffented from the majority of the board of general officers, thought he should be juflified in giving his reafons, why be, with other naval officers, had entirely difagreed as to the neceffity of fortifying WhitfanBay and other places in its vicinity. Its bad anchorage, its numerous fand banks, and its expofed fituation, caufed it to be avoided by our own veffels; and it could never be an object of choice with an enemy. He therefore moved, that there fhould be laid before the Houfe a copy of the opinions of the naval officers diftinctively, on the fubject of the reports of Lieut. Hawkins. Mr. Pitt objected. Thofe papers, he faid, contained not only an account of the foundings of Whitfan- Bay; but of every other, from Ram Head to Loo, and from the opening of every one refpectively, into their deepest inlets. He was confident, therefore, that the Hon. Gent. whofe prudence had repeatedly been manifefted in the caufe of his county, would forbear to prefs a motion, the confequences of which might, in cafe of a war, prove of material advantage to the enemy. Capt. M'Bride faid, he meant no more by his motion than to undeceive the Houfe, which had been led to believe that the board had been unanimous on the point in question, whereas every naval officer had been directly against it. They had all agreed, that as a landing in Whitfan-Bay was impracticable, the abfurdity of any erections there was felf. evident. As much of the Report as would demonftrate the concurrence of the naval officers on that fubject, was all his motion went to; but, if that could not be obtained without difcoveries of a dangerous tendency, he would content himfelf with barely giving the informa. tion in his place. Mr. Pitt did not fee the neceffity even of fuch information; and thought it would be of equal hazard with that of the motion itself, if difclofed without a ftrong degree of referve in particular from the Houfe any information that tended to throw light, efpecially on a point on which the opinions of the naval officers were in the teeth, as had been afferted, of the land-officers. A tedious and defultory converfation then took place, and the conclufion of the business was deferred till next day. Thursday, February 23. The order of the day being read, the Houfe went into a committee on the fhop-tax, Mr. Angelo Taylor in the chair; when Ir. Mingay appeared as counfel for the fhop-keepers, who, in a molt animated fpeech of fome length, recapitulated all that had been faid on the fubject, enforcing the former arguments with a zeal that did him honour. He then called Mr. Stock of Ludgatehill, who, in the courfe of two hours examination, gave the ftrongest proofs that the fhop-tax was a perfonal tax, and could not, in the nature of trade, be le vied on the cuftomer. He stated, that there were upwards of 6000 retail shop. keepers in the city of London; that he had on this occafion confulted more than 2000 of them, all of whom were decidedly of the fame opinion; and that, were it practicable, the fum to be advanced would fo far exceed.the fum proposed to be raised, as to appear enormous. He next stated, that the taxes already impofed on the inhabitants of the metropolis were, out of all proportion, greater than in any other part of the kingdom (fee vol. LV. p. 1004). Being asked, if a house-tax would not be more equi table? his reply was, he thought it would. Being asked, if he did not know that the city of London had declared against a house-tax? he hesitated; and Mr. Ald. Townbend objected to that queftion; but Mr. Ald. Newnham infifted on its being put, in order to take off any impreffion which his laft reply might have left on the Committee, as if his conftituents would barter the shop tax for a houle-tax. Mr. Ald. Sawbridge fpoke forcibly against the tax, and reprobated the idea of any compromife concerning it. He was followed by Sir Watkin Lewes, who enumerated the oppreffive taxes under which his conftituents were finking; and infifted that his conflituents were lo far from approving of a farther housetax, that they found the prefent an oppreffion. Several Summary of Proceedings in the prefent Seffion of Parliament. 399 Several other members fpoke to the fame purpose; and Mr. Ald. Townshend withdrew his oppofition. The witnefs was then called in, and gave his anfwer, that the city, in its corporate capacity, he believed, were averse to a houfe-tax. Other witneffes were examined, and the farther confideration of the business was poftponed. But fo much has already been faid in parliament, and out of it, on this fubject, that to refume it, except to mention the alteration that was made in the act, would be trefpalling on the time and patience of our readers. Friday, February 24. Major Scott begged leave to acquaint the Houfe, that by enquiring at the IndiaHoufe into the fate of the papers ordered to be laid before the Houfe, he had learnt that they were in general in great forwardness; but that it was the fentiment of thofe who were concerned, that none fhould be produced till the whole were compleated. This fentiment he thought highly injurious to the cause of Mr. Haftings, as attempts were daily making to circulate impreffions equally inconfiftent with juftice, and infulting to the high character againf whom they were directed. In proof of this affertion, the Major read a paragraph from a morning paper, which went fo far as to charge Mr. Haftings with having put to the torture feveral British fubjects, and others under the protection of the British government. He therefore moved, that the papers now in readiness fhould be laid before the Houfe, and that those which remained thould be forwarded with all poffible dispatch. The Speaker obferved, that, as the papers were moved for feparately, they fhould, in the fame order, be forwarded fucceffively; and that being made known at the India-Houfe, any additional order would be unneceffary. On which Major Scott withdrew his motion. Mr. Burke expreffed an equal impatience to have the caufe terminated. No debate this day of confequence. Mr. Rolle moved, that the order for the going into a committee on the Militia-bill, which flood for Wednesday fen'night, be deferred till Monday the 3d of April, that the fentiments of the country gentlemen might be more fully known. Mr. Pitt did not think any delay of the third reading neceffary. All parties were agreed that this conftitutional defence fhould be fupported; the only dif ference was as to the mode. The quef tion to be confidered was fimply this, whether the utility of calling out the militia annually would be fuch as to outweigh the confideration of the additional expences, or whether the calling them out at lefs frequent periods might not answer the end as well. On the question being put, the motion was rejected. Monday, February 27. Mr. Pitt rofe, and entered fully into the confideration of the fyftem of fortifi. cation, which had on a former day (fee p. 231) engroffed the attention of the Houfe. What he had now to propofe was, to bring to iffue a queftion which had long been partially inveftigated, but, in his opinion, never rightly understood. With a view, therefore, to fimplify the fubject, to clear it from the mifreprefentations of fome, to remove the prejudices of others, and to fubmit it to the candid determination of the Houfe, he would move two refolutions as a bafis on which to ground the leading principles of the debate. "Refolved firft, That it appears to this Houfe, that the plan of fortifying the dock-yards of Portsmouth and Plymouth, fo as they may be defended with the leaft number of men, is effential for enabling our fleets to protect our commerce, aad to act more effectually againft our enemies." If that was agreed to, it was his intention to follow it with another motion: "That provifion fhould be made from time to time for carrying that fyftem into execution." In fupport of the first refolution, he appealed to the report of the board of land and fea officers, appointed by his Majefty to inveft gate the facts (vol. LV. p. 557.) He maintained the propriety and liberality of their inftructions; the refpectability and independence of the cha racters of the officers who compofed it ; and the rectitude of their determination, which, he faid, no human wifdom could have exceeded. It would, therefore, reft with every man who was to give his gote that night, whether he wouli truft the fafety of his country to contingendies, rather than adopt a plan of fecurity, fanctioned by the ableft and most refpectable body of military and naval officers that any nation could produce. With refpect to the general fyftem, which |