ing of the lower boxes, until its suffocated victims in the front were wrapt in its devouring flame, or pressed to death under the smoking ruins of the building."

The imagination may better paint, than the pen of the writer describe, the unutterable anguish of the gay and thoughtless assembly. In one moment, hilarity and joy were exchanged for the most agonizing sorrow and distress and a multitude of precious and immortal souls, at a time they little expected, was plunged into the world of spirits. Shrieks, groans, agony, and death, in its most terrifick form, closed the tragick scene!

Many narratives were given to the author of this work, by respectable citizens of Richmond, from which it seems that lieutenant Gibbons and others had, from dreams or otherwise, a presentiment of the awful occurrence, which hurried so many poor creatures into eternity and filled their sur viving friends with inexpressible sorrow. Some of these seemingly supernatural premonitions are noticed in a late publication by the rev. doç. Muir of Alexandria, to which the author begs leave to refer his readers. A full representation of all these would occupy many pages of this Collection.

The following is a list of the unhappy victims to this dread calamity, taken from the gazettes published at the time and corrected, by the author of this work, in May, 1814, from verbal information received of sundry people at Richmond.

From Jefferson ward, his excellency. George W. Smith, governour of Virginia, miss Sophia Trouin, miss Cecilia Trouin, sisters, Joseph Jacobs and his daughter, miss Elizabeth Jacobs, Cyprian Marks, mrs. Marks, the wife of Mordecai Marks, miss Charlotte Raphael, daughter of Solomon Raphael, miss Adeline Bausman, miss Ann Craig,mr. Nuttal, a carpenter, Pleasant, a mulatto woman, and Nancy Patterson, a woman of colour.

From Madison ward, Abraham B. Venable, esq. president of the Virginia Bank, William Southgate, son of Wright Southgate, Benjamin Botts, esq. an eminent attorney and his wife, miss Arianna Hunter, miss Mary Whitlock, miss Juliana Harvie, mrs. Sarah Heron, mrs. Girardin and her child, mrs. Robert Greenhow, mrs. Moss, child of Baruch Judah, mrs Lesslie, Edward Wanton, a youth, George Dixon a youth, William Brown, mrs. Elizabeth Pattison, John Welch, a stranger lately from England, nephew of sir A. Pigott, miss Margaret Copland, miss Margaret Anderson, miss Sarah Gatewood, miss Mary Clay, whose father was then a member of congress, miss Lucy Gawthmey, miss Louisa Mayo, an orphan, mrs. Gerard, mrs. Eleanor Gibson, miss Ann Green, Mary Davis, Thomas Frazier, a youth, Jane Wade, a young woman, mrs. William Cook and her daughter, miss Elizabeth Stevenson, mrs. Convert and her child, Martha Griffin, Fanny Goff, a woman of colour, Betsey Johnson, a free woman of colour, and Philadelphia, a man of colour.

From Monroe Ward, mrs. Taylor Braxton, mrs. Elizabeth Page, mrs. Jerrod, James Waldon, miss Elliot of New Kent, mrs. Joseph Gallego, miss Sarah Conyers, James Gibbon, esq. lieutenant in the navy of the United States, mrs. Thomas Wilson, miss Maria Nelson, miss Mary Page, mrs. Laforest, and mr. Almerine Marshall of Wythe county.

To the foregoing these are also to be added, miss Elvira Coutts, mrs. Pickit, miss Littlepage, Jean Baptiste Rozier, Thomas Lecroix, and Robert Ferrill, a mulatto boy.

Many, who escaped with their lives, were much scorched in the flames, some were killed and others were greatly injured by throwing themselves from the windows, or by being trampled under foot in the attempt to escape with the crowd. Mrs. John Bosher and Ed. James Harvie, esq. expired, soon after the dreadful catastrophe. Some are cripples, a considerable number has dropped into the grave, and others are still languishing [1814] under the weight of decease, in consequence of injury sustained at the time of the melancholy conflagration.

That Being, who educes good from evil, has, by this awful frown upon the unhallowed exercises of the theatre, taught a lesson, which, it is to be hoped, will never be forgotten. It has already been improved, with the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit, to the awakening, conviction, and conversion of some, who were previously in the broad road to eternal ruin. A presbyterian church has since been established in Richmond, under the

faithful pastoral care of the rev. John H. Rice, whose labours have been attended with a special blessing.

The members of the protestant episcopal society have erected a church, on the spot where the theatre stood, which was first opened with a sermon by the rev. W. H. Wilmer, 4 May, 1814. It is an elegant edifice of an octagon form, the master builder of which was Isaac Sturtevant of Boston in Massachusetts. The steeple, on the north easterly side, when finished, will be 130 feet high. On the south westerly side of the church, and adjoining it, is to be raised the monument, the foundation of which, already laid, is 36 feet square, within the walls of which will be engraved the inscription at the head of this article.

A handsome perspective view of the Monumental Church, drawn by William Strickland, F. S. A. designed and erected by Robert Mills, F. S. A. P. A. aquatinted by William Kneass, and dedicated to the citizens of Virginia, has recently been published.

RICHMOND, VIRG.

853. The general assembly of the commonwealth of Virginia have caused this statue to be erected as a monument of affection and gratitude to GEORGE WASHINGTON, who, uniting to the endoments of the hero the virtues of the patriot, and exerting

both in establishing the liberties of his country, has rendered his name dear to his fellow citizens, and given the world an immortal example of true glory. Done in the year of Christ, 1788, and in the year of the commonwealth the 12. Fait par Houdon, citoyen Francois, 1788.

Note. This inscription, attributed to the pen of his excellency, James Madison, president of the United States, was copied from the pedestal, in the capitol at Richmond, on which stands a full length statue, exquisitely wrought, of the illustrious Washington. In the same apartment is an elegant busto of marquis De La Fayette, said to be a striking likeness of that heroick commander, whose name will ever be dear to the country, where the vigour of his life was spent in the cause of American liberty and independence.

RICHMOND, VIRG,

854. Here lies the body of colonel ROBERT GAMBLE; born on the 3 day of September, 1754, in the county of Augusta and state of Virginia; died, on the 12 day of April, 1810, in the city of Richmond, the place of his residence since 1790. "After having done his duty faithfully as an officer PEN. I-VOL V. B