SUMMER WIT.

[From the Morning Chronicle.]

MR. EDITOR,

THE time is now come when the vacancies in the

papers, occafioned by the retirement of Parliamentary debates, are generally filled up by fuch effufions of wit as can be gleaned from the inexhaustible pages of Joe Miller and Ben Jonfon. To all this not reader of a paper can reasonably object; but as I have already obferved (although not in The Morning Chronicle) the fame miftakes committed in the transfer of jokes that have been ufual for many fummers, I hope you will permit me to fay a word or two on the fubject. It was the opinion of Sam. Foote, that few men can carry a bon mot fteadily, and it is very true: but it is not lefs true, that, in our time, few men come honeftly by a bon mot. I know no fpecies of property lefs protected by the laws, or which lies more open, not only to great depredations, but even to petty thefts unworthy of the profeffion of wit.

Having been much employed in examining the deeds belonging to this fpecies of property, I can fpeak from experience, that the conveyancers of jokes may be ranked not only among the most egregious blunderers, but among the greatest rogues in the kingdom. So little regard have they fhown to original right and hereditary defcent, that, owing to their many errors, wilful or witlefs, one half of the best bon mots in this country are now in ruins, or poffeffed by a clafs of people who never could produce a title to a repartee in their lives. I could mention fome admirable things of this kind which were originally the property of Philip Earl of Chesterfield. After his death they were let upon leafe to Sam. Foote, and as he died without a will they came to George Selwyn, and, by a ftrange tranfition, were at laft claimed by Charles Bannifter, deceased; fince which I prefume they lapfed to the Crown; for fome of His Majefty's late Ministers ven

tured

tured to bring them forwards, but fo altered, fo pieced, patched, and botched, that those who remembered them of old could not now recognize a fingle trait of the original fpirit.

I would, therefore, advise those journalists who may employ themselves in repairing old bon mots, and letting them out to their friends for the fummer, that, as I am in poffeffion of the history and antiquities of fome of the heft things of the kind, I fhall most carefully watch their proceedings, and bring writs of ejectment whereever any flaw can be difcovered in the conveyance. I am not to be taken in by the common difguifes employed on fuch occafions. It is not a new front or a pair of additional wings that fhall deceive me.--And [ thall be particularly watchful of thofe depredations committed on the coats of Kent and Suffex. The jokes of Brighton and Margate are, indeed, in general, fo fufpicious, that the public, perhaps, will not require much caution on the fubject; and of late 1 muft do the vifitors of thofe places the juftice to say, that what with afs-races and elopements, fuicide and heavy betting, hop, ftep and jump, and other important matters, they are become a very ferious and edifying people..

As to retailers of bon mots at breakfast-rooms, &c. they require more advice than I have leifure to give,. and certainly much more than they will be inclined to take. In proceeding towards the point, fome are too flow, and fome too faft.. The former mifs it by stopping to pick up what they can find by the way; the latter dash at it so heedlessly, that they generally ftumble at the threshold, and are laughed at for their pains; or they tire their hearers fo much, that when the journey is over they prefer a nap to a laugh. In general, therefore, I would advife thefe wits, that, if they are determined to purfue a bon mot, they fhould go. ftraight forward." But more of this, Mr. Editor, with your permiffion, hereafter.

I am, Sir, AN HISTORIAN DE REBUS GESTIS.. August 15.

NAVAL

NAVAL ACTION.

[From the British Prefs.]

AN officer lately arrived with difpatches from Ad

miral the Earl of Lauderdale. The officer came laft from Boulogne, and ftates, that at his departure from the gallant Admiral, the British and French Fleets were in view of each other, and had actually exchanged fome thots. The following is a fift of the force on. each fide.

The Ocean is the flag-fhip of the English Admiral, affifted by Captains Maddifon and Dugald Stuart.— The Continent is the flag-thip of the French Admiral, M. Talleyrand, formerly Bishop of Autun, and now Duke of Benevento.

The dispatches were immediately communicated to Minifters, who obferve the most profound filence respecting their contents; but we have been able to collect the following particulars upon this interefting fubject, from the Meffenger:-The Peace, of and belonging to Europe, a fhip of immenfe value, has been miffing fince the commencement of the prefent war, a space of nearly three years, and her owners have been, in confequence, fubje&t to great lofs, expenfe, and other inconvenience. She was freighted with a great variety.

4

and

and abundance of articles of the first neceffity, most of them effential to the health, wealth, and happiness of the nations of Europe.-She has, of courfe, been fought for with proportionate diligence and zeal, by the parties interested in her recovery. The Peace had disappeared nearly in the fame manner at the breaking out of the French Revolution, and a great number of / first-rate men of war were sent out upon a voyage of discovery, in fearch of her. They got fight_of_the Peace off Luneville, and, after a long chase, she was come up with at Amiens.. She was found in a miserable condition; her rigging was all cut to pieces; The veered with every blaft of wind, and refused the helm. Her. timbers were all crank; and fhe, who used to carry a fine full fail, could now make no way, but rolled and toffed about with the tide, and threatened to go every minute to the bottom. Indeed, every experienced mariner allowed that the Peace was not feaworthy, that he had not ballaft or ffrength to weather a ftorm, that he was unfafe and infecure; and some even faid it was a fhame to commit the lives and fortunes of His Majesty's subjects to fo fragile a vessel. In the first purfuit of the Peace, which could be called little better than a wreck, very great lofs was fustained by the combined fleet. The Belgium, the Savoy, the Parma, the Stadtholder, and several other vessels, were taken by the enemy, foundered, or went to pieces. The Peace having been loft again fince the commencement of the prefent war, fimilar means have been reforted to for her recovery. The Ruffia, Auftria, Sweden, and Britannia, were fitted out, and proceeded together in fearch of her; but without fuccefs, and with the lofs of two fine frigates, the Naples and Hanover. Apprehenfions were, in confequence, entertained, that the Peace had gone to the bottom, and that her recovery was hopeless. It happened, however, that shortly after the Treaty of Amiens, the Fox, one of our beft English

English first rates, took advantage of a calm to vifit the coaft of France, and having fallen in with the Defpot, Oppreffion, Injustice, and several other French fhips, in whofe company the Peace was loft fight of, learned several particulars of her former courfe and deftination. With this advantage, and encouraged by a brave, able, and intelligent crew, Admiral the Earl of Lauderdale has been fent with the above force in purfuit of the long-loft Peace. On the morning of Sunday, the 3d inft. the gallant Admiral failed with his fleet from the Downs, and flood over to the French coaft; and on Tuesday, the 5th, he got a fight of the French force under Admiral Talleyrand. He immediately bore up, with his guns all prepared, and ready to open a tremendous fire. The enemy, however, it is faid, declined an engagement; and the French Admiral, availing himself of fome light, whiffling airs, hauled his wind, and kept aloof, with his ftern to the British Admiral, and clofe-reefed topfails. The i latter, however, loft not a moment to manoeuvre for the purpose of forcing the enemy to close action; he hung out the flag of defiance, and fired a fhot at the French Admiral, to bring him to. This took place on the morning of the 6th inftant, at which time the Earl of Lauderdale had neared the enemy; and when the Pegler fchooner, which brought the difpatches to our Government, came away, the two fleets were drawn up in line of battle, and a general engagement was hourly expected. The meflenger fpeaks in high terms of the fhips compofing the British force. The Commerce, the Justice, the British Tar, and the Ocean, particularly, were in fine condition, found in every timber, and remarkably well found. They carried very weighty metal, and were confidered invincible. The French fhips, on the contrary, appeared to be in a very bad ftate; the crew of the Confcript were faid to be under hatches; and the Continent, which appeared dreadfully.