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worthy of notice or compaffion, occurred. The reafon of all this was obvious; the prefence of the military, difperfed in regular directions, yet no where obftructing the view of the fpectators, gave not only a folemnity, but a fafety to thofe fpectacles, which could never have been effected by any other means.

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It may, however, be thought too refpectful to the witneffes of execu tions, to employ the military in preventing their doing one another a mifchief; it may be faid that fuch mobs have no bufinefs there, and might be more ufefully employed at home, or in their bufiuefs; and that no moral good is done by public executions. All this, I am afraid, is in a great meafure true; but our laws are yet too humane and too wife to permit men to injure one another from whatever motive or neceffity; and while public executions are continued, the populace are virtually invited to behold them. I am afraid, indeed, that they leave no lasting impreffion; and perhaps a continued inclination to witnels fuch fcenes is a strong prefumption of hardness of heart. That mind is certainly in no very promifing ftate of amendment, which requires punishment to amend it; and perhaps still lefs can be hoped of him who delights in witneffing capital punishments from no other motive than curiofity. Yet public fafety is an important object; and the character of the Nation would be implicated if means could be found to prevent fuch a calamity as that in queflion, and yet thofe means be rejected.

But I have perhaps been led, into matters foreign to my province, in fpeaking of the duties of the Police, or the Magiftrate. It is more frictly my business to confider fuch affairs in a very different light; and I cannot, therefore, conclude this paper, with out offering a few additional remarks on curiofity in general, and at the fame time referring my readers to No. VIII. before-mentioned.

If the paffion for mobbing were confined to the lower claffes, it would be fufficient punishment to denounce it as vulgar and ungentlemanlike. But unfortunately there are genteel mobs as well as vulgar; and fuch is the unceremonious nature of curiofi y, that the compreffion and fuffocation of perfons of fashion would be no wife

diflinguifhable from that of the lower claffes. There is much ceremony obferved in entering a roon, but none in the paffage that leads to it; a nice difunction of ranks and of fex in the feats of public places, but. no allowance for rank or fex in the avenues through which we have to pafs. And although this creates not only inconvenience, but even danger, it is fo generally accounted an honour to produce a mob, that all the diffi culties of accefs or retreat are detailed among the most pleasant circumstances of the affair; and the player's benefit, or the lady's rout, which is accompanied by fuch incidents, is confidered as enjoying an enviable fuperiority.

A mob, therefore, is not alweys col lected from curiofity.. It is also a mark of refpect; and that fuch refpect may be fecured beyond all poffibility of failure from individual excufes and pre-engagements, a far greater number are invited than are either expected to come, or could be contained in the houfe if they did. The affemblage, indeed, is nominally a party, or a party of friends; but in what fuch a party differs from a mob, the effence of which is mixture and compreflion, we are not told; and in what manner to diftinguifh one mob from another, unlefs by drefs, is yet a defideratum in the philofophy of focial life.

It has been thought that of late years the fpirit of genteel mobbing has increased. It is certain that we read in the papers of much greater crowds or mobs at public places than was the cafe formerly. Perhaps one reafon is, that the people are not fo often left to form their own conjectures refpecting public fhews and fpectacles; fo much is faid before-hand by the various arts of puffing, that natural curiofity is wonderfully increafed by these artificial excitements. How far the accident which is the fubject of this paper, may tend to damp the fervour of mobbing, remains to be difcovered. I have heard, however, of one lady who after tenderly lamenting the death of fo many "poor wretches" in the Old Bailey, went the fame evening to one of the theatres, and declared on her return, that the never was more frightened, as he was very near being thrown down and trod upon, in endeavouring to get into the pit. Perfons of fuch feeling as this will no doubt take warning, and make-for

the boxes.

Mr. URBAN, Grantham, March 4. HE fubject of I. H. E's. letter, T: 196, has frequently engaged

my attention; and though I cannot pretend to folve any doubts he may have refpecting the queftions he ftates, I will venture to make a remark or two upon that family of parafitic Cancri which are denominated by Fabricius, and other Naturalifts, Puguri. Of thefe are twelve fpecies in Ginelius's edition of the " Syftema Naturæ," of which Bernard the Hermit is the common English one. Whether the foreign kind be all parafitic, and with out exception found in the forfaken cavities of the Teftacea, I am very doubtful; for I have frequently obferved the Bernhardus to be loofe while yet alive in the fea-water at the bottom of fishing boats; though in general they are found to be half buried in fhells of various fpecies and fizes, from the finaller Nerit (whole diameter is not a quarter of an inch) to the larger Whelk, which contains a Cancer two inches long. One fpecies of this family, the C. Tubularis, is of cylindrical form; and has for its habitation a Serpula, a rounded, tubular, and glomerate fhell, adapted to the body of the Hermit Crab: and others, it is probable, are found in fhells particularly adapted to their fizes and fhapes. The C. Aruneiformis, we are told, inhabits rocks in fome part of the coaft of Scotland.

These are all the data from which I can deduce any obfervations. And firft, in reply to the remark, that "If at the creation each animal was provided with a habitation fuitable to its wants, it is natural to conclude the one in queftion had its shell," &c. I reply, that it is very difficult to conceive how a fhell would be created for the purpofe of defending animals not of the teftaceous kind, and which are never found in any fhells but fuch as are known to be the forfaken exuvia of fome teftaceous animal.

But as I. H. E. rightly obferves, the Hermit Crabs are found in various species of thells; and therefore, if any proofs for this fact were wanted, this would demonftrate that thefe creatures

had no peculiar tetiaceous habitation.

Your correfpondent then afks, "if it be not contrary to reafon to fuppofe

* Crabs are cruftaceous and Infecta, not teftaceous and Vermes.

any race of animals created without the neceflary means of protection ?". Surely, Yes. Or, that a number of

one kind were deftroyed to fupply others with habitations?" Doublefs, it is unreafonable fo to judge.

But how then did thefe Hermits feek fhelter from their enemies previous to their finding deferted manfions?— ́ This, to be fure, is the difficulty: it admits no pofitive and clear folution, but of very reafonable and fair conjectures.

As we find one fpecies of this family' living in rocks, why may not all the fpecies, in certain times and places, and where thelly habitations were not. near, be defended by thrufting their foft and fleshy extremities into holes of rocks, or hollows of banks, or in mud or fand, or hide them in ficei, confervi, and other marine vegetables? Why in warm climates may they not yet be found loofe, as fome are in colder regions? Or, if it be neceffary to find thefe animals an dwelling-place, why may we not fuppofe them an over-match for fuch Teftacea as were within reach, and whom they might inftantly and inflinctively attack for food and habitation? They have ftrong claws, and, Hermits as they are, do not appear a family habituated to peace.

immediate

If none of thefe fuppofitions be fatisfactory, I must leave the queftion undecided. But I think we may take it for granted, that the Paguri" were created without fhells; and that no other kind were deftroyed on purpose to fupply them with dwelling places. One of thefe, therefore, feems a neceffary conclufion; viz. "That they lived in warm climates without fuch defences, or that they had other ways of defending themfelves;" or "that they, like certain foldiers of our times (for one fpecies is called Miles), attacked many quiet and unoffending families, drew them from their habitations, and after flaving the owners, took poffeffion i fomething better offered itfelf to their rapacity and convenience. Yours, &c.

G. C.

Mr. URBAN, Adderbury, April 7. THE ingenious Mr. Salisbury, of

the Botanic Garden at Brompton, favoured the publick with an elegant and ufeful Catalogue of Hardy Plants, cultivated in that garden, to long ago as the year 1803, which he calls the

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Mr. URBAN,

THE

T. W.

Feb. 10. HE valuable Anecdotes in your laft volume, p.691, of Katharine Duchefs of Suffolk, from whole remarriage with Richard Bertie, etq. the prefent Duke of Ancafier is defcended, fo far back as the reign of Queen Elizabeth were defcribed in the two reprefentations engraved in Plate II. fig., 2; which were placed at the head of a curious old ballad, intituled, "The moft rare and excellent Hiftory of the Dutchefs of Suffolk, and her Hufband Richard Bertie's Calamities. To the tune of Queen Dido.' Originally published in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth; re-printed in 1738; and again in 1806."

WHEN God had taken, for our fin,

That prudent Prince King Edward away, Then bloody Bonner did begin

His raging malice to bewray;
All thofe that did God's word profefs,
He perfecuted more or less.

Thus while the LORD on us did low'r,
Many in prifon he did throw,
Tormenting them in Lollards' Tower,
Whereby they might the truth forego,
Then Cranmer, Ridley, and the reft,
Were burning in the Fire, that CHRIST
profefs'd.

Smithfield was then with faggots fill'd,
And many places more befide;
At Coventry was Saunders kill'd,

At Worcefter eke good Hooper died;
And to escape this bloody day,
Beyond-fea many fled away.
GENT. MAG. March, 1807.

Among the reft that fought relief,
And for their faith in danger flood,
Lady Elizabeth was chief,

King Henry's daughter of Royal Blood; Who in the Tower did prifoner lie, Looking each day when the fhould die. The Dutchefs of Suffolk feeing this,

Whofe life likewife the Tyrant fought, Who in the hopes of heavenly blifs,

Within GoD'sword her comfort wrought; For fear of death was forc'd to fly, And leave her houfe moft fecretly. That for the love of GoD alone,

Her land and goods fhe left behind; Seeking fill that precious fone,

The word and truth fo rare to find:

She with her husband, nurse, and child,
In poor array their fighs beguil'd.
Thus thro' London they pass'd along,
Each one did take a feveral ftreet;
And all along escaping wrong,

At Billingfgate they all did meet ;
Like people poor, in Gravefend barge,
They fimply went with all their charge
And all along from Gravefend town,

With journey fhort, on foot they wents Unto the fea-coaft came they down,

To país the feas was their intent;
And GoD provided fo that day,
That they took fhip, and fail'd away.
And with a profp❜rous gale of wind
-In Flanders they did fafe arrive;
This was to them great ease of mind,

And from their hearts much woe did

drive;

And fo, with thanks to God on high,"
They took their way to Germany.
Thus as they travel'd still disguis'd,

Upon the highway fuddenly
By cruel thieves they were furpris'd,

Affaulting their small company;
And all their treafure, and their store,
They took away, and beat them fore.
The nurfe, amidft of all their fright,

Laid down the child upon the ground; She ran away out of their fight,

And never after that was found. Then did the Dutchefs make great moan, With her good husband all alone. The thieves had then their horses kill'd, And all their money quite had took; The pretty baby almost spoil'd,

Was by the nurfe likewife forfook; And they far from their friends did stand, And fuccourlefs in a ftrange land. The fky likewife began to fcoul,

It hail'd and rain'd in piteous fort, The way was long, and wondrous foul, Then may I now full well report, Their grief and forrow were not small, When this unhappy chance did fall. Sometimes

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