562 Letter found by the K. of Pruffia in the Saxon Cabinet. Have but a litte patience, and A B Parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus ; For thus he proceeds, Time, which, according to this fage, is the measure of all fucceffive exiftence, and which is itfelf meafured by a fucceffion of ideas, cannot be perceived without its feeming either long or short; but * prior to a fucceffion of ideas, we cannot judge of the length of tint, or time cannot seem either long or short; therefore without reflection, or prior to a fucceffion of ideas, time cannot be perceived at all. THIS, SIR, IS THE ARGUMENT I PROMISED.' Is it indeed? then hence ye groundless fears; for I have proved, by an argument which T. I. has not attempted to refute, that time is perceived immediately, or without the help of reflection; and to demolish this objection, I need only obferve that every part of time is time, and, therefore, a perception of any part of it is a perception of time. Yet, roithout confcicufness, our knowledge would never extend beyond a first perception, or, (to speak more accurately) beyond a jingle perception, which mutt always C appear to be the rf, because all former would be forgotten. In order, therefore, to our judg ang of the length of any portion of time, longer than a fingle perception, it is neccllary that there be (not only a fucceffion of ideas, but also) confciousness, reflection, or recollection. According to Mr Ties we never, perhaps, judge exally of the length of time, and therefore D wer, perhaps, measure exactly by it. But Mr Maclaurin in the motto, tells us, that only true or abfolute time feriese measure with exact the changes of all other things. May it not bafked, wherein Mr Tie's motto contradicts his own fentiments? Since T. I. has mentioned the morto, he begs leave to make a remark or two on it, and it is curious to obferve what a firewd re- E marker he has proved himself. His fetting out bids one expect to be shewn, how fuddenly true or abfolute time is CHANGED INTO apparent time, but he only informs us, that the fax, which in the beginning of the period [is faid to BE] uniform and unchangeable, is, before we arrive at the end, faid to APPEAR as various as the differences of intellectual beings. "Amphora cœpit, Inßitui! currente reta cur urceus exit?' He obferves farther, that if time appears various to different intellectual beings, true time can appear to one kind only, namely, the higheft; therefore all others, and particularly man, must measure the changes of all tbings by false measures. How then can time ferve to majure with exa&iness the changes of`all ther things? In anfwer to which it might be not impertinently afked, who has afferted that it a Fually does? But all these remarks might have been fpared, if he had happened to obferve, 1. That every appearance depends partly on the thing appearing, and partly on the being to whom it appears, and therefore, fuppofing no change in true or abfolute time, every difference in intellec mal beings must produce a different appearance of it. 2. That tho' with respect to one inellectual being, there. be a leat perceptible F G part of time, which therefore must appear to him extremely fhort, while to fome other that same part of time appears, a thousand or ten million times as long, et true time will appear to each of thefe, fo far as they peceive the true and exact relation of one part of time to another, and each may measure the change of things with the most perfect exactness, fince that is done, when the time of their bappening is accurately affigned, by its true relation to any known flanoards. H T. I. now returns to Mr Ties, and fays what perhaps he thinks very fmart, but I challenge him to fhew, that it has any thing to do with the paragraph, to which it fhould have been an anfwer. Yours, &c. J. TIES. P.S. If T. I. hears no more from me, he may affure himself it is becaufe I think what I bave faid a fufficient answer to him, Of the authentic proofs publifb'd by the King of Pruffia, ze omitted in our last for evant of room (fee the Note p. 527) a very remarkable letter from the Saxon minister at the court of Vienna to the Saxon prime miniftr at Drefden, in rubich the infincerity of the Auftrian Court most evidently appears.--Perbaps there never was such a series of court pohey laid open to the world before, and therefore que bave been the more particular in relat ing it. Letter from Count Flemming to Count de Bruhl. M. Kingraff received laft Saturday an exprefs from his court, in confequence of which he fent a note the next morning to Count de Kaunitz, carnestly entreating him to appoit an hour for a livered to the chancellor of state, just while conference with him. This note was dehe was in conference with the Marshals Newperg and Brown, and Gen. Prince Piccolomini. And as he intended to wait upon the emprefs-queen immediately after the conference, in order to make her a report thereof, he fent word to M. Klingraff, that he was indeed obliged to go to Schoenbrunn, but nevertheless he would be obliged to him if he would haften to him that very instant; which the Pruffian minifter did not fail to do. Count de Kaunitz told me in confidence, at a converfation I had with him yesterday morning, that M. Klingraff, on his accofting him, gave him to understand, with a certain embarraffinent mixed with uneafinefs, that he had just received an exprefs from his court, who brought him fome orders, the contents of which he was to lay before the emprefs-queen in perfon, and for this purpose he was enjoined to demand a private audience of her imperial majefty, which he deared he would be pleafed to procure for him. That he, Count Kaunits, made anfwer, that being juft ready to fet out fer Schocabruan, he willingly took upon him to demand the audience ho defired; but could not avoid letting Evasive Answer of the Empress-Q to the Pruffian Minifter. 563 was a day of gala, faw M. Klingraff enter, and depart in a very few minutes, with an embarraffed countenance. I have all these particulars from the mouth of Count de Kaunitz, who on this occafion has talked to me with more openness and confidence than he had hitherto done, and even charged me to make ufe of them in my difpatches to your excellency, but still with the greate fecrecy. It is fo much the lefs doubted that this anfwer, equally strong and obfcure, will greatly puzzle the king of Prufia; and 'tis pretended here, that that prince must be under a great deal of uneafiness, and that he has already drawn three millions of crowns B out of his treasury, for the charges of his preparations and augmentations. letting him understand, that it was proper he thould be enabled,. at least in general terms, to give the empress previous notice of the nature of the infinuations he had orders to make to her majesty. Whereupon M. de Klingraff told him, that he was charged to demand amicably, and by way of A Eclairciffement, in the name of the king his mafter, what was the tendency of the armaments and military preparations making here, and whether they might not, perhaps concern him; which, however he could not imagine, as he did not know that he had given the leaft occafion for them. That he, Kaunitz, replied, that he could not just then make any answer to that overture; that he would not fail to make a report thereofimmediately to the emprefs, and procure him the audience he requested; that, neverthelefs, he could not forbear telling him, that he was furprifed at the explanation which the king his mafter required concerning the measures taken in this country, feeing this court had expreffed no uneasiness or umbrage at the great movements and preparations which had been previoufly observed in his army. This minister farther told me, That having fet out immediately after for Schoenbrunn, be bad reflected by the way on the answer be fhould advise bis fovereign to give M. Klingraff; and baving thought he perceived that the king of Pruffia bad two objects in view, which this court was defirous equally to avoid, viz. to come to conforences and eclairciffements, that might at firft caufe It is prefumed and not without probability, that his defign in the demand abovementioned was, that if he had been answered, that he hiraself had been the cause of the armaments made here, he would have endeavoured to clear himself of the charge, by alledging, in proof of his innocence, that for this very reafon he did not only form the camps which he has already traced to exercise his foldiers, but had ordered the re-, giments to separate; perhaps imagining he Thould lay this court under this neceffity to follow his example by difcontinuing likewife his preparations. However I think he would find it no easy matter to divert it from its defign by fuch illusions as these. We have learned by an exprefs who ariv a fufpenfion of the measures which they judged Ded laft Sunday from the Count de Puebla, neceffary to be continued vigorously; and fecondly, to lead matters further on, to other propofitions and more effential engagements; he had therefore judged that the anfer cught to be of fuch a nature as might entirely clude the king of Pruffia's queftion; and that, in leaving no more room for further explanations, it should at the fame time be refolute and polite, without being fufceptible of any interpretation either finifter or favourable. That pursuant to this notion, it appeared to bim fufficient, that the empress should content herself with fimply answering, that in the violent general crifis Europe was now in, ber duty and the dignity of her crown required her to take fufficient measures for ber own fecurity as well as for the fafety of ber friends and allies. That the emprefs-queen had approved of this answer; and to thew that the king of Pruffia's ftep and demand did not occafion the leaft embarraffment here, her majefty immediately ordered the hour of M. Klingraff s audience to be fixed for the next day, which was the day before yesterday; and after hearing that minifter's propofition, juft as he had impart ed it the preceding day to Count de Kaunitz, the had answered him precifely in the terms abovementioned, and then fuddenly broke off the audience with a nod, without entering into any further detail. It is certain that all Vienna, being then affeinbled in the emprefs-queen's drawing-room, as it E that notwithstanding the feigned difpofitions of the king of Pruffia, his troops ftill continued filing off towards Silefia. Befides, it is very cafily understood that that prince, by the local pofition of his army, which he can affemble in as many weeks as it would require months to do the fame here, on account of the distance of the places where the troops are quartered, has too visible an advantage over this court, which he can put to fuch great expences by long and continual marches, that they would at last become intollerable: I fay, it is very readily understood, that it is necellary to purfue, without interruption, the measures already begun, in order to put themselves in the prefent circumstances, upon equal terms, and in a good condition; that the king of F Pruffia may be thereby obliged, to keep up his armaments; and the augmentations made and to be made, will exceed his faculties, and waste him gradually; or else, in order to prevent this inconvenience, to take a precipitate refolution; which, I think, is the very thing expected from him, G The return of M. Khagraf's courier, which the faid prince, no doubt, waits for with the utmoft impatience, will give us more light into his difpofitions. There is reafon to believe, that if he thinks himself menaced, he will no longer delay coming to 564 Count Fleming's Opinion of the prefent Crifis. to action, and preventing those whom he dreads, in order to take advantage of the fituation in which this court will be 'till the end of the month of Auguß, which is the term when all the troops are to be ailem➡* bled. But on the other hand, if he remains quiet, he may be perfwaded that he will not be molested or attacked, at isafi not this year. However, from all the obfervations I make, I cannot but imagine, that this court must be very fure of the friendfhip and attachment of Ruffia. And this feems to me to be farther confirmed by a letter of the 6 D. c. from M. Start the A If your excellency has an opportunity to make infinuations with fafety at the court of London, you might perhaps do it fome fervice by apprizing it of the danger into which it has been led by thofe who now have the ' greatest influence there, It will be a hard task for that court to get out of the diftrefs, which he has plunged herself into; and if the does not detach her-I felf from the king of Praia, by making her peace with France on the beft conditions that can be had, the latter will go on from ' fuccefs to fuccefs, and from one project to Dutch Minifter at Petersburgb, to M. de B another, which in the long run may proves Burmannia, wherein he writes among other things, that the French Emiffary, the che valier Douglas, gained ground every day. As this cannot tail of producing an alte ration in the old fyftem of Ruffia, it does not appear finprifing that the high chancetlor Count Befucheff, agreeably to what your excellency did me the honour to write to he in your laft difpatch, has refolved to retire into the country, under the pretext of recovering his health, and to withdraw a-while from publick business; as he may be willing to wait what turn affairs may take, and perhaps forefees that the hour is at hand, fince the whole seems to depend on the king of Prussia's refolution; it being certain, that if he remains quiet, the court of Vienna will not begin to act neither, at haft this year: but he will endeavour during that interval, to finish her preparations, that he may the next year be in a fituation to take a courfe Juitable to the circunftances and events zubich time may produce. may fatal to the houfe of Hanover. I beg it as a favour of your excellency,` that you would not defcend to particulars with M. de Broglie about any thing I have the honour to write to your excellency, be caufe that ambaffador holds a correspondence with M. d'Aubeterre, who has told me with fome furprize, that the Count de Broglie C was fully perfwaded, that mischief was intended against the king of Pruffia, and even accufed him of distrust and too much referve concerning the defigns of the court of Vienna." Ꭰ The Marquis Aubettere having long folicited permiffion to abfent himself from his poft for a few months, in order to attend his family affairs, which require his prefence at Paris, has at laft obtained his request. General Karoli, and not General Nadafti, as was thought, has juft been declared bann of Croatia, I bave the bonour to be &c. C. FLEMMING." The artifices and fratagems of the profligate This confirms me more and more in the opinion E which I ventured to take the liberty to communicate to your excellency in my former letters, that our court has no furer means to profit by the prefent conjunctures, which, perhaps, never were fo favourable during the reign of our auguft master, than by putting itself in a good posture, to the end that its concurrence: be courted. A friend of mine, wks pretends to bare his information from F one of the clerks of the treasury, affures me, that this court bas remitted a million of farins to Ruffia. ⚫ Count de Kaunitz has told me, that the advices which your excellency had conveyed to him of reports fpread by the king of Praffia, concerning alliances to be made be tween him and us, as alfo with RuffaGf and, moreover, that this court was taking upon her to mediate between France and England; has already been fent to him by other hands, and confequently deserved the more attention, as well as to be contradicts ed; which the emprefs-queen's minifters at the courts of Europe would accordingly be ordered to do. This chanceller of ftate further told me, there was advice, that the king of Pruffia had had an intention to furprize the city of Stralfund in Swedish Peme that if this proved true, it was mence of the plot lately 1 H That none Pick-pocket, tho' a felon, feems to be his hands, than the contrivance of bis in the loweft clafs' of gamblers; but his fuccefs rather arifes from the dexterity: head; and like rats and other fuch vermin, appears rathe to take the advantage of your negligence and inattention, than to contend with your understanding. The firft and lowest clats of gamblers, then, who would cheat you with your eyes open, are thofe who invite you to prick in the belt or garter for a wager; and the certainty of: winning at the fort of diverfion appeare 201 char to the novice, that he never this to bite if he be a proper object And Ar mart premife that thefe gamblers are twch y • exquiser The Hiftory of Gambling, by Mr Justice Fielding. exquifite judges of their prey, that they feidom fail of fuccefs. 565 tradefman back for other forts, but before he returns, makes off with wlift he has got. Servants who have lived with taylors, mantua-makers, milliners, and other trades that fend frequently to the shops, have, when they have been discharged, gone in the name of the mafters and miftreffes to the faid shops, and taken up great quantities of goods; in which they have fucceeded the eafier, from their being known to the hopkeeper. Might it not then be useful to give notice to the fhopkeepers ufed by the faid trades-people of their discharge of fuch The next clafs are those who find a paper full of geld rings, which they take care to pick up in the fight of a proper object, whofe opinion they afk. The gambler of this clafs appears very mean; which gives him an op- A portunity of faying he had rather have found a good piece of bread and cheese, for that he had not broke his raft for a whole day; then wishes the gentleman would give him fomething for them, that he might buy him a pair of shoes, a coat, &c. The cull immediately bites, and, thinking to make a cheap purchafe of an ignorant fellow, gives him B. There is another fet who defraud tradefperhaps 20 fhillings, for four or five brafs rings wafh'd over. fervants. men, by taking on themfelves faife names; and by pretending to be related to, or connected with, fome perfons of credit and fashion, and produce falfe letters to prove this intimacy. Some of thefe gamblers ate tend most of the fairs in the country, where they make it their bufines to enquire at Cinns, who ferves them with their wines and brandies from London; and fish out of shopkeepers the names of the tradefmen here who fupply them with goods: furnish'd with this knowledge they come to Londen, and one day appearing in the character of a country Inn-keeper, they go to the diftiðler, whofe name they have learned, telling him he has taken an inn in fuch a country; that he was recommended to him by one of his customers whofe name he tells him, and defcribes his house and family: the distiller's fufpicion being iull'd afleep by this ftratagem, he chearfully fupplies his new cuftomer with fome of his best goods, and fends them to fome appointed inn in town, from whence they are convey'd by the gambler, and converted into cafh by felling them as run goods for half price. The very fame fcheme is prattifed on grocers and other fhopkeepers, only by change ing their character into that of a country fhopkeeper: it is immaterial to them what goods they purchase. A gambler the other day bought of a farmer 10 ton of potatoes, to be delievered one ton at a time, and when 2 ton were delivered they were to be paid for; but when the fecond ton came, the gambler difappeared; and had not the farmer been a man of fpirit, he would have loft his property, but finding himself defrauded he took poffeffion of the gamblers warehouse and rescued his goods out of his The next fet attend at inns, and as porters fometimes entrust their fervants to carry boxes or parcels that come from the country, the gambler takes notice of the directions, and fends his comrade immediately to the house, where he waits for the arrival of the porter, mee's him within a few doors of the houfe, or if the door, be fhut he stands on the steps, and begins immediately to abufe the porter for his delay; damns him and tells him he was just a coming for it; that he had a great mind to give him nothing; the porter afks pardon, the gambler pays. him and takes poffeffion of the goods with D which he decamps the inftant the porter's back is turned. And as tradefmen generally employ country fellows for porters in their houfes, two or three of thefe gamblers are generally waiting at the corner of the streets near fome of the great inns, and if they hear one of the porters loaded with a box or bundle, afk his way to the inn, one of them fteps up to him very civilly, tells him that he is going that way, and will thew him the house. The countryman implicity follows his guide, whilft the gambler's comrade takes the hint, marches before, and plants himself at fome convenient paffage, puts his hat in his pocket and sticks a pen in his wig to re-prefent a book-keeper; the F guide acquaints the countryman that that is the book-keeper of the inn, who immediately lays down his burden, and the bookkeeper defires him to go over the way to his wife for the key of the warehouse, and in the mean time the two gamblers march off with the goods. The next clafs use the following ftratagem: one of them goes in the dress fa footman, and defires fome tradesmen to carry goods to his mafter, which are gene. Tally fent by the journeymen, who is carried into a parlour hired for that purpose, by the footman, who tells him he will carry the goods up to his mafter, and will bring down the account of what he chufes; but the moment he has got poffeffion of the goods he fhuts the parlour docr, and marches out of the paffage; or if the mafter has a mind to allift the fervant, he fends the E G hands." There is another fet of gamblers, commonly call'd duffers, who attend at Chairing-crofs, at St Clement's Church, and Ludgate bill, and invite you to go down fome alley, and buy fome cheap India handkerchiefs and waistcoats; but this cheat being grown ftale, they ufe another method, which of late has been very fuccefsful: They apply themselves to fome young publican to borrow 20 or 30 pounds to make up a fum, and to fhew they don't want money in general, they 566 New Species of Cheating laid opens they produce a large purfe well cramm'd C The highest rank of cheats who attack f sharpers who have lately articles of agreement, by which they oblige themfelves to pay the purchase money at fuch a time, and give a bond for the performance of covenants: They then immediately go to the tenant to fhew him the articles of agreement, and tell him that he will foon have a new landlord; upon which the farmer begins to complain of the old one, and hopes his honour will repair this, rebuild that, and alter fomething else, which the new landlord promifes to do. Credit being thus gained with the tenant, the new landlord, fails in love perhaps with the farmer's daughter, or with a fine horse, or elfe borrows money of him, and gives him a draught upon his banker in town, who seldom has any call in hand, and often is not to be found, A new fpecies of cheat has lately been practifed by a gambler and his gang, who to my knowledge have practifed every other with impunity, and is what follows: the head of the party calls himself a coal-merchant, in which character he applies to fome tradefman to buy goods in his way; tells him he is out of cafh, but if he chufes will pay him in coals, of which he is rather overstocked. The trådesmen approving of this, the gambler goes down to fome wharf, and orders one or more chaldrons of coals to be delivered at that tradefman's house for his ufe. Thus far for the gambler who attacks the understanding. I shall now mention a fet of cheats who make a dupe of the heart, and impofe on the benevolence and compaffion of the charitable; thefe are called ky-farmers, and execute their fchemes in the following man ner. One of them dreffes himself extreme, ly genteel, takes upon himself either the character of a private gentleman, or reputable tradefman; he is attended by two men in the character of country farmers, with clumfey boots, horfemen's coats, &c. the objects pitch'd upon for impofition are good old charitable ladies, to whom the follicitor tells a dreadful ftory of loffes by fire, inundations &c. to the utter ruin of thefe two poor farmers and all their families; their wives are big with child, their children down in the fmall-pox, &c. a book is then produced by the follicitor, who undertakes this difagreeable office purely Gout of good-nature, knowing the story to be true. In this book are the names of feveral of the nobility and gentry fet down by himself, who have contributed to this charity; and by setting out with false names they at length get real ones, which are of great fervice to them in carrying on their fraud; and well-difpofed perfons are daily impofed upon by falfe appearances of diftrefs. And there are perfons in this town who get a very good livelihood by writing letters and petitions of this ftamp, with which thefe noblemen and gentlemen who wifhed for their generosity and be nevolence |