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"Gentlemen, I give you joy, and I feel my pride as an Englishman, and as Chamberlain of this great city, highly gratified in the honour of communicating to two brave and illustrious commanders in the fleets and armies of my country, the unanimous refolution of thanks from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the city of London, in Common Council affembled.

"The glory of the British arms has not only been fupported by you, Gentlemen, both by fea and land; but your able, gallant, and meritorious conduct in the Weft-Indies, achieved brilliant conquefts, rendered us fignal fervices, and acquired the moft folid advantages, in an important and critical æra, and over a powerful and perfidious enemy.

"We reflect with fingular fatisfaction on those wonderful exertions of wisdom and policy, continued during the whole period of your command, by which you preferved between the naval and military forces an happyunion and perfect harmony. This object you faw to be of the firft neceflity for the accomplishment of all arduous enterprifes, and to the want of which, and difgrace of fome former periods, the recording page of the English history afcribed the failure of bold and grand undertakings, your excellent conduct and intelligence fecured a regular

co-operation of the whole British force. Victory followed your ftandards, and carried a feries of fucceffes through an extended variety of attacks of difficulty and danger.

"Permit, Gentlemen, the city wreaths to be mixed with the laurels you have fairly won, and which a general applause muit more and more endear to you.Thefe fentiments of gratitude pervade the country in which we live, while they animate the metropolis of our empire.They give a full indemnity against the flanderous breath of envy, and the foul calumnies of the invenomed ferpent tongue of malice, which, in thefe latter times has scarcely ceafed to detract from, and endeavour to wound, fuperior me

rit."

The flanderous breath of envy to which the Chamberlain alludes, had about that period began to attempt to fully the laurels of our gallant Commanders. It began to diffuse itself in indirect infinuations and obfcure hints; but vanished at the defiance held out by the friends and relations of the heroes calumniated.

On the 3d of May 1796, Sir Charles Grey was advanced to the rank of General; and during the last month he has been appointed Governor of the Island of Guernsey.

ACCOUNT OF THE GRAND FESTIVAL HELD BY THE AMEER TIMOUR ON THE PLAINS OF KANEH GUL, OR MINE OF ROSES, AFTER HIS RETURN FROM ASIA MINOR, AND THE DEFEAT OF IL DEVUM BAIEZEED, A. H. 507.

(EXTRACTED AND TRANSLATED FROM THE "MULFOOZAT TIMOORI; OR, LIFE OF TIMOUR," WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.)

WHEN the tents and seraperdahs were erected, and properly decorated with magnificent furniture, with carpets of coftly filk, with golden thrones and chairs of ftate, with veffels of gold and filver, rich cups of agate and cryftal, adorned with diamonds and emeralds, and all other necessary apparatus, I (the Ameer), in a fortunate hour, repaired to the royal tent, which was built for the occafion, and fupported by twelve poles, richly inlaid with gold and filver, and adorned with the utmoft magnificence. Here I feated myself on the throne of Empire, whilft my fons and grandfons, my Emirs and Sirdars of high renown, each took up their refpective places, furrounding me on all fides; next I directed the Siends, defcendants of the prophets, the learned men of the realm, the Carzięs,

Mufties, and others, to take up their proper places in this illuftrious affembly. In the fame manner the Ambassadors of Foreign Powers, from Kepehak, from Egypt, Syria, and Afia Minor, from Hindoftan and Europe, were allotted their respective stations. Next the Commanders of Herzar Jauts, or regiments of a thousand, those of the Sud Jauts of a hundred, the Magiftrates of the City of Samarcand, and Judges of the Police from different parts of the empire, were introduced, clothed in royal khelauts, or dreffes of honour, and took their places accordingly. Before the door of the royal tent were drawn up the elephants brought from India, of enormous ftature, and decorated with the most magnificent trappings of filk, velvet, and curious embroidery, with Howdahs flames, with gold

* By European Ambaffadors are meant thofe of the Kings of Caftile and Arragon, who, it appears, were prefent on this occafion.

and

After the marriage-ceremony had been thus concluded, agreeably to the ordinances of Huneefah, I commanded the drums and trumpets, and the koorah of the Imperial mufic, to ftrike up. After which, veffels filled with gold and filver, with jewels and precious ftones of all forts, were brought forth, and I directed the Nifán to be performed, which was done agreeably to established custom, and a profufion of wealth was poured upon the heads of this auguft Affembly. When the marriage was concluded, I ordered a fumptuous repaft to be ferved up, at which the Ameer Zadahs, the Omrahs, the Nuwezans, Foreign Ambaffadors, and all the Nobility of the Court, affifted. Dishes of gold and filver, replenished with a variety of the most coftly viands, were ferved up to the Affembly; nor was there wanting wines of the firft quality, prefented by cup-bearers of graceful fhapes. To this banquet, likewife, were assembled companies of the most eminent feigers in the empire, and dancers of approved skill, to the amount of many thousands, who, by their excellence in their respective profeffions, afforded delights to the fpectators. Among the foremost of these performers was Khaja Abdalladine, who bore the palm of pre-eminence from all his competitors, and whofe equal was not to be found on earth. There came likewife reciters of poetry and ftory-tellers from all parts of my dominions to this folemnity; and among them were Turks, Moguls, Chinese, and Ruffians. When the hearts of this Auguft Company became warm with wine and good cheer, I ordered the khelauts to be brought forth and diftributed first to the Ameer Zadahs, the Omrahs, the Nuwezans, and the learned men of the realm: and, fecondly, to the whole body of the Nobility, Foreign Ambaffadors, and others. Thefe khelauts confifted of dreffes of gold and filver tiffue, filks and velvets of various kinds and patterns, embroidered caps, and fathes for the waift, fcymitars inlaid with gold, and fet in precious ftones; horfes from the belt breeds of Arabia and Perfia, with faddles and housings of gold and filver; in fhort, fuch a profufion of wealth was diftributed on this moft aufpicious occafion, that no one prefent had any care for the remainder of his days. Nor on this occafion were the poor and needy without forgot, for I directed my almo ners to provide for them in the most amnple manner, and to furnish them with things neceffary, both of apparel and provifion. When the repaft was finified,

and filver, and chains of the fame precious metal. In order to render this feftival as fplendid as poffible, I had collected from every part of the empire the most skilful artificers of every kind. Thefe, with the affiftance of the different Companies of Tradesmen within the city of Samarcand, and thofe of the Imperial Camp, fuch as jewellers, goldsmiths, mafons, carpenters, bricklayers, embroiderers, weavers, &c. had erected upwards of one hundred chartakees, which are pavilions fupported by four poles each, and containing as many doors to each. The infide of these pavilions were elegantly decorated with carpets of the richest kind, embroidered with ipangles of gold and filver, with velvets and the finest stuffs from China and Europe, with magnificent chairs, and each ornamented with the particular badge of the artificer who erected it. They were likewife furnished with paintings done in the most exquifite tafte, and exhibited within and without fide a moft glorious spectacle, fuch as the eye of mortal had never before beheld, and which caufed the fpectator to place the finger of aftonishment within his mouth on beholding! To enhance the pleafures of this auguft Affembly, performers of all kinds and defcriptions had been collected from far and near mimics, buffoons, fingers, dancers, and every profeffion which contributes to the amulement and entertainment of the great. When this feftival, than which the eye had not beheld one more fplendid, or the ear had not heard of one equal, became complete, I, in a fortunate moment, directed men learned in the ftars, and skilled in the evolutions of the heavenly bodies, to extract from the almanacks, and by the aftrolabe and quadrant, to infpect the situation of the propitious and unfortunate ftars, that they might with precifion draw forth a happy moment for the celebration of the nuptials of my beloved grandions, who had long fince been betrothed to virgins dwelling in the Afylum of Chastity; which being done, I ordered that the ceremony fhould be performed agreeably to the established faith of Mahomed and the ordinances of our holy religion. These things being performed, a prayer for the health and profperity of my illuftrious progeny was recited in public by the venerable Sheick Shemfeddaz Mahomed Jerzee, an Imaum of much celebrity; likewife the Moulana Suliah Uddeen; the Carzi Allazat of Samarcand, a perfon eminent for his piety and learning, bestowed his benediction in public upon the fortunate bridegrooms,

* Nurucezan. An order of Tartarjan Nobility.

the whole company changed their dreffes: during which ceremony the musicians and dancers exerted themfelves to charm by their melodious voices and the gracefulnefs of their acti ns; at length the fortunate moment being arrived, the Ameer Zadahs, who had been married, each retired to his refpective Mabal,which had been prepared for the occafion with the utmost magnificence and fplendor. After which I arofe myself, and retired into the apartments of privacy, where I was met on my entrance by the whole of the Sultanelles and Princeffes of inviolable chastity, who, wishing me joy on this auspicious feftival, fhowered down upon my head trays full of the most precious jewels. In the morn ing I waited upon every one of the Ameer Zadahs, and paid them the compliments of congratulation on their marriage (Mubarikbadee), wishing them a long and profperous life. I directed the Nizan to be performed a fecond time, and was followed by the Sultaneffes, the Omrahs, the Nuwezans, and the whole of the Nobility and great men of the city of

Samarcand. When the ceremony was
performed, I returned to the royal Bar-
gab, and feated myself on the throne of
empire; and directing the Ambassadors
to be called in, who had arrived from
Egypt, Syria, Europe, the Defert of
Cupchak, Moguleftan, Hindoftan, and
Room (Asia Minor), I directed them to be
invested with khelauts of the utmost mag-
nificence, and prefented them with fine
horfes with embroidered housing, with
fcymitars inlaid with jewels, with golden
poniards, and caps and fathes of the fineft
Cafhmerian wool; and in honour of these
aufpicious marriages, I commanded the
feftival to be held for two months in that
agreeable and delicious valley, where
every thing that art and nature could
afford was introduced; and the whole
time was a feafon of mirth, joy, and
gladneis. At the conclusion, every one
was difmiffed with fuitable prefents, and
I then turned my thoughts to the ma-
nagement of the affairs of my empire, and
my long-meditated projects of conquering
the kingdom of Kbutai *. VIATOR.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND OF ST. HELENA,
From Sir Georg Staunton's Account of Lord Macartney's Embassy to China.

WITH A VIEW OF ROSEMARY HALL, THE SEAT OF WILLIAM WRANGHAM, ESQ.

ST. HELENA lies in the fouthern

part of the Atlantic ocean, diftant many degrees of longitude and latitude from any continent or other ifland; and may be confidered as the fummit of a great mountain, whofe roots are buried in the bottom of the fea. Above its furface the island rises in towering eminences, hid frequently in the clouds. The ashes of a volcano cover till fome parts of it; and the whole has probably been protruded upwards by the immenie power of tubaqueous fire. However, no part of the island hitherto examined feems to have undergone any degree of liquefaction. No layers of minerals, and few of ftone, have been discovered in its bowels. The fummit of the island is wooded; but is fo cold, that fruits will fcarcely ripen in it. Clear rills of water iffue from the higher peaks, and take their courfe abruptly down towards the vallies, which they contribute to fertilize. Storms are little known in the immediate neighbourhood of this ifland. Thunder is rarely heard, or lightning perceived in it; from whence it is conjectured, that little electric matter is fcattered in its atmosphere.

The circumference of St. Helena meafures fomewhat lefs than twenty-eight miles.

Along the whole coaft to leeward, or to the northward, fhips may anchor in perfect fecurity in all featons of the year; but the bank shelves fo abruptly afterwards, that the anchorage, being in deep water, is infecure. The tide feldom rifes above three feet and a half; but the furge of the ica is fometimes tremendous; and feveral accidents happened in approaching or quitting the fhore, until a wharf was erected lately, which readers the arrival there, and departure from it, perfectly fafe.

The

This little fpot was difcovered up. wards of two centuries ago by the Portugueze. It was taken from them by the English; furprited from the latter by the Dutch; and lastly, recovered by the English, likewife by furprite. fteep eminences which intervene between the vallies, that are the chief feats of population, render the communication from one part of the inland to another flow and difficult. Planters on the windward fide of the island confider a journey to the leeward, or feat of government, as a lerious undertaking. Several of them take

*Kbutaï is China. The Emperor actually fet forth on this expedition, but died on the frontiers of Tartary, in the neighbourhood of Otrar, on the banks of the Jaxartes,

that

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EUROPEAN MAGAZINE

Rosemary Hall on the Island of S. Helena the Seat of William Wrangham Esq

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