formed religion in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. This farther proof which your Royal Highness has afforded, of your tender regard for the most valuable interests of your subjects in the remoter districts of this country, will lead us, on our part, to new and vigorous exertions in the discharge of our sacred duties, as well as enable us more extensively and more effectually to promote the improvement and happiness of all those committed to our special care. We will teach them to believe that their loyalty and attachment to the principles of the admirable constitution under which they live, if duly cherished, cannot fail to lead to the mutual welfare of the sovereign and of the people.

With the most profound respect we observe the solicitude with which your Royal Highness reminds us of our duty. We listen with chearfulness to your paternal ad⚫ monitions, and will earnestly apply ourselves to the functions of our ministry. We will instruct our people in the knowledge of those principles, and lead them to the practice of all those duties and virtues, by which they may be rendered good men and good citizens; nor shall we fail to inculcate upon them submission to the lawful authority of the sovereign, and zeal for the maintenance of his royal prerogative, which we regard as an essential part of our happy constitution; so that, by the blessing of God on our endeavours, we may see righteousness and order, union and energy, comfort and peace, prevail universally in this part of the kingdom. With unremitting attention to those matters which more immediately fall within the province of our ecclesiastical deliberations, we will study, as far as in us lies, to accomplish, with unanimity and harmony, those great and important ends for which we have aşsembled.

That Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, may direct and prosper the administration of the government which your Royal Highness exercises, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, that he may preserve your Royal Highness long for a blessing to this nation and to the world, and may finally bestow upon you a crown of unfading glory, is the sincere and fervent prayer of, may it please your Royal Highness, the ministers and

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elders of this national assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Signed in our name, and in our presence, and at our appointment, by

ALEX. RANKEN, Moderator.

Edinburgh, May 18, 1811.

May it please your Royal Highness. We, the ministers and elders of the Church of Scotland, eagerly embrace this opportunity of our having met in General Assembly, to approach your Royal Highness, with the warmest expressions of our dutiful and affectionate attachment.

We have felt the most anxious and painful interest in the afflictions with which it hath pleased Divine Providence to visit the illustrious house of our Sovereign.

We lament the loss of a Princess, whose virtues endeared her to her family whose fortitude and resignation, in severe and protracted suffering, are a new proof of the value and efficacy of that religion by which sl:e was sustained,

Revering the virtues of our most gracious Sovereign, and having long experienced the mildness and justice of his government, we deeply participate with your Royal Highness, and all his faithful subjects, in deploring the heavy calamity which has deprived us of his paternal care and direction. We have not ceased to present our fervent supplications, and those of the people intrusted to our care, before the throne of Divine Grace, earnestly beseeching the Father of Mercies to regard the affliction of our beloved King; and our souls are filled with joy and thankfulness, in the humble hope that our national prayers have been graciously heard, and that presages are afforded us of his restoration to health, to his family, and to the exercises of his royal functions.

We acknowledge with gratitude the mercy of the Almighty Disposer of Events, who has alleviated the national calamity by blessing us with a prince, eminently qualified by his talents and virtue, and by his attachment to the principles of the constitution, for discharging the high duties committed to him as Regent of this United Kingdom. We have contemplated with delight, the wisdom and prudence with which your Royal Highness has exerted the powers of government. These qualities, so eminently displayed by your Royal Highness,

cannot fail to constitute a lasting claim on the gratitude and confidence of a loyal and affectionate people.

Grateful to the Almighty Ruler in the kingdoms of men, we congratulate your Royal Highness on the security of our native land, and on the distinguished blessings which its inhabitants have enjoyed amidst all the dangers of that protracted war in which we are engaged with a malignant and inveterate foe. We rejoice that the new species of warfare with which the oppressor of the continent hath assailed us, by the hostile measures in which he obstinately persists against the commerce of the world, have so little affected the revenue of the United Kingdom; and we trust that, under divine Providence, our resources will prove equal to every public exigency, till the arduous contest in which we are engaged is brought to a happy termination.

We participate warmly in the national

feeling, when we contemplate those recent events which inspire the heart of every patriotic Briton with exultation and triumph. The splendid atchievements of our countrymen have in various regions of the world been crowned with the most

brilliant success. We have seen them long opposed to the ablest generals and best disciplined troops of France; the eyes of the world have been anxiously directed to the field of conflict, and the result has fully displayed the skill of our commanders, and the invincible bravery of our countrymen, decisively proving that a British army, like a British fleet, is the first in the world. These successful exertions in the cause of our suffering allies have increased our national glory, and exalted us among the kingdoms of the world. It shall be our anxious care to cherish in the people of Scotland patience under the pressure of those burdens which the circumstances of the times render it necessary to impose, attachment to our unequalled constitution, and that high spirit of patriotism which we trust will ever rise superior to the dan gers that may assail us.

As servants of the Prince of Peace, we deplore the lengthened calamities of war, and most earnestly supplicate the supreme Disposer of all events to make the successes, which have crowned the arms of our country, the means of restoring the bless

ings of a safe, an honourable, and a permanent peace.

That the Almighty, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, may continue to guard the United Kingdom, in all its interests, and that princes of your august house may long reign in the hearts of an affectionate and loyal people, are the earnest prayers of, may it please your Royal Highness, the ministers of this national assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Signed in our name, in our presence, and at our appointment, by

ALEX. RANKEN, Moderator.

Edinburgh, May 18, 1811.

VIOLENT STORM.-On the 28th, a violent storm passed over Worcester, in the afternoon. It came from the east, and lasted above an hour; during which period hailstones of an enor mous bulk fell, breaking windows, and destroying vegetation. The damage is reckoned by some at 50001. and by others is estimated at no less a sum than 10,0001. The hailstones perforated the windows like bullets, leaving round apertures indicative of the force with which they were driven against the glass. The storm, after terrifying

the inhabitants of Worcester from a quarter past four till half-past five o'clock, passed away to the westward with equal fury.

30th.-OLD BAILEY.-THE OPERA PICKPOCKET.-Thomas Northam, about 55 years old, was indicted for stealing from the person of William Richardson, a silver-gilt snuff-box, of the value of 101., in the pit of the Opera-house, on Thursday, the 16th of May instant. Mr Richardson deposed to the loss of the box, and that he did not miss it, until Nichols, the Bow-street officer, and Humphreys, had made him acquainted with the fact, that his pocket had been picked Nichols and Humphreys corroborated that part of the prosecutor's testimony, and added, that they apprehended the prisoner, and found the snuff.box in his pocket. Nichols swore, that he

saw him take the snuff-box out of Mr Richardson's pocket, having previous ly observed him make two attempts on the pockets of two other persons before he was taken into custody. Mr Richardson identified the box; and Mr Justice Grose calling on the prisoner to know what he had to say for himself, he made a speech, which contained a few phillipics on Bow-street officers (a race of men not very favourable to gentlemen of his calling certainly); and then he proceeded to account for his having possession of the snuff-box. He said, that a respectable surgeon, and a most particular acquaintance of his, was in the pit of the Opera on that night, and had a snuffbox exactly corresponding with that got by the officers in his possession, and seeing it lying on the seat where his friend had just been, and which he had just left, he took it up to keep for him, knowing him to be a very thoughtless man; and that he had been attending yesterday and this day until the moment that the trial was called on, to shew his box, and prove that it was like the box in question; and that he was at the Opera-house on the night mentioned in the indict ment. The prisoner further stated, that he was in the habit of frequenting the Opera-house twenty-five years, and other places of fashionable entertainment, and never had a slur cast upon his character before. In short, that he was a master tradesman, and car. rying on business most extensively and profitably, could not be supposed capable of having recourse to thieving for increasing an income already in dependent. He called some two or three persons (who also said that they themselves were master tradesmen) to give him a character; and the judge having summed up, the jury, without delay, brought in a verdict of Guilty. One of the jurors knew him, and be ing sworn as to his character, said he

bore a very honest one till now, and it was the first charge he had ever heard made against him. He has carried on the business of a tailor at the west end of the town, in a most extensive way, these 25 years past.

AGRICULTURAL REPORT.-The genial showers through the early part of last month, preceded by the dry warm weather in April, have produced a luxuriance of vegetation almost unprece dented in any former year. The wheat crop has shot up into spindle, clothed with a dark-green broad flag, always indicative of a large productive ear. The barley has also run into spindle, from the most luxuriant appearance on the curl. The rains have brought up the latter sown, the whole of which has the most fruitful appearance, and promises to be a very full crop. Oats are also equally promising upon every species of soil. Beans are getting finely into bloom; and peas are free from the fly. Winter tares, and all the soiling tribe, are most productive. The young clovers, sainfoin, and every species of natural and artificial grasses, are in the most forward and promising state. The orchards have gone finely off the bloom. The hops are strong on the blue. Every vegetable production is in the most forward and promising state.

FASHIONS. For the out-door costume, short pelisses in sarsnet, trimmed with Mechlin lace, with lace capes, made to meet in front, and fitting the shape with the most minute exactness, confined to the waist with elastic bands, made on the same plan as the glovetops were formerly, and fastened with cope de perle clasps; pelisses also in black or white lace, or soft mull mus lins, lined with pale primrose or celestial blue sarsnets, are much approved. Mantles, extremely short, hardly exceeding the bounds of a large tippet, made to sit plain on the back, and confined in to the waist behind; and lace

cloaks with a small satin under tippet, so formed as to cover the neck and shoulders, which would otherwise be too much exposed to the sun and air, make up the list of the several varieties which we have to offer in this class of dress. A new satin has lately been produced, which has the appearance of being crimped small, or ribbed; this has a very pleasing effect when made up into bonnets, and is of the newest invention. Morning and walking dresses are made high in the neck, with collars, in the form of a pelisse, buttoned from the throat to the feet with small raised buttons, much intermixed with lace. These dresses are deservedly much approved, as, in addition to their simple and graceful form, they possess all the convenience, and answer every end of the pelisse, by the trifling addition of a silk pelerine or handkerchief; others are made high in the neck, with out collars, in the Roman form. For home, or dinner dresses, mull or striped muslins, plain sarsnets, opera nets, figured gauzes, are the most appropriate; and the form either high in the neck, after the costume of the Romans, or low in the back, nearly stripped off the shoulders, and cut round and moderately high on the bosom. In full or evening dress, the bosoms of the dresses are cut something lower, the back and shoulders still more exposed; the sleeves are worn invariably short and plain; the necks are either trimmed with a simple chenille trimming, or beads; but if with lace, it must be Mechlin, and full two nails deep, set on full. Twilled silks are no longer even candidates for approbation, it is so generally allowed that they cast a shade over the complexion which makes them extremely unbecoming. It is a singularity, however, worthy of remark, that, for this last fortnight, our younger belles have declined the aid of any ornament whatever, neither necklace, ear-rings, braceVOL. IV. PART II,

lets, broaches, or even combs, have appeared upon them. The hair is worn dressed in full flat curls over the face, twisted behind, the ends brought forward and blended with the front hair. The gloves are worn very short; the fans are increasing in size; trains are more laid aside through convenience than fashion. The prevailing colours for the season are yellow, primrose, pink, lilac, straw, and blue celeste. Feathers in full' dress were never so universal.

JUNE.

1st.-PLYMOUTH.--About 3 o'clock yesterday morning, an extraordinary phenomenon appeared at this place: the sea suddenly fell to the depth of from four to eight feet, and rose again in the same proportion, which continued at intervals until seven o'clock, during which period the merchant vessels in Catwater and Sutton Pool were observed to be greatly agitated, those in the former harbour dragging their anchors and drifting in various directions: two of them lost their bowsprits by running foul of each other during the great swell (one of which is the Busy revenue cutter), and others received damage, but not to any extent; those in Sutton Pool were afloat and aground in the short space of five minutes, the water falling and rising full eleven feet in that short period. In Hamoaze, at nine o'clock, the tide suddenly stopped at about half flood, and ebbed more than six inches, then flowing again a full hour; ebbed a second time in like manner, and afterwards rose to the usual time of high water. This extraordinary event at first caused some alarm among the spectators, some of whom remembered a similar phenomenon to have taken

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