Saturday 15 December 1781

HICKY's BENGAL GAZETTE; OR THE ORIGINAL Calcutta General Advertiser. [ VOL II ] A Weekly Political and Commercial Paper, Open to all Parties, but *influenced* by None, 99 From Saturday December the 8th to Saturday December 15th 1781. No. XLVII Mr. HICKY, I Congratulate you most heartily on the recovery of your wonted spirited and entertaining Publications.—ARISTIDES' Letter is written, not only with the feelings of a Man, but in the Apt and easy style of a Gentleman, and deserves the highest commendation. With the best information and the zeal of a good Citizen he makes known to his Country-men the danger which threaten's them from the late marvellous change of system beyond the Provinces, and censures with a manly freedom the Author of such measures. Your BON TON and RACING INTELLIGENCE, on the other hand, containe's more happy images, genuine wit, and poignant satire and keen Irony than any one News Paper exhibited before. These excellencies have given great consideration and superiority to your Gazette, and excited me to become your Correspondent. Yet would you believe it,—— Mr. HICKY, many parts of these productions, though perfectly innocent, have been distorted into Licentiousness and sedition by a few of the Dictator's, hirelings and sycophants.—It is indeed merry enough to observe what pains they take, in defiance of reason, Gramar and common sense, to wrest your Words to a bad meaning.——Many of your Papers are put on the RACK and tortured into a thousand constructions, contrary to the obvious import of them. If you entertain the Town out of History, with the practices & fall of a corrupt and over Grown Governor, there are officious wretches and parasites who can never rest at ease 'till they have found out some dangerous sense at the bottom, and fitted the CAP to some Hon'ble head still flourishing among us.—— Tyrants who are directed by their Ambition and caprice have some reason to dread the animadversions of the Press, and would willingly convert, into a libel, every publication which breathes any spirit of candour or liberty. A pampered Horse likes to feel the bridle hang lose on his mane that he may, at pleasure, run away with his rider.—In short, every stroke in your paper is suspected of Irony, sarcasm and double meaning.—However in spite of these disadvantages, I can assure you the voice and good wishes of the public are with you, and that there are, at this moment, in Bengal a race of PATRIOTS who like the immortal Athenian, would hold the Helm with the right hand;—if it should be cut off, with the left hand;—if that too should be cut off with their teeth.—Your sufferings and firmness have gained you friends and roused the public attention.—Glaring injustice done to an—individual is often of service to the whole community.—The most dangerous principles are not so apt to alarm Us as stubborn facts.—The most moderate Men in the Settlement think you have been persecuted in a way which the real spirit of the English Law cannot justify, and, from motives of self-preservation, make common cause with you.—I therefore hope you will not lay your Imprisonment so much to heart as to discontinue your nervous and humorous publications.—You undoubtedly have a right to scan the conduct of every man in a public Station, and to condemn or approve his doings as they appear to you to be calculated either for the good or hurt of the Country and Society. Those who imagine that your papers are no restraint on bad men or impediment to bad measures, know nothing of the matter;—for to my knowledge the first Characters in the Country tremble at the censure of the Press, and it operates Powerfully on their conduct.—You have given us repeated instances of your fortitude of mind, and have already produced important effects to your Country.— Do not, I conjure you, bate a jot of heart or hope, but still bear up and steer right onward in the glorious cause of the English Nation.—even in the gloom of a prison.—After a few tedious months' confinement, you will look back with joy on your past sufferings and the happy consequences of them to British Subjects and this poor distressed and exhausted Country. Go on, good HICKY, in defence of our Cause, Against the invaders of Justice and Laws, Expose the mask'd hypocrite, villains chastise, And render them odious in Englishmen's eyes; Still shew us their Pictures and humble the pride Of those whom Old England thought honest, till tried; And every Briton will be on your side. With your paper reform The DICTATOR and Crew And the world will behold a new TULLY in you. Libertas. Calcutta, 11th December. BON TON INTELLIGENCE. GREAT confusion has lately arisen from a Blunder of Counsellor Feeble who is always dabbling in the Love Letter-way.—It seems he had made up two packets, one intended for his adorable Charmer, The Chinsurah Beauty, who taught him the Minuet Delacour, and the other for a faithful Lady at Bandelle—with whom he generally spends the Citizen's Holidays.—When lo! each Letter fell into the wrong hands and no one knows how the mistake will end between the Rival Lady's. A Correspondent informs us that Counseller Feeble now constantly drinks a sort of Cordial dram, which he calls the W—o M's Eye-water, and of which he drinks so freely; That he often d'ye see, Retires Tipsey be he he. We are assured that Feeble has declared to the Governing powers that very ill consequences are to be apprehended from the Liberty of the Press, and that unless effectual measures are immediately pursued to restrain publications of a ludicrous nature, he will inevitably fall a victem to them, and be deterred from following his favorite amusement of cutting Capers to the sound of a Fiddle— The Caledonian Councellor, after listening to him with great attention, replied—Our Spirits are willing, but our powers are feeble. A Marriage is now much talked of as speedily to take place between Counsellor Feeble and the Chinsura Belle.—This

[COLUMN 1] Gentleman has for some Months amused himself in breaking in four Horses, little larger than RATS,—It is now plain what he was driving at. Mr. Deputy Nimock, in walking along the Esplanade the other evening, recognised the figure of his old acquaintance the Amorous Secretary, who unfortunately happened to pass by at the time.—poor Minicken was immediately alarmed with the cry of Chabuck but the swiftness of his heels, a second time, stood his friend and enabled him to escape a good Whipping. When the SPOKESMAN read his panegyric in the News paper, it is said, "he blinked like an Owl in the radiance of the Sun and hung his dejected head like a Bull rush".——Before he makes his next speech it is strongly recommended to him to purchase a good voice and ear, also a competent collection of English Words----of which he is totally destitute at present, and not to be so fond, on all occasions, of making——"Himself the Hero of each little tale." In spite of the squibs fired at SAMMY TALLOWFAT, he is determined to stand, His belly preventing him from running away. *** Mr. HICKY, NOTWITHSTANDING the Publication in your Paper of last Saturday, there are many wise heads about the Town, who will not believe that upwards of fifty Lacks of Rupees (or six hundred thousand pounds sterling) have been divided amongst the Officers and Troops present at the fall of Beejah Ghur, because, as they say, the Company's affairs are not in a situation to justify such a donation, and because it is impossible that Mr. — ever would have authorized the distribution of such a sum when the Company's affairs and Interests would by the want of it be very materially affected. ——Mr. — they say is not a Man of that stamp to throw away so much public Money, at a time when public exigencies require very large supplies, and when there is extreme difficulty in raising by various disadvantageous modes a sufficiency of cash to answer the necessary expences of our present system of Government.——They say it is absolutely impossible, and that if an Angel from Heaven was to preach it, and every word to shake the Earth to its Center, they would not believe a syllable.——A friend of mine, for whom I have much esteem, but whose zeal and attachment sometimes carry him, in argument, beyond the limits of prudence and discretion, entered into a very close dispute with me upon the subject, and at last became very warm; and it is difficult to say how it would have ended, had not I (who am a little bit of a sorter and more temperate) by offering him a bet of a Cool hundred, that Popham had clear and explicit authority for what he did, given a turn to the dispute.——The bet my friend instantly took, but having referred it to many Gentlemen without getting any decision that was satisfactory, we agreed to state the matter to you for publication, and to be determined by the first person who will take the trouble of publishing the knowledge he may have of the transaction in your paper, at the same time hoping that none will pretend to determine who is not competent. [COLUMN 2] I am Mr. Hicky surprised that Major Popham or some friend of his, has not in his justification and that of the Officers and Troops under his Command, published the whole affair.——Many times have I heard them very severely reflected on. I have heard it said that they acted altogether without Authority.—That the Distribution of the plunder of Beejah Ghur was the act of a Banditte, who with Arms in their hands, bid defiance to all Law, and contemn every authority attempting to controul them in their interested designs upon the Company's property; and that they are determined to maintain what they are in possession of, be the event what it will.——I am no Enemy to Major Popham or the Army, but much the contrary; and it would give me the greatest pleasure to see the World satisfied that his and their conduct has been regulated by that propriety which their truest Friend ought to wish.——That there is blame some where is very clear; and it behoves every Man who is concerned and blameless, to endeavour to enable the World to say with certainty, thou art the Man who hast defrauded the Company of above six Hundred Thousand Pounds sterling, & at a period when half of such a sum might have produced the most essential advantages to the Company and the English Nation. I am, Mr. HICKY, of Opinion that every British subject has a right to expect information on a point of so much Public importance.—It tends to affect the interest of every Individual who has property or concerns in India, and I believe there are few who either avowedly or secretly will not be well pleased to see that Veil of obscurity with which the transaction is at present covered, removed, and the Offenders, if there are any, exposed to that Public Odium which they so justly deserve. I am &c. &c. &c. OBSERVATOR. Calcutta 5th Dec. 1781. *** Mr. EDITOR, THE Passion for Insurance is Risen lately, from the scarcity of Money to such an Extravagant Pitch, that you can hardly shake a Plantain Tree, but out flies an under writer, the consequence of which is that scarcely a day now passes but furnishes us with fresh accounts of some Contested Loss, by some or other of these Gentlemen.—To remedy in some measure, the inconveniencies that may arise from so prevalent and Gamesome an Itch which seems to be spreading with Pestilential rapidity over the whole Town, It wou'd I am humbly of Opinion, be no bad precaution of those Chaps who style themselves Brokers or Agents for the Public, were either made responsible in some degree for the solvency of the People, they Lend their Policies to, or to develope when required, the sum that each under Writer may have already with them at Risk, for otherways, and as matters now run, a Person of an adventurous & intrepid turn of Mind may cover risks for many Lacks that may possibly be not possessed of six-pence, and shou'd 10 or a dozen of Ships be taken by the Enemy, which is not at all improbable, the Consequence must I think prove not only fatal to such Persons themselves, but be severely felt by the Public in General. MERCATOR. [COLUMN 3] THE GOOD WIFE. Continued from our 40th Number. THE most general important qualification in a good Wife is sweetness of temper. Formed to Obey, a being so imperfect as Man she ought to learn betimes even to, suffer injustice, and bear it without complaint—It is not for his sake, but her own, that she should be of a mild disposition—The perverseness and ill Nature of Women only serve to aggrevate their own misfortunes, and the misconduct of their Husbands they might plainly perceive that these are not the Arms by which they gain the superiority—Heaven did not bestow on them the powers of insinuation and persuasion to be perverse and morose; it did not constitute them feeble to make them imperious, it did not give them so soft and agreeable a voce to vent abuse, nor features so delicate and lovely, to be disfigured with Anger. When they give way therefore to rage, such as Pulling the Hair of their heads, beating their Breast, crying for a divorce, threathen Suicide: and forget themselves; for tho' they may have often reason to complain; they are always wrong to scold—Each sex shou'd preserve it's peculiar tone and manner; a meek Husband may make a Wife impertinent, but mildness of disposition on the Woman's Side will always bring a man back to Reason at last, if he is not absolutely a brute, and will sooner or later triumph over him. Veritas.

CALCUTTA. Extract of a Letter from a Field Officer dated Negapatam 12th November. I CONGRATULATE you most sincerely on the Capture of this important Fortress. A Breach being effected the Garrison, consisting of 370 Europeans 2000 Malays and sepoys, Surrendered to us Yesterday Morning at discretion. The prisoners of War are to be sent to Madras. Nothing can be said too highly of the skill, deligence and perseverance of General Munro on this occasion. His conduct is the subject of very just applause, and does him the greatest honor. The Admiral too, with equal zealous and gallant perseverance heartily coperated with the General. By the capture of this place, we have given a final blow to the Mynheers on this Coast. indeed it is a Military advantage of the highest class at this time. A Sloop of War will be dispatched to England immediately with the News. Our loss is inconsiderable only twenty-five Europeans and One Hundred and fifty sepoys. It is supposed the General and Admiral will follow this blow by going directly to CEYLON. The greatest harmony and unanimity subsists between these two LEADERS and the Land and Sea Forces. Extract of a Letter from Madras dated 25th November. ADVICES are just received here from London, by the way of Bussorah, which mention that a Fleet consisting of Three ships of the Line, two Frigates and nine Indiamen left portsmouth on the 11th June with 1500 Troops on board, and that a Squadron of two Men of War, three Frigates, Transports &c. with upwards of 2000 Troops would sail for India in August. THERE are letters in town from Caunpore mentioning the Receipt of Advices there from Bombay overland, which give an account of the Arrival of the Hinchinbroke at the latter place after a very bad passage. N. B. Lettes are commonly received at Caunpore from surrat in Twenty days. Timos shaw's progress towards Hindostan, is retarded by the late heavy Snow falls in Pushawan. The Peshwa, Madho Ras Narain, is reported by Letters from Dehli to be dangerously ill of the Small Pox. We are concerned to inform our Readers of the death of Captain James Harrison. He fell a victim to a Jungle Fever while in Camp before Beejai Ghur, and is sincerely regretted by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. ACCOUNTS have been received last Night, of a Gale of wind in Madras Roads the 13th Ult. eleven sail of Ships drove a shore, besides small Craft. — It is received from on Board the Snow Industry John Erwin, who rode out the Gale. The Men of War very luckily sail'd two days before, to Water and Wood at Trincomalee. I make no doubt but they have felt some of it. The Company's Cruizer Panther Lieut. Thistleton on her way to Madras from Bombay, took a small Prize with Moor Colours, from Point de Gall bound to Batavia, on his being searched, found Arms and Amunition sufficient for 6,000 Men, and 80,000 Dollars in specie belonging to the Governor. The Chaser and Coventry Cruizing between Visagapatam and the Points, and back from the E. to W. have been in the Roads and had Water and Provision from the Pilot Schooners. The Chaser chased a small Ship to the Estward in Latt. 18 10 North and by all accounts and appearance it must have been either the Ship Betsey, or the Death and Glory — missed the Vessel in the Night, by being very dark. ARRIVED.] — Dec. 13th Ship George, Ja's Edmonstone from Madras, Ballast. DEPARTURE.] — 12th Snow Dolphin Syrang for Pegu. Now in the Press, and speedily will be Published. Price 4 Rupees. AN Almanack for the ensuing Year, containing the Christian and Bengal Calendars, with the Mahometan Æra of the Hegira, — The conjunctions, Squares, and oppositions of the Lumnaries. — The Moons Southing Calculated agreeable to apparent Astronomical time to the Meridian of Calcutta, and may be reduced to ny other Meridian by ae Note inserted for that purpose. — The Moons culminating the Meridian, being very useful for determining the time of High-Water at any Port or Harbour provided the time be ascertained at which it is high Water at the full and Change. --- The Southing may also have it's use by taking Her Meridian Altitude, For determining the Lattitude proper allowance being made for Her Parallax in Altitude. — The Equation of time necessary in regulating Clocks, Also a Table of the Suns Rising and Setting, independant of Refraction, with directions how to find the Moons full and Change at any other Meridian on the Globe where Longetude is ascertained. N. B. this Almanack will be printed with a beautiful new Type on a fine paper, and sold at the Printing Office, the 28th of the present Month. To The PUBLIC. TO be Raffled for by Subscription on a Garden belonging to Mrs. Cornelia De Silva measuring as Per Potta Seven Biggabs and 15 Cottahs Situated in Dee Entilly which is at present lett out to John Belié Esq for the Company's use. This Garden is now to be Raffled for, and valued at the Sum of Six Thousand Sicca Rupees, divided into Eighty Chances at 75 Rupees each chance, Any Lady, or Gentleman willing to subscribe are requested to send their Names to Mr. HICKY at his Printing Office. N. B. Timely Notice will be given in this paper specifying the day of the Raffle. For sale by CHARLES HELLYAR. A Large quantity of good seasoned Saul Timber, which he has purchased of a Gentleman lately come down the Country, the said Timbers are lying at the Rope Walk Gaut, about half a Mile to the Northward of Sulkey Market, The price of the Timbers are as follows: — Beams 28 Feeet long 12 Inches by 9 Inches, at S R 19 each 28 f l 12 i's by 9 i's at S R 19 E 25 do 11 i's by 9 i's at do 15 do 23 do 10 i's by 8 i's at do 12 do 21 do 10 i's by 7 i's at do 10 do 19 do 9 i's by 7 i's at do 7 do 17 do 8 i's by 6 i's at do 5 do 16 do 8 i's by 6 i's at do 5 do The above Timbers are all cleanly dressed. In the rough, whole Saul Timbers from 27 Feet long to 31 at S R 14 each, Square pieces of Timber for Doors, Windows, and Burgers of sizes. N. B. The above to be brought over to the Gauts at Calcutta, at the Expence of the disposer and free from Duty. To be S O L D. A Commodious Upper Room'd House in the post Office street, now Occupied by Mr. Evans, any Person wanting to purchase will please to Apply to Mr. H. Grant. JUST PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY. AND is sold at the Library, the late Bye Law either bound or in Sheets. The Stewards of the Subscription Assembly, PRESENT their Compliments to the Subscribers, and request they will be so obliging to send the Names of their Friends who are come to the Presidency, to the office at the Harmonic House that Tickets may be sent them. Acknowledgements to Correspondents. TIMOTHY hints, Q, the Right and Capacity of the people, and a Letters relative to some late transactions at Dacca and a well wisher to his Country are all received.

**POET's CORNER.** **CASTLE BUILDING:** **An ELEGY.** "Sweet pliability of man's spirit, that can at once surrender itself to illusions which cheat expectation and sorrow of their weary moments." *Stern's Sentimental Journey.* GODDESS of golden dreams, whose magic power Sheds smiles of Joy o'er Mis'ry's haggard face, And lavish strews the visonary flow'r, To deck Life's dreary paths with transient grace. I woo thee Fancy, from thy fairy cell, Where, midst the endless woes of human kind, Wrapt in ideal bliss thou lov'st to dwell, And sport in happier regions unconfin'd. Deep sunk, O Goddess, in thy pleasing trance, Oft let me seek yon low sequester'd vale, Whilst Wisdoms self shall steal a side-long glance, And smile contempt, but listen to thy tale. Alas! how little do her vot'ries guess Those rigid truths (which learned fools revere) Serve but to prove (O bane to happiness!) Our joys delusive, but our woes sincere. Be theirs to search where clustering roses grow, Touching each sharp thorn's point, to prove how keen; Be mine to trace their beauties as they blow, And catch their fragrance where they blush unseen. Haply my path may lie thro' barren vales, Where niggard fortune all her sweets denies; Ev'n there shall Fancy scent the ambient gales, And scatter flow'rets of a thousand dyes. Nor let the wordling scoff: be his the task To form deep schemes, and mourn his hopes betray'd; Be mine to range unseen; 'tis all I ask, And frame new Worlds beneath the silent shade; To look beyond the views of wealth and pride, Bidding the mind's eye range without controul, Thro' wild, extatic day, dreams far & near, To bring returns of comfort to th' soul; To bid groves, hills, and lucid streams appear, The gilded spire, arch'd dome, and fretted vault; And sweet Society be ever near, Love, ever young, and friends without a fault. I see, entranc'd, the gay conceptions rife, My harvest ripen, and my white flocks thrive; And still, as Fancy pours her large supplies, I taste the God-like happiness to give; To check the patient widow's deepfetch'd sighs, And shield her infant from the north blast rude; To bid the sweetly glistening tear arise, Which swims in the glad eye of Gratitude; To join the artless maid and honest swain, Where fortune rudely bars the way to joy; To ease the tender mother's anxious pain, And guard, with fostering hand her darling boy; To raise up modest merit from the ground, And send the unhappy smiling from my door; To spread content and chearfulness around, And banquet on the blessings of the poor; Delicious dream! how oft beneath thy pow'r (Thus light'ning the sad load of others woe) I steal from rigid fate one happy hour, Nor feel I want the pity I bestow. Delicious dream! how often dost thou give A gleam of bliss, which truth would but destroy; Oft dost thou bid my drooping heart revive, And catch one chearful glimpse of transient joy. And O how precious is that timely friend Who checks affliction in her dread career; Who knows distress, well knows that he may lend One hour of life who stops one rising tear. Oh! but for thee, long since the hand of care Had mark'd with livid pale my furrow'd cheek, Long since the shiv'ring grasp of cold despair Had chill'd my heart, and taught it how to break. For ah! affliction steals with trackless flight; Silent the stroke she gives, but not less keen; And black misfortune, like an eastren blight, Sheds black destruction, tho' it flies unseen. Oh! come then, fancy, and with lenient hand, Dry my moist cheek, and smooth my furrow'd brow, Bear me o'er smiling tracks of fairy land, And give me more than fortune can bestow. Mix'd are her boons, and chequer'd all with ill, Her smiles, the sun-shine of an April morn; The cheerless valley skirts the gilded hill, And latent storms in every gale are borne. Give me thy hope, which sickens not the heart; Give me thy wealth, which has no wings to fly; Give me the pride thy honours can impart; Thy friendship give me warm in poverty; Give me a wish the worldling may deride, The wise may censure, and the proud may hate,— Wrapt in thy dreams to lay the world aside, And snatch a bliss beyond the reach of fate. --- For sale by Mr. PRESCOT No. 113 in the Cossatollah, Baazar. MADEIRA Wine in pipes or in Bottles, Cape do. in leagures or do. Europe Vinegar in half, do. or do. Prance in Bottles, Gin and Dutch Cordials in cases or Bottles, Porter, Hock, Claret &c. and Batavia, Sugar, Candy, by the maund, also Europe carpets Mahogany planks, Painters oil colours &c. --- To be SOLD. A BUDGEROW the Dimenstons &c. of an Indiamans Long Boat with a Large Hall and Venetians enquire of Mr. Nyis in Calcutta—also a small Convenient 8 Oar'd Budgerow of 2 Rooms both in good repair, and fit for immediate Use. 24th Nov. 1781. --- ANY Person or Persons who can give information of Mr. William Maynard, will hear something to his advantage Mr. M—was 5th Mate of the Shrewsbury Indiamen Capt, Coggan about two Years and a half ago, but remain'd in India, he was seen in Calcutta, on October 1781. a line directed to K. P or to Mr. Hicky printer of the Bengal Gazette. --- NOTICE. IS hereby given, that on Monday the 7th of January and following days, the Effects belonging to the Honourable Johannes Matthias Ross Esq. will be exposed at Public Auction at Chinsurah—They Consist of Furniture, Plate, CHINA, Ware, LIQUORS of different, Sorts, Cariages, Horses, (amongst which a Set of fix gray Toorkays). Different Books in English, French, and Dutch, mongst which the Encyclopedie and the Corps diplomaticque with its Suppelments. GLOBES, TELESCOPES and MICROSCOPES, and Many other Articles. Conditions of Sale. The Goods are to be Sold for Scca Rupees, and not to be delivered to the Purchasers, until they have paid por them, and in Case they are not paid for, and removed at the last of the Month December, they will be re-sold for account, and at the Expence of the nrst Purchaser. --- AT THE ACADEMY! MRS. Griffith's Garden House near the Bytaconnah) young Gentlemen are genteely Boarded, tenderly treated and expeditiously taught by the most improved methods. The English French, Latin, and Italian Language's, grammatically. Also Writing, Accompts, Geography &c. Such Gentlemen and Ladies who think proper to honour him with the Tuition of their Children, may depend upon his most strenous Endeavours to merit their Countenance and future Recommendation, by a Religious discharge of the important Trust reposed in him, both with Respect to their Learning and Morals. For particulars Mr. COWEN begs leave to refer to Messrs. THORNHILL & KILLICAN. The terms for Board and Education are 40 Scca Rupees per. Month for all under Ten years of Age, and 50 for all above. --- CALCUTTA Printed by J. A. HICKY, First and late Printer to the HON. COMPANY.