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CONSTANTINOPLE, June 25.
AN Emir Bassa, attended by thirty Spahis, has just ar-
rived here, with the following Account of the City of
Baghdat being taken by the Persians. A great Number
of Persian Pilgrims arrived at Baghdat in the Month of
April last, in Order to visit the Tombs of the Prophet
Ali, and some of the other Imams, which lay not far
from the City. These Pilgrims, amounting to near 1500, and having
an Escort of fifty Soldiers, gave the Beglerbeg of Baghdat some Sus-
picion, and in Consequence he denied them Admittance into the
City, but assigned them some Caravanseras in the Suburbs, on the
western Side of the Tigris. This Lodgment the Persians were obliged
to submit to, which they did with much Reluctance, but manifested
their Discontent in such a Manner that confirmed the Viceroy in his
Opinion that they came with other Views than those of Religion.
This Opinion was not ill founded, as in about ten Days from the Arrival
of the Pilgrims some Horsemen arrived at Baghdat with an Account of
a Persian Army of 60,000 Men having entered the Province of Chal-
dea, and was within two Days March of the City. The Beglerbeg,
on this Intelligence, made every Preparation for Defence, and mus-
tered all the Garrison; but unhappily some Mutinies having reigned
amongst the Men, on Account of their Pay, they refused to fight,
and deserted in great Numbers to the Persians in the western Suburbs,
who had now thrown off their Disguise, and appeared that they really
were Soldiers. The Viceroy, thus deserted, retired with about 2000
Janifaries into the Castle at the north west Corner, on the River
Tigris. The Persian Army had now arrived, and to their great Joy
entered the City without striking a Stroke, and possessed themselves
of every Part but the Castle, which the Beglerbeg had fortified, and
declared he would die in it before he gave it up.

June 26. A Body of 500 Janisaries have just arrived in this City,
from Croya in Albania, with the Intelligence that the Russians have
landed 20,000 Men at Dulcigno, a Town in the Gulf of Venice,
which Town they soon made themselves Masters of, together with
Alessis and Durazzio; after which they marched for Croya, which
they invested, and after an obstinate Resistance from the Garrison the Rus-
sians entered Sword in Hand, and gave no Quarter to the Soldiers, only
the above mentioned 500 escaping, out of 3400 which were in Garrison.

PARIS, July 16. A Woman exasperated at not being able to sub-
due by her prudent Counsels her Husband's Passion for Wine, and
enraged to see him come home drunk, took up an empty Bottle, threw
it at his Head, and he fell dead on the Spot, she saying at the same
Time, “ A Drunkard ought to perish only by a Bottle.” Justice has
taken Cognizance of this Affair.

MADRID, July 27. The Spanish Ministry seem more and more
alarmed every Day by the Accounts from South America, and are
now exerting every Effort to stop the Insurrections from becoming
general. The Squadrons which were sitting out at Cadiz and Seville
are to be augmented with three Ships of the Line each, besides Fri-
gates, &c. and the Army intended to be sent is to be increased to
15,000 Men. It is hoped that this Armament will be attended with
happy Consequences.

Letters from Cadiz say, that a Number of young Gentlemen of
Rank are gone from that City to Ferrol, in Order to embark on Board
the Fleet which is to sail for South America; that they go as Volun-
teers, and have each of them taken with them several Servants, in
Order that they by their Numbers may be able totally to extirpate
the whole Race of the inhuman Chilisians from the Face of the
Earth. The Letters farther add, that those unhappy Wretches who
are taken alive will, for their Cruelty to the Spaniards, meet with the
most severe Tortures, as they have taken with them all Sorts of In-
struments proper for that Purpose.

LONDON, August 3.
A FEW Days since a working Man who lived in Oxford Street,
being reproached by his Wife for playing at Skittles, and ne-
glecting his Family, wished he might be struck dead if ever he played
again. In a Day or two afterwards he returned to his old Sport, but
had not long been engaged in it before he was seized with a Fit, and
expired in a few Minutes.

Yesterday a Man who goes by the Name of Driver, and belongs to
a Coal Wharf, eat five Pounds and a Half of Beef Stakes, and two
large Bunches of Onions, fried, at an Alehouse in Holbourn, and drank
two Pots of Porter, for a trifling Wager. His Dinner is generally
three Pounds of solid Meat, and one Pot of Porter, with Bread, &c.
in Proportion, but he neither eats Breakfast or Supper.

The following is an Expression of the Duke of Cumberland : "I
have now laid down the Duke, and taken up the plain English Coun-
try Gentleman.”

We are informed that Mrs. Sheridan has been offered 1500 l. to
sing next Winter at the Pantheon.

Saturday Night a Person, who resided at an Inn at Kingston upon
Thames some Days past, coming to Town, robbed every Carriage he
met, and took from the different Persons that were in them upwards
of 200 l. He gave the Coachmen 2 s. a Piece, and the Post Chaise
Boys 1 s. He is said to have robbed one Gentleman of 100 Guineas.

It is reported that Governour Hutchinson is shortly expected here
from America.

A Report is current, at the west End of the Town, that Thomas
Pownall, Esq; Member for Tregony, will be re-appointed Governour
of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England.

Extract of a Letter from Paris, July 24.
" The Disgrace of the Duke D'Aiguillon is at last effected, and
the Duke De Choiseul is appointed to succeed him; the Consequence
of which cannot but be dreaded, when it is considered that by this
Minister's Intrigues with the Court of Spain a few Years since the three
Kingdoms were nearly involved in a War.”

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They advise from Holland that the Price of Ammunition of all
Sorts is very high in their Ports, owing to the vast Quantities bought
up by the Russian and Turkish Agents.

We hear the Heads of a Bill for limiting the Number of Emigrants
from Great Britain and Ireland is now finished for the Inspection of
Parliament, and is to be presented early in the next Session.

The great Emigrations that have been made to America by the Ar-
ficers and small Holders of Farms in Ireland and Scotland for a great
While past, particularly within these few Years, occasioned a Meet-
ing of the landed Gentlemen of these two Nations last Week at a noted
Coffeehouse in Westminster; when taking into their Consideration the
disagreeable Consequences that must proceed from such Peregrinations,
viz, the Depopulation of these Countries, and of course the Fall of Lands,
they came to a Resolution of letting their Estates in future in small
Farms, and at such easy Rents as will enable the Holders to pay their
Landlords, and not only enjoy the Necessaries but the Conveniences
of Life.

Last Night Mr. Mount and his Son coming to Town in their Car-
riage, were stopped on Clapham Common by two Highwaymen, who
robbed them of their Gold Watches and about 20l, and this Morning
Sir John Fielding's Men took them both in Bed at Clapham.

The King of Prussia, it is said, has doubled the Duties laid upon.
Tobacco throughout his Dominions. This additional Tax will increase
his Revenues no less than 50,000 l. per Annum, on that bare Article.

After the King of Prussia had exhausted every common Species of
Exactions in Poland, his fertile Genius produced a new and unheard
of Method of pillaging. He ordered every Village and District sub-
ject to his power to furnish a Number of young Virgins, to be sent as
proper Wives for his Troopers. By this Means a great many innocent
Girls were torn from the Arms of their dearest Relations, and forced
to intermarry with those whom they never saw, and with whom they
cannot, for some Time at least, exchange Language.

Several Persons who are lately arrived from various parts of Ireland
all concur in declaring, that, in the Memory of Man, never were
seen finer or more promising Crops of all Sorts of standing Corn.

A Writer in one of the Papers, addressing Lord Dartmouth, says:
" The sudden Death of a late active Enemy to America left some
Letters from Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Oliver, and others, in the Hands
of a Member of Parliament, where they had been placed to seduce
him from the Interests of the Colonies. By this Accident they reached
Boston, and Copies of them have been sent to this Country. Your
Lordship, I presume, has seen them. It is unnecessary to say more of
them than that they abound with a malignant Censure against the
Proceedings of the People, and Invectives against Individuals, calling
for a military Force, and exemplary Punishment. Mr. Hutchinson,
knowing there was an Injunction against making these Letters publick,
ventured, in a Message to the House, to affirm that they contained
nothing that was intended to respect the Constitution of the Province.
To see how strictly he attends to Truth, your Lordship will read, in
one of his own Letters, that " there must be an Abridgment of what
are called English Liberties.” It remains with Mr. Hutchinson to show
how their Liberties can be abridged, and the Constitution un-
touched.”

The following is written on the Window of an Inn at Falmouth :
" I have seen the specious, vain Frenchman ; the trucking, scrub
Dutchman; the tame, loft Dane ; the sturdy, Self-right Swede;
the barbarous Russ; the turbulent Pole; the honest, dull German;
the Pay-fighting Swiss; the subtle, splendid Italian; the falacious
Turk, the ever-warring, lounging Maltese; the piratical Moor; the
proud, cruel Spaniard; the bigotted, base Portuguese ; and their
Countries. But hail ! once more; Old England, my native Land.
Reader, if Englishman, Scotchman, or Irishman, rejoice in the Free-
dom derived from thy Country, and maintain it sacred to Posterity.”

A Proposal has been laid before the Earl of Dartmouth for abolish-
ing the different Forms of Government in America, and forming them
into one. New York, as it is centrical, to be the Metropolis, and
each Province to send Representatives in the Manner of our Coun-
ties. Some other Proposals were made at the same Time for produc-
ing a Reconciliation, and which it is hoped will be attended to.

The Prince Stadtholder has declared his Power shall not be used to
injure the Liberty of the Press. Any Licentiousness complained of by
the Court of Versailles cannot be more aggravating than the Terms
made Use of to demand Redress.

By a Gentleman just returned from Dorset, Devonshire, and Corn-
wall, we learn that there is the finest Prospect of a plentiful Crop of
Corn ever known, and that the Hay Harvest had been uncommonly
great.

It is said the Court of Versailles, in the last Dispatches from London,
hath been given to understand, that such French Ships as shall here-
after be found with certain Species of Goods on Board at Newfound-
land, the Gulf of St. Laurence, or any other of the British Territories
in North America, will be seized and condemned by Court Martials
on the Spot, without Appeal; neither are the Subjects of that King-
dom to be permitted to purchase ready caught Cargoes of Fish from
those of Great Britain, without incurring the same Penalty.

A Letter from Warsaw; dated the 24th ult. says: "The
late Victory is of the utmost Consequence to the Russians, as the
Grand Visiar, with the Remains of his Army, has been obliged to
retire to the Mountains of Hemus, far in Romelia ; and Count Ro-
manzow, finding his Presence no longer necessary on that Side of the
Danube, repassed the River. The Generals Potemkin, Suwalow, and
Stupuchin, are marched towards Romelia, in Order to attack the
Grand Visiar, of which Undertaking we soon expect an Account, toge-
ther with their blocking up Constantinople.

It is said that some fresh Disputes are likely to take place between
our Court and that of Madrid, grounded on some Complaints from
West Florida, relative to the great Number of Guarda Costas within
the Cape.

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Soon after the Return of a certain Nabob from the East Indies, where be got upwards of
800,000l. he made some Inquiry after a Maiden Sister, whom he left in Service when he went
from England, and still finding her in the Capacity of a House Maid, after a little Conversation
with her he took his Leave, told her he was glad to see her so well, encouraged her to keep
her Place, and at going away generously gave her a Guinea.

The Alliance between Russia and Denmark is confirmed, by all the Letters received from
that Quarter.

That the Russians have worsted the Turks in several Skirmishes is universally believed, but how
they will pass Mount Hemus, in Bulgaria, to come to Constantinople, should they even rout
the grand Army of the Turks, is impossible to conceive; as Amurath, the Emperour of the
Turks, defended that Pass with only 20,000 Men against all the combined Powers of Europe,
whose Forces were commanded by one of the greatest Captains of that Age.

Letters from Petersburg advise, that an Order has been issued to the Commander in Chief of
Astracan, and to the Governour of Terki, in Circassian Russia, to levy 10000 Tartars, who
are to be sent, with other Recruits, to fill up the Regiments under Field Marshal Romanzow,
which are said to be greatly reduced in Numbers.

They write from Stockholm, that a new Camp is forming by his Swedish Majesty at
Stralsund.

Advices are received from the Continent, that four Regiments of Prussian Hussars have in-
vested the Imperial City of Frankfort, on the Lower Rhine.

Some Letters from Warsaw mention that upwards of twenty People of Distinction have been
taken up there for a Conspiracy against the King of Poland's Life.

We hear that a certain great Lady's Disorder is entirely of the nervous Kind, and has within
these few Days been so severe that she has fainted three Times in 24 Hours, though the Faculty
think her in no Danger.

The Jews who farmed the Imposts in Vienna being proved guilty of the Frauds charged on
them, their Wealth is confiscated, and they are condemned for Life to the Quicksilver Mines.

They write from Petersburg, that the Empress has instituted an Academy wherein the Sons
of Officers are to be instructed in polite Literature at her own Expense. From this Body she
has directed that the Governours of the young Nobility shall be selected.

Extract of a Letter from Coventry, August 2.
" A very eminent Hop Factor and Grocer of Birmingham, reputed to be worth upwards of
6000l. received Sentence of Death at Warwick for High Treason, by filing and diminishing the
current Coin of this Realm called Guineas; which Fact he strongly denies, with the most
solemn Asseverations. He is thought to be one of the heaviest Men in this County, weighing
upwards of 24 Stone."

There are we are told no less than 99 Petitions of Bankrupcy to be heard before the Lord
Chancellor next Week.

GLASGOW, July 29. Tuesday the Court of Session determined the important Question,
which has been long agitated in this and our neighbouring Country, “ Whether Authors should
have a perpetual, exclusive Property, in their Works, or a limited one.” The Cause before
the Court was a Prosecution brought by a London Bookseller, against three Scots Booksellers,
for printing and vending Stackhouse's History of the Bible, a Book first published in the Year
1732. The Cause was argued by the Counsel at the Bar for four Days, with much Learning,
Ingenuity, and Acuteness. The Judges delivered their Opinions at great Length this Day, and
by a Majority of twelve to one sustained the Defences and assoilzied the Defenders from the
Prosecution brought against them by the London Booksellers. Thus we have at last a solemn
Determination of our Supreme Court against the perpetual Monopoly claimed by Authors, or
rather by the Booksellers of London in their Name; a Decision, in many Respects, important
to this Kingdom. The Trade of printing in this Country, which by a contrary Judgment must
have been almost totally suppressed, may, and probably will, now be carried on to a considerable
Extent. The exorbitant Prices put upon Books by the London Monopolizers will be reduced;
and from the additional Numbers of Books that will be printed, and the Reduction of the Price,
the publick Revenue will be augmented, and the Means of Knowledge more widely diffused.
The Counsel on both sides, in the above Question, discovered great Learning and Ingenuity.
Mr. Campbell's Information for the Defenders, and also his Speech at the Bar, will be long
remembered as masterly Performances.

August 19. Thursday last there was a very numerous Meeting of the Proprietors of the
Bank of Douglas, Heron, and Company, at which were present the Duke of Queensbery,
the Duke of Buccleugh, Mr. Heron, Mr. Douglas of Douglas, &c. The Meeting unani-
mously resolved to dissolve the Company immediately, and to continue the Clerks and Offices
at the different Branches till November next. The Proprietors appointed a Committee of
Noblemen and Gentlemen to manage their Affairs at the different Branches. Which Com-
mittee is to remain in Force till November 1774, and is to manage the Business of the Com-
pany, and to continue such of the Clerks, &c. at the different Branches, after November next,
as they shall see necessary for winding up the Affairs of the Company. It was also resolved,
that any Number of the Proprietors possessing Stock to the Amount of 5000l, shall have it in
their power to call a Meeting of the Proprietors when they think proper, to inspect the Pro-
ceedings of the Committee, and the Affairs of the Company. Some Gentlemen in London
having offered to lend the Company a considerable Sum of Money, it was agreed to accept of
that Loan, for paying off their Annuities and other Debts ; and that some of the principal
Proprietors should grant heritable Security for said Loan, for which they are to be indemnified
by the Company.

Joseph Banks, Esq; is the Gentleman who is to get the above Loan for the Company, which
it is said he has generously undertaken from personal Regard to some of the Proprietors.

The Banks at Edinburgh are now receiving the Notes of Douglas, Heron, and Company,
in Payments at their Offices; they are taken up at their Offices in Air and Dumfries, and the
Value paid in Notes of the Edinburgh Banks. This Measure, we hope, will be productive of
good Consequences to the Credit of the Country.

It is said, with what Truth we know not, that some Proprietors of the Old Bank at Dumfries,
which gave up Business some Years ago, are to begin a new Bank; but it is believed several of
the Gentlemen of this Country have now had enough of BANKING.

On the DANGER of ILL HABITS and CUSTOMS.
AS in all Arts and Sciences, so in Wickedness, there are many successive Gradations to be
taken before a Man can arrive at the Summit of it. Perfection in any, even the most
simple Study, is not to be attained without some Degree of Practice and Exercise in it. By
Nature, all Men are endued with the same innate Principles; which, were they all equally
and alike treated from the first, might probably be productive of the same, or nearly the same,
Appetites and Desires. It is Custom, and not the primary Dictates of Nature, that leads Men
astray. It is common to see them long meditating the Commission of a Crime, before they
enter on the Execution of it; nor dare they make their first Essays in Wickedness without a
certain Timidity and Backwardness, than which nothing more plainly demonstrates the Absurdity
of those Mens Tenets, who hold Vice to be with some Men hereditary. It is not till after
long Continuance in a vicious Course that Men become notoriously abandoned and wicked;
the Seeds of Vice lurk long concealed in their Breasts before they spring forth, and hasten them
to the Completion of the most heinous and base Appetites. But then their natural Principles
have been long vitiated and corrupted, and when once they have deviated from the Path of Vir-
tue they are insensibly egged on forward in their vicious Course, till all prevailing Custom makes
it impossible to habituate themselves to a contrary System; for all ill Habits and Customs grow
on us by Degrees, and though seemingly of no Consequence at first, yet if once suffered to get
firm Rooting in our Breasts all Endeavours to eradicate them will prove ineffectual. Behold
the Youth suspended on the fatal Tree, when perhaps the stealing of a Sixpence was the primary
Cause of all his future Profligacies, and this ignominious Death! See that little Spark of Fire,
which (however insignificant it may now appear) is suffered to continue long unextinguished,
will in Time blaze forth, and diffuse its noxious Influence over the whole adjacent Country;
and then, all Endeavours to stop its rapid Progress will prove in vain. How dangerous then
the least Deviation from the Path of Virtue! How difficult, not to say impossible, is it for a
Man to recover the Tract of Probity, when once immersed in the contrary one of Vice! For
suppose (which indeed is too seldom the Case) I say suppose he was even desirous of meditating
how to effect this laudable Design, how many rugged Rocks and fatiguing Dangers will present
themselves to his View, which he imagines will attend the Execution of it; insomuch, that,
despairing of Success, he will probably stick fast in the Mire, without making any fruitless
Attempts to extricate himself from it. But how do the major part of Mankind, when Custom
hath once made Vice habitual to them, hurry on forwards with a blind and infatuated Insen-
sibility of their Danger! How seldom with these any Room for Reflection on their past
Conduct, or serious Thoughts how to amend their future! Or should, by Chance, any bitter
Stings of Reflection steal on them unawares, how do they fly to Company for Shelter, and try
to smother them in the oblivious Cup of Pleasure! Such then being the desperate and irreme-
diable State of those who, from small Beginnings, have insensibly become hardened in Vice and
Wickedness, Reason and Prudence dictate to their Votaries to stifle and trample under Foot
every Appearance of Vice in its earliest Dawn. Principiis obfta, resist Beginnings, is a Maxim
which, if duly observed and attended to, will prove of the greatest Emolument and Advantage
to us through Life; nor can we be too careful in avoiding any the least Inconsistency with
the Dictates of Virtue, in our earlier Years. The Mind of Man, in its Infant State, like
Wax, is capable of any Impression; but the first Signature which is given it will soon grow so
firm, and hard, that it will probably be impossible to restore it to its pristine Form.

WILLIAMSBURG, October 14.
THE Account in this Week's Gazette, under the New York Head, of the Death of Mrs.
DOUGLASS (taken from Mr. Rivington's Paper) we find to be erroneous; for by late
Advices from Annapolis in Maryland, where the American Company of Comedians is now per-
forming, that Lady was in very good Health, and acting on the Stage with her usual Applause.

[Deaths.] Mr. JEFFERY GRISLEY, of King William.