CHRONICLE. 
now so far recovered as to be able to 
walk about occasionally. 
20th. A fire consumed seven cot- 
tages at Sheering, near Harlow. 
21st. This day the senior scholars 
of St. Paul’s school, pursuant to an- 
nual custom, delivered public orations 
before the mercers’ company, the 
- trustees and patrons of the school, 
and a very numerous and respectable 
audience. The theses from which they 
spoke were in Latin and Greek, and 
did credit to the judicious selection 
of the high master, the rev. doctor 
Roberts; and the young gentlemen 
acquitted themselves much to the sa- 
tisfaction of all present. The sub- 
ject most interesting was, the long 
depending dispute concerning the an- 
cients and moderns, with respect to 
literary merit and mental excellence ; 
in the discussion of which, much spi- 
rit and ingenuity were shewn. On 
this subject, Hincks, senior, appear- 
ed to carry the palm for animated 
delivery and vigorous verse. His 
brother, in opposition, had much fe- 
licitous allusion and neat point. The 
strength of the argument, however, 
was certainly with the mediator Cur- 
* tis. —Bentley (the third of the family) 
was very deservedly applauded, for 
distinct enunciation, correct concep- 
tion, and action graceful and appro- 
priate. 
23d. About two this afternoon, a 
dreadful storm of thunder, lightning, 
hail, and rain came on at Biggle- 
_ $wade ; during its continuance, a fire- 
ball fell upon a stable belonging to 
Mr. Wells, and set fire to the thatch, 
but was prevented doing any further 
_ mischief through the assistance of the 
inhabitants. . 
Two fine horses, (valued at 701.) 
belonging to Mr. William Connell, 
farmer, of Needham-street, Suffolk, 
were killed by lightning, by a sudden 
383 
tempest, whilst at plough. Mr. C. 
himself, ‘overlooking his workmen 
in the field, was struck by the elec- 
trical fluid ; which affected his 
whole frame so much, as to occasion 
a temporary suspension of faculty, 
from which, however, he recovered 
in a few minutes, without any far- 
ther injury. 
24th. At 12 in the evening, three 
Londoners driving a spirited but 
blind hoxse in a gig, were overset in 
a small pond on Bush-hill, the horse 
nearly suffocated, and one of the 
company, a son of Mr. Ibbitson’s, of 
Durands, in Enfield parish, so sunk 
in the mud, under the carriage, the 
shafts of which were broken, that he 
died a short time after his return 
home. 
The body of Mr. Smith Ramage, 
a merchant of eminence in Dublin, 
and one of the directors of the na- 
tional bank, was found in the canal 
near that city. He rode out on 
Sunday, and his horse was found on 
the day following, near the spot 
where his body was afterwards dis- 
covered. 
At Ackworth, Mrs, Townley and 
her son, who resided at that place, 
had removed to a new house, and, 
in order to dry their bed rooms, 
which had been newly plaistered, 
they burnt in them, during the night, 
a chaffing dish with charcoal. In 
the morning they were both found 
dead! 
25th. As Dr. Bowen, an eminent 
surgeon of Bath, was riding in his 
carriage, this evening, near the 
Grove, his horses took fright, and 
ran down the street with great vio- 
lence; his coachman was thrown 
from the box; a poor labouring man, 
in endeavouring to stop the carriage, 
was trampled under the horses feet, 
the carriage went over his body, and 
