"Southampton was thrown into consternation on Saturday morning, by an event which was variously reported by different narrators in the course of the day; but, 'ere night, all ideas of French spies, false Emigrants, &c., subsided, and the event turned out to be 'that three French prisoners from Porchester, had made their escape to Southampton.' A party of pleasure had engaged Wassell's vessel to go to the Isle of Wight. At an early hour on Saturday morning, on repairing to the Quay, the man could not discover his pleasure boat. Every one was concerned for his loss, and many hours elapsed before any tidings could be heard of her, when some fishing boats gave information that they had met her near Calshot Castle, about three o'clock in the morning, but had no suspicion she had been run away with. In the evening, news arrived, that in steering, to keep as far from Spithead as possible, the Frenchmen were near running on shore at Ride. This circumstance convinced the pilots that Wassell was not on board when they went to her assistance, secured the three French men, and saved the vessel for the owner."—(Times, July 2, 1799.)
"'To which university,' said a lady, some time since, to the late sagacious Dr. Warren, 'shall I send my Son?'—'Madam,' replied he, 'they drink, I believe, near the same quantity of port in each of them.'"—(Times, Feb. 19, 1798.)
It was in this year that Jenner first wrote on Vaccination. The following paragraph refers to Inoculation, which was introduced into England, circa 1718, by Lady Mary Wortley Montague, who had seen it practised in Turkey:—
"Memento narare multis officium alterius.—Mr. W. Holt, Surgeon, of the parish of Tottenham High Cross, has generously undertaken (within the last two months) to inoculate the poorer part of the inhabitants of the parish, for the small pox, which he has done (and that gratis) to the amount of some hundreds, the whole of which number have done well, not one patient excepted. The above act is praiseworthy, and will redound much to Mr. Holt's honour. It is to be hoped the above example will be followed by other Medical Gentlemen, if so, in a few years we shall not see, as we now daily do, the ill-effects of that dreadful disease, the small pox, in the natural way."—(Times, March 28, 1798.)
"Previous to the Humane Society's Procession (at the London Tavern, next Tuesday) of those who have been restored to life this year, an Introductory Dialogue, written after the manner of Virgil's pathetic and beautiful pastorals, by John Gretton Esqre, will be spoken by two young Gentlemen. Rising genius was fully experienced at the last Anniversary. What then must not be the gratification to a British heart, where to the solemn scene of our resuscitated brethren,[25] is superadded the efforts of these able advocates in the cause of humanity, and the sublime views of this most excellent Institution?"—(Times, April 14, 1798.)
"ANECDOTE.
"It is a fact of which we can assure our readers, that the following extraordinary Letter was sent to a worthy Baronet not a hundred miles from Whitehall. It was tied round the neck of an unfortunate animal, who, we are sorry to say, appears to have been made the victim of party malice, and the unfeeling passions of men:
"THE RATS LETTER.
("Health and Fraternity.)
"Sir,—I am a desperate Rat, gratified indeed in the present opportunity of congratulating you, though lately separated from my family and connexions, having been caught in the grating of Mr. Pitt's cage, in Downing St., prostrate at his feet, I escaped death, and even castration, in the consideration that I belong to your worthy fraternity, and upon condition that I should inform you of certain truths, however grating. Since the discovery of the conspirators, your orations have not been underated, for they have not been rational. If your treaty with them has been ratified, you will be well scratched, and so forbear prating for the present. Besides it is a desideratum that you should have nothing to say to Mr. Grattan, and that you should not Co-operate with the Irish-Marats. Let your narrations concerning Ratisbon, or Ratstadt, be moderate, and endeavour to make reparation for all the nonsense you have talked, and the mischief you have not operated. Sequestrate yourself with your venerated old Aunts, and deal out rations of oatmeal, and cheese, to your prating brats, whom everybody commiserates, and arbitrate between cowherds, and bullock drivers. Demonstrate that you are a wise man in your generation: Exempli gratia, this year, having been beat blind by the bulk of bullocks, try next to run down your successor in a race of ameliorated Rats. Full of admiration, and great gratitude, I give you the fraternal hug, and rate myself, with great consideration, without alteration. Your grateful Frater (Gratis)