d. At his trial
he pleaded insanity of mind; but, being found guilty, he resolved to
anticipate the execution of the sentence. That same evening he
drank poison; and, notwithstanding all the remedies that could be
administered, died in strong convulsions. His body was publicly
dissected, according to the sentence of the law; and afterwards interred
with those marks of indignity which are reserved for the perpetrators of
suicide.

{GEORGE II. 1727-1760}

NEW BRIDGE BEGUN AT BLACKFRIARS.

We shall close the domestic occurrences of this year with an account of
two incidents, which, though of a very different nature in respect of
each other, nevertheless concurred in demonstrating that the internal
wealth and vigour of the nation were neither drained nor diminished
by the enormous expense and inconveniencies of the war. The committee
appointed to manage the undertaking for a new bridge over the river
Thames, at Blackfriars, having received and examined a variety of plans
presented by different artists, at length gave the preference to the
design of one Mr. Mylne, a young architect, a native of North Britain,
just returned from the prosecution of his studies at Rome, where he had
gained the prize in the capital, which the academy of that city bestows
on him who produces the most beautiful and useful plan on a given
subject of architecture. This young man being in London, on his return
to his own country, was advised to declare himself a candidate for the
superintendency of the new bridge; and the plan which he presented
was approved and adopted. The place being already ascertained, the
lord-mayor of London, attended by the committee, and a great concourse
of people, repaired to Blackfriars, and laid the first stone of the
bridge; placing upon it a plate, with an inscription, which does more
honour to the public spirit of the undertakers than to the classical
taste of the author. [547] _[See note 4 K, at the end of this Vol.]_ The
other instance that denoted the wealth and spirit of the nation, was
the indifference and unconcern with which they bore the loss of a vast
magazine of naval stores belonging to the dock-yard at Portsmouth,
which, in the month of July, was set on fire by lightning; and,
consisting of combustibles, burned with such fury, notwithstanding all
the endeavours of the workmen in the yard, the sailors in the
harbour, and the troops in the town, that before a stop was put to the
conflagration it ha