LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA oo PRESENTED BY MRS. C. W. KENTMifcellaneous CrolPrecty ons ae Translations from the beft Englifh and German Authors. —— Per multas aditum fibi faepe figuras Repperit Ovid. Met. L. 14. v, 6526 Bremen, | by M. Kohler, 1793.eS 5 etnies een Swasl i = 2 + aa a ¥ ka ot \ { ‘ é © aed ‘ Mink i on s a 0 ee ~ es ‘ € —— e i ' = t = ~~ é on » - s* ‘ . f : rs © rt 4 é ee . . » * ‘ s = i é ~ a. % i ¢ ‘ ‘ é é« F E. cie « « o Z 4 - - 3 ns = - =~ as ae pena s 97. - ees an ADVERTISEMENT. I. is with authors as with inn-kee- pers,— and, fign- pofts and prefaces are only tricks of a different name; but ferve both to allure cuftomers,—I fhalkf leave it to my’readers, tomake as much of the Metaphor, as they pieafe, and content my felf with having jult given them a hint, that a very inflignificant author may as well hang out a brilli- ant preface; as a poor inn - keeper a fhining fign- poft.— To avoid, the- refore, as much as poffible, the fate of the unfortunate daw in the fable, [ muft acquaint them, that the greateft, and by far the beft part of this book, or . A 2 ratherrather compilation, if they pleafe, be- longs to other people. ‘Thus, all the merit, —- in cafe there fhould be any — { may clam, is, that, I -colletted and translated fueh eflays and treatifes as I thought, would beft fuit my defign, which is, to inftruét aswell as to amufe. If this my double end fucceeds, I fhall think myfelf fufficiently recompenfed, if not, 1 muft be fatisfied with the con- (cioufsnefs of having. endeavoured to be ufeful, ANEC-ANECDOTES AND BONS MOTS. a ome timevafter the late Lord Waldegrave S abjured the catholic religion, he was fent Ambaflador to France, where he refided fe- veral years. Being one day at an entertain- | ment where his coufin the Duke of Berwick, : and many other noblemen, ‘were prefent, the Duke wanting to mortify him on the. {core of religion, asked his Lordship, whe- ther the miniffers~of ftate, or the mini fiers of the gospel, had the greateft {hare in his converfion,— ,,Lam aftonished) my Lord Duke, “ fays Waldegrave, ,,how yon can ask » me fuch a queftion! Do not you know, ,, that when | abjured the roman catholic reli- gion, J left of confeffion ! * Santeuil, a celebrated writer of Jatin hymns in France, during the laft century , having once a confeffional drefs on, a Lady; who took him fora confeffor, fell upon her knees, and recounted all her fins, The poet muttered fomething to himfelf, The peni- A 3 tentse S 2 . Soo bt . : caine ee SE 4 a - fe ee we icenieetote a eS. OE St a: = - : Se ee sat OI SE ME IE 2 cleat eae, aay 6 tent, thinking he was reproaching her for her vifit to fir Ifaac New- ton. The fervant faid, he wasin his ftudy. .No one was permitted to difturb him there; but, as it was near his dinnertime, the vifi- tor fat down to wait for him, In a fhort time a boiled chicken under a cover wasbro- ught in for dinner. An hour paffed, and fig Ifaac did not appear. The Doétor then ate the fowl; and, covering up the empty difh, defi- - red the fervant to get an other dreffed for his matter. Before that was: ready, the great man came down, He apologized for his de- lay, and: added,— ,, Give me but leave to take my fhort dinner, and I fhall be at your fervice. J] amfatigued and faint, * saying this he lifted up the covert, and, without any emotion, turned about to Stukely with a fmile.— ,,See,“S hefays, ,, what we Rudi- gus people are!— I forgot that I had di- ned, * i Pope having been lighted home by a Linkboy, offered te give him fomewhat lefs than he expected; upon which he demanded more; Pope protefted that he had no more Half-13, Half-pence left, repeating a Term familiar to him, when a little vexed, God mend me! The Boy finding that nothing was to be got, went away muttering loud enough to be over-heard, ,,God mend me, God mend me, ‘quotha! Five - Hundred fuch as I might be: made before one fuch a crooked fon of a Bitch as you could be mended! ,»Pope, on this, cal- led him back, and gave him Half a Crown as a Reward for his Wit, The Princefs of Pruffia, having ordered fome rich filks from Lyons; which pay ahigh duty at Stetin, the place of herréftdence, the cuftomhoufe officer rudely arrefted them un- till the duties fhould be paid. The Princefs, incenfed, let him know that fhe would fatisfy his demands, and defired that he would co- me himfelf with the filks for that purpofe, On his entrance into the apartments of the Princefs, fhe flew at him, feized the mer- chandize, gave the Officer two or three cuffs in the face, ~and turned him out of doors, The proud and mortified excifeman, in a violent fit of refentment, drewup a memo- tial, in Which he complained bitterly of the disfhonourable treatment he had met with in the exercife of his office. The king havingi eR Ce ae ee ng = nae wre _ an SI See een ed —-s j ¢ Ig’ having read the memorial, answered it 2s follows : »» Lhe lofs of the duties belongs to my ., account, The filks are to remain in the »» pofleffion of the Princefs.— The cuits -», with him that received them.— Asto the »,{uppofed difhonour, I cancel it at the re- oy queit of the cémplainant:—~ but it is of ,,itfelf null;— for the white hand of a. fair » Lady cannot poffibly difhonour'the face of ,,a cuftomhoufe officer,“ (Signed) Berlin, Nov. 3o, 1778. FREDERICKs The Bifhop of Ermeland loft a great por- tion of his revenues, in confequence of the occupation of part ef Poland by the King of Proffia, Soon after this event, in the year 1773. he waited upon his Majefty at Pots- dam, and the King aiked him, ,,if, after, what had happened, he could have ftillany friendfhip for him,““— ,, Sire, faid the pre- late, ,,1 fhall never forget my duty as a good fubjett to my fovereign,.— ,, 1 am“ replied the King, ftill your very good friend, and pre- fume likewife much upon your friendfhip for meaa a eres tS. me; for fhould St. Peter ,refufe me entrance | into paradife, 1 hope. you will have the goodnefs to hide me under your mantle, and to take me along with you.%*— ,, Sire ,“* re- turned the Bifhop, ,, that will fcarce be gof- fiole; your Majefty has cut, it too fhort, to admit of my carrying any contrabant goods under it,** The King felt the reproof, and fhewed no mark of difpleafure, by which-the good humour of. the company could be in- terrupted, | During his Majefty’s laft painful illnefs, that eminent Phyfician, Dr. Zimmerman of Hanover, attended him, One day, when he. waited upon his Majefty, the King faid to him, — You have, Sir, I fuppofe, helped many one into another world.“ Not fo many, ,,feplied Zimmerman, ,,as your Maje- fty, nor with fo much honour to myfelf,* While the King was laying out his gar- den at Sans-Souci, a mill was in his way, - and he ordered the miller to be treated with for the purchafe of it, The miller was loth to fell his mill, and the King offered to build him another in any part of the country he fhould chufe, But all was in vain, the miller would not part with the old family; mill, —— ppressiatie etn cy Cerra rn ee a eg ery WS ir A nl ae <=ie - — — — acts S PD cies — : + — ae * ne ae i SE RN ca aes apts Ses ul oantiain ——— _ “ Mig il shew a a a > a 1a mill. ,,Dont you know“ faid the ‘King , _ , that if I pleafe I may take your mill, turn you out, and not pay you 4 Farthing for ites*— ,, Aye replied the miller, ,,that you might, if there was no fach thing as s ‘fupreme court of juftice at Berlin,” The King laughed heartily, left him his mill, and al- tered the whole plan of his gatden, Mr. Locke having been introduced by. Lord Shaftesbury to the Duke of Bucking=) ham and Lord Halifax, thefe three noblemen inftcad of converfing with the Philofopher, as might naturally have been expected, on literary fubjets, in a very short time fat down to cards, Mr. Locke, after looking’ on for fome time, pulled out his pocket - book, and began to write with great attention. One of the company obferving this, took the li- berty of afking him, what he was writing. »» My Lord ** fays- Locke, Iam endeavouring as far as poflible, to profit by my pre- fent fituation, for having waited with impa- tience for the honour of being in company with the greateft geniufes of the age, I tho- wght I could do nothing better than to write down your converfation; and indeed, I have fet down the fubftance of what you have faidI7 faid for this hour or two.** This well timed ridicule had its defired effeét, and thefe noble- men, fully fenfible of its force, immedia- tely quitted their play, and entered into a cotverfation more rational, and better fuited to the dignity of their characters. REMARKS CONCERNING THE SAVA- GES OF. NORTH - AMERICA, BY DR. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, The Indian men, when young, are hun- ters and warriors; when old, counfellors; for all their government is by thecounfel or advice of the fages; there is no force; there are no prifons, no officers to compel obedi- ence, or inflict punifhment. Hence they ge- nerally ftudy oratory; the beft {peaker having the moft influence, The Indian women till the ground, drefs the food, nurfeand bring- up the children, and preferve and hand down to pofterity the memory of public trans- a€tions. Thefe emplojments of men and vgg- men are accounted natural and SEcocrabtt Having few artificial wants, they have abun- | dance of leifure for improvement by conver- fation, Our laborious manner of life com- | ea pared18 pared with theirs, they efteem flavifh and pafe; and the learning on which we value ourfelves, they regard as frivolous and ufelefs, Having frequent occafion to hold public councils, they have acquired great order and decency in conduéting them, The old men Gt in the foremoft ranks, the warriors in the next, and the women and children in the hindmoft, The bufinefs of the women is to take exact notice of what pafiles, imprint it in. their memories, for they have nowri- ting , and communicate it to their children, They are the records of the council, and they preferve tradition of the ftipulations in treaties a hundred years back; which, when we compare with our writings, we alwajs find exa@t, Hethat would fpeak, rifes. The reft obferve a profound filence. When he has finifhed, and fits down,they leave him five or fix minutes to recollect, that if he has omitted any thing he intended to fay, or has ffiy thing to add, he may rife again, and deliver it. To interrupt an other, even in common converfation, is reckoned highly in- decent, ~ 4 The19 The politenefs of thefe Savages in con- verfation, is, indeed, carried. to excefs; fince it does not permit them to contradi&, or deny the truth of what is afferted in their pretence. By this means they indeed avoid difputes; but then it becomes. difficult to Know their minds, or what impreffion you make upon them, The miffionaries who have attempted to convert them to Chriftianity all complain of this as one of the great difficul- ties of their miffion, The Indians hear with patience the truths of the gofpel explained to them, and give their ufual tokens of affent “and approbation; you would think they were convinced,— No fuch matter, It is mere ci- vility. A Swedifh minifter having affembled the chiefs of the Salquehanah Indians made a fer- mon te them, acquainting them with the principal hiftorical faéts on which our relj- gion is founded; fuch as the fall of our firft parents by eating an apple; the coming of Chrift to repair the mifchief; his miracles and fufferings, &.c.— When he had finit- hed, an Indian Orator ftced upto thank him, sy» What you have told us“ fays he, ,,is alk very good, Itis indeed bad to eat apples. | B32 It isSeer SON” eee cet i i a 20 It is better to make them all into Cyder. Weare much obliged by your kindnefs in coming fo far, to tell us thofe things, which you have heard from your mothers, In return, I will tell you fome of thofe we have heard from ours,“ In the beginning our fathers had only the flefh of animals to fubfift on; and if their hunting was unfuccefsful, they were ftarving, Two of our young hunters, having kilied a deer, made a fire in the woods to broil fo- me parts of it. When they were about to fatisfy their hunger, they beheld a beautiful young wo- man defcend from the clouds, and feat her- felf on that hill which you fee yonder among the blue mountains, ‘They faid to each other, it is a {pirit that perhaps has {melt our broi- ling venifon, and wifhes to eat of it: let us offer fome to her, They prefented her with the tongue: fhe was pleafed with the taite of it, and faid, your kindnefs fhall be re- warded. Come to this place after thirteen moons, and you fhall find fomething that will be of great benefit in nourifhing you and your children to the lJateft generation, They did fo, and to their furprize, found plants} 5° plants they had never feen before; but which, from that ancient time. have beeu _conttantly cultivated among us, to our great advantage, Where her right hand had tous ched the ground, they found maize; where her left hand had touched it, they found kid- ney beans; and where her bakfide had fat on it, they found tobacco.‘* The good Mif- fionary, difgufted with this idle tale, faid ; 9» What I delivered to you were facred truths, but what you tell me, is,mere Fable, fiction and falfehood.*‘ The Indian, offended, re- plied; ,,My brother, it feems your friends have not done you juftice iu your education; they have not wellinftru¢ted you inthe rules of common civility. You faw, that we who under- ftand and prattife thoferules, believed all your {tories; why do you refufe to believe ours ?““— When any of them come into our towns, our people are apt to croud round them, and incommode them where they defire to be. private: this they efteem great rudenefs, and the effeét of the want of inftruétion in the rules af civility aud good manners. ,,We have, ** fay they, as much curiofity as you, 5,and when you come into our towns, we wifh for opportamities of looking at you; | BZ but22, but for this purpofe we hide ourfelves behind bufhes where you are to pafs, and never intrude ourfelves into your company.** Their manner of entring one anothers village has likewife its rules, It is reckoned uncivil in travelling ftrangers to enter a vil- lage abruptly, without giving notice of their approach. Therefore, as foon as they arrive within hearing, they ftop and hollow, re- maining there till invited to enter, Two old men ufually come ont to them and leadthem in, There is in every village a vacant dwel- ling, called the ftrangers honfe, ‘Here they are placed, while the old men go round from hut to hut, acquainting the inhabitants that ftrangers are arrived, who are probably hungry and weary, andevery one fends them, what he can fpare of victuals and fkins to repofe on. When the ftrangers are refrefhed, pipes and tobacco are brought; and then, but not before, converfation begins, with enquires, who they are, whither bound, what news, et cet. and it ufually ends with offers of fervices; if the ftrangers have occafien of guides or any neceflaries for continuing their journey; and nothing is exacted for the entertainment, The fame hospitality, eftee- med23 med among them as a principal virtue, is practifed by private perfons, of which Conrad Weifer, our interpreter, gave me the follo- Wing inftance. He had been naturalized among the fix nations, and fpoke well the Mohoek language. In going through the In- dian country, to, carry a meflage from our Governor to the council of Onondaga, ‘he cal- led at the habitation of Canaffetego, an old acquaintance, who embraced him, fpread furs for him to fit on, placed before him fome boiled beans and venifon, and mixed fome rum and water for his drink, When he was well refrefhed, and had lit his pipe, Canals fetego began to converfe, with him: Afked how he had fared the many years lince they had feen each other, whence he then came, what had oceafioned the journey et. cet, Conrad anfwered all his queftions; and when the difcourfe began to flag, the Indian, to ecntinue, it; faid, ,,Conrad you have lived long among the white people, and know fomething of their cuftoms; I have been fo- metimes at Albany, and have obferved, that once in feven days they fhut up their fhops, and affemble all in the great houfe; tell me what it is for;—» What do they do there. Ba They EE epee ry reac a oe mene So pinion — a at Es gf =e aaenee ad my Ree cae ——— < Pe eeee ts “ns ieee . a re ae ee ena 24 They meet there.“ fays Conrad, to hear and learn good things. ,,1 do not doubt,“ fays the Indian, ,,that they tell you fo; they have told me the fame: but I doubt the truth of what they fay, and [] will tell you my reafons. [ went lately to Albany to fell my fkins, and buy blankets, knives, powder, rumet. cet. You know [I generally ufed to deal with Hans Hanfon; but I was a little inclined this time to try fome other merchants However, I called firft upon Hans, and afked him what he would give for beaver. He faid he could not give more than four fhillings a pound: But, fays he, I cannot talk on bufinefs now; this is the day when we meet together to learn good things, and ,,[ am going to the meeting. So I thought to myfelf fince I cannot do any bufinefs to-day, I may as well go to the meeting too, andl went with him.— There ftood up a man in black, and began to talk to the people very angrily, I did not under- ftand what he faid; but perceiving that he looked much at me, and at Hanfon, I ima- gined he was angry at feeing me there; fo I ‘went gut; fat down near the houfe, ftruck fire, and lit my pipe, waiting till the muting25 meeting fhould breakup; I thonght too, that the man had mentioned fomething of beaver, and I fufpetted it might be the fubje¢t of their meeting, So when they came out, I accofted my merchant.— Well, Hans, fays I, I ho- pe you have agreed to give more than four fhillings a pound? ‘* No, fays he, I cannot give fo much, [ cannot give more than three fhillings and fix pence,’ I then {poke to feveral other dealers, but they all fung the fame fong, three and fix pence, This made it clear to me that my iuspicion was right, and that whatever they pretended of meeting to learn good things, the real purpofe was to confult how to cheat Indians in the price of beaver. Confider but a little, Conrad, and you muft be of my opinion, if they meet fo often to learn good things, they certainly would have learnt fome before this time. But they are ftiil ignorant. You know our practice, Jf a white man, in travelling through our country, meets one of our cabins , we all treat him, as [ treat yous we dry him if, hefjis wet, we warm him if he is cold, and give him meat and drink, that he may (allay his thirft and hunger; and we fpread foft furs Bis forile OOO PT OR TT ag ’ a ae SS AAINNO RUE TENE inns es OE, 26 for him; to reft aud fleep ont We demand nothing in return. *) But if I gointoa white man’s houfe at Albany, and afk for victue als and drink, they fay, where is your mo- ney? And if I have none, they fay, go out you Indian dog, You fee, they have not yet learned thofe little good things, that we need no meeting to be inftruéted in, becaufe our mothers taught them to us when we were children; and therefore it is impoffible their meetings fhould be as they fay, for any fuch purpofe, or have any fuch effect = they are only to contrive the cheating of Iu- dians in the price of beaver,‘* RE- *) Itis remarkable, that in all ages and countries, hofpitality has been allowed as the virtue of thefé, whom the civilized were pleafed to call barbarians, The Greeks celebrated the Scythi- ans for it; the Saracens pofleled it eminently ; and it is ta this day the reigning virtue of the wild Arabs, St, Paul too, in the relation of his vojage and fhipwreck on the Island of Malta. fays, ,,The barbarous people fhewed us no litle kindnefs; for they kindled a fire and reccived us every one, becaufe of thee, prefent tain, and: becaufe of the cold,«27 REPLEXIONS ON PROSPERITY . AND ADVERSITY. , It is 2 common remarks it is almof a proverb; that itis more difficult to bear pro- iperity than adverfity. For this obfervation we have to thank the inattention and barbarity of mankind, whofe obfervations are, in ge- neral, Ginecicile and who feem ftrenuous to promote infeniibility to, the condition, and to the merit of the poor, The rich are not fatisfied with being often induftrious to ob- trude on the minds of the miferable, a melancholy comparifon, by the display of pomp, and the air of dominion; they muft likewife aggmamate their calamities with info- | wvhich hypocritically affumes the garb o @rimitive and. apoftolic confola- tion: They tell them, that they have an eafier part to act ino life than themfelves, With equal propriety might they aflert, that it is more agreeable to wear a chain than bracelet; or that the curyent of life flows *, Siberian fhow lent nonfem more briikly on a mountait than ina blooming Italian arbour, enlivened with the genial influence of the fun, and with the mufic of the chorifters of the {pring, WereWere a rational and good being to come among us, from fome better Sphere; and were he told that one part of human race enjoyed all that was defirable in nature and in art; that they were bleffed with all pof- fible affluence and delicacies; but that the other and by far the greater, part, pined in want, and were galled with all the afperi- ties of life: This benevolent being would im- mediately conclude, that the rich and power- ful were ever anxious and diligent to relieve Ad Ms fi ane a it oe “.3 ee 4 FY : 5 ; ' ie ee | aoe: te e ao Pe se y ees = ra oes Ae Pa at) taf ie ret x 3 far a im. wee fs ee ; 1 r 1 A { ' f ia ‘a kh Rr A ae ‘io gl i y mt 's it ‘ { Li mi ey Be bi | < HE. 1 rte | me ot . ; i the miferies of their brethren, of beings formed , in body and mind, exattly like themfelves. He would imediately conclude that whena perifhable mortal fat down, in the extreme inclemency off thebfeafon, to a | all hofe objets that charm the fenfes and imagination 3 our amiable ftranger would conclude, that he would fometimes, at leaft recolleét his un- happy neighbour, fhivering with cold, and ftung with hunger, and that on the recol- leftion, a noble dif@knefis would feize his ap- petite; his fplendour would grow dim around him; and the tear of humanity and fraternal love, would gliften in his eye, = od ie Tes pele pen ay | ducal repaft, furrounded wit The29 The man of rank and fortune has the moft powerful incitements to the moft gene- rous condu¢t, and to every great and lauda- ble enterprize. Howamply is he empowered to perform atts of charity and beneficence; if he could be but perfuaded, to take the path to true happinefs; if he but once felt the ex- alted pleafure of doing good! he might wipe tears from many eyes, and ftimulate the energy of many an ethereal mind, witho- ut contracting the becoming {plendour of his fiation; without relinquifhing one genuine enjoyment. Whatafriend to the wellfare and order of fociety would he be; what a friend to religion: if he vifited the fatherle/s, and widows in their afflitton; if, he foothed their grief, and fupplied their indigence; if he in- vited unfortunate genius and virtue, from poverty and obfcurity, to his protection, and gave them their proper place and dignity, If he made the/e moft amiable and noble a¢ti- ons the great objects of his life, what angelic raptures would he feel; and what raptures of joy and gratitude would he communicate mankind!— He whofe very bow, is benig- nity, whofe fmile is meritorious! But alas! this is all hypothefis! a pleafing picture, but | not ‘ pormremenntehcs 5 DE sian cares am ‘ ge 8 ea SS i es ol : oe" a ae een - See 48 = Sa aac Sey renee _ IRIa5 = Te eae colon ee it ee eS : = a aw SE ek ee. : ae ee ere oo aeateee os t ay Pa Pcs Ee eee sg oe eae 7" a ~~ — ae - 39 not drawn from the life; it bears not the leaft fimilitude to the meral lineaments of the rich, and of titular nobility. The wealthy and the great, unfortunately for their real and durable happinefs, are net trained to think. We are ftrongly follicited by our na- tural propenfity to pleafure: hence they are precipitated into intemperance and excefs; and they foon contraét thofe habits of fenfuality which accompany them through life; becaufe they reflect not on theit dreadful confequen- ces, Can we fuppofe, that thofe who are in- groffed by this moft infimous trade, and by thefe frivolous ontertainments, can /udmit (can fubmit, did-«I fay? can afpire) to™that liberal application which is requifite, if we mean to make a manly progrefs in literature and fcience? We commonly fit down with great reluétance to rational compofure and to thought. The human mind, even when habituated to intelle¢tual archievements of- ten retires, not without fome difiicuity, from the objects of fenfe, from the trifles of the day; concenters itfelf, and there performs thofe beautiful and wonderful operations which be- 4 come the monuments of genius, the admira- tion31 tion of ages, Can we fuppofe then, that they whofe manners I have been defcribing, will ever have refolution enough to combat andto conquer the pain whichalways attends the coms mencements of clofe application? They, who by their indolence and other fatal indulgen- ces, have reduced themfelves to the helplefs fate of a fecond childhood,’ in the prime and maturity of life; who cannot walk from one ftreet to another, nor put on their own clo- aths ? dae oa TSOU-Y, OR THE PHILOSOPHER: A CHINESE HISTORY. A ftrange Idea fora Prince once ente- red the head of Tfching Ouhan, Emperor of China, of glorious memory. He would ab- folutely know what was meant by the word Phitofopher. One would imagine this Mo- narch had very little to do; although, moft certainly, this amufement was far better than that of killing flies, which was the very ferious occupation of one of the ancient tyrants and fcourges of this unfortunate Globe. The flighteft intimation of a Sovereign is acommand, A proclamation was inftantly pub-—— 32 publifhed,. that whoever laid claim to the title of Philofopher, fhould repair to court, and proftrate himfelf before the imperial throne, Ticheow-Kong, *) who was the exellent. Minifter of this Prince, took particular care to fecond the proclamation, by cauting the moft diligent fearches to be made fora — Philofopher. The celebrated Cham Sou had toomuch vanity to fuppofe, that any other than him- felf could afpire to the honours of the Sages Proud of having compofed near a hundred volumes on Confucius, appeared before his Sovereign with the fulleft confidence of fuc- cefs, He boafted of his talents, his number- lefs productions, and particularly of his hu- manity, difintereftnefs, and exemplary piety. But the Emperor upon enquiry, found that he was unfeeling and vindittive , ambitious of being talked of by whatever means; and wanting, moreover in politenefs, +) » 1 his *) Kong is the titlenextin dignity to tae Emperor, and anfwering to the Vizir of the Turks, +) Polirenefs is efteemed of the utmoft impor- tanee among the Chinele, Hence in converfa- tion, when they {peak to others, they employ the moft exalting expreflions ; but when of themfelyes , the moft degrading,33, » Lhis, certainly, is not the man I want,‘ faid Tiching Quang;— fend him away.‘ Cham fou left the Palace, and vented hisre- fentment in a fatire againft the Prince, who only pitied this infortunate man of letters, and laughed. at his defamatory libel, Pfé-é was the uext, who appeared in the liftS. He wrote with enthufiafm, He was fond to accumulate the clouds that ob- fcured the truth, inftead of endeavouring to difperfe them. He had publifhed a variety of books, all very philofophical, and— very ufelefs to mankind. A difgufting pride was - apparent in his moft trifling. ations. ‘Singu- larity$ in particular, diftinguifhed him from all other writers; and, indeed , he knew the weak fide of men, and the méans to make them fiure: for this fame fingularity’had given wings to a reputation, which muft otherwife have crept on the ground, and then funk in- to oblivion. He would not for the world drefs himfelf like any of his. fellow-citizans He ate his meat hot, --- becaufe the Chi- nefe ate theirs cold. They drunk their liquor hot, and that was a fufficient motive to drink his cold. In all companies he would declare how much he detefted mankind ; yet pas Me his34 | his firft wifh, it was evident, Was to gain their good opinion. When he was not the fub- je of their converfation he was writched 5 and to fuch a degree was he infetted by this diftemper of the foul, that he envied a malefactor, who was. about to undergo a ca- pital punifhment, becanfe that day his crime and merited fate had engaged the whole at- tention of the city. Befides, his writings neither enlarged the circle of pleafure, nor of reafon: there was in them not the leaft appearance of plan, method or connection, He was read by. all, and underftood by no- ne; a circumftance, which, more than any thing elfe, perhaps, had contributed to make him popular. — 4A Philofopher, ‘* faid Tiching Ouang: ,, he is indeed a very divers ting animal, But take him away, take him away‘. Kiong, the moft humble ofBonzes, *) was of opinion, that notwithftanding his abfolute renunciation of all terreftrial things, the ho- nour and intereft of religion required him to appear at court on thisoccafion, In the num- ber of his'eminent virtues he defcantedon his filthy *) A Chinefe or Japonele Prieft,35 filthy appearance; his profound ignorance $ his abfolute ufelefsnefs to the World; his grimaces; his continual contorfions; and , above all, the nails with which his rump, Was moft zealoufly and moft abundantly lar. ded, This fanttified Idiothad not the leaft doubt, that his Imperial Majefty would ad- mire in him the archetype of trae philofophy, Exatt to the moft minute pointy in the ob- {eryation of an infinity of fuperftitious rites, he did not fail to exalt his fe€t upon the ru- ins of every other, He took particular care, moreover, to abufe mankindin general; con- cluding all his inve€tives by anindire&t enco- mium on his very infignificant verfon; *) his excellent qualities; and his ations, worthy to be recorded in the national archieves, Nor did he hefitate to declare himfelf fupefior to his brethren, the other Bonzes. It is true, that this great man had diftigguifhed himfelf by theuncommon and inimitable perfeverance, to remain twenty years nailed in a niche, his C2 arms me aie — ~ _ oP ‘ *) This expreffion, as before obferved, is agrea eable to the Chinefé rules vof politenefs. Even the Emperor alwais employs it when {peaking @f himfelf, &arts raifed to heaven , and his head reclining on his left fhoulder. *) ~The Emperor had the patience to hear him, and to count his nails one after another. He had next the goodnefs to order that his Phyficians fhould take charge of this religions Mountebank, and endeavour to reftore him to his fenfes; for from true virtue and wifdom he was indeed too remote. | ,, What! “© exelaimed Tfching Ouang, is there not in all my extenfive dominions ,,fuch acharaéter as I have immagined a Sage ,,to be?— ,, Behold him, “ faid a mandarin, who at that inftant arrived out of breath, His triple chin +) befpoke the eafe of health, and the happinefs of unconcern: ,, Sublime Son of Heaven, *‘ continued he, ,, behold the model of Philofophy. I am occupied ouly by the care of living; I devote myfelf to no other ftudy. I make every thing tend to my own #:) Almoft incredible inftances of this Kind are related in the hiftory of Eaftern vojages, +) Corpulency, in China, entitles aman to great icfpedt, A Mandarin who has the glorious advantage , to haye a triple chin, enjoys the oreatelt refpe& from the people,37 own felf, as to the centre of the univerfe. All. around me was’ created for me alone. I have acquired the moft important of all knowledge, the art of being infenfible to whatever may difagreeably affeét me, I have endeavoured to ftudy pleafure as a {cience, Eafe and tranquility, in particular, appearto me the fupreme Good. I delight in a kind of non - exiftence. By thefe means I manage the fprings of life; being fenfible that they will be worn out and decay, if our exertions are carried ever fo little beyond ourfelves. In fine, I live to myfelf alone. — The Empe- ror commanded that they fhould inftantly ba- nifh this ridiculous and difsgufting egoift from his prefence, In a word, in a capital that contained forty thoufand men of letters; in Pekin, where the art of reafoning was found out; there was not a fingle man to be found, that deferved the name of Philofopher.. The Emperor, however, was not difcou- raged. He left the helm of the ftate to his brother and departed with his dear T{cheou- Kong, and two other favourites; difguiling the fplendour.of his rank, and attuated by m €; 3 an38 an invincible inclination to purfue the objet of his fearch, Behold him then traverfing China with his three courtiers. They were near that ftupendous wall, at the fight of which every traveller isin an exftafy of admiration, At a diftance they percieved a fmall hut, onthe fummit of a mountain, which, in other re- fpefts, appeared to be uninhabited. They were told in the plain that this was the abode of a Philofopher. Tfching Ouang inftantly ' rejoicing at haying thus gained the period of his journey, neglected not to return thanks to Tien *) for this happy difcovery. He is determined to climb this mountain ; his compa- nions are eager to follow him. A kind of Savage rufhes from his retreat, and runs to meet them, exclaiming: ,, Men approach not, approach not, What bufinefs have you here? Will you yet difpute me this afylum which the ferocious beafts do not invade?—— The Monarch’s curiofity is now augmented, He explains, the objeét of his journey to this firanger: he tells him, in fhort; that he is jearching every where for a Philofopher, — yo if Ne TL. wm ; ‘ FY The fiinreme Deity of the Chinefe, eee Sani Aae 39 if that name refumed the folitary, belongs toa being that holds the whole human race in abhorrence ; youneed not go farther: you ha- ve found what you want in me. -No one can more deteft mankind. Oh! that they had but one neck, but one head, whata fatisfac- tion fhould I enjoy in ftriking it off! For twenty years I have inhabited this defart ; and I continually complain to Tien, that he has not felecfted me among the Minifters of his avenging juftice, to punifh, and to annihi-. late, if poftible, the whole human race, Be gone inftantly, or I‘ will transfix your he- art with this arrow; with which [I kill the. animals that ferve for my wretched fub- fiftence. > The good Monarch took compaffion on this man. In imitation of the virtuous em- peror Yu, he dropped fome tears, ,, Hemuft certainly,‘* faid he to his courtiers have ex- perienced fome creat calamity. Alas, ought there to be one unfortunate man in my em- pire? Surely I do not take fufficient care to discharge the duties of my rank, ‘This mi- ferable’ creature is to be pitied, to be refpec- ted! He is an afflicted, an exafperated Mi- fanthrope! But ah, how different from a C4 Phi-49 Philofopher! Where can this prodigy of hu- man wifdom exift? “ They-arrive at one of the moft renowned cities of China, They foe und no other fubjeét of converfation there, “than, concerning a great author, the chief objeét of whofe ftudies was morality. He had publifhed a complete treatife on the five duties.- Tfching Ouang gained admiffion to Ouci Fong, which was the name of this gre- at man. He found himin reality to be a perfon of confumatelearning His fentiments were dittated by truth herfelf. His writings breathed throughout the. beauty and excel- lence of virtue, the love of harmony and order, and the veneration and obedience that were due to the laws.— Let Tien be prai- fed, thought the Monarch; ,,1 have now found my Philofopher.““—- But prudence ba- de him fuspend: his judgment, He receives farther information. He learns that Oucie Fong the nobleft of all ethic writers, did not practife his own admirable precepts; and that although he was in the moft opulent circum- {tances, he did good to no one. ,, Tam de- ceived then‘*, faid the Emperor, uttering a deep figh; Iam deceived! ,, This man, cer- tainty, can be no Philofepher. * NewAt New refearches are made; and each is more ineffectual than the former, Tfching, Quang, not a little chagrined, refumes the road of his capital. His favourites would fain confole him, under this difappointment, ,, Auguft Sire,“ faid they; ,, you muft now be convinced, that this phenomenon of hue man nature can have no exiftence, If there were a Philofopher, a fingle Philofopher on the globe, we fhould certainly have found him. This object of your fublime refearches mutt be a mere chimera, * It is decided then, that a Philofopher is an imaginary being; and that the fublimeSon of heaven, muft abfolutely leave this illufion to the fons of earth, During this converfation, in which Tcheou Kong alone ventured to be of a dif- ferent opinion, (or, in other words, to dif- dain the language of flattery) they approach a kind of hamlet, the fituation of which is charming bejond defcription, At a fmall diftance, in the bofom/of a valley, they per- ceive a honfe, the agreeble plainefs and fim- plicity of which .att-act their notice. The aucuft traveller meets a peafant: ,, to whom faid he,‘* does this rural edifice belong ?— G5 pag42 To an odd fellow, I think. Nothing can eyer put him out of temper. We may play him an hundred mifchievous tricks ; but do you know, how ‘ihe avenges himfelf? By doing us all the good in his power. Indeed we cannot help loving him. But I know very little of him, JI have not lived long at this place, ‘ The Emperor is very defirous. to fee a man of fuch a very fingular chara¢ter, that even ill offices could not irritate him; and who feemed , moreover. to be actuated by no ordinary benevolence, They direct their fteps towards this ru- ftic retreat, whofe fweet environs difplayed the unobtrufive charms of modefty and arte lefs nature; while all around feemed to evin- ce in fome degree the active goodnefs, which is the charatter of heavens Flocks of fheep were feeding near the houfe, fome great trees were difpofed in arbours, that. paffengers might recline under their refrefhing fhade; nor were bafons of tranfparent water wan- ting, to allay the weary travellers thirft, When the Emperor arrived at this delight- ful abode, he found at the door a multitu- de of paupers who were receiving a charitable alo- eee oie er ‘ at mene BO er43 allowance of rice; He enters. A venerable man on the verge of four fcore, is upun his knees. He perceives not Tching Ouang- Tfou - y (for-that was the name of the good old man) addrefies. to Tien this prayer: O God of gods what thanks have I to render thee! Thou haf deprived me of opulence and grandeur; but thou haft left me a morfel of bread, which I divide with my brethren, Continue to fhed thy bounties upon this empire. Watch over the happinefs of cur au- guft fovereign; and may my children be worthy to ferve him, to ferve their country, toferve humanity; and to addrefstheir homage tothee! Grant ofupreme Tien that [ may die in the bofom of my family, remembered by them, but forgotten by the world.““ Tne Emperor loft not one of thefe. affecting words, But Tfou-y having juft perceived him and his at- tendants, inftantly rifes: , What motives my worthy travellers can bring you hither fo far out of your way? ,,A defire, anfwered- the Emperor, to find out the refidence of Wif- dom and Virtue.“* It is not here, ,, refumed the modeft old man, ,,that yon will find the- fe two uncommon treafures.“© You will only behold here the picture of that happy medio- crity,,ot crity. which is the true fituation of, man, Butin what can Ibe ufefulto you? fpeak: we will endeavour to fupply your wants, as far as Heaven has permitted us to enjoy apleafu- re fo fweet, fo exquifitely pure,“ Tfou-y prefents to Tching Ouang -his four fons, who all gloried in the profefsion of hufbandry; and who were eminent in par- ticular, for zealoufly difcharging all the du- ties of filial piety. They retireda moment, in order to fetch fruits and flowers, which they prefented to the Emperor, although unknown to them. But titles are not necefsary to en- gage the Chinefe to fulfil the duties of ho- fpitality, It has been already obferved, that they efteem Politenefs to be one of the fir focial virtues, which they are bound to pra- &tife to all, without refpett of perfons, After a fhort prayer to Tien, they were feated at table. The Emperor could not fuf- ficiently admire the benignity, the affability of this venerable man, a kind of divine fe- renity which beamed in his whole counte- nance — ,,How long my father have you inhabited this place, “‘ — ,, Near forty years, I live here unknown. I doas much good as poflible; and it is the little [am able to do, that45 that excites the recollection of my misfortu- nes. Alas, why am I:not permitted to ex- tend the proofs of fenfibility to all the objetts I would relieve ?‘* — ,, What, have you be- en unfortunate?‘‘ — Imay at leaft appear fo in the eyes of men; but Ihave unnumbered obligations to adyerfity. I am indebted to it for compatfion, fenfibility, and all the plea- fures of the foul. Itis a Counfellor, that feelingly perfuades me what Iam; that tells me Jam a man, Had I not known difgra- ce, I hadnever known my heart; [had never enjoyed the ineffable fatisfaction of pitying, and fometimes mitigating the woes of others! — ,; What is it you mean hy di/gra- ce.** — ,, Iwas one of the minifters of the deceafed Emperor. — ,, You. — “‘Ifeduloufly endeavoured to deferve his\confidence. But envy could not endure my profperity; Iwas the vidim of calumny: my ennemies gained a fuperior afcendancy over my Sovereign, It is fo difficult for Monarchs to Jearn the truth. All my employments, and almoftall my for- tune, were taken from me.‘$-- ,,Did the virtuous Ou Ouang commit this injuftice ? Alas, how much then are Sovereigns to be pitied.‘‘ — ,,Certainly, and this is an exam- pleple of it: for never before did Emperor ex- hibit aniore perfe& image of Tien; and yet this mafterjthat was fo dear to me, ,, You weep my good venerable Sire! * —- [ repeat it, Yam far from blaming him: It is the common misfortune of Kings; for fo 1 may call that infurmountable difficulty , which excludes truth ;from all the avenues to’ the throne. Iwas then difgraced, With the wreck of my fortune I purchafed the fmall field you fee} I cultivate it with the afsiftance of my fons} and Ihave built a houfe, large enough te exercife hofpitality to ftrangers.“« —— What is the Emperor dead without having repai- red? —- Once more the Emperor was a man! he was deceived; he owed me nothing, I fhall never ceafe the lefs to revere his me- mory; and [ fervently pray that Tien may fhower down his choiceft bleffings on his fon, ** Tchin Ouang endeavoured to check his tears.“ His Son, my good father, mui love you one day.“*—. Ohno, Ican never more think of returning to court, Ifhall die here; and [exhort my Family never to quit this retreat. May their eyes and hearts.be ever fixed upon my grave, and may their aihes be mingleate mingled with mine! May they be content, while they enjoy arinnocent life, to gather the produce of this field; and may they be able to increafe-their bounties, like the dew of heaven that enriches the earth.« »» But whence is it, that you do not enjoy an extenfive reputation, ,, This is alfo one of — the favours of heaven, for which I daily re- turn thanks, How much is obfcurity prefe- rable to rank to the moft fplendid name! Wif dom and humanity fhould be dear to us for their own fakes. Virtue ever receives her own rewards in the little good fhe has the. happinefs to perform. The inhabitants of the next village fometimes divert themfelves by damaging my meadows, and breaking my fruit -trees—— ,, And what punifhment do you demand for fuch ungrateful people? — I take eare of their fick; I relieve their poor, Icom- fort them in aflittion, It is not through malignity, but ‘wantonnefs that they att thus; for in human nature, [am convinced, there is more of weakne(fs than wickednefs,“ O admirable mortal! ** exclaimed the Empe- ror; and here, internally thought he, ,,is at laft the Philofopher, [have fo long fearched for,“ —- ,,Admirable,“ I only difcharge my duty,48 duty. It is my bufinefs to forget the faults of others, and attend my own. And betides, which isthe happieft man, he who injures, or he that is injured ? The latter has only to forgive, and he is certain of a pleafure which the other can never tatte.“ Tching Ouang could no longer refrain from tears. ,, 100 fufceptible firanger , ‘* faid Tfou-y Se much does this proof of fen- fibility affect me.** —,; Embrace me moft excel- lent of men. Wes,I have at laft found the long fought for object of our journey. Adieu, yenerable Tfou-y, you may one day know me. °° The Emperor was profufe in his expref- fions of joy: ,, 1am at lenght recompented “ faid he, for all my fatigues. 1 have difcovered this prefent from heaven, this wonder of hu- man nature, You did right fage Tfcheon - Kong, not to queftion his exiftence. At laft they return to the Capital; and the Emperor having refumed the Adminiltra- tion of affairs, commands that Tfou- y and his four fons fhould be brought before him, The venerable man receives the Empe- rors command with becoming deference; but his fons give way to inquietude -and grier. 93 Doubt-49 ,», Doubtiefs, “ they faid, our father’s enemies are plotting new machinations againtt him‘ » O my friends, ** faid the good Ttou-y what have you to fear? You have hitherto lived virtuously; and will it mot be eafy for you to die? I will fet you the exemple. -Come, appear at court with your inftruments of agriculture.. Thefe are the enfigns of digni- ty» which you muft oppofe to thofe of your perfecutors, ‘* Tfou+y and his family, condutted to the imperial city, appear before. their fove- reign, each with a pick - axe and fpade, They proftrate themfelves, and are ordered to rife, ,, My father, faid-the Emperor, ,,do you not recollect me“?~ Tiou-y lifting , up his eyes, is ftruck with aftonifhment, . He would again proftrate himfelf before the throne, The Emperor defcends from it; ems braces him’ with the warmett effufion of foul; | and tutning to acrowd of courtiers and le- arned men, Whom curiolity had drawn to the palace: »,behold‘* faid he, the mortal, the celeftial man, for whom I have fo long fought in yain! Behold the Philofopher, Henceforth Tfou+y fhall be called by no other name,‘' Tfou+y exclaimed; ,,forgive me, | D augult50 anguft Sire, if I prefume to’ interrupt you, Where are thy writings that can entitle me to this fplendid diftinétion? ‘* ,,Your virtuous aétions, my venerable Father, your beneficent deeds are the beft of books, Jf Confucius had been content. only to write on wifdom, “and had never prattifed her precepts, doyou | think he would have merited the name of Supreme Legislator? You end your family fhall be honoured with every mark of efteem, I will endeavour to repair the errors of my father; and his fon will glory in being your protector and your friend, Share with I'cheou Kong the painful. cares of government. Afsift meboth with your enlightened wifdom and fupport; and, above all, never fear to prefent conftantly before me the mirror of truth,‘ Tfow-y would have declined this exal- ted honour: ,, | command you ‘*faid the Em- perour, ,,in the name of my people, not to deceive my hopes. Imitate, each of you, that exellent minifter Chan- Kong, and you will be like him, the benefactors of the Empire,“ , Tfow-y- could only-anfwer by thofe telicious tears, the expreflion of unfpeakable gra-ga gratitude. He, and all his family , enjo- yed permanent favour; and he had, moreo- ver, the fatisfaction of pardoning his ennes mies, whofe dettiny had been committed to his pleafure. He had even the divine felicity of returning good for evil, and of fupporting them by his credit with the generous-Tching Quang, The Chinefe, after their deaths, ere&ted two fiatues to their memorys That of the Emperor had no other infcription then thefe affecting words: The Benefaftor. And ou the pedeftal of the ftatue-of Tfou-y was infcribed that name, which has transmitted his eulogy to potterity, The Philofopher,‘doubts at the gates of truth. ON THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL: TRANSLATED: FROM THE GERMAN. are aoe I. f the human foul, Sire, be immortal, the demonttration by which it is proved, mutt be inconteftably true, and tree from all doubts, All, Icando, is, to fweep away fome Nature here on the furface of the éarth +s in a continual motion, and her form to - day is quite unlike that of yefterday and be- fore yelterday. Every thing changes, and fhifts. However the feyeral fpecies in the animal, mineral and vegetable world reinain smmoveable like fixed ftars, in this. revolving Heean. ‘The lap-dog. of Toby barked like that of Uliffes; the pompion twined allready at Ninive, and gold is, and will alwais be Ig times heavier than water. Becaufe natu- re, as we ufually fay, never atts by leaping, fhe muft neceflarily reach the goal by feve- ral changes, and thus fhew different forms in53 in her progrefs; but if the kind, the is prOw jecting, is abfolved, fhe advances no farther. Left to her own way, fhe never pafles” be- jond this line, and, if not difturbed, will allwais reach it, If the kind is abfolved, fhe makes a paufe, and only minds its pre- fervation ; and if fhe cannot preferve the Individuals of it, the fubftitutes alwais in a furprifiag, manner new Individuals, and thus procures a kind of eternity to the fpecies, It is true, fome very learned men think otherwife,.and have contrived another plan, They look upon thefe fpecies as fo many degrees and points of reft, where nature, as it were, hefitates and. paufes, in order to advance from the meaner to the better, and more perfeét; thus for inftance, to metamore phofe an oyfter into a Crocodile, a midge in- to a Colibry, and the moft perfect animal at laft into a man or angel. This opinion is prety we el coueed, but » the firft and chief» obj jefsion, againk | is. thatitis not true, The egg S of 3 a ane ob Ao oy 6 Qe 2 never produce pheafents,. but? als’ aS * hetis, This is an obfervation,’ common both to an- cient and. modern times; and the Chinefe prove, by this very difpofition the exiftence D 3 of54 of an infinite foirit, Noah likewife, muft have already been of this opinion, or elfe he might have faved a great deal of room and trouble. Nature does not proceed from one fpecies to another or a more perfect one, but, as we have already obferved, does likewife not change nor exalt it in the leaft, . The fuccef- five Individuals of every kind are, and alwais will be/equal, in form, proportion, talents and in all qualities, paffions, morals and manners. Inthe Days of the Romans, the fpider fpun already her cubweb in the fame mathematical form, with circumference, ra- dius and centre, and. Aelian obferves already, that, in the compofing of her artifice ihe never wanted the afliftance of an Euclid; he further relates, that, being feated in the centre of her cubweb, fhe watches her prey, jut fo, as we may ftill now, fee her do, The ftrange pra€tice of the Cuckow is well e known , he lays his egg in the neft of ano- “ fiens, that he is like a beaft, and that the whole man is disfigured in him, But the bud of his exellency is, for all that, not deftro- i 2 yed68 yed in him, For even the moft abandoned of men are not paft the hour of corre¢tion, and Nebucaduezar ,, who ate during feven times grafs as oxen, and whofe body had been wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles feathers, and his nails like birds claws, lifted up his eyes unto heaven again, and his underftanding returned to him, and he bleffed the Lord,‘ And on the other fide we know by ex- perience, that by 4 better culture this our noble bud appears brighter, and its fimptons become more and more perceptible, And this experience we have of virtuous men, of which there has indeed never been a great number, ‘but always fome at different times and places, Thefe good men feltit indeed, when they would lift up their eyes to heaven, that the noble principle in their breaft was governed by theignoble, and would fain ha- ve changed, but not denied the thing, But finding, that it was not in their power, to place this noble principle on the throne, they did, all they could,’ and fought bravely, to dethrone the ufurper. They refufed all temporal felicity, and turned their eyes away fromit, and purfued thus with fteady looks69 fooks a durable felicity, without ever loo- king behind them, or minding the ridicule or falfe wit of fidiers— and their fuccefswas furprifing. _ Confucius for inftance, who was grown old in this noble and ferious excercife, and who has given us a circumftantial and natu-. ral account of the refult of it, from ten to , ten years; reports in the fourth period, that his mind at that time had been already very aétive and penetrating, and his heart quite changed, and full of noble feelings: and then he proceeds thus: ,, At laft, when I was 7o », Years old, my long continued meditations and frequent confli¢ts had wrought fuch a change in my heart, that I could always implicitly’follow the dictates of it, without ever offending the rule of right, to which all my fenfual appetites were now entirely fubjected, without murmuring or repining.“ Let us now compare fuch a man with an erdinary one, and obferve the difference. One is always driven about by his paflons and appetites; and forced to do unlawfal things; he is in a continual tumult, and can never find peace, and refembles the waves of the Sea, which for ever change thei yz. for/ sa Vet Sent = epee a a tae in Se tae 7 ye = Sen Sy nay Meera LF Lee 2 ee eS a eer am maar Oo ——— eel a pre = rs ae ~ eo ia alert Se eS70 form, and yetin every form are nothing elfe but water.—- The other is always, what he fhould be, always joyful and ferene, his he- art may be compared to a temple, where an invifible deity refides, and whofe holy filen- Ge, nothing difturbs, but the founds oftruth, -and the hymns in pratfe of the geds, Immediately , at the firft fight, we per- ceive fomething greatand eternal in fuch good and virtuous men; they feel their immorta- lity; and they are immortal, If time be nothing elfe, but a fucceflion and change of different-things they are, for this very reafon, lefs fubjeét to it’s effects, Yet there muft .be fomething immortal and eternal in them; for that very power, which in other men governs irrefiftibly, amd occafi- ons fo much mifchief, is fubjefted and over- come in them, And what elfe, but the eter- nal and immortal can fubdue the temporal? How can fuch a being die, and by what force?— ‘iis world and this earth have no power over him, are to him, as if they did not exift at all; and they fhould ftill be able to deftroy him? He has deftroyed them! has crufhed them entirely, and like a victor he looks joyfully up to heaven, And71 And he is much nearer to that heaven, than the .reft of mankind, To fubdue one fenfual appetite by the other, is nothing elfe, but to change one vice for the other, Thus, it muft be quite otherwife with a virtuous and good man, ft is true, his heart is unfathomable, and it is very difficult, to fearch into the inmoft recefles of it, But if we reflect only a hittle at it, we may.fufficiently difcern, that his motives are bejond this world, and that his ations, are directed by invariable laws, which {pring from an other and fuperior order, Thefe laws are indeed made for all mankinds but we do not obferve them, oratleaft we do not obferve them attentively enough; but the virtuous man hears their voice, and trufts in him whom he does not fee. Thus he is con- neéted with the invifible world. Heaven it- felf defcends to meet the noble victor and the path, which leads to infinite glory, is beaten for him. — And fuch is the conduét of thefe men, Such was the life of Socrates, The invifible voice, to which he liftened, was in the in- moft recefles of his foul, He followed the E 4 dictas -7a dictates of it, and neither friends nor enne- mies, neither prifon, nor Prytaneum, no council of thirty Tyrants, noSenate, neither Greece, nor the whole world could prevail again{t it, | And thus he died. The cup, filled with poifon, when it was brought in, drew te- ars ‘from the eyes of all who were then pre- fent; even the executioner wept; Phadon muftled himfelf up in his cloak, and Apollo- dorus cry’d aloud.— He alone was ferene, bafking ’till to his laft breath in the glorious rays of truth and a better world, —— —— This is not the pi¢ture of a dying mortal; it is rather that of an immortal being, the friend and confident of heaven and the gods, who is returning to the abode of peace, fhaking off the duft at the gate, with which he has been incumbered here, Vil. Thus it is, indeed, no trifling matter, that we may foar with our thoughts to the fupreme good; that the idea of an infinite be- ing is implanted in our heart, and may al- ways73. ways refide theres if we are but firmly per- fuaded of higher means and ends, Thus the ruins of a great and holy be- ing lay ftill concealed in the make of man; and there is a happinefs referved for him, which he cannot be deprived of ‘by any 2 earthly power whatever. Sire, we ave immortal! — —— And he- re, my heart beating with a noble pride, I fiand at your fide, being your equal! But with fo much greater humility llook at your crown, as being ordained by the Allmighty to govern fuch exalted beings, certainly, not to tirannize and to opprefs, but to cherifh and to love them, and to provide for their hap- pinefs. Your Majefty’s moft obedient moft humble Servant M,. CLAVDIVS. ESSAY ON EDUCATION. As few objeéts are more interrefting to fociety; fo few have been more frequently written upon, than the education of youth, E 5 Yetsaf Yet, it is a little furprifing, that it has been treated, almoft by all, in a declamatory man- ner. They have infifted largely on the ad- vantages that refult from it, both to indivi- duals' and to fociety; and have expatiated in the praife of what none have ever been {fo hardy, ‘as to call in queftion, Inftead of giving us fine, but empty ha- rangues upon this fubject, inftead of indule ging each his particular and whimfical fyftem, it had been much better if the writers on this fubject had treated it ina more fcientifie man- ner ; reprefied all the fallies of imagination, and given us the refult of their obfervation with didactic fimplicity. Upon this fubjeét, the fmalleft .errors are of the moft dangerous confequence; and the author fhould venture the imputation of ftupidity upon a topic, where his flighteft deviations may tend to injure the rifling generation, However, fuch are the whimfical and erroneous produ¢tions written upon this fubje¢t. Their authors have ftudied to be uncommon, not to be joft; and, at prefent, we wantatreatife upon education, not to tell us any thing new, but to explode the errors which have been intro- duced by the admirers of novelty, It is in thisZax this manner books become numerous: a de- fire of novelty produces a book, and other books are required to deftroy the former, I fhall, therefore, throw out a few thoughts on this fubjeét, which, tho’ known, have not been attended to by others; and fhall difmifs all attempts to pleafe, while I - ftudy only inftru@ion. The manner in which our yeuth of Lon- don are at prefent educated, is, fome in free- {chools in the city, but the far greater num- ber in boarding - fchools about town, The parent juftly confults the health of his child, and fuch an education in the country tends to promote this, much more than a continuance in town. Thus far he is right: if there we- re a poffibility of having even our free ~ {chools kept a little out of town, it would certainly conduce to the health and vigour of the mind perhaps as well as the body. It may be thought whimfical, but it is truth: I have feen, by experience, that they who have fpent all their lives in cities, contract not only an effeminacy of habit, but even of thinking. But when J have faid, that the boarding fchools are preferable to free - fchools , as be- inging in the country, this is certainly the on- ly advantage | can allow them; otherwife, it is impofible, to conceive the ignorance of thofe, who take upon them the important truft of education. Is any man unfit for any of the profeflions? he finds his laft refource in fetting up a fchool. Do any become ban- krupts in-trade? they full fet up a boarding - fchool, and drive a trade this way; when all others fail: nay, I have been told of butc- hers and barbers who have turned fchoolma- fters, and, more furprizing ftill, made for- tunes in their new profeffion, Could we think ourfelves in a country of civilized people; could it be conceived, that we havea regard for pofterity, when fuch perfons are permitted to take the charge of the morals, genius and health of thofe dear little pledges, who may one day be the gu- ardians of the liberties of Europe, and who may ferve as the honour and bulwark of their aged parents? ‘The care of our children, isit below the ftate? Is it fit to indulge the caprice of the ignorant with the difpofal of their children, in this particular? For the ftate to take the charge of all it’s children, as inPerfia or Sparta, might, at prefent, be in-a inconvenient; but furely; with great eafe it might caft an eye to their inftru€tors. Of all profeffions in fociety, I do not know a more ufeful, or a more honourable one, than a {choolmafter; at the fame time that I do not fee any more generally defpifed, or men whofe talents are fo ill rewarded. Were the falaries of {choolmafters to be augmented from a diminution of ufelefs fine- cures, how might it turn to the advantage of this people! a people, whom, without flattery, I may, in other refpetis, term the wifeft and greateft upon earth. But while I would reward the deferving, | would dif- mifs thofe utterly unqualifed for their em- ployments: in fhort, I; would make the buf- nefs of a fchoolmafter every way more res fpettable, by increafing their falaries, and admitting only*men of proper abilities, It is true, we have already Schoolma- fters appointed, and they have {mall falaries; but when at prefent there is only one fehool- mafter appointed, there fhould at leaft be two andj where ever the falary is at prefent twen- ty pounds, it fhould be augmented to an hundred, Do we give immoderate benelices to thofe who inftruét ourfelves; and fhall we28 we deny even fubfiftence’ to thofe who in- #truct our children? Every member of focie- ty {hould be pay’d in proportion as he is neteflary; and I will be bold enough to fay» that fchoolmafters in a ftate are more necef- fary than clergymen, as children ftand in more need of inftruction than their parents, But inftead ofthis, as I have already ob- ferved, we fend them to board in the coun- try, to the moft ignorant fet of men that can be imagined; and, left the ignorance of the mafter be not fufficient, the child is gene rally configned to the ufher, This is come monly fome poor needy animal, little fupe- rior to a footmen either in learning or fpirit, invited to his place by an advertifement, and kept there merely from his being of a comply- ing difpofition, and making the children fond of him, », You give your children to be edu- cated by a flave** fays a philofopher to a rich man; ,,inftead of one flave you will then have two,“ It were well, therefore, if parents upon fixing their children in one of thefe houfes, would examine the abilities of the ufher as well as the mafter, for, whatever they are told to the contrary, the ufher is generally the19 the perfon moit employed in their education, If then, a gentleman upon putting out his fon to one of thefe houfes, fees the ufher difre- garded by the mafter, he may depend upon it that he is equally disregarded by the boys; the truth is, in fpite ofall their endeavours to pleafe, they are generally the laughing- fiock’ of the fchool, Every trick is played upon the ufher: the oddity of his manners, his drefs, or his language, are a fund {of eternal ridicule, The mafter himfelf, now and then, cannot avoid joyning in the laugh; and the poor wretch, eternally refenting this ill ufage feems to live ina ftate of war with all the family. This is a very proper perfOn, is it not, to give children a relifh for learning? They muft efteem learning - very much, when they fee it’s profeflors ufed with fo little ceremony, If the ufher be de- fpifed the Father may be affured his: child will never be properly inftruéted. But let me fuppofe, that there are fome {fchools without thefe inconveniences, where the mafters and ufhers are men of learning, reputation, and affiduity, If there are to be found fuch, they cannot be. prized in a ftate fufficiently, A boy will learn more true wil- domSO dom ina public fehool in a year; than by a private education in five. It is not from matters, but from their equals youth learns a knowledge of the world: the little tricks they play each other, the punifhment; that frequently attends the commiliion , is a juft pi@ture of the great world; and all the ways of men are prattifed in a public fchool in mi- niature. It is true, a child is early made ac- quainted with fome vices in a fchool: but it is better to know thefe when a boy, than be firft taught them when a man; for their no- velty then may have irrefiftible charms. Ina public edusation, boys early learn temperance; and ifthe parents and friends wo- uld give them lefs money upon their ‘Ofual vifits, it would be much to their advantage; fince it may juftly be faid, that a great pare of their diforders arife from:furfeit, Pius oc- cidit gula quam gladius, And, now I am come to,'the article of health, it may not be amifs to obferve, that Mr. Locke and’fome others , have advifed that children fhould be inured to cold, to fatigue and hardfhip, from their yourh: but Mr, Locke was but an indifferent phyfician, Ha- bit, I grants; has great] influence over our cOnh-BL conftitution; but we have not precife Ideas’ upon this fubject. We know, that among favages, and even among our peafants, there are found children born with fuch conftitutions that they crofs rivers by {wimming, endure cold, thirft, hunger, and want of fleep, to a furprifing degree; that when they happen to fall fick, they are cured without the help cf medicine, by nature alone. Such examples. are addu- ced to perfuade us to imitate their manner of education, and accuftum ourfelves betimes to fupport the fame fatigues. But had thefe gentlemen contidered firft, how many lives are loft in this afcetic difcipline, had they confidered, that thofe favages and peafants are generally notfo long-lived, as thofe who have led a more indolent life; that the more laborious the life is, the lefs populous is the country: had they coulidered that what phy- ficians call the flamina vitae, by fatigue and labour become rigid, and thus anticipate old age; that the numbers who furvive thofe rude trials, bear no proportion to tholo whe die in the experiment: Had thefe things been properly contidered, they would not have thus extolled an education begun in fatigue and EF hard-we an a ahs Kiidboweaas, ee t ee coh eee : if p 4) ui a a Oe SE ea RA By tt oo ee ey ay ‘4 oe ¥ A ce it Poe ' Cay m? i ee i ie. ies Fi 1. es ee * i he Lid a aoes a: i> 13 oe + Were: z % Ay at +4 , ey ape. +t i + ? ae Bhi oH eee ay (Met : ee ie hie ee be, tag hit oe £ Ree \e ibe uae cee ¥ : * Tt , + TE pikes le Beihai tae & oo bag Hand te "4 PER Cite tas Ree ay ‘ { th Sg ae ae rie @ » Ming 2 iy se Ce eit i by + ae ‘ € & hy fw 4 af Ba S: vs 1 ea ey? : 13 ’ 1 ae + 1 : tl as ry a eo od a oe) og i 4 fe 4 2 eos 3 ge 4 Fj ee 5 oe : i ae ae ele (a oe Hf i ee bata i BS ae a Week Hy Py ¥ : a * LB dee Bl iea ; i Poe es 1 \ aed f = (ge tea yt} ‘ ag : fap Cai 4 es ¥ fae - xe 7 . Bip {oe eet at re ” ; ome eR oct F RE 82 hardt hip, Peter.the great willing, to inure the children of his feamen to alife of hard- fhip, ordered that they fhould only drink fea-water; but they unfortunately all died under the trial. But while I would exclude all unecef- fary labours, yet ftill 1 would recommand temperance in the higheit degree. No luxu- rious difhes with high feafoning; nothing « given children to force an appetite; as little fugared as falted provifions as poffible though ever fo pleafing; but milk, morning and night, fhould be their conftant food. This diet would make them more healthy than any of thofe ftops, that are ufually cooked hy the miftrefs of a boarding fehool; befides it cor- rekts any confumptive habits, not unfre- quently found among the children of city parents. As bays fhould be educated with tem- perance, fo, the firft, general leffon that {hould be taught them, is, to admire fruga- lity, Itis by the excercife of this virtue alone, they can ever expect to be ufeful mem- bers of fociety. It is true, lectures continu- ally repeated upon this fubject, may make fome boys, when they grow up, run into an63 an-extreme, and become mifers; but it were well, had we more mifers than we have a mong us. I know few characters more ufe- fol to fociety; for, a man’s having a larger or fmaller {hare of money lying ufelefs by him, no. way injures the common Wealth; fince; fhould every mifer now exhauft his fiores, this might make gold more plenty, but it would not-increafe the commoditiés or pleafures of life; they would fill remain as they are at prefent: it matters not, therefo- re, whether men are mifers or not, if they be only frugal, laborious, and fill the ftation they have chofen.. If they deny themfelves the neceflaries of life, fociety is nO way in- jured by their folly, Inftead, therefore, of romances, which praife young men of {pirit; who go through a variety of adventures, and at laf conclude a life of diffipation, folly and extravagance, in riches and matrimony, there fhould be fome men fow it employed to compofe books that might equally intereft the paffions ofour youth, where fuch an one might be praifed for having refifted allurements when young, and how he, at laft became Lord-mayor; how he was married te a Lady of great -fenfe F 2 for84 fortune and beauty, “To be as explicit as pofiible, the old ftory of Whittington, were his cat left out, might be more ferviceable to the tender mind, than either Tom, Jones, Jofeph Andrews or an hundred others, whe- re frugality is the only good quality, the hero is’ rot poffeffed of. Were our School- mafters, if any of them have fenfe enough, to draw up fuch a work thus emplojed, it would be‘much more ferviceable to their pupils, than all the grammars and dictionari- es, they may publifh thete ten years. Children fhould early be inftru¢ted in the arts from which they may afterwards draw the greatelt advantages. When the wonders of Nature are never expofed to our view, we have no great defire to become acquainted with thofe parts of learning which pretend to account for the phoenomena. One of the ancients complains, that as foon as young men have left fchool, and.are obliged to con- verfe in the world, they fancy themfelves tranfported into a new region. ,,Ut cumin forum venerint exiftement fe in aliam terra rum orbem delatos.“© Wefhould only, there- fore, inftruct them in the experiments, if I may fo exprels it, of knowledge, and leave CO a SN I85 to maturer age the accounting for the cay- fes. But inftead of that, when boys begin natural philofophy in colleges, they have not the leaft curiofity for thofe parts of the {cience, which are propo’ed for their inftruc- tion: they have never be:ore feen the phoe- ‘nomena, and confequently have no curiolity to Jearn the reafons, Might natural philofo- phy, therefore, be made their paftime at fchcol, by this means it would in College be- come their amufement. In feveral of the machines now in ufe, there would de ample field both for inftruétion and amufement: the differeat forts of the phosphorus, the artificial pyrites, magnetifm, electricity, the experiment upon the rarefac- tion aud weight of the air, and thofe upon elaftic bodies, might employ their idle hours; and none fhould be called from play to fee fuch experiments. but fuch as thought proper. At firft then, it would be fofficient if the inftruments, and the effects of their combination, were only fhown:, the caufes fhould be deferred to a maturer age, or to thofe times when natural curiolity prompts us to difcover the works of nature, Man is placed in this world as a fpectator; when he _ es iS86 } is tired of wondering ‘at all the novelties about him, and not tillthen, does hedefire to be made acquainted’ with the caufes that create thofe’ wonders, What IT have obferved with regard to natural philofophy, [would extend to every other fcience, whatfoever, We fhouldteach them as many of the faéts as pofiible, and defer the caufes, untill they feemed of them- felves defirous of knowing them, A mind thus leaving {chool, ftored with all the fim- ple experiments of fcience, would be the fitteft in the world for the college courfe; gy a tig MOE SRT AP Se EE and, though fuch’a youth might not appear. fo bright, or fo talkative, as-thofe who had learned the real principles and caufes of fome of the fciences, yet he would make a wifer man, and would retain a more lafting patli- ese. re ee be ae £4 ee ia 1 sera, ae tele 58 de he fh: 4 Hea: oe ste € tbo ¢ . on for letters, than he who was early bur- dened witb the difagreeableinftitution of cau- fes and effets, ; In hiftory, fuch ftortes fhould alone be laid before them, as might catch the ima Gination: inftead of this, at prefent, theyar too frequently obliged to toil trough the four empires, as they are called, where their me- mories are burdened by a number of difeu- fting87 fing, names, that deftroy all their future re- lifh for our beft hiftorians, who may be ter- med the truef{t teachers of wifdom. 7 Every fpecies of flattery fhould be care- fully avoided. A boy who happens to fary a fprightly thing is generally applauded fo much, that he fometimes continues a CcoX- comb all his life after. He is reputed a wit at fourteen, and becomes ablockhead at twen- ty. Nurfes, footmen and fuch, fhould the- refore be driven away’as much as_ poffible, I was even going to add, that the mother herfelf fhould ftrile her pleafure, or her vanity, when litle mafter happens to fay a good or a {mart thing. Thofe modeft luberly boys, who feem to want {pirit, become at lenght more fhining men; and at {chool ge- nerally go through their bufinefs with more eafe to themfelves, and more fatisfaétion to their inftructors, There has of late a gentleman appeared, who thinks the ftudy of rhetorick effential to a perfeét education. Thad bold-male eloquen- ce, which often without pleafing, convinces, is generally deftroyed by fuch an inflitution, Convincing eloquence is infinitely more fer- viceable to its pofleffor than the moft florid F 4 ha-88 harangue, or the moft pathetic tones that can be imagined; and the man who is tho roughly convinced: himfelf, who underftands bis fubje&, and the language he fpeaks in, will be more apt,to filence oppofition than he who ftudies the force of his periods, and fills our ears with founds, while our minds are deftitute of conviction. It was reckoned> the fault of the ora- tors at the decline of the Roman empire, when they had been long inftruéted by rhe- toricians, that their periods were fo harmo- ious that they could be fung as well as y { | t fpoken. What a ridiculous figure muft one i of thefe gentlemen cut, thus meafuring fil- Jables, and weighing words, when hefhould plead the caufe of his client! Two Archi- tects were once candidates for the building a certain temple at Athens. The firft haran- si ine ‘ ae, 4 ST i i SAS dh Pe eye ce ag a Sie cece Sete a ‘ wy i ‘i be ‘ ee : ce ¢ See nice rs mi ars ga _ ee eS er ee ae SAN aon Rogier nme caliente ooh hao ADL sas Ate AIG OR AIOE Dn iy ee Dc RE scientist > af Mees gr eee ete * gued the croud very learnedly upon the dif- ferent orders of Architeéture, and thewed them in what manner the temple fhould be built; the cther, who got -up afcer him, only obierved, that what his brother had fpoken, he could do:. and thus at once he gained his caunfe, Te89 To teach men to be orators, is little lefs than to teach them to be poets; and, for my part, I fhould have too great a regard for my child, to wifh him a minor only in a bookfeller’s fhop, An other paffion which the prefent age is apt to run into, is to make children learn all things; the languages, the fciences. mufic the exercifes and painting. Thus the child becomes foon a talker in all, but a Mafterin none, He then acquires a fuperficial fond- nefs for every thing, and only fhews his ignorance, when he attempts to exhibit his fill, , As j deliver my thoughts without me- thod or connet¢tion, fo the reader muft not be furprized to find me once more addreffling {fchoolmafters on the prefent method of tea- ching the learned languages, which is come monly by literal translations. 1 would afk fuch, if they were to travel a journey; whe- ther thofe parts of the roads in which they found the greateft difficulties would not be the moft ftrongly remembered? Boys, who, if [ may continue the allufion, gallop thro- ugh one of the ancients with the affiftance of a translation can have, but a very flight F 5 ACH90 acquaintance either with the author or his ~ language. Itisby the excercife of the mind alone, that a language is learned, but a li- teral tranflation on the oppofite page, leaves no excercife for the memory at all. The boy will not be at the fatigue of remembe- ring, when his*doubts at once are fatistied by a glance of the .eye; whereas, were every word to be fought from a dictionary, the le- arner would attempt to remember them, to fave himfelf the trouble of looking out for the future, To continue in the fame pedantic ftrain, of all the various grammars now taught in the fchools about town, I would only recom- mend the old common one: [ have forgot whether Lily’s, or an emendation of him, The ag mE - others may be improvements ; but fuch improve- ments feem tome only mere grammatical niceti- es, no way influencing thelearner, but perhaps loading him with trifling fubtilities, which, at a proper age, he muft be at fome painsto forget. Whatever pains a mafter may take to make the learning of a language agreeable. to his pupil, he may depend upon it, it will be at firft extremely unpleafant, The rudiments of every language, therefore, muft be given as a taik, ee ee ee poe or oe a ™ > oe eects ceiae nce naan as NC a tl woahOIL tafk, ‘not as an amufement, Attempting to deceive children into inftruction of this kind, is only deceiving ourfelves : and I know no paffion capable of conquering a child’s ‘natu- ral lazinefs, but fear, Solomon has faid it before me; noris there any more certain, though perhaps more difagréeable truth, than the proverb in verfe, too well known to re peat on the prefent occafion. It is very pro- bable that parents are told of fome mafters who never ufe the rod and confequently are thought the propereft inftruétors for their - children; but, though tenderrefs is a requi- fite quality in an inftructor, yet there is too often the trueft tendernels in well-timed correction, Some have jaftly obferved, that all pat fion fhould be banifhed on this terrible oc- cafion; but I know not how, there isa fra- ilty attending human nature, that few ma- fters are able to keep their temper whilft they correct, I knew a good natured man, who was fenfible of his own weaknefs in this refpe&t, and confequently had recourfe to the following expedient to prevent his paffions from being engaged, yet at the fame time adminifter juftice with impartiality. W he-92 — Whenever any of his pupils committed a fault he fummoned a jury of his peers, I mean of the boys of his owh or the next clafs to, him: his accufers ftood forth, he had liberty of pleading in his own defence and one or two more had the liberty of ple- ading againft him; when found guilty by the jury, he was configned to the footman who attended in the houfe and who. had previous orders to punifh, but with lenity, By this means the mafter took off the odious of punifhment from himfelf, and the foot- man between whom andthe boys there could not be even the flighteft intimay, was placed in fuch a light as to be fhunned by every boy in the fchool. ON SATIRICAL WIT, — Truft me this unwary pleafantry of thine will fooner or fater bring thee into fcra- pes and difficulties, which no afcer - wit can extricate thee out.of. In thefe fallies too oft, I fee, it happens, that the perfon laug- hed at, confideres himfelf in the light of a perfon injured, with all the rights of fuch a fitu-93 fituation belonging to him; ‘and when thou viewe(t himrin that light too, and reckonett upon his friends, his family, his kindred and allies, and muftereft up with them the many recruits which will lift under him from a fen- fe of common danger; it is no extravagent arithmetic to fay, that for every ten jokes thou haft got an hundred enemies; and till -thou haft gone on, and taifed a {warm of wafps about thine ears, and art half ftung to death by them, thou wilt never be convinced it is fo. I cannot fufpe&t it in the man whom I efteem, there is the leaft fpur from fpleen or rnalevolence of intent in thefe fallies. I be» lieve and know them to be truly honeft and fportive; but confider, that fools cannot dis ftinguifh this, and that knaves will not; and thon knoweft not what it is, either to pro- voke the one, or to make merry with the other: whenever they aflociate for mutual defence, depend upon it, they will carry on the war in fuch a manner againft thee, my dear friend, as to make thee heartily fick of it and of they life too. Revenge from fome baneful corner f hall level a tale of difhonour at thee, which no inno-94 innocence of heart or integrity of condut {hall fet right, The fortunes of thy houfe fhall totter —~ thy character which led the way tothem, fhall bleed on every fide of it — thy faith queftioned— thy works belied — thy wit forgotten— thy learning trampled on, To wind up the laft. fcene of thy trage- dy, Cruelty and Cowardice, two ruffians, hi- red and fet on by malice in the dark ,-fhall firike together. at all thy infirmities and mi- fiakes; the beft of us, my friend, lie open there, and truit me— when to gratify a pri- vate appetite, it is once refolyed upon, that an innocent and helplefs creature fhall be fa- crificed, it is an eafy matter to pick up iticks enough from any thicket where it has ftra- yed, to make a fire to offer it up with, THE NOSEGAY: A SENTIMENTATI, ANECDOTE, About three weeks ago, as I was ta- king my morning’s walk, a young woman met me on the way, who in agentle and perfuafive tone of voice entreated me to buy a nofegay of her, — and, as fhe framed her petition, the damfel opened a {mall handboxy, Which95 which fhe carried- under her arm, 4nd dif- covered half a-dozen. boquets compofed of flowers which were not yet in feafon. Though {fhe was very pretty, and I] was going to vi- fit lady B—, I had refolved to purchafle one before I had cofidered her beauty, or re- fle¢ted that this vernal offering would make my vifit to lady B— moregracious.— The- re was a certain foftnefs of expreffion and gentlenefs of fpirit, which appeared fo vifible in the charaéter of the girl, that the mo- ment fhe began to make her petition, — I was refolved to gramt it. There have been moments of my life— I am afhamed to fay it— whenI{hould have | drawn my purfe from my pocket with re- ludtance, to have given a poor, miferable doughter of diftrefs five fhillings for a few flowers; and, when J had done it, gone on my way diffatisfied with myfelf ,— railing at Art and Luxury, and offering up fifty dirty ejaculations to Nature,— But/Il was now awake to better feelings!—, and I do declare in the awful name of Truth, that I have fel- dom experienced higher fatisfaction than when I put two half crowns into the dam-~ fel’s hand, and received with the nolegay a cour=96 courtefy’and look of acknow ledgement which were worth more than [ could beftow upon her. I never in my life was led by my fee- lings to make any little temporary deviations from what is called common prudence, but i was, fome how or other, more than re- comnpenfed by the events to which they con- ducted me,— Nature does not f{catter her beauties on either fide of the way in vain, — and he who travels on without turning to the right or to the left, lofes many a beautiful profpeét, andathoufand delicious fcenes, which mult be ever hidden from their eyes whofe difpofitions do not lead them, now and then, to turn a fide from the ftrait road of life, — I wifh to be happy; — and while thefe wan- derings of the affections give that colour and variety ».which add fo much to the happinefs of life, I fhall continue fometimes to indulge them;— _ being perfuaded that I fhall build my comforts upon~better and more certain principles than one half of thofe whom Envy fulpects to be happy. Having received the flowers, and pur- chafed a fheet of writing paper to wrap ro- und them,;—- that their fre{ hne(s might not be ailectoF affefted by the warmth of my hand, — Ipro- ceeded on my walk in perfe€t good humour with myfelf, and, of courfe with all the world;—- when, as I was croffing-a {mall court, [ was almoft ftunned with the vocj. | ferous exclamation of a man who was: cry- ing his rabbits, fome of which were han- ging from each end of a pole that balanced upon his fhoulder.— The fingular cry of the man drew my attention; and limmediately obferved that my nofegay had attra¢ted his,— - — As I drew nearegto him, his eyes feemed to be riveted to the flowers; — and when I raifed them towards my head to enjoy their fragrance, he raifed his eyes alfo, When I had paffed him, I could not re- frain from looking back to fee whether this extraordinary attention was continued, whea I obferved that he was following me. I the- refore, ftood {till; and, as he approached me, he cried out; ,, May God in heaven blefs you, Sir, and never wound your heart with the forrows which have pierced mine! **— { am afraid,, honeft friend, replied JI, that the benevolence of thy wifh for me arifes’ from a very deep fenfe of thineown mifery. What may it be7— ,, Alas, Sir‘ anfwered he, G », thofe98 ,,thofe flowers, I believe wouldeftore my ,, lenny to life! fhe has talked of nothing but »,rofes all this morning, and I think the fmell ,,of them might do her good; — Do, Sir; for heaven’s fake, befiow them on her? Who knows but they may revive her; — if not. I’ will ftrew them over her. grave,“ — I inftantly put the nofegay into his hand;-~ he thanked me. with a flood of tears, and haflened towards the ftréet. I pnrfued his {teps, not knowing whither Iwent, till, after fome time, he entered a, houfe; and, when he. had given his rabbits to a girl cf about thirteen years of age, who fat weeping at the bottom of the ftairs, I followed him in- to a {mall room, where a woman was: lying in a bed without curtains, and, to all-ap- pearance, entirely fenfelefs. -- Anold nurfe fat by the bedfide and was {lapping the flies from offthe fick perfon’s face witha feather,— As the poor man entered the room, ,, I haye: flowers, ‘‘ faid he, ,, for. thee my Ienny! — Thou didft call for rofes this morning, and heaven has fent thee fome to comfort and refrefh thee,‘‘ —- He then kneeled down by the bedfide, and held the flowers to her nofle, — and then put them into’ her hand, — and thena bie then laid them upon her bofom, and fetching a deep figh, he kiffed her.— ,, Dear heart * faid the nurfe, ,,fhe didindeed rave this mor- ning, and talk of flowers and rofes;— but the poor foul will never-fpeak again;— the hand of death is now upon her, The poor man appeared to be wholly nattentive towhat was faid;— and now he oaks at his wife,— and then at the nofe- gay, and—then again at his wife, — till at lenvht, as he was waving the flowers over her with an air of difconfolation, a leaf fell from one of the rofes, and refted upon her cheek, pale with death,— It was a me- lancholy contraft ,— and he felt all the force of it; for, after endeavouring to fpeak, but in vain, he burft into. fuch an agony of grief, that I could no longer iupport it, — { immediately left the aii ao fcene, and had traverfed many ftreets,, before I awoke a = dete * se od 3 j from the deep impreiiion it sa made upon e my fpirits,—- I have tried to meature back my way, but in vain. Onthe next day f returned with 2 friends but, notwithfan- ding the moft affiduous indufiry, we could net difcovér the poor mans hebitation, — I then ‘employed a perfonto watch in the G2 -Gourt100 court where I firft faw him, for a whole week; but this endeavour alfo proved fruit- lefs. .And I cannot drive from me the melan- choly apprehenfion, that, when he loft his Jenny, he loft his fenfes,— or is fince dead ofa broken heart!— A FEW. HINTS CONCERNING KNOW LEDGE OF THE WORLD, We fhould endeavour to hoard up, while we are young a great ftock of knowledge : for though during that time of diffipation, we may not have occafion to fpend much of it, yet a time will come when we fhall want it to maintain us. The knowledge of the world is only to be acquired in the world, and not ina clofet, Books alone will never teach it you; but they will fuggeft many things to your ob- fervation, upon mankind, when compared with thofe which you will find in books, will help you to fix the true point. To know mankind well, requires full as much attention and application as to know books, and, it may be, more fagacity and difcernement, I am, at this time, acquainted with many elderly people, who haye all paffed their whole lives in the:great world, but with fuchfe 9 LOI fuch levity and inattention, that they know no more of it now’ than they did at fifteen, Do not flatter yourfelf, therefore, with the thoughts that you can acquire this know ledge in the frivolous chit - chat of idle com- panies; no, you muft go much deeper than that, you muft look into people, as well as at them, Search therefore with the greateft care, into the characters of all thofe whom you converfe with; endea- vour to difcover their predominant paiiions, their prevailing weakneffes, their vanities, their follies, and their humours; with allthe right and wrong, wife and filly fprings of human ations which make fuch inconfiftent and whimfical beings of us rational creatures. There are no perfons fo infignificant and. inconfiderable, but may one time or other, and in fome thing or other, have it in their power to be of ufe to you; which they cer- tainly will not, if you have once fhewn them contempt. Wrongs are often forgiven, but contempt never. Our pride remembers it for ever, Remember therefore, mokt cAMP Cully to conceal your contempt, however jult, whenever you would not make an implacable enemy. Men much more unwilling to | G3 have6 LOZ have their weakneffes and their imperfections known, than their crimes; and if you jhint.. to a man that you think him filly, ignorant, or evenill bred or aukward, he will hate you more, aud longer, thanif you tell him plainly, that you think him a rogue, Nothing is more infulting than to take pains to make a. man feel a mortifying infe- ridrity in knowledge, rank, fortune, et. cet, In the firft itis both ill- bred, and ill -natu- red, and in the two latter articles, it is un- juft, they not being in his power. Good- breeding and good ~nature incline us rather to raife people up to ourfelves, on to mor- tify and deprefs them. Befides, it is making ourfelves fo many friends, inftead of fo many enemies, A conftant attention to pleafe, isa moft neceffary ingredient in the art of pleafing ; it flatterS the felf-love of thofe to whom is fhewn; it engages and captivates more than things of much greater importance, Every man, is in fome meafure, obliged to difcharge the-focial duties of life; but thefe attelMgons are voluntary atts , a“ free - will Offerings of good-nature and good breeding; they are received, i and retur- med as fuch, Women, in petticular, haye a right .103 right to them, and any omiffion in that re- fpet, is dowrright ill-breeding. We thould never yield to that temptation, which in moft young men is very ftrong, of expofing other people’s weaknefles and infir- mities, for the Take either of diverting the company, or, of ihewing our own» fuperi- diatys We may, by that means, get the laugh o on our fide forthe prefent; but we fhall make enemies by it for ever; and ever thole who laugh with us, will, upon reflection, fear and efpife us; it is ill natured, and a good heart defires rather to conceal than expofe other peopl’es. weaknefles and infirmities, If we have wit; we fhould ufe_ it to pleafe, and not to hurt; we may fhine, like the fun in the temperate Zone, without fcorching. There are many inoffenfive arts which are neceflary in the courfe of the world, and which he who prattifes the earlieft, will pleafe the moft, and rife the fooneit, The fpirits and vivacity of youth are apt to ne- gleét them as ufelefs, or reject them as tro- ublefome; but fubfequent knowledge and ex- perience of the world remi ind us of their im- portance commonly when it 1s too late. The principal of thefe things, is the maftery of G4 one’s104 one’s temperand that coolnefs of mind, and ferenity of countenance, which hinder us from difcovering , by words, aétions or even looks , thofe paffions or fentiments by which Wwe ate inwardly moved or agitated; and the difcovery of which gives cooler and abler people fuch infinite advantages over us, not only in great bufinefs, but in all the moft common occurences of life. A man who does not poffefs himfelf enough to hear difagreeable things, without vifible marks of anger and change of countenance; of agreeable ones, without fudden burfts of joy, and expanfions of countenance, is at the mercy of every artful knave, or pert coxcomb; the former will provoke or difpleafe you by defign, to watch unguarded words or looks, by which he will eafily decypher the fecrets of your heart, of which you fhould keep the key yourfelf, and truft it with no man living. The latter will, by his abfurdity , and without intending it, pro- duce the fume difcoveries, of which other people will avail themfelves, If you find yourfelf fubje& to fudden ftarts of paffion, or madnefs (for Ifee no difference between them » but in their dura-105. duration) refolve within yourfelf, at leaft, ne- ver to fpeak one word while you feel this emotion within you, In fhort make yourfelf abfolute matter of your temper, and your countenance, fo far, at leaft, as that no vifible change does appear in either, what ever you may feel in- wardly.. This may be difficult, but it is by no means impoffible; and, as a man of fenfe never attempts impoifibilities, on one hand or the other, he is never difcouraged by diffi- culties: on the contrary, he redoubles his induftry and his diligence, he perfeveres , and infallibly prevails at laft. In any point which prudence bids you purfue, and which a manifeft utility attends,- let difficulties only animate your induftny, not deter you from the purfuit. If one way has failed, try another; be ative, perfevere, and you will conquer. Some people are to be reafoned, fome flattered, fome intimidated, and fome teazed into a thing; but, in general, all are tobe brought intoit at laft, if fkilfully applied to, properly managed, and indefatigably attacked in their weak places. The time fhould likewife judicioufly be chofen; every man has his Mollia tempora, but that is fac Gs from106 from being all day long; and you would choofe your time very ill, if you applied to @ man -about one bufinefs, when his head was full of another, or when his heart was full of grief, anger, or any other difagreeable palfion. In order, to, judge of the infide of others, ftudy your own, for men im general are very much alike, and though one has one -preyai- ling pafiion,- and another has another, yet their operations are much the fame; and whatever engages or difgufts, pleafes, or offends you, in others, will mutatis mutandis, engage, difguft , pleafe or offend “others, in you. Obferve with the utmoft attention all the operations of your owh mind, the na- ture of your paffions,. and the various mo- tives that determine your will; and you may in a great degtee know all mankind, Forin- ftance. Do you find yourfelf hurt and mortified, when another makes you feel his fuperiority, and your own inferiority in knowledge, parts, rank, or fortune? you will certainly take great care. not to make a perfon, whofe goodwill, good word, intereft, efteem, or friendfhip, you would gain, feel that. fuperiority in‘you, in cafe you have it, If difagreeable infinu- ations107 ations, {ly fneers, or repeated conttadittions, tedze and irritate you, would you ufe them where you withed to engage afid pleafe, almoft univerfally, The temptation of faving a {mart and witty thing, or Gon mot, andthe malicious applaufe with which it is commonly received, have made people who can fay them, and ftill oftener, people who think they can, but cannot, and yet try, more enemies, and implacable ones too, than any one other thing that Lknow of. Whenfuch things then, hap- pen to be faid at your expense, (as fome- times they certainly will) refle¢t feriously upon the fentiments of uneatinefs, anger and refentment, which they excite in you; and confider whether it can be prudent, by the fame means to excite the fame fentiments in others againft you. It is a,decided folly to lofe a friend for a jeft, but, in my mind if is not a much lefs degree of folly, to make an enemy ofan indifferent and neutral perfon for the fake of a bon mot, When things of this kind happen to be faid of you, the moft prudent way is to feem not to fuppofe that they are meant at you, but to conceal whia- tever degree of anger you may feel inwardly and fhould they be fo plain that you cannot be108 be fuppofed ignorant of their meaning to join in the langh of the company againft yourfelf: acknowledge the hit to bea fair one, and the jeft to be a good one, and play of the {whole thing in feeming good humours but! by no means reply in the fame way; which only fhews that you are hurt, and publifhes the victory which you might have concealed, Should the thing faid, indeed, injure your honour: or moral charaéter, remember, there are but two alternatives for a gentleman and a man of parts— extreme politenefs, or a duel, If a man notorioufly and defignedly in- fults and affronts you, knock him down; but if he only injures you, fyour beft revenge is to be extremely civil to him in your outward behaviour, though at the fame time you counterwork him, and return him the come pliment perhaps with intereft, This is not perfidy nor diffimulation ; it would be fo; if you were at the fame time, to make profeffi- ons of efteem and friendfhip to this man; which I by no means recommend, but on the contrary, abhor, All atts of civility are, by common confent, underftood to be no more than a conformity to cuftom, for the quiet10g quiet and conveniency offociety, the agremens of which are not to be diiturbed by private diflikes and jealoufies, Only womenand little minds pout and fpar for the entertainment of the company, that always laughs at, and never pities them. _For my own part, tho’ I would by no means give up my point to a competitor, yet I would pique myfelf upon fhowing him rather more civility than to another man. In the firft place this behaviour makes all the laughter on your fide, which is a confiderable party; andin the next place it certainly pleafes the objet of the compe- tition, be it either man or woman, who never fail-to fay, upon fuch an occafion : that they .,,muft own you have behaved yourfelf very handfomely in the whole affair. °° In fhort, let this be one invariable rule in your conduct; Never to fhow the leaft fymptom of refentment, which you cannot, to a certain degree, gratify: but always ito fmile, when you cannot trike, There would be no living in the world, if one could not conceal» and even diffemble , the juft caufes of refentment, which one meets with every day in aétive and buty life. Whoever cannot mafter his humour, fhould leave the world,Ifo. world, and retire to fome' hermitage, in fan unfrequented defart, By fhowing an unawai- ling and fallen refentment, you authorife the refentment of thofe, who can hurt you and whom a cannot hurt: and give them that very pretence, which perhaps they wifhed for, of a aking with, and injuring you whereas the contrary behaviour would lay them under the reftraints of decency, atleaft, and either fhackle or éxpofe their malice. Befides captioufnefs, fullennefs, and ponting are moit exceeding illiberal and vulgar. Though men are all of one compofition ro r ? the feveral ingredients are fo differently pro- portioned in each individual, that no two are exactly alike; and no one at all times, like himfelf, The ableft man will, eg cogil do weak things: the proudeft man mean th ings$ idk the honefteft man ill things : and the wickedett man goodones. Study individuals, then; and if you take, (as}you ought to do) their out lines from their prevailing pafiion, ee your lait finifhing ftrokes till you have at- ) al tended to and difcovered the operations of their inferior paffions, appetites, and hamours, 2 A man’s general charaéter ma y be that of the Ve honefteft man of the world: do not difpute cs ids werif * you might be thought envious or ill- na- oa. but, at-the-famie time, do hot take this probity upon truit, to fuch a degree as to put your life, fortune, or reputation, in his vower, ‘This honeft man may happen to be your rival in power, in Intereit, or in love; three paffions that often put honefty to moft fevere trials, in which it is too often caft¢ but firft analyfe this honeft man yourfelf ; and then only, you will be able to judge, how far you may or may not, with fafety, truft him. | If you would particularly gain the affec- tion and friendfhip of particular people, whe- ther men or women, endeavour to find out their predominant exellency, ifthey have one, and their prevailing weaknefs, which every body has: and do juitice to the one, and fomething more than juftice to the other. Men have various objects in which they may excel, or at leaft would be thought to excel, and though they love to have juttice done to them, where they. know they excel, jet they are moft and beft flattered upon thofe jpoints, where they wifh to excel, and yet are doubtful whether they do or not, As for example; Cardinal Richelieu, who was un do-II2 doubtedly the ableft ftatefman of his time, or perhaps of any other, had the idle vanity of being thought the beft poet too; he envied the great Corneille his reputation, and orde- red acriticifm to be made upon the Cid, Thofe, therefore, who flattered fkilfully, faid little to him of his abilities in ftate affairs, or at leaft but en paffant, and as it might naturally occur, Bu the incenfe which they gave him, the fmoke of which they knew, would turn his head in their favour, Was as a bel e/prit and a poet. Why? becaufe he was fure of one cxcellency, and diftruftful as to the other. You will eafily difcover every man’s prevailing vanity; by obferving his favourite topic of converfation; for every man talks moft of what he has moft a mind to excelin, Touch him-but there, and you touch him to the quick. Women have, in general, but one object, which is their beauty; upon which {carce any flattery is too grofs for them to fwallow. Nature has hardly formed a wom an ugly enough to be infenfible to flattery upon her-perfon; if her face is fo fhoking, that fhe muft, in fome degree, be confeiocus of113 of it, her figure and her air, the trufts make ample amends for it. If her figure is defor- med, her face, the thinks, counterbalances it. Ifthey both are bad, ihe comforts her- felf, that fhe has graces; a certain manner; ge ne fcais quot, ftill more engaging than beauty. This truth is evident, from the ftu- died and elaborate drefs of the uglielt women in the world. An undoubted, uncontetted, confcious beauty, is, of all women the leaft fenfible of flattery upon that head: ihe knows it is her due, and is ‘therefore obliged to no- body for giving it her. She mutt be flatte- red upon her underftanding; which though fhe may poffibly not doubt of herfelf, yet fhe fufpeéts that men may diftruft. Do not -miftake me, and think that t mean to recommend to you any abject and criminal flattery; no, flatter no body's vices er érimes: on the contrary, abhor and difcourage them, But there is no jJiving in the world without a complaifant- indulgence for other people’s weaknefles, and innocent, though ridiculous vanities. Ifa man has a mind to be thought wifer, and a woman handfomer, than they really are, their error is a comfortablé one to themfelves, and an | Fl i@no-114 innocent One with regard to other people, and I would rather make them my friends indulging them in it, than my enhemies, by endeavouring (and that to no purpofe) to undeceive them. Sufpett, in general, thofe who remarkably affect any one vittue; who raife it above all others, and who in amanner, intimate that they poflefs it exclutively, [ fay fufpe& them: for they are commonly impoftors; but benot fure that they~are always: fo$ for [ have fometimes known faints really religious, Blufterers really brave, Reformers of man- ners really honeft, and Prudes really chafte. Pry into the receffes of their hearts yourfelf, as far as you are able, and never implicitly adopt a character upon common fame, which though generally right asto the great outlines of characters, is always wrong in fome par- ticulars, , Be upon your guard againft thofe who upon very flight acquaintance, obtrude their unafked and unmerited friend{ hip and con- fidence upon you; for they probably cram you with them only for their own eating? but, at the fame time, do not roughly reject them upon that genera! fuppofition, Examine fur-tis ther, and fee whether thefe unexpected of- fers flow from a warm heart and filly head, or from a defigning head and a cold heart; for knavery and folly have often the fame fymptoms, In the firft cafe, there is no dan- ger in accepting them,— valeant quantum valere poffunt. In the latter cafe, it may be ufeful to feem to accept them, and artfully to turn the battery on him who raifed it, If a man ufes ftrong oaths or proteftations to make you believe a thing, which is of itfelf fo likely and probable, that the bare faying of it would be fufticient, depend upon it he lies, and is highly interefted in making you believe it; or elfe he would not take fo much pains, There is an incontinency of friendfhip among young fellows, who are allociated by their mutual pleafures only, which has, very frequently, bad confequences, A parcel of warm hearts, and unexperienced heads, hea- ted by convivial mirth, and poffibly a little too much wine, vow, and really mean at the time, eternal friendfhip to each other, and indifcreetly pour out their whole foul in common, and without the leaft referve. The confidences are as indifcteetly broken, as they Hg were116 were made; for new pleafures, and new places foon @iffolve this ill-cemented con- netion, and then very ill ufes are made of thefe rafh. confidences. Bear your part, however, in young companies; nay, excel if you can in all the focial and convivial joy and feltivity that become youth, ‘Truft them with your love tales, if you pleafe, but keep your ferious views fecret. Truft thofe only to fome tried friend; more experienced than yourfelf, and who, being in a different walk of life from you, is not likely to become your rival, for I would not advife you to depend fo much upon the heroic virtue of mankind, as to hope, or believe, that. your competitor will ever be your friend as to the object of that competition. A feeming ignorance is very often a ne- ceflary part of wordly knowledge. It is for inftance, commonly advifeable to feem igno- rant of what people offer to tell you; and when they fay, have not you heard of fuch a thing? to anfwer, no, and to let them go on, though you know it already, “Some have a pleafure in telling it, becaufe they think they tell it well; others have a pride in it, asbeing the fagacious discoverers; and manyLI7 re many have a vanity in fhowing that they have been, though very undefervedly, tru- fied: All thefe would be diffapointed, and confequently difpleafed, lif you faid, yes, Seem always ignorant (unlefs to your intimate friend) to all matters of private feandal or defamation, though you fhould hear them a thoufand times, for the parties affected always lock upon the receiver to be almoft as bad as the thief; and whenever they become the topic of converfation, feem to be a fcep- tic, though you are really a ferious believer and always take the extenuating part. But all this feeming ignorance fhould be joined to thorough and extenfive private information and indeed, it is the beft method of procu- ring them; for moft people have {uch a vanity in fhowing a fuperiority over others, though but fora moment, and in the mereft trifles, that they will tell you what they fhould not, rather than not fhow that they can:tell what you did not know; befides that fuch feeming ignorance will make you pafs for incurious, and confequently undefigning, However, Gh for fats, and take pains to be well in- formed of every. thing that pafles; but fifth judicioufly, and not-always, nor indeed often H 3 in es‘EEG —~ in the fhape of dire&t queftions; which al- ways puts peopié upon their guard, and, often repeated, grow tirefome, But fometi- mes take the things that you would know, fur granted; upon which fomebody will kindly and officioufly fet.you right: fometimes fay, that you have heard fo and fo; and at other times feem to know. more than you'do, order to know all that you ete but direét queftioning as much as you can, Human nature is the fame all’ over the world; but its operations are fo varied by education and habit, that one muft fee it in all its dreffes, in order to be intimately ac- guainted with it. The paffion of ambition for inftance is the fame, in a courtier, a foldier, or an ecclefiaftic, but from their dif- ferent educations and habits they will take very different methods to gratify it, Civility, which is a ‘difpofition to accommodate and oblige others, is eflentially the fame in every country; but good breeding, as it is called, which is the manner of exerting that difpo- fition, is different in almoft every country, and merely local; and every man of fenfe im- itates, and conforms to that local good- breeding of the place which he is at,.— A con-1X9 confotmity and flexibility of manners is ne- ceflary in the courfe of the world; that is, with regard to all things, which are not wrongin themfelves. The ver/atile ingenium is the moft ufeful af all, It can inftantly turn from one object to another, afluming the proper chara¢ter of each. It can’ be fe- rious with the grave, chearful with the By» and trifling with the rivolous. Indeed nothing is more engaging than a chearful and eafy conformity to people’s particular manners, habits and even weaknef- fes; nothing, (to ufe a vulgar expreffion) fhould- come amifs to a young-fellow. He fhould be for good purpofes what Alcibiades was commonly for bad ones— a Proteus, affuming ‘with eafe, and wearing with chearfulnefs, any fhape, Heat, cold, luxury, abftinence, gravity, gaity, ceremony, eafinefs, learning, trifling, bufinefs, and pleafure are modes which he fhould be able to take, lay afide, or change occafionally, with as much eafe as he would take or lay afide his hat. ‘Young men are apt to think that every thing is to be carried by fpirit and vigour 3 that art is meannefs, and that verfability and complaifance are the refuge of pufillanimity and H 4 weak-120 weaknefs. This _moft miftaken opinion gives an indelicacy, an abruptnefs, anda roughnefs to their manners. Fools, who can never be undeceived, retain them as long as they live: teflection with a little experience, makes ‘men of fenfe fhake them of foon. When they come to be a little. better acquainted with themfelves, and with their own fpecies they difcover, that plain right reafon is, nine times in ten the fettered and fhackled atten- dant of .the triumph of the heart and the patfions ; confequently, they addrefs themfel- ves nine times in ten to the conqueror, not to be conquered:. and conquerors you know, muft be applied in the gentleft, the moft engaging and the moft infinnating manner. But unfortunately, young men are as apt to think themfelves, wife enough, as drunken men are to think themfelves fober enough, They lodk upon fpirit to be a much better thing than experience; which they call coldnefs. They are but half miftaken: for tho’ {pirit without experience is dangerous, experien- ce without {pirit is languid and defeCtive, Their union which is very rare is perfection ; you may join them ifyou pleafe, for all my experience is at your fervice ; and I donot defire one grain ot‘TOY of your fpirit in return. Ufe them both, and let them reciprocally animate and cheek each other, |] mean here by the {pirit of youth - only the vivacity and prefumption of youth; which hinder them from feeing the difficulties or dangers of an undertaking; but I do not mean what the fly vulgar calls fpirit, by which they are captious, jealous of their rank, fufpicious of being undervalued, and {mart in their reparties, upon the {lightelt oc- cafion, This is anevil, and a very filly fpirit, which fhoul be dviven out, and transferred: to an herd of fwine, To conclude: never. negleé&t of defpife old, for the fake of new or more fhining acquaintance; which would be ungrateful on your part, andnever forgiven ontheirs. Take care to make as many perfonal friends, and as few perfonal enemies, as poffible. I do not mean by perfonal friends, intimate and confi- Gential friends,of which no man can hope to have halfa dozeninthe whole courfe of his life; but I mean friends, in the common acceptation of the word; that is, people who fpeak well of you, ahd who would rather do you good than harm, confiftently with their own in- tereft, and no farther. Hs THE22 fete THE HISTORY OF THE UNFORTU- NATE REIGN OF CHARLES I. Po KING OF ENGLAND. Few princes ever afcended the throne with more apparent advantages than Charles 5 A.D.and none ever encount tered more real difficul- 1625. ae *, Indeed he undertookthe reins of govern- ment with a fixed perfuafion that his popu- larity was fufficient to carry every meafure. He had been loaded witha treaty for defen- ding the Prince Palatine his brother-inlaw, in the late reign; and the war. declared for that purpofe was to be carried on with vi- sour, in this. But war was more eafily de- clared than fupplies granted, After fome re- luétance the commons voted himtwo fubfidies; afum far from being fufhcient to fupport him inhis intended equipment, Yo fupply the want of parliamentary aids, Charles had recourfe to fome of the ancient methods of extortion prattifed by fovereigns when in neceffitous circumftances. ‘That kind of tax called a ‘benevolence , was ordered to be exatted, and privy feals were iflued acoordingly, With this the people123 people were obliged, thouch reluftantly, to comply; it wasin fact authorifed by many precedents; but .no precedents. whatfoever ‘could give a fanttion to injuttice, After an ineffectual expedition ‘to Cadix, another expediegt was made to obtain fup- plies ina noredte: and conftitational man- ner than before. Another parliament was accordingly called, and though fome fteps were taken to exclude the more popular lea- ders of the laft houfe of commons, by ‘nomi- nating them as fherifs of counties, yet the prefent parliament fzemed more refrattory than the former.— When the king.laid be- fore the houfe his neceffities, and afked tor a fupply, they voted him only, three fubfi- dies, which amounted to about an hundred and fixty thoufand pounds; a fum no way adequate to the importance of the war, or the neceffities of the ftate. In order, there fore, fo gain a fufficient fupply, a commif- fion was openly granted to compound with the catholics, and agree for il venfation of the penal laws againft them. He borrowed a fum of money from the nobility, whofe contributions came in but flowly. | But the ereateft ftretch of his power was 1n the‘ 3 : 1 boy aa} * % ¥ . ica > eS J > Pig eit = oe ¥ z } * e | * Boy . Ff o 4 = 3° 4 $e 25 e224. ia a i 4a 4 it = t ote te hae +s i Soe fe q ce 1 ‘ : 124 levying of fhip- money. In order to equip a fleet (at leaft this was the pretence made) each of the maritime towns was required, with the alfiftance of the adjacent counties , to armas many vellels as were appointed them.— Tbe city of London was rated at twenty fhips. This wi the commence- ment of a tax, which afterwards, being carried to fuch violent lenghts, created fuch reat difcontents in the nation. g War being foon after declared againft France , a fleet was fent out under the com- mand of Buckingham, to relieve Rochelle, a maritime town of that kingdom, that had long, enjoied its privileges independent of the French King; but that had for fome years embraced the reformed religion, and now was befieged with a formidable army- This expedition was as unfortunate as that to the coafts of Spain. — The duke’s mea- fures were fo ill concerted , that the inhabi- tants of the city fhut their gates, and refu- fed to adn llies , of whofe coming they were not previously informed, Inftead of at- tacking the island of Oleron, which was fer- tile and defencelefs, he bent his courfe to the isle of Rhe, which was garrifoned, and well125 well fortified,. He attempted there to flarve out the garrifon.of St. Martin’s caftle, which was plentifully fapplied with provifions by fea, By that time the French had landed their forces privately at another part of the island; fo that Buckingham was at lait obliged to retreat, but with fuch. precipitation, that two thirds of the army were cut in pieces befere he could re-imbark, though he was the laft man of the whole army that quitted the fhore. This proof of — his. perfonal courage, however, was but a fmall fubjett of confolation for the difgrace which his coun- try had fuftained, for his own perfon would have been the laft they would have regretted. The conteft bettween the king and the commons every day. grew warmer, The ofh- cers of the cuftom-houfe were fummonedbe- fore the commons, to give an account by what authority they feized the goods of the merchants, who had refufed to pay the duty of tonnage and poundage, which they alled- ged was leyied without the fan¢tion of a law, Fhe barons of the Exchequer were queftioned concerning their decrees on that head; and the fherifi of London was commit- ted to the Tower for his activity in fuppor- tingYee ting the cuftom-houfe officers, . Thefe’ were | bold meafures; but the commons went {till far= | ther, by a refolution to examine into religious | grievances, anda new fpirit ofintolerance be- Ad D. gan tovappear, » The king, therefore, refolved 1629: +5 diffolve a parliament, which he found him- felf unable to manage; and Sir John Finch the Speaker, juft as the queftion concerning tonnage and poundage was going to be put, rofe up and informed the houfe, that he had a command from the King to adjourn. The houfe upon this was in an uproar 3 the fpeaker was pufhed back into his chair, and forcibly held in it by Hollis and Valentine, till a fhort remonftrance was framed, .and patf- fed by acclamation rather than vote.. [In this hafty production Papifts and Armiuians were declared capital enemies to the ftate, ‘[on- nage and poundage were condemned as con- | trary to law} and not only thofe who raifed that duty, but thofe who paid it, were con- fidered as guilty of capital crimes, In contequence of this violent procedure, sir Miles Hohart, Sir Peter Heymann, Selden Coriton, Long, and Strede, were, by the King’s order, committed to prifon ‘under127 pretence of fedition, But the fame temerity that impelled Charles to imprifon. them; in- duced him to grant them areleafe. Sir John Elliot, Hollis, and Valentine, were fuimmoned before the King’s bench, but refufing to’ appear before an inferior tribunal, for fanlts committed in a fuperior, they were condem- ned to be imprifoned during the King’s plea- fure, to pay a fine, the two ‘former of a thoufand pounds each, and tlie latter of five hundred, and to find fureties for their good behaviour, The members, triumphed in their fufferiugs, while they had the whole’ king- _dom as fpectators and applauders of their for- titude. : In the mean time while the king was thus diftreiled by the obftinacy of the com- mons, he felt a much feverer blow in the death ofjhis favourite the duke of Buckingham who fell a facrifice to his unpopularity, It had been refolved once more to undertake the raifing Of the fiege of Rochelle; and the ear! of Denbigh, brother-in-law to Buckingham, was fent thither, but returned without effec- ting any thing, In order to repair this dif- grace, the duke of Buckingham went in per- fon to Portsmouth to hurry on another expe- diticn,128 dition, and to punifh fuch as had endeavoured to defraud the crown of the legal affeilments. In the general difcontent that prevailed againit this nobleman, it was daily expet¢ted that fome fevere meafures would-be refolyed on} and he was ftigmatized as the tyrant and the betrayer of his country, There was one Felton, who caught the general contagion, an [rifhman of a good family, who had ferved under the duke as lieutenant, but had refigned, on being refufed his rank on the death of his captain, who had been killed at the isleof Rhe. This man was na- turally melancholy, courageous, and enthu- fiaftic, he felt for his country; as if labouring undera calamity which he thought it in the power of his fingle arm to remove, He, the- refore, refolved to kill the duke, and thus revenge his own private injuries, while hedid fervice alfo to god and ten. Animated in this manner with gloomy zeal, and miftaken patriotifm , he travelled down to Portfmouth alone, and entere’d the town, while che duke was furrounded by his levee, and giving ont the neceffary orders, for embarkation. While he was {peaking to one of his colonels, Fel- ton ftruck’ him over an officers fhoulders in the129 the breaft with’ his knife, The duke had only time to fay: ,,The villain has killed me, ** when he fell at the colonel’s feet and inftantly expired, No one‘had feen the blow, nor the perfon who gave it; but an_ hat being picked up, on the infide ef which was found a paper, containing four or five lines of the remonftrance of the commons againft the duke, it was concluded that this hat muft belong to the affaffin, and while they were emplojed in conjeétures whofe it fhould be, a man without an hat was feen walking very compofediy before the door, and was heard to cry out, I am he. He difdained denying a murder in which he gloried; and averred, that he looked upon’the duke as an enemy to his country, and asfuch deferving to fuffer. When afked at whofe inftigation he had performed that horrid deed? He anfwered, that they need not trouble them- felves in that inquiry; that his confcience was his only prompter, and that no man on earth could difpofe him to aét againft its dic- tates.— He fuffered with the fame degree of conftancy to the laft; nor werethere many wanting who admired not only his fortitude, but the attion for which he fuffered. 1 TheA.D. 1629. 130 The king’s firft meafure’, now that he was left without a Minifter and a parliament was a prudent one, He made peace with the two crowns againft whom he had hitherto waged war, which had been entered upon without neceflity, and conducted without glory, Being freedfrom thefe embarafsments; he bent. his whole attention to the manage- ment of the internal policy of ‘his kingdom , and took two men as his affociates in this tafk, who itill atted an under part to him- felf, Thefe were Sir Thomas Wentworth afterwards created earl of Stafford, and Laud, afterwards Archbifhop of Canterbury, While Laud,;, therefore, during this long interval ruled the church, the king and Stafford une dertook to manage the temporal interefts of the nation, A declaration was.difperfed, im- plying, that during this reign, no more par- liaments wayld be fummoned; and every me- afure of the king but too well ferved to con- firm the fuspicion, Tonnage and poundage were continued to be levied by royal authority alone y cu- ftom- houfe officers received orders from the council to enter any houfe whatever in fearch of futpected goods: compofitions were openly made¥31 made with papiits; and their religion was become a regular part of the revenue,— The high commiffion court of Star- chamber exer- cifed its ‘power, independent of any law upon feveral bold innovators in liberty, who only gloried in their futferings, and contri- buted to render government odious and con- temptible, Prynne, abarrifter of lincoln’s inn, Burton, a divine, and Baftwick, a phyfician, were tried before the tribunal for {chismatic libels, in which, they attacked, with great feverity, and intemperate zeal, the ceremonies of the church of England. They were con- demned to be pillored, to lofe their ears, and to pay five thoufand pounds to the king, Every year, every month, every day gave frefh inftlances, during this long inter- miffion of parliaments , of the refolutions of the court to throw them off for ever? but the levying of fhip-money, as it was called, being a general burthen, was univertally complained of as a national grievance. This was a tax which had in former retgns been levied without the confent of parliament; but then the exigency of the flate demanded fuch a fuppiy. John Hambden ‘a gentleman of for La tune ~fer i ¥ i . ioe? Eee a ee fF § ¥ $ Tore ? ~e a : tie, he i te nae fau4 2s i) cae ae oe | ma te ta . { we mi DET Se Site "4 ss a phi or RE TIE Fa omic a : ; " a sy ised hips ea 132 tune in Buckinghamfhire, refufed to comply with the tax, and refolved to bring it to.a legal determination. He had been rated at twenty fhillings for his eftate, which - he refufed to pay; and the cafe was argued twelve days in the Exchequer chamber, be- fore all the judges of England. The nation regarded with the utmoft auxiety, the refult of a trial, that was to fix the limits of the King’s power, All the judges, four only exe cepted, gave fentence in favour of the crowns while Hambden , who loft his caufe, was more than fufficiently recompenfed by the applaufe of the people. The difcontent and oppofition the king met with in maintaining epifcopacy among his Engliih fubjetts, might, one would think, have hindered him from attempting to introduce it among thofe of Scotland, where it was generally hateful, Having publifhed an order for reading the liturgy in the prin- cipal church in Edinburgh, the people recei- ved it with clamours and imprecations, The feditious difpofition in that kingdom, which had hitherto been kept within bounds, was now too furious for reftraint, and the infur- re€tion became general all over the country, and133 and the Scots flew to atms with great animofity, | Yet ftill the king could not think of de- fifting from his défign; and fo prepofsefsed was he in favour of royal right, that he thought the very name of king when fore cibly urged, would induce them to return to their duty. Inftead therefore of fighting with his opponents, he’ entered upon a treaty with them; fo'that)a fufpenfion of arms was foon agreed upon, anda treaty of peace con cluded, which neither fide intended to obfer- ve; and then both parties agreed to disband their forces, After much altercation, and many treaties figned and broken, both par- ties once more had recourfe to arms, and nothing but blood could fatiate the conten- ders, War being thus refolved on, the king took ‘every method as before for raifing money to fup- port it, Shipmoney was levied as ufual; fome other arbitrary taxes were exacted from the re- In&tant people with great feverity; but thefe were far from being fufficient; and there remained now only one method more, the long negleéted one of a parliamentary fupply. 13 The; i % ‘ ah ome ; ‘ RS ters ry Be ae : i ‘Rohe F : ey ee em tee te i. sh Hohe 4 eat .3 me Te ae f bg er 3 Pat ce Late tee vs ‘ me) : i Vand , f eS ays y coe 4 ba f eth Wied 7 ; is { ¢ 3 tikd i Fete ae oe pe ieee Mee ane rer Lye rf ‘ : ih by es He +4 3 1% nig merge: rege ee nts “ tinct eatin 134 The new houfe of commons, however, could not be induced to treat the Scots, who were of the fame principles with themfelves and contending againft the fame ceremonies 5 as enemies to the ftate.. Theyregarded them as friends and brothers, who firlt rofe to teach them.a duty it was incumbent on all virtuous minds to imitate, The king, there- fore, conld reap no other fruits from this allembly than murmurings and complaints. Every method he had taken to fupply him- felf with money was declared an abufe, and a ‘breach .of the conftitution, The king, therefore, finding no hopes. of a compliance with his regueft, but recrimination inftead of redre{s, once more diffolyed the parliament, to try other methods of removing his necef- fities. lis neceffities however continuing , that parliament was called, which did not ceafe fitting till they overturned the confti- tution, Without any interval they entered ~~ upon bufinefs; and by unanimous eonfent they firuck a blow that might be~ regarded as decifive. Inftead of granting the deman- ded fublidies, they impeached the earl of Strafford, the king’s firit minifter, and had him135 him arraigned before the honfe of peers for high treafon, After a long and eloquent {peech, delivered without premeditation; in which he confuted all the accufations of his enemies, he was found guilty, by both hou- fes of parliament; and nothing remained but for the king to give his confent to the. biil of attainder. Charles who loved Strafford tenderly, hefitated, and feemed reluctant, trying every expedient to put of fo dreadful a duty as that of figning the warrant for his ' execution. While he continued in this agi- tation of mind, not knowing how to att, his doubts were at laft filenced by an att of heroic bravery in the condemned lord. He received a letter from that unfortunate nob- leman, deliring that his life might be made the facrifice of a mutual reconciliation bet- - ween the king and his people; adding that he was prepared to die, and to a willing mind there could be no injury. This in- ftance of noble generofity was. but ill repaid by his mafter, who complied with his requeit. He confented to the figning of a fatal bill by commiffion; Strafford was beheaded on To- wer - hill, behaving with all that compofed dignity of refolution that was expeéted from I4 his136 his character, In this univerfal rage for pu-~ nifhment, the parliament fell with great juftice on two courts, which had been ereéted under arbitrary kings, and have feldom been emplo- jed but in cafes of neceffity, Thefe were the High - commiffion court;. and the court of Star- chamber. A Dill unanimonfly pafled the houfes to abolifh both; and in them to annihilate the principal and moft dangerous articles in the King’s prerogative, In the midft of thefe troubles, the pa- pifts of Ireland fancied they found a convenient opportunity of throwing off the Englith joke, and aceordingly refolved to cut off all the Proteftants of the kingdom at a ftroke3; fothat neither age,- fex, nor condition, received any pity. In fuch indifcriminate flaughter, neither jformer benefits, nor alliances, nor = - ae Piece peice salle ages st segs oe see F * aiid " k a rain lee eae i at: eh wee aa Gnas atk ~ BNteokdaaice heat cree RSET 5 e ae ae ; tae fil ~ 4 ee i JEDI in palo lingers Stal oe he wR ne et se pm * ee rt tem nei ee neti i a cee creo - mi et , : aarti s - - : Pee Selene ap Porat is - so cragneneracenmniion aes = i ea - a ie authority, were any prote&tion; numberlefs were the inftances of friends murdering their intimates, relations their kinfmen, and fer- vants their mafters. In vain did flight fave -from the firft affault;.deftru@ion, that had an extenfive fpread, met the hunted viétims at every turn, | The king took all the preparations in his power to fhow his utter deteftation of thefe bloodya re rere ear ee 137 bloody proceedings; and being fenfible of his own inability to fupprefs the rebellion; had once more recourfe to his Englifh parliament, and craved their afsifance for a fupply. But here he found no hopes of afsiftance; many. infinuations “were thrown out that he had himfelf fomented this rebellion, and no mo- ney could be found for the extin¢tion of diftant danger, when they pretended that the kingdom was threatened with greater at home. It was now that the republican. fpirit began to appear without any difguife in the prefent parliament ;_and that party, inftead of attacking the faults of the king, refolved to deftroy monarchy, The leaders of the oppofition began their operation by arefolution to attack epifcopacy, which was one of the ftrongeft bulwarks vf the royal power. They accufed thirteen bif-a.p, hops of high-treafon, for ena¢ting, canons without the confent of the parliament; and endeavoured to prevail upon the houfe of peers to exclude all the prelates from their feats and votes in that auguft aflembly. The bifhops faw the ftorm that was gathering againft them; and, probably to avert its effeéts, they refolved to attend their duty in I5 the138 the houfe of lords: no longer. This was a fatal blow to the royal interefts but it foon felt a much greater by the king’s own im- prudence. Charles, had long fupprefied his refentment, and only ftrove jto fatisfy the commons by the greatnels of.his conceffions; but finding that all his compliance-had only increafed their demands, he,could no longer contain, He gave orders to.Herbert,:, his. at- torney general, -to. enter.an/accufation of high treafon in the houfe of peers againft lord Kimboldon, one of the molt popular men of his party, together with five commoners, sir Arthur Hafterig, Hollis, Hambden, Pym, and Srode. The articles were, that they had traitorously endeavoured to fubvert the fun- damental laws and government of the king- dom: to deprive the king of his regal po- wer, andto impofe on his fubjetts an ar bitrary tyrannical authority. Men had fearce leifare to wonder at the precipitancy and im- prudence of this impeachment, when they were aftonifhed at another meafure, ftill more rafh and more unfuported. The next day the king himfelf was feen to enter the houfe of commons alone, advancing through the hall, ‘while all the mémbers ftood up to receive him,a ae rere ary 139 him. The fpeaker withdrew from his chair, and the king took pofseffion of it, Having feated himfelf, and locked round him for fome time, he told the houfe that he was for- ry for the occafion that forced him thither, that he was come in perfon to, feize the members, whom he had accufed of high treafon, feeing they would not deliver them up to his ferjeant at arms. He: then fat for fome time to fee if the accufed were prefent ; but they had efcaped a few minutes before his entry. Thus difappointed, perplexed, and not knowing on whom to rely, he next proceeded, amidft the clamours of the popu- lace, who continued to cry out, ,, Privilege! Privilege! ‘*/ to the common council of the city, and made his complaint to-them, The common council only anfwered his complaint with a contemptuous filence; and on his return, one of the populace, more ine folent than the reft, cried out, ,,fo your fentaecy Ifrael.f*....a watchword among the lews; when they intended to abandon their princes, — Being returned to Windfor, he began to refle& on the rafhnefs of his former pro- ceedings; and now too late refolved to make | fome140 fome atonement, He therefore wrote to the parliament, informing them, that he defifted from his farmer proceeding againft the accu- fed members; and aflured them, that upon all occafions, he would be as careful of their privileges as of his life or his crown, Thus his formet violence had rendered him hate- ful to his commons, and his prefent fubmif- fion now rendered him contemptible. The power of appointing generals and levying armies was ftill a remaining prero- gative of the crown, The commons having therefore firft magnified their terrors of popery, which perhaps they attually dreaded, they petitioned that the tower might be put into their hands, and that Hull, Portsmouth, and the fleet fhould be intrufted to perfons of their chufing. Thefe were requefts, the com- plying with which levelled all that remained of the ancient conftitution; however, fuch was the neceflity of the times, that they Were at firft contefted, and then granted. At lait, every compliance only increafing the avidity of making frefh demands, the com- mons defired to have a militia, raifed and governed by fuch officers and comanders as they fhould nominate, -under pretext of fe-14I fecuring them from the Irifh papifts, of whom they were in great apprehenfions, It was here that Charles firft ventured to put a ftop to his conceffions, and being @rsed to give up the command of the army for anappointedtime, he was fo exafperated ; that he exclaimed, ,,No, not for an hour.* This peremptory refufal broke off all further treaty , and both fides were now refolved to have recourfe to arms, No period fince England began could fhew fo many inftances of courage, abili- ties and virtue, as the prefent fatal oppolitiona, p. called forth into exertion, Now was the 1642: time when talents ofall kinds, unchecked by authority, were called from the iowgr ranks of life to difpute for power and pre -emis nence. Manifeftoes on the one fide, and the other, were now difperfed throughout the whole kingdom; and the people were uni- verfally divided between two “factions, di- ftinguifhed by the names of Cavaliers and Roundheads, The king’s forces appeared in a very low condition; befides the train- bands of the county, raifed by Sir John Digby the fheriff, he had not got together : three142 three hundred infantry, His cavalry, which ‘ compofed his chief ftrenght, exceeding not eight, hundred, and were very ill provided with arms. However, he was foon gradu- ally reinforced-from all quarters; but not being then in a condition to face his enemies, he thought it prudent to retire by flow ‘mar- ches to Derby, and thence to Shrewfburry, in order ‘to countenance’ the leyies which his friends were making in thofe parts. In the méan time the parliament were not remifs in preparations on their fide, They had a Magazine of arms at Hull, and Sir John Hotham was appointed governor of that place by parliament. The forces alfo which had been every where raifed on pre- tence of the fervice of Jreland, were now more openly enlifted by the parliament for their own purpofes, and the command given to the earl of Effex, a bold man, who ra- ther defired to fee monarehy abridged, than totally deft®yed; and in London, no lefs then four thoufand men were enlifted in one day. Edge - Hill was the firft place ‘where the two armies were put in array againft each other, and the country drenched in Clvie143 civil flaughter, It was a.dreadful ‘fight to fee above thirty thonfand of the braveft men in the world, inftead of employing their courage abroad, turning it againft each other, while the deareft friends, and neareft kinfmen embraced oppofite fides, and prepared to bury their private regard in factious hatred, After an engagement of fome hours, animofity fee- med to be wearied ont, and both fides fepa- rated with equal lofs, Five thonfand men are {aid to have been found ‘dead on the field of battle, | ) It would be tedious, and no way in- fiructive, to enter into the marchings and countermarchings of thefe undifciplined and ill conducted armies; war was a new trade to the Englifh, as. they had not feen an hoftile engagement in the:island for near a century before, The queen came to reinforce the ro- yal party; fhe had brought foldiers and am- munition from Holland, and immediately de- parted to furnifh more. But the parliament who knew its own confequence and ftrenght, was no way difcouraged. Their demands fee- med to encreafe in proportion to their lofles; and as they were reprefied in the field, they grew more haughty in the cabinet, Such go-144 governors as gave up their fortrefsesto the king, were attainted-of high treafon, It was in vain for the king to fend propofals after any fuc- cefs; this only raifed their pride and their ani- mofity, But though this defire in the king to make peace with his fubjetts was the hig- heft encomium on his humanity: yet his long negociations, one of which he carried. on at Oxford, were faulty asa warrior, He waited that time in altercation and treaties, which he fhould have emplojed in vigorous exertions in the field, However, his firft campaign, upon the whole, wore a favourabte afpeét, One victory followed after anothers; Cornwall was reduced to peace and obedience under the king, a viétory was gained over the parliamentarians at Strat- ton Hill in Devonfhire; another at Round ways Down, about two miles from the Devizes; and ftilla third at Chalgrave « Field.— Bri- {tol was belieged and taken, and Gloucefter was invefted; the battle of Newbury was favourable to the royal caule, and great hopes of fuccefs were formed from an army in the North, raifed by the marquis of Newcaitle, In this firft campaign, the two’ bravelt and greatelt men of their refpective parties were | killed :145 killed; as if it was intended, by the kindnefs of providence, that. they fhould be exempted frem feeing the miferies and the {laughter which were fhortly to enfue, Thefe were John Hambden, and Lucius Cary, lord Falk- land; the firf in a fkirmith againft prince Ru- pert, the other in the battle of Newbury, which followed fhortly after, Hampden, whom we have feen in the beginning of thefe troubles, refufe to pay ihip -money, gained, by his inflexible integrity, the efteem even of his enemies, To thefe he added aflability in converfation, temper, art, elo- quence in debates, and penetration in council, Falkland was ftill a greater lofs, and a greater: character, He added to Hambden’s fevere principles, a politenefs and elegance, but then beginning to be known in England, He had boldly withftood the king’s pretenfi- ons, while he faw him makea bad ufe ofhis power; but when he ‘perceived the defign of the parliament, to overturn the religion and the contftitution of his country, he changed his fide, and fteadfaftly attached himfelf to the crown. From the beginning of the civil war his natural chearfulnefs ‘and yvivacity forfook him: he became melancholy, K fad 5.146 fad» pale, and negligent of his perfon, and feemed to with for death, His ufual cry ‘among his friends, afcer a deep filence, and frequent fighs, was Peace! Peace! He now faid, upon the morning cf the engagement, that he was weary cf the times, and fhould leave them before night. He was fhotby a mufquet - ball in the belly; and his body was next morning found among an heap of flain, His writings, his elegance, his juftice, and his courage deferved fuch a death of glory; and they found it, The king, that he might make prepa- rations during the winter for the enfuing campaign, and to oppofe the defigns of the Weftminfter parliament, called one.at Oxford, and this was the firft time that England faw two parliaments fitting at the fame time, His houfe of peers was pretty full; his houfe of commons confifted of about an hundred and forty, which amounted to. not above half of the other houfe of commons. From this fhadow of a parliament he received fome fupplies, after which it was diffolved, and never after aflemhled, In the mean time the parliament was equally active on its fide, They pafled an or-{47 é ordinance, commanding all the inhabitants of London and its neighbourhoed::to retrench a meal a week, and to: pay the value of it for the fupport of the public caufe. But what{was much more effetual, jthe Scotch, who confidered their claims as fimilar; led a {trong body to their afsiftance. They levied an army of fourteen thoufand men in the Eaft under the earl of Manchefter; they had an army cf ten thoufand men under Efsex, another of nearly the fame force, under, Sit William Waller, Thefe were fuperior to any force the king could bring into the field; and avere well appointed with ammunition, pro= vifions and pay. 7 Hoftilities which even during the wih-a.D. | ter feafon had never. been wholly difeon-"°4* tinued, ‘were renewed in the {pring with theit ufual fury» and ferved to defolate the kingdom, without deciding vittory, Each county joined that fide to which it was ade gifted from motives of convittion, interelt, or feat, though fore obferved a perfett neue trality. Several frequently petitioned for peact and all the wife and goed were earneft in the cry. What particularly deferves remark, was an attempt of the women of London, | ‘Ke “whowt foots * apaasiet? Prices ae ee ery 2 a nln ase eo aig PTS ee a 5 a RAE ecg « age Sa ope Ens RN aA Ny Oa see ee see rat 5 mal 4 . s oleic iO, “ ie a ray eS = See = ; = . > .* EA? : 5 ¥ hey i Ly Mh? é i it K ue ; et i: ete ; iy aE rt & Tic ea ie ait i eee Bae { 148 . who to the number of two or three thoufand, went in a body to the houfe of commons, earneffly demanding a peace. 4 Give us tliofe traitors, faidthey, ,, that are againft a peace; give them, that we may tearthem in peaces.“ The guards found fome difficulty in quelling this infurrection, and one or two women loft their lives in the fray. The battle of Marfton-moor was the beginning of the king’s misfortunes and dif- grace, The Scots and parliamentarian atmy had joined and were befieging York, when prince’ Rupert, joined by the Marquis of Newcaftle, determined to raife the fiege. Both fides drew up on Marfton-moor, to the number of fifty thoufand, and the victory feemed long undecided between them. Ru- pert, who commanded the right wing of the Rojalifts, was oppofed by Oliver Cromwel, who now firft came into notice, at the head of a body of troops, whom he had ‘taken care to levy and to difcipline. Cromwel was vitorious, he pufhed his opponents off the field, followed the vainguifhed, returned to a fecond engagement, and a fecond victory ; the prince’s whole train of artillery was ta- ken, and the royalifts never after recovered the149 the blow. William Laud, archbifhop of Canterbury, was fent to the Tower in the beginning of thisreign. . He was now brought, to trial, condemned and executed. And it was a melancholy confideration that in thefe times of trouble the beft men were thofe on either fide who chiefly fuffered. - The death’ of ‘Laud was followed by 2 total alteration of the ceremonies of the church, The Liturgy was, by a public act,- abolifhed, the day he died, as if he had been the only obftacle to its former removal, The church of England was in all refpe¢ts brought to a conformity to the puritanical eftablifh- ment; while the citizens of London and the Scottifh army gave public thanks for fo happy an alteration. The well-difputed battle which decided June the fate of Charles, was fought at Nafeby, 642, a village in Yorkfhire. The main body of the royal army was commanded by lord Aft- ley; prince Rupert led the right wing, Sir Marmaduke Longdale the left, and the king himfelf headed the body of referve. On the oppolite fide, Fairfax and Skippon comman- ded the main body: Cromwel led on the right and Ireton, his fon-inlaw, the left. KG Prince wing ,T50 Prince Rupert attacked the left wing with his .ufual impetuofity and fuccefs ; they were broke and purfued as far as the village; but he loft time in attempting to make him- felf mafter of the artillery. Cromwell in the mean time was equally fuccefsful on his fide, and broke through the enemies after a very obftinate refiftance,, While thofe were thus engaged, the infantry on both fides maintai- ned the conflict with equal ardor; but in fpite of the efforts. of Fairfax and Skippon, their battallions began te give way. But it was now that Cromwellreturned with his viétori- ous forces, agd charged the king’s infantry in flank with fuch vigour, that a total ront began to enfue. By this time prince Rupert had rejoined’'the king and the fmall body of referve; but his troops, tho’ victorious, could not be brought to a fecond eharge. The king perceiving the battle wholly loft, was obli- ged to abandon the field to his enemies, who took pofleifion of all his cannon, baggage, and above five thoufand prifoners, The battle of Nafeby put the parliamen- tarians in polleffion ofalmoftall the ftrong cities of the kingdom, briftol, Bridgewater, Chefter, Sherborne, and Bath; Exeter was befieged, and151 and all’ the king’s troops in the weftern co- unties being entirely difperfed, Fairfax prefsed the place, and it furrendered at difcretion. The king thus .furrougded, harrafled on all fides, retreated to Oxford, that in all condi- tions of his fortune had held fteady to his caufe; and there he refolved to offer new terms to his incenfed purfuers.. In the mean timé Fairfax was approaching with a powerful and viétorious army, and was ta- king (the proper meafures for laying fiege to Oxford, which promifed an eafy furrender. To be taken captive, and led in triumph by his infolent fubjeéts was what Charles jufily abhotred, and every infult and violence was to be dreaded from the foldiery who had felt the effets of his oppofition. In this defpe- rate extremity he embraced a meafure which in any other fituation might juttly lie under the imputation of imprudence and indifcretion. He took the’ fatal refolution of giving hinifelf up to the Scottifh army, who had never teftified fuch implacable animofity aga- inft him; and he too foon found, that inftead of treating him as a king, they infulted him as a captive, K4 ? The152 The Englifh parliament being informed of the king’s captivity, immediately entered into a treaty with the Scots about delivering up their prifoner. This was foon adjtitted, They agreed that upon payment of four hun- dred thoufand pounds they would deliver up the king to.his enemies, and this was che- arfully complied with. An aétion fo atro- cious may be palliated, but can never be: de- fended; they. returned home Jaden with pluader and the reproaches of all’ good men, The civil war was now over; the king had abfolved his followers from their allegiance, and the parliament had now no enemy to fear except their very troops by which they had extended their overgrown authority, But in proportion as the terror of the king’s potver diminif hed, the divifion between the members which compofed the parliament, became more appa- rent, The majority of the houfe were of the Prefbyterian fect, who were for having clergy but the majority of the army were ftaunch independents, who admitted of no clergy , but thought that every man had a right to inftruét his fellows. At the head of this fect wasCromwell, who fecretly dire¢ted its Operations, and invigorated all their meafures. Olivera , co) Oliver Cromwell, whofe talents now be- gan to appear in full Luftre, was the fon of a private gentlemanin Huntingdon; butheingthe fon ofafecond brother, he inherited a very fmall paternal fortune. From accident or intrigue, — he was-chofen member for the town of Cam- bridge in the long parliaments; but he feemed at firft to poffefs no talents for oratory; his perfon being ungraceful, his drefs flovenly, his elocution homely, tedious, obfcure and embarrafled. He made up however by zeal and perfeverance wigt he wanted in natural powers, and being endowed with unfhaken intrepidity, much diflimulation and athorough conviction of the re¢titude of his caufe, he rofe, through the gradations of preferment, to the poft of Lieutenant - General under Fairfax; but in reality, poffeffing the fupreme command over the whole army, The army now began to confider them- felves as a body diftinét from the common- wealth; and complained that they had fecured the general tranquility, while they were at the fame time deprived of the privileges of Englifhmen. In oppolition therefore to the parliament of Weftminfter, a military par- liament was ;formed, compofed of the offi- K 5 cers154 cers and common foldiers of each regiment, The principal officers formed a council to re» prefent the-body of peers, the foldiers elec- ted two men out of each company to repre- fent the houfe of commons, and thefe were called the agitators of the army. Cromwell took care to be one of the number, and thus contrived an eafy method underhand of con- ducting and promoting the fedition -of the army. The unhappy king in the mean time continued a prifoner at olmby caftle; andas his countenance might add fome authority to that fide which fhould obtain it, Crom- well, who fecretly conducted all the meafu- res of the army, while he apparently exclai- med againft their violence, refolved to feize the king’s perfon, Accordingly a party of five hundred horfe appearing at Holmby caftle, under the command of one Joice, condu@ted the king to the army, who were haitening to their rendezvous at Triple - heath, near Cambridge. The next day Cromwell arrived among them ,where he was received with accla mations of joy, and was inftantly invefted with the fupreme command, Theiss The houfe of commons was now divided into parties as ufaal, one part oppoting, but the minority with the two: fpeakers at their head, for encouraging the army. In’ fuch ~ an univerfal confufion, it is*not to be ex- petted that any thing lefs than a ieparation of the parties could take place; and accor dingly the two fpeakers, with fixty two members fecretly retired from the houfe; and threw themfelyves under the protection of the army that were then at Hounflow - heaths They were received with f{houts and accla- mations, their integrity was extolled, and the whole body of the Soldiery, a formidable force of twenty thoufand men, now moved forward to reinftate them in their former feats and ftations. In the mean time that part of the houfe that was left behind refolved to att with vi- sour, and refift the encroachments of the army. They chofe new {fpeakers, they gave orders for enlifting troops, they ordered the trainbands to man the lines, and the whole city boldly refolved to refift the invafion, But this refolution only held while the enemy was theught ata diftance, for when the formidable iforce of Cromwell appeared all waswas obediehce and fubmiffion; the gates were opened to the general, who attended the two fpeakers and the reft of the members peace- ably to their habitations. The eleven impe- ached members, being accufed as caufes of the tumult, were expelled , and moft of them retired to the continent, The mayor, fheriff, and three aldermen, were fent to the tower; feveral citizens and officers of the militia were committed to prifon, and the lines about the city were levelled to the ground.— The command of the tower was given to Fairfax, the general; andthe parliament rendered him their hearty thanks for having difobeyed their commands. It now only remained to difpofe of the king, who had been fent by the army a pri- foner to Hampton court; from whence he attempted to efcape, but was once more made a prifoner inthe isle of Wight, and confi< ned in Carrifbrook caftle, While the king continued in this forlorn condition, the parliament new modelled, as it was by the army, was every day growing more feeble and fattious. He ftill therefore continued to negociate with the parliament for fettling the unfpeakable calamities. of the king-157 kingdom, ‘The parliament faw no other me- thod of deftroying the military power, but to deprefs it by the kingly, Frequent propo- fals for an accommodation palled between the from the deftruétion of their enemies; and, fenfible of theirown power, with furious re- monftrances, began to demand vengeance on the king. At the fame time they advan- _ ced to Windfor, and fending an officer to feize the king’s perfon, where he was lately fent under confinement, they conveyed him to Hurt caftle, in Hampfhire oppofite the Isle of Wight. The commons, however, though deftitute of all hopes of prevailing, had ftill courage to refift, and attempted, in the face of the whole army, to clofe their treaty with the king. But the next day coloe- nel Pride, at the head of two Regiments, blockaded the houfe, and feized in the paffage, forty one members of the Prefsbyterian party; and fent them toa low room belonging to the houfe, that paffed by, the denomination of Hell, Above an hundred and fixty members moreE58 more were excluded : and none were allowed to enter but the moft furious and determined of the independents, in all not exceeding fix- ty, ‘This atrocious invation of the age beac aitiaee — Mica by the nam the gemaini 5 tale: Mfoon voted, Pthe houf fa few days before were entirely iMeealy and that theit general’s conduct was juft and neceflary. A commitee was appointed to bring ina charge againft the king; anda vote paffed declaring it treafon in a king to levy war againft his parliament. An high court of juftice was accordingly appointed to try his majefty for this new invented treafon, Colonell Harrifon, the fon of a -bucher, Avas commanded to conduct the king from Hurft caftle to Windfor, and from thence to London. © His afflitted fubje€ts, who ran te have a fight of their fovereign, were greatly affected at the change which appeared in his face and perfon, He had allowed his beard to grow; his hair was become venerably gray, rather by the preflure of anxiety, than by the hand of time; while his apparel bore the marks of misfortune and decay, Thus he ftood159 fiood a folitary figure: of majefty’ in ‘diftrefs, which even his adverfaries could’ not behold without compaflion and reverence, He had been long attended only by an old decayed fervant, whofe name was, Sir Philip War- wick, who could only deplore his mafters fate without being able to revenge his caufe, All the exterior fymbols of majefty were now withdrawn, and his new attendants had ore ders to ferve him without ceremony. The duke of Hamilton who was referved for the fame punifhment with his mafter, _ having leave to take a laft farewell as he departed from Windfor, threw himfelf at the kings feet, crying out ,My dear matter}** The unhappy monarch raifed him up, and embra- cing him, tenderly replied, while the tears tan down his cheeks, ,,I have indead been a dear matter to you. ‘* Thefe were (fevere difiteffes: howerer he could not be purfuaded that his ddverfaries would bring him to a formal trial; but he every moment expec- ted to be difpatched by private afsalsination. From the fixt, to the twentieth of Ianue .- ary, was fpent in making preparations for his. extraordinary trial, The court of juftice con- fifted of an hundred and thirty three perfons a=160 named by the commons; but of thefe never above: feventy met upon the trial, The mem- bers were chiefly compofed of the principal officers of the army, moft of them of very mean birth, together with fome of the lower houfe, andafew citizans of London.- Bred- thaw, a lawjer was chofen prelident; Co‘e was appointed folicitor for the people of Eng- lands Dorifsans, Steele, and Atke, were named affiftants, The court fat at Weftminfter- hall. The king was now condutted from Wind- for to St. James's, and the next day was brought before the high court to take his trial, When he was brought forward, he was con- u€ted by the mace - bearer to; a chair placed within the bar. Tho’ long detained a prifo- ner, and now produced asa criminal, he ftill fuftained' the dignity of a king; he furveyed the members of the court witha ftern haughty air, and, without moving his hat, fat down, While the members alfo were -covered. His charge was then read by the folicitor, accu- fing him of having been the caufe of all the bloodfhed which followed fince the commen- cement of the war}; at that part of the charge he could not fupprefs a fmile of contempt and indignation, After the charge was finifhed, Brad-161 Bradfhaw diretted his difcourfe to the king, and told him that the court expeted his anfwer, : | The king with great temper entered upon his defence, by declining the authority of the - court, He-reprefented that having been enga- ged in treaty with his two houfes of parlia- ment, and having finifhed almoft every article, he expeétéd a different treatment from that he now received. He perceived, he faid, no appearance of an upper-houfe, which. was necefsary to conftitute a juft tribunal, That he was himfelf the king and fountain oflaw, and confequently could not be tried by laws to which he had never given his affent; that having been -entrufted with the liberties of the people, he would not now betray them, by recognizing a power founded in ufurpetion; that he was willing before a proper tribunal to enter into the particulars of his defence$ but that before them he muft decline any apology for his innocence; left he fhould be confidered as the betrayer of, and not amar- tyr for, the conftitution. Bradfhaw, in order to fupport the autho rity of the court infifted that they had recei- ved their power from the people, the fource L of162 of all right, He preffed the prifoner not to decline the authority of the court, which was delegated hy, the commons of England, interrupted and over = ruled the king in his attempts to reply. In this manner the king was three times ° produced before the court, and as often per- fitted in declining it’s jurisdiction, The fourth and laft time he was brought before this felf created tribunal, as he was proceeding thither, he was infulted by the foldiers and the mob, who exclaimed, ,, Iuftice! Iuftice ! execution; execution! ** but he continued undaunted, His judges having now examined fome wit- nefies, by whom it was proved that the king had appeared in arms againft the forces come miffioned by the parliament, they pronounced fentence againft him, The conduct of the king under all thefe inftances of low - bred malice was great, firm, and equal; in going through the hall from this execrable tribunal, the foldiers and rabble were again inftigated to cry out juftice and execution, They reviled him with the moft bitter reproaches. Among other infults, one mifcreant prefumed to fpit in the face of his fovereign, He patiently bore their infolence. 9» Poor163 ,, Poor fouls, cried he, they would treattheir generals in the fame manner for. fixpence, Thofe of the populace, who ftill retained, the feelings of humanity, exprefled their fore row infighs andtears. A foldier more com- paffionate than the reft, could not help implo- ring a bleffing upon his royal head, An of- ficer overhearing him, ftruck the honett centinel to the ground before the king, who could not help faying, that the punifhment exceeded the offence, At his return to Whitehall, he defired the permiffion of the houfe to fee his children, and to be attended in his private devotion by Doétor Jaxon, late bifhop of London. ‘Fhefe requefts were granted, and alfo three days to prepare for the execution of the fentence All that remained of his Family now in Eng- land were the princefs Elizabeth, and the duke of Gloucefter, a child of about three years of age. After many feafonable and fenfible exhoftations to his daughter, he took his little fon in his arms, embracing him; ,, My child, faid he, they will cut off they father’s head, yes they will cut off my head, and make thee a king. But mark what I fay, thou muft not be a king as long as thy L 2 broeiepooeneadres idomeeng sted ca we ifs , = png: zivwie " ei ai wget PZ eR 3 Std iaattin es rbeainhiae eh: aise beh 5 wri see tn yn lin Se NEE + gee Fyn: Rms ~ spe Se ae we ’ Syd = me Yo r oak Pte 5. Pit giao ; 10 aah et Pa aaa apr, oN eh ae 2 me Fic. asa iD Libiictisit cnn Pgs WE 2 ery ‘. a rp Te ape +: won “ * eto a ve r Sg Salaam ng rel g :. s ar? ana eagle LR et elie ans ln 164 brothers Charles and James are alive. They will cut of their heads, iftheycan take them, and thy head too they will cut of at iaft, and therefore I charge thee do not be madea king by them. “‘ The child, burtting into tears, replied, .»1 will be torn in pieces firft, “ Every night during the intervall between the fentence and execution, the king flept found as ufual, though the noife of the workmen, emplojed in framing the feaffold, continually refounded in his ears. The fatal morning being at laft arrived, he rofe early, and calling one of his attendants, he bade him employ more than ufual care in dretling him, and preparing him for fo great and joyful a folemnity. The ftreet before Whi- tehall was the place deftined for his execu- tion ; for it was intended that this would tn- creale the feverity of his punifhment, He was led through the Banqueting houfe to the {caffold adjoining to that edifice, attended by his friend and fervant> bifhop Jaxon, a man endowed with the fame mild and fteady virtues with his mafter. The fcaffold, which was covered with black, was guarded bya regiment of foldiers, under the command of colonel Tomlinfon, and-:on it were to be feen165 feen the block, and axe, and two executi- oners in mafques. the people in great crowds ftood at a great diftance, in dreadful expectation of the event. The king furveyed all thefe folemn preparations with calm com- pofure; and as he could not expect to be heard by the people at a diftance, he addref- fed himfelf to the few perfons who food round him. He there juftified his own inno- cence in the late fatal war; and obferved, that he had not taken arms’ till after the par- liament had fhewn him the example. That he had no other obje& in his warlike prepa- rations, than to preferve that authority entire which had been tranfmitted to him by his anceftors; but, though innocent towards his people, he acknowledged the equity of his execution in the eyes of his maker. He owned that he was jutily punithed - fori having confented to the execution of ‘an unjuft fentence tpon,, the earl of Strafford — He forgave all his enemies, exhorted the people to return, to their obedience, and acknowledged his fon as his fuccefior, and fignified his attachment to the proteftant religion, as prcfe ‘fed in the church of England. So ftrong was the impreffion o¢ L 3 his165 his dying words, made upon the few that ‘could hear him, that colonel Tomlinfon himfelf, to whafe care he had been commits ted, acknowledged himfelf a convert. While he was preparing himfelf for the block. bifhop Taxon called out to him , », there is, Sir, but one ftage more, which though turbulent and troublefome ‘is yet a very fhort one, Jt will foon carry you a great way. It will carry you from earth to heaven, and there you will find to your great joy, the prize to which you haften, a crown of glory. ,,I go, replied the king from a corruptible to an incorruptible crown, where no difturbance can have place.“* You exchange, replied the bifhop,.a temporal for an cternal crown, a good exchange,“‘ Char- les having taken of his cloak, delivered his George to the prelate, pronouncing the word », Kemember, “ Then he laid his neck onthe block, and firetched out his hands, asa fic. nal, one of the executioners fevered his head from his body at a blow, while the other, holding it up exclaimed, ,,This is the head of a traitor. “ The fpettators teftified their horror at the fad {petacle in fighs, ears, and lamentations; the fide of their duty167 duty and affection began to return, and each blamed himfelf either with attive difloyalty to his king, ora paffive compliance. with his deftroyers, : Charles was executed in the forty ninth Jan. 30. year of his age, and the twenty-fourth of ¢ 76, his reign. He was of a middling ftature, robuft and well proportioned, His vifage was pleafing, but melancholy; and it is probable that the continual troubles in which he was involved, might have made ‘that impreffion on his countenance, As for his character, fhe reader will deduce it with more precifion and fatisfa&tion to himfelf from the detail of his condué than from any fummary given of it by the hiftorian. eas THE HISTORY OF A PHILOSOPHIC VAGABOND. The firft misfortune of my life was an unfuccefsful love, which, though it diftrefsed could not fink me entirely, No perfon ever had a better knack at hoping than I. The lefs kind I found fortune at one time, the more I expetted from her’ another, and L 4 being168 being now at the bottom of her wheel, every new revolution might lift, but could not de- prefs me, I proceeded, therefore, towards London in a fine morning, no Way uneafy about to morrow, but chearful as the birds that carolled by the road, and comforted myfelf with reflecting, that London was the mart where abilities of every kind were fure of meeting diftinétion and reward, Upon. my. arrival in town my firft care was to deliver a letter of recommendation to a coufin of me, who was himfelf in little better circumftances than I. My firft fchem® was to be ufher at an academy, and I afked his advice on the affair, My coufin received the propofal with a true Sardonic grin, Ayes cried he, that is indeed a very pretty car- reer, that has been chalked out for you. Ihave been anvufher at a boarding fchool myfelf; and may I die by an anodyne neckla- ce, but I had rather be an under turnkey in Newgate. I was up early and late; I was brow beat by the mafter, hated for my ugly face by the miftrefs, worried by the boys Within, and never permitted to ftir out to meet civility abrowtd, But are you fure, you are fit for a fchool? Let me examine you a little,169 little) Have you been apprentice to the bufinefs? No. Then you won’t do for a fchool, Can you drefs the boys. hairs? No. Then you won’t do for a fchool. Have you had the fmal- pox? No. Then you won’t do for a fchool, Canyou lie three in a bed? No, Then you will never do for afchool, Have you got a good ftomach? Yes. Then you will by no means do for a fchool., No, Sir, if you are for a genteel eafy profeffion, bind yourfelf feven years as an apprentice to turn a cutler’s wheel; but avoid a fchool by any means. Yet come, continued he, I fee you are a lad of fpirit and fome learning, what do you think of commencing author, like me? You have read in books, no doubt, of men of genius ftarving at the trade: At prefent I'll fhew you forty very dull fellows about town that live by it in opulence. - All honeft jog- trot men, who go on fmoothly ‘and dally, and write hiftory and politics, and are _prai- fed: men, Sir, who, had they been -bred coblers, would all their lives have only men- ded fhoes, but never made them,“ Finding that there was, no great degree of gentility, affixed to ‘the chara¢ter of an ufher, I refolved to accept his propofal; and L 5 ha-170 having the higheft refpec for literature, hailed the antiqua mater of Grubftreet with reverence; I thought it my glory to purfue a track which Dryden and Otway trod before me, I contidered the goddeis of this region as the parent of excellence; and however an intercourfe with the world might give us good fenfe, the poverty fhe granted I fup- pofed to be the. nurfe of genius. Big with thefe reflections, I fate down, and finding thatthe beft things remained to be faidon the wrong fide, I refolved to write a book that fhould be wholly new. I therefore dreft up three paradoxes with fome ingenuity, They were falfe, indeed, but they were new. The jewels of truth have been fo often imported by others, that nothing was left for me to. import but fome fplendid things that at a di- ftance looked every bit as well. Witnefs you powers! what fancied importance fate perched upon my quill {while I was writing, The whole learned world, I made’ no doubt, would rife to oppofe my fyftems; but then I was prepared to oppofe the whole lear- ned world, Like the porcupine I fate felf- colleéted, with a quill Pe againft every oppofer, —~ But,r71 But, alas, the learned world faid nothing | to my paradoxes; nothing at all, Every, man ofthem was emplojed in praifing his friends and himfelf, or condemning his ennemies; and unfortunately, as] had neither, I fuffered the cruelleft mortification, neglect. | As I was meditating one day in a Cof- fee\- houfe on the fate of my patadoxes, a— little man happening to enter the room, placed himfelf in the box before me, and after fome preliminary difcourfe, finding! me to’ be a fcholar, drew outa bundle of propofals, beg- ging me to fubfcribe to a new edition, he was going to give the world of Propertius, with notes, This demand neceflarity produced a reply that I had no money; and that confef~ fion led. him toinquire into the nature of my ex- pettations. Finding that my expectations were juft as great asimy purfe, ,,1 fee,“ cried he, ,, you are unacquainted with the town. Piiteach youa part of it, Look at thefe propofals, upon thefe very propofals I have fublifted very comfortably for twelve years, The moment a nobleman returns from his travels, a Creolian arrives from Iamaica, or a dowager from her coun- try-feat, I ftrike for a fubfcription. I fir befiege their hearts with flattery. and ther pour172 pour in my propofals at the breach. If they fubfcribe readily the firft times I renew my requeft to beg a dedication fee, If they let me have that, I fmite them once more for engta- ving their coat of arms at the top. Thus, continued he, [ live by vanity, and langh at it, But between ourfelves, I am nowtoo well known, I fhould be glad to borrow your face a little; -a nobleman -of diftin&ion is juft returned from Italy, my face is fami- liar to his porter; and if you bring this copy of verfes, my life’ for it you fucceed, and we divide the fpoil. Having a mind too proud to ftoop to fuch indignities, and yet a fortune too hum- ble to hazard a fecond attempt for fame, I ws now obliged to take a midle courfe, and write for bread. But I was unqualified for a profeffion where mere induftry alone was to enfure fuccefs. I could not fupprefs my furking paffion for applaufe; but ufually confumed that time in efforts after excellence which takes up but little room, when it fho- uld have been more advantagioufly emplojed in the diffufive produtions of fruitful medio- crity, My litle pieces would therefore come forth in the midft of periodical publication, un-173 $ vnnoticed and unknown. The public were more importantly emplojed than to obferve the eafy fimplicity of my ftyle, or the harmony of my periods, Sheet after fheet was thrown off to oblivion. My eflays were buried among'the eflays upon liberty, eaftern tales, and cures for the bite of a mad dog; while Philautes, Philaletes, Philaletheros, and Philantropos, all wrote better, -becaufe they wrote fafter than I. | Now, therefore, I began to affociate with none but’ diffappointed authors, like myfelf, who praifed , deplored , and defpifed each other. The fatisfaction we found in every celebrated writer’s attempts, was in- verfely as their merits, I found that no ge- nius in an other could pleafe me. My un- fortunate paradoxes had entirely dried up that fource of comfort} I could neither read nor write with fatisfattion ; for excellence in another was my averfion, and writing was my trade, | : In the midft of thefe gloomy refle¢tions, as I was one day fitting on a bench in St. James’s park, a joung gentleman of diftinéti- on, who had been my intimate acquaintance at the univerfity, approached me, We falu- ted174 ted each other with fome hefitation, he al- moft afhamed of being known to one, who made fo fhabby an appearance; and J afraid of a repulfe,. But my fuspicions foon vanif- hed; for Ned Thornhill was at the bottom avery good natured fellow. My friend’s firft care was to alter my appearance by a very fine fuit of his own cloaths, and then I was admitted to his own table npon the footing of half friend, half - underlings My bufinefs was to attend him at auctions; to put him in fpirits, when he fate for his picture, to take the lefc hand if his chariot when not filled by another, and to affift at tattering a kip, as the phrafe was whenhe hada mind fora frolic. Befides this I had twenty other little employments in the family, Iwas to do many fmall thingswithout bidding; to carry the cork-{crew ; to ftand God- father to all the butler’s children; to fing when I wasbid; to benever out of humour always to be humble, and if I could, to be very happy In this honourable poft, however, I Was not without a rival, A captain of mari- nes , who was formed for the place by nature, oppofed me in my patron’saffeGtions, Hismo- ther had been laundrefs to a man of quality; and175 and thus he early acquired a tafte for pimping and pedigree, Asthis gentleman made it the finudy of his life to be acquainted with lords, though be was difmiffed from feveral for his ftupidity; yet he found many of them who were as dull as himfelf, that permitted his affiduities, As flattery was his trade, he practised it with the eafieft addrefs imagin- ables but it came aukward and ftifffrom me, and as every day my patron’s defire of flat- tery encreafed; fo every hour being better acquainted with his defeéts, I became ‘more unwilling to give it. Thus [ was once more fairly going to give up the field to the Cap- tain, when my friend found occafion for my affiftance. This was nothing lefs than to fight a duel for him, with a gentleman whofe fitter it was pretended, he had ufed ill. I readily complied with his requeft, and as it was a debt indifpenfably due to friendship, I could not refufe it. I undertook. the affair, difsarmed my antagonift, and foon after had the pleafure of finding, that the lady was only a woman of the town, and the fellow her bule ly anda fharper, This piece of fervice was repaid with the warmeft profeffions of gratl- tude; but as my friend was to leave town in a167 a few days, he knew no other method’ of ferving me, bnt by recommanding me to his uncle, Sir William Thornhill and ‘another nobleman of great diftinction, who enjoyed a poft under the government, When he was gone, myfirft care was. to carry his recom. mendatory letter to his uncle, a man whofe character for every virtue was univerfal, yet juft. J was received by his fervants with the moit hofpitable fmiles; for the looks of the dometfticks ever tranfmit their mafter’s bene- volence. Being fhewn into a grand apartment, where Sir William foon came to me. I deli« vered my mefiage and letter, which he read, and after paufing fome minutes, Pray, Sir, cried he, inform me what you have done for ny kinfman, to deferve this warm re- commendation? But I fuppofe, Sir, ] onefs your merits, you have fought for him; and fo you would expect a reward from me, for being the inftrument of his vices, I wifh, fincerely wifh, that my prefent refufal may be fome punif hment for your guilt: but ftill more that it may be fome inducement to your repentance, The feverity of this res buke I bore patiently, becaufe I knew it was juft, My whole expetation now, there- fore,177 fore, lay in my letter to the great man, Aé the doors of the nobility are almoft ever befet with beggars, all ready to thruft in fome fly petition, I found it no eafy matter to gain admittance, However, after bribing the fervants with half my worldly fortune, I was at laft fhewn into a {pacious apartment, my letter being previoufly fent up for his lordthip’s infpeétion.. During this anxious interval I had full time to look around me , Every thing was grand, and of happy con- trivance: the paintings, the furniture, the gildings petrified me with awe, and raifed my ‘dea of the owner, Ah, thought] to myfelf, how very great muft the poffeffor of all thefe things be, who carries in his head the bufi- nefs of the ftate, and whofe houfe difplays half the wealth of a kingdom: fure his geni+ us muft be unfathomable} During thefe awful refle&tions I heard a ftep come heavily forward. Ah, this is~the great man himfelf! No, it was only a chambermaid. Another foot was heard foon after. This muft be He! No, it was only the great man’s valet de chambre. At laft his lordthip a€tually made his appeas rance. ,,Are you, ‘6 cried he,~,, the bearer of this here. letter # z J anfwered with a bow. oa Oem eae f i P < 5 2 ical iiscg ts is eet a ae es we stG ecient iets: Naaapiacjasommapa nO Pp RES | a . + SP : _— = sae178 »» 1 learn by this, “* continued, he,,as how that* - But juft at that inftant a fervant delivered him ‘a card, and without taking farther notice, he went out of the room, and left me to di- geft my own happinefs at leifure. I faw no more of him, till told by’a footman that his lordfhip was going to his coach at the door, Down I immediately followed, and joined my voice to that of three-or four more, who came, like me, to petition for favours. His Lordfhip, however, went too faft for me, and was gaining his chariot door. with large ftrides’ when I ‘hallowed out to know if | was to have any reply. He was by this time got in, and muttered an anfwer, halfof which only J] heard, the other half was loft in the rattling of his chariot wheels, I ftood for fome time with my neck ftretched out, in‘the pofture “of one that was liftening to catch’ the glorious founds, till looking round me, I’ found myfelf alone at his lordfhip’s gate, ~My patience was now quite exhaufted ; ftung with ten thoufand indignities I had met with, J‘ was willing to ‘caft myfelf aWay » and only wanted the gulf to receive me,. [I regarded myfelf as one of thofe Vile things that nature defigned fhould be thrown by into her ht et enna RB or aap no nA tne179 her lumber room, there to perifh in obf{curi- ty. 1 had ftill, however, half a guinea left, and of that I thought fortune herfelf fhould not deprive me; but in order to be fure of this, I was refolved to go inflantly and fpend it while I had it, and then truoft to occur- rences for the reft. As 1 was going along with this refolution, it happened that Mr, Crifpin’s office feemed invitingly to open give me a wellcome receptiun. In this office Mr. Cri- {pins kindly offers all his Majefty’s fubjetts a generous promife of jo l,a year, for which promife all they give in return is their li- berty for life, and permiffion to let him tran{- port them to America as flaves. I ‘was hap- py at finding a place where T could -lofe my fears in defperation, and entered this cell, for it had the appearance of one, with the devotion of a monaftic, Here I found a num- ber of poor creatures, all. in, circumftances like myfelf, expe¢ting the arrival, of Mr, Cri- fpin’s, reprefenting a true epitome of Englifh impatience, Each untractahle foul at variance with fortune, wreaked her injuries on theic own hearts; but Mr. Crifpih’s at laf came down, and all our murmurs, were hushed« He deigned to regard me with an air of pecu- , M 2 Kar1890 liar approbation, and indeed he was the firft aman wo for a month paft talked to me with fmiles, After a few queftions, he found [ was fit for every thing in. the world, He paufed a while upon the propereft means of / provi- ding for me, and flapping his forehead as if he had found it, aflured me, that there was at that time an embafly talked of from the fynod of Penfylvania to the Chickafaw Indi- ans, and that he would ufe his intereft to get me made fecretary, I knew in my own heart that the fellow lied, and yet his promife gave me pleafure, there was fomething fo magnificent in the found, [I fairly, therefore divided my half guinea, one half of which went to be added to his thirty thoufand po- unds, and with the other half I refolved to go to the next tavern, to be there more hap- py than he. As I was going out with that refolution I was met at the door by the captain of a fhip, with whom [ had formerly fome little acqnaintance, and he agreed to be my come papion over a bowl of punch. As I never chofe to make a fecret of my circumftances, he aflured me that I was upon the very Doint of ruin, in liftening to the office- kee- per's18f per’s promifes: for that he only defigned to fell me to the plantations, But, continued . he, I fancy you might by a much fhorter vojage, be very eafily put into a genteel way of bread, Take my advice, my fhip fails to- motrow for Amfterdam: what if you go in her as a paffenger? The moment you land all you have to do is to teach the Dutchmen Englifh, and I will warrant you'll get pupils and money enough. I fuppofe you under fiand Englifh, added he, by this time» of the deuce isin it. I confidently affured him of that; but exprefled a doubt whether the Dutch would be willing to learn Englith. He affirmed with an oath that they were fond of it to diftraGtion; and ypon that informati- on I agreed with his propofal, and embarked the next day to teach the Dutch Englifh in Holland, The wind was fair, our vojige- hort, and afcer having paid my. paffage with half my moveables, I found myfelf, fallen as from the fkies, a ftranger in one of the principal ftreets of Amfterdam. In this fitue ation I was unwilling to let any time” pafs unemployed in teaching. I addrefied myfelf therefore to two or three of thofe [ met, whofe appearance feemed mott promifing; but M 3 ItI82 - It was impoffible to make ourfelves mutually -underttood, It was not till this very moment I recolleéted, that in order to teach Dutch- men Englifh, it was neceffary. that they fhould firt teach me Dutch. How I came to overlook fo obvious an objeétion, is to me amazing; but certain it is I overlooked it, This fcheme thus blown up, I had fome thoughts of fairly fhipping back to England again; but happening into company with an Trifh ftudent, who was returning from Lou- vain, our converfation turning upon topics of literature, (for by the way it may be obferved, that I alwais forgot the meannefs of my circnmftances when I could converfe upon fuch fobjeéts) from him [ learnt that there were not two men in this whole uni- verlity who underftood Greck. This amazed me, I[ inttantly refolved to travel to Louvain, and there live by teaching Greek; and in this deficn I was heartened by my brother ftudent, who threw out fome hints, that a fortune might be got by it, I fet boldly forward the next morning. Every day leffened the burthen. of my move- abies, like Aefop and his bafket of bread ; for133- for I paid them for my lodgings to the Dutch as I travelled on. When I came to Louvain, I was refolved not to go fneaking to the lo- wer profeffors, but openly tendered. my ta- lents to the principal himfelf, I -went, had admittance , and offered him my fervice as matter of the greek language, which I had been told was a defideratum. in his univerlity. The principal feemed at firit to doubt of my abilities; but of thefe I offered to convince him, by turning, a part of any. greek author he fhould fix npon into Latin,. Finding me perfectly earneft in. my propofal, he, addref- fed me thus: You fee me, young.man, con tinued he, I never learnt Greek, and I don’t find that I have: ever miffed it, I have had a Doétor’s cap-and gown without greek } I have ten thoufand florins a year without Greek; ‘I eat heartily without Greek: and in fhort, continued he, as I don’t know Greek, I do not believe there is any good in it, J was now too far from home. to..think, - of returning; fo I refolved to, go, forward, I had fome knowledge of mufic, with a to- lerable voice, and now turned , what was once my amufement into a prefent ‘means of fabGftence, 1 paffed: among the harmlefs , Mg pe-184 peafants of Flanders, and among fach of the French as were poor enough to be very met« ry; for I ever found them fprightly in pro- portion to their wants. Whenever I appro- ached a peafant’s houfe, towards night - fall, T-played one of my moft merry tunes, and that procured me net only a lodging, but fubfiftence for the next day. - I once or twice attempted to play for people of fafhion; but they always thought my performance odions, and never rewarded me even with a trifle, This was to me the more extraordinary, as whenever I ufed in better days to play for company, when playing was my amufenient, my mufic never failed to throw them into raptures, and the ladies efpecially; but as it was now my only means, it was received with contempt; a proof how ready the world is to underrate thofe talents by which a man 1s fupported, In this manner I proceeded to Paris, with no defign but juft to look about me, and then togo forward. The people of Paris are much fonder of ftrangers that have money, than of thofe that have wit. As I could riet boaft much of either, I was no great fa- vourite. After walking about the town four or495 of five days, and feeing the outfides of the belt houfes, I was preparing to leave this retreat of venal hofpitality, when paffing through one of the principal ftreets, whom fhould I meet but my coufin, to whom ] was firft recommended, This meeting was very agreeable to me, and I believe not dif- pleafing to him. He enquired into the natu- re of my journey to Paris , and informed me of his own bufinefs there, which was to cole le& piétures, medals, intaglios , and antiques of all kinds, for a gentleman in Londony who had juft ftept into tafte and large for- tune. I was the more furprifed at feeing my coufin pitched upon for this office, as he himfelf had often affured me he knew nothing of the matter. Upon afking how he had been taught the art of a connofcento fo very fuddenly, he affured me that nothing ‘was more eafy. The whole fecret confifted in a RriG& adHererice to two rules: the one always to obferve, that the piéture might have been better if the painter had taken more pains 5 and the other to praife the works of Pietro Perugino. But, fays he, as I once taught you how to be an author in London, Til now undertake to inftruét you in the art of picture ) M 5 buy.ng é186 buying at:Paris, .With this propofal I very readily.clofed.as it was living, and now all my ambition was. to, live,. | went therefore to his lodgings, improved..my drefs by. his affiftance, and after fome, time, accompanied him -to.anétions of pictures, where the Eng- lith gentry were expected to. be purchafers, I was not a little. furprized at his intimacy with peeple ofthe beft fafhion, who refer- red themfelves to his judgment upon every picture or.medal, as to an unerring ftandard of tafte, ; He made very good ufe of my affi- fiance upon thefe occafions; for when aiked his opinion, he*would gravely take me afide,. and afk mine, fhrug, look. wife, return, and affure the company, that he could give no opinion upon an affair of fo much impor- tance, Yet. there was fometinmes an occafion for a more fupported affurance, .I remember to have feen,. him, after giving his. opinion that the colouring of a pifture was not mel- low enough,-very deliberately take a brufh with brown. varnifh, that was accidentally lying by, .and rub it oyer the piece with great compofure before all the company, and then afk if he had not improved the tints, When187 When he-had finifhed his commiffion in Paris, he lefe me ftrongly recommended to feveral men of diftinG@liion, as a.perfon very proper for a travelling tutors and after fome time I was emplojed in that capacity by a gentleman who brought his ward to Paris, in order-to fet him forward on his turn through Europe. I was sto be the young gentlernan’s governor, but with a provilo that he fhould always be permitted to govern himfelf. My pupil in faét underftood: the art of guiding, in money concerns, ‘much: better than T, He was heir to a fortune: of about two hundred, thoufand pounds , left him by an uncle in the Weft- Indies; aud. his guar- dian, to qualify him for the management of t, had bound him apprentice fo an attorney. Thus avarice was his prevailing paffion: all his queftions on .the road were how money might be faved; which was the leaf expenfive courfe of travel; whether any thing could be bought that > would turn to. account: when difpofed of again in. London. Such curiofi- ties.on the way as could be feen for nothing, he was ready enough to look at; but if the - fight of them was to be paid for, he ufually aflerted that he had been teld they were | not188 not worth feeing, He never paida bill that he would not obferve, how amazingly expen- | five travelling was, and all this though he was not yet twenty-one, When arrived at Leghorn, as we took a walk to look at the ‘port and fhipping, he enquired the expence of the paflage by fea home to England, This he was informed was but a trifle, compared to his returning by land, he was therefore unable to withftand the temptation; fo pay ing me the {mall part of my fallary that was dtie, he took leave, and embarked with only one attendant for London, I now therefore was left once more upon the world at large; but then it was a thing I was ufed to. However my fkill in mufic could avail me nothing in a country, where every peafant was a better mufician than I; but’ by this time I had acquired another ta- lent, which answered my purpofe as well, and this was a fkill in difputation. In all the foreign univerfities and convents, there are upon certain days philofophical thefes maintained againft every adventitious difpu- tant; for which, if the caampion ~ oppofes with any dexterity; he can claim a gratuity in money, a dinner, and a bed for one night,Isg night, In this manner therefore I fought my way towards England, walked along from city to city, examined mankind more nearly, and, if J] may fo exprefs it, faw both fides of the pi€ture. My remarks, however, are but few: I found that monarchy was the belt government for the poor to live in, and com- monwealths for the rich, 1 found that riches in general were in every country another name for freedom; and that no man is fo fond of liberty himfelf as not to. be defirous of fubieéting the will of fome individuals in fociety to his own. THE FATAL EFFECTS OF GAMING. The moft certain caufes of ruin and mi- fery , are often the moft -alluring.. There is a ftrenght in fome temptations which fubdues us by flow degrees, and when we look back on the means of our deftruétion, we wonder by what fatality we were firit led aftray, Few vices are more prevalent in our days than gaming; few more deftruétive, few which, for all this; meet with more encouragement , from190 from the votaries of fafhion, from men ef rank, fortune, and mental abilities, To be initiated in the mytteries of gaming feems an innocent and pleafing employment, but to proceed in the practice of it never fails to end in fhame, poverty, and diftrefs, Thefe reflections naturally arife to me, from the office I have juft been performing; paying the laft duties of friendfhip to two young men, whofe untimely death has. been occationed by a fatal propenfity to the work of vices, gaming, a vice which they practi fed againft the advice of intends , the know- ledge of experience, and even the--convidtion of their own minds. Thefe unhappy youths’ were the twin- fons of a Gentleman in the Welt, whofe name (for the fake of the narrative) is Har- grave, Educated by their parents with ten- dernefs and attention, they grew ,up the admiration of their friends, They were the companions of the virtuous, whofe fociety they courted, and by Whom they were be- loved. ‘Their father’s’ fortune was {canty, yet fufficient to furnifh them with the means of a polite education; and it was his conftant ftudy “to “inftruct them in virtuous principles, andIOL and to {teach them to fet a value on piety as their beft poffeffion, and on time, not an hour of which they could ever recall, Such in- fiructions were not loft upon them, Their parents lived to fee them treat the fteps of true soodnefs , and they fonly hoped they never would ftray from the path of real hap- pinefs. ca i But vain and delufory are the hopes of parents. The ‘morning of their’ children’s exiftence arofe with brightnefs, and bade fair for aday of ferenity. Their youth pafied on, and every day Wis remembered with pleafure. Their difpofitions were amiable as their per fons ; their fenfibility forbade all fears of de- clenfion, and it was ~with confidence: that their parents fent them from under their in- fpection, to purfue their fitudies at a ata univerfity. | Youth, livelinefs of temper, and ingee nuoufsnefs of mind, pointed them out as the proper objects of a gamefter’s attention. One _ Leefon was at this time the main fupport of the profeffion of gaming, and ever watchful to feduce the unwary. For this purpofe Gf it is not impious tofpeak it) he feemed even ormed by nature. His perfon, wit, pand : | | ac192 accomplifhments, recommended him to ge- neral notice. His language was copious, ele- gant and perfuafive;. and his memory and underftanding were of the higheft degree of ftrenght. He had ftudied human nature for no intention , butto prey on its weaknefles and he well knew when to take an opportu- nity to infinuate his pernicious principles, Gaming was his bufinefs; and to feduétion of females he was no ftranger. His perfonal courage was eftablifhed in the fafhionable world, but upon no better foundation than his having killed in a dueil the hufband of a woman whom he had ruined, plundered, and expofed to fhame. With the undifcer-. ning part of the world, he. was a man of honour, and of abilities. —- In fact he was totally deftitute of every virtue that can dig- nify man, and he prattifed thofe vices which brutes are incapable of , but which the im- perfect ftate of our legislature leaves, ,, un- whipt of juitice, * The young Hargraves foon becatne ace qnainted with Leefon. They were chatmed with his vivacity; and feduced by his perfu- afion into gaming. At firft he prattifed the afual warts, allowing, them te win; which more193 more and more led them on, until at lenght, they loft all they were pofsefsed of 5 and after extorting as much money from their fa- ther, under falfe pretences, as he could poffibly fpare, they were reduced to the ne- ceffity of fubfifting on the chance of that employment, which had already ftript them of every fhilling they poffeffed. Had the lofs of fortune been the only confequence, frugality and abftinence from the company into which they had been in- troduced might have retrieved, or at leaft lefsened their misfortune. But they had loft that which can feldom be recalled; they loft the fpotlefs purity of their minds; they fcar- | cely ever recollected the principles, of their early education, The fenfibilities of love and friendfhip were no longer felt. Avarice, envy and rancour were now the leading paf- fions, as they are the natural confequence of gaming. The diftrefles into which they were from time to time plunged, they did not feek to alleviate by fobriety, and attention to duty, As their expences multiplied, they found it neceflary, to have recourfe to other means than formerly; their father might weep over their infatuation, but he could no N longer194 longer fupply ‘their wants, The friends’, (as they were wont to call them) who Had profitted by their folly, refufed ‘to contribute any affiftance, The gaming table was their only place of refuge; but ignorant of the tricks of fharpers, they found that their fuc- cefs here was but temporary ,- and only {er- ved to chain them down to a torture of which they began to have the moft alarming appree henfion. An offer was made by an opulent rela- tion to purchafe a commiffion in a regiment deftined for foreign fervice. This was repre- fented to them by their parent, and the el- deft accepted the offer, while the other agreed to apply to the ftudy of commerce in the houfe of an eminent merchant in London, to which they now removed, and their pa- rents rejoiced at their departure from a place in which their~fondeft hopes had been fo fully difapointed. Happy had it been if their follies had now ended, if they had profited by their expe. rience, dear - bought as it was, and been re- claimed from vicious indulgences, But the company they fell into in London; a place to which they, were before ftrangers, added ‘ta’ their195 their imprudence. Ina fhort time, by the common tranfitions of the life ofa gamefter, they were reduced to the greateft diftrefs. To complete all, when they found themfel- ves bejond all hopes of retrieving circum frances, they took the defperate refolution of going on the high way, determined to plunder or die in the attempt. They carried their purpofe inte execution; weary of life they alfo refolved that if there {hould be dane ger of deteétion to rid themfelves of life by piftol or poifon, Ifthey fucceeded they were to leave olf the pernicious practice of gaming, and amend this life which in its prefent {tate was aburthen. Such is the fophiftry with which a,ygametter grown defperate amufes his mind, They disguifed themfelves in coarfe great coats, and in one fatal evening fet out to wards: 4 public road, Obferving a polt- chaife they ro- de up to it, and commanded the poftillion to {top , which he refufed, and while they thre-': atened him, a voice which they were well? aquainted with, cried out from the carriage, My fon, my font“ But it was. too late, The eldeft of them had fired at the. poftil- lion, and the ball miffing him, mortally wounded the gentleman in the catriage, whe N 2 was196 was no. other than their own father. The other who had not heard the voice rode up to the door of thechaife,-and was about to difcharge his piftol, when he perceived his father almoft dead. Horror feized upon them; they uttered the bitrereft execrations againft themfelves, eurfing the hour in which they were born, and the wretches who had undone them. Stripping of their disguife, and retiring into a neigbouring field, the one fwallowed poi- fon, and was almoft inftantly dead, while the other finifhed his miferable life by a piftol, The poftillion feeing fome paflengers come up, implored their affiftance in appre hending the murderers, they found the oné already dead, the other lived juft to mention the particulars of their ftory, than expired in great agonies. The good old man had died While they were in purfuit of his fons. He departed firft as if to plead for mercy for his unbappy fons at the tribunal of heaven, before which they were fo foonto appear, Such and fo fatal are the éffeéts of ga- ming. When a harmle/s game of cards, as it is called, becomes a habit of gaming, every game may be reckoned a ftep towards inevitable197 inevitable ruin. They are alfo pernicious when the mutabilities of the game difturb the mind, which often happens even »when the fums played for are too inconfiderable to be mentiored, There are few objects more difagreeable than a lady of youth and beauty, whofe features are difterted by another’s good fortune, and who becomes a fiend in temper from the lofs of an odd trick, or of a fum that affects not her fortune, But gaming, when it is made the bufi- nefs of life, is pernicious in every refpett. Ruin and reproach are the portion of that unhappy female who is prone to a vice fo inconfiftent with the delicacy of the fex. All the horrors of defpair"and an untimely end await the man who beggars himfelf and family, confumes his time and ftrenght; and gives with’a lavifh hand and an infatuated heart all he poffeffes to fharpers and protliga- tes, Banifhed for ever from reputable fociety be all games of hazard, if from apparently harmlefs playing of them in youth, it can be proved that one unhappy victim may date his deftruétion: And may he who reads this unhappy tale, and thinks himfeif fo little addifted to gaming as to be out of the reach N’3 of198 of a tnisfortune like this, remember that what he is now, thofe young men once were, and as much prefumptuous in their own ftrenght, and as little fufpicious of misfortune as himfelf. THE STORY OF LE FEVER, It was fome time in the fummer of that year, in which Dendermond was taken by the Allies,~~ which was about feven years before my father came into the country, — and about as many, after the time, that my uncle Toby and Trim had privately decam- ped from my father’s houfe in town, in of der to lay fome of the fineft fieges to fome of the fineft fortified places in Hurope- when my uncle Toby was one evening get ting his fapper, with Trim fitting behind him ata fmal fideboard, that the landlord of a little inn in the village came into the parlour with an empty phial in his hand, to beg a glafs or two of fack: ’Tis for a poor gentleman — I think of the army, faid the landlord, who has been taken ill at my houfe four days ago, and has never held up his head fince, or had a defire to tafte any thig199 any thing, till juft now, that he has a fancy for a glafs of fack and a thin toaft,— Ithink, fays he, taking his hand from his forehead, it would comfort me.— — If Icould neither beg, borrow or buy fuch a thing, added the landlord — I would almoft fteal it for the poor gentleman, he is fo ill. — .] hope in God he will ftill mend, continued he,— we are all of us concerned | for him, Thou art a good natured foul, I, will anfwer for thee cried my uncle Toby; and thou fhalt drink the poor gentleman’s health in a glafs-of fack thyfelf, — and take a couple of bottles with my fervice, and tell him he is heartily wellcome to them, and to a dezen more, if they will do him good. Though I am perfuaded, faid my uncle Toby, as the landlord fhut the door, he is a very compafiionate fellow— Trim ,— yet I cannot help entertaining a high opinion of his gueft too; there muft be.iomething more than common in him, that in fo-fhort a time fhould win fo much upon the affections of his hoft; — And of his whole family, added the corporal, for they are all concerned for N 4 him, —200 him. — Step after him, faid my uncle Toby,— do Trim,— and afk if he knows his name, — J have quite forgot it, faid the land- lord, coming back into the parlour with the corporal, — but I can afk his fon again ;— Has he a fon with him then? faid my uncle Toby. — A boy, replied the landlord, of about eleven or twelve years ofage;-— but the poor creature has tafted almoft as little as his father; he does nothiag but mourn and lament for him night. and day:— He has not ftirred fromthe bedfide thefe two days, My uncle Toby laid down his knife and fork, and thruft his plate from before him, as the landlord gave him the account; and Trim; without being ordered, took away without faying one word. Trim ! faid my uncle Toby, I have a project in my head, as it is a bad night, of wrapping myfelf up warm in my roquelaure, and paying a vifit to this poor gentleman. — Your honour’s roquelaure, replied the cor- poral, has not once been had on, fince the night before your honour received your wound, when we mounted guard in the trenches before the gate of St. Nicolas ; — and befides, it is fo cold and rainy a night, that201 that what with the roquelaure, and what with the weather, ’twill be enough to give. your honour your death, and bring on your honour’s torment in your groin. I fear fo; replied my uncle Toby, but I am not a reft in my mind, Trim, fince the account the Jlandlord has given me.— IwifhI had not known fo much of this: affair, added my uncle Toby,— or that I had known more of it. — How fhall we mannage it? Leave it, ant pleafe your honour, to me, quoth the cor- poral: I will take my hat and ftick and go to’ the houfe and reconnoitre, and act accor- dingly; and I will bring your honour a full account in an hour.— Thou fhalt go Trim, faid my uncle Toby, and here’s a fhilling for thee to drink with his fervant.— LI fhall get it all out of him, faid the corporal, fhutting the door. It was not till my uncle’ Toby had kno- cked the afhes out of his third pipe, that corporal Trim returned from the inn, and gave him the following account ; I defpaired at firftt, faid the corporal, of being able to bring back any intelligence to your honour, about the Lieutenant and his fon; for when I afked where his fervant N 5 was202 was, from whom I made myfelf fure’ of knowing every thing which was proper to be afked,— I was anfwered that he had no fervant with him; — that-he had come to the inn with hired horfes, which, upon finding himfelf unable to proceed, (to join, I fuppo- fe, the regiment,) he had difmiffed the mor- ning after he cames— If I get better my dear, faid he, as he gave his nurfe'to his fon to pay the man,— we can hire horfes from hence— But alas! the poor gentleman will never get, from hence, faid the landlady to me,— for I heard the death - watchall night long ; and when he dies, the youth, his fon will certainly die with him; for he is bro- ken - hearted already, IT was hearing this account, continued the corporal; when the youth came into the kitchen, to order the thin toaft the landlord {poke of; — but I will do it for my father myfelf, faid the youth, | Pray let me fave you the trouble, young-gentleman, faid I, taking up a fork for the purpofe, and offering him, my chair to fit down upon by the fire, whilft I did it.— Ibelieye, Sir, faid he very modeftly , I can pleafe him bett myfelf — fam fure, faid I, his honour will not like the203 the toaft the worfe, for being toatted by an. old foldier,—- The youth took hold of my hand, and inftantly burft into tears. — Poor Youth! faid my uncle Toby, —- He has been bred up from an infant in the army; and the name of afoldier Trim, founded in his ears like the name of a friend; — I wifh, I had him here, I never, in the longeft march, faid the cor- poral, had fo great a mind to my dinner, as I had to cry with him for company; — What could be the matter with me, an’t pleafe your honour? Nothing in the world, Trim, faid my uncle Toby, blowing his nofe,— bue that thou art a good natured fellow, When I gave him the toaft, continued the corporal, I thought it was proper to tell him I was captain Shandy’s fervant, and that. your honour (though a ftranger) was extre- mely concerned for his father ;— and that if there was any thing in your houfe, or cel- lar — (And thou mighft have added my purfe too,) faid my uncle Toby)—he was hear- tily welcome to it,— He made a very low bow, (which was meant to your honour) but no answer;— for his heart was full — fo he went up ftairs with the toaft;— 1 warrant you; my dear, faid I, as I opened» the204 the kitchen-doer, your father will be well again, — Mr, Yoriek’s curate was fmocking a pipe by the kitchen-fire — but faid not a word good or bad to comfort the youth. — J thoughe it wrong, added the corporal, — I think fo too, faid my uncle Toby. When the Lieutenant had taken his glafs of fack and toaft, he felt himfelf a little revived, and fent down into the kitchen, to Jet me know, that in about ten minutes he fhould be glad if I would ftep up ftairs,— I believe, faid the landlord, he is going to fay his prayers, for there was a book laid upon the chair by bis bedfide, and as I fhut the door, I faw his fon take up a cufhion. — I thought, faid the curate, that you gentlemen of the army, Mr. Trim, never faid your prayers at all.— I heard the poor gentleman fay his prayers laft night, faid the landlady , very devoutly, and with may own ears, or I could not have believed it, — are you fure of it? replied the curate — A fol- dier, ant pleafe your reverence, faid TI, prays as often (of his own accord) as a parfon; — and when he is fighting for his king, and for his own life, and for his honour too, he has the moft reafon to pray to god, of any one205 one in the whole world.— ’Twas well faid of thee Trim, faid my uncie Toby. — But when a foldier , faid I, a’nt pleafe your reve- rence, has been ftanding for twelve hours to- gether in the trenches up to his knees in cold water, —— or engaged, faid 1, im long and dangerous marches;— harrafled: perhaps in his rear to-day; harrafling others to mor- row ;— detached here, — countermanded thee re; - refting this night out upon his arms, beat up in his fhirt the next;- benumbledin his joints,- perhaps without ftraw in his tent to kneelon; = fays his prayers how and when hecan. 1 believe, faid I, fur I was piqued, quoth the corporal, for the reputation of the army — I believe, a’nt pleafe your reverence, faid I, that when 3a— foldier gets time to pray — he prays as hear- tily as a parfon,—- tho’ not with all his fufs and hypocrify.— Thou fhould’t not have faid — that, Trim, faid my uncle Toby — for godonly — knows, whoisa hypocrite, and whois not, ~- When J went up, continued the corpo- ral, into the lieutenant’s room, which | did not do tillthe expiration of the ten minutes, — he was lying in his bed with his head raifed upon his hand, with his elbow upon the pillow, and a clean white cambrick hanker- chie!206. chief befide it.— The youth: was juft ftoo- ping down to take upthe cufhionupon which I fuppofed he had been kneeling —the book was laid upon the bed — andashe rofe, im taking up the cufhion with one hand, he reached out his other to take it away at the fame time. — Let it remain there, my dear, faid the lieutenant. He did not offer to fpeak to me, till I had walked up clofe to his befide: — if you are Capt. Shandy’s fervant, faid he, you muft prefent my thanks to your mafter, with my little boy’sthanksalong with them for his couttefy to me; if he was of Levens’s— faid the lieutenant. Itold him, your honour was 3 than, faid he, I ferved three campaigns with him in Flanders and remember him,— but “tis moft likely, as 1 had not the honour of any acquaintance with him, that he knows nothing of me. You will tell him, howe- ver, that the perfon his good nature has laid under obligations to him, is one, le Fever, a lieutenant in Angus’s,— but he knows me not, — faid he, a fecond time mufing; — pof- fibly he may my ftory— added he — pray tell the captain, I was the enfign at Breda, who- fe wife was unfortunately killed, with a mu ket {hot, as fhe lay in my arms in my207 tent.— { remember the ftory, an’t pleafe your honour, faid I, very well.— Do you fo? faid he, wiping his eyes with his han- kerchief,——- Then well may I,— In faying this, he drew{a little ring out of his bofom, which feemed tied with a black ribbond about dis neck, and kiffed it twice— here Billy, faid he, — the boy flew acrofs the reomto the bedfide— and falling down uponhis knee, took the ringin his hand, and kiffed it too, then killed his father, and fat down upon the bed and wept. I with faid my uncle Toby with a deep figh,— I wifh, Trim, I was afleep, Your honour replied the corporal, is too much concerned; — fhall I pour out your honour a glafs of fack to your pipe?— Do Trim faid my uncle Toby, I remember, faid my uncle Toby, fig- hing again, the ftory of the enfign and his wife, with a circumftance his modefty omit- ted; — and particulary well that he, as well as fhe, upon fome account or other, (I for- got what) was univerfally pitied by the whole regiment;—~ but finifh the Rory thou art upon:— ’Tis finifhed already, faid the cor- poral,— for I could ftay no longer,— fo wifhed his honour a good night; young /e Fever208 Fever rofe from of the bed, and faw me te the bottom of the ftairs, and as we went down together, told me,! they came from dreland, and were on their route to join the regiment in Flanders. But alas! faid the corporal, — the lieutenant’s laft day’s march is over, — Then what is to become of his, poor boy? cryed my uncle Toby. But Trim, when thon madeft an offer of my fervices to fe Fever, as ficknefs and travelling are expen- five, and thou knoweft he was. but a poor lieutenant, with a fon to fubfift as well as himfelf, out of this pay,— why didft thou not make an offer to him of my purle;— and when thou offeredft him whatever was in my houfe,— why didft thou not offer him my houfe too:— A fick brother officer fhould have the beft quarters, Zrim, and if we had him with us, in a fortnight or three weeks he might march.— He will ne- ver march, an’t pleafe your honour, in this world, faid the corpcral. — He will march; faid my uncle. Toby, rifing up from the fide of the bed, with one {hoe of:- An’t pleate your honour, in this world, faid the corporal, he will never march, but to his grave: — He fhall march, cried my uncle Toby, mact-2C9 marching the foot, which had a fhoe on, though without advancing an inch,— he fhall march to his regiment. He cannot ftand it, {aid the corporal; — he ihall be fupported, faid my uncle Toby;— he'll drop at laft, faid the corporal, and what will become of his boy?— He fhall mot drop, faid my uncle Toby firmly.—- A-well-o’day,— do what we can for him, faid Trim, maiftaining his point, — the poor foul will diee— He {hall not die, by G— cried my uncle Toby, — The accufing {pirit which flew up to heaven’s chancery with the oath, blufhed, as he gave it in; — and the recording angel as he wrote it down, dropp’d a tear upon the word and blotted it out for ever. — My uncle Toby went to his bureau,— put his purfe into his breeches pocket; and having ordered the corporal to g° early the next morning for a phyfician, — he went to bed, and fell afleep,— My uncle Toby rofe up an hour before his wonted time, and entering the lieutenant’s room, without preface or apology, fat him- felf down upon the chair .by his bed - fide, and independently. of all modes and cuftoms, opened the curtain in the manner an old O friendAeA EE AON inp eso 510 | friend and brother officer would have done it, and ‘afked him how he did?— how he had refted in the night, what was his compla- int,—— where.was his pain,— and what he could do to help him:— and without gi- ving him time to anfwer any of the enqui- ties, went on and told him of a little plan which he had been concerting with the cor- poral the night before for him, — You fhall go home dire€tly le Fever, faid my uncle Toby, to my honfe, — and we'll fend for a Doé¢tor, to fee What is the matter, and we’ll have an apothecary, — and the corporal fhall be your nurfe,— and Pl be your fervant le Fever, — The blood and fpirits of le Fever which were waxing cold and flow within him, and were retreating to their laft citadel, the heart, — rallied back, — the film forfook his eyes for a moment, — he looked up wifhfully in my uncle Toby’s face, — then caft a look upon his boy,— and that ligament, fine as it was ,— was. never broken. — Nature inftantly ebb’d again— the film returned to it’s place— the pulfe flutter’d,— ftopp’d, — went on, — throb’d— ftopp’d again — moved — ftopp’d— fhall F go on? — No,—‘No, — All that is neceffary to be added is as follows :— That my uncle Toby, with young fe Fever in his hand, attended the poor lieutenant, as chief mourners, to his grave,— When my uncle Toby had turned every thing into inoney, and fettled all accounts betwixt the agent of the regiment and fe Fever, and betwixt le Fever and all mankind, — there remained nothing more in my uncle Toby’s hands than an old regimental coat and a fword; fo that my uncle Toby found ‘little or no oppofition ffom,the world in ta- king adminiftration. The coatmy uncle Toby gave the corporal; — wear it Trim, faid my uncle Toby, as long as it willhold together for the fake ofthe poor lieutenant,— and this -— faid my uncle Toby, taking up the {word in his hand, and drawing it out of the fcabbard, as he fpoke, — and this, le Fever, PU fave for thee, ’tis all the fortune, continued my uncle Toby, which god has left thee; but if he has given thee a heart, to fight thy way with it in the world,— and thou doeft it like a man of honour,=— ’tis enough for us. As foon as my uncle Toby had laid a foundation, and taught him to infcribe a O2 regular212 regular polygon in a circle, he fent him to a public {chool, where, excepting Whit/untide and Chrifima/s, at which times the corporal was punctually difpatched for him, — he remained to the {pring of the year feventeen 3 when the ftory of the emperor’s fending an army into Hungary againft the Turks kind- ling a fpark of fire in his bofom, he lefthis Greek and Latin without leave, and thro- wing himfelf upon his knees before my uncle Toby, begged his father’s fword, and my wncle Toby’s leave along with it, to.go and try his fortune under Eugene, Twice did my uncle Toby forget his wound, and cry’d out, le Fever! Vil.go with thee, and thou fhalt fight befide me — and twice he laid his hand upon his groin, and hung down his head in forrow aud difconfolation, My uncle Toby took down the fword from the crook, where it had hung unton- ched ever fince the lieutenant’s death, and delivered it to the corporal, to brighten up; — and having detained Je Fever a fingle fort- night to equip him, and contract for his paflage to Leghorn,— he put the fword in his hand,— if thou art brave, le Fever, {aid my uncle ‘Toby, this -will not fail thee, — but sna awison eine nim sal213 but fortune, faid he, mufing a little, — for- tune may,— and if fhe does — added my uncle Toby, come back again to me, le Fever, and we will {nape thee another courle, The greateft injury could not haye op- preffed the heart of le Fever more than my uncle Toby’s paternal kindnefs;—-he parted from my uncle Toby, as the beft of fous fiom the beft of fathers— both dropped tears-— and as my unde Toby gave him his laft kifs, he flipped fixty guineas, tied up in anoold purfe of his father’s, in which was his mo- ther’s ring, into his hand, and bid God blefs him, Le Fever got up to the imperial army juft time enough te try what metal his fword was made of, at the defeat of the Turks be- fore Belgrade; but a feries of unmerited © mifchances had purfued him from that mo- ment, and trod clofe upon his heels for four years together after: he had withitood thete buffetings, to the laf, till ficknefs overtook him at Marfeilles, from whence he wrote my uncle Toby word, he had loft his time, his fervices, his health, and, in fhort, every thing but his fwerd;— and was waiting for the firft {hip to return hack to him. QO" ANEC-214 ANECDOTE, A Mifer, a few months ago, found hime felf, a fhort time before his death, very un- well. He fent therefore, for a phifician, to whom he told his cafe, requefting him not to flatter him, but to inform him of his real condition, The phifician, immediately, with the franknefs that was required of him, af- fured him that he could not live fix weeks, On thisthe fet about adjufting his worldly concerns, and, for once in his life, was re- folved to have it faid that he did a gene-= rous thing. He defired his friends (for friends in his way he had) to call on one of the go- vernors of a public charity, with a requeft that he would wait on him on fuch a day, The gentleman, full of expeétation, came to his time, and the following converfation took place: soir, I have alwais liked the inftituti- on, of which you are a povernor, and have a defire to forward its good purpofes, by a bequeit of the fum of 15001. I have very la- tely been informed hy my phifician, that I am not long for this world, and have fent for you to make you acquainted with my inten- tion, But ‘*— sy IR215 yin the name of the patronizers of our benevolent inftitution, I return you fincere thanks. You may depend upon it, that your donation fhall be difpofed of to the beft ad- vantage,‘® ,, But, in order to fave trouble in the making of my will, I have a thought “— 5» What is it Sir?“ | yy Lhat, if you will allow me the difco- unt, Pll give you the money directly!“ To a mind, untainted by avarice, an in- cident of this kind feems incredible: but to thofe who are acquainted with the influence of the paffions that have long been deeply © rooted aud cherifhed in the mind, this mi- {ers prudent attention to thrift, on the near approach of difsolution, will appear more ri- diculous than furprizing. HUMANITY IN ARBITRARY GOVERNMENTS, Madame de Pompadour, the miltrefs of Lewis XV, who always travelled with great expedition, was pafiing through Orleans, when her coachman droye over a poor woman, O 4 whom216 whom age and infirmity prevented from get- ting out.of the way, and fhe was killed on the fpot. The coachman ftopped the carriage, and the fervants’ told their humane miftrefs that the poor woman was ‘killed, 5, Very well,“ faid fhe, with the moft perfe& cool- nefs ,,here’s a. lonisd’or to bury her: drive on coachman! “*— At an other time, a yo- ung Frenchman of quality, driving his Eng- lith friend in his phaeton, through the ftre- ets of Paris, ran overa poor labouring man, who was inftantly kille€, ,,Oh! Sir. ex- claimed the Englifhman, with anguifh in ‘his countenance, ,, you have killed the man. * So much the worfe for him,“ anfwered the young count, and drove on, with the moft perfect indifference and unconcern. Such are the effeéts of habitual Tyranny and habitual fubjettion ! In Ftance before the late revolu- tion, the {peétators of fuch an accident would have beheld it with an equal fang froid. They would juft have looked on — and paf- fedon. In England, a man of any fortune would have thought of nothing lefs than a provifion for life for the unhappy family, SRNR LAER, AN217 AN ELEGY WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCH - YARD. The Curfew tolls the knell of parting aa. Fhe lowing herd wind (lowly oy’r the lee, The plowman homeward plods his weary way. Aud leaves the world to darknefs and to me. Now fades the glimmering landfcape on the eieht, And all the air a folemn ftillnefs holds, Save where’ the beetle wheels his drony flight, And drowfy tinklings lull the diftant folds; Save that from yonder ivy - mantled tow’r The mopeying ow! does to the moon complain Of fuch, as wand’ring near her fecret bow’r, Moleft her ancient, folitary reign, Beneath thofe rugged elms, that yews- tree’s ‘ fhade, Where heaves the turf in many a moulding heap> Each in his narrow cell for ever laid, The rude Fore- fathers of the Hamlet fleep. The breezy call of incenfe breathing morn, The fwallow twit’ring from the ftraw - built fhed, The cock's Chrill clarion, or the echoing horn, Os Mao218 No more fhall roufe them from their lowly bed. For them no more the blazing hearth fhall burn, Or bufy houfewife ply her evening care: No children run to lifp their fire’s return, Or climb his knees the envied kifs to fhare, Oft did the harveft to their fickle yield, Their furrow oft the ftubborn glebe has broke; How jocund did they drivetheir ream a field! How bow’d the woods beneath .their fturdy ftroke! Let not Ambition mock their ufeful toil, Their homely joys, and deftiny ob{cure; Nor grandeur hear with a difdainful fimile . The fhort and fimple annals of the poor, The boaft of heraldry, the pomp of pow’rs And al, that beauty, all that wealth eer. gaye, Await alike th’ inevitable hour, ‘The paths of glory lead but to the grave. Nor you, ye proud, impute to thefe the fault, {f Mem’ry o’er the Tomb no Trophies raife, Where thro’ the long-drawn isle and fret- ted vault The pealing authem fwells the note of praife, Can ftoried urn or animated buft Back219 Back to its manfion call the fleeting breath? Can honour’s voice provoke the filent duit, Or flatt’ry footh the dull cold ear of death ® Perhaps in this negleéted {pot is laid Some heart once pregnant with celeftial fire; Hands, that the rod of empire might have | fway'd, Or wak’d to ecflafy the living lyre. But knowledge to their eyes her ample page. Rich with the fpoils of time did ne’er unrall; Chill penury ceprefs’d their noble rage, And froze the genial current of the foul, Full many 2 gem of purett ray ferene, The dark unfathom’d caves of ocean bear; Full many a flower is bern to blufh unfeen, And watte its fweetnefs on the defart air. Some village Hampden, that with dauntlefs : breaft The little Tyrant’ of his. fields with{tood 5 Some mute inglorious Milton here may reft, Some Cromwell cuiltlefs of his country’s blood, Th? applaufe of lift’ning Senates to command, The threats of pain and ruin to defpife, To fcatter plenty oer /a fmiling land, And read their Hiftry in a nation’s eyes Their lot forbad: nor circumfcrib’d alone Their220 Their growing virtues, but their crimes con- fin’d ; Forbad to wade through flaughter toa throne, And fhut the gates ofmerey on mankind, The ftruggling pangs of confcious truth to | hide, To quench the blufhes of ingenuous fhame, Or heap the fhrine of luxury ard pride With incenfe kindled at the Mufe’s flame, Far from the madding crowd's ignoble ftrife, Their fober wifhes never learned to ftray ; Along the cool fequefter’d vale of life They kept the noifelefs tenor of their way, Yet ev’n thefe bones from infult to protect Some frail memorial ftill erected nigh, With uncouth rhimes and Chapelefs fculpture deck’d, Implores the paffing tribute of a figh- Their name, their years, {pelt by th’ unlet- ter’d Mufe, The place of fame and elegy fupply : find many a holy text around fhe ftrows , That teach the ruftic Moralift to dye. For who to dumb forgetfulnefs a prey This pleafing anxious being e’er refign’d, Lef. the warm precinéts of the chearful day, Nor caft one longing ling’ring look behind 2 On221 On fome fond breaft the parting foul relies. Some pious drops the cloling ‘eye requires - Ev’n from the tomb the voice of Nature cries. Ev’n in our Afhes live their woated fires. For thee, who mindful of th’ unhonour’d ¢ Dead Doft in thefe lines their artlefs tale relate; If chance, by lonely contemplation led Some kindred fpirit fhall inquire thy fate, Haply fome hoary~ headed fwain may fay. Of: have we feen him at the peep of dawn ,, Brufhing with haftly fteeps the dews away ,, To meet the fun upon the upland lawn, ,,There at the foot of yonder nodding beech ,, Lhat wreathes its old fantaftic root fo high ,, His liftlefs lenght at “noon tide would he ftretch ,, And pore upon the brook that babbles by, ,, Hard by yon wood, now {miling as in fcorn, »Mutt’ring his wayward fancies he would rove 3 ,,Now drooping, woeful wan , like one forlorn, ,,Or craz’d with care, or crofs’d in hopelefs love, ,,One morn I mifs’d him on the cuftom’d hill, » Along222 », Along the heath, and near his fav’rite tree* » Another came; nor yet befide the rill, » Nor up the lawn; not at the wood was he; », /he next with dirges due in fad array 5, Slow through the church - way path we faw him born, 5, Approach and read (forthon canft- read) the lay »,Grav'd on the ftone beneath yon aged thorn. Lhe Epitaph. Here refts his head upon the lap-of Earth A youth to fortune and to fame unknown, Fait fcience frown’d not on his humble birth, And Melancholy mark’d him for her own, Large was his bounty, and his foul fincere Heav’n did a recompence as largely fend: He gave to.Mis’ry all he had, a tear, He gain’d from heav’n (twas all he wifhd) a friend, No farther feek his merits to difclofe , Or draw his frailties from their dread abode, (There they alike in trembling hope repofe) The bofom of his father and his god, The.223 THE MOUNTAIN PIPE. From the higheft fummit of thofe hills that overlook the vale of Lucca in Savoy, an Englifh traveller, we mean to call Fitzwilli- am, was contemplating the extended land{cape round about him: he was quite alone, his faithful fervant being ordered to a neighpou. ring city, there to wait the time of his re- turn when fome few days fhould once have paffed; which interval he meant to fpend in rambling over that romantic country.— More than half way down the hill, Fitzwilliam faw a hamlet, that affured him of a lodging for the night.=- Thus freé from all inquie_ tude, and fwallowed up in thought, he left his mind to roam at large in contemplation, and his eye to wander from one object to another of the fpacious view. Unt foon the fylyan chorifters laft fong admonifhed him to think of getting under cover for the night, ‘The fun, already hid behind the mountain, did but colour the fky with his gold and purple rays that floated, as it were, juft clofe above the trees. He defcended flowly, mortified to fee the fpacious horizon, whofe limits he could hardly trace, contratt itfelf as he proceeded, ‘The crepufculum, or twilight, now224 “\now began to veil it with a fhade, fo that at every itep it grew browner till the emprefs of the night difpelled this ‘gloomy darknefs | with her light more placid, though lefs glori- ous than the Sun’s that had fo lately funk from fight. Fitzwilliam fat down for a mo. ment, to enjoy the picture. Nothing inter- cepted, or broke of his view, throughout the vaft expanfe. He contemplated on the infi- nite extent at leifure.— From the trembling moon and ftars that twihkled while he gazed upon them, he pafled over to the calm and fpotlefs azure, of the firmament. The air was frefh, nor did the flighteft breeze difturb it. Nature was abforbed In uuiverfal filence, faving the low murmur of a ftream mean- dring throvgh the country at diftance. — Stret- ched upon the grafs, he might perhaps have contemplated till the rifing of the fun next morning ; but the mufic of alute, made mo- re harmonious by a voice, foon after fttuck upon his ear. He thought at firft his ravifs hed fenfes were deluded by the power of his imagination, and experienced the delight of fancying he was fuddenly tranfported in a dream to what are called the regions of enchantment, In the midft of this illufion, while905 while both mutics fill continued, getting on his feet, a lute, faid he, upon the moun- tain! he turned round on that fide whence the melody proceeded , and difcovered through the darkfome-verdure of the trees, no great way diftant, the white walls and garden pa- ling of a cottage. He approached it with a beating heart ; but what was his furprife, when he beheld a youthful peafant with a lute, on which he was playing with exquilite addrefs. A woiman, feated on his right, kept looking at him wth % eye of infinite affe¢tion. At their feet, upon the turf, were many children, boys and sirls,sand ancient people, all in at- titudes of pleafure and attention, When Fitze william firft made his appearance, feveral of the children came to meet him, lookcd atone another, and then faid--among themfelvesy what gentleman is this? The young mufician turned his head, but did 1ot leave of playing, I, that is to fay Fitzwilliam, for the author henceforth, for’ more pertpicuity, mutt be fuppofed as fpeaking in the perfon of Fitz- william, could not poifibly withfand_ the firft emotions of my heart. — [ held him out my hand; he gave me his, which I laid hold of with a fort of tranfport.— Every body upon 7 -B this226 this got up and made a circle round us. I informed them, as concifely as I could. do, of my bufinefs in that quarter of the country, at fuch a time of night. We have not, for many miles about, an inn, remarked the youthful peafant, as our cottage is not near the road; but if you are content to put up with a cottage and poor people, we will do our beft to entertain you. If at firft I was aftonifhed at his execution on the lute, and tafte in finging, I was ftill much more fur- prifed at the politenefs of his manners, the precifion of his language and the eafe with which he fpoke. You were not born, I told him, in a cottage? Pardon me, replied he, with afmile; J was, and even in this, But you're fatigued, 1 fancy. Didier, bring a chair. Excufe me Sir, I owe my neigh- bours this nocturnal entertainment ’m now giving them. I would not take the chair, but laid my- felf upon the grafs, as all the reft did, Eve- ry body had, by this, refumed his former pofture ; and the filence] had interrupted by appearing as I did among them, now took place again. The227 The youth immediately began to play upon his lute; and in the intervals of playing, fung a favourite ballad; which he did with fo much {weetnefs, thata tear, as I could fee, ftood trembling in the eye ofevery one about him, by the time he had repeated the firft couplet. I could not refrain from envying the furprizing genius of the ruftic bard, whoever he might be, that could imprefs fo powerfully an un- lettered, and almoft’ an uncivilized fociety of people, 1 was charthed in feeing how furpri- fingly thofe beauties that are drawn from na- ture, pleafe thc foul of all men, OF the poet’s touches, none were loft; and at the laft which was the moft affecting, I heard notwithftanding round about me, nothing but half fighs, and badly ftifled fobbings. After fome few minutes filence, the whole company got up, each wiping, as I could fee his eyes, They withed each other a good night with perfect cordiality. The neighbours, with their children, went away and none were left, except an ancient man upon a feat befide the door, and whom till now I had not noticed ; the mufician, with the woman fitting by him; Didier, the yoe ung boy whofe name I recollected ; and myfelf. P 2 TwasTwas painfal for me to give up the © fiate in which at that time I was ~ plunged. f ftill continued fitting, . but got charmins up at laft, and drawing near the young mu- fician, pnt my arms out, as it were by in- ftinét, to embrace him. Sweet it is. faid I, to meet with people who furprife us at the fir(t Cliche glanee, and finith by attracting our efteem , before a quarter of an hour is paffed, He anfwered me no other way than by an ardent gralp, while I] was fpeaking, of my hand, Dear Sir, began the old man upon this, you are content, ] fancy, with our evening’s entertainment? [am glad you have conceived fo fuddenly a friendfhip for my dear Auvergne, tor which you {hall repofe you in my bed.— No, father, interrupted Didier, who came running from the barn, I have been littering me fome ftraw 3; an ’tis my bed the gentleman fhall lie in, if he p'e- afes. I was forced to promife I would yield to this laft offer. Didier, upon this, held outhis hand; the old man refted on his fhou!- der, and went in, when he had wifhed me a good night: and now [I found myfelf aloue with Auvergne, and the young woman, who he told me was his {poufe. I afked them, > if,229 it, for my fake, they would not pafs ‘fifteen minutes more in converfatiun with me as *rwas moon- light, where they then were ? Willingly, faid Genevieve, to fuch a quefti- on, who was not a little vain of the attenti-. on, I had paid her husband Yes, quite wil- lingly, replied Auvergne who faw, how much his wife defired it. I {at down bet- ween them; a lindentree behind me 5 through whofe foliage, the moon darted all her brig! htnefs. My dear ‘friends, faid r. and took: the woman by the hand, pray let me know how long you have enjoied your prefent happinets # Thefe fix months, anfwered fhe; and now tis upwards of a twelvemonth that Auverg- ne is happily returned among us from his travels, You have travelled then? faid [, with fome .furprize, excited by this intima- tion. Yes, Sir, anfwered Auvergne: I’ve vi- fited a part of Europe.— Every thing | fee about you , interrupted I, and every thing, I hear you fay, excites a deal of wonder in me! if you have no fecret motive for cone- cealing the transactions of your life, do not refute me, 1 befeech you, when | beg to know them, Certainly you will not, an{we- | P 3 red230 red Genevieve, with that fimplicity, which confcious of no evil meaning, never hunts for phrafes or fet forms of fpeech, This gentle- man appears fo worthy of the favour he has aiked you; and befides, you know, I alwais hear the ftory with a deal of pleafure. He confented, with a fmile, to our re- queft; and ’tis his words I am at prefent going to fet down, as far as my remembran- ce has preferved the narrative, As [ have mentioned, I was born, Sir, in this cottage, towards the end of fixty= three; at prefent being three and - twenty years of age, JI had the misfortune to lofe ny mother, when an infant, hardly being weaned, My father was in eafy, though «not in affluent circumftances, but 4 lawfuit he was forced into, by one who is no more at prefent, but was then a wealthy farmer, ruined him entirely; and he died of grief, When he was torn from his paternal cottage, and beheld it fold for the advantage of the lawyers. The old man you faw juft now: who is become my father, bought and came to fettle in it, He was ftruck with pity, feeing me an orphan at my early time of life, and, though fo little, told me I fhould be his ihe231 fhepherd. I was treated very kindly by him 5 and his. children looked upon me as their brother, Notwithftanding which, the lofs of wy poor father, the unkindnefs. of my other kindred who forfook me, with the thought of being nothing but a ftranger in the cottage where I. firft had my exilftance, and the lonely life I led upon the mountain, whither I was fent to watch my father’s cattle, all ab once afflicted me, and my accuftomed gaiety was changed to melancholy. I. confamed whole days in weeping, while my flocks were grazing round me on the plain. (Here Genevieve withdrew her hand, which I had got in mine, to wipe away a falling tear; and then returned it me.) One evening I was fitting on the fummit of the mountain, and amuling my afflicted thoughts by finging, to myfelf, the very bal- lad you have juft. now heard. — Towards the conclufion, I obferved a man among the trees. 1 noticed, he was dreffed in brown: his countenance was very pale; he feemed quite melancholy ; and he waited till my fong was finifhed. Thereupon he cameclofe to me, and enquired how far he might be from the public road? OF very far, dear Sir, P4 faid232 faid I; above five miles. Can you condué me thither? I would do fo gladly; might I quit my flock — ’Tis poffible: your parents may accommodate me with a lodging for the night? Ah, Sir! my parents are a great way off.— Where, then?-— ‘They lived like honeft people upon earth, and they are happy now in heaven. The tone, as he informed me after, of my voice, affected this good man, and my reply, he faid, could not but intereft “him, He put feveral queftions to me; and my an- fwers pleafed him. Night by this time being come, | brought him to our cottage’; and my mafter hofpitably entertained him. On the morrow they had fome difcourfe together with regard to me, and when I was prepae red to reafsume my daily charge, they told me Didier would in future take it, as the ftranger meant tohave mewith him, ’Twould be ufelefs to tell you what was my affliétion at the thought of quitting this dear cottage, though not mine, and parting from my Ge- nevieve, whom even then I loved, though jhe was quite a child. My fituation was not any way a happy one; and yet I could not quit it wirhout fhedding tears. I could not pot-233 poffibly forefee my future deftination was to be decided by the prefent moment. Yes, to thee, beneficent protector of my. youth, I am a debtor for my prefent happinefs! thou knowelt, generous man, how ardently I prae yed to God for thy profperity, while thou wert living, and with what exhauttlefs grati- tude I blefs’ even ftill thy afhes! He was cal- led {a Rue, and had the place of organift in no great parifh. You would judge imper- fettly.of his abilities, if you adverted to the nature and obfcurity of his employment. Many travellers turned out of cheir road to hear his mu- fic; but their praifes only made him the more modef. I much. doubt, if in the courte of youracquaintance, you have evermet with fuch a genius. Hereceived fromthe affection of his father, who, when living, was a very great phyfician , fuch an education as would cer- tainly have made /im eminent as a phyfician likewife ; but he rather chofe to yield him- felf ‘entirely to the, ardent naflion he had long before conceived for mufic. He had mar- ried the daugther of the organift, whom he fucceeded, but was childlefs, His dear wile whom he had loft for feveral years, ftill lived within his heart, Her image, and his books, P 5 were234 were now the fole fociety he had inthat deep melancholy which had feized upon his mind; . but ftill, while he avoided men, he did not hate them. On the other hand, he did much good in fecret, He was forty years of age, when I caine to him, He inftru¢ted me at fir to read and write, and afterwards took pleafure in the cultivation of my voice, and teaching me to play the lute, which was his favourite inftrument.— He did not top at mufical inftruCtion , he provided me felettions from the works of the greateft poets. He formed at once my heart, my underftanding, and my tafte. “Iwas thus he atted for five years, the part of an affiduous matter, witho- ut any expectation of reward fog all his pains, and labour, but from him, who beft knows how to recompence the fervices we do our fellow - creatures, {u the midft of thefe occupations, J had never banifhed ftom my mind the recolle@tion of my cottage, or the countenance of Gene- vieve; the partner of my childifh paftimes, I was often {peaking of them to my patron, and accordingly one day— J never fhall for- get it, twas the firft of June, four years ago — he rofe betimes, and going, as his cuftom Was ,235 was, to take a morning’s airing, bade me follow him. We talked of many! matters while we went along, as chance prefented fabje&ts for our converfation ; till at taft) he brought me to the very mountain ;where at Grit I faw him. Dear Auvergne, faid hes I have fulfilled the duty providence I thoughe impofed upon me, the firft time I faw you. I am:fenfible how much you figh, when you refle&t upon the habitation whence I took yous and have had no other view in undertakin to protect and educate you, than at laft to put you in a way of getting once again pof- feffion of it. I now fhew it yeu, look at it: But take notice, 1 forbid, on pain of my, difpleafure, your returning thither, till fuch time as you have wherewithall to purchafe it. I give you my own lute, I have inftruc- ted you, to play upon it. Travel. You are not without a charming voice, Whereever people hear it, you will be the firft of artifts in your way, and need not be averfe to take the name of an itinerant mufician. Such a ‘novelty will never fail to get you auditors and money} only be difcreet and frugal; and when rich enough, return into your country’s and buy your father’s cottage,My heart beat high at this difcourfe, and grew enlarged with hope and joy, He held me to his bofom, fhedding tears, They were the firft I ever yet had féen fall from him, and they made a fingular impreffion on me, After this we thought of coming back, and he conducted me in filence to his houfe, Upon the morrow, at the break of day, J was to leave my benefaétor: he ‘beftowed, at parting, the inftru€tion he imagined [ moft needed, with two Louisd’ors. In four years time I footed it through Italy, all France and Germany, equipped like what JT Was, a peafant of the mountains, with my hair, as. you may fee at prefent, floating in large curls upon my fhouldets. I took ’no- tice that the fingularity of fuch a drefs incre- afed the effect proceeding from my mufic; and particulary in the capitals of every coun- try I paffed through- Few noblemen, | fan- cy, ever travelled more delightfully than I did. Every where I found a gcod reception, and not only from the middling fort of peo- ple, but the moft polite. The quality in ci- ties made up concerts, for no other purpofe than to hear me; and in villages, 1 verily believe, they married for the’ mirth of dan- eing237 ving to the mufic of my inftrnment. In ma- ny places had advantageous offers made me to take up my refidence among them. They fee duced me fometimes, | acknowledge, for-an inftant; but as foon as I again reflected onmy cottage, every thought of fortune vanifheds nor of all my projects, was one trace left remaining, JI remember fill what fweet fenfations feized me every time, while travel- ling, | went over any mountain, or even ~eame in fight there of. I fought this hamiet on it, and imagined for a moment I could fee my cottage, With my mind continually full of fuch an image, I endeavoured to exprefs my notions, and thefe couplets were my comp jofition. Sweet little cottage of my Sire, Where when a child I play’d; ‘In foreign realms my whole defire Pants to enjoy thy fhade, Each object lives within my mind, That there the eye runs O'er; The hamlet and the hill behind, The linden tree betore. Teter RD * v AftoAftonifh’d at men’s pomp and pride, Vaft manfions oft I fee; But only can be fatisfied, Sweet rural cot, with thee. : é Whence then would {pring that blefs’d content, In name alone eyen fweet, I fhould enjoy, had heayen but meant. To keep me that foft feat? wee I fhould indeed live happy there; Nor thro’ the world thus roani; And Genevieve the blifs would fhare Of my paternal home, Sweet breathe my pipe then, fince the ftrain # Pleaf’d daily Irenew; For if my double wifh I gain, To mufic’s power ’tis due, Auvergne went through thefe couplets with fuch fweetnefs and expreffion, that the fabulous ideas of Apollo wakened in me3 and methought I heard that exiled deity on earth, and in the vales of Theflaly, complaining he had loft Olympus. I dgfired to fpeak, I Wwan-239 wanted tocry out; but I found my tongue was without motion. Auvergne couldnot but con- ceive the meaning of my filence, and on went as follows: Iam now about to tell you by what me- ans I came again into poffeffion of this preci« ous cottage, € Towards December laft, when I had ta- ken up my dwelling for a feafon at Turin, and had been twice from one extremity of Italy, in which Turin is fituated, to the other J examined what my fortuné came,to, and conceived myfelt then rich enough to pay a vifit to my native mountain, I immediately : fet out, and after feveral forced journeys» came in ten days time as far as to the city where my benefactor had refided. With what anxious expectation gid I not that mo- ment enter it! and as I went along, afk every one I met, what tidings he could give me of him? But alas! I was not to enjoy the pleafure of expreffing what I owed him; or behold him happy in the confequen- ces of his friendfhip fhewn me, He hadtwo months fince been dead. 1 went to pour out my tears on his tomb, and made a vow te heaven that I would call my firft child by > his240 his name, if ] {hould ever be fo happy as to prove a father, On the evening ef that day, I gained this hamlet. Every one, I found, {poke favourably of me, without. knowing who [ «was at firft. My lute, and the remem- brance of. our friendfhip, fcon obtained me Genevieves affection, — [ received her from her father, I bought back, with his confent, the cottage,.and the field belonging to it, for, two hundred crowns, with which- his eldeft fon procured a farm below us, in the village, and has now been fome time fettled in it, With refpeét to him, he acquiefced to pafs the remmnant of hisdays with Didier in our cottsge. “Tis from him [ learn the art of husbandry, for now that I am once more in poeffeffion of my little patrimony, the amount of my ambition is to be, as was ny father, a good hutband, a kind parent, anda virtuous peafant. ~l have not, as you may fee, forgot my lute, the precious inftrument that made my fortune; but ftill keep it at my fide, and oftcn put it to my lips, for my OWN recreation, or to pleate my family and neighbours. He ftopped (hort at this, but ftill I thought I heard him (peaking, M iy acter. tion, captivate: by241 by his narrative, was turned infenfibly upon his. perfon, after he had finifhed. His. inge- nuous animated countenance, the contraft of his drefs and converfation, his attachment to aruftic habitation, and the gratitude with which he cherifhed the remembrance of his bene- faétor; his uncommon fortune, travels, and profeffion ; every thing I thought, exhibited the youth, in fome fort,as a being of enchant- ment, and fuperior to the ordinary race of men, “Iwas Genevieve firft roufed me from my contemplation, by her motion in the att of leaning forward to embrace him; I embra- . ced them both, and was embraced too by them. We got up, and went into the cotta- ge, where, to my aftonifhment, I faw an air of order and propriety about me, After having made a plentiful, but light repaft, upon fuch fruits as I. was ‘told the mountain yiel- . ded, Didier led me to a niche in one of the apartments: it was rather narrow but the bed that filled it was both clean and whole- fome. Of this bed, the little fellow told me, he difpofed with pleafure in my fayour. -?Twas not long before I fell into a downy flumber, and my fleeping thoughts were oc-. cupied upon the charming objets, I had re- Q cently Tt esant cently been witnefs to. I did not all the follo- wing day, once quit this happy family, when they were either unemployed or occupied, Auvergne related to me many entertai- ning matters that occurred to him in travele ling, and explained how he acquired that ea- finefs of manners and politenefs of expreffion, that at firft had charmed me, and which after- wards, as I difcovered, notwithftanding his great youth, conciliated the refpeét and love of every aged individual thro’ the’ hamlet. The acutenefs of his underftanding, the un- ftudied openefs of Genevieve, the old man’s blunt good fenfe the reftlefs curiofity of Didier, made their converfution interefting, and diffu- fed an inexprefiible variety through every part there of, that charmed me,,and cohefted them much clofer to each other. I was fure T could have paffed my life away quite hap» py with them, But why, faid I to myfelf, why brood on fuch a contemplation? "Twas that very night 1 Wasto leave them, I con- fels I felt a pang of fadnefstoreflect upon our feparation, and imagined, by their looks, it Loccafion them fome forrow likewife. ‘. Mioriune fhould in future let me, with a RT spt243 with more ‘liberty; difpofe of the remainder of my life, I then intended, and do ftill, to make a yearly vifit to this mountain, for the purpofe of revifiting my friends: and fil- ling my whole heart with thofe fenfations of contentednefs and peace which their fociety and habitation cannot but infpire. POLITICAL SKETCHES. The prefent Premier. Among the political phoenomena of the prefent century, and certainly as the moft prominent feature which charatterifes the be- ginning of the year 1787, may be confidered the poffeffion of the firft executive office in this complicated government, quietly retained by a youth, who has already held the fituation above three years.— Perhaps no time has ever yet beheld fo fingular and unexampled a circumftance, Aukward and ungracetul in his perfon, cold and diftant in his manners, referved and fometimes ftately in his deportment; Mr, Pitt Q2 is244 is not formed to captivate mankind by the graces of external figure or addrefs. Diftin- guifhed by no uncommon fenfibility to the attraGtions of women, it is not from that fex he can expect the enthufiaftic fupport, and more than mafculine exertions, which his great political antagonift has repeatedly expe= rienced on the moft trying occafions. - Little attached to amufements or diffipation, whates ver form it may affume; and even, when he unbends to convivial feftivity or relaxation, confined and private in his indulgence; his hours are dedicated to an almoft unremitted ap- plication to the funétions-of his office, Parfi- monious of the public revenne, and tenacious of the exhaufted finances of a treafury drained by preceding profufion, his conduct, as Mi- nifter, forms a ftriking contraft to the faci- lity and prodigality of former adminiftrations. Definterefted in his diftribution of offices, and feleét in his choice of thofe on whom he confers employments, the nation has not regarded his abilities with more admiration, than it has conferred admiration, and ap- plaufe on his principles. Endowed with talents unexampled for fwaying’ a popu- lar affembly: perfpicnous and clear amidf all245 all the energy and fire of oratory: am- ple, yet not prolix or diffute - exempt from repetition, yet leaving no part of his fubject untouched, or unexplained: animated in deba- te, though cold and fevere in converfation: copious in his diétion, and feleét in every fi- gure or expreffion with which he chufes to enrich or adorn his fpeech: addreffing himfelf as much to the judgment, as to the imagi- nation; and gaining by the mingled force of language and of conviction, a ready entrance to the heart: Such is the prefent Minifter of the Englifh people, and fuch is the impartial portrait of his virtues, and his defects, Perhaps, a lefs rigid and unblemifhed cha- raéter; perhaps, a lefs {paring and oeconomi- cal fuperintendance, in fome circumftances , of the public treafure; however meritorious in itfelf; perhaps a. greater degree of atten- tion to the individuals, upon whom refts the foundation of his own greatnefs; and a por- tion of that venality (however the term may fartle and affright) which, in this democrae tical government, as in that of Rome, is un- fortunately too neceflary to enable a great and good Minifter to retain a ftation of pub- Q 3 lic f ( 1 é es BAe 5 * a |) a ae me) at. i) y ‘wt % if ‘ian ’ vit ai; | a a i, ty ny a ing : va at 1 i i” ie ot i} ‘ft { } 1 al | at) fl oti f tu if if | ae ia % 7 ae ae Le 1 a a { nk ba PINT ODlic utility: perhaps, I fay, a mixture of thete ingredients, like poifons ‘in phyfic, might produce the moft falutary and beneficial ef- MI fe&ts, Weare not in the age of the Scipio’s, a | or even I fear of Cato. The roman empire was not worthy of a Pertinax, though it fub- mitted to a Severus, and the Praetorian gu- ards , accuftomed to fell imperial dignity, knew no longer how to confer it as a volun- tary donation on fuperior virtue. The Mini- Mi fier, who will maintain his fituation in this my country , muft condefcend, however reluce- ee 1 | tantly, to adopt the arts of government; arts it Hy ‘become indifpenfible, and alike prattifed by 2 | Le \ } | Clarendon, or an Oxford, by Walpole and by Ge ui i , Mer. F O X. Not more liberally endowed by nature | with the graces of external figure, or with Mh the elegance of manners and addrefs, than Mat his rival Mr. Pitt, he has yet an unknown i and undefcribable fomething, which pervades | | the darknefs of his complexion, and fheds a ape fort247 fort of Iuftre acrofs his Saturnine features, Whether it can be termed-a fmile, J will not venture to affert; but it certainly has the effect upon the heart, which {miles are cal- culated to produce; that of infpiring confiden- ce, and exciting complacency. Descended from a Monarch diftinguifhed by this pecu- liar and charatteriftic’ excellence of face, he may perhaps claim an hereditary title to it. Son to a nobleman, as much marked out by public obloquy and accufation, whether juftly or unjuftly acquired, as lord Chatham was by general favour and admiration, he can- not look for proteftion to paternal virtues, or plead the patriotifm and difintereftednefs of the Houfe of Holland. 3 Unegualled in the arts, of attaching mankind to his perfon and fortunes; fteady and fervent in his friendfhips; open and avo- wed in his enmities; never abandonning tho- fe, under any circumftances, to whom he is bound by political ties; he is defigned by na- ture for the chief of a party, Educated in the {chool of political learning,. brought into the fenate before he had attained to manhood and joining a long experience to the natural Q 4 Vie“a ae 248 vigour of talents; he may be confidered as con{umate in all that detail of knowledge, on- ly to be acquired by an early initiation into the myfteries of a democratical goyernment, Poffelfing powers of eloquence lefs copious aud brilliant, but perhaps more folid and lo- gical than thofe of Mr. Pitt, he is equally formed to captivate, to convince, and to fub- due, Skilled either to entrench himfelf in al- moft impregnable faftneffes ; or to carry the thunder of the war into the lines of the ene- my, he can with the fame facility imitate Scipio, or Fabius: he can adopt the confular dignity, or the Tributinian rage. Abandoned in the more early ftages of his life to the fren- zy of play, and to all the diffipations of youth and unlimited profufion; a portion of thofe de- feéts and errors accompanies his riper years and fullies the luftre of his endowments. So far from being like his more fortunate rival, indifferent to the company, or fuperior to the blandifhments of women, Mr. Fox does not blufh to appear with the companion of his fofter hours in a phaeton in Hyde Park, or inthe firft rows of a crowded Theatre. Convivial in his nature, and open to focial Pleafures he confirms his political triumph over249 over the mind, by his private and perfonal congueft of the heart, Bold and decided even to temerity in his conduct as a minifter, he is capable by turns of aggrandizing or of diminifhing the power of the Crown; and of juftifying by reafons and arcuments the moft plaufible meafure, of whatever nature, which he fhall have feen fit to adopt.— Generous and beneficentin his difpofition, placable and forgiving in his temper, his political enmities extend not bejond the limits of a debate, or the walls of a Houfe of commons. Equal to his Antagonift in all the fublime talents re- quifite for the government of an empire; fu- perior to him’in modern and polite know- ledge; in an acquaintance ~with Europe; its manners, its courts, and its languages: he is his inferior only in one requilite; an opi- nion of his public principle, generally diffufed among the people, When to this great and inherent defet, is fupperadded the unqueftio- nable alienation of his Sovereign, both to his perfon and party ; we may lament, but we cannot be furprized, that abilities fo wniver- fal and fublime are left unemployed, and are permitted ,,to wafte their fweetne/s on the defart air. * ; THE NRE Ta A ee aS. Fae250 THE COUNTRY JUSTICE. A DRAMATIC DIALOGUE. Scene. A room in- the juftice’s houfe, Enter juftice in his night-cap; his clerk with a book and inkhorn at his bofom; the Conftab- le with a ftaff. | af uftice, Well, 1 have finifhed my Magifterial bue finefs, thank Heaven! Confiable, have all the vermine of paupers, foldiers, wenches, chil- dren, gypfies, Excife officers, informers, and witneffes, left the hall? Confit, Yes your Worfhip, Clerk, Will your Worfhip be pleafed to read over the minutes ? qjufi. Read over the minutes! Why, no; if I chofe the trouble of reading and wri- ting251 ting I need not employ you for my Clerk. Conftable, what warrants have you got? Conft.. (Turning over papers) A warrant ggainft George Starvelling, on the game act, Suft. Let that warrant be executed With rigour; the rafcal not only had a hare in his poffeffion, but felonioufly dreffed and divided it among his wife and children, Clerk. ‘The ‘poor wretches, your Wor- fhip, were famifhing. juft. Famifhing! what then ? the game laws have made no provifion for perfons flar- ving; they take provifion from fiarving pers fons, | | Conft; And they have the poor laws , your Worfhip, to fupport them, uf. The poor laws ! here’s a fellow for a Conftable! why, blockhead, the poor laws don't relieve the indigent, but fatten the overféeers!— The poor laws, ha, ha, hal — Why, ey ern cs eal252 Why , fool, the poor laws for relieving the poor bid fair to reduce the rich to beggary. Go on, Conft. A warrant againft Noddy Drowfy, for driving his cart over Thomas Young, an infant. cjuft. Poor Noddy ! he was afleep when the cart went over the child: Clerk. Yes, your Worfhip. qjujft. Well, it is a ftrange law that punifhes a man for transgreffing while he is afleep, Particularly, Sir, as the laws fo often fleep themfelves, Conft. Then what is to be done with Noddy, your Worfhip? guftt Whata Green- horn Conftable you are! Have not the ingueft found that the child was killed by the cart- wheel, and not by poor Noddy; and is not the cart- wheel rfeited to meas lord of the manor? Go, come253 compound for the cart- wheel, bring me the money, and let Noddy go about his bufinefs, Conf, Yes, your Worthip, — but what's to be done with thofe conviéted on the new aft’? Suft. What new att? There are fo many of them, for the blood of me, Ican't tell one from the other; fo ‘let the fellows be all difcharged. (Exit) LET YE ES. From Mr. Pope to @ Friend. Mav, 19. 1738. Dear Sir, I often think of you, and am quite vexed at the diftance we live at. It frets me to think I muft be writing to tell you how much I efteem and love you, from time to time, Sed ams Oras254 time, when all the common proofs, the little | offices, and attentions of friendfhip, are in- tercepted between us, which fo much better exprefs, and fo much better reward and con- tinue real affection, Half the life of my heart (if I may fo call it) feels numb’d. I’m like one who has received a paralitic ftroke, and is dead on one fide, when half the friends that warm’d me are abfent, I would fain have youfee how happy I am in the acquiring my Lord Bolingbroke, though but for a few months, ’Tis almoft fice recovering one from the grave whom we gave for gone; howe- ver one can’t expe€t to keep him long, one rejoices in the prefent moment, It feems hard that. when two friends are in the fame fentiments, and wifh the fame things, they fhould not be happy to- gether: But fabit is the miftrefs of the world, and whatever is generally faid, has more {Way than opinion, Yours confines you to 7 the255 the woods of Yorkfhire» mine to the banks of the Thames, And yet I think I have lefs dependance on others, and others lefs on me than inoft men I have ever known; fo that I fhould be free. So fhould a female friend of ours; but habit is her goddefs: I wifh I could not fay worfe, her tyrant, She not only obeys but fuffers under her, and reafon and friendf hip ‘plead in vain, Out of Hell and out of habit there is no redemption, I hope the feafon is now coming that dri- ves friends together, asit does birds into warm coverts and clofe corners; that we may meet over a fire, and tell the ftories of the year. Indeed the town hours of the day fuit as ill with my ftomach, as the wintry and dark nights do with my careafe, which I muft eie ther expofe abroad, or fit and blind my eyes with reading at home, ] with your eyes may grow no worle; mine do, and make me more — concerned for you. Take celica acer256. Take care of your health; follow notthe feafts, (a I have done) of Lords; nor the frolics of Ladies; but be compofed, yet chear~ ful; complaifant, yet not aflave. I am with all truth and all affection; dear Sir, Your’s ever, A, POPE, yy oes oak Sunday Morning. {f you wifh to have the reprefentation of my {pare meagre form, which, by the bye, ss not worth the canvas it muft be painted on, you fhall be moft wellcome to it; and I am happy in the reflection, that when my bones fhall be laid low, there may be any re- femblance of me, which may recal my image to your friendly and fympathifing - recole le€tion, But -you mu& mention the bufinels to Rey- nolds yourfelf; for I will tell you why I can- not| 257 not, He has already painted a very excellent portrait of me, which, when to pay him for, he defired me to accept, as a tribute to ufe his own elegant and flattring exprefiion, that his art wifhed to pay to my genius,—= The man’s way of thinking and manners are, at leaft equal to his pencil, You will fee, therefore, the delicacy of my fituation, as well as. the neceffity, if the genius of Reynolds is to be emplojed in the bufinefs, of your taking it entirely upon youre elf Or if your friendly impatience, which you exprefs with fo much kindnefs, will let you wait till we make our tour to Bath, your favourite Gainsborough may do the deed, Or why not your little friend Cofway » who is rifing faft into fame and fortunes But be it as you pleafe, and arrange it accor- ding to your own fancy, R. At258 At all events, I fhall treat .myfelf when I get to Rome with my own -bufto; if Nollis kens does not make a demand for it that may be inconfiftent with my exchequer. The fta- tuary decorations of my grandfather. the Ar- chibifhop’s monument, in the Cathedral at Yark which you admire fo much, have given birth, I believe, to this whim of mine; and this piece of marble, which my vanity — for let it be vanity if you pleafe — deftines for my- felf, may be placed by the hand of friend- fhip, and by your’s perhaps, near my gra ye — and fo much for that. But I was born for digreffions, and I, ther:fore tell you at once, not rafhly, or prematurely , but with all due fobriety and refle&ion, that Lord— is of a low, bafe, pimping nature, if he had been nothing but a fool, I fhould have faid— Have mercy upon him; but he has juft underftanding fuf- ficient to make him anfwerable for what he doesit acaiear aged SIRS Pont 2 Ce Ai. ef Re A ag gL Fee Megpel RELS — y ae tig OE I en eS ay Be , ha eee eo 259 does, and not fufficient to perceive the fuperio- rity of what is great over what is little, — If ever that man rifes into a gOod 6f a noble ation, I would be bound to be confidered as a tetailer of fcandal, and an ill-natured man as long as I live, and as long as my memoe ry lives; but no more of him, I befeech you | and the hour tells me to write no more of : any thing, for I dint? haften where I ought td “have bead Half’ ant’ hour ago-- fo God blefs you; and believe me, whereever I am, tobe, Moft cordially your’s L, STERNE, FROM Mr, POPE TO Mr. GAY. I am glad to hear of the progrefs of your recoverys and the oftner I hear it, the bet- ter, when it becomes eafy to you, to give it me, Ido well remember the confolation, R 2 you fi aT, Gi ee RT a a ene eee ee Sys260 you were to mein my mother’s former illnefs, that it doubles my contin at this time, not to be able to be with you, or you able to be with me, Had I loft her, 1 wonld have been no where elfe, but with you, during ydur confinement, I have now paft five weeks without once going from home, and without any company, but for three, or four of the days, Friends rarely firetch their kindnefs fo far as ten miles, My Lord Bo- lingbroke and Mr, Bethel have not forgotten to vifit me: the reft, (except Mr. Blount on- ce) were contented to fend meflages. I ne- ver pafs’d fo melancholy a time. And now Mr. Congreve’s death touches me nearly, {it was twenty years and more, that I have known him. Every year carries away fome- thing dear with it, till we outlive all-ten- derneiles, and become wretched Individuals again, as we began. Adieu?! this is my birth- day, and this reflection upon it: With261 With added days, if life give nothing | new’, Bus like a fieve let ev’ry pleafure thro’; Some joy ftill loft, as each vain year runs oer And all we gain, fome fad reflection more! Is thisa birth-day? - - - ’Tisalas! tooclear; *Tis but the funeral of the former year. Your, & cet, fo— —-— Monday Morning. The fiory, my dear friend, which you have heard related with fuch an air of autho- rity , is like many other true ftories, abfo- lutely falfe, Mr, Hume and 1 never had a difpute, I mean a ferious, angry, oF petulant difpute, in our lives:— indeed I fhould be moft exceedingly furprifed to hear that David ever had an unpleafant contention with any R 3 man? — 7 ch as ait Latin ok ger ow r ii PDE ADDS BEN, rte th OLB ALE il262 { man?— and if I fhould be made to believe that fach an event had happened, nothing would nerfuade me that his opponent was not in the. wrong; For in my life did I never meet with a being of a more placid and gent- le nature; and it is this amiable turn of his character, that has given more confequence and force to his fcepticifm , than all the ar- guments of his: fophiftry, You may depend on this as a truth, We had, I remember well, a little ple- afant fparring at Lord Hertford’s table at Pa- ris: but there was nothing in it that did not bear the marks of good-will and urbani- ty on both fides. I had preached that very day at the Ambaffadot's chapel, and David was difpofed to make a little merry with the par/on; and, in return, the parfon was equal- ly difpofed to make a little merry with the infidel; we laughed with one another, and the company laughed with us both, and wha-263 whatever your informer might pretend, he- | certainly was not one of that company. As for his other hiftory, that | preached an offentive fermon at the Ambaffador's cha- pel— it is equally founded in truth, for Lord Hertford did me the honour to thank me for it again and again. The text, I will own, was an unlucky one; and that was all your informer could have heard to "have ju- fified his report. If he fell afleep immedi- ately afcer I repeated it, T will forgive him, The fact was as. follows: Lord.Hertfort had juft taken and furnis- hed a magnificent hotel; as every thing and any thing gives the fashion of the moment at Paris; it had been the fashion for every one to go and fee the Englifh Ambaflader’s new hotel. — It occupied the curiofity, for- med the amufement, and gave a fubject of converfation to the polite circles of Paris, for a fortnight at leatt. R 4 - NowNow it fell to my lot, that is to fay, T Was requefted to preach; the firlt day’s fer- vice was performed in the chapel of this new hotel. The meffage was brought me when I was miaying a fober game of Whift with the Thornhills, and whetherit was that I was called rather abruptly from my afternoon’s amufement to prepare myfelf for this bufinefs, for it was to be on the next day; or from what other caufe J do not pretend to deter- mine; but that unlucky kind of fit feized me which you know I can never refift, and a very unlucky text did come into my head, you will fay fo when you read it, 3» And Hezekiah faid unto the prophet, I have fhewnthem my vefSels of gold, and my veffels of filver, and my boxes of ointment, and whatever I have in my houfe have I fhewn unto them; and the prophet-faid unto Hezekiah, thou haft done very foolifhly,« Now265 Now as the text is a part of holy writ, that Boul not give offence; though wicked wits are fometimes difpofed to ill treat it with their own feurvy MiGiiscetcneanoss But as to the difcourfe itfelf, nothing could be more innocent, and David Hume favoured it with his grace and approbation, But here amTI got, 1 know not how, writing about myfelf for whole pages toze- ther — whereas the only part of my letters that can juftify my being an egotift is, while L.affure any gentle fpirit, or faithful friend ; as I now do you, that 1 am her, or his, or your Moft affe&tionate humble fervant, Le STERNE.S ae Bt To the Earl of — My Lord, I was jefterday taking leave of all the town, with an intention of leaving it this R § day CEE ne eileen ier eran eee266 | | day, but I am detained by the Kindnefs of ‘Pott and Lady §.—, who have made a par= ty to dine and fup on my account— | am~ impatient to fet out for my folitude, for the- te the mind gains ftrength, and learns to lean upon herfelf.— In the world it feeks or accepts of a few treacherous fupports— the feigned’ compaflion of one— the flattery ef a fecond— the civilities of a third — the friendfhip of a fourth— they all deceive, and bring the mind back to where mine is retreating, to retirement, reflection, and books. My departure is fixed for to- morrow morning, but I’coald not think of quitting a place.where J had received fuch numberlefs and unmerited civilities fram your Lordfhip, without returning my moft grateful thanks, as well_as my hearty acknowledgments for your friendly enquiry from Bath, Illnefs, my Lord, has occafioned my filence — Death Knocked at my door, but 1 would not admit him —267 him— the call was both wnexpeéted and un- pleafant — and [ am ferioufly worn down to a fhadow-~ and ftill very weak, but weal as I am, I have as wehinticll a ftory to tell you, as ever. befell one of my dnke Shandy’s nofe, his name, his fafh windows are fools to it— it will ferve at leaft to amu- fe you— The injury I did myfelf laft month in catching cold. upon James’s Powder — fell, you muft know; upon the worlt part it co- uld — the moft painful, and moft. dangerous ef any in the human body. It was on this crifis I called in an able furgeon, and with him an able phyfician, (both my friends) te infpec&t my difatter-— tis a venereal cafe, cried my two fcientific friends — ’tis impof- tite, however, to he that, repliedivaniti. = Was it not as ridiculous an embaraflement as ever Yorick’s. fpirit was involved, in? — Nothing but the pureft confcience of innos cence could have tempted me to write this ftory268 world, — what the devil, faid I, without knowing women ?— We will not reafon abo- ut it, faid the phyfician, but you mouft un- dergo a courfe of mercury — I will lofe my life firftt, faid T—. and truft to nature, to time, or at the worft to death — fol put an end, with fome indignation, to this confe- rence — and determined to bear all the tor- roents J underwent, and ten times more, rather than fubmit to be treated like a finner, in a point where I had atted like a faint. Now as the father of mifchief would haveit, who has no pleafure like that of dishonouring the righteous, it fo fell out that’from the mo- ment I difmiffed my Doétors, my pains began to rage with a violence not to be expreffed , witnout re Every pqur became more ints, as well.as my hearty acknowledgments for your friendly enquiry from Bath, Illnefs, my Lord, has occafioned my filence — Death Knocked at my dvor, but 1 would not admit him —269 ‘I told them upon the word of a man of. ho- nour they were both miftaken, as to my ¢a- fe— but though they had reatoned wrong , they might act right; but that {harp as my fuf- ferings were, I felt them not fo fharp as the imputation which a venereal treatment of my cafe laid me under They anfwered that thefe taints of the blood laid dormant twenty years, but they would not reafon with mein a point wherein I was fo delicate, but would do all the office for which they "were called in, namely to put an end-to my torments, which otherwife would put an and to me — and 71 have been compelled to furrender my= ‘ felf zi and thus my dear Lord, has your poor friend with all his fenfibilities been fuflering the chaftifement of the groffeft fenfualift.—- Was it not as ridiculous an embaraflement as ever Yorick’s. fpirit was involyed. in? — Nothing but the pureft. confcience of innos cence could have tempted me to write this ftory i ae a ae a lt SOEN ar - ‘ b naa rE ae a ele nel¥ ah = 270 to my wife, which by the bye would make no bad anecdote in Triftram Shandy’s life — I have mentioned it in my. journal to Mrs. — " “In fome tefpetts there is no difference bet- | Ween my wife and herfelf— when they fare alike neither can reafonably complain,— ] i have juft received letters from France, with ’ | fome hints that Mrs. Sterne and my Lydia are ' ! coming to England, to pay mea vific— if | ar ; your time is not better employed; Yorick flat- | ae ters himfelf*he fhall receive a letter from your i Lordfhip, en attendant. Iam with the createft Wt regard, | | | My Lord, Hel yg pal i ‘ i 3 your lordfhip’s re : i molt faithful humble fervant, ve | | Ls STERNE, hie rik a §atin ae are ee ee