have merit; but you are to consider how it stands with the present assembly-if the character has chanced to incur its displeasure, as the representatives of some larger body, or as the dupes of some wealthy oppositionist; your detestation is of course decided-but must rather be expressed by your gestures than your words; by which means you will not commit yourself the advantages of this conduct are evident, when you consider that it may fall to your lot to sit in some probably better informed, or more candid society-and where this character if a public one, may also be the subject of conversationhere it will be in your power without danger of contradiction, to shew it considerable respect, by your apparent reception of the present ruling sentiment-and you may even console yourself with an idea of the justice of your conduct for every character has its lights and its shades and in this instance, you have taken both sides of the question-If by your prudent management you succeed in the world, (as most probably will be the case, if your conduct is governed by these maxims)—if your system allows it, you may become a candidate for the government of your country-as a man of business, your ambition will probably not rise higher than that of the quorum; or if a citizen, that of the mayoralty-to the former of which you may arrive, through the various grada. tions of seneschal; foreman of the petty jury-clerk of the peace-justice of the peace, and so forward until you attain your ne plus ultra-I need hardly mention the gradations that will conduct you to the first honours of the capital, they are so commonly known; nor the vast

harvest that you will reap from all these places-the many modifications of your good sense to secure them, cannot be described here-it would take the pen of a demon to do them justice--I shall therefore proceed to remark another probable advantage, that will result from your character and situation, and from the public confidence you have acquired-namely-you will become the banker and executor of your neighbourhood-in the former case you will have the use of many small sums of money; which when put together, will be of considerable consequence in your trade for I still suppose you to be a man of business-and in both cases you know how often it has happened, that the banker and executor have become proprietor when you think you have arrived at the zenith of your glory; if you are not already in possession of a satisfying portion by more private means, (which you know hardly ever happens)-you may commence bankrupt with credit, by paying ten shillings, instead of half a crown to the pound: which will appear liberal; and thus your glory will be secured even in your retreat!Should you still remain unsatisfied with your possessions, you may after a suitable lye by, open business again with great respectability-Your late misfortunes, and the proofs which you gave of integrity, have fixed a very favoura ble sentiment of your character in the public mind-the banking and mercantile houses are again open to you, and you proceed with the utmost gravity, to accomplish the business for which you were born.

You are now a man of deep experience in the world, and henceforth you need but few instructions-Your

steady pursuit of the "one thing needful," with the other corresponding virtues of your life, have established your mind, and almost rendered your character invulnerable-→ · No poor enthusiast-no petty thief, was ever known to have your countenance-When you became a leading man, you were uniformly known to choose for your companions, men of sense-men who scorned a petty advantage-who did several splendid actions-and who only waited for the grand opportunity, when they could rob the fatherless and the widow, or ruin a number of helpless families without any impeachment of their character!-the abilities of such men you remarked with deep attention-for you knew how to appreciate their worth; nor was it their least recommendation, that while they abused the confidence, or imposed upon the credulity of the weak or the dying, to the prejudice of the legitimate claims of helpless obscurity, they had the address to transfer the guilt of their proceedings, and to derive an increase of reputation from those spoils, which would have covered men of less abilities with infamy; and from which the ignorant enthusiast would have started as from a burning lake

Being arrived now at the utmost point of glory, to which human wisdom is capable of conducting a man in your sphere of life-I would think it prudent before your faculties become wholly debilitated, to pay yourself and your successors a necessary debt-I mean that you should settle your affairs, and look out for some suitable retirement-how indeed to employ yourself here, so as to shut out all uneasy reflections, and open the door of

your imagination to those only which shall entertain you, is an art, that I am fearful I shall not conduct with the same degree of success, which I have endeavoured to make attend your public character-the absence of your accustomed employments, and the increasing languors of decayed nature, render this rather a difficult task-the former will leave a void, which neither parks nor ponds, gardens, furniture, splendid rooms, the society of your friends, nor any amusements which I could point out, will be able wholly to supply-and the latter in spite of medicine and attendance, will be accompanied with broken slumbers, restless anxiety, fretful impatience--or perhaps sentiments of horror at nature's approaching dissolution—It may be thought that religion might now be suitably introduced, as furnishing the mind with consolatory reflections, in such an awful crisis as that to which you have arrived-but I fear after having spent your whole life in treating with open or secret contempt, her spirit, messengers and institutions; that the sincerity of your repentance in the last hour would be doubted; and her consolations forbidden to enter thy apartment, would pass on to chear the mansions of virtuous poverty which thou had robbed!-the heaving breast of the sorrowful stranger-or the penitent Magdalene weeping at the feet of Jesus*-If thy soul hovering on the brink of eternity, should start at the prospect of immortality and

*It is not at the breasts of the truly unfortunate, that the Author has levelled the shafts of satire contained in this pieceGod forbid !-they are the last class of men upon earth, whoses feelings he would wantonly invade—but there is a class to whom those remarks are applicable-they are applicable to him who

start in vain; I confess its situation at that awful moment not very enviable-but if conscience like the ghost of Brutus, should stand forth a spectre before thee, pronouncing itself thy evil genius, and threatening to meet thee in another country, I would think it a bad omen

'Tis true few of the living will take warning by thy danger, but thou hast now washed thy hands out of all their concerns; and thy soul is hovering on the brink of a gulph, into which if it once fall, neither the riches of the Indies, nor the righteousness of archangels can redeem it.

has his eye fixed on the world alone, and whose talents are exerted to render every thing which it esteems, subservient to his own views of interest-Here the semblance of respect for religion, morality, humanity and public honour, may be maintained, while the heart despises their secret influence-and even to throw off the appearance of respect for virtue-waits only for an advantage, which may amply repay it for the sacrifice-If the human heart is capable of being thus far degenerated, the portrait which the Author has here drawn, will not be found unsupported by facts.

REFLECTIONS

RESULTING FROM THE above.

And are these O my soul the wages which the world pays its devoted worshippers-does it after a life of faithful dedication to its service leave its votaries thus poor and tormented.-Oh if this be the case, and it is a fact verified in the experience of all who have burned incense