its origin in heaven, says Boethius; is a sacred felicity; and ought not to be numbered with the gifts of fortune. Such are the charms and advantages of friendship and hence it arises, as a natural result, that no one, who possesses a friend, can ever be truly indigent. For as the tourmalin absorbs and emits the electric fluid, in proportion to the increase or diminution of its own heat, so, those who are capable of a зentiment so exalted as that of friendship, glow with one love; feel but one interest; burn with one resentment; and participate the same enjoyments in a measure, commensurate with their taste, feeling, and virtue. As substances, which the magnet attracts, may be rendered magnetical themselves, so those friends, whose virtues have endeared them to us, impart so much of their qualities, that if we do not largely partake of their essence, we may yet immediately be recognised, as belonging to the same province, if not to the same village. So pearls concrete, and take a tincture from the air they breathe; and evergreens, engrafted on deciduous plants, cause the latter to retain their leaves.

Watching our interests with solicitude; assisting us with promptitude and diligence; advising us with sincerity, tempered with delicacy; and combating our prejudices with logic, rather than with rhetoric; a friend becomes the partner and the ornament of our lives! In our absence, protecting us from the shafts of others with prudential zeal; in our presence, he chides our follies, and condemns our vices, by giving credit to our virtues. Preserving all the dignity of discretion, and

abounding in innocent compliances, he treats us with a studious and gratifying politeness. By dividing his enjoyments, he introduces us to new pleasures; and, participating in our afflictions, his consolations are medicines, and his bosom is a sanctuary.

III.

Friendship has its origin, progress, and completion in virtue'; hence is it able to subsist only in the bosom of good men:-Without it life is but a dull, uninteresting drama! In the present state of morals and of mankind, however, a friend is almost as difficult to find, as a quarry of porphyry. In our search, let us remember the fate of the unfortunate peasant, who, when drawing a mountain brook into his garden, in summer, forgot that he was introducing a friend, who, in winter, would inundate and destroy every flower and shrub in his little territory. Many are the friendships recorded in history;-As to the friendships of men in general!-where is the calm, the innocent heart, and temperate appetite, which, springing from a pure mind, bespeak a man, capable of esteem

Denique in solis christianis verum lumen amicitiæ mirabiliter eluxit. Cum enim amicitia à virtute nascatur, necesse est, ut vera atque perfecta amicitia in iis tantùm sit, in quibus perfecta virtus insidet. Osorius de Nobil. Christian. lib. ii. p. 406, ed. 1580. The Japanese seem to have a great respect for this virtue. Vide Rikord's Account of his Negociations with the Japanese, p. 288.

We may compare friendship to genuine Madeira wine. This liquid sustains no injury from being congealed by frost, or thawed by heat; from being boiled; left to cool; exposed to the sun; or buried in the cellar.

ing misfortune the greatest of all claims for respect and veneration? The Romans adopted a significative motto for the escutcheon of friendship:-" Near and far: summer and winter."-All friendships must begin in one virtue, and end in another :-respect and gratitude.1

CHAPTER III.

Ir a love of Nature give additional force to the lover and the friend, it is no less productive of that high spirit of liberty, and that ardent love of true glory,2 which gives such a decided impulse and dignity to the soul. For impressive and sublime scenes, checking the more violent passions, subdue the natural arrogance of our nature, reduce ambition to humility, and place man and man upon a level with each other, by subduing the vanity of the proud, and exalting the hopes of the humble. Of this opinion was Sir William Jones; who, bred in the school of Greece, and imbibing with

1 Gratitude, said Massieu, the pupil of Sicard, is the memory of the heart. Milton's idea (book iv.) has been adopted by Rouchefoucault : perhaps both may be traced to a sentiment in Phalaris' Epistles. xvii.

2 Gloria nihil est in rebus humanis pulchrius, nihil amabilius, nihil cum virtutis altitudine copulatius. Nam et a splendore virtutis excitata est, et excellenti pulchritudine ad amorem dignitatis allicit, et homines ingenio præstantes ad virtutis studium inflammat. Omnes enim, qui maximo ingenio præditi sunt, stimulis gloriæ concitati, res præclaras aggrediuntur. Tolle gloriæ cupiditatem, et omne studium virtutis extingues.

Osorius de Gloriâ, p. 44. ed. 1580.

his love of ancient literature the most elevated ideas of liberty, never permitted them to wither or decay! Hence is it, that those countries, remarkable for a combination of scenerial contrasts, have, at all times, made the greater advances towards the cultivation of science and the arts; or, in their absence, have rendered themselves conspicuous for a detestation of despotism; for a strong and ardent desire of retaining their liberties, when in possession, and of recovering them, when lost. I need not call to your recollection, among other examples, those of Rome and early Greece; or of that lovely and unfortunate country, once loved, honoured and admired, dear to all lovers of landscape, the seat of virtue, the abode of peace and content, and where the honest face of poverty was never seen to blush. And much is it to be hoped, that some one, animated with a love of liberty, and gifted with the rare qualities of an historian, may yet rescue the heroic deeds of its heroes from the hands of the annalist. Switzerland! thou art a country, that my heart does doat upon!

In that country was born the celebrated Aloys Reding, who learned the art of war in the service of the King of Spain. After some time, he became disgusted with that regime; retired to his native country; and devoted himself to the science of agriculture. In this occupation he was engaged, when the French revolution electrified the whole of Europe. The liberty of the Swiss was uncongenial to his taste; for it was a liberty rather in name, than in substance. The change, that he desired, was an amelioration of the

VOL. III.

federal system; but he desired such amelioration to be effected by the Swiss themselves; not by the aid of French bayonets, or of French councils. Animated by these sentiments, he resumed the sword in favour of his country; and with a small force performed many splendid actions. But the armies of his enemies were too numerous, and treachery and cowardice diminished his numbers. At length the time arrived, which was to decide the issue of the contest, Certain death appeared to await the whole of the heroic band. On the sublime heights of Morgarten, Reding appeared at the head of his troops. Morgarten had been a theatre for the performance of great actions; and calling to mind the heroic achievements of ancient times, the brave general thus addressed his soldiers. "Comrades and fellow-citizens! The decisive moment is arrived. Surrounded by enemies, and deserted by our friends, it only remains to know, if we will courageously imitate the example, formerly set by our ancestors among these magnificent mountains ;—indeed upon the spot, on which we now stand. An almost instant death awaits us. If any one fear it, let him retire: we will not reproach him: but let us not impose upon each other at this solemn hour. I would rather have an hundred men, firm and stedfast to their duty, than a large army, which by flight might occasion confusion, or by a precipitous retreat, immolate the brave men, who would still defend themselves. As to myself,-I promise not to abandon you, even in the greatest danger. Death and no retreat! If you participate in my resolution,