beaux. The animated and interesting passion of our souls, is reasoned down to very commendable restraints, and convenient relaxations. Even when the nuptial day was appointed, I have known one of our Platonic gentlemen, because he was absent, and a little business interfered with the completion of all his wishes,' very coolly postpone the rapturous moment to a more convenient opportunity. Nay, I have known a husband, (of the same philosophical stamp, you may be sure,) the next day after he became one, with all that indifference we should look for if he had suffered curtain lectures for a year, leave his bride to attend to business, and let the whole honey moon wax and wane in his absence.

We have read of men's going mad for love; your Orlandos and your Octavians, and others; but we meet them only in books; the passion rages not so high amongst us in real life; it never overcomes reason; it is never so hot, now, but this cool faculty of the mind may chill it down to an ague.

I have omitted the great sacrifice, made by our common progenitor, rather than be separated from Eve,

86

...................as of choice to incur

"Divine displeasure for her sake, and death.

-And me with thee hath ruined; for with thee "Certain my resolution is to die

".......from thy state,

"Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe,"

and only glanced at a few cases in history, which do honor to the cause of love. You gentlemen of learning," said she, addressing herself to me, "may recollect many more. There are also many instances of the contempt of riches, in comparison with the affections of the heart, to be found in ancient story; of great munificence towards the object of their desires, and great expense of wealth by lovers of former times, to please, obtain, or compliment a mistress. The young Roman who dissolved the costly pearl, and drank it in a goblet of wine, to toast his favorite lass, is an illus

trious example. We see but little of such sacrifices among us; yet it must be acknowledged that money is sometimes made use of, even now, to overcome obstacles in the march to Hymen's court; and a handsome widow may possibly obtain twenty or thirty thousand, if she holds out with proper dignity, and increases her value by a little well-timed indifference, occasionally relieved by a certain roguish display of smiles and condescensions, so well understood by these experi

enced ladies."

No. VIII....SATURDAY, JULY 2, 1814.

Ir was a saying of the great Marshal Turenne, that " no man is a hero to his valet de chambre;" and, it might be added, that no man ought to be. Whoever would enjoy the good will and good wishes of his fellow men, must not strain too hard to keep above them. Whoever wishes for the pleasure which is derived from social intercourse, (and what pleasure is equal to it,) must endeavor to cultivate the good opinion and the friendship of those around him, by occasionally coming down to their level; and encourage an ingenuous familiarity, by that affability, condescension, and affected humility, if you please, which spreads a charm around the prince or the private man.

To exact too much, is often the occasion of our getting nothing. The man, who every where demands even the meed of praise that is due him, may find it yielded with reluctance; whilst he that "wears his honors with meekness," is sure to receive the full measure of his merits; with the additional satisfaction of seeing them bestowed with pleasure, and as freewill offerings of the heart, rather than the cold effects of obligation and duty. If we are always to play the great man or the hero, and cannot bear to be approached but with a

sort of reverence or servile respect, we shall soon find that not only our immediate connexions, but all with whom we have any intercourse whatever, will grow tired of this kind of slavery; and as they throw off their chains, the first proof they give that they have done so, will be to despise and ridicule the attempt to keep them on.

There are few truly great men, whose history does not record, as instances to embellish and complete their characters, some amiable traits of humility and playful innocence, without which, we should not take so deep an interest in them; and there is no character that appears less amiable, and none that can so hardly be endured, as that stiff reserve which discourages, and that self-sufficiency and haughtiness which seems contemptuously to repel, all confidence and familiarity. Julius Cæsar won more by his inviting and courteous manners, than by his sword. It is said also of the great Duke of Marlborough, that he could refuse favors with a better grace, than other men could bestow them; and that he was so practiced in the art of pleasing, that no man ever went to him with a request, but he came away pleased and satisfied, whether his request was granted or not. Henry the Fourth of France, was another of those characters, who could come down from the eminence of human greatness, and sport in the humble vale of friendship and domestic joys; the last Spectator has given us an example of this, sufficient for my purpose. Similar traits are recorded of Lorenzo de Medici, who, amidst all the splendor that surrounds the patriot, the warrior, and the man of letters, could divest himself of these rays of glory; and is often seen, with equal interest, in the more mild and placid light of the playful friend and familiar companion.

Instances of the like nature might be multiplied almost without end from among the great; but when we come to contrast them, we must descend to a different class and order in society; for those, who are afraid of hurting their dignity by the common acts of

ordinary life, have seldom a capacity to raise themselves above ordinary men. It would not perhaps be entertaining to my readers, to search for examples, which, although they might illustrate my position, would expose the defects of our common nature.What I wish to recommend is, the injunction of the chief Apostle, that we should "not think of ourselves more highly than we ought." I cannot, however, omit the following anecdote, which will shew, how much we expose ourselves to the shafts of ridicule, when we assume a consequence, which does not really belong In the revolutionary war, our troops, upon some occasion, were hastily throwing up a breastwork or battery; it was necessary that all hands should be employed; General Putnam, seeing a wheelbarrow of sand, and a man standing by it idle, said to him, "soldier, wheel out that barrow." "I am not a soldier," says the man, "I am a corporal;"-"O,” said the General, "then hold my cane, whilst I wheel it out myself."

to us.

The story of old Shamut was very familiar with the first settlers, and is often told about the country where he lived, to the present day. Shamut was a brave Indian, but he had too great an itch for prerogative, and was too apt to assume more authority than he had discretion to use, and more than his office gave him a right to exercise. He was chosen captain, and in his eagerness to establish his consequence, and shew he was worthy to command, knocked down the first Indian he met; and when asked the reason why he did so, "to shew mine power," says Shamut. He went out a hunting, and killed a monstrous wolf; it was a brave and wonderful feat; the beast was so large, he could not drag him in, but he cut off his ears, and those were a sufficient trophy, and proof that he had destroyed him. Shamut was received with shouts and great joy by the whole tribe, and all the villages made great pow-wows to his honor, and gave him as much samp and succotash as he could eat. This lifted him up as high as the hills, and he began to disdain all in

tercourse with common Indians. In one of his haughty moments, he returned a wampum that had been sent to him by one of his old friends, because the fellow had told the story of his killing the wolf not quite so much to his honor as some others had told it; and he declared he would never take a wampum of him again. He had a large wigwam, and became so disdainful, that he used to keep himself shut up in it, and would let nobody, without a deal of difficulty, come in to see him; and one day ordered his attendants to shoot some of his neighbour Indians, because they happened to come within gun-shot of his great wigwam. This overbearing disposition of Shamut lost him much of the good will his bravery had acquired; and the sachems of the village were obliged to admonish him, and remind him, that though brave, he ought not to be arrogant nor discourteous.

No. IX....SATURDAY, JULY 9, 1814.

It has been a very common complaint, that no encouragement is given, in this country, to literature. or the fine arts. In this accusation we are reproached for want of taste or want of liberality; and it is rather mortifying to plead guilty to either of these charges.

To treat this subject technically, it would be proper to examine, first, how far this complaint is justified by facts; and secondly, whether the cause is to be sought for, alone, in the want of the qualities above noted.

It is not true, that no encouragement is given to science and literature in our country; for although every man of learning does not become a rich man, yet the respect and veneration paid to men of talents and erudition are a sufficient inducement, without mentioning the abstract pleasure of learning, for men to devote themselves to study. But there are many instances of