which he did no good; when Adrian tells his enemy, that he had efcaped by his being emperor; or Louis XII. that he is not to revenge the affront of the duke of Orleans. These are the first instances that happen to occur to me I might recollect many, too many to infert in this effay; yet all are but few, compared to inftances of cruelty and revenge: perhaps I am concerned that they are fo rare; perhaps too I inwardly grieve that I am not in a fituation to do the like. I am entertained, but not moved, when I read Voltaire's Hiftory of Charles XII. but I melt into tears on reading Hanway's character of his antagonilt Peter the Great. The first is a ftory of an enthusiast; the other of a father, friend, and benefactor, of his people; whofe character (as the author obferves in the conclufion of it) will command the admiration of all fucceeding generations; and I fuppose I lament, that God is pleased to advance to royalty fo few fuch inftruments of good to mankind."

Again : “ I am' tineafy when I fee a dog, a horfe, or any other animal, ill treated: for I confider them as endued with quick fenfe, and no contemptible thare of reason;' and that God gave man dominion over them, not to play the tyrant, but to be a good prince, and promote the happi nefs of his fubjects. But I am much more uneafy at any cruelty to my own fpecies; and heartily with Procruftes difciplined in his own bed, and Phalaris in his bull. A man bruifed all over in a boxing-match, or cut to pieces in fighting for a prize, is a hocking fpectacle; and I think I could with lefs horror fee a thoufand fall in battle than human nature thus depreciated and difgraced. Violence, when exerted in wantonnefs or paffion, is brutality; and can be termed bravery only when it is fanctioned by juftice and neceflity.

"I have been in a fituation to fee not a little of the pomp and vanity, as well as of the neceflity and mifery, of mankind but the laft only affect me; and if, as a magiftrate, I am ever guilty of partiality, it is in favour of the poor. When I am at church among my poor but honeft

neighbours in the country, and fee them serious in performing the cere monies prefcribed, tears fometimes fteal down my cheek, on reflecting, that they are doing and hearing many, things they do not understand, while thofe who understand them better neglect them that they, who labour and live hard, are more thankful to heaven than those who fare luxurioufly on the fruits of their labour; and are keeping and repeating the fourth commandment at the very infiant the others are breaking it.

"Thefe are fome of the fenfations I feel; which I have freely and fairly difclofed, that the reader may judge, how far I am an inftance of a deformed perfon wanting natural affection. And I am a good fubject of fpeculation; because all in me is nature: for, to own the truth, I have taken but little pains (though I ought to have taken a great deal) to correct my natural defects.

"Lord Bacon's next polition is, That deformed perfons are extremely bold: firft in their own defence, as being expofed to fcorn; but in procefs of time by a general habit." This, probably, is fo among the inferior fort, who are in the way of continual infults: for a return of abule is a natural weapon of self-defence, and in fome measure juftified by the law of retaliation. To upbraid a man with a perfonal defect, which he cannot help, is also an immoral act ; and he who does it has reafon to expect no better quarter than to hear of faults which it was in his own power not to commit. But I find this obfervation far from being verified in my. felf: an unbecoming bafhfulness has been the confequence of my ill figure, and of the worfe management of me in my childhood. I am always uneafy, when any one looks ftedfaftly on fo bad a picture; and cannot look with a proper confidence in the face of an other. I have ever reproached my felf with this weaknefs, but am not able to correct it. And it may be a difadvantage to a man in the opinion of thofe he converses with; fór, tho' true modefty is amiable, the falfe is liable to mifconftruction, and, when a man is out of countenance for no rea

fon,

fon, it may be imagined that he has fome bad reafon for being fo. In point of affurance, I am indeed a perfect riddle to my felf; for I, who feel a reluctance in croiling a drawingroom, or in opening my mouth in private company before perfons with whom I am not well acquainted, find little in delivering my fentiments in public, and expofing my difcourfe, often as trifling as my perfon, to the cars of a thoufand. From what cause this proceeds, I know not: it may be partly from hopes of wiping off any ill impreffion from my perfon by my difcourse, partly from a fenfe of doing my duty, and partly from a fecurity in public affemblies from any grofs perfonal reflection.

"Lord Bacon compares the cafe of deformed perfons to that of eunuchs; in whom kings were wont to put great truft as good spies and whifperers; for they that are envious towards all are more obnoxious and officious towards one.' But, with fubmiffion to fo good a judge of human nature, I own I can difcover no uncommon qualification in them for fpies; and very few motives to envy peculiar to themselves. Spies fubmit to that bafe and ungenerous office either for the fake of intereft or power: if for intereft, it is to gratify their covetoufnefs; if for power, their ambition or revenge; which paffions are not confined to the eunuch or deformed, but indifcriminately feize all claffes of men., Envy too may prompt a man to mean actions, in order to bring down the perfon envied to his own level; but if it is on account of fuperiority of fortune, it will operate alike on men of all shapes. Eunuchs have but one peculiar motive to envy: but that (as Lord Bacon expreffes it) makes them envious towards all; because it is for a pleasure which all but themselves may enjoy. Deformed perfons are deprived only of beauty and ftrength, and therefore thofe alone are to be deemed the extraordinary motives to their envy; for they can no more be beautiful or strong than eunuchs be fuccefsful lovers. As to myfelf, whatever fparks of envy might be in my conftitution, they are now entire

ly extinguished; for, by frequent and ferious reflections, I have long been convinced of the small value of most things which men value the moft.

"There is another paffion to which deformed perfons feein to be more expofed than to envy; which is jealoufy: for, being conscious that they are lefs amiable than others, they may naturally fufpect that they are lefs beloved. I had the happiness to fpeak this from conjecture, and not from experience; for it was my lot, many years ago, to marry a young lady, very piously educated, and of a very diftinguished family, and whose virtues are an honour to her family and her fex: fo that I had never any trial of my temper, and can only guess at it by emotions I have felt in my younger days; when ladies have been more liberal of their smiles to thofe whom I thought, in every refpect but perfon, my inferiors."

The most useful inference from all this to a deformed perfon is, to be upon his guard against thofe frailties to which he is more particularly expofed; and to be careful, that the outward frame do not distort the foul. Orandum eft (fays Juvenal), ut fit mens Jana in corpore fano, "Let us pray for a found mind in a healthy body:" and every deformed perfon fhould add this petition, ut fit mens recta in corpore curvo, for "an upright mind in a crooked one." And let him frequently apply to himself this article of felf-examination, Lenior et melior fis, accedente fenecta? "As age approaches, do your temper and morals improve?" It is a duty peculiarly incumbent; for if beauty adds grace to virtue itself, vice must be doubly hideous in deformity.

Ridicule and contempt are a certain confequence of deformity; and therefore what a perfon cannot avoid he fhould learn not to regard. He should bear it like a man; forgive it as a Chriftian; and confider it as a philofopher. And his triumph will be complete, if he can exceed others in pleafantry on himfelf. Wit will give over when it fees itself outdone; and fo will malice when it finds it has no effect and, if a man's behaviour afford no caufe of contempt, it will

fall

fall upon thofe who condemn him without cause.

Instead of repining, therefore, a deformed perfon ought to be thankful to Providence for giving him fuch a guard to his virtue and repofe. Thoufands are daily ruined by a handfome perfon; for beauty is a flower that every one wants to gather in its bloom, and fpares no pains or stratagem to reach it. All the poetical stories con⚫erning it have their moral. A Helen occafions war and confufion; the Hyacinths and Ganymedes are feized on for catamites; the Endymions and Adonifes for gallants; Narciffus can admire nobody but himself, and grows old before he is cured of that paffion. Who is a stranger to the ftory of Lucretia killing himself for her violated chastity? or of Virginia killed by her father to preferve it? In those circumstances, fays Juvenal, The might wish to change perfons with Rutila, the only lady we know among the ancients celebrated for a humpback. The handsomest men are chofen for eunuchs and gallants; and, when they are caught in exercifing the last function, both Horace and Juvenal inform you of the penalties and indignities they undergo. Silius was converted, by the infatiable Meffalina, into a husband; and Sporus, by the monster Nero, into a wife. The laft-mentioned poet fhews that praying for beauty is praying for a curle; and Perfius refuses to join in fuch a prayer; and has not the deformed perfon to thank his ftars, which have placed him more out of danger than even virtue could? for that could not guard a Jofeph, an Hippolytus, a Bellerophon, and o thers, against the revenge of flighted

love.

Another great advantage of defor. mity is, that it tends to the improve

ment of the mind. A man that cannot fhine in his perfon will have reourfe to his understanding; and attempt to adorn that part of him which alone is capable of ornament. When his ambition prompts him to begin, with Cowley, to afk himself this question,

What shall I do to be for ever known, And make the age to come my own?

on looking about him, he will find many avenues to the temple of fame barred against him; but fome are still open through that of virtue; and thofe, if he has a right ambition, he will most probably attempt to pass. The more a man is inactive in his perfon, the more his mind will be at work; and the time which others spend in action he will, pass in study and contemplation: by these he may acquire wifdom; and by wifdom, fame. The name of Socrates is as much founded as thofe of Alexander and Cæfar; and is recorded in much fairer characters. He gained renown by wisdom and goodness; they by tyranny and oppreffion: he by inftructing, they by destroying, mankind: and happy it is, that their evil deeds were confined to their lives; while he continues to inftruct us to this day. A deformed perfon will naturally confider where his ftrength and his foible lie; and, as he is well acquainted with the laft, he will easily find out the first; and must know, that (if it is any where) it is not, like Samfon's, in the hair, but must be in the lining, of the head. He will fay to himself, "I am weak in perfon: unable to ferve my country in the field, I can acquire no military glory; but I may, like Socrates, acquire reputation by wifdom and probity; let me therefore be wife and honeft. My figure is very bad; and I fhould appear but ill as an orator either in the pulpit or at the bar: let me therefore pafs my time in my study, either in reading what may improve myfelf, or in writing what may en. tertain or inftruct others. I have not the strength of Hercules, nor can I rid the world of fo many monsters; but perhaps I may get rid of fome that infeft myfelf. If I cannot draw out Cacus from his den, I may pluck the villain from my own breast. I cannot cleanse the ftable of Augeas: but I may cleanse my own heart from filth and impurity: I may demolish the hydra of vices with me; and fhould be careful too, that, while I lop off one, I do not fuffer more to grow up in its ftead. Let me be ferviceable in any way that I can: and, if I am fo, it may, in fome mealure,

be

POE

JACK'S FIDELITY.

FROM DIBDIN'S CASTLES IN THE AIR.

I ever a failor was fond of good sport 'Mongst the girls, why that failor was I; Of all fizes and forts I'd a wife at each port; But, when that I faw Polly Ply, Ihail'd her my lovely, and gov'd her a kiss, And swore to bring up once for all; And from that time black Barnaby splic'd us till this,

I've been conftant and true to my Poll.

And yet now all forts of temptations I've ftood;

For I afterwards fail'd round the world, And a queer fet we saw, of the devil's own brood,

Wherever our fails were unfurl'd: Some with faces like charcoal, and others like chalk,

All ready one's heart to o'erhaul: "Don't ye go love me, my good girls, faid I-walk

I've fworn to be conftant to Poll." I met with a fquaw, out at India beyond, All in glass and tobacco-pipes drefs'd: What a dear pretty monster! so kind and fo fond,

That I ne'er was a moment at reft. With her bobs at her nofe, and her quaw

quaw quaw,

All the world like a bartlemy doll : Says I-"You Mifs Copperskin, just hold your jaw,

For I fhall be conftant to Poll."

Then one near Sumatra,juft under the line, As fond as a witch in a play: "I loves you;" fays fhe," and just only be mine,

Or by poifon I'll take you away." "Curfe your kindness," fays I-" but you can't frighten me;

You don't catch a gudgeon this haul; If I do take your rats-bane, why then, do you fee,

I fhall die true and constant to Poll."

But I fcap'd from 'em all, tawney, lily, and black,

And merrily weather'd each storm,

I

TRY.

The JOLLY RINGERS.

FROM THE SAME.

call't a belfry, and mankind
FT has the world been well defin'd
By fayers and by fingers.

I call the jolly ringers.
Through major bobs, and triple bobs,
Each emulously ranges;

And, while each anxious bofom throbs,
All try to ring the changes.

Thefe college-youths are fent to school,
And afterwards to college-
And thence return by fquare and rule
Well vers'd in worldly knowledge;
As genius leads, to cram his maw,

Each art's close lab'rynth ranges-
And on religion, phyfic, law,

Completely rings the changes.

The fortune-hunter fwears and lies,
And courts the widow's jointer;
Then with a richer heirefs flies,

Nor minds to disappoint her.
The widow too has her arch whim,
Nor thinks his conduct strange is;
A titled heir fucceeds to him,

And thus the rings the changes.
The waiter pillages the greek;

The greek the fpendthrift fleeces; The fpendthrift makes dad's fortune fqueak;

Dad rack-rents and grants leafes:
The tenants break, Gazette reports
Each difference arranges,

Till, pro and con, through all the courts
The lawyers ring the changes.
Thus, like the bells, each fear and hope

Hangs wav'ring and suspended:
All tug away, while fome a rope
Get more than they intended.
In merry cadence as they roll

Nor fhall the bell of sadness toll
We'll rove where reafon ranges,
- Till death fhall ring the changes.
O DE TO LOVE.

TRANSLATED FROM THE PERSIANS

wonders came back,

But, what's better, I'm grown pretty

warm.

And fo now to fea I fhall venture no more, For you know, being rich, I've no call; So I'll bring up young tars, do my duty afhore,

And live and die constant to Poll. VOL. I. No 11,

Whe