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They are not perfect, and no one ought to expect that American citizens should be Gods, till they are nourished by nectar, and breathe æther on Olympus. In forming this language, our great object is to conform to the sacred rights of the majority, and therefore we banish all delicacy and beauty; for he that would move minds that are material, and souls that are sensible, must use instruments ponderous and palpable, otherwise his labour will be as vain and futile as was that of Eneas, when, in the nether world, he instinctively put his hand to the sword, and would have smote the disembodied spirits, et frustra ferro diverberet umbras."

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Republicans, who seek right and follow reason, ever prefer utility to elegance; they use language, as a medium, not as a commodity. The materials, which we have selected, will compose a currency, cumbrous as the iron money of Sparta, and base as the copper coin of Bir mingham; but, in its clumsiness and relative baseness, will consist its intrinsick value; for then the cupidity of our merchants will not be tempted to exhaust our country of its circulating medium, neither will the despot of the world exact

Vol. III. No. 8. 3C

from us a tribute so debased. If we wished for a language, as a valuable commodity, then indeed our words should resemble "apples of gold set in pictures of silver," which we could use as toys for traffick.

The adoption of this new language will operate very favoura bly on our foreign relations, and than navies, and proclamations, will erect a barrier more powerful and non-intercourse bills. The policy of our government is not to exhaust the bowels of our country to afford protection to commerce, which infects the manners of republicans with a thirst for lucre and love of luxuries; which imports the elegancies of the East, and yellow fever of the West Indies, and supplies silks for our ladies; and slaves for our lords. Though our ports are thronged with merchantmen, richly laden, they receive no other protection, than one gun-boat to each port, "ut unoculus inter cæcos."

When this language shall have become common and universal in our country, we shall be a world by ourselves, and will surround our territory by an impregnable wall of brass, and all sit down, each in his whirligig chair, and philosophize. Then our oaks shall not be ravished from our mountains, and compelled to sport in the ocean with mermaids and monsters of the deep; but they shall be permitted still to wear their green honours, and their foliage, instead of quivering through fear of the axe of the shipwright, shall dance and dally with Zephyrus. Our citizens will then enjoy all the happiness of hermits, and all the tranquillity of monks.

7

MESSIEURS EDITORS,

SAAMUSEMENT.

For the Monthly Anthology.

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Nec Vir, nec Mulier, nec Androgyna,

Nec Puella, nec Juvenis, nec Anus,

Nec casta, nec meretrix, nec pudica,
Sed Omnia.
Sublata

Neque Fame, neque Ferro, neque Veneno,
Sed omnibus.

Nec Calo, nec Aqals, nec Terris,
Sed ubique jacet.

Lucius Agatho Priscius,

Nec Maritus, nec Amator, nec Necessarius, Neque mærens neque gaudens neque flens

Hanc

Nec Molem, nec Pyramidem, nec Sepulchrum,

Sed omnia

Scit et nescit Cui Posuerit.

sword, nor poison; but by all "three. She lies neither in the "air, nor in the water, nor in the "earth; but every where, Lu“cius Agatho Priscius, who was "neither her husband, nor gallant, "nor relation; neither weeping, " rejoicing, nor mourning, erected "this, which is neither a fabrick, "a pyramid, nor a tomb, but all "three but to whom he knows "and yet knoweth not.

"That this, Enigma, the inven❝tion of ingenious antiquity, might "not be lost by the decay of the "ancient marble on which it was "first engraven, it stands here cut "in fresh characters by order of "Achilles Volta, a Senator.'

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There have been various explanations of this famous riddle. Mario Michael Angelo will have it to be rain; Fortunius Licetus, the beginning and ending of friendship; John Casper. Gevartius interprets it to be love. Zachary Pontinus says it was designed for

Under this ænigma are the fol- three persons. Johannes Turrius

lowing lines:

Ænigma

Quod peperit gloriæ
Antiquitas,

Nec periret inglorium
Ex antiquato marmore
Hic in novo reparavit

Achilles Volta Senator.

is of opinion that it is the materia prima. Nicholas Barnaud, that is an eunuch, or the philosopher's stone. Agathias Scholasticus, that it is Niobe. Richardus Vitus that it is the rational soul or the idca Platonis. Ovidius Montalbanus says it is hemp, Count Malvasia interprets it of a daughter, promis ed to aperson in marriage, who died pregnant with a male child before "Elia Lælia Crispis, who was the celebration of her nuptials. M. "neither male, female, nor her- de Cigogne Ingrarule has discover"maphrodite; neither a girl, a ed in it Pope Joan. Boxhorn says it "youth, nor an old woman; nei is a shadow, and an anonymous ❝ther chaste, a harlot, nor a mod-person says it is un peito. "est woman; but was all these. "She died neither by famine,

For the benefit of your readers, unacquainted with Latin, I insert Keysler's translation.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

For the Anthology.

ORIGINAL LETTER.

Birmingham, June 19, 1806. chines. In the chamber over this shop, once divided into two, that mighty spirit, destined to illuminate the generation which received him, and to exalt our estimate of human capacity, was ushered into this world. This chamber is now, as I imagine, the tinker's drawing room! There remains a small fire-place in one corner, and the walls are hung round with paltry pictures,

YESTERDAY I travelled the whole distance from Buxton to Birmingham (sixty-one miles) in a postchaise, with a young American born near Portsmouth, and we shall probably keep company till we reach the metropolis, the urbs sacra, the city of the gods. This charming country is worth a voyage across the Atlantick to behold. Ceres and Flora must have laid their heads together, I think, to lay it out, and I have found that Thomson's Summer is a perpetual commentary/upon the road I have been travelling.

Yesterday, about 5 o'clock, P. M. I passed through Lichfield. I purposely delayed dining till this late hour, that I might spend a longer time on this classick ground. As soon as I alighted at the hotel, I inquired for the house where Dr. Johnson was born. I was immediately shown to one about 200 rods off, and I am sure I should not have walked with a quicker step or with more expectation to see the amphitheatre of Vespasian. The house, where Johnson was born, stands in the centre of the town of Lichfield, at the corner of a square, within a few paces of the market and the church of St. Mary's, I think. It is now an old three-story building, rather showy without, and rather shabby within. The first apartment on the lower floor, which was the bookstore of Johnson's father, is now a tinker's shop, filled with copper tea-kettles, tin-pans, candle-sticks, &c. while a small room adjoining is occupied by a maker of electrical ma

The seasons framed with listing find a place,

And brave Prince William shows his lampblack face:

The floors are much worn, dirty, and uneven, and every thing within the house bears the appearance of poverty and decay. The tinman, named Evans, was not at home; but his wife, a chatty old woman, told us, in answer to our queries, that the present rent which they paid was eighteen guineas, and that the taxes were as much more. This, to be sure, is quite as much as such a house would be worth in Boston, and nothing but its central situation.can render it so high. The old lady then called her little grand-daughter to conduct us to what is called the Parchment house, to which Johnson's father afterwards removed, and to show us the willow tree, of which there is a tradition, that it was planted by Johnson or his father; but nobody knows which. How. ever this may be, it is one of the most remarkable trees in all England. It is certainly twice as large as any willow I ever saw in America, and it is allowed to surpass every other in this country. The tinker's wife told us that her house

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was frequently visited by travellers, and I dare to say, that the gratuities which she receives for her civilities in showing it, amount at least to the rent t of the house. Here is a subject for meditation. A tinman is now able to secure a A comfortable habitation by showing the chamber where Johnson was born...that Johnson, who has wandered many a night through the streets of London, because he was unable to pay for a lodging!

As we were returning to our inn, we espied a curious figure of an old man, with laced round hat, scarlet coat, with tarnished trimmings of the last age, with a bell under his arm. Upon accosting him, we found that he had been town-crier for many years, and a kind of Caleb Quotem, that he always shaved Dr. Johnson when he came to visit Lichfield, that his name was Jenney, seventy-four years old, with strength and spirits unimpaired.

The cathedral at Lichfield is worthy the attention of every trav eller. Who shall say that the daily view of this ancient, dark, and reverend pile, once the residence of monks, may not have ~contributed to impress on the mind of young Johnson a superstitious veneration for the splendour of a church establishment, and have even given him that melancholy bias, which he discovered toward many of the ceremonies and doctrines of the church of Rome. Indeed I know of nothing so calculated to inspire a secret suspicion of the presence of the departed, as to walk through the long, still, and echoing aisles of a Gothick cathedral, lined on each side with the tombs, and ornamented, with the figures of men who died centuries ago; for while you are trembling at the sound of your

own steps in these lofty and silent cloisters, and seem to shrink into littleness under the venerable grandeur of the roofs, you can hardly bring yourself to believe that such a vast and solemn structure is uninhabited; and after having heard the great gate close upon your coming out, you cannot avoid the impression, that you are leav ing these awful retreats to some invisible and ghostly tenants.

This pile was founded in the year 657. It suffered much in the revolution, and since the restoration they have been continually repairing it. The dean and chapter are now replacing some of the old windows by some painted glass, which they have received from some old church at Liege. It is said to be wonderfully fine, but as I am no connoisseur in these things, I can only say that the colours are wonderfully brilliant. The window at the east end is modern.

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Dr. Johnson, and David Garrick, and Gilbert Walmsley have monuments in this cathedral very near to one another. You remember the Latin epitaph which Johnson wrote for his father's tombstone, who was buried here; I know you will hardly forgive the dean and chapter, when I tell you, that in paving the church, they have lately removed it, as well as another, which Dr. J. caused to be placed over the grave of a young woman, who was violently in love with his father. The inscription which Dr. J. wrote, was nothing more than this," Here lies

a stranger, ob. &c." This anecdote I had from the verger, a tattling old man, who showed us the cathedral. He professed to have been very intimate" (these were his words) with Dr. J. His name is Furneaux.

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For the Anthology.

THOUGHTS ON TACITUS. ༢:; a

Nam cunctas nationes et urbes populus, aut primores, qut singuli regunt; delecta ex his et consociata reipublica forma, laudari facilius quàm evenire; vel si evenit, haud diuturna esse potest. TAC. ANN. L. 4.33.

If we consider the nature of civil government, we shall find that in all nations the supreme authority is vested in the people, or the nobles, or a single ruler. A Constitution, compounded of these three simple forms, may in theory be beautiful, but can never exist in fact; or, if it should, it will be but of short duration.

IN these words Tacitus has expressed his celebrated opinions on the best form of government for a state. He acknowledges the excellence of a system, in which the three great simple modes of polity should be preserved by a judicious selection and harmonious combination of their constituent advantages. Such a system he decidedly commends, but apparently regrets its probable impracticability, and declares that, if it were practicable, it could not be lasting. These are the sentiments of a profound historian on a subject of real difficulty and extensive importance. They may well occupy our thoughts for a few moments, for the subject is full of "high matter"; and, as connected with the mighty revolutions of the old world in the present age, or with the established constitutions of our own country, it may originate sentiments of regret or exultations of gratitude. In the present speculation, however, I shall not enter into a nice investigation of the excellence of the system recommended by the historian; but I propose, as a subject of literary discussion, to reconcile the implied dissent of Tacitus from the opijons of Polybius, fortified by Machiavel, on the subject of the Spartan constitution founded by Lycurgus.

vd bataly

MURPHY'S TRANS.

When Tacitus says, that a form of government, composed of monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy, is more easily to be praised than anticipated, he very probably had reference to the writings of statesmen and philosophers, by whom this scheme had been discussed and commended. He also plainly intimates, that he did not think that the combination of the original principles had, in any government, been accurately ascertained and suitably established. A man, like Tacitus, of vigorous understanding and practical views, would not easily be reconciled to a visionary excellence of policy, nor would he be disposed to praise a system, which, though in theory it might partake of the simple schemes of political economy, violated in its operation all the feelings, habits, and doctrines of human nature; still less would such a statesman extol any establishment, which found the means of its preservations in the forgetfulness or destruction of whatever renders life pleasant and comfortable to the great majority of the commonwealth.

That Tacitus was a man of these practical notions and principles of expediency, is easily discovered by a perusal of his political and moral maxims and reflections. They have no fancy or frenzy. He very

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