which their outside is covered serves from piercing my 3 but to draw their intrinsick vices to would have been fart. His death the surface, and to leave them a try and fatal to its enel! to his coutbloated spectacle, too horrid to view, then have regretted hit I should and too disgusting to approach. to lose lim in the midsts,...bu A.light of winter quarters! toke deexpire in my arms at dim ment when he appeared robus health, at a moment when our co nexion was still strengthening, in re For the Emerald. ORIGINAL TRANSLATION.. FRIENDSHIP [Among late French writers it has been pose and tranquillity! Ah! I can customary to tincture even works of ever find consolation. His memcfancy with those infidel doctrines pre-ry too survives only in my bosom ; valent during the revolution. Prin-it exists no longer among those who ciples of a different kind are however surrounded and who have replaced inculcated in the following translation, him; this idea renders still more from one of the lighter productions of that period.] painful to me the recollection of his loss. Nature, alike indifferent to the fate of individuals, restores to spring HAPPY is he who finds a friend her brilliant robe, and decks herself. who is united to him by a conformi-in all her beauty near the cemetery ty of tastes, sentiments and acquire-where he reposes. The trees are ments; a friend who is neither tor-again covered with leaves and intermented by ambition nor interest mingle their branches; the birds. who prefers the shade of a tree to sing among the foliage; the bees the splendour of a court. Happy is murmur among the flowers; every he who possesses a friend! thing respires joy and life even in the I had one death snatched him abode of death: and in the evening from me; seized him at the com-when the moon glitters in the heav mencement of his career, at the molens and while I meditate near this ment when his friendship had be-sombre spot, I hear the cricket chan come necessary to my happiness his indefatigable note, concealed beWe mutually sustained each other neath the herbage which covers the in the painful, labours of war;....silencious tomb of my friend. The we had but one pipe between us, we insensible destruction of beings and drank from the same cup, we slept all the miseries of humanity are on the same canvass, and amid all counted as nothing in the great the unhappy circumstances we ex-whole. herdeath of a sensible man. perienced, the place where we lived who expiresinthe midst of his weep together was to us a new country. 1ing friends and that of a butterfly. have seen him exposed to all the which perishes by the cold air of perils of war, of a disastrous war: morning in the calix of a flower, are Death seemed to spare us for each two epochs of equal importance in other; he showered his arrows the couse of nature. Man is merely around him a thousand times with- a phantom, a shadow, a vapour which out reaching him, but it was only to is dissipated in air. render his loss more afflictive to me But aurora begins to tinge the at last. The tumult of arms, the heavens; the black ideas which agienthusiasm which expands in the tated me vanish with the night, and soul at the aspect of danger, might hope springs again in my bosom...... perhaps have prevented his groans) No, he who thus sprinkles the cast 4 caused it to shine His gentle temper and love of ease with light, has plunge me pre-prevented his putting himself among before my night of nothingness. the ranks of such as have opposed sently intended this immeasurable the revolutionary frenzy with courHe whЯe who elevated those enor-age and perseverance. It is princihorizasses whose icy summits are pally towards moral sentiment and gilded by the sun, is also he who the improvement of the heart that lained my heart to beat and my his studies are directed. He was mind to think. appointed professor of this species. No, my friend is not annihilated; of philosophy at a new school, which whatever may be the barrier which they wished to establish at Paris, separates us, I shall see him again. about the year 1796; his instructions It is not a syllogism,on which I found in that capacity procured him the my hope. The flight of an insect most universal applause, but his lecwhich traverses the air is sufficient tures were not published. He was to convince me; and frequently the much solicited to undertake a moral aspect of the country, the perfume catechism, and worked on the subof the air, and I know not what charm ject a long time, but neither did this expanded around me, so elevate my performance appear. The deplorsoul, that an invincible conviction of able irreligion and corruption France immortality enters my soul with labours under, would render the true violence, and excludes from it every principles of morals unacceptable.fearful doubt. De St. Pierre is he, whose style has most of that kind of warmth and unction which characterize the works of Rousseau; but he is less eloquent The writings of St. PIERRE are well known in this country. His charming than his master, though sometimes poved, antillid tasubinta Vingançik as brilliantes Buffon, whols clays been perused by every sentimental more noble and manly. As to the reader, and the Studies of Nature, purity of language, and all the nicety from which it is extracted, may be of composition, Bernardin de St. found in the library of every scientific Pierre is not considered on the conscholar. Believing however, that re specting his life and character, little tinent as the most unexceptionable has been hitherto known, we present model. His most esteemed proour readers with the following account, duction is a novel, entitled Paul and extracted from an English publica- Virginia. His Studies of Nature, in tion.] France at least, had originally no JAMES HENRI BERNARDIN DE ST. great success, and are calculated to PIERRE is a simple, medast man, of excite a taste for natural history, great sensibility and true worth. He without teaching it. His account of has been a long time the intimate the new system of botany is more friend of Jean Jacques Rosseau; and, amusing than instructive. All he like that illustrious author, showed advances on general physicks is still himself late in life among men of worse. The theories, by which he letters. The French Jacobins have would solve the phenomena of the spared him, from respect to the tides, are palpably erroneous. Magreat esteem in which he is held by ny other things, in this voluminous all parties, though his opinions are work, merit reprehension; and essentially different from theirs, and youth ought not to dip into it till though he is well known to favour their studies are finished, and their the cause which they would crush. faculties matured. As to his last 1. He enters views the pication, A Voyage to the Isle of which defy all reas France, commenced at the beginning the thea re hopelessly, of the year 1768, and terminated in audience piteously, he set the year 1772, in which the author sentation yawningly. He repreprofesses to give an account of plants plates with a sigh of regret, thtem and animals, natural to each coun-that has exhibited the humoure try, which he had an opportunity of king, the pathos of a Barry. and seeing, and also of the soil, both in electrick universality of a Garrick, its improved and unimproved state, a stage that still posseses the plays with the character of its inhabitants, of Shakespeare, and the judgment this performance is unworthy of its of Kemble, and yet does nothing with author, and such as a sailor would either. We must wait till next week laugh at, or a naturalist throw be-for more interesting subjects of crithind the fire by the moral philos-icism. Yet what can we expect when opher only can it be perused with Mr. Lewis threatens us with a new any degree of pleasure. Let it be tragedy, and master Betty with a recorded, to the immortal honour of new character. Bernardin de St. Pierre, that, as a man of strict probity, his labours have all the most virtuous tendency, and inspire not only admiration for the varied excellencies they disclose, but also love for the mind that conceived them. His style, though not a standard of correctness, is elegant and beautiful. He often wants precision, and seems to hold in contempt both logick and metaphysicks; APOLOGY FOR THE LOQUACITY OF he has many false ideas, and opinions more paradoxical than just; but the ardent philosophy he breathes, and the sentiments of refined humanity he uniformly inculcates, more than atone for his imperfections.. THEATRICAL. IMPROMPTU. PRAY what is Master BETTY like, WOMEN. [From Smellie's Philosophy of Natura! History.] "It is a very ancient adage, that Του nature does nothing in vain. women she has given the talent of talking more frequently as well as more fluently than men ; she has likewise endowed them with a great [The followign severe remarks on the fer quantity of animation, or what i state of the English stage, extracted commonly called animal spirits. from a late London paper, shew that Why (it may be asked) has nature, the mania for baby actors and terrific dramas has almost ceased.. in this article, so eminently distin-. guished women from men ?-For THERE never was a dramatick era, the best and wisest of purposes. if era it can be called, more abundau: The principal destination of all wcin nonsense and therefore more dis-men is to be mothers; hence some gusting to criticism than the present. qualities peculiar to such a destinaA critick must endure either the tion must necessarily have been bemelo-drama of Mr. Cherry which stowed upon them: these qualities sets all history at defiance, or the gi-fare numerous-a superior degree o gantick sublimities of master Betty patience, of affection, of minute bu 6 ined to an almost Julia Mandeville, &c. When that useful attentions lady was about to accompany her incessant spe ever, I must confine husband to Canada, the doctor called "Here, dous to the last conspic-a few days before her departure, to my obse eminent accomplishment. take his leave of her; on his intronous ccupied with laborious offices. duction, he found her in the midst of To demand either bodily or men-a large circle of friends, who were exertions, and not unfrequently assembled for the same purpose; afboth, is allotted the men. These ter a short stay, he bade her adieu, causes, besides their comparitive nat-and went down stairs. In a few ural taciturnity, totally incapacitate minutes a servant came to inform them for that loquacity which is re-his mistress, that she was wanted in quisite for amusing and teaching the parlour: Mrs. Brooke accordyoung children to speak. But em-ingly obeyed the summons, and to ployments of women are of a more her great surprise saw the doctor sitdomestick kind: household affairs, ting with much composure in the eland particularly the nursing and bow chair: "Madam," said he, with training of children, are sufficient to his usual solemnity, "I did not engross their attention and to call choose to take so long a leave of so forth all their ingenuity and active old a friend without giving her a kiss; powers. The loquacity of women island, as I did not think it proper to too often considered by poets, histo-take this liberty before so many peorians, and unthinking men, as a re- ple, I sent for you, that I might take proach upon the sex. Men of this a salute without our being liable to description know not what they say. any impertinent observation." With When they blame women for speak-great formality the doctor saluted his ing much, they blame nature for one female friend, and departed. of her wisest institutions. Women speak much-they ought to speak much nature compels them to speak much; and when they do so, they are complying religiously with one of her most sacred and useful laws. DESULTORY SELECTIONS THE Lacedemonians had little re It may be said, that some men talk as much as women; grant-gard for Rhetorick, from them is ed-but beings of this kind I deny to derived the custom of comprising be men; nature seems originally to moral sentiments in short sentences. have meant them for women, but by An instance of their aversion from some cross accident, as happens in long winded declaimers is happily the production of monsters, the exexhibited in the following anecdote: ternal male form has been superinduced upou the female stock." One of their allies being in great want of grain sent to them requesting supply; the ambassador delivered We doubt whether our fair read-a ers will be proud of their advocate, a pathetick harangue, and at the conor even admit his positions. DR. JOHNSON. clusion was told that the latter part was not understood, and the former part forgotten. A second ambassador was sent with orders to be conDR. JOHNSON, in the earlier life of cise, he came to Sparta and displayed both, was on terms of intimate friend-his sacks quite empty, they were imship with Mr. Brooke, the author of mediately filled and delivered to him with advice not to be so prolix, on an-when he was a child my grandfather other occasion, for he really had told said the same thing. them it was necessary to fill the sacks. There is a felicity in the manner PLATO was asked what could be of Goldsmith, which renders light gained by telling a lie? Not to be be- matters interesting, and gives to lieved, said he, when you speak the weightier concerns an elegance and dignity which command attention : truth. It is more disgraceful to speak take the following instance. falsehood than it is honourable to be The qualities of candour, fortinoted for veracity. The liar, said aftude, charity and generosity are not. celebrated divine, is a coward before in their own nature virtues, and if men and brave only to his God. On ever they deserve the title it is owing: a certain occasion the oaths of a num-only to justice which impels and diber of persons were requisite. When rects them. Without such a modPETRACH appeared with the rest,eration, candour might become inhe was passed by withont being no-discretion, fortitude obstinacy, charticed and his oath refused, for, said ity impudence, and generosity pro-the magistrates, your yes or no is fusion. better than the others' affidavits. THE WISH. I'VE often wished to have a friend. All philosophy is only forcing the irade in happiness, when nature denies the means. ibid. Kotzebue says there are only four sets of happy persons in the world. Children, madmen, lovers, and drunkards. We hope no fastidious critick will' object that by this quotation we intend to promote intoxication as a When the Persians under Xerxes mean of happiness. It is a general invaded Greece, their haughty gen-objection to German literature, that eral sent these words to Leonidas remarks thus extensive and dangercommander of the Grecian forces-ous are hazarded without caution. & Surrender your arms," Leonidas No radiant pearl which crested fortune, wrote and returned this answer on wears, the same paper" Come and take No gem that twinkling hangs from beauthem.?? ty's ears, Not the bright stars which nights blue. arch adorn, breaks There is a habit among people of even very good understanding, of Nor vernal suns that gild the rising morn railing at the manners and customs Shine with such lustre as the tear that of the age. It is fashionable at the For other's woes down virtue's manly. present day, and the following anecdote shows that it was not unfrequent some centuries past. "A cheeks.. The following verse of Tasso i youth remarked to Agis king of admirably descriptive of a modes Lacedemon, that the times had passion: much degenerated; you certainly Brama assai, poco spera, e nulla chiede. must be right replied the king, for Much desired, little hoped, and nowhen I was a child, my father said thing asked. |