and distinctly heard the found; which being conveyed through the tubes of the wood, was augmented in loudness, as in a speaking trumpet, or the horn of the huntfman.

Scepticism and credulity are equally unfavourable to the acquifition of knowledge. The latter anticipates, and the former precludes all inquiry. One leaves. the mind satisfied with error, the other with ignorance.

E

SELF-GOVERNMENT.

URIPIADES, the Lacedemonian, generaliffimo of the Greek forces employed against the Perfians, was enraged that Themistocles, a young man, and the chief of the Athenians, fhould prefume to oppose his opinion, and lifted up his cane to strike him. Themiftocles, without emotion, cried out, Strike, and welcome, if you will but hear me ! Euripiades, surprised at his calmness and prefence of mind,

liftened

liftened to his advice, and obtained that famous victory in the Straights of Salamis, which faved Greece, and conferred immortal glory on Themistocles.

PERSONAL DEFORMITIES ARE NOT OBJECTS OF RIDICULE.

THE

HE Dutchefs of Burgundy, when she was very young, feeing an officer at fupper who was extremely ugly, was very loud in her ridicule of his perfon, "Madam," said the king (Louis XIV) to her, "I think him one of the handsomest men in my kingdom; for he is one of the braveft."

VOLTAIRE.

IT IS THE OFFICE OF REASON AND PHILOSOPHY TO MODERATE, NOT TO

*W

SUPPRESS THE PASSIONS.

HEN the plague raged in Attica, it was particularly fatal to the family of Pericles, the celebrated

* See Rollin's History.

E 2

Athenian

Athenian general. But he did not fuffer himself to fink under the loffes he fuftained, and even fuppreffed every emotion of forrow. Nature, however, at last prevailed: For when Parabus, his only remaining child, fell a victim to this dreadful diftemper, he could no longer stifle his grief, which forced a flood of tears from his eyes, whilft he was placing the crown. of flowers, as a funeral rite, upon the head of his deceased fon. Surely Pericles was mifled by falfe principles of reafon and honour, when he fuppofed that the tenderness of the father, would fully the glory of the conqueror! How much more just was the fentiment which the emperor Antoninus uttered, when Marcus Aurelius was lamenting the death of the person who had educated him! Suffer him to indulge the feelings of a man; for neither philofophy nor fovereignty render us infenfible! Permitte

illi ut homo fit: neque enim vel philofophia, vel imperium tollit affectus ! *

*Julius Capitolinus.

THE

FA

THE LOVE OF FAME.

A ME is a powerful incitement to attain, and an honourable reward of fuperior excellence. But the paffion for it fhould be directed by judgment, and moderated by reafon; or we fhall be led into falfe purfuits, and betrayed into the most disgraceful weaknesses. The wild hero, the filly fop, the affected pedant, and the extravagant virtuofo furnish examples of the misapplication of the love of praise. Such characters are contemplated with filent disapprobation by the Philofopher; but he laments the frailty of human nature, when he fees men of exalted virtue and abilities anxiously courting applause, and proudly exulting in the acquifition of it. Who can read the Poet's exclamation on his own productions, Exegi monumentum ære perennius;

*

I have raised a monument to my glory, more lafting than brass; without a

mixture of pity and difguft?*

And do we not feel fimilar emotions from the instances of vanity and felf-commendation, which abound in the writings of the first orator and greatest statesman Rome ever produced? So inordinate indeed was Cicero's love of fame, that he folicited Lucceius to write the history of his confulfhip, and to publish it during his life-time, that he might be better known, and perfonally enjoy his honour and reputation. He importunes him not to adhere fcrupulously to the laws of history, but to make a sacrifice of truth to friendfhip, by fpeaking more to

* The following epitaph was compofed, for himfelf, by Nævius, a poet, whom Cicero, in his treatise de Senectute, quotes with refpect; and who died in exile at Utica, in Africa, in the year of Rome 551. Mortalis immortalis flere fi foret fas,

Flerent dive camana Nævium Poetam,
Itaque poftquam eft Orcino traditus Thefauro,
Oblitei funt Romæ loquier Latina lingua.

If Gods the fate of mortals might deplore,
Each mufe would weep that Nævius is no more:
All grace of diction with the bard is flown,

And Rome's fweet language is in Rome unknown.

MELMOTH,