injurious to society, and from which much evil may accrue to others. Here tenderness of heart either prevails over the dictates of evidence or reason, or from the consideirng mercy withheld, whatever may be the case, as unjustly withheld. But, as says the above-mentioned writer, "mercy is not in opposition to justice: it is an essential part of it, and as necessary in criminal cases, as equity is in civil affairs to law.” Our Immortal Bard hath spoken, with his usual powers of discrimination on mercy when justly or unjustly exercised

Mercy is not itself that oft looks so;
Pardon is still the nurse of second woe.

Measure for Measure.

The quality of mercy is not strain'd :

It droppeth, as the gentle dew of Heaven,
Upon the place beneath.

Merchant of Venice.

A Parallel Case.

Plutarch, in his life of Nicias, relates a circumstance of this commander, which will remind th reader of a similar one recorded of Oliver Cromwell, who seems to have resembled the Grecian in more points than one." He daily sacrificed to the gods, and keeping a divine, or soothsayer, in his house, he pretended to be consulting always about the commonwealth; whereas for the most part be enquired only of his private affairs, more especially

concerning his silver mines."

by Thucydides, as a

biographer, "is represented, very superstitious man, and ness.""

"Nicias," adds his

moped with godliIn other parts of his character he very much differed from the English usurper, for he seemed to be deficient in personal courage. His great possessions," continues Plutarch, "brought about him many hangers on of various descriptions, for he patronised those who could do him mischief, no less than those who deserved" well of him."Plutarch's Life of Nicias.

Taste for Medicine.

Among the most singular refuges from absolutely doing nothing which idleness regulated by whim, flies to for temporary employment, is the habit of taking medicine. This propensity to think them selves ill, and knowing in nostrums, sometimes will run through a whole family, to the great benefit of the neighbouring apothecaries. Pope* relates a shrewd, though simple, observation of a country wench who lived in one of these families; who said that she heartily "thanked God that she was not born a gentlewoman, and would not be one for all the world."

Letter to Miss Martha Blount.

Horace.

That indiscriminate praise which some scholars, or rather pedants, bestow on the ancients, have led them to find beauties in the odes of Horace, where more impartial readers would complain of irregularities and want of connection in the subject. A late writer, of taste and excellent sense, and who was himself a poet, has uttered the following strictures on some of the odes of Horace, that every sober reader will assent to. "In the ode, Laudabunt alii claram Rhodon aut Mytelenen, we meet with so striking a want of connection, that many have believed some of it lost. The style of the ode, O navis, referent in mare te novi, borders upon the bombast; the ode to Fortune, though it has a splendid beginning, sinks in its progress; the celebrated ode, Angustam amici pauperiem pati, falls off remarkably towards the end, and introduces a new subject, and foreign to the rest of the piece; and in the ode, Inclusam Danaen turris ahenea, we meet with some lines which are better suited to the Sermones."-Disquisitions by Frank Sayers, M. D. 2d edit. Norwich, 1808.

Boswell's Life of Dr. Johnson.

It seems wonderful (if wonder can reasonably be admitted in the history of man) that Boswell

should so correctly report Dr. Johnson's discourses and opinions, and yet make such foolish observations on them. When Boswell differs from his great friend, his objections are below all criticism. Sir J. Reynolds has indeed observed, in one of his discourses, that the habit of copying great masters in the art of painting, if carried too far, not only impedes the artist's improvement, but benumbs his faculties. When Boswell is employed on an original subject, his History of Corsica, his pen is more fluent, and his mode of thinking more manly. The overshadowing genius of Johnson hurt the humble plant that endeavoured to flourish under it.

Reason and Instinct.

When metaphysicians involve themselves in distinctions about reason and instinct, methinks, poor mortals do not seem to fare so well as irrational animals. Beasts are provided with instinct, to regulate their conduct, which it seems is another word for 66 reason ready made;" whilst man makes his own reason from scraps of experience, and in general a very indifferent manufacture it proves, and is often fabricated from very raw materials.

Errors and Misapprehensions.

These hallucinations of the mind (as Dr. Darwin calls them) arise from two very different causes, an abundance of fancy, or a dulness of intellect. Tom understands you, as he imagines, before you have half enounced your proposition; Jack not till a long time after you have finished it. Thus the faculty divide bilious cases into two kinds; one arising from too little, and the other from too much, bile; yet both are distempers.

Cicero and Lord Chesterfield.

When the pagan philosopher and the christian nobleman undertook to lay down rules for our conduct in life, how widely do they differ in their sentiments and directions. The letters of advice from his Lordship to his son partake much of the heathen; and Cicero, in his Offices, delivers sentiments and precepts worthy of a christian divine. It must be acknowledged that both writers can boast of much eloquence of diction, and perspicuity of style, though their matter be so different.

Gibbon.

It has been asserted by Gibbon the historian, that no man is an hypocrite in his amusements,