tion for the humourous, and dark sayings for the grave; and is its own interpreter. It encourages the wise, the warrior, the swift, and the overcomer; and promises an eternal reward to the excellent, the conqueror, the winner, and the prevalent. It is the lady's best looking-glass, (2 Cor. 3. 18.) in which she may see both her heart and her face; and the face and heart of every lady else. It is an exact balance, in which a man may weigh both his spirit and his actions; and tell the exact weight of himself and of all mankind, (Psalms 62, 9.) It is the astronomer's best telescope, (1 Cor. 13, 12,) in which he may see the sun, (Mal. 4, 2), moon, (Cant. 6, 10,) and seven stars, (Rev. 2. 1); and an awful eclipse to the damned! and it reveals a world of which no geographer could ever produce a map ; and a way to it which no lion hath ever trod, and which the vulture's eye hath never seen. It promises freedom indeed to all who embrace the truths of it ; freedom from the reign of sin, of satan, and of death; and, except a man receives the truth, the real truth, and that in the love of it, he never shall be able to govern himself, or to bridle his temper, his passions, his tougue, or his sin.

And that which crowns all is, that the author is without partiality, and without hypocrisy, in whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.

ON THE SYMPATHY BETWEEN THE POCKET AND THE ANIMAL SPIRITS.

Mr. Editor,

The following important discovery is recommended to the literati in general, but more par

ticularly to the college of physicians, as it may be of the greatest consequence to them in their future practice.

You must know, then, that a wonderful connexion and sympathy has lately been observed between the pocket and the animal spirits, which continually rise or fall as the contents of the former ebb and flow; insomuch that, from constant observation, I could venture to guess at a man's current cash, by the degree of vivacity he discovers in his conversation. When this cutaneous reservoir is flush, the spirits too are elate; when that is sunk and drained, how flat, dull, and insipid is every word and action! The very features and muscles of the face are influenced by the obscure fund of life and vigour. I could tell how a poet's finances stood by the very subject of his musegloomy elegies biting satires, grave soliloques, and dull translations, are certain indications of a want of cash.

Under the influence of the same powerful charm, I have remarked a certain physician, in the chamber of a wealthy patient, clear up his countenance and write his recipe with infinite vivacity and good humour; but, in the abode of poverty, what a clouded brow!hopeless vibrations of the head, and langour of the nerves; like the sensitive plant, he shrunk from the cold hand of necessity. Not that the doctor wanted humanity; but, when a patient becomes a mere caput mortuum, and the anima saculi expires, what sympathizing heart but must be sensible of so dire a change.

'Tis impossible to record a tenth part of the wonderful effects this latent source of life and

spirits has produced on the animal economy. It is this that with more than tutelary power protects its votaries from insult and oppression that silences the enraged accuser, and snatches the sword from the hand of justice. Towns and cities have fallen flat before it, it has stopped the mouths of cannons; and, more surprising still, of faction and slander. It has imparted a dread and reverence to the ensigns of authority, and strange, passing strange, to say, it has made youth and beauty fly into the arms of old age and impotence, given charms to deformity and detestation, transformed hymen into mammon, and the god of love into a satyr. It has turned conscience into a deist, honour into a pimp, courage into a modern officer, and honesty into a stock-jobber. In short there is nothing wonderful which it has not effected except making us wise, virtuous, and happy.

I am, sir, your's,
SARCASTICUS.

FAULTS, NOT ALWAYS OVERLOOKED BY A LOVER.

(From the World.)

I am a young woman, born to no great fortune, but from the indulgence of my parents am so happy as to enjoy the advantages of a good education. I have really a handsome face, have a natural gentility about me, walk as well as any body, and am told by my mother, and have heard it whispered a thousand times by the maids, that I am a clever girl. It was my fortune some time ago, when I was upon a visit in the country, to make a hole in a gentleman's heart, as he sat in

the next pew to me at church; and as I am above disguise, I shall confess very freely that I was equally struck. I took a pleasure in looking at him from the first moment I saw him: and it was no trifling satisfaction to me, that as often as I dared squint that way, I found his eyes to be fixed fully upon mine.

As he was known to the lady at whose house I was entertained, it was a matter of no great difficulty for him to introduce himself to my acquaintance. I enquired into his character, and was told that he was a gentleman addicted to no kind of vice

that his fortune was a very handsome one—that he had great. sensibility and generosity—but that he was extremely quicksighted to the foibles of women. I was not much pleased with this last information; but having a pretty good opinion of myself, I did not doubt that I should so hamper him with discretion and beauty, that he could not possibly escape me,

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To be as short as I can, he soon made proposals to me in form, which, after the usual hesitations, were in form accepted. My parents were written to upon the occasion, and every thing was preparing for our happiness, when Alphonso (for so I shall call him) was unfortunately summoned to a distant part of the country, to attend the last moments of a near relation. There was

no disobeying this cruel summons; and, with a thousand protestations of unalterable love, away he went.

During his absence, which happened to be much longer than, I believe, either of us wished, the fashion came up among the ladies

of wearing their gowns off the shoulders; and though my skin was rather brownish, and I had also the misfortune of having a large scar across my bosom, I immediately pared away six inches of my stays before and behind, and presented myself to him at his return in all the nakedness of the fashion. I was indeed greatly astonished, that as he was running into my arms with all the eagerness of a longabsent lover, he stopt of a sudden to survey me, and, after giving me only a cold salute, and enquiring how I did, sat himself down for about a quarter of an hour, and then wished me a good night.

It really never occurred to me to what accident I was to attribute so mortifying a change, till early the next morning I was let into the secret by the following letter:

"Madam,

"To have but one defect in in

your whole person, and to display it to the world with so much pains, is to betray a want of that prudence, without which the married state is generally a state of misery. I must therefore take the liberty of telling you, that my last visit was paid yesterday, and that my last letter waits only till I have subscribed myself, Madam,

Your most obedient humble servant,

ALPHONSO,"

You may imagine, into what awkward confusion and distress this letter threw me. At first I reproached the inconstancy of my lover, and called him the basest and most perfidious of

men; but when my passion was abated, and I began seriously to reflect upon my incautious behaviour, I could not help allowing that he had reason on his side ; though I hope you will be of opinion, that his letter is a little too mortifying, and his resolution too hasty.

Some months have elapsed since I have worn the willow; and I have at present hardly any expectation of being restored to grace: though, if Alphonso had thought it worth his while to make enquiries about me, he would have known that ever since the fatal scar (which I can assure him upon my honour was only occasioned by a burn) I have worn my stays as high, and pinned my gown as decently, as his hard heart would desire; and notwithstanding the very warm weather we have had this summer, I have never made a visit, or appeared any where in public, but in a double handkerchief, and that too pinned under my chin.

I am, sir,

Your most unfortunate, humble servant, CELIMENA.

HUMAN COMBUSTION.

A French paper contains the following remarkable case:"A letter from Commercy, dated the 7th of April, states, that the widow Hacquin, of Bas-le-Duc, aged fifty-five years, who lived upon the interest of her property in the sinking fund, died a few days since, in the most deplorable and astonishing manner. We presume that this death is a new example of the phenomenon called spontaneous human combustion. This woman, who was

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corpulent, was, according to report, in the practice of using spiritous liquors imprudently. A vase standing near her, filled with burning coals, determined the inflammation of her body. She was burnt to a cinder inwardly. The extremities were not affected. The room and her clothing also escaped the fire. There are on record instances of internal combustion, but they are few, and the majority of these were occasioned by an excessive use of ardent spirits."

There was an instance of a case exactly similar, which took place at Coventry, about fifty years ago, an account of which was published by an eminent surgeon of that city (Mr. Welmer), in the gentleman's magazine. The writer of this has conversed with a person who saw the body immediately after its destruction by fire, and with others who witnessed the funeral. An epitaph alluding to the intemperance of the deceased is inscribed on her tombstone in the churchyard of Stoke, near Coventry.

GODIVA.

Leofric, earl of Leicester, was the lord of a large feodal territory in the middle of England, of which Coventry formed part. He lived in the time of Edward the Confessor; and was so eminently a feudal lord, that the hereditary greatness of his dominion appears to have been singular even at that time, and to have lasted with an uninterrupted succession from Ethelbald to the Conquest, -a period of more than three hundred years. He was a great

and useful opponent of the famous Earl Goodwin.

Whether it was owing to Leofric or not, does not appear; but Coventry was subject to a very oppressive tollage; by which it would seem that the feudal despot enjoyed the greater part of the profit of all marketable commodities. The progress of knowledge has shown us how abominable, and even how unhappy for all parties, is an injustice of this description; yet it gives one an extraordinary idea of a mind in those times, to see it capable of piercing through the clouds of custom, of interest, and even of self-interest, and petitioning the petty tyrant to forego such a privilege. This mind was Godiva's. The other sex, always more slow to admit reason through the medium of feeling, were then occupied to the full in their warlike habits. It was reserved for a woman to anticipate whole ages of liberal opinion, and to surpass them in the daring virtue of setting a principle above custom.

The countess intreated her lord to give up his fancied right; but in vain. At last, wishing to put an end to her importunities, he told her, either in a spirit of bitter jesting, or with a playful raillery, that could not be bitter with so sweet an earnestness, that he would give up his tax, provided she rode through the city of Coventry naked. She took him at his word; and said she would. One may imagine the astonishment of a fierce unlettered chieftain, not untinged with chivalry, at hearing a woman, and that too of the greatest delicacy and rank, maintaining seriously her intention of acting in a manner