have deferved to be fo emphatically styled by the phifiologifts a Microcolm, if the paffions, which make up fo important a fhare of his internal ftructure, contributed nothing to the excellence of his frame, but tended rather to obliterate the grandeur and destroy the dignity of the noblest part of it. The wonderful contrivance that is obfervable in this divine fabric, is not confined to the rational faculties, or to the contexture of the human skeleton, but is ftrikingly extended over the whole. It follows then that the paffions, though fome of them, upon a flight view, may appear violent and perverfe, must be modelled nevertheless, and tempered by nature, fo as to tend to the welfare of the individual, and of fociety; if fo, we muft neceffarily have the power of directing them to juft and proper ends: and indulgent nature has not been lefs careful of giving us this power for the right conduct of life, than of furnishing us with eyes to fee, and hands to ward off an impending evil,', At the end of the eleventh Letter, the author has favoured his correfpondent with an ingenious Effay on the Prepofitions of the Greek Language, written by James Moor, LL. D. late Profeffor of Greek in the University of Glafgow. The twenty-fecond Letter, on a Country Curate's Manner of living, is a very pleafing one, and being more calculated for general amusement than any of the reft, we shall present it to our readers. I am wonderfully pleafed with your laft letter, as it informs me of your intending to pass this fhort vacation at my little villa. Being convinced that in making me this vifit, you act (as you always do) on a noble and exalted principle, the principle of true friendship, I am under no apprehenfion that my frugal plan of living will be at all difagreeable to you. However, to form fome notion how you are likely to fpend the enfuing month, fee a full account of the manner in which I pafs my days: fhould you think it tedious and abounding with egotifm, remember (though we never gain by it), how naturally fond we all are of talking of ourfelves. What we are all then fo liable to fhould be confidered with great candour. The little village where I am curate, often puts me in mind of the flourishing flate of Goldfmith's Auburn, which he has celebrated in one of the beft defcriptive poems in our language. The houfe I live in is not large, but neat and convenient; the neighbourhood focial, genteel, and fenfible; and my falary, though small, yet fufficient to exift upon-Importuna tamen pauperics abeft. You are not ignorant that my mother and fifter live along with me: they are what I may call liberal œconomists. Thus retired, I endeavour to difcharge the dnties of my profeffion with all poffible fidelity. Religion (we are told) is too generally confidered as matter of little moment, and is greatly refined in this our age: it, therefore, gives me much com comfort to fee that my little flock, allowing for the unimproved state of the understanding of most of them, have a good notion of the aim, and nature, and importance of Christianity, and endeavour to live according to its precepts. I contrive to make each family, how poor and obfcure foever, a fhort vifit once a week and in these vifits, though I take care that my behaviour fhall be fuch as to command the refpect due to their paftor, it is best to put off all unneceffary forms, and endeavour, in the way of converfation, to bring in fomething pertinent and ufeful. This I confider as part of my duty, and for that reafon I feel no fmall fatisfaction in difcharging it :-befides, the good people love and revere me-and, to a reasonable man, is not this alone fatisfaction enough? This takes up but a little portion of my time: the rest is employed between reading, bodily exercise, and the society of a few friends. The little learning I gleaned up, when in college, I now find of the greatest confequence, as it enables me to profecute my ftudies with pleafure and improvement. A well written book is a most precious article in one's viaticum through life; and should we not pity the man, whatever honours or riches he may have, who has not the convenience or the capacity of enjoying it-Indeed to a young perfon, who in the univerfity has acquired little more than habits of idleness and intemperance, the being thus fecluded as it were from the world, muft certainly be one of the moft irksome things on earth. The fports of the field, without a mixture of that pure and folid pleasure which arifes from properly exerting the faculties of the intellect, will foon lose all their zeft-all their novelty. The correct Boileau has the fame truth, with more elegance-Take it in his words: << Je ne trouve point de fatigue fi rude, Que l'ennuyeux loifir d'un mortel fans etude." Three or four hours, therefore, in the morning, and from ten to eleven at night, are spent in fome ferious and regular course of study, in arming myfelf with ftrength of mind, and reflexion, fufficient to regulate my life, and fupport me in every fituation of it. And the evenings I divide for the most part (unless when I write a long letter to Eugenio) between reading fome agreeable moralift or hiftorian to my little family, and contending at our favourite games of piquet, or backgammon, or the nobler one of chefs-How fweet" to rock the cradle of repofing age!" But a too ftudious and fedentary life is productive of lowfpiritedness, and tends of courfe to impair one's health and good humour." True:-hence then, one is induced to take one's gun or fishing-rod, and, attended by trusty Ranger, pafs away an hour now and then among the fields in refreshing the mind, and exercising the body; thus avoiding those many inconveniencies, which a dull and torpid inactivity brings along with with it and in thefe excurfions I am generally fortunate enough to meet with fomething to make a fmall difh for my table; for a perch, or a partridge, with a good joint of meat, is almost all the dinner you are to expect.— "Form'd on the Samian fchools or thofe of Ind His life is pure that wears no fouler stains *." I would not have you mistake me in this matter. He, indeed, efpecially in my line of life, that minds little more than thooting, or hunting, or dancing, or any other fuch trifling occupation, is deservedly neglected and defpifed.-There is a wide difference between ufing a thing by way of amufement, and making it the principal object of one's purfuit-the wideft imaginable. What alfo furnishes me exercife, is the care and cultivation of my little garden: this I take entirely upon myself. 1 cannot afford, nor perhaps would I chufe, to employ a man on purpose. And here I make a point to endeavour to excel my neighbours in the neatnefs of laying out my ground, and in the delicacy of my fruit.-Is it not laudable, Eugenio, even in fuch trifles, and efpecially in things of higher moment, whilft we act perfectly confiftent with virtue, understood in its most extenfive fenfe, to attend to that well known line of the noble Grécian? αρισεύειν, και ὑπειξοχον εμμεναι άλλων τ. 'Tis thus I exercife and amuse myself. But there is no living without fociety and fenfible conver fation this alone can teach us how to apply properly the knowledge we acquire in folitude, polifhes our manners, and enlivens the fcenes of a retired life; an opportunity of enjoying thefe pleasures and advantages is afforded me at our excellent neighbour's, Philoxenus. Here one is always fure to meet with gen teel and rational company. Having been formerly engaged in a public and honourable capacity, his connexions are numerous, and among perfons of diftinétion, as well as of fenfe and merit. I long to introduce you to this worthy man. He loves and enCourages whatever is great and aniable in human nature. He is a fincere Chriftian, and a profound and elegant fcholar-and what can a man be more? I never read the character which Pliny draws of his friend Titus Arifto, without thinking of Philoxenus the latter indeed is in fome refpects (and I speak with all impartiality) fuperior to the brave Roman; but that fuperiority he derives altogether from his religion. He is, in fhort, among many others, a living proof, that true Christianity and true philofophy may meet in one and the fame person; fo Art of preferving Health +1.208.' See Pliny's Epiftles, I. 22.' that that they are by no means, as fome bold men have fuggested, inconfiftent things-Far otherwise. A few other friends I have of confiderable value. Though but a poor curate, I take care to behave with proper referve towards coxcombs, and all narrow-hearted people; and can, thank God, look down both on their fmiles and fupercilious airs with all poffible indifference. I hate and deteft the leveling principle, as unnatural and abfurd-But be those alfo far from me, who can pride themselves merely on being of this or that order of men, of this or that fituation of life. Than affociate with fuch, give me rather the friendship of one like Philoxenus, and let me enjoy it far from the haunts of these Their wisdom, be it what it will, has not made them truly wife. Their thoughts and notions, however specious, are illiberal all of them, and fhallow, and vain. Mere birth, mere money, mere any thing, except virtue and learning, can give no man living any real dignity. men. • When we meet together, we do all we can to promote innocent mirth and cheerfulness. Some indeed fuppofe that this is not compatible with true religion. Thefe men have their opinion we have our's: but as that is totally different, we exclude every thing of the furly kind, and admit nothing but good humour, and temperance, and candour, and univerfal benevolence, and manly politenefs. Purâ fed libertate loquendi ور Seria quifque jocis nullâ formidine mifcet *." Thus we find converfation a moft agreeable and inftructive exercife, tending to give eafe to the whole conduct, and to our language elegance and propriety. Should any of my rich neighbours, as the country people call them, come and dine with me, I never make much alteration in my dinner: they know my income, and did I live beyond it, they would defpife and avoid me. They come, like yourself, from motives of friendship; and not in that starched, formal, and most infipid way, which is fo common in modern times. They live, it is true, in a different manner: I too, had I the means, would probably, on fuch occafions, enlarge my plan, but still fo as to conduct things with oeconomy, fimplicity, temperance; without which it is not to live. But the means are wanting: neque tamen ego invideo aliis bonum, quo ipfe careo; fed contra, fenfum quendam voluptatemque perci pio, fi ea, quæ mihi denegantur, amicis video fupereffe t I am fenfible that philofophers will tell you, that he who enjoys health and a bare fubfiftence, enjoys enough; that such gewgaws as riches, conduce not to the real happiness of man; and fo forth. Confidered merely as riches, no man on earth * Claudian De Laudibus Stiliconis, lib. ii. See Pliny's Epistles, I. 10. He had no bafinefs to fay-Neque enim ego, ut multi, invideo.-Pliny had a good deal of pride and vanity in him.' can can admit their affertion in a more extensive sense than myself; but confidered as the means of doing good, of living with com fort and fatisfaction, it must be allowed, on the other hand, that they then become no improper object of defire even to a philofopher. "Hæc perinde funt, ut illius animus, qui ea poffidet: Qui uti fcit, ei bona; illi; qui non utitur rectè, mala *.” But by no means do I fay that the man who has inward peace of mind, who has univerfal benevolence in his heart, and can think with pleasure on his life and death, is, in any fituation, an object of pity or contempt. Quite the reverse-He, and he alone, is the truly happy-the truly great man.-How fweetly does your favourite and moft correct author express my notion ! "Fortuna, fævo læta negotio, et Nunc mihi, nunc alii benigna :- But to return. It is thus, my friend, I live. If you can relish this fort of life, haften to our humble dwelling. We anticipate the pleasure of endeavouring to make things agreeable to you. Between the harpfichord. rural diverfions, vifiting our worthy neighbours, engaging in friendly converfation, or in the fcien tific game of Chefs, we fhall, I hope, prevent the hours from appearing very dull and infipid. Plays, or balls, or operas, or any other public entertainment, here we have none "At fecura quies, et nefcia fallere vita, The twenty-fixth Letter, on studying Poetry; and the twentyfeventh, with its continuations, exhibiting fome hiftorical Account of the Greek and Latin Poetry, though they contain not much that will be thought new by more advanced scholars, offer a good deal of useful and agreeable information to younger students, and difplay confiderable reading and erudition: their contents, indeed, cannot fail at once to prove an interefting and fafe guidance through this flowery region of literature. Ter. Heauton. A. I, Sc. 2.' Lib, iii. 29.' Georg. ii. 467.' |