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The

CENSOR.

has conceived in his breaft, gave him the idea of writing on this melancholy fubject.

Á moft amiable man, endeared to fociety by every focial virtue, has lately fall a victim to the implacability of the mean, fordid wretch he has in view. The story is recent, and the characters fo well known, that names need not be mentioned.

The unfortunate gentleman was in the India fervice, and his principal owner taking a pique to him, determined to take from him the command of his hip: To cover his inhumanity with fome colourable pretence, he prefented complaints against the worthy Captain to the Eat-India company, by whom he was honourably acquitted, and recommended to the command; but the obftinate, choleric, mercenary Dwould not relent, but procured, by his intereft, the confent of fome other owners to exclude the Captain. Soon after, the unhappy man, while the family where he lived were at dinner, ran his fword through his body, came down from his chamber, drew it out, and then deliberately repeated this agonizing operation twice more, till he expired on the fpot. Behold the curfed effects of fashion! two or three remarkable acts of fuicide had happened in the courfe of laft fummer, and this opprefled, this injured man, followed the bad example.

Had it been the cuftom, as it was in the time of the virtuous Romans, firft to destroy the cruel oppreffor; fo generous was the difpofition of this good man, that he would hardly have countenanced it. But all may not be of his mind; and it is really amazing, that men are not more afraid of dift efling their fellow-creatures to fuch an extr.me degree, as to leave thein no rem dy but death. The apprehenfion of falling into the hands of justice, and fufering a fhameful death, is the fafeguard of private tyrants, or they would often fall victims to their unrelenting cruelty. The general caufes of fuicide, with us, are outrageous ill ufage from relations, and perfons with whom the unfortunate fiand connected in bufinefs. Therefore, though we acknowledge felf murder to be a crime,

on the Chriftian fyftem, for every Chriftian ought to fubmit to his deftiny, be it good or bad in the world; yet it is evident, that fuch monsters as we have juft defcribed are more criminal. The Cenfor thinks it may be a means of foftening the inhuman, of conciliating differences, and of exciting the compaffion of those who have any remains of virtue, if men would fhew a general deteftation and abhorrence of all inexorable parents-of all villains who have feduced and ruined virginsof all fordid mifers, who let their own offspring perish for want; and of all cruel oppreffors, who contribute to render the crime of fuicide a national ftigma. If gentlemen would recollect the circumitances, and call to mind the private Fiftories of families, they would find many of thefe black characters in the world, with whom they inadvertently affociate. If a noble contempt was fhewn, and thefe monfters were hunted down, wherever they dared to mix with the virtuous part of mankind, we fhould foon hear of relenting fathers receiving home unhappy daughters; of humane creditors releafing tarved debtors, and of opulent men lending their affiftance to indigent relations-fuicide would not be the prevailing cutom, for men in general would hear their misfortunes with more fortitude, from the hopes, that when those who are the primary caufe of them, were branded in fociety, it might have the happy effect to induce them to alleviate their diftrelles.

I cannot conclude this paper, without recommending to all perfons in unhappy circumstances in life, to remember that they are not masters of one moment of futurity, confequently they cannot tell but the next moment may produce a change in their favour; if no principles of religion can reftrain them from destroying themfelves, this confideration alone ought to be a motive to break the fatal refolution. We have many inftances in history, where it has happened, that if the unhappy suicides had lived but a few days, fometimes a few hours longer, all their affairs would have been fettled to their entire fatisfaction. In a word, Englishmen fhould take

eare,

Fragment of the Life of Mofes,

care, above all things, not to dishonour their country, by adding to the general charge brought against it, refpecting the crime of fuicide.

And if this paper reaches thy hand, thou wretch D! let it engage thee to quit the frequented paths of men, to fly to fome folitary retreat, and to endeavour, while thou haft it in thy power, by a life of penitence, to atone for the fate of poor W-! so that

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thou may'st not be afraid to reflect on his virtues on thy death-bed, or to meet his injured fhade in the regions of immortal blifs; if the God of mercy permits thee to approach the celeftial abodes of thofe, whofe human frailties he has forgiven, and whofe bitter moments in this life (not occafioned by their own vices) he will recompence with eternal joys!

To the EDITOR of the OXFORD MAGAZINE.
SIR,

N forting the papers of a deceafed

and retided feveral years at Grand Cairo in Egypt, I found one which was endorfed in the following manner, and feemed to wear all the marks of antiquity; I hope it will af

ford fome entertainment to your rea

mitted you a fair copy, being the conftant admirer and encourager of your Magazine.

Leverpool, Nov. 9, 1771.

JULIUS.

FRAGMENT of the Life of MOSES.
(From an Egyptian Legend.)

ONE hundred and thirty years after the establishment of the Jews in Egypt, and fixty years after the death of the patriarch Jofeph, Pharoah king of Egypt had a dream, as he was fleeping in a pavillion of his garden. He dreamt that an old man held a pair of fcales in his hand, in one of which were placed all the inhabitants of Egypt, and in the other a little child, who outweighed all the people of Egypt. Pharoah being troubled at this vifion, fent for his feers and counsellors to interpret it; when one of them, renowned for his great wifdom, addreffed him in these words. "Know, Q King! that this child is a Jew, who may live to do much mischief in your dominions. Order, inftantly, all the male children of the Jews to be put to death; by this means you will preferve your empire, if there is any poffibility of oppofing the decrees of fate.

This advice was agreeable to Pharoah's inclinations, and he fent for the midwives, whom he enjoined, under pain of death, to strangle all the male

Jews at their birth. There lived at this time in Egypt a man, whofe name was Abraham, the fon of Keath, and he was married to Jocabel, his brother's fifter-in-law. Jocabed brought him a daughter, called Mary (which fignifies perfecuted) becaule the Egyptians, the defcendants of Cham, perfecuted the Ifraelites. Jocabed afterwards had a fon, whom they called Aaron, (which fignifieth condemned to death) because Pharoah had paffed that fentence on all the male children of the Jews. Aaron and Mary were preferved by the an gels of the Lord, who fed them in the field, and restored them to their parents when they were grown up. After this, Jocabed had a third fon, called Mofes, who confequently could not be lefs than fifteen years younger than his brother Aaron. Mofes was expofed on the Nile, and was taken up by Pharoah's daughter, as he was bathing: This young princefs brought him up, and adopted him for her fon, though fhe was not a married woman. The truth of the matter is, that the princels had a private intrigue with a Jew,

and

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Fragment of the Life of Mofes.

and had intereft to prevail with the midwife to spare this pledge of her fecret amours: The ftory of the expofure in a basket on the Nile, was invented by the Jews, to avoid the fcandal of having a baftard for their general and prophet.

Three years after, Pharoah married a new wife, and made a folemn magnificent feaft upon the occafion: At his table his queen fat on his right hand, and his daughter, with little Mofes, on the left. The child, in play, took off the crown from Pharoah's head, and put it on his own; which being obferved by Balaam, the king's eunuch, he reminded the king of his dream, and told him, that was the child from whom all the mifchief was to be dreaded; he added, that the hand of God was with him, and that what he had now done was a fpecimen of the formal defign he meditated to dethrone him, praying that he might be put to death directly. Pharoah approved the measure, and little Mofes was on the point of being flain, when the angel Gabriel interpofed, in the difguife of an officer of the king's houthold, and remonftrated that they ought not to kill an infant, not arrived to years of difcretion, faying, he had only put the erown on, because he knew no better. "You have only," fays he, " to prefent to him a Ruby and a red-hot Cinder; if he chufes the cinder it will be evident he is imbecile, and no danger to be apprehended from him; but if he has the difcretion to take the ruby, his cunning will be manifeft, and then you may put him to death.

Immediately a ruby and a cinder were placed before him, and young Mofes made choice of the ruby; but the angel Gabriel, by flight of hand, took away the ruby, and put the cinder in its place, which Mofes put in his mouth, taking it for the ruby he had chofen, and burnt his tongue fo horribly, that he ftuttered all his life after; and this is the true reafon why the Jewish legiflator was not an orator. Mofes grew up to the age of fifteen, in high favour with Pharoah. When an Hebrew complained to him, that an Egyptian had beat him, after debauching his wife. Mofes flew the Egyp

tian, and Pharoah condemned him to be beheaded. The executioner actually gave the blow; but in the inftant the Lord changed Mofes's neck into a pillar of marble, and fent the angel Michael to minifter to him, who rendered him invifible, and in three days conducted him fafely out of the Egyptian territories.

This promifing youth then took refuge with Mecano, king of Æthiopia, who made him general of his armies, in his wars against the Arabs, and after the death of Mecano, Mofes was chofen king in his ftead, and married his widow. But Mofes, afhamed of having married the wife of his lord and mafter, durft not enjoy her, and placed a naked fword in the bed between himfelf and the queen: In this fituation they lived together forty years, when the queen's patience being quite exhaufted, curiofity excited her to penetrate the true caufe of this mystery Mofes had been made an eunuch by the midwife who attended Pharoah's daughter, for the good woman would not confent to difobey the king's orders on any other conditions; and it was the knowledge of this blemish that had made Pharoah lefs uneafy on his account, as we have feen-for the experiment of the cinder had convinced him of his mental imbecility, and as there was no danger of his having male children, the impreffion of the dream was worn off, but fuch a bold deed as flaying one of his fubjects was death by the law; had he not been guilty of that rath deed, he might have continued at Pharoah's court.

The queen of Ethiopia could not contain her refentment; the ailembled the grandees of the kingdom, complained of her fituation, refolved to depole and banith him, and actually placed upon the throne the fon of the late king. Mofes fled to the country of the Midianites, to the prieft Jethro. This pious prieft thought his fortunę would be made if he delivered Mofes into the hands of Pharoah, and with this view he confined him in a dungeon under-ground, and fed him only with bread and water; but Mofes vifibly grew fatter in this cave, which furprized Jethro, who knew not that

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Lift of Plays, &c.

his daughter Sephora had fallen in love with his prifoner, and carried him daily, roaft partridges and quails, with the most delicious wines-Jethro attributed it to the protection of God, and did not give him up to Pharoah. Jethro, at this period, determined to marry his daughter-he had in his garden a Saphire-tree, on which was engraven the name of Jaho or Jehovah -he caufed it to be proclaimed throughout the country, that he would give his daughter to the man who could pluck up the Saphire-tree. The admirers of Sephora all affembled, but. not one of them could fo much as bend it; but Mofes tore it up by the roots with facility, though he was then feventy years of age; in recompence he received Sephora, and his old friend Gabriel having restored to him his virility, he very foon had a fine boy by his wife, whom he named Gerfon.

One day, as he was taking a walk, he met with God (who was before called Sadaï, but now tiled himself Jehovah) in a bush, who ordered him to go and work miracles at the court of Pharoah; accordingly he fet out, with his wife and his fon, and as they purfued their journey, they were met by an angel, whofe name is not mentioned, and he commanded Sephora to circumcife little Gerfon with a fharp flint. Then God fent Aaron after them, who took it very ill that his brother had married a Midianitish woman-called her whore, and her fon a bastard-and fent them back, the shortest way, into their own country.

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Mofes and Aaras then went together to the palace of Pharoah, the gates of which were guarded by two lions of an enormous magnitude. Balaam, FAC King's magician, feeing the two brothers approach, let loofe the lions upon them; but Mofes touched them with his rod, and they both humbly proftrated themfelves on the ground and licked his and Aaron's feet. The king, quite aftonished, fent for the two travellers, and all his magicians, and a trial of fkill was ordered, which might be called-The Comedy of Miracles. TheEgyptian author afterwards,gives

an

account of the ten plagues of Egypt, nearly as they are related in Exodus; only he adds, that Mofes covered the kingdom of Egypt with fleas, a cubit deep; and that he fent lions, bears, and wolves to the houses of the Egyptians, who found admiflion, though the door were locked, and eat up the children. Another material difference is likewife to be found between him, and Mofes's own account of himself in the Pentateuch. He fays, that it was not the Jews alone who paffed the Red Sea, but Pharoah, who fled by this road with his army-that the Jews purfued him, and the waters divided to the right and left, to see the battlethat all the Egyptians, except the king, were killed upon the fhore--and that Pharoah, feeing he had to do with a fuperior power, repented and asked pardon of God. Michael and Gabriel were then fent to him, who transported him to Ninevah, where he reigned four hundred years.

A Lift of PLAYS performed this laft Summer-by the most famous and mof infamous Characters of the Age. Collated and collected by the DRAMATIC CENSOR, Gentleman.

T

HE Fine Companion-Col. Lee. The Antiquary-Mr. Hillis. The Malecontent-Mr. Horne. Sophonisba, or the Wonder of Women-Lady Pembroke.

The Maid of Honour-Dutchefs of Kingston.

A new Way to pay old Debts-Lord Deloraine,

The Dutch Courtefan-Mifs Holland.

The Phoenix-Sir G. Saville.
More Diffemblers befides Women-
Morris, Townfend, Fitzherbert, &e.
A mad World, my Matters-By the
Citizens of London.

Beauty in D ftrefs-Lady Grofvenor.
Nature's three Daughters, Beauty,

Love, and Wit-Lady A. Carpenter, Lady M. Scott, and Mrs. M'Caulay.

Publick

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Publick Wooing-Lord Falmouth.
Convent of Pleafure-Charlotte Hayes.
Love in its extafy-Mrs. Bailey.
Hey for Honefty, down with Knavery
-By Wilkes and Crosby.
Diftreffed Innocence-Made by Sir
James L-w-h-r, acted by Mifs
Carr.

The Woman Captain-D-s of
N–th–|—d.

Love's Labour loft-By Lady M.
Scott, and Capt. Sutherland.
Shylock, or the Merchants of Ve-
nice-By Sylva, Furtado, &c.
The witty Fair one-By Mrs. Brooks.
The young Admiral, performed at fea-
The D. of Cumberland.

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The Quacks-Cadogan, Cook, Rock,
Walker, and Mrs. Gibfon.
The Distracted State-Performed at St.
James's.

Irish Hofpitality-By Will. Wilson,
Efq.

The Mileries of forced Marriage-By
the Queen of D- -k, and the
Pr-fs of Brunf-k.
The Confpiracy, or Change of Go-
vernment-Lord Rockingham, &c.
The Gentleman Dancing-Maiter-Sir
W. Delle.

The Plain Dealer-Solicitor Nuthall.
Earl of Warwick, or the Dun Cow
killed again-By Mr. G―k.
Fatal Extravagance-By the late Jen-
nifon Shaftoe.

No Fools like Wits-Mr. Boswell, Mr.
Stevens, &c.

Phyfician, whether he will or no-Dr.
Cadogan.

School for Women-Mrs. Cornelys.
Wife to lett-By Gen. S-t.

Wife and no Wife-Lady Grosvenor.

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TH

DESCRIPTION of the SCORPION S.
(With a Copper-Plate of that Infect.)

HE Scorpion reprefented on the Plate in its natural fize, was brought from the Eaft-Indies: Its colour very black, like pitch. The Scorpion's head feems jointed, as it were, to the breaft; in the middle of which, or rather in the head connected to it, are two eyes, and a little further towards the fore part is another pair of eyes (b), placed as it were in the fore part of the head. Under thofe are two fhort arms or forceps (a), which the Scorpion doubtlefs makes the fame ufe of as other animals do of their teeth, and with which it breaks food, and thrufts it into its mouth. The Scorpion can at pleafure draw back these forceps or teeth into his mouth, fo that no part of them can be fecn. Under the breaft are eight articulated legs, each divided into fix joints, and fet about with hairs.-At the foremost extremity of the head are two flagella, or crooked arms, like pincers, which

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in this large Scorpion were of a terri ble bignefs, compofed of four joints, the outermoft whereof is fortified as it were with a thumb, by the contraction of which the forceps is formed. The belly is divided into feven little rings, fron the lowest of which arifeth a tail, compofed of feveral britly joints, formed like little globes, and the last of thefe joints armed with an aculeus fting. These infects are of different kinds and colours, as black, red, mofs colour, and fome yellow. The fting alto of fome is lefs dangerous than that of others; the black is reckoned the molt malignant, though timely care prevents its being mortal. The tings of the other kinds are productive of fevers, numbness of the hands, and feet, forehead, ears, nofe, lips, tumors in tongue, and dimnefs of fight which generally continue about twentyfour hours, when the patient gradually recovers.

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