VovAvy.
FKOtt THE VIlEI'ETUCKKfKH HER ALP.
tii: siiiv J'.2 st on jr.
As the wintry a!e harder is blowing,
In gloom the sun s'l.klr.g a a uv ;
As the wild billow darker i glowing,
And brighter the flush of i.s spr:".y
'Jee the ship, lier reefed topsails desccr.dirg,
The hoarse boatswain piping aloud,
"While the seamen to furl them, as. -e;dl:;g,
Hang over the surge from the shroud !
List again to that proud boatswain piping !
rI he " word" is from him w ho controls ;
And the men the top-rigging are striking,
To ease her, aloft, as she rolls.
But the waves howl in mountains around her,
As if their whole w rath they would rouse ;
She Is heavily pitching she'll founder
" Cast the runs overboard from the bou-s"
Yet the storm still its fury increases ;
She rolls gunwale to, as it raves
Oh ! her mizzen is shatterM to pieces,
She drifts at the will of the waves !
Heavy toils have her crew been harassing ;
Yet what are that crew's feelings now?
Tor the word fere and aft thev arc nassinar
Of " breakers, ho! broad on the box? "
Then, at once, from a sight so appalling,
The stoutest heart shrinks in dismay ;
Some, on one some on others are calling
The chaplain comes forward, to pray.
And he says, " I would not be down-hearted,
Mv lads ! though the wild billows rave ;
It is true, from this world we are parted,
Yet He who can sink- us can sure "
"Set the jib !" cries the chief and then piping',
The boatswain blows proud as before ;
"While in hope is each bosom delighting
The wind's blowing- right from the shore.
Now the tempest lies dead on the ocean ;
No more roll in mountains the waves ;
And the mariner kneels in devotion,
To Him who can sink and who fart 3
SEDLEV.
SONG.
2 la mode of Chore's Aaacreon.
Nature with swiftness armed the horse,
She g-ave the royal lion force,
Ills destinM prey to seize 071 ;
To gu;de the swiftness of the horse,
To tame the royal lion's force,
She iciftcd man with reason.
Poor woman ! what
Was then thy lot ?
Submission, truth, and duty
Our gifts were small,
To balance :dl,
Some Clod invented IJeauiy.
For empire reason made a stand,
But long has beauty's conquering hand
In due subjection kept her.
To ride the world let reason boasf,
She only fdls a viceroy's post,
' l is Beauty holds the sceptre !
Variety's the very spice of life,
That gives it all its flavor.
Dlf. JOHNSON.
Evcry little event in the life of a distincciush-j
ed individual is interesting", and the recollection
cf it should be pres. rved : for ukhouh to a
mere l eader they may be valued only on account
of their being" associated with the object of his
admiration, and not because they help to fill out
the character yet to the philosophic mind, to
him who dives beyond the surface, and searches
into the deep mysteries of that wonderful crea
ture, man, they are really important, as the'
serve as sruides in the niav paths which lie is
pursuing1. Dr. Johnson, from the elevated rank
which he held in the literary world, from the
vastness of his intellect, and the variety ami the
lid.ic of its productions, not oo.ly compels us to
admire, but to reverence him ; and everv cir
cumstance at all connected with him, at once in
cre: st s in interest and swells into importance.
And f ;v eminent persons, probably, have had
their minutest transactions, the most trhial
events and actions of their lives, ood, had, wise
or fx .'sh, so fully recorded. Tor this the lite
rary world is indebted to lUmvell.
The interesting dialogic below, between Dr.
Johnson anil Mrs. Knowles, which took place at
a literary dinner party, is mentioned by Mr.
liosw ell, and passed over very slightly. This is
somewhat singular; as, at his own rcj-.icst. Miss
"'ward, (who w as one of the party,) afterwards
ser.r .
at 1 l, -
the dialogue, notes of which she took
": That, furnished ! v Miss Seward.
differs in some , .-nt.rlSt (though not materiallv,)
fro:., the one in the tntiem:;n's Magazine, which
we have copied ; ami theMtcr :, morc lCI1trthy.
Mr. Knowles is an American, n-tive of Phila
delphia, anil was married to an F.!.pj;si, Thvsi
cian. The hislorj' of Jane Harry, for -t
Mrs. Knov. les pled mi ably, and so iriir::fhi:vr-.
too, is given by Miss Seward in her letter to Mr.
Bosweli : it is short, simple, and afl'vcti: She
was the daughter of a rich planter :u th.. ,t
Indies; he sent her over to Kngland to he edu
cated, and placed her in the house c f a frit ml,
at which Mrs. Knowles was a isiter. He affect
ed wit, (say Miss Se.varc:,) and was peipctual
!i:r.g Mrs. Knowles on the subject cf her re
vs principles in th? presence of the. younj,
gentle, urui iagenicas ?d'.s i: rry : s.xe w.is c.vr.:
rjucntly led into a serious (KTcnce of her opin
ions
l.ut without any des? to make a prose-
1
;.tc, s!ic pined ;nc. .fenny Hurry became a
comcri Torjua!:cr:sm. Lhm uu, miKumui,: wti0rn tnoj art so exceedingly preju
SLvrral clcrjrvmcn were employed to reason her' fnt., ir.d thnn Qimnneeer ,,i .ct
it of her belief; but In v-un. At hst her fa -
ihcr tc.M h.r she m.glit cao,,c between one j p,. y Certainly I do think VOtl lit
hundred thousand po:md. and his favor, if she , , , i)e:;ts.
1 1 1 . . 1
f continual a cnun..t woman, or vao tnousana
jouim, itiiu 1113 j eijiii.eiuijon, 11 sue cm.irat eu
T - II. . .. ' 1 1
the quaker tenets. She cho,e the latter. Dr.
Johnson had previouly been fond of her; but
on the change of her religious principle", he be
came highly displeased, and would not even
speak to her. At this sac was much affected
and requested Mrs. Knowle.; to plead for her.
she did ; and " the tnihtj fiou :1ns ii'-vcr 1.0 chaf
ed before "
rnoM the (loho) h kxti.em an s magazine.
L"n:iu:sTL'c dl ilm: t:j:.
Between Dr. Samuel Johnson and Mrs. Mary
Knowles.
Mrs. A". Thy friend .?ane Harrv de
sires her kind respects to thee, Doc
tor. Dr. y. To in c 1 tell me not of her
1 hate the odious wench for her apos
tacv ; and it is you, madam, who have
seduced her from the Christian Reli
gion. Mrs, A. This is a heavy charge in
deed. I must beg leave to be heard
in mv own defence ; and I intreat the
ttention of the present learned and
candid company, desiring they will
judge how h'.r I am able to clear my
self ot so cruel an accusation.
Dr. y. Qnuci disturbed at tills unex
pected challenge sail,) You are a wo
man, and I give you quarter.
Mrs. K. I will nut take quarter.
There is no se:; in
ouis
1
and in the
resent causft I fear not even Dr. , John
son himselt.
(" Bravo !" tvas repeated by the vzm-
pantfy and silence ensued.)
Dr. 7. Well, then, madam, I per-
sist in mv
charge that you have sedu
ced Miss II. from the Christian Reli
gion. Mrs. A. If thou really kneu est what
were the principles of the Friends,
thou w ouldst not say she had departed
from Christianity. But, waving that
discussion for the present, I will take
the liberty to observe that r.he had an
. undoubted right to examine and to;
chauge her educational tenets whenev-
er she supposed she had found them
erroneous; as an accountable creature
1
it was her duty so to do.
Dr. j. Pshaw ! an accountable crea
ture ! Girls accountable creatures! It
washer dutv to have remained with
the Church wherein she was educated;! sent.
she had no business to leave it. j Ar.v. A". Well, then, I take upon me
Mrs. K. What, not for that which ; to declare, that the people culled Qua
she apprehended to be better? Accor-.keis do verily believe in the Ilolv
ding to this rule, Doctor, hadst thru Scriptures, and rejoice, with the most
been born in Turkey, it had been thv full iind reverential rcceptar.ci: of the
dutv to have remained a Mahorne- divine history ol iacts as recorded in
1 tan, notwithstanding Christian evidence
' might have wrought in thy mind the
j clearest c nviction ; and, if so, then let
me ask how would thv conscience have
msv,crt d for s,lch t")bstinacv at tllc
great and last tribunal :
Dr. y. My conscience would not
have been answerable. !
Mrs.
AT. Whose then would.
Dr. J. Why, the State to be sure.
In adhcrincr to the Relitricui of the
State as by law established, our impli - j
cit obedience .herein becomes tmrduty. aole title ol christians :
Jhs. K. A Nation or State having j Dr. y. Weil! I must own I did
a conscience, is a doctrine entirely new jnot at all suppose you had so much to
to me, and, indeed, a very curious ; say for yourselves. However, I can
piece of intelligence ; for I have always, not forgive the little slut, for prcsum
understf.od that a government or state iug to take upon herself as she has
is a creature of time only ; bevond done.
which it disfdves, and becomes a non-i Mrs. K. I hope, Doctor; thou wilt
entity. Now, gentlemen, can your ot remain unforgiving ; and, that you
imaginations body forth this monstrous will renew your friendship, and joyful
individual, or bti ig, called a iitatcjly rneet at last in those bright regions
composed of millions of people ; can
you behold it stalking foith into the
next world, loaded with its mighty
conscience, there to be rewarded, or
punished, for the faith, opinions, and
conduct of its constituent machines call
ed men ? Surely the teeming brain of
Poetry never held up to the fancy so
wondrous a personage !
(IVhen the laugh occasioned bif this
personification xvas subsided, the Doc
tor very angrily replied.') I regard not
what you say as to that matter. I hate
the arrogance of the wench," in suppos
ing herself a more competent judge of
religion than those who educated her.
She imitated you, no doubr, hut she
wight not to have pie:? timed to deter
mine for herself in so important an af
fair. Mrs. A. True, Doctor, I grant ir, if,
astnoti seemestio imply, a wrnch of 20 i
vears De not a moral a;ent.
Dr. y. I doubt it would be difficult
to prove those deserve that character
who turn Quakers.
Mrs. K. This severe retort, Doctor,
induces me charitably to hope, that
j tjloll must be totally unacquainted with
tne principles of the people
gainst
: Qf Inf:dels or Deists.
, ,il 0 I' -i- ;c wlrl ctr.nrr
tis
1 '
passing strange that a man of such uni
versal reading and research has not
thought it at least expedient to look in
.
to th: cause of dissent of a society so
long established, and so conspicuously
sin;ular.
Dr. y. Not I, indeed ! I have net
rejd your Barclay's Apology ; and for
this plain reason I never thought it
worth my while. You are upstart sec
taries, perhaps the best subdued by a
silent contempt.
Mrs K. This reminds me of the
Rabbies of old, when their Ilierachy
v.'as alarmed by the increasing influ
ence, force and simplicity, of cia.vn
irig Truth in their day of worldly do
minion. We meekly trust our princi
ples stand on the same solid foundation
of simple truth, and we invite the acu
tcst investigation. The reason thou
givest for not having read Barclays
Apology is surely a very improper one
for a man whom the world looks up to
as a moral Philosopher of the first
rank, a Teacher from whom they have
a right to expect much information.
To this expecting, inquiring world, how
can Dr. Johnson acquit himsell "for re
maining unacquainted with a book
translated into five or six different lan
guages, and which has been admitttd
into the libraries ol almost every Court
and University in Christendom?
Here the Doctor grew very angry,
still more so ar the space of time the
Gentlemen insisted on allowing his an-
lagonist wherein to make her defence,
and his impatience excited one of the
company in a whisper, to say, " I never
saiv that miifity lion so chafed before "
fne Doctor ;jgain repeated, that he
did not think the Quakers deserved the
n line of Christians.
Mrs. K. Give me leave then to en
deavour to convince thee of thv error,
which I will do, by making before
thee and this respectable company, a
confession ot our taith. Creeds, or
confessions of faith, are admined by
all to he the standard w hereby we
. y
judge ol every denomination of pro-
lessors.
I'o this, every one present agreed ;
and even the Doctor grumbled his as-
the Ne w Testament. That we conse-
quently fully believe those historical
articles summed up in what is called
the Apostles' creed, with these two ex-
ceptions onlv, to wit, our Saviour's dc-
scent into Hell, and the resurrection of
the body. These mysteries we hum-
bly leave lust as thev stand in the holv
text, there being, irom thit ground, no
authority for such assertion as is drawn
up in the creed. And now, Doctor,
c.nst thou still deny to us the honour
where Pride and Prejudice can never
enter !
Dr. j. ?Ieet her! I never desire to
meet fools any where.
This sarcastick turn of wit was so
pleasantly received, that the Doctor
joined in the lauh ; his spleen was dis
sipated ; lie took his cofiec, and became,
for the remainder of the evening, very
cheerful and entertaining.
ankcdoth or Mirrox.
IWiiton, when a student at Cam
' i i-lge, was extremely handsome. One
C.wy in the summer, overcome with
heat.
aid fatigued with
walking, he
laio himself down at the foot of a tree, j
md slept. During ms sierp. two la-
ores passed by m a carriage. I he
beauty of the vonncr student attracted
their attention"; thcy.gc
carriage, and after havi
ot out of their
: . i
4.n.ti iui niir cuiueinpia-
u l his beauty sometime without his
waking ; the young lady, who was ve
ry handsome, took a pencil from her
pocket, and wrote seme lines on a piece !
j of paper, and tremblingly put them into
his hand. The two ladies returned to
their carriage tmd passed on.
Milton s lellow students, who were
seeking for him, observed this scene at j to accommodate the parable to this in
a distance, without knowing it to be j terpretation, they have constantly pain
him who was sleeping : on approach- ' ted the character of Dives in the
ing, knowing their associate, they wa- j blackest, and that of Lazarus in the
ked him r.nd told him what had pass- I brightest colours ; for which there b
eel
; he opened the paper which was
in his hand, and read, to hisgreatas-
put
tonishment, these lines from Guarini : j
Occhi, stelic mortal;,'
Ministri de mici mali,
Se chiusi m' uccedite,
Appcrti che firctcs i
Which may be translated thus
1
Beautiful eyes, mortal stars, authorc
, . J , , , .'11 1 -r
being closed, what ivould ye do, it
open . 1 nis sirange auveniure awa-
, r 11 r 1
r- 1 -
unknown lair, lie some years auer
wards travelled through Italy. His
ideas 01 her worked incessantly m the
r ,. , r . - ,
imarrination 01 tnis wondertul poet, and
, , .. 1 '
nidi, ill i, a iiiLiai ui iu
indebted for the Poem of Paradise
Lost. '
MUSICAL MICK.
Though die great naturalist, Linnre-
us, in speaking of the common mouse, ! oughtest to remember, that thou, in a
said, " delectatur musica," yet so little j former state, enjoyedst all the pleas
was it credited, that Gmelin omitted ures of wealth and prosperity, and that
mentioning this feature in his edition ; then Lazarus suffered all the miseries
of 14 Linnaeus' Sy sterna Nature." ; of poverty and disease, but that now
Subsequently, however, the assertion he is comforted, and thou art torment
has been satisfactorily confirmed. Dr. ed, in conformity to that impartial and
Archer of Norfolk, in the United . eternal law of Providence, which in
states, says, 44 On a rainy evening in stitutcd the pei petual rotation cf good
the winter of 181 T, as I was alone in and evil."
my chamber, I tool: up my flute and From this parr.hle we may learn,
commenced playing. In a few min- . that the Supreme disposer of all things
utes my attention was directed to a : distributes good and evil amongst his
mouse that I saw creeping from a hole, . creatures, not only with justice, but:
and advancing to the chair in which I with a greater degree of equality than
VQ;?tt'l"o r.icffl n!ni-inr hk' ir ..... ! " . lV . .1' I
. - " 1
ran precipitately hack to its hole ; i bled to perform by having so wonder
began again shortly afterwards, and fully contrived the disposition of thin-s.
was much surprised to see it re-appear, . and the constitution of man, that rich-
and take its old position The appear- ' cs, power, wealth and prosperity, in
ance of the little animal was truiv de- this life, actually lead him into manv
hghttul ; it couched ltseli on the iloor, vices, which will incur punishment iu
shut its eyes, and appeared in ecstacy ; another; and sickness, "poverty, and
I ceased playing, and it instantly dis- distress, are as naturally productive cf
appeared again. This experiment I many virtues, which will there merit a
repeated frequently with the same sue- , reward ; by which means happiness
cess, observing that it was always dif- ' and misery are more equally distribu
ferently affected as the music varied ted, at the same time that strict jus
from the slow and plaintive, to the i tice is done to every individual' ac
brisk and lively. It finally went oiF, cording to his deserts', and no one cart
and all my art could not entice it to j have any cause to complain.
1 C 111 L 11.
A more remarkable instance of this
lact appeared in the 44 Philadelphia
Medical and Physical Journal," in the
year 1S1T. It was communicated by
Dr. Cramer of Jefferson county, on
the credit of a gentleman of undoubt
ed veracity, who states that 4tone eve
ning in the month of December, as a
few officers on board a British man of
war, in the harbour of Portsmouth,
were seated round the fire, one of them
began to play a plaintive air on the
violin. He had scarcely performed
ten minutes, when a mouse apparently
frantic, made its appearance in the cen
tre of the floor. The strange gestures
of the little animal strongly excited
the attention of the officers, who, with
one consent, resolved to suffer it to
continue its singular actions unmolest
ed. Its exertions now appeared to be
greater every moment it shook its
head, leaped about the table, and ex
hibited signs of the most ecstatic de
light. It was observed, that in pro
portion to the gradation of the tones
to the soft point, the feelings of the
animal appeared to be increased, and
vice versa. After performing actions.
which an animal so diminutive would
at first sight seem incapable of, the lit
tle creature, to the astonishment of the
delighted spectators, suddenly ceased
to move, leu down, and expired with
out evincing any symptoms of pain.
Percy Anecdotes.
HeWgums.
Hut Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in
thy lifetime rcccivedst thv good things, and
likewise Lazarus evil things : but now he is
comforted, and thou art tormented.
All the commentators on this para
ble seem to have mistaken the inten
tion and moral of it ; they have all un
derstood it, as designed only to inform
tis, that no judgment can be formed of
men's condition in a future life, by the
appearances in the present, of either
their prosperity or distress : that the
rich and great will, if criminal, cer
tainly meet with the punishment due
to their offences, in another state,
which, by the influence of their power,
they may have evaded in this ; and the
i poor and diseased, if virtuous, will
there receive retnoution lor ail the
miseries and ill-treatment which thev
have undeservedly suffered. In order
i not the least foundation in the parable
j itself, as there is not one word said of
the criminality of the one, or the mer
its of the other ; Abraham, in his an
swer to the rich man, does not bid hint
to remember, that he acquired hi
wealth by fraud or ranine, or that hc
; expended it in profligacy or oppres
sion ; and that, therefore, lie ought net
to complain ot punishment wnich hf
; haJ &f ' v Hc savsnoth.
nplain
justly
; had been pious, sooer, honest, and pa-
tient ; i
hc only answers the comidainan"
in a friendly manner : 44 Son, remembei
1 , - , - ,
i u ETOod thmo-s, arid likewise i,a."arus
! lt 0 4t x r 1
1 t evil things ; but now he is comforted,
1 l.i 1 1 '"IT
apprehend, he means to address him:
" Son, although thy present situation
is very wretched, and that of Lazarus
no less happy, thou hast no reason to
arraign the partiality of God ; but
vc iuiujrn.e : ana inai mis nc is e:.a-
I i
! an(
I his idea of the rotation of troocl
evil, of enjoyments and sufferings,
j is confirmed by the clearest allusions
; in several parts of the New Testament ;
! for instance, we there read, that 44 it
i .
44 is easier for a camel to go through
44 the eye of a needle, than for a rich
44 man to enter into the kingdom of
44 God ;" not because it is criminal to
be rich, but because, whilst riches be
stow on their possessors many present
gratifications, thev usually make them,
proud, insolent and profligate, which
incapacitates them from becoming
members of that holy and happy com
munity. Again, it is said, 44 Blessed
44 are those that mourn, for thev shall be
44 comforted ;" not because there is any
merit in mourning, but because afflict
tions naturally tend to make men hum
ble, sober, patient, and virtuous, in
this life, for which they will deserve
and receive a recompence of comfort
in another. This wise disposition of
Providence, in the general course ot
things, although it marks his impar
tiality, is no impediment to his justice,
because it lays no one under compul
sion, and may be interrupted by the
conduct of every individual. The
rich are not obliged to be wicked, nor
the poor to be virtuous ; a rich man
may employ his wealth in such a man
ner in this life, as to acquire happiness
by it in another; and a poor man may
be so incorrigible as to make himself
very miserable in both. All that wc
are to learn from it is, to take extraor
dinary care to avoid those crimes to
which our situation renders us pecu
liarly liable.
APHORISMS.
Habitual indolence, by a silent and se
cret progress, undermines every virtue in
the soul. Nothing is so great an enemy
to the lively and spirited enjoyment of
life, as a relaxed and indolent habit of
mind.
He is the true possessor of a thing, who
enjoys it, and not he that owns it, without
the enjoyment of it. I look on all tho
beaux and ladies as so many paroquets in
an aviary, or tulips in a garden, designed
purely for my diversion. In this way do
I not really possess their apparel?