NUMBER LXXX.

Might I from fortune's bounteous hand receive
Each boon, each bleffing, in her pow'r to give:
Genius and fcience, morals, and good fenfe,
Unenvy'd honours, wit, and eloquence;
A numerous offspring to the world well-known,
Both for paternal virtues and their own:
Even at this mighty price I'd not be bound
To tread the fame dull circle round and round;
The foul requires enjoyments more fublime,
By space unbounded, undeftroy'd by time.

SIR,

JENNYN's tranflation of H. Browne on Immortality.

To the VISITOR.

DO not remember, ever to have seen it ob

I served, areng th, ever to have seen it on

arise, in testimony to the foul's immortality, that

a great city is a striking evidence to this capital and important truth." The thought struck me, as I was travelling yesterday through our noble metropolis; and I was fo much convinced by it myself, that I determined, by the channel of your truly valuable paper, to offer the hint to the reflection of the public.

Many

Many excellent writers have deduced usefu moral reflections from a survey of the wonderful oeconomy of ants, of bees, of beavers, and the like; their nefts, their hives, their houses, have afforded matter for inftructive and agreeable fpeculation. They bespeak much design, they fhew the amazingly ftrong power of what we call inftinct; that wonderful something, given by the Deity to the animal creation,` in the place of our reafon.-But while we admire and contemplate these, we omit what is nearer to us, the places of our own abode; for however curious and elegant the works of these creatures may be, whatever powers they demonftrate, yet how mean and inconfiderable are they, in comparifon with an elegant and commodious dwelling, much more with a whole city, composed of thousands of fuch dwellings; placed in the moft regular order, and finifhed with all the advantages that art and labour can fupply? Look down one of the fpacious ftreets; fee it thronged with inhabitants, occupied in their feveral employs, and crowding along with all the hafte of follicitous anxiety, and induftrious zeal. Again, furvey the noble river which rolls its wealthy current thro' the midst of the city and fee, what the labour of man hath atchieved! Across the rapid ftream proud bridges ftretch their ftrong arches; and all the burden of trade is

conveyed on dry land. But why particularife? You have the object before you; confider it well and say, can you imagine, that the minds, which form and direct fuch habitations, fhall perish, like the habitations themselves? A city, you grant, is a fine and ftriking object; but the inhabitants of it, how much are they fuperior to the city itself! It requires infinitely more art and labour to form fuch a receptacle for the human race, than an ant-hill, or a beaver's lodge: but thefe, you fay, witnefs wonderful inftinct: how much more then does a large city bear witness to a power in man; which I could as well fuppofe formed only to exift in time, as I could suppose a city built to exift eternally.

If this argument fhall appear as conclufive and striking, as it is new, I fhall think myself happy in having pointed out one evidence more of that great truth, which, to mortals, is of all others most important and interefting a truth, which diminishes the value of fublunary things, as much as it fupports the upright soul amidst all the inconveniencies of mortality. Indeed this fingle truth is fufficient to awaken us into a zealous concern for religion and virtue: for if man is immortal, and must partake of a state unalterable and ever-during, either in happiness. or mifery, what egregious madness is it to neglect a regard for that state, while enslaved to

tran

tranfitory pursuits! On the other fide, if man is not immortal, why any follicitude, why any attention to virtue? A great author fays well, "if there is no futurity, I had rather be an oyfter than a man:" And who, that thinks at all, is not of the fame mind?-But man is immortal; and wretched will his ftate be, who believing this truth, lives nevertheless in contrariety to it.

I am, Sir,

Your's, &c.

Z.

NUM.

I

NUMBER LXXXI.

Intire and fure the monarch's rule must prove,
Who founds his greatness on his subjects love:
Who does our homage for our good require,
And orders that, which we should firft defire;
Our vanquish'd wills, the pleafing force obey;
His Goodness takes our liberty away,

And haughty Britain yields to arbitary fway,

SIR,

To the VISITOR.

*

PRIOR.

}

F the following paragraphs taken from the Dean of Bristol's fermon, preached the last general faft-day before the house of Commons, have the fame effect upon you, as they had upon a confiderable part of his audience, you will contribute your useful endeavours to make them as public as poffible.

Sermon, p. 16. "May this be the happy fate of Britain, of her King and her people! May the Lord repent of the evil, which he thought to do unto us! The fate of Britain cannot but be happy, if her fons will learn righteousness, and

Dr. Squire, now Bishop of St. David's.

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