perpetual panegyrics on the conftitution. He knows little of general politics. He judges from the effects he feels.-Idem. CARE muft always be taken to guard against all independence in the rulers, on the fentiments of the people, and to provide, that they shall administer, not their own power, but the powers of government.-Chipman's Principles of Govern

ment,

BY the force of habit, and inveterate national prejudices, abuses are rendered facred; and, not unfrequently, come to be confidered as rightful privileges: and thofe inftitutions, which were the offspring of chance or violence, to be extolled as the most perfect productions of reafon, founded in the original and unalterable principles of nature. Such was the

The

British government, and fuch has been the force of habitual prejudice upon the people of that kingdom. That government has, indeed, received many improvements, with the improvements of the age: but they have generally been wrested by force from the reigning powers, or interposed in a revolution of the crown. Many refpectable characters long confidered them as fo many violations of the most facred rights. greater part of the nation appear fully perfuaded, that all farther improvements are impracticable, and that because their govern. ment was once the best, perhaps, which exifted in the world, it muft, through all the progreffive advances in knowledge, in morals, and in manners, continue the best, a pattern of unchanging perfection, though, in its principles, it is much. too limited for the prefent ftate of things. It is probable that all improvements in the government, will be oppofed and prevented by thofe in power, who are interested in the present order of things, till the improvements of an enlightened age, fhall produce a violent concuffion in the combat with ancient prejudices, and ftruggle through a fcene of tumult, outrage, and perhaps civil war, to arrive at fome inconfiderable amelioration in their conftitution.-Idem.

THE government of the United States of America exhibits a new fcene in the political history of the world; a number of integral republics, each claiming and exercifing all the powers of internal fovereignty, within the limits of their respective jurifdictions, formed into one general government, with powers of legiflation for all national purposes, and the power of executing all their laws, within the feveral ftates, on the individual citizens, and that independently of local authority.

ceriment was new; and the fuccefs has, hitherto,

Government.-Grave.

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exceeded the most fanguine expectation of its advocates. A fituation fo complicated, fo different from that of fimple governments, will have an effect, if not upon the laws of nature, from which the general principles are ultimately derived, yet to give a different modification to those principles, owing to the different combinations and relative circumftances of the conftituent parts; and will have an influence on its organization, and the execution of its laws.--Idem.

THAT government, that conftitution of fociety, the principles of which dictate thofe laws, and those only, which are adapted to the prefent ftate of men and manners, and tend to focial improvement, which are influenced by a fenfe of moral obligation, and fanctioned by the laws of nature, not of favage folitary nature, but of focial nature, in its improved and improveable ftate, is incontrovertibly good. So far as it deviates, it is clearly faulty. Upon a candid examination, upon a fair comparifon, it will be found, that a democratic republic is alone capable of this pre-eminence of principle.-Idem.

GUARANTEE to every man, the full enjoyment of his natural rights. Banish all exclufive privileges; all perpetuities of riches and honors. Leave free the acquifition and difpofal of property to fupply the occafions of the owner, and to anfwer all claims of right, both of the fociety, and of individuals. To give a ftimulus to industry, to provide folace and assistance, in the last helpless stages of life, and a reward for the attentions of humanity, confirm to the owner the power of directing who fhall fucceed to his right of property, after his death; but let it be without any limitation, or restraint upon the future use, or difpofal. Divert not the confequences of actions, as to the individual actors, from their proper courfe. Let no preference be given to any one in government, but what his conduct can fecure, from the fentiments of his fellow citizens. Of property, left to the difpofal of the law, let a descent from parents to children, in equal proportions, be held a facred principle of the conflitution. Secure but these, and every thing will flow in the channel intended by nature. The operation of the equal laws of nature, tend to exclude, or correct every dangerous excefs.-Idem.

GRAVE.

WHAT will they then avail him in the grave?

His various policies, refin'd devices,

His fubtle wit, his quick capacious thought?

Will they go with him to the grave? No, no!
Why then should he be proud?-Martyn.

GRAVITY.

-I TELL thee what, Antonio,

There is a fort of men, whofe vifages
Do cream and mantle like a standing pond,
And do a willful ftilnefs entertain,
With purpose to be dreft in an opinion
Of wifdom, gravity, profound conceit;
As who fhou'd fay, I am Sir Oracle ;
And when I ope my lips, let no dog bark.
Oh, my Antonio! I do know of thofe,
That therefore only are reputed wife,
For faying nothing.-Shakespeare.

YET fubtle wights (fo blind are mortal men,
Tho' fatire couch them with her keenest pen)
For ever will hang out a folemn face,
Το put off nonfenfe with a better grace;
As pedlars with fome hero's head make bold,
Illuftrious mark! where pins are to be fold.
What's the bent brow, or neck in thought reclin'd?
The body's wifdom to conceal the mind.

A man of sense can artifice difdain ;
As men of wealth may venture to go plain:
And be this truth eternal ne'er forgot,
Solemnity's a cover for a fot.

I find the fool, when I behold the fcreen;
For 'tis the wife man's int'reft to be feen.-Young.

GREATNESS.

COULD great men thunder,

As Jove himself doth, Jove would ne'er be quiet; For every pelting petty officer

Would ufe his heav'n for thunder:

Nothing but thunder! Merciful Heav'n!

Thou rather with thy fharp and fulph'rous bolt

Split'ft the unwedgeable and gnarled oak,

Than the foft myrtle: O, but man! proud man!

Drefs'd in a little brief authority,

(Moft ignorant of what lies molt affur'd,
His glafly effence), like an angry ape,

Plays fuch fantaflic tricks before high heav'n,
As make the angels weep ;-Shakespeare.

Greatness.

FAREWELL, a long farewell to all my greatness!
This is the ftate of man; to day he puts forth
The tender leaves of hope; to morrow bloffoms,
And bears his blushing honors thick upon him;
The third day comes a froft, a killing frost;
And when he thinks, good easy man, full furely
His greatnefs is a ripening, nips his root;
And then he falls as I do. I have ventur'd,
Like little wanton boys, that fwim on bladders,
These many fummers in a fea of glory;

But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride
At length broke under me, and now has left me,
Weary and old with fervice, to the mercy
Of a rude stream, that muft forever hide me.
Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate you!-Idem.
SINCE by your greatnefs, you

Are nearer heav'n in place, be nearer it

In goodness. Rich men fhould tranfcend the poor
As clouds th' earth; rais'd by the comfort of
The fun, to water dry and barren grounds.-Tourneur.
THEY that are great and worthy to be fo,
Hide not their rays from meaneft plants that grow.
Why is the fun fet on a throne fo high,
But to give light to each inferior eye?
His radiant eyes diftribute lively grace

To all according to their worth and place;

And from the humble ground thefe vapours drain,

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Which are fent down in fruitful drops of rain.-Sir John

Beaumont.

OH greatnefs! bane of virtue and of honor!
Sure great and good can never meet in one.
Who would not rather wifh in homely cells,
Or meanest cottages to lead his life,

Where dwells content, ineftimmable prize!-Tracy.
WHAT a scene

Of folemn mockery is all human grandeur !
Thus worshipp'd, thus exalted by the breath
Of adulation, are my paffions footh'd?
My fecret pangs affwag'd? The peafant-hind
Who drives his camel o'er the burning wafte,
With heat and hunger fmote, knows happier days,
And founder nights than I.-Mallet.

THRICE happy they, who fleep in humble life,
Beneath the ftorm ambition blows. 'Tis meet
The great fhould have the fame of happiness,
The confolation of a little envy;

'Tis all their pay, for thofe fuperior cares,

Thofe pangs of heart, their vaffals ne'er can feel -Young. HE that becomes acquainted and is invefted with authority and influence, will in a fhort time be convinced, that, in proportion as the power of doing well is enlarged, the temptations to do ill are multiplied and enforced.― Rambler.

THE awe which great actions or abilities imprefs, will be inevitably diminished by acquaintance, though nothing either mean or criminal fhould be found; becaufe we do not eafily confider him as great whom our own eyes fhew us to be little; nor labour to keep prefent to our thoughts the latent excellencies of him who fhares with us all our weakneffes and many of our follies; who, like us, is delighted with flight amufements, bufied with trifling employments, and difturbed by little vexations.-Idler.

GREAT ONES.

be

THERE is nothing which I can fo reluctantly pardon in the great ones of this world, as the little value they entertain for the life of a man. Property, if feized or loft, may restored; and, without property, man may enjoy a thousand delightful pleafures of existence. The fun fhines as warmly on the poor as on the rich; and the gale of health breathes its balfam into the cottage cafement on the heath. no lefs fweetly and falubrioufly than into the portals of the palace. But can the lords of this world, who are fo lavish of the lives of their inferiors, with all their boafted power, give the cold heart to beat again, or relume the light of the eye once dimmed by the fhades of death? Accurfed defpots! Thew me your authority for taking away that which ye never gave, and cannot give; for undoing the work of God, and extinguishing the lamp of life, which was illuminated with a ray from heaven. Where is your charter to privilege murder? You do the work of fatan, who was a destroyer; and your right, if you poffefs any, must have originated from the father of mischief and mifery.-Spirit of Defpotifm.

"THE common people," fays a fenfible author, "generally think that great men have great minds, and scorn bafe actions; which judgment is fo falfe, that the bafeft and worst of actions