difpenfable; and alike practifed by a Clarendon, or an Oxford, by Walpole, and by North.

ADMINISTRATION.

When I have thus finished the portrait of the minifter, I may be faid in it to have comprehended almost the whole admini stration. Mr Pitt," with Atlantean fhoulders," fupports the incumbent weight of the monarchy, and ftands, like Ajax, fingle and alone, amidft hofts of furrounding enemies. One, and one only friend, appears, decorated with the infignia of legal dignity, to oppose, in another Houfe, the attacks of oppofition. Where-ever elfe I look, I fee only a vaft vacuity; a vacuity where no talents, no power of oratory, no ftrength of intellect, illumiminate the darkness, or cheer the gloom! The names of a Sydney, and a Carmarthen, can only be tranfmitted to future times, by being involved in the illuftrious train of Pitt, and must be preferved from oblivion by mixing in his radiance, They may" pursue the triumph, and partake the gale;" but never can mingle in the fplendour of the renown: too happy if their want of ability fcreen them from investigation! A Jenkinson, and a Dundas, may indeed fupply the defects of the Cabinet, in either House of Parliament; but England was not accuftomed, in better times, to fee the foreign in terefts of her crown thus abandoned, and thus neglected, in every court in Europe, and every quarter of the globe.

It is not fufficient for men who affume and undertake to conduct the affairs of nations, that they poffefs probity and good intentions. Talents and applica tion must mark them out from among the crowd of nobility who furround the throne, and intitle them to occupy the dangerous eminences of ftate: nor can any adventitious decorations of rank, or illuftrious birth, be admitted as a compen. fation for this inherent and incurable defect.

Yet, under thefe vices of the admini. ftration, and incompetent as it muft perhaps be confidered to propel the languid wheels of government in many of its moft effential operations; fuftained as it ap pears to be by the gigantic and fingle talents of one individual, ftill in early youth; dependent not, only on his life, but on the life of others, by whofe de. mife he could no longer be in a fituation to prefide in the Houfe of Commons, where his lofs or abfence would be com

pletely irreparable-Thus precarious, and thus defective as it must be allowed, yet its duration appears to have no visible or even probable limits. It refts on the two great and fubftantial foundations of the unquestionable favour of the Crown, and the equally undifputed opinions of the people. Perhaps I might add, without feverity, that it is propped and fuftained by a third circumstance; the difinclination of the greater part of the inhabitants of Great Britain to the component members of the laft adminiftration; and an opinion generally diffused, (whether true or falfe, I fhall not ftop to examine), that there is in that great party more splendour of talents, than rectitude of intention, or principles of political virtue. Mr Fox.

At the head of that great band denominated the Oppofition,' and compofed of fo motley materials, as no longer to be reducible to any fixed colour or form, appears Mr Fox; and near him, co-ordinate, but not co-equal, his once great antagonist, though now his friend and fellow-labourer, Lord North.-It would be mockery to regard the Duke of Portland, however refpectable and excellent in his private character, other than the pageant of a party, round whom the chieftains affemble: -The Lord Rockingham of 1787; and distinguished by nearly fimilar endowments of heart and of understanding with that departed Marquis. If I place Mr Fox foremoft in this lift, it is, that though inferior in nominal rank to Lord North, he is far fuperior to him in all thofe qualities which demand, or which acquire dominion over the minds of men.

Not more liberally endowed by nature with the graces of external figure, or with the elegance of manner and addrefs, than his rival Mr Pitt, he has yet an unknown and undefcribable fomething, which pervades the darkness of his complexion, and fheds a fort of luftre across his faturnine features. Whether it can be termed a smile, I will not venture to affert; but it certainly has the effect upon the heart which fimiles are calculated to produce, that of infpiring confidence, and exciting complacency. Defcended from a Monarch diftinguished by this peculiar and characteristic excellence of face, he may perhaps claim an hereditary title to it. Son to a nobleman, as much marked out by public obloquy and

ac

accufation, whether juftly or unjustly acquired, as Lord Chatham was by general favour and admiration, he cannot look for protection to paternal virtues, or plead the patriotism and difintereftedness of the House of Holland.

Unequalled in the arts of attaching mankind to his person and fortunes; ftea dy and fervent in his friendships; open and avowed in his enmities; never abandoning those, under any circumftances, to whom he is bound by political ties, he is defigned by nature for the chief of a party. Educated in the school of political learning, brought into the fenate before he had attained to manhood, and joining a long experience to the vigour of natural talents; he may be confidered as confummate in all that detail of knowledge, only to be acquired by an early initiation into the myfteries of a democratical government. Poffeffing powers of eloquence, lefs copious and brilliant, but perhaps more folid and logical than thofe of Mr Pitt, he is equally formed to captivate, to convince, and to fubdue. Skilled either to entrench himself in almost impregnable faftnesses; or to carry the thunders of the war into the lines of the enemy, he can with the fame facility imitate Scipio or Fabius: he can adopt the Confular dignity, or the Tribunitian rage. Abandoned in the more early ftages of his life to the frenzy of play, and to all the diffipations of youth and unlimited profufion; a portion of thofe defects and errors accompanies his riper years, and fullies the luftre of his endow. ments. So far from being like his more fortunate rival, indifferent to the company, or fuperior to the blandifhments of women, Mr Fox does not blush to ap. pear with the companion of his fofter hours, in a phaeton in Hyde Park, or in the first rows of a crowded theatre. Convivial in his nature, and open to focial pleasures, he confirms his political triumph over the mind, by his private and perfonal conquest of the heart. Bold and decided, even to temerity, in his conduct as a minifter, he is capable, by turns, of aggrandifing, or of diminishing the power of the crown; and of juftify ing by reafons and arguments the moft plaufible, the measure, of whatever nature, which he fhall have feen fit to adopt. -Generous and beneficent in his difpofi tion, placable and forgiving in his tem. per, his political enmities extend not be yond the limits of a debate, or the walls

of a House of Commons. Equal to his antagonist in all the fublime talents requifite for the government of an empire; fuperior to him in modern and polite knowledge; in an acquaintance with Europe, its manners, its courts, and its languages; he is his inferior only in one requifite; an opinion of his public principle, generally diffused among the people. When to this great and inherent defect is fuperadded the unquestionable alienation of his Sovereign, both to his perfon and his party; we may lament, but we cannot be furprised, that abilities fo univerfal and fublime are left unemployed, and are permitted "to wafte their sweetness on the defert air."

Lord NORTH.

From this illuftrious and fhining character, by an obvious and natural tranfition, we pafs to Lord North: a nobleman once high in the confidence of his Sovereign, and poffeffed of more than ministerial power for a term of near twelve years; now a monument of departed greatnefs,

"Fallen, fallen, fallen, fallen, Fallen, from his high estate;" and compelled to take shelter from oblivion and infignificance, under the protecting fhield of that party, who pursued him with unrelenting violence, and hunted him at laft into the toils! Having raifed the banner of revolt against the very prince whom he had fo long ferved, and from whose bounty he had derived fo many advantages, it is not to that draw. ing room, of which he was once the ornament, that he can ever again look for an afylum. Employment it is indeed poffible that he may obtain; but confidence must be for ever extinct. Endowed with almoft all the attainments, or abilities, which can enliven fociety, or diffuse mirth and feftivity through private life; formed to charm his friends, and to difarm even his enemies, by powers of humour and ridicule unequalled, he was deficient in all the fterner virtues and qualities of a minifter and a ftatefman. Vigour, energy, coercion, principle-thefe were unhappily wanting; and their defect entailed on this unfortunate country a war, in which her glory was loft, her dominions and provinces torn from her on every fide, and her public credit exhaufted, undermined, and fhaken to its foundation. But let me refpect the ashes of the politically

dead,

dead, and tread lightly over them! Per. fonally and individually amiable, though an object of public cenfure, his private virtues yet extend fome protection to his unfheltered head, and claim, even amid the wreck of an empire, our esteem and our affection.

OPPOSITION.

I fhall content myself with characterifing the genius of Oppofition, and marking its outline, without defcending to a delineation of its lefs prominent features. -The eccentric, and ill-regulated ima. gination of a Burke, unreftrained in its wild exceffes by temper and judgement, is not calculated to add ftrength to that party, however it may frequently dazzle by its illufive brilliancy. But I fhould indeed be deficient, if I did not pay the tribute of one line, to fo rare and fo matchlefs a combination of talents, as meet in a Sheridan. There, a temperate and a winning elocution, sustained by claffic elegance, adorned with dramatic and poetic images and allufions, pointed with the keeneft irony, and rifing, when neceffary, into the nobleft animation, conípire to render him one of the most confpicuous leaders of parliamentary debate.

MRS ELIZABETH,

I Have long beene an earneft fuitor to

your honour and deferts, that I might be admitted an humble fuitor to your fweete felfe: now, after many ftriveings and wrestlings, I have almost prevailed. My next fuit is, that your dearest felfe would comply with your deareft parents defires and mine: they are most ready to part with a great part of their eftate for your fake, and I moft willinge to place all my joyes and delights in You alone. Now it is, or will fodainely be, in your fole power to dath and fruftrate, or crowne all my endeavours: hereby you will make me a moft happy man, and yourself (I hope) a no leffe happy spouse. Well, fweete Mrs Elizabeth, be not VOL. XLIX.

afraide to venture on me: as you have a moft tender father, and a moft indulgent mother, fo lett me, that I think Providence kept for you, furnish you with a very, very lovinge hufband. Could you reade my moft inmost thoughts, you would foon anfwere love with love. I here promife you, and will make good this promife againe (when that happy daye comes) on holy ground, that I will love and honour you.

Knowe, this is my virgin request, the firft request in earnett that ever came from my lippes or pen: my eyes have feene many yonge gallants and virgins, but Mrs Elizabeth is the delight of my eyes. Others of your fexe have beene acceptable, and fome precious in my eyes; but you, and you only, have been, and ftill are, the pearle in my eyes.

Amongst all the works of God, I delight moft in beholdinge (the fun excepted) an amiable countenance; and fuch is yours, or none in thefe parts of England. Your face is a mappe of beauties, your gentle breaft a cabinett of vertues, and your whole felfe a cluster of all the choifeft delicacies: but, in plaine English, not your pleafinge afpect, nor well-fea tured perfon, nor admired excellencies, tions on you, but your love (or this I nor weighty portion, faftened my affechave beene long perfwaded) to a man (myfelf I mean) fo undeferving it.

of a good wife, though unworthy of you. As for myfelfe, I am thought worthy Thefe pretty toyes, called husbands, are fuch rare commodities in this age, that I can woe and winne wifes by the dozens. I knowe not any gentlewoman in thefe parts, but would kiffe a letter from my hands, reade it with joye, and then laye it up next her hart as a treasure; but I will not trye their courtefies, except I

find you difcourteous.

My laft requeft is this, take a turne in private, then read this letter againe, and imagine the penman at your elbow. Next laye your hand upon your hart, and refolve to faye Amen to my defires. If fo, 1 fhall accept your portion with the left hand, but your lovely perfon with the right. Portions I can have enough to my minde in other places, but not a wife to my minde in any place of the wide world but at MALDEN. I hope, therefore, no place fhail furnish you with a husband but KINGSTONE, where lives in hope, your most hearty friend and fervant,

THOMAS BOURMAN.

From my Chamber, Dec. 2. 1644.

D

NEW

THI

HIS ingenious publication is divided into three parts. In the first part the author (to whom the public are already indebted for a small treatife intitled, First Principles of Philofophy, and their application to the subjects of Tafte, Science, and Hiftory) inquires into the history of Ethics, ancient and modern; in part 2d he treats fully of the principles of Natural Philofophy; and in part 3d confiders the science of Ethics on a very copious fcale, intersperfing throughout many curious obfervations on the fcientific or inductive hiftory of moral phenomena. The following extract will ferve as a fpecimen of the Author's manner of writing, and will no doubt be acceptable to our readers.

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Of Moral Obligation.

"If the laws of Nature are diftinguished from each other by their characters, they are not lefs fo by their effects or confequences. Gravitation has its effects or confequences in the mechanical arts of life; circulation, its effects and confequences in the animal œconomy; probi. ty, juftice, and benevolence, their effects in the conduct of life.

In phyfics, after the laws of Nature were difcovered and defcribed, the confequences of their application were obferved in the ufeful arts. In ethics, after difcovering the law, we have to trace its confequences in the mind itself, and in the actual fituation of mankind. If it fhall be found, that by becoming the Spirit of the difpofitions of the mind, it both refines and annexes pleasure to them, if it shall likewife be found, that where it becomes the measure of actions, it both refines them and confers the ap. probation of mankind; then in the ef fects of the law we can read the most complete proof of its character and operation in nature.

Science and common life have employ. ed the term moral obligation to defcribe the effects of the moral law; and give the happiness which refults from the obfervation of it, and the mifery which fprings from the violation of it, as the reafon why this ftrong language should defcribe the effects of this law of nature.

I. PROBITY, or the difpofition to acknowledge the rights of mankind in its effects, difcovers a fcale of virtues which are accompanied with pleasure, and a correfponding fcale of vices which are accompanied with pain. The obligation to obferve it arifes from poffeffing, the firft, and avoiding the last.

The following terms may be used to mark the fcale of virtues comprehended in the law of probity,-innocence, candour, liberality, and friendship.

I. Innocence feems to arife from the perception of rights common to all men, and is a tendency of the mind to abstain from the smallest violation of them. A man is faid to be innocent in common life, when he not only refifts every temptation, to private vices, but when he fhews the fame difpofition with respect to the rights of others. Innocence is fometimes viewed as conftitutional, oppofed to the innocence which is dictated by felf-command. The former kind hardly deferves the name of virtue, the latter only proceeds from proper views of probity. The captive, who pled, that he never had refufed, affiftance to the wretched, and that the afked only the preservation of her honour, which was more facred to her than her life," had the innocence which firft felt the rights of others, and pled this feeling as a reafon for preferving her own. The hero, who faid, "That his paffions for bade him to hear her players, but reafon and the Gods faid they were just," had the felf-command to perceive and acknowledge the rights of the unhappy. This virtue is followed by the approbation of the mind and of mankind.

2. Candour rifes in actual life, as a fucceeding virtue comprehended in the law of probity. It feems to be founded on the perception of rights common to all men, and is an acknowledgement, that difpofitions to encroach on them exift, or of actual invafions of them. Candour of the first kind is an easy and a common virtue. It is eafy to allow that mankind have felfish paffions; that they frequently liften rather to them than to judgement. Such acknowledgement of the general defects of human nature is candid, but requires no great effort of probity,

probity. Candour of the second kind is more difficult. To fay that a man has been the flave of an appetite, is to confefs that he is a fenfualift; to fay that he fecretly wishes the destruction of a rival, is to confefs inferiority and felfifhnefs; to say that he has infringed on the rights of another, is to overcome fhame, and allow that he is defective in the virtues which claim the confidence and efteem of mankind. Cicero thus defcribes Catiline -"He was a foe to the republic by his paffions, he schemed its ruin by arms, and yet with effrontery took his place in the fenate." Candour would have allow ed the guilt, and restored him to the approbation of his own mind and to the opinion of the public.

3. Liberality is a higher link in the chain of probity. It is founded on the perception of rights common to all men, and marks the difpofition to allow every man to improve his rights. The feelings of the heart here begin to appear, and to extend to those over whom we feel a fuperiority." A Roman Knight faw his flave weeping, and asked him if he was forrowful because he was a slave. No, faid the captive, but because I once was free. The man who loves freedom fhould have been born a Roman, said the liberal republican; but, as he was not, a Roman can make him free." The fuperiority of fituation here gave a field for the liberali ty which felt the equal rights of a flave, and overcame self-interest to make an inferior happy.

Liberality in manners affumes a varie ty of aspects. Civility from a fuperior fmooths over the arbitrary diftinctions of rank; among equals it gives to the intercourse of life confidence and friend. fhip; from inferiors it difpofes to good offices. In actual life men feel thefe truths, and under the title of politenefs, fubftitute the affectation of civility; but the mask is contemptible. Liberality is accompanied with the approbation of the mind and of mankind.

4. Friendship is founded on a perception of equal rights, and is a kind of double liberality: It begins with kind nefs in the one party, and is nourished by gratitude in the other. Cicero fays, it is the mutual defire of mankind to promote the happiness of each other. Sometimes, indeed, it is produced by accidents; fometimes it is an afpect of the law of probity. Such accidents as inAtincts and confanguinity produce friend.

fhip, which habit confirms and raises to the kindeft affection. "I trained my fon for war, I taught him indifference to pain, and my enemies tremble for him," was the parental eulogium of a Barbarian. "He was my fword, when I could not yet wield one; I will meet his enemies when he fhall be too old to go to battle," was gratitude from the remembrance of protection

Friendship may arife from the effect of probity only. An honeft heart has no feeling fo ftrong as gratitude, and a li beral one none fo ftrong as the delicacy with which it receives it.

The virtues comprehended in the law of probity thew, in the most obvious manner, its effects or confequences. Innocence feels the rights of human nature, it abstains from injuring them, and is followed by felf-approbation. Candour allows the fame rights, and admits of the felfish paflions which may lead to the violation of them; or that thefe paffions have in particular cafes predominated, and it is followed by felf-complacency. Liberality allows the rights of mankind, and is attended not only with the satisfaction of having deferved efteem, but with the actual reception of it; while friendship makes the rights of its object equally matters of regard with its own, and marks a mind that is innocent, candid, liberal, and fufceptible of the vir tues which enfure the happiness of human nature. The sum of the enjoyment from thefe virtues forms the obligation to obferve them, and is the natural fanc tion of the law of probity.

The enjoyments which accompany the obfervance of the law of probity are not the only obligations to the practice of it. The fum of the fullerings from the oppo. fite vices must be added to make up the whole of the obligation.

1. Violence difregards the equal claims to rights of life or induftry, and feizes the moment when it can successfully encroach on them. Shame, in the mind itself, accompanies its detection, and contempt or punishments are inflicted by the world.

2. Diffimulation either explains away the existence of defects or vices, or arrogates an exemption from them. It af fumes the afpects of virtue, and fuccefffully impofes on the credulous. It is attended with remorfe, and, when detected, with the diftrust of mankind.

3. Illiberality, prompted by felfith or DA malignant