TO CORRESPONDENTS. The Elegy by W. which was promised in our laft, we have lately Seen in a country newspaper. When we can select nothing better, we may probably give it a new edition. Several poetical pieces have arrived, and shall receive due attention. We have obtained no addition to Mariano's former communication ; and we think proper to delay its publication, till the article fhall be enlarged. Canute's "Effay on the pride of Kings," is merely a chaos of words. Jack Seemly's "Virago," we think, is a very unseemly compo fition. ERRATA IN OUR LAST. Page 8, line 4, from the bottom; for "in whofe fulness;" read, " in comparison of whofe fulness." Page 9, line 10, for "God," read "gods." Page 22, line 6, from the bottom; erafe the period, and unite the two fentences into one. THE MONTHLY ANTHOLOGY, FOR DECEMBER, 1803. FOR THE MONTHLY ANTHOLOGY. REMARKS ON THE FINE ARTS. "Such various blifs the well-tun'd heart enjoys, THE Fine Arts, in America, have not made a very rapid pro grefs, nor is their establishment very broad in any particular State. We do not mention this as a matter of furprise, notwithftanding it is our ardent defire to promote their progress among us, as it cannot be expected that the fame correct tafte fhould prevail here, as in the elder focieties of the world, where popular refinement is the refult of luxury, and luxury is the offspring of extreme wealth and old habits. That the natives of America have a strong genius, when they think it is neceffary to call it forth, is exemplified in many inftances, but particularly in those of Weft, Stuart, Copeley and Trumbull, who are all painters of high and deserved fame. Mr. Weft is the existing Prefident of the Royal Academy of London, where he has given many proofs of the strength of his imagination and the foundness of his judgment. The writer of this (who is a Briton) has had the honour of knowing Mr. Weft intimately, and has frequently converfed with him upon the best means of introducing the love of painting in general, and histor ical painting in particular, into this country, Mr. Stuart, who was the pupil of Mr. Weft, is now refiding among us, in the State of Pennfylvania. When this gentleman. left Great-Britain, it was confidered as a public lofs, as his excellence in taking a likeness was beyond comparison. The principal work he has done here, was the whole length portrait of General Washington, a copy of which was fent to the Marquis of Lanfdowne, and is very much admired by all the connoiffeurs of Europe, who have feen it. It has been remarked, as the ftriking excellence of Mr. Stuart, that he paints portraits in a more determined and unsophisticated manner, than any of the more pro'minent artists now exifting in London or Paris; he has more decifion in his manner, than either the late Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir William Beechy, Mr. Hoppner, or Mr. Shee; and he seems to have copied the excellencies of Vandyke with more accuracy, than any other painter of modern times. It is to be lamented, that a greater promptitude to the promotion of the Fine Arts has not been shown by his countrymen, in a due encouragement of fo great a man in this his native land. Some spirited perfons in the city of New-York have generously entered into a fubfcription to form a school of defign for the purpofe of affording a place of study to thofe young gentlemen, who may wish to copy the best imitations of the antique; and we fervently hope, that this noble example may be speedily followed in the other States of the Union. (To be continued.) For the MONTHLY ANTHOLOGY. Arguments against abolishing Duelling. TO MR. HECTOR MOWBRAY. MY DEAR HECTOR, IAM highly gratified with your intention of continuing a mong us the honourable practice of duelling, under whatever modifications prudence may fuggeft. To abolish it would be attended with almost incalculable evils. I can conceive of many, which every man of fenfe will readily admit, and to which men of reflection will add others. I hope you will join me in opinion, and endeavour to avert the mischief by procuring the publication of the loose hints I have fubjoined. One strong objection, in my mind, to the abolition of the prac tice of duelling, is that it favours too much of innovation. I acknowledge with every rational man, that the innovations of the prefent age have generally been favourable to the rights of man; that the Altar had become a Baflile, and the Bible, but a text book of spiritual tyrants, were reasons fufficient to overturn the one, and to burn the other. But when we have arrived to our natural state of perfection, why urge we experiments, which it is demonftrable, will terminate in the chaos, from which we have juft efcaped. This is making fociety the rock of Syfiphus, and tumbling it from the height, to which the wits have raised it. Our good, pious folks have been raging through their lives at innovation; and why fhould they now put the joke on us? When duelling is all the vogue, when challenges at Congress are as common as Messages, and even our Great Man would support it, (could he fight by proxy,) why fhould we tamely refign this privilege of men of honour fooner than the king would abandon the prerogative of making war and peace ? One great evil, which would immediately refult from the abolition of duelling, would be the licentioufnefs of flander. The mere fports of levity would at onee be attacked with the fatire of Juvenal, and the bulls of our puritanic Popes. Gaming would be called the fwindling of polite life, the petty intrigues and revels of our young men would be damned, as the accurfed effervefcence of unregenerate minds, and our Courts of Juftice would be converted into inquifitions upon lewdness. I am ready to allow there is, at present, but little of hypocritical fanctity in converfation; but if it were unrestrained by the fear of men of spirit, it would run out into a libel upon good manners. I am as willing to agree, that there is but little purity of life among us; but there are ftill anchorets enough to preach as Nathan did to David, if we give any indulgence to the cant and fnivellings of our good kind of folks. The confequence would be fuch a reftriction of conduct, as would deftroy felfgovernment. The dull reign of prefbyterian fournefs would be |