to preserve his life, can be confidered in no other light than that of a fuicide: for if he who gives a fword to one who he knows has an intention to kill, is as much guilty of murder as he whofe arm perpetrates the crime, the man that expofes himself to be put to death by others, is as properly a fuicide as he that dies by his own hand. Thus, in whatever point of view we confider this action, it must appear altogether undeferving of the high encomiums which have been lavianed upon it, both by antients and moderns. If we ascribe it to vainglory, it must appear contemptible and ridiculous. If we afcribe it to difguft of life, it muft appear cowardly and mean-fpirited; and the greateft admirers of this philofopher will find it hard to affign any other motive for his throwing away a life, which he might have faved.

Cato's putting an end to his life, has been reprefented as an extraordinary inftance of heroifm, and a proof that he could not bear to furvive the liberty of his country; but was, in reality, the effect of a ftoical pride, which made it infupportable to him to acknowledge a fuperior.

Canda terrarum fuba&ta fræter atrocem animum Catonis.

"Cæfar had conquered all the world; but could not fubdue the haughty foul of Cato."

HOR. This conduct, however, appears fo far from deferving praife, that it will hardly admit of an excufe. Though he could not preferve the fiberty of his country, he might have been serviceable to it, in checking and mitigating the tyranny of

Cæfar; and he would, by fo doing, have had as just a claim to the glorious name of patriot, as by restoring the commonwealth. But fuch influence had a false notion of honour upon his mind, that he put an end to his life when his country had moft occafion for it.

Suicide, the practice of which was frequent among the Stoicks, is warmly pleaded for by Seneca, who reprefents it as an effect of the higheft fortitude and magnanimity; yet it is felf-evident that it had its fource in vanity, and that they had recourse to it because it enabled them to put an end to the drama, when they could no longer fhine upon this sublunary stage.

It is hoped, that fuch confiderations as thefe may help to undeceive young perfons, who, led away by the force of prejudice, are liable to form erroneous opinions both of characters and actions.

Nothing, indeed, can be a stronger inftance of the contradictions fo trequently discoverable in human affairs, than that the deaths of Socrates and Cato fhould be so often reprefented to them as glorious and praife-worthy, when, exclufive of the arguments that might be alledged against them from the fuggettions of reafon, they are altoge ther inconfiftent with the fpirit of the religion we profefs. An intire acquiefcence in the will of God is the bafis of Chriftianity; whereas he that deprives himself of life af ferts a claim to independency, and renounces his allegiance to the Sovereign of the universe.

MR

"R. de Montmagny had nothing to object to fuch reasonable obfervations. He expreffed his approbation of what the Indian had faid, and observed, in his turn, that a peace with the Iroquois would be, at least, as advantageous to the nation of Hurons as to the French colony. In the mean time, father de Brebeuf having profeffed an cager defire to return to his church, from whence he had come down the river to Quebec, upon the most preffing occafion, he fupplied him and two new milionaries with a guard, or escorte, for his protection. Thus fecured, they arrived in fafety among the Hurons; who, being af fembled in council, refolved to fend the two prisoners to the French governor. He had already releafed the other, whom the Algonquins had put into his hands. The cantons of the Iroquois, in order to manifeft their inclination to peace, fent back to him the Frenchman, called La Couture, who had accompanied father Jogues in his captivity; and with him came deputies from the cantons, vefted with full powers to treat, and even conclude a pacification.

As foon as Mr. de Montmagny understood they were arrived at Trois Rivieres, he went thither, and gave them audience in the fort, the area of which was covered with fail-cloth, by way of doing them. the greater honour. He himself fat in an elbow-chair, furrounded by

his officers, and all the principal inhabitants of the colony; and the deputies of the Iroquois, being five in number, were, at their own requeft, feated on a matt at his feet, in order to fhew their refpect for Ononthio, whom they ever dignified with the appellation of father. The Algonquins, Mountaineers, Attikanacquis, and other Indian tribes, ftood oppofite to the governor; but the Hurons mixed with the French. The middle space was left unoccupied, that they might have room to perform their evolutions; for these conferences are a kind of comedies, where many fenfible remarks are made, with a thoufand ridiculous gefticulations. The Iroquois had brought along with them seventeen great belts of Wampum†, and hung them in order upon a string, stretched between two poles, which they had fixed for the purpose. The previous ceremony being adjusted, the orator of the cantons rofe, and prefenting one of the belts of Wampum to Mr. de Montmagny, expreffed himself to this effect:

"Ononthio, give ear unto my words: all the nations of the Iro quois fpeak through my lips. My heart is a ftranger to evil thoughts, and all my defigns are righteous. We defire to forget our war-fong, and learn the fongs of joy and peace."

So faying, he began to fing, and his colleagues joined in the chorus, by pronouncing the interjection he!

be!

be! which they pronounced with a kind of cadence, hawked, as it were, from the very bottom of their breasts. At the fame time they ran about the place, skipping and dancing with the moit ludicrous buffoonry. The orator, having frequently thrown up his eyes to heaven, and rubbed his arms, as if he had been anointing himself for wrestling, refumed his first compofure, and his fpeech, in these words: "With this belt I thank thee, father, for having saved the life of our brother. Thou ha'ft snatched him from the jaws of the Algonquins: but wherefore didft thou let him depart alone? If his canoe had been overset, who would have helped him to have fet it to rights? If he had been drowned, or perished by any other accident, thou wouldst have heard nothing of peace, and perhaps blamed him for a fault which thou thyself hadft committed?"

In pronouncing these words, he hung his belt upon the cord, took another, and tying it round Couture's arm, "Father, (faid he) this belt brings home thy fubject; but I was far from faying to him, Nephew, take a canoe, and return home to thy own country. I fhould never have enjoyed peace of mind, until I had heard of his fafe arrival. Our brother, whom thou fenteft back, fuffered a great deal, and ran many hazards. He was obliged to carry his own bundle, to fwim all day, drag his canoe over rapid riffs, and be always on his guard againft furprize."

These words he accompanied with the most fignificant geftures: fometimes he mimicked the action of a man working a canoe with a'pole; sometimes he seemed to hug hard at

an oar; then he panted as if he had been out of breath: then he paused, as if to recover ftrength. He afterwards, in imitating a man carrying a burden, feemed to ftrike his toe against a stone, and walked limping along, as if he had been grievously hurt. After all this mimickry, he added, Truly, father, I don't know what was become of thy dif cretion, to fend away one of thy children thus alone, without affiftance. I did not behave in that manner to Couture; but faid to him, Come, nephew, follow me; I wil reftore thee to thy family, at the hazard of my life."

The other belts were ufed in like manner, to confirm the different parts of his difcourfe: one was to level and mend the roads, another to calm the river, a third to bury the hatchet: the reft were to render propitious their future intercourse ; to promote mutual feafting; to eftablifh an alliance among all the nations; to forward the defign they had to bring back the fathers Jogues and Breffani; to teftify the longing defire they had to see these holy mil fionaries; to demonftrate the favourable reception they should meet with among the cantons; and to exprefs their gratitude for the release of the three Iroquois prifoners.

The orator, after having performed this important part for three whole hours without intermiflion, was the firft to join in the dancing and finging, which concluded their firft conference.

It is not the cuftom of the Indians, to make proposals and hear anfwers at one fitting: the chevalier de Montmagny, therefore, appointed another day for his reply, when the affembly was as numerous as at their

tuous feaft; and they were fo pleafed with the good chear, that they made abundance of proteftations, in which however thofe people are not always fincere.

Next day the deputies fet out on their return to their own country, accompanied by two Frenchmen, two Hurons, and two Algonquins ; but they left three Iroquois, as hoftages for the performance of articles.

first meeting. The governor returned a prefent for every belt he bad received; and Couture, who underftood the Indian language, harangued the chiefs in a grave continued fpeech, fuch as became the interpreter of the governor of Quebec. When he had finished his speech, a famous Algonquin chief, called Pieskaret, renowned for his extraordinary valour, rofe up, and having made his prefent to the deputies, "There (faid he) is a ftone, which I lay upon the grave of those who were flain in the courfe of the war, that nobody may difturb their ashes, or ever think of revenging their deaths.

Then Negabamat, chief of the Mountaineers, prefented an elk's ikin, to make shoes for the Iroquois deputies, that they might not hurt their feet in their return to their own home.

The conference was concluded with firing three cannon, which the governor faid would give notice that the peace was re-established.

The fuperior of the Jefuits entertained the deputies with a fump

The treaty was ratified by the canton of Agnier, the only tribe which had declared and carried on an open war; and the fix perfons who accompanied the ambaffadors were fent back, with intreaties, that miffionaries fhould be employed to convert them to Chriflianity. Father Breffani, who had juft arrived at Quebec, earnestly defired that he might be again fent on this mitlion; and even carried on a queft for the benefit of his old tormentors, tó fhew them in what manner the religion of Chrift teaches his followers to revenge injuries: but this fublime doctrine was not at all fuited to the difpofition of such barbarians. [To be continued]

the earth, we preserve, till the midst of autumn, the vigour which we receive in the fpring of life! when winter comes, we lofe it! Power, riches, grandeur, exempt none from the decay to which human nature is fubjected! We vainly endeavour to hide from ourselves thefe melancholy truths! Thofe terrors and infirmities which accompany old age, have the fame effect upon us, that winter, froft, and fnow have upon the fields. Indeed, if, as winter deprives the forefts of their verdure, age could

deliver us from thofe cruel paffions, which it is harder to fubdue than to fill the boisterous waves of the fea, we might then enjoy that tranquil Try and repa e, which we can never hope for amidst the tumult of unru paffions. But though we daily it the most robust state of health, and the brightest beauty, blafted by the irresistible force of time, we always retain our errors and our weakDefies. The ambitious man, though finking under the weight of years, fill liftens to the flattering voice of fortune. The miser, at the hour of

death, feels lefs regret at parting with life than with his ufelefs treafures: and he who in youth has devoted himself to love, languishes for a mistress when he has one foot in the grave.. The mind always retains a tafte for pleasure, almost as feducing as actual enjoyment. In order to obtain true felicity, we fhould endeavour to fet bounds to our defires. In youth, we fhould arm ourselves againft the vain inquietudes of love; in manhood, against the turbulenceof ambition; and in old age, against avarice and the dread of death.

GENTLEMEN,

You

YOU will, no doubt, think the following story scarcely credible; tho', I affure you, it is almoft literally fact. Mr. John B. and Mr. Frederic H. were very intimate friends, and had adjoining eftates, washed by a large river, very liable to overflow its banks, which they, were obliged therefore to heighten, and keep in conftant repair. Mr. B.'s eftate was worth 10,000l. a year, and Mr. H.'s worth 1000l. and both of them lived nearly up to their incomes. Mr. H. having neglected the banks on his estate, suffered the river to break in; and having spent all his ready cash in endeavouring to ftop, the breach, applied to his friend to help him in his need. Mr. B. freely gave him all the ready money he was in poffeffion of; yet Frederic, not contented, ftill demanded more; and even prevailed on Mr. B. to raise a fum in his behalf, by mortgaging part of his lands, to fave him from mortgaging any of his own eftate. Mr. B. in the mean time, neglecting the repairs of his own banks, from his affiduity in ferving his friend, was

foon obliged to spend large fums in repairing a breach on his own eftate; yet Mr. H. ftill continued to demand fresh fums from him, which Mr. B. was fo generous as to part with, tho', in order to raise them, he was obliged to burden his eftate with new mortgages. When both breaches were at length fully repaired, Mr. H.'s eftate was as intire as before the breaking in of the river, exclufive of the devaltation which the overflowing had made; but the generous Mr. B. found himself burdened with a mortgage of more than one third of his whole revenue.

Many of your readers will doubtlefs cenfure Mr. B. from an opinion that fuch an inftance of imprudent conduct cannot be paralleled in all hiftory; but their cenfures will fall ultimately upon themfelves; for mu tato nomine de illis fabula narratur. In what other light can the conduct of this nation be looked upon, in regard. to our foreign allies, for thefe seventy years paft? Which of them, either antient or modern, in confequence of the wars they have been engaged in, conjunctly with us, have mort

gaged