bright exemplars, which history and real life propose to us, we muft acknowledge that virtue was the basis of their immortal deeds. In this comprehensive term, are comprized the feveral duties of temperance, moderation, The induftry, and fortitude. practice of these our felf-love will fufficiently recommend : our obligations hereto can never be rendered nugatory: the laws of of felf government are eternal. Obedience to thefe laws, not to mention the catalogue of benevolent virtues, that respect our treatment of mankind, was well enforced by the inimitable Addison; whofe elegant writings, breathing the fpirit, they were intended to diffeminate, effected a happy reformation in the world of letters, and will stand a perpetual monument of virtuous and refined taste. Similar to his were the principles, that fupported those antient fystems of education, whofe rigid economy affrighteth us, effeminate moderns, but which formed their fons to rule mankind. Be hold the Cæfars and Catos of antiquity! Did not virtue form the bafis of their glory? Did not fhe weave the garlands of their fame? Say not, because ambition led fome of them to enflave their country, and others to end their own existence, when liberty expired, that, therefore their laurels were unmerited. But rather, for the honour of humanity, admire and imitate their vaft magnanimity, and their avowed paffion for true glory. The ghoft of books, however, fhall not continually haunt us. Do we need stimuli? Advert, ye rifing candidates for glory, to the American fun, and thofe other fhining orbs, that irradiate our Columbian world. Guided by their luminous example, embark for greatnefs. Follow as they did, the light of native genius. Practife, as they have done, upon the unchangeable rules of virtue; not merely for the pleasures thence refulting to you, in this life, but for the ineftimable reverfion of a deathless fame. THE ADOLESCENTULUS. SOLDIERS. A BRITISH TALE. (Continued from page 402.) "After my recent experience, hafty confidence would betray blameable credulity, and I am aware that to ftruggle would be as vain, as the attempt would be unwife; but though I declare credulity would be weaknefs, I feel that to judge untried would be morally unjuft. I am difpofed to hope, after the facred appeal I have made, that the prefcience of countenance will not mislead, and I think in your's 1 fee the open lines of candour." As Mrs. Marfhall faid this her eye beam rested on Rodolpho, whofe countenance dilated to meet her inquiry; he did not wifh to escape its penetrating power. "To juftify the fhade of fufpicion that enfhrouds my mind, I must inform you of the cause of its intrufion. It is a guest I would willingly get rid off; my mind is not conftructed for its * Washington. This effay was written in 1789. Edit. accommodation. But we are all the creatures of circumstance, and often too much influenced by our immediate feelings to reafon coolly. "I have been unworthily treated....plundered! and as my fpirit at this moment fwells indignant at fuch licentious abufe of power, my heart melts with the tenderness of regret that it is Englishmen whom I muft accufe. My breaft has ever felt a dereliction in their favour. But it is a painful acknowledgment, that, during this unfortunate war, I have with an eye that wifhed to follow the operations of its natural and ancient character, fought in vain for that unfophifticated candour covering a benevolent heart; that bravery which danger, nor difficulty could appal, corrected by honour, and tempered by mercy, which in paft times impelled my admiration, and attracted my friendship. "War exhibits more traits of character than fuperficial obfervers penetrate; there is fcarcely a virtue but it may give exercife to; and do the manly virtues ever fo forcibly feize our better affections, as when they appear to be emanations from valour? The experience of a foldier allows a great difplay of character. The popular quality valour is not the leaft fubject to alloy. Comprehensive virtue must temper and reftrain it, or it degenerates into the paffion of a brute. "As well might we term the ferocious cruelty of the tyger, who to fatisfy the fupreme calls of nature tears open the defencelefs breaft of the innocent lamb, travery i as we might term thofe men valiant, who enter the dwelling of peace, plunder the unprotected, and attempt the purity of the fpotlefs maid. My experience is not the firft evidence, during the war, that has exhibited their decline from their ancient valour and virtue. "Thefe evils I have this morning endured from a party of British. They treated me moft indignantly; they would have torn my child from me, and led her to compelled corruption; but a mother's voice, through which nature fpcke, arrefted their efforts. I refcued my child, and after plundering, they left me only two hours before your troop arrived, which we miftook for them returned, and fled affrighted at your approach. "My daughter fainted; nature was fo long before the refumed her functions, I feared my child had quitted me for ever; then it was the voice of maternal love, moaning o'er the only tie that holds me to humanity, attracted your ear." "I feel," faid Rodolpho, "the honour of the British flag, wantonly tarnished by fuch conduct....I hold it in abhorrence...I have, unchecked by the prefence of power, expreffed my forrow at fuch proofs of depravity, and my indignation that they paffed unpunished; when they have come under my immediate obfervation, I have fearlefsly repreffed them. "Your indignation, madam, is the impulfe of virtue; and while I revere the heart that laments, rather than reviles; that compaffionates, rather than denounces vengeance, I am confoled by the affurance, that an oppofite experience will refufcitate in your breaft your paft dereliction in favour of the British character. You have faid, you will not judge us untried; we will endeavour to convince you, though Britain has fons over whofe actions it may be our duty to draw a veil, that there are yet fome whose conduct fhall, at mid-day, invite, rather than reprefs, the fcrutiny even of the microscopic eye of fufpicion." "We are in your power, gentlemen," faid Mrs. M." and if my penetration do not deceive me, you will ufe it temperately. I hear the footsteps of my fervant; fhe has long fuperintended my concerns, and will be compliant at my request to your commands." She rofe to leave the friends; and as each refpectively took her hand, and bowed on it, the various fhades of mingled emotions paffed in rapid fucceffion o'er her countenance. "I leave you, gentlemen," faid fhe, "with impreffions that I hope will be indelible." If a fubject forcibly feize the mind, when it has previously excited fome tender feeling of the foul, the fenfation it produces is too complex and painful to be relieved by utterance; the mind paufes in filence, and ameliorates its irritation by cool reflection. Our friends, for a fhort period, fought this quiet relief after Mrs. Marthall left them; and then, as if by intuitive intelligence of each other's thoughts, or as if one fpirit animated both, they ftarted from their feats at the fame moment, and exclaimed, "We may lament what we can Vol. I. No. 10. Hhh not alter; but how feldom car we change what we lament!" In a fhort time all was arranged; the fugitive domeftic comfort was lured back to her abode ; and the fweet cordialities of friendship began to animate every heart. The activity of real kindness is a fairy power that performs wonders; it preffes onward; no object that can promote the intereft it efpoufes is too microfcopic for its perceptions, too laborious for its attainment. There was a maturity, a juftnefs of adaption, in the plans of Rodolpho, that rapidly accelerated the completion of his purposes; he had a great capacity of thought, a rare fort of intelligence, that from the fainteft light given would blaze into the fulness of the fubject. By judicious arrangement the garrifon bore the appearance of a well regulated family; the domeftic concerns went forward in the ufual rotine; nothing, nor any body, fuffered interruption. The foldiers who were under Rodolpho's command, however evil their propenfities before, were foon weaned from irregularity, by judicious restraint and well appropriated indulgence; he heard their complaints with patience, reproved their faults with gentleness; and if he obferved a man particularly affiduous and orderly, he remarked it, and always diftinguifhed him by fome pointed attention, which flattered his felf love, and conferred a dif tinction. It is inconceivable (except to thofe who have made the experi ment), how forcibly the lower orders of fociety are affected by the civility of their fuperiours. We are all very ready to obferve their incivility and roughnefs of manners, and complain how much we are inconvenienced by it; and whilft we are fo engaged, we forget how many caufes of difguft they have, and how eafy the purchafe of their kindness would be. A fmile, in return for the humble obeifance they make, inftead of the haughty frown, or contemptuous neglect; five minutes attention to their complaints when they confider themselves afflicted, or oppreffed; advice, if they afk it, instead of the impatient refufal and harsh denunciation; and a general civility in our occafional intercourfe with them, would convince them that, though they were denied the advantages of the wealthy, they were confidered as fellow mortals; beings fathioned by the fame beneficent hand. This would lure their kindness and make them gratefully devoted to us, and the advantage would extend beyond the narrow limits of our convenience, or the gratification of their felf love; it would extend to their morals; for it will not be denied, that where the great man of the village is a good man, and treats his poor neighbours and dependants with kindness (putting his donations out of the queftion), that the poor, in his vicinity, are courteous and obliging; and it follows, of purer morals, than thofe whofe lefs fortunate destiny has placed them within influence the of pride and oppreffion. When the poor man who is labouring on the high road, while the rain pours, and a lord, or a bishop, is enjoying the convenience of his carriage on the path he is mending for his accommodation, the pay for which fcarcely gives dry bread to his family, bares his aged head to the ftorm, with the hope he fhall receive the return of courtesy that he pays, and which would ferve to fweeten his morfel, when he quits his toil, and returns to his family; and relates, "that my lord or the bishop, nodded at him;" when he thus hopes, I fay, to fee the lord pafs on with a proud ftare, and the bifhop's poftilion, unreproved, fwear he will drive over him, if he does not get out of the way.....one is almost tempted to forgive the curfe that efcapes from his lips. Our friends, for fome days, did not fee Mrs. Marfhall; Selina, her daughter, ftill fuffered from the fhock her young and fenfible nerves had received; and her mother's prefence at all times formed the frongeft feature of her happinefs. Ere she makes her voluntary appearance, it will be in place to give fome account of her. Selina Marshall, at the age of fixteen, prefented a figure that charmed, and a countenance that engaged; the unobtrusivenefs of her manners fpoke the modefty of her mind, the foft blufh of her cheek the quick fufceptibility of a heart that vibrated to the finest touches of humanity. She was naturally vivacious and tender; from innocence fprang her vivacity; from fel her lips; but ere it fell, her languid eye refted on the orphan child of him fhe mourned; her bolom dilated to maternal affection and duty; fhe yielded to their feparate calls; and, from that moment her lamentations ceafed, and her forrow was foothed into partial eafe, by the sweet intereft of infantine endearments, and maternal duties. She fond low feeling her tenderness; thefe are the genuine unadulterated fources, from which the electric fpirits and fportivenefs of youth fpring; and thefe, as they tread the progreflive path of life, will mature into a fort of unbended philofophy, that will enable them to view and endure patiently the many-coloured experience of mor, tal destiny with an equal countenance, if they are led by judiciously traced his image that was counfel til the judgment is ftrengthened. Selina was fortunate in her guide-her mother was the polar ftar of her conduct; her friend, to whom every avenue of her heart was open; its deepest receffes he could explore. She was, indeed, at this period, a character of much promife, and the fond object of her mother's heart, War had fnapped afunder fome ftrong ties of domestic comfort; and their privation wound another fold of natural affection round their hearts, and drew them ftill clofer. Mrs. Marshall had been a widow fome years-her establishment had been fplendid-war had ftripped her of fuperfluities, but fhe ftill poffeffed enough for the purposes of rational comfort, and wifdom taught content. Her marriage had been a happy one; the fweet fympathies of mutual affection fhe had enjoyed in an exquifite degree as a wife; and when that tender link was divided by death, the torturous pang of feparation, which nature is doomed to endure, was agonifing; defpair of renovating happiness was ready to pervade her soul, and a murmur reached gone to reft in the blooming features of his orphan, foftened by the delicacy of fex, and watched the progiefs of his virtues in her mind, chaftened by the fame diftinction; and thus her enjoy. ments were not decreased by death, but they were more fublimated, lefs of fenfe in them; they flow. ed from the combination of intellect, and the purified affections of the heart; fweet union that calls home the erratic mind, and fixes it on truth! She delighted to fuppofe, that from the regions of purity his perceptions reached this fublunary fphere, and watched over her conduct; fhe often pourtrayed in her fancy the celeftial scene at that hour when, having burst afunder the bonds of mortality, her purified fpirit would haften to meet his in the world of spirits. Sterner minds, who yield not to the fuavity of fentiment, will ridicule thefe vifionary ideas, yet they have their ufe, and often keep minds of too great fenfibility from finking under the preffure of forrow, for the privation, by death, of the object of their tender affections; and is a ftimulus to virtuous exertion, that they may again mix in a more |