: face of Zadib: on his brows were imprinted the furrows of care, and the figh of anxious folicitude proceeded from his bofom." To what purpose (faid he) are the gifts of nature, and the objects of, ambition, diftributed to me? are not the arrows of death perpetually hovering around me, and fhall I not be fhortly numbered with the forgotten multitudes that are mouldering in the duft? My life has been a fcene of difappointed hopes! The fchemes of happinefs which I formed, and fondly thought the approbation of virtue was obtained upon them, even thefe have vanished as the meteor, which dazzles for a moment, disappears, and leaves no traces of its exiflence. I have fought, in my numerous poffeffions, a relief which I cannot find, and a confolation which it is not in their power to beftow. Inftead of that happiness which I vainly believed to be the inheritance of man, deep indeed has been the cup of forrow that hath been allotted me!" He had fcarcely uttered this foliloquy, when the Angel of Divine Intelligence appeared before him his appearance was beautiful as the rainbow that proclaims an end to the tremendous thunder, which fhakes the arch of heaven with its tumult, and fpreads difmay upon the hearts of men. At his approach, Zadib fell proftrate, and fought to veil his face in the foldings of his robe, while the language of adoration remained fuf pended upon his lips. Rife, Zadib, (faid the Angel, with a ferenity beaming upon his countenance, that pronounced him a meffenger of peace) arife; thy adorations are only due to him, from whofe hand alone was thy existence on whom its duration de pends who forined the basis of the everiafting hills, and before whole throne the mighty Arch-Angels worhip with reverential fear! The fecret receffes of thy heart have been penetrated, thy lamentations have been heard, and I am fent, the minifter of confolation, to heal thy wounded bofem. Thou haft, indeed, vainly fought for happiness in thofe terreftrial objects, from whence it never can be obtained; the meditations of thy heart have not been directed aright; accuftomed to earthly views, thy expecta. tions were bounded in thy prefent ftate of existence, and the poffeffions of futurity were not the objects of thy hopes. It is Virtue only that can en fure thee thefe poffeffions: her glorious influence will irradiate thy mind; and as her pursuits are immortal, they are the only ones worthy to engage the attention of immortal beings. Virtue will furvive the tranfient existence of time; when the laurels of ambition fhall fade, and the wreaths of adulation, bestowed upon the undeferving, fall wither upon their brows: when the empty honours of a name fhall ceafe for ever, and the votaries of vice and folly be mingled with their duty original, her existence will be ftill permanent: fhe will ftill be rifing upon the immortal wings of endlefs duration! Virtue will teach thee to confider the prefent o ly as a ftate of probation, and thyfelf as a traveller haftening forward in search of a better country. She will be unto thee a never failing friend, conducting thee to the celestial regions, where uninterrupted felicity will be thy inheritance. But remember, Zadib, the means, and know that it will be principally by affliction thou wilt be fitted for those enjoyments. Repine no longer at the cup allotted thee, for although its draught may be fometimes bitter, there is infcribed upon it, Everlafting Health! He who hath appointed Adverfity to adminifter inftruction, hath commanded Chearfulness to poffefs thy dwelling. Be it thine to communicate the inftructions thou haft received: alleviate to the utmost of thy abilities the calamities of others, and never fuffer the tear of forrow upon that eye, nor the figh of affliction to heave that breast, from whence it may be in thy power to remove them. And now, Ó Zadib, if thou wouldt obtain the end of thy purfuits; if happinefs be the with of thy foul, and the object of thy perfeverance; if Virtue has any charms for thee; or Benevolence, the brightest ornament of thy race, any attractions to allure thee: then litten to my admonitions, and let them be engraven upon the tablet of thy heart, lafting as the monuments of antiquity, on the rocks of adamant. Then thalt thou wait with unfailing patience for the anival of that friendly hand, which will draw afide the curtain of Futurity, and difcover to thee the realms of an Immortal Paradife !" The counfels of the Angel funk deep into the breast of Zadib: the clouds of his foul were diffipated, like the morning mills before the rifing fun; he returned to diffufe around Fim the fmiles of focial benevolence, and the beams of celeftial hope were fpread over the remaining days of Zadib. The counfels of the Meffenger of Intelligence are not recorded, because they cannot now be obtained; they may fill be heard. The groves of Madian are still open, not only to thee, but to every fon and daughter of Humanity; for know, the Groves of Madian are the deep receffes of the human heart. Mr. URBAN, AMong other ambiguous phrafes in our language, the WARM MAN admits of different fignifications. According to the idea of Parfon Truliber, (in Jofeph Andrews,) the arm man is a fnug chap, who attends clofely to his own emolument, has made a round fum, and, as the faying is, takes care of number one. My The other idea of a warm man is an honeft, undefigning fellow, who has more honey than difcretion, and often does mischief, by his unguarded warmth of temper, where he meant to do good. neighbour Simplicius is the very man I aim to defcribe. He detefs every appearance of guile; but, alas! while he acts upon the maxim that Honeity is the best policy, and is willing to keep at the remoteft diftance from undue cunning, he has fometimes overstepped the bounds of that prudence which is as much a duty to ourfelves, as fincerity is a debt to others. My friend Simplicius was appointed an advocate in the arbitration of a difpute, wherein he perceived, on the fide of his opponents, the most confummate treachery, and he openly faid fo, from the feelings of his heart, enveighing against fo abominable a system of oppreffion. What good did his honeft vehemence effect? None. A crafty lawyer, on the other fide of the debate, took advantage of his temper, and replied, "Gemmen, I don't appeal to your passions, but your reafon. Mr. , you perceive, is a warm gentleman; but I mean to offer you cool argument, which will go farther with men of your fenfe, than a volley of boisterous words. The plain and difpaffionate state of the cafe, then, is this," &c. And fo he went on, and fairly out talked S›mplicius, and carried all his own way. My friend was confounded, and the injured went home uniedrefied.---- -Ano Again, Simplicius had an acquaintance whom he valued, and had laid under repeated obligations. Being himself incapable of fraud, he thought the other fo, and acted before him without referve. A fly fophifter thought it would answer his own unworthy purposes to feparate thefe acquaintances. Accordingly, he cloathed himself in lamb like innocence, and, inverted with every thing betonging to meeknefs, but the reality, he visited my friend's acquaintance, and, by ariful furmiles, chiefly grounded upon the openneis and warmth of simplicius's temper, excited prejudices in the other's fickle mind, that amounted almost to hatred. You will naturally expect altercation to enfure, that every method was taken to inflame my friend's anger, and that all his foibles were pitefully aggravated into crimes. Confcious of his own bonelly, Simplicius hotly retorted the perfidy, and declared he would appeal to the world He did fo.-With what effect? - People to whom he told his tory generally remarked, "We must not believe too halily; Mr. you fee, is a warm man.” ther time, a fcheme was proposed, which was believed a fuitable bait for the frankness of my friend's temper, and his difpofition to do good. He readily acceded-made no previous terms - left all to the juftice of his affociates and, in the end, found they had cunningly made their own advantage of the fcheme, that he was deferted, and a good fum, more than he could afford, out of pocket. He remonftrated, but was denied a hearing. He was angry, and was laughed at. He called one a rogue, and another a villain, and, in return, was cited to the Spiritual Court, (as the common people fay, to prove bis words,) from whence he was not extricated before his pocket had bled freely; and, to trouble you with no more, when he endeavours in converfation to fet the affair in its true light, perfons hear him, anfwer little, and, his back turned, agree to believe no more than half of his reprefentation, "Because," fay they," though be may rot wilfully mireprefent the truth, yet Mr. man-Being intimate with Simplicius, I ventured one day to expoftuJate with him: "Why are you jo hot?" faid I. "I am right," anfwered he. -"I believe you are," returned I; Is a warm * but "but why fo warm, and bring yourfelf into fo many dilemmas ?" "Warm!" faid he, "the calmeft of you would be warm, with my provocation. The cool malice of an bypocrite is more deteftable than the boneft indignation of a man of true virtue."-I proceeded no further. But, Mr. Urban, as Simplicius, and one or two more of his complexion, poffibly, read your useful repofitory, you will oblige me by inferting the following advice to him, as he will not bear it perfonally : "My dear friend, "I know you are an honest and an injured man: but by your violence you defeat your own views. I agree with you, that the artful, defigning appearance of candour, covering bale purposes, is more hateful in the fight of Omniscience, than warmth from an heart confcious of its own rectitude. But, if God can, your fellow men cannot difcern the heart. Confider that you deal with fallible creatures, who will certainly act according to the impreffions made upon them. Remember the conteft between the North Wind and the Sun. The fly deceiver is more infinuating 'than your honeft ruggedness. The latter half perfuades your hearers that you are in the wrong, and prepares them for the fubtle infinuations of your enemies. Believe me, you will generally find it beft not to tell your own ftory firft. Be the defendant rather than the complainant; and, in your defence, fay as little as neceffary, and that little as goodnaturedly as you can. I will add, it is not only your duty to keep a confcience void of offence towards God, but towards all men-not to let your good be evil fpoken of; but, as well as to depart from evil, to abstain from all appearance of it."I am, Mr. Urban's conftant reader and admirer. Obfervations on the University of Oxford. WHATEVER may be our veneration for the inftitutions of our anceftors, or how good an opinion foever we may have formed of their abilities and forelight, yet no one furely will pay fo high a compliment to any former age, as to fuppofe that its determinations ought to be held inviolable, whatever amendments experience may point out, or the circumftances of future times may require. If I were called upon to bring an example of this common obfervation, I would fay that a fyftem of education can never be framed, which fhall be univerfally applicable to all times: the manners of the world, and even the ftudies of the learned, are fubject to perpetual change; nor does education answer the end for which it was defigned, unless it be fo regulated as, in fome measure, to keep pace with both. In regard to the latter, every one, who is at all acquainted with the hiftory of learning in the preceding centuries, knows that the occupations of the learned, in the prefent time, differ very materially from those which then prevailed. Nor will an unprejudiced enquirer find fufficient reafon to wifh that the learning of the present day might give place to that which was cultivated in the ages above mentioned. It cannot appear extraordinary that men whofe ftudies were fo far removed from the objects of fenfe, and who were perpetually training their intellectual powers to the highest pitch, in order to purfue phantoms of their own imagination, and run through all the perplexities of metaphysical argument, fhould fometimes bewilder their own judgment, and, while they thought themfelves investigating the fublimeft truths, relapfe into unintelligible nonfenfe, or childish abfurdities. If the reader would be convinced that this affertion is not made without fufficient grounds, let him only open the works of T. Aquinas, or any other school divine of the fame ages, and, if his patience will carry him through a fingle page, I think he cannot but fubfcribe to the fame opinion as myself. I mention Aquinas in particular, becaufe he was esteemed the profoundest fcholar of his time, and has not been without a very respectable admirer in the prefent age. It should feem, therefore, that the moderns are entitled to no little praise in having fuffered thefe ufelefs and perplexing ftudies to fall into neglect and difrepute, and turning their attention to other arts and fciences, by which particulars have been improved, and the general welfare of mankind advanced. If it be allowed that this is a fair representation of fcholaftic learning, we are furnished with a very confiderable argument against any ancient method of educa If none of thefe be at hand, the reader will find a tolerable fpecimen in the 7th chapter of the Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus. tion, which is intended as preparatory to it. To be obliged to fpend the most precious time of life in acquiring that which, when acquired, is acknowledged to be unprofitable and abfurd, is a cafe which inerits our compaffion : and to refute to remove from education fuch an unreasonable impofition, merely through a blind attachment to ancient forms, exceeds the bounds of common folly. It is with fome regret that I apply thefe obfervations to fo refpectable a body as the University of Oxford. All who are but fuperficially acquainted with this renowned seminary, will be amazed to hear the voice of difcontent from among us. The vaft concourfe of youth who crowd hither to receive inftruction, and the many learned and elegant performances which from hence are derived, feem to fpeak a happy and flourishing fociety; but a more intimate acquaintance would induce us to believe, that thofe eminent men, who of late years have been the ornaments of this feminary, have derived their excellence entirely from their own abilities and application, unaffilled by the difcipline and conftitution of their university. I would venture to affert, that this difcipline, fuch as it is, has been even a hindrance to science, being of fuch a nature as neceffarily employs time and attention: yet the bare recital of it, to a perfon uninitiated in these our myfteries, would be fufficient for its condemnation. To fpeak more particularly, it is precisely fuch as has been already defcribed; it is calculated to initiate our youth in the abftrufe researches of Logic and Metaphyfic, but affords no means of improvement in thofe ftudies which are held in chief request among modern fcholars. It was framed, or at leaft revifed, by Laud, Archbishop of Camerbury and it is eafy to perceive that, far from accommodating himself to the more polite literature which was then beginning to prevail, he endeavoured to throw the ftudies of his university toward the learning of the dark ages which went before him. Thefe intitutions, it must be confessed, have not lafted in full force to the prefent time; but they have ftill a very considerable effect in determining the Atudies of every perfon who wishes to proceed with credit to h's degrees. As I esteem it the undoubted right, and perhaps the duty of every membar of lociety, fo far as he is able, to throw a light upon any fubject of im'portance, as the prefent undoubtedly is, when it appears to him to be overlooked or misunderfood, I will endeavour impartially to lay down the ftate of difcipline at prefent in force among us; and let the publick judge how far the university of Oxford have deferved cenfure or approbation, in having ftill retained fome part of that ancient difcipline, which was eftablifhed here upwards of a century ago and I will begin by giving a faithful account of thole fteps by which we now attain the height of academical honour, that they who have been induced, by the name and renown of Oxford, to fend hither for improvement in fcience thofe whose welfare they have at heart, may be able to form fome judgment of what they ought to expect. -- Coll. [To be continued.] Spargere veces In vulgum ambiguas. THE art of political lying never, perhaps, arrived at an higher pitch, nor was ever fwallowed with more avidity, than it is at prefent by the populace of this kingdom. No engine is better fuited, nor more conftantly used, by men of feditious fpirits, to fubvert Government. But, thould fuch persons throw off the mask, and hew their defign in its native deformity, their popularity would foon be at an end; for, though the multitude are always ripe for change, yet it is not in view of benefit to fome particular perfons, but of fomewhat in which they themselves hope to partake. It has always, therefore, been the rule with fuch patriots to fuborn public, in order to countenance and encourage their private intereft, and to make the deluded populace, like the jackall to the lion, hunt down that prey which they themselves mean to devour. I have been led into these reflections from reading fome paragraphs in the news-papers, which affert that the farmers will foon be involved in ruin and bankruptcy by the low price of corn, and that fpies are to be fent from the grand feminary of Sedition in Suffix to every county in the kingdom, to fee the nakedness of the land, and, as I fuppofe, to report the helpLeis and hopeiefs condition of the yeomen, till the times are mended by a change in the Minytry. Average Price of Wheat for 80 Years.-Query to Mr. Chalmers. 121 To refute this diabolical fuggeftion, I have carefully extracted from authentic records the average price of wheat for above these eighty years paft, and leave it to the public to judge from thence, whether there is the least foundation of truth in these lamentable outcries, or whether they are not propagated at this juncture merely to promote and advance the popularity of fome falfe friends to their country, under the mask of Patriotism. Average Price of Wheat per Bushel. From 1696 to 1756, computed d. at three periods of 20 years each, the fame price per bushel, s. i. e. 5 I From thence to Christmas,1765, 5 10 From thence to Christmas, 1779, 5. 8 But, low as the price of wheat is at prefent, be it obferved, that it advances weekly in the markets, and mult advance much higher, if a certain patriotic member in this county, and his brethren of the ftill, would again rifque the chance of being detected in the infernal practice of converting the faff of life into the bane of life. The farmers might then be affured of seeing the times mended, and the poor of being Aarved. But, as a burnt child dreads the fire, and the penalty upon this breach of the law, if exalted with the utmoft rigour, is very fevere, the farmers must defpair of being benefited in that shape for the future. From the comparative view of the price of wheat at the different periods as above certified, I conceive there is little danger of farmers becoming bankrupts; if any of them happen to be fo, the real caufe of their diftrefs will, I believe, be found, upon euquiry, to proceed from extravagance, idlenefs, and drunkennels, not from the high price of rents, nor from the bw price of wheat. Look into the ftate of the farmers in general, and you will fee then vie with their landJords in drefs and the expence of their tables, their wives and daughters decurated with all the fopperies in fahion, and themfelves raised to so high a degree in the political feale, as forebedes no good to the constitution, in Church or State, in the opinion of Surrey. CRITO. An old correfpondent returns thanks to Mr. Urban for the affittance given bim in the enquiry as above, by the annual infertion of the average price of corn in his ufeful Magazine, which be hopes to ice continued. GENT. Mac. March, 1789, Mr. URBAN, Feb. 15. BE to good as to put, in your next Magazine, the following queftion to the ingenious author (George Chalmers, Etq;) of Political Annals of the prefent United Colomes, an extract of which you have favoured your readers' with in your laft Supplement. Did Mr. Chalmers ever hear or read of any nation or people, fince the be ginning of time, which were subjeck to two legiflations at one and the fame time? Mr. C. will eafily fee what I mean: the prefent, or, rather, late 'claim of the British Parliament over the American Colonies, to tax them in all cafes whatsoever. If Mr. C. ftill infifts on this right, I must inforni him, that the Americans were fubject to two diftinct legislatures at the fame time for inftance, fuppofe the Governor, Council, and Affembly of New York, found it neceffary in January, 1764, to lay a tax of one fhilling on certain pieces of paper or parchment, which is to all intents and purpofes valid, and takes place on the it day of February throughout the province. It happens that the British Parliament país an act for the very fame purpofe, on the fame day, to take place in the Colonies on the first day of April. The New-York act is in effe, and taken effect: the British act arrives, and takes place alfo. The province by this means is fubject to a double tax, a double legisla ture, both valid. The Americans muft fubmit to thefe acts, or be dragooned. E. B. Mr. URBAN, Feb. 11. PLeafed as I am, and as every candid reader inuft be, with the entertainment and information conveyed in the biographical and explanatory notes annexed to Mr. Nichols's Collection of Mifcedary Poems, I cannot help regretting that Mr. Dodfley's, confelfedly the belt in our language, is fo miferably deficient in this important point, the names of many of the authors being concealed, and of others the initials only being given. The delicacy of leveral, then living, I am well aware, pievented the ingenious editor from naming them; but when that obstacle is removed, when death has fet the feal, and efpecially as years following years render the talk every day more difficult, let us, as far as poffible, rescue from oblivion the memory of those whofe genius our pulterity, as well 66 1 |