Imatges de pàgina
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will no doubt give strong specimens of popish bigotry and persecution. They opened an asylum, afforded protection, and granted the same civil privileges to christians of every denomination.

"Extraordinary scenes, says Doctor Morse in his geography, were, at this time, (an. 1656) exhibited on the colonial theatres. In Massachusetts, the Congregationalists, intolerant towards the Episcopalians and every other sect; the Episcopal church retaliating upon them in Virginia; and the Roman Catholicks of Maryland tolerating and protecting all. Virginia passed severe laws against the Puritans, whose ministers were not suffered to preach. This occasioned numbers to emigrate to Maryland."

Here are my evidences. Judge of them yourself, sir, and give

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your decision. I am willing to abide by it.

I know,sir,that the children here have not inherited the persecuting spirit of their fathers. Our church in this town is a standing monument of their liberal and friendly dispositions; and the one who addresses you is proud of the friendship, and grateful for the polite attentions of several of them.

We Roman Catholicks cherish a sincere affection for this country and its inhabitants; we abhor the idea of being licensed to commit crimes; and instead of hating our brethren on account of their religious opinions, we wish only to be able to do them every service in our power.

With respect I remain, Sir,
Your most obedient

For the Anthology.

SILVA, No. 26.

Εντὶ δάφναι τηνεὶ, ἐντί βαδιναὶ κυπάρισσοι,

humble servant,

A ROMAN CATHOLICK.

Εντὶ μέλας κισσὸς, ἔντ ̓ ἄμπελῷ ὁ γλυκύκαρπο. Tuvoc. Id. XI. v. 45.

GRASSHOPPERS.

THE term, Gryllus, comprehends all that countless tribe of little animals, that come under the names of locusts, grasshoppers,and crickets. But it is the gryllus campestris, or cricket, to whom we are indebted for so many beautiful poems, and, in particular, Anacreon's charming little ode, Es Tinga. This merry little creature, although not much respected in modern days, was formerly among the happiest of insects, and held in much higher estimation, than our canary birds at present: and it is certain, the ladies of Teos would not have exchanged their crickets with our modern ladies

for all their lap-dogs, squirrels, monkies, and paroquets.

That the cricket was in high esteem among the ancients for its musick, we have abundant testimony. Theocritus, in his first Idyl:

· τὶτιγα ἐπεί νύ γα φρίτερον άδεις. Thy strains are sweeter than the cricket's song.

There is an epigram of Antipater's, in the Anthol. Gr., containing a still higher compliment to these little musicians;

*Αρκεῖ τέττιγας μεθῦσαι δρόσος, ἀλλὰ πιάνες 'Αείδειν κύκνων εἰσὶ γεγονότεροι,

Inspir'd by dew, the crickets chirp their strain,

And rival swans shall raise their

notes in vain.

But the ancients were not content with this; they considered them inspired by the Muses, and, that these divinities had taught them the art of subsisting without eating and drinking. What a happy inspiration this would be for many, who pursue the same profession as the crickets! Such favourites were grasshoppers a mong the ancients; but, like all other favourites, they were envied and persecuted. Some epicure of old, not content with the tongues of nightingales, made an unwarrantable and gluttonous war on the legs of grasshoppers; and to the disgrace of human nature be it spoken, this Gryllicide was followed by a long train of gluttons, who pursued these miserable creatures to their very holes; and harassed them so, that the rhetorician, Ælian, at length, rose in their defence. "They are ignorant," said he, speaking of these persecutors, "how much they offend the Muses, the daughters of Jupiter." But Elian was certainly the junior counsel in this case; and if the reader will look at the Anthol. Gr. lib. I. cap. 33., he will have the pleasure of perusing some elegant lines, relating to the scandalous practice, above mentioned, which lines were spoken by a grasshopper, in propria persona; and, it is evident, a grasshopper of very considerable parts. However, these pleadings worked nothing in favour of the plaintiff's, and grasshoppers' legs were in as much request as ever. They were therefore reduced to this alternative, either to resign their legs, without murmuring, or to conceal them day-long in their holes they very

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The subject of an ænigma should be as simple as possible, nor should the form be complicated by mean allusions, nor extended to an unreasonable length. The famous Elia Lælia Crispis, which has appeared in a former number of the Anthology, is in direct violation of the first rules of the Enigma. Above fifty learned men have puzzled their heads in solving this wonderful inscription, and probably, above fifty more will puzzle their heads in solving the solutions of the first fifty, and so on, ad infinitum. That fifty men, of any tolerable understanding, should give, individually a different solution of the same ænigma, is an absolute proof, either that the ænigma is complicated to such a degree, that it cannot be explained, and is of course absurd, or, that the parts, whereof the subject is composed, are so loosely connected, that it may mean almost any thing, and that it is of course ridiculous. Which of the two is the case, I leave to be determined by any fifty Germans, who may have leisure and patience for the investigation.

Among the Greeks, we have many instances of enigmatical composition. Cleobulus, one of the seven wise men of Greece, is said to have written ænigmatical verses, to the amount of 3000. Cleobulina, daughter of the above, composed a great variety of intricate questions of this kind, of which, however, few are at present to be found. One of them will afford the best example of those, that now remain; it runs thus: "A

father had twelve children, and these twelve children had, each, 30 white sons, and 30 black daughters, who are immortal, though they die every day." Olympius Diotimus, Clearchus, Theodectes, Dromeas Cous, Aristonymus Psilocitharistas, and Cleon are numbered among the Greek writers of ænigmas. But, among the Latins, examples of this species of writing are extremely rare. Apuleius relates, Apolog. page 276, that he wrote a book "Ludicorum et Gryphorum;" but this book is unknown to us. There is extant a poem, by Ausonius, called, "Gryphus Ternarii Numeri," which may come under this head. The best example, however, among the Latins, is that collection of ænigmas, written by Calius Symposius. These have passed through a variety of editions, and have been translated into Greek, and modern Italian. It may not be improper to give one or two instances of these ænigmas. The first is on the Graphium or Stilus of the ancients :

De summo planus, sed non ego planus

in imo ;

Versor utrinque manu, diversa et munera fungor;

Altera pars revocat, quidquid pars altera fecit.

A diff'rent form my two extremes could show,

Tho' flat my head, not flat my form below;

Turn'd by the hand, a diff'rent use they bore,

And that revok'd what this perform'd before.

The second is the Arundo : Dulcis amica Dei, ripis vicina profundis, Suave canens Musis: nigro perfusa colore,

Nuntia sum linguæ, digitis stipata magistri.

Pan's darling friend, on rivers' banks I

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And round me thick my master's fmgers lie.

There were also many writers of ænigmas in the barbarous ages, and we are told, that Aldhelm, bishop of Sherborne, wrote a thousand verses of ænigmas: but Aldhelm had better have minded his bishoprick, for his compositions, in this way, are so far inferiour to those of Symposius, whom he proposed as his model, that the learned and accurate Pithæus has judged them not worthy an edition.

BURTON V8. STERNE.

When we admire the pages of Shandy, we must, for the future, remember the pages of Burton. Few authors have been more unfortunate in their illustrators, than our friend, Yorick. Dr. Ferriar has exposed the numerous plagiarisms of the facetious Sterne, and restored to the author of the Anatomy of Melancholy all that the injustice of Yorick had stolen from him.

At the time of writing Tristram Shandy, the Anatomy of Melancholy was by no means generally known. Few repaired to it, except those who were prompted by felonious intentions, and among those none were more active than young Tristram. The force of habit is incalculable, and Tristram committed these larcenies to the day of his death.

THE HORSE.

Shakespeare's description of this noble animal is so full and perfect, that I cannot resist transcribing it. The Latin and Greek poets: have each celebrated the Horse, in strains familiar to every man of reading.

Round hoof'd, short jointed, fetlocks shag and long,

Broad breast, full eyes, small head and nostril wide,

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CARDS.

V. & A.

Is it not surprising that men of sense should condescend to join in this silly custom, which was originally invented to supply its deficiency? But such is the fatality! Imperfections give rise to fashions, and are followed by those,who do not labour under the defects, which introduced them.Nor is a hoop the only instance of a fashion, inventet! by those, who found their account in it; and af terwards countenanced by others, to whose figure it was prejudicial. How can men, who value themselves upon their reflections, give encouragement to a practice, which puts an end to thinking? Cards, if one may judge from their appearance, seem invented for the use of children; and,among the toys of infancy, the bells, the whistle, and the rattle deserved their share of commendation.By degrees those, who came nearest children in understanding and want of ideas, grew enamoured of the use of them,as a suitable entertainment; others also, pleased to reflect on the innocent part of their lives, had recourse to this amusement, as what recalled it to their minds.

But where will you find a man, of character, who views an induce who proposes to himself dignity ment to this kind of game? It is difficult to determine, whether it appear more odious among sharpers, or more ridiculous among persons of character. Persons of ability are capable of furnishing a much more agreeable entertainment.

Whenever I am offered cards therefore, I shall esteem it as the opinion of the host, that I have neither sense nor fancy. And yet this is a melancholy reflection, since there seldom is a party" in this exquisitely refined metropolis without cards.

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Upon reflection, I think there is much utility in cards. I would not have them renounced by "parties." I can recollect many an evening, which would have gone off heavily indeed, without the assistance of kings, queens, and knaves,&c. After having been wearied two or three hours by stories of puppies, and parrots, and turned-off servants,sicknesses,recoveries, (on which, to make a legal pun, I would readily have imposed a fine,) I have gladly taken refuge at the card-table, and derived no small comparative satisfaction from the odd trick.

For the Anthology.
REMARKER, No. 20.

Virtus repulsa nescia sordida
Intaminatis fulget honoribus,
Nee sumit aut ponit secures
Arbitrio popularis auræ.

With stainless lustre virtue shines,
A base repulse nor knows nor fears,
Nor claims her honours nor declines
As the light air of crowds uncertain veers.

THERE are few words in our language more improperly used

Vol. IV. No. 4.

Aa

HORACE.

FRANCIS

than principle, although none is more fixed in its definition. Those,

who act right, or rather those, who do not act wrong, are supposed to possess sound principles, and are therefore deemed good men. But, however heterodox it may seem, we must affirm, that a man is not to be judged by his actions alone. Many, without any temptation to vice, act well all their lives, and pass for virtuous citizens; while others, with stronger powers and purer hearts, though they may withstand allurements too powerful for the former, yet yield in some weak moment and receive a stigma to last forever on their character. In examining into the conduct of mankind it is astonishing to observe the almost total want of principle in the world. Education, Education, habit, fashion, fear of shame, feeling, and motives of the like nature, prevent men from deviating far from what is considered the right path; but, let the same motives lead into the path of errour, let interest and fashion tempt from the road of virtue, and her ways will be deserted; men will hesitate in their conduct; they will either want principle to tell them what is right, or firmness to act according to that knowledge.

Leontes was educated for the mercantile profession; in the usual manner from the nursery he passed first to school, then to an academy, and from thence proceeded to the counting-house, and, having gone through the regular routine in that service, was so fortunate as to procure the office of supercargo of a ship bound to France; a situation he had long desired, that, whilst obtaining commercial information, and making arrangements in business, he might at the same time, gratify his curiosity by beholding the collected wonders of the ancient and modern world. Educated strictly, and in the con

To be con

stant habit of attending publick worship and of private devotion, he was greatly shocked at the neglect of the sabbath in France. He found the churches deserted, but the places of amusement thronged; and determined to quit this scene of irreligion, as soon as his business would allow. But, ere this period arrived, he had learnt to consider these amusements as innocent, and, thinking himself freed from the shackles of superstition, he heard with indifference religion and moral institutions scoffed at and derided. sidered as a wit and philosopher he had only to learn the common arguments against religion, and to doubt of the immortality of the soul. The task was easy and the scholar apt. Instead of finding men honest, as his inexperience had led him to expect, he found himself defrauded by all with whom he had dealings; and, to put himself upon an equality with them, he conceived himself obliged to cheat them in return. Fashion easily persuaded him to listen to the syren song of female beauty and depravity, and plunged him into the depths of dissipation. Thus, before he had been six months in the country, he had wholly thrown aside the sober manners of New-England, and adopted in their stead all the fashionable vices of corrupted France. Yet was Leontes not wholly depraved. Obliged by his circumstances to revisit his native shores, he left his vices behind, because society would not tolerate them here. Engaged in business, his reputation now stands fair upon the exchange; and with a young wife, greatly attached to him, he has few temptations to wander from conjugal fidelity. Acquainted with the parson of his parish, he thinks

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