fusion was such, that he was again obliged to resort for relief to silence, and sculked into a corner of the room to escape notice, and meditate how he might amuse the company, without danger of again affronting any one present. He at last recollected that the whims and fancies of Straba, who had been staying on a visit with a distant relation at the town where he then was, had excited general ridicule, and even the disapprobation of the lady with whom she was residing. As Straba was universally laughed at, Satyricus thought that no one could be offended by his jokes against her, and resolved to select this person as not only fair, but safe game.

He then gaily emerged from his momentary seclusion, and having taken care to attract the notice of the whole company, by a little small shot of wit and a few previous jokes, proceeded to detail the oddities and conceits of Straba, setting every thing in the most ridiculous light, and embellishing the whole with reflections and witticisms, which he thought could not fail to produce the desired effect. He was however, equally surprised and disappointed, by perceiving some of the company expressing evident marks of disapprobation, others looking strangely at one another, but the greater part eying him

with looks full of astonishment. One gentleman in particular seemed very restless on his chair, and sat biting his lips, changing his posture, and evincing every mark of uneasiness.

Satyricus stopped short concious of being the cause of these strange sensations, looked first at one, then at the other, in hopes of finding some person who would elucidate the mystery. At length one good-natured friend advanced and kindly whispered in his ear: " That gentleman whom you must have observed so particularly agitated, is Straba's father who arrived this morning from B with the intention of conveying her home." Satyricus could bear no more, but without uttering a single syllable, rushed out of the room, and was so much hurt at the situation which he had brought himself into, that he forebore exercising his dangerous talent against any person during the space of the following week.

0.

THE

MINIATURE,

NUMB. XII.

MONDAY, July 9, 1804.

Multa in vitâ homines falsò opinari

CICERO. DE DOM.

Men are deceived in many of their opinsons.

NATIONAL prejudice, as being the source and

cement of that affection which binds a man to his native soil, is not only excusable, but to a cer-. tain degree necessary: unless he is thoroughly convinced that his country is superior to every other on the face of the earth, he will not feel that spirited pride, which the name of citizen should properly inspire; and consequently will not defend its liberties, or fight for its glory, with the ardour of dignified patriotism.

I am of opinion that we owe no small portion of our present importance and weight in the scale of European nations, to the innate sentiments of our countrymen, with regard to their neighbours on the Continent, and I should consider it as a death blow to our power, if an Englishman giving up the undisputed privilege of his ancestors, allowed himself inferior to a triple quota of Frenchmen; neither would I deprive him of his hereditary notions concerning the food, the manners, or courage of his Gallic opponents; let him believe that soup-maigre with an occasional frog is their sole nourishment, that all their valour is situated in their heels, and many such ideas, which, in themselves ridiculous and harmless, are nevertheless of wonderful efficacy in strengthening and preserving his attachment to his own beloved country.

For the same reason is local prejudice allowable, checking that continual restlessness, and wandering inclination, which renders a man discontented with any settled situation, and confining all his wishes and happiness within their proper sphere, the spot on which he lives. Thus the inhabitant of the uncultivated Lapland, would not exchange his snowy heights, for the most fertile vales of Lombardy; nor any one of my

fellow citizens the fields of Eton, for those of any other classical republic.

So far prejudice may prove even useful; but when we suffer it to become the standard and criterion of our judgement on men and things, to bias our understanding in such a manner, that neither reason, nor observation can counterbaLance its baneful influence; then will all our opinions, be partial and absurd ; all our actions diametrically opposite to the laws of reason and common sense. We are usually taught to believe that the Spaniard is haughty, the Italian vindictive, and the Turk jealous; the general character indeed may be true, but must we on that account conceive it immpossible that a Spaniard should be humble and condescending, an Italian of a forgiving temper, and a Turk an amiable husband?

The very admission of such preposterous ideas argues a weak mind, which has not sufficient energy to follow the dictates of its own reason, but relies on the support and assistance of popular opinion in the choice of what it shall believe, or what reject. In no respect however are we more liable to error, than in the application of our prejudices to particular trades and occupations, or