Humanity and Clemency are Ornaments of Human Nature. PERSONS of rash, boisterous, and brutal paffions, are a fcandal to humanity. They employ their leifure in mifchief, and are delighted only with the mifery of others; while the meek and humble man is always eafy in himfelf, and ftudies to make others equally happy. A denial from him is more fatisfactory by the obliging regret he expreffes at being unable to grant it than a favour received from the former. He approaches neareft to original innocence, and refembles his Maker in acts of goodness and mercy. He cannot hate, becaufe he esteems all as worthy of love as himfelf. He cannot fear, because he does no wrong; nor can regret find any entrance into his breaft, because he has given no caufe for grief in others. When Pericles, the noble Athenian, was dying, the principal citi zens of Athens, fitting round his bed, diffolved in tears, were recounting to each other the many virtues in which he fo greatly excelled; his eloquence, his celebrated actions, the number of victories he had obtained. and the great advantages he had procured to his country; they fuppofed he was no longer capable of hearing their praifes; the hand of death they thought bad put a period to his exiftence; they were mistaken, Pericles heard their difcourfe, and, interrupting them, faid, I wonder you celebrate thofe actions, in which fortune challenges the greater part, and which are common to other generals; while you pafs over in filence an action geater and more excellent than them all; I mean, that none of my fellow citizens have ever, on my account, appeared in mourning.' Richard 1. though impetuous in war, and extravagantly fond of military glory, was, at the fame time, open, open, frank, generous, and fincere. He knew how to pardon an enemy, and, in his calmer moments, would liften to the voice of reafon and the dictates of humanity. Vidomar, Vifcount of Limages, one of Richard's vaffils, having found a treasure, fent part of it as a prefent to that Prince. Richard, as fuperior Lord of the foil, demanded the whole, and, at the head of a party of his forces, befieged the Viscount in the caftle of Chalus. Advancing one morning to view the works. Bertrand de Gourdon, one of the archers, took aim at him with a crofsbow, and pierced his thoulder with The caftle was foon after taken, and Gourdon was made prifoner. an arrow. The wound at first was trifling, but, by the unskilfulness of the furgeon, a gangrene enfued, and the Prince was fenfible his life was drawing to a period. He fent for Gour don, and afked him what he had done to induce him to feek his life? What have you done to me? replied the pritoner coolly, You killed, with your own hands, my father and my two brothers, and you would have hanged myfelf; I am now in your power, and you may take your revenge, by inflicting on me the fevereft torinents. I fhall endure them all with pleafure, provided I can think, that with my own hands I have rid the world of fuch a ruifance.' Struck with the reafonableness of this reply, and humbled by the approach of death, Richard ordered Gourdon to be fet at liberty, and gave him a very confiderable fum of money. A Love Letter from a Banker's Clerk to his Mijlrefs. THE number of uneafy fenfations which I have indured fince your departure, are beyond the reach of arithmetic. I au oppreffed with the weight of them. I do not mean to fubtract from the goodness of your parents; but why would they divide our perfons when they knew that our hearts were confolidated. How are my uneafineffes multiplied Were you my omnium in this world, here, I should want no addition to my happiness. Figure to yourfelf my fituation, and you will pity me. I know very well that I ought to have patience; but I cannot reduce my fentiments to practice. Your abfence makes fuch fractions in my ideas, that I hardly know what I write. If I write not agreeably to the rule of reafon, I hope you will make grains of allowance; for in the condition I am in I cannot pretend to weigh every fyllable in the balance of correctnefs: I hope, therefore, that you will let the fcale of candour preponderate in my behalf. If you cannot forgive all the fluxions of my pen, at leaft pity them; it is very haid upon many occafions to draw the line of propriety; but if I offend in this, I will promife to turn over a new leaf. If I am out of your books, I fhall be driven to defpair: for you will find upon cafting up the contents of this letter, that the fum total is exceffive love. PETER PLUME. Bon Mot. WHEN Lord Chesterfield was once axtremely ill, a very handfonie lady was talking with him, and the fuddenly exclaimed, "I am as cold as death!" if fo, (he anfwered) I thall have no objection to his embraces." An account of the Territories held by the ancient Irish Families. ANNALY or Cormacne, co Longford; by the O'Ferrals. Aradh Carbery, co. Cork; Macartys. Carbery, co. Kildare; Birminghams. Clan Breffail, co. Armagh; Mac Canes. Claneboy, co. Antrim; O'Neils. Clan Colman, co. Meath; O'Melaghlins. Clan Maurice, co. Kerry, FitzMaurices. Clan Morris, co. Mayo; McMorrises. Clanckonow, co. Galway; Bourks. CO. Wicklow; Defies, co. Waterford; O'Faolans. Dufferin, co. Down; Macaitaines, and Whites. Ely O'Carrol, King's co. O'Carroils, chieftains of Ely. Fearcall, King's co. O'Molloys. Farmoy, co. Cork; Roches and Con done. Fermanagh co. Maguires. Fingal, part of the co. Dublin, fituate on the N. of the Liffey; before the arrival of the English, poffeffed by the Danes or Oilmen of Dublia, from whom it was fo named. |