terrible engine of forcery has been turned with a spirit of perfecution that does no credit to the parties who employed it.

The fact is, that the Chriftian Church in the early ages foon difcovered two important matters of faith in the facred writings, which might be made ufeful weapons in her poffeffion; I mean miracles and forceries. The one the referved to herself, the other

the bestowed upon her enemies; and though

there is every reafon to conclude that both had ceased in the world, fhe found her own intereft was concerned in prolonging their exiftence. The ages that fucceeded to the introduction of Chriftianity were foon caft into the profoundeft ignorance by the irruptions of the barbarous nations, and credulity naturally follows ignorance. The terrors of magic in thofe dark times readily took hold of fuperftitious minds; every thing that the dawnings of fcience ftruck out in that night of reafon, every thing that reviving art invented, even the little juggling tricks and deceptions that fleight of hand performed to fet the crowd agape, and fupport a vagrant life in idleness, were charged to forcery, and tortures were employed to force out conceflions of fecret dealings and compacts with the Devil and his agents.Thofe confeffions were undoubtedly made, and as full and circumftantial as the inquifitor chofe to prescribe, and being published with the authority of office had their influence with mankind and were believed; nay, it is but fair to fuppofe that the fathers and doctors of the church themselves believed them, and were fincere in their endeavours to extirpate forcery, thinking that they did God fervice.

When we read of people being thrown alive into the flames for playing a few juggling tricks, which now would not pafs upon the vulgar at a country fair, and the Devil himfelf brought in to father the performance, it is fhocking to humanity and a violence to reafon; but we fhall cruelly err againft both by afcribing all these acts to perfecution, when ignorance and credulity are entitled to fo great a fhare of them. The churchmen of thofe ages were not exempt from the errors and darkness of the time they lived in, and very many of them not only believed the forceries of the heretics, but fwallowed the miracles of the faints. The genius of the Catholic religion in this illuminated and liberal period is of a different complexion from what the nature of my subject has obliged me to difplay of the enlarged and truly Chriftian principles which now prevail amongst the profeffors of that system of faith, the whole abounds with examples; and I am perfuaded, that if the tribunal of the Inquifition was put aside, (a tribunal so directly adverse

to the religion of Chrift the hateful tenet of into'erancy would foon be done away, and and a fpirit of meeknefs and mercy, more confentaneous to the principles of the prefent Catholics, would univerfally prevail.

To the Editor of Exfbaw's Iazine.
SIR,

moral, as well as in the natural

HERE are certain phenomena in the

world, which to a man who has not studied the principles of politics, as well as phyfics, muft appear not only furprising, but even in fome degree miraculous. What, for inftance, can seem more wonderful or more unnaccountable, to a perfon unacquainted with the fcience of aftronomy, than an eclipfe of the fun or moon; and yet it is a fact, that even a very indifferent aftronomer can calculate an eclipse of either of thefe luminaries with as much accuracy and precifion, and foretell it with as much certainty, as a common arithmetician can compute the intereft of a thousand pounds for any number of years.

There are fome parts of Europe where the people are fo ignorant, as to confider an eclipfe, not as a natural occurence, but as a preternatural appearance; in a word, as a fort of prodigy or portent, foreboding the approach of fome fignal event, and always too of the direful or difaftrous kind. What impression then do we think it must make upon the rude minds of the favage Americans, the wild Tartars, or the ftill more ignorant and barbarous Africans? To them it must appear to be nothing less than a real miracle. "And that they actually confider it in this light may be not only inferred from the principles of reason, but, what is regarded as a more ftrong and convincing argument, from the concurring teftimony of fuch as have vifited those nations. There is a curious fact to this purpose in the life of Columbus, the particulars of which I fhall here beg leave to relate.

This great man, in his fecond voyage to America, having been thrown, by ftrefs of weather, upon the island of Jamaica, was there reduced to fuch difficulties for want of provisions, that his crew mutinied against him, and thereby destroyed that high opinion of his character, and that refpect and reverence for his person, which the natives had hitherto entertained. The confequence was, that these favages grew daily more fparing in their fupplies of provisions, so that Columbus began to fear, if they perfifted in this conduct, he and his crew muft inevitably be ftarved. To prevent, if poffible, this dreadful calamity, he fell upon the following expedient. By his skill in astronomy,

h

he knew that there was fhortly to be a total eclipfe of the moon. He affembled all the principal perfons of the district around him on the day before it happened, and after reproaching them for their ficklenefs, in withdrawing their affection and affiftance from men whom they had lately revered, he told them, that the Spaniards were fervants of the Great Spirit who dwells in Heaven, who made and governs the world; that he, offended at their refufing to fupport men who were the objects of his pecufiar faveur, was preparing to punish them with exemplary feverity, and that very night the moon fhould withhold her light, and appear of a bloody hue, as a fign of the divine wrath, and an emblem of the vengeance ready to fall upon them. To this marvellous prediction fome of them liftened with that careles indifference peculiar to the people of America; others with the credulous aftonishment natural to barbarians. But when the moon began gradually to be darkened, and at length appeared of a red colour, all were ftruck, with terror. They ran with confterniation to their houses, and returning inftantly to Columbus loaded with provifionis, threw them at his feet, conjurag him to intercede with the Great Spirit to avert the ftruction with which they were threatened. Columbus, feeming to be moved by their entreaties, promifed to comply with their de fire. The eclipfe went off, the moon recovered her fplendour, and from that day the Spaniards were not only furnished profufely with provifions, but the natives, with fuperftitious attention, avoided every thing that could give them offence. The favages had no doubt obferved before this many eclipfes of the fun and moon, but they had never dreamed of inquiring into their caufe.

Thev muft now conclude that they were owing to the interceffion of the favourites of Heaven with the Creator of all things, and confequently that they were real miracles.

There are many other phænomena in nature, particularly in electricity and fome other parts of phyfics, which, though not fo ftriking, are no lefs furprising than that of an eclipfe. But thefe I have not time to mention at prefent. My principal intention is, not to explain the excentricities in the natural world, but to reconcile men to thofe irregularities in the moral world, which appear to them to be no lefs unaccountable, in which they are more immediately interefted, and upon which they imagine their happinefs or their mifery more effentially depends. To thefe, indeed, they never give the name of miracles. They think they can easily difcover their caufe;

though this redounds neither to the honour of man, nor that of his Maker. They fay it is owing to the depravity of the world; or fometimes, with equal folly and impiety, they afcribe it to the partiality and injuftice of Providence.

What, they afk, can be more partial or unjuft than the rewards bestowed upon different kinds of labour, the labour of the mind and that of the body? A lawyer, for inftance, fhall fometimes make ten thou fand pounds a-year; whilft a weaver, a fhoemaker, a carpenter, a bricklayer, &c. fhall not perhaps make the hundredth part of that fum. Ianfwer, that all this is not only very natural, but likewise very juft and equitable. Every weaver, fhoemaker, carpenter, bricklayer, and almost every other mechanic, if he is fober and induftrious, can live by his trade; but, perhaps, there is not one lawyer (I mean one barrifter) in twenty that can do fo; perhaps, there is not one in ten that ever earns fo much as to pay for his gown. In other words, the profeffion of the law is a very hazardous lottery, in which, though there are a few capital prizes, yet there are perhaps twenty blanks to one prize; whereas the profeffion of a tradefman is a very safe lottery, in which, tho' there are no great prizes, yet there are few, if any blanks. Add to this, that the education of lawyer is infinitely more expenfive than that of a mechanic; and indeed it may be affirmed, that the lawyers in general spend more than they earn, whereas tradefinen never spend more, and hardly every fo much.

The fituation of a player is nearly, tho' not exactly the fame as that of a lawyer.The profeffion, undoubtedly, is equally precarious; and befides, from public prejudice, it labours under a kind of infamy or difgrace, for which it is but reasonable that the profeffor fhould be compenfated by pecuniary advantage. It is twenty, perhaps, thirty to one, that a player never rifes to be the first, the fecond, or even the third of his profeffion; and yet if he does not rife to this degree of eminence, he can never expect to make a fortune; and even when he has attained it, the character he fupports is by no means fo refpectable as that of a lawyer, a phyfician, or a divineThe profeffion, indeed, being lefs effential to the interefts of fociety, he muft therefore be contented with a fmaller fortune, and a lefs fhare of fame.

Thefe obfervations are applicable to a variety of other profeffions, as perhaps I may endeavour to fhew on fome future occafions. In the mean time,

Your's, &c.

A. B.

For

For Exfhaw's Magazine.
Matrimonial Reflections.
To Mr.

ERMIT an hufband to give you fome

getting rid of what he had learned; read now and then Burn's Juftice, fome books on farriery, and, as was reported, had once fet down to an odd volume of Blackstone. The family library he disposed of to his brother, an Oxon, or a Cantab. I really forget

can never execute.

When I paid my addresses to my prefent wife, fhe was furrounded by a croud of admirers, among whom were men of different difpofitions and views-fomé admired her for one thing, and fome for another. The moft remarkable of her lovers were the following:

William Worthy, Efe, aged twenty-four (two years older than the lady) of an ordinary face and perfon, the firft fallow, the fecond fhort, of an excellent conftitution, and most irreproachable character, beloved by all who knew him-of a temper mild, complaifant, and eafy to be entreated-of a difpofition virtuous, amiable, and conftant-addicted to the pleafures rather of retired than of public fociety, averfe to fafhionable folly, and a warm advocate for the fair fex. This gentleman became gradually an admirer of Flavia, from contemplation of the innocence of her deportment, and the beauties of her perfon. Love, you know, is not very nice. The gentleman never gave himself any trouble to enquire into the lady's real difpofition, but in the honefly and fimplicity of his heart, cemented a paffion the moft ftrong and tender, by fancying his miftrefs poffeffed of every requifite to make an amiable woman. In the courfe of his acquaintance he found himself disappointed, for having taken the liberty to remonftrate with her on the levity of her behaviour at a public place of entertainment; fhe retorted incivilities, and ever after confidered him as an unfocial, poor, ftupid fool. Mr. Wortby had fcarcely recovered from his furprize, when the gave her hand to your humble ferHe is the happy man, and I am the

vant.

but, to go on. Sir Peter Partridge, knight, and baronet, aged twenty-feven, of a true old English make and conftitution, worth 3000l. per annum-a fox-hunter by employmentbreakfasts on beef-fteaks, and gets drunk after every chace-of a temper open and generous-difpofition averfe to any domeftic employment -and verfed in no science whatever, but that of the field-not ignorant, for he had been well educated, but daily Gent. Mag. July, 1785.

This gentleman fell in love with my lady at firft fight; he wanted a wife to brufh his cloaths, look after the fervants, and make a pudding. As he was elegant in his dress, and not impolite in his manner, when in town on the business of courtship, it was generally thought the Baronet would have beat us bollow; indeed he told me in the language of Squire Groom, "D-me, he faid, I thought all was fudge, and kept digging, Sir, kept digging, but egad! I foon found the knowing ones were taken in." This difcovery was occafioned by his having, in one of his vifits found a card which Flavia had dropt, in which the following affectionate mention was made of him" Flavia's compliments to Mrs. Trifle, expects her company at the Opera on Saturday, Sir Peter Patridge promifes to be of the party, a good natured, filly boor, very fit to entertain one during the recitative."-Sir Peter took the hint, decamped into the country, fell to drinking and hunting, and in a month recovered his illness, and his disappointment together.

George Gravity, near thirty, poffeffed of a good eftate, a good perfon, a good temper, and a good, but grave difpofition. Yet all these goods availed him not, for he wanted a difpofition for flattery, and he was imprudent enough to tell Flavia before marriage, what fashionable lovers poftpone till after-her faults. Finding, however, that fhe rather avoided him, than feemed willing to take his advice, and finding his attachment to her beauties greater than reason juftified, he went to a remote part of the kingdom to wait the event, and was completely cured by the accounts he afterwards heard.

Befides thefe, there was a clergyman, an honour to his profeffion, but he made no progrefs in this affair, as he had an averfion to public pleafures. I once thought he might have fucceeded notwithftanding, but he was imprudent enough to give Flavia an indirect lecture on levity of difpofition, which ended the affair. He is married now to one of his own temper, and if there be happiness in marriage, he poffeffes it.-A rakish young fellow laid clofe fiege for near two years, and there was no company the preferred to his ; his temper feemed to agree fo perfectly with her's, that every one thought it would be a match, but the young park having more wit than money, was under the neceffity of going to market where wit was a fale

Z z

able

affey I have tragedy enough alone. Pray what company have you at her ladyfhip's to-night?

The ufual fet, I believe-I think they Say Sir George Going is to be there, your new acquaintance.

My new acquaintance! I never faw the gentleman in my life but one night at the Opera, when he was fo officious about you, and I care not much if I never see him again. He is very polite.

He is an arrant coxcomb.

He pays the greatest attention to the ladies

Who, I'll be worn, pay very little attention to him.

Your pardon, Mr. Merital, you are mif taken.

Am I? Then the ladies are worfe than I took them to be. I wish the gentleman would confine his attentions to the unmarried part of your fex.

Surely, when you are fo fafhionable an husband as never to be feen with your wife, you have no caufe to complain, if

Harkee, Mrs. Merital, I am forry to fay it-but wives, now-a-days, go to company where a man of fenfe would blush to be found.

Well, you feem fo happy in your own opinion, that I think it would be cruel to deprive you of it-You have no commands?

Commands, Madam, no; I never commanded. I have entreated, indeed, but to little purpose.

Becaufe what you have afked is unreafonable.

I've done, Madam, I've done. Go to your favourite amufements, and leave the house and hufband whom you defpife."

This, Sir, is a fpecimen, and one of the most gentle of our dily converfations. I néed make no comments, as I have already exceeded the bounds of an ordinary letter, I will only fubfcribe myself,

W

Your most obedient,
F. MERITAL.

Cleora, a Character. RETCHED indeed is the ftate of those who poffefs great abilities, whofe example might do honour to the caufe of religion, but whofe difpofitions are fo much depraved, that they prefer the ways of vice to the delightful paths of virtue: the one leads to mifery and to ruin; the other to felicity in this world, and in that which is to come. Experience daily fhews that this reflection, however dreadful, is alas! too true; it is no uncommon thing to fee ingenuity allied with infamy, and an excellent education tending to fubvert the nobleft precepts of morality.

Cleora is defcended from an ancient and an honourable family. Nature has endowed her with an uncommon understanding, and

no expence was fpared in forming her for fociety. She is a perfect miftrefs of every polite accomplishment, and her manners were fuch, that the feemed formed to Thine in the circles of nobility; yet notwithstanding her natural good fenfe, notwithstanding her excellent education, her mind is deformed by vice. She fell a victim to her irreguIar paffions, and those talents which fhould have made her an ornament, now render her a peft of fociety. Impatience under reftraint was the firft ftep that led her to depravity; the eloped from a boarding school with a man whom he never loved, and was to him united in the most facred ties, for no other reafon but to be freed from the irkfomeness of confinement. A connection like this, when not founded on that firm bafis mutual esteem, is feldom lafting. United as fhe was to a man whom the thought her inferior, and whom, in a fhort time, fhe both defpifed and detefted; who met her indifference with neglect, and shewed but little concern for her fruitless and unavailing complaints; the impropriety of her conduct now ftared her in the face; the repented of her folly when it was too late to remedy it; her difquietude foon became vifible to the world, and the imprudently took no care to conceal it, but on every occafion was fure to exclaim against her husband. This behaviour rendered her remarkable, and gathered, about her a number of those disgraces to human nature who call themfelves men of galJantry, whofe greatest boaft is the number of families whofe peace they have deftroyed, and the number of parents whofe hearts they have broken. She was pleafed with their attentions, and they in time became her conftant companions. At length a youth of fortune, pleafed with her perfon, and hearing of her fituation, prevailed on her to leave her husband: is defices were foon fatiated, he became tired with the incumbrance, and in a fhort time left her to infamy and ruin.-It is needlefs to dwell any longer on this melancholy part of her lifes fuffice it to fay, that as her situation became more defperate, fo her mind became more and more depraved, till, loft to every focial virtue, fhe wandered neglected and abandoned in the horrid paths of common proftitution. Thus fell a woman, who would have done honour to any ftation of life, but whole mind is fo much depraved, that her extraordinary talents prove rather a curfe than a blefling. Had he been guided by reason, what a bleffing fhe would have been to fociety; had fhe but been virtuous, how happy would have been the man who poffeffed fo invaluable a treafure; but, on the contrary, as the bas proved vicious, fhe is a difgrace to fociety, and a thorn in the fide of the man who is fe truly unfortunate as to be her husband.

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