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The prices of lumber, in London and the United States, have been gravely compared; and December, 1783, was taken as the common feason. It is unneceffary to lofe time in difproving an allegation about a period fo long paffed, which, however, could be fatisfactorily done, or to animadvert upon the fuppreffion of the price of boards in which we had so much more the advantage. Our public returns from the feveral ports, which cannot be fuppofed to undervalue the articles, nor indeed do they vary materially from the fhipping prices, give the medium rate of 12 dollars, or 21. 175. fter

ling for red oak and white oak ftaves, and heading, fit for barrels, hogfheads and pipes. The prices of flaves vary exceedingly in the different markets of the United States; and that, which was felected by the writer of the obfervations, is known not to be among the cheapest. Even there the article is at this time thirty per cent. below the quotation in the obfervations. But we have already noticed the very large exportation of lumber from the United States to the British European dominions, which alone is a fufficient contradiction of the fact, and is a fatisfactory correction of the obfervations.

TH

MISCELLANEOUS ANECDOTES.

HE paffion of fear fometimes shows itself upon the flighteft occafion, and in perfons the most unlikely to entertain fuch a gueft. A French Author relates a whimsical inftance of this kind. Charles Guftavas (the fucceffor of Chriftina of Sweden) was befieging Prague, when a boor of moft extraordinary vifage defired admittance to his tent, and, being allowed entrance, offered, by way of amufing the King, to devour a whole hog, weighing two hundred weight, in his prefence. The old Gen. Konigfmarc, who stood by the

bravest men of the age) could not ftand this propofal, especially as it was accompanied by a most hideous and preternatural expanfion of the frightful peafant's jaws. Without ut.ering a word, the veteran fuddenly turned round, ran out of the court, and thought not himself fafe till he had arrived at his quarters, where he remained twenty-four hours locked up, fecurely, before he had got rid of the panic which had fo feverely affected him.

King's fide, and who, foldier as he CR

was, had not got rid of the prejudices of his childhood, hinted to his royal maiter, that the peafant ought to be burnt as a forcerer. Sir,' faid the fellow, irritated at the remark, if your Majefty will but make that old gentleman take off his fword ⚫ and his fpurs, I will eat him before your face, before I begin the pig.' Gen. Konigfmare (who had at the head of a body of Swedes, performed wonders against the Auftrians, and who was looked upon as one of the VOL. III. No. 1.

ROMINGSBURG Caftle, where the unfortunate Matilda, Queen of Denmark, was long confined, is now the chief refidence of the Queen Dowager, who, fince the Prince has taken the executive part of the Government, is never permitted to appear at Court but on public days. The Queen Dowager, it is faid, complained of this confinement to the Prince, who obferved to her, that

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the time had been when she herself had deemed it a fit refidence for a Queen, and my mother.'

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All

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All for the WANT of KNOWING ONE ANOTHER.
By M. IMBERT.

T is univerfally allowed, that the devil on two sticks, though a little inclined to be fatirical, was really a very agreeable devil; his gratitude towards the person who freed him from his glafs prifon (for it was well known he was corked up in a bottle), and the interefting relations with which he entertained his deliverer, have given him a reputation that will laft as long as any devils exit: a fufficient certainty of immortality. The devil I intend to bring upon the ftage is a relation of this admired devil, and named Ahtaroth. Afhtaroth was particularly fond of Surival, a fort of philofopher; whofe profound reflections on men and manners only ferved to convince him, that every thing was but indifferently conducted in this beft of worlds; and that happiness was as difficult to find as the philofopher's stone.

Afhtaroth one day took him afide to give him a leffon, or rather to instruct him by a moral exhibition. For this purpose he carried him to a lofty tower; while a large telescope, which he had in his hand, gave him the appearance of an aftronomer afcending his obfervatory. Their intention, however, was not to examine what paffed in the heavens, but to discover what was doing among men; who, in fact, are much more difficult to understand than the stars.

Afhtaroth, likewife, took an inftrument resembling thofe trumpets which are fo useful to deaf perfons. Here, faid he to Surival, with one of those you may fee whatever is to be seen in the world; and, with the other, hear whatever is to be heard.

At the fame time he applied his Iglafs to the eye of Surival; who immediately perceived a pale thin man buy at his toilete. This was a perfon of confequence, in reality

young, but labouring under all the infirmities of old age. He was afthmatic, gouty, and debilitated; but befide this, he had a wen in the middle of his forehead, which gave him much more difquiet than either his afthma or his gout; for thefe diforders were only painful, whereas his wen fpoiled the beauty he imagined himself to poffefs.

Afhtaroth having turned the telefcope to another window, Surival faw a doctor of phyfic, who was not any great phyfician, but who boasted the poffeffion of fome infallible remedies for excrefcences on the skin; fuch as wens, warts, and other things of that nature. This, no doubt, is fome ignorant quack, faid Surival. Far from it, replied his friend: he would be able perfectly to cure the wen you have juft feen, if he were applied to; but he is ready to die for want, because he can find no patients; while, on the other hand, the perfon who is incommoded by the wen is almoft diftracted because he can find no phyfician: all this you perceive happens for want of knowing one another. If they could be brought together, the one would be cured and the other might dine.

Surival could not help starting fome objections in his own mind; but as he found it very amusing to make ufe of his telescope, he was unwilling to waste time in difputing.

He looked again, and saw a husband on the point of lofing his wife. The poor man appeared in an agony of grief. Well, faid Surival, this fcene is truly admirable; this honest man is, no doubt, really fond of his wife. Yes, faid Ashtaroth, so faith the text; but let us hear the commentary. mentary. At the death of his wife the good man will be obliged to returu her fortune, as ftipulated at their marriage,

marriage, if the die without iffue. This information confiderably diminished the good opinion which Surival had conceived of this kind hufband. But let us look a little further, continued Ashtaroth. Do you fee that man who is driving his fon from his house, to which he conftant ly returns in spite of all endeavours to keep him away? This fon is expenfive to him, because he has too many children; while the hufband we have just seen has too few. The latter has been long certain that he never fhall have any; and his wife, who has a great affection for him, is very defirous of having fome for his fake. In fuch cafes women are feldom without expedients. Were she and her husband agreed, do you not think it poffible for her to procure children, if aided by one who knows fo well how to manufacture them? At least the might obtain fome ready made; but all this is for want of knowing one another.

Surival loft the conclufion of this difcourfe; for his telescope, by a fudden turn, prefented to him a young female, who fighed frequently, and feemed extremely uneafy, but whofe malady merely confifted in her being fifteen years of age. She was in her father's houfe, who called her his daughter; though, in fact, he treated her as his flave. She fighed profoundly, and feemed in a continual agitation; yet her anxiety did not appear to diminish her beauty.

Alas! cried Surival, with an emotion which he imagined to proceed only from pity, what ails this charming girl? She wants a lover, replied Afhtaroth, and immediately moved the telescope; when Surival inftantly perceived a young man, apparently in great uneafinefs, incapable of reft ing in any place, and, though in perfect health, in greater perturbation than hundreds that are fick. Good heavens ! exclaimed Surival,

what is the matter with that young man? He is in want of a miftrefs, replied Afhtaroth. Well, then, interrupted Surival, why does he not repair to the young girl we have just been obferving? That, faid Afhtaroth, is the very thing I was going to remark; but all this happens for want of knowing one another.

There, continued he, are two perfons who likewife know one another very little. Do you fee that man walking on tiptoe, who fays every thing in a whisper, has fuch an intriguing air, and scatters his money on every fide, to render thofe dumb whom it is impoffible he should blind: who, in short, resembles a thief ready to fall into the hands of juftice? This perfon is a husband, who fecretly introduces into his apartment a young girl, with whom he is defperately in love. Ah! fays he to himself, how delightful fhould I be, if my wife, who is too conftant, would choose herself a lover! She would not then be at leifure to fcrutinize my conduct fo narrowly: I should be more at liberty, and therefore more happy.

He reafons very juftly, faid Surival. But ftop, replied Afhtaroth, let us now turn the inftrument on his wife, whofe apartment is at a diftance from his own, and who, at this moment, is introducing into it a young gallant. You fee fhe is in the fame embarraffment and anxiety, and is in like manner faying to herself, what would I not give if my hufband would but for once be guilty of an act of infidelity! I fhould then have nothing wherewith to reproach myfelf, and my mind would be more at eafe. You fee two or three explanatory words would produce a right understanding and mutual indulgence, and they might lead their lives in peace and fatisfaction: but this is all for want of knowing each other.

This is not abfolutely certain, anfwered Surival; who, at the fame inftant, applying the trumpet to his car, was almost tunned by a prodigious noife. This was occafioned by a middle-aged man, who loudly accufed heaven and earth of injustice. I poffefs, faid he, both wit and learn ing; I write both in verfe and profe; the theatre has applaused my productions, and philofophers have been inftructed by my labours; yet ftill am I pe fecuted by poverty. I would willingly part with a large portion of my tame for a small one of money.

You pity this man's cafe, faid Ashtaroth. Turn your inftrument this way; you there fee a man very rich but difcontented. That is not at all extraordinary, replied Surival. But he found it much more furprising to hear him, by the affiftance of his trumpet, complaining nearly in these terms: I poffefs all that money can procure, but am by no means contented. I afpire to the reputation of a great man, and am only regarded as rich. How willingly would I part with a great deal of money for a little fame! Surival, on hearing this, could not forbear calling out to him, without reflecting that he could not be heard, to purchase fome manufcript of the poor scholar, whose complaints were equally loud from a contrary cause; but as every one had not his trumpet, his advice was wafted away and scattered by the winds.

You give good counfel, faid Ashtaroth, though it cannot be heard. You fee, were it not for want of knowing one another, the one might ac

quire fame and the other riches, and the wants of both be removed.

His inftruments presented him with feveral other objects no lefs Sometimes curious and interesting. he faw a man equally tirefome to himself and troublesome to others; who, in order to procure company, would go to the Palais Royal, and afk a number of perfons to dine with him, though fcarcely acquainted with their names; while at the fame moment, in the garden of the Thuilleries, a worthy man, who was half famished, could meet with no invitation. Sometimes he faw an honeft man in the utmost distress, because he was unable to borrow a trifling fum on unexceptionable fecurity; and at the next inftant a rica ufurer in the greatest uneafiness, because he could not lend his money to advantage. Perpetually the fame reflection recurred: all this is for want of knowing one another. Well, faid Surival, and what is the moral of this exhibition? What your conclufion?

I conclude, replied Afhtaroth, that Nature hath furnished men with all that is neceffary to render them happy, and that it is their own fault if they are not fo.

True, returned Surival; all I have to fay is, that though men, undoubtedly, have among them whatever is neceffary to their happiness, yet they are likely to be but little the better for Nature's kindness, unless you furnifh them with your telescope and trumpet, to enable them to discover where what they want is to be found.

ORIGINAL ANECDOTES.
AWO gentlemen by the name

Tof Wood, entered a houfe, as
the faying is, one upon the top of the
other; upon which the lady cried
our, Here is Wood upon Wood, and
we shan't want for fire this winter."'

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A

Poor lad entered one day the room where his mother, fat at

work, & furveying himself, cried out, Mamma, I'm nothing else from bead to

foot,

But old, and torn, and black as foot.

The

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ORIGINAL POETRY.

F

FRIENDSHIP.

RIENDSHIP! I hate thy name-my rancled heart,
"Forever wounded by thy treacherous hand,

« Bleeding afresh, defies the pow'r of art,
"Its pangs to foften, or extract the fmart;
"For who, ah who can draw the bitter dart
"Implanted by a chofen, bofom friend?

"Too long I harbour'd thee within my breast,
"Thou base destroyer of my reft;
"Too long thy galling yoke did bear:
"For while I cherith'd thee with foftering care,
"Thou didst thy pois'nous fting prepare,

"And wrung the heart that fondly thee careft.

« But now adicu, thy reign is o'er,
"For thee that heart no lo ger fighs;
"And at thy voice fhall joy no more
"Suffuse this cheek, nor grace these eyes.
"Thy ev'ry transport I'll forego,

"Thy fov'reignty disclaim;

"And if no more thy fweets I know,
"I know no more thy pain.
"Tranquil my hours shall glide away,
"No more a prey to poignant woes;
"Content fhall blefs each rifing day,

“And charm each night with calm repose.
"No more fhall tears ftray down my cheek,
"Wak'd by thy fympathetic voice,
"Nor griefs, too big for utterance, break
"An injur❜d heart that venerates thy ties ;
"Nor fighs all eloquent a language teach,

"That mocks the idle power of fpeech."
Thus, once in anguifh'd mood I wept and fung;
Warm from the heart th' unfeeling accents sprung;
For Perfidy's cold touch had chill'd
Each fofter, gentler motion there,
And ev'ry painful chafm had fill'd
With weak mifiruft and fretful care.
But vain I fought those scenes of blifs,
Which Fancy's flatt'ring pencil drew;

When the delights of fmiling Peace

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Each hour should brighten as it flew :

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