THE PLAINTIFF. [No. XI.] TO THE EDITOR OF THE PLAINTIFF. MR. EDITOR, Tnumber of the Monthly Visitor, excited my com HE addrefs which was made to you in the last paffion. An unsuccessful lover is one of the most diftreffing objects in creation. To mitigate his forrows will be a meritorious object. This diftreffed lover tells you, that he has tried every remedy; and, that if you fail in a recipe he must fink into defpair. Poor man! I feel an intereft in his miffortune. But, as he himself remarks, "his cafe is neither uncommon nor peculiar." So much the worse. So general a fpecies of distress calls for fome specific remedy. I fhail attempt to prescribe for him, and alfo for others in a fimilar condition. The prefcription poffeffes an almoft fovereign efficacy. It confifts of three ingredients, impartial enquiry; vigorous employment; and long abfence. Impartial enquiry is neceffary oftentimes to the abatement and extinction of difappointed love. Let him enquire calmly whether the object be really fo valuable as he imagines. Perhaps his inflamed mind hath invefted her with vifionary excellencies. The foul of the lover is heated with paffion-and paffion is a deceitful medium of judgment. Let him confider then, whether his Dulcinea ought not to be ftripped of the many gaudy colours with which he has perhaps thoughtlefsly embellifhed her. Cool examination in these affairs, often breaks the chains, and loofens the victim from his bonds. But fuppofe, upon enquiry, he finds the object of his affection to be what he fuppofes-every thing that is excellent :-then the exercife of thought will fhew him the wifdom of giving up with dignity what cannot be be attained. This measure common fenfe dictates. Let her voice be heard and obeyed. For this purpose, I muft beg him to have recourfe to the two other ingredients of my prefcription-vigorous employment and long abfence. Vigorous employment will abforb the imagination, in which faculty violent love generally takes up its abode. One mafter paffion, like the rod of Aaron, fwallows up the reft. Thus will he get rid of his prefent fource of mifery. To play with the paffion will only blow it into greater fury. Let him be refolute, and lol the Herculean task is accomplished. She who before occupied all his attention, will be excluded from his meditations. Into the receffes of his foul fhe will not be fuffered to enter. He is engroffed by other affairs. He is taken up with fubjects more favourable to his welfare and felicity. The laft ingredient is long abfence. This has fucceeded when every thing else failed. The disappointed lover quits the fpot where the unyielding object of his affections hath charmed him into mifery. He fometimes feeks relief in foreign climes. Travels or voyages are in this refpect moft efficacious in their operation. New objects perpetually rife upon his view. Thefe amuse his fancy, and intereft his heart. The late Mrs. Woollftonecraft, by these means, got rid of a fimilar uneasiness. Her peace and happiness were effectually reftored. Such are the means offered for banishing the distress with which your correfpondent is oppreffed. He is at perfect liberty either to adopt or reject them. I muft, however, be permitted to fay, that they are not untried means; nor have they been found of little or no efficacy. Thoufands have had recourse to them, and can bear teftimony to the effect which they have produced on the haraffed mind. Let them not, therefore, be despised. A fair trial they demand; and, till the experiment be made, no individual has a right to depreciate them. For my own part, I acknowledge their efficacy. It becomes me, then, particularly to recommend them. This I do in the most unreserved manner. He who has been difeafed, knows the value of medicine. He who has been restored to health, has it in his power to speak decidedly in favour of the process which has effected his recovery. At the fame time, Mr. Editor, I cannot conclude this fhort epiftle, without offering fome advice to your dif treffed correfpondent. Should he be fuccefsful in the ufe of the means here specified, let him for the future keep a tighter rein over his imagination. It is a headfrong patlion, not eafily to be managed. Its victim is fometimes involved in its illufions, beyond the poffibility of a recovery. Inftances of this kind are not unfrequent. Vigilance, therefore, fhould be continually exercifed. Without this virtue of inceffant watchfulness, happiness will prove a ftranger to our bofoms. We become the fport of the circumftances in which we are placed. Whereas, a well-governed mind will guard every avenue to the heart. Not that the individual fhould fhut his foul against virtuous love; but it is his bounden duty, as he values his own peace and comfort, to avoid fetting his affections on objects which are either unfuitable for him, or which are beyond the reach of his poffeffion. In fuch a cafe he will not become a fubject of pity to his connexions; and prove a burden to himfelf. Of him it never will be faid in the expreflive language of Gray, Hard by yon wood, now fmiling as in fcorn, Muttering his wayward fancies-see him rove; Or craz'd with care, or croffed in hopeless love! N. CHARACTER. CHARACTER OF THE ANABAPTISTS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MONTHLY VISITOR. SIR, HAV AVING inferted in your two preceding numbers an account of the German Anabaptifts, I beg you to add the following paragraph, refpecting the character of that body of people fince that period. It is taken from the Hiftory of Charles the Fifth, by the late eminent hiftorian Dr. William Robertion. Having given a sketch of their turbulent proceedings, and of the ruin in which their affairs were finally involved, Dr. Robertfon adds,-" TOGETHER with its monarch, the kingdom of the Anabaptifts came to an end. Their principles having taken deep root in the Low Countries, the party ftill fubfifts there, under the name of Mennonites; but, by a very fingular revolution, this fect, fo mutinous and fanguinary at its firft origin, hath become altogether innocent and pacific. Holding it unlawful to wage war, or to accept of civil offices, they devote themselves entirely to the duties of private citizens; and, by their industry and charity, endeavour to make reparation to human fociety for the violence committed by their founders. A fmall number of this fect, which is fettled in England, retain its peculiar tenets concerning baptifm; but without any dangerous mixture of enthufiafm.' From a principle of respect for that body of people, I fend you this account of the prefent character of the BAPTISTS, falfely called Anabaptifts. The latter appellation is a term of reproach, given them by their enemies only; therefore thould be laid afide. Your known impartiality will, I believe, induce you to infert this teftimony in their favour. I remain, Sir, yours, A conftant Reader, B. A JOURNEY A JOURNEY TO THE MOON. T was midnight, and nature was funk in profound water lowly from the fhore, and the breeze by fits ruftling through the grove, were the only founds which intruded upon my ear; the firmament prefented to the view a cloudlefs expanfe of deep but beautiful azure; a few ftars were vifible, for they were dimmed by the fuperior luftre of the moon, full orbed and in the zenith; her mild radiance, while it illumined, gave a foftness and intereft to the furrounding landscape, far more attractive than the dazzling, the obtrufive brilliance beftowed by the fun's meridian fplendor. Loft in admiration, I gazed upon the orb of night, and almoft involuntarily exclaimed, "O that a mortal might be permitted to quit awhile this lower sphere, and explore the diftant unknown lunar regions: what fupreme felicity would it be to converfe with a race of beings, perhaps more wife and more innocent than the frail inhabitants of this earth: what immortal honour would he acquire who could unfold to a wondering world their amufements, their manners, their learning, and their virtues; would to heaven that that happiness might be mine,", -"And BE IT THINE," said a voice of heavenly sweetness. I turned astonished, and beheld a more than mortal form, robed in pureft white: a lucid emanation encircled his frame; his light hair breathing odor, flowed in ringlets over his fhoulders; the bloom on his cheeks mocked the fading tints of the rofe, and his bright eyes beamed intelligence and love. "Fear not," he exclaimed, "I am thy guardian genius; from the hour of thy birth have I unceafingly watched over thee: unheard and unfeen have I averted the dangers which threatened thee; often, when thou waft finking in anguith, have 1 infpired thee with fortitude; and often, with ftill fmall voice, have I recalled thy erring feet to the paths of happiness and vir tue. |