Captain Hull anfwered, "He feared he had interrupted his Grace's thoughts about fomething of more confequence than his bufinefs (for the Duke was a real Patriot, virtuous, wife, and valiant:) Not to you and me, Hull," fays the Duke: "however, I'll tell you what I was thinking of; I was confidering what will be the confequence, fifty years hence, of the bad education of fix parts out of seven of our young Nobility. They are brought up with a little fuperficial learning, introduced early into company, pleafure and diffipation of all forts; then fent to travel before they know any thing of their own country, or mankind, and the part they ought to act as men. Abroad they are flattered, duped, and laughed at, and return home corrupted both in head and heart.

While

they are thus employed, all the ufeful fenfe, learning and knowledge, will be poffeffed by the middling clafs of people, who muft of course despise a luxurious, idle, gaming Nobility. And as time and accident will widen the breach between them, (unless Providence graciously interferes) confufion in the end must follow; for the idlers will be for arbitrary power, that they may at the tyrant over their inferiors; not confidering that by this step they are flaves themselves, and have given up the greatest bleffing in life. But the men of learn

ing

ing and science will lift under liberty, knowing men are by nature equal, and that all power is delegated from the people for their protection and fecurity; and from hence convulfions may arife, which scarce you or I will live to fee."

WH

put him to teft.

ANECDOTE.

HEN Voltaire was at the Pruffian court, and peaceably enjoyed the higheft admiration and praife that fuperior talents and wit could infure, an English gentleman arrived at Berlin, who had fo extraordinary a memory, that he could repeat a long compofition, in profe or verse, if once read or recited to him, without miffing a word. The King had the curiofity to The Englishman appeared, and fucceeded to the aftonishment of the whole court. It happened, that immediately after this trial, Voltaire fent the King word, that, with the King's permiffion, he fhould do himself the honour to read to him a poem he had juft finifhed. The King gave him permiffion to come; but, at the fame time, refolved to divert himself at the expence of the poet. He accordingly placed the Englishman behind a fcreen, and ordered him to

pay

pay particular attention to what Voltaire fhould read. Voltaire came, and read his poem with much emphafis, in hopes of obtaining the King's warm approbation. But to his great difappointment, the King seemed perfectly cold and indifferent to what he was reading. The poem was finished. Voltaire afked the King his opinion of it, and received for anfwer-" That his Majefty had lately obferved, that Monfieur Voltaire fathered the works of others, and gave them out for his own. This was a degree of effrontry he should not have thought him capable of, and he could not but be highly difpleafed at it."

Voltaire was aftonished. He complained that he was wronged, and declared, that he did not. deferve the reproach. "Well then, "faid the King, come forth, Sir, and repeat the verfes of which Voltaire pretends to be author."-The Englishman came forward, and, with great compofure, repeated the poem, without miffing a fingle paffage. "Now," cried the King, "are you not obliged to confefs that my accufation is founded in truth?"-"Heavens!" cried Voltaire, "Why fleeps your lightning? Why is your vengeance withheld from punifhing the crimes of a miscreant. who dares to rob me of my laurels? Here fecrecy is employed, and I am driven to despair!"-The

King

King laughed heartily at this fcene of poetic fury, and rewarded the Englishman liberally for the amufement he had procured him.

A

ANECDOTE.

FRENCH Officer, at a general review before the King, dans la Plaine des fablons in Paris, whilft he was riding through the ranks, happened to let his hat fall on the ground. A dragoon, eager to pick it up, endeavoured to reach it to his officer with the point of his fword, which he did, but unfortunately made a hole through it. The officer was very angry, and declared he would rather have had the fword through his guts. His Majefty heard him make this declaration, and afked him what he meant? Sir, faid he, if the fword had paffed through my body, the furgeon of the regiment would have cured me, but I don't know any body that will give me credit for a

new hat.

03300

PRAYER.

PRAYER.

PRAYER unaccompanied with a fervent love

of God, is like a lamp unlighted; the words of the one without love being as unprofitable, as the oil and cotton of the other without flame. "Our wants" fays the late Bishop of London (Dr. Gibfon) "are daily, and the temptations which draw our hearts from God, to the things of this world are daily, and upon both these accounts our prayers ought also to be daily."

The faid doctor gives the following advice: "Our morning prayers will always most properly begin with thanksgivings to Almighty God, our Creator and Preferver. In the next place, a folemn dedication of ourselves to his fervice. This followed by petitions, viz. for his grace and affiftance to ourselves,-for the like in behalf of others. The evening prayers to begin in the fame order, only a confeffion of fins at the end of the day, and petition must stand in the place of morning dedication-and the conclufion fhould be with a petition for reft and protection, inftead of that for a bleffing on our bufinefs.-For the Sabbath, the great day of rest, &c." Let your prayers be ever fo proper in the form and expreffion, or let your

H

heart