in Hebrew characters; and without such seal, no Jew will par◄ chafe meat of a Chriftian butcher.

Before it is dreffed they are obliged to let it lie half an houria water, and an hour in falt, and then rinse the falt off with clean water, they being ftrictly commanded not to eat blood; and the difobeying of which commandment being threatened with no lefs a punishment than excifion; they are, therefore, obliged to act in this manner, in order to draw forth the remaining blood which is left therein, before they eat it.

They likewife may not eat the hind quarters, even of those beafts which they are permitted to eat (according to that paffage in Gen. chap. xxxii. ver. 32. "Therefore the children of Ifrael eat not of the finew which fhrank; which is upon the hollow of the thigh unto this day.") And, therefore, they may not eat of the hind quarter unless the finew is taken out, which is both troublesome and expenfive; it being obliged to be done by a perfon duly qualified, and fpecially appointed for that purpose, in like manner as thofe appointed to kill the cattle, and therefore is feldom done.

They may not eat meat and butter together: this is inferred from the commandment in the law." Thou shalt not feethe a kid in his mother's milk." Exod. chap. xxiii. verfe 19th, and chap. xxxiv. verfe 26th, and Deut. chap. xiv. verfe 20th. And for this very reafon is it, that they may not eat the cheese mate by Chriftians, that being called meat and butter; their's being made under the fuperintendance of a Jew, and the milk from whica it is made, turned in a different manner; and, therefore, they are obliged to have different utenfils, both to drefs and to eat their victuals in, even to the most minute article, fuch as knives and forks, spoons, &c. the one for meat, the other for butter.

They may not graft one species of fruit upon a tree of a different kind; fuch as a peach upon an apple-tree, or the like; nor fow different fpecies of feed in one bed; nor fuffer different fpecies of cattle to engender; neither may they wear a garment made of linen and woollen; that is, of the wool of sheep, and linen made of flax. All this is grounded on the following commandment: Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverfe kind thou shalt not fow thy field with mingled feed ; neither fhall a garment mingled with linen and woollen come upon thee." Levit. chap. xix. verfe 19.

A LETTER to J. P. a young Man entering into the World. DEAR SIR,

E of

VERY man, from his temper, education, and fituation in

fimilar tempers and characters, who are engaged in the fame purfuits, and on a like footing in life, generally form a particular connection. That man indeed is of a very peculiar genius, who cannot find among his own fpecies a fimilar character to himself, with whom he is more inclined to form an attachment than with others. Hence it is, that, befides a general intercourfe which men have with one another, there is a more near connection, or fome fpecies of friendship, among almost every denomination of mankind. Much good fenie has been wrote on this fubject; however, in the view of its being important to you, I hope I may be allowed to repeat fome of the advantages of true friendship, and to throw out fome hints on the character from which thefe are derived.

In this world every man, however wife, learned, experienced, rich, or powerful, ftands in need of a true friend; much more the inconfiderate, giddy, and inexperienced youth. He is launched forth into a dangerous fea, unacquainted with his voyage, expofed to the fport of each bellowing wave, and liable to be driven amidst the deceptious rocks. How feasonable comes the aid of the friendly pilot? How much does he owe to his kind interference? What defart fo uncomfortable, what wilderness fo chearlefs, as is this world without a friend? He alleviates our cares, he fhares in our difficulties, he enlarges the circle of our joys, he rejoices in our intereft, he engages in our purfuits, he improves our understanding, he enlivens and elevates our affections, he adds to our knowledge;-his honeft and faithful heart receives our plaintive tale, and he exercises every effort of gratitude and generofity in our behalf. So that

"Poor is the master of a friendless world; "A world, in purchase for a friend, is gain." The ftrong paffions of youth, their unacquaintance with the difficulties of the world, with other obvious caufes, often lead them to pronounce falfely concerning their own abilities, acquire ments, and character. This is an error; which, when not foon detected, proves the fource of many others. To remedy this, is the bufinefs of the true friend. As thofe who flatter young people are their enemies in effect, fo they are their friends who candidly inform them of their faults and defects. None but the true friend will fuffer difpleasure to detect error, and promote good.-Farther, a man can never fhine in any pursuit or employment, but in that for which nature has peculiarly calculated him. A confiderate youth may difcover his own particular genius, but the greater part of young people are engaged in fo many fanciful purfuits, all agreeable to them, that whatever

they

they take most pleafure in, they wish to purfue, however unfit for it. Not to mention the felf deceptions that mislead almoft every man in his judgement of himself; all which evince the neceffity of the counsel of a faithful friend to any man, but particularly to a young man ; as, on the manner in which he fets out in the world, depends his future fuccefs in life.

From these hints, I dare fay you are fenfible that a true friend is a most valuable treafure. A young man, in contracting friendships, fhould ftudy what his ambition in general aims at: if it is bent on low purfaits, he will have no great efteem for elevated characters; if it afpires at being the head of a party, he will not value fo much worthy men, as men obfequious to his humour. In these, and fuch like cafes, no great good can be derived from friendship; and he would do well to give his ambition another direction. Elevated, juft, and worthy fentiments, of men and things, will most likely lead to an advantageous friendthip. If your appearance is engaging, if your difpofition is obliging, if you are good-natured and officious, if you are credulous and unfufpicious, and if you defire to please every one's ruling paffion, you will be very fuccefsful in forming friendfhips; but, perhaps, be without a friend! The inexperience, the warm affections, the fanciful imaginations, and the immature judgement of a young man, fhould teach him to be deliberate and cautious in chufing friends. To his acquaintances he may be obliging; he may make conceffions to their humour and weakness, and he may believe their proffers of friendship to be fincere; but he would do well to preferve a dignity amongst them, and not take any one into his bofom, until he has ample proof of his integrity, with every other requifite of friendship. You will conceive, however, I am far from approving the maxim, "To deal with every man before you have tried him, as if he was a knave." This is an extreme, but I think I have pointed out a medium. Ill grounded and uncharitable fafpicion deferves ever to be reprobated. As to your relations, why fhould you efteem them your friends more than others, if they do not prove themselves to be to? Cannot you difcharge the obligations you are under to them, and yet diftinguish between them and your real friends? Friendship is founded on virtue, relation on blood. The former fhall endure for ever, the latter is fubject to the affaults of mortality. The pleafares of the former are exalted and noble, rational and permanent; thofe of the latter, low and animal, fublunary and perishing. Not but that the trueft friendfhips are formed among relations, but it is proper to view this diftinction in its true light. For your friend, do not chufe an avaricious man; he has too narrow a foul to enter into the ge

nerous

nerous offices, feelings, and fentiments of friendship. A paffionate man would affront and defert you. A conceited man would continually perplex you with his peculiarities; he loves himself and his opinions too much, to have much affection for others. An ignorant man would foon difguft you. A man your fuperior in genius, learning, and fortune, would be apt to mortify your vanity; although it would be your wifdom, if circumtances concur, to put yourself under his protection. It is proper to contract a friendship with fome, who are nearly on a footing with ourselves. We can the more eafily enter into all the offices of friendship. Befides univerfal virtue, a true friend fhould poffefs love, modefty, confidence, good fenfe, and a good temper. A diffident man of himself, is always difpofed to admire the good qualities of others. A juft and delicate difcernment between propriety and impropriety, is effential to friendfhip. In that connection, rude familiarity muft ever be avoided. An uniform, polite, and refpectful attention to your friend, is neceffary to preferve the dignity and excellency of friendship.

When we have found a true friend, we must prove ourselves friendly; our care to preferve him, muft be equal to his worth. Every fault and error may be forgiven, but thofe of the heart, We must not have romantic notions of friendship, nor fuppofe in that connection that we are living with Gods, or fuperior beings; no, we have fill to do with weak, and often inconfiftent man. In real life many inftances will occur, in our intercourse with our friends, which fhall abundantly evince the neceffity of poffeffing a good forbearing temper, Friendship, indeed, will be difpofed to bear and forgive a great deal; but a good temper will, in many cafes, be more fuccefsful. Too much hould never be expected from friendship; and we should be more apt to blame ourselves than cur friend. If a return of good offices be not neceffary to preferve him, gratitude, with every little attention, is indifpenfible. We muft ftudy to exercife the offices of friendship in fuch a delicate manner as fhall, to our friend, appear almoft imperceptible. Would we preferve a generous friend, we must never encourage an ungenerous or an uncharitable idea concerning him. Generofity itself cannot fupport a mean jealoufy. Study to poffefs the requifites of friendship, and you will never be without a friend. Farewell. ARISTIDES.

ON SLAVERY. NUMBER IX.

AVID HUME, in a note to his Effay on National Cha

Dracters, fays, "I am apt to fufpect that the negroes, and

in general all the other fpecies of men, (for there are four or five different kinds,) are inferior to the whites. There never was a civilized nation of any other complexion than white, nor even any individual eminent either in action or fpeculation; no ingenious manufacturers among them, no arts, no science: not to mention our colonies, there are negro flaves difperfed all over Europe, of which none have ever difcovered any symptoms of ingenuity."

This fufpicion (for it feems fcarcely to have matured into an opinion) concerning an original diftinction in the breeds of men, has unaccountably given occafion to fome writers to quote Hume as an advocate for the flavery of the negroes; which, if his facts were admitted, is foreign to his argument.

But his affertions are doubtlefs too general. Were the Carthagenians, a civilized African nation, white? Were Hannibal or Jugurtha, both Africans of great eminence, white? No inftances, it is true, like thefe, can be produced amongst the negroes; but example, taken under the difadvantage of that oppreffion in which they are ufually feen by Europeans, will be reasonably objected to. The bad qualities of flaves may with more juftice be attributed not to their complexion or country, but to the abject fervility of their condition, which repreffes emulation, and extinguishes whatever is great or noble in the mind. Many inftances, however, prove, that when opportunities have occurred of relief from the severity of their bondage, the negroes are capable of inftruction both in arts and sciences.

With refpect to their difpofition in their own country, Adan. fon, in his hiftory of Senegal, fays, that they are good-natured, civil, and obliging; and that he was convinced a confiderable abatement ought to be made in the accounts he had heard and read of the favage character of the Africans. Bofman, a Dutch governor, who refided fome years in Africa, relates that they are friendly to firangers; that they difcover, in converfation, a great quickness of parts and understanding, and that they have a variety of mechanical arts and fome curious manufactures amongst them, particularly that of gold and filver hatbands, in which he doubts if they can be rivalled by the most polifhed nations. Barbet, Brue, and Holben, who alfo refided in the country, unite in the favourable reprefentation which they give of their capacity for civil government, and the adminiftration of juftice.

Thefe teftimonials, extracted from writers who had refided on the fpot, evidently overthrow the fallacious foundation on which Hume had hazarded his fpeculation.

But