reconcile them to a homely diet, however nourishing and proper in their fituation. But to return to the manners of the middle ranks. Having eftablithed this mode of living, two confequences naturally follow; the one is, that they cannot leave it off; and the second, that it extends to every other department of gentility. In a tradefman's rooms, you formerly faw no other ornaments of the kind, than a print of the King and Queen, or the family pictures, tiff and ftarched, (but not like the originals) in flowing periwigs, and perhaps laced coats; and a deboard of plate was never heard or dreamt of. Now, you have not only an expenfive fideboard of plate, feldom used but by housebreakers, and you behold the most elegant prints, and fometimes pictures, in rich and gaudy frames. It is nothing now to give eight or ten guineas for a pair of prints, which are new, and in the fathion. And fo much does this fashion change, that it is rare to fee the fame furniture of this kind for many years together. Wilfe must give way to Chatham, Chatham to Valenciennes, and Valenciennes to the First of June. Proceeding farther, we find the same fyftem expanding in every direction. The fmoke of the city becomes offenfive, and its clofenefs unwholefome. There is, firft, a temporary refi lence at fome genteel, that is, extenfive watering-place; and then a perma. nent villa in the environs, with a lawn, fhrubbery, hot-houfe, coach houfe, ftabling for eight or ten hories, and all the et cate as belonging to fuch an edablishment. A coach-houfe mutt have a coach, and horses must be provided for the tabling, and a groom for the horfes. The young gentlemen of the family are provided with finart horfes as foon, or a little before, they are able to ride; a fine drefled fervant to ride behind, and a fine fum of money, that they may not appear abby. All these are natural confequences. It is true, that these things are taxed, and perhaps heavily taxed, but it is equally true, that no man is obliged to pay the tax, who does not ufe the article; and the neceflity of fuch articles is a matter, at leaft in my mind, not decifively afcertained. Thefe things were not known forty years ago. There was then a line of diftinétion drawn between the tradefman and the gentleman, which the former rarely, if ever, thought of jumping over. By gentlemen, it is obvious that here are not meant those abfurd things who call themselves gentlemen, merely from wearing fine clothes, fpeaking big words, and infulting public decency, but gentlemen of birth, of landed and opulent eftates, and whofe Pyle of life was naturally more expentive and grand, and necellarily to, because an expenfive eftabishment in the hands of a man of real wealth, is the only means by which he can encourage industry, and promote the happinefs of his dependants and neighbours, and he could afford it better than thofe who live by the precarious advantages of trade. In probity, honour, and fometimes, perhaps, even in actual wealth, the tradelman was his equal, but in manners and mode of living he thought it abfurd to emulate him, and he thought justly. In thofe days, it must be allowed, that when a tradefman had, by the affiduities of a long feries of years, amaffed a real and independent forture, he extended his mode of living very confiderably. He had his villa for the reception of his friends, for the elegant indulgences of retirement, and fometimes, it might happen, for the reception of illustrious vifitors; but the fame prudence and good fenfe accompanied him in his elevation, that had enabled him to attain it. His expences were fuch as could be spared, fuch as injured no man, and fuch as he was well entitled to contract, as fome gratifying reward for a life (pent in honourable induftry. The elegant expences of a judicious man are always ufeful Befides, all this the decline of life. the cafe now. is was performed in Just the reverse Tradefmen, who wish to be thought genteel, begin ners, falfe civility, and pretended precisely where they fhould leave off; First; because of its confequences upon the party himself. He is thus fent back into the world, without friends, without credit, and without reputation; and he is driven to commit frauds and crimes at which he would have once flartled with all the indignation of the most virtuous mind. Secondly; it extends to his family, who, according to the fame pernicious fyltem. have been indulged in hopes which can never be gratified, and have received an education which unfits them from gaining a livelihood in ways that are humble and reputable. And lastly, its effects upon fociety in general are abundantly deftructive, It deftroys confidence between man and man, makes the whole fyftem of life a deception, and encourages falfe man TH friendship. It then becomes every man's interest to deceive his neighbour, to take unfair advantages, and to leave the plain and equal path of moderate profits, for the wild, vifionary profpects of speculation. The true fpirit of trade is lot, and that of adventure is fubftituted. The peace of a nation becomes thereby difturbed by the clamours of men, who, if they complained juflly, would complain only of their own folly and madness. Such is the unhappy infatuation which too much prevails among a very numerous clafs of men, and fuch are the confequences which muft ever follow, when men are regardiefs of the past and the future, and think only of prefent enjoyments. Thofe who may be feduced by the fame infatuation, and have not yet fuffered its punishment, would do well to remember in time, that there is no abfolute neceffity imposed upon any man to ruin himself for the gratification of his neighbours, and that the reign of fashion in trade, is a mere ufurpation, a flavery from which they would do well to emancipate themselves by eftablishing that folid credit with the wife and the industrious which cannot be fhaken by the hifs of ignorance, or the clamour of diffipation. I am, yours, &c. fir, ONE OF THE OLD SCHOOL. ON THE DESIRE OF PLEASING. HE defire to pleafe is among the chief anxieties incident to the human mind, and may be reckoned a very ftriking inftance of the victory of hope over repeated disappointment. Even those who take but little pains to please, acknowledge that they would not be forry to fucceed; but with the majority of mankind, the defire to please predominates over a thoufand failures, and feldom leaves them until the decline of life, when memory of the past becomes weak, and profpects of a very different kind begin to open. The approbation of our fellow-creatures is highly gratifying to our nature, and the humbleft will not be ashamed to own that this is a vanity to which they are feldom fuperior. But amid all the varied efforts of man, we find fcarcely any that more frequently ends in difappointment than this. It has been repeated so often as to become a proverb, that it is impoffible popularity, or conciliated efleem, we foon become fenfible that our acquifition is not to be retained, and if our happiness is concerned, we find to our forrow that we have entrusted to others, what we ourselves only could keep. to please every one; and if, when convinced of our error, we changed our fyftem, this truth would long ago have had a more general influence on our practice. The defire to please, however, outlives every other ambition, and we pursue the phantom from day to day, unchecked by difappointment, and unmoved by neglect. Such at least is the cafe with the bulk of mankind; for with those who think and feel, whofe experience improves their lives, while it adds to their knowledge, the defire of pleafing is moderated by the means, and the approbation from others is no longer fought, than it has previously been fecured within their own minds. A few there are, indeed, who have felt the bitterness of disappointment fo feverely, as to relinquith all thoughts of pleasing others, and failing from one extreme into another, determine, that fince they cannot please all, it is not worth while to please any. Men of trong minds are poffeffed of decided characters, characters improveable by experience, but not changeable by whim. They fee and know the impoffibility of pleafing all mankind, and they moderate their expectations. But all men have not firmness of mind and character. The pliant tempers of fome render their lives a perpetual flavery to the caprices of thofe around them, and the selfinterest of others creates in them a defire of pleafing, which is merely artificial, and which they practice mechanically. Examples of this may be feen in the smile of the courtier, the plaufible language of the author, and the grin of the fhopman. Yet haw vain all these attempts are, who is there that has not witnessed in others, or experienced in himfelf? Nay, characters of a more fincere caft, good men in all fituations, find that their fuccefs in the art of pleafing, is confined to a very fmall part of that number they were anxious to pleafe. And even where we think we have fucceeded, where we think we have acquired It is impoffible to pleafe every body,' is the confoling reflection which foftens a thoufand difappointments. It is an expreffed, not a tacit, encomium on ourselves, meaning that we have attempted what is impoffible, and that it is no difcredit to have failed where none have fucceeded. The glory of the attempt is considered as fomething to boatt of, although it may be queftioned whether it be a compenfation for the difappointment. Men often attempt what is impoffible, with full affurance from the experience of others that it is fo, yet with a degree of confidence in fuccefs which. however common, is not very confillent. The truth is, felf-love, or felf-conceit, inclines us to think that there is fomething in our cafe that may form an exception. Every adventurer in the lottery, is convinced that one only can carry off the great prize, but every adventurer takes the liberty to think that that one must be himself. That time is precarious, and death certain, are convictions of à fimilar kind, yet how few think that their own time flies, and their own death approaches? It is impoffible to pleafe every body,' is the confolation of the flatesman, when his popularity is on the wane; of the politician, whofe fchemes have been rejected; of the divine, who fends away half his congregation in ill humour, and whofe next effort is made to empty pews; of the tradefman, whofe cultomers have deferted him; and of the author, whose works are read by few. Indeed, the latter clafs of men are expofed to many more disappointments than the others. They are liable to be rejected by the ignorant, who cannot understand; by the wealthy, who will not read; by the critics, who are pleased with finding fault; and by the churl, who is determined not to be pleafed at all. It is neceflary, therefore, to poffefs a higher confolation than is derived from the vain reflection, that we cannot perform that which is impoffible; and fuch confolation it is in the power of any man to poffefs. The due performance of our duty may fall fhort of the expectations of fom, but if it be according to our bett abilities and judgment, it cannot fail to give fatisfaction to all, whom to pleafe is an object of confequence. It is impofble that our conduct, thus regulated, can forfeit the good opinion of any man of reflection. It may excite envy, provoke to jealoufy, and even incur the malignity of revenge, but it must nevertheless be the theme of approbation. If we adhere to our duty, unambitious of applaufe, and unmoved by cenfure, we inevitably attract the one, and difappoint the other. Cenfure, in this cafe, if rightly underflood, is really applaufe, for who would entertain the vain hope of pleafing both the good and the bad? Laudari a laudato viro, to be praised by them, whom all men praife, is a merit of a very fuperior kind. Of the rest of mankind we ought to take no account, or at least, not to think fo highly of their approbation as to court it by finifter means, by conceffions which are degrading, or compliances, which are unmanly and wicked. In the performance of certain of the duties of life, fome men have fallen into an error which, although not very common, is to be mentioned, that it may in every potlible cafe be avoided. They are fo much pleafed with the bare performance of that duty, as to think themselves above all the common modes of civility and gentleness, and that if their morals are fecure, they may difpenfe with manners. Such men do you a favour as if they intended to knock you down, and pay a debt in the way of bufinefs, as if their intention was to commit a robbery. Urbanity, how ever, is itself a duty; it enters as a very powerful and pleasing ingredient in the compofition of philanthropy, and I know of no precept or example in facred or profane writing, which can juftify the neglect of it. If it proceeds from the temper, it is too often incurable, or very difficult to cure, but a good man will notwithflanding try what can be done, or he will endeavour to compenfate by thote extraordinary exertions of active benevolence, which we are always ready to take in exchange for polite profeffions, and affected kindness. Mildnefs of addrefs, affability, gentlencís of manners, or in a word, all that we underftand by good-breeding, or politeness, are perfectly confident with piety and virtue, and where they ferve to fmooth the furface of life, and remove afperities; where they ferve to attract men to the imitation of better qualities, of which they are but the ornaments, who would not wish to cultivate them? It is certainly impoffible to please every body, but no man is difpleafed because he is treated with civility, and no man, I may venture to affirm, was ever in love with rudeness, and harîh manners. To conclude. May we not argue, that to please all men is not more an impoffibility than an abfurdity? May we not fay, in the energetic language of Johnfon, It would be impoffible, if it were endeavoured, and it would be foolish if it were poflible?' Our purfuits are bounded in a certain degree. It may be our lawful interest and our harmless defire to please a certain number, but beyond them neither our intereft nor our pleasures can lie. And it must be repeated, that every effort we make which is inconfiftent with our duty, which takes from our virtue, impairs juice, or vitiates truth, however fuccessful fuch an effort may be, is a meanness of which we cannot fail to be ashamed, and an acquifition which we cannot long keep. The writer who flatters his readers, fmooths over their follies, and encourages their vices, may please fome, and among thofe may be the perfons whom it is his intereft to please, but he has departed from the manly dignity of genius, and has incurred the imputation of prostitution. The tradetman, who fearful of the lofs of bufinefs, behaves with equal civility and equal gratitude to the pooreft, as well as the richest of his OBSERVATIONS on DANCING, as an imitative ART. [From Effays on Philofophical Subjects,' by the late Adam Smith, L. L. D.] T THE imitative powers of dancing dance from every other fort of moare much fuperior to thofe of tion. When the dancer, moving with inftrumental mufic, and are at leaft a step of this kind, and obferving this equal, perhaps fuperior, to those of time and meafure, imitates either the any other art. Like inftrumental ordinary or the more important actions music, however, it is not neceffarily of human life, he shapes and fashions, or effentially imitative, and it can as it were, a thing of one kind, into produce very agreeable effects, with the refemblance of another thing of a out imitating any thing. In the greater very different kind: his art conquers part of our common dances there is the difparity which nature has placed little or no imitation, and they confit between the imitating and the imialmost entirely of a fucceffion of fuch tated object, and has upon that acteps, geitures, and motions, regulated count fome degree of that fort of meby the time and measure of mufic, rit which belongs to all the imitative as either difplay extraordinary grace, arts. This difparity, indeed, is not or require extraordinary agility. Even fo great as in fome other of those arts, fome of our dances, which are faid to nor confequently the merit of the imihave been originally imitative, have, tation which conquers it. Nobody in the way in which we practife them, would compare the merit of a good almost ceafed to be fo. The minuet, imitative dancer to that of a good in which the woman, after paffing painter or flatuary. The dancer, and repaffing the man feveral times, however, may have a very confiderfirst gives him up one hand, then the able degree of merit, and his imitaother, and then both hands, is faid tion perhaps may fometimes be capato have been originally a moorish ble of giving us as much pleafure as dance, which emblematically repre- that of either of the two artists. All fented the paffion of love. Many of the fubjects, either of fatuary or of my readers may have frequently danced hiftory-painting, are within the com this dance, and, in the opinion of pafs of his imitative powers; and in all who faw them, with great grace reprefenting them, his art has even and propriety, though neither they fome advantage over both the other nor their fpectators once thought of two. Statuary and hiftory-painting the allegorical meaning which it ori- can reprefent but a fingle inftant of ginally intended to exprefs. the action which they mean to imitate: the caufes which prepared, the confequences which followed, the fituation of that fingle inftant are altogether beyond the compafs of their imitation. A pantomime dance can reprefent diftinctly those causes and con A certain measured, cadenced step, commonly called a dancing step, which keeps time with, and as it were beats the measure of, the mufic which accompanies and directs it, is the effential characteristic which diftinguishes a |