thefe words, "I love my neighbours, and they love me: why then fhould I begin in my old days to form new connections, and tear myself from thofe friends whofe kindness is to me the greatest happiness I enjoy?-Acting in this inftance like the celebrated Plutarch, who being asked why he refided in his native city, fo obfcure and fo little? "I ftay (faid he) left it should

grow lefs."

D

ANECDOTE

Of Dr. ME A D.

R. Mead very early in life attained to his ftation of eminence, and met with all the fubfequent encouragement due to his great merit; but who, nevertheless died in a ftate of indigence. The income arifing from his practice, was eftimated at £7000 a year, and he had one, if not two fortunes left him, not by relations, but by friends no way allied to him: but his munificence was fo great, and his paffion for collecting books, printings, and curiofities, fo ftrong, that he made no favings. His manuscripts he parted with in his life time to fupply his wants, which towards his end were become fo preffing, that he once requefted of the late Lord Orrery the loan of five Guineas on fome O o toys,

toys, viz. pieces of kennel coal wrought into vafes, and other elegant forms, which he produced from his pocket. This ftory, incredible as it may feem, Lord Orrery told to Johnfon as a real fact.

T

ANECDOTE

OF THE

EMPEROR OTHO.

HE Emperor Otho the Fir, being upon a military expedition, a woman threw herself at his feet, befeeching a juft revenge, according to the laws, upon a perfon who committed a rape upon her. The emperor, being in hafte, referred the hearing of her caufe till his return. "But who then (replied the woman) fhall recall into your majefty's mind the horrid injury that hath been done to me?" The emperor looking up to a church thereby. "This (faid he) fhall be a witnefs betwixt thee and me, that I do thee juftice; and, fo difmiffing her, he, with his retinue, fet forward. At his return, fecing the church, he called to mind the complaint, and caufed the woman to be fummoned; who at her appearance thus befpake him: "Dread fovereign, the man

of

of whom I heretofore complained is now my husband; I have fince had a child by him, and have forgiven him the injury." Not so (faid the emperor) by the beard of Otho he fhall fuffer for it; for a collufion amongst yourselves does not make void the laws;" and fo caufed his head to be ftruck off.

VIR

VIRTUE and EV I L.

IRTUE may be affail'd, but never hurt,
Surpris'd by unjuft force, but not enthrall'd;
Yea even that which mischief meant most harm,
Shall in the happy trial prove most glory;
But evil on itfelf fhall back recoil,

And mix no more with goodness, when at laft
Gather'd like fcum, and fettled to itself,
It fhall be in eternal restless change
Self-fed, and felf confumed; if this fail,
The pillar'd firmament is rottenness,
And earth's base built on ftubble.,

IT.

TRUTH.

T were doubtless to be wifhed, that truth and reason were univerfally prevalent; that every thing were esteemed according to its real value, and that men would fecure themselves from being disappointed in their endeavours after happiness, by placing it only in virtue, which is always to be obtained. But, if adventitious and foreign pleafures must be purfued, it would be, perhaps, of fome benefit, fince that pursuit must frequently be fruitless, if it could be taught, that folly might be an antidote to folly, and one fallacy be obviated by another,

DRUNKENNESS,

LEXANDER having invited several of his friends and general officers to fupper, propofed a crown as a reward for him who fhould drink moft. He who conquered on this occafion was Promachus, who fwallowed fourteen meafures of wine, that is, eighteen or twenty pints. After receiving the prize, which was a crown, worth a talent, i. e. about a thousand crowns, he furvived his victory but three days. Of the rest of the guefts, forty died of their intemperate drinking.

THE

THE

AFRICAN SLAVE's

Appeal to Liberty.

LOUD blew the winds, and boist'rous was the

tide,

When NEPTUNE lafh'd the rocks in wanton pride;
'Twas in the night, the pale moon in her wane
Diffus'd a filv'ry mantle o'er the main;
Beneath a cliff tremendous, vaft and high,
That aw'd the mind with its folemnity;
Thither a wretched vaffal trembling fled,
Whose galling chains a bleeding wound o'er-
fpread;

Near to a dreary cave exhaufted ftole,
To yield the tribute of his weary foul;
But e'er he enter'd-with uplifted eyes,
He thus addrefs'd the Regent of the skies:
"Oh, Goddess fair!-if thou a goddess be,
Pity a wretch o'erwhelm'd in mifery;-
Lend me thy light, and lead me to the land,
Where bounteous LIBERTY, with gracious hand,
Unties the fhackl'd flaye to fet him free,
Oh, let me raptur'd own her blefs'd decree.-
Say, is it juft, that I'm a flave to pride,
Because I'm thus by cafual Nature dy'd;
Say, is it juft, that thus opprefs'd with chains,
I drudge in bondage, and a fcourge my gains;