consists; and judge whether it is probable the Luxury of our Seaports can be sufficient to ruin such a Country. If the Importation of foreign Luxuries could ruin a People, we should probably have been ruin'd long ago; for the British Nation claim'd a right, and practis'd it, of importing among us, not only the Superfluities of their own Production, but those of every Nation under Heaven; we bought and consum'd them, and yet we flourish'd and grew rich. At present, our independent Governments may do what we could not then do, discourage by heavy Duties, or prevent by Prohibitions, such importations, and thereby grow richer; if, indeed, which may admit of Dispute, the Desire of adorning ourselves with fine cloaths, possessing fine Furniture, with good Houses, &c., is not, by strongly inciting to Labour and Industry, the occasion of producing a greater Value, than is consum'd in the Gratification of that Desire.

The Agriculture and Fisheries of the United States are the great Sources of our encreasing Wealth. He that puts a Seed into the Earth is recompens'd, perhaps, by receiving twenty out of it; and he who draws a Fish out of our Waters, draws up a Piece of Silver.

Let us (and there is no Doubt but we shall) be attentive to these, and then the Power of Rivals, with all their restraining and prohibiting Acts, cannot much hurt us. We are Sons of the Earth and Seas, and, like Antæus, if, in wrestling with Hercules, we now and then receive a Fall, the Touch of our Parents will communicate to us fresh Strength and Ability to renew the contest. Be quiet and thankful.

1800. CONTE

IL y avoit un officier, homme de bien, appelé Montrésor, qui étoit très-malade; son curé, croyant qu'il alloit mourir, lui conseilla de faire sa paix avec Dieu, afin d'être reçu en Paradis. "Je n'ai pas beaucoup d'inquiétude à ce sujet," dit Montrésor, "car j'ai eu, la nuit dernière, une vision qui m'a tout-à-fait tranquillisé." "Quelle vision avez-vous eue ?" dit le bon prêtre. "J'étois," répondit Montrésor, “à la porte du Paradis, avec une foule de gens qui vouloient entrer. Et St. Pierre demandoit à chacun, de quelle religion il étoit. L'un répondoit, 'Je suis Catholique Romain.' 'Hé bien,' disoit St. Pierre, 'entrez, et prenez votre place là parmi les Catholiques.' Un autre dit, qu'il étoit de l'église Anglicane. 'Hé bien,' dit St. Pierre, 'entrez, et placez-vous là parmi les Anglicans.' Un autre dit qu'il étoit Quaker. 'Entrez,' dit St. Pierre, 'et prenez place parmi les Quakers.' Enfin, mon tour étant arrivé, il me demanda de quelle religion j'étois. 'Hélas!' répondis-je, 'malheureusement le pauvre Jacques Montrésor n'en a point.' 'C'est dommage,' dit le Saint, ‘je ne sais où vous placer; mais entrez toujours; vous vous mettrez où vous pourrez.'

1801. AN ARABIAN TALE

ALBUMAZAR, the good magician, retired in his old age to the top of the lofty mountain Calabut; avoided the society of men, but was visited nightly by genii and spirits of the first

rank, who loved him, and amused him with their instructive conversation.

Belubel, the strong, came one evening to see Albumazar; his height was seven leagues, and his wings when spread might overshadow a kingdom. He laid himself gently down between the long ridges of Elluem; the tops of the trees in the valley were his couch; his head rested on Calabut as on a pillow, and his face shone on the tent of Albumazar.

The magician spoke to him with rapturous piety of the wisdom and goodness of the Most High; but expressed his wonder at the existence of evil in the world, which he said he could not account for by all the efforts of his reason.

"Value not thyself, my friend," said Belubel, "on that quality which thou callest reason. If thou knewest its origin and its weakness, it would rather be matter of humiliation."

"Tell me then," said Albumazar, "what I do not know; inform my ignorance, and enlighten my understanding." "Contemplate," said Albumazar, "the scale of beings, from an elephant down to an oyster. Thou seest a gradual diminution of faculties and powers, so small in each step that the difference is scarce perceptible. There is no gap, but the gradation is complete. Men in general do not know, but thou knowest, that in ascending from an elephant to the infinitely Great, Good, and Wise, there is also a long gradation of beings, who possess powers and faculties of which thou canst yet have no conception."

1802. A PETITION OF THE LEFT HAND,

TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENCY OF EDUCATION

I ADDRESS myself to all the friends of youth, and conjure them to direct their compassionate regards to my unhappy fate, in order to remove the prejudices of which I am the victim. There are twin sisters of us; and the two eyes of man do not more resemble, nor are capable of being upon better terms with each other, than my sister and myself, were it not for the partiality of our parents, who make the most injurious distinctions between us. From my infancy, I have been led to consider my sister as a being of a more elevated rank. I was suffered to grow up without the least instruction, while nothing was spared in her education. She had masters to teach her writing, drawing, music, and other accomplishments; but if by chance I touched a pencil, a pen, or a needle, I was bitterly rebuked; and more than once I have been beaten for being awkward, and wanting a graceful manner. It is true, my sister associated me with her upon some occasions; but she always made a point of taking the lead, calling upon me only from necessity, or to figure by her side.

But conceive not, Sirs, that my complaints are instigated merely by vanity. No; my uneasiness is occasioned by an object much more serious. It is the practice in our family, that the whole business of providing for its subsistence falls upon my sister and myself. If any indisposition should attack my sister, and I mention it in confidence upon this occasion, that she is subject to the gout, the rheumatism, and cramp, without making mention of other accidents,

what would be the fate of our poor family? Must not the regret of our parents be excessive, at having placed so great a difference between sisters who are so perfectly equal? Alas! we must perish from distress; for it would not be in my power even to scrawl a suppliant petition for relief, having been obliged to employ the hand of another in transcribing the request which I have now the honour to prefer to you.

Condescend, Sirs, to make my parents sensible of the injustice of an exclusive tenderness, and of the necessity of distributing their care and affection among all their children equally. I am, with a profound respect, Sirs, your obedient servant,

THE LEFT HAND.

ORPHAN

1803. HINTS FOR CONSIDERATION RESPECTING SCHOOL-HOUSE IN PHILA(L. C.)

THE

DELPHIA

CHARITABLE Institutions, however originally well intended and well executed at first for many Years, are subject to be in a Course of time corrupted, mismanag'd, their Funds misapplied or perverted to private purposes. Would it not be well to guard against these by prudent Regulations respecting the Choice of Managers, and establishing the Power of inspecting their Conduct in some permanent Body, as the Monthly or Quarterly Meeting?

Would it not be more respectable for the Institution, if the Appearance of making a Profit of the Labour of Orphans were avoided, and the Dependence for Funds to be wholly on charitable Contributions? If this should be concluded, then it may be proper to open an Account with each Orphan