while, in fact, it is not so much from the Fewness of Buyers, as from the excessive Number of Sellers, that the Mischief arises; and, if every Shop-keeping Farmer and Mechanic would return to the Use of his Plough and working-Tools, there would remain of Widows, and other Women, Shopkeepers sufficient for that Business, which might then afford them a comfortable Maintenance.

Whoever has travelled thro' the various Parts of Europe, and observed how small is the Proportion of People in Affluence or easy Circumstances there, compar'd with those in Poverty and Misery; the few rich and haughty Landlords, the multitude of poor, abject, and rack'd Tenants, and the half-paid and half-starv'd ragged Labourers; and views here the happy Mediocrity, that so generally prevails throughout these States, where the Cultivator works for himself, and supports his Family in decent Plenty, will, methinks, see abundant Reason to bless Divine Providence for the evident and great Difference in our Favour, and be convinc'd, that no Nation that is known to us enjoys a greater Share of human Felicity.

It is true, that in some of the States there are Parties and Discords; but let us look back, and ask if we were ever without them? Such will exist wherever there is Liberty; and perhaps they help to preserve it. By the Collision of different Sentiments, Sparks of Truth are struck out, and political Light is obtained. The different Factions, which at present divide us, aim all at the Publick Good; the Differences are only about the various Modes of promoting it. Things, Actions, Measures, and Objects of all kinds, present themselves to the Minds of Men in such a Variety of Lights, that it is not possible we should all think alike at the same time on

every Subject, when hardly the same Man retains at all times the same Ideas of it. Parties are therefore the common Lot of Humanity; and ours are by no means more mischievous or less beneficial than those of other Countries, Nations, and Ages, enjoying in the same Degree the great Blessing of Political Liberty.

Some indeed among us are not so much griev'd for the present State of our Affairs, as apprehensive for the future. The Growth of Luxury alarms them, and they think we are from that alone in the high Road to Ruin. They observe, that no Revenue is sufficient without Economy, and that the most plentiful Income of a whole People from the natural Productions of their Country may be dissipated in vain and needless Expences, and Poverty be introduced in the place of Affluence. This may be possible. It however rarely happens; for there seems to be in every Nation a greater Proportion of Industry and Frugality, which tend to enrich, than of Idleness and Prodigality, which occasion Poverty; so that upon the whole there is a continual Accumulation. Reflect what Spain, Gaul, Germany, and Britain were in the Time of the Romans, inhabited by People little richer than our Savages, and consider the Wealth they at present possess, in numerous well-built Cities, improv'd Farms, rich Moveables, Magazines stor'd with valuable Manufactures, to say nothing of Plate, Jewels, and ready Money; and all this, notwithstanding their bad, wasteful, plundering Governments, and their mad, destructive Wars; and yet Luxury and Extravagant Living have never suffered much Restraint in those Countries. Then consider the great proportion of industrious frugal Farmers inhabiting the interior Part of these American States, and of whom the Body of our Nation

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."