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Mrs K. True, Doctor, I grant it, if, as thou femeft to imply, a wench of zo years be not a moral agent. Dr. I doubt it would be difficult to prove thofe defense that character who turn Quakers.

Mrs K. This fevere retort, Doctor, induces me charitably to hope thou must be totally unacquainted with the principles of the people against whom thou art so exceedingly preju-, diced, and that thou fuppofelt us a fet of Infidels or Deifts.

Dr J. Certainly, I do think you little better than Deifts.

Mrs K. This is indeed ftrange; 'tis paffing ftrange, that a man of fuch univerfal reading and research has not thought it at leaft expedient to look into the caufe of diffent of a fociety fo long established, and fo confpicuoufly fingular!

Dr J. Not I, indeed! I have not read Barclay's Apology; and for this. plain reafon-I never thought it worth my while. You are upstart Sectaries, perhaps the best fubdued by a filent

contempt.

Mrs K. This reminds me of the language of the Rabbies of old, when their Hierarchy was alarmed by the increasing influence, force, and finplicity, of dawning truth, in their high day of worldly dominion. We meekly truft, our principles ftand on the fame folid foundation of fimple truth, and we invite the acuteft inveftigation. The reason thou givest for not having read Barclay's Apology is furely a very improper one for a man whom the world looks up to as a Moral Philofopher of the firft rank; a teacher from whom they think they have a right to expect much information. To this expecting, enquiring world, how can Dr Johnfon acquit himself for remaining unacquainted with a book tranflated into five or fix different languages, and which has been admitted into the libraries of Almoft every Court and University in hristendom!

(Here the Doctor grew very angry, fill more fo at the space of time the Gentlemen infifted on allowing his antagonist wherein to make her defence, and his impatience excited one of the company, in a whifper, to fay, ❝ I never faw this mighty lion fo chafed before!")

The Doctor again repeated, that he did not think the Quakers deferved the name of Chriftians.

Mrs K. Give me leave then to endeavour to convince thee of thy error, which I will do by making before thee, and this refpectable company, a confeffion of our faith. Creeds, or confeffions of faith, are admitted by all to be the standard. whereby we judge of every denomination of profeffors.

(To this, every one prefent agreed and even the Doctor grumbled out his affent.)

Mrs K. Well then, I take upon me to declare, that the people called Quakers do verily believe in the Holy Scriptures, and rejcice with the moit full and reverential acceptance of the divine history of facts, as recorded in the New Teftament. That we, confequently, fully believe thofe historical articles fummed up in what is called the Apoftles Creed, with thefe two exceptions only, to wit, our Saviour's defcent into Hell, and the refurrection of the body. These myfteries we humbly leave juft as they ftand in the holy text, there being, from that ground, no authority for fuch affertion as is drawn up in the Creed. And now, Doctor, canft thou still deny to us the honourable title of Chriftians?

Dr Well!-I must own I did. not at all fuppofe you had fo much to fay for yourfelves. However, I cannot forgive that little flut, for presuming to take upon herself as the has done.

Mrs K. I hope, Doctor, thou wilt not remain unforgiving; and that you will renew your friendship, and joy

fully

fully meet at laft in thofe bright re- pleafantly received, that the Doctor

gions where Pride and Prejudice can

never enter!

Dr J. Meet her! I never defire to meet fools any where.

(This farcaftic turn of wit was fo

joined in the laugh; his spleen was dif- · fipated; he took his coffee, and became, for the remainder of the evening, very chearful and entertaining.)

On the Pleafures of elegant Society; from the Loiterer, a periodical Work.

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er, or in following any other ftudies, I have infenfibly fallen into more intense thought than is congenial to my fyftem, I find certain and im. mediate relief in the converfation of a few friends, whom many fucceffive years have gradually placed at my fide, and in whom commanding talents are fo tempered by complying manners, that if at any time I feel more than ordinary felf-complacency, it is when I reflect that I have been able to draw round me fuch a circle: living in rivalihip without enmity, and familiarity without diftafte, we mutually derive from converfation affistance in ftudy, and delight in relaxation.

Most of my readers of both fexes have alfo their little circles, in which they enjoy the fatisfaction of talking and being talked to; and however they may be divided which affords moit pleasure, there are few but will agree, that lit'e can exist where they are precluded from both. I am inclined to believe that the most converfible are, if not the most happy, yet the leaft unhappy members of fociety; for grief, fear, and anxiety, are abftracted and filent; but joy, hope, and contentment, have an ear open to every tale, and a tongue ready to fill every pause.

Perhaps the pleasure of converfation. is often exclufive of any actual wit or fenfe contained it; for who but has htened with pleasure to the bewitching nothings of a pretty woman, and thought her periods fufficiently round.

and fufficiently pointed by a piercing eye?

But though converfation may be generally a fource of pleasure, and rarely of pain, it not unfrequently wearies and offends by impertinence. In many inftances, indeed, the com→ pany can ftifle or promote a topic, filence or encourage a speaker, at will; but where fuperiority, by age or fortune, fanctions prolixity or inGpidity, the remedy is not always practicable, and if one man will expofe himfelf, the reft muft fubmit to look on. I fhall therefore recall to my readers a fe characters, which probably every one of them has met and condemned; in which he who is free from their errors may fee his danger and avoid it; and he who has inadvertently fallen into them may perceive his folly and reform. And it is certainly more de... firable that a man fhould difcover his own want of wisdom, than that others fhould be reduced to the neceflity of informing him that he is a foel.

"

In the circles of men, few characters are more frequent than one who faftens on fome ftranger who happens to have vifited or to refide in his neighbourhood, with whom he runs. over a catalogue of names, and a regifter of minute circumftances, unintelligible to others, and unimportant to himself. Enumerating every perfonwith whom he has dined or danced, he details their concerns without in tereft, and characterifes them without difcrimination. Unwearied in inqui

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54.

ries, not prompted by defire of rejoicing with the fortunate or condoling with the wretched, he liftens to the relation of calamity without pain, of good fortune without pleasure. Whether the objects of his inquiry be finking into poverty, or rifing into wealth, whether fick, dying, or dead, he hears their story with the fame vacant compolure of muscle, the fame complacent nod of apprehenfion. Happy is the company when the fortunate lapfe of a letter in the recollection of a name, or fome confufion in afcertaining a particular day or place, fufpends his yolubility.

treme.

to fhine by his own light, he feeks relief in the darkness of another. One of this character is found in moft fmall focieties, and two or three in every common roon. He may be easily diftinguifhed; for when he enters the company, argument is relinquished and laughter fubfides, and a general filence of expectation and apprehenfion prevails, till it appears who is to be fingled out for the evening's perfecution. When once the fpirit of raillery is conjured up, every one becomes interefted in fixing it in its circle, and the whole evening waftes away in the diftrofes of one man, and the ungenerous triumph of the reft: and while all are actuated by one illiberal feeling, and unite in one fruitless purpose, no mutual courtefies refine the manners, no collifion of fentiments ftrengthens the tafte, no interchange of information enriches the mind.

Equally frequent and wearifome is the man who is in the oppofite exAs the converfation of the one is more copious than fluent, that of the other is more fluent than copious: the one bewilders himself among a thousand different perfons and things, But of all impertinents he is the the other confines himself to a very few favourite topics. It is fometimes moft infufferable who talks from books amufing to obferve with what dexte-in great fwaths.' He is pofitive in rity he conducts the difcourfe round to his darling fubjects, and with what delight he expatiates on the wellknown ground, I have an old and respectable acquaintance fomewhat of this defcription; and when he falls into these harangues, he fometimes brings fo lively to my recollection the place and time in which I first heard them, that I almost doubt whether all which has intervened is not a dream, and half perfuade myself that I am and in quite a feveral years younger, different part of the kingdom, than I But let afterwards find I really am. me be just to his merits. One fome times is in difpofed to ta k or liften, yet neither affects filence or folitude; at fich feafons, what hours of indifcribeable luxury have I paffed in the converfnion of my friend !

"Another leading perfonage is one with fits mute while the converfation Leminnes gêneral, and fcarcely feems to exift till he has turned it against fume unfortunate individual: unable

his affert ons, becaufe he believes he has read them, and angry if they are controverted, because he has not a fingle idea by which he can maintain them. In what inextricable confufion have I feen fuch a man involve himfelf and all around lum, by having turned over two leaves together, or overlooked a comma in a critical place. Such a character generally poffeffes a feeble intellect, which entirely bends under the weight of ftudies which, with violence to nature, he pertinacioufly imposes on himself. You may track him through all the labyrinth of his reading by the thread of his converfation: his mind is a fhallow ftream, where every acceffion of rubbifh appears above the furface.

Difgufted at the frequent recurrence of fuch characters among men, we fly to female circles. In women we perfuade ourselves trifling will lofe its infipidity, ignorance its arrogance, and mirth its licentioufnefs. A little experience teaches us that the con

verfeable

verfeable qualifications of both fexes are very equally poifed.

In moft companies we obferve a lady who draws her chair clofe to one of her own fex, with whom the difcuffes all thofe important topics which transfer the burden of entertainment from the brain, which is fufceptible of every exertion, to the tongue, which is proof against all fatigue. While she thus breaks the current of converfation, fhe wonders at its want of fluency, and by the fignificant glances which fhe darts around her at every paufe, filently reproves an inattention in the men which the feems ftudious to provoke. At length the retires from the company full of complaints of its infipidity, forgetting, that to one who mixes not in the difcourfe, fenfe will often feem dull, and wit pointless; and that they who bring indifference into fociety, will depart with difguft.

Another character equally frequent is one who, after the cuftomary forms of falutation, addreff s herself to none, and if any man addrefs her, inclines to him with frigid compofure of feature and averted eye. Not content to withhold by her filence the contributions due from herself to the general fund of amufement, by her prying looks and intent pofture fhe becomes a reftraint upon others. Not a compliment paffes on one fide, or an acknowledgment on the other, but that at her return home she details it to a maiden aunt or a younger fifter, with a vivacity and volubility, an hundredth part of which, seasonably exerted, would make her one of the molt agreeable companions in the world.

But above all in folly is the whom the weak of both fexes term a fenfible woman. To compl, ment her is an impeachment of her underftanding; to argue with her, an infult to her charms. If a man contrad & her, the openly affronts him; if he affents, the fecretly defpifes him. She is faftidious to fhow her judgment, and farcaftic to exercife her wit. If the company be gay, the is all gravity and referve; if

ferious, all vivacity and levity; the is invariably careful never to join in the prevailing topic, at which the is ever difpofed to foeer, as too fuperficial, or too profound. If a character of this defcription be of an age verging on thirty, and yet of the filterhood of virgius (which not unfrequently happens) the becomes particularly troublefome to the men, whofe company the avowedly affects, declaiming on the inanity of her own fex; a preference, for which the one feels little gratitude, and the other little concern.-Such a character is generally a very extenfive and excurfive reader. Her favourite volume is a thin folio, which takes up much room and contains little matter. One fubject is not more difficult to her than another, except as it employs a greater number of pages; and if a fentence be but fairly printed, fhe seldom finds any obfcurity.-There is a very literary lady, efteemed a great ornament to our family, who often lays down Reid and Horfley, and runs over the Loiterer without the leaft remiffion of the wisdom which, on these occafions, the fummons into her countenance. Under the preffure of moft of the mortifications of life, I preferve a tolerable balance of temper; but I confefs this circumftance fometimes fways me entirely from my wonted equability.

But to return to my fubject.-A thousand other improprieties might be pointed out, which ought to be avoided by all who wish to excel in converfation. One man cuts you fhort in the middle of your fpeech by contradiction; another, which is ftill more vexatious, by affent. One difcountenances your brighteft fallies with provoking gravity; another has always a laugh ready to approve your graveft remarks. Most of thefe errors may be confidered as the effect of affectation: and perhaps one general maxim may be fufficient to direct us in converfation.-We may fludy to conceal our defects-let us leave our excellencies to display themfelves.'

Account

56

T

HE Chapel or College of Roflin, in fome old writs Rofkelyn*, in the fhire of Mid-Lothian, about four miles fouthward from Edinburgh, is fituated on a rifing ground, called the College-Hill, charmingly beautified with wood, water, and rocks, the Esk gliding along the weft and fouth foot of the hill.

The church-yard is furrounded with a good wall of itone and lime; on the north fide of which you enter by a door, whofe pilafters and architrave are adorned with fculpture of flowerwork: on the middle of the architrave is placed a ftone cut into an equilateral triangle, on which are carvings refembling net-work; no doubt there have been other ornamental ftones placed on each fide of this triangle, and perhaps on the top of it, which is a little flat, as there are fome fuch ftones, refembling pieces of leffer pillars or fpires, lying at the foot of this entry into the church-yard.

The Chapel, of old called The Chapel amidst the Woods, is all of freeftone, and one of the most curious pieces of old Gothic workmanship in Europe, having on the north fide twelve turrets, or fpires, feven lower arifing on the face of the outer wall, and five higher arifing from the top of faid wall, and placed exactly behind an equal number of the lower: the other two of which are placed nigh, and at the east end of the wall, making up the north part of the outfide of the altar. The lower and higher fpires are united by two fhort fegments of an arch; a longer fegment paffing from cach higher fpire to the top of the in. ner wall upon each of thefe fpires, both lower and higher, there are feveral niches for ftatues; but there are no ftatues in them now. However

the pedestals are still extant, curiously cut out into antique and grotefque fi gures in baffo-relievo.

There are five large arched windows below in the outer wall, with a piilar or column rifing in the middle of each, and waving to the top of the arch in various fhapes, fome circular, others femicircular, &c. fo that not one waving on the top of a pillar is like another. All these windows are prettily carved even on the outfide, particularly on the arches, with fol:age, &c. having niches on the jambs, in which probably there have been ftatues of old, the pedestals of which are still remaining.

There are five leffer arched win. dows above, reaching almost to the top of the inner wall, which appear to have had no pillar in the middle of each. The roof between the outer and inner wall, formerly leaded, now flated, with a flop to make the rain run the better off, covers the greatest part of thefe higher windows, and fpoils the fymmetry of the fabric.

On the east end, or altar, there are five lower fpires, with niches for statues, all adequate to thofe of the fame model on the north fide, with four large windows, a pillar raised in the middle of each, as in the windows below in the north fide, but differing from thefe in the various wavings on the tops of the arches, as well as from each other. The pedeftals on which the ftatues have been placed, are all curiously wrought off in fculpture of antique and grotefque figures in bafforelievo, varying from one another, and from thote on the north fide.

The fouth fide is exactly the fame with the north, as to the number and proportion of fires and windows, in the many ornaments of which still the

A Gaelic word, fignifying a hill in a glen.

Lame

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