fetting behind us, threw an impofing shade over this landscape that is not capable of defcription. We concluded to form our encampment in one of the vallies, and accordingly proceeded to light a fire, and for the first time guard againit the beafts of prey, the traces of whofe feet I marked with lively apprehenfion in the courfe of the day, and to keep clear of the monkies that I learned to expect in great numbers, from the accounts my guide had already given me. We chofe a fituation fomewhat detached from the thickets beneath the rich and lofty palm tree, and having collected wood fufficient to fuftain large fires during the night, we dreffed our plain but deli cious repast, compofed ourselves to reft, and paffed a tolerably eafy night, free from every real danger, although I was ftill in fome fear of wild beafts. Our distance from the villages that we had left, I calculated to be not more than fixteen miles, having purfued with little deviation the irregular courfe of the river. To this we were compelled, in order to avoid the obstructions to which we might have been fubjected by the inhabitants, who occasionally refide, at this feafon of the year, contiguous to the oppofite bank of the river. To their proximity, HURDEE informed me we might attribute the compofure of the night, and my being releafed from the terrific howlings of wild beafts. (To be continued.) On the CHANGING SCENES of HUMAN LIFE. THE longer we live, the more we fee of the vanity of life, even in its most engaging fcenes. How different are the amufements we take pleasure in, what different objects do we purfue, and what different profpects are prefented to our view, when arrived to manhood, to what engaged our attention, and delighted our imaginations, in the thoughtless years of youth and nonage ! Upon a review of my paft life, I cannot but admire how applicable the language of inspiration is to my juvenile employments, compared with my exercifes in my riper years: When I was a child, I fpake as a child; I understood as a child; I thought as a child: But when I became a man, I put away childish things; and yet how much like children do too many perfons act in the more advanced stages of human life, DR. YOUNG. fo as to put reafon to the blush, and common fenfe at defiance. This, doubtlefs, made a late eminent poet fay, Men are but children of a larger growth. The rattles of infancy, the toys of childhood, and the diverfions of youth, are little inferior to the trifling and jejune purfuits the generality of mankind take delight in, even to old age. Alas! how infipid are the pleasures of the gay! how unfatisfying the enjoyments of the veluptuary! and how vain and delufive the profpects of felicity which the multitude are delighted with !Was true happiness attainable in the prefent life, it would be at best but fhort-lived and uncertain; like the morning cloud, and early dew, it would foon vanish away, and leave the poffeffors of it to be food for worms and tenants of the grave: thew « Then certain Philofophers of the Epicureans and Stoics encountered him.” ATTACKED by fuch enemies, St. Paul, I pity thee. Compared with the fophiftical jargon of their tongues, the buffetings of Satan were the foft ftrokes of a feather Encountered by Philofophers! What perilous meeting! To be ftoned at Iconium, to die in prison at Philippi, or fmart at all her whipping pofts, were more tolerable, than to hear one moment the abstract impertinence, the vifionary theories of a cold, and closet reafoner. His head is the web of a fpider, his heart is the ice of Spitzbergen, his plans are the projects of Lapua, and his arguments turbid, as a hypochondriac's dream. If I fhould be asked, which was the most unlucky adventure in Paul's pilgrimage, I muft reply, his interview with the Philofophic bab blers of Athens. None of his perils, and I think he enumerates eight varieties, compare with the peril of pragmatical Philofophy. Ill-fated apostle, the Epicureans and the Stoics, encountering you, were worfe company than the barbarians of Melita, on whofe rude coaft you were ftranded. Your night and day in the deep, your wearinefs and watchings, your frequent faft, and fufpen fion in the basket of Damafcus, even if it were like Falstaff's buck basket, were "light afflictions, but for a moment," to the growl of the Stoic and the lullaby of the Epicurean. Paul was not fingular in this encounter: Perfonages as grave as the faint have been encountered by certain philofophers, in the prefent age. Yes, they have met common sense, morality and religion. Thank God, they have not routed them. Hold, hold, hafty Lay Preacher; one philofopher has published what he calls "Common Senfe." Yes, I remember the book well, and asked that fober matron how the happened, even in 1775, to appear in fuch difordered attire. Twas in a fit of lunacy when the escaped from her keepers. Philofophic encounters are, in effect, often as bloody as the battles of Buonaparte. One Helvetius with feveral affociates, many years fince, oppofed the fettled opinions of the French nation. The brain pans, they afferted, of all men were of fimilar capacity; but fome were full, and others empty of education. Here was a rare difcovery. Hence all the grades of intelligence. No fuch fuch thing as a difference in the mental organization. Next man had no foul. After vegetating a time, he muft die, without even a chance for immortality; without even the nine ftruggles of a cat. Bravo, bellowed the libertines. This is a divine doctrine, this is Philofophy. Hawkeyed Philofophy did not ftop here. She looked into the Bible and faw *mouldy leaves. She looked up to the skies, and faw nothing. She looked down to the earth and beheld fishwomen, butchers, brewers; and now was the glorious time for maudlin Philofophy to fee double. They were larger than the life. They were magnified to a "mountain," they were Citizens Directors, they were Executioners, Jacobins, Friends, Reader of the Encyclopedifts, believeft thou my representation to be juft? I know thou believeft. I am perfuaded thou wilt think with me that all the evils, all the atrocities of the French revolution originated in a MILITARY ENTHUSIASM. AT the Gege of one of the garri fons in Flanders, the only place by which it was affailable was mined. The Duke of Marlborough, who commanded the befieging army, determined to fend a fmall party to that fpot, in order to oblige the enemy to fpring the mine, and leave a free paffage to the whole army. He accordingly fent for an officer of known courage, and addreffed him thus: "Sir, I have fent for you, confident of your valour and military ardour, to employ you on a fervice which will cause the town inevitably to fall into our hands." The officer thanked the general for the honour Q q done him in being felected in preference to fo many other brave officers as were in the army. "I must add, faid the general, that the fervice required will prove inftant death to you and your party." Undaunted by this, the brave man only requefted to know the fervice; which being explained to him, he retired to choose out the men who were to follow him in this hopeless adventure, then put himself at their head, and rushed on to the fatal fpot. The befieged, feeing only this brave handful of men advance, and that the general only waited the event of the explofion to form the breach with his his whole army, confidered their caufe as irretrievable; and unwilling to facrifice a few brave men's lives, without tending to answer any useful purpose, inftantly beat the chamade. The town furrendered on honourable terms, and the brave officer and his little company were faved from inftant deftruction. Humour. WE have received the following Letter from one of our Correspondents, whom we fball undoubtedly pleafe by making it public; and, as he fays he is DEAD THIS MONTH, and to be married next, if he is difpleafed, he can do us 66 NO HARM" Meffrs. EDITORS, LIKE mightily your plan of publifhing a lift of Deaths and Marriages in your Phenix; I think it will give a fpring to the practice. It certainly is an honour to one to have his name go all over the world after he is dead. You may think me joking; but I really wish you would put my name amongst the deaths it can do no harm;. and, as we are all mortal, it may be true, before next month: Should it prove otherwife, depend on having an addition of one more to it for your other lift in your next. I am, Gentlemen, Yours fincerelyFor his name vide DEATHS. AT the battle of Bunker-Hill, an Irish officer being mortally wounded, was peaceably breathing his laft. Soon after, another receiving a ball, fell by his fide; at the pain of which the latter made fuch vehement cries and groans as to difturb the compofed refignation of the dying Hibernian; being vexed at the noife, he accofted him thus-" By St. Patrick you make all the groaning, I fup pofe you think I am not killed as well as yourfelf.” THE celebrated Montecuculi, competitor to the great Turenne, when he commanded the Imperiaf army, had, on a march, given orders that no perfon fhould walk over the corn on pain of death. A foldier, returning from a village, ignorant of the orders, came through a corn-field.. Montecuculi, who perceived him, ordered the Provoft to hang him on the fpot. The foldier, advancing towards the General, pleaded his ignorance. Montecuculi ftill replied, "The Provoft fhall do his duty." As all this occurred almoft in an inftant, the foldier was not yet difarmed; when, full of rage and revenge, he faid, "I was not guilty before-now I am-" and, at the fame inftant, fired his piece at the General; it miffed, and Montecus, culi pardoned him. THE Earl of S. kept an Irish footman. My Lord having fent him one day with a prefent to a certain Judge; the Judge, in return, fent my Lord half a dozen live partridges, with a letter. The partridgres fluttering in the bafket upon Teague's head, as he was bringing it home, he fat down the basket and opened the lid of it to quiet them; whereupon they all flew away. "O the d-l burn you!" faid he, "I am glad you are gone." When he came home, and his Lordship had read the letter," Why Teague," faid he, "I find there are half a dozen partridges in the letter."-"Now, arrah, dear honey," faid Teague, "I am glad you have found them in the letter, for they are all flew out of the basket !" AN Irifh gentleman who is now recruiting his company at Manchefter, fays, that when he was on the continent he found 50 gold affignats in the breeches pocket of a flain French fans-culotte. Poetry. EXTRACT FROM THE POWER of SOLITUDE. THE artless Swiss each morn his toil re news, Bleft scenes of nature, where retirement's | reign Breathes fmiling pleasure o'er the healthy plain, May no-rude ruffian e'er your peace annoy, Or blight the bloffom of domestic joy. |