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as I confidered them fresh proofs of not reconcileable to her ideas of dethat independent fpirit, which is fo neceffary to enable a woman to bear up against our encroaching fex, and is fo rare to be met with in our fqueamish days.

The next quality in my catalogue, for which I have to compliment my Phoebe, is her contempt of drefs. It is a notorious fact, that many women ruin their hufbands merely in filk, lace, and muflin. My fpoufe is fo far from running into extravagance in these articles, that I verily believe she has not two yards of either in her poffeffion. Her general dress is a linen robe, floating loosely about, and fastened at the breast with a Roman Fibula. In this robe, and an old pair of fandals, fhe is accustomed to wander through the woods, or by the fide of fome purling stream, with all the folemnity of an ancient Sage.

The third virtue which Phoebe boafts is Chastity. This you will acknowledge is no bad quality in a wife. With what rapture have I heard her read Ariofto's Account of Ancient Amazons, and Hayley's Differtation on the Ancient Maidens. She has completely cleared my house of every female with a tolerable countenance, that I may be kept out of temptation, infomuch that I may challenge the whole county to produce fuch a race of scare-crows. I have already told of the ravages fhe has made in my library; but I forgot to mention that he has infifted. on my parting with a volume of Greek Poems, because there was a fmall portion of contraband goods on board, which was no other than that famous Ode of Sappho, beginning

Φαινεταί μοι κεῖνα ἴσως θεοῖσιν,

merely becaufe the expreflions were

Thus, Sir, have I endeavoured to give you a faint fketch of the numerous virtues of my Phoebe; owing, no doubt, to the learned education I have beftowed upon her. Her particular traits of character, her impromptus, bon mots, &c. I shall leave to fome future and more able biographer to describe. But candour obliges me to confess that this blaze of excellence does not feem quite congenial to the feelings of those who frequent my houfe. The majority of my acquaintance, not being men of very profound erudi- · tion, endeavour as much as they can to keep out of her way; for fhe has an odd cuftom of putting questions which their capacities are not always equal to answering. She once frightened Mr. Simper, the dancing clergyman, from my table, by fome inquiry relative to the plufquàm perfectum of a Greek verb; and no longer ago than yesterday, while Sam Sweetwort the brewer was entertaining the company with a defcription of his phaeton and four, Phoebe ftopt him fhort in the middle of his harangue by the following lines from Ovid:

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not, for the fake of diftant and fpeculative advantages, willingly forego the common routine of domestic comfort. Such a man might think his wife better employed in making custards than in making fyllogifms; in pickling cucumbers than in extracting the fquare root. He might

allow a woman a proper degree of fpirit, without wishing her to tear her husband's books, or box his ears; and, if he were extremely precife, might affert the poflibility of preferving her reputation for chastity, without banishing her husband à menfa et thoro.

PROGRESS OF INGRATITUDE.

ON the borders of the Nubian Defert, near where the great Father of Waters rolls his congregated floods, the Governor Haffen Afchaban ruled his extenfive territory in peace, amidst the convul. fions of furrounding nations. He iffued mandates but for the good of his fubjects, and raifed the arm of power folely for the purpofe of adminiftering juftice. Amidft the luxuries of a palace he forgot not the duties of religion, nor fcorned to bend the knee to the Protector of the Faithful.

The affections of his people were the bulwarks that defended him; he reared his head and flourished - like the cedar of the mountains, beneath whofe fhade the weary trav eller feeks the folace of repofe.

His predeceffor was a weak and jealous tyrant, who faw no comelinefs in virtue, no deformity in vice; but fought the Supreme Good in the gratification of his fenfual appetites.

The fame of a beautiful female flave, in the poffeffion of one of the petty Princes near the cataracts of the Nile, reached his ear; and he offered riches and honours to the man, who, by force or artifice, would bring her to his feraglio. Cafganafkar, a person of defperate fortune and dark, intrigue, who had formerly been banished for crimes of the most

atrocious nature, threw himself at the foot of the throne, and offered his fervices in this hazardous enterprize. He found acceptance in the eyes of his Prince: he fucceeded in his attempt; and, returning with the ineftimable prize, lodged her safe in the royal apartments.

The fymmetry of her form was like that of the flender palm; her eyes, were brilliant as the glowing diamond; and her breath fragrant as the gardens of Damafcus.

The Tyrant having accomplished his defires, praised the fidelity of the meffenger, on whom he lavished favours with an unfparing hand; and, finally, raised him to the highest office in his dominions.

In this fituation he was fufpected of endeavouring to fubvert the Government, and of intriguing with the favourite women of the Court. The jealoufy and indignation of his master' were roused; and, in the first emotions of anger, he commanded his head to be struck off: but, from political motives, on further deliberation, he changed the fentence to that of perpetual imprisonment.

In the neighbourhood of Tamalma, the ruins of an ancient tower caft its lengthened fhade on the defert of Zaara; and beneath its foundations were thofe hideous dungeons, where the victims of royal difpleafure

difpleafure lingered out the remains

of a miferable exiftence.

Benhadar was the Governor of this tower, and to thofe regions of forrow was configned the heretofore much envied Cafganafkar. In a lonely cell he clanked his heavy chains in darknefs, where the loath fome ichneumon was his only companion, and the conftant witnefs of his groans and tears.

After many moons had paffed, Benhadar, who had been acquainted with a variety of circumftances in favour of his prifoner, relaxed his rigor; and, at the hazard of his bead, treated him with unmerited indulgence.

It was at this period of time the Tyrant died, and Haffan Afchaban fucceeded to the government of the province; of whofe virtues, and the lenity of his keeper, the wretch Caf. ganafkar availing himself, had the addrefs to caufe a reprefentation to be made to that Prince of the unfaithfulness of Benhadar to his truft, in granting unwarranted liberty and indulgence to the prifoners committed to his charge.

Cafganafkar, in the days of his profperity, by arts unknown to generous minds, had made himself many friends. Thofe had forfaken him in the gloomy feafon of adverfity; but obferving the revolutions of fortune, they now forefaw that his readvancement appeared practicable, and when accomplished, could not fail to contribute to their own intereft.

Stimulated by motives of felflove, they stepped forward, and fucceeded in reftoring the minion to the notice of royalty.

Princes fee through tinted optics, and hear but through the medium of others: Haffan Afchaban, incensed at the injuftice of his predeceffor, and the infidelity of his fervants, or

dered the good Benhadar to be thrown into the dungeon, and appointed Cafganafkar to fupply his place as Governor of the fortrefs. Though long a probationer in the fchool of affliction, this man had not profited by its admonitions; with the fortitude of virtue, he had loft the fenfe of gratitude and the feelings of humanity. His tyranny over

the victims committed to his truft was fuch as added double weight to misfortune, while it involved in the common doom the friend to whom he owed the most indispensable obli-` gations.

Haffan Afchaban was not unac quainted with the corrupt fyftem of Eaftern politics: he was aware of the abufes which had been introduced during the reigns of his effeminate ancestors; his firft great attempt was, therefore, to feek the fources of thofe polluted streams which replenifhed the channels of corrup tion, and diffused their baneful influence through all his territories. For this purpofe he not only employed men of integrity in every district, to make faithful reports concerning the public welfare; but anxious to ameliorate the condition of the most unfortunate of his fubjects, he visited in perfon the dwellings of wretchednefs, where he marked with the niceft difcrimination the fufferings of Virtue and of Vice.

With active zeal he explored the dungeons of Tamalma, and granted every prifoner permiffion to relate his own hiftory. That of Benhadar made a particular impreffion on his mind, while every tongue bore teftimony to the worth of this injured man; and a number of corroborating circumftances added weight to his own narration.

The Prince poffeffed a mind open to conviction. The proofs of Benhadar's

hadar's innocence appeared unquef tionable. He readily penetrated the dark labyrinth of iniquity; in confequence of which, Cafganafkar was degraded, and Benhadar raifed to the rank of Prime Minifter; in which exalted capacity he was en trufted with the fate of his enemy; whom he generously pardoned, on condition that he retired beyond the cataracts, and returned no more. Long and profperous was the reign of Haffan Afchaban. His fame extended from the walls of Cairo to the Ethiopian Defert; while the voice of an happy people applauded the wisdom of his act, in the promotion of a man of integrity, who poifed the balance of Justice with a steady hand, to the difcomfiture of Vice, the encouragement of Virtue, and the eventual aggrandizement of an extenfive territory.

On a general and curfory furvey of mankind, we are too frequently inclined to form' incoherent opinions of caufes, on which depend the most important events; and are far more ready to arraign the Wisdom which planned and arranged all mortal affairs, than to acknowledge our own want of penetration to account for the various movements of a grand and complicated mane.

Misfortunes operate varioufly, on the human mind. Some hearts they foften and fructify: others they ren der more calious and steril. . Óf the cup of Profperity, few know how to drink with moderation; particularly those who are most unaccustomed to the fascinating draught: but when

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the fweet ingredient of Power is mingled therewith, it becomes in the extreme intoxicating and dangerous! And the man who can refift its temptations, must be little less than a prodigy of Temperance and Virtue.

We are apt to think hardly of Providence refpecting her difpofal of the links in the great chain of Subordination: but we have frequent opportunities of being convinced, that our judgment is fallible and erroneous.

To but a few has Heaven permitted the lot of rifing to confpicuous fituations, and prefiding over the fates of their fellow mortals; and that lot is wifely decreed to be the touch-ftone of their Vices and Virtues. Placed beyond the reach of control, the vain will indulge their vanity, the ambitious their ambition, and the ungrateful their ingratitude: the wife will difplay their wisdom, the juft their juftice, and the merciful their philanthropy.

Here will men appear in their proper colors, and excite the indignity or admiration which they deferve. They will long be held up to view as perfect patterns or juft examples, and will ever bear teftimony to this important truth: That, in every state or country, the "bad are public curfes, and the good public bleffings:" That Vice is the dangerous rock which threatens the community with fhipwreck; and Virtue the faithful beacon, that guides through storms and tempests to the "defired haven" of Peace and Profperity.

KOTZEBUE.

KOTZEBUE, the celebrated German Dramatift, was born at Weimar, in Saxony; a city, which has long been confidered as the most

Y y

refined in Germany, as far as relates to the manners of the inhabitants. It is at prefent famous for its feminary for the education of young men

of

of rank, affording the ftudents the double advantage of acquiring the moft extenfive erudition, and of improving their manners by a conftant intercourse with the Court of the reigning Duke, one of the most polifhed at this time in Europê. Kotzebue's predilection for the Drama displayed itself while he was very young; for in his youth, he not only wrote, but performed in feveral private theatres, though, we believe, he never appeared on any public ftage. He was educated under the celebrated Profeffor Mufcus, and early betook himself to the profeffion of the law, which he practised with confiderable fuccefs, filling various eminent stations, till at length he became Prefident of the High College of Juftice in the Ruffian province of

Livonia, where, at his leifure moments, he wrote many of his dramat ic works, as well as other mifcellaneous compofitions. The cabals of a powerful party in Livonia, who envied his fuperior talents, compelled him, after fome years, to refign his profeffional fituation; when, fortu pately for the admirers of genius and learning, he refolved to devote himfelf entirely to literary pursuits, and accordingly repaired to the Court of Vienna, where he was fhortly afterwards appointed Dramatift and Director of the Imperial Theatre; an office which he has ever fince filled with pleasure to himself, and the highest fatisfaction to the Emperor, under whom he has been thus hon brably employed.

MR. EDITOR,

For the COLUMBIAN PHENIX.

IF you think the enclosed" FRAGMENT" of a female friend worthy publication, by inferting it in your useful Mifcellany you will oblige

65

A FRAGMENT.

LOST is happiness-hope has

fled forever. This bofom ne'er again will bound with joy; rapture throb my heart no more. The feat of fenfibility has loft its energy and fufceptibility of emotion."Thus fighed Louifa. I approached the unhappy girl, and demanded a participation of the grief which confumed her, as a tribute due to my ardent regard." My ftill loved Maria," faid my unfortunate friend, "long ere this fhould your breaft have been the repofitory of my woes, had not agony of forrow attended even their contemplation: but now

Yours, &'c.

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