has no bounds, except you declare war against it; then it very prudently objects to defraying the expenfe. The moral writer is confidered, and justly, as the enemy of extravagance and vice. The virtuous, the hypocrite, and the felf-deceived, all combine to fay, I have no need of his affiftance, why should pay him ?The vicious, he is at war with me, I will not.Among them all, the moral and chaîte writer is left to starve, and the principled editor a bankrupt. I Thefe are evils common to all countries; for, to our mortification, they grow out of our nature. All men love flattery; most hate reproof. Unreitrained by law, there may be found more, who would pay for affaffinating an enemy, than for faving the life of a friend. In all civilized countries (and ours is certainly in this class,) the power of literature is known and felt. From caufes, which need not be here enlarged upon, there is a very wide and fhameful difference between its legitimate, and common ufe. of In addition to these general obftacles to "honeft efforts," and "humble merit," there has been thrown in the way the editor of this work another, which, if real, is unfortunate to him, and not only unfortunate, but alarming to our country-That indifference, or rather apathy, to genius and genuine literature, which has been fo often, and he would believe falfely reprefented an inherent quality of Americans. While the Columbian Phenix was in embryo, its fhort duration was foretold in the following paragraph, published at Philadelphia, by a gentleman of high repute in the republic of letters. "Literary projects have almost always proved abortive in Bofton. Many attempts have been made to establish periodical works in that small town; but mifcellaneous readers afk in vain for a magazine, or a review, or a literary journal, in the capital of New England. The poverty of the inhabitants is the probable caufe of the deficiency. But the hopes of authors, like the defires of lovers, are not eafily extinguished; and a Mr. Hawkins, in the fanguine fpirit of a projector, adventures to expose himself to the cold inclemency of a commercial port. He propofes the publication of a Monthly Magazine, entitled the Columbian Phenix. But from the duft and ashes of its predeceffor, this Columbian foarer will hardly arife. This is to be deeply regretted by the lovers of litera ture, and the friends of humanity, for we understand that Mr. Hawkins is both a fenfible and unfortunate man. His fuccefs is warmly withed, but fcarcely to be expected. Al though though it is faid he is to be aided by the claffical learning and. attic wit of the author of the Jacobiniad, the Bostonians will probably prefer, as usual, the perufal of fome of their meagre and time-ferving newfpapers, or, rather that informing and witty work, called an advertisement.” Time must make its comment on this paragraph. Its author may prove a true prophet. The editor cannot yield implicit faith to his doctrine, without trying the efficacy of works. Patience and perfeverance, he is fure are neceffary. He is aware that there are many ftumbling blocks in his way, and is prepared, and expects to make fome temporary facrifices. Thefe are inconveniences which every one, who embarks in a fimilar enterprize, fhould be prepared to encounter. He is determined to do all on his part within the compafs of his abilities. His friends, in particular, have encouraged his hopes, and his expectations, by a liberal fubfcription-Whether the man of bufinefs, and the miscellaneous reader, will promptly throw in their mite to encourage a work of this nature, from more enlarged views, experience muft determine. He imputes inattention to works of tafte, to other causes, than the poverty or flupidity of Americans-to circumstances. peculiar to a young growing nation. There is no country where the great mafs of citizens are better furnished with that fpecies of knowledge, neceffary to direct individuals in the common pursuits of industry. But for the higher departments of literature, which "weed the morals," and "prune the taste," we look almost in vain. This is the province of the Belles-lettres. There is a critical period between infancy and manhood, in nations as well as individuals. Whatever we have done in agriculture, in commerce, in politics, and in war; in the Belles-lettres, we have not paffed this period. We have the ele ments, but they are not called into order. We are progreffing; but perhaps not farther advanced than we were in the art of war, at the commencement of our revolution. We had arms, and zeal, and courage to use them, and many had fkill as individuals; but combination and difcipline were wanted. We are not called upon to defend ourselves by arms, at prefent. Though far, very far from being out of danger, it is on other weapons we must rely for our national fafety and honor-Public and private virtues, and the force and direction of opinion. Every American acknowledges the efficacy of a free prefs; they have experienced its advantages, and its evils: evils: And with one of the firft of modern writers, every man of reflection will acknowledge, that, LITERATURE well or ill conducted, is the great Engine, by which all civilized States mnft ultimately be fupported or over thrown. To conduct this machine with a teady, uniform, and decifive hand, in a periodical publication, embracing the facred principles of our religion, the found maxims of morality, encouraging genius, cultivating tafte, fupporting by the influence of opinion, our laws and conftitutien, adhering firmly to our venerable inftitutions, and difcouraging with perfeverauce and manly zeal the mania of innovation, and the licentioufnefs of opinion and practice, which is a matter of serious alarm in the new as well as the old world-To do this requires virtue, talents and induftry; qualities, which when devoted to the public good, require and demand patronage. And even a manly attempt, deferves fomething more than contempt, or cold neglect. Aware that a publication of this kind cannot flourish long, without the affiftance of able writers, the editor has endeavored, and he thinks he has the good fortune to make his Magazine the vehicle of a confiderable share of original and ufeful communication. As the writers are to be known only by their works, it is by them alone, the public must judge of their merit and importance. A Magazine is the proper repofitory, for the noblest productions of genius, the moft finihed effays on moral and literary fubjects, useful difcoveries, and interefting documents, kiftory and biography. It is its office alfo to "catch the manners living as they rife," and detail the events of the day, in a manner that will be worthy a perufal the next year, and the next generation. If, with fuch aid as the editor may obtain, and every exertion of his own, the Columbian Phenix fhall be the means of exciting an emulation among men of genius, of calling talents into exercife, affording instruction, and innocent amusement to miscellaneous readers, and advancing the common cause of literature, good order, and found principles, it will find friends in the friends of our country, and answer every wifh of the public's devoted fervant, BOSTON, January, 1800. 1. HAWKINS. THE COLUMBIAN PHENIX, AND BOSTON REVIEW. JANUARY, 1800. DESCRIPTION OF THE FRONTISPIECE. THE Plate in front of the Mag azine, represents the military review of the militia of Bofton, on the birth-day of the Prefident, (the 30th of October laff) the Common, the new State-houfe, Beacon-hill, and the monument upon it to the right, in the back ground, the late Governor Hancock's and the other feats to the left between the State Houfe and Charles River, as viewed from the Mall. The legionary Brigade was commanded by Brigadier General Winflow; the line from right to left, compofed of Capt. Amory's troop of harfe, Independent Fufiliers, commanded by Capt. Brazer, fublegion of Artillery (confifting of two companies, commanded by Capt. Gardner and Johonnot) two fublegions of Infantry; the first commanded by Major Ruffell, compofed of five companies, commanded by Capt. Harris, Capt. Stutfon, Capt. Hatch, Lieut. Davis, and Enfign Badger; the fecond, commanded by Major Johnfon, compofed' of four companies, commanded by Captains Floyd, Williams, Stutfon, and Meffinger,—the Bofton Light Infantry, commanded by Capt. Sargent, on the left of the whole. Next to the univerfal joy which pervaded all ranks, on the natal day of the political Father of our country, was the fatisfaction, that arofe in the spectator's mind, from viewing the general uniformity, martial appearance, and corre correct difcipline of the troops on this occafion. This fatisfaction was greatly heightened, by reflecting that, within two years, from mere Citizens, undifciplined and unequipped, was almost entirely formed this fine legion of Soldiers, efpesially the independent companies of Lighty Infantry and Cavalry. To the inhabitants of Bolton, within whofe recollection, this peninfula had been the firft fcene of invafion, and had experienced all the aggreffions of an infulting foe in the beginning of our ftrug gle for freedom and independence, it naturally afforded the moft grateful and ennobled fenfa tions, to fee paraded on the fame foil, of its own citizen-foldiers, a corps fo refpectable in number, difcipline, and appearance, and fo prompt, as their zeal already evinces them to be, to defend the rights they inherit by the valour of their fathers. The military fpirit, which has of late prevailed through the country in general, and particularly in Bofton, and increafed with our danger, may juftly be confidered as our best security, under the "Go of Armies," and as a fair trait in the character of republican Americans, which ought to be noticed with pleafure and pride. REFLECTIONS ON DEVOTION. A foul in commerce with her God, is heaven; Praife, the sweet exhalation of our joy, That joy exalts, and makes it sweeter ftill;" Of man, in audience with the Deity... YOUNG. THE pious Dr. Law obferves, perfon makes it a rule to dif that Devotion may be confidered either as an exercife of public or private prayer at fet times and occafions, or as a temper of the mind, a state and difpofition of the heart, which is rightly affect ed with fuch exercifes. Jurieu defines it to be a foftening and yielding of the heart, with an internal confolation, which the fouls of the faithful feel in the practice or exercife of piety. By Devotion is alfo underftood certain religious practices, which a charge regularly; and with reafon, if the exactnefs be founded on folid piety. In its importance to religious life, all writers, who have handled the fubject, concur, and their fentiments will be found combined, though in epitome, in the following reflections. The character of devotion has frequently fuffered from the forbidding air, which has been thrown over it, by the morosenefs of bigotry on one hand, or the gloom of fuperstition on the other. |