with all the ferenity of perverted reafon, he ended the debate with a piftol! Had this felf-deluded man been apprized, that existence grows more defirable to us the longer we exiit, he would have then faced old age without fhrinking; he would have boldly dared to live; and ferved that fociety by his future affidui ty, which he bafely injured by his defertion. Goldsmith. § 10. The Canal and the Brook. A delightfully pleafant evening fucceeding a fultry fummer-day, invited me to take a folitary walk; and, leaving the duft of the highway, I fell into a path which led along a pleafant little valley watered by a fmall meandring brook. The meadow ground on its banks had been lately mown, and the new grafs was fpringing up with a lively verdure. The brook was hid in feveral places by the fhrubs that grew on each fide, and intermingled their branches. The fides of the valley were roughened by fmall irregular thickets; and the whole fcene had an air of folitude and retirement, uncommon in the neighbourhood of a populous town. The Duke of Bridgewater's canal croffed the valley, high raifed on a mound of earth, which preferved a level with the elevated ground on each fide. An arched road was carried under it, beneath which the brook that ran along the valley was conveyed by a fubterraneous paffage. I threw myfelf upon a green bank, fhaded by a leafy thicket, and refting my head upon my hand, after a welcome indolence had overcome my fenfes, I faw, with the eyes of fancy, the following fone. The firm-built fide of the aqueduct fuddenly opened, and a gigantic form iffued forth, which I foon difcovered to be the Genius of the Canal. He was clad in a clofe garment of ruffet hue. A mural crown, indented with battlements, furrounded his brow. His naked feet were difcoloured with clay. On his left fhoulder he bore a huge pickaxe; and in his right hand he held certain instruments, ufed in furveying and levelling. His looks were thoughtful, and his features harsh. The breach through which he proceeded inftantly clofed, and with a heavy tread he ad vanced into the valley. As he approached the brook, the Deity of the Stream arofe to meet him. He was habited in a light green mantle, and the clear drops fell from his dark hair, which was encircled with a wreath of water-lily, interwoven with fweet-fcented flag: an angling-rod fupported his fteps. The Genius of the Canal eyed him with a contemptuous look, and in a hoarfe voice thus began: "Hence, ignoble rill! with thy fcan ty tribute, to thy lord the Mersey; "nor thus wafte thy almoft-exhaufted "ty urn in lingering windings along the "vale. Feeble as thine aid is, it will not be unacceptable to that master ftream himfelf; for, as I lately croffed his channel, I perceived his fands loaded with ftranded veffels. I faw, and pitied him, for undertaking a "talk to which he is unequal. But "thou, whofe languid current is obfcured by weeds, and interrupted by mishapen pebbles; who lofeft thyfelf in endless mazes, remote from any "found but thy own idle gurgling; how canft thou fupport an existence "fo contemptible and ufelefs? For me, the nobleft child of Art, who hold my "unremitting courfe from hill to hill, "over vales and rivers; who pierce "the folid rock for my paffage, and "connect unknown lands with distant "feas; wherever I appear I am viewed "with aftonishment, and exulting Com merce hails my waves. Behold my "channel thronged with capacious vef"fels for the conveyance of merchan"dize, and fplendid barges for the use "and pleasure of travellers; my banks "crowned with airy bridges and huge "warehouses, and echoing with the bu to woods and ftreams; and, while the ftupendous monuments of Roman "grandeur, the columns which pierced "the fkies, and the aqueducts which "poured their waves over mountains and vallies, are funk in oblivion, the "gently-winding Mincius ftill retains his tranquil honours. And when thy glories, proud Genius! are loft and forgotten; when the flood of commerce, which now fupplies thy urn, "is turned into another course, and has left thy channel dry and defolate, the foftly flowing Avon fhall ftill "murmur in fong, and his banks re my ftream; the neighbouring fylvan "deities, to whofe pleasure I contribute, will pay a grateful teftimony to "my merit. The windings of my course, "which you fo much blame, ferve to diffufe over a greater extent of ground "the refreshment of my waters; and "the lovers of nature and the Mufes, who are fond of ftraying on my banks, are better pleafed that the "line of beauty marks my way, than "if, like yours, it were directed in "a ftraight, unvaried line. They prize "the irregular wildnefs with which "I am decked, as the charms of beauteous fimplicity. What you callceive the homage of all who are be"loved by Phoebus and the Mafes." Aikin's Mifcell. "the weeds which darken and obfcure my waves, afford to the botanist a pleafing fpeculation of the works "of nature; and the poet and pain"ter think the luftre of my stream "greatly improved by glittering thro' them. The pebbles which diverify my bottom, and make thefe ripplings in my current, are pleafing objects to the eye of talle; and my fimple << murmurs are more melodious to the learned ear than all the rude noifes "of your banks, or even the mufic "that refounds from your stately barges. "If the unfeeling fons of Wealth and "Commerce judge of me by the mere ftandard of usefulness, I may claim no undiftinguished rank. While your waters, confined in deep channels, "or lifted above the vallies, roll on, a "ufelefs burden to the fields, and only fubfervient to the drudgery of bearing "temporary merchandizes, my ftream "will beftow unvarying fertility on the "meadows, during the fummers of fu"ture ages. Yet I fcorn to fubmit "my honours to the decifion of thofe "whofe hearts are fhut up to taste and "fentiment let me appeal to nobler judges. The philofopher and poet, by whofe labours the human mind is elevated and refined, and opened to pleasures beyond the conception of vulgar fouls, will acknowledge that the elegant deities who prefide over fimple and natural beauty have infpired them with their charming and inftructive ideas. The fweeteft and "moft majestic bard that ever fung has taken a pride in owning his affection 66 66 66 66 11. The Story of a difabled Soldier. No obfervation is more common, and at the fame time more true, than, That one half of the world are ignorant how the other half lives. The misfortunes of the great are held up to engage our attention; are enlarged upon in tones of declamation; and the world is called upon to gaze at the noble fufferers: the great, under the preffure of calamity, are confcious of feveral others fympathizing with their direfs; and have, at once, the comfort of admiration and pity. There is nothing magnanimous in be ring misfortunes with fortitude,when the whole world is looking on: men in fuch circumftances will act bravely, even from motives of vanity; but he who, in the vale of obfcurity, can brave adverfity; who, without friends to encourage, acquaintances to pity, or even without hope to alleviate, his misfortunes, can behave with tranquillity and indifference, is truly great; whether peafant or courtier, he deferves admiration, and fhould be held up for our imitation and respect. While the flighteft inconveniencies of the great are magnified into calamities; while tragedy mouths out their sufferings in all the ftrains of eloquence; the miferies of the poor are entirely difregarded; and yet fome of the lower ranks of people undergo more real hardships in one day than thofe of a more exalted flation fuffer in their whole lives. It is inconceivable Heaven, it is not fo bad with me yet. "I was born in Shropshire; my fa conceivable what difficulties the meaneft of our common failors and foldiers endure without murmuring or regret ; without paffionately declaiming againftther was a labourer, and died when Providence, or calling their fellows to be gazers on their intrepidity. Every day is to them a day of mifery, and yet they entertain their hard fate without repining. With what indignation do I hear an Ovid, a Cicero, or a Rabutin, complain of their misfortunes and hardships, whofe greateft calamity was that of being unable to visit a certain fpot of earth, to which they had foolishly attached an idea of happiness! Their diftreffes were pleafures, compared to what many of the adventuring poor every day endure without murmuring. They ate, drank, and flept; they had flaves to attend them; and were fure of fubfiftence for life while many of their fellow-creatures are obliged to wander without a friend to comfort or affift them, and even without fhelter from the feverity of the season. 66 "I was five years old; fo I was put upon the parish. As he had been a wandering fort of a man, the pa"rifhioners were not able to tell to "what parish I belonged, or where I was born, fo they fent me to another "parish, and that parish fent me to a third. I thought in my heart, they "kept fending me about fo long, that "they would not let me be born in any parish at all; but at last, however, "they fixed me. I had fome difpofi"tion to be a scholar, and was refolved, "at least, to know my letters; but the "mafter of the workhoufe put me to "bufinefs as foon as I was able to handle "a mallet; and here I lived an easy "kind of life for five years. I only "wrought ten hours in the day, and had my meat and drink provided "for my labour. It is true, I was "not fuffered to flir out of the house, for fear, as they faid, I should "run away; but what of that, I had the liberty of the whole houfe, and "the yard before the door, and that "was enough for me. I was then "bound out to a farmer, where I was up both early and late; but I ate "and drank well, and liked my bufi"nefs well enough, till he died, when I was obliged to provide for myself; "fo I was refolved to go feek my for I have been led into these reflections from accidentally meeting, fome days. ago, a poor fellow, whom I knew when a boy, dressed in a failor's jacket, and begging at one of the outlets of the town with a wooden leg. I knew him to have been honeft and induftrious when in the country, and was curious to learn what had reduced him to his prefent fituation. Wherefore, after having given him what I thought proper, I defired to know the hiftory of his life and misfortunes, and the manner in which he was reduced to his prefent ditrefs. The difabled foldier, for fuchployment, and starved when I could he was, though dreffed in a failor's habit, fcratching his head, and leaning on his crutch, put himself into an attitude to comply with my requeft, and gave me his hiftory, as follows: tune. "In this manner I went from town to town, worked when I could get em get none: when happening one day "to go through a field belonging to a "juftice of peace, I fpy'd a hare croff"ing the path just before me; and [ "believe the devil put it in my head to 66 66 "As for my misfortunes, master, I fling my tick at it:-well,, what "can't pretend to have gone through "will you have on't? I killed the "any more than other folks; for, ex- "hare, and was bringing it away, cept the lofs of my limb, and my be- when the juftice himself met me; he "ing obliged to beg, I don't know any "called me a poacher and a villain; reafon, thank Heaven, that I have to and, collaring me, defired I would "complain: there is Bill Tibbs, of our regiment, he has loft both his legs, and an eye to boot; but, thank 4 give an account of myself. I fell upon my knees, begged his worship's "pardon, and began to give a full ac "count " count of all that I knew of breed. feed, and generation; but, though I gave a very true account, the juftice faid I could give no account; so I was indicted at feffions, found guilty of being poor, and fent up to London to "Newgate, in order to be tranfported 66 as a vagabond. People may fay this and that of being in jail, but, for my part, I found Newgate as agreeable a place as ever I was in in all my life. I had my belly-full to eat and drink, "and did no work at all. This kind of life was too good to laft for ever; "fo I was taken out of prison, after five months, put on board a fhip, and fent off, with two hundred more, to "the plantations. We had but an indifferent paffage, for, being all con"fined in the hold, more than a hun"dred of our people died for want of fweet air; and thofe that remained "were fickly enough, God knows. "When we came a-fhore, we were fold "to the planters, and I was bound for feven years more. As I was no scholar, " for I did not know my letters, I was obliged to work among the negroes; and I ferved out my time, as in duty bound to do. "When my time was expired, I "worked my paffage home, and glad I "was to fee Old England again, be"caufe I loved my country. I was a fraid, however, that I fhould be indicted for a vagabond once more, fo "did not much care to go down into the country, but kept about the town, and did little jobbs when I could get them. "I was very happy in this manner for fome time, till one evening, coming home from work, two men knock"ed me down, and then defired me to ftand. They belonged to a prefsgang I was carried before the jus tice, and, as I could give no account of myself, I had my choice left, whe "ther to go on board a man of war, or lift for a foldier: I chofe the lat"ter; and, in this poft of a gentle"man, I ferved two campaigns in "Flanders, was at the battles of Val and Fontenoy, and received but one "wound, through the breaft here; but "the doctor of our regiment foon made me well again. "When the peace came on I was difcharged; and, as I could not "work, becaufe my wound was fome"times troublefome, I lifted for a land"man in the East India company's fer"vice. I have fought the French in "fix pitched battles; and I verily be"lieve that, if I could read or write, "our captain would have made me a corporal. But it was not my good "fortune to have any promotion, for I "foon fell fick, and fo leave to regot turn home again with forty pounds in my pocket. This was at the beginning of the prefent war, and I hoped to be fet on fhore, and to have the pleasure of spending my money; but "the government wanted men, and fo I was preffed for a failor before ever I could fet foot on shore. 66 "The boatfwain found me, as he "faid, an obftinate fellow: he fwore "he knew that I understood my bufi. "nefs well, but that I fhammed Abra"ham, to be idle; but, God knows, "I knew nothing of fea-business, and he "beat me, without confidering what he "was about. I had ftill, however, my forty pounds, and that was fome "comfort to me under every beating; "and the money I might have had to this day, but that our fhip was "taken by the French, and fo I loft << all. "Our crew was carried into Breft, "and many of them died, because they "were not used to live in a jail; but, for my part, it was nothing to me, "for I was feafoned. One night, as I was afleep on the bed of boards, with "a warm blanket about me, for I al"ways loved to lie well, I was awa"kened by the boatfwain, who had a "dark lanthorn in his hand: Jack,' "fays he to me, will you knock out "the French centry's brains?' I don't "care, fays I, ftriving to keep myself "awake, if I lend a hand. • Then *dle, and went with him to fight the Frenchmen. I hate the French, be"cause they are all flaves, and wear *wooden fhoes. 26 "Though we had no arms, one Englishman is able to beat five French at any time; fo we went down to the door, where both the centries were pofted, and, rufhing upon them, feized their arms in a moment, and knocked them down. From thence *nine of us ran together to the quay, and feizing the firit boat we met, got out of the harbour,, and put to fea. We had not been here three days before we were taken up by the "Dorfet privateer, who were glad of "fo many good hands, and we con" fented to run our chance. However, * three ; we had not as much luck as we expected. In three days we fell in with the Pompadour privateer, of "forty guns, while we had but twentyfo to it we went, yard-arm and yard-arm. The fight lasted for "three hours, and I verily believe we "fhould have taken the Frenchman, " had we but had some more men left "behind; but, unfortunately, we loft all our men juft as we were going to get the victory. "I was once more in the power of the French, and I believe it would have gone hard with me had I been brought back to Breft; but, by good fortune, we were retaken by the Vi86 per. I had almost forgot to tell you that, in that engagement, I was wounded in two places; I loft four fingers off the left hand, and my leg was shot off. If I had had the good "fortune to have loft my leg and ufe "of my hand on board a king's fhip, "and not a-board a privateer, I fhould have been entitled to cloathing and "maintenance during the reft of my life! but that was not my chance: "one man is born with a filver fpoon "in his mouth, and another with a "wooden ladle. However, bleffed be God, I enjoy good health, and will for ever love liberty and Old England. Liberty, property, and Old "England for ever, huzza!" Thus faying, he limped off, leaving me in admiration at his intrepidity and Circe. This is not all. I perceive you are afraid to declare your whole mind: but what do you fear? my terrors are gone. The proudest goddefs on earth. when she has favoured a mortal as I have favoured you, has laid her divinity and power at his feet. Ulyffes. It may be fo, while there ftill remains in her heart the fondnefs of love, or in her mind the fear of shame. But you, Circe, are above those vulgar fenfations. Circe. I understand your caution, it belongs to your character; and, therefore, to take all diffidence from you, I fwear by Styx, I will do no harm to you or your friends for any thing which you fay, though it should offend me ever fo much, but will fend you away with all marks of my friendship. Tell me now, truly, what pleafures you hope to enjoy in the barren island of Ithaca, which can compenfate for thofe you leave in this paradife, exempt from all cares, and overflowing with all delights? Ulyffes. The pleafures of virtue; the fupreme happinefs of doing good. Here I do nothing: my mind is in a palfy; its faculties are benumbed. I long to return into action again, that I may employ thofe talents and virtues which I have cultivated from the earliest days of my youth. Toils and cares fright not me: they are the exercife of my foul; they keep it in health and in vigour. Give me again the fields of Troy, rather than thofe vacant groves; there I could reap the bright harveft of glory; here I am |