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who aims at their inftruction or entertainment.

As almost every member of fociety has by this means a vote in literary transactions, it is no way furprizing to find the rich leading the way here as in other common concerns of life, to fee them either bribing the numerous herd of voters by their intereft, or browbeating them by their authority.

A great man fays, at his table, that fuch a book is no bad thing. Immediately the praife is carried off by five flatterers to be dispersed at twelve different coffee-houfes, from whence it circulates, ftill improving as it proceeds, through forty-five houfes, where cheaper liquors are fold; from thence it is carried away by the honeft tradefiman to his own fire-fide, where the applaufe is eagerly caught up by his wife and children, who have been long taught to regard his judgment as the standard of perfection. Thus, when we have traced a wide-extended literary reputation up to it's original fource, we shall find it derived from fome great man, who has, perhaps, received all his education and English from a tutor of Berne, or a dancing-mafter of Pi

cardie.

The English are a people of good fense; and I am the more furprized to find them fwayed in their opinions by men who often, from their very education, are incompetent judges. Men who, being always bred in affluence, see the world only on one fide, are furely improper judges of human nature; they may indeed defcribe a ceremony, a pageant, or a ball; but how can they pre tend to dive into the fecrets of the human heart, who have been nurfed up only in forms, and daily behold nothing but the fame infipid adulation fmiling upon every face? Few of them have been bred in the beft of schools, the fchool of adverfity; and, by what I can learn, fewer ftill have been bred in any fchool at all.

From fuch a defcription, one would
think, that a droning duke, or a dow-
ager dutchefs, was not poffeffed of more
just pretensions to taste than perfons of
lefs quality; and yet, whatever the one
or the other may write or praife, fhall
pafs for perfection, without farther ex-,
A nobleman has but to
amination.
take a pen, ink, and paper, write away
through three large volumes, and then
fign his name to the title-page; though

the whole might have been before more
difgufting than his own rent-roll, yet
figning his name and title gives value to
the deed; title being alone equivalent to
taste, imagination, and genius.

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As foon as a piece, therefore, is publifhed, the first questions are- Who is the author? Does he keep a coach? Where lies his eitate? What fort of a table does he keep? If he happens to be poor, and unqualified for fuch a fcrutiny, he and his works fink into irremediable obfcurity; and too late he finds, that having fed upon Turtle is a more ready way to fame, than having digefted Tully.

The poor devil, against whom fafhion has fet it's face, vainly alledges, that he has been bred in every part of Europe where knowledge was to be fold; that he has grown pale in the ftudy of nature and himfelf; his works may please upon the perufal, but his pretenfions to fame are entirely difregarded; he is treated like a fiddler, whofe mufic, though liked, is not much praised, be caufe he lives by it; while a gentlemanperformer, though the moft wretched fcraper alive, throws the audience into raptures. The fiddler, indeed, may in fuch a cafe confole himself by thinking, that while the other goes off with all the praife, he runs away with all the money: but here the parallel drops; for while the nobleman triumphs in unmerited applaufe, the author by profeffion fteals off with-Nothing.

The poor, therefore, here, who draw their pens auxiliary to the laws of their country, muft think themselves very happy if they find, not fame, but forgivenefs; and yet, they are hardly treated; for, as every country grows more polite, the prefs becomes more use. ful; and writers become more necessary, as readers are fuppofed to encreafe. În a polished fociety, that man, though in rags, who has the power of enforcing virtue from the prefs, is of more real ufe than forty ftupid brachmans or bonzes, or guebres, though they preached never fo often, never fo loud, or never fo long. That man, though in rags, who is capable of deceiving even indolence into wifdom, and who profelles amusement while he aims at reformation, is more ufeful in refined faciety than twenty car dinals with all their fearlet, and tricked out in all the fopperies of fcholaftic finery.

LETTER

A

LETTER LVIII.

TO THE SAME.

S the man in black takes every opportunity of introducing me to fuch company as may ferve to indulge my fpeculative temper, or gratify my, curiofity, I was by his influence lately invited to a vifitation dinner. To understand this term, you must know, that it was formerly the cuftom here for the principal priests to go about the country once a year, and examine upon the fpot, whether thofe of fubordinate orders did their duty, or were qualified for the task; whether their temples were kept in proper repair, or the laity pleafed with their administration.

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Though a vifitation of this nature was very useful, yet it was found to be extremely troublefome, and for many reafons utterly inconvenient; for as the principal priests were obliged to attend at court, in order to folicit preferment, it was impoffible they could at the fame time attend in the country, which was quite out of the road to promotion: we add to this the gout, which has been time immemorial a clerical diforder here, together with the bad wine, and illdreffed provifions that must infallibly be ferved up by the way, it is not ftrange that the custom has been long difcontinued. At prefent, therefore, every head of the church, instead of going about to vifit his priests, is fatisfied if his priests come in a body once a year to vifit him; by this means the duty of half a year is difpatched in a day. When affembled, he asks each in his turn, how they have behaved, and are liked; upon which, those who have neglected their duty, or are difagreeable to their congregation, no doubt accufe themselves, and tell him all their faults; for which he reprimands them most feverely.

The thoughts of being introduced into a company of philofophers and learned men, (for fuch I conceived them) gave me no small pleafure; I expected our entertainment would refemble thofe fentimental banquets fo finely defcribed by Xenophon and Plato; I was hoping fome Socrates would be brought in from the door, in order to harangue upon

Divine love; but as for eating and drinking, I had prepared myself to be difappointed in that particular. I was apprized, that fafting and temperance were tenets ftrongly recommended to the profeffors of Chriftianity; and I had feen the frugality and mortification of the priests of the Eaft: fo that I expected an entertainment where we should have much reafoning, and little meat.

Upon being introduced, I confefs I found no great figns of mortification in the faces or perfons of the company. However, I imputed their florid looks to temperance, and their corpulency to a fedentary way of living. I faw feveral preparations indeed for dinner, ́but none for philofophy. The company feemed to gaze upon the table with filent expectation; but this I easily excufed.

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Men of wisdom,' thought I, ever flow of speech; they deliver nothing unadvifedly." Silence," fays Confucius,' is a friend that will "never betray." They are now probably inventing maxims, or hard fayings, for their mutual inftruction, when fome one fhall think proper to ♦ begin.'

My curiofity was now wrought up to the higheft pitch; I impatiently looked round to fee if any were going to interrupt the mighty paufe; when, at last, one of the company declared, that there was a fow in his neighbourhood that farrowed fifteen pigs at a litter. This I thought a very prepofterous beginning: but just as another was going to fecond the remark, dinner was ferved, which interrupted the converfation for that time.

The appearance of dinner, which confifted of a variety of dishes, feemed to diffufe new chearfulness upon every face; fo that I now expected the philofophical converfation to begin, as they improved in good-humour. The principal prieft, however, opened his mouth, with only obferving, that the venifon had not been kept enough, though he had given ftrict orders for having it killed ten days before. I fear, conN 2

tinued

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tinued he, it will be found to want the true heathy flavour; you will find nothing of the original wildnefs in it.' A prieft, who fat next him, having fmelt it, and wiped his nofe- Ah, my good lord,' cries he, you are too modest, it is perfectly fine; every body knows that nobody underftands keeping venifon wth your lordship. Ay, and partridges too,' interrupted another; I never find them right any where elfe.' His lordship was going to reply, when a third took off the attention of the company, by recommending the pig as inimitable. I fancy, my lord,' continues he, it has been fmothered in it's own blood? If it has been fimothered in it's blood,' cried a facetious member, helping himself, we'll now fmother it in egg-fauce.' This poignant piece of humour produced a long loud laugh, which the facetious brother obferving, and now that he was in Juck, willing to fecond his blow, affured the company he would tell them a good ftory about that: As good a ftory,' cries he, burfting into a violent fit of laughter himself, as ever you heard in your lives. There was a farmer of my parish, who used to fup upon wild ducks and flummery; fo this farmer "Do&tor Marrowfat,' cries his lordship, interrupting him, ⚫ me leave to drink your health. So, ⚫ being fond of wild ducks and flummery Doctor,' adds a gentleman who fat next him, let me advife to a wing of this turkey. So this far⚫mer being fond Hob nob, doctor, which do you chufe, white or red?' So being fond of wild ducks and flummery. • Take care of your bard, Sir, it may dip in the gravy.' The doctor, now looking round, found not a fingle eye difpofed to litten; wherefore, calling for a glass of wine, he gulped down the difappointment and the tale in a bumper.

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The converfation now began to be little more than a rhapsody of exclamations; as each had pretty well fatisfied his own appetite, he now found fufficient time to prefs others. Excellent! the very thing! let me recommend the pig; do but tafte the bacon! never ear a better thing in my life; exqui<fite! delicious!' This edifying difcourte continued through three courfes,

which lafted as many hours, till every one of the company were unable to fwallow or utter any thing more.

It is very natural for men who are abridged in one excefs, to break into fome other. The clergy here, particularly those who are advanced in years, think, if they are abftemious with regard to women and wine, they may indulge their other appetites without cenfure. Thus fome are found to rife in the morning only to a confultation with their cook about dinner; and when that has been fwallowed, make no other ufe of their faculties, (if they have any) but to ruminate on the fucceeding meal.

A debauch in wine is even more par donable than this, fince one glafs infen fibly leads on to another, and instead of fateing whets the appetite. The progreffive fteps to it are chearful and fe ducing; the grave are animated, the melancholy relieved, and there is even claffic authority to countenance the excefs. But in eating after nature is once fatisfied, every additional morfel brings ftupidity and diftempers with it, and, as one of their own poets expreffes it→→

The foul fubfides, and wickedly inclines, To feem but mortal, even in found divines.

Let me fuppofe, after fuch a meal as this I have been defcribing, while all the company are fitting in lethargic filence round the table, grunting under a load of foup, pig, pork, and bacon; let me fuppole, I fay, fome hungry beggar, with looks of want, peeping through one of the windows, and thus addrefl ing the affembly: Pr'ythee, pluck

thofe napkins from your chins; after nature is fatisfied, all that you eat extraordinary is my property, and I claim it as mine, It was given you in order to relieve me, and not to opprefs yourselves. How can they com fort or inftru&t others, who can scarce feel their own existence, except from the unfavoury returns of an ill-digefted meal? But though neither you nor the cushions you fit upon will hear me, yet the world regards the ex'ceffes of it's teachers with a prying eye, and notes their conduct with double feverity. I know no other anfwer any one of the company could make to fuch an expoftulation, but this: Friend, you talk of our lofing

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a character, and being difliked by the • world; well, and supposing all this to be true, what then! who cares for the world? We'll preach for the

world, and the world fhall pay us for preaching, whether we like each other

or not.'

LETTER LIX.

FROM HINGPO, TO LIEN CHI ALTANGI, BY THE WAY OF MOSCOW.

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OU will probably be pleafed to fee my letter dated from Terki, a city which lies beyond the bounds of the Perfian empire: here, bleffed with fecurity, with all that is dear, I double my raptures, by communicating them to you; the mind fympathizing with the freedom of the body, my whole foul is dilated in gratitude, love, and praife.

Yet, were my own happiness all that. infpired my prefent joy, my raptures might justly merit the imputation of felf-intereft; but when I think that the beautiful Zelis is alfo free, forgive my triumph, when I boaft of having refcued from captivity the moit deserving object upon earth.

delivery; but each, when trialy examined, appeared impracticable: in this uncertainty, the evening again arrived, and I placed myself on my former ftation, in hopes of a repeated vifit. After fome short expectation, the bright perfection again appeared: I bowed, as before, to the ground; when, railing me up, fhe obferved, that the time was not to be spent in ufelefs ceremony; the ob ferved, that the day following was appointed for the celebration of her nuptials, and that fomething was to be done that very night for our mutual deliverance. I offered, with the utmost humility, to purfue whatever fcheme the should direct; upon which she proposed that inftant to fcale the garden-wall; adding, that he had prevailed upon a female flive, who was now waiting at the appointed place, to affiit her with a ladder.

You remember the reluctance the teftified, at being obliged to marry the tyrant she hated. Her compliance at laft was only feigned, in order to gain time to try fome future means of escape. Pursuant to this information, I led During the interval between her promife her trembling to the place appointed; and the intended performance of it, the but, inftead of the flave we expected to came undiscovered, one evening, to the fee, Mostadad himseif was there waiting place where I generally retired after the our arrival; the wretch, in whom we fatigues of the day; her appearance was confided, it feems, had betrayed our de like that of an aerial genius, when it de- fign to her mafter, and he now faw the fcends to minifter comfort to undeferv- moft convincing proofs of her informa ed diftrefs; the mild luftre of her eye tion. He was juft going to draw his ferved to banish my timidity, her ac- fabre, when a principle of avarice re cents were tweeter than the echo of fome preffed his fury, and he refolved, after diftant fymphony. Unhappy stranger,' a fevere chattifement, to difpole of me faid the, in the Perfian language, you to another matter; in the mean time or here perceive one more wretched thandering me to be confined in the strictest thyfelf; all this folemnity of prepara tion, this elegance of drefs, and the number of my attendants, ferve but to encrease my miferies; if you have courage to refcue an unhappy woman from approaching ruin, and our detested tyrant, you may depend upon ♦ my future gratitude.' 'I bowed to the ground, and the left me, filled with rapture and aftonishment. Night brought me no reft, nor cou. the efoing morning calm the anxieties of my mind. I projected a thousand methods for her

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manner, and the next day to receive an hundred blows on the foles of my feet.

When the morning came, I was led. out in order to receive the punishment, which, from the feverity with which it is generally inflicted upon flaves, is worfe even than death.

A trumpet was to be a fignal for the folemnization of the nuptials of Zelis, and for the infliction of iny punishment. Each ceremony, to me equally dreadful, was just going to begin, when we were informed that a large party of

Circaffiar

Circaffian Tartars had invaded the town, and were laying all in ruin. Every perfon now thought only of faving himself; I inftantly unloofed the cords with which I was bound, and feizing a fcymetar from one of the flaves, who had not courage to refilt me, flew to the women's apartment where Zelis was confined, dreffed out for the intended nuptials. I bade her follow me without delay; and going forward, cut my way through the eunuchs, who made but a faint refiftance. The whole city was now a fcene of conflagration and terror; every perfon was willing to fave himself, unmindful of others. In this confufion, feizing upon two of the fleeteft courfers in the tables of Moltadad, we fled northward, towards the kingdom of Circaffia. As there were feveral others flying in the fame manner, we paffed without no

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tice, and in three days arrived at Terki, a city that lies in a valley within the bofom of the frowning mountains of Caucafus.

Here, free from every apprehenfion of danger, we enjoy all thofe fatisfactions which are confiftent with virtue; though I find my heart, at intervals, give way to unufual paffions, yet fuch is my admiration for my fair companion, that I lofe even tendernefs in diftant refpect. Though her perfon demands particular regard, even among the beauties of Circaffia, yet is her mind far more lovely, How very different is a woman, who thus has cultivated her understanding, and been refined into delicacy of fentiments, from the daughters of the East, whofe education is only formed to improve the perfon, and make them more tempting objects of proftitution! Adieu.

LETTER LX.

FROM HINGPO, TO LIEN CHI ALTANGI, BY THE WAY OF MOSCOW.

W the fatigues of our precipitate

HEN fufficiently refreshed after

Right, my curiolity, which had been reftrained by the appearance of immediate danger, now began to revive: I longed to know by what diftrefsful accidents my fair fugitive became a captive, and could not avoid teilifying a furprize, how fo much beauty could be involved in the calamities from whence he had been fo lately rescued.

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• Talk not of perfonal charms,' cried fhe, with emotion, fince to them I owe every misfortune: lock round on the • numberless beauties of the country where we are, and fee how Nature has poured it's charms upon every face; and yet, by this profufion, Heaven would feem to fhew how little it regards fuch a bleffing, fince the gift is lavished upon a nation of prostitutes.

I perceive you defire to know my ftory, and your curiofity is not fo great as my impatience to gratify it: I find a pleafure in telling paft miffortunes to any; but when my deliverer is pleafed with the relation, my pleafure is prompted by duty.

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I was born in a country far to the Weft, where the men are braver, and the women more fair, than thofe of Circaffia; where the valour of the hero is guided by wifdom, and where delicacy of fentiment points the fhafts of female beauty. I was the only daughter of an officer in the army, the child of his age; and, as he ufed fondly to exprefs it, the only chain that bound him to the world, or made his life 'pleafing. His ftation procured him an acquaintance with men of greater rank of fortune than himself, and his regard for me induced him to bring 'me into every family where he was acquainted. Thus I was early taught all the elegancies and fashionable foibles of fuch as the world calls polite; and, though without fortune myself, · was taught to defpife those who lived as if they were poor.

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My intercourfe with the great, and my affectation of grandeur, procured me many lovers: but want of fortune deterred them all from any other views than thofe of paffing the pre⚫ fent moment agreeably, or of meditat

This story bears a friking fimilitude to the real hiftory of Mifs Sd, who accom panied Lady We, in her retreat neat Florence, and which the editor had from her own

mouth.

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