with felt, cows, sheep, sheep-skins, which the richer sort cover with blue or red cloth to serve them for

kards, in Pensylvania, by a gen tleman of America.

HE Dunkard town, called

cially with aqua vitæ, which is prohibited in Sweden. While they were accounted sorcerers, they got a great deal by selling to sailors magic knots, of such virtues as to accommodate them with favourable winds, whi-, thersoever they were bound; but at present, the world being better informed on that subject, they find no buyers, and this fine branch of trade is absolutely lost.

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The Laplanders, for a long time, traded by way of barter, tho' now money is current among them; but they receive nothing from the Swedes, who give them that money, but Danish and Dutch crowns, because they cannot carry any other into Norway. It is not very singular that their neighbours should pretty well understand their language, as there is upon the frontiers of Sweden, a neutral language, called the language of the burghers; but we ought to assure the reader, that the Lapland language is not so barbarous as many imagine, and that some people have written in it. Softer than that of Finland, and more regular than the Swedish, it expresses things with great precision. For example, it has six or seven terms to signify the different kinds of roads, as many for the mountains, and about four-andtwenty to distinguish the rein-deer, according to their sex, age, and properties. The moods of the verbs are more numerous than in any other language, and they have no fewer than thirteen different cases for their nouns substantive.

frontier part of Lancaster county,, 14 miles from Lancaster, and lies between two small hills. From the top of each of these there is a regu lar declivity to the bottom, where a small river runs, and by one of its windings encircles about one' half of the ground possessed by the Dunkards. This river serves as a kind of natural fence on the one side; the other is secured by a ditch, and a large bank planted with trees the whole tract containing about 250 acres. The road from Lancaster to Ephrata is very good, and the variety of landscapes that strike the eye, make it agreeable. That part of it next Ephrata, is very solitary, where the inhabitants are thinly scattered, and the country becoming more hilly, makes the road take several windings thro' the interjacent vallies, which are all well supplied with rivulets of water, and covered over with trees. Nothing is seen but the works of nature uncorrected by the hand of man. This little society had its rise upwards of 20 years ago, from a German who settled in the place where Ephrata now stands, and was then altogether uncultivated, as well as the adjacent country, for several miles round. He lived in this solitude some years, having little or no intercourse with the rest of mankind, but supplied by his own industry. whatever necessaries he wanted. After some time the country near him began to be settled by some of his own countrymen; and his

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uncommon exemplary piety induced some of them, whose principles nearly corresponded with his own,to join him. Their society soon increased, numbers of both sexes resorting to them. The females were disposed of in a nunnéry by themselves, and put under the tuition of a sage matron. Ambition or pecuniary views had no share in their union; and as they gave themselves up entirely to devotion and industry, their gains were thrown into a common stock, out of which private as well as public exigencies were supplied.

The situation of their town is judiciously chosen, being on the declivity of a little hill which faces the South East, and screens them from the piercing North winds in the winter, The town is built in the form of a triangle, with a large orchard in the middle. Along the outside are planted thick rows of apple, peach, and cherry-trees, which bear great quantities of fruit. Their houses are all wood, and for the most part three stories high. Each person has his own distinct apartment, that he may have no interruption in his private devotions, Their rooms are plain, white, and clean. A separate part of the town is assigned for the women, who have no communication with the men, unless in joining at public worship, and what is necessary in the conomy of their affairs. The number of men and women together exceed 250. If any of them chuse to marry, they must leave the society, but are supplied out of the public fund with necessaries to settle in some place, as they generally do, as near the Ephrata as they conveniently can, and afterwards send their children to be educated among their bre thren.

They endeavour to retrench every superfluity in dress, diet, and plea sure. Their garb in winter is a long white gown, tied round the waist with a belt. Behind hangs a large cap like a capuchin, which they put on in the time of taiff, of cold, for they wear no hats: a waistcoat of the same cloth, a coarse shift, trowsers, and shoes. In summer their cloaths are of the same form and colour, but made of linen. The women's is the same with that of the men; only instead of trowsers, they wear petticoats, and al ways keep their faces muffled up in their large capuchins when out of the nunnery. The men let their beards grow to the full length, and wear their hair short. Their diet is for the most part vegetables: they abstain from flesh-meat, not through principle, but judge it most agreeable to themortifed abstemious life a Christian ought to lead. It is certain that luxury is unknown among them, which is easily discovered on first seeing them, being quite lean in the body, and not the least appearance of blood in their faces. Their recreations are no other than the alternate performance of religious and domestic du ties, which they endeavour to intermix in such a manner, that neither may be burthensome. They regu larly celebrate public worship twice every day, and as often every night. Instead of beds, they sleep on benches, and use a little wooden block for a pillow. Each room is furnished with a couple of these.

Their president is a person who had a regular education at Halle, in Germany. He took orders, and was a minister in the Calvinists communion several years; but not be

ing

ing able to satisfy himself in some points, he left that sect, and went over to the Dunkards. He is a man of an open, affable temper, and free in conversation beyond what you would expect from a person so rigid in his manner of life. The following account of their principles I had from him. They retain both sacraments, but admit adults only to baptism, which they administer by dipping or plunging. They entire ly deny original sin, as to its effects on Adam's posterity; and conse. quently hold free-will. All violence they esteem unlawful, even self-defence in times of danger. Going to law they think contrary to the gospel, even when defrauded, or when their property is unjustly seized. They are strict in observing the Jewish sabbath, to a degree of superstition. They have no set form of service, but pray and preach extempore. Their discourses, by all that I could learn, treat in general of Christian virtues, humility, chastity, temperance, &c. They believe the dead had the gospel preached to them by our Saviour; and that, since his resurrection, the souls of the just

holy, just, and good, and Christ to be their only Saviour, they are received into happiness. Those who continue obstinate are still kept in torment, till the grand period typified by the jubilee arrives, when universal redemption will take place, and all made happy in the endless fruition of the Deity.

Harmony and mutual affection reigns surprisingly among them; every person is industrious, and contented with the task assigned him. They are remarkably hospitable to all strangers. If a traveller asks them any thing, they will chearfully give it him, and if it happens to be late in the evening, will ask him to stay all night, but refuse to accept of any recompence.

The nuns are very ingenious in drawing flowers and pieces of wri ting; especially the latter, with which they adorn their churches and among these are some curious and finished pieces done in German text.

A character from Sully.

HEN the Duke de Sully,

pel to those who have had no reve lation of it in their life, nor sufficient means to be convinced of its truth. They deny the eternity of torments, which they think are mystically alluded to in the Jewish sabbath, sabbatical year, and year of jubilee. They look upon each of these as typical of certain periods after the general judgment, in which the souls of those who are not then admitted into happiness, are purified and purged from their corruption and obduracy. If any within the smaller periods are so far humbled as to acknowledge God to be

bassage for the court of England, he was attended by a numerous retinue of the principal gentlemen of France; amongst the rest Mr. Servin presented his young son to him; at the same time, earnestly begging the duke, that he would use his best endeavours to make him an honest man. This request gave Sully a great curiosity to search into his character; and he gives the following striking account of him:

His genius, says he, was so lively, that nothing could escape his Z 4

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penetration; liis apprehension was so quick, that he understood every thing in an instant; and his me mory so prodigious, that he never forgot any thing. He was master of all the branches of philosophy, the mathematics, particularly for tification and designing. Nay, he was so thoroughly acquainted with divinity, that he was an excellent preacher, when he pleased, and could manage the controversy for, or against, the protestant religion, with the greatest ability. He not only understood the Greek, Hebrew, and other learned languages, but all the jargons of the moderns, He entered so exactly into their pronunciation and accent, to which he joined such a perfect imitation of their air and manners, that not only the people of the different nations in Europe, but the several provinces of France, would have taken him for a native of the country. He applied his talent to imitate all sorts of persons, which he performed with wonderful dexterity; and was accordingly the best comedian in the world. He was a good poet, an excellent musician, and sung with equal art and sweetness. He said mass; for he would do every thing, as well as know every thing. His body was perfectly proportioned to his mind. He was well made, vigorous, and agile, formed for all sorts of exercises. He rode a horse well, and was admired for dancing, leaping, and wrestling. He was acquainted with all kinds of sports and diversions, and could practise in most of the mathematical arts. -Reverse the medal, says Sully he was a liar, false, treacherous, cruel, and cowardly. a sharper, drunkard, and glutton. He was a gamester, an abandoned

debauchee, a blasphemer, and a theist; in a word, was possessed of every vice contrary to nature, to honour, to religion, and society; he persisted in his vices to the last, and fell a sacrifice to his debaucheries, in the flower of his age; he died at the public stew, holding the glass in his hand, swearing, and denying God.

Any reflections upon this character would be needless, it must appear so thoroughly vicious; and the more dangerous from all those extraordinary qualities both of body and mind which accompanied it, even the unhappy father pronounced it so in a son; and the Duke de Sully observes, that he was at once a miracle, and monster. To conclude, it is then evident, that virtue does not consist in the possession of the greatest personal or external advantages, but in the right use and application of these, from a constant and pure intention. It is this only, which properly excites the moral sentiment of esteem and approbation; nor can the most shining abilities, which the human nature is susceptible of, avert that infamy and contempt, which is the natural portion of vice.

"If parts allure thee, think how Bacon shin'd,

"The wisest,brightest,meanest, of mankind.'

"

Jesuits in Picardy, and, at length, entered the society; but being enamoured of a beautiful nun, he made an elopement with her, and professed himselfa protestant, Hecame to Brussels, where he obtained the protection of M. Kinschot, resident of the States, by whose means he got safe to Holland. He now found himself immerged in great difficulties, and reduced to extreme want; the generosity of the protestants fell short of his expectations, and his conversion was far from answering his views. Some booksellers employed him to write for them; but his converted nun was the principal source of support. A Saxon count, in his travels through Hol land, met with her at the Hague, and taking a fancy to her, carried her with him to Dresden. Maubert was taken notice of on her account, and found a friend and protector in his rival, who recommended him to a Saxon nobleman, to be preceptor to his sons. He soon acquired the esteem of the family by his wit and agreeable conversation. This nobleman was an inveterate enemy to count Bruhl, and had engaged with some of his friends to ruin him. Maubert was pitched on as a proper person to draw up a deduction of grievances, and his performance gained him the applause and confidence of the antiministerial party. He was admitted to their conferences, and consulted by them on the means of attaining their aim; and had his advice been taken, it is more than proba-, ble Count Bruhl had been deposed, and the present war prevented; but such was the perplexity and irresolution of the cabal, they could not agree on the measures, though they were determined to strike the

blow. The confidence of people; in their sphere of life, greatly elated Maubert: he construed the notice they took of him into friendship, and their visits flattered his ambition. But one morning he received a visit of an officer of the Saxon guards; who thus addressed him in a surly tone: "I arrest you in the King's name as a prisoner of state." His papers were seized he was hurried into a coach, and carried to the castle of Konigstein, a few miles from Dresden, towards the confines of Bohemia. He continued there 23 months, and employed his time in close application to study, and made considerable progress in politics. In the mean time, he remarked, that one of his fellow prisoners had the liberty of walking where he pleased, and that he was a prisoner only because he preferred being a prisoner, with a pension that enabled him to live comfortably, and smoke tobacco from morning till night, to any situation in which he would be ex¬ posed to the vicissitudes of fortune. This honest philosopher always wore a greasy night gown, a wig of a monstrous size, a remarkable large slouched hat, and slippers. Maubert cultivated a strict intimacy with the philosopher, whom one day, in sultry hot weather, he found fast asleep. Maubert improved this circumstance to his advantage; he put on his friend's night-gown, hat, wig, and slippers, and after lighting his pipe, he walked gravely out, without being discovered, and arrived, in a couple of hours after, at Peterswalde in Bohemia, where he was in safety; but his situation was still dismal; he had little money, and neither shoes nor coat. Next day

he