which would have been ill exchanged for the boaft of palaces, paftures, or ftreams.

Sufpicion is not lefs an enemy to virtue than to happiness; he that is already corrupt is naturally fufpicious, and he that becomes fufpicious will quickly be corrupt.-It is too common for us to learn the frauds by which ourselves have suffered; men who are once perfuaded that deceit will be employed against them, fometimes think the fame arts juftified by the neceffity of defence. Even they whofe virtue is too well established to give way to example, or be fhaken by fophiftry, muft yet feel their love of mankind diminished with their efteem, and grow lefs zealous for the happinefs of thofe by whom they imagine their own happiness endangered.

Thus we find old age, upon which fufpicion has been ftrongly impreffed by long intercourse with the world, inflexible and fevere, not easily foftened by fubmiffion, melted by complaint, or fubdued by fupplication.-Frequent experience of counterfeited miferies and diffembled virtue, in time overcomes that difpofition to tenderness and fympathy, which is fo powerful in our younger years, and they that happen to petition the old for compaffion or affiftance, are doomed to lan

guish without regard, and fuffer for the crimes of men who have formerly been found undeferving or ungrateful.

Hiftorians are certainly chargeable with the depravation of mankind, when they relate without cenfure thofe ftratagems of war by which the virtues of an enemy are engaged to his deftruction. A fhip comes before a port, weather beaten and fhattered, and the crew implore the liberty of repairing their breaches, fupplying themselves with neceffaries, or burying their dead.-The humanity of the inhabitants inclines them to con fent, the ftrangers enter the town with weapons concealed, fall fuddenly upon their benefactors, deftroy thofe that make refiftance, and become masters of the place; they return home rich with plunder, and their fuccefs is recorded to encourage imitation.

But furely war has its laws, and ought to be conducted with fome regard to the universal interest of man. Those may juftly be purfued as enemies to the community of nature, who fuffer hoftility to vacate the unalterable laws of right, and pursue their private advantage by means which, if once established, muft deftroy kindness, cut off from

every

every man all hopes of affiftance from another, and fill the world with perpetual fufpicion, and implacable malevolence. Whatever is thus gained ought to be restored, and those who have conquered by fuch treachery may be juftly denied the protection of their native country.

Whoever commits a fraud is guilty not only of the particular injury to him whom he deceives, but of the diminution of that confidence which conftitutes not only the eafe but the existence of fociety. He that fuffers by impofture has too often his virtues more impaired than his fortune. But as it is neceffary not to invite robbery by fupineness, so it is our duty not to fupprefs tenderness by fufpicion; it is better to fuffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be fometimes cheated than not to truft.

A

ANECDOTE

OF

JOHN ELWES, Esq.

Son of Mr. Elwes having paid his addreffes to a niece of Dr. Noel, of Oxford, who, of course, thought it proper to wait upon old Mr.

Elwes,

Elwes, to apprize him of the circumstance, and to afk his confent.-Old Mr. Elwes had not the leaft objection.-Doctor Noel was very happy to hear it, as a marriage betwixt the young people might be productive of happiness to both. Old Mr. Elwes had not the leaft objection to any body marrying whatever. "This ready acquiefcence is fo obliging!" said the Doctor" but, doubtlefs, you feel for the mutual wishes of the parties."

I dare fay I do,' replied the old gentleman."Then, Sir," faid Doctor Noel, "you have no objection to an immediate union? you fee I talk freely on the fubject." Old Mr. Elwes had no obje&ion to any thing. "Now then, Sir," obferved Doctor Noel, "we have only one thing to fettle; and you are fo kind, there can be no difficulty about the matter; as I fhall behave liberally to my niece-What do you mean to give your fon?"-"Give!" "Give!" faid old Elwes," fure I did not fay any thing about giving; but if you wish it fo much, I will give my confent."

The word give having ftuck in the throat of the Elwes family for two generations,-the tranfa&tion ended altogether.

That the above anecdote is literally a fact, Doctor Noel can teftify, who that day difcovered

there was more than one fhort word in the Engli language, to which there is no reply.

ANECDOTE

OF

A COUNTRY CURATE.

A Clergyman being one Friday in Lent to

examine his young Catechumens, and the bell tolling for prayers, he was obliged to leave a game of All-Fours unfinished, in which he had the advantage; but told his antagonist, he would foon dispatch his audience, and fee him out.Now for fear any tricks fhould be played with his cards in his abfence, he put them in his caffock; and afking one of the children how many commandments there were, which the boy not readily anfwering, by accident one of the cards dropped out of his fleeve.-He had the prefence of mind to bid the boy take it up, and tell him what card it was, which he readily did: When turning to the parents of the child, faid, "Are you not afhamed to pay fuch little regard to the eternal welfare of your children, as not to teach them their commandments? I fufpected your neglect, and brought this card with me, to detect your