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a nation may become more truly and alarmingly formidable, than she could by conquering the mighty empire of all the Russias. But though I never heard that our present, or any minister, in order to preserve the balance of power, thought himself authorised to stop, or prevent the improvements of our neighbours *; yet we seem to have as much right, and as much interest to say to a nation, you shall not clear a foot of waste ground,' as we have to say you shall not conquer a foot of ground.' The cases indeed are the same, with this single difference, that a nation is generally forced, by the real or pretended injuries of her enemies, to engage in a war; and if he is in the right, it is but reasonable that she fhould conquer;--but improvements are always made ex proprio motu, and our right to prevent their voluntary operations would seem to be strongest and best founded.

* Unless we include the present war against Tippoo Saib in this number; for it is alleged, I believe with great justice, that this ambitious. prince has been, for many years past, so active in improving his country, encouraging agriculture, and introducing the manufactures of silk and cotton into his dominions, and by protecting the poor against the rich, has, by these wicked arts, fascinated his subjects, stolen the hearts of his people, and is thus in danger of establishing a power in India, much more formidable than any thing else that has ever appeared in that part of the world; so as to give just reason to fear, that unless he fhall be now crushed, he will be able, by these wicked and unlawful arts, to overturn the whole system of European government in India; a government that is founded upon principles much the reverse of what he has thus been practising. It would surely have stopped the mouths of many of those roaring fellows, who constantly oppose our good minister, if he had frankly avowed all this, instead of pretending that the war was undertaken merely because he laid claim to a small insignificant fort, which any man with half an eye can perceive was a mere pretext.

May 23: If what I have said be true, our minister does his businefs only by halves. He ought, at this moment, to be engaged in war with, or threatening war against, the half, at least, of Europe, for daring to think of bettering their situation or increasing their power. In France, for instance, not to mention controverted points, he ought to exert himself to prevent them from doubling their army by putting arms in the hands of their females. Poland, it is allowed on all hands, bids fair to become a great and powerful nation, by the late alteration of her constitution, (revolution is now an unfashionable phrase ;)-this ought to be prevented. But what fhall be said of our alliance with his majesty of Prufsia? pofsefsed already of the best army in the world, he makes more hasty strides to greatnefs and invincible power, by encouraging industry, and improving agriculture, than the emprefs of Russia, had the overrun the already desolate country on the fhores of the Euxine, or even driven the Turks quite out of Europe.

+ Edinburgh, 92. }

D. B.

READING MEMORANDUMS.

WHERE there is emulation, there will be vanity; and where there is vanity, there will be folly.

The follies and foibles of the female sex are daily subject to the verbal sneer or criticism of men who have been soured by disappointment, or those who have been unfortunate in pursuit of lawful, or even anlawful love.

THE HUE AND CRY.

FROM POEMS BY THE AUTHOR OF THE VILLAGE CURATE.] Oyzz!~My good people draw near,

My story surpasses belief,

Yet deign for a moment to hear,

And afsist me to catch a stray thief.

Have you chanc'd a fair damsel to meet,
Adorn'd like an angel of light,

In a robe that flow'd down to her feet,
No snow on the mountains so white?
Silver flowers bespangled her shoe,

Amber locks on her fhoulders were spread,
Her waist had a girdle of blue,

And a beaver-plum'd hat had her head.

Her steps an imprefsion scarce leave,
She bounds o'er the meadows so soon;
Her smile is like autumn's clear eve,
And her look as serene as the moon.

She seems to have nothing to blame,
Deceitlefs and meek as a dove;
But there lives not a thief of such fame,
She has pilfer'd below and above.

Her cheek has the blushes of day,

Her neck has undone the swan's wing;!

Her breath has the odours of May,

And her eye has the dews of the spring.

She has robb'd of its crimson the rose,
She has dar'd the carnation to strip;
The bee who has plunder'd them knows,
-And would fain fill his hive at her lip.
She has stole for her forehead so even,
All beauty by sea and by land;
She has all the fine azure of heaven

In the veins of her temple and hand.

Yes, yes, the has ransack'd above,

She has beggar'd both nature and art;
She has got all we honour and love,

And from me fhe has pilfer'd my heart.

Bring her home, honest friends, bring her home,
And set her down safe at my door;

Let her once my companion become,
And I swear the hall wander no more.
VOL, ix.

Bring her home and I'll give a reward,
Whose value can never be told,
More precious than all you regard,
More in worth than a houseful of gold.
A reward such as none but a dunce,
Such as none but a madman would mifs;
O yes I will give you for once,

From the charmer you bring me,—a kiss.

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FROM MARTIAL'S EPIGRAMS, LIB. X. EPIG. 47

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If you wish a happy life,

Free from care and free from strife,
Let me tell you what conduce,
Such a blessing to produce.

First, a fortune that descends
Not from labour but from friends,
Fruitful fields, an annual treasure,
Graceful ville,a daily pleasure,
Far from law, or public place,
Discontent, or double face.

Both with health and vigour blest,
And by pleasant friends carest;
Nor too far remov'd from thee,
Pleasureful simplicity!

Deck with viands sociable,

And pofsefs an artless table;

Drink not deep your health t'impair,

But a glass to banish care.

Shun a scold to plague your life,

But embrace a modest wife;

Then you'll think each day and night,

Soon is dark and soon is light!

Such you are, if such you will,

Hold your wish, and bold it still;

Then when DEATH fhall name the day,

Harewood, Yorkshire,

Pleas'd you'll go, or pleas'd you'll stay!

March 1. 1792.

I. T.

TO CHASTITY.

THOU fair angelic form, Chastity! descend,
And with thy icy armour guard the fair;
From rude afsaults thy coldness will defend,

Thy counsels lead them from the path of care;

But stormy love, that agitates the soul,

In whirling gulphs of danger makes the mind to roll. M,

ON THE CULTURE AND USES OF MADDER. ABOUT thirty years ago, some efforts were made to introduce the culture of madder into this country: Premiums were offered for that purpose, and several treatises were published, to turn the attention of the farmers to that important subject,—but in vain. A few individuals, with a view to obtain the premiums, reared some of it; but in a fhort time the cultivation of it was abandoned; and for many years past the knowledge of this plant seems te have been lost among our farmers.

The efforts at that time proved unsuccessful, because the circumstances of the country did not afford a market sufficiently extensive for this article. Things are greatly changed since then, and the time seems now to be come, when it may be reared with profit, because the best of all premiums is now held out to the rearer, that of a ready market, at all times, for almost any quantity of it he can produce.

At the present time the consumption of madder, in the manufactures of this country, is astonishingly great: Not only is this substance employed by the dyer in great quantities, the calico printers consume a still greater quantity of it, as madder forms the basis of almost all the dark colours they make, so that the sums that are annually paid by Britain to foreign countries, for madder alone, are now immense; and as our manufactures in case, these sums must continue to augment more and more.

In these circumstances, and seeing nder can be reared without difficulty in this country, surely behoves us to turn our attention to the rearing of it here; not only because this would tend to benefit the farmer, but because it would tend, at the same time, to improve our manufac

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