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thern ladies are often more soft and pleasing than their southern and polished neighbours. Reasons offered to account for such singularities and exceptions, are often very unsatisfactory and even absurd. We may guefs at the causes of the more obvious appearances, such as those already mentioned, but nature, who has caused infinite varieties in the human race, and for the wisest purposes, often baffles our researches in trying to account for them.

The subject, however, is full of entertainment, and may be of use. I have only sketched a few of its outlines; and propose, in some future number, to of fer a few remarks on a similar subject.

Edinburgh, Feb. 1. 1792. S

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ON HIGH HUNG CARRIAGES.

To the Editor of the Bee.

PHILO.

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SIR, FASHION, all powerful fashion! has become too predominant. When it serves to promote the conveniences of life, it ought to be applauded and adopted, but when it serves to take from the conveniences of life, it ought to be reprobated and rejected.

One of the most agreeable recreations we enjoy, is the conveyance in coaches and chaises; but here fafhion has raised these, to such an elevated situation, as only to be fit for the accommodation of the agile and vigorous, whilst the aged and infirm are precluded from that healthful and agreeable entertainment. It is not without much difficulty, and even danger, that VOL. ix.

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they can get into, and out of, high hung carriages, particularly descending from them, is very perilous. The assistance from a man's arm is but a precarious prop. It is said that a respectable citizen of Edinburgh, far advanced in life, by a fall he got in descending from a carriage, was so much hurt that he never recovered it.

It is very probable, Mr Editor, that if some of our coach and chaise owners, were to have a few carriages hung so low, that the aged and infirm could easily and safely get into and out of them, they would be employed, whilst the high hung carriages would be allowed to remain on the streets idle.

I know it is said, that high hung carriages are easier for the horses; this may be true, respecting journies*, but can be of little weight respecting airings to the sands, or a few miles from town. Your allowing these strictures a place in the Bee, will much oblige, Sir,

Your constant reader,

MEANWELL.

*The allegation is not true. High hung carriages are demonstrably, in all situations, more difficult to draw than those that are lower hung ;they are infinitely more liable to be overturned ;-they cannot be more easy for the persons who sit in them. Considered in point of utility, they are, in every respect, worse than low hung carriages. Never, therefore, did a fashion prevail that was more contrary to reason, than this one is, and those who first break through it, will do a very essential service to the public. Edit,

SIR,

A CHARACTER IN PRIVATE LIFE.

Like leaves on trees the race of man is found.

To the Editor of the Bee.

THE remembrance of those who pass through the humble walk of life, and have only the piety, and integrity of their lives, to recommend them to the notice of the world, must, after their death, be very soon forgotten, except by a few of their immediate connections. These also, in their turn, will in a short period be consigned over to oblivion; so that the remembrance of father and son, mother and daughter, will be as if no such persons had ever existed. Such being the certain fate of this description of mankind, I beg leave to solicit a place in your Bee, to the following imperfect character of a worthy father, as a small tribute of filial duty, due to his memory by, Your's,

A PLEBEIAN.

BRED to a genteel, though laborious employment*, he enjoyed, from exercise, a state of health seldom pofsefsed by the idle and intemperate. Endowed with great firmnefs of mind, he never felt himself embarrassed in the presence of any man, of whatever rank in life he was, but always spoke his sentiments with manliness and freedom. Respect of persons, when worth was wanting, was what he never could bring himself to pay. He was a person of the strictest honesty and integrity. No consideration could *A gardener.

make him deviate from truth. To inforce the observance of it to others, he used often to say that the supreme Being was a God of truth. He had a plain, but determined manner of exprefsing his sentiments, and, conscious of the uprightness of his own intentions, never used many words to convince: So that, as it is said of Philopamen, "the most inconsiderable exprefsions, uttered by him, were listened to with respect, and immediately believed." This rigid adherence, to such plans as he had once adopted, approached sometimes, however, to obstinacy.

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He had a steady and unshaken belief in the fundamental doctrines ofour holy religion. His piety was warm, fervent, and sincere.. He paid the utmost reverence to the holy name of God; and, therefore, could not. remain silent if he heard any person taking that awful name in vain. He was thus literally a terror to evil doers." None of the profligate, who knew him, durst appear in his presence, and act as such. His own life, being always a comment on his religious sentiments, his admonitions had of consequence a greater effect. He had something of an austere manner; yet, when in company with those he considered as companions, he was facetious and communicative.

His last illness he bore with Christian fortitude and resignation. Conscious of looking back upon a well spent life, he looked forward to that futurity, at the thought of which the wicked tremble, with that

pleasing hope" which animates the breast of the DY'NG CHRISTIAN; and the writer of this, who has feebly attempted to delineate the above traits of his character, heard him say, when sympathising with

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him, when opprefsed by some severe fit of it, “that his present distress, and the then certain consequence of it, were to him only light matters, as he well knew that a fhort time would put an end to all his afflictions; but that his greatest was only for the fate of his now about to leave to the temptations of a wicked and insnaring world."

anxiety and uneasinefs children, whom he was

After struggling some months with a lingering complaint, he, upon the 13th October 1762, paid the debt of nature. He retained his senses to the last, and was heard, just at the very instant he was expiring, saying "Receive my soul, thou eternal King of glory!"

Peace to his fhade;-a few revolving years,
And all he lov'd, like him, fhall be no more!

HINTS TO THE LEARNED.

SF & THE

In the whole range of literary history, beginning from the first dawn of science, after the dark ages that succeeded to the subversion of the Roman empire, the æras of Petrarcha, the Medici, of Peiresc, of Newton, and that which is now pafsing before our eyes, may serve for fixed points, around which a learned and enlightened commentator might gather together, and concentrate all the characteristic circumstances that have contributed to the improvement of the republic of learning, embellishing his narration with sprightly and interesting anecdotes of the illustrious and learned men who adorned those ages..

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