As to the expence of the profecution, in every ordi nary cafe, this, by the mode prescribed, could be but fmall; and no man certainly ought to have power to harrafs another with profecutions, unless he had reasonable grounds for it, to lay before a jury, who, in a cafe of this fort would by no means be difficult to be induced to give a special verdict, when they knew that a decifion only tended to give another opportunity of discovering the truth, in fufpicious circumstances.

From these confiderations, it does not appear that the objection that has ftruck Cenfor, is of a nature as formidable as he imagines it to be. It is impoffible for any human invention to be perfect. It is not in our power to devise measures in all cafes to fcreen the innocent, without allowing a poffibility for one guilty perfon now and then to escape; but when there is an alternative, that either the innocent must be subjected to unjust punishment, or a poffibility given for one guilty perfon among many to escape, there is no doubt on which fide the beam ought to preponderate. The general tendency is the thing that ought to be adverted to; and I am happy to find that a gentleman of so much candour as Cenfor feems to poffefs, fhould approve of the general tendency of the proposed regulations. Should the public think the particular he ftates ought to be altered, that might be very easily done, without affecting the principle of the propofed law. It was not propofed, in the flight fketch given, to enter into all particulars that would require to be adverted to, were a law to be enacted for the purpofe required. These will eafily be difcovered to be confequences of the general principle, were it adopted. It was only meant in that sketch to develope the general principle. If it shall be found juft, the leffer particulars might be easily adjufted.

Extracts from Whift, a Poem just published.

A Tale for the Ladies.

No proof, perhaps, so much can temper try,
As that which gaming's eager hours fupply;
And therefore none, with those whose best regard
The wish to keep, fhould ever touch a card.
But chief, ye melting maids, whofe conftant care
Spreads out for man the matrimonial fnare,
Left ye your temper's fecret faults betray,
At whift but feldom with your lovers play:
Take timely warning from Smelinda's fate,
Whose hapless ftory I fhall now relate;
For truth's best habit is a pleafing tale,
And oft example moves, where precepts fail.

PUSILLO now had reach'd the prime of life,
And long had look'd about to find a wife:
Small was his fize, but ample was his ftore,
And ampler still the character he bore:
What wonder then, that ev'ry prudent maid
With fecret joy his entrance ftill furvey'd ;
And tried, unwearied ftill, each female art,
To gain an int'reft in the pigmy's heart?
But young SMILINDA was the deftin'd fair
To prove the sweets of his peculiar care:
Her form was caft in that enchanting mould,
Which love with most delight will still behold;
And fmiles complacent, with eternal grace,
Illum'd the sweetness of her angel face.
"Unmingled blifs (if fuch on earth there be),
"Muft fure, fair virgin, he to live with thee."
Such the conclufion, which, at ev'ry view,
From her foft eyes the fond Pufillo drew.
And yet fufpicion kept his hopes in awe,
Nor could he wholly trust to what he saw.
He knew, that ftill before the lover's eyes,
The fimpleft beauty wears a flight disguise;
And e'er he ventur'd boldly to demand
The rich donation of the virgin's hand;
To which, from many fighs, he well could fee
That neither fhe, nor hers, averfé could be;

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He thought it beft fome farther care to take,
And one more nice experiment to make;
By which he might the certain knowledge gain,
If the her temper could at cards retain :
Refolv'd that, if fhe well this trial bore,
He then would vainly hesitate no more;
Would freely then declare his nuptial view,
And bid fufpicion and distrust adieu.

For this, occafion foon the power supplied,
And placed him oppofite his deftin'd bride.

But e'er the first commencing game was won,
Our artful lover had his schemes begun ;
Some flight mistake he had already made,
And then with anxious gaze her eyes furvey'd :
But ftill thofe eyes their placid charms retain,
And all her features ftill unmov'd remain ;
A peace that div'd no deeper than the skin,
For fierce contending paffions raged within;
Some fad, wrong word was always on her tongue,
Came to the tip, and there a moment hung;
But when reflection darted through her brain,
She gave a gulp,-and down it went again.

Nor was the conteft long, till each could claim,
'The fruitless triumph of a double game.
Thus far did chance her equal fmiles divide,
And still she seemed unwilling to decide,
Or give pre-eminence to either fide.
For in the clofing game they both at once
Within one step of conqueft's goal advance :
And now Pufillo thought the time was nigh,
The utmost fuff'rence of her foul to try,
For then each heart with greater zeal proceeds,
And each occurrence more emotion breeds;
Nor did he grudge (to gain his curious views)
The rubber's praise and profit both to lose.

With wilful error flips the trump to play,
And throws at one rash stroke, their all away.

But when the falling card the veil withdrew Which hid the grofsness of his fault from view, The gentle creature could endure no more; She started up, she stamp'd, she rag'd, fhe swore; Proclaim'd her wrongs, and threw the cards away, No longer in his prefence deign'd to stay.

A work, alone by length of ages done, Is oft by ruin in an hour undone :

And thus that flame, which had for years endur'd,

In one fhort minute was entirely cur'd:

No longer now the youth attentive paid
His daily vifits to the charming maid,
Who found, too late, fhe had herself betrayed;.
And ev'ry female art effay'd in vain,
Her former empire o'er his heart to gain.

With trembling hope, fhe fent the billet ftrait,
Whofe doubtful iffue was to fix her fate;
Nor for an answer had the long to wait :

Th' important note a yellow wafer seal'd,

"Twas brief, but yet enough his mind reveal'd:

"When cards and dice are banish'd from the land, "Pufillo then will afk Smilinda's hand."

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The Fair Thief, by the late Earl of Egremont.

TELL with equal truth and grief,

That little Kitt's an errant thief;
Before the urchin well could go,
She ftole the whitenefs of the fnow;
And more that whiteness to adorn,
She Stole the blushes of the morn;
Stole all the foftness æther pours
On primrose buds in vernal show'rs.

There's no repeating all her wiles;
She stole the graces winning fmiles;
'Twas quickly feen she rob'd the sky,
To plant a ftar in either eye;
She pilfer'd oriental pearl for teeth,
And ftole the cow's ambrofial breath
The cherry fteep'd in morning dew,
Gave moisture to her lips, and hue.

These were her infant spoil; a store
To which in time the added more:
At twelve, fhe ftole from Cyprus' queen,
Her air, and love commanding mien;
Stole Juno's dignity, and ftole
From Pallas fenfe to charm the foul.
She fung-Amazed the Syrens heard,
And to affert their voice appear'd:

She play'd the Muses from their hill,
Wonder'd who thus had ftole their skill:
Apollo's wit was next her prey,

And then the beams that light the day;
While Jove her pilf'ring tricks to crown,
Pronounc'd these beauties all her own;
Pardon'd her crimes, and praif'd her art,
And t'other day fhe ftole my heart.

Cupid! If lovers are thy care,
Revenge thy vot'ry on the fair;
Do juftice on her ftolen charms,
And let her prison be my arms.

An Enquiry, how far Inferior Animals may be faid to be endowed with reafon, from the Natural History of Animals, juft published.

THE inferior animals are fo remarkably deficient in the reafoning and thinking powers, when compared with man, that human pride has been tempted to deny them entirely the poffeffion of fuch powers. Though we find them fuch ufeful affiftants, and at times fuch formidable enemies, we would willingly degrade them to a rank in the order of creation ftill lower than that which nature has affigned them. We delight to represent them as deftitute of reafon, and guided only by what we call inftinct. We obferve, that even the most fagacious among them are incapable of that variety of minute diftinctions, which our reafoning faculties enable us to make :-They cannot take fo full a review of the past, nor look forward with fo penetrating an eye towards the future: They do not accumulate obfervation upon observation, or add to the experience of one generation that of another: Their manners do not vary, nor their customs fluctuate, like ours: Their arts remain always the fame, and are not liable either to degenerate, or to be improved: The crow always builds its neft in the fame way; every hen treats her young with the fame measure of affection; even the dog, the horfe, and the fagacious elephant, feem to act rather me chanically than with defign. From fuch hafty obferva