wrestling with our fellows. Mankind are not for ever grappling one another by the throat. There is such a thing as the grasp of friendship, as the outstretched hand of benevolence, as an interchange of good offices, as a mingling, a crowding, a straining together, for the relief, or the benefit of our species. The moral he thus incul cates, is one of the most baneful tendency. The principle of self-love-implanted in us for the best, but capable of being perverted to the worst of purposes-by a fatal abuse, too often disposes us to indulge in this sweeping depreciation of the species, founded upon some fallacious idea of superior value in ourselves; with which imaginary excellence we conceive the world to be at war. A greater source of error cannot exist. We are at once deprived of the surest prop of virtue-distrust of our own pretensions, and compound, as it were, with our fellows, for an interchange of thwartings and jostlings; or else, withdrawing from all intercourse with them, commune with rocks, and trees, and rivers; fly from the moral region of sublimity and beauty, to the deaf, voiceless, sightless, heartless department of the merely physical one. Knowles. Harley's Death. THERE are some remembrances," said Harley, “which rise involuntarily on my heart, and make me almost wish to live. I have been blessed with a few friends, who redeem my opinion of mankind. I recollect, with the tenderest emotion, the scenes of pleasure I have passed among them but we shall meet again, my friend, never to be separated. There are some feelings which perhaps are too tender to be suffered by the world. The world, in general, is selfish, interested, and unthinking; and throws the imputation of romance, or melancholy, on every temper more susceptible than its own. I cannot but think, in those regions which I contemplate, if there is any thing of mortality left about us, that these feelings will subsist;-they are called-perhaps they are-weaknesses, here;-but there may be some better modifications of them in heaven, which may deserve the name of virtues." He sighed, as he spoke these last words. He had scarcely finished them, when the door opened, and his aunt appeared, leading in Miss Walton. My dear," said she, here is Miss Wal ton, who has been so kind as to come and inquire for you herself." I could perceive a transient glow upon his face. He rose from his seat." If to know Miss Walton's goodness," said he," be a title to deserve it, I have some claim." She begged him to resume his seat, and placed herself on the sofa beside him. I took my leave. His aunt accompanied me to the door. He was left with Miss Walton alone. She inquired anxiously after his health. "I believe," said he, "from the accounts which my physicians unwillingly give me, that they have no great hopes of my recovery." She started, as he spoke; but, recollecting herself immediately, endeavoured to flatter him into a belief that his apprehensions were groundless. ." I know," said he, “that it is usual with persons at my time of life, to have these hopes which your kindness suggests; but I would not wish to be deceived. To meet death as becomes a man, is a privilege bestowed on few: I would endeavour to make it mine: -nor do I think, that I can ever be better prepared for it than now;-'tis that chiefly which determines the fitness of its approach." Those sentiments," answered Miss Walton, are just; but your good sense, Mr. Harley, will own, that life has its proper value. As the province of virtue, life is ennobled; as such, it is to be desired.—To virtue has the Supreme Director of all things assigned rewards enough, even here, to fix its attachments." The subject began to overpower her.-Harley lifted up his eyes from the ground-" There are,” said he, “in a low voice "there are attachments, Miss Walton."-His glance met her's-they both betrayed a confusion, and were both instantly withdrawn. He paused some moments—“ I am," he said, "in such a state as calls for sincerity; let that alone excuse it—it is, perhaps, the last time we shall ever meet. I feel something particularly solemn in the acknowledgment; yet my heart swells to make it, awed as it is by a sense of my presumption, by a sense of your perfections." He paused again-" Let it not offend you," he resumed, "to know their power over one so unworthy. My heart will; I believe, soon cease to beat, even with that feeling which it shall lose the latest.-To love Miss Walton could not be a crime.-If to declare it is one, the expiation will be made." Her tears were now flowing without controul." Let me entreat you," said she, "to have better hopes-let not life be so indifferent to you; if my wishes can put any value upon it-I will not pretend to misun derstand you I know your worth-I have long known it -I have esteemed it-what would you have me say ?I have loved it, as it deserved!" He seized her hand:a languid colour reddened his cheek-a smile brightened faintly in his eye. As he gazed on her, it grew dim, it fixed, it closed-he sighed, and fell back on his seatMiss Walton screamed at the sight-his aunt and the servants rushed into the room-they found them lying motionless together.-His physician happened to call at that instant-every art was tried to recover them-with Miss Walton they succeeded—but Harley was gone for ever! Mackenzie. Advantages of uniting Gentleness of Manners, with I MENTIONED to you, some time ago, a sentence which I would most earnestly wish you always to retain in your thoughts, and observe in your conduct; it is, suaviter in modo, fortiter in re. I do not know any one rule so unexceptionably useful and necessary in every part of life. The suaviter in modo, alone, would degenerate and sink into a mean, timid complaisance, and passiveness, if not supported and dignified by the fortiter in re; which would also run into impetuosity and brutality, if not tempered and softened by the suaviter in modo: however, they are seldom united. The warm, choleric man, with strong animal spirits, despises the suaviter in modo, and thinks to carry all before him by the fortiter in re. He may, possibly, by great accident, now and then succeed, when he has only weak and timid people to deal with; but his general fate will be, to shock, offend, be hated, and fail. On the other hand, the cunning, crafty man, thinks to gain all his ends by the suaviter in modo only: he becomes all things to all men; he seems to have no opinion of his own, and servilely adopts the present opinion of the present person; he insinuates himself only into the esteem of fools, but is soon detected, and surely despised by every body else. The wise man-who differs as much from the cunning, as from the choleric man-alone joins the suaviter in modo with the fortiter in re. If you are in authority, and have a right to command, your commands, delivered suaviter in modo, will be willingly, cheerfully, and-consequently-well obeyed: where as, if given only fortiter, that is, brutally, they will rather, as Tacitus says, be interpreted, than executed. For my own part, if I bade my footman bring me a glass of wine, in a rough, insulting manner; I should expect, that, in obeying me, he would contrive to spill some of it upon me: and, I am sure, I should deserve it. A cool, steady resolution should show, that, where you have a right to command, you will be obeyed; but, at the same time, a gentleness in the manner of enforcing that obedience, should make it a cheerful one, and soften, as much as possible, the mortifying consciousness of inferiority. If you are to ask a favour, or even to solicit your due, you must do it suaviter in modo, or you will give those, who have a mind to refuse you either, a pretence to do it, by resenting the manner; but, on the other hand, you must, by a steady perseverance, and decent tenaciousness, show the fortiter In short, this precept is the only way I know in the world, of being loved, without being despised; and feared, without being hated. It constitutes that dignity of character, which every wise man must endeavour to establish. in re. If, therefore, you find, that you have a hastiness in your temper, which unguardedly breaks out into indiscreet sallies, or rough expressions, to either your superiors, your equals, or your inferiors; watch it narrowly, check it carefully, and call the suaviter in modo to your assistance: at the first impulse of passion, be silent, till you can be soft. Labour even to get the command of your countenance so well, that those emotions may not be read in it—a most unspeakable advantage in business! On the other hand, let no complaisance, no gentleness of temper, no weak desire of pleasing, on your part; no wheedling, coaxing, nor flattery, on other people's; make you recede one jot from any point, that reason and prudence have bid you pursue: but, return to the charge, persist, persevere; and you will find most things attainable, that are possible. A yielding, timid meekness, is always abused and insulted, by the unjust and the unfeeling; but, meekness, when sustained by the fortiter in re, is always respected, commonly successful. In your friendships and connections, as well as in your enmities, this rule is particularly useful-let your firmness and vigour preserve and invite attachments to you; but, at the same time, let your manner prevent the enemies of your friends and dependants from becoming yours: let your enemies be disarmed by the gentleness of your manner; but, let them feel, at the same time, the steadiness of your just resentment; for, there is a great difference between bearing malice-which is always ungenerous and a resolute self-defence-which is always prudent and justifiable. I conclude with this observation, That gentleness of manners, with firmness of mind, is a short, but full, description of human perfection, on this side of religious and moral duties. Chesterfield. The Elder's Death-bed. "JAMIE, thy own father has forgotten thee in thy infancy, and me in my old age; but, Jamie, forget not thou thy father, nor thy mother; for that, thou knowest and feelest, is the commandment of God." The broken-hearted boy could give no reply. He had gradually stolen closer and closer unto the loving old man; and now was lying, worn out with sorrow, drenched and dissolved in tears, in his grandfather's bosom. His mother had sunk down on her knees, and hid her face with her hand. "Oh! if my husband knew but of this-he would never, never desert his dying father!" And I now knew, that the Elder was praying on his death-bed for a disobedient and wicked son. At this affecting time, the Minister took the FamilyBible on his knees, and said, "Let us sing to the praise and glory of God, part of the fifteenth psalm;" and he read, with a tremulous and broken voice, those beautiful verses, "Within thy tabernacle, Lord, Who shall abide with thee? "The man that walketh uprightly, Ere the psalm was yet over, the door was opened, and a tall, fine-looking man entered, but with a lowering and dark countenance, seemingly in sorrow, in misery, and remorse. Agitated, confounded, and awe-struck by the melancholy and dirge-like music, he sat down on a chair |