possible. I am now at the house of a distant relation in Milbank, whe takes in plain work, where I hope your ladyship will be pleased to send my clothes. With respect to wages, you know I always left that to your own discretion, and your humanity exceeded my utmost expectations. Therefore, I again leave that matter to yourself. Let me beg, that if you mention this unhappy affair to the young gentleman, it may be with your usual tenderness. I would willingly impute his folly to the irregularities of youthful passion, rather than to any premeditated scheme; and I doubt not when reason resumes her throne in his heart, he will be sorry that ever he attempted to ruin one who was scarce worthy of his notice. I am, madam, with gratitude and respect, Your affectionate well wisher.

DEAR LAURA,

LETTER 150.

The Lady's Answer.

Whilst I lament the conduct of my unhappy child, I lift my eyes with thankfulness to that graciou Being who has preserved you from ruin. You was left an orphan under my care; and when I first took you into my family it was with a design to promote your interest. Blessed be God that the precepts which I endeavored to instil into your mind have so operated on your conduct. Your behavior in that unhappy af. fair ought to be laid down as a pattern for all young women to copy after, if they would be respected in this world, or enjoy happiness in the next. I have just been reading your letter to my son, and he was filled with the utmost shame and confusion. The truth of your narrative forced his conscience to make a genuine confession of his guilt; and unless I judge with the partiality of a mother he is really a sincere penitent. I laid open to him the nature of his crime, and its aggravating circumstances, arising from the obligations which his elevated rank subjected him to, to be an example of virtue to those in a lower sphere of life. I told him, that however trifling such actions might appear in the eyes of his graceless companions, yet there was a God who beheld his inmost thoughts, and would reward him according to his merits. He declares himself fully sensible of his folly, and says he is determined never to attempt such a thing for the future. The bearer will deliver your clothes, together with a bank note of an hundred dollars. Be assured of my constant assistance; and may that God who has preserved you in such imminent danger be your continual comfort in time and in eternity. I am your sincere well wisher.

LETTER 151.

From a Gent'eman on his Travels abroad, to his Friend in London, on Arbitrary Power and Popish Superstition.

DEAR SIR,

It is now above two years since I left England; and if I have not been pleased, I have had at least many opportunities of acquiring knowl edge You know when we parted I told you my principal design was to inquire whether the subjects of those countries through which I was

to pass were more happy in respect to their lives, and enjoyment of their property, than those of Great Britain? Or, second, whether virtue was more conspicuous in the conduct of those people than in our own at home? With respect to the first, I need not hesitate one moment in declaring, that the meanest subject in England, or any part of the British dominions, enjoys more real liberty than a Spanish grandee, or a peer of France. But what I have chiefly in view is the case of the middling and lower ranks of people.

You are well acquainted with the forms of process in the English courts, both in criminal and civil causes. All matters of law are determined in open court by the judges, who are responsible for their conduct to the people; and all facts are determined by the verdict of twelve men, strangers to both parties, and hindered from speaking with any person during the trial. How different is the case here and in the other countries through which I have travelled! When a person is injured in his property, he cominences a suit at great expense, and after a long train of pleadings on both sides the determination both of law and fact is left to the judge, who may possibly be biassed in favor of one party, or, which is still worse, may be corrupted. But in criminal prosecutions the unhappy defendant labors under still more deplorable circumstances. When a man apprehended on suspicion of murder, or any other capital offence, he is immediately shut up a close prisoner, and the witnesses against him are examined, not viva voce, but perhaps a mile distant, and their evidence written at large in a journal kept for the purpose. All this is done, and even the judgment agreed on by the court, whilst the prisoner is confined in a dungeon. The witnesses are ordered to attend on another day, when the prisoner is brought into court; the evidence is then read to him, and thus, for the first time, he knows who are his accusers. He is then asked if he is guilty of the facts sworn against him; if he confesses he receives judgment of death, but if he denies the whole, or any part, he is immediately put to the torture, where, perhaps, by the extremity of pain, he may be forced to confess crimes he never committed, and afterwards suffer death. Again; the property of individuals may be seized by an arbitrary tyrant, to reward the iniquity of a favorite, or gratify the ambition of a mistress. Happy England, where the cottager is as secure in the enjoyment of the fruits of his honest industry, as the prince in the possession of his revenues on the throne!

I come now to speak of their religion, which triumphs with as much rigor over the mind and conscience as the civil power over the body. Religion has been justly defined, "A dedication of the whole man to the will of God." But popery, so far from answering the above de scription, seems to be a slavish submission to the dictates of idle, useless priests, w rule the consciences of the vulgar, and bend them to whatever purpose they please. And indeed there is no great wonder, when we consider that auricular confession puts them in possession of every family secret in their parishes. I am already sufficiently tired with the sight of their follies. The accounts which you have read of the inquisition are far from being exaggerated. I intend to return in au English vessel bound for Marseilles, and from thence hasten to England.

I shal expect a letter fro:n you, to be left with my banker in Paris, and Yours affectionately.

remain

Your account of the civil and religious tyranny under which the peope groan in foreign nations, together with the progress of deism, exhibits to our view a melancholy picture of human nature. Your de scription reminds me of that beautiful passage in Addison's letters from Italy, where he says,

They starve, in midst of nature's bounty curst,

And in the loaded vineyard die for thirst.

These people once enjoyod the same privileges as ourselves, and pos sibly that time may not be far distant when we may be as abject slaves as they. However disagreeable some things may have been to you on your travels, vet I congratulate you on the happiness of being absen from England in these times of public divisions. Never were our Saviour's words more properly verified in this country than at present, when there is scarce one family wherein the most violent dissensionS have not happened. An author of no mean rank has asserted, that if ever English liberty is destroyed, it must arise from the people them selves; and, if ever the people should become jealous of the conduc of their representatives in Parliament, and those jealousies are wel founded, they will soon throw themselves inte the arms of arbitrary

nower.

"They'll fly from petty tyrants to the throne."

Virtue and unanimity have at all times preserved liberty; vice and iscord have always procured its ruin At present there is an universal discontent among nine tenths of the people. The majority of the people not only complain of the conduct of the ministry, but aave even gone so far as to impeach the conduct of the house of commons. These complaints are at present carried on to an extraordinary height, and where they will end God or'y knows. For my own part, I often reflect on it with sorrow, as I am afraid it must at last prove fatal to our ex cellent constitution, and involve us in those miseries to which the peo ple of other nations are subject.

If I go into a coffee house, the first thing I hear is a political dispute concerning the conduct of the ministry; and when I happen to be invited to dine at the house of a friend, all social converse is destroyed and the pleasure I used formerly to enjoy on such occasions is lost in vi olent altercations amongst the nearest relations. I am far from condemning all ranks of people. There are many worthy persons, whe can view the conduct of each party with impartiality, and see the faulte on both sides. They can see that the ministry have not enough considered themselves the servants of the people, and on many occasions abused the confidence of their sovereign. On the other hand, they think the people have carried their jealousies to an unreasonable height, and insisted on the prince exerting a branch of the regal authority

which in the end might prove fatal to themselves. Such is the state of affairs at present in this once happy country; I shall therefore, being tired with the subject, imitate your example, and put an end to this letter. Hoping to see you soon, I am yours sincerely.

LETTER 153.

From a young Merchant, to an aged Gentleman, formerly of the same profession, but now retired from business.

HONORED SIR,

Your generosity in sending me instructions during my apprenticeship, will ever remain a lasting proof of that innate goodness for which you have been so justly celebrated; and likewise encourages me to trouble you for advice how to conduct myself, so as to support my credit in the world, now I am entered upon business. Your long and extensive knowledge of mercantile affairs, gives a sanction to every thing you say, and your goodness of heart encourages the inexperienced to address themselves to you with cheerfulness. I have been now about two years in business, and although my success has been equal to my expectations, yet there are such a variety of failures daily in this city, that I am every day thinking that my own name may be that week in the Gazette.I should not be much surprised were all to become bankrupts who are abandoned characters, as 1 do not see how any thing less can be expected. You know, sir, that assiduity and regularity are qualifications indispensably necessary to the merchant; so that it must appear morally impossible for the man to prosper in trade whose time is spent in dissipation and idleness; if not, which too often happens, in debauchery. When I hear of such failing in their payments, I am no ways surprised; but when great numbers of those, apparently in affluent circumstances, and the fairest characters, daily fail, I am justly alarmed, and my fears continue to increase in proportion to their numbers.

I would not choose to judge rashly, much less uncharitably of any man; although I must confess I am very much shocked to hear that a commission of bankruptcy is awarded against one supposed worth thousands, and not sufficient left to pay five shillings in the pound. I am filled with horror on account of my own situation, and led to believe there is a latent curse attending mercantile affairs, which the greatest prudence can neither foresee nor prevent. I am sensible that the person to whom I am writing knows the above to be true. Your long acquaintance with the fluctuating state of merchandize procures respect, and gives a sanction to every thing you say. But, as far as I am able to learn, those failings in the mercantile world are more frequent now than when you was engaged in trade. I am not ambitious of acquiring riches. My whole desire is to obtain peaceable possession of the comforts of life, to do justice to every one with whom I have any dealings, and to live and die an honest man. Such, sir, is the plan I have laid down for my future conduct in life. But, alas! it will require the assistance of all my friends to enable me to execute it with a becoming propriety. Let me therefore beg your advice on an affair of so much importance, and whatever you dictate shall be the invariable rule of my conduct, whilst the thanks of a grateful heart shall be continually returned for so benevolent an action.

I am, sir, &c

SIR,

LETTER 154.

The Answer.

If I can form any judgment of the integrity of your actions, and th purity of your intentions from the contents of the letter now before me I should not hesitate one moment in declaring, that it is almost impossi ble your name should ever appear in the Gazette under the disagreeable circumstances you have mentioned. For how is it possible to suppose, that the man who keeps a regular account of his proceedings, his loss and gain, should not know whether his circumstances are affluent or distressed? And whatever you may think of those merchants who have often failed, although reputed affluent, yet if you had attended to their examination before the commissioners I believe you would have great reason to alter your opinion. I speak concerning bankruptcies in general; for there are some unforeseen accidents which even the greatest prudence cannot prevent. But these are extraordinary cases, and seldom happen. If you examine minutely into the nature of those causes which generally occasion bankruptcies, you will find them arising from something with which you are still unacquainted. I shall endeavor to point out a few, and submit to your own judgment whether I am mistaken or not. And the first is generally a careless attention to business, the not keeping regular accounts, and a more earnest desire after public entertainments than assiduity to business on the exchange. Mercantile affairs require a clear and solid judgment, and it is morally impossible for that man to prosper in trade whose mind is continually engaged in the pursuit of things foreign to, and wholly unconnected with, that sta⚫ tion in which Providence has placed him. It is a contradiction in terms. Assiduity always procures respect, and generally insures success. An other cause of the many failures in the mercantile world, is the vanity of those in trade living above their circumstances. This vice is al present so predominant among the citizens, and its consequences so fa tal, that one would almost imagine the people were laboring under some penal infatuation. Formerly the citizens of London were distinguished in a peculiar manner for their gravity; the exchange and the custom house were the only places they frequented when they went from home. But now the face of affairs is changed, and those places where their predecessors acquired fortunes are considered as too low and vulgar for them to be seen at. Nay, so far have they carried their extravagance, that all distinctions are in a manner confounded, and the wife of a tradesman is hardly known from the lady of a peer. Dissipation, ex travagance, and debauchery have taken the place of activity, prudence, and frugality; and many instead of acquiring independent fortunes, and retiring from business with credit and honor, we first see their names in the Gazette, and the remainder of their lives is either spent in prison, or they have to struggle through the world without credit under the odi ous appellation of a bankrupt. The last cause I would mention is naturally the effect of others; I mean a desperate attempt to repair a brok en fortune by engaging too deeply at gaming in the stocks. This prac tice has been attended with such pernicious consequences, that the