Province, Lord Mansfield gave this advice: "Always decide, and never give reasons for your decifion. You will in general decide well, yet give very bad reafons for your judgment." Raleigh's "Hiftory of the World," Giannone's "Hiftory of Naples," Duclos "Hiftory of Louis the Eleventh of France," and Vattel's "Law of Nations," were favourite books with Lord Manffield. He wrote fome "Directions for the Study of Hiftory," for the present Duke of Portland, which may be seen in The EUROPEAN MAGAZINE for March and April, 1791; and fome "Directions for the Study of the Law," in the fame excellent Repofitory for June in the fame year. LORDS CHATHAM AND HOLLAND. ILLIAM PITT, lord Chatham, was a fecond fon, and be came prime minifter of England. His rival and antago nift was Henry Fox, lord Holland, a fecond fon likewife. Lord Holland's fecond fon Charles Fox, and lord Chatham's fecond fon William Pitt, are now rivals and antagonists: Fox has as great or greater parts than his father, with much better elocution, and equal power of reafoning. Mr. Pitt has not the dazzling commanding eloquence of his father, but argues much better. Perhaps there is not on record an inftance of two statesmen who were rivals, being fucceeded in equal rivalry by their fons-certainly not with so many concurrent circumstances. "TH FEMALES. MADAME DE SEVIGNE. HE mere name of this Lady," fays Abbé Arnauld, deferves an eulogium from those who know how to appreciate sense, wit, and virtue. I fhall never forget," adds he," the first time that I had the honor to fee this excellent woman in her coach with her fon and daughter. They realized what the Poets have told us of Latona between Apollo and young Diana, so much beauty and elegance appeared in the mother and her children. She then did me the favour to promise me her friendship, and I am not a little proud of having preferved to this day a prefent fo dear and fo precious. But I muft fay indeed, to the honor of the Ladies, that I have ever found them more conftant in their friendships than the Men. By the Men I have often been deceived;-never by the Ladies.*” *The fagacious Dr. Franklin ufed to fay, that the pureft and most useful friend a man could poffibly procure, was a Frenchwoman of a certain age who had no defigns upon his perfon; "they are," added he, "fo ready to do you fervice, and from their knowledge of the world know fo well how to ferve you wifely." C CHARLOTTE CORDAY. HARLOTTE CORDAY was tall and well fhaped, of the most graceful manners and modeft demeanour: there was in her countenance, which was beautiful and engaging, and in all her movements a mixture of foftness and dignity, which were evident indications of a heavenly mind. She came to Paris, and under a feigned pretext gained admiffion to that chief of republican tyrants, MARAT, in whole breaft the plunged a dagger, acknowledged the deed, and justified it by afferting that it was a duty fhe owed her country and mankind to rid the world of a monfter. Her deportment during the trial was modeft and dignified. There was fo engag ing a foftnefs in her countenance, that it was difficult to conceive how the could have armed herself with fufficient intrepidity to execute the deed. Her aniwers to the questions of the tribunal were full of point and energy. She fometimes furprised the audience by her wit, and excited their admiration by her eloquence. Her face fometimes beamed with fublimity, and was fometimes covered with fmiles. She retired while the jury deliberated on their verdict; and when the again entered the tribunal there was a majestic folemnity in her demeanour which perfectly became her fituation. She heard her fentence with attention and compofure; and left the court with ferenity, her mind being long before prepared even for the last scene. It is difficult to conceive the heroism which she displayed in the way to execution. There was fuch an air of chaftened exultation thrown over her countenance, that the infpired fentiments of love rather than pity. The spectators as the paffed uncovered their heads before her, and others gave loud tokens of applaufe. She afcended the fcaffold with undaunted firmness. When the executioner informed her that her feet must be tied to the fatal plank fhe fubmitted with a Smile. When he took off her handkerchief the moment before the bent under the fatal ftroke, fhe blufbed deeply; and her head, which was held up to the multitude the moment after, exhibited this last impreffion of offended modefty. A young man, of the name of LUX, à commissary for Mayence, published a few days after a pamphlet, in which he propofed raifing a ftatue to her honour, and infcribing on the pedestal, "GREATER THAN BRUTUS." He was confined the next day in prison, where he did nothing but talk of the example given by CHARLOTTE CORDAY, and tranf forming the guillotine into an altar, he was only folicitous to receive death from the fame inftrument by which the had perifhed. As he was leading to execution, he is faid to have exclaimed, Look abroad through nature, to the utmoft range Thy ftrong conception, as when BRUTUS rofe Refulgent from the ftroke of CESAR's fate, When guilt brings down the thunder, call'd aloud For lo!-the tyrant proftrate on the duft, THE MEMOIRS OF MISS HANNAH MORE. HE fubject of this Memoir has attracted notice for feveral years past; her works have been numerous, and at this juncture her pen engages no inconfiderable fhare of public attention. MISS HANNAH MORE is a native of Bristol, where the refided for the most part of her life, and fuperintended a boarding-fchool of ladies, of great refpectability. Her fifters fucceeded her in the office of teacher, and they also have lately retired. The talents, however, of Mifs More, imparted to the feminary no small celebrity, and we have reason to believe that this accomplished tutoress sent forth many valuable members of the community. Her ichool opened about 1765. The life of literary characters, it has been frequently remarked, affords few incidents for the pen of the biographer. This is the precise case with the prefent fubject of our Memoir. We fhall, however, collect together a few anecdotes, which will ferve to throw fome light on this ornament of the female world. From her earliest years, we understand that MISS MORE dedicated much of her time to the improvement of her mind. Poffeffing a natural tafte for the acquifition of knowledge, fhe availed hertelf of every opportunity to gratify it. Under fuch circumstances, we are not to wonder at her present eminence, which could have been attained only by intense application and unwearied industry. She afsociated likewise with literary men, and was much benefited by their converfation. With the late Mr. Garrick fhe was on terms of the greatest intimacy; and Dr. Stonehoufe, now deceased, a popular clergyman at Bristol, aided her in her ftudies, infpected her manufcripts, and thus contributed to the perfection of her writings. It is alfo a certain fact, that our fair authoress learnt the Latin language for the purpofe of perufing Virgil in his native tongue! This fhews that she was not deficient in improving her taste, and was alive to the charms of claffical beauty. Indeed, thofe divine ancients have furnished us with admirable models of writing, in almoft every department of literature. Nor fhould it be forgotten, that the office of teacher is highly favourable to mental improvement. They who difcharge their duty in that capacity, must familiarise their minds to the first principles of science, and by degrees thoroughly understand them. Befides, knowledge thus gradually and thoroughly acquired, will operate upon natural ability, and draw forth thofe latent feeds of genius which are the germs of intellectual excellence. We may thus reafonably account for many productions with which we fhould otherwise have been unacquainted. Some of the best Scotch pieces have originated in this circumftance, and fuch exertions are deferving of applause. We are ready to add, with cheerfulness, the tribute of our commendation. The first publication of Miss MORE, was written by her in the eighteenth year of her age; and is entitled, The Search after Happiness, a Pastoral Drama, for Young Ladies. It was extremely well received, and contains many excellent paffages. The following lines we recommend to our female readers: Euphelia fighs for flattery, dress, and show, ; The authoress has, likewife, in this piece, explained her idea of the true province of Women, which fketch may not prove uninteresting in times when the rights of Women have been warmly contested: "As fome fair violet, lovelieft of the glade, Should dread no blame but that which crimes impart, The cenfures of a felf-condemning heart. Heaven's minift'ring angel! fhe fhould feek the cell And HE who witnefs'd here-hall there reward." A performance of this kind, at the tender age of eighteen, promised much, nor have the public been disappointed. Many pieces have proceeded from her pen, both in profe and poetry, all of which have been honoured with warm commendations. She has produced three tragedies, Percy, Fatal Falsehood, and the Inflexible Captive, founded on the story of Regulus, in the Roman history. The two former were performed at Covent Garden. They all contain beautiful fentiments and excellent morality. Sir Eldred of the Bower, and the Bleeding Rock, two legendary tales-Ode to Dragon-Florio and the Bas Bleu, together with Slavery, a poem, are poffeffed of merit, and may be read with pleasure and improveHer profe works confift of Effays for Young LadiesThoughts on the Importance of the Manners of the Great-An Eftimate of the Religion of the Fashionable World-Remarks upon the Speech of Mr. Dupont-Village Politics, by Will Chip, and Strictures on Female Education. In each of these we might point out many admirable paragraphs, happily expreffed, and calculated to ferve the best interests of mankind. They have undergone feveral editions, and are entitled, both from their defign and execution, to a very confiderable degree of approbation. Nor must we forget to mention her Sacred Dramas, a charming work, and the most popular of all her productions. They are infcribed to the Dutchefs of Beaufort, and are adapted to benefit effentially the rifing generation. They contain Mofes in the Bulrushes, David and Goliah, Belfbazzar, and Daniel, to which are added Reflections of King Hezekiah, and an exquifite poem on Senfibility. The poem, Senfibility, is enriched with many beautiful paffages, and difcovers a truly feeling heart. The following lines cannot be read without fenfible emotions of pleasure : Let not the vulgar read this pensive strain, |