should pass it over in the profoundest silence, amidst so many observations upon writers much less deserving of his notice. It has been asserted, perhaps with no untruth, that the French tongue can shew nothing equal to it.

Boileau, the most correct of all their poets, is not certainly superior to Pope, in the variety of his compositions, the strength and origi nality of his thoughts, and the elegance of his versification. To say nothing of the latter's translation of Homer, in which line the former has produced nothing to rival him.

In epic poetry, France has no name to figure with that of Milton. Voltaire himself allows him to be the sublimest of all poets, either ancient or modern.

The French drama, notwithstanding the severity of their criticisms on that of the English, is superior to it only in the estimation of minds attentive principally to the secondary merits of such compositions. In those requisites that chiefly constitute dramatic excellence, such as strength of language, character, and thought, together with interestingness of action and events, no man, whose attention is not wrapt up in unimportant niceties, will give a preference to the French.

In those branches of literature that relate to the manners of men, and are derived from a critical knowledge of the world, they have nothing so complete and masterly as the Spectators, the Guardians, and the many other lucubrations on the same plan, that have done so much honour to the English nation throughout all Europe.

In that species of oratory which is conversant in political subjects, the French may be more florid, but are certainly not more forcible than the English. The eloquence and energy of our parliamentary debates are equal at least to any thing they can produce of the kind, even now that all impediments to freedom of speech are almost entirely removed. Nor are their judicial proceedings attended with greater weight of argument, or acuteness of reasoning, than our own.

It must be granted that in church oratory they exert more command and influence over the passions. They observe a judicious medium between the extravagant heat of the Italian preachers and the frigid manner of the English, in the delivery of their respective

sermons.

Let us candidly confess, that notwithstanding the excellence of , thought and diction in our divines, they are manifestly deficient in that fire of expression, and spirit of action, necessary to rouse and to keep alive the attention of an audience.

It cannot, indeed, be denied, that what they say is sensible, instructive, and acceptable to reason; faultless, in short, in the scale of sound judgment: but it is a general and well grounded complaint, that they speak not sufficiently to the imagination, and too much confine themselves to methodical arguing. This, however cogent and convincing, leaves not that powerful impression on the memory, which results from a seasonable stirring up of the passions.

It is herein principally the French labour to excel; convinced that men are sooner moved by warmth of sentiments, than by coolness of reasoning.

Previous to the subversion of its established church France abounded in preachers, whose eloquence was truly pathetic. No part of Christendom has produced their superiors in this important branch of oratory.

While we are on this subject, it is but justice to observe, that some preachers have lately arisen among us, who bid fair to effect a great revolution in this province. The name of Blair may be placed on a footing of equality with the greatest. His example, it is to be hoped, will excite the men of abilities in his profession, who are so numerous in Great Britain, to use their utmost endeavours to tread in his footsteps.

Since the days of Louis the Fourteenth, the French have, however, considerably degenerated in this line. Though they still had some eminent preachers, yet their number was very unequal to what it had been formerly.

This falling off was principally owing to an affectation of conforming closely to the precepts of rhetoric.

Whenever a slavish obedience to these precepts is thoroughly established, they never fail to enervate the mind, and to fetter the imagination. As a proof of this, it is remarkable, the greatest rhetoricians flourished when the greatest orators were no more. Aristotle came after Demosthenes, and Quintilian after Cicero.

Thus in France, after having long infected their civil and judicial proceedings, this rhetorical spirit at length found its way into the pulpit. Instead of a nervous, unaffected simplicity, it substituted an insipid vein of correctness. This, tho' attended with the strictest observance of every rule inculcated in the schools, and decorated with all the figures and flourishes, that labour and study are able to devise, proved only that greatness of conception, and solidity of sense, need but little ornament; while the whole powers of language are but weak when applied to the support of ideas and reasonings that bear the stamp of frivolousness, impropriety, or affectation.

MISSIONARY ANECDOTE.

THE destructive effect of the Missionary doctrines, the judicious, patriotic, and loyal gentlemen of the districts in Scotland chiefly infested by their votaries have employed, and are employing, their utmost efforts to remedy.

About two months ago, Mr. Fergusson of Baledmund, a gentleman of a good estate, vigorous talents, and great respectability, in the highlands of Perthshire, having observed with great impatience that some of his tenants had neglected to make use of two or three fine days (which an intermission of the rain allowed) in cutting down fields of their best corn, completely ripe, made successive enquiries concerning the cause, but did not receive a satisfactory answer. At last, dining at a neighbour's, he was informed by a fellow-guest that the reapers were engaged in hearing prayers and exhortations from the carrier's wife of the place, named Sarah (who was determined to be the mother of the faithful, as Abraham had been the father), while a worthy maiden lady acted the part of precentor or clerk. Nay more, Mr. Fergusson,' said the gentleman, your own ball-room, that you built for the purposes of elegant amusement, is to-night to be the scene of their exhibitions.' The devil it is!" said he: 'I must set off immediately and prevent it.' Stop! stop!' said the landlord, I have just ordered in a fresh bottle. It is now only four, and they will not meet till six.' Mr. Fergusson's indignation increased with every glass he drank. The beat of the drum roused him from the table. He departed in great haste, but not so great as to make him forget his trusty oaken stick. Being himself a man of great bodily strength, he with this potent auxiliary made the best of his way for the place of rendezvous, entered the apartment just as the female saints were giving out a hymn, in that sweet treble in which the feline kind warble their ecstasies, and calling out, Do you dare to turn my room for loyal rejoicing * into a conventiele of sedition? Get home and mind your business.' Having scoured the house of the Missionaries, he put the key in his pocket, and afterwards, by his strenuous exhortations, made not a few of the people return from enthusiasm, idleness, and sedition, to sober sense, industry, and loyalty.

On the victories of Admirals Duncan and Nelson, and other glorious events, this gentleman gave balls to his neighbours.

POETRY.

RETIREMENT.

HAPPY the man, who, bless'd with competence,
With feeling, sentiment, with virtue, sense,
In sweet Retreat's content to pass his life,
Unvex'd with envy, and remote from strife,
Free from ambition vain, and worldly care,
Unmov'd who distant views the empty glare
Of public life, its busy scenes and broils,
Its same pursuits, its vanities and toils.
Reclin'd at ease, in calm Retirement's bower,
Unaw'd by insolence of titled power,
Content he lives, fair Nature's charms enjoys,
Nor covets the great city's sensual joys;
His pleasures simple, pure, and unconfin'd,
At once amuse, instruct, and cheer his mind:
Reflection, books, and rural sports unite
His hours t'employ, his virtues to requite :
Whose heart's e'er prone the wretched to relieve,
The worthy poor from ruin to retrieve;
To whom the friendless ne'er apply in vain,
Of whom the injur'd sure redress obtain;

Whose chosen seat some fertile fields surround,
Where well-fed steers and num'rous flocks abound,
Whose best and dearest friends around him dwell,
Priz'd both for acting and for thinking well;
Alike resolv'd with him to pass their days,
At distance from the verge of Folly's maze;
Without remorse who quit a vicious town
For tranquil life, sequester'd and unknown,
Than such no state on earth can happier be,
Than such from evils none can be more free:
By Friendship and by Virtue's aid secure,
These best Life's pains and crosses can endure.
A share of ills to ev'ry man's assign'd,
Appendage to the state of human kind,
'Tis sure as day and night, and life and death,
That man inherits misery with breath.

Since then our Heavenly Father has ordain'd
That mortal Pride by evils be restrain'd,
Let Friendship's force their violence abate,
The Soul resign to God, and trust to Fate.

AGRARIUS.

OF

VERSES ON HIS OWN BIRTH-DAY,

WRITTEN BY THE

HONOURABLE CHARLES JAMES FOX.

years

ADDRESSED TO A LADY.

I have now half a century past,

And none of the fifty so blest as the last,

How it happens my troubles thus daily should cease,
And my happiness still with my years should increase,
This defiance of NATURE'S mere general laws,
You alone can explain, who alone are the cause.

THE DUMFRIES MINSTRELS.

THE Minstrels there were SANDIE BROWN,
The Piper frae Lochmaben town:

Tho' whozling fair, and broken down,

Auld Saunders seem'd,

His chaunter, for its cheering sound,

Was aye esteem`d.

JOCK WILLISON (a Souter bred,
But for the fiddle left his trade)
Jigg'd it far better than he sped,

For, oh! puir Jock

Cou'd ne'er gang soberly to bed,

Like ither folk.

To hear JOHN BRUCE exert his skill,
Ye'd never grudge the ither gill :
O! how he ugg'd ́th' Italian trill,

And quaint vibrations,

And gart his thairm-strings speak, at will,

Their intonations!