Old Mr. racter. the whole, meet the incidents with magnanimity, and co-operate with chearfulness in whatever the fupreme mind ordains.—Let a fortitude be always exerted in endurings; a juftice in diftributions; a prudence in moral offices; and a temperance in your natural appetites and purfuits.- This is the most perfect humanity. This do, and you will be a fit actor in the general drama; and the only end of your exiftence is the due performance of the part allotted you. Such was Mifs Noel's grotto, and with her, Noel's cha- if it had been in my power to choose, I had rather have paffed in it the day in talking of the various fine fubjects it contained, than go in to dinner; which a fervant informed us was ferving up, just as I had done reading the above recited philofophical leffon. Back then we returned to the parlour, and there found the old Gentleman. We fat down immediately to two very good dishes, and when that was over, Mr. Noel and I drank a bottle of old Alicant. Tho' this Gentleman was upwards of eighty, yet years had not deprived him of reafon and fpirits. He was lively and fenfible, and still a moft agreeable companion. He talked of Greece and Rome, as if he had lived there before the Era of chriftianity. The court of Auguftus he was fo far from being a stranger to, that he defcribed the principal perfons in it; their actions, their pleasures, and their caprices, as if he had been their contempo rary. We talked of all these great characters. We went into the gallery of Verres. We looked over the antient theatres. Several of the most beautiful paffages in the Roman poets this fine old man repeated, and made very pleasant, but moral remarks upon them. The cry (faid he) ftill is as it was in the days of Horace O cives, cives, quaerenda pecunia primum, Virtus poft nummos. Unde babeas nemo quaerit, fed oportet habere. Quorum animis, a prima lanugine, non infedit illud? And what Catullus told his Lefbia, is it not approved to this day by the largest part of the great female world? Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus, Nobis, cum femel occidit brevis lux, Hæc difcunt omnes ante Alpha & Beta puellæ. The girls all learn this leffon before their A. A. B. C: And as to the opinion of the poet, it fhews how fadly the Auguftan age, with all its learning, and polite advantages, was corrupted and as Virgil makes a jeft of his own fine description of a paradife or the Elyfian fields; as is evident from his difmiffing his hero out of the ivory gate; which fhews he was of the school of Epicurus; it is from these things manifeft, that we can never be thankful enough for the principles and dictates of revealed religion: we can never fufficiently adore the goodness of the most glorious Eternal for the gofpel of Jefus Chrift; which opens the unbounded regions of eternal day to the virtuous and charitable, and promises them a reft from labour, and. ever blooming joys: while it condemns the wicked to the regions of horror and folid darkness; that dreadful region, from whence the cries of mifery for ever afcend, but can never reach the throne of mercy.-O heavenly religion! defigned to make men good, and for ever happy: that preferves the dignity of human nature-Guards and encreases virtue-And brings us to the realms of perfect reafon and excellent glory. But (continued this fine old Gentleman) Tibullus has ever pleafed me in the de-. fcription of his mistress: Illam Illam quicquid agit, quoquo veftigia flectit. These elegant lines contain an inimitably beautiful description of outward grace, and its charming effects upon all who fee it. Such a grace, without thinking of it, every one should strive to have, whatever they are doing. They should make it habitual to them. Quintilian feems to have had these fine lines in view, in his description of outward behaviour: Neque enim geftum componi ad fimilitudinem faltationis volo, fed fubeffe aliquid, in hac exercitatione puerili, unde nos non id agentes, furtim decor ille difcentibus traditus fubfequatur,. Cap. 10.-I am not for having the mein of a gentleman the fame with that of a dancing master; but that a boy while young, fhould enter upon this exercise, that it may communicate a fecret gracefulness to his manner ever after. In this manner did the old gentleman and I pass the time, till the clock ftruck five, when Mifs Noel came into the parlour again, and her father said he must retire, to take A fecond converfa his evening nap, and would fee me at fupper; for with him I must stay that night. Harriot, make tea for the Gentleman. I am your fervant, fir; and he withdrew. To Harriot then, my life and my blifs, I turned, and over a pot of tea was as happy, I am fure, as ever with his Statira fat the conqueror of the world. I began to relate once more the ftory of a paffion, that was to form one day, I hoped, my fole felicity in this world, and with vows and proteftations affirmed, that I loved from my foul. Charming angel, I faid, the beauties of your mind have inspired me with a paffion, that must encrease every time I behold the harmony of your face; and by the powers divine, I fwear to love you, fo long as Heaven fhall permit me to breathe the vital air. Bid me then either live or die, and while I do live, be affured, that my life will be devoted to you only. But in vain was all this warmth. Mifs Noel fat as unmoved as Erycina on a monument, and only anfwered, with a fmile, Since your days, fir, are in my disposal, I dẹfire you will change to fome other fubject, and fome article that is rational and ufeful: otherwife, I must leave the room. - To leave me, I replied, would be intion with fupportable, and therefore, at once I Mifs Noel; have done. If you pleafe then, Madam, relating we |