Taib. Thofe enjoyments which he had found fo imperfect in the fervor of youth, appeared ftill lefs fatisfactory in his declining years. Yet ftrange infatuation of the forcerefs Hope! his chimerical expectations of greater happiness to come, daily increased. At laft, while Fancy was amufing him with fcenes of future, and for ever recurring blifs, an acute diforder seized upon Abou Taib. His gaiety, his vigour, and every capacity of enjoying pleafure fled before it, nor was it long ere the most experienced of his phyficians pronounced he had not fix hours to live. Shocked at the hafty approach of the angel of death, and refolved to avail himself of his talifinan; he applied the gift of the genius from which he had promised himself never-ending pleasure, to perpetuate extreme and eternal anguish! His mifery foon made him defirous to invite that death he had been fo folicitous to fhun, but the fatal charm was not to be reverfed. Day after day he started from the fame dreadful dreams, to fuffer the fame round of ficknefs, pain, and torture. 2. What is the duty of a husband? 2. What is the duty of a wife? 2. Are there no more duties incumbent A. Yes; I must be deaf, dumb, and blind, as occafions require; deaf to the voice of duns, and all fuch poor relations as moit eafily befet me; dumb when my husband remonftrates; and blind to the whole race of city acquaintances or country cousins. 2. Are you not to have fome regard to a future ftate? own way of fcoring up a reckoning, im. mediately replied" It was two pots of porter, a fhillingfworth of punch, and a paper of tobacco." The gentleman upon this was as much at a lofs as ever, till Ned whipp'd out his chalk, and thus fcored the reckoning-14 for two pots of porter, o for a fhilling(worth of punch, and a line across the two pots of porter for a paper of tobacco, which formed the number 440. The gentleman in confequence recovered his cane; and thinking it a pity fuch acutenefs of genius fhould be buried in an alehoufe, took him away, and put him to school, and thereby enabled him to shine as the first comedian of his time! A. Yes; after having maintained a good reputation as long as I can, I am to exchange it for a feparate maintenance, unlefs I wish to marry my gallant; and then must accufe my husband, obtain a divorce, The Duty on Hops, for the Year 1785. climate, court the mild breezes and taste and bidding a long farewell to this cold the lafting pleasures of the Continent. I Lines fent to a YOUNG LADY, with a The genius at length pitying his condition, and moved by his prayer, appeared again before him. Man of many follies, cried he, murmur no more at the decrees Y And for herewith will be convey'd, of Heaven; repine not at the flight of plea- A Gipfy hat and trappings gay, fure you have not thought worth repeating. To deck you out in grand array, Wherefore should you blame the fhortnefs To fhade the pretty fmiling face, of a life in which you have been fo unwil-To add to beauty ev'ry grace, ling to protract, even your highest enjoy- And hearts of old and young to gain: To ftrike entranc'd each gazing fwain, ments? Whatever applies to every part, But foft, do not mifconftrue me, must apply to the whole; and what is true 'Tis not the fong of flattery of every day of our lives, must be true of life in general. What then, in praying for its continuance, do you wish to be continued? the flattering dreams of imagination, and the fallacious promifes of hope never completely fulfilled; but repeatedly, nay almost always utterly falfified. Let those who hear your ftory, learn by your example, to remain con tented with the condition providence has allotted them; and remember that even the end of their imperfect happiness, is to be confidered as an addition to the little felicity they enjoy. I mean to fing, 'tis friendship's care J. C. ANECDOTE The genius ended, and the angel of of the Famous NED SHUTER, the COMEDIAN. death, to him the angel of blits, clofed the eyes of Abou Taib. BARNSTAPLE Suffex Wales, Eaft Old duty It is well known that this celebrated Ditto, Middle Rochester . £. s. d. 18 15 9 718 3 4 10 11 33 16 4 15,468 18 10 114 0 91 O 2 9 392 9 о £. 112,684 5 To the Editor of the COUNTY MAGAZINE. SIR, Am by trade a Cr. By one leveret caught by the pointers, in September I chandler, and live grocer and tallow- By one hare fhot by town, in a fine sporting country; have a Shooting account, for the year 1785. Taking out certificate A bay cropt poney (with one eye) Bridle and faddle A new filver mounted gun, by A brace of pointers Fuftian fhooting jacket, and fearlet waistcoat, &c. Half-boots, powder-horn, net, fhot-belt, whip, turn-fcrew, and filver whiftle, &c. Powder, fhot, and gun-flints Keep of horfe Ditto of dogs Paid farrier in attempting to cure my poney's eye Extraordinary expences attending fhooting, being frequently out upon parties with the Squire and Curate, and entertaining more company at my own house upon that account Paid a boy for holding my horse divers times, and carrying the game Paid carriage of game to London Paid for three informations lodged against me Expences attending the justices a great many times, and paid my attorney Paid for ten fheep worried by Pluto Paid the furgeon setting my collar-bone, and fewing up my lip, occafioned by a fall from my horse, my gun going accidentally off whilft upon him myfelf fitting in the fnow By one brace of young partridges, caught by the pointers By one partridge, fhot by myfelf, flying By a leafh ditto, fitting in the fnow By one quail, caught by the pointers By one hen pheasant, fhot by myfelf, when perched Out of pocket the ift year's fhooting 4 6 9 6 026 0 18 6 87 I O -87 19 6 Befides the employing a journeyman extraordinary, the neglect of my bufinefs, and the lofs of feveral good cuftomers, whom I offended by breaking down their hedges, which I lay at about 40l. therefore the total expence for fhooting in the o year 1785, is 1271. 18. 1. s. d. 96 6 O FEBRUARY. Now fhifting gales with milder influence blow, HE earlier part of this month may Tftill be reckoned Winter; though the cold generally begins to abate. The days are now fenfibly lengthened; and the fun has power enough gradually to melt away the fnow and ice. Sometimes, a fudden thaw comes on, with a fouth wind and rain, which all at once diffolves the fnow. Torrents of water then descend from the hills, every little brook and rill is fwelled to a large ftream; and the ice is swept away with great violence from the rivers. Muttering, the winds at eve, with blunted point, Spotted the mountains fhine, loofe fleet defcends, THOMSON. The froft, however, returns for a time; then fresh snow falls, often in great quantities; and thus the weather alternately changes during moft part of this month. As I do not intend, Mr. Editor, to take out the gentleman's licence any more, but confine myself to my counter as before, the following are to be difpofed of under at 1 19 6 prime coft, being very little the worse for Various figns of returning Spring occur different times in February. The wood-lark, one of the earliest and sweetest fongfters, often begins his note at the very A bay cropt fhooting poney, very found, entrance of the month. Not long after,. 6 having loft only one eye fince I bought rooks begin to pair, and geefe to lay. The him; together with a bridle and faddle thrufh and chaffinch then add to the early good as new, with plated bits and ftir-mufic of the groves. Near the close of the month partridges begin to couple, and repair the ravages committed on this devoted fpecies during the Autumn and о rups. A new filver mounted gun, by Twig, Alfo my other useful and neceffary ar- My fuftian jacket, scarlet waistcoat, and half-boots, which are worn out, and my pointers, which are both dead, the one having been hanged for worrying fheep, and the other dying raving mad, are unfit for fale. HAWTHORN HYSON. E QUI VOQU E. On an HANDSOME WOMAN. Total Dr. 87 19 6 IS CELIA married, no, or yes? Moles go to work in throwing up their hillocks as foon as the earth is foftened. Under fome of the largest, a little below the furface of the earth, they make their nefts of mofs, in which four or five young are found at a time.. These animals live on worms, infects, and the roots of plants. They do much mischief in gardens, by loofening and devouring flower-roots; but in the fields they feem to do no other damage, than rendering the furface of the ground unequal by their hillocks, which obftruct the fcythe in mowing. They are faid alfo to pierce the fides of dams and canals, and let out the water. Many plants emerge from under ground in February, but few flowers as yet adorn the fields or gardens. Snowdrops generally are fully opened from the beginning of the month, often peeping out from the "By Jove, fays Dick, fhe's not a-Mifs !" midft of the fnow. The elder-tree difclofes its flower-buds. 'The catkins of the hazel become very confpicuous in the hedges. Young leaves are budding on the goofeberries and currants about the end of the month. The farmer is impatient to begin his ; work in the fields as foon as the ground is fufficiently thawed. He plows up his fallows; fows beans and peas, rye and fpring wheat; fets early potatoes; drains his wet land; dreffes and repairs hedges; lops trees, and plants thofe kinds which love a wet foil, as poplars and willows. On DOMESTIC OECONOMY. From Mon Bonnet De Nuit, by M. MERCIER. D Omeftic Oeconomy, if not the moft brilliant of virtues, is, at leaft, one of the most folid and moft ufeful I know of. On this foundation public as well as private establishments are erected not to be fhaken: This is the obfcure root which nourishes the luxuriant foliage of those trees which hide their heads in the clouds. Want is a perpetual fource of corroding cares, pangs of mind, and wakeful nights, Want is too often the encourager of bafe and unjuft actions; whereas œconomy rids us from all these torments, and is at once the comfortable fupport of our lives, and the fafeguard of our virtue. It is a foft pillow, on which we repofe without dread of the future, ever dark, and therefore terrible. Nor is its usefulness limited only to the prefent generation; the circle of its inAluence embraces remoteft pofterity; a privilege peculiar to itself. New MASONIC TOASTS. AY univerfal Mafonry be the only univerfal Monarchy, and reign triumphant in the hearts of the worthy. 2. May the Members of Adminiftration be all Mafons, that they may act on the fquare with the people, and keep the, tones within compass. 3. May nothing but the charms of beauty bring down the perpendicular uprightnefs of a Mafon. 4. May the tongue of every Mafon be the key of his heart; may it ever hang in juft equilibrium, and never be fuffered to lie to injure a brother. 5. May every Mafon's heart have the ardency of charcoal and the freedom of chalk, but not the coldness or hardnefs of marble when the diftreffes of a brether claim affiftance. 6. The fquare in conduct, the level in condition, the plumb-line in rectitude, and the compafs in prudence, to all Mafons. 7. The glorious memory of the three Grand Maiters, and may every Mafon imitate the wifdom of the first, the friendhip of the fecond, and the fidelity and fkill of the third. 8. The fplendor of the Eaft, the repofe of the South, and the folidity of the Weft, to every regular Lodge of free and accepted Mafons. 9. May the fragrance of a good report, like a fprig of caffia, bloom over the head of every departed brother. 10. Our SISTERS-May they have as much reafon to admire our wifdom, as the Queen of Sheba did that of our Grand Mafter Solomon. 11. May we be entered apprentices to beauty, and fellowcrafts in love, but ftill masters of our paffions. 12. May wisdom contrive our happinefs, ftrength fupport our virtuous refolutions, and beauty adorn our beds. 13. Mays the rays of celeftial light pierce through the veil of ignorance, and perfeverance remove the key-tone that covers_truth. 14. May the Royal Arch cover every honest Mason's heart, and the glory of the firft temple overfhadow all, who act up to the true principles of Masonry. FRENCH MISERY AND PRIDE. N old Counsellor of the Parliament A of Paris died fome time ago in that capital; though he had a very decent fortune, he let himself go without the neceffaries of life. Finding himself approaching his laft hour, he fent for the Parfon of the Parish, from whom he received the fpiritual affiftance of the church. He was defirous of regulating the expences attending his own funeral, and afked how much it would cost to have the bells rung at his burial: He was told that the ufual price was three hundred livres (twelve guineas and an half.) The, fum was thought exorbitant.-"Three hundred livres (faid he) for fuch a trifle! I have no notion of fuch an impofition. I know not how the gentlemen of the church fettle matters; but I am tempted to think that they are a parcel of cheats: I had the holy facrament administered to me for nothing, and I must give an enormous fum for the ringing of a few cracked bells: I think I may very well fay, that if the clergy give their flour gratis, they fell their bran very dear." (Son in French, fignifies both found and bran.) This original was fuch an adept in the art of hoarding up, that he could have given leffons of penury and fordidnefs to a'l the mifers of the age. He had difeharged his fervants, and ferved himfelf for many years before his death; but he had ftill vanity enough to wifh not to be taken for what he really was. He kept a fleeve of every livery he had fold, and when he threw any thing out of the window, he always took care to flip on a fleeve, that his neighbours might not perceive that he had fent away all his fervants. Had this wretch been a contemporary of the inimitable Moliere, this reformer of his age would have prefented the public with a fketch of his defpicable character. To the Editor of the County Mazagine. SIR, S most complicated evils and Adeftructive accidents proceed from inebrity, I doubt not but you will permit the following extempore lines to appear in your Magazine. They are the fimple effects of a serious thought on paffing by the fpot where a neighbour, the preceding evening, (being overcharged with liquor) fell down and rolled about, (as the marks on the ground evidently fhewed) and perifhed with cold before the morning. Stranger, ftop! and keep thy guard, Behold death's bed is near; The print of death's around thee fet, I trace him here and there! Laft night poor Everal pafs'd this way, Confus'd and drunk withal; Grim death in ambush for him lay, And gave the fatal fall. Poor mortal! he no weapon had His nature to defend ; Such bad effects to fhun; No. III. Vol. I. ON THE MONTH OF M A R C For H. Winter ftill ling ring on the verge of Spring, T HE great operations of ably into the ground, is expreffed in the Those most elegant fifh, fmelts or fparold proverb, lings, begin to run up the rivers in this tender a nature, that the leaft mixture of month in order to spawn. They are of fo fnow-water in the river drives them back to the sea. A bushel of March duft is worth a king's ranfom. The mellow note of the throftle, who fings perched on the naked bough of fome lofty tree, is heard from the beginning of But nothing in the animal creation is a the month: at the fame time, the ring-dove more pleafing fpectacle, than the sporting cooes in the woods. The rookery is now of the young lambs, moft of which are all in motion with the pleafing labour of yeaned this month, and are trusted abroad building and repairing nefts; and highly when the weather is tolerably mild. DYER, February, thereby pre-amufing it is to obferve the tricks and ar- in his poem of The Fleece, gives a very venting the roots and feeds tifices of the thievifh tribe, fome to de-natural and beautiful defcription of this from rotting in the earth; fend, and others to plunder, the materials and gradually to bring forward the procefs of their new habitations. Thefe birds are of fructification in the fwelling buds, whilft accused of doing much injury to the farat the fame time, by the wholefome feve- mer by plucking up the young corn, and rity of chilling blafts, they are kept from other fpringing vegetables; but fome think a premature disclosure, which would ex- this mischief fully repaid by their diligence pofe their tender contents to injury from in picking up the grubs of various infects, the yet unfettled feafon. This effect is which, if fuffered to grow to maturity, beautifully touched upon in a fimile of would occafion much greater damage. Shakespeare's: For this purpofe, they are frequently feen following the plough, or fettling in flocks on newly-turned up lands. And like the tyrannous breathings of the north, This seeming tyranny, however, is to be regarded as the most useful difcipline; and thofe years generally prove moft fruitful, in which the pleafing appearances of Spring are the latest. The fun has now acquired fo much power, that on a clear day we often feel all the genial influence of Spring, though the naked fhrubs and trees ftill give the landscape the comfortlefs appearance of But foft pleafant weather in March is feldom of long duration. As yet the trembling year is unconfirm'd, And Winter oft at eve refumes the breeze, Chills the pale morn, and bids his driving fleets Deform the day delightless. Winter. As foon as a few dry days have made the land fit for working, the farmer goes to the plough; and if the fair weather continues, proceeds to fowing oats and barley, though this business is feldom finifhed till the next month. The importance of a dry feafon for getting the feed early and favour Some birds, which took refuge in our temperate climate from the rigour of the northern winters, now begin to leave us, and return to the countries where they were bred. The red-wing thrufh, fieldfare, and woodcock, are of this kind, and they retire to spend their fummer in Norway, Sweden, and other parts of the north. The gannets, or foland geefe, refort during this month to thofe Scotch ifles, where they breed in fuch numbers, as' to cover almost the whole furface of the ground with their eggs and young. Frogs, which during the winter lay in a torpid ftate at the bottom of ponds or ditches, are enlivened by the warmth of Spring, and early in this month rife to the furface of the water in vaft numbers. They are at firft very timorous, and dive to the bottom with great quicknefs as one approaches; but in the coupling feafon they become bolder, and make themfelves heard to a great distance by their croaking. F circumftance. Spread around thy tend'reft diligence : Be nimble, and the weakest, in thine arms, Another moft agreeable token of the arrival of Spring, is that the bees begin to venture out of their hives about the middle of this month. As their food is the honeylike juice found in the tubes of flowers, their coming abroad is a certain fign that flowers are now to be met with. No creature feems poffeffed of a greater power of foreseeing the weather; fo that their appearance in the morning may be reckoned a fure token of a fair day. 'Twas Sunday's eve, meet feafon to prepare ride. The gardens are now rendered gay by the crocuses, which adorn the borders with a rich mixture of the brighteft yellow and purple. The little fhrubs of mezereon Before him fprede, his various fermons lay, are in their beauty. The fields look green The harveft glean'd from many a thoughtful Of explanation deepe, and fage advice, with the fpringing grafs, but few wild How-The harveft glean'd from many a thoughtful ers as yet appear to decorate the ground. Daifies, however, begin to be fprinkled over the dry paftures; and the moift banks of ditches are enlivened with the gloffy ftar-like yellow flowers of pilewort. Towards the end of the month, primrofes peep out beneath the hedges; and the moft delightfully fragrant of all flowers, the violet, difcovers itself by the perfume it imparts to the furrounding air, before the eye has perceived it in its lowly bed. SHAKESPEARE Compares an exquifitely fweet ftrain of mufic, to the delicious fcent of this flower: O! it came to my ear, like the sweet fouth, There are feveral kinds of violets; but the fragrant (both blue and white) is the earlieft, thence called the March violet. To thefe flowers SHAKESPEARE adds the daffodil, Which comes before the swallow dares, and takes Befides the hazel, the fallow now enlivens the hedges with its catkins full of yellow duft; and the alder-trees are covered with a kind of black bunches, which are the male and female flowers. The leaves of honeyfuckles are nearly expanded. In the gardens, the peach and nectarine, the almond, the cherry and apricottrees, come into full bud during this month. The gardeners find plenty of employment in pruning trees, digging and manuring beds, and fowing a great variety of feeds, both for the flower and kitchen garden. daye The fruit of learning bought with heavy price. On thefe he caft a fond but fearful eye : Awhile he paus'd, for forrow ftopp'd his throte: Reliev'd at length he heav'd a bitter figh, And thus complain'd, as well indeed he mote. "Here is the fcholar's lot, condemn'd to fail Unpatroniz'd o'er life's tempeftuous wave; Clouds blind his fight, nor blows a friendly gale To waft him to one port-except the grave. keale, “Big with prefumptive hope I launch'd my With youthful ardour and bright fcience fraughte, Unanxious of the pains long doom'd to feel, Unthinking that the voy'ge might end in noughte. "Pleas'd on the fummit fea I danc'd awhile With gay companions, and with views as fair. Outftript by thefe, I'm kept to humble toil, My fondeft hopes abandon'd in despair."Had my ambitious mind been led to rise To highest flights, to Crofier and to Pall, Scarce could I mourn the millings of my prize; For foaring wishes well deserve their fall. "No tow'ring thought like these engag'd my breast, I hop'd (nor blame, ye proud, the lowly plan) Some little cove, fome parfonage of reft, The scheme of duty fuited to the man; "Where, in my narrow fphere fecure, at ease, From vile dependence, free I might remain, The guide to good, the Counsellor of Peace, The Friend, the shepherd of the village swain! "Yet cruel fate deny'd the fmall request, And bound me faft in one ill-omen'd hour, Beyond the chance of remedy, to rest The flave of wealthie pride and prieftly power. "Oft as in ruffyt weeds I fcour along In the latter part of this month the equinox happens, when day and night are of equal length all over the globe; or rather, when the fun is an equal time above, and below, the horizon. For the morning and evening twilight make apparent day confiderably longer than night. This takes place again in September. The firft is called the vernal, the latter the autumnal equinox. At thefe times ftorms" and tempefts are particularly frequent, whence they have always been the terror of mariners. March winds are boisterous and vehement to a proverb. The CURATE.-A Fragment. O' 'ER the pale embers of a dying fire, His little lamp fed with but little oil, The Curate fat, (for fcanty was his hire) And ruminated fad the morrow's toil. In diftant chapels haftily to pray, OF The DAISY. F all the flow'rs that deck the plain Learn hence, fair Delia, how to frame Thy mind, that's like the Daify low, DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON. GREAT man? fays Voltaire, we must by no means be lavish of this title. We ean indeed hardly ever apply it at all, if by great be meant universally fo; that is, om By nod fcarce notic'd of the paffing thronge,nibus numeris abfolutus. my eye, The late Dr. Samuel Johnson was a man of great parts, and was indifputably a great man, if great parts fimply can make one : but Dr. Samuel Johnson was the meaneft of bigots, a dupe and flave to the most contemptible prejudices; and, upon fubjects the most important, is known to have held opinions, which are abfolutely a disgrace to human understanding. To labour doom'd, and deftin'd to be poor, den fee; The gift I take, but dare not close my hand, The fplendid prefent centres not in me." The Prefident Montefquieu has faid, that "the rank or place, which pofterity be ftows, is fubject like all others to the "whim and caprice of fortune:" and our Wollafton was fo difgufted with the foolish |