It is faid, property in land is more capable of being proved, than in merchandize,manufactures, or ftocks. But this is frivolous; for any man, though poffeffed of an oftenfible land eftate, may be in debt to more than the value of his eftate; and where is then his qualification?

The intereft of merchants is fo much the intereft of the nation, that there can hardly be too many merchants in Parliament. The London Members almost always vote on the fide of Liberty. It is objected, that each merchant will probably vote in Parliament for what is moft for the advantage of his own particular branch. True. Therefore let a confiderable number of merchants always have feats in the Houfe, and then all different interests will be confulted. It has likewife been argued, that merchants are bad Members, because they are liable to be influenced in favour of the Court by Government Contracts. But here again comes in my obfervation concerning partial reformations. Correct all the other abufes, and Court-influence will become impoffible. Then will appear the advantage of merchants in the House of Cominons.

As to the monied intereft, if the public debts are not to be paid, or fome fubftantial fecurity found for them; it would be very proper, that the monied intereft (as fuch) should have reprefentation in Parliament. Elfe what fecurity have we, that a profligate Court will not fhut up the Exchequer, as Charles II. did, and obtain, by corrupt means the fanction of Parliament for the measure? It is indeed alledged, that the mercantile, manufactural, and monied in tereft are represented by the Members for the Cities and Boroughs. But this is nothing to the purpofe. Becaufe the qualification required is always to be in land.

The Highlander, a true Story: Tranflated from the French of the Abbe

Refnal's Hiftory of the European
Settlements in the Two Indies.

HE Spanish fettlement of St.
Auguftine was attacked in the

year 1747, by the English, who were obliged to raise the Gege: At which time a party of Highlanders, who attempted to cover their retreat, were routed, and great numbers of them cut to pieces. A Serjeant, being taken prifoner by the Spanish Indians, was referved for that lingering death (of roafting by a flow fire) to which thofe lavages devoted their prifoners. This unfortunate foldier, when he beheld the preparations for the horrid tortures that attended him, being well acquainted with the Indian language from fome years refidence in Georgia, with equal plaufibility and refolution, addreffed the unrelenting barbarians in a fpeech to the following purport:

• Heroes and Patriarchs of the new world, you are not the enemies I fought to meet; you have, however, gained the victory. Make what ufe of it you think fit. The fate of war hath delivered me into your hands ; and I difpute not your right. But, fince it is the cuftom of my fellow citizens to offer a ranfome for their lives, liften to a propofition which is not to be rejected, Know then, brave Americans that, in the country which gave me birth, there are certain men endowed with fupernatural knowledge. One of thefe Sages, who was allied to me by blood, gave me, when I became a foldier, a charm which was to render me invulnerable. You faw how I efcaped all your darts; without that inchantment was it poflible I should have furvived the many hard blows with which you affailed me? I appeal to your valour. Did I either feek for eafe or fly from danger? It is not fo much my life that I now beg of you, as the glory of revealing a fecret of importance to your prefervation, and of rendering the most valiant nation in the

world

world immortal. Only leave one of my hands at liberty, for the ceremonies of the inchantment. I will give a proof of its power upon myfelf in your prefence.'

The Indians hearkened with avidity to a fpeech that equally fuited their warlike difpofition and their inclination towards the marvellous. After a fhort deliberation they unloofed one of the prifoner's arms. The Scotchman requested that his broadfword fhould be given to the most vigorous perfon in the Affembly; and laying bare his neck, after he had rubbed it over with magic figns, and muttered a few inarticulate words, he called out, with a loud voice and a chearful air :

• Behold ye now, fage Indians! an inconteftable evidence of my fincerity. You, warrior, who grafp the inftrument of death, ftrike with your whole force; you are not only unable to fever my head from my body, but even to pierce the fkin of my neck! He had fcarcely pronounced these words when the Indian, fetching a most dreadful blow, made the head of the Serjeant fly to the diftance of twenty yards.

The aftonished favages ftood immoveable. They looked at the bloody carcafe, and then caft their eyes upon themselves, as if to reproach one another for their ftupid credulity. Admiring, however, the ftratagem employed by the ftranger to shorten his death, and to avoid the torments that were prepared for him, they granted to his corpfe the funeral honours of their country.

The Bankrupt. A Moral Tale.
(Never before published.)

reflection, increased by cultivation, led him to inveftigate opinions, rather than pass them upon a fuperficial examination. -The customs of the world and the practices of trade, merely as cuftoms and practices, had no influence on his conduct: His only rule of action was the immutable edict of integrity engraved on his mind. In his own practice, he fhewed that trade was by no means incompatible with any of the virtues that adorn humanity, and endeavoured upon many occafions to convince others of that important truth.-The corrigible he amended, and ftrengthened them in their reformation.-The incorrigible he defpifed and abandoned. The little practices of chicane and covert fraud, often admitted by men in trade, under the fpecious pretence of neceflity, and refolved into venial faults, could never obtain his countenance. The frauds on the Revenue, by the evasion of established impofts, which unprincipled art may generally effect.Collufion in the package of commodities exported. Fictitious appearances given to their quality, to abet the purposes of circumvention by a reduction of prices, were crimes, in his opinion, that the terrors of death fhould not induce.

A noble opportunity now offered of diftinguishing himself, by placing his integrity in the fairest point of view:-A Revenue law was paffed, which particularly refpected the most confiderable branch of his traffic : but, from the want of proper information, the hurry of business, or fome unknown caufe, the restrictive part was fo feeble, that a most glaring opening was left for evafion, which might have been practifed long without detection. -Mr. Dorval had, at this time, a very confiderable quantity of the merchandife in question ready for exportation, by which he might have made an uncommon ad vantage :-But his foul difdained the temptation; he knew the fpirit of the law was against fuch a practice, however ill it happened to be exprefled Dd 2

by

tors, and, by unremitted diligence, prepared a ftate of his accounts, by which, however, it was demonftrable, that the deficiency was much less than at first apprehended; it appear

His unbounded confidence and generofity administered aid to many; the circle enlarged as their effects grew vifible. At length his benevolence, by fuffering repeated fhocks at the fight of calamity in different fhapes, became a fickly virtue, and, by communicating its epidemical influence to his judgment, reduced it to fo weak a ftate, that it was no longer capable of executing its office by making proper diftinctions.-Generofity firft conquered prudence, and then put her to flight. His confidence too, with his other virtues, feemed to enter into a confederacy against him. Several confiderable fums, intrufted upon a too feeble fecurity, by their lofs greatly diminished his fortune. He faw the neceffity of retrenching.His plan of humanity was the laft he wished to mutilate He therefore reduced the expences of his dress, his table, and his houfehold; but the effects of perfonal circumfpection, and domeftic frugality, were too light to counterpoife thofe of his benevolence. He now faw the neceflity of reducing the many, whom his bounty had been accuftom ed to relieve, left he should be unable to affift the few, or in the end provide for himself.-He had juft conquered the pangs that attended the refufing aid to feveral, who had often experienced it, when an unforeseen blow thook his fortune to its foundation-A confiderable houfe abroad, with which he was connected, failed. The moment he had recovered his recollection, he fummoned his credi

pay upwards of three fourths of his debts. His friends and his creditors were unanimous in their advice to him to continue his bufinefs: Their advice he politely rejected, alledging, that he could by no means think of farther endangering the property of others, whofe good opinion of him might lead them into a too generous confidence. He requested, that a commiffion of Bankruptcy might be taken out, which would throw his affairs into hands more capable of a right management of them.-A commiflion was accordingly iffued.-Against the time of his first appearance, he prepared not only to deliver the moft clear and correct accounts, but alfo to give up every minute particu lar of his late property referving only that portion of his wearing apparel which was abfolutely neceffary.

-He had fummoned a fufficient degree of fortitude to maintain a manly deportment in every inftance but one: The delivery of a ring, fet with brilliants, containing the hair of a lady (worked into the initials of her name) for whom he had the most tender affection, and from whom he received it in the laft fcene of her life, with the tendereft injunctions, pronounced with her dying breath, never to part from it: He would have willingly given his laft fhilling to have preferved it, but he was now no longer the legal poffeffor of that trifle :

-Honour therefore demanded the facrifice, and he prepared to make it.

When he came before the Commiffioners, he addressed them in these words: Gentlemen, I ftand here an unfortunate man, but, I truft, an honeft one. I have examined my heart, and find there no record of a crime to occafion this catastrophe: However depreffed by the firft fhock, I have fince experienced the power of con

fcious.

fcious integrity, to fupport a man under his misfortunes.I am now prepared to render a clear account of my effects, and chearfully to furrender up all, that I once called mine, to fatisfy my creditors.He then proceeded to a difclofure of his property, in a manner fo fair and candid, as excited the applause of all prefent, who lamented, that affairs fo retrievable should be brought to an iffue.

Mr. Dorval now produced a little box, containing fome trinkets; having delivered that, he drew his right hand (on which the ring was placed) from his bofom, to which he had fondly pressed it till now; and, turning round, to avoid the being feen, he fixed his eye on the dear pledge, which he was about to depart from; -he fighed; his eye, unable to contain, dropping a tear, which fell upon the ring the letters were no longer difcernible, he feized this opportunity, and preffed it to his lips; he turned round, and, with his face averted, expreffive of the most poignant agony, his hand, presenting the ring performed an act, that his eye dared not witnefs.-His emotion did not escape the notice of the gentlemen: He was requested to receive back the box and the ring; but he refufed, faying, with expreffions of obligations for the offer, that he could not perfuade himself to ponefs ornamental property in particular, whilft his debts remained unpaid, adding, that they were likewife unbecoming his prefent condition; he juft requefted, that the ring might not be fold, that, in cafe of a favourable change happening in his circumstances, he might be able to purchase it.

The excellent character of Mr. Dorval had gained him many friends, feveral of whom made him generous offers of affiftance in different ways, but he was inflexible in his refufal of those which were intended to reinfate him in bufinefs, giving for a reason, that he was unwilling to ha

zard a precarious attempt, to erect a fuperftructure on the foundation of his friends; and he likewife declined pecuniary offers, from a perfuafion, that he was capable of earning his bread in an honourable way, and fubmitted to become an object of benevolence, not only degraded his own dignity, but also defrauded fome indigent perfon unpoffeffed of that ability.

Mr. Dorval made the earliest application for employment; and, until that could be obtained, refided at the houfe of a particular friend, where he very foon received a vifit from Mr. Wilfon, a wealthy merchant. Dorval received him with the diftant politeness of one to whom his visitor was unknown. Mr. Wilfon without the tedious preface, in a mannerly and tender manner explained the motive of his vifit; he told Mr. Dorval, he had taken the liberty of waiting on him, without the privilege of a previous perfonal knowledge; that his acquaintance was only with his virtues, and that from a contemplation of them he wished to be ranked among his particular friends. He then informed him, that he happened to be prefent at his examination, and was fo charmed with his ingenuousnefs, and inanly deportment, that he was led to inquire into his character, which he had found intirely correfpondent, and that he wished to ferve him in fuch a manner as would not hurt his delicacy; upon which principle, Mr. Wilfon told him, that, as he had heard Mr. Dorval's plan was to enter into a fervice, he had one to offer him in his own house, which he hoped would not be found either fatiguing in the performance, or degrading in the mode; he defcribed it to him as a fuperintendance, with an appointment of four hundred pounds per annum. -Dorval, with the greatest alacrity, embraced the propofal, and immediately became the friend, and in a little time the confident of his generous patron.——Mr.

Wilfon made him the repofitory of all his concerns, and thought every refolve invalid, till it had gained the approbation of his friend.

Dorval's fkill in bufinefs, and his great intereft, were well known; at Mr. Wilfon's table, every mark of refpect was paid to him; in fhort, fuch was the amiableness of his cha racter, that he experienced not the leaft diminution of polite attention from his change of fituation.

About fix months after Mr. Dorval had lived with Mr. Wilfon, there happened to be a large company affembled at dinner; among other topicks, trade was introduced; upon which subject, as well as every other that arofe, Dorval difplayed fingular knowledge, and fpoke with great perfpicuity; he was particularly attended to by one of the company, who was himself a merchant, and feemed to share a confiderable portion of Mr. Wilfon's esteem.-Dorval received many compliments from this gentleman, accompanied with a cordial invitation to his houfe; this invitation, as Mr. Dorval's heart poffeffed too much real friendship to be surprised into fudden attachments, he was in no hafte to comply with: A card, however, from this gentleman, exprefling a defire to fee him upon particular bufinefs, induced Mr. Dorval to wait upon him. He was received with many ceremonious careffes by this new acquaintance, and, after a complimentary introduction, was informed of a proposal he had to make, which was, briefly, an offer of partnerfhip, upon the most advantageous terms, provided he would quit Mr. Wilfon's fervice.-Dorval, who was incapable of debating a moment on a queition, in which his honour was concerned, gave a pofitive refufal, accompanied with a fevere animadverfion on the bafenefs of fuch attempts, which, he obferved, had but too juttly fixed a ftigma on the characiers of men in trade. He depart

ed abruptly, ruminating on the depravity of human nature.

In juftice to the facred caufe of friendship, Dorval thought it incumbent on him to undeceive Mr. Wilfon, who appeared to entertain high fentiments in favour of his falfe friend; he accordingly informed him of the affair.-Mr. Wilfon received his intelligence with inexpreffible emotion; his face was pallid with furprize, mingled with indignation:-After a paufe, he faid, Mr. Dorval, what you have told me fills me with aftonishment; this man exhibits a most glaring example of ingratitude. As I am not fond of enumerating benefits conferr'd, I fhall avoid reproaching him with his bafenefs; but I cannot refrain telling you the obligations he has been under to me, that you may judge from thence of the justice of my refolution to caft him off for ever.-About ten years ago we became acquainted; his affairs required frequent affiftance, which he derived from me. About the third year of our acquaintance, he faw, and became enamoured with the lady, who is his prefent wife-He follicited my intereft with her father, who objected to the fmallness of his fortune; believing him to be a man of honour, and in a way to improve his fortune, I

argued the point with the old gentleman, and at length obtained his concurrence; in confequence of which he was foon after married.About two years ago, his affairs were in a precarious fituation; the failure of feveral houses, with which he was deeply engaged, fo difordered his circulation, that he must inevitably have ftopped, had I not affifted him with a large fum of money.

Since that time, we have lived apparently, on terms of the strictest friendship; and it gives me the utmost concern to discover a mistake, which may tend to weaken my confidence in future.'

Dorval confined his perfonal expences