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328

Religious Opinions, &c.

fets it afide, by conftituting the word of God, not a perfon, but, as has already been faid of the holy Spirit, an attribute of the Deity, and his power exerted in a particular direction, or to a particular end.

We may conclude, therefore, that the Quakers, according to the diftinction above made, are Deifts of Revelation, nearly agreeing in their leading tenet with the Socinians, or Unitarians, though they differ from them in points of difcipline, and with refpect to the miniftry. This conclufion at leaft is deducible from I. N.'s statement, which feems taken from the Friend's laft thoughts on the fubject, published, I believe, by order of the fociety.

It muft, however, be confeffed, that individual writers of the fociety give different views of the point in queftion. Some acknowledging the Trinity, though faintly and rather evafively; others, from what they have faid, and from the quotations they have carefully felected, appear more inclined to the Arian doctrine; but the greater number icem defirous of waying the queftion altogether, or, in fpeaking of it, content themselves with bring ing forward fome very general texts of fcripture.

From a fhynefs in the Friends, of comparing ideas on thefe fubjects with other profeffors of chriftianity, and from their holding the fcriptures only in a fecondary degree of eftimation ("Jefus Chrift, and not the fcripture, being," according to them," the word of God"), fome fufpicion of heterodoxy has at all times attached to their fect. By maintaining that none can rightly understand or profit by the fcriptures, except those who read them under the influence of the fame fpirit, as was communicated to the prophets, or evangelifts, in writing them; and that men, at this day, may be fo immediately actuated and enlightened by divine infpiration, that no external teacher whatever can be requifite for them; they not only diminish the importance of the fcripture as a rule of practice, but feem to render, in some measure, unneceffary the revelation therein contained. Hence, the Catholics, Lutherans, and many members of the church of England, not attending properly to the mode in which the Friends qualify their doctrines, denounce them without hefitation, and unjustly arrange

In a Summary View of the Doctrines and Difcipline of the People called Quakers, &c.

of Quakers.....Biondi.

the profeffors of them among the firft kind of Deifts.

It is fcarcely poffible, Mr. Editor, for a perfon not a member of the fociety, to be acquainted with every circumstance relating to it. Should there be any mifstatement in what has been faid, I fhall be very happy to fee it corrected; and am confident it would afford fatisfaction to many others, to fee the opinion of the fociety more explicitly detailed than it has yet been, refpecting the points above mentioned. If it fhould appear that the Friends, as a body, have no established creed, no fyftem at all, but leave individual members to interpret nice fcriptural points for themfelves, as well as they may be enabled, I fee no harm there would be in openly avowing this. Who will not think it better to do fo, than endeavour to enforce a belief, the terms of which can scarcely be understood, under the threatened penalty of temporal sufferance, or eternal damnation ?

A free communication on these subjects, from fome enlightened Friend, would, I think, be highly fatisfactory to the public, and might give additional reputation to the fociety, which is already fo much admired for its correctness, and for its exemplary internal difcipline. The fociety can now boaft of many eminent literary characters, both male and female: and furely the information defireable could in no wife be diffused to a greater extent than through the channel of the Monthly Magazine.

Hermitage, May 7, 1798.

M. N.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

You

YOUR Correfpondent T. Y. in your of Biondi, an hiftorian recommended to Mifcellany for laft March, fpeaks nafdino de Rebolledo, as a name young students by the Spanish poet, Berwith which he is unacquainted." It may, therefore, be an acceptable piece of inform ation to him, and to your other readers, to be told, that Biondi, or rather Sir Giovanni Francifco Biondi, was a native of Liefena, an island of Dalmatia, in the gulph of Venice. Sir Henry Wotton,

the ambaffador there, introduced him to the notice of King James the First, by whom he was employed on fecret commiffions to the Duke of Savoy. He was afterwards honoured with the knighthood, and made gentleman of the bedchamber to King Charles the Firft, to whom he dedicated the hiftorical work,

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The Snail an Animal of Prey.....Tour in America.

which gave him celebrity, entitled "An
Hiftory of the Civil Wars of England, be-
tween the two Houfes of Lancaster and
York." It was written in Italian, in
three volumes; and a tranflation of it into
English, by Henry Cary, Earl of Mon-
mouth, in two volumes, thin folio, was
published in 1641. Biondi died in 1644.
Taunton, April 14, 1798.
J. T.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

HAVE it in my power to add a conI current teftimony to the circumftance related in the inftructive Journal of V. F. in his late tour into Yorkshire and Lancashire (vol. 4. p. 257.), which added to the number of animals of prey.

In the month of June last, as I was walking on the Town Moor in an even-ing, I faw a large black fnail lying obliquely over the back of a half-grown frog, and apparently devouring its left fhoulder. The novelty of the circumftance induced me to difplace the fnail, and I then saw that it had eaten very deep, and the wound was little short of half an inch in diameter, and quite fresh. The fkin of the frog appeared as if it had been dead one day, or longer, of course it is dubious whether the fnail had attacked it when living, or fimply feized it when dead. I own I am inclined to the

former idea, as I know that fnails have the power of raifing themselves on their hinder parts, and throwing themselves forward as far as their bodies will admit, which you know are capable of great protrufion; and alfo because the position of the fnail was fuch as does not militate with what would have taken place, on the confequent attempt of the frog to escape his affailant, the head of the nail being on the left shoulder of the frog, and its body croffing just before its right thigh. I am, &c.

Newcastle.

W. C.

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Pennfylvania, you are welcome to infert in your valuable Miscellany.-On their fidelity you may rely. I am, Sir, your's, &c. CAMPOLIDE.

London, April, 1798.

On the 16th May, 1794, leaving the interefting city of New-York, I took my paffage for Paulus-Hook, in one of the barks that conftantly ply between the two States. A fmart breeze foon carried us across their natural boundary-the majeftic and rapid Hudfon, or North river, and, for the first time, I trod on the Jerfey fhore, whofe romantic borders I had fo oft contemplated in diftant perspective, from the delightful walk on the battery. We were no fooner landed than the stage was ready to convey us on our purposed journey to Philadelphia, diftant 95 miles. Thefe carriages are in reality very little better than covered carts, refembling the caravans used in fome of the western

counties of England, and, like them, expofed in front to the duft and inclemencies of the weather. Seated therein on wooden other, and miferably ftraitened for want benches, placed very clofe behind each of room; you are charged an exorbitant fare (confidering the wretched accommodations); and if perchance you ride in one of these very pleasant vehicles during a heavy rain, it is ten to one you get a complete foaking, as they are rather apt to leak at the interftices. Is it not furprising, that on a road fo much frequented, they do not introduce the English ftages, and poft-chaifes; but thefe, as well as other take place among a people already fo enimprovements, will doubtlefs progreffively lightened, and defirous of meliorating their condition. We paffed feveral powerful streams in the courfe of the journey, the Hudson, the Raritan, the Secondriver, and the Delaware. The incomthe tottering and narrow wooden bridges modious ferries across these rivers, and

over the marfhes and ftreamlets, were both hazardous and unpleafant, and the occafion of much unavoidable delay; but the myriads of mofquitos, or gnats, were infinitely more vexatious than any impediments in the route. The first place we paffed through was Bergen, an inconfiderable village; the next was Newark (nine miles from New-York), where an elegant church and its tall fpire attracted our notice, as much as the very neat and modern appearance of the town itself; moft of the houfes being prettily built of wood, and fancifully painted on the outfides. The environs are fruitful in apples,

U u 2

and

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Journey from New York to Philadelphia.

and the cyder is celebrated throughout State bordering on Pennfylvania, along America for its excellence. The river the beautiful banks of the Delaware; Hackinlack, and the branches communi- where the governor's houfe (of Newcating with it, are in this neighbourhood. Jerfey), and Mr. Morris's, of PhiladelIn this morning's ride we traverfed many phia, adorned the rural fcene. The weaextenfive marfhes, which in the warm ther being cool and ferene, had enhanced feafon breed abundance of noxious ver- the pleasure of the journey; but by no min and infects, the mosquito especially: means loth to efcape from fo cramped and however, on the increase of population, jolting a fituation as the machine we traand confequent culture, thofe marshy velled in, I alighted gladly at Trenton, grounds will probably be drained, and where we flept-the diftance 65 miles from converted into ufeful pafture-land. New-York-a tolerable day's journey, confidering the many tirefome ferries. The inns on the road are rather high in their charges, but the accommodations might be reckoned good by travellers not over faftidious, were it not for a vile cuftom, common throughout the United States, of ftowing two or three men in a bed; and from the repugnance of an Englifhman to conform to this hoggish fashion, they instantly discover his country! However, you feldom experience any difficulty in obtaining a couch to yourfelf; making allowance for a retinue of unwelcome gentry, bugs, fleas, and mofquitos, all of which, and fwarms of flies, pefter one during the hot months, along the whole extent of the low-lands in the maritime States. The peafantry, whom I had feen at work in the fields and villages, and the domeftics in the towns, were moftly negroes: and I could not but remark their good-natured civility, contrafted with the churlifhnefs and furly mien of the lower claffes of whites. Has republicanifm a tendency to make them rude, fulky, and arrogant? For I conftantly found that temper prevailing among the commonalty, both in town and country, throughout thefe midland States: very unlike the chearful good humour and obliging dif pofition, characterizing the fame ranks in various parts of Europe. As for the American gentry, they are diftinguished by the fame courtefy and urbanity of manners, as the well-educated elsewhere. The New-Jerseyans, whom I faw, were, for the most part, meagre, hard-featured, tall, and fun-burnt: the women ordinary, coarse, and ill-clad (I speak of the common people); no alluring bloom on their cheeks, or clear wholefomne complexions, nor the fmart lively air and becoming attire, fo bewitchingly attractive in the English and the Swifs females.

Elizabeth-town, fix miles beyond Newark, foon claimed our attention, fuperior to it in fize, and not inferior in modern beauty; though from its low fituation upon the channel of the fea, feparating the main-land from Staten-Ifle, it is rather expofed to floods. Afterwards we came to Woodbridge and Brunswick, fmall places, hardly deferving the appellation of towns; the latter, however, has a good inn, where we dined: here we paffed a ferry over the Raritan, feventeen miles beyond which is Prince-town; where our party alighting to take refreshment and change horfes, I embraced the opportunity of vifiting the college, cr feminary for the education of youth; a fpacious and not inelegant edifice, well endowed. Several handfome houfes give the town a chearful look; the church adds alfo to its beauty. The fite of this place being more elevated than Elizabethtown, renders it pleafanter and more healthful: the adjacent country is agreeably diverfified with cultivated rifinggrounds; a pleafing novelty after paffing hitherto through fo dead a flat: though occafionally interfperfed with fome ftrong crops of Indian-corn, rye, and clover, promifing amply to repay the husbandman's toil, and cheer his drooping fpirits after his daily exposure to fuch a burning fun. Our English farmers and cottagers are but too little fenfible of the advantages refulting from a mild and temperate clime. From Prince-town to Trenton on the Delaware, and beyond it to Philadelphia, a fine, open, champaign country prefented itself on every fide, bounded only by the horizon. The conditions of the farms in this State appeared flovenly in comparifon of thofe of England, or even of the diftrict of Flat-Bush, on Long-Ifland. The bridges were indifferent; but the fences (in lieu of hedges), partly of ftone, partly of wood, were better than we had been accustomed to in New-York and Long Island. Few gentlemen's feats, if any, were perceivable, till we reached the confines of the

On the 17th (May), fetting off early in the morning from Trenton, across the Delaware, we breakfasted at a village ten miles further on-the very reverse of its commercial namefake-Briftcl. We found, however, a comfortable inn, plea

fantly

Tour in Pennfylvania.

fantly feated on the Delaware, and commanding a fine view of Burlington (the capital of New-Jersey) on the oppofite fide of the river; on whofe expanfive waters, and fertile banks enriched with a variety of vegetation, the eye dwelt with pleafure! For it is fatisfactory to behold the induftrious hand of man fertilizing all around him, and thus feconding the bounteous intentions of nature. The morning air, as ufual at this feafon, was very chilly, but towards noon it became temperately warm, the fky unclouded, with a moft refreshing breeze blowing from the Delaware.

On entering the powerful and flourishing State of Pennfylvania, the alteration in the face of the country and appearance of the people, was evidently for the better; particularly in the condition of the arable lands, and the fubftantial goodness of the farm-houses, folidly built of ftone, with capacious barns and out-offices : the whole apparently not inferior to the generality in the mother-country. The bridges were better, but the fences not fo good as in the fifter-state we had left. Immortal Penn! I could almoft fancy I difcerned thy venerable fhade hovering over the placid ftream of the Delaware, and pointing to the fair metropolis, indebted to thee for its foundation! Thy tutelary genius, even at this hour, difpenfing wifdom and benevolence to the numerous and peaceable fraternity, peopling thy fertile colony! Sage and virtuous legiflator, true father of thy race! How pre-eminent is thy name, compared with thofe proud fpoilers falfely denominated heroes wretches, whofe hands, imbrued in human gore, lead the fools around them to flaughter and devaftation, with the infidious lure of glory and renown! But let us revert to the more alluring contemplation of nature, and her never-ceafing variety. The country we paffed through feemed tolerably covered with farms and cottages, and profufely with woods, copfes, and orchards. In the former, the oak, the hickory, and the maple, appeared to predominate. In the latter, the apple and the peach-tree, which not unfrequently are feen planted along-fide the roads, and in the fields and fences. To my regret, the time of bloffoming was over; not that the vernal feafon commences earlier there than in England, but the progrefs of vegetation in the American climate is infinitely more rapid: it burfts as it were by enchantment from the icy chains of winter, towards the latter end of March,

331

or beginning of April, when the whole country, fuddenly affumes the vivid hues of fpring, and gives a glad promise of plenty; but the fubfequent nipping frofts, and keen north-westers, too often, blait the flattering profpect.

con

I was not a little entertained at the motley groupe in the carriage, which confifted of a member of congress (General Freylinghuyfen, one of the fenators of New-Jersey), two ladies, a young white woman, a negro-girl, a French emigrant, a Philadelphian, a couple of New-Englanders, and myfelf. The general, a fenfible, affable man, of mild and polite demeanour, was not inattentive to the reft of his fellow-travellers; no fupercilious air did he affume, to difcredit that rational equality the Americans alone are acquainted with, and judiciously know how to realize and practife. The NewEnglanders having feen much of their own country, contributed, by their communicative turn and liberality of opinions, largely to my amufement and information, and to beguile the paffing time: whilft poor Yarico, contented with her neighbours, looked perfectly happy, though filence humbly dwelt on her lips. During this, and other excursions in the midland-ftates, I noticed feveral kinds of birds, of various and beautiful plumage, peculiar to the North-American tinent, viz. the Virginian nightingale; the little yellow-bird, refembling the canary; the humming-bird, well known in the cabinets of our naturalifts for its minute form, and for the rich dyes and gloffy texture of its feathers; the mockbird, celebrated for its wonderful imitative powers of fong; the cat-bird, fo termed from the fimilarity of its shrill, and plaintive cry, to the domeftic animal of hat name; the American robin, larger than ours; and the blue variegated jay. The beautiful red-headed woodpecker is common to both countries. In rambling through the woods of America at this feafon, I was confirmed in the popular opinion, that their feathery fongftérs are neither fo numerous nor fo melodious, as in our more temperate clime; I had previoufly fuppofed this a mere national prejudice. Their cattle are inferior, in fize and beauty, to their relpective kinds in England, but they are faid to be much finer in the northern than in the other States; however, in Lancaster, and fome other counties of Pennfylvania, where the German and Irish farmers are fettled

(accounted the most induftrious and expert in the Union), confiderable improve

ments

332

Origin of "Jack o' the Green," &c. &c.

ments both in agriculture and the breed of cattle have been introduced. Swine in abundance are feen roaming about almoft every farm. Turkies, and a variety of other poultry are likewife common: the former are delicious eating, and abound both in their wild and domeftic ftate. As to game, I obferved very little of it, though plenty of wild-fowl. On approaching the capital, a more studied culture and increafing population were difcernible; but fill the fame unvarying level as before! nothing grand, or romantic, highly interefting, or picturefque, to awake the attention of the traveller: yet the foothing idea of confidering fo fine a portion of the globe under rapid improvement, and an admirable form of government, muft be highly-gratifying to every rational being. Imagination takes flight, foaring on the wings of futurity, and abforbed in wonder, loves to contemplate the great empire of Colum bia; a region spread far and wide, from the frozen St. Laurence to the Indian Miffiffippi, from the great Atlantic to the beautiful Ohio, and the vast continued chain of Lakes; the whole fertilized and peopled by an enlightened and innumerable race, emulating the wife Chinefe, emancipating the enflaved African, and exhibiting a noble example to the deluded European.

(To be continued.)

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

I Do not recollect that any thing has

been hitherto communicated in your valuable Magazine concerning the fublime art and fcience of Dancing! But, having lately witnessed, with no fmall amufement, the fprightly agility with which a rural dancing-mafter, at his ball, performed fome hornpipes, I could not for two or three days immediately fubfequent, hinder my fancy from running, every now and then, upon this fubject, even amid my moft erudite readings and ferious ftudies. In confequence of this, the following historical conjectures fuggefted themselves to me concerning "Jack o' the Green," "The King of Sweden's March," "Shan-Trews, or rather Sans-Trews;" three noted popular hornpipes of this country.

Thefe dances, with the mufic originally peculiar to each of them, are of French invention. They are as old as the first half of the last century. Their names were imposed in reference to events of the

famous German war which was termi nated by the peace of Weftphalia, in the year 1638.

It was the great Guftavus Adolphus, in honour of whom were compofed the dance and the tune mentioned in the first place above. He was the ally of France. The French exulted in the fuccefs of his arms. The Parifians were wont, in thofe days, even as now, to affociate the fame of all important public characters and events, in which they took an interest, with their lighteft and gayeft diverfions.

John de Werth, or Waerth, whofe name was by the French pronounced Jean de Verd, was a famous general who commanded the forces of Bavaria, and fought against France and Sweden in the fame German war. To the infinite terror of the Parifians, he, at one time, threatened to enter France with the army under his command, and to fack its capital. On the 2d of March, 1638, however, John de Werth, or Jean de Verd, was made prifoner by the duke of SaxeWeimar *, at the battle of Rhynfeld. He was soon after sent to Paris: and he remained for some time in confinement in the caftle of Vincennes. It was probably in their exultation over his defeat and captivity that the Parifians made the tune and the dance which they distinguished by his name. We may well believe the

musician or dancer who first introduced the one and the other into Britain, to have been illiterate enough not to difcern the abfurdity of tranflating Jean de Verd, in this inftance, Jack o' the Green.

Shan Trews, or rather, Sans Trews, the third of thefe dances, feems to me to be a name compounded of two different words, of which the firft is French-the fecond Scottish or German, if not old French. Its fignification is probably the fame as that of the well-known modern phrase of fans culottes. The dance, and the tune to which it belongs, were probably compofed in honour of the valour of the common foldiers in the fame Ger

man war.

The common name of hornpipes was, perhaps, firft given to these and various other dances, because the horn and the pipe were the mufical inftruments to which they were danced.

Thefe dances, and the correfpondent mufic, were introduced into Britain foon after the reftoration of Charles II. From the court and the circles of the great, they have at length found their

Hugonis Grotii Epiftola," 923. p. 408. way

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