THE 
 
 VISITOR. 
 
 By SEVERAL HANDS. 
 
 Published by 
 
 WILLIAM D O D D, M. A, 
 
 Chaplain in Ordinary to His MAJESTY. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for EDWARD and CHARLES DILLY, 
 in the Poultry, near the Manfion-Houfe. 
 
 M.DCC.LXIV.
 
 ;
 
 To the RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 GEORGE GRENVILLE, 
 
 Firft LORD of the TREASURY, 
 
 In grateful Acknowledgment of Favours 
 conferr'd, 
 
 i 
 And in juft Teftimony 
 
 To his Diftinguifhed Virtues, 
 Thefe VOLUMES are Infcribcd, 
 With all due Refpeft, 
 
 By his moft obliged 
 and devoted 
 humble Servant, 
 
 Weft-Ham, 
 
 The Editor. 
 7
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 "|V/f"O ST of the following efiays, under 
 *** the title of The Vifitor* made their 
 appearance in the Ledger * ; in which the 
 editor was induced to write, by a friend- 
 ly difpofition towards fome of thofe, who 
 firft embarked in that paper. It gave him 
 great pleafure, to find thefe pieces fo well 
 received by the public : For, as they were 
 principally upon ferious fubjects, he could 
 not fail to collect a good inclination to 
 fuch fubjects from that favourable recep- 
 tion. This rendered him the more ready 
 to comply with the follicitations of thofe 
 who defired to fee the Vifitor^ preferved in 
 volumes : efpecially, when he confidered 
 the debt he owed to thofe ingenious friends, 
 A 3 who 
 
 * In the years 1760, and 1761.
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 who had been fo kind as to afiift him in 
 the undertaking. Two volumes therefore 
 of felect papers are now prefented to the 
 reader ; moft of them upon ferious and 
 important topics, and fuch as the editor 
 flatters himfelf will repay attention. Yet, 
 that they might not be wholly devoid of 
 amufement, fome are admitted on enter- 
 taining fubje&s ; and the whole, it 'is** 
 hoped, will affo.rd the reader fatisfa- 
 ftion. The editor has the leTs doubt of* 
 it, when he recollects, which he' does * with 
 peculiar pleafure, the' ingenious friehds who 
 have lent him their arch, > fotrre f> of whom 
 he is not allowed to mention. Ic muft 
 be left to time, if haply thefe papers fhall 
 furvive, to point out their effays; Ic has' 
 been but lately difcovered that Lord" 
 Hard&icke Was a wViter in tire Speclaror. 
 The ancients never facrifi'cied to heroes, till ' 
 the fun was fet. 
 
 But
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 But tho* he may net mention fome, yet 
 he muft be permitted to inform the pub- 
 lic, that the very fprightly papers from 
 Selinm Seeker, were written by an amiable 
 young lady in the country, Mifs J n , 
 whofe lively pen conftitutes the lead part 
 of her excellence. Thofe marked with 
 the letter N. would, without any figna- 
 ture, have difcovered their judicious and 
 fenfible author, whofe compofitions would 
 do credit to any work, and muft be ac- 
 ceptable to every reader : the editor muft 
 always think himfelf peculiarly happy in 
 his friendihip, and rejoice to have any of 
 his works recommended by the joint la- 
 bours of fo diftinguifhed a writer. For 
 the papers figned T. we are obliged to 
 Mr. Thompfon^ than whom few men think 
 more deeply, or more juftly : the editor's 
 worthy friend, the Rev<*. and ingenious 
 Mr. Duncombe, claims the paper figned 
 
 Crito :
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 Crito : and to Dr. L , he is obliged 
 
 for many ufeful hints, and the papers 
 marked H. and S. Of the reft, generally 
 fpeaking, thofe without fignatures, as well 
 as thofe figned M. were written by the 
 editor j who, in this enumeration of his 
 friends, muft not with-hold from Mr. 
 C of Upton, that tribute which is juilly 
 due for his good afiiftance, and for the 
 kind part he has taken in this publica- 
 tion. Let the fuccefs of which be what 
 it may, the editor will always enjoy a 
 heart-felt pleafure in the reflection, that 
 his endeavours, however feeble, are fin- 
 cerely and uniformly exerted in the caufe 
 of virtue and religion : that he dirTufes 
 no malignant poifon to difturb the peace 
 of the community or of individuals : that 
 vice and folly are the only objects of his 
 hate or ridicule: and that the great wifti 
 of his heart, and, he trufts, the main end 
 
 of
 
 ADVERTISEMENT." 
 
 of his life, is to be, and to do good to 
 the utmoft limits of his little power. 
 
 N. B. The paper figned J. B. Senex, 
 was received by the poft, from an un- 
 known correfpondent. 
 
 THE
 
 THE 
 
 VISITOR. 
 
 NUMBER I. 
 
 By PHILANTHROPY CANDID, Efq; 
 
 Pro-dare Socrates, bane <viam ad glcriam proximarn^ * 
 et quafe compendiariam dicthat effe, ft quis id agerety 
 ut qualif haberi i-ellet, talis tffet. CICERO. 
 
 WALKING in my garden the other 
 morning, and amufing myfelf with the 
 pleafures of rural privacy, 
 
 'Marking bow fprittg 
 jl/y tended plants ; 
 
 How nature paints her colours ; btni: the bit 
 Sits on the bloom y extracting liquid fi 
 
 I was interrupted in the delightful employ by 
 the approach of two gentlemen who had ftolea 
 upon me before I was aware, my worthy friend 
 Mr. ManyflxetS) the bookfeller, and his coadju- 
 tor, Mr. Fairtype^ the printer. " Welcome, 
 gentlemen, quoth I j what hath brought- you 
 from the bufy world and the buftle of trade to 
 {his fequeftered vale, this filent abode of retire- 
 . V r OL. I. B meht
 
 2 THE VISITOR. N i. 
 
 ment and folitude ?" They bowed and they 
 fmiled : " Sir, we have taken the liberty to pay 
 cur refpefts to you : we have long had a dcfire 
 to vifit Candour-ball^ of which we have heard fo 
 often, and fo much : though we find it, indeed, 
 a place of greater elegance and pleafure than 
 we even imagined. Blefs us, what a charming 
 Profpecl ! how beautiful the Garden ! and the 
 Houfe, why it is very noble, though it feems fome- 
 what antient." " Somewhat antient truly, 
 gentlemen ; it hath been the feat of our family 
 time immemorial. Do you chufe to enjoy with 
 me the air and the garden, or fhall I have the 
 pleafure to conduit you within doors ?" " As 
 you pleafe, Sir j but poflibly our Bufmefs," faid 
 Mr. Fairtype : " Your bufmefs, gentlemen 
 not a word of that, I hope, in this place, which 
 is devoted to other purpofes. You have left 
 your bufmefs behind, I trow, in the city." 
 " Why Sir, to fay the truth, it was bufinefs which 
 brought us down hither Pardon us, good Sir 
 but we are petitioners" And then they both 
 removed their Hats once more from their Heads, 
 bowed fomewhat more low thanatfirft, and fmiled 
 fomewhat more expreflively. " Nay, gentlemen, 
 your hats I pray to their proper places ; not a word 
 of bufmefs or petitions, or ought befides, till that 
 be done Well, and now then for this fame pe- 
 tition." " Why, Sir, the LEDGER" " True, 
 quoth I, the LEDGER is a very good and ufe- 
 
 ful
 
 N i. T H E V I S I T O R. 3 
 
 ful paper ; I take it in, and value it much. This 
 declaration of rny real fentiments, I foon found, 
 gave them high delight : we touched the right 
 ftring ; for again they bowed, again they fmiled, 
 and expreft a vaft opinion of my wifdom and 
 fagacity. " But, Sir, faid they, you could ferve 
 the LEDGER ftill more than by your good 
 wifhes: you have a pen, Sir - I am fure I 
 would take great care to be very correct:, faid 
 Mr. Fairtype : and as for me, obferved my good 
 friend the bookfeller, I would keep the name of 
 the author a moft profound fecret j and I can 
 keep a fecret, let me afTure you, Sir ; and more- 
 over, when you had written as many ejjays as 
 you pleafe, I would be careful to reduce them 
 to elegant volumes." 
 
 The matter thus opened, half the work was 
 done ; and I fhall not indulge my readers cu- 
 riofity with the multifarious excufes and diffi- 
 culties urged by myfelf, againft engaging in the 
 propofed defign. Suffice it to add, that the back- 
 filler and printer got the vidtory over the author ; 
 at this who will wonder ? and drew from me 
 a promife to furnifh 0ut lucubrations at my lei- 
 fure, for the emolument of the public', or in other 
 words, for the private profit of their well-plan- 
 ned paper the Ledger ; in which, it feems, my 
 learned and wife labours are to ftage themfelves 
 to the general eye. 
 
 V* 
 
 B 2 But
 
 4 T H E V I S I T O R. N i. 
 
 But after the whole affair was well nigh fet- 
 tled, two things occurred, which were pregnant 
 witH difficulties; and which indeed we hardly 
 fur mounted. The title of our paper in general, 
 and the fubjeft of our firft number. Mr. Many- 
 Jheets was of opinion, that a good title was of in- 
 finite confequence : he feemed to fuggeft that a 
 good title was even 'better than good matter. 
 FOJ^ faid he ; a good title will often carry through 
 bad matter : whereas a bad title often mars and 
 damns the beft matter upon earth. We were 
 extremely uneafy upon finding almoft every title y 
 however infignificant, ufurped by our predecef- 
 fors of immortal memory ; and Mr. Fairtype 
 pufhed back his peruke with much chagrin and 
 in gloomy filence, to find not 9nly the author 
 but the bookfelkr pofed. At length, " Gentle- 
 men, quoth I, the incident of yo^r coming hi- 
 ther will furnifh a title. From you, my good 
 vlfttorS) call we our paper the VISITOR" " An 
 excellent hint verily," quoth Mr. F all-type ; his 
 eyes fparkling with pleafurc. " Under this title, 
 continued I, we may convey our fentiments 
 with propriety enough ; and not be out of our 
 way, whether we vifit public or private life; 
 whether we attend th.e court or the city ; the 
 camp or the ftage-j the church or the conven- 
 ticle ; the chamber of forrow, the focial fire- 
 fide, or even the fhop of the bookfeller." 
 
 But
 
 N e i. THE V I;S I T O R. 5 
 
 " But for the firft ; number ; all the world will 
 form their judgment frm the firft number." 1 
 " Nay, then, replied I ; they will furely do 
 wrong. The family of the Candids never a<f 
 thus. But be fatisfied oi) that head. I am re- 
 folved refpe&ing the matter. I will take a ftep 
 different from all my brother writers in this way, 
 A bold attempt it may fecm, but not therefore 
 lefs pleafing. You were kind enough, Mr. 
 Manyjheets^ to promife inviolable fecrecy. Sir, 
 we will not defire it. I will put my name to 
 our paper, and our firft number fhall contain 
 fome account of myfelf. Other fjjayijh may 
 ftudy to conceal themfelves ; and with mighty 
 art fhroud themfelves in darknefs from the 
 public, that they may break out at length 
 into fudden and fhining celebrity. We will be 
 more ingenuous. You arc welcome to my J' 
 and I flatter myfelf it will not difTerve your pa- 
 per." Of all the bows hitherto given, on this 
 occafion I received by far the loweft. " Oh ! 
 to be fure, they jointly obferved ; to be fure a 
 real name is of the utmoft ufe ; and then, Sir, 
 a gentleman like you, of fuch fortune, family, 
 and reputation : we can never exprefs fufficiently 
 our obligations." " But, Sir, what if you was 
 to be fo kind : you have a ready pen we can 
 amufe ourfelves here in the garden : it will not 
 take above half an hour : and we fhould b^ 
 mighty glad to convey home with us the firft 
 B 3
 
 T H E V I S I T O R. N c r. 
 
 i that we might (hew it our partners ; and 
 begin as foon as may be. \Ve prefume on your 
 goodnefs, Sir j but we hope you will not find 
 us ungrateful." 
 
 I was once again overcome by the impor- 
 tunity of thefe gentlemen, and left them in the 
 garden, while I retired to my ftudy, with an in- 
 tention to write fome account of myfclf and my 
 family : but falling infenfibly into an introduc- 
 tion, after I had written two or three pages, 
 my two friends, rather keen with impatience, 
 rame gently tapping at my door, to enquire, 
 how it flowed ? " Oh ! well, very well, gentle- 
 men, replied I ; enter and hear." Upon which 
 I read to them, what hath gone before, and 
 ' Behold, faid I, an unexpeded firft E/ay 
 Take it and print it, and tell the public that 
 our next (hall contain a proper hiftory of the 
 author, with whofe family it hath always been a 
 rule " to read with attention : to weigh with- 
 out prejudice : to be deliberate in decifion : for- 
 ward to approve, flow to condemn : fince teme- 
 rity in cenfure indicates at once weakncfs of 
 judgment, and want of candour." Whilft not 
 only for an author^ but for all mankind, my fa- 
 ther ufed to obferve, in the words of the wri- 
 ter, prefixed to this effay, that " the fureft and 
 fhorreft way to fame, was always to endeavour 
 really tq be, what you wifh, to be (/Itemed." 
 
 This
 
 NO 2. T H E V I S I T O R. 7 
 
 This faid, they feized my paper : and behold, 
 gentle reader, it waiteth upon thee, with all 
 due deference : courting a favourable reception, 
 from thy benignity and politenefs. 
 
 NUMBER II. 
 
 By PHILANTHROPY CANDID, Efqj 
 
 Frie?i(l t parent, xei^bbour, Jirfi it -ivil? embrace : 
 H:s country next ; and next all human race : 
 Wide and more wide tfi' o'fr/lmvjrtgt of the mind, 
 Takes every creature in, of every kind : 
 Earth f miles around, <iu:th boundlefs bounty bleft ', 
 And heaij'n beholds its image in his Irtaft. 
 
 POPE, 
 
 THOUGH k is a maxim of prudence to. 
 fpeak little, if at all, of ourfelvesj yet \vc 
 find a ftrange propcnfity in huma.i creatures to- 
 indulge this fubjeft, and to make their-felves- 
 * c the little heroes of a tale." Moralifts, and 
 poifibly with much truth, have attributed this 
 practice to no very commendable motive. And 
 I, who am not unconfcious under what predica- 
 ment it is clafled, mould the rather for that 
 reafon, perhaps, be ftudious to avoid it. But 
 the honourable teftimony, which my own heart 
 bears me, of my perfect freedom froSii that dif- 
 ingcnwous motive, nay, my certain aliurance of 
 B 4 the
 
 8 THE VISITOR. N 2, 
 
 the influence of a principle diametrically oppb- 
 fite, renders me regardlefs of a cenfure, which 
 I cannot deferve ; as I fpeak of myfelf, only 
 with a view to advantage others. Without fur- 
 ther preface then, I proceed according to my 
 promife in the former paper. 
 
 Among the laft inftru&ions given me by my 
 good father, full well do I bear the following 
 in mind : " my dear Phil, (faid he) the honour 
 of our houfe will very foon devolve upon you ; 
 it has been my care to fupport it : and my po- 
 iterity, I flatter myfelf, will have no caufe to 
 condemn me. As to temporals, you will find 
 the eftate improved - 3 and Candour-hall you are 
 fenfible is in decent repair. As therefore you 
 wiil have the lefs engagements on thefe accounts, 
 you will be able to attend more circumfpetly to 
 fuch things as immediately concern the reputa- 
 tion of our houfe. It is no fmall pleafure to 
 me, that the very fight and repetition of your 
 names will at all times remind you of your dutyj 
 and fuggeft the relation ysu bear to mankind. 
 Adi: agreeably to it and be happy. Confider 
 yourfelf as a citizen of the world ; and deem no- 
 thing which regards humanity undeferving your 
 notice. Active in the caufe of virtue, fhew vice 
 her deformity in the mirror of your own amiable 
 practice j and rather ftrive thus to force her, 
 covered with fhame, into the (hades of darknefs 
 and oblivion 3 than to combat her with the 
 
 weapons
 
 N'2. THE VISITOR. 9 
 
 weapons of morofe feverity, and to endanger 
 yourfelf in the rough plain of malevolent harfh- 
 nefs. I would not have you by any means, for- 
 get either the family of your mother, or the 
 chriftirfn name which your grandfather was 
 pleafed to give me : for an attention to thefe 
 will at all times properly direft your conduct, 
 and keep your veflel clear of any extremes." 
 
 My father's chriftian name was 'Judgment ,and 
 well had he merited the appellation, even if it 
 had not been involuntarily impofed upon him in 
 infancy : his whole life manifefled the moft ju- 
 dicious conduct ; and the family of the Candids* 
 through his wife meafures, rofe much in eftecnu 
 But never, in my opinion, and I believe in his 
 own, did he more fignally difcover that cardinal 
 excellence in the human mind, than when he 
 made choice of the lady, whom I am fo happy 
 as to call mother, for the partner of his heart 
 and bed. She was the eldeft daughter of aa 
 ancient family, which has lived generally in near 
 neighbourhood, and great friend/hip with our 
 own : the name of the family is Cbrylotis ; and 
 the name is well known, though of Englifh 
 found, to be derived originally from a Greek 
 word (Xpii'Tc'K) which feems to exprefs pretty 
 nearly what we mean, by the word g;od-na':iyj : 
 and indeed, as if their name influenced their 
 manners, they are commonly calkd, and uni- 
 13 5 verfally
 
 io T H E V I S I T O R. N a 2. 
 
 verfally known by the title, (a truly honourable 
 one) of " the good-natured family" 
 
 I cannot attempt to give any defcription of 
 my mother. Figure to yourfelf the faireft and 
 beft-natured nymph you know or ever faw, and 
 it may give you fome idea of her. Nay, rather 
 figure to yourfelf beauty and good-nature in a fe- 
 male form, and that is fhe. In her twentieth year 
 my father unloofed her virgin zone, and I was 
 the much-loved fon of their firft embraces. My 
 good old grandfather, who had fome peculiari- 
 ties, infifted upon giving me my name ; and ac- 
 cordingly, by his appointment, I was called 
 Philanthropy : " for, faid he, from the happy 
 union of Judgment and Good-nature^ the nobleflr 
 humanity, the moft unaffected candour, and the 
 moft rational love of man will proceed." Thus 
 my worthy anceftor prognofticated. 
 
 The tendernefs of my parents fuffered them 
 to omit nothing which they conceived likely to 
 advance my happinefs or utility : and that affec- 
 tionate, yet wife fondnefs, which they conti- 
 nually difcovered, fo wrought upon my mind, 
 that the ties of nature were foon ftrengthened 
 by the approbation of rcafon ; and my judgment 
 behe'd wilh the highcft reverence and efteem, 
 thofe whom my heart loved with the moft en- 
 dearing affection. 
 
 At the qfual age I was admitted a member of 
 y Allege in Oxford , to which body, for
 
 N 2. T H E V I S I T O R. rr 
 
 many years, our family hath been attached ; and 
 for a reafon, (as we have a tradition amongft us) 
 to the foundnefs of which I will not by any 
 means fubfcribe ; but as it feems it was the no- 
 tion of one of my forefathers, who preferred 
 that college for its name; and conceived it more 
 adapted to the genius of our family, than any of 
 private appellation. " For I, (faid he) accord- 
 ing to the motto of my arms, profefs inyfelf en-is 
 tnundl : and Univerfity college agrees well with a. 
 citizen of the ivorld^ and an inhabitant of Can~ 
 dour-ball" In confcquence, however, of the 
 old gentleman's choice, this is become our fa- 
 mily college ; and thither have I lately fent my 
 nephew ; who, by the way, will be ufeful, if 
 in our future lucubrations we fliall think fit to 
 vifit that feat of the mufes. 
 
 Having rimmed my ftudies there, my parents, 
 though reluctantly, indulged my ftrong deiiru 
 of travel ; and with a worthy, and ingenious 
 clergyman, who now makes me happy with his 
 company, and whom I have preferred to the re- 
 ctory of my parifh, I made the grand tour, and 
 furveyed foreign countries: not without fome 
 ufeful attention, I hope, as well to the men and 
 the manners, as to the ruins, pictures, wild 
 beafts, and burning mountains, &c. Much is 
 due to my prudent companion, for wluit im- 
 provement I made, during my abfence from 
 home : and it is not improbable, but he may b 
 13 6 per-
 
 1-2 THE VISITOR. N2. 
 
 perfuaded, if his parochial duties will admit, to 
 favour me with an eflay now and th.en, which 
 I am fure will be much to the fatisfa6Hon of 
 my readers. 
 
 , The illnefs of my honoured father haftened 
 my return from abroad fooner than I intended. 
 He lived to fee me, but furvived not long after. 
 I was then obliged to enter into a new fcene of 
 life : and, at the follicitation of my mother, 
 who ardently wifhed to fee me fettled, I paid 
 wiy addrefles to a neighbouring young lady, who 
 gave me her hand, and became 
 
 My life's companion , and my fefter friend ; 
 
 miftrefs of. my heart, and wife of my choice : 
 with whom I have now pafied feveral years of 
 i'erene felicity; but of whom I fhall fay no 
 more at prefent, as poffibly my fair readers may 
 bear of her hereafter. 
 
 it is my pleafure to reflect, that I have hap- 
 pily maintained thus far the credit of our fa* 
 mily ; and it may be faid, I believe, with fome 
 truth, that our houfe was never in greater re- 
 putation than -in this age. We have had in- 
 deed, like mofl other families, ftrange vicifli- 
 tudes and much variety. Sometimes Candour" 
 hall hath been as it were defected and depopu- 
 lated, and the very walls almoft rafcd to the 
 ground. Again it hath reared its head j and 
 the antient fabric, at prefect, under my fa- 
 ther's
 
 Na. THE VISITOR. 13 
 
 ther's care and my own, looks tolerably neat 
 and ftrong. My elcieft fon, a promifmg boy, 
 often tells me, that, if he furvives me, he will 
 beautify and decorate it ftill more highly. 
 
 Though I always fpend fome of the winter 
 months in town with my family, yet my prin- 
 cipal refidence is at my feat in the country : and 
 a? my diftance from London is not great, and 
 my gates are always open to my friends, I am 
 feldom difgufted with the wearinefs of folitudc, 
 happy as I am in the frequent vifits and very en- 
 tertaining converfe of the moft worthy and the 
 moft inftructive. Perfonages of every rank are 
 kind enough to pay a regard to me : many 
 noble lords of high distinction are fond of vi- 
 fiting Candour-hall; and indeed fome of them 
 have done me the honour to fuggeft fome very 
 valuable improvements of the edifice ; as have 
 alfo fome right reverend and refpe&able bijhops, 
 as well as others of the clergy, whofe vifits are 
 always particularly acceptable to me, and I am 
 never better pleafed, than when they will in- 
 dulge me with an hour's familiar chat in my 
 fhidy. To fay the truth, I am fond to culti- 
 vate their acquaintance, as their enemies, as 
 v/ell as the enemies of our family, have fom'e- 
 times reprofented them as no great friends to 
 our houfe : but my prefent experience fully con- 
 futes all fuch invidious fuggeltions. 
 
 Thefe
 
 14 THE VISITOR. N 2. 
 
 Thefe connexions render me no ftranger to 
 what pafles in the great or fmaller world ; in 
 the more retired walks of mufing fcience ; or 
 the more thronged haunts of a&ive bufmefs* 
 Hence the labours of the learned are before me, 
 as well as the fchemes of the benevolent. Each 
 of which I am always forward to encourage - y 
 and my reader *nuft have noted, that no public 
 a& of general good can be pointed out, in which 
 I am not a very principal perfon concerned. I 
 muft be allowed to mention two particularly 
 wherein I have been an efpecial inftrument ; and 
 which I mentkm with the more fatisfac~tion, as 
 they have met with fuch general approbation-. 
 Philanthropy Candid will be found a diftinguifh- 
 cd promoter of the fubfcriptions for the relief of 
 the French prifoners^ and for the affifting our^-ff/- 
 lant countrymen abroad. Indeed it was moved to 
 make me chairman and treasurer in both thofe 
 committees ; but I declined it, as I like not that 
 kind of popularity. I love to do good, let who 
 will run away with the honvur of it. 
 
 The difpofitions which I have received from 
 the care of my parents, are fuch, that as I en- 
 joy myfelf the greateft blifs and compofure of 
 foul ; fo my fincereft defire, and my moft zea- 
 lous endeavour is, to difFufe the ferenity I 
 fhare, and to augment, all I may, the feli- 
 city of thofe, whom I have ever been taught to 
 efteem as men, as brethren 3 and as fellow crea- 
 tures, P. S.
 
 N 3 . THE VISITOR. j 5 
 
 P. S. I muft beg my reader to bear In mind, 
 that a certain writer, who has affumed the name 
 of our family in a late work, hath grievoufly 
 impofed upon the public ; for I cannot find, by 
 tracing his pedigree, that he is at all allied to 
 our boufe ; nay, I think, I may fay, with great 
 fafety, that there is not one drop of the blood 
 of the Candids in the Optimift. I take him to be 
 of a meagre French family, very four and mifan- 
 thropic. 
 
 NUMBER III. 
 
 To tie VISITOR. 
 
 Their various labours they fujlaitt, 
 A decent competence for age to raife, 
 And then retire luith indolence and eafe. 
 
 FRANCIS'S HORACE. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 TW O philofophers there were, in the an- 
 tient world, who contemplating Life, in 
 different points of view, expreft in a very diffe- 
 rent manner, their fentiments : the one ever 
 laughing at the egregious follies of man ; the 
 other, with greater humanity, as it feems, de- 
 claring his forrow for their vices, by continual 
 weeping. Every day prefents us occafions, ei- 
 ther for fympathifing with the grief, or partak- 
 "ing the merriment of thefe phiJofophers. To 
 
 the
 
 16 THE VISITOR,- N 3.- 
 
 the contemplative eye nothing appears more ex- 
 traordinary or irrational than the conduct and 
 purfuit of tfyofe who are fo proud of their ratio- 
 nality. As a moralift, you propofe to confider and 
 to correct thefe abfurdities, we prefume. And 
 with this view, I beg leave to point out a gla- 
 ring defect, which placed as I am, in a country 
 retirement, ftrikes me with greater force, than 
 it can thofe of you, who traverfe the crowded 
 ftreets of the vaft metropolis. Your paper * too, 
 calculated principally for 'the advantage of com- 
 merce, and peculiarly dedicated, as .1 conceive, 
 to the fervice of the trading world, 'will be the 
 moft proper vehicle to convey my remarks, and 
 may be a means, perhaps, to bring them before 
 their eyes, whom moft they concern. 
 
 For the object I have in view, is what men 
 commonly call country retirement : retirement from 
 bufmefs : a matter doubtlefs highly neceflary, un- 
 der proper reftrictions. But it is to be queftion- 
 ed, whether, as too commonly conducted, it 
 may not prove a delufive phantom, feducing men 
 under the falfe glare of happinefs, into much 
 mifcry and difquietude. Every man, endued 
 with rational faculties, was certainly defigned 
 by the fovereign creator, to fill up fome ftation, 
 and to difcharge fome duties in life. It is in- 
 cumbent upon every man, to act agreeable to 
 this opinion; and in whatever rank he is ftation- 
 ed, honourably to fulfil the obligations of his 
 
 place, 
 * Alluding to the LeJger.
 
 N 3 . THE VISITOR. 17 
 
 place. But as man owes a duty, fuperior to all 
 merely worldly refpects, to himfelf and his eter- 
 nal interests, there can be no doubt, but a fea- 
 fonable retirement upon all proper occasions is 
 indifpenfably requilite : and towards the clofe of 
 life, when a man has done his bufmefs, if I may 
 fo fay, there is no reafon, why he ihould not 
 be difmified from the public ftage, for the better 
 ordering his private and moft important con- 
 cerns. 
 
 When :i man retires with this view, and de-? 
 dicates the remains of exiftence to the retrofpeifc 
 of paft life ; to the ferious review of former 
 tranfactions : to the fervice of God, in rational 
 piety, the improvement of his mind, and the 
 preparation of his foul for that tremendous fu* 
 turity which, alarming thought, is eternal ! 
 When thefe purpofes, and thefe refolutions lead 
 a man from the hurry and tumult of the world, 
 to the calm and quiet fcenes of privacy and 
 contemplation, we hefitate not to pronounce 
 fuch a retirement as honourable, as it is ufeful ; 
 fubfervient to the beft intereft of rational crea- 
 tures, and productive of the happieft confe- 
 quences. 
 
 But alas ! how rarely is this the cafe : how fel- 
 dom do we find retirement fought upon thefe prin- 
 ciples ! Every man isbufied and toiling with this 
 end in view, " at length to be quiet, to leave oft" 
 -bufmefs, and enjoy himfelf." Amid it the nura-i 
 
 bers-
 
 i8 THE VISITOR. N> 
 
 bers that are fatally deceived, and for ever pre- 
 vented from executing their procraftinated pur- 
 pofes ; fome are fortunate enough, as they deem 
 it, to attain the defired end j and fatisfied with 
 gain and with public engagements, they re- 
 linguifh the latter, to reap in rural felicities the 
 fweet conveniencies of the former. The ne- 
 cefiary hurry of removal, fitting up the coun- 
 try-houfe, planning the little garden, contriving 
 the rails tout Cbinefe, and erecting the fummer- 
 houfe, by way of fmoaking-room, in the Gothic 
 tafte : thefe and the like weighty concerns ferve 
 well at firft to engage the attention, and nothing 
 is fo charming as the country ! Oh ! how happy, 
 and how excellent a thing is retirement ! But 
 foon the fairy vilion vanifhes ; there is no more 
 to be done ; and the poor man is left to all the 
 vacuity of an uncultivated mind j unaccuftomed 
 to reflection, a ftranger to mental enjoyments,, 
 and reflective thought ; equally infipid to ru- 
 ral employments, and diverfions, he begins to 
 feel the heavy load of himfelf ; and wonders,, 
 whence it comes, that with every means and 
 with the full purpofe of happinefs, he is not, he 
 cannot be happy. To kill poor time is now the 
 grand object of his wifhes. But time moves 
 flower, while he is moft earneftly wiflied to 
 quicken his even pace. 
 
 Behold ! this mafler of himfelf fleeps, and 
 irifes, walks, and yauns, and cats, and drinks 
 
 and
 
 N' 3 . THE VISITOR. 19 
 
 and yauns and fleeps, and rifes and walks. 
 Oh ! what a comfort to him is your PublU 
 Ledger and fuch faithful intelligencers, over 
 which he may dofe away the tedious hour. 
 What a comfort every lazy, idle neighbour like 
 himfelf: but above all, what a comfort, the 
 club, and the fortunate houfe of entertainment 
 near him ! yet all this is inefficient. The 
 void ftill remains : and amidft the wonder at 
 his want of comfort, Death comes haftily on ; 
 and he is forced from the ftage, before he has 
 learned how to live properly upon it. 
 
 My old neighbour and acquaintance Jerry 
 Love-the-flefh is full in my view, while I write. 
 Alas, poor Jerry : It is but a few days fince we 
 attended him to the grave, (a place of all others 
 Jerry liked the leaft :) and that after having en- 
 joyed him amongft us but a fhort time. Fifty 
 years had our honeft friend trod the walks of 
 trade, and with a very fair character amafTod 
 his thoufands. But as his bufinefs lay fome- 
 what in the drinking way, he had been un- 
 happy enough to treafure up fome unpleafant 
 diforders too which lying a little hard upon 
 him, Jerry opened his mind to his wife ; and 
 told her, that as they had no children, he re- 
 folved to leave off bufinefs and retire. His 
 wife felt much uneafinefs of confcience to leave 
 fo good a bufinefs : efpecially as they had no 
 " friends or relations to put into it ; however, 
 
 under
 
 20 THE VISITOR. N 3. 
 
 under the fmiling hope of being a country lady, 
 at length (he gave her confent. 
 
 Jerry had but one difturbing qualm : and 
 that was, quitting the honour and dignity, 
 and the feafls of the common council : for 
 he had arrived at admiffion into that re- 
 fpechble body. A fevere fit of illnefs at length, 
 after long delays, fixed the refolution. And 
 now behold Jerry and his wife handfomely 
 dreft, in the country church, for the firft time, 
 in order to give their neighbours notice, that 
 they faw company. The company came, and 
 the vifits were returned. But the returns again 
 were flow. The days hung heavy. Only for- 
 tunately for Jerry, a good public houfe was di- 
 ftant about half a mile, known well by many 
 worthy Cits, by the celebrated fign of the Cat 
 and Bagpipes. Thither Jerry retired, foon as 
 breakfaft was done, to read the news j thither 
 retired Jerry, foon as dinner was over, to fmoke 
 his afternoon pipe : ever fweet and charming to 
 his ear was a call to the Cat and Bagpipes ; 
 there to live uid die was Jerry's utmoft wim. 
 Nothing but the little tittle tattle of the village, 
 and his own wealth and importance filled Jerry's 
 mind or dwelt on his tongue, and having for 
 near two years thus enjoyed the fweets of re- 
 tirement, at length, amidft a complication of 
 diforders, our worthy neighbour departed ; and 
 left no vacuity in any man's wilhes or any man's 
 hopes, Refleft
 
 N'4- THE VISITOR. 21 
 
 Reflect upon fuch retirement, and lament. I 
 forbear to purfue the fubjeft : perhaps upon an- 
 other occafion, if you'll permit me, I- may (hew 
 the neccflity of better retirement : and I have 
 fome pleafure in obferving, that I can give you 
 in a worthy friend, a perfect example of fuch a 
 retreat from the world, as becomes a man and a 
 (hrJJJian. 
 
 I am, Sir, yours fincerely, 
 
 H. 
 
 NUMBER IV. 
 
 To the VISITOR. 
 
 See from his mother earth God's 
 
 And eat his bread in peace and privacy. 
 
 MASON. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 A Genius, like Hooker's (for the faying 
 verfified by the excellent poet above, was 
 that great man's), fuch a genius might well 
 relifli the privacy of retirement, and the walks 
 of folitude. Self-furnifhed, he could never want 
 a fund of contemplation : and his mind, like 
 a fountain ever flowing, yet never exhaufted, 
 muft have fupplied him with a perennial 
 fource of intelle&ual gratifications. But how 
 4 few
 
 THE VISITOR, NO 4. 
 
 Few are form'd like him for retirement; and 
 what a contrail to the feclufion of fuch a man 
 from the world is the dereliction of public life 
 and labour, which we made honourable mention 
 of, under the fan&ion of Mr. Love- the- flefh's 
 example ? Few need live long in the world, ef- 
 pecially in our part of it, and want inftances of 
 miftaken retirement like Jerry's. But what then ? 
 Shall we -feclude the toilfome tradefman from the 
 view of that which animates every endeavour, 
 and draw a fable veil over that fparkling hope, 
 which fo brightly gilds the gloom of his deepeft 
 perplexity ? Far be fuch a malevolent attempt 
 from us. Rather let us wifh to lead him from 
 delufive profpe&s to real pofleflion ; and to con- 
 duct him from a flattering hope to a fubftantial 
 enjoyment. 
 
 Retirement then, we hefitate not to pro- 
 nounce, is not only commendable, but highly ne- 
 cefiary : but that retirement muft be entered upon 
 with proper motives, in proper time, and with 
 proper means, in order to give the happinefs, to 
 confer the profit, expected from it. 
 
 If a man's motive for retirement be folely to 
 indulge fenfual gratifications, and to enjoy the 
 luxury of wealth and of indolence : to feparate 
 himfelf from the bufinefs, the better to purfue 
 the pleafures of the world; he acts a part unwor- 
 thy a rational being, and degrades himfelf from 
 the rank of an ufeful member of fociety, to that 
 
 of
 
 N 4- THE VISITOR. 23 
 
 of an encumbering, ufelefs excrefcence, deform- 
 ing the body. But, when confcious of his de- 
 pendant ftate, and future expectances, when 
 awakened to a ferious regard for immortal con- 
 cerns ; and convinced, that the hurry of the 
 world, and the tumult of unwearied application 
 to earthly attachments, much indifpofe the mind 
 from proper attention to divine confiderations ; 
 when moved by fach reflections, a man refolves 
 to quit the public ftage, and to retire, that he 
 may gain a better knowledge of himfelf, his God 
 and his duty ; the refolution is as noble, as the 
 performance of it will be happy ; and every- 
 thing, that can dignify human nature, rifes up 
 at once to advife and applaud it. 
 
 But before even fuch a man enters upon the new 
 fcene ; fequefters himfelf from the thronged walks 
 of bufmefs, and covers himfelf in the embrown'd 
 ftate of obfcurity ; let me advife, that he firft 
 explore his own difpofition ; that he firft make 
 a trial of himfelf; and for fome weeks, in order 
 thereto, let him leave the world, and dedicate 
 himfelf to his intended folitude. Perhaps this 
 trial may convince him, that he did not well 
 know himfelf ; that he hath not a fufficient fund 
 of felf-fatisfying reflection ; nor a fufficient re- 
 lifh for rural occupations to dhTipate the lan- 
 guor of lonelinefs j to avert the wearjnefs of 
 vacuity. 
 
 Happy
 
 4 THE VISITOR, N* .4. 
 
 Happy in the knowledge, he may prevent the 
 ill confequences, which would have arifen from 
 a too hafty ftep ; and by retaining fome connec- 
 tions with the world, which may ferve to occupy 
 a degree of regard and of time, he may reap all 
 the pJeafures of retirement, while he is diverted 
 from no valuable purpofe, by the indifpcnfable 
 incumbrances of large worldly connections. 
 
 And this perhaps is the beft method for thofe 
 gentlemen to purfue, who have all their life long 
 been engaged in the hurry of commerce, and the 
 frequency of bufmcfs. Sure I am it is the beft 
 method for the generality of them to purfue ; 
 whofe minds, unaccuftomed to a continuity o* 
 reflection, nay, and on many accounts incapable 
 of it, will foon grow torpid and muddy ; and 
 caufe them either to fly to the relief of drinking, 
 or to fink in uneafy melancholy. But if, while 
 with rational attention they feek retirement, 
 they retain at the fame time fome attachments, 
 which may engrofs fuch a regard, more or lefs, a.s 
 they (hall find themfelves difpofed to give j they 
 may, with good grounds, expect the beft fruits 
 from their feceflion ; and may hope, that felf-re- 
 flection will become every day more pleafmg and 
 more profitable. 
 
 As we would wifti to fee men retire with fuch 
 views, fo we think that they (hould not too long 
 delay the defign : life is fhort, and the bufmefs 
 we have to do in it great and important j and of 
 
 fuch
 
 S T V 4. .THE VISITOR. 25 
 
 fuch a nature, that if it be left undone here, we 
 are ruined irretrievably. What will it avail us, 
 to defer our purpofe another and another year, 
 till we have gained fuch a fum, or effected fuch 
 a worldly fcheme ? Have we enough to fupply 
 our own wants, to furnifh our families with every 
 neceflary means of well-being; we are more 
 wealthy than princes : indulging the defire of 
 more, is only indulging a difeafe, which the 
 more it is fed, the more it-encreafes. Befides, 
 there is fomething ungenerous in confecrating 
 the remains of a ruined conftitution and flutter- 
 ed health to the deity, while we have been dedi- 
 cating all our youth and ftrength to the fervice 
 of the world. 
 
 Miftake me not, as if I fuppofed, a man 
 could not live in the world, and ferve his maker 
 fmcerely : far be fuch a fuggeftion from me. I 
 am convinced of the contrary by pleafing expe- 
 rience ; l)ut I am reafoning in refpecl of one, 
 who has too much neglected that great concern, 
 and has retirement now in view, on that account 
 principally. And fuch we would by all means 
 exhort not to defer too long the important pur- 
 pofe ; but while yet the mind retains its vigour, 
 and the body its health, let them by all means, 
 if they wifh to improve retirement, haften to its 
 {hades, and lay before them the ferious plan of 
 themfelves, of the end of their being, and the 
 means to attain it ; and with due application fet 
 
 VOL. I, C them-
 
 26 THE VISITOR. N 4. 
 
 themfelves to the earneft practice of thofe vir- 
 tues, which will render their grand Retirement 
 from the world lefs painful and perplexing. 
 
 " It is this (fays the excellent Dr. Sherlock} 
 which makes retirement from the world fo necef- 
 fary, and fo ufeful j not merely to eafe our bodily 
 labours, and to get a little reft from bufmefs, to 
 dififolve in floth and idlenefs, or to wander about 
 to feek a companion, or to hear news, or to talk 
 politics, or to find out fome way to fpend time, 
 which now lies upon our hands, and is more un- 
 'cafy and troublefome to us than bufmefs was. 
 This is a more dangerous ftate, and does more 
 jndifpofe us for a happy death, than all the cares 
 and troubles of an active life : but we muft re- 
 tire from, this world to have more leifure and 
 greater opportunities to prepare for the next : to 
 adorn and cultivate our minds and drefs our fouls 
 like a bride, who is adorned to meet her bride- 
 groom. 
 
 When men converfe much in this world, and 
 are diftradled with the cares and bufmefs of it : 
 when they live in a crowd of cuftomers or of 
 clients, and are hurried from their (hops to the 
 Exchange or the Cu/iom-Houfe t or from their cham- 
 bers to the bar ; and when they have difcharged 
 one obligation, are prcfTcd fo hard by another, that 
 at night they have hardly fpirits left to put up 
 one prayer to God, nor any time for it in the 
 morning : and the Lord's day itfclf is thought 
 
 more
 
 N 4 . THE VISITOR. 27 
 
 more proper for reft and refrefhment, than devo- 
 tion : what dull, cold apprehenfions muft fuch 
 men have of another world ? and after all the 
 care we can take, how will this world infmuate 
 itfelf into our affe&ions, when it employs our 
 time and thoughts : when our whole bufmefs is 
 buying and felling, and driving good bargains, 
 and making conveyances and fcttlements of 
 eftates ? How will this diforder our pa/lions, oc- 
 cafion feuds and quarrels, give us a tin&ure of 
 pride, ambition, covetoufnefs ? So that there is 
 work enough after a bufy life, even for very good 
 men to wafh out thefe ftains and pollutions, and 
 to get the tafte and rclifh of this world out of 
 their mouths, and to revive and quicken the fenfe 
 of God and of another world. 
 
 This is a fufficient reafon for fuch men to 
 think, when it is time to leave off, and if not 
 wholly to withdraw from the world, yet to con- 
 tract their bufmefs, and have, the command of 
 it, that they may have more leifure to take care 
 of their fouls, before they have fo near a call and 
 fummons to death ; but much more neceflary is 
 it, when death is even at the door, and by the 
 coorfe of nature v/e know that it is fo. 
 
 It is very proper to leave the world before we 
 are removed out of it, that we may know how 
 to live without it, that we may not carry any 
 hankerings after this world with us into the next; 
 and therefore it is fitting, that there fhould be n 
 C 2 kinu
 
 2 8 THE VISITOR. N 4. 
 
 kind of middle ftate between this world and the 
 next } that is, that we fhould withdraw from this 
 world, and wean ourfelves from it, even while 
 we are in it j which will make us more eafy to 
 part with this world, and more fit to go to the 
 next. But it feems ftrangely indecent, unlefs the 
 necefiities of their families, or the neceffities of 
 the public call for it, and exac~l it, to fee men who 
 are juft a going out of the world, who, it may be, 
 bow as much under their riches as under their 
 age, plunging themfelves over head and ears in 
 this world j courting new honours and prefer- 
 ments, with as much zeal as thofe who are but 
 entering into the world. It is to be feared, fuch 
 men, think very little of another world, and will 
 never be fatisfied with earth, 'till they are buried 
 in it." 
 
 This quotation, I fear, has exceeded the bounds 
 allowed me : and I muft beg leave to poftpone 
 the conclufion of the fubje& to your next Satur- 
 day's paper. For that day's paper feems the moft 
 proper vehicle for fuch contemplations j as it may 
 ferve to awaken the attention of fome, who take 
 it with them in their poft-chaife to their country- 
 retreats : and may lead them on the fabbath to 
 fome reflections, which they do not chufe to find 
 in the church, I am, Sir, 
 
 Your conftant reader, 
 H. 
 
 NUM-
 
 N s- THE VISITOR, 29 
 
 NUMBER V. 
 
 To the Vis ITO R. 
 
 /// honourable eafe, and rural llifi> 
 
 The remnant of bit days befoftly paft, 
 
 Nor found they lag d too flonv, nor ft-iv too f<?J} i 
 
 He wa</e hit wljk nvitb bis tjlalt Csfnf/y j 
 
 Joyful to li-i'f I ytt not ft/raid TO <//r , 
 
 TRIOR. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 THO' the poets have fpoken of it with a 
 kind of enthuftaftic rapture, yet few men 
 . are form'd for abfolute folitude : fuch is the 
 conftru&ion of human nature, that torpor and 
 laflitude will invade the lublimeft genius, if left 
 to all the lonelinefs of a fequeftered retreat. To 
 render folitude tolerable, even to great minds, 
 it muft be qualified with feveral neceflary adjuncts. 
 Much more then will they be requifite for the 
 folitude and retirement of that order of men, 
 who have engaged our former fpeculations ; and 
 concerning whom we have determined : that to 
 retire from the world, with a proper motive, the 
 motive of felf-recolleclion, and dedication to the 
 fupreme ; and in proper time, before age hath 
 bcnumb'd the faculties, and abfolutely riveted the 
 fentiments ; is both ufeful and becoming ; pro- 
 C 3 duftive
 
 3 THE VISITOR. N- 5. 
 
 du&ive of the beft confequences, and agreeable 
 to the beft reafon. 
 
 But leaft difappointment (hould meet and dif- 
 trefs them in this laft fcene, it is neceflary, that 
 they be fupplied with fuch aids, as will con- 
 duce to render retirement fatisfac~tory. I have 
 advifed, that ere the refolution be abfolutely fix- 
 ed, a fhort time be affigned to probation j in 
 which, if they perceive themfelves ill qualified 
 for the privacy of perfect abftra&ion, they will 
 do well to retain fome proper connection with 
 bufmefs and life. If otherwife, let them purfue 
 their refolution with activity, and apply to every 
 proper .method of improvement. As we fup- 
 pofe, the improvement of life, and the fervice of 
 God the grand motive of retirement ; in fuch a 
 cafe, thefe important concerns niuft be imagined 
 to occupy no fmall portion of time : to which 
 we may add, the due attendance to proper and 
 ferious reading and meditation. But the mind 
 will not bear a continued and intenfe application 
 to thefe ; efpecially a mind unaccuftomed to deep 
 Speculations. There is need therefore of fome 
 other attachments, which may amufe and give 
 motion to the tardier foot of time. Amongft 
 thefe, nothing fcems to promife the retired 
 greater contentment, than the pleafing amufe- 
 ment of the garden j and the cultivation of their 
 little fields. This is as rational as it is inftruct- 
 ive. Health will be invigorated by the exercife j 
 
 piety
 
 N 5- T H E V I S I T O R. 31 
 
 piety will be exalted by the reflections, which 
 every herb, fruit, and flower will inculcate. A 
 tafte for the delights of the garden (hould be 
 brought into retirement with every man ; or, by 
 all means, be learned by him there. Happy the 
 man, in folitude, who hath fome knowledge, 
 however fuperficial, of the politer arts, efpecially 
 mufic and drawing : mufic in particular will dif- 
 (ipate many a drowfy idea, and calm many a 
 defultory thought. Drawing or painting will 
 innocently and gratefully employ many a vacant 
 moment. And eafily as a fmall knowledge with 
 thefe is attained, one would marvel, that any 
 man ihould omit to attain them ; 01 that any 
 parent, who is able, fhould fail to give to his 
 children an early acquaintance with them. No 
 man ever regretted the knowledge, many have 
 much bewailed their ignorance of them. 
 
 A ferious refolution to review life, an earneft 
 and fedulous endeavour to ferve God ; a tolera:- 
 ble attention to books ; a taite for innocent rural 
 amufements ; the pleafure of the garden and the 
 field efpecially ; and fome acquaintance with the 
 politer arts, mufic, drawing, the microfcope, 
 telefcope, &c. are means, with which, whoever is 
 furnifhed, he may enter upon folitude with a fa- 
 tisficd mind ; and may reft a {Tared, that retire- 
 ment will open to him a fcene of chafte and en- 
 rapturing delights : cuftom will foon make this 
 life more fweet 
 
 C 4
 
 32 THE VISITOR. N 
 
 of painted pomp. He II find the woods 
 More free from peril than the anxious world: 
 .tPhile this his lift, exempt from public haunt, 
 Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks^ 
 Sermons inJJones, and good in every thing. 
 
 Such my worthy friend Benvolio finds it. His 
 character will exemplify every thing that I have 
 faid, or could wifh to fay on the fubje&. Early 
 and deeply engaged in a dangerous profcffion in 
 life, he met with good fucccfs ; though attended 
 with a variety of perils, and diftinguifhed by 
 ieveral fignal a&s of providence. Thefe made 
 ftrong and lafting impreffions upon him. In con- 
 formity to which, he refolved to relinquifh the 
 hazards of trade foon as poflible j though fortune 
 feem'd to fmile and promife him greater advances : 
 and, therefore long before the decline of life, 
 with a decent competency, and a proper provi- 
 fion for his family, he left the tumult of the 
 world, and pitched his little quiet -tent in a plea- 
 fant village on the banks of the Thames; deter- 
 mined to dedicate his future life to the more pri- 
 vate devotions of piety, and the unwearied practice 
 of benevolence. And he hath now for near fifteen 
 years continued, the pleafure and the envy of his 
 neighbourhood. Wherever you meet him, fere- 
 nity fmiles on his forehead ; and chearfulnefs lives 
 in his eye. The calm funfliine of his heart dif- 
 fufes an unfpeakable plcafantncfs over his coun- 
 
 tenance.
 
 NO 5. THE VISITOR. 33 
 
 tenance. Temperance waits on his board j and 
 health mantles on his cheek, pleafed to attend, 
 where exercife and temperance hold uninterrupted 
 fhiy. He rifes with the fun, and falutes with vi- 
 vacity, undiminifhed by age", the early dawn ; 
 and, after the duties of religion, betakes himfelf 
 generally to fome appointed and pleafing toil in 
 his garden. Happy in a wife of fimilar temper 
 and difpofition, more focial concord and dearer 
 amity is no where to be found. Together, with 
 grateful praifes, they elevate their fouls to the 
 Lord of eternity : together they partake of the 
 falubrious health of the fields : together they go, 
 with unremitting feet, to the temple of God. 
 Not auftere and morofe, they enjoy with freedom 
 the friendly intercourfe of fociety ; and all their 
 vicinity are as much pleafed with their company, 
 as charmed with their manners. 
 . For aits of benevolence you are always cer- 
 tain of a patron and affillant in Benvolio ; the 
 weeping eye of affliction ever departs from him 
 dried up ; the throbbing heart leaves his houfe 
 freed from its anxiety j follicitude and mjlery 
 feldom quit him unrelieved. In fhort, he 
 feems only to live, that he may impart feli- 
 city and diffufe confolation far as he is able, 
 and to the utmoft circumference of his fpherc. 
 Never have I heard him complain of the tedi- 
 oufnefj of time, or groan beneath the irkfomc- 
 Kcfs of lonely feclufion. On the com: 
 '* Time, faith he, is alarmingly fhort and fleet - 
 C 5 in^;
 
 34 -1THE VISITOR. N 5. 
 
 * n g > S 1 *^* nee d have we to hufband well the pre- 
 cious minutes, which are to determine our eter- 
 nal lot; Minutes, of which we live fo few pro- 
 perly fpeaking, fo few redeemed from fleep, and 
 the neceflary avocations of life. So many too 
 as we have mifpent in early days, fhould make 
 us anxioufly cautious to redeem them, by better 
 hufbanding the prefent." In this view, he is 
 mofl exactly confcientious in the difpofal of 
 his time : he who would be rich in time, he 
 often obferves, muft be as frugal of his minutes 
 and the fmaller portions of it ; as he who would 
 be rich in worldly wealth, muft be of his fmaller 
 and i neon fid erable fums. No wonder, that with 
 a pleafmg fenfation and heroic fortitude fuch a man 
 looks forward to futurity; and awaits, without the 
 gloom of terror, or the trepidation of doubt, the 
 folemn ftroke, which feparates at once from all 
 earthly dependences, and admits into an unalter- 
 able, ever-during date. 
 
 Happy Benvolio, object of my higheft admi- 
 ration, far more to be envied in thy little dwell- 
 ing than the titled noble in his palace of cedar and 
 vermilion ! fweet is thy {lumber ! undifturbed thy 
 repofe ! Peace builds her halcyon neft in thy con- 
 fcience ! chearfulnefs and health dance round thy 
 board ! Convinced of the upright integrity of 
 thy doings, of the confequent approbation of thy 
 God, hope builds for thee her towering airy in 
 the blifsful realms on high j Faith points out, 
 
 with
 
 N6. THE VISITOR. 35 
 
 with fteady finger, the infallible road ; and che- 
 rub-eyed benevolence leads thee Smiling along. 
 Happy Benvolio ! who would not wifh to retire 
 and to live like thee ! Sic oh fee juvat vivere, fie 
 perire ! 
 
 Ye children of the world, break the fhacldes 
 of difingenuous flavery ; learn the real eftimate 
 of human life ; confider the importance of eter- 
 nity ; follow the example of Benvolio ; Be 
 wife ; retreat with becoming propriety. And 
 over your moft frequented apartment engrave 
 that folemn admonition, fo well fitted to clofe 
 thefe reflections : JPhat flail a man be profited? 
 if he gain the whole world and lofe his own fcui? 
 Or what Jhall a man give in exchange for his foul ! 
 
 If thefe reflections may be acceptable to you, 
 Sir, or any ways ferviceable to the public, it will 
 be a fufficient pleafure to 
 
 Your humble fervant, &c. 
 
 H, 
 
 NUMBER VI. 
 
 Let rea/on, and let virtue faith maintain : 
 
 All j ~crce, but theirs, is irnpiaus, <weok and *vain. 
 
 L. LYTTLETON. 
 
 WE have Societies for propagating the 
 gofpel abroad, as well as for promoting 
 Chriftian Knowledge at home; calculated for 
 the heft ends, and conducted by gentlemen of 
 the moft refpe&able characters ; a<id Proteilant 
 C 6 Chwity-
 
 v3 6 THE VISITOR. N 6. 
 
 Charity Schools have been fet up in Ireland, the 
 teffe&s of which, it is hoped, may be falutary ; 
 though without the beft management, and due 
 infpeion, thofe advantages, which may be fup- 
 pofed, will not arife from them. Need, how- 
 . ever, there certainly is of the moft exa and 
 confcientious regard to them, if we would wifh 
 to unite our fellow-fubjes in that kingdom to 
 us in the Proteftant faith, and remove the evils 
 which may always reafonably be fufpe&ed from 
 their bigotted attachment to Popery. And fure- 
 ]y it well deferves the attention of thofe pious 
 Societies, which we have juft mentioned, to ex- 
 tend their beneficent endeavours towards the il- 
 lumination of thofe who, fo nearly allied to 
 them in a focial tye, are yet in all the darknefs 
 of fuperftition and error. 
 
 The late tumults in Ireland naturally lead 
 every reflecting man to ferious thoughts on the 
 Hate of that kingdom : and as it appears beyond 
 a contradiction, that had our enemies fucceedcd 
 in their defign, religious zeal would have ani- 
 mated numbers to have joined their fide : it 
 feems that even in a political view, nothing is 
 of greater confequence than the abolition of 
 fuch intemperate zeal, and the introduction of a 
 better and more pacific faith. I am forry to 
 obferve, but truth is prevalent, that the tenets 
 of the Honiim church are fuch that we can 
 jiever expeft any fidelity from its devotees ; as 
 
 that
 
 N6. THE VISITOR. -37 
 
 that church can difpenfe with the moft folemn 
 oaths, the faith of its votaries muft ever be equi- 
 vocal ; and as its votaries are known to have 
 fuch an attachment to their church, that every 
 tie muft be diflblved, before that can be loofed ; 
 we may reafonably prefume that they will not 
 be backward to unite in any probable and plau- 
 fible attempt, where the watch word is " God 
 and the Church." The Irifli nation hath verified 
 this, more than once. 
 
 But what, you may fay, is to be done in fuch 
 a cafe ? The Proteftant religion forbids all de- 
 gree of perfecution j and admits no weapons or 
 arms to be employed, but the perfuafive ones 
 of truth and reafon. Thefe, are the weapons, 
 thefe are the arms, I wifh to be employed ; 
 and that with all zeal in this caufe. Clergymen 
 of known reputation and approved abilities, 
 fhould be encouraged to go thither : clergy- 
 men who would labour in the vineyard, preach 
 and catechife diligently : men of whofe ear- 
 neft regard to chriflianity no doubt fhould be 
 bad j not fuch as gape for the ftipend, and leave 
 the flock to the tuition of a Popim prieft. It is 
 to be hoped, and greatly to be defired, that all 
 who have preferments to difpofe of in Ire- 
 land, would confciemioufly fo beftow them, 
 as to .have good grounds to expcl that prcte- 
 flantifm, by the zeal of the labourer^ would 
 ' daily gain the afcendunt. And permit me to add, 
 
 that
 
 3 S THE VISITO'R. N 6. 
 
 that if our future lords 1 ts would make it 
 
 a point to take with them fuch chaplains, and 
 prefer them to bifhopricks ; we might hope to 
 fee that kingdom and church in a far better ftate 
 than at prefent. Every man who has any true 
 love for his country, will, we are fatisfied, make 
 it his ftudy to find out fuch j and not take a 
 man as chaplain, merely becaufe he is a friend, 
 or relation, or a man whom he wants to ad- 
 vance, without any the leaft confederation of his 
 qualifications, moral or mental. Hlnc illee la- 
 chrymte. 
 
 We are pleafed to reflect that fome noble 
 lords have been fpoken of as hereafter to enjoy 
 this high dignity, of whofe patriotifm and other 
 virtues there cannot be a doubt ; and by the 
 channel of your paper, intended to communi- 
 cate ufeful hints, we earneftly wifh to commend 
 an attention to this moft important particular ; 
 which in all human probability would lay a 
 happy foundation of the moft defirable union ; 
 and this concerns us much as men, as Prote- 
 ftants, and as Britons. A few bifhops, like 
 Bifhop Bedell*, would be of univerfal utility. 
 
 Before I clofe my remarks, I muft beg leave 
 to fay, that I do not mean to reflect on any 
 man. If ftipends and revenues folely are con- 
 fidered by the clergy, without a view to the fu- 
 ture falvation of the people committed to their 
 charge, then the clergy difhonour and difgrace 
 
 them- 
 * See the Life of Biftiop Bedell by Bilhop Burnet.
 
 N 7. T H E V I S I T O R. 39 
 
 themfelves. I reverence the venerable body ; 
 and I fmcerely wifh they were all venerable. 
 However, let us hope that the very beft will be 
 henceforth afligned to this difficult but necefiary 
 poft ; we may, then perhaps, foon fee a more 
 pleafing coalition. Then faction and fury, re- 
 bellion and maflacres need not be apprehended ; 
 and an endeavour after fuch a work is worthy 
 that eminent charity, which fo honourably cha- 
 raclerifes our prefent profperous days. My beft 
 wifhes are with thofe who fhall ufe their influ- 
 ence to that end, as they will have the beft wiihes 
 of all good men. 
 
 S. 
 
 NUMBER VII. 
 
 By PHILANTHROPY CANDID, Efq- 9 
 
 That I <was born fo great , I o<we to fortune : 
 And cannot pay that debt, till 'virtue fet me 
 High in example, as I ftand in title : 
 Till iuhat the world calls fortune's gifts, my actions 
 May flile their onvn rewards 
 
 Sir JOHN DE*HAM. 
 
 ADiftinguifhed nobleman, very nearly re- 
 lated to our family, did me the honour to 
 take me in his coach to the late folemn and au- 
 guft aflembly at TVejIminfter-Hatt : an afiernblv, 
 /which no man could have viewed without the 
 
 moft 
 2
 
 40 THE VISITOR. N 7. 
 
 moft exquifite pleafing fenfations, had not the 
 mournful occafion damped every impulfe of joy. 
 Unhappy e 1 ! called for fuch offence to the 
 bar of fo venerable a tribunal ! condemned to 
 appear as a criminal, where his rank fhould 
 have placed him as a judge ! The dreadful fen- 
 tence was heard with awful filence j and me- 
 thought ahnoft every perfon prefent feemed to 
 be wonderfully imprefied on the melancholy oc- 
 cafion. I. leave it to other writers * to enlarge 
 on the ceremony : this may employ the pens 
 of journalifts. It was on another account, that 
 I introduced the fubject : it was to lay be- 
 fore my readers, and my nolle ones efpecially, 
 the remarks, which my illuftrious relation made 
 to his fan, .'as \ve returned home together ; which 
 gave me fo much fatisfaction, that I took the 
 firft opportunity to recollect them: and which, 
 if I deliver not with his elegance, and in his 
 order, the reader muft attribute it to the defedl 
 of my memory. 
 
 We fat filerit fome time, after our entrance in- 
 to h s coach, mutually reflecting on what we had 
 feen \ when his Lordfhip troke the filence, and 
 addrefllng his fon, a youth of the firft parts and 
 moft engaging qualities. " It gives me plea- 
 fure, lord ***, faid he, to perceive you are not 
 .unaffected by the fad, but folemn fentence juft 
 now paflcd. The fight you have beheld, and the 
 
 * This has been done in the Ledger of Monday, April 
 *,, Jio. 26. 
 
 .-I dccif.on.
 
 N 7 . THE VISITOR. 41 
 
 decifion you have heard, my lord, dcferve well 
 a large place in your moft ferious reflections, 
 and in your perpetual remembrance. Let fuper- 
 ficial obfervers take note of the gaiety of drefs, 
 and the fplendor of appearance : you, my dear 
 lord, (whofe mind you can teftify, I have la- 
 boured to form with the utmoft care ; and of 
 whom, not merely thro' parental affection I 
 truft, I have ventured to conceive high hopes) 
 you will derive from hence the beft infti uctions, 
 and gather frefh motives to ftimulate your virtue 
 and honour. 
 
 You have feen in the unhappy e rl at the 
 bar, that it is not mere title which conftitutcs 
 the noble j that it is not accidental circumftanc* 
 of birth which conveys nobility ; that it is not 
 the rank which can exempt either; from offence 
 or from punifhment. 
 
 That you are born of noble blood, is not fo 
 much your merit as your happinefs : your bap- 
 pivefs, if you dignify your birth by a fuitable 
 demeanour; iffuperior inflation, youfhewyour- 
 felf fuperior in conduct. An exalted birth, fo 
 far from relaxing the bonds of duty, binds them 
 more ftrongly : fo far from unloofing, it doubles 
 every tie of honour, and enhances every obli- 
 gation to virtuous and praife- worthy actions. 
 Where thefe are found, the nobility of birth 
 greatly brightens their luftre : where thefe are 
 \yanting, the nobility of birth only renders in- 
 famy more infamous, 
 
 Flat.
 
 42 T H E V I S I T O R. N 7. 
 
 Flattered from the cradle, and attended with 
 a crowd of fycophants, young noblemen are 
 frequently apt to conceive of themfelves much 
 more highly than they ought. They are led al- 
 moft to fancy themfelves of a race fuperior to 
 the reft of mankind ; privileged from the com- 
 mon ties, and fcarcely fubjecl to the common 
 evils. But of thefe pernicious defects in edu- 
 cation, I have taken care, my lord, that you 
 fliould have no caufe to complain. Lectures of 
 humanity have from infancy been read to you j 
 and you confider yourfelf, I am perfuaded, as 
 elevated by birth to pre-eminence, only for the 
 purpofe of pre-eminence in example. 
 
 Without fuch example your birth will add no 
 real dignity to you ; nor will it ferve at all to 
 filence the voice of public reproach ; or to re- 
 prefs the flow and moving finger of fcorn from 
 pointing at you. Nor in a nation of liberty 
 like ours, can the higheft rank, or moft diftin- 
 guifhed place deliver from the demand, or fave 
 from the impartial decifion of juftice. I am 
 grieved that the prefent times enable me to hold 
 forth to you more than one inftance of this 
 truth ; that not only in the unfortunate e 1 
 whom we have juft left, but in one of much 
 higher abilities, and much fairer expectations, 
 you may fee, my dear lord, how vain is the 
 boaft of birth j and how unavailing the titled 
 
 an-
 
 N* 7. T H E V I S I T O R. 43 
 
 anceftry, without the dignified and becoming 
 deportment. 
 
 God knows, I mention not this to prefs a 
 fallen man, he has my pity ; I fympathize with 
 his family. But your -welfare and honour, my 
 fon, is near to me ; and examples of this kind, 
 properly confidered, may be no lefs advantageous 
 than the view of more fhining chara&ers, than 
 the nobler profpedt of diftinguifhed merit. 
 
 It is a pleafure to me, that the prefent times 
 afford no fmall harveft of the latter : and I 
 flatter myfelf, that the many excellent pat- 
 terns before you, will animate every laudable 
 principle in your foul. Come not behind your 
 cotemporaries : but, happy in the firft rank of 
 honour by birth, labour to be firft, my lord, 
 
 in the rank of glory. You know I could 
 
 cafily produce from the annals of our own 
 houfe, examples fufficient to enkindle the moft 
 generous ardor 
 
 Te pater JEneas et avunculus excitet Heflttr. 
 
 You know I could fpeak of thofe, great in the 
 cabinet and in the field, to whom we owe much 
 of our honour ; and whom of confequence we 
 are bound to imitate, if we would preferve frefh 
 and fair the fplendid coronets, wherewith they 
 have encircled our brows. 
 
 Nay, and befides, we owe, my Lord, a pecu- 
 Jiar duty to our country, in whofe welfare our 
 
 ftation
 
 44 THE VISITOR. N 7. 
 
 ftation eminently interefts us ; and whofe wel- 
 fare, be adured, will ever beft be preferved by 
 the virtue and merit of her nobles. 
 
 It is a high fatisfaclion to reflect, that, as in 
 this realm of freedom, vice however dignified, 
 will not pafs off undifgraced : fo neither will 
 virtuous actions ever lofe their due meed, or 
 want that honourable acknowledgment which 
 ftimulates fo forcibly to them : virtuous actions, 
 and a patriotic conduct, will, amongft us, of 
 themfelves ennoble. And for my part, much ra- 
 ther would I {land the firft ennobler of my ob- 
 fcure family, by generous and commendable 
 deeds, than appear at the end of the moft re- 
 fpeclable pedigree, an infignificant barren bearer 
 of titular nobility. 
 
 Let that be your ambition, my lord. Re- 
 member, that as a man, humanity becomes 
 you; 33 a noble, the niceft honour and moft 
 virtuous conduct. Dignify your high rank, in 
 private, by making your fuperior place and in- 
 fluence the happy means of difpenfmg fuperior 
 good to mankind : in public, confider yourfelf 
 as the fervant of your country ; and Ihew by 
 the generous fcnfibility of your mind, and your 
 Uriel attachment to the interefts of your king 
 and his dominions, that you are not more a 
 Noble by birth than by difyafit'ion. 
 
 There are certain crimes to which fome 
 minds are at an alinofl impolfible diftance : of 
 
 which.
 
 N 7 . THE VISITOR. 45 
 
 which fort, with refpect to yourfelf, I doubt 
 not is that for which the unhappy E 1 is to 
 fuffer. But remember, that all vice is gradual ; 
 and the greateft monfter in guilt was once a 
 trembling beginner. The firft fallies of pajjion 
 are to be curbed, and checked in their rife : it 
 is an unmanly and difgraceful evil: it degrades 
 the man inexprefllbly : and gives all who fee 
 you vanquimed by it, a ftrange triumph over 
 you. And as to paflion, fo to the intemperance 
 of drinking, the very firft inclination is to be 
 cut off in the bud. But I enlarge not upon 
 this, as your lordfhip, I am convinced, is even 
 free from the temptation. And I am happy (then 
 while the tear of affe&ion filled his eyes, he 
 took Lord **'s hand) I am happy, my dear fon, 
 in noting your amiable difpofition : only let me 
 add briefly (for I perceive we draw near home) do 
 not think it fufficient to be free from grofs vices j 
 I would have you eminently virtuous. To 
 which end, cultivate the moft awful regard to 
 the Sovereign of heaven, whofe dread behefts 
 it much becomes the higheft as well as the 
 loweft to obey. Remember that you live not 
 for yourfelf: remember that your high rank 
 cannot prevent your appearance at a bar nay 
 ftart not my lord, for you muft one day ftand to 
 be tried at a bar, muft one day be prefent at a 
 court, infinitely more folemn and tremendous, 
 than that which we have this day feen : the de- 
 
 cifion
 
 46 THE VISITOR. N 7. 
 
 cifion of which is of all others the moft impor- 
 tant, for it is irreverfible, and it is eternal. 
 
 There can be no Jhuffling : there the aftign lies 
 In its true nature j we ourfelves compel? d 
 Even to the teeth and forehead of our. faults 
 To give in evidence. 
 
 There fuperior rank will be fo far from 
 conciliating favour > that the grand rule of 
 the court is, ^ To whom much is given, of 
 him much will be required." And there of 
 neceffity the ampleft diftin&ions of birth, of 
 honour, of place, of preferments, will be ex- 
 pected to (hew the moft commendable producti- 
 ons, and to offer the fruits of faireft efteem, 
 and moft pleafmg acceptation". 
 
 NUM-
 
 N8. THE VISITOR. 47 
 
 NUMBER VIII. 
 To the VISITOR. 
 
 four bounty is beyond myfptaklttg : 
 But tho" 1 my mouih be dumb, my heart jhall thank you ? 
 And ixhen it melts before the throne of mercy, 
 My fervent foul Jhall breath forth fray en for you ; 
 That heaven will pay ycu back, when mojt you need, 
 Ike grace and goodnefs you have Jhe f wn to me. 
 
 ROWE. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 THOUGH I can fcarcely hope that my 
 mean and unadorned eflay can be worthy 
 a place in your paper, yet I am prompted fo 
 ftrongly by gratitude, that I muft make the at- 
 tempt ; and fhould cfteem it particularly kind, 
 if you would enable me to fpread as extenlively 
 as I can my prefent felicity, and the blefled 
 fource of it. 
 
 Without further preface, Sir, I muft inform 
 you that I am one of thofe, who owe life, fal- 
 vation, happinefs ; every comfort and every hope, 
 to that happy place the MAGDALEN-HOUSE. 
 Believe me in what I deliver ; for I do aflure 
 you in the moft folemn manner, that it is the 
 ftri&eft truth. I was amongft the firft who 
 
 fought
 
 4 g THE VISITOR. N 8. 
 
 fought that hofpitable dwelling ; and alas, it 
 makes my very blood run chill, to reflect 
 upon my ' fituation, when admitted into that 
 houfe ! Good God, was there ever fuch an ob- 
 ject of pity and diftrefs ! Abandoned by every 
 friend I had ; abhorring my dire bufmefs, but 
 obliged to continue it for bread ; almoft naked ; 
 broken-hearted ; without a roof to receive me ; 
 without an eye to pity me ; without any kind 
 chriftian to look on and refcue me. People, 
 Sir, think, that no hard ufage is bad enough 
 for us in that ftate : but indeed, if they knew 
 all, they would not think fo. For as bad a 
 creature as I might feem, I would have given 
 the world to have been employed in any honeft 
 means of livelihood : though there was a time 
 when I mould have thought fervile employ 
 much beneath me. But, alas, times were fore- 
 ly changed, and my affliction was greater than 
 could be fancied. If you indulge me by print- 
 ing this, perhaps, when I can get a little time, I 
 may fend you fome fhort account of my misfor- 
 tunes, to mew that we are not all fuch objects 
 of every body's worft contempt and infults. But 
 I beg pardon for running from my fubjcdt j 
 women's pens, Sir, are not ufed to order. 
 
 In my calamitous diftrefs I applied to the 
 Magdahn-Houfe ; and I was received with all 
 that humanity which diftinguiflies the worthy 
 managers of it. I fancied and foreboded every 
 
 good
 
 N 8. T H E V I S I T O R. 49 
 
 good to myfelf, when, on the day of admiflion, 
 1 perceived many of the gentlemen wipe their 
 eyes while I was relating fome of my early mi- 
 feries ! For alas, Sir, though I am old in grief, 
 I have yet feen but nineteen years ! It is impof- 
 fible forme to defcribe, as I ought, the com- 
 forts I found in that houfe. I was neatly cloath- 
 ed, fatisfa&orily employed, and had fuch provi- 
 fions as the very beft would be contented with. 
 But thefe were fmall to the comforts abounding 
 to my mind : the divine inftru&ions I have 
 heard in that chapel^ which I muft always think 
 a little heaven, (the door to heaven, I am fure 
 it has been to me ;) thofe inftruclions will never 
 be erafed from my mind ! They have calm'd my 
 troubled foul, and convinced me that my re- 
 pentance will not be in vain j that my refolu- 
 tions of virtue, through grace, will not be in- 
 effectual. Refolutions ! Oh, Sir, can it be poffi- 
 ble that any of us who have fo much experienced 
 the miferics of vice, can ever return to it 
 again ! This, I think, muft be impolTible. 
 
 To fpeak of every thing commendable and 
 humane in the houfe, would exceed my prefent 
 limits. Nothing, furely, can be calculated better 
 for the relief, the comfort, the information, 
 of poor unhappy girls : and the gentlemen 
 ac"l like fathers indeed. Satisfied with my be- 
 haviour, our worthy and never enough to be 
 applauded treafurer, was fo kind fome few weeks 
 VOL. I. D fince
 
 50 THE VISITOR. N 8. 
 
 fince as to inform me, that if I chofe to accept 
 it, a place offered tolerably advantageous, and 
 he would recommend me. I defired his, and 
 our incomparable matron's advice ; and in con- 
 fequence of that, have accepted it. I was fit- 
 ted out with all things proper and decent, much 
 beyond my wifh or expectation ; and am hap- 
 pily fituated with a worthy lady, whofe amiable 
 behaviour makes me perfectly bleft ; and be fa- 
 tisfied, my whole ftudy fhall be to pleafe her ; 
 and to {hew myfelf fenfible of thofe divine mer- 
 cies which I have experienced, in the delive- 
 rance of both body and foul from death. 
 
 Now, Sir, all I wifh is, that this may be 
 known for the fatisfadtion of thofe concerned in 
 this noble charity : whofe humane breafts it 
 muft fill with pleafure, to think they have re- 
 deemed a poor girl from the depth of mifery : 
 a girl not yet twenty : who lives happy and 
 peaceful through their bounty ; lives to pray for 
 and to blefs them every day ! May the Lord of 
 heaven crown them with all their heart's wimes : 
 and increafe the number of tbofe daily, who are j 
 friends to this glorious defign. To the advan- j 
 tages of which, not myfelf only, but numbers 
 already are witnefles. Polly * * * is a com- j 
 fortable inftance. This charity has faved her 
 poor mother's life : with whom flie now lives : ; 
 and I wpuld fain have perfuaded her to write to , 
 you. 
 
 I be- !
 
 N8. THE VISITOR. 5 t 
 
 I believe I mould have deferred it myfelf, 
 fomething longer, if it had not been for an ac- 
 cident, which happen'd laft night ; and which 
 determined me in my purpofe : as I was led to 
 hope, that, perhaps this notice in your paper, 
 may be feen by fome unfortunate girh y who may 
 be curious to read a letter from one, unhappy 
 enough to have been of their number : though, 
 thank God, by miracle almoft, refcued and 
 faved. And great need there is for thanks. 
 For as I was about to tell you, Sir ; laft night, 
 as I was going crofs our fquare on an errand 
 for my miftrefs, a poor creature, in a fad hollow 
 tone, begged me, for Chrift's fake, to give her 
 a bit of bread. I turned to look at her, and: 
 fhe was almoft naked, -with a tattered blanket 
 thrown over her, and an old handkerchief tied 
 about her head ; me afked very preffingly, for 
 a piece of bread, only a cruft, any thing to. re- 
 lieve her hunger. I thought, I knew fomething 
 of the voice : and taking her to the next lamp 
 Blefled father, can I ever enough exprefs my 
 horror and furprize ! I was ready to drop down I 
 For it was Nancy * * * ! who came into the 
 Magdalen fometime after me : but her fad temper 
 would not permit her to ftay there : fo that the 
 gentlemen, after having long waited her better be- 
 haviour in vain, (fornothingcanbeimagined more 
 ten.der and careful than they are, more flow to 
 punifh, more defirous to continue us) were forced 
 D 2 to
 
 52 THE VISITOR. N8. 
 
 to difmifsher ! and fhe, having no friend to receive 
 her, was obliged to return to her old way of 
 life j and now difeafed and caft off, was at the 
 point of ftarving, when thus accidentally fhe 
 applied to me in the ftreet ! The moment fhe 
 knew me, fhe burft into the moft lamentable 
 cries and tears, I ever heard or faw ! * Oh ! 
 
 * happy girl, faid fhe, would to God, I had 
 
 * been like you. Now, I am ruined and loft 
 4 for ever. I have no cloaths to cover me : no 
 4 food to fupply my hunger, and I am almoft 
 4 perifhing with it : difeafe is preying upon me 
 4 in a terrible manner: I have no where to hide 
 4 my head : I am caft out by every body ; 
 4 and in a few days muft perifh ; and what 
 4 will become of my foul, I dare not even 
 4 think.' 
 
 You may imagine, Sir, what a fituation mine 
 was, while I heard her fpeaking thus j I gave 
 her what prefent relief I could : and provided 
 for her laft night. I have made her difmal cafe 
 known to my humane and charitable miftrefs ; 
 and fhe will affift this poor creature. And no^ 
 Sir, if I fhould be fo happy, after all, as to 
 be made an inftrument of faving my fellow- fuf- 
 ferer, I fhall blefs God, indeed j and think that 
 fuch a mercy granted me, is a proof, he has gra- 
 cioufly and fully pardoned me. I wifh all the 
 poor unfortunate girls in the city, and every 
 where, could have feen poor Nancy * * * : for 
 
 none
 
 N 9. T H E V I S I T O R. 53 
 
 none, I am fure, would then be bad upon prin- 
 ciple, or ftay a minute from the blefled Magda- 
 len, to perifh in the ftreets, like a beaft, neglec- 
 ted by all, in cold, in nakednefs, in hunger, 
 in diftemper,- unhoufed, unfriended, unpitied, 
 unrelieved What diftrefs can be equal! I 
 hope, Sir, you will correct all my miftakes : and, 
 as it is proper to conceal real names, I (hall beg 
 leave to fubfcribe myfelf, now, and whenever 
 again you will fufter me to trouble you, 
 
 A GRATEFUL MAGDALEN. 
 
 NUMBER IX. 
 
 Redemption ! 't-ivas creation more fublime : 
 Redemption ; 'twas the labour of the Jkies : 
 Far more than labour : /'/ ivas death in heaven f 
 A truth fo jlrange ! 'twere bold to think it true ; 
 If not far bolder Jlill, to dijbelieve ! 
 
 YOUNG. 
 
 SERIOUS refleaions only can be fuitableto 
 the prefent folemn feafon ; f when devition 
 awakens her moft languid adorers ; and the bufy 
 clamour of amufement and diverjton is hufti d into 
 D 3 aw- 
 
 f Good-Friday.
 
 54 THE VISITOR. N' 9, 
 
 awful and attentive filence. If any day peculi- 
 arly demands the refpeft of chriftians, it furely 
 muft be that which commemorates the laft a& 
 of him ; whofe amazing philanthropy wrought life 
 and falvation for mortals. The faying of an old 
 friend of mine, refpe&ing this day, always plea- 
 fes me : " a bird, he ufed to obferve, would not 
 carry a ftick or ftraw to her neft upon it !" And 
 indeed, when we confider the ftupendous a<5t, ei- 
 ther in itlelf or in its moft blefied confequences> 
 we fhall think no religious application too exact 
 for the remembrance. 
 
 There are fome, we know, who, averfe to the 
 obfervance of days and times, and efteeming it 
 too much favouring either of Jitdalfm or Popery, 
 would annihilate all diftin&ion of feafons, and 
 appropriate no peculiar days to the commemora- 
 tion of a&s, which, properly fpealdng, ought 
 to be daily commemorated. But, with the good 
 leave of our brethren, we muft remark, that 
 there is no lefs wifdom than utility in ap- 
 pointing and fetting apart feafons for the com- 
 memoration of important fails, and for the 
 cxercife of more folemn devotion ; and herein 
 we have the example of the whole world before 
 us. Search through the annals of ancient ftory j 
 examine every nation under the fun in every 
 period, and you will find this cuftom prevalent. 
 There is fomething in it of gratitude, which 
 
 nature
 
 NO 9- T H E V I S I T O R. 55 
 
 nature and the common reafon of mankind feem 
 to dilate. How foon would many fab have 
 otherwife been forgotten ? How foon (for in- 
 ftance) may we fay with great probability, would 
 the knowledge of a deity almoft totally be loft, 
 if the fabbaih was abrogated ; and men were not 
 called upon in that weekly rotation, to remem- 
 ber their creator and redeemer ? But let me alfo 
 ubfcrve, that in appointing days of commemo- 
 ration there is great utility : for thereby not only 
 the remembrance of actions is preferred, but 
 their reality is proved and authenticated. A very 
 ftrong evidence, not to fay an irrefragable one, 
 that Charles the Firfir was beheaded on the 30th 
 of January, is our annual folemnity on thaf 
 day. And if any man was to be fo wild, as to 
 doubt or deny that faft, we might with much 
 reafon demand of him, the caufe of that days 
 obfervance, and whenct, when, and how that cuf- 
 tom arofe ? 
 
 Now the fame reafoning may be applied to the 
 great chriftian feftivals ; which have been ob- 
 ferved not only in our nation, but in the whole 
 chriftian world, from the very beginning of 
 chriftianity ; and which of confequence afford 
 convincing teftimony, to the truth of the facte 
 commemorated. And if the deift or infidel will 
 deny, at all hazards, that Jefus Chrift was born* 
 died, and rofe again : before we either give up our 
 D 4
 
 56 THE VISITOR. N 9. 
 
 faith, or admit his arguments, we muft requeft 
 him to (hew us by very plain proofs, the time 
 when, the place where, and the men by whom 
 thefe ancient cuftoms and thefe days of re mem- 
 bring fuch events were introduced; and we muft 
 beg leave to have clear and convincing evi- 
 dence, fmce the argument, which the oppofer of 
 qhriftianity hath to fupport, is in direct contra- 
 riety to the univerfal ufage of Chriftendom j and 
 fmce we can trace the obfervance of thefe folemn 
 feafons to an age, and a time when it would have 
 been no fmall difficulty to have impofed upon the 
 credulity of the world. 
 
 The being of the facraments, and of the 
 great feftivals in the church, fupply us with a 
 kind of vifible and fenfible evidence of the truth 
 of chriftianity. They in fome meafure render it 
 a matter of immediate and direct knowledge. 
 And thoroughly confider'd, afford the moft fub- 
 ftantial teftimony to the important fa<Sb on which 
 reft our hopes and our happinefs. A celebrated 
 writer has laid down four rules, as unerring 
 touchftones, whereby to examine the veracity of 
 any fail ; and which he avers, with great propriety, 
 can leave us no room to doubt of the authenticity 
 of any matter of fadl: where they are found. Thefe 
 are, i. That the matter of f aft be fuch, as^that 
 mens outward fenfes, their eyes and ears, may be 
 judges of it. 2. That it be done publicity in the 
 face of the world. 3. That not only public mo- 
 numents
 
 N9- THE VISITOR. 57 
 
 naments be kept up in memory of it, but fome out- 
 ward attiom to be performed. 4. That fuch mo- 
 numents, and fuch actions or obfervances be in- 
 ftituted, and do commence from the time that 
 the matter of fact was done. 
 
 Now apply thefe rules to the Mofalc and Cbrif- 
 tian difpenfation ; and they will fully fquare with 
 them : while others, which pretend to a divine 
 original, will be found wanting, if weighed in this 
 balance. The particular fact, however, which, we 
 this day commemorate more immediately claims 
 our prefent attention. And this very commemora- 
 tion of it exprefies its agreement to one of thefe rules. 
 Certainly too it was the object of men's fenfes, 
 they could not doubt whether Chrift was crucified 
 and (lain, or not : it was done publicly ; as public- 
 ly as poflible : not in a corner, as one of its great 
 advocates exprefleth it : the day itfelf is a monu- 
 ment ; and the facrarnent of the Lord's fupper, 
 is a fignificant aflion : each of which have been 
 inftituted, and did commence from the time, 
 when the matter of fact was done. So that this 
 folemn day, and that bleffed facrament (properly 
 celebrated on this day) are evident and fenfible 
 demonftrations, before our eyes, of the truth of 
 this moft interefting fact, that " Jefus Chrift died 
 on the crofs at Jerufalem, a facrifice for finners." 
 Let me obferve, that as thrs is an argument of 
 great force, and not eafy 'to be confuted : fo is 
 it,plain and level to every man's capacity : and 
 D 5 every
 
 5 8 THE VISITOR. N 9. 
 
 every fubtlety of refined fpeculifts, who wifh to 
 fhake the foundations of rational faith, may be 
 baffled by the moft unlearned man, with this fim- 
 ple, though fignificant quaere, " If, as you fay, 
 the whole religion of Chrift is falfe, and invent- 
 ed to deceive j whence arofe the celebration of 
 Good Friday and of the facraments in the 
 Chriffian church ? And how came they to be 
 ufed ib univerfally, and from fuch high an- 
 tiquity ?*' 
 
 But if this be indeed a facT: ; if, as we pro- 
 fefs to believe, Chrift the incarnate fon of God, 
 did, as on this day, offer himfelf an immaculate 
 facrifice on the tree for human offences j if, in- 
 deed, he was thus afflicled, tormented, and cru- 
 cified ; brought as a lamb to the flaughter, and 
 ftricken for our tranfgreffions ! Men and brethren, 
 "how awful are our calls to gratitude and duty \ 
 how vaft the obligations we owe him, for this 
 immenfe, this unfpeakable gift of love ! obliga- 
 tions, which arife to the moft exalted height, 
 when we confider this inftance of the divine be- 
 nevolence in its full difplay; when we reflect 
 upon the dignity of the perfon j upon his amaz- 
 ing condefcenfion, and unparallelled ftoop from 
 cclcftial glories to tcrreftrial forrows : when we 
 confider the fcvcrity of his fufferings, and the fa- 
 vage cruelty of his perfecutors : and when we 
 confider the objes, the ungrateful, the unwor- 
 thy tinners, for whom he thus condefcended, li- 
 ved, and bled, and died ! 
 
 But
 
 NO g. T H E V I S I T O R. 30 
 
 But by your permiflion, thefe particulars {hall 
 exercife our meditations in a future paper ; 
 while we conclude the prefent with Milton's 
 beautiful apoftr&phe, which, though frequently 
 quoted, will not be therefore lefs agreeable- 
 Deem repetita placebit. 
 
 O unexampled love ! 
 
 Love no where to be found, lefs than divine \ 
 Hail fon of God ! faviour of men, thy name, 
 Shall be the copious matter of my fong 
 Henceforth ; and never mall my harp thy praife 
 Forget, nor from thy father's praife disjoin ! 
 
 Par. Lojl, B. HI. 410, 
 
 P 6 N U M.
 
 60 THE VISITOR. N 10. 
 
 NUMBER X. 
 
 The REAL HISTORY of a MAGDALEN. 
 To the VISITOR. 
 
 Man, the lawlefs libertine may rove 
 Free and unquejlion'd, thro 1 the wilds of love : 
 While woman, fenfe and nature's eafy fool, 
 Jf poor weak woman fiuer-ve from virtue's rule t 
 Ruin enfues, reproach and endlefsjhame ; 
 dnd one falfe ftep entirely damns her fame. 
 In vain with tears the lofs Jbe may deplore ; "\ 
 
 In vain look tack to what jbe was before j > 
 
 Sbefets, like fan that fall, to rife no more. J 
 
 ROWE. 
 
 I 
 
 S I R, 
 
 AM much obliged to you for giving my poor 
 performance a place in your paper * ; and, 
 upon that encouragement, I take the liberty 
 once more to trouble you. I have a plain and 
 artlefs tale to deliver; and I deliver it only to 
 fhew, that pity and relief may not improperly 
 be extended to unhappy objects like myfelf. Pa- 
 
 See this Paper, No. 8. 
 
 rents
 
 Nio. THE VISITOR. 6r 
 
 rents too, perhaps, may learn fome inftru&ion 
 from my ftory. 
 
 I am the daughter of a tradefman in this city : 
 my father, though engaged in a reputable and 
 advantageous bufinefs, had yet no right to the 
 privileges of a gentleman ; but my mother de- 
 firous to aflume thofe privileges, from her mar- 
 riage determined to live and aft as a gentle- 
 woman. With this view fhe always followed 
 the falhion : her drefs was ever in the mode j and 
 her dining room was furnifhed in tafte; the chim- 
 ney piece had no fmall ftiare of Bow-china ware j 
 the curtains were made after the moft ele- 
 gant manner ; and the whole floor was covered 
 with Wilton carpet. You may be fatisfied from 
 this difpofition of my mother's, that (he was 
 careful, whatever elfe fhe might forget, to in- 
 ftru& her children in politenefs. Indeed, Sir, 
 ever from the time that I can remember ought, 
 I remember nothing fo diligently inculcated upon 
 me as leflbns of my own importance, gentility, 
 and beauty, and the neceflity of fetting off my 
 perfon to the beft advantage. Imagine not, that I 
 mean to diflionour my mother by repeating thefe 
 things, which may appear trifling, but were in 
 reality the inlets to my ruin : I reverence the 
 memory of my parent ; but by mentioning her 
 miftakes, perhaps I may happily warn others. 
 
 I am
 
 62 THE VISITOR. N xo. 
 
 At the age of fifteen I k)& my mother, who 
 left my father a widower, with royfetf, a After, 
 and two brothers j and, as I was the eldeft, and 
 my father was very fond of me, the chief con- 
 duit of domeftic aftairs fell upon me. But Oh ! 
 Sir, how ill capacitated was I for this, who had 
 been initiated into all the faftxionable diverfions 
 and amufements, for which I had contracted an 
 infuperable fondnefs ; as they led me to difplay 
 thofe perfonal graces, which alone I was taught 
 to cultivate ; and which, alas ! I valued but too 
 highly. My mother's death tended to'advance 
 me more early into a ftate of womanifh behavi- 
 our ; and my father gratified too blindly my wild 
 inclinations. As I had heard only general and 
 random leflbns of virtue, and very few or occa- 
 fional inftru&ions in religion, it is not to be fup- 
 pofed, that mere female honour could give me 
 great ftrength to withftand temptations. But, 
 indeed, I thought little of temptations : as I 
 fcarcely knew what was vice, fo it gained 
 little of my reflexion : my chief wifh was to be 
 admired ; and my grand aim and purfuit, to get 
 a very fine and wealthy hufband. Chariots, coun- 
 try houfes, routs, drefs, and gaiety occupied my 
 waking and fleeping thoughts. 
 
 Thus a year and more ran on : during which 
 time I wanted not admirers j for I muft be al- 
 lowed to fay, my perfon was pleafmg and attrac- 
 tive. Amongil thefe the fon of an opulent mer- 
 chant
 
 Nio. THE VISITOR. 6? 
 
 chant in our neighbourhood attended me moft 
 afliduoufly ; and his endearing behaviour foort 
 won my unfufpe&ing heart. My father encou- 
 raged his vifits ; which yet he himfelf defired 
 might be as fecret as poffcble : " For his father, 
 he informed us, would be greatly offended, if 
 acquainted with his attachments to me, the only 
 thing, he daily protefted, which prevented his 
 marrying me." I heard his oaths, I liftened and 
 believed. But how diftant was I from fufpecting 
 any difhonourable intentions, fince, in all the 
 fervour of paflion, he would curfe his fate, and 
 the vile folly of mankind in fufFejing pricfls to 
 obftrut their blifs by a foolifh ceremony, devifed 
 folely for their profit j fmce, in the fight of 
 God, (if there was a God who took notice of 
 fuch things) an union of hearts, and mutual 
 oaths and vows, muft doubtlefs conftitute a 
 marriage. Much of this I often heard ; and love 
 blinded my eyes to its intent. 
 
 In the mean time a fudden mock overwhelmed 
 our family in the deepeft didrefs : my father be- 
 came a bankrupt ; and the miferies impending 
 over his children fo affe&eit him, that he turned 
 perfectly melancholy. This accident was Mr. 
 **'s triumph : his friendihip and tendernefs for 
 me on this occafion was fuch, that I fen; it would 
 have prevailed over a heart better fortified. Won- 
 der not, Sir, that it prevailed over me, whofe 
 heart was melting with the fofteft Jove to himl 
 
 Cruel
 
 64 T H E V I S I T O R. N' 10. 
 
 Cruel deceiver, he perfuaded me to leave that 
 diftrefsful fcene, and to take pofleflion of a lodg- 
 ing, which he had provided, he told me, till bet- 
 ter times would allow him publickly to acknow- 
 ledge me as his wife. My father's brother took 
 the management of his affairs, and the kind pro- 
 tection of my brothers and fifter ; while I, only 
 I, was loft to them j drowned in a ftate of infen- 
 fibility, though not without the tendereft regard 
 to my dear relations ; whom I endeavoured to 
 perfuade, that I was married to Mr. **; but they 
 were too wife : they could not be deceived ; and, 
 foretelling me my fate with feverity enough, ut- 
 terly caft me off. 
 
 Poffeffed of Mr. **'s affedion, I felt, I con- 
 ceived no lofs or hurt from any other's neglect. 
 And my heart can bear me witnefs, that I never 
 knew a thought, or indulged a wifh from him. 
 Seven months he continued all I could hope : 
 and I began to believe that every thing, (though 
 little enough) which I had heard of formal vir- 
 tue, was a name ; and that outward ceremonies, 
 and the like, tended only to the infelicity of the 
 married ftate. But foon, too foon, was I awake- 
 ned from this golden dream. Mr. ** grew 
 thoughtful in my company, began to make his 
 vifits lefs frequent and more fhort ; .urging great 
 bufmefs in the compting houfe,, the preparation 
 of fhips, and I knew not what : it gave me pain, 
 but I fufpecled nothing. One day, however, 
 2 when
 
 N 10. T H E V I S I T O R. 65 
 
 when I was at the window waiting for him, as 
 ufual, with fond impatience, a meflenger came 
 with a letter : but what words can exprefs my 
 anguifh upon reading it ! It was to inform me 
 that his father had found out his connedlion 
 with me, and had provided a match for him 
 with a lady of very great fortune : and fmce 
 it was impoflible for him to refufe, as he muft 
 thereby forfeit all his father's regard, he hoped 
 I would make myfelf eafy : efpecially,as he would 
 take care of the child Imouldbringintothe world, 
 (for Iwas then with child by him) and would pro- 
 cure me a good place after my delivery; tofupport 
 me till which time, he fent me a bill of thirty 
 pounds. 
 
 My torture and diftrefs were beyond all de- 
 fcription, I will not therefore attempt it j a mif- 
 carriage enfued, and a dangerous illnefs, in which 
 I had good hope that I {hould have finifhed a bur- 
 thenfome life : though the dread I had of fome- 
 thing future deterred me from any thing violent, 
 to which my diftrefTes frequently prompted me. 
 For though I wrote and entreated but for one in- 
 terview, would you believe that I intreated al- 
 ways in vain ? This hard-hearted man, this moft 
 unkind and cruel fource of all my forrow, would 
 fcarcely deign me a reply ! My relations were 
 equally obdurate : I defired but to fee my 
 fitter ; my aunt and uncle fent me only in return 
 
 to
 
 t6 THE VISITOR. N 10. 
 
 to my rcqucft, fharp upbraidings and favage coun- 
 fels ! Gracious heaven, what a fituation was mine ! 
 How early did I begin to drink of the bitter cup 
 of penance for my unlawful pleafures and crimi- 
 nal indulgencies ! 
 
 My youth fupported me under this heavy load ; 
 the heavieft part of which was my folitude, and 
 the want of fbme female friend to confole 
 me, and ta amufe my gloomy thoughts. My 
 nurfe, to vrhom I had frequently made my 
 complaint, and from whom I had concealed no 
 part of my afflictions, at my repeated requeft, 
 was fo kind (I conceived it kind) to introduc* 
 to rne a lady of the neighbourhood, as fhe told 
 me ; whofe frank and generous converfe^fbon en- 
 gaged rny foolifti heart ; and I thought myfelf 
 happy in the friendship of Mrs, Marriot. Mrs. 
 Marriot took me to her country houfe j feveral 
 ladies were recommended by her to my acquaint- 
 ance. Two or- three gentlemen paid us fhort 
 vifits ; and after a day or two's ftay there, we 
 returned to town together ; but, as it happened 
 to be late, (he prefied me much to take a bed at 
 her houfe. I complied, and laid me down, to 
 ileep under her care and cuftody, dreaming of 
 nothing ill. When I was awakened in the night, 
 by the admiffion of a perfon into my room and 
 bed ; whom I found it in vain to refift, as he in- 
 formed me truly where I was, what I mujl ex- 
 pea,
 
 N io. T H E V I S I T O R. 67 
 
 pe&, and how unreafonable and unavailing any 
 refractory conduct would prove. The terror of 
 the fcene deprived me of my fenfes, and I 
 have no recollection of myfelf, but as fur- 
 rounded the following day by Mrs. Marriot, and 
 feveral of her houfe, ufing their endeavours to 
 fupport my life, of which they feemed almoft to 
 defpair. 
 
 It would be fuperfluous, Sir, to tell you the 
 horrid fituation I was now in, fince this is an evil 
 but too commonly known : I was again a ruined 
 wretch ; and befides this a beggared prifoner, 
 tleftined to every mifery that human nature is 
 capable of. My very foul abhorred my manner 
 ef living j but alas, I knew not, I could not ap- 
 prehend any method of redrefs ! Some months I 
 was compelled to the drudgery of this deteftable 
 life ; and as ours was a much frequented houfe, 
 mine was the more deplorable a fate : With fome 
 difficulty I again found means to apply to my un- 
 cle and my fifter, but they were as obdurate as 
 the flint. Good God, that neither wretchednefs, 
 relationmip, prayers, nor entreaties ihould avail ! 
 If thou waft as fevere as our fellow creatures, 
 what muft become of finful mortals ! 
 
 But that I may not be tedious : at length, Sir, 
 myfelf and the reft of our unhappy fifterhood, 
 were delivered from our prifon, and difperfed by 
 the difgrace of our miftrefs, who for fome mif- 
 dcmeanor fell into the hands of juftice. But, 
 
 alas!
 
 68 T H E V I S I T O R. N* 10. 
 
 alas ! I was then as much to fcek as ever. Sally 
 ***, with whom I had contracted a friendfhip, 
 advifed me to go with her to fome public office, 
 and there to enquire for a place : but at thefe 
 offices we were again and again rejected, unable, 
 as we were, to refer any where for a character : 
 and too plainly as our" improper drefs difcovered 
 our manner of life. We had no money : we had 
 no friends : we wept together, but we could find 
 no poflibility of deliverance from a purfuit of our 
 former life, in order to obtain fuftenance. I am 
 fare, and can fay it with the moft folemn truth, 
 any employment would hare been blefled, in 
 comparifon of this. For let the humane only 
 judge of a timorous young girl entering the ftreets 
 with a guilty mind, and a ftiameful purpofe ; 
 darknefs and diftrefs around her ; and under the 
 dire neceflity of fubmitting to the brutality of 
 luft with any wretch who is inclined to ufe her. 
 I was (hocked v with horror. Exquifite and prefT- 
 ing hunger, I truly declare, alone compelled me. 
 Sally and myfelf took a little apartment, and 
 there breathed a miferable exiftence. 
 
 Some weeks after which, as I was eroding the 
 Strand^ a young man met me, and ufmg my 
 name, I looked at him attentively : but what 
 was my furprize and my pleafure to find it my 
 elder brother^ who was grown much fince I faw 
 him, and was now near fixteen years old ! I was 
 ready to faint at the fight of him ! For there had 
 
 always
 
 N io. T H E V I S I T O R. 69 
 
 always been a particular love between us. I 
 perceived the tears gufh down the cheeks of the 
 dear youth, and you may eafily conceive I could 
 not refrain mine. He beckoned rne to follow, 
 and when we came to a private avenue in the 
 ftreet, he took my hand, and, * Oh ! my deareft 
 
 * After, faid he, how happy am I, that at laft I 
 
 * have found you ! my uncle and my friends have 
 
 * continually reprefented you to me as loft, and 
 
 * I have been unable to learn more, than that 
 
 * you are become a vile and abandoned woman 
 
 * of the town !' Oh ! brother, I replied, they 
 have indeed been cruel, though I am worthlefs : 
 but had they been more kind, they might have 
 -faved me from my prefent diftrefs. You muft 
 
 have heard how often I have wrote to them, and 
 to you j why was it that you would never give 
 me one word of an anfwer ? ' I never received 
 ' a line from you, replied he ; and whenever I 
 
 * enquired concerning you ; my uncle bad me be 
 
 * filent, and never afk after the fcandal of the fa- 
 
 * mily,ufmg other vile names, which I (hall notre- 
 ' peat. But, for God's fake, tell me, are you that 
 
 * unhappy woman ? I tremble to think it.' You 
 may be afTured I could give no anfwer. To hear 
 this from a brother, and fo young, and whom I 
 tenderly loved, and whofe fight renewed the re- 
 membrance of all my paft offences, the remem- 
 brance of my deareft friends, and Ihewed me 
 
 myfelf
 
 7 o T H E V I S I T R. N ro. 
 
 myfelf in the utmoft degree of horror ; to hear 
 this, fhocked me beyond expreffion j and his tears 
 and affe&ionate anxiety added poignancy to every 
 refle&ion. ' Oh ! fifter, faid he, this is too much 
 
 * to be fupported: but heaven has made me 
 
 * happy, that I may be the blefied means, I hope, 
 
 * of adminiftering relief to you. If you have any 
 c proper place to go to, let me attend you, and 
 
 * tell you what I have to offer.' We went to 
 my little lodging immediately. And can I, Oh ! 
 can I ever enough exprefs my joy, when this 
 good young man, now dearer to me than life, 
 informed me of the Magdalen- Houfe : where- 
 of he told me his excellent mafter was a gover- 
 nor, and to the chapel of which he had one Sun* 
 day introduced him. 
 
 There needed not much recommendation ; for 
 how could I be unwilling to abandon a life 
 which was big with mifery and forrow ? But had 
 I not been fo, his defcription of this blefled 
 Houfe would have certainly led me to it. I told 
 him, I hoped he would recommend me to his 
 mafter, not naming my relationfhip to himfelf. 
 But this he faid was impoflible ; fince no favour 
 was ftiewi) in admiflion. The moft proper ob- 
 jets, the trueft penitents, and the moft afflicted, 
 being always preferred by the governors. If fo, 
 faid I, there is no doubt but I fhall obtain their 
 favourable regard. I thought the hours long, 
 i till
 
 N" io. THE VISITOR. 71 
 
 till Thurfday arrived, the day of admifiion : upon 
 which I repaired to the Magdalen ; petitioned j 
 prevailed ; and was bleft ! 
 
 Thus, Sir, I owe, under God, my prefent 
 happinefs to my brother, which endears it ftill 
 more : during my ftay in the Houfe, I was 
 frequently bleft with his company, which is 
 always inftru&ive j and he has constantly 
 fupplied me with fome religious treatife or 
 other, which I read with a double pleafure as 
 coming from him. I have hopes too of regain- 
 ing the regard of my other friends, and have 
 already feen my fifter. My poor father, to my 
 exquifite forrow, died foon after my departure. 
 This is at prefent the greateft burden to my 
 mind. 
 
 Such is my ftory ; which I have delivered in 
 the plaineft manner. I want not to exculpate 
 myfelf : That I am criminal, very criminal ; 
 that I have done amifs, very much amifs, I am 
 ready to acknowledge ; I do acknowledge in the 
 fight of God and man. But oh ! dear Sir, let 
 the moft rigidly virtuous confider a poor unin- 
 ftrucled young girl, without any principles al- 
 moft but thofe of vanity, attacked by every thing 
 that can allure, youth, wealth, perfonal graces, 
 folemn vows, and the moft awful proteftationy 
 and promifes of marriage from a faithlefs heart ; 
 her own, ftck with love ; and let pardon at leaft 
 
 be
 
 72 T H E V I S I T O R. N 10. 
 
 be granted for one fault. For the reft, treachery, 
 perfidy, cruelty, neceflity, will fpeak. My fuffer- 
 ings have been very fevere : and oh ! that I had 
 known thofe dictates of virtue and religion, in which 
 I have been inftrudled at the Magdalen, and which 
 found a properly humbled mind to receive them! 
 Oh that in early youth I had known them ; 
 that my parents had early taught me the ways of 
 piety ; for, I am perfuaded, I fhould then never 
 have taken the firft falfe ftep. I (hould then have 
 preferved my innocence, and have efcaped thofe 
 forrows, which, I am fatisfied, are the never-fail- 
 ing attendants of Vice. 
 
 I am, Sir, 
 Your very humble Servant, 
 
 A GRATEFUL MAGDALEN. 
 
 N U M-
 
 NMI. THE VISITOR. 73 
 
 NUMBER XI. 
 
 Pardon for infinite offence, and pardon 
 
 Thro' means that /peak its value infinite ! 
 
 jt pardon bought ivitb blood: luith blood divine ; 
 
 With blood divine of him, I made my foe ! 
 
 Pcrjtjled to provoke, tho 1 woo* d and aw' V, 
 
 Bltjl and chajlifd ! A flagrant rebel ftill ! 
 
 A rebel 'midft the thunders of hii throne ; 
 
 Nor 1 alone a rebel univerfe I 
 
 My fpecies up in arms ! Not one exempt! 
 
 Yet for thefoulejl of tie foul he dies ! 
 
 Mojl jo^d for the redeemed from dcepeft guilt : 
 
 Ai if our race were hel'd of highcjl rank, 
 
 And Godhead dearer as more kind to man ! 
 
 YOL-KC. 
 
 IT is not eafy to conceive how man can pay 
 a higher or more honourable fervice to the 
 Deity, than by faith or truft in his moft facred 
 word and promifcs. Nor is it eafy to conceive 
 how man in his prefent circumftances, could 
 otherwife honour the Deity. : fince it is impofli- 
 ble for him either evidently to fee, or fully to 
 comprehend the objects of his faith or his hpe. 
 The great advocates for natural religion, in op- 
 pofition to revealed, feem not duly to have at- 
 tended to this principle j fince it is certain that 
 VOL. I. E faith
 
 . 
 
 74 THE VISITOR. N ir. 
 
 faith and truji muft be exerted in the former, no 
 Jefs than in the latter j faith in the general ex- 
 iftence j truji in the probable mercy of the Su- 
 preme. 
 
 The believer in revelation hath by far the 
 moft folid footing : convinced of the reality of 
 the facls, offered to his aflent, he prefumes not 
 to fathom their depths : he imagines not that he 
 can penetrate into all their reafons, caufes, and 
 dependencies. But allured that fuch is the mat- 
 ter of fa&, here he refts, believes, and adores. 
 
 That Chrift Jefus fuffered at Jerufalem, is a 
 truth fo undeniably attefted, that a man muft 
 abjure reafon and common fenfe, before he 
 can really difbelieve it. Why the all-wife 
 God thought fit to ufe this aftonifhing method 
 for the recovery and falvation of men : and 
 whether that effect might not have been produ- 
 ced by fome other caufe, tho', perhaps, we might 
 be able to aflign fome very probable reafons, 
 yet we attempt not to fay or explain. Suffice it 
 for us, that fuch was the will of God ; and that 
 he hath ordained this as the grand means of our 
 falvation. 
 
 And grand indeed we muft confefs it, when 
 we reflect upon the whole tremendous procefs ! 
 The long fcries of prophecies j the feparation 
 o the Jewifli people to preferve thofe prophe- 
 cies, and as it were to prepare the way for the 
 
 en-
 
 N-II. THE VISITOR. 75 
 
 entrance of this mediator into the world, clear- 
 ly fhew that this was no ordinary, no common 
 undertaking. And what could be ordinary in 
 which fuch a perfon was concerned ? The ever- 
 lafting SON of the everlafting Father ; the bright- 
 nefs of his father's glory, and the exprefs image 
 of his perfon ; who, feated on the throne of ce- 
 leftial magnificence, had from endlefs ages re- 
 ceived the adoration of all the heavenly hofts, 
 and enjoyed the fulnefs f divine beatitude ! 
 That fuch a perfon mould undertake for fallen 
 man, is wonderful ! But that he mould under- 
 take in fuch a manner, is ftill more to ! Had he 
 deigned to vifit the earth, and to have difplay- 
 ed at all his glorious prefence here ; this had 
 been much ! But that he fhould vouchfafe to 
 ajjume human nature, and to appear as a man 
 amongft men ; this is a condefcenfion we want 
 words to acknowledge. How then is all won- 
 der loft, when we reflect that he not only af- 
 fumed human nature, hut aflumed it in its 
 meaneft character : he took not upon him the 
 form and office of a prince or a noble, but that 
 of a fervant ; of a poor mechanic, a carpenter 
 himfelf, the fon of a carpenter ! And had this 
 been all, we could never enough have adored 
 the infinite humiliation. But as if all this had 
 been nothing, the great apoftlc remarks, that 
 in this fituation he bumbled himfelf, and 
 became obedient unto death : had it been a 
 E 2 common
 
 76 THE VISITOR. N 11. 
 
 common death, an eafy and natural refignation 
 of his own, to purchafe the lives of men, we 
 were bound to render him everlafting praifes : 
 But it was a death of the moft opprobrious, and 
 of the moft dolorous kind, even the death of 
 the crofs. 
 
 " That fuch a perfon, the eternal and immacu-- 
 late fun of Omnipotence, fhould thus humble 
 himfelf for us men and for our falvation, is wor- 
 thy unceafing acknowledgment, is matter of 
 the moft awful wonder! but confider we with 
 proper attention, the whole fad fsries of his 
 fufterings, from the beginning of his life to the 
 day of his death, and we (hall confefs, that as 
 never forrow was like unto his forrow ; fo his 
 whole exiftence amongft us was a life of fuffer- 
 ing ; was a continual facrifice, and offering to 
 God. The cup of which he drank, was no- 
 thing but vinegar and gall. Ingratitude, envy, 
 perfidy, treachery, anguifh of body, and an- 
 gUim.pf mind rendered him truly, according to 
 the prophetic information, " a man of forrows, 
 and acquainted with grief." His familiar friend 
 betrayed j all his chofen friends, nay, even his 
 Father, forfook, him. My GW, my God, rvhy 
 l.:Jl tbou forfaken me ! Stretched on the dewy" 
 ground, under the cold canopy of heaven, with 
 the heavy load of human fins upon him ; with 
 the dread forefight of Divine wrath, he prayed, 
 he wept; the fweat diftilled down his facred 
 
 bodv
 
 N ii. THE VISITOR. 77 
 
 body -fiveat, amazing to tell, bloody fweat 
 bis fweat ivas, as it were, great drops of blood fall- 
 ing down to the ground! And to finiih all fee 
 him crowned with thorns"? buffetted, mocked, 
 fpurned, fpit upon. See him ftretched in into- 
 lerable anguifli on the crofs, " how his wounds 
 blacken ! his body writhes, his heart heaves 
 with pity and with agony. Look down^ look 
 down, Oh ! Almighty fufferer, from thy trium- 
 phant infamy ! Lo, he inclines his head to his 
 facred bofom Hark, )ie groans ! See, he ex- 
 pires ! The earth trembles ; the temple rends ; 
 the rocks burfr. ; the dead arife : Which are the 
 quick ? Which are the dead r Sure nature, all 
 nature is departing with her creator !" * 
 
 If now, to thefe reflections on the greatnefs 
 of the fuff trcr^s pet-feu, and the complicated hor- 
 ror of hi$yi^Jr/ffg*, we add the confideration of 
 the objecls, for whom he thus condefcended 
 how will our wonder and gratitude increafe ! 
 lUwas not for angels ; it was not for dutiful, 
 deferring creatures. It was for finners, for re- 
 bels, for miferable and depraved children of the 
 duft. St. Paul dwells upon this : " But God 
 conmenddb bis low; towards us ; in that while we 
 were YET SINNERS, Cbrift died for us." And 
 the fine poet, in the words prefixed to this ef- 
 fay, hath in a beautiful climax fct forth the mar- 
 vellous mercy. 
 
 E 3 Par- 
 
 * See Sir Richard Steelc's Chriftian Hero, p. 38.
 
 ;8 THE VISITOR. N- 11. 
 
 Pardon for infinite offence and pardon 
 Thro' means, that fpeak its value infinite ! 
 A pardon bought with blood! 
 
 Of all things moft valuable but obfcrve, it is 
 not common blood ivitb blood divine with bloo^ 
 divine of HIM. Amazing to tell moft comfor- 
 table to be told ! Of him / made my foe anc 
 nt only made, by one or more direft oftences, 
 but of him whom I perfijled to provoke, and that 
 under the ftrongeft obligations to the contrary, 
 for he woo'd and he aw'd me ; he blejl and cba- 
 ftifed me ; all in infinite love to win me to duty 
 and happinefs. Yet I perfifted, a flagrant rebe 
 Jlill! a rebel, hard-hearted and unwife even 
 amidjl the thunders of his throne ! But hear, Oh 
 heavens, and thou earth be aftonifhed ! Not . 
 alone, not one only : but a rebel univerfe ! Myfpe- 
 cies up in arms / Not one exempt ! For all have gone 
 out of the way ! All like fhcep have erred in the 
 paths of iniquity : in Adam all died, and be- : 
 came fubjedt to fin ! Yet fir the fouhjl of tie foul 
 he dies ! Oh ! ye finners hear the joyful (bund ! 
 Chrift hath died for you, for the greateft of you::' 
 and there is pardon thro' him, if in faith and 
 fmcere repentance ye will turn to him, and tuin 
 from tranfgreflion ! 
 
 He is moft joyful for the ndiemtd from deepejl 
 guilt j as their danger was moft imminent, and 
 
 their
 
 NII. THE VISITOR. 79 
 
 their recovery moft doubtful and difficult : and 
 as if our race was held of higheft rank ! 
 
 And Godhead dearer as more kind to man ! 
 
 Let the proud and felf-fufficient deift difclaim 
 the Saviour, and defpife his atonement ! For us, 
 who are confcious to the thoughts, the words, the 
 deeds of depravity, let us rejoice in, and make 
 our boaft of pardon, through a fuffering media- 
 tor ! In whom we cannot believe, and not be 
 warmed into the moft exalted love to that glo- 
 rious Godhead, which hath imparted fuch a 
 blefling to mankind ! It were almoft impious to 
 be cold on fuch a fubjeft : to be languid to- 
 wards the author of fuch inexpreflible good. 
 
 Oh ye cold-hearted, frozen, formalifts ; 
 On fuch a theme 'tis impious to be calm : 
 Paflion is reafon : tranfport temper here : 
 Shall heaven, which gave us ardour, and has 
 
 fhewn 
 
 Her own for man fo ftrongly, not difdain 
 What fmooth emollients in theology, 
 Recumbent virtue's downy doctors preach, 
 That profe of piety, a lukewarm praife ? 
 Rife odours, fweet from incenfe, uninflam'd ? 
 Devotion, when lukewarm, is undevout : 
 But when it glows, its heat is ftruck toHeaven; 
 To human hearts her golden harps are ftrung ; 
 High heaven's orchejlra chaunts Amen to man ! 
 
 E 4. Obfcrvc
 
 8o THE VISITOR. N n. 
 
 Obferve we -too, that as love is the neceflary 
 confequence of a fiducial reception of a fufFering 
 Saviour : fo the moft lively and aive confidence 
 muft warm the heart, and rejoice the foul : for 
 we may fay with the moft exaft propriety of rea- 
 fon " If when we were enemies, we were re- 
 conciled to God, by the death of his Son; much 
 mre, being reconciled, we fhall be faved by his 
 life." And, " He that fpared not his own Son ; 
 but gave him up for us all : how (hall he not 
 
 alfo with him freely give us all things?" If 
 
 he gave him for us all, ! if he hath fo loved us 
 all, members of one body, made of one blood, 
 children of one father how ought we what a 
 forcible obligation is it upon us, to love one ano- 
 ther? The natural refuft of a contemplation of 
 our Redeemer's pafiion is gratitude to God de- 
 teflation of fin runiverfal benevolence and good- 
 will to all mankind ! Pleafing proof of the wif- 
 dom and goodnefs of God, which hath thus ex- 
 emplified our duty ; and bound it upon us by 
 the moft endearing and awakening motives ! 
 Happy they, whofe lives correfpond and coin- 
 cide with the great defign : Happy they, who 
 love as they have been loved ; and manifeft that 
 love by every act of religion and humanity in 
 their power. 
 
 N U M-
 
 N i a. T H E V I S I T O R. Si 
 
 NUMBER XII. ' 
 To the VISITOR. 
 
 Shall 1 like Curtius defperate in try zea/, 
 
 O'er head and can plunge for the common v:eal? 
 
 POPE. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 AS I have a very fincere regard for the clergy , 
 and am well fatisfied that it is much for 
 the political intereft of a kingdom to prelerve 
 and cultivate that regard : it always gives me 
 unpleafmg fenfations, when I perceive public 
 and general reflections thrown upon the body. 
 It is true, where thofe reflections are ill-found- 
 ed, and as ill fupported j with the ferious and 
 difcerning they will produce no bad effects : but 
 their influence cannot fail to be pernicious up- 
 on the minds of thofe who are unaccuftomed to 
 think much for themfelves, and who implicitly 
 receive what is plaufibly written. 
 
 I am led into thefe remarks by the perufal 
 of a periodical paper * now before me ; from 
 the merit of which I mean not to detract ; per- 
 haps, for fome good fervices, I might be will- 
 ing to pay all due refpect to the writer : on the 
 E 5 fubjed 
 
 * The Monitor, March *?, 1760*
 
 82 T H E V I S I T O R. N 11. 
 
 fabje& efpecially which is handled in that day's 
 paper, to which I refer, he certainly deferves 
 the thanks of his countrymen ; and we are 
 much indebted for his zeal and patriotic efforts, 
 in oppofition to that infernal liquor, gin ! the in- 
 vention of which we may with as much juftice 
 and propriety afcribe to the prince of the devils, 
 as Milton afcribeth to him the invention of 
 thofe death-doing inftruments ; which have dif- 
 cmbogued from their iron mouths, fo much de- 
 ftruction and mifery. f 
 
 But I would wifh to know what this gentle- 
 man would have the clergy do in fuch a cafe ? 
 Indeed he taxeth them very heavily, and calleth 
 aloud both upon thofe of the ejlablijhed and dif- 
 fentlng communion: " how carelffs^ faith he, doth 
 " it appear in thofe to whom the ejlablijbed 
 * church hath committed the care of fouls ; and 
 " in our dijjentlng paftors, to whom is commit- 
 " ted the inftru&ion of their congregations, in 
 <c the paths of righteoufnefs, fobriety, and true 
 holinefs ; not to bear their teftimony againft 
 " a law, that (hall lay an everlajllng temptation 
 ** for immorality, irreligion, confufion, and 
 *< every evil work." 
 
 He then produceth fome very alarming fen- 
 tences from the prophets, which he is pleafed to 
 apply on this occafion ; how juftly I will not 
 prefume to fay. But only beg leave to remark, 
 
 before 
 f See Par, Loft, B, 6, L, 470, &c,
 
 N-J2. THE VISITOR. 83 
 
 before I proceed with my fubjedl ; how injudi- 
 cioufly, full often, warm and rapid writers over- 
 load their arguments ; giving them fo much J7Y7- 
 vlty and proof, that they have neither weight nor 
 proof at all. This may truly be faid to be the 
 cafe with our author j for as to the " ever lofting 
 " temptation to the vices" whereof he fpeaks : 
 we may afiert, I perfuade myfelf, both in the 
 name of the clergy, and of the moft thinking 
 commonalty too, that they have fo high and fo 
 venerable an opinion of our noble and honourable 
 law-givers, as to be perfectly convinced that this 
 " law, whenever it fhall be plainly found not 
 " an everlajling, but a temporary caufe of the 
 " evils fpecified, will undoubtedly be abrogated.'* 
 But granting the faci, what would this wri- 
 ter have the clergy do in fuch a cafe ; the body 
 of the clergy ? Would he have every pulpit 
 found with the deftru&ive nature of gin ? And 
 if fo, we might afk, cut bono ? The only proper 
 place thus to preach, the only proper perfons 
 before whom thus to preach is that church, where 
 affcmble the perfons who are concerned in paf- 
 fmg this law : for thofe who are no ways con- 
 cerned in it, why preach on this fubje& to th'em ? 
 For we muft do the writer fo much juftice as to 
 fuppofe, that he would not wifh the clergy to 
 be the trumpeters of fedition, as in a former 
 difgraceful period of our hiftory ^ when the pulpit 
 E 6 Drum
 
 84 T H E V I S I T O R. N 12. 
 
 Drum ecchfiajlic 
 Was leat with fiji in/lead of a Jlick 9 
 
 In the humourous phrafe of our poet; and when 
 *' Down with Jeroboam and his calves" 
 " Curfe ye Meroz and the inhabitants thereof f" 
 unhappily fpirited up the enthufiaftic mob to 
 ufurp by the moft licentious proceedings the 
 conduct of matters, for which they were by 
 no means qualified. Thanks to our better 
 times, and better reafon, the clergy have too 
 much fenfe and candour, to be ftimulated to 
 any fuch peftiferous abufe of their facred func- 
 tion ! 
 
 " w No We mean not this would our author 
 41 fay : but they {hould bear their teftimony." 
 How fhould they bear it ? An addrefs would be 
 impertinent ; efpecially as their lijhops have the 
 honour to bear a part in the adminiftration. 
 Nay, but " the dijjenters petitioned, fays this 
 " writer, againft the breach of the fabbath 
 ** by the militia act." Not to fpcak of the pro- 
 priety or impropriety of this ftep, we obferve, 
 that the cafes are very different : " the breach 
 " of the fabbath" is an allowed tranfgrcfiion of 
 a plaiivand pofitive law of God. It will be 
 difficult to prove the ufe of gin, fuch, in itfelf, 
 
 feparate 
 
 f See Lord Clarendon's Hiftory of the Rebellion, vol. 
 ii. p. zz, Z3, 8vo.
 
 N'i2. THE .VISITOR. 85 
 
 feparate from the confequences; which confe- 
 quences, if the legislature ufe their beft and 
 wifeft endeavours to prevent, the queftion is, 
 againft what fin or vice have the clergy to peti- 
 tion ? 
 
 " But ftill it is their duty to inftruct their 
 " congregations in righteoufnefs, fobriety, holinefs," 
 Verily we grant it ; and wretched inftructors 
 muft they be, who omit to inculcate thefe capi- 
 tal duties. We are well fatisfied every worthy 
 and ferious divine, as well of the diffenting as of 
 the ejlablijhed church, is diligent in this impor- 
 tant exercife. And perhaps by the way, not a 
 few of them, where they fee any propriety or 
 conceivable utility, are found ready to fpeak of 
 the dangerous confequences of an exceffive ufe 
 of gin. 
 
 But after all, I will fo far agree with our au- 
 thor, as to allow, that there are fome methods 
 by which the clergy may " bear their teftimony" 
 againft this evil ; tho' in a more proper as well 
 as more prevailing way, we may fuppofe, than 
 by any public^ and perhaps -obnoxious proceed- 
 ing : that is, by their writings and arguments laid 
 before the public in general, and the legiliature 
 in particular. By their private fuggeftions, 'etters, 
 bints, and the like, to the nobles, member^ &c. with 
 whom they happen to be more or lefs connect- 
 ed. And that many, very many refpectable clergy- 
 men have omitted to ufe thefe methods, is more 
 
 we
 
 86 THE VISITOR. N 12 
 
 we imagine, than this writer would take upon 
 him to fay. At leaft, if peradventure he fhould 
 fo fay, we fhould know perhaps what in return 
 to reply. But I muft juft drop one hint much 
 to the honour of the clergy, (the Monitor himfelf 
 being judge) namely, that it hath been fhrewd- 
 ly fufpe&ed, and very freely faid by fome, that 
 the writer of thefe papers on the matter in 
 hand, the Monitor himfelf, is a clergyman : and 
 if fo, the fervices done by this champion may 
 well ferve to acquit the whole body. 
 
 However, joking apart, we will readily agree 
 with the writer, that the general ufe of gin is 
 by no means an indifferent matter : but one 
 wherein the public good is peculiarly intereft- 
 cd. Nay we will not be backward to wonder, 
 how any man profeffing Chrijlianity, and really 
 knows what he profefies,can either fatisfy his con- 
 fcience, or by any means make his profecution 
 of this bufmefs confiflent with his Chriftian 
 profefllon. We will alfo allow, that it is the 
 duty of every member of the community to ex- 
 prefs, in the moft proper and decent manner, 
 his fenfe of the evil, and his knowledge of its 
 malign confequences : nay, that he who is con- 
 fcious of any peculiarly pernicious effeiSls j that 
 he who can deleft any frauds ; that can difcern 
 any abufes; that can prove any difadvantages 
 arifing from the law, under fuch and fuch cir- 
 umftanccs ; we will allow, I fay, that fuch a 
 
 man,
 
 N 12. T H E V I S I T O R. 87 
 
 man, whether cleric or laic, is deficient in the 
 duty he owes to fociety, if he omit to notify 
 his particular obfervations. And if this be true 
 of individuals, much more is it of cities, of 
 corpirattmSj of focietles j who doubtlefs in this 
 cafe mould, with all becoming deference, ad- 
 tlrefs their feveral reprefentatives. 
 
 But when thofe reprefentatives have with care 
 and caution j with afliduity and attention ; with 
 prudence and impartiality, weighed every ar- 
 gument: we conceive that it favours more of 
 an arrogance, which (to fay the leaft) merits 
 not commendation ; than of a patriotifm, which 
 claims the noblcft applaufe ; to cavil at, and 
 controvert their beft determinations. 
 
 I am, Sir, yours, &c. 
 
 M, 
 
 N U M-
 
 88 T H E V I S I T O R. N 13. 
 
 NUMBER XIII. 
 
 To the .VisiT OR. 
 
 And did be rife ? 
 
 Hear, ob ye nations : hear it, ob ye dead f 
 He rofe, he rofe ; he burjl the bars of death ; 
 Lift up your heads, ye e~-verlajling gates j 
 And give the king of glory to come in ! 
 Who is the king of glory ? He 'who left 
 The throne of glory for the pang of death ! 
 Lift up your beads, ye everlajling gates, 
 And give the king of glory to come in ! 
 
 YOUNG. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 AS you indulged me by admitting my re- 
 fle&ions on the death, I beg leave to em- 
 ploy one more Saturdays paper, with fome ge- 
 neral remarks on the refurrettion of Chrift. Per- 
 mit me to fay, that whatever fome may advance 
 refpe&ing our age ; it is no bad fign, to perceive 
 papers of fo fcrious a nature, as our laft, fo 
 well received, and fo generally acceptable, as I 
 have had the pleafure to remark, (in various 
 companies,) thefe have been. It is an encou- 
 ragement to proceed. 
 
 The rcfurreflion of Chrift we acknowledge, is 
 an article of the utmoft moment. The very 
 
 being
 
 N 9 i3- THE VISITOR. 89 
 
 being of the chriftian religion depends upon the 
 truth of it. For could we fuppofe that (Thrift 
 never rofe from the dead, the whole fuperftruc- 
 ture mvHft fall, our faith be found folly, and our 
 hope delufion. But fo far is this from being the 
 cafe, that the evidences in fupport of this faft, are 
 infinitely ftronger, than any which can be pro- 
 duced in fupport of whatever other matter of be- 
 lief : as indeed, we readily allow, they ought to 
 be, fince the fact is of a nature fo extraordinary. 
 And I think, we may fay, with great truth, 
 that it requires a much larger faith to difbelieve, 
 than to believe it. 
 
 " No, faith the infidel ; evidences are in vain 
 " in this cafe : feeing the thing itfelf is utterly 
 " incredible, as contradicting nature and expe- 
 " rience." Moft willingly would we grant, 
 that evidence was fruitlefs, if the matter evi- 
 denced was in itfelf incredible. But we abfo- 
 lutely deny this, with refpeft to the refurre&ion 
 of a man from the dead. We may put the 
 apoftle's queftion " Why Jhottld it be thought a 
 *' thing incredible with you that God Jhould raife 
 " the dead ?" Can it be denied, that the omni- 
 potent hand which gives, is able to reflore 
 life ? Certainly, he who created can with equal 
 eafe renovate. Nay, indeed, humanly fpeaking, 
 there feems much greater facility in the latter, 
 than the former. And when we confider a body 
 dead and lifelefs, we may well believe, that the 
 
 Lord
 
 go THE VISITOR. N* 13. 
 
 Lord of exiftence can as eafily, with one touch 
 of his quickening hand, fet in motion again the 
 fprings of life : as a fkilful artificer with a flight 
 touch, can give motion to a watch, which by 
 fome diforder in its machinery is flopped, and as 
 it were, dead. To purfue the fimilitude : the 
 watchmaker is by no means baffled in his art, if 
 every wheel and fpring and pin of the watch be 
 feparated each from the other : fkilled in the 
 mechanifm, he repairs it with cafe, unites every 
 part, and again reftores it to motion. And can 
 we fuppofe that the Almighty artificer is unable 
 to unite the difleminated parts of human bodies, 
 and again to build them into a living frame ? 
 But whatever may be the cafe with bodies moul- 
 dered into duft ; certainly to vivify a body, three 
 days only dead, implies no fuch contradiction, 
 nor feems, even in our eftimate, any fuch vaft 
 exertion of almighty power and it is with this 
 cafe only that we are at prefent concerned. 
 
 To fay that this is contrary to nature or experi- 
 ence, is talking very unphilofophically : for how 
 many things are there, in fome countries and 
 climates, which appear contrary to nature ami 
 experience in others ? So that if we were to with- 
 hold our aflent, upon this principle, we muft not 
 laugh any longer at the Indian^ who deemed the 
 European a ftrange romancer, when he aflerted the 
 folidity of frozen water. But in fact I deny, 
 that a re-union of -a- foul to a dead body is con- 
 trary
 
 N"i3. THE VISITOR. 91 
 
 trary to nature and right reafon ; fince tradition, 
 general expectation, and many fails, have made 
 men, in all ages, not ayerfe to fuch belief. 
 
 However, be the matter as it may, it muft be 
 allowed, that God could work fuch a work if 
 he pleafed : and again it muft be allowed, that 
 fuch a work, if performed, was the object of 
 mens fenfes. We all know what a dead body is : 
 and cannot be deceived when we fee one, in 
 fuch a fituation, efpecially as that of Chrlfi's ; 
 and we know as well, what a living body is ; 
 our fenfes are fair judges in thefe cafes, and can- 
 not eafily be impofed upon. 
 
 Granting then the poflibility of a refurrection 
 we aver, that the evidence we have for the 
 truth of our Saviour's is fufficient. The apoftles 
 are his witnefles : and we obferve, according to 
 the ufual divifion, that as they had the repeated 
 teftimony of all their fenfes, for a long feries of 
 time, they could not be deceived. As they lived 
 a life of perfecution, and labour, and died a 
 death of fuffering, in atteftation of this fat, 
 without any motive to incite, any encourage- 
 ment to uphold, any fame, plcafure, profit, ho- 
 nour to allure, we rationally conclude, they 
 were not, they could not be deceivers. 
 
 Nay, moreover, the moft indifputable tcft of 
 their veracity and divine million, and fo in con- 
 fequence of that refurreftion to which they bore 
 vvitnefs, is the continued train of miracles, 
 
 which
 
 92 THE VISITOR. N 13. 
 
 which they wrought, which they enabled others 
 to work : which were done publicly, frequent- 
 ly, in the eye of the whole world : which were 
 never denied or gainfaid : and which the bittereft 
 adverfaries of the Chriftian faith never attempted 
 to deny ; endeavouring only, and weakly enough, 
 to invalidate their evidence, by afcribing them 
 to evil demons) art magic or any thing, but the 
 true fountain of power. This is a teflimony of 
 great weight with us, who are confcious of the 
 inadequacy of thofe caufes to fuch effects : and 
 therefore can never doubt, by what -power the 
 apoftles performed fuch miracles : which mira- 
 cles leave us no room to doubt of the truth of 
 their million. 
 
 Obferve we too, that it {hocks every proba- 
 bility, to fuppofe that twelve men like the apof- 
 tles could have fucceeded in the converfion of 
 the world, without arts, arms, or eloquence, 
 unpatronized by the great or the learned, nay 
 oppofed moft by fuch I fay it is the verieft ab- 
 furdity to fuppofe they could have done this, with- 
 out the immediate and miraculous hand of God. 
 And if any man believes it pofitble, let him only 
 make the trial : let him form a fcheme of reli- 
 gion as wifely as he can, and let him choofe 
 twelve men, who underftand only their mother 
 tongue ; and let him fend them into Spain or 
 China ; to Conftantinople or Peter -/burgh or where- 
 
 ever
 
 Ni3- THE VISITOR. 93 
 
 ever he pleafes ; and fee what the iflue will be. 
 No wife man will doubt. 
 
 To imagine that the apoftles were importers, 
 and ftole away the body of Jefus, according to 
 the foolifh fable of the Jewifh priefts, is as con- 
 trary to reafon, as it is to truth. For whether 
 we confider the foldiers, fet to guard thefepul- 
 cbre or the apojlles^ or the future behaviour of 
 the priejls and rulers we (hall fee that this was 
 impoflible. Every one, who knows any thing 
 of the Roman affairs, knows the exact military 
 difcipline of the Romans: and how abfurd it is 
 to fuppofe, that men of that order would have 
 dared to fleep in fuch a fituation: not to hint 
 the weaknefs of fuppofmg, that they all Jlept^ as 
 by confent. We know, how a centinel would 
 be treated with us in fuch circumftances : and 
 the Romans were not lefs exa6t in military mat- 
 ters. 
 
 But even allowing, that they might have 
 flept, the apojllcs can never be fuppofed capa- 
 ble of engaging in fuch a defign, as ftealing 
 away their matter's body. If they had been 
 courageous enough to have thought of this, 
 how could they have known, that all the guards 
 would have flept ? But the truth is, they were 
 too pufillanimous to think of any fuch thing : 
 they had no notion of it : they feem to have 
 loft all hope : and fo have had no apprehen- 
 fion of their matter's rifing again. They had 
 forfaken him. And were hard of belief, when 
 4 they
 
 94 THE VISITOR. N 13. 
 
 they heard of his refurre&ion. Their whole 
 conduct declares the impoflibility of their em- 
 barking in fuch a hazardous attempt, againft the 
 fuccefs of which there lay fo fearful a peradven- 
 ture. 
 
 Indeed the manner in which the priejls 
 and rulers afterwards proceeded, clearly proved, 
 that they did not themfelves believe the ftory, 
 which they perfuaded the foldiers to propagate ; 
 for we never find them profecuting the apoftle* 
 on that account, or laying it to their charge ; 
 though there was abundant room for it : the 
 apoftles boldly bore witnefs of the refurrection : 
 and the priefts reproved them for fo doing ; as 
 thereby they would bring the man's blood on 
 their heads, whom they had crucified. 
 
 " But fay fome, if Chrift really rofe, why did 
 he not appear to all the Jews ? they faw him 
 dead : they had no doubt of that : they faw him 
 fafe in the fepulchre : why did he not fhew him- 
 felf openly to all thenation ?" Permit me to an- 
 fwer this queftion by another ; why did he not 
 (hew himfelf to all the world, to the people at 
 Rome, to us in England? we had as good rea- 
 fon to expert it as the Jews ; who had reje&ed 
 fo long every evidence of his divinity, every de- 
 monftration of his million from heaven, that 
 they became unworthy any further favours : for 
 indeed there was no probability to fuppofe, that 
 further favours would have produced any better 
 fiuits. They had been witncfles to a refurrec- 
 tion,
 
 N d i3- THE VISITOR. 95 
 
 tion, that of Lazarus ; they could not controvert 
 it : but what good influence had it upon them ? 
 The truth is, his refurreflion was to be preach- 
 ed to the world in general, of which proper wit" 
 neffes were to be chofen : He appeared therefore 
 to thefe, as well as to many others, five hun- 
 dred brethren at once ; and he furnimed thefc 
 witnefles with proper credentials to warrant their 
 teftimony. And they who will not receive it, 
 becaufe they think God fhould have done more, 
 at once make themfelves wifer than God j and 
 forget to examine, whether really he hath done 
 enough. 
 
 That he hath done fo, no humble and ratio- 
 nal man will deny : while in full belief of the 
 important fact, he endeavours to realize the re- 
 furretion in his foul, by a moral rifing to a new 
 life of virtue j that fo he may happily fecure to 
 himfelf that immortality and life, of which the 
 refurreHon of his Redeemer is at once the 
 token, and the pledge, the purchafe and the fc- 
 curity. 
 
 Shout earth and heaven 
 Thisfum of good to man : whofe nature then 
 Took wing, and mounted with him from the 
 
 tomb ! 
 
 Then, then I rofe : then firft humanity 
 Triumphant pafs'd the cryftal ports of light, 
 (Stupendous gueft) and fei^'d eternal youth, 
 
 Seiz'd
 
 96 T H E V I S I T O R. N 14. 
 
 Seiz'd in our name ! e'er fince 'tis blafphemous 
 
 To call man mortal. Man's mortality 
 
 Was then transferr'd to death : and heav'n's 
 
 duration 
 
 Unalienably feal'd to this frail frame, 
 This child of duft ! Alan AJl-immortal hail ! 
 Hail heaven ! all lavifli of ftrange gifts toman ! 
 Thine all the glory : man's the boundlefs blifs ! 
 
 NUMBER XIV. 
 To the VISITOR. 
 
 Friend, 
 
 THE paper called The Public Ledger (in 
 which thou beareft a part) hath given 
 me much pleafure, and been of much edi- 
 fication to me and my houfhold. Good for- 
 tune betide thee therefore j may the fons of 
 commerce take thee under the golden wings of 
 their protection ! Thus far I had written before 
 fun-fet, on the firft day of the week, vulgarly 
 and prophanely called Sunday. But lo, when at 
 breakfaft this morning, according to my daily 
 cuftom, a cuftom long pradYifed by my forefa- 
 thers j yea, verily, I fay unto thee, when at 
 breakfaft this morning thy paper was brought 
 unto me ; how was I moved at once with grief 
 and indignation ! " Wo is me, quoth I, to my 
 loving wife, Gertrude^ what hath this man of 
 
 vanity
 
 N 9 i4. THE VISITOR. 97 
 
 vanity, this public corrupter of our manners, 
 this fame Trijham Shandy, hath he intruded his 
 frontlefs face into our moral, and fober paper al- 
 fo ?" Behold, the fpirit of Gertrude was moved, 
 and me groaned deeply within her ; " Ah Ger- 
 trude^ Gertrude, (quoth I, drawing my beaver 
 over my eyes, for mine eyes were fwollen with 
 grief) ah ! Gertrude, Gertrude, thefe unrighteous 
 books ; yea, I fay unto thee, thefe unrighteous 
 books will corrupt our godly generation i" Hercat 
 my fpoufe put from her hand the fmall veflel of 
 china ware which (he did hold therein ; and lift- 
 ing up both her eyes, groaned more gricvoufly 
 than before. " Was it for this, faid I, that the 
 royal licence of our good friend George, who 
 weareth on his head the crown of gold, was 
 granted unto the trufty and well-beloved William 
 Faden, of our city of London, printer ? Was it 
 for this, that immorality and prophanenefs mould, 
 like fmall wares, be retailed in the Public Ledger, 
 to the evident hurt of the community. Yea, 
 and what grieveth me ftill more, retailed by the 
 poifonous pen of one, who, if my informer fayeth 
 true, is of the number of thofe that are hired for 
 filthy lucre's fake, to appear in the pulpit in a 
 gown of black, to teach unto the people the way 
 of fobernefs. Oh ! thou man of folly, why wilt 
 thou give unto the infidel, fuch caufe to triumph ? 
 Oh ye fimple ones (for fimple ye are, albeit ye 
 vainly flatter one another with prophane titles of 
 Vol. I. F honour)
 
 98 T H E V I S I T O R. N- 14. 
 
 honour) ye great lords t and ye nun^ who (hew 
 yourfclves with fleeves made of laivn ; oh ye fim- 
 ple ones, can ye fo manifeuMy difclofe your want 
 of all grace, as to countenance fuch a reproach 
 to his profeflion, as the loofc and unfan&ified 
 penman of Trlftram Shandy." 
 
 Thus Friend Faden^ did I pioufly remark, on 
 beholding the words, " Original letters from 
 Trijlram Shandy," in thy paper. While my good 
 wife Gertrude fat inwardly groaning the while: 
 and our virtuous daughter Ruth fighed full fad, 
 and forgat to eat her bread and butter ! But, 
 Friend Printer , if great was my indignation on 
 reading the title, greater far was my indignation 
 on reading the epiftle itfelf. For ribaldry in imi- 
 tation is much more inexcufable than in its ori- 
 ginal form. Not much penetration is wanting, 
 I trow, to difcern that this letter of thine is not 
 penned by the original Trijlram Shandy ; of whom 
 it may with verity be faid, that though altoge- 
 ther deficient in morals, he is not altogether de- 
 ficient in wit. But peradventure I mail not err 
 much, if I fay, that thy Trijlram difcovereth 
 equal lack of both. " Verily Elcnezer (faid my 
 loving wife Gertrude unto me) from what them 
 hall read I perceive, that this Trijham^ is a bafe- 
 born fon of that Trijlram, of whom our good 
 frind Obad'wb^ fo wifely complained, in this pa- 
 per
 
 N 14. THE VISITOR. 
 
 per on a former day *. Oh Ruth, Ruth, con.uvued 
 the fober matron, the Lord forbid that thou 
 ihould'ft be like the ungracious and unnatural 
 daughters of Obadiab, who forfake the primitive 
 road of truth, for the crooked paths of the old 
 Serpent f" Gertrude, then faid I, I am much mo- 
 ved, Gertrude, to write unto this man of folly, 
 our trufty and well-beloved William Faden, to 
 reprove and admonifh him." " What thy mind 
 moveth thee unto, delay not to perform, O Ebe- 
 ntxer, fhe replied," And lo, friend, I write un- 
 to thee, and fay ; why fleepeth our friend Pro- 
 \bus? where is the fage and pious man, that hath 
 often refreshed us on the day vulgarly called Sa- 
 diiy ? hath Licn-Cbl Altangi no more letters 
 for Fnm-Hoam ; f and will Fum-Hoam never reply 
 nto him, opening fomewhat more fully unto 
 s the manners of the Chimefe, in a ftyle fome- 
 hat more like unto theirs ? why is our good 
 n.-nci the J'lfitor alfo fo rare in his appearance ? 
 y kind love to him, I pray ; and if my mind 
 jfgiveth me not, his father and I have had 
 long acquaintance ; and It will revive my fpirit, 
 to read the wife fayings of the young man Pbl- 
 liinthropy, his fon, in thy Ledger. But, for this 
 illegitimate child of Shandy, carnally begotten on 
 n mother without understanding or wit, by an 
 F 2 irre- 
 
 * This refers to a paper, figned Obadiah, which was 
 'din the Ledger, and in which Obadiab complains 
 
 1 )aughters for reading Triftram SbanJy. 
 t Writers, \vho appcaredjn the Ledger%
 
 ioo T H E V I S I T O R. N 15. 
 
 irreverend father without virtue ; to give thee 
 my advice, friend, in a prudent way ; let me 
 tell thce, it will not redound either to thy pro- 
 fit or credit, to admit his vain epiftles into thy 
 paper. I fhall bear thce in mind, and am, with 
 much good will, friend Printer^ 
 
 Thine in fmcerity, 
 
 EBENEZER PLAIN-CLOTH.] 
 
 Dated our city of London the 2d day 
 
 of the week in the month, called! 
 
 April, at the feafon of breakfaftingJ 
 
 NUMBER XV. 
 
 Suck Fulvia'j pcffionfor tbe town ; frejk air 
 
 {An odd (ffeft !J gives vapours to the fair : 
 
 Green felds andjhady groves and cryftal firings. 
 
 And larks and nightingales are odious things : 
 
 But fmoke and dujl and ncife and crouds delight ; 
 
 And to be prefs'd to death, tranf ports her quite. 
 
 Where filler riv'lets play thro 1 ftcw'ry tneads, 
 
 And woodbines gi-ve their facets, and limes their Jbadet f , 
 
 Black kennels abfent odours foe regrets, 
 
 And jlops her noje at beds of violets : 
 
 To the VISITOR. 
 
 From tbe Metropolitan Ball, Tlmrfdaf \ 
 
 night, cr rather Friday morning* 
 Dear VISITOR. 
 
 A Name by the way, that pleafes me beyond 
 all others. Your title Ihews your good 
 fcnfc, and politcnefs. There is no character fo 
 
 agree-
 
 15. THE VISITOR. 101 
 
 agreeable as that of Tlfttor ; nothing in the world 
 (I fpeak rather too largely ; I muft fay except 
 two or three particulars) nothing is to me fo de- 
 lightful as vijiting. It is the very thing, Sir, for 
 which we are born; what is life without it? 
 Indeed I muft do juftice to the fuperior under- 
 ftanding of our times, difcernible as in a thou- 
 fand other inftances, fo in the titles annexed to 
 periodical pieces ; many of them have charmed 
 me much ; as the Rambler, a very excellent 
 title ; the Adventurer, better ftill ; the Connaif- 
 feur, oh the dear Connoiffenr ! What humdrums 
 were our fore- fathers, with their Speflatirs and 
 Guardians ! not but I muft own, the Taller was 
 well enough, but for thofe Spectators and Guar- 
 dians, the very fight of them almoft gives me 
 the hyftericks ! Well, but to the point; you 
 imuft know Mr. Vifitor, that the moment I faw 
 iyour face in the Ledger, I fell in love with you, 
 |and was determined to correfpond with you. I 
 jhnd fome thoughts offending a letter to the Led- 
 fgcr, but I was fo much difpleafed with that title, 
 (fo much do I hear of Ledger and Comptlng-Honfej 
 and fuch ftuft" every day) that I refolved not 
 to do fo. Can't you, dear Sir, can't you per- 
 fuade your friends Fairtype and Manyjhctts to 
 : alter that odious title ; and to name it the Af- 
 \fembly (La belle Ajfemblee is a fwect book with a 
 fwcet name) or the Ball, or fomcthing of that 
 F 3 fen,
 
 102 THE VISITOR. N 15. 
 
 fort, it would give the paper infinite eclat ; and 
 I warrant it, many thoufands would be fold every 
 day : And then what one writes would be read 
 and feen and let me tell you, I have a little 
 ambition that way ; I don't love to write for na 
 body. I love to be feen and read, Mr. Vifitor- 
 Dear creature, was you at our laft Ball? I am 
 come to the bufmefs now. This was the reafon 
 of my writing. 
 
 Lajl, that word lift / Oh what a found it has ! 
 The raven croaks not fo harfh a note ! Adieu 
 lov'd hall of the Haberdajhtrs ; farewel delicious 
 fcene of happinefs and joy ! Brilliant beaus, and 
 fparkling belles adieu j and all ye glories of our 
 Metropolitan afTembly. Oh that the fummerwas. 
 over and paft ! that the long day, and fhort, too 
 faort nights were no more ! That the dear frofts 
 were travelling from the north, and the pleafant 
 clouds black with ftorms and with fnow ! You. 
 muft know (to defcend a little from the fub- 
 li.me) that this night concludes our afiemblies 
 for the prefent year : this night with its Wil- 
 liam ball, (huts us out from an entertainment, 
 the moft elegant, fplendid, agreeable, divine j 
 every thing that ever was upon earth, or even; 
 can be imagined. Crowns and coronets, all 
 they wim and all they want, fall upon the head 
 of him, him or her, which ever it might be, 
 who, intent upon the public good, firft propofed 
 and planned this honourable Ccheme ! 
 
 No-
 
 NO 15. T H E V I S I T O R. 103 
 
 Nothing can be conceived more happy than 
 \ve all were : though to be Cure, towards the 
 conclufion, we began to be a little moped at the 
 thought, that we were not to meet again for 
 foine time. Indeed due refpedl was paid to the 
 ball ; the drefles were hig and rich : though I 
 could not help laughing in a corner, with lady 
 Lcve-to^fneer, at the aukward figure alderman 
 W~iddle-whaddle s lady made ! with her bumpkin 
 daughter fimperrng at her tail ! Lord blefs me,, 
 the Deft cloaths in the world, Mr. Ftfttor 9 don't 
 appear tolerable on fome folks. Nor could we 
 refrain, fmiling at the fignificant airs afiumed by 
 Mrs. Chalk- and-Cheefei who thinks every body 
 fhould make her the loweft courtefy in the room 
 forfooth, becaufe fhe happens to have a good 
 ftore of her grand-mother's diamonds ; though, 
 entre nous, I am apt to believe (and lady SnciH- 
 gfare was quite of my opinion) that there is not 
 any deficiency in pajle-ware among them. But 
 as to that matter, it is very eafy to appear in 
 fine jewels : there was one Mifs Borrow* d^Plumes^ 
 a merchant's daughter, who had fome thoufanJ 
 pounds worth of jewels about her; but not one 
 of her own ! I know to whom fhe gave ten 
 guineas for the night. Why now, Mr. ^7,;/;r, 
 thefe are ways to be fine, if people will be fine ! 
 But I confefs, I think ten guineas better em- 
 ployed in making up a good fack of one's own : 
 to be fure, what with trimming and fo forth, ten 
 t 4 guineas
 
 io 4 THE VISITOR. N- 15. 
 
 guineas are but a trifle. For cleneil is prodigi- 
 oufly dear, efpecially if tolerably handfome. 
 And I a flare you I had the pleafure to find mine 
 particularly taken notice of. It is incredible 
 what a number of ladies enquired after my man- 
 tua-makcr! * And the^were all aftonifhed, when 
 I tcld them, it only coft ten guineas making up.' 
 (I did drop a little fib, Mr. Vifitir^ no harm in 
 that you know) for trimming and all came to . 
 fifteen but one loves fcmetnnes to appear mighty 
 frugal. And let me tell you too, which pleafed 
 me bed of all, feyeral gentlemen, fome very 
 fine ones, and one very worthy gentleman with 
 a title ^ who does always fpeak fuch pretty and 
 polite things Why, they took great notice and 
 fiiid, I had a charming tafte ; but no wonder, 
 faid the baronet, " every thing about fo fine a 
 lady muft be charming and excellent.'* 
 
 But, Mr. yijitory as I have heard it faid fome- 
 where or another ; " In the midft of mirth the 
 heart is fad :" fo is it in fome fort with me. 
 And I will make you my confidante. The 
 winter is over ; in vain have I frequented this 
 ball, and all the other public places ; for, behold 
 I muft return to our abominable country-houfe,' 
 with my old name of Seeter. I will not trouble 
 you at prefent with my various amours, offers, 
 and addrefles, nor with my difappointments as 
 
 vari- 
 
 By way of Note, let me obferve, that I always cm- 
 ploy a MAN: I can't bear a Woman near meno body 
 of tafte employs Women.
 
 N 15. THE VISITOR. 105 
 
 various. I have indeed one iron in the fire at 
 prefent : but no more of that. I fliall be 
 mighty glad of your favourable recommenda- 
 tion ; and to that end, you (hall hear from me 
 in the country ; for which we fet out on Satur- 
 day morning ; and I know not how I (hall fup- 
 port my exigence. For that which is a fource of 
 the greateft pleafure to others is my greateft mor- 
 tification. " Come, Sfilma, fays my father , let 
 us take a walk, and look at our laft planta- 
 tion : let us fee how the flowers blow ; or let 
 us fit by the canal and feed the gold fiih." 
 Then it is, " Bring Thorn/oata Seafons m your 
 hand : you (hall read forae of that charming: 
 j poet to me. Don't you admire his defcriptions,, 
 child ?" I am forced to cry yes, though hea- 
 ven knows what he defcribes ; for I never think: 
 of it, when I read his random poetry. I hate 
 blank verfe abominably : of all poetry, your 
 fonnet, or ode, efpecially love-fonnets pleafc- 
 me the beft ! And next to T/:omfon t I bite rhc 
 country ; and frand amazed to hear people ia 
 raptures about purling brooks r and flowery 
 bunks - y fummer fkics, and vocal groves. Th.: 
 purling brook makes me melancholy ; the fiowi . v 
 bank reminds me of the mercers and the milliners 
 fhops ; and I tbmetimcs fit dowa upon it merely 
 to figh : as to the Cummer's ikies, I hate the 
 fun, with his red face and infuflcnib'c heat ;. 
 and the birds never fail to bring .to my renn-in- 
 ibe charniir^ concert,, aiid the more; 
 F 5 charming
 
 io6 T H E V I S I T O R. N* 15. 
 
 charming play-hottfe, which methinks is to Lon- 
 don y what the heart is to the body. " Ceafe ye 
 little whittling trifters, I cry when I hear the 
 foolifh birds ; hold your quavering throats : to 
 my ears you are harfli as the grating hinge, com- 
 pared to the Beard's^ the Brent's^ the 'Tenducc'i'Sj 
 the Profits, &c. &c. of the town. Only one 
 thing in the country is tolerable, a walk by 
 moonlight in the arcade. Oh no : I had for- 
 got ; it too much reminds me of dear Vaux-ball: 
 celeftial fpot ! I (hall hope, however, now and 
 then to vifit that delicious place j it I can fup- 
 port life, till the joyful winter comes fmiling 
 again with all his happy train. Had I a poeti- 
 cal pen, how elegaritly now, could I defcribe 
 the beauties of a dark and clouded day, the 
 charms of London, decorated with lamps, in 
 every ftreet by five the warbling whiftle of 
 the wintry ftorms the engaging whitenefs of 
 thick-falling fnow, the channels flowing with 
 the thawing ice ! Oh winter, dear delicious 
 winter, thou art my feafon ! hafte and drive 
 the dull fummer away. 
 
 There is one thing however, Mr, Vifitor^ 
 whereof I muft not fail to inform you ; which 
 is, that as our country- retreat is not a very 
 great way from town, and we have a pretty 
 good neighbourhood ; I have propofcd to fcveral 
 ladies, under the fame afflictions and difficulties 
 with myfelf ; that we fet up an affembly of our 
 Own, a weekly meeting, in order to //// fome 
 
 of
 
 N- 15. THE VISITOR. 107- 
 
 of this odious time. And we have already agreed, 
 about five or fix and twenty of us, and do here- 
 by invite all whom it may concern, to agree 
 to the following propofals. Namely, that our 
 aflembly, (of which they do me the honour to- 
 make me the queen) fhall be called the feeding 
 ajjemlly : that every girl of fpirit in fearcb of 
 fometbingi (hall be deemed a proper candidate : 
 that the terms of admiflion fliall be an exami- 
 nation in Trijlram Shandy, or fome writer of 
 equal merit ; and a fubfcription, in their owa 
 hand writing to the regulations, and rules pre- 
 fcribed : that in a book provided for that pur- 
 pofe, each member fhall put down, what it is 
 fhe is faking after, with as minute and partictir 
 lar a defcriptioa thereof, as may be : anxl th'at 
 fome of the body be deputed to convey the 
 frefheft intelligence from aJl quarters, refpei5t- 
 ing the matters in fearcb. That fome certain 
 ceremonies be obferved at the initiation of each 
 member ; which are to be kept fecret and 
 deemed myftical. Now, Mr. Fifetor^ we hope 
 very good effedls may arife from this afTembly; 
 and I (hall take care to convey to you (if you 
 pleafc me) the minutes of our fcveral meetings 
 -But I ftop fhort at prefent. For I am almolt 
 fcircd with dancing, talking, writing, &c. 6cc. 
 
 As I cannot convey this letter myfelf, I leave 
 
 it to the care of my brother Solomon who is very 
 
 punctual : and fays, that he likes the laft page 
 
 F 6 of
 
 io& THE VISITOR. N 15. 
 
 of the Ledger beyond all the books he ever faw. 
 He is perpetually poring over it. My Oxford 
 brother is as much pleafed with the firft page : 
 and when I told him I was going to write to 
 the Vifitor, began to examine me about Mr. Can- 
 did and Candour-Hall and Philanthropy (by the 
 way I like that long word leaft of any thing in 
 your character do change it for an eafiername) 
 '*and he told me, that there was fome allegory 
 couched under it. " More, fays he, is meant * 
 t/tan meets the ear. You muft read it with at- 
 tention." But I can give no fuch attention. I 
 hate your thinking work, when one reads. I love 
 to have it run off : and no more of it. Juft as 
 my letter does now : fo adieu till we meet 
 again, worthy Mr. Candid: . 
 
 Unalterably yours, 
 1760. 
 
 SELIMA SEEKER. 
 
 Forwarded, 
 
 By your's, to ferve in the needful^ 
 
 SOLOMON SEEKER, 
 
 NUM.
 
 N 16. T H E V I S I T O R. 109 
 
 NUMBER XVI. 
 
 Quod times, ant futurum eft , atitfecus. Si /ecus, fru- 
 Jtra I'exaris. Si <venturum eft, turn fatis dohbi$ y cum ad- 
 fuerit Tribulatio. 
 
 SENECA. 
 
 COmplaints of the miferies of life, and mur- 
 murs at the prefent difpofition of things 
 are heard from almoft every quarter, are breath- 
 ed from almoft every lip of mortality. Tho' it 
 is not to be denied, that human exiftence is 
 fubjel to forrow ; that moral and natural evil 
 predominates, in a great degree, throughout the 
 creation : yet neither is it to be denied, that 
 much of the mifery whereof men complain, is 
 of their own feeking : that many of the mur- 
 murs which querulous mortals emit, fpring from 
 the bitter fountain of their own folly and 
 imprudence. 
 
 A copious fource of difquretude is that antici- 
 pation of misfortunes, that ingenious method of 
 felf-tormenting, (wherein many are fo (killed) 
 by which they penetrate into all the poflible ca- 
 lamities of futurity ; nor ever allow themfelves 
 to enjoy the prefent thro' an irrational dread 
 and fufpicion of what is to come. As nothing 
 can be more deftrudive of felicity, fo nothing 
 
 \>
 
 MO THE VISITOR. N* 16. 
 
 is more difgraceful to reafon, or more contrary 
 to that pious dependence upon God ; which re- 
 ligion in general, and the chriftian revelation in 
 particular, fo clearly inculcates. 
 
 This evil without doubt arifeth from weaknefs 
 f underftanding, and want of faith. For did 
 men recollect that no human fears can influ- 
 ence futurity ; that he, in whofe hands are all 
 events, both can and will difpofe them accord- 
 ing to his good pleafure : they would quickly 
 drop all unmanly dread of the morrow ; and 
 labour only to fecure his protection, who, fove- 
 reign in power and goodnefs, caufeth all things 
 to co-operate for the good of his creatures. 
 From fuch principks a prudent, but not anxi- 
 ous ; a reafonable, but not diitrefsful regard to- 
 the future, would preferve the compofure, and 
 ever maintain the chearfulnefs of the mind. 
 
 Carvicco never leaves his houfc, but he is un*- 
 <fer a thoufand apprehenfions during his abfence r 
 leaft fome rnifchief fhould befall his wife or his 
 children : he prognofticates an army of evils, 
 and is generally difappointed at his return to 
 find all things well. Ventofm is feldom feerv to 
 fmile, is commonly ruminating on the mourn- 
 ful fituation to which he fhall be reduced, in 
 cafe the veffels, wherein his fubftance is embark- 
 ed, mull chance to be taken by the enemy, or 
 funk by the ftorms ; and with thefe melancholy 
 probabilities, his family for the moft part, every 
 
 evening
 
 Ni6. THE VISITOR. m 
 
 evening are entertained. Carcalla preys daily up- 
 on her own vitals, and is often obfcrved to drop 
 a tear in filence : for fhe conjectures and fore- 
 bodes that her hufband, on whofe life the whole 
 fupport of her family depends, will die, before 
 his children are brought up : *' and then, faith 
 fhe, with a lamentable figh, where (hall fuch 
 a wretched widow and her poor orphans find 
 a friend !" 
 
 An ancient apologue (for fables may teach 
 where the more ferious dogmas of fcience are 
 fruitlefs) well expofeth this pernicious wealc- 
 nefs. 
 
 Beneath the thick covert of a wide-fpread- 
 ing oak, fequeftred from the herds, and enjoy- 
 ing the cool of the {hade, lay a STAG, with 
 his beauteoufly-chequered partner by his fide ; 
 while around them bounded in fporting play, a 
 little lovely fawn, produce of their mutual af- 
 fection. The foreft boafted not a mate more 
 faithful and fond than he ; more pleafmg antl 
 conftant than fhe no gentle hind was renowned 
 through the glade. As fhe viewed with tender 
 affection the branching antlers nodding on his 
 comely brow ; the glofly fmoothnefs of his (kin, 
 and the elegant beauty of his (lender and well 
 turned legs ; full of love fhe fighed deeply, 
 while a round tear ftole involuntarily down 
 her dappled face. Attentive to her looks he 
 foon difcerned the rifing forrow : " and whence
 
 ii2 THE VISITOR. N 16. 
 
 faid this native burgher of the woods) whence, 
 my foft mate, this fad figh ; wherefore thefe 
 tears that fteal from your eyes, as if they wifh 
 to be concealed ? The fharer of your heart muft 
 claim a lhare in your troubles ; imparted griefs 
 are diminifhed, as imparted blifs is doubly aug- 
 mented." 
 
 " Alas, fhe replied, perhaps the day will 
 come ; perhaps it is nearly approaching, in 
 which I (hall have no partner to (hare in my 
 griefs or my joys j but be left a widowed bind 
 to range the lone foreft in defertion and folitude. 
 The mournful reflection for ever prefects itfelf 
 to my view, and I am hourly apprehenfive of 
 thy fharing that fate, to which the cruel gods 
 have fubjected our unhappy race ! Full frefh in. 
 my memory,, nay, prefent, as it were, before 
 my afflicted fight, is the miferable cataftrophe of 
 my brother A flag of nobleft nature, and once 
 nimbleft of thofe that fkim light, o'er the lawn ! 
 Shall 1 e'er forget the day, when brcathlefs and 
 panting, he fought the thick covert where I 
 chanced to lie hid ; his burfting heart throbbed 
 impetuoufly ; his weary legs could no longer 
 fupport him ; in anguifh and difmay he threw 
 himfelf along the turf; and, as he caft his eyes 
 at me, who, trembling with terror, Curveycd 
 him ; " the big round tears com fed one ano- 
 ther down his innocent nofe in piteous chace ;" 
 juft as he was going to vent his deep woe, the 
 
 , . . 
 
 hornd
 
 N 1 6. THE VISITOR. 113 
 
 horrid tumult of the hunters and the hounds 
 too loudly and plainly befpoke the caufe. Un- 
 able to fly, he armed himfelf with defperate re- 
 folution; and (hocking to relate I beheld at a 
 difrance the blood-happy pack hang growling at 
 his fair-jutting chert; I fuw him long maintain 
 the unequal combat ; I faw But, oh ! (hould 
 fuch fate befall thee ! nay, and perhaps that 
 pretty innocent one, which plays its fportive 
 gambols around us, unfufpicious of danger, un- 
 confcious of the future that lovely fawn, dear 
 pledge of our fondnefs perhaps too we are 
 breeding him up to the favage {laughter ! Ah 
 wretched mother ; ah miferable wife : is the 
 fruit of thy loins, is the hufband of thy love, 
 deftined to be torn by devouring dogs : deftined 
 to be the fport of men, more devouring and in- 
 human than they." 
 
 " Ceruilla (faid the flag, rifing with much 
 dignity and grace, and afluming a tone of au- 
 thority, foftened with love) vain are thy com- 
 plaints ; thy apprehenfions are the children of 
 timidity and weaknefs. The tendernefs of thy 
 conjugal, the yearnings of thy motherly affec- 
 tion, can alone plead thy pardon for indulging 
 fuch unreafonable terrors. But fay, my loved 
 mate, canft thou pierce into futurity, and fee 
 the yet dark and undifcovered iflue of things ? 
 or grant, that thou couldft, yet canft thou coun- 
 terwork the great and irreverfible decrees of fo- 
 
 vereiga
 
 ii4 THE VISITOR. N* 16. 
 
 vereign Pan ; or caufe the filver-bow'd Diana to 
 lay afide her deftined fhafts ! Suffice it for thce, 
 that thefe potent deities prefide over all the af- 
 fairs which concern our race. "Wife in their 
 rule, they will deal properly with us. It is ours 
 to fecure their favour : it is ours to fubmit to 
 their will. Thy heart heaves with anguifh, 
 through dread of misfortunes which never may 
 happen ; and, if fo, vain is that dread, though 
 thy anguifh is a real evil. How many of our 
 dappled kindred haveefcaped, to the utmoft day 
 of cervine longaevity, the toils of the hunter, 
 nor ever fled before the deep-mouthed pack ? 
 Why wilt thou not rather anticipate the good 
 than ,the evil ? Nay, but confider, fhould it be 
 the high will of Diana, that / and my fon flee 
 before the hunter, were it not more wife calmly 
 to enjoy what is granted at prefent, than to 
 die a thousand times, than a thoufand times to 
 fuffer, in the fearful apprehenfion of the death, 
 of the fuffering, ojie day to come ! It will be 
 time enough to lament when the hour of lamen- 
 tation is at hand : and if, indeed, we are to be 
 fought out for the chace, let us gallantly pre- 
 pare and exercife ourfelves thereto ; that fo we 
 may have hope to efcape, and by our fleetnefs to 
 baffle the fcent and fagacity of our ptirfuers.. 
 Or if we are to fall, let us refolve to fell our 
 lives as dearly as w may ; revolving daily, in 
 our minds, thofc heroic principles handed dowa 
 
 from
 
 Ni7- THE VISITOR. 115 
 
 from our anceftors, which may ftrengthen us to 
 meet our fate with due magnanimity; and may 
 give us, in the fongs of the groves, to immortal 
 memory. 
 
 Bkft in each other's love, my CerviHa, bleftin 
 the pJeafmg difports of that jocund one, who now 
 courts our attention; with placid ferenity, let us 
 enjoy what is beftowed ; with calm prudence 
 provide for the future ; and prepared for either 
 fortune, wait fubmifiwely the determinations of 
 tnc great Pan. Make neither what thou can'Jt^ 
 nor what thou can ft not prevent, the fubjeft of 
 difquietade ; and accuftom thyfelf rather to crop 
 the golden flowers of balmy Hope, than to browze 
 on the bitter wormwood of Doubt and defpe- 
 ration." 
 
 NUMBER XVII. 
 By PHILANTHROPY CANDID, Efqi 
 
 Lofting charity's more ample fa-ay, 
 
 Not bound by fime, nor fubjefl to decay : 
 
 la happy triumph Jball for t<vtr live, 
 
 AndendleJ* blifs difufe, and tndlefi praife receive. 
 
 PRIOR. 
 
 TH E following is an exacl tranflation of a 
 letter, fent by a foreign gentleman of my 
 acquaintance to his friend abroad, giving an ac- 
 count
 
 ii6 THE VISITOR. N' 17. 
 
 count of the fatisfa&ion he received on Tkurfdiiy 
 fevennight at the Feajl of the Sons of the Clergy : 
 and as it does honour to our nation in general, 
 and to that refpe&able fociety in particular, I 
 imagined it might be acceptable to my readers ; 
 and therefore with my friend's confent, give it 
 a place here. I wifh I had feen, in proper time, 
 the letter whereof he fpeaks, concerning the 
 trial of lord Ferrers, as I perfuade myfelf it 
 would have merited attention, and affords very 
 rational entertainment. 
 
 Lotidon, May 10, 1760. 
 T A M every day, my dear friend, more and 
 
 more delighted with the Englljh ; and every day 
 conceive higher notions of this great and happy 
 people. Their nobles are princes ; their mer- 
 chants are nobles. Liberty and humanity, in- 
 violable juftice and univerfal benevolence feem 
 to have taken their refidence in this favoured 
 ijland. You will be charmed with the account 
 I fent you of the folemn court of judicature, * 
 which I beheld with aftonifhment and venera- 
 tion ; and you will fcarccly credit the report I 
 have made of the unanimous determination of 
 that auguft body. I was at an afTembly of a 
 different fort, but one which gave me almoft 
 equal pleafure laft Thurfday. It was a charitable 
 meeting at the grand cathedral of the city, for 
 
 the 
 
 * flc means at the Trial of Lord Ferrers.
 
 N u 17. THE VISITOR. 117 
 
 the fupport of the widows and orphans of the 
 clergy. 
 
 Nothing can exceed the beneficence of the 
 Englijk. I have been colle&ing the names and 
 defigns of their feveral public charities, a lift of 
 which is now before me ; and the perufal of it 
 makes my heart burn within me. No diftrefs 
 to which humanity is liable, efcapes their com- 
 paffionate eye. The voice of forrow is heard 
 by their attentive ears, and the complaint of an- 
 guifh never is made unavailing. From the womb 
 to the grave, from the pregnant mother to pal- 
 fied and feeble old-age, the relief of charity is 
 extended j the young and defolate are fed and 
 taught ; the fick are vifited and relieved ; 
 the orphans find fathers, the widows hufbands, 
 the penitent an houfe of refuge : even grief is 
 feen to fmile at the comforts beftowed, and 
 pain forgets itfelf, to blefs and praife its bene- 
 factors. Happy nation, thefe are works truly 
 divine : thefe are works which cannot fail to fo 
 cure the favour of providence ! 
 
 But in the noble charity I was mentioning, 
 magnificence contends with piety ; and all the 
 pomp of facred mufic awakens the foul to the 
 fineft fenfations. The primate of the clergy, 
 the archbifhop of Canterbury dignified the fo- 
 lemnity with his prefence, feated under a ca- 
 nopy at the upper end of the choir j and on 
 
 his
 
 xi8 THE VISITOR. N 17. 
 
 his right hand, as well as on" the oppofitc 
 fide, fate feveral other biftiops : the chief 
 perfon in this wealthy and great city, whom 
 they call the lord may or ^ in his proper robes 
 of fcarlet, attended alfo, and was placed in a 
 feat appointed for him. The body of aldermen, 
 from whom this'flmwtf/magiftrate is cfofen, men 
 of the firft reputation and fortunes in the city, 
 were prefent, feated at the lord mayor's right 
 hand, in their proper habits. The choir was 
 filled with the moft brilliant aflembly imagina- 
 ble of ladies and gentlemen, in elegant drefles. 
 You have often heard, and we have often 
 talked, of the Englifh ladies. But indeed they 
 beggar all defcription. Shall I freely confefs to 
 you (but if I confefs it not, I know you'll think, 
 ib) that my attention was ftrongly engaged by 
 the many beautiful objects before me : where- 
 ever I caft my eyes, I found fomething to de- 
 tain them ; and when I had obferved one fair 
 lady, conceiving her inferior to none, another 
 immediately caught my notice ; another and 
 another then fucceeded, the laft Hill excelling, 
 or feeming to excel the former Pardon this di- 
 greflion. 
 
 The folemn fervice began ; and the raviih- 
 ing ftrains of the inimitable Handel, (whole 
 coinpofitions we fo often have admired together) 
 performed by a full band, and by the belt maf- 
 ters, both in inftrumental and vgcal mufic, rapt
 
 N 17. THE VISITOR. 119 
 
 me beyond myfelf ; and gave me the moft ex- 
 quifite delight. Surely there is a pleafure in fa- 
 cred mufic, fenftble and affe&ing beyond all 
 other. Our reafon approves what our fancy 
 admires ; and we feem to be a&ing confiftently, 
 while enjoying the praifes of the God of glory. 
 An eminent divine preached a fermon in re- 
 commendation of the charity j I am not yet fuf- 
 ficiently (killed in the language to be a judge of 
 his compofition ; but I conceive that I am in 
 fom'e fort a judge of his fubjeft ; and methinks 
 could want but little perfuafion to throw in my 
 mite to the afliftance of their orphans and widows^ 
 who minifter to us in facred things ; whofe 
 very functions preclude them, in the general, 
 from earthly acquifitions ; who are obliged to 
 appear in the world with decency and propriety, 
 and incapacitated to lay up, from their ftipends, 
 fufficient for the fupport of their families : fami- 
 lies, the rather to be fupported with the greateft 
 tendernefs, as having been accuftomed to the bet- 
 ter things of life ; and therefore feeling with more 
 exquifitefenfibility,the load of want and mifery, 
 which they have not been ufed to bear : and drink- 
 ing the cup of adverfity, mixed with peculiar bit- 
 ternefs, as drugged with the fad remembrance of 
 the better days of profperity and peace. For 
 you are to know, that when the father dies, all 
 his perferment dies with him to the haplefs 
 widow, and her deftitute children ! 
 
 After
 
 120. THE VISITOR. N 17 
 After the fervice was concluded, they pro- 
 ceeded in grand proceffion to one of the halls, 
 which belongs to the companies in this city, of 
 \vhich there are feveral, and which are very large 
 and fuperb j where a noble and plentiful enter- 
 tainment was provided, and where a great num- 
 ber of clergy and laity aflembled to promote and 
 encourage this charitable defign ; in much har- 
 mony united together, and freely and generoufly 
 contributing to the beneficent work. I cannot 
 fail to mention, that amongft the gentlemen, 
 there was one, who, as I am informed, is both a 
 Jew and a broker; * who gave an hundred pounds, 
 which it feems he has done for fome years paft, 
 and probably will continue to do, as he is wealthy 
 and generous, 
 
 Upon the whole, my dear friend, I think 
 above eleven hundred pounds were raifed. 
 Eleven hundred pounds in one hall, and by one 
 fociety ! and to encreafe your wonder, fomething 
 of this kind is always going forwards ! At leaft 
 for thefe few weeks which I have been in Eng- 
 land, I have ntver feen one of their trews-papers 
 or journals, without tome advertifement or intelli- 
 gence of fomeof thcfe meetings. I read not long 
 fmce of a London Hofpital for lick and lame, 
 where they gathered twelve or fourteen hundred 
 pounds Two or three occafional charities 1 have 
 remarked : One even to cloath their enemies, the 
 
 French 
 Santpfon Gtieon.
 
 NM 7 . THE VISITOR. 121 
 
 French prifoners, have colle&ed in a ifhort fpace 
 of time, feveral thoufand pounds ! \Vill not 
 this give you a great and venerable idea of the 
 Englifh nation ? Of which was I in few words 
 to draw the present character, I would lay, It is 
 a warlike and wealthy nation : full of glory, 
 and full of riches ; fenfible of its own hap- 
 pinefs, and bleft with the moft harmonious 
 union. Abounding in the beft benevolence ; ge- 
 nerous, humane, charitable j happy in a mo- 
 narch, the delight of his people ; happy in a 
 prince, the heir of his grandfather's throne and 
 virtues, and univerfally efteemed for his ami- 
 able qualities. Happy in all things, which a 
 free and great people can defire. And if pro- 
 fperity doth not relax them ; if they perfevere in 
 valour and virtue ; perfevere to deferve and to 
 draw down the protection of heaven, by fuch 
 deeds, as at preient diftinguim them : Their 
 enemies can entertain but feeble hopes. For if 
 God be on their fide, how (hall they not do 
 great adts ? 
 
 Expect to hear from me foon again, and do me 
 the honour to believe me 
 
 Yours, fsc. 
 
 VOL. I. G N U M-
 
 122 THE VISITOR. N 17, 
 
 NUMBER XVIII. 
 
 'Well-feafnfd irony <will oft prevail, 
 
 When Jlern rebukes t and Jlrongtjl reafonlngs fall. 
 
 BUNCOMBE'S HOR. 
 
 AS I was fitting the other morning in my 
 ftudy at Candour-Hall, my fervant inform- 
 ed me that a young man defired to fpeak with 
 me. As I am by no means difficult of accefs, 
 I ordered the young man to be introduced. The 
 door opened, and in ftalked a tall figure, very 
 erect, which advanced without bending the body, 
 or moving the broad-brim'd hat, which fhaded 
 the lank hair and folemn vifage. And coming 
 clofe up to me, he drew a pocket-book from his 
 pocket, with much care and accuracy ; and 
 taking thence a letter, " Friend, quoth he, is 
 thy name Candid ?" It is, Sir, replied J. " Then 
 to thee is my mefiage, he went on : Elenezer 
 Plaincloth of the city of London, merchant, 
 wimeth thee health, and willed me to deliver in- 
 to thine hand this paper, which containeth his 
 mind to thee : Fare thee well.". Upon which 
 he gave me a letter, and turning his back walk- 
 ed flowly away without more ceremony. I 
 defired him to ftay, to fit down, and take 
 
 ibme
 
 Ni8. THE VISITOR. 123 
 
 fome refrefhment. " Thou art kind, friend, 
 fa id he; I thank thee for thy civil offers. But 
 I have delivered unto thee all that Ebenezer gave 
 me in commiffion to deliver ; and I have no 
 farther bufincfs with thee. Why fhould I wade 
 thy time in difcourfc that may be unprofitable ; 
 and werefore fhould I eat of thy bread or drink 
 of thy wine ; whereas it cofteth tbee much, and 
 thou wilt not take my money for it? I will not 
 do it : thou intreateft me in vain. Once more 
 I bid thee farewell." So faying, he departed ; 
 and I failed not to read immediately my friend 
 Ebenezer's letter, which, according to his defire, 
 gentle reader, here followeth for thy edification. 
 
 Friend Candid, 
 
 Health and peace to thee and thine. Thy 
 father was my worthy and beloved acquain- 
 tance, with whom I lived long in great amity 
 and concord. Yea, and I muft tell thee thafc 
 thy family and thofe of our perfuafion have al- 
 ways cultivated a kind love one for the other. 
 . IVilliam Ptnn of famous and blefled memory, 
 had fo great a value for thy houfe, that he would 
 not fet fail for the land of America^ without two 
 of thy great uncles, who were his constant 
 counfellors and bofom friends : yea who planned 
 with him the excellent form of government now 
 prevailing in that flourifhing colony, which 
 taketh its name from him, and is called Penfyl- 
 G 2 vania ;
 
 124 THE VISITOR. N 18. 
 
 uania ; and where thy relations live in a more 
 honourable eftate than in any other part of the 
 globe, called the earth. Thou wilt not wonder 
 then, that it rejoiced my heart to fee thy lucu- 
 brations in the favourite paper of our city j that 
 is to fay the Public Ledger ; for my fpirit moveth 
 me to believe that thou wilt ufe thy endeavours 
 to reform the abufes which abound in thefe lat- 
 ter days, and to introduce that primitive ftate of 
 chriftian happinefs whereof we read in the an- 
 cient annals. 
 
 But friend Candid^ I am grieved j yea verily I 
 am inwardly grieved, and my heart is moved within 
 me. Once have I fignified my forrow by thy' 
 means, to thy printer ; but alas, how much do I 
 fear that he is a man of Belial^ and regardeth not 
 the morals of his readers, fo long as he can fe- 
 cure their money ! Elfe why fhould he permit 
 that reproach of our times, that unfanctified 
 man, once again to defile the Ledger with his 
 polluted pen after my reproof! For behold a 
 fecond letter from TriJJram Shandy ! and a let- 
 ter wherein he reflecleth upon my religious 
 and prudent counfel ! oh Tri/Jram Shandy^ pour 
 out thine ink from thy bottle ; fplit up thy pens, 
 and confume them in the fire ; return thy paper 
 to thy ftationer again, and fhut up thyfclf in a 
 gloomy room, or in a lonely cave ; fhut up thy- 
 fejf, and admit none unto thee, for verily thou 
 haft loft thy fenfes j verily thou art not in thy 
 
 right
 
 N n 18. THE VISITOR. 125 
 
 right mind ; thy fober reafon hath forfaken thee; 
 and, I fay it with true pity for thee, verily Trif- 
 tram, thou art mad! Thy countrymen beheld 
 it, and grieved ; and hadft thou remained amongfl: 
 them, peradventure, thy malady had not come 
 to its height. But whereas thou didft find in 
 this great city fomc equally hurt in mind with 
 thyfelf, no lefs infane and deficient in reafon, 
 (for fuch there are, I trow, in this great city, 
 
 infe&ed with madnefs of different forts,) . 
 
 Whereas thou didft meet with thefe and they, 
 as madmen are wont, highly applauded their 
 brother: Behold, from that time, the evil fpi- 
 rit gained more and more power over thee ; 
 and now thou art even forgetful of what thou 
 once waft, when thou livedft in the north 
 country. 
 
 For thou haft printed a book, too filthy even for 
 a keeper of one of the evil houfes in Covent Garden 
 to print : and yet thou art not one of thofe, but a 
 My heart grieveth to fpeak it ! And a man of 
 folly (if I hear the truth) yea, a man of much 
 folly, hath agreed with thee to retail more of 
 thy gracelefs ftories yea annually to retail thy 
 gracelefs ftories ; annually to corrupt the morals 
 of the people. And for what caufe ? Oh bafe 
 and unworthy caufe j that ye may fatten toge- 
 ther on the unholy gain ! And ftranger ftill j 
 thou art willing to ridicule thy own profeflion, 
 which thofe of thy profeflion are fo ready to 
 G 3 ftiie
 
 126 THE VISITOR. N i8| 
 
 ftile facred, by afiuming a name of laughter, . 
 and a title of folly to vend thy own fermons. u 
 The Dramatic Difcourfes * of Torick is an un-i 
 feenily title for the religious preachments of a re-a 
 verend P***y ! But why fhouldft thou publifti ; 
 tiifcourfes of a ferious fort ? Can thefe, and thy ' 
 life, and other writings, correfpond ! And how: 
 (hall I regard thee, O Torick^ preaching rnora-: 
 lity to me, when I behold thee for many eyes ; 
 have beheld thee dancing attendance upon an 
 harlot, and paying thy court to a wicked zi\& IcofCr 
 woman ! 
 
 Oh TriJJram follow my counfel, and the coun-^ 
 fel, which my virtuous wife Gertrude is defirous 
 to give thee : hafte thee northward to a colder 
 climate; endeavour to recover thy loft reafon j| 
 and let not thy reverend character be totally 
 funk in that of the immoral bufToon \ but bean 
 in mind, wkat the poet faith well, 
 
 " Immedeft words admit of no defence : 
 " For want of decency is want of fenfe." 
 
 And if not immodfji words, much lefs imntodf/h 
 writings ? Thus faith Ebenezer Plfiindotb^ who 
 is not afliamed of the truth, unto thee, Oh T/V- 
 jiram Shandy, and much more in the fmccrity 
 of his heart, and the abundance of his zeal, 
 perchance, he may have to fay unto thee, as 
 
 well 
 
 * This appellation is ufed in many of the receipts givtn 
 ut for the Difcouries of Mr. Yoridt,
 
 N' 18. * THE VISITOR. 1-7 
 
 well as to tbcfe^ who call themfelves divines, ami 
 are not : for they patronize a man, who reckrih 
 not for the caufe of divinity ; fucceed but pro- 
 fanenefs and lewdnefs, and fill but the pocket* 
 of Trijlram, and he will abjure the profeflion, I 
 trow ! 
 
 And now, friend Candid, wilt thou write con- 
 cerning thefe things ; if thou careft for the mo- 
 rals of thy readers, or if thou wimeft to flop 
 the current of iniquity, thou wilt write ; or at 
 leaft thou wilt print what I have written unto 
 thee. Shall I tell thee, friend ; I wrote an 
 epiftle of friendly and chriftian fort to this fame 
 Shandy myfelf, and he returned me only for an- 
 fwer, a paper blackened with thefe foul lines, 
 from a wicked author like himfelf : 
 
 Quakers, that like to lanterns bear 
 
 Their light within them, will not fwcar : 
 
 Their gofpcl is an accidence, 
 
 By which they conftrue confcience : 
 
 And hold no fin fo deeply red, 
 
 As that of breaking Prifcian's head. 
 
 The head and founder of their order, 
 
 That ftirring hats held worfe than murder : 
 
 Thefe thinking they're obliged to troth, 
 
 In fwearing will not take an oath : 
 
 Like mules, who, if they've not their will 
 
 To keep their own pace, fraud ftock ftill ! 
 
 G
 
 128 T H E V I S I T O R. N ig. 
 
 I cannot defcribe unto thee, the groan which 
 was heard at my table, upon my reading thefe 
 lines. We fat filent for fome time. When 
 Zecbariab, my fon, even my firft born, Ztcba- 
 riah (whom I have made for fidelity's fake the 
 bearer of this unto thee) when he, according 
 to that wifdom which is in him, remarked, after 
 long ftrugglings for utterance, that " This evil- 
 minded man caft reflections on our whole com- 
 munity." " Yea, faid Ruth, my pious and vir- 
 tuous daughter Ruth, yea, Zechariab, I perceive, 
 that thou art not miftaken. But what a fon of 
 fimpricity is this, that obje&eth to our wifcft 
 proceedings ; our innocent and fcriptural lan- 
 guage j our regard to the Lord, whofe titles we 
 cannot give in flattery to men, and whcfe wor- 
 fliip we cannot offer to human creatures, by 
 vain bows, and undevstional courtefies ! Yea, and 
 who defpifeth us, becaufe we will not do as the 
 multitude doth, profaning our lips with vile 
 curfing and fwearing, and following all the 
 pomps of this evil world J" 
 
 Gertrude liftened with joy to the words of her 
 daughter, and could not refrain from faying, in 
 the fulnefs of her heart. " Well art thou 
 called Ruth, my child, for thou art like unto 
 that godly woman in undcrftanding and piety : 
 thou excelled the queen of Sbtba, or even the 
 woman of Tekoab : and I truft in the Lord .to fee 
 
 thy
 
 N 18. THE VISITOR. 129 
 
 thy name more famous than that of Drummond, 
 of Hume, or any of the preachers of our days !" 
 Friend Candid, let me tell thee, we are a fa- 
 mily of love : and we wifh well to all the world, 
 as thou doft, I am fure, if thy nature anfwereth 
 to thy name, for is not Philanthropy, accord- 
 ing to the Greek tongue, a lover of mankind?. 
 Therefore, we befeech thee, explode this Trif- 
 tram Shandy j and let me not fee, to my grief, 
 George, R. at the top, and that famous man 
 IVilliam Pitt, at the bottom, of a patent to 
 I William Faden, deemed fo trufty and well- beloved, 
 for the publication of a paper, ufeful and pleafmg 
 I to all but rendered the vehicle of folly and pro- 
 I fanity by fo bafe a fon of the fteeple-houfe ! 
 
 And now that 1 am writing, let me juft 
 put in one word more to thee concern- 
 ing a bafe cuftom, which I fear prevaileth 
 more and more in our city ! Ah me, how are 
 the times corrupted, and our manners altered 
 from thofe of our great forefathers, who flou- 
 rifhed in trade, and regularity, and fobernefs. 
 The daughters of Obadiah, Hildrum, Tabitha^ 
 Dorothy, and Jemima^ came to our dwelling- 
 houfe yellerday : but how unlike were they un- 
 to the daughters of the father of Obadiah / They 
 were cloathed in fiiken garments of many co- 
 lours, trailing along the earth; their faces were 
 deformed with fpots of black ; and on their 
 hands they wore a variety of rings, which me- 
 G 5 thought
 
 130 THE VISITOR. N i 
 
 thought fparkled, like the gems of vanity ! but' 
 above all, their countenances wore not that de*- 
 cent and lovely fhame-facednefs which becometh 
 virgins, and women profeffing godlinefs : in*- 
 ftead thereof, boldnefs perched on their fore- 
 heads, and in their eyes dwelt confidence and 
 fcorn ! And behold, they came to invite my fage 
 and fober daughter Ruth to an ungodly allb- 
 ciation of theirs, called by an heathen name, 
 the name ofRouTj where pride fitteth the queen-^ 
 and thofe painted papers, which are ufed by 
 the hand of the gamefter, are found and dealt 
 about in abundance. Friend, thefe routs will 
 ruin our city ; the women of London, the wives 
 of tradefmen are introducing thefe ungodly 
 meetings, after the manner of the proud fhe's 
 of IVfftminfter, the wives of the nobles. 
 
 Clofe unto me liveth one of thefe vain wo- 
 men : as I would not willingly offend, I will 
 omit her name, as alfo the name of that nar- 
 row lane, in which fhe fojourneth ; but a lane 
 rt is, that might well be called Jlrait; not defign- 
 ed, I wot, for the <fcjtt, and the drum, and the 
 hurricane^ and fuch gentile things ; but fuitcd 
 for the 'Change, and the Cuftom-houfe, and all 
 Ae fober dealings of trade. In this lane was a 
 rout / fuch a rout as kept fleep from mine eyes,. 
 and flumber from mine eye-lids all the night 
 It caufed Gertrude to pra"y fervently ; thro' fear; 
 and Ruth did -nothing but lodk out at the win- 
 2 dow !
 
 Ni8. THE VISITOR. i;ji 
 
 dow ! and well might fhc look ; for coaches ran 
 foul upon coaches, and chairs, unfeemly and 
 unchriftian chairs, darned one againft another ! 
 there was not room to turn the former, and 
 they were fo numerous they could not be pufh- 
 ed backward : the poles of the latter ftuck faft 
 and it was a wondrous rout indeed ! the cries 
 of the females, fearing fubverfion, were terrible; 
 and the oaths of their attendants were more ter- 
 rible than their own cries ! The flambeaux, as 
 they call them, changed the night into day ; and 
 the mighty mob, collected to behold the ftrange 
 fight, added frefh difficulties. 
 
 Truly, my neighbour, if thy wife hold- 
 eth fuch midnight revelries, either thou or 
 I muft change our dwellings. Though ve- 
 rily I need not greatly fear; fuch proceedings 
 will foon render thce unable to fupport thine 
 houfe and to maintain thy credit. For believe 
 me, I mould hefitate much to accept the bills of 
 men who have fuch wives, and who allow fuch 
 routs and tempefts in a fober and trading city. 
 Friend Candid, it \*as to one of thefe routs that 
 the daughters of Obadiah would have enticed my 
 daughter ; but they fought to entice her in vain. 
 Rutb told them, that " albeit they had forfaken 
 the plain and good old vvay, flie would never wan- 
 der there-from !" and I could not help {:. 
 with much meeknefs of fpirit, " Young women, 
 becaufe ye are gone ailray, would ye delude ray 
 O 6 pious
 
 I 3 2 T H E V I S I T O R. N 18. 
 
 pious daughter alfo ? Would you have her ex- 
 ample to countenance your own ? And there- 
 upon I told them a tale of a goat without a 
 beard, who wanted, forfooth, all his brethren to 
 fhave off their beards to keep him in counte- 
 nance ! The fable may be read at large in John 
 Gay's book of fables. It is the 22d in his firft 
 volume. They were enraged and abafhed. 
 They flirted - an inftrument of vanity called a 
 Fan ; twirled up their long party-coloured robes ; 
 and, apoftates as they were, laughed at my fage 
 advice and withdrew ! I leave it to thy wifdom, 
 to fay the beft. I fear I have been rather too 
 tedious : but I am full of matter, like a bottle 
 filled with new wine. Thou art in my good 
 remembrance, and I wifh thee to perfevere in 
 thy father's fteps, then thou mayft reft confi- 
 dent of the love of, 
 
 Dated London, Thy faithful friend, 
 
 4he Month of May. 
 
 EBENEZER PLAINCLOTH. 
 
 N. B. I muft fo far agree with my friend 
 Ebenezer^ as to confefs that I always take it for a 
 very unfavourable omen, when I hear one of 
 the female fex acknowledge that fhe hath read, 
 or fpeak of Trijlram Shandy, with fmilcs, or 
 without a blufh. 
 
 P. C. 
 
 N U M-
 
 N 19. THE VISITOR. 133 
 
 NUMBER XIX. 
 
 gifts e/entlal love beftmv'd, 
 When Jefifs votaries he tferflvw'd. 
 
 Gifts, ivhieh divinely Jhin'd, 
 
 OH teachable mankind ; 
 And of the myfteries they taught 
 An irrejtflable convifiion wrought. 
 
 Bifhop KENK. 
 
 MY readers are obliged to the worthy cler- 
 gyman, of whom I fpoke in my fecond 
 number, for the following eflay ; and I have no 
 doubt but their approbation of it will be fuch, 
 as not only to incline them to wifh for more 
 from the fame able pen, but alfo to encourage 
 my worthy and too diffident friend to favour us 
 on fome future occafions. 
 
 " drcbbijhop Sharp well obferves, that one 
 great caufe why the firft chriftians excelled the 
 modern in purity and devotion, certainly was 
 their reception of the chriftian religion upon 
 principle^ from ferious examination, and upon 
 rational and full conviction. Whereas thofe 
 who are born, and in infancy baptized chrifti- 
 ans, take up their profeffion on truft; and are 
 
 the
 
 i 3 4 T H E V I S I T O R. N 19. 
 
 the lefs influenced by it, as they examine too 
 feldom, and too feldom are acquainted with its 
 evidences. It is of the laft importance to confider 
 thefe, either if we defire to be rational in our 
 faith, or to offer acceptable fervice to the deity. 
 And we can fcarcely conftder thefe with any de- 
 gree of attention and accuracy, and omit to dif- 
 charge thofe duties which the religion they fup- 
 ' port directs and commands. For no evidences in 
 proof of any far., can cither be urged or dcfired, 
 more ilrong and irrefragable, certainly we may 
 fay more fatisfa&ory and convincing, than the 
 evidences in behalf of the divine original of the 
 chriftian revelation. 
 
 For my own part, I am well pcrfuadcd, tho* 
 there are very many more and fufficient argu- 
 ments, that the truth of the chriilian religion 
 is indifputably proved and eftabliflied from the 
 blefTed confequences of that day's miracle, which 
 at the prefent folemn feafon we are about to 
 commemorate. And I would freely fling the 
 gauntlet to any infidel, and as freely give up my 
 profcflion, if he could confute and vanquish me, 
 
 in refpcdl: to this fmgle topic of defence 
 
 " The defcent of the divine fpirit, and the con- 
 fequences of that defcent." 
 
 That the divine fpirit did defcend at the time, 
 and, in the manner related in the facrcd hiftorv, 
 with rational perfons, can admit no doubt ; the 
 
 autlien-
 
 N" 19- T H E V i S I T O R, 135 
 
 authenticity of that hiftory, hath been fo fuffici- 
 ently proved, and ftands upon fo fair a bottom, 
 that no man of underftanding can controvert it. 
 But that the divine fpirit did defcend may be 
 proved undeniably, even without the evidence of 
 that facred hiftory. The faft was notorious 
 throughout all Judea ; and the confequences of 
 the faft were, nay, are notorious throughout 
 the world. For, that not only the apoJJlcs^ but 
 their fuccefibrs, for at kaft three centuries per- 
 formed all kinds of mighty works, which they 
 conftantly attributed to the operation of the holy 
 fpirit of God ; that they and all the followers 
 of Chrift pofleft, and difplayed the ordinary as 
 well as extraordinary gifts of the fpirit, is a fac~l 
 of undeniable certainty, and attefted by ali the 
 writings of thofe times which fpeak of thefe mat- 
 ters. And indeed the conftant appeal which the 
 apoftles make in their epiftles to thefe fpiritual 
 wonders, i:> a clear demonftration of their ex- 
 iftence ; fince otherwife fuch an appeal would 
 have been folly, and muft have immediately con- 
 victed them of falfhood. 
 
 But, 1 obferve, that the confequences of this 
 fa& now before our eyes, prove its reality. That 
 thri/fianity is in being amongft us, and in various 
 parts of the world, we all fee and know. And 
 a fmall degree of penetration will fumce to con- 
 vince us that chriftianity could never have had 
 
 any
 
 I 3 6 THE VJSITOR. N 19. 
 
 any being at all either amongft us, or in any 
 other part of the world, without the extraordi- 
 nary gifts and afliftances of the fpirit. For fup- 
 pofe Jefus Chrift and his twelve difciples to have 
 been what you pleafe : cunning impoftors or 
 weak enthufiafts, deceivers or deceived, wife or 
 foolifh, learned or unlearned : certain it is, that 
 no efforts, of theirs, no human efforts, could have 
 propagated and eftabliftied fuch a faith, and fuch 
 a fyftem of dofirines as the chriftian. Fancy to 
 yourfelf only two or three men, without wealth, 
 without patrons, without power, without arms, 
 and without eloquence ; nay, and naturally un- 
 acquainted with any other than their mother 
 tongue : fancy to yourfelf thefe in a city like 
 Rome, Epbefus, Corinth, or Jtrufalem, preaching 
 up faith in a crucified man, a man of a wondrous 
 fort, a man united to God ! propofing a total 
 abolition of the national worfhip j exploding all 
 the wifdom and received opinions of the philo- 
 fophers ; difcountenancing all the luxury, luft, 
 and pleafures of the worldly ; offering nothing 
 but future and unfeen rewards ; and teaching a 
 refurre&ion of the body from the dead, and a 
 day of future judgment, when the man who 
 was crucified is to judge : I fay, only fancy 
 to yourfelf two or three fuch men preaching 
 fuch things in fuch cities, and you will clearly 
 fee that fuccefs was impoflible, upon a merely 
 human plan ! that every earthly power was armed 
 
 againft
 
 K 19. THE VISITOR. 137 
 
 againft them ; that priefls, magiftrates, and philo- 
 fophers, yea, and the whole body of the people 
 wore concerned, and could not fail to deftroy them. 
 
 But fo far was this from being the cafe j fo 
 far were they from being deftroyed ; that on the 
 contrary, fuch men did not only prevail, but fil- 
 led the whole world with their doctrine. And 
 v. hen we confider what credentials they offered, 
 we marvel not ; for what is too hard for the 
 hand of omnipotence ? They raifed the dead ; 
 they healed the ftck ; they caft out devils ; they 
 raifed the dead in fin ; they healed the fick in 
 foul ; they caft out the devils of lufts, pride, 
 and intemperance. The lame leaped up and 
 walked rejoicing at their call : the dumb tongue, 
 at their touch, fang praifes to the Redeemer : 
 the blind eyes, at their command, opened to 
 the view of thefe wonders j and the deaf ears, 
 heard with admiration his pov/er, who enabled 
 them to hear. The drunkard learned fobriety ; 
 the proud man humility ; the lafcivious grew 
 'chafte ; the vain lowly ; the paftlonate meek ; 
 every vice trembled at their preaching, and the 
 moral as well as the natural world, (hewed a 
 .fubjeclion to that fpirit, under whofe influence 
 they taught. No wonder then the chriftian re- 
 ligion grew and increafed. 
 
 Without thefe miraculous affiftances of the 
 fpirit, we fee how flow the progrefs cf chrifti- 
 anity is, even when fupported and aided by e- 
 
 veiy
 
 138 T H E V I S I T O R. N rg. 
 
 very encouragement of the fecular power : for 
 a proof of which we need only recur to thofe 
 miffionaries, which different nations, and our 
 own amongft the reft, have fent to convert the 
 heathen to the faith. And alas, how very in- 
 confiderable is their progrefs ! What then muft 
 have been the progrefs of the firft chriftian 
 preachers, if not divinely affifted ; when the fe- 
 cular arm was not reached out for their encour- 
 agement, but, with the moft bloody intent, even, 
 to murder and cruelly butcher them? 
 
 One would wifh, that fome of our infidels, who 
 pretend todifbelieve chriflianity, would only make 
 a trial, in order to difprove this argument, and fee 
 what fuccefs they might have in the propagation of 
 a new faith. The times are enlightened now, and 
 thefe gentlemen will be ready to confefs, that hu- 
 man reafon was never in fuller ftrength. Let them 
 therefore, with their utmoft fagacity, delineate a 
 fyftem of morals j let them adorn it as they 
 pleafe ; and ufe every plaufible method to en- 
 force and recommend it ; and this done, let 
 them depute twelve (not of the unlearned and un- 
 lettered) but of the wifeft and moft learned of 
 their fociety j and difmifs them to any city of 
 the globe, the more cultivated the better, and 
 let them preach in order to eftablifh their new 
 mode of faith and worfhip; and we will venture 
 to rifle the credit of chriftianity upon the confe- 
 quences of their million " Nay, but they do 
 
 not
 
 Ni9- THE VISITO.R. 139 
 
 not underftand the language of China , or Jnpan-, 
 they are ignorant of the Ruffian or German ton- 
 gue : they cannot fpeak Spanj/b, Italian, or Por- 
 tuguefe" True, why there is the difficulty. And 
 who would pretend to go and preach a new and 
 ftrange doctrine amongft any of thefe people, 
 without a knowledge of their language? Why 
 this did the apoflles. They were all Galileans : 
 and underftood only the language of Galilee. 
 But they were taught, divinely taught, and there- 
 by enabled for their miniftry ; taught to declare 
 to every people under heaven, in the language 
 of that people, the wonderful works of God ! 
 This v/as a miracle of the moft ftupendous fort. 
 Yet fuch a one as was fo abfolutely necefTary, 
 that without it chriftianity could not have been 
 propagated ; and fuch a one as the propagation, 
 and prefent being of chriilianity, undenuibly at- 
 tefi. And as fuch, a miracle could be wrought 
 only by God for who knows not the difficulty 
 of attaining a fmall degree of knowledge, even 
 in one foreign or dead language ? As fuch a 
 miracle muft be the work of God, of plain con- 
 fequence, chriftianity, which owes its exiftence 
 in a great meafure to that miracle, is thereby 
 evidently proved to be of God alfo. 
 
 It is necefTary juft to remark (for the oppofers 
 of Chriftianity are often defirous of having the 
 brand of illiberality and ignorance ftamped upon 
 it, its propagators, and profeiibrs) that the times, 
 
 when
 
 140 THE VISITOR. N ig. 
 
 when thefe men preached, were the moft cele- 
 brated for fcience : the golden aera of Auguftus, 
 and the cities, in which they preached, were 
 the moft cultivated and the moft improved. So 
 that no objeion can arife from thence : nor 
 can the fuperftition and weaknefs of the age, nor 
 the meannefs of the people be urged : nor the 
 obfcurity of the place of attion : thefe things 
 were not done in a corner. 
 
 Many other particulars might be offered to 
 corroborate this argument, in proof of the Chi i- 
 ftian faith, drawn from the miraculous works of 
 the fpirit : but I cannot omit to mention the 
 deaths of the martyrs, who gave up their livts 
 with fo much fortitude and conftancy, in attef- 
 tation to the reality of the fpirit's operations, or- 
 dinary as well as extraordinary: a matter, in 
 which they could not be deceived ; which they 
 were led to atteft by no vifible or prefent allure- 
 ments ; their expectations being only future, and 
 grounded entirely on their own fidelity and fin- 
 cerity, recommended by the prevailing merits of 
 their Redeemer. 
 
 And as thefe gifts of the fpirit afford an in- 
 conteftible proof of the truth of the divine ori- 
 ginal of Chriftianity ; fo were they confumma- 
 tory of all which Chrift did or faid, and confir- 
 matory of all he profefied and promifed. Indeed 
 he feemed to reft the truth of his miffion on this 
 great event. He ordered his difciples to wait 
 
 for
 
 N ig. T H E V I S I T O R. HI 
 
 for the promife of the Father. And it is evident, 
 that had this promife never been fulfilled, he 
 muft have been infallibly convi&ed of impofture. 
 But ut the time appointed, and according to his 
 moft faithful declaration, this advocate of men, 
 this promifed Paraclete, with awful pomp, made 
 his glorious entrance into the world ; bore the 
 moft ample tcftimony to the feffion of Jefus, 
 the Son of God, at the right hand of glory : 
 wrought with the apoftles to the eftablifhrnent 
 of his faith throughout the earth : and ftill 
 works in and with all believers, enabling them 
 to perform the conditions of that faith, and to 
 perfevere in every acceptable duty. Thus Mil- 
 ton caufeth the Angel to foretell our great and 
 general father concerning the heavenly gift. 
 
 From Heaven 
 
 He (Jefus) to his own a comforter will fend, 
 The promife of the father, who mall dwell, 
 His fpirit, within them, and the law of faith 
 Working thro' love, upon their hearts fhall write, 
 To guide them in all truth, and alfo arm 
 With fpiritual armour, able to refift 
 Satan's aflaults, and quench his fiery darts. 
 What man can do againft them, not afraid, 
 Though to the death ; againft fuch cruelties 
 With inward confolations recompens'd, 
 And oft fupported fo, as (hall amaze 
 
 Their
 
 1 4 2 THE VISITOR. N 19. 
 
 Their proudeft perfecutors ; for the fpirit 
 Pour'd firft on his apoftles, whom he fends 
 To evangelize all nations, then on all 
 Baptiz'd, fhall them with wond'rous gifts indue 
 To fpeak all tongues, and do all miracles, 
 As did their Lord before them. Thus they win 
 Great numbers of each nation to receive 
 With joy the tidings brought from Heaven. 
 
 Par. Loft. B. 12. V. 485. 
 
 Invited as we are to receive thefe tidings, profcf- 
 fmg as we do that faith, which thefe apoftles 
 preached, and this fpirit attefted; let us remem- 
 ber how ftrong obligations are upon us, to prac- 
 tife what we profefs to believe. And let us not 
 forget, that every additional argument in proof 
 of our faith, is an additional argument to ftimu- 
 late our practice. Since the more evidence we 
 have of the truth of Chrift's gofpel, the more 
 anxious muft we reafonably be to approve our- 
 felves to him, and to obey thofe precepts, which 
 are enforced by fandtions fo folemn : the more 
 muft we tremble to neglect his hallowed laws, 
 who hath power to caft both body and foul into 
 Hell j and who for fuch neglect, hath threat- 
 ened that terrible punifhment ! And when every 
 thing rifeth in proof, to his divine miffion, we 
 muft deferve a harflier name than fools or mad, 
 if for the foul gratification of luft, the empty 
 .purfuits of ambition, and the flavifh fervice of 
 4 the
 
 N20. THE VISITOR. 143 
 
 the world, we relinquifh the high hope of Hea- 
 ven, as we difregard the happy bufinefs of holi- 
 nefs : and defire not the fpirit for an advocate^ 
 as we never feek for him as a fanftifier. 
 
 M. 
 
 NUMBER XX. 
 
 To the AUTHOR of the VISITOR, 
 
 next they f.zg of a!! creation firft 
 Begotten fan, di<vine Jtmilitudt ! 
 In >whcfe tonfficutms countenance, without cloud 
 Made wifetle, th\ almighty father Jhines, 
 Whom elfe no crtature can behold: on thee 
 Imprefs' 1 d, tli effulgence of his glory abides ; 
 Transfus'd en thee his ample fpirit rejls. 
 
 MILTON, B. III. 383. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 IN my laft Saturday's paper, I endeavoured to 
 prove the truth of the chriftian religion, 
 from a feafonable topic, the defcent of the blef- 
 fed fpirit, and the confequences of that defcent ; 
 and the arguments derived therefrom are fuch as 
 cannot fail to influence the unprejudiced mind. 
 I go on to obferve, that if indeed the chriftian 
 
 religion
 
 144 THE VISITOR. N 20. 
 
 religion be true, if it be a revelation made by the 
 high and holy deity to mankind, it is the duty 
 of us all to receive its doctrines with fubmiflion ' 
 and deference. I mean not to plead for the total ' 
 rejection of our reafon and underftanding. Far] 
 from it. But I would have us know the proper 
 boundaries of thefe : I would have us remember : 
 which are the diftincl: provinces of reafon and 
 faith ; how far the one conducts, and where it : 
 delivers us into the hands of the other. 
 
 Reafon is the privilege, the ble fling, the 
 glory of human creatures ; it is a ray of the di- 
 vinity, and as fuch to be venerated and culti- 
 - vated. But we (hall be ftrangely perverfe, if 
 we will not allow that the eye of this reafon can 
 fee only to a certain diftance ; that its horizon is 
 bounded ; that it is dim and blind to all beyond. 
 We fhall be ftill more ftrangely perverfe, if we 
 will not admit the giver of this fpark to en- 
 lighten it ; to raife us up, that we may ex- 
 tend our view, and by his aid pierce beyond that 
 bounded horizon of mere unenlightened reafon. 
 
 It is the province of this reafon to examine 
 the claims of a revelation : but when it hath fo 
 examined, and is fatisfied, there its office is to 
 ceafe j it is then its duty humbly to confign us 
 into the hands of faith. I Jbndd fay, that this 
 refpedls fuch parts of the revelation as are clear 
 and evident ; where matters are doubtful and 
 
 difputable,
 
 N 8 20. THE VISITOR. 145 
 
 difputable, the beft and ftrongeft powers of our 
 reafon are to be applied. 
 
 I have faid thus much with a view to that 
 great doctrine, which is the foundation of our 
 folemnity to-morrow; the doctrine of the trinity , 
 a doctrine which unhappily hath been made the 
 fubject of much uneafy debate; and through the 
 paflions of feme, the weaknefies, prejudices, and 
 miftakes of others, hath occafioned no finall 
 contention in the chriftian world. But it feems 
 to me of all things moft ftrange, that it mould 
 have done fo j fmce one would have fuppofed 
 that chriftian divines fhould have contented 
 themfelves with barely reprefenting the fcriptnre 
 truth, and have been cautious either too mi- 
 nutely to enter into ir, or too precifely to have 
 defined, what is beyond the compafs of human 
 definition, refpe&ing this great myftery. 
 
 For that, after all, it is a great myftery ; nay, 
 that every thing relative to the deity is a myf- 
 tery, not lefs than this, no thinking man will 
 deny. Simonides is commended for his wifdom, 
 in delaying from day to day his anfwer con- 
 cerning God $ becaufe he found, as he declared, 
 that every day the more he confidered his fub- 
 ject, the more he launched into this great ocean 
 of contemplation, this fea without a fhore, the 
 more he was loft in wonder the more he per- 
 ceived his own perfect ignorance. It is the fame 
 with every man. True, the revelation of Chrift 
 i I. H hath
 
 146 THE VISITOR. N 20. 
 
 hath greatly enlarged and expanded our view, 
 and happily inftru&ed us in the nature of the 
 deity. But as to the mode of his exiftence, and 
 a thoufand other particulars, it neither hath, nor 
 could it inftrudl us j for this very obvious reafon, 
 bccaufe our faculties are not adequate to, are not 
 capable of the inftruction. 
 
 When therefore we are told in the revelation, 
 which we are afiured from every rational evidence 
 is from God, that God is a fpirit eternal, im- 
 menfe, almighty, that he exifts in an unity of 
 nature, but in a threefold exertion of that nature ; 
 that his eflence is one, but that this eflence is 
 equally communicated to three perfons or powers 
 who are pleafed to ftile themfelves, Father, Son, 
 and Holy Ghoft what have we to object, or 
 why fhould we difpute ? 
 
 Why, fays one, I cannot conceive how three 
 pcrfons can partake of one nature or efience 
 I cannot conceive how the fccond and third per- 
 fons can be equal to the firft ? But can't you 
 conceive, or at leaft don't you know, that your 
 one body exerts a threefold agency of under/land- 
 ing) willy and affctlion ? Don't you perceive, 
 that the fun and its light are co-equal in time ? 
 Don't you perceive, that the light, the air, and 
 thcfcme, are co-exiftent in the fame taper? But 
 not to infift on thefe : I would afk, Do you, 
 who fay you cannot comprehend this truth, do 
 you conceive or underftand what this Spirit cal- 
 led
 
 N 9 20. T H E V I S I T O R. 147 
 
 led God is in himfelf ? So far from it, you have 
 not the leaft idea of him : you cannot have any 
 direct: idea of fpirit. Every thing you fee exifts 
 in matter. You know nothing of God as pure 
 fpirit. For, when you think of him, you are 
 obliged to think of form or fa/hion, without 
 which you have no ideas at all But how falfe 
 are fuch thoughts ! Then again, what idea have 
 you of the eternity of this fpirit, this everlafling 
 God ? None at all. All you fee and know be- 
 gins and ends. God is without beginning and 
 without end. Comprehend this, and you will 
 comprehend the mode of his Triune exiftence. 
 Again, this eternal fpirit is immenfe : extended 
 through all fpace, prefent in every place, con- 
 fcious of every thought, word, and work, both 
 of angels and men. Say then, are we not loft 
 in this fpeculation ? But do we difbelieve, be- 
 caufe we cannot conceive ? No, we readily a- 
 gree, that he is about our path and about our 
 bed, and fpieth out all our ways ! - 
 
 Now, if we only extend this reafoning to the 
 doctrine of the Trinity, we {hall no longer doubt 
 or difpute concerning it. The great God, who is 
 an eternal, immenfe, and omnipotent Spirit, re- 
 veals himfelf to us under the threefold relation of 
 Father^ Son, and Holy Ghojl ; three divine perfons 
 of equal power, glory, time The Father is 
 God, the Son and Spirit, as partaking of the 
 fame one eflence, are God alfo If you have 
 H 2 dim-
 
 J4 8 THE VISITOR. N 2 o." 
 
 difficulties in underflanding this, remember that^ 
 you have difficulties in every thing which relates f 
 to God. Hope humbly then, be content to be-' 
 lieve, as the God who beft knows his own na- 
 ture has taught and directed ; and rather than 
 difpute about the Trinity, labour by a life of' 
 pure piety and virtue to recommend yourfelf to 
 that Glorious God, who, in infinite love, fent 
 his Son to redeem you, his fpirit to guide you \\ 
 and who hath favoured you with the fineft fyf- 
 tem of doctrines which the higheft wifdom can 
 imagine : doctrines, which make virtue worth 
 purfuing; which footh our fears, exalt our hopes, 
 and render mortality the fountain of comfort, as 
 opening the door to perennial felicity. 
 
 M. 
 
 N U M-
 
 N2i. THE VISITOR. 
 NUMBER XXI. 
 
 A parliament of porters here /hall mufe 
 
 On ftate affairs y " fivall'nving a taylor' 
 
 For -ways and means no ftartfd projeftor Jleeps ; 
 
 dnd every Jhop fame mighty ft ate/man keeps ; 
 
 He Britain's foes, like Bobadil, can kill ; 
 
 Supply tb' Exchequer and neglcft his till : 
 
 In every alehoufe legiftators meet, 
 
 dud patriots jet tie kingdoms in the fleet. 
 
 MURPHY; 
 
 To the VISITOR. 
 
 Mr. CANDID, 
 
 AS you feem a good-natured gentleman, I 
 hope, you will be To kind, as to admit my 
 complaints, and to write fomething that may be 
 of fervice to my hufband, as well as of comfort 
 to myfelf : for as matters ftand atprefent my life 
 is terribly uneafy ; and I am apt to believe, my 
 troubles are not fingular, becaufe I know many 
 men, who feem infected with the fame d^ 
 per as .my hufband; (indeed ;he dijiemptr at 
 prefent appears epidemical) and I am v-'ry cer- 
 tain, that the wives of fuch hufbanJs mull have 
 no fmall fhare of difquietude. 
 
 You have thought proper to ridicule the af- 
 fectation of politics in our fcx ; * but let me tell 
 H 3 you, 
 
 * This Paper is not printed in the prefent Collection. "
 
 i 5 o THE VISITOR. N 21. 
 
 you, good Sir, it deferves no lefs to be ridicu- 
 led in your own : perhaps it requires fomething 
 more than ridicule, on that fide ; as the efteds 
 of this brain-ftck delufion are much more per- 
 fpicuous with the men than with the women. 
 For us to talk of politics perhaps may be advan- 
 tageous, as thereby we are often preferred from 
 the tattle of fcandal : whereas when your heads 
 get heated with the Tubje&, wife men, and Lords 
 of reafon, as you defl|i yourfelves ; you fre- 
 quently forget things of greater importance ; 
 and omit to direct your (hops, and your bufi- 
 nefs at home, while you fit at your clubs, 
 and very fagacioufly direcl the counfels of Eu- 
 rope. 
 
 This is the cafe with my foolifh hu(band. 
 God blefs the man; but indeed I cannot help 
 calling him foolifh. You rnuft know, Sir, that 
 we have been married now near fixteen years : 
 and till the commencement of the prefent war, 
 no woman could defire a better mate. He was 
 always up early, and opened the (hop windows 
 himfclf: never went from behind the counter, 
 till dinner time; and then would drink his pint 
 of porter, and fmoke his pipe comfortably at 
 home ; he would very often, when our bufmefs 
 allow'd, take a walk with me in the fum- 
 mer evenings ; and fcarce ever went to a pub- 
 lic houfe at night, except it might be to meet 
 
 ' a
 
 N2i. THE VISITOR. 151 
 
 a cuftomer j but would always carefully go over 
 the day-book with me ; and in fhort in every 
 refpecl Teemed willing to admit my fuperiority to 
 himfelf in rank and fenfe - y and aled as a man 
 fliould do. 
 
 For I muft tell you, that as my father (who 
 by the bye was a gentleman of a very ancient 
 and good family, tho' fomewhat decayed) in- t 
 tended me for a lady's woman ; he took care in ,. 
 confequence of that defign, to give me an ex- 
 cellent education ; I was well inurucled in my 
 ewn and in the French tongue, in writing and 
 accounts, and every thing requifite to qualify 
 me for that ftation. After I had lived in it 
 happily enough for feveral years, I met with my 
 prefent hufband. He came up to town from the 
 Weft-Country^ to feek his fortune ; and he firft 
 got employment in quality of a porter ; for 
 which he was well adapted, being a man of 
 brawny fize and make ; but not much liking 
 this labour, he commenced footman ; and in 
 the feveral revolutions of his fortune, was caft 
 into a family, which was very intimate with 
 ours. He foon grew enamoured of myfelf; and 
 we ftruck up a bargain, and by the advice of our 
 mafter and miilreiies took a fhop, not far from 
 the ftreet in which they lived, and became re- 
 tailers of thofe fmall commodities, which are 
 commonly vended by chandlers. 
 
 H 4 As
 
 752 THE VISITOR. N 21. 
 
 As my hufband could fcarcely read, and not ] 
 write at all, I was as neceflary in the trade as 
 himfelf, for fetting down goods, and making 
 cut bills. And at our leifure hours, v,e 
 a-.nufed ourfelves, he in learning, and I in 
 teaching him to read and to write ; in which 
 1 can't fay he made much progrefs ; for tho' he 
 was very careful and diligent in bufmefs, I did 
 not 1 find him furnifhed with a very capacious 
 underftanding. However, as there was no de- 
 ficiency in any thing elfe, I did not much trou- 
 ble myfelf about that ; efpecially (as I faid be- 
 fore) he being always willing to acknowledge 
 my fuperior 'abilities. 
 
 Thus, Sir, we went on comfortably enough ; 
 and by afiiduity and parfimony faved money ; 
 we grew in good efteem in the neighbourhood, 
 and were looked upon as honeft, fober, induftri- 
 ous, thriving people. My hufband now began 
 to hold up his head. Some of the better fort of 
 tradefmen would ftand and chatter with him in 
 the fhopj nay, they would invite him to go with 
 them to the neighbouring ale-houfe, the fatal 
 Man i th' Moan ! And he began to call for the 
 Dally Advert'tfer^ and would pore over it half the 
 afternoon to pick up the meaning of it, if he 
 could fpell it out ! At length, Sir, comes the 
 prefent war j and as every babbler was prating 
 about it, my fimpleton too muft prate ! He was 
 always dinging my ears about the balance of 
 
 power,
 
 N 2i. THE VISITOR 153 
 
 power, and the intereft of Great Britain ; and 
 ever haranguing of the mifchiefs of connec- 
 tions with the Continent. I was fo mad one day 
 to hear him gabble, that I could not help afking 
 him what he meant by the Continent, or if he 
 knew what it was ? " Continent, you fool, faid 
 he, yes, to be fure : why the Continent is a 
 place in the Mediterranean fea, where thofe curft 
 Gannons all live!" Oh the oaf! I thought I 
 fhould have burfr. ! 
 
 Well, Mr. Candid, fo we went on, and dif- 
 agreed forely about our politics ; till at laft came 
 the news of the fatal mifcarriage of Admiral 
 Byng ! My hufband could no longer contain, 
 but away after dinner he goes to the Man i' th' 
 Moon to drink his porter, and there fat he till 
 fix o'clock ! And fo pleafed was he with his 
 company, that the next day he adjourned after 
 dinner to the fame place ! And now he hath 
 continued regular in the practice to the prefent 
 hour. I am always deferted, and away goes he 
 to the Man /' /// Moon, and returns muddled 
 with porter, with politics and fmoke ; and I am 
 plagued to death with the repetition of all the 
 curious obfervations made by the wife politici- 
 ans of his club ! But. this is not the worft ! 
 For he hath moreover afibciated himfelf with 
 another club at the Dog's Head i'th' Porridge Pet, 
 which he attends almoir, every evening ; and I 
 am left alone to make up the books, and write 
 H 5 . out
 
 I 5 4 THE VISITOR. N 21. 
 
 out the bills ; nay, I am forced to rife early to 
 fse the (hop opened myfelf ; for my gentleman 
 can't get up truly fo foon as ufual ; and if he 
 happens to be up pretty foon, the firft queftion 
 he afks is, whether the Ledger is come, and 
 whether there is any letter of Probus's ; for he 
 mightily admires Mr. Probus, and will retail you 
 his remarks for ever. But he never reads any 
 thing elfe, poor fimple creature ! 
 
 But, Sir, there is nothing vexes me fo much, 
 as to fee what airs of importance he affumes, 
 and what a coxcomb he is grown ! If he had 
 fenfe equal to other people, or could read, and 
 talk, with any propriety, I fhould not care : 
 but to hear his ftrange blunders, makes me blufh 
 for him ; and I often fee his companions, who 
 call in accidentally, tip one another the wink, 
 and laugh at his awkward manner of handling 
 the hard words and names ! What a figure muft 
 he cut at the club ! There have been two or 
 three places in America of difficult pronunciation 
 talked of in this war ! Oh, what work did he 
 make of them, of Tickendrago, and Nagary^ (for 
 fo he calls them j) and the Oerman names, Oh 
 frightful ! what founds did his awkward tongue 
 give to Cleft er-f even, Sanderjhaujpn, 'Lulllcau^ and 
 Cunnerfdorf, &c. &c. &c ! One of his club- 
 ir.ates came in t'oiher day, and told him, that 
 fort du Cane (I write it as pronounced) was 
 taken. *' Fort du Cxne t fort du Cane, quoth he, 
 4 w here's
 
 N 21. THE VISITOR. 155 
 
 where 's that ? I have read of fort du Squefney (fo 
 he pronounced it) but I never heard of t'other 
 before." I fet him right ; but what a laugh did 
 his blunder caufe ! And with the commanders 
 names, he proceeds juft in the fame manner ; 
 yet infenfible to reproof, ftill blunders and blun- 
 ders on ; and talks of Pz#, and prince Fardlnan^ 
 the marquis of Granly^ and admiral Haivte, and 
 the like, with as much freedom and allurance, 
 as if he was their familiar and equal. 
 
 We have two or three great families that we 
 ferve with Irick-duft and final!- ccal ; and if my 
 hufband can any way catch hold of one of the 
 fervants, or draw any intelligence from them, it 
 would fplit the liver of a pigeon to hear him eafe 
 himfelf of the burden of his news " Sir, (faid 
 he to a very fenfible man that came to our (hop 
 a few days fince) Pitt is done for He is not the 
 thing You may depend upon it my informa- 
 tion is genuine He won't let the K g have 
 what money he wants and that, Sir, let me 
 tell you, is a fure caufe I could tell you 
 more But no matter for that I had it from a, 
 certain noble Lord whom I had the honour 
 and he befides a member of parliament's gen- 
 tleman, who faid that Lord A*'s gentleman was 
 at the Duke of *'s but I (hall fee you at the 
 Man i' tb' Moon> and then" I perceived the 
 gentleman {hake his head, and fmile. 
 
 H 6 This
 
 156 ' T H E V I S I T O R. N 21. 
 
 This is a fpecimen of my Sir's eloquence : 
 fomebody the other day lent him Lord Sack- 
 vilk's trial : and he looked at the piflure * be- 
 fore it, every leifure moment he had. A day or 
 two after, a difpute commenced at tea in the 
 afternoon between him and Mr. Hold-the-beltn, 
 a peruke-maker, whom he brought from the 
 club, concerning Lord George. " Bring the 
 pen and ink and paper," faid my hufband ; and 
 would you believe it, he had vanity enough to 
 attempt drawing the plan ! tc Now here, faid 
 he, was our army, there was the French : here 
 was a wood, and there was Prince Fardinan\ 
 here flood the Britifh cavalre-, now Lord George, 
 &c." But if I could not bear it, how can you? 
 I tore away the paper, and threw it into the 
 fire ; for I faw every body defpifing him. " And 
 you had better, faid I, burfting into tears, draw 
 out your bills upon paper, and mind the (hop, 
 than fuch foolifh things as thefe !" Upon which 
 he rofe in a great paff.on ! " Out, you wretch, 
 faid he, you inherit the rebellious temper of 
 your Jacobitijb family ! What, not mind the in- 
 tereft of the nation ! God forbid, that I mould 
 not love Old England, and my king, honeft 
 brave old George" 
 
 I found the quarters too hot for me, and fo I 
 retired up flairs ; and to vent my indignation a 
 little, penned this complaint to you, Mr. Can- 
 did \ 
 
 * She mentis the Plan before OWEN'S TRIAL.
 
 N2i. THE VISITOR. 157 
 
 did\ and I hope you will difcourage fuch foolifh 
 men, and advife them to mind their trade more 
 and leave the kingdom and the conduit of it, to 
 whom it may concern : for it does not become 
 them to pretend to advife, over their porter-pots ; 
 and to fay, that fo it fhould have been, and fo 
 it muft be and the fleet fhould have done this, 
 and the army that. How fhould they know ? 
 Let the Jhoemaker flick to his lajl. 
 
 Sir, I am, 
 
 Your very humble, 
 June ift. 1760. , _. , - 
 
 tho' afflided fervant, 
 
 GRACE TIEZE-THE-TILL. 
 
 P. S. I mould have deferred my letter a little 
 longer I believe, had it not been for this laft 
 piece of news, from the Eajl Indies; I' verily 
 believe, my poor fpoufe will go mad about it. 
 He raves and ftorms, and fwears, that to be 
 fure Pococks might have done more : that it is a 
 fhame not to beat the French at fea, ho'wfcmever 
 they might be ftronger ; and then to let them 
 land at Peundigerry was fuch a ftroke, as never 
 was heard of He only wifhes that Ettlt had 
 been there, and he would have given a good 
 account of them, as he did of Mountfeer Thurat^ 
 and his crew at Carryfargim. Dear Mr. Vifi- 
 tor, what living foul can fupport this ! 
 
 NUM-
 
 T58 THE VISITOR. N 22. 
 
 NUMBER XXII. 
 
 Tie mother, lovely, tbo* with grief opprrjf, 
 
 Reclined her drooping head upon her breaft : 
 
 'The mournful family flood all around, 
 
 One groan was beard, one uni-verfal found: 
 
 So dire afadnefs fate en every Imk ; 
 
 That dtatb repented he bad giv'n the ftroke. 
 
 DRYDEN. 
 
 To the V i s i T o R. 
 /S I R, 
 
 BEAUTY in diftrefs commands our com- 
 paflion, and when that diflrefs is rational* 
 affects the heart with the tendereft fympathy. 
 There is a natural benevolence in every mind, 
 inciting to wipe away the tears, and rcprefs the 
 anguifh* of affliction in general ; but in the cafe 
 of fair female forrow, we are irrefiftibly carried 
 on to every attempt that may adminifter com- 
 fort to the lovely fufferer. How much more, 
 when the ties of friendship bind to a more an- 
 xious concern, and permit us not to be indiffe- 
 rent to any thing, refpecting the felicity of our 
 friend !
 
 N22. THE VISITOR. 159 
 
 I fenfibly felt the truth of this yefterday, when 
 I called at the houfe of my worthy acquaintance 
 Mr. Goodv'ik ; where I found gloomy Sorrow 
 had taken her abode. The countenance of the ' 
 fervant who introduced me, gave me immediate 
 notice of fome unhappy cataftrophe ; and upon 
 enquiry, I found it to be the death of my 
 friend's little and only daughter ; who had not 
 ftaid one year with her affectionate parents, but 
 in her eleventh month was removed from this 
 fcene of trouble. 
 
 My familiarity in the family gave me admif- 
 fion to Mrs. Goodviles mournful apartment ; 
 and I have not beheld a fcene of much deeper 
 diftrefs. Mrs. Goodvile is in her nineteenth year, 
 completely handfome, amiable, and virtuous. 
 Happy in the hufband of her wiflies, as he in 
 the wife of his foul ; no idea can be formed of 
 greater conjugal felicity. The little infant, 
 fource of their prefent forrow, was before the 
 great object of their higheft joy and pleafure. 
 The child of their firft love, and tendereft af- 
 fection. When I entered the room, my gentle 
 friend raifed up her languid head, looked with 
 an afpect the moft expreflively afflicting, figh- 
 ed, and burft into a flood of tears. Dumb as a 
 ftatue by her fide fate her hu{band, no lefs dif- 
 treft : he fpoke not he could not Ipcak, he 
 only waved his hands, and wifhed me to take 
 my feat. In this dumb forrow we remained 
 
 Come
 
 160 THE VISITOR. N 22. 
 
 fome moments, doubtful who fliould break the 
 folemn filence ; while my heart was touched 
 with a fenfation which I never felt in that de- 
 gree before ; as indeed I never had feen fuch an 
 objecl as Mrs. Goodvilc, whofe negligence of 
 drefs heightened her ufual beauty, and whofe 
 tears, gliftering in her eyes, added frefh charms 
 to them charms I mean of attractive grace and 
 innocence. " Oh, Mr. IVilfon^ at length faid 
 ihe, our poor babe" She could proceed no fur- 
 ther nor could I reply. My friend endeavour- 
 ed next to interrupt the filence ; but he had 
 little better fuccefs. However, as reafon and 
 friendfhip both feemed to call upon me, I re- 
 folved to raife my fpirits, and endeavour to ex- 
 ert both. " It grieves me, my dear friends, faid 
 I, to find you thus totally immerft in forrow; 
 and only becaufe the God who gave, has been 
 pleafed to recall his gift ; to recall it from a ftate 
 of trouble and trial, to a realm of undoubted 
 happinefs." " But how hard is it, faid {he ; 
 how hard to part with the fweet creature, whofe 
 little endearments have fo fattened it to the 
 heart, that to tear it thence is worfe, far worfe 
 .than dying. Oh that I had died with thee my 
 JV<7r)>, my Nancy ! my fweeteft babe, would 
 God I had died with thee."" My foul's beft 
 comfort, faid my friend, that's the moft unkind 
 and cruel word I have heard from thofe dear 
 lips, fince we have mutually mourned together. 
 
 Do
 
 N 22. THE VISITOR. 161 
 
 Do not I partake of my charmer's forrow r" Was 
 notTny babe dear to me ? Dearer than all things 
 on earth, except its tender mother : but would 
 (he not judge me moft unkind, if I mould aban- 
 don all comfort with its lofs ; nay, and even 
 wim to attend my pretty one to the grave !" 
 " Good Madam, faid I, permit me in all the 
 tendernefs of friendmip, to requeft that you 
 would ufe that reafon which you fo happily pof- 
 fefs, upon this occafion j that you would put 
 into practice the precepts of that amiable reli- 
 gion which you have hitherto fo much adorn- 
 ed. I grant your lofs great and affecting ; but 
 confider that as your little angel knew but few 
 pleafures here upon earth, on that account its 
 departure is lefs to be lamented ; it hath no 
 great lofs. Then recollect on the other fide, 
 what immenfe gain it receiveth, admitted to di- 
 vine happinefs ; and fafely lodged in the king- 
 dom of that Saviour who careth for his little 
 ones. Befides, reflecl: that amidft the various 
 temptations of the prefent world, a perfeverance 
 in virtue is difficult and precarious. And what 
 a mock would it have been, if God had fpared 
 it now, to have feen it deviating from right, 
 and forfaking its duty ? Rather, I am perfuad- 
 ed, a thoufand times rather would you attend it 
 to the grave." " Oh, but I would have 
 watched its little mind, (faid (he with a .ftream 
 of tears) I would have planted every feed of 
 
 virtue
 
 i62 THE VISITOR. N 12. 
 
 virtue there : I would have wearied heaven with 
 prayers for the good of my fweet babe! And 
 there was room for every hope ! It (hewed, al- 
 ready (hewed every promifing temper." " And 
 cannot the gracious Providence, replied I, who 
 bleft you with fo engaging an infant, to make 
 you. the mother of an angel in his courts ; can- 
 not he blefs you with one as engaging ? Confi- 
 der your own and your hufband's youth ; and 
 do not, by an unreafonable and ungrateful for- 
 row, raife the indignation of God againft you; 
 and thereby prevent the hopes of future bleflmg. 
 At the fame time, for God's fake, confider how 
 much worfe this ftroke might have been, and 
 how much more fevere you would have ac- 
 knowledged the blow, if it had alfo cut off 
 the hufband of your love ; who now partakes 
 your forrows, and lives to adminiftcr the moft 
 tender confolation." " Indeed, my deareftwife, 
 faid he, in this gloom, that reflection hath given 
 me much relief; and if with me, I doubt not 
 but it will equally prevail with you. Had 
 heaven deprived me of my befr- beloved, my af- 
 fectionate companion, the lofs had been heavy 
 indeed?"" Your tendernefs, my love, faid 
 fhe, muft ever relieve my diflrefs : Oh may I 
 ftrive continually to deferve it. But my fweet 
 babe Oh I cannot forget her fuch innocence, 
 fuch pretty affection. Good God, pity and for- 
 give me, if I am too much concerned !"- 
 
 It
 
 N 22. T H E V I S I T O R. 163 
 
 It was difficult to adminifter confolation to fo 
 foft, fo lovely a complainer. However, I was en- 
 abled to cbferve, that ihe herfelf granted refigna- 
 tion to God's will, to be one of the principal of 
 all Chriftian duties ; the wifeft and moft reafon- 
 able j fmce God knows what is good for his 
 creatures, far better than they can be fuppofcd 
 to know themfelves j and is no lefs gracious 
 than powerful to beftow what he knows to be 
 fuch ; for he is our father : that he frequently 
 withdraws earthly blelTings, when our hearts are 
 too much attached to them ; to lead us to him- 
 fclf ; and to wean us from the world to heaven 
 and eternal regards : that in all afflictions^ we 
 fhould thus reafon, looking to the caufe and the 
 end : and that as blifs undoubtedly attends a 
 babe, fccured in the haven of reft, from all the 
 ftorms and tempefts of this life, there is more 
 of felf- love than rational concern in immoderate 
 grief for fuch a one j whofe end we fhould rather 
 congratulate, and for whofe departure we mould 
 rather be thankful than uneafy." 
 
 I will not trouble you, Sir, with all that paf- 
 fed, but obferve, that as thefe reflections arofe 
 naturally upon the occafion, fo I conceived they 
 might not be unacceptable in your paper, fmce 
 the caufe of grief here touched upon is fo com- 
 mon ; and fmce to extend the cup of generous 
 confolation is fo honourable. I have therefore 
 thrown together the general fubfhmce of our
 
 164 THE VISITOR. N 22. 
 
 converfation, which I have reafon to believe 
 was not wholly ineffe&ual : but time in thefe 
 cafes applies his lenient hand, and feldom fails 
 to afluage the tide of forrow. Happy for us 
 mortals that it doth fo. If any fair mother mall 
 derive the leaft fatisfadion from hence, it will 
 repay the trouble of, 
 
 Sir, your conftant reader, 
 
 MEANWELL WILSON, 
 
 N. B. Shakefpear's fine lines may be no im- 
 proper fupplement. 
 
 To perfevere 
 
 In obftinate condolement, is a courfe 
 Of impious ftubbornefs : 'tis unmanly grief: 
 It mews a will moft uncorrect to heaven : 
 A heart unfortify'd, a mind impatient : 
 An underftanding fimple and unfchool'd. 
 For what we know muft be, and is as common 
 As any the moft vulgar thing to fenfe, 
 Why mou'd we in our peevifh oppofition 
 Take it to heart ? Fie ! 'tis a fault to heav'n; 
 A fault againft the dead ; a fault to nature ; 
 To reafon moft abfurd, whofe common theme 
 Is death of children^ and who ftill hath cry'd, 
 From the firft corfe, to that which died to day, 
 This mtjl be fo" 
 
 To
 
 N22. THE VISITOR. 165 
 
 To the obfervations of Mr. JPilfon, I (hall 
 beg leave to add the following lines, as they are 
 fuitable to his fubjeft, and are excellent in 
 themfelves. 
 
 EPITAPH on an INFANT. 
 
 To the dark and filent tomb, 
 Soon I halted from the womb ; 
 Scarce the dawn of life began, 
 'Ere I meafur'd out my fpan. 
 
 I no fmiling pleafures knew, 
 I no gay delights could view ; 
 Joylefs fojourner was I, 
 Only born to weep and die. 
 
 Happy infant ! early bleji ! 
 Reft, in peaceful Jlumber reft ; 
 Early refcttd from the cares 
 Which encreafe with growing years. 
 
 No delights are worth thyftay^ 
 Smiling as they feem and gay j 
 All our gaiety is vain, 
 All our laughter is but pain. 
 
 Are then all our pleafures vain ? 
 Is there none exempt from pain ? 
 Is there no delight or joy, 
 But your fondeft hopes will cloy ?
 
 166 T H E V I S I T O R. N 22, 
 
 Short and ftckly are they all: 
 Hardly tajled ere they pall : 
 Lajl'mg only^ and divine, 
 Is an innocence like thine. 
 
 Sickly pleafures all adieu ! 
 Pleafures which I never knew : 
 I'll enjoy my early reft, 
 Of my innocence pofleft ; 
 Happy, happy ! from the womb 
 That I hafted to the tomb, 
 
 NUM.
 
 THE VISITOR. 167 
 
 NUMBER XXIII. 
 
 .1 Behind the dun there ftands 
 Another monjler, nat unlike himfelf', 
 Of afpecl fallen, by the vulgar called 
 A Catchpole ; ivbcfc polluted bands, the Gods 
 With force incredible, and magic charms 
 Erft have endued; if he his ample palm 
 Sbou'd haply on ill-fated Jhoulder lay 
 Of debtor, ftrait his body, to the touch 
 Obfequious, as whilom knights vjcre <wont t 
 To fame enchanted cajlle is conveyed, 
 Where gates impregnable^ and coercive chains 
 In durance vile detain him, till in form 
 Of money, Pallas fet the captive free. 
 
 P H i L L i p s' Splendid Shilling. 
 
 WE talk, and with truth, of our liberties; 
 and boaft with much fatisfaclion the fe- 
 curity which we enjoy in this favoured kingdom, 
 from the equal and happy adminiftration of juf- 
 tice amongft us ; dealt as it is with impartial 
 hand, to the noble and the peafant j and equal- 
 ly inflexible to the crimes of the peer, and the 
 meaneft mechanic. And doubtlefs we have great 
 reafon to boaft, fmce, perhaps, no kingdom, 
 under the fun, can vie with us in this great and 
 invaluable privilege. But the greater and more 
 
 valuable
 
 i68 THE VISITOR. N 23, 
 
 valuable it is, the more tender, of confequence, 
 we are of it ; the more nice to obferve the leaft 
 breach, and the more cautious to guard againft 
 the fmalleft infringement. A good heart too- 
 feels the more uneafy concern, when it per- 
 ceives that juftice, (which was meant to ferve 
 and fecure the weakeft and pooreft of the peo- 
 ple, no lefs, nay, perhaps, more than the weal- 
 thieft and moft powerful) by any means denied 
 to the weak and the poor; while incapable of 
 redrefs, they wring beneath a load of differing, 
 and are cut off from all poffibility of relief. 
 This indeed may happen, not through any defi- 
 ciency of the laws, but from the unavoidable 
 imperfection of human inftitutions ; and, in 
 fome cafes, from the mercilefs difpofition of the 
 inferior inftruments of juflice; whofe hearts are 
 often hardened beyond all power of fenfibility, 
 and who, ftrange to think, have loft every feel- 
 ing of humanity, every touch of generous com- 
 panion, for the misfortunes of their fellow-crea- 
 tures. 
 
 I am led into thefe reflections by an incident 
 which happened, and of which I was a witnefs 
 t'other day. Being obliged to come to town, as 
 my own carriage was engaged, I propofed to 
 take a place in one of the many ftages which 
 run to and from my village. They were all 
 taken up when I came to the fland, and no 
 
 place
 
 N2 3 . THE VISITOR. 169 
 
 place was to be had ; but one of the coachmen 
 told me, that there were four gentlemen in his 
 coach, and he was perfuaded, if I approved it, 
 they would make room for me ; and then he 
 would drive with all fpeed to town. I accepted 
 the offer, and the gentlemen admitted me, I 
 had not been long in the coach, before two of 
 my companions began a furly altercation j which 
 proceeded to fome degree of vehemence, and 
 was purfued with the moft impious and horrid 
 blafphemies and execrations my ears ever heard. 
 One at length fwore eternal damnation to his 
 foul, if he did not blow the other's brains out, 
 and inftantly drew a piftol from his pocket for' 
 that purpofe ; the other, with as much folem- 
 nity of oath, denounced immediate deftru&ion 
 on his opponent, and to that end drew his cutlafs 
 which ftuck in his girdle. 
 
 But, after much ftorming and vapouring, their 
 rage fubfided, and they calmly curfed each other 
 into friendfhip. We proceeded not far before 
 the fame wrathful humour predominated ; again 
 the diabolical menaces were heard, the piftol 
 cocked, the cutlafs unfheathed, and nothing lefs 
 than the deftruction of one or the other feemed 
 probable. Unufed to company of this fort, you 
 may fuppofe I did not fit very eafy : and it would 
 have been no finall pleafure to me, if I could 
 fairly have taken my leave. 
 
 VOL. I. I The
 
 i;o THE VISITOR. N 23. 
 
 The perfon who fat next me perceived that 
 I was difturbed ; and poflefling a little more hu- 
 manity than his brethren (for he was of the 
 fame honourable profeflion) " don't be trou- 
 'bled, Sir, faid he; I find you are not acquainted 
 with thefe matters : this is nothing new ; there 
 will be no mifchief done ; there are not two 
 fajler friends in the world than thofe gentlemen ; 
 but this is a caft of their office; it is necefiary, 
 Sir, very necefTary in its way, to terrify your 
 villains of prifoners ; for a prifoner, let me tell 
 you, is a kind of defperate feltow. That man 
 is one, Sir, (continued he, pointing to a poor 
 wretch who fat oppofite to me) he is a prifo- 
 ner; and we are gentlemen of the. law, bailiff's^ 
 and pleafe you, Sir, whofe bufmefs it is to fe- 
 cure thefe rafcals ; and we have got him at laft. 
 Though there was no fear on't; for I'll defy 
 the devil to efcape us. There's Tom Mcrdlefs, 
 and Dick Heart-of- flint , and myfelf, will engage 
 to take any man in England ; I never knew a 
 rogue, though he had as much cunning as grey- 
 
 pated F g, that was ever able to efcape us." 
 
 Tom and Duk roared applaufe, and, with vollies 
 of oaths, attefted their matchlefs abilities in the 
 catchpolian profeflion. 
 
 I had obferved before, that the face of the 
 perfon whom I now found to be a prifoner, was 
 clouded with forrow ; and I had feen a tear ever 
 and anon fteal from his eye. This had moved 
 
 my
 
 N. 23. THE VISITOR, 171 
 
 my companion. But I was almoft ready to con- 
 demn myfelf for fuch unfeafonable pity ; as I 
 had little doubt, from this man's reprefentation, 
 but that the wretch was a notorious thief or 
 murderer, whom juftice no longer would fuffer 
 to efcape and live. But he foon undeceived me, 
 for when the bailiff had finifhed, " Sir, faid the 
 poor man, you do indeed behold a prifoner^ and 
 a moft miferable one. But you look like a gen- 
 tleman, and I am fur*, will pity me. I am a 
 poor man, it is true, born to earn my fcanty 
 bread by the fwcat of my brow. And I have 
 the fatisfa&ion to fay, I have never been want- 
 ing in induftry. I married early j and my wife, 
 a faithful and good woman, hath every year 
 brought me a child. We have fix now alive, 
 and the cldeft is not above eight years old. Laft 
 winter, as my bufmefs lay in London, I took a 
 wretched lodging, the cheapeft I could procure 
 for my miferable family, only one room, God 
 knows, for the reception of us all : and this fo 
 ill fituated, that I folemnly declare, the rats 
 were continually our companions ; and the adders 
 nightly crept over and hiffed round our beds *. 
 My daily toil did fcarcely fumce to find us bread, 
 and to preferve us from ftarving ; and I was un- 
 able to pay the tigbteen-pence per week, which 
 was the rent of my lodging. I continued there 
 I 2 twenty- 
 
 * This is no exaggeration ; it wis found to be lite- 
 rally inie.
 
 i 7 2 THE VISITOR. NO 23. 
 
 twenty-four weeks, and my landlord at lafl 
 drove me out ; and hath fmce conftantly pur- 
 fued me for the rent. Till at length refolved tc 
 ftay no longer, he hath taken this cruel ftep. 
 and fent thefe gentlemen to feize me. Here 1 
 am in their power, and all the miferies of a gaol 
 are before me. Let my cruel profecutor now 
 do his worft : defpair makes me indifferent to al! 
 that may follow. I cannot pay him ; would tc 
 God I was able.' But a gaol will not make me 
 a wit more able ! And there it feems I am to lie 
 there he threatens to confine me, till I rot, a; 
 he is pleafed to exprefs himfelf ! And let hirr 
 confine me there ! I am undone ; let cruelt) 
 now do its utmoft. All my fummer work, bj 
 this means, is taken from me : and the gooc 
 profpeft I had before me, is turned into horror 
 My poor little babes, and my diftreft wife, an 
 reduced to the utmoft mifery and want ! Thej 
 have no money to purchafe them a morfel o 
 bread ; their tongues cleave to the roof of theii 
 mouths with hunger : and they have no friends 
 for they are in a populous place where nobodj 
 knows them ; and where, amongft the multi- 
 tude, the wants of individuals are totally over- 
 looked > and I am torn from them Oh cruel 
 cruel fate Oh my poor babes, my famifhec 
 
 innocents." Here the poor wretch burft int< 
 
 a flood of tears, and the favage monfters, wit! 
 all the brutality of inhuman ribaldry, ridiculec 
 
 hi:
 
 N23. THE VISITOR. 173 
 
 his fufferings, and expofed the forrow of the man,, 
 the bufband, the father. 
 
 To fay my heart was affected with the deep- 
 eft concern, would do no honour to me ; for I 
 am fatisfied, the fcene would have had that ef- 
 fect, upon all my readers (catchpoles excepted;) 
 and to fay, what fteps I took in this affair, 
 would favour perhaps of a vanity, from which 
 all good works fhould be free. I would only 
 wifh to alk, whether there be no poflibility of 
 finding out a method, whereby unhappy men, 
 in fuch cafes, might be relieved and refcued ; 
 whether it be proper or politic, to give fuch a 
 power, into the hands of wretches like thefe 
 catchpoles ; and whether debtors of this na- 
 ture, upon proper application, to minifrers of 
 the parifli, juftices of the peace t or fome other; 
 ought not to be confidered and releafed. Since 
 it feems extremely cruel, to permit the induftri- 
 ous to fink under the iron hand of oppreffion ; 
 while the wife and the famifhed babe languifh 
 in hunger, and drink only the bitternefs of 
 tears. And as cafes of this kind are not rare ; 
 in this benevolent age, let me hope they will 
 meet with attention and pity *. 
 
 I 3 N U M-- 
 
 * Since the firft publication of this, I have feen a pro- 
 pofal in the London Chronicle for the redemption of d< 1- 
 tors, which I hope the benevolent propofer will endea- 
 vour to put into execution. January 1764..
 
 *74 THE VISITOR. 
 
 NUMBER XXIV. 
 
 N-2 4 , 
 
 Si poj/unt famines, pninde ac ftntire i<ijentur 
 P audits inejjt ammo, quod ft gra-vitatt fatiget, 
 qnibui id fiat caufit, quoque nofcere, et untie 
 Tanta malt tanquam moles in peflore conflet ; 
 Haud it a I'itam agerent, ut nunc pkritmque 'vidimus t 
 Quod fibi qui/qtte welit t nefcire et quarere /emfer 
 Commutare Ictum, quajt onus deponere pcjffit. 
 
 LUCRETIUS. 
 
 
 
 DISCONTENT had long taken up her 
 dwelling in the houfe of Magifcatzin. He 
 made his abode in the populous city of Zocath- 
 lan^ the capital of the large and wealthy pro- 
 vince, known through India by the fame appel- 
 lation j and the feat of the great Itztapalapa^ 
 brother of the Sun ; on whom two hundred Lords 
 wait barefoot in filence, with their eyes fixed on 
 the ground ; and who facrificeth yearly a thou- 
 fand of his enemies on the green ftone, in the 
 temple of the God yilzlipvtzli *. 
 
 Magifcatzin faw thoufands live in the fmile of 
 Itztapalapa, refrefhed with the dew of his fa- 
 vour, and bloflbming in the fun-fhine of his 
 magnificence. He courted that fmile, but it 
 
 beheld 
 
 * See the Religious Ceremonies by Picart,
 
 N 24. THE VISITOR. 175 
 
 beheld him not ; he waited long for that dew, 
 but it fell not on his branch. He grew pale 
 with envy, and the fiend of malevolence fixed a 
 cockatrice at his heart. The bofom of his wife, 
 once the feat of delight, was no longer pleafing 
 to him ; nor would he drink more of the cup of 
 felicity ! refufing the draught from the homely 
 (hell of the cocoa, becaufe he could not quaff" it 
 from that golden vafe ; which the right-hand of 
 Itztapalapa held forth to his favourites. 
 
 As one morning he wandered in folitude, 
 amidft the defart mountains of Tlajlacan ; a pcr- 
 fonage habited like one of the priefts of the God 
 'Tlalock approached ; who, touching the ground 
 with his right-hand, and laying it to his mouth, 
 accofted him in the language of friendship. 
 
 Magifcdtzin returned the falutation. They 
 flood filent a moment ; the prieft began ; " few 
 feet, my fon, traverfe thefe lone and gloomy 
 mountains, but thofe of devotion and difquie- 
 tude. The placidity, which refteth on the brow 
 of the true worfhippers of the ineffable Tlalock, 
 is not difcoverable on thine. Too plainly do 
 thine eyes befpeak a difcompofure of mind. Fear 
 not, my fon, to unbofom thy follicitude. The 
 key of fecrecy is on my lips : and Tlalock hath 
 intrufted me with that invaluable gem, which 
 emits the rich perfume of confolation." 
 
 " Father replied Magifcatzin^ thou art as an 
 
 angel of the God ; he hath endued thec with 
 
 I 4- his
 
 176 THE VISITOR. N 24, 
 
 his own penetration. My foul is difturbed with- 
 in me, and I find no reft : for the bounty oi 
 Itztapalafa fhineth on the undeferving. While 
 merit and fidelity cover their heads in obfcu- 
 rity, or wander through the mountains of Tlajla- 
 tan; their necks unadorned with the chains o; 
 gold ; their helms void of the variegated feather! 
 due to them from the brother of the Sun." 
 
 " Tremble, faid the venerable fage, to breathe 
 the leaft murmur againft the mighty Lord o 
 Zccatblan^ the ruler of ten thoufand provinces 
 the powerful brother of the Sun! whom ever] 
 element is proud to obey ; and to whom, if th( 
 rulers of the air, (who are privy to every voic< 
 of mortals) fhould bear thy complainings $ 
 inevitable mifery ! - Thou wouldft fall an un> 
 pitied vidlim in the temple of the dread Vitzll 
 fntzli. But hearken, Oh my fon. Thy min( 
 is deluded by the forcerefs Error : difappoint 
 ment hath fpread her fable veil before thy fight 
 and thou canft not either difcern the iplendo 
 of the great Itztapalapd's wifdom, or the plan 
 and unperplexed path which leadeth to the tern 
 pie of felicity. Dazzled with the luflre o 
 greatnefs, thou haft treafured up in thy mini 
 falfe notions of its blifs j and difappointed u 
 thy purfuits of it, fondly deemeft thyfelf difap 
 pointed of real happinefs. The evil Genii, wh< 
 delight to dittrefs the fons and worfhippers o 
 the beneficent Tlalody triumphing over thy heart 
 
 corrodin;
 
 N 24. THE VISITOR. 177 
 
 corroding anxiety, have commiflioned their bu- 
 fieft instruments to promote thy mifery ; and to 
 render thee in truth what thou art in imagina- 
 tion only. The ideal bleflings denied thee, 
 are, by their agency, turned into real evils ; 
 and the Jofs of fancied gratifications prevents 
 thee from enjoying thofe of which thou art pof- 
 fcft. But hearken to the voice of wifdom ; 
 obey, and thou fhalt be blefled. Tell me Ma- 
 gifcatzin, point out the man, who buildeth his 
 neft on the towering cedar of felicity." 
 
 " Curdijlan^ replied he in a moment Cr- 
 dljlan dwells fecure on its topmoft bough. He 
 fits in his Prince's favour, like, the proud city of 
 Mexico^ Emprefs of the world, in the midft of 
 the lakes. Curdiftan is happy. Nor lefs fo is 
 Tabuca ; honour and wealth wave, like yellow 
 fields of ripe maize around him, and the faireft 
 beauty of Zocathlan encircles him with the fnow 
 of her arms. And not lefs blefled, for not lefs 
 honourable is Xicoltencal ; for he gives the golden 
 cup, enamelled with the topaz and the fupbire, 
 into the hands of Itztapalapa y and reclineth on 
 the fame carpet to play at the royal game of To- 
 lolcque with the brother of the Sun. Yucatan 
 alfo." 
 
 " No more, faid the prieft interrupting him, 
 it is enough my fon ; mark this emerald. Take- 
 it and preferve it with the utmoft attention. It 
 was the gift of Tlalock himfelf, who defcended 
 15 iu
 
 178 THE VISITOR. N24. 
 
 in thunder, while the earth trembled at his, ap- 
 proach the gift of the fovereign Tlalock to my 
 immortal father; who now drinks out of the ruby 
 bowls which Halicaftl hands round to the Lords 
 of Paradife. Bind it next to thy heart, and 
 it will render thee invifible to every mortal eye ; 
 and hafte thee away, enter every dwelling where 
 thy defires long chiefly to dwell j and in the 
 name of the mighty deity, whofe facrifices I 
 perform, and whofe incenfe I burn, I fwear to 
 thee, that thou fhalt be the man, whom thou 
 ftiyfelf fhalt confefs, the happy one. Finifh thy 
 enquiries with all fpeed; and when the fun (hall 
 twice have travelled over yon mountains, meet 
 me in this place of meditation." 
 
 The heart of Magifcatzin throbbed with ardor 
 and impatience ; he feized the emerald, and en- 
 tered with the flep of impetuofity the city of 
 Zocathlffn* 
 
 H. 
 
 N U M-
 
 N 25. THE VISITOR. 
 
 NUMBER XXV. 
 
 Oh bappinefi ! our being's end and aim, 
 
 Good, pleafure, eafe, content ; whatever thy name : 
 
 That fometbing ftill which prompts tV eternal figb, 
 
 For which we bear to /I've, or dare to die ; 
 
 Wbhb Jlill fo near us, yet beyond us lies, 
 
 O'erlock'd, jeen double, by the fool and wife. 
 
 Plant of celejlial feed ; if dropt kelow, 
 
 Say in ivbat mortal foil, tbou deign Jl to grow ? 
 
 POPE. 
 
 EJOICE, fon of AMudah, faid 
 
 catzin ; The eye of Omnifcience hath 
 beheld thee with favour, though the dread Lord 
 of Zocatblan did not vouchfafe thee a fmile ; 
 glory ftandeth ready to bind around thy neck 
 her golden chain ; and rofy-wreuthed happinefs 
 prepareth her fofteft fofas for thy repofe ! Im- 
 mortal, eternal, life-giving Sun ! Eye of the 
 world, difpenfer of health, of riches, of bene- 
 ficence ! Hear me, fovereign, with the golden 
 locks. My vows, my prayers, are thifte ! A 
 thoufand victims, in token of thankfulnefs, {hall 
 bleed on thy altars ; and the fmoke of incenfe 
 I 6 {hail
 
 i8o THE VISITOR. N* 25. 
 
 fhall waft, in odorous clouds, my praifes to 
 thce, feated on thy flaming throne of ruby." 
 
 Thus fpoke the delufive voice of flattery in 
 the heart of Magifcatzin, as he trod with impa- 
 tience from the mountains j he held the won- 
 derous emerald clofe to his breaft ; and formed 
 to himfelf a thoufand fchemes of happinefs ! Am- 
 bition mantled in his cheek ; and Pkafure, in her 
 fafTron veftment, danced before his eye. Difap- 
 pointment was a ftranger to his ideas ; vain and 
 erring, he confidered not the univerfal condition 
 of mortality ! 
 
 Soon as he entered the city of Zoeatblan, he 
 turned not to the right-hand or to the left ; but 
 bent his fteady courfe to the dwelling of Curdi- 
 fian. " There, faid he, will I firft prove the 
 power of the great Tlalock's jewel ; nor (hall I 
 have caufe to prove it in any other dwelling 
 than his ! Curdijlan's felicity fhall be mine. Hap- 
 py fon of Mbudah, thou flialt be the magnifi- 
 cent Curdijlan ! " Unfeen and unnoted, he en- 
 tefed the gates, and afcended the numerous fteps, 
 which lead to the palace of Curdijlan. He be- 
 held with rapture and admiration, the fplendor 
 of all things around him j the veflels fhining 
 with burnifhed gold ; the paintings, glowing 
 with n&itious life ; the attendants, richly ador- 
 ned, and zealous in their fervices. But when 
 he faw the nobles and grandees of Zocatblan, 
 waiting in a fpacious apartment, to catch the 
 
 fmile,
 
 N" 25. THE VISITOR. i&i 
 
 fmile, and touch the border of Curdijlaris robe, 
 he repreft with difficulty the tranfport of his ex- 
 pectations ; and flood a-while deliberating with 
 himfelf, whether he fhould not inftantly return 
 to the mountains of Tlafcalan; claim the promife 
 of the prieft ; and aflume the envied character 
 of the bleft Curdlflan. " Rather firft Magifcat- 
 zin, faid he within himfelf, refrefh thy foul with 
 a view of the mighty mafter of thefe profufe 
 glories ; and contemplate, delighted, in him, 
 the radiant beams of gladnefs, which foon are 
 to play around thee !" Inftantly he fought the 
 apartment of Curdiftan. He found it ; entred 
 trembling with anxious delight j but in a mo- 
 ment was ftruck with confufion and amazement ! 
 " Curfe upon my fortune, (were the firft words 
 he heard from the lips of him whom he en- 
 vied ) Curfe upon my fortune, and upon the 
 hour, which made me a flave to greatnefs and 
 Itztapalapa f Had I been born an humble pea- 
 fant, repofe and peace would have fmoothed, my 
 pillow ; and all the torment of power had been 
 unknown to my heart ! Now the fears of folli- 
 citude drive fleep from my couch all the night, 
 and the day is enflaved to difllmulation, fal/hood 
 and tumult ! Seated high, how difficult is it to 
 preferve that feat ; and if I fall, I fall with ten- 
 fold deftruction ! Not refpe&ing my perfon, but 
 my power, a train of courtiers wait my ap- 
 proach $ but, alas, I find no friend in the circle *, 
 
 he
 
 i8 2 THE VISITOR. N 25. 
 
 he only is my friend, on whom my hand (bow- 
 ers gifts ! Curfe on them all, on myfelf, on my 
 fortune; I am weary of exiftence." He had 
 fcarce uttered thefe words, to which every dif- 
 compofure of countenance gave energy, before a 
 meflenger entered with the mandate of Itztapa- 
 lapa^ to deprive him of his honours and officers. 
 Magifcatzin terrified at the tempeft of paffions, 
 which tore him upon the receival of this fatal 
 mandate (a mandate which he had but too much 
 reafon to fufpet,) fhrunk difappointed from the 
 palace, which he entered with the full gale of 
 triumph ; and, as he departed, obferved every 
 courtier ftealing privately away ; heard every 
 lip freely owning the juftice of the fentence, 
 and curfing the pride, and the folly of Curdijlan. 
 Aftonifliment poflefled the mind, and led the 
 feet of Magifcatzin long devious and unperceiv- 
 ing whether he tended. But, at length, recol- 
 lection fummoncd the powers of his foul : he 
 refolved to purfue his enquiries ; and lefs capti- 
 vated with the glare of ambition, wifhed for the 
 fofter felicities of life. He haftened therefore to 
 the houfe of Tabuca, attracted by the beauty of 
 the daughter of Saram-, whofe graces the tongue 
 of fame refounded loudly through the ftreets of 
 Zocathlan ; and who flourifiied in charms like- 
 the fcrft vernal bloom on the trees of Paradife. 
 Happy Tabtica^ (faid he within himfclf,) the 
 pure joys of immortal love are thine j the rich 
 
 fcaft
 
 N*25. THE VISITOR. 183 
 
 feaft of unparallelled beauty is prefented to thee I 
 Love, without the interruption of anxiety ; peace, 
 without the moleftations of ambition ; honour, 
 without the clamours of importunity, weave the 
 crown of full and flourifhing felicity for thy 
 brow ! Oh Tabuca^ who is blefled, who is to be 
 envied like thee !" He faid, and entered the 
 dwelling ! But behold a fiend, which the male- 
 volent Zarejb fent forth from the regions of 
 darknefs and woe, to confound the choiceft tran- 
 quility of human beings, flood with ever-watch- 
 ful eye at the door of Tabuca^ and ftopt up e- 
 very avenue that might admit the approach of 
 the difpenfers of confolation. Magifcatzin grew 
 pale at the fight. He knew the fpirit of jealoufy. 
 ** And can it be pofltble, faid he, that this ac- 
 curfed Demon fhould make his abode here ? A- 
 las, where he dwells, no blifs fhall ever fpring 
 up and flourim. Plants only of baleful poi- 
 fon mark his footfteps." He prefled forward 
 however, to the apartment of Tabuca. He 
 found him pale and penfive lying on the ground. 
 His heart heaved with anxiety. He doubted the 
 fidelity of the faireft beauty of Zocathlan. He 
 doubted the fidelity of the wife of his foul. Re- 
 folved to try the efficacy of his Emerald to the 
 utmoft; Magifcatzin^ (though no longer wifhing 
 to aflume the character of Tabuca ; for how can 
 the foul, harraiTed with jealoufy, join in the 
 chorus of free-hearted joys r ) ilole to the pri-
 
 i 4 THE VISITOR. N 25. 
 
 vate chamber of the daughter of Saram, and 
 there he beheld, while (he thought no eye con- 
 
 fcious of her proceedings (for unwife, (he 
 
 thought not of the eye of Tlalock, which no 
 mortal can elude) He beheld, that beauty full 
 often proves a fnare to itfelf ; and that eminence 
 in charms fubjedts only to eminence of temp- 
 tation and peril. 
 
 Difgufted and diflatisfied as before, Maglf- 
 catzin haftened from the houfe of Tabued j " am- 
 bition is madnefs, faid he j the fofter pleafures 
 are unmanly ; wealth alone is worth a wife man's 
 concern: Its blefiings are noble, are permanent j 
 it procures all we want, it obtains all \vc wifh. 
 Greatnefs and honour are in its train ; and the 
 daughters of beauty fall down and adore it. I 
 will hafte then to the lowly, but wealthy re- 
 treat of Devojian. The felicity which flieth 
 from .the palace of the great, and the couch of 
 the lovely, is afluredly to be found there." It 
 happened, that, as he went along, a multi- 
 tude, innumerable as the ftars in the firmament, 
 crowded the grand ftreet of Zocathlan, and de- 
 nied him paflage : In the midft of them, at- 
 tended by the minifters of juftice, he beheld- 
 two wretches, whofe brows indicated the deepeft 
 horror. He took the emerald from his heart, 
 and appearing, in confequence, to the general 
 view, folicited information concerning the caufe 
 of die prefent throng. " Thou feeft, (.faid the 
 
 man,
 
 N c 25. T H E V I S I T O R. 185 
 
 man, of whom he enquired,) in thofe mifer- 
 able wretches, the only fon, and the moft fa- 
 vourite fervant of Devo/lan. The former wea- 
 ried by the penurious feverity of his father, and 
 allured by the dire thirfl of his countlefs poflef- 
 fions, engaged the other in a foul confpiracy. 
 And they have waftied their hands impious 
 and deteftable in the blood of the father and 
 mafter ; that they might riot in his wealth. And 
 lo, they are about to receive their due reward ! 
 The earth, aftonifhed at their deeds, is prepar- 
 ing to fwallow them up alive ! " 
 
 " Oh accurfed gold faid Magifcatzin wretch- 
 ed, wretched Devojlan /- And was I haftening to 
 the place, where thy corpfe lieth weltering in 
 its blood its blood fhed even by the hand of 
 ' thy own fon ! 
 
 " Son of dlibudab, how art thou deceived ! 
 Where canft thou find the happinefs which thou 
 feekeft?" 
 
 He fighed, and turning from the crowd, re- 
 folved to retire to his own houfe, and dedicate a 
 few hours to reflection ; before he renewed his 
 fearch. 
 
 H. 
 
 N U M-
 
 i86 T H E V I S I T O R. K 26. 
 
 NUMBER XXVI. 
 
 Where grows ? Where grows it not ? If vain cur toil, 
 
 We ought to blame the culture, nut the foil : 
 
 Fix'd to HO fpot is happinefsfincere t 
 
 'Tis no where to be fou)id> or every ivhere. 
 
 POPE. 
 
 HE folded his arms j fixed his eyes upon 
 the earth ; and with flow and penfive ftep 
 moved towards his own dwelling. " Oh Ma- 
 gifcatziri) faid he; in the filence of reflexion, 
 thou art difappointed, but not fatisfied. And 
 dwelleth fhe not beneath the golden roof of am- 
 bition and honour ? Doth fhe not live in the 
 blooming bower of young and fragrant beauty ? 
 Is happinefs a ftranger to that temple of wealthy 
 which every foot delights to enter, where every 
 hand is ready to kifs the mouth, in token of 
 adoration ! Lead me to the Goddefs, ye awful 
 powers, endowed with celeftial penetration ; dif- 
 pel the darknefs of doubt and hefitancy ; Oh for 
 a beam of unfailing light ! ftiine forth j and 
 fliew me the way ; make me great and make 
 me blefTed !" 
 
 A deep and hollow groan at that moment 
 founded from a lowly cottage, by which he 
 
 parted j
 
 N 26. THE VISITOR. 187 
 
 parted ; it pierced his heart ; he drew near ; and 
 the cries of diftrefs awakened his compaffion. 
 He entered the lowly door ; and behold, 
 ftretched on the bed of ficknefs, lay the mo- 
 ther of fix clamorous infants, demanding with 
 the voice of importunity, food to fatiate their 
 hunger ; fhe replied only with tears. Magif- 
 catzin fought the caufe of her diftrefs ; grief is 
 communicative ; flie informed him that " the 
 iron hand of death had but lately cut down her 
 hufband, the trunk, upon which Ihe and her 
 babes leant for fupport. He, by his daily 
 and laborious toil, earned for them the fcanty 
 pittance, which fed the lamp of life. But now, 
 friendlefs and unpitied ; unknown, and unre- 
 lieved, famine preyeth upon my children, faid 
 me, while forrow eateth up my heart ! How 
 many of the great and the wealthy, whofe 
 tables are loaded by the hands of profufion and 
 plenty, dream little of neceflity like ours ; and 
 care not to diffufe the offals of their feafts, which 
 would fuffice to preferve us from the refiftlefs 
 feverity of hunger! Not far hence, continued 
 fhe, lives the great and fplendid Magifcatzin ; 
 wealth and felicity take up their abode in his 
 happy dwelling, and his meaneft domeftics are 
 the envied children of peace. The very crumbs 
 from his table could more than fatiate our 
 wimes ; would give gladnefs to the heart of the 
 difconfolate widow, and wipe away the tears 
 
 from
 
 188 THE VISITOR. N 26. 
 
 from the hollow and half famiflied eyes of the 
 orphan !" 
 
 Magifcatzin heard ; and was abafhed. " No 
 more, faid he, to the woman ; the angel of 
 confolation will vifit thy cottage. Fear not : 
 .The clouds are difperfing, and the chearful fun 
 will fpeedily brighten the heavens." Thus 
 fpeaking, with hafty ftep he left the houfe of 
 mourning, fearing to be difcovered ; and " Oh 
 mighty Tlakck^ faid he, I had no need of thy 
 emerald to teach me this wifdom. Son of Ali- 
 budah, ceafe thy fearch j acknowledge thy er- 
 ror ; and be glad to drink the waters of thy 
 own clear fountain !" Immediately he ifTued his 
 command, to relieve the wants of the widow, 
 and to feed the hungry orphans. And in that 
 command the glow of benevolence warmed his 
 bofom; he felt, that to blefs was to be blejjed! 
 Chearfulnefs refumed her feat on his forehead, 
 and his eye fparkled again with vivacity and de- 
 light. " I will get me to the mountains, faid 
 he, early on the morrow ; I will reftore, with- 
 out a defire to repoflefs, the wond'rous jewel, 
 \\hich the venerabk prieft hath committed to my 
 truft. Let the falfe glare of honour allure j the 
 deftru&ive purfuit of riches bewilder ; mine (hall 
 be a nobler aim fovereign Tlalock, I adore 
 thee ! The temple of human happinefs is found- 
 ed on the adamantine rock of benevolence and 
 virtue," 
 
 Early
 
 N26. THE VISITOR. 189 
 
 Early he fought the mountains of Tlajlacan. 
 The fage appeared ; " Take back thy jewel, 
 faid Magifcatzln : It availed not ; by its aid I 
 difcovered only the unfufpecled haunts of mi- 
 fery and woe ; without its aid, I have found 
 the unerring path, which leads to the immortal 
 dome of happinefs." " Charge not the jewel, 
 but thyfelf, faid the prieft ; thou mighteft well 
 have found that path long before ; but without 
 the jewel, know, that thou would'ft never have 
 found it. The chief caufe of human difcon- 
 tent is the envious eye, which, looking to the 
 loftier ftate, longs for the pleafures, which, as it 
 deems, dwell plenteous there ; while it con- 
 temns and neglects the fatisfa&ions in its own 
 power j and judges them worthlefs and inconfl- 
 derable, in comparifon of the blazing glories 
 above it ! Erring Mortals ! how falfe, how vain 
 is your eftimate of things ! The jewel hath en- 
 abled thee to know, what otherwife, Magifcat- 
 z/w, little elfe than experience could have 
 taught ; that the heart full often is a ftranger to 
 joy, where the face wears the conftant fun-fhine 
 of fmiles : that the ferenity of peace dwells not 
 always, where the outward triumphs of fplendor 
 exult ; that the bread not rarely is torn with 
 the tempeft of cares, which feems hufhed with 
 the profoundeft calm. 
 
 Yet miftake not, happinefs, in a degree, 
 though, not in perfection, is a flower, that will 
 
 flourifh
 
 190 THE VISITOR. N 26. 
 
 flourifti in almoft every foil. It withered in the 
 garden of Curdijlan ; but it withered becaufc 
 Curdijlan gave it not a proper culture. It requi- 
 reth not to be foftered with the dews of ho- 
 nour, it wifheth not to grow beneath a fhelter 
 of gold ; even the fair tendance of the hand of 
 beauty is not peculiarly needful j it often is 
 found in freftier verdure in the gardens of the 
 homely. Yet neither will it fade, becaufe 
 beauty tends it ; honour fofters it with her dew j 
 or wealth fpreadeth over it the alcove of gold j 
 If the former is virtuous, the latter benefi- 
 cent, diffufive, humane the heart-felt joy, 
 which enlivens and immortalizes, will lift up 
 the foul, and make it divine. 
 
 For know, Magifcatzin ; the eternal powers 
 that dwell beyond the Sun, are perfect in tm- 
 utterable blifs, becaufe they are perfect in un- 
 changeable goodnefs. Would'ft thou be exal- 
 ted to a participation of the joys, which they 
 ftiare ; conform thy foul to fome fimilitude with 
 theirs j to be immortal hereafter, labour to be 
 god-like here. The nearer approaches thou 
 makeft to the temper of the Gods, the nearer 
 approaches wilt thou make to their happi- 
 nefs. The more thou doft cultivate the vir- 
 tues of divine original, and caft forth front 
 thine hand the bleflings of benevolence, while 
 the generous fenfations of humanity expand 
 thy heart i the more wilt thou find of fere- 
 
 nity
 
 N'26. THE VISITOR. 191 
 
 nity in this world ; the more lightly will the 
 unavoidable difficulties of mortality lie upon 
 thee ; the more chearful will be thy refig- 
 nation : and hereafter, in the world of eter- 
 nity, thou {hall quaff perennial delight, in full 
 draughts, from the inexhaufted fountain, which 
 pours its ftreams of pleafure through the bound- 
 lefs realms of paradife." 
 
 The writer of this hiftory adds, in the Eajl- 
 ern Manufcript, whence we have taken it, That, 
 " The fame of Magifeatzins humanity after 
 this, was borne upon every breeze thro' the 
 territories of the great Itztapalafa ; that forrow 
 never went from his gate, with a tear in her 
 eye ; that diftrefs and defolation never fought his 
 roof, but they found a comforter. That, As he 
 pafled through the ftreets of Zocathlan^ the blef- 
 lings of age and infirmity, of ficknefs and hun- 
 ger, of the orphan and the widow, fell upon 
 him. That he lived long in the favour of the 
 Gods, and left many wife maxims to his chil- 
 dren ; two of which were, " Would'ft thou, 
 Oh my fon, find real happinefs and content, 
 look into the cottage of the flave, not upon the 
 fplendor of the prince." " Happinefs, Oh my 
 children, dwelleth in the heart; and he, who 
 would find her, and bring her home to that 
 dwelling, muft follow the guidance of virtue ; 
 and liften to the inftruclions of benevolence." 
 
 H. 
 N U M-
 
 I 9 2 THE VISITOR. N'2 7 . 
 
 NUMBER XXVII. 
 
 Prlma tu<t menti vtniat fiducia cunflas 
 Pofle capi : copies : tu modo tende plagas. 
 
 OVID. 
 
 To the Vis ITO R. 
 
 From the Seeking- Affemtty held at 
 Want-Hall. 
 
 Dear Creature, 
 
 DI D you not think me long ? I have a vaft 
 notion you did. And you muft know I 
 have an immenfe fatisfaftion in that. I love 
 amazingly to make people wait for me : there is 
 a prodigious pleafure in keeping up, then dif- 
 appointing ; and at laft gratifying expectation. 
 'Tis for this reafon that I have deferred fo long 
 my promifed account of the proceedings of our 
 aflcmbly. Dear Candid, we go on charmingly. 
 I never found the country fo tolerable in my life 
 as it is this feafon. Thanks to our aflembly, 
 and the multiplicity of engagements it occafions j 
 and thanks to the kind clouds, which have 
 been fo very obliging as to pour down fuch a 
 quantity of rain, that one was compelled you 
 4 know,
 
 N27. THE VISITOR. 193 
 
 know, to play at cards all the day long, in one's 
 own defence. There was no other way of 
 killing time : what a prodigious pleafant thing 
 a wet fummer is ; I hope we {hall have very 
 little good weather till November \ and then, 
 you know, my dear, it does not much matter 
 what the weather is. I aflure you great things 
 are talked of concerning next winter ; our me- 
 tropolitan ball is likely to appear in no fmaH 
 fplendor. But I muft not anticipate won't 
 you be a fubfcriber, Mr. Candid? I dare fay 
 your lady will like it ; I fliall hope for the ho- 
 nour of introducing her to my felect party aC 
 Ombre. Mifs Selima's compliments, pray. 
 
 But to bufmefs ; I told you in my laft * that 
 we had agreed, five or fix and twenty of us to 
 form a new afiembly. All matters being duly 
 fettled, our firft meeting was on Tlntrfday (dear 
 dear Thurfday, 'tis the fweeteft day of all the 
 feven) May the I5th, a very good month you 
 know ; every body fpeaks handfomely of May. 
 I told you before that the ladies had deter- 
 mined to conftitute me Queen. So in the chair 
 was I fate ; and as in duty bound, I expreft my 
 thanks, and began my reign with a proper 
 fpeech. " Ladies, faid I, you do me great 
 honour, by conferring upon me a dignity to which 
 I fear I am not by any means equal. I am not 
 ignorant of the diftinguifhing qualifications which 
 
 VOL. I. K are 
 
 * Sec Vifitor, No. XV.
 
 I 9 4 THE VISITOR. N 27. 
 
 are neceflary for a Queen of fo polite and auguft 
 an aflembly : nor am I infenfible of the attain- 
 ments requifite for a difcharge of this arduous 
 office with profit to you, and credit to my- 
 felf. However as you have been fo genteel as 
 to judge me adequate to the tafk,- I accept it 
 with all readinefs, and will not fo much dero- 
 gate from your exquifite difcernment, as to en- 
 large on my own impropriety. It fhall be my 
 conftant endeavour, as it will be my greateft 
 delight to fhew myfelf at all times, and by all 
 means the flave and moft humble fervant of this 
 refpe&able and fair fociety. 
 
 I propofe not, ladies, to enlarge on the vari- 
 ous and important advantages which may be 
 derived from the prefent laudable inftitution. 
 Our empire, you know, is well eftablifhed over 
 the other fex ; yet cuftom, in fome particulars, 
 hath prepofteroufly given them manifeft fuperio- 
 rity over us. It is therefore, I humbly conceive, 
 a matter of prudence, and, in fome degree of 
 neceflity, fpr us, by every reafonable and juftifi- 
 able method, to aflert our prerogative, to coun- 
 terwork that fuperiority, and to prevent the 
 growing and dangerous prevalence of thofe cer- 
 tain advantages, which (as I hinted) thiev have 
 ftrangely gained. And to thefe ends, permit 
 me to fay, nothing feems more likely to con- 
 duce than our prefent moft ufeful defign. For 
 as we all, (I may fpeak without rtftrve, fmce 
 
 there
 
 N 27. THE VISITOR. 195 
 
 there arc only ladies prefent) as we all are fcfk*. 
 ing after the dignity of woman-hood and child- 
 bearing ; by thus uniting our interells, declaring 
 our particular purfuits, and exprefling our wants j 
 we fhall be able at once to ferve each other, 
 and to eftablifh a power, which may be for- 
 midable to the males if they prefurae to oppofc 
 it. 
 
 But that I may not be tedious, permit me 
 only to congratulate you as well as myftlf on 
 this fortunate event ; to wifti us the happy fuc- 
 cefs we defire ; and to requeft that you pro- 
 ceed immediately to bufinefs ; the firft ftep in 
 which I apprehend, will be to choofe proper 
 officers, and then to read over the articles of 
 our aflembly. After which it will be necefiary 
 to fix the days and time of our meeting." 
 
 My Ipeech was received, Mr. HJitor, with 
 much eclat^ I afiure you. Between you and -I, 
 I had taken fome pains to prepare it. And it 
 gives me no fmall pleafure, let me tell you, to 
 think, that it will be printed witb^your lucu- 
 brations, and be immortalized irr^ie memory 
 and efteem of all future fair Seeders. By the 
 bye, few of my father's (who is a cemtnon- council - 
 man, and a committee man, at many bofpitah^ &c. ) 
 few of his fpeeches are better ; for I hear them 
 all again and again, as he is perpetually conning 
 them over, for two or three months, before he 
 is called ^prth.to play the Orator. 
 
 K 2. Mf
 
 196 THE VISITOR. N 27. 
 
 My dear friend mifs Jenny Langmjh, a moft 
 agreeable fvveet lively creature, a particular inti- 
 mate of mine, and a girl of tafte, who fat at my 
 right hand, after I had finifhed, got up, and 
 with exceeding propriety of voice and gefture, 
 remarked, that, " According to her conceptions^ 
 a fecretary, of all officers, was the moft neceflary 
 in our aflembly. Since as we propofed to minute 
 down the feveral wants of our feveral members, 
 it would be of great utility, that a perfon, with 
 a very ready pen, fhould at all times be prefent ; 
 thofe want:, fhe continued, perhaps may not be 
 very many ; but it will be neceflary that they be 
 fpecified with fome degree of precifion. Ever 
 fmce I have read the works of a certain author, 
 I am very defirous to exprefs all my ideas with 
 precifton ; and I am perfectly fatisfied, that much, 
 very much prejudice hath arifen to the world in 
 general, but to the female world in particular, 
 from confuhon of ideas, from impropriety and 
 cloudinefs in declaring them, or from backward- 
 nej's to declaim them fully and plainly. I move, 
 therefore, that a Secretary of meet capabilities (to 
 ufe the expreflion of an admired writer) be firft 
 chofen by this polite affembly." 
 
 Mifs Languijh's motion was received with uni- 
 verfal applaufe ; and every lady in the room rofe 
 up to fecond it ; and every lady in the room rofe 
 up to offer her fervices, and to prefent herfelf 
 as a candidate for our Sftretaryjhip. Great indeed 
 
 was
 
 N a 2y. THE VISITOR. 197 
 
 was the confufion : it was a perfect hurricane ! 
 Every tongue ran with prodigious volubility ; 
 and I was in terrible fears, leaft we fhould never 
 again return to order, never be able to proceed 
 with bufinefs j and thus in one moment ruin all 
 our future hopes. You muft know, Mr. Vifitor a 
 I fa w dire&Iy the caufe of all this : inftantly I 
 pierced into the reafon of this mighty clefire of 
 them all to obtain the Secretary's place. Entre 
 nous, it was only becaufe they thought that by 
 this means they fhould know all theykw/j; and, 
 as keeping the books, be privy to the wants of 
 every Seeker. Dear Curiofity was at the bottom j 
 and curiofity, you know, is a very prevailing 
 principle in the heart of a woman. So like a 
 prudent pilot at the helm, I guided the matter 
 right, and fleered fafe through this ftorm, by 
 getting up, and requefting them to oblige me 
 with their attention for a moment. " To or- 
 der, to order," was ecchoed around j and when 
 they were tolerably filent, I began ; ** Ladies, 
 I think myfelf ineffably happy in the prodigi- 
 ous readinefs you all fhew to accept this burden- 
 fome and laborious office of Secretary under me. 
 Whoever fhall engage in the tafk, will doubtlefs 
 gain much honour and efteem from this whole 
 very elegant afiembly. But permit me to fay, 
 that as it is an office of much bufinefs, fo it will 
 require conftant attendance, and will be accom- 
 panied with a good deal of fatigue-, neither will 
 any peculiar advantages or indulgencies be de- 
 K 3 rived
 
 198 THE VISITOR. N 8 21. 
 
 rived from it, unlefs I may be allowed to call 
 fuch, my own particular friendship, as well as 
 the grateful acknowledgement of the whole fo- 
 ciety. For as we propofe not to admit any of 
 the other fex to our private meetings, nor to 
 allow them to be of our community, as a feeking 
 one ; fo we fhall not fuffer any thing to be 
 tranfaled amongft us of a nature improper to 
 be communicated to the whole affembly ; though 
 the whole of our proceedings may juftly be fti- 
 led private, yet will they be made public to 
 ourfelves j and at every aflembly I defign, that 
 the Secretary (hall read with a diftirict and audi- 
 ble voice, for the information of all prefent, the 
 minutes of the laft meeting,' and whatever hath 
 come before us, or is upon our books." 
 
 This fpeech Mr. Candid, had the defired ef- 
 fect ; the ladies one and all dropt their preten- 
 fions, and every one very complaifamly was de- 
 firous to recommend her neighbour. A failing 
 Belle, whofe pretty face is well known, got up, 
 and propofed, that " the lady mould be chofen 
 Secretary, without oppofition, who could make 
 it appear, that me had written the moft/otv let- 
 ters, difperfcd the moft cards, and could mew 
 the greateft number behind her glafs, and on 
 lu-r chimney-piece, received within the fpace 
 of ten days." And as the rogue turned her 
 black fawcy eyes upon me, I confefs to you, 
 'that I blufhed and was heartily afraid, left the 
 
 gait*
 
 NO 27. T H E V I S I T O R. 199 
 
 >ueen muft have condefcended to be her own 
 Secretary. 
 
 " Kitty, faid I, we receive your propofal : 
 Not a word more, child : You fliall be my Se- 
 cretary : I infift upon it ; for I would venture 
 to fay, you have received forty thoufand love- 
 letters ; have difperfed a million of cards ; and 
 are now in pofiefilon of as many as would take 
 a month to read over, received within thefe laft 
 ten days. So, child, don't let me hear a word of 
 oppofition. Ladies, you have chofe me your 
 <jhieen 9 and in this one particular you muft per-, 
 init me to be abfolute. "The ladies were pleafed 
 to gratify my defire ; and Mifs Kitty Scribble-lovt 
 was ordered to take her place at the Queen's 
 right hand, as Secretary to the Seeking AJJembly. 
 
 " Madam faid an old wrinkled feeler, who 
 by fome ftrange chance, had got in amongft 
 us, and who, having lived with a brother in 
 trade y this half-century, had contracted all the 
 formality of that na'ijly life. " Madam, faid 
 fhe, addrefling herfelf to me " That we may 
 proceed rightly, it will be fit and proper, that 
 you order your Secretary to draw out an adver- 
 tlfement, fignifying the purpofes and ends of this 
 aflembly, with all other requifite particulars ; 
 which (hould be printed in our public daily pa- 
 pers, the Advertifer, the Gazcteer^ the Ledger, 
 and fo forth. For otherwife the world will not 
 know of thefc things, and we mall mifs our aim 
 perhaps." 
 
 K 4 Madam,
 
 200 THE VISITOR. N e 27. 
 
 ' Madam, I could not help replying, with a 
 decent warmth, and quicknefs ; let your country 
 fjops, and dirty tradefmen advertife, we are above 
 it. You know Madam, furely, that the Metro- 
 politan ball was eftablifhed in all its greatnefs 
 without one advertifement." " Yes, yes, faid 
 Sukey Sneerwell^ with the afhen-coloured face, 
 there will be no need to advertife I warrant you; 
 ' twenty or thirty ladies engaged to fpread any 
 thing, will do it more effectually than all the 
 news-papers in England. Never fear, we will 
 make it known." 
 
 Accordingly the matter was carried in the ne- 
 gative. It was then moved to read the articles^ 
 &c. but this we determined to poftpone, till the 
 next week ; and in the mean time to invite all 
 ladies, duly qualified, to our aflembly. The 
 next week came and we met : One hundred and 
 feventy-nine. But I think, my dear Vifitor, I 
 have written enough for once : So you muft 
 wait child, a little longer, till I have time to 
 write to you again : Patience is an excellent vir- 
 tue : I love to give you men a grain of it now 
 and then to fmell to. So adieu you figure, 
 I am, in high fpirits let me tell you j 
 And very much your's, 
 
 SELIMA SEEKER. 
 Q. S. A. 
 
 NUM-
 
 N28. THE VISITOR. aoi 
 
 NUMBER XXVIII. 
 
 Chriftian is the highf/l Jlile of man. 
 
 YOUNG. 
 
 To tie V i s I T o R. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 IT is often matter of much furprize to me, 
 that any reafonable Being fhould reject the 
 Cbriftian Sy/h-rri^ when fairly and truly propofed 
 to him ; a fyftem which, as a late elegant au- 
 thor exprefTes it, " gives to virtue its fweeteil 
 hopes, to impenitent vice its greateft fears, and 
 to true penitence its beft confolations ; which 
 checks even the leaft approaches to guilt, and 
 .yet makes thofe allowances for the infirmities of 
 our nature, which the ftoic pride denied to it, 
 but which the imperfection of it requires." 
 
 If a man be really virtuous and bonefl^ and is 
 defirous to commend himfelf to the Deity by a 
 rational and ferious conduct, it feems impofiible 
 to fuppofe, that he fliould have any objection to 
 that fyftem, which " gives to virtue its fweeteft 
 hopes ;" which places the duties of morality 
 upon the firmeft and moft extenfive foundation, 
 and which elevates the foul to the nobleft and 
 K moft
 
 202 THE VISITOR. N 28. 
 
 moft confiftent ideas of God, and of the fervices 
 which are acceptable to him. 
 
 If a man be engaged in vicious purfuits, and 
 dedicated to criminal gratifications, there feems 
 again no folid reafon why he fhould reject and 
 oppofe the Chriftian Religion, and fhroud him- 
 jelf beneath the dark banner of deifm or infide- 
 lity ; fince it is agreed, on every hand, that if 
 there is a Deity, and that there is, no man even 
 attempts to doubt in thcfe enlightened days, that 
 Deity muft take a pleafure only in the deeds of 
 the pure and deferving ; can find" no compla- 
 cence in the acts or the offers of the finful and 
 polluted. So that while a man continues in the 
 practice of vice, deifm, and every other reli- 
 gion, if it be confiftent, muft difapprove his 
 proceedings ; can fupport him with no fatisfac- 
 tory hopes. 
 
 If, therefore, defirous to obtain the divine at- 
 tention, he refolves to alter his life, and to a- 
 bandon the path of guilt, what religion fhould 
 he embrace fo loon, fo gladly, as that which 
 " gives to true penitence its beft confolations :" 
 nay, which alone can give any folid confolation 
 to penitence, and a/lure it undoubtedly of the 
 pardon for which it fo anxioufly wifhes ? Hu- 
 man reafon, it is plain, could never perfectly 
 fatisfy itfelf, refpecling the willingnefs of the 
 Deity to admit to pardon on repentance only ; 
 the heathens abundantly teftified their perfuafion 
 
 ef
 
 N 21* THE VISITOR. 203 
 
 of the contrary, by not trufting only to penitence ; 
 fuperadding, as was univerfally the cuftom, fa- 
 crifices and offerings, libations, gifts, and a- 
 tonemcnts of different forts, by which they 
 conceived their gods were to be placated : a no- 
 tion which moft probably they derived from tra- 
 dition ; as unlightened reafon feems perfectly to 
 difclaim, or at leaft to be an utter ftranger tQ 
 the idea. 
 
 But, to the exquifite comfort of the return- 
 ing penitent, the Chriftian religion leaves not 
 this moft important of all concerns to the fluc- 
 tuation of uneafy conjecture, while it efta- 
 blifhes his hopes upon the fureft bafis, and fup- 
 ports his repentance with the moft unexception- 
 able aflurance of its prevalence, through an a- 
 tonement all-fufficient and well-pleafing. The 
 vicious man, therefore, if he hath any real un- 
 derftanding, can never, with propriety, reject 
 Chriftianity. Since if ever he intends to repent, 
 and no man living intends to die impenitent ; 
 no religion, but the Chriftian, can afford him a 
 folid and rational ground of hope. 
 
 I obferve, farther, that if indeed there be an 
 eternity awaiting us, if the foul of man be im- 
 mortal, and muft, in confequencej partake of 
 the due reward of its deeds (and, if the cafe 
 be otherwife, to contend about religion, is juft 
 as idle, as to contend about mens different com- 
 plexions) if man be immortal, and that he is, 
 the univerfal voice of nature declares, in every 
 K 6 place
 
 204 THE VISITOR. N 28. 
 
 place and in every age Then, let who will be 
 wrong, the Chriftian mujl be right ; let what- 
 ever religion be true, the fmcere profefibr of 
 chriftianity cannot fail of his recompence j can- 
 not be unacceptable to the deity, let that deity 
 be found hereafter, agreeable to the reprefenta- 
 tions of what fyftem, or perfuafion foever. Ci- 
 cero's fine argument againft Atheifm^ may be ap- 
 plied to Chrijlianity^ with double force. " If 
 there fhould happen, fays he to his opponent, 
 to be no God^ I fball certainly be as well off as 
 yourfelf; annihilation will then be your lot as 
 well as mine. But if the matter fhall be found 
 otherwife ; if there fhall indeed be found a God, 
 when we enter into a future ftate ; how greatly 
 fhall / have the advantage of you j who have all 
 your life long profeft and inculcated atheifm 
 and impiety ; while I have continually laboured 
 to honour the deity, and to promote virtue and 
 religion r" 
 
 And thus the profeflbr of chriftianity may re- 
 ply to the DeiJIj Infidel^ Pagan^ Mahometan^ 
 Jew> or any other, who difapproves his faith, and 
 would propagate their own ; " If peradventure 
 the doctrines which I believe, fhall be found to 
 be true : if indeed the religion of Chrift, is what 
 it aflumes to itfelf, a revelation from the moft 
 High God ; in how fad a cafe will you be found, 
 who reject and defpife it, who knowingly refufe 
 to embrace it, and refift all the evidences, which 
 
 it
 
 N28. THE VISITOR. 205 
 
 h offers ? In how fad a cafe will you, particu- 
 larly, be found, who born and bred in a coun- 
 try profeffing chriftianity, nay, who baptized 
 into that faith, utterly caft off and difclaim its 
 obligatipns ? 
 
 And is there, who the blefled crofs wipes oft", 
 As a foul blot, from his difhonour'd brow ? 
 If Angels tremble, 'tis at fuch a fight : 
 The wretch they quit defponding of their 
 
 charge, 
 More ftruck, with grief or wonder, who can 
 
 tell ? 
 
 Oh think, in fuch a cafe, if the do&rines of 
 redemption be found true, what a miferable fitu- 
 ation yours will be ! But, on the other hand, 
 fuppofing, that hereafter, when we appear to- 
 gether in the future world, thefe doctrines {hall 
 prove falfe, and the fa&s of chriftianity appear 
 fictitious ; yet there can be no doubt, but that I 
 {hall obtain favour from the deity ; be he fuch 
 a one as is reprefcnted in any of your fyftems. 
 If he be the God of the Deift, he cannot but 
 approve me, who have made it the bufmefs of 
 my life to purify my heart and actions from all 
 defilement : for he is a God delighting in vir- 
 tue ; and a being fo good and gracious, that he 
 will never punifli for the unavoidable errors of 
 
 the
 
 206 THE VISITOR, N 28; ; 
 
 the head where the heart was right. If he be 
 the God all-mercy of the infidel ; I have no 
 need to be afraid : my whole endeavour has 
 been to fupplicate and to obtain his mercy j and if , 
 I requefted it, through a Mediator, it (hews that 
 I had the higher opinion of his adorable perfec- 
 tion. Even with the "Jupiter and the Pallas of 
 the old Heathen world, the Chriftian may ex- 
 pect favour ; for feparate from the abfurdities 
 of fable, they are fuppofed to be no other than 
 univerfal goodnefs, power and wifdom. And 
 fhould the fyftem of Mahomet be found true, I 
 fhall certainly obtain the rewards offered to good 
 MuJJ'ulmcn. For Mahomet himfelf allows the di- 
 vine miflion of Jefus Chrift ; and inculcating 
 the belief of a juft and good God, fuppofeth 
 him only not fo pure and holy as the chriflian 
 fuppofeth him : and of confequence the chrif- 
 tian, upon this plan, will find nothing to his 
 lofs : it will appear indeed to him, that he has 
 been more virtuous than there was need ; and 
 more exatSt in the performance of duty, than 
 was requifite for a reception of the bleflings of 
 the Mabommedan Paradife. Suppofe, laftly, that 
 the Jeivijb religion fhould, in the end, be proved i 
 the religion of truth ; yet even agreeable to its ' 
 tenets, the chriftian is fafe : the yew waited for 
 and believed in a coming Meffiah ; I believed that 
 he was come, and, as fuch, did honour to God 
 the Father by him. As to the reft, no man can 
 
 deny
 
 N 2 8. THE VISITOR. 207 
 
 deny that the morality of the Cbri/iian is equal 
 to, and muft necefTarily be as acceptable with 
 God, as the Jewijh morality Thus in the end, 
 whatever faith be found right, it is undeni- 
 able, that the CbrljUan who lives up to the holy 
 precepts of his religion cannot be wrong." 
 
 But let me fay, that as no religion has fuch 
 pretenfion, fo none affords fuch evidences, in- 
 ternal and external, of its veracity as the Chrif- 
 tian ; nor is there any liable to fo feiu objec- 
 tions. Examine any other, fcrutinize it with 
 that ftrict feverity, wherewith chriftianity hath 
 been fcrutinized, and fee if it will not be found 
 greatly more defective. Every argument which 
 right reafon can require, offers itfelf in fupport 
 of the chriftian fyftem ; and the man who re- 
 quires more is certainly not reafonable. But if 
 you will permit me, I may, perhaps, take fome 
 future occafion to examine the evidences, and 
 (hew the excellency of our holy faith. 
 
 I am, SI R, 
 
 Yours, &c. 
 
 M. 
 
 NUM.
 
 2o8 THE VISITOR. N 29. 
 
 NUMBER XXIX. 
 
 For lawyers, left that tear defendant, 
 And plaintiff Jog, Jhoud make an end on't ; 
 Do jlafve and tail 'with writs of error t 
 Reverfe of judgment and demurrtr ; 
 To let 'em breathe a 'while, and then t 
 Cry, ivboop I and fet ''em on again ! 
 Until with fubtile cobweb cheats, 
 They're catcfrd in knotted la<w, like nets : 
 In which, when once they are imbrangled, 
 The more they Jiir, the more they're tangled ; 
 And while their purfes can difpute. 
 Thereat no end of the immortal fuit. 
 
 HVDIBRAS. 
 
 To the VISITOR. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 THE humanity you difcovered in your 23d 
 Number, gave me much pleafure ; and I 
 read, though not without a tear of fympathy, 
 the unhappy man's cafe there related. Non ig- 
 nara niali mifei'is fuccurrere difco. For alas, Sir, 
 I am, in fome degree, a fellow-fufferer with 
 him, and have felt all the mifchiefs.of the law : 
 and furely may be allowed to hcfitate a little in 
 
 my
 
 N29- THE VISITOR. 209 
 
 my a/Tent to what you have advanced refpecting 
 " the happy and equal adminiftration of juf- 
 ticej" when I tell you, that I have been ruined 
 by a vexatious chancery- fait ^ which, at length, is 
 determined in my favour, after fifteen years of 
 forrow and anxiety, difquietude and diftrefs ! let 
 others admire the hero of the north, the illuftri- 
 ous PruJ/ian, for his prowefs in war, and his 
 amazing ftand againft enemies fo infinitely fupe- 
 rior j in my fight he appears far more worthy 
 applaufe and wonder, for his attention to the 
 welfare of his fubjecls, and for his removal efpe- 
 cially of all thofe demurs which render the law fo 
 unlawful, and jujlicc itfelf fo unjujl. 
 
 If you will permit me, I may, perhaps, here- 
 after fend you all the afflicting circumftances of 
 my cafe ; but at prefent my intention is to re- 
 queft, that you would give a place in your ex- 
 cellent paper, to the following dialogue from 
 the Archbifhop of Cambray ; of whofe dia- 
 logues in the general the amiable author * of thofe 
 juft publifhed amongft us, obferves, that. " they 
 breathe the pure fpirit of virtue, of unaffected 
 good fenfe, of juft criticifm, and of fine tafte." 
 This which I would recommend to you is be- 
 tween Solon the famous lawgiver of the Athe- 
 nlansy who was efteemed one of the feven wife 
 men of Greece ; and Jujlinian, the celebrated 
 Roman Emperor, who, about the year of Chrift 
 Lord Littleton.
 
 ai'o THE VISITOR. N 29. , 
 
 527, being at repofe in his kingdom, chofe 
 out ten able lawgivers, at the head of whom was 
 the famous Tribonius, to collect into one body 
 the Roman laws, and ordered it to be called the 
 Jujlinian Code. He then ordered them to extract 
 the moft noted decifions, which were contained 
 in two thoufand volumes of ancient law books, 
 and to reduce them into a body, which was pub- 
 lifhed in the year 533, under the name of Digcfts. 
 It confifts of 50 vols. The fame year ^ujllman 
 publifhed his Injlitutes ; a book which contains 
 the elements and principles of the Roman Law. 
 At laft the Emperor had the laws collected toge- 
 ther, which had been lately made ; and the vo- 
 lume which contained them, he called the New 
 Code. 
 
 DIALOGUE XII. by Fenelon, Archbifhop of 
 Cambrayy Author of Tekmacbus, &c. 
 
 SOLON, JUSTINIAN. 
 
 " A jujl Idea of laws ft to make a people good and 
 happy." 
 
 JujHnian. Nothing is equal to the majefty of 
 the Roman laws : Arnongft the Greeks you 
 have been accounted a great legiflator, but, had 
 you lived amongft us, your glory would have 
 been very much eclipfed.
 
 N'ag- THE VISITOR. 211 
 
 Sol. Why fo ? Should I have been defpifed in 
 your country ? 
 
 'Juft- No, but the Romans have very much 
 excelled the Grecians, both in the number and 
 perfection of their laws. 
 
 Sol. In what have they excelled them ? 
 
 Juji. We have an infinite number of wondrous 
 laws ; and I fhall be honourably recorded in all 
 fucceeding ages, for having compiled the whole 
 body of laws in my Code. 
 
 Sol. I have often heard Cicero fay, fmce his 
 defcent hither, that the law of the Twelve Ta- 
 bles was the moft perfect that ever the Romans 
 had ; you'll allow me, I hope, to obferve, that 
 thefe laws were transferred from the Greeks to 
 the Romans ; and that the greateft part of them 
 came from Lacedamon. 
 
 Jujl. They mail come from where you pleafe; 
 but they were too plain and too Jhort, to be 
 Compared to our laws, which have forefeen, 
 decided, and put every thing in order, with the 
 greateft precifion. 
 
 Sol. For my part, I thought that good laws 
 were to be clear, plain, Jhort, and proportioned 
 to the underftanding of all people ; who may 
 eafily comprehend, remember, love, and obey 
 them, at all times, and in all places. 
 
 yujl. But fhort, and plain laws, do not fuffi- 
 ciently (hew the learning of counfellon, or afford 
 
 matter for intricate debates. 
 
 Sol
 
 $12 THE VISITOR. N 29. 
 
 Sol. 1 muft confefs, I thought that laws were 
 made to avoid intricate queftions ; and only to 
 preferve good morals, order, and peace among 
 the people ; but you tell me, that they ought to 
 exercife the fubtile wits of lawyers, and aftbrd 
 them matter for pleading. 
 
 Jujl. Rome has produced many learned coun- 
 fellors ; whereas, in Sparta, there was nothing 
 but ignorant foldiers. 
 
 Sol. I fhould have thought that good law* 
 Were thofe where no councilors were wanting ; 
 and under whofe protection the moft ignorant 
 may live, without being forced to confult fo- 
 phifters upon the fenfe of difterent texts, and 
 the manner of reconciling them. I fhould infer 
 that laws could be good for nothing, which 
 flood in need of fo many Learned men to explaia 
 their meaning, when even they themfelves could 
 never agree in it. 
 
 Juji. And therefore to reconcile them, I made 
 iny collection. 
 
 Sol. Tribonius was telling me yefterday, that 
 he did it. 
 
 Juft. True, but he did it by my orders ; an 
 Emperor never compiles fuch a work as that 
 Jiimfelf. 
 
 Sol. As for my part, who have reigned as well 
 as you, I thought that the chief duty of him, 
 who governed the people, was to give laws 
 which ihould reftrain both king and people, and 
 majce both hone/1 and happy. To command ar- 
 mies,
 
 N' 29. THE VISITOR. 213 
 
 mies, and gain victories, is nothing in compa- 
 nion of the glory of a legiflator. But to return 
 to Tribonius : he has compiled the laws of diffe- 
 rent ages, which have often been changed ; but 
 you had never a body of laws all framed at the 
 fame time, and upon the fame plan, to mould 
 the morals, and the entire government of a na- 
 tion. It is a collection of private laws, to de- 
 termine the reciprocal pretenfions of private per- 
 fons. The Greeks only have the honour of having 
 framed laws to train up a people by the prin- 
 ciples of philofophy, and by them to direct all 
 their policy, and all their governments. The 
 multitude of your laws, which you fo much 
 boaft of, firmly perfuade me, that either you 
 had none that were good, or that you could not 
 preferve them in their native fimplicity. That 
 a people may be well governed, they ought to 
 have few laws and few judges : you feldom find 
 men capable of judging. The multitude of 
 judges corrupt every thing j nor are the mul- 
 titude of the laws lefs pernicious. They are no 
 longer understood or obeyed, when there are fo 
 many ; people accuftom themfelves apparently 
 to revere, and, at the fame time, under fri- 
 volous pretences, to violate them. The vanity 
 of men fets them upon making laws formally, 
 and with pomp, but their avarice and other paf- 
 fions make them defpife them, while fubtle fo- 
 phillers explain them juft as they are fee'd to do 
 
 it,
 
 2i 4 THE VISITOR. N 29. 
 
 it. From hence proceeds cavilling ; a monfter 
 born to devour mankind. I judge of caufes by 
 their effefts ; the laws of no country appear 
 good to me, but where there is no pleading, 
 and where plain and fhort laws may be under- 
 ftood, without glofies and commentaries. I 
 would have neither wills nor adoptions, difm- 
 heritings, borrowing, felling, or exchanging. I 
 would have a fmall trail of ground allotted to 
 each family, which it fhould be in no body's 
 power to alienate, and the magiftrate fhould 
 equally divide this eftate, according to law, a- 
 mongft the children, after the father's death. 
 When families multiply fo faft, that the land is 
 too little for them, I would fend a colony of 
 people into a defert ifland. This fhort and eafy 
 rule obferved, there would be no need of all 
 your codes ; and I would only think of regu- 
 lating men's manners, of educating youth fo- 
 berly, patiently, laboriously, and courageoufly ; 
 and I would teach them to defpife luxury, dan- 
 gers, and death. This would be far better than 
 drawing up bonds, and refining upon contracts. 
 
 Juji. By fuch dry laws, you would totally de-t 
 ftroy the eloquence of counfellors. 
 
 Sol. I fhould love dry and unpolifhed laws, far 
 better than an eloquence which difturbs mankind, 
 and, in the end, deftroys their morals. Never 
 were fo many laws feen as in your time j never 
 was the empire fo foft, effeminate, degenerated, 
 
 unJ
 
 N 9 2 9 . THE VISITOR. 215 
 
 and unworthy of the antient Romans, who very 
 much' refembled the Spartans. For your own 
 part, you was a deceitful, wicked, impious de- 
 ftroyer of good laws, always fwelled with va- 
 nity and falfhood ; and your Tribonius was as 
 wicked a diflblute, double-dealing fellow as your- 
 felf. 
 
 But to return to the laws, they are fuch no 
 longer than they are underftood, beloved, and 
 refpeclcd ; and their goodnefs confifts in mak- 
 ing people good and happy. But your collec- 
 tion of them has made no one either good or 
 happy ; from whence I conclude, that they de- 
 ferve to be burned. You grow paffionate, your 
 Imperial Majefty believes itfelf above truth ; but 
 you are a fhadow, to which, without running 
 any rifque, one may fay any thing. However, 
 I'll leave you, and give you time to cool." 
 
 N U M-
 
 az6 THE VISITOR. N 30. 
 
 NUMBER XXX. 
 
 ffai/ t thou gxtiefs, /age and holy t 
 Hail, di'vinejl melancholy I 
 Wbofe faintly *vifage is too bright 
 To hit the fenfe of human -fight ! 
 
 MILTON. 
 
 To thr VISITOR, 
 
 S I R, 
 
 THE walks of Lincoln* s-Inn afforded me 
 t'other night, an opportunity of being 
 prefent at an affecting fcene, which I believe 
 will be of fervice to me all my life. A mora- 
 lizing genius would, I am fenfible, have made 
 much better ufe of the occurrence ; yet I can- 
 not help tranfmitting my thoughts to you, while 
 the impreffion is frefh upon my mind, to ihow 
 at leaft that it was not entirely loft on me. 
 
 I was enjoying on the terras the cool ferenity 
 of an evening, fuch as our climate but feldom 
 affords j and obferving with pleafure the fwift 
 decline of day, and the gradual evanefcence of 
 the ftars, as the moon riftng in clouded MajeJIy^ 
 unveiled her light. I was by no means an idle 
 fpedator ; I reflected on the wifdom and good- 
 nefs of that Supreme Being, who, 'tis more 
 than probable, far from ordaining thefe lamps 
 
 ef
 
 N 3 o- THE VISITOR. 217 
 
 of the firmament to twinkle in vain, or glitter 
 merely for our amufement ; employs them to en- 
 lighten other worlds, and chear far diftant f) ftems. 
 with the fame powerful influence with which the 
 fun enlivens ours : nor could I help, on this 
 occafion, recollecting with rapture thofe beauti- 
 ful lines of Milton, where Adam mentions his 
 having often liftened to the midnight found of 
 celeftial harmony. As I attentively viewed the 
 fpangled canopy, I was fully convinced that God 
 could never want praife, while Heaven had fpe- 
 <5lators. 
 
 Thefe reflexions naturally brought my mind 
 into fuch a ferious train of thinking, as proper- 
 ly difpofed it to receive the imprefHons of an 
 object that fuddenly ftartled me from my reve- 
 rie. In the fhady walk of the lower garden, I 
 diicerned by the light of the moon, a tall and 
 emaciated figure of a man fhabbily fine; his 
 flockings ungartered, his waiftcoat at once laced 
 and ragged, and in fhort like Romeo's apothe- 
 cary ; nothing of a piece about him. His behavi- 
 our, like his garb, was far from being uniform. 
 Sometimes with a look, wildly attentive, he 
 gazed upon the fky, as if he was reading his 
 deftiny among the ftars ; then on a fudden re- 
 covering from his trance, he flew to a neigh- 
 bouring tree, and catching hold of the trunk, 
 fwung himfelf round it till he was out of breath; 
 VOL. I. L and
 
 2i8 THE VISITOR. N 30 
 
 and immediately after feating hirnfelf on the 
 grafs, 
 
 His head thrice {baking up and down, 
 He look'd alas ! unutterable anguifh, 
 And rais'd a figb fo piteous and profound, 
 That it did feem to {hatter all bis bulk, 
 And end his being : 
 
 This interval gave me leifure to refleft on the 
 miferable object j an object, which as the Spec- 
 tator juftly obferves, is a far more melancholy 
 one than Babylon in ruins j and I could not 
 help faying to myfelf, " How vain are all hu- 
 man purfuits, how weak our pretenfions to 
 greatnefs, wealth and power, when a difap- 
 pointment in love or ambition, intenfe applica- 
 tion, or even a flight and cafual blow, may de- 
 throne our reafon, afflict the unhappy fufferer 
 with the worft of evils, and reduce him to the 
 wretched ftate of this man before me. This un- 
 happy creature (continued I) may perhaps once 
 have lived in affluence ; and have viewed, with hu- 
 mane companion, the diftrefles of others, little 
 thinking that the fame humanity would induce a 
 ftranger to extend the like compaflion towards 
 his misfortunes. In this calamity how are the 
 rich and the needy ; the wife and the great 
 alike involved ! Chiefs that have been followed 
 by triumphant armies have at length been aban- 
 j doned
 
 N-. 30. THE VISITOR. 219 
 
 doned by their own faults ; and moft juftly and 
 feelingly does an ingenious cotemporary ob- 
 ferve, 
 
 From MarW 'rough's eyes the ftreams of dotage 
 
 flov/, 
 And Swift expires, a driveler and a fhow." 
 
 While I was loft in thefe reflections, my at- 
 tention was again awakened by hearing the poor 
 diftradled fmg with a pleafmg plaintive voice 
 the following words, which ftruck me fo forci- 
 bly that I ftill remember them : 
 
 Hence all ye vain delights, 
 As fhort as are the nights, 
 
 Wherein men tafte your folly ! 
 There's nought in this life fweet, 
 If men were wife to fee't, 
 
 But facred melancholy. 
 
 O fweeteft melancholy ! 
 . Hail, folded arms and fixed eyes, 
 A look that piercing mortifies ; 
 An eye that's faften'd to the ground, 
 A tongue chain'd up without a found ! 
 Fountain-heads and pathlefs groves, 
 Places which pale paffion loves } 
 Moon-light haunts, when all the fowls 
 Are hous'd and ftill, fave bats and owls ; 
 A midnight bell, a parting groan ; 
 Thefe are the founds we feed upon ! 
 
 L 2 Then
 
 220 THE VISITOR. N 31. 
 
 Then ftretch our limbs in a green fhady valley j 
 Nothing fo dainty-fweet as lovely melancholy ! 
 
 I returned to my chambers ruminating on 
 what I had heard, and fully convinced of the 
 ihrewdnefs of Nat. Lee, who replied to one 
 who told him, " How eafy it was to write like 
 a madman ;" " That it was eafy to write like a 
 fool ; but to write like a madman was a diffi- 
 cult tafk indeed !" And, in truth, the foothing 
 foftnefs of the fong, and the pleafing melan- 
 choly in which I left the finger ; almoft made 
 me credit the truth of the famous aflertion, 
 " That there is a pleafure in madnefs, which 
 none but madmen know." 
 
 C R I T O. 
 
 NUMBER XXXI. 
 
 Uaanfwer'tt left tbou boajl. 
 
 MILTON. ' 
 
 To the VISITOR. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 AS you profefe, and have thus far prov'd 
 yourfdf a man of candour, and a friend 
 to religion, I doubt not you will readily admit 
 the following remarks, which occurred to me
 
 N 3 r. THE VISITOR. 221 
 
 on a fimilar occafion, with that mentioned in 
 the fifty-fixth letter of your Chinefe friend *. I 
 call him fuch, becaufe you appear together in 
 the fame paper ; a paper which hath hitherto 
 been conduced with fo much decency and pro- 
 priety, that it cannot fail to attraft, as it iufUy 
 merits, the public attention ; and in which it 
 muft give every friend to it pain to read any 
 illiberal reflections, either upon the eilabliihcd 
 modes of faith, or upon the body feparated to 
 teach that faith, and to miniiler in divine things 
 to the people. 
 
 I will freely confefs to you that I am neither 
 a native of England^ nor a profefibr of the chrif- 
 tian religion. But I have lived long and hap- 
 pily in this land of liberty and peace, and have 
 examined fo much of the evidences in behalf 
 of chriftianity, that I fometimes think the pre- 
 judices of my own belief will be compelled to 
 give way. A man in black (to borrow Altangfs 
 phrafe) hath long been my friend and familiar ; 
 and I think myfelf happy in his friendfhip, as 
 he is exceeded by few men either in learning or 
 piety, in benevolence or candour. He takes 
 every poflible opportunity to recommend the re- 
 ligion of Chrift to me in the faireft colours ; 
 wherever a preacher excels in eloquence, he 
 never fails to make me an auditor j wherever 
 L 3 works 
 
 * See the Chinefe Letters in two Volume?.
 
 222 THE VISITOR. N 31. 
 
 works, of charity and humanity are carried on, 
 he never- omits to make me a fpedtator, and to 
 recommend thefe lovely fruits of genuine reli- 
 gion. The beft treatifes in defence of chriftia- 
 nity have been laid before me, by this zealous 
 and judicious inftructor ; and every means pur- 
 fued to difciple me in the chriftian religion. Not 
 long fmce he told me, that a vifitation. would be 
 held in a neighbouring diocefe, by thechief of the 
 Englifh clergy j and " as he is a man, faid he, 
 of the firft character, as well as the firft place, 
 your attendance will be very well repaid by the 
 favourable impreflions you will receive." 
 
 I embraced with great readinefs my friend's 
 propofal, and under his protection attended the 
 vifitation. I was not introduced firft to the 
 place of dining, but to the church ; for the Chi- 
 nefe fhould have told you, that the Englljh priefts 
 afTemble there upon thefe occafions to hear an 
 inftructive difcourfe from one of their order, de- 
 puted to that fervice ; together, with a charge 
 from their fuperior, whether Bijhop, or other, ap- 
 pointed to vifit in his place. I was much pleaied 
 with the becoming folemnity of the fervice, 
 and with the fennon ; in which with great free- 
 dom the preacher fet forth the importance 
 of the minifterial function, and the dreadful 
 danger attending an unworthy difcharge of it. 
 But when the Archbiftiop arofe to deliver his 
 
 charge ;
 
 N 31. THE VISITOR. 223 
 
 charge ; filence was hufhed in attention, and 
 every ear drank in his inftructive precepts. I 
 never heard a difcourfe delivered with greater 
 propriety, with more awakening folemnity, with 
 more unaffected ferioufnefs, or more earneft con- 
 cern. His fubject alfo was the duties of the 
 clerical office. Upon each of which he expa- 
 tiated, with judgment and candour; fet forth 
 their nature and neceflity ; and delivered the beft 
 rules for a due performance of them, And I 
 car> affure you, with the utmoft truth and fatis- 
 faction, that tho' he relaxed nothing of the ar- 
 duous duty ; yet the clergy were fo far from, 
 being difpleafed with what he delivered, that 
 they united in a common requeft for the pub- 
 lication of his Charge j that they might always 
 have before them fo excellent inftructions, and 
 fo fine a rule of duty. And that this may not 
 be conceived a requeft of mere compliment, I 
 am bound to declare, that I heard every clergy- 
 man, with whom I converfed, (and I am per- 
 fwaded it was the common fentiment) exprefs 
 the higheft approbation of, and moft fmcere de- 
 fire to pofTefs his Grace's charge. A ftriSl and 
 ferious fcrutiny enfued into the conduct of the 
 clergy of the diocefe ; every individual of whom 
 I am told is well known, by character, to this 
 watchful overfeer ; and he fails not to warn the 
 unruly, to ftrengthen the weak, to encourage 
 L 4 the
 
 224 T H E V I S I T O R. N 31. 
 
 the zealous and laborious. Nor is there any 
 doubt but the church will flourifh under his 
 infpe&ion ; and every man of real piety and 
 abilities be called forth by him (far as his influ- 
 ence extends) to adorn and dignify the Chriftian 
 profeflion. My friend informs me, that he hath 
 not yet fate long in this important and diftin- 
 guifhed chair ; and therefore cannot have had 
 many opportunities to fhew his attachment to 
 the intereils of religion, by preferring men of 
 the brightefr. characters. But, from thofe al- 
 ready noticed by him, there is no doubt, that 
 he will be as exemplary in this, which is the 
 moft confiderable, as in the other branches of 
 his high office. And truly did great men reflect 
 upon it, nothing can be conceived more advan- 
 tageous to their own prefent efleem, and future 
 reputation, than the preferment of thofe who 
 excel in virtue, abilities and learning. 
 
 The bufincfs of the church completed, we re- 
 tired to the place of repaft j but I faw neither 
 gluttony nor folly fet high arbitrefs of the feaft ; 
 a proper and decent chearfulnefs prevailed ; great 
 humanity and friendly intercourfe was eafily dif- 
 cernible ; and the converfation was free, gen- 
 teel, innocent, and pleafmg. 1 know not what 
 the Cbineje may have found, but I freely confefs, 
 that I never yet vifited any nation where the 
 people were philofophers at dinner. This is a 
 
 time.
 
 NO 3 r. THE VISITOR. 225 
 
 time, when the moft rigid virtue is fuppofed to 
 relax fomething of its aufterity ; and the beft 
 phyficians have faid, that cbearfulnefs united with 
 temperance at our meals, contributes much to 
 the prefervation of that found health of the body, 
 which is fo kindly to the foundnefs of the mind. 
 However, I am bound in juftice to the reverend 
 body to tell you, that I heard much learned and 
 inftruclive converfation ; the merit of many late 
 performances were candidly difcufled ; fome cri^ 
 ticifms were propofed, and many ufeful hints* 
 reflecting their feveral charges, offered. The 
 great man at the head of the table, (who, as 
 my friend informed me, has filled up every fta- 
 tion wherein he hath been placed, with the 
 greateft propriety ; who is remarkable for his 
 beneficence, infomuch that he lays up nothing 
 from his very large revenues, but diffufeth his li- 
 berality with the moft generous hand) he recom- 
 mended to his clergy a propofal for collating the 
 antient manufcripts of their holy fcriptures, of 
 which, it feems, he is a bountiful cncourager ; 
 and another clergyman of diftrn6tion was as 
 earneft in foHcrting afllftance for a diftreflbd wi- 
 dow and her orphans. In fliort, I found many 
 fchemes of private and public benevolence pro- 
 pofed amongft them ; and was entertained with- 
 as much humanity as I ever met v.'ith in Afia or 
 in Europe. 
 
 L 5 When
 
 226 T H E V I S I T O R. N 31. 
 
 When I returned home, and expr'efled my 
 Satisfaction to my friend, and the refpetable 
 opinion I had received of the Englijh clergy ; 
 " Sir, faid he, it may not perhaps become me 
 to fay fo much, but it is the truth, and you will 
 therefore admit it j the Englifli clergy have at 
 all times been diftinguifhed for their learning, 
 virtue, and loyalty. The beft authors in our lan- 
 guage prove the firft ; fome of the moft ufeful 
 and beneficent undertakings in our nation, prove 
 the fecond ; and a perufal of our hiftories, will 
 abundantly teftify the laft. , That in fo nume- 
 rous a body there fhould be fome of meaner cha- 
 racter, and more exceptionable manners, is not 
 to be marvelled. We lament that there are 
 fuch ; but furely it is very ungenerous to efti- 
 mate the whole body from thefe, or for the de- 
 feds of a few to ftigmatize and abufe the whole. 
 The phyfecians or lawyers, or any body of men, 
 would judge it very illiberal to be cenfured as a 
 let of epicureans and atbeijls, fools and knaves, 
 bccaufe there may happen to be fome of thofe 
 characters amongft them. Without partiality, 
 I believe it will be allowed, that there is as 
 mucky if not more, virtue, benevolence, learn- 
 ing, and humanity amongft the" clergy, as 
 amongft any other order of men of the fame 
 numbers : and it redounds very highly to their 
 honour, that their moft virulent enemies have 
 generally been the moft Virulent enemies of vir- 
 tue,
 
 N' 3 2. THE VISITOR. 227 
 
 iue, religion, and truth. For they are never fo 
 much reviled by any men as by the ignorant and 
 frofane, the infidel and enthufta/1" 
 
 I am, 
 
 S'l R, 
 
 Your humble Servant, 
 
 A M U R A T. 
 NUMBER XXXII. 
 
 ^ua quidem, baud f do, an quidquam melim Jitmini Jit 
 a Diis immortalibiu datum. 
 
 To the Vl S I T R. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 IF the gentlemen who take upon them to op- 
 pofe and vilify the Cbriftian Religion, had 
 any thing better to offer in itsftead : if they had 
 any fyftem to propofe, which might be more 
 beneficial to human fociety, or to individuals ; 
 were they able to give us more clear notions of 
 the nature of the Deity j a more perfect rule of 
 life ; more powerful motives to perfuade, or 
 more awful fan&ions to enforce obedience, than 
 are Jbund in the writings of Cbriji and his apo- 
 L 6 ftles ;
 
 aa8 THE VISITOR. N 32. 
 
 files ; we might admit their pretenfions, and 
 with lefs admiration obferve the zeal wherewith 
 they endeavour to propagate their opinions. But 
 when the cafe is perfectly different ; when they 
 would fubvert the bejl ; in order to introduce ei- 
 ther no religion at all, or fome wild incoherent 
 doctrines j when, contemning the authority of 
 God, they would blindly follow fallible human 
 inftru&ors ; we ftand aftonifhed at the abfur- 
 dity, and feek for the caufe in the prevalence of 
 corrupted paflions. 
 
 I have fliewn, in a former paper, that no rati- 
 onal excufe can be made for infidelity ; and that 
 the fincere CbriJ1ian, under whatever fuppofition, 
 under whatever future event, muft be fafe, can- 
 not but be accepted : it would be no difficult 
 matter to fhew, that every fyftem then fpecified, 
 is deficient in thofe criterions of truth, which 
 are found on the fide of chriftianity j and this, 
 perhaps, may occafionally engage our future at- 
 tention. At prefent I proceed to obferve the 
 fuperlative excellence of the chriftian religion, 
 which recommends itfelf to us by innumerable 
 particulars, wherein every other mode of faith 
 falls fadly fhort. 
 
 A celebrated writer remarks, in proof of the 
 excellency of chriftianity, that it doth more clearly 
 reveal to us the nature of God, (which is the 
 great foundation of all religion) than any other 
 or inftitutk>n in the world : that it 
 
 gives
 
 N 32. T H E V I S I T O R. 229 
 
 gives us a more certain and perfect law for the 
 government of our lives ; that it propounds to 
 .us more powerful arguments to perfuade men to 
 the obedience of this law j - and that it fur- 
 nifties us with better motives and confiderations, 
 to patience and contentednefs, under the evils 
 and afflictions of this life. Now thefe are the 
 greateft advantages which any religion can have, 
 to give men right apprehenfions of God ; a per- 
 fect rule of good life, with efficacious argu- 
 ments to perfuade them to be good, and pati- 
 ently to bear the evils and fufferings of this life. 
 
 And thefe are advantages, we are bold- to fay, 
 only to be had from the Chriftian religion. From 
 the beatbensj every man, the leaft acquainted 
 with their theology, is well aflured, that no fa- 
 tisfa&ion can be attained. Ignorant of God, 
 they wandered in the thickeft darknefs ; and he* 
 who wants to be convinced of their perfect un- 
 certainty, refpe<5ting this firft principle in reli- 
 gion, may receive complete information from 
 Cicero's trcatife, Of the Nature of the Gods ; one 
 of the moft ufeful remnants of antiquity. Nor 
 will the Koran of Mahomet afford the rational 
 fearcher after truth a much better account of the 
 Deity, or a more perfect rule of life, than the 
 fchools of. the old heathen divinities, Mahomet, 
 it is true, difclaims idolatry, and avows the u- 
 nity of God j but he reprefents /;//;/, and his 
 attendants^ in fo ridiculous a light ; gives fo 
 
 childifti
 
 230 THE VISITOR. N 32. 
 
 childifli an account of future punifhments, 
 fo voluptuous and fenfual a view of future plea- 
 fures, that no man, who believes himfelf formed 
 of a rational foul, as well as an animal frame, 
 would even wijh to pafs eternity in gratifications 
 fo completely beftial. 
 
 The modern Infidel, and refined de'ijl, we know, 
 will ftep in, and join iflue with us in explod- 
 ing at once the heathen and Mahometan, and 
 all pretenders to revelation and fupernatural 
 intercourfe ; while they will urge, that with 
 themfelves, and them only, truth" is to be found; 
 and that their fyftem is the moft rational, as 
 pofleffing every mark of excellence which we 
 mention. But be not too hafty ; before we pro- 
 ceed to examine your claim, we muft enquire 
 whence you obtained this excellent and rational 
 fyftem ; how you came into pofTeflion of this 
 valuable truth ? Why, verily, from your own 
 reafoning powers, from the exertion of your own 
 intellectual faculties ! This indeed is ftrange, 
 and palling all belief: for furely you will not 
 deny that human reafon was as ftrong before the 
 coming of Chrift, as it hath ever been fince ? 
 Surely you will not deny that Socrates, and Plato, 
 and Cicero^ &c. &c. were men of parts as bright, 
 of underftandings as elevated as yourfelves ? How 
 
 then (untie the gordian knot we befeech 
 
 you ! ) how then came it to pafs, that they never 
 arrived at this wifdom, at this truth ? How 
 
 came
 
 N 32. T H E V I S I T O R. 231 
 
 came it to pafs, that no human reafon ever arri- 
 ved at it before the coming of Jefus Chrift ; that 
 before his coming, no man was able to delineate 
 with precifion the religion of nature ? This 
 queftion, difficult as it may be for the Deifl to 
 anfwer, is eafy and obvious to the Cbriftian ; 
 who rejects with the contempt it deferves the 
 fyftein propofed by thofe, who have robbed the 
 /acred treafury of the gofpel to enrich them*- 
 felves ; and with the moft daring and facrile- 
 gious impiety, oppofe to the ark of the true 
 God the idol, which they have robbed the fan- 
 ctuary to make. Their pretenfions therefore 
 merit no anfwer, and fhould claim no regard. 
 
 Much lefs fhould theirs, who, defirous to 
 {hake the foundation of a religion fo excellent 
 as the Chriftian, have nothing to offer in its 
 ftead, but athiifm or libertinism ; the doctrines of 
 Epicurus or Spinoza. And while, the better to 
 engage the attention of mankind, and to fpread 
 their poifon, they are continually reviling the 
 teachers of the eftablifhed faith, as wolves and 
 deceivers, as nuifances to fociety and enemies to 
 mankind ; it may be eafy for the fober and think- 
 ing to try who are the deceiver^ who the true ene- 
 mies to mankind (to ufe a fine writer's words) 
 " They who teach a religion moft worthy of 
 God, moft friendly to fociety, moft helpful to 
 government, and moft beneficial to individuals, 
 upon as great certainty at leaft, as men are wont 
 
 to
 
 232 THE VISITOR. N 32. 
 
 to require before they engage in any important 
 affair of life ; or they, who on pretence of little 
 difficulties, incident to the nature of the doc- 
 trines r or upon fome kinds of proofs, which 
 they unreafonably aggravate, deny truth and 
 certainty in all the reft, and would artfully con- 
 duct their followers into a ftate of diftruft, fear, 
 confufion and war ; without leaving them the 
 comfort of God's wife and good Providence, 
 and the hope of his retribution hereafter to fup- 
 port them under it." * 
 
 For fuch a religion is the Chriftian. We 
 challenge the wit and malice of its enemies 
 to fay, whether it be not moft holy and pure in 
 its precepts ; and gives not the moft exalted 
 thoughts of God, and the moft humiliating opi- 
 nion of ourfelves j whether it places perfection in 
 any thing lets than refembling God, and living up- 
 to the dignity of our beings : whether its wor- 
 ihip be not a reafonable fervice, adapted to the 
 fpiritual nature of God, and the mlxt compofi- 
 tion of men ; whether the Gofpel terms of ac- 
 ceptance upon fmcerity, and pardon upon re- 
 pentance, be not fuited to the prefent condition 
 of human nature ; and its rewards proportioned 
 to men's innate ftrong defires of immortality : 
 whether tranquility be to be had out of the way 
 it recommends of reftraining inordinate defires 
 ajid ruffling paffions, of following the dictates 
 of confcience, of reconciling ourfelves to God 
 
 ty 
 
 Bifliop dmdbft
 
 N 3 2- THE VISITOR. 233 
 
 by amendment, after having adted amifs ; 
 and of living in dependance on God's protec- 
 tion, aid and favour, in well-doing ; whether 
 by the practice of univerfal juftice, equity, cha- 
 rity, and other focial and relative offices, (all 
 which are enjoined or enforced by chriftianity) 
 the earth would not become a moft joyful place; 
 as it hath proved through ignorance or negledt 
 of thefe doctrines and motives, to be the feat of 
 contention, rapine and opprefiion ! 
 
 And if thefe great ends be attainable, under 
 and by means of the chriftian difpenfation, it is 
 not hard to determine to which fide the true 
 wifdom of mankind fhould determine them ; 
 whether to Athelfm^ which muft infallibly un- 
 fettle the happinefs of individuals, and overturn 
 the peace of the world ; or to mere Deifm, which 
 hath never yet been tried in any country ; or to 
 the Cbriftian Religion^ which, were it obeyed, 
 would eftablifh the happinefs that is attainable 
 in this life j and to which, (as little as it is 
 pra&ifed) is however owing the quiet, the fe- 
 curity, the order, which a great part of the world 
 enjoys at prefent." 
 
 I am yours, &c. 
 
 M. 
 
 N U M-
 
 234 THE VISITOR. N 33. 
 
 NUMBER XXXIII, 
 
 Scribimut indotti doflique. 
 
 IF a man might be allowed to judge of his 
 own importance, the increafe of correfpon- 
 dents would give a very favourable opinion of 
 mine. From the gay and the grave, the alert, 
 and the folemn, I am fo happy as to have at- 
 tracted notice j and a large packet of epiftles, 
 notes, cards, and fo forth, is now before mej 
 from various parts of the town. But, wifely 
 for us weak mortals, vanity for the moft part 
 meets with fome allay ; fo that mine may not 
 rife to any extravagant height, I am forry to 
 confefs that the abilities and difcernment of the 
 generality of my correfpondents are not fuch 
 as would give much gratification. They do 
 not manifest judgment fufficient to make cen- 
 fure painful, or commendation pleafing. And 
 yet they all prefs for immediate notice : all de- 
 fire to fee their letters or papers inferted in the 
 very next number j all betray very plain tokens 
 of felf-complacence ; and all afiume the arduous 
 office of judging ! In what are men more mif- 
 taken ? How apt are we to over-rate or mif- 
 judge our faculties ; and how blind to the de- 
 fects of our brain-derived productions, which 
 however weak, deformed, and worthlcfs, we 
 doat on, with the undiftinguifhing fondnefs of 
 parental affection ! The Cacoetbes Scribendi is a 
 
 difeafe
 
 N 33- THE VISITOR. 235 
 
 difeafe which baffles all medical art ; and which 
 is not to be cured by the fevereft prefcriptions ; 
 abufe, contempt, neglect, ridicule, ferious coun- 
 fel, or diftant hints, are alike unavailing ; and 
 the only method to oblige a man troubled with 
 the diforder " to hold his peace nine years," is 
 to keep him for nine years, from thofe dange- 
 rous inftruments of dulnefs, pen, ink> and paper. 
 After this introduction, my readers will not 
 have very high expectations of the letters which 
 may be produced ; but I muft beg leave to ob- 
 ferve, that the Vifitor hath alfo fome very va- 
 luable correfpondents, whofe papers will always 
 be admitted j while the lefs confiderable will 
 have the honour only to be read by himfeif. I 
 cannot, however, refufe the following a place. 
 
 Mr. Candid* 
 
 S I R, 
 
 In a letter directed to you in the Public Ledger 
 of this current month July, day the loth, in 
 the year of our Lord 1760, No. 155 of the faid 
 Ledger , and No. 27 of faid paper of yours, cal- 
 led the Vifitor^ I find, that the young lady, who 
 writes it, and whofe name is Selima Seeker^ and 
 whom I take to be a very understanding woman, 
 and fit for bufinefs, if fhe was under prudent 
 management ; fhe figns herfelf Selima Seeker^ 
 Q. S. A. Now, Sir, though I am in trade, I 
 have had a pretty good fchool education, and 
 
 went
 
 236 THE VISITOR. N 8 33. 
 
 went as far as J 'uftin and Ovid's Metamorpbofes in 
 the Latin tongue, which I have never forgot fo 
 entirely, but that I could make a fliift to find 
 out the meaning of any of your Latin words ; 
 and as I never fold my Littleton's Dictionary, I 
 am able, for the moft part, to inform myfelf, 
 by the help thereof. But thefe letters^ which, I 
 fuppofe, have fome learned meaning I have not 
 been able to explain ; I have fearched the faid 
 above-mentioned Littleton, where he fets forth 
 the feveral abbreviations ; and I confulted fcveral 
 other books, as Calendars^ and fo forth ; but I 
 can no where find out what j^. S. A. ftands for. 
 I wifh the learned would deal lefs in thefe myf- 
 tical letters. 
 
 My nephew brought home a book the 
 other day, * wherein the author figns himfelf 
 LLD. F. R. and A. SS. R. P. G. C. T. B. 
 M. &c. Sir, I was near a week decyphering 
 thefe myftical letters ; and, as they abound at 
 prefent, I humbly move, that the gentlemen 
 give an explanation of them. And this, by the 
 way, brings to my mind the great precaution 
 and true underftanding of a very worthy friend 
 and fellow-citizen of mine, (who is fo chari- 
 tably inclined, that he is always doing good) and 
 who has lately printed an account of the pro- 
 ceedings of the Society for the Britijh troops ; in 
 the frontifpiece of which he has very loyally, 
 
 given 
 
 * See Dr. Ward's Syftem of Oratory, or DiflTertation* 
 ou the Scriptures.
 
 N33- THE VISITOR. 237 
 
 given an head of his gracious Majefty king 
 George, furrounded with thefe letters, S. B. I. 
 A. W. U. C. O. R. P. M. L. F. G. D. K, 
 R. T. N. Q. H. X. Y. Z. Now, as it might 
 be difficult to underftand the meaning of thefe let- 
 ters, he tells us at the back of the title-page, that 
 at_a certain page referred to, they are explained. 
 And by turning to that page I was highly de- 
 lighted ; nay, I was amufed through I believe 
 ftxteen pages, with a moft ingenious explanation 
 of thefe letters ; which you muft know ftand 
 for the feveral victories gained in this war, tho', 
 to be fure, nobody would ever have found it 
 out, had not this gentleman been fo civil as to 
 tell us himfelf. 
 
 Now, Sir, this is what I requeft Mifs 
 Seeker, and the other perfon I mention- 
 ed, to do ; for how fhould one know peo- 
 ple's honours, and fo forth, if they don't in- 
 form us ? I have added, at the end of my 
 name, feveral letters, expreflive of my feveral 
 appointments in life j for why may not I have 
 the credit of the feveral offices and governor- 
 (hips which I enjoy, as well as your men of 
 learning ? I perceive the quacks and venereal 
 doctors add letters to the end of their names ; 
 pray, what do they mean ? A man, once, in 
 the quackery, figned himfelf B. M. and the 
 college fuppofing him to ufurp the dignity of 
 Batcbelor of Medicine, applied to him ; and were 
 told by the fellow, that they had no caufe to 
 2 be
 
 238 T H E V I S I T O R. N 33. ' 
 
 be angry, feeing B. M. was only expreflive 
 of his profeffion, which was that of a Bellows- 
 Mender. May not fome of the letter* now 
 ufed fignify fomething of the fame fort ? What 
 is Mifs Selima's j^. S. A. and Dr. W's 
 T. B. M. Pray, refolve my doubts ; and, at the 
 fame time, explain, if you can, what honours I 
 bear j who am, Sir, yours, to ferve in the needful. 
 
 STEPHEN REGULAR. 
 H. M. F. C. L. D. P. W. B. D. D. R. 
 E. A. D. E. J. G. S. H. G. L. H. G. 
 M. H. G. B. H. G. L. L. H. G. St. L. H. 
 G. F. H. F. P. W. C. L. S. A. &c. &c. 
 
 P. S. I do afTure you, thefe are all real offices 
 and honours ; and, if your readers don't believe 
 it, I can eafily explain every letter tho' the city 
 gentlemen, I am fure, can eafily decypher them. 
 I did not think, I was fo confiderable a perfon j 
 men of learning are very fliort of me, you find ; 
 and when I write a book, you perceive my name 
 will be finely decorated ; and I think I may dedi- 
 cate to myfelf, with as good a grace, as my friend 
 before-mentioned, who in the book I fpoke of, 
 has ftruck out a .new way of dedicating, and has 
 the honour to be the firft, who ferioufly wrote a 
 dedication to his refpedlable felf *. I am much 
 delighted with fo excellent and fmgular a ftroke. 
 
 O. 
 NUM. 
 
 * See Han-way's Dedication to his account of the So- 
 ciety for British Troops,
 
 N 34. T H E V I S I T O R. 239 
 
 NUMBER XXXIV. 
 
 Dein Gnatia lympbii 
 
 Iratis extrufia dedit, rifufqttt jocofque ; 
 
 Dum Jicnnmis fine tbura liquefcere limine facro 
 
 P erf under e cupit. HORATII, fat. v. 
 
 THERE was a paragraph in the papers, 
 not long fmce, from Naples, wherein we 
 were told, that " the King was come thither 
 on purpofe to fee the blood of St. Janua- 
 rius, which liquified on the fpot this year to 
 the great fatisfaclion of the people. To 
 pleafe the multitude, the miracle muft operate 
 in the nick of time : if it fails, or proceeds but 
 flowly, they always look upon it as an evil 
 omen." 
 
 As this liquifaftion is efteemed a very eminent 
 miracle in the Romifh church, and is, we find, 
 fo confiderable as to draw the attention of kings, 
 we imagined it would be grateful to our readers, 
 and fatisfa&ory to all real proteftants, to give 
 them fome account of this notable wonder, 
 which the papijls would fain have us look up- 
 on as an undoubted atteftation to the truth of 
 their faith, and an unanfwerable argument of 
 the catholic'ifm of their church. 
 
 This
 
 2 4 o T H E y I S I T O R. N 34. 
 
 This miracle did not efcape the notice of Mr. 
 Addifon ; he tells us, in his Remarks on feveral 
 parts of Italy , p. 121, that * he faw at Naples 
 a very fplendid proceffion for the acceffion of 
 the Duke of Anjou to the crown of Spaln^ in 
 which the Viceroy bore his part To grace the 
 parade, they expofed, at the fame time, the 
 blood of St. JanuariuS) which liquified at the 
 approach of the faint's head ; though, as they 
 fay, it was hard congealed before. I had twice 
 an opportunity of feeing the operation of this 
 pretended miracle ; and muft confefs, that I 
 think it fo far from being a real miracle, that I 
 look upon it as one of the moft bungling tricks I 
 ever faw : yet it is this that makes as great a 
 noife as any in the Roman church ; and that Mv 
 Pafcball has hinted at amongft the reft in his 
 Marks of the True Religion. The modern 
 Neapolitans feem to have copied it out from one 
 which was {hewn in a town in the kingdom of 
 Naples, as long ago as in Horace's time. 
 
 Dein Gnatia lympbis 
 Iratis extrufta ded'tt^ rifufque jocofque ; 
 Dumjlammis fine thura liquefcere limine facro 
 Perfuadere cupit 
 
 At Gnatia next arriv'd, we laugh'd to fee 
 The fuperftitious crowd's fimplicity, 
 That in the facred temple needs wou'd try, 
 jyithout a fre, th' unheated gums to fry ; V 
 Believe who will the folemn lham, not I. ^ 
 
 Thus
 
 N34. THE VISITOR. 241 
 
 Thus far Mr. Addlfon ; and it is indeed very 
 remarkable, that a Pagan miracle fhould be 
 found thus correfpondent to a Papal one. Dr. 
 Middleton, in his excellent letter from Rome, 
 has not omitted to mention this conformity of 
 Heathen, with Chrijlian fuperftition : he obferves 
 (p. 6 1. of his letter, 3d edit, quarto) that 
 " this melting of St. Januarius's blood at 
 Naples, is one of the Jlanding and mod authen- 
 tic miracles of Italy. Mabillons own account 
 of the miracle feems to folve it very na- 
 turally, without the help of a miracle ; for, dur- 
 ing the time that a mafs or two are celebrated 
 in the church, the other priefts are tampering 
 with this pbial cf blood, which is fufpended all 
 the while in fuch a fituation, that, as foon as any 
 part of it begins to melt by the heat of their hands, or 
 ether management^ it drops of courfe into the lower 
 fide of the glflfi, which is empty : upon the difco- 
 very of which the prieft proclaims the miracle 
 aloud, to the great joy and edification of the 
 people. But, however it may be effected, it is 
 plainly nothing elfe but the copy cf an old cheat 
 of the fame kind, tranfacted near the feme place, 
 which Horace makes himfelf merry with, in his 
 journey to Brundufuim : telling us how the 
 prieits would have impofcd upon him and his 
 friends, at a town called Gnatia, by perfuaJing 
 them that the frankinccnfe in the temple ufed to 
 VOL. I. M di/ohe
 
 242 T H E V I S I T O R. N 34. 
 
 diffolve and melt rmraculoujly of itfclf without the 
 help of fire." 
 
 The ingenious Dr. Doitglafs, author of the 
 Criterion, hath proceeded farther than the two 
 excellent writers above ; and not only fully de- 
 tected the inftpid fraud, but given us a recipe 
 whereby we may allb turn wonder-workers, and 
 liquify, at the approach of his miraculous fcull, 
 the blood of St. Januarius : take the account in 
 his own words. 
 
 " That a fubftance vifibly dry and folid, 
 having the appearance of coagulated blood, in- 
 clofed in a glafs hermetically fealed, actually 
 doth melt, while held by the prieft in his hands, 
 and brought near to the Saint's Head, which is 
 placed on the altar, is a fact which thoufonds 
 of fpedtators are eye-witneflcs of every year. 
 But however extraordinary this may feem, to 
 fuppofe, as the Neapolitans do, that there is 
 any miracle in the cafe, would be to make the 
 experiments of the natural philofophcr, and the 
 tranfmutations of the chemift deferve that name; 
 as fome of them are far more furprizing than 
 the liquefaction of this Saint's pretended blood. 
 The particular natural caufc is not, indeed, ab- 
 folutely agreed upon. Some have imagined that 1 
 the heat of the hands of the priefts, who keep 
 tampering with the phial of blood during the 
 celebration of mafs, will be fufficient to ni;ike 
 it melt. Others again, have been inclined to 
 
 believe
 
 N 34. THE VISITOR. 243 
 believe that the liquefaction is efte&cd by the heat 
 of vaft numbers of wax tapers of a moft enor- 
 mous fize, with which the altar is decked out, 
 and many of which are placed fo conveniently, 
 that the prieft can, without any appearance of 
 defign, hold the glafs fo near to them as to 
 make it hot, and confequently difpofe the in- 
 clofed fubftance to melt. I fhould be inclined 
 to fubfcribe to this opinion, had not I met with 
 a more probable folution. 
 
 I am informed (for I never tried the experi- 
 ment myfelf) that a compofition of crocus mar- 
 tis, and cochineal, will perteclly rcfemble con- 
 gealed blood ; and by dropping the final k-fl 
 quantity of aqua fortis amongftthis compofition, 
 its dry particles will be put into a ferment, 'till 
 at laft an ebullition is excited, and the fubftanec 
 becometh liquid. 
 
 That a glafs may be fo contrived as to keep 
 the aqua fortis feparate from the dry fubftance, 
 'till the critical moment when the liquefaction 
 is to be effe&ed, may be eafily conceived. And, 
 in fact, the phial which containeth the pretend- 
 ed blood is fo conftituted. It is fomething like 
 an hour glafs, and the dry fubftance is lodged 
 in the upper divifion. Now in the lower divi- 
 fion of the glafs, a few drops of aqua fortis 
 may be lodged without furnifhing any fufpicion, 
 as the colour will prevent its being diftin- 
 guiflied. 
 
 M 2 All
 
 244 THE VISITOR. N 34. 
 
 All the attendant circumftances of this bung- 
 ling trick (as Mr. Addifon calls it) are perfectly 
 well accounted for, by admitting this folution. 
 Whenever the prieft would have the miracle 
 take eftecl, he need only invert the glafs, and 
 then the aqua fortis being uppermoft, will drop 
 down upon the dry fubftance, and excite an 
 ebullition which refembleth melting ; and upon 
 reftoring the glafs to its former pofition, the 
 fpc&ator will fee the fubftance ; the particles ol 
 which have been feparated by the aqua fortis, 
 drop down to the bottom of the glafs, in the 
 fame manner that the fand runneth through. 
 
 The Neapolitans (as fit fubje&s to be impo- 
 fed upon as the moft fervile bigotry, and fuper- 
 ftidous credulity can make them) efteem this 
 annual miracle as a mark of the protection oi 
 heaven ; and whenever the blood faileth to melt, 
 a general panic enfueth. 
 
 Now, upon a fuppofition that I have afllgn- 
 ed the real caufe, the priefts can prevent the 
 fucccfs of the miracle whenever they pleafe ; 
 and accordingly we know that they actually 
 do fo, when they have any profpect of advanc- 
 ing their own interefr, by infufmg a notion in- 
 to the minds of the Neapolitans, that Heaven 
 is angry with their nation *. 
 
 The fame author alfo obferves, 
 
 " Whcthei 
 
 * Criterion or miracles examinfl," &c. By Jobn Do* 
 glafs, D. D. p. 143, 146.
 
 N 34. THE VISITOR. 245 
 
 " Whether or no I have fucceeded in pointing 
 out the real caufe of this pretended miracle, I 
 muft leave to the few who have the honour of 
 tampering with the facred phial, and of con- 
 ducting the annual fhow : it is enough to the 
 many if I have afligncd a caufe, which will ac- 
 count for every thing that happens ; and that I 
 have afllgncd fuch a caufe every one may fatis- 
 fy himfclf. 
 
 When I published my account of the lique- 
 fied blood, I had not, at that time, tried the 
 experiment of the crocus martis and cochineal 
 and therefore I could lay lefs weight on the folu- 
 tion of the trick, as mentioned to me by a friend. 
 But now I can fpeak from my own knowledge, 
 and confequently with greater confidence. Since 
 I have lately mixed up fome cochineal with a 
 larger quantity "of crocus martis, and this con- 
 ftitutes a hard lump, perfectly refembling coa- 
 gulated blood, and which might well bear to be 
 produced on St. Januarius's altar. Upon drop- 
 ping fome aqua fortis on this folid lump, inftant- 
 ly there was excited a fermentation and bub- 
 bling of its parts, 'till by degrees the whole 
 lump diflblved, and it became a liqukl of about 
 the confidence of thick blood This experi- 
 ment I performed (I afk pardon, I ftiould have 
 faid miracle) in the prcfence of a phyfician of 
 learning, who allures me, that bcfidcs aqua for- 
 tis, fpirit of vitriol, or any other mineral acid, 
 M 3 l,y
 
 246 THE VISITOR. N< 35. 
 
 by being dropt upon the coagulated matter, will 
 produce the defired effe&. But fpirit of vitriol 
 which is as clear as water, will deceive the mofl 
 curious fpedtator moft effectually ; and by the 
 help of this and the other ingredients, any good 
 Proteftant may challenge the priefts of Naples, 
 to try which of them fhall perform the miracle 
 moft dexteroufly. 
 
 NUMBER XXXV. 
 
 No might nor greatneft in mortality 
 Can cenfure '/cap? ; back^iuoundirtg calunmy 
 The ivbiteji virtue Jirikes. What King fo ftrong, 
 Can tie the gall up in tie fond 1 row tongue ? 
 
 SHAKESPEARE. 
 
 THERE are fome difpofitions fo truly 
 diabolic, that the whole relim of their 
 nature feems inverted, and they appear to take 
 pleafure only in fuch things as give the tender- 
 eft concern to the benevolent and humane. The 
 joy of their life is to propagate diflatisfaction ; 
 and they live out of their element, when they 
 are not bufy in promoting uneafmefs. Mifera- 
 ble themfelves, they are folicitous that none 
 fhould be happy, and the peace of their fellow- 
 creatures is the utmoft torment to their invidi- 
 ous and malevolent hearts. Hence they conti- 
 nually
 
 N 35. THE VISITOR. 247 
 
 mially endeavour to blaft their reputation, to 
 calumnize their virtues, to ruin their repofe ; 
 and, like Death in Milton, on the fuccefs of their 
 iniquitous fcandals, 
 
 Grin horrible a ghajlly fmile / 
 
 Defirous, as I ever am, to furvey human na- 
 ture on the faireft fide, 'tis with reluctance that 
 I make thefe remarks ; but I am almoft com- 
 pelled to make them by the. behaviour of a 
 Shall I call her a woman f whom lately it 
 was my fortune to meet at the houfe of a friend, 
 and whofe conduit I could not omit to hold 
 forth, as its odious appearance may tend at once 
 to terrify fuch as are prone to offend in the fame 
 way, and to give confolation to thofe injured in- 
 nocents, who may be fo unhappy as to fall under 
 the mercilefs claws of fuch fell harpies. 
 
 I perceived immediately, upon entering the 
 room, that this female had engrofled the atten- 
 tion. She foon engrofied mine ; for her con- 
 verfation was in a few moments directed to me. 
 " You fee, Sir, faid fhe, one of the moft 
 wretched women upon earth, reduced to the 
 greateft forrow by a vile and wicked Jlrumpet y 
 and a villain of a hufband. Every body here 
 knows my misfortunes ; but, alas ! what avails 
 compafTion in fuch diftrefs as mine !" As there 
 was nothing of the foft and plaintive tone of for- 
 rpw in what (he delivered, her voice being loud, 
 M 4. harm
 
 248 T H E V I S I T O R. N 35. 
 
 harfh and ungrateful ; and as her countenance in- 
 dicated rather dire vengeance and paffion than 
 heart- felt agony, fire flafhing from her little fun- 
 ken eyes, and her meagre and fallow checks be- 
 ing confcious of no blufh, I cannot fay, that I 
 was much affected at this fpeech ; my indigna- 
 tion was rather raifed ; and I could not help re- 
 plying, " I am forry, Madam, if matters be 
 as you fay ; but I am a whimfical fort of fellow, 
 you muft know, who never have any very fa- 
 vourable idea of the wife that can publicly 
 abufe her hufband without remorfe." 
 
 Reader, didft thou ever vilit that famous 
 ts-wer, built as antient legends fay, by the Great 
 Roman who firft vifited Britain, where our royal 
 mafter feeds many wild beafts for the gratifica- 
 tion of his curious fubjech ? Didft thou e'er 
 vifit this repofitory of the favage kind ; and 
 there obferve the untamed Konefs or the furious 
 lya:na ; when enraged, they churn their foam- 
 ing jaws, flafh their livid eye-balls, and (hake 
 their dens with hideous roaring ? Then may'll 
 thou have fome faint idea of Obis female* and of 
 her amazing agitation, in confequence of the 
 few words which I delivered. Never do I re- 
 member that my imprudence and freedom of 
 fpeech either raifed fuch a ftorni about me, or 
 put me in fuch peril ! She raved ; me wept j {he 
 deplored her own fad ftate ; abufed my incre- 
 dulity, feverity, barbarity ; appealed to all pre- 
 
 fent
 
 NO 35- THE VISITOR 249 
 
 fent again and again for the truth of what fhe 
 delivered ; and nothing lefs than my declaring I 
 meant no harm, but was willing to believe all 
 fhe faid, could footh the favagc into temper, or 
 lay the wild beaft afleep in the den. 
 
 The ftorm was fcarccly appeafed, when a pcr- 
 fon upon bufmefs called forth Mrs. Turlulcnt 
 Trouble-All from the company ; and you may 
 imagine I was not either long without enquiry 
 or information refpe&ing fo curious a perfo- 
 nage. " She is almoft a ftranger to me and my 
 family, faid my friend ; but lately fhe pufhcd 
 herfelf upon us, as fhe does wherever fhe can 
 get admittance to tell her tale, and to defame 
 Mrs. Amiable Spotlefs^ againft whom fhe has con- 
 ceived an inveterate malice. You muft know, 
 that her hufband, and the hufband of Mrs-. Spot- 
 lefs are connected in trade together j they live in 
 the next market-town : and as thefe connecti- 
 ons neceflarily occafion an intercom fe of fami- 
 lies, Mrs. Turbulent has taken into her head to 
 conceive, and to fpread univerfally her conceit, 
 that fhe is a cuckold, and Mrs. Spaic,'f$ a llnim- 
 pet. Her temper never rendered her the moft 
 engaging of wives to her hufband ; always un- 
 eafy at home, he fought for fatisfadlion abroad. 
 
 The hufband of Mrs. Spotlefs, delighted with 
 
 tTieendearing affection of his wife, and always moft 
 
 bleft when moft in her company, leldoin fought 
 
 for pleafures abroad, becaufe he found them in 
 
 M the
 
 2so THE VISITOR. N 35. 
 
 the higheft perfection at home. Mrs. Trouble- 
 Mi beheld this felicity of her neighbours with 
 bitter envy : confcious of her own "uneafmefs, 
 {he knew not why they fhould be happier than 
 herfelf : fhe never refle&ed on the caufe : but 
 growing every day more and more malevolent, 
 {he refolved to ruin their happinefs ; and accor- 
 dingly fhe informed Mr. Spotlefi of his wife's 
 wickednefs, and by every artful method endea- 
 voured to perfuade him, that " her bu/band (a 
 vile and abandoned wretch !) defiled his bed !" 
 It would be tedious to mention all the methods 
 which this infernal agent made ufe of to give 
 credit to her accurfed tale : which, however, 
 failed, in fome meafure, of its effecl:. Mr. Spot- 
 lefs had too good proof of his wife's virtue to be- 
 lieve fuch an afperfion : he rejected it with ab- 
 horrence. Mrs. Turbulent's hufband was no lefs 
 fhockedj their difputes and quarrels encreafed 
 upon it ; and at length finding it impoffible to 
 live together, they parted : and the princi- 
 pal bufmefs of her life now is, to go about from 
 houfe to houfe, to fearch out new acquaintance, 
 and to thruft herfelf into every company, that 
 file may have frefli opportunities to defame Mrs. 
 Spotlefs, and to curfe her hufband. Nay, fhe 
 lives in this element of fcandal, with fo little 
 remorfe, that I aflure you, fhe every hour blefles 
 God that fhe is not fuch a vile wretch as Mrs. 
 fyet/efs : nay, fhe frequents the church ; and, 
 
 fhock-
 
 N35- THE VISITOR. 251 
 
 fhocking to think, regularly attends the feajl of 
 Icve, the divine communion, with this foul ma- 
 lice, falfhood and enmity boiling in her breaft !" 
 " Truly, faid I, a creature of this caft fhould 
 be {hut up in a mad-houfe, or at leaft never be 
 admitted into the fociety of rational creatures ; 
 for fhe is much more dangerous than a bedla- 
 mite : (he is mad with the ufe of her reafin" 
 " Alas, Sir, faid a Lady, who fat by, (he has 
 been thus mad all the days of her life ; all her 
 joy has been to do evil, and diffufe diftrefs : I 
 am fure my dear mother felt her virulence mo ft 
 fatally ; I fear too it may prove no lefs dange- 
 rous to poor Mrs. Spotkfs." - " How fo, Ma- 
 dam faid I ? furely Mrs. Spctkfe hath more 
 understanding than to be affected by the reve- 
 ries of a mad woman? Confcious virtue will 
 always fupport itfelf, at leaft Jhould always fup- 
 port itfelf; and no mield is fo powerful to ward 
 off the moft envenomed darts of calumny, as 
 felf-approving innocence." " Ah ! Sir, faid the 
 Lady, we women are but weak creatures , we 
 cannot boaft of much fortitude. And think, 
 can any anguiih equal that of being traduced 
 for a filthy proflltute^ and rendered fufpicious 
 to the hufband one tenderly loves ? They are 
 ftrangers to the delicacy of a virtuous female 
 mind, who do not know that this is, of all af- 
 flictions, the rcoft afflicting. Sicknefs, pains,, 
 lofs of children, lofs 'of friends, are all fcvere ; 
 M 6 but
 
 252 THE VISITOR. N" 35. 
 
 but they are light, they are infignificant, to a 
 blafted reputation, and an injured virtue ! and 
 you would have thought fo, if you had icen 
 Mrs. Spotlefs in the agony of diftrefs, in which 
 I faw her. All confolation was vain ; fhe fighed ; 
 fhe beat her breaft ; " Good God, fhe cried 
 out, I falfe to my dear hufband's bed !" which 
 fhe fcarcely uttered before fhe fell into ftrong 
 convulfions, and thus continued long ; 'till, at 
 length, a dangerous diforder is brought upon 
 her ; and the nice delicacy of her temper will, 
 perhaps, never permit her to be reftorcJ to per- 
 fe health. " Poor woman, replied I, how 
 much do I fympathize with her ! but as fhe has 
 a tender hufband, who muft be nearly touched 
 at this diftrefs, fhe cannot want all the fofteft 
 lenitives which the beft affection can apply. 
 And when reafon and religion fhall offer their 
 kindly confolations ; when fhe fhall reflect, that 
 no virtue is beyond the ftroke of calumny, that 
 no reafonable perfon can hear her enemy's tale, 
 without abhorrence, fhe will recover her wonted 
 vivacity ; and her innocence and virtue will 
 fhine the brighter and the more valued, as they 
 have fuffered fo unjuftly, and been fo cruelly 
 injured." 
 
 " This Lady's cafe, faid a Gentleman who 
 
 fat by, brings to my mind that of poor Imogen 
 
 in Shakefpear's play of Cymhe/ine; fhe, you know, 
 
 was traduced to her husband, tho' on another 
 
 4 ac-
 
 N. 35 THE VISITOR. 253 
 
 account; and her expoftulation on the occa- 
 fion, is extremely beautiful and affec'Ung ; 
 
 Falfe to his bed ! What is it to be falfe ; 
 To lie in watch there, and to think on him ? 
 To weep 'twixt clock, and clock ? If ileep 
 
 charge nature, 
 
 To break it with a fearful dream of him, 
 And cry myfelf awake ? That falfe to'sbed! 
 
 " Now you have mentioned this paffage, 
 can you recollect, Sir, (faid a Lady) another, 
 in that fame tragedy, and a very fine one, on 
 (lander ; it will be perfe&ly apropos to the fub- 
 jedt of our converfatiorr" 
 
 *' You mean the following, Madam, he re- 
 plied: 
 
 No, 'tis JJander 
 
 Whofe edge is fharper than the fword ; whofe 
 
 tongue 
 Out-venoms all the worms of Nile ; whofe 
 
 breath 
 
 Rides on the porting winds, and doth belye 
 All corners of the world ! Kings, Queens, 
 
 and ftates, 
 
 Maids, matrons, nay the fecrets of the grave 
 This viperous (lander enters !" 
 
 NUM-
 
 254 THE VISITOR. N 36. 
 
 NUMBER XXXVI. 
 
 In faith and hope, the nvorld may disagree ; 
 But all mankind's concern is charity ; 
 All mvfi be falfe, that tbivart this one great end ; 
 And all of God, that blefs mankind or mend. 
 
 POPE. 
 
 IT is a pleafing reflection to every fmcere 
 chrijlian^ that the chara&eriftic doctrine of 
 his religion, is approved by the beft reafon^ as it 
 is productive of the higheft happinefs. Let 
 whatever fyftem be embraced, whatever mode 
 of faith be approved, the benign and gentle 
 fway of benevolence muft be admitted ; and love 
 to each other will ftill be a diftinguifhing duty of 
 humanity. It muft be confefled, that no reli- 
 gion fo abfolutely commands, fo ftrongly en- 
 forces ; urges by fuch motives, or encourages 
 by fuch hopes, this amiable principle, as the 
 religion of Cbrijl j whofe commandment it is, a 
 commandment peculiarly bis, that " his difci- 
 ples fhould love one another, even as he hath 
 loved them" And can love be carried higher 
 than we fee it in his bleft example.! Greater 
 love than this hath no man, that a man lay 
 down his life for his friends ! But the ador- 
 able
 
 N 36. T H E V I S I T O R. 255 
 
 able Redeemer advanced ftill farther. He laid 
 down his life for bis enemies ! By this fhall all 
 men know that we are his difciples, if after his 
 precept and pattern, we love one another ! 
 
 As it is pleafmg to the CbriJIian to con- 
 template this mark of excellence in the faith 
 which he embraceth j fo, let me add, that it 
 muft be pleafmg to the Englijhman to obferve the 
 happy prevalence of this divine and god-like 
 principle in the prefent times. We fee works 
 of charity and benevolence flourifhing on all 
 fides around us ; we fee the hearts and the 
 hands of our generous countrymen open to the 
 relief of affliction and woe ; we fee the chil- 
 dren of forrow and pain, of diftrefs and fuffer- 
 ing, welcomed to houfes of mercy, and tended 
 by the afliduous care of pity and gentlenefs. 
 We fee the helplefs orphan flickered, the weep- 
 ing penitent fnatched from imminent deftruc- 
 tion. We fee the lenient hand of mercy held 
 forth for the fupport of every unfortunate, even 
 from the infant down to the hoary head. Nay, 
 we fee, to the particular praife of our national 
 benevolence, of our true chriftianity, the enemy 
 fed and cloathed, and llcjjings poured upon the 
 heads of thofe whom heaven hath made our pri- 
 foners, as it were to favour us with an occafion 
 of the nobleft bounty. 
 
 I care not that fome aflign ungenerous mo- 
 tives to thefe excellent ads 3 I care not that 
 
 feme.
 
 256 THE VISITOR. N 36. 
 
 fome, whofe narrow hearts caufe them to clinch 
 clofe their griping hands, would deny this laud- 
 able fpirit, and debafe thefe honourable efforts 
 of benevolence : blefled be God that fuch a 
 fpirit prevails ! Blefled be God that fuch excel- 
 lent ab are performed ! Blefled be God that fo 
 many fufterers are relieved ; fo many tears wiped 
 from the eye of anguifh ; fo many joyful fongs 
 of thankfgiving heard from the lips of the com- 
 forted and reftored ! That fome may happen 
 to contribute to fuch works from illiberal mo- 
 tives, is neither to be doubted or denied : but 
 that the heart which propofcth, that the hands 
 in general which execute, can be deficient in 
 the trueft Philanthropy, .no man can afiert ; no 
 good man would even fufpec}. Nay, were not 
 a real fpirit of chriftian love and humanity dif- 
 fufed largely amongft us, it would be impoflible 
 to carry into execution fuch undertakings as we 
 daily behold thriving with the utmoft fuccefs, 
 and aflifted with the largeft I had almoft faid 
 unbounded liberality ! 
 
 The writer of this too takes a peculiar 
 pleafure in obfcrving, that he is happy in the 
 knowledge and acquaintance of many, whora 
 he could eafily point out, but their works 
 point them out better whom, he is afiured, 
 no narrow and worthlefs motives urge to the 
 conftant exercife of benevolence j from whom 
 the wretched incitements of vanity and pride, are 
 far removed, and whofc fouls the tender touches 
 
 of
 
 NO 36. THE VISITOR. 257 
 
 of ChriiHan affection fo nobly influence, that 
 ever attentive to the well-being of their fel- 
 low-creatures, they are never more bleft, than 
 when they can contribute to it ; when they can 
 bring relief to individuals, when they can add 
 honour, and happinefs to their country ! For 
 that thefe works of humanity add honour to our 
 country, is indifputable ; and we may be allowed 
 to rejoice, that no age can be found in the Britifh 
 annals more diftinguifhed for fuch works of Love. 
 That they add, that they will continue to add, 
 happinefs to our country, may alfo be prefumed 
 with due humility ; fince the happinefs of na- 
 tions, as well as of individuals, depends upon 
 the favourable protection of providence ; and we 
 are well aflured, that with works of this fort, 
 the Almighty ruler of the world is ivell pleafed. 
 
 " Go on, then, my countrymen, go on with 
 your ufual zeal, alacrity, and beneficence; go 
 on to confider (as you do) with attention, wif- 
 dom, and companion, the wants and fufferings 
 of your fellow-creatures ; yield chearfully to the 
 benevolent impulfes of humanity ! And may 
 every labour of love profper in your hands ! 
 M.iy every defirable blefling from Heaven fall 
 upon your own heads." 
 
 While I was indulging, with the utmoft fatif- 
 faftion, this train of thought in my arbour, 
 fhaded from the intenfe heat which we have lately 
 felt, fleep ftole infenfibly upon me j and Fancy,
 
 258 T H E V I S I T O R. N e 36. 
 
 ftill purfuing the fame ideas, prefented to me in 
 vifion the Genius of our country ; her countenance 
 fhone with unufual vivacity, and (he walked 
 forward towards a temple, which was fo bright, 
 that I could not look upon it ; and from whence, 
 methought, was heard the moft enchanting found 
 of mufic, that ever ravifhed human ear. " Bleft 
 Genius of our favoured ifland, faid I, whofe is 
 that temple, and why art thou haftening thither?" 
 " Behold that train, replied (he, and afk no 
 more." When turning round, I faw a number 
 of radiant perfonages, each bearing in their hands 
 an emblematical device, as it feemed ; but which, 
 upon approaching nearer, I found to be the plan 
 or account of the feveral public hofpitah, and other 
 charities, which at prefent are known in our na- 
 tion. One of the radiant company informed me, 
 that as the Great Ruler of the world was pleafed 
 to employ the miniftration of Angels, fo had he 
 delegated each of them to be the guardians and 
 protectors of the feveral good works whofe names 
 they bore in their hands. And now (the ce- 
 leftial minifter went on) at the requeft of Bri- 
 tannia, we are advancing to the place of God's 
 peculiar refidence, to offer up to him, with thefc 
 works of love, our prayers more grateful than in- 
 cenfe ; befeeching that he would vouchfafe his 
 blefltng upon the ifland over which Britannia pre- 
 fides ; that he would defend it from danger, crown 
 it with glory, and fill it with his knowledge and 
 
 love."
 
 N 8 36. T H E V I S I T O R. 259 
 
 love." As vifions are not always confiftent, fo 
 it happened with mine ; for, methought, all of 
 a fudden, thefe bright guardians of our charities^ 
 together with the genius of our ifland, were with- 
 drawn from fight; and whilft I was regretting 
 tke lofs, a voice, as of a trumpet, founded forth, 
 and I heard Thy prayers and thine alms 
 are come up for a memorial before God : They 
 fliall be had in everlafting remembrance." This 
 was all I could diftinguifti ; for my heart was 
 troubled within me, and my countenance changed; 
 When, lo ! Britannia came forth from the tem- 
 ple ; on her right hand was the Angel of Wif- 
 dom, on her left the Angel of Courage. Behind 
 her followed the celeftial minifter of Plenty, and 
 the guardian of Commerce ; 1 faw the lovely Angei 
 of Benevolence^ fmiling, as he pafled, with in- 
 effable fweetnefs on the guardians of Britannia's 
 charities, and applauding them to an Angel, 
 brighter and fairer than all the reft, whofe name 
 I found was PIETY. Struck with the divine form, 
 I was about to fall down and adore, when the 
 attempt awakened me from my fleep ; and though 
 I regretted the lofs of fo pleafmg a vi/ion, I could 
 not help indulging a hope, that there might be 
 more than meer imagination in it. 
 
 N U M-
 
 THE VISITOR. N 37, 
 
 
 NUMBER XXXVII. 
 
 Great y good, ivifi, ivonder/ul, eternal King! 
 
 Who looks down 
 
 On all that fears, and /fans immenfity. 
 
 YOCNC. 
 
 To th< VISITOR. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 ON E excellence of the Chriftian religion, 
 I obferved in a former paper, is, that ** it 
 reveals to us the nature of God more clearly than 
 any other religion in the world." Now as a 
 right knowledge of God is the foundation of all 
 religion ; (for as our notions of God are, fiich 
 will our worfhip and our practice be:) fo, if 
 we confider what God is, we (hall immediately 
 difcern, that without revelation, we could never 
 have any juft idea of him ; while the revelation 
 which gives us juft ideas of him, thus far recom- 
 mends itfelf to our attention, and has one cri- 
 terion of truth and excellence. 
 
 It is mentioned as a mark of the wifdom of. 
 Simonides, that he hefitated to deliver his fenti- 
 ments, refpeding the Deity. Cicero, in his trea- 
 tife of the NdtureoftbeGods, thus introduces the 
 ftory. " Should you aflc me, fays that elegant 
 
 Roman,
 
 N 37. T H E V I S I T O R. 261 
 
 Roman, to define what God is," I fhould adopt 
 the procedure of Simonides, who, when the fame 
 talk was impofed upon him by the King of Syra- 
 cufe, defired one day to confider of it. The next 
 day, when the fame queftion was again put to 
 him, he requeued two days more : after this he 
 defired four, and fo on for a confiderable time, 
 doubling always his demand. At length, when 
 the King, with furprize, demanded the reafon of 
 this, he replied, That the more he meditated on it, 
 the more incomprehenfible it appeared to him ! For I 
 fuppofe, continues Cicero, that Simonides, who 
 was not only an excellent poet, but alfo a man 
 of extenfive knowledge and wifdom, was be- 
 wildered in a variety of opinions, each more 
 fubtle and abftra&ed than the other ; and being 
 uncertain which of them came neareft to truth, 
 he defpaired of finding that truth at all." By 
 the way, one cannot help commiferating the 
 fituation of thefe thoughtful and inquifitive men 
 in the heathen world, who were unable to arrive 
 at any degree of certainty refpecling that, where- 
 upon all religion depends ; whofe understandings 
 were too capacious to fuffer them to reft in the 
 popular opinions j and yet too limited to reach the 
 heights, and to attain fatisfaclory notions, of the 
 divine nature. 
 
 Unenlightened human underftanding can never 
 attain fuch notions. Confider only that God is 
 a pure fpirit, and can never be reprefented to 
 
 the
 
 262 T H E V I S I T O R. N 37 . 
 
 the grofs fenfes of men ; that men have no con- 
 ception at all of pure fpirit, how it exifts, or 
 what it is ; and you will not wonder that ima- 
 gination wandered fo widely ; that every thing 
 was deemed to be God, but that which really is 
 fo., The fenfes are to us the only inlets of ideas j 
 they are the foundation of all our knowledge ; 
 we can therefore have no direfl conception of 
 any thing, which is not introduced to our know- 
 ledge by one or other of the fenfes ; and if the 
 fenfes make no report from without, we are all 
 blind and ignorant within. 
 
 Hence it came to pafs, that in the heathen 
 world there was not even the moft diftant fufpi- 
 cion of that true and rational nature of God, 
 which the Chriftian revelation hath brought to 
 our knowledge. They never dreamt of a fpiri- 
 tual incorporeal being, exifting from all time, 
 filling all fpace, almighty in power, all- wife in 
 his doings, perfect in goodnefs, and unbiafied in 
 juftice. Nay, fuch is the light which Chriftiani- 
 ty hath dtffufed, that the meaneft mechanic, and 
 the moft unlettered herdfman amongft Chriftians, 
 will give you a more rational and folid account 
 of the nature of God, than the very wifeft of the 
 heathen world, than Socrates or Plato, than Ci- 
 cero or Ariftode, after all their moft elaborate 
 invcftigations, could have done. 
 
 It is yideed melancholy to obferve them dif- 
 
 puting, whether the world or the air, or the Jky y 
 
 1 were
 
 N 37. T H E V I S I T O R. 263 
 
 were God, and more melancholy ftill to fee them 
 paying worfhip to a legion of deities, whofe in- 
 famous actions would have done difgrace to the 
 moft contemptible of mortals ! Who can help 
 lamenting to fee men offer up the moft valuable 
 gifts (fometimes even their own children) to 
 cruel, luftful, drunken, thievifh, quarrelfome 
 gods ; who, fo far from being allowed to quaff 
 nectar, and eat Ambrofia, on Olympus, ought 
 to have been degraded for their crimes to the 
 moft afflictive punifhments in the gloomy territo- 
 ries of Pluto! How could it be expected, that 
 the worfhippers of fuch deities {hould ever ex- 
 cel in the practice of morality ? Why {hould 
 they feel remorfe or reluctance upon the perpe- 
 tration of the groffeft iniquities : Could the vo- 
 tary of a Venus be chafte ? Could the worfhip- 
 per of a Bacchus be fober ? Why {hould he, 
 who offered an human facrifice on the altar of 
 a Saturn, be merciful ; or he be honeft, who 
 attended the temple of a Mercury ? 
 
 Let if not be faid, that thefe were the opinion* 
 of the vulgar ; while the wifer thought better, 
 and contemned thefe fables. The wifer did not 
 think better, they could not think better ; their 
 moft philofophical fpeculations were not a whit 
 more rational ; and they all, with one confent, 
 bowed the knee, and did homage to the acknow- . 
 ledged deities of their country. The fon of 
 Syrach hath amply declared the whole truth. 
 ^ ** Surely
 
 264 T H_E VISITOR. N 37. 
 
 " Surely vain are fill men by nature, who 'are 
 ignorant of God, and could not, out of the good 
 things that are feen, know him that is ; neither 
 by confidering the works did they acknowledge 
 the work-mafter ; but deemed cither fire^ or ivind^ 
 or thefruift air y or the circle of the Jiars> cr the 
 violent water^ or the lights of heaven, to be the 
 Gods that govern the world, &c." 
 
 Nay, to Ihew that human nature is ftil), and 
 at all times the fame, look only to thofe nations 
 who at prefent fit in darknefs and the jhadow of 
 death (to ufe the fcripture phrafe) who arc un- 
 der the bondage of idolatry and ignorance, and you 
 will find, that their conceptions of the deity are 
 as grofs, abfurd, ridiculous, and abominable, as 
 the moft abject of the heathen world. And it 
 cannot fail peculiarly to ftrike an attentive ob- 
 ferver, that this deep ignorance of the deity is 
 difcernible amongft thofe, who otherwife excel 
 in arts and underftanding, and who are deficient 
 in no branch of civil policy. For a proof, let 
 your obfervations be turned to one of the greateft 
 nations perhaps in the world, to the Chinele ; 
 and while you admire their elegance, you will 
 deplore their ignorance in the things of God, 
 and behold them with concern proftrated in the 
 temple of the fouleft and moft deteftable idols. 
 
 The truth is, God is too far diftant, and the 
 human faculties are too confined, ever to be able 
 to fearch him out, or to trace his adorable per- 
 fections :
 
 N 37. T H E V I S I T O R. 265 
 
 feclions ; and, therefore, fo long as mere imagi- 
 nation paints him, he will always appear as the 
 creature of fuch imagination ; and the man who 
 bows down to a garlick or onion, will bow down 
 to as reafonable a God, as he that adores Feretrian 
 Jove, Dagon, or Vitzliputzli. 
 
 How great, how ineftimable a blefling then 
 is that divine revelation to mankind ; and how 
 ftrong an argument of its truth, is, the amiable 
 and elevated idea, which it gives of the Deity ; 
 which, though reafon, unaided, could never dif- 
 cover; yet reafon, in its beft cultivation, per- 
 fectly approves ! Here we are taught to worfhip 
 no local or fubordinate God, whofe agency is 
 confine^ to certain limits, and whofe power is 
 reftrained, by the dread of Tartarus. Ours is a 
 God, who from eternity to eternity is the fame ; 
 who, prefent throughout all his works, feeth 
 every thought, noteth every word, obferveth 
 every action ; whofe Almighty _/?<?/ fpoke all this 
 wonderful fyftem into exiftence ; and whofe un- 
 erring wifdom hath preferved it from the begin- 
 ning ! Watchful in his fatherly providence, the 
 minuteft concerns of his creatures are open to 
 his view ; and a fparrow falleth not to the ground 
 unnoticed by him. Glorious in holinefs, no 
 mixture of imperfection fullies the untarnifhed 
 purity of his nature. He is Light. He is Love! 
 Infinite in goodnefs, every creature drinks of his 
 exhauftlefs bounty j angels, men, and all created 
 ..VoL. I. N things
 
 266 T H E V I S I T O R. N 37. 
 
 things live in the fulnefs of his undiminiflied 
 grace and benignity. Nor are his attributes and 
 perfe&ions in any degree of oppofition : though 
 he is boundlefs Mercy and Love, he is alfo ftrict 
 and unbiafied 'Jujlice! Willing to impart blefs- 
 ings to his creatures, he wooes them by all means 
 to that which is the fole fountain of blifs, to a 
 fimilitude with himfelf ; but if they chufe not 
 that fimilitude, jujl and boly^ as he is, they de- 
 prive him of the power of being gracious and 
 good. For it is an eternal and unftiaken truth, 
 that to be happy with, we muft, in fome meafure, 
 be like God. 
 
 And as he is a Being of all imaginable Moral 
 perfections, fo are his glory and greatnefs repre- 
 icnted in the Chriftian fyltem, as the moft ex- 
 ulted, and as far beyond the moft elevated con- 
 ceptions of mankind. He dwelieth in light un- 
 approachable. Thoufand thoufands of the no- 
 bleft fpirits, angels and archangels, minifter un- 
 to him ! And ten thoufand times ten thoufand 
 ftantf before him ! But, alas, language is faint 
 to exprefs his glory ! In one word, our God is 
 an eternal, pure, and blefled fpirit ; perfect in 
 happinefs -, confummatc in holinefs ; the fountain 
 of mercy ; the father of comfort ; the God of 
 love } and the juft re warder or puniflier of the 
 whole human race ! 
 
 But for the eleareft and fulleft ideas of his na- 
 ture, which our prefent condition is capable of 
 2 com-
 
 N. 37. THE VISITOR. 267 
 
 comprehending, let me refer to that book in 
 which thefe things are fo gracioufly revealed to 
 us. The more we ftudy it, the more elevated 
 will be our conceptions of the Deity ; and we 
 fhall acknowledge that it is one criterion of the 
 truth of Chriflianity, that no religion gives us 
 fo juft and clear notions of God, as we receive 
 from it. I know that there are not wanting 
 fome who will object, that " the doclrine of 
 the Trinity, which is the fundamental doctrine 
 of Chriftianity, is not agreeable to reafon ; and 
 that confequently the Chriftian religion gives us 
 not either a jujl or clear notion of God." As I 
 do not care to repeat what I have faid ; for a 
 full anfwer to this objection, I refer to my 2Oth 
 number, where I have fully confidered this point; 
 and, as I have had the pleafure to be informed, 
 to the fatisfa&ion of feveral of my readers. 
 
 Give me leave only to remark in conclufion, 
 that if the notions, which the heathens entertained 
 of their gods, render them in fome degree inex- 
 cufable, when deficient in the practice of virtue; 
 how much will the knowledge of the Chrl/iian^ 
 and his perfect information on this fubjec}, ferve 
 to condemn him, if he be wanting in that virtue, 
 which the nature of God fo forcibly recom- 
 mends ; if he be a flave to that vice, which is fo 
 abfolutely contradictory to every reprefentation, 
 which the Chriftian religion gives of God ? How 
 can we expedl to efcape punifliment, if we do 
 N 2 not
 
 268 THE VISITOR. N 37. 
 
 not endeavour to be holy as God is holy ; pure 
 as he is pure ; merciful as he is merciful ! Nay, 
 what can we have to plead for ourfelves, and in 
 behalf of our deviation from purity and recti- 
 tude j when not only the nature, but all the 
 jaws of God propofe heaven to us, on the terms of 
 our abhorring and avoiding all that is con- 
 trary to the holinefs of God, and confequently to 
 our own happinefs. Let me add j How can we 
 fuppofe ourfelves entitled to any of the pxomifes 
 and privileges of Chriftianity, if we neglect to 
 conform ourfelves to the pattern of Jefus Chri/l, 
 God manifeft in the flefh ; therein to give us 
 the faireft and fulleft difplay of the moft amiable 
 and endearing perfections of the deity, and to en- , 
 gage as to an imitation of them, by every motive 
 of gratitude and love. If then we expect the 
 rewards, purchafed by his meritorious fufferings, 
 let us contemplate the duties propofed by his 
 gracious wifdom, and enforced by his own bright 
 example ; never doubting of his peculiar favour, 
 while we tread in the fteps of his humility and de- 
 votion, his perfect refignatlon and univerfal cha- 
 rity. 
 
 I am, Sir, yours, &c. 
 
 M. 
 
 N U M-
 
 N 38. T H E V I S I T O R. 269 
 
 NUMBER XXXVIII. 
 
 Pallida mors eequo 
 
 Pulfat pede, fauperum talernas 
 
 Rfgumque turret . H o . 
 
 IT has often been remarked, that nothing 
 more engages our attention than hiltorical 
 accounts of the laft moments of great men. 
 The Czar Peter , certainly deferves the title of 
 Great ; and I doubt not, but the following re- 
 lation of his death, drawn up in the Ruffian 
 language, by Theopbanes Biftiop of Novogrod, 
 will be acceptable to our readers in an Englijh 
 drefs. We fhall leave them to moralize upon 
 the fubjecr., and upon the impartiality of that 
 univerfal leveller, who advances with his vic- 
 torious dart, as intrepidly to the bed of the 
 mightieft monarch, as to the pallet of the hum- 
 bleft peafant. 
 
 " The importance of the perfon, fays my 
 author, exacts from us a juft and faithful rela- 
 tion of the deceafe of our fovereign, whofe 
 death we can never fufficiently lament. We 
 naturally wifh to know the manner of their exit, 
 whofe lives and examples we fo much admired : 
 nor indeed without reafon, fince as one has 
 well faid, To go off the Jlage of life decently , is 
 equal to afting the great eft part u$on it. 
 
 N 3 The
 
 a;o THE VISITOR. N 3 S. 
 
 The difeafe, which deprived us of Peter the 
 Great, a prince above all others deferving immor- 
 tality, was the ftrangury : he was firft feized 
 with it about the end of the year 1723. To 
 get fome relief from the extreme pain of the 
 diforder, he repaired the fpring following to the 
 ipaw waters of Olonetes, as he had often done ; 
 but that remedy was lefs powerful than the dif- 
 enfe ; from which indeed it procured a little re- 
 fpite, but did not work a perfect cure. 
 
 Hearing at Mofctnv^ where he intended to 
 crown Catharlna^ his moil auguft fpoufe, that a 
 difcovery was made of waters in Mullers iron 
 works of the like quality, he went thither alfo 
 in the beginning of fummer ; and having drank 
 thefe waters a few days, he feemed to be fo well 
 recovered, as to think the caufe of his difeafe 
 quite removed. But the event has proved, that 
 he was miftaken in his apprehenfion. 
 
 For he was no fooner come from Mofcow to 
 Ptttrftnirgb, than the malady returned ; although 
 in intervals it was refpited, and the prince feem- 
 ed now and then to be in better health. But 
 the difeafe fometime abating, and again increa- 
 fmg, at length proved fatal, by a total ftoppage 
 of urine, and an ulcer in the bladder. And 
 fuch a difficulty of urine came upon him, that 
 in the ftrangury, which was very frequent, he 
 was miferably racked with pain : and, though 
 a man of the firmeft patience at other times, 
 
 would
 
 N38. THE VISITOR. 271 
 
 would cry out outrageoufly under his torture. 
 He intimated the excefs of his pain, by a philo- 
 fophical faying to the ftanders by, namely, That 
 he was a /iriking injlance^ bow miferabte a creature 
 mortal man is. 
 
 His ficknefs was foon difcovered to be incu- 
 rable : but he himfelf was the firft of all appre- 
 henfive of his approaching fate ; finding his 
 pains to continue and grow upon him, and by 
 his fkill in anatomy, perceiving the diftemper to 
 work in his very bowels, he did not conceal 
 his apprehenfion : for a few days after he began 
 to lie on his fick bed, he commanded the cha- 
 pel, in the great hall of the palace, to be 
 adorned in the accuftomed manner for the cele- 
 bration of the eucharift, and after confeflion, 
 he devoutly refrefhed himfelf with the myftic 
 fupper of our Saviour. 
 
 In the mean time, all the phyficians in Pe- 
 terjburgb, fave one laid up in the gout, being 
 called to a confultation, enquired into the cafe 
 with the greateft diligence, whether there was 
 any hope of a recovery, or any help to be had 
 from their art : who, though they made no de-' 
 claration of the cafe being defperate, yet their 
 confufion and defpair was not to be concealed. 
 But the cleared indication of what was to be 
 expected, was the ftate of the patient ; his 
 ftrength being fo much impaired and broken, 
 that notwithstanding the violence of the diftem- 
 N 4 per
 
 2 7 * THE VISITOR. N 38. 
 
 per increafed more and more, his fhrieks were 
 fainter and fainter ; and in making water, he 
 vented himfelf in hoarfe accents, or in conti- 
 nued and heavy groans. Then, through the 
 whole palace, nothing but lamentation was to 
 be feen or heard. Hitherto three or four fena- 
 tors only were in waiting night and day, but at 
 this time all were come together : The bimops 
 and Archimandrites (or abbots,) attending to 
 folace and flrengthen him in his laft hours, to- 
 gether with two generals of the firft rank, fe- 
 veral lieutenant generals, colonels, captains, and 
 the chief of the nobility. In a word, a great 
 concourfe of people, befides domeftics, rilled the 
 palace ; nor in fo great a multitude was there 
 one but exprefled his forrow in fome way or 
 other. Some could hardly fupprefs their tears* 
 others weep'd and fobb'd, others walked or fat 
 down filently, but as it were languid and de- 
 jected. The face of forrow was different, not 
 as I fuppofe from any difference of affedtion, 
 but difpofition ; and I truly believe, the afflic- 
 tion was general at the inftant fate of fo great a 
 king and heroe, and of fuch a father. 
 
 But the diftrefs and grief of her majefty no 
 reprefentation can poffibly equal. In her we 
 faw forrow in all its ftiapes, tears gufhing out, 
 an awful filence arid amazement, and prefently 
 groans and fighs 3 fometimes fhe vented herfelf
 
 N 38. THE VISITOR. 273 
 
 in doleful, but affectionate and becoming cries; 
 fometimes fhe feem'd to fwoon away. 
 
 Thus miferably and varioufly diftrefied, fhe 
 fate day and night by the bed of her royal fpoufe, 
 nor would fhe retire, till he required her to take 
 her reft, left fhe fhould deftroy herfelf : where- 
 by this beft of princes teftified in his laft mo- 
 ments his conjugal affection to the beft of wives; 
 and which was a proof of his prudence and ten- 
 dernefs, often commanding the princefies his 
 daughters to withdraw, when they would come 
 into the room where he lay, to prevent, as is 
 fuppofed, too frequent occafions of grief in 
 himfelf, and a* total dejection of fpirits in them. 
 
 We are obliged further to relate, but in few 
 words, what care was taken in a chriftfan way, 
 of the foul of this dying perfon, and how reli- 
 gioufly he died. As foon as it was notified that 
 his majefty was dangeroufly ill, the fynods ap- 
 pointed public prayers for his recovery in all 
 the churches of the city and neighbouring vil- 
 lages. His majefty, to engage more people to 
 pray that God would be gracious to him, ifiued 
 out through his empire a general act of grace 
 for malefactors condemned for treafon, for em- 
 bezzlement of the public ftock, and for other 
 crimes, to be rcleafed from prifon (debtors to 
 private perfons excepted) and to be fet free from 
 punifhment, and abfolved from mukts and 
 fines. 
 
 N 5 On
 
 274 T H E V I S I T O R. N* 38. 
 
 On the 26th of January, 1724-5, when the 
 danger he was in was yet more flagrant, the 
 biftiops and archimandrites then prefent, offer- 
 ed up the ufual prayers for the fick, and anoint- 
 ed him with the holy oil. 
 
 On the 27th, at two o'clock in the morning, 
 it was vifible that the prince was quite fpent, 
 and near his end ; then were called in the bi- 
 fhops of Plefkowand Twere, and the archiman- 
 drite of Czudow monaftery, who approached to 
 exhort him as a dying perfon: and here the 
 prince, under the anguifh of the moft exceflive 
 and incredible pains, and when he could fcarce 
 with figns exprefs his aflent to their admoniti^ 
 ons, difplay'd an impreilion on his mind of the 
 moft holy piety ; for when one of them made 
 mention of the death of Chrift, and of the di- 
 vine bleflings which are procured by it, and 
 admonifhed Peter that it was now the time to 
 think of nothing elfe ; and that he mould for 
 his own fupport, meditate on that which he had 
 frequently inculcated to others, (for in common 
 difcourfe he many times copioufty and learned- 
 ly had difcufled the queftion concerning free juf- 
 tification of a fmner. through, the merits of 
 Chrift Jcfus) he prefently fprang up and en- 
 deavoured to fupport himfelf ; and being a little- 
 raifed by his attendants, with eyes and hand* 
 lifted up as high as he could, though- faultring. 
 in his ijicech} he broke out into tkcic words, 
 
 TbM
 
 N- 3 8. THE VISITOR. 275 
 
 That it is, which at length can quench my thirft y that 
 alone which can refre/h me. 
 
 Juft before the admonition he had moiftened 
 his mouth with julep (as he was obliged to da 
 very often) and, by way of allufion, he ut~ 
 tered thefe words, and again and again repeated 
 them. The monitor further exhorting, that he 
 fhould, without any diffidence, confide in the 
 mercy of God ; that he fhould believe his fins 
 to be forgiven through the merits of Chrift, ancJ 
 that the grace of eternal life was near at hand.. 
 To this he doubled his reply, I believe and I 
 truft. When again the monitor exhorted him 
 to a prayer of faith, and produced thefe words, 
 which they recite, "who with us come to the- 
 Lord's fupper, I believe Lord and confefs? that thott 
 art Cbrijl the Son of the living God, who camefl in- 
 to the world to fave finners^ of whom I am chiefs 
 he added, / believe Lord and confefs, help thott 
 mine unbelief! All this, which was admirable, he 
 uttered feelingly, and with a chearful counte- 
 nance. And now fainting away and finking, 
 he reply'd to many other points fuggefted to him. 
 by a nod, by lifting up his hand r or applying itt 
 to his breaft.. 
 
 And now he feemed to give up the ghoft ; at 
 the news of which the fenators and chief offi- 
 cers of the army, with crowds of people, ente- 
 red the apartments, and with, tears and lamen- 
 tations preiTed the hand of the prince* He la/ 
 N 6
 
 276 THE VISITOR. N- 38. 
 
 a while fpeechlefs, faluting every one with his 
 looks j and then with great difficulty faid, Here- 
 after. Whether by that he would have a va- 
 cant place to himfelf free from moleftation (for 
 his little apartment was thronged with people) 
 or he fpoke of the time after death is doubtful. 
 So all retired 
 
 But fuch was his ftrength of body yet, that 
 notwithftanding he feemed every moment about 
 to expire, he continued fifteen hours in the ago- 
 nies of death, and though he did nothing but 
 groan continually, and beat his fide with his 
 right hand (for his left was feized with the 
 palfy and motionlefs) yet whenever the monitor 
 came near him, (which he did now and then) 
 and put him in mind of the vanity of the world, 
 of eternal joys juft at hand, and the price of 
 the blood of the fon of God, whereby he fhould 
 obtain them, he would make frefh efforts to rife 
 up and form a fign of a crofs with his hand, or 
 lift it towards heaven. And what was yet more 
 ftrange, he laboured even to modulate his groans 
 into accents of praife, and to' clear up his 
 countenance, and would have embraced his mo- 
 nitor. At this time came in the Archimandrite 
 of Trinity monaftery, and .addrefled his ma- 
 jcfty, whether he would pleafe to have the 
 Lord's Supper adminHrered to him a, fecond time; 
 if this was his pleafure, to fignify it by holding 
 up his hand > he inftantly held up his hand, and 
 
 fo
 
 N" 38. THE VISITOR. 277 
 
 fo repeated his reception of the Lord's Supper. 
 Neither after this did the monitors ceafe in their 
 turns to comfort and confirm him : nor did he 
 himfelf omit, by figns and geftures, to exprefs 
 his aflcnt to them, till about four in the morn- 
 ing he was almoft motionlefs, and feemed to 
 faint away. Then the bifhop of Twere utter- 
 ed fome pious admonitions in his ear, and prayed 
 to God in the ufual forms of prayer to be mer- 
 ciful to him. But all perception was foon gone, 
 and he could not groan nor even pant any 
 longer ; and while all about him were doubt- 
 ful, whether he was alive or dead, before they 
 could be well affured that breath was gone out 
 of him, he expired Jan. 28, at four o'clock in 
 the morning. 
 
 Now were heard the cries of all there pre- 
 fent, the emprefs flirieked out aloud, being 
 half dead, and ready to fall, had fhe not been 
 fupported ; in an inftant every apartment was 
 filled with lamentation ; the whole palace feem- 
 ed to eccho with complaints, and the grief of 
 every one was exceflive. Thus died Peter the 
 father of Ruflia, &nd one of the greateft princes 
 of Europe. 
 
 G, 
 
 N U M-
 
 S 7 S THE VISITOR. N 39. 
 
 NUMBER XXXIX. 
 
 ^uanquant animus meminij/e barret* VJRC. 
 
 WH E N a man narrowly fcrutinizes int9 
 his own heart, how little fatisfadion 
 arifes from fuch an. infpe&ion ! His goodnefs 
 many times extends no further than to languid 
 and impotent refolutions j whence he hath the 
 mortification to fee, that his virtue is daily pe- 
 rifliing in its bloflbms ; while vice deeply roots 
 itfelf in the corruption of his nature, derives ad- 
 ditional ftrength from the luxuriance of the 
 foil, and is hourly making bold advances to ma- 
 turity. At the fame time that prepofieflions and 
 prejudices enthral his mind, they lilcewife enervate 
 the powers of exertion, and thersby preclude 
 to the captive all profpel of enlargement. Paf- 
 fions are clamorous, temptations are numerous, 
 and reafon too frequently is of inefficient force; 
 to filence the former, and to repel the latter* 
 Thus his breaft refembles a chaos, where dif- 
 cord, darknefs, and confufion maintain their 
 empire, and triumph over the boafted authority 
 of man. Difappointed, and difpleafed with the 
 pifture, which his own bofom exhibits of him* 
 felf, he is naturally led to enquire into the 
 caufe of this involuntary deformity. Some wri- 
 ter*
 
 N'39- THE VISITOR. 279 
 
 ters have endeavoured to folve all difficulties by 
 affirming, that the creation of fuch a ftrange 
 compound as man, was neceflary, to preferve a 
 due fcale and gradation of Beings. Others af- 
 cribe all our errors and defects to the ///, and 
 thereby impute to the firft parents of mankind, 
 the moral evil difcoverable in the fpecies. But 
 without entering upon a difcuffion of thefe fub- 
 je&s, I would obferve that the human mind in 
 its prefent (rate wears the appearance of art 
 ancient fuperb ftru&ure, which hath formerly 
 been injured, and defaced by heftile fury. There 
 ftill remain ftrong marks of its primitive gran- 
 deur, although feveral of iis nobleft apartments 
 are fo miferably maimed and negle&ed, that 
 they are now become, as it were, an heritage for 
 the dragons of the ivildtrnefs. 
 
 It is a common obfervation, that neither the 
 beft of men are exempt from faults and follies, 
 nor the worft altogether deftitute of worth and 
 virtue. But fometimes there is fuch a mixture 
 of good and bad qualities, fo great a contrariety 
 both of fentiment and conduct in the fame in- 
 dividual; that when we ourfelves fit upon the- 
 trial of fuch a character, we are even con-? 
 ftniined to fufpend our fentence ; and our judg- 
 ment is not only embarrafied by the interfper- 
 fion of {lighter crimes ; but it is alfo frequently 
 perplexed mid obftrudted in its decifions r wheni 
 at the blackeft turpitude have been per- 
 petrated
 
 280 THE VISITOR. N 39. 
 
 petrated by men, whofe general behaviour hath 
 correfponded with the ftri&eft rules of virtue 
 and benevolence. Hiftory, facred and profane, 
 furnifhes us with ftriking inftances of the bright- 
 eft excellencies, and the fouleft blemifhes, con- 
 centered in the fame perfon. Oftentimes that 
 predominant paflion, which conftitutes the very 
 heroifm of goodnefs, fhall aggravate every fea- 
 ture of vice, if once it be inlifted under the 
 banner of wickednefs. That natural warmth of 
 St. Peter's temper, which rendered his zeal for 
 his injured mafter fo confpicuous, betrayed him 
 into the moft horrid oaths and execrations. 
 But there is no neceflity of a recourfe to fuch 
 diftant examples, we fhall find fufficient fcope 
 for reflection upon topics of this nature amidft 
 the occurrences of our own times. Nor will 
 the fubfequent ftory be a bad comment upon the 
 hints already advanced ; or too faint an illuftra- 
 tion of the deplorable confequcnces, which now 
 and then follow upon an unlimited indulgence 
 even of the beft of human paflions. 
 
 An innkeeper at a town in Normandy had 
 eight children. His wife, whom he loved with 
 the -utmoft tendernefs, died of a fever, after 
 fourteen years cohabitation. He was inconfo- 
 lable for a while ; but at length he emerged 
 From his grief, and transferred alj his affection 
 to the fruits of his marriage-bed. The income 
 irifing from the profits of his buiinefs, was an 
 
 incoin-
 
 N39- THE VISITOR. 281 
 
 incompetent maintenance for his family. Hence 
 feveral of his fons and daughters, when they 
 had attained to a proper age, quitted their fa- 
 ther's houfe, and entered into fervitude. So 
 ftrong was the innholder's attachment to ^his 
 children, that he regarded their departure in the 
 light of a temporary baniftiment. However, 
 there yet remained at home his eldeft and his 
 youngeft fen, who practifed every filial duty to 
 fupply the deficiency of his abfent comforts. 
 Prior to this period commenced the laft war be- 
 tween France and Great Britain : In the pro- 
 grefs whereof the French compelled into the fer- 
 vice a multitude of young fellows, who were 
 averfe to the profeffion of arms. It unhappily 
 fell out, that the innkeeper's youngeft boy, a 
 lad about fixteen years of age, was feized up- 
 on by a recruiting party, and hurried into Flan- 
 ders, The diflrefs of the poor father at this 
 melancholy incident, would probably have been 
 infupportable, if his brother, who was the mi- 
 nifter of the parifh, had not ufed every argu- 
 ment, which reafon and religion fuggefted, to 
 alleviate the pangs of the bereaved parent. But 
 although a courfe of time had aflwaged the fe- 
 verity of his fufFerings, yet his for rows were 
 occafionally quickened by the piteous tales the 
 youth tranfmitted to ,him, of the many hard- 
 fhips he underwent abroad ; by repeated appli- 
 cations of, this neceflitous fon for money j and 
 
 by
 
 282 THE VISITOR. N 39. 
 
 by the inability of the father to gratify the pref- 
 fmg requefts of a ftarving child. 
 
 After fome years were elapfed, there rode an 
 officer into the yard of the inn ; who alight- 
 ing from his horfe, called aloud for the land- 
 lord. The matter of the houfe obferving, that 
 his gueft by his apparel was a man of rank, ap- 
 proached him with deference. At which time 
 the officer, fixing his eyes ftedfaftly upon his 
 hoft, acquainted him, that he was juft then ar- 
 rived from Tournay, and had been defired to 
 inform him of his fon's health. The landlord's 
 fond heart bounded at the mention of a perfon 
 fo exceedingly dear to him, and he was urgent 
 with the gentleman to perpetuate his conyerfa- 
 lion upon this engaging theme. But the foldier 
 replied, that he was neceffitated to pay a few 
 vifits in the town, and would take a more fa- 
 vourable opportunity to fatisfy svery enquiry of 
 his hofK 
 
 About ten o'clock at night the gentleman re- 
 turned to his inn, and told the landlord, that 
 he had invited feveral friends to dinner the next 
 day. Wherefore he directed a plentiful and ele- 
 gant entertainment to be provided. At this 
 protracted ftay of his gueft the innholder fe- 
 cretly rejoiced, hoping thereby to hear many 
 particulars about his boy in the Netherlands. 
 The officer complaining of fatigue, and defir- 
 ing to be conducted to his bedchamber, the
 
 N 4 o. THE VISITOR. 283 
 
 man of the houfe catched up a candle, and 
 lighted him to his apartment. No fooner were 
 they both entered, but .the gentleman drew a 
 purfe of gold from his pocket, and gave it to the 
 landlord, with a charge to take care of fo va- 
 luable a depofit. Then wifhing him a good 
 night, and reminding him of the morrow's en- 
 gagemente, he fhut the door, and haftened into 
 bed. 
 
 N. 
 
 NUMBER XL. 
 
 Quanquam animus mtminij/e borret. VIR. 
 
 TH E following day the Abbe called upon 
 his brother, and with great complacency 
 in his countenance, enquired after the Officer's 
 health. The innkeeper told him, that the Officer 
 was well, and had fet out early in the morning 
 on his return to the army. It is impoflible, re- 
 joined the Abbe with a fmile. That very Offi- 
 cer will moft afluredly dine with you to day, and 
 give you fuch a hiftory of your fon, as muft be 
 productive to you of a degree of joy, very little 
 inferior to rapture. The landlord was aftoniflied 
 at thefe myfterious words, and aflced his brother, 
 if he was formerly acquainted with the gentle- 
 man. To which the minifter made anfwer in 
 the affirmative. Who is he ? faid the innkeeper 
 
 with
 
 284 THE VISITOR. N e 40. 
 
 with great emotion. The whole fecret, returned 
 the Abbe, fhall be revealed to you at dinner. 
 Hereupon the innholder appeared extremely agi- 
 tated, and peremptorily aflerted the departure of 
 his gueft at break of day. Indeed it cannot be 
 fo, replied the Prieft. There is a happinefs in 
 referve for you, my dear brother, which my 
 heart ftrugglcs to difclofe. But the obligations 
 I am under of fecrecy, will not permit me to un- 
 fold this interesting riddle. 
 
 The mafter of the inn, whofe face abundantly 
 befpoke the perturbation of his breaft, flared 
 upon the minifter with a peculiar wildnefs in 
 his eyes, and feemed entirely deprived of all 
 power of utterance. Ah ! my brother, cried 
 the Abbe, this is too, too much. I cannot any 
 longer keep you in this painful ftate of fufpence. 
 I befeech you to recollecSt the features of the mi- 
 litary gentleman. Pray tell me, if you cannot 
 trace out the lineaments of your darling fon, 
 under the badge of diftinguiflied merit. This 
 eclairciflement had nearly proved fatal to the 
 landlord, who turned very pale, trembled in 
 every joint, and immediately funk down in a 
 fwoon. The aged churchman blamed himfelf 
 for the temerity of his proceedings, and wifned 
 a thoufand times, that he had fupprefled this af- 
 fecting part of his narrative. But fince he could 
 not retract his ftory, he cherifhed hopes, that a 
 fuller explanation of every circumftance might 
 
 deliver
 
 N'40. THE VISITOR. 285 
 
 deliver his brother's mind from this diftraction 
 of contending paffions. Wherefore when the 
 unhappy man was recovered from his fits, the 
 minifter tenderly intreated him to compofe the 
 turbulency of his thoughts ; and further informed 
 him, that his fon, by a late fignal difplay of 
 volour, had been rewarded with an hundred 
 Jouis d'ores and a lieutenancy. That the dear 
 youth, noticing the officious afliduity of his fa- 
 ther, prefently inferred from thence his parent's 
 ignorance of him ; now difguifed, as it were, by 
 his improved ftature, and the fuperiority of his 
 attire. That pleafed with this uncommon ad- 
 venture, he had apprized his friends thereof, and 
 appointed them to dine with him, that they 
 might fhare the joys of the family upon his dif- 
 covery of himfelf. To all which the Abbe fub- 
 joined, that this worthy and amiable child had 
 brought his indigent father a purfe of money, to 
 obviate his prefent neceflities, and to prevent 
 future anxieties. 
 
 Scarce had the uncle mentioned this fuperlative 
 inftance of filial goodnefs, before the innkeeper 
 dropped to the ground, writhed with frightful 
 convulfions, while the ecclefiaftic looked with in- 
 conceivable furprize upon the fervants, who flood 
 fpeechlefs round their feemingly dying matter 
 Amidft thefe fcenes of confufion, the maid recol- 
 lected, that there was a vial of hartfhorn drops h 
 a clofet pertaining to the bed-chamber, where thi 
 2 office
 
 286 THE VISITOR. N 40. 
 
 officer had lain the preceding night. As fhe was 
 running up ftairs for the medicine, {he was pur- 
 fued by the minifter, who endeavoured to arreft 
 her in her flight, that he might learn from her, 
 if it was poflible, the true caufe of thefe ftrange 
 and formidable occurrences. 
 
 With thoughts more difturbed and embroiled 
 than the ftormy deep, he entered the chamber*; 
 where, finding that his ftrength and fpirits were 
 haftily departing from him, he threw himfelf 
 upon a couch, which was accidentally at hand. 
 After he had continued a few minutes in this 
 fainting (rate, he opened his eyes, and thought 
 that he faw fomething like an human form lying 
 under the bed. The figure powerfully attracted 
 his fight for a while. But when the Abbe had 
 gazed long enough to afcertain the reality of the 
 object, he ftarted up from his recumbent pofture, 
 and collecting all his mattered powers into one 
 effort, eagerly dragged the body from its con- 
 cealment. To his inexpreflible confternation, 
 horror, and anguifh, the mangled corps proved 
 to be the remains of the military ftranger. The 
 pious clergyman, penetrated through his very 
 foul at this fhocking fpe&acle, fetched a deep 
 groan, and inftantly fell dead upon his murdered 
 nephew. 
 
 By this time the inn-holder was reftored from 
 thofe dreadful contorfions, which had threatned 
 his immediate dillblution. Raifing himfelf out 
 
 of
 
 W 4 . THE VISITOR. 2*7 
 
 of the chair, in which his domefticks had feated 
 him, he defired to be taken before a magiftrate, 
 to whom he confefled every particular of this 
 bloody tragedy. It feemed that the eldeft fon 
 was the firil who propofed the deftru&ion of the 
 officer. The father heard the overture with de- 
 teftation ; but the young man having bound 
 himfelf in a joint bond with his father for the 
 payment of a large fum of money, and hourly 
 expecting his parent and himfelf to be thrown 
 into a jaiJ, urged the neceffity of making the 
 foldier's purfe their own property, as the only 
 expedient to fecure themfelves from the miferies 
 of confinement. The father warmly remon- 
 ftrated againft the purfuit of fuch impious mea- 
 fures j and likewife obferved, that the guilt there- 
 of would be highly inflamed by the extraordinary 
 confidence which his gueft had repofed in him. 
 The fon intimated that he thought it cruel ufage 
 to be made fubjecl to the penalties of a bond, 
 for which he had received no pecuniary confi- 
 deration, and which he had entered into upon 
 no other motive than the prefervation of his 
 father from the refentments of his creditors. 
 The parent bewailed their complicated misfor- 
 tunes ; but perfifted in differing the utmoft ex* 
 tremities, rather than embrue their hands in 
 blood. When the young fellow noticed, that 
 his arguments made noimpreflion, he then artfully 
 enumerated the fore afflidtions which his youngeft 
 
 brother
 
 288 THE VISITOR. N 49. 
 
 brother endured in Flanders from cold, penury, 
 and toil. Nor did he fail to infmuate, that now 
 an occafion prefented itfelf of fuccouring the 
 wretched youth, who was daily furrounded with 
 famine, difeafe, and death. The pitiable father 
 burft into a torrent of tears, and haftily faid^ 
 Whatever we are to do, let us do it imme- 
 diately. 
 
 Thus the lacerated heart, although it had rc- 
 folutely maintained its ground againft the piercing 
 follicitations of poverty, the approaching terrors 
 of a prifon, and the importunate clamours of an 
 undone child, neverthelefs fell a fudden facrifice 
 to the inordinate tranfports of parental affec- 
 tion . 
 
 N. 
 
 NUMBER XLI. 
 
 ^ Ye harvfjis nva-ve to HIM, 
 Breathe your ftill fong into tht reapers heart 
 Ai borne he goes, beneath the joyous moon. 
 
 THOMPSON. 
 
 MY heart felt the higheft fatisfation, as I 
 journey'd lately through one of the moft 
 fruitful counties of our kingdom, to behold the 
 ground covered with fuch rich crops of ripened 
 corn j arid to fee fo many parties of laborious 
 
 ruftics,
 
 N 4 i. THE VISITOR. 289 
 
 ruftics, occupied in the delightful tafk of gather- 
 ing in the copious harveft. " The rye, white 
 and hoary as it were with age, waved its beard- 
 ed billows, and gave a dry hufky ruftle before 
 the breeze. The wheat laden with plenty, and 
 beautifully brown, hung the heavy head ; and 
 invited by its bending pofture the reapers hand, 
 Plats of barky, and acres of oats, ftood white 
 or whitening in the fun. Upright and perfect- 
 ly even, as though the gardeners {hears had 
 clipped them at the top, they gratified the fpec- 
 tator's eye, but gladdened the farmer's heart. 
 Beans partly clad in native green, partly trans- 
 formed and tawny with the parching ray, were 
 preparing the laft employ for the crooked wea- 
 pon. Some of the grain lay flat, in regular 
 rows on the new-made flubble. Some was ere- 
 cted in graceful {hocks, along the briftly ridges. 
 Some conveyed homewards, on the loaded wag- 
 gon, nodded over the groaning axle ; anJ to 
 finifti the profpecl: of plenty, amidft the brown 
 fields rofe verdant groves of bops, which hung 
 in profufion, from the bending poles, and feem- 
 ed to court the hand of the gatherer. 
 
 The villages, as I parted through, appeared 
 almoft to be. empty, and their inhabitants pour- 
 ed into the plains. Here were perfons of each 
 fex, and of every age. The lufty youths ftoop- 
 ing to their work, plied the fickle, or fwept 
 with their fcythes the falling ranks. The blythe 
 
 VOL. I. O dam/els'
 
 290 T H E V I S I T O R. N* 41. 
 
 elamfeh followed, binding the handfuls into 
 (heaves; or piling the fwarths into hafty cocks. 
 Difpci fed up and down were the children of the 
 needy, gleaning the fcattered ears, and picking 
 their fcanty harveft. Nor were the eld people 
 abfent ; but crawling into the fun, or fitting on 
 a fhady eminence, they beheld the toils, the 
 pleafing toils they once fuftained. 
 
 This is the moft joyful period of the coun- 
 tryman's life : the long expected crown of all 
 his labours ; for this he broke the ftubborn 
 glebe, and manured the impoverifhed foil ; for 
 this he bore the fultry beams of fummer, and 
 ftirunk not from the pinching blafts of winter. 
 For this he toiled away the year in a round of 
 ceafelefs, but willing activity : Knowing that 
 the hujlandman mti/i labour before be partakes of 
 ibe fruits. - And will not the blefied hope of 
 everlafting life ; will not the bright expectation 
 <of confummate blifs, animate us with an equal- 
 ly chearful refolution both to refift the tempta- 
 tions, and difcharge the duties of our prefent 
 ftate * ?" 
 
 But this is not by any means the only leflbn 
 of religion or morality, which a ferious and 
 contemplative mind may learn from a view of 
 the fields, when white to the harveft. Our Sa- 
 viour, who generally drew inftru&ion from, 
 and formed his facred parables upon objects the 
 
 moft 
 * Sec Hcrvey's Theron and Afpafio.
 
 N 41. T H E V I S I T O R. 291 
 
 moft near and familiar, has applied this to one 
 of the moft awful occafions, which the human 
 thought can ever confider. The harvejl^ fays he, 
 in explaining one of thefe parables, is the end of 
 the world j and the reapers are the angels ! Who 
 then that beholds the wheat fall beneath the 
 ftrolce of the fickle ; carefully gathered by the 
 hands of the reapers into {heaves, and pre- 
 pared for the garner; can fail to contemplate, 
 that great, that important day j when he that 
 fowed the feed, the Son of Man, the dread Lord 
 of the harveft {hall fend forth his angels, and 
 they fhall gather out of his kingdom all things 
 that offend, and them who do iniquity ; arid 
 fhall caft them into a furnace of fire ; there fhall 
 be wailing and gnafhing of teeth ! The righte- 
 ous too fhall then be gathered gathered as pre- 
 cious feed into the celeftial garner and then 
 ihall they fhine forth as the fun in the kingdom, 
 of their father ! 
 
 Againft the terrors of that day, we either fo- 
 lace or delude ourfelves with the opinion of its 
 diftance. It is yet afar off, and therefore we will 
 not provide for it. But had the farmer, during 
 the feafon of fowing, indolently fat down, and 
 forborn to Jabour, under the opinion, that it 
 was yet a long time to the harveft ; that yet 
 many months would intervene, before the in- 
 gathering would come : in vain would he have 
 lamented his folly in the months of harveft, and 
 O 2 curfed
 
 29* THE VISITOR. N 4 i. 
 
 curfed his neglect of the proper feafon, Wifer 
 than to act thus abfurdly, he breaks up the 
 glebe with his toilfome plough, commits the 
 grain to the faithful foil in its appointed time, 
 and performing all the necefiary acts of husban- 
 dry, waits for the produce with patience, and 
 reafonable expectation ; and by the goodnefs of 
 providence, he is but rarely difappointed in fuch 
 expectation. Defire we to reap a happy harveft 
 in that day ; defire w rather as c;ood feed to be 
 gathered into the garner of God j we mud be 
 careful not to omit this precious feed time ; this 
 feafon of mercy and grace ; repentance muft 
 break up our fallow ground ; the word, the feed 
 of life, muft be fown in our hearts ; we muft 
 be careful to root up every evil and noxious 
 weed ; and to procure a plentiful fupply of the 
 dew of grace, and the light of life to nourifh 
 the young and tender plants, and to raife them 
 up to perfect ripenefs, for the approaching 
 harvcft. 
 
 It may be proper juft to remark, that as nei- 
 ther the farmer's toil, without the benediction 
 of heaven, foftering rains, and invigorating 
 heat ; nor the benediction of heaven, without 
 the farmer's toil, would have produced this co- 
 pious plenty, which crowns the fmiling vallies, 
 and enriches the rejoicing hills ; fo neithfer can 
 the chriftian expect to produce a crop of graces 
 and virtues acceptable to the great Judge, cither 
 
 by
 
 N 4 r. THE VISITOR. 293 
 
 by his own endeavours, without the a/lifting 
 grace of God, and the indulgent mercies of 
 Jefus Chrift ; or thro' thofe mercies and by that 
 grace alone, without any co-operating endea- 
 vours of his own. 
 
 And methinks, this fine image, held out to 
 us, in the book of Nature, ferves abundantly to 
 filence all thofe noify difputants, who have talk- 
 ed fo much, and fo abfurdly, on one hand, oi 
 the irrefiftibility of Divine Grace, and on the 
 mher, of the felf-fufficiency of the human po- 
 wers : That Grace is abfolutely neceflary to out 
 performance of works pleafing to the moft high, 
 that without it we can do nothing, we can 
 bring forth no fruit ; let the vanity of the far- 
 mer's labours ever teach us, who plougheth and 
 foweth, but reapeth no increafe, if the hand of 
 Heaven with-holds the warm influence of the fun, 
 and the fattening gifts of the clouds. On the 
 other fide, let the folly of a weak reliance on 
 Grace, and on Chrift, without fuitable efforts 
 of our own, without a zealous and uniform at- 
 tention to duty, be ever obvious to our reflection, 
 while we behold the farmer anxious for his 
 harveft, and ufing every proper method to fe* 
 cure it. Without labour and diligence on his 
 part, without kindly feafons on the part ol 
 Heaven, he would never reap into his garnei 
 the wifh'd for increafe : and let the Chriftiari 
 be well aflured, that, as without the Grace oi 
 O 3 Chrifr
 
 294 THE VISITOR. N 4 r. 
 
 Chrift, he can do nothing, fo that Grace will 
 never be with him, unlefs he works with it, ufing 
 every means appointed, and obfervant of every 
 duty enjoined. Then may he expect alfo to 
 reap at the final harveft, and to appear there 
 with joy, bringing his precious (heaves with 
 him ! 
 
 And is there indeed fuch a day approaching ! 
 A day when every work (hall be brought into 
 Judgment ; a day, when every man {hall be re- 
 warded according to his deeds ; and that by a 
 fentence the moft alarming ; for it is irreverfi- 
 ble, and it is everlafting ! Of how fmall efti- 
 mation appears every earthly purfuit or poflef- 
 fion, when the foul, in fecret meditation, feri- 
 oufly contemplates this interefting fcene ; in 
 which every human creature is concerned j for 
 vf&Jhall all ftand before the judgment feat of God ! 
 Concerned in the neareft degree ; for our chief, 
 our fole happinefs or mifery is at ftake happi- 
 nefs or mifery, that fhall know neither change 
 nor end ! Let us not expect to appear with com- 
 fort and boldnefs at that hour, if unmindful of 
 it, and inattentive to it, we tread in the paths 
 of vice, of folly and diflipation ; the husband- 
 man who fows tares only, and pernicious weeds 
 in his fields, can never expect to fill his barns 
 with rich (heaves of wheat. And while we are 
 fo fondly courting the unfubftantial (hadows of 
 this world i 'let us only indulge one moment to 
 
 filent
 
 N" 41. T H E V 1 S I T O R. 295 
 
 filent reflexion, and fuppofe that hour was pre- 
 fent, when we fhall look, " and bihold a ivhitt 
 cloud^ and upon the cloud one fitting like unto the for, 
 of wan, having on bis bead a golden crown, and if 
 his band a Jbarp fickle. When it fhall be faid. 
 Thru/? in thy fickle, and reap ; for the time is conn 
 for tkee to reap ; for the harvejl of the earth is ripe. 
 And he that fitttth in the clouds Jhall thru/I In hi. 
 fickle : and reap the earth. Let us only imagine 
 ourfelves prcfent as prefcnt we fhall afiuredlv 
 be and afk our hearts, which part we wouk; 
 then choofe to bear, that of the Tares, con- 
 demned to burning ; or that of the good Seed, 
 gathered into the houfe of God j whether we 
 would wifh to ftand in the character of guilty, 
 felf-condemned, and miferable outcafts, or ol 
 happy and approved fons, welcom'd by all the 
 hoft of Heaven, into the realms of felicity ? 
 As no man can hefitate a moment in his choice ; 
 let no man prepofteroufly enhance his own con- 
 demnation by practices, which as much op- 
 pofe his happy appearance hereafter, as they con- 
 tradict his fober and beft judgment here. 
 
 As I prefume many of my readers may do my 
 papers the honour to take them on a party with 
 them, in their feveral excurfions, during this 
 fine feafon into the country ; I hope thefe re- 
 flections will neither be unpleafing, or un- 
 profitable ; I fhall therefore beg leave to re- 
 fume them, as there are various other particu- 
 O 4 lars
 
 296 THE VISITOR. N 42. 
 
 lars, which we may learn from a furvey of the 
 fields, where the gsodnef$ and wifdom of God are 
 written in very legible characters. 
 
 NUMBER XLII. 
 
 Thou thd 1 -invijible, art ever feen ! 
 
 And feen in ail I the great and the minute. 
 
 Each globe aktrve ivith ifs gigantic race> 
 
 Sac h _flo<iv V, each leaf, *witb- itt fmall people fivarmd^ 
 
 T the frfl thought , that afis t " from whence/* 
 
 declare 
 Their ttmmon /ource. 
 
 YOUNC. 
 
 H E evening w^s calm and ferene. All 
 JL nature was hufiied in pleafing filence, 
 fave that the fea, at the feet of the neighbour- 
 ing clifFs, rolled in its rcftlefs foamy billows, 
 and fept forth its continued murmurs from the 
 iljore : When to purfue my contemplations 
 on the harveft, I walked into the fields, beneath 
 the modeft luftre of the filver moon, who (hed 
 ^ji unufual fplendor, as flic walked in brigbtncfs 
 and majefty through the Ikies. There is a pe- 
 culiar grandeur in the fcripture images. I never 
 behold the moon, but I am charmed with that 
 expreflion which 1 have juft now ufed, and, 
 which is an expreflion of Job's. " The moon 
 
 walking
 
 N 42. THE VISITOR 297 
 
 walking in brightnefs /" But if the expreffion 
 charms, (hall we fail to be delighted with that 
 gracious defignation of providence, which has 
 ordained the moon a longer continuance, and a 
 fuller light, in the feafon of barveji ; when the 
 laborious countrymen, willing to fecure the gol- 
 den fibre, extend their toils to a later hour, and 
 of confequence longer want, and more rejoice 
 in the favourable attendance of the barve/l moon. 
 We will leave philofophers to account for this 
 extraordinary phenomenon in nature j it fhall be 
 enough for us to acknowledge, that it is un- 
 doubtedly the wife and benign difpofal of na- 
 ture's God, a God ever regardful of his crea- 
 tures' welfare. 
 
 Not long fince thefe hills and vales all around 
 me, which look fo rich and joyful with their 
 plenteous Jbeaves, were barren and brown ; but 
 fee the mining plough-fhare turns the ftubborn 
 glebe ; fee the fower ftalks over the plains,, and 
 cafts forth his liberal handfuls : See, " the har- 
 row follows harm and (huts the fcene !" And 
 thus man hath done his part ; for the reft he re- 
 lies, confidently relies on the favour, of heaven j, 
 and doubts not to convey to. his garner, in its 
 feafon, full Jbods for fmgle grains^ loads that 
 will'make the bending axle crack, for his liberiii 
 handfuls ! How amazing ii the work of vege- 
 tation ! who would con:c:ve that life, that 
 beauty, that increafe flioulu fpring from cor- 
 O 5
 
 > 9 8 THE VISITOR. N 42. 
 
 ruption and death. But we have unerring truth 
 to prove this, as well as conftant experience ; 
 nothing is quickned except it die ! The wheat fo- 
 menting corrupts, before it fhoots downward 
 its radicle^ or rears upwards its tender and 
 green head to the fun ! How expreflive as well 
 as beautiful an emblem of that capital truth in 
 the chriftian revelation, " the refurre&ion of 
 the body." Which as a feed is fown in the 
 grave, fown in corruption, to be raifed in in- 
 corruption ; fown in difhonour to be raifed in 
 glory. For we muft obferve, that as it is not 
 the fame feed, the fame in form, appearance, 
 Is'c. which was fown, that fprings up; but a 
 plant far exceeding it in beauty and elegance j 
 fo will it be with our future bodies : thefe 
 which we now wear, in this mortal ftate, are 
 but the feeds of thofe whch we {hall put on at 
 the refurre&ion : and we are allowed to gather, 
 from this allufion of St. PWs, that the latter 
 will as much exceed the former in glory and 
 beauty, as the lovely and flourifhing plant, in 
 its perfect verdure, exceeds the coarfe and com- 
 paratively inelegant feed. Our vile body^ fays 
 the fcripture, foc.ll be fajhioned like unto his glo- 
 titus body, according to his mighty -working. And 
 when nature holds forth to us fo ftriking an 
 emblem of this great and important concern 
 to mortals, are we not afhamed to profefs a 
 
 doubt)
 
 N 4 2. THE VISITOR. 29- 
 
 doubt, much more a dijbelief of fo interefting ar 
 article ? 
 
 The warmth of the fun, and the dews of hea- 
 ven, whatever elfe may be neceffary, are abfo- 
 lutely fo, to the work of vegetation. It cannoi 
 be carried on without them. And if either be 
 with-held, or given in too great proportions, 
 the languid plant withers, and the difappointed 
 hufbandman mourns ! 
 
 What a lefibn of dependance upon God, doth 
 this teach us ; and how much fhould it lead us 
 to adore his exuberant goodncfs ! He blefieth 
 us with fruitful feafons, and abundance of in- 
 creafe. But, if he pleafed, how eafily could 
 he with-hold from us the bread of life ; and caufe 
 pale famine to lay wafte our land ! Should he 
 hide his life-giving fun behind the thick clouds; 
 and commiffion, in wrath, thofe clouds to dif- 
 embogue their immenfe treafures on. our plains ; 
 or fhould he command that fun to flair.e forth 
 with intolerable ardor, and to dart forth his rays 
 intenfe, upon the parched and thirfty earth, to> 
 which every fupply from above was denied, ami 
 all whofe fountains in confequence were dry- 
 ing up how foon fhould we feel the malig- 
 nant effects ; how forcible fhould we be com- 
 pelled to confefs our own impotence, and Jeho- 
 vah's power ! Let us be careful to confefs it 
 properly ; and to engage its beneficent regard, 
 by a grateful remembrance of the hand which 
 O 6 feeds
 
 300 THE VISITOR. N 42. 
 
 feeds us ; and by a lowly afcription of all to 
 him, when we receive that all in the moft co- 
 pious profufion. Services of fear, are the fer- 
 vices of flaves j love and gratitude are expected 
 from fons. 
 
 The word of God is compared to feed : the 
 work of grace, to the growth of plants. Plants, 
 as we have feen, cannot flourim without the fun 
 and the rain. The influences of Chrtfl and of 
 the Spirit, uptfn the foul, are compared to thefe. 
 Chrifl is, in every fenfe, the light of the world 
 the fun of righteoufnefs. T^he holy Spirit, is 
 as water, as dnu, to the mind. It is finely faid 
 by the prophet, in reference hereto, / will be 
 4is tbe dew unto Ifrael ; he foall grow as the lilly, 
 and caft forth his root as Lebanon. From hence 
 we are pleafmgly taught, of how great neceffity 
 it is for us to fecure the influences of thefe, if 
 we wifli the word of God, the feed of life, 
 to flourifh and bring forth fruit in our fouls. 
 Their influences are to be fecured, by a diligent 
 attendance upon thofe means which are ap- 
 pointed to convey thofe fupplies ; and by a cau- 
 tious and confcientious obfervance of thofe du- 
 ties, which we owe to God, our neighbour, 
 and ourfelves. Thus fhall we bring forth abun- 
 dantly, fome thirty, fome Jixty, and fome an hun- 
 dred fold. 
 
 Thirty, Jixty, or an hundred fold, great -as it 
 may fcem, is jio marvellous or very extraordi- 
 nary
 
 N 42. THE VISITOR. 301 
 
 nary increafe for that grain, which at prefent 
 we confider, more efpecially ; the wheat, I mean, 
 which is, perhaps, as prolific, if not more fo, 
 than any other production of the fame nature. 
 An abundant proof of the wife and fatherly care 
 of God 3 who hath made that, which is moft 
 ufeful to man, moft abundant. An obfervation 
 which by no means terminates in the object of 
 our prefent reflection. We read, from unquefti- 
 oned authority, of three and four hundred ears 
 from one feed *. And truly, when we remark 
 the prodigious quantity of feed, difleminated 
 through every department of nature, we cannot 
 wonder at this prodigious, though, to us, in- 
 comprehenfible liberality of the bounteous Crea- 
 tor's hand. How truly, and, at the fame 
 time, how beautifully, is it faid, He openeth his 
 handy and filleth all things living with plenteouf- 
 nefs ! And how much fhould this aftonifhing 
 fertility in nature Simulate us to an increafe in 
 every good word and v/ork ! We fee the mighty 
 ruler of the univerfe, glorious in all his opera- 
 tions, contemns the niggard coldnefs of illibe- 
 ral parfimony ; and rejoices in the boundlefs 
 profufion of generous plenty ! In whatever we 
 
 * Two inftances of this kind were feen at Rome in 
 the days of Auguftus and Nero. But they are trifling 
 to what the author of " Natvtre difplayed," tells us of 
 the Maize, one grain of which he aflures us will yield 
 an jncvcafe of two thoufand*
 
 $64 THE vi sir ok. K 4 i. 
 
 are fparihg, let it not be in virtue : let us go 
 on from grace to grace, from ftrcngth to ftrength, 
 from excellence to excellence ; adding continu- 
 ally to that treafury, where every work of faith, 
 
 and labour of love, is fafely lodged, and 
 
 ivhence they fhall hereafter be drawn, to our 
 jndlefs and Unfpeakable felicity. For he who 
 now travels along the road of this life, bearing 
 tiis precious feed with him, fhall dcubtlefs, (we 
 ire informed ) jhall doubthfs come again with joy, 
 md bring bis Jheaves with him / 
 
 There is another particular in the wheat, 
 ivhich muft hot be parted over, as it ferves to 
 Jifplay the care of that providence, which the 
 abfervant eye cannot fail to trace in the mi- 
 tiuteft ihftances ; that is, its capability of en- 
 luring all the hardfhips, the frofts and feveri- 
 ties, the ftorms and tempefts, of the winter. 
 As it is neceflary to its maturity and perfection, 
 :hat it be fown early, and continue all the win- 
 :er months in the ground ; this certainly ia a 
 sroof of a fuperintending governor and direc- 
 orj fince no other caufe, than that of uner- 
 ing wifdom can be found adequate to fuch an 
 ;ffe&. Obferve we too, that though the grain 
 ippears above the earth, not long aftej it is 
 own, yet it rifes to no great height, till the 
 langer of the wintry blafts is over ; very flow 
 ind almoft imperceptible is its increase, till the 
 nilder zephyrs breathe gently upon it, and only 
 
 wave
 
 N* 4 2. THE VISITOR. 363 
 
 wave its yielding fterns, not roughly level il 
 with the plain, or tear it from the root. In- 
 deed we are told, that the fro/} and fntnvs arc 
 peculiarly ferviceable to the crop j fo far from 
 harming the tender grain, they ferve to promote 
 its fertility, to feed it with their nutritive par- 
 ticles, and to wrap it up, with their white anc 
 vivifying mantle, But though flow in its in- 
 creafe, till the approach of fummer, equallj 
 quick are its fteps to maturation, when the time 
 of harveft advances : Infomuch -that it then ri- 
 pens more in two or three days, than otherwif< 
 in two or three weeks. 
 
 Learn we from thefe particulars, not to be to< 
 much difcouraged, if we perceive the growth o 
 our graces, and our progrefs in holinefs to be flov 
 and almoft imperceptible. This may be a foura 
 of difcontent to the foul, anxious to approve it- 
 felf in the fight of God ; but is in reality nc 
 foundation for uneafmefs and defpondency. It i 
 enough for us, if the true feed is fown, if wi 
 are careful to perform our parts, and live unde 
 the influence of thofe heavenly fupplies, whicl 
 alone can bring our graces to maturity and per 
 fe&ionj and which will undoubtedly bring then 
 to perfection, if we wait, and patiently endure 
 Endure even the chilling florms of affliction, an< 
 the howling blafts of trial and trouble ; whici 
 fo far from harming our fpiritual growth, (hal 
 
 rathe
 
 3P4 T H E V I S I T O R. N 42. 
 
 rather tend to promote and forward it. For af- 
 flictions are to virtue, what frojl and fnow arc 
 to the grain ; profitable^ and, in fome cafes, ne- 
 cejjary. And when we have weathered out the 
 winter, the nearer we approach to that great 
 day of harveft, on which the fovereign hufband- 
 man ihall reap us into his garner, we may hope, 
 that we fhall ripen with greater celerity ; fhall 
 haften more and more to perfection, the more 
 haftily we fpeed towards the place of univerfal 
 reft ; and fhatt come, (to ufe the fine words of 
 the facred writer) to our grave , in a full age y an 
 age full of years, and full of fruit s^ as a Jheck of 
 corn comet b in in its fcafon. For 
 
 TTht foul's dark cottage^ batter* d and decay d, 
 Lets in new lights^ thro 1 chinks^ that time IMS 
 
 made ; 
 
 Stronger by iveaknefij ivifer men become . . 
 As they draw near to their eternal home. 
 Leaving the old^ both worlds at once they vieWy. 
 Wbo Jland upon the tbrejhold of the new. 
 
 WALLER* 
 
 NUM.
 
 N 43. THE VISITOR. 30.5 
 
 NUMBER XLIII. 
 
 'Tune omnia rebar 
 Conjilio frmata Dei. 
 
 CLAUDIAN. 
 
 To the VISITOR. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 I Believe that many ferious and contemplative 
 minds have been frequently embarrafs'd, ir 
 their reflections upon the hurtful animals of the 
 creation. But I am thoroughly perfuaded, thai 
 all the difficulties which occur in fuch fpecula- 
 tions, arife from the imperfection of our know- 
 ledge. We know very little of the fyftem arounc 
 us : Whence it is no wonder that we are lofl 
 and confounded, amidft the various exhibition! 
 of Almighty Power. Anatomifts allure us, thai 
 there are, in the human ftru&ure, many ap- 
 pearances, which are inexplicable. The ufes o 
 that confiderable organ, the fpleen, are by nc 
 means fatisfa&orily afcertained, even at this pe. 
 riod. I have learnt, by incidental converfatioru 
 with the faculty, that there are ftill numberlef 
 doubts refting upon the defigns and fecretions o 
 the moft important Vifcera, I am told that th< 
 brain is fuch a complicated piece of divine work 
 
 manfhip
 
 306 THE VISITOR. N a 43. 
 
 manfhip, as to puzzle the mod curious and di- 
 ligent enquirers into this ftupendous fabric. If 
 we are fo poorly acquainted with ourfehes^ how 
 cautious and modeft ought we to be in our ftric- 
 tures upon fubje&s, which are of a more e*- 
 trinflc and foreign nature ? 
 
 But, with your permiflton, I will endeavour 
 to give an air of novelty to my further fcnti- 
 ments, by cloathing them in the drefs of a Fable, 
 which, perhaps, may not be altogether unac- 
 ceptable to the younger part of your readers, 
 I am, Sir, 
 
 Your moft humble fervant. 
 
 Tbt folly of paj/ing an hajiy and derogatory judg- 
 ment upon the noxious dnimals of the Creation. 
 
 A FABLE. 
 The BEAU and the Vi PER. 
 
 A Beau imported frefh from France^ 
 Whofe ftudy was to drefs and dance j 
 Who had betimes in Gallia's fchooJ, 
 Grafted the coxcomb on the fool ; 
 Approach'd a Grove one fummer's day, 
 To (hade him from the fcorching ray : 
 When ftrait a Viper's folds were feen, 
 Sparkling with azure gold and green. 
 The Beau indignant, vain, and proud, 
 
 Reprcfs'd his fteps, and cry'd aloud : 
 
 Dctcftcd
 
 N* 43. THE VISITOR. 307 
 
 Detefted fiend ! forego the light, 
 Avaunt, thou torture to my fight ; 
 To every reptile a difgrace, 
 And fatal to the human race. 
 'Tis ftrange philofophers maintain, 
 Nature created nought in vain ; 
 For what emoluments can fpring 
 From the fell fcorpions deadly fting ? 
 Or,' what avail the viperine bands, 
 Marfhall'd on Libya's burning fands ? 
 What ills arife, when locufts reign, 
 Whofe armies defolate the plain ? 
 Well may their legions fcatter fear, 
 When famine follows in their rear ! 
 What herds bewail the tyger's jaw ? 
 What flocks the wolfs infatiate maw ? 
 How many feather'd tyrants (hare 
 The fpacious empire of the air? 
 Rivers deftru&ive hofts contain, 
 Devouring myriads crowd the main : 
 Thus when we view this nether fphere, 
 Nor goodnefs nor defign appear. 
 
 The Viper rais'd his angry creft, 
 An honeft warmth infpir'd his breaft : 
 His hifllngs ftruck the fopling's ear, 
 And fhook his daftard foul with fear. 
 
 Inglorious wretch ! the Viper cries. 
 How dare you broach infernal lies J 
 If ought's defective in the plan, 
 'Tis that ungrateful reptile, man. 
 
 Come,
 
 3 o8 THE VISITOR. N 43. 
 
 Come, lay your haughty airs afide, 
 For emptmefs fuits ill with pride ; 
 Science and worth difclaim all part, 
 When levities engrofs the heart. 
 What, tho' in borrow'd gold you fhine, 
 Pale is your gold, compar'd with mine : 
 Your veftments boaft a garter-blue, 
 My azure is my native hue : 
 You to your Taylor owe fuccefs i 
 A Viper fcorns fictitious drefs. 
 
 You call me fatal to your race- 
 Was ever charge fo falfe and bafe ? 
 You can't in all your annals find, 
 Uninjur'd Vipers hurt mankind. 
 Uninjur'd men in mifchief deal, 
 We only bite the hoftile heel. 
 
 Do not we yield our lives to feed * r 
 And fave your vile diftemper'd breed ? 
 When leprofy pollutes your veins, 
 Do not we purge the loathfome ftains ? 
 When riot and excefs prevail, 
 And health, and ftrength, and fpirits fail, 
 Doctors from us their aids derive, 
 Hence penitential Rakes revive ; 
 We bleed to make the caitiffs dine, 
 Or drown to medicate their wine. 
 
 You afk, my poifon to what end ? 
 Minute philofopher, attend. 
 
 Nature 
 
 * Upon fome occafions Vipers arc drefled and ferved t 
 table like eels.
 
 N 43. T H E V I S I T O R. $09 
 
 Nature munificent and wife, 
 To all our wants adapts fupplies. 
 Our frames are fuited to our need, 
 Hence grey-hounds are endued with fpeed. 
 But, fceptick doth not fpeed imply 
 Or legs to run, or wings to fly ? 
 Thefe are by birds and beafts engroft, 
 Speed cannot be the Viper's boaft. 
 Lions by force their prey fubdue, 
 From force their regal pow'r they drew : 
 But ftrength, altho' the Lion's fame, 
 Was never known the Viper's claim: 
 Obferve, when I unroll my length- 
 Say, is my ftru&ure made for ftrength ? 
 My jaws are form'd by nature weak, 
 Hence poifon lurks within my cheek : 
 As lightning, quick my fangs convey 
 This liquid to my wounded prey : 
 The venom thus infures my bite, 
 For wounds preclude the victim's flight. 
 
 But whence this painful juice, you cry, 
 To make the wretched captive dye ? 
 Why not pofiefs'd of ftronger jaws ? 
 Or arm'd like favage brutes with claws ? 
 
 Can fuch weak arguments perfuade ? 
 Afk rather, why were Vipers made ? 
 My frame compleat in every parr, 
 Proclaims aloud my Maker's art. 
 I ne'er at birds, or beafts repine, 
 Nor wifh their different talents mine. 
 
 T
 
 3 io THE VISITOR. N 43. 
 
 To me my poifon's power and wealth j 
 To thanklefs man 'tis partial health. 
 In this benevolent defign 
 My various organs all combine. 
 'Tis to the fame important end, 
 That all my purple currents tend, 
 From ftreams, which gave my venom birth^ 
 My healing pow'rs derive their worth. 
 Thus by the fame myfterious tide, 
 Health and deftru&ion are fupply'd. 
 Strike out the poifon from my frame, 
 My fyftem were no more the fame. 
 Were I deny'd the means to kill, 
 Wou'd not my prey elude my Ik ill ? 
 Death muft await the viper's brood, 
 Precluded all returns of food. 
 Were our extinction to enfue, 
 Your fpecies wou'd be fufferers too* 
 For to our family and merit 
 Phyficians owe their fees and credit. 
 New learn, 'tis arrogance in man 
 To cenfure what he cannot fcan. 
 Nor dare t$ charge God's works, with ill, 
 Since Vipers kind defigns fulfill : 
 But give injurious fcruples o'er; 
 Be ftill, be humble, and adore. 
 
 N. 
 
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