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her prifon; the difficulties attending fuch an undertaking, and the dreadful punishments that would be inflicted on the perpetrators of fuch a crime, rendered every precaution neceffary to enfure fuccefs.

⚫ Chance, however, completed what years of indefatigable induftry might not have accomplished: the abbefs of St. Terefe was fuddenly feized with an alarming indifpofition, her life was fuppofed to be in extreme danger, and as the lady Louifa was of the highest rank among the holy fifterhood, fhe was entrusted with entire government of the convent, and unlimited poffeffion of the rights of a fuperior. It was not difficult, under these circumftances, to accomplish her wifh; my letters were delivered without creating the smallest fufpicion, and the rapturous hour was appointed for her escape from mifery.

Her heart was fufceptible of the finest paffions; she relied on my honour, and I never deceived her. She had long confidered herself as a victim doomed to eternal folitude; the extraordinary change my propofitions prefented, the profpect of happiness that opened to her foul, gave energy to hope, and ftrength to refolution! I provided horfes, and a convenient disguise, heaven smiled upon the deed, and gave to my fond arms the beautiful Louisa.

• We traversed the wood for fome miles, and taking the route toward Marseilles, in three days reached that port in fafety.

There we were united in holy bands. The mistress of my affections became the wife of my bofom! and I-became the proud poffeffor of a treasure worlds could not have purchafed !

Having procured a veffel, we fet fail for Florence: the winds were propitious, we arrived unmolefted at Leghorn, and from thence proceeded to the most beautiful city in the univerfe!

My adored Louifa, whofe early days had been devoted to religious

duties, evinced not the smallest defire to relinquish the delights of retirement; her mind, accustomed to an uninterrupted scene of tranquillity, dreaded to engage in the tumultuous buftle of the bufy world. We hired a beautiful little villa in the vicinity of Florence, and, bleft in the full poffeffion of all that mutual affection and mental gratification could afford, looked down with pity on the proudest diftinctions in the power of any earthly monarch to bestow!

Three delicious years of perfec happiness cemented the bonds of undeviating attachment, when a ragatta, in celebration of the pope's acceffion awoke the attention, and excited the curiofity of all ranks of people.

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My Louifa was tempted to partake of the amufement; and in the midft of delightful feftivity, when every heart bounded with rapture— mine alone received the dreadful fiat of eternal anguish!

The Arno was beautifully ferene; the filvery surface reflecting, as in a gently moving mirror, the verdant banks floping to the margin, enamelled with flowers, and crowded with fpectators. Thousands of little boats decorated with variegated ftreamers, were feen skimming along the lucid current; fome containing the moft dulcet harmony, and others lightly fhading with their filken awnings, the fparkling eyes and rofeate blushes of enchanting beauty!

'My Louifa was charmed with this new and fascinating Spectacle, our barchetta, which was decorated with feftoons of myrtle, was gently rowed by youths, dreffed in the habits of Arcadian fhepherds. The mind, charmed to repofe by the enchanting fcene, funk into that fweet indolence, which, like the flumber of wearied. and exhausted nature, replenishes its faculties, and awaken its perfections to renovated luftre! My Louisa reclined her gentle form upon a matrefs of yellow taffata; the warmth of the evening heightened the glow upon her lovely cheek, and threw a deli

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cious

cious languor on her eyes, that rendered her the object of univerfal admiration!

My heart was full of raptureI beheld my precious treasure with more delight than language can defcribe. The universe had nothing to bestow, beyond what I poffeffed, and my enchanted fenfes could fcarcely conceive any thing more divine, even in the regions of celestial happiness!

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The unfortunate De Clairville was returning from his travels; deftined to a military life, he had lately received a commiffion, and was haftening to join his regiment, then at Lyons.

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He had long given up the fruitlefs fearch after his adored fifterFate brought her to his view-then clofed his eyes for ever.

The count having given the first affault, my punishment was mitigated;

and afterward, perpetual banishment
from a country, whofe laws I had
violated, and whofe annals I had
ftained with blood.-The former part
of my fentence expired in days of
weeping, and in nights of anguish
till the excefs of grief produced a ful-
len ftupor, that rendered me infenfible
to every calamity.

We arrested our oars, to gratify the foul with the exquifite harmony proceeding from a magnificent barge moored near the margin of the river; when, on a fudden, a young man, of my doom ten years imprisonment; athletic form and noble mien, darted forward, and feizing my beloved Louifa, was bearing her in his arms to a boat along-fide of us. Every nerve that quivered round my heart, throbbed at this unexpected outrage; the ftranger committed his prize to the care of his companions, then advancing toward me, drew a ftiletto from his fleeve, and aimed a stroke at my unguarded breaft. I warded off the blow, and turned his daftard weapon on himself.-The point entered his heart-he funk breathlefs at feet.

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Louifa opened her beauteous eyes to all the horrors of despair and death! She had only time to exclaim, My brother!' when the life-blood rufhing from her convulfive lip-fhe hid her icy cheek in my diftracted bofomand inftantly expired.

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Frenzy now feizing on my tortured brain, fuggefted the foul crime of felf-annihilation; but juftice, like a pitying cherubim, fnatched the dire weapon, reeking with kindred blood, from my affaffin hand. I was torn from the lifeless victims of impatience, and thrown into the dungeon of horror and repentance. The count de Clairville, the brother of my murdered angel, was the only relation relentlefs fate had left her; her name is now extinct-but her virtues are immortal! She had been compelled to take the veil from a base and little pride, which too frequently facrifices

• Time gave again to my fad eyes the chearful light of heaven, and with it, all the pangs of fatal recollection ! Driven from fociety, an alien to my native country-an outcast from every hope of future happinefs-alone, unfriended, loft, forgotten-I knew not whither direct my course, one half of my little fortune was forfeited to the ftate, and meagre poverty ftretched forth her icy fangs to feal my destiny. By perfeverance through a long and painful journey, I arrived in Spain, a wanderer, and unknown, labouring under all the agonies of conscious mifery.

I have from that hour refided among the mountains in the vicinity of Madrid. My hovel was too obfcure to excite curiofity, and its folitary tenant too poor to dread interruption. Poverty and forrow are the ftrongeft fecurities against the intrufions of mankind; let adverfity guard your threshold, and you may enjoy an uninterrupted life of mournful feclufion.

Yet I do not prefume to repine, for alas! every hour convinces me

that

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tributary tear-it fell upon his hand that refted on his ftaff as the flood near him-he preffed it to his lipsit revived his mournful heart-for it was the holy tear of commiferating virtue!

Before the fun rofe from its eaftern canopy, the Pilgrim refumed his toilfome journey of penitence and for row.

REFLECTIONS on the common Causes of DOMESTIC INFELICITY. N a former effay, fome reflections complained of. Self-love gives out were offered concerning Happi- own peculiar temper a more amiable, nefs; and it was there attempted to at leaft a more tolerable face, than be fhewn, that this ever-courted, but that in which another person can view ever-diftant bleffing, was more within it. We think it is not evil in itself, the reach of mortals, than most men and if there be any evil in it, we imseem to apprehend; that it was only pute it either to an exceffive measure neceffary, in order to enjoy it, to com- thereof, or to fome causes having expare our state with that of others in cited it beyond its common bounds. lefs comfortable circumftances and fi- On the contrary, every peculiarity tuations, and to add content and of temper in another perfon, not in thankfulness to the bleffings we feve- our own view laudable, we see with rally enjoy; agreeably to the adage, eyes of prejudice, and condemn with which, however trite, is nevertheless the judgment of partiality, and seldom true. Where content is, there is of truth. Hence, we nurture in ourhappiness. It is now a natural in- felves what is offenfive to others, and quiry, what are the common caufes fee with more and more dislike, that of its reverfe? The more frequent of in them which is not pleafing to us: thefe (to wave at prefent, the con- hence, fharp reprehenfion, bitter infideration of others) are the effects vective, and increafing animofity, inwhich our own peculiarities of temper ftead of the kindness, impartiality, have on those with whom we dwell, and veracity of friendship. The geand the effects which theirs have on nerous are continually reproaching us. Difference of temper is a con- the prudent with avarice, while the tinual cause of domeftic feuds. And extravagant are expreffing the moft the reason why it is fo, is the want pointed terms of difpleasure against of knowing, or the want of confi- the cautious; and the obfervation will dering from what fources thefe diffi- occur in innumerable other inftances. milarities arise; the effects they are So much for the disease; but what, intended to produce; and the ufes and where, is the remedy? It certainly to which they are capable of being lies in this- to perfuade curselves, that applied. Every natural temper is, every native complexion of mind is perhaps, with fome few exceptions, equally good and bad, with others; much the fame as every other, is lia- and appears peculiarly difgufting only ble to much the fame objections, and to thofe whofe minds are of a diffimiis capable of much the fame uses; the lar or an oppofite caft. To this, and excess of each, only, conftituting the its effects on our peace of mind, we evil, and producing the mischiefs may afcribe the most general fource * See page 115.

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Con- they are remediable; but all content tion and irritation will inflame and increase them. And I avow, that there is nothing of meanness of spirit, or abjectness of mind in this--but chriftian charity and patience are exercifed and promoted by it. A foft answer,' fays Solomon, turneth away wrath; but grievous words ftir up anger.' And the great apostle of the Gentiles exhorts, Revenge not yourselves; but rather give place unto wrath,' and again, • Be kindly affectioned one toward another; forgiving one another.'

of our domeftic infelicities.
vinced of this truth, of fovereign
aid to peace,' much advantage may
be derived from mutual forbearance,
which nothing can fo effectually teach,
as a thorough belief of this neceffary
axiom. And it is neceffary, more-
over, to learn from it, as well as bear
with it. It is not only a virtue to
be practifed, but it also becomes a
leffon of inftruction, to be learnt.
From the avaricious, let the expenfive
learn-not to be covetous, but to be
prudent. From the extravagant, the
penurious may learn to be generous;
and fo of others. One peculiarity of
temper may be a monitor and a ba-
lance to another: each may learn
from, and bear with, its oppofite;
yet where, in any inftance, excefs is
perceived, or likely to be produced,
it may be diminished or prevented,
by feasonable and friendly admoni-
tions: but fuch admonition, in order
to be effectual, must ever be offered
in wisdom, with temper, and from
friendship; never in diflike, or with
acrimony. Mutual forbearance and
amicable faithfulness, will ever prove
a certain remedy for thofe evils, where

WH

May diffimilar tempers and difpofitions, therefore, not only bear with, and exercise charity toward each other; but avail themselves of what they have heretofore confidered as an evil; and learn from each other. Let each be an excitement to virtue, a lesson of inftruction, and a cause of improvement, to another: fo fhall we be the children of our father who is in heaven; who causeth his rain to defcend, and his fun to fhine, on the evil and on the good, on the just and on the unjust.'

MORALIS.

COMMERCE.

Important REFLECTIONS on [From Paine's Rights of Man, Part II. ] HATEVER has a tendency to promote the civil intercourfe of nations, by an exchange of benefits, is a subject as worthy of philofophy as of politics. Commerce is no other than the traffic of two individuals, multiplied on a scale of numbers; and by the fame rule that nature intended the intercourfe of two, fhe intended that of all. For this purpose she has diftributed the materials of manufactures and commerce, in various and diftant parts of a nation and of the world; and as they cannot be procured by war fo cheaply

or fo commodiously as by commerce, fhe has rendered the latter the means of extirpating the former.

As the two are nearly the oppofites of each other, confequently, the uncivilized state of European governments is injurious to commerce. Every kind of deftruction or embarraffinent ferves to leffen the quantity, and it matters but little in what part of the commercial world the reduction begins. Like blood, it cannot be taken from any of the parts, without being taken from the whole mafs in circulation, and all partake of the lofs.

* Mr. Paine had just before said, that, in this country, there are two distinct characters of government; the one, the civil government, or the government of laws, which operates at home; the other, the court, or cabinet government, which operates abroad, on the rude plan of uncivilized life, &c.

When the ability in any nation to buy is deftroyed, it equally involves the feller. Could the government of England destroy the commerce of all other nations, he would most effectually ruin her own.

It is poffible that a nation may be the carrier for the world, but fhe cannot be the merchant. She cannot be the feller and the buyer of her own merchandize. The ability to buy muft refide out of herfelf; and, therefore, the profperity of any commercial nation is regulated by the profperity of the rest. If they are poor fhe cannot be rich, and her condition, be it what it may, is an index of the height of the commercial tide in other nations.

That the principles of commerce, and its univerfal operation may be understood, without understanding the practice, is a position that reason will not deny; and it is on this ground only that I argue the fubject. It is one thing in the counting-houfe, in the world it is another. With respect to its operation it muft neceffarily be contemplated as a reciprocal thing; that only one half its powers refides within the nation, and that the whole is as effectually destroyed by destroying the half that refides without, as if the deftruction had been committed on that which is within; for neither can act without the other.

When in the laft, as well as in former wars, the commerce of England funk, it was because the general quantity was leffened every where; and it now rifes, because commerce is in a rifing ftate in every nation. If England, at this day, imports and exports more than at any former period, the nations with which the trades muft neceffarily do the fame; her im

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There can be no fuch thing as a nation flourishing alone in commerce; the can only participate; and the deftruction of it in any part muft neceffarily affect all. When, therefore, governments are at war, the attack is made upon the common stock of commerce, and the confequence is the fame as if each had attacked his own.

The present increase of commerce is not to be attributed to ministers, or to any political contrivances, but to its own natural operations in confequence of peace. The regular markets had been deftroyed, the channels of trade broken up, the high road of the feas infefted with robbers of every nation, and the attention of the world called to other objects. Thofe interruptions have ceased, and peace has restored the deranged condition of things to their proper or der*.

It is worth remarking, that every nation reckons the balance of trade in its own favour; and therefore fomething must be irregular in the conmon ideas upon this fubject.

The fact, however, is true, according to what is called a balance; and it is from this caufe that commerce is univerfally fupported. Every nation feels the advantage, or it would abandon the practice: but the deception lies in the mode of making up the accounts, and in attributing what are called profits to a wrong caufe.

Mr. Pitt has fometimes amufed himfelf, by thewing what he called a balance of trade from the custom-house books. This mode of calculation, not only affords no rule that is true, bat one that is falfe.

* In America, the increase of commerce is greater in propo tion than in England. It is, at this time, at leaft one half more than at any period prior to the revolution. The greatest number of veffels cleared out of the port of Philadelphia, before the commencement of the war, was between eight and nin hundred. In the year 1788, the number was upward of twelve undred. As the ftate of Pennsylvania is estimated as an eighth part of the United States in population, the whole number of veffels must now be nearly ten thousand. B b

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