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not only when the reality was open to beholders, but afterwards, when it was represented in sham splendour on the stage. There were also the dandy horses, as the phrase was, which were almost expected to supersede the use of living ones, and enable people to fly about with incredible speed. In all such examples, we may see the great influence which the love of novelty has upon the mind. The force of custom is infinitely less, for it seldom succeeds in fixing that attention, which novelty has attracted.

We may further observe, that to the love of novelty must, in a great measure, be imputed the anxious desire, which is so often felt by many, to read or hear of witches, ghosts, and other real or imaginary beings of a supernatural order. It is from the same cause, that poetry, history, biography, voyages and travels, novels and romances, and newspapers, are objects of more general and intense interest, than any other species of publications: they abound in what is new and singular, and thus gratify the love of novelty. In like manner, experimental philosophy is more interesting than the speculative and abstract, because it continually presents the mind with something new.

Indeed, the pleasure arising from the pursuit of knowledge in general, is, in no small degree, attributable to the love of novelty, which is gratified by the acquisition of new ideas. We may trace in this, the benevolent wisdom of the Deity, who hath thus endowed us with inclinations tending to our improvement.

For such the bounteous providence of Heav'n,

In every breast implanting this desire

Of objects new and strange, to urge us on
With unremitted labour to pursue

Those sacred stores, that wait the ripening soul,
In truth's exhaustless bosom.*

The same universal feeling pervades the human character, and is constantly observable in the conduct of mankind. It leads them to neglect objects, however familiar, for such as are recommended by the charms of novelty. Hence, the ardour with which new pursuits are followed, new systems adopted, and new characters admired. Hence, too, the pleasure in new situations of life. That variety is charming, has become proverbial; and new brooms always sweep clean. Masters are pleased with new servants, and servants, with new places; landlords with new tenants, and tenants with new houses; new acquaintances are invariably most engaging people, and whenever a change takes place, of whatever nature, it is always, at first, for the better. Kings have been

* Akenside's Pleasures of Imagination.

known to offer a reward to any one, who should find them new pleasure; and of the whole population of Athens, weread in Scripture, that "all the Athenians and strangers which were there, spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing." Of many other cities, in modern times, it would not be far from the truth to make the same observation.

Such is the influence which the love of novelty possesses. The force of custom is by no means equally prevalent. It is infinitely longer in producing any effect at all, and the instances in which it does operate with any force, are so comparatively few, that where an individual is affected by that in one respect, he is affected by the love of novelty in a thou sand. To maintain, then, that mankind are more influenced by custom than by novelty, is to contradict the experience of all past times, and to reject the daily evidence of our senses.

IN REPLY, the Opener made the following comments on the remarks of his opponents.

It has been observed, that neither custom nor novelty has any effect upon nations, beyond its influence upon the individuals of which they are composed. Perhaps this is true; and, if so, the inquiry becomes confined to the single question, which produces the more extensive and permanent effect upon individuals. The disputants on each side have appealed to facts, to history, to daily experience; and have cited various instances, to shew the great influence which custom and novelty both exercise in turns. It cannot be denied, that each occasionally produces a powerful effect; and it seems, on the whole, probable, with regard to numbers only, that their influence is nearly equal. There is no man whom novelty will not at times attract; and where is he to be found, on whom custom has no power? But the degree or duration of the influence in question, is the principal point; and, in that respect, the force of custom is by far the greater.

From all the examples which have been cited, to illustrate the effect of novelty, it is clearly of a very transitory nature. Its grasp may at first be powerful, but it is soon relinquished; from that of custom, however, there is no escape; on the contrary, its vigour daily increases. Though its growth is slow, its roots takes firm hold; but that of novelty is so easily checked, that it soon decays. Now, that must be considered as having the greater influence, which, when it obtains any, keeps, and strengthens, and extends it; not that, which, though for a moment it may carry men away, soon leaves them as free

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Wonder and surprise are suddenly produced, and affect us strongly, but they always speedily subside. Fear at a new object of terror, soon wears off, as the raw recruit soon acquires the courage of the veteran. So our delight in a new object of pleasure soon ceases, as the beauty of a fashion vanishes with its novelty. Custom creates a habit; novelty excites merely a momentary feeling. But what more clearly shows the superior force of custom is this, that whenever they come in competition, novelty is obliged to yield. Novelty only recommends, at first, what has often no other attraction; but custom makes that desirable, which was originally disgusting. When custom has once established her reign, it is in vain for novelty either to tempt or assail her: she remains unshaken, and her resistance ensures victory.

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If the love of novelty leads the traveller from his home, the force of custom confirms a habit of restlessness. But it is those only, on whom custom has had no time to operate, that novelty chiefly affects. It is the young and the unsettled, whose curiosity leads them into foreign climes; not those who have been accustomed to a particular mode of life. When habits have been once acquired, the influence of novelty is destroyed. It is powerful only when it has nothing to counteract it. Custom may, indeed, be broken through before it has continued long; but it is wholly uncontrollable, when once firmly established. The very gratification of the love of novelty, is destructive of itself; for the mind becomes, at length, fatigued or satiated by incessant change, and longs for something on which to settle and repose.

With regard to public objects of attraction, those which are the most striking at first, the soonest cease to please; while, on the contrary, those which attain celebrity by slow degrees, when society is once accustomed to them, retain their influence without cessation or abatement, varying only, if at all, by an increase of vigour. The former part of this observation is confirmed, by many of the examples cited on the other side; and, in support of the latter part, we need only refer to the history of the stage.

The beneficial consequences, which, in some respects, result from the love of novelty, have nothing to do with the question it is influence, not utility, that forms the subject of inquiry.

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If it be a proverb,-that variety is charming; it is no less an adage, that custom is second nature. If masters are pleased with new servants, it is seldom long; and an old one is usually dismissed with reluctance. That landlords like new tenants, when their old ones are good, is certainly a new discovery; and tenants only like new houses, as people, in general, like

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new things, they are pleased at first, but the impression soon wears off.

Custom, in short, may be compared to education, which operates slowly, but leaves a deep impression; novelty, to a succession of striking lectures, pleasing on delivery, but carrying no conviction. Inasmuch, then, as the force of custom produces the more durable effect, so must its influence on mankind be greater, than that which is possessed by the love of novelty.

ZEIMA'S LAMENT FOR SAPHIR.

THE evening shell blew loud and sweet,
When Saphir's toils were over,
And home he turn'd his joyful feet,
Where Zeima waited, blest to greet
Her ever-constant lover.

Now cold, alas! dear plantain tree,
Cold and insensible is he,

Who taught thee first to grow;
In weeping, then, unite with me,
And share my hopeless woe.

Ne'er shall I cease his loss to mourn,
Which causes now my anguish.
Oh! why was he thus from me torn?
Why was I left behind forlorn,
In widow'd grief to languish?
Still, in my dreams, dear plantain tree,
His much-lov'd form, from labour free,
I view beneath thy shade;

As once, with hearts enraptur'd, we
Reclin'd within the glade.

Lamented Saphir! here below
On thee I think for ever;
Though ocean's tide may cease to flow,
And Sol to dart his fervid glow,

To love thee, I will never.

He hears me not, sad plantain tree ;
Then fail not thou to weep with me,
But yield a mournful shade,
Which soothing to my soul may be,
Now down with sorrow weigh'd. ·

List to my plaint, thou ocean deep,
Where Gambia's spirits hover,-
Savanna green-and mountain steep-
Till Zeima in the grave shall sleep,
And join her injur'd lover.
Now blest above, dear plantain tree,
My Saphir dwells, no more to be
Torn from his blissful home;

I, too, shall soon from grief be free,
Though wretched now I roam.

ON EPISTOLARY CORRESPONDENCE.

PART II.

R. B.

LATER ENGLISH LETTERS.

THE first person in this country who attained any considerable excellence in letter-writing was James Howell. In his correspondence, the example was set, of that truth in sentiment, that ease and brevity of expression, and that welltempered familiarity of manner, which good taste requires; and a manifest improvement has been ever since visible in similar productions. Even now, though the general sentiments of Mr. Howell have become common-place by incessant repetition, there is still a freshness and sweetness about him that surprises and enchants. It is, however, not to be supposed, that he is entirely free from that quaintness, both of conception and language, which characterized the times in which he lived. The following is a favourable specimen, and will not be read without interest. It is addressed from the Fleet Prison, into which he had been cast by the prevailing faction, and is dated May 5, 1643.

"SIR,-There is no such treasure as a true friend: it is a treasure far above that of Saint Mark's in Venice ;* a treasure that is not liable to those casualties which others are liable unto, as to plundering and burglary, to bankrupts and ill debtors, to firing and shipwrecks; for, when one has lost one's fortune by either of these disasters, he may recover them all in a true friend, who is always a sure and staple commodity. This is verified in you, who have stuck so close to me in these my pressures; like a glow-worm, you have shined unto me in the

* At that period, probably, the most wealthy spot in Europe.

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