depart to your kinsfolk, your countrymen, to all thofe whofe lives and liberties you have fo nobly redeemed, provided you refufe not the tokens of our efteem. Yet we would rather bind you to ourselves, by every endearing obligation; and, for this purpofe, we offer to you your choice of the gifts and honours which Edward has to bestow. Rivals for fame, but always friends to virtue, we wish that England were intitled to call you her fons." "Ah, my country!" exclaimed Pierre, "it is now that I tremble for you. Edward only wins our cities, but Philippa conquers our hearts."

On betraying private Conversation.

AMONGST all the beauties and excellencies of the

ancient writers, of which I profess myself an admirer, there are none which strike me with more veneration, than the precepts they have delivered to us for our conduct in fociety. The fables of the poets, and the narrations of the hiftorians, amuse and delight us with their respective qualifications; but we feel ourfelves particularly concerned, when a moral virtue or a focial obligation is fet before us, the practice of which is our indifpenfible duty: And, perhaps, we are more ready to observe these instructions, or at least acquiefce fooner in the propriety of them, as the authority of the teacher is unquestionable, the addrefs not particularly confined or levelled, and the cenfure confequently lefs dogmatical.

Of all the virtues which the ancients poffeffed, the zeal and fidelity of their friendships appear to me as the highest diftinctions of their characters. Private perfons, and particular affinities amongst them, have been long celebrated and admired; and if we examine their conduct as companions, we shall find that the rites of their religion were not more facred, more ftrongly ratified, nor more feverely preferved, than their laws of fociety.

The table of friendship, and the altar of facrifice, were equally uncontaminated: The mysteries of Bacchus were enveloped with as many leaves as those of Ceres; and the profanation of either deity excluded the offender from the affemblies of men: The revealer was judged accurfed, and impiety was thought to accompany his steps.

Without inveighing against the practice of the prefent times, or comparing it with that of the paft, I fhall only remark, that if we cannot meet together upon the honeft principles of social beings, there is reafon to fear

that

that we are placed in the most unfortunate and lamentable æra fince the creation of mankind. It is not the increase of vices infeparable from humanity that alarms us, the riots of the licentious, or the outrages of the profligate; but it is the abfence of that integrity, the neglect of that virtue, the contempt of that honour, which, by connecting individuals, formed fociety, and without which fociety can no longer exist.

Few men are calculated for that clofe connection, which we diftinguish by the appellation of friendship; and we well know the difference between a friend and an acquaintance: The acquaintance is in a poft of progreffion; and, after having paffed through a course of proper experience, and given sufficient evidence of his merit, takes a new title, and ranks himself higher. He must now be confidered as in a place of confequence; in which all the ornaments of our nature are neceffary to fupport him. But the great requifites; thofe without which all others are ufelefs, are fidelity and taciturnity. He muft not only be fuperior to loquacious imbecility, he must be well able to reprefs the attacks of curiofity, and to refift thofe powerful engines that will be employed against him, wine and refentment. Such are the powers that he must conftantly exert, after a truft is repofed in him: And that he may not overload himself, let him not add to his charge, by his own enquiries; let it be a devolved, not an acquired commiffion.

-They, who mysteries reveal,
Beneath my roof shall never live,

Shall never hoist with me the doubtful sail.

FRANCIS.

There are as few inftigations in this country to a breach of confidence, as fincerity can rejoice under. The betrayer is for ever fhut out from the ways of men, and his difcoveries are deemed the effects of malice. We wifely imagine, he must be actuated by other motives than the promulgation of truth; and we receive

his evidence, however we may use it, with contempt. Political exigencies may require a ready reception of fuch private advices: But though the neceffities of government admit the intelligence, the wifdom of it but barely encourages the intelligencer. There is no name fo odious to us as that of an informer. The very alarm in our streets at the approach of one, is a fufficient proof of the general abhorrence of this character.

Since thefe are the confequential conditions upon which men acquire this denomination, it may be asked, what are the inducements to the treachery? I do not fuppofe it always proceeds from the badnefs of the mind; and indeed I think it impoffible that it fhould, in one who only defigned to gratify his own loquacity, or the importunity of his companion.

The Continence of Scipio Africanus.

THE

THE foldiers, after the taking of New Carthage, brought before Scipio a young lady of fuch diftinguished beauty, that the attracted the eyes of all wherever he went. Scipio, by inquiring concerning her country and parents, among other things learned, that she was betrothed to Allucius, prince of the Celtiberians. He immediately ordered her parents and bridegroom to be sent for. In the mean time he was informed, that the young prince was fo exceffively enamoured of his bride, that he could not furvive the lofs of her. For this reafon, as foon as he appeared, and before he spoke to her parents, he took great care to talk with him. "As you and I are both young," faid he, "we can converfe together with greater free"dom. When your bride, who had fallen into the " hands of my foldiers, was brought before me, I was "informed that you loved her paffionately; and, in "truth, her perfect beauty left me no room to doubt "of it. If I were at liberty to indulge a youthful "paffion, I mean honourable and lawful wedlock, "and were not folely engroffed by the affairs of my "republic, I might have hoped to have been pardoned "my exceffive love for fo charming a miftrefs. But " as I am fituated, and have it in my power, with pleasure I promote your happiness. Your future spouse has met with as modeft and civil treatment "from me, as if fhe had been amongst her own pa"rents, who are foon to be yours too. I have kept " her pure, in order to have it in my power to make you a prefent worthy of you and me. The only "return I ask of you for this favour is, that you will "be a friend to the Roman people; and that if you "believe me to be a man of worth, as the ftates of "Spain formerly experienced my father and uncle to "be, you may know there are many in Rome who re

G 2

femble