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ver ourselves, and make peace with
the two powers; which is of the ut-
most importance; which at any other
time would have been fufficient to re-
ftore general tranquillity, but produces
at prefent no other benefit than to fi-
nish the war in a lefs inglorious man
Der. I wish, from the bottom of my
heart, that heaven may preferve you
many years; that I may have the plea
fure of feeing, hearing, and embracing
you once more. In all appearance,
you will foon be peaceable inhabitants
at Berlin; but with regard to us, we
fhall probably be obliged to fight till
all the fire of nature is extinguished.
It must, however, nifh at laft; and
the only agreeable profpect which peace
opens to me, is to affure you, viva
voce, of the great efteem with which
I remain, my dear madam,

Your faithful friend,
FREDERICK."

June 27th.

have a right to claim a kifs for my reward-therefore prepare. Finette may fay what the pleafes; nay, fret herfelf to death; for fince her duke's deceased, fhe gets no kiffes. Farewell, dear mother, pardon the poverty with which I write. I banish all chagrin when left alone to love you, and enjoy the pleasure of entertaining myfelf with you. FREDERICK."

Peterwalde, 19th Ca.

"I wish to take a fortified city every day, my good mother, for the fake of receiving your charming epiftles; but blockheads of commanders are of ten the caufe of my lofing one in a dishonourable manner and though there may be emperors who with me well, yet-But you may judge in what fituation I find myself. If our emperor was still in being, we might probably enjoy peace before the end of the Winter; and you might return, full gallop, to your fandy paradife at Berlin. But the public, who com monly love to flatter themselves beforehand, thought, without foundation, that peace muft neceffarily follow the taking the Schweidnitz-perhaps you might have been of the fame opinion; on the contrary, it appears to me, that 'our enemies have not yet the least de. fire of reconciliation. Judge then, whether it would be prudent to return to Berlin, on the hazard of flying to Spandau on the firft alarm. You men tion the poor Finette; alas! my dear mother, for these fix months paft, I have not lamented the dead so much as the living. Our life is a miferable one-not worth regretting the lofs of. I wish you much patience, and all the happiness this poor world can yield; but, above all, I wifh the prefervation I of your good temper; the only great and real good which fortune can be. ftow upon you. As far as I am concerned, my old friendship and esteem fhall never ceafe.

"I AM rejoiced, dear mother, at your good temper, and advife you to increase it. Since all fublunary things must have an end, it is to be hoped, that this curfed war will not be the only thing eternally exifting. Ever fince grim-faced death has been fo kind to take off a certain intriguing filter in the North, our fituation is turned to advantage, and proves far more tolerable than it was before. You fpeak of Berlin: I wish very much to be able to conduct you thither; but if fo, 'tis not my will that you should be settled, like the birds on a twig-but that you may remain there with all due honour and dignity. Therefore, I wait the period in which this matter will be fixed on a firmer bafis, in order to acquaint you with it. If the iffue proves honourable, shall thank heaven, that we may once more embrace, my dear mother. Yes, I fay, embrace-for in this world you have no other lover but me. You cannot make me jealous and in return for my conftancy and faithfulness, I

Adieu, dear mother,
FREDERICK."

Leipzig, 22d Jan. 1763. "FIFTY-one years, my dear mamma, are no trifle; it is almost the whole stock of the diftaff of Madam Clotho, who fpins the thread of our lives. I thank you for interesting yourself in behalf of an old friend; in whofe fentiments, neither age nor abfence has made the leaft alteration; and who hopes to fee you at Berlin (to fpeak poetically) before Flora has embellished the earth with her flowery prefents. And if I fincerely rejoice at feeing any body in the metropolis, it will be you alone; but take no notice-This is not poetical, but literally true. May heaven protect your days, and fhower its bleflings on you, as much as your virtues deferve. May we meet again in health and happinefs; and may your friendship be ever preferved for me; which I fhall endeavour to merit by an inviolable attachment for you, my dear mother, till envious fate cuts the thread of my life. FREDERICK."

Dahlen, 6th March, 1763. "WE fhall meet again, my dear mother, at the end of this, or beginning of next month. I hope to find you as well, and good tempered, as when we parted. You will find me grown old, nearly childish, and grey as an afs: I almost daily loofe a tooth, and I am lame with the gout: but you will excufe the infirmities of age, and we fhall converfe about past times. Our good Marquis Baireuth is dead -I fincerely lament his lofs. We muft facrifice our friends; and our enemies remain to eternity. Alas! how I dread to fee Berlin, and the

devastations there: but my thoughts fhall be confined to you alone. Farewell, dear mother, FREDERICK."

2d June, 1763.

"YOUR letter and remembrance, my dear mother, gave me real joy, as they were certain proofs of your better health, I an affured that you are in no danger, and that you will shortly recover. Let me recommend you to take the air frequently, which will revive your blood, and re-establish your health. You know my old heart re mains always the fame, and is entire ly formed for loving you, as long as its motions are vibrated by the ftring of life. Take as much care as poffible of yourself, and do not forget me. I lament that you are not here, though you are certainly right to fpare your perfon. In fact, it would not be in my power to enjoy much of your charming company, if you were here; for we are nearly in the fame bustle, as if it were a general convocation of the members of the whole Roman em pire, furrounded with thirty princes and princeffes. Befides, my weak ftate of health prevents my being prefent at all the feafts-it is only on great folemnities that I appear; and in the intervals I endeavour to enjoy fome tranquillity. The old baron ridicules my lame legs, and has ventu red a running match with Prince Henry; but as for me, creeping very lowly with one leg, like a tortoife, I am a fpectator of their feafts, like a paralytic at the ballet of Dennis. When my old legs will permit me to climb. up the stairs of the palace, leading to your apartment, you shall see the eldest of your adorers. FREDERICK."

Extract of a Letter from Maka; written to M. l'Abbé Teffier, by M. de Moncrif, Agent des Affaires for the King of France, in that City.

HIS country is a good deal dif- an European, defirous of information ferent from India, into which concerning the state of the country.

THE

CAR

can easily obtain accefs. Arabia the inhabitants of Tehama are fupported. Happy is divided into two parts the It produces all forts of grain, wheat, Lower, called Tehama, extending from rye, millet, barley, beans, peas, kid the mountains to the fea; and the Up. ney-beans, &c. a variety of fruit-trees; per, Djabel, comprehending the range fuch as fig, peach, almond, plumb, aof mountains. The firft containing pricot, and quince trees, vines, &c. potMoka, Houdeida, Lohia fituated on herbs, medicinal and aromatic plants, the shore, Zabid, and Beit-el-Fach-hi, &c. It rains a good deal there in the is extremely dry, parched, and burnt up courfe of the year, and the tempera by the heat of the fun, and bears no- ture of the air becomes cooler in prothing but date-trees, which thrive beft portion to the height of the mountains; on a light, dry foil, and a few fhrubs; fo that at Sana, the capital, tho' only only, Zabid is fituated at the opening in the latitude of 15 degrees, a pretty of a vale bearing the fame name, fevere cold is felt, according to the ac which is fometimes watered by rains counts of the Arabians. Water frees collected on the neighbouring moun zes there during the Winter nights, tains; and being carefully cultivated, Thefe are all the natural advantages produces feveral forts of grain for the that have gained to this part of Aufe of man and the domeftic animals. rabia the name of the Happy, which But through the whole of Tehama, has been bestowed on it, not on acexcept in the neighbourhood of Zabid, count of its poffefling greater fertility there is not the least verdure to be or beauty than the rest of the world, feen, fave that of date-trees, which is but from its bordering on Arabia Pefar from being chearful, of a few cot- træa and Deferta. For Indoftan, paron trees, and fome fword-grafs and ticularly towards the North, has greatfruit fhrubs fcattered here and there. ly the advantage over it in point of This is what I obferved in a journey fertility and beauty; and tho' in India of thirty leagues between Moka and they have neither peaches, apricots Beit-el-Fach-hi, one of the most fa- plumes, not pears, &c. yet their lofs tiguing that can poffibly be travelled. is not great, and is fufficiently made The fame may be faid of all Tehama, up in other refpects; for all the fruits which is the only part in which Eu- which I have mentioned, have, in ATopeans have any bufinefs, and refide; rabia, a certain difagreeable wildness for beyond its limits they are not al- of taste and flavour, and never ripen lowed to pafs without communicating fully: they are four and dwarfish, in to government the motives of their re- comparison with ours; particularly the moval, and the objects of their travels. peaches, which I have never eaten, even From this, Sit, you perceive that, ex- with wine, without finding them dif cepting the productions which I have agreeable. mentioned, I can draw nothing else from Tehama to gratify your curiofity; and, that if I draw any thing from the mountains, not having it in my power to leave Tehama myfclf, it muft be by means of the Arabians, a fet of haughty, ftupid, and ignorant people, who cannot be brought to compres hend any ideas relative to the arts and fciences without the greateft difculty.

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It would be very useful, Sir, to a perfon in my fituation, to be guided by the obfervations of fome of thofe who have formerly visited Arabia, or the natural productions of the country. Thefe might enable me to make new obfervations, and to diftinguifh those plants which the Arabians gather on the mountains, and ufe for medical purpofes. But I know not of any better defcription than that by M. Niebuhr, and the natural hiftory of the country is what has been leaft

the

the object of his attention. "Tis true, that his province was the civil hiftory, the geography, and fuch other things as are connected with mathematical knowledge. But as he furvived all his fellow-travellers, it would have been very useful, if he had published, along with his own work, with the leave of his Danish Majelty, the Obfervations of MM. Fortkal and Cramer; who had been employed on the natural hiftory of the country, and had doubtlefs made many important obfervations in their travels into the interior parts. However that may be, if thofe gentlemen penetrated into the mountainous parts of Arabia, even as far as Sana, it is what they could not accomplish without encountering a vaft number of difficulties. I am, therefore, obliged to have recourfe to the Arabians for whatever I wish to procure from the mountains, fuch as grains, plants, &c. without knowing whether they will be careful to execute my commiffions. This I have done fome days ago, and though every thing which I have commiffioned be punctually fent me, I fhall still have as much difficulty to know their names, their uses, and the manner in which they are cultivated, &c. What can you expect from people who are perfuaded that the Emperor of Abyffinia is the richest potens

tate in the world, that he is feared by all the monarchs in Europe, and that he has done the King of France the honour of giving him his daughter in marriage? Yet, they are not all equally ignorant and narrow-minded. Some true Arabians are not quite deftitute of education; that is, they are able to read, write, and caft accompts, know how to conduct themselves with propriety in their different fituations, and are honeft, tho' no friends to ceremony.

But none of them, whom I have as yet feen, has any knowledge of fo reign countries, or any curiofity which might prompt him to inquiries con cerning them; because, as they really believe their own country to be the country of the gods; they have no idea that the native country of any of the Europeans who vifit them can be fuperior to theirs, nor the leaft notion of the utility of our fciences. They are content with smoaking, drinking coffee, and repofing on carpets. And in this they differ much from the Indians, who have more activity, and lefs haughtiness; are indeed lefs firm and manly; but more focial, more re gular in their government and man, ners, and well acquainted with many conveniencies of life, which are whol ly unknown to the Arabians

Extracts from a work in Manufcript; entitled, Ma Robe de Chambre, by M.

SELF-KNOWLEDGE.

d'Elmotte,

ples, or examine the laws by which

WHY fhould I curiously obferve it operates on the bodies that are ex

the fenfible properties of the objects around me? Why study the fyltem and motions of the celestial bodies, and enquire into the uncertain rife of the winds, or the cause of the flux and re-flux of the tides? Why Jabour to claffify the different fubftances which are torn from the bowels of of the earth, or gathered on its furface? Why analyfe water into its first princiVOL. VII. No 4ž.

pofed to it? Will thofe painful refearches make me wifer or happier? No, the true, the proper ftudy of man, is his own nature and moral obligations.

Prefumptuous philofopher! thou thinkeft of compaffing within the fphere of thy knowledge all the regions of exiftence; in the extravagance of thy pride, thou even flattereft thyself with 3 K

the

merit; but merit became unferviceable and often hurtful to those who refused to fawn upon him. He was the great eft politician of his age; at least, if we give that name to him who has difplayed moft skill in the art of gratify ing bis ambition; which directed him to labour for the aggrandifement of himself and his maller, without pay

the hope of attaining the pofitive knowJedge of infinitude; and, loft in an ocean of chimæras, thou forgetteft the confideration of all that is truly interefting and important, the knowledge of thyfelf. Tis not around thee thou fhouldest cat thy eyes; thou oughteft to look inward, and examine what paffes in thy breaft. Art thou defirous of regulating thy life? Laying any regard to the rights and inafide thy books; look with an obfervant eye upon thyfelf; ftudy thine own heart; but beware, the ftudy is at tended with difficulties. Not only a few particular fentiments and actions muft pafs under review: accidental fallies of virtue will not conflitute a virtuous man. The gale of opportunity fometimes conducts us to good; and fometimes we are indebted even to our vices for that accidental good.

Self-knowledge, however, is not acquired without indefatigable pains, and a ferious attention, not only to our words and actions, but, fill more, to our moft fecret thoughts; nor without a careful fcrutiny into the rife, the progrefs, and the duration of our paffions, as well as the fatal confequences which often flow from their indulgence.

An admonition to mankind to know themfelves, faid Montaigne, ought furely to produce important effects fince the God of knowledge, and of light, caufed it to be infcribed on the front of his temple, as comprehending all the ufeful directions that he had to communicate. Plato fays, that prudence is only the application of this knowledge to the regulation of life, and Xenophon afcribes the fame opinion to Socrates.

OF CARDINAL RICHLIEU. RICHLIEU was poffeffed of a bold and extenfive genius, a folid judgment, a keen and penetrating wit. He was revengeful; and, to render lefs odious thofe deeds which were dictated by that fpirit, he difguifed his revenge under the name and garb of juftice. The meaneft adulation was Ture to please him. He diftinguished

terefts of the people. But if, on the other hand, we give the name of a great politician, only to him who ren ders mankind happy, by fuch meafores as juftice and prudence prefcribe, none is lefs worthy of that name than Rich clicu; while the unanimous voice of pofterity will confer that honourable title on the able minifter, who efta, blifhed the liberty of the Americans by the peace of 1783.

WASHINGTON.

WHEN thou gazest on the portrait of any of our illuftrious heroes, doft thou then feel thy heart beat quick ? Is thine eye moiftened with a few precious tears? Do thy checks glow? If fuch are thy feelings, obey the pro penfity of nature; thou art born ta imitate thofe venerable objects of thine admiration. But thy courage will be of fmall value, unlefs to it be joined a fkilful acquaintance with the different branches of knowledge which have relation to the art of war. You must be fober and liberal, you must join pru deace to greatness of foul, you must be grave in your converfation, and ftrictly faithful to your promife; for this will greatly contribute to fupport your authority. You must know the interefts of princes, and be able to fpeak with facility of all that relates to war and politics: you mult endeavour to form to yourfelf a folid and penerating judgment, and be quick in the execution of thofe enterprizes which you have judiciously planned. If you would gain the affection of your foldiers, always wear in their

fence a fimiling countenance; thew

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