« femble us; and that there are not a people in the "univerfe, whom you ought lefs to defire to be an "enemy, or more a friend, to you or yours." The

youth, covered with blushes, and full of joy, embraced Scipio's hands, praying the immortal gods to reward him, as he himself was not capable to do it in the degree he himself defired, or he deferved. Then the parents and relations of the virgin were called. They had brought a great fum of money to ransom her; but feeing her reftored without it, they began to beg Scipio to accept that fum as a prefent; protesting they would acknowledge it as a favour, as much as they did the reftoring the virgin without injury offered to her. Scipio, unable to refift their importunate folicitations, told them, he accepted it; and ordering it to be laid at his feet, thus addreffed Allucius: "To the portion "you are to receive from your father-in-law, I add "this, and beg you will accept it as a nuptial prefent." So he defired him to take up the gold, and keep it for himself. Transported with joy at the prefents and honours conferred on him, he returned home, and expatiated to his countrymen on the merits of Scipio: "There is come amongst us," said he, " a young hero "like the gods, who conquers all things, as well by "generofity and beneficence, as by arms." For this reason, having raised troops among his own fubjects, he returned a few days after to Scipio with a body of 1400 horfe.

Liberty

in all ages have been made to drink of thee, thou art no lefs bitter on that account. It is thou, Liberty! thrice fweet and gracious goddefs! whom all, in public or in private, worship; whofe tafte is grateful, and ever will be for till Nature herfelf fhall change. No tint of words can fpot thy fnowy mantle, or chymic power turn thy fceptre into iron. With thee, to fmile upon him while he eats his cruft, the fwain is happier than his monarch, from whofe court thou art exiled. Gracious Heaven! grant me but health, thou great bestower of it! and give me but this fair goddess as my companion; and fhower down thy mitres, if it feems good unto thy Divine Providence, upon those heads which are aching for them.

Purfuing these ideas, I fat down close by my table; and, leaning my head upon my hand, I began to figure to myself the miseries of confinement. I was in a right frame for it, and fo I gave full fcope to my imagination.

1

I was going to begin with the millions of my fellowcreatures, born to no inheritance but llavery ! but, finding, however affecting the picture was, that I could not bring it near me, and that the multitude of fad groups in it did but diftract me, I took a fingle captive; and, having firft fhut him up in his dungeon, I then looked through the twilight of his grated door, to take his picture.

I beheld his body half wafted away with long expectation and confinement; and felt what kind of fickness of the heart it is which arifes from hope deferred. Upon looking nearer, I faw him pale and feverifh. In thirty years the western breeze had not once fanned his blood-he had feen no fun, no moon, in all that time, nor lattice. His children-But here my heart began to bleed, and I was forced to go on with another part of the portrait.

He was fitting upon the ground, upon a little ftraw, in the farthest corner of his dungeon, which was alternately his chair and bed. A little calendar of small fticks was laid at the head, notched all over with dismal days and nights he had paffed there. He had one of those little sticks in his hand; and, with a rusty nail, was etching another day of mifery, to add to the heap. As I darkened the little light he had, he lifted up a hopeless eye towards the door-then caft it down -fhook his head-and went on with his work of affliction. I heard his chains upon his legs, as he turned his body to lay his little stick upon the bundle. He gave a deep figh.-I faw the iron enter into his foul.-I burst into tears.-I could not fuftain the picture of confinement which my fancy had drawn.

On

TH

On a Classical Education.

HE faireft diamonds are rough till they are polished, and the pureft gold must be run and washed, and fifted in the ore. We are untaught by nature; and the finest qualities will grow wild and degenerate, if the mind is not formed by difcipline, and cultivated with an early care. In fome perfons, who have run up to men without a liberal education, we may obferve many great qualities darkened and eclipfed; their minds are crusted over like diamonds in the rock, they flash out sometimes into an irregular greatnefs of thought, in their actions an unguided force, and unmanaged virtue; fomething very great and very noble may be difcerned, but it looks cumbersome and aukward, and is alone of all things the worse for being natural. Nature is undoubtedly the best mistress, and apteft scholar; but Nature herself must be civilized, or fhe will look favage, as she appears in the Indian princes, who are vefted with a native majefty, a furprifing greatness and generofity of soul, and discover what we always regret, fine parts and excellent natural endowments without improvement. In thofe countries which we call barbarous, where art and politeness are not understood, nature hath the greater advantage in this, that fimplicity of manners often fecures the innocence of the mind; and as virtue is not, fo neither is vice, civilized and refined: But in these politer parts of the world, where virtue excels by rules and difcipline, vice also is more inftructed, and with us good qualities will not fpring up alone: Many hurtful weeds will rife with them, and choak them in their growth, unless removed by fome skilful hand; nor will the mind be brought to a juft perfection, without cherishing every hopeful feed, and repreffing every fuperfluous humour: The mind is like the body in this regard, which cannot fall into a decent and easy carriage, unless it be fashioned in

time: An untaught behaviour is like the people that ufe it, truly ruftic, forced, and uncouth, and art must be applied to make it natural.

Knowledge will not be won without pains and application: Some parts of it are easier, fome more dif ficult of accefs: We muft proceed at once by fap and battery; and when the breach is practicable, you have nothing to do, but to prefs boldly on, and enter: It is troublesome and deep digging for pure waters, but when once you come to the fpring, they rife and meet you: The entrance into knowledge is oftentimes very narrow, dark, and tirefome, but the rooms are fpacious, and glorioufly furnished: The country is admirable, and every profpect entertaining.