and the remembrance was to pleafing, He continued alfo to find pleasure in He lived two years in this houfe, and the improvement he made was fo great, that Duke Leopold as a recompence, and to give him an opportunity of ftill further progrefs, permitted him in 1718 to make a journey to Paris in his fuite. On his return the next year, the Duke appointed him his Librarian, and conferred on him the office of Profeffor of Hiftory in the Academy of Luneville. He thortly after read public lectures on history and antiquities; they were at tended with the greateft fuccefs, and frequented by a number of young Englishmen, among whom was the immortal Chatham, Duval, ftruck with the di Vol. 54. ftinguished air, as well as with the manly and fonorous voice of this young man, fate. The generofity of Duval's pupils, predicted more than once a part of his added to his own economy, foon enaHermits of St Anne. He formed the probled him to fhew his gratitude to the jet of building this Hermitage, the cradle of his fortune, anew, and of confecrating to it all his favings. A handsome fquare building, with a chapel in the middle of it, and furrounded with a confiderable quantity of land, confifting of a garden, an orchard, a vineyard, a nurfery of the best fruit-trees, and fome arable ground, were the refult of this geneficence and humanity led him to rennerous intention. His principles of beder this inftitution ufeful to the public. The hermits of St Anne were ordered to of three leagues round, the produce of furnish gratuitously, and at the distance their nursery, and every kind of tree that fhould be demanded of them, and to every perfon without exception. They were further obliged to go and plant them exacting any reward, or even taking rethemselves, if it were required, without freshment, unless they found themselves tage to return to dinner. at too great a distance from the Hermi infpection of the Hermitage of St Anne, Duval, occupied by his ftudies and the had spent many years in perfect content, when an unexpected accident interrupted his felicity. Duke Leopold died in 1738, and his fon Francis exchanged the Duchy Tuscany. King Stanislaus, the new pofof Lorraine for the Grand Duchy of feffor of Lorraine, ufed indeed the most urgent entreaties to prevail on Duval to continue in the office of Profeffor in the Academy of Luneville, but his attachhim to liften to the propofal. He went ment to his old patron would not permit to Florence, where he was placed at the transferred thither. Notwithstanding the head of the ducal library, which was charming climate of Italy, Lorraine, to tached, did not ceafe to be the object of which he had fo many reafons to be at increafed by his feparation from the his regret. His regret was confiderably riage with the heirefs of the Houfe of young Duke Francis, who on his marAuftria was obliged of course to refide which Duval had already read lectures at Vienna. The fcience of Medals, upon in Lorraine, became now his favourite a. mufement, and he was defirous of ma king a collection of ancient and modern coins. He was deeply engaged in this purfuit when the Emperor Francis, who bad formed a similar design, fent for him, that he might have the care and management of the collection. During his abode at Vienna it was cuftomary with him to wait upon the King after dinner. One day he quitted him abruptly, without waiting till he fhould be difmiffed. "Where are you going, faid the Prince.-" To hear Gabrieli, Sire."—" But the fings fo wretchedly."-"Let me entreat your Majefty not to say this aloud."—" Why not?""Because it is of importance to your Majefty, that every one thould believe what you fay; but in this no one will believe you." The Abbe Marcy, who was prefent at this converfation, faid to him as they came out together, "Do you know, Duval, that you have spoken to the Emperor a bold truth?"-" So much the better," replied he; " I hope he will profit by it." In 1751 he was appointed Sub-Preceptor to the Archduke Jofeph, the late Emperor; but he refufed this office, flattering as it was to vanity, and gave the reafons of his refu. fal in writing He preferved, neverthelefs, the friendship of their Majefties, and continued to receive new proofs of it. Once during the Carnival, the Queen laid a bet with his Majefty, who piqued himself on being able to find out all the maks, that he would give her arm at the ball to a mask that he fhould not difcover. Duval, who had never been at a ball in his life, was entreated to wait upon the Maids of Honour that he might be dreffed for the occafion. He went, and endea voured to excufe himself, alledging his extreme aukwardnefs, and entire ignorance how to conduct himself; but he was obliged to yield; and every thing being ready, he was introduced to her Majelly. The Emprefs gave him her arm; and affuming a tone of gaiety to encourage him, the faid among other things, as they went to the ball, Well, Duval, I hope at least you will dance a minuet with me.""I, Madam! I have learned in the woods no other dance than that of tumbling head over heels." The Emprefs laughed heartily at his reply, and prefently they arrived at the formidable affembly room. The Emperor, anxious to win his bet, was already there; but his efforts were vain to difCover the mask, which, after two hours ftay, was fuffered to depart. The dif guife of Duval, and the constraint he experienced in fo great a crowd, had made him very warm, and in returning from the ball he catched a violent cold, which, as he pleasantly said himself, preferved him from the danger of being elated with pride at the diftinction conferred upon him. He was beloved by all the Imperial Family; but from his extreme modelty he was fcarcely acquainted with the perfons of many individuals of it. The eldest Archducheffes paffing him one day without his appearing to know them, the King of the Romans, who was a little behind them, and who perceived his abfence, afked him, if he knew thofe Ladies ? "No, Sir," faid he ingenuously. "I dɔ not at all wonder at it," replied the Prince; "it is becaufe my filters are not antiques A philofopher in the ftri&t fenfe of the word, Duval thus lived, in the midst of luxury and human greatness, a life traly paftoral, never deviating from his fift plan, and never more happy thin in the depth of his retreat. The perfon of whose fociety he was moft fond, was Mademoiselle de Guttenberg, first Femme de Chambre of the Emprefs. She had a cultivated understanding, and a heart ever ready to compaffionate and relieve the fufferings of humanity. This character, perfectly analogous to his own, infpired him with the greatest confidence. He not only faw her regularly when at court, but in the frequent abfences which fhe was obliged to make, he wrote to her very affiduoufly. A confiderable part of this correfpondence was found among the papers of the defunct, coll&ted together and placed in order by himself, His health being again impaired by his clefe attention to ftudy, he was advised to take a fecond journey to re-establish it. He returned into France, and arrived at Paris in 1752, where he found a number of perfons who were defirous of thewing him civilities, and rendering his abode agreeable. The Abbé Lenglet du Frefnoy, M. du Fresne d'Aubigny, the Abbé Barthelemi, M. de Boze, M. Duclos, and Madame de Graffigny, were among the friends whofe fociety he cultivated moft. Notwithstanding the diftractions of this new kind of life, his friends at Vienna were not forgotten. Mademoiselle de Guttenberg frequently heard from him; he 14 Life of the late Mr Duval. On Ingratitude. he affumed even in his correfpondence with her the ftyle and manners of a petitmaitre, and never wrote to her but upon rofe-coloured paper. On his return he paffed by Artonay, his native village. He purchased his paternal cottage, which one of his fifters had fold from indigence; and having caufed it to be pulled down, he built on the fpot a folid and commodious houfe, which he made a prefent of to the community for the abode of the schoolmaster of the village. His beneficence distinguished itself alfo in a hamlet fituated near Artonay, where, finding that there were no wells, he had fome dug at his own expence. From his good conftitution, hardened by fatigue, he lived to the age of feventy-nine years without feeling the infir mities of old age. In his eightieth year he was all at once attacked with the gravel, which brought him to the brink of the grave. In this painful ftate his philofophy gave him a fuperiority over common minds: a prey to the most excru. ciating pains, his firmnefs and intrepidity were invincible, and he preferved all his prefence of mind. By the cares, however, of the Emprefs, his diforder took a favourable turn, and he was fnatched from the arms of death; but in the following year he was feized with a fever, occafioned by indigeftion, which weakened him every day, and speedily put an end to his existence. A few days before his death a friend who attended him perceiving a book in his hand, asked him what it was? M. de St Lambert's Poem of the Seafons," he replied." You are furprifed, perhaps, to fee the attention of a dying man employed on a book of this nature. A book of devotion may be more fuitable to the flate in which I am; but tortured with pain, I cannot bear ferious reading. Befide, I have reflected with myfelf, and, having recapitulated with impartiality the actions of my life, I have found my intentions to have been upright and good. As to faults that are involuntary and infeparable from human weakness, God will (I know) pardon them, and I rely without the finalleft apprehenfion upon his fupreme goodness.' This perfect tranquillity of foul, the refult of innocence and candour, never quitted him to his latest breath. He died November 3. 1775, aged 81 years. Let his afhes repole in peace; and may pofterity, the Vol. 54 arbiter of true merit, never forget a man who, to raise himself from the ftate of obfcurity and nothingness to which his birth feemed to have condemned him, opened himself a way, and overcame difficulties which the perfeverance of genius alone were capable of furmounting. On INGRATITUDE. [From Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 9.] INgratitude is a crime fo thameful, that there never was a man found who would own himfelf guilty of it; and, though too frequently practised, it is fo abhorred by the general voice, that to an ungrateful perfon is imputed the guilt or the capability of all other crimes. The ungrateful are neither fit to ferve their Maker, their country, nor their friends. Ingratitude perverts all the measures of religion and fociety, by making it dangerous to be charitable and good-natured. However, it is better to expose ourselves to ingratitude than to be wanting in charity and benevolence. Great minds, like Heav'n, are pleas'd with doing good; Though the ungrateful fubjects of their favours Are barren in return. 1. In a little work intitled Friendly Cautions to Officers, the following atrocious inftance of ingratitude is related. An opulent city in the weft of England, little used to have troops with them, had a regiment fent to be quartered there: the principal inhabitants and wealthieft merchants, glad to show their hofpitality and attachment to their fovereign, took the first opportunity to get acquainted with the officers, inviting them to their houfes, and fhowing them every civility in their power. This was truly a defirable fituation. A merchant, extremely eafy in his circumftan'ces, took fo prodigious a liking to one officer in particular, that he gave him an apartment in his own house, and made him in a manner abfolute mafter of it, the cfficer's friends being always wel come to his table. The merchant was a widower, and had only two favourite daughters; the officer in fo comfortáble a station caft his wanton eyes upon them; and too fatally fucceeding, ruined them both. Dreadful return to the mer chant's chant's misplaced friendship! The confequence of this ungenerous action was, that all officers ever after were shunned as a public nuifance, as a peft to fociety: nor have the inhabitants perhaps yet conquered their averfion to a red coat. 2. We read in Rapin's Hiftory, that during Monmouth's rebellion, in the reign of James II. a certain perfon knowing the humane difpofition of one Mrs Gaunt, whofe life was one continued execife of beneficence, fled to her house, where he was concealed and main tained for fome time. Hearing, howe er, of the proclamation, which pro mifed an indemnity and reward to those who discovered fuch as harboured the rebels, he betrayed his benefactress; and ich was the fpirit of juftice and equiwhich prevailed among the minifters, that he was pardoned and recompenfed for his treachery, while fhe was burnt ve for her charity! 3. The following inftance is alfo to be found in the fame History -Humphry Bangifter and his father were both ferwants to and raised by the Duke of Buckngham; who being driven to abfcond, by an unfortunate accident betalling the my he had raised against the ufurper Richard III. he without footman or page retired to Bannister's house near Shrewf tury, as to a place where he had all the reafon in the world to expect fecurity. Bannifter, however, upon the King's pro camation promifing Icool. reward to him that should apprehend the Duke, betrayed his mafter to John Merton high heriff of Shropshire, who fent him under a ftrong guard to Salisbury, where the King then was, and there in the market place the Duke was beheaded. But Divine vengeance purfued the traitor Bannister; for demanding the 1000l. that was the price of his mafter's blood, King Richard refused to pay it him, faying," He that would be falfe to fo good a mafter ought not to be encouraged." He was afterwards hanged for manflaughter, his eldeft fon run mad and died in a bog fty, his fecond became deformed and lame, and his third fon was drowned in a small puddle of water. His eldest daughter was got with child by one of his carters, and his fecond was fized with a leprofy whereof the died. -Hist. of Eng. 8vo. vol. 1. p. 304. The following barbarous inftances are from ancient Hiftory. at Celene, a city of Phrygia, Pythius, a Lydian, who had his refidence in that city, and next to Xerxes was the most opulent prince of thofe times, entertained him and his whole army with an incredible magnificence, and made him an offer of all his wealth towards defraying the expences of his expedition. Xerxes, furprifed and charmed at fo generous an offer, had the curiofity to inquire to what a fum his riches amounted. Pythius made anfwer, that having the defign of offering them to his fervice, he had taken an exact account of them, and that the filver he had by him amounted to 2000 talents (about 255 000). Sterling), and the gold to 4,000,000 of daries (about 1,700.000 1. Sterling), wanting 7000. All this money he offered him, telling him, that his revenue was fufficient for the fupport of his household. Xerxes made him very hearty acknowledgements, and entered into a particular friendship with him, but declined accepting his prefent. The same prince who had made fuch obliging offers to Xerxes, having defired a favour of him tome time after, that out of his five fons who ferved in his army, he would be pleafed to leave him the eldeft, in order to be a comfort to him in his old age: the king was fo enraged at the propofal, though fo reafonable in itself, that he caufed the eldest fon to be killed before the eyes of his father, giving the latter to understand, that it was a favour he fpared him and the rest of his children. Yet this is the fame Xerxes who is fo much admired for his humane reflection at the head of his numerous army, " That of fo many thousand men, in 100 years time there would not be one remaining; on which account he could not forbear weeping at the uncertainty and instability of human things." He might have found another fubject of reflection, which would have more juftly merited his tears and affictions, had he turned his thoughts upon himself, and confidered the reproaches he deferved for being the inftrument of haftening the fatal term to millions of people, whom his cruel ambition was going to facrifice in an unjust and unneceffary war. 5. Bafilius Macedo the emperor, exercifing himself in hunting, a sport he took great delight in, a great ftag running furiously against him, fastened one of the branches of his horns in the em 4. When Xerxes King of Perfia was peror's girdle, and pulling him from his borse, horfe, dragged him a good diftance, to the imminent danger of his life; which a gentleman of his retinue perceiving, drew his fword and cut the emperor's girdle afunder, which difengaged him from the beat, with little or no hurt to his perfon. But obferve what reward he had for his pains: "He was fentenced to lofe his head for putting his fword fo near the body of the emperor;" and fuffered death accordingly. Account of a remarkable alteration in the Eye-fight of Deputy John Ellis, of Broad freet Ward, Linden. though I plainly faw the foot-path, I could not well keep it, but was apt to deviate to the right hand: whereupon turning and viewing the moon behind me, I decerned it sharply with my left eye, and only adim glimpfe of its light with my right, which I had ever before, with the help of fpectacles, ufed to draw pic. tures in miniature, writing, &c. My companion overtaking me, I was conftrained to make ufe of his arm to keep me in the path to our lodgings at Margate, where that night and the next day the fpires and other objects appeared out of place, till after much care, and steadi [Mr Ellis always enjoyed a good stately looking at objects before my departure of health, to which his temperance, exercife, and cheerfulnefs, without doubt contributed. He had, however, a defect in his eye-fight, which was attended with fo remarkable a circumftance, that his friend Dr Johnfon, whofe fight was alfo defective, was very curious to have a particular account of it; in confequence of which Mr Ellis wrote him the following letter.] homeward, I looked on my face in a glafs, and faw my left eye fixed ftrait, and my right eye dimly and almoft dark waving off. And thus with my left eye restored, and as it were a new eye, I wrote this, and do all my writing bufinefs, and fubfcribe myself in my 86th year of age, the 10th day of May 1784, Dear Sir, your moft devoted friend, and humble fervant, JOHN ELLIS." «To my much esteemed friend Dr S. John New Discovery refpecting the Purifying Pro IN Worthy Sir, fon. N my late converfation with you at your houfe, on my congratulating you on your recovery of health, as I chanced to mention a remarkable alteration I had found of my eye-fight for the better, by a removal of it from my right eye to my left (for they were always unequal in faculty from my cradle, when injured by the fmall-pox), you was pleased to exprefs a curiofity to know when and how I received this extraordinary event; then, thanks in the first place to the Almighty goodness! I fhall give you the best account of it I can, viz. In or about the beginning of September 1778, Mr Sewell, bookfeller, in Cornhill, and I at his requeft, went by water in a hoy to Margate in Kent, where we took lodging for the few days we intended to ftay; and, after a night's reft, in the morning took a walk over the marsh or common to Ramfgate, where after viewing the pier, lighthouse, and nunnery, as they call it, we went to dinner in the town of Ramfgate, where we ftayed till night, when by moonlight we fet out on return to Margate, Mr Sewell being my guide; but he ftopping a few minutes to fpeak with a farmer, whom we met, I went on alone, when to my furprife, perty of CHARCOAL. A Mongft other fingular properties of Charcoal, it has lately been discovered by a gentleman at Petersburg, that all forts of glafs veffels and other utenfils may be purified from long retained smells and taints of every kind, in the easiest and most perfect maner, by rinfing them out well with charcoal reduced to a fine powder, after their groffer impurities have been fcoured off with fand and pot-afli-That people whofe breath fmells ftrong from a fcorbutic difpofition of the gums, may at any time get perfectly rid of this bad fmell, by rubbing and washing out the mouth thoroughly with fine charcoal powder; this fimple application, at the fame time, renders the teeth beautifully white; and that brown (or otherwife coloured) putrid flinking water may be deprived of its offenfive fmell, and rendered tranfparent, by means of the fame fubftance. Hence he thinks it would be of ufe for preserving water fweet during fea-voyages, to add about 5 lb of coarfe charcoal powder to every cafk of water; it being only neceffary afterwards to ftrain the water off when wanted, through a linen bag. See the last number of the Tra:pation of CRELL's Chemical Jour. nal. NEW |