But for a man who has a head,
whom it may with truth be faid,
That on occafion he can raise
At remark, a proper phrase,—
For fuch an one to run along,
Tumbling his accents o'er his tongue,
thews only, that a man, at once,
May be a scholar and a dunce.
It point of fermons, 'tis confeft,
Our English clergy make the best;
But this appears, we must confefs,
Not from the pulpit, but the prefs :
They manage, with disjointed skill,
The matter well, the manner ill;
And, what feems paradox at first,

They make the best, and preach the worst.
Would men but fpeak as well as write,
Both faculties would then unite ;
The outward action being taught
To thew the inward strength of thought:
Now to do this, our short-hand school
Lays down this plain and general rule:
Take time enough; all other graces
Will foon fill up their proper places."

W

VENUS envious.

Hile Beanty's goddess, one fair day,
Saw Cupid with my Laura play;
Jealous, as belles are of each other,
She thus began to fhew the mother:
Be fure, young urchin, not one dart
You lend her for a fingle heart."

Too late," he cries," is your command; Tha'n't one arrow left in hand;

She has ftol'n my quiver and my bow
So fly, that I know not how.

Bat 'tis your fault; you lent her charms,
Your face, your breast, your shape, your arms:
The graces too, your maids of honour,
All that they had, beftow'd upon her;
And fince 'tis fo, don't fret, dear mother,
You'll always pass for one another."
Chefount, Jan. 26.

T. B.

On fering fome lambs driving to the slaughter.

EE the little victims trot!

Never dreading what's their lot,
Skipping, playing with each other,
Nibbling every little flower

F Which they tranfiently see,

Then munch them up with chearful glee.

But, ah! when driven to the fhambles,
They're fore'd to quit their harmlefs rambles;
Their mothers, now, no fuccour lend,
No careful shepherds them defend;
But all around 'em blood and flaughter,
Mir'd with fcoffs and barbarous laughter,
By the harden'd butching tribe;
"Now flies a life, and now a jibe;"
No interceffors for their life,

Appear to ftop the bloody knife,
But plunging harth, in blood imbru'd,
With thrilling pangs their lives conclude,
YOL. XXVII.

Of England and Scotland ;- we owe him great thanks :

His purpose from STOCK to draw intereft was plain :

How shallow our fathers t'admire such a brain?
Our notable race fhow a quicker invention,
Tho' few are fo frank as to own the intention;
To fupply WITHOUT STOCK the wants of
the nation,

INTEREST produces a wide circulation
Of copperplate promises due to the bearer,
The further he's off,- our purpose the nearer.
The Jews had their idols,- th' Ægyptians
their gods,

They made, rear'd, and fed them in facred abodes;

When dangers did threaten, to these they drew

Antas' love is loft for ay;
And woe's me therefore!

thy fair fpeeches were, Heaven knows!
Too kind, and too difcreet:
Like fogar, which, impoison'd, grows
Spec'd, becaufe 'tis fweet.

Thy rows and oaths did promise more,
Mure than thou couldst perform;
Juft like a calm, that comes before
An unexpected storm.

Fool! wretched fool! who ftrove in vain
To fix thy wav'ring mind!

The foods by grafping to detain!
Or catch the elufive wind!

Cod knows! it would not grieve me much
To breathe my laft for thee!

Aah! too near it doth me touch,

That thou shouldft murder me!
Thus faid, all fick and pale, her hand
Upon her breaft the laid.

Befch ber fenfes at a ftand;

With that the figh'd, and said, “Amyntas ——— and with that, poor maid! She tigh'd again full fore;

But after that

- fhe never faid,

Nor ligh'd, nor utter'd more!

KENNETH: A Fragment. From the collection of Scots manufcript-poems from which DUNCAN was taken, and fent us kewife by Mr IV. H. [xxvi. 196.] Weird, I weird, hard-hearted lord, Thy fa' fhall foon be seen; ead was the lily of the morn, The cald froft nip'd or e'en :

Thou leught in fcorn when puir men weep'd, And ftrack the lowly down;

e fall nae widow weep for thine,
When a' their joys are flown.

This night ye drink the sparkly wine;
Idd ye drink your fill;

The morrow's fun fhall drink your bluid,
Afore he reach the hill.

fee the feaw-man'd horses ride,
Their glitt'ring fwords they draw;
Their fwords that fhall na glitter lang,
Till Kenneth's pride shall fa'.

The black dog youl'd, he faw the fight
Nac man but I could fee;

High on fair Margret's breaft her feet,
And deadly fix'd her ee.

fpak the feer; wild in his cen
His frighted spirit gaz'd;
he his cheeks, and stiff his hair,
Like boary briftles rais'd.

were

• To perfons unacquainted with the fuperftition Bigblands, this may not be easily intelligible. are the feer is fuppofed to behold the figure of en about to die, clothed in their windingand the higher it is on their bodies, the www their approaching diffolution.

"

William! had we kent yeftreen." "Father, wc ken it now;

Let women tell what women wish.”—
Syne three fhrill blafts he blew.

Fair Margret lay on downy bed;
Yet was na found her refl;

She waken'd wi' Lord William's horn,
And down fhe came in hafte.
"What mean you, Kenneth, by that blast?
I with my dreams bode guid;
Upon a bed of lilies fair

I thought there rain'd red bluid.
My fon my fon! may peace be there
Whar noble William ftands."-
"We are the lilies," anfwer'd he,

"May their bluid weit our hands." "What means my William by fic words! Whafe bluid would William fpill? I thought that horn had blawn in peace, That wak'd the night fae still." She luik'd; but nane durst answer make, Till gallant William said, "Aft has my mother bade us joy,

When we to battail gade:
Agen thy hands may work the plaid
For him that fought the beft;
Agen may I hing up my targe
Upon the pin to reft.

Ga

But

But William never liv'd to flce;

Nor did his mother hear
A warrior cry on William's name,
That was na found for fear.
And if we fa', my gallant friends,

We fhail na fa' alane;

Some honeft hand will write our deeds

Upon the tallest stane."

"Hafte, Kenneth, hafte; for in the field The fire-ee'd Walter rides ;

H's men that come fae thrang wi' haste,
For flaw delay he chides.'

By Mary, we will meet him there,"
The angry William cry'd :
"Thy fon will try this lion fae,
And you wi' Marg’ret bide."

"No, on my faith, the fword of youth Thy father yet can wield;

If that I fhrink frae fierceft faes,
May babies mock my eild."
Then forth they rufh'd, afore the yate
The warriors falded out :
Lord William fmil'd upon their ranks ;
They anfwer'd wi' a fhout.

"Gae, rin, and fay to Walter thus:
What feek thae warriors here!

Or why the din of fiery war
Aftounds the peaceful ear?"

Swift ran the page.

"Thus Kenneth fays, What feek thae warriors here? Or why the din of fiery war

Aftounds the peaceful ear? "Gae tell thy mafter, Frae this arm Mine anfwer will I gi'e; Remind him of his tyrant deeds, And bid him anfwer me. Wha was't that flew my father dear?

That bar'd my castle wa'? Wha was't that bade wild ruin bruid Whar pipes did glad the ha'?” Nor half-way had the meffage fped, When their tough bows they drew; But far attour the warriors heads

The fhafts for anger flew.

"Sae ever fhute Lord Kenneth's faes," The valiant William faid; "Wi' this I war na wi' the wind;"

And drew his glittering blade. Below the arrows' arch they rufh'd, Wi' mony a fhout, fae fast: Beneath the rainbow the big clouds Sae drives the roaring blast. Bald Walter fprang frae aff his fteid, And drave him o'er the lee; Curs'd be the name of that base cow'rd That could but think to flee.

Firmly he fet his manly foot,

And firm his targe he bare:
Never may Walter greet his friends,
Kenneth's fee him maiz,

Multa defunt.

Fair Margret wi' her maidens fat
Within the painted wa';

She started at ilk breath of wind'
That whistl'd through the ha'.
"Wha was't that gi'd yon cry below?—
Say, page, does ill betide?
"Kenneth and William baith are flain;
Mak hafte, mak haste, and ride."
Her maidens fcriech'd: but ony speech,
Nor wail of wae, had the;
She bow'd her head, and fair the figh'd,
And cald Death clos'd her ee.
DAMON and PHYLLIS: A Pafto
Addreffed to Lady My F
I.

WHen ev'ning beam'd over the mead

And the fun o'er the western mai

His luftre auriferous fhed,

And the fhepherds sung sweet on the pl On the banks of a rivulet met,

Where willows wave gently along, Young PHYLLIS tranfportingly sweet, And DAMON both sprightly and young

HISTORICAL AFFAIRS.

TURKY.

"London, Fan. 24. Letters from Poand account for the large numbers of Tarkish troops on the frontiers of the Craine and Poland. Thofe troops, they y, were never destined against Ruffia Poland; but were drawn and kept together till the Cham of Tartary was depiled and banished, left the forces under his command fhould efpoule his caufe; bot that great army is now difperfing, to releve the Turkish garrifons in Europe, at thofe from Afia are to return back." “London, Jan. 31. Letters from Vipea, of the 14th inftant, bring an acent, that advice had been received from Turkith Hungary, that 4000 men were daily employed by the Turks in reding and repairing the fortifications of Belgrade. This proceeding being contrary to the treaties [perhaps it thould be formerly] fubfifting between the two powers, occafions great uneafinefs to the Amperial court."

POLAND.

The coronation-djet assembled at War, on the 3d of December. Next day, by the recommendation, and in prefence of the two chambers, the three vacant Heals of great chancellor and vice-chancelor of the crown, and of vice-chancelor of Lithuania, were difpofed of.

•Warfaw, Dec. 5. The diet continue their deliberations with the greatest tranlity. They have confirmed all the is made during the inter-reign; and are prefent employed chiefly in arranging the taxes which are to be levied on the ferent orders of the republic, and in taking meafures to improve the revenue, and toinfure the inland commerce." Lond. gaz. Werfaw, Dec. 12. His Majefty, who determined to reflore the dignity of crown to its ancient luftre, has figLited to the chief nuncios of the provinces, that he defires to repurchale, and nite to the crown, certain royal fiefs, granted by his predeceflors to the nobilis ty of the kingdom, fome of which have been alienated upwards of two centuries. It is imagined the grandees will not oppole his Majefty's inclinations in this."

Warfare, Dec. 22. On the 12th there were great debates in the diet on be question, Whether it fhould be conered as an ordinary diet, or as fubfiftg by confederacy? On this fubject the Ang made a very eloquent fpeech,

Prince Czartoriski, great chancellor of Lithuania, spoke also with great energy. It was at length refolved, that the diet was affembled by confederacy, and that of confequence refolutions might be made by a plurality of voices.Most of the nuncios have received orders from their conflituents to exert their endeavours to obtain the following points. 1. That the melancholy excels of luxury may be prevented by fumptuary laws. 2. That in lieu of the capitation, excifes or other duties be impofed upon provifions. 3That a perfect equality of power and prerogative be enjoyed by the Generals of the Crown and of Lithuania. 4. That a change be made in that part of the ju rifprudence which concerns the rights of inheritance. 5. That the clergy be ob liged to pay annually into the treasury of the flate the tenth part of their revenues. The minifters from Peterburg and Berlin have offered the following propofitions on behalf of the Diffenters. 1. That they may enjoy the public exercife of their religion. 2. That they may be admitted to dignities. 3. That a bifhop of the Greek church may have a feat in the fenate; and likewife that an alliance be concluded between Oftend and Pruffia, and a fettlement be made of the limits of Poland and Ruffia. All these heads, except the laft, (the fettlement of the limits), were difagreed to; and the King has, it is faid, declared he will take no measure prejudicial to the Catholic religion."

"Hamburg, Jan. 8. The coronationdiet of Poland is terminated, without the Proteftants being able to obtain the prefervation of their rights and privileges; which the protection of the courts of Ruflia, Pruflia, England, and Denmark, fo ftrongly interested in their favour, and even the laws of juftice and humanity, one fhould think, would have fecured to them. Far from leaving them in the enjoyment of liberty, the diet would foarcely admit of the reading of a project, which fimply concerned the free exercile of their religion."

"Warfaw, Dec. 29. On the 17th the coronation-diet debated on the affair of the general tax from which Royal Pruffia [that part of Pruffia which belongs to Poland] claims an exemption. The deputies from that province warmly af ferted their right of exemption from this tax, the province having obtained it when it put itself under the protection of

the