cious clafs of animals in the world: for there is fcarcely room to doubt, that if the most fagacious animal in the order of the elephant, and the lowest individual as to intellectual powers among the human fpecies, had been left entirely to themfelves, as individuals, the elephant would have appeared to be the wifeft animal of the two.

This progreffive knowledge of man, confidered as an aggregate body, though it has never, that I know, been hitherto contrafted with that of other animals, has long been an object of human attention and this ftate of advancement has been denoted by the name of the progrefs of human fociety-the advancement of man in civilization--the progrefs from rudeness to civilization, &c. and to man confidered in this aggregate capacity, must be referred the words, manners, habit, custom, fashion, and innumerable others of a fimilar nature, which it is not neceffary here to enumerate.

All

Man has been diftinguished as a focial animal; but this is by no means a diftinctive peculiarity. Many other animals feel the influence of the focial principle in an equal, or perhaps fuperior degree to man. the gregarious animals feek fociety, and fhun folitude with an equal folicitude as man; and most of these, in cafes of danger, unite with equal alacrity and firmness in their common defence, fo as to derive, in this way, an aggregate power which they could not individually have poffeffed. The ox, the horfe, the afs, do fo; the fheep even, though unjustly characterised by naturalifts, as the moft ftupid of all animals, when in a state of nature, unite in a firm phalanx for common defence, and present an armed front to the enemy so closely compacted, as to be impenetrable to the fox or wolf, who dare not attempt a direct attack, but must watch an opportunity of ftealing upon them, when unprepared, to obtain their prey. And the economy of the bee, whofe joint labours difcover an aggregate effort of an immenfe number of individuals, conducted with the

most unceasing affiduity, perfevering industry, and exactest order, towards one common end, has long furnished a subject of wonder and admiration to man, and discovers a much closer fyftem of affociation for mutual defence and prefervation, than ever yet has been found among the human fpecies. It is not, therefore, by the focial principle that man is effentially diftinguished from other animals; nor by his fagacity in calling in the aid of multitudes to add to his individual ftrength: It is to the faculty of communicating ideas from one to another, and the accumulation of knowledge, that, in a course of ages, this neceffarily produces, that he folely owes the fuperiority he now fo confpicuously holds over all other animals on this globe; and from that circumstance alone derives that irrefiftable power, by which all the animate objects in nature are fubjected to his fway; and by which the elements themfelves are made to minifter to his will.

It follows from thefe premifes, that whatever tends to facilitate the communication of ideas between man and man, must have a direct tendency to exalt the human fpecies to a higher degree of eminence than it could otherwife have attained. This, the art of printing has done in a very confpicuous manner. Men are thus brought, as it were, to converfe together, who could never otherwife have known that fuch perfons existed on the globe: The knowledge that has been acquired in one country, is thus communicated to another; and the accumulated experience of former ages, is preferved for the benefit of those that are to come. But the effects of this art would be greatly circumfcribed, were not methods contrived for diffufing that knowledge very generally among mankind ;—and among all the modes that have been devised for that purpose, no one has been fo effectual as that of periodical performances. Periodical performances, therefore, though apparently a humble kind of writings, are in effect the most proper means that ever yet have

been contrived, for raifing human nature to its highest degree of exaltation, and for conferring upon man a more confpicuous degree of dignity above all other animals, and a more extended power over the elements, and other objects of nature, than he could otherwife hope to obtain.

Men of all ranks, and of all nations, however widely disjoined from each other, may be faid to be brought together here to converse at their eafe, without ceremony or restraint, as at a masquerade, where, if a propriety of drefs and expreffion be observed, nothing elfe is required. A man, after the fatigues of the day are over, may thus fit down in his elbow chair, and, together with his wife and family, may be introduced, as it were, into a spacious coffee-houfe, which is frequented by men of all nations, who meet together for their mutual entertainment and improvement. The dead are even called back to their friends, and mix once more in focial converse with those who have regretted their departure. Could a Pliny or a Cicero have formed an idea of fuch a high degree of mental indulgence, what would have been the raptures they would have experienced? To them, this moft exalted of all entertainments was forbid by fate: But what they could never enjoy, and what Cicero would have gladly purchased at the price of his beloved Tufculum itself, is now offered to every inhabitant of Britain, at a very fmall expence. Let us then enjoy with thankfulness the bleffings that Heaven hath bestowed, and make a proper use of those diftinguished privileges that the progrefs of improvement in fociety hath conferred upon us; nor let us fail to add our mite as we pass, to the general ftore, that pofterity may not have reason to reproach us for having hid our talent in the earth, and allowed it there to remain without improvement or benefit to any one.

MR. LEDYARD, a native of America, who had an irrefiftable propenfity to explore unknown countries, went round the world with Captain Cooke-Afterwards he meant to go through Ruffia, into North America, to traverse the whole of that great continent, from west to eaft. On this expedition he fet out with no more than ten guineas in his pocket. From Stockholm, he meant to cross the gulf of Bothnia on the ice; but when he came near the middle, finding it not frozen, he was obliged to return, and went round by the head of that great fea, and paffing through Finland, in the depth of winter, arrived at Petersburgh-From thence he went to Siberia, as far as Kamfchatka on foot; but finding the paffage across to America fhut up with ice, he was forced to return to Yakutz-Here he was taken up by order of the Empress of Ruffia; and without any reason given, was hurried away to the confines of Poland, where he was difmiffed, with an order not to return into Ruffia. He found his way to Konigsberg, and from thence back to Britain. Here he arrived just at the time that the affociation for making difcoveries in Africa were looking out for a proper person to undertake these inquiries-Mr. Ledyard was immediately applied to, who gladly undertook the task. The particular enterprise allotted to him was, to penetrate through Egypt into Sennaar; and from thence to try to explore a way weftward, towards the river Niger, and make what discoveries he could. The arduoufnefs of the talk did not make him hefitate one moment-He fet out on the expedition with alacrity, and reached Cairo in Egypt without any crofs accident. Here he remained fome time, making inquires concerning the countries he was about to explore, and preparations for his journey

But unexpected delays intervening, he was feized with a bilious complaint, which carried him off in the end of the year 1788, in Cairo, where he was decently interred in the neighbourhood of fuch of the English as had ended their days in that Capital.

Of this furprifing man, whofe ardour of mind could fcarcely be equalled in any age or country, I know not if any portrait remains. "His perfon, we are told by one who knew him well, though fcarcely exceeding the middle fize, was remarkably expreffive of activity and ftrength; and his manners, though unpolished, were neither uncivil nor unpleafing. Little attentive to difference of rank, he feemed to confider all men as his equals, and as fuch he respected them. His genius, though uncultivated and irregular, was original and comprehenfive. Ardent in his wishes, yet calm in his deliberations; daring in his purposes, but guarded in his measures; impatient of controul, yet capable. of ftrong endurance; adventurous beyond the conception of ordinary men, yet wary and confiderate, and attentive to all precautions, he appeared to be formed by nature for achievements of hardihood and peril.

They who compare the extent of his pilgrimage through the vast regions of Tartary, with the fcantiness of his funds, will naturally afk, by what means he obtained a fubfiftence on the road? All that I have ever learned from him on the fubject, was, that his fufferings were exceffive"" I am accustomed, fays he, in our laft converfation, ('twas on the morning of his departure for Africa) I am accustomed to hardships— I have known both hunger and nakedness to the utmoft extremity of human fufferings-have known what it is to have food given to me, as charity to a madman; and I have at times been obliged to fhelter myfelf under the miseries of that character, to avoid a heavier calamity. My diftreffes have been greater than I ever owned, or ever will own to any man. Such evils are terrible to bear; but they never yet had power to