The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-12-21 00:00:00, page 3

PROSPERITY and Adversity, the daughters of Pro
vi4eace were Cent to the house cf a rich Phoenician
merchant, reamed Velafco, whole residence was at Tyre,
the capital city of that kingdom.
Prosperity the ^ft, was beautiful as the morning,
and cheerful'as the fpr^j but Adversity was Sorrowful
and ill favoured.. . _
Velafco had two sons, Felix all 4 Uranio. They were
both bred to commerce, though liberal educated, and
had lived together from their infancy in the bar
mosy and friendship. But love, before whom all the !•
lesions of thefoul are as the traces of a flap upon the oce
an which remains only for a moment, threatened in an
evil hour to set them at variance; for both were become ena
moured with the beauties of Prosperity. The nymph,
like one of the daughters of men, gave encouragementto
each by turns; but, to avoid a particular declaration, the
avowed a reflation never to marry, unless her fitter, from
whom die (aid it was impoffi^e for her to be long separa
ted, was marf^ at the fame time.
Velafco, who was no f^r to the passions of his sons,
and who dreaded every thing froT ^ir violence, to pt
vent conftqueocee, obliged them, by his aJJ^ 1 ^ de
cide their pretensions by lots ; each previously eng ,%™
a Solemn oath to marry the nymph that Should fall to m,
share. The lots were accordingly drawn; and Prosperity
become the wife of Felix, and Adversity of Uranio.
Soon after the celebration of these nuptials Velafco died,
having bequeathed to his eldest son Felix the house where
in he dwelt, together with the greatest part of his large for
tune a?id effe&s. ,
The hufbaud of Prosperity was so transported with the
gay disposition and enchanting beauties of his bride, that
he eloathed her in gold and silver, and adorned her with
jewels of inestimable value. He built a palace for her in
the woods ; he turned rivers into his gardens, and beauti
fied their banks with temples and pavilions. He entertain
ed at his table the nobles of the land, delighting their ears
with music, and their eyes with magnificence. But his
kindred he beheld as Grangers, and the companions of his
youth passed by unregarded. His brother also become
hateful in his fight, and in process of time he commanded
the doors of his house to be fnut against him.
But as the stream flows from its channel, and loses itferf
among the vallies, unless confined by banks, so also will
the current of fortune be dissipated, unless bounded by
economy. In a few years the estate of Felix was wafted by
extravagance, his merchandize failed him by neglect, and
his effects were seized by the merciless hands of creditors.
He applied himfelf for support to the nobles and great men
whom hehad feafled and made prefects to, but his voice
was as the voice of a firanger, and they remembered not
his face. The friends, whom be had negleded, derided
him in their turn, his wife also iofulted him, and turned
her back upon him and fled. Yet was his heart so be
witched with her sorceries, that he pursued her with en
treaties, till by her haste to abandon him, her mask fell
off, and difeovered to him a face as withered and deform
ed, as before it appeared youthful and engaging.
What became of him afterwards tradition dots not re
late with certainty. It is believed that hefled into Egypt,
and lived precariously cn the Scanty benevolence of a lew
friends, who had not totally deserted him, and that he
died in a Short time, wretched and an exile.
Let us now return to Uranio, who, as we have already
observed, had been driven out of doors by his brother
Felix. Adversity, though hateful to his heart, and a
fpe&re to his eyes, was the constant attendant upon his
steps ; and to aggravate his Sorrow, he received certain in
telligence that his richest vessel was taken by a Sardinian
pirate; that another was loft upon the Lybian Syrtes, and,
to complete all, that the banker, with whom the greatest
part of his ready money was intrufted, had defers ft
creditors and retired into Sicily. Cdltamg therefore the
small remains of his fortune, he bid adieu to Tyre, and,
led by Adversity through unfrequented roads and forefts,
overgrown with thickets, he came at last to a fmali village
at the foot of a mountain. Here they took up their abode
for some time ; and Adversity, in return for all the anxie
ty he had Suffered Softening the Severity of her looks, ad
ministered to him the most faithful council, weaning his
heart from the immoderate love of earthly things, and
teaching him to revere the Gods, and to place his whole
trust and happiness in their government and pro+edion.
She humanized his foul, made him modest and humble,
taught him to compassionate the distresses of his fellow
creatures, and inclined him to relieve them.
" lam sent," laid the, "by the Gods, to those alone
" whom they love; for I not only train, them up by my
« severe discipline to future glory, but also prepare them
-" to receive with a greater relish all such moderate enjey
,' ments as are not inconsistent with this probationary
•I' state. As the Spider, when assailed, feeksfhelter in its
^ inmost web, so the mind, which l affiid, contrasts its
'" wandering thoughts, and flies for happiness to itfelf. It
44 ,was I who railed the characters of Cato, Socrates, and
« Timoleon to so divine a hegiht, and set them up as
“ guides and examples to every future age. Prosperity,
" tny smiling, but treacherous sister, too frequently deli
“ vers those whom file has seduced, to be Scourged by her
“ cruel followers, Anguilh and Despair; while Adversity
“ never fails to lead those, who will be inftruded by her
" to the blifsful habitation of Tranquility and Content."
Uranio listened to her words with great attention, and,
as he looked earnefliy on her face, the deformity of it
seemed insensibly to decrease. By gentle degrees his aver
sion to her abated, and at last he gave himfelf wholly up
to her counsel and direction. She would often repeat to
him the wife maxim of the philosopher, “ That those who
41 want the feweft things approach nearest to the Gods, who
" wantnothing." She admonished him to turn his eyes
to the many thousands beneath him, instead of gazing on
the few who live in pomp and splendor, and in his addresses
to the Gods, instead of asking for riches and popularity,
to pray for a virtuous mind, a quiet state, an unblamable
life, and a death full of good hopes.
Finding him to be every day more and more composed
and resigned, though neither enamoured of her face, nor
delighted with her society, (he at last addressed him in the
following manner:,
« As gold is purged and refined from dross by the fife,
-«f so is Adversity lent by Providence to try and improve
PROSPERITY ^nd ADVERSITY- An ALLEGORY.
By Mro DUNCOMBE.
" the virtue of mortals. TGe end obtained, my talk ^
" finished, and I now leave you, to go and give an account
'' of my charge. Your brother, whofelot was Prosperity,
" and whose condition you so much envied, after having
“ experienced the error of his choice, is at last released
“by death from the most wretched of lives. Happy had
" it been for Uranio, that his lot was Adversity, whom if
“ he remembers as he ought, his life will be honorable,
<<and his death happy."
As die pronounced these words, the vanished from his
fight. But though her features at that moment, instead
ofinfpiring their usual horror, seemed to display a kind
of languishing beauty, yet as Uranio, in fpite.of his utmost
efforts, could never prevail upon himfelf to love her, he
neither. gegr p tted her departure, nor wished for her return.
But though be rejoiced in her absence, he treasured up her
counsels in his heart, and grew happy by the practice of
them. °Lr
He afterwards betook himfelf again to merchandize, and
having in a short time acquired a competency Sufficient for
the real enjoyments of life, he retreated to a little farm,
which he had boughtfor that purpose, and where hede
terohined to continue the remainder of his days. Here he
employed his time in planting, gardening, and husbandry,
in gelling all disorderly passions, and in forming his mind
by fr he lessons of Adversity. He took great delight in a
little cell or hermitage in his garden, which flood under a
tuft of trees, encompassed with C&TYYf anu
A ri fr. r the door was written in large characters the ioi
lowing inki™" o " : , ,-„
Beneath this ™cfs-grown roof, within this cell,
Truth, Liberty, Content, and Virtue dwell.
Say, you who dare this happy place disdain,
What palace can display so fair a trairt ?
He lived to a good old age, and died honoured and la
mented.
BASSETERRE, (St. Chrifiopher's,) November 12.
Antigua is at present very unhealthy particularly amongst
the Negroes. Some estates have loft 40, some 20, and
others in proportion. This must certainly arise from bad
provisions, or too great a scarcity of it.
PHILA DELPHI A, December?!.
In ASSEMBLY, November 18, 1779.
Agreeable to a proposition from a Convention of Com
missioners assembled at Hartford, from the States of New
•Hamplhire, Massachusetts, Rhode-lfland, Connecticut
and New York, recommending that a General Convention
of all the States as far southward as Virginia, inclusive, do
meet in the city of Philadelphia on the firft Wedpefday in
January next, to agree ®n a general Limitation of Prices,
and other matters therein mentioned :
Resolved unanimously, That this House doth approve
of the fame.
November 22, P. M.
Agreeable to the order of the day, the House proceeded
to eled by ballot five persons, as Commissioners, to meet
with other Comrniffioners in this city from the States
north-east of Virginia inclusive, on the firft Wednesday in
January next, for the purpose expressed in the Minute of
the 18th instant. The election being taken, the Honora
ble JOHN BAYARD. Speaker, GEORGE BRYAN,
JOHN JACOBS, JOHN BULL, and WILLIAM
HENRY of Lancaster, Efqyires, were duly chosen.
Extract from the Minutes,
THOMAS PAIN E,
Clerk of the General Assembly.
N.B. The Printers in the several States which are to
form the Convention are requested to give the above a
place in their papers.
Tn ASSEMBLY, November?/, 1779.
, The petition of the Trustees of ^ ^-Office of Penn
sylvania, praying for an encreafe oftheir salaries, was read
a second time, and thereupon resolved, That they bede
fired to render an account oftheir refpeftive services, and
to lay the fame before the Committee of Accounts of this
House, and that they be informed that it is the intention
of this House to have the said Office removed to the city of
Philadelphia, in the Spring of the year next ensuing, and
the Clerk is ordered to publish this Minute in the news
papers. Extract from the Minutes,
THOMAS PAIN E,
Clerk of the General Assembly.
Dear Sir, Second River, December 9, 1779.
The Officers of the Virginia line, who have had the
honor of being commanded by you in the Light Infantry,
beg leave to remit you their Sincere thanks for the re
peated marks of politeness and esteem you have expressed
towards them during the course ofthe campaign.
They have the higbeft refpeft and veneration for your
character, both as the military Officer and the Gentle
man.
Under these circumflances we are deeply impressed with
regret to quit, especially at so short a notice, a corps we
love and a General we honour.
Accept therefore dear Sir, those sentiments of our efteeth,
and believe us, after Sincerely wifliing you every future
happiness, success and prosperity, to be with the most cor
dial affeHion and re pad,
Your most obedient
and most humble servants,
(At the request and in behalf of the Virginia Officers
in the Light Infantry)
CHRISTIAN FEBIGER, Col. L. I.
The Honorable Brigadier General Wayne.
Light Infantry Camp, Second River,
Dear Sir, 9th December, 1779.
The approbation of my conduct by so refpedable a
Corps, as the officers of the Virginia Light Infantry, must
afford me the sincerest pleafure,—the attention which they
are pleased to attribute to politeness, was the effea of their
own merit, which will always insure the esteem of the Ge
neral, who has the honor to command them. Permit me
thro' you to return them my most grateful thanks for this
mark of their refped,—and believe me, with sincere esteem,
Your and their most obedient,
and very humble servant,
ANTHONY WAYNE.
Colonel Febiger, Com. of the
Virginia Light Infantry.
Sunday arrived at Marcus-Hook in our river, irt 10
days from St. Euftatia the Ship Flor^Ca l. Doan, brig
. , Capt. Young, belonging to Virginia, and the
Schooner ,Capt. Eldridge from Hispaniola, all loa
drdwith rum, sugar, fair, &c. Capt. Doan (poke with the
Schooner Minerva, Capt. Strong, off the ceaft, for this
port.
. Saturday last was married, Coi. COPEERTHWAIT
to the amiable Mils SALLY WEST, of this city.
For the PENNSYLVANIA PACKET.
HA D a general limitation been eftabi (hrd. last sum
mer, there would have been no occasion. for the
heavy taxes that must an I are now to be railed. The
remaining sum of Forty Millions of Dollars, which was
to complect the Two Hundred Millions, would then
have gone as far as ail th: t^x.s to be railed will now
go. The Forty Millions is now very neaflv all expend
ed, and the press has but a few days more to work.
Don't give away your money foolifhly, for it will pre
sently be scarce. When you go to the Shops and mar
kets, remember &i%t the emissions are just out and that
no more rovne, will be struck, and that the public ex
pences will now be carried on in. tax^ When they atk
you so much for hotter, So much for beef, so much for
FA ^?°, j n " ' o "veb for dry, recollect that the Col
.ors 6.L't^^s may be at your house before you get
home, and how foolishly yon will look if you have (quan
dered it away and have none left to pay. And if at (hop
or market you fee other folks buying without regard to
price, you may be Sure they come cither very lightly or
not very hoheftly by their money. ,
FATHER ABRAHAM.
x^w^x^wxw^w^x
TH E Members of Lodge No. 3 are request
ed to meet the Master and Brethren it their Room
in Videll's-Alley, this evening precisely at Five o'clock,
upon particular business.
By order of the Nafer,
HENRY VALENTINE, Secretary.
Tuesday, December 21, 1779.
Philadelphia, December 20, 177,.
AT a meeting of tne Mag ftratei of the City and
County of Philadelphia, on the Seventeenth inst.
taking into consideration the price allowed by A& of
AHcmbly for Sweeping of Chimney's being not fufficient
to engage a Sufficient number of Sweeps for that pur
pose at this feaion of the year, do agree to allow Eight
Dollars for the Sweeping of every Chimney from this
day to the firft of February next.
JOHN OR D, President.
To be LET, and entered on immediately
THE Bunch of Grapes TAVERN, in Third Stree,'
1 between Marketand Arch Streets. Enquire of Joht"
Benezet, at the North # Eaff corner of Front and Pin#
Streets. December sflh.
One Hundred andTaventyDollarsßeavard.
C T R A Y E D about a month ago, from the pasture
' of the fubferiber living in the diilri& of Southwark,
a very fine Sorrel HORSE, between five and fix years
old, about fourteen and a half hands and one inch high,
without Shoes, a few white hairs on bis forehead, with a
longdock and Switch tail. Alloa Small Black HOR ^E,
very old, with two white feet and a fear, and full of nits.
Whoever takes up the fame, and will bring them to
Mrs. Ferguson, in Front street, between Walnut and
Chestnut-streets, or to John Jones in the diftri& of
Southwark, (hail have the above reward, or One Hund
red Dollars for the Sorrel, and Twenty Dollars for the
Black Horse, and all reafonble charges.
To THE PU BL I C.
WHEREAS I have built and completed, at
my own coff, a Bridge 140 feet long, and a
Causeway, at the Head of Chester, Kent County, Ma
ryland, which I find very expensive and d fficult to keep
up: This is therefore to give notice, That I intend to
petition the General Assembly at their next fitting at
Annapolis, for an A& to enable me to receive Tell for
said Bridge and Causeway, to keep them in good repair.
JOSEPH BOUCHELL.
THIRTY DOLLARS REWARD.
L O S T,
Early in the evening of Saturn the fifteenth infant,
(December)
A STITCHED PAMPHLET, covered with
marbled paper, entituled, “ Thoughts on the
Conduft of the war in the Middle Colonies, during the
campaigns of 1776, 1777, and 1778, in several Letter
addressed to a Nobleman ;" printed in London this year,
1779. Whoever has found and will return it at my
800ß-ftere in Third-street, near St. Paul's Church, Phi
ladelphia, Shall receive the above reward.
ROBERT BEL L.
Just imported and to be Sold cheap, hy
GERARD WILLIAM BEEKMAN,
In Secend-ftreet, between Walnut and Spruce-streets,
Philadelphia,
AG OOD assortment of
Irish linens,
C^mbricks Sorted,
Fine muslin,
Striped Holland,
Great-Coats,
Good bohea and hyfon tea,
Philadelphia, December 20.
To be SOLD Standing,
A QUANTITY of WOOD on the wife
hickon Road, nine and a half miles from this city.
Enquire of SAMUEL POW EL.
Souchong tea in cannisters,
Pepper,
A large iron chest.
Pound pin„
Ribbands,
Cap Wire,
Sundry dues and hautboys.