The Mirror — Concord, N.H., 1798-07-31 00:00:00, page 4

ON THE SPIRIT OF THE FRENCH
NATION.
BEFORE the commence
ment of the late revolu
tion in Franc 6, tyranny had
arrived at a pitch perhaps
never exceeded by any age
or nation. The gradual en
croachments of the crown
upon the ancient aristocracy
of that nation, rendered the
former absolute, while it left
to the latter but a nominal
power, and the mere shadow
of legislative authority.
Science having made some
advances in the early stages
of their political organization,
a diftin&ion of orders, and a
standard of emoluments, be-,
came an object of attention
The clergy, being the best in
struments for forging the
chains of political Slavery,
held the firft rank. These
with the nobility formed a
powerful body; and, in con
jun&ion with the crown, ef
fe&ed whatever plan their
avarice or ambition could sug
gest. Preferment was com
pletely monopolized by the
higher orders, while the
commons, deprived of the
means of becoming emulous,
derived comfort only from
their ignorance, and (übmit
ted to their bondage .with
alacrity.
THE
TIMENTAL MEDLEY.
FOR THE MIRROR.
Mr. Davis,,
B, rtfleaing the inclofed line; from „*r
Mirror, jou will oblige a conflant reader,
and defiribt the filings of Lean Dlß,
who was kitfly married.
Descriptive Pleasure.
WHEN firft my Hero.bleft my arms,
Surrounded with ten thousand
charms.
And worth beyond compare !
Oh, what a holiday of bliss!
When fitft my Hero let me kiss,
Her " something very rare !'"
I clafp'd my Hero to my breast,
Her ruby lips J gently pris'd,
With joys beyond compare!'
Most livfy pleasure, I confess, J
I felt, when Hero let u;e press, r,
Her " something very rare ! !"
As on her panting boforti lying,
Diffolv'd in pleasure, sighing, dying,
Such joys on earth there are !
When Hero all her charms reveal'd,
The beauties which her robes conceal'd,
'Twas " something very rare ! ! !"
LEANDER. -
Salisbury, July 16, 1798.
[This Correjpondent, wbo bat borrowed
tbe signature of Leander, is tot the person
who latel, wrote two pieces, and affixed to
them the name s/Lbander. Form, own
part, I care not bow man, Leanders write,
iftbe, do not drown in attempting to swim
in the obferte part of our wandrous Rivulet.
—lt is saidf aid tbe ancient Leander, in faim
i”g over tbe Hellespont to Hero, (one of
Venus's runs) was drowned—lhope our
modern Leanders will not prove to be alto
gether so clumsy, and jo much enamored, as
be was]
fflfrellanp.
POLITICAL.
FOR THE MIRROR.
[Fran tbe Cabinet.]
" TO RAISE THE QtNIUS, AND TO MENDTHE HEART."
The present constitution
exhibits the third attempt of
the French nation, at a politi
cal standard. But how is it
possible to establish a perma
nent system of government,
upon free and republican
principles, whilst the consti
tuted authorities ad in open
violation to the laws of na
ture and nations, and by such
mode of procedure flatter the
vulgar into a Belief that this
is confident with the princi
ple of uniting mankind in one
grand and universal republic?
Time mutt inevitably prove
to the people of France, that
the lust of power is the bane
of liberty.
In a republic emerging in,
ftantly from ignorance and
slavery, as France, the fun of
liberty so dazzles the fight, as
to render the dim comet of
fraudulent slate-policy diffi
cult of difcerriment..
This is the present condi-
So complete was the slave
ry of the laity, that reason
was scarce capable of con
vincing them that they were
slaves. But the party rage of
the higher ranks, gave them
a view of their standing, and
difeovering the imposition of
laws and religion, by which
they had so long been blind
ed, and their power to retort ;
they abandoned reftraint,---
deemed all religions a mock,
and every law, but that of
umftrained liberty, inconsist
ent with the rights of com
munity.
Thus, every principle of
government was annihilated.
Some individuals had flill the
exercise of reason : those in
the,middle rank were less af
fe&ed by the Shock than the
upper and lower classes ; the
former insane at the loss of
their honors and fortunes,
the latter drunk with the
spirit of enthusiastic liberty.
A constitution was formed
on principles of justice and
moderation, but the spirit of
the people was not to be
found in the constitution ; it
was therefore aboliShed#
A second was introduced, but
was equally infufficient to u
nite the parties, or moderate
the enthusiasm of an offend
ed nobility and a raging pop
ulace.
Thus the contrast between
the two orders, was fnch as
migh't have rendered the
government permanent, had
the higher orders enjoyed
that unanimity in governing,
which the commons did in
submitting to their jurisdic
tion.
A Gentleman who had
been long complaining,
and who had taken every
medicine, at length applied
to the celebrated doctor Rad
cliffe. The doctor loon per
ceiving the nature of his case,
told him he was in possession
of a secret, which wa^ infalli.
ble for his distemper, but that
unluckily it was at that time
in the hands of doctor Pit
cairne, of Edinburg, to whom
he would write to apply it in
favor of the patient, if he him
felf thought it worth while to
go in quest of it. The pati
ent, readily undertook the
journey, and travelled to Ed
inburg. But when he arrived
there, he had the mortifica
to find, that just before doc
tor Radcliffe's letter reached
Edinburg, do&. Pitcairne had
sent the medicine to doctor
Mufgrave, ( of Exeter. The
patient, however, had refolu.
tion enough, on do&or Pit
cairne's advice, to go across
the country to Exeter, in fur
ther pursuit of it; but as ill
luck would have it, doctor
Mufgrave told him, that he
had but the day before trans
mitted it back again to do&or
Radcliffe, in London, where
the patient naturally returned
to take the benefit of it at
home. He could not help
laughing with the doctor, at
the tour he had taken, and at
his strange disappointments.
" I went after the medicine,"
laid the patient, "to no pur
pose, and yet, I cannot tell
how it happens, but I am
much better than when I
set out." " I know it," cries
the doctor, “ I know it. You
have got the medicine. The
journey was the Jecret; and
do but live temperately, keep?
yourfelf in exercise, and you
will have no occasion for any
physic in the world?'
A COUNCIL at the Old Bailey, last
sessions, in cross examining a witness,
rfk:d him, among other queftiony,
" where he was on a particular day ?"
to which be replied, "he was in compa
ny with two friends." " Friends !" ex.
claimed the council, " twolhierei, I fop
pofe you mean." " They may be so,"
replied tbe witness, " for they are both
Lawyers!!” _ ?
tion of the French nation :—
they are the least acquainted
with that to which they ate
most zeafouSly and blindly at
tached. Their conceptions,
therefore, of flare policy,
muff experience a change, or
tyranny reaffume the reins,
before a permanent system of
government can be establish
ed in their dominions.
banquet of Comus.