The Newhampshire gazetteer — Exeter, N.H., 1790-09-10 00:00:00, page 2

A Small degree of acquaintance with the human
constitution may convince us, that man is a
being originally intended for society. So deeply
is the principle of sociability rooted in our nature,
that all the diversities of taste and temper which
appear in different individuals of our species, have
never yet been able to impair its strength, or hin
der its progress. On the contrary, mankind are
all drawn by its attractive influence, to forfake the
gloom of solitude, and to seek a happiness congenial
to their natures.„
But as the harmony of society requires, that there
ffiould be a degree of similarity in the dispositions of
the members who compose it, hence rcfults a ne
cessity that, where the diversities of taste and tem
per above mentioned, exist, mutual concessions
Ihould take place. Each individual rauft study what
is agreeable to the society, must conform himfelf to
their standard, and contribute all in his power to
the promotion of their happiness. 4t is this ac
commodating principle, and this reciprocal inter
change of kind offices, which may be denominated
Politeness. .
That a quality so universally ufeful mould meet
general approbation, is not to be wandered at—
That a principle of adion so consonant to reafoff
and humanity Should be rendered suspicious by the
depravations which craft, vanity and falfe taste have
introduced into it, is to be lamented. Though ge
nuine politeness, as above defended, can result from
nothing less than an elegant mind and a benevolent
heart ; there have been those who have represented
it as entirely unconnected with either ; and if the
opinion of others be true, they are totally incom
patible. Thus, by drawing it from mean and sus
picious sources, by considering it as dictated by
supple affentation, or deiigning felfifhneis, they de
grade arid vilify what they profefs to cultivate and
In unmeaning complaisance, which on the altar
of popular opinion facrific, without distinction
opinions and practices warranted by reason and
conference, constitutes, according to some, the very
essence of politeness. With such, firmnefs passes
for obstinacy, and honesty for bluntness. By this
system, learning, genius, integrity, and all those
amiable qualities of the heart which dignity human
nature, it not entirely discarded, are, at least, flight
. ed as useless and fuperfltous, and as making no
part of the character of a gentleman, The dictates
of common sense mutt be superseded by those of fa
fhion ; and propriety of conduct must be determin
ed by the temporary ton, in exclusion of reason and
the eternal fitnefs of things,•
In the celebrated% letters of an English Noble
man to his son, we difeover a nice acquaintance
with human nature, especially with its vices and
weaknesses; and we meet with many observations
on life and manners, the acuteness of which ihew
the author to have possessed an extensive knowledge
of the living ^orld. The perusal of these letters
—ll furnifh a young man with a great variety of
:::: and accomplish him in many little attentions
^hich^n the int erCQUr fe of „ are not only or
It is a pitiful excuse for any gentleman to alledge
(as one from Connecticut has dope) to vindi
cate his conduct to his coaftituents, that he
was not present when the bill passed afeertaining
the pay of the officers of government. Such pre
tences will not icreen any one from the odium justly
cast upon Congress, especially if it can be proved
that this fame gentleman never opposed the law,
and particularly infilled that the representatives
should have their present compensations. If any
member disliked the falarles, &c. he was bound, in
conscience to oppose them—and 'tis, ridiculous to
advocate a measure, with great vehemence, 'till
the question is about to be taken, and then desert
the house, left the public should know wh^ have
sported with their money. Viewing the fubjeft of
the pay of Congress, 'tis suggested to my mind, it
would not be prudent in future, to hire Gongrefs
by the job. Let us engage to pay them such a sum
for every public aft, having regard to its impor
tance—for inftance —for hearing, granting and
enabling upon Nathaniel Training's memorial,! would
willingly allow them zooo dollars—for determin
ing the place of re fidence §OOO, and for a trifling
aa, such as funding the national debt, 300 dol
lars." e—
— preparations are said to be making in
Philadelphia for the reception of Congress ; and if
we may judge from the accounts given us of the
rife of provisions, houferent, &c. &c a federal Re
presentative will be able to live in a tolerably de
cent style at about eight or ten dollars per day !
THOUGHTS ON POLITENESS.
FOR THE GAZETTEER.
MISCELLANY.
namental, but ufeful and necessary. In Ihort, they
will teach him every thing but virtue and true ho
nour. Whoever looks in them for these, will find
himfelf forever disappointed. And indeed, could
it only be said of the author that he is silent on
these fubjeds, he might, in part, be freed from
that blame to which he is now so justly liable. To
break down those inclofures of modesty and consci
ence with which Heaven has defended the youthful
mind, to lead it forward, all trembling and reluc
tant, into the untried paths of vice, to point out
objects for the gratification of its wild passions, is a
talk at which every mind not totally devoid of hu
manity, must recoil. But that a parent should be
found capable of undertaking the diabolical office;
is enough to excite horror in the foul of infentibili
ty itfelf. Yet such a parent was the smooth, the
accompliflied, the celebrated Cheflerfield.
After all that has been said of the art of pleafng,
an observation which has been applied to another
case, may hold equally true in this : that those on
ly can receive benefit from rules, who are able to
succeed without them. There is a natural unstu
died politeness whose feat is in the foul, and which
by a kind of involuntary effort displays itfelf in
every branch of the outward deportment. Com
pared with this, the laboured graces of falfe refine
ment, and the smooth cant of affected benevolence
are insipid and difguftingi Those external orna
ments to the acquisition of which, vanity, ambiti
on or interest may have prompted, may jerve in
deed to remind us of those elegances of the mind,
and those charities of the heart which ought ever
to be their attendants :, but, if unsupported by
true urbanity and benevolence, they can only ren
der vulgarity more offenfive, and ill-nature itself
more unamiable. Let those therefore who would
attain true politeness, begin at the foundation :-—
let them study to meliorate the heart hy virtue,
and to adorn the mind with solid knowledge. Let
them remember that utility is to be preferred to
ornament ; and that the Graces cab never be pro
perly employed, but as auxiliary to the Virtues.
A. Z.
THANK God, I have fleptfoundly the
A night, and /o this morning am pure
and well ! Thank God, my horse is well,
and has eat a good lock of hay, and a
cruft of bread, and drank half a pail of
water. God blejs us both to-day, and
give me ftrengtb to walk afoot that I
may nt be forced to get up and ride the
poor beast that has got lug enough alrea
dy. God Almighty fend that folks may
want to buy my wares, and somebody
take a liking to my ballads, and them
that can afford it may give some victuals
and drink, and I may not give my bal
lads for it to servants, when their, ma
kers and miflreffes don't know on't. God
Almighty lead us through greed lanes,
where my poor horse can light of crop
pings without running into the fields
after folks' grass and corn—and that
poor thing fee may'nt tumble down and
hurt herfelf and break my wares. And
God Almighty incline fome body to give
us a night's lodging, and that Imay have
a dry barn and fonte barley flraw —an'
please God, for lam grown old, and a
hard bed hurts me more than it cfedto
do: but 1 won't miflruft God Almigh
ty's care, for he never let me want in
my life —and so his great and holy name
be praised both now and forever more —
THE Man whom nectffity urges to borrow.
Is dragg'd to a business which dips him in
• 4ferrow ;
And he whom good nature induces to loan, 0 \
Is equally vex'd when he seeks for his own.
Since borrowing & lending both have their plagues,
How happy is he who stands on his own legs.
MORNING PRAYER
Os a poor old Pedlar in abarn.
AMEN.
.EPITAPH ON JOSEPH PETERS, M. B.
of Truce, Cornwall, who died Sept, 1773.
LET proud sepulchral pomp, and 'fcutchen'd
date,'
Wave o'er your tombs, ye glorious, and ye great !
These Peters afles not —here infhrin'd he lies—
Good, tho' not great, and, tho' not glorious, wife;
Few were his faults, to Envy's felf unknown ;
Os vice unconfciods, peace was all his own.
His fkilful aid was ne'er in vain requir'd
For pangs that tortur'd, or for pains that tir'd;
Uncramp'd by those, just Heaven ordain'd his foul
Should in full vigour reach th' immortal goal;
And, as his life, unpainful and serene,
His Guardian Angel view'd his closing scene.
VIRITAS.
anecdote.
A COUNTRY Clergyman, a short time since,
was abruptly called upon by a ruftick, who
very earnestly entreated him to accompany him
immediately to christen a fra new-born childrens
"A few (replied the Clergyman) don't you know
how many of them there are ?"—" Not rightly,
fays the fellow," scratching his head ; " there
were three of them when I came out; but the Lord
knows how many there are by this time l'^
Per tie Cere s, from Liverpool, arrived at Phila
delphia.
PARI3, [fiance] JUNE 21.
FOR the great national day the most superb
preparations are making. Those preparations,
it is said, will cost a million. On the river there
will be a bridge of boats facing the Champ de Mars.
In a great temple, ereded for the occasion, will be
placed a statue of Liberty : Triumphal arches, and
every possible decoration, will adorn the spot. On *
a raising fcaffolding on the right, richly adorned,
will be placed a throne for the King and all his
family..
The title of the King is now determined to be—
Emperour of the Frencha
The National Assembly have abolished all the
titles of MARQUIS, COMTE and DUKE. The
new President is not yet named ; but le Comte de
Mirabeau, to the surprise of many, had the greatest
number of Votes.
LONDON, JUNE 24.
On Tuefday last Earl Howe received his com
mission from the admiralty, as commander in chief
of the Chappel Fleet. / the fame time Admiral
Barrington was ordered to take 20 fail of the line
under his command, arid Admiral Sir a Jarvis
was appointed his fl^t captain.
The National Affembi, of France have aaually
decreed the fuppre'ffion al! cf tl:b?s and ? endapes
of Nobility ; democratically put an ^nd to Prince,
Duke, Marquis, &c. Every one is to be known
by his family name, anc the term ci/iz^i zith the
expitet good prefixed to it, is to be ir ture the
most honourable diftindion in France.
bergen, 'failed from the Texel the seventeenth inst.
Orders have been given to complete the Spanish
fleet fitting out to sis Y ships. The general ren
dezvous is to be at Cadiz, and Don Salano is ap
poii ted commander in Chief.
News is just received from Paris, that it was de
liberated on Saturday last in the National Assem
bly, not to wear any articles which are not fabrics,
ted in France.
JUNE 29.
E%trafl<4 letter from Goftort, fune zB.
" Arrived the Fury sloop of war, from the coast
of Spain ; the brings intelligence that on the sth
irft. they difeovered eighteen fail of men of war
from Ferrol, failing for Cadiz; and that on the 19th
inst. she was chafed off the coast of Spain by a
Spanish frigate, the Captain arrived at Torbay
on Friday last, and went off express for the admi
ralty'
" Admiral Barrington is now under way with 16
fail of the line, 5 frigates and a sloop of war sup
posed for the westward.
Nothing escapes the vigilance of Aftley—Laft
night he brought out a musical fketchcal!ed "Good
news for the Tars, or Spanish Dollars ;" in which
are several good songs, and a striking representa
tion of the Guardian frigate in her perilous fitua
lion among the islands of ice, together with the
noble efforts and meaps employed by Lieutenant
Riou and his, crew, to keep her afloat; the whole
has been got up with great accuracy and judge
merit ; and was well received by a numerous audi
ence.~
Avignon. They have blot'ed out the arms of the
Pope, and placed in their stead the arms of France.
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.
The Dutch Fleet under Vice Admiral Kings-
From the Universal Magazine.'
By Yesterday's Mail.