The Newhampshire gazetteer — Exeter, N.H., 1791-09-30 00:00:00, page 4

freedom of conversation. The
advantages of this method
of receiving inftruaion above
the Solitary study of written
precept, are so obvious, that,
though pedantic pride will
not permit teachers to indulge
their pupils in the freedom
essential to it, lectures and dis.
putations, in all the branches
of knowledge, are established
in every seminary of learning.
But specious as thole institu
tions may appear, they fall
far short of the excellency of
free conversation ; as in the
former, the le&urer, fatisfied
with uriderftanding himfelf,
what he dilates, proceeds,
without attending to the
doubts and difficulties which
may arise in the minds of ^js
hearers; and vi&ory, not
truth, is the object too gene
The pavement catindt rest in peace,
With iron'd tops they peg it—
They squib our women in the Greets,
And then like heroes leg it.
Let Carlfle with his myrmidons,
Seize on the raggamuffins ;
And pack them off co jail like rogues,
Street robbers, thieves or ruffians.
SEAT of the MUSES.
From the Gazette of the United Stater,
[Printed at Philadelphia.]
OUR City Boys are grown so bad,
All Almcr.itions scorning,
iChat Andrew whips them over night.
And johr.„ in the morning.
What (hall be done to these vile boys
To keerfthem in due order ?
Let them be taught by broken bones.
Or anb thing but murder-
For such another plaguy gfog
I'm fare there's not in Dublin,
Who*Q the Cazettrs, night and morn,
The world iu'elf are troubling.
" Ye parents who have children dear,
0 think what ills may come ?
To have them fafe and foun 1 abroad,
They must be kept at heme."
discoveries of reason, in the
French, Spaniards, Irish emigrants,
They mal-treat as they're walking ;
They flare them out of countenance,
Or mock them while they're talking.
r-q-^HE moss pleasing if not
§ thefirft use of language
is the Communication of the
Oil the Pleasure & Advan-
Ye boys and lads, both great and small,
These dreadful threat'nings ponder,
Left on year heads great paragraphs
Should fall like claps of thunder.
TAGE of
RATIONAL CONVERSATION.
AN EXTRACT.
MISCELLANY.
rally proposed by all dispu
tants ; whereas,in equal con
versation every doubt can be
cleared,every difficulty remov
ed, and knowledge established
on the solid foundation of
rational conviction. As to
written precepts, it is a mark
most disadvantageous to the
reputation of the learned,
that very few such have been
delivered as if they were really
designed for general instruc
tion. They have been either
written in adead language or
according to obsolete rules,
invented when ignorance and
contention fought rather to
perplex than inform the mind
and which happily are known
only to those who make study
their particular profeffion, &
therefore are obliged to labor
through the whole mass of
literary lumber ; and even'
those who have broke
through this prejudice, and
given room to reason to pur
sue its discoveries, without
the incumbrance of problems,
fcloliums, corollaries, fyllogi/ms,
and the rest of that pedantic
jargon which are really a re
straint, not an assistance to
the mind, have yet affeded a
conciseness, which they un
luckily call close reasoning has
involved them in fuchobfcuri
ty as requires so much time &;
labor to elucidate,as are fuffi
cient to difeourage the curi
ous mind, and do too ofteri
lead it into the grpffeft errors.
If this true end of converfati
on were properly attended to,
imagination can fcarc prescribe
bounds to the improvement
which the human mind would
receive from it. Instead of
the trifling, idle, or vicious
topics, which at present are
made use of really to murder
time, the deepest discoveries
of science, the most sublime
truths of morality and religi
on, would become familiar,
their difficulties be removed,
and further advances made in
them,by the assistance of the
additional light which the
collision of so many different
opinions, arid opening them
in such a variety of views,
must necessarily throw upon
them. And as experience has
amply refuted the prejudice
which so long prevailed a
gainst the abilities of the fe
male mind,& proved it equal
to every rational pursuit, the
conversation between the two
sexes would take a new turn,
in which the quickness and
delicacy of woman would give
such grace and liveliriefs to
the grave and abftraaed judg
ment of man, as would re
pay the inftru&ion file might
receive from him.
:time, and compute what ad
-1 vances might be made by
Ithis application of that part
which is thought lefsly loft ;
-The shortness of life is the
universal excafe for the im
perfeaion of human know
ledge ; but if any person
would take the account of
which is not really beneath
the dignity of reason, it is
scarce a presumption to sup
pose, that a great part of our
happiness will consist, in that
exaltedftate where the incum.
brances of sense shall fall off,
and the mind become, in the
perfection of its nature,a pure
intelligence. As to the differ
ent parts of giving and receiv
ing inftruaion,it is a question
not easy to be decided, in
which true benevolence feels
the greatest pleasure, so that
there can be no danger of its
being Allayed by arrogance or
envy. While, then, we have
this sublime pleasure always
within orir power, is it not
the greater infatuation to a
buse the blessing, and prosti
tute to other ends, time that
might be spent so happy ? why
do we not enjoy this fortafte
of heaven, to prepare for the
riper fullnefs of its joy, when
doubts and errors shall be
drowned in the radiance of
divine knowledge ; and things
seen at one view,in the clear
ness of their real essence, not
obfeurely, ^ through the un
certain medium of fallible
sense, as in this present life.
that and the other plausible
etcufe of the necessity of re
laxation to the mind by enter
tainment, would be taken
away, as the useless void (to
give the time at present spent
in common conversation the
most favourable name) would
be filled up, and learning be
recommended to inclination
by the highest pleasure.
In this entertainment, al-
most the only one in life
TO contrast the refpedabili
ty of our prefers Rules^ with
lome who have proceeded them,
may be odious, but by it we may
be led to appreciate our present
highly favoured situation. Dur
ing the infurredtion in this
State, when the ihfurgent inte
rest prevailed, an Eflex En
ragee was cboJen Counfellor
at large, by the Legiflature —
His acceptance of the trust was
thus literally, and be being a
Miller, technically worded.
" Mr precedent, Sur, These
are to inform you that I ex
cept the place of CORN
SELLOR, and remain,
yours, &c. I. H."
(Columb, Centinel.)
ANECDOTE.
On Saturday lafl, as a Chaise
belonging to Mr. William
Brown of this town, with a
Woman and two children in it
was paring over the Bridge in
this town, the horse got fright
ened,and ran withgreat velocity
againfl one of the rails of the
bridge by Col.Calef's fore,broke
down the rail, andfprang off the
bridge with the Chaife —but we
are happy to bear, that neither
the woman or children have re
ceived any material injury- —
altho the beigbtb was near 12
Jeet and they fell directly on a
ledge of rocks —one of the chil
dren was thrown out of the chaise
but received only a flight wound
in the thigh.—The borfe came
upon bis jeet and was not much
hurt.
Call the confo'ations of re
ligion to your aid—those can
mitigate the poignancy of
your lorrow, and teach you
to lubmit to a dispensation so
grievous—they will calm the
ruffled emotions of fourbreaft
produce resignation to the di
vine will,and lead you to view
every event, however adverse,
as dire&ed by consummate
wisdom, and designed for our
moral improvement and ad
vantage.
Animated by these reflec
tions, the gloom of grief will
dissipate, and your mind be
restored to serenity.
THE PARENT'S CONSOLATION.
[An Extraa from the Maffa. Magazine.]
MY heart beats sympa
thy, and melts with
tears of condolance.—Can
the agony of grief be soothed
by tlie meltings of friend
ship?—Can the torture of an
afflicted mind be afluaged by
the sympathetic fob ?—I an
swer, yes—such is the consti
tution of the human affect
ions. Your griefis pungent.
Sudden transition !—from
blooming health to violent
disease.—Quick and unex
pected was its attack, and fur
prizingly rapid its progress.
To day a lovelyblooming boy,
to morrow a cold corpse, en
cloled in its shroud.
Your fond imagination
might indulge the pleasing
thought of feeing the tender
bosom expand and ripen to
manhood a blessing to locietr,
and comfort to its friends.—
Pleasing delusion ! Death,
hath nipped it in his bud,and
made it to wither &; die. But
why dwell on the affecting
feene ? Behold its gentle spirit
disengaged from the incum
brance of flefh,wafted by con
genial spirits to the paradife of
God; hear it welcomed to
feats of everlasting bliis&joy.
DOVER, AUGUST 26.