The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-11-14

diplay the virtues of patience and relignation
with greater attraStions.-Suns always lhine un.
leis yelled with the watery clouds of May
brooks run tinkling through lawns, or Drawing
through woods, as beit iuits the diipo6tion Of
circumstances :-Panlies, violets, wild rofes and
Haunting woodbine, fpnead couch at noon
or fcent the zephyr's wing at evening birds fin
the woods with harmony, unlefs theie happy
beings chooie
To walk unieen
On the dry lnoo,h-ihaven green
and mark the bat wheeling on his dufky way.
IL it is proper to be a little melancholy, they
mua lifen while
Rocking winds are piping loud;
or wander into the woods
Where the rude Ak, with heavy Rroke,
Was never heard, the nynlphs to daunt,
Or fright them from their hallowed haunt.
In fine, they are never to fllfer any inconveni-
ence, trouble or woe, unlefs they choofe it, for
the fake of variety, or for the purpofe of afford
ing few fhades, to perfect the charming pic
ture.
VIII fuch extravagant views, fuch " fentimen-
tai trippery and cream" fit young perfons to
!harc with contsatnent and fatsfaetion the min
glcd portion of good which is allotted to this
Fate; and to fuffer with dignity and compo-
iN' - VI ASChScs eye tnSlr
only reward is the confcioufncfs of doing their
duty! Weeping over the dttrefs Of a heroine,
tends rather to blunt the fympathes of their ma
ture, tor the unadorned woes of real beings
In their intercourfe with fociety, they will find
few exqniiiiely beautiful and lovely objects in
circumstances of exGuifite diitrefs but they
have no tears, no charities for thefe, whole for
rows are not dreied TO the relifh of the NOT
fickly fenGbilitv
But leaving this land of vi6ons, we come to
cld,s of fictitious writers, who, under the pre-
tence OF innocently amuGne the imagination, of
discriminating characters, or of reading moral
iefons to the heart, directly or indirectly attack
the infttutions and maxims OF well regulated To-
c,ety. Writers who corrupt the heart, by ex-
citing unhal'owed defres, and who are to be
conhdered and treated as enemies of the mott
dangerous and deadly character. Among A
thoufand that might be mentioned, the NIonk''
OF Lewis abounds with blafphemy againft the
scriptures, with licentous imagery and yolup-
tuous descriptions. He has endeavourcd to
iyttematize the arts of feduction, and to diff
pate every moral feeling, in the revelry Of paiT-
on. While be enjoys the reputation of brilliant
talents, he ought to remember, that they have
been prottituted to the WORT of purpofes, and
that the tears of thofe, whom his book has help
ed TO ruin, will ofis day q fcaiti his memory.
potthumous novel by Mary Wolfoncraft
Goodwin, called the " Wrongs of Women. or
Maria, which, according to MIR. Godwin's ac-
count, is TO give a new inpulfe to the manners
OF the world, is contrived, with ferries of Incl
dents, TO exerpiify the degradation and flavery
OF women III the married fate. Mary labourcd
ong and diligently to improve the condition of
her iex, in her vindication of their rights in her
novels and fugitive pubi ations, and to all thefe
The added the force of her own example. 1t
appears from Mary's memoirs, that in her fpe-
:ulatlons ihe was fometimes original, and even
The could not recolleet the time when
he believed the doctrine Of future puniihment
. he tenets OF her fyftem were the growth of
her own moral tate, and her religion, therefore,
had always been qualification TO her, never A
terror. She expected future fate, but would
not allow her ideas of that future fate 20 be
modified by the notions of judgment and retri-
button. In N1ary's conduct too, there were
ONE little eccentrcities: to exprefs it in Mr..
Jodwln's beft manner, fornc amoit inviiible
levlations from moral perpeudicularity. She
lad Platon'c affection for Mr.. Fufei; fome
with a certain MIR. INLAY, and A
ohioiophic affair with MIR. Goodwin. Notwith-
tandng all this, Mary was not perfectly hap
oy tor twice The attempted to teal out of be-
ng, once by hemp or fteel, and once in an or
GAIN of diiguft, threw herfelfinto the Thames.
he miscellaneous poetry of the prefent day,
Win iotne exceptions, to the readers of Shakf-
peare and Milton, is puerle and conceited The
luerulous, woe-begone ftrains of Southey, Cole
ridge, Woodwork, Lloyd and Co. executive of
their fceptical character, tend to excite the re0
efs and uneafy feelings of the mind, and render
t difconteDted with the Alotments OF provi-
1cnce. Sometimes the tales of the nurfery. of
he blne-beards and hob-gobliDs of Germany,
ireifed up IN baby-language, are thrown upon
me world IN expectation of pTaife and patro-
mage. Some of their effuions are diltineuified
for the NOT unbounded benevolence. Mi. Cole
ridge, who has attained great celebrity among
modern poets, has written an ode to the Young
foal of an ats: and in his pathetic addrefs to
this meek child of nature, he excaims, " fDite of
the fools fcorn, hail thee brotherl"
1t is melancholy thought, that men can be
found, who 10 ftrenuoufly ent!eavour to IefTcn
that fmall portion of good which is allotted 70
this life, that they fhould employ thoie means
which are eminently calculated to refine, in
truet, and elevate the mind, to etfecf its degree
aation and corruption. Yet, it is too well
known, that, for the attainment OF thefe objects,
they have laboured with Perseverance unSeari-
"a as the wing of time, and with an appetite
feen as the grave. They have explored every
avenue to the human mind, and avaed them
tves OF ITS weakneiies, it's pa1ions, and its pre-
JUDGES. They have adopted themfeIves 70 the
OF every clais of men, to extend their
influence and increafe the number Of their pro-
ielytes. Their principles have been DILUTED
through the whole MATS of human fcience, from
lober Treaties on morals and philofophv. down
~ fhnafp a,I kaI. 4. II