Jenks' Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1803-1805, 1805-03-11
70 TIE pLCPln.

leusc
70 TIE c,xCPlM
IF the benrfaGors Of mankind have sry
,ighr to th- a,tert,or Of tholc, Whole happi-
nels they hare prouloied, the jua;cc OF mr.
claims czuno, DC controversial. ti4alI s!lere-
fore offer no apology for troubling you with
this letter.
! My birth IS hilarious, and nav boat ef
my divine origin with r:orc truth, tran any
who have done 1t before me, nor can any among
thofe, whols benevolent exertions, and BENEFICIAL
difcover.ss. misguided gratitude has rewarded
with celSlsia! hoacrs, pretend 70 equal me In
difpenfihg benefits on mankind. Toinrrcafe, fe-
cure ard perpetuate, human happnets has ev-
er been my tolc and con.tant employment. Nor
Is my ability IN this refpea inferior 10 nly incl
nation. 10 the itch and powerful offer blef-
hngs, which riches and power could never pro
cure, and 10 the poor creatures, which enable
them TO look down with comPaiiiop or the fayo-
rites Of fortune. To the ambitious | offer hon.
ors !aiting,ss their minds, and unfadng as i'm :
mortality; to the avarisious wealth which ruit
cannot corrupt, and thieves cannon teal; and TO
the vouptuary plessures more exqniii,e, than
imagination can paint, or humanity endure.
Thcre.is no harpin-is, which canno, increafe,
no miiery, which cannon alleviate Fly inRa-
cnec Transforms the bed of death into tile hcav-
emily chariot of Elijah, and the grim king Of ter
tors into The porter of paradiie.
Di:tingufhrd BY powers, like thefe, you will
naturally fuppofe me the osjed of uniserfal at
tention that am Narrated by fluctuations
and wearied with opportunities that my fas-
or is courtsd, as the chief good, and my dipleas-
ure deprecated, as the greatelt of calamities.
Natural however, as this fuppo6tion may be, no.
thing can be further from the truth. From my
friends TOO often experience unmerited neglect,
and from my enemies uDdeferved cenlure and
Ihave the modification TO fee .myref regarded,
rather as necefiary evil, than, as the beitow
er of happneis. peace and fafety.
| mutt however do mankind the jutfice to
acknowledge, that the i'll treatment, of which
complain, frequently proceeds from errcneous
ideas of my character, and of the conditions, on
which nv fricndlhip is TO be obtained. My
name and garb have been agumed by numerous
impottors to cover the mott nsfarious purpofes,
and my enemies have taken advantage OF this
circumfance to load me with calumnies, and to
charge me with xceiies from which my nature
the innumerabie ills and calanitics, with which
{uperaition, bigotry, and fanaticiiin have del
ugcd this globe. lnfead mild and bcnitficent
lua,inary. Whole mild and cheering rays, diff
pate the clouds of vice, of error, and OF miery,
which obfcare the mental horizon, have been
reprefented, as baleful comet whole
horrid glare
Shakes peaience and war.
Thefe falfehoods however give me little uncai-
nefs, for my character muf rife hyperion to
and calumny. But the cold
and liaant carriage Of my fr.cods, am lefs a
bic to iupport 1t has ever been my cutfom to
appropriate one day in each week TO their en-
tertanmcnt aud time has been, when never
failed of feeling on ;hefe oocafons numerous
and animated aTembly. But now the few who
attend, at leaf thoie who continue awake, are
employed in any trife, which offers. sfelfto their
attention. In fhort, unlels afudden and con6der-
able change fhould take place, muff return to
my native happy regions, and leave mankind 10
mourn the lois of blefhng, of which they know
not the value.
RELIGION.