Delaware gazette and peninsula advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1814-1820, 1818-10-28
From The Boston Cazette.
The Casual Remarker.
NJ "

No. v.
The principles of moral philosophy, the max
inns OF prudence, the rules of practical piety, |
have been discussed, settled, and urged by volu !
minous and eloquent authors; it belongs to the !
newspaper essayst to attempt only the improve |
ment OF the minor morals. Among these, the |
duty of being agreeable in company is an i'm
por'ant, and. too often neglected one. Wei
meet in social circles to receive and impars
pleasure. II we ave exhausted by fatigues of
BUSINESS, vexed by the crosses Of life, soured by
disappointment, or peevsh from i'll health 81
it, from any cause. we go into company with a
bad temper, We are unlawful intruders upon the
happy scenes of polite intercourse. Suppose the
whole company were to indulge the same i'll
natured humor, what would be the consequence!
Disgust, brois. and all the products OF the evil
passions. Such, however, is The imperfection
OF human nature, that in every assembly, col
lectrd for the pleasure of reciprocal converse
ton or amusement, there is at least one OF those
dsagreeable persons, who have been emphati
caliy called hampers. The atmosphere of these
iiolated beings is chilling and repuIsive they
move about the gay circles Of lie, ike murky
clouds in brilliant sky 1t is difficult to con
lecture the motive which induces such persons
to resort TO scenes, which give them no pleasure
and where they must be consc OTIS of hemg black
spots on the disk OF cheerfulness II the requ
site attentions 10 wife, a sister, mother, or a
friend, Cad us to thee parties of Agreeable recrea-
tiun at times when we feel ndsposed 20 give or
receive pleasure, we should s,,n.i retire as soon
as po,sole, or maki'g generous effort suodus
The III h,lmor that preys upon our hearts. The
power OF altering ones temper is thought unat
anlble, only by those who never mad the
rial. Habit is said 10 be a second nature, yet by
resolute minds, a change of the most settled
habits has often been enec;ed. Many instances
are On record of men Of rrascibie tempers ex.
h,ot,ng examples Of inildness and self command
ia ryng occasions. President Washington is
sald to have been one Of those persons, who, by
careful control OF strong passions, with which
he was naturally endowed, uniformly displayed
the dominant power of reason. Temper oe.
comes uninanagabe because it is voluntarily IN
dugel What is said Of spleen by poet, te
commencing lxe,clse,
Throw bur stone, the giant dies"
may be applied to every fit Of i'll humor., If a
mai can alter his habhS, land 1t has been done
:. at every PERIOD and under all circumstances Of
iite) he may also alter his character, which, a:
i l'aiey says is Luz a bundle of habits. The i'm
possibility OF changing suiey, peevisl,, or a
dlsagreeao!e disposition is nothing bur Incidence
l-nere nunresistanCe, A sincere desire of re
! uiinaiion is the only thing wanting TO enstre
liz. therefore assume it true, that every one
vino exhibits stupid reserve. cold formal
:, an unspelai denleanor, or amy Indication OF "
manor III company has no EXCUSE; 1t IS his ow,
iauit, and entities nun to expulsion ; he voun
l.arily violates the laws OF cvty, and ought tt
Ine put under the ban of the empire of poltene,s
} lhe,e is however, bu little merit IN DOM M
harm, in not marriug rhe pleasures of socia
intercourse some positive agreeable qualities ar.
4. expected of every one. In The Commerce .
/, puit2 circles, the da"l anu credit a.s.,a % -,
Dc's account are cf'en cast m, and the bal
ance is much against man, he VII soon fin,
himself Stunned and cont. mned as a bankruv
lin good manners. When poverty is caused b.
I'm stortune, the insolvent continues respectable
and does not lose his FIR EMS bu when it is til
:, result Of voluntary supneness or headstrong i'm
! prudence. instead OF compassion he meets wi
Icuntempt. Whoever therefore enters 'oc ETY.
,aci,ly agrees to the terms upon which socia
I intercourse is established, anu as each is boun
10 contribute to the general stock of pleasure, S
such Is the variety of the gifts of nature, ever
one may lind himself qualified in many respect
to make himself agreeable. If he chooses SO
be. The hampers have talents enough, bu
want the inclination to communicate and rec
lprocate the delights Of ii cnuy society. The
are oftener found in cities than in villages.
i village circles, every one is communicative an
disposed to be az eeable and, though the co,
Il, ,ersaton is usually ovefchargtd with scanda
there is nor much i'll nature 1t is in fashonabl
life, we find the acme Of indifference nonchalanc
II updty, and the expression is nor parade
q ca) genteei setishness. We there see peopI
d behave as if they thought their presence aion
r. was enough to delight the company, withoi
amy condescenson on their part to be agreeable
Land sometimes they even affect fastidousnes
and endeavor to CONCEAL the pleasure they fec
IS In genteel circles (being of limited extent, {
II they are in every city,) the some iaces are so o
5. ten seen, that they become indifferent, and I'll
q fund of conversation by such constant deman
is soon exhausted, especially in those Ladies all
Gentlemen who take no pans 10 Furnish then
r serves with new requirements. At the ro,lt
tea parties, and balls, in large cities, we therefor
Inject with numbers of these hampers 1T
thine they were exposed to public apprehension
and as The season of social intercourse is a,
|proachng, every one should feel it his duty
"a lexamne himself, correct his i'll humor, g. stud
:, the means ofmak,ng himself agreeable wherev,
" he goes The pleasures Of life would be vea
IS much increased, if the discharge of this dui
: becomes popular and universal and #,
l. additional Efforts, mankind would acquire ii
n art OF being agreeable at home also, the world
Is stock of happiness would be four fold arg'9 tina
it is.
ID Captain Endicoil, of thebrig Dazct
n who arrived al Salem on Wednrsaa
Il last, in 50 days trom ST. Petershurgt
e saw til U. States friga'e Guerris,
n ying in the outer roads Of Copenl.:
gen, on the Sd of September, and o
the 10th Of the same month, in la
!. Sc. 50, and long 5, Is, E. in the Mort