Litchfield enquirer., 1830-04-29

which flows from the bereaved heart. Il offers no balm to its wounds. It equally fails to assuage excessive grief, and to ex- cite that which is. proper. ga, sH} b.g A. As Enemento of departed worth it is shpeFduous. The heart of true friendship needs 1t not; the object of his affection is engraved there too deeply to be effaced.
 The mock mourner is unaffected by its sa- ble hue.
 5. 1t conveys no moral or religious in- struction to the mind. Itexcites no mour- ming for sin no submission 10 God no parting with the world no desires after heaven. Neither the solemn realities ofthe scene of death, nor the affecting and ad- monitory truths of the word of God, can be enforced by it.
 Our objections to the custom are foun- ded principally on its positive evils.
 l. 1t is extravagantj and absotbs large amount of funds which might be appropri- ated to useful purposes.
 2. 1t presents strong temptation to pride and dishonesty, and has often robbed the
 widow and fatherless of their bread, and the creditor of his due. 3. 1t is a violation of the command, "Be ye not cOnformed to this world" A. 1t diverts the attention from the voice of the Almighty ilf his instructive providence. It occupies tho mind, as well as the hands, in that solemn period, which is so peculiary favorable for the soul to re- tire within itself and contemplate its char acter and destiny. It appears to be an artful and successful device of the adversa- ry of man to 'disqualify him for obeying the command of his God, In the day of diversity consider. Con. Obs.
 Idrifs.-Tariffs have always, in some way or other, been uncomfortable things. The first regulations of the kind in Great Britain, produced great discontent among the people. They were nevertheless a. dopted with very patriotic object in view. The several statutes of Edward the third were particularly oppressive. They made it a capital offence for merchants to export the commodity of wool, then in great use in the principal towns in Flanders. Ano- ther regulation forbade all persons except the king and the queen and their issue, to wear cloth manufactured out of the realm, and in addition, permits the manufacturer to make his sluffs to his own measure. Foreign cloths brought into the kingdom suffer forfeiture as penalty. The most amusing restriction of all. and tllat r,,hiah Ctcateu tt1e most dIscOntent, was law di- recting that no man nor sO01Ids (the statute makes the distinction in the species, mad- am,not we, who. cannot afford to spend at least 1OOl. per annum, should wear tars. This offence subjected the offender to in- dictment, as well as forfeiture of the raiment. One of the old Chronicles grave ly remarks upon this latter regulation. that the sex took this matter deep to heart, and there was much grievance thereupon throughout the realm. for, verify, they did delight in that time in all manner of ex- travagancies. Charleston G0z.
 MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF v0LTAIRE. . It was H. Walpole who called Goldsmith an inspired idiot. Ifany analogous appel- lation were required for Yoltaire, the most suitable, perhaps, would be that of an sn- spired monkey. The brlliancy, variety, and versatility of his parts, his rapidity of apprehension, his ready wit, his activity of mind, perpetual, yet ever without effort
 the power, the vivacity, and the ease with which he grappled with all sorts of subjects, and most styles of writing, whether light or profound, whether literary, scientific,
 metaphysical, historical, political, ; or rela- ting to common life and manners :--these high qualities, when viewed'in union with the eternal grin, the grimace, the chatter, the antics, the mischievousness, the ipdel- icacy, and the apparent want of native dig nity, that belong to his character, forn, a most strange compound. Never, surely, were talents so lofty united "to thoughts SO low ;"--never did genius appear at once so astonishing, and so slittle amiable or respectable. His knowledge was won derfnlly extensive, and was wonderfully superficial. He hay knew every thing, from tho cedar 10 the hyssop and he writes of them all. and laughs at them all. MagGzine. m A .a Wondsrfnl Mschanisps. g
 Sir Everard Homes discovery of the pneumatic mechanism of the foot of the fly, which enables it to carry on progress i've motion against gravity, led him to ex- rla;,, thn noc,la a r;t in the afrIcfllrfs of the