as their circumftances will allow, and, when they cannot reach the same gratifications, grow outrageous in their discontent and their crimes? Does not fuch general and extraordinary corruption carry a portentous aspect with regard to the religious, moral, and political interests of the community? Are not all these intimately connected in every nation? And has it not been univerfally found, that they advanced and profpered, or declined and perifhed, together?

That the period in which we live is entitled to praise for its progress in sciences and arts, in experimental philofophy, in critical learning, in all matters of tafte and elegance, in the accommodations and embellishments of fociety, and, what is better than all the reft, in its numerous and unparallelled foundations of the Charitable kind, it were uncandid and abfurd to deny. We could dwell with pleasure on the munificent things that are

done every day in this kingdom, and particularly in its capital, for the prevention or relief of calamity in almost every ima ginable fhape. We could even with rapture point to great numbers of both fexes and different conditions, as to fo many good angels habitually employed in diffufing confolation through the abodes of forrow, and fweetly folicitous to discover by what means they may moft effectually alleviate the miferies, and leffen the vices, of mankind. We are equally delighted to know, that among individuals of all orders, much virtue and many good qualities in other ways ftill exift, though the effects are not immediately perceived by the public eye, being concealed or overlooked from a variety of caufes..

It cannot however be diffembled, that the strongest characteristic of the present age, confidered at large, is a predominant love of fhow, diffipation, and revelry. When wealth employs genius, dexterity,

or diligence, to contrive and heighten innocent amufements, none but the illiberal or the gloomy can be difpleafed trade and manufactures are promoted; skill is exercifed and improved; focial delight is varied and exalted; Piety is not offended or forgotten; the Virtues and the Graces go hand in hand. But when application, taste, and talents, are prostituted to such as can buy them, for the purpose of devifing, without limitation and without end, new modes of pleasure ruinous by their expence, inflammatory to the paffions, productive of foftnefs, idleness, fenfuality, debauchery; tending to alienate the heart from the company of the wife and worthy, from the duties and joys of domeftic life; to indifpofe it for the fentiments and offices of devotion; to beget a difrelifh for virtuous attachment in those that are not married, to fupplant affection in those that are; and thus to undermine the very foundations of private, and confequently of public happiness ;---

when this is the cafe, can you easily conceive a more alarming symptom, or a more fatal perverfion?

Many of you know, that fo long as Athens and Rome retained the mafculine fpirit of their games and fports, the frugality and fimplicity of their manners, their reverence for religion, their respect for the claims of friendship, for the sweets of home, for female decency, and conjugal fidelity, those celebrated ftates continued to fhine with fuperlative glory; but that, when fecurity, opulence, and effeminate refinements, introduced an univerfal relaxation in these particulars, they vifibly fell from whatever was elevated and magnanimous. The Roman people in particular drooped, their very faculties decayed, their ruling ideas were debased; a paffion for riches, for magnificence, for adulation, for the most enormous intemperance and profufion, fupplanted the love. of their country, and all thofe heroic atchievements by which their ancestors had

protected and adorned it: in fhort, they became-what?-feeble, timid, dependent, venal, flavish, and falfe; the flatterers and tools of tyrants, treacherous, ingrateful, jealous of all around them, wretched in themselves, arrogant and defpairing by turns, dreaded for their mischief and fcorned for their meannefs at the fame time. The condition into which their defcendents are funk, the abject fervility and deep depravity of modern Italy, as well as the groffnefs and barbarifm of modern Greece, will for ever atteft the baneful effects of that extravagance, and thofe diverfions, which, under the pretence of national wealth and greatness, debauch, degrade, and debilitate mankind.

If we confult the English History, what do we learn there? In thofe days, when the heroic qualities and fagacious counfels: of the highly accomplished, though not very amiably feminine, Elizabeth, commanded the refpect and engaged the confidence of her fubjects; when dignity and ›