ineffectual, and the wifeft civil conftitution muf quickly deca. Had our modern reformers paid due attention to this, and had they, trend of attempt. ing to raife diffatisfa&ons and convalfions in the State, directed their abilities and their influence to moral reformation (where much unquestionably remains to be done), they would have done a real fervice to their country, and effential good to the Conftitution. But, from men who puffets little virtue themf-lves, who can neither govern their pallions, nor reform their vicious habits, and who can defend the atheifm and immoralities of modern Frenchmen, fuch attention and fuch endeavours were not to be exp&d. From fuch violent changes, and reformations of fuch dubious effect as fome men certainly intended, I truft the general good fenfe of the nation will at p.efent preferve us; and it is to be hoped, when the turbulence of party has tubfiled, and we are left at liberty to judge with coolness, that we shall all, from the higheft to the lowest learn, by the horrid fcenes which have for fome years paft deluged Europe with blood, to render our public Conflitution truly permanent by the reforzation of our private vices. The influence of the virtue or vice of individuals on the communities of which they are members is too obvious to be denied; and J truft Mr. Uiban will, therefore, excufe the following ftrictures on vices, follies, or inadvertencies, which really exft in this nation, and the reformation of which would be a public benefit. Their It has often been remarked, and it is certainly true, that women, though they take no active share in the government of nations, have yet a mighty influence in every civilized State. influence, though it is not alwass of fuch a public nature as to attract general attention, certainly leads to important confequences, as it affects the pri vate fcenes of life, and decct nines the virtue or vice of numerous individuals. To the ladies of Great B stain much praife is unquestionably due, for, though our streets are crowded with uafonuBates, and our courts of law disgraced by namerous trials for adultery, yet much of the guilt certainly nes at the door of our own fex, who, by the vilelt means, are often the infamous feducers of those whom by the laws of true honour they are bound to protect. Truth, however, requires it to be added, that the fair fex ore themfelves often liable to confider ble blame, and that they are often the real abettors and encourazors of vice when they are not practi caby vicious, and even, perhaps, when they do not mean it. Softness, delicacy, benevolence, piety, and, I may add, timidity (the guardian of virtue), are the natural chara&erif. ticks of women. Such endearing qualities touch the heart of the hero, awe the profligate, and extort respect from the mett abandoned; whilt the in whom they are wanting creates only difgut; the appears to be an unnatural and monstrous being, and, inftead of love and the fofter pathons, the excites only contempt, and meets tut with neglect. No man, who fincerely refpe&s the female character, would wish to fee their smiable qualities and natural fenfibility annihilated; and it is with fincere regret that their belt friends obferve, among the ladies of the prefent day, a tendency to mafculine manners which is highly difgutting, and an infenfibility to mafculine vice which is of the work confequence. A more unpienfort fight can forcely be feen than that of a woman imitating the drefs of our fex; and it is infinitely worfe when they do far forget themfelves as to imitare that of a flier. Yet in this part of the country (and fimilar fights are fometimes to be teen in England) I have oftenfeen the a with fhort petticoats, short coats with epaulets, a Highland bonnet and feathers, and even with a fword by their fide. Such infringements on the other fex, fo uncongenial to their natu ral frome both of body and mind, deferve the feveret reprehenfion, and the molt marked contempt. But even this infringement, indecent and difputing as it unquestionably is, is not quite to bad as that of learning the military exercife. Yer, Mr. Uban, it is a fact that, in this town, fince the corps of volunteers (who are men of the highest ref, cability, and most of them of independent fortunes) were embodied, the military foror has actually fo far feized on feveral young and beautiful females as to make them fubmit to be dulled and exercited (privately of courie) by a common ferjeant. Can any thing be more unworthy, or, I may add, more indelicate, thin for ladits with their petticoats kitted, to fubmit to be taught the movements of a fo dier by a Highland-win without breeches? Their mentions may pollibly be inno cent, 104 Strictures on National Vices, Follies, and Inadvertencies. cent, and I doubt not are fo, but the confequences may be guilt. At all events, in fuch a courfe they must lofe much of their natural timidity and amiable foftnefs, and acquire many mafculine, and perhaps fome indelicate, notions; and, were the custom to become general, the confequences would neither be pleafant nor friendly to virtue. Let them then leave military duties, and the defence of our national dignity, to their fathers, their brothers, and their countrymen. Unfuccessful as the prefent war has hitherto been, it has been fhewn that the courage and bravery of Britons is not yet evaporated; and we may yet perhaps be able to fhew our favage and unprincipled enemies that, when united in defence of our king, our country, our religion, and our deareft interefts, the fame fpirit pervades us which, under God, enabled us to humble their nation in former times. War is always a great evil; but its confequences would be worfe than we have yet found them, if the gende bofoms of the fair fex were re-, duced from the quiet fcenes of domeftic life to iot in fcenes of blood; and if, inftead of the amiable qualities and bafhful air for which they are admired, they were to learn to appear in all the fiercenefs of a hero. The acquiefcence of the ladies in malculine vices, as it is more general than the follies I have now attempted 10 expofe, is alfo of worfe confequence to the State. I have afferted indeed, and it is true, that the miferable condition of the unfortunate women who crowd our fireets is the immediate effect of the favage and unprincipled cruelty of our own fex; but it is equally true that, if the great body of our women would fhew their indignation and contempt for the unworthy perpetrators of thole horrid crimes, they would be lefs frequent. On the contrary, however, it is found in fact that men of this flamp are received into their company without the leaft hefitation, and even with equal (I fear I might have faid greater) picafure as thofe who abhor the thought of fuch crimes. As I eftcem the chara&er of a foldier who, at the call of his fovereign, is ready to fight the battles of his injured country, I fee the affection which the ladies are pleated to lavish on that illufincus order of men with regret only when it is unworldly and indifcrimi. Bately paced. 14. fecion of an [Feb amiable woman is an ineftimable reward for their dangerous labours; and they are fully entitled to it. But it is unworthy of the fex, and difgraceful to them, to be attracted merely by a red coat and its gaudy ornaments; a conduct fo abfurd as to put one in mind of the foolifh mackarel, which is enticed to its ruin by a piece of red cloth. Yet they who have attended public places well know that in fa& a fenfelefs puppy, who is a difgrace to the military order, and who has nothing to recommend but the tinfel of his cloaths, even if he is known to come immediately from the arms of a frumpet, or the fi nifhing fcene of feduction, is frequently better received than he who has every virtue and every mental and even perfonal qualification to recommend him. The effect which fuch infenfibility of conduct has upon young men of all denominations, and on the morals of the country at large, is too glaring to be denied. Were women, on the other hand, in fuch cases to fhew a different fpirit; were they uniformly to defpife and neglect all thofe who fpend their first strength among the most abandoned of the fex; marriages would be more frequent, and incomparably more happy, than they are; the vices of the nation would be leffened, and its real dignity, fecurity, and happiness, increased. The endearments of connubial love, and domeftic economy, would be magnified beyond conception; religion, which allows all the pleafures of life as far as we can pofiibly enjoy them with real fatisfaction, and without injury to ourfelves and others, would yet improve amongst us; that impatience of controul, which unhappily characterizes too many of our young men, and which afterwards grows into turbulence and fedition, would be done away, and our happiness as men and citizens would be, complete. Your fair readers, Mr. Urban, will, I truft, excufe the freedom of thefe ftrictures, which refer to follies and vices which have a real ex ftence, and which it is certainly in their power, in fome measure, at leaft to check. Such a reformation is neither chimerical, impracticable, nor dangerous. On the whole, though I may have exprefied my fell frong y, I have intended no offence, Mr. Urban, to any of your readers, and leaf of all to the fair part of them; the influence of women in the State I well know, and their natural goodness goodness of heart I admire and respect; and I have only attempted to perfuade them to direct their influence into a proper channel. Though I am not yet fo far advanced in life as to have ac quired gloomy-notions of things, or to be infenfible to the charms of my fair countrywomen, I think the danger of the times requires our utmoft exertions; and, as the prefent war is in defence of our religion and natural liberty, and as another Falt is proclaimed to implore fuccefs on our arms, it cannot be improper to request attention to our morals, and to the regaining our freedom from the flavish bands of vice: ΦΙΛΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΣΟΦΙΑΣ. Mr. URBAN, Mr. URBAN, TH Feb. 13. HE following extract of a letter from Mr. Thomas Cook to the cele brated Mr. T. Baker of St. John's (preferved in a volume of that gentleman's Collections among the Harleian MSS. 7031.) may furnith fome additions to the life of Dennis in the fifth volume of the Biographica Britannica. "Till I had the favour of your last I was under a mistake about Mr. Dennis's age and college. The papers faid he was in great want before he died. If fo, poor gentleman! it was partly owing to his own extravagance; for, what I now tell you you may depend on as on your own exiftence. After having fpent his own fortune, which was left him by his uncle, who was an alderman of London (whether his father's or his mother's biother I cannot tell), the late duke of Marlborough gave him a king's-waiter's place, Iver Nith at Dumfries (pl. 11.), which he puffelled many years, and fold for which confifts of nine arches, connecting the counties of Nidefdale and Galloway, and built origina ly by Devorgilla, who gave the tolls of it to the convent of Francifcan friers, which the had founded here. In this convent Robert Bruce of Carrick having an interview with John Comyn, and reproaching him with betraying his confi dence to King Edward I, which the other denied, he ftabbed him, and haf tening out of the fanctuary called to horfe. His attendants Lindlay and Kirkpatrick, perceiving him pale and agitated, anxiously enquired how it was with him. "Ill," replied Bruce; "I doubt I have flain Comyn!" You doubt!" cried Kirkpatrick, and, rushing into the church, fixed his dagger in Comyn's heart. Sir Robert Comyn generously attempted to defend his kinfman, and fhared the fame fate. The church, thus defiled with blood, was pulled down, and another built in a different place, and dedicated to St Michael. Bruce alfo, when poffeffed of the crown, built a chapel, where mats was faid for the foul of Sir Chriftopher Seton, who had merried a fifter of Bruce, a fifted at the death of Comyn, and was afterwards, 1306, executed by order of Edward I. The town, a royal burgh, is neat, well built with wide freets, two neat churches, Sa caft e, an exchange, and harbour, the tide Howing up to the It has now little commerce; town. but the great weekly markets for black cattle are of great ufe to it. H. S. *See Gough's Camden, 141309. GINT. MAG. February, 1795. 60cl. about the year 1720. The late earl of Pembroke was continually fending him prefents for nine or ten years patt. He fent him, about eight years ago, thirty guine is at one time by Sir Andrew Fountaine; fince which time he has fent him feveral times in a year five and ten guineas at a time by me. About two years ago he received Icol. by the hands of Mr. Morice juft as he came from vifiting his father-in-law, Dr. Atterbury, in France Mr. Morice faid, he was ordered not to tell from whence it came : nor did Mr. Dennis ever know, though he said he believed from Dr. Atterbury: but that is uncertain. The circumstances, I fuppofe, made him guefs him and it is not certain that Dr. Atterbury did not send it. Sir Robert Walpole, to my knowledge, has allowed him not less than 2cl. a year for feveral years till he died, on no other confideration but his age and infirmities, and his having made a figure in the Republick of Letters. weeks before he died, he had a benefit given him by one of the Theatres, by which he got above 100. These are facts, which I relate with certainty; befides all which, he got a great deal by his writings." A few Concerning the benefaction from Bp. Atterbury, Mr. Dennis probably was strictly enjoined to filence. But that he knew whence it came is evident by the following letter from the Bishop to Mr. Dennis, which accompanied it, "dated "Paris, 1730." "I hear one of my adverfaries* has not * Sir Robert Walpole, whom the Bithop always confidered as the principal inftiga or of the measures that were taken against him.' It is a juftice, however, due to the memory of Sir Robert, to notice that, as far as relates to any neglect of Mr. Dennis, the Bishops fuppofition was unfounded. confidered |