gentry, with "Will your honour take your chair? 'Tis a juft remark, that politeness, next to money, is the coin of moft univerfal currency; in every fituation we are fond of being treated with refpect, and 'tis easily feen that the elegance of our drefs has generally a material influence over our manners. The fuburb apprentice in his Sunday fuit thinks it neceffary, indifpenfably neceffary, to make an extraordinary display of his good breeding, and pays a compliment to his coat, which he feldom pays to himself; with the garb of decency he affumes the language, and keeps his brutality totally for a leather apron. On this account I confider the deviations which we have made from the fimplicity of our ancestors, as fo many capital improvements in our character; and eftimate our civilization, by the standard of our luxury. In the unpolifhed times of our forefathers, the daughters of the first nobility were frequently called by the rude appellations of Jane, Bridget, Sufan and Kate; and if a quarrel occafionally arofe between two men of condition, they were ungenteel enough to vent the feelings of their fury in the accents of refentment. As we have rifen in drefs, however, we have rifen in urbanity. If the retailer of a few ribbonds, now a days, wants a girl in her fhop, fhe advertises for a young lady of reputable parents; and if a couple of fharpers fall out about the divifion of a booty, the one requests with all the foftnefs of the moft perfect civility, that the other will give him leave to cut his throat. I am led into this comparifon of the paft and prefent manners of the British nation, from a letter which a friend put into my hands a few days ago for publication: affuring me he had great reason to believe it written by the unfortunate Anne Boleyn, to a young lady of her acquaintance, previous to any expectation of her marriage with Henry VIII. Whether my friend is, or is not right in his conjecture, as there is fomething curious in the production, I fhall readily give it a place, without any alteration, but modernizing the ftyle for the convenience of my readers. "Dear Mary, "I have been in town almost a month, I can't fay I have found any thing in London extremely agreeable, we rife fo late in the morning, feldom before fix o'clock, and fit up fo late at night, being fcarcely ever in bed before ten, that I am quite fick of it, and was it not for the abundance of fine things I am every day getting, I fhould be impatient for returning into the country. My mother, my indulgent mother, bought me yesterday, at a Merchant's in Cheapfide, three new fhifts that coft fourteen-pence an ell, and I am to have a pair of ftuff fhoes, for my Lord of Norfolk's ball, which will actually come to three fillings. The irregular life I have led fince my coming to this place, has quite deftroyed my appetite; you know I could manage almoft a pound of bacon and a tankard of good ale for my breakfast, in the country; but here I find it difficult to get through half the quantity; though I mnft own, that I am generally eager enough for the dinner-hour, which is here unconfcionably delayed till twelve in your polite families. I played at Hotcockles last night at the Lord of Leicester's; the Lord of Surrey was there, a very elegant young fellow, who fung us a fong of his own compofition on the Lord of Kildaire's daughter; it was very much approved, and my brother whispered me, that the fair Geraldine, fo the Lord of Surrey tiles his miftrefs, is the finest woman of the age.- -I fhould be glad to fees her; for I hear fhe is as good as the is beautiful. Pray, my dear Mary, take care of the poultry, during my abfence; poor things I always fed them myfelf: and if Margery has knitted me the crimson werfted mittings, I fhould be glad they were fent up the firit opportunity.Adieu, my dear Mary, I am just going to mais, and you fhall fpecdily have the prayers, as you now have the kindeft love of your own ANNE BOLEYN." How different from this would be the language of a modern beauty, upon her firit appearance in the metropolis! For the fake of continuing my contraft, I will myflf endeavour to preient the reader with the letter which The Progrefs and Recefs of the Sea in fome Parts of Italy. he would probably fend to her confidant on such an occafion, preferving as much as poffible the fpirit of the foregoing, to heighten the poignancy of the ridicule. “My dear Almeria, "This London is of all places the moft enchanting-the night is conftantly devoted to a round of ravishing amufements; and the day, which the vulgar are permitted to share in common with people of diftinction, is charmingly wafted away in fleep, fo that we never fee any of the horrid creatures, but when we just get up in the evening, and when we want them to minifter to our fatisfaction.-O Almeria, fuch a profufion of fine things as I have got fince my arrival in this terreftrial paradife! A pair of diamond ear-rings, that are at least worth three hundred pounds, and an efclavage but there my old, ill-natured hag of a mother played the Mifer to a fhameful degree of parfimony-I fhall eternally hate her for it-fifty guineas more would have bought the fweetest thing! -but the would not advance that fum, truly because he wanted to relieve a ditreffed family. "I have been in fuch fpirits fince I came to this ravishing fpct, that I am quite another creature, and then the preparations for an infinity of affemblies! Lord, my dear, I was last night 57 to a party at Lady Sarah Squander's, and who fhould be there but the Marquis of Mildew-an ignorant coxcomb he howl'da miferable ditty of his own writing to us, on fome fright with whom he is in love, and impudently afferted fhe was the moft charming creature in the creation. I fhould be glad to fee her-a dowdy, I dare fay, and to the full as accomplished in her mind, as amiable in her perfon. Pray, my dear Almeria, give orders to have the parrot, the fquirrel, and that fweet fellow the monkey, particularly attended to during my abfence-fend that foolish old woman the Clergyman's widow word, to whom I ridiculously promifed five fhillings a week, that the must look out for another benefact refs. I have too many laudable calls for my money now: I must fubfcribe to the Opera, and make up a purfe for the principal performers at their benefits. - Good bye, my lovely, lovely girl; I am running in the greatest hurry to the Chapel Royal-there is to be a world of the first company there, and I have only time to tell you, that I am, with everlafting attachment, SOPHIA SHAMELESS." Need I purfue this fubject fartherno-it is unneceflary, and would be rather an infult to the understanding, than a gratification to the curiosity of my readers. Progrefs and Recess of the Sea in fome Parts of Italy. N the year 1722, St. Mark's-Square, ports. The ground has rifen ten feet ones. This pavement was about a foot and a half or two feet above the water's edge. The paviors, in digging foine parts of the fquare, came to another pavement at the depth of five feet, confequently fuil three feet lower than the water. In feveral parts of Dalmatia remains of mofaic works are frequently discovered, all, more or lefs, over-run by the fea. On the other hand, in or about the year 1700, the fea above the Po wathed the mountains of St. Bafil, and at prefeat is cleven miles from them. Aquileia and Ravenna, in the Roman times, were fea VOL. III. Paduan, in the Veronefe, between seven and eight in the duchy of Modena, and even to fifteen or fixteen in the Parmefan or Piacentin; and not lefs in Romania and Tufcany. Thefe alterations M. Donati, indeed, attributes to the fragments of mountains which the many rivers and torrents in Italy are continually carrying down, and which muft excite curiofity. I have obferved, adds he, that the gravel and heaps of ftones increafe both in quantity and bignefs in an inverfe proportion to the diftance of them from the mountains. Iftoria del Adriatica. A Differtation on Faith. Addrefed to all modern Faith-mongers, the great Corrupters of the People. I 66 Would not be understood by the phrafe, faith-mongers, to intend to fay or think difiefpe&fully of faith, when understood as a reafonable and religious operation of the human mind; or as the princi le of its moral exertions. I am firmly perfuaded, that without faith, it is impoffible to pleafe God;" for every man who has a freedom of access to God, muft believe that he is; and alfo that he is the rewarder of them who diligently feek him." But when I add to the term faith, the Saxon word monger, or mongers, which fignified originally, a trader, a dealer in any commodity, or in profitable matters; I would then be understood to intend. all thofe men who perverfely apply the term, faith, to purposes it was never defigned to anfwer, in the reafon and truth of things. E. g. When the idea of it is quite naked, and divefted of all its divine properties; or, when any one fays, his faith has nothing at all to do with works but is the f le reliance which he has upon the rig teoufefs or merits of another: That man is a t.ader, or dealer in faith, upon terms that are quite artificial; he has taken away the fpirit and life of faith: for that faith which has not works is dead, being aione, or by itf If. St James tavs, that it is as abfurd," as if a brother or fifter be naked, and deitute of daily food; and one should say to them, depart in peace, be ye warmed, he ye filled, notwithstanding ye give them not thofe things which are needful to the body, what profit ?" or what egregious mockery? Can jaith farse him? i. e. faith which has no works; the ideal principle which has no power, no energy, no effect. The faith that faves, is always and uniformly operative; it works by love; it is productive of right temper, right aim, and right action. It is fomething extremely remote, or effentially different, from a mechanical inftinctive principle, which ftimulates and excites to thofe labors that fupply and fuccour the animal or bodily wants and weaknefies; for it is a principle that pre fides as a divine governor, and gives law even to the varied appetite and paflion, which must be the cafe, becaufe its object is God; its rules of operation the truth and grace of God; the fubject-matter on which it is employed, is, the reports of fenfe and imagination, which it corrects; and its great effects are, thofe of realizing things invitible, future, and heavenly: or, faith which faveth, is that eye of the mind which contemplates and converfes with things fpiritual and divine; the ability we have of realizing life, and immortalizing exifte..ce. The ac This makes it evident, that faving faith is not an infufed given principle; but what is acquired by a diligent and honeft attention to evidence. quifition is made by a regard ferioutly and religioutly paid to divine teachings; for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God: whether it be his creative, his preferving, or his governing word. Accordingly, it is thus defined, "the hypoftafis, ground, or fubftance of things hoped for, and what converfes with the evidence of things not feen;" by virtue of which, men of old did obtain a good report; and understood that the worlds were made by the word of God. It therefore cannot be an infufed given principle; nor can it exift without reafon, and the conviction of va id evidence; becaufe the affent of the mind to the truth of any propofition which it does comprehend or understand, is no other than a prefumptuous, blind credulity; it is a chimera, or wanton reverie. The Antinomian, the Sandimonian, the other dark tribes of mystical Solifidians, who exclude works from the idea of a faving faith, all thefe devout patrons of romance do debauch the fentiment, and corrupt the conception of the human mind. They have a credality which confidently depends on a foreign righteoutnefs; thereby abfolutely excluding the labors of virtue : for by a contempt of what is perfonal, the wild vifionary folaces himfelf in the great exploit, of relying folely on the excellence and merit of another, for On the heinous and flagrant Impiety of Perjury. 59 his acceptance with his maker; which Solifidian doctrine. Indeed the vindi- 66 If faving faith was rightly underflood, the many myftical faith-mongers, which do fo much difhonour to the Chriftian profeffion, would be no more. A Prefbyter of old England. To the EDITOR of the OXFORD MAGAZINE. SIR, As the matter treated of in the following effay is of the most serious confequence, as well to the community in general, as every individual in particular, by inferting it in your inftructive publication, it may chance to catch the eye of fome whom it may reform; and thereby perhaps render the practice leis frequent amongst us, which would fully answer the end of, Sir, yours, AMONG the many vices heinous and flagrant impieties diffufed through all ranks of people in this diftracted unhappy nation, there feems to be none arrived to a higher pitch than that of Perjury. The antients, though heathens, and without any other light to Φιλαλήθης. fteer their conduct by than that of reafon, feemed to have held oaths in greater veneration, and to have adhered to them more religiously, than we who have the advantages of revelation for our guide and direction. What then can this extraordinary violation H 2 of of oaths amongst us be attributed to? there is no fecurity which men can give Certainly to the frequency of making to each other, equal to that of an oath; this folemn appeal to God, the frivo- the obligation of which no man can lous and trifling occafions upon which infringe, without renouncing the fear they are tendered, and alfo the little of God, and all pretenfions to his faceremony, or indeed common decency, vour. Human fociety must then receive with which they are adminiftered. He the greatest fhock and detriment from who engages in this act binds his foul, whatever tends to diffolve and flacken with a most folemn obligation, to an- thefe moft facred tyes of confcience; fwer before God, and to abide the iffue and confequently by the common ufe of his judgment, relating to what he of them, which will neceffarily bring afirms, or undertakes. What can be them to contempt, and render them in more facred or ferious? What Cicero fignifieant; but by the rare and reverend fays of the Romans, that their ancef- ufe of oaths their dignity is fupported, tors had no tye to contrain faith, and the obligation maintained. When more strict than that of oaths, is true that most facred appeal to God, termed of all other nations: common reason an oath, the only tye between man and not being able to devife any engage- man for the performance of any act, ment more binding than this; it being or truth of any fact, has lost that awe the laft refort of human faith, the and reverence it fould inspire men fureft pledge that any man can give of with, and instead of being the affertor his fincerity and upright intention. of truth and fupporter of justice, beBy this nations have been accustomed comes the inftrument of fraud, and to ratify leagues of peace and alliance promoter of villainy, what affurance with each other. By this princes have can any honeft man, under fuch cirobliged their fubjects to loyalty. By cumftances, have for the preservation of this the nuptial league has been con- his property, his reputation, or even firmed; the folemnization of which in life itself? That the frequency and churches before God, is in effect, a little folemnity in our courts of judicamoft folemn oath. Upon this the de- ture, in adminiftring caths, takes off cifion of the most important caufes con- from the awe and reverence, appears cerning the lives, eftates, and reputa- from hence, that the most profligate tions of men entirely depend. We find and abandoned of men, when firit called in the facred writings, when Abime- upon to perform this folemn act, do it lech would affure to himself the friend- with a degree of dread and horror; but fhip of Abraham, although he knew when by frequent repetition it becomes him to be a pious and righteous per- familiar, with what rafhnefs do they fon, whofe word might be relied upon demand it, and indifference receive it! with as much confidence as any man's, and how quick the tranfition from inyet, for entire fatisfaction, he addreffes difference to contempt is, every one's him thus, "God is with thee in all experience will readily fuggeft to him. that thou doeft; now therefore fwear Would the time admit that the judges unto me here by the Almighty God, and other magiftrates who prefide in our that thou wilt not deal falfely by me.' courts of judicature could be at the Abraham, though he had much confi- trouble of adminiftring oaths themdence in the fidelity and honefty of his felves, and when pertons of fufpected fervant Eleazer, having entrusted him veracity, thoughtlefs, or ignorant, were with all his eftate, yet, in the affair of about to make this facred appeal to the marriage of his fon, he thought it God, that they would in a grave, conneceffary thus to oblige and bind him. cife, and pathetic manner, reprefent to Put, fays he, I pray thee, thy hand them the folemnity of what they were under my thigh, and I will make thee about to perform, and the heinoufnefs fwear unto the Lord, the God of hea- of the offence, in violating fo facred an ven, and the God of the earth, that act: This, I am perfuaded, would be thou wilt not take a wife unto my fon attended with fuch happy confequences, of the daughters of the Canaanites."- as would give the higheit fatisfaction to Thefe inftances evidently thew, that every true lover of justice and truth. An |