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his tour by his ward, colonel Fullarton,' under the initial letter of his name.

who is frequently mentioned

I believe Mr. Brydone is still alive. The poet Burns, in his tour through the southern part of Scotland, in the summer of 1787, visited him at Lennel House, carrying a letter from Mr. Henry M'Kenzie, the celebrated author of The Man of Feeling, &c. but his biographer has given us no particulars respecting his visit.

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I can certainly have no objection to the use you propose to make of the anecdotes you refer to if you can think them of sufficient importance to merit public notice: you have stated them in substance, but have not in all respects retained the manner or point with which they were originally expressed by Dr. Beattie. In my first interview with him in the spring of 1793, after receiving me with great hospitality, for which he was always distinguished, but for which I was also indebted to the friendship of Dr. Gregory,† by whom I was introduced

This gentleman forms one of the groupe seen on the mantle of Coila in Burns's poem of The Vision.

Brydone's brave ward, I well could spy

Beneath old Scotia's smiling eye;

Who called on Fame low standing by,

To hand him on,

Where many a patriot name on high

And hero shone.

The Vision, Duan I.

†The present professor of the theory and practice of physic in the Uni

versity of Edinburgh.

to his acquaintance, he spoke of Scotland and the prejudices which Dr. Johnson's character of it was calculated to excite.

In reply to a remark I made upon the illiberality and incorrectness of the Tour to the Hebrides, Dr. Beattie observed, "Sir, Dr. Johnson travelled through this country both deaf and blind." He then made some remarks on the government of the United States and the administration of Gen. Washington, observing, that "he entertained so exalted an opinion of his talents and virtues; such was the veneration he felt for that distinguished character, that excepting to cross the Atlantic he would go to the world's end for the pleasure of an interview with him."

The day following, such was the pleasure he experienced in giving pleasure to others, he requested me to accompany him in his favourite walk to the sea coast on the East side of Aberdeen. There, among other objects of his notice, he directed my attention to some very uncommon vitrifications, and to a plant, the "arundo arenaria” of Linneus, which grows spontaneously on the sea shores of Great Britain, and which by its jointed and creeping root retains its situation, and thereby prevents the sands from being washed away, and by the same wonderful provision any further inroads of the sea are prevented.

In his Minstrel you perceive he has inconsciously drawn his own character:

"Meanwhile whate'er of beautiful or new
Sublime, or dreadful in earth, sea, or sky,
By chance or search was offer'd to his view
He scanned with curious and romantic eye."

On our return, speaking of Mareschal College and of his duties there as the Professor of Moral Philosophy, be remarked that his labours had become irksome, and the more so as they were now in some degree new to him; for he had had an interval of ease in which he had been relieved by the assistance of his son who was then no more. Although about two years had elapsed since the death of young Beattie, I perceived this to be a theme very near his heart, and though painful yet grateful to his feelings; for he seemed unwilling to change the subject. Thus with all the acquirements of the head he still retained the more delightful qualities of the heart. In the language of his Hermit,

"He thought like a sage while he felt as a man.'

I am dear sir, yours sincerely,

DAVID HOSACK.

FOR THE PORT FOLIO.

GEOGRAPHY.

PERHAPS there is no science, which blends more intimately the pleasing with the useful, than that which makes us acquainted with the figure and the laws of motion of the globe, which we inhabit; together with the relative position, and natural and artificial boundaries of the continents, countries, islands, seas, rivers, mountains, &c. with which its surface is diversified. It is a study, which at once amuses the imagination, exercises the memory, and strengthens the judgment; and is of primary importance in the education of youth, before the latter faculty is so far unfolded as to render the pupil competent to more severe studies.

Mr. Locke, in his treatise entitled, "Some thoughts concerning Education," observes "Geography, I think, should be begun with; for the learning of the figure of the globe, the situation and boundaries of the four parts of the world, and those of particular kingdoms and countries being only an exercise of the eyes and memory, a child with pleaşure will learn and retain them; and this is so certain, that I now live in the house with a child, whom his mother has so well instructed in this way, in geography, that he knew the limits of the four parts of the world, could readily point, being asked, to any country on the globe, or any county in the map of England, knew all the rivers, promontaries, straits, and bays in the world, and could find the longitude and latitude of any place before he was six years old. These things that he will thus learn by sight, and have by rote, are not all, I confess, that he is to learn upon the globes. But yet they are a good step and preparation for it, and will make the remainder much easier, when his judgment has grown ripe enough for it; besides that it gets so much time now, and by the pleasure of knowing things, leads him insensibly to the gaining of languages."

This science is not only of importance to be taught to children, but adults will derive great advantages from its cultivation. Scarce a page in history can be read, and its import understood without the assistance of maps. They are indispensably necessary in order to enable us to comprehend the causes and calculate on the consequences of the wonderful events, which are now developing on the grand theatre of Europe. Editors of newspapers, and of other political and scientific periodical publications, whose duty it is to convey to the American public correct information on the abovementioned subjects will find themselves lost in a wilderness of conjecture without the assistance of accurate maps, to be referred to whenever they hazard an opinion upon arti

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cles of important intelligence. Without a competent knowledge of the topography of the kingdoms, and republics, which have come within the vortex of the powers, which have convulsed the eastern hemisphere, and shaken the civilized world to its centre, the best written accounts of the efforts of the contending nations will be involved in obscu rity, and afford the reader but little instruction.

Of such consequence was this science esteemed by the literati and politicians of France, that soon after the revolution they founded topographical schools, in which the knowledge of geography was carried to a pitch of almost incredible accuracy. Aided by the labours and intelligence of the pupils of these schools, the French are enabled to explore every part of the habitable globe for the purpose of business, pleasure or conquest, without the necessity of recurring to guides, or the casual and precarious information, which may be gleaned from the inhabitants of the countries they visit. It is hoped that Americans will not suffer themselves to be surpassed by any nation in a science of such utility and importance.

Impressed with these sentiments, we are happy in announcing to the public that Messrs. Kimber and Conrad, and Johnson and Warner have now in the hands of the best engravers in this city, Arrowsmith's Maps of America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. These will be executed in a style equal to the London engravings, and on the same scale, and it is believed that the prices will be considerably lower than they can be imported for. They have likewise engaged to have made under their directions, Geographical Globes. First, those of twelve inches diameter, and afterwards the other sizes as the scales may require.

THE SENTENTIOUS, OR SERIOUS WORLD.

SOME men love to speak in parables, and some men dearly love to listen to them. The Lacedemonian, the Englishman, the Spaniard, the Chinese, all have indulged occasionally in the pithy style. Americans are not without this passion, and while many of Dr. Franklin's experiments and neat imitations of ADDISON are nearly forgotten, inost of his old saws are still remembered. One leading argument in favour of your apothegm is, that it is short, epigrammatical, and

easily remembered. We will, therefore, occasionally, string together Proverbs, terse remarks, and wise sayings, which, though they may not possess the poignancy of Solomon, may have something like a smack of Sancho Panza! A shrewd Physician in England, who appears to be a very successful prescriber for moral maladies, has furnished us with the following Formula, which he very aptly calls concentrated wisdom. EDITOR.

Leave your purse and watch at home, when you go to the Playhouse, or an auction room.

Early rising will add many years to your life.

Dine late; it makes the day longer, and saves a supper.

Take

your

Tradesman's receipt, though you pay ready money. Never pay a Tradesman's bill till you have cast it up.

Paint the steps of your door and staircase, a stone colour: it will save scouring and soap.

Much may be done in a short time: your barber bestows 150 strokes daily on your beard.

Pay all your bills at Christmas.

Be not a collector of books without determining to read them.

If you mean to buy a house, which you intend to alter and improve, bę sure to double the Tradesman's estimate.

When you take a journey in winter, put on two shirts; you will find them much warmer than an additional waistcoat.

A little spittle takes out grease spots from woolen cloth,

Idleness travels very leisurely, and Poverty soon overtakes her.

It is a merciless act to confine in a jail an unfortunate and industrious man. Ask yourself if it be not revenge?

Whatever your miseries may be, there are others more miserable than yourself.

Never write a letter when in a passion.

If you keep a drunken servant, insure your house against fire, and yourself against the censures of your neighbours.

Allow a man to have wit, and he will allow you to have judgment. When Religion is made a science there is nothing more intricate; when made a duty there is nothing more easy.

Do not brave the opinion of the world. You may as well say that you care not for the light of the sun, because you can find a candle.

In the morning, think on what you are to do in the day, and at night think on what you have done.

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If you incline to corpulency, keep your eyes open and your mouth shut. If you have lost your love, and think that there is not such another in the world, consider that there is as good fish in the sea as ever was taken out of it.

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