ing excursions, be on the alert, and leave no stone unturned in the pursuit; for, with prophetic certainty, I could almost venture to pro nounce in this, as in a much more solemn and important affair, SEEK

DILIGENTLY AND YE SHALL FIND.

W.

THE SENTENTIOUS, OR SERIOUS WORLD.

A PROVERB is the child of experience, says a shrewd Italian, and experience is the guide of life, say a million of wise men; let us therefore, "sometimes court" the company of this child, and though, to the fastidious, his prattle may seem quaint enough, yet, in his most careless talk, he is such a goodly and witty infant, we may find things pleasant and profitable, simple without foolishness, and wholesome without austerity. Editor.

My house, my house, though thou art small,
Thou art to me the ESCURIAL.*

He is my friend who grinds at my mill.

He is the best scholar, who hath learned to live well.
When all men say you are an ass, 'tis time to bray.

Enjoy the little you have, while the fool is hunting for more.

Saying and Doing do not dine together.

Go not to your doctor for every malady, nor to your lawyer for

every quarrel, nor to your pitcher for every thirst.

The fool fell in love with the lady's laced apron.t

This is a Spanish saying, and is worthy of all acceptation. It finely depicts the comforts and dignity of independence, and is graphically accurate with respect to the character of domestic bliss; which, in the true estimate of the poet, Cowper, is the chief good below. Editor.

Of all the apothegms of the lighter class, which we have ever perused this is one of the most happy. It is a pungent satire upon those coxcombs, who are captivated by mere show and outside. But, as my master Shakspeare says, let us say to every wise bachelor, or gallant of our acquaintance, "Let not the creaking of shoes, or the rustling of silks, betray thy poor heart to women."

Ib.

God keep me from still water, from that which is rough I will keep myself.

June, July, August and Carthagena are the four best ports of Spain. He who will have a mule without any fault, must keep none.

Visit your aunt, but not every day in the year.

There is no evil thing in Spain, but that which can speak.

The laws go on the king's errands.

Leave your son a good reputation and an employment.

Good courage breaks ill luck to pieces.

He who marries a widow will have a dead man's head often thrown

into his dish.t

If you would be pope, you must think of nothing else.

Away goes the devil, when he finds the door shut against him.

Choose your wife on a Saturday, not on a Sunday.

I wept when I was born, and every day shows why.

Experience and Wisdom are the two best fortune-tellers.
In December keep yourself warm and sleep.

He who will revenge every affront means not to live long.

A mule and a woman do best by fair means.
That which is bought cheap is the dearest.

'Tis more trouble to do ill, than to do well.

While the tall maid is stooping, the little one hath swept the house. A covetous man makes a half penny of a farthing, and a liberal man makes sixpence of it.

Look upon a picture and a battle at a good distance.

He who has a mouth of his own, should never bid another man blow.

.

He who depends wholly upon another's providing for him, has but an ill breakfast, and a worse supper.

If folly were pain, we should hear a great outcry in every house. Make no absolute promises, for nobody will help you to perform them.

He who hath an ill cause, let him sell it cheap.
A wise man never says, I did not think of that.
The clown was angry, and he paid dearly for it.

It would be impossible for the gravest man, either of reflection or experience, to refrain from a sort of Sardonic smile, after perusing this proverb, when he adverts to those unlucky and ungracious comparisons which females of the class alluded to, are prone to make, to the very great edification of that woful wight, their present partner.

ль.

Since you know every thing and I know nothing, pray tell me what I dreamed of this morning.

Truths and Roses have thorns about them.

If you are vexed or angry, you will have two troubles instead of one. There is no more faithful or pleasant friend than a good book. He who loves to employ himself well can never want something to do.

Men lay out all their understanding in studying to know one another, and so no one knows himself.

Fortune knocks once, at least, at every man's door.

No sensual pleasure ever lasted so much as for a whole hour.
Let us be friends, and put out the devil's eye.

"Tis true, there are many very good wives; but, they are all under ground!

Drink water like an ox; wine, like a king of Spain.

The ass bears his load; but not an overload.

He who would cheat the devil must rise early.

Make a silver bridge for a flying enemy.

He is fool enough who will bray against another ass.

The man is fire; the woman tow; and the devil comes to blow the

coals.

Huge long hair, and very little brains.

FOR THE PORT FOLIO.

PORTRAITS OF PITT AND FOX.

Written in 1801.

WE recommend to the perusal of our readers the following article. It is the production of a young American, who, during a residence in London, habitually attended the House of Commons, and listened with an eager attention, to the enchanting eloquence of that celebrated assembly. We do not recollect to have seen before, according to our own conception, the peculiar powers of those “mighty rivals" so accurately discriminated, or well contrasted. If the criticism have a fault, it is, we think, in not giving to Mr. Pitt a more decided superiority. We have long entertained the opinion, very deliberatly formed, that the VOL. II.

3 E

younger son of Chatham was not only the wisest statesman, and most accomplished debater of his own time, but of any age or country..

Mr. Pitt still rises with an ease, composure and assurance, indicative of former influence, while the house, conscious of his presence, are disposed to give him all that attention as a member, which he once commanded as a minister; and though he is, at present, a fallen statesman, he sustains a character none the less ascendant as a man; so that his enemies are not willing to approach nigher plain Mr. Pitt, than they did the once arbiter of the kingdom.

The station which Mr. Pitt has supported so long has given his eloquence a peculiar turn, and even rendered his character ostensibly cold, hard, and bordering on dry inhumanity. The political calculator, always in search of expedients, from habit regards mankind mechanically, and sooner or later becomes impenetrable to the first dictates of nature, and sublimely overlooks every obstacle which might impede his course. Mr. Pitt's eloquence discovers a frigid, palliating, defensive, yet positive, character. It has ever been sufficient for him to maintain his ground: not to be driven from his post has been to gain the victory. At this day, he addresses the speaker as though the conflict was still between himself and his great antagonist, Fox, while Addington is forgotten, and forgets that he is minister.

Had Mr. Pitt laboured his days in the opposition, he would have discovered himself a much greater orator, and a much nobler man. Ever on the defensive, he has naturally fallen into a confined uniformity, which has seldom permitted him to take excursion beyond the tedious business of office; at the same time, the system of government, forcing the current of business to mingle itself with the sighs, tears and groans of the nation, has rendered him officially obnoxious to the people, and afforded his parliamentary enemies the fairest pretences of attack. Once, indeed, Mr. Pitt found himself on the side of humanity, and shone conspicuously among Fox, Burke, Wilberforce, and others. But, singular as it may appear, he that once found himself in a minority. I speak of the famous motion of Wilberforce, for the abolition of the slave trade.

Under these circumstances, the members of the opposition have every advantage, not only of popular respect but of humanity, and consequently of oratory; for true eloquence must be bottomed on the honest feelings of nature. But a prime minister has already closed every pore to the glow of humanity, before he ventures to open the budget. Hence, he is cut off from the most fruitful source of eloquence. No appeal to the passions, no earnest supplication, no sympathy with distress, no palpitation of the heart, render him dear to the people, and soften his exactions. He comes into the house, impelled by inexorable necessity, and boldly exposes himself to the whole artillery of the opposition, knowing the final result of the question. But all this confidence in his numbers does not suffer him to remit the severest exercise of his

own powers, in order to give, at least, plausibility to his most suspicious measures. Hence, it may be easily imagined that, before any important step is taken, the treasury bench have already been summoned to weigh every difficulty, which the opposition might possibly raise. Thus, such men as Fox, Sheridan, Grey, have the honour of being answered twice. But Fox is so various, rapid, and overwhelming, that he frequently poses the whole ministry, who, long since ripe for the question, are happy to be released by the last resort of the minister-I mean his majority.

Mr. Pitt is the most cool, perspicuous, dignified, and fluent speaker, who ever rose in a deliberative assembly. The moment he is expected, a solemn stillness pervades the house, and while his presence is felt, his adversaries lose all their influence. His manner is gentle and unassuming; his gestures, moderate and conciliatory; his voice, musical, clear, and distinct; his words, most happily selected, without the least appearance of selection, flow in an unruffled, uniform stream, always sufficiently rapid to interest, and, frequently, to command attention. With these advantages, he opens upon the house a mind veteran in politics, and as extensive as the various relations of the empire. Nor is he deficient, though sparing, of the illustrations of modern science, and the embellishments of ancient literature. With a mind thus adorn. ed by nature, thus disciplined by art, and habitually cool and determined, no wonder he discovers, on all occasions, a reach far beyond the attainment of ordinary men. A mighty kingdom he still seems to support, nor does he sink under the weight, while the fallen statesman is yet willing to hazard his former immense responsibility. Doubtless, no mortal, in a British house of commons, could support such a weight of character, unless his preeminent abilities had first given him a necessary weight, and then that weight of character had again seconded his abilities.

How can it be Consistent from

Fox appears in the house of commons under the most favourable impressions, which a man ambitious of the orator can desire. He commands the awe, if not admiration of the ministry, steals into the affections of the indifferent, and carries with him the enthusiasm of his friends. otherwise? His heart is labouring and full, before he rises. the beginning, his sincerity is never doubted, and thus is he always in possession of the foreground; and though he frequently breaks out in sudden abruptness, the beginning of his last speech for ever seems the conclusion of his former. So that his whole political life has been one connected flow of eloquence, here only a narrow stream, and there scarcely flowing at all, but on every great occasion collecting itself to a torrent, and wide rushing in a lengthened volume, now breaking over rocks and precipices, and now making its own channel through the labouring mounds, which his busy competitors had reared, sweeping all away, and, and not frequently, overwhelming his enemies, and leaving their dead bodies floating behind.

Though slovenly in his appearance, unwieldy in his person, and ungracious in his manners, though his voice is disagreeably shrill, his words fre quently indistinct, and his action generally embarrassed, yet he has scarcely