THE TABLET.
No. CXLIV.
" It is fane/, not the reason of things, that mates
life so uneasy to us as we find it."
I CAN think of no rule that will determine,
whether the evil or the good we anticipate,be
molt likely to turn out differently from what we
expected. The imagination is equally apt to ex
aggerate in both cases. Excels of fear and anx
iety is not less common, or less foolilh, than the
contrary extremes of hope and complacency.
We are fomuch controled by fancy, and whirled
about by passion, that it is difficult to acquire an
habit, of viewing things according to their real
character, or of regulating our hopes and fears
by any rational standard. Though lam not of
the opinion, that disappointed hopes are a source
of so much pain, as to balance the pleasure result
ing from the indulgence of such hopes, I never
thelel's think that barely to escape the evils we
have dreaded is 110 compensation for having clie
rilhed needlefe, and anxious fears. We are, as
has bfcen before observed, alike liable to meet
with disappointment when we are swayed by fan
cy, either as to objects of good or evil. The im
pulses of hope are lo lively and conllant, that
though they are frequently fallacious, they still
return with frefli vigour and delight. So that up
011 the whole, we may reckon hope as a precious
source of felicity. Nor do I conceive it very de
trimental to happiness, to give wing to the ima
gination in looking for the enjoyment of objects
which we may never attain. The only reltric
tion in thiscafe, is that we do not luffer ourselves
to be so much elevated with alluring prospects,
as to neglect ordinary duties, and to despise ordi
nary occurrences. A sacred regard to support a
clear conscience/and a fair character, will reilrain
the pernicious effects of hope, and make it the
source of much delight, intermingled with little
inconvenience.
But it is far otlierwife with refpeA to fear.
This paifion, though implanted as a natural guard
or forewarner against the various hurtful inci
dents to which we are exposed, becomes a won
ftrous enemy to happiness, when we surrender it
to fancy. If there be any cale, in which reason
fhouldeminently afiunie a sway over the passions,
it is in moderating the excefles of a fearful, anx
ious disposition. 11l health, lots of friends, and
n tholifaud other misfortunes are apt to give a
glooiny caf. ro the mind, and force it into an ha
bit of cheriftiing imaginary evils. By this means,
a fixed melancholy ensues, and a difrelilh for the
innocent enjoyments of life. Wearethus depri
ved of those gratifications which providfcnce puts
in our way, and become the slaves of a servile pas
sion. In this of the fubjetft, we can perceive
the neceflity of examining the reason of things,
when fancy suggests any circumstance that excites
fearful apprehensions. It is true, that it may be
desirable, to have a right view of objects, when
hope is {tiuiulariug ns to acflion, but an error in
this cafe is far less pernicious than an exceJTive
and unreasonable degree of fear. For as evil is
as uncertain as good, it is more eligible to hope
too much of the one, than to fear too much of the
other.
NEW-YORK, September 2_>
r Ky Captain Service, who arrived on Sunday
from St. Peterfburgh, we learn, that a severe
engagement between the Rullian and Swediib
fleets took place off Wyburg the latter end of
June —That the former had taken and funk five
fail of tUe line and two frigates of the latter—
The King of Sweden it is said had a narrow ef
eapeYrom being taken—Captain Service mentions
that there was a rumour of this intelligence at
Cronrtandc before his departure, but when he
torched at Copenhagen he obtained the above
particulars of the evenr.
Ou Saturday lafl arrived here the ship Union,
Capt. Whitlock, in 53 days from Liverpool, which
place he left the 26th of July ; nothing decisive
relative to peace or war had at That time taken
plate,but every thing was in the greatelt prepara
tion. Some days before Capt. Whitlock failed an
Envoy had been sent off from the court of Great
Britain to Madrid, with positive orders to return
vith an explicit answer from the Spanifli mini,
ller, whether his court would accede to the de
mands of Great Britain or not, and that any fur
ther equivocation would be deemed a declarati
on of war. Upwards of twelve hundred leamen
had been imprefled at Liverpool about the mid
dle of July. Amongst these were a number of
Americans, who were, however, released upon
their captains producing the proper tellimonials
of theirxit izenfhip.
We lienr from Rhode-Jfland, that a valuable
addition of cnriofities has been made to the Mu
seum of the college at Providence, by Capt. Jo
seph Ingraham, of Boston, which he hadcolleift
ed at Nooika Sound, and at the .'.andwich
islands. The corporation of the town have vo
ted him rheir sincere thanks, and ordered their
fecrerary to address him on the fubjeci as soon as
pofiible. Avertifer.
PICTURE OP fcEW- YORK—AUGUST W
THE observation is not new,
Bat still tho ancicnt, not less tru?,
That where men cluster thick together,
(Like cackling geese in stormy weather)
Arnidft the din of news and noise,
Some wond'rous theme cach tongue employs 1
Some oae great fubjeft thro the town,
Runs all inferior topics down.
As for example look at London,
Great Britain's heir by debt is undone;
Then poor Mad Peg, with carving knife,
Aims at great George's—<o*l—or life — \
A Pig,* or Cat+, as is the fafhion,
Gains the attention of the nation ;
Some boxing-match, to which the Prince
Flies, his great courage to evince ;
Where fomcgieat CobUr maims a Weaver,
Or Butcher fights a iam'd Coal-heaver;
Where bones are broke, and joints are put out,
Where bruises kill, arid eyes are cut out ;
Such glorious themes fill English papers,
Cure English ladies of the vapours ;
Nay, ot such consequence are grown,
That faith they nearly fill our own ;
Aiendoza's battles, or fad work
'Bout duel fought by Duke of York,
Of how his Higfrnefs' curl was hit,
Or when George wore his Epaulet,
Conve/ inilru&ions to our youth,
And teach them (entiment and truth :
Thus in all places some small matter.
Is found for uuiTerfal chatter—
Aflumption, Residence, M'Gillivray,
Treaties, trainings of Artillery,
Coweta's, Cufiitahs, and Cho&aws,
Tufkabatchees, and other Crackjawy.
When Congress wifti'd to go away»
Thus said our cits—ol feem'd to fay,
44 Ungrateful men, and will ye go,
44 And can ye—dare ye —leave us so ?
44 After we've turn'd Old City Hall,
41 Into fam'd Mansion Federal;
44 After difmifling all our pavers,\
44 Worne smooth by trampling fwcepsand
14 Those venerably ancient stones,
That bore our great forefathers' bones }
' 4 That made the ploughman, wbeq at work,
44 Remember, he had Teen New-York,
44 And limping, tell his neighbour Clods,
A 44 That city ftrcetsa'n't pav'd with sods.
44 After new mod'ling all our matters,
44 And treating ye, as if our betters ;
44 And fee ! Tnc lofty fort is down,
44 The harmlejs guatdian of our town;
44 All open to the bay and seas,
44 T'invite—for you—the summer breeze;
44 And fee yon tow'ring pilearife,
44 A Babel ! —threatening the ikies ;
44 Rising—on! mod unapt all ufion,
44 I do not mean to our confufion :
44 And can ye so ungrateful be,
41 From such kind patriots e'er to flee ?
44 Where will the foft, sweet, southern manners,
44 So soon allure to pleafure'x banners ?
44 So soon convince theartlefs maid,
44 That love at best is but a trade ;
44 Beauty, a saleable commodity,
44 Marriage, a state aid fafhion'd oddity;
44 For which free joy t may be exchang'd,
44 In cafe affairs flioQld be
4; But otherwise a girl of merit,
44 Should manage matters with moreJpirit;
44 Taile uncontroul'd the joys of love,
* For ever ?—that is—till ye move.
44 Oh think, and think, and think again,
44 Our thick, deep, complicated pain ;
44 How much we wifli, and wifli, to keep ye,
44 Altho long speeches make us flcepy ;
44 Remember all our anxious toil,
4% The Philadclphians arts to foil ;
44 That we to keep ye—glad and willing,
44 Gave fix pence, hoping for a shilling.
Thus rav'd the wife ones ot our city,
Some feiote t'was fhwne; fomeJuid t'was pity ;
iien iuddenly this topic dies,
A..d all the rage is blank and prize '
No longer bluster, bounce and zounds,
But ev'ry thought—three thoujandpounds :
J rom National Allcmbly prancing,
They seek th' Aflembly Roonl for dancing :
No longer loiter, nod and slumber,
But watch the wheel, and catch the number ;
No longer, peeping thro the grates,
See Senators desert their feats,
And walking forth as if for air,
Strait to the anti-ioom repair, ||
View Trumbull's forms sublimely blaz^,
/ftid fee! the paint—with wondering gaze.
Jnftlyadinirethe glowing work,
A laftmg honor to New-York;
An honor to our corporation,
A future honor to our nation.
Weft Lottery! Blest thirst of gain !
That makes us Idle all sense oi pain :
While our grave citizens were watching,
And every rumour's rumour catching,
Of who is blank, and who is prize,
Mine is four pounds young Noddy cries
I'll not put up with it, not I,
But oft to Roofevelts'and buy
Four pounds ! Why tis'n't worth a thank—
D n it, I'd rather have a blank.
While thus all ranks were deep engag'd,
And various war with fortune Wag'd ;
Congref's perceiv'd the lucky minute,'
Slipt off—left us—to bear and grin it.
" Slipt off! but pray what did they do,
" By way of recornpence to you ?
" You ! who in pur« good natur'd pity,
" Granted them house-room in your city ;
" And gave them beef, and fifli, and mutton,
" And genteel Congrefs coats to put on ;
" Their horses, cows, and goats, found hay for,
«' And ev'ry thing—that they could pay for ?"
What did they do ? Why Sir, I'll tell,
They gave what we deferv'd full well—
1 hey met in form—good Heaven guard us,
Refolv d nem. con they would reward us ;
Voted for gieat Potowmac's banks,
And gave us—" What They gave us—thanks.
•Thetarred P'g.-—> Lumrdi'sCat. \ Stone, for bavint
PtV'p I'""" W V d ' aZL '" thc dancing AJfemf/'y
h Tr~\ ■ Th ' the Senate Chamber, where Mr.TruZ
(I 1 " y hjlonca! portraits of The Pufiient, and Governor
n ' New-York, Sept. iy t 1790.
602
REMARKS ON THE ENGLISH LANGOAGE.
DRi Franklin remarks, that in modern times,
notice and advocate are become verbs ; a man
advocated a certain meafnre ; 1 noticed his argti.
menrs. It is doubrlefs true that the life of these
words as vet ht is modern ; but 1 queltion the pro
priety of dilcarding this use of them, iri this I
(honld differ even from so refpetlable an autho*'
rity as Dr. Franklin; altho 1 entirely concur with
him that progress nfed as a verb, is both " abom
inable and aukward." Let us carefully attend
to the idi6mi of our language, as well as to the
harmony of its confirmation.
It is observable that multitudes of our verbs,
perhaps one half of them that may be properly
called English, are mere nouns, used in the form
ot verbs. This is the cafe with love, fear, hope,
Jorm, fafbion, pen, interefl, provnf-, &c. which by
the prefix Jo, or the affixing the terminations of
verbs, become real verbs ; as to love, he /oveth,Hic.
It is evident to any person who looks into old
English authors, or examines the true ftrmture
of our language, that this was the original me
thod of forming our verbs ; it may therefore be
considered as the genius of onr language. When
ever therefore modern nouns or new words be
gin to be used as verbs, we have only to coufider
whether by afTuming a new form, or taking the
personal terminations of verbs, they do not be
come harsh, unharmonious, or of difficult accent
in pronunciation. If they donot, 1 feenoration
al objection to their use as verbs. The words
notice and advocate are not liable to this objection.
They are, in mofl vaiiations, of easy pronuncia
tion ; and as they abridge the number of words
necellary to convey certain ideas, I fiiould, with
deference to abler judges, suppose the use of them
as verbs, proper and admillible. The lame can
not be said of progress ; for to make it a verb it
would be neceflary to change the accent to the
lalt syllable, and even then it would be a harrti
and aukward word. The fame objection lies a
gainst the use of dijfculted, a word that cannot be
pronounced, without •violence to the organs.
The Doctor's remark on the use of opposed is
very just. For a man to fay "he is opposed to a
mcafure" is neither English nor sense. He may
oppose a measure and he opposed by another man ;
but not opposed to a meaOire ; tor this last pnffive
sense, fuppofesan agent which oppofei him to the
measure ; whereas the ast of oppolition, is limited
to the person, which neitter sense lhould not be
exprefied in the palfive form.
I am not a little surprised at the revival of the
word flricken, after being disused for centuries.
It may be fairly said that the word does not be
long to modern English, The participle offtrike
is jiruck ; the word flricken being used in one
phrase only in the vulgar translation ofthebible,
" flricken in years," and this phrase, as well as
the word, flricken, is wholly obsolete. 1 should as
soon have expected to fee the words wit and
trowed' revived in our national legiflavure, as flrick
en. For the honor of American Belles Lettres,
I hope the word may be permitted to reft in obli
vion. If Lowth's authority ihould be produced
against me, I would just observe, that he gives
Jlricken as an old participle of Jlriie, and Co he
does Jlrucken ; but where are the words used !—
Words are like leaves octrees, alwayscbanrhi*,
as Horace remarks ; but -when a word has
bs ufid by a nation, it no longer belongs to the but*
guage of that nation ; and thccompiler qf
mar has no right to fay it does. This is bdt of>4
of a j*reat number of egregious efrors* which we
find in Lowth's Introduiftion, a work which tea
done some good and some hurt. Evendn EwHW
authority we may as well use ftrucken a» firfekfr,
but neither of them belongs to the present SajWk
language. , N. W. •"
FOR THE GAZETTE OF THE UNITED ST4TIS.
REMARKS OM THE ENGLISH WRITERS.
MR: FINS'O t
I WAS much pleased with the " remarks o*
the Englilh Language," and hope they will
be duly attended to ; 1 am determined to puofic
by them, being conscious of their being applica
ble to myfelf. The New-England people arc
not the only persons who might be defervedl*
laughed at tor such blunders—for their foutliern
brethren are not wholly free front them. That
attachment to ancient customs Ihould takeftrong
hold of the illiterate, and thereby prevent the
adoption of improvements in literature, or ufe
ful arts, tho it must pain every benevolent mind,
yet it is not surprising. But when we behold
those on whom the rays of jfcience have fallen,
whose understandings are expanded by cultiva
tion, and who consequently ought to be guided
by views of public utility—l fay, when we be
hold such persons acting a similar part,it not only
gives pain, bat must chagrin every philanthro
pist. 1 hefe refletflions have repeatedly occured
to me, when I beheld Englifli writers larding
their labors with fcrapsfrom other languages,by
way of embeHifhment—l think this practice, (so
justly branded with the epithet ofpedantry) ca" s
equally loud for ledrefs, with the blunders com
fliijed by common people in fpeaking —and is
/ x