PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY JOHN fENNO, No. 4 t, BROAD-STREET, NEAR THE EXCHANGE, NEW-YORK [No. 13, if Vol. 11. j THE TABLET. No. CXVII " Laughing is a proof, neither oj wisdom or folly." THE editor, delirous to pay attention to the efforts of his young correspondents, does not scruple to publifli the following eflay, •which was sent him by Ari stipes. Some alter ations in theftile might have been made, which, in the opinion of the editor, would have added to the elegance of it. But A* every author chufes to write in his own way, we communicate ihe fenrinients ot Aristid£s just as lieexpreiled them. FOR THE TABLET. NUMEROUS paflions have residence in the human breast, and happy for mankind it •would be if some of the more violent could be restrained from so often breaking loose.—A very considerable variety however is inanifelt in their operations upon individuals. Whether this arises from a different method of education— some peculiarity of structure in the internal and more delicate organs of our frame—or whether the cause of this difference is to be fought for in the mental faculties, are questions I lhall not pretend to determine. Possibly it might be found tiiat under an accurate investigation this seemingly great diversity would vanilh, or at any rate be considerably diminished—and something similar to what we find in regard to colours take place ; in which the proper mix ture of a few original ones, that alinolt boundless variety is produced. I (hall not attempt to trace the different pa*". Hons to their source, and endeavor to discover thofc few original ones which may exist accord ing to this lalt hypothesis—-but for the present ihall confine myfelf to a few ohfervations upon the risible faculty or pailion for laughter.—ln this there is something peculiarly extraordinary and to me unaccountable—because it is excited by causes directly contrary to each other, viz. aJSaBi ■ ■-tvaw'SCtToiis -aliicfa arc .r.»J«AIy decent, and thole which are really contemptible and ex ceedingly absurd— which perhaps would juftify an allertion that it is not always indicative of pleasing sensations—yet in chafing a partner for thsnuptial bands, or thofeof friendlhip, acheer ful is preferred to a gloomy countenance—the reason for which is obvious, they are generally supposed to communicate some what of the fame cast to our minds. It is true the opposite paflion partakes also in some measure of this feeiningly two fold nature, there being tears of joy as well as offorrow—ltill there appears tome a manifeft contrail—as joyous teais are not only less com mon but also of very short continuance—lading only while the tenderness of heart is overcome by an unexpected effulion of fatisfaction, which is entirely evaporated when the mind is a little composed, and recollection returns. —In the o ther cafe peals of laHghterare repeatedly excited and continued, not only by witty sayings but ac tions very contemptible—How often do we fee this palfion raifecl by little calamitous incidents, such as a fall into a mud puddle, a fright or the like ?—ls notlthe invention put to its utraoft stretch in schools to devise tricks which when they succeed raise the loudest roars ? But what feenis llrange wecani.ot perceive the least difference in the feel ings when the laugh is excited, whether it be by wit or witticifnis, drollery or nonsense. To admit this might not be relifiied by those who possess this so much celebrated and frequent ly desired faculty—if the effects are the fame, which in u(l be the cafe, allowing the communica ted latisfaction to be equal, it is reducing the two characters of wit and drollery pretty nearly to the fame level, though they are generally es timated differently.—We find moll people pleased with a joke, and you may discover many anxiously treasuring up every little incident which they im agine will excite merriment in the circle of their ailociates—lt is surely commendable to pass at lead part of our hours of recreation in inno cent mirth, and to take some pair.s to entertain the company with humorous anecdotes and sal- Jies of wit, whether of our own invention ■quired from reading or experience. This is men tioned as one of the circumOances which tended to endear the company and enhance the conver sation of our late illustrious and much esteemed Franklin. According to the foregoing remarks lie is the molt defirablecompanion who has the best knack ol railing a laugh—for I do not conceive that the tlcfign of the molt facetious extends beyond the WEDNESDAY, MAX 26, 1790, acconiplifhment of this, nor do all the repofito ries ot wit obtain more, if it be conceded that every laugh produces afimilarity of feeling—and this may Be boldly aflerted according to one of the rules of philosophising so fully eflablifhed, by which we are taught to eicpedl similar eflVdts from similar caules,ana\indoubtcdly we may with still more confidence look for it from the fame cause ; yet however delirous perj -jis may be to excite, ltill immoderate laugh tei gives a chara<ter for levity—and the word is applied to ex press the idea of the conduct of those whose ac tions are far from being unexceptionable.—When it isconfidered how frequently we are compelled contrary to our inclination or rather intention to laugh we cannot help wondering how we should be pleased with abf'irdity and uonfenfe ; it mult be some peculiar oddity which conferring a moment ary pleasure is not able to encounter a serious re trofpetfion. ARISTIDES. On the GOVERNMENT tf our PASSIONS. J. SAY, Love, for what fiood end defign'd Wert thou to mortals given ? Was it to fix on earth the mind ? Or raise the heart to Heav'n ? 11. Deluded oft we (till pursue Thr fleeting hlifs we fought, As childrert chafe the bird in view, That's never to be caught. 111. O ! who shall teach me to sustain A more than manly part, To go thro' |i{>, nor fuffer pain Nor joy to touch my heart ? IV. Tiion, blest inJiiTerence, be my guide, I court thy gtntle reign ; Wnen PafHon turns my (lcps Still call me back again. V. Toch.mr To u'c. thro' Beauty'* art, How oft its frapoinj** hide A bafc, a lewd, a ireaehcroosfttaaTt. Wi(h thiXiLnd ills befiuc. \ Nor let mygen'rous fonl give wr/ # Too much to fcrve my friend* ; Let reason still control tTieir sway. And (hew wjre duty ends. VII. IF to mv lot a wife fliould hl! g May Friend (hip be our love . The pa (lion chat i« transport all Does leldom lalttng pro e : VIII. If lading, 'tis too ?reat for peace, The pleasure's ft> profufe ; The heart can never be at ease Which has too much tr> lose, IX. Calm let me eflimate this lifr, Which I must leave behind, Nor let tond paflions raise a ftrife, To discompose my mind. X. When Nature calls, may I (leal by, As rising from a fraft ; I've had my fill of life, and wlay Should I dtfturb the reft ? DISCOURSES ON DAVILA. The Senate's thanks, the Gazette's pompous tale, With force refiltkfs, o'er the brave prevail. This power has praise, that Virtue scarce can warm Till lame supplies the universal charm. THE result of the preceeding discourses is, that avarice and ambition, vanity and pride, jealousy and envy, hatred and revenge, as well as the love of knowledge and desire of fame are very often nothing more than various modificati ons of that delire of the attention, confederation and congratulations of otir fellow men, which is the great spring of social activity. That all men compare themselves with others ; especially those with whom they molt frequently converse ; thole, who, by their employments or amusements, pro feflions or offices, present themselves molt fre quently, at the fame time to the view and thoughts of that public, little or great, to which every man is known. That emulations and rivalries naturally, and neceflarily are excited by fucli comparisons ; that the moll heroic atfions in war, thefublimeft virtues in peace, and the molt ufeful industry in agriculture, arts, manufactures and commerce, proceed from such emulations, on the one hand, and jealousies, envy, enmity, ha tred, revenge, quarrels, factions, (editions and wars, on the other. The final cause of this con flitution of things is easy to discover. Nature has ordained it, as a constant incentive to activi ty and industry, that, to acquirethe attention and complacency, the approbation and admiration of their fellows, men might be urged to constant ex* 465 No. VII ertions of beneficence. By ihis .deftiuarion of their natures, men of all forts, even those wlio Rave the lead: of reason, virtue or benevolence, are chained down to ail inreHaii t servitude to their fellow. creatures, labouring without intermission to produce foinething which fliall contribute t<» the comfort, convenience, pleasure, profit or u* tility of some or other of the fjiecies, they are really thus constituted by their own vanity, Have* to mankind. Slaves, I fay again : for what a folly is it ? On a felfifh fyftein, what are the thoughts, pafiions and fentimenrs of mankind to us ? What is fame ? A fancied life, in others breath. What is it to us, what ihall be said of us, after we are dead ? Or in Alia, Africa, of Europe, while we live ? There is no greater pos sible or imaginable deluilon : yet the impulse is irrefiftable. The language of nature to man in his constitution is this, " I have given yon rea '' son, conscience, and benevolence : andthere " by. made you accountable for yeur aiftions, " and capable of virtue in which you will find " your highest felicity. But I have not confid " ed wholly in your laudable improvement of " these divine gifrs. To them I have fuperadded " a paflion in your bosoms, foe the notice and " regard of your fellow mortals, which if you " pervei fely violate your duty and wholly lie " gled: the part assigned you, in the system of " the world and the society of mankind Ihall " torture you, from the cradle to the grave." (To be continued.) CONGRESS. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. MONDAY, MAY 10. On the propaft 'ion to increase the duty of Tonnage, «/; foreign bottoms. MR. Smith, £S. C.] moved to strike out the firft claufcof the report, which propol'edto raifethe tonnage oil foreign built veflels to a dol lar per toll, and gave several reasons in fopport of the motion. Ihe mealure lie considered im politic becaule it was injurious to theprimary in terests of the United States, its agriculture, and unequal in its operation ; because it would be severely felt by some states, while it would be ad vantageous to others ; it ought to be viewed ei ther as a matter of revenue or as a bounty ; if the former, it should be collected with an impartial hand from each Hate according to its just propor tion ; if the latter, it should be paid out of the 1 reafury, and not raised oil particular Hates. South-Carolina would pay jp,ooo dollars, while Aiaflachufetts paid only 8000, and Georgia would pay 14,000 when New-Hampshire paid only 1200. This was requiring the southern states to mate too great a facrifice, and was imposing enormous burthens on them for the exclusive benefit of the eastern states; it was taxing South-Carolina and Georgia to give bounties to Maflkchufetts and New-Hampshire. Maffacliuftets having'fhipping of her own would export her commodities at the rate of fix cents per ton, while the southern states whose produce was of a bulky nature must pay 100 cents : In addition to this advantage, Malla chufetts would receive the fame freight for her shipping as would be paid to foreigners, and a-4 this encreafed tonnage would immediately en creafe the freight, Massachusetts would receive for her shipping a higher freight than she does now ; she would therefore derive numerous ad vantages from the proposition, while some other states would be exceedingly injured by it. South- Carolina he said, was obliged to employ foreign, shipping to carry off"full one half of her,crop ; this encreafed tonnage would either make her pay an encreafed freight, or would diminish the quanti ty of foreign shipping 011 which she depended ;in the one cale it would operate as a tax on exports, which was againftthe constitution ; in the other it would check the exportation of its produce, and thereby materially affed: the agriculture of the country which was its principal resource. He was aware he should be told that this was the wav to encreafe the American (hipping and to refcu'e the exporting states from their dependance on foreigners. Such an event was not likely to take place without a convulsion ; commerce was not easily forced from a channel in which it had long run ; in the attempt those states must fuffer and they were not at present in a condition to bear it : Embarrafled with their debts, public and private, from which 'nothing could extricate them but a facility of exporting their prodinfti ons, they were not in a humour to make expe riments ; this was one of a dangerous nature ; 0 [Whole No. 117.]
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