PUBLISHED W EDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY JOHN FENNO, No. 69, HIGH-STREET, BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD STREETS, PHILADELPHIA [No. 71, of Vol. lII.] FOR THE GAZETTE OF THE UNITED STATES. MR. FEN NO, rjj 'HIS day closes another annual measure of J. time ; ancl happy would be the consequen ces, if mankind were more disposed to avail them felvcs of such periods, for the indulgence of re flection, and a retrofpeitive view of the various events of life, which, at a diiiance, and diverted of the falfe colourings that prejudice may have given them at the time of their occurrence, will often present a ufeful leltou for future conduct, and subserve valuable purpofesin society—moral and political. The critical observer of human affairs, who has viewed the progress of thole evils to which men are conltantly exposed by the treachery of the heart, and the errors of judgment, will be ready to acknowledge the advantages to be derived — from a review of former scenes, analyzing the secret springs to acftion 011 the great drama of the world—with the several causes of success or disappointment. If in the course of events we have fetn the throne of a Despot consuming on the sacred altar of Liberty—let Kings, by this, be taught to ve nerate the rights of men—and to know that the affeiftions of a free and generous people are the only fatisfacSory and durable basis of all autho rity.— If we have observed a Minister facrificed to the just resentment of his country —let tliofe in similar ficuations be careful to lhun the causes which led to his disgrace, and to cherish ihofe virtues which will alone ensure them the eftcem and tonfidence of their fellow-citizens. If, by the rays of mental light, the wiles of prieftcrafc have been exposed to view, and we have seen the pampered sons of luxury deprived of the wealth they procured by the worst of all abuses—Priests are hereby taught that ftich pur suits will not in future avail them, as men will be no longer led the blind votaries of fuperllitiun and bigotry Have vie heard that millions of our fellow men inagnanimoufly aliening the rights of human nature) have dared to break the chains which bound them for ages, and determined to be free— we will indulge the generous emotions of joy, be stimulated to future exertions in the cause of liberty, and nourish fair science in our land, as the source of all social happiness. If we, on the other hand, have been informed that thousands have fallen vitfiims to the pride of royalty—while, with just indignation, we con template the fad effects which the lust of domina tion is ever found to produce, let us guard with cautious eye among ourselves theafpiring efforts of ambition, and cultivate those sentiments of philanthropy, which teach men to know and feel that they are the brethren ofone common family. Have the bounties of Nature been heaped upon us with a liberal hand—may gratitude infpii e our devotions, and our future condudl evidence our sense of the obligation If, in the pursuits of private life, fortune has ieigned to afford us her finiles—let us, by the cxercife of genuine benevolence, endeavor to merit her future favors. Have we been deprived of fomc of our inoft valuable friends—let us study to copy rliofe vir tues which procured them elteern, as the best tri bute due to their memory. MENTOR. (to ue continued.) Official accounts being received of the death of Major-General Butler, Major Kergufon, Major Heart, Capt. Smith, Capt. Bradford, Capt. New man, Capt. Phelon, and Lieutenant Spear, mem bers of the society of the Cincinnati, who fell in the late ai r tion with tlie Indians, the members of the New-York State Society of the Cincinnai i, are requested to wear the ulual mourning for three months, as a particular mark of rel'peA for the memoryof their brave deceased brethren. By order of the President, \V. S. SMITH THE Subscribers to the American Apollo are informed, that the fir ft number will, agreea bly to the proposal, be publilhed on the firlt Fri day 111 January next. —Those gentlemen who hold fubferiptions, are requelted to return them, as soon as poflible, to Belknap&Young, in State- Street— who request their brethren of the Tjpe, in this and the other States, to affitt them with their usual communications, and publish this ndvertife ment in their papers. New-York, December 26 Boston, Dec. 17, 1791 Saturday, December 31, 1791. PHILADELPHIA, TUESDAY last being the anniversary of St. John the Evange liil, an elegant Oration was delivered at the Lodge-Room, the comer of Arch and Fifth-ftreet, by the Rev. Brother Smith, and the following pci sons were inllalled Grand Officers for the enfuipg ve<ir : R. W. Jonathan B. Smith, Esq. Grand Master. Jofcph Few, Deputv Grand Maftx Thomas Proctor, Sen. Grand Warden. Gavin Hamilton, jun. Junior Grand Warden. P. le B. Duplefiis, Grand Secretary. Mr. Benjamin Ivlafon, Grand Trealurer. After which the feaft of St. John was celebrated at Mr. Oeller's Hotel, and a liberal colle&ion of charity for the poor of the insti tution was made, and the following toasts were given 1. The widow's son. 2. All the Mason's round globe. 3. May thz.circle oi happineis be coinmenfurate with the square oi existence. 4« Our illustrious brother Washington, huzzas.] 5. May the constitution of France, which ha« ruflied in a right line from tyranny, ever be guided by the fqutre, and everlasting role in ihe circle of happiness. 6. May the torch of masonry be centered in the western fky,and illumine with its brilliant rays United America. 7. May heaven give double bleflings in rcfurre&ion to those masons, who have ialien in defence of their country in the wejicrn territory. SONG, Composed and sung on Tuesday last, AT THE FESTIVAL OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST. BY A BROTHER. YE gracious powers of choral song, Attend ; inspire your felhve throng; l.et harmless mirth, and frolic glee, Dance fportiveat our Jubilee. We ask no found of spear or ftiield, No trophes of th' ensanguined field ; l.et hope, let faith and charity, Begin and end our Jubilee. No lavage warrior's scarlet name, Shall e'er defile our roll of fame ; Hut peace, with white rob'd train we fee, Piefiding at our Jubilee. The heart that feels for widow'd woe. The tears, for orphans pangs, that flow, The voicc which bids diflrefs to flee, Shall celebrate in Jubilee. Merry, with pearly melting eye, Stem Jufhcr with her sword on high, Shall both attendant angels be, To guide, to guard our Jubilee. Each Brothei's foul (hall rapturous swell, Nor furrow toll her lad'ning knell ; The voice, the hands, the heart bf three, Shail thrice repeat our Jubilee. Then call from East to Weft the World, The mvftic banners are unfurl'd ! And O! departed ancients, fee From Heaven, and bless oui Jubilee ! Lo ! from his or little (lore, Each broiher flies his mite to pour, That men may ft ill rejoice to fee, A Mason's lodge a Jubilee. Then (round the circle) let the glass (Yet in the square) convivial pass ; And when the fun winds o'er the lea, Each lafsJhall have her Jubilee. Be this the general, cordial toast, (A wish that never should be loft) That all the world mav Masons be, And live and love in Jubilee. Sketches of BOSTON akd itslnhabitants. [The following iscxtra&ed from a feiiesof letters, publilhed in a late Nov--Scotia paper.] " habits of the people here are very fa- JL vorable to oratory. Declamation is taught in every school in the country. It isacuftom to call on some citizen to make a public oration on the anniversary of independence, anil other in tereding occahons " On the death of a citizen of uncommon me rit, if his virtues have been of" the private and domestic kind, liis memory receives the tribute of approbation from the pulpit : But if in the more splendid walk of public life he has deserv ed applaule, a citizen is called upon to make his eulogium. 1 have iince 1 came here heard a ve ry sensible one pronounced by Judge Lowell, on the late Mr. iJowcox n, who died 1a ft summer. Governor Hancock, Mr. Adams, and every dis tinguished character in the place were there, a number of refpec'table ladies, &c. 1 have picked up a few orations, which 1 fend you herewith.— Some are very lean, others will deserve your reading. The conffitutions of the diltrich, as 1 have (hewn you, mult, by their nature, give rife and encouragement to eloquence ; —there is but one assembly in the whole range of the federal 281 [3 times 3, and 3 SKETCHES, See. [Whole No. 279.] union, in which it is deemed unneceflary, and, I believe, even absurd and obtrusive. To wit, the senate, or upper howfe of Congref9 !—They are merely a deliberative meeting, in which eve ry man delivers his concise opinion, one leg over the oilier, as they did in the firft Congrefs,where an harangue was a great rarity*. " The private hospitality of Biflon 5s equal even to that of Ireland, and the pratfife of it ra ther better understood. " In travelling through Massachusetts you are furpriled that men, in whom the pratftice of the moral duties is so habitual, that they obfervethe laws of God and man without seeming coufcious of obedience, fliould overcharge you in every payment you make, either for lodging, goods, or labour, and should seem to have no other (land ard of price, than the consent of the buyers whatever his ignorance or extravagance will yield, is received without scruple. But then if you have left your watch in the temple of Cloa cina at the inn, it is in perfeA fafety; if you have dropped your handkerchief in the street, or on the road, the firft man that finds it will call you back ; you may carry money loose in your furtout pockets, and remain for hours in the midst of the fame extortioners ; and if there are no foreigners or Europeans in the croud,your cash is secure and untouched. • " A Bririlh officer lodged in a'houfe which rook fire at night ; in the confufion of exertions, every thing was carried away, and the officer had many things of value, diamonds, rings,trin kets, &c. In the morning they were delivered or sent to him by different men, who might have justly resented the furpiife he Ihewed at receiv ing them. " How is this diflioneftyin pecuniary exchang es, in a people so exemplary in all other cases, to be accounted for ? 1 answer, that daring the war, and some time after, the value of the only money they had in circulation was very variable, and therefore an indecision and irregularity in prices and payment took place ; but this is now wearing ofF, and whenitfhall entirely cease, and commercial exavftnefs take place, I really do not know what we of Europe will do for some impu tation against those folks, to counterbalance the advantages and diminiih the moral pre-eminence they will assume over us." * This wants confirmation. Description of the curious Bridge at Nifmes, in the South of France. THIS bridge to all appearance was conftrudled b_v t lie Romans. The inortar and Hone with which it is built, after being.exposed for many hundred years, have become one cement as hard as marble. This superb inoilttment of the Ro mans is composed of three diflindt bridges, .one above the other : It joins two mountains, tlie river Gardon palling under it—the upper bridge serving as an acqueduift for the paflage of the little river A'iran. This acquedutft by its wind ing amongst mountains and rocks is 27 miles long. The firft bridge is supported by 6 arches, the river palling rhrough the sth which is 78 feet wide. This bridge is 498 feet wide, and 62 high. The second bridge is supported by eleven arches, being ay feet high and 800 long. The third bridge is only 24 feet high and 819 long, being supported by 35 arches. It is indeed a very curious circumflance to ob serve two l ivers interfering each other—the one being 151 feet above the other. Indeed by all the vestiges of the works of the Romans, it seems their minds and hearts were on a much larger scale than those of us modern pigmies, who are afraid to encounter what old Romans would havtf thought little of. Toall appearance succeeding ages of Americans, will insensibly regain the dignified character of Romans. The genius of our government, and the happy situation of our country will inevitably lead to this event. PROVIDENCE, December 17. Sunday evening last Capt. Brown arrived in the River from Cape-Francois, which he left the 22d ult. He informs that a party of French horse had been attacked by the revolted Negroes, and about 40 of the former killed, which had given spirits to the blacks ; that the whites had abandoned Coracole and Jaqnize, and that ilie former was in flame; Mlien he failed.
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