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.