figures were drawn from sources within the reach of their understanding, and frequently from the circumstances of the moment. The application was often very happy, and sometimes rose to the true sublime; for he was a man of warm` imagination, and not wholly devoid of taste. On his first visit to Scotland, he was received in Edinburgh with a kind of frantic joy, by a large body of the citizens. An unhappy man, who had forfeited his life to the offended laws of his country, was to be executed the day after his arrival. Mr. Whitfield mingled in the throng, and seemed highly pleased with the solemnity and decorum with which the most awful scene in human nature was conducted. His appearance, however, drew the eyes of all around him, and raised a variety of opinions as to the motives which led him to join in the crowd. The next day, being Sunday, he preached to a large body of men, women, and children, in a field near the city. In the course of his sermon, he adverted to the execution which had taken place the preceding day. "I know," said he, " that many of you will find it difficult to reconcile my appearance yesterday with my character. Many of you, I know, will say, that my moments would have been better employed in praying for the unhappy man, than in attending him to the fatal tree; and that, perhaps, curiosity was the the only cause that converted me into a spectator on that occasion; but those who ascribe that uncharitable motive to me are under a mistake. I witnessed the conduct of almost every one present on that awful' occasion, and I was highly pleased therewith. It has given me a very favourable impression of the Scottish nation. Your sympathy was visible on your countenance, and reflected the greatest credit on your hearts; particularly when the moment arrived that your unhappy fellow-creature was to close his eyes on this world for ever, you all, as if moved by one impulse, turned your heads aside, and wept. Those tears were precious, and will be held in remembrance. How different was this, when the Saviour of mankind was extended on the cross-the Jews, instead of sympathizing in his sorrows, triumphed in them. They reviled him with bitter expressions, with words even more bitter than the gall and vinegar which they handed him to drink; not one of all that witnessed his pains, turned the head aside, even in the last pang. Yes, there was one, that glorious luminary (pointing to the sun) veiled his bright face, and sailed on in tenfold night." PAGAN PAGAN JUSTICE versus DUTCH ARTIFICE. IN the year 1787 there happened to be a difference between the Dutch factory and the Hottentots, the natives of the Cape. One of the former, being up in the country, was killed by one of the Hottentots; whereupon the chief of heads of the people were summoned to find out the offender, and bring him to the Bar of Trade, and there punish him, according to their manner, for so great a crime: this was carried into execution in the subsequent singular manner. The Hottentots made a great fire, and brought the criminal, attended by all his friends and relations, who took their leave of him, not in sorrowful lamentations, but in feasting, dancing, and drinking: when the unfortunate criminal had been plentifully supplied with liquor, so that he was insensibly drunk, his friends made him dance till he was quite spent with fatigue; in that state they threw him into the fire, and concluded the horrid scene with a hideous howl, which they set up immediately after the criminal was dispatched. Some time after this, one of the factory killed a Hottentot; upon which the great men came and demanded justice for the blood of their countryman; but the offender offender happened to be one of the best accountants, and a person whom the factory could ill spare. However, the crafty Dutchmen devised means to render satisfaction to the natives, under a colour of justice, by the following scheme: they appointed a day for the execution of the murderer, when the Hottentots assembled in great numbers to view this imposition upon them. A scaffold was erected, and the criminal was brought forth, dressed in white, attended by a minister after praying, singing psalms, &c. the mock executioner presented him a flaming draught, which the ignorant Hottentots supposed was to render an atonement for the loss of their deceased countryman. The criminal received his potion, which was no other than a little burning brandy, with all the outward signs of horror and dread; his hand shook, his body trembled, and his whole frame appeared in the most violent agitation he at last, with seeming reluctance, swallowed the draught, and, after preserving the farce of trembling, &c. a few moments, fell down apparently dead, and a blanket was immediately thrown over him. The Hottentots then made a shout that rent the air, and retired perfectly pleased, first observing, "that the Dutch had been more severe than themselves; for the former had put the fire into the criminal, they the criminal into the fire." LETTER. LETTER. JOHN LOCKE to ANTHONY COLLINS, Esq. Oates, Oct. 29, 03. BELIEVE me, my good friend, to love truth for truth's sake is the principal part of human perfection in this world, and the seed-plot of all other virtues; and, if I mistake not, you have as much of it as any body what then is there wanting to make you equal to the best, and a friend for any one to be proud of? Would you have me take upon me, because I have the start of you in the number of years, to be supercilious and conceited, for having in a long ramble, travelled some countries, which a young voyager has not yet had time to see, and from whence one may be sure he will bring larger collections of solid knowledge? In good earnest, Sir, when I consider how much of my life has been trifled away in beaten tracks, where I vamped on with others only to follow those that went before us, I cannot but think I have just as much reason to be proud, as if I had travelled all England, and, if you will, France too, only to acquaint myself with the roads, and to be able to tell how the highways lie, wherein those of equipage, and even the herd too, travel, |