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Incipe

SEMPER REFULGET,

No. 48.

Boston, Saturday, March 28, 1807.

ORIGINAL PAPERS.

FOR THE EMERALD.

THE WANDERER,

No. 72.

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Sapere aude,

Nen tu corpus eras sine pectore. Di tibiformam

Dî tibi divitias dederunt artemque fruendi.

SOCIETY opens so many advantages that are not to be procured without its assistance, that it is natural to seek its pleasures and delight in its smiles.

offered in this. An absurdity so evident had but little probability of being a popular error, as the language of the heart would be heard above all the oratory of the schools, and the voice of nature forever drown the sophistry of fanatics. The solitary being that should be persuaded to retreat from society would no longer partake the human nature. The heart extends its tendrils to society and derives from it those principles and affections, which are an honor to our nature. It is impossible to destroy these feelings; in a bosom not as cold and sterile as marble they are of almost spontaneous growth. The inhabitants of the same town when they meet each other at a distance and among strangers become intimate from the circumstance of their birth in the same place, although they had formerly never been acquainted.

The weakness of the individual leads him to associate with others for mutual protection, and the dependence, which is felt by each upon all, is the foundation of society. But in addition to the necessity of union there is a principle implanted in our nature which brings us to society for all the pleasures and happiness of life and teaches us to find in the reciprocal interchange of good offices, a virtue which it is our duty to practise and an employ-est for our own countrymen when ment suited to our naturel La

There have however been sects of pretended philosophers (for, says a great writer, every known absurdity has at one time or other been supported by philosophers) who have advocated a seclusion from the world as a command of religion and made the happiness of a future existence to depend on a renunciation of all the pleasures which were

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Citizens of the same state have a similarity of feeling which lead them when at a distance from home, to mix in each other's society. We feel a peculiar inter

we meet among foreigners, and should have a right to claim a fellow feeling with an inhabitant of the same world, if it were possible to meet him in any other planet of our system. Of the same world! Yes, probably of the system itself, if we were thrown together in some distant part of infinite creation.

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But the pleasures of society like all others of which our nature is ca

146

THE EMERALD.

institution it has certainly been productive of vast benefit to society at large. By adopting in every country a common motive and principle it gives to every wanderer a home and finds for the unprotected stran

had no other resource. The Royal Academy at London and the French National Institute are associations for the advancement of literature and science, which have anticipated the unassisted progress of the mind by more than a century. By furnishing a motive for exertion and a reward for labor they have constrained that attention to important intellectual subjects which would otherwise have been dissipated on inferior objects.

pable must be restricted to produce their greatest good. The force must be collected to a point, not be destroyed by expansion. The feelings which lead us almost without intention to seek our countrymen and fellow townsmen from the mul-ger, friends and a country when he titude by whom we are surrounded, is an express negation of that general system of undistinguishing phiJanthropy which it was once so fash ionable to propagate and pretend to believe. We have all predilections and favorites, and it is this which gives to society most of its charms. We love to collect around us a little circle of friends whose nanners, habits and sentiments are congenial with our own, a circle in which we can lay aside the severe duties of business and relax the necessary formalities of public life, where our prejudices will not be despised and even our weaknesses be pardoned It is in a circle of this kind that those sentiments are first formed which go to the civilization and refinement of society. The union of numerous bodies of people gives to the civil state its political strength, its weight and consequence among nations; but the union of smaller nambers is necessary to produce those salutary establishments which constitute in a great degree the internal refinement and character of the people. The establishment of societies therefore for benevolent and charitable purposes; for the promotion of useful discoveries, for the general interest of literature, science and humanity, are peculiarly advantageous to a community when the objects for which they are first designed are rigidly adhered to.tered by an almost invisible arm, The Masonic Institution as it is the most ancient is likewise the inst extensive and probably the m3t beneficial in its opérations of any that has ever been established; speaking of it only as a charitable

Inexhaustible are the pursuits to which the attention of a few associated individuals may be directed with advantage and without embarrasement to themselves, that a solitary being would find exceedingly · difficult if not impossible to attain. 'The citizens of our own country have taken an honorable part in these useful arrangements, and we find numerous societies established for all valuable purposes, and some of them very handsomely endowed Charity has never so suitable a manner for bestowing her bounty as is afforded by these means.The small assessments, which are paid without inconvenience, gradupally accumulate in the treasury and are ready for the necessities of the distressed at the moment of need. The assistance that is conveyed to poverty, which had often rather be iniserable than complain, is mitis

and checks not those feelings, which better days perhaps had reared, nor wounds the sensibility while it dissipates misfortuner

As present wealth is no certain security against future want, estab

lishments of this kind are univer- its striking resemblance to Steele's Consally interesting. To constitute a scious Lovers, can claim but little praise fund in the day of prosperity by for its originality. The first acts of this small deductions which would nev-moral without variety of character or comedy are sprightly without wit, and er be missed from the superfluity dialogue. The last however becomes enjoyed, which fund should be ap. interesting, as the cloud which over-propriated to the future distresses hangs Fidelia begins to thicken, and in of any of the members who assisted conclusion, when it expands and dissito create it, is a favorite plan among the mind is gratified with the triumph pates by the sunshine of good fortune, the middling classes of England, of virtue. But the incidents are not and has often been productive of the singularly striking nor is the composi. most happy consequences to a suf- tion eminent for beauty of illustration, fering family, and saved for future or strength of expression. It is a comrespectability the helpless and unter of force. edy which cannot boast of any charscter of force. Faddle is contemptible, protected orphans, who would oth his meanness, his self conceit, his cowerwise have been the spoil of the ardice, his hypocrisy and pitiful arts first profligate that had been ac render him completely the object of quainted with their distress. contempt; too ridiculous for satire and ault. Fidelia is a pleasing personage; too frivolously corrupt for serious as. but while she excites pity for her misfortunes, she posseses no remarkable trait which stamps a new model of nature's excellence. An hundred plays have been written, with heroines equalThe other parts are merely the ordinaly beautiful, amiable and unfortunate.

As our country grows older the necessity of similar institutions will be more apparent. But they should be formed in our infancy and grow with our growth, and though the present, generation have less need of their advantages than those prob ably who succeed us, yet it is cerry of nature's sale-work; she has "set tainly pleasant for a man as he lays his head upon his pillow to reflect that he has passed his evening in a social and agreeable converse with his neighbors and friends, and contributed his mite to a fund which at some future period will come as a friend to the distressed, and illuminate the countenance of sorrow with a smile.

FOR THE EMERALD.

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no mark upon them." The moral may be objected to, as neither Faddle, Vilor even any punishment. The latter hard, nor Belmont, receive sufficient, indeed is made to repent of his designs on Fidelia, and for that repentance is rewarded with her hand, heart and fortune. But to acknowledge guilt antl even the compunction arising from it punishment; and much less therefore does not exempt a man from receiving does it entitle him, to all the felicity the poet can confer.

The performance as might naturally be supposed did not confer much plea. sure; the deficiencies both of the play and the performance checked all favourable hope.

We were rather pleased with the acting of Mrs. Stanley, Mrs. Poe and Mr. Usher; but not with the rest. The play we suppose was intended to.. friends, the third time, might be grati-exhibit Mr. Powell in Faddle; that his fied with his appearance.

Columbus, (Moreton) and the Rival Sol

diers. Wednesday, March 25. The subject on which the play of Columbus is founded, affords in itself

but few materials for an interesting | drama. The arrival of a tribe of adventurers in the new world, the simple ideas and savage customs of the natives, and the rapacity of European avarice, seem necessarily the principal traits of a production predicated on the discovery of America. Though Mr. Moreton seemed well aware of the difficulties of his task, he was also unwilling to relinquish it; and, by en-carried over Roldan, Catalpo, Bribon deavouring to interweave new circum and Dolores to America, and there left Columstances of interest in his plot, he has them to shift for themselves. involved in it a violation of fact and bus the nominal hero, has little to say, probability, and has produced a play and much glowing expression which in which action has no unity, and time might fairly have been given to him was no limits. omitted; Dolores and Bribon belong to farce, and should not be endured in ligitimate comedy.

motive could induce a lawyer to undertake a voyage of hazardous experiment, to discover as yet unknown regions is not easily imagined. The savages, we presume, were not supposed to be litigi. ous, and stand in need of him. But the author wished to hunt villany, to ridicule popery, to decry physicians and reprobate lawyers, they being then the most popular themes of abuse; so he

For the incidents and characters of this production, we are not disposed to bestow much praise. The scene is laid in Peru, where Columbus never was, and the period which elapses in the representation is about three years, or the time escaped from his first arrival at San Salvadore to his return from Spain with his third fleet. The language and ideas of the savages, are too civilized for their rude uncultivated minds; Nelti has the cunning of a modern coquette. The effect of Indian necromancy is improbable and forced; for, who can believe two persons to become friends merely from the tale of an ignorant Indian girl, who a moment previous were inveterate foes.

Columbus it appears carries with him an Englishman who is made first to discover land; this circumstance may very well consist with the partiality of the author to his country, however it may contradict the tenor of history. Besides, this Englishman has wit and refinement originating in too modern a period to be naturally introduced in an expedition of the fifteenth century.— He is made to tell Columbus how much credit his own country did him, at the very period when England had rejected the solicitations of Columbus to favor his scheme; and so far from being high in the rolls of honour and fame, could not then boast of having conducted any enterprize or promoted any useful discovery.

The plot cannot boast of more merit than the incidents or characters. The romantic story of Alonzo and Cora, was stolen from the Incas of Marmontel: and the idea of the loves of Herbert and Nelti, seems to be similar to the underplot of Coleman's Incle and YaricoThere is no object of principal attention in the piece. The mind is distracted by four or five stories; of which, that which relates to Columbus comprises the smallest share.

The performance of this evening, was not respectable; for though the strength of the company was employed, it failed of producing the expected satisfaction.

Columbus, by Mr. Fennel, had every thing done for it that the character would admit of, and more than it deserved. He was highly impressive in the scene where his soldiers revolt.His emphasis throughout was judicious; and we think his voice has never appeared more clear, or his articulation more distinct.

Mr. Usher's Alonzo was deficient in tenderness, and force of expression. At times indeed we were gratified with him, but in general his performance was indifferent.

As to Harry Herbert by Mr. Fox the character was spirited, but he hur ried so much in his delivery, that we lost half his part in his confusion of ut With this character, there are a law-terance. There may be spirit without yer and a physician, a priest and a villain impetuosity; and Mr. Fox, of all the perintroduced to make up an agreeable va- foriners on our stage, should, in the riety. That three of these persons tempest of passion, study to acquire that might be on board the fleet of Colum-"temperance which may give it smoothbes we can readily conceive; but what ness." The characters of Delores, by

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great exertions of Mr. Downie, was

Mr. Bernard, and Bribon, by Mr. Dick-on literature as upon dress, upon enson, were supported by all the ex-philosophy as politics. Every travagance of drollery and overstrained change arises from the increase of efforts of grimace. Roldan, from the wealth, or knowledge, or industry, heard; but not aceurately understood. or the love of novelty, and it were Mr. Poe, as Orozimbo, was equally as easy to discover an adequate as simple, as a savage chief of uncivilcause for a revolution in metaphyized America could be expected to havesics as for the fancy in the shape been.

Cora, by Mrs. Powell, possessed all of a new shoe buckle.

the interest that all the talents of the The fashion of dress, is always the actress could inspire;-in the scene of the earthquake she deported herself re- subject of criticism; in 1770 it was spectably. But in truth she is, in re-thus humourously described.—A spect to person, not adapted to attract the lover; and one is apt to believe, when witnessing her performance in love scenes, "it is delusion all;" it is no imitation of reality.

Nelti is a part by no means suited to the talents of Mrs. Stanley. Low com edy is no more calculated for her, than heroic tragedy. Mrs. Poe would have been better adapted to the part.20

There was a general defect as to cos tume and characteristic appearance throughout this play. The Indian men and women of San Salvadore or Peru, were of a light copper colour; and their dress, when they had any, was rather of feather, than of spangled muslin, and thrown loosely over their limbs than tortured into festoons into various shapes. For where there is nothing sharper than gold, the cutting out of clothes is a work of labour.

orather tha

For the Emerald.
For the

DESULTORY SELECTIONS.

AND ORIGINAL REMARKS.

Nihil magni nunc fit in literis, says Leibnitz. Yet of how many at writers he was great cotemporary. That which lasts long is seldom popular at first, and that which immediately pleases seldom continues to please.

modern fine fellow has a coat on with sleeves too small for the arms, and buttons too big for the sleeves ; a pair of Manchester fine stuff breeches, without money in the pockets, clouded silk stockings but no legs, a club of hair behind larger than the head that carries it, and a hat of the size of a sixpence on a block not worth a farthing.

We have often been surprised that the OBERON of Wieland, translated by Sotheby was not better The copy is known among us.

scarce and not to be found even in our circulating libraries. The following description from it will reward attention.

Art's boastful pow'rs to conqu❜ring nature yield;

strain,

Alone so lovely Venus' doves complain.
Her soul that breathes sensation on the
[reveal'd.
Warm to his soul her kindling wish
Persuasive tones that clear and clearer
spoke,
[den broke,
Sighs that enforc'd the sounds they sud-
Cheeks deeper dy'd, the bosom's
quickening play,

Each heightening each, the omnipo-" nitence betray

Of passion's wild excess to thrilling rolfrenzy woke.

At last, in warm o'erpow'ring feelings tranc'd, [hand: The unnotic'd lute fell silent from her

A writer in a work of no small character has the following observations : I have observed that the influence of fashion enters into every concern Huon, whose eye with scornful virtue and bits various turns and changes glanc'd,

But at the instant that silent
ther arms expand

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gavę almost qu sensible an effect up--Grasps with enthusiast haste the falling

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