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relish for literature, is not only doing an injury to them, but alfo to fociety, fince it makes them more fenfible, and alive to their wrongs and misfortunes, without meliorating their lot, and fince it deprives the public of the fruits of their toil, by impelling them to other pursuits, and fuperior attainments. They quote the reflection of Gray in one of his beautiful odes,

Since Ignorance is blifs,
'Tis folly to be wife!

But these reasons are as difgraceful, as they are untrue. They cannot be approved of by humanity, nor can they be confirmed. by the approbation of the judgment. They are a libel on man, and on his creator. They pollute the lips which utter them, and fhew the heart from whence they flow, not only to be unacquainted with human nature, and the human difpofition, but alfo to be little, fordid, and contracted. But to these enemies to their fpecies (for fo I must confider them) let it be conceded that the diffufion of science and knowledge, would be accompanied with the inconveniences of which they are apprehensive, and for the prevention of which they prescribe their bounds to the advancement of human improvement. I would ask them, though they might be able to reconcile their uncharitable difpofition to their own confciences, I would ask them, if they are capable of reflecting at all, how criminal must they confider themselves in the eyes of heaven, and what shame and remorse ought they to feel, when they recollect, that they have been acting in defiance to the will of the Almighty, by impeding the progress of one of his nobleft works, and by confining those bleffings, which he intended should be communicated to all his creatures, within bounds fo feanty in themselves, and so hostile to the real happiness, and interefts of so many thousands of the human race!

Let therefore these unfeeling misanthropes ceafe to impofe upon themselves, and upon others. Rather let them contemplate their own real condition, and let them afk themselves what powers they poffefs of contributing to the weal of the com... munity!

munity! Then let them compare their condition and powers with the condition and powers of those whom they treat with contumely, and with infult, and whom they would have pre-. cluded from enjoying the privileges of their nature! What are they themselves? Can they turn one furrow of the foil, or do they know how to scatter one feed upon the earth? Can they of themselves procure either the provisions that are to feed them, or the raiment which is to clothe them? What pretenfions then have fuch men, who, like the infant, depend on others for protection, and even for the enjoyment of life itself, what pretenfions have they to arrogate to themselves, fo much. importance in the creation, as to monopolize the best, and perhaps, only real means of happiness that providence has fent into the earth! Should there be no return made for the sweat which is drained from the brow of the poor labourer, who, after his daily toil is over, is but half paid for his work and services! It. is indeed a very grofs mistake to believe that the rich man maintains the poor. The cafe is the reverfe, it is the poor man that maintains the rich; for it is not the eftate, it is the labour which is expended on it which furnishes the luxuries of his table, and enables him to keep up the fplendour of his equipage! Which then is the dearer object to our interefts, the labour, which produces the fruits and neceffaries of life, or the profufion and imprudence which wafte and lavish them away!

Permit, ye lower orders of fociety, but not the less valuable, because ye fill that humble station, permit the Philanthropist whose labours are dedicated to you, to address you in the eloquent and benevolent manner in which a writer has lately addreffed his own countrymen!" O, People !-treated always. in the extreme, as majefty, or as a mob !-worshipped in the abstract with folemn mockery, abufed in the detail with wanton fcurrility!-Thou common toaft and tool of penfioners and patriots!-Like the earth on which you tread, denied as dirt, though the great pabulum of luxury and enjoyment! Let me sever outrage your wretchednefs by base allufion, and contumelious

melious comparifon; and by the low eftimation fet upon you, fink you ftill lower in that self-estimation which is the spring of good character; and by vilifying and fcandalizing your character, make you gloomily acquiefce in the calumny, and thus drive you to abandonment and despair!" No. "I would "make you think well of yourfelf; I would raife your hope; "I would roufe your ambition; I would shake off your na“tional ennui; and develope the germs of genius, of virtue, "and of public glory. There is not a tenant of the meanest "hovel, in whom I do not recognize the capability, and "fovereignty of his nature through all its degradation; and the "verieft wretch over whom I stumble in the streets, I deplore "as the remote, but well connected confequence, of an abfurd' "political conftitution."

It is impoffible that any one can look at the fituation of the poor of this country without emotions of a very painful and agonizing nature. The children of fortune and of affluence, have feldom leifure or inclination to contemplate fo mélancholy a picture. Having never tafted themselves of the poffoned bowl of penury, they cannot feel for diftreffes with which they are unacquainted, nor can they commiferate the figh, which because they never heaved, they believe to be feigned or hypocritical. They read of the afflictions of their fellow-creatures, as they would amuse themselves with a tale or a romance, and they pity the unfriended child of want, perishing for a morfel of bread, as they would pity the defponding and lovelorn hero of the piece, or the unfortunate virgin confined by necromancy in fome enchanted caftle. But there are fome hearts made to fympathize with thofe that fuffer. To fome minds it is a pleasing, though melancholy office, to leave the funfhine of profperity, to view awhile amid the gloom of hard neceffity and want, the fcene of wretchednefs in which thoufands of their race are engaged. It were an eafy task here to awaken the compaffion of benevolent fouls by enumerating the miferies of hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness, pain, and fickness. But thefe perhaps are the lighteft

lightest hardships, which attend the abandoned, and neglected children of poverty. In what language, and with what sentiments fhall I speak of that state to which their mind, and every active energy of their nature are configned! Inftead of being taught the duties, from whence are to flow all the comforts of life, they are either initiated in the docility of infant years in the arts of villainy, and are trained up for habits of dishonesty, or they are turned upon the world with no advantage to affift them, and with no guide to direct them in their path, to make their own fortunes, and to provide for their own fubfiftence. Who can be surprized then, that such wretches should be hurried into deeds of guilt and wickedness-and that at length, their minds debauched and rendered callous by a long course of crimes, they should be doomed to expiate their guilt at the tree of ignominy!

It is therefore from an ardent with to do good, and to apply his humble talents to the best purposes, that the Philanthropist begins his career. To the People, whom he confiders as his fellow-creatures, and his brethren, he dedicates his feeble efforts! He wishes to fee them happy and enlightened, and in the poffeffion of every blessing, and of every liberty, that are the birthright of human beings! But to be thus happy and free, he bids them remember, that their minds must be illumined, and that the darkness of ignorance must be chased away. Their minds must be weaned from vice, and formed for virtuous action. This is the province for knowledge to accomplish. To inftruct the mind, is to prepare it for the important task it has to perform on the theatre of life. May then science be widely fostered in this kingdom! May education be every where patronized and promoted! May poverty be deprived of her bittereft fcourge and her sharpest afflictions, and may all her children be reftored to the dignity of that rank for which they were ordained by Heaven, but from which they have been debarred from the cruelty of their lot!

We

We conclude the first number of the Philanthropist with the following beautiful Address to Poverty.

'Tis not that look of anguish bath'd in tears,
O, Poverty! thy haggard image wears,

'Tis not thofe famifh'd limbs, naked and bare
To the black tempeft's rains, or the keen air
Of winter's piercing winds, nor that fad eye
Imploring the fmall boon of charity!—

'Tis not that voice, whofe melancholy tale
Might turn the purple cheek of grandeur pale,
Nor all that hoft of woes thou bring'ft with thee,
Infult, contempt, disdain, and contumely,

That bid me call the lot of those forlorn,

Who 'neath thy rude oppreffion, figh, and mourn-
But chief, relentless Power! thy hard controul,
That to the earth bends low the aspiring foul,
Thine iron grafp, thy fetters drear, which bind
Each generous effort of the struggling mind!
Alas! that genius' melancholy flow'r,

Scarce opening yet to even's nurturing show'r,

Should, by thy pitiless and cruel doom,

Wither, ere nature marks her fmiling bloom

That innocence, touch'd by thy dead'ning wand,

Should pine, nor know one out-ftretch'd guardian hand→

For this, O, Poverty! for them I figh,

The hapless victims of thy tyranny!

For this, I call the lot of those severe,

Who wander 'mid thy haunts, and pine unheeded there!

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