of as much distilled or pure water, as at the temperature of the sixtieth degree of the thermometer of Fahrenheit, will fill the aforesaid unit or pint measure of capacity, the said measure also being at the said temperature of sixty degrees.

"The whole of this system is founded on a known principle, to wit that a cubic foot of distilled or pure water, at 60 degrees of Fahrenheit's thermometer, is just equal to one thousand ounces avoirdupois, it follows, that as there are exactly one thousand cubic decimals or tenths in such cubic, or square foot, every such tenth or cubic decimal is an ounce avoirdupois, and that sixteen of these are equal to a pound of the said avoirdupois.

"The three standards as aforesaid to be all made of the metal called platina, in a strong manner, and of the best workmanship, to be kept in the most secure way from damage or fire, and to have engraven on each of them these words: "Pennsylvania original standard for the unit of extension of capacity or of weight," as to each of them shall properly belong, to be regulated in the first instance at the said temperature of sixty degrees of Fahrenheit, and at all times, when used for the examination or regulation of other standards, to be deduced therefrom, to be at the same precise temperature, to be at all times in the possession of the mayor of the city of Philadelphia, for the time being, and to be delivered to his successor in office, all of whom to be enjoined not to suffer any alteration, or use, other than for the purpose herein before expressed.

"From these said three standards are to be derived, ascertained, and determined, by the said mayor and aldermen, all other standards, as well in the increasing as the decreasing ratio, which said increasing or decreasing ratio should, in all instances, be by tens or decimals; and the said mayor and aldermen to cause to be made, according to the aforesaid original standards, a set for the use of the regulator or regu

lators of the said city and county, in such manner, and in such divisions or increase, by the order of tens or decimals, as to them shall appear best, and to cause to be engraven on each and every such standard the words “Pennsylvania Standard” for such or so many units or parts thereof, as the same shall contain, which set, when completed, to be delivered to the said officers of regulation for the said city and county; the expence of which, as well as of the original standards, to be paid by the said city and county.

"The select and common councils of the city of Philadelphia to be authorized to make any law or ordinance, imposing reasonable fines within the said city and county on the officers who shall be appointed regulators as aforesaid, on persons refusing to have their weights and measures examined, for not sending them when required, and also for fixing the prices for regulating defective or new weights or measures. And further, the said select and common councils to be authorized to determine the mode by which measures should be tried, whether by the seed called millet, by flax-seed passing through a funnel, or by water; to cause the standards for large dry measures to be made of wood, in the best manner, and properly secured against wear, to be regulated from the said originals, at the aforesaid temperature of sixty degrees; and also to prevent the further making or using weights made of lead or soft metal, and to determine on the striking of all dry measures.

"A schedule or detail of all the measures necessary by the foregoing system will, if time shall permit, be offered by your committee; at present it is sufficient to observe, that the principal variation consists in the division of the foot into decimals, notwithstanding which the old divisions of twelfths or inches are still retained, and may be used by those attached to that mode. The accuracy and facility of this mode has been sufficiently proved in the instance of the division of the dollar

of the United States, by such decimal or tenths and hundreds. Nor is this system incompatible with any scheme, which may (if ever it can) be adopted for a universal standard, whether the same shall be effected by means of matter or motion, the pendulum or the degree; inasmuch as our foot, on the exactitude of which our whole landed property is held, and which of consequence can never be departed from, will still remain and be established thereby or therefrom, as an integer holding its proportion thereto. In addition to all which, this system contains the principle of correcting itself, for instance, a pound (or the unit of) weight of such pure or distilled water, weighed in the aforesaid temperature of sixty degrees of Fahrenheit, will, when squared, exhibit not only the unit or pint measure of capacity, but also the original unit or foot of mensuration from which the said unit or pound was derived.

"Your committee, therefore, recommend that the senators be in structed, and the members of the house of representatives, in the congress of the United States, requested to use their endeavours to procure a law for the establishment of a uniform system of weights and measures and also that the considerations and data connected with that subject, as herein before stated, be recommended to the early attention of the next legislature of this commonwealth, to be by them considered at the time when the bill for the same purpose already recommended to their attention shall be before them."

more than common degree to the subject of infidelity, and the consequences which usually attend it. While great industry has been displayed on the one part to disseminate writings unfavourable to christianity, men of undoubtedly great talents have stepped forward, on the other, to rouse in the minds of the people those principles which, in days of peace and prosperity, are too apt to become dormant. The contest has now nearly subsided; the cause of christianity has been amply vindicated, and the beneficial tendency of its principles fully established by a contrast with the miseries and crimes of those countries where infidelity has spread its baneful influence.

But there is one crime which still seems to increase, and which must in every view be considered as the most direct proof of practical infidelity: I mean suicide, an instance in which a man may be said to die a martyr to unbelief, or to seal with his blood the principles which he has learned from the French and other infidel writers.

There is no way in which we can contemplate this too common practice that is not shocking to our feelings, and no advice to be given on the subject that can be too often repeated. It is, indeed, usual to attribute it in most cases to insanity, but that insanity is usually of a temporary nature, and, however often admitted by the lenity of a coroner's jury, is in fact a fit of disappointed pride or ambition, arising from previous misconduct. Allow me, sir, on this occasion, to put together some remarks on the history of this crime, for, to whatever it may be imputed among us, and I have no hesitation in asserting that the prevalence of infidelity must be the cause in a nation professing christianity, we shall find that almost every nation has exhibited examples of it.

It is, however, one of those crimes which we are led to believe is not very common among savage nations. The first instances of it recorded in the Jewish history are those of Saub

and Ahitophel; for the death of Samson cannot be reckoned a proper example. We have no reason to suppose that it became common among the Jews till their wars with the Romans, when multitudes slaughtered themselves, that they might not fall alive into the hands of their enemies. But, at this period, the Jews were a most desperate and abandoned race of men, had corrupted the religion of their fathers, and rejected that pure system which their promised Messiah came to Jerusalem to announce.

When it became remarkable among the Greeks, we have not been able to discover; but it was forbidden by Pythagoras, as we learn from Athenæus, by Socrates and Aristotle, and by the Theban and Athenian laws. In the earliest ages of the Roman republic it was seldom committed; but when luxury and the epicurean and stoical philosophy had corrupted the simplicity and virtue of the Roman character, then they began to seek shelter in suicide from their misfortunes, or the effects of their own vices.

The religious principles of the bramins of India led them to admire suicide, on particular occasions, as honourable. Accustomed to abstinence, mortification, and the contempt of death, they considered it as a mark of weakness of mind to submit to the infirmities of old age. We are informed that the modern 'Gentoos, who still in most things conform to the customs of their ancestors, when old and infirm, are frequently brought to the banks of rivers, particularly to those of the Ganges, that the may die in its sacred streams, which they believe can wash away the guilt of their sins. But the maxims of the bramins, which have encouraged this practice, we are assured, are a corruption of the doctrines of the Shas tah, which positively forbid suicide, under the severest punishment. The practice which religion or affection has established among the Gentoos, for women, at the death of their husbands, to burn themselves alive

on the funeral pile, ought not to be considered as suicide, for were the meaning of the word to be extended thus far, it would be as proper to apply it to those who chose rather to die in battle, than to make their escape at the expence of their honour. According to the Gentoo laws, it is proper for a woman, after her husband's death, to burn herself in the fire with his corpse: every woman who thus burns, shall remain in paradise with her husband three crore and fifty lacks of years. If she cannot, she must in that case preserve an inviolable chastity. If she remains chaste, she goes to paradise; and if she does not preserve her chastity, she goes to hell."

A custom similar to this prevailed among many nations on the continent of America. When a chief died, a certain number of his wives, of his favourites, and of his slaves, were put to death, and interred together with him, that he might appear with the same dignity in his future station, and be waited upon by the same attendants. This persuasion is so deeply rooted, that many of their retainers offer themselves as victims; and the same custom prevails in many of the negro nations in Africa.

If we can believe the historians of Japan, voluntary death is common in that empire. The devotees of the idol Amida drown themselves in his presence, attended by their relations and friends, and several of the priests, who all consider the devoted person as a saint, who is gone to everlasting happiness. Such be ing the supposed honours appropriated to a voluntary death, it is not surprising that the Japanese anxiously cherish a contempt of life. Accordingly, it is a part of the edu cation of their children, "to repeat poems in which the virtues of their ancestors are celebrated, an utter contempt of life is inculcated, and suicide is set up as the most heroic of actions."

A notion seems also to have prevailed among the ancient Scythian

tribes, that it was pusillanimous and ignoble for a man, whose strength was wasted with disease or infirmi ty, so as to be useless to the commu. nity, to continue to live. It was reckoned a heroic action voluntarily to seek that death which he had not the good fortune to meet in the field of battle. Perversion of moral feeling does not spring up, it is to be hoped, spontaneously in any nation, but is produced by some peculiarities of situation. A wandering people like the Scythians, who roamed about from place to place, might often find it impossible to attend the sick, or to supply from their precarious store the wants of the aged and infirm. The aged and infirm themselves, no longer able to support the character of warriors, would find themselves unhappy. In this way the practice of putting to death such persons as were useless to the community might originate, and afterward be inculcated as honoura ble; but he who put an end to his infirmities by his own hand, obtain ed a character still more illustrious. The tribes of Scandinavia, which worshipped Odin, the "father of slaughter," were taught, that dying in the field of battle, was the most glorious event that could befal them. This was a maxim suited to a warlike nation. In order to establish it more firmly in the mind, all were excluded from Odin's feast of heroes who died a natural death. In Asgardia stood the hall of Odin; where, seated on a throne, he received the souls of his departing heroes. Natural death being thus deemed inglorious, and punished with exclusion from Valhalla (the hall of those who died by violence), the paradise of Odin, he who could not enjoy death in the field of battle, was led to seek it by his own hands, when sickness or old age began to assail him. In such a nation, suicide must have been very common.

As suicide prevailed much in the decline of the Roman empire, when luxury, licentiousness, profligacy, and false philosophy, pervaded the world, so it continued to prevail

VOL. VIII. NO. XLVI.

even after christianity was established. The Romans, when they became converts to christianity, did not renounce their ancient prejudices and false opinions, but blended them with the new religion which they embraced. The Gothic nations also, who subverted the Roman empire, while they received the christian religion, adhered to many of their former opinions and manners, Among other criminal practices, which were retained by the Romans and their conquerors, that of suicide was one; but the principles from which it proceeded were explained so as to appear more agreeable to the new system which they had espoused. It was committed, either to secure them from the danger of apostacy, to procure the honour of martyrdom, or to preserve the crown of virginity.

In all these instances, selected from the history of ancient nations, it will be seen that suicide differed in this respect from the same crime committed in our days, that among those barbarous nations, it was committed in the prospect of a great reward or honour. It had, if we may so speak, a rational object in view, and it was consistent with authorized practices or established laws.

But when we descend to modern times, we must lament to find so many instances of suicide among the most polished nations, who have the best opportunities of knowing the atrocity of that unnatural crime. The English have long been reproached by foreigners for the frequent commission of it; and the

gloomy month of November," has been stigmatised, but unjustly, as the season when it is most common. Mr. Moore, who some years ago published a voluminous work on this subject, was at great pains to obtain accurate information concerning the perpetration of this crime in different countries. Mercier, who wrote in 1782, says that the annual number of suicides in Paris was then about 150. He does not tell us how he came by the information; but we have the authori

3

ty of the abbe Fontana for asserting that more persons put an end to their lives in Paris, than in London. The abbe had this information from the lieutenant of the police. Mr.. Moore was informed by one of the principal magistrates of Geneva, that in that city, which contains about 25,000 inhabitants, the average number of suicides is about eight. The average number of suicides, for the last twenty-eight years, has been thirty-two each year for London, Southwark, and Westminster. I have never seen any statement of the number of suicides in any of our cities, but I am inclined to believe their number does not fall short of that of London, in proportion to their population.

HENRIGUS.

For the Literary Magazine.

ON THE CIRCASSIAN WOMEN.

HISTORY, travellers, and romances, have said nothing of the beauty of the Circassian women, which is not below the truth. Beauty has been long considered as an imaginary being, a thing of convention; and to justify this extravagant idea it has been alleged, that what is beautiful to the eyes of one people is not so to those of another; that a Chinese beauty would have no charms in France or England; and, in like manner, that a French or English beauty would have no attractions in the eyes of a Chinese. But the beauty of the Circassian women is a sufficient answer to this reasoning, since they are acknowledged to be beautiful by all nations. They are every where sought after, and are the ornament of all the seraglios of Asia, Africa, and Europe, because they possess that pleasing union of features, that just proportion of all the parts of the body, that splendour, those brilliant tints, that whole which cannot be defined, but which exists, and necessarily consti

tutes beauty, since all men render it homage.

It is only in this point of view. that the inhabitants of Circassia (a country between the Caspian and the Black seas) deserve the attention of the observing traveller. It will easily be conceived that a nation which considers woman as a merchandize can never make her a companion, nor consider marriage as a sacred and indissoluble union. We find, accordingly, that the Circassians have many wives, whom they change at pleasure; but the first wife always has a superiority over the others, which nothing can take away, and which she retains till death.

This first wife, who is usually married when extremely young, is purchased like the rest in the public markets, where an innumerable multitude of women are exposed to sale, habited in the manner which is judged most likely to excite the desires of the buyer. No inquiry is made with respect to whence the woman who is purchased was brought; and if the names of her parents are asked, it is only to ascertain whether she derives her birth from a stock of pure and acknowledged beauty. The usual price of a beautiful Circassian female is from eight to ten thousand piastres.

Women being the principal article of commerce in Circassia, every thing in their education and habitual life has for its object to preserve their beauty, and facilitate its developement.

All domestic occupations are abandoned to the slaves, and women are solely employed with the arts of the toilette and the means of pleasing. They make it a particular study to modulate their voice in soft and melodious tones, and to display grace and elegance in every motion. Their habitations are intermingled with gardens, and form small villages very near to each other, and consisting of about twenty houses each. In the middle of each of