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PROGRESS OF MAN

Lo! the rude Savage, free from civil strife,
Keeps the smooth tenour of his guiltless life;
Restrain'd by none, save Nature's lenient Laws,
Quaffs the clear Stream, and feeds on Hips and Haws.
Light to his daily sports behold him rise!
The bloodless Banquet health and strength supplies.
Bloodless not long-one Morn he haps to stray
Through the lone Wood-and close beside the way
Sees the gaunt Tiger tear his trembling prey;
Beneath whose gory fangs a Leveret bleeds,
Or Pig-such Pig as fertile China breeds.

Struck with the sight, the wondering Savage stands,
Rolls his broad eyes, and clasps his lifted hands;
Then restless roams-and loaths his wonted food;
Shuns the salubrious stream, and thirsts for blood.

By thought matur'd, and quicken'd by desire, New arts, new arms, his wayward wants require. From the tough yew a slender branch he tears, With self-taught skill the twisted grass prepares;

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70

75

(V. 61 to 66)-Simple state of Savage Life-previous to the Pastoral, or even the hunter state.

(V. 66)-First savages disciples of Pythagoras.

(V. 67, &c.) Desire of Animal Food natural only to Beasts, or to Man in a state of Civilized Society. First suggested by the circumtances here related.

(V. 71)-Pigs of the Chinese breed most in request.

(V. 76)-First formation of a Bow. Introduction of the Science of Archery.

(V. 79) Grass twisted, used for a string, owing to the want of other materiais not yet invented,

Th'unfashion'd

The 'unfashion'd Bow with labouring efforts bends
In circling form, and joins the'unwilling ends.
Next some tall reed he seeks-with sharp-edg'd stone
Shapes the fell dart, and points with whiten'd bone.

Then forth he fares.-Around in careless play,
Kids, Pigs, and Lambkins, unsuspecting stray.
With grim delight he views the sportive band,
Intent on blood, and lifts his murderous hand.
Twangs the bent bow-resounds the fateful dart
Swift-wing'd, and trembles in a Porker's heart.

Ah! hapless Porker! what can now avail
Thy back's stiff bristles, or thy curly tail?
Ah! what avail those eyes so small and round,
Long pendant ears, and snout that loves the ground?

So

85

90

Not unreveng'd thou diest-in after times.
From thy spilt blood shall spring unnumber'd crimes.
Soon shall the slaught'rous arms that wrought thy woe,
Improv'd by malice, deal a deadlier blow;

95

When social Man shall pant for nobler game,

And 'gainst his fellow-man the vengeful weapon aim.

As Love, as Gold, as Jealousy, inspires,

As wrathful Hate, or wild Ambition, fires,

100

(V. 83)-Bone Fish's Bone found on the Sea-shore, Shark's Teeth, &c. &c.

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(V.90)-Ah! what avails, &c. See POPE's Description of the Death of a Pheasant.

(V. 93)" With leaden eye that loves the ground."

(V. 94)-The first effusion of blood attended with the most dreadful consequences to Mankind.

(V. 97)-Social Man's Wickedness opposed to the Simplicity of Savage Life.

(V. 100 and 101)-Different causes of War among Men.

Urg'd

Urg'd by the Statesman's craft, the Tyrant's rage,
Embattled Nations endless Wars shall wage,
Vast seas of blood the ravag'd fields shall stain,
And millions perish-that a KING may reign!

For blood once shed, new wants and wishes rise;
Each rising want Invention quick supplies.
To roast his victuals is MAN's next desire,
So, two dry sticks he rubs, and lights a fire,
Hail Fire! &c. &c.

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FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

BERLIN, FEB. 2, 1798.-A few days ago intelligence reached Berlin, that General HATRY had assembled at Mentz all the Officers commanding detached Corps under him, and directed them to hold themselves in readiness.Last night accounts were received here, of the first operation of these orders. A Corps of French Troops had marched to take possession of the Tête-du-Pont at Manheim, and having met with resistance from the Officer commanding there, an attack began, and the French did not occupy these Works until a considerable deal of blood had been shed on both sides.

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COPENHAGEN, FEB. 13. A Danish vessel has lately been captured, and, it is feared by the Merchants, will be condemned, in consequence of the late Law of the French Government.

- first employed in Cookery, and

(V. 106)-Invention of Fire produced by rubbing dry sticks together.

RASTADT,

RASTADT, FEB. 8. The French Ministers here, TREILHARD and BONNIER, declared in a note of the 3d inst. to the Deputation of the Empire, "That they had

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never taken, nor had any intention of taking, the Inte"grity of the Empire for the Basis of the Peace be"tween the Germanic Body and the French Republic." They added at the end," The French Ministers "declare to the Deputation of the Empire, that they should "be responsible for the consequences of a refusal in adopt

ing a Basis, just, suitable, and useful to the two States (a "Basis, by which the Rhine is to be the limits of France) "and the adoption of which will necessarily ensure to those "who have been deprived of their possessions on the Left "Bank of the Rhine, an indemnity on the Right Bank."

The Deputation of the Empire having deliberated upon this Note, returned an Answer to the French Ministers to-day, "that they had not absolutely hitherto refused to "accept the Basis proposed by France; but that they wish"ed to know, what fate awaited the private possessions "of the PRINCES on the Left Bank of the Rhine; and "that they, besides, wished that the French should de"clare openly, and wholly, what sacrifices they desired "to have from the Empire, that the Deputation might be "enabled to deliberate upon all their demands." No an swer has yet been returned to this Note.

Another object now occupies the attention of the Deputies of the Empire. The French General HATRY, at Mentz, in a Letter to the Governor of Manheim, of the 4th instant, has demanded that the ELECTOR PALATINE shall give immediate satisfaction for the resistance that his Troops made against the French at the taking possession of the Tête-du-Pont at Manheim, and that he shall indemnify the French Soldiers that were wounded; other

VOL. I.

00

wise

wise the French Republic will be obliged to continue hostilities.

EMEDEN, JAN. 29. All Neutral Nations experience the mischievous consequences of the piratical Decree of the French Government, issued against Neutral Ships. Frussian Ships are already the daily victims of this new System: besides a Homeward-bound East-Indiaman, and a Ship bound from Embden to Surinam, the French have taken three large Merchantmen; and last Friday they took three Ships with oats, bound from this place to London. Saturday morning another Ship with oats, sailed hence for London, and was taken that very evening by a small French Privateer of twelve swivels, and carried into Delfzyl. So that at this moment, no Neutral Ship ventures to sail from this place for England.

PARIS.

THE Paris Papers have been received up to the 20th instant. They contain little that is interesting, as to the internal situation of France, beyond what we had already anticipated of the servile acquiescence of the two Coun cils with the will of the Directory, with respect to the fundamental alteration in the Constitution of the Executive Branch of the Government. The Decree was passed, for electing the new Director, and other important Officers, annually elective by the Legislature, previously to the renewal of that Body—that is, for leaving in the hands of the Directory the choice of their own Colleague. So confident are the Directory in this power, that their Partizans already designate without reserve, TREILHARD,

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