It is perhaps one of the fevereft misfortunes of the great, that they are, in general, obliged to live among men whofe real virtue is leffened by dependance, and whofe minds are enflaved by obligation. The humble companion may have at firft accepted patronage with generous views, but foon he feels the mortifying influence of confcious inferiority, by degrees finks into a flatterer, and from flattery at last degenerates into ftupid veneration. To remedy this the great often difmifs their old dependants, and take new. Such changes are falfely imputed to levity, falfhood, or caprice in the patron, fince they may be more juftly afcribed to the client's gradual deteri oration.

No, my fon, a life of independance is generally a life of virtue. It is that which fits the foul for every generous flight of humanity, freedom, and friendship. To give fhould be our pleasure, but to receive our fhame; ferenity, health, and affluence attend the defire of rifing by labour; mifery, repentance, and difrefpect that of fucceeding by extorted benevolence; the man who can thank himfelf alone for the happiness he enjoys is truly bleft; and lovely, far more lovely the sturdy gloom of laborious indigence, than the fawning fimper of thriving adulation.

Adieu,

LETTER C.

From Lien Chi Altangi, to Fum Hoam, first prefident of the Ceremonial Academy at Pekin, in China.

IN

every fociety fome men are born to teach, and others to receive inftruction; fome to work, and others to enjoy in idleness the fruits of their induftry; fome to govern, and others to obey. Every people, how free fo ever, muft be contented to give up part of their liberty and judgment to thofe who govern, in exchange for their hopes of fecurity; and the motives which firft influenced their choice in the election of their governors fhould ever be weighed againft the fucceeding apparent inconfiftencies of their conduct. All cannot be rulers, and men are generally beft governed by a few. In making way through the intricacies of business, the fmalleft obftacles are apt to retard the execution of what is to be planned by a multiplicity of counfels; the judgment of one alone being always fitteft for winding through the labyrinths of intrigue, and the obftructions of difappointment. A ferpent, which, as the fable obferves, is furnished with one head and many tails, is much more capable of fubfiftence and expedition, than another, which is furnished with but one tail and many heads.

Obvious as these truths are, the people of this country seem infenfible of their force. Not fatiffied with the advantages of internal peace and opulence, they ftill murmur at their governors, and interfere in the execution of their defigns; as if they wanted to be fomething more than happy. But as the Europeans inftruct by argument, and the Afiatics moftly

moftly by narration, were I to address them, I should convey my fentiments in the following story.

Takupi had long been Prime Minister of Tipartala, a fertile country that ftretches along the Weftern confines of China. During his adminiftration, whatever advantages could be derived from arts, learning, and commerce were feen to blefs the people; nor were the neceffary precautions of providing for the fecurity of the ftate forgotten. It often happens, however, that when men are poffeffed of all they want, they then begin to find torment from imaginary afflictions, and leffen their prefent enjoyments, by foreboding that those enjoyments are to have an end. The people now therefore endeavoured to find out grievances; and after fome fearch, actually began to think themselves ag→ grieved. A petition against the enormities of Takupi was carried to the throne in due form; and the Queen who governed the country, willing to fatisfy her fubjects, appointed a day, in which his accufers fhould be heard, and the minifter should stand upon his defence.

The day being arrived, and the minifter brought before the tribunal, a carrier, who fupplied the city with fish, appeared among the number of his accufers. He exclaimed, that it was the custom time immemorial for carriers to bring their fish upon an horfe in a hamper; which being placed on one fide, and balanced by a ftone on the other, was thus conveyed with ease and fafety; but that the prifoner, moved either by a fpirit of innovation, or perhaps bribed by the hamper-makers, had obliged all carriers to use the stone no longer, but balance one hamper with another; an order entirely repugnant to the customs of all antiquity, and thofe of the kingdom of Tipartala in particular.

The

The carrier finifhed; and the whole court fhook their heads at the innovating minifter: when a fecond witnefs appeared. He was infpector of the city buildings, and accufed the difgraced favourite of having given orders for the demolition of an antient ruin, which obftructed the paffage through one of the principal streets. He obferved, that fuch buildings were noble monuments of barbarous antiquity; contributed finely to fhew how little their ancestors understood of architecture; and for that reason fuch monuments fhould be held facred, and fuffered gradually to decay.

The laft witness now appeared. This was a widow, who had laudably attempted to burn herself upon her husband's funeral pile. But the innovating minifter had prevented the execution of her defign, and was infenfible to her tears, proteftations, and entreaties.

The Queen could have pardoned the two former offences; but this laft was confidered as so gross an injury to the fex, and fo directly contrary to all the cuftoms of antiquity, that it called for immediate justice. "What," cried the Queen, "not fuffer 66 a woman to burn herself when the thinks proper ? "The fex are to be very prettily tutored, no doubt, "if they must be reftrained from entertaining their "female friends now and then with a fried wife, or "roafted acquaintance. I fentence the criminal to ❝ be banished my presence for ever for his injurious 66 treatment of the fex."

Takupi had been hitherto filent, and fpoke only to fhew the fincerity of his refignation. "Great "Queen," cried he, "I acknowledge my crime; "and fince I am to be banished, I beg it may be to "fome ruined town, or defolate village in the country I have governed. I fhall find fome pleasure

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in improving the foil, and bringing back a spirit of industry among the inhabitants. His requeft appearing reasonable, it was immediately complied with; and a courtier had orders to fix upon a place of banishment, anfwering the minifter's defcription. After fome months fearch, however, the enquiry proved fruitless; neither a defolate village, nor a ruined town was found in the kingdom. Alas, faid Takupi then to the Queen, How can that country be ill-governed which has neither a defolate village, nor a ruined town in it? The Queen perceived the juftice of his expoftulation, and the minifter was received into more than former favours.

LETTER CI.

FROM THE SAME.

THE ladies here are by no means fuch ardent gamefters as the women of Afia. In this refpect I muft do the English juftice; for I love to praife where applause is juftly merited. Nothing more common in China, than to fee two women of fashion continue gaming till one has won all the other's cloaths, and ftripped her quite naked; the winner thus marching off in a double fuit of finery, and the lofer fhrinking behind in the primitive fimplicity of Nature.

No doubt, you remember when Shang, our maiden aunt, played with a fharper. Firft her money went; then her trinkets were produced; her cloaths followed piece by piece foon after; when fhe had thus played herself quite naked, being a woman of fpirit,

and