AN ECDOTE. Astwo young officers were drinking a glafs in a tavern,a dispute arose relative to a young lady, whom one of them paid his addreffes to, and involved in a quarrel, which, by the interpofition of a gentleman prefent, was at that time compromifed; but the next morning one of them fent a challenge to the other, who, inflead of accepting, returned the following anfwer: SIR, "I reckon it my peculiar happiness that I can produce officers and foldiers, who witneffed my behaviour in America during the late war, as evidence of my courage. You may endeavour, if you please, to propagate my refufing your challenge, and brand me with cowardice; but I am fully convinced that nobody will believe me guilty and every body will fee you are malicious. The caufe in which we quarrelled was a trife; the blood of a foldier Thould be referved for nobler purposes love is blind-refentment mean, and tafte capricious---and it ought to be confidered, that murder, though palliated by a falfe of honour, is murder fill,and calls for vengeance." Account of the SBA-Cow, and the Ufe made of it By Molineux Shuldham, Efq; T HE Sea-Cow is a native of the Magdalen iflands, St. John's, and Anticofti, in the gulph of St. Lawrence. They refort very early in the fpring to the former of thefe places, which seems to be by nature particularly adapted to the wants of thefe animals, abounding with clams, a fhell-fish refembling a fcallop, of a very large fize, and the moft convenient landing place, called Echouries. Here they crawl up in great numbers and fometimes remain for fourteen days together without food, when the weather is fair; but, on the first appearance of rain, they immediately retreat to the water with great precipitation. They are, when out of the waters very unweildy, and move with great difficulty. They weigh from fifteen hundred to two thousand pounds, producing, according to their fize, from one to two barrels of oil, which is boiled out of a fat substance that lies between the fkin and the flesh. Immediately on their arrival they calf, and ingender again about two months after; fo that they carry their young about nine months. They never had more than two at a time, and feldom more than one. The echouries are formed principally by nature, being a gradual flope of foft rock, with which the Magda len islands abound, about eighty or an hundred yards wide at the water fide, and fpreading fo as to contain, near the fummit, a very confiderable number. Here they are fuffered to come on fhore and amufe themselves for a confiderable time, till they acquire a boldnefs, being at their first landing fo exceedingly timid as to make it impoffible for any person to approach them. In a few weeks they affemble in great numbers; formerly, when undisturbed by the Americans, to the amount of feven or eight thoufand; and, the form of the echourie not allowing them to remain contiguous to the water, the foremoft ones are infenfibly pushed above the flope. When they are arrived to a convenient diftance, the fishermen, having provided the neceffary apparatus, take the advantage of a fea wind, or a breeze blowing rather obliquely on the fhore, to prevent the fmelling of thefe animals (who have that fenfe in great perfection, contributing to their fafety) and, with the affiftance of very good dogs, endeavour in the night time to feparate thofe that are the fartheft advanced from those next the water, driving them different ways. This they call making a cut, and is generally looked upon to be a moft dangerous procefs, it being impoffible to drive them in any particular direction, and diffi. cult to avoid them; but, as they are advanced above the flope of the echourie, the darkness of the night deprives them of every direction to the water, fo that they fray about and are killed at leifure, thofe that are nearest the fhore being the first victims. In this manner there have been killed fifteen or fixteen hundred at one cut. They then skin them, and take off a coat of fat that always furrounds them, which they diffolve by heat into oil. Ав An Efay on the Right to a he rejoices, he affociates with thofe who have pleafure in his felicity, when free Exercife of Confcience in he is in a fate beyond the conReligious matters. (Continued from page 149), PUBLIC worthip was not originally the creature of government, it was the neceffary effect of true religion, and therefore government, although it can, like the King of Babylon, raife an image, and command men to bow the body, yet it can never compel them to mental, which is the only true worthip, while they ab hor the edit, nor give form to religion which men's hearts do not approve To protect every form which injures not the perfon or property of another, is all the civil power can do. For if devotion to God is the only true religion, furely every man without the bounds of civil fociety if he has it in his heart,is by his nature obliged to evidence the exiftence of it by fuch expreffions, either in words or actions, as appear to him moft fuitable, and the manner in which it is performed, can no more be the subject of controverfy, than it is that all men do not fpeak the fame language, or convey milar ideas by the Cime words. This appears, I think, reasonable, fair and ealy, and yet by the want of acknowledging this truth, the world has been rendered miferable for many ages. It is faid above, that every man is by the conflitution of his nature, obliged to give a form to his devotion, and to make that form public. But this has been denied by several among whom is the author of the epiftles philofophical and moral, He "Unawed by tenet, text or tale, "Erects his altar in the vale." But the obligation to focial worhip, I fuppofe to refult from the nature of man, and there is no neceffity of human penalties, to oblige him to overt ads of religion, if his heart is properly affected. Manjby his natural conflitution, is obliged to complain when in diftrefs, and to rejoice when ho is happy; when he fuffers, he always complains either to thofe from whom he expects relief, or to thofe who will fympathize with him. When trol of human legiflation, in the vale of 'natures fimplicity, and his underflanding comprehends the exiftance of a Deity, and his grateful heart overflows with a fenfe of his goor nefs, to be filent then would fpeak him lefs than man, and fhew an inconfiftency in his nature. This would therefore urge him with more force than could arife from the obligation of human laws, to give form to his religion, and to break out with those who poffeffed fimilar feelings, in acts of adoration, or public worship. As there can be but one object of the fupreme affection of the heart, there could be no contention arifing among ft men from the nature of religion. For the Moft High, being the Supreme, and common Benefactor of all, every one who has a fenfe of his goodness, muft delight in hearing his praifes expreffed, and feeing his Majefty adored in every language, and in every poffible form. But the powers of the earth, princes and potentates, have, in the pride of their hearts, arrogated to themselves the prerogatives of deity, and by the policy of ftates have too long concealed the truth, under the splendid rubbish of their own wicked devices. The article under confideration, fays, that it is the duty of all men in fociety, publicly to worship the Sapreme Being. If this is a duty in flate of nature, or arifing from natural obligation, it is clearly heightened, and not difpenfed with, in civil community; because the refraining from acts of worship there, would have a tendency to eradicate devotion from the heart, and to injure society by increafing immorality and vice: There is nothing more certain than that frequent converfations upon a fubject will deeply imprefs the mind with it, while ceafing to converfa upon another, will end in a forgetfulness of it The man then, whe confiders himself a member of that fociety, from whom he expects a performance of all the duties ftipulated by the convention, and has contracted for a reciprocity on his own part, is obliged in conscience to do all these Z things Aud things which will increase the bene- cruelty, or apologize for it on acconse volence of his mind, and the goodness of the madnefs of the man. of his heart. But as there are only furely the magistrate, who is employthe means, or foundation of obedied in the fame way, is alike odious. ence to the laws, he is not punishable. for the want of them, unless it is evi denced by the commiffion of crimes. Did not the history of the human race appear as one continued contradiction to it, we might reafonably conjecture that the voice of truth,and the just laws of nature, had been fufficient to compel mankind to fuffer each other to worthip God, in the manner and feafon, moft agreeable to their own determination. In the chriftian world, the mifunderstanding of the Jewish economy and politicks, hath done much againft the rights of confcience. The Supreme Being, for the take of accomplishing the final happiness of the world, was himself, in a peculiar manner, the head of their government, and faw fit to become their legiflator in particular. Their form of religion was their civil conftitution, and their exiftence as a nation dipen ded upon the obfervation of it. He therefore, who blafphemed, or broke the fabbath, or let up a form of worhip, diferent from the one prefcribed by their law, flood in the fame point of light with them as a traitor does with other governments. But becaufe there were pealt es annexed to the Breach of thofe religious laws immediately revealed from Heaven, as the will of the Moft Hgh, the earthly powers adopting the chriftian religion, have in the zeal of their vanity, and the arrogance of their authority, attempted to eftablish modes of worhip, and articles of faith. The rack, the whip, and the halter, have been ufed as evidence to convince the rational and underftanding, of the truth of their arbitrary pofitions. A civil (ociety is no other than a po litical family connected by a volunta y agreement, or fubjected by force. The article under confideration, propoles that there should be ftated times and feafons for public worfhip. This is incident to all public performances; for unless there are flated feafons, the people can never know when to affociate; the neceffary avocations of men, and the wants of human life would prevent their meeting, were not seasons eftablished. This being a very great privilege which even in a flate of nature, muft be enjoyed the article is intended not to compel men to eftablish feafons for worship, but to preferve to them the right of doing it. That government fhould not ufurp the prerogatives of the Moft High, and establish by force of law modes of worship and articles of faith, it is declared, that no fubje& fhall be hurt, molefted or restrainedin his perfon, liberty, or eftate for worthipping in the manner and feafonmolt agreeable to the dictates of his own confcience. But fhould any ope deny to others the right he claims to himfelf, and fhould disturb any one in his mode of worship, or should he, under pretence of confcience, injure the perfon, or take the property of another; he then falls within the line of magistratical power, and must be punished according to the laws of the State. Becaufe,. having no right antecedent to civil government, to prevent another from worshipping in his own way, or to make his religion an excufe to injure another; he can by no means derive fuch authority from the laws of the ftate, or the compa of government. To the Printers of the BoSTON MA GAZINE. Should we fee, the father of a family, IN Cruelly chaft zing one of his children, because he would not profefs to believe that which he foberly declared he had no evidence of, or fcourging him into as of worship which his foul difapproved, we should abhor the On Education. N a free republic, where every man has a fhare in the government, it is highly important, that each individual be enabled to judge of thofe things which concern the public good, that is, that he have it in his power, to know by proper application; when The affairs of the community are wifely conducted; but, this cannot be effeated, without the knowledge of letters; becaufe, he may be impofed upon by the artful, whofe intereft it may be to deceive. It is equally neceffary for thofe who govern, that they, over whom they rule, fhould approve of their proceedings; which will not take place, unless there be fufficient underftanding, in the body of the people, to comprehend clearly and for themselves, the propriety of the adminiftration of those whom they have appointed to govern. Thefe obfervations are fo fimple, that I fhould not have introduced them, but for the purpose of illucidating the following remarks, to fhew the deftructive confequences and tendency of establishing PRIVATE ACADEMIES in this government, an inftitution pregnant with evils, and will, I fear, if perfifted in, lay a foundation for a total deftruction of the conftitution, that goodly fabric, erected by the wisdom and labour of our venerable fages. on, as a PRIVATZĄCADEMY, the fame zeal would influence a parent of the foregoing defcription, to exert him felf, in his own town, to establish a good fchool, in which his fon might be inftructed; and by fuch means, the youth would all have it in their power to receive an advantage, which they would not be likely to obtain in any other way. Let the condu& before mentioned, pervade every town in the Commonwealth, and it will not require the aid of augury to forefee, that the offices by men altogether difqualified to tranof government, will be either held at the affairs of the community, or elfe they will be filled up from thofe, whofe parents have taken care to qualify them for this important concern; hence, it will happen, that in the revolution of a few years, the go vernment will be fubverted from a republic to an ariftocracy, for it will be no difficult matter for that part of the community, who have, as it were, monopolized all the knowledge, to acquire the reins of government, and Convey them to thofe, whofe parents have been provident enough to enrich with the knowledge of letters. Among the nations of Europe, it is very rare, to find a public fchool where the children of all ranks may be taught the first principles of knowlege; and it may be afcribed chiefly to this caufe, that the common people, in those countries, are fo very igno rant; they know little or nothing of public measures, and from this, added to fome leffer evils, in the fundamental principles of their governments are held in a state of perpetual vas, falage. They, who have drank of the fountain of fcience, and experi enced the falutary effects of knowledge, are not fatisfied with the delight they have themselves enjoyed; they with that their children may alfo imbibe from the fame fource the enlightening Graught; they will therefore, in proportion to their abilities, endeavour to obtain the fame advanrages for thofe, whom by the principles of the human conftitution, they have been taught to love. Hence, a gentleman, who has the means in his power, will procure the moft diftinguished tutor, to inftruct his fon, in the rudiments of learning; and without any very particular confideration It was in America only, that every for his neighbours, will avail himself town was formerly obliged by law, to of the best school for this purpose ; have a public grammar fchool, where and perhaps, fend him to a diftant all the youth might indifcriminately part of the country, for that advan be taught. In thefe nurferies were iage. His townfmen, inattentive to his fown the feeds of future greatnefs,inviews, will not exert themfelves to obfomuch, that fome of the moft emi-' tain an inftructor, in their own town, nent flatesmen of America, have apStill the period for inftructing their prehended, that it was a principal own children has paffed by; they all means of qualifying the citizens of arrive at the fate of manhood, the thefe ftates, for diftinguishing their former qualified for every duty of a true intereft, and of producing the public nature; the latter ignorant of late revolution, a work fo ftupe ndous, all. But were there no fuch inftituti-that notonlyweourselves, but the other Aations of the earth continue to behold with admiration! It was faid, that in a free republic, it became important, that they, who were governed, should approve of the meafures of their rulers. This approbation, must be the result of judgment or implicit confidence. Judgment, pre-fuppofes knowlege, and this kind of knowlege, muft be acquired by a free examination of the proceedings of government, which feems to be the uly way of obtaining it. The utility the public newspapers has been great in this view, by thofe, the moft remote prafant in the Commonwealth, re turning from the field, has been infructed in the proceedings of the fate; upon them, he converfes freely at home with his family and affociates, and returning to the plough, they become the fubject of his meditation. 'There were the caufes which produced, the attention to politics, which has fo univerfally prevailed in the UnitedStates. Thefe very men, who have been the pillars of the State, and the guardians of its rights, but, for, the inftrution of public town schools, would probably, have been fo ignofant of letters, as not to have been able to read a common new paper. Since the war began, these schools have been neglected, fo that but few towns have any fuch among them; from this omiffion, many valuable men will be loft to the community, who might have fhone with luftre, in the fenate, forum, or desk. But, what patriot does not tremble at the profpect? When a few men fhall poffefs the learning, the wealth, and the control of their fellow citi. zens, who, by their own inattention, have fuffered themfelves to get into the power of thofe, who will forever be able to retain and fupport the distinction, occafioned by the improvidence and indifcretion of their ancaftors? Implicit confidence in the rectitude of those who legiflate, and execute the affairs of ftate, can hardly be conceived, unless it exift in an abfolute government, or in a fate which was ence free, to examine for themselves, and who, from long experience of the wifdom and goodness of their rulers, had confirmed their proceedings with their full confidence. But it is plain that this confidence cannot laft long, unless their be the fame ability of the subjects to judge of the propriety of public meafores, which firft produced their approbation. Thefe qualificatio ons for judging muft diminish or increafe, in the proportion to the ftate of knowlege, among the main body of the people, and this, we have fhewny will have a very clofe connexion with the encouragement given, to the fupe port of grammar fchools, in each town of the Commonwealth. On Man-----his present fiaté, Τ and future deftination. IT feems to be generally granted ab a truth, that the existence of man in his prefent imperfe& ftate, thought attended with many infirmities, and fubject to a very great variety of ca lamities, is upon the whole, a privi ledge; and that were the period of hu mon life to terminate his exiftencé,no injuftice would be done him, fince the fom of his enjoyment upon the whole must have been in his favour. Were it, on the contrary, eftablifh+ ed, that the amount of natural evil in the world, was more than fufficient to equipo aderate with the good, it would neceffarily follow, that an all! wife and infinitely juft Creator, muft have defigned a future flate as the only means left for compenfating his Creatures for the fufferings of the paft. It is repugnant to every idea of rec titude, to create a being whose exift÷ exce must neceffarily, upon the whole, be productive of a redundancy of evil. If therefore, in this life the exiftence of man is generally a fcene of fuck miferies, as render it an evil inftead of a bloffing, I infer the certainty of a future flate. That one of the firenge eft arguments in favour of fuch a flate, is to be drawn from this fource, I am fully of opinion, and though I fhall in eftablishing the truth, as a bafis for fuch arguments, combat the general fentiments of mankind on the fubject, I prefume no candid enquirer after truth will condemn me for placing the fubject in a clear point of view, and |