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the inhabitants of the north over-ran Europe, and defiroyed the Roman empire, the generals of their forces eftablished themselves their kings--Warmly attached to thofe, who after participating their fufferings, were the authors of their glory and fuccefs, and long habited to render them implicit obedience, the people chear fully fubmitted to their government in the intervals of peace. Monarchy being thus eftablished,that fpecies of government has continued through memorable revolutions, in almoft every nati. on in Europe, to the prefent day. In fome, the power of the kings is greatly encreased, in others diminished, but in all they have invariably retained the fupreme command of the armies.

Under the feudal fyftem we find, that civil power was divided into three diftin& branches. The king or lord paramount,had his fhare,the great barons. and the people had theirs. In France and fome other European governments, a variety of events have concurred to deprive the lords and commons of their whole authority,and vefted the fupremepower abfolutely in the monarch In England we find the reverse. The people have obtained their due proportion of political power, which, under the prefent form of their govern. ment, is fo wifely diftributed and equally ballanced, that it is perhaps beyond the reach of human wisdom to devife a fyftem, in which life, and the bleffings of it can be more effectually fecured. But if the ballance

hould be deftroyed, or in other words, if one branch of the government should ever obtain the power of either of the others, liberty would at once be banihed and tyranny fucceed in her place. For inftance, if the people fhould dethrone the monarch, and ufurp his authority, the rights both of perfons and of property would at once be a float. If the king on the other hand, fhould ever wreft from the people their previliges and powers, and attach them to himfelf, life and all its enjoyments would be held at the miferable tenure of an individual's will and caprice.

From the obfervations that have been made, if true, I think it is plain, that when power is fo difpofed and ballanced as to render the perfons and

property of the governed fecure ; pa triotifm confifts in endeavours to preferve the ballance. Wherefore as this ballance may be destroyed, as well by the encroachments of the many on the rights of the few, as by the encroachments of the few on the rights of the many, popular leaders may not, at all times, be patriots.

A ballance fuppofes three things, the two fcales and the hand that holds it. If the fupreme power be altogether divided between the perfons and property of the governed, though it be fo diftributed, that the fcales fhall perfe&ly poife, yet the experience of ages has taught us, that that government cannot long continue free. So exorbitant are the defires of men for power, that each will be grasping at the whole, and in a little time deftroy the ballance. In Athens the fupreme power was vefted in the Senate and the People, and though the execution of the laws was placed in the hands of other magiftrates, yet as no checks were provided against the encroachments of the Senate on the people, or the people on the Senate, thatftate was conftantly the fport of diffention and cabal. A few years after the inftitution of Solon, Pififtratus rendered himself the tyrant of the city. After his decease and the expulfion of his family, the laws of Solon were again revived. But after a few years, being torn to pieces by internal feuds their conftitution was again thrown afide, and the whole adminiftration of their affairs given to four hundred magic. trates chofen by the people. But thefe magiftrates proving a body of infupportable tyrants they were foon depofed in rage. Thus for the want of fome conftitutional checks, the government of Athens was as unflable as the tempers of its inhabitants, and continued conftantly fluctuating until with all Greece, it fubmitted to the arms of Rome. Syracufe reprefents a fimilar picture. The fupreme power of the city was placed in the hands of the elders and the people. But the latter foon deftroyed the ballance, murdered the beft and wifeft citizens, and fported away their liberty for the adulating fpeeches of Dionyfius, who proved one of the moft cruel tyrants upon record. It is alfo a well known

truth

Truth, that the contefts between the Patricians and Plebeians of Rome for that part of the fupreme power, which was vefted in the Tarquins, and which on their expulfion, in a fenfe became derelict, ended in the deftruction of the ballance, and the confequent ruin of that great miftrefs of the world.

Tiefe examples and many others that might be adduced from biftories of Venice, Genoa, Holland and other European States inconteflibly prove the principles of human nature to be fuch, that to preferve a government free,or in other words,toprefer vea ballance of power between theperfons and properties of the governed, it is not enough to divide and ballance it betweu them; but a certain portion of the fupreme authority must be referved and lodged in other hands which shall be able at all times to check thofe encroachments, that must ever terminate in tyranny. With the means of prefeving this ballance of power, the conftitution of England is admirably furnished. How thefe means are provided in that government, and how the fupreme power is diftributed, ballanced and checked in our own, may be the fubject of fome future observations.

About fix years ago, I found myfelf a ftudent of the third clafs at the Cambridge univerfity. My parents had placed me there with the defign of preparing me for one of the learned profeffions. Knowing my deftination, I had hitherto ftudied the fciences with no fmall degree of application, except that my reading was now and then interruped by an elegant poem Thele had no or pathetick novel. other effect than to ferve as agreeable relaxations. My mind remained calm, and was agitated with no emotions, which were either tender or tranfporting.

In the winter, by the invitation of Mr. Andell, a friend of my father, I rode a few miles from Cambridge, to I appafs the vacation at his houfe. proached it without anxiety, as I had no prefentiment of the tumults, which were foon to agitate my breast. Mr. Andell was a gentleman about forty. five years old. He lived upon the eftate of his ancestors; and he had, by his induftry and tafte, greatly improved it in convenience and beauty. He was hofpitable and generous ; and he entertained his vifitors in a manner, which never failed to please. One was at a lefs which to admire most, the ingenuity of his obfervations, the

To the Editors of the BOSTON MA gaiety of his wit, or the decency of

GAZINE.

Gentlemen,

Here is nothing,against which the

TH

old more frequently caution the young, than the forming of attachments, when there is noimmediate profpect of supporting a family. Mothers are conftantly enjoining upon their daughters, to give no encourage ment to any youth, however amiable, who has not already fortune fufficient to maintain a woman genteely; and young men are laughed at as fools, when they prefume to fall in love, before they have acquired, at leaf, a competence. Prudence is the perpetual theme of praife. It is a virtue indeed, which deferves commendaton; but it may nevertheless, I conceive, be carried too far; and, by aiming to preserve a perfon from em. barraffments, may render him completely wretched for life.

But my

Leart throbs. with too much anguish to reafon upon the subject: I will reFate my flory.

his language. He had one fault only, which was an exceffive love of prudence: He allowed too little to the feelings of the heart; and ridiculed them all as extravagant and romantick.

His family confifled of four fons and a daughter. The daughter was the fecond child, and prefided at the table; for his wife had been dead about a year. Her lofs was not yet for. gotten. The boys indeed wept not; but a tear frequently flood in the eye of Maria. She was indulging her grief, when I entered her father's houfe; for the bad juft received a letter of condolence from a friend in Europe, which brought fresh to her mind the virtues of her parent. There is fomething in female afflictior. fo inexpreffibly tender, that it cannot fail to touch any heart, which is not entirely hardened. It touched mine Had a fmile brightened the face of Maria, I believe I fhould have been proof against her charms; or

atleaft, the first impreffion would not have been fo lafting.

When her father introduced me to her, Maria attempted to be cheerful; but without fuccefs. In a few minutes, however, the defifted from the attempt; for involuntarily, I know not how nor why, my tears began to flow; and her father, taking up the letter, and reading fome lines, found himself alfo affected. Maria now gave way to her forrow. I beheld her; and compaffion and love at once took poffeffion of my foul.

But melancholy did not predomipate in the heart of Maria. No; at times the was fprightly andgay.She had received a large portion of her father's wit, which was rendered fill more pleafing than his by the peculiar delicacy and felicity, which always diftinguished it. I had been in the house but a few hours, when her cheerfulness returned, and her wit broke forth in flashes of light, like the beams of the fun after a fhower in June.

Sweet girl with what pleasure did I hear; with what pleafure did I view her! Her form was fine; her face, not beautiful indeed, but marked with the intelligence of an angel. Her eyes! it was a long time before I could discover their colour; but I perceived at once that they fhot forth grace, benignity, and love.

Her voice was liquid and melodious. In the evening fhe fang in concert with Charles, her eldeft brother. I oftened all ear, all rapture; and the conqueft was completed.

Five weeks paffed away in a dream of joy. Towards the end the was fenfible,that I was never happy but in her prefence; and the did not commind me to retire. She was not yet fixteen, and had never loved; I had just compleated my feventeenth year. Though my accomplishments and virtues were not equal to hers, yet in fome refpects I refembled her. Like her I was fimple and innocent in my manners. I was gay and cheerful; and like her I delighted in tears. She was fond of mufick; and I played upon the Aute. Without declaring my paffion, or indeed without knowing that my heart felt any, I called

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The vacation being finished, I was obliged to return to my ftudies. But I did not leave Maria, till I told her, in the presence of her father, that I would write to her, and that the muft write to me. Her father, I remember, looked gravely; but he made no objection.

Nothing is more frequent in lovers than complaints of abfence. Every ftep I took from Maria brought a degree of pain with it; but ftill pleafure predominated. My mind was filled with romantick deliriums, which were more delicious than any pleasures I had ever enjoyed."

But I find that I am going into too minute a detail. Let me fay then, that the flame, which was kindled in mybreaft, continued to burn with increafing ardour for upwards of three years. Maria did not endeavour to quench it. I had frequent opportunities of feeing her. What we fuppofed at firft to be friendship was now known to be love. I lived but for her. We had the fame fentiments, the fame pleafures, the fame pains, and, in fine, the fame foul. Did not heaven behold with complacency a connexion, which was formed by nature, by fympathy, by virtue ?

Our paffion was foon too vifible not to be perceived by the family of Maria. Charles wrote me upon the fubject. He informed me, that his father began to notice it, and that it gave him uneafinefs. I was deftitute of money, and without any immediate profpe&t of acquiring it; my fa ther of a decayed family, and though a gentleman, yet poor; unable therefore to affift me. It was imprudent in a young fellow of twenty, but a year out of college, to be engaged in a courtship. He would run himself, and he would ruin the object of his affections.

I was alarmed with this letter. My breaft became the feat of mifery. I flew to Maria, and found relief. She affured me, that interefted motives weighed not with her. She was happy in my affection, and the wanted no more. Heaven, the faid, would in time reward my merit with a fortune.

If it did not, fhe would live with me in poverty, in wretchedness. But, Frank, fhe added, why need you be fo anxious? You are always looking forward to the nuptial day. We can be happy as lovers for many years to come. I am your friend; what can you defire more? The flame which animates our bofems, is pure and virtuous. Can it be rendered more delightful, Believe me, I will never marry any perfon, whom you do not point out.

One year more paffed away, but not in fo continued a ftream of happinels as the foregoing; for it was frequently interrupted with the difquiet occafioned by her father's coldness. This gradually increased, till at length he fought an opportunity to come to an open rupture with me. The effect was an abfolute prohibition from vifiting any more in his family.

In the mean time I received a very harf letter from my father, who, living in a diftant part of the continent, had been but lately made acquainted with my amour. He condemned in very fevere terms the imprudence of my attachment, and told me that I had tried away that time, which ought to have been devoted to my ftudies.

I began now feriously to reflect. I was confcious that Maria's image had very often obtruded itself into my mind, and deftroyed every scientifick idea. And though I had paid as much attention to my books as ftudents in general, being by a virtuous paffion preferved from gaming, drinking, and the ufual vices of youth, yet ftill I might have read more, had I followed the guide of prudence. This re flection ftung me. I wished to be eminent. I adored Maria; but I panted for fame.

From that moment I determined to facrifice my love to prudence, and to my regard for Maria's father. He was a worthy man. He had treated me with great friendship. I thought it bafe and ungrateful to deprive him of his daughter against his confent. When I had formed this refolution, my foul was elevated with a confcious dignity: I called myself a hero; but I was a hero in the agonies of death. I will be great, cried I. I

will never love. I will live upon the idea only of Maria. I will never fee her. Gracious God! the fhall not be mine. She fhall become the wife of another.

I wrote to Mr. Andell, and gave him a candid account of my determination. He returned me a very favourable answer, and permitted me to come to his house and take my laft farewell of his daughter. I went, and he received me with a fmile. You now conduct, faid he, like a young man of prudence. You were a foolifh boy, Frank, to fall in love, before you were fettled in any kind of bu finefs. Believe me, your puerile paffion can easily be conquered.

He had fcarcely (poken these words, when I flew to Maria. I informed her that I was determined to be wretched; for fo prudence required: that I intended never more to fee her; and I, befought her to marry one of thofe gentlemen, who defired to obtain her hand. She heard me with the fcorn of female dignity. But dignity was foon melted into tenderness. We embraced each other in the most paffionate manner. We wept. And I was just beginning to curfe prudence in the bitterness of my foul, when Mr. Andell entered the room. Retire, young man, cried he; a&t worthy of yourself. Maria, he bids you farewell; he parts from you forever.

I obeyed his commands, and haftened to the place of my habitation. There I received a letter from my father, ordering me to come to him immediately; for he thought proper that I fhould ftudy under his eye. I was gratified with the fummons; for I hoped that abfence and diftance would affuage the anguish of my mind.

I had been but a few months with my father, before I heard that Maria was married, She was induced by the folicitations of her parent to give her hand to Mr. Price, a young gentleman, who lived in the neighbourhood. He poffeffed an easy fortune, was induftrious, honeft, and worthy. My fondness for Maria and the return which it had received, were not unknown to him. But his feelings were not lively, nor his delicacy extreme. He confided in this maxim, which Maria's father had

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taught him, that a woman's affections may be gained after marriage, by any bufband, who will be kind and attentive. I was informed that my amiable friend was led trembling like a lamb to the altar; and that, while the facrifice was performing, her cheeks faded; till at length he fell lifelefs to the ground.

Evil thoughts, which I indulged with confcious guilt, began now to enter my mind. I wifhed for the death of Price. I even prayed my God in the agony of my foul, that he would blaft him with the lightning of Hea. ven. Is not Maria, I exclaimed, my kindred spirit? It is fubverting the decrees of Providence to feparate us from each other.

Many months paffed away; and I heard nothing more of Maria. The torment, which I endured, at laft grew intolerable. I die, faid I to my father, unless you permit my return to my native country. I have an indulgent parent. He faw my diftrefs, and was touched with pity. My mother interceded. He granted my request,

The journey was long; but as I rode night and day, I foon completed it. It is three weeks fince I arrived. I looked not to the right hand or to the left, till I faw the houfe of Maria's father. The east wind blew, when I alighted at the gate. The branches of two large elms, under the fade of which I had often ruminated with delight, fhook with difcord. A fpaniel, a favourite of Maria, met me at the door. The poor creature's limbs trembled, as he leaped upon me. I entered the house; and the first object, which prefented, was Charles fitting before the fire, with a miniature picture of his fifter in his hand. His eye was fixed upon it; tears flowed down his cheek. I felt their caufe immediately. Is Maria dead? cried I in an agony. Charles, who knew not that I was in the room, till he heard my voice, ftarted up, and preffing my right hand in both of his- Yes, faid he, he is relieved from all her miferies.

I have but little more to add. The marriage of Maria gave a wound to her breaft, which never could be healed. She confidered herself as a

out her heart. She pined. Her hus band endeavoured to console her mind and to reftore her health. His affiduities ferved only to embitter her anguish. She refigned herself to her grief. It continued to prey upon her conftitution, till at length the fprings of life were totally deftroyed. She died four weeks before I arrived. In her laft moments, she called Charles to her bed fide. See, my brother, faid fhe, the victim of prudence. My beloved Frank, I truft, will be fatisfied with this proof of my affections. Tell him, that however my perfon has been disposed of, my foul has not ceafed a moment to be his. But you need not tell him this: I will declare it to him myfelf in heaven. I know he cannot survive me long. I fhall meet him foon.

Yes, amiable girl, I will follow you. I find my health begins to decline. I have juft ftrength fufficient to carry me to the grave of Maria, where I fpend whole days in weeping over the fods, which cover her remains. My physician forbids me to indulge this Juxury any more. I will not obey his commands; for why fhould I with to live? No: I will fuffer my life to waffe away.

My ftory will not intereft many; but as it may preferve fome of feeling hearts from following too closely the dictates of an exceffive prudence, I requeft, gentlemen, that you would publish it. Love is puerile and trifing in many inftances; but it frequently gains fuch poffeffion of the foul, that it cannot, and ought not to be controlled by the cold maxims of the prudent and the infenfible. FRANCIS COBHAM.

April 22d.

To the Editors of the BOSTON MACAZINE.

Gentlemen,

The flattering marks of your approbation beflowed, in your Magazine for March, upon my proposals for a poem, have encouraged me to fend you the inclofed, which, I hope, you will receive favourably, I am, your's &c.

SECRETUS. to you my feel

criminal in beflowing her perfon with-ings upon reaching the coaft of A

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