Foled them, to honourable actions, under the perfuafion, that the private virtues of economy, prudence and induftry, will not be lefs amiable in civil life, than the more fplendid qualnies of valour, perfeverance and enterprife, were in the field: Every one may reft affured that much, very much of the future happiness of the officers and men, depend upon the wife and manly conduct which shall be adopted by them, when they are mingled with the great body of the community. And although the General has fo frequently given it as his opinion, in the most public and explicit manner, that unlefs the principles of the federal government were properly fupported, and the powers of the union encreated, the honour, dignity and juftice of the nation, would be lost forever; yet he cannot help repeating on this occafion, fo interefting a fentiment, and leaving it as his lalt injonction to every officer and every foldier, who may view the fubjea in the fame ferious point of light, to add his beft endeavours, to these of his worthy fellow citizens, towards effecting thefe great and valuable purpoles, on which our very exiflence as a nation fo materially depends. The Cominander in Chief conceives little is now wanting to enable the foldier to change the military character into that of the citizen, but that fteady and decent behaviour, which has geDerally diftinguifhed, not only the army under his immediate command, but the different detachmants and fe parate armies, through the coufe of the war; from their good fenfe and prodence he anticipated the happieft confequences; and while he congratulates them on the glorious occafion that renders their fervices in the field no longer neceffary, he wishes to exprefs the frong obligations he feels himfelf under, for the affiftance he has received from every clafs, and in every inflance. He prefents his chanks in the moft ferions and affectionate manner to the General officers, as well for their counfel, on many interfing occafions, as for their ardour in promoting the fuccefs of the plans he had adapted; to the Commandants of regiments and corps, and to the officers, for their great zeal and He attention in carrying his orders promptly into execution to the Staff, for their alacrity and exactness in performing the duties of their feveral departments; and to the non-commiffioned officers and private soldiers, for their extraordinary patience in fuffering, as well as their invincible fortitude in action; to the various branches of the army, the General takes this last and folemn opportunity of profeffing his inviolable attachment and friendship He wishes more than bare profeffions were in his pow er, that he was really able to be ufeful to them in all future life flatters himself, however, they will do him the juftice to believe, that whatever could with propriety be attempted by him has been done. And being now to conclude thefe his laft public orders, to take his ultimate leave, in a thort time, of the military chara&er, and to bid a final ad eu to the armies he has fo long had the honour to command; he can only again offer in their behalf, his recommendations to their grateful country, and his prayers to the God of armies. May ample juftice be done them here, and may the choiceft of Heaven's favours, both here and hereafter, attend thofe who under the Divine aufpices, have fecured innumerable bleffings for others. With thefe wishes, and this benediction, the Commander in Chief is about to retire from fervice- -The curtain of feparation is drawn, and the military fcene to him will be clofed forever. EDWARD HAND, Adj. Gen. lency this teftimony of their affectionate attachment and refpe&t. We have the honour to be, with perfect confideration, Sir, your Excellency's moft obedient, and moft humble fervants, A. M'DOUGALL, Major General. H. K vox, Major General. T. PICKERING, Q M. General. His Excellency General Washington. The ADDRESS is as follows. To his Excellency General Wathing. ton, Commander in Chief of the Armies of the United States of America. E, the Officers of the part of W the army remaining on the banks of the Hudfon, have received your Excellency's ferious and fare. well addrefs to the armies of the United States. We beg you to accept our unfeigned thanks for the communication, and your affectionate affur ances of inviolable attachment and friendship. If your attempts to en fure the armies the juft, the promised rewards of their long, tevere and dangerous fervices, have failed of fucceís, we believe it has arifen from caufes not in your Excellency's power to controul. With extreme regret do we reflect on the occafion which called for fuch endeavours. But while we thank your Excellency for thefe exertions in favour of the troops you have fo fuccefsfully commanded, we pray it may be believed, that in this fentiment our own particular interefts have but a fecondary place; and that even the ultimate ingratitude of the people were that poffible) could not hake the patriotifm of those who fuffer by it. Stwit pleafing wonder and with grateful joy thall we contemplate the glor ous conclufion o our labours. To that merit in the revolution, which under the auspices of Heaven, the armies have duplayed, pofterity will do juftice; and the fons will blush, whofe fathers were their foes. Moft gladly would we caft a veil on every act which fullies the reputation of our country never fhould the page of hiftory be ftained with its difhonour even from our memories fhall the idea be erased. We lament the oppofition to thofe falutary meafures which the wifdom of the union has planned; meafures which a lone can recover and fix on a permanent bafis the credit of the States; meaíures which are effential to the juftice, the honour and intereft of the nation. While he was giving the nobleft proofs of magnanimity, with confcious pride we faw her growing fame; and regardless of prefent fufferings, we looked forward to the end of our toils and dangers, to brighter fcenes in prospect. There we beheld the genius of our country dignified by fovere gnty and independence, fupported by juttice, and adorned with every liberal virtue. There we faw patient hufbandry fearless extend her cultured fields, and animated commerce fpread her fails to every wind. There we beheld fair fcience litt her head, with all the arts attending in her train. There, bleft with freedom, we faw the human mind expand; and throwing afide the refraints which confined it to the narrow bounds of country, it embraced the World. Such were our fond hopes, and with fuch delightful profpects did they prefent us. Nor are we difappointed. Thofe animating profpects are now changed into realities; and actively to have contributed to their production is our pride, and our glory. But JUSTICE alone can give them ftability. In that JUSTICE we ft. believe. Still we hope that the prejudices of the misinformed will be removed, and the arts of falfe and felfish popularity, addrefied to the feelings of avarice, defeated; or in the worft event, the world, we hope, will make the juft diftin&ion: We truit the difingenuoufnefs of a few, will not fully the reputation, the honour and dignity of the great and refpectable majority of the States. We are happy in the opportunity juft pr fented of congratulating your Excellency on the certain conclufion of the Definitive Treaty of Peace. Relieved at length from long fufpence, our warmeft with is to return to the bofom of our country, to refume the Character of citizens; and it will be our higheft ambition to become ufeful ones. To your Excellency this great event must be peculiarly pleafing: For For while at the head of her armies, urged by patriot virtues and magnanimity, you perfevered, under the preffure of every poffible difficulty and difcouragement, in the purfust of the great object of the war --the freedom and fafety of your country your heart panted for the tranquil apy meats of peace. We cordially rejo ce with you that the period of indulging them has arrived fo foon. In contemplating the bleffings of liberty and independence, the rich prize of e ght years hardy advenfore; paft fufferings will be forgotlen; or if remembered, the recollection will ferve to heighten the relish of prefent happ.nefs. We fincerely pray GOD, tns happiness may long be yours; and that when you quit the age of human I fe, you may receive from the UNERRING JUDGE, the rewards of valour exerted to fave the opwessed, of patriotifm and difnterested virtue. Weft Point, November 15, 1783. Meffieurs PRINTERS, IN perafing your valuable Magazine for November, I was much pleafed to find in the introduction, that you" Now have the fulleft affurance of fuch affiance, as will in all probability, reader the future numbers more acceptable" The DisQUISITION ON RATIONAL CHRISTIASITY, merits attention, and I could with to fee fome obfervations by thofe Gentlemen of the Clergy, and others, who may be of a different opinion from the celebrated author of that perform ance. The Criticifm on NONSENSE being unfaithed, I shall omt my remarks upon it. THE ESSAY ON THE SPLEEN was very humourous, and I doubt not will prevent many a fit of the HYPO. THOUGHTS ON PATIENCE, a very neceffary virtue in this troubefome world, gave me fatisfaction. THE ESSAY ON PATRIOTISM, is admirably well calculated for a rifing republic, as are the thoughts on IN DUSTRY I fhal pafs over the Effay LOVE AND MARRIAGE, and pro ted to CUFID turned FISHERMAN, which upon the whole I approve of, and hope it will ferve to infpire the AMIABLE FAIR of this metropolis with a proper deteftation of thofe P. RTINENT COXCOMBS, who intrude themselves into all companies, to the entire exclufion of thofe MODEST young Gentlemen, whofe merit hath been too much neglected. The WHIMSICAL DISTRESS OF A COUNTRY PHYSICIAN afforded diverfion. THE PETITION OF DISCARDED U, is of fome flanding, and as the beft authors have adopted it, the infertion was rather unneceffary, but, as it may serve to caution thofe inattentive fcriblers, that reject the ufe of fo neceflary a vowel. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF COLD afforded much useful entertainment; and am exceeding glad to find it is to be continued. THE ESSAY ON TASTE is one of those malterly compofitions, which are an ornament to the English language, the infertion of which does honour to the Tafte and Judgment of thofe Gentlemen who have promifed you their affiftance, and I doubt not your future Numbers, will be enriched with many more fuch publications...I anxiously wait for the remainder. THE ANCDOTE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP, does honour to his Grace's humanity, and is a useful leffon to us not to discard any one from our good opinion,merety for the firft offence, 'till we have thoroughly inveftigated the causes that produced it. But, Gentlemen, I muft honeftly confefs, that the ENIGMS, RIDDLE, and REBUS, rather difgufted me; they are too trifling to employ the time and attention of any, except thofe whole Tafte is too depraved to deferve being pleased. I find that many of my acquaintance are of the fame opinion, and we with never to fee any more of them,but would propofe inflead thereof, fuch ufeful, mathematical, aftronomical, and phitofophical Queries, as will tend to excite the generous emulation of our youth, and to promote the true intereft of the Commonwealth. The Poetical pieces are good, a few more would have been acceptable, as alfo an enlargement of your. Monthly Chronology. An accurate Bill of Mortality 48 Geographical Defcription of Bachelor's Island. OBSERVATOR. dy, and which nobody 1egards; thing that, like a mushroom, delights in bogs and moraffes, but bates the generous warmth of the noon day fun. Though the natives of this miferable island make thofe of the ifle of MATRIMONY the Conßant object of their ridicule, yet there have been number Geographical Defcription of lefs inftances of their flealing from Bachelor's fland. When Hymen's torch glows in the marry'd breift, All wandering paffions are at reft: In conftant love, we every pleasure find, And every folace in a female's mind. the burning fands of the deferta of folly, where even the favage inhabitants of the foreft feldom venture to tread. It is bounded on the eaft, by the regions of affectation, vanity and deceit; on the north, by the terri tories of fear and coward ce; on the fouth, by the burning zone of remorfe, difeafe and death; and on the well, by the dead lake of oblivion. Hence it is easily to be supposed, that the air of this land is fuitiy, enervating and peftiferous; expofed to perpetual fcenes of form, hurricane and tempeft; and its climate, like the minds of its inhabitants, is never fettled for an hour. The fpring of Batchelor's Iland totally differs from that of any other country I have hitherto read of; as that, is here the feafon of the moft pernicious heat, and in which the generality of its inhabitants are poffeffed with a kind of madness the most deftructive to themselves, the most injurious to every civilized country, and the most fubverfive of unguarded in посепсе. Those who weather out the Spring, and live to fee the fummer, though they lofe a great degree of their maduefs, yet in that feafon become artful, bypocritical and treacherous. Their winter is truly defpicable indeed, fince, among all nations upon earth, you cannot exprefs your contempt of man more pointedly than BACHFLOR: by calling him an OLD a thing that lives only for itself; a thing that has no focial harmony in its foul; a thing that cares for nobo their own and into that of Matrimo ny, where they have prevailed or fome good natured eafy creatures to become their nurses and restorers, af ter their conftitutions have been near ly ruined in their formerly miferable abode: For in the isle of Matrimony though clouds now and then gather over it, yet they ferve only to render the remainder of the day more brilli ant and chearful. In Bachelor's island, love is a thing much talked of, but totally unknown and the inhabitants are hated and de pifed, robbed and plundered by the objects of their wanton embraces Cards, which are only an innoces amufement on the ifle of MATKIM NY, are here produtive of the mo fhocking vices, fuch as the grofle fcenes of drunkenness and debauch ry; the total ruin of their priva fortunes, and even murder iffelf fometimes the confequence. many have quitted this ifland, an fled to that they fo much defpifed, order to repair their ruined fortun by feeking a rich and amiable par ner? На Bachelor's inland is a mere defe incapable of producing any thing b nettles, thorns and briars: Here a no bleating lambs to pleafe the eye innocence; here, no doves to cher their young, nor does the useful fa bound over their barren plains; wolves, tygers and crocodiles are b feen in abundance. Here are neit wife nor children to weep over afhes of the deceafed; but owls ho ravens croak, and the reptiles of earth crawl over their graves. hort, of all animals that ever nat produced, an old bachelor muft be moft contemptible: He lives a ufe being on the earth, dies unlamen and is at laft configued over to o vion. Critic Criticism on Nonsense. (Continued from page 8.) at AUTHORS of this kind my brady vided into two claffes, generally known under the denomination of the BOMBASTICK and the GRUBSTREET. The latter of thefe characters is eafily attained, provided a Man can but keep himself from thinking, and yet fo contrive matters, as to let his pea run along unmolested over a Theet of white paper, and drop a Convenient quantity of words, proper intervals, on it. who is acquainted with this fecret, A perfon may, with great facility and compofure of mind, furnish himself with a comfortable flock of reputation, as often as he finds it requisite. This he might do, as without any ruffle to his own tranquility, fo neither would it prove the leaft difturbance to his readers: For while he flow'd along with that unmeaning foftnefs, every one within the warble of his accents would undoubtedly diffolve away in a fupine indolence, and (as a late mufical-author of this fpecies has very tenderly expreffed it) be hufh'd into lalling dreams. I fhall at this time confider those my ingenious fellow-labourers, who deviate into the contrary extreme; I mein the admirers of bombaft and luftian. They Thefe writers, to avoid the imputation of low and flat, blow up every fubject they take in hand beyond its natural dimensions; and nothing will please them that is not big and boisterous, wild and irregular. wonderfully delight in noife and clamour; a rattle of words, and an extravagance of imagination, they look upon as the perfection of rhetorick; and are tranfported beyond themfelves, at the tumult and confufion that bellows through a hurricane of Bonfenfe. In short, that which men of this turn applaud as the mafter piece of good writing, differs from the true fublime, as a boy's artificial kite, waddling among the clouds at the end of a skein of pack-thread, does from the natural fight of an eagle, towering with fteady pinions towards the fkies, and bearing full upon the fun. If this falle tafle prevails amongst us, we shall quickly prove fuch a generation of blufterers, that our country will resemble the cave of Eolus, rendezvous, and battle and clash towhere the winds make their general gether in an eternal din and uproar. For my own part, I look upon it to be the duty of every one, as far as in ing out this inundation of found, him lies, to lend his affistance in bankwhich, if it finds a clear paffage, will not fail to overwhelm us in a deluge of folly and abfurdity. A friend of mine who writes in this ftone by name, fhall be the hero of exorbitant ftyle, Mr. George Brimthis paper. Mr. Brimftone, as to his exterior figure, is one of the portieft mortals that have flourished in our world, fince Goliah over-top'd ately fpeaking, nine feet high, and the Philiftian army. He is, moderfour in diameter. His voice is not rent foaming down a mountain, and unlike the roar and rapidity of a torreverberated amongst the neighbouring rocks. The hurry of vociferation with which he drives along in the heat of an argument, imitates the thunder of a cart load of ftones poureducated in a fhup of war, and one ed out upon a pavement. He was would imagine he learnt the notes of lings of a tempeft through the righis gamut, from the various whiftadvifed as to offer my diffent from ging of his veffel. I was once fo unone of his opinions; but I had better have held my tongue: He turned of eloquence, that had I not made off upon me, and rung me fuch a peal have gone near to have fun'd, and with the greatest precipitation, would made me deaf all my days. Nay, I been never the better for it to this have caufe to think my hearing has G moment. ternal accomplishments; as to the This is a fhort defcription of his exqualifications of his mind, they will be beft perceived, by a tranfcript I fhall here make, from an oration he formerly compofed in Praife of Beacon-Hill. I must inform my readers, that it was conceived as he stood upon the fummit of that little mount, one training-day,when,as he has fince owned to me, the drums and mufquets af fifted |