public miniftry, he conducted himfelf with fuch wifdom and integrity, prudence and ability, as procured him the like love and efteem from his venerable colleague, and the people of his charge which his father had enjoyed, and the notice and respect of all the clergy in the Commonwealth.

He was a friend to learning, and to the university in which he was educated, and was a faithful member of the board of overseers. After the lofs of Harvard hall, with the library and apparatus, by fire, in 1762, he exerted his extenfive influence in procuring fubfcriptions to repair that lofs. There having been a vacancy in the corporation in 1767, the Doc. tor was elected one of that board, and continued a very attentive, firm, and judicious member until his death.

Ps fame for literary accomplishments, and his character as a divine, became too great to be limited to his native country; it introduced him to the university of Edinburgh, from whence he was complimented with a diploma of doctor in divinity.

Dr. Cooper was an active member of the fociety for propagating the gofpel among the abriginals of America, the work was pleafing to his be nevolent mind, and he was ever watchful that the pious intentions of the donors in thofe charities should not be difappointed.

When his country had afferted her right to independence, he was anxieus to lay a foundation for the encouragement of useful arts, and the growth of the fciences in this land of civil liberty. In his opinion knowledge, as a handmaid to virtue, was neceffary to fupport free governments. and promote public happiness. He was therefore one of the foremost in forwarding the plan on foot, in 1780, for establishing an American academy of arts and sciences; and this fociety, from: a fenfe of his literary merits, elected him their firft vice-prefident.

The great friendship fubfifting between him, Dr. Franklin and Mr Adams, was one means of his being known in France; and the gentlemen coming from that kingdom were generally recommended to him by thofe ambaffadors.

When the civil conftitution of the Commonwealth, in which he had fome fhare, was formed and approved of by the people, he was, according to the cuftom of the country, called upon to intro duce it with a fermon: this difcourfe, with others of his writings, have been printed in feveral languages, and are fome fpecimens of his fingular abilities.

He was feized with a lethargick dif order, and after fome weeks fick nefs, expired December 29th 1783, in the 59th year of his age.

The Free Republican,

No. II.

N my publication of the laft month, I laid down, as an uncontrovertible truth, that in every fpecies of government, political power ought ever to be attended with political wildom and virtue. This is neceffary to the happiness of the subje&s in alb governments, and in republics, that partake of democracies, indifpenfibly fo to their exiftence.

POLITICAL WISDOM confifts in a knowledge of the nature and principles of a government, its relative interefts and what inftitutions conduce to its fafety, and the happiness of the POLITICAL VIRTUE is a fubject. cludes a difpofition to cherish the nalove of the government, which inture of it, fupport its principles, and adminifter its laws. POLITICAL POWER is that power, which in all governments is lodged fomewhere of controuling the actions, the perfons and properties of their fubje&s. But as power undirected by wifdom, and uncontrouled by virtue, might be an engine of promifcuous deftru&tion, concomitants of it. wildom and virtue should ever be the Hence we find that to conftitute perfection in the Monarch of the Univerfe, these three attributes are not only united in him, but are commenfurate with each other. Infinite wifdom and infinite

goodness accompany his infinite pow

er.

terefting to a free people. This leads to fome reflections inFirft, That great power is to be conferred but

but on men of great wisdom and great virtue. Secondly, That whenever in a government of laws,there are not in the community a number fufficient to fill the feveral offices, whofe wildom and virtue are equal to the extent of their power, the principles of its exiftence are corrupted, and, unless the evil receive a remedy, diffolution becomes inevitable.

As political virtue is but the due direction and proper application of political wisdom, the latter muft ever be precedent to the former, and affociated with the very idea of government. Virtue in the political, as well as the moral world, is placed on an eminence, to which we gradually afcend, as the mind enlarges, and reafon collects its powers. In all political inftitutions therefore, policy and indeed their very being abfolutely require, that the most careful attention be paid to the education of fuch as are to be entrufted with the civil authority. But education is not only differently applied in different governments, but varies entirely as to its genius and temper. In a monarchy every kind of political information is to be given to thePrince,and every attention paid to moulding_his mind in the principles of virtue. The fubjects on the other hand, fhould be taught to confider their monarch as the only guardian of their happinefs and fafety, the fource of every honour and the object of entire obedience. This fyftem of education, early adop zed, excites a fenfe of confidence and fecurity, together with a fpirit of ambition to obtain the fmiles and applaufe of their monarch that binds the fabjets to him with ligatures of inconceivable ftrength. In a free republic the people that compofe it is the momarch; or, in other words, the fupreme power refts ultimately with them; hence whatever information or political virtue, is neceffary to render a monarch great, and a nation happy, muft in a certain degree be fixed in the minds, and the hearts of the people of a democracy. The only honours the citizens can of right pur fure are thofe that refult from aiftinguished virtue and reverence of the laws. Becaufe, as each individual has an equal share in the fovereignty,

equality conЯitutes the effence of the government. To give the fubje&s of a monarchy the fame education with the citizens of a democracy, or the citizens of a democracy the fame with the fubjects of a monarchy, would be equally prepofterous, and probably occafion ruin in both. In a monarchy the art of governing without the power, and in a democracy the power of governing without the art would, from a fpirit of vanity and pride in the former, and reftleffnefs and jealoufy in the latter, originate thofe difcords and that fpirit of faction which generally produce a civil war, and always end in tyranny.

As the spirit and principles of a democracy require, that degrees of political wisdom and virtue be diffused through the mass of the people, adequate to determining on the best interefts of the community, it has generally been obferved, that a pure democracy never yet exifted. Perhaps there never did unless in territories of very small extent. But whether such a government ever did exift or not, is not the fubject of the prefent enquiry. This is certain, that many governments partake much of a democracy, and that the principlcs I have attempted to eftablish, if juft, will apply to that fpecies of government, though it be intermixed with ariftocracy, monarchy or both.

Antient hiftory furnishes us with many inftances of republics wherein the mafs of the people have poffeffed a large fhare, though not the whole, of the civil authority. The cause, progrefs and completion of their ruin, paint, in the moft difmal colours, the evils that arife from the ignofance and follies of the people. Ig norance in politics is the parent of faction, ingratitude and perfidy. This black triumvirate muft always create the fevereft convulfions, and finally be productive of flavery and ruin.

Carthage, until the fecond Punick war, was governed principally by her fuffetes and her fenate, which was compofed of their greatest fages and most venerable men. Though an appeal lay to the people in cafe of divifion in the fenate, yet, confident of the wifdom of their fenatorial fathers, they interfered but little in the adminiftra

tiaa

tion of government.

At this time,

victory conftantly awaited the arms of Carthage. Her conquefts had reached the very walls of Rome, when the people grown proud by their wealth, took the civil authority upon themfelves. Unprincipled and ignorant of the interefts of their country, faction and cabal prefided in their debates, and, led blindfold by popular leaders, they plucked from their own brows the flourish ng laurel, and wreathed it around the temples of their enemy. The great Hannibal being driven into exile, and fome of their beft generals facrificed to popuJar whims and party fpirit, they became an ungoverned multitude. this fituation, the whole vengeance of Rome was collected upon their heads, and in a little time, their magnificent city was rafed to the ground. It is certain, that the run of that mighty people was owing more to the follies and the vices of the popular branches of their government, than to the power of Rome.

in

Athens was more democratical than Carthage. That city was governed by her archons, her fenite, from whom all magiftrates and officers were cholen, and by the body of the people. In the hands of the laft were all electiens, to them lay all appeals from the judgment of the magiftrates, and by them were determined the most im portant affairs of ftare, relating to peace or war. While the mafs of the people attended to the excellent inflitutions of Solon, the fame of the Athenian arms extended throughout the eaft. The Perfian monarch, with bis millions at command, trembling on is throne, folicited peace from that ittle city. But when the frequent and reiterated war of Greece prevented an attention to the education of The Athenian youths, difcords and faction fucceeded to unanimity and peace. Fickle and uncertain as the wind, they became the fport of popular leaders, actuated in all their measures by party fpirit, and finifter views. We fee the people of Athens banishing the very man, who had but a moment before received the prize of glory. On one day, they are fuing for peace, and on the next in a Tage far war. Inability, ingratitude and perfidy, character ze the propie.

MILTIADES, who bore a moft diftinguished part in the famous battle of Marathon, was fined thirty thoufand crowns by this fickle and ungrateful people, and finally died in a dungeon, merely because he mistook a fire at a distance for a fleet fuperior to his own. ARISTIDES, one of their ableft Generals, who was intimately acquainted with the laws of his country, and of fuch perfect integrity as to be denominated the juft, by the intrigue of Themiftocles fuffered the ignominy of being banished by Oftracifm. On this occafion, a peasant, who could not write,and did not know Ariftides, applied to him, and desired him to put the name of Ariftides on his thell. "Has he done any wrong, faid Ariftides. that you are for condemning him in this manner?” “No, replied the other, I do not fo much as know him; but I am quite tired and angry at hearing every body calling. him THE JUST." Ariftides calmly took the thell, wrote his own name in it and returned it. PERICLES, to divert the undeferved fury of his fellow citizens, engaged his blinded Countrymen in the Peloponnefian war, which led directly to the utter ruin of Athers.

Rome, from its firft existence, favoured in a very great degree of a democracy. Jealoufies conftantly exifting between the patricians and plebeians, each were in a continual ftruggle for an increase of power. The inftitution of the Tribunes threw the balance in favour of the latter. This widened the breach and increased the faction, until the fenate under Pompey, and the people under Cæfar, brought the long quarrel to an iffue, that proved the deftruction of both. Diffentions never fail of routing the ambition of private men. Cæfar's public and declared pretenfions for engaging in the civil war, were to reflore the tribunes and the rights of the people. But Cæfar, under the mask of popular and patriotic views, enflaved his country.

Lacedaemon and Argos, represent the fame wretched portrait, and eftablish this truth, that free governments foon fink into ruin, whenever political wifdoin and virtue cease to exift in the mafs of the people.

Nothing is more agreeable than power

power to the feelings of all mankind. It conftitutes fo great a part of our happiness, that it enters into almost every purfuit in fome form or other. Hence it is fought with the greateft ardour, and when obtained guarded with inconceivable jealoufy and fpirit. There is implanted in the bofems of all, a moft folicitous fondness of fuperiority while a consciousness of the reverse gives the poffeffor fenfatious of the keeneft diftrefs. This temper and difpofition is the source of envy and ambition. The former ever attempts to effect a fuperiority by degrading others, the latter by rifing above them. Men, in their political relations, are men ftill with all their infirmities about them. Hence in civil fociety, where different degrees of power principally conftitute the, different ranks and degrees of fuperiority, we find some anxiously bent on reducing all to a level, others on creating diftinctions,and grafping the higheft.In a monarchy thele paffions,if not duly humoured, gratified and diverted, originate rebellions: In a democracy, if not regulated by political vifdom, and tempered by virtue, they break forth into faction, party spirit and diffention. To gratify their perfonal views, the laws are trampled on, and the conftitution (ported with. A tyranny of the people fucceeds, which is generally concluded in that of a fiugle perfon, if not in an abfolute diffolution of the government by foreign force. In times of popular diffentions and the rage of faction, a public flation is a poff of danger to a man of virtue Hence the leaders of the people in conjun&tures like thefe, are generally fome ambitious fpirits, who regardless of their country's welfare, with the vox populi vox Dei in their mouths drive their fellow citi-, zens to deftruction, and, like Cæfar, rife on their ruin, and prepare the way for a Nero, a Caligula and a Domitian.

To the Editors of the Bofton Magazine Gentlemen,

OUR correfpondents all cry

Yout for the Ladies--fomething

for the Ladies--fome wit---delicacy of fentiment--ease of expreffion...

a.

In this paper the ladies fhall be introduced upon the BACK GROUND---I am an old fellow, perhaps an old batchelor--not an old maid I affure you, fome fmall degree of (prightlinefs remaining--a moft violent affection I have for life- not improper I conceive we ought to prize mo highly the gifts of our benevolent Creator. Engaged in the purfuit of proper means to prolong life. I fumbled upon a treatife entitled, "The Sages Triumph over old age ;" wherein is revealed this great fecret of lengthening the term of our exiftence to almoft any period of time it caught my attention-.-'Tis contained in this infcription found upon an antique pillar.

Afculapio et Sanitati

Lucius Clodius Hermippus
Qui vixit annos CXV Dies V.
Puellarum Anhelitu
Quod etiam poft mortem
Ejus

Non parum admirantur Phyfici Jam pofteri fic Vitam ducite. Any of your gay young fellows will tranflate it; and if they cannot, they may carry it to their school mafter, who will certainly have fo much regard for them as after seven years attendance upon him, to give them an elegant conftruction of it.

I confider this infcription as one of the most important reliques of antiquity: The mode there prescribed, Convinced of its great efficacy, I am determined to purfue. To carry my intentions into effect, I have begun AT THIS AGE to vifit the young and blooming

blooming fair..I feat myself nigh as poffible to the gay and the witty-as the great flow of animal spirits, I conceive, affords me a larger fhare of the ANHELITUS than I could receive from the dull and fpiritlefs moft greedily do I drink it up. Already do I feel the good effects of it.I begin to look younger--my blood, almoft ftagnated flows as in days of yore---and in twenty years, gentlemen, I expect to be young enough to get married and I intend to live to that age when my children fhall enjoy the fruits of their father's efforts, and when my country fhall be freed from all her embarraffments---when peace, plenty, happiness and respect from foreign powers fhall have placed her in that fituation, to which by her extent, her bravery and her virtues fhe will neceffarily attain ;---and then calmly will I quit this earthly manfion.

I have not done---perhaps fome wife heads and you among the reft, gentlemen Editors, will treat all this as fiction--but, an inftance precifely in point, was not David cherished by Abifhag and undoubtedly in this way; and I appeal to the Faculty for the juftness of the principle.

As to the above, gentlemen, print it or not--as you please if it is not worthy in your great judgments of a place in your Magazine, reje& it--I am unconcerned...or print a part of it-mutilate it as feemeth beft-- be as fevere upon it, as your wit will enable you- but any way--I fhall purfue my plan, and I wish for the good of the public, not because I communicate it, that it might be contained in your valuable collection.

I

N. E.

Propofals for a Poem. Twas an obfervation made by the late Mr. Shenflone, that "if you write an original piece, you wonder no one ever thought of the beft of fubjects before you ;" and fuch is my fondness for a creature of my own for mation, that I am much difpofed to affent to the truth of the remark:-to come to the point, I think a very fine original poem might be formed from one of the moft ftriking objects nature prefents to our view in this continent

from the FALLS Of NIAGARA.

The poem might open with a general defcription of the country, and fure no country allows fuller scope to the defcriptive powers---- here every thing is majeftic and truly natural; then might follow a particular account of the ftupendous cataract, a fheet of water more than two thou fand feet broad, falls abruptly from a precipice one hundred and feventy feet high; and, with an astonishing noife, foams among the huge rocks beneath, from which it rebounds as defirous of regaining its former elevated ftation, 'till having at laft fpent it's rage, it rolls on a filent, harmless fream, and leofes itself in the friend. ly bofom of the fpacious Ontario--The contemplation of this immenfe fpectacle, confidered with thefe attendan circumftances, cannot fail of raifing lofty and fublime ideas in any one poffefs'd of poetic fire and fancy.

Some beautiful and affecting tale might also be built upon that well known truth, that the Indians, in attemping to cross the flood above the cataract, are often hurried into eternity by the impetuous current, we may fuppofe the sufferer to have been a favourite chief or bosom friend, and may easily conceive what would be the expreffions of grief among a people whofe paffions civilization had not yet put under any reftraint, bet who are guided folely by the impulse of nature and inftin&-I know not but their attachment to a leader and companion might induce many to plunge into the rearing flood," to accompany him in his folitary journey to the land of fpirits, at leaft this is a cir cumftance of which the poet might allowedly avail himself to heighten the fcene. Our poem might conclude with an anticipated view of the grandeur of America, and the future usefulnefs of the nothern Lakes to the interior commerce of this country.

Such is the foundation and groundwork of this poem, upon which I with to fee fome anthor of tafte and genius build a fuperftructure, I own myfelf unequal to the task, as I am not blefs'd with a fingle ray of poetic genius; my prefent purpose will be answered, if in the attempt to induce any perfon of approved abilities to undertake it, I can, at the fame time, fill up a blank column in your Magazine. Poetical