ing other people's eftates, liberality, and audaciousness in perpetrating crimes, courage.

Let fuch men, fince they will have it fo, and it is become the established mode, value themfelves upon their liberality at the expenfe of the Allies of the empire, and of their lenity to the robbers of the public treasury but let them not make a largefs of our blood: and, to fpare a fmall number of vile wretches, expose all good men to destruction.

:

Do not imagine, Fathers, that it was by arms our ancestors rendered this Commonwealth fo great, from fo fmall a beginning. If it had been fo we should now fee it much more flourishing, as we have more allies and citizens, more horse and foot, than they had. But they had other things, that made them great, of which no traces remain amongst us: at home, labor and industry; abroad, juft and equitable government; a conftancy of foul, and an innocence of manners, that kept them perfectly free in their councils; unreftrained either by the remembrance of paft crimes, or by craving appetites to fatisfy.

For thefe virtues, we have luxury and avarice; or madness to squander, joined with no lefs to gain; the State is poor, and private men are rich. We admire nothing but riches; we give ourselves up to floth and effeminacy; we make no diftinction between the good and the bad; whilst ambition engroffes all the rewards of virtue. Do you wonder, then, that dangerous confpiracies fhould be formed? Whilft you regard nothing but your private intereft; whilft voluptuoufnefs folely employs you at home, and avidity or favour governs you here, the Commonwealth, without defence, is exposed to the devices of any one who thinks fit to attack it.

E

DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE GHOSTS OF AN ENGLISH DUELLIST, A NORTH-AMERICAN SAVAGE, AND MERCURY.

Duellift. M

ERCURY, Charon's boat is on the other fide of the water.

Allow me, before it returns, to have fome converfation with the North-American Savage, whom you brought hither with me. I never before faw one of that fpecies. He looks very grim. Pray, Sir, what is your name? I understand you speak English.

Savage. Yes, I learned it in my childhood, having been bred for fome years among the English of NewYork. But, before I was a man, I returned to my valiant countrymen, the Mohawks; and having been villanously cheated by one of yours in the fale of some rum, I never cared to have any thing to do with them afterwards. Yet I took up the hatchet for them with the rest of my tribe in the late war against France, and was killed while I was out on a fcalping party. But I died very well fatisfied: for my brethren were victorious; and, before I was fhot, I had gloriously scalped seven men, and five women and children. In a former war, I had performed ftill greater exploits. My name is the Bloody Bear: it was given me to exprefs my fiercenefs and valour.

Duel. Bloody Bear, I refpect you, and am much your humble fervant. My name is Tom Pufhwell, vewell known at Arthur's. I am a gentleman by my ry birth, and by profeffion a gamester and a man of honor. I have killed men in fair fighting, in honorable fingle combat; but don't understand cutting the throats of women and children.

Sav. Sir, that is our way of making war. Every nation has its cuftoms. But by the grimnefs of your countenance, and that hole in your breast, I prefume you

were killed as I was, in fome fcalping party. How happened it that your enemy did not take off your fcalp?

Duel. Sir, I was killed in a duel. A friend of mine had lent me a fum of money; and after two or three years, being in great want himself, he asked me to pay him. I thought his demand which was fomewhat. peremptory, an affront to my honor, and fent him a challenge. We met in Hyde Park. The fellow could not feace: but I was abfolutely the adroiteft fwordfman in England. So I gave him three or four wounds; but at last he ran upon me with fuch impetuofity, that he put me out of my play, and I could not prevent him from whipping me through the lungs. I died the next day, as a man of honor fhould; without any fnivelling figns of contrition or repentance: and he will follow me foon; for his furgeon has declared his wounds to be mortal. It is faid that his wife is dead of grief, and that his family of feven children will be undone by his death. So I am well revenged, and that is a comfort. For my part, I had no wife. I always hated marriage: my mistress will take good care of herfelf, and my children are provided for at the foundling hofpital.

Sav. Mercury, I won't go in the boat with that fel low. He has murdered his countryman: he has murdered his friend: I fay pofitively, I won't go in the boat with that fellow. I will fwim over the river: I can fwim like a duck.

Mer. Swim over the Styx! It must not be done; it is against the laws of Pluto's empire. You must go in the boat and be quiet.

Sav. Don't tell me of laws: I am a favage: I value no laws. falk of laws to the Englishman: there are laws in his country; and yet you fee he did not regard them. For they could never allow him to kill his fellow-fubject, in time of peace, because he asked him to pay an honest debt. I know, indeed, that the English are a barbarous nation: but they can't poffibly be fo brutal as to make fuch things lawful

Mer. You reafon well against him.

But how comes

it that you are fo offended with murder; you, who have frequently maffacred women in their fleep, and children in the cradle ?

Sav. I killed none but my enemies: I never killed my own countrymen: I never killed my friend. Here, take my blanket, and let it come over in the boat; but fee that the murderer does not fit upon it, or touch it. If he does, I will burn it inftantly in the fire I fee yonder. Farewell. I am determined to fwim over the water.

Mer. By this touch of my wand, I deprive thee of all thy ftrength. Swim now if thou canft. Sav. This is a potent enchanter. Reftore me my ftrength, and I promife to obey thee.

Mer. I reftore it; but be orderly, and do as I bid you; otherwife worfe will befal you.

Duel. Mercury, leave him to me.

I'll tutor him for you. Sirrah Savage, doft thou pretend to be afhamed of my company? Doft thou not know that I have kept the best company in England ?

Sav. I know thou art a fcoundrel. Not pay thy debts kill thy friend who lent thee money for asking thee for it! Get out of my fight. I will drive thee into the Styx.

Mer. Stop. I command thee. No violence. Talk to him calmly.

Sav. I must obey thee. Well, Sir, let me know what merit you had to introduce you into good company? What could you do?

Duel. Sir, I gamed, as I told you. Befides, I kept a good table. I eat as well as any man either in England or France.

Sav. Eat! did you ever eat the liver of a Frenchman, or his leg, or his fhoulder? There is fine eating for you! I have eat twenty. My table was always well ferved. My wife was efteemed the best cook for the dreffing of man's flefh in all North-America. You will not pretend to compare your eating with mine?

Duel. I danced very finely.

Sav. I'll dance with thee for thy ears.

I can dance

all day long. I can dance the war dance with more fpirit than any man of my nation. Let us fee thee begin it. How thou ftandeft like a poft! Has Mercury ftruck thee with his enfeebling rod? Or art thou afhamed to let us fee how awkward thou art? If he would permit me, I would teach thee to dance in a way that thou haft never yet learned. But what else can't thou do, thou bragging rafcal?

Duel. O mifery ! muft I bear all this! What can I do with this fellow? I have neither fword nor pistol; and his fhade seems to be twice as ftrong as mine.

Mer. You must answer his questions. It was your own defire to have a converfation with him. He is not well bred; but he will tell you fome truths which you must neceffarily hear, when you come before Rhadamanthus. He asked you what you could do befide eating and dancing.

Duel. I fung very agreeably.

Sav. Let me hear you fing your death fong, or the war whoop. I challenge you to fing. Come, begin. The fellow is mute. Mercury, this is a liar. He has told us nothing but lies. Let me pull out his tongue.

Duel. The lie given me! and alas! I dare not refent it! What an indelible difgrace to the family of the Pufhwells! This is indeed tormenting.

care.

Mer. Here, Charon, take these two favages to your How far the barbarifm of the Mohawk will excufe his horid acts, I leave Minos to judge. But what can be faid for the Englishman? Can we plead the cuftom of Duelling! A bad excufe at the best! but here it cannot avail. The fpirit that urged him to draw his fword against his friend is not that of honor; it is the fpirit of the furies; and to them he must go.

Sav. If he is to be punifhed for his wickedness, turn him over to me. I perfectly understand the art of tormenting. Sirrah, I begin my work with this box