ON

INTELLECTUAL EXERCISE.

XERCISE is no less essential to the mind than

EXE

to the body. The reafoning faculty, for example, without conftant and varied exercife, will remain weak and undistinguishing to the end of life. By what means does a man acquire prudence and forefight, but by experience? In this respect, the mind resembles the body. Deprive a child of motion, and it will never acquire any ftrength of limbs. The many difficulties that men encounter, and their various objects of purfuit, roufe the underftanding and fet the reafoning faculty at work for means to accomplish defire. The mind, by continual exercife, ripens to its perfection; and by the fame means, is preferved in vigour. It would have no fuch exercise in a state of uniform peace and tranquillity. Several of our mental faculties would be dormant ; and we should even remain ignorant that we have fuch faculties.

The people of Paraguay are defcribed as mere children in underftanding. What wonder, confidering their condition under Jefuit government,

without

without ambition, without property, without fear of want, and without defires.

The wants of thofe who inhabit the torrid zone are easily supplied. They need no clothing, scarce any habitations; and fruits, which ripen there to perfection, give them food without labour. Need we any other caufe for their inferiority of underftanding, compared with the inhabitants of other climates, where the mind, as well as body, are conftantly at work for procuring neceffaries?

The bleffings of eafe and inaction are most poetically displayed in the following description. "O happy Laplander," fays Linnæus, "who, on the utmost verge of the habitable earth, thus liveft obfcure, in reft, content, and innocence. Thou fearest not the fcanty crop, nor ravages of war; and thofe calamities, which waste provinces and towns, can never reach thy peaceful fhores. Wrapt in thy covering of fur, thou canft fecurely fleep, - a stranger to each tumultuous care, unenvying, and unenvied."Thou fearest no danger but from the thunder of heaven. Thy harmless days flide on in innocence beyond the period of a century. Thy health is firm, and thy declining age is tranquil. Millions of diseases, which ravage the reft of the

world.

Thou

world, have never reached thy happy climate. Thou liveft as the birds of the wood. carest not to fow nor reap, for bounteous Providence has fupplied thee in all thy wants."

So eloquent a panegyrift upon the Lapland life would make a capital figure upon an oyster.

No creature is freer from want, no creature freer from war, and, probably no creature is freer from fear; which, alas! is not the case of the Laplander.

RESIGNATION.

HOU Power Supreme, by whofe command

THO

I live,

The grateful tribute of my praise receive;
To thy indulgence, I my being owe,

And all the joys which from that being flow;
Scarce eighteen funs have form'd the rolling year,
And run their deftin'd courfes round the sphere,
Since thou my undiftinguish'd form furvey'd,
Among the lifeless heaps of matter laid.

Thy

Thy skill my elemental clay refin'd,

The ftraggling parts in beauteous order join'd,
With perfect symmetry compos'd the whole,
And ftampt thy facred image on my foul;
A foul, fufceptible of endless joy!

Whofe frame, nor force, nor time, can e'er deftroy;
But fhall fubfift, when nature claims my breath,
And bid defiance to the power of death;

To realms of blifs, with active freedom foar,
And live when earth and hell fhall be no more.
Indulgent God, in vain my tongue assays,
For this immortal gift to speak thy praise!
How fhall my heart, its grateful fenfe reveal,
When all the energy of words must fail?
Oh! may
its influence in my life appear,
And every action, prove my thanks fincere.
Grant me, great God! a heart to thee inclin'd,
Increase my faith, and rectify my mind:
Teach me betimes to tread thy facred ways,
And to thy fervice confecrate my days;

Still as thro' life's uncertain maze I stray,

Be thou the guiding-star to mark my way;
Conduct the steps of my unguarded youth,
And point their motions to the paths of truth.
Protect me by thy providential care,
And teach my foul t' avoid the tempter's fnare.
Thro' all the various fcenes of human life,
In calms of eafe, or bluft'ring storms of frife,

Thro' every turn of this inconstant state,
Preferve my temper, equal and fedate.
Give me a mind that bravely does defpife,
The low defigns of artifice and lies.
Be my religion, fuch as taught by thee,
Alike from pride and fuperftition free.
Inform my judgment, rectify my will,
Confirm my reason, and my paffions still.
To gain thy favour be my only end,
And to that scope may every action tend.
Amidft the pleasures of a profperous state,
Whose flatt'ring charms too oft the mind elate,
Still may I think to whom these joys I owe,
And blefs the bounteous hand from whence they
flow:

Or if an adverse fortune be my fhare,
Let not its terrors tempt me to defpair,
But bravely arm'd, a fteady faith maintain,
And own all best which thy decrees ordain;
On thy Almighty Providence depend,
The beft protector, and the fureft friend.
Thus on life's stage may I my part maintain,
And at my exit thy applauses gain;
When thy pale herald fummons me away,
Support me in that great catastrophe ;
In that last conflict guard me from alarms,
And take my foul, expiring, to thy arms.

MORAD