about half an inch afunder, oppofite to a medallion of Dr. Franklin, and about two yards diftant from it. The motto round the figure, "Unhurt amidst the war of elements" was but just distinctly visible; when the degree of light had been fufficiently obferved, he united the flames of the two candles, by putting them close together, and the whole figure with the infcrip tion became inftantly illuminated in a much stronger manner than before. They were all pleased, and ftruck with the effect, and they defired Euphronius, who now entered the parlour, to explain to them the cause of it. He commended their entertainment, and informed them that a greater degree of heat is produced by the junction of the two flames, and confequently a farther attenuation, and more copious emiffion of the particles of which light confifts. But, my dear young friends,, continued he, attend to the leffon of virtue, as well as of fcience, which the experiment you have seen affords. Nature has implanted in your hearts, benevolence,friendship, gratitude, humanity and generofity; and thefe focial affections are feparately fhining lights in the world: but, they burn with peculiar warmth and luftre, when more concentered in the kindred charities of brother, fifter, child, and parent; and harmony, peace, sympathy in joy and grief, mutual good offices, forgiveness and forbearance are the bright emanations of domeftic love. May the radiance of fuch virtues long illuminate this happy houshold, PERCIVAL. THE THE FOLLY AND ODIOUSNESS OF AF FECTATION. Lucy, Emilia, and Sophronia, feated on a bank of daifies, near a purling ftream, were listening to the mufic of a neighbouring grove. The fun gilded with his fetting beams the western sky; gentle zephyrs breathed around; and the feathered fongfters feemed to vie with each other in their evening notes of gratitude and praise. Delighted with the artless melody of the linnet, the goldfinch, the woodlark, and the thrush, they were all ear, and observed not a peacock, which had strayed from a distant farm, and was approaching them with a majestic pace, and expanded plumage. The harmony of the concert was foon interrupted by the loud and harsh cries of this ftately bird; which, though chaced away by Emilia, 'continued his vociferations with the confidence that conscious beauty too of ten inspires. Does this foolish bird, faid Lucy, fancy that he is qualified to fing, because he is furnished with a spreading tail, ornamented with the richest colours? I know not, replied Sophronia, whether the peacock be capable of fuch a reflection; but I hope that you and Emilia will always avoid the display of whatever is inconfiftent with your fex, your ftation, or your charac ter. Shun Shun affectation in all its odious forms; affume no borrowed airs; and be content to please, to fhine, or to be useful in the way which nature points out, and which reafon approves. PERCIVAL'S MORAL TALES, THE PASSION FOR GAMING IN LADIES, Ridiculed in a Letter from a Chinese Philofopher, to his Friend in the Eaft. BY GOLDSMITH. THE ladies here are by no means fuch ardent gamefters as the women of Afia. In this refpect I must do the English juftice; for I love to praife where applaufe is justly merited. Nothing is more common in China, than to fee two women of fashion continue gaming till one has won all the other's cloaths, and ftripped her quite naked; the winner thus marching off in a double fuit of finery, and the lofer fhrinking behind in the primitive fimplicity of Nature. No doubt, you remember when Shang, our maiden aunt, played with a fharper. Firft her money went; then her trinkets were produced; her cloaths followed piece by piece foon after; when she had thus played herself quite naked, being a woman of fpirit, and willing to purfue her own, she staked her teeth; fortune was against her even here, and her teeth followed her cloaths; cloaths; at last she played for her left eye, and, oh ! hard fate, this too fhe loft: however fhe had the confolation of biting the fharper, for he never perceived that it was made of glafs till it became his own. How happy, my friend, are the English ladies, who never rife to fuch an inordinance of paffion! Though the fex here are naturally fond of games of chance, and are taught to manage games of skill from their infancy, yet they never purfue ill fortune with fuch amazing intrepidity. Indeed I may entirely acquit them of ever playing I mean of playing for their eyes or their teeth. It is true, they often stake their fortune, their beauty, health, and reputations at a gaming-table. It even fometimes happens, that they play their huibands inte a jail; yet ftill they preferve a decorum unknown to our wives and daughters of China. I have been prefent at a rout in this country, where a woman of fashion, after lofing her money, has fat writhing in all the agonies of bad luck; and yet, after all, never once attempted to ftrip a fingle petticoat, or cover the board, as her laft stake, with her head-cloaths. However, though I praise their moderation at play, I must not conceal their affiduity. In China our women, except upon fome great days, are never permitted to finger a dice-box; but here every day feems to be a festival; and night itself, which gives others reft, only ferves to encrease the female gamefter's induftry. I have been told of an old lady in the country, who being given over by the phyficians, played with the curate of her parish to pass the time away: having won all his E money money, fhe next propofed playing for her funeral charges; the proposal was accepted; but unfortunately the lady expired just as she had taken in her game. Far be it There are fome paffions, which, though differently purfued, are attended with equal confequences in every country here they game with more perfeverance, there with greater fury; here they strip their families, there they strip themselves naked. A lady in China, who indulges a paffion for gaming, often becomes a drunkard; and by flourishing a dice-box in one hand, she generally comes to brandish a dram cup in the other. from me to fay there are any who drink drams in England; but it is natural to fuppofe, that when a lady has loft every thing else but her honour, she will be apt to tofs that into the bargain; and grown infenfible to nicer feelings, behave like the Spaniard, who, when all his money was gone, endeavoured to borrow more, by offering to pawn his whisker. ON CHASTITY AND MODESTY. FROM THE LITERARY MISCELLANY. CHASTITY is a delicious virtue to a handsome woman, who has an elevated foul. While fhe fees all the world at her feet, fhe triumphs over all, and over herfelf: fhe erects in her own heart a throne, at the foot of which every thing pays her homage. The tender or jealous, but always refpectful fentiments of both |