the town with their surprising feats, and fanciful adventures. If they disturb common sense at all, it only serves to make us set the greater value on domestic quiet and reasonable conduct, to make virtue more admired, and the extravagancies of illicit amour more contemptible. It is deformity opposed to beauty, and the picture is of service to the morals of mankind.

How much, in the present times, are those things neglected which alone can charm and delight the wayward condition of man; the domestic fire side, the walk, the ride, the study, the entertainment of select friends, are utterly forsook for the brilliant excursions of vice and folly; there are certainly numerous fascinations to do wrong

"I know the right, and I approve it too,

"I know the wrong, and yet the wrong pursue."

But the most dangerous of any inducement is that of example: example colours the thing to our liking, and we become persuaded that there is no harm in it, when, in fact, the thing itself should be alone considered divested of all the dress and ornaments of folly, and the strength of precedent; we should then be able to say this is right, or this is wrong.

But the disposition of mankind to forsake his beneficial interests, unless they are pecuniary, is not new; he is not aware that the chief interest of life is PEACE,

and that there is nothing to be compared with a hap py mind; there is not a sacrifice of vice or folly that does not increase the store of happiness. The idle, empty pursuits of dissipation create more than pecuniary difficulties; they sicken and destroy the animal functions, reason becomes impaired, and she yields from habit to accumulating inconsistencies, every one more absurd than the other. It is a misfortune that men of great, and of even good minds, should so easily suffer the encroachments of vice to make the inroads they do upon the understanding against common sense, and against experience; the enchantments of pleasure put a spell upon the man who once adventures too far in her mazes. It is a labyrinth which few are able to extricate themselves from, and requires bold and prompt decision; when once the opening is seen, it will not do to hesitate, for hesitation generally leaves us where we set out. It should be recollected, that weakness and wickedness are nearly allied to each other.

2.

The Editor of the Man in the Moon respectfully acquaints the Public, that it will be published in future only once a week, viz. every Saturday.

THE

MAN IN THE MOON.

NUMBER XXIII.

"BENIGNE."

Saturday, 4th Feb. 1804.

વડ

MR. MAN IN THE MOON,

"I AM one of those eccentric beings who do not altogether decide upon the question of right and wrong, on the principles of logic. I am weak enough to acknowledge that I allow of other forcible impressions, and derive much of my happiness from sensibility, which at times supplies me with numerous sources of gratification and delight through the incidental occurrences of life. I hope, nevertheless, that the oddity of my thoughts will not even offend the philosophy of the present day. I am sure modern philosophy will reject my propositions; but let it examine the premises engraven on the human heart, before it ventures to do it. I ask it to be allowed me, that the innumerable creatures of creation, induce the necessity of a CREATOR; and if this is allowed me, perhaps my opinions may not appear altogether so extravagant. Charity would open her arms still wider to embrace not only man in his comparative situations in life,

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but the whole of animal creation would feel her endearments in a larger degree were men less lordly and independent. I know very well that with those who do not feel any thing, all that I can say will amount to nothing; with those who can feel the situations of their fellow creatures my arguments may have some weight. I am of opinion, that in the great scale of the universe, where not a sparrow falls to the ground without divine notice, the brute creation holds a much higher rank than is generally imagined, and that each individual of its myriads has its individual rights and privileges. I have frequently occasion to contemplate, with wonder, how it is that charity and mercy have found the footing they have done in the world, against the selfishness, the meanness, and the worldly interests of man. Now and then, among us, charity appears like the star of Bethlehem, as if to show where the mild virtues of the Mediator may yet be found.

"It must be understood when I speak of charity, I do not altogether mean that species of it which prompts us to assist with our money the poor, or involved. To spare from severe crimination, from harsh rebuke, from ridicule, from disgrace, are charities of the first order. It is much the same whether we see a fellow creature in sorrow from the distresses of poverty, or from the cruelty of crimination, rebuke, ridicule, or disgrace, and it is a noble charity to snatch the object from the persecutor. Such are the things which, I believe, will reconcile us to the Deity for the crimes we commit hourly against him through our own

frailties and infirmities; and if that charity extends to the wretched animal, the poor domestic cat, who has, perhaps, enjoyed the indulgences of its master by a comfortable fire side, but who is now hunted by a set of mischievous boys, it is delightful to succour and relieve it. I have frequently noticed my old friend, Jack Glow-worm, pursuing the little offenders without his hat, until he has taken one of them into custody; and then the same mercy which operated to save the cat, began to work to spare the boy, who only received from him a lecture on humanity; which, perhaps, made him, when he grew up, a much better man than all he had ever learnt at school. But what is the next object? a noble horse suffering under the blows of a senseless carman, inflicted with the but end of his whip on the poor honest face of the animal. Jack Glow-worm where are you? Methinks I see your powerful muscular arm raised up to prevent the blows, or in this case employed to fell the lusty tyrant to the ground. Well done, honest Jack! I like these interferences, they delight me; and let the day be fair or foul, or its occurrences lucky or cross, it is the same thing; I dance home as pleased as Punch.

"It is curious and worthy of observation that, according to scriptural authority, the blessings of the relieved, and the curses of the oppressed and injured, are supposed to have had their weight with the Almighty; and is it not unreasonable to believe that the "God bless you," uttered from the mouth of the fellow creature you have delivered, will have its full por