frequents them, nor can the mafter be fure of having what was begun, finished at the convenient time.

An habit of frugality among the lower orders of mankind is much more beneficial to fociety than the unreflecting might imagine. The pawnbroker, the attorney, and other pefts of fociety, might by proper management be turned into ferviceable members; and, were their trades abolished, it is poffible the fame avarice that conducts the one, or the fame chicanery that characterizes the other, might by proper regulations be converted into frugality, and commendable prudence.

But fome have made the eulogium of luxury, have reprefented it as the natural confequence of every country that is become rich. Did we not employ our extraordinary wealth in fuperfluities, fay they, what other means would there be to employ it in? To which it may be anfwered, if frugality were established in the state, if our expences were laid out rather in the neceffaries than the fuperfluities of life, there might be fewer wants, and even fewer pleasures, but infinitely more happiness. The rich and the great would be better able to fatisfy their creditors; they would be better able to marry their children, and, instead of one marriage at present, there might be two, if fuch regulations took place.

The imaginary calls of vanity, which in reality contribute nothing to our real felicity, would not then be attended to, while the real calls of Nature might be always and univerfally fupplied. The difference of employment in the fubject is what, in reality, produces the good of fociety. If the fubject be engaged in providing only the luxuries, the neceffaries must be deficient in proportion. If neglecting the produce of our own country, our minds are fet upon the productions of another, we increase our wants, but not our means; and every new imported

ported delicacy for our tables, or ornament in our equipage, is a tax upon the poor.

The true intereft of every government is to cultivate the neceffaries, by which is always meant every happinefs our own country can produce; and fupprefs all the luxuries, by which is meant, on the other hand, every happiness imported from abroad. Commerce has therefore its bounds; and every new import, inftead of receiving encouragement, fhould be firft examined whether it be conducive to the intereft of fociety.

is

Among the many publications with which the prefs every day burthened, I have often wondered why we never had, as in other countries, an Economical Journal, which might at once direct to all the useful discoveries in other countries, and spread thofe of our own. As other journals ferve to amufe the learned, or what is more often the cafe, to make them quarrel, while they only ferve to give us the hiftory of the mifchievous world, for fo I call our warriors; or the idle world, for fo may the learned be called; they never trouble their heads about the most useful part of mankind, our peasants and our artizans; were fuch a work carried into execution with proper management and just direction, it might ferve as a repofitory for every ufeful improvement, and increase that knowledge which learning often ferves to confound.

Sweden feems the only country where the science of œconomy feems to have fixed its empire. In other countries, it is cultivated only by a few admirers, or by focieties which have not received fufficient fanction to become completely ufeful; but here there is founded a royal academy, deftined to this purpose only, compofed of the most learned and powerful members of the ftate; an academy which declines every thing which only terminates in amufe

ment,

ment, erudition, or curiofity; and admits only of obfervations tending to illuftrate husbandry, agriculture, and every real phyfical improvement. In this country nothing is left to private rapacity, but every improvement is immediately diffufed, and its inventor immediately recompenfed by the ftate, Happy were it fo in other countries; by this means every impoftor would be prevented from ruining or deceiving the public with pretended difcoveries or noftrums, and every real inventor would not, by this means, fuffer the inconveniences of fufpicion.

In fhort, the economy, equally unknown to the prodigal and avaricious, feems to be a juft mean between both extremes; and to a tranfgreffion of this at present decried virtue it is that we are to attribute a great part of the evils which infeft fociety. A tafte for fuperfluity, amusement, and pleasure bring effeminacy, idlenefs, and expence in their train. But a thirft of riches is always proportioned to our debauchery, and the greateft prodigal is too frequently found to be the greatest mifer; fo that the vices which feem the moft oppofite, are frequently found to produce each other; and, to avoid both, it is only neceffary to be frugal.

Virtus eft medium vitiorum et utrinque reductum.

HOR.

A REVERIE.

SCARCELY a day paffes in which we do not hear compliments paid to Dryden, Pope, and other writers of the laft age, while not a month comes forward that is not loaded with invective against the

writers

writers of this. Strange, that our critics fhould be fond of giving their favours to those who are infenfible of the obligation, and their diflike to thofe, who of all mankind are most apt to retaliate the injury.

Even though our present writers had not equal merit with their predeceffors, it would be politic to use them with ceremony. Every compliment paid them would be more agreeable, in proportion as they least deserved it. Tell a lady with an handsome face that she is pretty, fhe only thinks it her due; it is what he has heard a thousand times before from others, and difregards the compliment: but affure a lady, the cut of whofe vifage is fomething more plain, that the looks killing to-day, the inftantly bridles up and feels the force of the well-timed flattery the whole day after. Compliments, which we think are deserved, we accept only as debts with indifference; but those which confcience informs us we do not merit, we receive with the fame gratitude that we do favours given away.

Our gentlemen, however, who prefide at the diftribution of literary fame, feem refolved to part with praise neither from motives of justice, or generofity; one would think, when they take pen in hand, that it was only to blot reputations, and to put their feals to the pacquet which configns every new-born effort to oblivion.

Yet, notwithstanding the republic of letters hangs at present fo feebly together; though thofe friendships which once promoted literary fame feem now to be discontinued; though every writer who now draws the quill feems to aim at profit, as well as applause, many among them are probably laying in ftores for immortality, and are provided with a fufficient stock of reputation to laft the whole journey.

As I was indulging these reflections, in order to eke out the prefent page, I could not avoid purfu

ing the metaphor of going a journey in my imagination, and formed the following Reverie too wild for allegory, and too regular for a dream.

I fancied myself placed in the yard of a large inn, in which there were an infinite number of waggons and stage-coaches, attended by fellows who either invited the company to take their places, or were bufied in packing their baggage. Each vehicle had its infcription fhewing the place of its deftination. On one I could read, The pleasure ftage-coach; on another, The waggon of industry; on a third, The vanity whim; and on a fourth, The landau of riches. I had fome inclination to ftep into each of thefe, one after another; but I know not by what means I paffed them by, and at laft fixed my eye upon a fmall carriage Berlin fashion, which feemed the most convenient vehicle at a distance in the world; and, upon my nearer approach, found it to be The Fame machine.

I inftantly made up to the coachman, whom I found to be an affable and feemingly good-natured fellow. He informed me, that he had but a few days ago returned from the temple of fame, to which he had been carrying Addison, Swift, Pope, Steele, Congreve, and Colley Cibber. That they made but indifferent company by the way, and that he once or twice was going to empty his berlin of the whole cargo: however, fays he, I got them all safe home, with no other damage than a black eye, which Colley gave Mr. Pope, and am now returned for another coachful. If that be all, friend," faid I, "and if you are in want of company, I'll make one "with all my heart. Open the door; I hope the ma"chine rides eafy." "Oh! for that, fir, extremely eafy." But ftill keeping the door thut, and meafuring me with his eye, Pray, fir, have you no "luggage? You feem to be a good-natured fort of "a gentleman; but I don't find you have got any lugVOL. IV. 66 gage,

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