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getting of it; and we must die at last too.

shall that be.-A. We will dance, drink, hunt, play, laugh.-M. You have put me upon a laughing pin already.

ON THE RESPECT DUE TO OLD AGE.
"Adolescentis est majores natu revereri."
CICERO.

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Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves to the elder." ST. PETER.

M. Tell me now, by your favour, if you were to march off to-morrow, whether had you rather die a fool or a wise man?-A. Ay; if I could be a wise man without trouble.-M. Why, there's nothing in this world to be got without it; and when we have got what we can, (though with never so much difficulty,) we must leave it behind us in the conclusion; wisdom only, and virtue, excepted, which we THERE is, undoubtedly, a momentous shall carry the fruit of into another obligation laid upon man, to shew a world.-A. I have often heard, that becoming respect to the hoary heads one wise woman is two fools.-M. of his species. Though the consiSome fools are of that opinion. The derate part of society cannot avoid woman that is truly wise, does not being impressed with the importance think herself so; but she that is not of this obligation, yet there are, it is so, and yet thinks herself so, is twice to be regretted, many whose actions a fool.-A. I know not how it is; but evince a manifest disregard for it. In to my fancy, a packsaddle does as a land so highly favoured as is ours, well upon an ox, as learning upon a where religion and science flourish woman.-M. And why not as well as with exuberance, it is rather surprisa mitre upon an ass? But what doing that the moral duties of men are you think of the Virgin Mary?—A. As well as is possible.-M. Do you not think that she read books?-A. Yes; but not such books as your's.-M. What kind then?-A. The Canonical Hours.-M. To what purpose?-A. For the service of the Benedictines.M. Well, and do you not find many others that spend their time upon godly books!-A. Yes; but that way is quite out of fashion.-M. And so are learned abbots too; for it is as hard a matter, now-a-days, to find a scholar among them, as it was formerly to find a blockhead. Nay, princes themselves, in times past, were as eminent for their erudition, as for their authority. But it is not yet so rare a thing neither, as you imagine, to find learned women, for I could give you, out of Spain, Italy, England, Germany, &c. so many eminent instances of our sex, as, if you do not mend your manners, may come to take possession of your very schools, your pulpits, and your mitres. -A. God forbid it should ever come to that.-M. Nay, do not forbid it; for if you go on at the rate you begin, the people will sooner endure preaching geese, than dumb pastors. The world is come about, you see, and you must either take off the visor, or expect that every man shall put in for his part. A. How came I to stumble upon this woman! if you will find a time to pay me a visit, you may promise yourself a better entertainment.-M. And what

not more scrupulously believed and practised. If we turn to many of those states and empires which have long been overwhelmed in the ocean of time, whose inhabitants, compared with us, were overshadowed by the clouds of error and superstition, we find them justly celebrated for the observance of many of those virtues of which we are deficient, and especially of the one in question. To venerate old age, was a precept common among the ancients, and such was their strict adherence thereto, that even laws were enacted in order to render it more effectually observed. The Lacedæmonians and the Romans, in particular, have outshone every other people in the great respect which they exhibited towards their aged. Among the former, none but individuals of very advanced age were permitted to hold authority, but to these the most profound reverence was paid. Justin, b. 3d, says, “That the greatest honour was accustomed to be bestowed upon the old ;" and other eminent writers have given the same account of this illustrious nation. With the noble Romans, the " majores natu" were equally respected; and we are informed by Cicero, (de Senec: cap. 18,) "That both themselves, and the inhabitants of other states, industriously attended to this duty. Their venerable men were always respectfully saluted by the

the pains and anxieties to which they may be subject,

"And in their cup of grief, infuse one drop of joy."

But, we are further enjoined to do this by the law of God, which was given to Moses upon Mount Sinai ;

youth, their company was desired,they were arisen to, on their entrance into any assembly,-and seats were granted them for their accommodation: they were attended to and from public assemblies, and their advice was consulted on any particular affair." Thus we see that these heathen nations were not wholly destitute" Honour thy father and thy mother, of the principles of virtue and humanity, and that however erroneous their opinions of religion might be, compared with ours, they have completely excelled us in the performance of this important duty. In our day, it is too often the case, that when a person becomes advanced in years, and incapable of engaging in the busy concerns of time, he is looked upon with a jealous eye, and, in a manner, left to shift for himself, when, on the contrary, he ought to be treated with the greatest affection and respect.

In the two eminent relations which our elders bear to us, of parents and instructors, they are entitled to our utmost deference and affection, which it is not only our duty, but our interest to bestow.

In the relation which they bear to us of parents, we are bound to love and honour them, both by the ties of nature and the law of God.

If we consider but for a moment, we perceive that they were the instruments of our entrance upon the stage of life; it was by these we were nourished and brought up in comfort and respectability; it was these who bore with all our faults, and endeavoured, in various ways, to correct them, and lead us into the path of rectitude; these, who beheld us with pleasure and affection in all our pastimes; who attempted

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to pour The fresh instruction o'er our minds, and fix The generous purpose in our glowing breasts;"

in short, it was these who were the means by which the Maker and Preserver of all, dispensed to us the blessings and the privileges of our youth. And shall we, on a review of all this, not condescend to make a little return, by treating them with affection and veneration at all times, but more especially so, when they are apparently verging to the silent grave? No! let it be our endeavour to soothe their age-to alleviate their infirmities to support them under all

(which, says St. Paul, is the first commandment with promise,) that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earth." Instances wherein persons have been ungrateful or dishonourable to their parents, and punished in some exemplary manner, are not rare. The celebrated commander, Mithridates the great, who was guilty of this crime, when routed and hardly pursued by his victorious enemy, Pompey, was refused an asylum by his son, and compelled to retire to the court of a stranger, where he ended his existence in remorse and misery.

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As instructors, great deference should be paid to the elders, for the experience through which they have passed. The natural disposition of youth is destitute of that consideration and prudence, which are so conspicuous in the aged; "temerity," as Cicero observes, (de Senec.) "is the flower of youth; prudence, of old age;" and, therefore, there are none so well qualified to instruct the youthful adventurer in the busy scenes of life, as those who are possessed of such experience, which, as Milton beautifully expresses it, opens wisdom's way." It is the aged alone, who can give any correct idea of the dangerous voyage of life; they have witnessed all its storms and perils, and been often shipwrecked on the rocks that are to be encountered in the way; it is they who have borne "the burden and heat of the day;" who have detected the various impositions and fraudulent practices which are imposed upon the credulous and unwary part of mankind; it is they, who have watched the uncertainty of all sublunary good; who have basked in the sunshine of prosperity, and been immerged in the gloomy shades of adversity. It is, therefore, the interest of a young man to consult his elders on any of the important and precarious concerns of life. "Great things," affirms the Roman orator, (Cicero de Senec.)" are carried on by

design, authority, and deliberation, Pharaoh, and went out from before qualities with which old age is always him." wont to be enriched."

Perhaps some persons may argue, that it is not expedient or proper to submit to every thing that is dictated or asserted by the aged, merely because it is our duty to reverence them. To this it may be answered, that old age is constitutionally fond of authority, and is often very loquacious; but there is a vast difference between submitting to it in every respect, and paying it proper reverence. It is not requisite or prudent always to attend to the advice of the old, yet, on the contrary, it should never be despised, however impolitic or unprolific. Thus the young man Elihu the Buzite, when "his wrath was kindled again Job and his three friends," and he ventured to reprove them, paid them due respect, for we are expressly told, that he "waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he." St. Paul, in his Epistle to Timothy, says, "Let the elders that rule well, be accounted worthy of double honour," and, in another epistle, we are commanded "to give honour to whom honour is due."

Old age then is honourable; it is like the oak of the forest, which, for a series of years, has defied the blast of the wintry storms, but at last, by the authoritative voice of time, is compelled to yield to his ravages. One cannot avoid thinking, that the very appearance of old age would tend to excite reverence in the beholder-its furrowed cheeks, its hoary locks, and its tottering pace, compared with the haleness of youth, like a setting star, dimly seen in its corporeal frame, ought to be viewed with sensations of no little interest and regard.

Doubtless, with feelings such as these, the illustrious monarch of Egypt viewed the venerable patriarch, as he appeared before him; and when he inquired of Jacob"How old art thou," received this affecting reply: "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage." And then mark the manner in which this interesting interview was concluded-" And Jacob blessed

Let every young man, therefore, remember his duty, and always pay proper reverence to his elders, whether connected with him by the ties of consanguinity or otherwise. How grateful must it be to an old man, to see himself respected on every hand, and to hear himself saluted by the young; to hear the cry of "my father! my father!" as he is departing from this transitory scene, and to pour his last blessing on the heads of those around him. Let us, who are young, think of this, and remember we are further bound to this duty by the golden rule of our Lord-"Do unto others as ye would that others should do unto you." "Once (says the psalmist David) I was young, but now I am old," and each one of us may have occasion to utter a like ejaculation: how delightful then will be our feelings, to be venerated and attended by the young, especially if we performed the same duty in our time. Instead of " our gray hairs descending with sorrow to the grave," we shall, if observant of the other moral and religious duties which devolve upon man, meet the conqueror Death as a friend, with the greatest serenity and delight, leaving behind us a never-dying testimony that had served our generation according to the will of God."

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THE ORIGIN AND PROPERTIES OF THE CAP OF LIBERTY.

THE ancient Romans generally went with their heads bare, or, in rain or cold weather, covered them with the corners of their toga, or robe. Cæsar, their first emperor, having a baldhead, covered it with laurels, as did the late marquis of Granby, from the same cause. Indeed, the ancients, when either old or infirm, indulged themselves with wearing a cap. As age was then honourable, so caps became marks of honour; and as none could be then deemed honourable who were not free, the cap, by degrees, became the badge of freedom. Hence,

when a slave was made a free man, he had a cap given to him, which he was permitted to wear in public.

The Pileus, or Cap of Liberty, is quite simple in its form, common in its texture, and of a whitish colour. It is in the form of a sugar-loaf, broad at the bottom, and ending like a cone. This prefigures that freedom stands on the broad basis of humanity; and it runs up to a pyramid, the emblem of eternity, to shew that it ought to last for ever. It is simple; for liberty is, in itself, the most shining ornament of man. It hath no gilded trappings, which too often mark the livery of despotism. It is made of wool, to signify that liberty is the birthright of the shepherd, as well as of the senator; and that although shepherds may lawfully shear the sheep they protect, they ought not to skin them, that being the employment of the butcher. Lastly, the cap of liberty is whitish, the native colour of the wool undyed. This demonstrates that it should be natural, without a deceiving gloss, unspotted by faction, and unstained by tyranny.

POETRY.

(For the Imperial Magazine.)

THE PULPIT.

"The Pulpit, therefore, (and I name it, fill'd
With solemn awe, that bids me well beware
With what intent I touch that holy thing,)—
I say the Pulpit (in the sober use

Of its legitimate peculiar powers)

Must stand acknowledg'd while the world shall stand,
The most important and effectual guard,
Support, and ornament of Virtue's cause."

THE pulpit is the Muse's theme,
But, ah! how sad the case is,
That many give, in lieu of cream,
The milk of common places.
Numbers ascend the holy place,
Without or care or study;
In figures coarse, in look grimace,
In subject matter muddy.
Some sadly underact their part,

In gesture, life, and diction;
So stiff the head, so cold the heart,
You fancy truth is fiction,
Muse, every hateful weed consume
Within this gospel bower;
That fair and flourishing may bloom
The sanctuary's flower.
Nor spare the faults of holy men,

Though great as Master Irving; His pulpit slips demand thy pen, Whene'er from nature swerving. And first, the shallow preacher ban, Although he's been at college; A stratum-super-stratum man,

Cowper.

Ne'er feeds the soul with knowledge.

Who preaches husky politics,
Not bread, but stone, is giving;
Howe'er the keen reproof he kicks,
Wants but a richer Living.
The florid preacher is too grand,
At glittering figures straining;
One needs a lexicon at hand,
To analyze his meaning.
Dan Harvey's hyacinths may blow,
For those who love such reading;
But hungry sheep to pastures go,
The parterre has no feeding.
Pedantic preachers tip you Greek,
In many a crabbed sentence;
But he must mother-English speak,
Who brings men to repentance.
A muddy priest, who leads you round
Dark speculation's mazes;
Is like a miner under ground,
So mystical his phrases.
The stentorophonic should be
A boatswain to the tar,
If chapels were, by simile,

Transform'd to men-of-war.
With lily hand, and powder'd crop,
And ring upon his finger,
The dandy priest, or preaching fop,
Resembles opera singer.

I would not such a chaplain choose,
Or pulpiteer, as this is!
The pretty man may much amuse
A boarding-school of Misses!
Of bigot preachers, I'm in doubt,
Though love and zeal professing:
Anathemas they thunder out,

But never leave a blessing!"
Their charity at home begins,

But bans a differing brother; On one dear sect all faith it pins, And gives old Sam each other.

The bare-bone priest with thirty heads,
And Split-text, his adviser,

Feed their lank auditors with shreds,
But never make them wiser.
The reading cleric's short essay,
However well 'tis written,
Will never fire a lump of clay,
Or heal a conscience smitten.

A self-admiring egotist,

Of his own tale the hero,
For any critic's mill is grist,
His piety's at zero.

The scolding preacher stuns your ears
With croaking, he's a railer;
Who always in a pet appears,

A wholesale scandal dealer.

Who takes his preaching cue from France,
Full of grimace and antic;

Has either got St. Vitus' dance,
Or, otherwise, is frantic.

With Keetch and Brown, who soar on tropes
And far-fetch'd allegory,

Will never fire a sinner's hopes,
Or raise a saint to glory.
All"downy doctors" I detest,

Though sleepers may be charmed;
A lullaby may soothe his breast
Whose fears should be alarmed.

The preacher, who, in Sinai's flame,
Thunders the decalogue;

I would not altogether blame,
If each man were a rogue.

But whither would the cynic muse
In these sharp lines convey?
I would not shade, but disabuse,
The lustres of the day.

Let him who has no pulpit flaw

"Cast the first stone at others," From his own eye the beam withdraw, The mote out of his brother's.

With this intent I took the bow,
With this intent alone;

To lay each pulpit-folly low,
By shooting at my own!

Salop, Oct. 7th, 1825.

VERSES,

Jos. MARSDEN.

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VERSES

ADDRESSED TO A YOUNG LADY.

" Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul."

To Beauty's eye let others raise
The flimsy monument of praise;
I heed them not:

The beaming eye was born to fade,
The lauding verse was only made
To be forgot!

There is, in Beauty's heavenly smile,
A charm which can our hearts beguile,
I know; but who

Can say that sun will ne'er go down
Beneath the gloomy night of frown
And anger too?

The face which I prefer, is that
Which is not beautiful, nor yet
Is very plain.

More loveliness I there can see,
Than all which e'er delighted me
In Beauty's train.

Talk ye of eyes of black and blue,
And cheeks of rose and lily hue,
And foreheads fair;

Of pretty mouth, and shapely bust,
And different proportions just,

And flaxen hair?

Why, what are these, if, in their place,
I can produce the winning grace,
And modest mien;

A voice like music in its sound,
A tongue that knows when to abound,
And when refrain?

Pope,

Eyes which, though neither black nor blue, Derive a more expressive hue

From thoughts within;

And cheeks-the garden's double pride
Could neither with such grace preside,
As health therein?

A brow that is supremely fair,
In being free from clouds of care
And evil temper;

A mouth of kindred lips most meet,
Which, when they part in accents sweet,
Do never simper?

A bust, whose chiefest grace is this,
That all within is joy, and peace,
And gentleness;
Proportions which are well defin'd,
In outward form, and in the mind
And heart not less?

And as to hair, dispos'd with grace,
It often gives a plainer face

The charm of beauty;
Just as one can see no defect
In those, like Hannah, who neglect
Never their duty!

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