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With groans that seem his wretched frame to rend,
And big round drops, in piteous chace that flow;
Left and abandon'd by each velvet friend,
Alone he weeps, in agony of woe!

So Mis'ry breaks each link in Friendship's chain!
The careless herd this broken bankrupt fly,
They pass, and conscious of their fellow's pain,
Regard his sorrows with averted eye.

Thus 'tis with man-with FORTUNE's herd he keeps,
But shuns the cheerless shade-where ANGUISH weeps!

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O wr' what glee the Muse stravaigs
Owr a' the beauties o' the Craigs!
Forgetting a' the ills and plagues
That aft harass us,

Her ain twa shanks the only naigs
On this Parnassus!

Here a' the boys are roving keen,
Seeking birds-nests wi' eager ein,
Or puing gowans on the green,
Where waving corn,

Blue-bells, and roses, fringe the scene,
And flowering thorn!

Yonder the lads and lasses group
To see the luckless Lover's-loup:
Waes me that disappointed Houpe,
That cruel blight,

Should drive fowk frae this warl to scoup
To endless night!

Beneath yon cliff, high beetling owr,
Is chaste DIANA'S Maiden-bow'r !
There, sacred to the guardian Pow'r
A tablet stands,

Inscrib'd bi a' wha make that tour
In true love's bands!

Sae strait and narrow is the way,
Nane but pure virgins enter may;

October.]

And, O! it's sometimes droll, they say,

To see Miss Clack

Her wie infirmities betray

Bi turning back!

Censorious Bess, that dortie dame,
Cam here to carve her lover's name;
But fair ELIZA's meikle wame,
And hainches fu',.

Had nearly led to her lang hame,
In squeezing thro' !

ODE TO HEALTH.

WITHOUT thy aid, O balmy Health,
Riches in vain their pomp display,
What use to him all Eastern wealth,
With whom disease dwells every day?

Granted, of wealth a mod'rate share,

E'en him exempts from increas'd woe;
For hard his fate, and great his care,
Who's want and sickness doom'd to know.

Of thee bereft, the Warrior's arm

No longer strikes the foe with fear;

No more the Statesman's tongue doth charm
Senates, oft pleas'd his voice to hear.

Best, richest boon receiv'd below
By fallen man from Mercy's throne,

May all who thy full value know
With gratitude the Giver own.

EPIGRAM.

HEAR A STORY OUT..

'HAVE you heard that our ancient companion, Tom Idle,
Has lately been sentenc'd to Botany Bay ?'

Indeed! and for what, pray?'-' For taking a bridle,
He happen'd by chance to perceive in his way.'

A very hard sentence, it can't be denied,

Had I done the same, I should feel no remorse."
Very likely ;--but listen before you decide―
At one end of the bridle was fasten'd-A HORSE.

W. P. H.

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THE HISTORICAL,

BIOGRAPHICAL, LITERARY, AND SCIENTIFIC

MAGAZINE,

FOR

OCTOBER 1799.

CONDUCTED BY

ROBERT BISSET, LL. D.

WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF OTHER LITERARY GENTLEMEN.

THIS NUMBER IS EMBELLISHED WITH A PORTRAIT OF LE

THE HONOURABLE CHARLES JAMES FOX.

LONDON:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY

G. CAWTHORN, BRITISH LIBRARY, NO. 132, STRAND,
BOOKSELLER TO HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS OF WALES:
SOLD ALSO BY MESSRS. RICHARDSON, ROYAL-EXCHANGE; H. D. SYMONDS, J. Whit
WEST AND HUGHES, PATERNOSTER-ROW; J. WRIGHT, PICCADILLY; P. MILL,
EDINBURGH; AND ALL THE BOOKSELLERS IN TOWN AND COUNTRY.

TO READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS.

THE unexpected length to which the Life of Mr. Fox, from its variety, led, prevents the insertion in this Number of our History of Politics and Literature.

In our Number for December will be attempted a Sketch of the LIFE of Mr. SHERIDAN, including his Dramatic as well as bis Political and Intellectual Character:

The Patriot's Prayer shall appear in our next, with other Poetical Favours. Respecting the Portraits of Scotch Literati, they will be brought forward as soon as possible. The Editor feels himself obliged to his Correspondents suggestions on that and other subjects,

PORTRAITURES OF THE FRENCH,

BEFORE AND SINCE THE REVOLUTION.

No. I.

THE HE following speculations may be considered as a parting view of the French nation, on the eve of its transition from the severest despotism to the extremes of democratic freedom, and during the first scenes of this sudden alteration. The depiction of what so remarkable and mighty a people were, previously to the great changes in their political circumstances, cannot be a matter of indifference to those who love to trace the progress of the human mind through the variety of situations which it is liable to experience, from the vicissitudes of public affairs, no less than from the incidents of private life, and to contemplate how much mankind may differ at one season from what they were at another.

No nation, it is presumed, ever displayed so singular and mixed a character as the French have done, since their civil commotions; so fertile in surprising abilities and respectable qualifications, and so notorious for defects and flaws of the meanest kind and most culpable nature; dazzling the world at one time with its splendour, sullied at another with vices and crimes, and courting alternately, as it were, the highest praise and the heaviest censure.

From so diversified an object much instruction and utility may be certainly derived, when surveyed without prejudice, and with a determination neither to refuse our applause where it is due, nor to withhold condemnation when it is equally deserved.

By reviewing the disposition and frame of mind that characterised the French, antecedently to the revolution that has wrought such unexpected changes in them, several of the causes from whence it originated may possibly be discerned. To effect this purpose it was necessary to observe unbiassed truth and impartiality; and, it is hoped, they will be found throughout these Portraitures to have been carefully consulted.

GENERAL IDEA OF THE FRENCH AT THE PRESENT TIME.

NOTWITHSTANDING the confusions that have distracted France these ten years past, and the gloomy expectations of what is yet to come; notwithstanding the sanguinary scenes of which the French

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