of unlimited authority. It often happens that people are more affected by appearances than realities. The bare mention of arbitrary power would have revolted the deputies, while the fubftance, being included in the popular expreffion of hereditary right, was adopted without reierve.

While the nobles were thus wavering and irrefolute, the court and popular party took the neceflary precautions in order to force them to a concurrence. It was feared that the enterprize might fail of fuccefs, if the nobles fhould refolve to quit Copenhagen, and to break up the diet, from the jult pretence that it was held in a fortified town, un der awe of a garrifon devoted to the court; and indeed feveral had already made their efcape; and others feemed inclined to follow

them.

In confequence of thefe apprehenfions, the king iffued orders to fhat the gates of the town; and this fpirited measure had fuch an inftant effect upon the nobles, that they abandoned all thoughts of refiftance, and dispatched deputies to the court, that they were ready to concur with the commons.

Accordingly, on the 16th of October, the eftates annulled, in the most solemn manner, the charter signed by the king at his acceflion, abfolved him from all his engagements, and cancelled all the limitations impofed upon his fovereignty. The whole was finally clofed by the public ceremony of doing homage, and of taking the new oath, which was performed on the 18th. On that day feveral scaffolds were erected before the palace, adorned with fcarlet cloth and tapestry, and furnished with rows of benches; on a platform, more elevated than the reft, were placed two chairs of ftate under a canopy of velvet, for the king and queen, and thefe fcaffolds communicated with the palace by an open gallery. At the appointed time, the citizens of Copenhagen, forming twelve companies, were drawn up on each fide of the gallery; the garrifon furrounded the platform, and the avenues leading to it; while the regiment of guards fecured the rear. At mid-day the king and queen, attended by the Royal family, preceded by the nobles, and accompanied by the officers of ftate, repaired in folemn proceffion, amid drums and trumpets, to the platform; and when the nobles, the deputies of the clergy, and commons, had taken their places, &c. the chausellor proclaimed:

"Since it has pleafed the Almighty, by the unanimous and voluntary refolution of the states, that this kingdom should be rendered hereditary in the person of his majefty our lord the king, and of his pofterity male and female; his majesty, after thanking the flates for this proof of their affection and zeal, not only promifes to all his good and

faithful fubjects to govern them as a chriftian and merciful prince ought to do; but also to establish a form of government, under which they fhall be fecure of enjoying the fame advantages under his fucceffors; and as this unanimous refolution of the ftates requires a new oath of allegiance, his majesty difcharges the ftates from all thofe oaths which they had formerly taken; affuring each perfon in particular of his royal favour and protection."

The revolution being thus accomplished, a new form of government was promulgated, under the title of The Royal Law of Denmark. It confifts of forty articles: the moit remarkable whereof are the following:

"The hereditary kings of Denmark and Norway fhall be in effect, and ought to be esteemed by their subjects, the only fupreme head upon earth; they fhall be above all human laws, and fhall acknowledge, in all ecclefiaftical and civil affairs, no higher power than God alone.

"The king fhall enjoy the right of making and interpreting the laws, of abrogating, adding to, and difpenfing with them. le may allo annul all the laws which either he or his predeceffors fhall have made, excepting this Royal Law, which muft remain irrevocable, and be confidered as the fundamental law of the state.

"He has the power of declaring war, making peace, impofing taxes, and levying contributions of all forts, &c. &c."

Thus the nobles were the victims of their own imprudence and obftinacy. Had they yielded in due time, they might have fecurel many of their privileges; but as they did not comply until their concurrence was fcarcely neceflary, they could not command any compenfation for what they could not keep, and furrendered with the most evident reluctance: the deputies of the clergy and of the towns were hurried away by their refentment against that order, whofe tyranny they had long experienced, and whofe future afcendancy they dreaded; and they were fo warmly animated by their admiration of the king, that they thought no facrifice too great which could affure him of their confidence. and teftify their gratitude. Strange infatuation, that they should difcover no means of humbling their oppreffors, and fecuring their own immunities, without the establishment of an abfolute government! The reserve of the legislative power, and right of taxation in the three eftates, would fufficiently have fecured the freedom of the people, as well against the encroachments of the crown, as the infolence of a proud nobility.

But the voice of reafon is feldom heard amid the uproar of faction. Se f-interefted and defigning perfons, who have previously fettled their end, and the mode of purfuing it, take advantage of every cafual incident;

and

and the generality are blindly led away by their paffions to effect what they ever after wards regret.

I

Thoughts on feveral Subje&s.

T behoves every man fo to guard his integrity, that with the other advantages he may poffefs, he may ever walk with a noble and open countenance.

Mifery is the only thing in this life, which is not the object of envy.

Men,' fays Tully, can in no respect whatever approach the Deity fo nearly, as when they are difpenfing happinefs to their fellow-creatures. And if beneficence and true goodness be the fame, Pope has a fentiment not diffimilar: Next to God ie a good man; next in dignity, next in worth.' The hunane paffions are interefted in the fortune of the remoteft nations, becaufe ha manity is every where the fame; and how ever divided by mountains, rivers, and feas; fevered by policy; difperfed by accident; and diftinguished by a difference of laws, language, climate, or complexion; we are all the children of one parent, all the brethren of one family.

There is no commencement of happiness, but in the commencement of wifdom and virtue.

There is not a more auguft fight in the world than a virtuous perfon perfecuted by adverfity, yet fubmitting to his fate with fortitude and conftancy.

There is fome help for all the defects of fortune; for if a man cannot attain to the length of his wishes, he may have his remedy by cutting them shorter.

Epicurus wrote a letter to Idomeneus, (who was a very wealthy and bountiful perfon) to recommend to him, who made fo many men rich, one Pythocles, a friend of his, whom he defired might be made a rich man too; but I entreat you,' fays he that you would not do it in just the fame way as you have done to many lefs deferving perfons, but in the moft gentleman-like manner of obliging him, which is, not to add any thing to his eftate, but to take fomething from

his defires.'

Vice is a gradual and cafy defcent, where it firft deviates from the level of innocence; but the declivity at every pace becomes more fteep, and thole who defcend, defcend every moment with greater rapidity.

It is dangerous to true happiness and tranquillity, to fix our minds upon any thing which is in the power of fortune. It is excufable only in animals, who have not the ule of reason, to be caught with hooks and baits. Wealth, glory, and power, which the ordinary people look up to with admiration, the learned and wife know to be only fo many inares laid to enflave thera.

To want little is true grandeur, and very few things are great to a great mind. None but intellectual pleasures are what we can properly call our own.

When the obligations of morality are taught, let the fanctions of Chriftianity never be forgotten; by which it will be fhewn that they give ftrength and luftre to each other; religion will appear to be the voice of God; reafon and morality the will of God.

N

Anecdote.

UMBERLESS are the inftances of General Elliott's benevolence and huma

nity, but perhaps none more io than the following: During the fiege of the impenetrable fortrefs of Gibraltar by the Spaniards, it was cuftomary with the General to take his nightly rounds, in order to fee if all was safe, and the centinels alert on duty. One night, difguifed in his roquelaure, when on this bufinefs, he came up to a centinel, who, overcame with fatigue, was faft afleep with his firelock in his arms. The General clapped him on the fhoulder, and routing him, faid, Thank God General Elliot woke you. The poor fellow, almoft petrified with astonishment, dropped his arms, and fell down; but in a few minutes recovering himfelf, the General walked on, and bid him to be more careful. Death the foldier expected must be his punishment, and dreaded the dawn of day, which he expected would usher him to a court-martial. Fortunately, however, for him, the General did not mention the circumftance, nor ever took farther notice of it. A few days afterwards, the General being prefent while the foldiers were bufily em ployed in carrying bags of fand, the man thewed himself particularly induftrious, and, as if eager to atone for his paft neglect, took up two to carry, beneath the weight of which he could hardly ftand; this being obferved by the General, he again addreffed him, faying, "My good fellow, do not attempt more than you are able to carry, left you fuftain an injury that may deprive us of your future fervices, which are of infinitely more confequence, than the additional weight you now with to carry."

Maternal Affection.

Native of Guinea fold his wife, who

A had not been delivered above a month of twins. She was put into the hold among the reft of the flaves; but as it happened to be fine weather, the veffel had not failed above a league, before the flaves were all ordered upon deck, and passed in review before the matter. This poor mother, irrefiftibly impelled by her affection for her children, inftantly threw herfelf into the fea, determined still to nourish her babes, or perish in the attempt. The inhuman crew let fly a fhower of balls at her; but heaven favoured her heroic attempt, and fhe got to shore unhurt.

The

I declined mentioning the fubject of our laft night's adventure, yet he faw the marks of anxious expectation in my countenance, and proceeded to gratify the curiofity he had infpired. It will be neceffary, faid he, before I proceed to relate the woes that befel my daughter, to give a fhort sketch of my own life.-Six and twenty years ago, Mrs.

came hither for the benefit of her health, the air being recommended as highly falubrious. On her arrival, fhe gave out that he was the daughter of a clergyman, who was lately dead, and had left her in narrow circumftances. I thought it my duty to vifit her, and offer her any little attention in my power. She received me with politeness, and expreffed a wish to cultivate my acquaintance. I continued to repeat my vifits for fome time without fulpecting that there was any thing particular in her hiftory, till one morning I found her in tears reading a letter fhe had juft received. On my entrance fhe gave it to me: it contained a notification from Lord B's agent, that her usual remittances would no longer be continued. On opening this letter, I was led to fuppofe that her connection with Lord B was not of the most honourable nature. But all my suspicion vanifhed on her producing feveral letters from Lord B to her mother, with whom he had been long connected.-From thefe letters I learnt, that Mrs. was the daughter of Lord B- by Mifs M fifter to a Scotch Baronet, whom he had feduced and fupported during the remainder of her life. But he had, it feeins, determined to with draw his protection from the fruit of their connection. Mrs. declared the knew not what ftep to take, as her finances were nearly exhaufted. I endeavoured to comfort her, affuring her that the fhould command every affiftance in my power:-On hearing this, the feemed a little fatisfied, and became more compofed. After fitting with her fome time, I returned home to confider in what manner I might moft easily afford protection to the young orphan, whofe whole dependence was on my fupport.-If I took her home to live with me, as I was unmarried, it would give fome offence to my parishioners. My income was too confined to admit of my affording her a feparate establishment. Thus circumstanced, I determined to offer her my hand. You will, no doubt, fay it was rather an imprudent ftep for a man who had feen his fortieth year, to connect himself with youth and beauty: but as my brother was then living, it was impoñible for me to render her the leaft affiftance on any other plan. She received my propofal with grateful furprife, and accepted it without hefication. In a few days we were married, and have now lived together fix and twenty years, in a ftate, the felicity of which has never been

interrupted by thofe difcordant jars which are fo frequently the concomitants of matrimony: though, alas! our peace has received a mortal wound from one, the bare mention of whofe name fills me with horror!-But not to digrefs: Before the return of that day which faw me bleffed with the hand of Emily, my happiness received an important addition, by the birth of a daughter, who inherited all her mother's charms. It is fuperfluous to add, that she was equally the idol of both her parents; and as the was the only fruit of our marriage, fhe became every day a greater favourite. My wife had received fuch an education as rendered her fully capable of accomplishing her daughter in a manner far fuperior to any thing her fituation required, or perhaps could juftify. To this agreeable employment, however, the devoted her whole time, and when Harriet had reached her eighteenth year, she was in every refpect a highly-accomplished woman. She was become what that picture represents her. With an amiable temper and gentle manners, the was the idol of the village. Hitherto she had experienced a ftate of felicity unknown in the more exalted stations of life-unconscious, alas! of the ills that awaited her future years.

It is with reluctance I proceed in the melancholy narrative:-One evening, as a young man, attended by a fervant, was paffing through the village, his horse startled, and threw him. Happening to be on the fpot at the time, I offered every affiftance in my power, and conveying him to my cottage, difpatched his fervant in queft of a furgeon, who declared our patient was not in any danger, but recommended him to delay his departure for a day or two. His health, however, or rather his love, did not admit of his travelling for near a fortnight; during which time he established his intereft with Harriet, by the most pleafing and unremitting attention to her flighteft withes. When about to depart, he requested leave to repeat his vifit on his return from his intended tour, dropping, at the fame time, fome diftant hints of his affection for Harriet, to whom he was by no means indifferent.

Mr. H. (for fo our gueft was named) informed us, previous to his departure, that he had a small independent fortune; but that from a diftant relation he had confiderable expectation. After bidding an affectionate adieu to Harriet, he fet out on his intended tour, which lafted for a month.

During the time of Mr. H's abfence, Harriet appeared penfive, and I obferved with pain, that he had made no flight impreffion on her heart. At length Mr. Hreturned, and Harriet's reception of him left us no room to doubt her attachment. During his fecond vifit he was very affiduous to fe

cure