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offices indeed he had himself greatly depended, she resolved to apply to him, to tell him the story of her wrongs, and to ask his protection. She had, as usual, to combat much of the insolence of office, before she could gain an introduction to her late husband's friend. She underwent the usual reproofs of surly porters and messengers, and the impertinence of clerks and secretaries, before she could convey to him her wish to be admitted to his presence. But she had not depended on him in vain. He was a gentleman of strict integrity, and of the most benevolent disposition, and he espoused her cause so warmly that she had not only the satisfaction of seeing the persons who had endeavoured to intercept his kindness reproved in her presence, but he exerted his authority so effectually with the fraudulent agent, that he soon obtained a settlement of my father's accounts, and the payment of a considerable balance in his favour. Our worthy patron's kindness did not stop here: he received us into his house, until the affair was concluded, and obtained the reversion of my mother's little pension for the benefit of her family after her decease. This inter ference bringing fully to his knowledge the circumstances of our story, produced unusual interest in our behalf; he took a fancy to me in particular, and told my mother, as I was now old enough to go to sea, he would himself take charge of my fortune, and place me under the protection of a captain who was his particnlar friend.

My mother being thus happily relieved from her difficulties, took leave of me with the tenderest expressions of affection, and returned to her favourite little cottage in the country, with my sister, who was now her only charge, and the only resource upon which her domestic affection had to repose.

I shall not trouble you, Mr. Editor, with a recital of the adventures which usually occur to a midshipman in the progress of his noviciate. I fell into good hands: my Captain was an excellent friendly man, and an able officer;-we were very actively employed, and under his example and instruction I soon acquired a proper knowledge of my duty. I became a favourite with him; and as he was a man of letters, the liberty to use his books gave me considerable advantages in improving myself, which I did not neglect. In this respect I was greatly befriended by our surgeon (a most humane and worthy man), who took charge of my education, and preserved in my remembrance those excellent religious instructions which I had received from my mother. He was a widower, and had not only had the misfortune to bury his wife, but to be deprived of an only son soon after, so that he treated me with all the affection of a parent, and seemed to delight in thus transferring to me that anxious attention which he had once hoped to devote to a dearer pupil. He had studied much, and thought more. I never remember to have held a conversation with him by which I did not obtain some useful information; and such was the prevailing principle of his conduct, that we seldom conversed long together without his strengthening my mind with some moral or religious maxim for the guidance of my future life. He was regarded by all his messmates with respect and attachment. His observations were always

received with deference, while profligacy was ever abashed in his pre*sence. His afflictions had given rather a serious air to his manner and conversation, and his chief delight was to turn their attention to subjects of a rational or instructive nature; though he showed a high relish for humour, and occasionally promoted it by his own wit and vivacity. He admitted me to great familiarity, and treated me with all the confidence of friendship, showing a constant desire to make me forget the 'inequality of our stations, and the difference of age between us. It would have been stupidity and ingratitude in the extreme, had I not profited considerably of such an opportunity of instruction. Though his kindness was particularly bestowed on me, as one who more especially required his protection, his benevolence was open to all; and the youngsters in particular were distinguished by his attention and affectionate interest. He lost no occasion of giving them a friendly hint for their conduct; and his superiors in rank were continually indebted to him for some kind and judicious observation, so contrived as not to appear to them in the form of instruction or advice. In the discharge of his professional duties, his skill was not more distinguished than his humanity. When the art of medicine could no longer avail, the consoling words of piety and friendship whispered comfort unspeakable to the dying sufferer, and reconciled the patient to that stroke which science could not avert.

I never felt more sincere concern than on the loss of this excellent friend, whose favour I enjoyed upwards of three years. He at length caught a contagious disorder from a patient whom he had watched through a dangerous illness with unceasing anxiety, and expired in the arms of his assistants, lamented by the whole crew.

I was still greatly befriended by my Captain, who redoubled his kindness to me on that melancholy occasion, and admitted me to so unreserved a share of his conversation, that I had still a benevolent friend to consult, to assist me with his advice, and support me by his protection. His example was extremely striking to all who visited our ship: he was scrupulously strict in his duty, never sparing himself, nor permitting neglect in others; his conduct to his officers was polite and obliging, but never familiar upon deck; at his own table, or at such times when he became their guest, he appeared as their friend and equal. In delivering his orders he never spoke but once; but the profound silence which was observed on such occasions, and the deliberate and distinct manner in which he spoke, produced the most prompt and eager obedience. As he was strictly just and impartial himself, he allowed no violence to be used but by his own order; complaints were rare, and discipline was preserved so easily, when once reduced to a system, that a punishment was looked upon as a general disgrace. His anxiety for the welfare of his people was that of a father for his children; we lived as one great family together; every hour had its prescribed duty, every person his appointed occunoce pation; and he continued to mingle amusement so well with labour, that every face wore an aspect of content and cheerfulness. He was particularly attentive to morals. His example was soon followed by

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his officers; and those who were unequal to attain his purity of character had the decency not to offend against exterior good manners. Swearing and licentious conversation were absolutely banished from the ship; both officers and men were distinguished in the fleet by the propriety of their conduct, and the respectability and cleanliness of their appearance. He himself regularly performed the public services of devotion on board, and was careful that the young lads under his protection should join with him in the daily offices of religion. It is very true that in accomplishing this delightful system of government he had the assistance of very excellent officers; but such men would naturally be found with such a Captain, who used his interest to obtain them, and who had established that interest by his own eminent merit. This observation should silence that common remark of ignorance, that any one might govern with such advantages.

A year since I had the grievous misfortune to lose this second friend -this my only patron. His health was so broken by arduous service, and with a constitution naturally delicate, that he was compelled to quit the command of his ship, and a stranger being appointed to succeed him, his followers were turned adrift upon the world, to seek out new protectors elsewhere.

I had expected, Mr. Editor, to have concluded my story in this letter, but if you have patience to attend to another, I hope to interest your readers with some further particulars, before I finally take my leave of you.

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[Of the personal history of Owen Felltham (author of the following extracts) Ja to less is known than will satisfy the inquiries of those who value his writbuntings as they deserve. He was a gentleman of good family in Suffolk, sitt and is supposed to have been born towards the close of the reign of

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Queen Elizabeth, and to have died sometime about the year 1680. Great part of his life appears to have been spent in the family of the 10 Earl of Thomond, probably in the capacity of secretary. He possessed ferma small independence, sufficient for all his wants and wishes. Of this rbin he says, "It might content my betters, and such as Heaven smiles on with a gracious promise of blessing;-if my carriage be fair and honest, and without these who is well? I have necessaries and what is decent; and, when I desire it, something for pleasure. Who hath more that is needful? If I be not so rich as to sow alms by sackfulls, even my mite is beyond the superfluity of wealth." He was author of several pieces of poetry, which were highly esteemed; but his principal work was "The Resolves," which run through no less than twelve editions previously to 1710. It is remarkable, that a book which received such dbs manifest tokens of approbation should have been neglected from that

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period until the year 1806; when a select edition, prefaced with a biographical sketch of the author, was published by our excellent friend, James Cumming, Esq., F.S.A. who, in thus restoring Felltham to public notice, has rendered a great benefit to the present generation.]"

OF BUSINESS.

THERE are some men who have so great an aversion to business, that you may as soon persuade a cat to go into water, or an ape to put his fingers into fire, as to get them to enter upon any thing which may prove troublesome, or require attention and care. But these, for the most part, are persons who have passed their youth undisciplined, and have been so bred up in that ease and indulgence, as to know no other business but their pleasures; and to be impatient of any thing which even looks like an hindrance of them; and this, in the end, is

tentimes productive of bad and destructive effects. For hereby

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the management of affairs falls into inferior hands, which, through covetousness and ambition, and for want of skill, put all the wheels of or government out of order; till they run both themselves and the State. into ruin. There is another sort of men quite contrary to these, whom custom and daily practice have made so much in love with action, that if they once come to be put out of their employment, even life itself seems tedious and irksome; and, like a spaniel tied up from his hunt-s ing, they sleep away their time in sadness and melancholy. As the world is more beholden to men of business than to men of pleasure, so the men of pleasure must be content to be governed by those of business. However such may be contemned by the vanity of those who look after nothing but entertainment, yet the government of the world is in their hands, and they are the men who give laws to the sensual and voluptuous. That man is but of the lower part of the a world, who is not brought up to business and affairs. And, though.. there may be some who may think it a little too serious for the caper-n ing blood and sprightly vigour of youth, yet, upon experience, they i will find such a life more satisfactory than idleness or perpetual gaiety. He who walks ks constantly in a smooth and levelled path, will be sooner tired than he who beats the rising and descending ground. A calm at sea is more troublesome than the gale that swells the waves. If a man with a scythe should mow the empty air, he would sooner be weary than he who sweats with toil in cutting the standing corn. «i Business is the salt of life; which not only gives a grateful smack to it, but dries up those crudities that would offend, preserves from putrefaction, and drives off all those blowing flies that would corrupt it. There are in business three things necessary; knowledge, temper, and time.

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Unless a man knows what he is going about, he is liable to goi astray, or to lose much time in finding out the right course; and his journey will be sure to seem more tedious than it would if he knew the road.

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And if he want temper, he will be sure not to want trouble. ›› All the stars are seen at night, when there is a clear serenity; but tem-ne

pests arising darken all the sky, and take those little guides of light away. No storm can shake the edifice of that mind which is built upon the base of temperance. It places a man out of the reach of others; and brings others to be within his own. It is the temper of the sword which makes it to cut keenly, and not to be hacked by others striking on it; it is the oil which makes the joint turn smooth, and opens the door without noise.

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The next is, the aptly timing of affairs, for which there can be no particular rule; it must be left to judgment to discern when the season is proper. Men do not reap in seed-time, nor sow in harvest. The smith may strike in vain and tire his labouring arm, if first with fire his iron be not mollified. Circumstances are often more than that which is the main; and those must be laid hold of as they offer themselves. Men may set their baits, and cast their nets, and, as the Apostles did, fish all night and catch nothing, if they take not the seasons when the shoals move upon the coast. And let a man be sure to drive his business, rather than let it drive him. When man is but once brought to be driven, he becomes a vassal to his affairs; they master him, which should by him be commanded. Any thing put off till the last, like a snow-ball, rolls and gathers, and is by far a greater giant than it was before it grew to age; as exhalations once condensed and gathered, they break not then but with thunder. In the last acts of plays, the end of business is commonly a huddle. The scenes then grow thick, and quick, and full. As rivers, though they run smooth through lengthened tracts of earth, yet when they come near the sea, they swell, and roar, and foam. Business is like the devil; it rages most when the time it has is shortest. And it is hard to say which of the two is worst; too nice a scrupulosity, or too rash a confidence. He is as mad who thinks himself an urinal, and will not stir at all, for fear of cracking, as he who believes himself be shot-free, and therefore will run into the hail of a battle. And surely it conduces infinitely to the ease of business, when we have to deal with honest and upright men. The good and wise mak ke the empire easy. Reason and right give the quickest despatch. All the entanglements that we meet with arise from the irrationabilities of ourselves or others. With a wise and honest man a business is soon ended; but with a fool or a knave there is no conclusion, and seldom even a beginning.

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It is the bridle of the human beast, whereby he is held from ing and from stumbling in his way. the road which hinders him from breaking into other men's property. A man had as well live in Egypt among all the ten plagues, as in the world among the wicked, without law to defend him. It is every man's civil armour that guards him from the gripes of rapine. And, indeed, it is for this chiefly, that laws are of use among men; for the

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