dignity of a man, a philofopher, and a christian. How many ftoics have configned their names to immortality, without any pretenfions to those 'fublime virtues which are confpicuous in the cha'racter of Mr. Powel? It was the highest boast S of a ftoic, that he could look with adamantine in'difference on the death of his nearest relations: 'In how much more amiable, and how much 'more heroic a light does the conduct of Mr. Powel appear to us! So far from steeling his ' heart with the unnatural apathy of a stoic, he exulted in the warm benevolence of a christian; and ' submitted to the most fiery trials, merely to entertain thofe with whom he had not the most • diftant connexion. By way of corollary, (to 'ufe a term in mathematics) what would not this man have undergone to ferve his friends? If we might reafon from arguments a fortiori,we should ❝ conclude, that he would have rejoiced to follow even Shadrack, Meshack, and Abed-nego. After 'what I have faid, I should imagine, that few will

deny to Mr. Powel the merit of patience the molt enduring, combined with a philanthropy 'the most comprehenfive. There is another virtue in which I think the character of Mr. Powel may ftand in competition with that of the molt • exalted

• exalted heroes of antiquity-I mean temperance. Seneca indeed has talked to us in very lofty terms of the abftinence of fome of the • earlier worthies of his own country, and those of Lacedæmon; the diet of the former was fuch as would at this day be efteemed a luxury by ' thousands; and as for the black broth of the latter, I do not recollect, amidst all the ingre'dients which compofed it, that melted lead, fealing-wax, and brimstone, were ever included. As a patriot, I confider Mr. Powel as one of the greatest that this century can boast of; for tho' I ' do not recollect that he was ever called out by any particular emergency to take an active part in the defence of his country, who can believe, that a perfon, to whom Fire had been literally meat, drink, and cloathing, would not naturally "fly where war grew hotteft; and would confequently be moft congenial to his disposition and occupations in life? Now if we fum up our ' evidence, we fhall find, that the fublimer virtues of patience, temperance, and patriotifin; to

gether with the fofter and more amiable ones of philanthropy and friendship, were of course in•cluded in the art which Mr. Powel profeffed : • We shall not hesitate therefore a moment in pro'nouncing

nouncing the object of his ambition to have 'been compatible with the character of a wife and good man.

'I cannot conclude this paper without regretting my inability to perpetuate the memory of this illuftrious Phænomenon of Salaman• dership and Virtue. This however I can affure him, if my feeble endeavours could effect it, "bis name should flourish in the mouths of men.”

No. XXII.

OF THE

MICROCOS M.

MONDAY, April 9, 1787.

Tantum de medio fumtis accedid honoris.—HOR. Such honour common fubjects may receive.

SIR,

I

T muft no doubt often have occurred

6

to a writer of your penetration, that 'there is nothing more unjust, and illiberal, than those ill-grounded prejudices, which confound in general cenfure, or undistinguishing contempt, any particular class or description of And yet these prejudices, however fen

men.

'fible

fible we cannot but be of their improper ten'dency, we are all too apt to indulge; till, nourifhed by long habit, they take as deep root in our minds as if they had been implanted there by nature; and acquire fuch ftrength, as enables ⚫ them to withstand the moft forcible arguments, to refift the most palpable conviction.

There are in Turkey a body of men, againft 'whom univerfal contempt is indifcriminately, as well as undefervedly directed; and these are 'the worshipful company of GROCERS. Info'much, that should any member of a noble family have difgraced himself and his connections, by living a life of tranquility, or what is • worse, dying in his bed, that is, a natural death, his name is never pronounced by his relations ' but with disapprobation and disgust; and his memory is configned to infamy, for having, as they fay, lived and died like a RACCAL, OF GROCER,

The perfon who has now the honour to addrefs ❝ you,is a member of a community, who by the cour tefy of England, are like the RACCALS of Turkey, ⚫ collectively involved in the most indiscriminate ridicule, the most comprehenfive contempt; I fay

'col