who have borrowed fo many allufions ftate of repofe and fecurity. Memo from The shepherd's pipe upon the mountain, have been thought to defcribe a time rable for the fcenes of feftive grandeur which it once prefented, it ftill claims an intereft with the feeling and the intelligent. The magnificent caftle, where Edward I paffed a Christmas with Elinor, his queen, is tottering in unheeded decay. It is, perhaps, the fineft ruin in the principality; and, viewed from an oppofite neck of land, prefents the fpectacle of a wreck of art, now that age has mellowed its harshness, of fo auguft a kind, as almoft to excite the admiration due only to the works of Nature. I KNOW not whether I was more furprifed or forry, to fee in your Magazine for November laft a perfon On the excellent road that con- figning himfelf W. M. undertaking to nects Bangor with Conway, the tra- defend fuicide. His arguments, howveller will often find himself compelled ever, I am happy to find, are not of to paufe, and examine objects beauti- the moft powerful or convincing naful, fublime, and curious. The go- ture. In the firft place, he allows thic mansion of Lord Penrhyn, already that "it is agreed, on all hands, that taken notice of as the former refidence fuicide is a crime." Now, fince it is of the princes of the country, burfts a univerfal opinion that fuicide is a on the eye with peculiar grandeur crime, how bold muft that man be its venerable towers half obfcured by who thus fingly dares to oppose his noble plantations of coeval oaks. opinion to that of the greateft (and, indeed, the most learned) part of the world! What is generally fuppofed and accredited to be right or wrong, I think will, on trial, be moftly found to be fo. It would be a strange thing, if, when the whole world agreed that a thing was wrong or wicked, it thould not be fo. Your correfpondent denies, in the most pofitive manner, that any religion (the Mohammedan excepted) ever had an exprefs law to forbid fuicide. W. M. must have read the commandments very fuperficially; for there it is faid, in the moft pofitive and plain terms, "Thou fhalt do no murder." If he can prove that killing one's felf is not committing murder, then I think, and not till then, we may allow that fuicide is no crime. Aber, a village equally distant from Conway and Bangor, is likewife celebrated for having afforded a temporary habitation to the once-powerful chiefs of the principality, who fought in thefe receffes an abode of fome fort of feeurity in periods of open violence. Penmaen-Mawr is affuredly a pafs terrific and dangerous, but much lefs fo fince a new road has been formed, of the most folid and durable materials, and defended by a fubftantial wall. This moft defirable convenience was perfected by John Sylvefter, whofe perfevering efforts overcame thofe obftacles that feemed to mock the ut most of human art. The town of Conway, if it did not poffefs the advantage of a commerce with Ireland, would keep the "noifeJefs tenor of its way" in an unenviable Before the Chriftian religion enlightened the world, the felf-murderer might be, in fome measure, pardon- ing themfelves, they forfeit all claim to the benefits of Chriftianity, which are, in a great meafure, to be obtained by patient fubmiffion to the will of God. I am really astonished to hear any one attempt to defend this notorious practice in a country where the increafing frequency of fuicide becomes daily more alarming. I fhould have been forry to hear it from an enemy: how much more than forry muft I be, then, to hear it from an Englishman, who (be he who he may) ought to be the friend of his country! Dec. 14, 1804. X. C. P. S. Accident alone prevented my fending thefe obfervations laft month. I have feen, with pleafure, that the fubject has been taken notice of by C. A. A.; but as there cannot be too many oppofers of fuicide, I hope you will give them a place in the next Number of your useful and entertain ing Mifcellany. Jan. 6, 1805. able; for Cato, Codrus, and Curtius, whom W. M. particularizes, had but very imperfect notions of what they owed their Creator. They had no refuge from their troubles but in death, no reft from their misfortunes but in the grave. But what excufe can be offered for a Chriftian, who, in the practice of his holy religion, might find relief from the miferies of life? "Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you rett." The widows of Malabar, and the men of honour in Japan, are pardonable, as their understandings are warped by cuftom, and they unfortunately have no advifer to difpel the illufion. But a Chriftian has the light of the gofpel, and the examples of the firft followers both of the Jewish religion, to guide him. None of these ever committed fuicide, except the traitor Judas, whom I prefume no one would with to imitate. Let me ask your correfpondent, why did not Job commit fuicide? He furely had more caufe of complaint, and more incitements than any other man ever had or will have, moft likely. Even if there was no law to forbid this crime, I think that God's approbation IN the laft Number of your Magaof his patience under his fufferings, zine I obferved a treatise (if I may so both bodily and mental, would be a call it) upon allowing fchool-boys fufficient proof that fuicide is not what is called pocket-money, which pleafing to the Almighty. He puts us I have here briefly and feebly attemptinto this life to try our faith by obe- ed to anfwer. That gentleman obdience to his will, and patience in all ferves, that, unless a boy is allowed our afflictions. If then, directly, we a good fum of money, he contracts : are exposed to trouble, overcome by mean and niggardly habits in faving fickness, or any other misfortune, we and fcraping together every penny he deftroy ourselves, and thereby prevent poffibly can. I think, Sir, that when the purposes of God, what claim can a youth is given a properly moderate we have to his benefits, which are fum only, it teaches him naturally to only to be obtained by our good con- think, before he fquanders it upon duct in this life? W. M. afterwards every bauble that tickles his fancy : quotes the law of Antoninus, which he will be led to fay with himself, “If certainly is" founded in humanity and I fpend this money now, I shall not juftice," as I am not one of thofe who have it in cafe any thing more worthy approve of making the fon fuffer for my notice thould offer." But when a the father's errors. But when he boy knows that he can have as much complains that we treat fuicides with money and a fupply as often as he every indignity, and refufe them Chritt- pleafes, there is fcarcely any bounds jan burial, I think he does not con- to his extravagance. He can never der that, by the very act of destroy- know the worth of money, who has To the Editor of the Universal Mag. The first epoch, the destruction of not known the want of it. Befides, and temple in the reign of Jehoiakim, where a boy has much, it can never teach him that virtue "felf denial," the Affyrian army in its march against which moderate fums will do. I am by no means for entirely depriving boys of money that would be as blameable as overloading them with it. In my fmall fphere of life, Sir, I have feen two or three inftances where boys have become profligate and worthlefs fpendthrifts, by having too much money given them; but have never yet been an eye-witnefs to one of that turn of mind who has been but moderately fupplied. I think, Sir, it is needlefs for me to offer any more arguments upon this fubject; but if any of your correfpondents will deign to reply to this in your next Number, I thall feel highly honoured and gratified by their Jerufalem, took place in the year before Chrift feven hundred and ten. This is one of the astonishing deliverances which mark the hiftory of the Jews, and has excited much difpute between believers and unbelievers.The account of it is given in the fecond book of Kings, in the eighteenth and nineteenth chapters; and in the book of Ifaiah, the tenth and twentyfeventh chapters. The fublimity of the poet's defcription of the approach of the invading army, his noble contempt of the enemy, and the fuddennefs of the deftraction, defy a parallel with the best effufions of poetry in any language, antient or modern. The occafion, doubtless, called forth the utmoft powers of a vigorous imagination. Every ftep of the army is painted in the most glowing colours; every circumftance that can add to the richness of the picture is brought forward, and placed in its proper light. The fcene is tranfacted before us: nothing is left that BEING a confiant reader of your can be defired in the narration; and highly instructive and well conducted the fong of triumph on so memorable Magazine, I fhall feel myself extremely and before unheard of victory is fuch obliged to any of your correfpondents as becomes the prophet of the Moft who will account for the non-appear- High God. The deftruction of fo great ance of the dead carcafies, &c. of an army as a hundred and eighty-five birds. attention. I am, Mr. Editor, To the Editor of the Univerfal Mag. I remain, Sir, Melksham, Dec. 17, thoufand men in one night feems incredible to fome perfons, who can find no difficulty in believing that an army fent by Cambyfes against the Ammonians was overwhelmed by the fand in the deserts; and, in the cafe ANSWERS TO THE HISTORICAL AND of the Affyrian army, we are informed, PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS. [Continued from p. 529, vol. II.] QUEST. I. Which are the most important epochs between the captivity of the ten tribes and the captivity of the remaining tribes ? Thefe epochs are, the miraculous deftruction of the Affyrian army in its march against Jerufalem, the imprifonment at Babylon of the wicked King Manaffeh, the difcovery of the book of the law by the good King Jofiah, and the plundering of the city by the fame writer that has given us fo animating a defcription of its progrefs, that its deftruction was occafioned by a meflenger of the Lord, who went into the camp in the night, and filled it with defolation. In the Hebrew idiom, a meffenger of the Lord implies any fupernatural act of Him, who makes the winds and flames of fire bis meffengers. And, if this deftruction was occafioned by the Gamiel, a ters rible wind, that, coming over the defert, occafions inftant death to thofe who breathe it, and whofe effects, ries, every where deftroying altars though in a much lefs degree, are felt and images, and the abominable rites in fome parts of Europe under the by which the land was defiled. Ia name of the Sirocco wind, fuch a de- the eighteenth year of his reign, the ftruction would by the Hebrews have book of the law, very probably the been termed the act of a meffenger of God. book written by Mofes himself, and depofited in the ark, was difcovered; and fome paffages were read to him, which excited the utmoft horror and attonithment. Thefe pallages were probably taken from the twenty-fixth chapter of Leviticus, and the twentyeighth, twenty-ninth, thirtieth, thirtyfirit, and thirty-fecond chapters of chapters, and confiders the time and place when and where they were written, cannot but feel an awe on comparing the prediction with the event, and confess that God is juft in his conduct towards every nation upon earth. The imprisonment at Babylon of the wicked King Manaffeh took place in the year before Chrift fix hundred and feventy-feven. He had reigned above twenty years; and in that time every device which he could imagine was put in practice to deprave his people, and to ftamp himself with the Deuteronomy; and whoever reads thefe name of the most infamous of princes, A wretch, who thus difgraced his rauk, exchanged his palace very properly for a dungeon; and there a reformation was worked of a moft extraordinary nature. He reflected upon his conduct, on the difregard of his duties, on the mean and pitiful State of a fovereign, who, inttead of thinking of the welfare of his people, is daily engaged in idle occupations and in trifling amufements; and, when he reflected on the manner in which he had treated his people, on the loads of taxes that he had brought upon them, on the territories that his mifconduct had fuffered to be difmembered, the feelings of a man returned to him; and, being restored to his former fituation, he endeavoured, by a very different line of conduct, to atone for the miferies which he had brought upon his subjects in the early part of his reign. The plundering of the city and temple in the reign of Jehoiakim took place in the year before Chrift five hundred and ninety-nine; a year remarkable for another event, which makes this an epoch particularly to be impreffed on the memory: this is, the birth of Cyrus, with whose birth begins our enquiry, upon folid foundations, into profane hiftory. Rome is faid to have been at this time under the firit Tarquin, and five years after Solon was the archon at Athens. The kingdom of Judah was evidently now near its fall: it could not refift any attack of its powerful enemy, in whofe hand was its deftiny; and no one pities a base and degenerate people, incapable of preferving their independence. Quest. II. To what reflections do the above epochs give rife? The third epoch, the difcovery of the book of the law by Jofiah, took place in the year before Chrift fix hundred and twenty-four. The father of Jouah was an idolater, and had re- The miraculous deftruction of the ftored the worship which the grandfa- Affyrian army teaches us that conther had, in great measure, deftroyed, querors are the inftruments of God's Jofiah probably had imbibed the good wrath, and that their motions are unleffoes of his grandfather, and even at der his government. The great poeight years of age manifefted a defire tentates of the earth are too apt to to walk in his steps. In this he was, confider themselves as the inftruments doubtless, aflifted by the counsellors of their own greatnefs, and to despise and prophets of his grandfather; and, the idea of a fuperior controul. This when he was twelve years old, he event may teach them how little demade a progrefs through his territo- pendance they can place on the grand eft efforts to carry ruin and devafta- the art of government, if he makes tion into a country. Their lofty projects may be baffled when they little expect it; and the powers of nature will, in a moment, destroy their artificial exertions. Senaccherib was marching proudly with his army against Jerufalem, and did not entertain the leaft doubt of its fall. His forces were, in his own opinion, irrefiftible; and the confidence of a people in a fupernatural power feemed to him as an idle jeft. A fingle night convinced the fovereign of his error: the army on which he boafted, which was the inftrument of his tyranny over foreign nations and his own people, was deftroyed: he ran away, like a fugitive, from the nation which he defpifed; and his fall gave peace to the earth. In the fame manuer, Philip the Second, of Spain, entertained the most fanguine hopes of the fuccefs of his enterprise against our country: but the ruin of the proud Armada confounded his pride, and taught him what dependance is to be placed on things which may be deftroyed by the winds. Thefe examples deferve to be kept in fight by the British nation, left, in the greatnefs of its naval fuperiority, it should forget the leffons of juftice, and become another instance to the world of the inftability of power. his way to the throne from an inferior ftation by the exercife of great talents; but even the dungeon of Manaffeh is fcarcely fufficient to correct the prejudices of a mind tainted with early notions of arbitrary power. When we read the hiftory of the Jews, and the excellence of the law of Mofes, the only lawgiver that has ever exifted who had in view the juft rights and the good of every individual in the country, we are furprised that a people could be brought to difregard it, and that it fhould fink almoft into oblivion. But the hif tory of all nations fhews us how eafily any one may be degraded. The little by little of Ariftotle is fufficient for every purpose, and a nation may find itfelf difpoffeffed of every honourable attribute, when it is priding itself on profperity. There were doubtless feveral copies of the law in existence, when Joliah undertook the reformation of his kingdom. But the whole fervice of the temple muft have been ftrangely neglected, when the facred depofit of Mofes could have been flung into a heap of rubbish, and the finding of it be a matter of accident. The law, when it was found, was read to the fovereign, and filled him with terror and amazement. It haftened his fteps to the improvement of his The fate of Manaffeh leads us to people; and one might be curious to Jament the situation of too many kings, know whether he obferved one part who, born to greatnefs, and furround- of the law, which was to write out a ed by meanne's, have fo few oppor- copy of the whole law with his own tunities of appreciating the nature of hand. This excellent device of Mofes, the office they are to fill. Manaffeh to make a fovereign acquainted with ran into every kind of vice in profpe- the law, cannot be too much aprity he was brought to his fenfes by plauded; and if it became the cuf adverfity. Adverfity is looked upon as a great evil; but it is attended with many advantages. It teaches us to know ourselves and our friends. A king in profperity has little or no opportunity of doing this; and therefore, inftead of trusting him with arbitrary rule, it is evident that he, of all perfons in the world, is the most incapable of using it wifely. An arbitrary monarch may have learned tom of every country, that the fovereign of the country fhould fend a copy of every law, written in his own hand, to fome public depofit, before it could be put into execution, fo great complaints would not be made in every kingdom of the verbofity of the law and the chicanery of lawyers. When a nation is once become thoroughly corrupt, no exertions can reftore it to its antient ftate. The |