reason of things: we believe the existence of an Almighty Being, from the consideration of his wonderful works; from a consideration of those innumerable, celestial, and glorious bodies, and from their wonderful order and harmony. We have also spent some time in viewing these wonders, which are to be seen in the minute part of the world, and that with great pleasure and satisfaction; from all which particulars we are satisfied that such amazing things could not possibly be without a first Mover-without the existence of an Almighty Being: and as we know the wonderful God to be almighty, so we cannot help believing but that he is also good; not implacable; not like such wretches as men are; not taking delight in the miseries of his creatures; for which reason we resign up our breaths unto him without any terrible apprehensions, submitting ourselves to those ways which in his goodness he shall please to appoint after death. We also believe the existence of unbodied creatures, and think we have reason for that belief; although. we do not pretend to know their way of subsisting. We are not ignorant of those laws made. in terrorem, but leave the disposal of our bodies to the wisdom of the coroner and his jury, the thing being indifferent to us where our bodies are laid, from whence it will appear how little anxious we are about a hic jacet; we, for our

parts,

parts, neither expect nor desire such honours, but shall content ourselves with a borrowed epitaph, which we shall insert in this paper:

Without a name, for ever silent, dumb,

Dust, ashes, nought else, is within this tomb;
Where we were born or bred, it matters not,
Who were our parents, or hath us begot;
We were, but now are not, think no more of us,
For as we are, so you'll be turn'd to dust.

"It is the opinion of naturalists, that our bodies are at certain stages of life composed of new matter, so that a great many poor men have new bodies oftener than new clothes: now, as diyines are not able to inform us which of those several bodies shall rise at the resurrection, it is very probable that the deceased body may lie for ever silent as well as any other.

"RICHARD SMITH.

"BRIDGET SMITH."

The coroner's jury found them both guilty of self-murder, and of wilful murder as to the child. They were both buried in the cross-way near Newington turnpike.

The following is copied from a MS. note in an old Magazine, in which this melancholy event is related: "I knew Smith; he was a very sober, honest, industrious man, a constant attendant at church, but too fond of reading meta

physical

physical books, which, I take it, bewildered his understanding, for it was his favourite theme of conversation; To be, or not to be,' was always

THE irresistible power of love over the human mind, has been manifested in a thousand instances, as well in civilized as in barbarous nations.

About forty years ago, a melancholy event occurred in the town of Enniskillen in the north of Ireland. A young woman of good family, handsome person, and well educated, a native of that town, had scarcely attained her eighteenth year, when she was courted by a young man, every way worthy of her hand, except in point of fortune. This single defect, in the view of her parents, was an insuperable bar to their union, As they could not see with their daughter's eyes, they reproached her in the sharpest terms for indulging the least sentiment of esteem for a young fellow, who had nothing to recommend him, but his education and morals. They insisted, that she should break off all correspondence with him, and that she should turn her attention to one that could support her

in a manner suitable to her birth and fortune. In vain did she attempt to remonstrate: the father called up all his authority, and insisted that his commands should be obeyed without a single murmur. The young lady protested, in the bitterness of her heart, that, if forced to give her hand to any other, it would not, nor could be, accompanied by her heart, for she was no longer mistress of it; and that all the wealth in the world could not compensate for the loss of her lover. A young man in the neighbourhood, however, was base enough to marry her on these terms. It is but justice to say, that he behaved to her with the greatest tenderness, and did every thing in his power to conciliate her affections, but in vain ; she did not carry herself towards him with any sullenness, but conducted herself in a very beHaving a large com

coming manner as a wife. pany one morning at breakfast, she seemed so gay, that every person in the room took notice of it, and congratulated the husband on the opening prospect of his future felicity. When the visitants were gone, she went to a cupboard, took out a tea-cup, and drank the contents of it; her husband observed that it was a sweet draught.

66

Yes," said she with a smile, "the sweetest I ever drank in my life." When she had withdrawn, he examined the cup, and found that the sediments were white; as he was not without his

suspicions,

suspicions, he communicated the matter to a friend, who desired him to return and question his wife in a gentle manner: she did not hesitate to tell him, that it was poison, and that she began to feel the happy effects of it. She told him this with so serene a countenance, that he scarcely knew what to believe; in a short time, however, he found that she had told him the truth. Remedies were forced on her, but without effect. The potion was so strong, that in less than an hour the cold hand of death sealed those eyes that even smiled in the midst of agonies.

M. BOISSY.

GENIUS is a plant of celestial growth; when it happens to rear its sickly head in earthly soil, it is always bedewed with the tears of poverty. For the truth of this, we need only appeal to the lives of the poets, &c. in all ages and in all nations. M. de Boissy may well be added to the catalogue; a French dramatist of considerable merit, whom poverty, in the words of Otway," had chased in view," from his cradle almost to his grave. He was industrious; but who would "meditate the thankless muse," in this degenerate age, when even the cheap reward

of