THE BARD'S FAREWELL."

BY JOHN C. MCCABE.

Sweet Muse, I remember, when first to thy spell
My young heart submitted-how bright was the dream!
How I trembled with joy as thy murmurings fell
On my ear, like the flow of a star-litten stream!

This world is too cold for the spirit of song,
'Tis the child of a purer and holier sphere;
It should live where oppression, nor malice, nor wrong,
Dare wring from the dim eye of misery a tear.

It should dwell where 'twas born-in the deeply blue

skies,

When from chaos our world sprang to beauty and light;

When the "stars of the morning" in joyous surprise,
Struck their harp strings of fire so holy and bright.

It should dwell where the Cherubim strike their bold
lyres-

It should live where the Seraphim songs find their birth; It should breathe where the presence of Godhead inspires,

But never, oh never, be dweller on earth.

For the heart where it lives is cold poverty's slave,
And those whom it blesses, are curst by the world;
And its votary unhonored is borne to that grave
At whose mound are the dark shafts of calumny hurl'd.
Then, farewell, dear soother of many an hour!
And, farewell sweet visions indulged in so long,
Like the banish'd bird quitting its favorite bower,
I leave yet lament thee, sweet spirit of song!
Richmond, Va. 1836.

MY BOOKS.

sometimes not a tenth of their value, and the stalls which are to be found in the streets of some of our principal cities have supplied not a few. They are of all sizes, shapes, and ages, and a regiment of Fantasticals has more pretensions to the title of an uniformed body than they have. I have not attempted classifying them according to their subject matter, thinking their num bers too few to need it. They are rather grouped, as indeed the shelves require, according to their sizes. There are, however, few of them upon which I could not lay my hands as readily as if assisted by a formal arrangement. Sundry gaps here and there, which have existed for many long months, and some of them for

years, show that my acquaintances (I will not call them my friends,) have been equally expert in laying their

hands upon them. Who has the first volume of my

Knox's Essays? Why does he not call for the second? I can assure him that I at least do not think, to borrow the auctioneer's phrase, that "each volume is complete in itself."

Whilst I am proud of calling myself master of many rare and curious tomes, on the other hand, I must confess, that many works of what are entitled the British Classic Authors are not to be found upon my shelves. I do not possess a single volume of Sterne's works, looking upon him as a disgrace to his cloth, and a bypocritical whiner concerning a sensibility which his life testified that he was far from really feeling; nor do I think that there is enough Attic salt in his writings to preserve his grossnesses from being offensive. For the same reason I have not a complete copy of Swift. Of those selections from the works of popular authors commonly styled their "Beauties," I have not, I think, half a dozen volumes; and I have very few of the works of the minor poets, being somewhat of Horace's opinion concerning middling poets. But such as it is my little stock of books is dear to me, and I purpose in the present paper to say something of a few of the volumes.

That quarto standing in the corner of one of the lower shelves, which time has deprived of half its cover On the south side of my house, and communicating and the greater part of a frontispiece representing the with my chamber, is a little room about twelve feet Council of Trent, is a work published in the year 1692, square. The two windows in its southern wall open a and entitled the "Young Student's Library, containing pleasant prospect to the eye. Immediately below lies extracts and abridgements of the most valuable books my little garden; beyond are the grounds of my richer published in England, and in the foreign journals, from neighbors, presenting an agreeable medley of woods the year sixty-five to this time; to which is added, a and meadows; about half a mile farther, a sofall river new essay upon All Sorts of Learning, wherein the use meanders through a fertile valley, beyond which a of the Sciences is distinctly treated on-by the Athebeautiful stretch of rich and thickly settled country is nian Society. Also, a large Alphabetical Table, compre bounded at the distance of three or four miles by a hending the contents of this volume, and of all the range of low hills. This little apartment, which is one Athenian Mercuries and Supplements, &c. Printed in of the most cheerful in the house, is my favorite resort. the year 1691. London: printed for John Dunton, at Here are my books, and it passes by the various names the Raven in the Poultry." This may be looked upon of the Library, the Study, and the Book Room. The as one of the oldest specimens of the periodical review. greater part of three sides of the room is hidden by the The essay upon All Sorts of Learning, is divided into shelves containing my literary treasures; and perhaps I sections treating of Divinity, History, Philosophy, Law, rather underrate their number when I say that I own two Physic and Surgery, Arithmetic, Poetry, Painting, Ge thousand volumes. This is a great number for a manometry, Astronomy, Navigation, &c. &c.—each section of my limited means to possess, but upwards of forty followed by a copious list of the most approved works years have been spent in their collection. About fifty upon the subject more particularly treated of. An aror sixty of the most valuable I am indebted for to seve-rangement somewhat similar to that of the subjects ral departed friends, who have thus remembered me. above enumerated, appears to have been followed in the These which I have placed upon three shelves in a cor-Young Student's Library, which opens with reviews of ner, are amongst those I prize most highly. Many of the works of Dr. Lightfoot, Dr. Barrow, and Bishop them I have picked up at auctions at sundry times, for Usher. Near the beginning of the volume, is a notice

makes more progress than a more severe education, and a dry and absolute authority. Notwithstanding it's the common injustice of mothers, who taking always an austere and imperious countenance, judge not of pleasures but by the sorrow and care of their age, instead of judging thereof by the joy and sportings they had in times past. It falleth out often, that they cry out against pleasures because they themselves cannot taste of them. Howbeit, we cannot be old as soon as we come into the world; and Mr. Abbot Feuelon condemneth these constraining formalities, and these dim ideas of virtue, which render it sad and tedious to

thor, as they are destined to moderate exercises, it is good to give them a slight imploy, for idleness is an unfathomable source of troublesomeness; and besides, the wandering imagination of a young woman turns itself easily towards dangerous objects. Therefore also he will not have them to accustom themselves so much to sleep, because that mollifies the body, and exposes the mind to the rebellion of the senses.

of a work published in Rotterdam, and entitled "The Accomplishment of Prophecies, or the Deliverance of the Church Near at Hand," by a Mr. Jurieu, the first sentences of which will give us an idea of the paucity of readers one hundred and fifty years ago compared with their number at present. "This work has made such a noise, that there are two thousand copies disposed of in four or five months., and yet there are but a very few gone into France, which would have taken off a great many if it were suffered that it might be disposed of there, this considerable part of Europe being almost nothing, by report, in respect of the bookseller's trade: one would think that the first edition should have sufficed-young women. Notwithstanding, continueth our aunevertheless, there was soon occasion for the second, and it is that which occasioned Mr. Jurieu to add to this work the additions which are to be marked." If we suppose that only one hundred copies went to France, there remain nineteen hundred copies for the readers of the rest of Europe, and the disposal of these in four or five months is evidently looked upon as a great sale, and one which was likely to suffice. How would the Athenian Society have stared, to learn that in a century and a half a book would not be considered popular if two thousand copies were not sold in a week in the city where it was published. There is an interesting paper near the close of the book, concerning a work entitled "The Education of Daughters, by Mr. Feuelon, Abbot, according to the copy printed at Paris. Md. by Peter Alouin, 1687, in twelves." The Abbot seems to have been a man of much good sense, as will appear from a few extracts from the review. "This is a matter of one of the most grave and important concerns of life. Mr. Abbot Feuelon concerned at the negligence wherewith virgins are educated, thought he could not better consecrate his cares than to the instruction of this fair sex. Fathers, in reference to public good, or by a blind inclination to young men, abandon their daughters almost without giving them any education -notwithstanding, saith he, they are destined to fulfil the duties which are the foundations of human life, and which decide that which most nearly concerneth mankind. There is then nothing more important than the precepts that are given us here. And indeed the source of men cannot be too pure. But the difficulty of succeeding is greater than is imagined. For if to give a good education to young women be to be removed entirely from the world, to apply them to what concerneth housewifery and house-government, it is to be feared that their restlessness and natural curiosity will push them upon other impertinent accomplishments. * Some pretend also that it is not less dangerous to let maids take pleasure in reading and frequent conversation, fearing they should fall into the extremities of the learned and knowing women, who never come down from heroism and refined wit." Blue-stocking ladies were not more popular formerly than now. Mr. Feue-low this passion, hath no greater care than to hide them lon recommends the suaviter in modo as follows. "After that, coming to a more advanced age, he saith, that nothing backwards young women so much as the bad humors of those mothers who make perpetual lessons, and render virtue odious by too much preaching on't: Wisdom ought not to be shewn to this age but under a smiling countenance, and under a pleasant image. The most serious occupation ought to be seasoned with some honest pastimes; and a familiar and open conduct

*

"Mr. Abbot Feuelon condemns utterly romances, because, according to him, young women fall into passions for chimerical intrigues and adventures. Being charmed with what they find tender and marvellous in them, what a distaste is it to them to abase themselves unto the lowest part of housewifery, and, to this ordinary life we lead? He is not yet altogether against their learning some languages, but he rejects the Italian, because its only proper to read dangerous books, and he prefers the Latin tongue by reason of the DIVINE OFFICE. But without mentioning other inconveniences, he forgot that Ovid and Martial are poisoners far more pernicious than Amintas and Pastor Fido; for besides the obscenity of Martial, there is in Ovid all that love can inspire most tender, most ingenious, and most delicate. In truth, it were a thing to be wished for, that the modesty of a young woman should make her ignorant of all things that concern love; but it is convenient enough to know it in order to prevent it as much as possible. At least it was the advice of Madame de Chartres, a grave authoress in these matters, and which well may be opposed to Mr. Abbot Feuelon. The greatest part of mothers imagine (saith the author of the Princess of Cleves) that it is sufficient not to speak of gallantry before young persons, to make them keep from it. On the contrary, Madame de Chartres often depainted love to her daughter. She would tell her what there was pleasing in it, the more easily to per*suade her of the misfortunes whereinto engagements lead us.

"This conduct hath something in it very acute. For nothing is more dangerous than to expose a young woman to know love by an interested person's mouth, who far from making her observe the troubles that fol

from her. So that it is very hard that a young person should resist love, whilst never hearing mention made of it, she begins to know it by that which is taking in it: and how shall she defend herself from a passion which only promisseth sweetnesses, and which offers such pleasing baits!"

It appears that there is a chapter devoted to the faults of young women. "Mr. Abbot Feuelon says that they must be corrected for those tears they shed VOL. II-83

that Augustine had acquired more glory, if instead of leaving so many books, he had furnished the world with thirty children; and he would persuade us that the invention of Archimedes and Des Cartes are trifes in comparison of the exploits of a simple country fellow, who helps to people the world by lawful means; I say lawfully, for the author thinks no offspring good that is not from marriage. He fortifies his proofs as much as possible, and goes back to the ancient Jews, observing that marriage being one of these things that generally

so cheap," and that "they have always been reproach- | act that can be found in history. Hence he supposes ed with a marvellous talent of speaking;" but he endangers the cure of the first offence, by admitting that "a handsome woman, when she is in tears, is by the half more handsome." The reviewer states that the Abbot does not spare them for those "precipitate decisions of the curious ladies, which so much displease men of good judgment. A poor man of a Province, saith he, will be the ridicule of five or six a-la-mode ladies, because his peruke is not of the best make, or because he wants a good grace, though he hath an upright heart, and a mind just and solid: when a cour-happen sooner or later, it is better to engage ourselves in tier is preferred, whose whole deserts consist in fashions and cooks, and who hideth a low heart and false mind under an exterior politeness.

happy time, than after a thousand declamations against it, whilst we are hurrying on to old age, when marriage can produce nothing but vexatious consequences.”— Then follows a dissertation upon the second marriages of widows, too long for me to quote.

making a good marriage. "First, after having recommended ourselves to God, who presides in a more particular manner over that state, we make a choice of such a person as pleases us, and who has an agreeable temper. It would not be unpleasing to have her handsome; but since 'tis not very common to find such a one, we ought to be contented if she please us, whether she does others or no; and that 'tis not always advan tageous for the wife to please all the world: but 'tis not sufficient to be pleased with her beauty, except there be a sympathy in humors. The author advises us to study the genius of those we design to marry, that we may the better succeed, in spite of the address that some make use of to hide their weakness; he adds, for the better security, that we may choose one that is young, and resides near our own habitation. In the first place, he advises to a choice in a well ordered family, and to observe the equality of condition and fortune, and to take care that she has no such preengagements as may make her marry him by con straint." (This latter matter the young ladies now take care of themselves.)

"Finally, he inveighs mightily against the vanity of women, their violent desire of pleasing, and the passion of dressing themselves, which they make their most The work of Mr. Chausse was written to persuade a important business. He pretends that this haughtiness gentleman, for whom he had a high regard, to marry ; draws after it the ruin of families, and the corruption and he takes up all the possible objections he could of manners; and he neatly decides that Beauty is noi-think of in the following order. First, all those founded some, if it doth not advantageously serve, to marry a young upon the conduct of women; second, those upon the woman"—which sentence the reviewer pronounces to nature of marriage itself; and third, the objection that be a little rigorous, and refutes at considerable length. marriage is an unsupportable yoke. Under the last Farther on is a notice of a work entitled “A Trea-head, the author gives the following directions for tise of the Excellency of Marriage; of its Necessity, and the Means of Living happily therein: where is an Apology made for Women against the Calumnies of Men. By James Chausse, Master of the Court Rolls. Printed at Paris-1685," a work which might be advantageously republished at the present day. Mr. Chausse appears to have had a very exalted opinion of the married state, as the following passage must testify. He says, that "the most favorable judgment of the wisest about a single life is, that 'tis a virtue neither good nor bad, and that being without action, it is a kind of vice. He maintains that God made two sexes in nature, to shew they cannot subsist without being joined together; he sends us to learn of the animals, amongst which the mutual love of males for females, and females for males, is common to every individual. After this he considers men as men in a state, in a family, and in a church, and he says that in all these regards they are obliged to marry-because, adds he, 'tis necessary to endeavor to preserve their own kind, as they are citizens to the republic, successors to their families, and servants to the church; he speaks very large upon these three duties, and considering the beauty and perfections of man, he is wrapped up in admiration, and says, can there be any thing more noble than the ambition of producing creatures so perfect? He asks, if it is possible that we should be so much moved with the glory of making a fine book, drawing a beautiful picture, or a handsome statue, and should not be sensible of the glory of making a man? This appears so noble and admirable, that all men that we read of in Scriptures have thought themselves very happy in it, as Ibstan and Abdan, of which the first had thirty sons and thirty daughters, and as many sons and daughters in law; and the second had forty sons, and thirty grandsons, whom he saw altogether on horseback. 'O God, (cries he out) can any thing be added more to the happiness of a father-can any thing be seen more memorable in the life of man!' In my opinion, it exceeds all the acts of Cæsar and Alexander-such an increase is more noble than any

The following is the conclusion of the review. ""Tis a good observation that the author, who in his book exhorted men to marry, says not a word to persuade virgins to the same. He well foresaw that this silence would surprise some of his readers—therefore he has put them out of pain in the preface, by acquainting them that virgins are sufficiently convinced of the ne cessity of marriage, therefore want no exhortations thereto; 'tis certain, says he, that though a virgin never proposes marriage, because of her modesty, there is nothing she so passionately wishes for; her heart often gives her mouth the lie; she often says I will not, when sometimes she dies for desire."

My limits will not permit my quoting from any other reviews in the work, though much instructive and enter. taining matter might be culled therefrom. I must, however, give a few specimens of the Alphabetical Table at the end of the work, which will give us some idea

of the questions which "the wisdom of our ancestors" | peace; and I caution his readers (they are but few

entertained thee with my annual productions; I hope | dictates; but Urania has been betrayed by her own to thy profit as well as mine. For besides the astro-sons; those whom she had favored with the greatest nomical calculations and other things usually contained skill in her divine art, the most eminent Astronomers in Almanacks, which have their daily use indeed while among the moderns, the Newtons, Halleys and Whistons, the year continues, but then become of no value, I have have wantonly contemned and abused her contrary to constantly interspersed moral sentences, prudent maxims, the light of their own consciences. Of these, only the and wise sayings, many of them containing much good last named, Whiston, has lived to repent and speak his sense in very few words, and therefore apt to leave strong mind honestly. In his former works he had treated and lasting impressions on the memory of young persons, judicial astrology as a chimera, and asserted that not only whereby they may receive benefit as long as they live, the fixed stars, but the planets (sun and moon excepted) when the Almanack and Almanack maker have been were at so immense a distance as to be incapable of any long thrown by and forgotten. If I now and then in- influence on this earth, and consequently nothing could sert a joke or two that seem to have little in them, my be foretold from their positions; but now, in the me apology is, that such may have their use, since perhaps moirs of his life, published 1749, in the eighty-second for their sake light airy minds peruse the rest and so of his age, he foretells, page 607, the sudden destruction are struck by somewhat of more weight and moment. of the Turkish Empire and of the House of Austria, The verses on the heads of the months are also gene-German Emperors, &c. and Popes of Rome; the Resrally designed to have the same tendency. I need not toration of the Jews and commencement of the Milletell thee, that not many of them are of my own making.|nium, all by the year 1766, and this not only from If thou hast any judgment in poetry, thou wilt easily discern the workman from the bungler. I know as well as thou, I am no poet born, and indeed it is a trade I never learnt nor indeed could learn. If I make verses, 'tis in spite of nature and my stars I write. Why then should I give my readers bad lines of my own, when good ones of other people are so plenty ? "Tis, methinks, a poor excuse for the bad entertainment of guests, that the food we set before them, though coarse and ordinary, is of one's own raising, off one's own plantation, etc. when there is plenty of what is ten times better to be had in the market. On the contrary, I assure ye, my friends, that I have procured the best I could for ye, and much good may't do ye.

I cannot omit this opportunity of making honorable mention of the late deceased ornament and head of our profession, MR. JACOB TAYLOR, who, for upwards of forty years, (with some few intermissions only) supplied the good people of this and the neighboring colonies with the most complete Ephemeris and most accurate calculations that have hitherto appeared in America. He was an ingenious mathematician, as well as an expert and skilful astronomer, and moreover no mean philosopher, but what is more than all, he was a PIOUS and HONEST man. Requiescat in pace.

I am thy poor friend to serve thee,

R. SAUNDERS.

The science of astrology is very happily ridiculed in an ironical commendation of it in the Almanack for

1751.

Scriptural prophecies, but (take his own words) “from the remarkable Astronomical signals that are to alarm mankind of what is coming, viz. the Northern Lights since 1715, the six comets at the Protestant Reformation in four years, 1530, 1531, 1533, 1534, compared with the seven comets already seen in these last eleven years, 1737, 1739, 1742, 1744, 1746, and 1748-from the great annular eclipse of the sun July 14, 1748, whose centre passed through all the four monarchies from Scotland to the East Indies-from the occultation of the Pleiades by the moon each periodical month after the eclipse last July, for above three years visible to the whole Roman Empire-from the comet of A.D. 1456, 1531, 1607 and 1682, which will appear again about 1757 ending, or 1758 beginning, and will also be visible through that Empire-from the Transit of Venus over the Sun May 26, 1761, which will be visible over the same Empire: and lastly, from the annular eclipse of the sun March 11, 1764, which will be visible over the same Empire." From these Astronomical signs he foretold those great events-that within sixteen years from this time, "the Millenium or 1000 years reign of Christ shall begin; there shall be a new heaven and a new earth; there shall be no more an infidel in Chris tendom, nor a gaming table at Tunbridge!" When these predictions are accomplished, what glorious proofs will they be of the truth of our art! And if they happen to fail there is no doubt that so profound an Astronomer as Mr. Whiston, will be able to see other signs in the heavens, foreshowing that the conversion of the infidels was to be postponed and the Millenium adjourned. After these great things, can any man doubt our being capable of predicting a little rain or sunshine? Reader, farewell, and make the best use of your years and your Almanacks, for you see that according to Whiston, you

Patowmack, July 30, 1750.

R. SAUNDERS.

"Courteous Reader,-Astrology is one of the most ancient sciences, held in high esteem of old by the wise and great. Formerly no prince would make war or peace, nor any general fight a battle; in short, no important affair was undertaken without first consulting an Astrologer, who examined the aspects and configu-may have at most but sixteen more of them. rations of the heavenly bodies, and marked the lucky hour. Now the noble art (more shame to the age we live in) is dwindled into contempt; the great neglect us; empires make leagues and parliament laws without advising with us; and scarce any other use is made of our learned labors, than to find out the best time of a cutting corns and gelding pigs. This mischief we owe in a great measure to ourselves; the ignorant herd of mankind, had they not been encouraged to it by some of us, would never have dared to depreciate our sacred

"Great Events from Little Causes," is the title of a translation from a French work, published in Dublin in 1768. We may easily imagine how interesting such work well executed must prove. It contains between fifty and sixty anecdotes from ancient and modern history. Had I room, I could copy nearly half the book without fearing to tire my readers, so true is it that "truth is strange, stranger than fiction." From Roman