170 @ vision. Sept. 25 
tion, yet the circumstance which I am _ now to re- 
Iate, made a deep an indelible. imprefsion on my 
mind. One evening a few weeks ago, I was me- 
ditating on the distracted and melancholy state of 
the nation. My thoughts were insensibly carried 
farther. I considered the condition of man under 
the various forms of government which have exist- 
ed. I viewed him groaning under the yoke of des- 
pctism. I saw the inhabitants »fa large country, 
the slaves of one insignificant fellow creature, com- 
pelled to receive his will as a law, forced to obey 
the most tyrannical mandates. I beheld the inno- 
cent man dragged from his family, denied an oppor- 
tunity of vindicating himself from the accusations of 
his enemies, perifhing under the stroke of the exe- 
cutioner. I beheld the good citizen, who by ho- 
nest industry, had gained a competent fortune, de- 
prived of the fruit of his labours, and thrown with- 
out a friend upon a hard hearted world. 
‘¢ Tired with this thocking picture, I turned to one 
of an opposite kind. I saw a people uncontrolled by 
authority a prey to unbotinded licentiousnefs. My 
blood froze with horror. Thousands fell butchered 
at the pleasure of a demagogue. Virtue hid its head. 
Every thing sacred was trampled under foot. 
‘*{ thought on Sparta. Its harfh restraint ill suited 
to the nature of man, far lefs to the manners of the 
present time, filled me with disgust. I looked on 
Athens the seat of the arts. There continual fac- 
ijons raged; merit and patriotism were the infalli- 
ble conductors to ignominy and ruin. Rome, the 
inistrefs of the world, struggled with internal dif. _ 
9 Oe ee 
