ia2 THE RUilAL SOCPtATES. 



■hcie recreations, though commonly regarded as innc 

 cent. 



1 cannot avoid upon this occafion relatirsg an anecdot; 

 concerning Kiiyogg whicli pafled in my own hoiire."^*"'% 

 The celebrated M. dc Meckel cf Baik"^-, having ieatcd 

 lumfelF for the purpofe cf drawing the portrait of my 

 country friend, Kliyogg laughed at my having defired 

 this, and lent himfelf to it purely out of friendlhip. *' It 

 *' is not (laid he) that it co(h me njuch to fit flill, but 

 '"' I do not fee to what good this tends : if you, howev- 



'^r, perceive any, I confent very readily, foi you know 

 ^' that I do not underhand thefe matters/' M. Meckel 

 ':Quid not ceafe to admire the heavenly fparks of fire, 

 -vhich came from his eyes 3 a llriking (Ign to a pliyfiog- 

 nomiii, of force of underflanding, philanthropy, and 



nward content. — But in the midfl: of the operation, the 



haracterifiic traits of the countenance fuddenly difap- 

 pear^d ^ the mufcles v/cre no longer rounded, the eyes 

 ^ccame extinguifned, and the face offered nothing but 



vrinkles. They had jufl: given the melancholy fignal 

 for the approaching execution of an unfortunate v;o- 



lajn, who had dellroyf^d the unhappy fruit of her illicit 



;a(Iions. " Gracious heaven, faid he, to what purpofe is 

 ^ It to behead this miferable creature, (who it feems 



" was from riis ncigliborhood) ? The evil ought to 

 "'' have been ftifiedin its origin : the firif errors of this 



• girl ihould have been prevented, when (lie was fecn 



• abandoning hcrfelf to idicncfs, frequenting alehoufcs 



• on fcaft-days, and giving her;telf up to corrupting di- 

 '- verfions. ' It is then that authority ought to have in- 



' tevfci'Ci] a^d ihevv^n its ieverity. It is now too late ;and 

 ' the cruel fpet^lacie which is a'bbut to take place, will 

 " be without elfedl, af /or/g as youth are permitted to 

 ■ con/ider the firjl ftcps towards vice as innocent amale^ 

 ' ments.^'-^^-^^, 'i'heie imprclfsons in Kliyogg are the 

 cfakof his never having quitted the circle of occupa- 



• tion? 



'.ngrsretaaJ prinr f=l!er at B..fi* Is Sviiz^rland.- 



