1797-] 
Yer for thefe evils we have no re- 
medy. What avails it to fortify the 
mind againft covetoufnefs, againft am- 
bition, againft the fears of death, when 
amidit our fpeculations on fuch abftract 
and diftant fubjeéts, a vifitgremains un- 
returned, or a mantua-maker has for- 
gotten her orders ? We may bear up 
 againft the pangs of defpifed love, and 
the oppreffor’s wrongs, but it requires 
no {mall fhare of philofophy to behold 
the china in ruins, and the canary-bird 
a prey to the undiftinguifhing ferocity of 
acat. How many have we feen bury a 
wife, in “all the decent manlinefs of 
grief,” who have been tortured almoft to 
madnefs when they beheld the meat 
{poiled, the butter rancid, or the pie over- 
‘baked 1 How many, who can fubmit with 
patience to the diforders attendant on a 
date period of life, are mere children in 
philofophy, fhould they come late into the 
theatre, their favourite fong paft, and 
their places taken } 
' He, therefore, who would prefcribe 
for fuch calamities, would be a general 
benefaétor. It would require, however, 
that he fhould not- merely poffefs the 
aufterity of an ancient philofopher, that 
he fhould be able to harangue like So- 
erates, or epiftolize like Seneca: it 
would require that he fthould be a man of 
the world; and apply his remedies where 
the diforder was contracted. In my laft 
excurfion to the-watering places, [ had 
many melancholy initances of the great 
need the vifitors of thofe places ftand in 
for fuch a philofopher. Of what avail 
would it be to preach there about the 
common and vulgar afperities of human 
life, and omit the more important and 
‘trying circumftances. of a cruel rain, a 
perverfe raffie, and a morbid cunuz? to 
have a party of pleafure broke up juft as 
the fet is made up; tu be within one of 
the lucky number ; and to be tormented, 
perhaps for a day, with dont-know-how- 
s/bnefs 2? thefe, indeed, are calamities ; 
they wring the heart, they put the tem- 
per to a fevere trial, {poil the appetite, 
cover the countenance with a deadly pale, 
and drive fleep from the eyes, and flum- 
her from the eyelids. Muft they not, 
_ therefore, be greatly aggravated, when 
no affiftance is at hand, no foothiag con- 
folation nigh, nor friend to fympathize, 
no kindred bofom to fhare the grief 
eS RE Rg I ESE 7 
But we need not leave this epitome of 
the world, the metropolis, far inftances 
Confolation for Ideal Calamities. oF 
of calamity for which we feek in vain 
after confolation. Men of callous minds, 
who have not learned the fweer luxury 
of fympathy with the diftreffes of others, 
may view the ftock-lift ‘* in the calm 
lights of mild philofophy.” Ah! little 
do they know the infelicity which a frac- 
tion gives, nor the mifery that hangs 
upon a half per cent.: nor how much 
eafier it is to put off the thoughts of 
eternity than to difpel the fears of a 
bargain for time.—In the higher ranks, 
let us behold the diftrefs of lady A. 
when fhe finds that lady B. has two more 
card-tables at her rout, and, perhaps, 
fix more perfons of fafkion on her lift. 
No lefs affli€tive is it to be outdone in the 
fplendour of one’s equipage, the rich- 
nefs of one’s liveries, the number of 
footmen, or of horfes. 
Such, fir, are a few of the calainities of 
human life, for which I can find no fources 
of confolation among divines and philofo- 
phers. Whether they thought fuch matters 
too much above, or toomuch beneath their 
concern, I know not ; but certain it is, ald 
our Solamina miferis are very deficient in 
fuch important matters. his is a want 
which I hope to fee {peedily fupplied. 
The circulation of youf# Magazine is 
fuch as entitles me to expect with cer- 
tainty that this peper will meet the eye 
of fome perfon qualified for the tatk. It 
would be an expenfive work, in all pro- 
bability, becaufe it muft neceffarily be a 
voluminous one, but the expence would 
be more than defrayed by a general fub- 
{cription among the unhappy fufferers. 
I have already hinted that the fre- 
quency of thefe calamities renders fuch a - 
work more neceflary than all our other 
fyftems of philofophy. A man Cannot 
lofe above two or three affe€tionate wives 
‘in his whole life; but he may lofe a 
{plendid dinner every week; anda lady 
of rank may weep over the grave of 
twenty lap-dogs, before fhe has an op- 
portunity to pay the laft duties of friend- 
fhip to a much-lamented hufband. We 
may not be ambitious of a place at court, 
but it is infupportable not to havea place 
at anew play. We may not be detirous 
to make a fortune rapidly, but not to 
make a party rapidly when *¢ Ranelagh’ 
{trikes upon the ear, is one of the mof 
trying ‘* calamities that flefh is heir to.” 
Iam, fir, your’s, 
SOLOMON SYMPATHY. 
Feb, 19. 
“ cn 5 . To 
a 
