1797-] 
nation. Iam, in fhort, politically fpeak- 
ing, a “on-emilty; Or, rather, am of that 
eek in fociety who, = a learned prelate 
pointedly soeciets ‘have nething to 
do with the laws, ce to obey ther. 
This would be exaétly my condition in 
Ruflia, Turkey, or Spain; it would be 
abfurd, therefore, in me» to confider 
myfelf as a member of a free: flate, or to 
indulge the feelings of one who 1s part of 
che commonwealth. 1 mut not only fub- 
mit to all that a majority determines 
(which is the neceflary condition of an 
individual in fociety) but I muit fubmit 
without an opportunity of making known 
my affent or diffent, without being heard 
perfonally, or by reprefentation. And 
fo much is this infignificance of perfons 
in my fituation reckoned a matter of 
courte, that even in meetings for the 
purpofe of promoting the general wel- 
feze, in points unconnected with indivi- 
dual rights, we are formally excluded. 
Such, then, am I, with relation to my 
place as one of the great civil community. 
~ J fhall now, a drop all confideration 
of myfelf, and haften to the general 
pee for the fake of which this 
etter is written. Much has been affert- 
a and argued with refpect to the ab- 
{tract rights of mankind in fociety ; and 
wide differences on thefe heads Mill con- 
tinue, which are not likely to be com- 
promifed; but, with regard to queftions 
of faét and expedience, one would think 
that common good fenfe might foor lead 
t0 uniform conclufiens. Haman nature 
being what it is, who will be fo weak as 
to fuppofe that ne who thing themfelves 
agerieved by the arbitrary diftingtions of 
fociety, can have wee fame attachment to 
its forms, as they who proftt by them? 
Unanimity is loudly called for, etek 
period confeffedly big with hazard to 
every part of the Eon iueion - ; but thall 
it be expected, that thofe who are infulr- 
ed, degraded, and reduced to infignifi- 
cance by that von, will attend to 
the call with the fame zen as thofe who 
are its fondlings and favourites? AM 
who live in the country have, no doubt, 
a ftake in its profperity ; but it is merely 
as far as direct confiderations of fafety to 
life and property extend, chat perfons 
circumftanced as Tf am, are interefted in 
its peculiar iidiednens: Many very 
effential changes might téke place, froth 
foreign or domeftic “caufes, which would 
Pe fo far from touching any thing dear to 
, that they might greatly meliorate our 
von It would feem as if it had 
been the very purpofe of feveral political 
> 
Similes of Flomer, ec. a 
 Reepuls:d 
427 
regulations, to wean a ere portion of 
the members of the ftate from that partial 
fondnets for their country, which fo rea- 
dily fteals upon an affe€tionate difpofition, | 
The angry and ‘cbftinate adherence to 
fome of thefe unequal regulations, when 
oppofed by arguments of reafon and 
equity, cannot but have ae dif- 
contents; and have, at leneth, produced 
alienations which may hereafter be fe/t, 
if they are now difregarded. This is 
‘plain language; but it is the language 
of true inftrwétion ; and fo much the 
worfe for thofe re cannot, or will. 
‘not, comprehend it! Reform, effential 
reform, is wanted (let it be believed !) 
not ony to improve the adminiftration of 
public affairs, but to give a commmoi inte- 
reft to the great body of the ftate,'to heal 
wounds rankling in the bofom of fociety, 
to convert fufpeéted fubje€ts into cordial 
friends. Your's, occ, 
London, Fune 6. M. Ds 

For the Minibip Magazine: . 
SrmILes oF Homer, Vi RGIL, AND 
MILTON (CONTINUED). 
THE SEA, SHIPS SAILING, &c. 
Wise ie gives a fimile, not borrowed’ 
from. Home R, but dines a from the 
accurate obfervation of another ftriking 
appearance belonging to the fea. He. 
has been relating “the adden flight, and 
as fudden rallying of the Latian cavalry + : 
Quailis ubi alterno procurrens gurg rite pontus 
Wane ruit ad terras, fcopulofque f fuperjacit undam - 
Spumeus, extremamque finu perfundit arenam : 
Nunc rapidus retro, atque aitu revoluta refor- 
bens ¥ 
Saxa, fugit ; 
littuf{que vado labente relinquit. 
ALN. xi. 624. 
So fwelling furges, witha thund’ring Fat, 
Driv’n on “each others backs, infult the there; 
Bound o’er the rocks, incroach upon the land, 
And far upon the beach eject the fand. 
Then backward with a twing they take their 
way, 
from upper ground, and feck their 
mother fea: 
-With equal hurry quit th’ invaded fhore, 
And {wallow back the dand and ftenes they | 
fpew’d before- DRYDEN, 
I choofe Dryden’s \tranflation here, as 
the mof nervous and ¢xprefiive, though 
coarfe and incerreét. The language in 
the original ts admitable; every word 
as its face and meaning, and cenen as 
precife as profe, ic has all the fpirit and 
elevation | of poetry. ‘Ehis is, indeed, 
/?RGIL's characteriftic excellence; to 
be perfeétly clear, pure, and exaét in His 
diction, and yet highly warm, energetis, 
and. 
