446 
astonishing dexterity in imitating the 
actions and gestures of the English gen- 
tlemen of distinction in the colony. It 
occurred to me, when reading Mr. Bing- 
ley’s amusing account of the stratagems 
of apes and monkeys, in your last, that 
an easy sulution of this seeming dithiculty 
may be fouad. These animals, it seems, 
excel rational creatures in their powers 
ef mimickry. From which, it is just to 
infer, that it is an excellence of the low- 
est kind, equally if not more allied to 
the bratal than rational nature; and is 
indebted for its powers of action, more 
to flexibilty of body, than acuteness of 
mind. Indeed, it is generally the case, 
that people of merely mimetick talents 
are either children or narrow-minded 
men. From all which, it is evident, that 
the imitative dexterity of the New Hol- 
landers, forms no plea in their favour; and 
is & circumstance consistent only with 
the other parts of their character. This 
view of the above facts may perhaps be 
of use to the future philosopher, who may 
favour the world with a comp ete pic- 
ture of this debased race of men. 
Bedford Row, 
<r 
Your’s, &c. 
March 18, 1807. W.N. 
Se 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
| AM one of those persons among your 
numerous readers, who amuse them- 
selves with deducing principles, accord- 
ing to the rules of Lord Bacon, from the 
multitude of curious facts with which 
your valuable miscellany abounds. 
_ I contess, that there 1s no part of your 
Magazine, from which, siuce its’ com- 
mencement, I have derived more solid 
instruction, than from your well-arranged, 
provincial intelligence; an original fea- 
ture of your work, which has, I observe, 
been attempted to be imitated by the 
race of plagiarists, who have, for several 
years past, successively obtruded them- 
selves on the credulity of the public. 
Tn the perusal of your records of mor- 
tality, I have been particularly struck 
with the circumstance of the great num- . 
ber of persons, who every month lose 
their lives, through accidents from riding 
on horseback; one half of which are 
occasioned by the dragging of unhorsed 
persons in the stirrup! 
Now, Sir, the old story of Columbus 
breaking the egg, is a labyrinth of per- 
plexity, compared with the simplicity of 
the means by which fatal accidents, 
from this cause may be prevented. At 
present, it is the practice of stirrup-ma- 
Contributions to English Synonymy. 
(June }, 
kers, to make the fron so large, as ta 
admit the instep and heel of the rider, to 
pass through it, if need be. Can any 
absurdity be so great as this practice? 
Tas a man any occasion at any time to 
pass his foot through the ring of the 
stirrupf—and jf not, why is it made so 
large as to lead unnecessarily to an acci- 
dent, which it is almost toe herrid to 
contemplate ? 
Let the ring of stirrups then be made 
of such depth, as only to admit the foet 
as far as the rise of the instep; and it 
becomes obviously impossible, that an 
unhorsed person should be dragged to. 
death by the entanglement of the foot! 
April 10, 1807. C.3. 
Ee 
For the Monthiy Magazine. 
CONTRIBUTIONS 10 ENGLISH SYNONYMY, 
“Sympathy. Compassion. Pity. Commise- 
ration. 
YMPATHY is Greek, and Compas- 
sion is Latin, for undergoing—to- 
gether. But the Greek verb, pemg more 
trequently applied to emotions beth of 
the pleasing and painful kind,than the 
derived Latin verb, whichis confined to 
unwelcome sensations ; sympathy is come 
to signify participation in the affections 
of others, without regard to their nature 3 
whereas, compassion implies participa- 
tion in the paimful perceptions of an-- 
Sympathy is fellow-feeling; and- 
Whether 
other. 
compassion 1s fellow-suffermg. 
we rejoice with those who rejoice, or 
mourn with those who mourn, we indulge 
sympathy; but our compassion is exer- 
cised only in the house of grief. 
Pity deseribes pain occasioned by 
the pain of another, jut not pain of the 
same kind. 
pity a family in want, without any ap- 
prehension of identical calamity. There 
is a self-complacence, a secret triumph, 
connected with that tenderness for un- 
easiness, which is called pity. The gods 
are supposed to pity the misfortunes of 
mankind; but compassion belongs to _ . 
those who are liable to alike fate. Com- 
miseration means fellow-pity: pity felt 
in common with others. ‘The spectators 
of a tragedy coimmiserate the distresses 
of the hero, Hooker uses this word 
inpurely, where he says: 
- These poor seduced creatures, whom 
\ 
We pity a man in disgrace, © 
without feeling mvolved in his woe; we 
I can neitiser speak nor think of, but. 
with much commiseration and pity.” | 
Where there is no one to partake the 
emotion, there can be no commiseration. ¢ 
Locke, 
