tress to his arms by the dignity of title, or the splendour of equipage, sacrifices every thing that is dear to a man of sensibility and spirit. The certainty that he is solely indebted to the disinterested love of his mistress for the possession of her, is an advantage that fully compensates to the man of small fortune his deficiency in more shewy attainments. A Duke may perhaps be assured of the fidelity and affection of his wife, but he never can know if he was the object of the undisguised passion of his bride. H. J. P. LIBELS*. CONCERNING libels and libellers, much hath been said, and much hath been done. Indeed too much, as I am free to think; and I have often wished, that the public personages of the realm would not be quite so tender-fibred and irritable with regard to what is said or written about them. The famous reformer, Calvin, told Francis I. that "there would be no such thing as innocence, either in words or deeds, if a simple accusation was sufficient to destroy it :" nullam neque in dictis, neque in factis, innocentiam fore, si accusâsse sufficiat †. Now, if this be really so, as I verily believe it is: if censorious criticism, detraction, and calumny, must more especially accompany men engaged in the turbid sphere of active life: and if nothing can secure from these but imbecility, insignificancy, indolence, or obscurity,-of all which I am most firmly persuaded,-what is satire and abuse? no criterion, surely, of innocence or guilt: nothing, or it may be nothing, but the fermentations and ebullitions of human prejudices and human passions .-Besides, *Lord Bacon calls libels" the females of sedition;" as if the scolding, or tongue-part, of the conflict, were performed by them. Hist. of Henry VII. + In Dedicat. Institut. What is scandal? It is, as thus very justly defined, Sermo sine ullo certo auctore dispersus, cui malignitas; initium dedit, incrementum credulitas; quod nulli non, etiam innoentissimo, possit accidere: that is a vague aud scandalous report, from no certain author, invented by malice, and nurtured by credulity; and which" (contrary to the proverb of no smoke without fire" may be propagated of the most innocent man alive." Quintilian, V. 3. the prosecution, or (which they will always call it) the persecution, of libellers can never produce any other effect but to give weight and consequence to both the libel and the libeller: that of Tacitus being universally true, punitis ingeniis gliscit auctoritas. Nay, there is no occasion for ingenuity, if that idea be included here, to give a lustre to the prosecution; since nothing is more frequent than that writers of neither sense, nor wit, nor learning, nor honesty, become, by being prosecuted, possessed of them all. Philosophers have from time to time held out to poor sufferers in this way (I mean, to those who have wept under the smart of satire) certain medicamina mentis, certain specifics to render the mind callous and insensible to this sort of correction; and one of them, I think, prescribes the following recipe: "Whenever you labour under defamation, or whenever any thing false is reported to your discredit, consider that it is not you, but some imaginary personage, to whom the imputed infamy belongs." But this seems nothing near so efficacious as the virulence and malignity of the case may require. For if Robert, mistaking in the dark, should fall upon the shoulders of Richard with a cudgel, would the impressions be less forcible, or the sensations less lively, because Richard might not be the person for whom the favour was intended? There is more good sense, if not so much subtlety, in the saying of Augustus; who, when urged by his son-in-law to pursue this race of scribblers, replied, "Don't indulge a spirit of resentment against these our adversaries; it is quite sufficient that we are not in a situation to be hurt by any one:" satis est, mi Tiberi, si hoc habemus, ne quis nobis malè facere possit But neither does this entirely please me: for, first, this Emperor derived his boasted security from usurpation and tyranny; and then he afterwards became himself a severe prosecutor of libellous productions †. The example of Timoleon is more perfect in its kind. This wise and virtuous man, being wrongfully accused in an assembly of the people, instead of resenting or even taking it ill, thanked the immortal gods for granting what he had so often prayed for; which was, that" the Syracu Sueton, in Aug. 51. † Primus Augustus cognitionem de famosis Libellis, specie legis Mw, jestatis, tractavit. Tacit, Ann. I. men are now-0606 บท Bans might have the liberty of speaking what, and of whom, they would, with impunity *. This example is, I say, more perfect; but then, alas! it is too perfect for the age we live in: it is above the strength of men, as βροτοι εισι. I choose, therefore, upon the whole, to recommend the behaviour of the Emperor Constantine; who, being importuned to punish some seditious persons for disfiguring his statues by throwing stones at them, did nothing more than calmly stroke his face, and tell his friends with a smile, that he did not perceive himself to be hurt †. This cold contempt of what men say or think seems to have been the specific of our celebrated Dr. Swift against impressions from the malignity of scandal, as set forth in a poem he has left us; which, being short and edifying, may as well be here subjoined. ON CENSURE, IN 1727. Or how this evil can be borne, Which breeds at once both hate and scorn. Bare innocence is no support, When you are tried in Scandal's court. Stand high in honour, wealth, and wit: Conceive themselves in conscience bound Your altitnde offends the eyes Of those, who want the power to rise. "Alas! they would not do you wrong, Yet, whence proceeds this weight we lay Nepos in Timol. +Chrysostom, Homl, 20. ARABIAN GRATITUDE AND GENEROSITY. ALI-IBN-ABBAS, favourite of the Caliph Mamount and lieutenant of the police in the reign of this prince relates, in these terms, a story that happened to himself "I was one evening with the caliph, when a man, bound hand and foot, was brought in. Mamoun ordered me to keep a watchful eye over the prisoner, and to bring him the next day. The caliph seemed greatly irritated; and the fear of exposing myself to his resentment induced me to confine the prisoner in my haram, as the most secure place in my house. 66 I asked him what country he was of. He said, Damascus; and that his habitation was in the quarter of the great mosque. May Heaven, cried, I shower down the choicest of its blessings upon the city of Damascus, and particularly upon the quarter where you resided! He was solicitous to know the motive that so much interested me for that district. It is, said I, that I owe my life to a man that lived there. "These words excited his curiosity, and he conjured me to gratify it. It is many years since, continued I, that the caliph, dissatisfied with the viceroy of Damascus, deposed him. I accompanied the person whom the prince had appointed his successor; and at the instant we were taking possession of the governor's palace, a quarrel broke out between the new and the old go * Mamoun, son of the Caliph Aroun Alrachid. His name is famous all over the east; and he is reckoned the greatest prince of the Abbassidies family. He reigned twenty-eight years and eight months. He was a great warrior, of a sweet disposition, and liberal to excess but what most immortalised him was his love of learn ing. He was himself deeply versed in every science, but more espe cially in philosophy and astronomy. This is the prince that caused the most valuable books to be translated from the Greeks, their first masters. The Mahometan doctors have reproached, him with introducing philosophy, and the other speculative sciences, into Mahometanism; for the Arabians of his days were not accustomed to read any other books but what related to their own religion. This prince shewed equal favour to every man of knowledge, let his religion be what it would. The question abont the creation, or eternity, of the Alcoran, was started in his time, and occasioned much effusion of blood. He, with the smallest number of doctors, held it to be created. But the other doctors insisted, that the Alcoran, being the word proceeding from God, was eternal like himself: this sentiment is embraced by the present Mahometans, who consider all that deny that doctrine as infidels. vernor; the latter had posted soldiers who assaulted us: I escaped out of a window, and, finding myself pursued by other assassins, took shelter in your quarter. I observed a palace open, and seeing the master at the door, supplicated him to save my life. He immediately conducted me into the apartment of his women, where I continued a month in peace and plenty. "My host came one day to inform me, that a caravan was setting out for Bagdad; and that, if I wished to return to my own home, I could not avail myself of a more favourable opportunity. Shame held my tongue; and I had not courage to confess my poverty: I had no money, and for want of that should be forced to follow the caravan on foot. But how great was my surprise, when, on the day of departure, a very fine horse was brought me, a mule loaded with all sorts of provisions, and a black slave to attend me on the road! My generous host presented me at the same time a purse of gold, and conducted me himself to the caravan, where he recommended me to several of the travellers, who were his friends. These are the kindnesses I received in your city, and that render it so dear to me; all my concern is, that I have not hitherto been able to discover my generous benefactor. I should die content, could I find an opportunity of testifying my gratitude. "Your wishes are accomplished, cried my prisoner, in a transport. I am he that received you in my palace. Do you not remember me? The time that had elapsed since that event, and the grief into which he was sunk, had greatly altered his face; but, on a more close examination of his, features, I easily recollected him; aud some circumstances he brought to my mind left me not the least room to doubt but that the prisoner, who was then in danger of losing his life, was the very person who had so generously saved mine. I embraced him with tears in my eyes, took off his chains, and asked him by what fatality he had incurred the caliph's displeasure. Some contemptible enemies, he replied, have found means to asperse me unjustly to Mamoun: I was hurried away from Damascus, and cruelly denied even the consolation of embracing my wife and children: I know not what fate attends me; but as I have reason to apprehend my death is determined, I request you to acquaint them with my misfortunes. 66 No, said I to him, you shall not die; I dare give |
