Part 64 (1/2)

_UTILE DULCI._

THE NEW-YORK WEEKLY MAGAZINE; or, Miscellaneous Repository.

+Vol. II.+] +Wednesday, October 26, 1796.+ [+No. 69.+

A SENTIMENTAL FRAGMENT.

It was low ebb when our vessel made the offing of Dublin bay, and it being then night, we lay at anchor till morning. The moon shone remarkably bright, and reflected in silver shades upon the sea, which waved with a gentle heaving---a murmur---it was nature sighing with a love-creating respiration.

For some leagues on each side the harbour's mouth it was encircled with a fleet of herring boats, and I not being inclined to sleep, accompanied the captain in the yawl, to visit them.

The drawing of the herring nets, is, perhaps, the most pleasing and beautiful sight the human mind can conceive: the fish, as they are hawled up the vessel's side, sparkle like diamonds.

I could not but express my surprize to the captain at the quant.i.ty taken; and by him was informed, that these sculls approached the coast by millions and tens of millions, extending many miles, and swimming several fathoms deep over one another. They make their way through the sea, as men do on earth, each individual striving to be uppermost, and with this stronger circ.u.mstance of similarity, that the fish which gets uppermost is always in most danger.

”I shall eat half a dozen of these herrings,” said the captain, as he took about a dozen out of a net without leave or notice, to the boatman, who made no objection. ”I shall eat half a dozen of these herrings,”

said he, ”when I return to my vessel.”---”What, captain, must six lives be sacrificed to satisfy your appet.i.te at one meal?”

For half a moment I was converted by this reflection to the religion of the Indian Bramins, who refuse all animal food; but the captain who was a philosopher, as suddenly induced me to apostatize from my new opinion.

A number of large porpoises or sea hogs, were sporting round.---”Why not eat them?” said the captain, pointing to the porpoises; ”those creatures feed upon herrings, and innumerable great fish feed upon them; and it is the same to the herring, whether he is eaten by a porpoise or by a man.”

”Very true,” said I, ”there are sea monsters, who live upon their fellow-creatures as well as land monsters, who devour each other.”

”It is impossible to understand those affairs, or the reason of them,”

observed the captain; ”I have got a microscope on board, and I'll prove to you that innumerable animals perish at every suction of your breath.

The great difference between voracious fish, voracious quadrupeds, voracious birds, and voracious man, is this: the first three cla.s.ses eat to satisfy hunger only, and devour without preparation; but the cruelty which man inflicts upon those creatures Providence has empowered him to use for his sustenance, may be considered as a species of ingrat.i.tude, which of all crimes merits the severest punishment.”

+Wisdom and Virtue.+

Wisdom or virtue is nothing more than the disposition to attain and enjoy the greatest happiness, with the knowledge how to attain and to bestow it.

Wisdom has ever some benevolent end in her purposes and actions; on the contrary, folly either mistakes evil for good, or, when she a.s.sumes the nature of vice, entertains a malevolent intention.

The advantages and defects of nature mould be considered as common to society: the weak have a claim to the a.s.sistance of the strong; the strong derive a pleasure from a.s.sisting the weak; and the wise are so far happy as the well disposed partake of their wisdom.

There is no one virtue that includes not, in a general sense, all other virtues. Wisdom cannot subsist without justice, temperance, and fort.i.tude, for wisdom is the sum of all these. It is impossible to be just without temperance, or temperate without fort.i.tude, and so alternately of the rest.

MORAL MAXIMS.

A man without merit may live without envy; but who would wish to escape on these terms?

Live so as to hold yourself prepared either for a long life or a short one.