Nature I always thought the most use. ful object of human reason, and to make the consideration of it pleasant and entertaining, I always thought the best employment of human wit : other parts of philosophy may per haps make us wiser, but this not on. ly answers that end but makes us bet. ter too. POPE. NATURE is an ocean of wonder, and a subject that can never be exhausted. The sons of men have ever laboured and must still continue, in their searches into it, to labour in vain, in regard to any extensive or perfect knowledge of it-For as it is altogether the work of the most high God, so it must for that reason be forever incomprehensible to man- Man is indeed suffered to cast a weak eye upon and behold it far off; for near it, in its whole circumference, || his understanding cannot comeNor is he more able to take a distinct view of it, than the natural eye of the body is fully to behold the sun, without much labourHe sees nothing but the surface of the earth he treads on, and withal is able to endure very little, and almost nothing more. have gone farther, or done more than that in comparison of the whole; and many of them, after infinite labour, have done little more than wonder at it all their lives, and told us how ignorant they were, and unequal to the great work and part they chose. Nature ever was and will be an admired mistress, having infinite and incomparable charms; forever as it were in their birth, young, gay, sprightly and beautiful; always in health, vigour and bloom; partly maintained in the sense and mind of man, by the distance she always keeps him at; never suffering him to be familiar, or use such freedoms as tend to surfeit or pall the mind, but only just admitting acquaintance enough to raise and maintain admiration and astonishment-And thus she manages it, that " 80 far shalt thou go and no farther;" there being fuel and a fund of riches in nature, together with a stock of ignorance in man, sufficient to support and maintain it for ever, exactly in the manner that it hath hitherto been. Men have capacities to admire, though not to understand any more than just to create that admiration; and that they should be in love and ravished with nature, and sometimes embrace her too long and too much, and beyond their strength and abilities, is not very strange or wonderful, when the object is well examined and tho There have been millions of men in all ages eternally at work, digging and deiving, and prying into nature; some laying hands on and catching at one particle, and Pome another; for few or none Il roughly considered. The infinite All nature is exceeding good natured and kind to man, and expands her charms for the entertainment of the whole reasonable creation in so beautiful a manner. that it is impossible for him to turn his eye, or be where it is not: if he looks inward it abounds there, if outward, it is there; if upwards or downwards it is there also; offering its assistance and service continually as a reward to those natural desires which we employ in our applications to her, which will constantly bear a proportion the one to the other-For nature, notwithstanding she is benevolent and kind, yet will not dance without being played to. She will forever do her own part, but then it will be forever in such a manner as constantly to maintain her own dignity and value, and, as with care, avoid all degrees of prostitution; and, on the contrary, always as it were, pe severe so far in a kind of coyness, as to excite diligence, and make labour necessary, in a very absolute sense, as nature is such an infinite piece of work, both in degree and magnitude, and the rate and price of understanding each so various and different, in proportion to what we would purchase by it, or wish to attain or enjoy in lieu of it. Nature, to employ our faculties and activity, and keep up a sense of the worth and value of her treasures, hath, as it were, set them up by auction, and made the best bidder the buyer; and, our natural capacities considered, the price of such glorious things as wisdom and understanding, and right reason and judgment is only diligence, application and labour. These are the conditions of sale, and doubtless they are exactly reasonable; for what would we have without it, or what could be had without it: for, without proper desire, nature has nothing for us, that can be at all pleasing or grateful, if it were so put in our way, that we could not avoid stumbling on it; as it is from that desire that makes us labour, that we have a sense of the worth of things, without which they would be quite insipid, and we should have no more sense of them than stones, or the inanimate creation. JN.LS BS. Cherry-Street, June 27, 1810. The true art of making gold is to have a good estate, and to spend but little. LONDON FASHIONS FOR MARCH. An eminent writer addressing himself to the female sex,observes "Dress is an important article in female life. The love of dress is natural, therefore it is proper and reasonable. Good sense will regulate your expense in it, and good taste will direct you to dress in such a way as to conceal any blemishes, and set off your beauties, if you have any, to the greatest advantage. But much delicacy and judgment are required in the application of this rule. A fine woman shews her charms to most advantage when she seems most to conceal them. The finest bosom in nature is not so fine as what imagination forms. The most perfect elegance of dress appears always the most easy and the least studied." Pelisses and Mantles have undergone no variation since our last communications. A mantie of very pale lawn color Merino cloth with large hood, lined with pink silk, worn with a Highland cap of the same material, ornamented with two small flat ostrich feathers of the same color, is a most becoming dress to a fair complexion. We have observed several in very dark green, lined with pink or orange, with straw cottage bonnets trimined with velvet flowers or shaded ostrich feathers. Pelisses are made to fit tight to the shape, ming of sable or of the Nootka Sound otter. They are mostly made in velvet of the color of rubies, garnet, royal purple, or puce; some are ornamented round the bottom with a very broad embossed figured ribband. Morning Dresses are still made. in a plain cambric, with oblong spots or sprigs of lace let in on the bosom and sleeves. Small lace caps tied down with coloured silk or gause handkerchiefs, ornamented in front with a dem tiara of fancy flowers, or a knot of canunculus. Gloves and shoes of correspondent colour. Dinner or Home Dresses are mostly composed of stuff, cloth or velvet, embroidered or trimmed. with gold, with long sleeves and moderate trains; either high in the neck with a falling collar of worked muslin, or fuil twill of lace, or just above the rise of the bosom with a white crape habit shirt or standing frill of lace plain, round the neck. Velvet Turkish caps, gold bands, and spangled nets, are much worn on the head. Bands in every species of jewels are now the prevailing ornaments for the head; they are worn low over the face, with a diamond or other open work, clasp or loop in the centre of the forehead. The hair curled on each side in ringlets, the hind hair brought forward, and disposed so as to fall over the left side of the face. No variety has taken place in shoes; they are still embroidered in without a band, with a broad trim- "gold or silver in the device of a star In respect to the jewellery, the greatest novelty is the band for the head; they are formed by two rows of coloured stones or pearls fastened to an ornament in the centre. Girdles in colored gems distinguish the woman of fashion. Ear-rings are made in the top and drop fashion. Broaches in the form of sprigs or flowers with gems of appropriate hues. The prevailing colors for the season are ruby, garnet, puce, purple, orange, grass green and coquelicot. FASHIONS FOR APRIL. FOR LADIES. Group of female figures in Evening or Opera Dress-The erect figure represents a female in a la Russe, of spring green velvet, with appliqued stomacher and slashed long sleeve of white satin, orna, mented with pearl. A mirza turban of frosted sattin, with large crescent in front. White sattin mantle, trimmed with gossamer down, and confined in front of the throat with a diamond broach.— Diamond neck-lace and ear-rings. White sattin slippers, laced and bound with silver. White Kid gloves, and fan of carved ivory. Sitting Figure.-A white sattin slip a la antique, trimmed with gothic lace; long sleeve, full at the top, with cuffs to correspond with the stile of the dress. Laced stomacher front, peaked both behind and before at the bottom of the waist. Hair in the eastern style, confined with a comb ornamented with pink topaz, and flowing in loose irregular curls over the bands in front. Ear-rings and neck-lace of pink topaz, Pink sattin slippers, with silver gothic clasps. White crape fan, wrought in silver jessamine. Figure in the shade.-A Grecian frock of aurora gause, worn over white satin, laced from the bosom to the feet with silver. A nun's veil of gossamer net lace, thrown over a head dress, consisting of a silver bandeau, confining the hair, which appears beneath in dishevelled curls. FOR GENTLEMEN. Full Dress.-Superfine corbeau colour coat, with marcellas waistcoat, single-breasted; light sage green, or cream coloured kerseymere breeches, also those of black florentine silk are very fashionable and consistent in this style of dress. -Dark blue coats, with plain gilt buttons are likewise considered fashionable. The cravat is still worn high and full. Morning Dress-consists chiefly of dark coloured mixed coats, with long waists, and narrow lappels and collars the coat cut very high in the neck. Double breasted striped waistcoats, formed of various materials, such as marcellas, buff kerseymere, &c. Ribbed kerseymere breeches, with high-top boots; also plain stocking pantaloons with half boots. Pearl buttons are a fashionable appendage to this style of male costume. GENERAL OSSERVATIONS. There can be no doubt that the female dress of the present day, is in much bet ter taste than at any former period. A fashionable assembly from the variety it presents to the eye, seems like a masquerade collection of the costume of the different nations of the world. This is as it should be, in a country whose very existence depends upon commerce, and the object of whose speculations is to draw together the productions of every quarter of the globe, it seems quite con sistent, that the dress of its inhabitants should bear some analogy to the spirit of its pursuits; and surely as far as taste is concerned, this mode is far preferable to that dull, monotonous, unva ried system, in which every member of a party, like the shrubs of Timon's Villa is the exact counterpart of her compa mion. "Grove nods at grove, each ally has a brother, "And half the platform just reflects the other." It is of importance, however, that prosperity should in some measure regulate the vagaries of fancy, and that the dress of every actor in this gay and va. ried scene, besides being in harmony with the character of the wearer, should be consistent with itself. I would not have the sentiment of religion and festi. vity mingled in the same person, nor the warm garments of the fur-clad inhabi. tants of the north, united to the light and gossamer-like drapery of the Eastern nations. A Carmelite tippet will ill accord with a Circassian head dress, a Spanish hat with a cottage cloak, or the cockle slouch of the bare-footed pilgrim with robes that indicate gaiety and pleasure. Ackerman's Repository. Paint and patches offend the husband, but inyite the gallant. For the Lady's Miscellany. TO THE EDITORS. Gentlemen. At an old town in England named Ross, situated on the banks of the Wye, amidst a fertile and delightful country, every heart of sensibility will feel its best emotions excited on being told, that it was the birth place, the residence, and the place where Pope's "Man of Ross' lies buried. The house which formerly belonged to him is now an inn, and on one of the window-shutters is written the subsequent inscription, by some unknown Traveller. The lines are so fine, that I could not refrain from communicating them to you, Your's, respectfully, LINES. JOSEPHUS. Here dwelt the Man of Ross. Tra. veller! here Departed merit claims the rev'rend tear ; Friend to the friendless, to the sick man health, With generous joy he view'd his modest wealth. If near this roof thy wine cheer'd mo. ments pass, Fill to the good man's name one grateful glass To higher red shall memory wake the soul, And virtue mingle in the enobled bowl; Here cheat thy cares, in generous visi ons melt, And dream of goodness thou hast never felt. |