encreased splendour of living, in order to obtain further credit, and induce their rich acquaintance to entrust their money to them.

Perhaps this last instance of practical lying may, like the others, be classed under the head of Lies of vanity; but though it is the most unprincipled, most selfish, and most destructive of all such lies, it is not the most contemptible. With one other practical lie of vanity, I shall close my list of lies for the present. Who has not seen an elderly man or woman, forbidden by the dread of appearing old to use spectacles, hold an object near, at a distance, and in various directions, in order to obtain that correct view which the defect in the sight denies, and then give an opinion of its beauty or ugliness, its merit, or demerit, without having the slightest real idea on the subject. But this lie is at once an uttered and an acted lie-and thus concludes my list.

I often indulge in Utopian reveries, and one is, that of a Society formed of persons resolved, through all temptations, never to violate the truth but I must own, that the members capable of forming such a Society, or perhaps of enjoying it, are not of my acquaintance, and, I believe, are not known to any one else; for I know not a human being whom good motives, if not bad ones, do not sometimes lead to violate, or withhold the truth, and who does not believe that some sort of mental reservation is always to be permitted.

If I search for such persons amongst my most seriously religious friends, even there my search too often fails; and potent as religion is in purifying the heart, and in rectifying all erroneous ideas of morals; swift and sure, too, as it is in its power of teaching sacrifices, and to endure privations, how is this inconsistency to be accounted for? I can only account for it thus: that those deeply religious convictions, which tend the most surely and powerfully to regulate the conduct in little as well as great things,

are most commonly learnt in the middle, or decline of life; and that erroneous habits, both of thought and conduct, are, then, become so powerful, that even the best grounded piety finds it difficult to subdue, or change them. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that lying is so general a vice, and is, probably, the most general. A confessor once told a friend of mine, that it was the one most frequently confessed to him. It is, then, to the next and rising generation alone, that we can look for that strictness of moral conduct, of which the sacredness of truth, on all occasions, shall be made the great corner-stone; and habits of truth inculcated, as most precious and acceptable in the sight of God, and most universally beneficial to man; and earnestly, most carnestly do I conjure all those, who have the care of youth, to consider this important subject seriously, and incessantly.For myself, I can only say, that I could not be easy in mind, were I to confine my exertions on this subject to the present defective and crude observations. Till I cease to exist, or till my faculties are impaired, it must ever be to me one of the most interesting of enquiries. In the meanwhile, I shall think that I have not lived in vain, if what I now give to the world should call the attention of more powerful thinkers, and better writers than myself, to a serious investigation of the meanness and the mischief of every denomination of lying, or of lies.

Of the mischievous nature, and of the impolicy of lying, and of the certain benefits to be derived from speaking the truth, I shall treat in a future communication on this subject. I also liope to shew, that truth may be strictly adhered to, without its being at all necessary to wound the feelings of any one, or to violate the dictates of benevolence.-I shall, likewise, mention such authors, and refer to such books, as treat on sincerity, and of the advantages of a strict adherence to truth.

PHILO-VERITAS.

During the foregoing transactions, my mind was in a state I cannot well describe; my thoughts were all confusion, while, at the same time, I struggled to be calm and composed. Poignant as were my feelings, I gazed on my dying relative with a sort of apathy of grief; and, at the moment when nature was yielding up the contest, I could not shed a tear; in a short time, all quitted the apartment, and I was left alone. The branches of the huge elm trees, with their thickening foliage partially screening the window, made the scene, under such circumstances, awfully gloomy and tranquil. I took several turns about the room; and, with a soft step, I approached the bed, gazed a moment, turned away, and then going up to the window, strove to divert my thoughts, by looking at the surrounding land

scape.

Twilight was descending, and the sober hues of evening gradually enveloped the lofty hills; no sound struck my car, except the faint and low murmurs of the brook, which brawled down the valley at the bottom of the flinty knowe-the shout, softened by distance, of the peasant, committing his steeds to the pasture and now and then, the solitary barking of a shepherd's dog among echoing dales, attendant on his master folding the charge for the night. I had not stood at the casement many minutes, when my cousins, all talking in a rude, noisy, and indecorous manner, came into the room with the will, which, it seems, they had departed in search of, the moment the testator had expired.I was a good deal shocked at the frivolity they manifested, and could not help reproving them, though in a mild and gentle manner, for the little respect they paid to the memory of the deceased." Why, ye ken," said one, "he tauld us to read the will amaist as soon as he died."

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gude man, and we'll mind our's," rejoined a third, rather gruffly, so that my well-meant admonitions had no better effect than to cause me to

be more disliked by the party; for I could perceive, before this, that they looked upon me in the light of an unwelwelcome intruder.

The will was now read, to which all paid the greatest attention; a mute anxiety and deep interest sat upon every countenance : their aspects were, however, instantly changed into those of intense disappointment and vexation, on hearing that my uncle had made a stranger, whom none of us knew, the heir of all his property, real and personal. For my own part, this circumstance did not affect me in the least; I had not had any expectation of inheriting the smallest portion, therefore, could not feel disappointed on the occasion. But with the others it was different; they had clung to him like so many leeches, or like the ivy to an old ruin; and with about as much affection as the two beforementioned things have for the objects to which they so closely adhere. A most appalling and disgusting scene now took place among the disappointed legacy-hunters-they abused the old man in the most shocking terms; they taxed him with injustice and villainy, and even proceeded to call down imprecations upon his lifeless corse. I shuddered at the conduct of the unprincipled villains; I trembled at the impiety of men, who could, at a time the most solemn and impressive to a human being, act in a manner sufficient to call down upon them immediate and divine vengeance. I was chilled with horror; I almost expected every moment to see the lifeless corpse of my uncle start from the bed on which it lay, to take vengeance on the audacious wretches.-Once, indeed, I actually thought I saw his lips quiver with rage, his eyebrows knit together, and all the muscles of his countenance contract into a dreadful frown.-I shuddered at the sight, and withdrew my gaze.

At length, they went into the kitchen, and left me, once more,

alone in the chamber of death.I went to the bed-side, and the scene I had just witnessed operated so upon my feelings, that I burst into tears, and uttered aloud my lamentations over my lifeless relative. When this ebullition had somewhat subsided, I began to reflect a little where I was, and a sort of timidity came creeping over me. There is an undefinable apprehension which we feel while we are in company with the dead. We imagine, in spite of the efforts of reason, that the departed spirit is hovering near its former tenement; at least, it is the case with myself. It now being quite dark, and having these feelings in a strong degree, it is no wonder that I rather preferred the company of the wretches in the kitchen, than remain alone where I was.

I accordingly proceeded thither, where I found them all carousing round a large table'; on which was placed the fragments of the dinner, and plenty of liquor. I reminded them of our promise, to place my uncle's old two-armed chair at the head of the table, as he had requested, which they had neglected to do, and which they now strenuously opposed me in doing.I was, however, reso lutely determined to have it done, and at length succeeded. I then retired to the fire-side, where I sat without taking any part in the conversation, or in any thing that passed during the whole evening. I shall pass over the several succeeding hours, the whole of which they sat drinking, till they were all, in a greater or less degree, intoxicated, and generally brawling, wrangling, and swearing, in a loud and boisterous manner. The night became stormy as it advanced; the wind rose, and, at intervals, moaned, sighed, and whistled shrilly with out, roared in the wide chimney, and, as it furiously bent the trees, in which the house was embosomed, made a sound similar to the dashing of waves on the shore of the ocean.

The rain fell in torrents, and the large drops pattered against the window with a ceaseless and melancholy cadence.

It was now getting nigh the "witching time o' night," and I saw no signs of the revellers quitting the

table; on the contrary, they grew more loud and boisterous. In obedience to their imperious commands, yet, evidently, with the greatest reluctance, Peggy had kept replenish ing the exhausted vessels with more liquor, and their demands increased in proportion to the reluctance with which they were satisfied. At length, however, on receiving an intimation from me that I would interpose, she absolutely refused to draw any more liquor for them, telling them, they had had plenty, and that it was time to retire to bed. The scene that now ensued was such, as it is impossible for me to describe.-Maddened and inflamed with rage at being thus refused, the wretches began to throw the furniture up and down the house, break the glasses and jugs, and to abuse the servant, from whom they attempted to wrest the key of the cellar, yelling out, at the same time, the most horrid oaths and impreca tions.

The table was shortly overset, and the lights put out in the scuffle; in a few moments, we should, in all pro bability, have had blood shed, as I felt myself roused to a pitch of fury, and was advancing with the large heavy-headed fire-poker to the assist ance of the servant, who was loudly shrieking for help. Just then, the old clock struck twelve rapid strokes, and the bell had not ceased to vibrate, when we heard three heavy knocks, as if given by a mallett, upon the wall which separated the kitchen from the parlour, where my uncle lay.

There appeared to be something supernatural in this. The whole house seemed to shake to its very foundation. A deep silence ensued.

I stood still; the wretches instantly became sober. We all gazed earnestly and wildly at the place from whence the noise proceeded. Scarcely had we recovered from the shock, when we were again thunderstruck with a noise in the parlour; it was unlike any sound that I had ever heard before; it seemed as if all the furniture of the room was violently crashed together, mingled with the noise of fire-arms; shrieks and exclamations burst from all.

The windows shook, and every door of the habitation gave a mo

mentary jar. I trembled with awe; I felt every hair of my head bristling upwards; my knees smote against each other; a deadly paleness sat upon every countenance, and all eyes were fixed in an intense gaze on the door, at the upper part of the kitchen, which lead to the staircase, buttery, and parlour; when, to complete the horror of the scene, the door burst wide open, dashed against the wall, and in-gliding, at slow pace, came a dreadful apparition. Its countenance was that of death: it seemed to have been long the inhabitant of that dark and narrow house,-the grave; the worms had revelled upon its eyes, and left nothing but the orbless sockets.-The rest of the skeleton was enveloped in a long and white sheet.

This horrid spectre advanced into the middle of the room.-I involuntarily shrunk back-the heavy weapon dropped from my hand, and rang loudly upon the stone floor; and, overcome with terror, I sunk into a chair. A cold sweat burst from my forehead, and I had well nigh fainted; on its first appearance, the others had tumbled one over the other in the greatest horror and confusion, and now lay as if dead, in all directions.

The spectre gazed wildly around for a moment, at the clock, at the fire, and then turned its eyeless sockets upon each individual, motioning, at the same time, with its long arm, and pointing to the outer door, seemingly directing to an outlet for escape, and wishing for their exit. They were not long in obeying this intimation, but severally crawled away upon their hands and knees with all the speed they could possibly make, none of them daring to stand upright. The spectre all the while was standing in the middle of the floor, eyeing, or rather appearing to eye them, through the void sockets where eyes had once glistened, as they retreated, one by one, in the greatest fear and trepidation. When Peggy and I offered to decamp along with the rest, the spectre motioned us to remain where we were, and we durst not, for our lives, disobey. When the last of the crew was making his exit, and had crawled nearly to the door, the spectre, who had hitherto stood motionless, except

waving its arms, and slowly turning its eyeless countenance upon the wretches as they crept successively out of the door, bounded with the rapidity of lightning after the terrified wretch.. But swift as the flights of spirits are, in this case that of the mortal was swifter; the fellow gave a thrilling scream, made a convulsive spring, his heels struck violently against the lintel of the door in his course, and he vanished from my sight, and the spectre after him."Gude defend us!" said Peggy.

For my part, much as I was frightened, I could scarcely forbear. laughing outright at the last incident, so comic and farcical.

Half a minute had not elapsed when I heard a step, and, in another instant (I still kept my eyes upon the door) in came the very form of my uncle, muttering,—“ Villains! Rascals! Hypocrites!"

He fastened the door after him, and shut out his nephews, and the spectre then came towards the fire; at this, I was more amazed than ever. He, however, gave me to understand, that he was alive, and well; and that all I had seen transacted in the afternoon and evening was nothing, but a stratagem he had made use of to try the sincerity of his relations; and if he found them, as he conjectured, false in their professions, to get rid of them.-The scheme answered nobly, and, it must be confessed, the stratagem was well planned, and exceedingly well executed.

I could not, at first, believe what I saw, nor conceive but that all was the illusion of a dream. In a little time, however, I recovered my recollection; and, on a further developement of the plot, I could enter into all its parts, and reconcile almost every thing to my entire satisfaction.

My uncle concluded his relation with assuring me, that, excepting a good legacy for his faithful servant, Peggy, I should inherit all that he possessed, as some little acknowledgement for the fright he had caused me; and, as for the wretches he had expelled from his house in so singular a manner, they should never more cross the threshold of his door. We all three now sat down to a little supper, of which my uncle

same moment, and then burst in upon us in the manner before described; and I really think, that had old Nick himself been there, he would have yelled with dismay. I attri

turbed with fearful dreams the whole night. Sometimes I was among groups of ruffians, fighting and mangling each other- then I was haunted with horrid spectres (such as I had seen the night before), which grasped at me, and I but just escaped their clutches. Headless men and monsters of various horrid forms flitted in end less variety before my fancy; and I frequently started awake in dreadful agonies.

At length the cocks began to crow, the clouds of the eastern sky to break asunder, and the morning to dawn:. :- - when it was tolerably light I started up, resolved upon a stroll over the meadows. Before going, I, however, went into the parlour, where I found every thing in the utmost confusion; chairs, tables, walking-sticks, and logs of wood lay all over the floor, and every thing upset, or in a wrong position. I then proceeded to the outer door, which I opened, but started back in horror, on perceiving a human skull lying on a sheet at my right hand, just outside the door.

Recovering from my fright, I went and gathered it up. I could not restrain my laughter, when I disco vered it to be nothing more than a mask, representing a death's head. It seems, while we were all wrang ling, the night before, my uncle had stepped out of bed, dressed himself, piled all the furniture logs of wood and timber he could, in the apartment in a heap, crowning the pyramid with a dozen or more walking sticks, which had lain time out of mind on the top of an old cupboard. Then he had gone up stairs, and put on the horrid mask, brought down a pistol, and enveloped himself, from his feet to his chin, in a clean white sheet. After alarming us just as the clock struck the awful hour of twelve, by striking three heavy blows against the wall with a huge lod of wood, he contrived to tumble down the whole mass of furniture at once, fired his pistol at the

Eur. Mag. Vol. 82.

stairs, and the jarring of those below, to nothing but a boisterous gust of wind, that happened to blow just at the critical moment; and in the repercussion of the air, when the pistol was fired, I accounted for the shaking of the windows. The whim sical orders and requests of my uncle were absolutely necessary to the design. By having his will read in the room where he was, he heard our undisguised sentiments; and his next request saved him from the alternative of either being laid with a slight covering, near to some chilling window, or of developing the plot before a proper time. The other requests were, I suppose, made for the sake of consistency, and to make it im possible that we could suspect any thing. I now went out. 24

As I was crossing the yard, I dis covered several drops of blood upon a stone, which I could no way account for, but by supposing some of my good cousins had received, in their hasty retreat, a severe fall; and, a little further, I discovered a pair of shoes, -A receptacle for the filth of the byre, in another part of the yard, bore evident marks of some one hav ing had therein a severe struggle.

Indeed, the adventures of the fly ing heroes had been various and woeful; one of them, he at whom the spectre made such a sudden bound, as I afterwards ascertained, actually ran seven miles without stopping and, with his shrieks, supposing the grim monster close at his heels, almost raised the whole country I now proceeded onwards, over the fields, listening to the warbling lark, "springing blythely up to greet the purpling east." The air was fresh and pure, and, in the beauties of nature, I awhile forgot the events of the preceding evening. With hasty steps I roved over the faintly-recollected scenes, where I had, in childhood, spent some of my happiest hours, until, weary with my ramble, I returned to breakfast.

CINNA. 2 C