Page images
PDF
EPUB

Vol. III.

N° VIII

Maffa. Mag.

Del Engravd by S.Hill.

S.W. View of the STATE HOUSE, in BOSTON.

THE

MASSACHUSETTS MAGAZINE.

Ŏ R,

MONTHLY MUSEUM

O F

KNOWLEDGE and RATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT:

No. VIII.-For AUGUST, 1791. [Vol. III.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

[Ornamented with a handfome ENGRAVING, reprefenting the STATE HOUSE, in Boston; and a PIECE OF MUSICK.]

PRINTED AT BOSTON,

BY ISAIAH THOMAS AND EBENEZER T, ANDREWS, At FAUST'S STATUE, No. 45, NEWBURY STREET.

Sold at their Bookstore, by faid THOMAS at his Bookstore in WORCESTER, and by the feveral Gentlemen who receive Subfcriptions for this Work.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS to CORRESPONDENTS.

The Parallel of Fayette and Mirabeau, is confeffedly imperfect-the character of the Marquis has already appeared.

Tranflation of Monfieur de Barreaux's penitential Hymn, very acceptable. We shall be happy to hear from Carolina again.

Academicus-is fincerely thanked-his favours in profe or verfe merit attention.

Animated Picture of African Slavery, is referved.

Obfervations on Butterflies-Remarks on Cowper's Tafk-came too late for infertion in the prefent number.

Effay on Lame Ducks-writ by a Goose.

To POETICAL FRIENDS.

Lines on a Sifter's Birth Day-met a ready insertion.
Eliza piety unquestionable; poetry above mediocrity.
Health, an Ácroftick-Sequitur patrem non paffibus æquis.
I now do clofe my Song-we are much obliged to you.

The Triumphs of Scrip-fent to the Bank.

The Tears of Sympathy-request a continuance of correspondence.
Celadon's Friend-wifh to recognize for months to come.
Cleon, Alouette, Eugenio, &c. are thanked for kind promises.
REQUESTS.

Our valued correfpondents from Hampfhire to Georgia, will confer a fingular favour, in the transmiffion of all pieces, that have a claim to merit.

The juftly celebrated Orators of Harvard, who added luftre to the late commencement, are respectfully entreated to gratify the publick with their refpe&ive performances.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

·

THE

MASSACHUSETTS MAGAZINE.

For AUGUST, 1791.

MAGA

FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS MAGAZINE.
DESCRIPTION of the PLATE.

THE
HE State Houfe is an elegant
brick building, ftanding at
the head of State Street, one mile
and 297 yards from the fortifica-
tion. It is one hundred and ten
feet in length, and thirty eight in
breadth. The foundations of the
present walls were laid, A. D.
1712, the former State Houfe hav.
ing been reduced to afhes, in the
great fire of the preceding year.
The internal part of this building
again experienced the defolating
flame, in 1747, when a vast num-
ber of ancient books and early re-
cords, together with a collection
of valuable papers, were deftroy.
ed; and to the ravages of this ca-
lamity, we may attribute the im-
perfect accounts that are to be ob-
tained, of the first and second
building. The afcent to the low-
er floor, as fronting the Long
wharf, is by an elevated flight of
large ftone fteps, railed round
with neat iron balluftrades.
There are three other entrances,
one at the oppofite end, facing to

Cornhill; and the other two, in the oppofite centres of the length. The Clerks of the Supreme Judicial Court and Court of Common Pleas, hold their offices upon the first floor; which also ferves in bad weather as an Exchange for the mercantile part of community. A range of Dorick pillars fupport the floors of the fecond story, which is defined for the accommodation of the General Legiflature. The Senate Chamber is thirty two feet fquare, and fifteen feet in height, furnished with a convenient lobby for Committees to tranfact business in. The Reprefentatives Chamber is fifty feven and a half feet in length, thirty two in breadth, and the fame height as the former, with well conftructed lobby. Th third, or upper ftory, is improved by different Committees during the feffion, and has an East, Weft, and South lobby; befide feveral apartments for publick papers and records. On the centre of

the

468

Mr. de Barreaux's

the roof is a tower, confifting of three ftories, finifhed according to the Tufcan, Dorick, and Ionick

Penitential Hymn.

orders complete, and from thence is a fine profpect of the Harbour, and adjacent Country.

TRANSLATION of, and REMARKS upon, Mr. DE BAR

REAUX'S PENITENTIAL HYMN.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN,

THE following verfified tranf lation I have been induced to attempt, in confequence of the perfon who fent it to the Spectafor modeftly doubting his ability to do it juftice. This confeffion inspired me with a fort of emulation; and I really think the fpirit of the French is retained, however ungraceful it may appear in the verfification of a novice. the occafion of the hymn, which is celebrated as a very emphatical one, I refer to Mr. Spectator, Vol. 7, No. 513.

For

Great God! thy judgments are with equi.
ty combin'd;
(kind:
Thine infinite delight is mercy to man-
But crimes like mine exclude ine from its
reach;

[impeach. Pardon to fuch a wretch thy justice would Yes, Lord, for guilt fo great, thy fole pre[forgive. Is pow'r to choose the punishment, but not În frustrating my blifs thy very honour [fice.

rogative,

lies;
And ev'n thy love demands me as a facri-
Wreak thy difpleafure, fince thy glory muft
enfue;
[cheeks bedew.
Let ev'n these tears provoke thee, which my
Burst thunder; ftrike; tis time; my
wrongs retaliate;

Expiring I revere the juftice of thy hate.
But can thy thunder find a wretch unianc-
tifi'd ?
[he died?
Is there, whom Jefus did not raniom, when

Left, however, it may appear to the difcerning eye of the critick that I have done it injuftice, permit me, to pafs fome obfervations on its component parts.

In the two first lines are acknowledged the mercy and equity of the Supreme Being. In the two next is confeffed the fuppliant's unworthinefs to experience

that mercy, confiftent with that equity; for equity is not more difplayed in abfolving, than in punifhing. The fix following lines reprefent the horror and diftraction confequent upon the foregoing confeffion; that is to fay, on a consciousness of having forfeited all title to God's favour, and incur

red his vengeance. That there is great diftraction in the foregoing part of it is visible, and fuch would naturally proceed from the remorfe of a reprobate ftruck with confcientious horror; But in the two laft lines, we perceive a gleam of heavenly light difpelling the mifts of Paganism, and cheering with the illumination of gofpel truth and grace the fuddenly converted infidel. The beauty of the hymn lies in the fudden tranfition from a state of libertine defpair to the rapturous impulfe of chriftian conviction; thus forming a lively contraft between the doubts and horrors of a deift, and the joyful, though humble hopes, of him who knows that his redeemer liveth; and thus are the leading features of the two religions rendered ftriking. Deifm reprefented as dark, gloomy hibiting a triumph of exultation and diftracting. Chriftianity exin the overtures of virtues of mercy and falvation. It is to be lamented that our faith is too commonly the refult of education, not of reason: No wonder then it is fo cold and unproductive of good fruits, when

« EelmineJätka »