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Title: The Enquirer Issue 01 of 12 (May 1821)
Date of first publication: 1821
Author: Various
Date first posted: April 14 2013
Date last updated: April 14 2013
Faded Page eBook #20130414
This eBook was produced by: L. Harrison, Marcia Brooks & the online Distributed Proofreaders Canada team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net
The dissemination of Knowledge seems to be the general order of the day, and the universal craving of hungry minds. It is no longer Panem and Circenses that can assuage those cravings; nothing short of Education, of a general communication of that instruction, which hitherto had been exclusively forestalled by that class of Society blessed with the smiles of fortune, can satisfy them. Every means therefore that has a possible tendency to contribute to the attainment of an object so ardently wished for, ought to meet with proper encouragement. No medium can be more proper and more efficient than that of the press. By it ideas are rapidly communicated far and wide, and the human being however far removed may participate in the cheering rays, which without it, would have benefited those only who happened to be confined within the narrow limits of their influence. In the view of contributing its share, however trifling, towards that end, this periodical Miscellany is respectfully offered to the Public.
Do not frown most learned Sir! Methinks your stern countenance assumes features of a contumelious nature! Methinks I hear you exclaim What! will the blind guide the insecure steps of the blind? will the ignorant attempt to dispel the darkness of ignorance? To us and to us only who, besides being favoured by nature with the gift of a pair of far and sharp seeing eyes, are in possession of the telescopic and microscopic incremental powers of profound erudition, that it behoves to guide and to teach, and shall we suffer any other but one of our learned Corporation[Pg 2] to assume functions which ought to be exclusively ours? Pardon, Good Sir! The Eagle alone can bear the radiancy of that bright orb that enlightens our planet. No other Eye can contemplate the dazzling effulgence of its rays. It is the same with those rays which you "luminaries of learning" do emit. They are too powerful for the mind's eye of the ignorant multitude and far from imparting light they produce absolute blindness. It is therefore to us, raised only a small degree above absolute ignorance, that ought to fall the lot of disseminating those elementary principles, and the task of opening, not with rosy fingers, mine at least have no pretension to that hue, the gates of the Aurora that must precede the rising of the sun of learning. Deign than to cast a more benignant look on this our undertaking, and were it only in the prospect of enjoying the luxuriant self gratification of comparing our feeble exertions with your mighty achievements, condescend to encourage them by allowing us to adorn with your name the list of our patrons.
After having thus exhausted the whole stock of our rhetorical powers in order to deprecate the ire of the mighty, there remains none left to crave the indulgence of that motley crew, always eager to make a shew of their pertness in the use of that particular weapon, congenial with their respective natural propensities. To the shafts of the envious, to the lash of the critic, to the scourge of the satirist, to the pun of the facetious, to the sharp pointed dagger of the witty, to the blunt edged blade of the conceited do we abandon these unfortunate lucubrations thus unprotected, for even the word Mercy shall not be extracted from us however imminent might be our danger.
As for you, Gentle Readers! if we are so happy as to have any of that description, we do not mean to deceive you by promises that might exceed our power of keeping. All that we shall say is that our best endeavours shall be directed towards the means of deserving a continuation of your favour.
Influenced by no party our lines will not be defiled by personalities, our columns not contaminated by illiberality, our lucubrations not subversive of religious, moral or political order,[Pg 3] nor our investigation the vehicle of indulgence for the gratification of those passions which too often degrade the noblest work of the Deity, and lower man to the level of the most vicious brutes.
To say that our views in appearing as Actors on the public stage are perfectly disinterested would be exposing ourselves to the suspicion of a want of candour; to affirm however that our first and principal inducement is the hope of contributing our mite to the instruction of the many, and the entertainment of our fellow citizens is certainly the real truth. The attainment of these combined ends, namely, profit, utility and pleasure, would undoubtedly fill up the measure of our utmost ambition.
It seems that one ought to be discouraged to offer such a kind of work as this to the public after the failure of many of the same nature. Indeed the difficulty attending the attempt appears almost invincible. Immersed in mercantile speculations the greater part of the Canadian Community think they have hardly leisure to bestow any time on any other object, preferring profit to intellectual improvement. The mixture of individuals whose language and religion, manners and ideas, are so diversified adds still to the difficulty of success, especially when connected with the party prejudices that are the necessary result of such heterogeneity of social elements. It is nevertheless hoped that whatever difficulties such an undertaking do present, they may be overcome by a strict adherence to the engagements entered into by the editor towards the public.
He begs leave therefore to solicit the encouragement that it will be his constant endeavour to deserve; and to state in a few words the nature of those engagements.
The offered publication is to be a monthly periodical one, in which variety will be a predominant feature. It shall consist in essays on every subject that can embrace the instruction and the entertainment of the reader. Nothing short of a deviation from the rules of political, social, or moral decency shall preclude the admission into our columns of those communications with which we may be favoured and which will be accepted (free of expences) from Correspondents with due gratitude.
[Pg 4]Beyond the quantity of sets for Subscribers whose number must amount to two hundred before we proceed, there will be some printed, which may be had singly at the rate of 1s. 3d. by Non Subscribers, but Subscribers will be furnished at the proper price of the Subscription, which is fixed at twelve shillings per annum for this City, for twelve numbers of the same size as that at the commencement of page 11 containing at least sixteen columns and which will be increased in proportion to the encouragement the Conductors may meet with.
The Subscription money shall be collected quarterly.
As to the Subscribers out of this City, they may direct the Editor either to leave their sets with a friend here, or to send them by post, in which case they will not be charged more than their individual respective share of the postage actually paid by the venders.
An agreement will be made with any respectable person, that might apply for the agency of our publication, out of this City, to whom a reasonable allowance will be granted besides our warmest thanks. One of the conditions of this agreement must be that they do become responsible for the payment of the Subscriptions within their Circuit and of the expences resulting from their being forwarded to their places of residence.
On the Covers of each number will be printed those advertisements that might be required of us on paying the usual price exacted from other periodical publications.
"You will see in short, the executive Government in a manner palsied and powerless ! ! !"
The unshackled Freedom of the Press is every day extolled to the very seventh heaven, as being the Grand Palladium of British and of course of true political liberty, as the sacred Aegis against despotical encroachments on human opinions, and as the most powerful bulwark against the progress of arbitrary attempt against our civil rights. The noble art of printing is considered as one of the greatest benefits conferred on man by man's ingenuity. Every means therefore that are used to fetter[Pg 5] it; every power exercised against it; every influence that tends to overawe it whencesoever they may originate, ought therefore to be opposed and combatted. It is not however the intention here to support the licentiousness of the press, nor to enter into a discussion on the distinctive characteristics between the true and the false liberty of emitting our opinions into the public by that contrivance, the end of this is solely a kind of Apology for publishing the following lines at this particular juncture. They were intended like many others for insertion in some of the Newspapers of this City, but their admission was refused.
The writer has seldom met with any refusal of that sort, and it has only been in cases when he dared to bring before the public some Controversy, that had the tendency of counteracting and opposing doctrines and pretensions, which he thought bona fide, to be contrary both to the letter and spirit of that admirable Constitution under which we as British Subjects happen to live. These doctrines or pretensions are advanced and insisted upon by the ruling party, and our presses here in Quebec are under the influence of that party. One, although the Government's paper, is directed by a gentleman who appears to belong to it and therefore does not lend a willing hand to the dissemination of principles in opposition to those which he professes. The Second press is the property of, and conducted by another person who, whatever might be his political opinions, is dependant on that ruling party, and therefore dares not to be the means of propagating opinions in opposition to theirs; so that the Editor of the Newspaper is under the real and positive censure of the owner of the Press where it is printed. As to the third periodical paper here published, its circulation is so limited that the insertion in it of any matter of importance would be tantamount to vox in deserto!
Nevertheless public affairs have come to that degree of importance, that any exertions to arrive at the discovery of the real causes of irregularity in the movements of the Administration of this Province, and to point out the remedy to the impending if not already existing evil, far from being opposed ought to be strenuously supported by the sincere well-wishers to their Country.
No kind of selfish or interested motive guides the pen of the writer: he does not belong to this or that party: his sole and only end is to challenge a fair and impartial discussion on principles of the greatest import to the welfare of this Province, and on which the relative duties of every one, being fairly stated and pronounced, the rights of all can be effectually secured and protected. Such was the object of the following lines dictated by the reflections naturally brought on the mind by a most authentic document, namely a Speech from the Throne. To the public, to the fair and candid reader, to the cool and impartial perusal of every one is left, to judge whether there is any thing reprehensible in their contents and whether in them, any thing can be construed as a dereliction from that respect due to[Pg 6] every public authority or tending to weaken that moral force so necessary for securing that protection which we have a right to claim from them.
Here follow the rejected reflections led into on the perusal of that part of the Speech alluded to, and reported, at the head of this article.
What loyal subject! what true and faithful Canadian, what man living under the British Constitution can read the Speech from the Throne on the proroguing of the Provincial Legislature without shuddering, without feelings of the deepest anguish?
Is it then really true that Government is palsied and powerless? Oh yes! it must be so, or else our noble governor would not have ventured to tell it us in so solemn a manner. Where then shall we look for protection? Are we then to see our lives exposed to the mercy of every lawless ruffian; our liberty constantly menaced; our property invaded; our wives and daughters ravished; are we in fine threatened with all the horrors of anarchy? Forbid it Heaven! Let us hope that the worthy Representative of our Sovereign will find in his own energy the means of preserving us from the impending evil. Let us hope that his tried and experienced wisdom will suggest the proper remedy for counteracting the political disease, and enable him to steer safely the public vessel amidst the breakers with which she is surrounded.
On reading this, many will exclaim that the picture is exaggerated and it may be so. But can any one say, that altho' not probable, things shall not reach that extremity; that the absence of a protecting power cannot lead to that climax of social disorganization! It is therefore the duty of every true patriot to come forward and shew his decided resolution to lend his assistance against the impending danger. Happily we live under a Constitution from which we may derive the must efficacious means of averting it.
The word Constitution is in every body's mouth, but from that which we see and hear every day, one is led to conclude that, though the name be thus generally known, the idea attached to the word itself is clearly understood by few. We may go farther and say that the true meaning of that word, has like that of many others, never as yet been clearly and intelligibly defined. During the French Revolution it was every where positively asserted that that Country had no Constitution. On the question being put how it was possible that so populous an association as the Country contained, could have subsisted so many centuries without a Constitution? A shrug of the shoulders was[Pg 7] the answer and a Face about the concluding argument. I greatly suspect that such would be here the answer and the argument returned to a still simpler question put to our politicians; namely to require of them a clear definition of the word Constitution in general. So long however as people shall not agree upon its definite import, so long shall questions resting on it remain insoluble.
This difficulty is particularly applicable to the English constitution. One of its greatest merits and, it might boldly be said its excellence consists in its simplicity. Like truth itself it can but lose by any attempt to comment upon it. Every one fancies that he discovers therein some obscurity and in his endeavours to dispel that obscurity, he finds himself at last involved in the intricacies of his own sophistry.
Action constitutes life, whilst inertness may very properly be assimilated to death. To produce action there must be an Agent endowed with sufficient power to overcome any possible resistance. That power must be without equal, for if vested in more than one, either they will act jointly, and be directed to one single object and then they act as one, or they will act in opposition to each other, and irregularity, inertness and even death will be the result.
The British Constitution is perfectly consonant with this simple principle. The Imperial Parliament is that sole and unique Agent which gives life and action to the whole Empire. Having no superior power by which it can be protected, that august body must essentially possess the power of protecting itself, and therefore such prerogatives are attributed to it as are sufficient for that purpose. No other portion of the Community can claim any participation in those exclusive privileges, because first they are under the protection of that high and mighty power, and secondly if such prerogatives were attributed to them, they might be used to oppose or resist the principal agent, and then, if not stop the action, at least disorder the motion of the whole. The British Constitution insures protection to all those who live within the sphere of its influence, from the petty Constable in the execution of his Ministry to the highest Courts of Judicature; from the Soldier in the ranks to the leaders of hosts; from the meanest cottager to the Sovereign on his throne. It prescribes to every one, in the most distinct manner, the extent and the nature of his duty and out of the strict observance of every ones duty result the inviolability of the rights of all.
Admitting the truth of the above premises, let us dare to shew that it is to a dereliction from these simple principles that our present distracted state is to be attributed. The Imperial Parliament considering that the locality of these Provinces hindered[Pg 8] their inhabitants from enjoying the two most precious rights of British subjects, namely that of participating in the framing of the laws by which they are to be governed, and in the most convenient means of raising and of appropriating the necessary subsidies has, with a truly parental solicitude contrived, to redress that grievance by granting us a Provincial Legislature, on a basis as far as possible assimilated to that of the imperial one. On an attentive perusal of the act that constitutes that Legislature, it will appear, that no more than these two objects were intended.
We never find the word Parliament in the charter. Not only is it carefully avoided, but even we perceive in the wording of it, the most scrupulous attention never to mention the three branches together. Indeed it would appear extraordinary that, whilst a Parliament had already been immersed in that of England, and the intention was to reunite that of Ireland to the Imperial one, such contradiction could have been in contemplation; as substituting new rival bodies to coeval ones. By what authority the word Parliament has been inserted in the proclamations we do not know, but chance has not long ago put into our hands a Quebec Gazette, of 1792 containing such proclamation which was expressed as the Charter directs and did not mention that word.
The substitution of words and especially of technical words, to others is extremely dangerous. It has been very properly asserted that there were no such thing as Synonymies, and the least modification of the primitive idea may lead to consequences of the greatest importance. To the word Parliament when applied to the imperial one, we attach an idea of a kind of political omnipotence as Blackstone expresses it. It is the supreme National Council, in which is centered the substance of the whole national power and energy. It is the sole Agent that gives life and motion to the whole Empire. By giving therefore that same name to any other Corporated Body, it is probable that it will hereafter lay claim to the full participation in, and enjoyment of the same power and prerogatives, unless the extent of these powers and prerogatives, be positively circumscribed and defined by the act that constitutes it.
The Act that created our Legislature, has circumscribed and defined the powers and prerogatives necessary for the efficacy of a Provincial Legislature, but has certainly neither done it nor intended to do it for a Provincial Parliament.
The most efficacious and it may be said the sole remedy in our present situation would be, applying to the creator of an anomaly become such by the substitution of one word to another, that it might graciously be pleased either to sanction absolutely that substituted word or to confine the Creature within the limits prescribed by the act of its creation.
I happened not long ago to read a claim for preeminence between Flanders and England on their respective superiority in Agriculture. I must confess that had I to decide the question, I should adjudge the palm to the former of the two. My opinion from personal knowledge has always been, that no country that I had seen could boast of a luxuriancy equal to that displayed over her immense fields, which have so often been embrued with human blood and enriched with the victims of national contention. However as my residence in Flanders had been only transient and chiefly in towns, and my view of the country only that of a traveller, I never dared to set my opinion in opposition to that, which seemed to be generally and loudly pronounced in favor of British Agricultural superiority. If the statement to which I have referred be correct, it appears that far from being the case the return and produce of Crops is more frequent and more abundant in that part of the Low Countries than in any other Country perhaps in the World. The soil is never suffered to remain idle and is compelled to yield its utmost without being impoverished.
Nevertheless I never heard of Agricultural Societies, of Boards of Agriculture, of scientific, elaborate and voluminous Agricultural works, or of encouraging prizes in that Country. None of the Flemish have ever heard of those systems which succeed rapidly to each other: they have no meetings wherein they may sit successively at the council and at the convivial Board, and familiarly converse and freely oppose their plain practical knowledge to that derived from books, or from the partial experiments of their noble and rich associates and Patrons. Whence do they then derive their sure means of Success? From their reading in a book constantly open to every body, but which seems for that very reason to be overlooked as too vulgar for refined taste; in that book the only one that cannot lead into error; in that book which has for its Title, long tried and never failing experience. Indeed we see every where around us those small spots of ground which by assiduous labour and careful cultivation yield for our table two and three crops every year. Is the soil of our gardens of another nature than that of our fields? Are the Sun that warms and the rain that refreshes our gardens, exclusively their benefit? Is that Providence that rules all, more partial towards those little spots dedicated to luxury, than towards those extensive plains from which animal life expects its support? Certainly not; and the good farmers of Flanders have been led by their plain common sense to conclude, that by following as much as possible the means used to insure constant and abundant fertility of Gardens the result would be the same to their fields; their success has hitherto proved the justness of their conclusion.
[Pg 10]Nothing indeed appears to me more preposterous than the saying "the soil is worn out, is exhausted". Such expressions in a country like this, comparatively new to the old world, are particularly ridiculous. A soil that has been hardly in cultivation for a couple of Centuries already exhausted! What must then be that of those Countries furrowed by the plough these twenty centuries past? A soil from which nothing but a puny crop every other year is required, is so soon worn out! Then if such be really the case, Providence never intended this country to be inhabited by civilised man; I believe however, that the soil if not worn out, if not exhausted, is greatly fatigued; not indeed by the profitable crops that it is compelled to yield, but by the unprofitable and highly injurious ones that it is suffered to bring to maturity every year and the whole year throughout. Crops much more exhausting during the alternate fallow, than could possibly be one of any utility, either for man or for cattle. It is that conviction that induces the Flemish farmers to keep their land in constant cultivation, and attend to the careful destruction and eradication of those weeds, which are here suffered to stand, to grow freely to maturity every other year, and to spread abundantly their seeds for future crops.
Next to that which has just been said, nothing excites more my wonder, than the premiums so generously and bountifully awarded, not for the encouragement of industry, but to accidental superiority in the bulk of animals, that might as well be the gift of nature, as the result of particular care. It would be just as reasonable to award a premium to him, who could produce the tallest tree, or the tree whose girt and contents of timber should surpass that of its neighbours, like itself the production of nature alone; nay it would have been as consonant with sound reason and common sense, to have granted a pension for life to the famous Lambert of bulky memory, whose weight was more than double the bulk and weight of any other human being of his age and height. That those who are favoured by such natural Curiosities, derive as much profit from their exhibition as they can, I certainly cannot, nor will not, either disapprove or censure; but that they are entitled to a mark of, or to a remuneration from Society, is certainly an unsupportable position. That public gratitude exhibited by liberal remuneration is only due to him, to whose industry and bodily and mental exertions, society is indebted for a lasting benefit.
I know that it will be said, that in awarding premiums, we merely follow the example of the Mother Country; but to whom are they there awarded, not to mere accidental superiority in bulk, in weight, in carcase, in tallow, in the weight and quality of the wool, No! but to the industrious exertions, to the often dearly bought experiments that have brought on that superiority: not to him who excels in quality or quantity[Pg 11] of this or that production, but to him that gives an account of the methods he has pursued to acquire that excellence. Herein consists the merit, and the claim to the reward, due and attributed to him who discovers and shews the means of improving the first and the most precious branches of industry. Indeed it appears to me most extraordinary, not to make use of a harsher expression, to read in the newspapers the pompous enumerations, of a few miserable Dollars, awarded to a man whose pig exhibited in the market is found to weigh 20 pounds or whose fat measures the eighth part of an inch more than that of his neighbour, without pointing out the means from which that paltry superiority has been obtained, and to enable us to judge, whether the trouble, the time, and the expence by which it has been obtained, do not more than counterbalance the resulting advantage.—For the present I shall conclude, by observing; that, previous to the introduction of the new way of competition that which took place in the Butchers' Stalls on the Saturday before Easter day, was more than adequate to the reward due to a superabundance of fat in the meat; The Butchers paying the best price for the best meat, and the customers rapidly and eagerly purchasing it from the butcher at an advanced price, even allowing for the extra cost of ribbons and flowers, which adorned it, this was a sufficient spur to the exertions of the Breeders, graziers and feeders.
"Two miles from Tadcaster, on the left hand side of the road to York," says Mr. Bernard, "stands a beautiful little cottage, with a garden that has long attracted the eye of the traveller. The slip of land is exactly a rood, inclosed by a cut quick hedge; and containing the cottage, fifteen apple-trees, one green-gage, and three wine-sour plum trees, two apricot-trees, several gooseberry and currant bushes, abundance of common vegetables, and three hives of bees, being all the apparent wealth of the possessor. The singular neatness and good order that marked every part of this little domain, and some circumstances respecting the owner, which had been mentioned to me by Dr. Burg, of York, made me anxious to obtain the history of the cottager and his family. In the end of May, 1797, I called there in my way from York; but found the house and the gate of the garden locked. In the road[Pg 12] to Tadcaster, however, I met his wife, laden with a basket of provisions from the market, and engaged her to find her husband, who was at work about a mile off, and to send him to me to the inn at Tadcaster. When he arrived, he very willingly gave me his history.
"His name is Britton Abbot, his age sixty-seven, and his wife's nearly the same. At nine years old he went out to work with a farmer; and being a steady careful lad, and a good labourer, particularly in what is called task-work, he managed so well, that, before he was twenty-two years of age he had accumulated near forty pounds. He then married, and took a little concern at thirty pounds a year, but before the end of the second year, he found it prudent or rather necessary, to quit it, having already exhausted, in his attempt to thrive upon it, almost all the little property that he had heaped together. He then fixed in a cottage at Popelton, where, with two acres of land, and his common right, he kept two cows. He had resided very comfortably as a labourer for nine years, and had six children living, and his wife preparing to lie in of a seventh, when an inclosure of Popelton took place and the arrangements made in consequence of it obliged him to seek for a new habitation, and other means of subsistence for his family.
"He applied to Squire Fairfax, and told him that, if he would let him have a little bit of ground by the road side, he would show him the fashions upon it." After enquiry into his character, he obtained from Mr. Fairfax, the ground he now occupies; and, with a little assistance from the neighbours, in the carriage of his materials, he built his present house; and planted the garden, and the hedge round it, which is a single row of quick thirty-five years old, and without a flaw or defect. He says he cut it down six times successively when it was young. Mr. Fairfax was so much pleased with the progress of his work, and the extreme[Pg 13] neatness of his place, that he told him he should be rent-free. His answer deserves to be remembered: 'Now, sir, you have a pleasure in seeing my cottage and garden neat; and why should not other Squires have the same pleasure in seeing the cottages and gardens as nice about them. The poor would then be happy, and would love them, and the place where they lived; but every nook of land to be let to the great farmers, and nothing left for the poor but to go to the parish, or die in an hospital.'
"He has had seven children; six of whom attained to the age of maturity; and five are now living, and thriving in the world. One is the wife of a carpenter at York; another occupies a little farm at Kelfield; a third is the wife of a labourer, who has built a cottage for himself at Tadcaster, and wants nothing (as the father observed) but a bit of ground for a garden. Britton Abbot says he now earns twelve shillings, and sometimes fifteen and eighteen shillings a week, by hoeing turnips by the piece, setting quick, and other task-work: 'but to be sure,' added he, 'I have a grand character in all this country.' He gets from his garden, annually, about forty-bushels of potatoes, besides other vegetables, and his fruit is worth, in a good year, from three to four pounds. His wife occasionally goes out to work; she also spins at home, and takes care of his house and garden. He says they have lived very happy together for forty-five years. To the account that I have given, it may be needless to add, that neither he, nor any part of his family has ever had occasion to apply for parochial relief."
Though my visit was unexpected, and he was at the latter end of his Saturday's work, his clothes were neat and sufficiently clean: his countenance was healthy and open; he was a little lame in one leg, the consequence of exposure to wet and weather.
To be concluded in our next.
"Where the Roman conquers, he inhabits, says Seneca. Where the Briton inhabits, he conquers; and that is a purer praise. He seizes on the wilds of nature, and adds them to his empire, by planting there the industry that will fertilize the soil, and the laws that will civilize the people. His invasions are made with the pruning hook, and the plough; his levies and contributions are an interchange that is to enrich; their encampments are fairs and warehouses; the corn springs along his path, the city climbs beside his resting place."
The Philosophers of antiquity, and the Metaphysicians of the day, have ever been busied in the developement of the human mind.—Yet that mind has baffled all their enquiries and set at nought all their powers of research. With this science, however, as with all of those which demand the midnight hour and the early beam of the morn, the high and mighty in our day profess themselves intimately conversant.—The knowledge, however, which the genius of Aristotle could not attain, nor the labour and penetration of Locke acquire, has ever been familiar to the understanding of men of ordinary talents? To these the mind of man wears a transparent mantle. Yet, whatever may have been the progress made up a mountain, the summit of which may never be attained, it is evident, that all have journeyed far enough to discover the mansion of curiosity. The admission is universal that curiosity is a prominent trait in the human character. From its impulse, no grade of being seems to be exempt. It has induced the philosopher to neglect the refinements of civilization, and the mechanic his tools. It has maddened the human brain, from the day on which Eve sold her[Pg 15] posterity to obey its impulse, till that on which the wife of Lot suffered the penalty of her transgression, on her journey to the city of Zoar.
The pride of man has limited the operation of curiosity to the female mind. Under this impression it has been the target of satire, and the convivial jest. Yet man has not reflected, that there are occasions, on which he acts under its impulse. On those occasions he listens with such avidity to its "small still voice," that it might be suspected, he has not become curious for the same reasons by which he explains some other acts—a deference to the judgment of females, and a desire to imitate them in their pursuits, but that he has merely obeyed a passion implanted by nature in his soul.
The Exchange and the Tavern oft witness the inquisitive spirit of man. But of all the lounges, where curiosity may peep, or idleness may yawn, where the Marplots of the hour may unburthen their own brain, or pry into a neighbours, none seems to have been frequented more than the Barber's shop. If report be not a very liar, the barber surgeon was, in the days of antiquity of no mean repute. His shop was a resort for those who had wounds to be cured, and for those who were to be trimmed. Trimming was a term implying either shaving or cutting, or curling the hair. These in addition to phlebotomy, were the occupation of the ancient barber surgeons. The care of setting limbs devolved on another class, named, energetically, Bone-setters, who, though resembling in their occupation, the Barber Surgeon did not rank with them. The common furniture of the shop of the latter, was a table and a chair or two, and the report says not, that females passed his threshold, yet a mirror hung on the wall, where a looking glass hangs now. Besides these, a lute or violin were always in the shop, and were essential to the entertainments of those, who waited while the earlier visitors were trimming.
To be continued.
An old counsellor wishing to study Justinian's Institutes, employed the Abbe Maury, then very poor, to teach him Latin. Some years after he met the Abbe at a gentleman's house: "Ah Abbe!" said he haughtily, "how came you here?"—"I may ask the same question," replied the Abbe.—"Oh, no! there is some difference; but you are in better circumstances than formerly I suppose. Have you obtained any preferment as a clergyman?"—"I am grand vicar to M. de Lombez."—"What! well, that is something. How much is it worth?"—"A thousand francs."—"That is very little," and he resumed his haughty tone and contemptuous manner. "But I have a priory which produces a thousand crowns."—"A thousand crowns! oh, that is something handsome!" (with an air of respect)—"And I became acquainted with the master of this house at the Cardinal de Rohan's."—"The deuce! do you visit the Cardinal de Rohan?"—"Frequently; he has given me an abbey."—"An abbey! ah that is valuable! Monseur l'Abbe, favour me with the honour of your company to dinner to day."
As the Abbe was one day going to the national assembly, of which he was a member, he was accosted by a gang of poissardes, one of whom exclaimed to him, "Mons l'Abbe, you speak like an angel, and notwithstanding you are but a fool."—"Ladies," replied the Abbe, smiling, "you well know that it is a disease of which no one dies."
In the debate which terminated in a decree depriving the clergy of their all the Abbe made every effort to support his order. He delivered an argumentative speech on the subject, which was, however, completely refuted by Thouret. The Abbe, driven to despair by his defeat, absolutely screamed with anger. "The gentleman," said Thouret, "is like the bird of night that screeches when shown the light."
QUEBEC, PRINTED AT THE NATIONAL AND BRITISH
PRINTING OFFICE
FURNISHED, Consisting of two Sitting Rooms, two Bed Rooms and a Kitchen; all on the same floor.
The situation is Central and in the Upper Town. Suitable for a genteel small family.
Stabling if Required.
Enquire at the National Printing Office, Hope Street.
The Register Established last year for Emigrants &c. will be continued at the Store adjoining the National Printing Office, Hope Street. Persons in want of Servants, Mechanics, Labourers &c. can be supplied.—
Charge for every separate Registry, 1s. 3d.
To be Paid at the time of Entry.
All possible attention will be given to the Character of Individuals; though the proprietor cannot be answerable for such.
In one Language,
| For 1st insertion six lines and under, each subsequent insertion, |
2s. 6 d. 7½d. |
| First insertion, ten lines and under, each subsequent, |
3s. 6 d. 10 d. |
| First insertion, above ten lines, per line, each subsequent, |
4 d. 1 d. |
In both Languages, Double the above rates.
[Hand Pointing Right] Every 1st insertion must be paid in Advance.
No. 2.
PRICE,
ONE SHILLING TO SUBSCRIBERS; ONE SHILLING
AND THREE PENCE TO NON SUBSCRIBERS.
A
MONTHLY PERIODICAL
WORK;
IN WHICH VARIETY IS TO BE THE
PREDOMINANT FEATURE.
CONSISTING OF
ESSAYS
On every subject that can embrace the INSTRUCTION and
Entertainment of the Reader
The Subscription is fixed at twelve Shillings per Annum for this City; for twelve Numbers containing at least sixteen Pages and which will be encreased in proportion to the encouragement the Conductors may meet with.
The Subscription Money to be collected
quarterly.
Without Purchase Money.
The Undersigned, having one thousand acres of as fine LAND as any in the Province, in the Township of Ireland, (where there are several Settlers,) within one mile of the Main Road called Craig's Road, is ready to treat with one person or more, to join in clearing the said Land, and raising a farm for the benefit of all concerned.—No Purchase Money Required.
Additional Reference may be had of the Printer.
SEVERAL Lots of excellent land directly on the line of the road called Craig's Road, in the Township of Ireland, the situation most eligible for the erection of Stores, Taverns &c. Purchase Money 20l. for each lot of 100 Acres. Apply to
FOR SALE—One hundred acres and more of Land, seven acres of which is cleared and in a state of Cultivation—With a good Log House, Barn &c. Price, 100 Dollars ready money. Apply to
A Handsome second hand Portable WRITING DESK. To prevent trouble, Price 3l.
Apply at the Store adjoining the National and British Printing Office.
A Good old Work—"The Institution of the Christian Religion by John Calvin"—Date 1611—Price 4 dollars. Apply to
A YOUNG MAN from the neighbourhood of Belfast wants a situation in a Store, who has been bred to the wholesale and retail Grocery Spirit, and Woollendrapery business.—Enquire at this Office.
BOOKBINDER, FROM LONDON,
No. 25, St. Ann Street, near the Scotch Church,
RESPECTFULLY returns his grateful thanks to the Public, for the very liberal support he has received since he commenced business on his own account, and begs to make known that his Spring Goods are arrived, which from the excellency of the Skins and Patterns will enable him to execute in a very superior manner any work with which he may be entrusted; and on the same reasonable terms.
[The end of The Enquirer Issue 01 of 12 (May 1821) by Various]