facrificed, if it cannot be fupported by methods conformable to confcience and Christian duty, St. Paul, fpeaking of the different offenders who should appear in the latter days, clofes the dark catalogue with those who should be "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.' What would he have faid had his fubject led him to mention thofe, who fhould be more afraid of fhame than of their Maker? Let us truft however that common fense and religion will at last prevail. To give or to accept a challenge is now but a very equivocal proof of courage, even in the estimation of thofe who are termed, as the phrafe is, men of honour. Would the Officers of the Navy and Army fhew themfelves fuperior to popular prejudice, and dare to discountenance (e) and profcribe a

cuftom

(e) The practice of fomenting duels, and aggravating the petty differences of others, is fo truly detestable, that I would hope, no British Officer can be guilty of it. Of its moral guilt it is fcarcely poffible to speak too strongly. Of its destructive tendency a judgement may be formed from the following event, which took place at Havre de Grace about the year 1768; and was related to me by a Gentleman who refided in that city when it happened, and was in fome degree acquainted with the parties. Two young

Officers

custom so irrational, favage, and unchristian ; it would fall into univerfal difcredit, and speedily be ranked, as it deferves, with the trial by ordeal, and other exploded inftitutions of Gothic barbarity.

Steadiness of demeanour, and uniformity of conduct, are found by experience not only to fecure the fubmiffion, but to conciliate the ef

teem

Officers, about twenty-four years of age, and belonging to the Garrifon, were remarkable for their intimate friendfhip. One day, when they were in a coffee-houfe, one of them engaged in a game at backgammon with a third perfon. In the courfe of play he committed a blunder. His friend, who was looking on, exclaimed familiarly, O how ftupid you are! (Oh que tu es bête !) When the game was concluded, fome other Officers of the Corps, who had been ftanding near, came up to him who had been playing; and asked him if he had not observed the infult which had been offered to him. He replied in the negative. The Officers faid, that having been unwilling to interrupt the game,' they had remained filent at the time; but that they must now repeat to him the injurious expreffions which had been addreffed to him. And having done fo, they added, that he would ftand difgraced for ever in the estimation of the corps and of the world if he did not exact fatisfaction. The young Officer, turning to his friend, afked him, with perfect good-humour, whether he had ufed the words in

queftion.

teem of foldiers and feamen. How indeed fhall that Officer be either feared or beloved, who shews himself the flave of levity, fickleness, and caprice? That happy union of firmnefs exempt from fupercilious and tyrannical arrogance, with freedom guarded from indifcreet familiarity, which at once commands respect and wins the heart, is not to be attained without trouble, nor without an accurate obfervation of the character and manners of the different

queftion. The other readily answered, that he had; but without the flighteft idea of infult. The reft of the Officers still infifted on the neceffity of their fighting; but the two friends were fully refolved to the contrary. In the evening, when they were all affembled at the mess, the fubject was introduced again: and the young Officers perceived a pointed coolness in the behaviour of their af fociates. Early the next morning he who had committed the blunder at the game went to his friend, whom he found in bed; and faid to him, "I have paffed a sleepless "night; I fee that I am branded with infamy; let us go "to the ramparts." The other replied, that, for his part, he had flept well, and that his mind had been undisturbed; but that, if his friend thought it requifite, he would attend him. When arrived at the ramparts, they embraced each other, and drew. And having agreed to die together on the spot, the one ftood motionless, pointing his fword to the other's breaft; while the latter, in piercing his friend with a fatal thrust, received a mortal wound himself.

claffes

claffes of fociety. It is however an attain. ment of fuch value, that it would deferve to be purchased even at a higher price. An affectionate attachment on the part of the private men towards their Officers, fortifies them against temptations to defert; difposes them to regular and cheerful obedience; encourages them to bear hardships with patience, to encounter dangers with alacrity; and contributes beyond most other circumftances to enfure victory in the day of battle.

He who is folicitous to be beloved by those under his command, will treat them on all occafions with justice and humanity. He will not seek perfonal advantages and emoluments for himself, at the expence either of their rights or of their comforts. Inftead of ungenerously confulting his own eafe and accommodation by difregarding their fufferings, he will alleviate the diftreffes which they undergo by bearing his fhare of them. He will not endeavour to gain the reputation of alertness, and thus to recommend himself to his fuperiors, by haraffing his men with vexatious and unprofitable movements, or by needlefs encroach

ments on their hours of meals and reft. He will never expose their lives to unneceffary risk in action, or out of it; nor permit himfelf to acquire the horrid habit of being careless of human bloodfhed. He will watch with inceffant folicitude over their health; and will not forget how greatly its prefervation depends on the falubrity of their food, the fufficiency of their clothing, their uniform regard to cleanliness, and the ufe of wholesome precautions against infection (ƒ). He will gladly befriend them in their own little pecuniary concerns; as in establishing the validity of their wills by his attestation; in the tranffer of a part of their gains to their abfent families; in the recovering of wages or prize-money withheld from them; and in all those cases in which the private man finds the aid of his Officer neceffary to enable him to fecure or to difpofe of the fruits of his labour.

(f) The Captain of a man of war, and perhaps the Colonel of a regiment, has it in his power to do more towards keeping his men in health than the Surgeon. The truly meritorious attention paid by the late Captain Cook to that object, and the extraordinary fuccefs with which it was providentially accompanied, are facts univerfally known. His exertions are worthy of univerfal imitation.

When