N° 82.

T

SATURDAY, February 19. 1780.

HE paper of to-day was received from an unknown hand several weeks ago. The publication of it may, perhaps, appear rather unseasonable after the last Gazette. There is still, however, much truth in my correfpondent's obfervations, who, I dare say, will not regret that Sir George Rodney's fuccefs has fomewhat lessened their force.

For the MIRROR.

Romulus et Liber pater, et cum Castore Pollux, Poft ingentia falta, Deorum in templa recepti.

HOR. EP.

MEN who either possess a natural fournefs

of temper, or who have been unfortunate in the world from accident or imprudence, or perhaps think they have been fo from over-rating their own deferts, are apt to ascribe to human nature a variety of vices and imperfections. They confider these as the

chief ingredients of the compofition of mankind, and that their virtues and good qualities are only exceptions from the general rule, like accidental strokes of genius, or colouring, in the works of a painter whose performances, on the whole, are coarfe and irregular.

Nothing can be more groundless and unjust than this accusation. I am convinced, that, upon a thorough examination, though we might discover many vicious and profligate individuals, we should find, in general, that human nature is virtuous and well disposed, and little merits the abuse that peevish or un fortunate men are inclined to bestow upon it.

One charge, much infifted upon against mankind, is public ingratitude. With what justice or truth this is urged, we may judge, by examining the behaviour of men from the earliest period to the present times; and, in doing fo, I flatter myself we shall be able to discover that the reverfe is true, and that a strong spirit of gratitude has appeared on all occafions where it was due, though, in different ages and countries, it has been expreffed in a different manner.

In Ægypt and ancient Greece, the tribute paid by the public voice to the benefactors of mankind,

mankind, was to confider them as objects of divine worship, and, for that purpose, to in. roll them among the gods. Such was Geres, for the invention of corn, Bacchus, for the discovery of wine, and a variety of others, with whom every school-boy is acquainted. If a man of fuperior strength and valour happened to repel an invader, destroy a monster, or perform any notable deed of public fervice, he was revered while living, and, after his death, his memory was refpected, and a fpecies of inferior worship was paid to him, as a hero, or a demi-god.

In later times, in the Grecian states, the general who fought a fuccessful battle, or destroyed an enemy's fleet, had ftatues erected to him by the public voice, and at the expence of the public. The Romans did not think of honouring their active or fortunate commanders with statues; but they had their triumphs and ovations bestowed by the public, and supported by the voluntary applaufe and attendance of a grateful populace.

I should be extremely forry if the moderns yielded in the article of public gratitude either to the Greeks or Romans. I shall not enter upon the practice or manners of other European

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pean nations; but I can venture to affert, with fome degree of confidence, that the people of Great Britain possess a degree of public gratitude unexampled in any other age or country.

In making this affertion, I do not allude to public monuments, hereditary penfions, or thanks of parliament, which, though of a public, and feemingly of a general nature, may nevertheless proceed from a very limited caufe. - I allude to that universal effusion of honest gratitude which the good people of England frequently bestow on fuccessful commanders, by putting up their pictures as figns for their taverns and ale houses, and frequenting these more than any other, till the reputation of the original begins to be obfcured, by the ri fing glory of fome new favourite.

I must, at the same time, observe, that great statesmen have feldom experienced this mark of public applause. The late Mr Pitt was, indeed, an exception from the remark; but he was, in fact, a minister of war only, and never meddled with finance. A first Lord of the Treasury, let him be as wife as Ximenes, and as moderate as Fleury, cannot expect to be revered on the fign-post of an alehouse;

every article of confumpt there has felt the weight of his hand; and, whether the company get drunk in wine or punch, or enjoy the cool collations of tea and coffee, still the reckoning recals ideas that lead to execrations on the whole system of finance and taxаtion, from the department of the first minifter to the walk of the lowest excifeman; and, by an easy transition, the dislike of the system and the offices passes, in some degree, to the persons of those who fill them.

But, as the fame cause of unmerited oblaquy does not exist with respect to our admirals and generals, they have been often and much the objects of this species of public gratitude. It is needless to go far back. In the year 1739, Admiral Vernon took Porto-bello with fix ships only. The public gratitude to him was boundless.-He was sung in ballads. -Ar the ensuing general election in 1741, he was returned from three different corporations; but, above all, his portrait filled every fign-post; and he may be figuratively faid to have fold the ale, beer, porter, and purl of England for fix years.

Towards the close of that period, the Admiral's favour began to fade apace with the colours