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The YANKEE PHILOSOPHER, No. 5. m to rOVSG LADIES. T IT jfi H deference to the tribunal before which I new V V appear, with a heart overflowing with regard to wards them, and a disposition fixed in their service, I beg a few moments of their attention. The hints I shall make are the offspring of an attentive observation, and offered to their consideration under the auspices of a heart glowing with sentiments of the most sincere esteem. l>et not a thoughtless mandate be my fiat, and with pleasure or un murmuring fortitude I promise to submit. Forgive me should my observations be felt, and, on my pirt, should they not, I never will recriminate. When I reflect on the friendly and sentimental inter course which ever ought to exist in an enlightened state between the sexes, which alone is the cement of a moral charafter in the one, and the source of much valuable in formation to both; when 1 conclude that an unembarrassed communication of ideas can alone ensure our happiness, with the greatest pain I am obliged to trace its non-exist ence in this place to its proper cause. Yes. young ladies, even you. who are perhaps preeminent to all others in the world in many qualifications, have, either from a mistaken notion of propriety, (excuse my car.dor) or the contamin ating principles of southern ettiquete, been induced to sanction their pestiferous customs. It cannot be exquisite sensibility or delicacy of sentiment, for they vehemently disclaim the deduction; it is alone an adherence to the precedents of illiterate bashful ness, which with grief I dis cover should so long preponderate in enlightened circles. You may urge the necessity of your conduct from not finding in the other sex persons whose minds are worthy of your confidence and regard. I grant you the plea, but must retort the cause to its origin. While old gentlemen of 60 and young married libertines are alone admitted to the smiles of your countenance; while you refuse the vir tuous young man your hand in crossing a dangerous path, or in alighting from your carriage; while vou utterly re fuse him the pleasure of a sentimental morning’s ride or c vening’s walk; while in company you answer his observa tions in bashful monosylaoles; while you think it the great est impoliteness to dete.fl his errors in an argument,’ and treat him entirely as another being from yourselves; while you are the first to detracl that lady’s character whom he has twice visited, without an intention of marrying her; while he is entirely separated from your society; what e mu!auon has he to laudable action? his mind is fettered hi disappointment, he has no stimulus to become worthy of you, but, driven from \ our society, is either a misanthrop ist, a debauchee, or a gambler; be is forsaken by those whose acquaintance he w.shed to cultivate, and in the pa roxisms of an unsettled determination flits for amusement to that standard whose specious colors may first attract his attention; he is then where you find him in your excuse, un*.orthy of your attention. . Convinced of the truth of the old adage, that example is better than precept, I lately had the most flattering hopes of ail innovation on this head; J have i\ot been en tirely mistaken, although my prepbeev is not amply ful filled; one more example might determine your conduct, for I am sure that w irii one voice all the ladies of Savannah would cry, 44 they manage these things better in and get them once to perceive their error the world cannot produce more willing dispositions to improve. But be as sured, oung ladies, that uutil you throw off that unmean ing garb of timid ostentation, until your behavior shall be the just deduction of your rei&on, until you become more tide sentimental than the imitative being, until you think and determine for yourselves, you never can please the well informed mind either of the otheqsex or your own. So diffident of their own abilities and rights are the young ladies of this state, and so fearful of ridicule, that no occasion whatever can elicit an opinion of their own; they are even afraid of appearing unfashionable in the simple operation of their senses, and seldom express their approbation or disapprobation of colors or sounds until someone has hinted to them the idea. I would not infer that they do not possess the ability, for I am convinced to the contrary; no, their conduct is simply a suspicion of th.it ability, which might very easily be remedied. I will tell you a story which happened a few evenings since: I was in .company \\ here there were several elderly ladies and gentlemen, and but one young lady; the old folks were engaged in conversation on topics uninteresting either So the young lady or myself, who sat at opposite comers oi the room, occasionally casting our eyes-towards one affbther, but a sympathetic diffidence seemed to prevail ’between us, and not a word had either of us spoken for nearly half an hour, and perhaps, had we remained there, should not have opened our mouths unto this dav, had not a gentle hectic of shame crossed my cheek, which in a trembling whisper cried shame on thee, that a philosopher, and a Y ankce too, should possess no more courage. With that I immediately rose and drew my chair as close as pos sible to the young lady’s; she edged hers a little from me; I gave mine another hitch, observing, at the sape time, ** It is a very pleasant evening, miss.” 44 Yes, sir,” re plied slif, with the sweetest voice in die world. lut;kec Philosopher. 44 We have had very little sick ness in Savannah this summer.” Lady. 44 Yes, sir.” 1 ankce Philosopher. 44 Do vou attribute it to the clearing of the wocxls round tlie city?” Lady. ‘ 4 Yes, sir.” Yankee Philosopher. But Sr. Pierre very reason ably argues in favor of the opposite effect.” Lady. 44 Yes, sir.” lankec Philosopher. 44 And don’t you think his ar guments deserve a little credit?” Lady. 4 ‘ Yes, sir.” Yankee Philosopher. 44 Then we must endeavor to find seme oilier cause for the increasing healthiness of the place.” Lady 44 Yes, rir.” Yankee Philosopher. 44 And what other cause should yai aspect?” ( Hie lady hung down her head and blushed.) . 1 ankce Philosopher. 4 * Should you not suppose that Xi.t aoohtipu of the manufacture of indigo has had effect?” Lady. 44 Yes, sir.” After a pause of about two minutes, fearful that the ! topic I had broached was one slie Had thought little upon, j and consequently was*not prepared to discuss it, I dropped | it, and proposed a second, from that to a third and fourth, but invariably found her answers to any speculation I might make nor mere or less than simply, 44 Yes, sir,” till at last, a little tired with the monotony, I was deter mined, if possible, that her harmonious tongue should hum some other tune, and, with all the expressions of good na ture I was capableflf shewing, observed, that the music of frogs at a distance was Very pleasant to the sentimental ! mind; when, to my great astonishment, without moving a single muscle in her lovelv face, again the lady answer ed, “ \ es, sir.” I forbore at that time troubling her any further, firmly believing that some accident must have happened to her articulating powers, and I have been since confirmed in my belief, for not long after, happening to be of another party, where she was also, her elocution was as fluent and rapid on tlie beauties of a necklace as mr. Chalmers in his favorite afterpiece The Critic* I have introduced this dialogue not from any principle of disrespect towards the lady who bore a part in it, for I promise her, should she ever read .these lines or not, ne ver to divulge her name to any living creature, male or female, that moves upon the face of tlie earth; but my real motive for recounting it has been, that tlie ludicrous figure which it cuts on paper may deter other young ladies from answering, “ Yes, sir,” to every foolish and imper tinent observation or interrogatory which maV he pat to them. • A YANKEE PHILOSOPHER. May io. TLIE following is the extract of a letter written from the city o? Lora, by one cf its inhabitant;, to his friend in this city, in which he gives an account of the dreadful accident which befel that city from the breaking of a bank or mound which was conftru&ed a few years ago to contain the ram water for the purpose of watering the fields in the neighborhood of that city . Hie number drowned by this misfortune amounted to 6boo. u I make known to you, fir, that on the lafl dav of A pril, (which will be memorable for ages to come) at half past 3 o’clock in the afternoon, a youth ran into my house and gave me the lamentable information that the bank had given way; he accompanied thtfe expressions with so many ; tears and such fobbing that he could scarcely articulate, or I underfund him. Ou receiving this fatal notice I ran with great precipitation into the (freer, where I found a” general commotion among the people, who were leaving tiieir dwellings to put themselves in a place of lafety. I re turned to my heufe, and by my cries collected my w ife, children, and family; they saw mv trouble; we all ran precipitately to Calvario to escape the great danger which threatened; we there found a ccnfiderable number of people filled with trouble and dread, aiding upon God, and beg ging for mercy with loud cries and lamentations. I then saw vast quantities of water defeending from the bills, which directed itfelf with the greatest fun - imaginable to wards the olive trees. 1 lef: ray family at Calvario, and went to the street De la Cava; from thence I taw the water breaking down the convent of Mercv. Arriving at the gate of Bordeta the market no longer appeared. I palled to the House de M iralie?; they there told me that Louies, lamdies, and even,* thing eiie, had been l\vept awav from the Botica to the Qmytel, on both sides. The water co vered the hills and earned away the whole population on the right crithe fountain. Gur conigiuor was in the palace directing assistance to be given; he was loon iurrounded by many people; the general was beat, and every thing was done tor the tranquillity of the people. At this time news was received that at the mill of Buena Vista thev found the lord counfeilor, who had been drowned; immediate orders were given to tlie people to bring his jbodv; at 12 o’clock at night *r was brought to Castillo. 1 repaired to tlie gate ot St. Gines; I there saw that the ffeeple of the convent of Mercy was threatened with ruin. I repaired to the gate ot den John Antonio Albuquerque, where at this season his wife and family rtfide; they had fled on herits. Morinl was commissioned to collect the dead bodies in the Ovals. “ At break cf day tlie following morning we heard no- i thing but lamentations; fome looking for their parents, o thers for tiieir cuiidren; women fetkmg for tiieir hufb.;ndi; and all trying tc unite their froiUiesT At the gate called St. Gints W can no longer fee the sites where the houses flood; every thing is desolation from the convent of Mercy to the hclpita! for \Vonttn; the houses carried away from the barrier alone are rec'coned at 400, and what are left are greatly injured, as the witter.was in all the second ITO- i ries. The fee red veffeis of the convent <4 Mercv were . Found at two leagues dilhnce. ‘Flic church of Sau Chris- j toval is not much injured, though the water was up to tlie , cornices. San Diego is abandoned; the faints are removed. The fame is the case with La Merced, bec.iufe mil'i and ! tralh are left in them two yards deep. Every thing if J taken from the tower of La Merced, as it threatened to fell to ruin. 1 reaches are dug without the town, wliece j they are going to bury tlie dead without and ltinclion of per- ’ sons, and where they are now colle&ing them in carriages. Ail the fields and gardens, from the Garden de-Graces to i the road that paiTts this, have been a river; no habitations ■ are left; people, animals, olive trees, gardens, all have perifhtd and are ruined. It is fortunate the whole city did notduffer the fame fate; this would have been tlie case if 1 the Yank had not given wary where it did, and the water , taken a efireaion to the left of San Diego. ITie lord counfeilor might have been Paved, as was the foa of his ass iiftant and his servant, bat he confided in his mules, and perilhed with them and his coachman. People are fern to Velez to grind grain; we have no longer anv mills; of t; I which we had only that of Buena Vista remains, and that is injured; of oil mills not one is left; of the greatefi part of Santa Quiteria only the foundations are iefr. The ri vulets and groves are full of timber and furniture. 44 T he books and accounts of Ramon Garces were found ■ at tlie farm house cf Sutullena, and 34,000 reals belong ing to him also. As yet I have peither eat nor llept; all is ‘ eonfufion and difinny; all are weeping over tlie dreadful ’ accident.* At present I can fend you no farther particulars on this fubje<ff, but I will venture to fay that the damage will be much greater when the waters have palled 20 leagues, whicli is the uifiance from hence to the lea, and when they have encountered Murcia, Orihaefr, and no places in their way.” , ''"" cr Paris, Augujl 4. On the 2d the conservative after nearing the report cf the fpeciuTcommiffion appoint to examine the registers of votes on the eipdion o7d*fS co.ifol for life; after feeing tlie p-ocefs verbal made out S’ the fptcial com million, from which it appears that , 1 citizens have given their fuffrages. of whom 2,c6sjfe- L? voted that Napolean Bonaparte (hall be coniul for lift- ‘ fide ring also the proofs due by the French nation cf |* r gratitude to the hero who has fought her cade, and restored peace by his triumphs, decrees as follows: 1. The French people names, and the senate proeferre Napolean Bonaparte firft con fid for life. ‘ h 2. A featue of Peace, holding in one hand the laurel of victory*, and in the other the decree of the senate, fliaUa* test to po(ferity the gratitude of the nation. 3. Tlie senate (frail cany* to tlie firfi consul this exnref. lion ol the confidence, the love, and admiration, of tfe trench people. ‘ t T j i S 'p ed) T .. pr-fident. London, July 21. Eighty-tive general officers have joined 111 making representations upon tlie injustice of hear ing aimoft all favors upon the troops returned from Italy and Egypt. R ls remarked that gens. Angereau and Alalleoa are not amongst the 85. It 13 said that gen. Ferrand, whs had the command of tnertroojK at Boulogne when that place was oomhardedbv j N “ immediately to proceed to St. Domingo and to ta>ie with bira a reinforcement of 12.000 men. ‘ i F a r y . ett . e has written a letter to Bonaparte on the fob. jett oi his being consul for life, in which he fays, that 4 he has his vote, prov ided he restores to tlie people of trance their rights of citizens, and the liberty of the prei,.’ Bonaparte has sent him back a verbal' meffaee. frying, 44 I t ll gen. La Fayette if I were to do that which he vvr.tes neither he nor I would be in France three months.” Count Markow, the Ruffian ambaffedor, having ob ervec., in one ot the conferences refpecfrng the indemni t es, that a;i Europe would find fault if Piedmont were left at the dhpoid of die French, Bonaparte is said to have replied, Then let Europe take it again. In the year 1794 citizen St. Remy Carrette, of Arras, m France, purchased the house belonging to the ex comte De Brandt; in pulling down fome part cf it he found a lum of money, amounting: to near i s ,cpoJ. On the re return of tlie unhappy family St. Remy gave up the whole property to its original owner. The dungeon of Vincennes, so famed for being thepri fon of the great Ccnde, and ot the celebrated Mirabeau, contains at this time no less than 3000 conscripts, who have refufed to march to the armies; they are confined in this place until the detachments from the different regi ments carry them off. It fliould be observed, however, that they are well treated, have plenty of room to amuse tfemfelves with different (ports and exercises, and are con fiuered as refractory, but not as criminal fnbjerils. The Andrian government have finally decreed, that henceforth the body cf every person guilty of suicide (frail be placed in t!-e hangman s cart, and interred by him with out any funeral ceremony. A ielf created prophetets late I v darted up in tkeduchv of Wurtemberg; (be pretended Hie held an epistolary cor respondence with the arch .ngcis; (he travelled over the whole country for the comical puroofe of making prose lytes to her flrange doctrine, and to induce the inhabitants to follow her to Jerusalem, where (he intended to efhblift an empire, the laws of which had been handed to her hf the Holy Ghofii Nctwithllandirg the abfurdltv cf her predictions Hie had ieveral partisans, who disposed of their property, and intruded her with the money for which they had fold it. With these sums (lie was to defrav the tra velling expences of the lidv group. Thev adhiallvfec off, but a few days after the prophetess, pufried on by tie Demon of Concupiscence, eloped with an athletic young fellow, and carried off the exchequer of the poor pilgrims, new* reduced to the last Itage of wretchedness. A modem traveller us, that in many parts of Siberia they fatten their cattle with the offals of fifh, atd that the cows prefer dried salmon to hay. This may be in uft ful bint to our Engiifh breeders, as fife may be tins applied to fome good purpose, and yet not withheld from the poor. l>r. Gordon has announced the difeovery cf the art of making floor from a certain fubfiance which abounds in ■ England, by which flour may be afforded at one fourth w’ b the price of t’ne wheaten, with which it is equally natrid- B ; ous and palatable, and will keep its quality ranny years. ■ In the cmirie of one of the trials that took p* ace 03 I Monday at Guildhall mr. Garrow, in crcfi exaniinißgi ■. witntfs, who had been fix years imprisoned in Newgate ■ a receiver cf llolen goods, alked him, 44 Prav, fir, is not K the plaintiff also a .very refptclable receiver of goods?” T'he anlVer was, 44 Certainly, fir, I have alwapjjp ceniidered him in that light.” H In another trial a boy was produced as a witnels, K appeared so > oung that it wa? doubted w httlier be K fluently acquainvfd with the folenui nature and obligst® 3 ■g of an oath; he was tufrtfore examined by tire counie that point, and was a(ktx! dneclly, * 4 V hat does R oblige you to do?” 44 It obliges me,” replied the boy, ■ go to hit 11 if Ido not (peak the tnsui*” An aniwer ■L tlirvcf c< mpletely fatislitd the learned coufe'fo snd: ” K: was examined. T 1 In the couife of a trial in the king's I'ench, j I mr. Garrow*, in examining a corpulent witness, °tt e!,,l V I 44 You gentlemen millers fi em to thrive better than ■ at tlie bar.” u Yes,” replied the witness, “ deep better!” 44 Why for” continued mr. Garroff, I cause,” (aid the miller, ** we have clearer confc* aCIS ® take it.' L Manv people doubt this. /,■ Augujl 7. Tlie Dutch fouadron. confifling of J ■ gun (liips and a (loop, which carried out troops to St* I mingo, has put into Falmouth on its return to 1 PROVIDENCE. Augujl 21. THE garden cf dr. John Keatv his this year? I’*’ 1 ’*’ ■■ ed a feuafh (or fvmblin) weighing icj Jy ■ Nev York, Sept cm ber 8. We fome time liihed a fi.ort paragraph ou the circumP.ance of t W