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called a pudding, made of flour,suet, dried grapes, eggs, milk, spices, and other heterogeneous materials, which, when served upon the table, is a real phenomenon, for it is commonly asserted, that its specifick gravity is greater than that of lead. Our rich nutricious sauces are almost unknown; and, as a proof of the early corruption and degeneracy of this nation, many of the country people have bestowed this name upon vegetables, which they eat in the most unprepared state, boiled and soaked in hot water. But the most universal dish, which obtains equally at the tables of the rich and poor, is the substance which forms the subject of this memoir.

Cranberry Sauce, vulgarly called cramberry sauce, from the voracious manner in which they eat it, is made from a berry, produced by a plant, called by us, Airelle des marais ; the Vaccinium Hispidulum of Linnæus, a plant of the 8th order, 1st class, Octandria Monogynia: it grows in meadows filled with moss, on a slender, bending stalk, covered with silky scales, whose leaves are oval, rather oblong and shining.: the berries are large, red, and of a pleasant acid taste. The fruit is ripened by the early frosts in the autumn, but is gathered through the winter, and in the spring after the ice dissolves, and even then is the most esteemed.

Preparing them for the table is very easily done; the berries are stewed slowly with nearly their weight of sugar for about an hour, and served on the table cold: the sugar made use of differs in quality

*The reproach here extended to the nation, is too general; the corruption alluded to is confined to some parts of New-England.--Trans.

This is a ludicrous mistake, but excusable in a foreigner not intimately acquainted with the language.--Trens,

according to the wealth of those by whom the sauce is used. It is eaten with almost every species of roasted meat, particularly the white meats, turkies, partridges, &c. some even eat it with boiled fish, and I knew one person, otherwise a very worthy man, who eat it with lobsters, for supper! The mention of this shellfish, which is taken in great abun dance on the neighbouring coasts, induces me, though rather foreign to the subject of this paper, to relate a striking instance of the narrow, selfish policy of the institutions of this people. During the three summer months, the Board of Health prohibit the sale of lobsters in this city; but it is freely permitted in Roxbury, the southern suberb of Boston, inhabited principally by gardeners, butchers, and curriers; and the inhabitants of this quarter are abandoned to the ill consequences arising from this practice.*

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One individual informed me, that the rosy complexion of their women had been attributed to their consumption of this article Though this opinion seemed extravagant, I resolved to try the truth of it, because every argument in its favour should be destroyed if possible. therefore prevailed upon a servant, girl, about fourteen years of age, to eat nothing else; partly by coaxing and partly by menaces, I confined her to this food for a week; at the end of which she grew pale and exhibited feverish symptoms, which is sufficient to prove the absurdity of the supposition. I could pur

*This furnishes an instance of the rashness with which foreigners, particniarly those from despotick countries, judge of our institutions. Every person could have told the author, that the Board of Health is confined to the limits of Boston, which do not include RoxbuIv-Tran

sue the experiment no further, as she threatened to run away, and the most senseless clamour would have ensued, if any ill consequences should have happened to her. For so cold and backward are this people, that they would not sacrifice the life of one individual, to ascertain the most brilliant philosophical truth; and that spirit, which has animated Frenchmen, defying every obstacle, and despising every danger, to the sacrifice of thousands of the human race, to propagate the advantages of splendid discoveries, where antiquated abuses formerly reigned, is almost entirely unknown among them.

The important object of impelling their sensibilities to sympathise with ours, which must be preparatory to that powerful influence, which it is so strong an object with the govérament to attain, will be greatly aided by an intimate approximation of the common habits and customs of life. None have a greater influence than the pleasures of the table, to which this gross people are remarkably addicted. But French men cannot partake of these pleas ures, and thus preserve a desirable intimacy, without à radical change in their art of cooking: even French enthusiasm becomes chilled in the daily encounter of huge pieces of half boiled meat, clammy puddings, and ill-concocted hashes, rendered palatable to the natives by a profuse addition of this most villainous sauce. From the most accurate observations, I am convinced, that French cookery, to which they gen erally have a dislike, will never be effectually introduced among them, till the preparation, treated of in this memoir, shall be no longer used; because, from its universal use, possessing a mixture of sweetness and Vol. V. No. X. 36

acidity, it stimulates their appetite, and prevents them from perceiving the insipidity and staleness of their' dishes, and makes them insensible to the advantages of our various rich, sauces. Perhaps it would do no harm to leave them the use of this fruit in their pastry, though in this case, a recurrence to ancient habits, would always be a subject of apprehension. The ommelettes aux confitures and the jambons sucrès might also be introduced advantageously, which, by flattering the national taste for sweet things, would help to soften their prejudices.

The difficulty attendant on the achievement of this reformation cannot be concealed, the custom is universal. Dining once with one of the cabinet ministers, at the seat of government, there were four soup plates of this article, at the four corners of the table, which is a strong proof that this practice is carried on by persons even in the most exalted stations, though he was from that portion of the United States, where the habit is most inveterate. It must first be discountenanced in the most fashionable circles, as it is a trait in the character of this nation, servilely to follow fashion, and though some repugnance would be shewn at first, in what affected them so inti mately, perseverance would ensure success.

It might be suggested further to their political economists, that, by disuse of this fruit, a large quantity of meadows, now useless, might be reclaimed and added to their national resources that a very considérable addition of wholesome food would be thus procured for their horses and cattle, that is now lost by suf fering the growth of this pernicious berry, which, in its preparation, requires such a quantity of sugar, as

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An attempt to explain, on the principles of sober philosophy, all the vagaries of capricious nature, is idle and abortive. Nothing reads us a more effectual lesson on the imbecility of human effort, than our endeavours to reconcile all appearan ces, either in the natural or moral world, to the system which we have erected. Our vanity leads us to believe, that, by fair deduction from facts, we have ascertained the latent principle, that moves the vast and infinitely intricate machinery of nature, New cases daily occur to try the strength of this hypothesis, often in direct contradiction to it; and as fact is too stubborn to be beat to our purposes, there remains but the other alternative, which is to bend our purposes to fact. In this manver, the principle, which, on its first adoption, we regarded as a cardinal doctrine, and venerated like an oracle, is violated so much, that contempt succeeds to idolatry. Some enthusiasts pursue a different line of conduct; they follow with senseless devotion the idol of their own creation through every obstinate fact, attempt a reconciliation between light and darkness, and eventually swear that the community are blind, because they are capable of distin

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guishing the one from the other This pride of opinion, though much to be lamented so far as regards the object of it, is harmless with respect to others. Men will not be, from a principle of complaisance, talked out of their seasps, and whoever by this mode aims at making converts to his doctrine, has the satisfaction of finding himself the only bae. This awkward dilemma of the mind, between two extremes, one of which must be embraced, either that the person thus circumstanced is bereft of his senses, or that all the rest of the community are, is commonly decided, as self is the judge, in favoar of self. If there is not much truth, there is, at least, much nature in the remark of a bedlamite, who, on being asked the cause of his confine ment, observed, that he believed the world mad, and they believed him so, and as they were the majority, he was condemned to suffer the penalties of madness. When we once can bring our minds to believe with Hume, that, if we should once be hold a miracle, we should doubt the evidence of our senses; and that not because we doubted, that we did not see it, but because we could not ac count for it on our principles, if we did, we are, to all intents and pur

poses, madmen. Suppose that one of those fanaticks, who disbelieve the existence of matter, should perpetrate murder. If he is to be tried by his peers, he must be arraigned for deliberately and with malice aforethought discharging his pistol, and shooting an idea through the entrails. Nay, if those who were sworn jurors to try the case, believ ed themselves flesh and blood, or any thing but so many ghosts associated in the box, it would on the principles of the culprit, be a good ground of challenge to the favour, as on the question, whether they were men or not, would rest the whole merits of his defence.

We pretend not to investigate the question, how far such a principle would be admissible in a court of law; still less are we disposed to determine the point, whether one material idea ought to be hanged for deliberately shedding the blood of another.

Lest, however, our senses should be the dupes of this doctrine, phi losophy has, in the plenitude of her benevolence, lent us another consolatory absurdity by way of offset to the former. The principle is, that, whereas it was formerly ascertained that there was no such thing as matter in the universe, it is now dis. covered, that there is no such thing as spirit existing in the said universe, It has therefore been established, that reason, volition, memory, fancy, judgment, perception, intelligence, motion, &c. do of right appertain unto matter, though hereto fore falsely denominated to be the exclusive properties of spirit.

These two contending factions in philosophy have proved, if both of their principles are correct, that there are no such beings as mankind inhabiting the world. One has ex. Hed matter, and the other has exiled

spirit, and what further remains to be exiled, it would puzzle the most artful casuist to determine. The misery of such discussion is, that poor human nature is the constant victim of such experiment, and is cut up and dissected with far less remorse than a swine in the hands of the butcher.

Having already remarked, that paradoxes of this kind must, in their nature, be very circumscribed in their effect, no serious injury to society can be apprehended from their indulgence. Writers in their lazy moments have often sported with them, to amuse the fancies of their readers, and, had they not been known as the authors, would proba bly have been the first to laugh at them themselves. When severely pushed by argument, or satire, there remains but one expedient for them on this side of disgrace, and that is, rather than confess themselves in the wrong, resolutely to adhere to their first opinion, and fairly brazen it out. Such tinctures do times and circumstances, entirely adventitious, give to the moral features of man. It is not violating reason or justice to say, that many authors have been made entire converts to their own opinions by the opposition of other writers. When there is no alternative but a publick confession of their disgrace, they strenuously adopt principles, which, though they advocated before, they never believed in, till that moment. Rousseau embraced some of his wild paradoxes at first to try the strength of his talents; but becoming warm by opposition, they every day settled into probability, and finally into downright 'conviction.

It would be difficult to decide in casea circumstanced like the present, whether opposition to palpable absurdity does not create more injury

One who claims the name of a philosopher rather from the misapplied courtesy, than from the justice of mankind, may gravely maintain that there is no such thing as matter in the world, and another of the same class, that there is nothing but matter. After all the shedding of ink, which the controversy may occasion, we have no cause to apprehend a shedding of blood. The parties will never agree to try their dispute by the criterion of a duel, since the one, though he believes his antagonist an imaginary existence, may find him a real one to his cost, and the opponent, whatever he may think of other pieces of human lumber, might regard his own, as too valuable to be made the target, in such kind of philosophical experiments. Christianity apart, this is the only case, in which we think this mode of trial justifiable, and that controversies of this kind can only be decided in that way, for the community to know, wheth er the professors themselves believe in the doctrines they inculcate.

to society, than its most free and laurel.
unrestrained indulgence. Glitter-
ing trifles, the mere butterflies of
the moral world, shew the splendour
of their pinions, and die of them-
selves; but, different from their re-
presentatives in the natural world,
attempt to hunt them down, and
you accelerate their motion, and
prolong their vitality. All they
solicit is a casual glance of attention;
but a warm and animated pursuit
represents too much the capricious
knight of antiquity, who, to give
his mistress a proof of his prowess,
armed himself in "complete steel,"
mounted his fiery courser, set his
lance in the rest, pursued a grass-
hopper, and, by a stumble of his
beast, broke his neck in the engage-
ment. Learning is never directed to
its proper end, when thus employed.
The community, from such a bustle
of defence, fancy some formidable
opponent approaching, and calculate
their danger from the strength of
the resources drawn out. When
the cause of the quarrel is explain-
ed, the forlorn victor is rewarded
with a laugh, instead of a crown of

R.

For the Anthology.

ORIGINAL LETTERS ;

From an AMERICAN TRAVELLER in EUROPE, to his friends in this country.

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