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His remains are buried under a flat ftone, in one of the fide aifles of the most ancient church of Thorn. Above is erected a small monument, on which is painted a halflength portrait of him. The face is that of a man declined in years, pale and thin; but there is in the expreffion of the countenance fomething which pleases, and conveys the idea of intelligence. His hair and eyes are black, his hands joined in prayer, and he is habited in the dress of a priest. Before him is a crucifix, at his foot a fcull, and behind appear a globe and compafs. He died in 1543; and, when expiring, is faid to have confeffed himteir, as long and uniform tradition reports, in the following Latin verfes, which are infcribed on the monument. They demonftrate that when near his dif folution, all cares or enquiries, except thofe of a religious nature, had ceased to affect or agitate him.

"Non parem Pauli gratiam requiro,
Veniam Petri neque pofco; fed quam
In crucis ligno dederat latroni

Sedulus oro."

Monfieur Luther de Geret, counsellor of the fenate of Thorn, furnished me with fome information relative to the illuftrious perfonin queftion; and as fo little is afcertained of his origin or family, it merits to be preferved. "The father of Kopernic was a ftranger, from what part of Europe is totally unknown. He fettled here as a merchant, and the archives of the city prove that he obtained the freedom of Thorn in 1462. It feems clear that he must have been in opulent circumftances and of confideration; not only from the liberal education which he bestowed upon his fon, but from the rank of his wife. She was fifter of Luca Watzeirode, bishop of Ermeland, a prelate defcended from one of the moft illuftrious families of Polish Pruffia. The name of the father, as well as of the fon, was Nicholas. To the patronage of his materna! uncle, the great Copernicus was indebted for his ecclefiaftical promotions; being

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made a prebend of the church of St. John at Thorn, and a canon of the church of Frawemberg, in the diocefe of Ermeland. Of his private life we know little. He did not refide here altogether, nor did he die here; his body having been brought to Thorn for fepulture from Ermeland, where he expired. A dyfentery, accompanied by a partial palfy, produced his death. In his character, as well as in all his deportment, he was modeft, diffident, and religious. It is not either known or believed, that he left behind him any natural children. But the family continued to refide here, as appears by a manufcript chronicle still exifting, in which it is mentioned, that "On the 11th of August, 1601, died Martin Kopernic, barber, of the kindred and pofterity of Nicholas Kopernic; a young man unmarried and wealthy, of an apoplectic fit, at his garden in the fuburbs." In his perfon, we apprehend the name to have become totally extinct."

EXECUTION AT VIENNA:

CRIMES, as well as punishments, are rare, owing to the vigilance and feverity of the police. A murder is fcarcely ever committed, and robberies are by no means common. At almost every hour of the day or night, a ftranger may walk the streets, or travel the public roads in fafety. Of course, executions happen very feldom; but when they take place, they are conducted with admirable propriety and effect. I had the curiofity, for the first time in my life, to be prefent at an execution, only a few days ago; which, from the circumftances that attended it, well merits a particular defcription. Many thoufand fpectators of all conditions were affembled to witness it; and I never faw any public ceremony performed with fo much folemnity and awful decorum. Four men, convicted of robbery, aggravated by circumstances of cruelty and inhumanity, were fen

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tenced to die; not by the halter, as with us, but by the fword of the executioner. They fuffered on the Efplanade, without one of the gates of Vienna, upon a circular space or piece of ground walled in, railed twelve or fourteen feet above the level of the Esplanade. In order to have a better view of it, I got into a cart placed near the scaffold, whence I could diftinguith even the countenances and features of the criminals.

The first of the four malefactors having been feated in a chair fcrewed down into the ground, his arms and body were next tied with cords, in order to prevent him from moving, and his neck was laid bare quite to the fhoulders. A bandage being drawn across his eyes, four Auguftine monks with a crucifix approached, and after prayer confeffed him. The executioner's afliftant then collecting his hair, pulled up his head with a view to afford a fairer mark. Meanwhile the executioner, who was a very decent man in his figure and drefs, arrived in a hackney-coach. When all the requifite preparations were made, he threw off his cloak, and being in his white waistcoat, he unfheathed the inftrument of punishment. It was a trait, two-edged (word, of an equal breadth quite to the point, prodigioufly heavy, broad, and fharp as a razor. Coming in flank of the criminal, who was blindfolded, and ignorant of the precife moment, he took off the head at one ftroke, with a dexterity and celerity exceeding imagination. The affiftant held it up ftreaming with blood, and then laid it down on the ground; while the decapitated trunk was allowed to remain for fome feconds in the chair, the blood fpouting up at first to the height of three or four feet in the air. Two men next untied the corpfe, and taking it by the legs and fhoulders, bore it to a little diftance. The head was carried with it, and the whole covered with a large mat.

Previous to beheading the fecond culprit, the chair was wiped clean from the blood with which it had been ftained; the ropes were washed, and fand fcattered over VOL. VIII.

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the place; fo that when he was brought up to fuffer, no trace of the preceding execution was vifible. About half an hour elapfed between their refpective deaths'; the last three being beheaded with the fame dexterity as the first, and with fimilar circumftances. The velocity with which the sword paffed through the neck, and diffevered the head, was fuch, that the blade scarcely appeared bloody. After inflicting each stroke, the executioner took out a white handkerchief, and carefully wiped away the globules of blood which stood upon the fword; then fheathed, and laid it down at some paces from the chair, concealed by a cloak. The whole ceremony being ended, he advanced forward, and holding up the inftrument of juftice immediately after he had taken off the head of the laft criminal, he addreffed himfelf to the affembled multitude, demanding whether he had well performed his duty. They fignified their approbation, and he then withdrew; while the people, before they difperfed, joined with the monks in prayer for the fouls of the departed. The four trunks and heads were expofed during fome hours on wheels, the view of every one, and afterwards interred.

ON REWARDS.

AN EXERCISE DELIVERED AT OXFORD.
Spes Præmii Laboris eft Solatium.

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[OWEVER induftrious moralifts of different ages may have been in reprefenting virtue as its owa reward, it is obvious to remark, that their endeavours in this refpect have, in a great measure, proved unfuccessful. Fine theories may delight the philofopher and excite the admiration of the learned; but they are by no means calculated to influence the bulk of mankind. Thefe require fomething more fubftantial as a foundation for action, and are actuated rather by motives arifing

arifing from views of honour and intereft, than by those deduced from the beauty of virtue. Stoical fpeculations may be productive of Stoical apathy; but little or no advantage will be found to refult from them, either to fociety in general, or to particular individuals.

It is certain, that the human faculties are never known to expand themselves more freely in exertion, than when warmed and enlivened by the hope of fome prefent or diftant good. This is a counterpoife to the feverest hardships undergone in the purfuit; and the teftimony of every man's own experience, independent of other proof, may be fufficient to convince him, that no folacer is more fweet to the wearinefs of diligence, than the contemplation of its reward. Whilft we look forward with fond expectation to new acquifitions, either of fame or fortune, the various difficulties, whether real or imaginary, which are apt to intimidate fluggish minds, gradually disappear; and every intermediate obfacle, which ftands in the way of afpiring merit, is cafily furmounted. In the gay profpect of futurity fuch enjoyments prefent themfelves, as diffufe a ray of comfort over the gloom of misfortune, and give steadi. nefs and perfeverance to our conduct, even under repeated and frequent difappointments. What is it, but a firm confidence of their respective wishes being at length gratified, that forwards the operations of the mechanic, invigorates the measures of the statesman, and nerves the arm and animates the courage of the warrior? The afcent to fame appears proportionably less steep and rugged-as the hero keeps stedfaftly in his eye the glorious profpect on the fummit; nor do labours and dangers ever recommend themfelves fo fuccefsfully to the Ipirit of adventure, as when they flatter its pecuniary views, or promife greatnefs to its ambition. The wreath of victory and the glory of triumph, were placed by the antients amongst the most enviable attainments; in them they beheld a full compenfation for all their mili

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