Hitherto there seems to have been something strangely wrong in the constitutions of society--a lurking poison that spreads its contagion far and wide--a canker at the root of private virtue and private happiness--a principle of deception, that sanctifies error--a Circean cup that lulls into a fatal intoxication. But men begin to think and reason; reformation dawns, though the advance is tardy. Moral martyrdom may possibly be the fate of those who press forward, yet, their generous efforts will not be lost.--Posterity will plant the olive and the laurel, and consecrate their mingled branches to the memory of such, who, daring to trace, to their springs, errors the most hoary, and prejudices the most venerated, emancipate the human mind from the trammels of superstition, and teach it, _that its true dignity and virtue, consist in being free_. Ere I sink into the grave, let me behold the _son of my affections_, the living image of him, whose destiny involved mine, who gave an early, but a mortal blow, to all my worldly expectations--let me behold my Augustus, escaped from the tyranny of the passions, restored to reason, to the vigor of his mind, to self controul, to the dignity of active, intrepid virtue! The dawn of my life glowed with the promise of a fair and bright day; before its noon, thick clouds gathered; its mid-day was gloomy and tempestuous.--It remains with thee, my friend, to gild with a mild radiance the closing evening; before the scene shuts, and veils the prospect in impenetrable darkness. TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE Punctuation, hyphenation and period spellings have been retained even where not consistent. The latter includes the name Anne, which also occurs without the final e. The changes listed below have been made to the text (corrected version follows original): but in this investigatation we must be patient but in this investigation we must be patient Arisides the just, Aristides the just knowledge and learning, are unsufferably masculine in a women knowledge and learning, are unsufferably masculine in a woman Why do we suffer ourselve to be confined Why do we suffer ourselves to be confined gratified by his covnersation gratified by his conversation at his repeated requst at his repeated request the degrading and melancholy intelligence, with fills my soul the degrading and melancholy intelligence, which fills my soul the acitivity of a curious and vigorous mind the activity of a curious and vigorous mind a temporary reflief a temporary relief Would she, inded, accept of my society, Would she, indeed, accept of my society, qutting it early in the morning quitting it early in the morning