"Doft thou not see, O Gaul," fays MORNI, in one of the poems of Offian," how the fteps of my age are honoured? MORNI moves forth, and the young meet "him with reverence, and turn their eyes, with filent joy, on his course *." The Jewish lawgiver, whofe fyftem of laws was, in many refpects, accommodated to the circumftances of an early people, has thought proper to enforce the respect due to old age, by making it even the subject of a particular precept." See that thou rife up before the hoary "head, and honour the face of the old man †." So infeparably connected are age and authority in early periods, that in the language of rude nations the fame word which fignifies an old man is generally employed to denote a ruler or magiftrate ‡. Among the Chinese, who, from their little intercourse with strangers, are remarkably attached to their ancient usages, the art of writing, notwithstanding their improvement in manufactures, is ftill beyond the reach of the vulgar. This people have accordingly preferved that * Vide the Poem of Offian by Macpherson. + Leviticus, chap. xix. ver. 32. In the language of the Arabs, fee D'Arvieux trav. Arab.-This alfo is the cafe in the German and most of the modern languages of Europe. high admiration of the advantages arifing from long experience and obfervation, which we commonly meet with in times of ignorance and fimplicity.-Among them, neither birth, nor riches, nor honours, nor dignities, can make a man forget that reverence which is due to grey bairs; and we are told, that the fovereign himself never fails to respect old age, even in perfons of the lowest condition *. We may eafily imagine that this admiration and reverence, which is excited by wisdom and knowledge, muft, in a particular manner, affect the conduct of children with respect to their father.-The experience of the father must always appear greatly fuperior to that of his children, and becomes the more remarkable, according as he advances in years, and decays in bodily ftrength.He is placed in a fituation where that experience is conftantly difplayed to them, and where, being exerted for their prefervation and welfare, it is regarded in the most favourable light. From him they learn those contrivances which they make use of in procuring their food, and the various ftratagems which they put in practice against their enemies.-By him they are inftructed in the The art of printing and writing has greatly tended to abolish this respect in more enlightened countries. different branches of their domeftic economy, and are directed what measures to pursue in all those difficulties and distresses in which they may be involved.―They hear, with wonder, the exploits he hath performed, and the precautions which he hath used in former times to avoid the evils with which he was furrounded, or the address and dexterity which he hath employed to extricate himself from those misfortunes which had befallen him; and, from his obfervation of the paft, they are enabled to learn ufeful leffons of prudence, for the regulation of their future conduct and behaviour.-If ever they depart from his counfel, and follow their own headstrong inclination, they are commonly taught by the event to repent of their folly and rafhnefs, and are ftruck with new admiration of that uncommon penetration and forefight which he appears to poffefs.-They look upon him as a fuperior being, and imagine that the gifts of fortune are at his difpofal.-They dread his curfe, as the caufe of every misfortune; and they esteem his bleffing of more value than the richest inheritance. In the Iliad, when PHENIX is fent on a message to Achilles, he bewails his misfortune in having no chil dren dren of his own, and imputes it to the curfe of his father, which he had incurred in his youth. My fire with curfes loads my hated head, And cries, “Ye furies! barren be his bed !” An ruthless PROSERPINE Confirmed his vow. HOMER. "And ESAU faid unto his father, Haft thou but one "bleffing, my father? Bless me, even me alfo, O! my * father.—And ESAU lift up his voice and wept *." To these observations we may add, that the authority of the father is confirmed and rendered more univerfal, the force and influence of cuftom. We naturally retain, after we are old, those habits of refpect and fubmiffion which we received in our youth; and we find it difficult to put ourselves upon a level with those persons whom we have long regarded as greatly our fuperiors.-The flave, who has been bred up in a low situation, does not immediately, upon obtaining his freedom, lay afide thofe fentiments which he has been accustomed to feel.-He retains for fome time the idea of his former dependence; and, notwithstanding the change of his circumftances, is difpofed to con Genefis, xxvii. 38. 1 tinue that respect and reverence which he owed to his - master. We find, that the legislature, in fome coun tries, has even regarded and enforced these natural fentiments. Among the Romans a freed man was, through the whole of his life, obliged to pay to his patron what was called "obfequium et reverentia ;" and which confifted in attendance upon him on public occafions, and in fhewing him certain marks of honour and distinction. -If ever he failed in the observance of these duties, he was thought unworthy of his liberty, and was again reduced to be the flave of that perfon to whom he had behaved in fo unbecoming a manner * A fon, who has been accustomed from his infancy to ferve and to obey his father, is in the fame manner difpofed for the future to continue that service and obedience. Even after he is grown up, and has arrived at his full ftrength of body, and maturity of judgment, he retains the early impreffions of his youth, and remains, in a great measure, under the yoke of that authority to which he hath hitherto fubmitted.-He fhrinks at the angry countenance of his father, and trembles at the power of that arm whofe fevere difcipline he has fo often * Vide Heineccii antiq. Roman. lib. 9. fect. 1. Dig. de op. lib. fe&t. 1. Inft. de cap. deminut. 1. un. Cod. de ingrat. liber. |