Alas! that to excel in this art should form the character of the true hero, or that blood-stained laurels gained, should be the hero's boast. Rather let him mourn the woefraught deeds his blind ambition, and love of false-glory occasion, and that hand down to posterity his name in characters dyed with the blood of nations. Where are all our boasted powers of superiority over what are called the barbarous ages, when heroes in war, and their feats in the crimsoned field, are held up to the view of their fellow-mortals, and that through all succeeding times, as models of imitation "for them to pursue, as the course that leads to the exaltation of our imperfect natures." Every consideration, connected with sound principle, revolts at the bare idea, that the powers of man should be thus prostituted. Surely for such a purpose they were never intended, they were designed to embrace a nobler range of action. Is war thus never to have an end? Dyed in false colours, and blazoned forth as the road to honour, and the display of all that is praise-worthy, must it still continue to harass, and to plague mankind with its never-ceasing spoils? Forbid it, humanity, in the name of genuine worth, and the real happiness of mortals! May the law of kindness supercede the baneful sentiment, and hasten the happy era favourable to the emancipation of the human mind from the shackles of selfishness, and desire of aggrandizement, introducing in the room thereof sentiments of universal love, and unlimited benevolence, uniting together as children of one father, the great family of mankind. The unerring law of who pride in boasting of many superior advantages of which these poor creatures are destitute. doing unto others as we would wish they should do unto us, repelling every disposition to injure or invade the rights of another, and inducing us to seek as a conquest more noble than that of kingdoms, victory over ourselves, and every passion for renown, originating from deeds connected with the destruction of one another. Possessing the more he roic and praise-worthy sensations of compassion towards all, let us imi tate the God-like attributes of mer cy and peace. Talents and advantages calculated to promote usefulness, and to scatter the seeds of improvement, whereby the condition of man might be bettered, and the evils of life lessened, i would be no longer prostituted to purposes productive of blasting the happiness and destroying the security of nations, by indulging a fondness for war, and delighting to ap pear the foremost in forwarding plans for the destruction of men, thereby purchasing a name in the annals of fame, at the fatal expense of misery to thousands. Instead of following the heroism of a Nelson, to the field of blood, let us endeavour to imitate the benevolence of a Howard, in the walls of a prison, and the intrepid perseverance of a Clarkson on board a slave-ship, advocating the cause of humanity, without distinction of clime or colour. N.S. For the Belfast Monthly Magazine. To the Right Hon. John Foster, SIR, BELIEVE there is no person who has a higher opinion of the good intention, and of the useful effects of the farming societies, particularly of that respectable one of which you are the president, and in which you hold so conspicuous a situation. To hold out to the view of the inferior classes of society, the most effective method of improving the soil, facilitating the tillage, and of obtaining and prescrvng the most productive stock, is an advantage of incalculable value, not only to the farmer individually, but to the country in general. The noblemen and gentlemen therefore who have stood forward in promoting societies whose sole object is to produce such happy effects, justly merit the esteem and gratitude of their fellow citizens. Notwithstanding my full conviction, and cheerful acknowledgment of this, I cannot help thinking that there is one bad effect which has, (I am convinced, unintentionally) proceeded from these societies which calls for public attention, and is the occasion of this address to a gentleman totally unknown to the writer, but by his public situation. The effect I refer to is the late enormous increase of the rent of land, which in my opinion is tending rapidly to the ruin of the country. The most of the members of the farming societies are either proprietors, in many cases extensive proprietors, of land, and men of ingenuity who have turned their attention to, and clearly understand the new improve ments. Their fortunes and their talents enable them to produce their advantages, and they value land in proportion to the advantages thus produced. Proprietors may naturally be supposed partial to such valuations, they will select men who are skilled in the modern improvements, to assist them in valuing; they are agreed, and I will admit, think they are doing right. Suppose however, sir, that this valuation was to be laid on a country whose presentinhabitants never saw a book of farming, who BELFAST MAG. NO. XXXVI. know nothing of chemical processes, who never heard of any of the new instruments fo facilitating til lage, who have not the means of procuring them, who cannot judge of new kinds of stock which they never saw, nor have the means of obtaining them within their reach. What must be the consequence? People in order to avoid being turned out of the residence of their forefathers, and the place of their birth, endeared by a thousand circumstances, will be induced to promise what they will never be able to pay, and to live under the tormenting consciousness, that inability and ruin must ensue. Even supposing, though not granting, that a new set of tenants, of superior talents and means might be obtained, who were able to pay the advanced rents, would it be right to set the old inhabitants adrift on the wide sea of human life, even with a long boat and some stores which might perhaps be allowed them at parting? I know how your generous heart will swer this question, and others of a similar nature which will occur your mind in reflecting on this subject. to an What then is to be done? Ought not the nobility and gentry of the kingdom to get the full value of their estates? certainly, or what they will fairly bring in every supposable alteration, and existing circumstance. How is that to be accurately ascertained? Though I could prove, and perhaps may attempe it in a future address to you, that setting up lands to auction is not the fair method of coming at their real value. I believe the method of estimating the fair rent of land is a subject involved in great darkness, and that it would be of infinite conse quence to the improvement, the tranquillity, and happiness of the country, to have it truly and universally understood. And the respectable society ! D over which you preside could not perform a more patriotic act, or do a more essential service to their country than by publishing their intention of giving such a premium as they may think sufficient, for the best essay to discover the universal principle on which the fair rent of land in all supposable alterations and circumstances of the country may be, accurately ascertained. Convince the people that they get fair play, and universal harmony will reign. I have the honour to be, with very great respect, your very obedient servant, PHILANDER. For the Belfast Monthly Magazine. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MANAGING COVERY, AND FEVER HOSPITAL, IN THE committee in their report for the year ending the above date, have to notice a very great increase inthe number of admissions, which appear to be 1774, while the preceding year numbers only 1056, on this circumstance they have to remark, that they, in their report for last year, gave the following paragraph, viz. "The committee avail themselves of this opportunity, to congratulate the public on the success of an institution, which has proved the happy means of giving a considerable check to the progress of contagious fever; and consequently of having improved the health of the inhabitants of this populous city: as it is a fuct which cannot be too generally known, that since the opening of the hospital in 1804, the number of persons for whom application has been made for, admission, has diminished, although at the commencement, and for some time thereafter, the district relieved comprehended only about five parish. es in the Liberty, and neither servants nor persons affected wish scarlet fever were received; whilst since 5th January, 1809, the limits of admission have been extended to the entire of the city of Dublin, within the circular road, and servants, as well as every other description of poor, labouring under contagious fever (Scarlatina included) are now admissible." The reduction of fever here noticed, continued for the first four months of 1810, for the four succeeding months the admissions gradually increased, so that they, as well as the average number of patients in the hospital, appeared to be more than double what they were in the Corresponding months of 1809; and although in the last four months the numbers have reduced, they still have been nearly double what they were at the same period the last year; and this increased proportion continues at the present moment. For comments on this increase of fever, the committee must refer to the physicians report, after giving an extract from a statement made by them, to a meeting held at the Royal Exchange, the 13th September, 1810, convened by public notice in consequence of the funds of the hospital being nearly exhausted, which is as follows, viz. "From the physicians of the hospital they learn, that during the four past months an epidemic fever prevailed in this city, and throughout many parts of Ireland, unparalleled in malignancy and extent for many years past, and were it not for the check given to the spreading of the contagion, by the immediate admission of the infected persons, together with the whitewashing and fumigating the habitations from whence the pa tients were brought to the hospital, there are strong grounds for believing,. that this populous metropolis might have suffered, and been now suffering, under a fever comparatively destructive as the plague." From the great increase of disease, a very great increase of expense was unavoidably incurred; and from the peculiar situation of the trading part of the community (who form a great proportion of the subscribers) a considerable diminution of the usual funds has been experienced; however the liberal manner in which many of the well-wishers to the hospital came forward, in consequence of the appeal made as before mentioned, the funds were for the present amply recruited; the committee having received from this source £2057 Is. 8d. Still the committee feel there is a necessity for what may be considered as the permanent funds of the hospital (annual subscriptions, &c.) to be increased; and when the advantage of this institution both to rich and poor is considered, they cannot doubt but funds will be afforded. The committee continue to promote cleanliness, in order that disease might be checked, health and strength improved, and comfort in creased amongst the poor; by having a printed code of advice left at the habitations from whence patients are removed to the hospital, as well as by whitewashing and fumigating such apartments, as appear from the reports of the physicians to stand in need thereof, they also in the course of last year, in order to promote a greater attention to this object amongst a different class in society, had an advertisement printed and circulated, of which the following two paragraphs formed a part. "As it appears by a reference to the registry of admissions, that many children belonging to different charity schools in Dublin, labouring under contagious fever, have been lately received into said hospital, the ma naging committee feel it incumbent on them, to recommend to the governors and governesses of these charities, a more strict observance of personal cleanliness amongst their children, together with free ventilation, as well as frequent cleansing and whitewashing of the rooms used as schools and Dormitories." "The committee also wish to impress on the minds of the upper classes of inhabitants in Dublin, the bad effects occasioned by the filthy and confined state in which a great majority of their servants are usually lodged, as to bedding, apartments, &c. &c. which in many instances have, to the knowledge of the committee, proved the means of exciting and keeping up contagious fever. One of the regulations of the hospital, the committee are inclined at present to bring into view, viz. "No officer or servant of the institution, shall presume at any time to take from any patient, tradesman, servant or others, any fee or gratuity of any kind, directly or indirectly, for any service done or to be done on account of the institution, on pain of being immediately dismissed." And they intreat, that not only no temptation be offered to any of their servants to deviate in this particular, but if any violation of this regulation be known, that immediate information be given to the committee. No recommendation is necessary to entitle to admission, but applica tions for admission must be left at the letter-box at the eastern entrance to the hospital before half past nine o'clock in the morning, in order that the applicants may be visited by the extern physician in such time, as that those whose diseases are ascertained to be fit for admission, may be brought to the hospital on that day. No patient can be admitted until seen by one of the physicians of the hospital, nor in any other manner than in |