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Life of Nicholas Clenard of Louvain.

1786. Clenard's account of Fez, as it was 240 years ago, will not be unentertaining.

It is a very large and populous city (fays he), divided into two parts, the old and the new. In the old town there are 400 mofques and as many public baths, with an amazing number of mills, which are turned by unhappy Chriftian flaves, who understand but too well the expreffion in Terence, Davum in pifrinum dedi.

The new town is about half a league diftant from the old, and is the refidence of the King. In the Jews quarter, which is furrounded with strong walls, are nine fynagogues, and 4000 perfons who pay an arbitrary tribute to the Prince. Many of them are well informed, and at Louvain I fhould have coveted their acquaintance; but here I neither think nor dream of any thing but Arabic, and confequently hold thefe fame Ifraelites very cheap.

The Koran is no where in fuch reputation as at Fez. In Tunis people engage in all the departments of literature; but here they are content with the elements of grammar and the Koran. The doctors, who are called Alfakis, know nothing but what relates to their luftrations, prayers, and religious ceremonies. Very few in fo large a place have ever heard of rhetoric or logic, which we ftudy fo keenly in our low countries. And what is aftonishing, though the greater part of the people do not understand Arabic, yet every body has the Koran by heart. Hence it is very difficult for alterations to creep into the text.

"I am fometimes favoured with vifits from the literati of the place, Good heavens! fuch literati. Though their Koran is wrote with an inimitable elegance, it is not to admire this elegance, but for the fake of religion that they read it.

'There are herefies at Fez as well as in Europe. An Alfakie was lately on the point of being impaled for having fed in his fchool, that to be fure Mahomet never did fin, but yet that he might have finned. A hue and cry immediately arofe against this impious fellow for you muft know, my dear mafter, that the prophet always was, and of neceffity must have been, immaculate; and that though he was the fervant of ten wives, he never favoured one more than another, which you will allow was a mar vellous example of diftributive juftice.

There are no bookfellers in this capital, but books and manufcripts are expofed to fale by auction every Friday after prayers. I wanted to buy a Zemachfer, or some other commentator on the Koran: but one wanted the beginning and another the end: howeer, by joining the head of this to the tail of that, I have formed a fort of monfter hat answers my purpofe. There are fome

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libraries here into which a Chriftian may en ter if he chooses to be ftoned; for my part, my love of fcience does not carry me quite fo far: I like better to return to my dear Latomus. The King, indeed, gave me permiffion to carry away fome of the books from thefe libraries; but I cannot entirely truft to kings, especially to thofe of this country, where I have learned what was meant by the Punica fides. There is an illlooking fellow, who obferves me narrowly, and haunts me like my fhadow. God grant that I may not leave my afhes here, with thofe of Cato the younger.

'Do you know that I have juft feen Mahomet, that is, his picture; and the moft. exact one that exifts. It is fo like from head to foot, that the painter has religiously preferved the very number of his white hairs; and I could perfectly diftinguifh the fourteen hairs of one colour which he had in his beard. This painter had feen the holy man in a vifion; he had therefore feen the lively image of the Prophet himfelf, according to his own words: Whoever fees me in a dream, fees me in truth; for Satan has not power to alter my features. I myself, Latomus, impreffed with thefe vifions, one day took a nap; and if you will believe me, I also faw Mahomet, who came to me with the fame number of white hairs, and with monftrous wings, which made fuch a flapping as foon difturbed my repofe.

The Moors among whom I dwell fuffer many hardships: but they are exempt from two plagues which are very inconvenient to us in Europe; they have neither hangmen nor phyficians, and accordingly they live much longer than we.

They have no lawyers, no attorneys, nor folicitors, nor any vermin of that fort: For this reafon law-fuits are rare in Africa; and when they do occur, they are foon fubmitted to arbitration.

• Women abound in this country; the King has more than two hundred to himself alone. You would take him in the midft of his harum for a ghoftly father furrounded by his nuns. But a woman here never occafions thofe violent paffions which are so frequent with us. It was not at Fez that Helen excited a ten years war; nor is it for a wench that Clenard fpends as many years in a diftant quarter of the world.

In this climate diseases are treated quite otherwife than at Paris, where the medical fophifts with a great fhow of learning give you the hiftory of your cafe, while with the greatest compofure they allow you to die.Fomentations, and a few plants which every body knows, are the only remedies used in Africa. Even the Arabian Avicenna is not read in the town where I am.

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• The Mahometans yield with great submiktion

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The people of this nation are poffeffcd of great courage and conftancy; they are never overwhelmed by misfortune, nor by the most grievous events of life; they are never in anger, and blafphemy is unknown. Sailors and hackney coachmen never fwear; glory to God is the only word they utter.

Do you not think it will be glorious to contend with Mahomet? Nine centuries of eftablished fame do but animate my zeal. Truth, whofe defence I undertake, cannot be obfcured by the injuries of time; he is the daughter of time, who, while he deftroys every thing elfe, refpects in her his moft incorruptible work. Idolatry reigned Jong in the world, till at laft it was banished. Mahomet appeared, and darknets again took poffeffion of the earth. What an amazing genius was this falfe prophet! I view in him the talents of two Roman Kings. Like Numa, he pretended fecret conferences with a fuperior intelligence: like Tullus Hoftilius, after having feduced the world, he girt himself with the fword, and added the glory of a conqueror to the afeendency of a prophet.

Thofe he could not gain by his arts he fubdued with his fword. He extended his dominion, and by victory after victory almoft conquered the world. At this day, what is all Chriftendem compared to thofe vaft and powerful Countries where. Mahometanifm reigns?

Nine centuries, however, of fuch a religion cannot change the nature of error; and this herefy is not calculated to acquire partifans. Mahomet no longer makes projelytes.

which I would moft willingly have difpenf ed with, and which had like to have coft me my life. Your disciple, O Latomus, was on the point of being ftoned. Having escaped, however, by the afliftance of a faithful flave, from the fury of these Muffulmans, I am seriously meditating my retreat. I have now travelled enough, and wandered too long from my native foil; my hairs, that grow grey, admonish me to return to the abode of my fathers. Shall I then fee you all again? you, my dear La tomus, your family, your fifter, and all my old companions! Yes, and nothing fhall ever tempt me to leave you more.'

But Clenard had not the happiness of revifiting the country he loved fo much. He died at Granada in the year 1542, at the age of 46, and was regretted by all the learned in Europe.

Hiftories of the Tete-a-Tete annexed; or,
Memoirs of the Perfevering Lover, and
Falle Wife.

THE

HE recent trial for crim. con. upon an action brought by Mr. F- againft the honourable John Townshend, for crimi nal converfation with the plaintiff's wife, is, at prefent, the topic of conversation in all the polite circles; but great pains having been taken to fupprefs the publication of the trial, the incidents of this illicit amour are not generally known. We have, however come at a knowledge of the whole tranfaction, and will lay it candidly and fairly before our readers.

Mr. Townshend is fecond fon to the noble viscount who bears the fame name and ti tle, and is, in perfonal appearance and converfation, admirably formed either to ftorm or fap the heart of a weak worn. In his amours he has been remarkably fuc cefsful, but in the prefent account we fall confine ourselves to the feduction of Mrs. F

We have wars here which you know nothing of in Brabant. It is not the din of arms that difturbs the place where I dwell; it is quite another fort of an army than thofe that you have feen. Yesterday the whole face of the heavens above Fez was obscured This lady is the daughter of a refpectable by millions of battalions of locufts; they gentleman, whole finances being freighten were feen fluttering in the air, and imitated, he had not ability to beslow a fortune ing the flight of birds; fometimes skimming upon his daughter, tho' he endow'd her with along the ground, fometimes hovering upon a liberal education. She poffeffes a heart of it, then taking their flight and frightening fenfibility, upon which it is fuppofed that the whole world. The peasants do great Mr. Townshend made a very deep imprethexecution among them; but they cannot on, fome time previous to her marriage, prevent their harveft from being deftroyed which was rather the confequence of con in a fingle night. Thefe infects are brought pulfion than inclination. If this be the fa hither in cart-loads, and people eat them. it certainly goes very far in palliation of her -For me, who am no gormandizer, I offence, though it cannot be contidered an would prefer a good partridge to a fcore of excufe, and her husband must stand felf-cclocufts. demned, as he is punifhed for accepting the hand of a bride without being convinced he poffeffed her heart.

But I must now end this long letter: I write all thele details under the empire of Mahomet, where I am the fubject of jealous Sufpicion, and have already been concluded a Chriftian prophet and a priest; an honour

As Mr Townshend was intimate in Mr. F's family, we can by no means at tempt to defend his conduct, in feducing the

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1786.

Britifb Theatre.

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wife from her duty, while he pretended as the idea of a woman paying her first refriendship to the hufband. Involuntary and fpects to an audience in breeches, is rather fudden efforts of paffion may fometimes deftroying that apparent modefty which has fubdue the ftruggles and efforts of the most ever been esteemed the characteriftic of the virtuous mind, but premeditated adultery fex. However, though appearance was under thefe circumftances is a fpecies of trea- against her,' fhe early obtained repeated chery that should never efcape with impunity. plaudits of approbation, and experienced The liberties which Mr. Townshend took the flattering reward of meritorious abilities. with his friend's wife, weré visible to the Her voice is a melodious counter-tenor, and whole family, the neighbourhood, and every conveys an idea of the tones of Mrs. Kenvifitor, long before Mr. F took ferious nedy; which, added to a good figure, is notice of them, and he had nearly fallen likely to prove an acquifition to Mr. Colinto the contempt of the world, before he man, who appears very ambitious to attract roused from his lethargy, and vindicated his the Town by novelty. wrongs, by evincing a proper fpirit of refentment.

Mr. F called his wife to a fevere account: he charged her with the familiarity of her behaviour to Mr. Townshend, and fhe at firft boldly denied the charge; but, in defending herself, thewed fo much partiality to her lover, and contempt to admonitions of her husband, that a separation was the confequence.

Mr. F. -, on his wife's departing from his house, fet perfons to watch Mr. Townshend, and having at length, procured fufficient evidence of actual adultery, he called Mr. Townshend to the field. Mr Townshend accepted the challenge, he received Mr.F's fire, but pofitively refufed to return it. Certain of having done him an irremediable wrong, his confcience would not permit him to aggravate it.,

To lay the foundation of a divorce, Mr. Fbrought an action against Mr. Townfhend, which was tried laft term, when he got five hundred pounds damages. On this trial it was proved that when the lady rode out, Mr. Townshend generally met her, and took feveral liberties both in action and conversation, which a modeft woman could only allow to her hufband, and that after her feparation from her husband, he was frequently feen coming from her bed chamber in a morning.

It is ftrongly reported that should a divorce take place, Mr. Townshend will marry the lady: but to this his father has entered a strong proteft: and in a letter on the fubject to his fon he writes to this purport, "I forgive your conduct towards the woman. Lapprove your behaviour towards her husband in the field; but should you marry her, I can never more confider you as one of my family."

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On the 15th inftant, a lady whose name is Smith appeared for the first time at this theatre, in the part of Phyllis, in the Con fcious Lovers.

Mrs. Smith has been accuftomed to the ftage; has a tolerable perfon; and appears to have fome share of that vivacity and nice difcernment, which give effect to our comic representations.

On the zoth inftant, a lady whose name is Brooks, was introduced in the character of Lady Townly, in the Provoked Hufband.

This lady's perfon is elegant, her countenance expreffive and captivating, and her judgment correct; but her voice and pronunciation have defects which may prevent her acquiring that fuperior fame in comedy to which her talents have juft claims.

We have hardly ever feen Lady Townly reprefented with more judicious attention to nature; and, if the manager can put Mrs. Brooks on a method of giving fulness to her voice, and difentangling her words, fhe will foon rank with the firft performers of the prefent time.

On the 23d inftant. A new Comedy was performed for the first time at this theatre, called

The Difbanded Officer; or, Baroness of Bruchfal.

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This Comedy is avowedly taken from a German piece of Leffing, which was exceedingly popular on the Continent, and has been tranflated into French, and performed with great applause on the Parifian stage.Major Johnfon is the ingenious gentleman to whom the town are indebted for the inwoduction of this play into our theatre;

where

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