without infringing on the engage- and the court, with the most hardened ments of politeness and improve- effrontery, and imposed the heaviest

ment.

tax on the humanity of his judges. Mr. Erskine, the present Lord Chancellor, was one of his counsel, and as was usual for him in his address to the jury, talked much more about himself than his client. The Lord Chief Baron's con

If conversation be an employment, which in itself is a pleasure, proper times should be appropriated to suitable subjects. The man would be considered very imperti-duct during the whole of the trial, was nent, who should attempt to divert the legislature with discourses unconnected with the public business, and he should be treated with not more civility, who should introduce the concerns of legislation, where the only purpose to be answered is to create passion and animosity, and make every one more strenuous for his own individual opinión. E.

For the Emerald.

BIOGRAPHICAL OUTLINE OF
JOHN HORNE TOOKE.

(Concluded fr. p. 65..)

exactly the counterpart to Mr. Horne's. With a composed dignity, which is only the property of superior minds, he overlooked the petty attempts of the prisoner to insult, confound, and embarrass, and in his charge to the jury expressly directed them not to regard those papers produced on the part of the gov ernment, where there was no other evidence than Mr. Horne's own declaration that he was their author. This was assailing Horne in his only vulnerable point; he was prepared to be buk lied and beaten down; but was not prepared to resist pity and compassion. His native hardihood forsook him, his self-confidence fled, and in terms of deep humility and self-abasement, he testified his gratitude. When a verdict of not guilty was rendered by the jury, a circumstance transpired that strangely marks his original cast of thinking. In this observation is thought invidi- | Amongst the vast concourse of specta ous, we will request the reader to con-tors that crowded the bar, he discover. sider, that Horne knew better than any of his copatriots, the laws of his country. He knew that between sedition and treason, there was a line drawn, which the humanity of an English jury would not overleap. The punishment of sedition was not capital, and that heing who gave you life thirteen years ago, was qualified by experience to endure. gave me life on this day." It has before The benefit to be derived from it, we been remarked, that Horne by all his shall see in the sequel. At his trial actions solicited prosecution; we may where Lord Chief Baron Eyre presided, now see his motive for so doing. He numerous charges against him where had learned from the example of his supported by no other proofs, than writ- former friend and persecutor John ten documents, to which his signature Wilkes, that no passport to popularity was not affixed, and with the contents was more infallible amongst the mob, of which, it could not be proved, that than a condemnation in a coart of justice. he had the remotest degree of ac- Wilkes' outlawry raised him to the ofquaintance. With a characteristic har-fice of Lord Mayor of the first comdihood he acknowledged himself to be mercial city in the world. the author of the most virulent papers, could do, as both he and Horne did, and braved the result. It was to no talk and clamour in the public papers. purpose, that the Chief Baron informa- of ministerial tyranny, and persecution; ed him, that no one was bound to pro-represent himself as the victim, and duce evidence against himself; Horne appeal to the humanity of the English: persisted in his confession, and thus nation to protect him. Accordingly, supplied against himself the deficiency we find Horne at the hustings on the of evidence. He abused the counsel day of election; offering himself as a

ed the countenance of a beautiful girl who was the daughter of one of the jus rors. He addressed her in the following language, "Sister! you may be surprised at my claiming kindred with you: but remember, that the same be

He then

hibited from a seat in the House of Commons The ministry, or some of their retainers, had the good fortune to light upon this law, and it was decreed that Horne, having once been a clergyman, was not qualified to be a legislator. On the first reading of the bill, which went to exclude him from his

to serve, Horne took occasion to remark, that it reminded him of a story, that would explain to the house his reasons why he was disqualified from sitting as a member. He then observed that amongst the many charitable institutions in the city of London, there was one established for the comfort and subsistence of those of the female sex, who had lost their chastity and virtue. Amongst the number of unhappy beings who'applied for admission, was one beautiful girl, extremely young, who was asked bytheoverseer,if she belonged to that class, and who answered in the negative with the blush of virgin modesty on her cheek. "Then," replied the overseer, 'you have no business with us; go forth and qualify."

candidate for parliament, and exposing treat from a place where his pre-emi to the view of the admiring multitude nence was not felt. Here the ministry his patriotism fresh from the Old Bailey.kindly lent him a helping hand, and for This was evidence too strong to be once in his life he found himself on the doubted. We now find him, in the full same side of the question with the minfruition of all his wishes, a member ister.-By the common, canonical, or of the English House of Commons. statuary law of England, all those, who Scarcely was he warm in his office, be-had taken orders were ever after profore he manifested the same solicitude to leave that body, that he formerly had to obtain a seat amongst them. Indeed no situation in life affords a Better school for courtesy, or where respect for the opinions of other men must be more necessarily learned as the rudiment of success, than that of a representative in the councils of a free na-seat, declaring that he was not qualified tion. Mutual yielding and accommodation, delicacy in discussion, flattery, and apparent respect, where the heart feels none, all these must be employed to win on the side of the politician those of his fellows, who can overturn the most irresistible argument by a vote. From the foregoing sketch of Horne's life it will be readily perceived, that this he was not prepared to resist. Accustomed to implicit reverence, where his responses were considered like those of the Delphic oracle, infallible, he could not bear the society of those, whose understandings, although inferior to his own, claimed equality of respect. His bulls and anathemas were mere "ardentia verba;" they com. manded no reverence, if noticed at all, were noticed with contempt. We pause a moment to remark how trifling and insignificant! how utterly destitute of all influence a mere speculative politician will ever be in the councils of a nation. Solitude and study have given him respect for his own opinions, and a contempt for those of other men. He sees an evil and proposes a remedy; but, never having been disciplined to opposition, regards all discussion as injustice. The "tonans Jupiter" is no longer terrific; the gods in council behold the "informatum fulmen" and laugh whenever it is uplifted. Burke, when from the recluse of his study, he was ushered into legislation; saw and felt this evil in the outset, and instead of attempting to do what was impossi-ter having ransacked all the swineries ble, to reform mankind to his own liking; undertook what was possible, a reformation of himself to theirs. Horne's constitutional stuff, was too inveterate to bend, and his sole anxiety was to re

60

On the third reading of the abovementioned bill, one of the friends of the ministry enforced its necessity, and entered into many nice and speculative distinctions concerning the nature of some of the doctrines of Episcopal faith. Horne, ready at retort, replied, that the gentleman's curiosity resembled the curiosity of a man, who attempted to ascertain the number of devils, that formerly inhabited hogs. His first essay was to ascertain how many individ uals were required to make up a legion. Finding that the number varied in different reigns, he assumed as a medium, the reign of Tiberius. His next attempt was to ascertain the precise number required to constitute an herd. Af

of Messapotamia for evidence he found that they amounted to less than a legion. He then took arithmetic for his guide and allowed a devil and an half to each hog. Horne was at length declared

incompetent to sit in the House of
Commons, and dismissed to the shades
of private life. His genius, ever on the
alert, was now employed much more
favourably for himself and the world, by
preparing for the press his second vol-
ume of the Diversions of Purley.
No writer of the present day copes
with the subject of the present me
moirs for purity of English.
does not seem to have taken any wri-
ter for his model; every paragraph
shines with its own brilliance. He a-

to these he made the

He

graces subservi

FOR THE EMERALD

THE ORDEAL.....No. 16.

The last week has afforded but few. Mr. topics of theatrical observation. return, are most conspicuous and most Cooper's departure and Mr. Bernard's felt; but neither before the departure of the former, or since the return of

the latter, has there occurred any acting of sufficient importance to deserve be completely summary in our obser critical analysis. We shall therefore

vations.

Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare) and
Friday, Feb. 6.

the Ghost.

voids equally a condensation of thought, that perplexes the reader like a riddle or conundrum, and a diffusiveness, where the meaning is lost amidst the pomp of surrounding words. He does not, like Swift, reject a metaphor because it is one, but because it does not This play of Shakespeare's has exillustrate; neither does he, like modern perienced many revisions and alterawriters, hide his subject behind his tions, first by Jas. Howard, who premetaphors. His sarcasms are terrible; made it a tragi-comedy; next by Theo. serving both Romeo and Juliet alive his logical ingenuity such, that his op- Cibber, whose additions and emendaponent seems to have placed himself in tions, though they obtained some resthe awkward predicament to receive them unguarded,&is thus left entirely to pect, are mere lumps of alloy inserted the mercy of his antagonist. Precision & in the gold of Shakespeare, and of conperspicuity were his main objects, and sequence have depreciated the value of the play; and last by Garrick, whose ent. More temperature in his ambi-julicious mind saw at once the most tion, or if his constitutional mechanism and who alone seems to have been sucobvious points required for stage-effect, was averse to, that, an ambition more steadfastly pointed to one object, would cessful in his improvement of the text. have rendered him the ornament of his His play is most generally represented age. Great talents cannot protect their in modern times; and though Mr. Sheowner from reproach, when unguarded ridan, then of the Dublin, Mr. Lee of by discretion; the fall of such a man the Edinburgh theatres, and likewise is the less to be lamented, because nature a Mr. Marsh, have all produced their has furnished him with a capacity to own alterations of this play, they have rise. The æronaut, who tumbles from always confined them to the theatres in his treacherous vehicle, is an object of which they were originally intended to pity, for he attempts to subdue nature be performed. Romeo and Juliet is a to his wishes; but the eagle who presses production so universally known, that his wings to his body and falls lifeless almost all its sentiments are familiar to on the earth, excites no sympathy, be- every one who has any knowledge of cause he might have done better, for Shakespeare. And this perhaps, because it treats of so universal a passion in two such romantic agents as the hero and heroine, with the most thorough acquaintance with the disposition of giddy youth, from its shallow contriv◄ ances and stratagems to its deep-felt passion and ardent fancy. And though the author sometimes suffers his warmth to produce flowers of imagination of too exuberant a growth; yet the general structure of the love scenes is beautiful and attractive. The characters are various, consistent and distinct, possessing passions which seem best G 2

the air was his element..

REMARK.

Poggius in his treatise on the misfortunes of princes, quotes the following defence of the god of riches against the complaints made against him, that he seldom came among men of probity. "I am blind," replied Plutus, "and as among men there is a great majority of rogues, is it a wonder that I should not be able to find the smaller number?"

suited to themselves, and which could not suit any others. It is in this play that Pope's remark is fairly illustrated; that every speech may with ease be assigned to the proper speaker, as every speech of the prominent characters has something characteristical. The gay, airy and elegant wit of Mercutio, are shewn in flashes, so frequent, so sudden, and so unhoped for, as to keep the page of the poet in incessant illumination. Hence it was vulgarly supposed that Shakespeare was obliged to kill him in the third act, from a conscious ness of his inability to support his consequence to the end. Tibalt, the Nurse, the Friar, are all characters of force and discrimination.

How badly this play was performed throughout-how the language was mutilated, the meaning perverted, the action destroyed, the art debased, and the passion repressed by deficiency of ardour, are topics on which we might greatly enlarge, if we thought the agents either patient of animadversion, or not too far involved in error to be

extricated.

respect, did we not fear the petulent violence of Tibalt, the calm and deliberate courage of Benvolio, the imper. tinent garrulity of the Nurse, and the rage of all the Montagues.

The Secret, (Edward Morris, Esq.) and
Four Seasons. Monday, Feb. 9.

We expected much gratification, from the representation of the Rivals, by R. B. Sheridan, as the forces of the company seemed well arrayed, and so disposed as probably to gain success; but a sudden "falling-off" in a cer tain part of them, obliged the managers, to substitute The Secret, which happened to be very familiar to a great part of the audience. Mr. Bernard was welcomed at his return very cordially; and in his splendid personation of Old Lizard he repaid the spectators, and

shewed he deserved their commenda. tions.

The performance of the other characters taken up as they were at short notice, carries the excuse for its inaccuracy, in the knowledge of the fact. In general the acting was in the same style as in our former remarks.on the same play.

Castle Spectre, (Lewis) and few and
Doctor. Wednesday, Feb. 11. ̧

Osmond.

same character. The cast of the play He now appeared in the was altered since the last representation. Mr. Bernard taking the place of Mr. Dickenson, in Motley, and Mr. Poe that of Fox in Hassan.

As to Mr. Cooper in Romeo, he wanted ardency, tenderness, and feel ing. We will not say he cannot perform the part; but we do say he never performed, se ill to a Boston audience. What is quite remarkable, he more than once, entirely mistook the author; The Castle-Spectre, was got up this so that he rendered the speeches, suc-evening for the purpose of introducing, ceeding his mistake, both nonsensical for a second time, the gentleman who and ridiculous. We mean particularly some time ago undertook the part of in his introducing himself to Juliet. Mr. Usher's Friar passed off well: but Mr. Fox's Mercutio! Was ever so great a part, so inhumanly murdered! had he omitted it entirely, or died before his time, or made use of different language we had comparatively been In the part of Osmond, every allowcontented; but to cry havoc, and let anee should be made for inexperience; slip the dogs of ignorance in all direc- there is much bye-play required, and of tions, to "bare gnaw" and "canker- consequence, much self-possession and bite" every expression of wit and every accurate delineation. These are qualisally of sentiment !-We wonder the fications almost unlocked for at the outghost of Shakespeare had not arisen set. from his drear abode to cry Without attempting to analyse "hold! the performance of this gentleman, we hold!" we will endeavour to mention a few deMrs. Powell's figure is no longer a-fects both in conception and execution dapted to the part of Juliet, the young, of the part; and suggest a remedy for the delicate and lovely. We presume some of them. And here we will make necessity alone induced her to under- an avowal, that he has made some imtake it; so presuming, we are silent. provement both in pronunciation and Among the other parts we might no-deportment since he first appeared tice Mr. Milbourne's Apothecary with but he is yet very far from giving satis

THE EMERALD.

THE Sonnets of Garcilaso, a Portuguese poet, are many of them peculiarly forcible in the thought and manner of illustrationAs when the mother, weak in tender.

Hears her sick child with prayers and tears implore

Some seeming good that makes his pain the less,

E'en as her fondness yields to his vain