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ed to introduce, was termed Lafcivioufnefs; yet I do not find that the abfence of, gallantry renders the wives more chafte, or the husbands more conftant. Love here feems to corrupt the morals, without polishing the manners, by bauishing confidence and truth, the charm as well as cement of domellic life. A gentleman, who has refided in this city some time, affures me, that he could not find language to give me an idea of the grofs debaucheries into which the lower order of people fall; and the promiscuous amours of the men of the middling clafs with their fe-, male fervants, debafes both beyond meafute, weakening every fpecies of family affection.

I have every where been ftruck by one characteristic difference in the conduct of the two fexes; women, in general, are feduced by their fuperiors, and men jilted by their inferiors; rank and manners awe the one, and cunning and wantonnefs fubjugate the other; ambition creeping into the woman's paffion, and tyranny giving force to the man's; for moft men treat their miftreffes as kings do their favourites; ergo, is not man then the tyrant of the creation?

Still harping on the fame fubject, you will exclaim-How can I avoid it, when most of the ftruggles of an 'eventful life have been occafioned by the oppreffed flate of my fex?

we reafon deeply, when we forcibly feel.

But to return to the straight road of obfervation. The fenfuality fo prevalent appears to me to rife rather from indolence of mind, and dull fenfes, than from an exuberance of life, which often fructifies the whole character when the vivacity of youthful fpirits begins to fubfide into frength of mind.

I have before mentioned, that the men are domeftic tyrants, confidering them as fathers, brothers, or hufbands; but there is a kind of interregnum between the reign of father and husband, which is the only period of freedom and pleasure that the women enjoy. Young people, who are attached to each other, with the confent of their friends, exchange rings, and are permitted to enjoy a degree of liberty together, which I have never noticed in any other country. The days of courtship are therefore prolonged, till it be perfectly convenient to marry the intimacy often becomes very tender; and if the lover obtain the privilege of a husband, it can only be termed half by ftealth, because the family is wilfully blind. It happens very rarely that these honorary engagements are diffolved or difregarded, a ftigma being attached to a breach of faith, which is thought more difgraceful, if not fo criminal, as the violation of the marriage vow.

THEATRICAL INTELLIGENCE.

DRURY-LANE.

THIS Theatre, after experiencing a variety of alterations and improvements, opened under the management of Mr Kemble.

October 20, 1795. The Depend ent, a Comedy, written by Mr Cumberland, was performed here for the first time, but it was not received with that applaufe which generally accompanies the dramatic produc

tions of this literary veteran. One of the principal characters was the "Ezekiel Daw" of his own "Henry." Withdrawn.

Nov. 23. This evening witneffed the revival of Lee's "Rival Queens," with the addition of a prefatory battle in dumb fhew. Kemble fupported his ufual character in the part of Alexander. Applauded. January 18, 1796. The tragedy of

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of Douglas was followed by a new Pantomime called "Harlequin Captive, or the Magic Fire." The fcenery, in the excellence of which confits one of the chief beauties of this fpecies of entertainment, was well executed, and continued in fuch a manner as to appear appofite to a ftory replete with incident.

25. A new comedy, called "The Man of Ten Thousand," written by Mr Holcroft, was represented for the first time before a crowded and brilliant audience..

The plot, which is well calculated to expofe the hollownefs and infince rity of fashionable friendships, excites 'intereft. Mifs Farren, dreffed à la Grec, attracted the attention of the audience rather by the elegance of her perfon and drapery than the confequence of her character. Party prejudice, which ought never to appear within the walls of a play-house, made a feeble and unfuccessful at tempt, to defraud the Author of his merit, and emoluments.

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This feafon, like the former, commenced under the immediate direction of Mr Lewis, Deputy Manager. Nov. 7. 1795. A new Comedy called " Speculation," written by Mr Reynolds, was acted for the first time this evening.

The plot is an expofition of fraud, fortune-hunting, and projects, and one of the principal fcenes lies in the King's Bench, a "college" to which thefe purfuits naturally lead. Applauded. The Epilogue written by Andrews, and fpoken by Lewis, is humorous,

Jan. 25. "The Way to get Married," written by Mr Morton, was performed this night for the first time.

The heroine, Julia Faulkner, whofe father is imprifoned in confequence of the arts of a pettifogger, exhibits an eminent degree of filial tenderness and exquifite fenfibility, which fortunately prove the "Way to get Married." This is written in a light and humorous, but, on the whole, an interesting ftyle of comedy. The Epilogue contained much fevere, and perhaps too pointed ridicule, on a titled " buxom" Juliet, who, if we are not miftaken, has been for fome time a grandmother.

Feb. 2. A new. Mufical Farce called "The Lock and Key," by Me Hoare. Much whim and oddity.

OPERA.

This Theatre, fo recently revived out of the afhes of the Old One, commenced a hitherto profperous feafon, under the management of Mr Le Texier.

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Saturday, Jan. 16. While Madame Banti was advancing towards the audience, a poor centinel, fuck up for hours, in imitation of the foreign theatres, as if he were a mere automaton, and overcome by the weight of his arms, and the heat and dizzinefs occafioned by the lights, fell down at her feet. This degrading cuftom ought to be abolished, for, the private injury apart, an Englifh áudience fhould never be ufed to

the fight of a military police prefiding over their public entertainments.

Feb. 2. A call was made from several parts of the houfe for new pieces and performers. The manager was not to be found, but the audience was pacified by a promise from Mr Kelly.

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16. I Traci Amici, a new Comic Opera, compofed by Cimarofo, was well received. Signora Fabrizzi, a comic finger, made her first appear.

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and intereft, therefore but ill cal culated for fuch an introduction. Didelot has been formerly in Eng、 land; Rofe came forward on Saturday for the first time. She was the rival of Millard on the French Theatre.

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

PRUSSIA.

T Berlin, Bode continues, with great fuccefs, his Aftrohomical Obfervations; he has published his Ephemeris for the year 1798, which, after the Journal, contains many ufeful treatifes; among them is the calculation of the disturbing force of the planet Herschel on Jupiter and Saturn. The former of which does not suffer an aberration by this force of more than 1" 3. the latter of 18". In another, it is proved, that Flamfteed's No. 34 in Taurus, which has disappeared, must have been the planet Herschel. Bode has alfo publithed his fecond fupplement to his Ephemerides, from 1776 to 1798; in which, from an examination of the original writings of Dominick Caffini (Mem. Anc. Tom. X.) he has clearly proved that this aftronomer obferved, in the fame manner as Herfchel has lately done, the double ring of Saturn. Thefe works of Bode will, we doubt not, be highly prized by all aftronomers.

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Nobles and Men of Power in Ger many. In which he treats of the fyftems of equality, reprefentation, and nobility. The latter is defended, not from any worth in its origin, but from its real utility in every state. The reprefentative fyftem he throws afide in few words, because it may happen, that a small majority may determine on the choice of a reprefentative, and, confequently, the mi nority will be unreprefented. Raftner, Bruns, and Zimmerman, have in concert published at Brunfwick their account of the progress in different parts of geographical science, in the laft third part of the prefent century, to the year 1790, in 8vo. Ehrmann, of Stuttgard, announced, in November, his defign of publishing, next Eafter, an univerfal library, for the knowledge of nations and states, to be continued periodically. The chief intent of the work is to give a general account of the fcience, much in vogue in Germany, under the name of Statisticks. But the great work to which Germany calls our attention is the collection of Wieland's writings. Parma, Paris, and London, have given fpecimens of the progress of their refpective countries in the art of printing. Germany, though the inventor of that art, has been fupposed to lay claim to little merit from its types, printing, or paper. It now comes forward with great pretenfions, and a fuperb edition of Wieland's works, in 4to. 8vo. 12mo, is in the prefs, and the editor fpares neither expence nor pains, in his endeavour to fhew that Germany is not

inferior

inferior to any other country in fplendid book-making. Ten volumes have been delivered, and the curious in thefe arts will naturally give them a place in their collection.

With the permiffion of the government, Mr Bendavid reads private Lectures at Vienna, on Kant's Philofophy. He is the first who has given lectures on that fubject at Vienna; and at Cafchaw, in Hungary, Profeffor Dichy loft his places for fimilar lectures, and he now performs the office of private tutor at Vienna.

FRANCE.

Among the works published lately at Paris, the most important are Ancient Rome, or an Hiftorical and Picturefque Defcription of every thing relating to the Romans, in their civil, military, and religious customs, and in their public and private manners, from Romulus, to Auguftulus, with fifty plates by Graffet. St. Sauveur, 4to. The origin of all the forms of worship, or univerfal religion, by Dupuis, 12 vol. 8vo. and one volume of plates in 4to. Simplification of the oriental languages, or a new and eafy method of learning the Arabic, Perfian, and Turkish languages, with European characters, by C. F. Volney, 135 p. 8vo. When we confider the character of this writer, and his long refidence in the east, it cannot be doubted, that this attempt will excite the curiofity of the ftudious; for the facility of trade and negociation, fuch a work will answer every purpose; and as characters may be formed for every peculiar found in a language, and the vowels may be applied with eafe to every word, a learner, by this mode, will probably find little difficulty in reading the manufcripts of three languages, which at prefent are fcarce ftudied in our country. In Germany much has been attempted on the fame fubject; but the learned confined themfelyes to the enun

ciation of a few words only. France has now opened the way to that indefatigable nation, which it will probably purfue with great advantage. The republics of Sparta and Athens, tranflated from Xenophon, by J. B. Gail, 18mo. Dorbevil and Celiane de Valian, or the Hiftory of their Love and Misfortunes, during the tyranny of Robefpierre, 2 vol. 18mo.

The government of France is at prefent very zealous in promoting aftronomical refearches, and every thing dependent on them. La Place, De Lambre, and Mechain, whofe merit is well known in the philofophical world, are placed in the Marine-Office, with confiderable falaries. Beauchamp is appointed conful for Mafcatta in Arabia, there to fuper intend, and to perfect, as much as in him lies, the eastern geography. Nouet and Perny have been fent into the Netherlands and to the Rhine, to lay down a feries of triangles in thofe diftricts. Mechain is now bu fy in Perpignan on the measurement of a degree in the earth's furface, whilft De Lambre is preparing to meet him with a feries of triangles from Orleans. A bafis for triangles for the fame purpofe is to be formed near Tralles, in the canton of Berne, to which place Lalande has fent the neceflary requifites for accurate menfuration. The revolution has fcarcely disturbed the labours of Lalande, who, fince the year 1789, has been preparing his catalogue of the fixed ftars, which will contain above thirty thoufand. In commemoration of the inftrument which has been fo ferviceable to him in this work, he has placed a new conitellation between the Dragon, Bootes, and Hercules, which he calls the Mural Quadrant. Lalande is now Director of the National Obfervatory (formerly called the Royal Obfervatory) and one of the Committee for the longitude, established by a decree of the Convention, as well as

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tion.

Madame D'Aublay (the late Miss Burney) alfo announces a new novel, entitled Camilla, in five volumes, to be published by fubfcription.

The Rev. Dr Vincent has in the prefs, a Tranflation of the Voyage of Nearchus, from the Indies to the Euphrates.

of the Committee for Navigation on ed to procure a refpectable fubfcripCanals. Several canals are already undertaken, as one from the Oife to the Sambre, and others are propofed for the employment of the foldiers as foon as they are difbanded. The latitude of the National Obfervatory is fettled by Nouet and Perny at 48°. -50'. 11". The French government is not lefs active in its preparations for the new eftablished decimal divifions. Prony, the engineer, is employed in fuperintending the calculations for the tables of fines and logarithms. The fines are to be calculated for every ten thousandth part of a quadrant (that is about 30" in the fexagefimal fyftem) to twentytwo decimal places, with fifty differences. Logarithms are given for the fines and tangents of every hundred thousandth part of a quadrant (about 3") to twelve decimal places with the fecond differences. The logarithms of common numbers, from one to two hundred thoufand, to twelve decimal places, with the firft and fecond differences; and the logarithms from one to ten thousand, are to be calculated to twenty-five decimal places. Fifteen calculators have been appointed, and each calculation is to be made twice.

Dr Darwin will speedily gratify the public with a fecond volume of his Zoonoomia. It is in fuch a ftate of forwardness, that it may be expected by the end of this month.

Dr G. Gregory is about to go to prefs with a capital philofophical work, in three large volumes, octavo, under the title of The Economy of Nature, explained and illuftrated on the Principles of modern Philofophy. Such a work has long been a defideratum.

Propofals have been circulated, foliciting fubfcribers for the publi. cation of the Poetical Works of the Rev. Samuel Bishop. This gentleman's known talents may be expect

We are forry to announce, that the edition of Photius's Lexicon, undertaken by the University of Cambridge, under the conduct of Profeffor Porfon, will not make its appearance fo early as was wifhed for. Unfortunately, the beautiful transcript for the prefs, made from the manufcript by the profeffor, was destroyed in a fire which confumed the houfe of his friend. The original, however, is fafe; and, from what is known of the affiduity of the profeffor, we venture to anticipate, that the learned world will fpeedily be favoured with this much expected work. A new fount of Greek types is preparing; and the admirers of elegant typography will, we doubt not, receive as much pleasure from the beauty of the page, as all found critics will from the learning of the editor.

Mr Dyer's long-expected Life of the late eminent Mr Robinfon, of Cambridge, will make its appearance in the courfe of a month. Mr D. is alfo engaged in preparing a poe tical work, to be intitled The Poct's Fate.

Dr Walcot is writing a mock-heroic poem, containing the History of the King of the Beggars, Bamfylde Moore Carew. Its publication may be fpeedily looked for, and it is fpoke of as his chef d'ouvre.

Mr Merry is publishing a complete edition of his works, verfe and profe.

Mr. Gilbert Wakefield has now in the press a beautiful edition of Lucretius; and his edition of Homer's Iliad and Odyffey are shortly expected.

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