1 of continental government, has originated from this progreffive advancement. A fpirit of liberty is making a rapid courfe in France, and the monopoly of power by the nobles is daily encreafing; the people (who are the greatest link that joins the political chain in England) are roufing from that fubmiffive obedience they have for many ages fo tacitly aflented to; the parliaments are contending against the arbitrary will of the monarch, by daring to diffent from his opinion, and oppofe, by remonftrances, those measures they deemed inconfiftent with the prefervation of that liberty every fubject is intitled to. So forcibly and fuccefsfully has this purfuit been carried on, that it is probable fome revolution may foon take place, which may cause the balance of power to bear a more general equipoife, and the Frenchman openly exprefs his fentiments of his monarch's conduct, without the dread of imprisonment in the Baftile:-the fun of freedom may foon gain an ascendant in this land, fo long devoted to the dark powers of abfolute fovereigns, and capricious nobles. Though the names of Moliere, Boileau, Voltire. Defcartes, and many others, have defervedly awakened the admiration of Europe, if we draw a parallel between the authors of the two rival kingdoms, it will be apparent that England has always retained the firft rank in the annals of literature. From the days of ignorance and barbarim, when Alfred began to mollify the native ferocity, and uncultivated minds of our anceftors: when that fmall fhate of learning, that then exifted, was confined to the clergy, down to the present times, diftinguifhable attention has always been paid to the cultivation of literature; for though Spencer was fuffered to perish in obfcurity, and neglected by his fovereign; and Milton did not meet with that refpect his incomparable works merited, yet the one was liberally fupported by two patrons of merit, the Earls of Effex and Southampton; and Milton was far from being defpifed, as is generally fuppofed by the ignorant. Genius was rewarded in thofe political and troublesome times, when whiggifm and teryifm raged with unbounded zeal: for Addifon had three hundred pounds of the public money, to affift him in his travels; and Pope had the fame offer from men of different principles. The boafted reign of Lewis XIV. has been compared by Voltaire to that of Auguftus, and it must be allowed, that during the long reign of this monarch, French literature arrived at its meridian splendour, but by recurring to our own hiftory, during the reigns of Charles II. and Anne, we fall find this kingdom maintaining a fuperiority 3 both in literature and war. Our immortal Shakespeare, in whom every perfection of dramatic genius concentred, furpafies every French writer, if we examine his works, either for elegance of fentiment, or correctnets of expreflion; though he has not ef caped the ordeal of Gallic criticism, an author of exalted abilities preferring the compofition of Cato and the works of Shakefpeare, which were vilely tranflated into French. Our author, however, has not remained undefended. . To the literaty labours of a lady(a), we are indebted, for a work that reflects honour upon her fex, as the has dared fuccefsfully to cope with the exalted abilities of Voltaire. A learned annotator has alfo ftood forth in defence of this dramatic fovereign: "Addison (b)," he says, "speaks the language of poets, but Shakespeare of men." We alfo remain unrivalled in the production of an epic poem (c). Defcartes was defervedly efteemed the first philofopher of his time; and if he founded the basis upon which Newton formed a fuperftructure, the fuperftructure as much exceeds the foundation, as a fhadow does its fubftance at the fetting of the fun. We have alfo fuftained the fame fplendor in the polite arts; fince the inftitution of the Royal Academy, by his prefent Majefty (who has compensated for the neglect they met with from the two firft fovereigns of the Houfe of Hanover, continental connections alienating the mind of the one, and domeftic feuds requiring the attention of the other), they have rifen to an unparalleled excellence. I fhall now examine from what source this fuperiority is derived. In thofe troublefome times, when civil difcord drew this country into almoft inextricable difficulties; when perfecution raged with unabating acrimony, and party-malice exerted its utmost fway, the genius that foared beyond the common bounds of nature was always ref pected, the man was revered for his writings. To this we are partly to impute the rapid progrefs of literature; but the grand and primary caufe is that freedom of fentiment which characterizes this kingdom. A land of depotifm cannot cultivate learning with that refinement, as where the privileges of toleration are exerted to their full extent. Though Horace fays, "Cœlum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt," Montefquieu has clearly demonftrated, that the climate does affect the understanding; but it is incontrovertible, that the conftitution of a country has great influence over the intellectual powers: the difparity of ftyle between the French authors of the prefent times, and thofe of Lewis XIV. illuftrate N O T E S. (a) Mrs. Montague. (b) Dr. Johnton's Preface to Shakespeare. (c) Milton's Paradise Loft this his kingdon, maintaining a fuperiority in literature and war. ague. Our immortal (b) Dr. Johnion's Preface to Shakespeare. (c) Milton's Paradise Loft peare, in whom every perfection of atic genius concentred, furpafies every this his axiom. A dawn of liberty now prevails, which it is evident was unknown to those writers who were in continual apprehenfion, left some expreffion fhould efcape their notice, which might be thought reflecting on their fovereign's conduct: politicks were a fubject unknown to them, as even a metaphor might be deemed a libel, and the confequences prove dangerous; fervile adulation was the only characteristic that marked their writings; but in a conftitution, framed as ours is, where we can boaft of a tribunal that can judge the legiflators themfelves, where the rights of the people can be fuccefsfully maintained against the encroachment of monarchy and ariftocracy, genius ean only be properly cultivated, and brought to perfection: and we are to impute thofe productions that reflect fo much honour on the reign of Lewis XIV. not to the fyftem of government, but to the particular favour fhewn at that time to thofe write, who preferred the smiles of their fovereign to the impartial exertion of their mental faculties. R. Ot. A The Miftaken Notion. Mistaken notion indeed, for any perfon, in his right reafon, to take the fmalleft trouble about the eyes of his beast, or to mind whether he has eyes or not; as if forfooth, the eyes were any way concerned in the action or gaits of going of the animal;-Geoffrey Gambado, Efq. knew to a certainty they were not, and therefore gave himfelf very little concern about them in any of his numerous purchases at the different Menages, Repofitories, or Rhedariums, in and about the great Metropolis.-If an expert Horfeman is not blind himself, and has probably a bridle in his Horfe's mouth to direct him where to go, or to lift him up with, if he should tumble down, is not that guide fufficient? To be fure any gentleman chufing to ride without a Bridle fhould in that cafe look pret ty fharp at his Horfe's eyes before he buys him, be well fatisfied with his method of going, and be very certain that he is docile, and will ftop fhort at a "Wohey," and after all be extremely fcrupulous where he rides him.- -Let no man tell me (faid honeft Geoffrey) that a blind Horfe is not a match for one with the very beft eyes, when N O Τ E. Mr. Gambado, in a note, has declared that he has searched Chambers, Johnson, Sheridan, and even Manfon, of Belfast, for this Wohey! but could not find it, nor does he recollect fuch a word in all Shakespeare, tho' he dealt at large in the language, neither (faid he) is it to be met with in Master Bailey's delicate collection of Provincialisms. -What is Wohey? it is so dark that he cannot fee: And when "Tis all the fame-To one bright goal "To fhew their talents, their You fee how gracefully he fits his blind Bucephalus, with all his Brafs-buttons, his Exalted-collar, his Open-bofom, his fine long Skirts, almost covering the Horfe's tail, his Toes dexterously turned out (quite the Ton) and his fpurs juft ready to give a Dig:-His Horse you fee, tho' blind, is ftill ftout, juft of the Dray breed;-a noble Animal (and admirably calculated to make a figure either on the Road, or in the Field :- Scarce one of them but is mafter of Thirty ftone or upwards :——what a' fublime fcene would it be, to fee fourfco; cor a hundred of these Animals in the full ft :ch over a piece of wheat, to catch fight of a hound! It would require the pen of Homer to describe such a spectacle. We ftill flatter ourselves however (through the inftructions that fhall be from time to time thrown out in thefe Magazines) with the hopes of feeing in the Phoenix-park a grand difplay of 'Squire Gambado's fyftem of Equeftation; and not a Sunday flide by, without beholding fome promiling eleve. See the Spruce 'Prentice fearful to be late, Scour the round † Road, and dash thro' Turnpike Gate; Anxious and fearful his Blind fteed to fhew, The proud Bucephalus of Rotten Row ;Carelefs he feems, yet vigilantly fly, Wooes the ftray glance of ladies paffing by ; Whilft his left heel, infidioufly afide, Provokes the caper that he feems to chide." The Life and Amusements of Ifaac Bickerhaffe Junior. (Continued from Page 453) BOOK II. CHAP. XI. A few words on heavenly Faces. MRS E. The Circular Road. outrage of Squafh and Rhubarb, found little Ifaac fqualling in the arms of Sufanna, who endeavoured, but in vain, to pacify him. He was, however, no fooner given to his mother than he became filent, converting the diftortions of crying into one of thofe fmiles which fo much captivate in children, and which feem to imply a degree of fenfibility beyond the acquirements of fo early an age. Mr. Bickerstaffe was privately of opinion, that the face of a nurse ought to be particu larly attended te, and was never very well fatisfied with that of Sufanna, who, befides being somewhat too ftrongly marked with the fmall pox, had a fomething in her countenance, which, though not forbidding, was far from being conciliating. He had fre amiable mother, who "hung over him'enamoured," liftening to the mellifluous voice of Mifs B, when Mr. Bickerstaffe entered the room to receive her commands refpecting the interview with her father, an account of which is highly worthy of a chapter to itself. CHAP. XII. Being the laft Chapter of the Second Book. THE fecond book of this admirable work being fo near its conclufion, I fhall not difhohis daughter by giving it in this place; but nour the interview between Mr. B—————— and fhall referve it for the commencement of the ticulars refpecting the nursing and manageThird book, which will contain many par quently remarked, that the endearments of ment of Ifaac, well worthy the attention of Sufanna proved ineffectual to quiet the infantile forrows of his fon, when even a ftran- every parent, nurse, aunt, grandmother and ger, ❝ with a face beaming ineffable grace," oned the word goffip, I think it neceffary to goffip in chriftendom. And having mentiwould foon engage his attention. Mrs. Bick- obferve here, that under that denomination I erstaffe, on the contrary, faid that this was include many ranks and defcriptions of peothe mere effect of novelty. To this he op- ple; and that in the course of this work, I pofed the fact of her own experience, for fhall give a very elegant and valuable “ Difthat the, whofe face was luminous, and at fertation on the art of Goffiping," with a once expreffed every thing that is captivat lift of the most approved practitioners, wheing, could immediately filence him by a look. ther in or out of Parliament. If my lift of But this, Mrs. Bickerftafie faid, was the effect of filial fondnefs; whilft Mr. Bicker- Goffips in a certain affembly were as long as staffe was as firmly perfuaded that to infants fhould publish it as a feparate work: but it the goffiping ftories that are there told, I all perfons are alike, except by the allure will now he given gratis by way of elucidatment of perpetual attention, or of a heavenly face; that is," faid he, "a face that ing certain pofitions hereafter to be advancpromifes every bieffing, and which an infanted; and the unenlightened part of the publooks up to as to the heaven from which it is to derive all its comfort, and all its happinefs." That Mrs. Bickerftaffe had a countenance of this defcription, I have already had occafion to mention. But whether fuch faces are at all times productive of fuch effects, I have not yet had time to inquire; and fhall referve my opinion for a learned “Treatife on heavenly Faces," which will be published by my executors in three handsome quarto volumes, to be embellished with the engravings of feveral heavenly faces, particularly of my own, which no doubt, will infure the work an extenfive circulation: for what's a book without a picture of the author? My own portrait, from which this engraving will be taken, is now painting by young Lawrence, an artift, who though not yet twenty years of age, has painted more fine pictures than many painters who have handled the palette and pencil twice twenty years: for the fire of youth and the fire of genius united, muft produce fuch corrufcations of fplendor as hall long illumine the regions of fcience.-But let us not, in contemplating one wonderful young man, forget another: but remember that we are witug the hiftory of little Ifaac; and that we left the said little Ifaac in the arms of his ic, i. e nine out of ten, will marvel much the welkin to re-echo, are but mere goflips, to find many whofe names they have taught fhades.And thus endeth the laft chapter of the echoes of echoes, and the fhadows of the fecond book of the best history that ever was or ever will be written. An Infiance of the Boxing mania, &c. Ilona pity!)' hear my complaint, and you have pity, (and what is an Editor give me good counfel.-I havebeen efteemed, in my time, a pains-taking plain tradesman, and I have some reason to imagine that I have merited the character. For twenty fuccefsful years I followed the business of a grocer: my dame and myself attended to our till, and we were always in the way to meet our cultomers. I likewife worked hard, to fave the expence of an extra fervant; while Mrs. Allfpice, after the hours of bufinefs, fat down to make my fhirts, mend my waiftcoats, and fo forth, like a worthy good wife as the is. Thus, Sir, by attention to our bulinels, and gaining by our favings, we found ourselves growing old, with a comfor table |