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it was unfortunate for the duke that Comines was a man of genius! If we are well verfed in the history of the tines, we fhall often difcover, that the writers of memoirs have fome fecret poifon in their heart. Many, like him, have had the boot dafhed on their nofe. Perfonal rancour wonderfully enlivens our ftyle. Memoirs are often dictated by its fierceft fpirit, and then hiftories are compofed from memoirs! And where is TRUTH? Not in hiftories and memoirs !

AN EXTRACT FROM A SPANISH MA

NUSCRIPT. (Communicated.)

In a romantic spot on the confines of Spain there has been discovered a tomb of venerable appearance, adorned with emblematical culpture, reprefenting giants deftroyed, magicians imprifoned, and coats of mail lying ufelefs, but the most ftriking figure in the groupe, is Satire trampling on Vice, laughing at Folly, and pointing to the following infcription:

"Within refts the friend and fervant of the ableft fatirift, ever registered in the chronicles of fame, Miguel Cervantes.

"This friend made his first appearance in Spain, towards the beginning of the feventeenth century, yet he may exist to the end of time. He was the conftant companion of his master, the cheerer of his life, the difpeller of his gloom, the fharer of his fame*. He differed from all mankind; they improve as they grow taller; his fame increafed as he got shorter! On the deceafe of his employer he was depofited in this tomb, nor will he again appear until a mafter can be found equal to his former.-Though an abfolute flave, yet he was never difgraced in the fupport of vice, the degradation of virture, or the malice of party; never once did his effufions coft modefty a blush, or innocence a tear! He never ridiculed or rais'd a laugh at religion or morality, yet he was always employed to unmask the hypocrite. Satire was his forte, and with his movements like the circles of a magician's wand he could produce a fort of talifman against vice and folly. He vidiculed general errors, but never defcended to perfonality.-Te fum up all he was a bee, diftilling honey from the moft noxious weeds, and pofleffed of a fting to preferve his fweets from the attacks of the wafp."

Here the infeription ended :-some would-be wits, and fool-hardy traveliers, on reading this enigma, broke open the tomb, and found a worn-down old pen!they were of courfe much difappointed; but as foon as it was underfood, that the pen of Cervantes had been found, all the modern authors came in fhoals to claim it.* Vide the conclufion of Don Quixente.

How fhall I relate the sequel! When they brought their works as certificates to be compared with the infcription, not one was to be found, but what was contaminated by vice, jaundic'd with party, corrupted by immorality, or vitiated with malice! fo that the pen is now to change its former habitation, and be configned for ever to the cave of oblivion. M.

DR. STACKHOUSE.

Soon after Dr. Stackhouse had publifhed his Hiftory of the Bible, dining with a party of friends, they rallied him upon the miracles, particularly upon that of Jonah and the whale. To one of ought to have been omitted," Stackthem, faying, "Surely, Doctor, that houfe replied, "Hufh, hufh, all these things have their popular ufe, and we can by no means do without them; fect thould not have been omitted, even had the text vouched for Jonah's having fwallowed the whale.”

(Communicated.)

the

ORIGINAL LETTER from Archdeacon BLACKBURNE to Dr. FLEMING. 9th July, 1771.

DEAR SIR, Surely I am highly obliged to you for communicating the anecdote from North Britain, though I cannot fee the narrownefs of the fyftematics in that part of the world without pain of mind. A certain worthy divine, of our denomination, who has been a diligent obferver of men and times, remarked to me, the other day, that, about eighteen years ago, we were in a fair way of carrying theological imfince that time we were going back with provements to a very hopeful crifis; but that a rapidity which feemed to threaten fomething very like the bonds of Popery.

I could with there might be a cooperation of both ends of the ifland, in the great work of delivering Chriftianity from its unnatural affuments; as that can hardly be brought about in this age, let us with, that both may have fuccefs in their feveral attempts. One may then and, by the bleffing of God, unite to hope they would meet at the fame time; overcome all obftructions; which at prefent feem to be occafioned chiefly by a fpirit of diffipation, and inattention, in all ranks. Half a dozen Hollifes at Edinburgh, and another half dozen at London, would foon make the opponents fervant and fellow-labourer, fhake. I am, Sir, your much obliged

FR. BLACKBURN. [The WALPOLIANA will be continued in the next mamber.] ORIGINAL

ORIGINAL POETRY.

THE DEVIL IN BAN: AN IDYLL.

His poke, I got away; hut you, poor Lurian!

Driginally written in German, by JOHANN He caught by the tail, and held against his

HEINRICH Voss.

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The Bristol parfons †,

grindstone,

Till you had worn not to come near him

more.

You limp'd and jiffled for a long while after ; And when old Death met the bowed, hobbling imp,

He'd lift your tail, and grinning ask—“ How goes it?"

LURIAN.

Sad is the memory of those evil days,
While with the keys of heaven and of hell
The pope did as he pleas'd. It was provoking,
Even to a devil, to fee thofe orthodox
Jump into heaven for aping monks' grimaces,
While worthy heathens, and bold heretics,
Shower'd into hell by fcores! It is no wonder
Some honeft merry imp should flink, at times,
Far from the eternal fires and howl of fouls,
To make a pother in the pious world
By noifes, ghoftly hauntings, and poffeffions.
But fince, at length, an angel of the light
Flung into the abyfs the keys, and by degrees
Th' eternal bonfires flacken-all's so still,
That e'en the priests grow doubtful if we are
living.

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You look as fleek as any ftabled ftallion,

Dabs at exorcifm, who might shame Tobias With eyelets, by the fat flesh fqueez'd toBut what's your name?

LURIAN.

What, know you not poor Lurian,

Full in whofe face fierce Luther flung his ink-stand?

Hence this pitch-plafter covers my left eye.

PULIX.

Lurian, mefeems once elfe you got a scar. While yet the pope rul'd undisturb'd at Rome, Satan fent us together to that blacksmith, Who on his wall had drawn the arch-devil's picture,

And us'd to pince at it with glowing tongs. We knock'd, and ask'd for house-room; but the chriftian

Held on the key-hole a becrofs'd, bebleft,
Befprinkled bag of holy fackcloth, given him
By Saint Nepomucene, and caught us in it;
Then flung us on his anvil, and with hammer,
Swingeingly heavy, fo belabour'd us,

That had we not dwindled ourselves to fleas,
And hopp'd about the creafes of the fack,
He must have done for us. When he untied

Bloxberg is a mountain where witches hold their fabbath.

In the original, Pater Gaffner, of fimilar Celebrity.

gether:

You feem half-brother to fome rofy dean.

LURIAN.

No marvel! from a girl, who was poffefs'd,
An Abyffinian bishop drove me: hence
Came our acquaintance first, and next our
friendship.

And now I dwell the cloifter*, fweep the ailes,
Cover the kitchen embers, and at night
Shut up the cells of monks. For this, their

care

Feeds me at noon, and lets me fteal at eve Down to the cellar with them. What's that nofe for?

PULIX.

Lurian, my faithful friend, thefe forty days
I've only tafted grafshoppers and honey,
A farveling lizard, and some scorpions:
I fhould have caught an ague on these fands,
Did not a fimoom cheer me now and then.

LURIAN.

Poor fiend! we'll fee what fare the butler's forefight

Has fkewer'd into my knapfack. When thou art cheer'd,

* At Diarbekr, Niebuhr heard a very fimilar story.

I'll try to rid thee of this bleffed fpell.
The Bristol parfons can't have got a faintship
Home from Sienna yet.

No fear of that.

PULIX.

LURIAN.

FROM MARTIAL.
EPIGRAM 78. B. VIII.
"THE fimple truth I wish to hear,
Nothing fo grateful to my ear!"
This, when your fpeeches you rehearse,
Or long effays in profe and verse,

Tafte, hungred, first, this fpitchcock'd rattle- Is ftill to me your conftant cry,

fnake,

And toafted toad, with affa-fætida.

Lo! how his long ears wag! The devil is pleas'd,

His noftrils whiffle-fhine his greedy eyes. Here-here's an otter's pluck-an owlet's wing,

Dog's tongues; with newts-eye fauce, and fpawn of frog.

What will you drink?-tobacco oil, or gin?

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And 'twere unfriendly to deny.
Come then-But fimple truth, 1 fear,
Will not be grateful to your ear.

EPIGRAM 79. B, VIII.

TO a knot of old tabbies, or, ugly as they,
Queer damfels, eternally clung,
You fhow off your perfon at park, ball, and play,
And thus you are handfome and young.

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J. W.

Thus, without death, to die.

REVIEW OF NEW MUSICAL PUBLICATIONS.

THE Magic Oak, or Harlequin Woodcutter, as performed at the Theatre-Royal, Covent Garden, compofed by Thomas Attwood. 6s.

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Goulding, Phipps, and D'Almaine. THE mufic of the Magic Oak prefents a refpectable effort of fcience and fancy. The overture comprifes three movements, which are calculated to relieve each other, and intereft the attention. The quickftep, danced by Mrs. Wybrow, in the volunteer fcene, poffeffes much vivacity; and the Volunteer's March, by which it is fucceeded, is conceived with more novelty and animation than we generally find in the present numerous productions of this kind. "Hail, Magic, hail," fung by Mr. Townfhend, is bold and characteristic. The change of the time at Still to the chace of Pleafure true," is of excellent effect: the refumptions of the former movement, at "Then as I wove my potent Wand," is equally judicious, and the accompaniment, throughout, is varied with the happieft fuccefs. The melody of "Thou haft giv'n me Freedom," fung by Mrs. Chapman, is pleafingly imagined, but the accent is not always juftly laid; into which error, perhaps, the compofer has been betrayed by the poet, who attributes two fyllables to the word giv'n, while the musician has been obliged to confider it (as indeed, it really is, in poetry) a monofyllable. "My Mother got Married," fung by Mr. Townfhend, is a good fea fong. "In Defence of the Bleffings," fung by Mr. Hill, is truly martial; and the finale, "Now fing, now dance," is ftriking in its fubject, while the digreffions heighten the effect, and contribute to the engaging conclufion of the piece.

Four Sonatas for the piano-forte, with or withcut the additional keys, and an accompaniment (ad libitum), for a flute or violin, compofed by J. Mazzinghi. Op. 34. 7s. 6d.

Goulding, Phipps, and D'Almaine. These fonatas, in which fome wellknown and favourite airs are introduced, carry with them the ftamp of their ingepious author. The firft piece is in G. major, common time, con fpirito, and Commences with a bold and novel idea, which is well fupported through the movement. The fecond movement, a paftorale, larghetto, is conceived in a pleafing and characteristic style, and judiciously relieved by the laft movement in 2-4 allegretto. The opening movement in the fecond piece, in 2-4 andante, is

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fancifully elegant, and leads the ear with a gratifying effect to the fucceeding minuet, in 3-4 moderato, in the fourth of the original key, which brings us to the clofing movement in 2-4, where we find nuch novelty and fprightlinefs of conception. The third fonata, which is in D major, opens with a movement in common time, allegro maeftofo, which is followed by a polished cantabile, whence we proceed to a lively and engaging paftoral movement in 6.8. The fourth piece is in F major, and commences in 3-4, allegro quifto, from which we proceed to the celebrated old air of "Saw you my father, faw you my mother," given with confiderable and well-judged embellifhment, and the fonata concludes with an andantino movement, which is animated and graceful, is feparately printed, managed with all the addrefs common to this author, and greatly heightens the general effect.

Ellen of the Dee, fung by Mr. Dignum, the words by Mr. Ramice the Mufic compofed by Mr. Rofs, Organist of St. Paul's, Aberdeen. Longman and Clementia

Is.

Mr. Rofs has adopted for the music of this plaintive ballad, the time of 6-8, Larghetto Efpreffione; in the choice of which he has difplayed much judgment; but we cannot greatly compliment him on the advantage deduced from it. He has evidently fitten down full of the fentiments of the words, but not in one of thofe felicitous moments when the imagination, refponfive to the judgment, fupplies the materials which the fubject demands. The compofer fympathifes with the poet, but fails in that elegant conveyance of his feelings which gives character to the melody, and at once warms the heart, and captivates the ear.

Book the first, of Original Welsh Airs, for the piano-forte, with an accompaniment for a violin or flute, arranged as eafy leffons, fer juvenile practice. 2s. Rolfe

This first book contains fix Welsh airs, which, for the most part, are well felected. The "Miletoe Buth" and "Margaret, who lost her garter," and "Caft away care," are perfectly Cambrian, while "Lullaby," which the editor has given for three voices, with a piano-forte accompaniment, forms the most valuable page of the compilation: The tender and affecting fimplicity of this little air has always infured it admiration, and will never ceafe to please those who are at

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These variations are progreffive in execution, and constructed with science, and a due adherence to the theme. The author has availed himself of all the fcope which this fpecies of compofition admits, and has furnished a useful and pleafing exercise for young practitioners on the piano-forte.

The Angelic form of my Loan, fung by Mr. Incledon, at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, in the entertainment of an Escape into Prijon, compofed by W. Reeve. IS.

Longman and Clementi. This ballad exhibits very few marks of tafte and invention. The melody is infipid and unconnected, and the bafs, generally speaking, unfcientifically chofen. The eafy and graceful turn of expreffion in the poetry has failed to infpire the compofer with that correfponding elegance which alone can gratify the judicious hearer.

Now the Ottoman Porte declares War againft France. Written, compofed, and fung by Mr. Dignum. Is. Longman and Clementi. This plain fimple air, though it boasts neither tafte nor modulation, is tolerably adapted to the words. The last eight

bars of the tune are converted into a cho

rus, which forms the clofe of each verfe; but we cannot say that the parts are difpofed with a correctnefs perfectly matbematical.

Eliza, su Le Triomphe de la Nature, a Pafioral Ballet, by Monfieur Gallet. Performed at

the King's Theatre, Hay-Market. Compofed by J. Mazzinghi. 7s. 6d.

Goulding, Phipps, and D'Almaine. This ballet comprises an overture in two movements, and twenty-fix changes of melody, independent of the finale. After a fedulous perufal of the whole, we have the pleasure to affert its uncommon degree of merit. Tenderne fs of fentiment, and vivacity of imagination, are happily contrafted, and difplay all that experience in theatrical effect which characterizes the dramatic efforts of this author. The feveral movements are, throughout, fo excellent in their kind that it is only by the minuteft examination that we are enabled to point out thofe

which reflects fuperior honour on the talents of Mr. Mazzinghi. No. 2, in com mon time, andantino, No. 3, in 2-4, larghetto, No. 6, in 2-4, allegretto, No.7, in 6-8, larghetto, No. 9, in 3-4, adagio cantabile, No. 11, in 3-4, andantino, No. 14, in common time, larghetto, No. 15, in 6-8, larghetto paftorale, No. 21, in common time, moderato, No. 26, common time, moderato, and the finale, in 2-4, fpiritofo, form, perhaps, the most finished part of the ballet.

First Examples on Singing, by Mr. Bemetzrie

der. IS.

Skillern.

Thefe examples commence with four notes in F ut fa, fucceeded by five notes in E fi mi, fix in E fi mi flat, seven in G re fol, eight in C fol ut, nine in G re fol, ten in D la re, eleven in A mi la, twelve in C fol ut, thirteen in F ut fa, fourteen in E fi mi, and twenty-three in F ut fa. Among the various forms in which vocal rudiments are offered to the public, the prefent promises a refpectable share of affiftance; and will be found useful to those who thoroughly study them,

Fairy Invocation, a Rondo for the piano-forte, barp, or German flute, written by R. An drews, composed by S. F. Rimbault. Is..

Rolfe.

The theme of this rondo is, generally fpeaking, pleafingly familiar. Some paffages we are obliged to object to as not equally flowing with others; and the digreffive ftrain in the relative minor, though it ferves to relieve the fubject, is not conftructed with that ease and nature which the former parts of the compofition would have led us to expect.

Ofcar's Tomb, with an accompaniment for the piano-forte, written by John Ramice, and compofed by Mr. Rofs, Organift of St. Paul's, Aberdeen. 1S. Longman and Clementi.

lad poffeffes much pathos. Had the comThe melody of this pathetic little balpofer employed more modulation, the ef. impreffive; but his general conception of fect, perhaps, would have been ftill more the fubject is juft, while the execution of his ideas are clear, natural, and unembarraffed.

The Negro's Revels, written by the elder daugh ter of G. S. Carey, compojed by Mr. Ambrofe. Is. Riley.

We are much pleafed with the prefent effort of this improving compofer. The melody is conftructed with regularity, character, and effect. The bafs is well chofen, and the accompaniment calculated to embellish and recommend the air.

ALPHA

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