Nunneries.-p. 305.

"We are apt," says Mr. Barrow, in his Remarks on Madeira (Voyage to Cochin-china) "to attach a lively interest to young females who are thus so cruelly, as we suppose, separated for ever from all society, except that of each other: but it is extremely doubtful if they possess those exalted sentiments, nice feelings and sound understandings, which prevail among females of those countries where they are allowed to enjoy unrestrained freedom."-True. But can it be doubted whether they possess natural feelings? the question is not concerning nice ones. Nunneries are useful as Bedlams, which crazy women choose for themselves; but they are not Bedlams; they are Prisons; and it is not necessary that women should possess exalted sentiments, for them to be very

miserable in confinement.

Books from New England.-p. 335.

Two of these are of some importance in the history of Quakerism, and of great rarity in the Bibliotheca Quakeriana. It is a pleasing example of the literary intercourse subsisting between New England and the Mother Country, that these books should have been procured by one man of letters in Massachusetts for the use of another at the foot of Skiddaw. I am obliged for them to my friend Professor Ticknor-one of those persons who were more especially in my mind when I spoke in the Introduction (p. 3.) of American travellers in England.

I subjoin the titles of these books, as characteristic in their kind.

George Fox digged out of his Burrowes. Or an offer of Disputation on fourteen Proposals made this last summer,

1672, (so called) unto G. Fox, then present on Rode Island in New England, by R(oger) W(illiams.) As also how, G. Fox slily departing, the Disputation went on, being managed three days at Newport on Rode Island, and one day at Providence, between John Stubs, John Burnet, (Burnyeat) and William Edmundson, on the one part, and R. W. on the other. In which many quotations out of G. Fox and Ed. Burrowes Book in folio are alledged, with an appendix of some scores of G. F., his simple lame answers to his opposites in that Book, quoted and replyed to. By R. W. of Providence in N. E.-Boston. Printed by John Foster, 1676. Small 4to.

A New England Fire Brand quenched, being an Answer unto a Slanderous Book entituled George Fox digged out of his Burrowes, &c. Printed at Boston in the year 1676, by Roger Williams of Providence in New England. Which he dedicateth to the King with desires that, if the Most High please, Old and New England may flourish when the Pope and Mahomet, Rome and Constantinople are in their ashes. Of a Dispute upon 14 of his Proposals held and debated betwixt him, the said Roger Williams on the one part, and John Stubs, William Edmundson, and John Burnyeat on the other, at Providence and Newport in Rode Island in the year 1672. In which his cavils are refuted, and his Reflections reproved. In two parts. As also an Answer to R. W.'s appendix, &c. with a Postscript confuting his blasphemous assertions, viz. of the Blood of Christ that was shed, its being corruptible and corrupted; and that Salvation was by a man that was corruptible, &c. Whereunto is added a Catalogue of his Railery, Lies, scorn, and blasphemies: and his Temporizing Spirit made manifest. Also the Letters of W. Coddington of Rode Island, and R. Scot of Providence in New England concerning R. W. And lastly some Testimonies of Ancient and Modern Authors concerning the light, scriptures, Rule, and the Soul of Man. By George Fox and John Burnyeat. Printed in the year

1679.

Enjoyment of Books. p. 343.

There is a beautiful passage in Machiavelli's Letters, describing the delight which he enjoyed in his studies. After a lively picture of his daily occupations in the country, he says, Venuta la sera mi ritorno a casa, ed entro in mio Scrittojo; ed in sull' uscio mi spoglio quella veste contadina, piena di fango e di loto, e mi metto panni reali e curiali, e rivestito condecentemente entro nelle antiche corti degli antichi uomini, dove da loro ricevuto amorevolmente mi pasco di quel cibo che solum è mio, e che io nacqui per lui; dove io non mi vergogno parlare con loro, e domandare della ragione delle loro azioni; e quelli per loro umanità mi rispondono; e non sento per quattro ore di tempo alcuna noja. Sdimentico ogni affanno, non temo la povertà, non mi sbigottisce la morte; tutto mi trasferisco in loro. E perchè Dante dice "che non fu scienza senza ritener lo inteso," io ho notato quello di che per la loro conversazione ho fatto capitale, e composto un opuscolo de Principatibus, dove io mi profondo quanto io posso nelle cogitazioni di questo subietto, disputando che cosa è principato, di quali spezie sono, come e' si acquistano, come e' si mantengono, perchè e' si perdono; e si vi piacque mai alcun mio ghiribizzo, questo non vi dovrebbe dispiacere; e ad un principe, e massime ad un principe nuovo, dovrebbe essere accetto-Opere di Machiavelli. 1813. Vol. viii. p. 96.

Erasmus writes upon the same subject, with as much truth and feeling as Machiavelli; but there is less life in the letter, more of the author, and less of the man.

"Quid verum faciam rogas? Amicis operam do, horum consuetudine gratissima memet oblecto. Quos tu tandem amicos mihi jactitas, inquis, homuncio levissime? An quisquam te visum aut auditum velit? Equidem non diffiteor fortunatorum amicos esse plurimos: at nec pauperibus desunt amici et quidem isti

non paulo tum certiores tum commodiores. Cum his me concludo in angulum aliquem, et turbam ventorum fugiens, aut cum illis dulcia quædam mussito, aut eos aliquid insusurrantes audio, cum his non secus ac mecum loquor. An quicquam his commodius? Arcana ipsi sua celant nunquam, commissa summâ cum fide continent: nihil foras quæ liberius inter familiares effundere solemus, renunciant: vocati præsto sunt, invocati non ingerunt sese: jussi loquuntur, injussi tacent: loquuntur quæ voles, quantum voles, quoad voles; nihil assentantur, fingunt nihil, nihil dissimulant; vitia tua tibi liberè indicant, nemini obtrectant: aut jucunda dicunt, aut salutaria: secundis in rebus moderantur, consolantur in afflictis, cum fortuná minime variantur : in omnia pericula te sequuntur, ad extremos usque rogos perdurant: nihil illis inter ipsos candidius. Committo subinde, nunc hos, nunc illos, mihi asciscens, omnibus æquus. Cum his amiculis optime N.. sepultus delitesco. Quas ego tandem opes, aut quæ sceptra cum hác desidiá commutavero? Verum ne nostra te fallat metaphora, quicquid de amiculis hactenus sum locutus, de libris dictum intelligas, quorum familiaritas me plane beatum effecit, hoc solo infortunatum, quod non tecum mihi hæc felicitas contigerit."-L. iv. Ep. 31. p. 297.

Multiplication of Books. p. 349.

Leibnitz looked forward to the time when this would become an evil, and proposed a plan for preserving what should be most worthy of preservation;.. but he foresaw also how difficult it would be to determine this.

"Excerpenda essent ex scriptoribus, non solum quæ semel sed etiam quae primum dicta sunt a quolibet auctore. Incipiendum vero ab antiquissimis, sic perspicere liceret quid a quovis

statutum. Non tamen quævis, sed humano generi instruendo inservientia, delibanda forent. Si mundus adhuc mille annos durabit, et tot libri, ut hodie, conscribentur, vereor, ne e Bibliothecis integræ civitates fiant: sed injuria temporum et casus varii multas perdent. Opus itaque esset, ut e scriptoribus singularibus et archetypis, qui alios non exscripserunt, Ecloga Photianæ conficerentur, res memorabiles ipsis autorum verbis exponentes; Quænam autem res sint alicujus momenti; non cuivis ob diversitatem ingeniorum et disciplinarum dijudicare licet."-Mantissa Miscellaneorum Leibnitianorum § 26.

A point of honour among certain of the Italians in the 16th century to be ignorant.—p. 362.

This appears from a passage in the curious Dialogues of Lodovico Domenichi (Vinegia, 1662.)

GHE. Hanno ancho un' altra infamia gli huomini litterati; e questo è che non sono stimati nobili, riputandosi hoggidi cosa mecanica e vile lo attendere a gli studi delle buone lettere. HER. Questa è openione del vulgo.

GHE. Anzi ci sono de gli huomini nati nobilmente, i quali si recherebbono a vergogna sapere pure solamente scrivere il nome loro, non che lettere.

BAT. Costoro che voi ci havete ricordati non son pur degni di chiamarsi huomini, non che gentili, e di corte. Ma lasciamo ire simili gentaglie, a gran torto hoggidi favorite da alcuni principi. p. 11.

But Domenichi himself thought learning had been vulgarized too much. This appears in his Dialogo della stampa. "l'abondanza che la stampa ha fatto venir de libri, è stata cagione di molti inconvenienti.

LOL. Et quali son questi disordini?