fo clearly, that the neglect of it, with refpect to the poor negro flaves, is difgraceful to the colony, and to all perfons at home, who by their power or influence may be enabled to remove it." Estimating the number of the Clergy in Jamaica by the parishes," fays our truly pious Author," there is not above one to 1,500 white people,

nor above one to 15,000 of the general mafs of inhabitants." A fenfible plan is offered for remedying this great evil, and for the future fecurity and profperity of the ifland, with which the work is concluded.

A number of explanatory documents and letters are annexed to each volume by way of Appendix.

M.

12mo.

TH HE life of Catharine the Second, continued through 271 pages of the third volume, is clofed with the following pertinent remark: "There are few reigns more interefting than that of Catharine, more ftrictly biographical; few that involve more important prineiples, that afford a wider fcope, or that more forcibly tend to awaken reflection. Let this be an apology for a diffufenefs that may feem to form an exception to the limits allowed to individuals by the nature of the prefent work." We have to add, let it ope rate as a charm to induce young females to turn from the delufive and feductive volumes of novels, to the rational, the inftructive, and amusing, records of history and biography.

This life is written in a fuperior manner, collected in general from well known and efteemed authorities, more efpecially from the Rev. Mr. Tooke's Life of Catharine, amply reviewed in our Magazine, Vols. XXXIV. and XXXV. for the years 1798 and 1799; but enriched likewife by feiections from other able writers on the fame fubject. The dictatorial conduct of the Emprefs, in raifing her favourite, Prince Poniatoy, to the throne of Poland, we give as a specimen.

"Confcious of her power, Catharine fucceffively difmiffed the various candidates for the Polish monarchy, till, to the amazement of Warfaw, her choice, which fell on Poniatoffiky, was made known. Univerfal difcontent enfued; the Polin Nobles enquired of each other, by what fervices, or by what qualities, this man had rendered himfelf worthy of fo extravagant a reward? The endowments of the new King, who was handfome, agreeable, accom

VOL, XLIV. JULY 1803.

plished, eloquent, calculated to please, but incapable of command, were better fuited to conciliate private affection, than to fit him for a throne. But murmurs and refiftance, oppofed to the Ruffian power, were equally vain. Catharine wrote to her Miniter at Warfaw to employ every engine to favour her lover. "Remember," fays fhe, "my candidate. I write this two hours after midnight: judge if I am indifferent in this affair."

"The Ruffian Generals neglected nothing for fecuring the wishes of their Sovereign. The Dietines were convoked. Poniatoffky was, by that of Warfaw, unanimoufly elected: thofe of the provinces proved lefs tractable. Crowds of foreigners had poured into the city, ready to unite at the first lignal. In the Diet, confufion and tumit prevailed: its Marthal, venerable for his age and for his virtues, in vain attempted to reduce it to order; he was answered by drawn fabres and furious outcries. Mokranoffiky, Nuncio of Cracow, risked his life under the fwords of the Ruffian foldiers, who tried to pierce him from the galleries of the fpeakers. Returning into its theath his fabre, which he had at firit drawn, he opposed his breat to their weapons. "If you must have a victim,” faid he to the Ruflians, "I ftand here before you.

At least I fhall die as I have lived, free!" He had not escaped their rage, but for the generous courage of Prince Adam Chartoriniky, who threw his body as a fhield between him and his adverfaries.

"A Courtier at Petersburgh, fenfible of the averfion of Poland to the Monarch impofed upon them, had the boldnefs to hint it to the Emprefs.

G

• No man,'

man, faid he, is lefs proper than Poniatoffky to fill the throne of Poland; his grandfather having been an intendant (fteward) of a little eftate belonging to the Princefs Lubominfky. Though he had been intendant himself, replied Catharine haughtily, I will have him to be King, and a King he ball be.'

"Twelve thousand Ruffians had entered Lithuania, and freth reinforcements advanced towards Kief: the Ruffian Ambaffador governed Warfaw, and the armies of Catharine compreffed the republic. The spirit of Poland yet ftruggled: an action took place between the contending parties, in which the Ruffians were victorious: the filter of a Prince of Poland, and his bride whom he had newly efpoufed, fought with fabres, and mounted on horfeback, by the fide of a brother and a husband, for the expiring freedom of their country."

The tragical story of Prince Ivan is related more circumftantially than we remember to have read in any former publication; the fufpicion of his being facrificed to state intrigue and the dread of fecret confpiracies to dethrone the Empress, appear, in this affecting narrative, to be but too well founded.

From Spittler's Sketch of the History of the Governments of Europe, we are prefented with this ftriking paffage :"The volumes of modern history can produce no reign like this; for no Monarch has ever yet fucceeded in the attainment of fuch a dictature in the grand republic of Europe as Catharine the Second now holds; and none of all the Kings who have heretofore given caufe to dread the erection of an univerfal monarchy, feem to have had any knowledge of her art: to prefent herfelf with the pride of a conqueror, in the most perilous fituations, and with an unusual, a totally new dignity, in the most common tranfactions. And it is manifeftly not only the supreme authority which here gives law, but the judgment, which knows when to thew that authority, and when to employ it." On the fubject of her Code of Laws being made public, we have the following reprefentation, which, if not new, has the merit of exhibiting the tranfaction in a moft pleafing point of view.

"The provinces of the empire, without excepting any, however barbarous or remote, had orders to pre

fent, by deputies at Mofcow, their ideas on the regulations fitted to their peculiar exigencies. Catharine having herself repaired to that ancient capital, the opening of the States was held with folemn pomp.

"To behold the deputies of a numerous people, various in manners, drefs, and language, ignorant of law, and accustomed to the arbitrary will of a master, assembled for the purpose of a legislative difcuffion, afforded a novel and affecting fpectacle. To leave to the affembly an unconstrained appearance, a gallery had been conftructed in the hall, where the Emprefs, without being perceived, witnessed all that paffed. The bufinefs commenced by reading, translated into the Ruffian language, those inftructions, the original of which, written in French, almoft wholly in the hand of Catharine, has been fince enclosed in a cafe of filver gilt, depofited in an apartment of the Imperial Academy of Sciences at Petersburgh.

"Burfts of applaufe interrupted the reading of the inftructions, while the fagacity, the wifdom, the humanity, of the Empress, were loudly extolled. In these acclamations, doubtlefs, fear and adulation had their fhare. One perfon only, the deputy of the Samoyedes, had the courage to fpeak with freedom, in the name of his brethren.

We are a fimple and honest people -we quietly tend our rein-deer. We want no new code; but make laws for the Rulians our neighbours, that may put a stop to their depredations.'

"The fucceeding fittings paffed not fo quietly. Liberty to the boors had been propofed: thousands of this oppreffed clafs prepared to fupport by force what they expected from equity. An infurrection was dreaded by the Nobles, who feared more a defalcation of their revenues. Among them were fome who rafhly afferted, that the first man who should move for the affranchifement of the vaffals, fhould fall by their poniards. In defpite of these menaces, Count Scheremetoff, the richest individual in Ruffia, to whom 150,000 peafants appertained, rifing up, declared, that, for his part, he would cheerfully accede to the affranchifement. The debate grew warm, fatal confequences were apprehended, and the deputies were difmiffed to their refpective provinces.

"Previous to the diffolution of the A Tembly,

4

Affembly, it was required of the members to fignalize their meeting by a memorial of gratitude to the Emprefs. The titles of Great, Wife, Prudent, and Mother of ber Country, were, by unanimous acclamation, conferred upon ⚫ Catharine. When informed of this decree, the replied, with apparent modefty, that if the had rendered her felf worthy of the first title, it was for pofterity to confer it on her: that wif dom and prudence were the gifts of Heaven, to which the daily gave thanks, without prefuming to arrogate merit to herfelf: but that the Mother of her Country was the title to her the mott dear, and which the regarded as the benign and glorious recompence for her folicitudes and labours in behalf of a people whom the loved.'

"Proud of the work which had obtained her this flattering homage, copies of the instructions were difpatched to thofe Sovereigns whofe efteem the courted. Having complimented her on her labours, they helitated not to pronounce that they would afford to her honour an eternal monument. The King of Pruffia, among other flattering obfervations, thus expreffed himfelf: Semiramis commanded armies; Elizabeth of England was accounted a Politician; but no woman has hitherto been a Legislatrix : a glory reserved for the Emprefs of Ruffia, who so well deferves it.""

Next, in importance, to the life of Catharine, in this volume, are those of Cleopatra, the celebrated Queen of Egypt, and Chriflina, Queen of Sweden. Of the private lives we diftinguish Lady Mary Chudleigh, an eminent English Poetefs. Ann Clifford, Countess of Pembroke, Dorfet, and Montgomery, memorable for her exemplary piety, her extenfive charities, and her firm, independent fpirit, manifefted upon more than one occasion to the Protector, Oliver Cromwell. Catherine Cockburn, a Dramatic Poetefs of confiderable reputation. And, Juana Inez de la Cruz, a Spanish Poetefs. Intermixed with thefe, in the alphabetical order, the reader will be furprised to find Charlotte Cordey, stiled "the young Heroine of the French Revolution,' who affaffinated the republican tyrant Marat in his own houfe, for which the was publicly executed at Paris. Surely it would have found a fitter place for prefervation in the hiftory of "the many virtues and vices," which Mrs.

Hays affirms, "that revolution called forth."

The fourth volume contains memoirs of the following public characters:

Livia Drufilla, in early youth married to Tiberius Claudius Nero, a Patrician, who followed the fortunes of Antony in his wars against Octavius Cæfar; but upon the temporary reconciliation of the competitors for fupreme power, by the marriage of Antony with Octavia, the fifter of Octavius, Tiberius appeared with his beautiful wife at the nuptial feftivals; when Octavius, ftruck with her charms, repudiated his own wife, and prevailed on Tiberius to refign Livia to him: fhe then became the wife and future Emprefs of Octavius, who, after the death of Antony, became Emperor of the Romans, and had the title of Auguftus conferred on him by the Senate and people of Rome. A fund of entertainment will be found in this article, but not an unsullied reputation: it is not a model for imitation.

The life of the illuftrious Queen Elizabeth does great credit to our Authorefs; it is compofed with judgment, fidelity, and impartiality, from the best authorities extant; fome interesting anecdotes are introduced not commonly known, and, we think, omitted in former memoirs of this renowned Sovereign: the article occupies nearly one half of the volume, and well deferves the fpace it fills.

The affecting ftory of Lady Jane Gray, who fell a victim to the blind ambition of her father-in-law, is related in fuch a pathetic ftile, that it must call forth the fenfibility, and draw tears from the bright eyes of the fair readers who reflect on her youth, innocence, piety, and mental accomplishments; doomed to an untimely grave, to quiet the fears of a bloody tyrant of her own fex.

Of the private lives we give the preference, in the order in which they are arranged, to Madame Dacier, a French Lady of great celebrity in the republic of letters, for her profound learning, her dramatic poetry, her letters, and other mifcellaneous works.

The little hiftory of Eponina, the wife of Sabinus, a native of Langres, who, during the ftruggles of Otho, Vitellius, and Vefpafian, put in his claim to the poffeffion of the throne. but was defeated, has in it, as Mrs. Hays juftly obferves, "fomething to peculiarly in

G 2

tereiting

terefting and affecting, that it can fcarcely be read without emotion." We have fenfibly felt that emotion; and have only to add, that it is as wonderful as the legends of romance, yet has all the evidence of hiftorical truth.

When, cafting our eyes over the other confpicuous articles in this volume, we found Ninon de l'Enclos, Heloife, and Leontium, an Athenian Courtezan, in the fame theets with the chafte Lucretia, we could not avoid calling in question the difcretion of the writer, and withing

once more to lop off the rotten branches from the goodly tree of knowledge in this garden of literature. Why copy from Bayle's Hiftorical Dictionary the had to intermix with the good! But we will close the account for the prefent, with expreffing a firm reliance on the good fenfe and excellent moral character of the publither and proprietor of the work, for revifion and reformation in a new edi tion. M.

(To be concluded in our next.)

that a third wife would confole him for the lois of Inez.

In the progrefs of maritime difcovery, a curious hiftorical event " deferves," fays our Author, "particular attention. This illuftrious King of Portugal married Philippa, the eideft daughter of John of Gaunt, the fon of Edward the Third, King of England; and their third fon, Henry, created by his father Duke de l'ifco, firt directed the enterprifing fpirit of Lufitania from the Cruzades in Africa to the developement of its weitern coalt. The commercial genius of England thus became united with the national heroifm of Portugal; and the fame country whofe difcoveries and navigators occupy fo brilliant a space in the hif tory of the eighteenth century, may thus be confidered as promoting the glory of the maritime difcoveries by which the fifteenth was enlightened."

This early connexion between the two nations is more fully illustrated in two notes from ancient Britith authors, annexed to the foregoing paliage. Hakluyt, in his voyages, inferts an extract from the Latin chro nicle of Waljingham, A. D. 1415, to the following purport: "This year, John the firit King of Portugal, being prin cipally affifted by the help of English merchants and Almaines (Germans), overcame the Moors in the doarinion of the King of Barbary, putting many thoufands to the fword; and he took their city, which was very mighty, feated upon the fea, and called in the

Moorish

Moorish language Ceuta." Purchas alfo, in his molt efteemed collection of voyages, has this memorable remark: "thus, both at home and abroad, were the Portugals indebted to the English; but in nothing more than for that English lady before mentioned, whofe third fon, Don Henry, was the true foundation of the greatnefs, not of Portugal alone, but of the whole Chriftian world, in marine affairs; efpecially of thefe heroic endeavours of the English (whofe flesh and blood he was), which this enfuing history shall prefent to you."

The dangers of this formidable expedition against the Moors, in which King John and his three fons embarked, thook the tender health of their affectionate mother Queen Philippa, who beheld (in imagination) the lives of her children, with that of their father, expofed at once to the relentlefs fcymetars of the Moors. Unable to fupport the dreadful uncertainty of this eventful voyage, or to shake the refolution of her ambitious offspring, fhe funk amidit the painful conflict of her mind. As a reward for the conqueft of Ceuta, Don Pedro, the illuftrious brother of Henry, was created Duke of Coimbra, at the fame time that Don Henry received the title and dukedom of Vifco. These two brothers were famed all over Europe for their military talents and elegant accomplishments. To defeat the attempts of the Moors to recover Ceuta, the King of Portugal augmented the garrifon with fix hundred foot and two thousand five hundred horfe, the whole of which was placed under the command of the Duke de Vifco, the Go. vernor, whofe continuance in Africa tended to mature the glorious projects he had conceived. At length," with ajudgment matured by the converfe of various fcientific men, whom his patronage had attracted in Africa, and with a mind enlarged by the perufal of every work which illuftrated the difcoveries he had in view, the conqueror of Ceuta returned to Portugal. The high land of Cape St. Vincent, as he approached the coaft, difplayed the extentive command of an ocean hitherto unexplored; and probably a view of its cliffs, at a time when his

mind glowed with projects of future difcovery, might fuggeft the firit idea of constructing his romantic town of Sagres on the Promontorium Sacrum of the Romans. Here, removed from the hurry of a court, from the fatigue or indolence of a military life, the Prince indulged that genius for mathematics and navigation, which he had hitherto been obliged to neglect. At Sagres his arfenals and dock-yards were built; whilst the industry and skill of the thipwrights were improved by the prefence of their royal matter. Skilful mariners from all countries found encouragement to fettle under the aufpices of fuch a Prince. A public fchool and obfervatory were opened by the Prince. Thus encouraged and improved, the Portuguese, by order of the Prince, undertook another voyage of difcovery. About the year 1418, two naval Officers of his houfehold volunteered their lives, in an attempt to furmount the perils of Bajadore; about fix leagues from this tremendous cape they were driven by a fudden ftorm out to fea, and when in danger of perithing, they found themselves approaching an island, fituated about an hundred leagues to the fouth-weft of Africa. When the firft tranfport of joy permitted them to make any obfervation, they beheld its coaft extending about twenty miles in length. -Gratitude to Providence for their elcape immediately fuggested a name for the new difcovery; and Puerto Santo, or the Holy Haven, the smallest of the Madeiras, being only two miles in breadth, accords this memorable epocha, when the Portuguese first abandoned the coafting voyages of the ancients for the bolder enterprize of an improved and more intrepid age.

But by other authentic documents it appears, that the land of Madeira had been difcovered by an Englishman; and though the exact date is not to be traced, it is probable that this event happened about fifty years before the difcovery of Puerto Santo by the Portuguefe.

The interefting and affecting narra» tive is inferted in Hakluyt's Voyages, who took it from Antonio Galvano, a Portuguele historian : our Author, however, has preferred the account