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servations on the state of medicine in France, in which Dr. M. appears to have exercised a sound judgment.

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The following laughable eircumstance occurs at the dissection of a lady from Ireland, to ascertain the cause of her sudden death. "This," says our author," he (the operator) readily discovered in the internal coat of the stomach, and in the mesenteric glands. But what most pleased and surprised the spectators, was to find that the lady, although about sixty years of age, was yet a virgin. Mon Dieu, est il possible* ?' exclaimed the Officier de Santé, and his assistants. "Ah! mon Dieu! mon Dieu! mon Dieu ! exclaimed the landlady, who was present the whole time, c'est incroyable; une telle chose n'auroit pu arriver en Francet." She danced about the room in a kind of ecstasy, as the mathematician, of old, is reported to have done upon his having accidentally discovered the solution of a problem, while bathing.

British Monachism; or, Manners and Customs of the Monks and Nuns of England. By T. D. Fosbrooke, M. A. &c. 2 Vols. 8vo. 14s. Payne.

THE qualifications of Mr. Fosbrooke to perform this task, will be readily admitted by those who have perused a former work of this author, called the Economy of Monastic Life, a poem with notes. Although we cannot afford much praise to his poetry on that occasion, yet we are very willing to pay him the tribute due to the knowledge which he there displayed of his subject, and which he has carried into the present discussion in an extended degree. After treating of the facilities and difficulties which he experienced in obtaining information, he observes," However I have endeavoured to render the work as pleasing as I could, and I certainly am entitled to credit, inasmuch as I may have contributed somewhat to check that spirit of Monachism and popery, which has lately been revived."

We doubt this latter assertion, and believe that Popery was never less likely to rear its head than in these times, and we are further of opinion, that it is even losing ground in its chosen seats, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Nothing preferable, however, promises to succeed it, since we have remarked that the disgusting mummery and profaneness of the rites and processions of the church of Rome,

Good God! is it possible?

+ Oh! my God! my God! my God! it's incredible: such a thing could not have happened in France.

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will sooner or later verify the observation of Voltaire, that if you endeavour to persuade men to believe things that are absurd and contrary to common sense, they will not be long before they believe nothing.

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When we recommend this publication for its intelligence, we say all that we can in its favour.

The Benefits of Wisdom and the Evils of Sin. A Sermon. Preached before the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, on Sunday, Nov. 6, 1803; and published at the request of the Bench. By the Rev. Robert Nares, Archdeacon of Stafford, and Canon Residen tiary of Lichfield, 8vo. Rivington. 1803.

THE professional and literary character of Mr. Nares, as an orthodox divine and a sound critic, is so well established, that the publication of a single discourse can add but slight honours to his well-earned reputation. The present, however, is highly creditable as a calm, rational, and argumentative address to an intelligent congregation. His text is from Eccl. ix. 18. "Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroyeth much good:" the preacher candidly avows, that the thought of his sermon was taken from a sketch given by Mr. Simeon, in the continuation of his work, entitled "Skeletons of Sermons," but how little was taken, besides the thought, every reader may see by comparison.

A short extract may serve to show, with what persuasive force an union of temporal and spiritual wisdom is recommended.

"We are, at present, in such circumstances as to require both kinds of wis-, dom. We have an active and an artful foe; who, by cunning rather than true wisdom, knows how to entrap and circumvent the unwary. It is necessary, then, that we should have prudence and sagacity, to guard against uncommon machinations, as well as courage to meet all exigencies. The weapons of war must be wielded even by peaceful hands, and must be guided by that wisdom which is yet more efficacious. But the highest rank must still be given to the wisdom which places its trust in God; and, by looking to him and his promises, can rise superior to all the events of life. There is a desperate courage which braves all dangers, and hazards all consequences; but more sedate and operative, is that resolution, which proceeds by deliberate choice; and knows, that when the effort shall be made, there is no alternative that can bring with it repentance: more consistent with Christian feelings is that determination of mind, which, if present objects shall be secured, is ready to give fervent thanks; if otherwise, to exert a pious fortitude, and look forward to a better world, conscious of having performed the essentials of duty, and of having so far obeyed the will of God, Such are the natural effects of religious wisdom."

In elucidating the second portion of the text-" One sinner destroyeth much good," we were forcibly struck with the following observation.

"Every species of guilt is a weapon in the hands of the person who commits it, by which he wounds and torments all those who are within the reach of his influence. Be it extravagance, be it debauchery, be it ever ungoverned and violent temper, the good that it destroys is more than can readily be calculated: it is a poison from which happiness shrinks away on every side, and leaves the offender in the centre of a desolation of his own producing."

An Accurate Historical Account of all the Orders of Knighthood, at present existing in Europe. By an Officer of the Chancery of the Equestrian, Secular, and Chapteral Order of St. Joachim. 2 Vols. 8vo. 18s. White,

To this useful and curious work, are prefixed a critical dissertation upon the ancient and present state of these Equestrian Institutions, and a prefatory discourse on the origin of knighthood in general, with a judicious interspersion of notes illustrative and explanatory. The publication has great merit, and will prove very acceptable to many readers and authors, whose amusement and stu→ dies are directed to enquiries of this nature,

DRAMATIC.

A Dramatic Synopsis: containing an Essay on the Political and Moral Use of a Theatre; involving Remarks on the Dramatic Writers of the present Day, and Strictures on the Performers of the two Theatres. By Thomas Gilliland, 4s. pp. 146. Lackington, Allen, and Co. 1804.

THE reader of this title page might be apt to think that Mr. Gilliland protests too much, but it will be found that he keeps his word, and pursues his argument without any offence the world. The utility of strictures on the stage, the writers for it, and the actors on it, can never be doubted, when, as in the present instance, they are written by a man of sense and liberality, judgment and taste. We have seen many works of this nature, but they have all failed, more or less, in these great essentials, which Mr. G. has every where displayed. Authors, managers, and performers, may all read this work with profit, and we congratulate them on Mr. G.'s promise of future instruction.

THE BRITISH STAGE.

Imitatio vita, speculum consuetudinis, imago veritatis.

Cicero.

The Imitation of Life---The Mirror of Manners--The Representation of Truth.

ON THE CHARACTER OF SHYLOCK.

MR. EDITOR.

THE character of Shylock has been always regarded with such general detestation and abhorrence, that I was not a little surprised to find in a volume of Essays, published at Exeter, an apology for his character and conduct. This paper was, I believe, written by the late ingenious Mr. Thomas Jackson, who is, perhaps, better known to the world by his musical productions, than his literary efforts. From the conviction that Shakspeare intended to represent, in the character of Shylock, an unfeeling and blood-thirsty usurer, I shall attempt to reply to some of his apologist's arguments, and to place him in the light which he justly merits. He begins with asserting that a prejudice is previously raised in our minds, from the circumstance of Shylock's being a Jew; but this surely is untrue, for within a few years, several dramatic productions have been performed where the character of a Jew is placed in the most amiable point of view; few of the modern comedies have received more applause than Cumberland's excellent play. Sheva, by his benevolence, inspires us with respect and veneration for his character; and Shylock, whether he were Jew or Christian, could {not fail to move our dislike and abhorrence. Whence arises Shylock's dislike to Antonio ?

In the following speech he informs us:

"I hate him, for he is a Christian :
But more, for that, in low simplicity,

He lends out money gratis, and brings down
The rate of usance here with us in Venice.

If I can catch him once upon the hip,

I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him."

It was Antonius's benevolence that inspired the Jew with this deadly hate against him: it appears that he was in the practice of

assisting the necessitous with money, without exacting the enor mous rate of usance" which Shylock did.

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It was for no other reason than this that the Jew meditated to take away the life of the generous merchant: this his cruel purpose he persisted in with the most savage and bloodthirsty perseverance. Shylock's apologist has endeavoured to make his attempt on the life of Antonio, the consequence of having been deprived of his daughter and property by one of his associates." “This,” he says, "according to the followers of Moses, was legal reparation and sound morality." He further adds, "who can re flect on this, and not make great allowance for his meditating so severe a retaliation?" But the bloody bargain was made long before Lorenzo's elopement with his daughter. Lorenzo had appeared only once on the stage, and his love for Jessica was not mentioned, consequently this could not be the cause of Shylock's resentment; it, therefore, evidently originated in the Jew's wish to get rid of a man, who had, by his liberality, prevented the usury and extortion which he had practised.

This sentiment is plainly uppermost in his mind throughout the story, for, in the third act, after Antonio's arrest, Shylock says,

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This is the fool that lends out money gratis."

He never assigns the reason which his apologist has so ingeniously pleaded for him; that Antonio was a party concerned in the elopement of his daughter; even at the trial, he does not attempt to justify his suit by casting any blame upon Antonio, but publicly declares,

So, I can give no reason, nor I will not,

More than a lodg'd hate, and a certain loathing,

I bear Antonio, that I follow thus

A losing suit against him.

How easy would it have been for Shylock to have alledged against Antonio, that he had assisted in seducing away his daughter, and in robbing him of part of his property; this would have been ground on which to have demanded justice and retribution, but he openly avows that "he can give no reason," founded on justice, for his cruel demand on the merchant. Shylock's character, we may imagine, was notorious throughout Venice; he was a rapacious usurer;

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