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effect of a weak or diffempered mind, he communicated to the king of Bretaigne; who, probably from interelled moives, took advantage of this incident to act on the weaknefs of this prince, and on the credulity of his nation; which, in common with every other people in the fame ftage of refinement, always paid a high veneration to men, who, acting under the impulfe of a warm and euthufiaftic fpirit, fancied themfelves indued with the power of revealing future events.

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Having confulted the prophetic books of the two Merlins, which were deemed facred as the pages of the Roman Sybils, Alan told him, they predicted the ruin of the British empire, until the time that the bones of king Cadwalader fhould be brought back from Rome. He then advised him to act up to the patriotic defign, and to follow the impufe of his vilion.. Thus confirmed in the delufion, Cadwalader proceeded to Rome; and, agreeably to the interefted views of the Roman pontiffs, was kindly received by pope Sergius. After he had fubmitted to have his head fhaven, and to be initiated into the order of white monks, Cadwalader lived eight years as a religious reclufe; exemplary in the piety of thofe days, but in a fituation unworthy of a prince; as it fecluded him from the practice of active virtue, and of confequence, from promoting the interefts of his people; for which great end alone princes are delegated to rule mankind.'

In this part of the work, our author defcribes the modes of life, and private manners of the Welsh, whose character bears a great refemblance to that of the other Celtic nations. They are reprefented to be a people light and nimble, and more fierce than strong, Their chief fuftenance was cattle and oats, befides milk, cheese, and butter; though they usually ate more plentifully of flesh-meat than of bread. Being little engaged in the occupations of traffic, their time was chiefly employed in military affairs. They entertained an idea that it was a difgrace to die in their beds, but an honour to fall in the field. There was not a beggar to be feen in the whole country, for the tables were common to all; and hospitality was esteemed one of the chief virtues. Pride of ancestry, and nobility of family, were extremely predominant. A Welshman was confidered as honourable, if among his ancestors there had been neither flave, nor foreigner, nor infamous perfon. Yet if any foreigner had faved the life of a Welshman, or delivered him from captivity, he might be naturalized; and any foreign family, having refided in Wales for four generations, was entitled to the fame privilege.

Our author obferves, concerning Roderic, who has received from his countrymen the title of Great, that, if to produce the wealth and grandeur, the fafety and happiness of a state, be the means of attaining fuch a title, the conduct of this

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prince gave him little claim to fo honourable a diftinction. For Roderic, without precedent to palliate, or apparent neceffity to enforce fuch a meafure, yielded up the independency of Wales; enjoining his posterity, by a folemn rescript, to pay to the Saxon kings, as a mark of fubordination, a yearly tribute, which afterwards became the foundation of the claim of fupremacy, afferted by the English. Such a tribute had, indeed, been paid by the Cambrian to the British princes; but this, certainly, could impofe no fimilar obligation upon the defcendents of thofe Britons, who had been forced to abandon their native country to the ufurped dominion of the Saxons. The divifion which Roderic made of his territories, proved likewife the fource of civil diffenfions, and national weakness, which produced in the end a decline of patriotism.

In the fourth book, our author recites the history of Wales, from the Death of Roderic to that of Bleddyn ap Cynvyn, the king of North Wales and Powis, in the latter part of the ele venth century. The bad effects of the policy of Roderic now became confpicuous for in confequence of it, Bleddyn ap Cynvyn deigned to receive his crown from the hands of that power which was the hereditary foe of his country, and con fented to hold it as a tributary of the English princes. In the next Book, we find William Rufus entering Wales with a royal army, and afferting a fuperiority to which he had no legal pretenfions.

In the fame Book we meet with the following transaction, which, in its origin, bears an affinity to an incident that produced a revolution in the Roman government.

In the Christmas holidays, Cadwgan ap Bleddyn invited the chieftains in his neighbourhood to a feaft at his house in Dyvet. In the courfe of the entertainment, medh, or mead, the wine of this country, having raifed their fpirits, Neft, the wife of Gerald, governor in Pembroke caftle, was fspoken of in terms of admiration; the beauty and elegance of whofe perfon, it was faid, exceeded thofe of any lady in Wales. The curiofity of Owen, the fon of Cadwgan, was ftrongly excited to fee her; and he had little doubt of obtaining admittance, as there was a degree of relationship fubfifting between them. Under colour of a friendly vifit, the young chieftain, with a few of his attendants, was introduced into the caftle. Finding that fame had been cold in her praise, he returned home deeply enamoured of her beauty, and fired with an eager defire of enjoying her. The fame night, returning with a troop of his wild companions, he fecretly entered the caftle, and, in the confufion, occafioned by letting it on fire, furrounded the chamber in which Gerald and his wite flept. Awaked by the noise, he rushed fuadenly out of bed to inquire into the caufe of the

difturbance; but his wife, fufpecting fome treachery, prevented his opening the door; then, advising him to retire to the privy, The pulled up the board; and still farther affifting her husband, he let himself down, and made his escape. Owen and his followers inftantly broke open the door; but on fearching the chamber, not finding Gerald, they feized his wife and two of his fons, befides a fon and daughter which he had by a concubine; then leaving the caftle in flames, and ravaging the country, he carried off Neft and the children into Powis. This adventure gave Cadwgan the greatest uneafinefs. Afraid, left Henry might revenge on his head the atrocious action of his fon, he came into Powis, and requested Owen that he would fend back to Gerald his wife and children, as well as the plunder which he had taken. The young chieftain, whofe love was heightened by the poffeffion of his mistress, refused to reftore her. Whether the yielded to the violence of her lover form choice or from neceffity, is uncertain; but he foon after sent back to Gerald all his children, at her particular request.'

The fixth Book contains the narrative from the Death of Gryffydh ap Cynan to the Acceffion of Llewelyn ap Jorwerth; and the feventh, from this period to the Death of David ap Llewelyn. Mr. Warrington obferves, that the Welsh annals are difcoloured for fome years by hideous pictures of savage manners; parents, brothers, fons, engaging with each other in fierce and unnatural contefts. But with the delicacy becoming a judicious hiftorian, he has drawn a veil over thofe fcenes of horror, which could only prove difgufting to humanity. His attention is bestowed on national objects; and, in the courfe of his narrative, we behold the Welsh exhibiting the most magnanimous efforts for the liberty of their country. Sometimes, by a fudden viciffitude of fortune, they rife to the height of profperity; and at other times, in a moment, fink into difunion aud vaffalage.

The eighth Book contains the hiftory from the Acceffion of Owen and Llewelyn, the Sons of Gryffydh ap Llewelyn, to the Death of Lewelyn, the laft Prince of North Wales: and the ninth, from the Acceffion of David ap Gryffydh, to the entire Conquest of Wales. This important event was accomplished during the reign of Edward the Firit, after an obstinate ftruggle with feveral preceding kings of the Norman The people of both nations can now reflect with compofure, on thofe violent animofities which actuated their anceftors through a series of ages; and even the defcendants of the vanquished will readily acknowledge, that the eventual introduction of justice and order into their country, has more than compenfated for the abolition of their ancient and long difputed independency. Thefe falutary effects, however, muit

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be afcribed entirely to the ambition, not to the virtue or magnanimity of the English monarch. For his conqueft of the Welth was fullied with an act of barbarity, which could be fuggefted only by the policy of a tyrant, the most atrocious and illiberal; we mean the maffacre of the Welth bards. Of this clafs of ancient Britons our author has favoured us with a fhort history, which he relates with the fame perfpicuity and precision as the former parts of the work.

A tranfcript of various national documents, partly in Englifh, partly in Latin, relative to Wales, are fubjoined in an Appendix to the work.

In an age, when the industry of writers has pre-occupied every fertile field in the regions of hiftory, Mr. Warrington has happily taken poffeffion of a mountainous tract, never before cultivated with any fuitable degree of application. The detail of provincial tranfactions is not a fubject which neceffarily calls forth the exertion of the most vigorous abilities; but we may perceive the difplay of genius on a fmall, as well as on an extenfive theatre; and we cannot hesitate to conclude, that he who has treated of the affairs of Wales with fuch dignity of fyle, and propriety of fentiment, is qualified for the attainment of applaufe in more important departments of hiftory.

The Heirefs. A Comedy, in Five Alts. As performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury-Lane. 8vo. 15. 6d. Debrett.

F the end of comedy be to reprefent, with fidelity, the manners of the world, and not only to catch the reigning folly of the day, but to delineate the minuter features which diftinguish the period of the author, the Heirefs has confiderable claims to our applaufe, and we can join in the general acclamations of the crouded theatre. The characters of this play are properly varied, and often contrafted with peculiar fkill: the fituations are perplexing, without too ftudied intricacy; and the language is lively, elegant, and polished. In short, if we try our auther on one part only of the ftatute, he will be acquitted with honour, and his trial be terminated with applaufe. In other views, he will not be equally fuccefsful. Novelty of character, peculiar and flriking fituations, and a fufpenfe, which stands on tip-toe, eager for the denouement, we in vain look for: but perhaps it may be faftidious to expect too much; and, if we are gratified both with the progress of the flory and the event, we ought not to complain of the fource from which our gratifications are derived.

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The ftory is a common one. Lord Gayville is defigned by his uncle for a rich heiress, the daughter of an attorney, mean, vulgar, and unfeeling; but oftentatious and ambitious. He purfues mifs Alfcript only for her wealth; yet, accidentally meeting mifs Alton, becomes fenfible that wealth alone cannot fill the void in a feeling heart. Though this lady appears in a low fituation, his dishonourable advances are checked with a decided firmnefs, and a virtuous refolution. His tutor, friend, and companion Clifford, loves lord Gayville's fifter, lady Emily; but, conscious of his fituation, adores her' as a star, which, he can never hope to reach' fhe, in return, fees his meris, and is fenfible of their effe&t; fhe is, however, under the eye of a threwd, fufpicious uncle, and, fearing to difcover her fentiments, veils them ander the mask of a lively fa fhionable gaiety. Mifs Alton, to avoid Gayville, feeks for the protection of fome lady, with whom the may remain as a humble companion: the is, by chance, directed to mifs Alfcrip, who receives her with a haughty dignity; and fhe is treated by the rest of the family with the most familiar illiberality. Gayville, having loft his favourite, vifits mits Alferip, who, in a fit of ill humour, fends her confidante to him to double her, like a fecond actress at Paris, when the firit has the vapours.' She goes, and fees in lord Gayville her former perfecutor, whom he had known only by the name of Heartly. He immediately addreffes her with warmth and affection, is discovered by mifs. Alfcrip, who chufes to fee how her double performs, and leaves them, affuring the latter that he can no longer offer her his heart.

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In the mean time, Clifford and fir Clement are endeavouring to prevent the progrefs of Gayville's new connection: they go to Alfcrip's, and, by the addrefs of the Frenchman, who has himself a tendre for mademoiselle la Muficienne,' are introduced to Tiffany, mifs Alfcrip's waiting-maid, infiead of mifs Alton. She is pert and faucy at the first enquiries of Clifford; but, being interrupted, deûres him to put his propofals in writing. This confirms them in the opinion, that Gayville's object is an adventurer, and Clifford writes to her by the name of mifs Alton. The Frenchman, by whom the letter is alfo fent, fufpects, from the ambiguity of Clifford's language, that his trick is difcovered, and faithfully delivers it as directed. Mifs Alton is extremely agitated with her unexpected happiness, for fhe finds it comes from her brother. She had been left under the protection of an uncle, from whom he escaped, on his attempting to force her to marry a man fhe detefts. She difcovers herfelf to her brother; he conveys her from mifs Alfcrip's, and conceals her in his own

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