Extract from Kalm's Travels into North-America. gether, by the fwelling. I know two brothers, one of whom could without any danger handle this tree in whatever manner he pleased, whereas the other could not come near it without fuelling. A perfon fometimes does not know that he has touched this poifonous plant, or that he has been near it, before his face and lands fhew it by their fwelling. I have known old people who were more afraid of this tree than of a viper; and I was acquainted with a perfon who merely by the noxious exhalations of it, was fwelled to fuch a degree, that he was as stiff as a log of wood, and could only be turned about in fheets. 139 I have likewife tried experiments of every kind with the Poison Tree on myself, I have fpread its juice upon my hands, cut and broke its branches, peeled off its bark, and rubbed my hands with it, finelt at it, carried pie ces of it in my bare hands, and repeated all this frequently, without feeling the baneful effects fo commonly annexed to it; but I, however, once experienced, that the poifon of the Sumach was not entirely without effect upon me. On a hot day in fummer, as I was in fome degree of perfpiration, I cut a branch of the tree, and carried it in my hand for about half an hour together, and fmelt at it now and then. I felt no effects from it in the evening; but next morning I awoke with a violent itching of my eye-lids, and the parts thereabouts; and this was fo painful, that I could hardly keep my hands from it. It ceafed after I had wathed my eyes for a while, with very cold water. But my eyelids were very ftiff all that day. At night the itching returned, and in the morning as I awoke, I felt it as ill as the morning before, and I used the remedy againit it. However it continued almoft for a whole week together, and my eyes were very red, and my eyelids were with difficulty moved, during all that time. My pain ceafed entirely afterwards. About the fame time, I had spread the juice of the tree very thick upon my hand. Three days after it occafioned blifters, which foon went off without affecting me much. I have not experienced any thing more of the effects of this plant, nor had I any defire so to do. However, I found that it could not exert its power over me, when I was not perfpiring. Ón relating in the winter of the year 1750, the poisonous qualities of the Swamp Sumach to my Yung ftram, who attended me on my travels, he only laughed, and looked upon the whole as a fable, in which opinion he was confirmed by his having often handled the tree the autumn before, cut many branches of it, which he had carried for a good while in his hand, in order to preferve its feeds, and put many into the herbals, and all this, without feeling the leaft inconvenience. He would therefore, being a kind of philofopher in his own way, take nothing for granted of which he had no fufficient proofs, especially as he had his own experience in the fummer of the year 1749, to fupport the contrary opi. nion. But in the next fummer, his fyftem of philofophy was overturned. For his hands fwelled, and he felt a violent pain and itching in his eyes as foon as he touched the tree; and this inconvenience not only attended him when he meddled with this kind of Sumach, but even when he had any thing to do with the Rhus radicans, or that fpecies of Sumach which climbs along the trees, and is not by far fo poisonous as the former. By this adventure he was fo convinced of the Poifon Tree, that I could not easily perfuade him to gather more feeds of it for me. But he not only felt the noxious effects of it in fummer, when he was very hot, but even in winter, when both he and the wood were cold. Hence it appears, that though a perion be fecured against the power of this poifon for fome time, yet that in length of time he may be affected with it, as well as people of a weak conftitution. I have never heard that the poison of this Sumach has been mortal; but the pain ceafes after a few days duration. The natives formerly made their flutes of this tree, because it has a great deal. of pith. Some people affured me, that a perfon fuffering from its noifome exhalations, would easily recover by spreading a mixture of the wood, burnt to charcoal, and hog's lard, upon its fwelled parts. Some allerted that they had really tried this remedy. In fone places, this tree is rooted out on purpofe, that its poison may not affect the workmen. For the OXFORD MAGAZINE. Memoirs of Mrs. W. BARRY, of Drury-Lane Theatre. "Virtue would fee what virtue ought to "do, tho' fun and moon, and stars, "were in the flat seas funk.” Mongft the liberal vocations, there Among the liberal voce profeflors (particularly the female ones) are more fubject to the charge of dubiety of character, than the ftage. Whether this arifes from a course of irregularities that too often precede a commencement on the theatre, the force of folicitation when on it, or the impreffions left on their minds by the frequent perfonification of loofe characters, is hard to determine; probably they may all affift, as we find the charge, with very few exceptions, not over malevolently founded. Having faid thus much on the perilous fituation of the ftage, it would be unfair for biography to be filent on the merit of thole difinguished few who have rifen fingular above cenfure, and who have, in their own conduct, fo far diverted the force of general ftigma. Forward, very forward, in this liit, is the heroine of thefe memoirs, who, from above a dozen years acquaintance with the theatre, fingle and married, has in each of thefe departments, not only preferved an irreproachable character, but has never been blown on by the rash, intemperate breath of fcandal. This lady is the only daughter of Dr. One, a clergyman of great merit, who lived in or near Dublin, and who, very early in life, took particular care to inftil into the mind of his daughter thofe feeds of religion and virtue, that have fince matured with fo much honour to herfelf, and credit to her family. Her father was one of thofe characters, who felt too much for the prefent neceffities of other people, to referve for the future neceffities of his family. Hence, having no perfonal fortune befides his livings in the church, on his death, which happened when his daughter ftood in moft need of his affiftance, his family were left much narrowed in their circumftances; in deed, very little more than the fale of his books and furniture, and the fupport of a few friends, whom their virtues had fecured as fuch, even in the hour of adverfity. Mrs. One was, for fome time after this event, undetermined what to do to fupport herself and her daughter, in any little line that in the least refembled their fituation. An infinity of fchemes prefented themfelves, which, from the unfettled refolution of a mind in distress, or the want of money to execute them, vanished on their approach. Whilft their affairs were thus embarraffed, a gentleman of their particular acquaintance dropt in one evening unnoticed, as Mifs O- -ne was reading to her mother the tragedy of Venice Preferved. On the approach of their friend the threw by the book ; but the gentleman being well pleafed with the little he furprized her reading, infifted on her proceeding, which the did, with fuch judgment, precision and pathos, a firft fuggefted to him the idea of her going on the ftage. As foon, therefore, as the had finished the play, he communicated his opinion to the two ladies, the youngest of whom explained by her blushes no difinclination; but the mother would not hearken to it, on account of the general odium its profeffors lay under. However, on the affair being further urged by other friends, and as the would have ftill the care of her daughter, fhe at laft confented to let her undergo a theatrical probation. The gentleman who interested himfelf fo warmly in this affair, was likewife an intimate acquaintance of Springer Barry, Efq; at that time joint manager with Mr. Woodward, of Crow-ftreet Theatre. At his inftance Mr. Barry, a few days afterwards, called at Mrs. One's, and heard Mifs go through the feveral parts of Belvidera, Alicia, and Almeria, which fhe did fo much above his most fanguine expectations, that, without further. trial, he offered to engage her for four years Reflections on the prefent years certain, at a very confiderable falary. Here maternal fears again took place, and the bugbears of the ftage recurred with double force on the mother's imagination. But thefe offers being backed by all her friends, the precarioufnefs of her prefent fituation determined her to accede to the propofals; and Mifs One foon after made her first appearance in the character of the Mourning Bride. There is an art almoft effentially neceffary to combine with the profeffion of an actress, to give her a first rate eclat in the theatrical world; and that is, a difpofition to grant favours, or at least to behave with that unreservedness, as encourage men to expect them. This is even more neceffary in Ireland than here, where players in general are not in equal estimation, and where one of the leading characteristics of that nation is gallantry. The abfolute contempt with which Mifs One ever treated this art, probably precluded her that general adiniration on her first appearance, as was expected. Early educated in the ftricteft principles of virtue, the beheld the most diftant advances to vice with horror; and perceiving herfelf now in a fituation that required double circumfpection, the adhered to every female nicety of decorum, to a degree of feverity: fo that the compliments the received as an actress, were merely owing to her excellencies in her profeffion, which, if the did not capitally adorn, the at least enriched. However, her attention to the ftage, her happy conception of her author, and above all, her irreproachable conduct, procured her the efteem and pro Immorality of the Stage. For the OXFORD 141 tection of the feeling and judicious ; amongst whom was the late Lord Chan cellor Bowes, and other perfons of the firft rank and diftinction in Ireland, who not only gave her every encou ragement her public and private character deserved, but wrote annually letters of ftrong recommendation to the principal people of thofe towns the vifited during the fummer months of her theatrical peregrination. Some years after her appearance on the Rage, fhe had the misfortune to lofe her mother, when finding herself alone in the world, fhe judged it an improper fituation to remain fo, for one of her profeffion; the therefore accepted the hand of Mr. W. Barry, (at that time treasurer to his brother, Springer Barry, Efq;) a gentleman of extreme good character, and amiable difpofition, with whom the enjoys that domeftic kind of comfort, which characterizes conjugal happiness in any fituation of life. As an actress, it is really furprizing, poffeffed of fo much merit as he is, the fhould be (to ufe a theatrical expreffion) fo much thrown upon the shelf, as the has been fince her eftablishment at Drury-lane. I will not pretend to fay the is capable of filling the first walks of her profeffion on a line with Mrs. Barry or Mrs. Yates; but as a fecondary actress (particularly in tragedy) for precifion, judgment, and fenfibility, I would ask, where is her equal? How then are we to account for her being fo feldom called out to public notice? Does it lie with the partiality of the managers? Or are obfcurity and neglect for ever to be the rewards of virtue? MAGAZINE. Reflections on the prefent Immorality of the STAGE, from M. DE BOISY's Letters on that Subject, lately published. TH HE characters and manners of the agents ufually reprefented on the ftage, their fentiments, emotions, and expreffions, all confpire to awaken and flatter the inclinations we had before for glory, pride, love, revenge, and other fecret movers of the human heart. The feigned paffions there reprefented pleafe us for the very fame reasons that they would do if real, namely, because they excite real ones in our fouls, or elfe because they recall to our memory fuch as we had actually experienced before. Rapiebant me fpectacula theatrica plena imaginibus miferiarum mearum. It is thefe miferies, as we ought rather to call them than engagements of the heart, which we love both to fee and feel 4 142 The Man of Pleajure. feel again. We ftill find a fatisfaction in perceiving our own weakneffes not only justified, but authorized and ennobled by the examples of the great, or varnished over by an ingenious or fpecious but falfe morality, which the poet often employs on purpose to hide from us the real truth, and make it appear to be rather deferving of compaffion than of cenfure. The charms of reprefentation, the actions reprefented, the artifice of reasoning, and the harmony of language, ftifle, by degrees, the fuggeftions of confcience, appeafe all its fcruples, and efface, infenfibly, that irkfome fhame, which makes one at firft confider a crime as impoffible, until we fee, in others, not only its poffibility, but begin to feel in ourfelves a facility for the like. When we once begin to travel on the fame road, we foon learn the language of the like paffions; and, above all, we retain in memory the excules for them. What impreffion must not Phedra make upon the heart of a young female fpectator, when he lays upon Venus all the blame and fhame of her own infamous paffion; when the calls the Gods to witness the truth of it, "Thofe Gods who lighted up within her heart this flame fo fatal to her peace, thofe Gods who took the cruel pleasure to feduce the virtue of a poor, frail woman." It is indeed true, that women in the present times may not be apt to accufe the Gods for the irregularities of their own hearts, nor feek to excufe themfelves by the examples of the Gods, like thofe mentioned by St. Cyprian, qui peccant exemplo deorum; neverthefets they are just as ready to lay the blame upon the ftars, or fate, or the irresistible force of an invincible attachment, or any thing, rather than the vicioufnefs of their own defires: they receive with pleafure fuch fentiments as thefe from the mouths of heroes and heroines; for a paffion, which is only common with them, will be always excufed as being natural, and no longer confidered as a weakness. Many a woman repeats in fecret, what Oenone fays in order to appease the fcruples of her mistress: Being a mortal woman, you will only fubmit to the lot of a woman." But at least a fpectator is confounded by vague and confufed fentiments, which, although never thoroughly understood, yet are not wanting to produce their effect. Many a one leaves the theatre encouraged against the natural horror of crimes; the fatisfaction arising from this circumftance alone, carries again and again to the fame place those who have once tafted of its corrupt influence; fo that, whether the theatre only causes a tranfient emotion, which is fa'fly thought at first to be innocent; or whether it excites, or recalls paffions more durable, than the action and language of the drama authorizes; yet it is, without doubt, in these two effects, that confifts principally that great pleafure which inen take at fuch exhibitions. Thus to have fhewn how dangerous dramatic reprefentations are, is, in fact, to have shewn why they are fo pleafing; for what forms the pleafure, is the fame which caufes the danger of them; and one may almost always fay with truth, that the best dramatic piece in the one fenfe is the worst in another. The Man of Pleafure. pleasure is he who does not attempt to fuppre's, but regulate his paffions: the good things of this world are not pernicious from their ufe, but from their abufe: the gorged glutton pays a fevere tax for his brutality; and the penalties of intoxication far furpafs the joys of the inebriating cup. A debauchee of every clafs is indeed the very direct oppofite to a man of pleasure. When we confider the delicate mechanifm of our frame, and that the fmalleft irregularity must diforder fome part of it, he who is defirous of preferving his health, without which there can be no real enjoyment, will thun intemperance as the bane of felicity; yet in the commerce of the world, it is almoft impoffible to avoid, at all periods, affociating with those whofe pursuits or difpofitions prompt them to an eccentric conduct; and as the character of a valetudinarian is equally to be thunned as that of a profeffed libertine, a facrifice will become fometimes neceffary to your friends, though it be at the price of a head-ach, or the lofs of appetite the next day. But thofe whofe conftant vigils are devoted to Bacchus or Plutus, and conceive every hour loft that is not employed in the circulation of the gla's, or the fhuffling of the cards, are fo far from being men of pleafure, that the dreadful chafms of their lives, unoccupied in their favourite purfuits, are attended with all the horrors of reflexion, and the keen anguith of felf condemnation, added to an impaired conftitution. Whilft I explode a too conftant attention to play, I would not be underfood to condemn a focial party at whift or quadrille for a few hours, to relax the mind, and give it time to recover its neceffary vigour to purfue more laudable ftudies. Books, doubtless, form the greatest folace beftowed on mortals; to converte familiarly with the most celebrated geniuses of ancient and modern times, is the highest gratification to a man of talte and fentiment. To view 143 the revolutions of ftates in the hiftoric page; to find the greatest characters of our own and other nations delineated with truth and impartiality; to trace the different laws, cuftoms, and manners of various nations, afford at once inftruction and entertainment of the noblefl kind; yet even here the line fhould be drawn, left too close an application might impair thofe organs which communicate health and vigour. Exercife is abfolutely neceffary to keep this curious machine in a proper frate, and none is more natural than walking, though at prefent unfashionable: the man of pleafare may, therefore, be allowed to ride, to dance, to fence, play at tennis, or any athletic game, provided he is not too paffionately fond of it, or it does not ingrofs too much of his time; for the true art of enjoying life, is to play off our different appetites against each other, that neither thould predominate. It may be compared to a well made olio, where you have a proper relifh of every thing that is good, without determining to which particular ingredient you owe the excellence of the difh. The true man of pleasure fhould be a fcholar and a gentleman; he should have perufed books, and read the world. He fhould have travelled, to furmount thofe prejudices which we are apt to imbibe and retain, for want of a perfonal knowledge of foreign nations. He should be a mafter of the genteel exercifes, and even fashionable games, as they at once afford recreation and exercife, so conducive to health. He fhould have an intercourfe with the polite world to polish his manners, and give him a juít notion of taste and elegance for even the happy medium of drefs fhould not be an object beneath his attention. He should likewife have a due refpect for the refined converfation of the fair fex, who give a zeit to all our purfuits, and prompt us to the noblest actions of our lives. : Differtation |