fince it can adapt itself to the highest or the loweft capacity. I had chofen an illuftrious fubject. Rome is familiar to the fchool-boy and the ftatefman; and my narrative was deduced from the last period of claffical reading. I had likewife flattered myself, that an age of light and liberty would receive, without fcandal, an inquiry into the human caufes of the progrefs and establishment of chriftianity.

I compofe the first chapter, and twice diligence and accuracy were attested the fecond and third, before I was to- by my own confcience. History is lerably fatisfied with their effect. In the most popular fpecies of writing, the remainder of the way I advanced with a more equal and eafy pace; but the fifteenth and fixteenth chapters have been reduced by three fucceffive revifals, from a large volume to their prefent fize; and they might ftill be compreffed, without any lofs of facts or fentiments. An oppofite fault may be imputed to the concife and fuperficial narrative of the first reigns from Commodus to Alexander; a fault of which I have never heard, except from Mr Hume, in his laft journey to Lon don. Such an oracle might have been confulted and obeyed with rational devotion; but I was foon difgufted with the modest practice of reading the manuscript to my friends. Of fuch friends fome will praife from politenefs, and some will criticife from vanity. The author himself is the best judge of his own performance; no one has fo deeply meditated on the subject; no one is fo interested in the event.

In this interval of my fenatorial life, (continues Mr Gibbon) I published the fecond and third volumes of the Decline. and Fall. My ecclefiaftical history still breathed the fame fpirit of freedom; but Proteftant zeal is more indifferent to the characters and controverfies of the fourth and fifth centuries. My obftinate filence had damped the ardour of the polemics. Dr Watfon, the most candid of my adverfaries, affured me that he had no thoughts of renewing the attack, and my impartial balance of the virtues and vices of Julian was generally praifed. This truce was interrupted only by fome animadverfions of the Catholics of Italy, and by fome angry letters from Mr Travis, who made me perfonally refponfible for condemning, with the best critics, the fpurious text of the three heavenly witnesses.

The first volume of my hiftory, which had been fomewhat delayed by the novelty and tumult of a firft feffion of parliament, being ready for the prefs, (after the perilous adventure had been declined by Mr Elmfly,) I agreed, upon easy terms, with Mr Thomas Cadell, a respectable bookfeller, and Mr William Strahan, an eminent printer; and The piety or prudence of my Italian they undertook the care and risk of the tranflator has provided an antidote publication, which derived more credit against the poison of his original. The from the name of the hop than from 5th and 7th volumes are armed with that of the author. The last revifal of five letters from an anonymous divine the proofs was fubmitted to my vigi- to his friends, Foothead and Kirk, lance ; and many blemishes of style, two English students at Rome; and which had been invifible in the manu- this meritorious fervice is commended fcript, were discovered and corrected by Monfignor Stonor, a prelate of the in the printed sheet. So moderate were fame nation, who difcovers much veour hopes, that the original impreffion nom in the fluid and nervous style of had been ftinted to five hundred, till, Gibbon. The critical effay at the end the number was doubled by the pro- of the third volume was furnished by phetic taste of Mr Strahan. During the Abbate Nicola Spedalieri, whofe this awful interval I was neither elated zeal has gradually fwelled to a more by the ambition of fame, nor depreffed folid confutation in two quarto volumes. by the apprehenfion of contempt. My 4 F 2

Shall

-Shall I then be excused for not having read then.?

The brutal infolence of Mr Travis's challenge can only be excufed by the abfence of learning, judgment, and humanity; and to that excufe he has the faireft or fouleft pretenfion. Compared with Archdeacon Travis, Chelfum and Davies affume the title of refpectable enemies.

The bigotted advocates of popes and monks may be turned over even to the bigots of Oxford; and the wretched Travis ftill fmarts under the lafh of the merciless Porfon. I confider Mr Porfon's answer to Archdeacon Travis as the most acute and accurate piece of criticifm which has appeared fince the days of Bentley. His ftrictures are founded in argument, enriched with learning, and enlivened with wit; and his adverfary neither deferves nor finds any quarter at his hands. The evidence of the three heavenly witneffes would now be rejected in any court of juftice: but prejudice is blind, authority is deaf, and our vulgar Bibles will ever be polluted by this fpurious text, fedet aternumque fedebit. The more learned ecclefiaftics will indeed have the fecret fatisfaction of reprobating in the closet what they read in the church."

Our author then concludes the account of his Roman History as follows:

"I have prefumed to mark the moment of conception: I fhall now commemorate the hour of my final deliverIt was on the day, or rather night, of the 27th of June 1787, be. tween the hours of eleven and twelve,

ance.

that I wrote the laft lines of the last page, in a fummer-house in my garden. After laying down my pen, I took feveral turns in a berceau, or covered walk of acacias, which commands a profpect of the country, the lake, and the mountains. The air was temperate, the sky was ferene, the filver orb of the moon was reflected from the waters, and all nature was filent. I will not diffemble the first emotions of joy on the recovery of my freedom, and, perhaps, the establifhment of my fame. But my pride was foon humbled, and a fober melancholy was fpread over my mind, by the idea that I had taken an everlasting leave of an old and agreeable companion, and that whatfoever might be the future date of my history, the life of the hiftorian must be fhort and precarious. I will add two facts, which have seldom occurred in the compofition of fix, or at leaft of five quartos. 1. My first rough manufcript, without any intermediate copy, has been fent to the prefs. 2. Not a fheet has been feen by any human eyes, excepting thofe of the author and the printer: the faults and the merits are exclufively my own*.

"Extract from Mr Gibbon's Common-place

Book.

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, be"The IVth volume of the Hiftory of the gun March 1ft, 1782-ended June 1784.

"The Vth volume, begun July 1784ended May 1st, 1785.

"The VIth volume, begun May 18th, 1786-ended June 27th, 1787.

"Thefe three volumes were fent to press August 15th, 1787, and the whole imprefLion was concluded April following."

ORIGIN OF ORGANS;

WITH THE STORY OF GIAFFAR THE INVENTOR.

The imprifon'd winds, releafed with joyful found,
Proclaim their liberty to all around.

THE two friends having made the promife which he required of inviolable fecrecy, Giaffar thus entered upon his wonderful story:

"I AM thirty-fix years old, and my career is completed. I have paffed through it with honour, perhaps with glory; both love and fortune ftrewed it

ANON.

with flowers, till the fatal inftant which difcovered the abyss in which I was nearly overwhelmed. I have loft every thing, even to my very name; the inhabitants of the Eaft mention it fill with benedictions; the affection of a grateful people perpetuates the rememrance of it, and yet it must not be borne

by

"My brothers played on feveral mufical inftruments, fome of our new acquaintance had the same talents, and as we could not enjoy at Bagdat the free exercife of our religion, we agreed, that, on the folemn festivals, we should meet in a room and chant the mass. Our apartment was towards the street, and the people ftopping to liften to us, foon difcovered the motive of these religious exercifes. Mahometan intolerance was alarmed; and obtained an edict from the Caliph, which was published throughout the city, prohibiting the Chriftians, under pain of death, from affembling to celebrate their religious rites. They were allowed, however, the privilege of performing them individually.

by me! Condemned to obfcurity, I am become a stranger to my own fame, am unable to enjoy it, and dead to all the world; it is in the eternal filence of the tomb that I receive the approbation and the eulogies of my contemporaries? The unfortunate victim of defpotifm, and the fatal example of human viciffitudes. I am Barmecide." At the found of this great and celebrated name, the Knights of the Swan rofe up. A fentiment of profound veneration and refpect rendered them motionless for fome minutes to great minds profcription and misfortune tend to increase the intereft which genius and virtue never fail to infpire! The two friends confidered Barmecide with an eagerness of curiofity as if they beheld him now for the first time. The emotion "This prohibition offended me fo and fympathy which they felt was highly, that I confidered what means painted on their countenances, in fo could be devifed to elude it. I had expreffive a character, that Barmecide always a genius for mechanics; and, was very strongly affected by it. "O after fome reflection, I conceived the my friends," cried he, " you reftore idea of conftructing an inftrument which me to my existence." In faying thefe might imitate all thofe with which I words, he threw himself into their arms; was acquainted, and even the human and, having received their affectionate voice. I endeavoured to fupply it at embraces, thus refumed his narration: the fame time with fo prodigious a vo My father, born in the dominions lume of found, that it might produce to of Gerold, had a paffion for travelling. the ear the effect of a concert. I workHe infpired my mother with the fame ed at my invention night and day, and inclination, who was always his infepa- in lefs than fix months produced an inrable companion. I drew my first ftrument of an enormous fize, to which breath in Perfia; my father was my I gave the name of Organ, and which only inftructor, and he taught me by perfectly answered my intentions. facts and obfervations founded on expe- then placed myfelf near my window, rience, and not by leffons derived from and played on it regularly morning and books. I had the misfortune to lofe night, chanting the fervice at the fame this excellent parent when I was 20 time, At the end of fome days, inyears of age; my mother had been dead formation was fent to the Caliph, that fome time before. I had three brothers. the Chriftians, notwithstanding the riWe had always lived together in the gour of his prohibition, had begun amoft perfect union, and were determin- gain their religious concerts, and with ed not to feparate. Having often heard more audacity than ever. The Caliph of the extreme magnificence of the iffued his orders in confequence; and Court of Aaron Rafchid, we determ- one morning while I was playing on my ined to vifit Bagdat. Arrived at this organ at the ufual hour, I heard a viofuperb capital, we became acquainted lent knocking at my door. I fhut up with feveral Europeans of our own age, my organ, and rofe to enquire the and we lodged altogether under the caufe; when, at the fame instant, a fame roof. number of armed men came into my

Ι

room,

room, and teftified the greatest astonish- became mute with astonishment, and ment at finding me alone. The captain doubted whether he fhould pronounce of the company asked me, where were my fentence, or dismiss me as a perfon my accomplices. I replied I had none. infane. I began therefore again thus He paid no attention to this anfwer, to addrefs him: "Sit, I can venture and fought in vain in all my clofets for to proteft to you, that I have not dif the other musicians. He paffed feve obeyed your orders, and that I was aral times in the front of my organ, lone; of which it will be very easy to without imagining it to be a mufical convince you, if you will deign to fend inftrument; which was in fome mea- for the cheft of drawers which is in fure owing to my having given it the my chamber. I will open in your prethe appearance of a cheft of drawers. fence this myfterious article of furniture, At length, not being able to compre- and you will find in it a complete evihend how my companions had efcaped, dence of my innocence." The Caliph, he ordered me to follow him. I de- whofe aftonishment was augmented by fired to be conducted into the prefence this difcourfe, iffued immediately the of the Caliph. He replied, that he order for which I folicited, and my orwas conveying me thither. In fact, gan was conveyed into his apartment. the prince had refolved, to fee me, and While I employed myself in putting it to interrogate me himself. He re- into order, the Caliph, who waited ceived me with a gloomy and fevere with as much curiofity as impatience for air, confidering me fome time in fi- the catastrophe of this fingular scene, lence; and, ftruck with the ferenity went out for the Princess Abaffa his of my countenance, "Indifcreet young fifter, gave her an account of our conman," faid he, "what could infpire verfation, and returned along with her. thee with fo much audacity and fo The Princefs, covered with a long much contempt for life?" " Sir," said I veil, which concealed entirely her shape in reply, nothing fo effectually encou- and her face, placed herself on one of rages innocence as the aspect of an e- the cushions by the fide of her brother, quitable judge."-" Thou can'ft not," at a little distance from, and in front of anfwered he, "deny thy disobedience. the organ. Then I asked permiffion of I myself have been under thy window; the Caliph to feat myself oppofite my I myself have heard the found of in- cheft of drawers; and, at the fame inftruments and voices; and yet none ftant, began to play and to fing. The but thyself has been found in thy cham- Caliph immediately heard those powerber. Where are thy companions?" ful and harmonious founds imitating fo "I have," faid I, "none." "Liften," completely flutes, horns, hautboys, and replied the Caliph; "thy phyfiognomy the human voice; when starting from interefts and pleases me, and thy youth excites my pity. I am willing to pardon thee, but I expect a fincere confeffion." "No, my lord," answered 1, 66 you will not pardon a man who fhall be mean enough to inform against his companions and friends." "Well!" exclaimed the Caliph with violence, "all the Chriftians at prefent in Bag. dat fhall be this day in irons." "They will be in that fituation only a few hours," faid 1 in a tranquil tone. "And who shall set them free?"" I, my Lord." At this anfwer the Caliph

66

his feat with wonder and delight," Is it poffible," faid he, " that thefe drawers are an inftrument of mufic?" "Yes, my Lord," replied I," and I' invented it to foften the feverity of your prohibition." "In prohibiting thefe affemblies," faid the Caliph, "I wifhed principally to prevent the celebrity and folemnity which the union of dif ferent inftruments and feveral voices give to your ceremonies. I did not forefee that there could be fuch an ingenious contrivance to abrogate my edict; but it is but juft," added he,

❝ that

profpects with which fortune and ambition prefented me." The next day the Caliph fent for me, to explain to him the mechanifm of my organ. While demonftrating its principles, I perceived in a few minutes that he had no notion of the previous information that was neceffary to comprehend with facility the mechanifm of a machine fomewhat complicated; and, at the fame time, had fo much felf-conceit as to defire to conceal his ignorance.

"that those who are compelled to obe- livered up my mind to the splendid dience should be more inventive than their governors." Saying thefe words, he turned towards Abaffa, to ask her what he thought of this adventure. Immediately the most foothing and delightful voice which had ever yet attracted my ear, requefted him in expreffions the most flattering for me, to recompenfe the author of fo wonderful an invention. "Young man," faid the Caliph, who then approached me, " 1 admire the arts and every species of talents; thy perfon alfo pleafes me. I defire to have the mechanifm of this marvellous machine explained to me; and I charge myself with thy fortune: Thus," purfued he, addreffing himself to his fifter, " you fhall be fatisfied, Abaffa; I shall keep the inftrument and its inventor."

"As he has a fund of intelligence and good fenfe, I could eafily, by explaining to him some of the first principles, and by clearing up his doubts, have fhewn him plainly what he wished to know; but he required a learned explanation; he pretended to understand what it was impoffible he could comprehend, fo that my illustration was abfolutely useless to him. He carried away with him only the fecret perfuafion, that he had impofed on me on the fubject of his instruction; and he left in my mind the chagrin of perceiving to what an extent of puerility may be strained the pride of the most enlightened of men, when their mind has been vitiated by a long poffeffion of unlimited dominion.

"The very fame day I was established in the palace. I was furnished with an extenfive apartment, a multitude of flaves, and several magnificent presents. I had no fortune, and I was charmed that I had acquired one with fo much rapidity and fingularity; but I was not lefs ftruck with the defpotifm which this Prince mingled with his favours, even those which were moft diftinguished. He had difpofed of me as a flave, without confulting my inclinations, without condescending to inform himself whether any particular engagement might interfere with the defire he felt of attaching me to him. I made on this fubject many melancholy reflections; but I was young, without experience, and dazzled with the brilliant qualities of the Caliph. In truth, he has very exalted ones. fhut my eyes against the terrible effects of his difpofition and character, and de- Charlemagne by the Caliph Aaron. From Madame Genlis' Knights of the Swan.

"He made, however, of my organ, an ufe which was very grateful to me. The Ambaffadors of Charlemagne were then at his court, aud the Caliph added my organ to the numerous prefents with which he entrusted them for their mafter."

*Madame Genlis here informs her read1ers in a note, that the first Organ known in Europe was fent, as appears from history, to

LITERARY IMITATION.
DESCRIPTION OF BARTHOLOMEW FAIR.

SHALL my fteps defcend to the field, fhall my dim eyes once more behold the glories of the mob-affembled fair? Daughter of Floctono, where waft thou? Thine arm is as the moving of

mountains. Fair maid of the fportive puppet-show, of the locomotive pafteboard, thy eyes are as two funs.-But thy Tonthormo fhall leave the plainthe wool-covered fheep fhall beat the

feeble