ed, vapid, and digressive in the first volume; in the second and third volumes he loses some of these qualities, and becomes more natural and more interesting. It were to be wished that Mr. Cumberland had given less licence to his pen, and not so often trenched upon the bounds of decency. There is something peculiarly disgusting in the indelicacy of an old man. The exhausted pruriency of imagination which it betrays is highly offensive. They who wish to see Mr. Cumberland's offences of this kind, may refer to pp. 11, 28, and 227 of vol. I, p. 236 of vol. II, and pp. 48, 105 of vol. III. to which may be added the entire episode of Mrs. De Lancaster's accouchement, which is narrated with a studied coarseness of delineation. We shall not stop to notice many inconsistencies in the narration; for, holding John De Lancaster only as one of the numerous family of the NOVELS, we do not think it necessary to exalt it beyond its sphere. We will, however, extract two or three passages as specimens of Mr. Cumberland's best manner. The following, which exhibits a contest of minstrels, is not wholly without merit:— "When the repast was over, and the glass had cheerfully, yet temperately, circulated, the doors of the great hall were thrown open: a scaffolding containing seats for the company, and a stage for the performers had been prepared, and the audience was full. Old De Lancaster, encircled by his guests, made the central figure of the assembly, and his entrance was hailed by a chorus of harps, joining in the popu lar air-Of a noble race was Shenkin. formers there existed a high spirit of emulation, and the opinions of the country were divided between them: Though rivals in art, they were brothers in misfortune, for both were bereft of sight-Blind Thamyrıs and blind Moonides. "After a pause of some minutes, Ap-Rees presented himself to the spectators, led, like Tiresias, by his young and blooming daughter, and followed by his son, carrying his harp. The interesting group so touched all hearts, and set all hands in motion, that the hall rung with their plaudits. He was a tall thin man with stooping shoul ders, bald head, pale visage, of a pensive cast, and habited in a long black mantle of thin stuff bound about with a rose-coloured sash of silk, richly fringed with silver, and on his breast, appending to a ribbon of pale blue, hung a splendid medal of honour. "Before he took the seat, that was provided for him, he stopped and made a profound obeisance to the company: his daughter in the mean time, modest, timid,and unprepared for such a scene, not venturing to encounter the eyes of the spectators, when she had placed her father in his seat, no longer able into his arms, trembling and on the to struggle with her sensibility, sunk point to faint: her brother stood aghast and helpless: the ladies manifested their alarm by screams, and the men were rising from their seats, when our hero,whose only monitor was his heart, leapt on the stage and sprung to her relief: she revived, and he gallantly conducted her to a seat, where she was no longer exposed to the observation of the company who cheered him with a loud applause. "Silence being restored, Ap-Rees began to tune his harp. He paused, "When this was past, the names of as it waiting for the inspiration of his six selected minstrels were announced. muse; his bosom yet laboured with Each of these was of high celebrity in the recent agitation of his spirits, his art, and the respectability of the when at length he threw his hand over audience called on them for their best the strings and began the symphony. exertions. When four of this number His song was the tale of ancient days: had now acquitted themselves with he took for his theme the religious great credit, and the plaudits of the hearers seemed to have been pretty equally bestowed amongst them, there remained only Robin Ap-Rees, the famous harper of Penruth Abbey, and David Williams, of Kray Castle as yet unheard. In these celebrated per legend of the famous knight Sir Owen, one of the ancestors of his present patron. The legend is detailed at length by Matthew Paris in his history, page $6, edited by Doctor Watts in the year 1640, and few can be found better calculated to call forth all the powers of poetry and music: The date is that of the reign of King Stephen, and in the wars of that period Sir Owen had very valorously distinguished himself. When Ap-Rees described his hero entering the tremendous cave amidst the wailings of the tormented, and beset by the infernal spirits, who assailed his constancy by every horrible device their malice could suggest, so striking were the effects, so contrasted the transitions of his harmony, that he seemed almost to realise those fearful yellings, groanings and thunderings recorded in the story. When he advanced to that period, where the fortitude of the knight baffles all the efforts of the dæmons, the movement, which had before been turbulent, ir regular, and excursive, became solemn, flowing, and majestic; but when in conclusion, SirOwen, triumphant over his assailants, puts them to general rout, and the gloomy cave in an instant is converted into a bright and blooming paradise, the minstrel with such art adapted his melody to the scene described, and so tranquillizing was the sweetness of his strain, that at the close he left his hearers still impressed with those delightful sensations which Mil ton describes Adam to have felt, whilst the voice of the communicative angel was yet dwelling on his ear. "At length De Lancaster rose up, and addressing himself to the minstrel, testitied his high admiration of the excellent performance he had witnessed, observing that it had been particularly gratifying to him to listen to a poem, founded on the magnanimous behaviour of a truly Christian knight, who was enrolled amongst the many heroes which the ancient and illustrious house of his friend and countryman Sir Owen ap Owen might justly boast of. "This speech was followed by a thundering applause, the exulting minstrel made his valedictory obei sance, and withdrew, "Sir Owen in the meantime whispered his friend De Lancaster, that he had never read the story, but he was told it was put down in a book, and of course he conceived it must be all in a loose vest or mantle of white cloth with open sleeves, which he had tucked up, leaving his arms bare: it was bound about his waist with a broad belt of orange-tawney silk, and upon his breast he wore a medal, on which the device of the winged harp was conspicuously displayed: a fillet of the same colour with his belt confined his white locks, and when he had arranged himself in his seat and begun to touch his harp, all was silence and attentive expectation. "At length, rolling his sightless eyeballs in a kind of poetic phrensy, he began his song from Noah: he sung the destructive visitation of the general deluge: he chanted the praises of King Samothes, and the splendor of his court; he then took a martial strain, and, smiting his harp with all the fire of an enthusiast, sung the triumphs of the giant son of Neptune, who entailed the trident of his father on his newnamed Albion to all posterity. The animating subject seized the passions of the hearers, and the applause was loud and clamourous. "When this subsided, the minstrel chose a melancholy theme; his head drooped upon his harp, and his fingers moved languidly over the strings, whilst in a slow and mournful strain he chanted the sad fate of Bladud"Fallen from his towring flight, "And weltring in his blood.” 66 silent, when at once the harp was heard During the moyement all were to break forth into a melody of the most gay and joyous character, invit ing all present to festivity and good fellowship, and invoking blessings on the hospitable and time-honoured house of De Lancaster." As a contrast to the above, let the following be read, in which much may be forgiven on the score of the author's age: yet it shews Mr. Cumberland's want of prudence to attempt where he was certain of failure.Rousseau, indeed, used to say, that he could write a finer description of liberty in the dungeons of the Eastile, than he could out of them; but it does not appear that Mr. C. can describe a love scene from the pure workings of the imagination. "Upon his arrival at Mrs. Jennings's house, the reception which John now met was very unlike what he had be- dinary agitation, nor studied to avoid fore experienced. The cases contain- his eyes; for real purity is not suspiing the miniature picture and the gold cious-Amelia, he cried, I know the chain were delivered to him: Mrs. sacred nature of the responsibility I Jennings quitted the room, and upon have incurred by giving way to the his finding himself alone with Amelia, raptures which your charms inspired. he began as followsYour father's picture hangs before me; I well remember the apostrophe I made to it; you do not want the presence of Mrs. Jennings to guarantee my good behaviour; your very best duenna is my honour. "I confess to you, Miss Jones, I feel myself very highly gratified by the handsome manner in which you have declined taking this pledge of my poor mother's affection and regard for you, till I could have an opportunity of delivering it into your hands agreeably to her particular instruction and desire. I am sensible it is a refinement, that very many people would not feel, but happily for me you did, and the melancholy event that has since occurred, naturally makes me the more desirous of adhering strictly to what she gave me in command: this I now do, when I have the honour of presenting to you, as a token of her very sincere esteem, this miniature of your father; what the other case contains is simply a chain, which I hope you will accept from me, though it has neither the same intrinsic value as a relick, nor the same ideal value as a memorial of the donor. "Pardon me, exclaimed Amelia, eagerly interposing, what the other case contains is a gift not only very beautiful in itself, but infinitely valuable to me for the giver's sake. "Oh! that I might believe you, cried the enraptured youth. "Indeed you may, she naturally replied. I prize it as your gift above all computation. That mother, who is scarcely cold in her shrowd, with her dying breath bequeathed you to my honour, my protection, and my constant care through life. These are my duties; they are such as a brother, as a guardian, or a father might engage in: I don't commence my execution of them after the way of either of these, but, availing myself of the first favourable opportunity, and snatching at the first kind expression, which your po-` liteness prompts you to address to me, I instantly throw my unprivileged arms about your chaste and beauteous person with all the ardour of a lover All this is true: I felt that ardour, and I feel that love-Let me now ask you, Does the declaration of that love offend you? "Ób, no, no, no. "And may I hope in time to merit a return of love? "You merit it already, and you have it-But hold! restrain yourself. Don't make it such a wonder that I speak the truth; but, as I have answered fairly, hear me now in my turn, calmly, patiently, I pray you; for Í verily believe, that upon the candour with which you shall treat the sincere confession and appeal I am now about · to make to you, the happiness of my life in future will depend. I "Speak freely; I'am all attention. will not deceive you. "Nay, now, enchantress, he exclaimed, if your beauty and your kindness overcome my reason, you must either pardon my transports, or escape out of my company. To be told that you will prize this trifle, because it is my gift, is such a favour as can only "What I have said is true: I have be repaid by tendering to you my full cause to love you: such as you heart-my life-myself-my every are in every early excellence of mind thing-and, saying this, he pressed and person, it would be out of nature the unreluctant damsel to his bosom, if I did not. I can well believe it to accompanying each fond endearing phrase with tender but respectful deNicate caresses. "As soon as he had released her from his arms he led her to a chair, kept her hand in his, and seated himwell by her: she was not in the least abashed, did not betray any extraor UNIVERSAL MAG. VOL. XII. be against rule for a young girl like me to make this frank confession: It seems so; and perhaps it was not quite in rule for me to suffer you to embrace me, whilst you uttered those emphatic, tender words; I could not help it: you embraced me once before; I could hot help it then. The arms of no man since my father died ever embraced captain a desire to quit his company. me, yours alone excepted. The de- which had become so agreeable to me; light, which those endearments gave I thereupon came to a determination me in both cases, I am not ashamed of taking my chance with him: and to own; for it was pure: but I should when I understood his destination to be sorry to indulge in that delight, be for the fourth time to the coast of however pure, which cannot be per- Africa, I considered that one warm manent; and would not wish to hear climate was like another, and warmth those fond rapturous words repeated, being what I was in search of for Mrs. to which if I athixed a serious mean- De Lancaster, he assured me that I ing, I must be the vainest and the should find it there in perfection; this weakest of all human beings. In one being ascertained I engaged for the word, my dear sir, you, who are de-, voyage, avoiding thereby all further stined to so high a lot, must show some trouble, either to myself or him, about pity for a lowly creature that looks up a matter of such absolute indifference. to you with love and admiration, and must absolutely promise me to fill up your time at Glen Morgan, whilst I in obedience to Mr. De Lancaster's commands pay a short visit of respect at Kray Castle." We will not profane the enjoyment of our readers by any attempt to illustrate the natural beauties of this colloquy. If the reader wishes for more, of similar excellence, we refer him, ad libitum, to the discourses between John and Amelia, and especially to p. 218 of vol. III. Mr. Cumberland, indeed, is not wholly unconscious of his incapacity for the task he has chosen: he frequently appeals to the good nature and forbearance of his readers, and not without just cause. We will give one more extract, a letter from the phlegmatic Philip, which is sufficiently characteristical. "Dear Sister, "When I arrived at Milford Haven I found a vessel bound to Liverpool, of which I availed myself for a passage, as travelling in rough roads is extremely troublesome. The master of the vessel was a very affable and entertaining gentleman, and, having been the tines on a slaving voyage to the coast of Africa, had acquired a perfect knowledge both of men and manners. "When we dropped anchor at Liverpool, the crowd and hurry on the quay appeared to me to be such, that I held it best to keep quiet in the cabin of the brig that brought me thither. Being in no capacity for making enquiries in my own person about a passage to the south of France, I did not like to manifest to my friendly "It cost some time to ship the cargo he was taking out with him, and gave me some annoyance whilst his crew were stowing it, as they are in the habit of accompanying their work with certain noises, far from melodi. selves. I had, however, a faculty of ous, and intelligible only to themsleeping pretty generally through it all, which made time, heavy at the best, pass off very tolerably, till we set sail and took leave of land and all its troublesome concerns. I understood from the people that went on shore, that the town of Liverpool would have been highly worth my seeing, and I have every reason to believe their information was correct. "We commenced our voyage in pleasant weather; the captain's conversation was on many points entirely new and very edifying on that account. He kept a liberal table, particularly in the article of salt-fish, of which he had a considerable cargo ou board; but when he had no longer a supply of eggs to recommend his salt-fish, I must confess I was sometimes puzzled how to make a dinner, especially as his soup had a taste to which I had not as yet familiarized my palate. During our passage through the Bay of Biscay I perceived the vessel to have considerable motion, but there is a lulling property in the vacillation of a hammock, that promotes repose. "One day, when I was told we were off the coast of Portugal, and I began to inhale odours from the shore, that were infinitely preferable to those of the salt-fish in the ship, I had a curiosity for the first time to visit the accommodations below, when I was tempted to ask my friend the captain for what purpose he had parted off a portion of his hold with iron gratings like those of a prison, and also why he had provided such a collection of handcuffs, fetters, and other instruments, that seemed calculated both for torture and confinement. "He was a very communicative man, and did not hesitate to inform me, that being a trader in negro slaves, it was necessary for him to be well stored with all those conveniences for security's sake; For how else, said he, could I be sure that those savages, who have no understanding of the happiness in store for them, would not rise upon us and cut all our throats? -Though I immediately saw all the force of his reasoning, I was a little staggered by the nature of his intelligence; and this I think it probable that he perceived, for he was pleased to say, that, being bound in the first instance for the Tagus, he would set me down with his cargo of salt-fish at Lisbon, if I had the least objection to proceeding any further. I thanked him for his civility, and candidly confessed that although I could have no objection to the removal of his salt-fish, I should think it ill exchanged for his cargo of slaves. Iaccordingly accepted his alternative of leaving me at Lisbon; where, though I should much regret the loss of his society, I might avail myself of the opportunity of visiting the famous aqueduct of Alcantara, of which I had heard so won derful an account, and was anxious to enjoy the sight. The captain acknowledged that he had heard there was such a thing to be seen in the neighbourhood of Lisbon, but as he had no particular taste for sights of that sort, he had not troubled himself to go out of his way for it: he was pleased however in the politest manner to repeat his offer of setting me down at Lisbon; observing to me with great satisfaction, that as we were now happily arrived within the mouth of the river we had nothing further to apprehend; for he could assure me we were fairly out of all possibility of mischance, being in the track of the safest navigation in the world. "In the very moment whilst this experienced navigator was cheering me and himself with these pleasant assurances, a sudden shock of the vessel threw him from his balance, and catching hold of me as he was falling, we came together upon the deck with a considerable degree of violence. As he fell upon me he had the advantage of being first upon his legs, which he employed with all speed in rushing forwards to the forecastle, whilst I was endeavouring to save myself from further bruises; for now a cry ran through the ship, that we were stranded on a rock, and sinking bodily. Of this information I had soon no reason to doubt, as the water rushed in with great impetuosity. The crew were eagerly employed in getting out the boat; but as I was persuaded that they, who were at the trouble of launching, would naturally be the first to make use of it, I persisted to keep my post, being resolved not to disgrace the character of a true De Lancaster by betraying the least symptom of impatience or alarm. "When I had stayed till the treading over-head had ceased, and the captain along-side was calling upon me by name to come on board the boat and save myself, or stay where I was and be drowned, I thought it behoved me to avail myself of an alternative, so fairly stated, though my compliance with his offer of rescuing me from the sinking ship was attended with no small degree of trouble and inconvenience, for I now perceived myself to be sorely bruised. "I exerted myself to the utmost in getting into the boat, yet my efforts being not sufficiently adroit to satisfy the gentlemen, who were eager to push off, I heard myself saluted with a general volley of oaths and ludicrous buffooneries allusive to my awkwardness, which I can truly aver were the only uncivil words, that I received from either captain or crew, whilst I had the pleasure of sailing with them. "The boat, in which I was, belonged to one of our Lisbon pacquets, that had the humanity to stop her course and assist us in our distress. On board this charitable ship I was at length conveyed, and was agreeably surprised to find myself thus unexpectedly amongst my friends and neighbours; young Sir David Owen and his amiable mother being passengers and bound to Lisbon. To the humanity of these |