E'en for thy foes compaffion heaves a figh,

And pleafure half-chaftifed relumes thine eye.

We fhall be very glad to renew our acquaintance with this writer, whoever he may be, being much and highly gratified by various parts of this poem.

ART. 22. Lines, fuggefted by the Faft appointed on Wednesday, February 27, 1797. By Charles Lloyd, Author of Edmund Oliver, Letter to the Anti-Jacobin, &c. &c. 4to. IS. Longman. 1799.

There is much animation, united with true and proper feeling, in this effufion. The too-prevailing fpirit of infubordination and Jaçobinism is thus well described. There is abroad

An evil fpirit, a fpirit evil and foul,
Who, under fair pretence of modern lights,
And vain philofophy, parcels the dole
Of human happinefs, that quality

Sought for fix thoufand tedious years in vain,
With lavish diftribution! Who, with fpeech
Dreft up in metaphyfic eloquence,

And ek'd out plaufibly with abstract phrafe,
Would fnatch from God himself the agency
Of good and ill; would fpoil for ornament,
Particular and relative, this univerfe, &c. &c.

The author concludes with recommending his countrymen, to show a proper fenfe of the blefings they pre-eminently enjoy,

In a world, where, victims to the sword,

Famine and Peftilence are fwept away,

As fummer infects by an eastern blast.

He tells them to be thankful,

That, in a world like this, they're BLEST and FREE.

ART. 23. Extracts from Poems on Naval and Military Sabjects. By the Rev. William Tasker. 12mo. 15 PP. 15. Meyler, for the

Author. 1799.

The author fpeaks of himfelf as induced, by the prefent demand for his "Ode to the Warlike Genius of Great Britain," to reprint a few ftanzas. We are glad to hear of a demand from the public, which is the best shape that preffing demands can take, for a poet. But we think it rather hard, that if the public withes for the whole Ode, the author fhould put them off with a few ftanzas, and some other extracts.

DRAMATIC.

DRAMATIC.

ART. 24. Adelaide of Wulfingen, a Tragedy, in Four Acts (exemplifying the Barbarity which prevailed during the Thirteenth Century) from the German of Auguftus von Kotzebue, Author of the Stranger. By Benjamin Tho plan, Jun. Tranflator of the Stranger, as performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

Sir Hugo of Wulfingen, having been abfent many years on a crufade against the Saracens, and reported to be flain in battle, his fon, Sir Theobald, has, during that period, married Adelaide, a beautiful and amiable young woman, fuppofed to be the daughter of Bertram, a neighbours ing peafant. They are fuppofed to have lived happily eight years, and have too boys, when her fuppofed father, Bertram, who had been taken prifoner before they married, is delivered from a long captivity among the neighbouring Vandals, and, with great furprife and horror, recog nifes them as brother and fifter to each other; Adelaide being a natural daughter of Sir Hugo, and having been entrusted to the care of Bertram, to be brought up as his own. Soon afterwards, Sir Hugo himfelf returns, having been a prifoner of the Saracens, and learning this unfortunate circumstance from Bertram, communicates it to his fon. Fearing the refentment of the church, and confequent rain of their family, they fwear Bertram to fecrecy, and determine to conceal the circumftance from Adelaide herself, left it should plunge her into affliction and despair. The fuperftitious mind of Bertrain, however, induces him, notwithstanding his oath, to reveal it to the Abbot of a neighbouring convent, a debauched and unprincipled wretch, who is himself infpired with an unlawful paffion for Adelaide. Overjoyed at the means of fuccefs, or power of revenge, afforded by this difcovery, the Abbot immediately declares his paffion to Adelaide, and, on her indignant rejection of him, threatens her with the highest vén. geance of the church, and departs with the moft folemn imprecations on her, on her husband, and on their pofterity, Alarmed at his me naces, but ftill more fhocked at the curfe pronounced on her unhappy children, the weak mind of Adelaide is driven by grief and horror into madnefs, and the imagines the only way to atone for her crime, and to rescue her devoted offspring from perdition, is to facrifice them herself. After many terrible conflicts between maternal fondnefs and fuperftitious rage, the maffacres them with her own hands, and, on the appearance of her husband and father, runs out in a state of infanity. With this dreadful fcene (which is wrought up with all the powers of Kotzebue's talents) the tragedy clofes.

We intirely agree with the tranflator, that this piece, whatever may be the talte or feelings of a German audience, is far too horrible for the English Itage: and we are proud in the reflection, that no writer or manager of a theatre would dare thus to outrage the feelings, and fhock the common fenfe of our countrymen. That in the barbarous age here referred to, the power of fuperftition might have produced a cataftrophe fimilar to that of Adelaide, we deem juft poffible; but fo

Q 2

highly

1

highly improbable, even at that period, (when, though reafon was lefs enlightened, maternal feelings were probably as ftrong as at prefent) as to be a fubject highly improper for the drama. But for what moral purpofe could a story fo horrible have been contrived by any writer of the times in which we live? Is there any danger of our relapfing into the fuperftition of the thirteenth century? Will a mistaken fenfe of religion infligate even a female of the prefent age to inhumanity? Is this the danger to be guarded againft; the rock on which we are likely to fplit Alas! the writer of this drama must have known the reverfe of this to be the prefent ftate of mankind. Why then are the crimes of monks, and the fuperftition of women, in the thirteenth, feduloufly difplayed and exaggerated at the clofe of the eighteenth century? We fear, with a fimilar design to that of Voltaire and his cabal, whom many of the luminized German writers appear defirous to emulate ; with the pernicious defign of directing the horrors excited at prieftcraft and barbarous fuperftition, againft religion itself. Such being therefore the improbability of this horrid drama, and fuch its tendency and probable effect, at least on weak and inconfiderate minds, we cannot but reprobate it, however vigorous and pathetic, as a difplay of genius ill-directed, and talents mifapplied. The tranflation appears to be executed with spirit.

ART. 25. The Count of Burgundy, a Play, in Four Acts› By Augustus von Kotzebue, Poet Laureat and Director of the Imperial Ibeatre at Vienna. Tranflated from the genuine German Edition, by Anne Plumptree, Tranflator of Kotzebue's Natural Son. 8vo. 77 PP. 2s. 6d. Symonds. 1798.

This Play of Kotzebue (which cannot be properly called either a Tragedy or a Comedy) has been reprefented, under the fame title, for a benefit, at one of our theatres; but, whether from its being haftily got up, or, for want of a skilful adaptation of the dialogue to the tafte of an English audience, was not, we understand, fo received as to encourage a repetition. Yet the story is interefting.

Albert, Count of Burgundy, having been, together with all his other children, murdered by the emiflaries of his brother Ulric, one infant fon, Henry, has been fecretly preferved by a faithful friend of the Count, and is educated as the fon of his preferver, who refides, as a hermit, at the foot of the Alps. In this retirement, the young Count falls in love with Elizabeth, the daughter of a Knight reduced in circumftances, poffeffor of a neighbouring caftle; who has defigned her to be wedded to a more opulent and very refpectable Knight, but of an age unfuitable to her. On the death of his tyrant uncle, Henry (though ftill ignorant of his birth) is drawn from his retirement, and being produced at Arles to the Burgundians, is acknowledged by them as their fovereign. Mindful of the engagements entered into with his beloved Elizabeth, who had alio plighted her faith to him at his departure) he commiffions an ambaffador to demand her, under his new title, in marriage, and, to try her fidelity, accompanies the embafly in the difguife of a page. Elizabeth, in the meanwhile, having for fome time refifted the folicitations of her father in behalf of his

friend.

friend, at length, moved by his grief at her refufal, confents, and is betrothed accordingly. Immediately afterwards the embally arrives, and the despair of the young Count of Burgundy at finding his mifs trefs engaged to another, brings on a difcovery; upon which, the ins tended bridegroom relinquishes his claim, and the two lovers are made happy.

This outline, had it been properly filled up by the perfon who en deavoured to adapt it to our stage, might have formed a pleafing drama. But fuch afkilful management requires a confiderable degree of taite, and fome experience in stage effect. The best German writers dwell on circumltances too minute, abound in expreffions too coarfely familias, and often conclude their fcenes too abruptly, to accord with English, or, we may fay, with good taste. Thofe German dramas which have been moft fuccessful on our stage, have, before their appearance, been greatly modified and polished: and, we may venture to fay, where this is not done, they will feldom be highly applauded, or long endured, by a British audience.

ART. 26. The Forrefter; or, The Royal Seat, A Drama; in Five Acts. Written by John Bayley. 8vo. 111 pp. Is. 6d. Lee and

Hurit. 1798.

To give an intelligible account of this Drama (as the author calls is) is far beyond our abilities. The fublime genius of Nonfenfe prefides in almost every part. We have a Duke of Arcadia; a banished Lord, of the fame country; four Students, of fome University in Laconia; Generals, Musicians, Huntlmen, Keepers, Robbers, Spirits, Sylvan and other Heathen Gods, &c. &c. together with feveral love-fick Princeffes and Shepherdeffes. Thefe good folks talk a great deal, in a tyle which is little more intelligible than the lines which diftinguish the words and figures in logic; but what they do, or mean to do, it is difficult to guefs. Take, as a fpecimen, the two first speeches,

MOLARY.

Brothers in fudy; let not see who have youth and nerve,
Let old time beguile us to eternity:

Let not the remnant we have on our fide

Be pafs'd away unheeded of, bending t'wards eternity,

For, let us think we have been school'd enough;

And that we are at an age to wear the badge

Of an honourable distinction.

To this Laorde anfwers,

We four, whom fortune hath made friends,
Will fet apart a corner of time,

for the which we will fteal from dry study).
And carry an invention worthy our judgments,
That shall be applauded to the eccho of the act.

The

The author of Hurlothrumbo (which is generally confidered as a burlefque) is faid to have defigned it as a ferious tragedy. If vice verfâ, the drama before us was intended as a burlesque, the writer has certainly miffed his aim; for there seems not to be one ingenious allufion or happy parody. Their nonfenfe can only be configned to the grocer or paftry-cook-" In vicum vendentem thus," &c.

NOVELS.

ART. 27. The Jefuit; or, the Hiftory of Anthony Babington, Efq. An Hiftorical Novel. By the Author of More Ghifts, the Trifh Heiress, Sc. In Three Volumes. 12mo. 9s. Dilly. 1799.

This is a very fingular, but by no means uninteresting production. The name of Babington is neceffarily familiar to all who are conver fant in the hiftory of the reign of Elizabeth. This Novel undertakes to relate a methodical hiftory of the life, education, and adventures of Babington, till the time when he engaged in the fervice of Mary', Queen of Scots, and forfeited his life for treafonable practices. There is much ingenuity and skilful contrivance in this performance, which will afford a few hours of agreeable amusement, however incredible and parts

extravagant fome of the narrative may appear.

ART. 28. The Spirit of the Elbe: à Romance. In Three Volumes, 8vo. gs. Longman. 1799.

A tale of wretchednefs and horror, united to the greateft abfurdity and improbability; containing not a fingle character that is not moft ridiculously in caricatura. We think it fortunate for the anthor, that it is prefented to the public without his name; and we think he will be wife, not to fubject himself to a difcovery by any future attempt..

MEDICINE.

ART. 29. Further Obfervations on the Variale Vaccine, or Cor-Pox. By Edward Jenner, M. D. F. R. S. &c.. 40. 64 pp. 2s. 6d. Murray and Highley. 1799.

Dr. Jenner does not entirely relinquish his opinion, that the cow-pox is originally produced by the accidental application of the discharge from greafy heels in horfes, to the teats of the cow. But numerous experiments made by Mr. Simmons, and Dr. Woodville, by inoculating the teats of cows with the matter of the greafe, without producing the difate, must be confidered as decifive against that opinion. The other, and more material point, attempted to be eftablished, that perfons inoculated with cow-pox matter, or taking the difeafe cafually by milking infected cows, are thence rendered incapable of undergoing the fmall-pc x, receives much additional fupport, from the inquiries and experiments the author has made fince his first publication on the fubject; and indeed seems completely established by the experiments of Dr. Woodville, whofe work, on the fubject, we shall notice in the next number of our Review.