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comprehend a very wide and extensive view of nature, and have been very imperfectly reprefented by Pliny and other copyills. The conclufion of this analyfis, which defends Ariftotle from the general accufation of difregarding experiment; and ex-' plains why neither, he, nor any ancient philofopher, was inclined to go into thofe laborious experiments, on which the glory of modern fcience is founded, will complete the task of giving the reader a more adequate notion, than hitherto has been generally obtained, of the real merits and character of

that author.

"An objection very commonly made to Ariftotle's Philofophy is, that he is regardless of experience, and too fond of hypothefis. In the whole extent in which this reproach is ufually urged by his detrac tors, it betrays ignorance in the extreme; fince the principles of every one of his treatifes are drawn folely from experience; and, in almoft every ftep that he takes, to experience he continually recurs for trying and confirming his conclufions. That he was not fparing of experi ments, in the modern fense of the word, upon those subjects on which he thought that a philofopher might confiftently make ufe of them, is evident from his mechanical queftions, his problems, his discourses on the general properties or affections of animated nature, and, above all, from his doctrine of fenfation, memory, recollection, and other powers of the foul or mind; which is entirely experimental. But Aristotle was contented with catching Nature in the fact, without attempting, after the modern fashion, to put her to the torture; and in rejecting experiments operofe, toilfome, or painful, either to their objects or their authors, he was juftified by the habits of thinking, almost univerfally prevalent in his age and country. Educated in free and martial republics, careless of wealth, because uncorrupted by luxury, the whole tribe of ancient philofophers dedicated themfelves to agreeable only and liberal pursuits, with too proud a difdain of arts merely ufeful or Jucrative. They ranked with the first clafs of citizens; and, as fuch, were not to be lightly fubjected to unwholefome or difgufting employments. To bend over a furnace, inhaling noxious steams; to torture animals, or to touch dead bodies, appeared to them operations not more mibecoming their humanity, than unfuitable to their dignity. For fuch difcoveries as the heating and mixing of bodies offers to inquifitive curiofity, the naturalifts of Greece trufted to flaves and mercenary mechanics, whofe poverty or avarice tempted them to work in metals and minerals; and to produce, by unwearied labour, those coloured and sculptured ornaments, thofe gems, rings, cups, and vafer, and other admired but frivolous elegancies, of which (in the opinion of good judges of art) our boafted chemistry cannot produce the ma

I remember a strong expreffion of the late Mr. Wedgewood, in fpeaking of the Portland Vafe, that the making of it "implied, a ference of chemistry, of which we have not yet the elements,' terials;

terials; nor, were the materials at hand, fupply us with instruments fit to fhape. The workshops of tradefmen then revealed those mysteries which are now fought for in colleges and laboratories; and ufeful knowledge, perhaps, was not the lefs likely to be advanced, while the atts were confined to artifs only; nor facts the more likely to be perverted, in order to fupport favourite theories, before the empiric had yet affumed the name, and ufurped the functions, of the philofopher. "To the Stagirite, it appeared to be the proper bufinefs of philofophy, not to multiply or coliect facts, but to arrange and to explain them. This can only be done through the medium of a well-defined and highly cultivated language; and the language of Ariftotle will be found the most copious and complete, and at the fame time the most precife and elegant, ever employed by any philofopher; ferving at once as the readieft channel of conveyance, and the fitteft inftrument for dif covery. In his phyfical, as well as in his moral works, facts known and afcertained are reduced to their fimpleft expreffions, and thofe doubtfully inferred, or barely fufpected, are, according to the true spirit of anaifs, denoted by words merely expreffive of relations to things previously known. It is true that, in ages of ignorance, when Ariftotle's fuppofed tenets were read in barbarous and difgufting tranflations, the terms employed by him, as figns of things fought, and which, unless marked by figns, could never poffibly be difcovered, were as grofsly miftaken, as they have been fince fhamefully mifreprefented. In the fcholaftic philofophy, that ufelefs mafs of infipid dulnefs, which infolently arrogated to itfelf the name of Ariftotelifm, the schoolmen rested in the names of occult qualities for explaining the phænomena both of mind and matter; and neglecting the repeated warnings of him whom they called their great maiter, and who well knew how liable the best things are to abafe, they perverted the study of nature into metaphyfical fubtlety and vain lagomachy. But the fame ftupid ignorance which made them incapable of appreciating the Stagirite as a philofopher, rendered them prone to worship him as a god. This inaginary divinity and his adorers were affailed by the giants of the fixteenth century; who, in their rage to punish fuch grofs intellectual idolatry, confounded the mafter with his difciples, arraigned Ariftotle for opinions which he had never heid, degraded him from honours which he had never ufurped; and adopting his favourite method of analyfis, endeavoured ungratefully and infidioufly to deftroy his wellearned fame, with the inftrument which he himfelf had formed and fharpened. But whatever unmerited difgrace may have been thereby reflected on fome fpeculative dobrines, which I have here attempted briefly to explain, his practical philofophy, which may be read in the following tranflation, will fill vindicate his fair claim to be regarded as one of the beft inftructors of mankind, on the more important fubjects of Ethics and Politics." Vol. 1, p. 139.

We have thought it fo important to prepare the public for entertaining accurate ideas of the powers of Ariftotle, that they may be the better affured of the value of his Ethics and Politics, that we have entered very largely into the view of this Analytis, which however forms only the fecond chapter of the

prefent

prefent work, and does not extend beyond the 142d page. The remainder of the first volume is occupied by the translation of Ethics to Nicomachus; the Magna Moralia, and the Ethics to Eudemus, being, according to Dr. Gillies, only the first imperfect sketch of this great work. The fecond volume contains

the tranflation of the Politics of Ariftoile. A very valuable accompaniment to both these translations is formed by the introductions prefixed to almost every book; in which the tranflator generally explains the ideas and reafonings of his author, in fuch a manner, as to lead the reader very advantageously to the comprehenfion of the part which is to follow. In thofe prefixed to the books of the Ethics, we have not marked any thing for extraction. They are good in themfelves, but not on fubjects very controvertible, and therefore not much expanded. The introductions to the books of Politics, are of a much more important nature, and contain abundance of mate ter, which we shall feel it a pofitive duty to lay before our readers, as much at large as the nature of a Review will permit. Had the ftrong good fenfe of Ariftotle been confulted and properly estimated by modern fpeculators on politics, we fhould have had no levelling doctrines to combat, no fubverfions of ftates to apprehend; and even at this period, when events have opened the eyes of multitudes, it is very important to have fuch a text book to refer to.

The tranilations of Dr. Gillies are exactly what they ought to be, from fuch an author; expreffed in language intelligible to modern readers, and fo far expanded, where Ariftotle's text is either corrupt or obfcure, as to give the beft meaning which can be collected, without too rigid an adherence to his words. Our remaining article on this work will be dedicated to the tranflation of the Politics, and the valuable introductions to the books; when we fhall alfo take an opportunity to give a fpecimen of the trapilation.

(To be concluded in our next.)

ART. XI. Pizarro; a Tragedy, in Five Acts; as performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane; taken from the German Drama of Kotzebue, and adapted to the English Stage by Richard Brinley Sheridan. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Ridgway.

1799

IT would have afforded us much greater fatisfaction, to have had the opportunity of giving our opinion on an original work from the pen of Mr. Sheridan, than on any alteration or

tranf

tranflation of a German drama. We continue to lament that the talents of our countrymen should still be so perpetually exercifed in the verfion of German compofitions. We have yet feen nothing to justify the rage which prevails, for clothing indifcriminately in an English dress whatever the popular writers of Germany think proper to produce. It is very evident, in the inftance before us, that the object of Mr. Sheridan was rather to exhibit a drama which might allure and fafcinate, front the fplendour of its reprefentation, thran a Tragedy that could improve and delight, when examined as a compofition. His ingenuity has fucceeded to the utmost of his wifhes; nothing has ever been higher in the public estimation as a fpectacle, notwithstanding the numerous errors and defects with which the drama itself is disfigured.

The character of Elvira, the miftrefs of Pizarro, however in the reprefentation it might extort applaufe, owing to the great talents of Mrs. Siddons, is in the highest degree abfurd, extravagant, and unnatural. There is neither principle nor object in the character. Elvira is alternately amiable and profligate, without any feeming motive for either extreme of character. The Janguage, in various places, is neither poetry nor profe. If it was intended to be profe, it is fantaftically turgid and bombaftical; if it was meant to be metrical, and in the recitation much of it must have been so confidered, it should have been fo printed. The character of Valverde is no lefs exceptionable; he is introduced as if much were to depend upon him, but he vanifhes long before the conclufion of the piece, without being at all acceffory to the catastrophe. Rolla is the perfonage entitled, in all confiderations, to the highest praife; yet, even with refpect to him, the contrivance of his releafing his friend from prifon, by exchanging dreffes, is exceedingly trite, and unworthy of the genius either of Kotzebue or Sheridan. Yet are we not at all furprised that Pizarro fhould charm in the reprefentation; and we may venture, without fcruple, to affirm our belief, that the author has obtained all that he claims or expeas, in the temporary acclamations of an applauding theatre. The following is one of the moft interefting fcenes in the piece.

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A Bank furrounded by a wild Wood, and Rocks.CORA, fitting on the Root of a Tree, is playing with her Child.-ALONZO looks over them with delight and chearfulness.

Cora. Now confefs, does he refeinble thee, or not?

Al. Indeed he is liker thee-thy rofy foftnefs, thy failing gentlenefs.

Cora. But his auburn hair, the colour of his eyes, Alonzo.-O! my lord's image, and my heart's adored! (Preffing the Child to her befom

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Al. The little daring urchin robs me, I doubt, of fome portion of thy love, my Cora. At least he shares careffes, which, till his birth, were only mine.

Cora. Oh no, Alonzo! a mother's love for her dear babe is not a ftealth, or taken from the father's ftore; it is a new delight that turns with quicken'd gratitude to HIM, the author of her augmented blifs. Al. Could Cora think me ferious?

Cora. I am fure he will fpeak foon: then will be the laft of the three holy days allowed by Nature's fanction to the fond anxious mo

ther's heart.

Al. What are those three?

Cora. The ecftacy of his birth I pafs; that in part is felfish: but when firft the white bloffoms of his teeth appear, breaking the crimfon buds that did incase them; that is a day of joy: next, when from his father's arms he runs without fupport, and clings, laughing and delighted, to his mother's knee; that is the mother's heart's next holyday and sweeter ftill the third, whene'er his little ftammering tongue fhall utter the grateful found of, Father, Mother!-O! that is the deareft joy of all!

Al. Beloved Cora!

Cora. Oh! my Alonzo! daily, hourly, do I pour thanks to Heaven for the dear bleffing I poffefs in him and thee.

Al. To Heaven and Rolla.

Cora. Yes, to Heaven and Rolla: and art thou not grateful to them too, Alonzo? art thou not happy!

Al. Can Cora afk that question?

Cora. Why then of late fo reftlefs on thy couch? Why to my waking watching ear so often does the ftillness of the night betray thy Struggling fighs?

Al. Muft not I fight againft my country, against my brethren ?

Cora. Do they not feek our deftruction, and are not all men brethren? Al. Should they prove victorious?

Cara. I will fly, and meet thee in the mountains.

Al. Fly, with thy infant, Cora?

Cora. What! think you a mother, when the runs from danger, can feel the weight of her child?

Al. Cora, my beloved, do you wish to fet my heart at reft?
Cora. Oh, yes! yes! yes!

Al. Haften then now to the concealment in the mountains; there dwells your father, and there all our matrons and virgins, and our warriors' offspring, are allotted to await the iffue of the war. Cora will not alone refift her husband's, her fifters', and her monarch's with. Cora, Alonzo, I cannot leave you: Oh! how in every moment's abfence would my fancy paint you, wounded, alone, abandon'd! No, no, I cannot leave you.

Al. Rolla will be with me.

Cora. Yes, while the battle rages, and where it rages moft, brave Rolla will be found. He may revenge, but cannot fave thee. To follow danger, he will leave even thee. But I have fworn never to forfake thee but with life. Dear, dear Alonzo! can you wish that I hould break my vow?

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BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XIV, JULY, 1799.

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