ever, rescue so great and useful an London readers remember a short historian from the full force of so pal- time ago, during the frosty weather, pable a contradiction, by supposing a very florid faced young girl, him to mean, that the Egyptians who posing, on Snow hill, an enormously settled there became the greater part swelled leg, the humours of which of the inhabitants, from the immense appeared every moment to threaten loss of numbers the aborigines had the bursting of the ligaments of the suffered, in the several engagements flesh. Such an object could not be they sustained against Sesostris. We looked on by certain of the fair sex may also conceive, that he alluded like- without danger, and I am glad the' wise to the offspring of Hul, grandson suffering creature has been removed, of Shem, who are said to have settled (let us hope to her own satisfaction in Armenia, and to have passed from and relief:) but the principal reason thence into the neighbouring country, of my troubling you with these few calling it Colchis, from their progeni- lines, is to ask any of your well-intor Hul, or Chol. The kingdom of formed readers or correspondents, Colchis was very pleasant and fruit- what would be the best way of obviatful, abounding with all the necessaries of life, and enriched with many mines of gold, which gave occasion to the fable of the golden fleece, and the Argonautic expedition.

[To be continued.]

To the Editor of the Universal Mag.
SIR,

ing the evil of begging in the streets altogether. Now while this so desired a remedy is thought of, let it not be overlooked, that there are no beggars among the Quakers, nor even among the Jews. I am, Sir, yours,

G. M. Christ's Hospital, March 6, 1805.

To the Editor of the Universal Mag.
SIR,

I TRUST that neither you, nor any of your readers, will accuse me of wanting consideration or compasTHROUGH the medium of your sion for the sick and the helpless, of excellent Magazine, permit me to whatever denomination, because I express my feelings on a glaring and complain of the inconveniency, not gross inconsistency, which I yester to say indecency, witnessed in the day noticed in the public papers, and streets of London and its vicinage, by which has probably struck many beggars of both sexes, exposing ul- others in the same manner that it did cerated or otherwise diseased or dis- me. At the top of a column in the torted limbs to the eye of the passen- Globe, for March 5, stands a pomger. These are objects unquestion- pous account of an elegant entertainably of the deepest commiseration, ment, or series of entertainments, but surely it is in some degree a cruelty given by the Marquis of Abercorn, to allow them to strip a sore or tume- on Sunday 3d of March, for they fied leg or arm in cold weather, for consisted of a dinner, tea party, and the sake of moving the tender-hearted supper, making together half a day to give them money. Though they may receive the well meant alms they demand, they must at the same time experience an aggravation of the disorder, by the irritation or inflamnation the cold air cannot fail to occasion in the afflicted part, and consequently they may be said to be selling their lives, while they are seeking charity. No doubt most of your

"the

and half a night; amusement, which
consisted we are told, of something
more refined than the insipid chit
chat of common parties, it was
feast of reason, and the flow of soul,"
so much the better, for if great peo-
ple will be constantly living in each
other's houses, let them at least en-
deavour to improve each other by
their conversation, let there be somes

thing useful in their mirth and con- nishment, either in the law of the viviality: but while they thus amuse land, or in the consequences of his themselves every day and every hour own misconduct; but it is a dangerof the day, let them forbear to inter- ous policy, to substitute religious obfere with the amusements of their servances for moral duties, for they, inferiors, on that day which alone is by this means, are both neglected; left them for rest and recreation, af- the great generally disregard the forter spending the other six in labour. mer, and the vulgar, authorised by These reflections were produced by their example in the one case, frereading in the very same column above quently forget the latter. What must mentioned, a long account of a bloody a cabinet minister think of fasting, engagement, which had taken place who gives a great dinner on Ash Wedbetween a party of the police officers nesday? or what must he expect the and a party of the lower Irish, who vulgar to think of him? For God's had assembled in some obscure alley, sake, let us have an end of all these for the purpose of making themselves pretences of religion, which are to be merry with a dance, according to the binding upon the ignorant, and decustom of their country. The police spised by their superiors; such a conin the event proved the stronger party duct overturns both religion and moof the two, and dragged the defeated rality together, and saps the very Irishmen before the justices, who find foundations of society, which can ing that they had met for no danger- never be held together while the lower ous purpose, dismissed them with a ranks have first cause to despise those friendly caution and reprimand; now, above them; let us have done with though it is much to be desired that the cruel mockery of telling the vulall indecent and disorderly meetings, gar, they are religiously to observe which offend against public peace the sabbath, while their superiors and private morals, should be either spend it in feasting, music, and resuppressed or prevented, yet it is by velling, let us cease to attempt keepno means to be justified, that men, ing the vulgar quiet by authority, who merely meet together for the pur- when we neglect to teach them what pose of innocent amusement, should is proper by our example: it is an inbe rudely disturbed and ill treated, sult, at which it is no wonder if they even by legal authority; the house of revolt, for after six days of labour, poor man in a free country should it is a cruel command which would be equally sacred with that of the debar them of innocent amusement. rich one, and if Sunday meetings are In the case just mentioned, it may be tolerated in the one, they should not said, that the police was not apprised be interrupted in that of the other; of the meeting being held in private if it is a violation of religious duty, dwellings, but they ought carefully or of civil obedience, to have large to have informed themselves of the parties on the sabbath, at the houses fact, before they ventured to violate of the poor, it is no less so in the the sacredness of an Englishman or houses of the rich, unless there be an Irishman's castle; it is to be one religion for the one, and another hoped that every just means will be for the other, or unless religion be taken to reform the morals of the only a politic contrivance to keep the lower ranks, but some are of opinion, a vulgar in subjection. Whatever may that the reform ought to commence of be thought of religious doctrines and with the higher ones, who might do e customs, there can be no doubt that every thing by their example. the duties of morality are equally

the

binding upon all, and whoever trans- Morpeth, March 7, 1805. gresses these ought to find his pu

ed

W. B.

of

To the Editor of the Universal Mag. Mrs. Dash has been twice in a spunga
SIR,
ing-house, and once actually in the
Fleet, before she made a lucky match

TO write to the newspapers for the redress of the evil I have to complain for herself. If one in a thousand of, would be like any one benevolent chance to succeed in this kind of lot member of the house of commons tery, like the holder of a ten or twen bringing in a bill to prevent the land- ty thousand pound prize, it makes owners from consulting their own in- numbers of fresh adventurers. But, terest, when another corn-bill is sug- Mr. Editor, the circumstance the gested. The nuisance I complain of most to be complained of, is, that is beneficial to the diurnal prints, and these fashionable parties (mobs I was these may be said to have greatly going to say) keep the neighbourencouraged, if not wholly occasioned hood, from the racket of their carit, I mean "the fashionable parties riages, in a state of disturbance half for the week." I very unfortunately the night of their assembling. As to live next door to one of these "fa- the extravagance of these routes, shionable ladies," and therefore am some people say the expence of them, greatly annoyed two nights a week by for the season, is to be calculated as the company at her routes. This lady exactly as the quantity of carpet ne has two daughters and a niece "to dis- cessary for covering the floor of a pose of," and therefore it is essentially drawing-room. There must, how necessary to continue advertising ever, be some contingency annexed to them till they are taken off her hands. this kind of enterprize, or so many I find this is become a very common, "fashionables" could not be ruined and thought to be a very fair specu- and imprisoned before they have half lation! I understand one of the la- tried the scheme. I hope these dies is on the point of being espoused facts, being made public through by the son of an old baronet, and heir your widely-circulating Magazine, to a very considerable estate in one may be the means of preventing numof our midland counties. After he bers of tradesmen hereafter from comhad been (for the first time) at the plaining that they have not been able lady's party, a paragraph appeared in to obtain their harps, their pianoa fashionable print, as follows. "It fortes, their route-chairs, is whispered that the amiable Miss glasses, &c. &c. which they have T, the most accomplished of her lent out for the evening. sex, is about to give her fair hand to I am, Sir, your's, Mr., the most accomplished of Manchester-square, 9th March, 1805. his. The lady is expected to enjoy a considerable fortune at the death of a OBSERVATIONS ON MR. LOFFT'S very near relation far advanced in years, and the gentleman is heir to an To estate of five thousand a-year." Now when this interesting couple meet THE art of invective is so easily again, it is easy to conceive they look acquired, and a spirit of acrimonious at one another with attention: in recrimination so common a substitute 1 short, like the medcin maigre lui, for the frankness of manly candour, they became lovers whether they that I am rather concerned than surd would or not be such, having been prised to see the passionate effusion nforced, as it were, to admire each of Mr. Capel Lofft, which appears in e other. Now this is the most favour- your last number, as a reply to some scable result of the new kind of specu- animadversions of mine in your im inlation. Many have set up in it, but partial Magazine for January. Far inhave been ruined before they could as I am from wishing to enter into a bring it to bear, as the saying is. public controversy, there are some

route

REPLY TO STRICTURES, ETC.

A.

the Editor of the Universal Mag. SIR,

parts of Mr. Lofft's production so sin- such a performance (with notes posgular, and others so entirely nugatory, sibly on the intermarriages) the me that I cannot refrain from troubling moirs must inevitably be deemed inyou with a few remarks, by way of complete. As to Mr. L.'s queries, rejoinder. "Why then am 1 not blamed for I really could hardly expect Mr. having named his father?" and "for L. who, by various passages in his the future, is it to be a law of literaaccount of the rural poet, appears to ture, that the biographer of a person be a strenuous advocate for general is to suppress the names of the paand unfettered modes of literary in- rents?" I really do not see their quiry, to rank critical essays, pub- force. As much as is wanted of the lished only in the form of proposi- names of the parents, would, I should tions, and liable to the immediate think, in most cases speak for itself. refutation of the injured, among the As to the extreme sensibility with worst of the many bad productions which Mr. L.hears the name of the lady of this our modern Egypt. If such mentioned, who contributed a sonnet to indeed be his opinion, I beg leave to the early edition of the Farmer's Boy dissent from him, since I feel per- (reprinted with it in every subsequent suaded that the opportunities of cen- copy) it appears truly surprising, when sure or encouragement, afforded by it is recollected that Mr. Lofft himthe freedom of such miscellaneous self ushered her to the bar of the publications, present the best means public. Need it be observed, that of abashing vanity, or supporting the name of every candidate for pub modest merit. lic fame is perfectly open to general

I assuredly lament that any public observation, at least in regard to the mention, save that of regret, should be performance on which the claim is made of the mother of Mr. Bloom- founded, independent of age, sex, virfield, so precisely at the period of her tues, or accomplishments? - This dissolution; but sincerely aver that lady, however, has not been menit was accidental, as the same Maga- tioned in any other than terms of zine that conveyed my few observa- respect, and the writer must so far tions to the public, informed me of speak for himself, as to affirm, that he her death. But what has Mr. L.'s is as quickly alive to every gentlelong account of the mothers of New manly feeling; as Mr. Capel Lofft ton, Thomson, Sir William Jones, &c. can be. to do with what I advanced, on the I mentioned, as a principal error, subject? Did I presume to say that in my opinion, of Mr. Lofft's literary the virtues and talents of the parent, conduct, his omitting to state; in marespecially when employed in direct- ginal references, the precise words of ing the efforts of infantile genius, were the original where any little correcinconsequential articles of mention in tions had been deemed necessary. memoirs of the son? Far from it: I Mark his consistency of reply! In merely pointed out, as a specimen of one part of his Retort, he says, "as the minute and frivolous in biography, to the grammatical error arising from the formal way in which Mr. Lofft provincial dialect, if Z had quoted informs the world that he had pur- one, as should have been done" (how posely written to the poet's elder could this be done if the errors were brother, to ask the strangest of all remedied?)" it would have appeared strange questions-the name of his that, so far as it is characteristic of mother before marriage!! If the so, the composition, it was not lost to the lution of this inquiry in any shape be reader; for I had precisely stated interesting to the public, a pedigree wherein it consists, a circumstance of as far upwards as industry could trace provincial usage," &c. Again, "I it, would be equally so; and without will now ask what farther informee VOL. III.

Da

tion, interesting to readers in general, the censure either of the publisher of would have been obtained if this cir- the reader, on account of the inelecumstance of provincial dialect had gancy of their lineal formation? If been every where inserted at the side, no more satisfactory a motive can be or at the foot, of the page, as it oc- given for the omission, I must believe curred in the MS. ?"-Yet, in another my "Strictures" not totally void of part, he says, "that Z and" (as foundation.

he is politely pleased to add) "other Allow me, Sir, to congratulate persons of a curiosity more innocent your correspondent on his proficiency and laudable, may learn what the in the jocose. I know not, exactly, state of the MS. was, pretty exactly, I to what class of merriment I shall believe, by looking into the Mirror of assign his efforts. They certainly the spring of 1802."-Now, if these cannot aspire to the consequence of graminatical mistakes were of so tri- the pun. The pun deals in words: vial a kind, that the critic would pro- Mr. L. is content to shew his talents bably have considered Mr. L. "use in a play upon letters. To resort to lessly, indelicately, and invidiously the species of witticism in which this minute," why publish them at all? gentleman seems so great an adept, I But, inconsequential as they were, it trust, Mr. Editor, that in the alphabet appears that they were thought arti- where C and L hold a place, Z will cles sufficiently curious to be commu- ever be deemed a necessary letter. nicated to the world through the Brilliant as may be Mr. L.'s obpages of the Mirror. I am ready to servations on Z, "that algebraic symsuppose them mere circumstances of bol of unknown value," the tenor of provincial usage, but must persist in my objections appears still unansweraffirming, that if they were to be sub- ed. On this subject the public is to mitted to the public in any shape determine: the public, and not Mr. whatever, it should not have been Lofft, and an anonymous accusant, is through the channel of a publication to place its due value on a mode of entirely foreign to the work itself, however respectable that publication might be.

writing which stoops to narrate, with scrupulous fidelity, the days on which the children of a poet, just bursting But Mr. L. had his reason for ne on notice, were born; and what glecting to place these, where common christian appellations the family sense would certainly think of looking partialities of their parents bestow on for them-beneath the columns of them; and which proclaims, as a disthat poem of which they had originally covery of worth, the name, before her formed a part. The ingenuity of the nuptials, of the mother of its hero, a speculatist might be exhausted in en- woman though most amiable and estideavouring to discover this reason, mable, necessarily the offspring of were the Editor not kind enough to persons totally unknown, except in tell us, nearly five years after the ap- the little village-circle that bounded pearance of the work, that it was be- their humble but honourable pur cause "the Publisher would have suits. complained that he had unnecessarily The same public is likewise to dedeformed the appearance of the book!" termine whether a production so exAlas, alas! are the pages of a work traordinary as the Farmer's Boy addressed to the fancy of the adult, should not have been generally cir to be preserved, then, with the same culated in its original state, even at cautious delicacy as the schoolboy's the prodigious inconvenience of interChristmas-piece? Do I understand fering with the picturesque effect of Mr. L. aright? Does he indeed think the letter-press. Nor can such an that notes inserted "at the side, or appeal possibly hazard the stability at the foot, of a page," would incur of "the little rustic temple which