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whereof some thought a man on horse- I shall not descant upon the unworback to be one creature with the horse. thiness of this puny schoolmaster's These savages gazing awhile upon motives, nor tell how bitter is the them, flew away, at last, into their gall in which he has dipped his pen; caves, for they were Troglodites, but it is enough for me to observe on and had no dwelling but in the hol- the present occasion, that he who had lowes of the rocks. The faulconers descried with such scrupulous and observing well the track of the pas- keen penetration, the literary pronge, returned the next day, and told ductions of others, should be partithe duke, that in lieu of a hauke, they cularly careful not to incur the imhad found out a new world, a new putation of a similar charge himself. people never known on the continent But the reverend Doctor seems to of Spaine, since Tubal Cain came first have forgotten, that by an immutable thither. A while after, the Duke of law of letters, he who exercises the Alva went himself with a company office of a critic, may, in his turn, beof muscateers, and conquered them, come the subject of criticismn; and for they had no offensive weapon but therefore without making any apology slings; they were Pythagoreans, and to him, I shall offer to your readers did eat nothing that had fife in it, but two instances of his literary dishoexcellent fruits, rootes, and springs nesty, and of the delicacy and address ther were amongst them; they wor- with which he makes the discoveries shipped the sun and new moone, of others his own. First: He is upon their language was not intelligible by his favourite scent of looking out for any, yet many of their simple words resemblances of passages between were pure Baruence, and their gut- different authors; and then says with tural pronuntiation the very saine, a gentleness of demeanour, that no and a guttural pronunciation is an one would surely suspect; " I am infallible badge of an ancient language; tempted to remind you of an apparent and so they were reduced to chris- initation in Pope from Ovid," pag. tianity, but are to this day discernible 11: and then quotes those famous from other Spaniards by their more lines in the Eloisa, from ver. 305, tawny complexions, which proceeds to ver. 310, and compares them with from the reverberation of the sun- a passage in the Epist. of Dido to beams glancing upon those stony Eneas, ver. 99, &c. Now who mountaines wherewith they are en- would dream that the discovery of circled, and on some sides trebly this striking imitation was made long fenced, which beames reflects upon them with a greater strength and so

tannes them.'

PLAGIARISM OF DR. BERDMORE. Quam temére in nosmet legem sancimus iniquam. HoR.

SIR,

ago by that quick and indefatigable scholar, Gilbert Wakefield, in the only volume of Pope's Mis. Works that he ever edited: yet there you will find it, Sir, p. 273. Be it observed also that this arch pedagogue cannot pretend an ignorance that this observation was anticipated, for at A little book the other day fell into pag. 13 he mentions Mr. Wakefield's my hands, called "Specimens of Li- Ed. of Pope, and gives a decided chaterary Resemblance," &c. by Dr. racter upon it, which character it may Berdmore, the late pedagogue of the fairly be presumed he would not have Charter House; the object of which given, had he not read it attentively. is to point out parallel passages in The second delinquency is of the same divers authors, and in particular the stamp: It is a borrowed gem, but the volume is devoted to stigmatize a ve- borrower has given it his own imnerable prelate, now "in full age and pression, and assumes the merit of its hoary holiness*," as a mean and ser- being his own. The Doctor has invile plagiarist of Catrou, and in one troduced his observations, at great word, to run him down in a general length, and told them with much sweep of condemnation and contempt. pomp of narrative, and strutting for

An expression applied to Dr. Hurd, by the Author of the Pursuits of Literature. See that Work, p. 89, 12th Ed.

Oxford, May 9. GAUNT NOTEGORĖ.

To the Editor of the Universal Mag.

SIR,

mality: I shall comprise them all in gorous and unimpaired, would flap,
a word or two. Pope translates a pas- with one sarcastic dash of his pen, all
sage in the last book of the Iliad, with envious pedagogues, and their futile
an accumulation of dazzling imagery attacks, into non-existence.
very opposite to the simplicity of his
original. Dr. Berdmore hangs us on
the tenter hooks of suspense through-
out four pages of interrogation, before
he will deign to inform us, in his vast
sagacity and wisdom, where Pope
picked up these extraneous orna-
ments; and then at last we are told
with triumphant pride and conse-
quential importance, that they are
borrowed from that fine passage in
the Paradise Lost, where Milton de-
scribes the descent of the angelic

train.

BY inserting the following_extract
from Curtis's Lectures on Botany,
you will oblige a constant reader and
admirer of your Miscellany. I am
induced to make this request, as I
think the circumstance which is there
related cannot be too generally made
known; it points out, in the most
impressive manner, the essential ne-
cessity of every medical practitioner
[Compare Pope's Homer, b. 24, having, at least, a general knowledge

v. 101, &c. with Milton's P. L. b. 12, of plants; and I am persuaded that

v. 626, &c.] No sooner had I read the generality of your readers will

this, than a sceptical movement not consider so small a portion of

seized hold of my mind, and I said your Number as may be occupied by

within myself; Is this piece of it, uninteresting. Should this quo-

critic lore the legitimate offspring of tation have the effect to stimulate one

the Doctor's brain, or is it a little individual professor of medicine, not

picking from the property of ano- already acquainted with botany, to

ther." I hastily snatched down Gilbert

Wakefield's Ed. of Pope's Translation:

I turned to the passage, vol. 6, pag.

181, when lo and behold, the iden-

tical observation that the schoolmaster

had borrowed without acknowledg-

ment, I there kenned "hisce ocu-

lis."*
I have no doubt but that by

a little attention, grosser plagiarisms "NOTWITHSTANDING the ac-

might be discovered; for those who knowledged utility of the science of

have been used to crutches, can botany; notwithstanding professors of

seldom dispense with their assistance medicine are warm in its recommen-

without halting. I regret, Sir, very dation, it is much to be regretted that

seriously, that Dr. Berdmore should gentlemen of the faculty are so little

have stooped to such meannesses. acquainted with it practically even

His little book is written in a style in the country, where plants obtrude

agreeably imitative of Melmoth, in themselves on the notice of the most

Fitzosborne's Letters; but in addition common observer, how few are there

to the dirty delinquencies I have who know with certainty the plants

already pointed out, he is censurable they use?

potesne

Ex his ut proprium quid noscere?

Horace's Question to Dr. Berdmore!

of this sort frequently frustrate the then, pain, heat, and inflammation in well-meant endeavours of the phy- his eyes, with oedematous swellings of his cheeks; his remaining symp

sician.

"Although newly-discovered che- toms went off gradually, and he is mical remedies and foreign drugs may now well. He had been told that have justly superseded many of our the plant which he had eaten was English plants, yet a great number hemlock; to be satisfied, I accomare still retained in the Pharmacopoeia: panied him into the garden where he to be acquainted with these at least is had gathered the plant, and found it the duty of every one that takes upon to be æthusa cynapium, or fool'shimself the important character of parsley. To be convinced of this beguardian of the health of mankind.

yond a doubt, I compared a specimen of it with the figure and description of the plant given in the Flora Londinensis, with which I found it exactly to correspond."

"I cannot better illustrate how necessary a knowledge of plants is, particularly to medical gentlemen resident in the country, than by reciting an extract from a letter which I re- "Independent of the singular saceived some few years since from tisfaction which Mr. Lowe must feel Mr. Lowe, surgeon at Preston in from knowing the plant in question, Lancashire, a gentleman who had an advantage has arisen to the public; formerly been my pupil. the poisonous quality of the fool's"On Thursday the 5th of June, parsley is ascertained, which before Mr. Freckleton, a healthy strong man was only suspected. Time, and a about thirty-five years of age, a pub- taste for science, which of late years lican in the town, eat a handful of has made such rapid advances and fool's-parsley with nearly the same such material improvements in every quantity of young lettuce, about one branch of medicine; which has introo'clock at noon; in about ten minutes duced a rational practice, founded on he was affected with a pain and hard- an intimate knowledge of the animal ness in his stomach and bowels, at- economy, and an accurate history of tended with a rumbling; he walked diseases; which has rescued surgery out into the fields, but was seized from the hand of pretenders, and with such languor, weariness, and taught mankind to repose a confidence weakness, that it was with difficulty in those only who have laudably exhe supported himself till he got home; erted themselves in acquiring anatohe was much troubled with giddiness mical knowledge; which has rein his head, his vision was confused, deemed chemistry from empirics, and and sometimes objects appeared dou- made it subservient to the practice of ble: at seven o'clock he took an physic; will, it is presumed in a few emetic, which brought up, as he sup- years, place botany in a more favour. poses, all the fool's-parsley he had able point of view, and cause its eaten, but not any of the lettuce; this utility in medicine to be more ge considerably relieved him from the nerally acknowledged." uneasy sensations in his bowels, but the other symptoms continued, and he passed a restless night. Next day he had much pain in his head and eyes, which last were inflamed and HUME is generally allowed to have bloodshot: he had different circum- been of the most unassuming manners scribed swellings in his face, which and gentle disposition. Mackenzie, were painful and inflamed, but they the elegant and amiable author of the were transient, and flew from place Man of Feeling, describing Hume to place; this night he took a powder in a borrowed character, says, that of which made him sweat profusely. all the men with whom he ever conOn Saturday his eyes were highly versed, this writer was most free from inflamed, painful, and entirely closed egotistic arrogance and argumentative by the surrounding inflammation; petulance. One subject, however, this day he was bled, which gave him was too powerful for his singular formuch ease in his head and eyes. bearance. Hume was a Scot, and From this time until Monday he con- though the chief professed object of tinued to get better; but had, even his labours was the annihilation of Vol. IV.

D

EXTRACTS FROM A LITERARY
COMMON PLACE BOOK.
Hume.

"This seems to me a trick to cheat the public. The question is, if you'll be an accomplice in it?"

This epistle from the pious author of the "Centaur not Fabulous," is dated Sunday! Lord Orrery.

prejudice, his partiality for the dication, as letting him into the North Country" superseded every meaning of the picture before him. suggestion of his moderation and good 2dly, It would look as if there was sense. The late Lord Lyttelton, when more occasion for the Dedication dining in his company at Ragley, the (which is prettý long) than there residence of Lord Hertford, very in- seems to be at present. nocently asked him "At what time of the year, the harvest was housed in Scotland?" All the tranquillity of the philosopher was dissipated on the instant. His jealous imagination figured the enquirer as wishing to insinuate that there was no harvest, or at least, that no barns were requisite "No man is wise at all hours." in the land of the North Britons, and Lord Orrery, the friend and biograhe replied in a strain of high offence pher of Swift, is a striking instance and displeasure. of the truth of this ancient proverb. Richardson. His Lordship, it seems, had such an RICHARDSON says in his Letters,' unbounded love for the classics, that "Parson Young sat for Fielding's he bestowed classical appellations on Parson Adams," (not the Author of the dumb parts of his household. the Night Thoughts, but a Translator Thus his dog bore the name of no of small capacity) a man he knew, less distinguished a personage than and only made a little more absurd Cæsar. Cæsar, however, one day than he is known to be. The best giving his Lordship a most unclassical story in the piece is of himself and bite, the acute and witty companion his first wife. In his Tom Jones, his of the Dean of St. Patrick's seized a hero is made a natural child, because cane, and pursued him round the his own first wife was such. Tom room with great solemnity, uttering, Jones is Fielding himself, hardened the while, this truly classical menace: in some places, softened in others. "Cæsar! Cæsar! if I could catch Lady Bellaston is an infamous woman thee, Cæsar, I would give thee as of his former acquaintance. His many wounds as Brutus gave thy Sophia is again his first wife. Booth, name-sake in the capitol !"-But in his last piece, is again himself. what man is a hero or a wit in his Amelia, even to her noselessness, is hour of domestic relaxation? again his first wife. His brawls, his jarrs, his gaols, his sponging houses are all drawn from what he has seen

and known."

66

A love of finesse appears, from the same compilation, to have been an unpleasing trait in the character of Dr. Young, whose pensive muse poured midnight orisons of so mellow a cadence to the pale lamp of Suppose," writes he in one of his Letters, you should say, in the title-page of the Night Thoughts, published by the Author of Clarissa? This is a trick to put it

heaven." 66

Dr. Cotton.

I BELIEVE it was the facetious Dr. Cotton, who, on employing an artist to paint his portrait on a sheet of glass, wrote underneath :

"Nunc primum transparui."

RATIONAL RECREATIONS FOR AU-
GUST, 1805.

Media inter prælia semper
Sideribus, calique plagis, superisque vacavi.
Amid the storms of war, with curious eyes,
I trace the planets, and survey the skies.

into more hands: I know it would BY attending to the course of the have that effect." Again: "If you Moon, we shall, this month, become knew any proper artist in that way, acquainted with several celestial obI wish you would shew him the gro- jects and aspects, equally amusing and tesque picture of a centaur in my instructive. On the third evening, Dedication. If I could have a cut of she will appear not quite five degrees it, I would prefix it to the Letters. from Jupiter; and in this position, It would, I think, have two good the Moon, Jupiter, Antares, and the effects: 1st, It would carry the reader second star in Scorpion, will exhibit with more appetite through the De- an interesting appearance to the astro

Rational Recreations for August, 1805.

19

nomical student. On the fourth, the first of the harp.-In the north, the Moon will appear between three and fourth star of the Great Bear will be four degrees from Antares, passing nearly on the meridian, and above by that star in the course of the after- the polar star.-In the SSE. in midnoon. On the sixth evening, at about heaven, the first of the Eagle.-In the seven hours twenty-two minutes, a E. twenty-five degrees above midstar of the fourth magnitude in the heaven, the first of the Swan.- In the constellation of the Archer, will be WSW. about seven degrees above the eclipsed by the eastern rim of the horizon. Antares; and to the W. of Moon, and continue hid one hour it, the second of the Scorpion; and and twenty-three minutes. On the Jupiter, higher up: rather above seventh, the Moon will direct her mid-heaven, the first of Hercules and course towards the Goat, and pass the the Serpent-bearer.-In the W. Arcfirst star during the night of the eighth. turus, about fifteen degrees below On the twenty-seventh, she will move mid-heaven. between Saturn and the first of the Virgin, on the twenty-eighth, to the east of the latter star; and, thirty-first, will appear at the distance on the of only fifty-nine minutes from (Antares) the first of the Scorpion.

Venus, Mercury, and Regulus (the first of the Lion) will approximate each other during the whole of the month; and on the first day the two former will be in geocentric conjunction, and set together about half past eight. A few minutes after sunset, we cannot fail of seeing this remarkable groupe in the WNW.

Mars moves about twenty degrees during this month. On the seventeenth, he is about two degrees from Saturn; and, on the twenty-eighth, will be in geocentric conjunction with the planet Herschel, or Uranus, the former appearing thirty-one minutes more to the south. They may be seen to advantage with a telescope of moderate powers, if the weather be favourable. Having thus discovered Uranus, we may easily mark his progress in future, as he will not move a degree and a half during the whole month: he will be seen when approaching a point above the first of the Virgin, and being rather more than four degrees and a half from it. Saturn will move but two degrees and a balf this month; towards the end of which he will be about seven from the first of the Virgin.

Jupiter will move but two degrees, and may be seen to approach to the second of the Scorpion.

scribed last month, is now in a faThe Great Bear, which was debody, or oblong, being about ten de vourable position for observation, the grees below mid-heaven. By drawcond, the Pole-star will be discovered ing a line through the first and seabout fifty-one degrees and a half above the horizon. and relative distances of the stars forming the constellation called the The position, Lesser Bear, (of which the polar star forms a part) may be delineated by the following diagram.

Pole Star

130

distance between each star; the nuThe figures on the lines shew the first, second, &c. star of the constelmeral figures (as before) shewing the lation, Their magnitudes are as follow-The first is of the second magof the third; the fifth and sixth, of nitude; the second, third, and fourth, the fourth; and the seventh, of the In the beginning of the month, that though this constellation bears a fifth magnitude. Whence it some of the most remarkable objects strong resemblance to the Great appears, will be visible in the following situa- Bear, each having four stars in the tions, at half past nine. Nearly on the meridian, about the magnitudes of the stars, it does body and three in the tail, yet, from twelvet egrees from the zenith, the not appear near so brilliant. When

D2

the

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