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angrily, "he despises my benefits and disdains my favours! He shall know, at length, that I can make myself feared, if not loved; and that if my benefits cannot bind him voluntarily to my court, I know how to bind him in another manner." These harsh expressions were repeated to Dr. C. who felt the more sorrow in secret, as he was compelled by prudence to conceal it. He was walking one day alone in a palm-grove, when six masgarines, with a pasha at their head, came upon him by surprise, and, without any explanation, placed him in a palanquin, and carried him away. The bearers took the road towards Morocco; and relieving each other alternately, arrived in great haste at the emperor's palace. All the court was in motion, and the crowd of people was so great, that all the streets of Morocco were blocked up. It was the day on which the emperor was to set out from his southern, for Mequinez*, his northern capital: all his household attended him; and Dr. C. being comprised in it, in quality of dentist, orders had been given to fetch him from Shambuck, in order that he might make part of the train.

This train was very brilliant; but the emperor's dentist figured in it rather unwillingly. Never did Dr. C. make more philosophical reflections on the advantages of an independent mediocrity, and the inconveniences of a servile elevation. He bitterly regretted the time when he retired in the evening into the bosom of his family, and disposed, according to his own will, the occupations of the morrow; or, related an anecdote of

That city is eighty leagues from that of Morocco.

his youth to his attentive children, while grimalkin, his cat, rolled up in a ball, snored in a corner of the sofa.

But these reflections pressed still more heavily on his mind, when, on his arrival at Mequinez, the emperor perceived that one of his remaining teeth began to decay, and to give him some shooting pains. Dr. C. was sent for every day, and terror already began to take possession of his soul. He felt that his situation was again become critical, and resolved to attempt every thing to withdraw himself from the risk of a second operation, which might not have equal success with the first. By bribery he contrived to secure his flight. One night, by favour of darkness and disguise, he left Mequinez, conducted by a faithful guide, and directed his course towards Salee, where a ship, ready to sail, awaited him.

Morning appeared, and an obscure rumour announced the disappearance of the emperor's dentist. Mohammed, at this terrible news, flew in a rage: instantly the whole city was in motion, and all the houses regularly examined; but in vain.

A GLANCE ON THE AUSTRIAN LITERATURE.

DRYDEN.

By education most have been misled, So they believe, because they were so bred. The priest continues what the nurse began, And thus the child imposes on the man. EXCLUSIVE of the Italian provinces, the literary history of the Austrian dominions cannot ascend to a remote period. That of Austria Proper, in particular, is little interesting; and even the chronicles and lives of saints

are comparatively recent. If the Emperor, Maximilian, grandfather of Charles V. be the author of an eccentric poem, alluding to the events of his own life, and usually ascribed to him, though many assign it to his chaplain, he may be considered as the father of Austrian literature, as well as of Austrian greatness. But the succession of authors is interrupted; and many of those who flourished at Vienna were aliens. Wolfgangus Lasius is but a dreaming antiquary; and, in the same century, Cuspinian has ridiculed Haselbach, the professor of divinity, who having begun a course of lectures on Isaiah, had not, in twenty-one years, finished the first chapter. The like perversity of taste continues to modern times, and Riesbeck has depicted, in warm colours, the metaphysical absurdities of the Austrian professors, and the abject tone of slavery and flattery which pervades even the little solid literature that is known; for, at Vienna, the emperor is considered as the successor of Augustus, as absolute monarch of Germany; while, in the other provinces of that wide region, he is more justly regarded as a nominal head, though highly respectable as king of Bohemia and Hungary. In the medical branch, Van Swieten, Storck, and others have acquired deserved celebrity; but though Vienna swarms with pretended literati, or men who can talk and write nonsense in Latin, there are a few who have acquired a shadow of reputation; such as Stell, Martini, Denis, and Sonnerfels; yet the first was a Silesian, and Denis from Bavaria. In antiquities occur the name of Froelich, and of one or two other numismatic writers, who compose vast volumes upon small subjects.

Bohemia and Hungary have no ancient claims to literature. Cosmas of Prague, a venerable historian, flourished about the year 1130; and Hungary has a contemporary father of history in the anonymous notary of king Bela. Yet, the encouragement given to - writers by the celebrated Matthias Corvinus, little stimulated native literature, for Bonfinus was an Italian. Nor is there any Hungarian writer particularly celebrated among the modern Latin classics; nor the native language yet known by any work commanding celebrity. Baron du Born, a native of Transylvania, has written many able works in natural history; but he used the Latin and French language. An enquiry into the causes which have retarded the progress of letters and philosophy in the Austrian dominions, would be more useful than the bare enumeration of a few names. They would be found to arise from the coarseness of the German dialect, and the absence of the Sclavonic and the Hungarian from the learned languages of Europe; partly from numerous wars of ambition, which sometimes endanger the very existence of the state; in yet greater measure from the military education of the nobility, or rather indeed from their ignorance, for many consummate officers have been men of letters: but, above all, this defect must be ascribed to that metaphysical bigotry which perverts the rational powers, and blights every bud of genius and solid knowledge. The books prohibited at Vienna probably exceed in number those of the Index Expurgatorius; and though the government has, no doubt, a right to watch over those of a political tendency, yet this jealousy needs not to be extended to works of

mere science written by heretics. On the other hand, some blame must doubtless extend to authors who introduce into scientific productions their political dogmata and visionary views of social perfection, with attacks upon established forms of government, totally unlike the procedure of the ancient philosophers, who were teachers of content and moderation. Yet a government should select the happy mean between that fanatic bigotry, which alike freezes literature and every branch of industry, and that licentiousness of the press, which, by wantonly sapping personal reputation and the laws, tends to destroy every habit of virtue, and can lead only to anarchy*.

THE COMBATS OF THE ALPHABET, OR THE ORIGIN OF PROVINCIAL DIALECT.

Teach me, some power, that happy art of speech,
To dress my purpose up in gracious words!- -RowE.

A GREAT many years ago, in those days of learning which, alas! are fled, like solemn visions, never to return, at least, if we may presume to judge from present appearances, a very violent warfare broke out among the letters which compose the English alphabet.

*Is not the chilling influence which the ingenious author attributes to the bigotry of the Austrian government, probably much overrated? Narrow as the notions of that government may be, we have never heard that the sentiments of the government of Spain have been supposed more liberal; yet the literature of Spain is highly respectable and rich, though little known in the other countries of Europe

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