Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

Clerc's account. In the sketch of Sir Francis Walfingham's Life, the compiler difcovers ftill greater ignorance. He fays, that the famous letter written by Sir Francis and fecretary Davifon to Sir Amias Poulet, was, so far as he can find, first publifhed by Mr. Freebairne, in the Romance of the Queen of Scots, tranflated from the French. Next follows a copy of the letter, with which we shall not here trouble the reader, as it has been published in many hiftories. The objections urged to its authenticity by this collector are curious. He tells us, that the original is lodged in the Harleian library, with Sir Amias's answer; but he is not fure whether the letter is figned by Walfingham's hand, though he acknowleges that it is well known.

With the like critical abilities, he thinks, that Walfinghant was too cautious a minister to trust a letter (which Davison, in a poftfcript, earnestly defired might be burnt) into the hands of another. This compiler ought to have known, that the fame caution which impelled Walfingham and Davison to defire their letter to be burnt, prevailed upon Poulet to keep it. To fay the truth, diffimulation even with one another was the characteristic of Elizabeth and all her minifters. Cecil, afterwards earl of Salisbury, was as cautious as Walfingham, and trufted to the honour of James I.. and his Scotch ministers, for burning all the dangerous letters he wrote to them before Elizabeth's death. But, behold! they were carefully preferved, and are faithfully printed from the originals, with the very postscripts and paffages requiring them to be burnt.

[ocr errors]

Secretary Davifon's capacity (fays our collector) makes no very great figure in hiftory: but we are fure it is quite inconfiftent with Sir Francis Walfingham's known cautiousness, cunning, or call it what you please, to truft a dangerous letter out of his hands, and stand to the chance of having it burnt.' This author is mistaken in every word of this paffage. Davifon was one of the ableft ministers, as well as one of the most polite scholars in Europe; and it was to his caution that the request of burning the letter was owing. But to put the authenticity of the letter quite out of the queftion, it may be proper to inform the reader, that so far back as the year 1722, long before the appearance of Freebairne's book, Dr. Mackenzie, in his Lives of the Scots Writers, published not only the letter in question, but the apology made by Davifon himfelf, from his own writing, and which does not leave the fmalleft doubt as to the reality of the intended murder; fo well do the facts, dates, and circumstances, agree. This compiler is fo very uninformed, as not to know that the date of the letter is after Mary's trial and condemnation by her judges.

VOL. XXIII. June, 1767. F f

Some

Some curious particulars, of the life of Mr. Wycherley the poet, next follow. We have fome objections to the curiofity of those particulars. In the first place, we more than fuspect that this is not the first time they have been published; and in the next, we are not a little doubtful as to their authenticity. Laftly, we think that the character of Mr. Wycherley as a wit and a poet, has been moft egregiously exaggerated.

This divifion of characters is clofed with one of Cromwell, and a parallel between him and Montrofe, by the Abbe Raynal Our collector, in printing thofe characters, proves himfelf to be a mere enthusiast for French publications. “In debate, fays he, Cromwell was the most eloquent, and in an affembly of divines the most learned Chance and natural temper, continues he, which determine the conduct of other men, did not influence the most inconfiderable of his actions.' We believe, if the most ingenious romancer in England had been employed to draw a picture of Cromwell which should be the real reverse of his true character, he could not have fucceeded better than this Abbé has done. We fhall add one paffage more, as a fpecimen of French difcernment. • Montrofe, fays this Abbé, had an integrity of heart, which always fixed him in the intereft of his king and country.'-Vanity, continues he, properly made his character.' Very metaphyfically diftinguifhed, indeed, Mr. Abbé!

As to the remaining part of this collection, it would be doing the compiler injuftice not to acknowledge, that it contains many excellent and instructive extracts from the most approved authors, poets, and philofophers of the present times.

X. Letters on different Subjects; in Four Volumes: Amongst which are interfperfed the Adventures of Alphonfo after the Destruction of Lifbon. By the Author of The unfortunate Mother's Advice to her abfent Daughters. Vol. III. and IV. 8vo. Pr. 55.

Briftow.

HE merits of this lady, as a writer, are fo well known

by her former publications, that it would be unneceffary for us to fay any thing of her literary abilities, and her manner of writing. It may be fufficient to obferve, in general, that thefe letters contain many fenfible remarks, and indisputable proofs of the writer's penetration and judgment.

Some of the principal fubjects of the preceding volumes are here continued. Several of thefe letters are calculated to give a just representation of the author's character. With that view, many additional anecdotes are related, and her conduct, on

feveral

feveral occafions in the early part of her life, which has been mifunderstood, is accounted for, by being placed in a proper light. From these little incidents young minds may derive no inconfiderable advantage, by being led to reflect on the confeof inconfiderate actions. Here alfo fome ufeful hints quences are fuggefted to those people, who, by meddling in matters which they do not understand, or in which they have no bufinefs to interfere, often do an irreparable injury, where, perhaps, they mean to be of fervice.

Some of these letters are of the philofophical kind, upon predifpofitions and innate ideas; others contain some short ftories, fome little pieces of poetry, obfervations on marriage, the improper method of treating young children, and other fubjects of importance.

In the following letter the reader will find fome very useful advice.

'Dear Sir,

[ocr errors]

To Mr. B.

It was by mere accident, that I received your two last letters unopened, and I must begin this by chiding you for being fo careless in the direction, notwithstanding I had told you that fome others had met with a contrary fate by being carried to a person of the fame name in my neighbourhood; neither is this all I have to find fault with you for; your late behaviour at (fo thoroughly inattentive to all the punctilio's that you ought there particularly to have remember'd, which has this moment been told me) is yet more blameable. Do not wrap yourself up fo much in philosophical contemplations, as to be above a neceffary regard to the common occurrences and duties of life. There are but few young men to whom fuch a caution would be neceffary-I will acknowledge that you have chofen the better part, but let me add in the words of the fame perfon on another occafion,-Thefe things ought you to have done, and not left the other undone.

I am pleased with the account of the rational manner in which you pass your time-Had a man nothing else to do in life but to improve his mind and please himself, fuch a fituation would be by far the most eligible; but you know there are many other duties to be discharged, though thefe vary according to the different ranks and views of mankind; yet all have some that cannot be dispensed with, and which it ought to be their principal care to qualify themselves for the dif charge of.

"Tis high time for you, my good friend, to quit retirement and books, and to bend your ftudies towards men and manners; thefe are never to be known by report; we must

[blocks in formation]

mix amongst men to acquire any useful knowledge of mankind. The more we fee of the world, the more caufe, perhaps, may we find to diflike it. Pride, paffion, felfifhnefs, envy, malice, and falfhood too generally prevail.-Fools are the dupes of knaves, honesty is made the prey of craft; the good daily fuffer from the defigns of the bad; the rich opprefs the poor; the poor revile the rich, and general difcontent feems to reign amongst all ranks of men. Sincerity is become an empty name, and offers of friendship but unmeaning founds, which cuftom and common confent have made it esteem'd a mark of ignorant innocence to place any confidence in.

[ocr errors]

Such is the world on whofe public ftage you are haftening; how neceffary therefore is a competent knowledge of it to guard against the furrounding evils that must be encounter'd. Books are here of but little ufe; experience only can teach this intricate fcience, without which the best understanding, and the brightest genius will never make it's way to the esteem of more than the difcerning few, who only can do juftice to intrinfic merit.

• Quit therefore your favourite ftudies, bid adieu to caves and cottages, to H's pleafing fhades, and think no more of that retirement which now grows every day more prejudicial to you. The mind, whofe chief delights confifts in the encrease of knowledge, and the enjoyment of a rational fociety, is too apt to confine itself within too narrow a sphere of action, and prefer the pleasing and improving converfation of a few valuable friends to all the hurry, and hypocrify that must be encounter'd in a public life; but this difpofition indulged would in time rob the commonwealth of all its most useful members. Those who are capable of being ferviceable to the community, are indifpenfably bound to. mix in fociety with a view of being fo; the advantages which may thereby be reaped to their private fortune ought to be only the fecondary confideration; for when that unhappily becomes the first, 'tis the bane of every noble and generous fentiment. Let it be your principal point to make a good figure in the world; that can only be done by a proper discharge of all the private, domeftic, and focial duties. of your station in it; this will fecure to you the efteem of the wife and virtuous, and you need not then fear acquiring a deferved fortune, which, under proper reftriations, is a laudable endeavour in any young man who is not born to the poffeffion of an estate.

"You are much mistaken in believing, that by what you call the fudy of hiftory, you are encreafing your knowledge of men and manners; I know feveral perfons who are perfectly acquainted with all the best hiftories of every kingdom in the

known

known world, can tell you almoft every memorable event in every reign, describe the views and defigns of every king and every minifter that have made any great figure, and point out the fuppofed caufe of almost every revolution that has happen'd; yet thefe people are totally ignorant of the customs. and manners of their own country; acquainted only with books, they know not how to mix in converfation, or to behave with propriety amongst men, are the objects of ridicule in every company, and the conftant dupes of all who think it worth their while to impofe upon them; ever mistaking appearances for realities, and wholly unaccustom'd to the reading mankind, feldom penetrate into the motives of actions, or the views and designs of the perfons about them.-This is to be acquired only by the study of men, and fuch an accurate obfervation of the general tenor of their actions, as may enable us to investigate their different characters, and lead, almoft with certainty, through a thousand false appearances, to the true motives of their conduct toward ourselves.-This knowledge you will foon find extremely neceffary to you, and ought to lofe no time in attaining it; the immenfe advantage you will reap from the acquifition will more than repay the trouble may coft you.

it

I thank you for the poetical part of your epistle, which is pretty. Your genius wants just that fort of cultivation you are giving to the pot defcribed; the flowers in either lose half their beauty from being too much crouded, which produces a general confufion. The greatest difficulty you will find in forming elegant compofitions will be that of confining your imagination within proper bounds, and lopping off every shoot, that, however beautiful in itself, feparately confidered, tends only to obftruct the general beauty of the whole. You know you are never to expect flattery from me, but will always have my real fentiments with that perfect freedom which becomes my profeffions of being,

My dear Sir,

Your fincere friend, &c.'

The fubfequent letter on the neceffity of beginning the forination of the temper in the earliest infancy, merits the attention of those who are concerned in the management of children.

To LOUISA.

I can never be unwilling to comply with any request of yours, my dear Louifa, but little more can be added to the general directions my last contained, and your own good judgment will fuggeft all that is neceffary without any affiftance.

[ocr errors]
« AnteriorContinua »