1822.] Commentators of Shakspeare.Carnival at Malta.

mer's credit unimpeached by others; for Capell, "shocked at the licentiousness of Hanmer's plan, projected an edition of the strictest accuracy," ex fide codicum. It did not, however, appear until more than twenty years had elapsed, and was most remarkable for quaintness of style and peculiarity of pointing; in which last indeed he was not exclusively fortunate, or in his discoveries, and proposed amend ments. The triumph of Warburton was not assumed without interruption. Two formidable scholars entered the lists against him, and with allowed success. These were the learned Upton, already known by his valuable notes on Spenser and Edwards, whose legal studies, aided by singular acuteness, suggested an accuracy of investigation, under which the fanciful theories of Warburton were dispersed "into thin air.”

Upton's "Critical Observations" were first published in 1746. To a second edition in 1748, he appended a preface, in which we are told, that Warburton had severely noticed this tract; and he accordingly retorts, "but when I read on further, and found errors of all kinds still increasing upon me, such as even the most inveterate enemy would pity, did not an unusual insolence destroy every degree of it, then I thought it but doing common justice to Shakspeare, to check, if possible, the daring folly of such a phae

ton.'

Edwards's "Canons of Criticism" had reached the seventh edition, from 1748 to 1765-an ample and satisfactory proof of their general acceptation. His plan was quite new. Warburton had, in the prospectus of his edition, promised to give, as an appendix, Canons of Criticism, and a Glossary," but when the edition came forth, these were found to have been amalgamated with the voluminous notes. Edwards, therefore, in a very successful strain of irony, published twenty-five of these supposed canons, with numerous examples of each, taken from the several plays.

Here then closes the sketch of Shakspearian literature and controversy, in the course of what may be denominated its first æra.

The pursuits of this first class of Editors were certainly directed by distinct principles, but all of them founded upon the assurance that the early

423

quarto and folio copies exhibited a most corrupt text. They recast sentences, substituted words, and shifted punctuation. One Commentator rejected the emendation of his predecessor; another (and Warburton more than any) left an obscure, or even unintelligible passage to stand on the faith of the folio's only; or combated with the superior authority of the quarto's, and the interpolations of the Players, adding conjecture to conjecture, and making uncontrolled excursions into the regions of hypothesis and fancy.

Some disdained to attend to the low accuracy of orthography or printing, treating such criticism with ridicule, and placed their controversy upon higher ground than "the merit of rival readings, or projects of punctuation." In fact, all that is perplexed or irregular in Shakspeare is not to be rejected as a corruption of the text. (To be continued.)

Mr. URBAN,

May 10. SEND you an extract of a letter received from Corfu, dated March 1822, which I beg you will insert in Magazine. W. R.

your

"In a former letter I promised you an account of the Carnival at Malta. It lasted five weeks, but was not held in the open streets till the last day or two; the Opera was fitted up for the purpose, as well as several other places. The Maltese are so taken up with it that they would even sell the beds they possess to collect money for the occasion; during the time it lasts they are at liberty to get drunk, gamble, &c.

The admission to the Opera is one shilling, and it is generally extremely full. A guard in the Opera; also a strong band of Police, of English and Maltese soldiers are always who are exceedingly strict. The best characters that have been performed are a drunken sailor and his wife, and an old cobbler (by some Midshipmen). I have been several

times in character of an old-fashioned man

(of the old school); at other times as an old woman (a smyche), that is the common appellation for the working people, and in several other characters. The last day is the grand day, and every smyche is in mask. It is the custom to pelt sugar-plumbs at one another. A pig was set a-drift in the crowd with fireworks made fast to him.

"After 12 o'clock, the last night, they all run out of the Opera and go to Church, where they confess all they have done during the Carnival. Absolution is given, and they go into mourning. I re

marked

424 Corfu.-Benefit of a Common-sense Education.-Dr. W. Clarke. [May,

[ 425 ]

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

426

REVIEW.-Waddington's Travels in Ethiopia.

braces a tour through countries far beyond where the enterprising Burckhardt penetrated. Burckhardt only succeeded in following the Nile as far as Tinareh, while Mr. Waddington and his fellow traveller reached Merawe. It may be in the recollection of our readers, that the Danish traveller Norden proceeded as far as this second Cataract; but the difficulties and dangers being considered so hazardous, he was compelled to return. The Cataracts of the Nile present a most awful and tremendous appearance. They are heard at a distance of three leagues. Seneca relates, and his statement is confirmed by modern travellers, that the inhabitants of the country exhibit a spectacle to visitors that is more terrifying than amusing. Two men enter a little boat, and after having long sustained the violence of the raging surge by dexterous management, they allow themselves to be carried away by the impetuous torrent with the swiftness of an arrow. The alarmed spectator, unaccustomed to such a sight, imagines they will be swallowed up in the precipice down which they fall. Shortly after they are discovered at a distance on the smooth and calm waters of the majestic Nile.

[May,

Wady Halfa, on the second Cataract, November 11th, 1820. The Aga of the Cataracts provided them with letters to Abdin Casheff, &c. necessary for their safe conduct and provision on the route. He also furnished them with five camels. The party consisted of Messrs. Waddington and Hanbury, their Dragoman, James Curtin, the young Irishman who was sometime with Belzoni, two Maltese attendants Giovanni and Giuseppe, and a black slave, who was returning to his master in Ismael's camp.

We shall for the present pass over the adventures that occur in proceeding through the countries of Batn el Hadjar, Sukkot, and Dar Mahass, few of which are very striking; and open our extracts with an account of that very important personage Mahomed Ali, and his wars with the Mamelouks and other tribes of Dongola. Our Travellers left Old Dongola on the 7th of December, and entered Dar Sheygy'a, the seat of hostilities. After a few general remarks, the author gives the following interesting statements:

"The ambition of Mahommed Ali, is to

Shendy, and Sennaar; this plan included doms of Dongola, Dar Sheygy'a, Berber, the extirpation of his old enemies the Mamelouks, who were in quiet possession of Dongola."

possess all the banks and the islands of the Nile, and to be the master of all who drink its waters, from Abyssinia to the Mediterranean : an ambition worthy of a great In the Preface, Mr. Waddington Prince, if its origin were not to be traced to informs us, that it was originally his his avarice. His designs on Abyssinia he intention only to remain in Greece and seems to have abandoned, on a formal asAsia Minor for a few months; but surance that an attack on a Christian State, meeting there with his friend Mr. Bar- so situated, would probably involve him nard Hanbury, who was preparing for with the English Government, and he detera visit to Egypt and Nubia, he determined to limit his conquests to the kingmined to accompany him. They agreed to travel together, and, after passing the spring and most of the summer in Greece, they arrived at Alexandria about the middle of August. An expedition under Ismael Pasha, the son of Mahommed, Pasha of Egypt, had just left Cairo for the purpose of reducing the Mamelouks and Sheygya above the Second Cataract; this presented a favourable opportunity for the travellers carrying their designs into effect, and they immediately proceeded to the Second Cataract, examining, in their way, the various objects of curiosity that are scattered along the banks of the Nile. Mr. Hanbury and Mr. Waddington kept separate jour. nals; and they were both consulted in the composition of the present work. Their account, as previously stated, commences with their departure from

The Mamelouks, against which the Pasha's sented as being lovers of freedom, and army was opposed, are repreChowes, the king of Merawe, and possessing courage to defend it. Maleh Zobeyr, the king of Dar Sheygy'a, are the chiefs of the four tribes into which they are divided. Their united force amounted to about ten thousand men.

"On his arrival at Dongola, the Pasha sent them orders to submit to the power of willing to cultivate their ground, and to pay Mahommed Ali; they expressed themselves tribute. The Pasha then commanded them to prove their sincerity by sending to him their arms and their horses. They simply repeated their former offer. The Pasha re plied, that his father had ordered him to

make

1822.]

REVIEW. Waddington's Travels in Ethiopia.

make them a nation of Felláhs instead of a nation of warriors, and renewed his demand. They replied, with a defiance, either go on your business, or come and attack us; and the Pasha moved his troops towards their frontiers.

"The first skirmish seems to have taken place near Old Dongola, when the Pasha and some of his generals, with very few soldiers, were surprised by a party of Sheygy'a, whom they repulsed. In one that succeeded, Abdin Casheff took prisoner the virgin daughter of one of their chiefs; he instantly sent her unseen to the Pasha. The young Turk commanded the half-naked savage to be brought before him; he reIceived her with kindness, and asked her some questions about her father; he then ordered her to be washed and splendidly dressed, changed her ornaments of dollars for others of Venetian gold, and sent her, under a strong escort, back to her father. As soon as the chief recognised his daughter, and saw how she had been honoured, All this is well,' said he with impatience, but are you still a virgin?' She assured him that she was; and when he had ascertained the truth of this, he withdrew his troops, and swore that he would not fight against the man who had spared the virginity of his daughter: an act worthy to be recorded among those sacrifices of public spirit to private feeling, which have ever been condemned by philosophers, and will ever be forgiven by other men. This little anecdote was very generally spoken of, and made a great noise in both armies.

"About the same time, in order to intimidate his enemy by so wonderful a display of power, the Pasha ordered an exhibition of fireworks. His enemy was less timid, though, perhaps, not less ignorant, than he imagined, and on seeing the rockets shooting into the air, they only remarked, What is he come to make war against heaven too and their courage was confirmed by the sight. You are come against us,' they used to shout from their encampment, You are come against us from the North, and from the East, and from the West; but we will destroy you.' When told by the Ababde, who were escorting the chief's daughter, that if they did not submit, the Pasha would drive them to Sennaar. He may drive us to the gates of the world; but we will not submit.'

"Their first attack was irresistible; the Bedouins were driven-back, and Abdin Casheff advanced from the opposite angle of the square to support them; while he was engaged, the Bedouins rallied in his rear, he returned to his post, and they charged again. The Moggrebyns had been similarly routed and rallied. The Sheygy'a, though suffering very severely, repeated their attacks, and three times was Abdin Casheff seen to charge in person, and throw himself

427

into the middle of the enemy; he shot several of them with his own hand, and having disarmed one, he drove his own lance quite through his body. The Pasha was giving, in other parts, similar proofs of courage, the only one he could now give of generalship, and the pistol of his Highness is said to have been particularly destructive; he caught the gaiety of his enemies, and rode among them with a laugh. At last, the Sheygy'a, finding that their magic had not been able to stop the course of Turkish balls, and that the charms of the enemy were stronger than their own, said, that God had declared against them,' and took to flight. They had placed great dependance on those charms, to which their necromancers had given, for this occasion, peculiar power and efficacy; and their first act after the battle was to put to death the whole race that had thus imposed on their credulity."

It is very singular that the Pasha, by his superior discipline, had not one man killed during the action; whilst the Sheygy a left six hundred men dead on the field;-so ineffectual is savage bravery, when opposed to the destructive weapons of modern warfare. We find all the courageous efforts of these brave but unenlightened people totally abortive; as appears by the sanguinary result:

"Those who escaped from the battle of Korti, took refuge in some strong stone castles, one of which is built on the site of an antient temple at the foot of Mount Dager, on the other bank of the Nile. Their horses are taught to swim across the river in the broadest parts; they are also trained, by a particular jerk of the bridle, to advance by springs instead of any regular pace, making their gallop exactly that of an antelope; they thus prevent the enemy from aiming with certainty, by the uncertainty of their own motion, without impeding the actions of the rider, who is accustomed to it. The Pasha pursued them to their castles, in and behind which were drawn up to receive him these black horsemen of the Desert, darkening (as an eye-witness described it) the side of the mountain; they were shouting terribly, and seemed awaiting the attack with impatience. This time, the Pasha thought it more prudent to bring some pieces of artillery to bear upon them. A heavy fire of shot and shells, which they were equally unable to avoid and to avenge, quickly dissipated the ardour of these unhappy men, and they appear to have fled without making any attempt at resistance. Yet even in this case (as we afterwards learnt), were their terrors derived from their superstition: a shell fell into one of the castles, and began rolling and bounding

about;