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we should be authorised to assign them a high station in the scale of excellence. But they most frequently prove the reverse of this position; especially the territorial endowments, often the fruits of a deathbed repentance, which, prompted by superstition or fear, compounds for past crimes by posthumous profusion, although vanity not rarely lends her powerful aid. There is scarcely a state in Rajpootana in which onefifth of the soil is not assigned for the support of the temples, their ministers, the secular Bramins, bards, and genealogists. Menu commands, "should the king be near his end through some incurable disease," he must bestow on the priests all his riches accumulated from legal fines; and having duly committed the kingdom to his son, let him seek death in battle, or, if there be no war, by abstaining from food. (Chap. IX. p. $37. Haughton's edition.) The annals of all the Rajpoot states afford instances of obedience to this text of their divine legislator. The antiquary who has dipped into the records of the dark period in European church history can have ocular illustration in Rajast'han of traditions which may in Europe appear questionable. (p. 509.)

Our author then adds, that every Hindu would implicitly believe the story mentioned by Montesquieu (in his Esprit des Lois) concerning Saint Eucher, bishop of Orleans, who saw Charles Martel tortured in the depths of hell (tourmenté dans l'enfer inférieur) by order of the saints, for having stripped the churches of their possessions; having thereby rendered himself culpable for the sins of all those who had endowed them. As in the dark ages the monks of Europe sometimes employed their knowlege of writing in forging of charters for their own advantage, so the Brahmins augment the wealth of their shrines by similar practices; superstition and indolence combining to support the deception. The alienation of property as the means of expiating sins, will remind the reader of Charlemagne, who, according to the French chronicles, bequeathed on his death-bed two-thirds of his domains to the church, deeming one-third sufficient for his There is no donation too great or too trifling for the divine Crishna : his priests accept a baronial estate, or a patch of meadow land; a gemmed coronet for his image, or a widow's mite. (p. 525.)

four sons.

We cannot here follow our author through his curious mythological observations, but propose to notice some of them more particularly on another occasion; and we must strongly recommend to the attention of our fair readers the chapter (XXIII.) beginning at p. 607, which abounds with interesting anecdotes illustrating the female character; also chapter XXIV. (p. 633.) respecting the origin of female immolation, and the inquiry whether religion, custom, or affection has most share in such sacrifices. Here we shall refer to an anecdote of the hero Pirthi Raj, already mentioned, who having learned that his sister was barbarously treated by her lord, the Sirohi prince,

instantly departed, reached Sirohi at midnight, scaled the palace, and interrupted the repose of Pabhoo Rao by placing his poniard at his throat. His wife, notwithstanding his cruelty, complied with his humiliating appeal for mercy, and begged his life, which was granted, on condition of his standing as a suppliant with his wife's shoes on hiss head, and touching her feet; the lowest mark of degradation. He obeyed, was forgiven, and embraced by Pirthi Raj, who became his guest during five days. Pabhoo Rao was celebrated for a confection, of which he presented some to his brother at parting. He partook of it as he came in sight of Komulmer; but on reaching the shrine of Mama Devi was unable to proceed: here he sent a message to (his wife) the fair Tarra (or "Star of Bednore") to come and bid him farewell; but so subtle was the poison, that death had overtaken him ere she descended from the citadel. Her resolution was soon formed: the pyre was erected; and with the mortal remains of the chivalrous Pirthi Raj in her embrace, she sought the regions of the sun. (p. 676.)

The latter portion of this volume comprises the author's journal, or "Personal Narrative," as it is styled; and furnishes an abundance of entertaining information respecting a country of which we have hitherto possessed so imperfect a knowlege. This, like the preceding portions of Colonel Tod's interesting volume, is richly embellished with plates, admirably executed by Finden, the two Storers, and Haghe, from the beautiful drawings of Captain Waugh, or from curious designs by native artists. Some of Capt. Waugh's views we do not hesitate to say, equal, in beauty of subject and excellence of engraving, any that have been offered to the public for several years. Such is the palace of Oodipoor, p. 211. the interior view in Chectore, p. 328. the view on the Bunas river, p. 370. that scene of enchantment, the delicious island and palace in the lake of Oodipoor, p. 373. the fortress and town of Ajmere, with the spirited procession, p. 783. But we might in this manner indicate every plate as a master-piece: to one, however, before we close this magnificent volume, the reader's attention must be particularly directed-that exquisite specimen of extraordinary architecture, the ancient Jain temple at Ajmere, p. 778.

33

CLASSICAL AND PHILOLOGICAL

EXTRACTS

From the Works of SAMUEL PARR, LL.D., Prebendary of St. Paul's, Curate of Hatton, &c.; with Memoirs of his Life and Writings, and a Selection from his Correspondence. By JOHN JOHNSTONE, M.D. Fellow of the Royal Society, and of the Royal College of Physicians of London, &c. In 8 vols. 8vo. London: Longman and Co.

No. II. [Continued from No. LXXV1II.]

Dear Sir,

To Sir W. Scott.

With sentiments of the greatest and most sincere respect for yourself and Mr. Malone, I have carefully revolved the passage on which we had not the good fortune to come to any final agreement, when I had the honor of conversing with you lately in London. Be assured, Sir, that I am disposed to make very large concessions indeed to your wishes as Dr. Johnson's curators, and to your authority as men of letters. But my mind is filled with uneasy apprehensions, when I reflect on the close and lasting responsibility which I am myself to incur, not merely to those who knew and who loved Dr. Johnson, but to those who from accident knew him not, to those who from prejudice loved him not, and to posterity, who will decide on his moral and literary merits with calmness and impartiality. That the epitaph was written by such or such a man, will, from the publicity of the situation, and the popularity of the subject, be long remembered. That the curators, in opposition to that man, contended for the introduction of such or such a topic, in such or such a form, may be soon forgotten. The approbation you give to that form, and the reasons I allege against it, are circumstances, which not appearing on the monument, can, in our own days, be known only to few; while, for the words which do appear, and are known to all, the writer must be ultimately and almost exclusively responsible. Surely, then, if you admit what is well founded in point of fact, and if you exclude what is improper in style or in sentiment, you fill up the measure of your duty as curators. Far be it from me to enter into any formal contest with you or Mr. Malone, on the degree of Dr. Johnson's excellence as a poet. The difference between us is, I suspect, rather nominal than real; and were I to undertake the office of a biographer to Dr. Johnson, I should probably speak of his verses with no less ardor of commendation than you feel. But on the mention of his poetical character in an epitaph I have serious doubts, because his poetical writings, however excellent, are few. Not choosing, however, to confide in my own opinion on a matter of such delicacy, I have consulted some literary friends whose reluctance seems stronger even than my own is, and whose names, if they were communicated to you and Mr. Malone, would not appear wholly unworthy of attention. Let me specify among others, or rather let me select from them, the venerable President of Magdalen College. VOL. XL. NO. LXXIX. C:

CI. JI.

And where is the critic to whom Johnson can be more dear than he is to Dr. Routh, as a man of learning, a man of genius, a fine writer, a profound moralist, a loyalist in his politics, and a distinguished champion of orthodoxy in his faith?

The President had written to me while I was absent from Hatton with his usual acuteness; and when I called on him at Oxford in returning hither, he, with more than his usual earnestness, entreated me to omit the words in question. The same opinion was given, and the same request was made to me on the day before I saw you, by another person, who in erudition, indeed, is somewhat inferior to yourself and Dr. Routh, but who, in penetration and taste, will recognise no more than an equal in any scholar of the present age.

Again and again I have balanced the weight of the matter contained in the different sentences; and to my ear, disciplined as it is by the perusal of the best ancient inscriptions, I have again and again appealed for the proportion of the rhythm. The result is, that the epitaph must be injured by any mention whatsoever of Dr. Johnson as a poet. And as to the particular manner in which he is now mentioned, I think with you that unlearned readers will mistake my meaning, while several of my learned friends think with me, that it could not have been expressed with greater precision.

On considering and re-considering what passed between us, I must now anxiously beg your permission to have the disputed passage entirely expunged; and if you and Mr. Malone should not be pleased to comply with this request, I must take the liberty of respectfully withdrawing the whole of what I have written; because I am convinced that the effect of the whole will be marred by the continuance of a part which, to Mr. Malone, appears very cold, to you somewhat equivocal, to myself inharmonious, though not inaccurate; and to others, as well as myself, superfluous, though not unjust.

As to the word μakáρwv, it must stand, I believe, on no other foundation than the circumstance of having been used, and I think consecrated by that use, at the close of the Rambler. Dionysius, though he lived soon after the commencement of the Christian era, cannot be considered as a Christian writer. But who will think of Dionysius at all, or who will not be content with thinking of Dr. Johnson only? It is seldom possible for human art, working on human materials, to be at all points prepared against the scruples of the weak, and the cavils of the captious. But, in my opinion, the general solemnity of the sentence more than expiates the particular form of the phraseology. It cannot, I think, be inconsistent with good taste to represent Johnson as saying on the scroll, what, in truth, he has deliberately and emphatically said in the Rambler. It cannot be offensive to good morals for me to place in a Christian church those words which Johnson has placed at the conclusion of a work in which the noblest truths of Christianity are ably defended, and its soundest precepts are powerfully inculcated. Homer, it is true, uses μákapes Geol; and μákapës without eol also is applied by heathen poets to their deities. Yet μákapios Oeds is used in the Epistle to Timothy; and I find the same word often written by the ancient Fathers when they speak of the Supreme Being. It is also applied by them to good meu, and yet who will say that the blessedness of God and of man is the same? Mákap is applied by Gregory Nazianzen to Christ, ἐκ σέθεν εἰς σὲ μάκαρ λεύσσω. In the verses subjoined to his discourse τῇ δευτέρᾳ μετὰ τὸ πάσχα, and in the next poem, called raptevíns éños, he uses μákap of blessed spirits.

ὅσον βιότοιο ῥέοντος

ἑστηκὼς μακάρεσσιν.

The objection, if any be made, will be pointed against the plural as polytheistic; and for the plural, I tell you fairly that I find no direct authority in writers professedly Christian. I must therefore have recourse to the circumstance which solely and peculiarly gives propriety to the line. As an epitaph writer I could not, perhaps, in my own person be justified in putting such a line on the inscription itself. But the scroll is a distinct consideration; and on the scroll, Johnson, as I have already observed, may not improperly be described as saying what he had before said in a book. I believe that the Dean and Chapter will not be scrupulous; and if they are, we must have recourse to the line which I intended to use before I heard of Mr. Seward's judicious suggestion. It contains a favorite maxim of Johnson's: it describes very well the moral character of his works; and though written by a heathen, has no marked features of heathenish phraseology. I persist, however, in giving on the whole the preference to the verse from Dionysius.

In regard to Mr. Bacon, we may venture, I think, in retaining the word Sculptor, though I find in Coelius Rhodiginus, lib. 29. cap. 24. that the art of Statuary is divided into five sorts; among which, that which relates to marble and stones is called KoλaяTIKη, and that which belongs to metals is styled yλupuh. In cap. 4. lib. 36. of Pliny, we read, "Jam fuerat in Chio insula Malas Sculptor: dein filius ejus Micciades, &c.;"—again, "Ab oriente cælavit Scopas." We must, by all means, let Mr. Bacon find a corner for his name; for you and I are no strangers to the revenge which artists have taken when this favor has been refused to them. I do not suspect Bacon of intending to imitate Phidias, who, when the Athenians would not let him put his name on the statue of Minerva, made a better statue of Jupiter for the Eleans. But there is something in Bacon's name which sounds to me ominous; and recalls to my memory the trick which Saurus and Batrachus played, when Octavia would not give them leave to set their names on the temples they had built in Rome. In allusion to their respective names, one of them scattered σaupai, and the other Bárpaxoi, on the bases and capitals of the columns. The curators then, I think, would be mortified, if Bacon were slyly to put the figure of a hog on Johnson's monument, after not being allowed expressly to perpetuate his name as the artist.

I beg the favor of you to present my best compliments to Mr. Malone; and I have the honor to be, with great respect, dear Sir, your most obedient, faithful servant, S. PARR.

P. S. As my paper is not full, I will venture to insert two lines, which I long ago read and marked in the Anecdota Græca, by Muratorius, and which may be acceptable to our friend Mr. Malone, as descriptive of Johnson's benevolence, of his ready powers in conversation, and of the instruction it conveyed to his hearers.

Ω μάκαρ, ὦ ξυνὸν πενίης ἄκος, ὦ πτερόεντες

Μῦθοι, καὶ πηγὴ πᾶσιν ἀρυομένη, *Ασθματι πάντα λίπες πυμάτῳ·

These lines were written by Gregory Nazianzen on Amphilochius ; and however untractable they may be in the hands of an epitaph writer, they might be managed with success by such a biographer as Johnson deserves, and perhaps has hitherto not had.-[Vol. iv. p. 706.]

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