adding a thought is sometimes taken; that the picture of madame Bufca's infirmities, in the story of Pamela (vol. iii-) is softened; that the incident of Doralice fucking the eyes of Eglantine (vol. I.) is omitted (because it is fuppofed they would both have of fended, even violently, the delicacy of an English reader); that, in confequence of the last mentioned omiffion, it was neceffary to add circumstances and touches to give a fufficient degree of interet to the ftory; and that other little freedoms have been taken; fuch as, not permitting the fage Thelifmar to tell his pupil Alphonfo a falfhood, even though with a virtuous intention; and of leaving out certain notes which it was deemed. were either too scientific for their situation, or too uninteresting; as well as of fubftituting fome very few others, from the Cyclopædia, where it could evidently be done to advantage.' There are a few instances of inattention to the effect of language, which we wish to point out: they cannot be called errors. In page 9, the tranflator fays, no more we did not ufe to do, mamma; but, fince our governess has had the fever.' The literal translation is, we never did goffip with them, mamma, but fince our governefs has had an ague,' &c. Again, Ah my dear Henrietta, faid Delphine, I see how happy you are, and how much you merit fo to be. The pasfage fhould be rendered: Ah my dear Henrietta, faid Delphine, much affected, I fee, indeed, your happiness, and how much you deferve it.' We fhould fcarcely have expected the words qui eft riche,' to have been tranflated who is well to do.' Thefe are very flight circumstances, which do not affect the fenfe; but they deferve Mr. Holcroft's attention in a fu ture edition. We fhall only add, that the author's guides, on the fubject of natural history, have in fome inftances, mifled her. The young pupils, having difcovered fome fondness for the feducing wonders of the Fairy Tales, are told by the mother, that the wonders of art and nature are not lefs astonishing than thofe of fancy; and are at the time, on the basis of solid truth. To prove this, the composes a tale, entitled the Fairyifm, or perhaps more neatly tranflated by Mr. Holcroft, the Magic of Art and Nature,' in which the principal phænomena of nature, and the inventions of art, are displayed, in the adventures of the hera. She has given a very ingenious apology for any defects which may appear in this tale, ex tended almoft through the fecond volume of the translation, by her reasons for having declined more able affistance. My dear abbé, anfwered madame de Clémire, a woman ought never to fuffer a man to add a fingle word to her writings; if the does, the man fhe confults, let him be who he may, will always pafs for the original inventor, and the will be accused of putting her name to the works of others. One may H 4 may be a very good woman, yet a very bad writer, but not were one to take the credit of other people's labours; one ought, therefore, carefully to avoid whatever might give room to fo injurious an accufation. Scarcely has there been one woman fuccefsful in her writings, and not accufed of this kind of bafenefs.' The notes contain explanations of paffages which would not have been easily understood, and would have interrupted and embarraffed the narratives. The authorities, as we have obferved, are not always the best in philofophy; but on the fubjects of the fine arts and belles lettres, they are lefs exceptionable. On the whole, the pleafure which we have received from these volumes, prevents us from clofing the article, without repeating our warmest recommendation of them. IT The Carmelite. A Tragedy. Performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury-lane. By R. Cumberland, Efq. 8vo. is. 6d. Dilly. T is not uncommon to find a piece admired as a whole, which, when minutely examined, appears both inaccurate and faulty. The play before us was faid to be received with loud bursts of applaufe; and perhaps few dramatic compofitions are better calculated to excite them. Even diftant from the artificial delufions of the fcene, we were interested, animated, or softened; the feelings were hurried away, without the interpofition of the judgment, and fometimes rather in -fpite of it. Perhaps Mr. Cumberland wishes for no greater eulogy, fince it comprehends every thing that is required in a dramatic representation; and the magic can be easily, explained. Few imaginations are ftrong enough to feel the reality of a whole; and the changes in the scenery, the mufic, or other trappings of the stage, deftroy the delufion at the end of every scene. This is demonftrated by the pleasure we feel from the detached parts of Shakspeare, which are often fo artificially connected, and the unities of time and place fo completely violated, that, if the mind reverted for a moment to former paffages, it would be incredulous and difgufted. At the beginning therefore of each fcene, it affumes the different fituations, however produced, as eftablished facts, and pursues them in the fubfequent fpectacle. In the Carmelite we often find diftinct paffages laboured with the greateft care, and worked to the highest pitch: in thefe, the maf ter's hand has been chiefly employed with fuccefs, and we can feldom hint a fault; while the whole is fometimes incongruous, and fomewhat improbable.. The ftory is fimple, and well adapted for a dramatic compofition. Saint Valori a Norman knight, affumed the cross, and and fought in Palestine; but, on his return, was fet on by affaffins, hired by lord Hildebrand, in a narrow pass of the Pyrenæans, and left breathlefs and weltering in his blood.' He was preserved by fome Venetian merchants, but, in his voyage from Venice, was captured by a Saracen, and-detained in flavery. After twenty years abfence, he returned, and found Hildebrand in poffeffion of his cattle in Normandy; and, at the moment, when he was about to difcover himfelf to his vaffals, a herald arrived from Henry, to fummon him to meet the champion of the fuppofed widow of St. Valori. The knight himself, who had affumed the habit of a carmelite, joins Hildebrand in the voyage; and, in confequence of his new character, acquires his confidence. They are fhipwrecked on the Isle of Wight, near the widow's castle, the fcene of the tragedy., The play commences with their prefervation from the inhumanity of the natives, by the active interpofition of Montgomeri. Hildebrand, weighed down with guilt, appalled with horror, at the recollection of his crimes, wounded and dif eased, in confequence of his fhipwreck, dies, full of penitence, before the day of combat. St. Valori fees his lady, whose reason feems to be affected by her loss, and is on the point of discovering himself, when he perceives her partiality to Montgomeri, and learns, that he is fupposed to be already her husband, or foon to affume that character. The incidents relating to the intended combat, and the distreffing jealousy of St. Valori, form the chief fubftance of the play. Montgomeri is however her fon, and the champion whom the defigns to oppofe to Hildebrand; fo that, on this difcovery, the conclufion is happy. The ftory of a plot is like a pantomime, when we are admitted behind the fcenes; it is an unfair and disadvantageous reprefentation, and neceffary only when we are obliged to analyse it. The improbabilities in the ftory are numerous. St. Valori is fuppofed to be murdered by unknown affaffins, and yet Hildebrand is fummoned to the lifts. Hildebrand had indeed taken poffeffion of St. Valori's Norman domains, though we know not on what foundation; for, while the property of the lower orders were unprotected in those times of licentioufnefs and tumult, the wardship of orphans, and the protection of widows of rank, were fufficiently provided for. The crown feldom overlooked fuch advantageous accidents. Again, Montgomeri is brought up in the castle of his mother, as a page, though the feemed only to delay her demands on Hildebrand, till her fon could be her champion: This fituation was by no means calculated to enfure his fuccess against an able and ex perienced perienced warrior: it rather doomed him to certain deftruc tion; and fo far from his being trained in the proper exercifes, that the contempt and jealoufy of St. Valori are particularly excited, by the meannefs of his supposed rival. is improbable also that Gyfford, an old fervant, who remem bers his master, should not know that his miftrefs had a fon.. It In the conduct of the piece, there are alfo errors. The weakened reason of Matilda is, with a few exceptions, well fupported in the first act; but we hear fo little of it afterwards, that, if Mr. Cumberland had not expressly told Mrs. Siddons, in the Dedication, that artificial fituations, ftudied incidents, and tricking declamation, must be thrown afide,' where she is to appear: that the author who writes a charac ter for her, muft not call her into ftarts and attitudes, merely because he has a form fo ftriking to display at his command :' if it were not for these declarations, we should have suspected that this partial phrenzy of the brain was only calculated for the appearance of the actrefs. It has very little connection with the fubfequent events. It might have been an error, in an inferior writer, to have explained the relations of the different parties fo early, as it would destroy expectation, and leffen the intereft; but Mr. Cumberland perhaps wished to fhow, that the magic of his language, and the force of the fituations, would rife fuperior to fuch artificial arrangements. The first scene between St. Valori and his lady is admirably executed; and yet, from too great fondness for metaphor, and fome, perhaps, accidental resemblance to a comic fcene in the Drummer, its effect is weakened. The following paffages, with a little exception; are very beautiful. • Matilda. I am a helpless folitary woman, Alas! A widow, who have loft-O God! O God! That I have loft myself. St. Val Matil. Thyself! My fenfes : At beft they are but half my own, fometimes I am bereft of all. Therefore I lead St. Val. Oh, fupport me, Heaven! 'Tis fhe, 'Tis fhe! that woe-tun'd voice is her's; Again, If Matild. Oh, approach and enter you can weep, we will converfe whole days, * 'St. Val. Oh, tell me have you then endur'ḍ Yet I fhou'd think 'twas yesterday. St. Val, I faw you Matil. You faw me! When? St. Val. When you did wed your lord The paragon of all this world you was. Matil. I think I have; I've heard fuch voices in my dreams; fometimes St. Val. I wore no monkish cowl in that gay hour Faithful I fought; I was God's foldier then, Matil. You have fought Under the Chriftian cross !-You shake my brain. St. Val. Peace to your thoughts! I will no farther move you: Shall I not lead you hence? Matil. Stand off; ftand off! The murderer of Saint Valori is abroad; The bloody Hildebrand is on the feas. Rife, rife, ye waves! blow from all points, ye winds, In fathomlefs perdition!--Let him fink, He and his hateful crew! let none escape, We shall felect but one fcene more, viz. the difcovery of St. Valori. Full of jealoufy and refentment, but still in his affumed character, the Carmelite, he had fent a bracelet, given by his lady on their first feparation, pretending to have received it from |