Friendly Hints to the Directors of the Humane Society. lecturer on the art can communicate, as The directions of the Society, electricity included, do not twelve in number; proper numerals, now exceed therefore, had the Reports been judici oufly prined, might eafily have afcerrained the mean or means made ufe of, in every cafe whatfoever. By fome fuch method, what is ufelefs might have been nade ufeful, and a certification, in plam language, of the exprefs means by which any fervice has been done, would have enabled the plainest perfon to do like fervice another time. What can justify the Society for permitting in their Reports fuch deviations from common English, and fuch blind accounts of the modes of recovery, as render the conftruction of them dif graceful to the Society, and the publication of them ufelefs to common people? what indeed can be learnt from fuch unintelligible phrafcology, ufual methods, various means, and references to unprinted lectures on fufpend ed animation, meaning, no doubt, imperceptible or unperceived life? Is not the Society to blame for fuffering thefe lectures, if good for any thing, to have remained fo long unprinted? or to connive at their being read only to medical Audents; efpecially as the Lecturer is not one of their medical alliftants who ferve them gratis? It would furely be for the honour and advancement of the Society, to appoint a proper committee for printing their reports night not the biennial REPORTS of the After all, Society be divulged from time to time much more effectually, fresh and freth, in the most popular news-papers, the proprietors of which would, no doubt, thankfully feceive and difperfe fuch communications gratis, and in genuine English? the [medical] profeffion. This idea i equally new and execrable; for the ho ought to be publicly advertised as a canour and advancement of the Society, in tion from their records. For fhame! let pital erratum, and erafed with indignait not be faid, that while the directors of foreign fimilar inftitutions are vying with one another in divulging and forwarding a fimple method for the benefit of all, the Humane Society of London. is forming a lucrative mystery for the thought, that what originated abroad in emolument of a few. Let it not be humanity terminates here in craft. reproaches as matters are managed at There is certainly ground for fuch prefent. Let any member or friend of the Society paufe for a moment, and confider the accounts of the recoveries by medical skill, p. 65*; they amount in all to no more than fifteen. Turn then to p 68, from which it appears, that more than three times fifteen have been recovered in the very fame period of time by common people and old woneed of the interference, of medical alliftmen, without any interference, or any ants. I wave remarking on this eloquent fact, and beg leave to tell a story. ing of phyficians, one, who was an ho- OBSERVATOR LONDINENSIS. H' He made his own time go early and later But now he is returned to God his maker The Humane Society is blamed, and feems blameable, for fuffering it to be faid in their Reports for 1785 and 1786, p. 15, that their intitution was eftablighed for the bonour and advancement of p. 68, T fay. 2 * Reports, 1785 and 1796 p. 65, and 1080 Plagiarifts in Converfation. Mifcellaneous Remarks on Milton, Mr. URBAN, Dec. 4. T is often difficult, even when thieves are taken in the manour, to trace the manner in which they came by the goods. Garrick was not likely to pore over Stobæus, Or poach in Suidas for unlicens'd Greek; yet there can be little doubt but that he was indebted to that compiler for the elegant idea of an; Quges yauale; τον καλαμον αποτρέχων εις von as your humorous, but too fevere, encomiaft of Sir J. Hawkins has obferved as little doubt can there be that Lord Chefter field took from Cafimir the pretty thought (too much indeed bordering upon a concetto), that evening dews are the tears of the day for the lofs of the fun*,* though it is not very probable that he hould perufe the Polish poct. Plagiarifs in conversation are necesfarily not fo often detected; but are not, I conceive, lefs frequent than thofe in writing: for I believe, that what Lord Clarendon fays of Mr. Waller, that "he feemed often to fpeak upon the fudden what he had thoroughly confidered," is applicable to more perfons than we are generally aware of; at leaft no one, I fuppofe, will hefitate to affirm, that Lord Chesterfield's celebrated bon mot to Mifs Chudleigh, now Lady Bristol, or the Duchefs of Kingston, was taken from the following anecdote, which is related in a little French book, published the beginning of this century, intituled, Paffe tems agreable: "La Duchcile d'Aiguillon fe plaignit un jour a la Reine que Madame de St. Chaumont lui avoit reproché qu'elle avoit eû ou 6 enfans du Cardinal de Richlieu fon oncle. Sur quoi M. de Charoft prenant fa parole: Eh quoi! dit il; ne çavez-vous pas, Madame, que de tout ce qui fe dit a la cour il n'en faut croire la moitié ?" Vol. II. p. 54. que Qu. Did perfons in the 14th century wear capes to their coats, or cocked and round hats? If they did not, is not the print of Spes publica in p. 857, a modern fabrication? I cannot help obferving, that the explanation of it put me. in mind of a paflage in Addifon's Dialogues on Medals, Dial. I. inter opp. edis. in 12mo, 1766, vol. III. pa28: "There are feveral, for example, that There is likewife au expreffion very fimilar to this in Richardfon's "Arabian Grammar," printed at Oxford; where an Oriental poet defcribes the flowers as droopmg their heads, and lamenting the departure the Sun. OUR having occafionally give a place in your excellent repofiory to many mifcellaneous notices on Milton and others, which at different tmes occurred to me in the course of nuch infertion of the following, if thought idle reading, induces me to requet the worth preferving. C. T. O. Milton defcribes Sabrina withamberdropping hair, Comus 863. We find ters of Sabrina in Withers' Epihalamia, the fame attribute given to the daugh edit. 1622. Locks of amber ar: given to the Sun in Sylvefter's Du Barus, p. 140. Where's Sabrina with her daugbers That do fport about her waters Thofe that with their locks of anber Haunt the fruitful hills of Camber? Milton a little further on talks of diamond rocks, 880. G. Fletcher, in his Chrift's Victorie, part 1. ft. 61, edit. 1610, has maine rocks of diamound." To Mr. Warton's note on Comus, 837, I beg leave to add the following fimilar Pallage from Bion is Yazırbor, p. 311. Xín nai víxlanı, xün üzasav Ωτειλάν. Μοίραισι δ' ἀναλθές φάρμακα πάντα. Ungebat etiam ambrofiâ et nectare, ungebat Vulnus: fed Parcis omnia remedia vana funt. totum which Mr. Warton obfuives the cir To the note, 5 Eleg. p. 462, in cumftance of Milton's compofing early in the morning, I beg leave to add the following paffage from Horace, B. II. Ep. 1, 1. 112: et prius orto Sole, vigil calamum et fcrinia pofco. Thefe intimations, which we discover in great writers themselves relative to their lives or their works, are always acceptable to well-directed curiosity. Milton ufes a compound epithet that might have been fuggefted to him by Spenfer : The fun-clad power of Chastity. Comus 792. Sun bright honour. Shep. Clin. Ocraber. To Mr. Warton's excellent note on "the great vifion of the guarded mount," Lycid. 161, let me add, that Spenter had introduced this, probably for the first time, into our poetry. Shep. Calend. July, where Morrel fays, In evil hour thou henft in hond Thus holy hills to blame; Sce St. Review of New Publications. 86. A Biographical Dictionary of Engravers, The fecond volume, we understand, has made its appearance a confiderable time fince; but not having reached us till very lately, we hope we fhall be excufed for the delay of our review, the continuation of which we think ourfelves bound to from the polite attention experienced from Mr. Urban. This volume is accompanied with engravings, as well as the former one. They confit of imitations of early mafters, admirably done, and fufficiently evince that Mr. Strutt is excellent as an artist, whatever he may be as an author.-Prefixed is an introductory Effay, of fix chapters, intended as a continuation of the Preliminary Effay in the first volume. Several juft remarks are interfperfed; but it abounds with repetitions, in a ftyle languid and diffufe.-Chap. IV. treats of feals and ftamps, not very obviously connected with the fubject. They are deduced, carly enough indeed, from Judah and Tamar. The author feems fo fond of bringing Scripture in, whatever be the occafion, that we cannot help fufpecting he belongs to the Methodist fociety. In mentioning the claims of the Dutch to early engraving, he obferves, "De "Heineken has carefully examined "their evidences in fupport of Laurence "Cofter." This is confounding matters strangely. L. Cofter was fuppofed to be the inventor, or at least one of the inventors, of types for printing words, but never of what is called,rily the art of engraving, or of producing reprefentations from pictures and drawings. De Heineken is guilty of no fuch inaccuracy, and has kept the two fubjects quite diftinct in his curious treatife. Of the remainder of the Dictionary we must obferve, that it is juft as defective and unfatisfactory as the former part; the fame negligence and want of information with refpect to dates and births; and though, in itself, it may be an infignificant circumftance where or when the birth or death of an artist hap. pened, yet, on the other hand, it is ra ther material, when the progrefs of the 1089 arts, when manners, allufions, and hiftorical researches, come to be in quef difcriminately flighted, there is an end tion. If dates and births are to be inof certainty, authority, or perfpicuity in history. The first article we are ftruck with is The volume begins with the letter H. John Hackaert, born 1635. Though his name might have fuggefted it, not artists, now living, of the fame name, the leaft notice is taken of the eminent and who probably are his defcendants. There were four brothers, of whom one died, not many years ago, in London. They have all, we believe, published etchings; and one brother produces yearly feveral works of this kind, that is not very excufeable. are much efteemed. Such an omillion 66 1 Letter J. Junghanns." The reader "will find a circumftantial account in "the Efay on Wood Cuts, at the beginning of this volume " Notwithftanding this affertion, no fuch name is to be found in any of thofe fix chapters, lume; which fhews how careleffly the nor in thofe either of the preceding vowork has been compiled. Letter L. Gerard Laireffe." This "artift was born at Liege in Holland." upon his geography. Our author does not pique himself much George Lambert flourished... blank. "If I mistake not, this artist was a furprifing article. Is the author but a "landscape painter." This is a most London and not fpeak with more cermere boy? or can he have lived in tainty and information about Lambert ? He has not been dead, we believe, time, almost as well known as Sir Joshua above eighteen years, and was, in his Reynolds, or any other eminent artist fcape, though he had merit, he could ever now living; not that in his line, landbe ranked with Sir Joshua in his clafs. Nicholas Lanier.... blank.... "He "was, fays Basan, in the fervice of "Charles the Firft." Here the author chufes to quote Bafan in preference to that ufeful and agreeable work, The confiderable article relative to this LaAnecdotes of Painting, where there is a nier, to which, at least, he ought to have referred. Letter M. Andrew Miller." An He was not an Irish artiit. He was born "Irish artist. He refided at Dublin." and was bred under Faber; but he in London, probably of Scotch parents, 1090 Review of New Publications. never came near his master in ability as an artist. He refided in Dublin many years, and died there near thirty years ago. His being much addicted to drinking fpirits brought on a bad habit of body, which terminated in a confumption. The print of Sowden the actor, in the character of Bajazet, has been efteemed one of his beft performances. Letter P. Le Prince.-Of this excel. lent and much-admired artist, all that we are told is, that Bafan informs us, his works were well received by the publick. So, without the ipfe dixit of Bafan, people could not poffibly be apprized of this, or judge for themselves! Richard Purcell. In our review of the first volume we obferved, this artift made ufe of various fignatures, fometimes naming himself Corbutt. Letter R. W. W. Ryland-Of this artift it is faid, "Few men in private "life ever pofleffed more amiable qualities than he did." The author coninues the panegyrick for feveral lines; mentions the artist's death; but not a hint of the calamitous manner of it. This is violating the truth of hiftory unpardonably, and to little purpofe, as the notoriety of the fact precludes all poffibility or hope of its being obliterated or concealed. Letter S. Charles Spooner. "He was, "I believe, a native of England." Certainly not. He was born in Dublin; bred under Brook, and was about 23 years old when he firft went to London. It was erroneously afferted in our remarks on vol. 1. that he went with Brook to England; we have been fince informed that he did not go till fome few years afterwards, induced by the invitations of M'Ardell. Letter V. Nicholas Verkolie. He worked in mezzotinto. Several of his pieces are here enumerated. One, not mentioned, is of a painter fitting at his catel, and fudying the figure of a naked female that ftands before him; her left leg raifed, and kneeling on the feat of a chair; a monkey under the feat is facing carneftly at fomething the girl expoles; A. Houbrake invenit; N. Verkolte fecit, no date. The print is finely executed; and, if the others are equal in merit, the artift may be deemed a first-rate in mezzotinto; yet he feems to be obfcure, and little noticed. François Vivarez. A meagre article, ithout date, or ufe ul information of kind, yet of an artist to deferving and fo recent; and the author befides affures us, that the widow is ftill living. The work finishes with letter Z.Truth compels us to fay, that, upon the whole, this Dictionary is a very ordinary performance. The omiffions of artifts are numerous. It contains no information that is not to the last degree trite and common; no discoveries to gratify curiofity, or criticifm to improve tafte; nor can it be confidered as any thing more than a catalogue of names, and even in that refpect very incomplete. We have often thought it would be an ufeful and amufing work to publish a feries of select copies from every fpecies of engraving, from the firft dawnings of the invention to the commencement of the laft century. We mean a felection of two or three of the most celebrated pieces of each artift, enough to fhew the gradual progrefs of the art, and the ideas of the times. Specimens should be chofen, not merely with a view towards the execution of the engraving, but alfo remarkable fingularity in the fubject. or curious anecdote relative to it, should be regarded, and to this neceffary explanations and hiftorical accounts to be added. Mr. Strutt appears well qualified as an artift to bear a part in fuch a work. We fay, to bear a part only, for it is abfurd to imagine that one man could adopt all the variety of manners, or copy fuccefsfully every artift. work of this kind would require a number of hands to be employed on it, and hould be conducted by perfons of no inconfiderable reading, inquiry, and tafte. Such a work would fatisfy the curiofity of many, without great expence or much trouble. It might alfo moderate the avidity of connoiffeurs ; they might then gain, before-hand, an exact idea of what they were in purfuit of, and not overftretch their expecta- tions; it might guard them againit the diftrefs of endless hoarders, who are often obferved to become weary and uneafy as much from the inconvenient bulk, as the enormous expence, of their collections. A 187. Obfervations on divers Paffages of Scripture, placing many of them in a Light altogether now; afcertaining the Meaning of feveral not determinable by the Me:bods commonly made ufe of by the Learned; propofing to Confideration probable Conjectures on others, different from what have been hitherto recom mended to the Attention of the Curious; and more amply illufirating the reft than has been * Mifcellaneous Remarks on Milton, Drayton, &c. St. Michel's Mount who does not know, but feather'd foon and fledg'd -fill-mufing Contemplation. Cant. 9, A. 12. Pope has his "ever-mufing Melancholy." Milton's cherub Contempla. tion is, I believe, the next that we find. Milton defcribes the lark as "startling the dull night," Alleg 43. He might, previously to his writing the paffage, have been ftruck with a very lively defcription of the fame fubject in the abovementioned Canto of Fletcher: The cheerful lark, mounting from early bed, Browne had been beforehand with Dr. J. Warton has obferved on Mr. T. Warton's edition of Milton's Minor Poems, p. 159, that our great Bard has coined many beautiful compound epithets. Among many that he instances, he mentions love-darting eyes: Milton, no doubt, has enriched our language 1081 with fome epithets of the kind of his Whofo beholds her sweet love-darting eyn. "bane I will lay before the reader many epithets of much merit extracted from the before-mentioned Tranflator. " "Honeyfteeped ftyle," 64; "figure-flowing pen," 124; "foule charm image," 124; Heaven-tuned harp," 124; "rofecrowned Zephyrus," 123; "foresthaunting heards," 123; "opal-colour'd morn," 121; 66 ghaftly-grim," applied to Death, 50; "bright-brown clouds," 127; "milde-eyd Mercy," 141; breath'd ferpent," 133; "many-towred creft," 128: but I have already enumerated more than perhaps are neceffary. Peck alfo had been beforehand with Dr. W. on this particular in Milton; fee pp. 117, 18, 19, of his Memoirs. But I think our divine Bard is under higher obligations to Sylvefter than for an occafional epithet. From a very exuberant defcription of Sleep, his cell, attendants, &c. the following is transcribed: In midst of all this cave fo dark and deep, On a ftill-rocking couch lies blear-ey'd Sleep. Oblivion lies hard by her drowsie brother, Confufedly about the filent bed They made no noyfe, but right resemble may |