A cubic inch of air can dilate itself through the prodigious sphere of Saturn's orbit. Man would approximate by illimitable advances to that perfection which the gospel exhorts him to attain. The kingdoms of the world would become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.' Pains and penalties, imprisonments and murders, the diabolical implements of corrupt unregenerated men! would be superseded by gentleness and philanthropy, persuasion, mutual forbearance, universal love. Tyranny, with all her lictors, a foul and sanguinary train! would be confounded and consumed by the brightness of the divine presence, and their memorial blotted out for ever. 'From the rising of the sun to the going down thereof, incense would be offered to the name of JESUS, and a pure offering.' Phosphore! redde diem! Quid gaudia nostra moraris? In such animated strains did our friend address himself, to ears, alas! "deaf to the voice of the charmer"-thus "" rapt into future times"-was he willing, in the contemplation of felicity, to be enjoyed by those whom he b Letter to Sir John Scott, with MSS. additions, &c. could never know, to forget the afflictions which his enemies were now preparing for himself and his beloved family. To return to the order of Mr. Wakefield's publications. In the summer of 1794, while passing a few days in the country, he wrote "Remarks on the General Orders of the Duke of York to his Army." About this time the National Convention of France, at the instance of Barrere, and under the influence of Robespierre, had made a decree, (which, however, appears never to have been obeyed)," that their soldiers should give no quarters to the British or Hanoverian troops.' This sanguinary measure they pretended to justify by imputing to Mr. Pitt's administration a design, in connexion with some persons in Paris, to assassinate the more zealous members of the National Convention. Such a charge, however the violent language sometimes adopted by that administration, might render it plau "The sanguinary proposal of Barrere was never, as far as we have been able to inform ourselves, complied with in a single instance: on the contrary, on many occasions, the French officers and soldiers behaved with singular humanity and liberality to their British opponents.” sible, was never substantiated by any satisfactory proof. It must therefore be justly classed among those calumnies which are so often circulated by hostile governments. The publication of this decree of the Convention was immediately followed by the "General Orders," which Mr. Wakefield examined in a few pages of Remarks. This pamphlet, which was soon out of print, appears to have been a hasty production, executed while the author's mind was strongly impressed with an idea by no means peculiar to himself, that " a speculative condemnation of cruelties is but an equivocal evidence of a disposition truly compassionate and humane." In very strong terms he expresses his horror at the sanguinary scenes that were then too often exhibited in France. In language scarcely less forcible,he attributes to the unhappy interference of this country, the extent and aggravation of those disorders. f The same uncourtly opinion has been not unfrequently avowed by many other great f" I should abhor myself as a character completely brutalised, if I did not contemplate with feelings undefinable by language, those executions, and particularly of the females, which have stained the scaffolds of France." "Remarks," p. 11. and good men. Whether their judgment be accurate or erroneous we will not venture to discuss. We rather turn from scenes of guilt and misery, which the humane of every party must deplore, to those delightful walks of taste and fancy which our friend so often trod with willing feet. CHAP. III. Editions of Horace-Virgil-Greek Tragedies-Projected Edition of Pope's Works-Observations on Pope-Poetical Translations-Bion and Moschus-Hackney Club. 1794, 1795. To publish editions of the principal authors of antiquity, had always been a favourite project with Mr. Wakefield. The little encouragement which works of this nature generally receive, and the great expence with which they are inevitably attended, deterred him, on many occasions, from indulging his inclination. Yet few scholars have ever formed a more extensive and valuable collection of materials for the execution of an office, not less arduous than important. Early in 1794 he was engaged to superintend an edition of Horace, in two volumes 12mo. which the publisher was anxious to have distinguished not less by its correctness, than its beauty. The design of such an edition was incompatible with the introduction of any con |