their flanks; by these difpofitions and joint operations, without any confiderable lofs to himself, he effected an almoft incredible flaughter of his enemies. With the lofs of no more than four thousand, and these chiefly of the Spanish and Gaulish infantry, he put fifty thousand of the Romans to the fword. "The Conful, Emilius Paulus, had been wounded in the fhock of the cavalry; but when he saw the condition in which the infantry were engaged, he refused to be carried off, and was flain. The Confuls of the preceding year, with others of the fame rank, were likewife killed. Of fix thoufand horfe only feventy troopers efcaped with Varro. Of the infantry three thousand fled from the carnage that took place on the field of battle, and ten thousand who had been posted to guard the camp were taken. "The unfortunate Conful, with fuch of the ftragglers as joined him in his retreat, took poft at Venufia; and with a noble confidence in his own integrity, and in the refources of his country, put himself in a pofture to refift the enemy, till he could have in ftructions and re-inforcements from Rome.t" The effect which this and other difaftrous events produced on the fpirit of the Romans is described with great beauty. "The Romans were apprized of this formidable acceffion to the power of their enemy, as well as of the general defection of their own allies, and of the revolt of their fubjects. Though taxes were accumulated on the people, and frequent loans obtained from the commiffaries and contractors employed in the public fervice, their expences began to be ill fupplied. There appeared not, however, in their councils, notwithstanding all thefe circumftances of diftrefs, not the smalleft difpofition to purchafe fafety by mean conceffions of any fort. When the vanquished Conful returned to the city, in order to attend the nomination of a perfon who, in this extremity of their fortunes, might be charged with the care of the commonwealth, the fenate, as conscious that he had acted at Canne by their own inftructions, and had, upon the fame motives that animated the whole Roman people, difdained, with a fuperior army, to ftand in awe of his enemy, or refuse him battle upon equal ground, went out in a kind of proceffion to meet him; and, upon a noble idea, that men are not answerable for the ftrokes of fortune, nor for the effects of fuperior addrefs in an enemy, they overlooked his temerity and his mifconduct in the action; they attended only to the undaunted afpect he preferved after his defeat, returned him thanks for not having defpaired of the commonwealth‡; and from thence forward continued their preparations for war, with all the dignity and pride of the most profperous fortune. They refufed to ranfom the prifoners who had been taken by the enemy at Cannæ, and treated with fullen contempt rather than feverity thofe who by an early flight had efcaped from the field; being petitioned to employ them again in the war, "We have no fervice (they faid) for men who could leave their fellow citizens engaged with an enemy." They feemed to rife in the midft of their diftrefs, and to gain ftrength from misfortune. They prepared to attack or to refift at once in all the different quarters to which the war was likely to extend, and took their meafures for the fupport of it in Spain, in Sardinia, and Sicily, as well as in Italy. They continued their fleets at fea; not only obferved and obftructed the communications of Carthage with the seats of the war, but having intercepted part of the correfpondence of Philip with Hannibal, they fent a powerful squadron to the coaft of Epirus; and, by an alliance with the States of Etolia, whom they perfuaded to renew their late war with Philip, found that prince fufficient employment on the frontiers of his own kingdom, effectually prevented his fending any fupply to Han He has received from the poet the following honourable grave: Animæque magnæ prodigum Paulum fuperante Pano. Hor. Car. lib. i. Ode 12. † Liv. lib. xxiii. ‡ In the famous and adẹ mired expreffion, Quia de republica non defperaffet. nibal, and, in the fequel, reduced him to the humiliating neceffity of making a feparate peace. To this national energy and magnanimity, which fupported the Romans in all the extremities of their fortune, we have a friking contraft in the cha rafter of the degenerate Carthaginians, whom the moft trifling fuccefs elevated into infolence, while the flighteft reverfe of fortune funk them into the meaneft and most impotent dejection. (To be continued.) ART. VIII. Phyfical Prudence; or, the Quack's Triumph over the Faculty. Infcribed to Lord J. Cavendish. 12mo. Wilkie. AN addrefs to the quacks, which is prefixed to Phyfical Prudence, and is nearly as long as the work itfelf, contains a congratulation to the refpectable body of irregulars, whether itinerant, or ftationary, on their fuppofed triumph over the phyficians of the college, on account of Lord J. Cavendish's tax on quack medicines. The author's ftyle feems adapted to the fubject on which he writes. It is a kind of half profe, and half blank verfe mixture.. We now and then find fome ironical humour- -for no man could write thus feriously--but fuch a strange union of quackery, and ftate affairs, phyfic and taxation, is rarely to be found. The following fpeech of Prudence may give our readers fome idea of the author's language, and the panegyric in the note on the Univerfity of Edinburgh, which by the way we believe it really merits, may lead us to fufpect the country, or at least the place of education, which boafts fuch a production as the author of this pamphlet, "To err is the lot of human nature." Let not fhame fit too heavy on your hearts, neither reproach each other as the caufe of your difgrace. General good will arife from this evil, which hould be a conftant memento against prefuming too much in your undertakings to fufcitate the afflicted hopes: alfo it illuftrates the neceffity of a perfevering vigilance in the purfuit of a fcience fo promifing to the increase of felicity to the fons and daughters who inhabit the earth; whofe depravity, in after days, will open many fluices of woe to you unknown, which, but for your heir's care and tendernefs, would foon diflodge the race of mankind. Be unanimous in your endeavours to excel thofe of your fraternity; more is not required. For his purpose, continue to enjoy your refidence; but imitate Caledonia's land, for hofpitality and politenefs famed; let your walks, like their's be open to every one defirous of instruction; where strangers are freely admitted, and may remark your inftitution is founded on principles which iċdound to learning and to honour." to thofe fons of nature, do not fear them; feldom fhall their works in a fucceflive age be named: the prefent rife and growth may be buzzed abroad; but to the duft even their memory shall be foon configned.-Not fo with your race; many a name with hallowed veneration fhall be pronounced, for wif dom and for mecknefs famed, after many ages they are fled; their works as oracles fhall be reforted to, to guide the diftreffed wanderer in his way, Further remember, although you the younger brethren are, yet you fhall conftantly retain the bleffing of being preferred in confultation, in fearching doubtful cafes - an elder brother's privilege, Norfhould those fons of genius be now permitted to range unreftrain. ed, were it not to leave you a fpur to emulation, in finding out new arcana to The University of Edinburgh is on fo liberal a plan, that when the Lectures commence at term time, many perfons attend who are not students, and when the term is far advanced, even ftrangers are readily admitted. The pupils at Edinburgh feem to be peculiarly happy in the perfons of their prefent tutors, who are profeffors of different fcience, and will be long remembered with gratitude and veneration. The names of a few will justify the writer's fentiments; a CULLEN in phyte, a MONRO in Anatomy, a DALZEL in Greek, a BLACK in Chemistry, a STEWART in Mathematics, a HOPE in Botany; with feveral other eminent men, well known in the learned circle of life. Nor ought the inhabitants of this country, in general, to be forgotten in this eulogium, whose civility to travellers renders the novelty of the different scenes he paffes through, in this delightful country, extremely agreeable. plan, unlefs by art you can erect a pinnacle from whofe towering heights fa lofty, as at one glance you may view the whole orb. At prefent a free licenfe is granted to felect the different atoms difperfed thereon, in order to difcover the open and the hidden beauties of this vait voluminous field; endlefs matter, fit for contemplation's wing; which to the enquirer will as gradually rife, as hill after hill does to the traveller's fight." to diffolve thefe enchanted plagues. Their rife in the world's esteem can be only through your neglect or indifference to relieve the needy, Be expeditious to regain loft credit; exert yourselves; fend forth parties of your community, who fhall be received with open arms in diftant countries, whofe variety of taste and manners will ever fupply a fund for the ingenious mind to work on. Sufpend thofe afpiring thoughts to fathom creation's diffufive ART. IX. Peggy and Patty; or, the Sifters of Afdale. 4 vols. fmall 8vo. Dodfley. THE ftory exhibited in these small of his travels to be fent after him, he volumes is briefly as follows:-Peggy afcends the identical vehicle that is and Patty Summers, the two eldeft occupied only by the unfortunate fifters. daughters of a poor Cumberland curate, This dexterous purveyor, ftruck with afhamed to be longer a charge on their the beauty of our fair Cumbrians, infather's fcanty pittance of thirty pounds ftantly marks them out for the prey of a year, and animated with the laudable his right honourable feeder. defire of contributing to the fupport of a numerous younger family from the earnings of their honeft induftry, prevail on their parents to write in their behalf to a London coufin, who kindly undertakes to procure them fome creditable fervice among her acquaintance, and to receive them into her own houfe till they can be provided for. Elated with a profpect fo confonant to their wishes, they are conducted to Carlisle by a female friend, under the care of whofe daughter, a married lady, they are to travel in the ftage to London. A fudden illnefs puts a top to her journey, while they, having already taken and paid for their places, are obliged to proceed unprotected.Hence all their fubfequent misfortunes -Mr. Jackall, who having spent his fortune but retained his vices, purfues the means of their gratification by administering to the profligacy of others, under the nominal title of Captain, had been at the York races, in the way of his vocation; and had thence taken a tour into the Northern countries, on business of no lefs importance than recruiting the kennel, the ftud, and the feraglio of Lord Racket. But fortune not feeming to fmile on his labours, and his mare flipping her fhoulder a few miles from Carlifle, he refolves to take a feat in the firft London ftage. Accordingly, leaving the lame companion From the first inn, he writes to his employer, that he has met with two of the finest girls in the world, from whofe youth and innocence he has conceived the moft fanguine hopes; not forgetting to inform him of his having previously bought three very promifing young bitches, and a poney of refpectable pedigree. By practicing on their fimplicity, he informs himself of their family circumftances and connections, and of the purport of their prefent journey; and gets them entirely into his power, by pretending to be their brother just returned from India, who had been fent abroad too early to be remembered by them. Overjoyed at this providential meeting, they are by him conveyed to London, and depofited in the house of a Mrs. H. an eminent dealer in female frailty, who perfonates their coufin Mrs. Bennet. From this repofitory of confirmed proftitution and devoted innocence, they advertise their parents of their fafe arrival, of their kind reception by the fuppofed Mrs. Bennet and her amiable daughters, of the elegant ftyle in which they lived, of their goodness, affability, and condefcenfion, and of their own hopes of being speedily fettled agreeably to their wishes; the infamous Jackall taking care to fupprefs whatever concerned their meeting with him, or might lead to a difcovery of their real fituation. This dream of happiness happinefs they are permitted to enjoy for fome days, till the arrival of Lord Racket, for whofe appetite they were deftined, when, in the words of our author," by the aid of the moft hellish potions and brutal force, thefe poor innocents became the miferable victims of the worst paffions of the vileft libertines." During the delirium into which they are thrown, by the fenfe of the outrage they have fuftained, the difcreet Mrs. H. fearing they will lay violent hands on themselves, and pioufly declaring, that in her poor houfe no fuch doings fhall be countenanced, they are removed to private lodgings, in a houfe occupied by Mrs. Williams, a caft-off miftrefs of Lord Racket's, who condefcends to provide for thofe pleasures which fhe is no longer permitted to fhare. Under the management of this woman, fpecious and artful, their health and tranquility are gradually restored; by compaflionate affiduity and well diffembled tenderness she infinuates herself into their affections and confidence, and exerts all her profeffional addrefs to foften their virtue, inflame their paffions, and roufe in their breafts the latent fparks of vanity. Under the mafk of his affumed character, their misfortune not having detected the villainous impofition, Jackall introduces Lord Racket to their acquaintance, whofe violence on their perfons had been perpetrated in difguife, as his own efpecial friend, and their father's benefactor. Hitherto, their minds were pure, and their hearts were innocent. Their gratitude, their filial piety, and that paffion which is criminal only when it tranfgreffes bound or mistakes its object, were all excited to their deftruction. They are carried to a country feat of Lord Racket's, with a party felected for the purpofe, where, by the ufual arts of feduction, they become the willing partners of that guilt, whofe victims they had been before; and are taken feverally into keeping by Lord Racket and Sir Harry Ranger. Whilft the daughters figure in this elevated style of impurity, the unhappy parents are apprized of their own misfortune and their children's ruin by the real Mrs. Bennet, whofe enquiries had difcovered their fhame, with many apparently aggravating circumstances. Overwhelmed by the fhocking tidings, the wretched mother falls into a ftate of torpid infenfibility, from which she never recovered but to invoke the names of her daughters, during the fhort interval of recollection that fometimes precedes diffolution. The father, finking from diftraction to refolute defpair, with only feven fhillings in his pocket, his whole ftock, fets out on foot for London, to fearch in perfon for his fallen children, and confront the authors of their ruin. Fainting with hunger and fatigue, he arrives at Mrs. Bennet's, and in compliance with his earnest remonftrances is conducted to Lord Racket's, who adds contumely to his other injuries Exhaufted nature yields to the accumulated preffure of affliction and infult, and that fame night he breathes the last figh of a broken heart. Mean time the infatuated fifters, enjoying their fplendid infamy, and ignorant that their defection from virtue had precipitated their parents into the grave, advance by rapid gradations to that ftage of irretrievable perdition, to which the firft voluntary act of unchastity most frequently conduces.Being deferted by Lord Racket and Sir Harry, and meanly ftripped of all the gifts of their first intemperate fondness, they experience a variety of fucceffive keepers, now rioting in improvident affluence, now deftitute of common neceffaries. They are finally compelled to receive the addreffes of every libertine, and to follicit in the ftreets the fimple and the unwary, till disease, the inevitable fcourge of cafual proftitution, reduces them to the laft extremity of nakednefs and want. Affliction awakens remorfe, and a defire of quitting their now detefted way of life. and deftitute, they wander from London about the neighbouring villages, and apply for relief, in the most touching manner, to Emma Harvey, now Mrs. Branville, who had been the playfellow of their infancy, and the companion and friend of their youth. Retrained by a rash promife, extorted by her father, and overawed by the menaces Forlorn of a captious hufband, fhe is obliged to fupprefs the workings of her compaffion, and to reject their prayer with feeming fcorn. Repulfed in their return to virtue, and pierced by their friend's feverity, they return to town, and their former courfe of life, till worn out with cold, hunger, watching, and disease, they expire in each others arms, in wretchednefs that none will alleviate, and mifery that none will pity. Happy only in their mutual affectian, and that being ignorant of the fate of their parents they never felt the pangs of parricide. To this is tacked, not interwoven with it, the History of Emma Harvey and Lucy Weller, who fall in love and are married, as is ufual with young ladies in novels. The former indeed meets with fome croffes; for fhe is forced by her parents to marry Mr. Branville, who proves to be the uncle of her lover, and this, when the old gentleman, by a filly exit, has removed all other obftacles, forbids all thoughts of their union. To untie this knot, the hackneyed and inartificial expedient of the lover's having been changed at nurfe is employed; he proves to be the fon and heir of Sir Charles Richmond: and every thing concludes as the novel reader will readily conceive. was warmly expreffive than coldly correct. To be affecting it aims at being fimple, but we must warn the fair author, that fimplicity confifts not in low expreffions, or childish prattle; and that correctnefs and warmth of expreffion, for which latter fhe feems often to mistake an immoderate and injudicious ufe of fu perlatives, are ftrictly compatible. A letter of Mifs Weller's tempted us to believe, that, inftead of a lady, one of the half male, half female creatures, who meafure lace and ribband behind a haberdasher's counter, the writer. Her playfulness is vulgar, and her archnefs coarfe. Mrs. Branville's regard for an extorted promife, when she had it in her power to rescue her once loved friends from infamy and ruin, was a childish fcruple: what duty fhe owed to the commands of her hufband we will not take upon us to decide. The exclamation "My ftars!" is certainly not a polite one, and even Mother H. for the name of a procuress, we think in the fame predicament. That it is a firft performance, we are convinced, from the many aukward modes of expreffion, and the many grammatical improprieties, of which we have felected the following:-"Are you both the eldest of the family?-The grafs walks are already began mowing. In examining the production of a Whom it is impoffible the could ever female pen, as the work before us avow- paffionately love with an excess of affec edly is, we defire to lay afide all afpe- tion-final fequel-O Peggy!-Patty! rity, and all petulance of criticifm; my dear-dear fifters, I am thy brother and as we wish not to quench the fmok-fort of fentences. I fhall be made ing flax, and think we can difcover in to marry him." To warn the young, it fome fcintillations of genius, which the unprotected, inexperienced part study and experience may blow into of the female world against the fatal flame, we have bestowed upon it a effects of a too eafy belief is an intenmore patient perufal, and a more mi- tion deferving praife and encouragenute abridgement than the work itself ment, to which we heartily with all may feem to merit. Truth, however, poffible fuccefs. If the author fhould and our duty to the public, oblige us be again induced to take up her pen, to remark, that the materials which as the evil habit of writing is of all compofe it are neither rare nor pre- evil habits the most inveterate, we beg cious. A country curate and his fa- leave to advife her to make herfelf mily, a profligate lord, a bawd, and a miftrefs of the irregular verbs, of which led captain, are characters, in which he has not conjugated one properly little novelty can be expected. Nor in the prefent work; to diftinguish the is the texture fuperior to the materials. active verbs fet and lay, from the neuter The ftyle profeffes to be affecting rather verbs fit and lie; and to avoid repeatthan pompous; the fentiments rather ing the fame thing in different letters. - ART. |