THEATRICAL JOURNAL.

225

Thompson, General Conway, Captain Luttrell, Col. Jones, Capt. Phipps; Dutchefs Dowager of Leinfter, Lady Aylefbury, Marquionefs of Stafford, Dutchefles of Argyle and Ancafter, &c. &c.

A morning paper celebrated for having given the Rolliad, and other well-known political pieces to the Public, prefented their readers in the morning with the following jeu d'espérit, which we deem not unworthy of prefervation.

OCCASIONAL PROLOGUE,

To be ſpoken this evening, before their MAJESTIES, by the Manager.
Written by a FRIEND.

WHAT though the Commons, in a tefty fit,
To thwart my projects diſagreed with PITT,
And bade this fav'rite all his favor fee
Loft in the hatred which prevail'd for me;
Tho' booby 'Squires in hoſtile phalanx form'd,
Urg'd on by BASTARD, my entrenchments
ſtorm'd;

While figures, ſuch as 'Squires not often reach,
Danc'd in Conſuſion through their Leader's
ſpeech;

Though LANSDOWN cenſur'd, when from
pow'r remov'd,

The plan which LANSDOWN had, in pow'r,
approv'd;

Though Fox ſorg what he to kindred ow'd,
And laſt'd the hobby-borſe an Uncle rode;

Though data drawn with Jefuits' crafty lore,
Expos'd by SHERIDAN, could cheat no more:

Though CORNWALL, loth to fight against a
ſtream,

Dam'n'd with his negative my darling ſcheme;
Yet truſt me, Friends, renew'd in diſtant
climes,

That darling ſcheme but waits for happier
times,

When Britain's ſhores, encompaſs'd round
about

With breaſt-work, baſtion, rav'lin, and re-
doubt,

No more ſhall smile on the ſurrounding flood,
Or truſt their safety to her walls of wood :

Mean-while with inoffenſive buildings, here,
In my own houſe, I play the Engineer;

And, doom'd to curb my fortifying rage,
Confine my talents to this narrow ſtage.

Yet why repine? —our own immortal Bard

The world has aptly to a ſtage compar'd,
Where all adopt the Aſtor's mimic arts,

And, one man in his time plays many parts.

In this myſelf may prove the emblem juſt,

" Can none remember? Yes! I'm ſure all
muſt, —

" When Oppoſition, like a raging ſtorm,

" In my barlangues affum'd her bit'treſt
form, —

VOL. XIII.

" When pale DUNDAS foreboded NORTH'S
defeat,

" And SACKVILLE trembled on the Treas'-
ry feat—

" When PITTS and GRENVILLES join'd the
conq'ror's car,

" And SHELBURNE's Hefians ſhar'd the
ſpoils of war

" When TOMMY TOWNSHEND in our ranks
look'd big,

" And I myſelf appear'd—a flaming Whig."

Irreverend once, unaw'd by regal pow'r,
When ſpleen had turn'd my milky temper
four,

I dar'd to treat with loofe unhallow'd mirth,
The ſacred day which gave our Sov'reign
birth;

Bleſt day! —which never for a ſong ſhall lack

While Maudlin Mufes love the taſte of ſack;

Whoſe praeſe ſhall live in many a Laureat lay,
In ſpite of all ill-manner'd proſe may ſay.

More loyal grown, more loyal ſtrains we ſing,

" There is a play to-night before the King,"

Where he who late affum'd theſe fauſy airs,

Is proud to light him up and down the ſtairs.

O happy change! —as finners cleans'd in
Heav'n,

Repentant patriots are at Court forgiſ'n;

Who ſee their folly, and no more withſtand,

Reveal'd by HAWKESBURY, the King's com-
mand—

Regen'rate now, who, tho' in error born,

Had him their Leader, who was once his
ſcorn;

Far happier ſure, ſince ſitting by his ſide,

They truſt their conduſt to ſo ſure a guide;

Still happier could they, but to veil their
ſhame.

Conceal—that JENKINSON was once his name.

One ſerious grievance let me now reveal—

I find theſe buildings coſt a dev'lifh deal;

And hence have late conceiv'd a ſhrew'd de-
vice

T' enjoy my paſttime and elude the price.—
A corps complete, of twice three hundred
men,

All well-grown carpenters of ſive foot ten,

At my command, ſix days ſhall work their
fill,

And reſt the ſeventh—to attend the drill.—

To this, ſo vaſt their confidence in PITT,

The ſoften'd Commons will, I truſt, ſubmit; —

So ſhall theſe Dupes their dup'd conſtituents
rob,

And Weſtern wife-acres promote the job !

Now farewell all; —for eyes and ears at least,

This night your Manager provides a ſeaſt—

But mark me well, Economy's the plan;

The frugal ſeaſt muſt end as it began ; —

And ſo, good friends, good night! —we all
fup—where we can! —

Gg

Th²

226

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

The first performance of the Jealous Wife, was on the 11th inst.—The characters were distributed as follows:

Mr. Oakley, Lord Derby.
Lord Trinket, Lord H. Fitzgerald.
Charles, Mr. Fitzgerald.
Sir H. Beagle, Mr. Goodenough.
Major Oakley, Col. Fury.
Ruffet, Capt. Merry.
Capt. O'Cutter, Major Arabin.
Mrs. Oakley, The Hon. Mrs. Hobart.
Harriet, Mrs. Hamilton.

This comedy was got up at the desire of Mrs. Hobart, who drew the character of Mrs. Oakley in a style of superior life, and with a nice discrimination.

After the conclusion of the play, Mrs. Hobart spoke the following

### EPILOGUE,

Written by MILES PETER ANDREWS,
Esq.

GREAT things, they say, may be compar'd with small; [VAST HALL! This little stage with WESTMINSTER'S Where high-born culprits, if they've acted ill, Must dread that Judgment, which they honour fit, [blame, Where, if the part performed stands free from Impartial Justice will secure their fame. And many a peer may think, when station'd there,
His time must pass as pleasantly elsewhere. Our fable allow'd, nor frown'd upon, We'll strive to carry the allusion on :— The Culprit I, here take my humble stand, Tried, by the gallant Nobles of the land;

DUKES, LORDS, and COMMONS, charm the wond'ring fight, With Peerefles, not here in their own right; Still as the flow'r-wreath'd Belles adorn our rows, Some trifling change distinguishes our beaux; Our Lords fit here unrob'd, but fix'd and rooted, And our good Commons, powder'd and unbooted. The Court-Room's neat, nor decorated ill; Our Board of Works have here display'd their skill; [beauty, And while our Benches haift such fenfe and Sure, the GREAT CHAMBERLAIN hath done his duty. [Say, " Like you, our Manager's arrangements?" " Did they speak well? has this been a good day?" " Did you prefer the Opening, or the Close?" " Were you attentive all, or did you doze?" " Can you now relish the plain words we bring, " NORAM JAM ROW, nor GOBA BOBA SING?" But to myself—whilet an awful round you fit, Judges of tafte, and arbiters of wit; If in Life's borrow'd scenes, with thanklefs art, And weak effay, I've poorly play'd my part, Think, human effort, howfoe'er applied, Wants the kind bias, and the favouring fide; But fhou'd fome little talent grace our toil, Provoke the applaufe, and raiſe the genuine smile, Then if my ſportive talk, and mimic pow'r, Have help'd to while away the leſſening hour, Spare the poor Culprit—be not hard upon her, But rife and ſay—" NOT GUILTY, on my Honour!"

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FORMAL DECLARATION OF WAR.
VIENNA.

An exact Copy of the Declaration of War against the Porte, as delivered at Vienna to the Foreign Ambassadors.

ALL Europe have been wittens to the good faith with which the Court of his Imperial Majefty has for many years cultivated peace with the Otoman empire; the fincere dispositions it has manifeited on every occasion to preferve their good neighbourhood; its disinterested and indefatigable endeavours to avoid any interruption of their mutual harmony, and its readineſs to lend every office of mediation, to prevent any rupture between the Porte and the neighbouring Courts.

These pacific intentions were lately difplayed in the differences which arose between the Porte and the Empreſs of all the Ruffias, when the Emperor, uniting his endeavours with thofe of his ally the King of France, omitted nothing which was likely to effect an amicable adjustment of their

disputes. And whereas the grievances and demands of the Court of Ruffia did not exceed a requifition for the juſt execution of the exſiving treaty between them and the Porte; and whereas the former Court ſhewed the moſt favourable diſposition to accommodate the differences, his Imperial Majefty was not without hopes that his endeavours, joined to thofe of the Court of Verfaillles, would fucceed in preventing a rupture, and the calamitous conſequences that muſt inevitably attend it.

But the Porte ſoon ſhewed the inefficacy of this attempt in the united Courts, and flutting their eyes against their falutary advice, and preſing exhortations, had the injustice to reſufe the Ruffian Envoy the neceſſary delay for a courier to return with fresh inſtructions from Peterburgh, and required him to ſign a formal deed, revoking, and declaring void, the Treaty of Commerce concluded between the Porte and Ruffia, as well as every stipulation reſpecting the Cri-

124

FOR JUNE 1792.

while I feed them, I employ them, some
in spinning, others in making bricks, &c.
for building, the value of my corn will
be arrefted, and remain with me; and at
the end of the year we may all be better
clothed and better lodged. And if in-
stead of employing a man I feed in
making bricks, I employ him in fiddling
for me, the corn he eats is gone, and no part
of his manufacture remains to augment
the wealth and convenience of the family;
I shall therefore be the poorer for this
fiddling man, unlefs the reft of my fami-
ly work more, or eat lefs, to make up the
deficiency he occasions.

Look round the world, and fee the mil-
lions employed in doing nothing, or in
fomething that amounts to nothing, when
the neceffaries and conveniences of life
are in question. What is the bulk of
commerce, for which we fight and deftroy
each other, but the toil of millions for
fuperfluities, to the great hazard and lofs
of many lives by the confant dangers of
the fea? How much labour is ſpent in
building and fitting great ſhips to go to
China and Arabia for tea and coffee, to
the Welt Indies for fugar, to America
for tobacco? Thefe things cannot be
called the neceffaries of life, for our an-
cellors lived very comfortably without
them.

A queſtion may be aſked, Could all
thefe people now employed in raſing,
making, or carrying ſuperfluities, be
ſubſtited by raſing neceſſaries? I think
they might. The world is large, and a
great part of it is ſtill uncultivated. Many
hundred millions of acres in Africa, Afri-

ca, and America, are ſtill a foreſt, and
a great deal even in Europe. On a hun-
dred acres of this foreſt a man might be-
come a ſubſtantial farmer: and 100,000
men employed in clearing each his
hundred acres, would hardly brighten a
ſpot big enough to be viſible from the
moon, unleſs with Herschell's teleſcope:
ſo vaſt are the regions ſtill in wood.

It is, however, ſome comfort to reſſeſ,
that upon the whole, the quantity of in-
duſtry and prudence among mankind ex-
ceeds the quantity of idlenefs and folly.
Hence the increafe of good buildings,
farms cultivated, and populous cities ſ filled
with wealth, all over Europe; which a
few ages ſince were only to be found on
the coaſts of the Mediterranean; and this,
notwithstanding the mad wars continually
raging, by which are often deſtroyed
in one year the works of many years
peace. So that we may hope the luxury
of a few merchants on the coaſt will not
be the ruin of America.

One reflection more, and I will end
this long rambling letter. Almoſt all the
parts of our bodies require ſome expence.
The ſeet demand ſhoes; the legs ſtock-
ings; the reſt of the body clothing; and
the belly a good deal of viſuals. Our
eyes, though exceedingly useful, aſk,
when reaſonable, only the cheap affiſtance
of ſpectacles, which could not much im-
pair our finances. But the eyes of other
people are the eyes that ruin us. If all
but myſelf were blind, I ſhould want
neither fine clothes, fine houſes, nor fine
furniture.

To the EDITOR of the EUROPEAN MAGAZINE.

SIR,

A WRITER in the GENTLEMAN'S
MAGAZINE of laſt month having
thought proper to call in queſtion the au-
thenticity of a letter inferted ſome time ago
in your Magazine, from the Hon. HO-
RACE WALPOLE to THOMAS CHAT-
TERTON of Britol, I think it incumbent
upon me to tranſmit you an atteſted copy
of the above letter, as the belt anſwer to any
doubts or denials which may be entertained
about it. I have only to add, that besides
the Notary Publ c's atteſtation, this letter
agrees very exacfly with other letters of
Mr. Walpole's hand-writing--and that
from its alliptions, both to the two letters
from Chatterton to which it is an anſwer,
and from the text and notes accompanying
VOL. XXI.

them, it is utterly impoſſible but that it
ſhould be genuine.

The fate of this curious controverſy has
indeed been very hard. Fashions, ſome-
how or other, ſeems to have influenced it
more than conviction--and the authority
of a name or two of note in oppofition to
the authenticity of the poems, &c. has
been ſubſtituted instead of fair enquiry and
candid inſtigation.

In the preſent inſtance it appears, that
ſo far back as the year 1769, Thomas
Chatterton applied to the Hon. Horace
Walpole for his protection and patronage
of the very curious ſpecimens of ancient
Engliſh poetry, &c. the whole of which
he then tendered to him (Mr. W.). To
theſe

FOR JUNE 1792.

and instruction which genius and diligence
have provided for the world, men of re-
fined and fenible tempers are ready to
pay their tribute of praise, and even to
form a pothumous friendship with the
Author.

" In reviewing the life of such a writer, there is, besides, a rule of justice to which the public have an undoubted claim. Fond admiration and partial friendship should not be suffered to represent his virtues with exaggeration; nor should malice be allowed, under a specious diffeisme, to magnify mere defects, the usual failings of human nature, into vice or grofs deformity. The lights and shades of the character should be given; and if this be done with a strict regard to truth, a just estimate of Dr. Johnfon will afford a leffon, perhaps as valuable as the moral doctrine that speaks with energy in every page of his works.

" The preface writer enjoyed the conversion and friendship of that excellent man more than thirty years. He thought it an honour to be so connected, and to this hour he reflects on his lofs with regret; but regret, he knows, has secret bribes, by which the judgment may be influenced, and partial affection may be carried beyond the bounds of truth. In the preface cafe, however, nothing needs to be diftinguished, and exaggerated praise is unneceffary. It is an observation of the younger Pliny, in his Epistle to his friend Tacitus, that history ought never to magnify matters of fact, because worthy actions require nothing but the truth—Nam nec historia debet egredi veritatem, et honeste factis veritas sufficient. This rule the preface biographer promifes shall guide his pen throughout the following narrative."

The rule thus laid down Mr. Murphy
has followed with a very commendable
degree of attention. To be very minute,
the limits of his undertaking would not
admit. We are therefore to expect only
a general view of Dr. Johnfon and his
writings, taken from those Authors who
have already written concerning them, with
fuch observations as Mr. Murphy is well
able to interperle for the placing this re-
fpectable Author's character on its proper
basis. Except the account of Dr. John-
fon's arreft, and Richardson's parfimo-
nious relief of him at that juncture, we
have not observed any faets of importance
introduced not already known.

In a work of this nature, appended

to the productions of a man so uni-
verfally read as that of Dr. Johnfon
are likely to be, it is to be wifhed that
fome inaccuracies here to be found had
been avoided. As we conceive it will be
frequently reprinted, we shall point out a
few which have occurred to us for Mr.
Murphy's future consideration.

P. 52. Mr. Murphy says, that "Irene"
was performed thirteen nights. In this he
is miftaken. By a feries of the play bills
now before us, we are enabled to fay with
certainty that "Irene" was only acted
nine nights. It is remarkable, that moft
of the new Tragedies which Mr. Garrick
produced, he never acted in after the ninth
night, as "Boadicea," "Virginia,"
"Agis," "Siege of Aquileia," "The
Orphan of China," "Creusa," "El-
vira," and, we believe, "The Gamefter."

P. 72. " In 1755 Garrick gave her a benefit play." For 1755, read 1756. It was 22d January in that year. The play "Merope."

P. 78. From the manner in which
Lexiphanes is mentioned, the reader might
be led to fuppoſe that it was publifhed
immediately after Johnfon's Dictionarie,
and to refer Solely to that work: but
neither of theſe circumftances is the fact.
Lexiphanes did not appear until 1767,
twelve years after the Dictionarie, and it
has but a flight reference to that work.

P. 88. for VISITOR, read UNIVERSAL
VISITOR.

P. 98. For October 1765, read Au-
gust 1765.

P. 99. Q. Is Dr. Delap rector of
Lewes ? We imagine it is fome other
place in Suffeex.

Theſe, however, are but unimportant
particulars, compared to the variations be-
tween Mr. Murphy and Mr. Bofwell's
account of the fame tranſaction related in
p. 106, in which it would be uncandid
in the highſt degree to fuppoſe the latter
gentleman, who appears to be in the ha-
bit of minuting down occurrences at the
time they take place, could be miftaken.
The ſtory of Dr. Rofe, p. 94. is alſo con-
tradiſted by Mr. Bofwell on Dr. John-
fon's own information.

Notwithstanding theſe objections, we
approve on the whole of Mr. Murphy's
Effay, which difcovers a liberal ſpirit of
candour and moderation very honour-
able to its Author, and of intelligence
very favourable to the character of Dr.
Johnfon, his friend.

Kkk2

Survey

THE LONDON REVIEW,

Survey of the Ruffian Empire, according to its present newly-regulated States divided into different Governments:—shewing their Situation and Boundaries, in Capital and District Towns of each Government; Manners and Religion of the various Nations that compote that extenfive Empire; Seas, Lakes, and Rivers Climates, Commerce, Agriculture, and Manufactures; Population and Revenues Mountains, Minerals, Metals, and other Natural Productions. The whole illustrated by a correct Map of Ruffia, and an Engraving, exhibiting the Arms and Uniforms of the several Governments of that Empire. By Captain Sergey Pletcheef. Translated from the Third Edition of the Ruffian published at St. Petersburg, by James Smirnove, &c. with confiderable Additions. 8vo. 6s. Debrett.

FROM so copious a title-page, the readers must naturally expect to find a considerable fund of information, much novelty, and no small entertainment, and it is with concern we are obliged to affect, that they will be rather disappointed. A dry geographical and minute topographical description takes up more than two-thirds of the volume, and great part of the remainder is devoted to extensive pages of contents, and a general index.

The utility of this performance in its English drefs must be very limited indeed for few, except military men of high rank, can have the opportunity of deriving any benefit from it; and as for the common traveller through any part of this imenef empire, the chief information he will receive will be the names of the district towns in each government, and the distances in Ruffian veriffs from one place to another.

But there is a political view in this publication, which, inafmuch as it is political, is highly laudable in Mr. Smirnove: it is to give the English nation a clear idea of the potency of this modern empire, its growing importance, and the value of being upon friendly terms with its sovereign.

Another oftenfible reafon, however, is likewife given in a scanty preface, of the validity of which we leave our readers to form their own judgment.

"My motive," says Mr. Smirnove, "for translating it was at fitft of a private nature. Having examined some books upon Ruffia in the English language, and finding none fit to put into the hands of my own young family, I undertook this translation with that view." We confefs ourselves much at a lots to know what books these were.

Mr. Smirnove having refided many years in London, firft, in his early youth as an affiant to the Rev. Mr. Zambortki, who was recalled, and promoted to a Bifhoptic, and ſince as Chaplain of the Legation of her Imperial Majefty to the Court of Great Britain—(fo fays the adſition to his name in the title-page of this

work)—muſt have perſu'd, as he is converted in our language, and a great reader, ſeveral publications communicating very ample and important information reſpecting the government, religion, laws, manners, cultoms, and revenues of the Ruffian empire; we, therefore, feel a generous concern for his condemnation of them as unfit to be put into the hands of his young family. We have been excited by this reflection upon ſo important a part of British literature, geography, and hiftory, to look into Coxe's Travels into Poland, Ruffia, &c. published ſo late as 1787; Tooke's Hiftorical Account of the Nations which compoſe the Ruffian Empire; and Guthrie's Geographical, Hiftorical, and Commercial Grammar, from each of which works we could collect more uſeful and interesting accounts of the Ruffian Empire, independent of the long lifts of names of places and their distances, their arms, and uniforms, than are to be met with in Mr. Smirnove's translation from his countryman Captain Pletcheef.

But will we be not the leſs difpoſed to acknowledge the merits of the Ruffian Author, and ſhall, therefore, ſtate them in a fair and candid point of view; and at the fame time recommend it to the perufal of Stateſmen, Ambafiaſors, Conſuls, Officers of the Army and Navy, and travellers of the deſcription juſt mentioned, who may intend to viſit any part of the extenſive Ruffian dominions.

In the firſt place, a map of the Empire is prefixed to the work, which having been drawn from an actual ſurvey made by order of the Imperial Court, according to its lateſt divifions, is certainly preferable to any other extant; it is likewife exceedingly well executed by the engraver.

The following account of the dimensions and extent of the Empire, there can be no reaſon to doubt, is more correct and authentic, becauſe more recent, and ſupplied by ſuch "proofs and evidence as it was not in the power of any British general or traveller to obtain."

“Pletcheef.”