The rules of this fpecies of compofition are justly conceived, and happily expreffed, by Mr. Robinson. Paftoral romance ftands in the fame degree of affinity to the fimple eclogue, as epic poetry does to dramatic dialogue. Each fhould diftinctly form one complete whole. However interfperfed with epifodes, or chequered with ornaments, ftill there should be held out one principal and main object throughout the work. The extent of the fubject is of no confideration in this rule; that Nature herself feems to point out to us; for tragedy has its aim as well as epopee; and while a fhepherd chants over his reed, there may be as much pre-conceived purport in his fong, as if it made up a story of fome volumes. The fame rules, then, with regard to unity of time, place, and action, which are applicable to the drama and epopee, hold good in refpect of paftoral romance. The fcene alone conftitutes the difference; but this gives rife to variety of imagery; and hence, like verficoloured flowers, blowing from the fame ftem, epopee and pastoral romance fhoot from the intricacy of fituations in which a great and good character is placed. However, as paftoral romance reaches not the dignity of epopee, fome allowances must be made relative to the unities. A hero is generally given one year to complete the godlike work he has undertaken in an epic ftory. The drama, overawed by probability, gives but a few hours, ftrictly speaking; but paftoral romance, participating of the nature of both, without the importance of either, may widen or contract the circle of duration, as the concomitant circumstances flow more or less from the advenures of unbounded fancy, or the still scenery of domestic life. Romance, in its own nature, feems to carry with it the idea of heroic biography: but when the epithet paftoral is joined to it, it leffens diftance, fetters time, clips the wings of fancy, and gives up the reins to the more uniform walk of Nature. If Abel, Thirza, Mehala, and Cain, were not fhepherds and fhepherdeffes, the death of one brother by another, the first murderer, and the firft blood the earth e'er drank, might have fprung forth into the fields of fancy, bloffomed into adventures of the deepest dye, and pompously increased in duration of time, and expanfion of place. • Paftoral romance, then, with regard to unity of time, stands betwixt epopee and the drama, neither fo unbounded as the last, nor fo diffufe as the former. The unity of place is determined by the name itself. The fcenery mult be rural; and, as the cares, concerns, and undertakings of fwains feldom spread beyond the umbrage of their own groves, or the banks of their own rivulets, fo the whole of a pastoral event may be crowned within the limits of one manor, or even one village. The fubject itself, by giving greater fcope to fancy, requires lefs of place; for a fairy or dryad can do more within the magic ring of a hillock, or the facred bark of an old oak, than heroes on wide extending plains, or the boundless ocean.' The The fecond volume confifts of characteristic tales; in which the character and manners of the Germans, the Spaniards, the Portugueze, the French, and the Perfians, are reprefented in a variety of adventures, and delineated with propriety and elegance. The following extract from the German tale will give a fpecimen of the Chevalier de Florian's manner, and of his talent for description. One evening, having paffed the day in reaping, the good old Peter, Therefa, and his family, feated on the turf, were indulging themselves at their own door. They were loft in contemplation of those sweet fummer nights, that the inhabitants of cities never know. "Observe," said the old man," how that beautiful sky is befprinkled with ftars, fome of which, falling from the heavens, leave behind them a long train of fire. The moon, hid behind these poplars, gives us a pale and trembling light, which tinges every object with an uniform and foft fplendour. The breeze is hushed; the tree feems to respect the fleep of its feathered inhabitant. The linnet and the thrush fleep with their heads beneath their wings. The ring-dove and her mate repofe amidst their young, which have yet no other covering, or feathers, than thofe of their mother. Nothing interrupts this deep filence, but that plaintive and diftant fcream, which, at equal intervals, ftrikes our ears; it is the cry of the owl, the emblem of the wicked. They watch while others reft; their complaints are inceffant; and they dread the light of heaven. My dearest children, be always good, and you'll be always happy. Sixty long years have your mother and I enjoyed a happy tranquillity. God grant that none of you may ever purchase it so dearly.' These tales are well known, and defervedly esteemed, at Paris. The translation, notwithstanding, of fome quaint phrafes, is executed with fidelity and fpirit. Those readers who have a taste for the fimple beauties of nature, and the artlefs expreffions of paffion, will here meet with entertain ment. ART. VI. Defultory Reflections on Police: with an Effay on the Means of Preventing Crimes, and Amending Criminals. By William Blizard, F. S. A. Surgeon of the Honourable Artillery Company, Sc. Svo. 25. Dilly, 1785. MR R. Blizard appears to have fome merit in the exertions he has made in behalf of the police of the metropolis. He was a zealous member of the London Military Foot Affo ciation; and his pamphlet is partly employed in commemorating his own merits, and thofe of his coadjutors. We believe him to be a man of probity and good fenfe, and we fhould not be difpofed to refuse him our vote as a member of a council of police. But whatever be his merits as a man, and a citizen, ENG. REV. Vol. VI. March 1786. M they they come difguifed to us in his capacity as an author, by a frippery and affectation, which have feldon been equalled. When a man writes in this ftile, he unfortunately detects for us, the principle of the whole of his character, and we cannot but perceive, that the mafs of his virtues are dictated by a fpirit of vanity and oftentation. These features are finished off, in the present inftance, by the elegance of his paper, and the beauty of his type, together with a pompous copper plate frontifpiece prefixed to his petit brocheire. Since however, with all his demerits, we could wish to recommend his pamphlet to the attention of our worthy friends the citizens of London and Westminster, we will beg leave to present them with one of his letters entire, which of all the reft is most calculated to do credit to his good humour and humanity. SIR, There are practices in this town, which feem to be authorised by fome rulers of parishes, that do not comport with the boasted humanity of this nation.. Very lately, a poor black fellow was turned out of a cart on the pavement, in a parish of this city, and there left. His condition was truly fhocking, for both his legs were in a flate of complete mortification; he was too ill to relate the ftory of his forrows. The firft fuggeftion was, to remove him a little further, out of the parish, left it should be burdened with him. A more humane and intelligent perfon remarked, "that his life had already been nearly facrificed to this faving principle, and that he would relieve them of their concern ;" and inftantly had him put into a coach, and conveyed to the London-Hofpital. Both his legs were amputated, and the poor fellow now begs about the eastern parts of this town. A little time fince, a miferable woman laid herself down at my door. She faid, fhe had dragged her tottering frame from Portfmouth. Her appearance, one would have thought, would have melted any heart. She was reduced to the lowest state, by disease, want, and fatigue: one of her arms, from thefe caufes, was beginning to mortify. A neighbouring fage came, and advised me to have her put away only about a hundred yards, and fshe would then be out of the parish, and no expence could accrue from her. Shocking expedient! and what, then, is to become of this finking creature? Toffed from parish to parish, where is to be the laft cruel scene of her existence? No; while the gates of the London-Hofpitalcontinue open to the difeafed and wretched, we will implore the bleffings of that place, to refcue from death, or to foften its pangs! She was conveyed thither: but the powers of nature were too far fpent; fhe lived only about ten days -Her fenfe of gratitude, for what had been done for her, was fo great, that the hardly ever ceafed, night and day, praying for and bleffing the charity. But, ah! my friend, I have a tale of woe to relate, that must deeply affect your fenfibility.-A fine male infant was laid at the door of our friend ***. His good lady was from home, and he at a lofs, for the inftant, how to act for the prefervation of the babe. An Office officer of the parish, who had been informed of the matter, came officiously, and affured our friend, that he would take care of the bufinefs. He took up the little innocent and went away. He looked up and down the street; and presently faw a female, of about nineteen years of age, walking to and fro, in feemingly great agitation. He contrived to have the heart-rent girl brought into a public house. He prefented the child, and asked whether fhe was the mother of it? Maternal tears where then big in her eyes! but fhame would combat with nature! the replied, no. All the while, nature fake, in every anxious look on the babe, yearning for the breaft. The unfeeling monfter proceeded-then I will lay it in the kennel. She fhrieks, feizes the infant, and flies from her enemy, man!-Whither, hapless female, wilt thou go? Would that a Sterne, or a Shenftone, or a Hanway, or that thou, my honoured friend, hadft been near, to have comforted her broken heart! And what are her crimes--fay, rigid ftoic-that her tender nature fhould be fo violently treated ? Alas! her heart was too fufceptible: fhe loved, was deceived, and undone! And wilt thou, feducer, bear no fhare of the burden of her woe? Whither, hapless female, wilt thou flee? Perhaps, diftra&ted, fhe may plunge herself and babe into some stream; or fhe may dash out the brains of the fmiling boy, faying, "I will not add to the race of favages ;" and rave out her remaing days in Bedlam! 'But let us finish this affecting ftory. The officer returns, runs over the relation of the circumftances, and adds, "She is now out of the parish, and we are fafe." "A curfe light on thee!" said my friend. I am, &c.' Annexed to Mr. Blizard's pamphlet, is the opinion of the City Recorder, upon the legality of the London Affociation. It is written perhaps as fairly, and as well as the subject will bear; but to us it affords only a new specimen, how much an honeft man will be puzzled, when he attempts to defend the dictates of common fenfe by the quibbles of the law. No government ever yet included a remedy for its own imperfections. The laws of England are, in our opinion, in peremptory and direct oppofition to this fort of confideration. the police of the country be in fo wretched a ftate, as to be unable to protect the lives and property of its citizens, or if our liberties are brought into imminent and alarming danger, these are cases that look beyond temporary and political inftitutions, and that lead us back to the great and unalienable principles and immunities of our nature. But if ART. VII. Effay on the Life and Character of Petrarch. To which are added, Seven of his Sonnets; tranflated from the Italian. Evo, 15. 6d. Cadell. 1784. O UR author is of that clafs of writers, who, ever fecure of escaping our cenfure, are never happy enough to obtain our applaufe. M 2 Serpit Serpit humi tutus nimium timidufque procella. It is not easy to fay, in the prefent inftance, whether the Effay on the Life of Petrarch was compiled for the fake of the tranflated fonnets, or whether the fonnets were translated to eke out the biography. Certain of never rifing to diftinction, and never going down to pofterity, this pamphlet will not, however, difguft the most faftidious and critical reader. But to fay this, is to confefs that it will have its share of applause and celebration. We will do it the juftice to say fomething of each of the parts of which it is compofed. The moft confiderable article in the life, is a critical examination of the fact, whether or no the Laura of Petrarch was ever married. The affirmative of this queftion is maintained by the author of Memoires pour la Vie de Petrarque, printed upon the continent, in three volumes, quarto, and abftracted in English in two volumes, octavo. The public notice of this work has been fufficient to diffuse a kind of general opinion of the veracity of the fact, and a perfuafion among the fuperficial and credulous, that it was out of all controverfy. The writer before us brings the queftion under fresh examination, and we think has been toJerably fuccefsful in wiping away this ftain from the repu tation of his favourite poet. He obferves, that the author of the Memoires is a defcendant of the family of the married Laura, and therefore was interefted, in refpect of his vanity, in establishing her pretenfions to be the miftrefs of Petrarch. We are not at liberty to extract his arguments before us at large, but we will present our readers with one or two of those which appear to us most forcible. 3tio. An amour of this kind, with a married woman, the mother of a family, was in itself an offence against both morality and religion, and must have been viewed by the poet himfelf in a criminal light. But the paffion of Petrarch for Laura appears to have been his glory and pride, and to have raised him both in the esteem of others and of himfelf. Anima da lei ti vien l'amorofo penfero Son. 12. In amore meo, fays Petrarch, in his dialogue with St. Augustine, nil turpe, nil obfcænum, hil denique præter magnitudinem culpabilis. Dial. de Contemptu Mundi. Illa juvenilem animum ab omni turpitudine revocavit, uncoque retraxit, atque alta compulit spectare. ibid. Amore accerrimo, fed unico et honefto in adolefcentia, et laboravi diutius laboraffem, nifs jam tepefcentem ignem mors acerba fed utilis extinxiffet. Epift. ad poft. 4. In the dialogue above-mentioned (de Contemptu Mundi, Dial. III.), where St. Auguftine is introduced reafoning with the poet, and endeavouring to convince him of the errors of his past life, and par ticularly |
