enslaved. But one of these Jewish poets, by a single circumstance, has more emphatically pointed out the utter desolation of Babylon: I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a single person than the golden wedge of Ophir.'

"What seems to be particularly excellent in these writers is their selection of such adjuncts and circumstances upon each subject as are best calculated to strike the imagination and embellish their descriptions. Thus, they think it not enough to say, that Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, shall never more be inhabited; but they add a picturesque stroke, 'neither shall the Arabian pitch his tent there; the wild beasts of the island shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces.'

6

"You have heard me frequently observe, how much visions, or images, by which a writer seems to behold objects that are absent, or even nonexistent, contribute to the true sublime. For this reason I have ever admired Minerva's speech in the fifth book of the Iliad, where she tells her favourite Diomede, that she will purge his eyes from the mists of mortality, and give him power clearly to discern the gods that were at that time assisting the Trojans, that he might not be guilty of the impiety of wounding any of the celestial beings, Venus excepted.' Observe the superior strength and liveliness of the following image: Jehovah,' the tutelar God of the Jews, opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses, and chariots of fire round about him!'

"Do we start, and tremble, and turn pale, when Orestes exclaims that the furies are rushing forward to seize him? and shall we be less affected with the writer, who breaks out into the following question? Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Bosra; this that is glorious in his

apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength?' It is the avenging God of the oppressed Jews, whom the poet imagines he beholds, and whose answer follows, I that am mighty to save.' 'Wherefore,' resumes the poet, 'art thou red in thy apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat? I have trodden the wine-press alone,' answers the God; and of the people there were none with me; for I will tread them in mine anger and trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.' Another writer, full of the idea of that destruction with which his country was threatened, cries out, How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet!' And to represent total desolation, he imagines he sees the universe reduced to its primitive chaos: I beheld the earth, and lo! it was without form and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.'

66

Above all I am marvellously struck with the beauty and boldness of the Prosopopœias, and the rich variety of comparisons with which every page of these extraordinary writings abounds. When I shall have pointed out a few of these to your view, I shall think your curiosity will be sufficiently excited to peruse the book itself from which they are drawn. And do not suffer yourself to be prejudiced against it, by the reproaches, raillery, and satire, which I know my friend and disciple Porphyry is perpetually pouring upon the Jews. Fare, well."

Z.

"THOUGH there are many calamities to which all men are equally exposed, yet some species of intellectual distress are thought to be peculiar to the vicious. The various evils of disease and poverty, pain and sorrow, are frequently derived from others; but shame and confusion are supposed to proceed from ourselves, and to be incurred only by the misconduct which they punish. This supposition is indeed specious; but I am convinced by the strongest evidence that it is not true: I can oppose experience to theory; and as it will appear that I suffer considerable loss by my testimony, it must be allowed to have the most distinguishing characteristic of sincerity.

"That every man is happy in proportion as he is virtuous was once my favourite principle; I advanced and defended it in all companies; and as the last effort of my genius in its behalf, I contrived a series of events by which it was illustrated and established: and that I might substitute action for narrative, and decorate sentiment with the beauties of poetry, I regulated my story by the rules of the drama, and with great application and labour wrought it into a tragedy.

"When it was finished, I sat down, like Her

cules after his labours, exulting in the past, and enjoying the future by anticipation. I read it to every friend who favoured me with a visit, and when I went abroad I always put it into my pocket. Thus it became known to a circle that was always increasing; and was at length mentioned with such commendation to a very great lady, that she was pleased to favour me with a message, by which I was invited to breakfast at nine the next morning, and acquainted that a select company would then expect the pleasure of hearing me read my play.

"The delight that I received from the contemplation of my performance, the encomium of my friends, and especially this message, was in my opinion an experimental proof of my principles, and a reward of my merit. I reflected with great selfcomplacence upon the general complaint that genius was without patronage; and concluded, that all who have been neglected were unworthy of notice. I believed that my own elevation was not only certain but near; and that the representation of my play would be secured by a message to the manager, which would render the mortifying drudgery of solicitation and attendance unnecessary.

Elated with these expectations, I rose early in the morning, and being dressed long before it was time to set out, I amused myself by repeating the favourite passages of my tragedy aloud, forming polite answers to the compliments that should be made me, and adjusting the ceremony of my visit.

"I observed the time appointed with such punctuality, that I knocked at the door while the clock was striking. Orders had been given for my admittance; and the porter being otherwise engaged, it happened that the servant, whose place it was to introduce me, opened the door in his stead, and, upon hearing my name, advanced directly before

me into the room; so that no discovery was made of an enormous queue of brown paper, which some mischievous brat had, with a crooked pin, hung between the two locks of my major perriwig. I followed the valet into a magnificent apartment, where, after I got within a very large Indian screen, I found five ladies and a gentleman.

"I was a little disconcerted in my first address by the respect that was shown me, and the curiosity with which I was regarded: however, I made my general obeisance, and addressing myself in particular to the elder of the ladies, whom I considered as my patroness, I expressed my sense of the honour she had done me in a short speech, which I had preconceived for the purpose; but I was immediately informed that the lady whose favour I had acknowledged was not yet come down: this mistake increased my confusion: for, as I could not again repeat the same words, I reflected that I should be at last unprepared for the occasion on which they were to have been used. The company all this while continued standing; I therefore hastily turned about to reconnoitre my chair; but the moment I was seated, I perceived every one labouring to stifle a laugh. I instantly suspected that I had committed some ridiculous indecorum, and I attempted to apologize for I knew not what offence; but after some hesitation, my extreme sensibility struck me speechless. The gentleman, however, kindly discovered the cause of their merriment by exclaiming against the rude licentiousness of the vulgar, and at the same time taking from behind me the pendulous reproach to the honours of my head. This discovery afforded me inexpressible relief; my paper ramellie was thrown into the fire, and I joined in the laugh which it produced; but I was still embarrassed by the consequences of my mistake, and