mate of northern song? But, if our very first poets have been indebted to the revivers of literature for a portion of their fame, if even Milton lighted at their shrine that immortal fire which breathes such animation through his works,--to what extraordinary smallness' must have dwindled the powers of Mr. Leigh Hunt, Mr. John Keats, and Mr. Procter, alias Cornwall, if such glorious lights as Dante, Tasso, and Ariosto, had never shone upon their little faculties, or had never been translated for them into English? dressed Luther, "I thought thou hadst been an old spent theologian, that sat at the fire-side, disputing with himself; but I see thou art a fresh, young, and strong man. If I had even an army of five and twenty thousand men, I should not dare to carry thee from Germany: for I have inquired all around during my journey, how the people were inclined to thee, and what they thought of thee; and I found very much, that where one stood on the Pope's side, there stood three on thy side against the Pope." Miltiz continued in this tone, and by It is indeed surprising, how much his friendly conversation prevailed Fanshawe, Fairfax, and Hoole, have with Luther so far, that he promised done towards facilitating a knowledge to be silent respecting the dispute, if of the Tuscan tongue, and supplying his opponents were also enjoined si- our Cit poets with a spirit of imitation, lence. Luther even transmitted an and subjects ready cut and dry to their humble letter to the Pope, in which he hand. We often amuse ourselves with even submitted, and added the as- thinking what sort of a revenge those surance, that he would encourage the great masters of the Tuscan lyre would people by other writings to obedience. have exercised upon their caricatuMore could hardly take place. But rists, our modern versifiers of Italian what Miltiz had well done, D. Eck, canzonets and sonnets, had they been Professor of Theology at Ingoldstad, as immortal as their works, to see the spoiled again. This, not ignorant, yet delicate versions which these gentlemean-thinking passionate man, full of men have made of them. Would they fanatic zeal for the Catholic religion, have slit their tongues, or amputated challenged Luther to disputation at the fore-finger and thumb of their Leipzig; which was carried on with so right hands, to dissuade them from much passion and bitterness, that Lu- exposing their ignorance of the truth ther separated himself more and more and spirit of the models from which from the Catholic church. Miltiz they copy? Or would Tasso have therefore found, on a new conversation quietly expostulated with Mr. Hunt, with Luther, that he was quite on the cruelty and impropriety of his changed, and could do nothing with making him sit for his portrait, and of him. He, nevertheless, continued presenting it in no manner of likeness unceasingly, and without letting him-in our British gallery of poets? Supself be cast down by the defeat of his plan, to operate in a mild manner. Remarks on the Pastoral Poets of Italy, (Concluded from col. 608.) pose the shade of Tasso to walk into the artist's daubing room, just as he was about to put his last touch to the Aminta, (we wish, for the joke of the thing, he had.) Here, however, they hold a conference. TASSO AND LEIGH. My name is Tasso: I have the honour to kiss your Majesty's hand. Leigh. God bless me so you shall. [Starting up. Have you read Rimini and Foliap-and Tasso. On perusing this little translation, we Certainly! and copy and steal from one another too-but my business is with your majesty in this. As the republic of letters is, forabsolute government, I come to submit the tunately for your Majesty, converted into an propriety of your bestowing all your royal at 697 Remarks on the Poets of Italy. 698 tention to the preservation of a just equilibrium | revenge for the fallen honours of Rimini, whose and preservation of your subjects, without in-story, of deep and sacred memory, you have so termeddling in foreign affairs, which (with your wantonly parodied, converting one of the most Majesty's leave) are really above your royal bright and beautiful episodes of our prince of capacity. Your Majesty's late invasion of the poets, into the amour of a groom and a chamParnassus of Italy, is quite unprecedented, and bermaid-so flippant and trashy is the language against all the rules of literary warfare, the in which it is conveyed-unequalled by any rights of poets, and the common sense of man- thing except Billingsgate, or the Fancy. The kind. disciples of your slang school also are at work; but Apollo, though" of long suffering" with the race of blockheads, is not to be tempted for ever-beware the fate of Marsgas, lest he repeat the punishment, and Leigh. Perfectly astonished-perfectly astonished, I assure you. I have been just complimented by John Keats, Esq. and our renowned Barry, upon the infinite delicacy and skill which I have exercised upon your poor Amintas. Yes, and I'll translate the Jerusalem too. Tasso. Now heaven forbid-you would not so far be mine enemy. And let me persuade your Majesty, that you would not herein be consulting your royal reputation. Consider, that in literature and the arts, it is preferable to be" great in little things, rather than little in great attempts." You therefore shewed some judgment in choosing my Amintas instead of Godfrey. The former was merely a ' jeu d'esprit,' of which I never thought much, and not a little dashed with conceit, which I presume made your majesty in love with it. You have preserved my concetti very faithfully I see, and wherever you could, without flagrant violation of the text, introduced no little of your own. As to the Jerusalem delivered,' let me beseech your Majesty to abandon the design. The reed and the trumpet are very different instruments on which to play. I could forgive Fairfaxbut Hoole, and another unmerciful wretch, a namesake and a poetic relation of your Majesty's, suppose, has given England, once the land of poets, a very pretty idea of me indeed. I Tasso. "Tear the calf-skin from your recreant limbs." SHAKSPEARE. 66 For myself, I will only pray that your works may survive, for the benefit of whole posterities-of grocers and cheesemongers of other times. I am afraid it is in vain that I entreat you to desist; suppose you will still continue to torture our souls.-[Casting a look of lordly, but quiet reproach upon Leigh, and murmuring, he will print it," the hapless shade departed. Leigh pondered for a moment, and then turning towards his manuscript with a smile of complacency," Yes, I will print it."] opinions of a ghost, let them listen to If our readers should object to the those of an Italian critic. It is a plain matter of fact, that we have again read Tasso's Aminta, for the purpose of comparing it with Mr. L. Hunt's translation-and so far we are obliged to him-but not for reading it “done into English," without the spirit and admirable simplicity of the original. Still we find it sufficiently faithfulmore particularly in the preservation and heightening of the concetti,— doubly simplifying what was already simple, and often debasing what is great and lofty in the sentiment. Mr. H. appears to understand the nature of true pathos. It is but too apparent, that he has affected a native and pastoral style, endeavouring at the same time to appear free from affectation, which sits rather awkwardly upon him, after giving himself such a full swing of conceit in all his preceding prose and poetic writings. There certainly was no occasion to let down the simple language of Tasso, into any thing of a more puerile and trifling tone, to suit the pastoral cha May all the powers of impudence reward you! As to your modern school of scribbling, my trust in heaven is, that it will at last write itself down. Under all the vexations of a wandering and a wretched life, I consoled myself with the prospect of some future justice, and, perhaps, lasting fame: but, alas, you are now all doing what you can to blast the few laurels that would have sat bright and lovely on my brow. O, how have Ariosto, and poor Tasso, provoked the malignant spirit with which you have pursued us! By what faults have we merited the approbation and admiration which you profess the resolution and cruel perse-racter, as Mr. H. has occasionally verance with which you translate and metamorphize us! While, on the other hand, “To be dispraised of such were no small praise." Expose, attack, revile, and vilify us as you will-we will not complain;-but spare us, we beseech you, the honours of your friendship and alliance and your translations with your names staring the public in the face with our own. Dante, though in purgatory, murmurs No. 30.-VOL. III. done. Of versification, there is little or none that deserves the name, after reading the harmonious numbers of much varied, is deficient in interest, Tasso and his style, though pretty for want of due recurring rhymes, which alone can give to any English composition the name of Poem. With all these faults, however, we 2 Y 699 Essay on the Study of Antiquities. Obscure Grammar. 700 To one whom nought else under heaven de- What the woods know, and what the mountains know, And what the rivers know, and man knows not." think Mr. H. appears to more advantage in this translation, than ever he has done in any original work. By the bye, the king of our metropolitan poets, has shewn more than a royal judgment in selecting it. It is exactly fitted to the breadth and compass of his mind, which is by no means remarkable for its reach and capacity. Mr. H. should indeed confine himself "The banks of the river, I told him my journey." to the lighter walks of literature, pick daisies with the lamb, chirp with the grasshopper, and flirt and bound with the nimbleness of the squirrel, from bough to bough; Among the lesser poets of our Cockney school, Mr. H. is assuredly the least and the best and, as Homer was said to be the father of the sublime, so Mr. H. has a good title to that of the minute or little in poetry. Besides, it is not only little itself, but the cause of littleness in others. When we think of this race of Lilliputians, and compare it with the poetic breed of our Campbells and our Byrons, we are at a loss to conceive how they manage to grow to such an extraordinary smallness. That our readers may not suppose that we wish them to tie their faith to the sleeve of our ipse dixit," let them accept the few following specimens of quaintness and conceit from our Aminta done into English: viz. 66 Affectation. Long Metre. Very Odd. "And fertilizing there, I saw act round Poetic License. "In the small wells "A deadly ice has shot about my heart, And here too, we shut up Mr. Hunt's book for the present, and trust that he may give us occasion for higher praise in the next production with which he favours the public. For the best portions of this little pastoral drama, we must refer our readers to the choruses, particularly that which concludes the first act. This does Mr. H. more credit than the whole of the work besides, and we have only to wish that he would always write so. We really think, if he would allow us, we could "lick him into shape" after all. R. T. p. 5. The blunting ice.' ESSAY ON THE STUDY OF ANTIQUITIES. p. 8. THE science of Antiquities will occupy an extensive place in the mind of the individual who is engaged in literary pursuits. The pleasing sensations which the perusal of "testimonies, or authentic accounts, that have come down to us, of ancient nations," and which, an historical knowledge of the edifices, magistrates, offices, manners, customs, ceremonies, worship, and other objects worthy of curiosity, excite in the mind,sufficient motives for continuing and persevering in this study. And when these descriptions are confirmed by what are called Antiques, the satisfaction is increased to a higher degree. The remains of the edifice, which is mentioned in the graceful strains of a -are 701 Punishment and Mark of Cain. 702 in which he is a practitioner. (Vide Urquhart, on Classical Learning.) Virgil, and a visit to the monument innumerable topics of antiquity which recorded in history, and which oc- might be mentioned, but which would cupies the site of any celebrated per- occupy too great a space. The learnformance-whether military or civil, ing and arts, so remarkable among whether consecrated to the memory of the ancients, the dresses worn by public or private virtue-increases them, and the various forms of their the enthusiasm with which we trace civil and military affairs, are well the page of record, and affords an worth the attention of the student. inexpressible pleasure to the mind. There are, indeed, Antiquities which The science of Antiquities opens to become the acquaintance of certain our view the former state of king- professions in life. The divine would doms; it enables us to judge of the do well to trace the inferior and erromerits or defects of their institutions, neous religions of the heathens;-the and at the same time reminds us of physician would benefit himself by the great changes that have taken getting a knowledge of his art (howplace in the world in general, and in ever imperfect it might then have been) each nation and region in particular. among the ancients;-and the lawyer Animus meminit præteritorum, præ- should be able to compare the civil sentia cernit, futura prævidet. This polity of Grecce and Rome, of the study will in part assist us to say ancient Germans, &c., that he might, these words of the immortal Cicero. among many other uses, see the hapIt is of great importance to be ac-piness which is insured by those laws quainted with past affairs. A sensible man is a creature desirous of knowing the history and customs of his own species. And, though he take disgust at the scene which the blood of gladiators presents, he will allow it to be a natural consequence of the disposition of the people; knowing that a cause will produce a corresponding effect-that the barbarity which is inherent in the disposition, will not fail to discover itself in action. If we look over the volumes which treat of the Grecian Antiquities, written by Archdeacon Potter, and mark the different stages of the Athenian customs, as well as compare their form of government with our own unrivalled constitution, it will prove an entertaining and instructive undertaking. A vast deal of pleasure is afforded in tracing the progress of the different arts, and in reading the history of those persons who introduced any particular benefit;-such as the invention of letters, which is ascribed to Cadmus; or the enacting salutary laws, such as those of Solon. Contemplate the peculiar art which stamped immortality on the Roman character, and observe the independent genius that primarily marked it. It must, however, be understood, that Antiquities are not confined to Greece and Rome. Every kingdom of which we have a knowledge, that has made a distinguished figure in the world, has also a claim on us, and contributes its assistance for our intellectual improvement. And, while a Briton, a Frenchman, a German, a Spaniard, and every other individual of whatever country, earnestly contends for the excellency of his native institutions, and each carries before him the maxim, Non sibi, sed patriæ ;— let them all turn a moment from mutual animosity, and consider if they have improved upon the ancient institutions of their forefathers, and learned to manage the art and appendages of government, from a view of the civil polity of the ancients. Z PUNISHMENT AND MARK OF CAIN. THE learned Shuckford was not only dissatisfied with our usual notion, that God set a mark upon Cain in consequence of his having killed his brother Abel, but he makes himself merry with the ludicrous nature of some of those marks which fancy had appointed to be borne about by him. Without attempting to defend those conjectures, and without adding to the number, I shall merely endeavour to shew, that the customary ren 703 Punishment and Mark of Cain. 704 dering of the passage, Gen. iv. 15. | to interpose, and to act as judge on may be supported. this singularly affecting occasion. Adam might be ignorant of this guilt, ignorant by what process to detect it, and ignorant by what penalty to punish it; but the Lord (metaphorically) hears of it, by the blood which cried from the ground: and he detects it, passes sentence on him-"Thou art cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood;" a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said to the Lord, "Is my iniquity too great for expiation? Is there no fine, Crimes in general have been thought, no suffering, short of such a vagaby mankind, susceptible of expiation, bond state, that may be accepted? more or less, according to the degrees Behold, thou hast banished me this day of their guilt: but some are of so from the face of the land where I was flagrant a nature, as to be supposed born, where my parents dwell, my atrocious beyond expiation. Though native country! and from thy presence, murder be usually considered one of also, in thy public worship and instithose atrocious crimes, and conse-tutions; I must now hide myself from quently inexpiable; yet there have been instances wherein the criminal was punished by other means than by loss of life. A judicial infliction, of a commutatory kind, seems to have been passed on Cain. Adam was punished by a dying life; Cain, by a living death. Among the laws attributed to MENU, is the following appointment, which I notice especially, because it is directly attributed to MENU himself, as if it were a genuine tradition | received from him; and it describes so powerfully and pathetically, the distressed situation of an outcast, that one is led to think it is drawn from the recollection of some real instance, rather than from the foresight of the sufferings of such a supposed criminal. For violating the paternal bed, Let the mark of a female part be impressed ON THE FOREHEAD, WITH A HOT IRON. For drinking spirits, a Vintner's flag: For stealing sacred gold, a dog's foot: For murdering a priest, the figure of a less corpse. all my heart holds dear, being prohibited from approaching my former intimates, and thy venerated altar. I shall be a fugitive, a vagabond on the earth; and any one who findeth me may slay me without compunction, as if I were rather a wild beast than a man." The Lord said, "I mentioned an expiation formerly, on account of your crime of ungovernable malice and anger, bidding you lay a sin-offering before the entrance; but then you disregarded that admonition and comhead-mand. With none to eat with them, Nevertheless, as I did not take the life of your father Adam, though forfeited, when sat in judgment on him, but abated of that rigorous penalty; so I do not design that you should be taken off by sudden death, neither immediately from my They shall be deserted by their paternal and self, nor mediately by another. I pro maternal relations. Treated by none with affection; "Criminals of all classes, having performed an expiation ordained by law, shall not be marked on the forehead, but be condemned to pay the highest fine." This also is from MENU. Let us apply these principles in illustration of the history of Cain. Cain had slain Abel his brother; this being a very extraordinary and embarrassing instance of guilt, and perhaps the first enormous crime among mankind which required exemplary punishment, the Lord thought proper nounce, therefore, on whoever shall |