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Letters of the King of Pruffia.-Spanish Poetry.

d'événemens facheux à quelques favorables qui nous arrivent. Nous balottons fans ceffe entre beaucoup de chagrins, & quelques mo mens de fatisfaction. Voilà ma bonne foeur, le fort commun de tous les hommes ! Les jeunes gens doivent être plus fenfibles à la perte de leurs proches & de leurs amis, que les viellards. Les premiers fe refentent long tems de ces privations, au lieu que les perfonnes de notre age les fuivent dans peu. Les morts ont l'avantage d'être à l'abri de tous les coups de la fortune, & nous qui reftons en vie, nous y fommes fans ceffe expofés. Toutes ces reflexions, ma bonné foeur, ne font guères confolantes, je l'avoue, Heureufement que votre fageffe, & votre efprit vous ont donné la force de refifter à la douleur qu'éprouve une tendre mère, en perdant un de fes enfans cheris. Veuille le ciel continuer de vous affifter, en confervant une foeur, qui fait le bonheur de ma vie ! Daignés ma bonne foeur, me croire avec le plus tendre attachement & la plus haute confideration, Mon adorable foeur, votre fidèle frère & ferviteur, FEDERIC.

LETTRE II.

Ce 10 d'Aout, 1786.

MON ADORABLE SOEUR,

LE medecin d'Hannovre a voulu fe faire

valoir chez vous ma bonne foeur; mais la verité eft qu'il m'a été inutile. Les vieux doivent faire place aux jeunes gens, pour que chaque generation trouve fa place; & à bien examiner ce que c'est que la vie, c'eft voir mourir & naître fes compatriotes. En attendant je me trouve un peu foulagé depuis quelques jours. Mon coeur vous refte inviolablement attaché, ma bonne foeur. Avec la plus haute confideration, mon adorable foeur, votre fidèle frère & ferviteur,

TRANSLATIONS,
LETTER I.

FEDERIC.

12th May, 1785.

MY BELOVED SISTER,

I HAVE lived above 70 years in the world, and in all that time, I have feen nothing but the capricious freaks of fortune, who mingles with the few pleafing circumftances of our existence, a great number of mourn ful events. We fluctuate between continued troubles, and momentary gratifications. Such, my dear fifter, is the common lot of mankind! Young people cannot but feel the lofs of friends and relations, more acutely than the old. The former continue long to recollect their lofs; while perfons, of our age, fhortly follow thofe whom they lament. The dead have the advantage of being beyond the reach of fortune, but we who remain alive, continue expofed to her hafts. These reflections, my dear fifter, afford but little confolation, I confefs, Happily, your 7.

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dom and fortitude enable you to bear up against that forrow, which a tender mother muft feel for the lofs of a beloved child. May heaven continue to fupport you, and preferve to me a fifter, who conftitutes the chief happinefs of my life. Believe me, my dear fifter, with the tendereft attachment, and the higheft cfteem, your faithful brother and fervant, FREDERIC.

LETTER II.

10th of August, 1786.

MY BELOVED SISTER,

THE Havoverian phyfician was defirous of recommending himself to your favour, my dear fifter; but the truth is, that he was of little fervice to me. The old must give place to the young, in order that each generation may find its place; and if we fairly enquire in what life confifts, it is in feeing our fellow-citizens fucceffively entering and quitting existence. Meanwhile, I should tell you, that I have felt myself rather easier for thefe few days paft. My heart remains inviolably attached to you, my dear fifter, and I am, with the higheft eftcem, my beloved fifter, your faithful friend and fervant, FREDERIC.

For the Monthly Magazine. ON THE POETRY OF SPAIN.

BERNARDINO de Rebolledo was a

count of the holy Roman empire, lord of Yrian, head of the Rebolledos of Caftille, knight of the order of Santiago, comnendador and alcayde of Villanueva de Alcardete, governor and captain general of the Lower Palatinate, general of artillery, minifter plenipotentiary in Denmark, minifter of the fupreme council of war, &c. &c. but if Rebolledo had not been a poet, these titles would have been remembered only in the family pedigree, and on his own monument. On the 31st of May, 1597, he was baptized in Leon, his native city. From his earliest years, fays the Spanish biographer, our Bernardino difcovered his inclination for that happy union of arms and letters, which fo many have made. Two centuries ago this union was lefs extraordinary than at prefent: in England we had a Raleigh and a Sydney. Spain affords more inftances; Lope de Vega ferved in the Armada; Garcilafo died in battle, and the poem of Ercilla was written in his tent. But the world is grown wifer, though it may not have grown better, and the trade of war, once held fo honourable, is now estimated as it should be. At the age of fourteen

Zimmermann.

Rebolledo

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Poetry of Spain....Bernardino de Rebolledo.

Rebolledo entered into the fleet of Naples he recommends are Camden, Hector

and Sicily, in which service he remained eighteen years, and honourably distinguished himself. Afterwards he fe ved in Lombardy, under Spinola, At the fege of Cafal, his right arm was broken by a musket ball. Perhaps the poet remembers his wound, when, in that part of his "Selva Military Politica," which treats of befieged places, he enumerates, among the provifions neceffary for the frege, phyficians, furgeons, and medicine chefts.

After ferving in the Low Countries, and negociating with many of the German powers, the count was appointed plenipotentiary to the court of Denmark. But Copenhagen was befieged during his refidence there, and for two years the Spanish ambalador affifted in defending the town. After fo many toils and dangers he retu ned to Madrid, full of years and of glory; new honours were accumulated upon him, and he died in that city, univerfally refpected, at the age of four fcore.

The

Boethius, and Biondi, a name with which I am unacquainted. He advises his friend to fly from the madness of Copernicus, whofe opinions are contrary to revelation and common fenfe. Afterwards he mentions all the books in the Old and New Teftaments, and gives the number of chapters in each; recommends for frequent perufal, the works of St. Terefa and Kempis, and concludes thus; "as you now afpire to a more fecure ftater you must abhor your former way of life but if you look back upon iniquity, fhall regard you as a new pillar of falt,"

Amid the toils and occupations of fo adventurous a life, Rebolledo produced thofe poems that have ranked him among the nine Cattilian mufes. They were printed feparately at Amberes and at Copenhagen. An edition, in four volumes, was published about thirty years fince at Madrid; but it is fuppofed, that fome of his publications efcaped the editor's fearch. The first of thefe volumes contains his "Ocios," chiefly confifting of lyric pieces. From this volume a curious epiftle is extracted in the "Parnafo Espanol," hitherto my guide. editor felects it as, in his opinion, the beft poem in the Ocies of Rebolledo, and as difplaying profound erudition, folid piety, exquilite taite, and accurate judgment. This praife is fomewhat enormous, for what he calls a Forma Biblia grafico, and what may properly be flated a catalogue in rhyme; for it is only a lift of books recommended to a young itudent. In enumerating thele, he begins with poetry; the names alone are mentioned of various poets, Greek, Latin, Italian, French, and Spanish, without one difcriminating epithet or remark; except that Virgil is called, agreeably to Spanish gallantry," the elegant defamer of Dido." England is only mentioned under the head of hiftory, and the writers

every

In the fame volume there is a madrigal, curioufly exemplifying the text; one that exalteth himself fhall be abased, but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." On the entrance into Bilcay from Caftile, through the Sierra de Or duna, between the little towns, or rather perhaps villages of Berberana and Lezama, a ftream falls from the height of a mountain into a deep valley; through which a current of air continually paffes, with fuch force, as to fcatter the water on its fall, and iweep it away in vapour. The vapour, on its elevation, condenfes, and falls in perpetual rain. This fingu lar sport of nature is the subject of this little poem.

With what a deafening roar yon torrent rolls Its weight of waters, from the precipice, Whofe mountain mafs darkens the hollow

vale!

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( 197 ) WALPOLIANA;

OR BONS-MOTS, APOPHTHEGMS, OBSERVATIONS ON LIFE AND LITERATURE, WITH EXTRACTS FROM ORIGINAL LETTERS, OF THE LATE HORACE WALPOLE, EARL OF ORFORD..

NUMBER I.

This Article is communicated by a Literary Gentleman, for many years in habits of intimacy with Mr. WALPOLE. It is partly drawn up from a collection of Bons-Mots, &c. in his own band-writing; partly from Anecdotes written down after long Converfations with him, in whic he would, from four o Clock in the Afternoon, till two in the Morning, difplay thofe treasures of Anecdotes, with aubich bis Rarb, Wit, and Opportunities, bad replenished his Memory, and partly from Original Letters to the Compiler, on jubjects of Tafe and Literature.

Mr. Gray, the poet, has often obferved to me, that, if any man were to form a book of what he had feen and heard himself, it must, in whatever hands, prove a moft ufeful and entertaining one. Walpole.

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II. COUNTESS OF COVENTRY.

Towards the clofe of the reign of George the Second, the beautiful countels of Coventry talking to him on fhows, and thinking only of the figure the herfelf fhould make in a proceffion, told him, the fight the wifhed moft to fee was a coronation.

III. THE CLERICAL GOWN.

Mr. Suckling, a clergyman of Norfolk, having a quarrel with a neighbouring gentleman, who infulted him, and at laft told him, "Doctor, your gown is your protection;" replied, "it may mine, but it fhall not be your's;" pulled it off, and thrashed the aggreffor.

IV. PATRIOTISM OF WILKES.

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Depend upon it, my dear Sir, that Wilkes was in the pay of France, during the Wilkes and liberty days. Calling one day on the French minister, I ob ferved a book on his table, with Wilkes's name in the first leaf. This led to a converfation, which convinced me. Other circumstances, too long and minute to be repeated, ftrengthened, if neceffary, that conviction. I am as fure of it, as of any fact I know.

Wilkes at firft cringed to Lord Bute. The embaffy to Conftantinople was the object of his ambition. It was refufedand you know what followed.

My Lord, I shall wait.

V. BUTE'S MINISTRY.

Lord Bute was my school-fellow. He

was a man of tafte and science, and I de

believe his intentions were good. He wished to blend and unite all parties. The tories were willing to come in for 3 fhare of power, after having been fo long excluded-but the whigs were not willing to grant that fhare. Power is an intoxă . cating draught; the more a man has, the more he defires.

VI. LADY WORTLEY MONTAGUE.

The letters of Lady Wortley Montague are genuine. I have feen the ori. ginals, among which are fome far fuperior to thofe in print. But fome of them, were very immodeft. When the publication was about to take place, Lord Bute, who had married her daughter, fent for the editor, and offered one hundred pounds to fupprefs them. The man took the money, promifed-and publifhed.

Lady Wortley Montague was a playfellow of mine when both were children, She was always a dirty little thing. This habit continued with her. When at Florence, the Grand Duke gave her apart ments in his palace. One room sufficed for every thing. When the went away, the ftench was fo ftrong, that they were obliged to fumigate the chamber with vinegar for a week.

Pope gave her the Homer he had used in tranflating. I have got it: it is a final edition by Wetftein. Here it is. She wrote that little poem in the blank leaves.

VII. CONJUGAL AFFECTION. A French gentleman, being married a fecond time, was often lamenting his first wife, before his fecond, who one day faid to him, "Monheur, je vous affure

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Original Anecdotes by the late Horace Walpole.

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VIII. CONJUGAL WIT.

Another French lady wrote this letter to her husband. "Je vous écris, parceque je n'ai rien à faire: je finis, parceque je n'ai rien a dire †."

IX. MONKS AND FRIARS.

What you fay is perfectly juft. Some degree of learning is neceffary even to compofe a novel. How many modern writers confound monks and friars! Yet they were almoft as different as laymen and priests. Monachifm was an old inftitution for laymen. The friars, freres, or brothers, were firft inftituted in the thirteenth century, in order, by their preaching, to oppofe the lollards. They united priesthood with monachifm; but while the monks were chiefly confined to their respective houfes, the friars were wandering about as preachers and confeffors. This gave great offence to the fecular clergy, who were thus deprived of profits and inheritances. Hence the fatyric and impure figures of friars and nuns, in our old churches. Do you remember any example of retaliation? I fuppofe there were fimilar libels on the fecular clergy in the chapels of friaries now abolished 1.

X. MR. HOLLIS.

Mr. Hollis is always publishing republican books; and yet profefles great veneration for our conftitution. I cannot reconcile this; our conftitution being, in its leading parts, an oligarchy, the form perhaps, of all others, the moft oppofite to a republic.

Nota. Before the French revolution, Mr. Walpole was fo warm a friend of freedom, that he was almost a republican. The change of his fentiments will be delineated in the clofe of thefe anecdotes.

XI. SYMPTOMS OF INSANITY.

My poor nephew, Lord was deranged. The firft fymptom that appeared was, his fending a chaldron of coals as

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a present to the Prince of Wales, on learning that he was loaded with debts. He delighted in what he called book-hunting. This notable diverfion confifted in taking a volume of a book, and hiding it in fome fecret part of the library, among volumes of fimilar binding and fize. When he had forgot where the game lay, he hunted till he found it.

XII. A LONGING WOMAN.

Madame du Chatelet, (Voltaire's Emilie) proving with child again, after a long interval, and king Stanislaus joking with her husband on it, he replied, " Ab! Sire, elle en avoit fi forte envie !"—" Mon ami," faid the old king, "c'étoit une envie d'une femme groffe *

XIII. A PRETTY METAPHOR.

loved, and leaving many friends in town, A young lady marrying a man fhe to retire with him into the country, Mrs. and twenty fhillings into a guinea.” D. faid prettily, "She has turned one

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XIV. ROYAL FAVOUR.

A low Frenchman bragged that the king had fpoken to him. Being afked what his majesty had faid, he replied, "He bad me ftand out of his way.”

XV. MADAM DU BARRY.

A great French lady,, who was one of the first to vifit Madam du Barry, after she was known to be the royal mistress, juftifying herself to her niece on that account, faid, "It is reported that the king gave an hundred thoufand livres to countenance her; but it is not true."“No, madam,” replied the niece nobly "I dare fay it is not true; for it would have been too little."

XVI. PROOFS OF GENEALOGY..

A lord of the court being prefented for the first time, Louis XIV. faid afterwards, that he did not know the late lord of that name had had a fon, having been reckoned impotent. "Oh Sire faid Roquelaure, “ils ont été tous impuissans que pere en fils."

XVII. VOLTAIRE AND ADDISON.

fon at a tavern. I do not believe VolA ftory is told of Voltaire and Additaire was in England while Addison was alive.

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Original Anecdotes by the late Horace Walpole

XVIII. PRICE OF MAKING A PARK A

GARDEN.

Queen Caroline fpoke of fhutting up St. James's park, and converting it into a noble garden for the palace of that name. She asked my father what it might probably coft; who replied, only three

CROWNS."

XIX. AN ANECDOTE CORRECTED.

Let me correct a ftory relating to the great duke of Marlborough. The duchefs was preffing the duke to take a medicine, and with her ufual warmth faid, "I'll be hanged if it do not prove ferviceable." Dr. Garth t, who was prefent, exclaimed, "Do take it then, my ford duke; for it must be of fervice, in one way or the other."

XX. DOUBLE PUN.

A good pun is not amifs. Let me tell you one I met with in fome book the other day. The Earl of Leicefter, that unworthy favourite of Elizabeth, was forming a park about Cornbury, thinking to inclofe it with pofts and rails. As he was one day calculating the expence, a gentleman ftood by, and told the earl that he did not go the cheapest way to work: "Why?" faid my lord. Be caufe," replied the gentleman, "if your Lordship will find posts, the country will find railing."

XXI. PASSIONATE TEMPER.

General Sutton, brother of Sir Robert Sutton, was very paffionate: Sir Robert Walpole the reverfe. Sutton being one day with Sir Robert, while his valet de chambre was fhaving him Sir Robert faid, "John, you cut me;"-and then went on with the converfation. Prefently, he faid again, "John, you cut me”and a third time-when Sutton ftarting up in a rage, and doubling his fift at the fervant, fwore a great oath, and said,

If Sir Robert can bear it, I cannot ; and if you cut him once more I'll knock you down."

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what laws," faid his opponent, put to death? Quin replied, "By all the laws he had left them."

XXIII. AN INNOCENT MINISTRY.

miniftry. A mafter of a ship calls out, He used to apply a ftory to the then "Who is there?" A boy answered, "Will, Sir."—"What are you doing?" Nothing, Sir."-" Is Tom there?" "What are "Yes," fays Tom. you doing, Tom "-" Helping Will, Sir."

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XXV. ECCLESIASTIC SQUABELE.

A vicar and curate of a village, where there was to be a burial, were at variance. The vicar not coming in time, the curate began the fervice, and was reading the words, "I am the refurrection," when the vicar arrived, almoft out of breath, and fnatching the book out of the curate's hands, with great fcorn, cried, "You the refurrection! I am the refurrection,"and then went on.

Nota. This, though copied from Mr. Walpole's own hand-writing, is fufpected not to be very new. But ever old jelts, that fuch a man thought worthy of writing, or fpeaking, cannot be unworthy of a place in this lounging compilation; and they often gained by patling through his hands.

XXVI. WEAK NERVES.

A clergyman at Oxford, who was very nervous and abfent, going to read prayers at St. Mary's, heard a fhow-man in the High-ftreet, who had an exhibition of wild beasts, repeat often, "Walk in without lofs of time. All alive! alive, The founds ftruck the abfent ho!" man, and ran in his head fo much, that when he began to read the fervice, and came to the words in the first verfe," and doeth that which is lawful and right, he fhall fave his foul alive," he cried out, with a louder voice," fhall fave his fodl alive! All alive! alive ho!" to the aftonishment of the congregation.

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[To be continued regularly.]

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