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188

Similes from Wild Beafts in Homer, &c.

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The Tiger, a congenerous animal, amid a flock of fheep, affords Virgil a fimple comparison, without any defcription, to Turnus having burit his into the Trojan camp. But Milton has derived a very characteristic fimile from the fame terrible beaft, in which its manner of feizing its prey is pointed with much picturesque exactnefs.

Then as a tiger, who by chance hath fpy'd In fome purlieu two gentle fawns at play, Straight couches clofe, then rifing changes oft His couchant watch, as one who chofe his ground,

Whence rushing he might fureft feize them,

both,

Grip'd in each paw. Par. L. iv. 403.

The application is to Satan, watching the actions of Adam and Eve in Paradife.

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No fears have they, but at their eafe eject From full maws flatulent the clotted gore; Such feem'd the Myrmidon heroic chiefs Affembling faft round the valiant friends Of twift acides. II. xvi. 156. Cowper.

Their hunting in troops, their greediness in devouring, their thirity constitution, the form of their tongues and manner of drinking, are fuch circumftances as a Buffon would felect in defcribing them. The application, as a fimile, anfwers the poet's purpose of imprefling a terrific idea of the Myrmidens; but it would have been more perfect, had they been returning from the combat, in tead of going to it. The eagerness with which they throng round their leader in a clofe troop, is the truly refembling circumstance of the picture.

Another natural fimile, but nct wrought with the force of the former, is derived from this animal, by Homer, where he defcribes the rout of the Trojans. by the victorious Greeks, headed by Patroclus.

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Amid the mountains left by heedlefs fwain
To roam untended, fudden as beheld
They lofe their feeble lives, in pieces rent;
So furious rufh'd the Danai on their foes.
Il. xvi. 352.

Virgil has three fimiles, not borrowed from Homer, in which the manners and actions of wolves, familiar to the inha bitants of a paftoral country, are reprefented with much nature and fpirit The first is an attack of a troop of wolves exploits of a defperate band of Trojans, in a mift, compared to the nocturnal during the fack of their city.

Inde lupi ceu Raptores, atra in nebula, quos improba ven,

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This tranflation, and still more Dryden's, feems to me to mistake the mate rial circumftance of "atra in nebula, which they paint rather as a ftoim, than a dark mift,"

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Trojan camp, and eagerly trying a very Turnus, attempting to break into the acceffible

part, is very happily paralleled

in the following lines:

Ac veluti pieno lupus infidiatus ovili, Cum fremit ad caulas, ventos perpefius et imbres,

Nocte fuper media; tuti fub matribus agni
Balatum exercent: ille afper & improbus ira
Ex longo rabies, & ficcæ fanguine fauces.
Sævit in abfentes: collecta fatigat edendi
Haud aliter Rutulo, muros & caftra tuenti,
Ignefcunt iræ.
Æn. ix. 59.

As beat by tempefts, and by famine bold,
The prowling wolf attempts the mighty fold;
Lodg'd in the guarded field beneath their
Safe from the favage, bleat the tender lambs
dams,
The morter meditates the fleecy brood;
Now howls with hunger, and now thirfts
for blood;

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On the Author of the Poems afcribed to Ezekiel.

Roams round the fences that the prize con

tain,

And madly rages at the flock in vain: Thus, as th' embattled tow'rs the chief defcries,

Rage fires his foul, and flashes from his eyes.

Pitt.

The impotent rage of the affailant, and the fecurity of thefe lodged within the walls, could fcarcely, in all the range of nature, have met with an ap er comparison.

A ftriking circumftance of character in the wolf has fuggefted to Virgil a fimile applied to the cowardly Aruns, who, after inflicting a mortal wound on Camilla with his javelin, affrighted at his own deed, fhrinks back in flight.

Ac velut ille, prius quam tela inimica fequantur,

Continuo in montes fefe avius abdidit altos, Occifo paftore lupus magnove juvenĉo, Confcius audacis facti, caudamque remul

iens

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189

cles of Ezekiel are genuine throughout, that the collective fragments afcribed to him, were all really written by this poet. A diffonance of character in these compofitions, invites rather to embrace an oppofite fufpicion.

Whoever reads the first twenty-four chapters of Ezekiel, will be truck with the identity of manner which pervades them. The poet is evidently a man of vigorous and bufy imagination, but of low and ignoble taft; prone to ideas phyfically and morally (c. iv. and c. xxiii.) obfc.ne. He appears to know Jerufalem and its vicinity, and the banks of the Chebar, (Chaboras) from Carchemifh (Kerkifieh) to Tel-abib (Thallaba): with the reit of the world he betrays little acquaintance. His favourite formula is to begin with a parallel, or allegory, which he leaves awhile wholly enigmatical, and then explains by the narration of a correfponding event. (c. v. c. viii. &c.) He is a diffufe writer: not content to indicate, he compleats all his images, defcribes from head to foot, with needlefs detail and induftrious circumftantiality; and, inftead of felecting the tire proceffion of his thoughts. Of his fineft groupes, parades before us the enwriting, the general tenour is didactic, and invites the perufal of fellow-captives.

*

From the xxvth to the xxxiid chapter inclufive, a distinct and loftier vein of poetry prevails. Nothing low, or fpun-out, here requires apology. All is dignified, fimple, concife, fublime. A profufion of geographical knowledge is fedulously dif played; fuch as might be expected from a profeffed hiftoriographer of the campaigns of Nebuchadrezar, and from the companion of his marches. Thefe poems all relate one or other enterprize of the king of Babylon; and feem rather addrefled to metropolitan readers than to captive Jews. They were evidently writthe moment of the blockade of Tyre, ten on the fpur of the occafion; fince, at the poet does not hesitate to threaten its capture, (c. xxvii.) but, in a fubfequent poem, we find (c. xxix. v. 18.) that the fiege had been unfuccessful, and that the. king was marched forward to Egypt. For this mifcalculation, for this want of forefight, the poet apologizes, and addreffing himself to the king of Tyre, fays nearly: "It is true, I called your refiftance proud, but I perceive you estimated rightly your ftrength; you were wifer

*The xixth chapter indeed, might pafs for fragnient of Jeremiah.

190

Author of Ezekiel... Mr. Houfman's Tour.

than I." And, on this occafion, the poet names himself (c. xxviii. v. 3.) Daniel. It is worthy of remark, that thefe poems minutely agree in character with the later oracles afcribed to Ifaiah, and with the xlvith to lift chapters of Jeremiah.

Thexxxvth,xxxviiith,and xxxixth chap

*Ifaiah flourished under Uzziah one year, under Jotham 16 years, under Ahaz 16 years, and under Hezekiah about 14 years; to which if we add 25 years, before which age he would fcarcely have affumed the prophetic office, we may suppose him to have lived about 72 years. Of the many oracles afcribed to him, the firft nine chapters allude to perfons of his own æra, and to events within his obfervation; they have the common character of the poetry of his country about that time; they are fuch as might be expected from the fon of the grazier at Tekoa, and may fafely be confidered as written by him.

"With the tenth chapter of the work bearing his name, begins poetry of a much higher order, the production of a mind more refined by culture: the ideas take a more comprehenfive range: in geography, in history, the poet is more learned: with Babylon and its vicinity, he feems familiar; with Cyrus, and every minute particular of the memorable fiege, he is correctly acquainted; in the arts of compofition he is an adept; his tyle paces with the measured step of grace; his wide genius is equal to the boldest foar, and feems to forefeel the immortality to which it was born. Now it is certain, that the xyth and xvith chapters of these oracles, are not the work of Ifaiah. They allude to the fall of Moab, and were written (xvi. 14.) within three years of its deftruction. But Moab was overthrown (Jofephus, Ant. x. 9.) about five years after the taking of Jerufalem by Nebuchadrezzar, or his fervants, and a long century after the death of Ifaiah.

"It remains, then, to confider these and all the fubfequent chapters, as an anthology, by various uncertain hands; or from the identity of character (and that of no common nor imitable kind) which pervades them, to af

cribe them to fome one later author. If this refource be preferred, us in reafon it ought, It might be contended, that the work af cribed to Daniel, cannot be his (Collins Scheme of Literal Prophecy, p. 149, &c.) but is a pofterior writing, probably as late as Antiochus Epiphanes: that the exiftence of this legend, no lefs than the teftimony of Ezekiel, is a proof of the high traditional reputation of Daniel, which muft have had fome caufe; that the compofition of these poems is a probable caufe; and that the trains of idea prevailing in them, are fuch as his time, his place, his circumstances, would peculiarly tend to fuggeft: and, confequently, that the name of Daniel fhould once again be prefixed.” Monthly Review, vol. XXIII. P. 491.

ters of Ezekiel, have also the appearance of official war-fongs. The two latter evidently relate to an expedition against the Scythians. Some hesitation will be felt in afcribing the feries of five chapters uninterruptedly to Daniel; as the xxxviith chapter is much in the ftile of Ezekiel.

Now it is not at all improbable, that the celebrated Daniel was a fort of poet. laureat to Nebu✶ Khadrezar; that he attended his expeditions, and compofed fongs of triumph or regret over the fhifting fcenery of his enterprizes. Daniel, and the other hoftages felected on the first reduction of Jerufalem, appear to have imbibed, in the Chaldean schools, a fteady alliance to the court of Babylon; for he is defcribed, by his legendary biographer (Daniel i. 48.), as in high favour with his fovereign.

Inafmuch as thefe obfervations have weight, they tend to authorize the fegregation of a very fine fet of oracles from thofe of Ifaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and the afcription of them to Daniel.

TOUR OF ENGLAND,
(CONTINUED).

Journal of a Tour through almost everycounty
in England, and part of Wales, by Mr. JOHN
HOUSMAN, of Corby, near Carlife; who
was engaged to make the Tour by a gentle-
man of diftinction, for the purpose of col-
lecting authentic information relative to
the ftate of the poor. The Journal com-
prifes an account of the general appearance
of the country, of the foil, furface, build-
ings, &c. with obfervations agricultural,
commercial, &c.

IEICESTERSHIRE is famous for

its fine breed of cattle and fheep. These animals have lately been mproved to a great degree of perfection by fome fpirited farmers in the north of that county; among whom the late Mr. Bakewell, of Difhley, was the leader. That gentleman felected the best ewes from Lincolnshire, and cows from Lancathire; he continued to breed from the fame ftock, ftill picking the finest boned, beft fhaped, and fuch of the animals as

Nebuis poffibly the Perfian nayb, a mere title occurring alfo in the names Nabonaflar, Nabopolaflar, Nebuzaradan, &c. Khadrezar feems to be the mode of writing, in Babylan letters, the old Aramic word for Khofrw Khofroes, or Cyrus, which the modern Syrians' yet exprefs by Kezra (D'Anville's L'Eupbratele Tigre, p. 121.) The orthography of Jeremiah and Ezekiel is, therefore, preferable to that of Kings and Chronicles, which read Nebuchadnezzar.

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Mr. Houfman's Tour....Northamptonshire.

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when fuch a fudden change in the agricultural fyftem happens, as that which has recently occurred in this county; but that inconvenience will decrease by degrees, till it wholly disappears.-Leicefterfhire feems, in general, to have a strong foil; the furface uneven, and in fome parts rather hilly; the air pure, but not fo much water as might be wished; nor are the roads fo pleafant as in fome lefs fertile counties. But notwithstanding thefe inconveniences, I have not hitherto, feen any county which, upon the whole, appears to afford fo many defirable objects in a country refidence.

were most inclined to fatten, for future breeders, till he was acknowledged, by able judges, and by common experience, to poffels the best and most profitable fheep and cattle in the kingdom. The prices he fold them for were moft aftomithing. It is faid that one ram brought him 1200 guineas in one feafon; a cow of his breed has been fold for 260 guineas, and a bull was let for 152 guineas, for four months only. Thefe improved breeds are now very defervedly beginning to fpread into moft parts of the kingdom. The sheep are ufually fold to the butchers at two years old, for 21. 158. each. In Leicestershire they experience fome inconvenience for want of turnips; a few farmers fend their fheep into the neighbouring counties to winter on that root, which generally costs about 5s. 6d. or 6s. each for twenty weeks. The expence of falving is alfo generally found unneceffary, which is a peculiar advantage. This fine county was, not many years ago, mostly in common or open fields, and produced a great deal of corn; fince its inclosure it has been found most profitable in grafs that circumftance, as obferved before, occafions much murmuring among the inconfiderate people; who ought to recollect, that every parish or diftrict cannot fupply itself with all neceflaries, and that the general intereft of the nation at large is advanced, by applying the foil of every district to the production of fuch kind of human food as it is beft adapted to; because a greater plenty may be expected. If Leicestershire produces more beef and mutton than it would do grain, perhaps Oxfordshire or Berkshire raifes more corn than it would do beef or mutton, on the fame quantity of land: why, therefore, fhould not the grazier farm the former, and the plowman the latter? I need not remind the advocates for the old fyftem, that the more animal food is produced in one district, the lefs is neceffary to be raised in another; which, of courfe, gives more scope to the plow, where it is ufed to the greateft advantage.-The population of Leicestershire feems to be reduced under the prefent farming fyftem; a farm of 100 acres can now be occupied both at much less expence, and with much lefs labour. This alfo furnishes the poor man with matter of complaint; but his arguments, in that refpect, are equally groundless; for if labour be decreafed here, it must be proportionably increafed in corn diftricts. It muft, however, be allowed, that a temporary inconvenience to the labouring poor will take place, MONTH. MAG. No. XXIX.

;

Auguft 29, Brixworth to Northampton, fix miles.-A pleafant level country, and rather woody. The people reaping wheat; a great deal of that grain produced here, and very good: turnips are alfo much cultivated. I paffed an elegant feat of Lord STAFFORD, on the left. Moft part of this district appears to have been inclofed not many years ago. Buildings moftly of ftone. Northampton is a pretty large town; its ftreets are wide and clean; houfes well built flagged walks on each fide the street; the market-place a large fquare, and furrounded with very genteel houfes: this town, in short, is the most pleasant country market town I have feen, Oxford perhaps excepted. Northampton stands on a fine fertile plain, and the country around it is beautiful. This town was remarkable for the manufacture of shoes but although fhoe-making is at prefent one of the principal employs of the inha bitants, it is carried on how much lefs than formerly. Something is alfo done in wool-combing and jersey-spinning, as alfo in working of lace. This town contains four parish churches, and a good infirmary. Farms in the neighbourhood 100l. to 200l, a year.

September 2d, I left Northampton, and went to Rode, in Northamptonshire, eight miles. The foil is a ftrong loam; furface uneven; pretty hedge rows; plenty of trees, and the road tolerably good. In this day's journey I again meet with flint mixed with the foil, and fome curious petrefactions among the gravel with which the roads are made: thefe petrefied fubftances are called by the inhabitants crow ftones and thunderbolts. The former have been fhells fomewhat resembling cockles, and the latter are generally found two, three, or four inches long, about the thickness ofone's little finger, and pointed at one end; they are nearly round, and have fomething like a hollow

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place

192

Northamptonshire.-Exertions of France in making Arms.

place in the middle, which time has filled up; but whether they have originally been animal or vegetable fubftances, I cannot form a conjecture. Many of the houfes are built with a whiteifh freeftone, and thatched. The people are reaping fine crops of wheat all along; the labourers feem lazy, and have bad methods of reaping; a fervant girl in Cumberland would do much more work in the harveft field, than any of these labourers which I have obferved. Rode is a finall

farming village, the buildings of which

are mean, and thatched. Farins, from 20l. to 100l. a year, and the land belonging to the village moftly in common field; the produce, wheat, barley, peale, and beans. Rent about 10s. 6d. per acre. The land, in moft of the neighbouring parishes, is alfo in common field; the conftant rotation of crops are, firft, fallow; fecond, wheat, or barley; third, peafe, beans, or oats. Where common fields have been inclofed, the rents are generally doubled, which is the best proof of the great advantage of inclofing. In common fields, no hay or grafs, for pafture, can be had, and confequently few cows are kept, and them miferably fed on the headlands, &c. during the day, and are under the neceffity of being confined in the night; a very great inconvenience. In this and the neighbouring villages, many of the women are lace-workers. In farmers' houfes, the work of the females is confined to cookery, fowing, &c. and fo far from being ufeful in the harveft field, even in the most busy times of the feafon, that few of them know how to milk a cow. What a figure would these girls make in the fervice of a Cumberland farmer! Labourers' wives and children employ themselves, during the harvest, in gleaning, and often collect a great deal of corn, and fometimes as much beans as will feed a pig. It would certainly, however, be more advantageous, both to the farmer and the labourer, were the wives of the latter to reap along with their hufbands as long as they could get employ, and afterwards collect the gleanings of the fields. The property of the different owners in all the common fields in thefe counties, lies in long, narrow, and often crooked lands, which are separated by stakes, ftones, or more commonly by ftripes of grafs land. Refpect ing the manner of managing the wheat in the field after reaping, I noticed all along, that they bind it up in fmall fheaves, and place them in what they call

fhocks, ten together, five on each fide,
but without laying two fheaves horizon,
tally along the tops, as is done in the
north, in order to keep the ears from be-
ing injured by the wet. The manner of
plowing and carting here, is nearly fimi-
lar to the mode followed in all the coun-
ties I have paffed fince I left Suffolk.
[To be continued.]

For the Monthly Magazine.

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RS Account of the extraor

following Extract, from Mr.

dinary collection of Saltpetre, which took place in the fecond and third year of the French Republic, gives a wonderful proof of the energetic impulse which pervaded that nation, when in a manner unprepared to refift the formidable force in league against it.

"One ftill recollects with aftonishment and admiration, the enthufiaftic, spirit of every Frenchman, at a time, when their country was in the greatest danger; and the prodigious efforts which refulted from it, towards furnishing an enormous quantity of arms of every kind, and of gunpowder, which the nation was much in want of the almost inftantaneous erection of numberlefs buildings, in all parts of the Republic, for making and repairing all forts of polished arms, mufkets, and cannons of every bore, both for the land and fea fervice; as well as the incredible quantity of ammunition, utenfils, machines, and other neceffaries, for the confumption and use of more than 900,000 men, ftationed at one time cr the frontiers, independent of the national guards in the interior: in a word, fo great a toil, as may be eafily conceived, put in action an incredible number of workinen.

"It was found neceffary to employ therein, thofe men whofe labour was of an analogous kind; that is to fay, men of different vocations in the rough work of wood and metals; or even fuch as were acquainted with the more refined and finished parts. It was neceffary alfo, in a manner, to make apprentices of thofe workmen who had been taken from their

*To give a full idea of the enormity of this fabrication, it will be within bounds to declare, that, in one month, there were

delivered from the founderies, 597, brass, and 452 iron cannon, of different bores; an 7000 brafs, and 12 or 13,000 iron cannon, were mounted fit for fervice, in the space of one year.

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