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358

L. VOLTAIRE.

Walpoliana, No. III.

Soon after I had published my "Hiftoric Doubts on the reign of Richard III." Voltaire happening to fee and like the book, fent me a letter, mentioning how much the work answered his ideas concerning the uncertainty of history, as expreffed in his Hiftoire Generale. He added many praifes of my book; and concluded with entreating my

amitié.

As I had, in the preface to the Caftle of Otranto, ridiculed Voltaire's conduct towards Shakspere, I thought it proper firft to fend Voltaire that book; and let him understand that, if after perufing it, he perfifted in offering me his amitié, I had no objections, but should efteem myfelf honoured by the friendship of fo great a

man.

Sometime after I received from my acquaintance the Dutchefs of Choiseul, at Paris, a letter, inclofing one from Voltaire to her, wherein he faid that I had fent him a book, in the preface to which he was loaded with reproaches, and all on account de fon Bouffon de Shakipere*. He ftated nothing of the real tranfaction, but only mentioned the fending of the Caftle of Otranto, as if this had been the very first ftep.

LI. NEW IDEA OF A NOVEL.

I am firmly convinced that a story might be written, of which all the incidents fhould appear fupernatural, yet

turn out natural.

[This remark, was made in 1784.]

LII. COALS TO NEWCASTLE.

The chief apprehenfion of the Duke of Newcastle, (the minifter), was that of catching cold. Often in the heat of fummer the debates, in the Houfe of Lords, would ftand ftill, till fome window were fhut, in confequence of the Duke's orders. The Peers would all be melting in sweat, that the Duke might not catch

cold.

When fir Jofeph Yorke was ambaffador at the Hague, a curious inftance happened of this idle apprehenfion. The late King going to Hanover, the Duke muft go with him, that his foes might not injure him in his abfence. The day they were to pass the fea, a meffenger came, at five o'clock in the morning, and drew fir Jofeph's bed curtains. Sir Jofeph starting, afked what was the matter. The man faid he came from the Duke of Newcaftlę. "For God's fake, exclaimed fir Jofeph, what is it? Is the King ill?" No. After feveral fruitlefs queftions,

* Of his buffoon Shakipere.

the

meffenger at length faid, "the Duke fent me to fee you in bed, for in this bed he means to fleep."

LIII. TWO MINISTERS.

Mr. Pitt's plan, when he had the gout, was to have no fire in his room, but to load himself with bed-clothes. At his houfe at Hayes he fleeped in a long room; at one end of which was his bed, and his lady's at the other. His way was, when he thought the Duke of Newcastle had fallen into any mistake, to fend for him, and read him a lecture. The Duke was fent for once, and came, when Mr. Pitt was confined to bed by the gout. There was, as ufual, no fire in the room; the day was very chilly and the Duke, as ufual, afraid of catching cold. The Duke firft fat down on Mrs. Pitt's bed, as the warmest place; then drew up his legs into it, as he got colder. The lecture unluckily continuing a confiderable time, the Duke at length fairly lodged himself under Mrs. Pitt's bed-clothes. A perfon, from whom I had the ftory, fuddenly going in, faw the two minifters in bed, at the two ends of the room, while Pitt's long nose, and black beard unshaved for fome days, added to the grotesque of the scene.

LIV. DR. JOHNSON.

I cannot imagine that Dr. Johnson's reputation will be very lafting. His dictionary is a furprifing work for one man-but fufficient examples in foreign countries fhew that the tafk is too much

for one man, and that a fociety fhould alone pretend to publish a standard_dictionary. In Johnson's dictionary, I can full of words no where elfe to be found; hardly find any thing I look for. It is and wants numerous words occurring in good authors. In writing it is ufetul;

as if one be doubtful in the choice of a

word, it difplays the authorities for its ufage.

of what I call triptology, or repeating the His effays I deteft. They are full fame thing thrice over, to that three papers to the fame effect might be made out of any one paper in the Rambler. He muft have had a bad heart-his ftory of the iflands of Scotland is a lamentable infacrilege in his voyage to the Western

ftance.

LV. PHYSIOGNOMY.

Lavater, in his Physiognomy, says that Lord Anfon, from his countenance, must have been a very wife man. He was one of the most stupid men I ever knew.

L.VI. INDO◄

Walpoliana, No. III.....Anecdotes of Cromwell.

LVI. INDOLENCE.

When the Duke of Newcastle left the ministry, a whole closet of American difpatches was found unopened.

LVII. MILTON.

If Milton had written in Italian he would have been, in my opinion, the most perfect poet in modern languages; for his own ftrength of thought would have condensed and hardened that speech to a proper degree.

LVIIL MARY QUEEN OF SCOT

LAND.

I cannot think that the letter from Mary Queen of Scotland to Elizabeth, about the amours of the latter, is genuine. I fuppofe it a forgery of Burleigh, to fhew Elizabeth, if he had refused to condemn Mary.

It was the intereft of Queen Elizabeth's minifters to put Mary to death, 1. as they had gone too far against her, to hope for mercy; and 2. to fecure a proteftant fucceffion. The above letter was published by Haynes, among the Cecil Papers preferved at Hatfield Houfe. His compilation is executed without judgment.

I have read the apologies for Mary; but still must believe her guilty of her hufband's death. So much of the advocate, fo many fupponitions, appear in thofe long apologies, that they fhew of themselves that plain truth can hardly be on that fide. Suppofe her guilty, and all is eafy: there is no longer a labyrinth, and

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a clue:-All is in the high-way of human affairs.

LIX. BRIBERY.

If you look into the last volumes of the Memoires de Villars, you will find minutes of the French council, whence it appears that Fleury was accused of taking money from England, at a time when it was alleged that my father was bribed by France. The origin of this mighty charge was, that fir Robert Walpole had indorfed a bill of 500l. to a linen draper in the Strand, with the fole view of ferv ing that linen draper.

LX. MINISTRIES OF GEORGE THE SECOND.

The miniftries of George the Second were all whig. The oppofition confifted of old whigs, fuch as Rufhout, and others; of Jacobites, fuch as fir William Wyndham, and Shippen.

Sir Robert. Walpole faid, "fome are corrupt, but I will tell you of one who is not. Shippen is not." When Shippen came to take the oath of allegiance, fir Robert Walpole was at the board. Shippen had a trick of holding his glove to, his mouth, and did fo when repeating the oath. Sir Robert pulled down his hand. Shippen said, "Robin, that is not fair."

New whigs in the minority, because out of the miniftry, were Pulteney, formerly joined in the administration with fir Robert Walpole; Lyttelton, whole father was a true whig; and Pitt. [To be continued.]

ORIGINAL ANECDOTES AND REMAINS

OF

EMINENT PERSONS.

ANECDOTES of CROMWELL, Collected by the late Professor Anderson, of Glaf

gow.

THE following anecdotes concerning

Oliver Cromwell, I learned in converfation, many years ago, from Mr. James Anderson, who was long the manager of Stockwell-ftreet fugar-houfe, in Glafgow, a man of veracity, and who died about thirty years ago, in a very advanced age. He said that he had them from Mr. Danziel, fen. a merchant in the High-ftreet of Glasgow, who died in the beginning of this century; and that his friend Danziel's account was confirmed to him by many concurring teftimonies.

A fhort time before the battle of Dunbar, as Cromwell was viewing the ground, MONTHLY MAG. No. XXXI.

accompanied by a few cavalry, a foldier of the Scottish army, prompted by his own zeal, concealed himself behind a wall

which inclofed a field, and fired his mus

ket at Cromwell. The ball did not take effect, but went near him. The cavalry seemed to be alarmed, but Cromwell, who was going at a round trot, never altered his pace, nor tightened his rein; and only looking over his fhoulder to the place from whence the fhot came, called out, "You lubberly rafcal, were one of my men to mifs fuch a mark, he should certainly be tied up to the halberts."

When Cromwell entered Glasgow, faid Danziel, at the head of his victorious army, I was standing in the street called Bell's- Wynd, at the end of it which joins

3 A

the

360

Anecdotes of Cromwell.

the High-ftreet, with a good many young
lads, and a fhoemaker, who was well
known to us all, by his drollery, and by
the name of London Willie. As we were
filently admiring the order of the troops,
Cromwell happened to caft his eye upon
us, and cried out, "Hah! Willie! come,
hither, Willie! If we were furprized at,
this, we were more furprized to fee Willie
retire into Bell's-Wynd, and one of
Cromwell's attendants go after him, who
brought him to the general, at whofe ftir-
rup he not only walked, but went in with
him to his lodging for fome minutes. My
companions and I waited till Willie came
ont, anxious to know why one of his fta-
tion was taken notice of by the famous
Cromwell. Willie foon fatisfied our cu-
riofity, by informing us, that his father
had been a footman to James the Sixth,
and accompanied him to London, at the
union of the crowns: that he himself was
bred a fhoemaker, and wrought in a lane
through which Cromwell often paffed to
a fchool, as he fuppofed: that Cromwell
ufed to ftop at the workshop to get his
ball, and play-things mended, and to be
amufed with his jokes, and Scotch pro-
nunciation: that they had not met from
that time till now: that he had retired
into Bell's-Wynd, left it should be re-
membered that his father had belonged to
the royal family: that he had no reafon,
however, to be afraid, for the general had
only put him in mind of his boyish tricks;
had fpoken to him in the kindeft manner;
and had given him fome money to drink
his health, which he was going to do with
all expedition.

Next Sunday (faid Danziel), Cromwell went to the inner church in Glasgow, St. Mungo's, and placed himself, with his attendants, in the king's feat, which was always unoccupied, except by strangers. The minifter of the church was Mr. Durham, the author of fome religious books, which are ftill very popular. He was a great Prefbyterian, and as great an enemy to Cromwell, becaufe he thought, and early faid, that Cromwell and his friends would be forced, by the convulfion of parties, to erect an abfolute government, the very evil they meant to remedy. The text was taken from Jeremiah, and the commentary upon it, by allufion, was invective against Cromwell and his friends, under fcriptural language and hiftory. During this fatire, they faw a young man, one of Cromwell's attendants, ftep to the back of his chair, and with an angry face, whisper fomething to him, which after fome words was anfwered by a frown;

and the young man retired behind the chair, feemingly very much difconcerted, The caufe of this was unknown to the congregation. It was supposed to be owing to fome intelligence of importance, which had been just then received. But it was afterwards known, and generally known, that the following words had paffed between them. "Shall I fhoot the fellow?" "What fellow "The parfon.' "What parfon?” "That par

าา

fon."

"Begone, fir, he is one fool and you are another." Danziel added, that Cromwell fent for Mr. Durham the very next morning, and afked him, why he was fuch an enemy to him and his friends? declared that they were not enemies to Mr. Durham; drank his health in a glass of wine; and afterwards, it was faid, prayed with him for the guidance of the Lord in all their doings.

When Charles the Firft was in Scotland, in 1633, a fubfcription was fet on foot, for building a new hall and library to the university of Glasgow; and the king's name appears at the head of the fubfcribers for two hundred pounds fterling. The king, however, was not able, I fuppofe, to pay that fum; and he contracted fome debts at Perth, which are unpaid at this moment. When Cromwell arrived at the fummit of his power, he fent two hundred pounds to the univerfity, and there is below the king's fubfcription,

Solvit Dominus Protector." One of the magiftrates of Edinburgh hearing of this, thought it intitled him to afk payment of the fum which the king had borrowed, when in town. But Cromwell did not liften to his petition; and when it was urged again and again, faid with vehemence," Have done, fir; I am not the heir of Charles Stuart." To which the other replied with equal warmth, "I wot well then you are his intromitter; shall Į fay a vicious intromitter?" In the law of Scotland, intromitter fignifies one who takes upon himielt to manage the eftate of a deceafed perfon, and who, by that act, renders himself liable to all his debts; and vicious is, when it is done without any right, and, therefore, is a vice, or iniquity. Cromwell, though abfolute, did not even chide him for this freedom; but declared that he would never pay that money; "becaufe," said he, "I will do things for a learned fociety, which I will not do for other focieties; and I would have you know this."

Such facts mark the temper and genius of celebrated men more diftinctly, perhaps, than the laboured characters of

many

Account of George Forfter.

many elegant hiftorians: and the above I Have heard, with fome variations, from fmany perfons, as well as from Mr. James Anderfon, of Stockwell-ftreet fugar-houfe in Glagow, who was not in the leaft degree connected with any of my kindred.

JOHN ANDERSON,
Profeffor of Natural Philofophy.
Glasgow College, May 15, 1798.

Some ACCOUNT of the late GEORGE
FORSTER.

By CHARLES POUGENS *.
HIS celebrated writer was born at

voyage

THS writer was rotenant
minifter, when he was only twelve years
of age, fent him to England, and he was
fcarcely 19 when he embarked, in order
to accompany Cook in his fecond
round the world. The expedition conti-
hued during the space of three years, and
young Forster, on his return, publifhed
an excellent account of it, in English and
German. This work, however, expe-
rienced but little fuccefs, because it was

the production of a foreigner, and gave
umbrage to the cabinet of St. James's;
and because the author, with the franknefs
of a philofopher, developed certain truths,
which the government wished to have con-
cealed.

Befides this, the English aristocracy was rather diffatisfied with a former publication, in which he examined, with all the feverity of a free-thinker, fome of the numerous abufes of the British constitu

tion. This injurious partiality made him determine to leave London: he accordingly repaired to Paris, where Buffon and d'Aubenton received him with that attention which philofophers always evince towards cofmopolites.

361

whofe princes are unceasingly occupied in rendering the traffic in their own subjects more profitable? Irritated at the ftupor into which they had found means to plunge the Heians, this man, whofe heart was alone replete with energy and fenfibility, did every thing in his power to withdraw himfelf from a fituation so unfuitable to a thinking being.

The fenate of Poland having offered him a chair in the university of Wilna, Forfter accepted of the invitation. However, although this office was very lucrative, and the enlightened patriots of that

country did not neglect to procure him

in need, he could not be long happy in a all the literary fuccours of which he stood femi-barbarous nation, in which liberty was fuffered to expire under the intrigues of Ruffia and Pruffia.

On this, he accepted of the propofitions of Catharine, who, jealous of every fpecies of glory, wifhed to fignalize her reign, by procuring to the Ruffian nation, the honour of undertaking, after the example of France and England, a new voyage of difcovery round the world. Unfortunately for the progress of knowledge, the war with the Ottoman Porte occafioned the mifcarriage of this useful project.

But Forfter could not long remain in obfcurity. The different publications with which he occafionally enriched natural hiftory, and literature, encreafed his reputation. The elector of Mentz accordingly appointed him prefident of the univerfity of the fame name, and he was discharging the functions of his new office, when the French troops took pofcal traveller, who had studied fociety feffion of the capital. This philofophi The learned Forfter was defirous to under all the various afpects arifing from fettle in France. Avaricious of glory, different degrees of civilization; who and an idolator of liberty, Paris was the had viewed man fimple and happy at city moft fuitable to his taste and cha- Otaheite-an eater of human flesh in New racter of any in Europe. Notwithstand-Zealand-corrupted with avarice in Enging this, he was foon conftrained to leave it; the intereft of his family demanded this facrifice for a learned man, who fails round the world, may enrich his memory, but he will not better his fortune. He was accordingly obliged to accept the place of profeffor of natural history in the university of Caffel. But could any perfon endued with fuch a mind, give fatisfaction, in a country

* CHARLES POUGENS, the tranflator of Forfter's works out of German into French, has been blind ever fince he was 21 years of

land, where the word refpe&able + is fynonimous with rich-depraved in France by luxury-in Poland by anarchy--and in Brabant by fuperftition; mult, undoubta edly, have beheld, with enthufiafm, the dawnings of a revolution that enfured to mankind, at one and the fame time, their rights and their happiness. Accordingly, he was the first to promulge republican principles in Germany.

The Mayencois, who had formed themfelves into a national convention, fent

"A rich, in London, is called a respectabit bunker." 3 A 2 him

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Account of George Forfter.....Original Letter.

him to Paris, in order to folicit their re-
union with the French republic. But, in
the courfe of his miffion, the city of
Mentz was befieged and re-taken by the
Pruffian troops.
This event occafioned
the lots of all his property; and what
was still more difaftrous, that of his nu-
merous manufcripts, which fell into the
hands of the prince of Pruffia.

Let us now take a rapid examination of the private life of this remarkable man. He had conceived a very lively affection for a young woman, who poffeffed extraordinary talents. Therefa Heyne, pafhonately attached to celebrated names, confented to unite her fate with his. But, poffeffing one of thofe ingenuous characters which are indignant at the very name of duty, and according to whom, the fecure laws of conjugal union conftitute rather the mythology than the virtue of women, the herself was frank enough to acknowledge the errors of her imagination. A man is only celebrated in the eyes of his miftrefs; he is not long fo in thofe of a wife, to whom vanity alone has dictated the nuptial oath.

The illuftrious rival of Cook, to the gift of loving, did not add that of pleafing: if the one affords the promise of happiness, the other beftows and prolongs the reality. Their union was not unclouded. Love, like the piety of the faithful, increafes in confequence of perfecution and fufferings alone. Forster, although still attached to his wife, endeavoured to confole himself by means of occafional amufements eliewhere; but the fenfes conftitute but the delirium, and not the reafon of the heart. Accordingly, the fole fatisfaction worthy of him, was to refign himself to the natural nobleness of his character: another was beloved, and fo far from being ignorant of it, Forfter defended the character of his Therefa against a crowd,whofe heads were empty enough to believe, that it is poffible to confole a paffionate man, by speaking ill of the object of his affections.

Generous and juft from love, ftill more than from philofophy, the husband who ceafes to pleafe, is no longer any thing elle, according to him, than the adulterer of nature. In short, that fame fenfibility which had influenced his conduct during the whole courfe of his life, infpired him with one of thofe fublime efforts, which cold minds can neither approve nor even conceive. Forfter, accordingly, fet himfelf feriously about obtaining a divorce, in order to enable Therela Hevne to elpoufe the man whom the preferred to

د

him.

He made preparations, at the fame time, by the study of the Oriental languages, to undertake a journey to Thibet and Indoftan, in order to remove from that part of the world, in which both his heart and his perfon had experienced fo fevere a fhock. But the chagrin occafioned by his misfortunes, joined to a fcorbutic affection, to which he had been long fubject, and which he had contracted at fea, during the voyage of circumnavigation, abridged his life, and prevented him from realising this double project. He died at Paris, at the age of 39, on the 23d ventofe*, in the fecond year of the republic.

No one ever profeffed more revolutionary principles. Throughout all his writings, we can every where perceive that love for humanity, without which, neither patriotifm nor virtue can exift. But this love for his equals was that of a great man, whofe genius embraces the entire mafs of individual interefts, and whose foul is too elevated to fall into that selfish philanthropy, which, by means of a reaction, bounded by personal intereft, would imprifon the genius of public happiness in the narrow circle of a few individuals.

His journey, undertaken fince the revolution, into Brabant, Holland, along the borders of the Rhine, and through feveral countries lately conquered by the troops of the republic, having appeared to me, of all the writings of Forster, to be that in which this celebrated man has the most displayed the riches of his imagination, and his profound knowledge of politics; I thought it would be an acquifition to our literature !-The naturalist, the artist, and the legislator, will there discover useful principles; and the philofopher, who poffeffes fenfibility, will with pleasure fee how his expanfive mind knew to embellish even the moft trifling occur

rences.

ORIGINAL LETTERS. LETTER King JAMES VI. of Scotland, to

Queen ELIZABETH, on a scarcity of peafe and beans. RICHT excellent, richt heich and and couling, in our hartieft manner we michtie princeffe, our deireft fufter commend us unto you. The great, and beanis within our realme, thir tua yeiris almaift univerfal, failzie of the peis and maift tempeftous and unfeasonable wether, bigane, occafioned by the continuance of

* This anfwers to the 13th of February, 1792, of our style.

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