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'Anecdotes of Spain.

commonly beautiful lady, who had married a Swifs officer in the Spanish fervice, and was, moft unfortunately, a victim to this fyftem of precipitation, being buried alive, and left to perish in her cofAn, deferves to be particularly noticed. The corpfe was afterwards, at the defire of her friends, conveyed to her native country, and interred in a town in the canton of Berne. All travellers who pass near the place make a point of vifiting her tomb; and numbers go confiderably out of their way for this exprefs purpofe; I, among others, have contemplated it with peculiar admiration and fatisfaction. The monument, which appears to open, reprefents Madame Langhans, who died in child bed, after being delivered of a dead infant, in the act of raifing the broken tomb, difencumbering herself from her grave clothes, and whilft the fondly preffes her reanimated child to her parental bofom, foaring from her late prifon to the glorious mansions of eternal blifs.

All this, and more than this, is depictured in this beautiful mausoleum. The figures feem to move, to breathe; every gefture is faithfully portrayed, every motion ftrongly characterized. The enraptured look of astonishment with which the rifen faint eyes the near profpect of opening heaven, Is marked with a ftrength of expreffion, which nothing but the infpiration of native genius could dictate. It is a genuine emblem of the refurrection, or rather, it is the refurrection itfelf perfonified.

This original and fpirited effufion of elevated genius, this lively conception, this ode in marble, if I may be allowed the expreffion, is the production of a young Swedish artift, who, after having travelled all Europe, and, in the courfe of his peregrinations, animated, as it were, with his chizzel, stone and bronze, in various shapes, was left at laft perifh in a London prifon, where he was confined

for debt.

The abuses of luxury appear in all their native abfurdity, in the funeral pomp and parade which characterizes the Spaniards. Upwards of a hundred carriages, five or fix hundred priests and monks, with at leaft 2000 flambeaus, form the ordinary appendage of a common funeral.

By virtue of a late edict, which a due regard to the health of the living cer tainly renders neceffary, it is enacted, that no burials fhall be permitted within the gates of Madrid. In open defiance, however, of this falutary law, the clergy continue to bury in the churches, in the MONTHLY MAG. No, XXVI.

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view of doubling and tripling the bequests they are in the habit of receiving on these occafions, or to pay their court to the relatives of the deceased. For this purpole, grave-diggers are engaged to dif inter the corpfe during the night, and convey it into the church. This evafion of the law is tolerated in a country, where the clergy may be faid to have ufurped all power and rule into their own hands.

The ancient custom of burning the bodies of the deceased is long fince totally abrogated. There are many perfons who regret this circumftance, and to their number I muft honeftly avow myself to belong. Death, in itself, has little or no terrors. It is the concomitant ideas of putrefaction, a coffin, worms, &c. which difmay. These are the magic fpells which appal the heart; all these would be effectually done away, by readopting the practice of cremation. Add to this, the unspeakable confolation it must afford to the furvivors, to preferve, not only the remembrance, but the relics of their departed relatives and friends; to be in poffeffion of their facred afhes; to have their remains continually before their eyes.

Gladly would I give a hundred Louis d'ors, with my ring and watch, to boot, in exchange for a box filled with the ashes of my deceafed mother. Her picture, however striking, however animated the refemblance, is but her picture; it is not herself, it is not the fmallest particle of her; it is an affemblage of colours, a proportion of oil and canvas.

In Spain, the domestics wait at table in their jackets, and with their hair in papers. They are fo filthy, that one has not the ftomach to call for drink at their hands; fo horribly hideous, that they ftrike terror into the beholders, and fo deformed and stinted in their growth, that one might be tempted to conclude nature had only half finished her work in their formation.

A long retinue of valets constitutes the highest luxury and ambition of a Spaniard. But no mafters under heaven are fo badly ferved by their domestics, who are conftitutionally aukward, and flow to a proverb in their motions. They are fure to break whatever they lay their hands upon; they have not the smallest idea of dreffing hair; and will scarcely make a bed in a couple of hours. Even then, the job is fo wretchedly performed, that it is neceffary to make it over again. If you fend them with a letter, or a mesfage, you must never hope to see them

again

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again, without fending other meffengers in queft of them; and as to an anfwer, they have either never folicited one, have forgotten to wait for it, or have dropt it on the road.

Every perfon is indifcriminately buried in a religious habit. The men are equipped in the uniform of Capuchins; the women are dreffed like Pilgrims, and young girls like nuns of the order of Soeurs Grifes. Exclufive of the habit, the defunct is loaded with a prepofterous freight of rofaries, Agnus Deis, beads, &c. &c. which are fastened to the neck, the arms, the feet, &c. and with which the cap, the fleeves, and pockets of the deceased are completely stuffed.

Without thefe precious relics, a Spaniard would never be able to die in peace. But to obtain this defirable object, relics

alone are not fufficient. More efficacious means must be employed; proper legacies and bequests must be devised to the church, and for pious purpofes. Hence the moment the life of a rich Spaniard is pronounced to be in danger, two or three battalions of monks quit their cells, and march immediately to keep guard round his bed. Nothing now is to be heard, but the terrible founds of hell, fire, brimftone, eternal torments, purgatory, &c. &c. whilft the wretched patient, to escape from the flames which threaten to devour him, and to keep his tormentor, the devil, at arms' length, waftes his whole fortune in daily, weekly, monthly, and annual obits, and, at length, dies ftupified and distracted, amidst an inundation of holy water, prayers, and menaces.

Few fcenes can afford a richer fund of merriment, than to witness the fuperftitious eagerness, with which the Spaniards befiege the churches and confeffionals on the eve of any grand feftival. It would weary calculation to enumerate the kicks, and boxes on the ear, which are exchanged among the warring devotees in leis than a quarter of an hour. What conpletes the abfurdity and ludicrous whimficality of this diverting fcene, is the arrival of fome grandee, or bidalgo, who, efcorted by a lacquey, carrying a cushion for his mafter's accommodation, forces his way through the crowd, and, whilft the combatants are engaged in fierce conteft, darts before them into the confef fional, throws himself upon his knees, wifely taking care, however, not to wear them out for want of a cushion, and in this condition, repents at his cafe the fins and enormities he has committed.

The ways of God are dark, inforu

table to our circumfcribed vifion, He
governs his heaven by his own laws, and
can call into his prefence whomfoever he
pleafes. But the Muffulman, who con-
tracts a hoarfenefs by vociferating Alla!
Alla!---the Talapoin, who infixes nee-
dles in his own flesh---and the Marabou,
who confcientiously walks but upon one
leg, appear, in my judgment, to be
equally deferving of place in the celef-
tial manfions, with the bigotted Spani-
ard, who heats himself with paffion, and
deals out blows to fight his way to the
confeffional, to obtain abfolution."
London, Jan. 1798.

A. D.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

the Spectator, that "A man who
T is obferved, by the ingenious author

has a good nofe at an inuendo, smells
treafon and fedition in the most inno-
cent words that can be put together,"

This obfervation will, in many in-
ftances, apply to the Editors of "The
British Critic"---and particularly to their
Review of a small pamphlet by R.M.C.
in their Number for November, (p. 566.)
where the author is reprefented as a man
of dangerous principles, and his defigns
fo infidiously concealed, as to deceive
many readers.

In order to vindicate the author from this charge, I must requeft the infertion of the following Remarks in your next month's Magazine, wherein I shall endeavour to prove, that R. M. C. was a man who neither entertained nor expreffed any fly infinuations against government; but, on the contrary, that loyalty and the love of his country were fentiments which he always (particularly in his pamphlet) openly and manfully expreffed. The effay more particularly noticed bye Reviewers is," On Prejudice and the Spirit of Party;" to the leading obfervation in which, they do not pretend to object; but can by no means affent to the plan “of estimating all actions by an arithmetical calculation of the happinefs or mifery which they produce;" because, they fay, it leads directly to the pernicious maxim" of doing evil that good may come." To fhew that this is not the leading maxim infifted on by the author, it will be neceffary to give fuch of your readers, as have not feen the pamphlet, a more extenfive and lefs garbled extract, than the Reviewers thought proper to give.

"One effential requifite (R. M. C, obferves)

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Revival of Literature.

obferves) towards impartiality, is that faculty of the imagination, by which a man places himself in any rank of life, in the midst of any nation, any circumftances, or any age; and fairly and equitably appreciates the miferies that each may be fuppofed to feel, and the advantages that each may enjoy.

Such a man always eftimates, as much as poffible, (cateris paribus) accord ing to the intrinfic nature of the thing, not according to the party, the rank, the nation, or the age it is connected with. He thinks that the welfare and happiness of the majority (without refpect to rank or title) is to be the ultimate aim of all our actions: that as the welfare of the -prince and the peafant are of equal importance in the eyes of the Creator of both, they ought to be equally fo in the eyes of men.---Hence, he estimates all actions by an arithmetical calculation of the quantity of happiness or mifery which they produce; and he confiders that law, or that conftitution, as indefenfible which, without any advantage to the community, facrifices the welfare and happiness of two peasants to the unreasonable gratification of any one man, however high his rank may be."---Is this to enforce the pernicious maxim of doing evil that good may come ?"---But, what is ftill more extraordinary, they cannot eafily difcern the connection of thefe affertions, unless they refer them to the French Revolution, whereas, the author's meaning is fully explained in a note at the end of the chapter, which is defignedly paffed over, without notice; befides, had the author's preface been attended to (but the preface is, perhaps, feldom noticed by Reviewers) they would there have been informed, that "his

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obfervations have no view to the fitua

tion of public affairs, more immediately prefent." "It is evident, (continues he,) that his arguments do not at all apply to the prefent circumftances, but to fituations in which we have been, and in which fome of us may live to be again."

In the next remark, the author is charged with countenancing "low-born demagogues; when they quarrel among themfelves and confifcate property;" but this furely is a grofs and wilful mifreprefentation.---The author, arguing ftrongly against prejudice, fays, that the man whofe mind is under its influence "believes that murder is no murder, because it is commanded by a perfon bearing the title of a prince, or an em

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peror; and that crimes are no crimes, provided they are committed under the aufpices of government: but, if a fet of low-born demagogues quarrel among themselves, and butcher fome thousands, and confifcate property, according as one faction or the other happens to prevail, an outcry is immediately raised.”

A very flight perufal of the above fen tence muft convince an unprejudiced reader, that this is not the doctrine inculcated by the author, but condemned by him, as natural to the mind of those who are under the influence of prejudice.

R. M. C.'s obfervation on the injuftice of charging the defects of government upon the individual who happens to be born to the administration of it is certainly just; for, as he says, " if the government were not an arbitrary one, the perfon who adminifters it would not have the temptation, nor the power, to commit fo many crimes."---He brings incontrovertible arguments to prove, that a king must almost inevitably be corrupted by the very nature of his fitua tion: and, although he is charged with profound filence, on the tranfcendant praife of those who have refifted that cor ruption; it is certainly unjuft to attribute that filence to any infidious defigns against regal government. It is no more than a juít tribute to the memory of the author, to inform the public, that in zeal for peace, order, and obedience to the laws of his country, few (if any) could furpafs him.

Carlife, Feb. 5, 1798.

CANDIDUS,

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

with considerable fuccefs, fince the HOUGH hiftory has been cultivated middle of the prefent century, particu larly in this country; and though many obicure periods have been illuftrated by the labours of a ROBERTSON, a GIB BON, and others, there is one fubject yet untouched, or at leaft touched very imperfectly, which might afford a fine field to genius and induftry. I here aliude to "A Hiftory of the Revival of Literature," from its fir dawn in Italy, in the time of Petrarch, till its complete triumph over ignorance and fuperftition. This would comprehend a period of no great length; but the execution of fuch a work would be attended with difficulties that could be furmounted only by great talents and perfeverence. Some of the works which contain materials for it are exceed.

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Account of John of Ravenna.

ingly fcarce: the materials alfo are, in general, fo fcattered, many of them in books now almoft forgotten, and buried under the duft of libraries, that it would require a confiderable share of time and patience to collect them. Should ever a hiftory of this kind, however, be attempted, no one would deferve a more confpicuous place in it than John de Ravenna, the fcholar of Petrarch, who, though he left no works behind him to atteft his merit, may be justly confidered as one of the firft revivers of the Greek and Latin languages in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. This learned man taught with as much fuccefs as his mafter, Petrarch, wrote; and, by the oral inftruction which he gave in the principal cities of Europe, contributed greatly to the fupport of that revolution in the arts of teaching and learning, which Petrarch, by his example and writings, began. Without him, the light which Petrarch had kindled would, in all probability, have been either extinguished, or at leaft obfcured: and had he not excited in Italy a defire of being acquainted with the treasures of Roman literature, Manuel Chryfoloras would not have been invited to that country, and the Greek language would not have been cultivated fo early, and with fo much ardour.As little, in general, is known refpecting the life and character of this friend to letters, the following account of him may, perhaps, not be unacceptable to thofe fond of historical researches--John Malpaghino, commonly called John de Ravenna, from the place of his birth, was born in the year 1352, of a family diftinguifhed neither by riches nor nobility. His father, however, committed him to the care of Donatus, the grammarian, an intimate friend of Petrarch, who at that time taught the Latin with great applaufe at Venice. Donatus thought he difcovered fuch happy difpofitions in young Malpaghino, that he recommended him to Petrarch, not only as an excellent affiftant to facilitate his labours, by reading or tranfcribing for him, but as a youth of the most promifing talents, and worthy of being formed under the infpection of the greateft nan of the fourteenth century.

It appears from fome of Petrarck's letters, for it is from thefe chiefly we can obtain information refpecting John de Ravenna, that he fully anfwered the expectations formed of him; and that he even gained the favour and affection of his patron fo much, that he loved him

"He

and treated him as if he had been his ow fon. In a letter to John de Certaldo*, Petrarch highly extols him, not only for his genius and talents, but also for his prudent and virtuous conduct. poffeffes," fays he, "what is very rare in our times, a great turn for poetry, and a noble defire to become acquainted with every useful and ornamental part of knowledge. He is favoured by the Mufes, and already attempts verses of his own; from which one can foretel, that, if his life be spared, and if he goes on as hitherto, fomething great may be expected from him."

Not long, however, after this panegyric was written, young Malpaghino conceived an infuperable defire to fee the world; and, notwithstanding all Petrarch's remonftrances, perfifted in his refolution of quitting him. Petrarch's paternal care and regard for his pupil ap pear, on this occafion, in the most favourable light, as may be feen in his letters to Donatus; and his whole behaviour, though the young man infifted on leaving him, without affigning a fufficient reafon for his precipitate and ungrateful conduct, does as much honour to his head as to his heart.

The precipitation with which John de Ravenna carried his plan into execution was not likely to make it anfwer his expectations. He departed without taking with him letters of recommendation which Petrarch offered him to his friends. He, however, pursued his journey over the Appenines, amidst continual rain, giv ing out that he had been difiniffed by Petrarch; but, though he experienced from many a compaffion to which he was not entitled by his conduct, he now began to awaken from his dream. He proceeded, therefore, to Pifa, in order to procure a veffel to carry him back towards Pavia; but being difappointed, while his money wafted as much as his patience decreafed, he fuddenly refolved to travel back across the Appenines. When he defcended into the Ligurian plains, he attempted to wade through a river in the district of Parma, which was much fwelled by the rains, and being carried by the force of the ftream into a whirlpool, he would have loft his life, had he not been faved by fome people who were accidentally paffing that way. After efcaping this danger, he arrived, penny

*Better known under the name of Boc

caccio or Boecace. Certaldo was the place of this birth.

Account of John of Ravenna.

lefs and famifhed, at the house of his former patron, who happened then not to be at home; but he was received and kindly entertained by his fervants, till their mafter returned.

Petrarch, by his entreaties and paternal admonitions, retained the young man at his houfe for about a year, and prevented him from engaging in any more romantic adventures; but, at the end of that period, his defire for rambling again returned; and as Petrarch found that all attempts to check him would be fruitlefs, he gave him letters of recommendation to two of his friends, Hugo de St. Severino and Francifcus Brunus, at Rome. To the former of thefe, Petrarch fays, "This youth of rare talents, but ftill a youth, after propofing to himself various plans, has at length embraced the nobleft; and as he once travelled, he is now defirous of doing fo again, in order to gratify his thirit of knowledge. He has, in particular, a strong inclination for the Greek language; and entertains a wifh which Cato firft conceived in his old age. This with I have endeavoured for fome years to fubdue; fometimes by entreaties, at other times by admonition; fometimes by reprefenting how much he is ftill deficient in the Roman language; and fometimes by laying before him the difficulties which must attend him in his journey, efpecially as he once before left me, and by want was obliged to return. As long as that unfortunate excurfion was fresh in his memory he remained quiet, and gave me hopes that his reftlefs fpirit could be overcome and restrained. But now, fince the remembrance of his misfortunes is almoft obliterated, he again fighs after the world; and can be retained neither by force nor perfuafion. Excited by a defire which betrays more ardour than prudence, he is refolved to leave his country, friends, and relations, his aged father, and me whom he loved as a father, and whofe company he preferred to a refidence at home, and to haften to you whom he knows only by name. This precipitation even has an appearance of prudence. The young man first wifhed to vifit Conftantinople; but when I told him that Greece, at prefent, is as poor as it was formerly rich in learning, he gave credit to my affertion, and at any rate altered his plan, which he could not carry into execution. He is now defirous of traverf ing Calabria, and the whole coaft of Italy, diftinguished formerly by the name of Magna Græcia, becaufe I once told him that there were in that quarter feveral

101

men well skilled in the Greek language, particularly a monk, Barlaam, and one Lec or Leontius, with whom I was intimately acquainted, and of whom the first had been fome time my fcholar. In confe quence of this propofal, he begged me to give him a recommendatory letter to you, as you have confiderable influence in that part of the country. This request granted, in hopes that the young man, by his genius and talents, will afford you fatisfaction equal to the fervice which you may render to him." In his letter to Brunus, Petrarch expreffes himself as follows: "He is a young man who wishes to fee the world as I formerly did, but I never reflect on it without horror. He is defirous of feeing Rome; and this defire I cannot condemn, as I myself have fo often vifited that city, and could ftill revifit it with pleasure. I fufpect, however, that he will venture on a more extenfive ocean, and imagines to find a fortune where he will, perhaps, meet with a fhipwreck. At any rate, he is defirous, he fays, of putting his fortune to a trial. I wish it may be favourable; fhould it be adverfe, he is ftill at liberty to return to my peaceful, though fmall, haven; for I hang out a light, during the day as well as the night, to guide thofe who quit me through youthful folly; and to enable them to find their way back. The ardour by which he is impelled muft not be ascribed fo much to him as to his age, and is in itself commendable. If I am not much deceived, the young man loves me and virtue in general. He is unfteady, but modeft; and deferves that all good men fhould contribute to his profperity as far as they can."

From the letters of Petrarch, there is reafon to believe, that John de Ravenna lived with him only about three years in all; and that he had not attained to the full age of manhood when he left him. It appears alfo, for this circumstance is very obfcure, that after he quitted him, he wandered about a confiderable time before he was fo fortunate as to meet with a protector and patron, at whofe houfe, as he wrote to Petrarch, he at laft / found a permanent afylum. How long he remained with his patron, whom fome believe to have been Cardinal Philip, and what happened to him till the death of Petrarch in 1374, and for fome years after, is unknown. The literary monuments of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries fay nothing farther of him till his appearance at Padua; where, according

to

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