"You are truly generous," repiled Sappho : " there is no fuch man; the hand you hold is yet untainted, and till now has been untouched; release it therefore, and I will proceed.My innocence has been my error; I have been the dupe of fentiment: I am the only child of a fond father, and never knew the bleffing of a mother; when I look back upon my education, I perceive that art has been exhaufted, and nature overlooked in it. The unhappy object above ftairs has been my fole adviser and director; for my father is immersed in business: From him, and from the duty which I owe him, I confefs I have feceded, and my defign was to devote myself to retirement. My fcheme I now perceive was vifionary in the extreme; left to my own reflection, reafon fhows me both the danger and the folly of it: I have therefore determined upon returning to my father, and am writing to him a letter, which I shall fend by exprefs, to relieve him from the agonies my filly conduct has occafioned." What you have now disclosed to me," faid Lionel," with a fincerity that does equal honour to yourself and me, demands a like fincerity on my part, and I must therefore confefs to you, that Mufido rus, believing himself at the point of death, imparted to me not only every thing that has paffed, but all the future purposes of this treacherous plot, from which you have fo providentially efcaped; thefe I fhall not explain to you at prefent, but you may depend upon it, that this attack upon his life has faved his confcience, I cannot as a man of honour oppose myfelf to your refolution of returning home immediately; and yet when I confider the ridicule you will have to encounter from the world at large, the reflections that will arife in your mind, when there is perhaps no friend at hand to affuage them; but above all, when I thus contemplate your charms, and recollect that affectation is expelled, and nature reinftated in your heart, I cannot refift the impulfe nor the opportunity of appealing to that nature against a feparation fo fatal to my peace: Yes, lovelieft of women, I muft appeal to nature; I muft hope this heart of yours, where fuch refined fenfations have refided, will not be thut from others of a more generous kind. What could the name of Mufidorus do which Lionel's cannot? Why fhould you not replace an unworthy friend with one of fairer principles; with one of honourable birth, of equal age, and owner of a heart that beats with ardent paffion towards you? Had you been made the facrifice of this chimera, this illufion, what had your father suffered? If I am honoured with your hand in marriage, what can he com plain of? My conduct, my connections, and my hopes in life will hear the fcrutiny: Suffer me to fay you will have a protector, whofe character can face the world, and whofe fpirit cannot fear it. As for worldly motives, I renounce them; give me your felf and your affections; give me poffeffion of this hand, thefe eyes, and the foul which looks thro' them; let your father with-hold the reft. Now lovelieft, and most beloved, have you the heart to fhare a foldier's fortune? have you the noble confidence to take his word? Will you follow where his ho nour bids him go; and whether a joyful vie tory or a glorious death attends him, will you receive him living, or entomb him dying in your arms?" Whilft Lionel was uttering these words, his action, his emotion, and that honeft glow of paffion which nature only can af fume and artifice cannot counterfeit, had so fubdued the yielding heart of Sappho, that he must have been dull indeed, if he could have wanted any stronger confirmation of his fuccefs than what her looks belowed : Never was filence more eloquent; the la bour of language and the forms of law had no fhare in this contract: A figh of speechlefs ecftafy drew up the nuptial bond; the operations of love are momentary: Tears of affection interchangeably witneffed the deed, and the contracting parties fealed it with an inviolable embrace. Every moment now had wings to waft them to that happy spot, where the unholy hand of law has not yet plucked up the root of love: Freedom met them on the very ex-` tremity of her precincts; Nature held out her hand to welcome them; and the Loves and Graces, though exiled to a desert, dan→ ced in her train. Thus was Sappho, when brought to the very brink of deftruction, refcued by the happy intervention of Providence. The next day produced an interview with Clemens, at the houfe to which they returned after the ceremony in Scotland. The meeting, as might well be expected, was poignant and reproachful; but when Sappho, in place of a fuperannuated fentimentalift, prefented to him a fon-in-law, in whofe martial form. and countenance he beheld youth, honour, manly beauty, and every attractive grace that could justify her choice, his tranfports became exceffive; and their union, being now factified by the bleffing of a father, and warranted by love and nature, has fṇatched a deluded victim from mifery and error, and added one conjugal inftance to the fcanty records of unfashionable felicity. POETRY. ODE.--On CARNBRE. By PETER PIndar. TEAR yonder folitary tower, Lone glooming 'midit the moony I roam at midnight's fpecter'd hour, And climb the wild majestic height; Pale on a rock's afpiring steep, I fee the white rob'd phantom weep, The vanish'd groves provoke his deepest And altars open'd to the gazing sky. And ponder mid' thy drear retreat; Where wildom held her hallow'd feat: Here let me roam, in fpite of Folly's fmile, A penfive pilgrim, o'er each pitied pile. Poor ghoft! no more the Druid race Shall here their facred fires relume; No more their tapers gild the gloom: The treafures of the grove fhall fall'; Led by the wrinkled power with gladden'd Gigantic ruin treads the weeping fcene. The actions of the brave proclaim, Each god-like deed approv'd by Fame. Deep in the duft each lyre is laid unftrung, Whilft mute for ever stops each tuneful tongue. Here wisdom, virtue's awful voice, Infpir'd the youths of Cornwall's plains; With fuch no more thefe hills rejoice, But, death-like, fullen filence reigns; Whilft melancholy, in yon mould'ring power, Sits lift'ning to old Ocean's distant roar, With eye incurious pafs along, BE WARTON. ENEATH this ftony roof reclin'd, Whether in oven's fiery concave clos'd, Of marbled vein, from rump of ftall-fed steer How flash with eager glance my longing eyes! (From fubterannean store selected) thofe With happiest art concoct, profufely pours; The pepper's pungent pow'r, of grateful glow Beneficent! left my infatiate claim Ventofe and wat'ry, cause the twinging gripe Of cholic pang abdominal!-And here Need I relate how, when for thee I flight Thy rival roots and poignant fauces rare Crown'd with exotic name, my humble choice, Mock'd with rude infult, wakes the latent fpark Of witling's fire-a feeble glow-worm ray That beams, not burns! Nor feels my injur'd tafte (Tafte undeprav'd by fashion's varying art) Alone the shaft, but perfon, fortune, fame, All, all, invidious fcann'd, with sneer malign And fcoff farcaftic.-In the pudding's praise While fond I antedate potatoes' charms, "Nor caft one longing, ling'ring look behind!" ADVERTISEMENT. A Tenement to be Let. By ****** Efq; K. A. YEZ! This is, that all may learn, Upon a leafe, to last for life, Odes, fonnets, elegies, and fongs, Alfo, what fome might have been glad, Likewife, another lot- -an heap Note well; th' eftate, if manag'd ably, I I Tranflation of the Latin Epigram in the last Edinburgh Magazine. By mortals Hoffman hight ) ———where brittle THE bees their sweets defend with puffs Multangular-with cuftards, cakes, and creams, And lucid jellies nodding o'er the brim I país, vengeful fting, Sharp thorns around the fragrant roses Sale of the late Duchefs of PORTLAND's Museum. HE fale of this fine mufeum commen Teed April 24, and ended June 7. lafting thirty eight mornings, at her Grace's houfe in Privy Gardens, by Mr Skinner. The catalogue was drawn out by that able naturalift the Reverend Mr Lightfoot, her Grace's learned librarian and beneficiary; who tells us in his preface, that it was her Grace's intention to have had every unknown fpecies in the three kingdonis of Nature defcribed, and publifhed to the world. But this noble defign was fruftrated, first by the death of Dr Solander, and afterwards by her own. This collection, which had certainly to boast of great richness and variety, has fold uncommonly well, if we confider the comparative value of the several articles, and the exorbitant prices which the noble poffeffor had been induced to give for many of them, to please her own fancy, as well as that many had been prefented to her. The jewels brought high prices; but perhaps the antiquary may be difpofed to think that the curiofities did not bear fo good a price as they ought to have done. The price of what in the catalogue were intitled, Exceeding curious Articles. An ivory tankard, on which is finely carved, in alto relievo, a Bacchanalian proceffion, with a filver gilt bottom, the edges engraved, with a border of leaves, enriched with various precious ftones, fuch as rubies, topazes, fapphires, jacinths, emeralds, &c. the handle and lid are filver gilt, and de'corated with jewels; and on the top is a boy sculptured in ivory. The height is fix inches and a half, the width at bottom five inches, and the top three and one quarter. The infide of the lid is enamelled with a garnet in the centre.-Sold for eighteen guineas and a half. A very curious gold enamelled antique cup, of extraordinary workmanship and elegant form, weight 23 oz. 2 dwt. 21 gr.Sold for 851. A very curious rofary, by Benevenuto Cellini, said to be the rofary of Henrietta Maria, Queen of King Charles I. who in her neceffities pawned it to the Duke of Orleans. It confifts of fix plumb and fifty cherry ftones; the first moft curiously carved with parts of hiftory, the latter with heads of Emperors; and on the reverses emblems and mottos-of which a manufcript account is annexed.-Sold to Mr Jones for 44 guineas. A most remarkable fine ditto, by ditto,faid to have been the property of Pope Clement VII. confifting of thirty-two plumb ftones of exquifite workmanship of fculptures on both fides, in relievo; and between each stone is a pearl, thirty-two in number, with a large one on the top of the taffel-a manufcript account is annexed.-Sold to Mr Rundel for 78 guineas. A piece of carving in wood, reprefenting landscapes, with views; in which is introIduced water with veffels failing, and on land various reprefentations of hunting, with boar, ftag, dogs, and men on horfeback: the whole executed in a manner that is beyond defcription, and in the higheft preservation.—Sold to Mr Webb for 15 guineas. A gold box, with an exceeding curious Mofaic top and bottom.-Sold to Mr Webb for 7 guineas. A fmall chimera of fine antique Mofaic, fet in gold as a ring, and turns upon a fwi vel. The figure has the wings and feet of a bird with a human face, and feems to be an bieroglyphic.-Sold to Mr Townley for 12 guineas and a half. A precious fragment of an antique intaglio, an exceeding fine cornelian, fet in gold for a ring. It reprefents Hercules as low as the waist, fitting on a fkiff, and a lion's fkin for a fail; one of the paws is faftened by a ftring, which hangs over the head of Hercules, whofe ftrength in neck and back is wonderfully expreffed in fo small a compass.—Sold to Mr Jones for 45 guineas. "A cameo of the head of Auguftus Cæfar, upon a remarkable fine onyx, the head white, upon a jacinth ground, the workmanfhip of fuperlative excellence. It was found at Malta.—Sold to Mr Jones for 225 guineas. The head of Jupiter Serapis, cut out of a green bafaltes, a most inimitable piece of fculpture, of Egyptian workmanship, from the Barberini cabinet; the fize about four inches. The countenance is highly expreffive of fublimity and dignity, tempered with fweetnefs and grace.-Sold to Mr Humphries for 165 guineas. The most celebrated antique vase †, or fepulchral urn, from the Barberini cabinet at Rome. It it said to have been the identical urn which contained the afhes of the Roman Emperor Alexander Severus and his mother Mammea, which was depofited in the earth about the year 235 after Chrift, and was dug up by order of Pope Barberini, named Urban VIII, between the years 1623 and 1644. The materials of which it is compofed emulate an onyx, the ground a rich transparent dark amethyftine colour, and * Among thefe laft was a lock of the hair of Mary Queen of France, daughter of Henry VII. taken from her corpfe at St Edmund's Bury, 1784, by the late Sir J. Cullum, Bas ronet; now fold for Six Guineas. † Some, however, incline to ascribe it to Çellini, or his age. and the fnowy figures which adorn it are in bas relief, of workmanship above all encomium, and fuch as cannot but excite in us the highest idea of the arts of the ancients. Its dimenfions are nine inches and three quarters high, and twenty-one inches and three quarters in circumference.Sold to the Duke of Marlborough for 980 gui ncas, A very fine gold cup and falver, weight 44 oz. 15 dwts.- Sold to Mr Jones for 166 guineas. The Collection of Hollar's works in 13 volumes, confifting of the most beautiful impreffions of many scarce etchings, including many inedited drawings by that celebrated mafter, 385 1. Eighteen drawings of Hollar's in one lot, fold for 20 guineas. Two miniatures of Sir W. Raleigh, and his fon Cap. Walter Raleigh, 441. A portrait of the Duchefs de la Valiere, by Petitot, 84 1. Two miniatures of Milton and his mother, 341. A fine miniature head of Chrift, by Ifaac Oliver, 20 guineas. Queen Elizabeth's little Prayer Book, containining fix prayers compofed by her Majefty, and written by her own hand in the neatest and most beautiful manner on vellum; two in English, the other four tim Latin, Greek, Italian, and French. Оп the infide of the cover her own portrait, and that of the Duke d'Alencon, the binding black fhagreen with enamelled clafps, and in the centre of each a ruby. By Mr Glover for 100 guineas. A very fine illuminated miffal, presented by the Duchefs of Bedford, filter to the Duke of Burgundy, and wife of John Duke of Bedford, regent of France, to Henry VI. 1430, with original portraits of the Duke of Bedford (engraved among Houbraken's illuftrious Heads), and his wife Anne Duchefs of Burgundy, and her deed of gift to the King, bound in crimfon velvet, with gold clafps, on which were engraved the arms of Harley, Cavendish, and Holles, quarterly. By Mr Edwards, 213 1. A most beautiful miffat, fix inches by four, illuminated by Julio Clovio, in the highest prefervation, infcribed by him to the Duke D'Alencon, 1537, purchafed by Edward Earl of Oxford from the Arundelian col lection, with gold plates, covers, and dafps, 1681. Echret's drawings of plants and flowers, in lots from three to nine, fold from two to feven, or nine guineas a lot*. Account of the New Farce, intitled, The WIDOW's Vow, by Mrs INCHBALD. to any thing that appears like holding him in ridicule, but gives him letters of recom mendation to the uncle of the Countess as a means of introduction. On his arrival at the caftle, we find that the lady has told the fuppofed fecret to all her fervants, who areupon the twitter the moment the Marquis THE ftory is briefly this:-A Spanish Counters having wedded a handfone young man of fafhion who treated her cruel ly, but from whofe inhumanity she is luckily releafed by his early death, makes a vow to abjure mankind, and retires to a castle in a reclufe part of the kingdom: fhe is accompanied in this retreat by her uncle, an amo-enters. rous old fpark, who loves to be meddling with every woman he fees. Their only neighbours are a young Marquis and his fifter: the former from a view of the Countefs from the top of his houfe, by the means of his telefcope, falls in love with her, but almoft defpairs of ever procuring accals to her perfon. Donna Ifabella (the fifter) hits on a scheme for removing the obftacle. She fends her maid to the caftle, and inftructs her to acquaint the Countefs, as a profound fecret, that her miftrefs means to pay her a vifit in a man's difguife, in order to make tender of a paffion for her; and, if fuccefsful (as fhe has little doubt fhe fhall prove), to turn her rafh vow into ridicule. The pride of the Countefs takes alarm at hearing the project: the determines to receive the mock fuitor, to encourage the fcheme, and to turn the tables upon her. Donna Ifabella does not impart the fcheme to her brother, from a knowledge of his nice fenfe of honour, and his extreme fenfibility, as He is aftonished at the oddnefs of their behaviour, but ftill more fo at the fingularity of his reception by the Countefs, who (imagining him to be a woman) makes downright love to him. At length the old man can hold no longer, but broadly hints that the Marquis is of the feminine gender. The feverity of the equivoques that enfue excite the latter to great indignation; which is heightened to fuch a degree by the impertinence of Jerom (the valet), that he cuffs the old man, and kicks the fervant; till at laft, after the Countefs had folemnly promifed him her hand if he dare marry her, the whole confufion is cleared up on the arrival of Donna fabella, who explains her plot, and the piece concludes with the union of the Marquis and the Countefs. A Prologue, written by Mr Holcroft, and replete with pointed allufions to the politics, drefs, and converfation of the day, was delivered by Mr J. Bannister in a ftyle of ability that few Comedians, if any, could equal. We cannot help regretting that Mifs Stone's drawings of infects, foffils, &c. exhibited at Sir A. Dever's, fold juft after for fcarce as many fhillings per lot. Poor encourage ment to her art. |