296 Plagiarism-Chaucer and Dryden-Bacon's Essays. Then sit thou safely on my knee, I will not wish to part from thee. Plagiarism. [VOL. 4 There is, perhaps, no passage in the whole compass of poetry, that has had more imitators, than the following, from the 270th sonnet of Petrarch : Zefiro torna; e'l bel tempo ramena, Sospiri, che nel cor profondo tragge, Milton's Par. Lost. In vain to me the smiling mornings shine, I fruitless mourn to him that cannot hear, And weep the more because I weep in vain. Parent of blooming flowers and gay desires, Lord Lyttelton: Now spring returns, but not to me retura Once more returned to curl the dimpling lake In the earlier ages, before the invention of typography, it is not to be wondered at, that authors transcribed with 30 little ceremony from each other's productions, as the very limited circuation of books prevented their larcenies from being discovered; and to this may probably be attributed the depredations of Terence, Solinus and Apuleius, on Menander, Pliny and Lucian: but as, since this inducement has been removed by the press, and literature has become universal, literary theft has little or no chance of escaping detection, it is singular that so many writers should have persisted in their endeavours to profit by the talents or ingenuity of others. That those who treat on the Sciences are constrained, from the nature of their subject, sometimes to tread in the footsteps of earlier authors is indubitable, but that poets and novelists, who are allowed to range at large over the boundless regions of fancy, should frequently and servilely imitate their predecessors, is not so easily to be accounted for. Lucian's cave of banditti is introduced in other fictitious narratives, by Apuleius, Heliodorus, Ariosto, Spenser and Le Sage. Apuleius, however, not content with having borrowed from him thus much,has openly robbed him of his ass, and laden it with many additional extravagances; among which It is a circumstance of literary histothe tale of Cupid and Psyche may particu- ry worth mentioning, that Chaucer was larly be instanced, notwithstanding the more than sixty years of age when he beauty and wildness of its imagery, wrote Palamon and Arcite, and Drywhich would almost lead us to imagine den seventy when he versified it. it of an oriental origin. Cervantes, tho' Chaucer borrowed this tale from Bocintimately acquainted with the ancients, cacio's Theseida; but it is not so well found their manners too coarse to known that our old poet is indebted to weave into the exquisite texture of his his Filistrato che Tracta de la Troylo matchless romance; nor does it appear e Greseida, for his Troilus and Cresthat he has selected any classical ad- seida. venture, if we except the encounter with the wine bags, which seems to have been suggested by Apuleius. “Cadavera illa jugulatorum hominum erant tres (caprini) utres inflati,variisque secti foraminibus, et, ut vespertinum prælium meum recordabar, his locis hiantes, quibus latrones illos vulneraveram." Metamorphoseon, sive de Asino aureo l. iiî. Thus they return.-But ah! to me no more Return the pleasures of the vernal plain, &e. Yon brook will glide as softly as before, Yon sprightly lark on mounting wing will soar, When Henry's name is heard no more below. Chaucer and Dryden. Bacon's Essays. These admirable compositions are replete with the most original and striking observations; the author seldom touches on a subject which he does not illustrate by some happy comparison, • Lasso, a tal che non m' ascolta, narro. Petrarca, Son. 188. VOL. 4.] Lewis's Monk-Sketches of English Manners. 297 and nothing can be more apposite than ductive. The success of this work inwhat the elegant Count Algarotti has duced many persons to put forth their said of him, "Lo stile di Bacone, uomo powers on a similar subject; but among di altissima dottrina, abbonda di vivissi all its namesakes of the novel tribe, there mi pensieri nella maggior profundita is only one which will bear comparison d'acqua si trovano le perle più grosse."* with it, namely, "Manfrone, or the One Handed Monk," which is its supeLewis's Monk. Ariusto. The outline of this romance is taken rior, as well in execution, as in its moral tendency. from the story of the Santon Barsissa, written by Sir R. Steele, and forming the 148th number of the Guardian. As A friend once expressing an astonisha master of the horrible and inysterious, ment that he who had described such Mr. Lewis has shewn considerable magnificent edifices in his poem, should powers, and has woven his materials, be contented with so poor a dwelling, borrowed from different sources, with Ariosto answered very aptly, that much dexterity into an interesting "words were much easier put together whole. The language is fine, but the than bricks ;" and leading him to the pruriency of imagination such as to door of his house, pointed to this disrender it extremely dangerous and se- tich, which was engraven on the portico : I have recently seen an early edition of Bacon's Essays, which differs in numerous of its parsages, from those in general circulation at present. Parva, sed apta mihi, sed nulli obnoxia, sed non A From the Literary Gazette. THE HERMIT IN LONDON. No. IX. DAY IN THE COUNTRY. The stretching landscape into smoke decays. that he was busy, but would be with me immediately. Her Ladyship was employed in stag-hunting. I next asked for the young Lord, and found that he was fishing-Lady Ann, the eldest daughter?—she was out with the coachman, learning to drive :-Lady Elizabeth ?-she was with her drill master, that is to say, with a Sergeant of the Guards, who was putting her through her facings, and teaching her to march : Lady Mary ?-she was lying down. "Bless me," said I, "the family are oddly employed! But I am sorry for Lady Mary's indisposition." She is 6 THOMSON. I HAVE always preferred the "shady side of Pall Mall" to any shady groves or bowers in the world. Though my attachment for a town life is such, that I have refused a thousand invitations to the country, yet after a whole not indisposed at all,' replied the Butler, winter of promising to visit Lord River- she is lying flat on the floor for an bank at his retreat, twenty miles from hour, by order of her Ladyship, by way London, I at last did violence to my in- of improving her shape;" and Madeelination and went thither. I had heard moiselle Martin, the governess?" ada great deal of the magnificence of his ded I-'is,' answered the butler, 'waltzhouse-of his improvements and his ing with a young Officer who is on N. hospitality-and I was now about to visit here, for amusement's sake, v judge for myself as to all these particu- Lady Mary is thus stretched on a Preposterous!" muttered. lars. 66 I accordingly threw myself into a self! post-chaise, and arrived at Riverbank The nursery was Park about two o'clock, P. M. I in- the infantine race quired for my Lord, and was informed 20 ATHENEUM. Vol. 4. hid under the 298 Sketches of Manners-The Hermit in London. [VOL. 4 sisted upon my playing at battledoor She had been twice up to the saddle in and shuttlecock with them, which I re- water, had been once nearly knocked luctantly did. At length, after the lapse down by the bough of a tree, and had of an hour, my Lord made his appear- taken some very desperate leaps. My ance, in a very slovenly undress, his Lord talked to the Curate all dinner hands quite dirty, and an unfinished time about farming, with all the ardour needle-case between his finger and of a novice, and all the ignorance imathumb. He had been turning in his ginable. Lady Ann and Lady Elizaworkshop (his favorite amusement) and beth quarrelled together most part of the apologized for his delay. His first anx- time about some trifling matter or other. iety was to show me his shop, his tools, Mademoiselle Martin appeared to be the and his performances. He then stunned great favourite of the young Officer; and me with the noise of a wheel, and pre- Lady Mary annoyed me by asking a sented me with a pen-case, which I could thousand silly questions about what was have bought, better done, for sixpence, doing in town-what was the last fashHis next care was to take me over his ion-if I could get her a new novel, and improvements, which business lasted the like. two hours, and fatigued me exceeding- The circulation of the bottle after ly. I had the honour to visit his dinner was slow and confined. The piggery, to get knee deep in ma- Parson drank two to one to his neighnure in his farm yard, to catch cold af- bour. The Militaire tippled wine and ter walking fast in his dairy, and to as- water, complaining of being feverish, sist him in reclaiming, a horse which and took a walk with the young ladies broke through a fence. In our walk, and their governess, who kept them runhe praised himself a good deal, talked to ning races, whilst she was flirting with me of the size of his cattle, and added the Captain. something about a cross in his sheep, Lord Riverbank now proposed anwhich escaped my attention at the time, other walk, but I declined it on the and which is not worth the trying to re- score of my morning's fatigue. I accordmember. ingly went up to the drawing-room, We now came in to dress for dinner, where I found her Ladyship sleeping and the family assembled together. on the sofa, overcome with the hard Lord Greenthorn had caught three small riding of the hunt,and Miss M'Clintach, fish, and had pricked his finger whilst a Highland unmarried lady of about baiting his hook. The Sergeant was fifty, whose pardon I beg for not having heard in praise of Lady Ann, who per- named her at dinner This Caledonian formed as well, he said, as if she had lady is the quintessence of old maidishbeen an old soldier. Coachee was in- ness, yet affected in the extreme, and terrogated respecting Lady Elizabeth, much inclined to be taken for twentywho, he assured my Lord, would five years of age. She is so formal, in a short time make a very pretty however, withal, that she would not sit whip. The Governess's evidence was next a man at table, for fear that he not so favourable to Lady Mary, who, might touch her by accident with his she complained, would not be still a knee. minute. This was very bad; but Lady When the walking party returned, Mary stated in her defence, that it was cards were proposed; but we could not impossible whilst waltzing was going on. make up a party. Miss M Clintach said My Lord patted her on the head, and, it did not do for young people to gamble, urning to me observed, "She's a fine and (in a very broad accent) observed ved girl, an't she?" to which I assen- that cards were the decvle's bukes. Waltzing was then mentioned; and two have beer was now served up in a sump- couples started, whilst the third sister but all was stiffness and played on the piano-forte. There was a quarrel at starting, as to who was to get the Captain. The eldest daughter, however, claimed the right of primogeniture, with "Cadavera illa as seated next to her (caprini) utres inflati,va. versation ran upon hiantes, quibus latrones illos vers of the chase. Metamorphoseon, sive de ut vespertinum præliam me VOL. 4.] Sketches of Society-The Hermit in London. 299 whilst the second sister danced with hunting, and Lady Riverbank fishingtears in her eyes for disappointment, and had the young Lord been in the hands Mademoiselle looked as black as a of his drill serjeant, or driving out for thunder-cloud. I was set down to cards the purpose of becoming an able chariotwith the Parson, and lost every game at eer-had Lady Ann been dancing in the piquette. Lord Greenthorn established place of her governess-and had Lady a game at forfeits for the younger Elizabeth and the recumbent Lady Mary children, and in this Miss M'Clintach been employed at their music or at study, joined, by way of appearing young and whilst Mademoiselle might be altering innocent. When, however, it came to some dress-it strikes me that the purher turn to be saluted, she made a most suits of the family would have been desperate resistance, appealing to the more analogous to the age, sex, rank higher powers, and exclaiming very and understandings of its members. As loudly and in a most extreme northern for the turning, carpenter, and cabinetaccent, "A beg leave to state that a set making lines, they might have been my face against the measure entirely." omitted altogether. A roar of laughter from all quarters fol- We indeed hear of a Royal locksmith, lowed this remark; and the cause was and of one king's making buttons, and given against the lady, who slapped the another crowned head being employed young Lord's face, and retired in a rage, in the art of embroidering (a courtly amidst thundering applause, or rather thing enough, when not performed by a thundering mirth at her expense. needle ;) yet cannot tailoring or any Fatigued with turning, Lord River- operative mean handicraft trade ever be bank now fell asleep; and I, taking the fitted for royalty, or even for manhood. hint, slipped unperceived to my room, The sceptre should never be exchanged where I noted down all the transactions for the hammer or saw, nor the sword of the day. After breakfast the follow- laid aside for the bodkin or scissors. To ing morning, I took my leave, resolved honest mechanics let such occupations never again to pass such a day in the be left, they are suited to their educacountry, unless brought there on some tions and to their habits; but the noblemost urgent and pressing occasion. My man or gentleman who makes amuseLord's estate is a fine one, his house is ments of them, is surely much out of roomy and expensively fitted up; but his sphere. comfort is no where to be found in his domain; and as for improvements, there is great room yet for many more, beginning with the family itself. His mind must be sadly confined, and his time must hang heavy indeed, who would plane, and saw, and hammer,and nail, whilst the book of nature and of On my way home, I could not help science is spread out before him-whilst thinking that there was much truth in his library is open to his researches, the the remark of a Frenchman, who stated, whole face of the earth to his improveas his opinion, that we find in life fewer ment, and whilst his country may dethings positively and intentionally bad, mand his services in the senate or in the than things out of place, des choses de- field. I beg pardon of the operative placées. This led me to consider the mechanical quality of my acquaintance, pursuits and pleasures of the Riverbank but I cannot help saying, that I would family, all innocent in themselves, but send a lord cabinet-maker, turner, or quite out of place, as if the family had tailor, to keep company with a lady changed sexes, sides and conditions, and shoe-maker, or farrier, for such there did every thing by a rule contrary to all are, and not at all admired by old established propriety. Thus bad Lord Riverbank been stag THE HERMIT IN LONDON. 300 Lord Byron's Residence at the Island of Mitylene. LORD BYRON'S RESIDENCE AT MITYLENE. "The world was all before him, where to choose MR. EDITOR, Ν [TOL. 4 spacious closet annexed. They were all simply decorated: plain green-stained walls, marble tables on either side, a On the IN sailing through the Grecian Ar- large myrtle in the centre, and a small chipelago, on board one of his Ma- fountain beneath, which could be made jesty's vessels, in the year 1812, we to play through the branches by moving put into the harbour of Mitylene, in the a spring fixed in the side of a small island of that name. The beauty of bronze Venus in a leaning posture : a this place, and the certain supply of cat- large couch or sofa completed the furnitle and vegetables always to be had ture. In the ball stood half a dozen there, induce many British vessels to English cane chairs, and an empty visit it, both men of war and merchant- book-case: there were no mirrors, nor men; and though it lies rather out of a single painting. The bed-chamber the track for ships bound to Smyrna, had merely a large mattress spread on its bounties amply repay for the devia- the floor, with two stuffed cotton quilts tion of a voyage. We landed, as usual, and a pillow--the common bed throughat the bottom of the bay, and whilst the out Greece. In the sitting-room we men were employed in watering, and observed a marble recess, formerly, the the purser bargaining for cattle with the old man told us, filled with books and natives, the clergyman and myself took papers, which were then in a large seaa ramble to the cave called Homer's man's chest in the closet: it was open, School, and other places, where we had but we did not think ourselves justified been before. On the brow of Mount in examining the contents. Ida (a small monticule so named) we tablet of the recess lay Voltaire's, Shakmet with and engaged a young Greek speare's, Boileau's, and Rousseau's as our guide, who told us he had come works complete: Volney's Ruins of from Scio with an English lord, who Empires; Zimmerman, in the German left the island four days previous to our language; Klopstock's Messiah; Kotarrival in his felucca. "He engaged zebue's novels; Schiller's play of the me as a pilot," said the Greek, and Robbers; Milton's Paradise Lost, an would have taken me with him, but I Italian edition, printed at Parma in did not choose to quit Mitylene, where 1810; several small pamphlets from I am likely to get married. He was the Greek press at Constantinople, much ar odd, but a very good man. The torn, but no English book of any decottage over the hill, facing the river, scription. Most of these books were belongs to him, and he has left an old filled with marginal notes, written with man in charge of it: he gave Domi- a pencil, in Italian and Latin. The nick the wine trader, six hundred ze- Messiah was literally scribbled all over, chines for it, (about 2501. English cur- and marked with slips of paper, on rency,) and has resided there about which also were remarks. fourteen months, though not constantly; The old man said: "The lord had for he sails in his felucca very often to been reading these books the evening the different islands." before he sailed, and forgot to place This account excited our curiosity them with the others; but," said he, very much, and we lost no time in has-"there they must lie until his return: tening to the house where our country- for he is so particular, that were I to man had resided. We were kindly move one thing without orders,he would received by an old man, who conducted frown upon me for a week together; us over the mansion. It consisted of he is otherways very good. I once did four apartments on the ground floor him a service; and I have the produce an entrance hall, a drawing-room, a of this farm for the trouble of taking sitting parlour, and a bed-room, with a care of it, except twenty zechines which 66 |