Majesty and those who were with him, demanded, in a haughty tone, who that woman was? and observed, that if she was not worthy to be presented at court, she ought not to be there.

Condorcet and his Marchioness now found it necessary to retire into private life for some time, and ever after he continued a most inveterate enemy of the King and Queen. He afterwards became connected with the Voltaires, d'Alemberts, &c. and was of course one of the officiating priests of the 'new doctrines raised against the Christian religion and lawful monarchy. Addressing himself to the Academy in 1783,† Condorcet thus spoke concerning Christianity-" En

core quelques années, et le monstre qui "dévore la te. re depuis dix-huit siècles, ne sera plus. A few years more, and the monster who devours the earth for these "18 centuries, shall be no more." Strange to say, while he was upholding such doctrines, the King of Prussia (Frederick_the Great, as he was called) did not scruple to correspond with him, and nominate him member of his Academy; the Empress of Russia likewise made him member of the Imperial Academy of Russia. When he entered into the revolution, which he did from the very beginning, and was putting into practice what he had before only preached, the Empress, and the last King of Prussia, (not his friend Frederick) ordered his name to be erased from the registers of both_academies, which was a very severe wound to his ambition and pride. '

The spirit of the revolution had got such possession of him, that he neglected the Royal Academies of Paris for the tribune of the Jacobins. He was elected one of the legislative assembly, and of the convention which succeeded it, where he voted for the King's being kept in irons during the "remainder of his life;" a punishment, as he expressed himself, "the strongest next to "that of death."

He continued one of the most active partisans of the Brissotin faction, till Robespierre's revolution of the 31st May, 1793, overturned them and their projects. When they were sent to prison, he had the good luck to escape, and found a temporary refuge in the house of Garat. He afterwards was secreted by a lady of his acquaintance, until the domiciliary visits took place in April,

A fatal and destructiye doctrine, which tears from misery its consolation, from virtue its immortality; freezes the heart of the good man, by depriving him of his witness and friend; and renders justice only to the wicked, whom it annihilates.— M. de la Harpe's Works, Panorama, p. 781.

+ Discours de l'Ouverture de l'Académie en 1783.—Vide L'Année Littéraire for 1783.

1794, when he was obliged to retire from his abode, and he left Paris disguised as an old woman. Afterwards, dressed like one of the lowest class of the people, he went to a friend's house at Sceaux who was absent from home. Obliged to hide himself by day, and to wander by night, he secreted himself for some time in the quarries at Gentily near Sceaux, till hunger forced him from his concealment. At length he went to a public house at Clamart, where he was remarked by the voracity with which he devoured the food that was set before him, by his very long beard, by the wretchedness, and by the melancholy disquiet manifest in his countenance. He was in consequence taken before the revolutionary committee sitting there, (Clamart) where he declared he was a servant, and that his name was Simon*; but, upon being examined and searched,' he was found to possess a Horace, with manuscript notes; they therefore ordered him to be imprisoned at Bourg-la-Reine, until the committee received instructions from Paris for future proceedings against him. In going there he fainted away, and could not walk any farther than Chatillon, from whence he was conducted on horseback. He was safely lodged in prison; but the next morning when the gaoler went to visit him, he found him dead, prostrate on the floor.-It is generally believed that his death was occasioned by poison, as he always carried it about him for that purpose, to use at the last extremity.

Our readers will judge, when they consider the dreadful state Condorcet was reduced to. whether he could leave the world without some pangs of conscience, without some remorse, for his past actions, as he boasted he should do, in the speech he delivered for dethroning the Kingt, (his benefactor; as well as the Duke de la Rochefoucault). It is not unworthy remark, that in the same speech he should have boasted of the ascendancy of Pethion's virtues, and of his unbounded patriotism; and that Pethion should have, like him, escaped froni decapitation: should have hid himself by day, and wandered by night,

66

Ay, ay, you may tell us you are a servant," said the countryman that interrogated him," but I believe you are more likely to be one of the ci-devants who used to keep servants."

t Quelque jugement que nos contemporains ou la postérité puissent porter de nous, nous n'aurons pas à craindre celui de notre conscience; à quelque danger que nous soyons exposés, nous échapperous du moins aux remords.-Faposition des motifs d'après lesquels l'assemblée nationale a proclamé la convocation d'une convention nationale, et prononcé la suspension du pouvoir-exécutif dans les mains du Roi.

till he met with the horrid fate of being starved to death; his body was found, with Buzot's, another of his friends, in a field in the department of Gironde, half devoured by animals.

Condorcet's writings were varions: he had a remarkable memory, and possessed great ta. lent for argument and discussion. His friend d'Alembert described him as a volcano covered with snow-he was called les humeurs froides de la philosophie, by several distinguished members of the legislative assembly; by others, he was known under the appellation of le mouton enragé. He never appeared vain of his abilities, and although he must certainly be classed among men of genius, yet he was a false wit; false and ungrateful to his best friend, and a corrupt husband. He was a republican without possessing a spark of that virtue which some philosophers pretend belongs to the name; his affected philosophy was a mask to conceal his thirst after power, to attain which he did not scruple to shed the blood of his patrons and friends.

SIR-My curiosity was considerably excited by an article, in the last number of your excellent publication, denominated: "Jewish I prophecy the sole criterion to distinguish between genuine and spurious Christian Scripture, &c. a discourse preached before "the Rev. Dr. W. Gretton, Archdeacon of Essex, at Danbury, July 8, 1806, by Fran"cis Stone, M. A. F.S.A. Rector of Cold "Norton, Essex."

66

In consequence of your report upon some of the extraordinary tenets laid down in this discourse, I was desirous to satisfy my own mind on the subject, and sent to my bookseller's for a copy. A perusal of it too soon convinced me of the justness of your statement; but you must allow me to add, it also led me, in some measure, to condemn the manner in which you had treated it. Irony, Sir, is, no doubt, on many occasions, an admirable weapon, skilfully employed, to mark vanity and presumption with derision and contempt. But the unexampled circumstance, that a minister of our excellent establishment-who must have repeatedly declared his assent to its Articles-who holds a situation of emolument in the church by that assent-and who had been " nominated by the favour of archidiaconal appointment"-an appointment that surely implies the most sacred confidence to the high and honourable office of addressing his clerical brethren at a visitation -had actually embraced that solenin occasion to abuse the sacred trust reposed in him, and to insult such an audience, by denouncing as

false many of the most awful doctrines he had been thus called upon to defend; and afterwards, with an unblushing and persevering self-confidence had proclaimed his principles to the world-I sav, such a fact bespeaks a species and a degree of effrontery, that overpowers every other feeling by the astonishment and indignation it excites. Such sentiments, Sir, I conceive, must be still more deeply impressed on the mind of every man who shall pursue the unconnected series of false and unwarrantable conclusions; of unsupported and contradictory assertions; of absurd and irreverent arguments; with which this epitome of Mr. Stone's divinity abounds.

In what manner* the preaching of this new apostle was received by his auditors, I have never heard; nor do I know whether the publication of his tenets has been discussed by any able pen. I therefore beg leave, in the mean time, to suggest, that whoever will examine what Mr. S. calls his five synonimous citations," including his text, as they are found in the Gospels, and compare them respectively with the context (a trouble which, from his not thinking it "necessary to cite chapter and verse," Mr. Stone evidently intended his readers should not take), will easily and immediately detect the false and daring conclusion he has drawn.

I would also, in refutation of Mr. Stone's sophistry upon the subject, recommend any one of the sound, learned, and ingenious de fences of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, as founded upon and proved by Scripture, with which our church happily abounds. and, in reply to his absurd cavils and remarks on the awful doctrines of the Atonement and Intercession made by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and in complete vindication of our faith in those doctrines, I would refer the reader, as grounds of immediate ard entire conviction, to the concluding verses of the 9th chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, and the eighteen first verses of the 10th-passages which, from his professed veneration for that great Apostle, Mr. S. must, at least, admit to be high authority; but which, upon his present principles, he will find it impossible to understand or explain,→ unless he should suddenly discover, by the mere strength of his own penetration (as in another instance), that the above passages are "a corruption," "foisted in," or that the two whole chapters (like others in which he has found insurmountable objections to his system), are interpolated forgeries." Indeed, upon this principle, and with the licence he has assumed of cutting and paring

Since writing the above, I have been informed, on indisputable authority, that some of the clergy rose up and left the church during the delivery of this sermon.

down the Gospels to the standard of his own faith (since what he has spared is equally subversive of his arguments and his assertions), it is almost surprising he should have denounced so little.

Allow me now, Mr. Editor, through the channel of your publication, and not without an expression of sincere concern, to suggest two questions for the serious consideration of Mr. Stone himself:-First, whether, admitting his own entire conviction (upon whatever groundless reasoning and perverted misconception it may rest) of his own principles, he does conscientiously imagine, that he has adopted the most decent and becoming mode of declaring his utter renunciation of some of the fundamental Articles of that Church, to which, in consequence of his former assent, and by his present office, he belongs? And next, whether the anxious desire he professes for the conversion of Jews, Deists, and Mahometans, really justifies, even to his own mind, the means he has taken the arguments he has used-and the great offence he has given.-I am,Sir, &c. A.B. We are much obliged to the writer of the foregoing letter; to another correspondent, who signs Christianus; and to several other friends, who have hinted their fears that the irony we employed as the most effectual manner of exposing the doctrines avowed by Mr. Stone, should be misunderstood, and offence be taken at it.

If any offence really has been taken, we are truly sorry; for we think the present circumstances of the Church of England imperiously demand a decided avowal from every friend to the truths of the Gospel: and we say explicitly, let the Church either suppress (which God forbid !) the doctrines of the Articles, of the Homilies, those too much neglected documents, and of the most venerable the Reformers, or suppress, effectually too, such doctrines as her degenerate sons disseminate.

Ignavum fucos pecus à præsepibus arcent. As things stand, we see no other alternative : the essence of Christianity is at stake; the subject is truly serious, and the information which from our office has reached us, imparts a consequence to it, much beyond what appears on the mere surface of the thing.

We can only account for the total absence of notice (in every letter we have received) of an argument against Mr. S's. sentiments, inserted in Panorama, p. 543; by supposing, that our third Number had not then reached our worthy correspondents. They will see in that page, that we have not omitted a serious view

of the subject. Will they also pardon us, if we assume just so much knowledge of the human heart, as might induce us to adopt that method of rendering the subject notorious, which appeared to be best adapted to its end: and which, in fact, has answered its purpose most effectually.

DIDASCALIA.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

A new melo-drama, in three acts, called Tekeli, or the Siege of Montgatz, appeared on the 25th November, it is the production of Mr. Hook, jun.; the musick composed by his father.The scene lies in Hungary, and the story relates chiefly to the hard fortunes of Count Tekeli, who, oppressed by the Emperor, is obliged to fly into Turkey, in hopes of assistance from the Grand Signior, leaving the castle of Mout gatz to the care of Alexina his wife, who, for a time, makes an heroic stand against the Imperialists; but pressed by the want of stores, ammunition, &e is on the point of surrendering, when a hope arises that her husband is on his return. Tekeli, attended by his trusty friend Woolf, reaches, indeed, the forest near Montgatz, which is strictly guarded by the Imperial troops, where at length, worn out with hunger and fatigue, they are relieved by some peasants going to celebrate a wedding, who convey them to a neighbouring mill. The miller receives them warmly, but a detachment of guards arriving, Tekeli discovers himself to the miller, who, though a large reward is offered for the apprehension of Tekeli, remains faithful to his promise of concealing him. Various stratagems are devised for that purpose, and for conveying Tekeli into the castle; which they at length succeed in, by conveying him in a sack over the Torsa. The Austrian General, Count Caraffa arrives at the mill soon after, and the miller discloses the whole truth in defiance of all punishment. The return of Tekeli reanimates the spirits of Alexina, a sally is made against the enemy, and the piece concludes with a grand engagement of the armies, in which Caraffa is defeated.

The stratagems to favour the escape of Tekeli from the search of the Austrians, are well managed and afford much interest, and combined with the pleasing scenery are likely to make the piece a favorite with the public.

On Wednesday, Dec. 11, a new farce, under the title of Mr. H, was brought forward at this Theatre; the principal wit of which consists in Mr. H's endeavouring to conceal his name upon all occasions, from an affectation of modesty, and at last inadvertently letting it out to be Mr. Hogsflesh!

We shall make no remarks on this unlucky

production, as it totally failed. The prologue, which was well delivered by Mr. Elliston, deserved a better connection than its alliance with this swinish family.

Dec. 18, the comedy of The Will was represented for the purpose of introducing Miss Ray, in the character of Albina, which she performed with spirit and ease. Her reception was flattering, and she will no doubt become a very favourite actress, when she is more conversant with those nice and delicate discriminations peculiar to a London theatre. She is very young, has a pleasing person, and her countenance is engaging and expressive.

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

On Thursday, the 20th November, was performed a new grand operatical entertainment" announced in the bills as having been in prepartion all the summer, called The Deserts of Arabia, said to be the production of Mr. Reynolds.-The following is a sketch of the fable.-A rich widow of Bassora offers her hand to the son of a merchant at Aleppo, on condition that he crosses the Deserts to join her, and the avarice of his Father obliges him to accept the invitation though against his inclination, having formed an attachment to an Arabian girl. He sets out on his journey together with an English strolling-player, disguised as the servants and under the guidance of the Grand Sultan's messenger. On their way across the Desert the merchant's son meets with his mistress, whose father has the charge of attending the sacred lamps that burn around the shrine of the Prophet, but being old and infirm entrusts the care of them for one night to his daughter, who is so overjoyed by the arrival of her lover that she neglects to replenish them and the lights expire. This subjects the father to the punishment of death, and the officers arriving at that time and finding the state of the temple proceed to inflict the penalty, by chaining himself and his daughter to a rock and there leaving them to starve. The travellers proceed on to Bassora, and upon their arrival there the rich widow proves to be the run-away wife of the player. The merchant finding his plans thus defeated consents to his son's union with the Arabian girl, and the party again set out to release the father and daughter from their distressing situation, having procured a pardon for their offence. The absurdities in this piece are numerous and extravagant, such for instance as a poor English strolling-player going to Bengal in search of his wife, and travelling, as the cheapest way, by Aleppo and across the Deserts of Arabia. The music is in the Italian style and some of the airs are pleasing, but the recitatives and chorusses are better adapted to the Opera-house than to an English theatre. The dialogue is indifferent. The chief merit consists in the scenery, dresses, and decorations.

THE TEMPEST.

"When learning's triumph o'er her barb'rous focs
First rear'd the stage, immortal Shakespeare rose;
Each change of many-colour'd life he drew,
Exhausted worlds and then imagin'd new:
Existence saw him spurn her bounded reign,
And panting Time toil'd after him in vain :
His powerful strokes presiding truth impress'd,
And unresisting passion storm'd the breast.

Shakespeare has made the plot of the Tempest instrumental to the production of many characters, diversified with boundless invention, and preserved with profound skill in nature, extensive knowledge of opinions, and accurate observation of life. In a single drama are here exhibited princes, courtiers, and sailors, all speaking in their real characters. There is the agency of airy spirits, and of an earthly goblin. The operations of magic,

the tumults of a storm, the adventures of a desert island, the native effusion of untaught affection, the punishment of guilt, and the final happiness of the pair for whom our passions and reason are equally interested."

So the celebrated Dr.Sam. Johnson described"

Shakespeare, and such were his allusions to that delightful drama The Tempest; what then, gentle readers, will you say, when informed, that on Monday December 8, was

revived, with ADDITIONS," as the bills of the day announced, Shakespear's play of the Tempest?" This novelty augmented by the attractions of new dresses, decorations, scenery, and machinery, with the performance of Ariel by a young lady who had never appeared on any stage, could not fail of insuring a full house. Of the additions, some were the flimsy alterations of Dryden; and some by an invisible hand-for who will be modest enough to come forward, and openly assert his ability of making ADDITIONS to Shakespeare, particularly, as Warburton remarks," to the noblest efforts of that sublime and amazing imagination, peculiar to himself, which soars above the bounds of: nature without forsaking sense; or, more properly, carries nature along with him, beyond her established limits?"

Our readers will anticipate us in acknowledging, that, on the present occasion, "Tis, not well mended so: it is but botch'd." And indeed the botcher has contrived to descend as many degrees below Dryden, as Dryden was below Shakespeare-indelicacy and a' trifling tediousness were the characteristics of what was vainly supposed to make up the deficiencies of our immortal bard. This attempt has afforded us one more proof to what degree his beautiful works may be disfigured,' inangled, and degraded. Several have laLoured to improve the Tempest; but all have

Frenchman, Grecian, or Roman "-we mean "the cloud capt towers, &c." which were not given till near the close of the fifth act, although Shakespeare placed them in the beginning of the fourth-when Mr. Kemble had finished delivering them-the auditors gave three distinct plaudits; at once evincing their attachment to their national poet, with their contempt for the alterations.

Great dissatisfaction was shewn by the audience at the silly and indecent scenes introduced, to the exclusion of so many passages of Shakespeare's writing; in the fifth act their disapprobation was expressed in the most decided manner. We hope therefore the managers will listen to reason-and banish this strange jumble, with all its family, from the stage, and give us Shakespeare himself, in his original beauty and magnificence, assisted solely by Purcell, Arne, and Linley, not that we have any objection to Mr. Davy's overture, in which he has shewn his taste and respect for the trio, by introducing their music into it. The scenes and decorations are splendid, and deserve applause particularly the last yet we could have wished to have beheld some of them more appropriate to the Summer Islands §-not chilling us with the bleakness of a desert.

The young lady, who performed the part of Ariel, is, we understand, a Miss Meadows. She possseses a pretty little figure, and a good voice; she gave her songs with much science, particularly, "Where the bee sucks," in which she was encored; and repeated it with thrice the effect she did the first time. She appeared perfectly at ease, and her action had more the manner of the Italian stage than the English. She is a pupil of Mr. Davy.

Emery acted Caliban better than we ever saw it; but the songs were far more ably given by the late Bannister. Prospero, we do not think altogether suited to Mr. Kemble, yet he gave it as much effect as the character would allow, ably preserving the dignity' of Milan's Duke. We pitied Miss Logan and Mrs. C. Kemble, as it was impossible not to disapprove the ribaldries they were obliged to to utter. Our pity extended likewise to Miss Brunton, who was forced to personate a Miranda as dissimilar to Shakespear's as "a Satyr to Hyperion;" for who, after hearing the trash she delivered, could fancy her to be the Admir'd Miranda !'

Indeed the top of admiration; worth
What's dearest to the world!
So perfect and so peerless,
Of every creature's best...?

created

Ferdinand was personated by C. Kemblebut as it is painful for us to proceed in further remarks, we shall barely add that it was not Shakespeare's Ferdinand, but Dryden's assassin, murdering his own Hyppolito!

Thursday, Dec. 11, a new farce, called Arbitration; or, Free and Easy, was produced at this Theatre; the author of which, we understand, is Mr. Reynolds.-The following is the story.-Sir Toby Tritely and Lady Litigious having a law-suit about a corn-mill and other matters, their case is referred to Jack Familiar, a young barrister, for arbitration, whom Sir Toby invites to his house, in hopes of influencing his opinion. Familiar begins with setting Harriet free, whom Sir Toby (her guardian) had confined with the view of forcing her to marry Thoro. Chequer, who, paying no attention to his She escapes in male attire to an inn kept by jealous wife takes her to Lady Litigious. Her ladyship receives the unfortunate girl, with the idea of giving her to Thoro by way of liquidating a debt. Familiar, invited to

Lady Litigious, meets and marries Harriet; and declares, after well examining the papers relative to the litigation, that the does not belong to either of them, but to the property humble publican Chequer.

Such is the substance of this farce, which contains some lively dialogue, and a few ludicrous and improbable incidents. It is interspersed with songs; one by Liston, about driving two trades at a time, had a very good effect-another by Miss Tyrer, concerning her figure, was much applauded. The piece, although preceded by a prologue, the epitome of dulness, was received with great satisfaction, and passed the ordeal without opposition; for the audience, though pretty well convinced of its absurdities, rewarded the author with their applause, in return for his having made then laugh heartily,