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through part of Germany, France, and Switzerland; the following are the words of the reviewer:

"Of that most unfortunate clafs of human beings, the Cretins, the writer (Mr. Matthifon) mentions one whofe circumstances made us fhudder. At Martinach lives a Cretin, who is apparently deftitute of animal instinct to fuch a degree, as not even to be able to feed alone. His wen is enormous, and his eyes are exceflively small.

In fine weather

he is expofed to the fun, and lies immoveable till carried back. Another Cretin, placed lower still in the fcale of human kind, had no other opening in his whole body than his mouth. It is a moft remarkable circumftance, that women from other parts, after having fpent but a few weeks of their pregnancy in Vallais, are likewife brought to bed of Cretins." Appendix, &c. page 526.

To the best of my recollection, Mifs Williams, in her "Tour in Switzerland," does not once advert to this melancholy phenomenon of our fpecies! Your's, &c.

For the Monthly Magazine. MR. EDITOR,

J. S. N.

N your Magazine for September last, I I notice a biographical sketch of the

late Dr. Boyce, whofe talents, as a theoretical musician, your biographer very justly estimates to be of the first kind. Although his fame has not acquired that height which many of his inferiors have attained, yet we may with truth affert, that, as a fcientific compofer, he takes place of every English mufician, except the immortal Purcell.

To enumerate the productions of fo great a man requires no apology, and with your liberty I fhall follow your correfpondent with a lift of the Doctor's works*, pointing out thofe in which his tafte and learning is particularly displayed.

As Dr. Boyce received his education under Dr. Green, we fhall not be furprized if his style resembles, in fome de

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gree, that of his mafter; and there can be no doubt of his tafte for ferious compofition criginating in the Royal Chappels. It is then in the compofitions for the church, in which we are to look for that eminence which I have been speaking of; and I fhall refer your readers for fpecimens of his abilities to the following anthems. If we believe that Jefus died;" and, "Be thou my judge, O Lord." vol. of anthems). Thele are peculiarly fine and impreffive, invariably preferving that gravity which beft accords with the devotional gloom of our cathedrals. As a mafterpiece in the true church ftyle, I fhall mention another anthem in the fame work: "By the waters of Babylon we fat down and wept." It breathes throughout that pious folemnity which cannot but affect every auditor; and notwithstanding its parts are molt fcientifically difpofed, it is highly replete with that melody which characterifes Dr. Boyce's beft compofitions. A few years back was published a fecond volume of anthems for the benefit of the widow, in which the following excellent ones occur: "I bave furely built thee an houfe to dwell in," and, "Sing O Heavens, and be jgful. His ferenata of Solomon is better

known than any other of his works, and your correfpondent has given us its character in appropriate terms.

It is now with pleafure I come to speak of a work not at all known to the mufical world, not even by name; I believe indeed, that this is the first time of its title appearing with a lift of his other productions. It is "AN ODE TO CHARITY," and was compofed at the request of Mr. Jofeph Cradock, of Gumley, in Leicestershire, who wrote this elegant poem for the annual performance in fupport of the Leicester Infirmary.

It opens with an overture for a full orcheftra of a pathetic caft, but rifes as it proceeds into the fublime. A mafterly effect is produced on the fudden and unexpected froke from the double drum. This overture furpaffes every other inftrumental piece of the author. The fongs,

performed in the Queen's Garden.-Ode to Charity.-New Year and Birth-Day Odes, from 1755 to 1779.-Ode to Shakefpare.Pindaric Ode.-Prince of Wales Birth-Day Odes.-Corydon and Miranda. Inconftant Swain. Thyrfis, Danae, Cantatas.-Elegy on Mr. Golling.-Mafque in Tempeft.-Dirge in Cymbeline and in Romeo and Juliet.Mufic in the Winter's Tale,Concerto in D; three ditto in B E and B..

recitatives,

"De

recitatives, and choruffes, are written in the full oratorio ftyle; and the following, for their merit, cannot be too highly fpoken of, "Think not in vain the pitying tear," is an elegant Soprano fong. plore the fate of human kind," is a ferious chorus, finely wrought in the minor key of G. The duetto "Here fhall foft charity repair," I obferve has lately been performed by Mr. Harrifon and Mr. Bartlemon, (the only part of the work which, I believe, has found its way into the mufical world) and which could not fail to give a favourable opinion of the work; efpecially when executed by such unrivalled talents, which thofe gentlemen are known to poffefs.

"Awake in high enraptur'd ftrain, Breathe louder yet, and yet again," is an animated air, well calculated to fhew the extenfive powers of Mad. MARA, and in which the trumpet has a moft diftinguished part. This fong forms a prelude to the concluding chorus:

"To hail the work, the full voic'd choir we raife,

And all uniting, fing Jehovah's praife."

For grandeur and fublimity, this chorus may dare a comparifon with any thing, ancient or modern. It is conceived in a moft lofty style, and clothed with ponderous harmony, which at intervals is happily interrupted by a bold and spirited fugue.

As the parts approximate the end, they form a climax, which Handel would have been proud to own.

There is a celerity which invariably attends the operations of genius. I recollect having been told, by the prefent celebrated Mr. Boyce, that his father from the time of his undertaking this work, finished it in ten days! It is difficult to conceive how a work fo elaborate could be executed in fo fhort a time. The fongs are highly finifhed, and ornamented with ingenious accompaniment, and the choruffes are conftructed in eight and twelve parts: from my own knowledge of the fcore, it would take a ready hand near half the time to transcribe it. Mr. Cradock very handfomely paid Dr. Boyce 300l. for fetting this ode to mufic, and I mention it to the credit of the mufician, that his rectitude would not permit him to referve a copy for himself. Mr. Boyce has long wifhed to procure a tranfcript of it in honour of his father, by which he would complete his collection; but I believe no part has been tranfcribed, except the duetto before fpoken of. Leicester, Jan. 1799.

Y.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

[N answer to your correfpondent E. M.

ufual mode in writing, of prefixing a capital initial letter to fubftantive nouns, is inelegant; and as a proof of my affertion, I refer him to the writings of two men of oppofite opinions, but both men of great celebrity for their knowledge and learning; I mean the BISHOP of RoCHESTER and JOHN HORNE TOOKE. M. E.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR,

IN

N order to reconcile the contradiction fubfifting between the books of Exodus and Genefis, Mr. Simpfon propofes in your last to change the ufual fignification of the words name and known, into the collateral, or metaphorical fenfe of them, employed moftly in the poetical parts of feripture. This proceeding is not very allowable: however, I will, for the prefent, admit the frequent changes in the meaning of words, on which Mr. S. and alfo Mr. Wife infifts, but which tends to deftroy the authority of fcriptures. Let us then examine Mr. Simpfon's elucidation of the paffage, Ex.vi. 3. in his own terms, "I appeared unto Abraham, unto Ifaac, and unto Jacob, by the name (or title of) God Almighty, but by the name (or title) Jehovah was I not known (or diftinguifhed, or diftinguishingly manifefted) to them." That is," Mr. Simpfon adds, when I appeared to Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, I did not then appropriate the name Jehovah as my diflinctive title from falje Gods, and as the God of my people, but I appropriated the appellation of God Almighty to thefe purpofes, under the Abrahamic difpenfation." If Mr. S. had attended to the numerous paffages quoted formerly from Genefis and Exodus, he would furely have hefitated before he drew this conclufion. The only proper arguments to be adduced against his explanation, muft be taken from fcripture; and many paffages yet remain, which appear contradictory to his statement. In Genefis, chap. ix. Jehovah is declared to be the God of Shem, (the Father of all the children of Eber, chap. x. 21.); and it is foretold, that he fhould abide amengt, or prefide over, Shem's pofterity. "And Noah faid, Bleffed be Jehovah, the God of Shem: God fhall enlarge Japheth; and (but) he ball dwell

in

in the tents of Shem; and Canaan fhall be his (Shem's) fervant."

Mr. S. will also find that Abraham was called away from his kindred, from his country, and from the worship of his ancestors, not by a divinity under the title of-El-fhaddai, but by Jehovah himself, who entered into a covenant with him, promifing to blefs and conftantly protect him, and his pofterity: that, in confequence, Abraham builded altars, and repeatedly called on the name of Jehovah," as his tutelary God. See Gen. chap. xii. and xiii. "I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy feed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant; to be a God unto thee, and thy children after thee," &c. ch. xvii. 8.

In Gen. xxvi. 2. the above covenant is renewed with Ifaac; and in chap. xxviii. with Jacob, under the strongest expreffions, Hence Jacob invokes Jehovah in his diftrefs, chap. xxxii. and relying on him alone, orders the range gods to be put away from among his people, or followers, chap. xxxvi. &c.

Many other paffages might be adduced to the fame purpofe; but the above will fuffice to fhew that Jehovah, according to the author of Genefis, was known, diftinguished, or (in Mr. S.'s more extended fignification of the word jadang) was diftinguifningly manifefted to Noah'; and after him to Shem, Abraham, Ifaac, Jacob, &c. as well as to Mofes; that he

dwelt in the tents of these chofen Arabian

left I fhould have already trefpaffed too far on your patience.

Not much need be faid refpecting Mr. WISE's laft obfervations, as they exhibit him rather difpofed to petulance than to argument. He has advanced feveral things without quoting his authorities for them; and when defired to correct a mistake on one point, by examining an author of the highest reputation, he declines looking into him, because he does not expect to find in a modern writer any thing to the purpofe. Does Mr. WISE, then, fuppofe I referred him to Buxtorf for that author's private and unfounded opinion on the fubject in question? I furely could not ;-but to the authorities quoted from the ancient rabbinical writers, to whom, I prefume, Mr. W. means to appeal, but with whom he seems to have a very imperfect acquaintance. Can he feriously think a reference to fuch authorities lefs proper than his reference to an unpublished poem of his own? Since the poem has been mentioned, Mr. WISE will allow me to with its fuccefs; and to encourage him farther by an observation, not now made for the first time, that in order to be a good verfifier, it is not neceffary to be an extraordinary profe-writer, nor to be poffeffed of strong argumentative powers. M. R.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

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SIR,

Literary Intelligence" of your Ma WAS pleafed to fee announced in the gazine for December laft, an intention of publishing a series of German plays; fuch a feries, if formed with judgment and with kill, muft undoubtedly answer the expectations of the Editor: it must prove

wanderers; and that he entered into a covenant with them, promifing to be their peculiar guardian divinity, and to give them fuccefs against all their enemies, or opponents, on condition that the Hebrew race fhould be circumcifed, and obferve the other religious rites ordained by him," a valuable addition to the exifting stock Gen. ch. xvii. and xxvi. &c.

I conclude, therefore, that Mr. SIMPSON's forced construction of Exod. vi. 2. is no more confiftent with the book of Genefis than the fimple meaning of the text, as expreffed in the English, or other verfions of the Bible. The difficulty, or contradiction, originally ftated, remains then the fame as before. It feems probable that the fcriptural books cannot be fatisfactorily reconciled on this fubject, though I think the fubject itself very intelligible; and believe that the truth refpecting it might be made to appear without much difficulty. I with, however, on thefe points to be taught by others, not thinking myself wholly qualified to be a teacher; and fearing, Mr. Editor, MONTHLY MAG. No. XLII.

of dramatic literature." Before fuch a work advances, however, I wish it to be impreffed on the minds of thofe who undertake the task of tranflating, that it is incumbent on them to be faithful; that it is a duty which they owe to the German author and the English public, neither to curtail, to alter, nor to add. I am forry that this caution is not unneceffary and impertinent: and that it is not fo, will be acknowledged by every one who has read, as I have done, many of the tranflations, as they are called, which have lately appeared from German dramatifts. Schiller is fortunate; he has been introduced to us in propria perfonâ: poor Kotzebue has been fadly disfigured; and his mutilated limbs, the disjeti membra poeta, have

actually

actually been exhibited on a London
theatre! To the injury which Mrs. INCH-
BALD has done Kotzebue, fhe has added
an infult by ftigmatizing in, what ap-
pears to me, a very vain and pert preface
to her "Lover's Vows," thofe perfons
who, like myself, cannot enter into the
fpirit of her alterations; but, on the con-
trary, who feel difpofed to give a very
decided and unqualified preference to the
original play. Mifs PLUMPTRE, in her
literal but fpirited tranflation of the
"Natural Son," or Lover's Vows, has
enumerated in her preface the chief points
of variation between the play as repre-
fented, and the play in its original form:
the character of the Count von der Mulde,
or Caffel, is in the original an highly-
finished portrait of a German coxcomb;
the count is eternally babbling French,
and the character is obviously intended to
fatyrize the introduction of French phrafes
in common difcourfe. Mrs. INCHBALD
has not fuffered a French phrase to escape
him! no, not one! Kotzebue makes the
count a very contemptible and infignifi-
nt character: Mrs. INCHBALD has put
fome fhrewd repartees into his mouth, not
at all confiftent with the utter infignifi-
cance which was intended. The cha-
racter of Amelia is actually destroyed:
"the forward and unequivocal manner,'
fays Mrs. INCHBALD in her preface, "in
which the announces her affection to her
lover in the original would have been re-
volting to an English audience:" this
being the cafe, fhe has endeavoured to
render Amelia's annunciation of her love
retiring and equivocal. It is inconfiftent,
Mr. Editor, with the plan of your Ma-,
gazine to admit extracts; I must content
myfelf, therefore, with requesting your
readers to perufe a portion of the dia-
logue (in Mrs. INCHBALD'S tranflation)
between Anhalt and Amelia, from page
39.-"
-ANHALT. You mean to fay," &c.
to page 42, "Oh, liberty, dear liberty!"
They will fee that nothing can be more
forward and unequivocal than Amelia's
annunciation to Anhalt of her love for
him. Amelia in the original is all art-
leffnefs, all innocence; in the fimplicity
of her foul fhe reveals her love, becaufe
me was ignorant of any neceffity, and had
never learnt the art, of concealing it. Her
forwardness is that of a child; far from
exciting difguft, it is appropriate, it is
effential to her character, and forms a
very interesting part of it: not so in Mrs.
INCHBALD'S tranflation; the fimplicity
of Amelia's character is totally loft; he
is converted into a pert mifs, triumphing

at the confufion into which the throws a
man who has more modefty than herself.
Mrs. INCHBALD flanders, grofsly flan-
ders, an English audience, when the afferts
that it would revolt from fo fimple and
fo fweet a tale of love as that of Amelia's.
Although the public tafte has been in-
jured, it is not utterly destroyed: when
the "Stranger" was offered to the ma-
nagers of Drury-lane it was returned to
the tranflator who fent it-a gentleman
figning himself S****k-as unlikely to
fucceed in representation. The managers,
however, altered their opinion; the play
was performed, and the poet was crowned
with unexpected applaufe *. Thefe cir
cumftances feem to confirm what I have
faid: the "Stranger" has nothing in it
of thofe harlot embellishments, nothing
of that pantomimic nonfenfe, which of
late has been confidered effential to fecure
approbation: the public tafte has been
injured: the managers know this, for
they have contributed to injure it; at
first, therefore, they were of opinion that
the "Stranger" would not fucceed in
reprefentation. The fuccefs, however,
which did actually attend the reprefenta-
tion of the "Stranger," when the managers
altered their opinion, and fuffered it to
come upon the stage, demonftrates that
the public tafte is not utterly deftroyed;
and that we have not loft all relish for
delineation of character, for the charms
of fimplicity and nature.
But to re-
turn:

Nothing better illuftrates the danger of making alterations, and the great probability of injuring the author whofe work we prefume to amend, than this very tranflation, which in general is executed with much fpirit, of the "Stranger." Here, too, all the blame is thrown upon the English audience! What a happy way of fhuffling off refponfibility, (cenfure) and how highly complimentary to the audience whole tafte is fo folicitoufly confulted! "The tranflator has ventured to deviate from the original plot (I am ufing his own words) in one delicate particular.-He has not made the wife actually commit that crime which is a stain to the female character, though the was on the brink of ruin, by eloping from her husband. This laft liberty he trufts will be excused; partly because he feels that, according to the dictates of nature, reconciliation would in such circumstances

*Mr. SHINCK complains in his preface, and apparently with reafon, of unhandfome treatment from the managers.

be more easily obtained: but chiefly becaufe he confidered it as more confiftent with the moral fentiment, and more congenial to the heart of an English audience, than the forgiveness of a wife who had been actually guilty." One alteration begets the neceflity of another: the "Stranger," in this very tranflation, does actually forgive his wife, and is reconciled to her, under the full perfuafion of her infidelity! Mrs. Smith, it is true, informs Lady Santon, in a private converfation with her, that although the eloped from her husband, yet that the returned, and faw her error, before the purpofe of her deceiver was accomplished-but her husband knows nothing of all this! The tranflator forgot that he ought to have made him acquainted with it; ought to have infpired him with a belief of it; but this would have demanded a long dialogue, for the “ Stranger" is reprefented as full of fufpicion, and yielding very tardy credit. As it is, the effect is entirely fruftrated which was intended to be produced, and the audience is left in pain, that a rath but very repentant wife fhould labour under the fufpicion of a foul crime of which fhe was actually innocent. Can this be "congenial to the heart of an English audience?" I am forry that the tranflator, in his ardour for alteration, fhould have committed fo gross an absurdity: the "Stranger" is with me a very favourite play the mystery with which Kotzebue has enveloped the fortune of his hero creates an interest in his favour from the very firft fcene-the mystery thickens the intereft grows ftronger: acts of the pureft benevolence proceed from apparent milanthropy-they are like the meteors of the night, that seem to derive fplendour from the darkness of the horizon.

It is objected, I am well aware, against a fcrupulous fidelity of tranflation, that German plays are in general fo abominably long as to be very ill adapted to an English ftage; that the author, therefore, has only the alternative of fubmitting to the curtailment of his piece, or foregoing the honours of reprefentation. To this objection I can only reply, that when a play is exprefsly tranflated for the purpofe of reprefentation, if the scenes or the dialogue be too long, fimple curtailment is venial, because it is neceffary, and for that reafon only if there be any other objection to the original than its length; if the fentiments are not "congenial to the hearts of an English audience;" if

the characters are difgufting; if the lan-
guage is indelicate or profane, fuch a
play is unfit for representation, and there-
fore ought not to be tranflated with any
view to it. It feems to me that we are
not authorised to alter the fentiments, the
characters, or the plot; fuch an alteration
is an abfolute forgery. Suppose it were
the fashion in Germany to recite odes or
elegies on the public itage, and fuppofe
that fome German, acquainted with the
English language, were to tranflate for
recitation fome of our popular poetry,
Gray's Bard, for inftance. We are told, that
"On a rock, whofe haughty brow
Rob'd in the fable garb of woe,
Frowns o'er old Conway's foaming flood,

With haggard eyes, the poet ftood;"
and after breathing vengeance on the race
of Edward, and weaving with bloody
hands the tiffue of his line," in a moment

of enthusiasm,

--"headlong from the mountain's height, Deep in the roaring tide he plung'd to endles night!"

Now, Sir, it is a poffible cafe, that the tranflator, not being infpired with the high poetic genius of his original author, might look upon this headlong plunge of the ancient bard as a very extravagant, unnatural, and fhocking piece of bufinefs; when the old gentleman had done scolding the king, therefore, he might rather choose to make him unftring his lyre, throw it over his shoulder, and walk home. And if any critic were to arraign the tranflator's judgment or his taste, he might offer just the fame excufe as Mrs. INCHBALD has done, and Mr. S****K: he might reply, that for a man in his fenfes to throw himself from the top of a high rock and dash his brains out, would be the most revolting thing imaginable to the delicacy and fine feelings of a German audience-O dear, they would not bear it! Now, Sir, what would an Englifhman, zealous for the honour of his Pindaric countryman, fay to fuch an alteration as this? Precisely what he would fay, may a German fay to us: and if we go on mutilating their dramatifts as we have done, I think the lex talionis may be enforced against us without any injustice.

I have taken the liberty to offer these hints, because I think the fubject well merits attention, and it is poffible that they may contribute in fome measure to excite it. T. S. N.

Norwich, Jan. 1799.

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