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vour of the house of Lorrain, and being seriously angry with her husband for paying attention to a sick royalist; the young Henry, her son, who at first, from docility to the commands of his mother, and through inexperience, adopts the colours of the Guises, and sacrifices them the next moment for those that his cousin Susanna requests him to wear; she is the daughter of Arthur, and, of course, a royalist like her father: next is a little waiting-maid of Madame Bertha, still more violently attached to the ligne than her mistress; and a footman belonging to Arthur, who expresses the same sentiments as his master, in the most outré manner.

It is in this family that the treacherous Spaniard begins to put in practice the instructions be has received from his court. He has, besides, built on the success of his political intrigues to bring about the making of his own individual fortune: he has a daughter at Madrid, and he cherishes the idea that he shall easily persuade the young Henry to give her the preference before Susanna, from whom he has been separated

from childhood.

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Unfortunately for Paghera's plans, Susanna arrives with her father Arthur at the dwelling of Charles. The two brothers have been separated on account of a law suit for above twelve years. Charles was the first to come forward to seek a reconciliation he has been at his brother's house and brought him home in triumph. One interview between Susanna and Henry has been suf ficient to bring together the two cousins. Henry throws away his Spanish colours, and proudly adorns himself with those of Susanna. Every thing seems to promise their speedy union, but Madame Bertha, informed of the sentiments of her brother-in-law and his daughter, becomes an

insuperable bar to the marriage; she storms, she raves; and Arthur prepares to return to his native village.

It is in vain that Charles exerts his authority, in vain he urges all that reason, wisdom, and the rights of a husband and father can urge-he can obtain nothing from the obstinacy of his wife, nor from the inflexibility of his brother. How ever, touched, at length, by a last effort of the eloquence of Charles, Arthur yields. News of great importance soon gives a turn to this domestic fracas; the cannon is heard throughout Paris; Mayenne and the Duke of Alencon have come to close combat, and are advancing upon Melun; hopes and prayers are offered up by every member of this family, according to their different sentiments and interest. Henry, faithful to the engagements he has formed with Susanna, escapes to Melun; they are ignorant what is become of him, and the moment when it should be discovered offers to a dramatic author a situation the most natural and touching that can be imagined. The conqueror makes his entry into Melun, and Egidius, in his quality of sheriff, is one amongst the first to present him with the keys of the city. Madame Bertha, and her ad

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herents, have not the least doubt but this conquerer is Mayenne, and she orders bonfires to be lighted before her gates, and prepares to dress herself splendidly to offer him her homage. In the mean time it is announced that the wounded of both parties are to be billeted on the houses of the inhabitants; Madame Bertha does not understand having to take in a party belonging to Alencon; if one alone was to be brought in, she would know very well what to do with him; he should be sent away without receiving any succour: yes, she would send him off without so much as giving him a cup of cold water." Send away your own son, then," says the good Maclou, who now enters, supporting the drooping Henry in his arms, who has received a slight wound in combatting for the royal cause. This is like a thunderstroke to Madame Bertha; while, at the same moment, the sheriff enters crying aloud,

"Vive, vive la France et le Duc d'Alencon!" The whole city rejoices at the victory obtained inhabitants towards their monarch being no by the Duke; and the natural affection of the longer checked by fear, now vents itself in lood and ardent demonstrations. Paghera, who has signalized himself, like the other chiefs of the party of Mayenne, now enters pale, bleeding, and defeated, and happy to save himself from pursuit in the kindness of Maclou. Bertha, at length, is deeply impressed with the virtuous example of her excellent husband, and becomes a submissive ed, and all past differences buried in oblivion. and obedient wife. Henry and Susanna are unit

There is but little action in this comedy; it is, however, extremely interesting: and what renders it so is the great variety displayed in the different characters, and which are faithfully pourtrayed through the whole piece-in the noble-minded Charles, the blunt and honest Arthur, the versatile Egidius, the tenacious and obstinate Madame Bertha, the servile Colette, the houest rustic Maclou, the ardent and impetuous Henry, with his artless and sensible cousin. The Family of Glinet is, however, not an historical play, it is a comedy representing modern manners and characters, only changing one century for another. There are few, we believe, in an audience who cannot see themselves or their neighbours represented in this piece.

THEATRE DE LA GAITE.-The Village on Fire; or, Military Reprisals.—This novelty was not ushered forth by any pompous announcements. The manager and the author both neglected this usual custom: the house, therefore, was not so full as might have been expected, but that does not take from the merits of the piece.

It possesses much interest, charming daucing, and beautiful decorations; presenting, at the same time, a terrific, picture of the ravages of war, and the terrible right given to an enemy to revenge himself by an useless evil for an irreparable loss. The scene lies in America; the time, that of the struggle for independence. An American officer is massacred by two English spies; the General of the Independents gives orders for the village wherein the crime has been committed to be reduced to ashes, or for the guilty to be delivered up. The Governor of the country, to save his unfortunate fellow-citizens, declares himself the author of the murder, and generously devotes himself to death. His magnanimous falsehood is discovered; and the village, in consequence, given up to the discretion of the military power. But the officer, who has the charge of conducting the conflagration, is in love with the Governor's daughter: his love and his humanity inspire him with the idea of having recourse to stratagem. He causes bonfires to be kindled in all the most conspicuous places, which offer to the sight of the General the heart-rending image of a real conflagration. The General begins to repent of his severity, and his regret becomes twofold when he beholds the real delinquents, whose guilt has been positively and clearly proved. The young officer then discovers to him the stratagem, and the General, pleased at having been thus nobly deceived, gives his consent to the union of the two lovers.

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Introductory Lecture for the Diseases of the Ear. By J. H. Curtis, Esq. Aurist to the Prince Regent, &c. &c.

THIS Lecture was delivered at the Royal Dispensary, in 1816; and the author has now been induced to publish it for the good of practitioners, whereby they will be enabled to judge how important it is to make a separate study of this useful branch. This, as he justly styles it, “intricate organ," requiring peculiar care and attention.

Hearing is certainly one of the most valuable of the senses; social life is supported by it, and next to sight, it is of the utmost

consequence to our domestic comforts, which are deadened, and almost totally destroyed by its loss.

The author of this lecture can, however, speak better on this subject, as a practitioner, whose skill is now highly estimated by an enlightened world, than we can; we shall, therefore, lay before our readers a few particulars in his own words.

IMPORTANCE OF THE SENSE OF HEARING.

"I need hardly state to you, in estimating the different senses, the great importance of hearing, especially to man; it is the grand medium which connects him with society, and that extends information and intelligence far beyond what the eye, or any of the other senses can do. Through this medium man is enabled to conduct the great and complicated business of life. By it his ba, rangue is heard in the senate, and his commands in the field. It forms the mutual and unembarrassed communication of all sentiment and expression.

"The organs of voice, the most pre-eminent distinction of man, are even useless, unless their powers are excited through the agency of this sense; and where hearing is defective in early life, dumbness is generally the consequence."

INTERESTING CASE RELATED BY BUFFON,

"A young man of the town of Chartes, about twenty-four, who had been deaf from his birth, began all at once to speak, to the astonishment of all who knew him.

"He informed his friends, that for three or four months before, he had heard the sound of bells; and that he was extremely surprised at this new and unknown sensation.

"Some time after, a kind of humour issued from his left ear, and then he heard distinctly with both. During these three or four months, he listened to every thing; and without attempting to speak aloud, he accustomed himself to utter softly the words spoken by others. He laboured hard in acquiring the pronunciation of words, and in learning the ideas annexed to them. At

length, thinking himself qualified to break silence, he declared he could speak, though still imperfectly. Soon after, he was interrogated by some able divines, concerning bis former condition. The principal questions turned upon God, the soul, and moral good and evil; but of these subjects he seemed to have not the smallest conception. Though he was born of Catholic parents, attended mass, was instructed to make the sign of the cross, and to assume all the external marks of devotion, he comprehended nothing of their real intention. He had formed no distinct idea of death, and existed purely in an animal state: wholly occupied with sensible objects, and with the few ideas be bad acquired by the eye, he drew no conclusions from them. He did not want parts; but the understanding of a man,

when deprived of the intercourse of society, has so little exercise or cultivation, that he never thinks but when sensible objects obtrude themselves on his mind. The great source of human ideas arises from the reciprocal intercourse of society."

INTERNAL SITUATION OF THE EAR.

"The situation of the ear, we may observe, is more internal, and its powers more concentrated than those of the eye; its nervons expansion is more limited, and the bodies which act upon it are denser, and more solid than those of light; hence the sensations conveyed by it are limited though more numerous and durable than those of the eye."

IRREPARABLE NEGLIGENCE, RESULTING FROM
THINKING DEAFNESS INCURABLE.

"It has been unfortunately laid down as a maxim, that the diseases of this organ are incurable. But this opinion has no just founda tion; and, in fact, might have been applied with equal propriety to the other organs, on which we daily see such admirable cares performed. || Indeed, there can be no doubt but experience, joined with an ardent desire to improve, will be attended with the same success in this as in every other branch of the medical science.

"But to such a length has prejudice been carried on this subject, that in cases of deafness in early childhood, where much might have been done, and the misfortune of a settled disease in a great measure averted, no attempt has even been made to ascertain the defect, or try the smallest means of relief, under the fallacious, and unfortunate idea for the sufferer, that be will outgrow the disease, or that the organ will acquire an acuteness or increased powers as life advances, which it does not possess at that period.

"No opinion deserves more to be condemned, or is more against the interest of society; there are indeed diseases of this nature, but they are of the constitutional class, and depend on a general fault of habit-they are not local, or affections of one part. Thus, scrofula, or king's evil, as puberty advances, and the system acquires greater tone and firmness from the changes which take place at that period, loses much of its virulence and morbid action, and, therefore, in

science which is justly considered as the most useful.

"The diseases of the ear, like those of other parts, are often constitutional; and the general treatment of the constitution will therefore inAuence the malady of the particular part. The same course of medicines that removes other con stitutional symptoms, has an equal effect on this organ; and if there are no other constitutional symptoms but deafness, then, employing interual medicines, according to the regular method observed, will remove this complaint.”

SENSE OF HEARING IN MAN.

"Though hearing is more perfect in man than in any other animal, it is not so at the period of birth; an infant hears at first very imperfectly, and only strong sounds; but this arises, in part, from the passage, or meatus exteruns being covered with a viscid mucus, or discharge from the ceruminous glands of the ear, in a similar manner as the meconium fills up the intestines: on the removal of this original layer, or deposition, the sense soon appears perfect, but not so strong as at an after period of life. Indeed, as we find the meconiam, with some children, at birth, possesses a morbid viscidity; so, in the same manner, the secretion most analogous to it will partake of a similar state, and may therefore be suspected where congenital deafness occurs, by examining the state of the first passages, or primæ viæ."

NERVOUS DEAFNESS.

"Hence of all species of deafness, that termed nervous, or which affects the delicate nervous expansion of the ear, is the most serious. In consequence of the little success that has attended the practice in nervous deafness, I have couceived in such constitutions the quantity of air admitted by the external ear is too great; and in order to produce an equal balance between it and that admitted by the month, or through the passage of the Eustacian tube, I have been induced, lately, to adopt successfully a new mode of practice pursued on the Continent, which I shall have occasion to mention in a subsequent part of the course."

FRENCH LITERATURE.

a certain degree, the constitution may be said, The Works of Madame Riccobini, complete.

as it acquires strength, to outgrow the disease; but even here it is found that, unless medicine lend its aid, numerous victims would be lost before the salutary time of life or out-growing era did arrive.

Six Vols. 8vo. Paris.

THE romances of this celebrated female writer are too well known in Europe to render it requisite for us to analyze them; but we cannot forbear remarking that they are singular for never containing events out of nature, nor those high-flown sentiments that are unknown in the commerce of real life all her descriptions, all her adventures, bear on them the stamp of truth and nature. Her heroes are not

"This popular prejudice I am endeavouring to combat, may be considered as one cause that impedes the progress of medicine, for it prevents patients applying to the practitioner on the commencement of a malady-the idea of nature curing disease in general, though proper to be entertained to a certain length by a professional character, should be opposed as a general opinion, from conveying a want of confidence in a demi-gods, according to the general rules

Campbell; or, The Scottish Probation, a novel, in three volumes, 12mo. will shortly appear.

Sentimental Lines, selected from celebrated plays, by John Wilson, third edi

Early Genius, exemplified in the juvenile pursuits of eminent foreigners, 18mo.

of romance; neither are they particularly, respondence of Burns, Campbell, Macniel, strong-minded, or high in rank, but are and other eminent poets of the day; it is placed in the ordinary situations of life; said that his poems breathe a tenderness and yet the reader is as much interested and simplicity honourable to the head and with their fate, as when that fate is brought || heart of the author. about by the most incredible or extraor dinary means. The principal merit of Madame Riccobini's writings, consists in the charming manuer of her telling the story, the ease and elegance of her style, the originality of her portraits, the justness|tion, 12mo. of her observations, which discover a profound knowledge, and which always have the rare merit of never digressing from the main subject: thus the romances of Madame Riccobini have this advantage, they are not only amusing to the superficial reader, but to more serious people, who may be desirous of relaxing from abstruser studies. Morals are carefully respected, and the les son offered by the works of Madame Riccobiui is mild and pure; while all her characters have the air and manners of people accustomed to mix with the more refined classes of society.

These romances are not like too many others, improper for the perusal of youth. They do not vitiate the taste by giving the picture of a world existing only in imagination. They do not kindle the passions into flame, by descriptions as dangerous as they are seducing. We often see the misfortunes attendant on a first fault in these instructive volumes, but meet oftener a virtuous cou. duct meeting its just reward: and these lessons are set forth in so pleasing and natural a manner, that they deeply interest the reader, and dispose the heart to receive those impressions it was the writer's intention to inculcate. We cannot, then, forbear highly recommending this new edition, which is got up with the nicest care, and ornamented with beautiful engravings.

WORKS IN THE PRESS. Ir will be gratifying to the lovers of Scottish literature to be informed, that a volume of Poems and Songs, chiefly in the Scottish dialect, will shortly be published, by the late Richard Gall. Mr. Gall died several years ago, in the bloom of youth, when his genius and taste had introduced him to gentlemen eminent in the literary world. He enjoyed the friendship and cor

Dr. Spiker, one of the librarians of his Majesty the King of Prussia, who recently visited this country for literary and scientific objects, has published, in German, the first volume of his Tour through England, Wales, and Scotland. The work will extend to three volumes, a translation of which will be published here, under the authority, and with some additional remarks by the author.

The Memoirs of Count Grammont are about to be published, printed elegantly in two pocket volumes, and at a moderate price. This highly distinguished work, which was written by Count Hamilton, owes its celebrity as much to the picquant graces of its narrative, as to the rich store of secret anecdote with which it abounds, of distinguished personages of the courts of Charles and James II. It has been pub. lished hitherto only in an expensive form, which must have prevented that general circulation to which it would otherwise have attained; that obstacle will be removed by the present edition.

Dr. Jones's new translation of the four Gospels, into Welch, will be published in a few days, in a duodecimo volume.

MUSICAL REVIEW. I'm certain he'll come if he can; sung by Mrs. Bland, set to music by Mr. Hook. THE style of this little pastoral air is particularly suited to the silver tones of Mrs. Bland's voice, which is always listened to with peculiar pleasure, when pouring forth this simple kind of harmony. We greatly admire the preludio, and the refraine, or burthen of the song before us; but we anxiously look forward to some novel productions from such a composer as Mr.

Hook; and are astonished at finding such powers for composition as we know him to be possessed of laying, in a manner, dormant, when they might afford so much real pleasure, in the operatic line, to all the lovers of harmonic science, by subjects better adapted to a veteran composer's skill than the above air.

THE PRINCIPALITY OF HESSE-
HOMBOURG.

HOMBOURG was, before the late system of making and unmaking sovereigns, an appanage of a younger branch of the family of Hesse- Darmstadt, and under the sovereignty of the Grand Duke of Hesse, with a territory literally not much exceeding in size that of Lilliput, as described by Gulliver, "twelve miles in circumference." Now the little state is swelled into an absolute monarchy: a patch of territory is given to it on the opposite side of the Rhine; it masters from eighteen thousand to twenty thousand subjects, and contains ten square German, about fifty English miles. This enormous aggrandizement is owing to the influence at Vienna of the four or five sons of the reigning sovereign, distinguished and meritorious officers in the service of the Emperor of Austria. Of the elder brother, the hereditary Prince (the husband of the Princess Elizabeth), every body speaks well, as a brave honest soldier. One of the brothers is married to a Princess of Prussia. Hombourg is a pretty little place, in a beautiful country, under noble mountaius: the reigning sovereign a worthy, infirm, old Prince. The revenue of the state, about fifteen thousand pounds a-year. The hereditary Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin has long been attached to the Princess of HesseHombourg, the only sister of the husband of our Princess; but there is "one fair daughter and no more;" and the old sovereign of Hombourg loving her more than "passing well," long declared the impossibility of parting with her. He has now, at last, been induced to consent, with tears in his eyes, to the separation, but he cannot bring himself to remain at Hombourg during the marriage, and will return to it only to welcome his married son and his illustri ous English daughter-in-law. The old Landgrave is somewhat bizarre in his character; and when he at last assented to

his daughter's marriage, it was on condition that it should take place the 1st of April.

It is a curious fact that the present will not be the first connexion of little HesseHombourg with England. As far back as the year 1294, Hombourg became, by a singular bargain, a fief of our Edward I. The Emperor Adolphus (of Nassau) was involved in a dispute with Philip of France, with whom our Edward being also disposed to quarrel, he entered into a close alliance with the Emperor, and engaged him to declare war against Philip. The chief agent between the two sovereigns, and promoter of the alliance, was Adolphus's favourite, Eberhard, Count of Catzenellenbogen, and Lord of Hombourg. The King of England, in his auxiety to secure him to his interest, persuaded him to become his vassal, seconded his proposal by five hundred pounds, English gold, which, it appears, possessed as much attraction to Jittle Prin ces in those days as in these. The Count could not resist the offer, and actually took the oath of allegiance, before an English ambassador, to the English King, for the castle and town of Hombourg.

SINGULAR ZOOPHYTE.

In a cavern in the island of St. Lucie, on the borders of the sea, is a large basin, of the depth of about twelve or fifteen feet, the waters of which are brackish, and the bottom composed of rocks; from which are constantly ascending substances, which, at first sight, resemble beautiful flowers, having very much the appearance of marigolds, but of a much more bright and glaring colour. These apparent flowers, at the approach of a haud or any instrument, retire like snails, probably into the interior of the rocks. On observing them closely, four filaments of a brown colour are perceptible, something similar to the legs of spiders; these antenae, which move rapidly round a kind of petal, are armed with pincers to seize the prey that may present itself; and no sooner is it seized, than the yellow flower closes, to prevent the object escaping that it holds in these pincers.→ Bencath the flower is a brown-coloured stalk, probably the receptacle of the animal. This zoophyte appears to feed on the spawn of fish, and water insects.

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