(iv) tainment, amendment, and improvement of their own fex, will profecute the glorious work with redoubled ardor. We need not folicit for what it is fo beneficial to beftow; the fresh fupplies already received correfpond with our most ardent wishes, and will enable us to carry on this work with a spirit more than equal to that which has hitherto fecured its fuccefs. The preceding year we have had fcarcely any other trouble than that of felection and arrangement. The various hints which we have received for the enlargement and amendment of our plan, fhall meet with all the attention they deferve; and while the universal emulation of excelling in the embellishments of the mind, in preference to the fugitive traits of the exterior, shall increase, our Collection, which has already been honoured with the productions of the most celebrated female pens, must increase in value, and be a lasting monument of their excellence. HE piece opens in the English ple, and wandered for many months in the woods and forefts alone. That he had at laft found a place of refuge in the Ifle of Athelney, where he had been joined by fome of his warriors. That from that poft, he had made frequent incurfions upon the Danes, and at last had made his way to Devonshire, and at Kenwith fought a battle and killed Hubba, the bro learn the fate of Ethelfwida, he had ther of Hinguar. That, impatient to immediately fet out to find her, but that he had not been able to learn any thing of her, and had returned laft night to the camp in defpair. The officer retires and Alfred appears, complains of his misfortunes, and laments Ethelfwida. An officer from the Danish camp demands admittance. Tani which is commanded by He enters, and taking off his helmet, the earl of Devonshire, who enjoins is known to be Surry. He informs the officer of the guard to conceal the Alfred, that the princefs is captive in king's arrival in the camp. The offi- the camp of Hinguar, the fierceft and cer expreffes his furprize, that Alfred moft brutal of all the Danish princes. fhould conceal himself from the peo- Alfred, distracted with jealousy, forms ple in fo critical a fituation, when the a refolution at all hazards, to know fate of England depends upon a mo- her fate: retires to the fide fcene with ment. Devonshire informs him of the Surry, and after a private communiftrange adventures of Alfred, who, cation, orders him to go and prepare having been attacked by the Danes on for his reception. He then explains his wedding-day, had fent off the earl of himself to Devonshire, and tells Surry, his friend and confidant, to con-him that he is refolved to go difduct the princefs Ethelfwida, his bride, guifed like a bard, which he had often to a place of fafety. That, in the action done before, (as he was the moit exwhich followed, the king had efcaped cellent of all the bards) and gain accefs from the general flaughter of his peo-to Hinguar, perhaps to Ethelfwida. He He orders Devonshire, when evening came, to march a thousand chofen men to the mounds near the Danish camp, and be ready to affift him. ACT II. and threatens him with death. The bard pretends to be Surry, anxious for his fifter's fate. Hinguar is pleafed with that, and declares his refolution to marry Ethelfwida. Surry makes feveral objections; from which Hinguar concludes that he is not her brother, and orders him into clofe confine He refolves to find out the fe cret, by terrifying Ethelfwida, who enters in deep thought and perplexity. Hinguar apprizes her that he had dif covered the fraud, and had put the imEthelfwida, in her poftor to death. grief, betrays herself, and laments the death of Alfred. The Dane is aftonifhed, and then informs her of his ftratagem: he tells her the may fave the life of Alfred, by giving her hand to Hinguar. Going to give orders for Scene the Danish camp. Surry, who had gained the favour of Hinguar, and ferved in his guards, appears, ment. and difclofes the fuccefs of Alfred, who, entering the Danish camp, had charmed linguar with his melody. Surry retires. Hinguar enters with Alfred as a bard. Hinguar holds in his hand the ring of Alfred, which the bard had given him as a certain proof of that prince's death. He then unbofoms himself to the bard, and demands his affiftance as a bard, a magician, or both, to cure the phrenzy of a beautiful captive, whom he paffionately lo-his death, Ethellwida tells him, that ved. Alfred undertakes it, and E. if he will fend Alfred to the English thelfwida enters. She appears to be camp, the will give her hand. Hindisordered in her mind, and after fome guar does not relish that proposal, to time Hinguar, called upon to give orfet Alfred free, and take a woman's ders, leaves Alfred with Ethelfwida word; refolves to force Alfred to be and her attendant. Ethelfwida after-falfe to her, and in the following wards gets rid of her attendant, and fcene gives Alfred an alternative of is left alone with Alfred. It then ap-marrying his niece, or intant death; pears that the phrenzy is counterfeit, gives him an hour to think, and on ed, to fave her from Hinguar's addref. notice of a confpiracy being formed by fes. She blames the temerity of Alqueen, goes off. fred. He excufes himfelf by the ardour of his love and anxiety for her Alfred and Ethelfwida meet, by perfate. He tells her his fcheme, and cautions her, that if he should be fuf- miffion of the Danish attendant. An pected, he is to call himself her bro-animated fcene between them. Hinther; Surry his name, and Emma her's. As Hinguar is about to return, Ethelfwida goes off. Hinguar comes in, and foon after Hinguar's queen. Jealous of the captive, the reproaches Hinguar, who fets her at defiance, and they part with mutual me naces. ACT III. the ACT IV. guar had told Alfred that Ethelfwida had confented. She vindicates herself by telling, that after having obtained her faith inviolated. She fhews a daghis liberty, he was refolved to keep ger. They are interrupted by Surry, who tells them that Ronix, the queen, with the confpirators, had furrounded the tent, and then, giving Alfred his fword, goes off. Ronix enters, and The third act opens with informa-orders her guards to feize Ethelfwida, tion given to Hinguar, by one of E-but is ftopped by Alfred, who anthelfwida's attendants, who had watch-nounces himself. Ethelfwida claim's ed her interview with Alfred, that the the protection of Ronix. The chief phrenzy is counterfeited, and Hinguar of the Danes advifes Ronix to join immediately concludes that the pre- with Alfred; they retire to confult, tended bard is the lover of Ethelwi-and after a fhort interval, Alfred is da. He orders him into his prefence, called upon to hear the terms. Ethelf Account of The Battle of Haftings. 7 wida is left alone; the Danish attend- lifh officer told her that he had aat joins her, and tells her that Al-conquered; but his death had fub fred, having refufed the terms offered by the friends of Ronix, is made a prifoner, and that fhe, as the chief obftacle, is in the greatest danger from the remorfelefs Ronix; offers to prosure her escape at midnight: Ethelfwida accepts the offer with joy. ACT V. Ethelfwida appears waiting, with great anxiety, the performance of the promife. The Danish woman enters, and they retire together to prepare for fight. Rollo, the friend of Ronix, enters with two foldiers, gives them orders to go into the tent, and put to death the rival of the queen. While they fearch, Ethelfwida is feen going off; they purfue her, and Ronix enters. As the fpeaks to her friend, an oficer acquaints them that Hinguar is advancing, and that a body of Engih were at the fame time coming to attack them. In this extremity they fend to Alfred, and requeft his affiftance against Hinguar. Alfred agrees; he and the Danish officer go off. Ronix is left, and the fhout of battle is heard. Ronix, as the fhout draws near, retires, and Hinguar enters victorious on his part. He is aftonished at the folitude and filence,da's rive, allaffins enter with Ethelfwida's robe, torn and bloody. Hinguar furprizes them, and they confefs, that by orders from the queen they had killed the lady. They are carried off, and Alfred enters with his troops. Alfred propofes to fpare the people, and that the rivals fhould fight the battle. They fight, and Hinguar falls. He points to Ethelfwida's robe. Alfred, in a tranfport of grief, advancing to view the robe, is wounded by Hinguar, who dies like a Scandinavian. Surry dued the victor: the fword of Hin- THE ARCUMENT. pies the day preceding the ba:tle of Haftings, and clofes with the event of the battle. HE action of this tragedy occu. enters mortally wounded. After an affecting converfation Surry dies, and Alfred, oppreffed with grief, and faint with his wound, falls. At that in- The fable, fo far as concerns the ftant the voice of Ethelfwida is heard, chief characters and incidents in that exulting-Where is the conquering grand revolution, is founded on hiftoking?"-She enters, and fees Alfredrical facts, embellished, however, with itretched upon the ground. An Eng- as many circumitanees of fiction as farve ferve to constitute the intereft and pa- tion of Matilda, with the conduct of thos of the piece. The fcene through- Edgar Atheling through fuch a varieout the first act lies at the castle of carl ty of concurrences, jointly constitute Edwin, at some distance from the camp the cataftrophe of the tragedy, which of Harold. The play is opened by alike partakes of terror and of pity.the earl, who comes in queft of Edgar To this fhort account of his produeAtheling, who, under a disguised name, tion the author begs leave to add, that had joined the levies of Edwin, and re- he is penetrated with the deepest fenfe forted to the ftandard of king Harold, of the public favour and protection; against the invafion of the duke of that he puts the highest value upon Normandy. Edgar is here difcovered thofe many liberal marks of approbain tender interview with Edwina, earl tion which upon this, and all former Edwin's fifter; their further confer- occafions, he has received fo much aence is sternly interrupted by the pa- bove his merits. To the manager he triotic earl, who infifts upon Edgar's is indebted for every thing that could returning with him directly to the affift the fpectacle, in the fupply of camp. Edgar obeys, and the confe- which he found his wishes anticipated quence is, that Edwina follows, and with a liberality infeparable from true puts herfelf under the protection of genius, and which promises every pofMatilda, king Harold's daughter.-fible encouragement to fucceeding auHer manners and appearance foon re- thors from that fage. commend her to the confidence of that princefs, who, according to the warm and animated ftile of character in which fhe is reprefented, relates to her the paffion fhe had conceived for Ed-" gar, under the affumed character of a fimple knight adventurer. (It should here be obferved that hiftory warrants this concealment of Edgar's, inafmuch as he had, from his infancy, been edu-may they hold it as a matter of opicated in Hungary, and other parts abroad.)-Harold, in effect an ufurper, willing to conciliate all parties at this crifis, by doing juftice to the pretenfions of Edgar, and further wrought upon, through the medium of fuperftition, by certain pretended prophcfies and predictions, to which he was de-lieve and hope) impartial fearch of the votedly inclined, confents to efpoufe his daughter to Edgar, and bequeath the crown jointly to them. On the EXCELLENCE of the BIBLE. HE bible, I fay, the bible on TH ly, is the religion of proteftants. Whatsoever else they believe befides it, and the plain, irrefragable, indubitable confequences of it, well nion; but as matter of faith and religion, neither can they with coherence to their own grounds, believe it themfelves, nor require the belief of it of others, without moft high and most fchifmatical prefumption. I, for my part, after a long and (as I verily be true way to eternal happiness, do prefefs plainly, that I cannot find any reft for the fole of my foot, but on this rock only. I fee plainly, and with my own eyes, that there are popes again In this incident the principal diftrefs and involution of the fable confifts.Edgar, firm in his attachment to Ed-popes; councils against councils; fome wina, though infenfibly penetrated by fathers against others; the fame fathers Matilda's heroic turn of mind, and un- against themselves; a confent of fathers fortunate attachment, perfifts in with- of one age, against a confent of fathers tanding all the offers preffed upon him of another age. In a word, there is no by Harold.. The feveral incidents fufficient certainty but of fcripture onthereupon enfuing, the touching litua-ly, for any confiderate man to build tions of Edwina and Matilda, the e- upon. vents that arife during the action, the death of Harold, and the felf-deftruc CHILLINGWORTH, |