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particular ceremony, its brilliant and beautiful appearance cannot be exceeded. Don Mathias Mastro, a Priest, was the architect. He is also a painter of considerable merit. The various altars on either side, are equal in richness if not in beauty, to the one I have mentioned. The church of San Augustin may be considered the next in beauty, by many I dare say superior to the cathedral; all the altars are superbly ornamented, and several are of incalculable value, but particularly the one, erected at the entire expence of the silversmiths, which is covered with solid metal, of more than common thickness,-it only required a few additional ornaments which were in a state of readiness, to make it complete. This church contains some excellent paintings.

"San Domingo also vies with the others in point of elegance, and has a handsome tower, (of great height,) at the top of which the traveller may enjoy a most extensive, picturesque, and interesting prospect; and as it is difficult for a stranger to find his way through the town, I would recommend him to visit this tower the first thing, as, from a single look he will receive more information relative to the place, than from studying the Lima directory a month.

"As the city contains upwards of fifty churches and chapels, the reader will see the impossibility of my bringing all before him, and consider it sufficient, if, in addition to those I have already mentioned, I say that San Francisco with La Conception, and La Mercy, are the most extensive, as well as handsome; although none of the others are in the least deficient in riches and splendor.

"The monasteries here, are both numerous and spacious, and I should suppose of the different orders there cannot be less than eighteen or twenty; and some among them contain three or four a piece of ground equal at least to six acres.

squares, or

"The largest of those is, of the Franciscan order, and contains from 1200 to 1500 Friars. The Augustins come next, and I think the monastery itself, although not so large, is much more elegant than the former; the number of monks exceed a thousand. These have two or three smaller ones in different parts of the city. There are also numerous establishments of this nature under the various denominations of Dominicans, Benedictines, Mercerarians, &c. &c. and are generally found in the most desirable and advantageous situations.

"Of convents for nuns, there are also several, and of great extent: but those of St. Clare, the Carmelites, and the Incarnation, are the principal ones of note." (P. 118-122.)

The University is considerable and well-endowed; and the Lunatic Asylum is arranged on a commendable plan. There is a Royal Court, which is under the Viceroy's control, and several of inferior consequence. The inquisition is situated in the east end of the town, and is of considerable size. The mint is a very extensive building, and has a civil power, independent of the Viceroy. The other public buildings are principally the Torus, or Amphitheatre, for bull fights, a powder manufactory, and the Pantheon de los Meurtos, or public cemetery. The whole coast of Peru and Chili enjoys a very mild temperature, and, in de

fault of rain, is chiefly moistened by heavy dews. The brief: account of the mines next given, presents nothing of a novel nature. The Indians of Casco are in stature of a middle height, and muscular, with very little beard; their colour is a bright copper, with wide countenances, and dark eyes and hair.

The celebrated island of Juan Fernandez was next visited by the Briton. It is now the place of exile for the patriots of Chili, who reside in a little village near the beach. This village is commanded by a battery and 100 soldiers, totally devoid of discipline. The island is highly romantic, and abounds in rivulets; its soil is a bright red ochre, and extremely fertile. The mountains, which are difficult of access, abound in the box and myrtle, with many species of wild animals; and the climate, though very variable, is not unhealthy.

Having obtained a passport, Lieutenant Shillibeer proceeded over-land to Santiago, the capital of Chili. This journey was performed over an unequal country, watered by several streams, in the space of about two days. The city stands in an extensive and fertile plain; it is composed of spacious and handsome edifices, though they have only a ground floor, and is totally without fortification. The market is well supplied, and the mint is extolled by the author as the most elegant he had witnessed in South America. The churches here, of which there are many, are only distinguished by a profusion of gilding, and a variety of traditionary miracles. Monastic discipline at Santiago is in a very relaxed state, and the clergy are represented as extremely avaricious and licentious. A wall which has been erected to restrain the over-flowings of the Maypocho, is the fashionable promenade of the town, being sufficiently broad to allow of three persons walking abreast. The inhabitants are represented as illiterate, voluptuous, and indolent, and yet as laying great stress upon external accomplishments; and though they are not insen sible to the duties and graces of hospitality, they are still, in their natural dispositions, both proud and vindictive. The population is about 50,000. This city is the residence of the President of Chili, who acts in subordination to the Viceroy of Lima.

The subsequent matter of the volume is of no interest; indeed the few additions made by Lieutenant Shillibeer to the accounts already received of Pitcairn's Island, and its patriarchal society, form the real attractions of his publication; and we cannot but greatly lament the shortness of the visit which the Briton and Tagus were able to make to persons so morally interesting, as the members of this singularly-formed community. On the other hand, when we consider how virtuously composed this little Eden seems to be, under the good man who presides over it, we dread the moral danger to which unhallowed visits from these regions

of the globe may expose it; and if this diminutive Commonwealth is destined to be revisited under the authority of our own Government, let us hope that some feeling and tenderness will be shown in the selection of the persons charged with so delicate an errand.

ART. IX.-The Works of Ben Jonson, with Notes, Critical and Explanatory, and a Biographical Memoir. By W. Gifford, Esq. 8vo. 9 vols. Nicol. London, 1816.

THERE

HERE was a time when Shakspeare was fairly laid on the shelf. Certain poets and literati, indeed, knew of such a writer; and even condescended occasionally to handle his rough diamonds, and give them a modern polish and a French setting. Thus Dryden and Davenant patronised the Tempest. The public were informed that this old piece was Shakspeare's; and they were called upon to wonder at the genius, which, by a process of poetic alchemy, could convert lead to gold; and improve the crude plan of the Stratford bard, by a male counterpart to Miranda and a witty confidante. Tate, in like manner, took pity on Lear, and discovered that the filial interest of Cordelia and Edgar was tame, and out of the approved tragic rules; and that Edgar and Cordelia must absolutely make love. We call our stage reformed and enlightened; but these paltry impostures still keep possession of it.

Shakspeare, however, could not long be depressed: Adversis rerûm immersabilis undis. The Indian queens and Indian emperors made room for Constance and Imogen, Macbeth and Othello. Pope and Rowe aspired to the credit of taste by becoming his editors. Commentators arose on commentators, like the crop of armed men from the dragon's teeth, and like them they destroyed each other. To the stupid ignorance or indifference which had prevailed respecting this master of the human mind, succeeded a busy and self-important enthusiasm: to comment upon Shakspeare was to contend for the prize of right English feeling, and perception of true genius:

Here strip, my children: here at once plunge in:
Here strive who best can dash through thick and thin.

The admirable "Canons of Criticism" checked for a season the zeal of verbal torture; but notes and remarks continued to sprout with hydra fertility of succession, till common sense was again heard in the "Comments on the Commentators of Shakspeare."

This mania for Shakspeare's plays was accompanied by a bigoted and exclusive feeling of intolerance towards all who might be brought into a parallel, or made to approach, however distantly, the throne of their dramatic sultan. The same injustice which had prevailed respecting Shakspeare himself, now operated respecting his illustrious contemporaries. Shakspeare, from being regarded as the rude poet of a rude age, became the only poet of his æra; an æra fruitful in masculine and original genius, in thought and fancy and dramatic force, beyond all that have succeeded it in our own land, and beyond the most boasted periods of foreign poesy.

It is no wonder, therefore, that foreigners should have formed so poor an estimate of our stage: since we ourselves were absolutely ignorant or indifferent as to the merits of our native drama; it is no wonder that the worthies of our theatre should be to them as much unknown as the poets of China; that they should know little of Fletcher; should never have heard of Massinger, or Shirley, or Ford; and should suppose that Shakspeare and Jonson, are surpassed by Addison and Congreve.

The French idolize Racine; but they still talk of " the great Corneille. We have neither their national gratitude, nor their national policy in this respect. The ancient wreath of Jonson has been violated by the same hands which have encumbered with laurels the statue of Shakspeare. The critics and the readers of England were labouring to make amends for the original tasteless neglect of our greatest poet. Tradition had coupled the name of Jonson with that of Shakspeare, and the manes of Shakspeare were to be appeased by the sacrifice of Jonson. The classic claims of the latter the recorded proofs of his influence on the age in which he flourished; of his favour and friendship with the learned, and his gracious reception with princes, were looked upon as mortal offences. The praise of Jonson was thought a necessary reflexion on Shakspeare. His learning was sneered at, as if what he wrote was merely learned: to his art was triumphantly opposed Shakspeare's nature; as if art were mere mechanic artifice; and the jealousy of Kitely had nothing in it of nature; as if Shakspeare, with all his power of tracing a passion and a character through its progressive stages of developement, knew nothing of art. These two stars could not keep their motion in one sphere;" their characters were contrasted as well as their genius: "The gentle" Shakspeare, an epithet first applied to him by the cordial kindness and admiration of Jonson himself, was placed in antithesis to the "envious and malignant" Jonson: having formed their hypothesis of Old Ben's surly envy and malignity, (much point was meant to be conveyed in the nick-name of Old Ben), they sat down to ransack his prologues and his plays for the proofs;

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and with the perspicacity of men determined to find what they sought, detected a sneer at Shakspeare, at every turn of his pages.

This is not merely ridiculous; it is degrading to our character as a refined and intellectual people; it is inconsistent with that patriotic spirit which does but half its duty in protecting the wellmerited fame of statesmen and of warriors, unless it also cherishes with gratitude and reverence the memory of those who have contributed to sustain and extend our country's literary glory. It is miserable policy, also, after sustaining the attacks of the petulant, prejudiced, and superficial critics of France, upon their Shakspeare, to foster so much absurd jealousy as to Jonson; and to persist in looking, with suspicion, upon a writer, whom, for the honour of their nation, they might have opposed to Molière, on his own classic ground. In art and ingenuity of plot, in raciness of humour and richness of fancy, the Fox and the Alchymist might surely enter the lists with the Misantrope and the Tartuffe.

There is room enough for Jonson and Shakspeare in the same hemisphere; and stars of different magnitude may hold their proper distances, and perform their revolutions, without being thrust from their orbits, and forced upon each other. They who have admitted the merits of both, have not instituted their comparison with great felicity of discernment. "Shakspeare," says Cumberland," with ten thousand spots about him, dazzles us with so bright a lustre that we either cannot or will not see his faults. He gleams and flashes like a meteor, which shoots out of our sight before the eye can measure its proportions, or analyze its properties; but Jonson stands still to be surveyed, and presents so bold a front, and holds it so fully to our view, as seems to challenge the compass and rule of the critic, and defy him to find out an error in the scale and composition of his structure. Putting aside, therefore, any further mention of Shakspeare, who was a poet out of all rule, and beyond all compass of criticism; one whose excellencies are above comparison, and his errors beyond number; I will venture an opinion, that this drama of the Fox, is, critically speaking, the nearest to perfection of any one drama, comic or tragic, which the English stage is at this day in possession of."-Ŏbserver, iii. 170.

It is easy to see that Cumberland knew nothing of Shakspeare. In the lack of analytical criticism he flies to declamation and metaphor. These spots on Shakspeare's sun are, many of them, specks on the visual orb of his critics. We, for our parts, in the name of our country, disclaim for Shakspeare this me teorous glory; these will-o'-the-wisp coruscations: we challenge for him the optic tube" of the Tuscan artist, and we promise

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