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and, in some of its parts, fanciful. As, for instance, his mode of courtship, which is this:

If

"If the man be the person the woman likes, he presents her with a flower just in the bud, which she takes and puts in her breast. she is engaged before, she shews him one, to signify her engagement; which if in the bud only, shews the courtship is gone no further than the first proposal and liking; if half blown, or the like, 'tis an emblem of further progress; if full blown, it signifies that her choice is determined, from whence they can never recede; that is, she can change the man that presents it, but he cannot challenge her till she has worn it publickly."

As a romance, it is also worthy of admiration, the incidents being well contrived and most agreeably related. In short, it contains such just principles of benevolence, is adorned with so rich and playful a fancy, and is composed in such a clear, simple, and unconstrained style, that it has not only our approbation but our perfect love.

We must now return to the personal history of Gaudentio di Lucca himself, the remainder of which we shall state in very few words. The Pophar, now elevated to the dignity of Regent, took Gaudentio into his own family, as his constant companion, treating him with the most distinguishing marks of his favour. Our adventurer, after a due probation, marries the divine Isyphena, the Pophar Regent's daughter, with whom he lives very happily, and has several children by her. But his wife and all his children paying the debt of nature, he sets out on his return to his native land, accompanied by the Pophar Regent, who has resolved to enquire into the truths of Christianity at the fountain-head. They arrive in due course at Alexandria, where they embark on board a ship bound for Venice. Shortly after they have embarked, the good Pophar falls ill and dies. The ship touched at Candy, where, as Gaudentio is walking on the seashore, reflecting on the loss he has sustained by the death of the Pophar, he has the happiness of shewing his gratitude to the fair Persian, to whom he owed his own life, by saving her's from the fury of the pirate whom she had married. They fly, are pursued, and made prisoners. Being conveyed to Constantinople, our hero's interest with the Grand Sultaness, whom he discovers to be no other than the Bassa's daughter mentioned in the early part of his memoirs, procures the release of the ship and crew. After staying a month at Constantinople, receiving the greatest possible marks of distinction from the Grand Sultaness, he departs for Venice with the Persian lady, and finally settles at Bologna, as before related.

Such of our readers as have not read these memoirs, should know, that the Persian lady, being seized by the officers of the

Holy Inquisition at the same time with her companion, turns out, on her examination, to be the twin-sister of Gaudentio's mother. They will also, we are quite sure, have great satisfaction in learning that our hero, being found a good catholic, obtains his liberty, after a residence of nearly three years in the cells of the Inquisition.

This work has been generally attributed to Bishop Berkeley; but Mr. Chalmers, in the sketch of his life in the General Biography, asserts that it was certainly not written by him, without however producing any authority for such an assertion. We are not aware of the existence of any extrinsic evidence of Berkeley's being the author of Gaudentio di Lucca, except general report.* In the absence, therefore, of all other positive testimony on the subject, we are disposed, from internal evidence, to think that it has been properly assigned to that virtuous character. There are not many minds capable of conceiving a scheme of action so beautiful and so pure, so simple and so benevolent, as that developed in the book before us. The mind of Berkeley was one of these-there is nothing beautiful or grand or useful which his mind was not only capable of comprehending, but of carrying into effect, from the meanest mechanical art to the most sublime sciences. He united in his character qualities which are seldom found in the same person. A finished gentleman, he possessed manners the most sweet and fascinating, and knowledge the most extensive and profound, talents the most acute and ingenious, and an imagination the most chaste and beautiful. Those whom his eloquence and enthusiasm delighted, his disinterestedness and kindness unalterably attached to him. His mind was the seat of the noblest thoughts, and his heart of the purest benevolence for his species. The self-love and self-interest, which would have preferred personal security and a rich benefice to hazardous exertions, accompanied with comparative poverty, for the good of the human race, were alike strangers to his breast. Such innocence and such exalted goodness are rather of the nature of angels than of men. If to be a visionary, is to be such a character, would that all men were visionaries.

The internal evidence on which we rely, as corroborating our opinion that this book was written by Bishop Berkeley, is the agreement between the feelings and opinions developed in it, and in his acknowledged works. Such as his preference of simplicity of manners, and his detestation of luxury. His respect of men according to their personal merit, and his con

* Gentleman's Magazine for January, 1777. Biographia Britannica. Art. Berkeley.

tempt of mercenary feelings. His wishes for the encouragement of architecture and for the erection of national buildings. The ardent love of country and its institutions, which he inculcates as a general obligation in many of his writings, and which is, in a peculiar manner, characteristic of the Mezoranians. His proposal to stimulate the public spirit of this nation, by means similar to those employed in the Utopian commonwealth, namely, by making the love of fame and reputation subservient to promoting this principle. Thus he would inspire magnanimity and virtue, by commemorating services done to the public by statues, columns, inscriptions, and other monuments, which is the custom of the Mezoranians. To these may be added, the general benevolence of his views, and, in particular, his noble project for civilizing America, which is almost as far removed from common notions as his imaginary kingdom. Nor should we omit to remark, that Gaudentio di Lucca is distinguished by the same purity of imagination, and chasteness and simplicity of style, as the other works of this most excellent man. So that, upon the whole, we think, there every reason to suppose it has been properly attributed to him.

is

ART. IX. Bussy D'Ambois. A Tragedie, as it hath been often presented at Paule's. London, 1607.

The Conspiracie and Tragedie of Charles, Duke of Byron, Marshall of France. Acted lately in two playes, at the BlackFriers. Written by George Chapman. London, 1608.

Casar and Pompey. A Roman Tragedy, declaring their Warres. Out of whose events is evicted this proposition; only a just man is a free man. By George Chapman. London, 1631. Revenge for Honour. A Tragedie, by George Chapman. London, 1654.

The Tragedy of Alphonsus, Emperor of Germany. By George Chapman, Gent. London, 1654.

After Shakspeare, George Chapman may be considered the first, in point of time, of the great fathers of the English drama, who flourished in the latter years of Queen Elizabeth and

*See particularly his Essay towards preventing the Ruin of Great Britain..

the reigns of the first James and his successor Charles. For this and other accidental causes, we commence, with him, a review which we intend to take of the works of these extraordinary men. Chapman, indeed, is not one whom we would have voluntarily presented first to the notice of the reader, unacquainted with the dramatic writings of these contemporaries of Shakspeare, for he is far from being the best of them, and to a superficial reader, on the whole, repulsive and often even incomprehensible. Inasmuch as we should esteem it a proud distinction, could we contribute to make these writers more generally known, we cannot but lament that the forbidding aspect of Chapman must first meet the eye of the uninitiated, which perhaps may, like the surly countenance of an ill-looking host standing at his gate, induce the literary traveller to pass on, in hopes of a warmer welcome and a less churlish entertainer on a different road, or at a farther stage of his journey. George Chapman, however, is made of stern stuff, wears well, and is better for knowing; and, such as he is, we venture to introduce him, in a new character, to our readers. For, as a translator, we have already endeavoured to convey an impression, though, we fear, but a faint one, of his eminent merits.

Of the biography of our author, few particulars remain. We learn, that he was born in the year 1557, and that he died at the age of seventy-seven, in 1634. He is called by Browne, in his pastorals, "the fair shepherd of Hitching-hill," which place, in Hertfordshire, is hence concluded by some to have been his birth-place. He was warmly patronized by Sir Francis Walsingham, Henry Prince of Wales, and Carr, Earl of Somerset; and claims the much higher honour of having been the friend of Spenser, Shakspeare, Jonson, and other distinguished contemporaries. He was educated at one or both of the universities certainly: he spent some time at Oxford, and, it is supposed, completed his studies at Cambridge. During the course of his long life, he appears to have been, according to Wood, temperate and religious in his habits, and venerable in his aspect, and universally esteemed by his friends for the dignity and respectability of his character. His works are numerous, and display the scholar as clearly as the man of genius. Besides his translations of Homer, and parts of Hesiod, and the Erotopagnion of Musaus, and some original poems, he gave to the stage no less than twenty dramas; sixteen of which have come down to us. They consist both of tragedy and comedy, and bear the following titles :-The blind Beggar of Alexandria, a comedy, first printed in 1598. Humorous day's mirth, a comedy, 1599. All Fools, a comedy, 1605. Eastward Hoe, a comedy, 1605; in which he was assisted by Jonson and

Marston, who were imprisoned in the Fleet by James I., together with Chapman, for certain reflections which this play contained upon the Scotch nation. Gentleman Usher, a comedy, 1606. Monsieur D'Olive, a comedy, 1606. Bussy D'Ambois, a tragedy, 1607. Cæsar and Pompey, a tragedy, 1607. The Conspiracy and Tragedy of Charles Duke of Byron, in two parts, tragedies, 1608. May Day, a comedy, 1611. Widow's Tears, a comedy, 1612. The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois, a tragedy, 1613. Two Wise Men and all the rest Fools, a comedy, 1619. Alphonsus Emperor of Germany, and Revenge for Honour, both tragedies, printed after the author's death in 1654.

Thus, Chapman, like all his contemporaries before the literary division of labour had taken place, indifferently applied himself to the composition of both tragedy and comedy; but he differs from them in this respect, that he very seldom mixes them up in the same play-a peculiarity which will render the separate consideration of his comedies and tragedies much less difficult, and much more complete, than it could otherwise have been. The fact is, that so numerous are these productions, and so copious the extracts which must necessarily be made from them, that, in the present article, we intend to discuss alone the tragedies and tragic talents of Chapman, and shall defer our observations on all that relates to his comedies and his comic powers, and our examples of them, to our next number.

Chapman was an older man, and wrote at a somewhat earlier period than the dramatists, except Shakspeare, with whom he is usually classed. Thus, like Marlow, he fell into the vices of an unformed stage. The first step from the puerilities and stupid absurdities of the old mysteries and moralities, was an elevation of tone and sentiment, rather than a nearer approach to the representation of nature. The most obvious mode of avoiding the cold and dull was to become bold and impassioned; and, instead of childish simplicity, to substitute loud and thundering declamation. The spirited rants of a Tamburlaine were sure to meet with the warm approbation of men who compared them not with nature, but with the representations which such dramas exploded. What life, what fire, what lofty eloquence, would such a hero appear to be inspired with. What a change from lifeless stupidity to vigorous activity, supernatural daring, and a spirit which the gods themselves could not tame. How little would such an audience be inclined to look nicely into the justness of thought, or the propriety of imagery. If all sounded grand, if the hero looked. and talked big, and strutted his hour upon the stage, unconquered and unconquerable, they would all retire from the "Bull," or the "Bear," mightily well pleased, and with mighty

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