his dying voice a sentiment which would have done honour to an Antoninus: Nothing can make me repent of an act of clemency.' Thus fell James Steuart, Earl of Murray, the son of James V. of Scots, by a private marriage, as his mother (the daughter of Lord Erskine) and her relations steadily affirmed. 'He was,' says one of the steadiest friends to Mary, at first, of a gentle nature, wellinclined, wise, and stout; in his first uprising his hap was to light on the best sort of company; he was religiously educated, and devoutly inclined.' He did eminent services to Scotland and to the Protestant faith; and could he be absolved from the charge of harshness and cruelty to a sister, who seemed disposed to love him tenderly, his character would be without a flaw.' It is scarcely possible to conceive that we are reading an account of the state of Ireland, as it appeared a little more than 200 years ago, in the subsequent passage: Ireland had been strangely convulsed; but the care of Walter Devereux, Earl of Essex, had restored at least the appearance of submission among the revolted chiefs. • Little more, indeed, could be expected on a fair statement of that unhappy country's condition: greediness, inhumanity, and bad policy united to keep the inhabitants in a state of barbarism. The laws of England, we have already seen, were denied to them, although eagerly requested; and the wretched natives, neither secure in property nor life, fled to the woods and bogs for shelter; and looking on mankind in general, and the English in particular, as their enemies, made reprisals on every stranger who fell into their hands. • Besides the total neglect of their morals, the English gave another incitement to this ill-fated people to continue uncivilized. The conquest of districts was delegated to private persons. These raised soldiers at their own cost; and, where they succeeded, turned their acquisitions to their own profit: to this they frequently found the Irish customs more conducive than the English laws; and, in consequence, embracing the system which indulged most their despotism and rapine, instead of improving the natives, they became as mere barbarians as the beings whom they had subdued. The whole annual revenue of Ireland was barely fix thousand pounds. To this Elizabeth most unwillingly added twenty thousand more. One thousand soldiers (and sometimes in need two thousand) composed the whole military power. A force perfectly incapable of subduing a numerous and warlike race; but rather serving to pro voke the natives, and to excite those frequent insurrections which kept up and inflamed the animosity between the two nations. That Elizabeth should never have exerted the strength of England to end these troubles, appears so strange to a learned prelate of our own age, that he thinks the weak measure must have proceeded from the dictates of a crooked policy.' The following anecdote, omitted by the historians of James VI. of Scotland, is not among the least extraordinary in his reign. It shews that savageness of manners was not less con spicuous spicuous in the inhabitants of the Hebrides, than among their neighbours the Irish. The story of Scotland as a separate kingdom now (1602) draws apace to its close. James saw the termination of his residence in the North approach, and wished to leave behind him some testimony of his affection which might endure. To introduce new sources of provision and commerce to the Western Islands (then over-clouded with barbarism) was an object worth his attention. But although there are only dark accounts of his endeavours towards its accomplishment, yet these are worth relating, as they prove the independence of those isles, and the weakness of James's government. It appears that he drew from Fife, where the inhabitants were industrious in husbandry, and good fishermen, an efficient colony (headed by Sir James Anstruther and other gentlemen), and planted it on the isle of Lewis. Murdoch Macleod, a base-born, but potent and ferocious chief, was at this time lord of Stornoway, a district where the new comers landed, and him they expelled, probably with inconsiderate haste. His people on shore submitted, but the active despot putting to sea with a little fleet, composed of birlings, a bark peculiar to the Western Isles, soon found an opportunity to surprise one of the colonial ships which a calm had prevented from taking measures for flight or defence. The whole crew were hanged by the inhuman captor, except the laird of Balgomie, who was on board, and he, after a rigorous confinement, was ransomed, and died at Orkney. Soon after Murdoch was seized by his own brother, Neil Macleod, who sold him to the Scots, and he was hanged at St. Andrew's. The colony in the mean while was surrounded and harassed by the natives under a third brother, Norman Macleod; and, when most of the adventurers were slain or starved, the residue yielded themselves prisoners, and the unsteady king, instead of revenging the insult, bought the freedom of the few survivors with a promise that the islanders of Lewis should remain unmolestedly savage.' The author has bestowed much pains in rendering the ecclesiastical history of Great Britain (naturally a very grave subject) entertaining and interesting. In the reign of Henry VIII. Bishop Cranmer was employed to reform the canon law. The design proved abortive: but his book, containing the proposed alterations, was published in the reign of Elizabeth. Had a new system taken place, the law would have stood as follows: All promises, or contracts of marriage, were to have been null and void. But every man who might seduce a girl from chastity must marry her, or pay her one-third of his goods, or keep the child and do pennance. All marriages without parents or guardians consent were to be null; but should that consent be capriciously refused, the parties might find a remedy by applying to the ecclesiastical judge. In case of adultery the innocent party might marry again, but not the guilty. Besides this case there were others which justified divorces, long absence and irreconcileable enmity; and still the $ 3 innocent innocent party only might re-marry. These were the most consider able alterations marked out by Cranmer for the canon laws; which however, by a chain of accidents, continue to this day what they were under Henry VIII.' In 1589, a paper war was carried on with outrageous viru lence between the church and the conventicle; the Puritans, thut out by law from every public press, contrived to obtain a private one of their own; whence issued a multitude of acrimonious pamphlets, which were answered with nearly equal scurrility by the Episcopalians. A few instances may amuse the reader. The favorite book on the Puritan side was written under the name of Martin Marreprelate, and the writer thus addreffes the hierarchy: Right puissant and terrible priests !' Right poisoned, persecuting, and terrible priests! My horned masters, your government is anti-christian; your cause is desperate; your grounds are ridiculous.'Enemies of the gospel! and most covetous, wretched, and Popish, priests! Besides this book, the same press produced many others equally abusive, Nor did the writers on the side of the church yield to their adversaries in buffoonery and abuse. In the variety of titles of their books, they exceeded them; they had, Pappe with a hatchet,' alias, ' A fig for my Godson,' or, Crack me this nut,' that is, A sound box on the ear for the idiot Martin to hold his peace.' Also, An almond for a parrot,' or, An alms for Martin Marre-prelate.' By Cuthbert Curry-knave.' And A whip for an ape, or Martin display、 ed.' The following epigram too they published: Martin the ape, the drunke and the madde, 6 The three Martins are, whose workes we have had, Nor man nor beast comes-but Martin the devill.' One exceeding voluminous title shall close the extracts relating to this ludicrous controversy: A counter-cuffe given to Martin junior by the venturous, hardie, and renowned, pasquil of England, Cava liero. Not of old Martin's making, which newly knighted the saintes in heaven with "Uppe, Sir Peter, and Sir Paule !" but latelie dubbed for his service at home, for the defence of his country, and for the cleane breaking of his staffe on Martin's face. Prynted between the skie and the grounde, wythin a myle of an oke, and not many fields off from the unprivileged presse of the ass-signees of Martin junior.' Dr. John Aylmer, bishop of London, was the hero of the celebrated Martin Marre-prelate. That bitter Puritan accompanied the bishop most pitilessly to his domestic amusements. He will cry to his bowle,' writes Martin, "Rub! Rub! Rub!" And when it goeth too far, he will say," the devill goe with it!" And then the bishop will follow! Dr. Aylmer's temperament was too warm to allow him time always to consult the most episcopal plan of acting. He had married a favorite daughter to a celebrated and learned clergyman, named Adam Squire ; Squire; whose fantastic turn may be guessed by the text of the sermon which he preached on his wedding-day: It is not good for Adam to be alone. This Adam, however, sought more than one Eye; and meanly tried to extenuate his fault by unmerited recrimation on his innocent wife. But the bishop, who, though a dwarf in stature, had the gallantry of a Paladin, having closely searched into the charge, and found it totally groundless, took the law into his own hands, and so severely chastised the culpable Adam with his cudgel (styled by Harrington a good waster'), that he humbled himself to his lady, and hankered no more after forbidden fruit.' The death-warrant of the Roman Catholic religion, in Scotland, was signed by the barbarous execution of Walter Mills, who had offended by refraining from the celebration of the mass. The good old reformer died with wonderful intrepidity. During his examination he had answered with an acuteness strongly savouring of wit. Oliphant, a priest, asked him, Say you there are not seven Sacraments?' W. Mills. Give me the Lord's Supper and Baptism, and part the rest among you.' Oliphant. What think you of matrimony? W. Mills. I think it a blessed bond. You abhor it, and take other men's wives and daughters.' Oliphant. What of the administration of the Sacrament?" W. Mills. I will tell you. A lord inviteth many to dinner; he ringeth his bell, and they come into his hall; he then turneth his back on the called guests, and catcheth and drinketh all himself, giving them no part; and so do you.' In our extracts from this work, we have omitted the notes and references, in order to reduce the article within our prescribed limits. Under the divisions of learning and learned men, the reader will meet with many interesting particulars not generally known. Those parts of the work which respect the elegant arts, manufactures, and commerce, are also much laboured; and from the chapters on manners, virtues, and vices, innumerable incidents might be copied that are new or uncommon; well calculated to gratify liberal curiosity, and to afford rational entertainment. In a performance so extensive and various, we have met with some inaccuracies, especially as to dates; which appear to proceed chiefly from errors of the press, and which cannot easily be avoided in works abounding in the use of numerals and figures. Having formerly given our opinion as to the style of this historian, we shall only observe that, in this respect, the present volume does not fall short of the specimens which Mr. A. has already given to the public. We sincerely wish that the author's health and spirits may enable him to complete this undertaking, and to bring down to S 4 the the present time the history of Great Britain, on the plan which Dr. Henry formed, and which he prosecuted with unwearied assiduity and very considerable success. ART. II. The Life and Opinions of Sebaldus Nothanker. Translated from the German of Frederic Nicolai. By Thomas Dutton, A. M. Vol. I. 12mo. pp. 370. 5s. sewed. Symonds, &c, 1796. ΤΗ 'HE original author of this work, Frederic Nicolai, was born at Berlin in 1733, and settled there as a bookseller. In 1755 he published letters on the present state of polite literature, the execution of which gave no great promise of future excellence; and, in 1773, the novel which is now before us made its appearance. In 1778 he printed his neat, laboured, and complete description of Berlin; which is justly considered as a model of topography. In 1782 he produced history of the Templars.-A weak attempt to ridicule the Werter of Goethe; a book of Travels; and various articles for the periodical publications of his shop, have employed the reft of his literary hours. a Of the works of Nicolai, none has so reasonable a prospect of longevity as the hiftory of Sebaldus Nothanker. Nearly thirty years have elapsed since it was undertaken ;-since the literature which it satirizes, and the manners which it describes, were prevailingly those of proteftant Germany :-but the stupendous improvement, which so short an interval has effected, occasions the people of that region to cherish with exultation an honest memorial of their antient rusticity. They remember with pleasure those nationalities which civilization is effacing. They turn over with triumph a work which has preserved a lively portraiture of their former bigotry, in order to contrast it with their present liberality: a work to which, with justice, they ascribe a considerable share in accomplishing so honourable an innovation. Philosophers will not think it uncharitable, if it be suspected that the author of this novel had in view to ridicule not merely the priestly but the Christian character, by describing in his hero a minister of the gospel who excels in all the qualities recommended in that gospel, yet is the perpetual ridicule of men of the world, the dupe of his own meek, patient, forgiving, mild, and charitable character, the butt of intolerance, the scorn of bigots, and every where the victim of his own virtues. Sebaldus is originally induced unwittingly to marry the castoff favourite of an officer of the court. The amiable heresy of rejecting the eternity of hell-torments, with some kindred Gil...s. |