Williams Thomas Fit: Gerald Eng Published by Asperne, at the Bible. Crown & Constitution Cornhill 1 April 1804. EUROPEAN MAGAZINE, AND LONDON REVIEW, FOR MARCH 1804. WILLIAM THOMAS FITZ GERALD, ESQ. WILLIAM THOMAS FITZ GERALD, of his education at the Greenwich aca demy, under the immediate predeceffors of Dr. Charles Burney, the prefent erudite Master of that distinguished school; and we know that he was afterwards fent to the Royal College of Narvarre, in the University of Paris. Upon his return home, he was entered as a Member of the Inner Temple, and became a pupil of Mr. Gibbs, as his maternal uncle, the late Mr. Samuel Martin, (formerly Secretary of the Treafurv, and the well known antagonist of Wilkes,) intended him for the Bar. However, Mr. Fitz Gerald, like many who went before him, feems to have foon forfaken the thorny road that leads to forenic fuccefs, for the more fafcinating path of poetry and belles lettres. Among the poets of the prefent day he certainly ftands defervedly high in public e'timation; and those who have heard this Gentleman repeat his own compofitions at the Anniversary of the Literary Fund, and have witneiled the powerful effect he invariably produces, will agree with us, that Mr. Fitz Geraid ftands unrivalled as a reciter of English verfe: bis fame as an amateur actor is not lefs celebrated by thofe who have feen his perform ance in private theatricals. Of that "To fuccour those who waste the mid- this Gentleman was one of the earliest We fhall conclude this biographical sketch with a list of Mr. Fitz Gerald's publications. But before we do to, we cannot refrain from making a few obfervations upon the marked tendency of his writings. Never was there a Mule more truly English than this Gentleman's. The early impreffion of a French education, which too often gives a bias to the mind that is feldom effaced, his never tainted with Gallic partiality his opinions. On the contrary, his pen has feized every opportu nity of prove that his heart is as loyal as his principles are conftitutional.; Since this article was written, we understand that this Gentleman holds a fail place under Government; but of what nature, we are uninformed. † Vide Mr. F.'s Addrels to the Literary Fund, April 1803. 66 At the commencement of the prefent war, when a kind of ftupor feemed to pervade the nation, he wrote a moft animating poetical exhortation, beginning, Britons to arms! of apathy beware," which, together with his "Addrefs to every loyal Briton on the threatened Invafion," was widely circulated through the country, and produced a most powerful effect. Indeed we cannot do better than adopt the words of the Antijacobin Review, when fpeaking of this Gentleman's "Tears of Hibernia :" I ever Mufe deferved the much abused, but highly honourable epithet, Patriotic, Mr. F.'s Mufe has an undoubted claim to it. She is ever vigilant, ever ready to celebrate, in trains equal to the fubject, her country's honour, her country's glory, and her country's triumph!" Nor can we forbear citing a few lines from Mr. Fitz Gerald's laft admirable Addrefs to the Literary Fund; in which, after painting Buonaparté as the oppreffor of Switzerland, and the deadly foe to all Liberty, particularly the Liberty of the Prefs, "Would all ufurpers their worst fears exprefs, They'd own they spring from Freedom of the Prefs *!" The lov'd and honour'd Titus of mankind! O'er whom may Heav'n its awful Ægis To blast the Traitor and confound the throw, Foe*." The Poems which Mr. Fitz Gerald has published are, "The Sturdy Reformer;" "The Tribute of an humble Mufe to an unfortunate Captive Queen;"" Lines upon the Murder of the Queen of France;" "Nelfon's Triumph; or, the Battle of the Nile;" befides many Prologues, both for the ftage, and for private theatricals. The above pieces, together with other Poems upon various occafions, collected in one volume, 8vo, dedicated to the Earl of Moira, were published by Wright in published "The Tears of Hibernia 1801. Since that period, Mr. F. has Addreffes which we have noticed above. difpelled by the Union," and the Loyal P. H. IN A SERIES OF LETTERS, WRITTEN DURING A TOUR THROUGH THE LETTER XI. (Continued from Page 114.) Perhaps you will fay, that as the Dutch entirely fubft by their commerce, they ought to be proportionally liberal in their demonstrations of joy: yet I am willing to inpute their conduct, on this occation, to nobler motives. They are fellow-creatures pofleffing the fame pa fions and affections with ourselves, like us elated with hope and depreffed by defpair-Good fortune gives them new being, and the reverie- precifely what we feel; therefore I am by no means an advocate for treating a brave people with that contempt which our • Vide Mr. F.'s Addrefs to the Literary Fund, April 1803. national illiberality profeffes to have for them. No! my fentiments more clofely agree with that author who faid, examine an Englishman cap à pied, and you'll find him a Dutchman. However, I fhall at present leave thefe fubjects to future difcuffion, and haften to what I primarily intended to form the fubject of this letter; I mean, the fplendid illumination of yesterday: a fcene not beheld every day nor every year. I thall, therefore, deem it worthy of a correct defcription here. I shall at prefent confine myself to a defcription of that exhibited on the front of the Stadthoufe, as time does not permit me to do that justice to the others which I could with, as the poft will leave in the fpace of an hour. I have, in order to convey a more perfect idea of the scene, enclofed a rude drawing. You shall hear from me again in a few days, when I will tranfmit you an account of the remainder. Believe me to be, DEAR SIR, Yours truly, J. B. This grand and magnificent illumination in honour of the general peace, had been fome weeks in preparation. Several of the windows in the Stadthouse were taken out, in order to place in their fteads large transparencies. The defign was, the entrance of a magnificent marble temple, more rich than ever Poets feigned in Elyfian Fields, or more romantic Fairy Land; the extremities of the bafe measured ninety feet, and the elevation to the frieze fixty-one feet; three porticos, of five feet fix inches by twelve feet, form the entrances. Above the central portico ftood, on a pedeftal, a fine transparency in grey, illuftrative of Peace, defignated by a woman of beautiful features and placid mien, holding in her left hand a branch of palm. In the niche on her right hand tood Prudence; in her right hand a mirror, and in her left a twilted ferpent. On the left of Peace was placed Unity, or Concord, holding in her left arm a bundle of arrows closely bound together. Above Unity was reprefented, in an elegant marble medallion, five feet fix inches in diameter, Plenty, defignated by the usual emblems. In the centre, immediately above Peace, a fimilar medallion exhibited implements of agriculture; and above Prudence, the medallion pictured Navigation by the different parts of a vellel, as mafts, rigging, anchors, cables, &c. On the frieze was written, in large letters, SALUS REIPUBLICÆ, or, as the Dutch tranflate it, Het beil van het gemeenebeft. The pediment contained a transparent cloud, which bore upon its dulky border the word Vrede (Peace), in large golden letters; and above that the rifing fun stretched to the distance of twenty-four feet, which was illumi nated with 360 lamps; the remainder comprized 3000; the whole height was ninety feet. Above the medallions were feftoons, formed of variegated lamps. The whole was finely painted in imitation of Italian, or variegated marble, with infinite effect: the figures were well drawn, and feemed to bespeak the artist of the English fchool, at least, not of the fame fchool with their boafted Rubens, Vandyke, &c. The whole of the edifice was of the Corinthian order of architecture, and contained feveral pieces in imitation of relief, with wonderful effect. The frieze, architraves, and cornices, which I could not well reprefent in the draw. ing, for want of room, (having begun upon too large a fcale,) were well executed. I must not forget to add, that the lofty cupola, which rifes to the height of 120 feet, was illuminated with large glass lanterns, and must have been vifi. ble over half the Provinces The Author having fent the above to the Gentleman whose name is prefixed, he cannot be certain whether it was not inferted in the London papers: to these letters, however, the Author was obliged to have recourfe when he first thought of committing his cblervations to the preis. 1stb March 1804. LYCO. I' LYCOPHRON's CASSANDRA. Καὶ τὸν θεᾷ κλαυσθέντα Γαύαντος τάφον, N the paffage before us, the words tioned. Strange and intractable as there words, σκουπίδι, ἀμέντα, ξένης appear, they are capable, I think, of being applied to an useful purpose; and of conveying to us, with but a little change, the information we want. Exo, the fcholiaft tells us, is from exs the fame in fenfe with sxs, a bulrufh. The former part of the feftival of Adonis, the reader will recollect, was devoted to exceffive forrow; the latter to every kind of revelry and rejoicing. During the time that the image of Adonis remained in its place of interment, they lamented. From the commencement of its elevation the joy became general. The image of Adonis was depofited in a basket, made of the rushes of the Nile. It was let down and drawn up by rushes twifted together, and held by the women, who fuperintended at the ceremony. This cultom, if I mistake not, throws light on exovidi. Apéra feems to be a corruption. Perhaps the poet's word was divra, raijed. But, as this is merely my own conjecture, it is here offered as fuch with all deference. The fenfe of Em, as applied by Caffandra to end, is obvious. The final a in apa is long by pofition; as is the in i before s at L. 415. The compound word μevróparov does not refer to T. It does not relate to the tomb, but to the perjon. Thus; quem, i. e. "Adwrv, alihaç mot” Ëxtave" το μουσόφθαρτον, τὸν ἀφθέντα σχοινίδι . Through the whole of this conjectural emendation, if haply it may be thought to amend, it has been my endeavour to keep clofe to my author; and to make him, as far as poflible. his own expofitor. Conjectu ral criticifm, undertaken with caution, and conducted with fkill, has often proved an happy expedient; by means of which the injuries of time have been |