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buried on the promontory of Rhætium, once celebrated for the sepulchre of Ajax Telamon. Returning from Bithynia into Italy, he necessarily passed Rhætium; where, in love and veneration for the memory of his brother, he stopped at his tomb, and offered a solemi oblation.t

The learned character of Catullus is acknowledged by writers, both ancient and modern. Tibullus, Ovid,§ and Martial give him the appellation of Doctus. The elder Scaliger alone, among the moderns, disputes his preten sions to that title, and asserts, on the contrary, that his poems are vulgar, his thoughts low, and his expressions trivial. But he seems to have changed his opinion, when he pronounces his galliambic poem a noble composition; and declares, that the epithalamium on the marriage of Peleus and Thetis almost rivals the majesty of the Eneid. On what account he more particularly obtained the epithet doctus, is uncertain; perhaps from being well versed in the Greek language, then considered a great accomplishment, and the proof of a learned education. We know how neatly he has imitated an ode of Sappho, and an elegy of Callimachus; indeed, all his compositions appear to be formed on the Grecian model. Perhaps the distinction arose from the various metres in which he wrote his poems; or else from some peculiar literary talent, with which we are unacquainted, or some other works now lost. To those who have been accustomed to consider him only as a trifling amatory poet, the epithet, no doubt, appears singularly applied.

Catullus died some years after the age of 40, as Vulpius has satisfactorily proved.**

Scholiasts have not agreed in what class the poet of Verona ought to be placed. Quintilian has placed him among the Iambics; though Horace boasts of having himself been the first

Carm. 62 and 65.

+ Carm. 96.

Eleg. 7, lib. 3.
Amor. Eleg. 9, lib. 3.
Epig. 62, lib. 1.

Poetices, cap. 6, lib. 6.

*See Vulp. Comment. on Carm. 50 and 108; though Eusebius, in his Chronicle, affirms that he died at the age of 30, about the time that Virgil was a student at Cremona.

MONTHLY MAG, No. 202.

to write Latin iambics." Others have considered him merely as a writer of epigrams; while a few have dignified him with the title of a lyric poet. But, perhaps, to neither of these in particular, does Catullus belong; it is probable, that he wrote many poems whose nature even is unknowit to us, of which we have been deprived by time and accident, and which very possibly conferred upon him the distinction of learned, which we have alluded to above. Speaking of himself when young, he says, multa satis lusi;† from which we may infer that his Muse exhi bited herself in various kinds of poetry. It may be collected from Pliny the elder, that he composed a something on incanta tions, of which we have now no remains; and according to Terentianus Maurus, he wrote an Ithyphallic poem, and there is still left a specimen of the Priapeian style in which it was written. As it is, the poems transmitted to us, and generally received as belonging to Catullus, though some have doubted the originality of all, have been divided by many of his commentators into three classes: the lyric, the heroic and elegiac, and the epigrammatic. The volume, in general, includes a few others attributed to the same poet, of a more suspicious character. Of these, it may be doubted whether the Pervigilium Veneris be genuine. This beautiful piece, which ought rather to have been called A Hymn to the Spring, has been attributed to a variety of authors, whom it would be tedious to enumerate. Ausonius, I know not how justly, puts in his claim to the honour of having composed it; but it is, most probably, the production of some pen more modern than that of Catullus, or even of Ausonius. Gyraldus · asserts that he had never seen it, and only heard that it was among the MSS. of Aldus Manutius.

Whatever were the various walks in which Catullus exercised his muse, he was successful in all. In the voluptuous ness of amatory verse he excelled; in the galliambic he was unique, and his

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satire was keen, well-pointed, and vigo. rous. A vein of sharp and provoking irony, sometimes smooth, and at others caustic in the highest degree, runs through most of his smaller pieces; and we cannot but admire the perfect indifference with which he fearlessly applies it, without distinction of persons. Even Cæsar himself felt the severity of his song, but was too magnanimous to resent it. When upon a visit at the house of Cicero, who records the circumstance in a letter to his friend Atticus, that poem,* air eternal stain upon his reputation, wherein the poet censures his ill-applied liberality towards the dissolute favourite Mamurra, was shewn to him while he was at the bath, as the topic of public conversation. Cæsar affected to disregard it, and either to display an ostentatious moderation, or to conceal his indignation, he accepted the submission of Catullus, and soon after invited him to supper; he also continued to make a home of his father's house as usual. Next to Cæsar, and to Mamurra, whose sumptuous possessions proclaimed his ravages in Transalpine Gaul better than all the verse of Catullus, the principal objects of his satire were Gellius, Gallus, Vectius, Ravidus, Cominius, Nonius Struma, and Vatinius; all of them men whom he appears to have cordially hated. Meininius, the avaricious prætor whom he attended into Bithynia, of course, does not escape it. He ridicules the incontinent foul-breatheds Emilius. He plays upon Volusius, a wretched writer of annals; Egnatius, his execrable poetic rival; Sut fenus, a conceited scribbler, with whom he includes Casias and Aquinius, two literary pests; and lastly the weak orator Sextius, at the recital of whose cold compositions, he ludicrously says that he took cold himself. Catullus also makes satirical mention of other characters, less important and less conspicuous in his verses: such as Sulla, a grammarian; the 'pompous poet Antimachus; Arrius, a violent aspirator of words,** whose uncle Liber had the same defect; Fuffitius, an old secretary of Cæsar's, together with Otho and Libo, whose dirty feet are noticed;tt Porcius and Socration, tools of

* Carm. 26

+ Cic. epist. ad Attic. b. 52. Sueton. in Julie, cap. 73. See Carm. 92.

Carm. 33.

Carm. 41.

Carm. 81.

tt Carm. 51.

the despoiling prætor Cn. Calpurnius Piso; the retid Virro, if such be the real name of the person intended,* Rufus, who had a similar infirmity, and was most probably M. Calus Rufus the orator; Silo, a pander; Vibennius and bis son, the one a thief, and the other unnaturally infamous; the lascivious Aufilerus, brother of Aufilena, the mistress of Catullus; Rufa, of Bononia, wife of Menenus, and the mistress of Rufulus; Posthunia, a lady of bacchanalian fame; Baibus, Posthimius, and other obscure characters mentioned in the poem to a harlot's door. All these were exposed to the lash of an injured, and sometimes exasperated, poet; particularly those who presumed to rival him in the affection of his mistresses. He pursues them with keen and unremitting severity; he derides their pretensions, and exposes their personal infirmities, with a treedom of pencil and a broadness of expression," which compel us to consider him as one of the wittiest, and, at the same time, one of the most indecent, poets of antiquity.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

Cadiz, Nov. 1809. ARRIVED here after a passage of eighteen days from Falmouth, which, at this season of the year, is not a long one; while at sea we experienced fair and foul winds, calms and storms, "tempest o'er tempest roll'd.”

I was comfortable on board the packet so far as related to sociability, there being above twenty passengers, some of whom are proceeding to different parts of the Mediterranean; but the crowded state of "each in his narrow cell," was occasionally uncomfortable.

We were prevented from making Cape Finisterre by a strong easterly wind, that blew just as we came into that latitude; but in a day or two the wind changed, and light airs carried us gently along the coast of Portugal to the rock of Lisbon, as we call it, but the Portaguese call it Serra de Cintra; for it is not an insulated rock, but a vast promon tory, "whose haughty brow" marks the

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mear approach to the Tagus. On the top is a convent, whose white walls guttered in the sun; and a few miles m ava ley to the leit, we plainly saw the towns of Cintra, so lately made famous by the convention between the British and French commanders.

Although this is a winter month, we already felt the delightful soft breezes of this climate. The setting sun formed a Charming object, where we saw its goldet rays spreading over an horizon of unForsaed extent on the vast Atlantic:" it was an evening picture which may in Ta... be sought for in England.

We continued our course in-shore, and soon came off Cape St. Vincent, where the rocks seem to protect the land in a sort of defiance to the waves of the ocean. We stood in suficiently close to see the inhabitants of the country walking to the convent, it being on a Sunday. This is a large irregular building, almost on the edge of a high range of rocks; and the end of it towards the sea exhibits a large cross on the walls. Near it is a fort, where the Spanish colors were hoisted to us: we, of course, returned the cumpliment.

When we came near Ayamonte, some of our passengers went ashore, in consequence of the indisposition of a lady we led on board, and whose life might have leen endangered had she remained lonker at sea. A Spanish boat came along side us; and on informing the sailors of the object wished for, they expressed a dislike to receive the invalid, and feared that their governor would not permit them to land her under the apprehension that a contagious disorder might be introduced into the place.

Ayamonte is a frontier-town of Spain, on the river Guadiana; opposite to it is a frontier-town of Portugal, founded by the marquis de Pombal, during his prosperity as minister of that country, in the year 1752, and called Villa Real. They have both a handsome appearance from

the sea.

Much opposition was made to the lady's landing. After this was overcome a most serious obstacle occurred, for no person was inclined to receive her into a house; and two hours passed before they could find a shelter, which was at last ja an uninhabited hovel. The object of her landing was to procure medical as sistance, however bad, rather than to remain longer in the packet, which was enprovided with so requisite a part of its equipment.

The intention of the other passengers was to mount their mules, and make an excursion hither; but their disappoint ment was great when they learned that to travel about seventy miles would cause them a tiresome ride of three days, if it were even possible for them to proceed at all, owing to the rains, and the cousequent bad state of the roads. They, therefore, reluctantly relinquished their scheme, and had the mordying fatigue of rocking two days and a night in an open dirty fishing-boat, to come here in time to look at the place for a few mis nutes, and then make sail after the packet, which is allowed to wait only twenty-four hours, and had just weighed an chor to pursue her voyage.

Immediately on our anchoring, we were surrounded by boats with fruit, &c. The men wore the national cockade, (which I have already found requisite to adopt, in order to avoid insult;) and we soon landed at the quay, amid the noi-e, confusion, and curiosity, of hundreds of dirty boatmen, porters, &c. which was truly offensive.

It was necessary that our baggage should be examined, and for this purpose it was carried to an office; the inspectors appeared inclined to give the trouble of opening every package: but a dollar obviated this ceremony. On coming however to the Barrier, another exhibition was to take place; and here, each trunk was opened and submitted to a search by the hand, before we were suffered to proceed.

A porter then conducted me to the largest, and, as it is termed, the best inn in the place. I did not expect to meet with the comforts of an English fun, but was much surprised to observe the absence of almost every decent convenience. My lodging-room resembles the cell of a prison; the floor is of brick, the window small, with iron bars, and no glass, but a wooden shutter closes it at bi ht mattress of wool is lain on a web, which is stretched by a wooden frame, and a chair serves for the wash-hand stand. I could not refrain remarking the nature of our accommodation to the landlord, whose reply was, "Why, sir, this is the same hotel that my lord and lady H sided in while they were at Cadiz."

A

re

The smell of tobacco smoke, oil, and garlick, is predominant in almost every thing; the oil is such as is used in manufactories in England, and the fish, poultry, and beef, partake of it, unless it is hoited. The coffee at breakfast is excellent, but

it

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Having been here a few days, I have at length found out a French hotel, where the table is chiefly surrounded by Englishmen. The expences of board and lodging are two dollars a day, for which we have a breakfast of tea, coffee, and chocolate, a dinner, and supper. The hour of dinner is generally two o'clock, among persons of all ranks; but the Spaniards begin to complain of an encroachment in this regulation, in consequence of so many English being here, who rather extend, or wish to extend, the time.

The heat of the climate is the reason for adopting this custom; in the summer season, the scorching sun does not allow people to take much exercise in the afternoon: they commonly recline on the sofa, and enjoy the siesta or nap, and do not walk out until the evening breeze springs up.

Our dinner usually consists of a great number of dishes, the Spaniards liking to please the palate with every variety of cookery. Soup is always at table, made either of pulse or animal food, which is boiled so long as not to retain any flavor of the meat; this is eaten with vegetables, such as cauliflower, cabbages, &c. which is plentifully seasoned with rancid oil, garlick, &c, and is called an olio; a dish much esteemed. Poultry, wild fowl, fish, and game, form the remainder of the courses; fruit, of various sorts, succeed before the cloth is removed. Water or sherry wine is taken with the dinner, and with moderation afterwards; coffee is then prepared in an adjoining room; sometimes a glass of liqueur finishes the ceremony, and is a signal for withdrawing. At dinner, ca h person is furnished with a napkin, and a roll of bread; one knife will often serve for several persons, the fork and the spoon being mostly used by the right hand, while the left holds a crust of bread, which is continually soaked in the gravy; a Spaniard not eating in a very delicate manner at table.

The evening is generally spent at the

theatre, or at the card-table; the actors and music are tolerably good, the house is spacious, and has three tier of boxes, but they are all private; so that unless a friend is known who rents one of them, there is no getting a seat. The pit is then only open, or a bench which is in front of the first tier of boxes, and contains about a hundred persons.

To enter the theatre the expence is trifling, but troublesome; having to pay at two doors for tickets of admission, where you are pestered by persons stationed to solicit money for charities; these tickets, being delivered at the entrance, another must be procured in order to get a sitting; this will cost one or two shillings; it has the number of the seat you can occupy and no other; the pit will con tain only a certain number of persons, so that without having such ticket you have no claim to a seat. The pit is appropriated exclusively for men; some of them rent their places for a certain time, to which they have a lock and key; the gallery over the boxes, is filled entirely by females, and guards are stationed in the passages leading to it to prevent improper

access to them.

A ludicrous circumstance occurred the night I was there; in the midst of the performance of a comedy, I was surprised to observe on a sudden a profound silence, while the actors and the audience fell on their knees, remaining in this posture a few minutes! I was naturally desirous to know the cause, and was informed that the "host" was carrying to the house of a dying person, in order to administer the sacrament.

The procession on these occasions is formed of a great number of clergy, preceded by a warning bell, and a blaze of torches at night; the "holy wafer" being borne by a priest, who sits in a chair. On their approach every one within sight or hearing falls on his knees, whether in the street or in a house, and remains, or is supposed to remain, in prayer while the procession passes. The weather or the place does not excuse the omission of this duty; the porters with a load on their backs will stand still, and a regiment of soldiers will fall on their knees on the parade, on these occasions. In fact no one is exempt from this obeisance, and heretics commit an open offence if they do not passively con form to it.

But among the public acts of Catholic devotion, none is certainly so apparently religious

religious as the "oration," which is a prayer said every evening about half-past five o'clock; it is a time when the whole nation are at once supposed to be offering up thanks for their preservation in the past day, and imploring the continuance of God's protection; the solemnity of it cannot for the moment be exceeded.

The time is announced by the tolling of a bell, when every one pauses in his occupation and conversation; in the streets the men stand uncovered, and the ladies bend their eyes to the ground; the most profound silence existing undil the bell again tolls. In all possible cases the Spaniards seem to respect religion; for, on passing a church while service is performing, every one takes off his hat. The popular piece now performing is the "Patriots of Arragon," written to exhibit many occurrences that have happened at the siege of Sarragoza. It is, as you may suppose, filled with fine sentiments of loyalty; and the active part

which the women took in the defence of that place, is represented by the introducing a band of females led by an Amazon, who marches them in file to the right and left, in the true spirit of cha

racter.

We ought not to suppose that at this time the Spaniards wanted the stage to excite them to loyalty; but I can already discover the mixture of zeal and indifference, of loyalty and disloyalty, of unanimity and opposition, to the cause in which the nation is engaged; and one half of the people seem to care but little who governs them.

they are lofty and large. It has only two entrances; one at the quay, the other at this end of the peninsula; at each an officer's guard is always on duty, and the gates are locked every night at beat of drum. The streets are so narrow that two carriages can pass but in few of them; they run nearly all at angles, and thus a current of air is always flowing through them.

The houses are lofty, built much alike with stone, and on the outside look like rows of prisons; for although the windows are glazed, they are defended by massive iron bars, and very few have any apartments below stairs, but warehouses."

The shops make a very indifferent appearance, few of them having sashes, and their only light is from the door-way; they are consequently not attractive to the eye; and as they seldom lead into the house, or if they do, it is the singular custom to lock the door while the family is at dinner.

The entrance to a house is by a large folding door into a porch, where is a bell; on ringing it the second door is opened by pulling a string from above; this door leads to the staircase by the side of a court, called the "patio," which is usually covered with marble, and around it are the ware-rooms, cellars, &c.; underneath is a tank containing rain-water, which is conveyed by pipes from the flat roof of the house, and in this manner is obtained one-third of the yearly consumption.

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I before told you of the noisy reception we met with on landing; it arose from the frequent passing of boats to and from Port A comedy was performed last night, St. Mary, a town on the opposite side of in which the hero with great humour and the Bay; the boatmen are continually in correctness went through the several a bustle, signifying their departure by the characters of a porter, a captain in the cry of Puerta!" which they bawl out army, a nobleman, a relation in mourn- with a long accent to the last letter; to ing, an old lover, a writing-master, and this noise is added that of the fruit-sellers, last of all a father confessor, before he and water-venders, who announce their could obtain his suit with his Dulcinea: articles in the same sonorous manner. the last character had its effect, by shewing the superiority of the clergy over other personages, and how little their intentions are suspected when they ought most to be watched. Voltaire says:

Les prètres ne sont point ce qu'un vain
peuple pense:

Notre credulite fait tout leur science.
The people vainly give to priests a name:
But our credulity gives them their fame.

Cadiz has a most beautiful appear ance from the harbour; it is entirely surrounded by fortifications; the houses are all built of stone, neatly white-lined;

Fresh water is plentifully supplied from port St. Mary, and excepting from the rain none else is had here; the soil is rock and sand, and therefore if wells are sunk they are brackish. Hundreds of men and asses are daily employed to supply this ingredient; it is sold in the streets by barrow-men, who wheel it about in jars, and dispose of it to the poor at per glass-ful, to which they add a few aromatic seeds, such as carraway, cori. ander, &c.

(To be continued.)

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