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MONTHLY MISCELLANY.

INCLUDING

VARIETIES CRITICAL, LITERARY, AND HISTORICAL.

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

TRAGEDY OF LEAR.

THE long interval of turbulence has sharpened the appetites of the public, and the excellencies of the drama are now better understood, because better felt. The managers meet this increased interest of the public with increased efforts ou their parts. The best plays of Shakespeare are gotten up, and it is not too much to say, that they are gotten up in the best possible manner. The paraphernalia of the Tragic Muse keeps pace with the progress of the arts and the luxury of the times; || and England now exhibits spectacles, which Greece in all her elegance, and Rome in all her magnificence, could never exceed.

Mr. Kemble has revived Shakespeare's KING LEAR. This is certainly not the time of day to criticise Shakespeare. He has been tried so often that he has been dismissed from the assay. LEAR is one of those plays which has all his faults and almost all his excellencies. Its excellence is the faithful and forcible representation of general nature, as seen in filial ingratitude on one side, and in the phrenzied agony of passion which it excites on the other. Shakespeare, alone of all writers,knows how to follow up hispassion through all varieties, and to give to it the shades and colours which those varieties, like different mechanic principles, necessarily produce in the original. The defects of LEAR are---a total disregard of the inferior constituents of the drama. LEAR, a Pagan, prays and talks like a Christian; has his heaven and his bell; and refers to all the philosophical doctrines of Greece, who, by dint of the excellency of human wisdom and segacity, approached as near to truth as it was possible, or allowed, to mere human reason. The images and appendages are equally contrary to the nature of the times in which LEAR was supposed to live.

degree of inventive geuius in finding ont that
which is most effectual, and therefore, by just in-
ference, most natural.

With respect to the manner in which the play has been gotten up, it may generally be said, that the magnincence of the scenery was not inferior to the dignity of the tragedy. Propriety of age and time would have here perhaps destroyed the effects of the piece, If LEAR ever lived at all, it was in an age before British Kings wore purple and gold, before there were Earls and Dukes, before there were palaces, and almost houses. A Manager is not to be pinned down to this rigid propriety; the times were Saxon, and the scenery and appendages were generally of the Saxon character. This was enough; more would have hurt the effect of the scene.

THE CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME.

A new Pantomime, under the name of “HARLEQUIN PEDLAR, or the HAUNTED WELL," has been produced at this Theatre.

A Pantomime, as it appears to us, should have two leading qualities-its scenery should be of the nature of Panorama, and its tricks the farce of action. We cannot say of this Pantomime that it has any scene of this kind; there is no picturesque representation of any known place; there is no single scene for which a person would give Panorama price (for example), to see by itself. In a winter Pantomime, why not give us Moscow or Petersburgh; or if these scenes be too cold and comfortless, why not transfer us to Lisbon or Madrid? If descriptions of these places be so much sought in print, they would equally appeal to curiosity in painting. Such scenery s this would please a greater portion of the audience than children.

Comedy and Tragedy the labour of the scene would detract too much from the interest of the

action.

HARLEQUIN PEDLAR had one scene of this kind, the Snow scene; MOTHER GOOSE had

many.

Another quality of Pantomimic scenery should Kemble was nearly all that we could wish in LEAR. The character, as we have said, consists be the perspective, picturesque---of natural scenery---Pantomime affords the only means of intro of two parts,---the energy of a strong passion, as tempered by the natural weakness of an old man,ducing such scenery on the stage, inasmuch as in -alternately raving and weeping, and occasionally doing both. In the energy of the passion, Kemble was not inferior to any thing we expected. He was himself in every part, and it would be injustice not to say, that in all his own peculiar parts he is at an infinite distance from his competitors. In the tenderness of the passion perhaps he was wanting; certainly, however, not wanting in judgment. With a due consideration of all things, it rather moves our wouder that he should perform this mixed character so well, than that he should be wanting in some of the incon-quently introduced. siderable parts of it. He certainly comes up to our ideas of it. The curse pronounced on GoNERIL in the first act, spoke its nature in its effect. The house felt it, and by its applause confirmed the judgment, and as it were the invention of the actor! We say invention, for where nature has so many expressions for the same passions, according as we have above said, the varieties by which they are modified, there is certainly a

With respect to the action of a Pantomime, it will have more effect where, though farcical and We do not see extraordinary, it has some nature; such as the SQUIRE in MOTHER GOOSE. There is something, howwhy characters of this kind might not be freever, for which we must praise this Pantomime; that all the Devils with their torches and brimstone beards, are left out. Perhaps there are too many Fairies, and too much of them. This is kind of machinery which should be very sparingly used. Good mechanical tricks, and real farcical action---the natural awkwardness of a Clown, and the incidental humour of goods and chattels, are worth all the clouds, the roses, and gold and silver

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ALFORD, on visiting the Continent, had unexpectedly met his old friend, Major TORRINGHAM, at tamburgh, they dined together, drank deep, quarrelled, fought, and TORRINGHAM fell.

ALFORD, distracted with remorse at the fatal event, endeavours to dissipate his mind by travelling; having first written to TRANSIENT, who manages all his concerns in England, to educate the son and daughter of Major TORRINGHAM at his expence, but to conceal from them all Knowledge of their benefactor.

rected, and all leading to discoveries which place the parties in absurd situations.

Such is the plot of this play. It is one of those sentimental productions which, like some good kind of folks in common life, it is as diffienit to find fault with as to tolerate. It is a string of tedious sentiment, the truth of one of which no man can deny; and every one of which is as old as the Christian æra,

The Poets of the present day have fortunately succeeded in erecting another standard of criticism; they are judged by a reference to their own works, and Reynolds and Dibdin are acquitted, if Morton and Arnold have gone before them. The new world is governed by totally different laws from the old world; nothing is borrowed from nature; a man dies and revives again: a slopseller at Wapping becomes a person of fashion, and a man, who will trust no one else, trusts an attorney. Every lady is married just at the moment she becomes impatient, and be the difficutties ever so great, the fifth act, and the general reconciliation, in spite of nature, and perhaps the prohibited degrees of the laws of the land and the marriage act, concludes every thing. Mr. Cobb, however, certainly deserves the praise of not hav ing offended, and whilst insufferable nonsense is not only acted but applauded, Mr. Cobb likewise may come in for his share of toleration.

REVIVAL OF CINDERELLA.

The Old Drury-Lane Company seems to be. doing little at the Lyceum. The revival of CINDERELLA---the most insipidly and unskilfully dramatised of any of the nursery tales, will, we fear, do them little good. There is too much of TRANSIENT is a complete rogue, but with the heavy machinery of the Pagan Heaven, and terves so weak, that his knavery is a painful ef a total want of that kind and degree of nature fort. He has misapplied the funds intended for which we expect to find in such things. MOTHER the two orphans; and hearing of ALFORD'S sud- BUNCH was more of a conjuror than the compiler den arrival in England, his object is to prevent of this Pantomime. Her tales are full of nature; the meeting of the young persons with their be- and though she adops the machinery of fairies, nefactor. But his endeavours fail. ALFORD is she works it according to the rules of a well gorescued from robbers by the interference of verned fancy. If she builds castles in the air, they HENRY TORRINGHAM. The villainy of Old are of just symmetry and proportion, and conTRANSIENT is unmasked, and in despair he pre-structed upon the plan of regular architecture. pares to make his escape from London.

The Countess de Ros ALBA, who loves and is beloved by HENRY TORRINGHAM, is however enabled, by means of a letter falling into her hands by mistake, to prevent Old TRANSIENT'S

escape.

At this moment Major TORRINGHAM, who was supposed to have lost his life in the duel, arrives in London. This inveterate duellist has followed ALFORD on the Continent, resolved that death alone should decide the difference. A meeting between the combatants occurs in the presence of the Countess, who exposes the fallacy of false honour---and TORRINGHAM bows to the protecter of his children, awed and humbled by superior virtue.

The comic efforts of this piece result principally ̄|| from the character of GEORGE TRANSIENT, a good natured, thoughtless, absent man, who is formented with the wish of becoming a man of business, and who, as too busy by half," disappoints all the characters in the piece by falling asleep at the very hour when he had engaged to arrange every thing in which they are most interested.

ACCOUNT OF THE RECEPTION OF HIS MAJESTY'S MISSION AT THE COURT OF PERSIA.

The reception which his Majesty's Mission met with on the day of its entry into Tehran (the present capital of Persia), although it had been mark ed all through the country by acts of unparalleled courtesy, was more flattering there than it had been at any other place. Two noblemen were deputed by the King to meet Sir Harford Jones. These persons, and their numerous attendants, escorted the Envoy to a palace which was allotted for his habitation, belonging to the second Minister of State, where refreshments of all descripti ons were in waiting for him.

On the third day after his arrival, Sir Harford Jones was admitted to the Royal Presence: about eleven o'clock in the morning, Sir Harford Jones, bearing his Majesty's letter in a beautiful ornamented case, followed by Mr. Morier with the presents in a gold dish, and attended by the other Gentlemen of the suite, issued from his apartment,

A variety of incidents arise from this, among which is the circumstance of GEORGE TRANSI-and walked in procession to where the horses aud

ENT Writing letters to the principal characters in the Comedy; all which letters are wrongly di

attendants were in waiting, when they proceeded in the following order to the King's palace:

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The procession going through the principal streets of the city, the troops with swords drawn and colours flying, at length reached the Gate of State, where soldiers formed a line for the Envoy and his suite to pass through. When they had dismounted from their horses, Sir Harford took the letter, and Mr. Morier the presents from the litter, and then with the rest of the suite were conducted by the Lord Chamberlain and the Master of the Ceremonies through the dillerent walks of the Court, and at every angle where they could be seen by the King, they were stopped and made profound bows. They were then brought up facing to where his Persian Majesty was seated, when the Lord Chamberlain announced that an Envoy from the King of England was arrived with a letter and presents, and begged to approach his Royal presence. The King, from within his apartment, exclaimed with a loud voice, Hosh Amedeed," or "You are welcome." Sir Harford and his suite then entered, having previously taken off their shoes at the door; and having made their bows, Sir Harford Jones addressed the King in a short speech, which was interpreted by Jafer Ali Khan, one of the Euroy's suite. He was then conducted to a chair that had been placed on purpose for him.

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ries of Views, exhibiting the most remarkable objects, natural and artificial, which presented themselves in the dilecat regions of the fast that they have visited: and ench plate is to be accompanied with a portion of narrative and descriptive letter-press.

Dr. Botla will speedily publish his Travels through the States of Morocco in 1806

A collection of Poems, selected from the posthumous papers of John Dawes Worgan, late of Bristol, is in the press. They will be accompanied by a sketch of his life and character, by an early associate and friend; and an Introductory Preface by William Hawley, Esq.

The Favourite Village, with another Poem never before published, by Dr. Hurdis, late Professor of Poetry at Oxford, will speedily appear.

The Letters of the late Miss Seward are in the press; they will form five volumes, post octavo, and will be embellished with portraits and other plates.

The Rev. Mr. Dudley will shortly publish a Poem on the Hindoo Mythology, with a copious Vocabulary.

The Rev. Mr. Hodgson, is preparing a collec tive edition of the Works of his venerable relation, the late Bishop of London; to which will be prefixed a life of the author, founded on the most authentic materials.

The Rev. Josiah Pratt is preparing for the press two volumes, one of which will contain Memoirs of young Men, and the other Memoirs of young Women, compiled or abridged from authentic documents, and designed to illustrate the nature and operation of real religion.

Sir Richard Colt Hoare has in the press the History of Ancient Wiltshire, and the first part, illustrated with several plates, will appear early in the spring.

appears

This enumeration is, however, only an approxiination to the truth, as the works referred to are defective, and the number of described plants may be safely set down at 22,000.

From an enumeration recently made it His Majesty asked, with great apparent solici- that in the principal works on the science of Botude, after the health of his Brother of England,tany, are described 19,803 species of plants, form then enquired after the Envoy's health, the cir- ing 2046 genera, 6-3 of which have but one spe cunstances of his journey, and a thousand ques-cies, 263 but two, 174 but three, and 194 but four. tions about his welfare; expressed his satisfaction at having him at his Court, and then required that all the rest of the Gentlemen of the Envoy's suite should be introduced to him one by one; which having been performed by the Vizir, his Majesty said with great affability to every separate person, "You are welcome." The visit having lasted nearly an hour, Sir Harford and his suite returned to their house nearly with the same ceremony with which they came.

WORKS IN THE PRESS.

It is a fact which ought to be known to al Louse-wives, that if they begin to grate a nutmeg at the stalk end, it will prove hollow throughout; whereas the same nutmeg grated from the other end would have proved sound and solid to the last. This is accounted for in the following manner :the centre of the nutmeg consists of a number of fibres issuing from the stalk and its continuation through the centre of the fruit; the other ends of the fibres, though closely surrounded and pressed The Public will speedily be gratified by the by the fruit, do not adhere to it. When the stalk publication of a series of Letters from Madame la Marquise du Defland to the Hon. Horace Wal-gradually drop out and the nutmeg appears hol is grated away, those fibres having lost their hold, pole, afterwards Earl of Orford, between the years 1766 and 1780. To these will be added some Letters from the same lady to Voltaire, published from the originals at Strawberry-hill. A life of Mad. du Deffand will be prefixed by the Editor; and the Letters will be accompanied with copious explanatory notes.

low; by beginning at the contrary end, the fibres above-mentioned are grated off at the core end with the surrounding fruit, and do not drop out

and cause a hole.

For some time the curiosity of the Parisians has been gratiaed by M. Franconi, with a spectacle truly extraordinary, that of a Stag, the most timid An Historical Narrative of the late War in the of animals, tamed and trained to the same perLevant, from 1793 to 1801, is preparing for pub-formances as the most tractable and courageous cation. It will be accompanied with picturesque views, marine scenery, and a map of the Ottonian empire.

Messrs. Daniells intend to publish under the title of Picturesque Voyages and Travels, a se

horse. Led by his instructor, the docile animal advances into the arena, looking round on every side with an air equally expressive of gentleness and intelligence. At the command of his master he bends his knees and respectfully bows his head.

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Imperial Academy of Sciences at Petersburgh. Professor Tilesius has made forty drawings of the skeleton and its various parts, which he means to publish in folio, with observations.

M. Franconi gets upon his back, cracks his whip, He happened by accident one day to omit hangand fires pistols, at which the animal shows neithering this amulet about his neck; a second and a fear nor alarm. After this first experiment he is third day passed, and as several years had elapsed left to himself, and made to perform the exercises without a fit, he began to think that the magnet. of the manage like the best trained horse. He had altered his very system, and rendered him insets off at full gallop, turus and stops at the word tangible by gout. One night, however, he awoke of command. He leaps over rails with wonderful in torment; his dreams of security were dissipated. agility, and even clears two horses at once. After He called for his safeguard, threw it about his every performance be stands still, fixes his eyes on neck, and escaped with a slight attack. Never his master, and endeavours to discover from his since has he been without his loadstone, which he Jooks whether he is satisfied. M. Franconi then wears night and day, and enjoys perfect freedom goes up to him, pats him, and bestows other ca- from all the pains inflicted by his old enemy. resses, for which the gentle animal testifies the The skeleton of the mammoth found in the ice highest gratitude. In the last place, a triumphal at the mouth of the river Lena, in Siberia, has arch, charged with fire-works, is erected in the been for some time publicly exhibited at Moscow. middle of the arena: it is set on fire, and the Stag,It is said to be intended for the museum of the impatient for the signal, starts off the moment it is given, and passes twice under the blazing arch, amidst the shouts and applauses of the spectators. The following remarkable case, which is given apon unquestionable authority, appears to deserve A shark of extraordinary dimensions lately the attention of all who are afflicted with that made its appearance in the upper parts of the painful disease the gout. Henry Hind Pelly, Esq. river Hoogley (in Bengal) where the Hindoos are of Upton, Essex, a gentleman advanced in years, accustomed to perform their ablutions. Many and who used to be laid up with a violent fit for attempts were made to destroy it, but in vain. three or four months every year, having read in Three Bramins, with several of their followers, some old book that a loadstone worn next the were among its victims; and the greatest conskin is a sure preservative against the gout, and sternation prevailed among the bathers, who, raknowing that some of the finest and most power-ther than forego the practice consecrated by their ful magnets are found in Golconda, employed an religion, were content to enjoy it at the risk of agent in India to procure him one from that pro- their lives. vince. This stone, chipped into a convenient A French traveller who not long ago visited the shape, he constantly wears sewed in a little flan-island of St. Domingo, and the town of that name, nel case, suspended by a black ribbon round his highly commends the judgment of Columbus in Heck, next his skin. It is about two inches long, selecting so happy a situation, where the heat of au inch and a half broad, and two tenths of an the climate is constantly moderated by breezes, fuch thick, and its magnetic virtue is very great. The house which that distinguished navigator It nearly resembles a piece of slate. Mr. Pelly built for his own residence is still standing, but observes that he has now and then some slight || in a dilapidated condition. No respect is paid to twinges which only serve to remind him of theit; no inscription marks it; no attention is beterrible paroxysms to which he was once subject. "stowed on repairing it.

INCIDENTS

OCCURRING IN AND NEAR LONDON, INTERESTING MARRIAGES, &c

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDES.

one had said she was mad; another time she gave. the witness a shilling to buy her some laudanum. The witness said, "Good God, Miss, you surely On Friday Jan. 5, an Inquest was held at the must be mad to think of such a thing; besides, Nag's Head, Orange-court, Leicester-fields, be- you know it is contrary to law, and I can't profore Anthony Gell, Esq. Coroner for Westminster, cure it." She then sat down and wept bitterly; on the body of Mademoiselle Annette Paris, then she said she could get it in a minute, she had been lying dead at No. 4, St. Martin's-street, Leices-used to take it for a pain in her bowels. The ter-fields.

witness replied, "Very well, Miss, you may kill Sarah Upton deposed, that she is housemaid yourself but I shall not give my assistance to the to the place; that the deceased had lodged about deed." At other times, the poor young lady would seven weeks in the house, during which time the be to all appearance in excellent spirits, when all witness attended more particularly than any other of a sudden she would burst into tears, without servant about the person of the deceased. She any thing being said or done at the time to occa frequently observed that the unfortunate youngsion it; and she would sometimes fiddle with her lady appeared to be rather flightyand tiresome in clothes, like a person who was beside herself. her manner, such as ringing the bell violently, | On Wednesday she went out at six, and returned giving orders, and almost immediately after giv-again at eight o'clock, having her bonnet all be ing counter orders; at other times she would ring with equal violence, and when any of the servants inquired what she wanted, she would tell them she wanted nothing. She was also extremely incoherent in her discourse, rambling from one subject to another with the utmost rapidity, and without there being the least connection between each. At one time the deceased told witness that some

dizened with artificial flowers; she got a candle, went up to her own apartments, and returned in about seven minutes; she refused to take tea with two young ladies that were in the parlour at the time; she sat down at first in an extremely pensive manner; then, in the course of a minute or two, with the utmost wildness in her countenance, she excluimed, "Oh, I shall never see him again

I have done the job! I have taken good care that the laudun i took should do the business."

The witness was instantly alarmed, knowing that the deceased had ordered her to get some landdaatum for her before then. She ran up stairs in the utmost consternation, and saw one small bottle full of landanum, and two others empty which evidently had contained the same sort of poisonous liquid. Medical assistance was sent for immediately, three professional gentlemen attended, but they could afford her no relief. The witness endeavoured to get some explanation from her as to what induced her to commit such an act of desperation, but in vain---she looked wild, and continued raving for some time, said she knew that she had done wrong, and in disjointed sentence sand broken accents raved something about her loving a young man.

The Jury, without a moment's hesitation, returned their verdict---INSANITY.

This young lady was the daughter of Monsieur Paris, a French emigrant of rank, who, together with his wife and child, was protected by the benevolence and liberality of Mr. Pearce, Member for Northallerton. Her father has been dead some years her mother died lately.

her profligate courses, and it is to be feared, that mortification and violence of passion, concurring with intemperance, upon a mind wholly vacant and unimpressed with moral and religious principles, induced her to shorten her course and terminate her career of profligacy by poison.

It is, however, but charitable to conclude, that her mind was disordered. Her person was extremely beautiful; her age seventeen; her figure light and delicate, and her manners truly prepossessing; she sang, and understood music well, and possessed many of the customary accomplishments of females; but of real solid education, of mental improvement, of moral and Christian knowledge, she had not the faintest vestige---never was savage in this respect more unenlightened.

This statement is made, from personal knowledge, in justice to those who survive her. With respect to her death, the circumstances are truly dreadful.

On Thursday, Jan. 18, Mr Lyon Levi, a diamond merchant, of about fifty years of age, precipitated himself from the top of the Monument, and was literally dashed to pieces. Mr. Levi attend. ed to several appointments in the city about eleven o'clock, and transacted his usual business; and at twelve obtained admission to view the Monument. He walked several times round the outside of the iron railing before he sprung off, and in falling, the body turned over and over he fore it reached the ground. When near the bottom it came in contract with one of the griffins which ornamented the lower part of the building. A porter, with a load on his back, narrowly escaped the body of the deceased, which fell a few paces from him in Monument-yard. Mr. Levi has left a wife and eight grown-up children.

Miss Paris was placed by this gentleman in a respectable school near Brunswick-square, and one evening at the Foundling formed an acquaintance with a gentleman of the name of Jones, a very respectable young man, serving in the Navy. Having found out his lodgings, without invitation on his part, she eloped to him in the dead of night.---He received her, but respecting her situation, and with a tenderness which is creditable to him, restored her to her governess, Shortly afterwards he visited in the family, made proposals of marriage; was accepted by Mr. Pearce, and, in his presence, and by his corsent as her guardian, he was married to Miss Paris. Some trifling settlement, rot exceeding £60 per annum, was made by Mr. Pearce upon this young lady, and we believe that Mr. Jones received scarcely any pecuniary advantage by the marriage.ceeded onwards directly; and on reaching the He was in the Navy, and the son of a wealthy and respectable tradesman, we believe an army clothier. He took his wife to his father's house,

who received her with parental attention, and offered to contribute every thing to her happiness. But such was the perverseness and unhappy indiscretion of this young woman, that she soon quarrelled with her husband's family, and obliged him to remove her to lodgings, either in Camden Town or Edgeware-road. They lived here about a month; when, having reason to be dissatisfied with her extravagance and conduct, he procured her to be watched, oue evening, out of the house, and she was traced, in company with a young officer, whose arm she appears to have seized hold of casually in the street, to a notorious brothel. In these circumstances, Mr. Jones proceeded with remarkable tenderness; but, upon taxing his wife with her infidelity, she made no justification, acknowledged it without reserve or hesitation; protested her insuperable hatred and contempt of her husband; slighted her proferred conditional forgiveness; eloped from his house, and immediately went upon the town.

Her prostitution was undisguised and promiscuous; she became, with respect to personal virtue, wholly abandoned; and the consequence was, that she was compelled, very lately, to take refuge in an hospital,---the asylum of criminal disease, and indigent indiscretion.---Upon being restored to health, she disdained all invitation to repentance, which the kindness of her friends induced them to make.---She again broke out into No. I. Vol. I.-N S,

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The only evidence before the Coroner was, that the deceased had paid for admission into the Monument, observing to the keeper, that some ladies were shortly to join him, upon which the man said, "Sir, had not you better wait until the ladies come?" The deceased, however, pro

gallery, precipitated himself over the railing, and falling on his head, expired without a groan. He was one of the most extensive dealers in dia

monds, pearls, rubies, topazes, emeralds, and other precious stones, in England. He had been, however, unfortunate in several very extensive speculations, and having spent many years in the most honourable affluence, his altered circumstances made a deep impression on his mind; he was observed to be frequently of a gloomy habit, was totally absorbed in thonght, and absent from every thing that was the topic of conversation around him. Under all these circumstances, the Jury returned a verdict of---Insanity.

Other two instances of this kind have happened in the last 60 years. The first is mentioned in Chamberlain's History of London.

"June 25, 1750, about four o'clock in the afternoon, a man, supposed to be a weaver, fell from the top; he struck the pedestal, and pitched on a post which laid open his skull, and he was otherwise most terribly shattered."

Second, July 7, 1788, Thomas Craddock, a baker, threw himself over the North side; he cleared the pedestal and the iron rails, but fell just outside of them, near the N. W. corner.

The fall from the top of the gallery inclosure to the ground, is about 175 feet. The extreme height of the Monument is 202 feet.---The gallery is 32 feet below the top of the vase; it leaves 170 feet for the height of the floor of the gallery, to which add five feet for the height of its inclosure, it makes 175 feet fall,

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