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father was John Baptist Benoni, a copper-founder. He stopped but ♣ little while here, where, however, he was protected by a Cardinal, and went to France with his wife.

Genoese, established at Palermo. A few months after the birth of the faid Jofeph, his father died fuddenly; his fifter was then two years of age. They were both received into the care of their grandfather D. Jofeph Bracconieri, my father, who confidered them as his own children; and particularly Jofeph, who was given all the education neceffary to enable him to become the fupport of his widowed mother and his fifter.

My father died in 1754; Balfamo remained under the care of his mother, who endeavoured to make him a religious, and made him wear the habit of the Brothers of Charity. After the neceffary preparations, he was fent to Caltagironne, to become a noviciate.

But having no tafte for a religious life, he became defirous of renouncing his habit. His mother feeing him one day in a fecular drefs, and at the fame time not wishing to lose him, but only to feel fome chastisement, fent him to the P. P. Capuchins, to be confined in their convent. As he became troublefome to thefe religious, they would not keep him, but drove him out. His turn for disobedience increased, and his relations were forced to abandon him.

Being under no controul from his friends, and at liberty, he contrived to perfuade a goldfmith, named Vincent Marano, that he would discover a treasure to him, provided he would advance a certain fum of money to purchase fome valuable drugs to form a compoition for the difcovery of the faid treafure. Marano having procured him the money, he fled to Calabria, where he was stripped by fome of his accomplices, and obliged to go to Rome: he married in that city a young perfon named Lorenza, daughter of a man of wealth, a

In this ftate of affairs, from the time Balfamo left Palermo, his relations had no intelligence of him for several years. As I was at Naples in 1773, upon business, I walked out one day, after dinner, to the Royal Palace, and happened to fee a barber of Palermo, named David Larocca, whom I knew. Having afked him whence he came? he told me, he had arrived a few days ago at Naples, and that he had been travelling in Ruffia, England, Spain, France, and all over Italy. Being excited by curiofity, I asked him if he ever met in his travels with my nephew? He pretended at first not to know him; but, at laft, willing to furprise me, he engaged me to accompany him, and conducted me to a houfe oppofite the Royal Thea tre. I was aftonished on entering it to fee Balfamo prefented to me. I was juft going to chide Larocca for fooling me, when Balsamo told me, that he had engaged him in his fervice as valet de chambre. After mutual compliments, Balfamo begged to wait till he brought me his wife Lorenza. In half an hour after, he returned with his wife, in a handsome equipage, with fervants," and conducted me to fee houfe which he had hired that very day.

Aftonished at his magnificence, and ftill more at hearing him called the Marquis de Pellegrini, I became referved, and would not accept of the offer he made me to lodge in his houfe; but, on his confiding to me the idea he had of going to Palermo, provided he could obtain from the King a general pardon, that he might return into his native country, and endeavour to live quietly and honeftly, I requested the protection of the Prince of Botera, who had the goodness to give

me

Anecdotes of Count Caglioftro.

me a letter, in his own hand, to his fon, the Prince of Pietra Perfia, that he might affift Balfamo with his influence and intereft. On obtaining this letter, I fet out for Palermo with Balfamo and his wife, both of whom I lodged with myself. Here they remained feventeen days, after which Balfamo, tired of the good advice I daily gave him, without any ceremony, or acquainting me, went to another houfe, which he hired, in order to be at full liberty, and under no dependance upon me.

Marano, at my defire, did not trouble him while he was in my house, but when he saw him abroad he made a complaint to the Prefident Airoldi, who feized and imprifoned Balfamo. The Prince of Pietra Perfia being defirous of honouring the recommendation of his father, went to the Prefident and got Balfamo released, on condition that in 24 hours he would leave Palermo. Ballamo agreed to the con⚫ dition, and embarked on board a veffel for Malta with his wife; and after staying a few days, embarked for Italy.

Since this period, I heard nothing of Balfamo, nor defired to know any thing of fuch a character: it was told me, besides, that Balsamo complained of me as being concerned with Marano in putting him in prifon, because he had left my house without my confent.

In 1785, the French Gazettes announced that there was at Paris fome affairs going on, in which was mentioned this Count Caglioftro, who was fhut up in the Baftile; and being defirous, for the reafons already given, to know if this Count Caglioftro was Jofeph Balfamo, I wrote to a merchant at Paris to procure me the book which gave a hiftory of his life. This merchant anfwered, that "the little work

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had hardly appeared when it was withdrawn; that it was full of fables, infolence, and written by an enemy of Count Cagliostro. I fubftitute to you for it a Memoir, where he is defended against the imputations laid upon him, and which is very interesting, becaufe it contains a detail of his life, and his detention in the Baftile."

My friend at Paris fent me this Memoir, and I gave it to my brother, requesting him to tranflate it into Italian. I will add, finally, that having remarked in this Memoir, that Count Caglioftro calls his wife Serafina Feliciani, although the name of Balfamo's wife was Lorenza, I fuppofe that he has made ufe of the name of one of his aunts, and that of his mother; becaufe the wife of D. Malter Bracconieri, my brother, and uncle to Balfamo, was named Serafina, and her mother Felicia, from which he must have taken by adoption the two names Serafina Feliciani.

So far for the illuftration of truth,
I conclude,

1. That Jofeph Balfamo was born at Palermo, June 2. 1735, and baptized at the cathedral.

2. That he is the fun of Peter Balfamo.

3. That his mother, a widow, is ftill living, poor, and deaf for fome years paft, and that her name is Felicia.

4. That her fifter, widow of the late J. Baptift Capirammino, is still living, and called Mary Ann.

5. The nearest relations of Balfamo at Palermo, are the faid Malter Bracconieri, my brother, and myfelf, Antony Bracconieri.

Balfamo is of the middle fize, lively eyes, black hair and eyebrows, broad face, brown complexion, with a large and round nose.

Dona Lorenza, his wife, is handfome,

fignature.

fome, with delicate features, fair depofed, and which I confirm by my complexion, blue eyes, brown hair, broad vifage, a fmall aquiline nofe, and a middle ftature.

This is the whole, which I have Palermo.

(Signed)

ANTONIO BRACCONIERI.

Account of a New Tragedy entitled VIMONDA. Written by Mr Macdonald.

THIS

HIS Tragedy was prefented to the public at the Theatre-Royal, Hay-Market, London, on Wednefday the 5th of September; the fable of which is nearly as follows:

CHARACTERS.
Dundore, Mr BENSLEY;
Bernard, Mr AICKIN;
Rothfay, Mr KEMBLE;
Seyton, Mr JOHNSON;
Melville, Mr BANNISTER, Jun.

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Vimonda, Mrs KEMBLE;
Alfreda, Mifs WOOLKERY.

Vimonda, the daughter of Earl Rothfay, in the utmost grief for the untimely death of her father, and, in pious respect to his memory, has erected a monument in honour of his virtues, upon which is depofited his fword, the favourite of his hand, and the inftrument of many a warlike atchievement. Vimonda is trongly attached to Melville, who had fignalized his valour in refcuing her from the hands of fome lawlefs ruffians, just at the moment when they were preparing to bear her off. The merits of Vimonda equally endear the heart of Melville; but while they meditate the completion of their happiness by marriage, the castle in which Vimonda refides is disturbed every night by a preternatural appearance, which is fuppofed to be the fhade of Earl Rothfay. It appears that Dundore, the nephew of Rothfay, aspired at the poffeffion of the lands, and daughter of the Larl, and had, in fecret confederacy with Bernard, a depen

dant of the family, way-laid and affaffinated him.-Dundore,however, finds, that all his guilty labours were rendered ineffectual by the fuccefsful prowess of Melville, who had defeated his hopes of gaining the heart of Vimonda, by fecuring its affections for himself. Dundore there. fore finding his old affociate in iniquity Bernard, informs him of his

intention to impofe upon the tender credulity of Vimonda, by accufing Melville of having murdered her father; defiring him, however, to prepare a deadly draught to affist his purpose, if other measures should be fruftrated. In confequence of this intention, Dundore deludes the unfufpecting innocence of Vimonda into an apprehenfion that Melville is the murderer of her father, intreating her to accufe him to his face, and pledging himfelf, in cafe he denies his guilt, to appear as her champion, and prove, by the decifion of Heaven, his criminality in a fingle combat. Thus urged, Vimonda charges Melville, with the murder, folemnly conjuring him to anfwer equivocally: Melville, ftruck with horror at fuch a fuppofition, vents his furprise and agony in general exclamation; which Vimonda confiders as a mode of fhrinking from the queftion, and leaves him. under a perfuafion of his guilt. It is difcovered, however, that the Earl of Rothfay had furvived the wounds of the affaffins, and, by a fecret paffage to the caftle, had really appeared in perfon round its

precincts,

Account of the Tragedy of Vimonda.

precincts, when he was fuppofed only to have been an apparition. During one of his nocturnal walks he meets Alfreda, the female confidant of Vimonda, to whom he reveals himself, and learns from her, that she had accompanied Melville in the disguise of a page, though now unknown to him the appeared as the friend of Vimonda. While Dundore, in the presence of Vimonda, is reproaching Melville with his horrid offence, and daring him to a hoftile decifion, Rothfay, unable any longer to fupprefs his feelings and remain in concealment, rushes forward, and reveals himself, to the amaze of Vimonda, and the confufion of Dundore, who, however, fmothers his anxiety, and expreffes his happiness at finding Rothsay still alive. Though Rothfay had fortunately survived, it was obviously the defign of the affaffin that he should die, and the rencounter between Dundore and Melville is therefore ftill to take place, that, by the interpofition of Providence, innocence may be protected, and guilt punished. The night before the intended combat, while Melville, at the place where the monument is erected, is lamenting the cruel fufpicions of Vimonda, he is interrupted by the arrival of Dundore, who tells him, that though he was disposed to meet him in arms the next morning, to ascertain the real perpetrator of the horrid deed, Vimonda, deeming Melville guilty, judged him unfit to meet a rightful knight in honourable conteft, and had therefore fent him a mortal potion, that he might end his miferable life, and efcape from farther difgrace. Melville feels the utmost agony in hearing this meffage from the object of his tendereft affections, and determines to avail himself of her cruel prefent; but, before he drinks it, he determines to avenge himself on his false accufer, Dundore. Dundore expof

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tulates with him on his attacking an unarmed man, but Melville gives him his own fword, and feizes that of Rothfay which was depofited upon the monument. A contest then enfues, and Dundore, defeated, dies in all the agonies of a perturbed confcience. Vimonda being affured by Alfreda, who had accompanied Melville when he found the fword of Rothfay, his poffeffion of which had given fome colour to the charge of Dundore, of Melville's innocence, feels the utmost agony in the consciousnefs of having fo far perfecuted a meritorious lover; and at last her grief rifes to fo violent an excefs, that it produces madness, which terminates in her death. Melville, more tortured by the forrowful condition of Vimonda, than by any apprehenfions of the effects of the poifon he had taken, attends her in her dying morents, expecting his own diffolution; but has the mortification to find that Bernard, fhocked at his former depravity, and determined to affift the villanous purposes of Dundore no longer, had formed the draught of the most innocent ingredients. At this period of mifery, Rothfay, in the midst of his afflictions, refolves to fpend the remainder of his days in a cloifter; and rewarding the amiable fidelity of Alfreda, by affigning to her all his poffeffions, the piece concludes.

The ftory is purely the work of the imagination, but unites great intereft with perfect fimplicity of fable. The author feems to have had the ancient drama in view when he conftructed his plot, and to have aimed at keeping it unembarraffed, and free from unneceffary complication of incident. The bufinefs of

the play rifes naturally and gradually to its climax, and ends in a manner extremely affecting. The characters have no ftrong feature of originality, but are well prefer

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ved and difcriminated. Vimonda is drawn with dexterity, and the womanish weakness of her mind delicately described. Dundore is a defigning villain, likely to take advantage of fuch a character, and purfues his purpofe with remorfe lefs fteadiness, till the author, with trick poetical juftice, makes him fall a victim to the fword of vengeance by the hand of Melville,who is well contrafted with Dundore, and prefents great virtue and generofity. The diction of this tragedy is neat, poetical, and nervous. veral of the images are described with great felicity of expreffion, Thursday and on Friday for the Au and the language in general fpeaks thor.

The Tragedy was prefaced by a Prologue written by the Author, in which, in good lines, he avowed that his piece was the offspring of imagination, and neither founded in history, legend, or romance. The Epilogue was the production of Mr Mackenzie, the author of the Man of Feeling, and very pleasantly laughed at the principal incident of the piece, by faying, that the Ladies were not to be terrified by Ghofts now-a-days, but they chose to deal with fpirits compofed of flesh and Se- blood.

the pen of a master.

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The tragedy was repeated on

The Fountains.-A Fairy Tale. By Dr Johnfon.

Fontem vifere lucidum.

Felix qui potuit boni

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Boethius.

derfully pleasant to hear him in the morning.

S FLORETTA was wandering in a Floretta, with tears in her eyes, repli meadow at the foot of Plinlim- ed, that he had better have been devourmon, fhe heard a little bird cry in fuched by the hawk than die for want of a note as he had never obferved before, and looking round her, faw a lovely goldfinch entangled by a lime-twig, and a hawk hovering over him, as at the point of feizing him in his talons.

Floretta longed to refcue the little bird, but was afraid to encounter the hawk, who looked fiercely upon her without any apparent dread of her ap proach, and as the advanced feemed to increase in bulk, and clapped his wings in token of defiance. Floretta stood deliberating a few moments, but feeing her mother at no great distance, took Courage, and fnatched the twig with The little bird upon it. When fhe had difengaged him fhe put him into her bofom, and the hawk flew away.

Floretta fhewing her bird to her mother, told her from what danger the had rescued him : her mother, after admiring his beauty, faid, that he would be a very proper inhabitant of the little gilded cage, which had hung empty fince the farling died for want of water; and that he should be placed at the chamber-window; for it would be won

water, and that she would not fave him from a lefs evil to put him in danger of a greater: fhe therefore took him into her hand, cleaned his feathers from the bird-lime, looked upon him with great tenderne fs, and, having put his bill to her lips, difmiffed him into the air.

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He flew in circles round her as the went home, and perching on a tree before the door, delighted them a while with such sweetness of fong, that her mother reproved her for not putting him in the cage. Floretta endeavoured to look grave, but filently approved her own act, and wifhed her mother more generofity. Her mother gueffed her thoughts, and told her, that when fhe was older the would be wifer.

Floretta however did not repent; but hoped to hear her little bird the next morning finging at liberty. She waked early and liftened, but no goldfinch could fhe hear. She rose, and walking again in the fame meadow, went to view the bush where fhe had feen the lime-twig the day before.

When

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