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nent men.

"Amidst the melancholy clouds which hung over the dying Johnson, his characteristical manner shewed itself on different occasions.

"When Dr. Warren, in the usual style, hoped that he was better, his answer was, "No, sir. You cannot conceive with what acceleration I advance towards death.

A man whom he had never seen before, was employed one night to sit up with him. Being asked, next morning, how he liked his attendant, his answer was "Not at all sir. The fellow's an idiot; he is as aukward as a turnspit, when first put into the wheel, and as sleepy as a dormouse."

"Mr. Windham having placed a pillow conveniently to support him, he thanked him for his kindness, and said, "That will do-all that a pillow can do."

"He repeated, with great spirit, a poem, consisting of about fifteen stanzas, in four lines, in alternate rhymes, which he said he had composed some years before, on occasion of a young gentleman's coming of age, saying, he had never repeated it but once since he composed it, and had given but one copy of it. From the specimen of it, which Mrs. Piozzi has given of it in

her "Anecdotes" it is much to be wished that we could see the whole.

"As he opened a note which his servant had brought to him, he said, "An odd thought strikes me,-We

shall receive no letters in the grave.'

"He requested three things of sir Joshua Reynolds: -To forgive him thirty pounds which he had borrowed of him-to read the Bible -and never to use his pencil on a Sunday. Sir Joshua readily acquiesced.

"Indeed he shewed the greatest unxiety for the religious improvement of his friends, to whom he discoursed of its infinite consequence. He begged of Mr. Hoole to think of what he had said, and to commit it to writing; and upon being afterwards assured that this was done, pressed his hands, and in an earnest tone thanked him. Dr. Brocklesby having attended him with the utmost assiduity and kindness, as his physician and friend, he was peculiarly desirous that this gentleman should not entertain any loose speculative notions, but be confirmed in the truths of Christianity, and insisted on his writing down in his presence, and as nearly as he could collect it, the import of what passed on the subject; and Dr. Brocklesby having complied with the request, he made him sign the paper, and urged him to keep it in his own custody as long as he lived.

"Johnson, with that native fortitude which amidst all his bodily distress and mental sufferings never forsook him, asked Dr. Brocklesby. as a man in whom he had confidence, to tell him plainly whether he could recover. "Give me (said he) a direct answer." The doctor, having first asked him if he could bear the whole truth, which way soever it might lead, and being answered that he could, declared, that in his opinion he could not recover

* This poem shall be given in a future volume,

without

without a miracle. Then (said Johnson) I will take no more physic, not even my opiates; for I have prayed that I may render up my soul to God unclouded." In this resolution he persevered, and, at the same time, used only the weakest kinds of sustenance."

From the time that he was certain his death was near, he appeared to be perfectly resigned, was seldom or never fretful or out of temper, and often said to his faithful servant who gave me this account, "Attend, Francis, to the salvation of your soul, which is the object of greatest importance; he also ex

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The Hedaya, or Guide; a commentary on the Mussulman Laws: translated by order of the governor-general and council of Bengal. By Charles Hamilton. 4to. 4 vols. 5/. 5s. 1791.

E are here presented with a

plained to him passages in the Scrip. W work of great labour and ap

ture, and seemed to have pleasure in talking upon religious subjects.

On Monday, the 13th day of December, the day on which he died, a Miss Morris, daughter to a particular friend of his, called, and said to Francis, that she begged to be permitted to see the doctor, that she might earnestly request him to give her his blessing. Francis went into the room, followed by the young lady, and delivered the message. The doctor turned himself in the bed, and said, "God bless you, my dear!" These were the last words he spoke. His difficulty of breathing increased till about seven o'clock in the evening, when Mr. Barber and Mrs. Desmoulins, who were sitting in the room, observing that the noise he made in breathing had ceased, went to the bed, and found he was dead.

The faithful biographer having traced the life of his illustrious friend from the cradle to the grave, and dropped tears of tenderness and af

plication; and which, in the present state of our country, must be conducive to public utility; while it will always greatly contribute to private information and entertainment. It is the translator's remark that, "the permanency of any foreign dominion (and, indeed, the justification of holding such a dominion,) requires that a strict attention be paid to the ease and advantage, not only of the governors, but of the governed." While we readily assent to this proposition, we must remark that the ease and advantage of the governed is the first object which ought to be regarded. Governors should, no doubt, receive their share of the benefit, and be also supported in a due degree of affluence, and even of splendor: but all this has a principal reference to the protection and service of the people, for whose sake, and whose alone, they hold a distinguished rank in society.

Mr.

• We have before in our 27th volume extracted from the tour to the Hebrides Mr. Boswell's character of Dr. Johnson, and in our 28th volume another character of him by Mrs. Piozzi.

Mr. Hamilton proceeds very properly to observe, that in respect to foreign dominion, nothing is more likely to contribute effectually to the satisfaction of the subjects, than "preserving to them their ancient established practices, civil and religious, and protecting them in the exercise of their own institutes." This reflection is justly applied to those Bengal provinces, which have fallen into the hands of the English. The British government, we are told, determined to introduce as few innovations as were consistent with prudence. The Hindoos, who form so large a part of the inhabitants, and are the original natives of the country, are said to have derived an important advantage from the change; for, whereas, they were before subjected to double taxes, and laboured under particular inconve niences in every judicial process; both the Mussulman and the Hindoo are now placed on an exact equality, both having their property secured to them under that system which each is taught to believe possessed of paramount authority: but, it is added, where their interests clash in the same cause, the matter is necessarily determined by the principles of the Mussulman Law; to which, long usage, supported by the policy of the Mogul government, has given a sort of prescriptive superiority.

To promote this reasonable design, it must certainly be proper, that English judges and magistrates, if such be required, should have some certain rule for their direction, which may enable them, without being exposed to the misconstruction of ignorance and interest, "to determine for themselves, by a direct appeal to the Mussulman or Hindoo authority,

on the ground of which they were to decide.

"A compilation was accordingly formed, under the inspection of the most learned pundits, (Hindoo lawyers,) containing an abstract of the Hindoo laws, the translation of which into English was committed to Mr. Halhed; and, shortly after this was accomplished, a number of the principal Mahommedan professors in Bengal were employed in translating from the Arabic into the Persian tongue, a commentary on the Mussulman law, called the Hedaya, a work held in high estimation among the people of that persuasion. The English version of that commentary is now submitted to the public."

It is well known to those who are even but slightly conversant with Mohammedan history, that

"The Koran is regarded by the Mussulmans as the basis of their law; it is therefore, when applied to judicial matters, entitled, by way of distinction, al Sharra, or the Law, in the same manner as the Pentateuch is distinguished by the Jews.— The sonna (a word, which, among other senses, signifies custom, regulation, or institute,) stands next to the Koran in point of authority, and is considered as a kind of supplement to that book. It forms the body of what is termed the oral law, because it never was committed to writing by the Arabian legislator, being deduced solely from his traditionary precepts, or adjudications, preserved from hand to hand, by authorised persons, and which apply to many points of both a temporal and spiritual nature, not mentioned or but slightly touched on in the Koran.”

To these two principal sources, is to be added, as Mr. Hamilton expresses it, "an immense number of

commentaries,

commentaries, some treating of the civil, some of the canon law; some comprehending the applications both of the Koran and the Sorna; others confined to the former, and others, again, treating purely of the traditions; but all differing in a variety of points in their constructions, although coinciding in their general principles."

In order to elucidate the subject, and to assist the reader in perusing this work, the translator has given a short detail of the events which oc casioned the first great schism among the followers of the prophet, and which afterward proved the cause of many other differences in practice, or doctrine. Hence he proceeds to an account of those eminent persons, whose discussions occupy a considerable portion of the Hedaya, and whose doctrines and opinions are admitted as binding authority at the present day-The orthodox sects are four in number, all of which receive their distinctive appellation from their respective founders, whose characters, stations, and employments are here recited. Our limits allow us to offer little more than an outline of Mr. Hamilton's method, which appears a proper and necessary introduction to what follows. We shall therefore now attend him, in his description of the Hedaya itself.

This name literally signifies, a guide. The work was composed, we are informed, by Sheikh Burhanad-Deen-Alee, who was born at Marghinan, a city of Maveralne'r, (the ancient Transoxiana,) about

4. H.* 530. As a lawyer, his reputation is said to have been beyond that of all his contemporaries.

"The Hedaya, (observes Mr. Hamilton) is an extract fromanumber of the most approved works of the early writers on jurisprudence, digested into something like the form of a regular treatise, although in point of arrangement, it is rather desultory. It possesses the singular advantage of combining with the authorities, the different opinions and explications of the principal commentators on all disputed points, together with the reasons for preferring any one adjudication in particular; by which means the principles of the law are fully disclosed, and we have not only the dictum, but also the most ample explication of it. The author, being a Moojtàhid, was himself qualified to pass decisions on cases (whether real or supposed) which should operate as a precedent with others. He of con sequence, in many instances, gives, us merely his own opinion, without resorting to any other authority or precedent. In his comments he generally leans to the doctrine of Haneefa,t or his principal disciples; and indeed his work may in a great measure be considered as an abstract of the Haneefite opinions, modified by those of the more recent teachers, and adapted to the practice and manners of other coun tries and of later times."

Mr. Hamilton goes on to speak of other persons, considered as eminent, whose opinions are quoted in this work, and of the books which are principally

The year of the Hegira or Mohammedan Epocha, which dates from the flight of that prophet from Mecca.

+ The Haneefites are one of the four orthodox sects of the Mokammedans; and are by some writers termed Ahl Keeas or the followers of Reason. Rev.

Mr. Hamilton proceeds very properly to observe, that in respect to foreign dominion, nothing is more likely to contribute effectually to the satisfaction of the subjects, than preserving to them their ancient established practices, civil and religious, and protecting them in the exercise of their own institutes." This reflection is justly applied to those Bengal provinces, which have fallen into the hands of the English. The British government, we are told, determined to introduce as few innovations as were consistent with prudence. The Hindoos, who form so large a part of the inhabitants, and are the original natives of the country, are said to have derived an important advantage from the change; for, whereas, they were before subjected to double taxes, and laboured under particular inconveniences in every judicial process; both the Mussulman and the Hindoo are now placed on an exact equality, both having their property secured to them under that system which each is taught to believe possessed of paramount authority: but, it is added, where their interests clash in the same cause, the matter is necessarily determined by the principles of the Mussulman Law; to which, long usage, supported by the policy of the Mogul government, has given a sort of prescriptive superiority.

To promote this reasonable design, it must certainly be proper, that English judges and magistrates, if such be required, should have some certain rule for their direction, which may enable them, without being exposed to the misconstruction of ignorance and interest, " to determine for themselves, by a direct appeal to the Mussulman or Hindoo authority,

on the ground of which they were to decide.

"A compilation was accordingly formed, under the inspection of the most learned pundits, (Hindoo lawyers,) containing an abstract of the Hindoo laws, the translation of which into English was committed to Mr. Halhed; and, shortly after this was accomplished, a number of the principal Mahommedan professors in Bengal were employed in translating from the Arabic into the Persian tongue, a commentary on the Mussulman law, called the Hedaya, a work held in high estimation among the people of that persuasion. The English version of that commentary is now submitted to the public."

It is well known to those who are even but slightly conversant with Mohammedan history, that

"The Koran is regarded by the Mussulmans as the basis of their law; it is therefore, when applied to judicial matters, entitled, by way of distinction, al Sharra, or the Law, in the same manner as the Pentateuch is distinguished by the Jews.— The sonna (a word, which, among other senses, signifies custom, regulation, or institute,) stands next to the Koran in point of authority, and is considered as a kind of supplement to that book. It forms the body of what is termed the oral law, because it never was committed to writing by the Arabian legislator, being deduced solely from his traditionary precepts, or adjudications, preserved from hand to hand, by authorised persons, and which apply to many points of both a temporal and spiritual nature, not mentioned or but slightly touched on in the Koran.".

To these two principal sources, is to be added, as Mr. Hamilton expresses it, “an immense number of commentaries,

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