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tion he has paid to the coftumé, to which the fentiment and diction, as well as action of each perfonage religiously accord. The only thing (fays the Obferver) a dramatic writer, whose fable is Eaftern, has to confider is, to felect his images with judgment, to take care they have a local propriety, contain allufions to the mythology and cuftoms of the Dramatis Perfonæ, are taken from furrounding objects, and belong to ideas familiar to thofe WHO SPEAK.' We beg leave however to remark to the Author, that images, felected with judgment, fhould not only belong to ideas familiar to those who fpeak, but should avoid allufions totally foreign to the knowledge or apprehensions of thofe who hear. This management of local proprieties requires a tafte and address not fo happily difplayed in the tragedy of Zoraida, as in fome other plays founded on Eaftern ftories. Part of the Turkish mythology is popular, and generally known. Such allufions are preferable to a parade of Oriental pedantry; as a proof of which let the reader of Zoraida compare Almaimon's description of the Mahometan paradife (p. 28) to Caled's beautiful verses on the fame fubject in Hughes's Siege of Damascus !

The whole of the diction of this tragedy abounds in imagery. We agree with the Author, that the tragic ftyle demands fome elevation, and that the use of images is admiffible: but, not to feem unnatural, they fhould appear to be the fpontaneous effufions of the speaker, rather than the laborious affectation of the author. They should not run out into long and luxuriant defcriptions, and they ought to be level to the understanding of the auditor. A writer might as well introduce Eaftern characters speaking in the Oriental tongue, and contend for its propriety, as to overload his dialogue with references and allufions equally intelligible to the generality of the audience. Perfpicuity without meannefs, fays Ariftotle, is the virtue of ftyle; plainly intimating, that though the diction may be raised, its bafis fhould be fimplicity. The perfonages of Zoraida are always on the ftretch after expreffion; their language abounds in forced images, ufed by Princes and Attendants, Princeffes and Confidantes, Ottomans and Ægyptians, indifcriminately.

The beginning of the Fourth Act will serve as some specimen of the style of this tragedy, though less full of imagery, local or general, than many other paffages:

Enter Z ORAID A.

How fatally delufive are the dreams,

The golden dreams of happiness, which flatter

Unhappy mortals with fantastic hopes

That ne'er must know completion! Pow'rs of heav'n!
For what am I referv'd-Yet come what may

One comfort ftill is mine; my lord Almaimon

Is fafe remov'd from danger-But behold,

With downcaft mien, and eye in tears fuffus'd,
Where Zulima returns; her looks declare
My doom is fix'd, and Azraël waits his prey.
Enter Z ULIMA.

Zor. Thou need'ft not tell me that the foldiers phrenzy
Still mocks restraint, and clamours for my life
Thy weeping eyes my destiny reveal.

Zul. Alas, my injur'd friend! far other griefs
Confpire against your happiness; at length
The demon of adverfity has lanc'd

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Zor.

Strike, ftrike me to the ground fame pitying angel! Zul. Would I had flept in everlaßling peace

Zor.

Zul.

Zor.

Ere my fad eyes the dreadful fight had view'd,
Had feen that honour'd form, whofe bloody robe
Too well I knew, disfigur'd all with wounds.
Enough; the measure of my woes is full,
And heav'n has feal'd my doom-I will not weep;
Down, fwelling forrow.

Do not look fo wildly.
Oh patience, princefs, patience!

Patience, faidft thou ?

Talk't thou of patience ?-Yes, I will be patient,
Not one fad figh fhall heave my struggling bofom.
Zal. Yet ftand not thus in fpeechlefs grief abforb'd,
With looks that speak unutterable anguish.
Perhaps my fire, Moralmin, has encounter'd
An equal fate; his venerable form

Zer.

Perhaps lies mangled, to the birds of heav'n
A deftin'd victim; yet I do not charge
The skies with cruelty, but bear my lot
With patient refignation.

Doft thou talk
Of refignation to a wretch so curst,
So agoniz'd as I am? Hence, vain comforter!
Nor mock my forrows more.-Away-my foul
Is mated to defpair.-Thou parent earth,
Receive thy wretched daughter! On thy bofom
Here will I lie, and drown thee with my tears,
Till thou entomb me in eternal rest.

[Falling down.

Zul. Oh fcene of matchlefs woe! behold her droop,

Like fome fair bloffom, which the winds of heav'n

Have torn in anger from its parent tree,
And to the daft hurl'd proftrate.

Zar. (half rifing)

Zul.

Zor.

Zul.

Zor.

Saidft thou murder'd ?
All mangled too! Some pitying pow'r untune
Each lab'ring fenfe, hurl headlong from her throne
Uprooted reafon! Come, terrific madness!

Come, let me clafp thee! In thy native fierceness
Clothe my wild eye balls, fire my heated brain,
And let the ravings of my frantic lips

Become my defperation!

Dwell not, princess,

Oh dwell not thus, in fearful meditation
On forrows irretrievable, Exert

The native energy of noble minds,

And rife fuperior

Woman! canst thou free me

From memory's fcorpion fting? controul the course
Of Destiny and Death, or wake the flain
To fecond being? No; release me, heav'n!
Release a wretch to mifery predestin'd,

And in the tomb, befide my murder'd lord,
Let my pale corse be laid!

This is thy cruelty.

Accurfed Ofman!

Vindictive lightnings

Blaft his perfidious head! Stern pow'rs of vengeance!
Since nor diftrefs nor innocence can bend

Your flinty rigour, be feverely juft

And ftrike him to the center! From your dens,

Ye blackest demons, rife, his double heart
Haunt with your furies; place before his view
His aggravated crimes, then drag him down
To everlasting punishment!

[Exeunt. The most beautiful fcenes in this tragedy are, in our opinion, those which are founded on the difcovery and remorfe of Ofman. They are not, like the catastrophe, and other parts of the fable, marvellous; but they are uncommon, yet not improbable. The conduct both of the Emperor and confpirator is extraordinary, but not unnatural. We are forry to say that we find little elfe to admire or approve, though there are feveral circumstances that remind us of other popular dramas. The conferences between Almaimon and Zirvad are counterparts of Friar Laurence and Romeo; Almaimon's attempt on the life of Zoraida is a fecond edition of Oroonoko with kmoinda; and the proposed marriage of Zoraida with Selim, is a repetition of a fimilar fituation in the Diftreft Mother. In a word, the play and the obfervations taken together, Zoraida appears to be a tragedy, written by a receipt.

ART.

ART. III. Fanatical Divinity expofed; and the Gospel of Christ vindicated; or, Remarks on a Sermon occafioned by the Death of the Rev. John Parfons, Rector of St. Martin's, Birmingham, and preached by the Rev. William Toy Young, Curate of the faid Parish. With a Dedication to the Author of Pietas Oxonienfis. By Alumnus. 8vo. 1 s. Vallance, &c. 1779.

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HE Spectator hath given us a curious account of bites, of various characters and defcriptions. The literary bite comes frequently in our way, and reminds us of the common proverb, Fronti nulla fides: i. e. There is no depending on title-pages.

Our Mr. Alumnus [which, by the way, is only Latin for a Nurfeling] hath very dextroufly followed his worthy predeceffors in the trade and mystery of biting; for, inftead of expofing fanatical divinity,' he hath muftered up all the light infantry of his wit, and brought forward all the heavy troops of orthodoxy, zeal, and damnation, in order to guard the standard of fanaticifm, and push its dreadful triumphs beyond the lines of common fenfe and Chriftian charity.

"But, perhaps, it may be faid, this knight of the fanatic pot kulks behind the entrenchment of equivocation. As he appears to know fomething of fmall Latin, he may make use of the word, expofe, in a different fenfe from that in which a mere English reader might be ready to conftrue it. To expose, may mean to bring forward to public view-to difplay-to illuftrate, &c." This, indeed, is literally true of the present performance, and with this interpretation, one part of the titlepage tells us no lie. But our Author's bite lies chiefly in the word, fanatical. It is in this word that he expofes his fagacity and erudition. Here begin-and here end the higher triumphs of his wit and humour! O! what a glorious thing is Latin! If thou art difpofed, gentle reader, to doubt it, perufe what follows, and thou wilt be convinced that there is more in it than thou waft aware of.

You will wonder (fays Alumnus in his dedication to the author of Pietas Oxonienfis)-you will wender, perhaps, Sir, at one branch of the title prefixed to this pamphlet. An explanation of that matter will involve in it my apology too. You are not ignorant, that it is become a popular practice with the adverfaries of the Gospel, when they are at a lofs for argument in defence of their errors, and when hard pushed by

the fword of the fpirit, which is the word of God, to fly to the trite and paltry fubterfuge of fhouting, "enthusiasm! fanaticifm!" Now, I thought, it might not be amifs, for once, to turn the tables on our opponents; and having wrested out of their hands a blunt weapon, with which, however, they do much mischief among the ignorant (thei gnorant!) and pro

fane,

fane, to direct it against themselves, by evincing that to be fanaticism which they call religion, and vice verfà.'

Now this is one of the most curious and original defigns that was ever conceived by a daring genius: and if the execution were but anfwerable to the intention, we fhould, notwithstanding our long and well-known predilection for heresy, most cheerily clap the Author on the back, and cry out with Shakespeare.

"It is fport to fee the engineer hoist with his own petar." But it is not good manners to interrupt our Author in his bold attempt; let him go on.

*

A fyftem which aggrandizes natural reafon on the ruins of revelation, celebrates a thing called virtue to the difcredit of that faving faith in the fon of God, by which finners are juftified, and from whence fprings the fruits of holiness; and establishes human merit to the depreciating the gratuitous mercy of the Moft High; and the all-fufficient facrifice of the Redeemer :-a system, I say, of this nature is perfectly congenial with the fpirit of Deism, and hath for its real birth-place, the Fanum, i. e. the Temple of a Heathen-prieft, or the Portico of a Stoicphilofopher, rather than the temple of truth. He who adopts, or he who propagates fuch a spurious theology, is to all intents and purposes, fanaticus, a fanatic [2. E. D.]—the light that is in him is darkness, and the zeal that actuates him is compofed of fparks of his own kindling.- Fanaticifm, THEREFORE [viz. by the logic of Latin], is to be found, not with the humble and fober enquirer after truth, who, with his Bible in his hand, and his heart elevated to the fountain of wisdom, prays, "What I know not teach thou me;" but with felfilluminated rationalifts, and felf-juftifying moralifts. their fyftem which makes fo much of Self, Reafon, Virtue, Works; and fo little of the Lord Jefus Chrift, is (and be it from this time forth for ever called) fanatical divinity.'

And

-what if it

Thus (as the Author expreffes himself) the tables are turned, with a witnefs! And by the authority aforefaid. be the authority of a word-catcher who lives on fyllables;" it is to all intents and purpofes,' as infallible as the authority of a general council-be it enacted, and it is hereby enacted, that from this time forth and for evermore,' fenfe and nonfenfe fhall change hands, caft over, and figure into each other's places. Glorious revolution! and to add to the wonder of fo trange and fingular an event, all is to be brought about by the feeble etymology of a Latin word, of which Varro and Voffius cannot agree in fettling the derivation. This, in truth, is

* Excellent logic! gratuitous mercy! all-fufficient facrifice! i. e. the free-gift was dearly fold and paid for to the uttermolt farthing!

literally,

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