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properly purified, and neither the heads nor the hearts of the people would risque a probability of injury. Another advantage would also accrue. By placing apprentices in the manufactory, the English themselves might attain eminence in the art.

I had written thus far, when I was interrupted by the visit of a friend. When the ceremonies of meeting were over, he requested a sight of my manuscript. Politeness dictated compliance. By an attention to the workings of the human countenance much is some. times to be learned. During his perusal of my paper, a smile fre quently played on his face: but it was not a smile of contempt, therefore my mind received no wound. When he had concluded, laying his hand on my shoulder, he exclaimed: My dear Sir, you are labouring under an egregious error. You must not submit this to the world. The people will laugh at your ignorance; will ridicule your want of taste! Sir! Do not be offended,' rejoined he, I will endeavour to elucidate your misconceptions: you must not suppose that, at the Italian theatre to which you allude, the audience attend to what is going forward upon the stage. The ladies lounge away their time in talking scandal; in admiring their own persons, lovely and unlovely; and in envying the more elegant dresses of their rivals. The dashing fellows that attend are taken up with relating the pedigree and exploits of their favourite horses; with ogling the women, and rehearsing parts of scenes, a critique on which is frequently published in the hall of Doctor's Commons..

The English are very modest, and think very meanly of their own performances, when compared with those of foreigners; therefore the Italians furnish them with operas and ballets; their friends, the Germans, with tragedies and comedies; and their enemies, the French, with farces and spectacles. John Bull cares but little whence his amusements are derived, provided they be not of native growth. As to your belief of this country's possessing no dramatic authors, it is the grossest error into which you could possibly have fallen,

We have Shakspeare, who far exceeds all dramatic writers in exhibiting man under every diversity of character and situation, and with every movement of passion.

Each change of many-colour'd life he drew,
Exhausted worlds, and then imagin'd new :
Existence saw him spurn her bounded reign,
And panting time toil`d after him in vain.
His powerful strokes presiding truth impress'd,
And unresisting passion storm'd the breast."

Whenever bis magic pencil spread its colours,

'Twas nature's genuine image, wild and grand,
The strong mark'd picture of a master's hand.'

E

The pathetic Southern, the eloquent Rowe, and the tender and affecting Otway, too, could draw the tear of love and pity. But not in tragedy alone do we stand unrivalled: the Comic Muse has smiled propitious on our island. The strong, varied, poignant, and universal humour, the exquisite and brilliant wit; of Shakspeare, the genuine humour of Beaumont and Fletcher, the electric wit of Congreve, may bid defiance to the world

"But those, perhaps, are dead,' cried I, or the people have seen and read them so often that their beauties no longer create interest." No, they are not dead! for in their works they live for ever! We have a long list of authors whose writings form an exhaustless mine of every excellence. But, admitting your supposition to be trueor that those golden volumes were annihilated; we have writers of the present day, to whose performances if you turn from the extravagant ravings, nonsense, and immorality of Kotzebue, to just and natural character, you will find forcible humour, brilliant wit, sound sense and observation, and virtuous tendency.'

But the time will come when native merit shall obtain its just reward; when the sacred ashes of departed excellence shall be re vered; when the insulted manes of Shakspeare and of Otway shall be appeased! + + + + + +

MR.

OPINION OF MR. BURKE

OF THE

DRAMATIC WRITINGS OF MR. MURPHY,

R. BURKE had very great pleasure in beholding, as well as in reading, the dramatic performances of his friend and country, man, Mr. Murphy, that distinguished author, whose powers and knowledge have contributed so agreeable and valuable additions to English literature. He thought that both as a comic and serious writer he shewed a profound insight into man in his general nature, as well as peculiar diversities, arising from local and temporary cir cumstances, prejudices, opinions, fashions, and customs. His genius he thought both strong and versatile. He regarded with great admiration the comedy of All in the Wrong, which exhibits so just,

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260 CHARACTER OF MR. MÜRPHY'S DRAMATIC WRITINGS.

natural, and striking a picture of self-tormenting jealousy;' drawing inferences productive of misery to its votaries from occurrences and circumstances in themselves so totally accidental and indifferent. He thought also very highly of The Way to Keep Him,' both as to plot, character, and moral tendency; that with great variety and force of humour, with agreeable and interesting seenes, all admirably connected, and tending to one end, it taught, and strongly inculcated, on the one hand, the evils of conjugal infidelity; and, on the other, the most prudent and effectual means of securing virtue, and promoting happiness in the marriage state. Nor was he less pleased with excellent exhibition of unsteadiness of character in Know Your Own Mind; a play, in which the mind of the author, though fully matured in the experience of life, displays a greater variety of just, and often-appearing characters, than perhaps any of his former works. The representation of filial affection in The Grecian Daughter no less pleased Mr. Burke than these three admirable comedies, He was much amused and diverted with the lighter dramatic works of the same author. He could repeat the greater part of the Citizen," and of the Apprentice,' and we doubt not he equally relished the Upholsterer, and other productions. Mr. Burke karned an anec dote respecting the Apprentice,' that he often related with great glee Mr. Murphy, when he first prepared his coup d'essai for the stage, about the commencement of his acquaintance with Mr. Burke, had composed it without the character of Wingate, the hero's father. He had an uncle, a trader in the city, that had often endeavoured to enrich his mind with economical maxims, and to prove to him, the uselessness of literature. Mr. Murphy conceiving himself to be still a favourite with his uncle, notwithstanding his dereliction of the mercantile path he had chalked out for him, expected a handsome legacy at his death; and on the faith of it, with juvenile imprudence, incurred a debt of two hundred pounds. On the decease of the uncle, he found there was not a farthing bequeathed to him. In great anxiety about his embarrassment, he at last reflected on the lessons of old Jeffery, and thought he would make not a bad figure as a character in his farce. He accordingly brought him for ward as Old Wingate, recommending Cocker's Arithmetic as the only book worthy of being studied, and keeping very closely to the, sentiments and language of his worthy relation. The added personage tended considerably to the great success of the performance. • 36,-Said Mr. Murphy, I made old Jeffery at last extricate me from my difficulties.'

August.]

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ACCOUNT OF KAHIRA,

AND THE

GOVERNMENT OF EGYPT.

BY MR. BROWN, THE MOST RECENT TRAVELLER.]

RESIDENCE in Kahira at distin& intervals, but extending in all to y eleven months, may enable me to attempt some account of this celebrated city, with, perhaps, more advantages than have fallen to the lot of any other recent traveller. A cursory glance of the manners and customs of a people is often fallacious, and a temporary exception is liable to be converted into a general rule..

The yet numerous population, the various nations, with their several languages, dresses, and manners, conspire with the romantic, name of Grand Cairo, the second capital of the East, the metropolis of Africa, the scene of surprizing events in history, and of yet more surprizing incidents in Arabian fable, to impress the spectator with curiosity, and admiration..

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༦་་ •

The city of Kahira is situated on the east of the Nile, which devolves its majestic flood at some little distance. The suburbs, however Misrel attike, and Bulak, or. the port, form, two points of contact with the river. To the south-east and east is a ridge of the extensive chain which runs along the course of the Nile to Upper Egypt, sometimes. receding, and leaving a plain of about a league broad; at others places opposing its barrier to the stream., To the north, a plain ex-、 tends to the Delta, which it resembles, in soil and productions. Ime mediately under the mountain is the castle, now incapable of de- { fence, though esteemed of great strengh before the invention of artillery of bedien

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To an eye accustomed to the cities of Europe, their wide streets, and general uniformity, the view of the capital of Egypt might ap pear mean and disgusting. Yet it is termed by the natives Misra without an equal, Misr the mother of the world. Convenience is comparative, and ideas of it must vary with manners and customs. ›› The narrowness of the streets appears even necessary to a native, to protect him from the fierce effulgence of the meridian sun; an slight canopy, extended from house to house, affords him more pleas sure than any architectural prospect could convey.

799

VOL. I.

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For about the space of three hundred years, Egypt had been governed by the military aristocracy of the Mamlukes, when it was subdued by Sultan Selim in the year 1517. Sensible of the distance, defended situation, and refractory spirit of the province, he thought it politic to enter into a compromise with its former government and ancient prejudices. It was likewise well known, that the secure situation of the country, little exposed to any external attack, would have favoured the ambitious designs of a rival Pacha.

By an institution still observed in some instances, he ordained, that the Pacha should be contented to share the power of the Beys, and that the duration of his authority should depend on their collective will. The Boys must necessarily have separate personal interests, which sometimes lead them to intestine outrage and bloodshed; yet, with regard to any external power or influence, their interests are universally the saine. As allies or as enemies they form one body and one soul. Selim was too confident in the power and splendour of the Ottoman arms, and in his own character of chief of their religion, to entertain any suspicion that the commands of the Porte would ever be treated except with distinguished respect.

The power of the Pacha was at first very extensive; but has, by the intrigues and ambition of the Beys, been gradually reduced almost to a cypher. His jurisdiction was rather civil than military. He was always president of the Divan, which was held in the castle where he resided. But that council now commonly meets in the palace of one of the chief Beys, except when a firman or mandate is received from Constantinople, when the Beys are summoned to the castle to hear the commands of the Porte. The few who attend, as soon as the reading is finished, answer, as is usual, Esmána wa taână, 'We have heard, and we obey.' On leaving the castle, their general voice is, Esmâna wa awesîna, we have heard, and shall disobey.'

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In the year 1791, Salalı Aga, a slave of Murad Bey, was deputed from the government of Egypt to negociate their peace with the Porte. He carried presents of horses, rich stuffs, &c. A spontaneous tribute, which the Porte was in no condition to enforce, implied obligation on the part of the latter. He was well received, and afterwards was appointed Waquil es Sultan, Agent or Attorney to the Sultan in Kahira It is probable this office was given him to incline him to second the efforts of the Court in disuniting the Beys: but it was ineffectual. These had formerly experienced the evils of division, and now were united by common interest, grown rich, and

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