Yet from thefe fcenes, to paint a tortur'd mind, Tho' winds and waves in direful contest rage; Remains a talk by numbers smooth declin'd, And coy defcription fhuns the afking page. If once your feet this mental void explor'd, Or fighs the wretched to the winds alone? Soft as the breeze that in a calm fucceeds, Clear as the ftreams that thro' yon valleys flow; Sweet as the gales from variegated meads, When jes'mines twine, and blooming rofes glow. Some gentle spirit whispers in my ear, Why thus indulge this mockery of grief, What firft impell'd the aggravating tear? Go, trace its fource, and there await relief. Say, if fatality, in prefcient pow'r, Hath wrought each movement in thy freedom's force; Did fov`reign mercy plan the fin-fraught hour, If fober reafon ratify'd its choice? Vain man! to think, if thro' thy liftless hands, The noxious weed and prickly t orn prefume, Till sharpen'd fteel devotes the mazy bands, The facred flower can gild thy mental gloom? Confus'd I ftood, that thus in frantic guife The fplendid weaknefs 'fcap'd my awless tongue; When dim ey'd paflion foar'd above the skies For fruit that still on Nature's branches hung! Oh, Fortitude! thy nervous arm display'd, Had quench'd the ardour of conflictive ftrife; Nor o'er my cheeks the foft emotion spread, But gently calin I'd trod the wafte of life. Yet fhall experience, fcorning dull repose, With quicken'd eye the deep felt lore improve; So from the wounded tree the balfam flows, Whofe healing pow'rs the keenest pangs remove. As the tow'ring fapling thakes, Swinging fhades before the moon ; And the startled bird awakes, But is lull'd to flumber foon. Such a time what joy to rove, With the youthful village throng, Thro the half illumin'd grove, Shouting to the rambling fong. Then the man of woe might stray, Sick of life, deceiv'd, undone ; Moralize his griefs away, Happy at the absent fun. Then might lovers on a steep, While the loud waves ftruck its base, Then the hermit might review, THEATRICUS. To the Editor of the COUNTY MAGAZINE. SIR, MONG other effects of the diffufion A of political information, it cannot have efcaped your obfervation, that our language has fuffered confiderably; at least, many words have been fo much changed in their meaning, as to be hardly recognizable according to the old fense. I might here particularly confider the abufe of the words patriot and patriotifm, whig, &c. but I fhall confine my remarks to one word only, which is very much ufed, I mean the word independent; it is in every perfon's mouth, and moft frequently grofsly abufed. We hear of independent members-the independent part of the Houfe-of a question carried by the independent intereft, &c. The meaning of the words independent member, I take to be, one who, without any expectations of favour or intereft from either party, votes juft as he thinks for the time, and fupports the Minifter when he thinks he deferves fupport, and oppofes him when he thinks he deferves oppofition. The proof that this definition is a juft one, arifes from confidering the true meaning of words in the common and generally received opinion, before they were perverted by politicians. According to this definition, I am afraid we thall find, that the independent members are very few in number, and hardly ever can be confidered as a body able to carry any meafures of themfelves. The Oppofition give themfelves credit for being a fet of independent men. But there cannot be a more grofs proftitution of terms. Are they independent in point of fortune? Look at the fortunes of Fox, Burke, and Sheridan, and anfwer the queftion. Are they independent in point of principle? No; for they hang together by an indif foluble chain. What one fays they all fay; when one is wrong they are all wrong; and even when one of them falls into an error, be it ever fo grofs, they all fupport him. To be thus leagued together is contrary to every moral and political idea of independence. An independent man can be a man of no party, but they avow their party; they avow their connections, and they glory in what they call their unalterable friendships; and here I may add, that they are equally falfe in the affertion, as the famous, or infamous Coalition, can teftify. The man who is fatisfied with his fituation, be his fortune what it may, is an independent man; but, by this criterion, they are proved not to be independent men, for their struggles are perpetual ftruggles for place and power, the fweets of which they have perfectly tafted, yet could not even then be rendered independent, without grafping at more than the conftitution of the country could allow, and the fpirit of the people permit. Another meaning of the word indepen dent, is rich. A man of great landed eitate is called an independent man, or a man of great wealth. This alfo is fallacious; for there are many whom no fortune can fatisfy, and we actually find that the greatest fortunes are the leaft independent. If they do not want any thing for themselves, they do for their dependents and fupporters, not to fpeak of the ambition which carries them to look for a higher rank, or a Peerageor, what they glory in, being the head of a party. If, then, we cannot look for independent men among the Oppofition, where are we to find them? in the Ministry? I am afraid not.-The minifterial friends are either in poffeffion, or in expectation of place and power; and, it is well known, that tho.e favours are beftowed on certain condition, which militate against every idea of independence. Yet, I am inclined to think, that the conduct of Mr. Pitt, in the proiccution of Mr. Haftings, is demonftrative of an independent mind, provided it does not prove hereafter to be only a political manoeuvre. I am, Sir, yours, POLITICULUS. To the Editor of th: COUNTY MAGAZINE. PERMIT "who does not ftudy rather to do good fically) muft adapt itself to the fubject; the metropolis can boaft: and as the advantage of the foreign, over our national theatres, has principally arifen from the audience part being femicircularly conftructed, the defigner of the building we are now defcribing has judiciously availed himself of fuch a plan. The upper galmost accurate computation, contain fix hundred and forty perfons. The fecond gallery will contain one thoufand; the pit three hundred and fixty; the front boxes one hundred and ninety-eight; the fide boxes three hundred and ninety-fix. The whole length of the Theatre is one hundred and twenty, and the breadth fifty-fix feet. a plain man, in a plain ftile, to fay a few words, through the channel of your inftructive Mifcellany, on the fubject of Education. It is al-or the primary agent (to fpeak fcienti-lery of the Royalty Theatre will, on the lowed that on fuch a topic, perfons of different ideas may be expected to vary in opinion from each other. Prejudices of education in fome, and a love of novelty in others, will more or lefs tincture all their converfation,-will more or less pervade all their writings,-I might have added, will more or lefs bias all their actions. The bombaft and affected phrase, commonly productive of confufed ideas and indefinite language, may difguft as much as the flovenly and the carelefs. Something may perhaps be found in each not unworthy of attention; but it must be admitted that fomething molt ufually will are now hithing at the caft merit cenfure. When theory and practice unite, the proper line of education feems to be attained; to attribute too much to either fingly, is to fap and undermine the very principles of education. However commendable a viva voce method of inftruction may be, however neceflary experience may prove fuch a mode of communicating knowledge; we fhould guard against the abufe, by accuftoming our youth to know the ufe of marks and churafters, as well as words. May not a boy then be induced, if properly encouraged, to afpire to the knowledge of fpeaking charafters, by means of living words? May not his eyes be exercifed as well as his ears, the fenfe of feeing as well as the fenfe of hearing? May not the one be rendered inftrumental to the other, and the practice of THAT employed as a means of creating an emulation for knowing THIS? Strength of memory, or (which may fuit fome difpofitions better) to fpeak lefs intelligibly, the retentive faculty is not equal in all; that fact is undeniable. But why, Mr. Editor, fhould I perplex myfelf or your readers with a jargon of founds, to aflign the caufe; when, after all, perhaps, we fhould be unable to fix the precife limits, how much is to be attributed to the exercife of those natural powers originally implanted in our nature and conftitution, or what degree of ftrength must be allowed to the powers themfelves. J. M. PALMER's NEW THEATRE. HE various reports relative to the ern part of London having been extreme- To the elegant lightnefs of the build-ing may be added the beauty of the decorations, in which exquifite tafte is difplayed. The pillars, which fupport the upper tier of boxes, are not within of the architectonic orders, with of any fancy kind, and enriched truffes; the middle pillars partake of the Compofite order; and the pillars of the lower tier incline to the Doric. Over each box there is an entablature, on which trophies The ROYALTY THEATRE, for fo it is are painted. The ceiling of the theatre denominated from the ground on which is highly finished; there are four fpandrel it is erected., being within the precincts pannels with ornaments in chiaro ofcuro; of a palace, is conftructed of the very in the centre a fky, with a border of beft materials, neither expence nor labour oaken leaves, and the whole is bordered having been fpared to render a perfectly by a galofs. The Theatre is painted a compleat building. If there be any fault ftone colour, the borders richly gilded. in the architect, it is of the fame nature A light crimfon paper has been chofen with that imputed to Sir John Vanbrugh, for the boxes, and they are lined with a who, in defigning the Opera-houfe, car-watered moreen of a correfpondent coried ftrength and folidity to fuch an ex-lour; the border of the paper is of a light cefs, as if he intended his edifice to defy ground, with variegated colours. the ravages of time. itage box, on his Majefty's fide, is decorated with the Royal arms, in chiaro ofcuro; the oppolite box has the arms of the Tower. Mr. John Wilmot, the architect, feems to have fallen into the fame, if the expreffion be allowable, laudable error; for, contrary to the intereft of his profeffion, he has been the fabricator of a building, which, from its excellent workmanship, will occafion the proprietors to incur very little expence in the repairs during the continuance of a century. Mr. John Robinfon, of Wellclofe-fquare, and to Robinfon, of Wellclofe-fquare, and to whom the fuperintendance of the new works at Woolwich was committed, has acted as furveyor of the Royalty Theatre; in which capacity he has fhewn the utmoft fkill and judgment. The galleries of the Royalty Theatre are infinitely fuperior to any belonging to the various theatres in the kingdom. I wish not to extend this letter beyond Being of a femicircular form, there is not its due bounds; the modes of education, a fituation from which the fpectators will therefore, I fhall profeffedly decline. But not have a diftinct view of every part of a noble faying of a very worthy divine, the ftage, and from the laft feat of both and one of the firft fcholars of this age, galleries the extremity of the building is now gone to receive his reward, fo for- confpicuously difcerned, without ftoopcibly impreffes me on this fubject, that Iing, or in any manner varying the nacannot forbear repeating it. "A man," as I have many times heard him fay, tural pofition of the body. This is an The The stage of the Royalty Theatre is confiderably longer and wider than that of the Opera-houfe; and the fcenes are much higher than thofe at any of the theatres. The pit paffage is fo fpacious, as to he capable of containing as many perfons as the pit itfelf. There is a moft excellent box lobby, abounding with every convenience, and a drawing-room for the ladies, in the ftile of the Opera-house. The whole of the boxes are to be illuminated in glafs chandeliers, made from a drawing truly elegant. The ceiling of the boxes is confiderably loftier than that of either of the houses; and care has been taken to render the different avenues as convenient as poffible. What is theatrically termed the drop cloth, reprefents an octagon faloon, the pillars of the Doric order; in two niches are the figures of Prudence and Fortitude. Above the entablature there are two pannels, on each of which is reprefented, in baffo relievo, a facrifice; the one to Mars, the other For the COUNTY MAGAZINE. ODE ON AMBITION, Of noblest minds, thou worst disease: II. One man envenom'd with thy fting, to Diana. A gallery leading from the faloon" him in love with Parliaments, but let to other apartments terminates the view. "thofe Parliaments be free; study his hoHaving mentioned the decorations of " nour-prevent his paffions-correct his this new theatre, it would be an unparCC errors-keep England ever uppermost in donable omiffion not to pay a tribute to the merit of the artift, who has difplayed" England as born only for the good Tho' overgorg'd, yet grasping more, "your thoughts, and confider the King of AMBITION, thou first born of pow'r, fo elegant a tafte on the occafion. Mr." of his people-Shield him, if pollible, Dixon, by whom the organ was painted," from flattery; it is a rock more fatal to Thou taught ft the Titans to rebel, Whom world poffett, woulds fail to please. which is ufed in the Abbey on the com- cc princes, than Charybdis even was to ma-And heaven with hill on hill to scale. memoration of Handel, and whose "riners. Know none but the good, but the hand is diftinguifhable at the Pantheon," friends, the true friends of your country. and in the King's box at the Opera-"Fear nothing but your own confcience, houfe; he is the perfon felected to paint" aim at nothing but the profperity of the all the fcenes at Mr. Palmer's Theatre, and❝ftate." When fpeaking of the King, his to whom whatever there is of novelty, Lordfhip proceeds as follows: "He (the of beauty, or of excellence, in the thea- King) has the glorious privilege of partrical parts, fhould be attributed. On" doning 'offences and rewarding great the fourth of June, being the birth-day" actions, while the odious, or at least the of our most gracious Sovereign, Mr." reluctant part of jurifdiétion, fuch as pu- To the Editor of the COUNTY MAGAZINE. Palmer propofes to open the Royalty" nifhment and condemnation, are allowed Theatre; and the fummer feafon not" to his officers; to him alone is left the interfering with the interefts of the win-" godlike power of mercy and forgiveness. ter houses, the spirit of contention can- « From hence, perhaps, Kings have thought not poffibly fubfift where there is not an "themfelves the reprefentatives of Godobject of rivalship for which to contend. "would to God they thought themfelves "reprefentatives of the people!" For the COUNTY MAGAZINE. Whatfoever was written aforetime, was written for our Learning. MR. EDITOR, ΟΝ For the COUNTY MAGAZINE. Wrote by a GENTLEMAN at an Inn, on the Death, war, and defolation bring; F SIR, Swanage, May 10, 1787. you will give the following enigmati A CONSTANT READER. ift, Two-fixths of a British King, three fifths of what most rich people poflefs; a confonant, and a ferpentine letter. 2d, The reverfe to foft; and twothirds of a conclufion. N_reading the late amiable Lord Cork's letters to his fon, the late honourable Hamilton Boyle, I was much IN this journey of life, which we all of us travel, of a 'fmall coin, and what with Gram ftricken with the last of them; and thinking that the advice it contains may not be unfeafonable at this time; knowing alfo that you, Mr. Editor, are a friend to every thing that will improve, as well as adorn mankind, I am induced to defire you to infert the following extract. EXTRACT, &c. The roads fome smooth, fome rough, fome Some whisk it in high life, fome trudge it on foot, fide; A wife, if you please, to enliven my ride. Not too faft, nor too flow, but finooth, even and To stop or go on, may I always be ready; 3d, A ferpentine letter; three-fourths marians non eft litera. 4th, Three-fourths of a narrow path, and a colour reverfed. 5th, A ftanding water. 6th, Two-fifths of a carriage; and two-fourths of that which is generally found upon trees. The following French phrafes are now generally adopted in our language: Grement Degagée « Your fate, my son, may lead you to And a heart that can feel for the griefs of another. A Amateur Embarras "have admittance to the facred clofet, or SALISBURY: Printed by B. C. COLLINS; And fold by all BOOKSELLERS, NEWSMEN, &C. Enjouément Hauteur Naiveté Eclaircillement Politesse Entre nous Femme ornée Mauvaise honte Prefentiment Piquant Papillotes Spectacle Tapis Tendre Tout enfemble &c. &c. &c. For JUN E, No. XVIII. Vol. I. EXTRACTS FROM SYLVA, OR THE WOOD; BEING A COLLECTION OF ANECDOTES, CHARACTERS, &c. Just published, by a SOCIETY of the LEARNED. I OF MAKING A FIGURE. To be continued Monthly. 1787. Price Three-Pence. fity, ordered fix eggs to be boiled; two for him, two for his mother, and two for himfelf: but the fon, itching to give a fpecimen of his newly acquired fcience, boiled only three. To the father, afking the reafon of this, "by," fays the fon, "there are fix.' "How fo," fays the father, I can make but three."-"No!" replies the young fophifter," is not here one? (counting them out)-is not there two? "and is not there three? and do not one, two, and three, make fix?"-" Well "then," fays the father, "I'll take two, your mother fhall have one, and you "hall have the other three." "(with your leave) I will referve the little HAVE read of a fquib motto will do for all who diffipate their fubftance by shining or figuring with fhew and equipage. When a husbandman claimed kinship with Robert Grofthead, Bishop of Lincoln, and thereupon requested from him an of fice, "Coufin," faid the Bishop, "if your "cart be broken, I'll mend it; if your plough be old, I'll give you a new one, "and even feed to fow your land: but a "husbandman I found you, and a husband"man I'll leave you." The bifhop thought it kinder (as fhould feem) to ferve him in his way, than to take him out of it; and perhaps Stephen Duck, the thresher, had been better provided for, if, inftead of being first penfioned and then ordained, he had been endowed with ten acres of land, and fuffered to threfh on. By turning the laborious thresher into an inactive parfon, they brought lunacy firft, and then fuicide, upon a man who might otherwife have enjoyed himself with two cows and a pig, and ended his days in ferenity and ease. Many appearances may tempt one to fufpect, that the understanding, difciplined with logic, is not fo competent for the inveftigation of truth, as if left to its natural operations. "A man of wit," fays Bayle, who applies himfelf long and clofely to "logic, feldom fails of becoming a ca"viller; and by his fophiftical fubtleties, "perplexes and embroils the very thefes "he had defended. He chooses to destroy "his own work rather than forbear dif"puting; and he starts fuch objections againft his own opinions, that his whole art cannot folve them. Such is the fate of those who apply themselves too much to the subtleties of dialectics." This is the opinion of Bayle, who probably knew from feeling and experience the truth of what he faid; for he was a very great fceptic. Meanwhile, and to return once more to the fubject; if an old man will fo forget himself as to marry, he should, above all things, avoid a young wife; left, as Bayle expreffes it, "he expofe his forehead" "to a fhameful and very uncafy difgrace." A young man is not exempt from this misfortune; how fhould an old? If thefe things happen where the wood is green, what can be expected where it is dry? Befides, if he efcape the thing, he may be haunted with the idea; that is, he may fufpect him. felf to be a cuckold, though he really be not; which, perhaps, is a greater evil than altercation rather; for there is fomething fo capto be one without fufpecting it.' Of LOGIC, and the practical Use of it. | N n *Thefe fyllogiftici are terrible company to men in general, and fit only for one another. With them you cannot be faid to have converfation, but tious and litigious in their fpirit, that they draw every the most trifling thing that can be started into a difpute. Before fuch, you must not expect to talk at ease; that eafe and indolence, which make a man carelefs about both ideas and language: no, you must be wary and correct; you must be always upon the defensive; you must keep a perpetual guard, as you would over your purse, were a pickpocket in the room. To the Editor of the COUNTY MAGAZINE. their way to the Parliament Houfe, by a ADDRESSED TO MISS SIR, crowd of carriages. The old Gentleman, HE Young Ladies of Dorchefter find-and impatient of the leaft delay, put his HE Young Ladies of Dorchefter find-head through the window of his caring themselves unnoticed by you, riage, and began to rate his coachman for and that many of your correfpondents have not getting on; called him blockhead, fool, fent you enigmatical lifts of Old Maids, and directed him how to drive to extricate whom they have unjustly honoured with them from the crowd; upon which the the appellation of Young Ladies, which un- fellow defcended from the box with great doubtedly belongs to them, and others of feeming compofure, and faid, "if you their age (18), have directed me to beg the think you can drive better than I can, favour of you to infure them a place in the next Magazine, fully affured, that their you may drive yourfelf; for damn me if I an't fick of it." He accordingly appearing in fo extenfive a publication, came home and brought his whip with will be the means of introducing them to him. The carriage was driven home by the world, and enlarging their acquaintance, which is at prefent confined within the a porter, and Mr. Hanway purfued his narrow limits of the tea-table. way on foot. Marlborough, Wilts, May 2, 1786. TAK AKE, my P—, take this trifle, Never may it fear a rival, When I'm abfent from thy prefence, Sacrifice a tender tear- When thy tears increase thy charms, If wand'ring thoughts fhould ever come; This will chide the lovely rover, A And gently call the wanderers home. For the COUNTY MAGAZINE. THE The youthful affection which glows in the heart, But if the fond virgin be deftin'd to feel If ftolen the glance by which Love is confefs'd, If the whisper of paffion cold caution must move, |