Signor Tendocci" Le nettes tuz je na

=

ton on a plan then in agration of trening traževa to add to the solemnity, 11 win I na kt

gentlemen of the long rute.

66

"Yes," said T. Warto, but it mut ze van sat

Dec. 21.

notes. His Lordship state,

son of great literary fant, w

that, though impressed with a deep and firm conviction of the truth of revelation, he was sometimes staggered by the nature of the dispensation itself. He was much impressed with the failures of the promises of Christ in his own person; he could say, he never had a prayer answered: and often was in a state of alienation from religion. He heard with much temper my free declaration. The description of his feelings on the repeated rejection of his prayers, reminded me of the conduct of the people who flog their idols when disappointed of their petitions to them.

June 25. Dined at Ellis's. Tooke said, that Erskine affirmed to him, that the man whom for his abilities he least liked to have opposed to him, was Law.

June 26. After dinner, went with Ellis to tea at Shee's. Opie called in. He possesses, I think, but a very ordinary mind. Had much political discussion. It is remarkable that all artists and literati have a tendency, more or less, to revolutionary principles. Talleyrand flew into a passion when asked by an Englishman whether he might remain in safety after the desertion of our ambassador. Prenez-vous nous pour des barbares ?" he cried :—the day but one after they were all seized.

66

July 21. Read Marmontel's romantic account of his life. The French appear to have a wonderful deal of feeling in the domestic relations,* to which we are utter strangers in this country. He says that he soon found that the study of languages is also that of distinguishing the shades of ideas, of decomposing and seizing with precision their characteristic relations; that it forms in truth a rich sense of elementary philosophy. There is truth and depth in this remark. He affirms that the practice of monthly confession-that modest, chaste, and humble avowal of our most secret faults, perhaps prevented a greater number of them than all the most holy motives put together: I can readily believe him. He described Rousseau precisely as Burke has done, as actuated by consuming vanity, destroying all the better parts of his character, and inflaming his mind to insane suspicions and distrust of all around him-loving mankind at a distance, but hating all who approached him. How accurate all Burke's information appears to have been! He neatly observes, that Voltaire had rather insects to brush, than serpents to strangle.

Aug. 13. Read Hume's Essay on Miracles. The longer I live, and the more I read and reflect, the higher I estimate Hume's merits. I never however could admit the principle he assumes in this essay that we believe in testimony solely because we observe the connection that exists between testimony and truth. There can be no doubt, I think, that we are disposed to believe in testimony, antecedently to the observation of any such connection. He admits that we are naturally inclined to speak truth. Why should he not have admitted that we are naturally inclined to believe what is asserted? And it appears to me that he might have ac

* A true, though to us a most melancholy remark, which Mr. Green might have extended beyond France. There is no Christian country which I ever visited, or with which I am acquainted, where the domestic charities are so cold, and the ties of kindred so weak, as in the most moral country of the world; they are more alive and more plainly to be seen, I think, in the higher and the lower classes of the communities, which will lead perhaps to the cause why they are so weakened and impaired in the intermediate stations of society, and will suggest some salutary reflections. The Apostle tells us that "the love of money is the root of all evil!" Would it be very difficult then, when we know that the "root is evil," to agree also with the deduction of the Gospel," that a corrupt tree bringeth not forth good fruit," and that the possessions of men are indeed snares to them.-EDIT.

connted for this inclination on his own principles of belief, from the vivid exhibition of ideas to the mind. Nor can I see or allow the application of what he has said on miracles to prophecies. There appears a falling in Hume's argument, for are we not all, with respect to asserted Miracles, in the same situation that he states the Indian King was in respecting the asserted existence of Eve? They are facts not contrary to our experience, but not conformable to it. There is no opposite proof, but merely presumption, which adequate proof may countervail. His incidental arguments are stronger than his main.

Aug. 1. Read the Connoisseur. It displays no great vigour of thought, or depth of judgment, or acuteness of discrimination, but there are frequently amusing corruscations of playful wit. It is happily observed in the 125th Number, that the Poets of the former age thought poetically, while those of the present only express themselves so.

Aug. 3. Walked with Fisin round the gaol. The gallows erecting for the execution, F. mentioned that a friend of his had often inquired of a person who had been turned off, and cut down on a reprieve, what were his sensations? He said the preparations were dreadful beyond all expression. On being dropped, found himself midst fields and rivers of blood, gradually acquired a greenish tinge-imagined if he could reach a certain spot in the same, he should be casy-struggled forcibly to attainand felt no more!!

Aug. 27. Read the third volume of the Adventurer. It may be observed, that there is no instance of a frantic benevolence, forming its purpose on false principles, and pursuing it by ridiculous means; or of an extravagant cheerfulness, founded on the fancied felicity of others. If the lunatic is merry, he is never kind; his sport is always mischief, and his malevolence is in proportion to his derangement.

Sept. 6. Read with great disgust Otway's Orphan. Its merit is the forcible, vivid, and impassioned description in particular passages; for the fable itself is inartificially unfolded, unnaturally conducted, and revoltingly concluded. The characters themselves have little interest; and the moral sentiments are of the most profligate and abandoned cast. How would Acasto like to have his supposed dying precepts to his son-a forced supposition, merely to give them weight-tried against his daughters? There is to me a something in Otway, a shocking mixture of profligate voluptuousness and savage ferocity, most abhorrent to my feelings, and which converts my delight at his excellencies, into a sensation of vicious enjoy

ment.

Sept. 12. Sat for my likeness to Bennett, while engaged in a very pleasant conversation with Mr. Bradstreet. Mentioned a capital pun of Tom Warton's. The ladies at Oxford were giggling while Signor Tenducci was singing. Somebody observed that it was extremely ill-bred. "Oh!" said Warton, "ladies have no idea of breeding in company with Signor Tenducci." Lee mentioned that he was chatting with Tom Warton on a plan then in agitation, of executing criminals in a sort of gown, to add to the solemnity, to which, it was said, there was an objection from gentlemen of the long robe. Lee proposed a watchman's great coat. Yes," said T. Warton, "but it must have hanging sleeves."

Dec. 21. Began the Walpoliana, interlarded with Lord Chedworth's notes. His Lordship states, "that he had heard it conjectured by a person of great literary fame, who seemed satisfied of the truth of his conjec

ture,* that the author of Junius was a Mr. Lloyd, brother of the late Dean of Worcester." Lord Chedworth mentions having heard that Lord Oxford, on being asked respecting Atterbury's guilt, replied, “Why, I am afraid my friend Frank has been dabbling."-These notes evince his Lordship to have been a sincere,believer in Christianity, and a sound Whig. In his critical remarks, I observe that cautious timidity which formed a prominent feature in his Lordship's character. To be judicious was his highest aim; and to have been so, forms his highest literary praise.— Lord Chedworth, in a note in Walpoliana, thinks that Swift strongly marked his character by the inscription which he desired to be placed on his tomb, "Ubi sæva indignatio ulterius cor lacerare nequit."

1806.

Jan. 9. Finished the Life of Fox. There is a good account of his style of eloquence. Its characteristic I take to be a happy adaptation to the auditory he addresses. His arguments never soar above, or fall short of, or spread wide of his object. They hit it precisely, and are then urged with such a restless succession, as overpowers all resistance, and establish him beyond all rivalry the great master of popular debate.

Jan. 15. Dined at Mr. Layton's. Dr. Thompson mentioned a pun of Jekyll's. He said that he had an infallible argument to prove that Ireland must soon become enormously rich. "What is it?""Its capital is always doubling."

March 23. Read Goldsmith's Deserted Village. The sentiments and imagery are highly natural and beautiful, and in some parts exquisitely touching; but he has stated, in his Dedication to Sir Joshua Reynolds, the fatal objection to the whole poem,-that it is founded on a false hypothesis !

May 24. Read Millar on the Origin of Ranks, in which he considers with great ability the influence of the progress of society on the condition of women. He has a very just critical stricture on Spenser's Faery Queen. The author, he observes, has covered his fable with a veil of allegory, which is too dark to have much beauty of its own, and which, notwithstanding the strength of imagery displayed, destroys the appearance of reality, necessary in works of imagination, to interest the affections. Certain it is, the discovery of this allegory has greatly impaired my enjoyment of the poem.

May 28. I read Timon of Athens, with Lord Chedworth and Seymour's notes. I am pleased to find that Burke remarked to Johnson, what forcibly struck me, the shades of discrimination by which Shakspeare has distinguished the character of Timon from that of Apemantus. Seymour states that he heard Burke say to Hickey the sculptor, "You, Sir, live by the dead, and the dead live by you."

June 2. Went to the Tower Church, and heard a sermon from Mr. Kilderbee, and the primary charge of Dr. Bathurst, Bishop of Norwich. The former showed his teeth. Nothing could be more temperate, enlightened, and judicious, than the address of the Bishop. The difference in

* This person was Dr. Parr. See Mr. Barker's interesting Letters on the Author of Junius. In a passage in another part of this Diary, Mr. Green says, "Though H. Tooke affects to know the author, in his dispute with him, he told me himself that he never could discover who he was."—Ed.

the tone of the two discourses, though on the same subject, was very striking.

July 2. Walked to Opie's, and viewed his pictures. Opie said he wrote Sir J. Reynolds' Life in Pilkington's Account of Painters. Alderson said he had met Sheridun at Wilson's,-rather too fond of making speeches, but possessing the happy art* of conciliating the good will of others, by making them pleased with themselves.

July 5. Attended the trial on Lord Chadworth's Will. Garrow opened with great spirit. Lords Dartmouth, Suffolk, Moira, and Eldon, Sir C. Banbury, Col. Stisted, Wilson, Muir, Alderson, and Miles, were all establishing his Lordship's sanity and superior intellectual powers, gratifying to his friends. Lord Eldon's testimony too much of a prepared speech ;called his Lordship shy and inapproachable. A paltry case on the part of the heirs-at-law, introduced in a very neat, eloquent, and gentlemanly speech of Dallas. The counsel did not reply, nor Lord Ellenborough sum up. Legatees excluded from giving evidence, by being made parties in the cause; deeply interested in the whole trial, and much affected in different parts of it.-Saw Wilson at his house, showed me Dr. Parr's Letter to Fonblanque respecting Lord Chedworth, a most extraordinary mixture of high praise, and strange insinuation.

Sept. 24. Had much chat with R. Wilson. Said that Fox's last words were, "I die happy." Then looking at his wife, "I pity you." Retained his perfect judgment till within a quarter of an hour of his death. His mind then vacillated. Wilson mentioned that Sheridan said to him,"That old fool, Parr, applied to me by saying, 'I hope I shall have a distinguished place allotted to me in the funeral procession.""

Oct. 19. Beattie, in a letter to Sir W. Forbes, considers " poetry as almost incompatible with philosophy; poetry exhibits the general qualities of a species; philosophy the particular qualities of individuals." This is surely an erroneous view of the subject. Poetry would be thus more abstract than philosophy. Lord Holland considers the chief objects of poetry to be, to delineate strongly the character and passions of mankiud, to paint the appearances of nature, and to describe their effects on the sensations ; the probability of the story, the connexion of the tale, the regularity of the design, are beauties rather ornamental than necessary, which have often been attained by those who had no poetical genius, and neglected by

those who had.

Oct. 28.. Walked with Wilson to Pearson's. Showed me a letter from the Prince to him, of three sides, written in a bold free hand, but rather loose, and light and perplexed in style; perfectly easy, beginning "Dear Wilson," and ending "Yours most sincerely." The object to get Wilson to use his interest with the Duke of Northumberland to have his secretary Macmahon elected for some borough where there would be no opposition or difficulty, as his health, for which he expresses great solicitude, is very precarious. The feelings expressed in this very gentlemanly letter do high honour to the Prince's heart. He precedes his letter“most private and important!" and would not for the world that his young friend (Macmahon) should know its contents.

Oct. 29. Finished Gentz's State of Europe. He displays very just and enlarged views of the position and relative interests of States; and

A very true observation; but the art was unfortunately a little too visible, or rather it was not quite disinterested in its application.-ED.

He was elected for Aldborough, Suffolk.