"precise situation and circumstances of which, and even the "sentiments and the very words themselves," it seems, Shakspeare has borrowed from this antient author, Sir Robert no longer confines himself to abstract. The speech of Hamlet inspires him; and he says, "I have the more particularly "translated part of this speech, as it will shew you, in its "original state, the rough diamond which Shakspeare has "polished to so transcendant a brightness." (Vol. I. p. 7.) As he adds in a note, "the coarseness of this translation will be 66 pardoned, as it is literal; otherwise than literal, it would "be unexpressive of the manners it is intended to represent;" it may be as well first to exhibit the original Latin, which is not quite so difficult to be met with as Sir Robert seems to imagine.

"Quid, mulierum turpissima, gravissimi criminis dissimula. ❝tionem falso lamenti genere expetis, quæ scorti more lasciviens, "nefariam ac detestabilem tori conditionem secuta, viri tui inter "fectorem pleno incesti șinu amplecteris, et ei qui prolis tuæ 66 parentem extinxerat, obscœnissimis blandimentorum illecebris ❝adularis? Ita nempe equæ conjugum suorum victoribus maritan"tur: brutorum natura hæc est, ut in diversa passim conjugia "rapiantur : hoc tibi exemplo prioris mariti memoriam exolevisse "constat. Ego verò non ab re stolidi speciem gero, çùm haud "dubitem, quin is qui fratrem oppresserit, in affines quoque pari "crudelitate debacchaturus sit. Unde stoliditatis quam industriæ "habitum amplecti præstat, et incolumitatis præsidium ab extremå "deliramentorum specie mutuavi. In animo tamen paternæ "ultionis studium perseverat, sed rerum occasiones aucupor,

temporum opportunitates opperior. Non idem omnibus locus "competit. Contra obscurum immitemque animum altioribus ❝ingenii modis uti convenit. Tibi verò supervacuum sit meam "lamentari desipientiam, quæ tuam justiùs ignominiam deplorare "debueras. Itaque non alienæ sed propriæ mentis vitium defleas 66 necesse est. Cætera silere memineris."

Saxo, Grammat. Histor. Dan. Lib. iii. p. 51. Edit. 1644.

The following is the Knight's literal translation; the closeness of which is sufficient evidence that he has copied only from the original Latin, and has not consulted any German paraphrase.

"Hear me, most polluted woman! thou who art loathsome "from thy crimes and thy hypocrisy; whose very breath is impreg"nated with the falsehood of thine heart! Thou, who only seemest "to lament one, who claims and deserves thy truest tears!"Shame!-by what a course of folly hast thou become a common "whore! Lasciviously and unlawfully holding in thy detestable "soul, conditions with thy husband's murderer-embracing in "incest this bosom fiend, and staining, with him, the sacred "bed of that king whose son will avenge his blood, and destroy all "the obscene allurements to thy execrable adultery, in the object "of thy brutal passion. Granted, thou mare-mated, that thy "victory is gained; that thou art now linked to the sun of thy let"chery-nature of brutes! and like them ye lose no moments of gratification, impelled but by your beastly wishes.-I had forgot---to one worn out and self-consumed by much enjoyment, "these examples are excellent, and to a married woman's mind, "most suitable.---Aye, forsooth, it must be preferable too, to carry on such warm desires as far as they will extend,---that "she should be a husband's brother's wife !---and to add yet unto "its pleasures, she must not stand to gain the foul accomplishment, but by the bearing down her wedded lord. Thou dam of 66 cruelty! Yes, I have played the mad-man, raved! With "this cloak of willing dulness I have wrapped about my reason; "it is my guard, while I watch to spring upon my prey. My soul "at every hour calls aloud for a murdered father's revenge. "moment is now arrived. I waited the opportunity, and time "has now given what I so impatiently desired, though, alas! not in "all deserving it. Dwell not, mother, on the dark and secret (6 causes which actuated thy son's apparent madness; wail not for my wild ravings, nor the actions of my insanity: turn thy la❝mentations on thyself; bemoan thine own infamy, and thine own "deformed heart.-Look to thyself!-deny not thy depravity "and faultiness; for these, thy sorrow is necessary indeed."Tear such foul weeds from thy bosom, mother, and check the "furor of thy crimes.-Thou hast once walked in the light of "virtue, call back to your remembrance its serenity, its joys: "turn to its pure flame, and once more let thy son see it beam upon his mother's face." (Vol. I. p. 7.)

แ

The

It is not easy to say which is most conspicuous on this occasion, the learning of the worthy Knight, or that of the Edinburgh Reviewer, who observes that Sir Robert "translates" (call you this translating ?)" some passages from Saxo "Grammaticus, to which Shakspeare seems to have been ❝ indebted ;" and adds, "They are curious, though not very

"delicate but one does not quite see why that author, as "well as Shakspeare, could not have been perused in Eng"land." (Edin. Rev. No. xxvii. p. 171.) One certainly does not quite see why the Edinburgh Reviewer might not as well read authors before he undertakes to pass opinions on them.

Leaving Elsineur, "the accidental disagreeables of that "city were soon forgotten in the natural beauties of the ❝ view."

"The shore, all along the Danish side, presents the most lovely "stretch of landscape I ever beheld. Mount Edgecumbe is look. ❝ed upon as the paradise of England: and what Mount Edge"cumbe is in one spot only, so appears the whole of Denmark "from Elsineur to Copenhagen. The land is high, and undula"ting in various romantic and sublime forms. Rich woods, "broken by park-like openings and verdant pastures, and inter"spersed with country-houses and villages for an extent of twenty"three miles, form the clothing of these beautiful hills. A stri86 king contrast to the black and naked line of the opposite coast." (Vol. I. p. 13.)

On landing at Constradt, where he "seemed in a new "region, and every sense was called forth to wonder and "exercise," Sir Robert "receives many kindnesses from the " governor, Admiral Hennacoff;" so eager were the great to salute him even on the confines of Russia! Bidding adieu to this benevolent man, he embarks on the Neva; and during his voyage, the boatmen, to whom he gives "a glass "or two of brandy to amuse them," entertain him in return by singing with mnch simplicity and ease several of their national airs.

"The strains are wild, and possess many pleasing and melan. "choly passages: yet the whole bore a strong tone of monotony "and abruptness. The one you heard (given to me by the Prince ❝de Courland while in England) is sufficient to convey a very just ❝idea of the general character of these northern songs." (Vol. I. p. 18.)

Arriving at St. Petersburgh, Sir Robert can scarcely find words to express his admiration of its magnificence.

"Such grandeur and symmetry in building, I never before be"held in any of the different capitals to which my fondness for "travel has conducted me, Every house seems a palace, and every palace a city." (Vol. I. p. 19.)

He then proceeds to give an animated and picturesque description of those parts of the city most worthy notice. But there is one point in which he and Mr. Coxe are at direct variance. Sir Robert says,

"The dingy hue of bricks, or the frippery of plaister, seldom "offends the eye in this noble city. Turn where you will, rise "immense fabrics of granite." (Vol. I. p. 20.)

While Mr. Coxe asserts, that

"The brick houses are ornamented with a white stucco, which has led several travellers to say, that they are built of stone; whereas, unless I am greatly mistaken, there are only two stone structures in all Petersburgh!" Coxe's Travels into

Russia, &c. Vol, II. p. 267. Edit. 1787.

Now unless it can be supposed that the city has been entire

ly rebuilt since the time that Mr. Coxe was there, it is not easy to account for these opposite statements.

Among the new works carrying on, Sir Robert describes a Metropolitan church, which when completed, he has no doubt, "will be a very powerful rival to the two great cathe "drals of Rome and London." The architect of this great design was formerly a slaye of Count Strogonoff, but enfranchised by that nobleman out of respect to his talents. It seems that the application of mechanism to the purpose of abridging human labour, is here little understood or encouraged. "All difficulties are overcome by human exertions "alone! Multitudes of labourers come some thousand versts "from the interior, to work during the summer season, and when the frost sets in, retire thither again."

Sir Robert next proceeds to give some account of the paintings in the hermitage, but there is little of novelty or interest in his remarks. At the Taurida palace he is in raptures with a statue of Venus, which he prefers to the Venus de Medici, and describes con amore the other classic treasures which are there deposited. He leads his reader also across the Neva, to the Institution for the Encouragement of the Arts; thinks sculpture and architecture in a very promising state, but that there is a very manifest want of genius for painting. In all these places, however, his brother-knight Sir John Carr has been before him; and Sir Robert always speaks of his work with true knightly courtesy.

As in the days of chivalry, piety was considered no less necessary than valour to form the character of a Christian knight, Sir Robert is resolved to shew that he is not deficient in this respect. Indeed, he misses no opportunity of displaying his skill in wielding the weapons of Theology; even thé far-famed Sir Hudibras might have feared a conflict with him. Without hesitation, he undertakes to unveil the mys teries of the Greek church, for the amusement of his military friend, to whom all the letters, of which the two volumes consist, are stated to have been addressed. He owns, indeed, that "much time is required, much reading, and many "conversations with the intelligent ministers of the Greek "church, to gain any correct idea of its institutions ;" (Vol. p. 97.) but with a noble confidence in his own powers, and a most courageous contempt for correct ideas, he does not shrink from the toil. And here again it would neither be just to Sir Robert nor the public, to pass unnoticed the supercilious observation of the Edinburgh Reviewer.

1.

"We say nothing of the account of the Greek church too-a subject very little adapted to such superficial writers as this author." Edin. Rev. xxvii. p. 175.

If the Reviewer had looked a little closer into the matter, he would have given Sir Robert credit for the depth and