lowing circumftances, as particularly creditable to the parties. In note C. Mr. P. fays:

"I am informed that the manager of the Nottingham company of players will not have a perfon of bad character in his company; and that the fame is the cafe with the manager of the Lincoln company; and I understand that the Norwich company bear an excellent character likewife."

Too much praife cannot be given to this kind of care and circumfpection; the private characters of provincial performers being often as detrimental to the morals of the community, as the most objectionable dramas. There are several other anecdotes preferved in the notes, which ferve to prove that there are managers, writers, and auditors, even in the prefent corrupt times, who have not only shown a quick difcernment in the detection of what is offenfive, but a readinefs to correct and remove whatever is publicly pronounced to be objectionable. The Lord Chamberlain alfo, as licenser, has been known to pay refpect to the remonftrances of the Society for the Suppreffion of Vice. We join, however, with Mr. P. in wifhing, that this great officer of ftate would always confider the power, lodged in his hands, of flopping fuch things in limine; and that morals deserve his attention fully as much as politics, which are too often the principal thing regarded in the rejection of new pieces.

In the notes to this Difcourfe, we have fome curious ftrictures on the Stranger of Kotzebue, Lover's Vows, and other Plays, which have been cenfured by Mrs. H. More, and Mrs. Weft, as of an immoral tendency. It is not our defign to enter upon the merits of this difcuffion. That they are capable of being defended upon feveral points, Mr. P. has certainly fhown with fome fuccefs; but he himself allows, at the fame time, that they are faulty in others; therefore they muft ftill remain among the clafs of exceptionables. He refers us alfo to Mrs. Inchbald's preface to her edition of the British Theatre. In his defence of the Plays objected to, he dwells rather too much upon the character of other performances of the fame nature. He would defend the German fchool, by fhowing that many of our English writers have been as much to blame. This is fcarcely allowable, in an author who proposes a general reform.

Upon the whole, however, we muft fay of this work, as we have of other publications of the fame worthy author *, that the piety and good intentions of the writer are confpicu

* See vols.,xxvi, xxvii, xxx, &c.

ous

ous through the whole; and that it is undoubtedly calculated to do great good among many claffes and defcriptions of people. We fhould hope, too, that it cannot fail to produce fome important effects, if not publicly, or fo generally as might be wifhed, yet on many individuals in thofe feveral claffes of perfons, whofe intereft and fecurity Mr. P. appears to have fo much at heart. If the theatre cannot be altogether reformed by fuch works, they may yet be of great importance, if they ferve to narrow and leffen the effect of any bad impreffions which its abuses are calculated to excite.

ART. X. Brief Remarks on the Character and Compofition of the Ruffian Army, and a Sketch of the Campaigns in Poland in the Years 1806 and 1807. By Sir Robert Wilfon, Aide-de-Camp to the King; Knight of the Military Order of Maria Therefa, &c. &c. &c. 4to. 306 pp. II. 11s. 6d. boards. Egerton. 1810.

IT

T is very confolatory to Englishmen, at this period, to receive repeated and effective demonflration, that the prowels of the great enemy of Europe, when fairly put to the teft, is far from invincible; that much of his fuccefs has been owing to treachery, much to the imbecility of thofe to whom he was opposed, and not a little to the terror of hig 'name. Our countrymen, to their immortal honour have, on multiplied occafions, proved their decided fuperiority to Bonaparte and his myrmidons, and it does not appear at all unlikely that the time is faft approaching, when the mist will be diffipated, and Europe will fee the tyrant in his true colours, will no longer tremble at his name, but roused by the example of Britons, will endeavour to imitate their example, will vindicate the rights of the oppreffed, and reftore its injured nations to liberty and honour *. It is furely impoffible that the difcomfiture experienced by the French from the arms of Englifhmen, firft at Acre, afterwards in Egypt, at Maida, Vimeira, Talavera, Barrofa, and various other places, fhould not have a moral operation upon fur rounding nations who are fpectators of the conteft. It is our earnest prayer that this may happen, and we think this operation must be powerfully encouraged by the publication of Sir Robert Wilfon, in which it is clearly demonstrated, that the oftentatious bulletins of the French armies are always at variance with truth and fact; that their fucceffes are al

* While we ate correcting this pallage, we receive the first intelligence of a revolt in Holland,

ways

ways exaggerated beyond all bounds of moderation; and that very frequently, when vanquifhed, they affume the tone and infolence of conquerors.

After the total difperfion of the Pruffian forces, Sir Robert Wilfon was attached to the Ruffian army, and was present in the whole of the campaigns of 1806 and 1807. A foldier of high eminence and character himself, he of course viewed. every place, circumftance, and battle, with a military eye and has given us a narrative of all that he obferved, in the plain and forcible language of truth.

He commences his work by reprobating what he conceives to be a moft injurious reprefentation of the character, cuftoms, and manners of Ruffia, as exhibited in a popular work, which for fundry, and important reafons has not yet come before us, but which has made a deep impreffion upon the public mind, and been the fubject of much and earnest controversy. Sir Robert Wilfon appeals, in vindication of all that he urges in oppofing the reprefentations of that work, to the great and high authorities of Lord G. Levefon Gower, Earl Gower, Lord Whitworth, Lord Malmsbury, and many other individuals of exalted rank. The whole, indeed, of the introduction, which extends to thirty pages, contains an honourable tribute of refpect to Ruffia, introducing, very properly, a vindication of his own affertions in a former work, relative to the conduct of Bonaparte in Egypt, in which the accufer ftill perfifts, with the unaltered conviction, that they will be ultimately proved.

From this part we extract a fpecimen of the accuracy of French bulletins, contrafted with the real statement of facts, as exhibited by a British officer of high rank.

"Extract of Maffena's dispatch.

The English were never engaged in fo brifk an affair! We took

Total 1560 killed, wounded, and prifoners."

1

"General

"General Craufurd's official return, from the returns figned by the commanding officers of regiments.

Officers killed (one of which was a field-officer).

4

Maffena's account ..

British ditto

Difference between truth and falfehood 1305"

P. xxvi,

We infert alfo Mr. Hutchinfon's letter, as honourable to all parties.

"MY DEAR WILSON,

London, Nov. 24, 1810.

"I have received your note, and am rejoiced to learn that you are about to vindicate our most kind and gallant friends, the Ruffians, from the afperfions caft upon them by fome late publications in this country. It will afford me infinite fatisfaction to give you what affiftance I can in this your very laudable un dertaking; and I fhall lofe no time in furnishing you with fuch remarks upon the state of Ruffia, the condition of her people, their habits and manners, as my own obfervations during a late extenfive tour have enabled me to make. Short and defultory as thefe muft neceffarily be, from my never having had the moft diftant idea of being required to lay them upon an author's desk, I fhall ftill, I fear, not be able to let you have them in time for your publication, being at this moment much occupied in other purfuits, to which I am under the neceffity of attending; but I hope foon to have it in my power to furnish you with them.

"I can affure you with great truth, that I feel most indignant at the shameless calumnies and unfounded accufations which have been made against this people, and that too in the most illiberal manner. We are not juftified in libelling and defaming the court, the nobles, the army, and the peafantry of Ruffia, becaufe we are unfortunately at war with her,-Juftice is due even to an enemy,

enemy. To defcribe an entire people as vicious and barbarous, and with whom no intercourse should be held, is in itself prac tifing that which we arraign and condemn. There is nothing moral, wife, or polifhed, in labouring to perpetuate diffentions between states; nothing more arrogant, more injurious, and difcreditable to our country, than to be profufe in our cenfures of other nations--to be ever ready to credit and publish their faults and defects, and to attribute to millions thofe vices which we may have obferved in the conduct of individuals. There are certain great imperious duties incumbent on nations towards each other, which ought not to be violated under any varying cir sumitances of peace or war.

Believe me to remain,

My dear Wilfon,

"Your very fincere and faithful

"CHRISTOPHER HELY HUTCHINSON." P. xxviii.

At the end of the introduction, the reader will find some brief but comprehenfive and fatisfactory remarks on the character and compofition of the Ruffian army. Of the Infantry it is afferted, that they are athletic, and that with refpect to the ufe of the bayonet, the British alone can difpute the fuperiority with them. They are undaunted, always reluctant to retreat, patient, patriotic. That this feeling is carried even to excefs, the following anecdote will evince.

"A party of Ruffian officers, who had been taken at Landsberg, were marching to Prague on parole, but under the charge of fome French officers; a corps of [Ruffian] marauders furprised them, and after fome violence the Ruffian foldiers were indifcriminately proceeding to difpatch the French, when the Ruffian officers interfered, and endeavoured to explain, that as these French were but an amicable efcort to them, who had given their parole, their lives must not only be preferved, but that honour obliged the Ruffian officers to refufe the opportunity of release, and bound them to proceed as prifoners of war until regularly exchanged. The marauder captain ftepped forward- Will you,' addreffing himself to the Ruffian officers, join and command us, and con duct us to our country? If fo, we are bound to obey you, but with this annexed condition, that you do not interfere with our intention of putting to death the French who are in your company. No, we cannot,' was the anfwer; and arguments were urged to justify the propriety of their decifion. The marauders then affembled as a court-martial; and, after fome deliberation, the captain re-advanced, and delivered its fanguinary decree. The French, for their atrocious conduct to Ruffian prifoners on every occafion, have merited death. Execute the fentence.' Obedience was immediate, and the victims were fucceffively hot.