LYCOPHRON. L. 408-416. VIRG. LYC. CASSANDRA in the preceding lines *Απασα δ' άλγη δέξεται κωκυμάτων, Aræthus and Acheron are rivers that flow through the country of Epire. But the latter is poetically deferibed as a river in hell, and is frequently fubftituted for that place. The fenfe therefore is My misfortunes fhall not only be lamented by every Greek on earth, but by every Greek that fre : & quents the coaft of Acheron. Earth and hell fhall atteft my wrongs. Τυμβευθήσεται. - τάφος ανεωγγίνος apua. Pfalm 5. Núpides louis, an innumerable fwarm or number. Nume bers without number. Milt. Canter, who underitood the force of Greek words, is inexcufable for rendering gora by intrabunt. This word but partially explains the poet's fenfe. At Line 565. we find de vous At Line 51. the participle door occurs. In thefe feveral paffages the poet has not loft fight of the primitive and proper sense of deibuat." In that fenfe it implies not merely to receive, but to receive as friends, who give the right hand in token of mutual fellowfhip. But they, fays the poet, ftrangers in a ftrange land, deftitute of friends, fhall welcome the grave, as their friend. Death alone, which puts a period to their miferies, fhall finally befriend them. This is the poet's ; sentiment which not Caffandra's obfcurity, but the inattention of tranf lators, has darkened and difguifed. The fame fentiment appears to advantage in an elegant modern poem, which begins thus: Friend to the wretch, whom every friend forfakes, I woo thee, Death. TO THE EDITOR OF THE EUROPEAN MAGAZINE. 1 SIR, Dutch" I heard of a company of Low Dutchmen, that had drunk fo deep, that, beginning to ftagger, and their heads turning round, they thought ve rily they were at fea, and that the upper chamber where they were was a hip infomuch that, it being foul windy weather, weather, they fell to throwing the ftools and other things out of the window, to lighten the veffel, for fear of fuffering fhipwreck." This anecdote, however, is not new. The fame circumftance, with additional circumftances of humour, is related in "A Sermon preached at Paules Croffe, гроп the foure and twentieth of March, 1615, by John White, DD." 4°. Lond. 3615, pp. 24, 25. where the preacher fays, "Now, all ouer the land, the Juftice of peace is milde, & the drunk ard merry, which two, you know, will amend no finne. I will tell you a ftorie in Athenæus of an alehouse that came to be called The figne of the gally, vpon this occafion. The roaring-boyes, meeting at a houfe, dranke fo long that, their braines being ouerwhelmed, they thought all that was about them to be the fea, and the roome where they fate. a gally, fo toffed with waues that they feared drowning; and therefore, as men in danger of fhipwracke, they threw all things that came to hand out of the window into the streete, pots, plate, and furniture, to lighten the fhip; which being taken vp & carried away by fuch as came by, thie Magiftrate next morning comes to punish them for the diforder: But they, hauing not yet flept out their drinke, anfwered him, That it was better to caft all into the fea, than [that] the gally, wherein they were, fhould be funke, & fo many braue gentlemen be calt away." And, while the Magiftrate wondred at their drunken imagination, another, creeping from vnder the table where he had lien all night, replied, thinking the Magiftrates to haue bene gods of the fea And I, O ye Tritons, for feare laid me downe vnder the hatches? Which diftemper of theirs the officers perceiuing, went their way, & forgiuing them, bade, Do fo no more; to whom they all gaue this thankes, If euer we escape this ftorme, & get fafe to land, we vow you ftatues, & will fet vp your images in our countrey as to our fauiours. This ftorie is a pattern of the behauiour which our drunkards vie, &c." Stephano, the drunken butler in the Tempeft, it may be added, is led to the adoption of naval language by the in-. fluence of the grape : A. iii. S. 1. "Tell not me when the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before : therefore bear up, and board 'em." C. THE MARINE VILLA OF JOHN SMITH, ESQ. UNDER DOVER CLIFFS. (WITH A VIEW.) TH HIS romantic building is fituated in a pleasant part of the rocks of Dover, and affords a beautiful view of the fea, and of the veffels conftantly paffing. It is occupied by JOHN SMITH, Efq. a Gentleman who was formerly in the army, and Aid-de-Camp to Lord George Germaine at the famous battle of Minden. In 1760 he married Mifs Mary Wilkinfon, daughter of Mr. Pinckney Wilkinfon, merchant, of London, and filter to Lady Camelford, without the confent of her father, by which he was deprived of the equal fhare the might otherwife have expected of Mr. Wilkin fon's great property. By this Lady, who died last year, he has had feveral children, and among others a fon, Sir Sidney Smith, one whofe name will be tranfmitted to pofterity with honour in the annals of his country. This little romântic spot is about a mile from Dover, and may juftly be efteemed as one of the curiofities of the place. The houfe and offices are built fram the chalk cliff, which is cut into fquare pieces, and at fome distance has the appearance of Portland ftone. The roofs of this building are compofed. entirely of old fishing boats, with the keel part uppermoft. These make most excellent garrets; and being well feafoned and pitched, make not only a light covering, but is proof against all weathers. Mr. Smith has cut his dairy, poultry-yard, and ftables, out of the rocks under the cliff; alfo a brewing-: houfe, and a moft excellent well, that is fupplied with fpring water. Its con-, tiguity to the fea, which rolls in on a very bold fhore, makes the fhrubs that are planted about it not thrive in fuck a manner as to come to any height. Yet, the want of a plantation is every way recompenced by the beautiful scenery from the houfe-the town and harbour of Dover; the Shakspeare Cliff about. two miles from it; the town of Folk-. ftone: and feveral bays that are visible, as far as the coaft of Suffex-render Mr. Smith's fituation fuperior to any on the coaft. ORIGINAL European Magazine. The Marine Villa of JOHN SMITH ESQ (Father of SIR SYDNEY SMITH under Dover Cliff's Published by J.Sawdl Cornhill Mar: 2.3802. ORIGINAL LETTER FROM THOMAS BLACKLOCK, THE blind poeT, TO DEAR SIR, (NOW FIRST PRINTED.). RECEIVED your laft inclofed to Mr. Jamiefon; and fo far as my fituation was capable of being confoled, I was happy in the tenderness and fympathy which you exprefs for me. Beneath thofe exalted pleasures which we are taught to expect in an eternal itate; beneath the enjoyment of God himself; I know no happiness which deferves the attention of a wife man, but fuch as we derive from confcious virtue, benevolence, or friendship. These alone are at prefent the cordial drops with which Heaven has thought proper to mix my cup of bitterness. Since every object of my former purfuit eludes my embrace, or grows infipid by enjoyment, it is time to anticipate fuch pleasures as are fubject to neither of thefe misfortunes, and to cultivate a relish for them. Fate and nature tell me, that I must quickly make my exit from the prefent fcene; and never could they fend this information to a heart lefs intimidated by it. I approach the verge of my prefent existence, not with the reluctance of unexperienced youth, not with the horrors of guilt and fuperftition, but with the cheerfulness of a wearied traveller in profpect of the chamber deftined for his repofe. From this account it will be eafy to judge, how much I would prize, or how eagerly purfue y civil or ecclefiaftical employment re it in my power. But far from ng fo, it is beyond my remoteft hopes, access to every refource whence advantages are derived are denied me. I have neither power nor in nce in life, and am confequently pable of interefting any who have There are evils which may be fufred without mortification; yet, let me confefs it, there are others which I cannot think of without being melted to infantine weaknefs. In my former I told you, that I had projected one laft refource, and made one laft effort for happiness had I then forefeen the weakness of my conftitution, and the unhappiness of my circumstances, : VOL. XXXIX, MARCH 1801. fooner would I have run any hazard which this, or any future scene can prefent, than have ventured to form fuch an ill-fated connexion. It is true, that thofe who are interested in me, perfuaded either by my looks or the prefent degree of ftrength which I stem to poffefs, flatter themfelves, or are wil ling to flatter me, that my present in-. difpofition will not prove decifive; fuch is the opinion of the Lady formerly mentioned. I have endeavoured to imprefs her with contrary fentiments, that the friendship between us might be diffolved without tearing; but I had reason to lament my fuccefs, for in proportion to her fense of my danger, which after my return from Edinburgh was pretty high, her whole manner, not to me only, but to all her other friends, appeared expreffive of dejection and mifery. I had not refolution to continue my former plan, but ufed every poffible argument to perfuade her of my returning health, and though confcious of acting a wrong part in this, I have not fufficient strength of mind to act a right one. This is my prefent fituation of mind; I know it is what I ought not to have difcovered to one of your humanity, nor can I pretend any other apology, but that I apply to the laft and most natural resource of wretchednefs, the fympathy of a friend. It is all I ask, 'tis all I hope, and it is what I am fure to obtain. Pray tell me whether your brother profecutes the fame bufinefs with you, or whether friends in the country may not have it in their power to ferve him? The precaution in my former, concerning the balance of accounts between us, was not taken from any fear of its appearing against my relations, but that you might recover it with greater cafe from myself during my own life. Once more I muft afk pardon for the length and fubject of this letter. But if you continue to favour me as a correfpondent, my future answers fhall be lefs tedious and more cheerful. As you are now more difengaged from fecular bufinefs, the Ꮓ demands 4 |