medy, the Author has no great objection. Through the whole fourth act, the characters all enter the ftage in couples, Jew with Chriftian, Chriftian with Jew, like the clean and unclean into the ark: and in the fifth act, the Author has fo much plot left upon his hands, from having paid little or no attention to it in the three first acts of his Comedy, that he feems a good deal embarraffed by what means to get rid of it.

But to dwell no longer on the analyfis of a fable, which the Author himself gives up as indefenfible, let us rather advert to his avowed favourites, a pleafant laughable dialogue, and ftage-fituation!' In the firft he has carefully avoided the dangerous rock of fentiment, fo much execrated by modern critics, fo much dreaded by modern authors. We do not think he has rafhly thrown away much of that idle wit he is accufed of in the prologue; yet the dialogue is perhaps the most excellent quality of the comedy, moft of the perfonages being at least laughably fupported by a kind of mechanical jargon, feverally fuited to each character-a mode of dialogue juftly held cheap by Congreve, fpeaking of his own Ben in Love for Love, and rarely practifed by the firft writers among the moderns, and almoft wholly unknown to the ancients. The Stage-fituations too are often produced with much violence to the bufinefs of the piece, if fo flimfy a tiffue of incidents can be called business. The Auctioneer and the Phyfician afford but little entertainment, and are certainly not recommended by their novelty or utility. The Gold-Waiter, though alfo an excrefcence, is more happily introduced, and more pleafantly fuftained. We fhall therefore lay this fcene before our Readers, as one of the beft, perhaps as the very best, in the comedy:

SCENE, A Library. GOLD WAITER to Brookes's. [Lolling on a Table.}

A pretty place I am got into here; who the devil ever thought of feeing a fashionable waiter, like me, ftuck into a library! Heigh ho! I wish my Lord would come home, I can't lofe all my time in waiting to fettle with him for a few paltry rouleaus. Let me fee what engagements I have upon my hands-Lord Barebones to Sir John Scrape, 50 rouleaus; Houfe to Kit Cricket, Efq; 500. Aye, zounds what a life we gold waiters to the clubs lead, always on the wing, night and day; I must make my fortune foon, for I fhall never hold out above two winters longer.-But what queer old Put have we here?

Enter SIR ANDREW.

Sir Andrew. Ah! here's fome young fprig of quality, I fuppofe. [Afide.] Sir, I am your most obedient humble fervant.

Waiter. Damn me, he appears nobody, I'll be genteel. [Afide.] Sir, I am yours. [Affectedly.] Sir Andrew. I hope I have not interrupted you; I prelume you are waiting for my Lord.

• Waiter. Yes, I am, Sir.

• Sir

:

• Sir Andrew. He's well engaged, they tell me, as every member ought, in the public caufe. But pray, Sir, have you heard what paffed in the house yesterday?

• Waiter. O damme, nothing; we had nothing done at our house yesterday. Nothing, damme.

Sir Andrew, Our Houfe! a member of parliament, a refpectable character; its a pity he fwears so much. [Afide.] So, there was nothing done you fay, sir.

Waiter. O no, mere chicken play; fcarce a rouleau paffed the whole evening; damn'd poor and very cautious, not a dove amongst them.

Sir Andrew. Sir, a dove! What the devil is all this?.

[Afide.] • Waiter. O yes, now I think of it, we elected Governor Dividend; the first of pigeons, in full plumage, just arrived from Madras.

Sir Andrew. Elected! Oh, now I comprehend him. Pray, Sir, for what place? I do not remember his name.

Waiter. Place! why into the vacancy, damme; we shall all have a pluck at him before the campaign's at an end.

Sir Andrew. Campaign! What, in America, you mean?

• Waiter, America! Damme, he feems a fool. I'll queer him. [Afide.] Why, you'd make an excellent dove, old gentleman, with a few rouleaus in your pocket, and the bones in your hand.

Sir Andrewv. Really, Sir, I don't know what you mean.

Waiter. Who faid you did? [Afide.] Why, there was just fuch another gentleman as you we elected the other day-Gad, the first hand he took won every thing; then doubled ftakes; threw out every time, and in two hours was as bare as a ftarv'd blood-houndnot a fhilling left, but was fwept out of the houfe next morning in the carpet.

Sir Andrea. Upon my word, Sir, this may be all very fashionable and parliamentary, and a language that you may be accuftom'd to, but I must say that I don't underfiand it.

Waiter. No! why nobody understands any thing elfe now adays.

Sir Andrew. As that is the cafe, Sir, we may as well drop the converfation and have recourfe to books.

Waiter. Books! I'm glad you mention'd them-Here they are! [Taking out a pack of cards.] I never go without them. Come, fit down, old gentleman; come, [Clapping him on the back] you thall your choice-vingt un, piquet, quinze

have

Sir Andrew. [In a paffion.] Why, you ignorant wretch!

• Waiter. Ignorant! Damme, I'll foon fhew you the contraryHere, I have got Hoyle in my pocket-[Gives him a book.]--Now ask me what you like, and fee if I don't answer you.

Sir Andrew. Why, puppy! hangdog! [Throwing the book at bim.] what do you take me for ?-a compiler of games and calculator of chances! Zounds! I'll let you know--[Follows him round the room.]

Enter Lord RENTLESS.

• Lord. Hah! my dear Sir Andrew-I rejoice to fee youBut what is the meaning of all this?

• Sir

Sir Andrew. [Flurried.] Ho! ho!-Upon my word, my Lord, I can fcarce tell-but the gentleman there can probably inform you. • Waiter. No, indeed, my Lord, not, upon my honour.

Lord. Pray, Sir Andrew, be fo kind as to let me into the fecretI hope no incivility.

Sir Andrew. I'll tell you what, my Lord- -I have heard indeed that, in this general corruption, our reprefentatives were changed from what they used to be-but an unlooked-for infult from a mem ber of parliament--a pillar of the constitution make fuch an offerLord. Upon my word, Sir Andrew, I don't understand you. but if you refer to him

waiter as

Nickit is in general reckon'd as civil a

• Sir Andrew. A what! a waiter? Get out of my fight immediately, or by

Waiter. [Running out.] O yes, with all my heartnever to come into it again.

and I hope

[Exit.

Sir Andrew. Zounds! this adds to the infult-A waiter! Very well, Sir Andrew Acorn! I'll tell you what, my Lord-I'll tell you what-but 'tis no matter-the times are fo alter'd-fo I fay nothing.

• Lord. 'Pon honour, Sir Andrew, I do not yet comprehend the miftake you have made. To be fure, the people of our club are obliged to keep up a certain appearance, and a certain polish in their manners, but we feldom hear of their paffing for members of parliament.

• Sir Andrew. Oh, my Lord, I am quite fatisfied--but I am determined [Enter a Servant, who whispers Lord Rentlefs.] to make no more mistakes, for I'll neither believe my ears nor my understanding --that at least I'll take care of.'

Sir Andrew Acorn, who bears a part in the above fcene, is full-brother to Garrick's Sir John Trotley in Bon Ton; and Lord and Lady Rentless are first coufins to Lord and Lady Minikin. Their adventures also are nearly as much akin as their perfons, except that Garrick has carried on their diffolute intrigues with more decency under their own roof, than the prefent Author in the Ladies' Hotel, a place in which we cannot without pain behold Lady Rentlefs. The Military Alderman, the Oilman-Captain, is a tolerable copy of Foote's FishmongerMajor.

The Prologue and Epilogue to this comedy, like the comedy itself, are intended to be light, airy, and pleafant; and, like the comedy, are made up from many preceding pieces.

ART. X. Continuation of the Account of Mr. Gibbon's Hiftory of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. See our last.

N our Review for laft month we gave our fentiments in regard to the merit of this excellent work, and now proceed to lay before our Readers a general view of its contents.

The first chapter of the fecond volume (the 17th of the work) opens with a defcription of Conftantinople, which, from its advantageous

advantageous pofition, appears to have been formed by nature for the centre and capital of a great monarchy. Situated in the forty-first degree of latitude, the Imperial city commanded, from her feven hills, the oppofite fhores of Europe and Asia;: the climate was healthy and temperate, the foil fertile, the harbour fe cure and capacious; and the approach on the fide of the conti nent was of fmall extent and eafy defence. The Bofphorus and the Hellefpont may be confidered as the two gates of Conftantinople; and the prince who poffeffed thofe important paffages could always fhut them againft a naval enemy, and open them to the fleets of commerce. When the gates of the Hellefpont and Bofphorus were fhut, the capital ftill enjoyed, within their fpacious inclosure, every production which could fupply the wants, or gratify the luxury, of its numerous inhabitants. The fea-coafts of Thrace and Bithynia, which languifh under the weight of Turkish oppreffion, ftill exhibit a rich profpect of vineyards,.of gardens, and of plentiful harvefts; and the Pro pontis has ever been renowned for an inexhaustible ftore of the moft exquifite fish," that are taken in their stated feafons, without skill, and almost without labour. But when the paffages of the Streights were thrown open for trade, they alternately admitted the natural and artificial riches of the North and South," of the Euxine and of the Mediterranean. Whatever rude commodities were collected in the forefts of Germany and Scythia, as far as the fources. of the Tanais and the Boryfthenes; whatfoever was manufactured by the skill of Europe or Afia; the corn of Egypt, and the gems and fpices of the fartheft India, were brought by the varying winds into the port of Conftantinople, which, for many ages, attracted the commerce of the ancient world.

The profpect of beauty, of fafety, and of wealth, united in a fingle fpot, continues our Author, was fufficient to justify the choice. of Conftantine. But as fome decent mixture of prodigy and fable, has, in avery age, been fuppofed to reflect a becoming majefty on the origin of great cities, the Emperor was defirous of afcribing his: refolution, not fo much to the uncertain counfels of human policy, as to the infallible and eternal decrees of divine wisdom. In one of his laws he has been careful to inftruct pofterity, that, in obedience to the commands of God, he laid the everlating foundations of Conftantinople and though he has not condefcended to relate in what manner the cœleftial infpiration was communicated to his mind, the defect of his modeft filence has been liberally fupplied by the inge nuity of fucceeding writers; who defcribe the nocturnal vision which appeared to the fancy of Conflantine, as he flept within the walls of. Byzantium. The tutelar genius of the city, a venerable matron → finking under the weight of years and infirmities, was fuddenly transformed into a blooming maid, whom his own hands adorned transform with all the fymbols of Imperial greatnefs. The monarch awoke, interpreted the aufpicious emen, and obeyed, without hesitation, the REV. April 1781.

U

will

will of heaven. The day which gave birth to a city or colony was celebrated by the Romans with fuch ceremonies as had been ordained by a generous fuperftition; and though Conftantine might omit fome rites which favoured too ftrongly of their Pagan origin, yet he was anxious to leave a deep impreffion of hope and refpect on the minds of the fpectators. On foot, with a lance in his hand, the Emperor himself led the folemn proceffion; and directed the line, which was traced as the boundary of the deftined capital: till the growing circumference was observed with astonishment by the affiftants, who, at length, ventured to observe, that he had already exceeded the most ample measure of a great city. "I fhall ftill advance," replied Conftantine," till HE, the invifible guide who marches before me, thinks proper to ftop." Without prefuming to inveftigate the nature or motives of this extraordinary conductor, we fhall content ourselves with the more humble task of defcribing the extent and limits of Conftantinople.'

In reading this part of our Author's work, every competent judge will be ftruck with the accuracy of his geographical knowledge, which is indeed apparent through the whole of his history.

He now proceeds to take a view of that complicated system of policy which was introduced by Diocletian, improved by Conftantine, and completed by his immediate fucceffors. Such a view, he observes, may not only amuse the fancy by the fingu lar picture of a great empire, but will tend to illuftrate the fe cret and internal caufes of its rapid decay.

In the purfuit of any remarkable inftitution, fays he, we may be frequently led into the more early or the more recent times of the Roman hiftory; but the proper limits of this inquiry will be included, within a period of about one hundred and thirty years, from the acceffion of Conftantine to the publication of the Theodofian code (A. D. 438); from which, as well as from the Notitia of the Eaft and Weft, we derive the most copious and authentic information of the ftate of the empire. This variety of objects will fufpend, for fome time, the course of the narrative; but the interruption will be cenfured only by thofe readers who are infenfible to the importance of laws and manners, while they peruse, with eager curiofity, the tranfient intrigues of a court, or the accidental event of a battle.'

We shall not attempt to abridge this part of his work, but content ourselves with faying, that a more diftinct, accurate, and fatisfactory view of the fubject is no where to be met with, within fuch narrow limits. We cannot help inferting, however, what he has taken occafion to introduce concerning the taxes of France, which, he tells us, cannot be magnified, either by fear or by flattery, beyond the annual amount of eighteen millions fterling, which ought perhaps, he fays, to be shared among four and twenty millions of inhabitants.

In the 2d and 3d volumes of this History the Notes are placed at the bottom of the page, and on the above paffage we have the following:

• This