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THE EDINBURGH MAGAZINE and LITE

RARY MISCELLANY, being a New Series of the Scots Magazine, for April, 1820. Contents.--Remarks on "The Monastery." On the Restoration of the Parthenon. Illustrations of the Topography of Troy, with a Review of the Opinions of preceding Writers (concluded). Remarks on the Miscellaneous Poetry of Goethe. Journal of a Visit to Holland, including an Account of the Great Works at Catwicke; Letter X. Notes from an Old Diary, relating to the Rebellion of 1745. Canzone of Tasso. Historical Notices of the popular Superstitions, Traditions, and Customs of Tiviotdale. Account of an Apparition in Ayrsmoss. German Reviews. The Bystander; No. 1. Inquiry re

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No. 174.

REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.

Antar

Trans

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1820.

; a Bedoueer Romance. lated from the Arabic, by Terrick Hamilton, Esq. London, 1820. 12mo. Vols 2, 8, and 4.

Chodawend, the son of Chosroe, invades
Arabia, and, after a skirmish, the following
characteristic circumstances are told.

"And the Persians alighted in their tents, and the land and the desert were filled, and whilst they were reposing, Khodawend or dered a letter to be written to the tribe of Abs commanding them to subinit; and let When the first volume of this re- it be mentioned that in that case I will stand markable book was published last year, as mediator between them and my father, but we expressed a very favourable opinion if they resist I will not spare one of them `of it, and quoted copiously from its elther high or low. Accordingly the vizier contents, to justify that opinion. The wrote a letter to King Zoheir to the above effect, stating,-Khodawend is advised to three volumes now before us, complete destroy you, but he has had compassion on (we believe) the first part of the Ara-you; he has resolved on acknowledging you bian work, which is of great length; the supports of his government, and the and continue to exhibit a curious pic- abettors of its greatness. Feel therefore the ture of the customs and manners of the value of this intention, and presume not to Arab tribes antecedent to the era of thwart the imperial goverment. Mahomet, With what change the introduction of his religion has made, these habits seem to have descended to the nineteenth century; and the narrative of the adventures of Antar, though sufficiently marvellous, may be consulted as no bad account of Arabia at the pre-ing the satrap, Antar said to Maadi Kereb, sent moment. Four volumes may pro-chief, verily there is a satrap advancing bably be thought somewhat too much of the matter; but, if we give up, as we in truth must do, the point of entertainment to that extent, we still adhere to our predilection for the publication, as a literary curiosity.

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Having folded the letter, he gave it to a satrap, and ordered him to depart. He also honoured him with ensigns and standards, and gave him an escort of twenty Persian horsemen, with an interpreter called Ocab, son of Terdjem. The tribe of Abs had alighted, and not one remained on horseback but Antar and Maadi Kereh, who on observ

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So he wept, and groaned, and complained, thus expressing himself:

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"O knight of the horses of warriors that overthrow; their lion, resembling the roaring ocean. By your awful appearance you have disgraced heroes, and reduced them to despair. As soon as the Persian sees you he is dishonoured; if they approach you, and extend their spears against your glory, they must retreat, or there is no security. Have compassion then on your victim, a person of little worth, whose family will be in misery when he is gone. Not the thrust of the spear or battle are among my qualifications. I profess no fighting; I have no cleaving scimitar. My name is Ocab: but indeed I am no fighting man, and the sword in the palm of my hand only chases pelicans.' "Antar laughed at Ocab's verses. 0 Aboolfawaris, said Maadi Kereb, it would be foul indeed to hang this fellow. He has confessed his crime. Antar let him go. Return to your family, said he, and go no more to the Persian, or you will be in danger; for when they see you safe they will accuse you, and perhaps will put you to death. You are very right, my lord, said he: by the faith of an Arab, had I known these Persians would

The author continues to relate the loves of Antar and his cousin Ibla; the opposition to their marriage by the family of the latter; the wars and encounters, the treachery, - murders, and exploits, arising out of the circumstances, which retard or promote their union. The whole concludes with a magnificent marriage, at which all the tribes of Arabia, 360 in number, are feasted.

have been thus worsted I would not have quitted you, and probably I might have matowards us, he probably wants us to surren-naged to secure some of their goods, and der ourselves to him that he may take us have returned with it to my family. Sheikh, and hang us on the balcony; I rather wish said Maadi Kereb, this business has failed : to begin with them before they commence but, come, take the spoils of this satrap, and with us. They were in conversation, when return to your family, and pass not your lo! the satrap came up to them; he did not evening a dead man. Ay, my lord, said Ocab, salute them, but asked for King Zoheir. He he is a wise fellow who returns safe to his inquires for King Zoheir, said the interpreter, friends. So he ran up to the satrap and desfor he has a letter from Khodawend for him. poiled him. Round his waist was a girdle We, O Arab, said Antar, have read your and a sword, and when Ocab saw all that letter before its arrival; in it your prince wealth he was bewildered; and having comorders us to surrender ourselves without pletely rifled him, O my lord, said he to fighting or contending. Pull that satrap off Antar, I will never separate from you again. the back of his horse, said he to Shiboob; I wish you would present me to your king, ay, and the rest too. Seize all their property; that I may kiss his hand, and offer hin my and if any one dares struggle with you, treat services: then indeed I will for ever cleave to There is too much sameness in the com-him thus-and at the word he expanded his your party, and whenever you slay a satrap bats, and the reader becomes fatigued with arm, and pierced the satrap though the I will plunder him. Antar laughed heartily: the repetition of sword-strokes, which divide chest, forcing the spear out quivering through But, said Maadi Kereb, O Aboolfawaris, you men and horses into four equal parts, and his back, and he hurled him down dead have slain the satrap, and now King Zoheir other prodigies of valour and strength of the When his comrades saw what Antar had cannot consult with him. O Mandi, suid like description. In fact, it requires al done, they cried out for quarter, and sur- Antar, whenever any one comes to order s most the courage and perseverance of Antar rendered themselves to Shiboob, who bound to surrender ourselves to him we will hang to get through four volumes of fights, all so them fast by the shoulders. As to the inter- him, and not parley with him. Antar joined similar in incidents and results: the novelty preter, he shuddered. May God requite King Zoheir, and gave him the letter; he ceases, and attention flags, under the ponder-you well, said he, for you have answered us read it, and was much agitated. My lord, ous load of exaggeration and wonderful before even reading the letter. If this indeed said Antar, what is the answer? Fanging events. We shall, however, endeavour to is the honorary robe for a satrap, let it not be and belieading must be the answer, said spare our readers the weariness which we so for an interpreter; for I have children | King Zolin, so that Kholawend may send have experienced; and, while re enable and a family, and I am but a poor fellow. I no more of his setraps. I have done so, then to form a judgment upon Antar, amuse only followed these Persians, but with the pro- said Autur, and going out he saw that Shithem by selecting the most interesting and spect of gaining some miserable trifle. Inc-boob haal hung rost of them; only three rediversified passages. ver calculated on being hung; and my chil-mained. He ordered bha to share their dren when I am gone will remain orphans. beards, and cut off their ears, and sling the

An immense Persian army, under Prince
VOL. IV.

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(To be concluded in our next.)

heads of those he had hung round their necks, | swords and shields were shattered; hands and he fainted; but when he recovered from his and send them back to their prince. Shi-necks were clipped off; spears dashed through swoon, he cast his eyes towards King Zoboob did as his brother ordered: one of the eyes; and the heart of Amarah burst." heir's seat, and thus expressed himself: them died on the road; two arrived, and their Amaral is Antar's rival. The subjoined Weep abundantly, my eyes, in torrents clothes were of the cornelian dyes; and when is a description of a volcano near which cer- of tears; aid me, relieve my woes with weepthey stood in the presence of Zermekal they tain tribes subject to a chief called Nacmahing! For oh! I have lost a prince that was grunted and blasphemed, saying, the fault dwelt. Nacmah going on a foray, sent my support-that was my full moon; but it is Khodawend's, who condescends to nego-to the tribes of Riyah, and Sabah, Washah, is now set below the earth! I have lost the tiate with these Arabs. Zerkemal introduced and Atbool, and Barik, and Shamrack, and sea and the rain by my enemies, and him them to the prince, and informed him what ordered them to march with all expedition; whose benevolence resembled the deluging had passed. Khodawend, on hearing this, for these tribes were subject to him, and clouds. I have lost a lion, but in no lion swore by the fire that they must bring be- feared his cruelty. Their residences were was there his power. I have lost the knight fore him every Arah fettered, with their round the mountain of volcano, and all had of war, the invincible hero: my heart is on hands bound round their necks, or he would adopted the worship of the moon. This fire. I have lost all resignation for a prince put to death every Persian he had with him. mountain was one of the phenomena of the who taught the Arabs on the day of combat He passed that night in great anxiety for the All-merciful Lord, for there incessantly is- with his spear. O Cais, depend on me; for appearance of day; and soon the men shout-sued from it something like a black cloud, in my heart is a flame of fire that consumes ed among the troops; the horsemen mount- and whenever the new moon rose, from this it, and my forbearance I can no longer pered; the two armies prepared; the dust arose mountain burst forth groans, and sparks of sist in. Rise with me; let us seek vengeance and obscured the land; the trumpets re-fire flew forth. It was a black mountain, speedily, for death is sweeter to my heart sounded, and shouts were raised; the impe- and no one was able to ascend it, and iron than honey. Reproach me not for my wars, rial standards advanced; the Arab horse could not have any effect on its stony sides. I love them: I will hear neither word nor pranced, and the tribe of Abs also were An historian has noticed it, saying, The rebuke. Night is my complexion, and the eager for the contest in defence of their wo- Lord God has been angry with this moun-lions of war know me. The coat of mail is men and families, but they did not move far tain, ever since he created the world at first, my strong tower, and my heart is hewn out from the entrance of the mountains. Antar and at the consummation it will be the stone of a rock. Warriors are reduced to conattacked the Persian, and scattered away work of hell. In one of my excursions tempt by me in the day of combat, as the their skulls. He wished on that day to I ascended it, and I saw within it terrific Arabs can witness for me. Woe, woe to keep off the Persians from the assault, but wonders; its summit is divided in two, and my heart, for what it has lost. Death, now the armies could not be controlled; they in the centre is a sea of fire, that never sub- Zoheir is no more, is my noblest aim. shouted in their jargons, and raised their sides, but day and night it rolls in waves of voices; but Khodawend prevented his Arabs flame, and on it are angels of wrath, and from attacking with the Persians. Prince stern enormous monsters, that are never Aswad came forth, and also Rebía and Ha-weary, but are continually stationed for its difah, and they stood just without the scene punishment by the will of the omnipotent of battle, enjoying the spectacle of the con- God." test between the Absians and Persians. The universe was in convulsions. The sun, with the violence of the dust, was veiled; the earth shook ; lives were plundered; men were wildered; swords clashed; the senses fled; blood flowed; the land was in tumults; the dust rose in clouds; the dead were trampled on with fury; the brave advanced, the cowards "Set is the full moon, though once it was shrunk away. Antar and Maadi exhibited all in its zenith; hidden is its light, and all is their powers on that day. Khodawend was dark. Eclipsed is the sun, and the morn no amazed. And they continued in that perilous more returns in smiles. Fallen are the conconfusion till the day fled, and the night stellations; they have disappeared; the atcame on in obscurity. The whole country mosphere is obscured; the dust of darkness is was crammed with the dead. The armies of over it; all the seas are hollow, and are sunk Khodawend alighted at their tents, whilst deep; we have lost its dews and its clouds. At Antar and Maadi Kereb returned in front of the moment that Zoheir fell dead infamy their troops, resembling the flowers of the shrouded us, and sat upon us. Fortune has Judas tree, so smeared were they with the made him drink of the cup of death, but likeblood of the horsemen. They remained on wise fortune will be quick in its vengeance. guard till daylight, when the armies drew up He was my stay, my armour in adversity; he for the battle and the contest. The Absians was my breastplate, my spear, my scimitar. stood forth, and in front were Antar and O my eyes, when ye shed not tears, may Maadi Kereb like the lions of the waste. sleep be denied ye! I swear by Him who, Khodawend commanded the Persians to slays and brings to life, by Him who rules make the attack against the Absians. In- the light and the darkness, never will I raise stantly the complexion of the beautiful my sword in battle till I behold all my enechanged; the cries were incessant; the gates mies in dismay and in shame. O tribe of the battle raged; shouts were vehement. shade of my sword; soon shall thy wives of success were closed upon the Persians; Aamir, O clan of Kelab, dread the light and The coward thought of his life, and scream-scream in terrors of captivity; soon shall ed. Skulls were chopped off by the sword; they weep for their orphaned little ones. the king of death was eager in the pursuit of am Antar, son of Shedad, and ny star is souls; energy was excited; all sport was at high raised above the sublimity of the seven an end. The horses were drenched in perspiration; great was the agitation; heads were smote and were cleft in twain. The stumbling and slipping were universal;

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Though the Arabic poetry must lose much of its beauty in prose translation, there is a great deal to admire in many of these compositions. Antar's lamentation for the death of his King Zoheir, affords an example :

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Memoirs of Richard Lovell Edgeworth, Esq. Begun by Himself, and concluded by his Daughter Maria Edgeworth. London, 1820. 2 vols. 8vo. When we took up this work we felt apprehensive that two solid volumes would be found too much for the subject; and as we perused the early pages, that apprehension became stronger. We were however agreeably disappointed after we got through the nursery stories of the author's childhood, and, accompanying him into the world, began to fall upon matter of a more entertaining cast.

There is something very beautiful and affecting in the idea of a child completing the biography of a parent; and it loses nothing by the way in which it is put in Mr. Edgeworth's introduction. He says,

earnest request, has promised to revise, com-
"My beloved daughter, Maria, at my
plete, and publish her father's life.

on the one hand, or exaggeration on the other,
Were she to perceive any extenuation
it would wound her feelings; she would be
obliged to alter, or omit, what she did not
fic have a better surety than this, for the
approve, and her affection for her friend and
parent would be diminished :-can the pub-
accuracy of these memoirs?"
He adds-

heavens !'

“When Antar had finished his verses, his tears gushed out in incessant streams, and he wept bitterly, till he could no more, and

"I now take leave of the world, which has been most indulgent to me, as a man, and as an author, and I take leave of the world with this declaration,-that, to speak the truth without harshness, is, in my opinion,

The eccentricities of Mr. E. and of some of his friends, are unfolded in some whimsical anecdotes. We copy the following in a miscellaneous way.

the most certain way to succeed in every | started from the socket in a fit of passion. I himself so fully by his confusion, that the honorable pursuit." These are the fatalities in forming the youth-colonel, in a fit of summary justice, threw ful mind; and though the author praises his him out of the window. For this Sir Franmother's knowledge of human nature, he cis Delaval was charged five hundred pounds." has herein set up a beacon to be avoided, Mr. E. married in 1763, and lived princinot an example to be imitated. But we pally in Berkshire, where he became very pass to pleasanter subjects, only premising, intimate with Mr. Day, cultivating at the that in 1761, the author entered Corpus same time an intercourse with most of the Christi College, having studied previously literati of the time. at Dublin: his bent however appears to have been almost exclusively towards mechanicks, which became his ruling passion. The following story is told of Sir Francis Delaval's electioneering at Andover. "His attorney's bill was yet to be discharged. It had been running on for many years, and though large sums had been paid on occount, a prodigious balance still remained to be adjusted. The affair came before the King's Bench. Among a variety of exorbitant and monstrous charges there appeared the following article.

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To being thrown out of the window at the George Inn, Andover to my leg being thereby broken-to surgeon's bill, and loss of time and business-all in the service of Sir F. B. Delaval.-Five hundred pounds.' "When this curious item came to be ex

The author sets out with the antiquity of his family, into the records of which he enters, favouring us with, here and there, a bull or idle tale. For instance at page 8 it is stated of one of his female ancestors, that " after the rebels had forced this lady out of the castle, and had set fire to it, they plundered it completely:" in other countries they would have plundered it before they set fire to it! At page 14, we have a relation of the well known gallantry which rescued a candle from a barrel of "In one of my journeys from Hare Hatch gunpowder, ascribed to a Lady Edgeworth; to Birminghain, I accidentally met with a at page 18, the story of a coin put under person, whom I as a mechanick, had a cuthe seal of a deed which exposes the roguery riosity to see. This was a sailor, who had of the parties, and invalidates the forged doainused London with a singular exhibition cument, (told nearly word for word in " Paof dexterity. He was called Jack the Darter. tronage; " and indeed, the whole of the He threw his darts, which consisted of thin early parts, are disfigured by the repetition rods of deal, of about half an inch in diaand appropriation of jests famous in jocular meter, and of a yard long, to an amazing literature, and by anecdotes of marvellous height and distance; for instance, he threw precocity belonging to the infancy of the them over what was then called the New writer. Looking to Mr. E. as an advocate Church in the Strand. Of this feat I had for a better system of education than, unforheard, but I entertained some doubts upon tunately, is usually pursued in respect to the subject; I had enquired from my friends children, we have a graver objection to where this man could be found, but had not an account of a transaction which fol-plained, it appeared, that the attorney had, been able to discover him. As I was driving lowed his having thrown a hot iron at his by way of promoting Sir Francis's interest towards Birmingham in an open carriage of brother. He tells usin the borough, sent cards of invitation to a singular construction, I overtook a man, "When my mother heard what I had done, the officers of a regiment in the town, in the who walked remarkably fast, but who stopI saw she was struck with horror, but she name of the mayor and corporation, invi- ped as I passed him, and eyed my equipage said not one word in anger to me. She or- ting them to dine and drink His Majesty's with uncommon curiosity. There was somedered every body out of the room except health on his birthday. He, at the same thing in his manner, that made me speak to myself, and then drawing me near her, she time, wrote a similar invitation to the mayor him; and, from the sort of questions he spoke to me in a mild voice, but in a most and corporation, in the name of the officers asked about my carriage, I found that he serious manner. First, she explained to of the regiment. The two companies met, was a clever fellow. I soon learned, that he me the nature of the crime, which I had complimented each other, eat a good dinner, had walked over the greatest part of England, run the hazard of committing; she told me, drank a hearty bottle of wine to His Ma- and that he was perfectly acquainted with she was sure that I had no intention seri-jesty's health, and prepared to break up. London. It came into my head to inquire, ously to hurt my brother, and did not know, The commanding officer of the regiment, whether he had ever seen the exhibition, that if the iron had hit my brother, it must being the politest man in company, made a about which I was so desirous to be inhave killed him. While I felt this first shock, handsome speech to Mr. Mayor, thanking formed. Lord! Sir,' said he, I am, myself, and whilst the horror of murder was upon him for his hospitable invitation and enter- Jack the Darter.' He had a roll of brown me, my mother seized the moment, to con- tainment. 'No, colonel,' replied the paper in his hand, which he unfolded, and jure me to try in future to command my mayor, it is to you that thanks are due soon produced a bundle of the light deal passions. I remember her telling me, that by me and by my brother aldermen for your sticks, which he had the power of darting to I had an uncle by the mother's side who had generous treat to us.' The colonel replied such a distance. He readily consented to such a violent temper, that in a fit of passion with as much warmth as good breeding gratify my curiosity, and after he had thrown one of his eyes actually started out of its would allow the mayor retorted with down- some of them to a prodigious height, I asked socket. You,' said my mother to me, right anger, swearing that he would not be him to throw some of them horizontally. have naturally a violent temper: if you choused by the bravest colonel in His Majes-At the first trial he threw one of them eighty grow up to be a man without learning to ty's service. Mr. Mayor,' said the colo-yards with great ease. I observed, that he govern it, it will be impossible for you then nel, there is no necessity for displaying coiled a small string round the stick, bỵ to command yourself; and there is no know-any vulgar passion on this occasion. Permit which he gave it a rotary motion, that preing what crime you may in a fit of passion me to shew you, that I have here your obli- served it from altering its course; commit, and how miserable you may in con- ging card of invitation.'-Nay, Mr. Colo- the same time it allowed the arm, which sequence of it become. You are but a very nel, here is no opportunity for bantering, threw it, time to exercise its whole force. young child, yet I think you can understand there is your card.? "If any thing be simply thrown from the me. Instead of speaking to you as I do at "Upon examining the cards, it was ob-hand, it is clear, that it can acquire no greatthis moment, I might punish you severely; served, that, notwithstanding an attempt to er velocity than that of the hand which but I think it better to treat you like a rea- disguise it, both cards were written in the throws it; but if the body, that is thrown, sonable creature. My wish is to teach you same hand by some person, who had de- passes through a greater space than the hand, to command your temper; nobody can do signed to make fools of them all. Every whilst the hand continues to communicate that for you, so well as you can do it for eye of the corporation turned spontaneously motion to the body to be impelled, the body yourself." upon the attorney, who, of course, attended will acquire a velocity nearly double to that all public meetings. His impudence sud of the hand which throws it. The ancients denly gave way, he faltered and betrayed were aware of this, and they wrapped a thong of leather round their javelins, by which they could throw them with additional violence. This invention did not, I believe, belong to the Greeks; nor do I remember

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Here the precept is good; but how many times more dangerously powerful is the example of a parent telling lies to her child, in order to persuade him to act rightly? It was not true that the iron must have been fatal; and it was a falsehood that any one's eye

As an example of this, it has been stated to us, that when a beloved daughter died, Mr. Edgeworth relieved the distraction of his soul by inventing a patent coffin for her corpse. Ed.

and at

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