with the Princess Hedwige, daughter of the Elector Palatine, cousin-german to the Emperor of Germany, niece to the reigning Elector - Palatine, to the reigning Queen of Spain, and the Dowager Queen of Charles the 2nd; yet these ties of consanguinity did not save her from being arrested at Inspruck, when passing through it on her journey to meet and plight her faith to the Pretender in Rome, styled King of England. Though placed in a convent with a strong guard in her anti-room, the Princess effected her escape with a degree of resolution which marked the strength of her mind, even at that early age. The Pretender, on hearing of this insulting and distressing event, charged Monsieur de Gaidon, an officer of high rank in the French service, to endeavour at all risks to restore the Princess to liberty. In obedience to this command, Monsieur de Gaidon immediately repaired to Inspruck, accompanied by an Englishman of the name of Organ, and another gentleman who bore that of Misset, a native of Ireland; it was also considered right that the wife of the latter should be of the party. At Inspruck, they appeared with a magnificent suite, to impose upon all an idea of their high consequence; and that they might at the same time give an appearance of accidentally halting in that city, on approaching it they caused the wheels of their carriage to be so much injured as to break down at its very gates. This grand and splendid appearance obtained them acceptation in every society, which, in consequence of frequenting, they at length met with a man who was prevailed on to favour the escape of the Princess, by delivering to her a letter in which the plan formed for that purpose was detailed. On the day appointed for this enterprise, a young person, resembling in height and form her Serene Highness, passed through the guards stationed in her anti-chamber, and took possession of the Princess's bed, to which she had for some days confined herself on the plea of indisposition. She now quitted it, and in the habiliments of the young woman who took her place, she made her way out of the convent undiscovered, and put herself under the protection of Misset, who made himself known, as the person appointed to give it, by a whistle, the signal agreed on. By this gentleman she was conducted to an hotel; in her way to which, she experienced the disagreeable effects of a thaw, suddenly succeeding a violent fall of snow. Too dark to see the puddles it had formed, she was unlucky enough to step into one, by which accident she lost one of her shoes, and was obliged to proceed without it to the hotel; on reaching which, she felt too sensibly the danger of delay to waste time in changing her stockings. Regardless therefore of wet and dirt, she immediately entered the carriage in waiting for her, followed by Mrs. Misset and Monsieur de Gaiton. Mr. year 1817, in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Aversa was built by the valiant Normans, and cannot boast any honours derived from antiquity. It may be considered as new on this classic ground, where you find at every step Phenician, Greek, or Roman monuments; and where every corner of ground, every stone, attests to the foreign visitor the ancient glories of Italy. indicated a suspicion of the Princess's flight. The quiet state of the guard stationed to watch over her, convinced him that they were still ignorant of the evasion of their captive; he therefore ventured to follow her Highness, prudently keeping two stages in her rear, that if she were pursued he might have time to take whatever measures circumstances might allow, to avert from her the dangerous consequences. This precaution was not unnecessary, for early Formerly the curious traveller could see the next morning the Princess's escape was every thing worth seeing by casting a look discovered, on which the Commandant of on the country round Aversa, which nature Inspruck immediately despatched couriers has loaded with her gifts; but now, this on every great road in pursuit of her, charg-place induces him to turn aside from the ing them at the same time with orders to road which leads him towards the majestic all the civil officers of the different coun- ruins of Capua, to contemplate the proties, to arrest the fugitive if found in their gress of philosophy and humanity, in a district. place where he would not suspect the smallest trace of them to exist: I allude to the Royal Hospital for the Insane. One of these couriers joined Misset on the road, who travelled with him some way, fully determined to arrest his pursuit with a pistol, unless he could find a pretext for administering an opiate, with which he had providentially provided himself, so artfully prepared, that, without endangering life, it immediately deprived those who took it of consciousness, and threw them into a deep sleep. In this Mr. Misset fortunately succeeded, as the courier, unsuspicious of the liqour being drugged, drank of it thankfully, and in a few minutes fell into a death-like slumber, of which Misset instantly availed himself to search for and take possesssion of his dispatches. He then proceeded on his journey, and overtook the Princess, who, after three days and three nights travelling, found herself safe in the territories of his Holiness the Pope. On her arrival at Bologna, she was waited upon by Lord Dunbar, who had been appointed by the Pretender, then in Spain, to the honour of being his proxy in the marriage ceremony; a few days after which she set off for Rome. On notice of her approach to that capital, Lady Marr, accompanied by all the English then at Rome attached to the cause of the Pretender, went in his Highness's carriages to meet her. All the Cardinals, Roman Princes, and Nobles, paid her the same compliment. Thus attended, the Princess made her public entry into that city, where she was received by all ranks of people with every mark of respect, and in a short time was joined by her husband. I had heard this establishment spoken of with praise; but being accustomed to meet with exaggeration in the good as well as in the evil, which travellers relate of the countries they have visited, I resolved to see the place myself. At eight o'clock in the morning I went to Aversa. After having traversed a short path, we discovered this modest edifice in the midst of the most smiling country. The bell called the people of the neighbourhood to mass, which is daily attended by the unhappy patients in the Hospital. The holy ceremonies were just beginning as we entered. A part of the church was filled with people from the town and neighbourhood. In the choir and the side seats there were men of all ages and conditions, almost all dressed in a uniform manner; in the middle were some young grenadiers; and in the front a numerous military orchestra made the sacred roof re-echo with the most melodious sounds. Every thing inspired meditation and devotion. My guide said to me, "Those whom you see silent and devout at the foot of the altar, those who are in military uniform, and who pay homage with their arms to the God of armies, those who make the temple resound with their harmonious concert, are so many victims to that dreadful malady which deprives man of the use of his reason: even he whom you see penetrated with respect and fear, assisting the priest in the expiatory sacrifice, is himself one of those unfortunate beings." It is not easy to express the surprise I felt, and the emotion excited in my mind by this terrible and delicious contrast of the wretchedness and the grandeur of the human mind. Divine service was over, but the agitation of my mind still continued. My guide perceived it, took me by the hand, and conducted me into a passage which leads from the church Tune regnabit et triumphabit Rex in Anglia to the interior of the house. It is here, said he, that the inhabitants of the place repair to their usual occupations. There was a ridiculous prophecy at that period, which was said to have been found among the papers of the former Pope, which foretold, that in 1734 the Pretender would be in peaceable possession of the British throne. Dum Marcus cantabit halleluja, Jacobus 3. At a certain signal they all assemble at a Organ attended her on horseback, riding Singular Description of the Hospital for place destined for the muster of the morn close to the carriage door; while Mr. Misset remained at Inspruck two hours after their departure, to watch whether any thing the Insane at Aversa, in the kingdom of ing. My surprise was increased on beholdNaples: Extracted from the unpub-ing, that as they arrived in the middle of a lished Journal of a Tour made in the spacious court, they all ranged themselves in a line in the peristile which run round | it. A profound silence prevailed when the Director of this establishment appeared. On seeing him, I observed the most melancholy rejoice, and yield to the sweetest emotions of the heart. I fancied myself in the bosom of a numerous family, assembled in the morning round a tender father who loves his children. The Director, passing through the ranks which they formed, listened to the recital of their sufferings, the wants, the grievances, the dreams, the follies of each, and replied to all by words of peace and consolation. His words were like a talisman, which calmed their agitation, dispelled melancholy chagrin, and spread serenity and smiles on the most thoughtful and perturbed countenances. This kind of review being terminated, most of them went into the garden contiguous to the court. There several games were arranged, judiciously contrived to afford them a gentle and agreeable Gymnastic exercise, and to dissipate the gloomy thoughts in which they are habitually plunged. While contemplating this kind of contest, I perceived that the presence of the spectators, and the natural desire of receiving the prize given to the victor, excited in their hearts a noble emulation. While many of the patients thus indulged in the pleasure of this wholesome recreation, others walked about in silence and avoided company; others declaimed aloud: here several of them were cultivating flowers; there, others stood immoveable, and so plunged in deep reflection, that it seemed as if the fall of the edifice would not have roused them from it. your eyes,' answered he. The peace, the In more than one kind of mental de- ber of its members to the state, to their relations, to the arts, the sciences, and humanity. The bread, the wine, the meat, the soup, all the aliments, were wholesome, of good quality, well prepared, and well served up tranquillity, order, silence, were every where observed; but it was then that I first became sensible in what kind of a place I was. The continual agitation of the insane, the motion of their muscles, which is not interrupted in their moments of rage, the animal heat which in many of them is much increased, the extraordinary energy of their strength, sometimes excite in them an extraordinary voracity; and it was such, in some of these unfortunate persons, that they devoured their food like ferocious beasts, appearing insatiable, whatever quantity the kind Director set before In this Hospital the ancient rigorous them. Their physiognomy, their gestures, treatment of the patients has been happily their secret murmurs, which would cause replaced by tender and affectionate cares, them to be taken less for men than for by the admirable art of gaining the mind, brutes, evidently proved that in these moand by a mild and pliant firmness. Ex-ments they were deprived of reason, and perience has soon demonstrated the ad- governed by instinct alone. A melancholy vantages of this system, and every body and painful sight, which cannot be beheld a acknowledges that it was inspired, not by moment without exciting the most sorrowthe blind empiricism of ill judged pity, but ful reflections on the dreadful evils which by profound knowledge and enlightened re- assail humanity. flections on the cause of madness and the means of curing it. [The writer here gives an account of two eminent physicians, who came to begin a series of Galvanic experiments, applied to certain species of madness very frequent in hospitals for the insane. After having chosen the patients, M. Ronchi, one of them, explained in an eloquent and concise manner the reasons which convinced him that I had spent an hour in this manner, and the remedy seemed efficacious, and the was absorbed in the ideas which the sight hopes which might be conceived of it. Beinspired, when my guide invited my coming witnesses to these experiments, we had panion and myself to go to a high story. We ascended a magnificent staircase; at the top of which, an elegant vase, filled with fine perfume, diffused an agreeable odour through the whole building. On the right, two of our grenadiers stood sentinel before an arsenal of simulated arms. From curio sity, I put several questions to them, but could not obtain any answer, because they would have imagined they committed a great breach of discipline if they had bro ken silence. an opportunity, says the author, of observ- It struck twelve, and the experiments which are covered with mattresses to conWe were then led into a large saloon fine the maniacs when the fit of phrenzy is neatly decorated, where we found several on them; and the beds, on which the paof the insane, who, like people in full pos- tients are placed in such a manner, that session of their reason, were passing their (the circulation not being impeded) it is time agreeably in conversation, or in play-impossible for them to injure themselves or ing on the harpsichord and other instruments, singing pleasing songs, and hymns of gratitude in honour of the king, whose bust is set up between the statues of Piety and Wisdom, who place on his brow a crown offered him by the love of his sub jects. In the adjoining apartment, some young men of distinguished birth, quietly amused themselves in playing billiards. Astonished at the urbanity, the decorum, the tranquillity, and the politeness, of this unfortunate family, a stranger could not help saying to my guide, "Where then are the insane?" Wherever you turn 6 others. He likewise shewed us the strait I saw this whole family again assembled Full of these gloomy reflections, I left Aversa to be in the evening at Naples, intending to visit the next day the Royal Establishment for the Poor. THE DRAMA. KING'S THEATRE.-A Madame Ginetti made her debut last week as a dancer. She is a striking accession; her figure of the middle size, finely formed, and capable of extraordinary exertion. She has hitherto exhibited but in two dances, and in both has been extremely applauded Her serious dance is a noble display of nerve, dignity, and skill. Her shawl dance, more animated and picturesque, is still more attractive, and we have seen nothing, in its style, of a more finished and dexterous adaptation of spirited dancing to graceful gesture. On the whole, the Ballet department seems to be equal to any display of inagnificence or ingenuity. THEATRES. During the run of the Benefits, the Theatres enjoy a sort of exemption from criticism. The sole object being to attract as much money as possible, the means are not scrutinized with the same severity which would be warranted were many of them resorted to when the rules of the regular drama were applicable. Thus we have had Liston riding on an Ass, a silly enough affair, and rendered filthy, as it was absurd, by the circumstance of this Ass shewing its contempt for the stage and audience, by the performance of more than was set down for it. Could all the satire in the world more forcibly expose such follies: only think on a thousand elegant females looking at the single object of an -!!! Ass At the Lyceum, Mr. Mathews has closed | his At Homes. Towards the conclusion he was not attended by such crowds as at first. On Tuesday night, the theatre was by no means full; and it struck us, that he acted injudiciously in slurring over several of his performances. This too common habit of playing carelessly to thin audiences, is not only an injustice to those who pay for the entertainment, but calculated to have a very bad effect upon the future interests of those who are guilty of so unwise a course. In his provincial ramble, we doubt not but that Mr. Mathews will observe some new and whimsical subjects for the exercise of his extraordinary initative powers: it would be advantageous to him to have a new piece written, retaining only the best parts of what has given so much delight this season. There are several things extant which would be most effective in his hands; and, on the whole, we think, he might get up a melange superior to that which is just concluded. Vauxhall has been open with auspicious weather this fortnight past. The English Opera commences this evening. The Haymarket is preparing for the campaign, with Colman again the principal proprietor. The Cobourg theatre is making liberal exertions for public favour. The Surrey producing excellent novelties as fast as usual: and Sadler's Wells and the Amphitheatre holding forth great attractions. We intend bona fide to report them all seriatim, immediately, from ocular inspection. VIENNA. It is long since any dramatic production (perhaps not excepting even the Schuld itself *) has excited so much interest here as the tragedy of Sappho, by the author of the Ahntrau. And what is still more uncommon, the approbation it obtain ed is almost universal, notwithstanding without the violent disputes which his first piece excited. Sappho is the general topic of conversation; but little is blamed, the greater part enthusiastically praised. The plan is extremely simple. At the Olympic games, where Sappho had gained the prize, she becomes acquainted with the young and beautiful Phaon, who has been long prejudiced in her favour by her reputation and the charms of her poetry, and who has come to Olympia for the sole purpose of becoming acquainted with her whom his enraptured soul has long represented as the model of female dignity. He now sees her no longer indeed in the bloom of early youth, but still attractive enough to realise his ideal for a moment. She is charmed with his beauty, his homage; she attaches herself to him with all the ardour of her soul, takes him to Sestos, and desires to share with him whatever she possesses. Phaon soon finds that he is out of his place: he feels himself oppressed, and like a stranger. In these moments of mental struggle, he sees the young blooming and modest Me * For a particular account and critique of this celebrated tragedy, sce Literary Gazette, No. 4. lytta, Sappho's female slave, who is only soars once more to the Gods in a sublime VARIETIES. The German papers speak much of the prophecies of M. Dittmar, a physician, who volume in which he prognosticates the kind published in the month of March last a of weather which we are to have during the summer. April (he says) will be fine, but in the first half of the month of May the melting of the polar ices will cause a short cold, which towards the end of the month will be succeeded by great heats." This is what has happened. M. Dittmar assures us that during June, July, August, Ode, and then, in the sight of the people, and September, the heat will go on increasthrows herself into the sea from the pro-ing. The harvest of grain will be immense montory of Lincali. in humid situations. The vintage will be The most profound passion and the ten-abundant, and the wire of an excellent derest feelings, the dignity of tragedy and quality. The fruits will be so abundant, the charms of the Idyl, alternately delight that it will scarcely be known what to do us; the three unities are strictly observed; the two female characters, Sappho and Melytta, though in the strongest contrast The Society of Natural History of Cowith each other, both excite a powerful in- penhagen has dissolved itself, and presentterest each in its own peculiar manner; anded its Cabinet to the Royal Museum. a dignified language and beautiful ingenious imagery complete the charm. This is the general sketch of the whole as it appears to every spectator. But to me it seems that there is a more profound, a more hidden meaning in the piece, which, like a melancholy bass, accompanies the full and pure harmony of the whole, in many places is clearly heard, and in most, nay nearly in all, is felt. This is the idea, that art does not make its votaries happy; that the divine gift of poesy places those endowed with it on a solitary eminence, far from the pleasures and joys of humanity, nay, even far from the purer blessings of friendship and of love. This is evident, from the melancholy complaints of Sappho, who, with her exalted feeling, is a stranger in the world by which she is surrounded-from Phaon's excuse for preferring the simple Melytta to To Gods be rev'rence, and to mortals love-- DIGEST OF POLITICS AND NEWS. Every thing is at present absorbed in the General Election. The King of Sweden (Bernadotte) was crowned on the 11th of May. The Duke of Kent married to the Princess Dowager of Leiningen on the 28th of the same month. with them. HOGARTH.-Soon after the celebrated Hogarth set up a carriage, he had occasion to visit the Lord Mayor (Mr. Beckford.) When he entered the Mansion-house, the weather was fine; but being detained some time, it rained heavy when he came out; and leaving the house by a different door to which he entered, he quite forgot his carriage, and immediately began to call for a hackney coach, but finding none on the neighbouring stands, he sallied forth to brave the storm, and actually reached Leicester Fields without bestowing a thought on the comforts of having a vehicle of his own, until Mrs. Hogarth, surprised to see him so wet and splashed, asked him where he had left it. A widow of the name of Rugg having taken Sir Charles Price for her second hus band, and being asked by a friend how she liked the change, replied. "O, I have sold my old Rugg for a good Price.” a A novel sort of amusement has recently been introduced in Paris. It is styled Charudes en Action, and consists of little pantomimic scenes, in which each person takes a part, and an action is represented bearing reference to a given word. "This diversion (says a Paris Journal) was some evenings ago applied to the Affaire Fualdes, which formed the subject of a charade at a brilliant party in the Faubourg St. Honoré. The parts were distributed among the company. There was a Bastide, a Jaussion, a Fualdes, a Missonnier; a fair lady even of tered her services to personate the femme Bancal, and the vapourish Madame Manson likewise found a representative. The action commenced, every circumstance of the horrible event was represented with a degree of talent which drew forth the apgusting scenes were detailed with scrupu plause of the spectators. The most dislous exactness, and even the tub was not forgotten. We shall offer no reflections on the indecorum of such an amusement, but leave the reader to form a notion of the depravity of taste that could dictate it. We shall conclude this paragraph, which may fairly claim a place in the moral portion of French history, by a witty repartee well worthy of the company in which the murder of Fuuldes was converted into a subject of amusement. veral coats or orbs, till they came to the | I myself, says he, saw them falling, in "One of our most distinguished modern Turcarets was lately describing the Maison Bancal to a Belle et brave femme de par le monde, to use a phrase of Brantome: he painted the horrid receptacle of vice in the glowing colours employed by the Steno+ William Derham, a very eminent philosographe Parisien. The lady, shocked at pher and divine, born at Stoughton, near Worthe picture, protested against his exag-cester, 1657, died 1735. He spent his life in the geration. Nay, Madame, replied he, the most agreeable and improving study of nature, description is correct, I have not overcharged and made all his researches therein subservient to the picture, for you must not suppose that the cause of religion and virtue. His works are houses of that description, in the Provinces, numerous and well known. are like those you have been ascustomed to see in Paris." Hail. The learned and ingenious Doctor Hook gives the following account of a wonderful shower of hail, which fell in London, in the year 1630. Explanation of the Ciphers which appeared Les Braves Les Places fortes . Q. Q. P. occupées; L. A. C. est lassée. C. D. B. C. cédés. baissé. O.T. otée. A. I. H.T. L. U. D. eludée. est raté. S. A. P. H. V. est sappé. Italy.-11. Third Edition of Lady Morgan's France.-12. Woman, a Poen, by E. S. Barrett, Esq.-13. Memoires et Correspondance de Madame d'Epinay.-14. Zuma, by Madame de Genlis.-and 15. Anecdotes sur la Cour de Napoleon. METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL. JUNE. Thursday, 11--Thermometer from 50 to 81. Barometer from 30, 33 to 30, 26. Wind E. 4.-Generally clear. Wheat generally in ear. Friday, 12-Thermometer from 48 to 85. Saturday, 13-Thermometer from 48 to 36. Barometer from 30, 11 to 30, 68. Wind SbW. and W. 4.-Storms of thunder passing over to the Eastward in the afternoon, the rest of the day clear. Sunday, 14-Therinometer from 55 to 70. Barometer from 30, 12 to 30, 20. Wind W. N & NE. 4.-Cloudy till the evening (with smart showers of refreshing rain in the morning;) evening clear. Rain fallen, 75 of an inch. Monday, 15-Thermometer from 47 to 75. Barometer from 30, 24 to 30, 18. Wind SbE. and SbW.4.-Morning very cloudy, the rest of the day much clearer. Tuesday, 16-Thermometer from 52 to 73. Wind SbW. 1.-Generally cloudy. Wednesday, 17-Thermometer from 56 to 72 On the 19th of May, says he, at about half an hour after ten, it grew very dark, and thundered, and soon after there began to fall a good quantity of hail-stones, some of the bigness of pistol bullets, others as big as pullets eggs, and some above two inches and a half, and some near three inches over the broad way; the smaller were pretty round, and white like chalk, the other of other shapes. Breaking many of them, I found them to be made up of orbs of ice, one encompassing another; some of them transparent, some white and opaque. Some of them had white spots in the middle, others towards the sides. Those which exceed in bigness were formed by an additional accretion of transparent icicles, radiating every way from the surface of the white ball, like the shooting of nitre or toothed sparre. These in some stood, as it were, separate, in distinct icicles, which were very clear and transparent, and had no blebs or whiteness in them. Others were all concreted into a solid lump, and the interstices filled up with ice, which was not so clear as the Stiriæ, but whiter, and the one side, which I suppose was the uppermost, was flat, and the radications appeared to proceed from the ball in the middle; the edges and top were rough, and the ends of the Stiria NEW PUBLICATIONS.-We are requested appeared prominent. From the manner of to repeat the announcement of the followtheir figure, I conceive their accretion was ing interesting Works, recently published formed by a congelation of the water as it by Mr. Colburn, Conduit-street, viz.: fell, that the small white globule in the mid-1. Memoirs of the celebrated John Evelyn, dle, was the first drop that concreted into Author of the Sylva, &c. written by himhail; this, in falling through the clouds be- self.-2. Horace Walpole's Correspondence neath, congealed the water thereof into se- with George Montague, Esq.-3. Franklin's Life, by himself, Octavo Edition.-4. Authentic Memoirs of Lucien Buonaparte.5. Letters of a Prussian Traveller, by John Bramsen, Esq.-6. Pananti and Blaquiere's Narrative of a Residence in Algiers.-7. Account of the French Expedition to Senegal, p. 376, col. 2, line 48, for St. read the and Shipwreck of the Medusa.-8. Madame de Stael's Life of her Father.-9. Capt. Golownin's Narrative of his Captivity in Japan.-10. Count Stendhal's Travels in Alexander is informed, that not being so much interested in individuals as in the general object of the distribution of the prizes of the Society of Arts, &c. it may have happened that we did not sufficiently observe the applause which accompanied the_delivery of the Medal for Mr. T. Cook's Night Life Buoy; but fowards the close of our remarks we certainly specifically noticed this invention, so distinguished for its ingenuity and humanity-we could no more, being only anxious to do the jus ice of an honouralle tribute to deservers:-not one of the parties are known to us. We received Merlin's Cave;' but never either give judgment on, or insert a part of a Work without having the whole before us. |