175] Varieties: Critical, &c. [176 SIR, THE VARIETIES, CRITICAL, LITERARY, and HISTORICAL. From the European Magazine. HE Duke of Ripperda being a prominent character in the new novel called "The Pastor's Fire-side," I think a genuine account of him may not be unacceptable to your readers. London, Feb. 15, 1817. B. JOHN WILLIAM, Duke de Ripperda, of a noble family in Groningen, served the States-General sometime as a colonel of infantry; he was invested with this rank after he had been appointed ambassador from Holland to the Court of Spain. His ready and insinuating genius having pleased Philip V. he fixed himself at the Court of Madrid, and there attained great distinction. In the year 1725, he concluded at Luxembourg a treaty of peace and commerce between the Emperor and the Catholic King. On his return to Madrid he was made a Duke and Grandee of Spain; the direction of the War, Marine and Finance departments, were entrusted to him: in fact, he obtained the power of prime minister without the title; but it was shortly discovered that he was charged with a burthen above his powers. The King of Spain was obliged to remove him from the court and public affairs in 1726. Through this disgrace he nearly lost his reason, already weakened by his rapid elevation. He was obliged to seek an asylum with the English ambassador, Stanhope, from whom he was carried away by force, to be imprisoned in the castle of Segovia. He remained there till the 2d of September, 1728, when he found means of escaping into Portugal. From thence he went into England, and afterwards into Holland, where he formed an acquaintance with the ambassador of Morocco, who engaged to present him to his sovereign, Muley Abdallah. He was received by him with distinction, and acquired great credit, as great there as that which he had before obtained in Spain. The Duke de Ripperda passed some time in Morocco, without thinking of changing his religion; but two reasons induced him to take the turban: the first was, the fear that the courtiers would seek to destroy him on account of his profess ing Christianity; and the second was, the desire he had of enjoying the privileges of the country he was jn. He was, therefore, circumcised, and took the name of Osman, Those who were envious of him at last succeeded in accom plishing his disgrace. But after two months' imprisonment he obtained his liberty, with a prohibition of appearing at court till permitted. With a view of again getting into favour, he affected a great zeal for the Mahometan religion; and nevertheless meditated a new system of religion, which he thought would be acceptable to the people. However, the, credit of the Duke de Ripperda standing upon weak foundations, was quickly overturned. Obliged to quit Morocco, he retired, in 1734, to the port of Tetu an, where he remained till his death, in 1737, equally despised by Mahometans and Christians. His death was occa sioned by a languid disease, the effect of chagrin arising from his situation. The Bashaw of Tetuan tood possession of his small property, conformably to the established custom in all the states of the sovereign of Morocco. He left two sons, who were drowned near the coast of Biscay, in going from Spain to England. THE PIG OF BREST. A writer in the Journal de Paris, recommends the following circumstance, which lately happened in the neighbourhood of Brest, to the attention of dramatists of his country. A man coveted a farmer's pig; broke in the night into the humble abode of the unsuspecting animal; knocked him on the head; threw the carcase across his shoulder, and carried it off. Punishment often follows closely at the heels of guilt. The robber came to a ditch in his way; in crossing it, he fell with his load, and next morning the murderer and robber was found lifeless by the side of his victim. . 177] Varieties: Critical, Literary, and Historical. TREATMENT OF SCALDS AND BURNS. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. I [178 "Here is a subject!" exclaims the par- pathetic fever. My plan of treating. rator, "here is a moral denouement, if these cases, and which I have successever there was one! Ah! gentlemen of fully practised some years, is immediatethe Magpie, the Ravens, the Dog of ly to apply a lotion made of equal parts Montargis, &c. &c. allow a place in of spirits of turpentine, and cold-drawn your menagerie for the Pig of Brest! linseed oil, heated (by standing in hot Consider what an effect will be produced water) to a degree which the sound by a title of this kind on a play-bill: parts would bear without injury, afterThe Pig, the Avenger of Guilt, or the wards plasters, of the yellow Basilicon Robber Punished by Himself. I would ointment, spread on fine old linen rags, lay any wager that it runs a hundred then give a proportionate dose of launights, and eclipses all the animals that danum in warm brandy-and-water, and are-now the rage." put my patient in a warm bed; thus, as Mr. Kentish, in his Essays on Burns, remarks, keeping up a unity of intention by both the external and internal means, Sir,-Being a constant reader of your which leads to the restoration of the unity excellent miscellany,and observing in the of action, and thus is the cure performed. one for August, p. 81, the fatal result of I then repeat this mode of treatment a scald, and the censure passed on the twelve hours after its first application, present state of medical science, as ap- with the exception of using them cold. plicable to that peculiar branch of it, I Afterwards the parts are to be dressed have been induced to trouble you with with emollient ointments, or, according as the following remarks. I confess I do their appearance may indicate, until supnot feel much surprised at the want of puration commences, when the sympsuccess of what I deem the improper toms will point out the ordinary mode of treatment of that case, as it is now gen- cure. As far as relates to internal remeerally understood that, where any ex- dies, as I before observed, it is as essentraordinary action has been excited in tial they should be of the stimulating any part of the system, the same stimu- king as the external; and, certainly, lus, though in a less degree, should be active purgatives, as rcommended in your persevered in, until the parts gradually paragraph, are, in my opinion, highly assume their healthy action; as, for in- improper, as they generally bring on that stance, where heat has been the cause of weakness and languor which inevitably diseased action, heat should be continued: retard the healing process, while the adand, where it has been produced by ex- ministration of opium generally allays cessive cold, as more particularly in the that peculiar irritability produced by a northern climates, cold applications destruction of the cuticle, and conseshould be used until the parts act in uni- quently prevents any disposition of the son with each other, or by natural com- nervous system that may exist, likely to mon stimuli. I therefore feel no hesita- produce convulsions, the occurrence of tion in saying, from my own experience, which, in cases of this kind, generally that there might have been more proba- proves fatal. bility of a favourable issue in applying the stimulating than the antiphlogistic remedies, as it appears to me, the constitution, having sustained a severe shock by the unnatural stimulus of heat, it is only aggravated by the extreme frigidity of the applications, which certainly produces a The following extract from this work contrariety of effects. When applied to is a sort of confession of faith with res a patient who, a few minutes before, had pect to which the Doctor enjoined secrebeen complaining of excessive heat and sy to the Rev. President Stiles, to whom thirst, I have seen it immediately produce it was addressed : The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., F.R.S. &c. Vol. II. Now first published from the original, by his Grandson, Wm. Temple Franklin. 1817. : that cold shivering which, in my opinion, "You desire to know something of is so fatal a symptom of the case, as it is my religion. It is the first time I have generally the precursor of violent sym- been questioned upon it. But I cannot 179] Varieties: Critical, Literary, and Historical. [180 He lived long enough not only to see his notion reduced to practice, but, to see as many as forty threads spun by the same motion. Had he lived till now, he would have seen a hundred spun, at the same instant, by a single female, with only the help of a child. MISDOINGS FORMERLY AMONG THE ROYAL take your curiosity amiss, and shall en- at the same moment. Each of the deavour in a few words to gratify it. company lifted up his eyes in wonder, Here is my creed: I believe in one God, first at the thought, itself, and secondly, the creator of the universe. That he at the impossibility of executing it. governs it by his providence. That he Franklin, however, insisted that the ought to be worshipped. That the most thing was practicabe, and not only so, acceptable service we render to him is but would not long remain a mystery. doing good to his other children. That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting its conduct in this. These I take to be the fundamental points in all sound religion, and I regard them as you do in whatever sect I meet with them. As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the system of morals and his religion, as he left them to us, the best the world ever saw, or' is like to see; but I apprehend it has received various corrupting changes, and I have, with most of the present dissenters in England, some doubts as to his divinity; though it is a question I do not dogmatize upon, having never studied it, and think it needless to busy myself with it now, when I expect soon an opportunity of knowing the truth with less trou- His highness' attendants are not to ble. I see no harm, however, in its steal any locks, or keys, tables, forms, being believed, if that belief has the good cupboards, or other furniture, out of consequence, as probably it has, of mak- noblemen's or gentlemen's houses where ing his doctrines more respected and he goes to visit. ATTENDANTS. To the Editor of the Panorama. SIR,-The insertion of the following will A FRIEND. very much oblige Extracts from a curious Manuscript, containing Directions for the Household of Henry VIII. His highness' baker shall not put alum in the bread, or mix rye, oaten, or bean flour with the same; and if detected ho shall be put in the stocks. scullions as goe about naked, or lie all night on the ground before the kitchen fire. No dogs to be kept in the court, but only a few spaniels for the ladies. more observed; especially as I do not Master cooks shall not employ such perceive that the Supreme takes it amiss by distinguishing the believers in his government of the world with any peculiar marks of his displeasure. I shall only add respecting myself, that having experienced the goodness of that Being in conducting me prosperously through a long life, I have no doubt of its continuance in the next, though without the smallest conceit of meriting such goodness."-Crit. Rev. ANECDOTE OF DR. BEN. FRANKLIN. Dr. Franklin was once in company with Dr. Priestley, with whom he was very intimate, and with a number of other scientific men, who made up a party; they were mostly members of the Royal Society, and known to each other. The conversation turned on the progress of Arts, and on the discoveries favourable to human life, which remained to be made. Franklin regretted much that no method had yet been found out The officers of his majesty's privy chamber shall be loving together, no grudging or grumbling, nor talking of the king's pastime. The king's barber is enjoined to be cleanly, not to frequent the company of misguided women, for fear of danger to the king's royal person. There shall be no romping with the maids on the staircase, by which dishes and other things are broken. Coals only to be used by the king's, queen's, and lady Mary's chambers. The brewers not to put any brimstone in the ale. Twenty four loaves a day allowed for his highness' greyhounds. ROBERT FREEBAIRN. We insert the melancholy death of a to spin two threads of cotton, or wool, son of this artist from a sincere wish tha 181] Varieties: Critical, Literary, and Historical. [182 it may prevent others from falling mar- if the latter became refractory, she would tyrs to the inconsiderate foolishness of bite her severely, and drive her into a persons who ought to know better. corner of the den: in short, she kept her This artist's son (Samuel) died in 1813 completely under control. at the age 14. His death was occasion- Capt. Waddington shortly after his ed by a silly trick, which was at one arrival in England disposed of the lioness time prevalent, of pulling children up and her foster-mother to Mr. Cross, the from the ground by the head, in order spirited proprietor of the menagerie at "to shew them London." About two Exeter 'Change, where the two friends months before his death he complained are to be seen, inhabiting the same cage, to a young friend of a stiff neck, for and exhibiting a most extraordinary in which the other suspended him in the stance of affection between two females! manner mentioned above. It appeared Chapter Coffee-house, Feb. 25. at an investigation after his death, that the second vertebra was wrenched from the others nearly an inch, by which the head was pressed forward; the ligaments being torn, and an abscess formed between them and the windpipe.-N. Mon. NATURAL HISTORY. ILLUSTRATION OF PROVERBS, OB- SPICK AND span. THIS is a very common expression, applied to any thing quite new, but the words appear to want explanation. The most obvious derivation is from the Italian, spicata de la spanna, fresh from the hand, or, as we say in another proverbial "fresh from the phrase of our own, HE IS A DAB AT IT. From the New Monthly Magazine. A lioness only eight days old was purchased in 1815, at the Cape of Good mint." There are numerous Italian Hope, by Capt. Waddington, of the City words in our language, which were of Edinburgh East Indiaman. The ani- brought in before the Reformation, when mal was fed with milk and bread, and it was not only customary for our young suffered to roll about on the floor of men of family to complete their studies Capt. W.'s bed-room. A terrier bitch, in that country, but many Italians residkept in the same house had littered a ed here as collectors of the papal imposts, few days previously to the purchase, and or as holders of our best benefices. her pups had been destroyed. A servant This certainly is a more rational etymoaccidentally going into the bed-room logy than that which derives the phrase found the bitch suckling the whelp. As- from a spear, because the head of that tonished at the spectacle, he soon com- weapon was formerly called a spike, and municated the circumstance to the family, the staff a span; thereby meaning that and crowds flocked into the house to every part is new.-New Mon. Mag. witness so extraordinary a sight. It was resolved not to separate the new compa- This is very commonly said of a clever nions; they were placed in a large ken- person in any profession: but the word nel in the yard; and the bitch conceived dab is neither Saxon nor British; whence a maternal attachment to the whelp, then does it come? The answer is, that which the latter seemed to return with it is nothing more than a corruption of great affection. A commodious cage be- adept, which in former times denoted a ing made for them, they were conveyed professor of the occult sciences, especialon board the ship, which proceeded to ly alchymy. The Rosicrucians, who England. During the voyage their friend- affected the art of making gold and of ship increased daily; the lioness grew prolonging life, maintained that there prodigiously, but appeared unconscious were twelve enlightened brethren of that of her superior strength, or unwilling to mystical community who possessed the use it to the detriment of her foster- highest secrets of the order; these select mother. The latter having acquired the members were called adepts; and when ascendant, preserved it: at her meals she any one of them died, his place was filinvariably satisfied herself before she per- led up by another to keep the body permitted the lioness to taste a morsel; and fect. To be an adept, therefore, denotes 183] Mr. Maturin's New Tragedy. [184 that the person so complimented is ex- To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. traordinarily qualified.-Ibid. ORIGIN OF CROSS BUNS. Mr. Urban, STR-It has been remarked, that seasons similar to the present have occurred at intervals of sixteen or seventeen years; 1816 1683 1389 1799 "1459 1338 1783 1426 1551 1764 1406 1234 A. Y. Jan. 1817. Mr. Bryant, in his Antient Mythology, not having the means of ascertaining the informs us that the offerings which people fact, by reference to many authorities, I in antient times used to present to the submit the enquiry to your pages, as a Gods, were generally purchased at the curious subject of scientific speculation; entrance of the Temple, especially every annexing a list of years nearly correspiece of consecrated bread, which was ponding to the above intervals, in which denominated accordingly. One species I have been able to ascertain the fact of of sacred bread, which used to be offered any severity of season or deficiency of to the Gods, was of great antiquity, and producecalled Boun. Hesychius speaks of the Boun, and describes it as a kind of cake with a representation of two horns. Diogenes Laertius, speaking of the same offering, describes the chief ingredients of which it was composed. "He offered one of the sacred cakes called a Boun, which was made of fine flour and honey." The Prophet Jeremiah takes notice of this kind of offering when he is speaking of the Jewish women at Pathros in Egypt, and of their base idolatry. "When we burnt incense to the Queen of Heaven, and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make cakes to worship her." Jer. xliv. "The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough to make cakes to the Queen of Heaven." Jer. vii. AMOUSING' HEN. A gentleman residing on Stoke Hill, has in his 'possession a hen, which answers the purpose of a cat in destroying mice. She is constantly seen watching close to a corn rick, and the moment a mouse appears,she seizes him in her beak, and carries him to a meadow adjoining, where she amuses herself by playing with her victim until he is dead; she then leaves him, repairs to her post, and is frequently known to catch four or five a day. Lit. Pan. Jan. 1817. DRAMATIC. Manuel; a Tragedy. By the Rev. R. C. Maturin, author of "Bertram," "Wild Irish Boy," &c. DRURY-LANE THEATRE.---The promise of a new Tragedy is ever an object of interest: but our expectations are highly enhanced when it is announced from the pen of an author, whose histrionic genius has been hailed by popular applause, and whose merit has been stamped with public approbation. The first effort of Mr. Maturin's dramatic Muse, was still recent in our remembrance, and we antieipated an increase of the celebrity he had acquired, by his forcible delineation of Bertram. This hope, if not realized to its full extent, has not been altogether disappointed. The brief outline of the story is this:---Alonzo, son of Manuel Count Valdi (Mr. Kean) having distinguished himself at the battle of Tolosa, and rescued Cordova from the Moors, is expected at his father's mansion, where a festival is prepared. His page first arrives, hoping to find his master already there, who had proceeded aloe by a forest road. This excites alarm, and, soon after, his war-steed coming with bloody stains, and his broken lance, raise dreadful surmises of his murder. The forest is searched in vain, and Manuel, mad with an guish, accuses De Zelos, (Mr. Rae) his needy kinsman, who is next heir to him after Alonzo, tho' without proof. Manuel madly demands a trial: there he persists, unsupported, in the accusation, under the strongest conviction of his kinsman's guilt. De Zelos at length clears himself by oath; but Manuel, unsatisfied,dares him to swear upon the bier, on which a band of warriors are carrying Alonzo's armour, to deposit on some holy shrine. De Zelos hesitates, and his son Torrismond, (Mr. Wallack) agonized by a doubt of his father's innocence, rushes in, and prevents him from sealing the damning asseveration. De Zelos had already demanded the combat, and the Spanish nobles who support him, determine to banish Manuel if its issue fails him. Torrismond is with difficulty convinced of his father's innocence, and therefore, unmoved by the entreaties of Victoria (Miss Somerville) by whom he is beloved, appears in the lists as his father's champion. Manuel has no champion---but an unknown warrior comes in his behalf, and is mortally wounded---ere he is borne off, he uncloses his vizor to De Zelos, and shews himself to be a Moor (Mr. P. Cooke) who had mysteriously appeared in a former scene. Manuel is then banished to an antient castle of his ancestry, |