cause of religion and humanity; and to support this pretension, he cites the approbation of a number of prelates; such as Voltaire cited in defence of his play of Mahomet, the letter from the then pope. He has even deigned to inform us, that the piece has been printed and translated into "choice Italian," with the approbation of the heads of the church. God protect the cause of religion from the honours of similar writers! But what is most glaring to every impartial reader is, that it was the intention of the author of Melanie to represent the cloister as the grave of the living, as the abode of horror and despair, and as a most hideous species of slavery. Religion might have well excused such honours. This worthy pastor, this pretended model of piety and wisdom, thunders against convents and religious vows with all the fanaticism of one of the tyros in modern philosophy.

Mais loin de nous des vœux la chaine dangereuse ;
Tombez, portes de fer, barriêre injurieuse,

Et que l'homme épurant son hommage et son cœur,
Par l'amour des vertus s'élève à son auteur.

It is easy to discover that this worthy "curé" is a sanguine friend of freedom. Religious vows are abhorred by him; and it is to be presumed, that he does not think more favourably of those of the priesthood or marriage. Those too are chains both dangerous and pernicious. There is more of magnanimity and convenience in making no promises; there is then no obligation on the conscience to keep them. The author was aware that his philosophic zeal carried him a little too far, and that his "cure" was not strictly orthodox; he has therefore made him correct himself, and declare, that he only speaks of compulsory vows. But it is easy to perceive, that this is only a stroke of address, to conciliate his philosophy with the principles of decorum. These little subterfuges are as common to the atheist as to the modern school of philosophy, and is one of the reasons why the piece abounds in recantations. For example, Melanie, in her last moments, utters causes against her father. The emotion is, no doubt, very dramatic, and perfectly philosophic; but on a signal from the worthy curate, she retracts her execration. It would seem as if "explanation" was to constitute the principal figure in his poem, as the author is perpetually at variance with himself.

The character of the father is disgusting. Laharpe, without the least necessity for it, makes him acknowledge from his own lips the meanness of his avarice, and the injustice of his partiality for his son. There is always an indelicacy in degrading the parental character in dramatic exhibition, and exposing a father to shame in the presence of his child. The reply of Melanie to her father, when he threatens her with his curse, is a bravado of the most insulting kind. It is not thus that Clarissa speaks to her parent, when he endeavours to compel her to make a sacrifice of a more cruel nature; and from the moment that Melanie becomes guilty of this act of effrontery, she forfeits every claim that she VOL. 2.-No. 12.

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might

might have had on the feeling mind. It may be remarked, once for all, that those dialogues which are represented as having taken place in the convent, have no specific object. We know that the father is inflexible; the daughter has occasion for nothing more than the mere "vis inertiæ:" all the rest is but arrant prating, aukwardly introduced, and tending to no good purpose. A father, such as Faublas is represented to us, harsh and inexorable, does not waste in uninteresting conversation the eve of the day on which his daughter is to take the veil; he does not suffer a "curé," whose disposition he is ignorant of, to exhort her, while he has the father confessor in his interest; he does not permit that an interview at the convent grate should take place between her and such a young man as Monval is represented. There is no reasonable foundation for any one of those incidents. This Monval, the lover of Melanie, is a kind of enthusiast who overwhelms with the most insolent reproaches the father of his mistress, and threatens to murder his son; and, than which there can be nothing more absurd, this Faublas, so austere and imperious, when by a word he could put an end to this torrent of impertinence, droops his head, shrugs up his shoulders, and calmly endures the insults of this hot-headed young man. In short M. de Faublas is so bespurned and abused, now by the "curé," now by his child, and now by her lover, that, notwithstanding the odiousness of the character, there are moments when we are inclined to pity him.

The character of the Curé" was performed by Mole with great dignity, and, if the expression be allowed, a certain degree of unction. When at the conclusion, he appears on the stage, to announce the death of Faublas's son, he does not incite in us the same interest; but this is not his fault. The part of the young man was given with extraordinary force and feeling by Damas. Though improbable, and out of nature, the character is dramatic, and highly favorable to the performer. We are sensible that Laharpe, for the purpose of theatrical effect, was under the necessity of being a little "outré," and of depicting the monastic institutions in such odious colours, as might flatter that principle of impiety and religious independence which then possessed the public mind. It is a proof that his play could never have produced those moral advantages he vainly hopes for in his preface, and that it was more calculated to do hurt than good. The “iron gates" are annihilated; the " pernicious barriers" are no more; the "dangerous chain" of religious vows is broken, according to the wishes of the good "curé."-Has the cause of humanity been much promoted by it? The walls of a cloister, in the eyes of one of the tribe of lunatic philosophers, were little better than a tomb for hapless love." The sage, who had long looked upon the world, considered them as an asylum for innocence, and a retreat for virtue. How many royal personages, how many ladies of noble blood, have found in these sequestered abodes that peace

"

and

and happiness which they vainly sought for in the vortex of fashionable life!-To a creature like Melanie, composed of love and madness, a convent is but a melancholy residence: but where is the maid to whom a palace, far from the man she loves, would not be equally irksome and disagreeable? Religious establishments are not to be judged by the passions that run riot, and yet the dramatic poet will presume to do so.

We are of opinion, that no good purpose can be answered at the present moment by the representation of this piece. On the contrary, it will be regarded as an idle declamation against objects that were once respected. It would have been decorous in Laharpe rather to have buried in oblivion this memorial of that frantic philosophy, with which he daily reproaches himself, than to have allowed his past follies to become the subject of histrionic mimicry. He ought to have called to his recollection that passage in the Psalms, of which he has given so admirable a translation: "Delicta juventutis, Domine, ne memineris." Lord, remember thou not the offences of mine youth.-Can the epheineral reputation, that is to be obtained by a few pure and correct lines, be put in competition with considerations so important?"

PRIVATE THEATRICALS.

Count STARHEM BERG, the imperial ambassador, commenced his performances at York House, Twickenham, on the 14th, before a select party of noble visitors, in which he performed himself in a witty French Piece, called " Defiance et Malice," which is so constructed that two characters only constitute the whole of the Drama; these were reciprocally well played off upon each other, and served happily to display the comic powers of the Countess. To this succeeded a comedy called L'Impatient, and here if the Count ably marked the rapidity and restlessness of the hero of the piece, the contrast of his character, Monsieur Borlaut, was as di vertingly depicted by count WALDSTEIN. The younger part of the family of STAR HEMBERG had parts allotted them in the latter piece; and the whole performance, which was relieved by select music by several amateurs, went off much to the satisfaction of a brilliant circle.

PARISIAN FASHIONS.

Although silver chefs are no longer in use, the full head-dresses have lost nothing, of their splendour. Frequently the entire crown is formed of a piece embroidered in silver or gold. When the head-dress is composed entirely of hair, the coeffeur places in front a high diadem, a collar of golden meshes, of which he forms a bandeau or a rich ornament of the long sautoirs, which divested from their original destination, twist round the head in a spiral line.

A new article of jewellery is an arrow of diamonds, or gold, mounted traversely upon a pin. For common head-dresses, rose and sky blue are the favourite colours. Long and full cachemire shawls are still in fashion. We have lately observed a great many silk shawls, damasked. The shape of the men's coats has experienced a very considerable variation. The waist is not only shorter, but the fronts, less easy, fall down nearly square, and almost reach the seams of the culotte. The lapels, hitherto almost always worn buttoned, are full, and fall square upon the waistcoat, which they almost entirely conceal. The facings are round. There are eight buttons upon each lapel, and four on the flap of each pocket. These buttons are yellow, and convex, or concave. The culottes, very short, at the knee, have only three buttons, and a very small buckle. They are worn black. The waistcoats are coloured quilting, and the pantaloons striped velvet. The coats are of dark blue, or black cloth; the riding-coats of mixed cloth.

UNION CLUB, CUMBERLAND HOUSE.

The list of the members of this excellent institution, has of late received several valuable additions in the admission of noblemen and gentlemen, highly distinguished for their talents, fortune, and respectability of character. As many foreigners of rank may be expected to visit this country in consequence of the conclusion of peace, it is, we understand, in contemplation, to allow them to be candidates for admission. A measure of this nature would certainly very much conduce to the diffusion of social intercourse and honourable sentiment. The establishment is upon so large a scale, that no material objection with respect to the want of accomoda tion can, we apprehend, be urged against it.

ROYAL ACADEMY.

The president of this institution on the 10th. instant, gave his biennial lecture on delivering the gold and silver medals to those students who have produced the best Painting, Architectural Design, Architectural Drawing, and Academy Figure Model. The subject of the painting was Clytemnestra exulting in the death of Agamemnon.

The prizes were adjudged in the following order :

For the best painting-the Gold Medal, S. F. RIGAUD.

For the best Architectural Design-a Silver medal, T.WILSON. For the best Drawing of an Academy Figure-a silver Medal, R. A. WATTY.

Ditto, for the second ditto, J. H. MERTON.

For the best Architectural Drawing-a Silver Medal, J.WILTON, Young Rigaud is allowed to have treated his subject both in design and beauty of colouring with great judgment and spirit.

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DEATH

DEATH OF SIR RALPH ABERCROMBY..

NORTHCOTE'S pencil has been employed with uncommon success on this interesting and natural subject, and has introduced portraits of Gen. Moore, Gen. Hope, Sir Sidney Smith, Sir Tho. Dyer, and Col. Abercromby. He has been extremely happy in all the likenesses, particularly in Sir Ralph, which is copied from Mr. Hoppner's picture, lent by Mr. Dundas, under whose patronage we understand this picture is painted, and from which a print in the like manner is to be engraved. The picture is as large as life, and will be publicly exhibited, at the Historic Gallery, Pall-Mall, in January next.

GERARD, THE FRENCH PAINTER.

This able artist has just finished a fine picture, representing Oss1AN invoking with his harp the spirits of the Lora. It is intended to grace the apartments of the FIRST CONSUL, and is to be engraved in this country.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE.

On the 5th. instant a general meeting of the three classes se lected the following candidates, to fill the situation of foreign associate to each department:

For the class of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Sir JOSEPH BANKS, and Doctors MASKELYNE, and HERSCHEL.

For the class of Political Sciences, Messrs. JEFFERSON, Pre sident of the United, States, Major RENNEL, and Count RUM+

FORD.

For the class of Literature and the Fine Arts, Messrs. HAYDN, SHERIDAN, and KLOPSTOCK.

It is generally believed that Sir Joseph Banks, Mr. Jefferson, and Mr. Sheridan, will have the majority of votes in their favour.

POLITICAL