ral's flag, and hoist the red flag in its stead-being a signal for every ship to send a boat manned and armed for the protection of the court of delegates on board the Queen Charlotte. The Captain of the Royal George, indeed, did make some resistance to this, and swore he would be d-d ere such a flag should be hoisted without the Admiral's permission; but his objections were soon over-ruled, and the flag was hoisted. While I staid there a-telling of them how Gardner had behaved on board the Charlotte, who should come alongside but his Lordship himself along with Admiral Pole-a real good fellow-to demand, forsooth, what was the meaning of the red flag, which was flying at the fore-topmast-head? -He had asked the question three times without a single soul giving him a word of answer; when at last a fellow mustering up courage, went forward to the gangway, and told his Lordship the ship's company wished to have nothing to say to him; but as for Admiral Pole, if he chose to step on board, the ship's company would gladly hear what he had to tell them. The good fellow immediately complied, and the whole business was put to rights in a twinkling. The moment he came on board, and all hands gathered round him, he mildly said, What do you mean, my lads, by hoisting of signals now, when Admiral Gardner has already told you that your petition is accepted and will be complied with?'

"My Lord,' replied one of the quartermasters, we heard a very different story, now, of his Lordship's behaviour on board the Charlotte ;-it was told us by one of the delegates now on board, who I dare say will gladly carry any message your Lordship may be pleased to give him to the council, now assembled on board that ship.'

"Ah, well, where is he?-send him to me directly,' said his Lordship.

'Well, of course, you know, I was bundled forward; and after answering various questions as to his Lordship's behaviour on board the Queen Charlotte, which I did as respectfully as I could, he told me in positive terms, to assure the council of delegates the moment I went on board, that, on his honour as an officer and a gentleman, the petition was accepted, and would be complied with without delay.

"Thank you, thank you, my Lord,'

cried I, grasping the good soul by the hand, which I shook heartily, I assure you. This is indeed the best news we've had these many months; and I've no doubt will allay all our ill-nature and restore us to a good understanding again. I'll go on board directly, my Lord, and execute your commission before the council breaks up.-Signalman, bring me a white flag instantly."

"What are you going to do with a white flag, my good fellow?' inquired his Lordship.

"Why, my Lord,' cried I, 'I'm so d-d happy, that I shall not only carry a white flag, but I believe I shall have a band of music with me also, to do honour to your Lordship's message.-Tomlins,' cried I to the quartermaster who had first spoken, 'muster me up your band if you pleaseby Jupiter, this is not an ordinary occasion.'

"You are a strange fellow,' said the Admiral, smiling, but I hope you'll not forget what I've told you?'

"Never fear, my Lord,' cried I, 'it will give too much pleasure to be easily forgotten.'

"Do then hasten on board, like a good boy, while your what-d'ye-callit is sitting," said his Lordship ;for you know the sooner a story of this kind is settled 'tis so much the better.'

"I gave his Lordship a sea bow, and he retired to his boat, and rowed off.

"Now come, my jolly hearts,' cried I, 'who will volunteer to go on board the Charlotte with me with the happy news? They shall have plenty of fun and oceans of grog. By the Lord, I'm half crazy with joy-so let me be off.-Come, Tomlins; d—n it, at least you must go for you got the message as well as I.-Come, my jolly warblers, are you all in there-Ay, that's right-Come, let's aboard, old boy.'

Shall I haul down the red, Adams?' inquired the signalman.

"No, no, my lad,' said I, 'you had better wait the council's orders about that affair. I'll tell you what, I'll ask about it as soon's I get on board, and if you are to haul it down, you'll know by the union being_bent on the fore-yard's-arm rope. D-n me, better to hang the union, than one of its jolly subjects.-Come along, Tomlins.'

"What shall we strike up, Adams?' said the Master of the Band, addressing me after we were in the boat.

"Eh?' cried I, busily employed bending on the white flag to the boat's hook, 'd-n me if I know, Hartleyyou ought to be the best judge-But I say, give us none of your nationals -that's a d-d Jerry-Sneak way of going to work, and not like true blues at all. I'll tell you what, my heart, give us, Hey, my blue bonnets, jump over the Border it is lively-in my opinion it is applicable-and it will give no offence to the radicals. So strike up, my hearts, and stretch out, my lads, and let us on board.'

"The band struck up, the white flag was elevated, and thus we rowed to the Queen, to the utter astonishment of the armed boats which by this time now surrounded her.

"Hilloah, Adams, why what's the matter?' roared a hundred voices.

"Good news, my happy lads,' cried I, glorious news, boys!-but I've only time to say, our petition is accepted by the Lords Admirals;' and I immediately ran up the side, still carrying my standard. Ordering the band to the quarter-deck, I whispered into Hartley's ear to strike up that good old antijacobin, Up and waur them a', Willie while I sent in to the council to announce my arrival with a message from authority. The band immediately did so, and I marched at their head round the whole three decks, refusing to answer a single question, and contriving it so that I should make my halt at the cabin door, where the council of delegates was still deliberating. The door being thrown open, I immediately entered, taking the old quarter-master along with

me.

"What is the matter, Adams ?' said Jack Morris, who was sitting as President, have you got any good news for us that you make all this hubbub ?'

"Master President,' replied I, 'as. I take it, I've got glorious news to tell to you and this honourable meeting. .Admiral Pole, on the quarter-deck of the George, has pledged his honour to you, before me and this old man I've brought with me to back my assertion, besides hundreds of others on board, that the Lords Admirals have accepted your petition, and that every

demand would be complied with without a moment's delay.'

"I won't believe a word of all that there story," cried Tom Allen of the Mars. If it was true, Mr President, why didn't Pole come here himself with the news? D-n me, he knew we were assembled, and it was the least thing he could have done, in my opinion.-For my part, I think he has been gammoning Adams.'

"For shame, Allen,' cried I, 'to suppose for a moment that a gentleman like Pole would utter a deliberate falsehood.-Mr President, the person appointed to bring you the intelligence from the proper authorities, was no other than the redoubted Admiral Gardner ;-at least so said Admiral Pole in all our hearings, and him I will believe, let Tom say what he will;-and how Gardner delivered his message, or rather what a pretty kettle of fish he made on't, I suppose you'll all have heard on. What I've told you, Mr President, I assure you honestly is truth, for the verification of which I not only appeal to my worthy old ship here, but to three parts of the ship's company of the George-and as for his gammoning me, I've the conceit to think so highly of myself, that I believe I'd be gammoned by neither Admiral Pole nor Tom Allen.'

"Glory, Adams!-glory, my hearty!' burst from two or three voices.

"Order, gentlemen!-order if you please!' cried the President; I'd have you to consider that this is a matter of the most serious nature, and one which demands your greatest attention. What say you, shall we take Adams's message for truth or not!you see the Mars is of opinion that he's been gammoned.

"Mr President,' cried I, rising, by the way in which you're putting that question, the truth or falsehood of the message hangs upon my shoulders. This I protest against; for it is not Adams's message,-it is not Tomlins's message, our worthy quarter-master here-it is Admiral Gardner's message, which he had been sent expressly here to deliver-but which, like everything else, he botched, and murdered, and made a hundred times worse. I hope, therefore, I'll hear no more of Adams's message-the words I have uttered came from the mouth

of Admiral Pole, and to him I pledged my troth, at his earnest desire, I would deliver them to you. I have done so -I believe them-but still, farther than that, I disclaim all responsibility for their truth or falsehood-that you are to judge of.-I've got no more to say, Mr President,-I've already said I believe in the honour and truth of Admiral Pole-I beg leave to repeat my assertion;--and have now only to request that you'll be so good as examine old Tomlins here, as to what he heard, in some measure to take away any doubts of my report of the Admiral's words, and more fully to show that I was not quite gammoned.' "Glory, Adams!—quite right!' was shouted again.

"Well, gentlemen,' said the President, what d'ye say, shall we examine Tomlins in the first place before we proceed to the vote?'

"Oh, undoubtedly,' cried a great number, 'it can do no harm—and after all, is but fair play.'

"The quarter-master was now examined, and backed every syllable I had uttered. I saw the impression this examination had made on the majority, and immediately said that if they had the least doubt of the quarter-master's being also gammoned, they might send to the George and take the evidence and the belief of the story from hundreds who heard it. For this service I immediately proposed Tom Allen of the Mars, and Bill Senator of the Marlborough, two of the stubbornest hotheads I believe in the fleet, along with Bill Ruly of the London, and Mark Turner of the Terrible, two men of sense and also of moderation.

"This was agreed to, and they were immediately dispatched-the meeting meantime chatting on indifferent matters. At the end of an hour they re

turned, and fully verified the message I had given; both Bill Ruly and Mark Turner adding, that the news was firmly believed on board the George. This, however, was contradicted by Allen and Senator; who allowed that no doubt there were a few that said they believed the story, but that the great majority shook their heads, expressing their fears that it was too good to be true. In this dilemma it was proposed to come to no resolution for the present, but to adjourn the meeting until next day, when possibly further intelligence might reach them. On the same account the red flag was ordered to be kept hoisted until it was dark, and the Admiral's to be hoisted in its place in the morning.

"Well, Ned, upon my soul, the result of this meeting chagrined me most confoundedly, and all that afternoon and evening I could not be bothered with the chat of any one, but walked the forecastle, with my arms a-kimbo, as sulky as you please. I had no fears of being laughed at openly, my boy, for I assure you there were very few in those days, as this old withered fist can show, who would have stood long before me. But I also knew that there were plenty both laughing and squibbing at me slily, and the very thought was cursedly mortifying. However, I bore up in the best manner I could-spoke little and took less notice-and was rewarded next day by a complete triumph. A triumph do I call it ?-It was more, my boy-it was a glory-a sort of northern halo that encircled me, and caused me to strut the decks for the whole following day as lofty and proud as e'er a quarterly-account Jackey in the service."

S.

WHEN we presented our readers with an account of the ARMINIO of Ippolito Pindemonte, we promised them an early introduction to that author's principal rival, il Cavaliere Vincenzo Monti. We are now about to fulfil our engagement; but before entering upon our task, we feel bound to confess, that in thus classing together these two Italian dramatists, we have been influenced rather by our own individual opinion, than by what we understand of the relative estimation in which they are held by their own countrymen, who appear hardly to consider Pindemonte as deserving of any sort of comparison with Monti. Indeed, we have ourselves heard an Italian critic, of no ordinary abilities and acquirements, select the ARISTODEMO of Monti as the masterpiece, not only of the Italian, but of the universal European modern theatre.Now, how much soever we may question the authority of such a sentence, as far as it regards absolute merit, it would surely be great presumption in foreigners to dispute the decision of compatriot literati respecting the relative pre-eminence amongst themselves of the authors or the works of any country. These are points upon which foreigners, we apprehend, can scarcely ever be competent to judge. There is a sort of congeniality or homogeneousness in the language, genius, and taste of every separate people, whether produced by peculiarities of national character, or by whatever else generated, which necessarily occasions great discrepancy between their judgments and those of strangers; produces considerable embarrassment and awkwardness in all translations; and renders it moreovera difficult, not to say unfair attempt to appreciate any work of imagination when thus presented to us under the disguise of an idiom, with which those views, sentiments, and flights of fancy, most enthusiastically admired at home, have no such affinity. Let it not, however, be supposed, that in thus prefacing our account of, and extracts from, an Italian tragedy, with remarks tending to depreciate translation in general, we intend, by an un

exampled exuberance of modesty, to undervalue those our labours, past, present, or future, in which we have endeavoured, do now, or may hereafter endeavour, to make our readers acquainted with the literature of foreign nations. Such labours are far from useless, although their utility be of a more limited description than desultory readers are apt to conceive. If we cannot thus enable him, who is familiar with none but his mother tongue, fully to comprehend and participate in the delight which the works passed under review excite in their native land, we at least afford him the means of learning the different tastes of different nations, and, according to the peculiar temper of his mind, of either investigating and comparing such different tastes,-a curious political, not less than metaphysical study, --or flattering and feeding his national vanity, with the conviction of the immeasurable superiority of our own British taste and genius.

We proceed without farther procrastination to ARISTODEMO, an Italian tragedy, in which there is not a single word or thought of love from beginning to end: a circumstance, it may be thought, sufficiently remarkable, had the play no other distinction to repay the trouble of reviewing.Remorse and parental affection constitute the whole interest. The story upon which the poet has founded his drama is taken from Pausanias. But we shall suffer it to develope itself in the progress of the piece. The action passes in the palace of Aristodemus, king of Messenia, and the scene is described in the stage directions as a royal hall, sala regia, at the back of which is seen a monument. We have inserted the Italian words for the satisfaction of any sceptical reader, who, surprised at such a choice of locality for a sepulchre, might accuse us of mistranslation. The piece is opened by two Spartans, in the following dialogue :

Lysander. Ay, Palamedes; harbinger

of peace, From Sparta to Messenia's king, I come. Sparta is weary of hostilities; So deeply in the blood of citizens

Are dyed our laurels, that upon the brow They weigh a heavy burthen and a shameful.

Wrath is subdued by pity; and sound

reason

Prevails, alleging that 'tis utter folly
Through avaricious jealousy of state
To crush ourselves and desolate the earth.
Then since the enemy was first compelled
To wish for peace, wise Sparta grants
the boon,

And I convey it hither. Nor alone
Do I bring peace, but with it liberty
To such of ours as here in servitude
Arepining, chiefly to thyself, loved friend,
Who, howsoe'er regretted and desired,
Three years, unhonoured, amidst hostile
walls,

Hast languished, an illustrious prisoner. Palamedes. I joy to see thee once again, Lysander;

And gladsomely through thee shall I regain

My liberty; unto the dear embraces
Of friends and kin return, and hail again
The light of day upon my country's soil:
Albeit not Fortune's self could have pro-
vided

An easier slavery. Thou'st not to learn
That fair Cesira, old Talthibius' daughter,
Is here my fellow-prisoner. But further
Know, that such favour in the monarch's

Lys. Throughout all Greece His mortal melancholy is the theme Of men's discourse; its cause a mystery. But here I judge, what elsewhere is unknown

Must be apparent. Kings are ever circled

By vigilant observers, who explore Their every word, ay, every sigh and thought.

Then tell me, friend, what secret cause of gloom

Has so much busy watchfulness discovered?

Pal. Plainly, as it was told me, I'll re-
late

This most unhappy man's sad history.
A fatal sickness laid Messenia waste,
When for stern Pluto, Delphi's oracle,
In horrid sacrifice, a virgin claimed,
Of th' Epitean race. The lots were cast,
And on Liciscus' daughter fell the doom.
The father, guiltily compassionate,

By secret flight rescued his child from death,

And the wronged people eagerly required Another victim. Then Aristodemus Stood forward, to the sacrificing priest Willingly offering his proper child, Dirce the beautiful. And in the place Of her who fled, Dirce upon the altar Was slain; she quenched with her pure virgin blood

The thirst of the insatiable Avernus,
And for the general safety gave her life.
Lys. All this I know; Fame bruited
it abroad,

And of the mother's inauspicious fate
Added dark rumours.

Pal. She, enduring ill

Her Dirce's loss, by grief, by rage impelled,

Her bosom desperately gashed and tore, And lay, a bloody and disfigured corse, The nuptial couch defiling, whilst i' the

realms

Of death, a raving but contented shade, Her daughter she rejoined. This was the second

Misfortune of the sad Aristodemus,
And closely was it followed by the third,
The most disastrous chance of his Argia;
She was her father's sole remaining hope,
A lovely, sportive infant, who as yet,
Tottering unsteadily on tender foot,
Had scarce seen half a lustre. Often-

times Clasping her fondly to his breast, he felt The recollection of his suffered woe

*