PRIOR'S LIFE OF GOLDSMITH. MR. URBAN, Cork, Jan. 16. A CURSORY view of Mr. Prior's Life of Goldsmith has suggested the following observations :-The industry of research and accuracy of facts, which distinguish that work, induce me to submit them to the author as matters of correction (should I be not mistaken), for a future edition, particularly as I have not seen what struck me as erroneous, noticed as such in the ample review of this interesting biography, which appears in the last Quarterly, although the passages are extracted.

In volume I. p. 181, it is said, "It would appear he (Goldsmith) had the honour of an introduction to Voltaire at Paris. Two allusions are made to this honour; one in the Public Ledger; another, in an account of his (Voltaire's) life." In the latter, Goldsmith says, (as quoted page 182,) "The person who writes this memoir (of Voltaire), who had the honour and pleasure of being his acquaintance, remembers to have seen him in a select company of wits, of both sexes, in Paris, when the subject happened to turn on English taste and learning. Fontenelle, who was of the party, began to revile both. Diderot attempted to vindicate their poetry and learning, but with unequal abilities. Fontenelle continued his triumph, till about 12 o'clock, when Voltaire appeared at last roused from his reverie; his harangue lasted three hours. I never was so much charmed, nor did I ever remember so absolute a victory as he gained in the dispute."

Now, Goldsmith, according to Mr. Prior, and the fact is incontestible, never was in Paris until 1754 or 1755; and it is equally certain that Voltaire left that capital for Berlin in 1750, and never returned to it until 1778 (February), in the month of May of which year he died there; so that it was impossible he could have been seen there by Goldsmith in 1754 or 1755. In Condorcet's life of Voltaire, there are no dates to determine the fact; but it is clear from the narrative that his absence continued uninterrupted from his departure from Berlin, where he arrived in 1750, until his

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final and fatal return in 1778. dorcet (page 62, édition de 1817), says, "Voltaire alla donc à Berlin. On ne vit plus que la perte d'un homme qui honorait la France, et la honte de l'avoir forcé à chercher ailleurs un asile." His presence in Paris is never subsequently alluded to until 1778, when (page 139) it is observed, "Depuis long-temps Voltaire désirait revoir sa patrie," &c.

But Duvernet's Life of Voltaire (La Vie de Voltaire, Genève 1786, in 8vo,) is more distinct. In chapter xiv, the poet's departure for Berlin, at the invitation of the great Frederick, is explicitly assigned to the year 1750; and in chapter xxv, under the dates of 1777 à 1778, it is said, "Voltaire absent de Paris depuis près de trente ans ...... cédant aux différentes voix qui l'appellaient à Paris, part au milieu de l'hiver (February 1778)," &c.

Another biographer of Voltaire, M. Lepan, (Paris 1824, 4th edition, in 8vo.) page 171, states the arrival of the Poet at Berlin in 1750; and page 347, the author adds, " Depuis plusieurs années, Voltaire sollicitoit vivement la permission de venir à Paris. Louis XVI. enfin l'accorda, et Voltaire quitta Ferney pour n'y plus revenir le 3 Février 1778, et arriva à Paris le 10." In the same page it is stated that Voltaire never saw the celebrated actor Lekain on the stage of Paris (though he did at Ferney), the great tragedian having first appeared there the 14th September 1750, and died the 8th February 1778, during which interval Voltaire was absent. The latter's correspondence fully confirms, likewise, the fact of this long absence; so that Goldsmith's statement is difficult of explanation. Nor is it less so in regard to Fontenelle, who, in 1754 or 1755, when Goldsmith was in Paris, was in the ninety-eighth or ninety-ninth year of his age-a period of life wholly incompatible with the story. Fontenelle was born in February 1657, and, independently of his great age, had long been obliged to relinquish society from utter deafness. How Mr. Prior will reconcile these obvious discrepancies I am at a loss to conjecture. I should add, that Goldsmith, in his Memoir of Voltaire, attributes the latter's arrival in England to the year 1720, in place

of 1725; but it appears that it was a very hasty composition (page 304), which would account for this erroneous date, though assuredly not for the assertion of his own acquaintance in Paris with Voltaire, and the victory over Fontenelle, who, I may add, was by no means so eloquent a speaker, or so able a disputant as Diderot-the only man in Paris who, in powers of language, could be compared to Dr. Johnson.

In Voltaire's tale of Zadig, the chapter xx, L'Ermite is an obvious plagiarism of Parnell's Hermit, to which no reference is made; but it is adverted to in a note by Condorcet, who says that the original story is to be found in the Thalmud, whence it was transferred into the collection of Fabliaux (De l'Ermite qu'un ange conduisit dans le siécle), and into the Gesta Romanorum, as well as the Doctrinal de Sapience (1482 and 1485, in folio). Fréron, the critic and journalist (ob. 1776), first indicated the English source whence Voltaire borrowed the idea without acknowledgment; for which he never was forgiven by the patriarch of Ferney. Goldsmith,

too, is accused in the Gentleman's Magazine of this month (Vol. VII. No. 1. N. S.) page 16, of having translated, without acknowledgment, some of Sir William Temple's poetry."

The Chevalier Rutledge, mentioned in volume 11, page 769, where the name is erroneously called Rudlidge, was the son of an Irish officer in the French service, and author of La Quinzaine Anglaise, (1776, in 12mo.) a satirical production, as well as of several dramatic compositions of temporary vogue. He served in the Irish brigade, but was expelled for misconduct. His christian name was James.

Thomas Fitzmaurice, whose letter is given, vol. II. page 440, was, probably, brother of the first, and uncle of the present Marquis of Lansdown. He married Mary O'Bryen, Countess of Orkney, in 1771, and was grandfather of the present Earl of Orkney. I have the honour to be, &c.

J. R.

Mr. URBAN,

VARIOUS allusions having recently been made in your Magazine to the history of Mezzotinto Engraving, I send you a transcript of some evidence on that subject by the celebrated Mariette. The testimonies of Sandrart, Heineken, Vertue, and Granger, to the claims of De Siegen are generally known; but I do not remember to have seen that of Mariette introduced in any of the numerous works on the Fine Arts.

Yours, &c. BOLTON CORney. Evelyn Jean, Sculptura, or the history and art of Chalcography and Engraving in Copper, &c. London, 1662. 8vo. "Nel nostro esemplare legato in marrachino dorato, trovari scritto di mano di Mariette, come segue. [L. Cicognara.]

"Cette histoire de la gravure par Jean Evelyn est introuvable même en Angle terre, où le livre a été imprimé: mais il faut l'avoir complette, et c'est encore une difficulté; car la planche gravée par le Prince Robert [sic] y manque presque toujours. Il est arrivé souvent que les curieux l'en ont ôtée pour en enrichir leurs recueils d'estampes; c'est cependant la principale singularité du livre, dans

lequel il est parlé pour la première fois et avec mystère de la gravure en manière noire ou mezzotinto, et comme d'un secret qui n'étoit pas encore publié. On en fait honneur au Prince Robert, comte Palatin du Rhin, et l'on en étoit d'autant plus persuadé qu'il venoit d'apporter en Angleterre cette nouvelle manière de graver: cependant dans l'exacte vérité l'invention étoit d'un officier Allemand, nommé L. de

On

Siegen, qui servoit dans l'armée du Landgrave de Hesse, et qui fit présent de son secret au Prince Robert. Celui-ci aidé par Waillant ne fit que le perfectionner, et sous ses auspices cette gravure se fixa en Angleterre, et y fit de tels progrès que c'est de tous les pays celui où elle a été le plus goutée, et le plus cultivée. trouve à la page 131 de cet ouvrage, une enumeration des pièces gravées en nière noire par le Prince Robert. Ce sont autant de chefs-d'œuvre, et qui sont en même tems de la plus grande rareté. Je les ai presque toutes. La plus considérable a été gravée à Francfort en 1658. C'est une décollation de S. Jean Baptiste d'après M. Ange de Caravagio."

ma

Catalogo Ragionato dei libri d'arte e d'antichità posseduti dal Conte Cicognara. Pisa, 1821. 8vo. I. 43.

actors of all this were three grand commanders of the army, Janizary Aga (a chief general) and two Ogiah Aga's (subgenerals). Thus does the parallel hold in ye act, and it may do so in the conclusion, which in brief was thus :-Sultan Ibrahim, now some time murdered, and these tyrannous rebels, grown ripe in their oppression, and so fixed in their power, as if heaven itself could scarce subdue them, some honest-hearted subjects, at a private giunto, made this resolution, and the execution of it was bravely and boldly perform'd by one Shacus Aga, a young but a highly gallant person, who had but lately before been vizier himself. The

standard was set up at the Seraglio gate, Mahmet being Grand Sen' in his father's stead, and a proclamation thundered thro' streets and country, y' all who own reverence to their faith and obedience to their king, should repair to the standard, on the penalty of the curse in their law against traytors and rebells, and that the wives of such should be at their own lybertys. Hereupon, in an hour's time, an innumerable people repaired to the standards, to whom speeches were made, shewing the sad oppressions they were under, who were the authors of them, and what the remedies; w" presently the head counsell's went into the Divan (or parliament house) and the people in fury ran to find out the rebells and bring them to judgment; nay their own guards of soldiers and their very attendants were then most ready to surprize them. Yet two of them fled, and the third only was now taken; who being brought to the Divan, was immediately condemned, hurried forth into the open court, there strangled, and minc'd into mammock pieces, one pulling out an eye, another cutting off an ear, a third a finger, till he was cut out by retail, in satisfaction for personal injuries, whiles the loss of his life and the ruins of his family hon and estate were ye rewards of his publick crimes. The other two being afterwards taken, redeem'd their lives by the discovery of their immense wealth, but were ousted all offices, banish'd the city, and privileg'd only that their places, estates, and hon's might dy before yr

persons.

These undertakings having such success, Shacus Aga was justly rewarded with the vizier's place, yet did he enjoy it only half a year, behaving himself throughout his short durance as he had done at his entrance, with great courage and honour; but ye minority of the king gave occasion to the treachery of his rebellious subjects, y' they might pursue their private ends thro' all hazards of ye publick interests; and thus did the Kisler Aga use his ad

vantage, who being chief 14 over all the eunuchs, and having, besides all ye concubines, ye young king under his tuition, perswaded the king to give him a haatsherif (an imperial command) for ye displacing of Shacus Aga, and settling another in his stead, as also to remove all the officers through the empire as he thought fit, and such is ye implicit obedience of Turkish subjects, as y they readily submit to their king's commands, without pleading hee is simple (as was Sultan Ibrahim), nor that he is a child (as is his son Mahmet), and this to the shame of those who have murdered not a foolish or a childish, but a most just and wise king.

In sum, ye Kisler Aga thus govern'd all, being director of the emper and command of the empire; yet was it not long till his subtilty was discovered, nor long after till himself was banished, and ye governm returned into its wonted channel. About this time was the chief concubine of the deceased king put to death, and said to bee put into a sack and thrown into the sea, having been first made to discover the vast treasure she had gain'd thro' y extravagant prodigality of the Sultan Ibrahim, whose effeminacy was such, as the wealth of his whole empire could rather only feed than satisfy, all costs and all curiositys being too little to reward his pleasing bedfellows; among which this was his chiefest favourite, gaining hence the name of Sheker-para, or Sugar Bill. And as his tyranny occasioned his death, so his concubines moved him to tyranny, who finding their coffers fill'd on so easy terms, did not spare to ask whatsoever they desired when y' they might be furnish'd; he sends his commands to ye grand vizier, the vizier to ye bassas, beighs, customers, and other grandees, and those again to the inferior officers, so y' from ye top to the bottom of the hill ye ball of oppression roll'd till it became intolerably great.

About this time also was ye great Mofti put to death by authority, contrary to ye original priviledge of ye office to injoy it till their natural deaths; likewise was the Greek Patriarch murdred in the street by the connivance of ye great ones, who are now grown so vicious in their government, y they drown all regards to hon' and the common wealth, in the streams that run to their own private gain, disposing ye helm of the empire into the hands of those, not that had most skill to govern it, but most money to buy it; nay, making such places vendible, which by their canons and ancient constitutions had always been conferr'd for term of life. Some other accidents and observations I must interadd disorderly in y' I remember not ye time

wherein they happned, nor how to place them. As, first, his lords noble attempt on occasions of divers oppressions and abuses to the English nation, while ye vizier deny'd him remedy and forbid him all addresses to the Grand Seign', which in brief was thus :-Calling a councill with his merchants they thus resolved and effected, eight good ships being then in port, they all in the night repaired aboard them, disposing themselves into their several quarters; then clearing the ships, charging the canons, &c. they put all in order for fight if occasion urg'd, yet they wisely shut all their ports, and hung out white flaggs to shew their intentions of peace. At break of day they set sail, in a fighting posture, and thus all of them fell fairly down before the seraglio walls, setting on fire pots of pitch at their main yard arms, which token, qualified with the white flags and close ports, signified that they sought redress of some great injuries, which if they could not obtain peaceably they would revenge stoutly. Scarce had they reacht their designed station and set themselves in posture, but ye people in tumults covered all the shore, fill'd the city walls, and climb'd upon ye tops of their houses to see this strange portent, and straight fearing some desperate action, they fled in multitudes over the Bosphorus to ye Asian shore. The unimagined alarm made the vizier, captain bassa, and many other great ones, doubt their own safetys, while, being conscious what their oppressions might justly bring upon them, they hasted thro' ye crowd and rowed to the ships, in hopes to quiet all before the Grand Seig should hear ye news; where, calling earnestly on ye ambassad', they supplicated him to take down the fires, with strong assurances yt they should not ask anything within their powers which forthwith should not be granted; hereupon his lord demanded the return of a sum of money, which ye grand customer had lately extorted, as also the liberty of all the English slaves at Constantinople; all which, in a few minutes, was perform'd, and mountains of promises made of all other his reasonable demands should have redress.

2ndly. I must note his lordes handsome behaviour at a general audience of ye English, French, and Dutch ambassadrs with ye grand vizier and capitan bassa, for a supply of shipping on the Grand Seig's behalf agst the Venetians, arguing y' having a truce as well with them as the Venetians, they ought to afford assistance as well to ye one as to the other, or at least to the Turks once in their necessity, as well as always to the Venetians, of their free accords, adding, that altho' or ships

were imprison'd within the Dardanels, so yt they could, if they pleas'd, seize them per force, yet they should aford pay for their services. To which plausible and indeed reasonable demand, his ldp rather chose to make a handsome evasion than a positive answer, and aptly took this occasion; he inform'd the vizier before the audience, yt unless he might sit at his right hand he would not appear, well imagining yt the French ambass aimed at the same mark,—ye vizier meanwhile seeming indifferent, intended ye place for him that first came, wch my Ld Bendish fortuning to do, he took up ye seat, but being accidentally in discourse when ye French ambass* came, and standing up with his back towards the door where he enter'd, the small great man silently slipt behind my Ld Bendish into his chair, my 1d not perceiving it, as he retired backwards, set on the Fr. ambass's lap, but finding his cushion thus chang'd, clapt his hand to the Fr. ambass's neck and threw him out of his seat; hereupon wee and ye Frenchmen were at daggers drawing, but the vizier and his guard stepping in, all o' difference ended but in words, but my 1d pretending himself disgusted, declared hee would be no more prevailed on for any such giunto.

3rdly, I must instance, touching ye Turk's fleet of ships, built by some Fleming renegadoes, arriving in about fourteen months' time, to the number of thirty, so apt for use and so fair in shape, as made artists admire their first attempt should reach to so great perfection; not that they wanted faults, and such as some of them scarce could swim out of port, particularly their admiral, which being to be launch't in glory, they omitted to put into her sufficient ballast, but, on the contrary, mounted her guns and ran them all out to celebrate her triumph; besides, all the deck was covered with men, and hang'd all over with banners, and thus her upper work overweighing her lower, and all her port holes open, when the trumpets, drums, and brass instruments began their clangour, ye guns their roaring, and the people their shout, the ship very orderly sinks right down, transforming ye Turk's triumph into the Devil's feast, who, loving to fish in troubled waters, received here a plentiful draught, and had abundance of musick into the bargain. The ship, yet repriev'd, tho' not wholly redeem'd (ab inferis) from the lower house, (from whence there is no redemption) with great expense and industry, made up the fleet at their departure,

ye going out of wch is one of the most glorious sights the city yields. It consisted then of about sixty gallies and gallygrosses, and thirty ships, all which were