confirmation from the similar recommendation of Madame de Tencin to Marmontel, on the threshold of his Parisian life, "de se faire plutôt des amies que des amis ; car au moyen des femmes, on fait tout ce qu'on veut des hommes." The Jesuit was a very ingenious and virtuous man; but the lady was a profligate woman and unnatural mother. (See G. M. for September 1840, p. 256.) Her son the celebrated D'Alembert's intercourse, or union, with Mademoiselle L'Espinasse, the fruit, like himself, of criminal passion, remains still undefined in character; but if, though ostensibly conjugal, yet unconsecrated, it transgressed not, as was generally believed, the bounds of Platonic attachment, the forbearance assuredly was not a sacrifice to moral principle or religious scruple, which both equally disregarded, but imposed by nature on the philosopher, and amply compensated to his impassioned companion by his subserviency to her licentious course with others. Here, in this self-styled philosophical age, we see its Parisian Coryphæus become the degraded instrument, and act the pander to the desires of his Platonic paramour! She was the adulterine offspring of the Countess D'Albon-a noble house, of which some account will be found in the G. M. for March last, page 252, and one of the most remarkable females of her time. I avail myself of this opportunity to rectify an error in the article for August 1840, page 151, on French Genealogies, where Racine's tragedy of Bajazet is supposed to refer to the imperial captive of Tamerlane, instead of the brother of the Ottoman Emperor, Amurath the Fourth, who was put to death by this Sultan, the hero of Knolles, or rather of Ricaut, the continuator of Johnson's favourite historian, (See Rambler, No. 122,) in 1638. This drama, in which Mademoiselle Rachel excited lately such admiration in the character of Roxane, is founded on a mixed intrigue of love and ambition in the seraglio. But within a short interval, a rival tragedy with a consonant title, "Tamerlan, ou Mort de Bajazet," based on the memorable encounter, in 1402, of these mighty chiefs, alluded to in the quoted article of this Magazine, was exhibited. It was the composition of Pradon, that ignoble competitor for the theatrical laurel then fading on the brow of Corneille, whom a patrician junto, headed by the Duke de Nevers, (Mazarin's nephew)—and, literature may blush for the association-Mesdames de Sévigné and Deshouliers, opposed to the rising fame of Racine. Under their auspices, this Mævius of the great poet, who, when reproved by the Prince de Conti for localizing the scene of action in Europe, which was in Asia (Natolia), replied that, indeed, he was not much conversant with chronology! was not only urged to emulation, but deluded by an ephemeral preference. Atriumph over such an adversary, Racine felt would be a humiliation. 66 . . . demit honorem mulus, Quod cum victus erit, mecum certasse feretur." Ovid. Metam. xiii. 16. and, in sensitive consciousness of this depreciation of his value, he withdrew, in 1677, from a contest, which had been irritatingly maintained against some of the noblest emanations of his genius. For twelve continuous years, consequently, the Muse of this admirable writer remained silent, as if eclipsed, until revived to light and exertion by the inspirations Holy Writ, which, in 1689, produced Esther, and, in 1691, Athalie, the most perfect, perhaps, of French dramas. Boileau's tribute to his accomplished friend only expresses the general conviction of his countrymen. "Du théatre Français l'honneur et la merveille, of Il sut ressuciter Sophocle dans ses écrits; Et dans l'art d' enchanter les cœurs et les esprits, Surpasser Euripide, et balancer Corneille." If, as we may feel, our neighbours' national partiality prevents their acknowledgment of Shakspere's supremacy in his art, we, possibly, may be arraigned of equally withholding the full measure of justice to which their dramatists are entitled. Yet, to refuse them a rank parallel with their models, Eschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, or Aristophanes, would be to betray a subjection to prejudice, which, recoiling on ourselves, would impeach our critical discernment, proclaim our disqualification as arbiters, and wholly invalidate our assertion for Shakspere of that precedence and elevation which we fondly claim for him. But, placing HIM beyond all bounds of comparison, whom have we successfully to oppose to Corneille, Racine, Voltaire, and, above all, to Moliere; though these writers were alike fettered in the chains of their unpliant language and artificial rules? Of the productions of this last-mentioned consummate master of genuine comedy, several of the higher class are, with the exception of our great bard's, matchless by ours. Nor was he less fortunate in the minor department of the art, as his numerous farces prove; though it was by no means from choice that he descended to these compositions; but auditors of taste were comparatively few, and as he said himself, "J'ai vu le public quitter le Misanthrope pour Scaramouche, et j'ai chargé Scapin de le rappeler." Lope de Vega similarly observed, that as it was the people who filled the theatre, they had a right to be gratified in their fancy. "Porque come les paga el volgo, e justo Habler le en nescio, para darle gusto." And so felt and acted Shakspere, whose all-commanding spirit could evoke at will every emotion, as it mastered every composition, and to whose versatile powers the transition from grave to gay, from the sublime to the ludicrous, was not less prompt than Napoleon was wont to describe it in the contrasted evolutions of human fate "Du sublime au ridicule il n'y a qu'un pas,"-swift in succession, said the deep observer, as the alternations of the atmosphere. « χ ̓ ὁ Ζεὺς ἄλλοκα μὲν πέλει ἅιθριος, άλλοκα δ ̓ ὕει.” Homer. Molière's death, it is known, immediately followed his performance of his own Malade Imaginaire, (Argan,) the 17th of February 1673; (Taschereau, Vie de Molière, p. 293,) a fact and consequence expressed in the quatrain of his friend Etienne Bachat, by way of epitaph. "Roscius hic situs est, parva Molierus in urna, Cui genus humanum ludere lusus erat; Dum ludit mortem, mors indignata jocantem Corripit, et nimium fingere sacra vetat." UNEDITED GRÆCO.EGYPTIAN INSCRIPTIONS. 1. ON a granite altar in the possession of Signor Anastasi, ΣΑΡΑΠΙΔΙΘΕΣΙΜΕΓΑΛΟΙΠΑΝ IZKOZZAPAHIWNO .. L'IHIIAX WNKZ. This inscription is cut upon one edge of this sepulchral monument, which has been made in the form and shape of sepulchral monuments of square form, with a border of hieroglyphics running round; beneath are two lines of demotic. It is mentioned in the Sale catalogue, No. 387, p. 53, and it has been noticed, although not entirely published, in a former number of the Magazine. It reads, when entire, Zapámiði ég μεγαλῷ Πανίσκος Σαραπίωνο(s). L. ΙΗ. Παχὼν ΚΖ. Το the great god Sarapis Paniskos, son of Serapion, the 18th year 27th of Pachon. The demotic inscription beneath, which is arranged in the same manner, cannot, in the present state of the knowledge of demotic, be identified with the Greek text. Sarapis, like Isis, Osiris, and other names of the same class, was declined indifferently Σαράπιδος oι Σαράπιος, as on the lamp of the Durand Collection, Λάβε με τον Ηλιοσέραπιν.* II. On a tessera of wood, taken from a Græco-Egyptian mummy, from the collection recently acquired of Signor Anastasi by the British Museum. The letters appear to have been inlaid with red paint, ECOHPIC E BI CCNLO. Ina letter signed ÆGYPTIACUS, Gentleman's Magazine, three other tesseræ * De Witt. Cat. Dur. Coll. 8vo. Par. 1836, p. 389. Cf. Archæologia, vol. xxviii. p. 170, pl. xiv. E. Διὶ μ[εγαλῷ] καὶ Βασιλεῖ Σαράπιδι. of the same collection were published. The form of the letters is exactly as above, the engraver having omitted to insert the horizontal bar of the final E. It is Εσόηρις ἐβίωσεν L. Θ'. "Esoëris has lived 8 years." The name Esoeris is of frequent occurrence in the hiero. glyphical texts: it means the elder or greater Isis. Cf. Champollion. Gr. Eg. p. 131. Hieratical Papyrus, B. Μ. Α tessera of the same kind has been engraved. Montfauc. pl. cxxxiv. à là p. 282. Τ. V. Διδύμης Διοσκουρίδου ἐβίω(σεν). L. κβ. III. The next inscription is also in the National Collection, upon a small monument with a triangular top. It came from Mr. Sams's collections. At the sides are branches and other leaves. It is of the Christian era. ΕΙΣ ΘΕΟΝ ΒΟΗΘΩΝ ΜΟΥΣΗΣ . . . ΠΑΥΛΟΥ ΚΕ ΝΤΗΡΙΟΝΕΚΟΙΜΗΘΗΕΤΩΝ ΛΕ ΠΕΠΕΙΦΑΤΗΣΔΕΥΤΕΡΑΣ ΙΝΔΙΚ' Ι. Which probably has stood thus— Εἰς Θεὸν (ὁ) Βοήθων ΛΕ ́ ἐπειφῇ τῆς δευτέρας "Centerion, aged 35, has been laid to rest in God, the assister of Moses and Paul, on the fourth of Epiphi, the 2nd indiction." The character marking the end of indiction is indistinct. There is no need of remarking here at any length the extreme frequency of the use of the verb κοιμάω among the early Christian monuments, in allusion, no doubt, to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Cf. also Archæol. vol. XXVIII. pl. xiv. p. 170. Ε. Μνήθητι κύριε τῆς κοιμηθέως (τῆς) δούλου σοῦ Νιλανθίου, and following inscriptions. IV. + ΤΗΤΟΥ ΟΥ ΔΕΣΠΟ ZONTOC ZWNTAC Unedited, and likewise in the Museum. + τῆ, τοῦ θεοῦ δεσπόζοντος ζῶντας δὲ καὶ νεκροὺς θεοῦ πρόνοια, ἐχρήσατο μα καρία Σουαεὶ τέλει τοῦ βίου τούτου μηνὶ φαωφὶϊ ινδικτιώνος 5 ὁ θεὸς ἀναπαύσει ἐν σκηναῖς ἁγίων ἀμήν.+. In this inscription there is no difficulty of reading, although the Greek is corruptly written. OY indeed for Oeov passim in these inscriptions, its repetition in the 4th line unnecessary; τελι for τελει. Thus βασιλι for βασιλει, at a much earlier epoch; and Græco-Egyptian рovia for προνοια. Σουαεὶ, hardly Σοῦδεὶ, and the name always follows μακάριος : thus ὁ μακάριος Πέτρος Διάκονος. L. 11. ἀναπαύσει like ἀναπαύσατο, οι ψυχὴν, understood. Cf. following inscription, ἀνάπαυσον τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, nempe Θεὸς, οι Κύριε. ν. ΕΝΘΑΚΑΤΑΚΟΙΤΑ ΑΜΗΝ. Unedited, on a style of sandstone in the British Museum. The Greek of this inscription is terribly debased-it reads Ἔνθα κατακοιτᾷ ὁ μακάριος Πέτρος διά k[ovos] ἐτελεώθη μηνος φαρμουθὴ ι[7] ἰνδικ[τιωνος] δ ἀνάπαυσον τὴν ψ[υχὴν] Ἰακώβ. Αμήν. L. 5, φαρμουθὴ, better αὐτῶν εἰς κόλπον ̓Αβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ φαρμουθ, but so in the inscription. Ι7 the letter following the having one upright bar remaining must be an ŋ. L. 7, ψ, clearly ψυχὴν. L. 8, εἰς κόλπις, for εἰς κόλπον, what more abominable-except ἐν κόλπις ? An inscription dedicated to the same deity Sarapis, as No. 1. has been published by Mr. H. Agnew, Archæologia, vol. XXVIII. pl. xiv. p. 170, who has not however explained it. It exhibits 3 CΑΡΑΠΟΔΩΡΟΣ ΑΝΕΘΗΚΕΝΕΠΑΓ... 1 Διὶ μεγαλῷ καὶ βασιλεῖ Σαράπιδι line be admitted. It however shews The commencement of this inscription, which is upon a sandstone style, is very indistinct; and the corrupt state of the language does not allow us to pronounce distinctly whether it is douλov σὸν Μάρκον, οι Δούλου σ [ου] Μάρκουἐν κολπῷ τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων ̓Αβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ καὶ ἐκεῖ μύθιζεν ἔνερα δύο μηνος φαρμουθὶ ἰνδικτίωνος Β. Διοκλητιανου υπκ L. 1. νην ... 1. ντων —σ. σον. Cf. Arch. vol. xxviii. pl. xiv. p. 170, της δουλης σου. L. 3, ἐν κολπις for ἐν κολπῷ, thus εἰς κόλπις for εἰς κόλπον, following the corrupt Greek inserted into the Copt. L.4, πατέρον for πατερῶν. L. 7, μύθισεν for μύθίζει. Thus in another inscription ὁ Θεὸς ἀναπαύσει spoken affirmatively, although the αναπαυσον οἱ these inscriptions replaces the ευψυχει of the early times under the emperors. L. 7, ἔνναρα, corruptly written for ἔννατα, the masses said for the dead : namely, he says or chaunts the two songs appertaining to the dead? VIII. The following inscriptions are taken from some lithographic drawings entitled sketches of a collection of Antiquities lately imported at Liverpool from Alexandria in Egypt, fol. 1828. They appear to have been merely intended for private distribution, and the inscriptions may consequently be considered as practically inedited. No. 2, printed sheets. ΑΔΑ. On a sepulchral stele in statuary mar ble, over a girl holding a bird. "Ada, the name of a female common in Asiatic inscriptions. ΙΧ. ΑΤΕΙΗΡΩΙ. On a stele of statuary marble, ατει ηρῳ de npws passim, in Asiatic inscriptions ατει-termination of a proper name, for whom the tablet was erected, beneath the name of a man in a military garb. No. 1, printed sheets. 8 ΚΑΤΕΧΟΝΤΕΣ ΤΟ ΟΙΚΙΔΙΟΝΤΟΕΞΈΝΑΝΤΙΤΟΥ ΜΝΗΜΙΟΥ. Said to be on a species of veined marble. This inscription is decidedly of the ordinary Asiatic tenor, except that a fine was generally the threat held out. The θρεπτα, too, are often men. tioned on these monuments. Concern ing the partiality for declining in τος, or δος, in Græco-Egyptian inscriptions passim Cf. Papyri in the British Museum, part i. Lond. 1839. Pap. iii. 1. 2, Τηγητος. Pap. vij. l. 4, Θάτητος. Coffin of Soter, B. Μ. Εg. βββ. Φιλοντος. Coffin of Tphous. xx. Τφοντος, Σαραπουτος, all from nouns in S. L. 6, αυτο, for αυτόν. L. 1, Μνημειον. L. 7 and 8, μνεμιον. L. θηναι, rather θείναι. Cf. Boeck, Corp. Inscr. Græc. xiv. sec. ii. p. 627, erep[ov] MR. URBAN, HUMPHREY WANLEY, in his "Catalogus Librorum Manuscriptorum Angliæ, 1697," gives an account of seventeen MSS. in the Free School Library, Coventry. The 12th MS. he states to be well written, painted, and gilded. It contains as follows, by OccLEVE, (with his whole-length portrait at the commencement) : De Regimine Principum GENT. MAG. VOL. XVI. τινὰ θεῖναι. It is exceedingly clear, and I remain, Mr. Urban, Fitzroy Terrace. SAMUEL BIRCH. -De Incendio Amoris, sive Planctus Thomæ Occleve-Dialogus inter eundem Thomam et quendam Amicum suum-Fabula quædam de quadam bona et nobili Imperatrice Romana (all in English)-The moralizing of the foreseid Tale (partly prose)-Α Process to learn to dye-The Prologue of the 9th Lesson on Allhallowen-day (part in prose)-Prologue to the Tale of Jonathos, and the moralizing of it 3 |