312 BEN JONSON. 66 BENJAMIN JONSON, or Johnson (as he After this, he produced his celebrated himself appears to have preferred it), an comedy of " Every Man in his Humour," intimate friend of Shakspeare, and one and thenceforth continued, at short inof the greatest poets of his age, was born tervals, to write the dramatic pieces which at Westminster, June 11th, 1574. He have made his name renowned. From was sent, at a very early age, to a private 1625 to 1629 his health gradually deschool in the church of St. Martin-in-the-clined, and his resources had become exfields, whence he was removed to Westminster School, and placed under the tuition of the great Camden, whom he commemorates, in one of his epigrams, as the person to whom he owed all he knew. As his father was a clergyman, it is supposed that this step was taken with a view to his entering the church; but his mother having been left a widow in narrow circumstances, she accepted an offer of marriage made to her by a bricklayer, to which trade young Ben was forced to apply himself, after having made great proficiency in classical learning at Westminster, and was said to have been employed in building some additions to Lincoln's Inn. Being, however, unable to content his mind with this humble situation, he enlisted himself as a soldier, and fought against the Spaniards in the Netherlands. On his return, he is said to have resumed his studies, and to have entered at St. John's College, Cambridge; where, however, the scantiness of his resources prevented his keeping all his terms. poetry itself. His natural advantages were judgment to order and govern fancy, rather than excess of fancy; his productions being slow and upon deliberation, yet then abounding with great wit and fancy, and will live accordingly; and surely as he did exceedingly exalt the English language in eloquence, propriety, and masculine expression, so he was the best judge of, and fittest to prescribe rules to, poetry and poets, of any man who had lived with or before him; or since, if Mr. Cowley had not made a flight beyond all men, with that modesty yet as to ascribe much of this to the example and learning of Ben Jonson. His conversation was very good, and with the men of most note; and he had, for many years, an extraordinary kindness for Mr. Hyde (Lord Clarendon), till he found he betook himself to business, which he believed ought never to be preferred before his company. He lived to be very old, and till the palsy made a deep impression on his body and mind." We cannot close this brief sketch without presenting the reader with two short specimens of his epigrammatic talent. The first shall be his Epitaph upon the Countess of Pembroke, sister to Sir Philip Sidney: is "Underneath this marble herse The other is much better known, and "Underneath this stone doth lie LONDON:-Published by J. CRISP, at No. 27, ceedingly limited, but were considerably 6 On leaving Cambridge, he began his theatrical career, by engaging himself in various parties of strolling players, and Perhaps the most accurate and creditat length became more permanently en- able character of Ben Jonson was written gaged at an obscure theatre, called the by Lord Clarendon. It is comprised in Green Curtain, near Shoreditch. While the following sentences:-"His name thus engaged, he began to write his can never be forgotten, having, by his plays; and his first having the good for- very good learning and the severity of tune to fall into the hands of Shakspeare, his nature and manners, very much rewas by him brought forward and acted. | formed the stage, and indeed the English addressed. Town Agents. B. Steil, Paternoster-row G. Cowie, Strand G. Berger, Holywell-street, Clements, Pulteney street Country Agents. Birmingham, J. Drake Bristol, Westley and Co. Carlisle, C. Thurnam Chatham, P. Youngman Derby, Wilkins and Son Falmouth, J. Philp Leeds, Baynes and Co. Printed by J. Haddon and Co., 27, Ivy Laue, THIS is one of the most extraordinary remains of antiquity of which our country can boast. It was brought to England, from Alexandria, by Dr. Edward Daniel Clarke, where it had been discovered by Denon and Dolomieux, at an early period after the invasion of Egypt by the French, while they were engaged in examining the antiquities of that city. It had been accurately described by various travellers for centuries past; and, together with their description, they relate the legend connected with it, as confidently entertained by the inhabitants, namely, that it was the tomb of Alexander, the founder of their city. For a considerable time, however, previous to its removal, it had been screened, by the piety of its Mahom- one of the principal mosques, formerly a "Near these baths," says Denon, "is The reader will here probably feel some surprise that Denon should not allude to the supposition that this "precious monument' was the tomb of Alexander the Great. He must have known that such was the opinion stated by all previous writers, and entertained by the natives themselves; and his silence is easily explained by the sequel of its history, which shall be given in the words of Dr. Clarke, in the work which he published, entitled, "Testimonies respecting the Tomb of Alexander." gious temple would have been raised in the midst of Paris; where, to complete the mockery of Buonaparte's imitation of the son of Philip, the same tomb that had once enclosed the body of that hero would have been reserved for the bones of his mimic." for. The silence of Denon is now accounted The tomb is no longer a theme of triumph to his countrymen; and he solaces his disappointment by depreciating the value of his loss. On the retaking of Alexandria by the English, Dr. Clarke entered the city, and was quickly apprized by the inhabitants where the tomb of Alexander had been secreted by the French, of which he obtained undisputed possession. He found it half filled with filth, and covered with the rags of the sick people on board. The sight of it excited all the enthusiasm of his nature, and the strict correspondence of its appearance with the description given by Diodorus, of the shrine constructed for the body of Alexander, left no doubt on his mind of its identity. "In spite of their vaunted toleration and affected regard for the religious opinions of a people whose sanctuaries they It is one huge and entire block of had pledged themselves to protect, the green Egyptian breccia, covered, as has mosque of St. Athanasius was invaded by been said, within and without with hieroFrench troops; and the sarcophagus, glyphics. Its dimensions are ten feet which they found the inhabitants of the three inches and a half in length, five feet city venerating as the tomb of the founder three inches and a half in breadth, three of their city, was borne away amidst the feet ten inches in height, and the thickhowling and lamentation of its worship-ness of its sides ten inches. pers, and even exciting insurrection among the people, and condemned to augment the collection of plunder in the museums of Paris. After its removal, the most cautious measures were used to con ceal it from observation. With prodigious difficulty and labour they had placed it in the hold of a crazy vessel in the harbour, which, being converted into a hospital, might on that account escape observation, and in other respects was not likely to become an object of at tention. "Other vicissitudes awaited this remarkable monument. A British army came to give life and liberty to the oppressed inhabitants of Egypt, and the tomb of the greatest conqueror the world ever knew devolved, by right of conquest, to their victorious arms. Had it been conveyed to the metropolis of France, instead of the silence which is so cautiously observed respecting it, Europe would have been told that a hieroglyphic inscription having recorded the actions. of a Ptolemy,* the Alexandrian Sarcophagus, in the same language, might also relate the expeditions, the conquests, and the glories of Alexander. A prodi BOOK-KEEPERS' SITUATIONS ON JAMAICA SUGAR ESTATES. Facts, not fictions. (Continued from page 303.) A LITTLE further on, he probably passes appear to him working very eagerly, as if gang of negroes repairing the highway. They under the influence of some strong inducement to exertion; he rides slowly past them, and he then observes a white overlooker, and two savage-looking black fellows; one walking about whip in hand, the other with his arms closely scrutinizing some one in the gang. He crossed leaning on another bamboo, as if begins now to ruminate in his mind whether the drivers actually flog the slaves with these tremendous whips, or if they are only carried as symbols of authority, as the mace is carried before the Lord Mayor simply with this view, and not with any intention of using it followed by a loud report of the whip, terrifies in the Irish fashion, when a piercing scream, him and startles his horse, who, already maddened with the heat of an almost vertical sun, springs and plunges amongst the negroes. They, always suspicious of whites, fly off alarmed, grinningly exclaiming, " Massa, him new come from England." At this unpalatable remark and, having met with no other adventures, the novice is confused, puts spurs to his horse, arrives at the scene of his imaginary felicitous futurity, but which is, alas! destined to afford nothing else than a rich harvest of never-ceasing disappointments. Arrived at the estate, he delivers his attorIt would be impossible, and not very seer, and his brother book-keepers endeavour ney's letter, is courteously received by the o: erinstructive, to subjoin the arguments also to be attentive to him. His name is enwhich Dr. Clarke adduces to prove that tered on the estate's books, and, after a day or this is really the tomb of Alexander. two spent in looking about him, he then reWe had, however, intended to have intro-ceives his written orders from the overseer; duced some remarks on hieroglyphics, as and, as the insertion of such here may assist intimately connected with this subject; this paper, the order that was sent to a youngest in furthering the end I have in view in writing but this we must reserve as the topic of a book-keeper well known to myself now folseparate article. In a subsequent part of this number will be found another memorial of this lows: "Mr. will please to call the list of the mighty conqueror. This is an engraving reckon the sheep and hogs, and see them second gang every morning; afterwards will of a medal which was formerly in the dressed if required; after breakfast, he will possession of Lysimachus, and which, return to the second gang, and attend them after exciting much learned controversy, till half-past twelve o'clock; after dinner he is now universally received as a represen-will call the list of the gang, and then will retation of Alexander. The Greek charac- turn to see after the small stock. ters which this medal bears are a further testimony to its genuineness, intimating (as does also the horn the deification of the conqueror, as son upon the head) of Jupiter Ammon. A THOUSAND NAMES OF BUDHA. SOME persons at Peking, and among them a Tartar soldier, have been convicted of forming a sect whose distinguishing feature was the Dr. Clarke here alludes to an objection lecting money. These proceedings are proreciting a thousand names of Budha, and colbrought against the genuineness of this antiquity, on the ground that the employment of the hieronounced worthy of the most intense detestaglyphic character indicates an age prior to Alexander, whereas the inscription on the celebrated Rosetta stone, though in the same character, is known to have been written at a time subsequent to the æra of Alexander. tion! Some of the leaders have been capitally punished, and the general to whose division the soldier belonged has requested a courtmartial on his conduct, for not discovering the affair sooner. "Mr. will please to show Mr. to-morrow, the way he is to go through his employment. Overseer." (Signed) Such are the orders given to the youngest book-keeper, which he, under the tuition of a brother in office, instantly sets about giving effect to. The simple reading of the above instructions must convey but a faint idea of the really disgusting duties they call upon the Reckoning the sheep and hogs might be youngest book-keeper to perform or superintend. borne; but next comes-O, filthy operation! the dressing of their maggotty sores, which, view. These the book-keeper must see attended in so warm a climate, are disgusting even to to, and, if he wishes to acquire a character for activity, he will be expected to assist himself. This done, he must hasten to the hen-house, notched stick, on which is marked, by cuts in when he receives from an old negress a different compartments, the birth, death, and actual number of every turkey, goose, duck, hen, and chicken on the estate. He afterwards numbers them himself, sees them fed, and makes out a list of the whole for the inspection of the overseer. His afternoons are for some months occupied, like the prodigal's, in "herding swine," although, unlike him, he does not altogether live on husks, if good living can amend for other disagrémens. He now begins to think in good earnest that he has been deceived by the hypocritical attention and assiduities of some kind West Indian friend. He begins to despond. His brother book-keepers, observing this, will encourage him to bear up; that they, too, did not like their duties at first, and that he, like themselves, will soon be used to it. He is advised by the overseer to carry a switch in his hand, to swear at the negroes if they don't work well, and to have always a sour look. He is also instructed that, if he wishes to be a planter, he must do as others do, and be sure, whenever he sees a black face, to set down its owner as a thief and a villain; and, if he does so, he will do no more than his duty. Such are a few of the additional instructions given to the young aspirant; he ruminates upon them and his honourable office while moving along from right to left of the gang, under the blaze of a scorching sun, his sensitive feelings wounded by overhearing the half-suppressed sneers and reproaches of the slaves, while his pride is hurt at their occasional laughs at his expence. Acting up to his instructions, he must endeavour to alter his physiognomy in the field, to appear inexorable when he would wish to be lenient, haughty when he would wish to be kind. A few words spoken by him to a negro may cost him his situation, at a moment's warning. in his absence; and, having served a thorough, my remonstrances; they both went, and I I would never for one moment suppose that any young man would remain to fill such situations did he entertain the smallest sympathy for the victims of the lash, or a just regard for his own reputation. Jamaica friends expended all their eloquence on me by assuring me that I would one day be an overseer, and were not a little surprised when I told them that I would never consent to fill such a situation. No! my mind was made up after being a week on the property, and I never rested day or night in devising schemes to run away," when at length, through the mercy of Providence, I was enabled to bid it adieu, once and for ever! I have now endeavoured to depict the actual nature of book-keepers' duties; but I have merely told half the truth. At another time, | more may be divulged. Sufficient, however, I trust, has been said at present to warn young men to look before they leap. I strongly maintain, and maintain it I will When crop time comes, he will have to keep in the face of opposition, that no man can posspell the half of every other night. On small sibly be happy, or even tolerably comfortable, estates, the overseer and he sit up each night in Jamaica, in the shape of either book-keeper alternately. He will find such watching far or overseer, who has not had all his better from pleasant, after being on his feet for a feelings and sympathies seared and withered whole day. He requires to be continually up by the deadly blast of slavery. How comes moving about during the night, at one moment it otherwise that we hear of numbers not liking among the fumes of vapour ascending from the country at first, until, after some residence, the boiling sugar, at another in the yard, see- they felt themselves quite comfortable? It is ing what is doing there, exposed to the heavy just because, at first, they were shocked and dew. Thus has he to encounter two extremi-horrified at the daily scenes they witnessed; ties, as much on account of properly discharging his duty as of keeping himself in a state of waking consciousness. I am now nearly done with the youngest book-keeper, only assuring young aspirants for that office that these disagreeable and harassing duties, with many more concomitants, are in store for them, to which an unflinching obedience is exacted, or summary dismissal is the consequence. I would seriously advise such to pause and reflect before they make up their minds on going to Jamaica. But these are the duties they have to perform; and, if they approve of them, any thing that I could say would scarcely be of avail in altering their intentions. On large sugar estates, there is also a bookkeeper to look after the working cattle-the least disagreeable oflice of the whole; and one each for the large gang, and for the boilinghouse and still-house, during crop. The attendant on the large gang, if he has not disgusting duties to perform himself, has at least to witness the greatest cruelties; but, in fact, by the time a book-keeper has this charge, his feelings are so blunted that those cruelties are only looked upon by him as necessary for the due performance of labour. Those in the boiling-house and still-house are the two oldest. The first is the head book-keeper, who uniformly discharges the duties of the overseer but, after some seasoning and intercourse with I never yet conversed with a white in Jamaica, whether book-keeper or overseer, who did not express some regret that he had ever left home; and many have I seen who indulged in feelings of the most poignant regret that they ever had done so. But if young men will not be convinced, they must be allowed to have their own way; only I beseech them to come under no engagement for a term of years; let them go unfettered, and take sufficient money with them to pay their passage home, as (if they possess the true feelings of British freemen) they will of course return, and enlist themselves in the honourable ranks of those who are at this moment joined hand in hand in defending the outraged rights of their black fellow subjects. CHARLES JOHNSTONE. London, March 26th, 1833. MORAL AND RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE OF THE CLASSICS. No. VIII. BRITISH CLASSICS.-ADDISON. THE Various interesting sets of short essays, with the Spectator and Rambler at their head, must have had a very considerable influence, during a season at least, and not yet entirely extinct, on the moral taste of the public. Perhaps, however, it is too late in the day for any interest to be taken in religious animadversions which might with propriety have been ventured upon the Spectator, when it was the general and familiar favourite with the reading portion of the community. A work of such wide compass, and avowedly assuming the office of guardian and teacher of all good principles, gave fair opportunities for a Christian writer to introduce, excepting what is strictly termed science, a little of every subject affecting the condition and happiness of men. Why then was it fated that the stupendous circumstance of the redemption by the Messiah, of which the importance is commensurate with the whole interests of man, with the value of his immortal spirit, with the government of his Creator in this world, and with the happiness of eternity, should not a few times, in the long course and extensive moral jurisdiction of that work, be set forth in the most explicit, I have all along left money out of the ques-uncompromising, and solemn manner, in the tion; but, as this has a greater effect on some than other considerations of higher moment, I may mention that, from the expences a young book-keeper is put to in buying a horse, uniform for the militia, &c., he is generally in debt the very first year, and altogether he will only receive £40 sterling for his voluntary exile from his native land. But, perhaps, even all this won't have the desired effect in convincing wayward youngsters. Since my arrival in Scotland, I did all I could to persuade two young men, acquaintances of mine, from going out to Demerara, but they would not listen to This may perhaps be read by some intended emigrants to the west, and they may affect to disbelieve that such and such is the case, for they have been told otherwise. Yes! I, too, was told otherwise, but I soon, very soon, found my mistake. It is frequently too late to think of returning when one is there, as every effort is made to entice the unwary youth into expences that chain him, whether he will or not, to his fate. full aspect and importance which it bears in the Christian revelation, with the directness and emphasis of apostolic fidelity! Why should not a few of the most peculiar of the doctrines, comprehended in the primary one of salvation by the Mediator, have been clothed with the fascinating elegance of Addison, from whose pen many persons would have received an occasional evangelical lesson with incomparably more candour than from any professed divine? A pious and benevolent man, such as the avowed advocate of Christianity ought to be, should not have been contented that so 316 many thousands of minds as his writings were adapted to instruct and to charm, should have been left, for any thing that he very unequivocally attempted to the contrary in his most popular works, to end a life which he had contributed to refine, acquainted but slightly with the grand security of happiness after death. Or if it could not be deemed his duty to introduce in a formal manner any of the most specifically evangelical subjects, it might at least have been expected that some of the many serious essays scattered through the Spectator should have more of a Christian strain, more recognition of the great oracle, in the speculations concerning the Deity, and the gravest moral subjects. There might, without hazard of symbolizing with the dreaded fanaticism of the preceding age, have been more assimilation of what may be called, as it now stands, a literary fashion of religion, to the spirit of the New Testament. From him also, as a kind of dictator among the elegant writers of the age, it might have been expected that he would set himself, with the same decision and virtuous indignation which he made his Cato display against the betrayers of Roman liberty and laws, to denounce that ridicule which has wounded religion by a careless or by a crafty manner of holding up its abuses to scorn: but of this impropriety (to use an accommodating term,) the Spectator itself is not free from examples. Addison wrote a book expressly in defence of the religion of Christ; but to be the dignified advocate of a cause, and to be its humble disciple, may be very different things. An advocate has a feeling of making himself important; he seems to confer something on the cause; but, as a disciple, he must surrender to feel littleness, humility, and submission. Self-importance might find more to gratify it in becoming the patron of a beggar than the servant of a potentate. Addison was, moreover, very unfortunate, for any thing like justice to genuine Christianity, in the class of persons with whom he associated, and among whom he did not hold his pre-eminence by any such imperial tenure as could make him careless of the policy of pleasing them by a general conformity of sentiment. One can imagine with what a perfect storm of ridicule he would have been greeted, on entering one of his celebrated coffee-houses of wits, on the day after he should have published in the Spectator a paper, for instance, on the necessity of being devoted to the service of Jesus Christ. The friendship of the world ought to be a pearl of great price," for its cost is very serious. brink of a small stream, which here descends "The spring rises from the bottom of the "Distant a few rods from this is another spring of the same kind, which discharges no water, its basin remaining constantly full, and We collected some air only escaping from it. of the air from both of these springs in a box we had carried for the reception of plants; but could not perceive it to have the least smell, or the power of extinguishing flame, which was tested by plunging into it lighted splinters of dry cedar. "The temperature of the water of the largest spring at noon was 63°, the thermometer at the same time, in the shade, stood at 68°;— immersed in the small spring, at 67°. This difference in temperature is owing to the difference of situation, the higher temperature of the small spring depending entirely on its constant exposure to the rays of the sun, and to its retaining the same portion of water; while that in the large spring is constantly replaced by a new supply."-R. KAOANEPO OEOM WEST INDIAN COMPENSATION. COLD BOILING SPRINGS. THE government of the United States of America, in the year 1819, sent an expedition from Pittsburgh, with a view of exploring the immense tract of country which lies between that place and the "rocky mountains."-Mr. James, botanist and geologist to the expedition, gives the following account of a boiling spring, which they found on their ascent to the top of the highest peak of "the rocky moun-white colonists and their posterity to captivity tains." "After establishing their horse-camp, the detachment moved up the valley on foot, arriving about noon at the boiling spring, where they dined on a saddle of venison, and some ribs of bison they had brought ready cooked from camp. "The boiling spring is a large and beautiful fountain of water, cool and transparent, and aërated with carbonic acid. It rises on the for generations to come. But, happily for in a ratio greater than tenfold. If the colonial proprietors suffer loss, it is a consequence contingent on the issue of a criminal system, which has its origin in robbery and murder, and its support in injustice and cruelty, and which ought to teach man a lesson-that human laws, however plausibly worldly policy may frame them, cannot justify or secure the investment of property in the blood and sinews of that being who was originally made in the image of his Creator. Of whom do these colonists ask compensation? The prey of the system has been theirs; the government has been a "cat's paw," and the slaves the victims. Increased delay in emancipating the slaves increases their claim to compensation; and increasing knowledge increases their ability to estimate, and their power to enforce, a claim which an impartial British jury would award to the unfortunate victims of a violation of Magna Charta. |