• Improvements suggested.

• In the evening, a clod-pole, who had been employed by Miss Oxmondeley to carry Emily's letter to her brother, returned with the answer; and having received his promised reward from the hand of Eliza, she flew with the letter to Emily, for whom it was directed.

• It contained the wished-for information, that the beaus, as Eliza called them, were highly flattered by the invitation, and would be at Fairford early in the morning.

"Dear me," said Emily, "what will Sir Gilbert say to their coming so soon in the morning?”

"Oh," said Miss Oxmondeley, "I'll tell him they come early on purpose to see the lions."

Dear me," returned Emily, "why you have no lions here, have you?"

• When Miss Oxmondeley could suppress her laughter sufficiently to explain herself, Emily much approved her friend's intention; but. Rachel said she feared it was a hazardous plan, as she hardly imagined the gentlemen would investigate the curiosities of Fairford with the leisure or attention Sir Gilbert would expect, from the account she had just given him of their taste.

"Oh!" replied Eliza, " leave that to me, I know every step my father takes in a morning, and will lead them a different way from that I know he has taken; and when we meet, which I'll contrive shan't be till dinner, I'll tell him, I have been forced to show them all about myself, as I could not find him."

"But should the deceit be discovered"-said Rachel.

"I'll contrive some excuse, I warrant ine, to bring us off," said Miss Oxmondeley.

" And if it should not"-continued Rachel hesitatingly. "Why all the better," replied Eliza, insensible to the very gentle reproof Rachel ventured to give to her improper conduct.

" I was quite frightened at dinner," said Emily, "when you told your papa about their coming."

"Oh, I know how to cuff hin over," replied Eliza, half ashamed she did not possess absolute dominion over her father.

"And now he does not know Alfred is to be here," returned Emily.

" I have a trick to introduce him with," replied Eliza.

" I think you run great risks, Miss Oxmondeley," said Rachel, "of incurring Sir Gilbert's displeasure, to obtain a gratification which the anxiety that its purchase occasions must, in my opinion, in a great measure outweigh.",

"Oh! that's half the pleasure," returned Miss Oxmondeley; "it is so romantic to impose on a father, and so delightful to plan schemes and stratagems for seeing the pretty fellows."

• Rachel durst admonish no farther, on so slight an acquaintance, with one acknowledged by the world so far her superior in rank, and remained silent. Emily Morden, who never thought for herself, was always of the opinion of the last speaker.

On

1

On the succeeding day, Sir Gilbert, as was his usual custom, walked into his grounds immediately after breakfast; he had strolled nearly the round, had rested once in the hermitage, and stopped twice to admire the Chinese temple, (his favorite building, because it had cost the largest sum in erecting,) when proceeding, he arrived within paces of the ruin, which represented the angle of a gothic building, with a dilapidated window supported between two mouldering pillars; as he stood viewing the venerable structure, a voice behind it called out "Here's at your cock robin," and immediately a large stone flew over his head.

a

few

"Hollo! hollo!" exclaimed the astonished baronet. "Hollo! hollo!" repeated a voice.

"What's here, an echo?" cried another speaker.

hollo! again."

"Hollo!

• The baronet was mean while rapidly approaching, and distinctly heard his daughter say, "Oh Lud a mercy, it's papa, I dare say! I hope he did not see us."

" I'll climb up these stones and peep," said the first voice.

• In a few seconds, a face appeared through the frame-work of the window; and in less than in an instant the fragment of antiquity, in reality no more firmly built than it was really meant to appear, yielded to the weight imposed upon it, crumbled, fell, and carried with it to the ground the person in question.

• The scene fallen, the actors behind it became conspicuous; and Miss Oxmondeley, Mr. Cranberry, and Rachel, appeared standing in various attitudes of terror and surprise-Miss Emily and Alfred sitting, on the grass, at a short distance from the scene of action, and John Morden lying prostrate amongst the ruined ruins.

" Here's a pretty spot of work!" cried the baronet, "the mouldering walls of my abbey all in ruins! - How the devil came you to climb up it, you imp of vexation?"

" Have you hurt yourself," said Eliza, advancing to John.

Oh, no!" said he, rising gently, while he held one hand on his back, and rubbed his left knee with the other.

" If you had broken your neck, I should not have pitied you," cried the baronet.

" If he had," returned Eliza, " it would have signified little to him, whether you had or not your compassion would be of much. more consequence to him now, for I'm sure he's hurt."

" Here's at your cock Robin, indeed!" exclaimed Sir Gilbert, settling the flaps of his waistcoat with both his hands, and moving about his fingers in painful agitation.

" Give me leave to introduce Mr. Cranberry to you, papa." • Cranberry bowed, scraped, muttered a great deal, and said nothing.

"How do you do, sir?" said Sir Gilbert impatiently." If it had been my Chinese temple, instead of this ruin, I'd have broken your neck for you, myself, puppy!" he continued, turning to John. Is there a Chinese-temple in these gardens?" asked Cranberry

with affected eagerness and pleasure.

1

"Yes

:

" Yes sir, yes sir," answered Sir Gilbert, placidity returning to

his brow.

• Cranberry had already received his cue from Eliza, and now turning quickly round to Rachel, exclaimed, "Oh, you cruel creature, not to point it out to me, when you know my partiality for those buildings!"

John Morden, advancing to Sir Gilbert, said, "I beg pardon, Sir Gilbert, but I thought those mock ruins had always been built stronger."

1

"Well, well," said the baronet, " it is some consolation that I can afford to build another."

"If I might be allowed to speak," said Cranberry, "I think it gives the idea it was meant to convey much more forcibly in its present state than it did before."

"Indeed!" replied the baronet, surely not:" he gave a moment's pause to observation, then added, "let me stand where you do a minute, sir, if you pleasc.”

• Eliza ran up to her father, and peeping over his shoulder, " Oh, • decidedly, decidedly," she cried.

"Decidedly, what?" asked the baronet. "More mutilated, papa," answered she.

"Oh, infinitely more ruinous and dilapidated," added Cranberry. " But my robin is lost," said Sir Gilbert, with a sigh; " I don't like that."

"Ay, flown away," cried John, still holding his knee; "it would have been a good thing for me, if I could have taken wing like it :" a wink to Eliza and Cranberry followed this sentence.

"Why, did you really think it was alive?" asked the baronet, with pleasure sparkling in his eyes.

"Why, was it not?" said John, with affected surprise.

"Ha! ha! ha!" exclaimed Sir Gilbert, unable to contain his extacy; "you were really taken in then, ha! ha ! ha! you are not the first that has been taken in about that robin."

"No, nor the last neither," said Eliza, looking archly at her

companions.

"No, no, no," returned the baronet; " I can't help laughing though at the thoughts of it ;-I can easily have the ruin mended, and another bird put up."

1

" Besides you can vary your subject, and the deception will have the better effect," remarked Cranberry.

" True, sir, true, so it will; those that have seen it before, will think the robin has flown away, indeed," returned the baronet. " But the Chinese temple, Sir Gilbert"

"I'm on the road to it now," answered the exulting baronet; "walk you behind Eliza," continued he, " you have seen it often enough, and it is not worth a pin, without you have a clear view of it breaking upon you from amongst the trees;-walk on, sir, walk on, the path will lead you to it;" and on they moved, Eliza and John rejoicing in the happy change John's manœuvre had worked on the baronet's temper.'

We

1

;

We are sorry that we have not been more entertained with the whole of this novel: but we readily acknowlege that we have occasionally received pleasure from the comic powers of Mr. Lathom; and that we have met with scenes not unworthy of the drama, where the ridicule is well painted which results from pride, ostentation, and vanity, grafted on low birth, mean education, and defective intellects. Prolixity is the great fault of this author, and it is indeed too common an error. It is to be wished that writers of all descriptions would study the multum in parvo, and the happy art of compressing. How to begin, and how to finish, are points of difficulty: but when to finish requires the most resolution.

ART. VI. Fragments of Scotish History. 4to. pp. 260. 11. Is.
Boards. Edinburgh. 1798. London, sold by White.

In this collection, the only article of original composition is a tract entitled Desultory Reflections on the State of Antient Scotland. It is certainly a very curious performance, and one to which the epithet Desultory' is applied with peculiar propriety; since it contains an amazing series of observations and anecdotes, drawn from very various and remote sources, and applied indiscriminately to illustrate topics which are unconnected except by the juxta-position which the author gives to them. The plan and manner of this essay bear some resemblance to those of the well-known "Sketches" of the author's countryman, Lord Kames; and like them perhaps it rather displays the extensive reading of the author, than proves that he has well digested the facts which he has accumulated; or that the conclusions which he draws from them are those of a sound and logical judgment. A considerable degree of entertainment, however, this tract will undoubtedly afford; and probably not less to the learned than to the uninformed reader: since it will call to his recollection, if it does not communicate, a great variety of matter derived partly from antient and classic authors, but principally from the voyages and travels of this and the last century. Even those, indeed, to whom the antient history of Scotland may not have been an object of curiosity or of study, may, fearless, venture on the perusal of this essay; which, though professing to treat exclusively on that point, introduces a number of general facts and observations, connected with the early state and progress of society. The subjects introduced, however, are not treated-they are but lightly touched-by this rapid writer; who, after having hinted them in sentences extremely abrupt, consisting generally of only one clause, or two, and which constitute what may be called a snapping

9

snapping style, leaves them to the reader's own reflection, and flies away in quest of new matter. In proof and illustration of these remarks, we copy his account of the antient state of women in Scotland:

'The employments of the Northern females were rude, and their state an abject subjection to the men. We read of the loom, and the pencil of the East: but the Northern women filled the drinking horns, and followed the men to battle. The manners of nations are most varied in the treatment of their females. A writer of reputation thinks their station was eminent in the North, and their employments more befitting the modern ideas of feminine delicacy. But it is difficult to reconcile our notions of a barbarous people, and respect for females. In our own days, we see exactly the reverse. I know well what is said of the Lycians, the Libyans, the Garrows, the Natches, and some North American nations: but this is insufficient to prove a general character. There is, in all history, a remarkable contradiction here. One would think the condition of the females was servile; yet the functions they discharged, would prompt us to imagine it held importance. No Egyptian woman was permitted to be a priestess: but the Greeks and Romans bestowed this rank upon them. They dispensed the mysteries of the oracles; and, at Rome, had a temple, which it was death for a man to enter. They were the priestesses and prophetesses of the ruder nations; and the names of Geirrid, Keidr, and Thorbiorg, are famous in the North. Heraclides ascribes an honourable office to the Persian women: "Three hundred watch the king by night, singing, and playing upon the harp." Yet we are told, the Persian king "governed the queen like a master." The Egyptians, according to Diodorus, allowed a queen more autho rity than a king. Some of the Germans brought portions to their wives, as well as some of the antient nations in Spain. -The Grecian women were certainly under restraint. An Athenian of rank "chides his wife for wearing high-heeled shoes, and painting her face:" He tells her, that "standing at her loom would improve her mien; and baking, or such menial occupations, would give a preferable glow to her complexion." - The condition of the Roman women is uncertain. They seem, at one period, to have lived in the most unbounded licentiousness. Men and women promiscuously frequented the public baths, until the reign of Hadrian. - In the more early ages, a husband could put his wife to death for adultery, or for being intoxicated, In later times there was a law enacted" Ne questum corpore faceret, cui avus, aut pater, aut maritus, eques Romanus, fuisset." The contrast is remarkable. But the limitations of female liberty, existing in most nations, is [are] sufficient to decide their state. The antient Eastern nations exposed their women in public markets for sale; and there the men purchased them indiscriminately for slaves or wives. The infidelity of the wife has always been more severely punished, than that of the husband. In most cases, it was death; which is still inflicted among the savage nations, and the modern Tartars. The husband is the executioner.

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