to amuse them at the expense of one whom he would destroy, is it necessary for him to adhere to truth, in order to place his enemy in an odious or ridiculous light? On the contrary, is not that the very soil where a lie would take root? Is not this principle, self-evident in itself, confirmed by facts? The most of those whom Aristophanes attacked with so much fury, were men in the highest estimation in their day. Let us hear Cicero, whose testimony will not be questioned, and who was also as much of a republican as any man. How does he speak of the ancient comedy of Greece, and particularly of that which we are now discussing. "What has she spared? What was sacred from her licentious tongue? If she had attacked only bad citizens, a Cleon, a Hyperbolus, a Cleophron, there would be no ground for complaint. But when a man like Pericles, after so many years devoted to the good of his country, in peace and in war, is insulted on the stage, and lampooned in verses:-it is as shocking as if Nævius or Cecilius, at Rome, should dare to defame Cato the censor, or Scipio Africanus."

I do not wish to deprive the stage of its influence upon the public mind-a power which is dreaded under a despotism, and consequently to be cherished in free countries. On the contrary, I would render it more potential and more useful, by banishing personal defamation, which strikes equally at virtue and vice, and moreover is within the reach of the meanest writer. In its place should be introduced a dramatic censure, which would require more morality and ability in the author, and produce a much greater effect. I would say to the poet, describe in general characters the friends or enemies of public measures: if your lines be faithful, the individuals can see themselves: they will resemble portraits stuck in picture frames, under which the spectators can inscribe the names. For there is a public conscience which is no more deceiving than the private mentor: and when men are faithfully described, this voice speaks so loudly that nothing can impose silence upon it-no, not even the soldiers of Nero.

It is necessary that this semblance should be generally perceived; since towards the time of Alexander, and when Athens, with less power, still preserved her liberty, all the vices of

the ancient stage were entirely prohibited by law, which permitted nothing in comedy but fictitious names and subjects. It was this which was imitated by the Romans; for it is to be remarked, of that government, that while it permitted the satires of Lucilius to pass unnoticed, in which the most eminent citizens were attacked, this liberty was regarded as infinitely the most dangerous on the stage. They never permitted any personal satire, and would not admit in their public exhibitions, any other comedies than those of pure invention, such as were then composed in Greece. It does not appear that the Roman severity was congenial with the insolent facetiousness of Aristophanes; nor that the censors were willing to suffer a buffoon to usurp their most important privilege, that of reprehending vicious characters.

Another species of freedom, common to both countries, consisted in making the gods the subject of their keenest raillery and most bitter sarcasms. The reader may see, in the Amphytrion of Plautus, how Mercury addresses Jupiter himself. In Euripides the gods are sufficiently ridiculed; but they are treated much worse by Aristophanes; and whatever may be said to explain this excessive toleration among the Athenians, where the tribunals exercised a terrible severity in matters of religion, it is not less true, that the inconsistency between this indifference on the one hand and rigour on the other, is one of the greatest difficulties that we meet with in our examination of ancient manners. Alcibiades was called from his command in Sicily to purge himself from an accusation of impiety to the very gods, that were exhibited on the stage for the amusement of the people. It is not sufficient to show a distinction between the gods of religion and those of fable; between the gods of the priests and those of the poets. We cannot deny that this distinction would be good to a certain extent: but who will tell us in what it consisted? Who shall mark the interval between that which commands our respect and that which we may despise. It is this measure which we want, and without it we can do nothing. We can readily conceive that all the traditions of poets need not be regarded as articles of faith; but the gods of mythology, to a certain extent, are the gods of history. In the

temples and public festivals, Bacchus had the same attributes which are given to him by Aristophanes, when he ridicules him in the Frogs. Neither he, nor Euripides, nor Plautus, say one word from which we may infer that there were some gods to be respected, and others that might be ridiculed.

LIST OF BOROUGHS IN ENGLAND.

THE following very curious document has never, we believe, been published in this country, and will be found to communicate a fund of new information.

An abridged Historical Detail of all the Boroughs in England, the number of voters in each, the patron, proprietor, or predominating interest. Collected for the year 1807.

Bedfordshire-sends four Members to parliament, of which two are for the county, and two for the town of Bedford.

Bedford-The corporation consists of a Mayor, Recorder, Deputy Recorder, thirteen Common Council, and twelve Aldermen, with the surviving Mayors: The right of election is in the Burgesses, Freemen, and inhabitant householders. The number of voters are about 1600. The returning officers are the Mayor and Bailiffs. The patron is the duke of Bedford.

Berkshire-Sends nine members to parliament. The boroughs in this county are Abingdon, Reading, Wallingford, and Windsor.

Abingdon-Sends one. The corporation consists of a Mayor, two Bailiffs, nine Aldermen, and sixteen Assistants. The right of Election is in the inhabitant Householders. Number of Voters, 600. A free Borough, and therefore acknowledges no patron.

Reading Sends two. Corporation—a Mayor, Recorder, twelve Aldermen, and twelve Burgesses. Right of Election, in the inhabitant Householders. Number of Voters, 600. A free Borough.

Wallingford-Sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, Recorder, six Aldermen, and eighteen Burgesses. Right of election, in the corporation and inhabitant Householders. Number of voters, 140. Proprietor, Sir Francis

Sykes.

Windsor-Sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, two Bailiffs, and twentyeight Burgesses. Right of election, in the inhabitants paying Scot and Lot.

Number of voters, 208. Windsor is a free borough, but being the residence of the court is necessarily under some influence.

Buckinghamshire-Sends fourteen members to parliament. The boroughs are Buckingham, Aylesbury, Great Marlow, Wendover, Agmondesham, and High Wycomb.

Buckingham-Sends two. Corporation, a Mayor and twelve Aldermen. Right of election, in the same body. Proprietor, Marquis of Buckingham. Aylesbury-Sends two. Right of election, in all the inhabitant housekeepers. Returning officers, the Constables of the town. Number of voters, 500. A free borough.

Great Marlow-Sends two. Right of election, in all the inhabitant housekeepers. Returning officers, the Constables. Number of voters, 216. Proprietors, W. Clayton and W. Lee Antonie, Esqrs.

Wendover-Sends two. Right of election, in the inhabitant householders. Returning officers, the Constables. Number of voters, 130. Proprietor, J. B. Church, Esq.

Agmondesham-Sends two. Right of election, in the inhabitant householders. Returning officers, the constables. Number of voters, 70. Proprietor, W. Drake, Esq.

High Wycomb-Sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, Recorder, two Bailiffs, twelve Aldermen, and a Town Clerk. Right of election, in the Mayor, Bailiffs, and Burgesses. Returning officers, Mayor and Bailiffs. Number of voters, 48. Patron, the Marquis of Lansdown.

Cambridgeshire-Sends six members to parliament.

Cambridge-Sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, High Steward, Recorder, and twelve Aldermen. Right of Election, in the Mayor, Bailiff, and FreeNumber of voters, 200. Patron, John Mortlake, Esq.

men.

Cambridge University-Sends two. Right of election, in the Doctors and Masters of arts. Number of voters, 1200.

Cheshire-Sends four members to parliament.

Chester-Sends two. Right of election, in the freemen. Returning offi. cer, the Sheriff Number of voters, 1000. Patron, earl of Grosvenor.

Cornwall-Sends forty Members to parliament. Its Boroughs are twentyone in number: Saltash, St. Michael, Helston, St. Ives, Tregony, Truro, Penryn, Fowey, Bossiney, Lestwtthiel, St. Mawes, Camelford, Callington, East Looe, West Looe, Launceston, Newport, Grampound, St. Germains, Liskard, and Bodmin,

Saltash-Sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, six Aldermen, and thirtythree Burgesses. Right of election, in the Burgage Tenures. Number of voters, 38. Proprietor, Mr. Buller.

St. Michael-Sends two. Right of election, in six Lords of the Manor, and the housekeepers not receiving alms. Number of voters, 42. Pro. prietors, Lord Falmouth and Sir F. Basset.

Helston-Sends two. Right of election, in the Corporation, a Mayor, and twelve Aldermen. Number of voters, 36. Returning officer, the Mayor. Patron, duke of Leeds.

St. Ives-Sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, Recorder, twelve Bugesses, twenty-four inferior Burgesses, and a Town Clerk. Right of Election, in the inhabitants paying Scot and Lot. Number of voters, 150. Patron, William Praed, Esq.

Tregony-Sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, seven Burgesses, and a Recorder. Right of election, in all householders who boil a pot. Number of voters, 100. Proprietor, Richard Barwell, Esq.

Truro sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, four Aldermen, twenty Burgesses, and a Recorder. Right of election, in the Corporation. Number of voters, 25. Returning officer, the Mayor. Patron, Lord Falmouth.

Penryn sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, four Aldermen, and a Town Clerk. Right of election, in the inhabitants who pay Scot and Lot. Number of voters, 140. Returning officer, the Mayor. Patron, the duke of Leeds.

Fowey sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, eight Aldermen, a Recorder, and two Assistants. Right of election, in the inhabitants who pay Scot and Lot. Returning officer, the Portreve. Number of voters, 63. Patron, the earl of Mount Edgecumbe.

Bossiney sends two. Right of election, in all who have free land in the borough. Number of voters, 4. Returning officer, the Mayor. Proprietor, the earl of Mount Edgecumbe.

Lestwithiel sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, six Burgesses, and seventeen Common Councilmen. Right of election, in the Corporation. Number of voters, 24. Returning officer, the Mayor. Patron, the earl of Mount Edgecumbe.

St. Mawes sends two. Right of election, in the resident Burgesses. Number of voters, 6. Returning officer, the Portreve. Proprietor, the marquis of Buckingham.

Camelford sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, eight Burgesses, and ten freemen. Right of election, in the Corporation. Number of voters, 19. Patron, the Phipps family.

Callington Sends two. Corporation, None. Right of election, in the inhabitants paying Scot and Lot. Number of voters, 19. Proprietor, Mr. Trefusis.

East Looe sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, Recorder, and nine Burges. ses. Right of election, in the Corporation. Number of voters, 50. Returning officer, the Mayor. Proprietor, Mr. Buller.

West Looe, sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, and twelve Burgesses. Right of election, in the Corporation. Number of voters, 50. Returning officer, the Mayor. Proprietor, Mr. Buller.

Launceston sends two. Corporation, a Mayor, Recorder, and eight Alderdermen. Right of election, in the Corporation. Number of voters, 25. Proprietor, Duke of Northumberland.