While the learning of England was confined, before the art of Printing had attained a free circulation, the people were content with the tasteless ribaldry of Scogan, and but little improvement is to be discovered in the Merrie Tales' of the succeeding age. The Wits of Elizabeth, if they produced no refinement in anecdote, at least brought it into a smaller circle, filled by works in which we take a deep interest: the earlier collections may serve to dispel the vapours of an idle hour, but the jests of Tarleton and Peele are of higher rank; in perusing them, we find ourselves, as it were, in the company of living personages, the manners of former ages are brought nearer to the view, and our imagination gradually assumes a convivial cast. An hour makes us as familiar with mine hostess of Wycombe, or the poetical Tapster in Pye Corner, as if we had tasted their ale we see the Jester himself, not upon the stage, but in his chamber, with "his wife plucking of larks," and his daughter "turning of the spit," while his means are low; or making merry with his boon-companions in Friday-street, when fortune bad become more kind. Whilst the plan, which is to procure his friend a supper, is in agitation, we feel an interest for the poor famished wight, and applaud the scheme, however dishonest, which provides him with a meal. In the more copious' Budgets of Wit,' the character of the Jester is lost to us, for a single anecdote conveys but little information; which is not the case with works dedicated to the pranks of a single individual. Gior gione (who died in 1511)*, employed his whole talent to manifest that Painting possesses as extensive a power as Sculpture; and contrived to represent every side of a man's body in the same picture, by the aid of reflection, from water at his feet, a mirror at his side, and a suit of shining armour in the same manner is every trait of character or disposition reflected by the diversified Tales in the collection now before us, as minutely as if the subject had been investigated, and a disquisition drawn up upon it. Yours, &c.

* Biog. Dict.

J. T. M.

OUR pages have recently contained some severe animadversions on the novel of the Monastery. It certainly does not exhibit those interesting particulars of character and incident, which accompany the preceding works of the Author; but I do not conceive this deficiency, in its utmost extent, to have even the "aliquando bonus dormitat Homerus," but to arise in part from the plan, and in part from the subject.

The plan seems to be formed on a fatality, exhibited in the agency of a Spirit, like the Hamlet of Shakspeare. There does not seem, in this view, any more objection to the White Lady, than there would be to the play in question, because the existence of ghosts is dubious. The tale is not one of History or Biography. It is professedly a fiction; and every novelwriter knows, that the common incidents of life do not furnish the requisite materials for his work. There must be character and event, strongly diversified and uncommon. The Poetical Justice or fortunate catastrophes, hair-breadth escapes and miraculous coincidences, essential to the interest of this kind of writing, are all equally out of life, i. e. though possible are not probable and to object to a Spirit so admirably introduced, as it is in the Monastery, with such exquisite poetical invocations, like those of Ariel in the Tempest, is somewhat like wishing for a plumbpudding without plumbs, or a pantomime without its conjuration.

:

The subject of the Monastery could not, in its nature, abound with the incident belonging to other topicks. The only obsolete matter would have been legend and fictitious miracle, which might have been, indeed, sparingly used; but if used at all, would have only excited contempt in protestant readers. The Author has adhered to the standard authority of Mr. Fosbrooke; and Monks were characters in still life. Political History can indeed furnish character and incident of the most interesting kind, in scenery and adventures of perpetual bustle, novelty, and most romantic cast; but, in the uniform sameness of Monastic life, we can only expect subtle investigations of character, and nice shades of discrimination. Father Eustace is an admirable picture of bis

gotry,

gotry, talent, and firmness, in his own way; and the mere spinster Avenell and Glendinning are in perfect keeping, as characters belonging to the age, i. e. without any intellectual

cast.

I could enlarge much further: but think I have said enough to show, that if the Sculptor of the Laocoon, which is the sublime of expression, had also executed a statue in repose, it does not justify censure, that the effect is inferior to that of his other work. The idea is of a distinct kind. Yours, &c.

Mr. URBAN,

A

MONASTICUS.

British Museum, Dec. 30. LTHOUGH the subject of Scogan has occupied no inconsiderable portion of your pages, the following particulars, relating to the Jester of that name, may perhaps find a place in some future Number. Mr. Malone, together with Tyrwhitt, doubts the existence of such a person; while Ritson, preferring facts to the opinion of those learned editors, has left us little doubt upon the subject.

Drayton, in the preface to his Eclogues, says, that the Colin Clouk of Scogan, under Henry the Seventh, is pretty" this piece was probably pastoral.

But to turn to more ancient authorities, Holinshed, enumerating the great men under Edward IV. makes mention of "Scogan, a learned gentleman, and student for a time in Oxford, of a pleasaunt, witte, and bent to merry devises, in respect whereof he was called to the courte, where giving himselfe to his natural inclination of mirthe and pleasaunt pastime, he plaied many sporting parts, althoughe not in suche uncivil maner as hath beene of hym reported."

Although the editors of Shakspeare have doubted whether Scogan really existed, it is clear that he died, from the following epitaph, which throws some light upon his character; it is preserved in a contemporary MS. Harl. Bib. 1587.

"Hic jacet in tumulo corpus Scogan ecce [annis;

Johannis,

Sit tibi pro speculo, letus fuit ejus in Læti transibunt, transitus vitare nequibunt; Quò nescimus ibunt, vinosì citò peribunt."

As to the elder person of this name (so frequently confounded with the GENT. MAG. Suppl. XC. PART II.

C

joculator), there can be little doubt that he was the Henricus Scogun, Armiger, who occurs among the gentry having letters of protection to attend King Richard II. into Ireland, in the year 1399. Yours, &c. PHILO-SCOGAN.

LETTERS FROM THE CONTINENT. (Continued from p. 514.) LETTER XII.

Aug. 22.

52.

Frankfort, Aug. 24, 1818.

T six in the morning

A the thermometer was

There is a fortification on the hill above Kirn; the town stands in a narrow part of the valley of the Nah. On leaving Kirn, we travelled three miles along this valley, which was almost shut in by hills; it afterwards expanded. We occasionally saw ruined Castles and Convents, in picturesque situations on eminences. Afterwards the valley became less interesting. We passed through some old towns with ruined fortifications, and arrived to breakfast at Sobernheim. This is also an old walled town. In one part of our way to it, the River Nah has shifted its course from one side of the valley to the other, and has left an old bridge on dry ground. On quitting Sobernheim, we also left the valley, and proceeded over a very hilly country till we descended again into the same valley near Kreutznach. About half a mile from that town, a tree was placed across the road to signify it was under repair, and not then passable. We proceeded across a field and down a narrow bye lane to a farm-house; where was a ford. Here the lane was blocked by some carts, one of which had stuck fast and was unable to cross the ford. Whilst we were waiting, a young man came up, and asked in French if we were English. He then said in English that he had studied the lauguage at Kreutznach he spoke it in a very broken manner, but intelligibly; and expressed great satisfaction in meeting with two Englishmen. As soon as the obstruction was removed, we crossed the ford, and arrived at Kreutznach, where our engagement with the German postillion from Treves ended. Kreutznach is a town of some size

:

and

and importance, at which a Newspaper is published. It stands pleasantly on the Nah. There are three Churches, one of which is Roman Catholic, another Lutheran, and a third Reformed. This town now belongs to Prussia. After dinner, we proceeded with very good horses at the rate of seven miles an hour to Bingen; distant about eight miles. The valley of the Nah extended three or four miles : the hills began to be inconsiderable, and, as we approached Bingen, the line of the valley could scarcely be traced. In the mean time the pros pect opened upon us of the long chain of hills on the East side of the Rhine, the uneven outline of which was strongly marked by a clear horizon, and a bright sky. The extent of these hills from South to North appeared about forty miles. On approaching Bingen, a very bold high hill appeared on the opposite bank of the Rhine, in front of us, clothed to the summit with vines, and crowned with wood. An old Castle projected near the bottom. We crossed the Nah (which now appeared to be a very considerable river), by a good bridge near its confluence with the Rhine; and at length came in sight of this celebrated river; but the road was not sufficiently near to enable us to judge of its magnitude. Bingen, where we changed horses, is an old close-built town on the Rhine. The Church is lofty, and must, when seen from the River, have a picturesque appearance. On leaving Bingen the road for two or three miles lay close to the Rhine; and the view of the bold hills opposite, and the projecting Castle, was very grand. The River is here about half a mile broad, and reminded us of the Straits of Menai. Our road soon quitted the River; the shore on both sides became tamer; on the East side the hills, though high, were at a considerable distance, and on the side we travelled, the country was an extensive plain, covered with vines; we soon lost sight of the River. We changed horses at Heider-Ingelheim, half way to Mayence. Though we were now on a broad and much travelled great post road, the postillion had coarse canvas trowsers, and no stockings or boots. He did not understand French, nor could we make him comprehend, except by an inter

preter, to what inn in MAYENCE We wished to be driven. We arrived there in the dusk. Our inn, the Hotel de l'Empereur, was a picturesque old building near the East end of the Cathedral, in the close.-I have already mentioned a part of this country as belonging to Holland, other part to Prussia-a slice to Oldenburg. We are now in the territories of Hesse Darmstadt; and Hesse Homberg has a part not far distant. Hesse Darmstadt begins at Bingen. It is supposed further changes will be made at the approaching Congress. There is a large garrison of Austrians and Prussians in Mayence; the town is very strongly fortified, and 400 soldiers are at work upon the ramparts, &c. The River is admitted into the sluices. This town claims the invention of printing, but Strasburgh contests it.

.

August 23.-We supped on Saturday night at a large table d'hôte. French was little understood by the waiters. At breakfast this morning two gentlemen who came in, shook hands with the waiter and kissed him. The Cathedral is an old irregular Saxon building of red stone, with a dome, or rather a tower, progressively tapering. This building is called, as at Treves, the Dome. It is a picturesque and striking object from the Rhine, and in any view of the town. In the interior the usual order of things is reversed. The entrance is at the East end; and the building rises by several steps to a Chapel at the West end; so that there is nothing but the situation of the Altar to designate the East. The high Altar stands at the lowest or East end. The door is in the side aile. I looked into different Churches this morning: at the doors of which candles were sold as at Ghent and Antwerp. From nine to eleven there was a grand mass at the Cathedral; a fine military band was placed on the steps at the West end, on one side of which is the organ. The band and the organ alternately played pieces of music by way of symphony; some of these pieces were beautifully soft, with solo parts for a clarionet; in others, the trumpets and kettle-drums sounded a sort of flourish or alarm. The congregation filled the whole body of the Church; and there were no chairs. The singing was in unison, by all the congregation

congregation joining in full chorus, accompanied by the organ; which had, in so large a building, and so full a congregation, a very striking effect. The service was concluded by a procession of the host down the Church with banners flying; the military band playing a march; the principal officiating priest, a young man, had a wreath of flowers round his head. This Church contains a number of fine old monuments of Bishops and Founders. The outside suffered much during the siege by the Allies in 1792; and the adjoining Church of Notre Dame was reduced to ruins. This, from the few remains of it which appear, was an elegant building in the ornamented Gothic stile.We looked into the Church of St. Augustine, where, as at the Cathedral, young Priests were officiating. They had been ordained the day before, and this was their first appearance at the different Churches; at which

they, exclusively, officiated. A part of the procession here struck me, which I was not near enough to observe at the Cathedral; in the concluding ceremony, the principal Priest, a young man, having a garland round his temples, was accompanied by a girl of twelve or thirteen years of age, in white; both with clasped hands. On inquiry, we found that she represented the Church; the Church is the Priest's bride, whom he had the preceding day spiritually espoused; and the garland on his head was in honour of his nuptials. St. Augustine's is a modern Church, with a painted roof, and splendid Altars. The town is old and irregular, but has a number of handsome public buildings. It stands close to the Rhine, the country on both sides of which is nearly level. A range of wooded hills is seen to the Northeast, about six miles distant. The river is rather more than one-third of a mile wide; and so rapid that it has all the appearance of a tide-river except that it is the colour of the sea, and tide-rivers are always muddy. One would scarcely suppose that so large a body of water is fresh. There is a bridge of boats across the River. These boats are strongly moored to each other; and covered with planks. Carriages of all descriptions cross the bridge with perfect safety. It is constructed to rise and fall with the

water. I walked over the bridge in five minutes and a half, at the rate of about four miles an hour. A little below the bridge are 36 floating cornmills in the stream of the River. These are moored together like the boats. They are always going, and making a noise like the sea: they grind a prodigious quantity of corn. It being Sunday the shops were shut during the day; but at dinner (at one o'clock) at the table d'hôte, an Italian, with his wife and daughter, played on guitars, and sang scenes from Operas; after which, tumbling children were introduced. We sat next to a Mr. Ogle, an English Gen tleman, who had been travelling three years on the Continent. At two o'clock the great bell rang for a sermon at the Cathedral. There was a full attentive congregation. It was an extempore discourse in German: and the Preacher's tone and manner were very grotesque. I went from thence to the Protestant Church, a small building; but service had ended. It was then not three o'clock. At three, vespers began at the Cathedral. The congregation chanted to the organ, which played long symphonies between each verse.

We went from thence to the handsome modern Church of St. Ignatius, which has a shewy organ; very splendid altars and lights, and a richly painted roof.-There was a very crowded Church; and the young Priests were employed. In front of the organ was a military band; and between every verse of the chant (which was sung by the congregation in loud chorus to the organ), the military band, and the organ, alternately, played light pieces of musick; one of which was "Giovinette che fate all' amore," from Mozart's Opera of Don Giovanni; others from Haydn's Overtures; the whole was quite in the theatrical stile, and the symphonies were six times the length of the chant. The occasional rolling of the kettle-drums and blowing of the trumpets was quite martial. At all the Churches, after service, a great number of persons staid behind, and crowded to receive the blessing of the young Priests who wore garlands. They approached and kneeled, and

the Priest laid his hands on their heads and crossed them, muttering all the time, very rapidly. Young chil

drea

dren in arms were brought to receive the benefit of this ceremony; and se veral of the military attended for the purpose.

We went to the Church of St. Stephen, which stands on rising ground near the ramparts. It is an old Gothic building. I ascended the tower, near the top of which a man lives, who used to watch a telegraph; his office now is to alarm the town in case of fire. I had a view of the course of the Rhine for several miles, and of the hills beyond it. I saw the confluence of the Mayne with the Rhine, which takes place only half a mile above Mayntz. The hills were much like the Welsh hills, as seen from Chester. The lower parts of the hills are covered with vines. The town was quiet in the evening; less stirring than in York on a Sunday; but there was dancing in some houses, even in the middle of the day; and, we understood, that the cause of the quietness in the town was, that a place of amusement was open in the country, four or five miles off, for dancing and other diversions.

Showers have been flying about every afternoon for four days, and the air is cool.

August 24.-This morning at six, we set off in the diligence to Frankfort. This machine carries six inside, and three in front, and has immense baskets for luggage. We have now got into a country where the simple computation of money by francs and centimes ceases; and a complicated system of florins and krentzers is substituted. A florin is no specific number of francs or centimes, nor any even number of English pence; and the silver pieces in circulation are worth a fractional number of florins and krentzers. It was a bright cold morning. The ticket for the diligence states, that it is forbidden to smoke in the diligence; but one of the passengers asked leave of the company, took out his flint and steel, and struck a light for his pipe. We passed through the village of Hockheim, from which Hock wine takes its name. We met 80 horses, part of the Emperor of Austria's suite, going to Aix-la-Chapelle. Some of them

were led horses. There were several waggons with six horses, and several coaches and four. His whole retinue consists of 400 horses. We got break

fast on the road, and passed through a fertile and nearly level country, covered with vines. We arrived at half-past eleven, at the Hotel d'Angleterre in FRANKFORT, the most showy looking inn we have yet seen. In the environs, we passed several villas of merchants. Every town we have yet seen since we landed on the Continent, has the appearance of decay, except Paris, which may be considered stationary; but here, for the first time, we see a town flourishing and rich; buildings and improvements going on in every direction. The cause is easily explained. A great part of Germany is supplied with commodities of all descriptions from Frankfort; these came up the Rhine and Mayne from Holland. The shops make no appearance; and the trade is quite of a wholesale description. The people were busy in unpacking goods, and fitting up stalls for the great Fair, which is approaching. There are no flagged paths in any of the streets. The houses, though built of brick, are all covered with white plaster to resemble stone. It is pleasant to see trade without smoke; the streets are in general spacious, and many of the merchants' and bankers' houses magnificent; but there are no regularly built streets. The environs are laid out in gravel walks and shrubberies, and are extremely pleasant. They have not the same stiffness and formality as the gardens at Paris. We dined at the table d'hôte at one o'clock (it was scarcely twelve by York time). Lord Wolfe Murray, a Scotch Lord of Session, and his Lady, sat next to us. They sailed from Leith to Rotterdam, and came through Holland, and up the Rhine. The Lady seems determined to cross the Samplon into Italy, and my Lord is willing to do as she pleases. She speaks French very fluently, and is a most lively and talkative woman. They recommended us to several inns on the road. They had violent thunder storms in Holland after the heat. Mr. Gogel, the banker, to whom we had a letter of credit, introduced us to the Cassino, a suite of handsome public rooms for reading, dancing, billiards, &c. Forty or fifty newspapers are taken. Those of London are about ten days in arriving. Though the general aspect of the town is so pleasing, it contains few interesting