883 Extract from an old Book, &c. &c. As connected with a subject of perennial interest in English history, I will transcribe a part of the second chapter from the Basilike, entitled "Upon the Earl of Strafford's Death." The royal prosopoiea observes, "I looked upon my lord of Strafford as a gentleman, whose great abilities might make a prince rather afraid, than ashamed to emploie him in the greatest affairs of state. "For those were prone to create in him great confidence of undertakings; and this was like enough to betraie him into great errors, and manie enimies; whereof he could not but contract good store, while mooving in so high a spheer and with so vigorous a lustre, he must needs (as the sun) rais manie envious exhalations, which, condensed by a popular odium, were capable to cast a cloud on the brightest merit and integritie. "Though I cannot in my judgment approov all hee did, driv'n (it may be) by the necessities of times, and the temper, more than led by his own disposition to anie height and rigour of actions; yet I could never be convinced of anie such criminousness in him, as willingly to expose his life to the stroke of justice, and malice of his enemies. 884 ring up a tempest in a man's own bosom. "Nor hath God's justice failed in the event and bad consequences, to shew the world the fallacie of that maxim, Better one man_perish (though unjustly) than the people be displeased or destroyed. "In all likelihood I could never have suffered with my people greater calamities (yet with greater comfort,) had I vindicated Strafford's innocence, at leas by denying to sign that destructive bill according to that justice which my conscience suggested to me, then I have don sinse I have gratified som men's unthankful importunities with so cruel a favour; and I have observed, that some who counselled me to sign that bill, have been so far from receiving the rewards of such ingratiatings with the people, that no men have been harrased and crushed more than they. Hee only hath been least vexed by them who counselled me not to consent against the vote of my own conscience. I hopeGod hath forgiven me, and the sinful rashness of that business. * *. "Nor were the crimes objected against him so clear as after a long and fair hearing to give satisfaction to the major part of both houses, espe cially that of the lords, of whom scarce a third part were present, when the bill passed that hous. And for the Hous of Commons, manie gentlemen disposed enough to diminish my lord of Strafford's greatness and power, yet unsatisfied of his guilt in law, durst not condemn him, who, for their integrity in their votes, were (by posting their names) exposed to the popular calumnie, hatred, and furie, which then grew so exorbitant in their clamors for justice, (that is, to have both myself and the two houses vote, and do as they would have us,) that manie (tis thought) were rather terrified to concur with the condemning partie, than satisfied that of right they ought to do so. "I never met with a more unhappy conjuncture of affairs, than in the business of that unfortunate earl; when between my own unsatisfiedness of conscience, and a necessitie (as some told me) of satisfying the importunities of some people; I was persuaded by those that I think wished mee well, to chuse rather what was safe than what seemed just; preferring "This tenderness and regreet I find the outward peace of my kingdoms in my soul, for having had any hand with men, before that inward exact-(and that very unwillingly, God knows) ness of conscience with God. * * in shedding one man's blood unjustly, though under the color and formalitie "I see it a bad exchange to of justice, and pretences of avoiding wound a man's own conscience, there- public mischiefs, which may (I hope) by to salv state sores; to calm the bee some evidence before God and storms of popular discontents by stir-man to all posteritie, that I am far 885 Defence of Wordsworth. from bearing justly that vast load and guilt of all that blood which hath been shed in this unhappie war, which some men will needs charge on me to ease their own souls, who am, and ever shall bee, more afraid to take away any man's life unjustly, than to lose my own." Then follows (as at the end of all the chapters) a series of penitential reflections and prayers appropriate to the subject. I have by me a large sheet published at the Restoration, entitled "England's Black Tribunal, or the Royal Martyrs," containing a large wood cut with heads of eighteen of the nobility who suffered death in the cause of their royal master, with a likeness also of the king himself, "Enthron'd in centre of the planets bright," as the verse has it. Round the picture are a series of doggerel verses appropriated to each of the heads. I shall conclude this article with the one referring to Strafford, which may be amusing, from the salvo it contains for the loss of a head: "O Strafford! thy dear only king, Sheffield, Aug. 18th, 1820. DEFENCE OF WORDSWORTH. H. MR. EDITOR, SIR, It is not my intention to reply at length to the "Vindication of Lord Byron's Poetry," (col. 810,) but rather to recur to and improve the remarks which I have already made respecting his lordship and Mr. Wordsworth. 886 vindication. If Aristarchus has embraced the infidel sentiments avouched in the poetry of Lord Byron, it may account for the indiscriminate praise he has lavished upon him, but it does not invalidate my assertions. The time has been when Dr. Wollcott was regarded as the greatest poet of the reign of George the Third, but his laurels were gathered upon an impure soil, and they have withered. No essayist now borrows a plume from them to ornament his productions. Your correspondent seems to imagine, that he has aimed a bold stroke at Wordsworth, and demolished at once his poetical character. But far greater wits than himself have not been able to accomplish this. If the Ethiopian cannot be made white with washing, neither has the muse of Wordsworth become black by all the bottles of ink, nor maimed by all the arrows of criticism, which have been hurled against her. More than twenty years have elapsed since the poems of Wordsworth at first appeared in a small edition, when they were immediately attempted to be "run down;" but they have now obtained a name and a place among the magnates of the land. But Aristarchus is evidentwith the writings of his cotemporaries, ly unacquainted with his writings, and else he would have known that nearly all the great poets of the age have paid him their eloquent homage. His fame is upborne by "a cloud of witnesses." He has been acknowledged with reverence by Rogers, Corneval, and the author of Waverley. Montgomery, in bis critique upon the Excursion, in the Eclectic Review, pronounces it a poem, "not more distinguished by the depth, compass, and variety of its speculation, than by exquisite choice of ornament, and inimitably appropriate diction;" and in another place, when speaking of Wordsworth generally, he terms him a poet who seems all eye when he sees, all ear when he listens, all in If your correspondent Aristarchus, as he somewhat pompously styles himself, thinks fit to look into your Magazine for March last, he will there find that I have spoken of Lord Byron intellect when he reasons, and all sensiterms of eulogy; and in the number for July, where, in a paper upon Wordsworth, I had occasion to mention his lordship, I never questioned his claim to the title of a great poet. My censures were directed to the immoral tendency of his writings; and upon this, the only point of attack, your correspondent never attempts a bility when he is touched." Moore, the author of Lallah Rookh, tells us, that "Wordsworth is a poet even in his puerilities, one whose capacious mind, like the great pool of Norway, draws into its vortex, not only the mighty things of the deep, but its * See Dr. Aikin's Annual Review. 887 On the Boiling of Potatoes. 66 minute weeds and refuse." Coleridge, | for preparing this valuable article of in his Friend," owns him as apoet life. who has received the harp with reverence, and struck it with the hand of power;" and, lastly, Hazlitt, in his Table Talk," lately published, culogizes the poetry of Wordsworth, in comparison of which," says he, "all that Lord Byron has written is but EXAGERATED COMMONPLACE." I am, yours, &c. G. M. Bridge-street, Derby, Sept. 6th, 1821. ON THE BOILING OF POTATOES. MR. EDITOR. SIR, I was very much pleased with the historical observations which you published, (col. 797,) respecting the Potato. To this root no one can attach a greater value than myself. But while I feel thankful to Divine Providence for this simple but useful vegetable, I cannot but regret that it should be so seriously injured in the dressing as it frequently is, by those to whom the management of cooking is consigned. In Lancashire and Cheshire, the Potato is brought to the table in the highest state of perfection of which its nature has hitherto been found to be susceptible, but in most other parts of the kingdom the inhabitants have a lesson yet to learn. Select the potatoes as nearly of one size as possible, pare off the skins, and wash them very well, then put them into an iron pot, and cover them with cold water; place the pot on the fire, and cause them to boil as soon as possible. Care, however, must be taken, that after they begin to boil, they be not suffered to boil quick, but rather slow. In about ten or fifteen minutes after they begin to boil, try them carefully with a fork; and as soon as they receive the fork very easily, and appear to be breaking on the surface, take them off the fire, and be particularly careful to pour from them all the water, and then putting the pot on the fire for about five minutes, continue to shake the pot so as to move the bulk of the potatoes, and the steam will evaporate, and the potatoes will assume a pleasant and dry surface. Care must be taken in this latter process that they do not burn at the bottom of the pot. You have only then to take a clean napkin, and putting it over and pressing it down on the potatoes in the pot, place them at some little distance from the fire, and they will keep for an hour, if necessary, good looking and good tasted. Some persons, after the water is poured off, sprinkle a little salt on the potatoes while shaking them, which is said to heighten their flavour; but this is an experiment which I never tried. August 11, 1821. I. G. Having been brought up in Lancashire, and accustomed to this vegetable, where it is served up both in appearance and taste remarkably good, I was greatly disappointed on leaving the country, to find it brought to the table in a manner no way inviting. MEMOIRS OF THE LIFE AND TIMES OF Sometimes it has been saturated with water, and at other times hard and clammy, which rendered its look bad and its taste still worse. On making inquiries, the people, in some places, wondered at my dissatisfaction, and in others they ascribed the defect to the bad quality of the Potato, and to the uncongenial soil. But so far as I have been able to extend my observations, not one appeared conscious that the preparation was defective, and that a Potato, but indifferent in quality, might be much improved by good management in dressing it. Satisfied of this deficiency, allow me, Sir, to forward for your insertion, in your valuable and widely extended miscellany, a recipe LEONARDO ARETINO. (Continued from col. 689.) THE refractory Cardinals, on quitting Lucca, repaired to Pisa, where they took the bold step of constituting themselves a general council, in which capacity they summoned the principal ecclesiastical dignitaries of the various countries in Europe to assist them in the task of composing the distractions of the Church. In this crisis of his affairs, Leonardo still adhered to the fortunes of Gregory, whom he accompanied on his return from Lucca to Siena, in the month of July 1408. But wearied and disgusted by the unsettled life which he had of late been compelled to lead, and 889 Memoirs of Leonardo Aretino. 890 attention of your friend and yourself that with respect to promotions of this kind, the ground ought to be well laid by careful and diligent previous measures, so that they who have the power may also be inspired with the will to bestow them. These previous measures, without which all expectations are futile and vain, your friend seems totally to have neglected. Remember that this court is crowded by countrymen, whose opposition must be silenced, or whose interest must be conciliated, by a bribe. If you imagine that I can effect this business by a simple application, you are egregiously mistaken. As Juvenal says, our To rise to power, commit some daring crime; scandalized by the intrigues and dissensions of which he was the daily witness, he began to envy the tranquillity enjoyed by his friend Poggio, who had retired from the pontifical court to Florence, where he devoted himself to the intercourses of friendship and the prosecution of his studies. He therefore requested the kind interposition of Poggio and of Niccolo Niccoli, to procure for him, in his native republic, some official station, which might justify him in quitting the service of the Pontiff. In this wish, however, he was for the present disappointed; and after paying a visit to the baths of Petrioli, he went to his native city Arezzo on the first of December 1408; and from thence proceeded to rejoin his master, who, in the course of his wander- "I write my sentiments freely on this ings, had fixed his abode at Rimini. § point, in order that you may underIndividuals who have familiar ac- stand, that if you would attain your cess to the great, are ever troubled object, you must change your meawith the importunities of those who sures. As to myself, I am ready to hunger and thirst after places of pro- serve you to the utmost of my ability; fit and trust. To these importunities but at this time I have not power to Leonardo appears to have been ex- compete with the projects of the amposed, in consequence of the interest bitious men by whom I am which it was presumed that he had rounded. Let the candidate then do established with his Holiness, in con- his Holiness some signal service, in sequence of the fidelity of his attach-order that his name may be received ment to him. During his residence at Rimini, he received a letter from Niccolo Niccoli, requesting him to exert his influence to advance an aspiring ecclesiastic to a bishopric which was supposed to be vacant. The reply which he made to this application may afford hints of advice to candidates for the mitre in modern times. "Your letter, which I received today, announces to me the notable cupidity and immature haste of your friend, who, with a view of serving God without the inconveniences of poverty, desires a rich bishopric.In replying to this part of your epistle, not to hold out delusive hopes to your friend, who may be a good man, but, as I conceive, by no means a man of the world, I must inform you that you are deceived by the reports of the deprivation of the bishop whom you mention. You may be assured that no such step has been, or is, contemplated in this court. Besides, you must allow me to suggest, what indeed ought not to have escaped the § Mehi Vita Leon. Aret. p. 37. No. 32.-VOL. III. sur with due favour. The Deity proposes the good things of life as prizes; these prizes, however, are not the meed of the indolent spectator, but of the strenuous and active champion."+ Though Leonardo thus instructed the ecclesiastical aspirant how to make his way to preferment in the pontifical court, he was too independent in spirit himself to practise the lesson which he thus inculcated. Whilst he attended to the routine of his duty as one of the secretaries of his Holiness, he was careful not to foment the divisions which gave scandal to the Christian community, or to assist in drawing up the anathemas and processes which were fulminated against the enemies of Gregory. By this conduct, his interest at court was diminished, and he became liable to invidious animadversion. But in this decline of favour, he consoled himself by the approbation of his conscience; supported by which, he firmly resolved not to quit the onward path of integrity. It was his earnest wish to do no wrong to any one; and on his + Leon. Aret Epist. lib. iii. ep. 7. 3 L 891 Memoirs of Leonardo Aretino. being permitted to abstain from cooperating in any act of injustice, he rested his continuance in the service of Gregory*. In the mean time, he occupied many of his leisure hours, in investigating the antiquities of the city of Rimini, of which we find the following interesting account in a letter to Niccolo Niccoli: "You have been impelled by your ardent curiosity, on the subject of antiquities, to request me to give you information by letter, should I find any monuments of ancient art at Rimini. Though I had already made the requisite researches on my own account, for the gratification of your wishes, I renewed my investigations with all possible diligence and minuteness. Rimini, as I suppose you are well aware, was a very ancient and celebrated colony of the Roman people. But it has shared the fate of other ancient citics. It contains monuments of very ancient works, but so ruined and worn by time, that it is next to impossible to ascertain their original plan, or the uses to which they were destined. There are, however, two remarkable and excellent specimens of antique workmanship, still almost entire, well worthy of observation, and distinguished by their beauty, which I will describe to the best of my ability. "The first is a lofty and magnificent Gate, built with squared stones, and highly finished and ornamented, the antiquity of which is evinced by the inscription by which it is surmounted. For although some of the letters of the inscription in question, are lost in consequence of the dilapidation of the edifice, the name of the consul under whose auspices it was erected is still legible, and the dipthongs are exhibited in the antique fashion of the Greeks. This gate was originally flanked by two towers; but these being built, not with stone, but brick, are almost entirely fallen into decay. Thus much as to the first relic of antiquity. The second is a most beautiful and clegant Bridge, which, as appears by the inscriptions engraven on its battlements, was a gift presented to the city by Augustus and Tiberius. In all probability it was begun by the former of those emperors, and finished by the latter; or * Leon. Aret. Epist. lib. iii. ep. 8. ...... 892 perhaps it was projected by the one, and executed by the other. However this may be, the structure of the bridge is very magnificent, and it is highly decorated with marble. The piers are four feet deep in the water, supporting four arches. The bridge is sufficiently broad to allow two carriages moving in opposite directions casily to pass each other, and on each side there is an elevated pathway for foot passengers. The battlements are made of marble, in single slabs placed upright, and resting each en its own base, and rounded at the top. The most remarkable circumstance which I observed in this magnificent bridge, is, that it is extended in exquisite and correspondent workmanship, beyond each bank of the river, so as to obviate those changes of the course of the stream which might be the effect of a sudden rise of its current. The highway connected with it was formed of the same kind of stones, with which the highways about Rome were formerly constructed. Of this there still remain some vestiges, and many stones of the kind to which I have alluded are to be found in various places, scattered in the vicinity of the road. From these two monuments of antiquity, it may be determined with sufficient certainty, that this city was not in times of old, of greater, but rather of somewhat less extent than it is at present; for on the side which looks towards Pesaro and the Temple of Fortune, there is the ancient gate which I have just described, and, on the opposite side, looking towards Ravenna, there is the bridge of Augustus and Tiberius, extending over the river which washes the walls of the town. In other parts, as well towards the sea as towards the land, are seen the vestiges of the ancient fortifications, which were formerly surrounded by an open space called the Pomærium, and upon the inspection of which it is evident, that in modern times the town has been considerably enlarged."+ In the fourteenth century, a reputation for literary attainments was, throughout the whole of Italy, a sure passport to the favour of the great. The accomplished scholar was deemed entitled to familiar intercourse with sovereign princes. It is not, then, + Leon. Aret. Epist. lib. iii. ep. 9. |