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every body at first, but that he had no doubt of its being all fair; and desired me, to be satisfied of it, to give them some subject myself, as much out of the way as I could think of. As he insisted upon my doing so, I offered a subject which must have been new to them, and on which they could not have been well prepared. It was but a day or two before, that a band of musicians and actors set out from Florence, to introduce operas, for the first time, at the Empress of Russia's Court. This advance of music, and that sort of dramatic poetry, (which the Italians esteem the most capital parts of vertù) so much further north than ever they had been, under the auspices of the then great Duke, was the subject I proposed to them. They shook their heads a little, and said, it was a very difficult one. However, in two or three minutes' time, one of them began with his octave upon it; another answered him immediately; and they went on for five or six stanzas alternately without any pause, except that very short one which is allowed them by the going off of the tune on the guitar, at the head of each stanza. They always improviso to music, (at least, all that I ever heard,) and

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the time is somewhat slow; but, when they are thoroughly warmed, they will sometimes call out for quicker time. If two of these (Suonatori) guitarrers meet, in the summer nights, in the streets of Florence, they will challenge one another, and improviso sometimes as rapidly as in set companies. Their most common subjects are the commendations of their several mistresses, the dispute of two shepherds, or a debate which is the best poet. They often remind one of Virgil's third, fifth, or seventh eclogues, or what he calls, the contentions of his shepherds, in alternate verse: and, by the way, Virgil's shepherds seem sometimes to be tied down by the thought in the preceding stanza, as these extempore poets are by the preceding rhyme."

SPENCE.

VOLTAIRE'S OPINION OF RACINE'S POETRY.

VOLTAIRE says, that a comment could be made with great ease on Racine's works, for that there would be nothing more to do than to write under each passage, "beautiful, sublime, exquisite!" Boileau said, "That he had taught Racine to write verses with difficulty. The

earliest verses that are known," adds he,

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not those which are composed with the greatest ease."

GENIUS AND PENURY.

KENNETH CAMPBELL, a native of "bonnie Scotland," and author of some Latin Poems, now forgotten, died in London, in a state of extreme want and destitution. His last halfpenny was found in his pocket, and some congenial soul, too poor to erect any tablet over his deceased friend, had the following engraved on the coin:

"Kennethus Campbell, Scoto Montanus, Poeta Romanus, poetice pauperine sed hilariter vixit. Tandemque, hoc obolatontem locuples; ex Londini, migravit in Elysium, 28 Kal. Julii, 1721."

TRANSLATION.

"Kenneth Campbell,

A native of the Scottish Highlands,
and

Celebrated Latin Poet;

Poor, yet cheerful,

He lived poetically.

At length, with his halfpenny enriched,
He migrated from London to Elysium,
28 July, 1721."

LORD BYRON.

It is said of Byron, that many persons of talent have profited by his bounty; but few of these acts of benevolence and generosity have been reported to the world. The following, however, is worthy to be recorded.

A young lady, of considerable talents, but who had not been able to turn them to any very considerable account, was reduced to the verge of poverty through the misfortunes of her family. The only persons through whom she could have anticipated any relief, were abroad. Urged on by an anxiety for those whom she held more dear than life itself, she summoned up resolution sufficient to enable her to wait on Lord Byron, at his apartments in the Albany, and ask his subscription to a volume of poems. She had no knowledge of him, but from his works; and from the feelings expressed in those, of bold and fearless sympathy towards the race of unfortunates, she anticipated him to be a man of a kind heart and amiable disposition. She was not disappointed in her conclusion; and though she entered his apartment with faltering steps and palpitating heart, she soon found courage to

state her request, which was done in the most delicate manner.

His Lordship heard her with the most marked attention and kindest sympathy; for, when she had completed, as if to avert her thoughts, he began to converse with her in the most fascinating tones, and she did not perceive that he had been writing. He then put a folded paper into her hand, saying it was his subscription, and he most heartily wished her success; "but," added his Lordship, "we are both young, and the world is very censorious: if I were to take any active part in promoting your subscription, I fear it would do you harm rather than good." Overpowered by the prudence and delicacy of his conduct, she took her leave; and, on reaching the street, opening the paper, she found it a draft on his banker for fifty pounds.

CHARLES THE SECOND, AND DRYDEN.

DRYDEN received the hint which induced him to write his poem called "The Medal," from that merry Monarch, Charles the Second, in the following manner:-As Charles was one day walking in the Mall, and talking with Dryden, he said " If I were a poet, and I am sure I am

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