possess various resources denied to thousands | disease, or amidst the horrors of intolerable of our fellow-creatures; that in many extremi- poverty, scarce know one gleam of comfort; ties our abundance supplies multiplied aids to whom the slenderest relief or casual accent and attentions; that in all, and perhaps the of pity is sudden happiness and joy! It is severest of all, when the tomb has devoured the then we should learn what to think of our person dearest to our hearts, our tears have a own afflictions, which borrow their bitterness wider refuge in the sympathy of friends. In only from habits of too much felicity; it is a word, that if we place, in a balance, on the then that our want of submission would be one hand our afflictions, and on the other our changed into ardent thanksgiving; and that, consolations, we should find yet more to nurse less occupied by the few trials that fall to our our corruption than to promote our salvation. lot than by the affecting conviction of those Great God did we rightly consider the we have been spared, we should rather tremble condition of those beings who are born to the at the indulgence of Heaven than complain extreme of all calamity, who in the bed of of its severity.

ROBERT JEPHSON.

BORN 1736 DIED 1803.

[Robert Jephson was born in 1736, and | merely being made a tool of, Jephson now entered the army while young. He soon devoted himself more and more to literature, attained to the rank of captain; and in 1763, and rarely spoke in the house, and his parliaon the occasion of the reduction of the regi-mentary career may be said to have practiment, he retired on half-pay. Before this time cally closed soon after this time. he had turned his attention to literature, and made the acquaintance of William Gerard Hamilton, through whose influence he was introduced to Lord Townshend, by whom he was shortly made master of the horse, and, charmed by his wit and satirical powers, his lordship also procured him a seat in the Irish House of Commons. Here he soon distinguished himself, and, being grateful for the favours he had received, he earnestly defended the acts of the government. On Lord Townshend's departure he also stood in the breach in defence of that nobleman, when he was attacked openly and rather ungenerously in February, 1774. In the debate on a bill to repeal or relax some of the cruel laws against Roman Catholics he "took a prominent part, and made a long and eloquent speech in their favour, quitting on that occasion his usual satirical turn which had obtained him the name of 'Mortal Momus!""

Lord Harcourt, who succeeded Lord Townshend, either not caring for wit, or not liking to encourage the favourites of his predecessor, acted coldly towards Jephson, who, at the general election in 1776, was allowed to lose his seat. After a time, however, it was seen how useful Jephson's talents would be, and a seat was found for him at Old Leighlin, in county Carlow. Probably feeling that he was

His first play, The Duke of Braganza, was produced at Drury Lane in 1771, and at once proved him to be a dramatist of no mean power. Horace Walpole held a high opinion of it. It was soon followed by The Law of Lombardy, also a successful play; and The Count of Narbonne, which was his greatest success of any. Jephson's other dramatic works were The Campaign; Julia, or the Italian Lover; Two Strings to your Bow; and The Conspiracy. In 1794 he also produced a poetical work called Roman Portraits, which was highly spoken of at the time, and in the same year a capital satire on the French Revolution entitled The Confessions of James Baptiste Couteau. He also, in conjunction with Mr. Courtenay, the Rev. Mr. Boroughs, and others, produced a series of essays under the title of The Batchelor, which, says a writer in Biographia Dramatica, "succeeded in putting down and turning into ridicule the enemies to Lord Townshend's government, and enriched the world with a collection which, for general wit and humour, has rarely been equalled, perhaps never excelled." The same writer declares Jephson to have been "a man of taste, judgment, and good sense," which we can readily believe, and which his dramas abundantly show. Indeed these dramas contain writing in some places scarcely inferior to the

a fever with my rage at him. Madam, that
fellow never should pretend to you. He was
just ready to sign a paper I had prepared for
him, renouncing all right and title to you.
Fer. (To Leonora.) By heaven, you injure

me!

Cla. He had just consented to leave this city, and was actually upon his knees to me for mercy

Fer. Can I bear this?

Leo. Patience, dear Ferdinand!

Cla. When, seeing you coming, he plucked up a little spirit, because he knew you would prevent us; and, drawing out his unwilling sword, which hung dangling like a dead weight by his side there, he began to flourish it about, just as I do now, madam. Hold him fast, madam-ha, ha!-Don Valiant, I shall catch you, sir, when there is nobody by to protect you-au revoir! Hold him fast-ha, ha, ha! [Exit Clara. Fer. Nothing shall restrain me—loose me, or by my wrongs, I shall think you are confederate with him.

Leo. Dear Ferdinand, rely upon it you are mistaken.

Fer. 'Sdeath! weathercocks, wind, and feathers are nothing. Woman, woman is the true type of mutability-and to be false to me, for such a thing as that-I could cut such a man out of a sugared cake. I believe a con

fectioner made him.

Leo. Have you done yet?

and his own succession to the kingdom, he
instigates her waiting woman Alinda, who is
his mistress, to personate the princess. By
this means he sends away her lover Paladore,
and puts the princess in the power of the law.]

Scene, a Garden.-RINALDO, a servant of
PALADORE.

Rina. He must pass this way through the
postern-gate

That leads here only, with distemper'd pace
I saw him hasten. Since the evening banquet
His wild demeanour has put on more change
Than yonder fickle planet in her orb.
Just now he seiz'd his sword, look'd at and
pois'd it,

Then girt it round him, while his bloodshot eye,
And heaving bosom, spoke the big conception
Of some dire purpose. There is mischief towards;
Will hide me from his view. Soft, soft, 'tis he.
I may perhaps prevent it: these tall shrubs

Enter PALADore.

[Retires.

Pal. Why do I shake thus? If, indeed, she's
false,

I should rejoice to have the spell unbound
That chains me to delusion. He swears deeply:
But bad men's oaths are breath, and their base
lies

With holiest adjurations stronger vouch'd
Than native truth, which, center'd in itself,
Rests in its simpleness; then this bold carriage
Urging the proof by test infallible,

The witness of my sight. Why, these combin'd

Fer. No, nor ever shall till this mystery is (Spite of my steady seeming), viper-tooth'd,

cleared up to me.

Leo. That I cannot do. Fer. Then, adieu-you shall see me no more, but shall hear of me. you I'll find your Narcissus, that precious flower-pot. I'll make him. an example. All the wrongs I have suffered from you shall be revenged on him. [Exit. Leo. (Following him.) Ferdinand, dear Ferdinand!

Gnaw at my constancy, and inward spread
Suggestions, which unmaster'd, soon would change
The ruddy heart to blackness. But, oh, shame!
These doubts are slander's liegers. Sweetest in-

nocence!

That now, perhaps, lapp'd in Elysian sleep,
Seest heaven in vision, let not these base sounds

Creep on thy slumber, lest they startle rest,
And change thy trance to horror.
[Exit.

[Leonora kept her friend's secret, and after Clara, in the disguise of her brother, had succeeded in her plot she discovered all, and Ferdinand and Leonora were made happy.]

MOST SEEMING FALSE.

(FROM THE LAW OF LOMBARDY.") [Bireno wishes to wed the Princess Sophia, so as to reign jointly with her. He finds she prefers Paladore, and, to insure her destruction

Lo! he comes; Yon light that glimmers 'twixt the quivering leaves

(Like a small star) directs his footsteps hither.

Enter BIRENO, with a lantern.

Bir. Your pardon, sir; I fear I've made you
wait.

But here, beneath the window of his mistress,
A lover favour'd, and assur'd like you,
Must have a thousand pleasant fantasies
To entertain his musing.

Pal. Sir, my fancy
Has various meditations; no one thought
Mix'd with disloyalty of her whose honour
Your boldness would attaint.

Pal. Death! 'tis she!

There's not a silken braid that binds her hair,
One little shred of all that known attire
That wantons in the wind, but to my heart
Hlas sent such sweet disturbance, that it beats
Instinctive of her coming, ere my sight
Enjoy'd the beauteous wonder. Soft! what now!
See, she lets down the cordage of her shame
To hoist him to her arms. I'll look no more.
Distraction! Devil! How she welcomes him!
That's well, that's well! Again; grow to her lips-
Poison and aspics rot them! Now she woos him,
Points to her chamber, and invites him inward.
May adders hiss around their guilty couch,
And ghosts of injur'd lovers rise to scare them!
Ay, get you gone. Oh, for a griffin's wing,
To bear me through the casement! Deeds like
this

Should startle every spirit of the grove,

And wake enchantment from her spell-hung grot,
To shake the conscious roof about their heads,
And bear them to the scoff of modest eyes
Twin'd in the wanton fold. Oh, wretch accurs'd!
See there the blasted promise of thy joys,
Thy best hopes bankrupt. Do I linger still?
Here find a grave, and let thy mangled corse,
When her lascivious eye peers o'er the lawn,
Satiate the harlot's gaze.

(Going to fall on his sword, Rinaldo rushes
forward and prevents him.)

Rina. What frenzy's this?

Arm'd 'gainst your life! In pity turn the point
On your old faithful servant, whose heart heaves
Almost to bursting to behold you thus.

[Paladore, while passing through a forest in his flight, meets with two ruffians who are murdering a woman. He attempts to rescue her, discovers her to be Alinda, and that, to hide his villany, Bireno had paid the wretches to murder her. She gives him a paper, revealing Bireno's wickedness, and he hastens back to court.]

The Princess goes towards the scaffold. A trum-
pet sounds.

1 Sen. Hold, on your lives!
Bir. What means that trumpet's voice?
It sounds a shrill alarm.

Enter an Esquire.

Esq. Arrest your sentence!

I come in the name of one who hears with horror
This barbarous process, to proclaim the accuser
Of that most innocent and royal lady,
A slanderer and villain; who accepts

| Her just defence, and by the law of arms
Throws down this gage, and claims the combat for
her.

Bir. Take it, Ascanio. Bid your knight appear,
(If such his order) for to none beneath
Am I thus bound to answer. Speak his titles.
Esq. He wills not I reveal him. But suffice it,
He has a name in arms that will not shame
The noble cause he fights for.