ings, manners, and laws, of that period, as well as the provincial pecu liarities, whether of language or custom, which prevailed in different parts of the kingdom, but more particularly in those where Shakspeare paffed the early years of his life. This ftore of knowledge he was continually increafing by the acquifition of the rare and obfolete publications of a former age, which he fpared no expence to obtain; while his critical fagacity and acute obfervation were employed inceffantly in calling forth the hidden meanings of our great dramatic Bard from their covert, and, confequently, enlarging the difplay of his beauties. This advantage is evident from his laft edition of Shakspeare, which contains fo large a portion of new, interefting, and accumulated illuftration. "It is to his own indefatigable industry, and the exertions of his printer, that we are indebted for the most perfect edition of our immortal Bard that ever came from the Englih prefs. In the preparation of it for the printer, he gave an inftance of editorial activity and perfeverence which is without example. To this work he devoted folely and exclufively of all other attentions a period of 18 months; and, during that time, he left his houfe every morning at one o'clock with the Hampstead patrole, and, proceeding without any confideration of the weather or the season, called up the compofitor, and woke all his devils: which he might wish to confult; and « Him late from Hampstead journeying to He poffeffed a strong original genius . his book Aurora oft for Cephalus mistook; and an abundant wit; his imagination was of every colour, and his fentiments were enlivened with the most brilliant expreffions. With the fe qualities, I need not add that his colloquial powers furpaffed those of other men. In argument he was uncommonly eloquent; and his eloquence was equally logical and animated. His defcriptions were so true to na ture, ture, his figures were fo finely fketch of a diftinguished literary character, not prefent prefent young men of fashion, which Thefe, however, I cannot cenfure; would have difgraced the fervants' halls of their grandfathers. Mr Steevens received the first part of his education at Kingston upon Thames; he went thence to Eton, and was afterwards a fellow-commoner of King's college, Cambridge. He alfo accepted a commiffion in the Effex militia on its first establishment. The latter years of his life he chiefly paffed at Hampstead in unvifitable re tirement, and seldom mixed with fociety but in booksellers' shops, or the Shakspeare Gallery, or the morning converzazione of Sir Jofeph Banks. I have heard of his caprices, of the fickleness of his friendships, and the fudden tranfition of his regards. for I know not his motives; nor shall I attempt to analyfe his fenfibilities. But, whatever may have been his failings, I do not fear contradiction when I affert, that George Steevens was a man of extraordinary talents, erudition, and attainments; and that he was an honour to the literature of his country. When Death, by one stroke, and in one moment, makes fuch a difperfion of knowledge and intellect-when such a man is carried to his grave-the mind can feel but one emotion: we confider the vanity of every thing beneath the fun-we perceive what shadows we are-and what fhadows we pursue." Etonenfis YEZZEEZ.-A PERSIAN TALE. IN the city of Dojein, there was a young N the city of Oojein, there was a young bounded in wealth, and had never yet experienced the damp of misfortune. His days conftantly passed in mufic and feafting. One day he was enjoying the feftivity of a jovial company, when in the midft thereof a ftranger appeared, and fitting down on a corner of the carpet, caft a look of fadnefs on the affembly. All at once they were infected with his melancholy, and re-echoed his fighs. Yezzeez enquired into the fituation of this ftranger, who, though repeatedly queftioned, made no answer. This added to Yezzeez's furprize, and increafed his impatience, and he continued to importune the ftranger, who at length faid: Although thy request might have Been with-held, and can do thee no good, yet I shall comply with it. Know then, that formerly my wealth and poffeffions were great beyond calculation. Having at one time, according to the cuftom of merchants, prepared a valuable affortment of goods, with an eye to profit, I departed for the city of Kinnouje. Several capital merchants accompanied me on the journey. At about four days dif tance from Kinnouje, having accidentally feparated from the caravan, I ftrayed into a wilderness, where I had almoft Poft myself, as nothing appeared before me but a frightful defart." In every path that I explored from morning to evening, I found no refting place, while at every diftant horrible iounds ftruck my ear, and I every now and then perceived ftrange phantoms, which made my heart tremble. "As the gloom of night advanced, the plain appeared to my imagination as a ftormy fea, whofe billows would fwallow up the fish of the sky. The branches of the trees, beating againft each other from the violence of the wind, bowed to the ground, the fand of which, agitated by the ftorm, rofe in waves, so that you might call them the ferpents of Pharaoh's rod, ready to devour the world. Helplefs, I refigned myself to deftruction, and fat down at the foot of a tree, expecting inftant death. Suddenly, the found of human feet was heard, and on turning my eyes that way, I beheld a perfon advancing with great celerity, as if flying on the wings of fpeed. Alarmed, I endeavoured to hide myfelf, and invoked heaven for protection. The man, however, coming up, exclaimed, Who art thou? and what doft thou in this perilous defart alone? Fear kept me filent, when advancing with great fury toward me, he faid, Inform me of thy circumftances, or I will fever thy head from thy body with my fabre. In dread of my life, I attempted to reply, and faid, O valiant youth, be not enraged, for I am a mortal, who by accident being feparated from my my camp, have been bewildered in this defart. Have pity upon my forlorn condition; direct me in my paths, that I may rejoin my friends. "When the young man was informed of my fituation, his wrath gave way to compaffion: Recover, faid he, from your fears, and you fhall inftantly be delivered from this dreadful place. Not far from hence is a moft delightful city, whofe fcite, like the gardens of paradise, difpells care, and whofe inhabitants are enchant ing as the dwellers in heaven. It has been from ancient days called the city of Laabutbauz*, and I am named Riz waunt, by the happy inhabitants. Haften then, and follow me. "As I had obferved in the young man the manners of courtefy and an affable behaviour, I gave thanks to heaven, and followed him clofe, till at length we reached the gate of the city, and on feeing its beauty, I fancied myfelf in heaven, and gazed with aftonishment." The ftranger had advanced thus far in his narrative, when fuddenly two wild cats, clafping each other with fury, dropped from the baluftrade of the house into the midst of the company, who were most attentively liftening. Alarmed at this occurrence, they all ftartled, and the ftranger unperceived vanifhed from among them. When Yezzeez had recovered himself, he was greatly diftreffed at the departure of the traveller, and that his story was not concluded; persons ran to every quarter to feek for him, but he was not to be found. Such was the curiofity of Yezzeez to know the remainder of his adventures, as to exceed all bounds, and he resolved on a journey to Kinnouje, against all the remonftrances of his friends and relations. He fet out with a few beloved companions, and in a fhort time reached Kinnouje, where he explored every part, but found no intelligence of the young man. Day by day he became fo impatient that it wafted his health and his fubftance; his companions left him, and he fubmitted to poverty, diving fometimes into the foreft, and fometimes winding the defart. In this manner he explored many countries, but without fuccefs. Inceffant fatigue redu ced his body to a skeleton. At length one day, as he was paffing over a defart, and notwithstanding all his endeavours could not reach a place of helter, he met a compaffionate looking youth, who tenderly enquired the caufe of his diftrefs. Yezzeez, having related his adventures, requested his affiftance to heal his forrows. The youth replied, "Ah, thou fool, what miferies haft thou brought upon thyself! Merely upon hearing a tale from an unknown perfon without examining into the truth or probability of it, to commit thyself a wanderer in the defart, and foolishly to meafure the wind with thy hand, was not wife. Thy difficulties are impoffible to be relieved, fo haften away, and follow thy own policy." Yezzeez replied, "O generous youth, fince, ablenting myself from my family, I am involved in a bewildering path, how can my fpirit allow me to return back when advanced half way, without having attained my object? For God's fake, exert thy liberality, and as far as in thy power lend me thy affiftance." The youth rejoined, "Imprudent man, how canft thou, by my affiftance, arrive at the city of Laabutbauz, which has no exiftence upon the face of the earth? Escape therefore out of this wilderness, and get thee into a place of fafety. Take this ivory fabre, and whenever thou art fatigued and inclined to reft, draw it from the filken fcabbard, and lay it carefully by thee. When thou continueft thy journey, fheath it, and be cautious not to lofe it." Having faid this, the young man vanished from his fight. Yezzeez now betook him again to travel, and heedlefs of the precipices and declivities in his route, with cheerfulnes fubmitted to the toil of walking till evening. He then ftopped, and as he had been defired, drew the sabre from the fcabbard; when lo! a vaft city appeared in the plain, of fuch extent as fancy could but feebly describe. Having retired to a houfe, he chose an apartment, and being refreshed with ample fare, betook himself to fleep. In the morning, having girded on his fabre, he refumed his travel in the wilderness, and after having been for many days fupplied with refting places, at night by the power of the word, he' one day appeared on the bank of a lake, and ftopped to quench his thirft. Suddenly, as he was drinking, the belt of the fabre breaking in the middle, it fell into the water, funk to the bottom, and was irrecoverably loft. On this accident, defpair poffeffed his mind, and he wandered in the deepest diftrefs. The porter at the entrance of Mahomet's paradise. diftrefs. At length, he reached a plantation, where he beheld a husbandman fit ting on the grafs, who repeatedly lifted up a cup to his lips, while his wife feat tered feeds on the foil he had dug. An inclination to affociate with the husband man, arofe in the mind of Yezzeez, and advancing a little, he fat down at a diftance. The countryman and his wife, looking upon him with kindness, enquired his fituation; upon which, Yezzeez recounted his adventures, and fignified the object of his heart. The hufbandman replied, "Ah! beautiful youth, what vain scheme and idle fpeculation is this? Wander not foolishly in the path of deftruction, but quit this dangerous expedition, for it is impoffible it fhould fucceed. Affociate with us, that thou mayeft repofe from the perfecution of fortune." Yezzees accepted his offer, and refted from the fatigue of unavailing travel As it happened, in this plantation, juft after the breathing of dawn, every morn ing arofe a mifty vapour, which by degrees defcending, wholly enveloped the branches and leaves of a particular tree. Gleams of light then shone through the mift, and a hand dazzling as the fun, was extended from it. The husbandman advancing near the tree, in the manner of ceremonious cupbearers, placed a goblet of sparkling wine on the hand, which for an inftant vanished, and re-appearing, gave back the goblet empty. This was repeated to the fortieth cup; after which the hand withdrawing, the vapour began to afcend, and quickly dif fufing itself in the air, in less than an hour was wholly difperfed. After fome time, the hufbandman having occafion to leave home for a few days, entrusted the care of his houfe to Yezzeez. giving him a particular charge to fupply the hand regularly with wine. The imprudent youth, impelled by curiofity to penetrate into the mystery, as be was one morning delivering the cup, rah'y grafped the hand with all his force, when inftantly a noife, more dreadful than the loudeft thunder, fhook the atnofphere, and a bird of monftrous fize iffing from the mist, seized him in its talons like a fparrow, and mounted into the sir above the higheft clouds, then gradually defcending, at length alighted on the pinnacle of a lofty dome, when loofing its hoid, Yezzeez rolled over and over like a ball. Ile at length fell to the bottom of a pit fo dark, that night from its blackness might have added to her gloom. Much as he tried to explore a paffage, he found no inlet to the path of hope, fo that preparing himself for death, he fat down, expecting his fate. In this ftate, he at length perceived a glimmering of light, and on examining the place whence it proceeded, faw a door which opened to his preffure into a narrow paffage, through which having passed, he found himself in a court furrounded by a high wall. Having climbed to the top, he let himfelf down by his hands on the other fide, and fell into a net placed below. A man rushing upon him, flung a rope round his neck, and dragged him to the foot of a lofty building, from a window of which a beautiful damfel looking out, faid to his conductor, To-day's game is very thin, let him be releafed fer fome time, till he fhall be worthy our acceptance.' Upon this the man fet him at liberty; when Yezzeez, overcame by fear and fatigue, fell down fenfeiefs on the ground. On his recovery, he found himself alone in the midst of a barren plain. Suddenly advanced toward him on horseback an old man, who on coming up enquired the caufe of his diftreffed fitua tion; and on being informed of his adventures, confoled his forrows, and prefented him with refreshments, on tafting which his ftrength returned, and his fpirits were revived. The old man then having directed him to follow a particular path, took his leave, affuring him that he would foon arrive at the object of his hope. Yezzeez having thanked his generous preferver, proceeded with lightened heart, and renewed ardour. Travelling all night, be arrived by day-break at the fkirs of a city, of most elegant building. The environs of it were alfo delightful. On every fide flowed delicioufly-tafted ftreams among beds of flowers, as in the gardens of heaven. Yezzeez remained for fome time motionlefs as a statue; and when recovered, haftened to the city. On his arrival at the gateway, he faw the doors fet with valuable jewels, and the way paved with agate, fprinkled over with mufk. The paths were clear from foil as the hearts of the virtuous; and the air, like the air of reclody, gave relief to the forrowful heart The Atreets, like the fumes of wine, excited cheerfulness; and the houses, as he regular rows of an avenue, afforded fenfations of ferenity. While he was meditating and admiring thefe objects, two young men advan ced |