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overcoming them took away their wings." Can any thing be more ridiculous? Mermaids are half women and half fishes: where then are their wings? or what poffible ufe could they make of them if they had any? The Sirens which Julian speaks of were partly women and partly birds: fo that" the pollufion," as good-man Dull hath it, by no means "holds in the exchange." "The quarrels between Mary and Elizabeth had the fame caufe and the fame issue.” That is, they contended for precedency, and Elizabeth overcoming took away the others wings. The fecret of their conteft for precedency should feem to have been confined to Dr. Warburton: It would be in vain to enquire after it in the hiftory of the time. The Queen of Scots, indeed, flew for refuge to her treacherous rival, (who is here again the mermaid of the allegory, alluring to deftruction, by her fongs or fair fpeeches,) and wearing, it fhould feem, like a cherubim, her wings on her neck, Elizabeth, who was determined the fhould fly no more, in her eagerness to tear them away, happened inadvertently to take off her head. The fituation of the poet's mermaid, on a dolphin's back," evidently marks out that diftinguishing circumftance in Mary's fortune, her marriage with the dauphin of France." A mermaid would feem to have but a ftrangely aukward feat on the back of a dolphin; but that, to be fure, is the poet's affair, and not the commentators: the latter, however, is certainly anfwerable for placing a Queen on the back of her husband: a very extraordinary fituation one would think, for a married lady; and of which I only recollect a fingle inftance, in the common print of "a poor man loaded with mischief." Mermaids are supposed to fing, but their dulcet and harmonious breath muft in this inftance to fuit the allegory, allude to " those great abilities of genius and learning," which rendered Queen Mary" the most accomplished princefs of her age." This compliment could not fail of being highly agreeable to the " fair Veftal." By the rude fea is meant Scotland incircled with the ocean, which rofe up in arms against the regent, while the [Mary] was in France. But her return home quieted thefe diforders: and had not her ftrange ill conduct afterwards more violently inflamed them, fhe might have paffed her whole life in peace." Dr. Warburton whofe skill in geography, seems to match his knowledge of hiftory and acutenefs in allegory, must be allowed the fole merit of difcovering Scotland to be an island. But, as to the diforders of that country being quieted by the Queen's return, it appears from hiftory to be full as peaceable before as it is at any time after that event. Whether, in the revival or continuance of thefe diforders, the, or her ideot husband, or fanatical fubjects were moft to blame, is a point upon which doctors ftill differ; but, it is evident, that, if the enchanting fong of the commentators mermaid civilized the rude fea for a time, it was only to render it, in an inftant, more boisterous than ever: thofe great

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abilities of genius and learning, which rendered her the most accomplished princefs of her age, not availing her among a parcel of ferocious and enthusiastic barbarians, whom even the lyre of Orpheus had in vain warbled to humanize. Brantome, who accompa nyed her, fays fhe was welcomed home by a mob of five or fix hundred ragamuffins, who, in difcord with the moft execrable inftruments, fung pfalms (which the was fuppofed to dislike) under her chamber window: "He! adds he, quelle mufique quelle repos pour fa nuit!" However, it feems" there is great juftnefs and beauty in this image, as the vulgar opinion, is that the mermaid always fings in ftorms." "This vulgar opinion," I am perfuaded, is peculiar to the ingenious commentator; as, if the mermaid is ever fuppofed to fing, it is in calms, which prefage ftorms. I can perceive no propriety in calling the infurrection of the Northern earls the quarrel of Queen Mary, unless in fo far as it was that of the religion fhe profeffed. But this perhaps is the least objectionable part of a chimerical allegory of which the poet himself had no idea, and which the commentator, to whofe creative fancy it owes its existence, seems to have very juftly characterized, in telling us it is "out of nature;" that is, as I conceive, perfectly groundless and unnatural. RITSON.

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST.*

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