On Parental Tyranny. Welsh colt died about a year, ago, worn out before his master; and the grey-headed ruddy-faced hind has difcovered that he can do without him. I fhall juft obferve, that this allotment is too large; it is too much for the spade, and not enough for a plough; and the tenant lacks inducement to bring even the half of it into proper cultivation, which is a lofs to the community, and no advantage to him. The part, however, which he has cultivated, and the barrennefs of the hill around, fugget much better plans for the improvement of our waftes, than any that the board of agriculture, or our virtuous houfe of commons is likely to attempt. May 19, 1798. *** To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, PAREN 421 that moment every obligation ceases. It ARENTAL tyranny has been the theme of every novelift, dramatift, and moralift, in every country, and in every age; and there is much reason to fear that the topic is inexhaustible. But thefe inftructors of mankind have too long purfued one beaten track; and, in the prefent ftate of refinement, their cenfures, however juft, are generally mifapplied. Parents are reprefented by them as harsh and forbidding, deftitute of feeling and affection; and there are fuch to be found; but it is not by parents of this defcription that children are rendered moft wretched. There exifts in the human mind a natural elasticity that will not permit it to fink under oppreffion; and where one falls a victim to parental tyranny, hundreds are immolated at the farine of parental love. This may appear paradoxical without being the lefs true. Early in life I was impreffed with the fact, and time and obfervation have only confirmed me in the opinion. Without entering into any metaphyfical difquifitions concerning the principle of benevolence, it must be admitted, that of all the charities, none bear a closer affinity to felf-love than parental affection. Every accomplishment, every acquirement, every thing commendable in the child, reflects credit on the parent; and what are commonly denominated the inceffant cares, the watchful tenderness, and the painful anxieties of the parent, are acts as purely felfish as that which gave being to the child. While there is not a more general topic of complaint than the ingratitude of children, it may be fairly difputed, whether fuch a being as an ingrate ever existed. For when that is demanded which can only be voluntarily given, from that 422 Zimmermann.-Amfterdam Houfe of Gorrection. that one every other was included. When happiness is fled, what remains but that life which will foon cease to be a burden? Such, fir, are the reflections I have frequently had occafion to make; and thefe have now arisen from reading, in an account of the literary writings of the celebrated Zimmermann, an extract from an Eflay on Solitude, exhibited, no doubt, for the purpose of producing a very different effect. Speaking of a beloved daughter, who died within two years after his removal to Hanover, the Doctor fays, "Diffident of her own powers, she liftened to the precepts of a fond parent.She had been the fubmiffive victim of ill health from her earlieft infancy; her appetite was almost gone when we left Switzerland, a refidence which the quitted with her ufual fweetness of temper, and without difcovering the fmalleft regret, although a young man, as handfome in his perfon as he was amiable in the qualities of his mind, the obje&t of her firft, of her only affection, a few weeks afterwards put an end to his existence in de. fpair." It is unneceffary fo fay in what light this ftruck me. That Zimmermann was a man of fine feeling and poignant sensibility, and that he tenderly loved his daughter, cannot be doubted; but it is known to all Europe, that he was also vain and ambitious; and except, Mr. Editor, fome of your correfpondents, whose information may enable them, will take the trouble to inftruct me better, I fhall continue to believe that this beloved daughter and amiable young man, were facrificed to the vanity and ambition of Zimmermann. May 8th, 1797. 0. ment as a fequeftration from fociety during a limited term of years. The building is fituated in a part of the suburbs to the north east of the city. The exterior has nothing remarkable, neither with refpect to form or extent. It is detached from the street by a fpacious court, which contains the keeper's lodge, together with apartments for the different fervants belonging to the establishment. Over the gate, which opens from this court into the prifon, are placed two ftatues, as large as life, reprefenting two men in the act of fawing a piece of logwood. The inner court is in the form of a fquare, round which are arranged the apartments of the prisoners, together with the neceffary warehouses. One part of the ground ftory is divided into different chambers; the other ferves as a depot for the logwood, and the implements employed in its preparation. The keeper, whofe countenance, contrary to the general cuftom of perfons of his profeffion, was ftrongly indicative of urbanity and gentleness, introduced M. THOUIN into an apartment where two prifoners were at work in fawing a large log of Campeachy wood. The faw is composed of four blades, joined together, with very ftrong, large and fharp teeth, which make a fciffure in the wood of nearly two inches in breadth. The operation is repeated, till the pieces become too small to undergo the faw, when they are ground in mills peculiarly constructed for this purpofe. This employment requires an extraordinary exertion of strength, and is, at first, a fevere penance even to robuft perfons: but habit, addrefs, and practice, foon render it easy; and the prifoners, in a fhort time, become competent to furnish, without painful exertion, their weekly contingent of 200lb. weight of fawed pieces. After completing this task, they even find time to fabricate a variety of little articles in wood and ftraw, which they fell to thofe who vifit the prifon, or difpofe of, by means of agents, in the town. The one M. THOUIN next infpected three apartments of different dimenfions, which opened into the inner court. was inhabited by four, the fecond by fix, and the third by ten prifoners. The furniture of the rooms confifted in hammocks, with a matrais, a blanket, and a coverlid to each, tables, chairs, and ftools, glafs, &c. earthen veffels, and various other articles of convenience, Every Amfterdam Houfe of Correction. thing in thefe apartments was diftinguished by neatnefs and propriety, and notwithstanding the number of inhabit. ants allotted to each, was fully adequate to the dimenfions of the rooms; the fenfes were not offended with any disagreeable fcent, and the air was in every respect as pure and wholesome as the furrounding atmosphere. In an obfcure part of the building are a number of cells, in which, formerly, thofe prifoners who revolted against the proper fubordination of the place, or illtreated their comrades, were confined for a few days. But the keeper affured M. THOUIN, that these cells had not been made ufe of for upwards of 10 years. They are dark, gloomy dungeons, with only a fmall aperture for the admiffion of light and air. The fuppreffion of this barbarous and coercive punishment does honour to the humanity of government. The ftore-rooms are filled with various kinds of wood for the purposes of dying; as the Haematoxylum Campechianum, the Morus Tinctoria, the Caefalpinia Sappan, &c. They are all exotics, with the exception of the Evonymus Europaus. The warehouses were not of fufficient extent to contain the quantity of wood, which was depofited in piles in different parts of the court. The prifoners, amounting to 76 in number, were uniformly habited in coarfe woollens ; wear very good stockings, large leather fhoes, white fhirts, and caps or hats. They are, by the rules of the houfe, obliged to frequent ablutions, which greatly contribute to the prefervation of their bealth. There was only one fick perfon amongst them: and, what is not a little remarkable, almost all the prifoners had formerly lived in large commercial towns; very few villagers were amongst them. They had all been fentenced to imprisonment for theft; but it depends upon themselves, by reformation and good behaviour, to fhorten the term of their confinement, which many of them frequently do. The keeper, whofe humanity towards the unfortunate perfons committed to his care, entitles him rather to the title of their protector than their gaoler (and M. THOUIN informs us, that the prifoners generally called him by no other name than father), affifts them with his counfels and friendly admonitions. He regitters, every week, in a book appropriated to this purpose, both the inftances of good and bad behaviour; which is annually fubmitted to the examination of MONTHLY MAG. No. XXXII, 423 the magiftracy, who, from this report, abridge or prolong the term of confinement, according to the degree of indulgence which each prifoner appears to merit. Cafes frequently happen where a malefactor, condemned to an imprisonment of eight years, by his good behaviour procures his enlargement at the expiration of four; and fo, in proportion, for a fhorter term. But great attention is paid to difcriminate between actual reform and hypocritical artifice. The reward of good behaviour is not, however, confined to, or withheld till, the period of actual liberation. Their restoration to fociety is preceded by a progreffive amelioration of their lot. Their work is gradually rendered less laborious, they are accommodated with fepa rate apartments, and employed in the fervices of domeftic œconomy. The keeper even entrusts them with commiffions beyond the precincts of the prison, and fcarce a fingle inftance has occurred of their abufing this indulgence. By this prudent management, a confiderable faving is effected in the expence of the establishment, at the fame time that it tends to wear away prejudice, and to initiate the prifoners by gradual advances into the reciprocal duties of focial life. M. THOUIN made particular inquiries whether it was cuftomary for perfons after their difcharge, to be confined a fecond and third time, as is but too often the cafe in many countries, for a repetition of their offence. He was informed, that fuch inftances very rarely occur; but the cafe is not without precedent, as he obferved in the perfon of a young Jew, who was then in the Rafphuys for the third time. The cafe of this man is fomewhat extraordinary. During the period of his detention, he always conforms, with the moft fcrupulous obfervance, to the rules of the place, and gives general fatisfaction by his exemplary conduct. But fuch, as he himself avowed to our traveller, is his constitutional propensity to thieving, that no fooner is the term of his imprisonment elapfed, than he returns with redoubled ardeur to his lawless courfes. It is not fo much for the fake of plunder, as to gratify his irrefiftible impulfe, that he follows this vicious life; and M. THOUIN adds, that he recounted his different exploits with as much exultation and triumph, as a veteran difplays when rehearfing his warlike atchievements. Another falutary regulation in this inftitution, from which the best confe3 I quences Miftake of Mr. Coxe corrected. 424 M. THOUIN Concludes his account with obferving, that the Rafphuys at Amfterdam bears a greater refemblance to a well ordered manufactory, than to a prifon. It were to be wifhed, that all fimilar inftitutions were conducted upon a fimilar plan. This infcription is, by Mr. CoXE, thus translated : "To the affectionate memory of John Hartvic Erneft, Count of Bernstorff, who, in 1767, rendered free his hereditary eftates, and thereby imparted induftry, wealth, every bleffing, as an example to posterity." From the context, it appears, that Mr. COXE understands the peasants on the Bernstorff eftates to have been, till the year 1767, in that abject state of feudal villainage, in which the peafantry of Britain remained from the era of the Norman conqueft, nearly till that of the reformation of religion. But, the state of the peafantry in Denmark never was fuch as Mr. CoXE conceives it to have been. The peasants of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, have ever been in a condition refembling rather that of the Anglo-Saxon Ceorles, than that of the villains of France, and of Britain, after the Norman conquest. They were, from times the most remote, accounted one of the legislative estates of the kingdom-poffeffing peculiar privileges. Any one who takes the trouble of looking into " Molefworth's Account of Denmark," will at once perceive the Danish peafantry to have been, even before the great change which was accomplished in their government about the year 1660, in á fituation much more refpectable than that of mere feudal vil To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. ainage. From that æra they obtained SIR, THE HE books of travels, &c. published by the Rev. Mr. CoxE, contain much amusing and useful information; I was, therefore, not a little vexed and difappointed, the other day, to find, in the fifth volume of his travels, one of the moft egregious blunders in historical and claffical knowledge, which have ever fallen under my notice. Since the blunder is fo remarkable, and the book fo popular, you will, perhaps, deem my torrection not unworthy of a place in your excellent Magazine, which has the deferved good fortune to be, at prefent, in the most eminent degree, the publica cura of all perfons of literary or fcientific curiosity. The following infcription is copied by Mr. COXE from a monumental obelisk which was erected in honour of Count Bernstorff of Denmark, after his deceafe, by the peasantry upon his eftates: "Pis manibus Job. Hartaici Ernefti, qui arva, difereta, bereditaria, largiendo, induftriam, ofes, omnia, impertiit. In exemplum, pofteritati." new immunities and new honours, the rewards of their fervices to the crown in crufhing the ariftocracy. The very tenor of Mr. COXE's own account fufficiently confirms what is here stated; while it contradicts what he himfelf feems, in other inftances, to infinuate; and fhews, I fear, that he has not very well underfood the compilation which he has raked together concerning Denmark and the other northern governments. The fenfe of the above infcription, when truly interpreted, accords with this general statement: Arva difcreta, immunia, bereditaria largiendo. What man of common understanding, who poffeffed any finall knowledge of the Latin language, would ever think of tranflating thefe words, as Mr. CoxE has done, "rendered free his hereditary eftates?" In truth, Count Bernstorff only "abolifhed, on his eftates, the practice of ac.. cepting the perfonal fervices of the peafants as a part of the rents for their farms gave perpetual leafes to tenants who had, before, held their poffeffions without leafe, and had been removeable at the Anfwer to S. M. on Orthography. the landlord's pleasure-divided into feparate farms, tracts of ground which had been, before, poffeffed as commons." -This is the obvious import of the principal clause of the infcription. Thus understood, what the infcription relates, is perfectly confiftent with the truth of hiftory. According to Mr. CoxE's tranflation and commentary, it has no meaning that is not false. It is enough for me to have thus corrected the principal error in our inftructive traveller's account of that particular in the Danish history. Every reader will perceive, that there is yet more to be corrected in the tranflated infcription. I am, fir, yours, &c. Elgin, March 15, 1798. ARCTICUS. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. A SIR, LTHOUGH feldom permit you your inftructive and agreeable pages to be the vehicles of controverfy, yet, I have perfuaded myself, that you will not refufe a place to the following remarks, in fupport of my former letter on the fubject of fpelling. The importance of orthography to the caufe of literature in general, is a fufficient excufe for the prefent difcuffion. Perhaps I may not throw much new light on the fubject, but I fhall be fully fatisfied, if I am the means of drawing forth the thoughts of thofe who have confidered it with more attention and ingenuity. I confefs I till perfevere in my former opinion," that an alteration in our mode of fpelling would be prejudicial to the English language." S. M. (vol. 4. p. 89.) afferts, that " etymology, though an amufing, is by no means a neceffary study;" and that it is full ás likely to mislead, as to affift, in the difcovery of the meaning of words." Now I cannot allow either of thefe pofitions to be true. To fay that etymology is not a neceffary study, is tantamount to denying the neceffity of studying grammar. For etymology is of as much value and use as any other part of grammatical knowledge. Indeed the clearness of their derivations is the chief beauty in the language of the Greeks. Without the clue of etymology, language would resemble a vaft labyrinth, in which we should be perpetually confufed and bewildered. But S. M. afferts that "it is full as likely to mislead as to affift, in the discovery of words." Since all words are liable, from time and caprice, to be changed in their fignification, it must happen, that etymology will not always be an infallible guide. This 425 would be too much to expect. Nothing human has ever yet been perfect. But that it is full as likely to mislead as to affift, I can by no means allow. Although, in fome words, the meaning is not strictly that which might have been expected from the fignification of the root, yet there are very few, that do not bear fome analogy to the original theme*. But fays S. M." The new mode of spelling will not destroy etymology." And to prove this, he affirms, that although in many languages, the fpelling has been confiderably altered, in none has the etymology been destroyed. Now, it does not appear, that the alteration which he mentions to have taken place in other languages, was with a view of making the orthography agree with the pronunciation. But it was the refult of fashion and caprice; and therefore it is probable, that have been altered fo as to bemany come more like the words from which they are derived. The effects, therefore, of fuch a change, which is partial in its extent, and uncertain in its influence, do, by no means, refemble the confequences of the fyftematic correction, which is now propofed. Because a few words, in a long courfe of time, and from various caufes, have been altered in their spelling, and no deftruction of etymology has enfued, does it thence follow, that a whole language can have its orthography accommodated to the prevailing mode of pronunciation, with no more confequences than in the former inftance? Certainly not. The two cafes are widely different. In the latter, the operation would be much more extenfive and violent, and, I am afraid, fatal to etymology: which is not a bugbear (as reprefented by S. M.), but a juft and powerful objection. Your correfpondent thinks, that if by a new fyftemi of orthography, we should be deprived of the means of tracing the deriva *Your correfpondent has been unlucky in his choice of inftances; for of those which he produces, only the two laft are in point. The meaning of the first does not widely differ from that of its root; for, ought not a phyfician to be a natural philofopher? In the fecond example, although patient in French, does not mean precifely the fame as patient in English, yet they both preferve fo much of the theme, as to denote a fufferer. Journey is related to journée, fince it originally fignified, as much as could be travelled in one day." Plate, from plat, a dish, varies only fo far in its fignification, that by "difh," we mean the fame kind of utenfil as a plate, but fomewhat larger. 312 tion |