Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, speaks decidedly against the Divorce, and More says of his intended bride, "Scortum hic fuit, Et nostra testis Anglia est: virgo hic prius Fregit pudorem: fabula, et vulgi probum est." But the King stops him short, saying, "Bolena virgo est." Cardinal Campegio now appears, advising to try the temper of the Queen, -Judices si nos volet, Præsto ad tribunal adsit." This is told to Katharine, who argues the matter with Wolsey as to the publicity and sanctity of her marriage, till the proctor informs her that the King is in council and expects her. When the forms of trial are settled, she addresses the King, "O Rex, per istas lacrymus, si quid mei Then the same chorus terminates the Second Act. The Third Act opens by the cause being again heard, and Warham pleading for the Queen, and Ridley speaking on the same side. The King tries to move More, but he is inflexible, and then the Queen and Princess Mary have an affecting interview with him. Longland tells the King that the Legate has left England, and the King says, without delay he will have Anne Boleyne. "Bolena sit regina, sit eonjux mea." In the meanwhile Heresy and Luxury are rejoicing in the mischief that is brewing-Cranmer now appears, and at the King's command crowns the bride "Acclamatio Annet, perennet, vivat, æternum regat ;" while the Act is ended by all the emblematical characters, good and bad, coming on the stage and pronouncing their several prospective anticipations of the result. The Fourth Act commences by Katharine deploring her fallen state, and by the vain endeavours of Longland to console her; but then comes on the decree of the Pontiff to pronounce the former marriage valid, and the King accuses Wolsey, “Volsæe, regem perdidisti: tu mihi Iniquitatis autor et magni nimis Sceleris minister, tu mihi divortii and he tells him to resign his high office; which he gives to More. "Sit ista Mori dignitas, Morus placet. The King half resolves to give up his divorce, but which resolution is soon overcome by an interview with Anne Boleyn, and Heresy comes in and advises him to throw off the papal yoke, which he does, saying, "Pontifex et rex ero." This is told to the Council. Cranmer agrees, but More opposes, and the King reproaches him with his ingratitude, "Sic, More, regi gratus es?” and he and Fisher are sent to prison, and to Cranmer is entrusted the care of the kingdom. The oath is put to Fisher to acknowledge the King as head of the Church, and the marriage lawful. This he refuses, and he is condemned to the scaffold by Cranmer, "I lictor, illud amputa seni caput ;" a chorus of English exiles concluding the Act. The Fifth Act opens with the Catholic Religion, Reason, Piety, and Clemency on the stage, lamenting the ruin of England, and the King grieves over the inflexible obstinacy of his subjects, who refuse to acknowledge him as head of the Church. Then appear Alice More and her daughter Margaret, who come to supplicate Henry for More's freedom and life; but she is told "Una mors Mori omnium and Henry answers, Terrebit animos ;" "Occidat, periat, cadat.” Next comes a prison scene of More, his wife, and daughter. They endeavour to persuade him to submit to the King's will, but in vain. Cranmer has no better fortune with his arguments, and at length the fatal decree is pronounced, "Te perduellum, et regis offensi reum He is brought to the scaffold. "LICTOR.-Permitte vultum, More, velabo tuam. Religion, an angel, and Margaret mourning over this great calamity. The King comes in troubled and afflicted with his death, when Warham informs him of Queen Katharine's death, and brings him letters written with her dying hand, informing him of Anne Boleyn's infidelity. "Vulgare scortum est, fratris amplexu sui Potita gaudet, una reginam omnibus Libido facilem subjicet;" and in spite of her prayers and protestations he orders her to death. Then Religion, the angel, and Brian discuss the state of things, and mention the approaching death of the King. "Tumet ipse vultus, pectus et pedes tument, Jam tota tristis aula singultus trahit." Cranmer discloses to the King his approaching end, when he utters deep reproaches on himself for having overturned the true religion of his country; but, feeling a little thirsty, asks for some wine "huc vinum date." Then the Catholic Religion concludes the whole by praying that Providence would turn the hearts of the English and Irish to the true faith again. "Et rursus Anglos Roma connumeret suos, At the end Antony Dawes, the Professor of Rhetoric, has added a copy of Latin hexameters, in which he mentions, B-ll. "Teste loquor præsente-vide hic metrumque, stylumque, Lector, opus solum octidui, sic bullit et undat Vera Camenarum vena." J. M. REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. The History of Etruria. Part 2, from the Foundation of Rome to the General Peace of anno [sic] Tarquiniensis 839, B.C. 348. By Mrs. Hamilton Gray. IN reviewing this intelligent lady's Tour to the Sepulchres of Etruria in our vol. for 1841, vol. XV. p. 392, we ventured to express a wish that she should enlarge her plan, and procure materials for a more extended work on the subject of Etruria Antiqua. We are glad to find that our own suggestion has been quite in accordance with her intentions, for we will not assume that our brief hint gave the impetus to her undertaking a History of Etruria. We can imagine no historical subject of deeper interest than the annals of Etruria. Seven hundred and fifty years before the Christian period Etruria was a great civilized and commercial power, advanced to perfection in all the elegances and refinements of social life, as is amply attested by the sculptures, paintings, vases, and jewellery discovered in Etruscan tombs. Ancient Etruria occupied a large tract between the Alps and the south-eastern extremity of the Apennines. It is of little use in our opinion to draw a line of distinction between the Turreni, Tyrseni, or Tyrrhenians and Etruscans. The Tyrrhenians are supposed to have come from Lydia, and, if they blended with still earlier aboriginal inhabitants, they acquired at last the common appellation of Etruscans. Over-nice speculations on these remote sources of population are more curious than satisfactory; they begin and end in mystery and conjecture. It will be sufficient to acknowledge that the fine peninsular tract of Italy was a land open and inviting for adventurers of every maritime nation; hence the plentiful sprinkling of Greek colonies gave to the south of Italy the name of Magna Græcia. Latium had probably a Tyrrhene origin, and Etruscan and Latin Tyrrhenians might not be an unfair division of a large portion of the Italian tract. The government GENT. MAG, VOL. XXIII. was of Alba Longa, we are told, precisely on the plan of the Etruscan cities, with a senate, patrician populus, and non-governing plebs, who were the free and fighting portion of the community, and all of them landholders. Niebuhr calls the thirty townships of Alba her plebs." See p. 5. It is by no means an unnatural consequence of territorial divisions that we find townships and districts, established by different leaders, at various periods at war with each other. We have a good hint of the cause of such a state of things in the Eneid. "Arcades his oris, genus a Pallante profectum, Qui regem Evandrum comites, qui signa secuti, Delegere locum, et posuere in montibus urbem Pallantis Proavi de nomine Pallanteum. Etruria, as contemporary for a considerable period with early Rome, is necessarily much connected with the history of the latter. We have in these later days, by the acute speculations of eminent historical writers, been able to arrive at the conclusion that much of the narrations of the Roman historians are derived from popular traditions, in which facts are disguised by exaggeration or ideal circumstances. This does not escape the notice of our authoress, who remarks that the life and times of Romulus constitute merely a national romance, and sort of fairy tale, but that whatever historical truth may be contained in the allegory of Romulus and Remus it is vain to endeavour now to separate it from its alloy of fiction. A poet contemporary with our period, of the most vigorous and original character, has in his "Lays of Ancient Rome" given us an excellent idea of the real source of some of the most striking passages of Roman history. Mrs. Gray notices an impersonification of tradition, or rather it might be said Scripture history, current among the peasantry in Ireland, that the * Æneid. lib. 8, v. 50. 3 T Virgin Mary when she was a young girl was met on her way to mass by the angel Gabriel, who told her she should be the mother of Jesus.* Now in this case, being in possession of the facts, the additions are readily detected, which are not so important as materially to pervert the mode of the heavenly salutation. Passing from the apocrypha! legends concerning Romulus and Remus as the founders of the seven-hill city, Mrs. Gray proceeds to the state of Etruria, in the time of Numa, 716 years before Christ. In his days Italy was at peace, her various nations friendly and hospitable. When Numa died he desired to be buried after the manner of the Tuscans, in a stone coffin, and not burnt. His 24 books of religion and legislation were buried with him, written on the papyrus of Egypt, an article which the commerce of the Etruscans would bring into the Tiber. The next period is that of Tullus Hostilius, B.C. 672. At this epoch the destruction of Alba Longa took place, a remarkable and mysterious event, which consigned the proudest city then existing in Latium to eternal abolition. Thus Rome was rid of an ancient and powerful rival. The emigration of Demaratus from Corinth to Etruria with two Greek artists, Eucheir and Eugrammus, appellatives for qualities rather than names, took place about this period, a fact which confirms, in our opinion, the general Greek character of the Etruscan vases, for it is of as little consequence, we think, to prove that the Etruscans had arts independent of Greek instruction, as that the Britons made urns of clay of rude form without the assistance of the Romans. Certainly, however, a classification of specimens of national styles of art is important. The next period of Etruria measured by those of Rome was that of Ancus Martius, (p. 77.) In the eighth year of this reign, 631 B.C. a grandee of Tarquinia appeared at the gates of the Janiculum. He was seated in a chariot with his wife by his side, a long train of attendants following him, a live eagle, an omen of do *Luke, chap. i. v. 28, minion, fluttering over his head. He, a Tuscan, left his native city, and came to his own people settled by the Tiber. This was the renowned Lucumo or Etruscan chieftain afterwards known as Tarquinius Priscus or Lucius Tarquinius. He it is well known "had Tanaquil to wife." Conquests over Fidene and Veii were achieved at this period, the port of Ostia founded, and the commerce as well as the military importance of Rome enlarged. Rome itself at this period can be regarded as little more than an asylum for the political partizans of Etruria, a depôt for outlaws, adventurers, demagogues, and robbers. The next period is that of the first Tarquinian dynasty in Rome, 615 B.C. Lucius Tarquinius yielded up his power to the Volscinian prince Masatarna, captain of the Etruscan malcontents, best known to us as Servius Tullius. The great Tanaquil herself is said to have educated this youth, in whose favour her own issue Lucius and Aruns were set aside. Rome, now passing into the control of a Tarquinian dynasty, had become essentially Etruscan. The next period is that of Tarquinius Superbus, the second Tarquinian dynasty. The revolution accomplished in the Roman polity in consequence of the outrage offered to Lucretia by Sextus Tarquinius, his son, is a fact which shews how often great public consequences spring from the profligacy and crimes of individuals. Did from the streets of Rome the Tarquin When he was called a King." A. C. 509. The expelled Tarquin seeks aid from the powerful Lucumo or Larst Porsenna of Clusium. "Lars Porsena of Clusium, "East and west and south and north his messengers ride fast, And tower and town and cottage now have heard the trumpet's blast. Shame on the false Etruscan who lingers in his home, [to Rome. When Porsena of Clusium is on the march + Lars seems to have been a title equivalent to ruler or lord. famed hold, The horsemen and the footmen are pouring in amain, [a fruitful plain; From many a stately market place, from many From many a lonely hamlet which, hid by beech and pine, [purple Apennine, Like an eagle's nest hangs in the crest of From lordly Vollaterræ, where scowls the far[kings of old; Piled by the hands of giants for the godlike From sea-girt Populonia, where sentinels descry [southern sky; Sardinia's snowy mountain ridge fringing the From the proud mart of Pisa, queen of the western waves, [fair-haired slaves; Where ride Massilia's triremes, heavy with From where sweet Clanis wanders through corn and wine and flowers, From where Cortona lifts to heaven her diadem of towers."* The siege of Rome by Porsenna, the valour of Cocles, the magnanimity of Mutius Scævola, whose courage could furnish a reply to the query, "Oh! who can hold a fire in his hand?"'+ are matters which have become familiar to our readers from the pages of Livy. Mrs. Gray shews that the endurance of Scævola has been paralleled in modern days by an Indian widow, who, being asked by the late Sir John Malcolm "how she could bear self-immolation by fire? took up a bar of red hot iron before his face and held it, smiling." Both Scævola and the widow might be almost suspected to have possessed the secret of the celebrated fire king, but we injure an heroic tale by the allusion. Porsenna was contented in the event to continue to Rome the constitutional changes she had won, but she remained virtually subject to the powerful Lucumo till his death. The contests between the Romans and the Veii occupy the subsequent periods of Etruscan history to 399 A. C. that of the fall of Veii. The Etruscan Lucumones were merged at length in detail in the dominion of Rome, the political confederation which had hitherto bound them to each other was abolished, and a common religious worship was the only bond of union now between the children of Tarchon and Tages. "Alas!" says Mrs. Gray, "how changed, how enfeebled, how disunited and dismembered was now the once powerful and glorious Etruria!" * Babington Macaulay. In a brief supplementary chapter are noticed the colonies of the Turrheni, (Tyrrhenians), Ardea, Anxur, Circeium, Tusculum, and Antium. The authorities which Mrs. Gray has followed in the compilation of her amusing and instructive volume are classical, as Livy, Dionysius Halicarnassus, Plutarch, Pliny, &c. and modern, Niebuhr, Muller, the late Dr. Arnold, and the excellent digest to be found in the Universal History. From the materials they afford and her own topographical acquaintance with the Tuscan soil, she has produced a work of considerable merit and originality. The great German philologist had already placed the states which preceded the Roman power in a novel and clearer point of view than had formerly been attainable, and Mrs. Gray has shewn her diligence and ability in collecting, summing up, and applying the evidences which exist of a period lying far back in the stream of time. Elective Polarity the Universal Agent. By Frances Barbara Burton. THIS is a strange book, being so subtile in some parts as to seem all but metaphysical, and in our poor opinion more powerful than sound. Its theory is, that elective polarity is the universal breeder of organization, and quickener of matter into motion and life; and therefore is the gravitation of astronomy, and, as we understand it, the vital principle of physiology: and moreover that, whereas by the revolution of the earth's poles in connection with the precession of the equinoxes the star Vega (a lyræ) becomes in every twenty-five thousand years, the north pole-star of the earth once and is a star of much greater magnitude (astronomically speaking) than our actual pole-star in the Little Bear, so under its polarity earthly life has and has shown itself in a scale of gibeen more energetic than it is now, gantic bulk, to which belonged the saurian animals of the blue lias and oolite, and a gigantic race of men, 'possessing physical powers far surpassing man's actual compass, "the builders of the great edifices of Egypt and India, of " magnitude surpassing the powers of man's actual race. Now we will make no objection to the main theory, but will allow that elec " |