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a twenty thousand pounder, professing his passion, while he was taking aim at her money. I do not deny but there may be love in a Scottish marriage, but it is generally all on one side.

Of all the sincere admirers I ever knew, a man of my acquaintance, who, however, did not run away with his mistress to Scotland, was the most so. An old exciseman of our town, who, as you may guess, was not very rich, had a daughter who, as you shall see, was not very handsome. It was the opinion of every body that this young woman would not soon be married, as she wanted two main articles, beauty and fortune. But for all this, a very well-looking man, that happened to be travelling those parts, came and asked the exciseman for his daughter in marriage. The exciseman, willing to deal openly by him, asked if he had seen the girl; "for," says he," she is humpbacked.". "Very well," cried the stranger, " that will do for me." says the exciseman, "but my daughter is as brown as a berry.". ." So much the better," cried the stranger; "such skins wear well.". -"But she is bandy-legged," says the exciseman." No matter," cries the other; " her petticoats will hide that defect.". "But then she is very poor, and wants an eye.". -"Your description delights me," cries the stranger; "I have been looking out for one of her make; for I keep an exhibition of wild beasts, and intend to shew her off for a Chimpanzee."*

-"Ay,"

[In all the other editions there is an additional paper, Essay XXIV. ON FRIENDSHIP, which we have omitted, as it is merely a reprint of Letter CXV. of the Citizen of the World.-B.]

Chimpanzee is another name for the Ourang-outang, Pongo, or Man of the Woods; simia satyrus of Linnæus. Of all the ape tribe this creature most nearly resembles the human species. In form and organization, indeed, it is more like a man than a brute. "S'il y avoit," says Buffon, " un degré par lequel on pût descendre de la nature humaine à celle des animaux, si l'essence de cette nature consistoit en entier dans la forme du corps et dépendoit de son organisation, ce singe se trouveroit plus près de l'homme que d'aucun animal."-B.

CRITICISMS.

[The Criticisms on Massey's translation of the Fasti, and Barrett's translation of the Epistles of Ovid, first appeared in the Critical Review. The merit displayed in the former production attracted the attention of Dr Smollet, who was then principal editor of the Review, and his friendship was of considerable use to Goldsmith, who had as yet obtained no name in literature. We have added two short pieces, extracted from Goldsmith's contributions to the Monthly Review, while his engagement with Mr Griffiths lasted, (see Life;) rather, however, as a specimen of his earlier writings, than as possessing any great merit.-B.]

CRITICISM

ON

MASSEY'S TRANSLATION

OF THE

FASTI OF OVID.

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was no bad remark of a celebrated French lady,* that a bad translator was like an ignorant footman, whose blundering messages disgraced his master by the awkwardness of the delivery, and frequently turned compliment into abuse, and politeness into rusticity. We cannot, indeed, see an ancient elegant writer mangled and misrepresented by the doers into English, without some degree of indignation; and are heartily sorry that our poor friend Ovid should send his sacred kalendar to us by the hands of Mr William Massey, who, like the valet, seems to have entirely forgot his master's message, and substituted another in its room very unlike it. Mr Massey observes in his preface, with great truth, that it is strange that this most elaborate and learned of all Ovid's works should be so much neglected by our English translators; and that it should be so little read or regarded, whilst his Tristia, Epistles, and Metamorphoses, are in almost every schoolboy's hands. "All the critics, in general," says he, "speak of this part of Ovid's writings with a

* Madame la Fayette.

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