1814.]

Humboldt's View of America and its Native Tribes.

was formerly as unknown to the Americans, as it is to many of the tribes of eastern Asia.

There is no instance of the savage living in the forests of the temperate zone, having voluntarily exchanged the chace for agriculture. This transition, the most important and the most difficult in the history of human society, cannot be effected but by compulsory means. When in their great migrations troops of hunters, persecuted by other warrior hordes, reach the plains of the equinoctial zone, the impenetrable close ness of the woods, and the luxuriant growth of the vegetable species, produce an essential change in their character and way of life. Between the Oronoko, Ukajale, and the river of Amazons, there are tracts where man finds scarcely any thing but streams and lakes. Iere on the banks of the rivers, even the most savage inhabitants surround their huts with the fig of Paradise, the jatropha tree, and some other vegetables, which contribute to their subsistence.

Neither historical facts nor popular tradition record that any connexion ever subsisted between the South American nations and those dwelling to the north of the isthmus of Panama. The annals of the Mexican empire seem to go back to the sixth century of our æra. They state the periods of the migrations which took place, the causes which occasioned them, the names of the leaders belonging to the illustrious family of the Citins who conducted northern tribes from the unknown regions of Aztlan and Teocolhuacan to the plains of Anahuac. The founding of Tenochtilan happens like that of Rome in the heroic age, and it is only from the 12th century that the Aztekian chronicles, like those of the Chinese and Tibetians, contain the almost uninterrupted record of the secular festivals, the succession of the kings, the tributes imposed upon the conquered, the foundation of cities, meteorological phenomena, and many trivial incidents which have an influence on society in infant states.

But though no traditions denote any immediate connexion between the nations of the two grand divisions of America, their history on the other hand exhibits striking coincidences in the political and religious revolutions which led to the civilization of the Aztekes, Muyscas and Peruvians. Bearded men of a

lighter complexion than the natives of Anahuac, Cundinamarca, and the plain of Couzco, make their appearance, with

403

out its being known from what country
they come. As high priests, legislators,
friends of peace, and of the arts and
sciences, which it promotes, they accom-
plish a change in the state of the nations,
from whom they experience a respectful
reception. Quetzalcoatl, Bochica, and
Mango Capac, are the sacred names of
these mysterious beings. Quetzalcoat
comes in black priestly attire from Pa-
nuco and the shores of the Mexican
Gulf: Bochica, the Buddha of the
Muyscas appears on the elevated plains
of Bogota advancing from the savannahs
situated on the east side of the Corderil-
las. The history of these lawgivers is
full of marvellous stories, religious fic-
tions, and such circumstances as betray
an allegorical meaning. Some scholars
have conjectured that these foreigners
might have been shipwrecked Europeans,
or descendants of the Scandinivians,
who as early as the 11th century visited
Greenland, Newfoundland, and perhaps
even Nova Scotia; but the slightest re-
flection on the period of the first Tol-
tekian emigrations, on the monastic in-
stitutions, the religious symbols, the ca-
lendar and the forms of the monuments
of Cholula, Sogamozo, and Couzco, will
lead to the conviction that the codes of
Quetzalcoatl, Bochica,
and Mango
Capac, could not possibly derive their
origin from the north of Europe. Every
thing, on the contrary, seems to point to
eastern Asia, and to people connected
with the Tibetians, the Shamanists, the
Tartars, and the bearded Ainos of the
islands of Jesso and Sachalin.

When I employ the terms-Monuments of the New World-progress in the imitative arts-cultivation of the understanding, in my inquiries respecting America, it is by no means my intention to denote a state of things which is rather vaguely denominated a higher degree of culture and civilization. Nothing is more difficult than to institute comparisons between nations who have advanced by different roads to social improvement. The Mexicans and Peruvians must not be judged by such principles as are deduced from the history of the nations of whom our studies are continually reminding us. They differ from the Greeks and Romans in the same ratio as they resemble the Etruscans and Tibetians. The theocratic government of the Peruvians favoured on the one hand the progress of industry, publie works, and, if I may be allowed the expresion, whatever relates to civilization in general and in mass: on the other

404

On the Works of Theodosia and Mrs. Dunscombe.

hand it prevented the development of individual energies. Among the Greeks it was just the reverse, and till the time of Pericles the free and rapid mental development of individuals bore no proportion to the slow advance of national cultivation. The empire of the Incas might be likened to a vast monastic institution, in which every member had prescribed to him what he was to do for the general benefit. Whoever makes himself acquainted on the spot with those Peruvians, who for ages retained their national physiognomy without alteration, will be enabled duly to appreciate the code of Mango Capac and its influence on morals and the public weal. There was general prosperity, but no individual happiness; resignation to the will of the sovereign usurped the place of patriotism; for great enterprizes there was patient obedience, but no genuine courage; a spirit of order, which by petty laws for regulating the conduct in the most indifferent transactions, extinguished at once all freedom of thought and all greatness of character. The most complicated of all political institutions recorded in history had nipped the bud of individual liberty; and the founder of the empire of Couzco, who flattered himself that he should render men happy through restraint, in fact transformed into mere machines. The Peruvian theocracy was indeed less oppressive than the government of the Mexican monarch, but both contributed es sentially to impart to the monuments the religious worship and mythology of these mountaineers that dismal and gloomy air, which forms so striking a contrast with the arts and the pleasing fictions of the people of Greece.

Paris, April, 1813.

WORKS of THEODOSIA and MRS. DUNS

COMBE.

To the Editor of the New Monthly Magazine.
SIR,

ON farther inquiry I find that three volumes of Theodosia's works were published. In the preface to the third volume is inserted a beautiful and pathetic piece, written by Mrs. Dunscombe, on the death of her aunt (Theodosia.) I learn also that an Ode to Spring, and another piece, the title of which my friend could not recollect, were published by Mrs. Dunscombe with Danebury Hill; another piece from her pen, entitled the Primrose and Bramble, addressed to two young ladies, appeared some time ago in the Poetical

Dec. 1,

Monitor. Perhaps the foregoing hints may induce some of your readers to favour us with a more detailed account of Theodosia and her niece than has yet met the public eye, which I am per suaded, would gratify many of your readers, as well as yours, &c. VECLEE.

Oct. 15, 1814.

For the New Monthly Magazine. On COMPOSITIONS in PROSE. THE English language being brought to such a state of refinement, it is truly desirable that the art of writing it with propriety and elegance should be extensively known. To assist, therefore, young persons, and such as have not studied composition, I shall, in a very plain manner, first, point out its chief requisites, and then give some short directions to acquire a good prosaic style, But as the subject, with examples and illustrations, would fill a volume, the following essay can be expected to contain nothing but hints or outlines.

As to the first, it is necessary that, 1. An author should feel, as well as understand his subject. Whoever sits down to compose any thing of a religious, moral, or literary nature, ought to think closely on it in all its parts and bearings. He should also read the best books on the subject, but only with a view to im prove his diction, and to be furnished with additional thoughts. In particular, he will handle his subjects the better for being animated with them, though it requires much thought and experience to write well on such as are deep or abstruse. Dr. Johnson had a very strong mind, and appears to have felt his subJects strongly; for which reason, energy is one of the peculiar excellencies in most of his writings.-2. The Ideas should be strictly suitable, and generally placed in succession. No sentiment or allusion ought to be introduced that is irrelevant, far-fetched, or digressive, or which does not keep up the unity of design on the subject.-3. Just and striking language, with proper ornaments of style, are to be used. In theology and ethicks, the best modern writers use only plain or neat language; as we may observe in the sermons of Dr. Witherspoon, Dr. Stennet, Dr. Blair, Mr. Davies, Mr. Robert Walker, and many more divines; and in the moral or miscellaneous writings of Mr. Addison, Dr. Paley, Dr. Knox, Mr. Melmoth, Bishop Berkley, Dr. Middleton, and others. But when religious, moral, or other kinds of instruction are conveyed through works of imagination,

1814.7

Rev. Mr. Scraggs on Compositions in Prose.

405

of them are very perplexing by containing that which is irrelevant or ambiguous. On the contrary, very laconic sentences have no dignity, when several are continucd in succession; and, besides this, the sense is frequently obscured. In general it is best to intermix sentences of a middling length with those which are shorter; as Lord Shaftesbury does in his works, and Blair in most of his sermons, which by modern authors is called numerous composition. The first sentence on any subject should not be long, and the last ought not to be very short.

as in Telemachus, Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia, oriental or other tales and visions, the language is often highly figurative; but each trope or figure must be suitable and correct in all its parts. Most historical writings will also admit of the ornamental style, as we see in the compositions of Robertson, Stuart, Gibbon, and Dr. Henry.-4. Appropriate and harmonious words are to be selected. Not only ought every word to convey the precise idea in every member of a sentence, but where two or more are really synonimous, the preference should be given to that which is the most bar--2. Avoid redundant and inelegant monious in the connexion. Our best modern authors never let any sentence consist chiefly of monosyllables, because words of several syllables are more energetic; they are, therefore, intermixed; and the last word, or the last but one, in every sentence, is commonly a polysyllable. Hence it is obvious that it requires a retentive memory and a rectified judgment, as well as considerable lexicographical knowledge of the English language to be an accredited author in modern times.

Thus I have shewn the positive requisites to write well on any subject, in either of the two general styles. The first of these two is called the concise, which consists in expressing our thoughts in few words, without repeating the ideas; the other is the diffuse style, which repeats some of the same thoughts in different words, and sometimes very elegantly. The concise is generally used by Addison, Swift, Steele, Lord Kames, and Dr. Reid, and is peculiarly adapted to narrations and didactic subjects. The other, which is also called the copious style, is suited to fictitious and argumentative pieces, and is to be found in various parts of the works of Sir William Temple, Dr. Johnson, Mr. Burke, Miss Hannah More, and others.

Now, taking it for granted that no one will presume to compose who has not good natural sense, is at least an English scholar, and understands figurative language; I shall take no notice of avoiding errors in grammar or rhetoric. As, therefore, the requisites beforementioned include most of the positive rules to attain a good style, it is only necessary that I should add the following directions, which are chiefly of a negative kind: viz.-1. Use no sentences which are very long or involved. It is the common fault of most, old authors, and of some careless writers in modern times, that their sentences are too long, and many NEW MONTHLY MAG.-No. 11.

words. As all unnecessary phrases or
words which commonly are at the end of
a scutence, weaken the sense of the
passage, persons of a delicate taste in
verbal criticism will withhold them, and
never end a sentence with such particles
as "from, by, with, of, upon," or the like.
We must also avoid obsolete, awkward,
or mean words, as "albeit, methinks,
forsooth, perchance, to wit, folks, odds,"
and various others. All such compound
verbs as "to bring about, clear up, lay
hold of, go along with," and others like
them, are at least inelegant; instead of
which we should write, " to produce,
explain, scize, accompany," and so on,
which mean precisely the same. The
foregoing verbs, and a great number of
other words, may be used in familiar
conversation, but they are not fit to ap-
pear in the works of any modern respect-
able author.-3. Seldom use contracted
words, or the parenthesis. Such con-
tractions as "twas, 'twere, 'tis, and
'twill," are often necessary in poetry,
but not in prose. Nor should we put
"&c." in any well constructed essay; it
is elegant, and generally we may sub-
stitute such phrases as " and others, and
many more," or some such suitable
words. Where the apostrophe is re-
tained as a contraction, in the posses-
sive case, it gives a hissing sound,
and should be avoided. Thus, instead
of writing, "for conscience' sake," I
would write," for the sake of con-
science," and by other ways the pos-
sessive case with an apostrophe should
be avoided, as much as possible, con-
sistently with good grammar. The pa-
renthesis is also much disused in modern
diction, as it not only disfigures the
printed page, but by placing one comma
at the beginning of the passage which is
supposed to require it, and another at
the end, the same purpose is answered.

4. Avoid the frequent repetition of the
same word in the same printed page.
VOL. II.
3 [I

406

Motto of the Nelson Family.

Even suitable, 'striking, and harmonious words may be too often used in the same page, instead of which, synonimous ones should be substituted. The words "and, but, therefore, for," and other common words, are too frequently used in most printed compositions in prose. The word "it" should be avoided as much as possible, especially at the end of a sentence; which may be done by introducing the same in its more proper place in the sentence, or altering the construction of the sentence. Also, never begin two succeeding sentences with the same word. The English, like every other language, has its peculiar idioms, and as it is our living tongue, with a delicate ear, and some years of practice, the phraseology of most sentences may be diversified for the better, without the least injury to the sense.— 5. Often peruse the best British authors, and mark wherein they excel in prosaic composition. A poetical style is very different from that of prose, yet if our diction is too plain, an attentive perusal of some of our best poets will tend to invigorate and beautify such prosaic language. As to the proportions of excellence in compositions in prose, our best authors may be thus estimated, -The style of Addison is always neat, and often elegant; though it is above a century since the Spectators were first published, which contain many inaccuracies, as may be supposed. That of Blair is more modern, and, a short time ago, highly celebrated; yet it has many Scorticisms, and stiff inverted phrases.. Smollet, Fielding, and Richardson, are excellent as authors; but their style is never elegant, and frequently careless: the same may be said of Tillotson and Dr. Watts. The style of Dr. Johnson is correct and majestic; but it wants that variety, simplicity, and ease, which are so much admired in the diction of Mr. Addison. The Doctor's sentences are also frequently too long, and the sense too much inverted; but on any subject which requires dignity or energy, he is most excellent. Most of the writings of Lord Bolingbroke and Mr. Burke are in a good florid style, well suited to the senate; and the style of Dr. Robertson is adapted to his different historical works. As to living authors in prose, it is generally admitted that Miss Hannah More, Dr. Drake, Mr. Chalmers, and the Rev. Robert Hall, of Leicester, use the best diction; though they do not write exactly in the same style. Lastly, form an easy style of your own, and often

[Dec. 1,

compose. A servile imitation of any
good writer must be stiff and affected;
besides, you will copy their faults as well
as their excellencies. Form and improve
a style suited to yourself, and the sub-
jects on which you write; but of what-
ever kind it is, let it be correct, perspi
cuous and vigorous. I must here cau-
tion young authors against being too
hasty in composing, or too eager in hav-
ing their works printed. They should
deliberately read over and correct each
sentence, and it is good to lay by our
compositions for some time, and then
pause, and again correct them. Begin
with short essays on very common sub-
jects; and if you have a literary friend,
let him freely correct your productions.
If you closely attend to the foregoing
directions, by frequently composing you
will acquire a facility in it, and your
language will be gradually improved.
Buckingham.
G. G. SCRAGGS.

MOTTO of the NELSON FAMILY.
To the Editor of the New Monthly Magazine.
SIR,

THE motto of the Nelson family, (re-
specting which your Correspondent H.
makes inquiry,) is taken from an ode by
Jortin; and was selected by Lord Gren
ville. The context is as follows:-
Concurrant paribus cum ratibus rates,
Spectent numina ponti, et
Palmam qui meruit ferat.
I am, yours,

Nov. 1, 1814.

M.

We have received another communication to the same effect, under the signature of J. S. S., and dated Norwich, Nov. 4, 1814.- EDITOR.

On the TREASURES of ART and LITERA

TURE COLLECTED at PARIS.

To the Editor of the New Monthly Magazint,
STR,

YOUR countrymen have complained still more loudly than we Germans, in your most extensively circulated journals, on the subject of the works of art and literary treasures, of which the French, first under the National Con vention, and afterwards under Buonaparte, systematically plundered other countries and capitals. It cannot be doubted that the great Emperor Alexan der, who, like the tutelary genius of Europe, bas aimed at accomplishing permanent peace and conciliation, not at embroiling natives, must have bad weighty reasons for not insisting upon the restitution of test spoils at the mo ment when the repose of the world was

1814]. Mr. Böttiger on the Works of Art, &c. at Paris.

407

Rome, only to bid adieu to them for ever. Siuce, therefore, most of the Prussian antiques taken from Berlin, Charlottenberg, and the Marble Palace on the Holy Lake, and those from the Museum of Cassel, have already had places assigned to them in the Hall of Diana, there can be no hope of their redemption. Fortunately, almost all the antiques purchased by the King of Prussia out of the collection of Cardinal Polignac, and, among the rest, the l'a

the object in view. At such a moment, even the Apollo Belvidere, or Raphael's Transfiguration, could not but appear as a minute thread in the great complicated web of the general interest of nations. On this point, time alone can clear up much that is mysterious, and afford satisfactory solutions of the questions and doubts that have been started respecting the foreign works of art in the Napoleon Museum. We may be allowed to indulge hopes of some compensation, even though the wish that has been ex-mily of Lycomedes, as it is called, so adpressed, and in which thousands must mirably illustrated by our Levezow, as cordially concur, "that ancient and ve- also the Vatican Muses, the beautiful nerable Rome be appointed the general Minerva, from the Museum of Cassel, repository for all the most exquisite spe- and all the works of art, bought, but cimens of antique art, which France never paid for, belonging to the Villa ought to be compelled to surrender," Borghese, together with many from the should remain unaccomplished. The Villa Albani, have not yet been arranged, following letter of a German of some because they were destined for the literary eminence, and lively and pro- apartments the building of which, owing found feeling, at Paris, may, at least, to the pecuniary necessities of the goserve to prove that all is not to be consi- vernment, was never completed. For dered as lost :all these articles, claims might, of course, be successfully set up; they have been made, and, to my knowledge, are yet prosecuted, not without hopes of a favourable issue, by the Prussian commissioners, Henry and Bussler, and Völkel, as agent for lesse Cassel. The German commissioners have entered into negociations on the subject with the Marquis de Blacas, minister of the household of Louis XVIII. The King is said, in his private interviews with the Prussian monarch, to have promised him every possible concession. At the same time, nothing must be attempted by diplomatic means, for reasons which will be sufficiently obvious. The worst of all is, that many antiques from Italy and Germany are no where to be found, neither can any one tell what Pluto has carried off this or the other Proserpine to his infernal regions. It were to be wished that the late director-general Denon, might be called to a strict account on this head. The galleries of Cassel and Salzdalen have disappeared, with the exception of a few pictures. Some are said to have been discovered at Malmaison, the residence of the late Empress Josephine. The Berlin Academy of Arts will now at least be able to recover its collection of plaster casts, assured to it by Buonaparte himself. But concerning the restitution of the pictures of the ancient German school which Denon carried off, with peculiar predilection, from the King of Prussia's palace, and from the Emperor of Au stria's cabinet at Belvedere, nothing

The opinion expressed by our great Winkelmann, fifty-seven years ago, when writing to his friend Brandes, of Weimar, respecting the absolute unsusceptibility of the French for the placid grandeur and majesty of the productions of antiquity, is fully confirmed in these later times by the frivolous self-sufficiency with which they consider the monuments secured to them in the Napoleon Museum as trophies of victory, and ascribe the preservation of this booty to their formidable, nay, irresistible, superiority Over the crafty Italians and the simple nations of the north. How far are these self-complacent fools from reflecting that they owe the permission to retain this booty solely to their good King Louis XVIII. and to the desire of the allied monarchs to endear the illustrious house of Bourbon to the nation by this gift! So much the less right would they have to grumble, or find fault, if Louis XVIII. should ever be prevailed upon to restore to the lawful owners various antiques not yet formally incorporated with the Museum, and many literary treasures in the National Library, which have been so unjustly transplanted thither. Whatever has been publicly placed in the Museum, will assuredly not be given back; and many a German who, since the 3rd of April, has visited the galleries of the Louvre, has fared like the Greeks who met with their works of art again at * These golden words themselves may be found in Gothe's work on Winkelmann and his Age, p. 100, &c.