#32} 
institution. Savonarola, however, 
not only rejected this ceremony, a3 
founded in adulation, but as often 
as Lorenzo frequented the gardens 
of the monastery, retired from his 
presence, pretending that his in- 
tercourse was with God, and not 
with man. At the same time, in 
his public discourses, he omitted no 
opportunity of attacking the repu- 
tation, and diminishing “the credit, 
ef Lorenzo, by prognosticating the 
speedy termination of his authority, 
and his banishment from his native 
place. The divine word, from the 
lips.of Savonarola, descended not 
amonpst his audience like the dews 
of heaven; it was the piercing hail, 
the destroying sword, the herald 
of destruction. The friends of 
Lorenzo . frequently remonstrated 
with him, on his suffering the 
monk to proceed to such an ex- 
treme of arrogance: but Loren- 
zo had either more indulgeuce, or 
more discretion than to adopt hostile 
measures against a man, who, 
though morose and insolent, he 
probably considered as sincere. On 
the contrary, he displayed his usual 
prudence and moderation, by de- 
claring that, whilst the preacher eX- 
erted himself to reform the citizens 
of Florence, he should readily ex- 
cuse his incivility to himself. This 
extraordinary degree of lenity, if 
it had no influence on the mind of 
the fanatic, prevented, in a great 
degree, the ill effeets of his ha-. 
rangues, and it was not fill after 
the death of Lorenzo, that Savo- 
narola excited those disturbances in 
Florence, which led to his own de- 
struction, and terminated in the 
ruin of the republic. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
‘ Life of the late James Boswell, C8e 
1795. 
trom the Gentleman's Magazine, 
R. Boswell was born, in 1740, | 
of an ancient and oncuran 
able family. His father was then | 
at the Scotch bar, and was after. 
wards raised to the dignity of judge; | 
which station he filled with acknowe 
ledged learning, probity, and ho-— 
nour. His title was lord Auching | 
leck, taken from his family inheri- 
tance; and he died in 1782: on: 
which occasion Dr. Jchnson wrote | 
an elegant and instructive Ictier to | 
the subject of this memorial; of 
which article we will extract a pase 
sage that alludes to some slight dos 
mestic differences, which did not 
happen in vain, since they gave rise 
.to such salutary advice; 
‘2 Your father’s death had ever 
circumstance that could enable you 
to bear it. It was ata mature age, 
and it was expected; and, as his 
general life had been pious, his 
thoughts had, doubtless, for many 
years past, been turned upon eier- 
nity. That you did not find him 
sensible must doubtless grieve you; 
his disposition towards you was tn- 
doubtedly that of a kind, though 
not of a fond father. Kindness, at 
least actual, isin our own power, 
but fondness is not; and if by negli- 
gence or imprudence you had ex- 
tinguished his fondness, he could 
not at will rekindle it. Nothing 
then remained between you. but 
mutual forgiveness of each one’s 
faults, and mutual desire of each 
other’s happiness.” 
In 1763, Mr. Boswell came ‘ite 
Londen. In 1769 he published his 
account of Corsica, with the 
“¢ Journal of a Tour to that Island.” 
This. work gained him some. dis- 
sc pn 
