49^ Dr. Perchal on the Effe£}s of Famine ^ &c. 



the affecting ftory of Count Ugoiino, a noble* 

 man of Pifa, who was confined, with his four 

 fons, in the dungeon of a tower j the key of 

 which being caft into the river Arno, they were, 

 in this horrible fituation, ftarved to death. And 

 they are reprefented by the poet, as dying at 

 different periods, according to their refpeftive 

 ages.* Travis, being in the prime of life, was 

 fitted to bear the extremities of want better than 

 he could have done in the ftate of adolefcence, 

 when the body calls for conilant nutriment, to 

 fupport its growth. But of what he felt we are 

 left in uncertainty, as he declined, through 

 "weaknefs, to give any relation of it. There are 

 conftitutions, which do not fuffer much pain 

 from the calls of hunacr. I have been informed, 



* On reviewing the ftory of Count Ugoiino, as related 

 by Dante, in his thirty-third Canto, I find that Morgagni 

 is miftaken in fuppofing the incidents of it conformable 

 to the obfervation of Hippocrates. Nor is the poet to be 

 condemned, as deviating from truth or nature; becaufe 

 the power to endure famine muft depend no lefs upon the 

 ftate of health and Hrength, than on the age of the fufferer. 

 The following lines are copied from the tranllation of this 

 Poem, by the Earl of Carlifle. 



Now the fourth morning rofe j my eldefl: child 

 Fell at his father's feet, in accent wild, 

 Struggling with pain, with his laft fleeting breath, 

 *' Help me, my fire," he cried, and funk in death. 

 I faw the others follow one by one, 

 He&td their lad: fcream, and their expiring groan. 



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