_ 1803.] 
trivemibus vehuntur. This artificial re- 
frigeration is neceflary to manufacture 
fherbets. The commentator of Avicenna, 
Sanétorius, prdinulgated, in 1626, the fill 
ufual practice of employing common falt. 
Nix triplo magis refrigerat, fi nivi per- 
mifceatur tertia pars falis communis. But 
LordBacon mutt have known itearlier; and 
Barclay’s Argenis introduces Arfidas 
eating ices at thé table of Juba, who fays, 
Nova ef} apud nos hec ratio revocandi arte 
hiemem fub medio fole, and employs an 
Egyptian boy as his confectioner, The 
Argenis was firft printed in 1621. In 
Monet’s French Di&tionary of the year 
1635, the word Glaciere does not yet oc- 
cur: buc it occurs in Richelet’s Diftio- 
nary of 1680. Of courfe ice-houfes be- 
came familiar in France during that in- 
terval. Procopio, a Florentine, firft fold 
ices in Paris, in 1660; and in 1576, ac- 
cording to Delamare, there were 250 
fhops in Paris for eaux de gelée, glaces de 
fruits et de fleurs, forbets, and other ice- 
{weetmeats. 
CRITICISM OF JOHNSON’S. 
In the concluding note to Shakefpeare’s 
Henry VIII. Johnfon fays: 
‘* Pomp is not the only merit of this play; 
the meek forrows and virtuous diftrefs of 
Catharine have furnifhed fome f{cenes 
which may be juftly numbered among the 
greatelt efforts of tragedy; but the genius 
of Shakefpeare comes in and goes out with 
Catharine: every other part may beeahily 
conceived and eafily written.” = > 
Johnfen is, in this fentence, furely, a 
niggard of his praife: he has indeed elfe- 
where noticed the melting eloquence of 
Buckingham’s dying fpeech; but he 
ought alfo to have beftowed high enco- 
mium on the mafterly delineation of 
Wolfey 5 and efpecially on that fine fcene 
with Cromwell after difmiffal from office. 
This play would be more pleafing if it 
terminated with the fourth a&: and it 
ought fo to be performed. 
A PRACTICABLE ECONOMY IN DRESS. 
The expence of cloathing boys would 
be confiderably leffened, if their arms 
were left naked. The wear and tear of 
fhirt-fleeves and coat-fleeves is very great, 
and the fafhion or cut of them is com- 
plex and coltly. 
During the hours of labour, almoft all 
artizans ftrip off the coat, and turn up the 
fhirt-fleeve, fo that this part of drefs is 
moftly an incumbrance to the laborious 
clafs. By leaving the arms bare at all 
times, they would become hardier, bux- 
omer, and more fpeedily applicable to va- 
rious purpofes. 
Extraéis from the Portfolio of a Man of Letters. 39 
The example of dreffing boys fleevelefs 
is not f{carce in polifhed families: if it 
were more general among the rich, it 
might, without odium, be introduced into 
workhoufes and manufaftories, to the 
great fave of the concern. 
SHAKESPEARE EUROPEANIZED«¢ 
Among the defirable enterprizes of tafte 
may be ranked a condenfation, or felec. 
tion, of the works of our greateft drama- 
tit, A Shakefpeare for foreigners. His 
plays are all too long for reprefentation, 
and moftly for perufal. In all of them 
are feveral fcenes and many paflages which 
‘can be fpared; either becaufe they are 
epifodical, or dilcordant with the fpirit of 
the piece, or of obfolete, frivolous and lo- 
cal drollery. If fuch fuperfluous luxuri- 
ances were pruned away with judgment, 
there is little doubt but this author might 
fpeedily become an European claffic, and 
draw plaudits at the continental theatres 
from Madrid to Mofcow. 
Pope’s edition and the Prompter’s book 
would fupply ufeful hints for fuch an 
abridgement of the acting plays. 
ANTIQUATED JACOBINISM. 
However mutable may be the opinions 
of individuals, thofe of parties are re- 
markably ftable: in the year xz7or, 
Fletcher, of Saltoun, thus writes, or ra- 
ther {peaks : 
«* The Englifh nation have now nothing 
remaining but the outward appearance 
and carcafe of their ancient conftitution, 
The fpirit and foul is fled. Jealoufy for 
public liberty is vanifhed. The court has 
{o often renewed the fame arts, methods 
and counfels, and fo ofien made trial of 
the feveral parties in the kingdom, in or- 
der to cormpafs its ends, that the nation 
begins togrow weary of oppofing the fame 
things, and very wifely thinks there can 
be no real danger of fuch attempts as 
have fo often failed: Befides you are 
grown out of that antiquated care and 
concernment for the public, or at leat 
have given ita new turn—fome of. you 
improving your morals (fo neceflary for 
the prefervation of liberty) in conftant 
gaming—-as others do their military fkill, 
by laying wagers. Even ftock-jobbing 
makes you deeply concerned for the pub- 
lic affairs.” 
A fentence or tavo off he fays,—‘* To 
fet before you your prefent condition, T 
fear will both offend and terrify. I with 
it may not throw you into de!pair. But 
fuch diftempers are only to be cured by 
violent remedies.” 
What inference fhould be drawn from 
fuch inftances in good times? Not mere- 
by 
