1801. ] 
bitants of towns do not choofe to eftablith 
good permanent libraries for themleives, 
which might be fupported at lefs expence 
than the feveral reading-focieties ufually 
are; re{peétable bookfellers might do much 
to check the growing evil of novel-reading, 
by introducing more ufeful publications ; 
and as it is to be fuppoled there are in 
every place perfons who prefer utility to 
mere amufement, it cannot be doubted but 
that they would find it advantageous. 
A FRIEND TO THE GENERAL DIFFU- 
_ SION OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 
Leicefter, March 28, 180%. 
. a 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
O the various anecdotes of the guil- 
lotzme and fimilar inftruments may be 
added the following detail of Count Bo- 
zelli’s execution during the war of the 
Spanith fucceffion. It is extracted from 
the ‘* Voyage hiflorique et politique de Suiffe, 
a Italie, et d’ Allemagne,” vol. i. p. 135+ 
Lam, Sir, 
Dec. soyeeod.) 4 Your's, &c.. J.C. 
¢¢ THERE was fomething fo fingular in 
the mode of his execution, as to excite my 
furprife that the fame plan has not elfe- 
where been adopted. In the great fquare 
was erected a fcaffold, covered with black. 
In the middle of it was placed a great 
block of wood exaétly of fuch height that 
the criminal on his knees could lay his 
head apon it between the pillars of a fort 
of gallows which fupported an axe, of 
a foot in keight and a foot and half in 
breadth, fliding in a groove. The axe 
hada mafsof abovea hundredweight of lead 
attached to its upper fide, and was fuf- 
pended by a cord taftened to the gallows. 
After his confeffion, the fraternity of the 
Penitents, who for the moft part are no- 
bles, conduSted him to the {caffold; and, 
having placed him on his knees before the 
block with his neck under the axe, one 
of the Penitents held the Count’s head on 
the other fide with both hands. A prieft 
then repeated the prayers ufual on fuch 
occafions ; after which, the executioner 
only cut/the cord that fupported the axe. 
That deadiy inftrumenr, in its fall, fevered 
the head from the body, and penetrated 
above two inches into the block.” 
— 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
{HAVE never read a more interefting 
piece of Biography than the Life of 
Monraty Mag, No, 72, 
Siriétures on the Life of Burns. 
395 
Burns, lately publifhed by Dr. Currie, 
whofe talents eminently’ qualify him fer 
the undertaking, With exquifite fkill he’ 
has brought forward*the charming quali- 
ties, and thrown into fhadé the deplorable 
errors, of that extraordinary genius. Cold 
muft be the heart that will not admit 
every extenuation which charity can offer 
for the irregularities of ‘the poet; but I 
cannot help feeling deep concern, when a 
writer fo refpeétable and fo pleafing as 
Dr. Currie gives the leatt fanétion' to the 
ernicious and falfe opinion, that ftrong and 
ungoverned paffions are charaderiftic of 
genius.— That they are not incompatible 
with it too many inftances afford a me- 
lancholy proof—nor’are they incompatible 
with ftupidity ; indeed grofs fenfual indul- 
gence is the levelling point at which ge- 
nius and fiupidity meet. => 
The moft fuccefsful advocates for vice 
are thofe who in elegant language and 
glowing colours throw a charm over its 
enormities, which, concealing its grofinefs, 
renders its poifon more fubtle and more 
ftrong. 
Did the forcery of languave ever throw 
amore fpecious veil over voluptuoufnefs, 
or fupply its apology in a more fedudtive 
form, than is prefinted by a lady whofe 
fketches of the characier of Burns are in- 
ferted in Dr. Currie’s Memoirs, and from 
which the following paflages are extracted? 
“¢ The penchant Mr. Burns had vni- 
formly acknowledged for the feftive plea- 
fures of the table, and towards the fairer 
and fofter objects Cf na:ure’s creation, has 
been the rallying point where the attacks 
of his cenfors, both pious and moral, have 
been directed ; and to theie, it mult be 
confefled, he fhewed himtelf so Stoic. 
His poetical pieces blend, with alternate 
happineis of defcription, the frolic f{pirit 
of the joy-infpiring bowl, or melt the 
heart to the tender and impaffioned fenti- 
ments in which beauty always taught 
him to pour forth his own’: bur who will 
with to reprove the failings he has con/e- 
crated with fuch lively touches of nature ? 
and where is the rugged moralift who will 
perfuade us fo far to chill the genial cur- 
rent of the foul, or regret that Ovid ever 
celebrated his Corinna, or that Anacreon 
fung beneath his vine?” 
After this, the fair writer /ays, indeed, 
that fhe will not undertake to be the apo- 
logift for the irregularities even of a man 
of genus, ‘* though,’ thus fhe proceeds, 
‘¢ I believe it is as certainly underftood, 
that it was never free from 1; regularities, as 
that its abfolution.may be juitiy claimed; 
Rr {ince 
r 
