‘pos 
[Nov. 7, 
Extracts from the Portfolio of a Man of Letters. 
ALMONDS. 
OES not Suevius refer to almonds 
in the followmg lines? 
Admisce in acca basilicis hee nunc partim, 
Partim Pezrsica: quod nomen. sic denique 
fertur, 
Propterea quod, qui quondam. cum rege 
potenti ; 
Nomine Alexandro Magno fera przlia bello 
In Persas retulere ; suo post inde reventu. — 
Hoc genus arboris in pretatis finibus Graiis 
Disserere, novos fructuus mortalibus dantes: 
Mollusca hec nux est, ne rte inscius 
erret. 
To these words Macrobitis adds the 
mote: “ Nux Terentia dicitur, que ita 
mollis est, ut vix attrectata frangatur.” 
The crackability, which is here made the 
characteristic of this sort of nut, agrees 
well withthe almond. To the expedition 
of Alexander, therefore, is owing the in- 
» troduction of almends into Europe. 
THE CID, 
Among the dramatic celebrations of 
the Cid may be enumerated, in addition 
to the well-known tragedy of Corneille, 
the Jess grave poem of Guillem de Castro, 
entitled, ** Freaks of the Cid.—Moce- 
dudes del Cid.” The €dition before us 
was re-printed in 1796, at Valencia, the 
scene of so many of his actions; and is a 
play on the Shakspeare model, which has 
two parts, intended for the representa- 
tion of successive days. 
THE POET WALSH. 
Pope, in one of his letters; says of the 
oet Walsh, that he was aSocinian: he 
hada like mediocrity of opinion in cri- 
ticism, shunning always the trivial and 
the bold. 
THEORY OF THE DRAMA. 
Gingnené relates, that, at some dinner, 
where Marmontel, Diderot, and Rous- 
- seau, were present, the conversation 
turned on theories of the dramatic art. 
Diderot, with much humour, offered this: 
new system. In comedy, he said, the 
business is mamiage; and in tragedy, : 
murder. A}l the pict in both turns on 
this peripateia: Shall they marry, or 
shall they not? Shall they kill, or 
shall they not? They shall marry, they 
shail kill: this is the first act. They 
shall not marry, they shail not kill: this 
is the second act. A new plan of mar- 
rying, or killing, occurs: this is the third 
‘act. A new difficulty arises respecting 
the person to be married, or killed: this 
is the fourth act- At length, opposition 
os 
being exhausted, a marriage or a death 
ends the play. 
WILLIAM OP BRITANY, : 
Barthius gave, in 1657, a commented 
edition of the Philippiad of William of 
Britany, which had also been published 
from a better manuscript in the ceol- 
lections cof Duchesne. This Latin poem 
was begun in 1218, and finished in 1223; 
and it contaifis many elucidations of 
English history, especially of the war un- 
dertaken by Philip Augustus of France 
agamst our king John, in 1213. It would 
be well for some English antiquary sto 
republish the remains of Wiliam of Bri- 
tany, who was born about the year 2170, 
educated for the priesthood at Mantes, 
attached as chaplain to the armies of 
Philip-Augustus, in. 1202, which he still 
accompanied in 1213, and whose exploits 
he chronicles.as an.eye-witness. He was 
created probably in 1223 bishop of 
Noyon, where he died in 1249. 
se 
Not the letter but the river ¥ is here 
to be mentioned. A poem, in four 
books, entitled Y-Stroom, by Anthony, 
van der Goes, has been repeatedly printed 
at Amsterdam. The town, so celebrated 
for its cheese and its gin, vulgarly called. 
Edam, was anciently termed Ydam, from 
this river, on which it stands. The 
whole course of the stream is traced by 
’ the poet, and decorated with mythologie 
fictions: his work is thought by his coun- 
trymen to rival the Georgics of Virgil. . 
ONOMATOPGIA, : 
A French poet, in the Mercure for 
August, 1748, has attempted, by an ap- 
propriate word, to describe the braying of 
aN ass: : 
L’ane, pour tout comigque, 
Debite aux pauvres econmaets 
Une certaine de bibans, 
Prononcés sur le ton le plus melancholique. 
This unusual onomatopeia is well 
chosen: the he-haw is truly imitative, and 
will probably. hitch i @ rhymes of 
some fabulist in this oa also. 
‘ GALOSE Bigs MRIS 
This word, thoughgjn common use, is 
net found in Jobnson’s Dictionary: it _ 
signifies outer shoes, or large shoes, 
which in walking are worn over dress- 
shoes, to keep them from the-dirt. It is 
derived from the French galoches, which. 
describes the same article of wear. 
EPITAPH, 
