W. L. after complimenting the Editor in a very handsome manner, suggests the propriety of making the description of the plates always follow the plates directly, without being separated by any intervening matter; a hint that has been since that time pretty generally adhered to.—Indeed it has been universally so ordered, if the bookbinder attended to the directions given to him. A. L. after a handsome compliment on the papers that appeared some time ago in the Bee on the literary character of Buchanan, exhorts other men of talents to come forward and rescue from a kind of oblivion into which they have accidentally fallen, some other eminent characters which have done honour to this country; among whom he specifies William Drummond of Hawthornden the patriarch of Scotland, Arthur Johnston author of Parenga, and William Ballanden. "There is, (says he,) I know in many a reluctance to produce their works in a periodical, or what they may suppose a fugitive miscellany; but let it be remembered that Pope, Swift, Atterbury, Arburthnot, Addison, and almost all the eminent men of the British Augustan age, appeared most conspicuous in such publications; and that except authors write their books to be printed in a large octavo at least, and on tough soft paper, they have a much better chance to be often handled by writing choice little pieces in the Bee, than by composing treatises on the modern plan of Book making, which would soon call for a bachelor Carasćo to weed them after the manner of Don Quixote's library, were it not for the fortunate circumstance of deperition at which I have cautiously hinted above." The Editor is much obliged to this correspondent for his good wishes, and has the happiness to observe that they have been effected aboye what he could reasonably have expected. He is not at liberty to say how much he has been indebted to names that are already, and will be illustrious in future times; but he hopes still to be able to adhere to such a chastened steadine's of conduct, as to refuse admission of any piece into his miscellany that fhall tend to make them ashamed of the company in which they shall appear. Mark sends a collection of jests, which unfortunately have been thrown away on the Bee.-Specimen. "One night when Mr Garrick in the character of Hastings was going off the stage after having repeated the following line, “And die with pleasure for my country's good,” a droll tar in the upper gallery cried out, after having dislodged a quid, "Avast, brother! with your cheek jaw and palaver! Lords a'nt so ready to die for old England now a days." It is hoped this specimen will amply satisfy both our readers and the writer. H- Bn is very much difsatisfied with the critique upon some English plays which appeared in some early numbers of the Bee, and at great length enters into a vindication of many play writers in opposition to Shakespeare; which our scanty limits forbid us to quote at length. "I observe, (says he,) his L- -p has a very great partiality for Shakespeare; yet if he was to recollect that neither before nor since the days of that immortal genius, has dame Nature bestowed such vast talents for poetic fire upon any writer that has appeared, he surely would not so much as he does cut to pieces the works of Was his L-p for one moment to wave the idea many a great man. of Shakespeare's uncommon powers, and take an impartial review of the various pieces that have been produced by other English and Irish writers, he would see a good cause to be lefs severe in his criticism." This is evidently a young writer. For his sake, and that of other young writers, the Editor will briefly state what occurred to himself on the subject of criticism at an early period of his life. He recollects the time perfectly well, when he heard with astonishment, men of sense talk with raptures of the inimitable beauties of Shakespeare. He was too diffident to venture to dissent from them openly; but he thought in his own mind he knew what was good and evil as well as another; and though he durst not say it, he was perfectly con vinced that there was no more comparison between Thomson and Shakespeare in point of dramatic excellence, than between the sun and the moon. In no department is a knowledge of the various operations of the human mind so necessary as in that of judging of dramatic excellence: nor can that knowledge be ever obtained but from experience. > To be continued. TO THE READERS OF THE BEE. *** A NEW map of France divided into compartments according to the allotment of the National Afsembly, is now engraving, and will be ready to be delivered with an early number of the ensuing volume. This map will be executed in the neatest manner; and will exhibit with great distinctnefs, not only the modern divisions, but also the ancient divisions of that country; as well as the principal roads throughout the kingdom; which never has been done on any other map hitherto published. 125. THE BEE, OR LITERARY WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER, FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24. 1793. INTRODUCTION TO JANE D'ARC. AMONG the extraordinary events that are recorded in history, few can equal those that respect the heroine of this story. They are recorded with all the gravity of other historical events by the sagest historians and annalists of the times. The facts indeed are incontestible; and no one has ever doubted that the was the immediate cause of that astonishing revolution in the affairs of France, which terminated in the establishment of Charles VII. on the throne of his ancestors, and the total expulsion of the English from that kingdom. At the time this heroine first made her appearance, so low was the power of the Dauphin, that not a single place belonged to him but the town of Orleans alone, which was then closely besieged by the English; nor did there appear the smallest human probability that ever he could procure an army strong enough to raise the siege of that city, on which alone his all depended. In what manner this simple girl contriVOL. xiv. LL buted to bring about such an unexpected revolution will be learnt from the memoir that follows, which has been sent to the Editor by an ingenious correspondent, to whom he lies under very great obligations for this and former favours. MEMOIRS OF JANE D'ARC, SIRNAMED THE MAID OF ORLEANS. 66 Dauphin, I am by birth a fhepherd's daughter, "Heaven, and our lady gracious, hath it pleas'd SHAKESPEARE, HENRY VI. Part 1st. Act 1. Sc. 2. JANE D'ARC was born at Donremy, a hamlet of the parish of Greux, upon the Meuse, near Vaucouleurs; her father's name was James d'Arc, her mother's Isabella Romé. Her education was proportioned to the mediocrity of her parent's fortune, and little is known of her infancy; for he did seem destined to act the part the afterwards performed. She left her parents at an early age; and void of experience, offered herself as servant to an inn, not knowing how fatal such places are to virtue and chastity: the however preserved both; and as she had a strength and courage above her years and sex, she employed herself in the stables, and her ment was when the rode the horses to water, to exercise them well afterwards. This was her riding school; and he was such an excellent horse-woman, that when he joined the army there was not any officer that could manage his horse with more address. Jane was very handsome; and the : violent exercises fhe had accustomed herself to had given her that complexion and health that animate beauty. With so much to charm, it was not pofsible for Jane to want a lover. She had one; but history has not named him, who upon some answers from her, which he interpreted according to his wishes, summoned her before the officialité at Toul, in order to force her to marry him. Jane appeared, and answered with so much candour and good sense, that her lover lost his cause. He strove afterwards to continue his pursuit ; but Jane would not listen to him and in order to get rid of him, returned to her father. This was the period when the first thought of her mission; and it arose from all the news she had heard of the affairs of France at the inn, in which places such topics are usually discussed. Her imagination took fire; and the looked upon herself as a girl destined by heaven to tear France out of the hands of the English. Her father by dint of her continually talking of the visions and orders the received to go to the king of France, persuaded himself fhe was inspired. She accompanied her uncle and aunt to Vaucouleurs, where they had some businefs with the governor M. Baudricourt; and when they had finished, fhe said to him, "Know amuse |
