We shall now subjoin a few particulars respecting the last person who was allowed a confessor, which was the King, as M. Cazotte foretold. (Vide Panorama, page 111.)

It is well known that the Abbé Edgeworth, an Irish priest, was chosen by the unfortunate Louis XVI. to confess and prepare him for death. This worthy ecclesiastic then resided with his mother and sister at Paris, and the following is an extract from a letter he wrote to one of his friends in England, December 21, 1792, just one month before the murder of the king.

"Paris, 21st December, 1792.-You are undoubtedly surprised, my dear and honoured friend, that while the clergy of France are flocking to England for shelter and support, I should remain here amidst the ruins of this afflicted, persecuted Church. Indeed I have often wished to fly to that land of true liberty and solid peace; and to share, with others, of your hospitable board, where to be a stranger in distress is a sufficient title. But Almighty God has baffled all my measures, and ties me down to this land of horror, by chains which I am not at liberty to shake off. The case is, the malheureux maître charges me not to quit the country; as I am the person whom he intends to prepare him for death, if the iniquity of the nation should commit that last act of cruelty and parricide. I prepare myself for death, for I am convinced that popular rage will not allow me to survive one hour after that tragic act, but I am resigned. My life is of no consequence: the preservation of it, or the sheddingof my blood, is not connected with the happiness or misery of millions. Could my life save him qui positus est in ruinam et resurrectionem multorum, I should willingly lay it down, and should not then die in vain: fiat voluntas tua! Receive this unfeigned assurance, perhaps for the last time, of my respect and affection for you, which I hope even death will

not destroy."

We shall close with an extract from a letter the Abbé Edgeworth's sister wrote to a friend, February 10, 1793, near three weeks after the king's death.

The King, perceiving that his life was aimed at, sent to request my brother would attend him; who, without the smallest hesitation complied with the request. Though he carefully avoided mentioning the matter to me, I had a presentiment of danger, which haunted me incessantly. My brother, fully aware of the hazard he should incur in the discharge of his duty to the

King, set his affairs in order; and, not to shock our sensibility, he departed without bidding us the adieu which he supposed would be an eternal one. He had already prepared a neighbour to bring the afflicting tidings; it was then necessary I should be informed of it, as soon as he should be gone. We still concealed it from my mother, pretending he was gone to pass the night with a sick person. On the evening of January 20, he was taken from his house, and conducted to the Committee, where he was examined and interrogated whether he was willing to undertake the awful function. He was thence conducted to the sad and dark dwelling of the most innocent, as well as most unfortunate, of men. I cannot describe to you the agonies I experienced in knowing he was shut up within a hundred bolts, and surrounded by a thousand tigers. He passed the night in hearing the last farewell, or rather the cries and groans, of an inconsolable family, sufficient to pierce the most hardened hearts. It would even have been some consolation to have been left without the unfeeling witnesses of their anguish, but this little boon was refused them their guards never lost sight of them. The King once approaching my brother, said, This is indeed a dreadful mo

ment; yet in an instant he recovered his fortitude, and talked of different subjects, particularly of the Church of France; asked after many of its dignified pastors, expressed the most lively feeling of the generosity of the English towards them, and this with a coolness and steadiness of mind that was surprising. After which he said, he had omitted to speak of a more important affair, meaning with respect to himself. My brother reminded him that there were some preparations to be attended to:-he had no need to speak of them; all had been done. The King then went to bed, and slept some hours. Knowing that his hair would be cut off by the executioner, and desiring to avoid that indignity, he requested in the morning the attendance of a hair-dresser, but that small indulgence was also barbarously denied him. Early in the morning my brother proposed to celebrate mass; to which his illustrious disciple acceded with visible pleasure, but doubted whether permission could be obtained. My brother repaired immediately to the Council, then sitting, to solicit this privilege. They expressed great surprise, and started many difficulties, all of which my brother removed. If,' said he, a priest is wanting, I am one; if ornaments, they may be found in the next chapel; and the Host you yourselves may furnish. At length they consented; desiring him to write down what was necessary to be provided, for they knew nothing about it. Mass was then performed, at which the faithful Clery assistd;

DIDASCALIA.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

On Friday, Dec. 26, a new pantomime was brought out at this Theatre, called the Enchanters, or Harlequin Sultan. We trust our readers will not expect a long account of productions of this kind; we shall therefore only remark that the plot is in the usual stile of this species of entertainment-fine scenery, machinery, dresses, decorations, &c.

Saturday, Dec. 27, Mr. Ray, jun. from Cheltenhain, appeared in the character of Young Marlowe, in She Stoops to Conquer. He was very favorably received; his action is easy, and his delivery good.

On Monday, Jan. 12, a new opera, entitled False Alarms, or My Cousin, written by Mr. Kenny, was produced at this Theatre, the characters of which are as follow.

Sir Damon Gayland Mr. Wroughton.
Edgar Gayland.

Tom Surfeit
Lieutenant M'Lary

Miss Umbrage Susan

Mr. Braham.

Mr. Bannister.
Mr. Johnstone.
Mr. Mathews.
Mr. Penley.
Mr. Wewitzer.
Mr. Dignum.
Mrs. Mountain.
Miss Duncan.
Mrs. Bland.

Miss Pope.
Mad. Storace.

The heroine of the piece is Miss Sedley, who is beloved by Sir Damon Gayland, a jealous old rake, and at the same time is instrumental to his reconciliation with his young bride. To effect this, she comes, with the privacy of Lady Gayland, on a visit to the family, in the disguise of an officer; in which concealment she sees the very hearts of two lovers of her own, and makes her election of the honorable one, an Irish Lieutenant, M'Lary. There is another love-plot, in which Edgar is the hero, Emily the heroine, and Tom Surfeit the interloper. This ends as satisfactorily as the other.

Having given a slight idea of the plot, we are sorry to be under the necessity of censuring this piece; but when we enquire its pretensions to dramatic merit, we must pronounce it totally destitute of originality and character--not a spark of wit could we find in it: and indeed all the characters have been before the public over and over again, and in every instance much better. Our readers will readily perceive the truth of our remark when we give them the list, which consists of a pert chamber-maid; a dull stupid drunken valet (Germanized, we presume, in compliment to our taste for the original German drama, with which we have been lately surfeited ;) an intriguing jealous husband; a sentimental wife; a dashing young lady, dressed in officer's cloaths; a would-be-learn

ed lady, with no other pretensions than wearing a trencher cap; an ignorant citizen; a low Atall, and his impudent valet; an Irish lieutenant; and an English captain, so desperately in love that he sits down on the stage to sing a ballad in praise of his fair one, and accompanies it himself on the grand piano forte. "Does this become a soldier?" In times like these should the stage be suffered to countenance such unwarlike tweedle dum and tweedle dec captains?—If so, all we can say is that "captain Braham is your only man ;" for his Smile and Tear had the best possible effect, and we have no scruple in affirming that it opportunely saved the play from sinking; it put the audience in a good humour although they had already yawned: forgetting perhaps that much ought not to be expected from an

opera.

Tom Surfeit was as ably performed by Bannister as the insipidity of the character would allow. What it wanted in wit he charitably supplied with swearing and blustering. Indeed the custom of swearing oaths has of late become such a very common practice upon the stage, that we suppose the performers imagine it makes amends for deficiency of wit. Hence the frequent dammes of Messrs. Bannister, Matthews, and some others, amounting to at least a dozen of vulgar oaths; which we conceive to be most disgraceful, and equally despicable in the author who suffers them, and in the actor who so far forgets his situation as to use them. Nor can we commend the liberty taken by Bannister in telling the spectators they had put him out, when one of his songs was very partially encored, at which the generality testified a most decided disap probation. Had he been playing punchinello at Bartholomew fair it might have been in character, but at the theatre royal of Drury Lane— We did not like it by no manner of means, as his author says.

All the performers did their utmost; but we cannot refrain from noticing Miss Duncan, who acted and sung with great spirit and judgment. She gave The North breeze blew keenly, and deep was the gloom, with the happiest effect, and was unanimously encored.

The music is the joint production of King and Braham, and does them credit; indeed some of it is very pretty, particularly the two songs we have mentioned. King's is the most pleasing; Braham has introduced so much of science and execution as frequently to tire instead of delight.

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

On Monday, Dec. 29, was produced at this Theatre a new pantomime called Harle quin and Mother Goose, or the Golden Egg, full of splendid scenery, machinery, tricks, &c. and intended as a treat for the holiday folks; it is one of the best we have witnessed.

SUCCINCT ACCOUNT OF POMERANIA.

According to the latest advices from the continent, there is reason to think that the German dominions of the King of Sweden will speedily become the seat of events which may attract the attention of Europe: we therefore embrace the present opportunity of submitting to our readers, the latest information concerning those countries.

In

Pomerania is a strip of land lying on the borders of the Baltic: 60 geographical miles in length: 13 in breadth. Towards the cast, its adjoins Pomerclia; on the south it borders Poland; on the west the Duchy of Mecklenburgh; and on the north the Baltic. It is a flat country, but has some few mountains; the highest of which is the Choltenberg, between Caslin and Zarow. some places part of the soil is sandy, but in general it is rich and fertile. Beans, turnips, Hax, hemp, and fruit, grow plentifully. The trees are very fine, especially the oaks. This country is famous for a breed of excellent geese of a very large size. These geese, the smoaked hams, and the salted salmon of Pomerania, are reckoned the best in Germany. Pomerania contains 68 towns, and about 400,000 souls. Several among these towns, such as Stettin, Stutgard, Colberg, and Costins, have rich manufactures. Such as are situated on the sea coast, carry on a very extensive trade, as may be inferred from the articles of merchandise which, in one year, were exported from Stettin to Holland, France, Sweden, Prussia, and England, viz.: 10,089 lbs. of starch: 72,423 lbs. of antimony: 1,117 cwt. of arsenie: 106 cwt. of tin:

106 pieces of worsted stuff:
251 pieces of flannel :

107 tons of lapis calaminaris,
6,649 cases of glass:

33,186 toises of wood for fuel:

130,960 rixdollars in value, of timber:
5,179 planks:

24 cases of linseed:

436,960 bricks:

639 cwt. of brass wire:

147 tons of potash :

408 cwt. of madder:

233 tons of soap:
5,812 cwt. of tobacco:
3,448 pieces of woollen cloth:
775 cwt. of wool..

The whole of the above was exported on board 1,671 vessels, besides 97 other ships that sailed from the same port in ballast.

Pomerania is divided into anterior, and ulterior. That part of anterior Pomerania VOL. I. Lit. Pan. Feb. 1807.

which belongs to Sweden is composed, J. Of the island and principality of Rugen. This island, now at almost an English mile', distance from the continent of which it was formerly a part, is 49 miles in circumference; the soil is very fertile and abounds in cattle; the fisheries also are very productive. It contains 27 parishes, divided into four jurisdictions2. Of the country of Stralsund, the chief town of which, bearing the same name, is the capital of Swedish Pomerania, and is situated on the straight of Gellen, between the terra firma, and the isle of Rugen. There is a considerable college in this town; it has many independent citizens, a number of weal thy inhabitants, and a brisk trade. Stralsund was built in 1280, it was one of the Hanse Towns, and enjoyed great privileges. It is the residence of the government; and here the states of Pomerania are assembled. In this city are manufactures of woollen and linen cloths, of starch, and brandies. It has sustained several sicges. It was taken by the elector of Brandenburgh in 1578, but Wallenstein was obliged to abandon the siege of it in 1628. It was taken and ravaged in 1715; was restored to Sweden at the peace in 1720. It was included in the agreement between Sweden and Russia in 1805, and its defences have since been increased. Nevertheless, it is understood, that, although the fortifications on the land side protect it against a coup de main, it cannot sustain a regular attack, 3. Of the principality of Barth, which is ten miles long, and six broad; 4. Of the county of Gutzhow; 5. Of the Barony of Wolgast. These different countries contain about 160,000 inhabitants; and produce an annual income of 240,000 rixdollars.

A more distinct and particular conception of the island of Rugen may be obtained from a work published at Altona, in 1805, in Svo. entitled: Streifzüge, &c.; or, Excursions through the island of Rugen, in letters from a

native.

Rügen has lately become an object worthy the attention of travellers, particularly among the Germans, on account of its romantic scenery, fertile soil, and the great hospitality of the natives. The author of this work, who styles himself an Indigena, thinking that the accounts given by his predecessors, Rellstab, Zellner, and Nernst, were not so satisfactory as they might have been, has favoured the German public with his tour through the island during the summer of 1803. We are the more induced to present a few extracts, as we know of no account of this island in our own language,

"Tacitus speaks of a German nation, the Rugii, who probably lived on the coast of the east sea. Jornandes also mentions them, and divides them into Ulm Ragii, and Ethel

2 L