his last sentiments, was more honourable or conspicuous. Suspicions were entertained, that he had died by poison; but on opening his body, no proofs were found to support the conjecture: the truth is, that the excesses of his youth had undermined a constitution naturally vigorous, and deprived France at a critical period of one of her most extraordinary characters. His death happened, on the 2d April, 1791, when he was in the 43d year of his age.

The talents of Mirabeau were certainly brilliant, and the times and his situation favourable to display them. Born of a noble, but not opulent family, his early education had initiated him in all the engaging and ornamental accomplishments. His love of pleasure led him into all the varieties of the social condition, and made him minutely acquainted with the human character: persecution and distress had encountered him in early life: it had taught him, that danger appears more formidable in the approach than the conflict; and while it induced a commiseration for others, it made him firm. A tedious confinement in the Bastile, had weaned him from the flightiness of conscious genius, and confirmed him in studious habits; and above all, had filled him with an unconquerable hatred for tyranny. With a mind vigorous and comprehensive, intuitive and acute, thus severely tried in adversity, and intimate with the intrigues and follies of courts, his deep penetration, his promptitude, his fluent eloquence, his powerful voice, were all adapted to command attention. On the whole, few statesmen possessed more extensive views; few orators have been capable of bolder flights, of a more nervous address, or a more energetic expression.

But the splendour of these extraordinary talents were clouded by the reputation of his private life: for although his features were harsh, and his person clumsy, he possessed the art of rendering himself a favourite of the fair sex in a debauched court, and to

be more successful in his triumphs than those numbers, who, in the same circles, with dispositions equally profligate, possessed persons better formed for seduction; hence, among the really virtuous, he was an object of suspicion and dislike; by the fastidious and hypocritical he was abused; and treated with reserve, by all those whose rank did not place them above the severity of moral censure.

MOLIERE, a famous French dramatic poet, and the restorer of comedy in France, whose true and original name was John Baptist Picquelin, was born at Paris, in 1620. He was son and grand-son of valet de chambres and tapestry makers to Louis XIII. and was designed for the same business, with a view of succeeding his father. But the grand-father being very fond of the boy, and, at the same time, a great lover of plays, used to take him frequently along with him to the theatre, which presently roused up Moliere's natural genius and taste for dramatic representations, and created in him such a disgust to the trade of tapestry-making, that, at last, his father consented to let him go and study under the Jesuits, at the college of Clermont. He finished his studies there in five years time, in which he contracted an intimate friendship with Chapelle, Bernier and Cyrano. Chapelle, with whom Bernier was an associate in his studies, had the famous Gassendi for his tutor, who willingly admitted Moliere to his lectures, as he afterwards also admitted Cyrano. It was here, that Moliere deeply drank of that sound philosophy, and stored himself with those great principles of knowledge, which served as a foundation to all his comic productions. When Louis XIII. went to Narbonne in 1641, his studies were interrupted: for his father, who had become infirm, not being able to attend the court, Moliere was obliged to go there to supply his VOL. III. No. 23.

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place. Upon his return to Paris, however, when his father was dead, his passion for the stage, which had first induced him to study, revived more strongly than ever; and, if it be true, as some have said, that he studied the law and was admitted an advocate, he soon yielded to the influence of his stars, which had destined him to be the restorer of comedy in France.

The taste for theatrical performances was almost universal in France, after cardinal de Richelieu had granted a peculiar protection to dramatic poets. Many little societies made it a diversion to act plays in their own houses; in one of which, known by the name of "The Illustrious Theatre," Moliere entered himself; and it was then, that, for some reason or other, he changed his name of Picquelin to that of Moliere, which he retained ever after. La Bejart, an actress of Campagne, waiting, as well as he, for, a favourable time to display her talents, Moliere was particularly kind to her, and as their interests became mutual, they formed a company together, and went to Lyons in 1653, where he produced his play called "Etourdi, or the Blunderer." This drew almost all the spectators from the other company of comedians then settled in that town; some of whom joined Moliere, and followed him into Languedoc, where he offered his services to the prince of Conti, who gladly accepted them. About the latter end of 1657, Moliere departed with his company for Grenoble, and continued there during the carnival of 1658. After this, he settled at Rouen, where he staid all the summer; and having made some journies to Paris, he had the good fortune to please the king's brother, who, granting him his protection, and adopting his company as his own, introduced him in that quality to the king. That company began to appear before their majesties and the court, in October, 1658, and were so well received, that the king gave orders for their settlement at Paris. In 1663, Moliere was re

warded with a pension, and in 1665, his company was altogether in his majesty's service. He continued all the remainder of his life to give new plays, which were very much and very deservedly applauded. And, indeed, it is no wonder that he so justly described domestic feuds, and the torments of jealous husbands, or of those who have reason to be so, it being asserted that no man ever experienced all this more than Moliere, who was very unhappy in his wife and if we consider the number of works which he composed in about the space of twenty years, while he was himself all the while an actor, and interrupted as he must have been, by perpetual avocations of one kind or another, we must greatly admire the quickness as well as the fertility of his genius.

His last comedy was "Le Malade Imaginaire, or the Hypochondriac ;" and it was acted, for the fourth time, on February 17th, 1673. Upon this very day Moliere died, and there was something in the manner of his death very extraordinary. The chief person represented in "Le Malade Imaginaire," is a sick man, who, upon a certain occasion, pretends to be dead. Moliere represented that person, and consequently was obliged, in one of the scenes, to act the part of a dead man. It has been said by many, that he expired in that part of the play; and, that, when he was about to make an end of it, in order to discover that it was only a feint, he could neither speak nor get up, being actually dead. The truth, however, is, that Moliere did not die exactly in this manner: but had time enough, though very ill, to finish his part.

He died in his 53d year: and the king was so extremely affected with the loss of him, that, as a new mark of his favour, he prevailed with the archbishop of Paris, not to deny his being interred in consecrated ground: for, we must observe, that as Moliere had gained himself many enemies, by ridiculing the folly and knavery of all orders of men, so he had drawn

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upon himself the resentment of the ecclesiastics in particular, by exposing the hypocrites of their order, and the bigots among the laity, in that inimitable master-piece of art, called the "Tartaffe." Many are of opinion, that Moliere's plays exceed, or equal, the noblest performances of that kind, in ancient Greece or Rome; and Voltaire calls him " the best comic poet that ever lived in any nation."

MONRO, (DR. ALEXANDER, Senior) a most eminent Scotch physician and anatomist, was descended from the family of Monro of Milton. His father, John, youngest son of Sir Alexander Monro, of Bearcrofts, was bred to physic and surgery, and served, for some years, as a surgeon in the army, under King William, in Flanders; but for several successive years, years, obtaining leave of absence from the army in the winter, he resided, during that season, with his wife in London, where the subject of these memoirs was born, on the 8th September, 1697. About three years thereafter, he quitted the army, and went to settle as a surgeon at Edinburgh, where his knowledge in his profession, and engaging manners, soon introduced him into an extensive practice.

The son shewed an early inclination to the study of physic; and the father, after giving him the best education that Edinburgh then afforded, sent him successively to London, Paris and Leyden, for further improvement in his profession.

On his return to Edinburgh, in the autumn of 1710, Messieurs Drummond and Macgill, who were then conjunct nominal professors and demonstrators of anatomy to the surgeons company, having resigned in his favour, his father prevailed on him to read some public lectures on anatomy; and to illustrate them, by shewing the curious anatomical preparations which he had made, and sent home when