Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Enormous crags, piled one upon the other, to heeded on his ear, as his heart, which had not ture to any of our best and most imaginative the height of from three to four hundred been consulted in the choice of his bride, had painters. The scene is below Ips, in Austria.. fathoms; their weather-blanched pinnacles just yielded itself, rescue or no rescue,' to the "Before us now lay the two Pechlarns; starting amongst the black firs and tangled bright eyes of a young maiden whom he had Great Pechlarn on the right, and Little shrubs that struggle to clothe each rugged py-distinguished from the crowd of beauties that Pechlarn on the left bank. At the first we ramid from its base to its apex, form the graced the lists. Virtuous as she was lovely, determined to breakfast, were it only to feast entrance to this grand and gloomy gorge, Agnes Bernauer had obtained amongst the where the fair Chrimhilt had feasted, in through which the mighty stream now boils citizens of Augsburg the appellation of the Die Burg zu Bechelaren.' and hurries, winding and writhing, till at angel:' but she was the daughter of a bather, No relics of the Burg' itself, however, exist length you become so utterly bewildered, that an employment considered at that period, in but an old gateway, some round towers, and nothing but a compass can give you the slight- Germany, as particularly dishonourable. Re- here and there a few feet of crumbling wall, est idea of the direction of its course. The gardless of consequences, however, he divulged attest the early grandeur of the place, and castle of Hayenbach, which seems to guard his passion, and their marriage was shortly af- fancy fills up the chasms which time has made, this extraordinary pass, belonged in the fif- terwards privately celebrated in Albert's castle with court and keep, buttress and battlement, teenth century to the Oberhaimers, the lords of at Vohberg. Their happiness was doomed to crowded with fair damsels and fierce soldiery, Falkenstein and Marsbach, who no doubt found be of short duration. Duke Ernst became all, all abroad to gaze' at the advancing page. it admirably situated for the prosecution of that possessed of their secret, and the anger of the ant. There, round that point of land, comes predatory warfare in which they lived, moved, whole house of Munich burst upon the heads the royal fleet, the banners of Hungary, Bur and had their being.' Falkenstein, with which of the devoted couple! Albert was commanded gundy, Bavaria, Pechlarn, and Passau, fling this castle of Hayenbach, or Kirkbaum, is con- to sign a divorce from Agnes, and prepare im-ing their blazoned glories on the breeze, and founded, lies above Rana, and is not visible mediately to marry Anna, daughter of Duke proudly announcing to the admiring burghers from the Danube, and the same vague tra- Erich of Brunswick. The indignant prince the rich freight of rank and beauty which the dition is attached to each ruin; namely, that refused to obey; and being afterwards denied swelling Danube is wafting to their port. Five it was originally built by a knight of the thir- admission to a tournament at Regensburg, on hundred Kemps of Hungary,' their bright teenth century, who, having slain his brother, the plea of his having contracted a dishonour- hauberks glittering in the sun, crowd the decks passed the rest of his days with an only able alliance, he rode boldly into the lists upon of the first vessels. On the prow of the foredaughter in that castellated hermitage. For the Heide Platz, before the whole company most stands the valiant Markgraf, Rudiger of upwards of an hour we glided through scenes declared Agnes Bernauer his lawful wife and Pechlarn, than whom increasing in sublimity, and calling forth ex- duchess, and conducted her to his palace at clamations of wonder and delight, till my com. Straubing, attended as became her rank. Every panion and I mutually confessed that we had species of malice and misrepresentation was exhausted our stock of epithets, and stood gaz now set at work to ruin the unfortunate Agnes. ing in far more expressive silence on the stu- Albert's uncle, Duke Wilhelm, who was the pendous precipices which towered above us, only one of the family inclined to protect her, almost to the exclusion of daylight, their jagged had a sickly child, and she was accused of having administered poison to it. But the duke detected the falsehood, and became more and on the rapid stream that, like Milton's firmly her friend. Death too soon deprived fiend,

sides

⚫ Horrid with fern, and intricate with thorn;"

Through the palpable obscure tolled out

His uncouth passage...... plunged in the womb

Of unoriginal night and chaos wild.'

[ocr errors]

A truer soldier never Was in this world yborn,' bending eagerly forward to distinguish, amongst the bevy of beauties at the open windows' of the castle, the fair forms of his beloved wife and daughter. Beneath the rich canopy that shades the deck of yonder bark, with the gilded oars, now doubling the little promontory, sits the peerless bride of the mighty Etzel, but she hears not the shout of welcome that rises on her of this noble protector, and the fate of the the shore, she marks not the gay multitudes poor duchess was immediately sealed. Taking that crowd to pay her homage. Her brow is advantage of Albert's absence from Straubing, clouded, her ruby lip quivers, tears like liquid the authorities of the place arrested her on diamonds tremble upon the long dark silken some frivolous pretext; and the honest indig-lashes of her downcast eyes; the form of the The pencil of a Salvator Rosa could alone do nation with which she asserted her innocence noble Siegfried is constantly before her. She justice to these wondrous scenes. The grandest was tortured into treason by her malignant hears but the voice of her murdered champion views upon the Rhine sink into insignificance judges. She was condemned to die; and on calling for vengeance; she sees but the ghastly when compared with the magnificent pictures Wednesday, October 12th, 1436, was thrown wound which treachery dealt, bleeding afresh which the Danube here presents us at every over the bridge into the Danube, amidst the at the approach of the dark and deadly Hag. turn. The two rivers would have admirably lamentations of the populace. Having suchen. Yet, passing beautiful is she even in illustrated Burke's Essay on the Sublime and ceeded in freeing one foot from the bonds sorrow, and still warrants the glowing de Beautiful. Nature has contrasted them pre which surrounded her, the poor victim, shriek- scription of the old minnesænger, Henry of cisely according to the rules he has laid down." ing for help and mercy, endeavoured to reach Ofterdingen. Of the legends we are tempted to transfer the bank by swimming, and had nearly effected more than one to our pages; they are ex-a landing, when a barbarian in office, with a tremely pleasing, and add greatly to the enter hooked pole, caught her by her long fair hair, tainment with which the author has diver- and, dragging her back into the stream, kept sified his narrative. Our first is from Strau- her under water until the cruel tragedy was bing in Bavaria. completed. The fury and despair of Albert, on "In a small chapel in the churchyard of receiving these horrid tidings, were boundless. St. Peter's, in the Alt-stadt, is a red marble He flew to his father's bitterest enemy, Louis tablet, on which reclines the effigy of a female the Bearded, at Ingolstadt, and returned at surrounded by the following inscription:- the head of an hostile army to his native land, 'Anno Domini, MCCCCXXXVI, XII die Octo-breathing vengeance against the murderers of bris, obiit Agnes Bernauerin. Requiescat in his beloved wife. The old duke, sorely pressed pace. The fate of this unfortunate lady has by the arms of his injured son, and tormented By her side stands a venerable figure, clad in furnished the subject for a tragedy to the Count by the stings of conscience, implored the me- the gorgeous and sacred vestments of his office. of Torring Seefeld, and one more deeply affect- diation of the Emperor Sigismund, who suc- The flowing stole of embroidered silk, the pal ing is scarcely to be found in the page of his-ceeded after some time in pacifying Albert and lium of cloth of gold, the jewelled mitre, the tory. Albert, the only son of Duke Ernst of reconciling him to his father, who, as a proof gilt shoon,' and the massive, but richly Bavaria, was one of the most accomplished and of his repentance, instituted a perpetual mass valiant princes of the age he lived in. His for the soul of the martyred Agnes Bernauer. father and family had selected for his bride Albert afterwards married Ann of Brunswick, the young Countess Elizabeth of Wurtemberg. by whom he had ten children." The contract was signed, and the marriage on the point of taking place, when the lady suddenly eloped with a more favoured lover, John Count of Werdenberg. The tidings were brought to Albert at Augsburg, where he was attending a grand tournament given in honour of the approaching nuptials; but they fell un

[ocr errors]

From out her broidered garments
Full many a jewel shone,
The rosy red bloomed sweetly
Her lovely cheek upon.
He who would in fancy
Paint that lady fair,
In this world has never
Seen such beauty rare.
As the moon outshineth
Every twinkling star,
Shedding careless splendour
From out her cloudy car;
So, before her maidens,
Stood that lady bright,
And higher swelled the spirit
Of every gazing knight.''

wrought, cross and crosier, borne by two of his attendants, distinguish him as the holy Pilgerin, the wealthy and powerful Bishop of Passau, uncle to the queen, and related also to A wood-cut of the tomb illustrates this sad the noble Rudiger. The pale youth near him, tale; and we may here observe, that a well- his hands reverently crossed upon his bosom, is engraved frontispiece of the Emperor of Aus- his clerk Conrad, who afterwards assisted him tria's summer palace, a map, and other embel-to write, in the Latin tongue,' the advenlishments, adorn and give further value to this tures of the Nibelungen. On the other hand volume. The following animated description of the lovely Chrimhilt stands the faithful would furnish materials for an admirable pic Duke Eckewart, who has sworn to escort his

The knights are dust,

Their good swords are rust,

Their souls are with the saints we trust."

but reserve it till another No.

[ocr errors]

liege lady to Hungary; and the remainder of sions of its early converts: a number of per- was supposed; for Simon, the Cyrenean, was the flotilla bears the five hundred chosen sons, in succession, for two centuries after substituted in his place, and the Jews in error knights of Burgundy, who follow his stand- wards, are recorded as distinguished leaders of crucified him, while he assumed the form of ard. The vision is over, the airy castle has these wild opinions, which mixed up the sacred Simon, and stood by uninjured, laughing at vanished truths of the gospel with the fantastic imagina- their folly, and so ascended into heaven invitions of a visionary science; and a vast multi-sible to them all, (Irenæus, lib. i. c. 23.)-His tude of disciples all over the then known world maxim was, Know all, but let none know were found to adopt them. The first person you; and hence his followers never performed And a rude and solitary boat is rocking under mentioned as a leader of these opinions was their mysteries openly, or divulged them to the the windows of a poor white-washed wirth-Simon, a man of Samaria. He had addicted uninitiated. They denied the resurrection of shaus, which, with half-a-dozen humble cot-himself to occult practices, and had so beguiled the flesh strenuously, and insisted that no protages and some mouldering walls, now marks the understandings of the people, that he per-mise was made about the salvation of the body. the site of the once strong and gay burg of suaded them he was some extraordinary person, (Tertul. de Præs. c. 46.) The opinion they Pechlarn! Rudiger of Pechlarn, as well as and they all affirmed that the man was the entertained of themselves was most extravahis kinsman, the Bishop of Passau, is an histo- great power of God,' (Acts, viii. 9, 34.) * gant, founded on the supposed superiority of rical personage. He was count of the frontier "From hence he went to Rome, and conti- their knowledge and attainments: they es during the reign of Arnulph, Duke of Bavaria, nued there during the time of Nero's persecu- teemed themselves only, and the members of and died in 916. His son, Markgraf Rudi- tion, and taught his followers that they might their sect, as men; and all the rest of the ger II., died in 943, and with him the direct indifferently conform to the worship of idols; world, including all other sects of Christians, male line became extinct. The little town and so they escaped the cruelties perpetrated as dogs and swine; and it was constantly inof Pechlarn is now principally inhabited by upon their more conscientious brethren, (Ori- culcated by Basilides, that his followers should potters." gen contra Cels. lib. vi.) It appears that he hold no communication with others, and so not We must make room for yet another tale; had made such a progress in mechanical know-cast their pearls before swine. (Epiph. Hæres. ledge, that he undertook to fly in the theatre 34.) In order to give greater weight and before all the spectators, and actually did sup- authority to his doctrines, Basilides composed An Essay on some Ancient Coins, Medals, and port himself in the air, as Arnobius says, in a a gospel, according to the testimony of Origen Gems; as illustrating the Progress of Chris- fiery chariot, while all the Romans were look- and Ambrosius, which he inscribed with his tianity in the Early Ages. By the Rev. ing at him; but he failed in the attempt, and own name. He died at Alexandria, in the Robert Walsh, LL.D., Author of a " Jour-was crushed with the fall; which the fathers reign of Hadrian, about the time that Barchoney to Constantinople," &c. &c. Second attribute to the intercession of Peter and Paul, chebas persecuted the Christians. He seems to Edition, enlarged, &c. London, Howell and who were at Rome at the time, and witnessed have been the most extraordinary and notori Stewart. the experiment: they prayed that the demons ous of all those who deformed Christianity Or the first edition of this work we spoke in who supported him should be made to abandon with their own impurities." the terms of high approbation which its merits him, and the consequence was that he fell to Basilides was followed by Saturninus, whose commanded; but we are disposed to bestow the ground. Many of his opinions and prac-practices and opinions seem less revolting than still higher praise upon the additions now made tices are recorded, and form a strange and de- the rest; but his successor, Carpocrates, was a to the Essay, and especially by the introduc- formed picture of the first sectarian in the very extraordinary person indeed. tion of those remarkable specimens of which Christian church. He brought about with him "His opinions and practices were so wild and only the erudite and curious are aware, the a woman named Helena, who he affirmed had flagitious, that a writer detailing them says numismatio monuments of the Gnostics. animated formerly the body of her who had his mind shudders at the recital, as altogether caused the Trojan war, and by various trans- unfit for Christian ears, for their portentous migrations had passed into her present form; and horrible turpitude. He was born at Alexhe said she was the first conception of his mind, andria, and, like Basilides, engrafted his Chrisand by her he had himself created angels and tianity on the monstrous follies of Egypt. He archangels; and that by these angels the world too affirmed that the world was made not by was afterwards formed, a fancy which conti- God, but by angels. He admitted, however, nued to be cherished by all his followers, under that Christ was the son of Joseph, born like different denominations, for several succeeding other men, and distinguished for his probity; centuries. His disciples preserved cer- but affirmed that he himself and his followers tain representations of him under the form of resembled him in all things, and were more Jupiter, to which they annexed great efficacy powerful, inasmuch as they had demons bound and sanctity, and were perhaps the first of and subject to their art, to perform whatever those Christian amulets which afterwards be- task they assigned them. He applied several At the time that Christianity was promul- came so numerous. The practices of his fol- texts of Scripture to an extraordinary purpose, gated to mankind, the nations under the domi-lowers, as described by Epiphanus, are too foul particularly that of St. Matthew, Agree with nion of the Romans, that is, the larger part of to particularise." thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the the civilised world, were greatly addicted to Simon was followed by Nicholas, also men- way, lest he deliver thee to the judge,' (Matt. mysterious practices; supposing that there ex- tioned in Scripture as a proselyte of Antioch v. 25.) This he interpreted to mean an inisted in nature certain influences which they (Acts, vi. 1); and he was followed by Menan-junction not to oppose, but to comply, with all could control and manage by occult signs, ex- der, of whose actions and opinions an account is the desires and passions of our nature. The pressed in different ways and on different ma- given; and next comes Basilides, "who eclipsed, practices of the sect were correspondent to this terials; and among the nations most notorious by the singularity of his tenets, and the suc dogma, if we are to believe the contemporary for these opinions were the Jews and the cess with which he spread them, the fame of and other early writers who describe them, 'shall I Egyptians. As Christianity originated with all his predecessors. This man was a native of particularly Epiphanius: he says, one, and many of its earliest professors were Alexandria, who was particularly distinguished blush only to tell what they do not blush to found amongst the other, it is not surprising in the reign of Hadrian, about one hundred do?' and accordingly he details minutely a that they should have brought with them, and and twenty years after our Saviour's birth, for series of ceremonies and actions so singularly engrafted on the new religion, such opinions the profoundness of his mysteries, and the foul and flagitious, that it requires no small and practices as they had entertained in the extravagant extent to which he carried them. effort of our belief to assent to the possibility old. Accordingly we read that very early the (Eusebius, Eccles. Hist. lib. iv. c. 7.) He formed that any state of the human mind could be so apostles themselves found it necessary to guard a new race of angels, and invented appropriate depraved as to devise or adopt them. I shall the disciples against such persons, cautioning and extraordinary names for them. He en- notice but one as a specimen, and that the least them to avoid profane and vain babblings, and joined the doctrine of silence, like Pythagoras, impure and revolting;-they took an unborn oppositions to what is falsely called science, and prescribed it to his disciples for five years. child, and having pounded it in a mortar, and (1 Timothy, vi. 20); and in several passages (Ibid.) He taught that God had sent his first- mixed spice with it, the company and their of the epistle are evident allusions to similar born into the world, who was called Christ; dogs fed on the mass, calling it a paschal errors among the first professors of Christi-that he appeared as a man, and accomplished feast!" anity, even in the apostolic ages. Nor did the all virtue, but did not suffer death really, as evil cease as the doctrines of the gospel ex- * Viderunt enim (Romani) cursum Simonis Magi et panded themselves beyond the local preposses- quadrigas igneas.”—Arnob, adv. Gentil, lib. ii.

The Gnostics seem to have been the most obscure, and at the same time the most important, of the early Christian sects. They are so seldom noticed, that little has been hitherto generally known of their practices and opinions; yet they were so universally spread, that the whole Christian church was identified with them; and their conduct appears to have brought destruction on the entire Christian community, The following very curious account of them is given by Dr. Walsh, previously to his introducing specimens of their strange and magic coins.

Carpocrates was succeeded by his son Epi

"Ob turpitudinem portentosim nimium et horribi lem"-Baron. Ec. Hist. tom. i.

The Betrothed Lovers; a Milanese Tale of the
Seventeenth Century. Translated from the
Italian of Alessandro Manzoni. 3 vols. 12mo.
London, 1828. C. and J. Rivington.
As a romance of interest, this work, notwith-
standing its Italian reputation, is decidedly
uninteresting: as the repository of several pic-
tures of the times, closely copied from history,
it deserves a very different character.

Paris, June 30.

pheus, who had divine honours paid him in abuse of the sacred Scriptures, there were at Plaideurs, and Athalie; Molière's Misanthe island of Cephalonia; and after him came this time many sects who adopted for their thrope (in which is one of Mars' best characanother very extraordinary leader, Valentinus, appellations the names of persons mentioned in ters, and we hope she will perform it); Corabout the year 145. the Bible, some of whom were only notorious neille's Cinna; Molière's Avare; Racine's "He brought with him all the fancies of the for their wickedness, and some for the extra- Esther; and Molière's Bourgeois Gentilhomme poets and philosophers of the Grecian school, vagant follies they furnished those men with a and Tartuffe. The text is very correct, and and mixed them up with the doctrines of his pretext for practising. Prodicus, of the family there are some most useful notes, in English, new religion, such as he found it in the gospel of Carpocrates, founded the sect of the Adam-to point out refinements and various meanings, of St. John, which alone he read and adopted. ites. Their churches are represented as brothels, &c. in the language; so that this work is not He held that there were thirty gods, one half where they resorted naked. They affirmed only an admirable companion to the playhouse, of which were male and the other female, from that they thus restored man to his primitive but every way desirable for the student. whose intercourse many were generated. These innocence and simplicity, and that when they deities he called "ons, and from them the assembled together, they should meet in the Saviour of the world was formed and perfected, same state as Adam and Eve in Paradise.with all good gifts, like the Pandora of Hesiod. Another sect called themselves Cainites, from (Epiph. Hæres. 3.)-He divided the human their veneration for the character of Cain. race into three classes, spiritual, animal, and They asserted that he was the offspring of a carnal; the first was already perfect, and to more powerful efficacy, and therefore subdued this class he and his disciples belonged, and Abel, who was derived from a more weak and were saved, both body and soul. The second feeble origin. Others took the name of Judas required abstinence, martyrdom, and other suf- Iscariot, and professed to hold his character in ferings from which his followers were exempt, the highest respect. They alleged that Christ to arrive at the first state; they then could wished to subvert the truth, and it was there- ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. save their souls, which were married to angels, fore that he was given up by Judas to condign but their bodies perished. The third class was punishment. Lastly, a sect was established, VARIETY and contrast being considered bon in a hopeless situation, and could not, by any which avowed the practices that brought de- goût, I open this letter with a ball, having meritorious exertion or good works, emerge struction upon Sodom of old. Indeed, it should commenced my last to you with a funeral: and from it, or obtain salvation for themselves. appear, that to invert the ordinary notions of when I name the Salon de Mars as the renThe practices of the Valentinians were con- right and wrong, and so allow a latitude to the dezvous of the lovers of Terpsichore, you will, formable to the professions of men who held most depraved inclinations, was the end of no doubt, expect a description of splendid themselves exempt from the performance of those sectarians; and to invent any thing that apartments, sumptuous decorations, a fine orany good work. They said they rendered to would confound the received opinions of good chestra, costly refreshments, fair dames, and each part of the human being its proper attri- and evil, and pollute the sacred source from chivalrous knights: but notwithstanding the bute; to spirit, spiritual; to the flesh, fleshly whence they were derived, was sufficient to god-like appellation of this assembly room, and things. They therefore indulged in all carnal establish a new sect, however impious in pro- the martial hero who figures on the sign-board, inclinations without restraint; eating idol- fession, or flagitious in practice. The opinions I can only present to your attention, tailors, offerings, and partaking of other feasts of Gen- and actions of all those sectarians are so abhor- cobblers, tinkers, butchers, grisettes, cooks, tile worship; withdrawing wives from their rent from the general reason and feeling of housemaids, fish-women, &c. &c. I can conceive husbands, and living with women in the most mankind, that we should be inclined to doubt it is the first time you have been introduced to unlicensed debauchery, and declaring what was all the accounts of them, were they not handed such a society; however, as the Irishman said sinful in others was to them harmless. Thus,' down to us by contemporaries of unimpeach-to those who were not satisfied with purgatory, said Irenæus, they consider us, who fear to able veracity, who had ample means of infor-"One may go farther and fare worse." Etioffend God even in word or thought, as idiots, mation, who are above the suspicion of intend-quette and decorum are scrupulously observed, and without knowledge; but themselves, com- ing to deceive others, and who could not be and much beauty and grace to be found, at mitting every odious and irreligious act, they deceived themselves. They were eye-witnesses least amongst the ladies of the company, who esteem perfect, and the seeds of election.' and ear-witnesses, and therefore they only de- seem perfectly to understand "the poetry of Contrary to the universal usage of the early tail what they themselves saw and heard."* motion," and whose jolie tournure would do Christian church, which was accessible to all, honour to a mere elevated rank. I cannot say and its ceremonies practised in the open day, as much for the gentlemen of the party; their the Valentinians sought to cover their rites plebeian birth discovers itself, in spite of wellwith concealment, like the Eleusinian myste- Young John Bull; or, Born Abroad and Bred cut coats, stiffened cravats, frizzled hair, smartries; they were performed in an interior room, at Home: a Novel. By Francis Lathom. ly-polished shoes, long watch-chains, and new in profound silence, with many doors and veils 3 vols. 12mo. London, 1828. A. K. New-gloves; and their imperturbable gravity when interposed between them and the public.- man and Co. performing in the mazy dance, is truly ridiFrom the school of Valentinus rose Euphrates, THE name of Francis Lathom is well known culous: however lovely their gentle partner, who founded the sect of the Ophites. They to novel-readers for many years. His present she never attracts their regards; their eyes are held that wisdom was embodied in the serpent; performance is slightly founded on an old fastened on their own feet, which appear alone that that wisdom was Christ, who tempted French tract (erroneously) ascribed to VolEve with the knowledge of good and evil; and that so knowledge was communicated to man. They professed to hold in detestation the God of the Jews, who, they said, envied the human of the author. race. They not only worshipped the serpent in the abstract, but for the celebration of their

[To be continued.]

SIGHTS OF BOOKS.

taire: the moral is, or rather the morals are,
very praiseworthy; and the execution is of the
same class as the other numerous performances

The French Drama. With Notes by
A. Gombert. J. Souter.

rites they nourished a large one: and having AT a period when a new and increased interest
erected an altar over its den, they induced it, has been imparted to the French Drama in
by the presentation of such things as it was
fond of, to issue from its cavern, and glide over London by the regular performance of French
the altar, licking and tasting the food; then pieces, and by the admirable acting of Mars,
rolling itself about the offering of bread, it Jenny Vertpré, Perlet, Laporte, and others, it
broke it in pieces, and presented with its mouth may oblige the frequenters of the theatre among
portions of it to the bystanders, who used it as
our readers to be aware of this small, but good,
elements in the eucharist; offered, as they edition of plays, in the course of publication by
affirmed by Christ, who had assumed the form Mr. Souter. We have nine of these neat pocket
of a serpent for that purpose. They then tomes before us, viz. Racine's Andromaque,
saluted him, by kissing his mouth, and he re-
Epiphanius acknowledges himself to have been a
retired to his concealment. That nothing Gnostic in early life, seduced, as he says with great can-
might be wanting in this early age to com-dour and simplicity, by some women. Jortin accuses
plete the dismal picture of the folly and de- Epiphanius of a propensity to scandal; but it is not to
pravity of the human mind, and perverse had thus the means himself of seeing and hearing."
be believed that he would misrepresent wilfully what he

to engross their attention and admiration. No flirting takes place at least visibly—either during or after the country-dance; when Monsieur hands Madame to her seat in all due form; and there she remains in statu quo until some other beau gives her a fresh opportunity of exhibiting her petits pieds. Behind the tables, on which neither nectar nor ambrosia Salon is a small garden laid out with little are served; but coffee, brandy, beer, orgeat, and lemonade, are found excellent substitutes. Cupid is said often to hold his court there: if so, his nerves are not very delicate, as the fumes of tobacco are almost insupportable, and would be, I should think, an antidote to soft breathings and tender declarations. However, le dieu d'amour has whimsical tastes; and what gave me a violent headach may serve to mount his imagination: the pleasure of seeing so many human beings apparently happy and gay, fully indemnified me for a little tem porary inconveniency.

It is the fashion to visit the Institute, and

CIVIL ENGINEERS.

to be baked to death for the pleasure of hear-, spots, and always disappearing during equal The solar spots were first observed in Enging wise men hold forth. I suppose it is my times, whether they are of greater or less land in December 1610: the first discovery of stupidity, but both M. Cuvier-who dissertated magnitude. The most probable opinion is, them is contended for by Galileo, Scheiner, on the virtues of M. Ramond, a ci-devant phi-that they are caused by emissions of aeriform and Harriot. Not long after their discovery, losopher and M. Majendie, who talked most fluid, not yet in combustion, which, displacing the inclination of the solar axis was ascerlearnedly on the fluid of the brain, and his the sun's luminous atmosphere (determined tained to be inclined to the ecliptic at an angle experiments on an unfortunate fox-set me to by calculation to be three hundred miles in of 824 deg., and the time of revolution 25 days sleep, whilst others stretched and yawned; height), is afterwards itself to serve the pur-10 hours. and if any of the hearers experienced interest pose of supporting combustion, the irruption in those discussions, their looks were far from causing openings that assume the appearance THIS important body of men in a manufacturexpressing their feelings; I therefore presume of spots, from exposing to view the opaque ing, commercial, and scientific country, has just that going there is merely to be à-la-mode. body of the sun. That these are openings, been united by a royal charter of incorporation. I spent a day lately at the Galerie du Musée cannot be doubted; and the conviction is esta- Mr. Telford, so well known by his great and Royal. There were crowds of English, who blished by long-continued observations, and appeared peculiarly attracted by Le Tableau particularly from those now visible. A faint able works, many of them rivalling those of the d'Atila au Tombeau. There were at least umbra surrounds a part of greater darkness: the objects of the Society, under him, are deancient Romans, is the first president; and thirty young artists, who have the privilege this umbra is of equal breadth when occurring clared to be, the acquisition and promotion of of copying from those chef d'œuvres of art; near the central parts of the disc; but when and in observing the choice of their subjects, on the eastern or western edge, that side of every species of knowledge connected with the it was easy to discover the spirit of the age, the faint shadowing only is visible which is profession of the civil engineer, bridge, aqueor more truly speaking, the fashion. Virgin nearest the edge of the disc, exhibiting such duct, dock building; the construction of roads, canals, ports, moles, breakwaters, light-houses; Marys, popes, saints, and religious pieces, were a change of form as must occur in an opening draining, navigation, steam, and other maalmost invariably the models from which they during its rotation with the globe of the sun. chinery, &c. &c. drew. One of these artists had almost finished These spots are usually found in a zone a copy of Vandyck's Charles the First of Eng-parallel to the sun's equator, and distant from land dismounting from his horse. This copy it, north and south, about 30 deg.: as a most is intended for London, and appears to me ex- unusual occurrence, one was observed some cellently done. In the literary world here there is little worth mention. Memoirs are the order of the day; the effect of which is, that not only no man is a hero to his valet de chambre, but all illusion being taken away, we shall have soon no use for that term; as the details about great men diminish their glory not a little, and reduce them to very common-place beings; but il faut de l'argent; and when we cannot make money of the virtues, we must turn to the vices of the dead. I do not know if a work entitled Les Causes de Notre Barbarie, par M. Durand, is known in England; it has had a partial success here. Mr. Durand attacks M. Gall as a mauvais plaisant, and insists that the organ of theft is not in the head, but in un estomac vide.

M. Soulie's imitation of Romeo and Juliet, from Shakespeare, has had great success.

ARTS AND SCIENCES.

judged.

LITERARY AND LEARned.

ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE.

Analysis of the Proceedings 1827-8.

OXFORD, June 28-Thursday the following degrees were conferred:years since 40 deg. distant. No spot is ever Masters of Arts.-J. E. Winterbottom, St. John's Colseen without a faint shadowing or umbra sur-lege, Grand Compounder; J. S. Masters, Jesus College. CAMBRIDGE, June 28.-The Members' prizes of fifteen rounding it, the boundary between which is guineas each, to two Bachelors of Arts, for the encouragealways well defined. A spot will frequently ment of Latin prose composition, were on Saturday last change its form and magnitude; and the di-adjudged to B. H. Kennedy, of St. John's College, and V. F. Hovenden, of Trinity College.-Subject, De origine latation or contraction of the nucleus is always Scripturæ Alphabetice. Undergraduates, no prize adattended with a corresponding change in the umbra. The exterior boundary of the umbra is generally curvilinear, and never angular, whatever the outline of the nucleus is, which is frequently very irregular. The nucleus sometimes separates into two or more parts: if about to disappear, the nucleus vanishes first. A spot has been seen to separate into two pieces, which recede from each other with great velocity; others have been observed to burst like a piece of ice, which when thrown upon a frozen pond, breaks into fragments, and slides in various directions.

I. A THIRD portion of "Remarks on Brut Tysilio, a Fabulous Chronicle, erroneously attributed to a British Prince of the Seventh Century, and printed in the second volume of the Myrvyrian Archæology of Wales." By the Rev. Edward Davies, R.A.R.S.L-In the portions of this manuscript read at two former meetings, the writer endeavoured to prove that this romance is not the work of Tysilio, nor of any other ancient Briton; that it is not hisThose spots, traversing the disc at the pre- torical, nor founded upon a Welsh tradition. sent time (24th day, noon), are in four dis- The substance of the tale is, that an empire tinct clusters; that to the north of the sun's was established in Britain by a prince of the SOLAR SPOTS. These have been latterly centre, in the form of a crescent, consisting house of Troy, governed by Trojan laws, unusually frequent on the sun's disc. From of nine, of unequal magnitudes, and evidently" which," says the author of the work," the the mystery attending the cause of this phe-connected with one another: the largest spot English still maintain ;" that the Saxons afternomenon, little has been done towards its ex-is near the western limb, and is of an oval wards getting possession of the island, all title planation beyond recording the circumstances form; its nucleus is very dark and well-de- to the crown was resigned into their hands by which are found uniformly to prevail during fined: the cluster approaching the centre seems the sovereign, Cadwallader, then an exile in their appearance: as to connecting them with to be in great confusion, and has changed its Armorica, in consequence of a divine command any meteorological phenomena on our earth, form considerably during a few hours: other to that effect. The conceit of deriving a dethere does not seem to be sufficient ground for scent from the royal house of Troy is Gothic, the hypothesis. Eminent astronomers have not Celtic. It came into Britain with the supposed, that when these spots appear copiSaxons, Angles, and other nations from the ously, they indicate the approach of warm shores of the Baltic, and from this origin apseasons, and the consequent luxuriance of vepears to have been gradually moulded into the getation; and this opinion it has been atform which it now bears under the Anglotempted to maintain by a comparison of years Saxon princes of Wessex, after they had begun in which the spots have been most frequent, to conceive the idea of monarchy. It was emand the table of the price of wheat in Smith's ployed as a political instrument, setting forth Wealth of Nations; and results have been obthe dignity and prerogatives of the crown of tained which, on the whole, appear to favour Britain, and asserting the rightful succession the hypothesis. From repeated observations of the Saxons to that crown, with all its prividuring late years, it must, however, be stated, leges, as well as to the private estates and prothat the solar spots have an equal claim to be considered as influencing a low temperature perty of the whole island, which they had acquired by the sword. This hypothesis is and great humidity, as some of the largest confirmed by the positive evidence of various and most numerous at one time have been historical and antiquarian details, from which observed during the prevalence of a cold and it likewise appears, that the language and spirit damp state of the atmosphere. of the story were afterwards eagerly adopted, for the same purposes, by the Norman kings. The writer asserts, that the story was unknown to the Welsh till it was announced to them by Walter de Mapes, chaplain to Henry the First;

The solar spots are component parts of the sun's orb, and not masses of matter revolving about him: this is evident from their preserving the same relative positions to other

solitary spots are scattered over the disc: the
whole that are distinct, with a telescopic power
of 180, being about twenty-five.

West.

Appearance of the Solar Disc on Tuesday Noon, 24th inst.
North.

South.

East.

and he considers it to be equally cruel and ab- | reign only 861 years before Christ, and there-newspapers. It is there stated, that Mr. Hoare. surd to ascribe its fabrication to that people, fore the principal Hebrew Scriptures were com- has allotted the profits to the African Instiwhose injurious treatment by their conquerors posed before the period of his death.-Read tution: this is not the case the African Init was intended to justify. Read May 2, 1827. November 21st, 1827.

II. "On the Resemblance between the Anglo-Saxon and Persian Languages." By Sharon Turner, Esq. R.A.R.S.L. The most probable

(A continuation in our next.)
THE KING'S LIBRARY.

stitution derived above 5001. from the first quarto edition; and the author, with his wonted liberality, benevolence, and discrimination, has assigned the present edition for the benefit of the houseless poor.

derivation of the Saxons is from the Sacai- THIS splendid gift of his Majesty to the nation Sunii, or Sacassani, a people mentioned by is now being removed into the magnificent Pliny and Strabo, as originally inhabiting the apartments prepared for it in the British Mu- Thomas Moore, Esq. Engraved by W. H. parts of Persia about the Caspian Sea. In seum. We are sorry to hear it whispered that Watt, from a Picture by G. S. Newton. support of this derivation, it has been observed some misunderstanding and dissatisfaction have THE first requisite in every portrait is res that several words in the Persian language sprung up connected with this, in every pre- semblance, We have seldom seen one more closely resemble those of the same signification vious respect, so gratifying subject. It is stated, striking than the present. It is Mr. Moore in the Saxon, of which resemblance some re- that some person or persons in office in the himself, in one of his most animated moments. markable instances are adduced by Cambden Royal Library having, possibly, been disap- We may be in error; but we cannot help from Jos. Scaliger. This hint has suggested pointed at not being promoted to place along thinking that there is something singularly. to Mr. Turner the present attempt to ascertain, with it on its new destination, have prevailed national in the form and marking of the fea by a comparison of the two languages, whether in obtaining some kind of sanction for with-tures, and in the general expression; and that such a number of coincidences are discoverable, holding a portion of the most famous and valu- they bear indubitable proofs of belonging to a as materially to confirm the belief that Persia able works, such as King Charles's folio Shake. native of the Emerald Isle." But while was, originally the country of our Saxon pro-speare, the first Psalter, and about thirty more we do justice to Mr. Newton for his fidelity genitors. Although, supposing that belief well of the greatest rarities in the collection; thus, and taste, not omit to congratulate founded, a separation of the two nations for at as it were, robbing his Majesty's munificent Mr. Watt on the talent he has displayed in least two thousand years, the progressive mi- donation of its chief ornaments and grace. the execution of the plate. It is, in every grations of the Saxons along the north of Asia We can hardly suppose that when this matter respect, most masterly; and places him in a and through the whole breadth of the upper is known at head-quarters it will be allowed very high rank indeed among the many able surface of Europe, together with the nume- to proceed farther. Surely no librarian, even line-engravers of which this country can at rous vicissitudes which have befallen them, though a royal one, can have authority to mar present boast.

FINE ARTS.

NEW PUBLICATIONS.

must have greatly tended to obliterate the his royal master's bounty; or, for the indul-Duncan Gray. Painted by D. Wilkie, R.A. marks of resemblance between their languages; gence of any private feeling, to interfere be Engraved by F. Engleheart. yet the result of the comparison has been the tween a monarch and a national behest, which A VIVID representation of a domestic scene discovery of 162 Persian words, which have reflected so much honour on the crown, and that we fear occurs but too frequently in real a direct affinity with as many Anglo-Saxon which any paltry reservation would dim of life. We are strongly inclined to advise terms of the same meaning. To these the half its lustre. "Meg" to continue deaf as Ailsa Craig". writer has added a list of fifty-seven similar to Duncan's fleeching and praying:" for resemblances between the latter language and certainly his countenance does not promise the Zend, or ancient Persian; and forty-three much connubial felicity. There is great sweetcoincidences of it with the Pehlvi, or inter- The Duke of Wellington. Painted by Sir T.ness and ingenuousness in the fair though remediate language of Persia between the modern Persian and the Zend. He is of opinion Lawrence, P.R.A. Engraved by S. Cousins. luctant girl's face; and the mingled affection M. Colnaghi. and anxiety of the old folks are admirably that a more elaborate investigation of these THIS exquisite print, which is from the cele- depicted. As a composition, we consider this analogies would still farther confirm the brated three-quarter portrait of his Grace that to be one of Mr. Wilkie's best productions. Asiatic derivation of the Saxons. Read May ornamented the Great Room at Somerset House Mr. Engleheart has engraved it very finely 16th, 1827. about four years ago, shews of what the mez- although, if we were disposed to be hyper III. "On the Use of Poetry as the early zotinto-scraper is capable, when in the hands critical, we would observe that the lines, espe Vehicle of Information; and upon the Music, of an engraver who possesses a painter's feel-cially in the flesh are made to follow too Dance, and Drama of the Ancient and Un-ing. It is replete at once with vigour and artificially-or, rather too unartificially the civilised Nations." By J. P. Thomas, Esq. with delicacy. Sir Thomas's firm and tasteful undulations of the surface. M.R.S.L. Read June 20th, 1827.

IV." On the Meaning which is most usually and most correctly attached to the Term, Value of a Commodity." By the Rev. T. R. Malthus, R.A.R.S.L.Read Nov. 7th, 1827. These two papers are not of a nature is produced), have been rendered by Mr. Cou-themselves, and extraordinary interest in the on the means by which that fascinating effect appear to us to possess extraordinary merit in nature of their subjects. These consist of V." On the Reasons of the absence of sins with consummate skill. It is altogether twenty heads of Studies from Rubens, in the "

{ $ + drawing, and his tender and deliciously disall that is noticed by an ordinary spectator, Davis, a young artist from Yorkshire, which RUBENS. We have lately seen specimens criminated broken tints (the effect of which is of lithographed engravings by Mr. Scarlett who gazes with vacant and unappreciating eye

to bear abridgment.

a chef-d'œuvre of art.

The Deluge. Painted by J. M. W. Turner,
R.A. Engraved by J. P. Quilley. Moon,
Boys, and Graves.
GRAND in general composition; but we are
unable to speak in terms of commendation of
the details, some of which are almost ludicrous.
Mr. Quilley has, however, executed his task in

Granville Sharp. Engraved by S. Cousins,

Hieroglyphics from the Walls of the Pyramids."
By J. Landseer, Esq. F.S.A. Mr. Landseer,
adopting the statement of Herodotus, that the
largest of the pyramids was built by Cheops,
the smallest by his daughter, and the third by
his brother and successor, Cephrenes, accounts
in this manner for the remarkable fact, that,
of all the edifices of Egypt, these alone are
found to be unsculptured with hieroglyphic a very creditable manner.
inscriptions: he says, that both the royal
brothers are described by that historian as pro-
fligate and impious sovereigns, who shewed from a Bust by Francis Chantrey, R.A.
their contempt for the religion of their country THE fine expression which Mr. Chantrey
by shutting up the temples of the gods, and threw into his bust of this amiable and la-
other acts hostile to the received worship; mented philanthropist, has been completely
whence he infers, that they despised too much and happily caught by Mr. Cousins, who has
the sacred language of their country to per- engraved this little head in a most delicate
mit its being employed upon those costly and pleasing style. We ought to notice, that
structures which they caused to be erected as it is the same which forms the frontispiece
memorials of themselves. By the adoption of to Mr. Prince Hoare's interesting biography
the above statement of Herodotus, the silence of Mr. Sharp; and it may also be well to
of Holy Writ respecting the pyramids is like- correct a mistake, respecting the new octavo
wise accounted for; because Cheops began to edition of this work, which we observe in the

4

possession of Mr. Chantrell of Leeds; and are (2 remarkable for the great variety, force, and character of their expression. The hand of the master is strikingly exemplified in every head and the action, feelings, and passions, which it has been his purpose to portray, are given to admiration. When this collection is published (in about three months), the student cannot apply to nobler models for the formation of his style; and we will predict that, from the president to the youngest aspirant of the Aca demy, they will be deserved favourites, as they must also be with the general public.

Mr. H. B. Chalon. The Hull Packet of the 24th ult. complains in strong terms of the manner in which Mr. H. B. Chalon, the able painter of animals (who resides in the neighbourhood of Hull), has been treated this year at the Royal Academy. It states that Mr. Chalon, having sent to the Exhibition four pictures, two of them of much interest (one being a portrait of Matilda, the winner of the

« AnteriorContinua »