AND Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, &c. This Journal is supplied Weekly, or Monthly, by the principal Booksellers and Newsmen, throughout the Kingdom; but to those who may desire its immediate transmission, by post, we recommend the LITERARY GAZETTE, printed on stamped paper, price One Shilling. No. 599. REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS. Salmonia; or, Days of Fly-Fishing. In a Series of Conversations. With some Account of the Habits of Fishes of the Genus Salmo. By an Angler. 12mo. pp. 273. London, 1828. J. Murray. This extremely entertaining volume has reached us too late for a sufficient notice this week; but we cannot pass it over without some sort of review. Though no name is upon the title-page, our readers are aware (from our previous announcement,) that it is from the pen of Sir Humphry Davy, an experienced brother of the angle. With the popular model of old Isaac before him, the author has most pleasantly thrown his Salmonia into the form of dialogue, and thus happily introduced various other interesting topics consonant to the characters of his little dramatis persona. SATURDAY, JULY 12, 1828. And with a grace That doth efface More laboured works, thy simple lore Rise quickly at thy master hand, Content and peace, With health and ease, And of sweet fancies dream; With more of worth; 6 These are good examples; but our author's general defence is as good. PRICE 8d. and waters, to wander forth by some clear stream, to see the leaf bursting from the purple bud, to scent the odours of the bank perfumed by the violet, and enamelled, as it were, with the primrose and the daisy; to wander upon the fresh turf below the shade of trees, whose bright blossoms are filled with the music of the bee; and on the surface of the waters to view the gaudy flies sparkling like animated gems in the sunbeams, whilst the bright and beautiful trout is watching them from below; to hear the twittering of the water-birds, who, alarmed at your approach, rapidly hide themselves beneath the flowers and leaves of the water-lily; and as the season advances, to find all these objects changed for others of the same kind, but better and brighter, till the swallow and the fly, and till in pursuing your amusement in trout contend, as it were, for the gaudy Maythe calm and balmy evening, you are serenaded by the songs of the cheerful thrush and melodious nightingale, performing the offices of paternal love, in thickets ornamented with the rose and woodbine!" The spirit of Walton has surely descended upon this passage: but we will contrast its pastoral beauty with an anecdote or two, told to illustrate the impolicy of angling with your back to the sun, so as to throw your shadow on the water, and, like the steam-boat, " frighten the fish." The characters chosen to support these conversations are Halieus, who is supposed to be an accomplished fly-fisher; Ornither, who is to be regarded as a gentleman generally fond of the sports of the field, though not a finished master of the art of angling; Poietes, who is to be considered as an enthusiastic lover of nature, and partially acquainted with the mysteries of fly-fishing; and Physicus, who is described as uninitiated as an angler, but as a person fond "The search after food is an instinct beof inquiries in natural history and philosophy." longing to our nature; and from the savage "Physicus. Your sagacity puts me in mind These worthies are imagined to fish near in his rudest and most primitive state, who of an anecdote which I remember to have London, in the Highlands of Scotland, in destroys a piece of game, or a fish, with a heard, respecting the late eloquent statesman, several parts of England, and in Germany; club or spear, to man in the most cultivated Charles James Fox; who, walking up Bond and in all these situations, their talk is of the state of society, who employs artifice, ma- Street from one of the club houses with an finny sports in the pursuit of which the are chinery, and the resources of various other illustrious personage, laid him a wager, that employed, the habits of the different tribes, animals, to secure his object, the origin of the he would see more cats than the prince in his the modes of catching them, and sundry other pleasure is similar, and its object the same walk, and that he might take which side of congenial subjects, (such as the migration of but that kind of it requiring most art may be the street he liked. When they got to the birds, the changes of insects, the colours of said to characterise man in his highest or in-top, it was found that Mr. Fox had seen thirwater, &c.), tending to make a whole of ex- tellectual state; and the fisher for salmon and teen cats, and the prince not one. The royal cellent amusement and rational instruction. trout with the fly employs not only machinery personage asked for an explanation of this Thus, independently of the judicious practical to assist his physical powers, but applies sa-apparent miracle: Mr. Fox said, • Your royal lessons to fishermen, there is a fund of miscel-gacity to conquer difficulties; and the pleasure highness took, of course, the shady side of laneous literature, which cannot fail to be derived from ingenious resources and devices, the way, as most agreeable; I knew that the highly acceptable to every reader. Witness as well as from active pursuit, belongs to this sunny side would be left to me, and cats al(to begin with) the following defence of ang amusement. Then as to its philosophical tend-ways prefer the sunshine.'-Halieus. There! ling against the taunts of Dr. Johnson and ency, it is a pursuit of moral discipline, re- Poietes; by following my advice you have Lord Byron, written by a noble lady, long an quiring patience, forbearance, and command immediately hooked a fish and while you of temper. As connected with natural science, are catching a brace, I will tell you an anecit may be vaunted as demanding a know-dote, which is as much related to fly-fishing ledge of the habits of a considerable tribe as that of Physicus, and which affords an of created beings-fishes, and the animals elucidation of a particular effect of light. that they prey upon, and an acquaintance A manufacturer of carmine, who was aware with the signs and tokens of the weather of the superiority of the French colour, and its changes, the nature of waters and went to Lyons for the purpose of improving of the atmosphere. As to its poetical re- his process, and bargained with the most lations, it carries us into the most wild and celebrated manufacturer in that capital for beautiful scenery of nature; — amongst the the acquisition of his secret, for which he was mountain lakes, and the clear and lovely to pay a thousand pounds. He was shewn streams that gush from the higher ranges all the processes, and saw a beautiful colour ornament of the British court. "Albeit, gentle Angler, I Delight not in thy trade, Yet in thy pages there doth lie Of such good kind, That none need be afraid, Caught by thy cunning bait, this book, Gladly from thee I'm lured to bear With things that seemed most vile before, Angling is an amusement with a stick and a string; a of elevated hills, or that make their way produced, and he found not the least differenco worm at one end, and a fool at the other.-Johnson. And angling, too, that solitary vice, Whatever Izaac Walton sings or says: The quaint old cruel coxcomb in his gullet Should have a hook, and a small trout to pull it. Don Juan. through the cavities of calcareous strata. How in the French mode of fabrication and that delightful in the early spring, after the dull which he had constantly adopted. He apand tedious time of winter, when the frosts pealed to the manufacturer, and insisted that disappear, and the sunshine warms the earth he must have concealed something. The 74 nufacturer assured him that he had not, and invited him to see the process a second time. He minutely examined the water and the materials, which were the same as his own, and very much surprised, said, 'I have lost my labour and my money, for the air of England does not permit us to make good carmine.' 'Stay,' says the Frenchman, do not deceive yourself: what kind of weather is it now?' A bright sunny day,' said the Englishman. 'And such are the days,' said the Frenchman, ' on which I make my colour. Were I to attempt to manufacture it on a dark or cloudy day, my result would be the same as yours. Let me advise you, my friend, always to make carmine on bright and sunny days." I will,' says the Englishman; but I fear I shall make very little in London.'" I believe that the reason of this migration | have in life met with a few things which I of sea-gulls, and other sea-birds, to the land, found it impossible to explain, either by chance is their security of finding food; and they coincidences or by natural connexions; and I may be observed, at this time, feeding gree- have known minds of a very superior class dily on the earth-worms and larvæ, driven affected by them,-persons in the habit of out of the ground by severe floods: and the reasoning deeply and profoundly. Phys. In fish, on which they prey in fine weather in my opinion, profound minds are the most likely the sea, leave the surface and go deeper in to think lightly of the resources of human storms. The search after food, as we agreed reason; and it is the pert, superficial thinker on a former occasion, is the principal cause who is generally strongest in every kind of why animals change their places. The dif- unbelief. The deep philosopher sees chains of ferent tribes of the wading birds always mi- causes and effects so wonderfully and strangely grate when rain is about to take place; and linked together, that he is usually the last perI remember once, in Italy, having been long son to decide upon the impossibility of any two waiting, in the end of March, for the ar- series of events being independent of each other; rival of the double snipe in the Campagna and in science, so many natural miracles, as it of Rome,a great flight appeared on the 3d were, have been brought to light, such as the of April, and the day after heavy rain set fall of stones from meteors in the atmosphere, One of the conversations lead to the discus-in, which greatly interfered with my sport. the disarming a thunder-cloud by a metallic sion of superstitions; and we are much pleased The vulture, upon the same principle, follows point, the production of fire from ice by a metal with the following remarks, also including armies; and I have no doubt that the augury white as silver, and referring certain laws of some points of meteorology and natural his- of the ancients was a good deal founded upon motion of the sea to the moon,-that the phy tory. the observation of the instincts of birds. There sical inquirer is seldom disposed to assert, conPoiet. I hope we shall have another good are many superstitions of the vulgar owing to fidently, on any abstruse subjects belonging to day to-morrow, for the clouds are red in the the same source. For anglers, in spring, it is the order of natural things, and still less so on west. Phys. I have no doubt of it, for the always unlucky to see single magpies, but those relating to the more mysterious relations red has a tint of purple.Hal. Do you know two may be always regarded as a favourable of moral events and intellectual natures." why this tint portends fine weather?-Phys. omen; and the reason is, that in cold and With this very fair example of the various The air when dry, I believe, refracts more red, stormy weather, one magpie alone leaves the and interesting contents of Salmonia, we shall or heat-making, rays; and as dry air is not nest in search of food, the other remaining for this bout conclude; only observing, that perfectly transparent, they are again reflected sitting upon the eggs or the young ones; but the wood-cuts, executed by Mr. A. J. Mason, in the horizon. I have generally observed a when two go out together, it is only when the are very correct as to the characteristics of the coppery or yellow sun-set to foretell rain; but, weather is warm and mild, and favourable for fish represented, and do him great credit as as an indication of wet weather approaching, fishing.-Poiet. The singular connexions of an artist in this style of engraving. nothing is more certain than a halo round the causes and effects, to which you have just moon, which is produced by the precipitated referred, make superstition less to be wondered water; and the larger the circle, the nearer at, particularly amongst the vulgar; and when the clouds, and consequently the more ready two facts, naturally unconnected, have been to fall. Hal. I have often observed that the accidentally coincident, it is not singular that old proverb is correct→→ this coincidence should have been observed and registered, and that omens of the most absurd WE know of no subject of superior interest kind should be trusted in. In the west of to that of which Mr. D'Israeli has treated, in Can you explain this omen?Phys. A rain- England, half a century ago, a particular hol- a desultory, ingenious, and most instructive bow can only occur when the clouds containing low noise on the sea-coast was referred to a way, in these volumes; and their progress or depositing the rain are opposite to the sun, spirit or goblin, called Bucca, and was sup- into a fourth edition is a satisfactory proof of and in the evening the rainbow is in the posed to foretell a shipwreck: the philosopher the public feelings being in accordance with east, and in the morning in the west; and as knows that sound travels much faster than our own upon this point. But that which our heavy rains in this climate are usually currents in the air, and the sound always fore- demonstrates their value detracts from their brought by the westerly wind, a rainbow in told the approach of a very heavy storm, which novelty; and it will readily be perceived, that the west indicates that the bad weather is seldom takes place on that wild and rocky a reviewer's occupation need not be exercised on the road, by the wind, to us; whereas coast without a shipwreck on some part of at any length upon statements and opinions the rainbow in the east proves that the rain its extensive shores, surrounded by the Atlan- so generally known. A Letter and some Notes in these clouds is passing from us. Poiet. tic. Phys. All the instances of omens you from the pen of Lord Byron, however, impart I have often observed, that when the swal- have mentioned are founded on reason; but a new feature to this edition; and in the little lows fly high, fine weather is to be expected how can you explain such absurdities as Friday we shall take the liberty to quote, our readers or continued; but when they fly low, and being an unlucky day, the terror of spilling will, in all probability, find these the most close to the ground, rain is almost surely ap- salt, or meeting an old woman? I knew attractive ingredients. proaching. Can you account for this? a man of very high dignity, who was exceed- The work is dedicated to Mr. Southey, a Hal. Swallows follow the flies and gnats, and ingly moved by these omens, and who never friend of the writer's of forty years' endurance; flies and gnats usually delight in warm strata went out shooting without a bittern's claw and in a preface that follows, we have the Let of air; and as warm air is lighter, and usually fastened to his button-hole by a riband, which ter of Lord Byron to which we have alluded, moister, than cold air, when the warm strata he thought ensured him good luck.-Poiet. thus introduced :of air are high, there is less chance of moisture These, as well as the omens of death-watches, "In 1822 I published a new edition of this being thrown down from them by the mixture dreams, &c. are for the most part founded work, greatly enlarged, and in two volumes. with cold air; but when the warm and moist upon some accidental coincidences; but spil-I took this opportunity of inserting the manuair is close to the surface, it is almost certain ling of salt, on an uncommon occasion, may, script notes of Lord Byron [on former edithat, as the cold air flows down into it, a de- as I have known it, arise from a dispositions], with the exception of one, which, howposition of water will take place.Poiet. Ition to apoplexy, shewn by an incipient ever characteristic of the amiable feelings of have often seen sea-gulls assemble on the land, numbness in the hand, and may be a fatal the noble poet, and however gratifying to my and have almost always observed that very symptom; and persons, dispirited by bad own, I had no wish to obtrude on the notice stormy and rainy weather was approaching. omens, sometimes prepare the way for evil of the public. Soon after the publication of I conclude that these animals, sensible of a fortune; for confidence in success is a great A rainbow in the morning is the shepherd's warning: A rainbow at night is the shepherd's delight. The Literary Character; or History of Men of Genius: drawn from their own Feelings and Confessions. By I. D'Israeli. 4th edi. tion, revised. 2 vols. 12mo. London, 1828. H. Colburn. current of air approaching from the ocean, means of ensuring it. The dream of Brutus, like Lord Byron's is interesting to the philosophical in"As every thing connected with the reading of a mind retire to the land to shelter themselves from before the field of Pharsalia, probably produced quirer, this note may now be preserved. On that passage the storm.--Orn. No such thing. The storm a species of irresolution and despondency, which of the preface of the second edition which I have already is their element; and the little petrel enjoys was the principal cause of his losing the battle: quoted, his lordship was thus pleased to write:-' I was the heaviest gale, because, living on the smaller and I have heard that the illustrious sportsman down any thing, little thinking that those observations wrong; but I was young and petulant, and probably wrote sea-insects, he is sure to find his food in the to whom you referred just now, was always would be betrayed to the author, whose abilities I have spray of a heavy wave and you may see him observed to shoot ill, because he shot carelessly, always respected, and whose works in general I have read flitting above the edge of the highest surge. after one of his dispiriting omens. Hal. I ever, except such as treat of Turkey.""" oftener than, perhaps, those of any English author what Speaking of modern society, Mr. D'I. ob serves 1 this third edition, I was surprised by receiving | good-bad-or indifferent. At present, I am is, however, only among their unproductive a letter from his lordship. Lord Byron was paying the penalty of having helped to spoil labourers' that we shall find those men of leian admirable letter-writer. Independent of the public taste; for, as long as I wrote in the sure whose habitual pursuits are consumed in the personal details with which his letters false, exaggerated style of youth and the times the development of thought, and the gradual abound, and which, from their nature, are of in which we live, they applauded me to the accessions of knowledge; those men of whom course peculiarly interesting; his letters are very echo; and within these few years, when I the sage of Judea declares, that it is he who also remarkable for facility of style, vivacity have endeavoured at better things, and written hath little business who shall become wise of expression, shrewdness of remark, and truth what I suspect to have the principle of dura- how can he get wisdom that holdeth the of observation. I have, however, never met tion in it, the church, the chancellor, and plough, and whose talk is of bullocks? But with any letter of Lord Byron more inter- all men, even to my grand patron, Francis they,' the men of leisure and study, will esting than the following, which, as it does Jeffrey, Esq. of the Edinburgh Review, have maintain the state of the world!' Political not form one of a series of familiar corre- risen up against me and my later publications. economists may form another notion of the spondence, was probably touched with a more Such is Truth! men dare not look her in the literary character whenever they shall feel careful pen. face, except by degrees: they mistake her for a consummation which who will venture to Montenero, Villa Dupuy, near a Gorgon, instead of knowing her to be Mi- anticipate?-that the prosperity and the hap Leghorn, June 10, 1822. nerva. I do not mean to apply this mytho- piness of a people include something more evi"Dear Sir,-If you will permit me to call logical simile to my own endeavours, but I dent and more permanent than the wealth of you so. I had some time ago taken up my have only to turn over a few pages of your a nation." " pen, at Pisa, to thank you for the present of volumes, to find innumerable and far more your new edition of the Literary Character,' illustrious instances. It is lucky that I am of which has often been to me a consolation, and a temper not to be easily turned aside, though "It may be a question whether the literary always a pleasure. I was interrupted, how-by no means difficult to irritate. But I am man and the artist are not immolating their ever, partly by business, and partly by vexa- making a dissertation, instead of writing a genius to society, when, in the shadowiness of tion of different kinds, for I have not very letter. I write to you from the Villa Dupuy, assumed talents that counterfeiting of all long ago lost a child by a fever, and I have near Leghorn, with the islands of Elba and shapes, they lose their real form with the had a good deal of petty trouble with the laws Corsica visible from my balcony, and my old mockery of Proteus. But nets of roses catch of this lawless country, on account of the pro- friend, the Mediterranean, rolling blue at my their feet, and a path where all the senses are secution of a servant for an attack upon a feet. As long as I retain my feeling and my flattered, is now opened to win an Epictetus cowardly scoundrel of a dragoon, who drew passion for nature, I can partly soften or sub- from his hut. The art of multiplying the enhis sword upon some unarmed Englishmen, due my other passions, and resist or endure joyments of society is discovered in the mornand whom I had done the honour to mistake those of others. I have the honour to be, ing lounge, the evening dinner, and the midfor an officer, and to treat like a gentleman. truly, your obliged and faithful servant, night coterie. In frivolous fatigues, and vigils He turned out to be neither, like many without meditation, perish the unvalued hours others with medals and in uniform; but he which, true genius knows, are always too brief for art, and too rare to catch its inspirations. Hence so many of our contemporaries whose card-racks are crowded, have produced only flashy fragments. Efforts, but not works; they seem to be effects without causes;—and as a great author, who is not one of them, once observed to me, they waste a barrel of gunpowder in squibs.' And yet it is seduction, and not reward, which mere fashionable society offers the man of true genius. He will be sought for with enthusiasm, but he cannot escape from his certain fate-that of becoming tiresome to his pretended admirers. At first the idol-shortly he is changed into a victim. He forms, indeed, a figure in their little pageant, and is invited as a sort of improvisatore; but the esteem they concede to him is only a part of the system of politeness; and should he be dull in discovering the favourite quality of their self-love, or in participating in their volatile tastes, he will find frequent oppor. tunities of observing with the sage at the court of Cyprus, that what he knows is not proper for this place; and what is proper for this place he knows not." This society takes little personal interest in the literary character." 6 "NOEL BYRON." 6 It is not our purpose to proceed with the paid for his brutality with a severe and danger-author through his many topics and curious ous wound, inflicted by nobody knows whom; researches the former evincing much just refor, of three suspected and two arrested, they flection, and the latter a great deal of curious have been able to identify neither; which reading. We shall merely select two or three is strange, since he was wounded in the pre-illustrations, to set forward as fair examples of sence of thousands, in a public street, during the book. a feast-day and full promenade.-But to re- "A new race of jargonists, the barbarous turn to things more analogous to the Lite- metaphysicians of political economy, have struck rary Character: I wish to say, that had I at the essential existence of the productions of known that the book was to fall into your genius in literature and art; for, appreciating hands, or that the MS. notes you have thought them by their own standard, they have miserworthy of publication, would have attracted ably degraded the professors. Absorbed in your attention, I would have made them more the contemplation of material objects, and recopious, and perhaps not so careless. I really jecting whatever does not enter into their own cannot know whether I am, or am not, the restricted notion of utility,' these cold arith. genius you are pleased to call me, but I am metical seers, with nothing but millions in their very willing to put up with the mistake, if it imagination, and whose choicest works of art be one. It is a title dearly enough bought are spinning-jennies, have valued the intelby most men, to render it endurable, even lectual tasks of the library and the studio by when not quite clearly made out, which it the demand and the supply. They have never can be, till the Posterity, whose de-sunk these pursuits into the class of what they cisions are merely dreams to ourselves, have term 'unproductive labour;' and by another sanctioned or denied it, while it can touch us result of their line and level system, men of no further. Mr. Murray is in possession of letters, with some other important characters, a MS. memoir of mine (not to be published are forced down into the class of buffoons, till I am in my grave), which, strange as it singers, opera-dancers, &c. In a system of may seem, I never read over since it was political economy it has been discovered, that "Has not the fate in society of our reignwritten, and have no desire to read over again. 'that unprosperous race of men called men of ing literary favourites been uniform? Their In it, I have told what, as far as I know, is letters, must necessarily occupy their present mayoralty hardly exceeds the year: they are the truth-not the whole truth,-for if I had forlorn state in society, much as formerly, pushed aside to put in their place another, done so, I must have involved much private, when a scholar and a beggar seem to have who in his turn must descend. Such is the and some dissipated history; but, neverthe-been terms very nearly synonymous.' In their history of the literary character encountering less, nothing but truth, as far as regard for commercial, agricultural, and manufacturing the perpetual difficulty of appearing what he others permitted it to appear. I do not know view of human nature, addressing society by really is not, while he sacrifices to a few, in a whether you have seen those MSS.; but, as its most pressing wants and its coarsest feel- certain corner of the metropolis, who have you are curious in such things as relate to ings, these theorists limit the moral and phy-long fantastically styled themselves the world,' the human mind, I should feel gratified if sical existence of man by speculative tables of that more dignified celebrity which makes an you had. I also sent him (Murray), a few population, planing and levelling society down author's name more familiar than his person." days since, a Common-place Book, by my in their carpentry of human nature. They friend Lord Clare, containing a few things, would yoke and harness the loftier spirits to which may, perhaps, aid his publication in one common and vulgar destination. Man is case of his surviving me. If there are any considered only as he wheels on the wharf, or questions which you would like to ask me, as as he spins in the factory; but man as a reconnected with your philosophy of the literary mind, (if mine be a literary mind,) I will answer them fairly, or give a reason for not, "Some have been deemed disagreeable com. panions, because they felt the weariness of dulness, or the impertinence of intrusion; described as bad husbands when united to women, who without a kindred feeling had the cluse being of meditation, or impelled to action mean art to prey upon their infirmities; or as by more generous passions, has been struck bad fathers, because their offspring have not out of the system of our political economists. It always reflected the moral beauty of their own 6 Memoirs of the Duke of Rovigo. Vol. II. page. But the magnet loses nothing of its | ney and Nelson in their maritime battles. But | created the less astonishment, as it was the virtue, even when the particles about it, in- this favourite plan became the ridicule of the general opinion that I already exercised some capable themselves of being attracted, are not military; and the boldness of his pen, with the control over the ministry of police." acted on by its occult property." high confidence of the author, only excited Fouché, on retiring, either burnt, or preThe simple truth in estimating the inter- adversaries to mortify his pretensions, and to tended to burn, all his papers; and his succourse between persons of genius and the treat him as a dreamer. From this perpetual cessor remarks: "I could not help viewing it world, seems to be, that every individual who opposition to his plans, and the neglect he with an eye of suspicion, since so much uncomposes that world is willing enough to ad- incurred, Guibert died of 'vexation of spirit; willingness was shewn to put me in possession mire genius at a distance, and where it does and the last words on the death-bed of this of information which so deeply concerned the not interfere with, nor eclipse, selfish enjoy-man of genius were, One day they will know welfare of the state; and time only added ments or self-love; but when it comes closer, me!' Folard and Guibert created a Buona-strength to my conviction that we had been and treads upon the kibe of the inferior creature, parte, who studied them on the field of battle; the dupes of the most impudent system of then up rises envy, uncharitableness, dislike, and he who would trace the military genius quackery upon record, as will be shewn in and persecution. We are all ready to censure who so long held in suspense the fate of the the sequel of these Memoirs. I soon had octhe neglect of a Chatterton or a Burns; but world, may discover all that he performed in casion to satisfy myself that the administration how few of us, if we are brought into contact the neglected inventions of preceding genius." of police was never carried on in the Empewith similar beings, in our walk through life, It is, we imagine, quite needless for us fur-ror's interest; that it had been made available excuse their foibles, endure their waywardness, ther to recommend this edition of a very as a means of acquiring his confidence, and at and cherish them as the children of genius? delightful work. the same time of abusing it; and that it was a Alas, they have little to hope for, let their lot dangerous weapon in the hands of a disturber be thrown where it may! When they are of public tranquillity, who made it his whole dead, it will be time to remember those nobler duty to follow the stream of fortune." qualities which obtained no consideration for THIS second volume has followed the first The Emperor, however, was himself a capithem while living, and subjected to more than with proper rapidity and regularity: it com-tal instructor, and he gave Savary his lesson. the petty tests that try the spirits of ordinary mences with the war of 1807, with the battles" My courage (adds the minister) revived upon men-to misconstruction, to misrepresentation, of Eylau and Friedland; embraces the early receiving these instructions. On the first days to caprice, to coldness, and to calumny. But Portuguese and Spanish political events and of my new employment I went to make my the theme is too exhaustless; and were we to campaigns-the Austrian war ending with the report to the emperor, rather with the view of indulge in moralising upon it, we should want great battle of Wagram-the annexation of receiving some encouragement, than of prethe space of a volume, instead of a literary Holland to France; and finishes with accounts senting him with any useful result of my laof the marriage of Marie Louise, and of the bours; and I soon discovered that he was "When Petrarch was passing by his native police and internal state of Paris subsequent guarded against every thing, and that the reatown, he was received with the honours of his to that memorable transaction. There is, as son of his extraordinary patience with M. fame; but when the heads of the town con- may well be supposed, therefore, much of va- Fouché was to be found in his being provided ducted Petrarch to the house where the poet riety and interest in this portion of M. Sa- with ample means to defeat his wicked designs. was born, and informed him that the proprietor vary's labours; and we confess to having been I gradually acquired confidence; and, without had often wished to make alterations, but that much more amused with it than with the pre-being wickedly inclined, I soon discovered a the towns-people had risen to insist that the ceding volume. Viewing the writer as not only sufficient portion of malice in my composition, house which was consecrated by the birth of the devoted apologist of Buonaparte through- which I turned to good account during my Petrarch should be preserved unchanged; this out his whole composition, but as the defender administration of the police." At any rate, was a triumph more affecting to Petrarch than of himself, the tool being deeply implicated there appears to be little deceit in these conhis coronation at Rome." with the master-mover of these extraordinary fessions. But the struggle between Buonatimes, we still read with astonishment the parte and Fouché, who should circumvent and avowals which he suffers to transpire. The cheat the other in the darkest ways of trickcondition of Paris, after he supplanted Fouché ery and treachery, is altogether one of the in the ministry of the police, about six weeks most remarkable revelations with which we subsequent to Napoleon's marriage, is a picture ever met. The famous Ouvrard; M. Labouof the meanest roguery and darkest treachery. Spy upon spy, and scoundrel betraying scoundrel, from the Emperor on the throne to the lowest menial in a private house, made a system at which the honest mind recoils with contempt and disgust. We will take a leaf from this division of the publication. The newly appointed minister thus naively notices the effect of his elevation, and thus ingenuously lets us into the secret of his general character. notice. Upon this quotation the author says:-"On this passage I find a remarkable manuscript note by Lord Byron:- It would have pained me more that the proprietor' should have ' often' wished to make alterations, than it could give pleasure that the rest of Arezzo rose against his right (for right he had). The depreciation of the lowest of mankind is more painful than the applause of the highest is pleasing the sting of a scorpion is more in torture, than the possession of any thing could be in rapture." We could hardly have conceived Byron capable of making so false an estimate. It shews how apt he was to be affected by what a stronger and higher mind would have utterly despised. We conclude with one other interesting extract. chere, a Dutch merchant; M. Fagan, an Irish officer; M. Hennecart, one of the police agents, and several others, are all employed or bribed secretly, and set to watch and betray each other by Fouché against Napoleon, and by Napoleon against Fouché. Fagan is recommended by Hennecart to Fouché, who engages him to visit London, and transmit reports, &c. &c., and then "Fagan had scarcely received this mission, when Hennecart came to congratulate "When this appointment was made known him on the occasion; and, after the usual comthrough the next day's Moniteur, no one would pliments, he told Fagan that he had yet angive credit to it. Had the Emperor nominated other subject to open to him, on which his "In the history of genius it is remarkable, to those functions the ambassador of Persia, personal fortune mainly depended, and hinted that its work is often invented and lies neg- then in Paris, the circumstance would not at the possibility of his obtaining in some delected. A close observer of this age pointed have created greater apprehension. I was gree the Emperor's immediate protection against out to me, that the military genius of that deeply mortified at perceiving the unfavourable any capricious or unjust conduct of the Duke great French captain who so long appeared to impression produced on the public mind by of Otranta, who was, perhaps, after all, the have conquered Europe, was derived from his the appointment of a general officer to the dupe of some false report. Fagan requested applying the new principles of war discovered ministry of police; and had I not felt myself Hennecart to speak in plain language: the by Folard and Guibert. The genius of Folard strong in the consciousness of rectitude, I never latter did so, and said, that if he would send observed, that among the changes of military could have had the courage which was so ne-him a copy of all the reports he might have to discipline in the practice of war among Euro-cessary for bearing up against the illiberal make to M. Fouché, it would assuredly be for pean nations since the introduction of gun- remarks of which I was the subject. I was a powder, one of the ancient methods of the cause of terror to all; èvery one was making Romans had been improperly neglected; and preparations for leaving Paris; nothing was in his Commentaries on Polybius, Folard re- spoken of but exiles, imprisonments, and meavived this forgotten mode of warfare. Gui-sures of still greater severity; and I verily bert, in his great work, Histoire de la Milice believe that the report of a plague on some Française,' or rather the History of the Art of point of the coast could not have occasioned War, adopted Folard's system of charging by a greater dread than my nomination to this columns, and breaking the centre of the enemy, department. In the army, where the nature which seems to be the famous plan of our Rod-lof its duties was little understood, the event the rest, and inserted in the sheet which reviews Mr. D'Israeli's work. * One very curious part of it may well be singled from treated with consideration; they have been prejudicel |