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. 601. REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS. equally alike by the simple Gaucho with the up our quarters for the night, under the lee title of Señor.' Strange withal they should of a solid mass of granite, upwards of thirty Journal of a Voyage to Peru; a Passage across be so dirty and indolent: the women in feet square, with the clear beautiful heavens the Cordillera of the Andes, in the Winter of particular are disgustingly so. Comfort they for our canopy. Well may this place be called 1827, performed on foot in the Snow; and a have no idea of: as long as they can poke a cage: to give a just idea of it would be next Journey across the Pampas. By Lieut. about in the mud and dirt, sitting almost to impossible, for I do not think a more wild Charles Brand, R.N. 8vo. pp. 345. London, suffocated round the fire in the middle of or grander scene in nature could possibly exist: 1828. H. Colburn. their filthy huts, with a cigar in their mouths, nevertheless, I shall attempt a description. THE nature of this journey is more remark- they are happy. Should they be required The foaming river, branching off into different able than any circumstances which attended to do any thing for the passengers, they will channels, formed by huge masses of granite it; and we cannot say that we have derived get up, and shaking the vermin off their laying in its course, ran between two gigantic much information from the story, which is clothes, scratch themselves for a while, and mountains of about one thousand five hundred almost entirely one of personal fatigue, with- set about it with all the ill-will of a surly dog feet high, and not more than two hundred out throwing any new light on native manners obeying its master; and their manner of speak. yards distant from each other; so that to look or scientific subjects. Lieut. Brand crossed ing is that disgusting, apathetic whine, so up at the summits of either, we had to lay our and re-crossed the continent of South America peculiar to the West Indian Creoles. The heads completely back on our shoulders. Beby the grand pass of Uspallata, a distance of method of preserving grain in the Pampas is fore us, these tremendous mountains met in above 440 leagues, 308 across the Pampas, very curious; that useful animal, the ox, sup- a point, round which we had just passed, but and 1344 the distance of the Cordilleras; and plies the want of almost every thing. They now appeared as one mountain, closing our he thus sums up his toils :sow the legs of a whole skin up, and fill it full view in a distance of not more than four or "I have taken my readers four sea voyages, of corn: it is then triced up to four stakes, five hundred yards; behind was the mighty two journeys across the continent of South with the legs hanging downwards, so that it Cordillera, a mass of snow, appearing to block America, one through the Banda Oriental, has the appearance of an elephant hanging up; up further progress. Thus were we comremained seven weeks at Lima, three in Chili, the top is again covered with hides, which pre-pletely shut up in a den of mighty mountains; one at Mendoza, eight at Buenos Ayres, one vents the rats getting at it. In stretching a to look up either way, before, behind, right or at Monte Video, and one at Rio de Janeiro, skin to dry, wood is so scarce in many parts of left, excited astonishment, awe, and admiration: travelled upwards of twenty thousand miles by the Pampas that the rib-bones are carefully huge masses of granite that had fallen from sea and land, and brought them back again to preserved to supply its place, and used as pegs the awful heights above, lay scattered about, England within twelve months from the time to fix it in the ground. A child's cradle con- and formed our various shelters for the night. of my starting. Such rapid movements and sists of a square sheep-skin, laced to a small The torrent, which now had become very short stay at the different places I touched at, rude frame of wood, and suspended like a scale formidable, rushed down with fury, bounding will, I trust, in some measure apologise for the to a beam or nail in the rancho. The poor and leaping over the rugged rocks which lay heterogeneous manner in which these observa- little parroquets, which are very numerous, in its course, keeping up a continued foam tions have been thrown together, not having and generally made prisoners when caught and roar, close to our wild resting-place. The had sufficient time to modify or arrange them. alive, are sown up in a box of hide with a mules were straying about picking up the Such as they are, with their many imperfec- small round hole cut in it, just large enough scanty shrubs; and our wild, uncouth-looking tions, if they have afforded any amusement or to let its head out for eating, with scarcely peons were assembled round a fire, under the information to my readers, I am amply repaid room to turn. Its reign in these small prisons lee of a large rock, cooking their unfortunate for all the trouble, I cannot say, but-plea- is very short, being soon suffocated from its guanaco, which altogether rendered it a scene sure it gave me in noting them down, merely own dirt and want of air; for cleaning them most truly wild and surprising. Here I was to pass away the time as I proceeded on my out they never dream of." much astonished, on touching any part of my solitary journey." woollen clothing, to find electric sparks fly out wherever I put my hand: what was the cause of this, I am not philosopher enough to know; but my companion informed me, it was by no means extraordinary in dry weather. However, never having heard or seen it before, I take this opportunity of mentioning it; for must own it rather surprised me, on going to bed, to find fire fly out of my clothes." The dead mules on the Pampas present a curious appearance. This is as fair and impartial an account of the matter as we could give: it is obvious that "Many carcasses of these poor drudging much information could not be gathered in animals (says the author) strewed our path, such a full-gallop expedition; and as examples just where they had died on the journey; of the amusement, we shall merely quote a few and it was surprising to see in what a state passages; premising, that the author is rather of preservation they appeared; the rarefied more inclined to be sentimental and moralising atmosphere, I suppose, having that effect upon than is usual with naval officers. The voyage them. Some seemed as if they had only died out, and the travelling till we arrive at Men- the previous day. On examining them, the doza (occupying 72 pages), may be skipped skin was, as it were, baked, but adhered to without loss to the reader; but here we have the bones, leaving a mere skeleton covered a retrospect at the natives, &c. that may be copied. with skin, so that I could with ease lift up I The general track of these passes is about three feet wide, but more or less broken in parts; so that not only the mules, but sometimes the peons tumbled over, and seem to have escaped destruction, from precipice and torrent, most miraculously. Witness the narrative: Indolence and gambling appear to be their existing propensities: the former I am not astonished at, on account of their very few "The poor animals began stumbling, fallwants; as long as they have beef, water, and a The preparations for crossing the Andes, ating, and slipping, but not losing their balance, cigar, all are supplied. Living as free and inde- Uspallata, (the last abode of man on the east- slipping on their haunches, at times thirty pendent as the wind, they cannot and will not ern side) consist of laying in charcoal, making or forty feet down the mountain; all this acknowledge superiority in any fellow-mortal. snow-boots, covering stirrups with wool, to time the peons were shouting, roaring, and They are fond of asking questions, but it will prevent the toes from being frost-bitten, pound-whirling their lassoes; at last one mule lost be [is] done with all the air and manners of a ing chaqui, &c. all indispensably necessary its balance, and over he went, rolling and courtier, fearing to give offence; nevertheless, before entering the frozen regions. We add a bounding head over heels, two hundred feet they will expect to be answered with equal picture of one of the first passes. civility. Their ideas are all equality: the humble peon and my lord, would be addressed "We now came to the Jaula or Cage, from which the pass has its name, where we took down the mountain into the torrent beneath, where he was whirled and dashed against the rocks by the velocity of the current, and, much In spite of these dangers, however, the summit of the Cumbre was reached at last. to my astonishment, reached the opposite side | with much apparent feeling, lifted up his shoul- the gentleman's horse from him, he was obliged of the river apparently not much injured by ders, and sighed : Pobre compañero,' poor to mount up behind the lady, and in that situaits fall, but its services lost to us: presently companion; then, as if stifling a sigh to his tion they entered Lima. Mr. Kelly, the vicethe one with half our provisions lost its hold, memory, lifted up his load, and hastened for- consul, was stopped by two robbers, who felt over and over he went, all the lassoes flew at ward. Here was reflection for me. I cast my an inclination for his horse, when, in endeahim, when, after bounding all down the moun- eyes first at the blanched corpse, now covered vouring to make his escape from them, they tain, they brought him up just as he reached with snow, then at his companion, then on the fired two shots at him, one of which tore away the torrent, thus saving the poor animal and dreary regions around me, when, finding a tear his coat, and grazed the skin from under his our provisions; but we lost all our wine, some of sympathy involuntarily starting to my eyes, arm. I went to see the body of a gentleman bread and beef, and a pot for boiling. I pushed forward, wishing almost to forget I who was dragged from his wife while in bed, Every man took his station, and we crawled had ever seen it." and murdered in the next room to her: he over as usual, on our bands and knees: the had fourteen stabs in his body, and appeared mules then followed, and the most distressing to have made a desperate resistance, for several work began; they got frightened, stumbled, "The day was beautifully clear and fine, chairs were broken, and parts of them covered and slipped, and cut themselves with the hard but high wind, which the rarefied atmosphere with blood and hair. It appears he used them to snow, to that degree, in their efforts to plunge rendered piercingly cold. The thermometer defend himself. Shortly after this, two French through it, that the whole track was covered stood at 34°. On the top is a small flat, but gentlemen were murdered on the Callao road, with blood. Several lost their balance, and the view is still bounded by mountains of and, strange to say, no steps were ever taken went flying down the precipice, till they were eternal snow, where human foot has never to find out the perpetrators of these horrid brought up with astonishing dexterity by the trod." crimes; they passed quite unheeded by the lassoes. One poor animal came rolling down, Lieut. Brand did not experience the puna, government, as if nothing had happened: inhead over heels; neither his struggles nor the or difficulty of breathing; and says, "All Ideed it was quite dangerous to walk the Alalassoes could save him; he bounded like a ball felt was great thirst, which I partially allayed meda, or public walk, after dusk, for so many into the torrent, where he rolled round and by eating the snow as I ascended the moun- robberies had been committed there during round, in vain struggling to stem its velocity, tain; but, strange to say, instead of allevi- broad daylight. The English and other fobeing dashed against rocks and stones, till he ating, this only irritates it, and it was a long reigners would never ride out excepting in was swept round a point, and I lost all sight time before we got to water, for the want of which parties of five or six, and then they were of him. Another soon followed, but was more we were all very much distressed. On my always well armed. During my short stay, fortunate than its companion, for he succeeded return across the Andes in December 1827, I Lima was visited by several temblores, or in gaining the opposite shore, where, very found the mules frequently stop to breathe, earthquakes, one of which was very severe, much to my astonishment, instead of seeing especially going up the Cumbre, where they and occurred in the evening, when the streets him laying with every bone in its body broken, stopt at every turning of the zig-zag path, were full of people. In my life I never expehe got up upon its legs, and began browsing as if affected in the lungs, when from expe- rienced a sensation more awful-a noise reamong the rocks: thus we lost the services of rience I found, as Acosta observes, that no sembling thunder was underneath my feetthree. My companion, who had crossed the spur or beating could make them go forward,' the earth shook and trembled a sickly sensaCordillera three times before, once in winter, till they went at their own pleasure: but this tion came over me, and I was nearly knocked had never seen a mule lose its footing, so as is not applicable to the Cumbre, or highest down by men, women, and children, flying to roll down the mountains. Sun- parts of the Cordillera only; for in many out of their houses, screaming Temblor, day, 19th, was a very cold morning, ther- places did they stop, as if from an affection temblor!' and running to and fro in all direcmometer at the freezing point, and blowing of the lungs, and not from the labour of climb- tions. Some lay down on their faces; most a gale of wind. The wild regions of snow ing. The same was the case with many of of the men were kneeling and crossing themwere close to us. We laced on our snow- the peons that would at times walk, for they selves, and praying to their saints for protecshoes, each man took his load, and we struck would stop and cry, puna! puna!' then tion. Children were clinging to their mothers, at once where nothing, save human beings, mount again; and they appeared also to know and screaming with all their might; the dogs could venture. We soon came to a desperate the spots where they would feel it, if on foot; howled most piteously, and, crouching among descent in the side of a mountain, all snow for they frequently remarked, 'Aqui esta the crowd, seemed to ask for protection; the and hard frozen. Now the labour of man mucha puna'there is much puna here.' horses stood trembling with affright, with commenced. It was with great difficulty the I could only attribute this to there being poor peons, being loaded, could keep their mineral in those spots, which might more or footing; several slipped down many feet, and less have affected the air, which had some were all but going into the torrent. One fell influence on the lungs." and rolled down a great way, but fortunately, The descent into Chili is almost one grand with the assistance of his stick, saved himself slide, so we slip over it, as also through Valfrom rolling into the torrent, but not until paraiso and Lima, &c., where we find nothing his ancle was dislocated to that degree that worthy of particular reference, save and exhe could not rise to walk again; thus, at first cept, perhaps, the following account of the starting, losing his services, and encumbering latter. us with a load more than we had a man to "I had been in Lima but a month, when I carry. The poor fellow was, from necessity, received orders to return to England. This compelled to crawl his way back to the mules put a check to all those observations which I again, for we could do nothing to assist him. was most anxious to make; but at the time I From hence nothing but snow was to be seen, left, the country was getting in a dreadful With the author's return to Buenos Ayres and it was truly painful to witness the labour state of alarm. Bolivar being expected, had we need not meddle; nor shall we touch upon and continued falling of the poor peons; at thrown all Lima into confusion, and by some a piece of sensibility, in rather a mawkish style, every step sinking up to their knees. As they parties a revolution was hourly expected; all entitled, the History of Two Brothers. But stopt to take breath, their cries were most dis- capable of bearing arms were enrolled in the as the emperor Pedro and his family of the tressing, being a long-drawn hey! uttered as militia, none excused excepting under the ages Brazils are persons of some interest at preif in the most dreadful agony, at the same of sixteen and above fifty. The preparations sent, we shall conclude with a few sentences time leaning on their sticks for support, which that were making to oppose his entrance, ap- relative to them. At the theatre at Rio he would frequently penetrate so deeply into the peared to lay every thing else aside; business was present, "accompanied by his two daughsnow as to throw them flat on their faces, was at a stand, government in suspense, one ters, the Queen of Portugal and the Infants. which the weight of their loads would bury party scarce knowing how to trust the other; The former is about ten years of age, and the in the snow, and cause them a great struggle armed bodies of banditti were fearlessly infest-latter an interesting little child of six or seven: to get out again. About four p. m. it came ing the public roads, committing murders and they were very plainly dressed, and as they on a heavy mist of snow, and I arrived at the robberies every day with impunity. During sat in their magnificent box in the centre of spot where lay the body of the poor peon that my short stay three murders were committed, the theatre, were to be seen to great advanhad perished but a few days ago. It was and innumerable robberies. Mrs. Walker, who tage. The interior of the house is very elepointed out to me by the man that was with kept the inn, was stopped on the Callao road, gant, consisting of four tiers of boxes on each him when he died, who gazed at it a moment, in company with a gentleman, by two robbers, side of the emperor's, which occupies the whole then looking at me in the face, shook his head who stripped them of every thing, and taking front of the theatre, excepting four small their riders kneeling by their sides, and the birds fluttered about in the air as if their wings were useless. After three successive shocks, a death-like silence prevailed, and every one appeared rivetted to the spot where they stood. All heads were uncovered, and the different attitudes of standing, kneeling, and laying, impressed me with feelings which I think will never be erased from my memory. This shock happened on October 30th, and was registered by many as being the smartest ever felt without doing damage or causing the loss of lives. The depravity of morals at Lima is proverbial.” · boxes just above it. The grand entrance to to the proselytizing mania in India, lest it sciousness of sound, than any distinct percepthe pit is underneath it, and it was certainly should endanger our mighty and populous tion; the well-known and peculiar sneeze of most superbly fitted up with chandeliers, pier- eastern dominions, it is enthusiastically re- Montague, however, suddenly aroused some glasses, tables, chairs, &c. having all the plied, that "the chance of saving one soul is latent and indefinable associations, as she imappearance of an elegant drawing-room; and worth more than the possession of the whole mediately started up, exclaiming, Who is being quite open in front, with the exception empire"-upon which position, we think, a that? Montague?' in a tone which instantly of a light gilt railing, they were quite exposed very rational degree of doubt may be enter- brought the nurse and Martha to the bedto the full view of the audience. Whenever tained; for by losing India, we must forego the side. Mrs. Montague stared wildly around the curtain dropt, the audience stood up, out hopes of enlightening future millions, and doing Where is he? Let me see him!' uttered of respect to the emperor; those in the pit infinitely more good in the mature process of in that convulsive tone which informed her facing him, at which time he would always time. attendants of the violence of a returning parise and come forward with the little queen In the narrative and conduct of the story roxysm, and reached the ears of Montague and child. He wore a plain blue coat, with- we have much of trifling minuteness; and cir- just as he was entering his room. The serout star or mark of distinction of any sort, cumstances are related, which we could not vant placed the light on the table and rewith white trowsers and shoes; and but for the have supposed it possible any one would con- tired. For Montague to attempt to undress gentlemen in waiting never sitting down or sider worth mentioning in conversation, far in his distracted state, or that he could have coming forward, it was impossible to distin- less of committing to paper, printing, and pub- any rest, was utterly impossible, and he reguish one from the other. The weather being lishing. For example turned to the landing of the stairs irresolute very warm, he used a plain white fan during "Miss Beauchamp's horse suddenly stumbled what to do. And again he heard Mrs. Monthe whole of the opera, which, by the by, and fell, the strap of her stirrup breaking at tague's voice incoherently raving, and quite is customary among the gentlemen in South the same instant. The poor animal rose with distinctly some of the sentences, such as, 'Yes, America. The queen is a very pretty little out his rider having sustained any injury; but I know he is in that prison-why then do you girl, with flaxen hair, and remarkably fair. Mr. Montague coming up at this moment, not open the door? Let me in open the door She was dressed quite like a little old maid, and seeing that one of his knees was cut, im--I must see him!"-Poor Mr. M. runs out of very plain, wearing a prim close cottage bon-mediately dismounted, and politely offered his the house, and lies in the fields; and in the net. The pretty infanta was the gayest of services to Henry, who was assisting his sister morning Mr. Beauchamp informed Dr. M. that them all, being dressed just like an English to dismount. He then begged Miss Beau-"Montague had literally passed the night in the child of the same age, with petticoat-trowsers champ would accept his horse to ride home, open air, and of all that had taken place. The and sash, her bright flaxen hair flowing in assuring her that it was perfectly safe and doctor said he should certainly recommend him long ringlets over her shoulders. The emperor quiet, his own sister having frequently tried to go to bed till dinner-time; and when Mr, is a handsome young man, about thirty years him. As they were seven or eight miles from Montague was at breakfast, as he looked exof age, with very dark hair and large whiskers. the vale where Mrs. Howard resided, Mr. tremely ill, and scarcely ate any thing, Dr. M. He is not very particular with respect to eti- Beauchamp felt in a sad dilemma, not wishing, expressed his fear that he was not well; and quette, for he was talking promiscuously to if possible, that Marcella should avail herself advised a warm bed, which he very reluctantly the ladies and gentlemen in the boxes on each of Mr. Montague's offer, and began making consented to have prepared." side of him, and they appeared to be very some blundering excuses; that the stirrup was We can hardly imagine that stuff of this familiar with him: he is frequently to be seen broken-regretting that his own horse would not sort can produce any good effect; or that it is driving about the town in his tilbury, or riding carry a lady. The difficulty about the stirrup likely to make converts to the cause espoused on horseback, in plain clothes, with only one it was soon recollected could very easily be by the writer, who seems, however, to be a servant: a vast contrast this to his mother, obviated by taking off one of the gentleman's. well-meaning person, with more of anxiety and the dowager queen of Portugal, who never It was then settled that Miss Beauchamp good intentions to promote what she considers appeared in public without the greatest pa- should accept Mr. Montague's horse, on con- to be right, than of judgment and ability to rade, and whoever passed her carriage, be dition that he would mount Henry's, while he effect any change. There never was (we they who they might, were obliged to kneel could lead the poor maimed animal to a farrier, are told) a period in the annals of the world, down, if it were ever so dirty. The emperor who lived scarcely a mile from the spot." when so striking a contrast and difference is a very active man, being up every morning This is melancholy trifling for a serious appeared manifest between the kingdom of by five o'clock. At six he may always be or any other kind of writer; but to be very Christ and of the wicked one, as at this moseen publicly bathing amongst the town's- particular is the author's forte; for when a ment. It is said, that the police officers who people, at the small island of Cobres, on which married lady is indisposed, and her husband have been stationed at the doors of some places is a small fort opposite the palace stairs, from asks the doctor how she is, and if he may see of fashionable, resort, have made very extrawhence he starts in his boat, undresses before her, the worthy doctor replies" Not yet, ordinary and loud remarks, on observing the every body, and jumps into the water, swim- certainly; but I hope Mrs. M. is better. amazing risks which many ladies hazard in ming amongst hundreds of others that are There are since yesterday some favourable running under, and between, the poles of carconstantly there about that hour, it being the symptoms, but the delirium still continues, riages, even through the mud and wet, to obpublic bathing-place of Rio de Janeiro." though the paroxysms are neither so violent tain admittance; such as They won't do nor so frequent; and the fever is much that to get into church to-morrow.' Surely, abated since a crisis has taken place which I the devil is come down amongst us, knowing had expected, by which your hopes, Mr. Mon- he hath but a short time!' &c. &c. Were tague, must be disappointed." An interview is, Wisdom herself to utter her voice in the nevertheless, brought about, in spite of this pro-streets, who would regard? The man who A TALE of the religious cast, in which, we hibition; and, though apparently very gravely cried wo, wo to Jerusalem,' was disrepresume, a little fiction is mixed for the sake told, we cannot help fancying the anecdote is garded, and yet it was no false prophecy or of connexion, though the incidents, such as meant to be facetious, if not ludicrous. alarm."-The causes of all this iniquity, the they are, are copied from reality. The princi- "As a servant was lighting Mr. Montague writer attributes to parents, "who, after their pal characters that figure on the canvass consist to his room, in his way to which he had to pass children are educated, instead of sending or of what are called serious people; and they that of Mrs. Montague, he thought he heard a taking them to church, allow them to spend are set forth, both by words and deeds, as the low moan, and could not help involuntarily the sabbath in going out with Sunday newsdisciples of methodism, and the strenuous pro- starting, and at the instant a current of air, papers, and even hawking them in the streets; moters of missionary labours. Marcella, how-added to his cold, suddenly caused him to sneeze holding horses for gentlemen who have no ever, marries a sceptic; and it is not till he ere he was aware, or had time to repress it. grooms; selling sticks and fruit at stalls, &c. dies, and leaves her a widow with one child, He hoped, however, it had not been echoed to &c." that she meets with a more congenial mind the interior of the apartment, and began to and a happier match. With every disposition ascend the stairs. Mrs. Montague's nerves, to applaud the benevolent efforts made by however, were in that state of irritability that, many virtuous persons to enlighten the igno-as the doctor had said, the least movement rant, and ameliorate the condition of their agitated her;' and as Montague passed her species, we must say that this work, in our door, the room being very quiet, and herself at opinion, carries the principle too far it ad- the moment completely awake, she first heard vocates a zealot passion, rather than a Chris- a slight noise near; but from the weakness of tian duty. Thus, when an objection is made her head, it was more a susceptibility or con Marcellu; or, the Missionary Abroad and at Home: containing Sketches and Incidents from Life. 2 vols. 12mo. London, 1828. Hatchard and Son. On of the most characteristic traits of the hero, who is a model of piety, is that of leaving his distressed friend in goal, in order not to neglect a missionary meeting. "He would not have heeded leaving his own affairs, though really requiring his personal attendance, but felt that the claims which the Missionary Society had upon him was his first duty. The demands of friendship were, undoubtedly, very urgent, and his own inclination and feelings are of a species we would most cordially en- "Heliogabolus is said to have calculated strongly impelled him to their fulfilment. It courage; a diary as it were of thoughts, the size of Rome from ten thousand pounds was true, he might return in time for the marked down in thinking, some most just, weight of cobwebs amassed within it. Mr. meeting; but how would his mind be pre-others erroneous, some sophisms, but evidently Colquhoun and the Reports of the Police and pared for the solemnity, and his thoughts dis- the production of no common-place mind. We Mendicity Committees have furnished us with tracted, by the trying scenes in which he will select a few of the shorter examples of similar materials for estimating the grandeur should in all probability be engaged? He what are among the best specimens. of our own metropolis. Only the dirt is then told Beauchamp exactly how he was situ- "A mother should give her children a super-moral. ated, and regretted that it should so happen fluity of enthusiasm, that after they have lost "A man's errors are what renders him that a paramount duty prevented his accom- all they will lose on mixing with the world, amiable,' says Goethe, in the last number of panying him to Wales. Beauchamp assured enough may still remain to prompt and support his Journal on Art, that is, in his seventySir Claudius, that, however great the conso- them through great actions. A cloak should seventh year. I said one day to a girl of lation would have been to him, it must now, be of three-pile, to keep its gloss in wear. fourteen: If you were but as good as your from the knowledge of that circumstance, be "The best criterion of an enlarged mind, brother!' Well!' she replied, with some. completely alloyed by the consciousness of an next to the performance of great actions, is thing of a bashful sullenness, I don't care. undue sacrifice." their comprehension. You would not be so fond of me, if I was.' Thus an act of absolute charity was neglected, "Fickleness is in women of the world the an act of cruel hard-heartedness committed-fault most likely to result from their situation and the excuse, the performance of a show-part in society. The weaknesses which they know at a public exhibition,-as if a man's mind are the most severely condemned, and the good would not be better attuned to his Maker's qualities which they feel to be most highly service after he had helped his suffering fellow-valued, in the female character, by our sex as creature. Away with such vile and selfish so-well as their own, have alike a tendency to phistications! they never will accelerate the render them generally obliging, to the excluMillenium which the writer declares to be sion, so far as nature will permit, of strong and rapidly approaching. durable, unmixed, uncountenanced attachment to individuals. Well! we deserve no better of them. And after all, the flame is only smothered by society, not extinguished: give it free ventilation, and it will blaze. "Poetry is to philosophy what the sabbath is to the rest of the week. Guesses at Truth. By Two Brothers. 2 vols. "It is well for us that we are born babies in intellect. Could we understand and reflect upon one half of what most mothers at that time say and do to us, we should draw conclusions in favour of our own importance which would render us insupportable for years. Happy the boy whose mother is tired of talking nonsense to him before he is old enough to know the sense of it! "I love to gaze on a breaking wave. It is the only thing in nature which is most beautiful in the moment of its dissolution. "Seeking is not always the way to find; or Altamira would have found a husband long ago. "A great man commonly disappoints those who visit him. They are on the look-out for his thundering and lightning, and he speaks about common things much like other people; nay, sometimes he may even be seen laughing. He proportions his exertions to his excitements: having been accustomed to converse with deep and lofty thoughts, it is not to be expected that he will flare or sparkle in ordinary chit-chat. One sees no pebbles glittering at the bottom of the Atlantic. "The tower of Babel could never have been built in a mountainous country: nature there awes and defies rivalry. I "The worst thing of all is a new church. love to say my prayers in a place where my fathers and forefathers have prayed. It may be idleness and vanity to think so, but somehow God seems to be nearer in a building where he has long been more immediately present. There is an odour of sanctity breath ing about an old church: the worn stones are hallowed by the feet which have trod, and the Beauty is perfection unmodified by a pre-knees which have knelt, on them: so much in it has been changed by time, that it is become more like a house not made with hands: no body now living can make any thing like it; its architect is forgotten-it is the work not of a man but of an age. A new church, on the contrary, was built by such a man, fitted up by such another: every thing about it is so neat and so modern; it is almost as smart as a theatre: there was no such thing five years ago, and what has been so short-lived can never seem to have any permanent reason "We hurry through life fearful, as it would for its existence, or indeed to have any thing seem, of looking back, lest we should be turned, permanent about it; and instead of the odour like Lot's wife, into pillars of salt. And, alas!of sanctity, one finds only the smell of paint. if we did look back, very often we should see It has no atmosphere of prayer; it is not a nothing but the blackened and smouldering treasure-house of the dead. My feelings on ruins of our vices, the smoking Sodom and Gomorrah of the heart. "Too much is seldom enough. Pumping after your bucket runs over prevents its keeping full. 12mo. London, 1828. J. Duncan. Ir is a singular fact, but no less strange than true, how little general reflection there is in the world: we should say people were too busy to think, were it not that the idle are ever the most thoughtless. The great mass of mankind may be divided into two classes, both of whose habits are alike inimical to much reflection. First, people of little or no feeling, to whom "sufficient for the day is the evil thereof," who follow the path of gain or of ambition, content to fix the view on its end, without pausing to calculate their steps, and who would deem it but lost time to observe "Since the generality of persons act from what may lie on the road-side. Secondly, impulse, and not from principle, men are neipeople of too much very acute feelings are ther so good nor so bad as we are apt to imagenerally accompanied by vivid imagination—gine them. half their pleasures and pains are unreal, and 46 too rapid in their progress for analysis: more- dominating expression. over, in such temperaments one object drives "The progress of knowledge is slow, like out another; and as fast travelling precludes the march of the sun. We cannot see him much observation of a country, so, in like man-moving, but after a time we may perceive that ner, variety and keenness of impressions are at he has moved onward. entire variance with deep thought. It is in the small class between these two, perhaps, that the quality of reflection is to be found, and but few are the numbers. Amid the immense variety of books which, spread out, would more than cover half our globe, how small a proportion do the works devoted to the mere observation of mental workings bear to those of every other kind! Scarcely a leaf, shell, reptile, or insect, whose minutest history has not been gathered; the distant corners of the earth have been ransacked, the very sun, moon, and stars, this subject I should have conceived would peered into for knowledge;-while that which, have been almost universal, had not an Amenevertheless, is the source of our all, the mind Many persons seem to keep their hearts rican gentleman once expressed to me his in its daily bearings, has been the most ne- in their eyes: you come into both together, surprise, that we let our churches in England, glected. To what important truths does a and so you go out of them. especially the cathedrals, grow so old and moment's consideration on the ordinary in- "The history of philosophy is the history dirty. He had seen the minsters of York cidents of life lead us! Passing through of a game at cat's cradle. One theory is taken and Lincoln, and assured me that, if they Hyde Park the other morning, on one side off; and then the taker off holds out a second stood in America, the outside of them would cuirass and bayonet flashing in the sun, a to you, of the same thread, and very like the be white-washed every ten years; such being body of troops were exercising, the crimson first, although not quite the same. According the American way of shewing their reverence riband on each breast bearing a medal, the to the skill of the players, the game lasts for the house of God. How far his statement reward for the destruction of thousands; while through more or fewer changes: but mostly is correct, I know not. A nation of yesterday on the other hand was the apparatus of the the string at length gets entangled, and you may perhaps be destitute of sympathy with the Humane Society, whose reward for saving a must begin afresh, or give over; or at best day before: but we in England, I trust, should life is also a medal. Surely, more frequent the cat's cradle comes back again, and you as soon think of white-washing Helvellyn." notice of such inconsistencies would in time have never a cat to put into it. lead also to the thought of remedy. The "Men harm others by their deeds, them. volumes which have occasioned these remarks selves by their thoughts. "The mind is like a trunk: if well packed, it holds almost every thing; if ill packed, next to nothing. Accurate and feeling, the passages quoted above are favourable specimens: there are many others which we should be inclined to Mr. Ebers's Seven Years of the King's Theatre. 8vo. Ainsworth. query, some from which we entirely dissent, the pit is objected to, as being the means of capabilities of the performers, to whom the and our critical estimates differ most widely: introducing improper company to that part of characters of the opera, when cast, are to be but, on the whole, we recommend these volumes the house, as it affords the means of admission allotted, in order that the best effects may be as deserving much attention, and as contain- at a lower rate than the door price; but the produced with the means of the theatre; and ing both much thought, and also the materials practical inconvenience of this does not, per- in this resides the chief advantage of a comfor thinking. We would, in the longer parts, haps, make itself greatly felt. And even if the poser being engaged to produce operas for a point out those on Posterity, on Veils, on evil was such as alleged, the infringement on particular theatre. This adaptation being Sculpture, and the Falls of the Rhine, as very the rights of the subscribers, by denying their made, the scene of operations having been eloquently written. tickets to the pit, would be no effectual re- hitherto confined to the composer's apartment, medy, as the same principle would exclude all the concert-room of the theatre, or some room the orders given by performers and the persons of similar dimensions, is resorted to, and an connected with the house, the facilities af- embryo rehearsal of the whole vocal part of forded by which, are, at least, as capable of the opera gone through, the accompaniment A WEEK or two ago we were enabled to lay being perverted: and to do this would be ob- being as yet limited to the composer's pianobefore our readers" some passages" from these viously impracticable. There can be no doubt forte. Before proceeding to the stage, the fashionable mémoires; and we now resume our that if the box tickets were excluded from the orchestral parts require to be set, and these notice, for the purpose of presenting the un-pit, the society in the pit would be very dif- are now added, according to the nature of the initiated with the writer's brief detail of the ferent; instead of all the men of fashion meet-expression to be conveyed, and the strength routine before and behind the curtain of this ing there, the company would be such as fre- of the instrumental music of the theatre. In curious Eleusis. Mr. Ebers gives the prin- quent the pits of other theatres; in con- many of Rossini's operas, parts are composed cipal features of the place very happily ;-we sequence of which, the price would necessarily for military bands behind the scenes, in addibreathe quite an Opera atmosphere; nay, even be lowered. One of the agrémens of the tion to the orchestra. The opera having by hear the finale of the overture; catch the King's Theatre is the certainty every one has these gradations received its form, and the sounds of the three managerial coups; and of meeting his friends from all parts of the composer's finishing touches being bestowed behold the crimson curtain, "fretted with world. It is the resort equally of the lovers upon it, it is committed to rehearsal in the golden fires," ascend before our eyes. Enter of music, the dance, and of those who care regular manner, the getting up, or mounting, Ebers qui sic loquitur. little for either, but who like to meet each being performed under the superintendence of "The present structure of the King's Thea- other, and feast their eyes by gazing on the composer, with the director, conductor, tre, situated in the Haymarket, was built by all the most beautiful as well as the best and stage-manager, though two of these latter Novosielski, in the year 1789, and has been dressed women resident in this country. To characters frequently unite in the same permuch admired for the adaptation of its shape take care of the house, and to attend to the son. The word rehearsal summons up, to to the purpose of effectually transmitting the doors of the theatre, to the boxes and all practically acquainted with its meaning, sounds from the stage to the audience; but the the stage, a great number of servants are a scene beyond description. If the performpart allotted to the stage is too diminutive for employed. The housekeeper's situation is one ances of a theatre are intended to represent the business of the theatre,-a defect occa- of some trust, and usually filled by a person the truth of human nature, a rehearsal is the sionally productive of great inconvenience. The of corresponding character. The housekeeper living reality-the scene where the veil is rent same cause renders it necessary to have the superintends the state of the theatre, as to in twain, and all the turmoil laid open to the dressing-rooms under the stage, as also the cleanliness and neatness, has apartments in view which can be produced by the undisguised depôt of part of the wardrobe, the remainder the house, and a box appropriated to her own operations of vanity, self-love, and jealousy. being deposited between the ceiling and the use. The box-keepers number about twenty, The fabled crowds who petitioned Heaven to roof of the house. Indeed, the necessity of and receive salaries amounting aggregately to allot their parts in life otherwise than Fate had improving to the utmost every inch of room, about three hundred pounds. The expense cast them, are but a type of the inmates of a has had the effect of making the passages to of the military guard employed at the door theatre behind the scenes, when contending for the stage from the different parts of the house amounts annually to upwards of one hundred prominent characters in an opera. Perhaps perfect labyrinths. The audience part con- and fifty pounds. The company of performers with the very first performers there is not sists of the pit, boxes, and gallery; the boxes are naturally to be considered under two dis- much of this, as their right to the principal being disposed in five tiers, four entire, and tinct classes, as attached to the opera or to the parts cannot be disputed. But dire is the the fifth interrupted in the centre part ballet. The opera is under the guidance of the struggle among all below. A part rather betby the gallery, which is on the same level, director of the music, if any is employed. The ter than another is an apple of contention, and extends above the thirteen most central director assists the manager in the selection of which, to manager, director, and conductor, boxes of the inferior tier. The entire number the performances; and when fixed upon, he proves a most bitter fruit. As every person of boxes is two hundred and two, which are distributes the parts to the singers, and directs likes to have that character which may best let either for the season or for single nights, the general routine of representation, the ef-serve not the general effect of the piece, or and are calculated for the reception of six per- fecting of which, in the minuter details, de- the interests of the theatre, which are wholly sons each box; and six ivory tickets are ac- volves on the stage-manager and the conductor immaterial-but his or her own object in makcordingly issued to the subscriber who takes a of the music. By these, according to their ing the greatest display possible; and as nonbox. These tickets are admissible to the pit; several departments, the due execution of the concession is the permanent rule of the place, hence it is customary for subscribers to dispose parts is attended to, the training of the cho- the opera is placed in the pleasing predicament of their tickets on those nights on which they rus-singers and inferior performers, the man- of being able neither to get one way nor the have no occasion for all or any of them. As, agement of the scenery, and the performance other. The prima donna, whose part is settled, however, the tickets are strictly tickets of ad- of the orchestra. The engagements for the attends the rehearsal, and the seconda, being mission to the boxes whose numbers they bear, orchestra are in general made by the director; displeased with her own station in the piece, some inconvenience has occasionally arisen those of the performers, and other persons em- will not go on; and the first lady, indignant from the persons employed to sell these tickets ployed, by the manager. I have already stated at being detained to no purpose, goes away, omitting to inform the purchasers that, al- my opinion, that in this country a composer of and the business is over for the day. If the though bor tickets, they are sold as pit tickets operas is an unnecessary part of the establish- manager is positive, the lady falls ill. Biagioli, only. The possible occurrence, however, of a ment of the King's Theatre. Should one, being refused a part she wanted in Elisa e trifling mistake, which is soon rectified, is however, be retained, his duties are regulated Claudio,' took to her bed for two days, in conamply counterbalanced by the many con- by the terms of his engagement, and consist sequence, as she said, of being so afflicted by veniences attendant on the admissibility of the primarily in the composing of operas for the my decision. The refusal to proceed is the box tickets to the pit. Whilst the heavy en- theatre, and attending to the mounting of more effectual engine, because it puts all the gagements of performers, and the other great them, when ready to be put in rehearsal. The rest of the company out of humour at their expenses of the theatre, render the subscrip- composer, on applying himself to his task, time being occupied needlessly: all complain, tion to the boxes necessarily so high, it is only moulds the first rough score of his music on and a dialogue goes on, in which every body equitable that the subscribers should have the the scale of the piano-forte, and this, when talks at once; and probably three different means of, at least, a partial indemnity for the completed, forms the ground-work, or skeleton languages, at least, being simultaneously emexpense they incur, whenever circumstances of the entire piece. The music having been ployed by different speakers, the result may be prevent their availing themselves in person, or applied to the words which are supplied by conceivable, but not expressible. The signori with their own parties, of their right of admis- the poet of the theatre, the next step is to protest, the signore exclaim, the choruses are sion. The power of transferring the tickets to adapt the different parts of the music to the wonderfully in concert in their lamentations, |