That as I sat, the wings and soft breast picking, A simple, blue-eyed girl, with rosy cheeks, Of new-born light, that every morn forerun Up to Ben-Lomond's top, and see the world, The thick grey mists of dewy night were curl'd; At sunrise they disperse, and then appears A sight you will not see once in a thousand years. But you must know 'tis not so easy work To climb Ben-Lomond as green Arthur Seat,The one requires the vigour of a Turk, The other's but a middling sort of feat; The one you may do without much presumption, The other, at the risk of a consumption. I do not wish to boast, but I must say, That, though unused to scramble up a hill, I neither stopp'd nor rested by the way, "Creation's heir, the world! the world! is mine," Said Dr Goldsmith, looking proudly down From some high ridge of Alp or Apennine, On lake and river, valley, grove, and town; 'Tis pity that the Doctor never came To see Ben-Lomond,-he'd have said the same. Oh! 'tis a glorious sight-a sight that gleams Full on the soul, and wakens high-born thought, And brings the bright creations of bright dreams Before our eyes, with life and being fraught; Oh! ye false poets! after scenes like these, Go prate to babes of" dull realities." Well, Tennant! hast thou sung-thou bard of Fife,In "Anster Fair," thy first lay and thy best, (A lay with richest thoughts and fancies rife, And many a racy, long-remember'd jest,) "Oh! I could throw me down, and worship there The God who garnish'd out a world so bright and fair!" And who could not? Did Atheist ever stand To where, far off, the skies, descending, bound The mighty landscape? Oh! in one short look, Reads he no words of light on Nature's book? And with these holier feelings comes there not Montgomery's sword, or Douglas' snowy crest,- Long stood I there, then travell'd slowly down The green hill's side; and, when I reach'd the Inn, My fit of inspiration, I must own, Was nearly over, so I saw no sin In doing all that hands and teeth were able And now, dear lake and mountain, fare-ye-well! He who has seen you once in his life's spring, As I have done, will ne'er forget the spell Your thousand beauties o'er his spirit fling; Gloom, clouds, and woe, may o'er his fate be cast, But, 'midst the darkness, thy fair scenes will last Green on his soul, and mingled with his dreams Of sunny light, your beauties too will rise, UNPUBLISHED Letters of dr PRIESTLEY. A FRIEND lately put into our hands a series of letters, written by the above eminent author to a friend of the name of Ross, in the year 1798. With occasional allusions to topics of more general interest, they relate principally to a work which Priestley was at that time preparing for the press, and which he afterwards published at London in 1800, with the title, “ Comparison of the Institutes of Moses with those of the Ancient Hindoos, and other Early Nations." Of Dr Ross we have been able to learn nothing, farther than that he was a native of Scotland, and had acted in a professional capacity, at first in the East Indies, and afterwards in Philadelphia. He returned to his native country about the beginning of the present century, and in 1809 he was alive, and residing at Dundee. He maintained a correspondence with some of the most distinguished characters of the day; and, from the diversity of subjects respecting which his opinion was asked, must have been a man whose active mind took an interest in all intellectual pursuits. Al We present our readers with extracts from some of Priestley's letters; and one, which is entirely devoted to general topics, we quote at length. We consider them as interesting, not merely because they give us a pleasing picture of the manner in which one of our earliest and best analytical experimentalists expressed his feelings and opinions in private and confidential intercourse, but also because we view Priestley as the representative of a numerous portion of our English Dissenters. That large and influential class consisted, at the time of its first secession from the Church, of very heterogeneous materials. though the necessity of supporting themselves against the preponderating influence of the establishment, has kept up a faint shadow of external union among the three most influential sects, it has been more in appearance than reality. What has the stern Calvinism of Newton in common with the semi-deism of Price and Priestley? The consequence has been, an impossibility of introducing into the union any explicit standard of belief; and the want of such a fundamental creed, has encouraged much vagueness and fluctuation in the religious principles of many members and congregations. It is under such circumstances that the Unitarians have so increased in number ; a body of men among whom are to be met many instances of moral worth and pious sentiment, but many of whom certainly wore, about the close of last century, the garment of Christianity very loosely about them. It was these men who materially contributed, at an early period of the French Revolution, to swell the ranks of the revolutionary party in this country; but the farther progress of that national convulsion frightened them back to their allegiance. To us, one of the greatest charms of the letters we now submit to our readers is, that they express the views entertained on that question at the close of last century, by the most amiable, and learned man whom the Unitarians have produced. Our first extract is from a letter dated Northumberland, 18th January, 1798; "As I could not have composed the work on which I am now busy, and which will, I hope, be thought both curious and useful, without your kind assistance, in supplying me with books, will you give me leave to prefix to it a letter of dedication to yourself, expressing my obligation to you, and my friendship and esteem for you. I shall say nothing that I think you will disapprove. However, you shall see it before it be printed. have, by Mr Thatcher, made a proposal to Mr Dobson about the printing of this work; and if he decline it, I shall get it done by some means or other; and, I hope, the next spring or summer. In less than a month, I shall have made it as perfect as I can. It will make a moderate Svo volume. "I have a letter from Paris, which gives a more favourable account of the state of religion in France than I exparted to have heard. Several of my theological writings will be translated. On this account, I am disposed to forgive them in other respects. What nation can throw the first stone? Not this. "If it can be managed, I will come to Philadelphia, to present my work. It will not take more than a fortnight, and then you may perhaps return with me.' " A letter, dated 8th March, of the same year, contains nothing of consequence, but encloses a copy of his proposed dedication, from which we quote one passage: "I think it a circumstance of no small weight in the argument, that a person who has seen so much of the world, and is so well acquainted with the principles and effects of other religions, is sincerely attached to Christianify; and you agree with me in thinking, that we shall be more sensibly struck with its superior excellence, from comparing it with other systems, in forming which, the founders of them were possessed of greater natural advantages. With your concurrence, I have taken some pains with this argament, and I hope it will not be without its effect on the candid and reflecting.-You, sir, have seen what the religion of the Hindoos, as well as that of the Mahometans, really is; and you have the same conviction that I have, and perhaps a stronger, of the advantage we derive from Christianity, and of the debasing tendency of the heathen superstitions, and of the extreme improbability of any man, however enlightened in other respects, recovering themselves from the deplorable state into which idolatry and superstition had brought them." What follows is from a letter bearing date the 10th May, 1798: I thank you for Dupuis. It is a very curious book, and will require some animadversion in a preface or appendix. But it will hardly be possible to treat it with seriousness. If his denying the existence of Christ and his Apostles be not a mere jeu d'esprit, we must say of him, as Festus did of Paul, that much learning had made him mad. "While the Americans are preparing to fight the French by land and on sea, 1 am fighting them in my laboratory. I have no doubt now, but that I shall overturn their new system of chemistry. I want to hear from Berthold and others in France, and then I shall publish some more experiments, to which, I think, they will not easily make any reply." The next letter, on account of its general interest, we give at length; it is dated 6th December: "Dear Friend, I cannot express how much I feel for your most calamitous situation, and the probable consequence of losing you from this country, and, I fear, from any place where I am likely ever to reside; whereas, I ever fattered myself that, wherever that was, you would accompany me; and our dispositions being so much alike, it would, I doubt not, have been a source of mutual satisfaction. We must, however, submit, with as much cheerfulness as we can, to the disposal of that Great Being, who best knows where to place us for the part that he has appointed us to act. If we do this faithfully, our separation will be but temporary, and, with respect to either of us, cannot be of long continuance. My years and my studies ad me continually to look forward to that time, and every thing intermediate appears to me to be of little consequence with respect to myself. "Every believer in revelation must, however, be greatly interested in the scenes that are now opening to our view; as have no doubt they will lead to the accomplishment of those prophecies which respect the final and happy state of things in this world, though preceded, as we are fully ap prized, with a season of great calamity. Whatever be the view of the French in taking possession of Egypt, I rejoice in it, as it must lead to a happy revolution in all that part of the Turkish dominions which includes Palestine, and may eventually contribute to the restoration of the Jews. This, I am informed, is also one of their projects, though certainly not with any view to the fulfilment of prophesy; and it is, on that account, a favourable circumstance. "There is so little prospect of peace at present, that I have given up all thoughts of leaving this country for some years, though it gives me some concern that I am neither doing nor getting any good in it, and I wish to be useful the short time that I have to live. Though I cannot publish any thing more here, I continue to write, in hope of more favourable times. I had finished my Exposition of the Prophets when you were here. I have since made great progress with the Pentateuch. Whether I ever print this work or not, I could not do any thing that would give me so much satisfaction, and I cannot be idle. The work that is to bear testimony to our friendship I have in view, and collect for the improvement of it. It will be the first of my future publications, and I think it will now make a volume 4to. I have, with a view to this work principally, been reading Niebuhr's Description of Arabia, and I can read the Arabic words that occur in it pretty readily. Mr Cooper has this work, but not the Travels. That, however, I have in an abridgement. "I hope that my son and you will contrive to sail together, and that a good Providence will attend you both. If the voyage be the means of establishing your health, of which I have good hopes, we may yet meet somewhere in this world. Give my respectful compliments to Mr and Mrs Lister. I think myself honoured by their kind notice of me. As to the politics of the day, and of the country, I think very little about them; but I do not like the general complexion of them. All good men will be well-wishers to all the human race; and it is natural to feel something more for one's native country, as I sincerely do. With every good wish, yours, &c." A POINT FOR THE CRITICS. From the French of Armand Gouffe. "WRITE just as you speak," say modern critics, That desperate band of merciless ascetics: O ye! who fix the laws of composition, Have ye no pity for my sad condition ? Tell me, in God's name, how should I compose, For, gentle critics, I speak through my nose! H. G. B. LITERARY CHIT-CHAT AND VARIETIES. MR HENRY G. BELL is preparing for the press, a volume of Miscellaneous Poems, which will appear in November. The second edition of Mr Bell's Life of Mary Queen of Scots, is on the eve of publication. Mrs J. S. Prowse has a volume of Miscellaneous Poems in the press, to be published this month. The Lyre and the Laurel, two volumes of the most beautiful fugitive poetry of the 19th century, will appear in a fortnight. Captain Calder Campbell of the Madras army is about to publish "Lays from the East." "Chartley the Fatalist," a novel, by a regular Contributor to Blackwood, may be expected in a few days. Mrs Bray, author of " De Foix," "The White Hoods," &c. has in the press a romance, entitled, "The Talba, or Moor of Portugal." Cooper, the American novelist, is about to publish "The Water Witch, or the Skimmer of the Sea." The "Lives of the Italian Poets," by the Rev. Henry Stebbing, in three volumes, embellished with thirty medallion portraits, are ready for publication. Mr Boaden is rapidly advancing with his "Life of Mrs Jordan." Waldensian Researches, during a second visit to the Waldenses, by the Rev. W. S. Gilly, may be expected shortly. The Romantic Annals of France, from the time of Charlemagne to that of Louis XIV. inclusive, from the pen of Mr Leitch Ritchie, will form the new series of the "Romance of History." The Rev. Mr Evans has a volume in the press on the Formation and Character of a Christian Family, entitled "The Rectory of Valehead." Mr Logan's work on the Celtic Manners of the Highlands and Highlanders, and on the National Peculiarities of Scotland, is nearly ready for publication. .Australia and Emigration, by Robert Dawson, Esq., late chief agent of the Australian Agricultural Company, is announced. Mr Dawson's work will contain a minute account of the manners, customs, and natural dispositions of the aboriginal inhabitants as they exist in their native forests, and the progressive effects of European society upon their morals and condition; with a description of Australian forest scenery, and practical remarks upon the climate, soil, and capacities of the country; being the result of his three years' residence in Australia. A popular Treatise on the Nature and Cure of Consumption, by James Kennedy, Member of the Royal College of Surgeons, will appear in November. is upwards of sixty, his hair white as the driven snow, but he enter ed into the game with as much spirit, and played as closely and steadily, as the youngest man on the field. The day was raw and gusty, but he stood in his bare feet, without coat or waistcoat, and with his arms bare to the shoulders, for upwards of three hours. CHIT-CHAT FROM DUMFRIES.-Last week was a busy week here. First, we had the circuit court, with the usual train of young, lank, and hungry lawyers. I wonder what brings them here. They average four advocates to one case. Next came the Highland Society's cattle-show, with its dinner and show-ball. To add to the commo tion, it was the fair week. Lastly, Alexander, scenting, like a bird of prey, the gathering from afar, pounced down upon us with the irresistible attraction of Miss Jarman. The theatre was crammed every night-no very difficult matter, seeing the gentlemen in the central front seat of the gallery might shake hands with the heroes on the stage. At the dinner of the Highland Society, a reverend gentleman, attempting to be peculiarly eloquent, alluded, in giving SCOTTISH MILITARY AND NAVAL ACADEMY.-We are happy to the health of the present, to the merits of the late, Duchess of Buclearn that the Directors of this flourishing institution have appointed cleuch. He concluded by hoping her Grace would emulate the vir Mr George Roland to the superintendence of all the military, broad- tues of" that good lady who is now in heaven." This startling sword, and gymnastic exercises, with Sergeant-major Mercer as his flight produced an interval of deep and awkward silence, which was assistant. Mr Roland held already the appointment of Fencing-only broken by a voice from a distant corner exclaiming, "Wha's master in the establishment, gotten there noo?"-You will be glad to learn that your talented friend, Allan, has become editor of our Journal. (Mr Allan has contributed to the Literary Journal a beautiful little poem, to which his name is prefixed, and a tale of the West Indies, entitled "Judgment Cliff." He has contributed to this month's British Magazine, "The Last of the Morrisons." We have no doubt that he will soon raise the Dumfries Journal to a high rank in the newspaper press of Scotland. We speak without prejudice to our allegiance to the M'Diarmid.-ED. LIT. JOUR.) ANNUALS." The Winter's Wreath" is to contain thirteen plates, among which are:-The Three Maries, engraved by Smith, from Benjamin West's picture. The' Mother, by Finden, after Westall. Interior of Antwerp Cathedral, by Radclyffe, after Wild. Delos, by Miller, after Linton. Among the literary contributors are, Mrs Hemans, Miss Jewsbury, Delta, Dr Bowring, &c. &c.-" Le Keepsake Français" promises eighteen plates, and among others,-Portraits of the Duchess of Berri and Miss Croker, after Sir Thomas Lawrence. Don Quixote in his Library, by Bonington. Barnard Castle, by Turner. The Young Widow, by Rochard-and the Lake of Como, after Stanfield. The literary contributors are Chateaubriand, Casimir Delavigne, Al. Dumas, De Béranger, De Lamartine, and others, the most eminent French litterateurs.-These Annuals are both announced for the 1st of November.-The proprietors of "Friendship's Offering," announce a new "Comic Offering," under the superintendence of Miss L. H. Sheridan. CHIT-CHAT FROM LONDON-The wonderful wild beast from Brunswick may be seen every day in Jermyn Street; but, from the small number of visitors, it does not seem to excite much curiosity. -The King, it is expected, will open the Parliament in person.Mr Beckford has removed his collection of pictures and other works of art, and his library, from his house in Gloucester Place, to Bath.Moore is in Ireland, where he is understood to be collecting materials for his History of Ireland.-Allan Cunningham is busy with his "Lives of the Architects," which he expects to have ready about Christmas. Mr S. C. Hall is sub-editor of the New Monthly.Haydon has published a mezzotinto engraving by Coombes, from his picture of Napoleon musing at St Helena.-A new edition of Paul Clifford has been published. The only addition of any length, is a disgusting and contemptible attack upon the late King. CHIT-CHAT FROM GLASGOW.-A new piece," The House of Lec," is about to be produced at the theatre in York Street. Judging from its perusal in MS., success is certain. It is from the pen of a Glasgow gentleman, but is to be performed here only experimentally. It has already, I hear, been bargained for by the lessees of Drury Lane."The Glancer," it is alleged, has been rather partial in his selection of names. There were others equally entitled to be particularised with those he has mentioned; among others, a gentleman whose collection of engravings is unrivalled here.-Our digestion is at last restored, and harmony re-established-in every sense of the word; for all our musical professors are again at their post.-An enlarged edidition of Clark's Psalmody has been published, and a beautiful adaptation of music to a juvenile indiscretion of Atkinson's, by Young and M'Fadyen.-Dr Macnish's volume was subscribed to the trade yesterday.-Oliver and Boyd's great card (well played) was most successful.-Many other new works are announced by Messrs M Phun, Atkinson, &c. &c.—As a specimen of the march of refinement, I enclose the veritable card of a chimney-sweeper, who called and left his pasteboard at my house t'other day. [The card is alike creditable to the taste of the gentleman whose name it bears, and of the artist who executed it.-ED. L. J.] CHIT-CHAT FROM HAMILTON.-A well-contested match at quoits was played, on Bothwell-haugh, last Saturday, between six crack players from Glasgow, and six from Lesmahagow. There were six rinks. At that next the river, the Lesmahagow champions conquered -forty-one to fifteen; at the second, Glasgow was victorious-fortyone to twenty-six; at the third, Glasgow was again the conqueror forty-one to thirty-eight. Lesmahagow was declared victor of the day in virtue of her having the largest total of shots, but as Glasgow triumphed at two of the rinks, her defeat was untinged by shame. The contest is to be renewed next year. The Glasgow men are perhaps finer players, but they want the tremendous strength of their upland neighbours. The Lesmahagow players use quoits about the breadth of an ordinary broth-plate. The most interesting sight on the field was old Cleland, one of the Lesmahagow champions. He CHIT-CHAT FROM AUCHTERARDER.-An unusual excitement has been caused in our literary circles, by a stray copy of the first volume of Moore's Life of Lord Byron. It will afford ample tea-table discussion to our blue-stockings for the ensuing winter.-The only claim our good town lately had to distinction, was its being the birth-place of the gallant, but unfortunate, Sandy M'Kay. Of course the village bards have indited elegies, monodies, dirges, laments, &c upon his death," without number, numberless;" all of which would honour those master-spirits of the lyre, Bobby Montgomery and Henry Sewell Stokes. But to this glory, Auchterarder now adds that of possessing the most flourishing Temperance Society in Scotlandthe number of members equalling one-fo irth of the inhabitants. At one of the late meetings, a dispute occurred between two worthies. candidates for the arduous situation of doorkeeper, which many feared would terminate in a hostile meeting; but the affair was amicably arranged by the Judicious interference of the friends of the parties. Theatrical Gossip.-Drury Lane will open on Friday, the 1st, and Covent Garden on Monday, the 4th of October.-Macready is engaged for three years at Drury Lane. Young has no engagement, but has no immediate intention of retiring.-The Adelphi opens to-day, with Mathews and Yates.-Charles Kemble left London for Paris lately, but will return before the opening of his theatre.-The building of Arnold's new theatre cannot commence until an act of Parliament has been obtained to authorize the equitable adjustment of the various interests connected with the new line of street.-Miss Paton has been warmly received at the Haymarket.-Kean has been performing at Cheltenham, in Richard III., Sir Giles Overreach, and Othello.Mathews was "At Home" in the Assembly Rooms there, and entertained his visitors with the aid of his "Comic Annual."-Seymour has opened at Glasgow with a melo-dramatic company. He is to receive an accession of strengh as soon as the London summer season is at an end.-Alexander, who had commenced operations at Carlisle, made a trip to Dumfries last week. Miss Jarman was the chief attraction of his company, and drew bumpers every night. She is now at Carlisle for the race week.-We learn that Miss and Mr G. Horncastle have been engaged for our Theatre-Royal. Mr Murray is to have a corps-de ballet. Pritchard is re-engaged. Barton and Montague Stanley do not return. Miss Betts, the singer, is likely to have an engagement in Edinburgh.-Why should not Miss Byfield (one of the cleverest singers extant) be transferred from the Caledo nian to the Theatre-Royal? TO OUR CORRESPONDENTS. "ASTOLPHO" is under consideration.-" W. M. H." likewise.— "W. W." will scarcely answer.—“ J. M." of Ayr will see that he has unluckily been going over travelled ground.—" W. T." is a slippery subject: he will see we have availed ourselves of his information.— "F. D." may have his verses by calling at our publishers.-Our learned Correspondent from Fife knows how we esteem his talents, but we think he has misapprehended the Dr's drift.-" W. J." has reduced us to such an alternative that we know not what to say. We may be able to answer his question in the course of a week.""X+Y" is minus on the present occasion.-We must decline "J. R.'s" communications. LITERARY CRITICISM. Conversations of James Northcote, Esq. R. A. liam Hazlitt. 8vo. Pp. 328. London. and Bentley. 1830. By Wil- PRICE 6d. the incompatibility of his temper rendering a separation necessary in both cases, he may be regarded as hanging loosely upon society. Without any definite object in life, exerting himself even in literature only when forced by urgent necessity, his life was indeed what he has termed his father's, but a dream. His first work, an essay "On the Principles of Human Action," was published in 1805. It was of too abstract a nature to become popular, and is, we suspect, known to few, although, as containing some curious and accurate observations in moral physiology, it deserves attention. Sir James Mackintosh has bestowed an encomium upon it in his Dissertation on Ethical Philosophy. In 1807, he published an abridgement of Tucker's Light of Nature, with a preface. These, we believe, with the exception of his contributions to the Encyclopæ dia Britannica, are his only systematic works. his metaphysical studies, he made the acquaintance of the Lake Poets; and the conversation of these gentlemen aided materially in giving his mind its peculiar bent. He selected the profession of a painter; but, either from want of perseverance, or from some organic defect counteracting the workings of a mind delicate and passionate in the THE late William Hazlitt was born in Shropshire, extreme, he never rose to eminence. Latterly he abanabout the year 1780. His father was a dissenting clergy-doned the pursuit entirely. Although twice married, man, and his son has somewhere given us a portrait of him. "He had been a poor Irish lad, carefully brought up by his parents, and sent to the University of Glasgow, (where he studied under Adam Smith,) to prepare him for his future destination. It was his mother's proudest wish to see her son a dissenting minister. So, if we look back to past generations, (as far as eye can reach,) we see the same hopes, fears, wishes, followed by the same disappointments, throbbing in the human heart; and so we may see them (if we look forward) rising up for ever and disappearing, like vapourish bubbles in the human breast! After being tossed about from congregation to congregation, in the heats of the Unitarian controversy and squabbles about the American war, he had been relegated to an obscure village, where he was to spend the last thirty years of his life, far from the only converse he loved, the talk about disputed texts of scripture, and the cause of civil and religious liberty. Here he passed his days, repining but resigned, in the study of the Bible, and the perusal of the commentators, huge folios, not easily got through, one of which would outlast a winter! Why did he pore on these from morn to night (with the exception of a walk in the fields, or a turn in the garden to gather broccoli-plants, or kidney-beans of his own rearing, with no small degree of pride and pleasure?) Here were no figures, no fantasies,'-neither poetry nor philo. sophy-nothing to dazzle, nothing to excite modern curiosity; but to his lack-lustre eyes there appeared, within the pages of the ponderous, unwieldy, neglected tomes, the sacred name of Jehovah in Hebrew capitals; pressed down by the weight of the style, worn to the last fading thinness of the understanding, there were glimpses, glimmering notions of the patriarchal wanderings, with palm-trees hovering in He was, for some time, the theatrical critic of the the horizon, and processions of camels at the distance of Morning Chronicle. Whilst engaged with that journal, three thousand years; there was Moses with the burning bush, the number of the Twelve Tribes, types, shadows, he had the merit of first discerning, and loudly and per glasses, on the law of the prophets; there were discussions severingly proclaiming, the merits of Kean and Miss Ste(dall enough) on the age of Methuselah, a mighty specula-phens. His zealous partisanship was not without inflution! there were outlines, rude guesses at the shape of Noah's Ark, and at the riches of Solomon's Temple; questions as to the date of the creation, predictions of the end of all things; the great lapse of time, the strange mutations of the globe, were unfolded with the voluminous leaf, as it turned over; and though the soul might slumber with an hieroglyphic veil of inscrutable mysteries drawn over it, yet it was in a sleep ill-exchanged for all the sharpened realities of sense, wit, fancy, or reason. My father's life was comparatively a dream; but it was a dream of infinity and eternity, of death, the resurrection, and a judgment to * My father was one of those who mistook bis talents after all. He used to be very much dissatisfied that I preferred his letters to his sermons. The last were forced and dry; the first came naturally from him. For Fase, half-plays on words, and a supine, monkish, indolent pleasantry, I have never seen them equalled." come! Born just at the period when speculations on the perfectibility of human nature were carried to the most extravagant pitch, young Hazlitt plunged fearlessly into that illimitable discussion. Just as he was commencing He contributed extensively to the periodical publications of the day, and has done more, perhaps, than any writer of his time, to elevate the character of criticism on literature and the fine arts. His practical knowledge of painting gave him a firmness of footing in that depart ment, which no critic but himself possessed. His taste in poetry was delicate, manly, and just. His analysis of character was accurate and daring. His illustrative imagery, although confined within a narrow range, was beautiful and appropriate. His style was truly English nervous, and dazzling. ence in accelerating the rapid rise of these eminent performers in public estimation. He continued for a long period to write political and critical articles in the Examiner newspaper. During the editorship of John Scott, and for some time after the death of that gentleman, he was the chief support of the London Magazine. He also wrote for the Edinburgh Review-among many articles we may be allowed to particularise that on the Standard Novelistsand latterly for the New Monthly Magazine. The greater proportion of these detached essays have been collected and published by their author at different times, under the titles of "Table Talk," "The Plain Speaker," "The Spirit of the Age," &c. &c. He also published An Account of British Galleries of Art, Political Essays and Public Characters, and a View of the English Stage. His merits as a writer we have already mentioned. His defects had their source in an irascible and ungovernable temper, and in extreme indolence. The former not unfrequently gave a wrong bias to his most ingenious “I asked if he had seen the American novels, in one of which (the Pilot) there was an excellent description of an American privateer, expecting the approach of an English man-of-war in a thick fog, when some one saw what appeared to be a bright cloud rising over the fog, but it proved to be the top-sail of a seventy-four. Northcote thought this was striking, but had not seen the book. Was it one of I's? Oh, no! he is a mere trifler-a filigree man -an English littérateur at second hand;' but the Pilot gave a true and unvarnished account of American life and manners. The storm, the fight, the whole account of the ship's crew, and, in particular, of an old boatswain, were done to the life every thing Suffer'd a sea-change Into something new and strange. "On land he did not do so well. The fault of American literature (when not a mere vapid imitation of ours) was, that it ran too much into dry, minute, literal description; or, if it made an effort to rise above this ground matter-offact, it was forced and exaggerated—' horrors accumulating on horror's head.' They had no natural imagination. This was likely to be the case in a new country like America, where there were no dim traces of the past-no venerable monuments-no romantic associations; where all, except the physical, remained to be created, and where fiction, if they attempted it, would take as preposterous and extravagant a shape as their local descriptions were jejune and servile. Cooper's novels and Brown's romances (something on the model of Godwin's) were the two extremes." SIR WALTER SCOTT AND MR Cooper. "[Loquitur Hazlitt. ]-There are two things I admire in Sir Walter, his capacity and his simplicity; which indeed I am apt to think are much the same. The more ideas a man has of other things, the less he is taken up with the idea of himself. Every one gives the same account of the author of Waverley in this respect. When he was in Paris, and went to Galignani's, he sat down in an outer room to look at some book he wanted to see: none of the clerks had the least suspicion who it was: when it was found out, the place was in a commotion. Cooper, the American, was in Paris at the same time: his looks and manner seemed to announce a much greater man. He strutted through the streets with a very consequential air; and in company held up his head, screwed up his features, and placed himself on a sort of pedestal, to be observed and admired, as if he never relaxed in the assumption, nor wished it to be forgotten by others, that he was the American Sir Walter Scott. The real one never troubled himself about the matter. Why should he? He might safely leave that question to others. Indeed, by what I am told, he carries his indifference too far: it amounts to an implied contempt for the public, and misprision of treason against the commonwealth of letters. He thinks nothing of his works, although all Europe rings with them from side to side.'" ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE. "Here Northcote stopped suddenly, to ask if there was not such a word as rivulet in the language? I said it was as much a word in the language as it was a thing in itself. He replied, it was not to be found in Johnson; the word was riveret there. I thought this must be in some of the new editions; Dr Johnson would have knocked any body down who had used the word riveret. It put me in mind of a story of Y the actor, who, being asked how he was, made answer that he had been indisposed for some days with a feveret. The same person, speaking of the impossibility of escaping from too great publicity, related an anec dote of his being once in a remote part of the Highlands, and seeing an old gentleman fishing, he went up to enquire some particulars as to the mode of catching the salmon, at what are called salmon-leaps. The old gentleman began his reply- Why, Mr Y- at which the actor started back in great surprise. Good God!' said Northcote, 'did he consider this as a matter of wonder, that, after showing himself on a stage for a number of years, people should know his face? If an artist or an author were recognised in that manner, it might be a proof of celebrity, because it would show that they had been sought for; but an actor is so much seen in public, that it is no wonder he is known by all the world."" The History of Maritime and Inland Discovery, Vol. II. (Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopædia, Vol. XI.) London. Longman and Co. 1830. THE able manner in which the first volume of this work was got up, must be still fresh in the memories of our readers, and precludes the necessity of any detailed criticism of the second. It takes a rapid view of the progress of geographical discovery, from the commencement of the sixteenth, to the middle of the eighteenth century. The adventures of Columbus, Cortez, Pizarro, Mendez Pinto, (of mendacious memory,) Cabot, Davis, Raleigh, Drake, Morgan, Dampier, and Behring, are recounted in a brief and spirited manner. As a specimen of the style of the work, we subjoin some extracts from the chapter containing the adven tures of the Buccaneers, to which we turned instinctively, with all our schoolboy recollections thick about us: "The cruelties of the Spaniards to the native inhabitants of Cuba terminated in the depopulation of that fine island. The cattle, at the same time, multiplied in great numbers, and roved over the deserted tract of its western district. This in consequence became the victualling place of all the foreign vessels that cruised upon the Spaniards, or disturbed their trade. The preparation of the meat becaine a regular business. Spanish hunters, called matadores, or slaughterers, killed the cattle; the flesh was then dried and prepared according to the Carib method, on hurdles raised a few feet above the fire. This mode of dressing their food was called by the Indians, boocan-a name which they also applied to the apparatus used in the process, and to the meat itself: hence the persons who were employed in procuring provisions for the cruisers, adopting the language with the habits of the natives, called themselves buccaneers. A large majority of the adventurers in those seas were Englishmen; and as their smuggling trade quickly degenerated into actual piracy, they took the honourable designation of freebooters. There was a natural alliance between the freebooters and the buccaneers; they mutually depended on one another-the avocations of the one party being at sea, those of the other on land. It is probable, that in many instances the pirate cured his own provisions, and so united both professions in his own person. But, in general, the hunters were distinct from the seamen ; and, in process of time, a majority of the hunters, or buccaneers, were French, while the rovers were chiefly English: yet the adventurers of these two nations whimsically thought fit to borrow the name of their profession from the language of the other, as if the respectability of their calling could be enhanced, or its criminality palliated, by a foreign name; and the English called themselves buccaneers, while the French preferred the title of freebooters, or, corruptedly, flibustiers. All these adventurers, of whatever nation, cruised upon the Spaniards, who were the sole objects of attack. A sense of common interest bound them. together, and formed them into a society, which called itself The Brethren of the Coast. The buccaneers had peculiar customs, which obtained among them, from necessity or tradition, the authority of law. Their code of morality was such as might be expected among men who, while they renounced a friendly intercourse with the rest of mankind, depended upon each other's fidelity. Every buccaneer had a mate, who was heir to all his money. In some instances, a community of property existed among them. Negligence of dress, and even dirtiness, was prescribed by their fa shions, as best befitting a desperado." The following passage conveys a pretty accurate notion |