"That is no water-course,' replied the baron, listening attentively. Before he had finished speaking, a pistol-shot was heard at a short distance in front; another and another followed in quick succession-then a clash of swords, a rushing sound as of many horses, startled, snorting, and dashing in wild confusion through the woods. In an instant, the head of the column was borne down, and thrown into great disorder, by an inundation of horses running masterless, dismounted dragoons, and others still mounted -but all in the last stage of confusion, dismay, and panic, and all pressing wildly to the rear, riding down every thing before them. This was instantly succeeded by a sharp fire of musketry in front, and then a loud shout, as if from many hundred voices, rose high above the sound of the skirmish, announcing to the startled Americans that Cornwallis was upon them. "Baron,' said Gates, with startling quickness, display your column immediately. Wilkinson, off with the speed of light, and direct Carwell and Stevens to bring up their militia-they understand the order of battle. Point your guns, Harrison; stand firm, my lads, and let them know that they have men in front of them.' 66 Grace was sat, merry as grigs, and hungry as hawks. snuffled over with due decorum, and then old Hurlothrumbo, looking round with what was meant to be a most engaging smile, and a cock of his china eye, would say, Come, my boys, who eats most dumpling, gets most beef." By the goddesses! We have heard Blumenbach descant on the muscular powers of the stomach, and narrate the effects produced by his favourite duck's upon his solitary ducat, which the greedy monster gobbled down when he was a student, and yet we are at a loss to imagine how we managed to digest such cart-loads of that villainous compound. The old sinner, however, attained his end; for we swallowed such quantities of the dumpling, that it was entirely out of our power to do justice to the plump juicy roast of beef, which we, after fairly earning it, were obliged reluctantly to relinquish to the watering mouths of the master and mistress. called the memory of these halcyon days. We attempted The present Number of the Quarterly Review has re"While Gates was hastily making arrangements for bat- | the first article—it was dumpling; nibbled at the second tle, which was expected every instant, the firing had ceased-it was dumpling; gnawed at the third-it was dumpin front, and presently a detachment of infantry appeared, ling also. One after another we tried to masticate them, bringing in several prisoners. the conviction that the whole was one huge mass of till, with a gentle sigh, we were obliged to desist, with dumpling..... "Where is Porterfield, Porson?' cried Gates, riding to meet the detachment. "He is badly wounded, sir, and was taken into the nearest house.' "Do the enemy follow you?" "They have fallen back on the main body, sir. Corn. wallis is out in person, and the whole British army is within cannon shot. He had scarcely spoken, when a loud and martial flourish of trumpets was heard, apparently within a mile in advance, announcing to all that Tarleton was with the enemy. The militia were brought up by their commanders in great haste, and formed upon the left of the Marylanders, agreeably to the order of battle. "The trumpets had scarcely ceased, when a most beautiful air was played by the band of music: the drum, the fife, the flageolet, the clarionet, all uniting to give life, spirit, and effect, to the national air of God save the King. It appeared that the whole army joined in the chorus. The American army listened in deep silence while God save the King' was wafted upon their ears, swelled by a thousand enthusiastic voices, and blended with the wild melody of the full band. "The air ceased, was followed by a loud shout, and all became still as death. "Now, that was not badly played,' said Buckly; 'and, in my judgment, our music should strike up too.' "Silence in the ranks,' cried Carson. "Gates rode down the line, and encouraged the militia, who appeared deeply affected by the suddenness of the rencontre, the panic of the cavalry, who were still flying, and above all, by the bold and martial flourish of music which announced the numbers of the enemy, and their readiness for battle. They listened in silence to the cheerful exhortations of the general-in-chief, who encouraged them by assurances of their superiority of numbers, and entreated them not to be afraid of a few blasts of a trumpet and flourishes of music; reminding them that they had bayonets as well as the enemy, and were supported by regular infantry and artillery." In the happy days of boyhood (as sentimental versiflers insist upon calling them-for our part, we never could discover wherein their happiness consisted) we were doomed to expiate our transgressions in some preexistent state, by spending several years at a private academy in the North of England. Our master (venerable rascal! we think we see him yet) had a keen eye to the main chance, and how to feed us at the least possible expense seemed to be the study of his life. Under some pretext or another, he introduced a huge suet dumpling instead of soup, as the first dish at dinner, taking care that we should have a play-hour immediately before the commencement of that important operation. Down we " Article I. On the Decline of Science in England. "Et tu, Brute!" the Quarterly grumbling? "If he be angry, then there's matter in it." But our respectable friend only complains that one or two literary sinecures have been curtailed, and that too few literary men have been knighted. So it is no great matter after all.-Article II. On the Bank of England; by one of those sentimental economists who seek to establish their positions by poetical quotations.-Article III. The Life of Bishop Heber. This essay is composed apparently by one of those conscientious sons of the Church of England, whose only quarrel with the Pope is, that, by maintaining cer tain doctrines for which they have a sneaking kindness, he lays them under the disagreeable necessity of opposing them.-Article IV. On Lyell's Geology-a most edifying sermon.-Article V. On Southey's Life of John Bunyan, contains the startling intelligence, that that work is one of the Doctor's birthday odes. It is the only one we have been able to read through.-Article VI. On the Greek Question, is extremely instructive; and Article VII. On the New Testament in the Negro Language, is extremely amusing, after the fashion of a serious matron of threescore and ten.Article VIII. On the Political History of France since the Restoration, shows that the Quarterly feels its late speculations on that topic to have been a bit of a bull. Like a young fellow, who is aware he has committed a blunder in society, he talks, and talks away, and says nothing. The Quarterly Review has displayed talent enough since the commencement of its career to entitle it to palm off a dull Number occasionally; and, by the powers! it has made a swingeing use of its privilege on the present occa sion. History of the Covenanters in Scotland. By the Author of the Histories of the Reformation, Christian Church, &c. Two volumes, 12mo. Pp. 364, 364. Edinburgh. Waugh and Innes. WE cannot say that these volumes contain either new views or facts relative to the period of history which their narrative professes to embrace. As little can we say that they convey what was already known, in a clear or comprehensive manner. The style is diffuse, the arrangement confused, and the author is by no means happy in his selection of those points which must be brought prominently forward, in order to render a history intelligible. All this we could have pardoned, but for the fierce spirit of partisanship which stains the work. We have ere now borne testimony against that absurd spirit which seeks to defend, or at least to gloss over, the atrocities of the persecutors; and to represent the Presbyterians of Scotland as a small, rude, and factious minority. But we are anxious, in like manner, to protest against that kindred spirit which would set up for exclusive worship a small body of well-meaning, but illiterate, and half-crazed men, whose excesses hurt the national cause, and all but justified the cruelties of their oppressors. We propose embracing an early opportunity of speaking more at length upon this subject. down to the time when Wordsworth and his philosophic Pedlar paced the dales of Westmoreland, "With no appendage but a staff, The prized memorial of relinquish'd toils," the company of a friend has been held to impart a delightful zest to all rural wanderings, reveries, and adventures. Man is essentially a social animal, as is well known to Mr Owen and other philanthropists; and in travelling he does not surely change his nature. To stop and chat at every brook and stile; to compare notes on the varying phases of men and things; to moralize in concert by the side of some time-worn tower or rushing water, contrasting them with scenes on which we have haply gazed before, and dwelling on by-gone friends and days-the golden spoils of memory,-to travel thus, in social joy and union, and with reflected pleasure, is well worth, even for one day's journey, all the secret lofty imaginations which the heart of man poetical, bound ou The Scottish Jurist. Conducted by J. W. Dickson and gen of the inner man—the overflowings of the divinus afflates necessarily excluded by such companionship? Certainly not. No two friends travelling together, are always cheek by jowl, or talking incessantly. Gibbon studied Horace while marching with the Hampshire militia. Byron and Hobhouse, we are told, were sometimes a mile asunder when in Greece; and even Dr Johnson and his bride sought devious and different tracks while journeying to the altar. Each wanderer has leisure to pursue unmolested the current of his own thoughts; pauses and intervals of expressive silence intervene, while either is "i' the vein ;" and these self-communings overthe spirit of romance being exorcised-both resume their wont, and, as Mr Galt would say, kithe into friendly con verse. "Each with the other pleased, they glad pursue Their journey beneath favourable skies." THIS is an invaluable publication to the legal practitioner. It is published in weekly numbers, by the tlemen whose names stand upon the title-page, assisted by several members of the Bar. It reports every case, involving questions of law or form, decided in our Supreme Courts in Scotland, or in the Court of Appeal. The Parliamentary Statutes relating to Scotland, and the Acts of Sederunt of the Court of Session, likewise find a place in its columns. The volume now before us forms a record of every important transaction in the Courts we have named during the last two Sessions. We find in it reports of no less than 600 cases: of which 40 have been decided in the House of Lords; about 60 in the Jury Court; 13 in the Court of Justiciary; 43 in the Outer House. It contains also six acts of Sederunt; and two most important Statutes-the one regarding the Judicature of Scotland-the other the administration of our Criminal Law, We are inclined to give the Jurist the But I must not moralize too largely. The architect preference over all the other collections of Scotch caseswho would erect a huge portico to a small structure, would because of its earliness, completeness, and cheapness. justly be proscribed by the Dilettanti Society, and I am Being published weekly, it has the start of Shaw's Re- reminded of the similitude. To the question, then. On ports, and those attached to the Law Chronicle, which the fine sunny morning of Thursday, September 30, I left are only published once a-month. The Faculty Reports the Highland capital of Inverness-a poor old town, but are only published once in every three months. It would superbly situated in the midst of a glorious galaxy of be waste of time to expatiate of the importance to a pro-rocks and mountains, and washed by a noble stream—in fessional man of a work which keeps him fairly abreast the company of a friend from Modern Athens—ergo, a of the current business of the Court. In what regards Scotch Cockney-to ruminate on the field of Culloden. cheapness, the present volume of the Jurist costs only The day, as I have said, was fine-a brilliant gem set in £1, 19s., while Shaw's Reports, for the same period, a dull watery waste—and the road, if not highly picturamount to about £2, 11s., for cases decided in the Courts esque, is pleasant. It winds along the eastern shore of of Session and Teinds alone. For completeness, the the Murray Frith, whose waters lay before us calm and Jurist is the only publication which gives us regular re-glassy as a soft sheltered inland lake. On the opposite ports of the business transacted in all our Supreme Courts. We have examined the work, and find it executed with care, accuracy, and neatness. We hope that this plain statement of its merits may draw the attention both of town and country practitioners to the Jurist. give it but a fair trial, we know they will be opinion. MISCELLANEOUS LITERATURE. A VISIT TO CULLODEN. By a Cockney Tourist. If they side are the hills of Ross-shire, with their numerous looks out on the sea. "ONE of the pleasantest things in the world," says befitting the residence of a country gentleman, with a Hazlitt-poor Hazlitt!" is going a journey; but I large garden behind, and a spacious lawn in front. It is like to go by myself." To the first declaration, I sub-sweetly situated in a hollow, embosomed amidst trees, and scribe simpliciter; to the second, I beg leave to enter my protest, or at least to propound some exceptions. In all pedestrian excursions, from the time that our first sire and his consort In the heart of a small pond, at one side of the house, there is a four-feet statue of a Highland piper, the "very moral," as Winifred Jenkins says, * Prince Charles breakfasted here on the morning of the battle, and left his walking stick-a fine hazel shoot, with a curiously-carved head. It is, of course, carefully preserved.. ་ The of those genial figures occasionally met with at wealthy tobacconists' doors, and coloured after nature in the same fashion. The proprietor should remove this tawdry gimcrack. It is as bad as the little Mercury which, perched on a pillar, and gilt and glittering like a Maypole, spreads its tiny wings, and blows its trumpet-a penny whistleover the crags at Clachnaharry, near Inverness. next improvement will be a Jumping Jack on the Green Point at the Fall of Foyers. But, seriously, the Lord Advocate should bring in a bill prohibiting Dutch toys and paltry images from being stuck up in Highland scenes. It would be as patriotic a measure as his Anti-Burk Bill, for preventing death by suffocation in Scotland. In Culloden House there are a number of pictures, good, bad, and indifferent. A portrait of Duncan Forbes -of him whose memory lends a never-dying lustre to this spot is of course in the collection. The best painting is that of a Magdalen, an exceedingly fine original production of the Italian school, in which there is a great predominance of the silvery tint so much admired by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The gracefulness of the position -the arms meekly folded across the bosom-the long dishevelled hair-the streaming upturned eye, and gentle bloodless brunette features-all these, finely and tenderly pourtrayed, render this a beautiful, impressive picture, well worth travelling a score of miles to see. The painter's name has not been preserved. James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd, says of some of the sweet lyrics of his native land, "The song is saved-the bard is lost;" and a similar fate too oft befalls the painter. In the drawing-room, there is a very old production of the early German school-a scriptural piece-the Flight into Egypt. Joseph is drawn a good deal like a German peasant, and a number of angels-a primitive and pleasing fancy-fly before the group, and lead the way. Some English nobleman, it is said, offered the late Laird of Culloden two thousand guineas for this picture. If such an offer was ever made, it must have been to fill a niche or blank in some chronological gallery of art, and not from a desire to possess a fine finished painting. But the fact is doubtful-two thousand guineas are a weighty consideration, even to our Russells, Gowers, or Cavendishes, and what Highland laird could refuse such a sum? In one of the bed-rooms there is another good painting, a large picture of a cat stealing salmon-a luscious, tempting bonne bouche-watched and intercepted by a grinning, imp-like monkey, the very personification of mischief, with "envious leer malign." Puss is sorely beset, and, as the old housekeeper remarked, "fairly between the deil and the deep sea." In the upper bed-rooms are seve • Duncan Forbes was one of Scotland's best and truest patriots. As President of the Court of Session, he reformed numerous abuses in the administration of the law, and gave an impetus to all the arts and manufactures of the nation. His splendid services in behalf of government, during the period of the Rebellion, impaired his fortune, and embittered with cares his declining years-but were barely acknowledged by the king and ministry of the day. He had not ap plauded or sanctioned the excesses of the Royal troops, after the battle of Culloden. He was graciously received at court, thanked, and discarded. The President, in his early days, had a dash of the mens divinior. There is a copy of verses extant, which he composed on the lady whom he afterwards married, and whom he used to meet by a grey rock in the wood of Kilravock, still pointed out. Mr Moore himself would have difficulty in matching the following lines: "Ah, Chloris! could I now but sit As unconcern'd as when Your infant beauty could beget Nor happiness, nor pain! When I this dawning did admire, "Your charms in harmless childhood lay Age from no face takes more away, ral good Italian prints, including one of Vandyke's Belisarius. There is also here, a painting of Patrick Murdoch, the friend of Thomson; and any man may, from the first glance, see the fidelity of the other painting of him in the Castle of Indolence, in the stanza beginning"And oft by holy feet our hall was trod." Murdoch was a good-natured, jolly Church-of-England parson. He was some time tutor to President Forbes's son, and hence the introduction of his portrait into Culloden House, as well, perhaps, as the intimacy which subsisted betwixt his friend the poet, and the family of Forbes. The moor of Culloden-the battle-field-lies eastward After an hour's climbing about a mile from the house. up the heathy brae, through a scattered plantation of young trees; clambering over stone-dykes, and jumping over moorland rills and springs, oozing from the black turf, and streaking its sombre surface with stripes o. green, we found ourselves on the table-land of the moor and patches of scanty oats, won by patient industr from -a broad, bare level, garnished with a few black hats, the waste. I should premise, however, that re are some fine glimpses of rude mountain scenery in the course of the ascent. den House is well wooded; the Frith spreads finely in The immediate vicinage of Cullofront; the Ross-shire hills assume a more varied and commanding aspect; and Ben Wyvis towers proudly over his compeers, with a bold pronounced character. Ships were passing and re-passing before us in the Frith, the birds were singing blithely overhead, and the sky was without a cloud. Under the cheering influence of the sun, stretched on the warm, blooming, and fragrant heather, we gazed with no common interest and pleasure on this scene, which seemed to unite some of the grandest characteristics of the Swiss and Highland landscape. On the moor, all is bleak and dreary-long, flat, wide, unvarying. The folly and madness of Charles in risking a battle on such ground, with jaded, unequal forces, halfstarved, and deprived of rest the preceding night, has often been remarked, and is at one glance perceived by the spectator. The royalist artillery and cavalry had full room to play, for not a knoll or bush was there to mar their murderous aim. Mountains and fastnesses were on the right, within a couple of hours' journey; but a fatality had struck the infatuated bands of Charles; dissension and discord were in his councils, and a power greater than that of Cumberland had marked them for destruction. But a truce to politics: the grave' has closed over victors and vanquished: "Culloden's dread echoes are hush'd on the moors," and who would waken them with the voice of reproach, uttered over the dust of the slain? A guide to conduct us-to point out the scene of conflict, and to retail the traditionary memorabilia of the peasantry-seemed desirable; and we were fortunate enough to get an excellent cicerone in a small crofter, who lives on the very spot where the battle was hottest, and the slaughter most ruthless. No man need desire a better chronicler of Culloden than honest James Macdonald. This trusty Highlander knows every inch of the ground. He points out where the different clans were marshalled, where the Duke and Prince respectively stood; describes the onset, how the clansmen scrugged their bonnets (videlicet Chambers) when they rushed into the melée, and how they shrieked, and stamped, and charged in vain. It is true, James was not present himself, being still a stout, brawny, broad-shouldered wight, not passing more than fifty, or five-and-fifty years. But the battle has been the talk of his whole life. His father and all his kin of that generation were there; the Prince slept in the very barn which he now occupies; and James, being a man of some scholarship, though he makes sad work with the moods and tenses, has mastered the substance of " Mr Home's book," as he politely desig nates the ponderous tome of the Scottish dramatist, (which was lent him by the Laird,) as well as the lighter pages of Mr Chambers's narrative in Constable's Miscellany. We took some pains to convince James that the latter work was not written by Mr Constable, though it goes under his name; but in vain. The worthy crofter gives the decided preference to Mr Home's book, because it has a big plan, showing how all the clans stood in the battle. The most interesting memorials of the contest are the pee grassy mounds which mark the graves of the slain landers, and which are at once distinguished from e black heath around, by the freshness and richness of the verdure. One large pit received the Frasers, and another was dug for the Mackintoshes. The zeal of certain relic-hunters has sent the pick-axe and shovel deep into these receptacles of mortality to extract bones, and a district road has been carried right through the head of e of the largest heaps. The rich, dark loam thrown up on each side, shows how well the soil has been manured by the carnage; but James Macdonald says the bones were all re-interred. We repeated Collins's beautiful Ode: "How sleep the brave, who sunk to rest," &c., fact depend? A coincidence so uniform and so universal, must derive its explanation from some principle in thought, (of which language is the articulated expression,) which is common to all languages whatever. In order, therefore, to come at this principle, we must consider, in the first place, whether there be any thing common to the vocative "in case," and the second person imperative" in tense." And the only circumstance which appears to be common to both, is this, that in both cases a person present, or supposed to be present, is addressed. Thoma and sta, are in pari casu in this respect,—the second person, or party addressed, is supposed to be present in both. Now, if the person addressed be present in the case of the noun, in the first instance, it is evident, that any affix expressive of sex may either be dispensed with altoge ther, or, if expressed at all, being unemphatic, it may be pronounced in so subdued a tone, as to become ultimately partially, or even altogether inaudible. Dominus, is just domin-us-Lord he; but if the domin be present, as when addressed he is supposed to be, what advantage arises from the affix of gender? The person addressed, and the person addressing, must be intuitively conscious of the sex which belongs to the addressed party; it therefore becomes superfluous to express the sex; it may either be expressed or not; and hence the softening in dominus into domine, which is just dominu softly pronounced, the curtailing of Zsus into Zsv, &c. &c. and internally cursed the heartlessnesss of those who could so desecrate the peace and sanctity of the grave. The victors interred their own slain in a cultivated enclosure hard by, which now forms part of the farm of Now, in respect of the second person imperative, the James Macdonald. Near it is a small spring, known by same principle holds. What are the terminations of the the name of the Well of the Dead; and here a tall and verbs, but affixes expressive of particular modifications powerful Highland leader, M'Gillivray of Dunmaglass, and conditions of the verbal at Thus, am-a-o is lovefell at the head of his troop. He was a remarkably hand-do-I; amaes, contracted amas, is love-do-thou, &c.; some, athletic man, with a skin white as drifted snow, and, according to our guide, was beloved by a lady of the land, equally gifted by nature. After the close of the battle, when Dunmaglass lay among the slain, the lady, with her father, came to mourn over the body, and see it borne off the field. This tale sanctifies the little well. It is a genuine fragment of romance in real life-a copy of the "fierce wars and faithful loves" of Tasso and Spenser. 66 And now, gentle reader, we have done. Here, on Soracte's ridge, we part." There is not a change-house or bothy near the battle-field, wherein we may drink to the memory of the departed Gael; but journeying townwards through the moor, we come to a curious white building, a sort of fort, something like the "round towers of other days," engulfed in Lough Neagh, in front of which is a notification that Alexander M'Pherson retails in that garrison, whisky, ale, and porter. Alexander's wife is an Englishwoman, neat, clean, and garrulous; and an hour may be well spent in the fort, meditating, over brown stout or Fairintosh, on things past, present, or to come. THEORY OF THE VOCATIVE CASE IN NOUNS, and, on the same principle that dominus is softened into domine, and ZEUS into Zeu, is umaes shortened into ama, and dicis ultimately into dic. The person addressed being supposed to be present, the simple statement of the act suggested-for it is only suggested is sufficient, without adding "do thou," by way of affix, at least without accenting it, or dwelling upon it, so as to draw the attention of the party addressed to the circumstance added. In English, we say-go, come, bring, leave, &c., merely stating the act to which we wish to draw the attention of the party addressed; and why may we not say, duc, dic, Ots, on the same principle? In such instances, howbreviated form of the verb, for this simple reason, that, ever, as go, come, bring, we do not make use of any abwith a very trifling exception, the English verb is conjugated by means of auxiliaries prefixed (or affixed) without being joined to, or sunk in, the original word. “Go” may be "go thou;" and "love" may be “love do thou;" but every one feels that such additions only "make sure” of the idea-they are not essentially necessary. 66 These observations seem to require some additional explanation of the nature of the imperative mood, in order to show that the second person imperative, in particular, is only an abbreviated form of the second person indicaIr has often been observed, that the vocative case of tive. How is the notion of imperative, or command, ennouns, and the second person singular of the imperative treaty, &c., acquired ?—for though the mood is denomiof verbs, approach the nearest to, if they do not actually │nated imperative, it might, with equal propriety, have been express, the simple noun and simple verb, without ter- called imprecative or suppositive, as it is used in the exmination or affix. Thus, in the nouns, we have domine, pression of all these modifications: thus we say, “Da nobis, for dominus, navia for vanas, Z for Zus, Exrop for domine, panem," in the sense, not of command, but petiΕκτωρ ; and in the imperative of verbs, ama for amas, docetion, or entreaty; whilst the robber says, in the same for doces; die, duc, for dicis, ducis; TUTTE for TUTTES, &c. Now, the fact being admitted-a fact which might be exemplified from all languages-it becomes a subject of curious enquiry, on what “rationale" does this general This communication contains a distinct statement of the theory of these parts of speech, as taught by the venerable Dr John Hunter of St Andrews for nearly half a century. All who have enjoyed the advantage of studying under Professor Hunter, must have frequently regretted that so few of his acute and masterly speculations should have been committed to writing. We shall be happy to afford our valued correspondent, who has literally been brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, an opportunity of occasionally giving publicity to the leading philological principles of our revered master.-Ed. L. J. words, "Da mihi panem," in the sense of command and intimidation; whilst " Pone me pigris ubi nulla campis," &c. expresses a mere supposition" Put the case that you place me." To explain these seeming inconsistencies, we have only to attend to the means by which command, or entreaty, are effected in expression. "Have you a knife ?"" have not you a knife ?" are just, "you have a knife," " you have not a knife ;" an assertion is risked by the speaker, and it belongs to the party addressed to confirm it by a yes, or negative it by a no. “You go to bed," or, "go you to bed?" are precisely the same; and when the Deity is addressed by a dependent supplicant for bread, or a wretch, in the presence of a robber, is addressed in the same language, all that is expressed is a simple assertion from the dependent being on the one hand, and the commanding being on the other hand, that a transference is to be made of the bread. We say to God, "You give me bread;" and, from our attitude and expression, entreaty is inferred. A robber says to a man to whom he presents a pistol," Sir, you give me that loaf!" The command is an inference from the position of the parties; assertion is all that is actually expressed, or expressible in language. Now, if this theory be just, it will be borne out by the facts of language. Which it undeniably is; for who can doubt that sta is stas, da is das, &c., in the same way as domine is dominus, and Zsu is Zeus, and on the grounds already explained? That abbreviation does not always take place, is just what was to be expected, on an "I make sure" principle common to all languages; but that it does take place so frequently, is only explainable, in my humble opinion, on the grounds stated. G. THE LONDON DRAMA. Regent's Park, London, After giving Mr Alexander Lee, the new manager, the INVIGORATED by a course of yacht-sailing and seabathing at the Isle of Wight, and our mental and bodily courage both “screwed to the sticking place" to encounter the arduous duty now before us, here do we commence Covent Garden re-opened on Monday the 4th instant, our dramatic criticisms for the winter season of 1830-31, with "Romeo and Juliet," cast precisely as last year, with with the avowed determination to speak of authors, actors, the exception of Mrs Gibbs, a very inadequate substitute and theatres all as they really are, and whilst we "no- for Mrs Davenport, as the Nurse, and the annonce that thing extenuate," to "set down nought in malice.” Pre-Miss Lacy, the Lady Capulet, had now become Mrs Loviously to noticing the Leviathans, however, we must very briefly revert to the smaller fry; or, as Phelim O'Connor, in the "Fudge Family," poetically phrases it, vell. The house was crowded, and Miss Fanny Kemble's Juliet greeted as enthusiastically as ever. To us, in person, manner, and performance, she appeared decidedly "Before we sketch the present, let us cast improved; which improvement was still more manifest A few short rapid glances to the past." in her next appearance, as Belvidera; though we are well The English Opera House season at the Adelphi has new plays and superior actors will be indispensable; for aware that, to sustain her last season's excited popularity, been a very costly failure; and though Mr Arnold's ma- if there be not a better lover than Abbot to be obtained, nagerial exertions, under such disadvantageous circumstances, were never exceeded, and though the new dramas indeed trouble any manager to discover, possessing the we very much fear the case is hopeless. A worse it would were all successful, yet the result has merely added a considerable sum to the immense loss already sustained from slightest pretensions to appear at a Theatre Royal; and the conflagration of his own theatre. As he expects, how-infinitely preferable. A Mr Keppell is, however, to essay the minors, as well as the provincials, have certainly many ever, to be enabled to commence the new building imme- Romeo for a first time in London to-night, and we very diately after the meeting of Parliament, and, consequently, fervently hope successfully. Much novelty is promised to open it at the usual time in July next, we must now look to the future to recompense the past, and hope that Poole, Payne, and Planche, are likely to be amongst the at both houses, of which the four dramatic P's, Peake, the patronage of next year will supply all the deficiencies earliest perpetrators; though we too well know the risk Wade's tragedy, on the faith of the success of which he of prophesying on such subjects, to say more than that Mr last season received L. 200, will be produced immediately. Mr Kemble must, however, forget both himself and his daughter, in the acceptance and production of new pieces, and think of the real interests of the theatre only, if he wish either to merit or to achieve another prosperous SOMERSET. of this. At the Haymarket they have deserved much less, and succeeded much better; since the company, with three or four solitary exceptions, has been, throughout the season, very inferior, and the custom of giving quantity for quality any thing but laudable. On more than one evening, there have been a five-act comedy, and three two-act farces, though we have not yet met with any rash individual so self-devoted as to have sat them all out; and it has been, on most evenings, a very customary circumstance for the last piece to commence at, or after, midnight! Of the new dramas we cannot speak highly. The Parisian "Marie Mignet" was by far the best, and Miss Caroline Boaden's "First of April" decidedly the worst. The engagement of Miss Paton has turned out well for the treasury: but as the season has yet to linger on four days longer, to the 15th, we must reserve till then all farther observations. After a private inspection of the new decorations on the preceding Wednesday, the doors of Drury Lane theatre were opened for the season on the 1st instant, with the "Hypocrite," " Deaf as a Post," and " Massaniello," when the house was as crowded as ever within our recollection. season. ཟླ། |