his way in the dark depths of the earth, now striking solitary and exquisite finish not in the least.

The engraout sparks by the collision of his hard implements with vings in the volume of the Minerva now before us are far the harder rock, now awakening a momentary brilliancy too solid. They have also a worse fault_they are exquiby the retlection of his lamp against rich veins of native sitely deficient in expression. metal-gave forth his dark oracles. Göthe, like a mighty, The literary contents are better. “ The Tournament pure, and waveless lake, reflected back the surrounding at Worms,” by Caroline Pichler, is a favourable specimen universe in softened forms and purer dies. These days of the Minerva-press literature of Germany. Jobanda are gone. A tamer race have succeeded, around whose Schoppenhauer's “ Reininiscences of Travel" are lively heads plays a reflection of past glories, like roseate hues and graphic. Johanna may be called the Lady Morgan of upon the Alpine peaks at sunset. Göthe and Tieck are Germany. She is continually on the wing, and continually the only ones of their generation who survive-and even emitting printed reports of her progress. She far excels our they speak not now with the fervour of earlier years. traveller, however, in true feminine delicacy. Ludwig The rest mutter over the formulas used by the mighty Storch-the same, if we err not, who, some ten years ago, necromancers of old, but the power of the spell-word has gave to the world what an esteemed correspondent would faded.

elegantly term “ a javenile indiscretion,” and busied himIt would, however, be the height of injustice not to selt, five years later, with animal magnetism-contributes admit, that the volume which has suggested these remarks a tale, called “ The Destruction of Wineta.” The author contains much poetry, which, although not of the highest is a friend of our own, and therefore we say nothing of class, must please by melody of versification and inge- its merits. The chief ornament of the work, however, nuity of thought, and some pieces which, were there no is a tragedy by Oehlenschläger, entitled " Charlemagne." other cause, would interest us simply in virtue of their This poet's tragedies ought more properly to be called authors' names. Göthe contributes a number of those dramatic poems; they are none of them calculated for the parables and proverbs, in turning which he so much de- stage. They want condensation and plot. There are, lights ; Ludwig Tieck sings as sweetly as ever ; Arndt however, imagination and deep thought in all he writes. has a spirited “ Advice to my Son,” worthy of the man The story of Charlemagne is rather complex. The inwhose eloquence shook Napoleon's power wben it seemed tention of the poet is to paint the beauty and kindliness firmest; Chamisso, the companion of Kotzebue in his of Charles's character in his gentler hours. Tbere is voyage round the world, the author of Peter Schlemihl, much grandeur in the conception of Charles, and many the inveterate philosopher who once broke his pipe in of the subordinate characters are well brought out. The his anxiety to initiate us into the recondite mysteries of only drawback to the poem is the tedium of its earlier Kant's doctrine, has begun (what will this world come scenes, and its utter want of plot. The scenes merely to?) to lisp out love lays at the latest hour.

follow, they do not arise out of, each other. Somehow or other, we always feel, while we are laying down the law respecting the merits of any author or book, in our beautifully concise manner, that it would A Collection of Peninsular Melodies. The English Words only be fair to allow him to speak for himself. We sub

by Mrs Hemans, Mrs Norton, John Bowring, Esq. mit the following address by Göthe to the United States

LL.D., and other eminent Poets. The Airs selected of America, not as a fair specimen of the Almanack of the

and compiled by C. J. H. No. II. London. GouldMuses, but as an amusing enough expression of the pa

ing, D'Almaine, and Co. 1830. triarch's contempt for a species of literature with which our country, as well as his, has been flooded. It may be We noticed the first Number of this work with the necessary to premise, that no basalt has yet been disco- praise it deserved. The second is not inferior. The airs vered within the boundaries of the Union. The lines are numerous and varied, and all interesting. At the contain a new version of the great doctrine which he has present period, the patriotic melodies of Spain possess taught through life, that the healthy state of the mind is more than usual interest. The words are for the most that which looks contidently to the future, instead of part elegant and characteristic. The following is by our brooding over the past :

favourite, Mrs Hemans : TO THE UNITED STATES.

FLOW, RIO VERDE !
" America, thou hast it better

By Mrs Hemans.
Than our ancient hemisphere;
Thou hast no ruin'd castles,

“ Flow, Rio Verde!
Nor basalt, as here.

In melody flow;
Thy children they know not-

Win her that weepeth,
Their youthful joy to mar-

To slumber from woe :
Useless retrospection,

Bid thy wave's music
And ineffective war.

Roll through her dreams;
Good luck attend thy glorious spring!

Grief ever loveth
And when iu time thy poets sing,

The kind voice of streams.
May some good genius guard them all
From baron-robber, knight, and ghost traditional!

- Bear her lone spirit

Afar on the sound, The Minerva for 1831 contains eight illustrations of

Back to her childhood, the Sorrows of Werter. We cannot, in conscience, praise

Her life's fairy ground: them. They are works which owe their birth, we see, at

Pass like the whisper the first glance, to a country where art is far advanced,

Of love that is gone : but are executed by one who is only a bungler at his

Flow, Rio Verde,

Softly flow on! trade. The art of illustrative engraving seems to have retrograded in Germany since the days of Chlodowiecki,

« Dark, glassy water! as much as the higher branches of the art have advanced.

So crimson'd of yore! With us it has become too fine perhaps. An illustration

Voices of sorrow is a subordinate part of a book-it ought not to affect to

Are known to thy shore ; be in itself a highly finished work of art, but rather a

Thou shouldst have echoes genial sketchy design, entering into the spirit of the

For grief 's deepest tone

Flow, Rio Verde, work to be illustrated. Leaving caricature and beauty

Softly flow on!” out of the question, we think Cruikshank's technical handling admirably calculated for illustrations; Heath's Mrs Norton is hardly less successful:

MY COUNTRY! WHILE SLEEPING.

understood. They are illustrated by woodcuts of ricks By the Hon. Mrs. Norton.

and stacks in all their variety of form, and of all sorts of “My country! while sleeping,

cattle usually sold by weight, with dotted lines for the I see thy blue hills,

direction of the measurer ; and, from statements given I hear voices weeping

of the author's experiments, we think the farmer and Beside thy clear rills;

cattle-dealer may buy and sell upon the faith of the ready The play of thy fountains,

reckoner with much confidence. The difference between The scent of the air,

his calculations by measurement, and the actual weight of The breeze on thy mountains,

the cases tried for experiment, appears to have been, in How blessed they were ! Starting from my slumber, cloudy skies I see,

stacks of hay, from five to ten stones over or under, and Such, my Spain, hang not o'er thee!

in cattle, from on to five lbs., which is sufficiently near

for the guidance of those who go to market with such “ When lone stars are gleaming

commodities. We have no doubt that Mr M‘Derment's Far o'er the dim sea,

laborious calculations will be found correct, and of great Oh! blest is the dreaming That bears me to thee !

utility to every person connected with the branches of Thy banners are waving

business to which his book applies, and we therefore reBefore me again,

commend it to their notice.
The souls of thy children
Have cast off their chain.

Letters from Thomas Percy, D.D., afterwards Bishop of
Starting from my slumber, stranger forms I see,
Far away, sweet Spain, from thee !"

Dromore, John Callander of Craig forth, Esq., David

Herd, and Others, to George Paton. Edinburgh. We are also much pleased with the following song, John Stevenson. 1830. which is, however, given anonymously:

The private correspondence of men who have distinI THINK OF THEE.

guished themselves in the republic of letters, is generally “ When morning's light on mine eyes is breaking, interesting and instructive; and we therefore notice with I think of thee!

pleasure the present volume, containing selections from When the fair day is the world forsaking,

the Paton Collection of Letters, preserved in the library Think thou of me! When hopes and joys are around me playing,

of the Faculty of Advocates. The letters of Dr Percy, I think of thee!

who is well known from his “ Reliques of Ancient Eng. When pain and grief on thy heart are weighing, lish Poetry," his “ Hermit of Warkworth,” his translaThink thou of me!

tion of “ Mallet's Northern Antiquities,” &c., are written When fortune smiles, and friends are the kindest, in a simple, unaffected style, and illustrate a variety of I think of thee!

points in the literary history of Scotland, during the latWhen snares and foes all around thou findest,

ter part of the last century. The correspondence of Herd Think thou of me!

and of Callander will also be read with much interest, When love and praise in my heart are glowing, I think of thee!

the former celebrated as the editor of a curious collection When prayer from thine, for the wretched is flowing, of Scotch Songs, and the latter as the author of various Think thou of me !"

erudite works. We have read all the letters with much This very excellent work is to be completed in two satisfaction, and commend the editor for having brought additional Numbers, which are now in a state of consi- them under the eye of the public. derable forwardness.

Manual of the Weather for the Year 1831. By George

Mackenzie. Leith. William Reid and Son. 1830. The Farmer's Assistant ; or, Ready Reckoner, and Land, Hay, and Cattle Measurer. By James M‘Derment, kenzie's predictions. They are for the most part, like

It forms no part of our creed to believe in Mr MacTeacher of Mathematics, Navigation, and Land-Sur- the ancient oracles, so very vague, that they may be conveying, Ayr. Donan and Nelson, Ayr. 1830.

strued any way; and the experience of the past year proves, Tais little volume supplies a desideratum of very con- that when on any occasion he ventured to be a little more siderable importance to farmers, cattle-dealers, and others specific, he was just as likely to be wrong as right in his connected with the sale of cattle and agricultural produce. conjectures. We have looked over bis volume for 1831. The banker and accountant have been long in possession One-half of it is unintelligible, and the other half is taken of accurate and extensive interest tables ; and the com up with explaining to us that November will be " cold, mon ready reckoner of pounds, shillings, and pence, is a cloudy, and windy,"- December, “ wet, frosty, cold, most convenient and useful vade mecum to many in this cloudy, and windy,”—May,“ dry, cool, generally clear, “nation of shopkeepers.” But the farmer and cattle- moderate winds,”—June,“ very dry, cool, generally clear, dealer have never, in so far as we know, been presented moderate winds,” and so on through all the other months; with tables of calculation expressly adapted to the trans- from which information we derive about as much knowactions incident to their professions, until the publication ledge as we could pick up from any old wife at the foot of the present volume,-a short statement of the contents of any Highland hill. of which will best prove its usefulness. Mr M.Dernient has divided his work into four parts. The first consists of a ready reckoner, showing the price of an acre and

The Parent's Guide to the Baptism of his Children. By any number of falls, in crop, from 10s. to L.18. The

David Robertson, Minister of the Gospel, Kilmaurs. second contains some simple rules for measuring land.

Glasgow. M. Lochhead. 1830. The third is made up of rules for measuring bay in stacks The author of this work has published it with the inand ricks, with relative tables showing their weight, tention that it should be perused by parents, and “ espefrom Il to 707 stones; and rules for finding the capacity cially young parents, when coming for the first time to of waggons or carts, and the number of cubic yards in present their offering to God in baptism." It is not so dunghills, &c. And the fourth part consists of rules for much controversial as practical, although the errors of ascertaining the weight of live cattle by measurement, the Anabaptists are pretty fully discussed. Mr Robertwith relative tables showing the weight of cattle of all son appears to be a sensible man, and has written judisorts, from 2st. 10lbs. to 129st. 71bs. imperial. The ciously and usefully. This book may safely be put into tules for measuring cattle and bay are simple, and easily the hands of all classes.

Deadly Adulterations, and Slow Poisoning ; or, Disease by that learned and indefatigable antiquary, John Dillon,

and Death in the Pot and the Bottle ;' in which the Esq. The members are also in possession, at the expense Blood-empoisoning and Life-destroying Adulteratims of volumes by the Bannatyne Club, and of the early Num.

of the Club, of Spalding's Memoirs, lately printed in two Wines, Spirits, Beer, Bread, Flour, T'ea, Sugar, Spices, bers of Pitcairn's Criminal Trials. Of private contriCheesemongery, Pastry, Confectionary, Medicines, fc. butions, two have already been put into the hands of the are laid open to the Public; with Tests, or Methods for ascertaining and detecting the fraudulent and dele members Mr Dennistoan, younger of Dennistoun, adterious Adulterations, and the good and bad Qualities vocate, having presented an edition of Moysie's Memoirs of those Articles ; with an Exposé of Medical Empiri. of Scotland, printed from Mss, in the Advocates' Libcism and Imposture, Quacks and Quackery, regular and rary, and in the possession of Lord Belhaven ; and Mr irregular, legitimate and illegitimate, and the Frauds and William Smith of Glasgow a reprint of “ Histoire de la Malpractices of Pawn-Brokers and Madhouse-heepers.

Guerre d'Ecosse pendant les Campagnes 1548 et 1519, By an Enemy of Fraud and Villainy. London. Sher- par Jean de Beaugné," from the rare original. Both wood. 1830.

these contributions, besides being important additions to

those “contemporary narratives in which the general We shall not condescend to “ break a butterfly on a historian finds a valuable source of information," are prewheel,” by noticing seriously the absurd lucubrations of sented in a shape equally creditable to the liberality of this “ Enemy of Fraud and Villainy," who, guided by the donors, and to the state of typography in Scotland. the infallible authorities of " Reece's Oracle of Health,” Other members are understood to be preparing contribu“ The Housekeeper's Guide to Domestic Comfort,” and tions, which we shall be happy to notice when they ap“ The Maid-Servant's Companion and Directory,” has pear. We subjoin a list of the present members, and put forth a little book, with a long and death-like title wish them every success in their laudable endeavours to page, which, we presume, is intended to frighten all the illustrate the history and antiquities of their native sittle children and old maids in England, Scotland, and country. Wales. The style in which it is written is throughout

The EARL of GLASGOW, President. vulgar, impertinent, and egotistical ; it abounds in ig- The Duke of Sussex.

Jas. Maidment, Esq., Advocate. norance and errors; and the inforination it pretends to

Robert Adam, Esq., Glasgow. J. H. Maxwell, Esq.
Robert Aird, Esq.

Very Rev. D. Mactarlan, D.D. convey, is in no case to be relied on. We cannot perceive John Bain, Esq.

Andrew M‘George, Esq. that the book possesses one redeeming quality; we there- Joseph Bain, Esq., Advocate. D. Macintyre, Esa.

Robert Bell, Esq:

Alex Macneill, Esq., Adrocate. fore consign it to the tomb of all the Capulets.

The Marquis of Bute.

Wm. Meikleham, Esq.
Lord John Campbell.

Wm. Millar, Esq., M.P.
J. D. Carrick, Esq.

Wm. Motherwell, Esq.
Henry Cockbum, Esq.

J. M. Pagan, Esq., M.D.
A System of Human Anatomy, on the Basis of the Traité James Dennistoun, Esq., yr. of Edward Piper, Esq.
ď Anatomie Descriptive of M. H. Cloquet. By Robert John Dilloo, Esq.

Robert Pitcairn, Esq.

J.C. Porterfield of Porterfield, Knox, Lecturer on Anatomy, Fellow of the Royal James Dobie, Esq.

Esq. .

Hamilton Pyper, Esq., Advocate. Society, and of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edin- Rich. Duncan, Esq.

James Ewing, Esq., V.P.

P. A. Ramsay, Esq. burgh. Edinburgh. 'Maclachlan and Stewart. 1830. Kirkman Finlay, Esq.

Wm. Robertson, Esq.

Rev. Wm. Fleming, D.D. We sometime ago noticed the former edition of this John Fullarton, Esq.

James Smith, Esq., of Jordan

James Hill, Esq. very excellent system of anatomy, and have now only to

Laurence Hill, Esq.

John Smith, Esq., of Swinridgeobserve, that this differs from its predecessor in having John Kerr, Esq. been very carefully revised and compared with Sæmpe- R. A. Kidston, Esq.

John Smith, Esq., Glasgow.

Wm. Smith, Esq., Glasgow. ring's work, “ De Fabrica Corporis Humani.”. It is David Laing, Esq.

George Smythe, Esq., advocate. unnecessary to do more than recommend the work to the John Gibson Lockhart, Esq. John Strang, Esq. attention of students and members of the medical pro- Wm. Macdowall,'Esq., of Garth

Alex. Macdonald, Esq.

Sir Patrick Walker.

Wilson Dobie Wilson, Esq. fession.

John Wylie, Esq., Secretary. J. W. Mackenzie, Esq., W.S.

Sir Walter Scott, Bart.

bill.

muir.

land.

The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Complete in one volume. Chiswick : Printed by Charles Whitting

THE LONDON DRAMA. ham. London: John Sharpe. 1830. 12mo. Pp. 622. This is a cabinet volume, elegantly printed in double

Regent's Park, London, columns, containing the most delightful piece of biogra

Monday, Oct. 18th, 1830. phy extant in this, or perhaps in any language. It is (We are happy to be able to promise notices of the London Drama sold at the extremely low price of twelve shillings.

regularly throughout the season, from the same intelligent currespondent who has already commenced the present series of articles, and who enjoys peculiar opportunities of collecting information,

ED.] MISCELLANEOUS LITERATURE.

After being closed for six days only, the Adelphi

Theatre re-opened for its regular winter season, most THE MAITLAND CLUB OF GLASGOW.

superbly re-decorated throughout, with a new devilry, SOME slight errors having been pointed out to us in entitled “ The Black Vulture, or the Wheel of Death!" the notices we have already given of this institution, we written by a Mr Edward Ball, who, to preclude the posrevert to the subject with the view of presenting a suc- sibility of his being mistaken for a brother bard named cinct and accurate statement of its proceedings. The William Ball, most aristocratically writes bimself FiliClub was established at Glasgow about two years ago; | Ball! for which distinction his namesake ought to be and although only one volame has yet issued from its exceedingly grateful. As a literary composition, it is press The History of the Family of Seyton, by Sir like most of Mr Fitz-Ball's other dramatic monstrosities, Richard Maitland of Lethington, Knight, edited by John below criticism; though, as a spectacle, it is both splenFullarton, Esq.-yet the members have not been idle, as did and effective. The most surprising thing about it, other two volumes are nearly ready, viz. the Poems of however, is the proprietors' temerity in expending so Sir Richard Maitland, under the able superintendence of much money on such nonsense. The only other novelty Joseph Bain, Esq., advocate ; and Hamilton of Wishaw's has been a farcical burletta, called " Scheming and SæmHistory of the Shires of Lanark and Renfrew, which is ing, or Mimic Art and Attic Science,” which, though nearly ready for delivery, with a preface, notes, and index, produced as new, is a mere alteration, by the author, of

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EDINBURGH LITERARY JOURNAL.

Lunn's very clever bagatelle of “Lofty Projects, or Arts

ORIGINAL POETRY. in an Attic," acted some years since at Covent Garden, where Yates, as now, performed the principal character, which is an assumption of several others, very ably sus

THE TANGIERS GIANT. tained, concluding with his almost inimitable imitations of Young, Kean, Macready, and Braham. This trifle

By the Author of " Anster Fair.” had a very long run formerly, and promises to remain as long on its legs now.–The Haymarket closed on Friday

MY DEAR GIGANTIC MR EDITOR, last, with Miss Patou's benefit, when the stage-manager, MBTHINKS I hare in secret observed, that you and others of strutMr Percy Farren, made the usual obeisances, and con- ting corporeal altitude are apt to think more highly of yourselves gratulated himself and the audience on their having had than you ought to think, from the accidental circumstance of your the last of Mr Kean, and the first of Mary-Anne ; Typhæan stature-that you, in short, are apt to look down somethanked and promised after the most approved recipe-and what contemptuously on myself, and on all the rest of lowly, modest, tbus terminated the campaign of 1830; the defects of of humbling you, and the other towering gigantaccil of the Six-Feet

and Zaccheus-statured mankind. It is then for the express purpose which-bad farces, worse actors, and late hours—will

, Club, that I have indited the following verses. I trust you will acit is “devoutly to be wished,” all be amended next year. cept of them as a stroke of humiliation—as one of the fulgura of There is the most ample room for improvement through. | Apollo levelled at your ambitious and sun-challenging heads :—for out, and the scenery and band being by no means amongst you will not fail, I think, to perceive, that, in comparison with my the least faulty of Mr Morris's departments, will, it is Giant, you and all others of similar stamp and mould are but hoped, receive due attention during the recess; that the

- "as that small infantry one may slightly resemble what it is intended to repre

Warr'd on by cranes!" sent, and the other, occasionally at least, play in time. 1 expect, therefore, that, for the humiliation of the lofty- headed, -Mr Keppell, the Covent Garden debutant in Romeo, is you will transmit a copy of the " Tangiers Giant” to each member certainly much superior to Abbott, but failed through of your assuming and over-lording Six-Feet Club of Edinburgh. lack of energy, and from nervous apprehension, and of Believe me, notwithstanding your height, to be, my dear sir, most

faithfully yours,

W.T. the fair recruits at Drury-Lane, Miss Chester and Mrs Wayletty-the former is as handsome a woman, and as In Tangiers town, as I've been tauld," inefficient an actress, as ever she was ; and the latter will There lived intill the times of auld, be valuable while she plays the parts of ladies' maids A giant, stout and big, only, and is never permitted to assume those of their mis The awfuest and the dowrest carl tresses. On Saturday last, opera was performed at each That on the outside o' this warl house, when a Mr Latham, from Dublin, and a Miss S. E'er wallop'd bane or leg. Phillips, made very successful first appearances as Figaro When he was born, on that same day and Rosina, in the “ Barber of Seville," at Drury. Lane; He was like other weans, perfay, and Mr Wilson, from Edinburgh, and a Miss Romer, Nae langer than ane ladle ; also debuted as Carlos and Clara, in the “ Duenna," at But in three days he shot sae lang, Covent Garden, scarcely less triumphantly. The im That out wi' 's feet and head he dang mortal “ Black-eyed Susan" was superseded by Pocock's Baith end-boords o' his cradle. new naval melo-drama of “ The Blue Anchor, or a Tar And, whan the big-baned babe did see, for all Weathers," at the latter theatre on Monday last; How that his cradle, short and wee, and amongst the early novelties at Drury-Lane, is to be Could haud him in nae langer, produced Macready's alteration of Lord Byron's tragedy His passion took a tirrivee, of “ Werner ;" in which he has already most successfully He grippit it, and garr'd it flee appeared as the hero, at Birmingham, and several other In flinders, in his anger. provincial theatres.

SOMERSET.

Ere he was span'd-wbat beef, what bane !
He was a babe o' thretty stane,

And buirdlier than his mither ;

Whan he for 's parridge grat at inorn,
ANECDOTE OF ROBERT BURNS.

Men never heard, syn they were born, On Burns's first appearance in Edinburgh, he was A yeut sae fu' o' drither! introduced, among many others, to Mr Taylor, the over

When he'd seen thretty years or sae, Feening parochial schoolmaster of Currie, who was also Far meikler was his little tae a competitor in. verse-making, and whose opinion of his Than our big Samuel's showther ; own merits far overbalanced wbat little estimation be When he down on a stool did lean, . might have formed of the plain unlettered peasant of

The stool was in an instant gane,

'Twas briss'd clean down to powther. Ayrshire, whose name was as yet new to the public. Mr H-, at whose table Burns was a frequent guest, When through the streets of Tangiers towa invited Taylor one day to dine with him, when the He gaed, spasiering up and down,

Houses and kirks did trummel; evening was spent with the usual good-bumour and jocularity. Taylor had brought his manuscript poems, a few

O' bis coat-tail, the vera wap of which were read to Burns for his favourable opinion Raised whirlwinds wi' its flichtering flap, previous to printing. Some of the passages read were odd And garr'd auld lumm-heads tummel. enough, such as,

Had ye been five mile out o' toun,

Ye might hae seen his head aboon “ Rin, little bookie, round the warld loup,

The heighest houses tow'rin; Whilst I in grave do lie wi' a cauld doup !"

Ilk awsome tramp he gaif the ground, At which Burns laughed exceedingly. Notwithstand

Garr'd aik-trees shake their heads a' round, ing the pedantic and absurd perversity of the poems, And lions rin hame cow'rin'. Burns gave him a recommendatory line to the printer. To show his powstie to the people, Next morning Mr H-, meeting Taylor, enquired of Ance in his arms he took the steeple, him what be thought of the Ayrshire poet. quoth the self-admiring pedagogue, “ the lad 'ill do • For this giant of 90 feet or more, we have somewhat like clasconsiderin' his want o' lear, the lad's weel eneugh !" sical authority. Says an old author, -" Gabinius, the Roman his.

torian, makes mention of the sepulchre of Antæus, near Tingi, (or Tangiers,) as also of a skeleton, sirty cubits long, which Sertorius disinterrel, and again covered with earth."-Strabo, lib. 17. cap. 3.

i Hoot,"