Page images
PDF
EPUB

General Scott, of whom I have never heard any thing other than that he got his money in the East Indies. I saw Mrs. CANNING not long after her marriage, and could easily believe, that her fortune, large as it was, had not gained her her husband; for she was a very pretty, gentle, and amiable woman. To be sure, there did require something in personal merits to meet those of the husband; for he, according to my judgment, was the very handsomest man I ever saw in my life. Not a "pretty man," not a “beauty," not a doll-faced dandy; but sufficiently tall, sufficiently stout, his limbs all at command, his step quick and firm, his voice sound and harmonious, his utterance quick and distinct, his emphasis strong without effort, his hair dark, his eyes bright without being sharp; and, what above all things I admire, a set of features every one of which performed its part in telling you what was passing in the mind.

'How often have I, when reading his speeches, brought him back to my mind! In about twentytwo years I have seen him but twice; once in 1817, and once lately. He is grown stouter, and somewhat stiffer in his movements; he has lost the hair on the top of his head; but his eyes and all his features are nearly the same as ever; his voice is what it was; his habits of sobriety give him vigour, and, in all probability, will give him long life.'

Whether the palm for masterliness of delineation belong to this portrait, or that by the PRESIDENT of the ROYAL ACADEMY; whether the triumph, in this instance, ought to be accorded to the pen, or the pencil, were an immaterial decision: but

none, we are sure, will dispute, that they are exquisite illustrations of each other.

Of the serious papers in the MICROCOSM, there are many with the signatures of A., C., and D., which are far above mediocrity; and indeed, the whole volume teems with entertainment and ability.

It would be unjust to send forth this edition of the BRITISH ESSAYISTS, without mentioning the MINIATURE and the ETONIAN, two worthy successors of GREGORY GRIFFIN at Eton, and the heirs of his talents and his celebrity. Of the last, which was published in 1821, a high character has already appeared in the principal journals, which a perusal by no means belies; and it claims to rank, undisparaged, by the side of much maturer productions.

Of the MINIATURE, whose authors were contemporary at Eton with the writer of this article, it may suffice to observe, that it has trodden successfully, though perhaps with too much palpable external imitation, in the footsteps of its ingenious predecessor.

But though the MINIATURE, like the MICROCOSM, is restricted to forty numbers, the departure of Mr. SOLOMON GRILDRIG, its editor, is a paper of great elegance and originality, and managed very differently from the catastrophe of GREGORY GRIFFIN. This number, and the one preceding, in which GRILDRIG recounts the history of his birth and education, are pieces of perfect Addisonian humour.

The MINIATURE was planned by THOMAS

RENNELL, the eldest son of the dean of Winchester, now vicar of Kensington, and chaplain to the bishop of SALISBURY; and by STRATFORD CANNING, Sometime minister in Switzerland, but now a member of the privy-council, and our ambassador to the United States. To these original projectors, acceded immediately RICHARD WELLESLEY, eldest son of the MARQUIS, and now a member of the House of Commons; and GALLEY KNIGHT, who has already served in parliament, and is since extensively known in the literary world for his elegant poetical productions. It would be difficult to select four names, of a parallel standing in life, more distinguished for various literature than these.

Mr. RENNELL is one of the profoundest theologians of the age, and as a scholar, facilè inter principes Græcorum: and the universal accomplishments and genius of STRATFORD CANNING, shed a lustre even upon the name he bears. His saltem-from these, I could not refrain: let the imperfect tribute be pardoned by my bright contemporaries*.

It is curiously worthy of remark that the bouts rimés, which were printed the other day in the celebrated Recueil, entitled the LIBERAL, are an idea borrowed from the MICROCOSM. Turn to the very humorous paper, signed D. No. 35.-Having just heard that the principal writers in the ETONIAN are graduates of Oxford or Cambridge, and between twenty-four and twentyeight years of age, what we have remarked on that paper above -as one of the ETON Essayists-may be considered as cancelled. -ED.

[blocks in formation]

THE

MICROCOSM.

No 1. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1786.

Protinus Italiam concepit, et arma virumque,
Qui modo vix culicem fleverat ore rudi.-MARTIAL.
HE, who a gnat had wept with artless tongue,
ARMS AND THE MAN' in loftier numbers sung.

IT has often been observed, that an introduction is the part of a work the most embarrassing to the author, as well as the least entertaining to the reader. I have frequently wished that custom, or a literary etiquette, had prescribed some form so general, as to preclude the idea of plagiarism, while it secured the author from the apprehension of misrepresenting himself to the world; as for instance,

ΤΟ

THE MOST HIGH AND PUISSANT CRITICS

BY THE

SUFFERANCE OF THEIR SUBJECTS,
OF WIT, POETRY, AND HUMOUR, KINGS,
DEFENDERS OF TASTE,

THE MICROCOSMOPOLITAN SENDS GREETING, &c. &c. &c.

Next to this, the method almost universally adopted by periodical writers, of usurping a feigned name and character, is perhaps the most eligible; the dignity of the author is not diminished by the egotisms of Isaac Bickerstaff, and the man with a short face

« PreviousContinue »