Page images
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

Expliceth Richard Sheale* temp. Explicit O. P. temp. Geo. XV.

Henr. vj.

[blocks in formation]

(13) i. e. Better our bales, remedy our evils. Bp. Percy.

The author of this ballad, as the reader may see by the expliceth, is RICHARD SHEALE, a gentleman not to be confounded, as honest old Tom Hearne has done, with a Richard Sheale who was living in 1588. Nor is he to be confounded with a Richard Sheil who is alive in 1820, writing tragedies and other jocose performances. I wave the objection arising from Chronology, as that is a science I despise, therein imitating Lady Morgan, the Edinburgh Reviewers, Major Cartwright, and various other eminent persons. For (to take one instance from the works of the first cited authority) might not Mr Richard Shiel of 1820 be as capable of writing a ballad in the days of Henry VI. as the wife of the Grand Condè of intriguing with a king who was dead before she was born? (See, if extant, Lady Morgan's France.) My objections to their identity are of a graver and more critical nature. Ist, Richard Shiel of Chevy Chace is an original writer, which nobody accuses Richard Shiel of Evadne of being. 2dly, Although in verse 33, Second Fitte, the ballad-monger, had an opportunity of bringing up the children with their mothers to serve as a clap-trap, he has not done so; an omission of which the tragedy. monger of Ballamira would never have been guilty. 3dly, The people in the poem of the rhymester are decent men, who talk plain language, whereas the people in the Apostate are stalking-talking rogues, who discourse in the most sarsenet phraseology. 4thly, and lastly, The ballad of the Percy and Douglas (teste Sir P. Sidney) moves the heart like the sound of a trumpet, whereas the tragedy of Adelaide puts one to sleep more effectually than a double dose of diacodium. Wherefore, I am of opinion, that Mr R. Shiel now extant is not the author of Chevy Chace.

Q. E. D.

I have done with Chevy Chace; but as I am in a garrulous disposition, I wish to add a few words. Every true lover of English literature, must ac knowledge the great benefit conferred on it by Bishop Percy, in publishing his Relics. That work has breathed a spirit of renovated youth over our poetry; and we may trace its influence in the strains of higher mood, uttered by the great poets of our own days. The Bishop was qualified for his task by exqui site poetical feeling, a large share of varied antiquarian knowledge, and general literary acquirements-united accomplishments, which he possessed in a greater

degree perhaps than any of his contemporaries. But since his time, and in a great measure in consequence of his work, and those which it called forth, so much more is known with respect to early English literature-I might say with respect to early English history-and the taste of the public is so much more inclined to such studies, that I think a general collection of our old English ballads, comprising of course those of Percy, Ritson, and others, which may merit preservation, is a great desideratum. Little skilled as I am in such subjects, I could point out deficiencies in the plan or the details of every work. of the kind I have ever seen-deficiencies however, which I have not time to notice, nor perhaps would this be the proper place to do it, or I the proper person, after travestying the first of old ballads into Monkish Latin. I should require in the Editor high poetic taste, a deep and minute knowledge of the history and antiquities of the country, a profound acquaintance with the customs, the language, the heraldry, the genealogy of our ancestors, a critical judgment with respect to ancient poetry, and a perfect familiarity with all our poetic stores, ancient and modern-besides, what are not so common as may be imagined, undeviating honesty and fidelity. It may be asked, where could a man possessing such an union of high qualications be found for such a purpose. I could name one, although I am almost ashamed to do so. He, to whom I allude, has written so much, that the public could have no claim on him, if, (to borrow the elegant compliment of the old king to Dr Johnson,) he had not written so well, as to give us the same right to call on him to adorn our literature, as we have to expect a successful general to stand forth in defence of our land.

Yours, &c. &c.

O. P.

DUBLIN, May 31, 1820

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE.

Discovery of a new Island off Cape Horn. -Buenos Ayres, Jan. 7.-A new island has been discovered off Cape Horn, in lat. 61 deg. long. 55 deg., by the ship William, on a voyage from Monte Video for Valparaiso. The same ship having been despatched by Capt. Sherriff, of the Andromache frigate, to survey the coast, had explored it for 200 miles. The captain went ashore, found it covered with snow, and uninhabited. Abundance of seals and whales were found in its neighbourhood. He has named the island New Shetland.

Expedition to the Frozen Ocean.Advices from St Petersburgh, dated March 22, state that a new voyage of discovery will be undertaken this summer in the north. This expedition will sail from the mouth of the Lena for the Frozen Ocean, in order to examine the coast of Siberia, and the islands which were discovered to the north of it some years ago. As it is not yet ascertained whether these supposed islands may in reality be one main land or not, and as hitherto they have only been visited in winter, it will be interesting to know how far the ice will permit vessels to advance during summer, and to determine

its extent.

Africa. By the latest information, it seems that the expedition under the command of Major Gray, on whom the direction devolved after the death of Major Peddie, has returned to Galam, on the Senegal, after a most harassing journey through the country of the Foolado. Mr Docherd, the surgeon attached to the expedition, had, with a few individuals, however, proceeded onwards to Bammakoo, in Bambarra, from whence accounts have been received from him, dated twelve months since, expressing his hopes of procuring the necessary permission to proceed further. Markets, it seems, were held twice every week at Sandsanding and Yamina, where provisions were reasonable, and every sort of European merchandise in great demand, especially articles of finery for the dresses of the females, who are fond of showy colours. Among other things were Manchester prints in great abundance, which seemed to meet a ready sale, and which must have been conveyed by the caravan from Morocco across the Great Desert. Lieutenant Lyon, of the Royal Navy, who was the friend and fellow traveller of the late Mr Ritchie, is appointed to succeed that gentleman as British Vice Consul at Mourzouk, the capital of Fezzan, in Africa, for the purpose of facilitating and attempting discoveries. By the Magnet, which left Cape Coast on the 23d March, we learn, that Mr Dupuis had proceeded to Cormassic, to enter upon his functions as Consul at the Court of the King of Ashan.

tee, and had arrived in safety and been well received.

Opinion in regard to British Metaphysicians, by the Germans..At the last Leip sig fair, many new works on Moral Philo sophy and Metaphysics made their appearance. A hasty glance of several of these, enabled us to understand the general opinion entertained in Germany of the metaphysicians in Great Britain. Reid, they say, did little; Dugald Stewart is not an origi nal writer, but eminently distinguished by the beauty and grace of his style. Gregory, the physician, ingenious, but not original. Thomas Brown, a man of great promise as a bold and original thinker, and brings forcibly to recollection the period of the deep thinkDarwin a visionary, Paley ing Hume.

an amiable but superficial writer. Playfair the mathematician, a writer of powerful metaphysical articles in the Edinburgh Re,

view.

University Text-Books.-In Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, and Denmark, it is an invariable practice with the professors in the different Universities, to publish, for the use of their pupils, text-books of their courses of lectures. The universality of the practice, is a decisive proof of its utility. We have been always surprised to find this accommodation for students so little regarded in our Scotch Colleges; although, in the few cases where it has been adopted, the greatest benefit has resulted. All of us remember with delight, the pleasure and advantage we derived from the excellent Text-books of Dr Walker, Professor Frazer Tytler, Professor Dugald Stewart, and Professor Playfair; and many now pursuing their studies in the University of Edinburgh, anticipated, from the lately published admirable Text-book of Dr Brown, important assistance in the difficult and abstruse studies of Moral Philosophy and Metaphysics. The want of Textbooks is particularly felt in the classes of Logic, Medical Jurisprudence, Natural History, Practice of Medicine, Theory of Medicine, and Materia Medica.

Variation of the Magnetic Needle.—In a former volume of this Magazine, we mentioned that the excellent observations of Colonel Mark Beaufoy, made at Bushy-Heath, near Stanmore, in Middlesex, had shown that the magnetic variation to the westward of the true north had uniformly increased, on taking the means monthly, until the beginning of the last year, after which it had fluctuated, but giving a mean variation of 24° 37′ 0′′ in the first three months of 1819. The observations since published by the Colonel in a contemporary Journal, seem to show that this was the maximum variation, occurring in February or March 1819: because he finds the monthly means, since the begin.

ning of April of that year, to have uniformly decreased. It further appears from the Colonel's statements, that the western variation had been on the increase through 162 years, or since 1657: it was only 77 years before this period that the first authentic observations on the variation can be found, or in 1580, when the needle at London varied to the east 11° 15'.

Jameson's Marine Thermometer.-From many experiments made of late years by scientific persons, there seems every reason to believe that the thermometer is an instrument of far greater importance to navigators than it has been generally supposed.

The late celebrated Dr Franklin was the first person who noticed the great difference between the temperature of the water on the North American coast, in and out of soundings, and suggested the use of a thermometer as an indicator of an approach to that dangerous shore, as it had been uniformly found that the nearer any vessel approximated the shore, the colder the temperature of the water became.

Afterwards Col. Jonathan Williams, of Philadelphia, endeavoured, with some success, to call the attention of seafaring men to the importance of the thermometer as a nautical instrument; and satisfactorily succeeded in showing, that no vessel on board of which a thermometer is, can possibly be cast away on the coasts of the United States, without at least a sufficient warning of the approach to danger, to allow of its being avoided, unless the ship should be so entire ly disabled as to be totally unmanageable.

The statements of Dr Franklin and Colonel Williams applied only to the coasts of North America; and hence it came to be generally supposed that the increased heat of the sea, when out of soundings, was caused by the Gulf stream-current, which, issuing from the Gulf of Mexico, sweeps to the northward along the coasts of the United States: it has of late however been established, that the decreasing temperature of the water, as any vessel approaches the coasts of Spain, Portugal, and Barbary, is sufficient to give warning to any attentive navigator of his approach to these coasts; and it seems probable, from the experiments of Mr Davy, (brother to the celebrated Sir Humphrey,) that the thermometer will be found to point out, not only the proximity of land, but also that of extensive banks &c. in all places.

A person whose experience had shown him, that in quitting the American coasts there was an increase of twelve deg. of Fahrenheit's scale in the temperature of the sea in a few hours run from the mouth of the Delaware, found also on approaching the coast of Portugal, that the mercury in the tube of the thermometer sunk from 69 degrees, at which it stood in the open sea, to 60 degrees, when his ship was about three or four miles from Cape St Vincent and subsequently, that in beating through the VOL. VII.

[ocr errors]

Straits of Gibraltar with a contrary wind, the mercury in the thermometer rose and fell in proportion to the distance he was from the Spanish or African shores, ranging from 68 degrees, at which it stood in the middle of the Strait, to 61 degrees, which was the lowest to which it sunk on the African side; and on the Spanish shore it never fell lower than 64 degrees; which is easily accounted for, as the ship was never so near that shore, it being considered adviseable to keep at a distance from the shoals, &c. near Tariffa.

The person already mentioned, having discovered many objections to the mode of using the thermometer recommended by Colonel Williams, and having had several thermometers broken, applied to different mechanics in various places to construct a marine thermometer case for him, which would protect the instrument, and facilitate its use, but unsuccessfully, until he some time since applied to Messrs Gardner and Jameson, mathematical instrument makers in Glasgow. Mr Jameson, of that firm, invented and made a case, which not only prevents the thermometer enclosed in it from being injured, but admits and retains water from any depth which may be desired; so that the results obtained by the experiments made with it are exempted from any chance of being influenced by the solar rays in summer weather or warm latitudes, or by the chill of the air in winter or cold climates, as by an ingenious contrivance the bulb of the thermometer is kept immersed in a column of water admitted and retained by the case, from the greatest depth to which it has been sunk.

Mr Purdy, the hydrographer of London, has expressed his opinion of Mr Jameson's invention in very flattering terms, as have also many highly respectable scientific and nautical men.

Natural History.-Specimen from the Cape.-A living animal of the antelope species, called a Nhu, having the head of a cow, the mane of a horse, and the hind part resembling that of a mule, was brought to England in the Barossa, from the Cape of Good Hope. animals are inhabitants of Southern Africa, but very rarely to be met with. The one now brought home belongs to Lord Charles Somerset.

These

Aurum Millium.-Mr N. Mill has discovered a new metal resembling gold, and possessing some of its best qualities, which he calls aurum millium. In colour, it resembles 60s. gold, and is nearly as heavy in specific gravity as jewellers' gold. It is malleable, and has the invaluable property of not easily tarnishing. It is hard very and sonorous, and requires care in the working. The price of it being from 4s. to 4s. 6d. an ounce, will not be an obstacle to its general use and for beauty there is not any metal that exceeds it, and it is susceptible of an exquisite polish, 2 T

Description of Norway-The following account of the appearance of Norway, as distinguished from Sweden, is given by Bedemar :-Norway, he says, consists principally of a mountain-basin, surrounded by the remains of an elevated platform, the exterior border of which, jagged by deep cuts, and ascending to a great height, lies around the whole of the ridge of the principal range of mountains. The sea has penetrated to this border, through the abysses which have been opened; and the western storms, and an illjudged industry, have circumscribed within the vallies the scanty woods which run through the basin itself. On the outside descend only mountain torrents, short in their course the large streams belong to the centre of the land. **** They form many beautiful and high waterfalls, and many large lakes in their course. On the coasts only are a few towns to be found;

the rest of the country is covered with insulated dwellings; brown log-houses, sur. rounded by a few corn-fields and extensive meadows, small and independent possessions, suited to the independent and sturdy character of the people. In the vi cinity of rivers, which are at times nearly invisible from the quantity of timber float. ing down them, numerous saw-mills are to be seen; and a few iron and copper works are to be met with in the spaces cleared from wood. Along the sea shore, habitations, solitary or in groupes, surrounded with implements for fishing, and curing fish, appear like so many nests in the green hollows among the rocks. Over all this, an atmosphere generally clear, delightful, and invigorating, is spread as far as the 69 -70 of latitude, after which we meet with deep and impenetrable fogs, a sea like lead, and the melancholy silence of an uninter rupted wilderness.

WORKS PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION.

LONDON.

[blocks in formation]

knight, then King at Arms; to be illus trated with engravings, in one volume royal 8vo.

Rosamond, in two volumes; a sequel to Early Lessons; by Miss Edgeworth.

Views of the Remains of Ancient Buildings in Rome and its Vicinity; by M. Du Bourg.

An Encyclopædia of Antiquities; being the first ever edited in England; by the Rev. T. D. Fosbrooke, M. A. author of British Monachism, &c. to appear in 20 4to numbers, at 5s. each.

Dr J. Gordon Smith, Lecturer on Medical Jurisprudence in London, is preparing for the press a work on that subject, which is intended to serve the double purpose of a Text Book to his Lectures, and a Guide in the management of professional evidence in the public courts. It is expected to be ready early next season.

In a few days will be published, by Capt. James Gifford, R. N. price 1s. the Unitarian's Defence; being a Reply, in part, to the late Rev. D. Anderson's Sermon, which was preached before the Deanery of Gower, and was published at their request.

The Rev. T. Jebb has in the press a volume entitled Sacred Literature; compris ing a Review of the Principles of Composi tion laid down in the Prelections and Isaiah of the late Robert Lowth, D.D. Lord Bishop of London; and an application of the principles so reviewed to the illustration of the New Testament, in a series of critical observations on the style and structure of

that Sacred Volume.

A new edition of Mr H. Neele's Odes and other Poems, with considerable additions, is in the press, and will speedily be published.

« PreviousContinue »