The English were now becoming almost innumerable, and various were the whims and frolics of some of my eccentric countrymen. One friend of mine who gave French dinners in Pall-Mall, now signalized himself by bringing over an English cook, that he might have good fishsauce, and that his game might not be over-roasted; but the most extraordinary invitation which I had the honour to receive, was to an English wake-feast, where the French chiefly were to be present. This, however, was attended with much trouble and expense, as an ox must be properly cut up for the purpose; the assembly was numerous, and the provisions were most abundant. The top dish consisted of three very large boiled fowls, with bacon and greens; a sirloin of beef at the bottom extended quite across the table; and there was a pie, with two dozen of pigeons in the middle; there were likewise several other equally heavy articles, besides numerous auxiliaries, such as plum-puddings, fruit-pies, and cheesecakes. The French appealed to some of us to know whether all this profusion was still customary; but we fairly acknowledged, that it was wearing away very fast, and we thought that, from the variety of public vehicles, which were continually travelling to the capital, such unpolite waste would soon entirely cease; for even now it certainly was not to be met with amongst graziers and farmers in any of the midland counties. A bountiful aid of some "home-brewed," or brown stout, was offered to us afterwards; and some of the company, even here, did a kind of justice to the supposed presiding patronage to which the feast was dedicated.'-pp. 277-279.

We really feel ourselves under many obligations to Mr. Cradock, for his kind consideration in sparing us a more minute description of his tour through Flanders and Holland, than that which he inserted in the appendix to his former volume. Perhaps also we ought to thank him for omitting his observations on the English towns, which he traversed on his return from the Continent to Leicestershire; but as there are still two volumes in the back ground, we may be reckoning without our host. We will therefore conclude for the present with an anecdote of the late king, which we could hardly credit, had it not. been given upon such good authority.

'Mr. Bellasyse had the honour to be appointed by his uncle, earl Fauconberg, to receive his late Majesty at his mansion at Cheltenham. At that time this was the only tolerable place of residence in the least suited to such an occupant; but, from natural temper, his Majesty did not suffer himself to be annoyed with small difficulties.

'Mr. Bellasyse accompanied him during his morning rides, and his Majesty could not fail to be much pleased with the urbanity of his manners. To some of his suite he expressed surprise, that, as lord Fauconberg was a lord of the bedchamber, and frequently in his presence, he had never heard that he had a nephew utterly unprovided for, and in orders; and then the mystery was explained, that Mr. Bellasyse was a Romish priest of the Catholic branch of his noble family. When afterwards taking the air about Cheltenham, his Majesty was pleased to signify to Mr. Bellasyse, "that he by no means wished to interfere with his real principles, but should he wish to make any change," with a smile most graciously

added, "I have not perhaps much preferment at my immediate disposal, but in such a case I will certainly take good care of you."

Mr. Bellasyse for a while occasionally officiated at the Romish chapel in Portugal-street, and died at Southampton, Lord Fauconberg, in June 1815, appropriating to his own use, only a small portion of that great income to which, by heirship, he was justly entitled. He was a fine scholar, a communicative man, a dignified nobleman, and to all who were nearly connected with him, a most affectionate, as well as a most disinterested, friend.'-pp. 290-292.

NOTICES.

ART. X. The Young Rifleman's Comrade: a Narrative of his Military Adventures, Captivity, and Shipwreck. 8vo. pp. 310. 9s. 6d. London. Colburn. 1826.

THIS volume adds another to the stock of military narratives, which have recently abounded in England, Germany, and France. It is said to have been edited by Goethe, and indeed it is not difficult to trace through its pages a gleam now and then of his meditative and poetic mind. We think, however, that he has stooped somewhat from the dignity of his station, both in literature and society, by condescending to bestow his care upon the memoirs of a private soldier, who certainly would never have been adopted by "The Young Rifleman," as a comrade. He in no one instance exhibits that worth of personal character, which under any circumstances is entitled to our attention and sympathy. He appears throughout his narrative as a mere vulgar campaigner, participating while in the Peninsula in some of the most horrid atrocities of the French soldiers, amongst whom he was originally enlisted, sharing also in their habits of plunder, and extreme licentiousness. To persons of his own class in France, or Germany, his narrative may be acceptable, but we are sure that there is no man in the service of England, who would not read it with the most unqualified disgust.

As to the military adventures of the author, it is extremely doubtful whether they ever occurred as respects himself personally. They follow the course of the French armies which entered Madrid, when it was in possession of Murat, perpetrated the never-to-be-forgotten bloodshed of the 2nd of May, and after fighting several battles in the south of Spain, capitulated as prisoners of war. Nothing could be easier for a soldier than to pick out a few by-scenes in this drama, and say, oh, I was present at that action," " "here I was wounded," ""here was I made a prisoner." We suspect the present work to be made up in this manner, and thus woven into a tale, because there are very few of the incidents that are related in it, which bear the stamp of personal recollection. The island of Cabrera had been already described in the " Adventures of a French Sergeant," a book fabricated exactly after the same fashion as the one before us; yet Cabrera forms a principal feature in our author's account of his captivity. This is rather an awkward plagiarism.

But the part of this book which is most likely to be original, and true, is that which describes the author's life at Palermo, where he appears as a

British soldier after his release from Cabrera. He gives without a blush, and Mr. Goethe has not thought proper to erase, or even to chasten it, a long account, not only of his own low intrigues with the lowest of the Sicilian women, but also he enters at large into the equally disgusting intrigues of his comrades. We can hardly appreciate the taste of the Germans, whose literary chieftain has descended into such base matter for their amusement; but this we know, that the English translator has very little consulted the public decency of this country, in laying such polluted details before it.

The latter part of the volume is occupied with the journal of a voyage undertaken for China, but frustrated by shipwreck. This journal is not pretended to have proceeded in any form, from the soldier with whom we have been hitherto dealing, but from some other German. Goethe gets over the difficulty, as he imagines, by converting his soldier into a servant, and sending him in that capacity on board of the Cabalva, under the command of Captain Dalrymple. The narrative of the dreadful disasters which attended that unfortunate ship, is extremely well written, and interesting, but its incorporation with the history of an obscure German soldier, serves at once to shew how books of this kind are at present manufactured in Germany. The notes added by the translator, betray much prejudice-not to say ignorance.

ART. XI.-The Revolt of the Bees.-8vo. pp. 272. 12s. 6d. London. Longman and Co. 1826.

UNDER this title the reader will perhaps not expect to find a long, and by no means an inelegant allegory, in favour of the celebrated Mr. Owen's new plans for the improvement of society. Yet such he will discover it to be, after the perusal of a few pages; and lest any doubt should remain about its design, the author has, rather indiscreetly as we think for his purpose, appended to his text numerous notes from Mr. Owen's writings on the subject.

Upon the schemes of that gentleman for the amelioration of our species, we have no desire at present to offer any opinion. He has purchased, we believe, an extensive tract of country, within the jurisdiction of the United States, for the purpose of carrying his designs into effect upon a limited scale. The world will thus be enabled, at no very distant day, to judge from experience as to the soundness of his views, and in the meantime he seems determined to lose no opportunity of having his ideas promulgated in every shape with which pamphlet or discourse, prose or verse, fiction or fact, can furnish him. His perseverance in this respect, and we may add his pecuniary sacrifices, prove beyond all question, the sincerity of his opinions.

Nevertheless, we hardly think that he has yet succeeded in producing any very general impression in favour of them. Neither do we apprehend that 'The Revolt of the Bees,' will much assist him in his object. Allegories have long since grown out of fashion; and indeed the very idea that a work belongs to that antiquated class of literature, is sufficient to send it at once to the region of dusty repose. Under the name of Bees," the author supposes that a number of British subjects, tired of

the old oppressions of society, have joined together, and betaken themselves to a country where they rule themselves according to the laws which Mr. Owen has laid down for them. The curtain of the future-a hundred years hence is lifted up in a dialogue between a Scotchman and a Persian, who are contemplating the favourable changes wrought by the adoption and progress of Mr. Owen's system, and of course every thing proceeds in the most prosperous and harmonious order. Industry, frugality, abundance, mutual kindness, tranquillity, and happiness rule the revolving years, "the lion lies down with the lamb," and earth itself is an anticipated heaven! In the romance, as in the original system, we find much attributed to what is called “natural religion ;" but no provision made for that which has a much higher and better source-the religion which has descended from Calvary to mankind. This important defect pervades all Mr. Owen's operations; and he seems inflexible in his resolution not to repair it. After marking_this fault, and the unpopular department of literature to which The Revolt of the Bees' belongs, we must in justice add, that it displays a chaste and expanded imagination, and, very frequently, considerable felicity of diction. Some of the most absurd of the abuses which have grown up under our own social system, fostered, if not originally created, by our old legislation, and our pertinacity in adhering to them, are pointed out, and very properly exposed to ridicule. The satire is veiled, but at the same time perfectly intelligible, and without the sting of malignity.

ART. XII.-1. Specimens of English Prose, from the reign of Elizabeth to the present time: with an Introduction. By George Walker, M. A. 12mo. pp. 615. 9s.

2. Specimens of English Poetry, during the author. 12mo. pp. 619. 9s.

London.

same period, by the same Longman and Co. 1826.

In the introductions which Mr. Walker has prefixed to both these volumes, particularly to the former one, he has shewn himself eminently well adapted to the task which he has undertaken. They exhibit not only his thorough acquaintance with the greatest ornaments of our literature, but a taste kindled by their inspiration, and modelled by their pure examples. It seems to have been his object to display the most characteristic specimenз of our prose and poetic writers, according to the order of time in which they flourished. Thus we have within a reasonable compass, a historical view of our literature, from the period at which it was first successfully cultivated, to the present day.

The introduction to the prose volume contains a compendious and admirable essay on the origin, progress, qualities, and grammatical structure of the English language, and on the merits of several of our most distinguished writers, from whose works Mr. Walker has made his selections. Amongst the great names which distinguished the reign of Elizabeth, he selects those of Sidney and Hooker, Raleigh, Bacon, and Hall, for particular remark. Sidney, he justly observes, may be commended for elegant simplicity; Hooker, for severe majesty; Raleigh, is sustained and eloquent; Bacon, sententious, figurative, and profound; Hall, overflowing and tender.

With these distinctive properties, they have many common

excellences. In all of them there is a surprising union of substantial sense and rich imagination, of philosophic enlargement and practical observation, of extensive learning and civil or prudential wisdom. Their works are enriched with the fundamental principles of religious and moral truth; they embrace human nature in the past and the future, in its defects and excellences; they supply principles for the government of empires, maxims for the regulation of common life, and seeds of thought which may fructify in the mind of the sage; they seem fitted to be the improvers of society; the legislators of states, the oracles of mankind.' Among the writings of this period,' adds Mr. Walker, the prose works of Milton may be correctly placed, though their actual date was somewhat later. Scarcely any of the great productions of English genius are less known to common readers. Nor is this at all surprising, if their general character is considered. The style is mostly harsh and difficult, and the subjects destitute of allurement. For though many of the great topics of religious and political inquiry are brought into discussion, Milton's opinions are so peculiarly framed to his own character and circumstances, so impracticable in their general application, so unsuited to the actual condition of human nature, that perhaps no one of his own, or succeeding times, has concurred with, or adopted them. But as the constitution of his mind was essentially poetical; his feeling of religion, sublime; his love of truth, virtue, and liberty, ardent; his respect for human nature, sincere; and his conception of its capacities and destiny, exalted; he occasionally breaks forth into passages of lyrical inspiration, of majestic eloquence. These passages lie scattered in the mass of his works, like diamonds, surrounded by rubbish, but of splendid lustre and inestimable value. Their matter and manner strongly resemble the great writers of the preceding age; they have the same fulness of sentiment, clothed in diction equally grand and ample.'

From these specimens of his own composition, the reader will be enabled to appreciate the abilities and powers of discrimination which Mr. Walker has brought to the two compilations now before us. They contain several of the finest master-pieces of our language, both in prose and verse. Considering their closely printed and numerous pages, they are cheap at the prices affixed to them, and can hardly fail, we imagine, of becoming highly popular in the schools.

ART. XIII. Practical Botany; an improved Arrangement of the Generic Characters of British Plants; with a familiar Introduction to the Linnean System. By William Johns, M. D. &c. 8vo. pp. 156. 9s. London. Longman and Co. 1826.

Ir always affords us pleasure to meet with books, which are calculated to strip science of its abstruseness, and to clothe it anew in a popular and familiar dress. There is, perhaps, no study which has suffered so much, on account of the multitudinous and unintelligible terms in which it has been involved, as that of Botany. Considering it with reference to the varieties and beauties of nature, it is a source of opulence for the mind which no length of life can exhaust. Those who are in any degree initiated in it, may be said to possess a sixth sense, inasmuch as it enables them to find