more brutal Portuguese, however, those true lovers of the game, who could forget even humanity in their sports, greeted the creature with yells, hoots, and hissings; since it was always deemed an infallible mark of cowardice in the bull if he did not instantly attack his foe. Hamet was ready to receive him; his wood-knife in his hand-his eye fixed on his enemy. His fine person drawn to its utmost height, every muscle in his slender limbs seemed to swell and to shew its power, as he stood, like a greyhound on the slip,' eager for the hardy encounter." the combat. He was black in colour; and the last efforts of his rage, that the sight of it | preface, accordingly, he, evidently at the extherefore had he been named Nero. Whilst impressed horror. His blood streamed from his pense of Bruce's reputation, extols the Portuthus he stood, wild cries arose from the circus. flanks; he bounded, rather than ran, forward guese traveller, as one who has amused his They were strange and mingled; some seemed with dreadful bellowings. He shook his neck reader with no romantic absurdities or incrediuttered in joy that the animal shewed little and sides, tossed the sand in his career, whilst ble fictions. He appears by his modest and unsymptoms of being willing for the attack. The volumes of smoke arose from his mouth and affected narrative to have described things as nostrils. Hamet, as a final effort, determined he saw them, to have copied nature from the to spring upon him; and, for that purpose, life, and to have consulted his senses, not his when within a few yards of the bull, turned to imagination. He meets with no basilisks that confront him. His foot slipped-he fell-and destroy with their eyes, his crocodiles devour the knife dropped from his hand. All hope their prey without tears, and his cataracts fall fled; for at this instant he stood close to the from the rock without deafening the neighbourbarrier, which cut off all retreat, and the wilding inhabitants.' These round, rigmarole senbull was making towards him, with head bent, tences were rolled against Bruce, a man who to gore him to death with his horns. A cry of had patiently visited three-quarters of the horror arose from the arena. Hamet sprang globe, by Johnson, one of the most prejudiced up. There was no escape. Ines de Castro men of his age, who, himself a traveller, had sat immediately above the very spot where the not temper enough to travel in a hack-chaise youthful Moor was in so much danger. Quick to Aberdeen! Peter Pindar amused all people in feeling and in thought, she tore from her (except Bruce) by his satirical flings, one of shoulders the crimson mantle in which she was which was wrapt, and threw it into the arena with so true a hand, that Hamet caught it-cast it over the bull's head as he prepared to gore him-and ere the beast could disentangle himself from a manly way; in the way that all writers, conthe blind thus thrown over him, Hamet re-scious of truth and integrity, ought to meet the covered his knife, that lay close at his feet, and misrepresentations or calumnies of the envious struck it into the spine. His mighty enemy and malicious. "He concludes his preface with fell, a convulsed corpse." the following noble and remarkable words:— · There are some very beautiful descriptions The Life of Bruce, the Abyssinian Traveller. A FORTNIGHT ago, on the issue of this new Dogs are sent in, when "the bull, that had been thus irritated by having the dogs turned out upon him, a usual practice, whenever the animal shewed any delay in the attack,-now sufficiently convinced all the spectators that such delay was not from want of spirit. With an aspect full of savage fury, he lashed his sides with his broad tail, bellowed, tore up the ground with hoof and horns, and darted forward towards Hamet. The youth, by leaping with an agility alone to be compared to the nimble-footed chamois as it springs from rock to rock, endeavoured, but in vain, to avoid the continued pursuit of the bull,-his eye ever watchful for the moment of attack. No such moment occurred; and it seemed evident that his life would terminate with the time in which he should become spent and breathless, from the violent exertions he made to preserve it. Hassan saw this. He clasped his hands together in agony-he looked up to heaven-he uttered fearful cries, that mingled even with his prayers. He will die! he will die!' exclaimed Hassan. O for an angel's wing to waft him hence in safety! Mortal aid is there none to save him. But see, prophet of Mecca! what a daring act! He has seized the terrible animal by the horns; he suffers himself to be dragged round the arena. Now he hangs by one hand: he stabs him in the throat; the blood spouts like a fount of waters-but the brute still lives. Look! Hamet falls from his hold God save thee! He is up again! he is on his feet! O, Allah, how I thank thee! He flies! he flies!-but look! the brute is Major Head, too, has performed his task con mad with fury-gored with wounds. See how amore. He has dashed on as if he were riding he tears up the sand. He follows-he follows. over the Pampas, full of spirit and intelligence; How will Hamet escape? He has driven the and he has shewn a zealous regard for his subject, youth close to the barrier; there is no escape, worthy of a brother traveller, whose own rough no hope he must fall!' He falls not, he journeys have taught him the difference be falls not!' exclaimed Cassim. O noble Ha- tween an experienced observer and a fire-side At this instant a loud, continued, and critic. Perhaps he displays more acerbity than deafening shout of applause shook the arena; is required upon Lord Valentia's and Mr. for Hamet, bold, active, quick of eye and vigorous of limb, with one bound, at the very instant the bull was about to toss him on his horns, sprang on the animal's back, and leapt over him. He ran forward. Nero had already received more than one stab from the knife. None of them, however, reached any mortal part; still he bled fast, and there was "When Bruce's work was completed, just hope, could Hamet but keep him at bay till the before it was printed, and while public attencreature was somewhat spent by loss of blood, tion was eagerly expecting it, Johnson transhe might even yet despatch him. So great lated and published the travels in Abyssinia of was the interest excited in the breasts of the the Jesuit Jereme Lobo. In the Gentleman's spectators, that many called out to him to make Magazine for 1789, it is stated that Johnson for the extremity of the arena, under the king's pavilion, as being farthest removed from his met!' enemy. "The bull had, indeed, turned again to the pursuit; and that with so much fierceness, Salt's dissonances from Bruce; but it must also had declared to Sir John Hawkins, that when Nor have I been where men, (what loss, alas!) I have only to add, that were it probable, as in my decayed state of health it is not, that I should live to see a second edition of this work, all well-founded, judicious remarks suggested, should be gratefully and carefully attended to: but I do solemnly declare to the public in general, that I never will refute or answer any cavils, captious or idle objections, such as every new publication seems unavoidably to give birth to, nor ever reply to those witticisms and criticisms that appear in newspapers and periodical writings. What I have written I have written. My readers have before them, in the present volumes, all that I shall ever say, directly or indirectly, upon the subject; and I do, without one moment's anxiety, trust my defence to an impartial, well-informed, and judicious pub. lic." Upon these matters Major Head says well"There is surely nothing which, in the opinion of liberal men, can more degrade a country-nothing which, at the great table of the world, more deservedly places it below the salt'-than its unreasonably disbelieving an honourable man. A man's opinions may be can. vassed, his theories may be opposed, his argu. ments may be resisted; but, without rhyme or reason, to disbelieve his statements, is at once to sever the band which holds society together; it destroys the allegiance which a well-disposed individual would willingly feel that he owes to public opinion; it tells him that his only defensive weapon is contempt. Sir, you are no gentleman! exclaimed a passionate, irrational man. Sir, you are no judge!' was the calm, contemptuous reply." The following anecdotes and remarks, towards the close of Bruce's life, interest us much. He "After the publication of his travels, Bruce occupied himself in the management of his estate, and of his extensive coaleries. visited London occasionally, and kept up correspondence with Daines Barrington and with Buffon. He also employed his time in Biblical literature, and even projected an edition of the Bible, with notes, pointing out numberless instances in which the Jewish history was singularly confirmed by his own observations. He took a deep interest in the French revolu tion. He had received much personal kindness from Louis XVI., and when intelligence Ready to prowl, to growl, to prey, to fight, Thanks be to Harvey, who their portraits drew; The noble and the proud, Learn of brute beasts to patronise the arts. So may your household flourish in the Park, And no long boa go to his long home, No antelope give up the vital spark; But all, with this your scientific tome, Go on as swimmingly as old Noah's ark!" Our author should surely be made laureate to the Society, and sing in a cage as a Hood-ed crow. But we are getting out of bounds, and must "Domestic Asides" is a prune our wings. neat piece of point; "the Step-father," and his contrast at page 123, two excellent little 66 My Son and Heir," could be essays; and "The written by nobody but our author. Supper Superstition" follows: "'Twas twelve o'clock by Chelsea chimes, When all in hungry trim, Good Mister Jupp sat down to sup, Said he, upon this dainty cod When, whiter than the table-cloth, O, father dear, O, mother dear, Dear Kate, and brother Jim You know when some one went to sea Don't cry-but I am him! You hope some day with fond embrace To greet your absent Jack; But, oh, I am come here to say I'm never coming back! From Alexandria we set sail, With corn, and oil, and figs; But steering too much Sow', we struck Upon the Sow and Pigs! The ship we pump'd till we could see Old England from the tops; When down she went with all our hands, Right in the Channel's chops! Just give a look in Norey's chart, The very place it tells; I think it says twelve fathom deep, Well, there we are till hands aloft,' The pug I had for brother Jim, Kate's parrot too, and all. But, oh! my spirit cannot rest In Davy Jones's sod, 'Till I've appeared to you and said Don't sup on that 'ere cod! You live on land, and little think What passes in the sea; Last Sunday week, at 2 P. M., That cod was picking me! Those oysters, too, that look so plump, And seem so nicely done, They put my corpse in many shells, Instead of only one. O, do not eat those oysters then, And do not touch the shrimps; When I was in my briny grave, They'll know the smell they used to smell Just try the dog and cat!" The spirit fled-they wept his fate, And cried, alack, alack! At last, up started brother Jim Let's try if Jack was Jack!' They called the dog, they called the cat, And little kitten too; And down they put the cod and sauce, To see what brutes would do. Old Tray licked all the oysters up, But munch'd the cod,-and little Kit Quite feasted on the shrimps! "The Scrape Book of an Unlucky Man" is very ludicrous; but the volume is, from beginning to end, so full of amusement, that there would be no end to our Review, were to attempt to be particular. Particular therefore we are not: we only tell all our we readers who love mirth, to buy Hood's Comic mens: the "Step-father" is admirable, and The anecdotes we subjoin are the newest we can find; the last days of Byron's life having been so repeatedly before the public. * . We scarcely know whether most to pity or blame such a state of mind. During his illness blisters were proposed. Memoirs of the Affairs of Greece; containing rounded by rocks on every side, the sailors think- a violent rage, and in order to spite the MesoNarrow Escape from Shipwreck.-"Sur-me and my mother.' Lord Byron burst into an Account of the Military and Political ing their fate inevitable, had lost their courage. longhiot population, ordered the most expenEvents which occurred in 1823 and follow- Lord Byron's tranquillity of mind was undis- sive clothes to be made for Hataje; and bad ing Years with various Anecdotes of Lord turbed. Aware that, should the miserable the intention of covering her, according to the Byron, and an Account of his last Illness anchor they had give way, the ship would be oriental fashion, with golden pieces of money, and Death. By Julius Millingen, Surgeon dashed to atoms, he had recommended to to parade her on horseback through the printo the Byron Brigade at Mesolonghi, &c. Lucca, a young Greek of Patras, confided to cipal streets of the town." 8vo. pp. 338. London, 1831. Rodwell. his benevolence by the youth's mother, to keep We must say that his kindness was more THIS is a very amusing volume: anecdotes, himself ready in case of a similar accident, to judicious than its display. Speaking of his own personal sketches, and curious customs, form mount on his back, for he would save him by death: "Do you suppose,' inquired his lordThe events of a swimming. an entertaining mélange. ship with impatience, that I wish for life? campaign in Greece, and of a month or so with "When I passed to the Chanè, where the I have grown heartily sick of it, and shall welLord Byron, are sufficiently out of the ordi- apartments appropriated to the establishment come the hour I depart from it. Why should nary run to be continued sources of novelty of the dispensary were, the wife of Hussein I regret it? Can it afford me any pleasure? and entertainment. In his account of the noble Aga, one of the Turkish inhabitants of Meso- Have I not enjoyed it to a surfeit? Few men poet, Mr. Millingen is exceedingly minute. longhi, came to me, and imploring my pity, can live faster than I did. I am, literally He informs us that he always wore gloves, begged me to allow her to remain under my speaking, a young old man. Hardly arrived drank green tea and gin profusely: and of his roof, in order to shelter her from the brutality at manhood, I had attained the zenith of fame. self-denial, where his appetite was inclined to and cruelty of the Greeks. They had mur- Pleasure I have known under every form it risk his figure, gives the following example: dered all her relations, and two of her boys; can present itself to mortals. I have travelled "On dinner being served up, although se- and the marks remained on the angle of the satisfied my curiosity-lost every illusion: veral dishes of meat were upon the table, Lord wall, against which, a few weeks previously, I have exhausted all the nectar contained in Byron did not partake of any; his custom be- they had dashed the brains of the youngest, the 'cup of life: it is time to throw the dregs ing to eat meat only once a month. Soup, a few only five years of age. A little girl, nine years away. But the apprehension of two things vegetables, a considerable portion of English old, remained to be the only companion of her now haunts my mind. I picture myself slowly cheese, with some fried crusts of bread and misery. Like a timid lamb, she stood by her expiring on a bed of torture, or terminating fruit, constituted his daily fare. He ate with mother, naked and shivering, drawing closer my days like Swift—a grinning idiot! Would great rapidity, and drank freely. There hap- and closer to her side. Her little hands were to heaven the day were arrived, in which, pened to be on the table a roasted capon, the folded like a suppliant's; and her large beauti-rushing, sword in hand, on a body of Turks, good looks of which so powerfully tempted him, ful eyes, so accustomed to see acts of horror and fighting like one weary of existence, I that after wistfully eyeing it, he was on the and cruelty, looked at me now and then, shall meet immediate, painless death, — the point of taking a leg; but suddenly recollect- hardly daring to implore pity. Take us, object of my wishes !'" ing the rule he had imposed on himself, he said she, we will serve you, and be your left it in the dish, desiring his servant to let slaves; or you will be responsible before God the capon be kept till the next day, when his for whatever may happen to us.' I could not month would be out." see so eloquent a picture of distress unmoved; "When on the point of applying them, Lord and from that day I treated them as relatives. Byron asked me, whether it would answer the Some weeks after, I happened to mention same purpose to apply both on the same leg. before Lord Byron some circumstances relative Guessing the motive that led him to ask this "During the earlier part of his youth, his to these individuals, and spoke with so much question, I told him I would place them above then very limited revenues were soon exhaust- admiration of the noble fortitude displayed by the knees, on the inside of the thighs. Do ed by his extravagant expenses in London, and Husseinina in the midst of her calamities; of so,' said he; for as long as I live, I will not especially by his frequenting the gaming- the courage maternal love inspired her with on allow any one to see my lame foot." houses. He had borrowed so much from the several occasions; of the dignified manner in It is but fair to Mr. Millingen to state, that usurers, that none were to be found humane which she replied to the insults of her perse- he vindicates himself from the charge brought enough to advance him any further sum, at cutors, that he expressed the wish of seeing her against him, of being one of the causes of the whatever interest he offered. One morning, and her child. On doing so, he became so delay, to which such fatal effects have been after a sleepless night, spent at one of those struck by Hatajè's beauty, the naïveté of her ascribed, in bleeding Lord Byron. He con establishments, in which he had lost all his answers, and the spiritedness of her observa- cludes, by saying; "The more I consider this money, he heard a coach stop before his lodg- tions on the murderers of her brethren, that difficult question, however, the more I feel con ings, and soon after saw a young lady of rank, he decided on adopting her. 'Banish fear for vinced, that whatsoever method of cure had who had given him proofs of the most ardent ever from your mind,' said he to the mother, been adopted, there is every reason to believe attachment, enter his room. She held a small your child shall henceforth be mine. I that a fatal termination was inevitable. And casket in her hand, and on depositing it on the have a daughter in England: to her I will here I may be permitted to observe, that it table, told him, that hearing of the pecuniary send you. They are both of the same age; must have been the lot of every medical man misfortunes he had met with, and fearing he and as she is alone, she will, no doubt, like a to observe, how frequently the fear of death might find himself in embarrassed circum- companion, who may, at times, talk to her of produces it; and how seldom a patient, who stances, she had brought him all her jewels her father. Do not shudder at the idea of persuades himself that he must die, is misand money, and requested he would accept changing your religion; for I insist on your taken. The prediction of the Scotch fortunethem as proofs of her affection. Go and take professing no other but the Mussulman.' She teller was ever present to Lord Byron; and, back with you,' said Lord B. sternly, your seized his hand, kissed it with energy, and like an insidious poison, destroyed that moral trinkets and money. I am not a man to be raising to heaven her eyes, filled with tears of energy which is so useful to keep up the patient imposed upon by cant; and you know full well gratitude, she repeated expressively, Allah is in dangerous complaints. Did I not tell that you would never have brought such things great!' He immediately ordered more costly you,' said he repeatedly to me, that I should to me, had you supposed me vile enough to dresses to be made for them than those I had die at thirty-seven ?' accept them. Mention being once made be-given them; and sent to Hatajè a necklace of fore him of the frequent errors of judgment sequins. Twice a week I was desired to send into which a person may be led by the appear-them to his house. He would then take the ances of physiognomy, he observed: You little girl on his knees, and caress her with all are young men, and may therefore have occa- the fondness of a father. Nothing could sursion to derive benefit from this precept of pass the jealousy of the Mesolonghiot women, mine: never give your entire faith to any one when they beheld the manner in which these whose eyes are gray.' On its being remarked former objects of their insults were now treatto him, that his own were of that very colour, ed. One day the little girl, with eyes drowned he added, Do not think I consider myself an in tears, entered his room; and returning to exception to this, I might say, universal rule: him her necklace, asked for the clothes she it would have been well for many, who have formerly wore. They are not like these,' had to deal with me, had they been guided by said she; but when I wore them, the Mesoit.'" longhiots did not tell me they would kill both 6 Never yet was there a sceptic without su perstition: witness the next anecdote. "I was not a little surprised to hear him ask me on the 15th, whether I could not do him the favour of inquiring in the town for any very oid and ugly witch? As I turned his question in derision, he repeated to me with a serious air, Never mind whether I am superstitions or not; but I again entreat of you to bring me the most celebrated one there is, in order that she may examine whether this sudden loss of my health does not depend on the evil eye. She may devise some means to dissolve the spell." Knowing the necessity of indulging a patient ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. cover a vigia, or supposed sunken rock, called more finished repetition of the same portrait, appearances, would, we think, have deserved Aitkin's rock, off the north-west coast of Ire. with similar ornaments. Lastly, the inner the attention of a philosophical mind. land, the belief in the existence of which has case, which has erroneously been stated to be frequently excited much uneasiness among the made of papier maché, contained the repreship-owners of Greenock and other northern sentation of a figure in the inside, holding in its SIR James South in the chair. There were ports; but which Captain Vidal has most satis-hand the sign of divine life. The external read, a communication on the method of deterfactorily ascertained not only not to lie near part was beautifully painted and varnished mining the declination of two stars with one any of the points usually assigned to it, but not with a variety of emblematic designs. At the mural circle, by means of the sum and differeven to be found within the extreme limits of feet of the mummy was the figure of the god ence of their altitudes, by Mr. Pond, obserlatitude and longitude indicated by the most Apis, by which it was immediately prognosti- vations of occultations, by Sir Thomas Brisremote of them, viz. between 54° 50′ and 55° 40′ cated that it would be the coffin of a male bane and Mr. Dunlop, an account of Capt. north latitude, and 8° and 13° west longitude, person. A second partition, moulded over the Smyth's observatory and instruments at Bedthe whole of which space he repeatedly traversed, body as exactly as the former, was divided ford, also Capt. King's observations of a and examined with a minuteness, as exhibited into two portions, which were held together by comet in the southern hemisphere. Capt. on his chart, truly admirable. 4, and lastly. a rough suture; and lime was found in the Beetham and the Rev. A. Meat were elected A short but very interesting account of an inner side of the covering, which Dr. G. gave fellows. The president read a letter from Mr. ascent to the summit of the Peak of Teneriffe, as his opinion, had been introduced sub- Barrow, of the Admiralty. This communication made by the late Captain Pearce, R.N., the sequently to the moulding on of the inner was in answer to a report on the present state African traveller, on his voyage to Sierra Le- coffin. At this period of the process, Dr. G. of the Nautical Almanac, which had been one, in 1825, also communicated by Mr. Bar- entered upon a slight historical account of the referred to the Astronomical Society by the row, being an extract from a letter received discoveries which had been made in modern Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, -a from him at the time. The meeting, from the times with regard to mummies, noticing the circumstance noticed in the Literary Gazette extreme variety of the subjects thus brought researches of Blumenbach, Denon, and more some time ago. The letter went on to say, before it, was very interesting, and was con- particularly his own, pointing out the curious that the writer had been commanded by their cluded by holding a special general meeting, to and entertaining facts which he had been suc- Lordships to acquaint the Society that they receive the regulations proposed by the council cessful in discovering. The preservation of the had directed the Astronomer Royal to carry to be observed in transacting the Society's shape, size, and flexibility of the muscles, by the the several suggestions in the Report into business, which were confirmed and adopted injection of wax, was particularly alluded to. effect, particularly as to the Nautical Almanac without comment. Adjourned over the holy- The mummy was then deprived of its bandages; for 1834. Furthermore, twenty copies of the days. these were externally retained by a roll, Society's Report had been commanded by the with blue stripes, which was stated to resemble Lords of the Admiralty to be distributed to in every point the dress in use at the present the several flag-officers and commodores comday on the spot from which the mummy came. manding his Majesty's squadrons at home and Contrary to their common relative situation, abroad. The letter also expressed a desire, on AN assemblage of about four hundred persons the general envelope came before the rollers. the part of the Lords Commissioners, that the took place on Saturday, to hear a lecture by All the cavities and sinuosities of the body Astronomical Society would accept their thanks Dr. Granville, on the opening of a Theban were found to be carefully filled up. Lastly, for the great pains and labour which had been mummy. Sir Gore Ouseley took the chair, the mummy itself came to view, when it evidently bestowed on the important subject vice the Duke of Sussex, who was called upon excited some disappointment to find, that, referred to the consideration of the Society, to attend at the British Museum, of which his whether for economy or other motives, the and for the valuable suggestions offered toroyal highness becomes a trustee ex officio, as body had not undergone the more complete wards the improvement of navigation, and the President of the Royal Society. The mummy process of embalming, but had merely been general interests of astronomical science. which was to be opened had been presented by dipped in a compound bituminous mixture; in We may here state, that the address to his Sir John Malcolm to the Royal Asiatic Society; consequence of which all the flesh had been Majesty, noticed in our last report, was preand Dr. Granville had, as a member of that destroyed, the muscles corrugated and inflex-sented to the King at the levee on Wednesday, institution, been deputed to comment upon the ible, and the membranous textures entirely by Mr. Davies Gilbert. appearances presented at the opening of the obliterated: the intestines were also destroyed. coffin. He set out by remarking how much On removing the scalp, the brain was found interest was awakened by researches of this intact as of one that died yesterday. The pia kind: LECTURE ON THE MUMMY AT THE ROYAL lous times. was INSTITUTION. LITERARY AND LEARNED. ROYAL SOCIETY. : we called into our presence the remains mater, or external membrane of the brain, was of a being who had been buried perhaps three perfect. The doctor here discussed the ques- HIS Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex in thousand years; and how powerful were the as- tion, as to how the removal of the viscera the chair. A mathematical paper, by Mr. sociations connected with such a reflection: and of the brain was effected: in the former Lubbock, was read. After a number of donait appeared almost to connect us with fabu- case, the integuments were too much destroyed tions were announced, his royal highness inMummies were of the greatest to ascertain whether or not the abdomen had timated that it was his intention to invite the utility to antiquaries in their studies; they had been opened; but in the latter, there was only foreign ministers to the Society's meetingbeen the means of perpetuating history, and the opening by the nose through which the room; and, in order that they, as well as any had remained to attest the art and magnifi- brain could have been removed; had they been foreigners distinguished by rank or science, cence of former times, while other monuments destroyed by caustic substances, the delicate who might accompany them, should be properly had passed away like a dream. The lecturer membranes would also have been destroyed. accommodated, his royal highness suggested, that dwelt upon the enthusiasm of Denon, when he After Dr. Granville had terminated his inte- the bench next the foreign secretary be appro"promenading" in the galleries crowded resting lecture, some questions were put by the priated to their use on the occasion. By such with the remains of the ancient inhabitants of chairman, and others made different sugges- a friendly intercourse, the great objects for the long banks of the Nile. The pleasure to be tions. The hair was not woolly, and of a light which the Royal Society was instituted would derived from such scenes might be said to be colour. be materially advanced. The intimation was introduced into this great city; and there had Appendix. In our account of Kotzebue's very cordially received. The royal duke apbeen a project of establishing a necropolis, or voyage, we remarked that the teeth of the peared to be in excellent health. city of the dead, by two able architects, which mummies of Teneriffe had led to a supposition At a meeting of the council, held on Thurswas to contain galleries of a similar nature, and that the ancient grandees probably lived on day, his royal highness was pleased to nomiwhich project the doctor recommended to his vegetables. A peculiarity of structure in the nate Davies Gilbert, Esq., Sir Astley Cooper, numerous audience. There was a gentleman, teeth is, however, also characteristic of the Bart., J. W. Lubbock, Esq., Wm. Cavendish, he said, well known to the literary world, Theban mummy, which serves well to distin- Esq., John Pond, Esq., and George Rennie, (Jeremy Bentham,) who had often expressed guish them from those impositions which have Esq., as his vice-presidents. The appointments his wish to be embalmed after his death. in latter times been so frequently got up. Why are severally engrossed on stamped paper, and The outer case, which consisted of two pieces, did the learned doctor not examine the teeth, signed by his royal highness in a fine bold and was of sycamore, was taken off, and, being or allude to this fact? The development of rubric character. placed in an erect position, presented the cu- the head, as connected with the moral and rious figure of a Theban, in long drapery, with intellectual character of the ancient Egyptians, SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES. a longitudinal band of hieroglyphics, necklace, and as serving to establish a magnificent histo- THURSDAY, Hudson Gurney, V.P., in the and other ornaments. The second coffin had a rical parallel between remote ages and present chair.The Secretary concluded the reading Sydney Smirke, Esq., exhibited to the Society a drawing of the mausoleum of the Gothic king Theodoric, at Ravenna, with a drawing of part of the frieze, from the pattern of which, Mr. S. considered that the zig-zag moulding of the Saxon architecture might have been derived; and also a drawing of an ideal restoration of the building as it stood in the sixth century. A short descriptive paper was read, in which it was stated that the dome was thirty-six feet in diameter, and formed of a single stone; and Mr. Smirke considered, that the want of knowledge to construct a dome of several stones in a concentral form, must have induced the herculean task of hollowing out an immense mass of stone, and working on the other side a regular convex shape. DRAMA. COVENT GARDEN. of Mr. Amyot's reply to Mr. Tytler's observa- | opinion we then expressed of his taste and disagreeable plays, because one character is tions respecting the death of Richard II.; and talent. They are about to be published by finely performed; and who are to write new mentioned several circumstances in confirma- Mr. Harding. tragedies for this fastidious generation? Two, tion of his position, that Richard died in the Virginius and Rienzi,* have succeeded greatly first year of the reign of Henry IV., and that and deservedly, in about ten or a dozen years, the Scotch were deceived in the man who perand the former alone is likely to keep possession sonated the deceased king of England, and of the stage. What would become of the Fair who lived for years in Scotland, and was MISS KEMBLE is certainly the most unfortu-Penitent or the Grecian Daughter, were they buried at Stirling. He noticed the exposure nate of fortunate persons. Her extraordinary now to be written and produced? and yet our of King Richard's corpse in London, and that success was not dreamed of even by her most fathers not only tolerated, but admired them; Froisart, among other ancient authors, states sanguine friends and admirers. She restored the the greatest of actresses deigned to perform in that his body was seen at St. Paul's by more fortunes of the theatre, and laid the foundation them; and "next to Shakespeare's" is placed than 20,000 people that the Londoners well of her own; and now, in the very blossom of the honoured bust" of the perpetrator of the knew Richard's person and many must have her reputation, comes" a chilling blight," as former! Yet we are daily told of the dulness detected the imposture, if (as had been as- unexpected as her success, but not, like that, and imbecility of modern dramatists. Pshaw! serted) the body of any other person had been deserved. During the whole of her career, we We are sick of the cant. There is more true shewn as that of the king. Mr. Amyot also have written but two notices, of any length, poetry and dramatic spirit now stirring than noticed the marriage of King Richard's widow upon her performances, because we felt that the has been ever known in England since the previous to the death of his representative in observations made upon one would nearly ap- days of Shakespeare; and it is the refinement, Scotland, as an evidence that she must have ply to all. In all, the same genius was appa- not the degeneracy, of the times that makes been convinced of his death having occurred rent,-in all, the same defects. The latter, success almost impossible, and, consequently, twelve years previous to the Scotch account. both natural and acquired, have been confirmed, scares from the attempt not only those who instead of removed, by practice; and the mis- have reputations to gain, but those who have fortune of the case is this, that the few exist- already obtained them. Here, then, is the diing characters most adapted for the display of lemma in which Miss Kemble is placed. The Miss Kemble's peculiar style and powers, are only new play that has been written for her either unsuitable to her age and figure, or so has failed miserably; and the meagre list of worthless and disagreeable in themselves, as to "opening parts," as they are technically make us lament the waste of such talent upon termed, she has nearly exhausted. We trust them. We remarked, some time ago, the ex- some competent hand will hasten to our aid, ceeding poverty of our stage in tragedies pos- and save us from the infliction of Jane Shore, sessing important female characters. Our Tancred and Sigismunda, the Mourning Bride, prince of poets has furnished us with but two the Orphan, and the rest of that whining, or three of any consequence, while of heroes he rhyming, ranting, ragged regiment. To return is profuse. Cordelia and Desdemona, beauti- to the Fair Penitent. Miss Kemble's Calista ful as they are, are secondary personages by is a most powerful performance, and bears the side of Lear and Othello. Few actresses the stamp of genius upon it far more strongly who can look and play Juliet, are also fitting than any of her previous personations. We have representatives of Lady Macbeth and Con- all along felt that her strength was in the stance; and when we bid adieu to Shakespeare, storm and the volcano, and in the still more where are we to seek for tragedies which, terrible calm and hush that precedes them. in these days, will be popular? Venice Pre- The finest and most original points of her served is the first met with in our rapid descent Juliet are, as we have before pointed out to our Extraordinary Steeple-Chase for a Thousand to mediocrity. The Gamester ranks next, per- readers, the icy coldness of her replies to Paris Sovereigns; between Mr. Osbaldistone's chance, in public estimation; and, with less when she meets him in the Friar's cell; her "Clasher" and Captain Ross's "Clinker." reason, the play of the Stranger; Southern's scorn and indignation, when counselled by the Engraved by Messrs. Alken and Duncan, Isabella then "drags its slow length along;"and Nurse to forsake Romeo; her anticipation of from a painting by E. Gill. Ackermann. down we sink at once into the very dregs of Mel- the horrors of the vault; and her management Or the various modes which have been in- pomene's chalice-the Grecian Daughter of of the final catastrophe. In Belvidera, we vented for the torture of that noble animal, the Murphy, and the Jane Shore and Fair Peni- shall long remember her rush from the stage horse, the steeple-chase is among the most bar-tent of the ridiculously over-rated Rowe! Now, after her last parting with Jaffier: and in Exbarous. In a recent account of one of these with the exception of Romeo and Juliet (and phrasia, her taunts of Dionysius, though a scandalous exhibitions of cruelty, it was stated Mr. C. Kemble's exquisite Mercutio must also little deficient in dignity, still ring in our that one of the gallant creatures who are thus be taken into consideration, when accounting ears. The part of Calista abounds in similar tasked beyond their strength, was killed in the for the attraction, last season, of that tragedy), passages; and perhaps nothing was ever given field, and that another died on the next morn- the plays in which Miss Kemble has, in our with more truth and force than the lines in ing! Who that has common feeling can read opinion, most distinguished herself, are, unfor- which she anticipates the strictures of the such details without disgust and indignation? tunately, precisely those which we cannot ho-" rigidly righteous" on her conduct. The only consoling consideration is, that the nestly wish to see attractive on the London monotonous recitation which disfigures all her riders frequently break their own ribs, legs, and stage in the nineteenth century; and if any tenderness and sorrow is broken through in an collar-bones. As a striking illustration of the one will take the trouble to refer to the bills, instant, when the bitterness of a wounded inhumanity of this "sport," the print under they will also perceive that the plays in which spirit, or the despair of a rending heart, our notice is highly meritorious. Miss Kemble has succeeded, have been attrac-awakes the sleeping spark within her. Her tive, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their eyes flash lightnings; her lips seem to shrink, Drawn merits as plays, and not according to the suc- and disclose the clenched and grinding teeth, Original cess of her own individual exertions. We be- and her bosom "swells with its fraught, for 'tis Part II.lieve the account stands thus:of aspics' tongues." Her by-play, too, is excellent; she is always in the scene. But then her supporters! Mr. Parry has sadly disappointed FINE ARTS. NEW PUBLICATIONS. The Costumes of the French Pyrenees. Penmanship. We have seen two specimens Romeo and Juliet has been performed 39 nights. 24 19 13 10 8 The Fair Penitent, the revival of which of ornamental penmanship, by Mr. J. P. Hemm, has called forth these remarks, has now surrounding portraits, in stipple, of their Royal been played three times; and considering, as Highnesses the Dukes of Sussex and Gloucester. we do, that Calista is decidedly the best of Of Mr. Hemm's "Original Penmanship," we Miss Kemble's performances, we repeat that spoke favourably on its appearance; and the she is the most unfortunate of fortunate perworks to which we now allude, confirm the sons. The public will not pay to see dull and us. The His Altamont is poor indeed. Abbott cannot reconcile us to the heartless Lothario: and the talent of C. Kemble is wasted upon the prosing, drivelling Horatio. We know of no greater compliment to the genius of Miss Kem *The five-act melo dramas of Bertram and B. made by Kean, and expiring with him, are scarcely worth mentioning; but, as they brought money for the time, we may take them into account, as well as Coleridge's Miss O'Neil' accomplished what Kean did for those we Remorse, Procter's Mirandola, Shiel's tragedies (for which have named), and the productions of Miss Mitford. |