AND

Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Politics, etc.

No. 57.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1818.

THE IMPERIAL TOURISTS. Tour of Their Imperial Highnesses the Archdukes John and Lewis of Austria.

(Continued.)

calicoes which we visited, was that of
Messrs. Read and Lommas. Here are
two reservoirs, which collect the water,
and filter it through sand; after which
it is raised by a steam engine into a

PRICE 1s.

in Manchester: and the evening was chosen for the purpose, that we might at the same time see the building lighted with gas. On entering the court-yard, we saw the first gas lamp On the 14th we left Sheffield to pro-third iron reservoir, which is raised which thoroughly lights it. The buildceed to Manchester. In a valley, near a upon pillars so high that it can supply ings make a very handsome appearlittle place called Chapel in the Firth, all parts of the building with cold water. ance: one of them is seven stories high, there is a spring, which has a kind of The steam-engine performs a second and has forty-six windows in a row; ebb and flow; it is called Barmor office, by conveying the steam for the an adjoining building is a story lower, Clough, and its water depends on the warming and boiling of the dye coppers, but of the same length. This brilliant larger or smaller quantity of rain that in a system of pipes, which goes illumination, and the noise of the mafalls at different seasons. In very dry through the whole manufactory. Among chines, which resembles that of a conweather, the spring does not flow for the various operations in this manu-siderable waterfall, all together makes, two or three days, or even a week factory, we were particularly struck as you enter the court-yard, a new and together. Sometimes it flows only once with the manner of dying the printed extraordinary impression. in twelve hours, sometimes again every calicoes, by drawing them over metal hour, or from time to time, and with cylinders, which are hollow, and heated such violence that it could turn a mill. by steam. At each end of these cylinWe arrived at Manchester in the night,ders there are kinds of moulinets,* and on the 15th began our usual visits which are put in motion at the same to the manufactories. The secrecy time, and by which the vapour that is which is here observed in several things, so injurious to the beauty of the colours, prevented us from seeing and examining is quickly dispelled. The white calimany highly interesting objects in a coes are drawn, before they are printed, satisfactory manner; those manufac-over a hot iron plate, which burns away turers who were Quakers, received us all the projecting threads of the stuff. however with cordiality and frankness, The manufactory of Mr. Ashton is and shewed us every thing in detail. for cotton velvet: this is what they call In the manufactory of Messrs. Lommas Manchester in Germany. In this manuand Read, also, every thing was ex-factory they only dye and dress the stuff plained to us in the most obliging

manner.

Of the various manufactories in this place, there is none which manufactures the entire articles which it furnishes: every one, on the contrary, is exclusively employed on its own peculiar branch. The spinneries furnish the yarn; the weavers, who live partly in the town, and partly in the neighbouring country, weave it: and from their work-rooms the stuffs they make, if cotton velvet, go to another manufacturer, whose sole employment it is to cut them; if calicoes, they go to the printer, then to calendrers, &c. This division of the labour, by which every manufacturer is employed during his whole life in one branch of the manufacture, which he exercises exclusively, is the cause of the high degree of perfection which the manufactures here attain. The great demand for the goods of Manchester in particular, greatly facilitates this mode of manufacturing.

The first manufactory of printed VOL. II.

Mr. Lee, though indisposed, was so polite as to come from the country to town, on purpose to receive us. He is a very accomplished man, speaks French admirably, and has made several journeys on the continent. You immediately recognise in him the man who has seen, the world, and would take him for a Swiss of the first distinction, f his way of thinking did not shew the British merchant. The apartinent in which we were received, was lighted by a chandelier, in which gas burnt; it is conveyed through several pipes, from the ends of which it issues, generally by three openings; the flame from the middle one burns perpendicularly, and from the two lateral ones in an oblique direction. These lights, which do not at all offend the eye by their brilliancy, seemed to us rather unsteady.

that is ready woven. On our return we
visited a workman whose sole employ-
ment consists in cutting the cotton
velvet. The stuff is stretched on a large
loom by means of two cylinders; it is
brushed, and then shorn or cut with a
little knife fixed to an iron handle. Mr. Lee then shewed us a plan of the
The blade of the knife is double-edged, building which contains the great spin-
and it is inclosed in an iron sheath, so ning manufactory. This building is par-
that only the point projects, and all ticularly remarkable for the circum-
tearing of the stuff by the instrument is stance that no wood whatever is em-
thus prevented. The workman takes ployed in the construction of it. The
hold of it, and passes it over the velvet four walls consist as usual of brick-
to the right and left, so that all the pro- work; the beams are of iron, and are
jecting inequalities are cut. The dex- supported by pillars of the same metal, `
terity and rapidity with which this ope- five inches in diameter: some of these
ration is performed, are truly admirable. pillars are hollow, and serve as con-
The peculiarity of it has hitherto pre- ductors for the steam which warins
vented the invention of a machine which the work-rooms. These iron beams
can supersede the hand of the workman. again support the arches of brick-
We were invited to visit the manu-work, which are built between every
factory of Mr. Lee, one of the greatest

* Little mills. The Imperial observers had no German word to signify this part of the process, and therefore employ a French word. Our mechanical knowledge does not furnish us with a technical translation. Perhaps fly-wheel.-ED.

two of them. The construction of the roof is similar. The rafters, laths, and every thing that is usually made of wood, is here of iron; even the slates of the roof are fastened with iron, so that there is not the smallest danger of fire,

Those who attended us gave us reason to hope that we should see the whole process of the work: we therefore went into the work-rooms.

Our attendants were rather hurried, and some uneasiness which we fancied we perceived in them, made it impossible for us, without appearing imporThe wheel-works of the spinningtunate, to ask all the questions which we manufactory are put in motion by six would willingly have put,* or to stop at steam-engines, of 100 horse power: several other machines. The countingtwo others have together the power of houses are also lighted with gas; and, 100 horses; the other three are of rather as we wished to see how it was preinferior power. The first of these ma-pared, we were conducted into the lachines was made by Messrs. Boulton boratory: ten stoves stand in it, in a and Watt, of Birmingham. It is so semicircle; each of them contains a admirably made, that when you are retort of thick iron, in the form of a close to it you hardly hear any noise: chest, about five feet long, a foot and a the great lever, and the balance wheel, half broad, and a foot high; from these (balancier) are of iron. In the two proceed pipes which all unite in one others, which have together the power large common pipe, through which the of 100 horses, both the balance wheels gas is conveyed into the receivers, of are moved by the same axle (tige); but which there are ten or twelve. No coal is the steam which sets the pump in mo- used for the preparation of gas, except tion, is furnished from two kettles: Cannel coal, from the mines of Wigan. and however complicated the machine The receivers are large gasometers, the appears to be, its motions are all per- wooden balls of which are mostly borne formed with wonderful regularity. by counter-weights, which produce a pressure that may be changed at plea sure. The establishment was a hundred tons, or 2000 cwt. of coals per week.

(To be continued.)

* This truly princely, or rather let us say handsome, and gentlemanly feeling, repressing curiosity of the most honourable kind, is truly worthy of remark and of applause in our illustrious visitors.-ED.

REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.

RHODODATHINE; or the Thessalian Spell.

the magic of Thessaly, with all the machinery of gods and heroes, who seem, after being courted for centuries, to have been almost banished by the British Muses.

The poem opens in the Temple of
Love at Thespia, in Boeotia, near Heli-
con,-a spot immortalized by possessing
the Winged Cupid of Praxiteles, which
he gave to his mistress, the beautiful
Phryne, a native of that place. The
annual festival of Love is celebrated.
Anthemion, the flower of Arcadian
shepherds, is among the votaries, and
his prayer is for the restoration to
health of his adored Callirce. His
offering is supernaturally blasted as he
lays it at the feet of the deity; and he
is enchanted by the beauties and charms
of Rhododaphne, a Thessalian sorceress,
who approaches him in the moment of
his despair. She gives him a laurel-
rose as a remembrance, which he is ad-
vised by a sage to throw into the waters
of a stream, in order to dissolve the
spell; but a shriek, in the voice of Cal-
liroë, causes him to turn back, and,
like Orpheus, he loses his labour. The
description of the scenery in this part
affords a fair example of the writer's
talent in the painting of nature.
"'Twas near the closing hour of day.
The slanting sun-beam's golden ray,
That through the mossy foliage made
Scarce here and there a passage, played
Upon the silver-eddying stream,
Even on the rocky channel throwing
Through the clear flood its golden gleam.
The bright waves danced beneath the beain
To the music of their own sweet flowing.
The flowering sallows on the bank
Beneath the o'ershadowing plane-trees wreathing
In sweet association, drank

A Poem. 12mo. pp. 181.
This poem is from the pen of Mr.
Peacock, known to the world, if not
generally by name, at least pretty geneSoft fragrance through the lonely wood.
rally as the author of The Genius of
the Thames," Headlong Hall," and

The grateful moisture round them breathing

The machines for preparing and cleaning the cotton, occupied the upper story; they appeared to us to be not very different from those used in Austria. This work-room is very spacious, and the brightness of the gas-light was little inferior to the light of day. A main pipe conducts the gas the whole length of the room, which furnishes gas to numerous side branches, that pour out the brilliant gas wherever it is desired. The machines for the preparation of the yarn, differ from ours only in their greater perfection.Their motion is so uni form, that one only hears a simple stroke. The particular spinning machines called mull jennies differ from ours chiefly in the number of spindles. The carriage (cnuriot) carries three hundred of them; to render its motion more uniform, its So light a breath was on the trees, length is divided into two sections, seMelincourt." The present work is That rather like a spirit's sigh parated by a great roller. These maof a new class, not only with reference Than motion of an earthly breeze, chines, by the superiority of their conto its author, but to the poetical pro-Of those tall planes its whispers stirred; Among the summits broad and high struction, make thread (or yara) as ductions of the present era. It reThat save that gentlest symphony fine as No. 150; whereas ours cannot sembles none of the fabrics with whichOf air and stream, no sound was heard, But of the solitary bird, spin finer than No. 80. The length of the living masters of song delight us. That aye, at summer's evening hour, the chariot, which with us would be It illustrates no feudal manners and When music, save her own, is none, thought disproportionably great, saves native landscapes; it pictures no Hindu Attunes, from her invisible bower, much manual labour. Four persons mythology; it revels in no misanthropic Her hymn to the descending sun." are sufficient for three hundred spindles. horrors; it glows in no luscious love- Anthemion again meets the lovely All the woodwork of these machines theme of castern luxuriance; it philso-enchantress at night on Mount Heliis of mahogany, and admirably wrought, sophizes in no didactic cadences of con, of which a poetical description is especially the wheel-work. The steam sweet measured verse; it mingles not given, and she throws another charm which circulates in the pillars and metal simplicity and force in sketches of over him, by twining her ringlets about pipes, produces the uniform tempera-natural pathos; but leaving our Scotts, his neck, and implanting a kiss on his ture so important to this manufactory: Southeys, Byrons, Moores, Campbells, lips. the lighting with gas has the double Wordsworths, to their favourite strains, advantage of preventing accidents from independently attempts a different career, fire, and of not causing any uncleanness and if it does not invent, reverts to om smoke, or spots of oil and grease. classic ground, and founds itself upon

"She gathered up her glittering hair,
And round his neck its tresses threw,
And twined her arms of beauty rare
Around him, and the light curls drew

In closer bands: ethereal dew

Of love and young desire was swimming
In her bright eyes, albeit not dimming
Their starry radiance, rather bright'ning
Their beams with passion's liquid lightning.
She clasped him to her throbbing breast,
And on his lips her lips she prest,
And cried the while
With joyous smile :

These lips are mine; the spells have won

them,
Which round and round thy soul I twine;
And be the kiss I print upon them
Poison to all lips but mine."

The faithful lover, however, still un

subdued, rushes from this temptation,
and flies to Callircë, whom he finds
restored to perfect health. Forgetful
of the Thessalian spell, he kisses her,
and she falls dead by his side. We
think there is much beauty in the re-
flections with the ensuing canto opens.
"Though Pity's self has made thy breast
Its earthly shrine, ah, gentle maid!
Shed not thy tears, where Love's last rest
Is sweet beneath the cypress shade;
Whence never voice of tyrant power,
Nor trumpet-blast from rending skies,
Nor winds that howl, nor storms that lour,
Shall bid the sleeping sufferer rise.
But mourn for them, who live to keep
Sad strife with fortune's tempests rude;
For them, who live to toil and weep
In loveless, joyless solitude;
Whose days consume in hope, that flies
Like clouds of gold that fading float,
Still watched by fondly lingering eyes
As still more dim and more remote."

Anthemion, roaming distractedly on the sea-shore, is seized and carried off by pirates, who in their next descent capture a maid, Rhododaphne. She raises a dreadful hurricane, by which the vessel is wrecked; but she bears the object of her love in safety to the shore. After other adventures, he drinks of an enchanted cup, which finally prevails over his sense, and he delivers himself over to the endearments of the ravishing enchantress. They enjoy the utmost felicity for a season, in a magical place; but at last a brazen figure disappears, and Rhododaphne is pierced through the heart by Uranian Love, who incensed at the profanation of his divinity at Thespia, thus avenges himself. Dying, she claims from Anthemion a promise to bury her on his native plains; to which returning, he discovers that his Callirce had only fallen into a trance to her he is happily united, and they erect together a tomb to the unfortunate Rhododaphne, whose only error sprung from her love. This outline will afford an idea of the frame of the poem, and a slight notion of its character. It is a little sketchy, rather irregular, and sometimes abrupt, but can boast of considerable genius in

|

other points, as well as in invention
and descriptive powers. The versifica-
tion is more easy than correct, though
any blemish in the latter respect seems
to arise more from a wilful negligence,
than from a want of ability to do more,
impressions, upon the whole, are very
had more been thought necessary. Our

favourable to the author, and we cannot
disguise that our emotions, on perusing
his work, have been critically as well
as poetically pleasing. With this ac-
knowledgment, we shall extract two
other passages, and leave the final de-
cision to the public. After the wreck
of the pirates, our bard thus sings:

"Hast thou, in some safe retreat,
Waked and watched, to hear the roar
Of breakers on the wind-swept shore?
Go forth at morn. The waves, that beat
Still rough and white when blasts arc o'er,
May wash, all ghastly, to thy feet
Some victim of the midnight storm.
From that drenched garb and pallid form
Shrink not: but fix thy gaze, and see
Thy own congenial destiny."
For him, perhaps, an anxious wife
On some far coast o'erlooks the wave:
A child, unknowing of the strife
Of elements, to whom he gave
His last fond kiss, is at her breast:
The skies are clear, the seas at rest
Before her, and the hour is nigh
Of his return; but black the sky
To him, and fierce the hostile main,
Have been. He will not come again.
But yesterday, and life, and health,
And hope, and love, and power, and wealth,
Were his to-day, in one brief hour,
Of all his wealth, of all his power,
He saved not, on his shattered deck,
A plank, to waft him from the wreck.
And build long schemes for distant years!
Now turn away, and dry thy tears,
Wreck is not only on the sea,
The warrior dies in victory:
The ruin of his natal roof
O'erwhelms the sleeping man: the hoof
Of his prized steed has struck with fate
The horseman in bis own home gate:
The feast and mantling bowl destroy
The sensual in the hour of joy.
The bride from her paternal porch
Comes forth among her maids; the torch,
That led at morn the nuptial choir,
Kindles at night her funeral pyre.
And build for distant years thy schemes!
Now turn away, indulge thy dreams,

We could have liked something of
greater energy, and higher polish; but
the thoughts are pathetic, and the style
in which they are clothed, far from
mean. We conclude with Rhodo-
daphne's prophetic song to the pirates.

"The Nereid's home is calm and bright,
The ocean-depths below,
Where liquid streams of emerald light
Through caves of coral flow.
She has a lyre of silver strings
Framed on a pearly shell,
And sweetly to that lyre she sings
The shipwrecked scaman's knell.—

The ocean-snake in sleep she binds;
The dolphins round her play:
His purple conch the Triton winds

Responsive to the lay:
Proteus and Phorcys, sea-gods old,
Watch by her coral cell,
To hear, on watery echoes rolled,
Godfrey of Bulloigne; or the Recoverie
The shipwrecked seaman's knell.”
of Ierusalem, (by Torquato Tasso)
done into English heroicall verse, by
EDWARD FAIREFAX, Gent. 2 vols.

The Quarterly Review, we are certain,
and, we believe, the Edinburgh also,
having, in the course of literary remark,
warmly recommended a reprint of
Fairefax's Tasso, the present publica-
tion has, in consequence, issued from
the press.
It is dedicated to Samuel
Rogers, Esq. whose poetical talents
entitle him to this poetical honour.
There is rather an angry preface, in
which Mr. Hoole, and a Mr. Downe,
who has recently published a new ver-
sion of Tasso in Dublin, are assailed
with little moderation. The charges
are, we are inclined to believe, just
enough; but less acrimony of expres-
sion would have been more agreeable.

The present re-impression is from
the first edition of 1600, corrected by
the second in 1624; and the work is so
well known to every lover of British
poetry, that we need not dwell either
on the merits of the author, or on the
tributes of applause which have been
lavished on him by the most distin-
guished names in our Island's litera-
ture. Fairefax undoubtedly deserved
the revival here accomplished, and
every admirer of the belles-lettres must
feel indebted to the editor for restoring
to their libraries a writer whose ex-
cellence ought to secure him from even
partial neglect. To this day his Jeru-
salem Delivered is by much the most
animated and interesting version in our
language; and in that point of view,
as well as in proof of the genius of our
earlier bards, it stood almost foremost
in the list of claims for that restoration,
which justice and taste have now
awarded. Of the manner in which the
typographical and ornamental parts of
this publication have been attended to
we must speak in terms of great eulogy.
It is most beautifully printed, and
adorned with vignettes, tail-pieces, &c.
of much spirit in conception, and grace
in execution. Indeed these volumes
might be sent to foreign countries, as
a specimen of the perfection of the
arts in England. We have nothing
more, but to subjoin one verse, as a

remembrance of the style and beauty | visit her tomb, finds Clifford and his
of Fairefax's Tasso, thus so admirably child mourning there: he rushes on
and appropriately got up for the public the former, and stabs him, receiving
gratification:
in return a thrust equally mortal, and
both fall dead across the grave.

The purple morning left her crimson bed,
And dond her robes of pure vermilion hew,
Her amber locks she crown'd with roses red,
In Eden's flowrie gardens gath'red new.
When through the campe a murmur shrill was
spred,

Such is the outline of this addition. Those who admired the main structure (if such there be) will not dislike the new piece; and those who stuck by the

translated, prove to be invocations, one to the Supreme Deity, and the other to the Evil Spirit. The first is on a slip of paper, two feet long, by two inches wide, and containing a supplication for pardon. The latter invocation begins by seven rows of the character symbolical of the Devil. In the upper line there are seven, and in the last one; so that a triangular page is formed of twenty-eight characters, each signifying the Devil; and the prayer itself is written Arme, arme, they cride; arme, arme, the trum-way, in endeavouring to labour through in a narrow perpendicular line underneath; the first publication (of whom the the whole inscription resembling in form a numbers are great) will have little in-kite with a long tail attached to it." ducement to take up the second. For ourselves, if we pursue the course of fatuity, we like entertaining madmen, such as Don Quixote, and can discover neither amusement nor instruction in the disgusting and unnatural deeds of

pets blew,

Their merri noise prevents the ioyful blast,
So humme small bees, before their swarmes
they cast.

Mandeville, or the last words of a Maniac.
By Himself. Vol. iv. pp. 216.
"Madmen ought not to be mad,
But who can help their frenzy?"-Dryden.
This volume is a pretended sequel to
the three volumes of Godwin's Mande-
ville, reviewed in the Literary Gazette
of the 20th of December. It has dis-
appointed our expectations. We could
not but remember Mr. Du Bois' ad-

to Mandeville.

mirable jeu d'esprit of "St. Godwin," which followed the "St. Leon," of Mr. Godwin; and we anticipated, from the title, a similarly ludicrous and happy satire in the announced fourth volume But this production is more of an imitation than of a parody, and, with the exception of half a dozen touches, which might escape a cursory reader, we see nothing to prevent its being received as a serious continuation of the madman's life, which the original author broke off with so much inad abruptness.

a Mandeville.

Capt. Hall's Voyage to Loo-Choo, &c.
(Concluded.)

The island of Loo-Choo, which has

been brought so much into notice by Lord Amherst's Embassy, is, we should have stated before, sixty miles long: about one third of its southern extent is highly cultivated, and almost entirely covered with villages; and round Port Melville, nearer the other extremity, there are also populous villages; but the north, north-east, and eastern parts are but thinly peopled, and not much cultivated. It is not easy to ascertain exactly what are the religious opinions of the natives; though it appears that the faith of Fo was introduced 1000 years ago, by the Bodzes,—and we have no example of any country where the priesthood was or is held in such a state of degradation. Near a well, offerings of rice and slow matches were seen, in little excavations on the top of three or four rudely carved stones, called Kawroo. These are generally erected in groves on the hills. They are about The continued story tells us of the two feet long, by one wide, and one restoration of Mandeville to lucid in-high. Inscriptions are cut on the sides tervals, only disturbed by the recollec-in a variety of characters, denoting the tion of Clifford, when any circumstance rank of the person who makes the brings that person strongly into con-offering, the date and object of his peti tact with him. Holloway and Malli- tion. Two of the inscriptions were son lose their ill-acquired influence and translated, and were prayers for prowealth by a Chancery suit, and the tection during a voyage to China, and hero goes into the country under the for success in a literary undertaking The latter would have been a curious prefix to Captain Hall's book. Another religions rite is mentioned by Licut. Clifford.

The general resemblance of style. manner, and sentiment, is sufficiently strong to warrant the four volumes being perused as the work of the same hand; and if the new writer intended to be caricaturish, we can assure him that, in our apprehension, he has not exaggerated one jot beyond his prototype.

surveillance of a well-chosen com-
panion. He falls in love with Mary
Wentworth, and is, on the eve of his
nuptials, again driven to insanity, by
discovering that she is a near relation of
"Two narrow strips of paper with cha-
Clifford's. She dies broken-hearted:racters inscribed on them, which by con-
Henrietta Mandeville falls a victim to sent of the natives were taken from a pillar
the plague, and her brother going to in the temple, and which have been since

We have remarked upon the degradation of the priests, or bodzes. They are not respected in society—are neither allowed meat nor marriage-seem to be employed only in menial offices about the temples, the walks, and hedges, and not in religious ceremonies, (of which, by the way, the only example seen by the voyagers was a funeral, where Jeeroo, one of the chiefs, officiated, and the poor bodzes had no other occupation than to stand humbly behind;) the very children turn them into ridicule, and at the prince's entertainment our countrymen were laughed at for offering to treat them with attention. Their heads and faces are shaved; their feet bare; their dress inferior; they look timorous, languid, and unhealthy. In short, they are every way so miserable and contemptible, as to form a contrast to every priesthood, ancient or modern, of which we have any knowledge. Yet the Island is very happy,

Connected with religion are the tombs of a people. Those of Loo-Choo are either caves excavated in rocks, or built in the horse-shoe form of the Chinese. The corpses (of the upper classes, we suppose,) are allowed to decay in coffins for seven years; the bones are then collected and preserved with veneration, in elegantly shaped vases, placed in the temples, and hung round with offerings of funereal flowers. The caverns are probably for the lower orders, as the bones of the dead were found therein lying amongst the sand. Vases, however, are also deposited in

these cemeteries.

Of the state of the arts we can only form some idea from the rude stones already noticed, and from the following anecdotes.

"On another side of the same room (in

a temple,) there hangs the picture of a man rescuing a bird from the paws of a cat; the bird seems to have been just taken from a cage, which is tumbling over, and two other birds fluttering about in the inside; it is merely a sketch, but executed in a spirited manner. In one of the back apart.

ments, we find three gilt images, eighteen inches high, and a flower in a vase before them. The roof of the temple within is ten feet high, and all the cornices, pillars, &c. are neatly carved into flowers, and the figures of various animals. The ground immediately round it is divided into a number of small beds, planted with different shrubs and flowers; and on a pedestal of artificial rock, in one of the walks close to it, is placed a clay vessel of an elegant form, full of water, with a wooden ladle swimming on the top. On a frame near one of the out-houses, hangs a large bell, three feet high, of an inelegant shape, resembling a long bee-hive; the sides are two inches thick, and richly ornamented; its tone is uncommonly fine." (page 129)

the visits and entertainments inter-
changed between the ships and the
shore; and we are sorry that our limits
preclude us from embarking on this
portion of his work. The most affec-
tionate intercourse prevailed, and ex-
cept in keeping their women aloof and
observing much mystery about their
king, there was nothing which the
kind Loo Chooans did not do to satisfy
the curiosity of their visitors.

and intelligent; and his transactions with our countrymen possess the interest of a romance of the most pleasing kind.

We cannot conclude our remarks without extracting an account of a coral island, which conveys all the information that can be desired concerning that natural phenomenon, the formation of countries by the labours of

an insect.

"The examination of a coral reef dur

The Lyra circumnavigated the island, and, touching at several points, ing the different stages of one tide, is pevisited places where they were unex-culiarly interesting. When the tide has pected. At one they saw a complete left it for some time it becomes dry, and farm-yard; at another a blacksmith's appears to be a compact rock, exceedingly "An artist of the Island, brought a drawing of the Alceste on board to-day for forge and anvil; but the principal ob-hard and ragged; but as the tide rises, and Captain Maxwell: it is about two feet by ject of attraction was the excellent har- the waves begin to wash over it, the coral worms protrude themselves from holes one and a half, and is altogether a most ex-bour which has been named Port Melwhich were before invisible. These animals traordinary production, in which perspec- ville, in honour of the first Lord of the are of a great variety of shapes and sizes, tive and proportion are curiously disre- Admiralty. and in such prodigious numbers, that in a garded. The Captain and officers are intro- The Prince of Loo-Choo informed short time the whole surface of the rock duced in full uniform, and a number of the appears to be alive and in motion. The sailors on the rigging and masts. With all most common worm is in the form of a its extravagance, however, it has considerable merit; there is nothing slovenly about star, with arms from four to six inches long, which are moved about with a rapid motion it, and there is enough of truth in it to shew in all directions; probably to catch food. that it was sketched on the spot. (page 160) Others are so sluggish, that they may be "One man gave Mr. Clifford, as a faremistaken for pieces of the rock, and are well gift, a curious drawing of the Alceste generally of a dark colour, and from four dressed in flags, and executed, he said, by to five inches long, and two or three round. his son." (198) When the coral is broken, about high water mark, it is a solid hard stone, but if any part of it be detached at a spot which the tide reaches every day, it is found to be full of worms, of different lengths and colours, some being as fine as a thread, and several feet long, of a bright yellow, and sometimes of a blue colour; others resemble snails, and some are not unlike lobsters in shape, but soft, and not above two inches long.

the voyagers, that they knew nothing of the English or French, or of any nations but the Chinese, Coreans, and Japanese. Polygamy is not allowed as in China, and the King only is allowed concubines. His Majesty had twelve and one wife. He had seven children. The women in general are not so well treated as we could expect; the upper Among the productions of the Island, classes being a good deal confined to we may enumerate of animals, the small their houses, and the lower orders dehorse and bullock, pigs, goats, and voted to the drudgery of husbandry fowls; of fish, an endless variety of all work. No punishment beyond the tap sorts and colours; of vegetables, pota- of a fan or an angry look, was ever toes, rice, maize, squashes, oranges, seen in this isle, where respect and cononions, radishes, celery, garlick, pump-fidence on the one hand, and considerakins, &c. &c.; tea, tobacco, and cot- tion and kind feeling on the other, ton, are also among the most valuable seemed to unite rulers and people. Not The growth of coral appears to cease products; of edible manufactures, ver- one instance of theft or wrong occurwhen the worm is no longer exposed to the micelli, samchew (an ardent spirit,) red during the whole time the expedi- washing of the sea. Thus, a reef rises in sackee, (a light wine,) sugar, ginger- tion was at Napakiang, though the the form of a cauliflower, till its top has bread, &c. are mentioned, and the food stores, &c. were much exposed. The gained the level of the highest tides, above is formed chiefly of these materials with gentle and friendly manners of the nawhich the worm has no power to advance, eggs, cooked in many ways, not at all tives produced so good an effect that and the reef of course no longer extends itself upwards. The other parts, in sucdisagreeable to European palates. even the roughest of our tars seem to cession, reach the surface, and there stop, The natives are fond of riding, though have been metamorphosed into polite forming in time a level field, with steep their saddles are made of wood, and so gentlemen by them, and we question sides all round. The reef, however, conuneven as to be very unpleasant. The that so kind and really affectionate in- tinually increases, and being prevented scenery is of the most beautiful kind, tercourse was ever before carried on from going higher, extends itself laterally with Indian features. The bamboo is under like circumstances, and without in all directions. But this growth being as conspicuous among the trees which break or interruption, in the annals of rapid at the upper edge as it is lower down, the steepness of the face of the reef is still overshadow the detached cottages and the human race. Among the Loopreserved. These are the circumstances villages: arbours of cane, covered with Chooans the character of Madéra is pe- which render coral reefs so dangerous in various pretty creepers, add to the syl- culiarly attractive. This young chief, navigation; for, in the first place, they are van graces of these retreats. The as he afterwards turned out to be, came seldom seen above the water; and, in the houses are simple and neat, and in first on board in the disguise of a pri- next, their sides are so steep that a ship's some, rude pictures and carved wood-vate person, and gradually rose from bow may strike against the rock before any work figures were hanging on the an intimacy with the sailors to a friend-change of soundings has given warning of the danger." walls, together with inscriptions in the ship with the officers, till at length, Chinese character. when the Prince visited them, his real Much delightful reading will be ex-rank and consequence transpired. He perienced in Captain Hall's details of was amiable, observant, acute, lively,

We must now take our leave of Captain Hall, from whose publication we have derived great pleasure. It is al