THE COUNCIL OF THE BRITONS. Noon is ablaze in Heaven, but gloom, the gloom shade Meet overhead, around their rugged trunks As though, of less than kingly paramour THE ARCTIC EXPEDITIONS. At this stage of the inquiry in which we have indulged ourselves respecting tinuance of foul weather, they were shut up in the harbour, and the next spring were all found frozen to death in their ship. A few years after this unfortunate attempt, in 1556, Captain Stephen Burroughs, "sometime Comptroller of the Navy to Queen Elizabeth," in a voyage of the same kind discovered Waygat's Straits, "that run between the South part of Nova Zembla and the country of the Samoieds:"-the highest latitude Pour'd more than music from their charmed the Expeditions to the Pole, and the he reached is laid down 80° 11, and it harps. Each on his mossy seat, in arms that cast THE MARCH OF THE SAXON ARMY. Lo, ere he paus'd, gay files of dazzling light Unseen, the Chieftains watch'd the winding pomp, And all before the azure-vested Bards of frontlet wreathed with flowers and shadowy Therein sat ladies robed in costly state, view we have taken of the most recent is probable he cruised on the coasts of Greenland, "since he makes mention of the desolate country, the blew ice, and great numbers of various fowl thereabouts." But the first name most celebrated "for endeavouring to search out a North-west passage into China, was Sir Martin Frobisher, who, in several voyages, made divers new discoveries of large bays, streights, islands, capes, &c. and imposed on them different names." His voyages however seem to have been principally among the islands about Hudson'sStraits and the coasts of Labrador, between 60 and 65° N. lat., where he established a friendly intercourse with the natives, exchanged toys for salmon and other fish, brought away some marcasites mistaken for gold ore, discovered a silver mine (probably not more sterling,) and took possession of the South shore of the Isle of Good Fortune, under the name of Meta-Incognita. It may not be improper (says Mr. Moll) to give a brief account of the several navigations and discoveries made towards the NE. and NW. viz. Nova Zembla, NE. Greenland or Spitsberg, and NW. Greenland, commonly called Groenland and Engroenland. The first discovery of these countries is owing to an accident; for in 1380, Nicholas and Antony Zani, two brothers and rich citizens of Venice, having set sail from the streight of Gibralter for Flanders and England, were accidentally driven Northwards by violent storms, even as far as Friesland, Iceland, and Groenland. But in 1497, John Cabot and Sebastian his Arthur Pett and Charles Jackman, son, of the same nation, received a commis-in 1580, followed Stephen Burroughs's sion from our King Henry VII. to undertake the like voyage, who made a Draught and Description of some North-west parts of America, and brought along with them four of the natives. Hence sprung the project of discovering a North-east passage "into the Indies;" which the Dutch absurdly pretended to have made out in 88° N. lat. The first adventure was that in 1553, consisting of three vessels commanded by Sir Hugh Willoughby, of whose Voyage we have no memoirs, Except certain short and imperfect notes which were taken off from his Table after his death; wherein it is express'd, That the fleet under his command parted from Seynam, which lies in 70 deg. North lat. on the 2d day of August: that on the 14th they were above 160 leagues from the same place to the North-east, and continued sailing until Septemb. 14. when they came ashoar on a high, rocky, and desart, country, from whence the cold and ice fore'd them to return more Southerly, which they did till they reach'd a river in Her sun-bright hair she way'd, and smil'd around, | Lapland, call'd Arzina, where, by the con track, passed Waygat Straits, got never In 1585-6-7, Mr. John Davis sailed to the East coast of Greenland, giving his name to the Straits between that coast and James Island. At Cape De solation He found many pieces of furr and wool like beaver, and exchanged some commodities with the natives, who often repaired to him in their canoes, bringing stag-skins, white hares, small cod, muscles, &c. He reached no higher than 72° N. The Dutch about this time began to be roused to a sense of the commercial advantages which might result from these Northern Expeditions, hitherto exclusively pursued by the English. About 1578, they first appeared at Kola, in Lapland, and a rivalship of the Russia Company ensuing, they, in 1591 sent Wm. Barents on a voyage to dis- be led to entertain sanguine hopes of In 1596, the same Wm. Barents, accompanied with two other Dutch pilots, viz. Jacob Heemskirk and John Cornelius Ryp, first discovered Bear, or Cherry Island, and passed from thence to Greenland; but Barents being separated from them, sailed along the coasts of Nova Zembla to the 76 deg. of N. lat., until at length his ship was driven ashore, and broke in pieces by the ice, so that all the mariners were compelled to winter there, and endured the utmost extremity of cold. Poor Barents died before they got back to Kola. In 1608, the enterprising Hudson was "sent forth to discover the North Pole, and sailed (says our authority) even to 82 degrees of N. latitude; but being satisfied that there was no Northeast passage, he was appointed to make the like trial in the North-west seas. Therefore, in 1610, he set sail again, and proceeded 100 leagues farther than any had done before But the ice hindered him from continuing his course farther, and the sedition of his men from returning home." Of Greenland (Groenland, Groenlandia, or Grainland) we are told that the Eastern and Western sides are encompass'd with two vast oceans. which may chance to obstruct him in the course of his pursuits. If the history of former hardships could have deterred men from engaging in new adventures, the voyage of discovery, which has just left the British shores, would not have been undertaken. The dreary regions that surround the Poles are so little accustomed to feel the kindly influences of the enlivening sun, productions of the earth in happier cliand are so destitute of the ordinary mates, that little less than one whole quarter of the Globe is by its sterility rendered uninhabitable by human beings, and but thinly occupied by a very inconsiderable number of the brute creation. The many and almost insuperable difficulties that must therefore be expected in traversing these forlorn deserts, where no relief is to be expected, but from the favourable interposition of that Power, whose providence extends to the remotest corners of the earth, is, upon reflection, enough to cool the ardour of the most enterprising minds. This land is supposed to have been first named Eric Rotcop, or Red-head, who, discover'd by a Norwegian gentleman, having committed a murder in Island (Iceland,) to save his life attempted to make his escape into another country, whereof he had only heard some obscure flying reports. This gentleman was so fortunate as to get safe to the harbour of Sandsbasin, lying between two mountainous promontories, one on an isle over against Greenland, which he called Huidserken or White Shirt, by reason of its being covered with snow; the other on the continent bearing the name of Huarf Eric. He wintered in the island, and afterward passing into the continent, imposed on it the name of Groenland or Greenland, from its flourishing verdeur. His son being sent to Olaus Trugger, king of Norway, to procure a pardon, easily obtain'd it upon information of the Hence, however, Hudson's Straits new discovery. Thus, in process of time, and Bay, and circumjacent coasts, in a plantation was settled there, and two cities were built, viz. Garde and Albe; the these parts. In 1611, Sir Thomas But-latter was honoured with a Bishop's See, ton prosecuted the discoveries in the and the residence of the Norwegian Vicesame quarter; and in 1612-5-6 roy, the Cathedral Church being dedicated to St. Antony. However, these new inhabitants having been long since destroyed, either by the natives, the rage of the epi-well demical disease called the black plague, or During the first half of this century otherwise, very little intelligence concerna number of Expeditions were fitted outing Groenland has come to us since the year 1349. Nevertheless, in 1389, (as they from Denmark, but did little towards say) the King of Denmark determining to reextending the geographical knowledge establish his dominion in those parts, sent a of the Polar seas. Our own investiga- fleet thither; which having suffered shiptions seem to have languished from wreck, he was discourag'd from any farther Baffin's trip in 1616, till that of Cap-enterprize, until of late that navigation was tain Luke Fox in 1630: somewhat renewed by Christian IV. who was wont to call this country his Philosophers Stone; in regard that it was SOMETIMES not to be found when his ships took a voyage thither; and because a certain Dane, in 1626, brought some sand from thence which was of the same colour and weight with gold. James Hall and William Baffin proceeded much farther in the North-west parts, and imposed names on divers places discovered by them. He traced Frobisher, Hudson, Davis, Button, and Baffin, meeting with whales, much ice and fowls, &c. In 1631, near Port Nelson, he met Captain James, whose very interesting narrative was published by the special command of Charles I. in 1633. The hardships endured by many of Wood's Voyage, in 1676, proceeded the early adventurers, and the miserable no further than 76° N. lat., where he deaths of many others, would fill volost his ship on the coast of Nova Zem-lumes in the recital. It may well therebla, and returned home in the Pros- fore be considered fortunate for comperous Pink, which accompanied him. merce and the interests of nations, that Such were the chief expeditions at there is implanted in man's nature a the close of the sixteenth and during desire of novelty, which no present the seventeenth centuries; and when gratification can satisfy; that having we consider the state of the appoint-visited one region of the earth, he is ments and the frail nature of the ships eager to explore another; that having employed, we shall not only be surprised escaped one danger in his progress, he at the extent of their investigations, but is no less resolute to encounter others, In our present statement we have passed over the claims made by the Icelanders in 1001, under Biarn,* and of the Germans, in 1484, under Martin Behens,† of Nuremberg, to this discovery, because they are unsupported by any later writer; and have confined ourselves to such attempts only as are authenticated, and their results sufficiently known. From the whole it appears certain that though Spitzbergen was also called North-east Greenland, there was undoubtedly a colony once settled on the East side of Old Greenland, which was sometimes approachable and oftentimes blocked up within an icy barrier. Whether this land may be again visited, and what remains of its former condition, are problems which the enterprise of our bold sailors will probably solve within a few months, and in the interim, we trust this brief retrospect at the long past exploits of their predecessors will not be read without adding to that strong feeling of interest which accompanies their adventure. Journal de la Belgique, Dec. 5, 1816. +Torsæus and Angrim Jonas, two Icelandic writers of good repute. EVELYN'S MEMOIRS. 2 vols. 4to. (Continued.) We have as yet merely noticed this publication, and as these ponderous quartos are slow in travelling, we are sure that our distant readers at least will not find fault with us for returning thus early to so entertaining a work. În Mr. Evelyn's second tour on the continent, in 1643, the following memorabilia occur Noticing the great wealth of the church of St. Denys, and a cross of gold three feet high, the author says, Amongst the still more valuable reliques are a naile from our Saviour's Cross, in a box of gold full of precious stones: a crucifix of the true wood of the cross, carved by Pope Clement III. inchased in a crystal covered with gold; a box in which is some of the Virgin's haire, some of the linnen in which our blessed Saviour was wrapped at his nativity; in a huge reliquary modelled like a church, some of our Saviour's blood, hair, cloaths, linnen with which he wiped the Apostle's feet; and many other equally authentic reliques. what harde to ye poore horses feete, which | and the roaring of the beaten waters has causes them to ride more temperately, sel- something of strange and fearfull to one dom going out of the trot, or grand pas, as unaccustomed to it. They are rul'd and they call it. 20 April we had an excellent road, but had like to come short home; for no sooner were we entred two or three leagues into ye Forest of Orleans (which extends itself many miles,) but the company behind us the hedges and frequent covert, slew foure were set on by rogues, who, shooting from upon the spot. This disaster made such an alarme in Orleans at o' arrival, that the Prevost Martial, with his assistants, going shot, and exposed them in ye greate marin persuite, brought in two whom they had ket-place, to see if any would take cogniGod thankes for this escape. I lay at the zance of ym. I had greate cause to give White Lion, where I found Mr. John Nicholas, eldest son to Mr. Secretary. In the night, a cat kittened on my bed, and left on it a young one having six ears, eight leggs, two bodys fram the navil downwards, and two tayles. I found it dead, but warm, in the morning when I awaked. Charlemagne's crown, and sceptre seven feet high, the crown of St. Lewis covered with precious stones, among which was an uncut ruby of After sojourning some time in France, 300 carats (under which is set one of Mr. E. went to Italy. At Vienne, in the thorns of our blessed Saviour's Dauphine, he says, "We supped and crown,') a morsel of one of the wa-lay, having amongst other dainties, a terpots in which our Saviour did his dish of truffles, an earth nut, found out first miracle, a cup in which Solo- by an hog train'd to it, and for which mon was used to drink,'- Judas' those animals are sold at a great 'brasse lanthorn full of crystals,'-' a price."* unicorns horn seven feet long sent by the king of Persia,' with a world of other rarities, were shewn here. Where are they now? Paris, our tourist tells us, " is paved with a kind of free-stone, of neere a foot square, which renders it more easy to walk on than our pebles in London." His other descriptions of this capital only prove how little it is changed, even to this day. The churches, &c. are uuch in statu quo; and the difference in the manners of the age is more observable when we read of wolf and lynx hunting in the wood of Vincennes, and of going well armed with carabines on a visit to Fontainebleau, as the road was At Marseilles We went to visite the Gallys, being about 25; the Captaine of the Gally Royal gave us a most courteous entertainement in his cabine, the slaves in the interim playing both loud and soft musiq very rarely. Then he shew'd us how he commanded their motions with a nod and his whistle, making them row out. The spectacle was to me new and strange, to see so many hundreds of miserably naked persons, having their heads shaven close, and having onely high red bonnets, a payre of course canvas drawers, their whole backs and leggs naked, doubly chayn'd about their middle and leggs, in couples, and made fast their seates, and all commanded in a trise by an imperious and cruell seaman. One Turke he favor'd, who waited on him in his cabin, but with no other dress than the rest, and a chayne lock'd about his leg but not coupled. This gally was richly carv'd and gilded, and most of the rest were very beautifull. After bestowing something on the slaves, the Captain sent a band of them to give us musiq at dinner where we lodged. I was amaz'd to contemplate how these miserable caytifs lie in their gally crowded together, yet there was hardly one but had some occupation by which, as leizure and calmes ex-permitted, they gat some little monye, insomuch as some of them have, after many yeares of cruel servitude, been able to purand falling back at their oare is a miserable chase their liberty. Their rising forward spectacle, and the noyse of their chaines * Dogs are the Truffic-hunters in England. beset by robbers. In St. Innocent's church, we are told, Divers clarks get their livelyhood by inditting letters for poor mayds and other ignorant people who come to them for advice, & to write for them into y country, every large grave-stone serving for a table. From Paris, in the summer of 1644, Mr. Evelyn went to Orleans, and his account of the journey affords an cellent specimen of the state of France at that era: The way, as indeed most of the roades in France, is paved with a small square free-stone, so that there is little dirt and bad roads as in England, onely 'tis some chastiz'd by strokes on their backs and soles of theire feete on the least disorder, and without the least humanity; yet are they chereful and full of knavery. Here we bought umbrellas against the heats, and consulted of our journey to Turkes. Canes by land, for feare of the Pickaron 9 October. We took mules, passing the first night very late in sight of St. Baume, and the solitary grott where they affirme Mary Magdalen did her pennance, &c. From Canes (Cannes) they had a stormy voyage, creeping along shore, to Genoa, where, on landing at the Pratiq-house, they were strictly examined by the Syndics, and conducted to an inn kept by one Zacharias, an Englishman, of whom we have a whimsical anecdote. I shall never forget a story of our host Zachary, who on the relation of our perill told us another of his owne, being shipwreck'd, as he affirm'd solemnly, in the middle of a greate sea somewhere in the West Indies, that he swam no lesse than 22 leagues to another island, with a tinder-box wraped up in his hayre, which was not so much as wett all the way; that picking up the carpenter's tooles with other provisions in a chest, he and the carpenter, who accompany'd him (good swimers it seemes both) floated the chest before them, and arriving at last in a place full of wood they built another vessell and so escaped. After this story we no more talked of our danger, Zachary put us quite downe. A characteristic trait of Genoa is given at page 74 : The first palace we went to visit was that of Hieronymo del Negros, to which we pass'd by a boate crosse the harbour. Here I could not but observe the sudden and devilish passion of a seaman, who plying us was intercepted by another, who interpos'd his boate before him and tooke us in; for the teares gushing out of his eyes, he put his finger in his mouth and almost bit it off by the joynt, shewing it to his antagonist as an assurance to him of some bloody revenge if ever he came neere that part of the harbour again. Indeed this beautifull citty is more stayn'd with such horrid acts of revenge and murthers than any one place in Europ, or haply in the world, where there is a political government, which makes it unsafe to strangers. It is made a gally matter to carry a knife whose poynt is not broken off. We do not intend travelling stage by stage through Italy, even in the agreeable company of Mr. Evelyn and his friends. They went to see Pope Innocent bishop assured them that a dove mithe Tenth's cavalcade; and a Genoese raculously settled on his holiness's chair in the conclave at his election. At Monte Fiascone, the ancient Falernum, PROPTER EST, EST, DOMINUS MEUS which enigma is thus explained: The Mr. Evelyn's notices of Rome, where he staid some time, and observed every thing curious in the papal ceremonies, the arts, and the manners of the people, are replete with interest; but we dare not begin quoting, for we should be tempted to transcribe as much as would fill our little paper ten times over. another visit Erected (says Mr. E.) on a steepe rock, in form of a small rotunda or cupolated columne, but almost overgrowne with bushes and wild baye trees. At the entrance is this inscription: Sta nisi Cencovius. Qui cineres? Tumuli hæc vestigia conditur olim Our author is charmed with Naples, its environs and climate. with their fiddle; they are merry, witty, and the prophetic office would be fully esta- 1645, we conclude for the present. An History of Muhammedanism: com- facts which we have mentioned are striking, and the historian of the human mind will draw many conclusions from them regarding the illiberality and ignorance of the middle ages, and the wise and tolerant spirit of the present day. Lets in new light through chinks which time has "The soul's dark cottage, batter'd and decay'd, made." The work before us is historical, literary, and religious; and in a few pages brings to our view a large portion of human circumstances and opinions. The Saracens from a southern country, and the Tartars from northern regions, have been the great scourges of the world, and rescued Asia from the imputation of total inertness. They have shewn that military qualifications may be found under every climate, and that the strong and stormy passions are as irresistible in their operations as the great workings of nature. The loquacious and ever wrangling Greeks disputed in the twelfth century, The observations on Naples are whether the Deity worshipped by the equally delightful. Our intelligent Arabian Prophet, and the God of the countryman saw every thing worth the Christians, were the same awful Being. regard of the scholar and gentleman. The Greek catechisms pronounced anaHe mounted Vesuvius, still deformed thema against the Muhammedan's obfrom the dreadful eruption of 1630.ject of worship; but after the bitterest Virgil's sepulchre was the object of disputes concerning this abstruse subject, and after various efforts to recon- Our author renews the old attempt cile the contending parties, the bishops to give the Saracens a place in literary consented to transfer the imprecation history, and he boldly affirms, that of the catechism from the god of Mu-" they formed the link which unites hammed, to Muhammed himself, his ancient and modern letters," p. 402. doctrine, and his sect. Not many ages This will never do. The Saracens, we subsequent to these events, a whole admit, handed down to us a few comedition of the Arabic Koran was con- mentaries of Galen on Hippocrates, damné au feu by the Pope, lest the good and the fifth, sixth, and seventh books Catholics should be tempted to embrace of Appolonius Pergæus on conic secIslamism. A little more than an tions. But what are these works comhundred years from the present time, pared with the thousand pieces of the Pope was the patron of the most classic lore which the Christian clergy learned edition of the Moslem religious preserved and bequeathed to posterity? code which has ever appeared. An Mr. Mills allows that the Saracens deold writer said, that the Koran was a stroyed the originals of some Greek brutal production, and ought to be books (most likely on science) which be found. Maracci, bigot as he was, they made no use of the poetry, the cast into the flames wherever it might they translated, p. 384; he says that says in the preface to his edition of the history, the morality, and the mythoKoran, (the one which received papal logy of Athens, 401: and he concedes, patronage) that Muhammed has pre- or rather the fact, like Polonius' "slow served all that is morally probable in leave," is "wrung" from him, that the Christian religion, with all that is the Arabian Mæcenas did burn the conformable to the light of nature. In Alexandrian library, p. 381, note. our own times, while the Empress Mr. Mills would have been correct Catharine in the North was patronizing if he had asserted that the Arabs the dispersion of thousands of copies of formed the link between Oriental and the Koran among her Tartarian subjects, Western literature. They certainly the English merchants in India inves- introduced into Europe the Indian tigated the principles and details of the digits and mode of computation. They Muhammedan laws, and published acquired astronomy from the Hindus, commentaries upon them. In many and most of their science, miserable as instances Muhammed shewed himself it was, came from India. to be a bad legislator. His claims to The manna falls at certaine seasons on the adjoyning hills in forme of a thick deuw. The very Winter here is a Summer, ever fruitefull, so that in the middle of February we had melons, cherries, abricots, and many other sorts of fruite. The building of the citty is for the size the most magnificent of any in Europe, the streetes exceeding large, well paved, having many vaults and conveyances under them for the sullage, wch renders them very sweete and cleane even in the midst of winter. To it belongeth more than 3000 churches and adorn'd of any in Italy. They greately affect the Spanish gravity in their habite; delight in good horses; the streetes are full of gallants on horseback, in coaches and sedans, from hence brought into England by Sir Sanders Duncomb. The women are generaly well featur'd but excessively libidinous. The country-people so jovial and addicted to musick that the very husbandmen almost universaly play on the guitarr, singing and composing songs in prayse of their sweetehearts, and will commonly goe to the field monasteries, and those the best built and If interest and importance attach to subjects according to the nearness of their relation to the spectator, we should then say that those parts of the present work that treat of the actual state of the Muhammedan religion, are those which best claim attention. It is evident that this religion has long since ceased to advance. The African and Indian Moors sometimes condescend to circumcise their prisoners before they murder them; but the Persians and Turks scarcely think the conversion of infidels to be a matter of conscience. Persia indeed seems to be the least bigoted of all Moslem countries. razor kind which the composition, are acquainted with few works which | On the contrary, comprise in so small a space so much though pleasantly Hudibrastic, is far In this part of his inferior to the Bath Guide, on the historical matter. work he should not so often have model of which it is formed; and there copied Gibbon's style. The author of is a good deal of coarseness and vulthe Decline and Fall of the Roman garity, quite unworthy of a fine satiriEmpire alludes to facts, rather than cal vein, and pen so accomplished as The wit is not of that states them: he writes more as an Mr. Moore's. essayist than an annalist; his book is a cuts the most when exquisitely keen: dissertation rather than an history. Mr. Mills' chapter on the literature and the attacks are rather broad and angry, sciences of the Saracens and Turks is and though the Fudge Family' may To his deserve the name of a clever work, it well written and amusing. "View of the Theological, Moral, and can never class with that higher order Judicial System of the Muselmans," he of jeux d'esprit in which the talent disIn Persia religion is a frequent topic of has brought all his powers. It is in-played compels the suffrage of all conversation; and our travellers in that deed a great subject, if the opinions of parties, and forces even those who country have been astonished at the freedom one half the world be of consequence wince under the lash, to confess that it with which it has been discussed. Colonel to us. Different sentiments may be is neatly administered. Malcolm heard a person of high rank entertained on the question whether Having delivered this candid opinion exclaim, in a mixed company, in which Mr. Mills' mode of treating this matter of the volume which has just appeared, some priests were maintaining the sacred be equally instructive with that pursued and reached in three days as many nature of the claims of Muhammed's family, "This is all very well for superstitious by the learned Mr. Sale in the Pre-editions, we shall enable our readers to fools, who know no better; but I have liminary Discourse to his translation of form their own judgment upon a few travelled and read, and have more than the Koran: certain, however, it is, extracts, premising, that we have not once met with a dog of a Seid, and an that the jurisprudence of the Musel-selected what appeared most likely to angel of a Jew." This speech produced a mans is better understood in these days justify our sentiments, but the oppovery hearty laugh, at the expense of the than it was fifty years ago; and Mr. holy man who had commenced the conver- Mills' work, therefore, possesses a great sation. p. 431, note. advantage in that respect. In the East as in the West, sanctity of character does not always accompany holiness of office, and the lash of the satirist is applied to the Haggi, or Mecca pilgrim, to the Seid, or descendant of Muhammed, and to the Moollah, the priest or lawyer. 66 A man once purchased a fine bunch of grapes from a person who sat behind a small window. After he had paid his money, he took hold of the end of the bunch, but in pulling it through the lattice every grape fell on the inside, and he held nothing but the bare stalk. O Seid! O Moollah! O Hagi!" he exclaimed. The man within instantly opened the door, and said, 'You know me, then, my friend?' "I never saw you before," replied the customer," but I was quite convinced that no one who had not a right to all these sacred titles could ever have played me such a trick." p. 457, note. Mr. Mills' undertaking was To extract the substance of the different volumes on the subject of Muhammedanism (many of them elaborate and rare,) to collect to one point the principal lights which writers have thrown upon it, and to form a connected and concise account of the religious, political, and literary history of the disciples of the Arabian prophet. Preface, p. 9. Upon the whole, we think that he has achieved his task. If he had made his historical part more full, it would have been more satisfactory; but we THE FUDGE FAMILY IN PARIS. Edited pp. 168. ISIS. Mr. Thomas Moore, who, under his site. The Fudge writers consist of Mr. Phil. Fudge, a friend of Tom Reynolds, Castles, Oliver, and a sort of Parisian spy of Lord Castlereagh's; Bob Fudge, his son, a gourmand, exceedingly fond of French cookery; Biddy Fudge, his daughter, a miss of eighteen, who likes dress, and falls in love with a Calicot; and Connor, a cousin, who we are told resembled Buonaparte, and does not disgrace the similitude, for he writes very grave and violent diatribes against the English, Irish, and all other governments. Such is the party to whose epistles we are introduced, and who, with the exception of the senior Fudge, are made to support their characters The letters with considerable success. of Mr. Fudge himself are, however, out of character, and the effect of his ultraroyalism is spoilt by this error. In the first letter from Amiens, Miss Biddy gives an account of their journey. At Calais, the pillar erected on the spot where the king landed, is thus ridiculed. The father exclaimed, "Oh mon Roi," and, with teardropping eye, Stood to gaze on the spot-while some jacobin nigh, Mutter'd out with a shrug (what an insolent thing!) Ma foi, he be right-tis de Englishman's king; And dat gros pied de cochon-begar me vil say Dat de foot look mosh better if turn'd toder way.' There's the pillar, too-Lord! I had nearly forgot What a charming idea!-rais'd close to the spot; |