Lord George

66

A Member said that Lord George was common author,'-but it was retorted that he was not a common author.-Mr. S. admitted that Lord George had been guilty of writing a book, but he contended, that as it never sold, no objection could be maintained on that score.'-One member asserted that the book contained jokes. This was repelled, and the book was referred to, for a joke, without success.-Mr. S. said that there did not appear to be a 'mens vivida' (or disposition to wit) in Lord George, and as he could find 'nothing particularly ludicrous, excepting only an Invocation (by Lord George) to Genius," he must be acquitted.'-Only one black

ball.

Mr. R. The Secretary was desired to request Mr. R. to awake and retire. This was effected with some difficulty, and he was put in nomination. A young Member, in light blue cossacks, said that it would be an eternal disgrace to the Society if it were to nominate a tradesman. Mr. S. objected to this (goodnaturedly) and said that the man was a merchant, and as he had been admitted a member, he doubted whether Sir's objection would lay-A Member in a straw-coloured cravat, said that R. was notauriously in the habit daily of eating coppage.'-A general shrugging of shoulders. (The Secretary here asked whether he should not write " cabbage? The reply was, that it was immaterial.') -All the balls were black.

(Signed)

C. H-."

to retire, and a vote of expulsion passed | tion. Mr. Farren was much more success-
against Mr. R.
ful in those parts of the character which
Mr. S. now said, that as several of the provoke risibility, than in those which
honourable members were asleep, he should ought to command respect. His gradual
move to adjourn the meeting-sine dine.resuscitation from the absolutely helpless
Agreed to nem.con.
state in which he entered, was managed with
great skill. The complacence with which he
listened to the gross flattery of his Valet,
while he threatened to knock him down for
it, was full of humour. But his best scene
was that in which Lord Ogleby discloses
his passion for Fanny (and the imagined
reciprocity of her attachment,) to her fa-
ther.

This is a faithful transcript of the minute
book.

I had intended to have sent you some
characters of our most celebrated members,
but I am tired of writing. Perhaps I may
resume my pen on some future day.
I have the honour to be,

--

Sir, &c. &c. &c.
JAMES JESSAMINE.

THE DRAMA.

COVENT GARDEN THEATRE.-The Clandestine Marriage — Mr. Farren's Lord Ogleby. That admirable comedy, The Clandestine Marriage, the joint production of the greatest actor (Garrick,) and one of the greatest wits (Colman,) of the last century, and founded on an idea suggested by the chef d'œuvre (Marriage a-la-mode) of the greatest artist in his line of any age or country (Hogarth,) was on Friday the 18th revived at Covent Garden, for the purpose of allowing the further development of the talents evinced by Mr. Farren on his introduction to the London public.

Various circumstances render

The horror with which he heard Old Sterling's supposition, that it was Mrs. Heidelberg whom he wished to make his wife; and his temporary animation, when he declared, that if opposed he would carry his mistress off, were delightful. We have seldom witnessed a more comic exhibition than the latter. The sluggish stream of life appeared to be suddenly urged into an unwonted rapidity by the anticipations of his imagination. He half tottered, half danced across the stage. His frame seemed to have been newly strung, but the strings were all in a vibration that it was difficult to determine whether to attribute to pleasure or to paralysis. The effect was much aided by the exquisitely conceited movement of his head, which forcibly reminded us of the Chinese Mandarin's on the mantle-piece, that the old housekeeper had just before ordered her servant to set a noddling."-We have been particular in speakLording of Mr. Farren's excellencies, we will be general in alluding to his defects. They all proceeded from one cause-an occasional forgetfulness that a man, conscious of high birth, inspired by liberal sentiment, and accustomed to polished society, would naturally, and in spite of the infirmities of his years, evince in his whole demeanour habitual dignity and refinement. Whether or not Mr. Farren is capable of adding to his other qualifications those to which we have adverted, we know not. If he is, his Lord Ogleby will be one of the finest performances on the modern stage; if he is not, still there is an extensive sphere of entertaining dramatic character in which we are persuaded he will move with great and deserved applause.

Ogleby one of the most difficult characters in the wide range of the English drama. Even when first performed, and when its prototype was frequently to be found in nature, it must have required considerable ability to exhibit the gentlemanly deportment, the tender and respectful gallantry, the high sense of honour, the delicate generous and manly feeling, which contributed to form the beau of rank at the comencement of the last century, combined with the personal vanity and foppishness, by which alone we fear the Dandies of the present day are distinguished; and heightened into comic effect as all those qualities are in the individual, by his unavailing anxiety to repair the ravages of time, and conceal the decrepitude of old age. But if The other parts were strongly cast, as this was an arduous task to the actor, when indeed in the affluence of talent possessed he might enjoy the daily opportunity of by this Theatre, it would be strange if they studying from life, how much more so must had not been.-Am.ng the difficulties atit have become now that manners are so tendant on getting up a piece of this decompletely revolutionized, and now that, scription, and in the way of its delusive Here the door-keeper came in, and said having no resource but tradition or fancy, impression, are the necessary incongruities that Mr. R. had requested him to go for he in the one case presents us with a con- of dress. We say necessary," because a pot of porter."-all the members asto- ception which, having passed through se-it would be a most injudicious preference of nished-one inquired what was the nature veral minds, must necessarily have been correctness to better considerations, which of porter? to which his neighbour answer-weakened in every transmission, or in the would, for instance, compel the lovely Miss ed, that he believed it was a medicine, other is in danger of committing the com- Brunton to wear the high tête, the long used as a palliative or soporific. Mr. S. mon but great theatrical error, of substi-stomacher, and the broad hoop, that were however defined it to be an intoxicating tuting extravagance for truth. contemporary with Lord Ogleby's toupée, beverage, like port, much drank by the ruffles, and sword. But that is assuredly lower orders."* The doorkeeper ordered bad taste which forces into unnecessary and injurious contrast the extreme finicalness of old costume, and the extreme slovenliness of the present day. We mean this hint for Mr. C. Kemble's light blue pantaloons.

* This definition was actually given, with respect to port wine, by one of the bright stars of the hemisphere of fashion.-ED.

Notwithstanding all these disadvantages, we derived much gratification from the performance of Mr. Farren; but it was a gratification resulting from the general display of his powers, rather than from his peculiar aptitude for the character in ques

66

THE LITERARY GAZETTE, AND

We must not omit to notice the very suc-
cessful debut, in the character of Somno,
in the Sleep Walker, of Mr. J. Russell,
who, during the summer, contributed so
materially to the mirth of the Haymarket.
His imitations are admirable. Those of
Kemble and Incledon (especially the latter)
are decidedly the most accurate that we ever
heard.

Mrs. Charles Kemble has resumed her
station on these boards with unabated viva-
city, and performed several of her old parts
admirably. We specify this, because we
think the weakest branch of the Covent
Garden company is that of ladies for lead-
ing characters in the best Comedies. They
seem fond of girls here; yet, however
promising their talents, it often happens
that they are not sufficiently matured for
such representations as we allude to. Miss
Brunton, for example, whose merits we have
too often proclaimed to be thought likely
to detract from them, is neither of stand-
ing nor of importance enough for Lady

Teazle.

BURGOMASTER OF SAARDAM.-By referring to our account of the French Drama in No. 79 of the Literary Gazette, it will be seen that this is a swift importation from Paris. We hope this sort of entire reliance upon the Continent for new pieces will not be carried too far. It is very well to translate some of their best efforts, but the rapid transmigration of mas from French into English forms is an poor and indifferent draevil to be avoided, not only as disagreeable

to inflict an equal loss upon our readers by in some of the Journals, is to be made a describing all the causes of disappoint-place of rustic experiment, we wish to be to attend this Theatre, it is not our design | school. If the stage, as has been observed of the characters in any of the plays per- tions of suffering harmony. Nevertheless, formed have been well cast, their effect has Miss Withan possesses talent, which, if ment. Suffice it to say, that if two or three out of hearing of at least the first contorbeen utterly destroyed by allotment of all cultivated, may entitle her to rank, though with which the season commenced on the the other parts to actors who would dis- never eminently, in the musical world. 12th, and which we have already dismissed, grace a barn. After Romeo and Juliet, we shall take the new claims on public approbation in their proper order, and very briefly.

Old Rapid, Mr. Watkinson, from the Haymarket; and Frank Oatland, Mr. Weston. Tuesday, 15.-Cure for the Heart Ache: Mr. Watkinson is a tolerable comedian; but he ought to be most admirable, for he apparently supplies the place of Munden and Dowton! His Old Rapid was common bustling, without one distinguishing trait. Mr. Weston, in Frank Oatland, and in Murtoch Delaney, in the Farce of the Irishhim, that he was far inferior to his predecessors in both. In the latter he strove man in London, gives us only this to say of hard to please, and would be found, we doubt not, an useful member of a company.

of Clyde. Mr. Watkinson made nothing of Dowton's fine part, Sir George Thunder; and in spite of Mrs. Glover, (Lady Amaranth), Knight, (Sim), and Oxberry, (a Tuesday, 22d. Wild Oats, and the Falls Comedy was made as flat as it is broad. rich Ephraim Smooth), this humorous

a

the increased demand for it rendering much larger impression necessary, we canOwing to the form of our publication, and week ensuing and unless there is any thing not conveniently notice the performances so late in the week as Thursday, until the

so material as to induce us to alter our usual

course, (which there is not in the getting wait for their next number of the Literary up of Venice Preserved at this Theatre) we trust that our readers have patience to Gazette, assured that if aught worth while occurred we should not omit it.

act, was successfully produced at this TheTHE ENGLISH OPERA.-Fertile in pleaSpanish in complexity. We have two young sant little operas, the Rendezvous, in one atre on Monday. The plot is thoroughly ladies and a servant girl, with their three lovers, all in one house,-a guardian outyouthful intrigue over-matching aged pruwitted, and all the usual ingredients of refer to the Theatre, promising those who dence. For further particulars we must

American, and his first appearance on any Thursday, 17th.-Othello. Othello was confided to a Mr. Cleary, said to be an ago was done by Mr. Bengough. Of the stage and Desdemona to Mrs. W. West, in itself, but as totally subversive of the from Bath, known in London as Miss Cooke. rational encouragement which native pro- Lady first:-Miss Cooke was a very lovely ductions ought to receive. Changing, with girl, and Mrs. West is a very fine woman. For dramatic patriotism, the English Ambassa-second personages in Tragedy, and for sendor of the Paris piece into a German, seems to be the only material alteration' which of action are more wanted than higher entimental parts, where beauty and propriety has taken place, excepting always the in-dowments, she will grace the stage; but she troduction of "National Ballets," without Desdemona. Her portraiture of the character their trouble. That best of actresses, Miss which, or some other spectacle, we do not has not powers even for the soft and simple think Covent Garden would trust to the was faint and unimpressive. Mr. Cleary's Kelly, re-appeared after a severe indispoattractions of the best tragedy, comedy, or farce, that ever was written. As the Paris gether mediocre. He seemed afraid to do Othello, with a few exceptions, was alto-sition, and was greeted with the plaudits entertainment depended on Potier, so did well, where others had done much; and dress and drollery of Liston, as Van-Fus-nothing or went wrong. In several passages its London copy, in great measure, on the where others had done well, he either did Frump the Burgomaster. The success of both, however, has been very problema

tical.

DRURY LANE.-So much space in our that we will not overload our pages with Review is occupied with this Theatre, that length of criticism which its numerous novelties might otherwise have claimed.

Indeed it is a very unpleasant task to be stigmatizing absurdity and failure where, for the benefit of the general drama and its professors, it is so desirable to find merit and success.

Short while as the house has been opened, we believe we have nearly half a score of experimental first appearances to notice. This is novelty with a vengeance: they

Shew our eyes, and grieve our heart;
Come like shadows, so depart.

But though it is a miserable waste of time

make the reference much amusement for

her excellence deserves. The acting through-
out was spirited and humorous, and the
lish Opera House would be found a pretty
verdict so unanimous, as to promise that
general rendezvous.
whenever the piece was repeated, the Eng-

and his study betrayed a partial glance at parts rather than a comprehensive view of the whole. Mr. Bengough walks about the cept Mrs. Glover's Emilia, the rest of the pieces of music, composed by Beethoven, yond his sphere, as the villain lago. Ex-bited here. This Automaton, the invention of stage so respectably, that we were sorry to Trumpeter of musical mechanism was exhisee him forced into business so utterly beOn Tuesday and Wednesday a singular cast was absolutely deplorable. Mr. Maelzel of Vienna, performed several but readily submitting to be prompted, alias Rees, Kalkbrenner, &c. on the Trumpet, in played none of the airs of inflated genius, a masterly manner. Being encored, he disgiven so much satisfaction before. We comsame brilliant execution, and without intromend this example of modesty, equanimity, ducing new ornaments to spoil what had wound up, repeated the tunes with the and musicians. Something may be learnt and propriety to all our first-rate singers formance unworthy of imitation. of winding up, there was no part of his pereven from a doll, and with the exception

catalogue of failures.
Juliet, again vilely murdered, it brought
Saturday, 19th. Saturday continued the
out a singing Gentleman, not unwisely ano-
After Romeo and
They were both like every thing else that
nymous, and a singing Lady, a Miss Witham,
Drury Lane has lately displayed-extremely
from the Bath stage, in the opera of Rosina.
uninteresting.
they will ever sing, and, if our first resolu-
We entirely doubt whether
ought to be the drudgery of the music-
tion holds good, we are determined not to
molest ourselves again with listening to what

VARIETIES.

RUSSIA. The different establishments formed at St.Petersburgh for the education of youth, such as the Corps of Cadets, the Naval and Mineralogical Schools, Gymnasia, &c. contain more than 10,000 young men, who are supported at the public exIndeed the Government of Russia pense. is making constant and continued efforts to enlighten the nation, and to raise the lower classes of the people, step by step, from the state of debasement and ignorance into which the abuses of despotism have plunged them. When Voltaire wrote the celebrated line

"C'est du Nord aujourd'hui que nous vient la

lumiere,"

it was regarded merely as a piece of hyperbolical flattery; but from the exertions now making by the Government of Russia, it may become a prophecy.

AGRICULTURE.—The West Indian plant, known by the name of the Caribbeecabbage, (Arum colocassia L.) has lately been successfully cultivated in the South of France. Its roots supply the place of the potatoe in the Egyptian markets, and in India and China its leaves form the principal food of the common people. The Caribbee-cabbage thrives best in damp places. It grows up in tufts between four and five feet high; its leaves are two feet long, and about eighteen inches wide.

The Louvre has been enriched with statues, vases, bas-reliefs, and inscriptions, to the amount of about sixty thousand francs, from the collection of the late M. de Choiseuil Gouffier.

Monument to Dante.-A subscription has been opened at Florence, for a monument to be erected in honour of Dante. It is

well known that the prince of Italian poets, when in banishment, like Gibelin, was reduced to beg for shelter and a morsel of bread in foreign countries. The monument will be erected in the church of SantaCroce, the Pantheon of Tuscany.

At Franconi, Circus Paris, Macbeth and Othello are converted into Pantomimes!

"To what base uses may we come at last." Classical Elegance!!!-We do not expect much elegance of composition in such publications as Play Bills, but surely it is due to common propriety that the annunciations of our National Theatres should not be in language which would disgrace the oratory in front of a booth at a fair. What then shall we say of the following notice in a Bill issuing from Classic Drury this

week :

66

Mr. H. Kemble and the Young Lady, on their second performance of Romeo and Juliet, was on Saturday again honoured with added approbation, and will shortly appear in other characters!!"

That they was honoured with applause may be ungrammatically true; but how two persons on their second performances can be ugain honoured with added applause, puz

zles us completely to understand. Fie on | Holy Virgin. An old man lies on a cloud,
it was no little charity school boy among whence he darts a vast beam, which passes
the printers or even devils? What would a through a dove hovering just below; at the
end of the beam appears a large transparent
foreigner say to this?
A musical piece called "Newmarket egg, in which egg is seen a child in swad-
and opens
Races," is forthcoming at the Parisian Thea-dling clothes, with a glory round it; Mary
sits leaning in an arm chair,
tre Feydeau.
mouth to receive the egg.

One of the French journals says, that M. Degoil (so it spells D'Egville) has Frenchified his name in order to get his ballets accepted at the Opera; but that they are justly rejected for native talent.

66

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE,

her

CONTENTS OF THE JOURNAL DES SAVANS FOR SEPTEMBER 1818. In a little French town they lately got up reviewed by M. Vanderbourg-Demour's Adelung's Life of Baron Herberstein, a sort of dramatic entertainment, in two acts, entitled, Adam and his Family." Treatise on the Diseases of the Eye, by The M. Abel Rémusat.-New Refutation of the At another, where they played Death of Abel," it was announced to be Book de l'Esprit, by M. Cousin.-Vanderbourg's translation of Cratès and Hipparacted in the costume of the times." chia, a novel by Wieland, by M. QuatreRECOVERY OF MANUSCRIPTS.-One rea-mère de Quincy.-Marsden's translation of son (writes the learned compiler of L'Esprit the Travels of Marco Polo, by M. Abel des Croisades, a work frequently quoted Rémusat.-Delambre's History of Ancient by Gibbon) why we lost a great number Astronomy, by M. Biot.-Conclusion of of ancient authors, was, the conquest of the Observations on the tragedy of Edipus. Egypt by the Saracens, which deprived Rex. Europe of the use of the Papyrus. The ignorance of that age could find no substitute; they knew no other expedient but writing on parchment, which became every day more scarce and costly. Ignorance and barbarism unfortunately seized on Roman manuscripts, and industriously defaced pages, once imagined to have been immortal. The most elegant compositions of classic Rome were converted into the psalms of a breviary, or the prayers of a missal. Livy and Tacitus

METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL.

SEPTEMBER.

Thursday, 17-Thermometer from 37 to 59.
Barometer from 30, 17 to 30, 33.
Wind NW. and WbS. .-Noon cloudy, the
rest of the day generally clear.

Rain fallen, 125 of an inch.
Friday, 18-Thermometer from 41 to 60.

Barometer from 30, 30 to 30, 19.
Wind S. and SbW. 1.--Generally hazy, with
a little misling rain in the morning.
Saturday, 19-Thermometer from 48 to 66.

Barometer from 30, 07 to 29, 95.
Wind SbW. and S. 4.-General cloud, with a
short shower of rain in the morning.
Sunday, 20-Thermometer from 56 to 65.

Barometer from 29, 85 to 29, 77 Wind SE 4.-General cloud, with a little rain in the morning.

hide their diminished heads" for the legend of a saint; and immortal truths were converted into clumsy fictions. It happened that the most voluminous authors were the greatest sufferers: these were preferred, because, their volume being the greatest, it most profitably repaid Monday, 21-Thermometer from 45 to 61. their destroying industry, and furnished ampler scope for future transcription. A Livy or Diodorus was preferred to the smaller works of Cicero or Horace; and this is probably why Juvenal, Persius, and Martial, have come down to us entire, rather than from these pious persons preferring their obscenities, as some have accused them. Not long ago, at Rome, a part of a book of Livy was found between the lines of a parchment, but half effaced, on which they had substituted a

Barometer from 29, 62 to 29, 76. Wind SE. and S 4.-Raining most of the morning, the rest of the day generally clear. Tuesday, 22-Thermometer from 49 to 65.

book of the Bible.

RELIGIOUS PICTURES.-There is a religious subject very strangely treated in a picture on the Continent: the design exhibits the Virgin Mary receiving the annunciation of the angel Gabriel, with a huge chaplet of beads tied round her waist, reading her own offices, and kneeling before a crucifix.

Another happy invention is to be seen in an altar-piece at Worms, in which the Virgin throws Jesus into the hopper of a mill, while from the other side he issues, changed into little morsels of bread, with which the priests feed the people.

Matthison describes a picture in a church at Constance, called the Conception of the

Barometer from 29, 86 to 29, 89. Wind SbE. and SW. 4.-Evening clear; the rest of the day generally cloudy.

Kain fallen, 75 of an inch.

Wednesday, 23-Thermometer from 42 to 66.

Barometer from 29, 86 to 29, 89. Wind SbE. and SW. 2.-Generally clear till the afternoon, when several showers passed over, and a very rainy evening.

On Friday October 24, at 6 hours 30 minutes 29 seconds, clock time, the 1st Satellite of Jupiter will emerge from an eclipse; and on the

same day, at 5 hours 43 minutes 23 seconds, the
3d Satellite will immerge.
Edmonton, Middlesex.

JOHN ADAMS.

ERRATA... In the 19th line of the Poem "The Morning in Spring," No. 26, for "bush leaves,” read "lush leaves." And, in the dramatic criticism on Drury Lane Theatre, in our last Number, line 7, for "train," read "brain." We usually trust to the discernment of our readers to correct any slight typographical error which may escape us, but they need rectifying in such instances as the above, where the text remains sense, though not the sense of the writer.

4. Correction. A Novel. In 3 Vols. 12mo. Fashion. A Tale. Embellished with an elegant Engrav

AND

Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, etc.

This Journal is supplied Weekly, or Monthly, by the principal Booksellers and Newsmen throughout the Kingdom; but to those who may desire
its immediate transmission, by post, we beg to recommend the LITERARY GAZETTE, printed on stamped paper, price One Shilling.

No. 89.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1818.

REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.

NATURAL HISTORY. American Ornithology, or Natural History of the Birds of the United States; ornamented with plates, engraced and coloured from drawings after nature. By Alexander Wilson. Nine volumes in folio. Printed at Philadelphia in the years 1809-1814.

THIS beautiful work does honour in many respects to the New World. As an instance of the degree of perfection to which the typographic art is carried in the United States, we may affirm that it does not yield much to the finest productions of the English press; its plates may compare, in the correctness and high finish of the drawing, in the beauty of the engraving, and in the truth and splendor of the colouring; with the magnificent works on natural history which France has produced of late years, among which, those of Le Vaillant, Audebert and Viellot, hold the foremost rank. Mr. Wilson, the author, states that all the materials employed in the composition of this work, are derived from the produce or manufacture of America, and that, with the exception of some colours, he has not had to borrow any thing from Europe.

sides, how often do we see naturalists bring
back from their travels, or foreign corres-
pondents send to the collections of Europe,
specimens which are ill prepared, mutilated
or defective, and calculated rather to give
us a false idea of, than to make us ac-
quainted with the object?

It is not, then, so much in the laborious
compilations of systematic writers, and in
collections amassed at a great expense, that
we can study natural history, as in nature
studied her with ardour, with diligence, and
herself, or in the works of those who have
with perseverance, solely devoted to come
to the knowledge of the truth; it is there
of the magnificent whole, and the delight-
that we shall acquire just and solid notions
ful details which are afforded by the works

of the Creator.

M. Temminck on the Birds of Europe,
If the interesting recent publication by
of that part of the globe which we should
have supposed to have been long known,
the work which we have now before us
did not suffice to convince us of this truth,
would be a manifest proof of it.

has already been the subject of the re-
The ornithology of the United States
searches of some English naturalists. Ed-
wards, Catesby, and Pennant, had published
observations, which, added to the birds of
in cabinets, served to give us some idea of
that country sent to Europe and preserved
the riches of this description contained in
that vast continent. But Pennant saw no-
thing himself; Edwards and Catesby ob-
served like travellers, that is, rapidly:
their descriptions, therefore, are incom-
Buffon, who had to make use of such im-
plete, their drawings often incorrect, and
perfect materials, struck with want of agree-
ment among these various theories, fre-
quently exclaimed, “Would to heaven that
of nature in their country." The wish of
American naturalists would write the history
Buffon is fulfilled, and Mr. Wilson* has
rendered to the naturalists of Europe, the
service which the French Pliny so ardently
desired for himself.

PRICE 8d.

which cover the surface of the country, the great marshes, the savannahs, the seacoasts, the chains of mountains, and made himself familiar with the various tribes of birds which people these different regions; it was not till he had informed himself by his own observations of the habits of these numerous species, that he undertook to publish the fruit of his toils. Knowing how important it is in this science that the drawings and descriptions should be finished made it a point to take and to describe no spewith minute exactness and strict truth, he cimens but such as were living, or recently killed and in the best state of preservation. he has not been able to observe a methoThis, as he says himself, is the reason that dical order in his work. He painted the various species as he obtained them; and he collected his notes, composed the history when he had a sufficient number of plates, of each bird, and gave to the public the parts of this great work volume by volume.

perhaps no country in the world, an acTo the European naturalist, there is quaintance with which can be more interesting than the United States. Situated almost under the same parallels of latitude tinent has a climate very similar, the course as Europe, this part of the American Conof the seasons is the same, and the phenowhich we observe in Europe, are met with mena relative to the migration of birds, in this quarter of the New World, and the periods of the arrival and departure of certain kinds are the same. There, as here, at the return of spring, numerous species are seen to arrive from the South, some which continue their flight, almost without stopping, to the frigid zone, while others fix themselves during the summer, to build their nests, and bring up their cold season, those species which had reyoung under a milder climate. In the same manner also, towards the beginning of the paired thither in the spring, are seen returning from the North, and going back to pass the winter, followed soon after by all those which had brought up their young families in the less northerly parts of the temperate zone, and which quit them in numerous flocks, when the leaves of the forest begin to fall, and the earth, stripped of its verdure, is about to be covered with frost and snow. Lastly, in both regions disappeared, winter brings, to supply species which love only the cold, but which, their place, vast hordes of those Arctic forced to quit for a short season the ice of the Pole, hasten to return to it at the first dawn of spring.

But it is especially in a scientific point of view that we are called upon to consider these volumes, which we mean to do at some length, both on account of their great merit and importance, and because, though we have ourselves been so fortunate as to see a copy, it is we believe almost entirely unknown in Europe. Its value, in this respect, will be duly appreciated by naturalists, who have repeatedly lamented that nature was so ill known, and her productions so imperfectly observed in countries out of Europe. In fact, what data have we hitherto had to acquire a knowledge of animals placed by nature in other climates? The accounts of travellers are often erroneous, and always imperfect. How indeed can a single man, however versed in the study of natural history, flatter himself with correctly classifying in a short space that infinite variety of species which often approach each other by their conformity, and in whose characteristic features, sex, age, and even the seasons of the year cause astonishing changes, which at first sight seem entirely to distinguish without which we cannot make ourselves equally, when the birds of summer have

:

To a very extensive preliminary study
of natural history in general, and of the
principles of nomenclature and classifica-
tion, Mr. Wilson added the activity ne-
cessary to observe the manners of birds in
nature, that patience, that perseverance,

acquainted with these creatures, so light,
from the eye of man, and so easily escape
so rapid, which so often conceal themselves
his research. It was not till he had traversed
all parts of the United States, till he had
assiduously frequented the vast forests

them. Our museums, our collections of
natural history, however considerable they
may be, are all subject to the same incon-
veniencies the objects they contain have
been brought by travellers, and if these
travellers have not themselves carefully
studied them in their native land, a thousand
* Mr. Wilson was, however, we believe,' a
errors are to be apprehended when we come Scotsman. So devoted was he to his favourite
to arrange these creatures in their proper pursuit, that he lived for years literally in the
places in the great picture of nature. Be-woods.
VOL. II.

Thus, in these two corresponding regions of the two opposite Continents, the general phenomena are the same, the grand features of the picture are analogous, but the