1

cism of Mr. Gurney's translation in the "Leipsic Blätter für Literarische Unterhaltung." "Perhaps a more unfavourable judgment on the merits or demerits of a translator was never pronounced by critic, than this of the Leipsic journalist." Why, the very quotation of p. 305 in the "Westminster," overthrows its own assertion. The critic, who positively all but preferred Mr. Gurney's translation to the original, is said to pronounce an unfavourable judgment on it. Surely the "Westminster's" wits are, like its editor's, in commission. The only fault that the German journalist finds, arises from the fact that Mr. Gurney has tried to make Göthe pious-a somewhat difficult undertaking, we admit he has, however, attempted to carry out some of those principles of interpretation to which the great German repeatedly recurred in his conversations with various friends; and another translator, Mr. Birch, has in his preface attempted to give a similar spirit to his book. The key to the right understanding of any author is, we apprehend, best attained by the translator laying down a system on which he imagines his author proceeded. So much, then, for the dulness of the "Westminster."

We are next charged with asserting untruth, in affirming Mr. Hickson, the editor of that Review, to be a cordwainer in Smithfield. In reply to which we have only to state, that he swore to such being his qualification at the election for Lord. John Russell. We have since heard that he is an itinerantpreacher besides-but this is only his seventh day calling, we.. presume.

So much for the accuracy and facts of the "Westminster." Will it be credited that out of this compound of Smithfield Radicalism, presumptuous sectarianism, and daring effrontery, for which we have only to refer to his attack on Mr. Charles Pearson, or rather on the City of London, which had not the slightest warranty in truth, fact or principle-that out of such a compound as this, that worthy Lord manufactured his famous commissions! Verily we are then thankful, since such were their soles, that the noble Lord and his coadjutors have ceased to be our upper leathers.

So much for our personal explanation to the editor of that Review-now for his co-offender, G. H. L. In his rashness, this, party has rushed also upon Niebuhr. We shall leave him to the stout-hearted editors of that author, strong-limbed hunters, that have pulled down many a "stag of ten," and who will make nothing of such a "gracilis cerva," such a "tender deer," as he is, and they are now at his haunches.

The public are next informed that the "Foreign and Colonial" has been started as a rival to the "Foreign." It has been started

with no such low object; it aspires to be second to no existing Review, and the "Foreign" is perfectly welcome to all eulogiums which its brother Liberal, the "Westminster," can give it. But one word on these eulogiums. "The Foreign Review, under its present management, is one of the most ably conducted of our Quarterly contemporaries." Exactly so! Knowing nothing of German or foreign Literature itself, the "Westminster" cannot be expected to see this defect in others. But we will tell the "Westminster" one simple fact that the last editor of the Foreign" did not understand more than one language—a little smattering of French was his whole acquirement to conduct a Foreign Review; that he discovered his inability, and resigned the editorship, but not before the public had a little earlier discovered the same, since a German scholar brought to us the last Number that he published, with, if we rightly remember, thirty mistakes in the German language in one article. In fact, the editor, feeling himself wholly unable to correct the German of his correspondent for the press, left it to the mercy of the printer. One Number only has appeared under the new management, and an admitted failure. Now under which of the two managements has it been "the most ably conducted of our Quarterly contemporaries?" It can be only under the last, for that is the present management; and the "Westminster" has the rashness to come to this grave conclusion on a single Number, and that a very bad one;-so much for its discretion.

These are not the rivals that the "Foreign and Colonial" fears to encounter. We have distanced them already, and we shall soon be in at the death of the "Westminster," which is exhibiting dying throes, and can only get on by its pretty little pictures for children.

As to those distinguished persons who have contributed to this Review, and openly avowed their co-operation, though only Radical dulness can imagine that they write every article in it, or demand whether persons have composed articles of which the internal evidence in the articles themselves demonstrates the impossibility-as to them—and in particular to one of them, to whom allusion is made in the "Westminster," we have only to say that we still enjoy their full confidence and best wishes-that they have ministered to us, or rather the cause we advocate, most efficient support that they feel that we are right in our sentiments with respect to high constitutional, social and religious principles-and that they retain for our welfare, at present, the same kindliness and determined spirit of co-operation with which they aided our earlier exertions.

655

CORRESPONDENCE.

FROM OUR ITALIAN CORRESPONDENT.

Florence, Feb. 1844.

THE recent literary doings of Italy are such as abundantly to justify the hopes expressed in one of the articles of our present Number, with respect to the awakening of the Italian mind from its long slumber. And the nature of the majority of the works on which we have to report, indicates, as the writer of the article referred to also asserts, that the current of literary taste and enterprise sets strongly in the direction of historical pursuits and studies.

The veteran Vieusseux, to whom Italian literature and Italian literary men are in so many ways deeply indebted, has just brought out the first part of the seventh volume of his "Archivio Storico Italiano." The object of this valuable and well projected work is to publish carefully edited and annotated "works and documents regarding the history of Italy, hitherto inedited, or which have become extremely rare." It, of course, excludes the works printed in Muratori's great collection. The enlightened and public spirited "Direttore-Editore" has collected around him a band of labourers in this fruitful field, numbering in its ranks a host of names eminent in this walk of literature. And the previous volumes of the series-the first five, that is, for though the present volume is the seventh, the sixth is in the presshave been put out in such a manner as to have obtained for the work the highest consideration throughout Italy.

The present volume, though it is styled "the first part of Tome the 7th," is by itself a sufficiently substantial volume of 586 pages. It contains the first half of the "Annali Veneti" of the "Senatore Domenico Malipiero." These annals reach from 1457 to 1500; and are now printed for the first time. They comprise a period of forty-three years only; but what a period !

"Few historical writers," says Signor Sagredo, the careful and intelligent editor of Malipiero's work," in my opinion surpass these annals in the importance of their subject matter, in the sincerity of their revelations, in the good sense of the reflections, in maturity of judgment, sagacity of foresight, and abundance of documents."

We cannot pretend here to give our readers any account of the contents of this highly interesting volume, as the attempt would lead us into much greater length than is compatible with the nature of this short notice. It is hoped that the remainder of the work, to be contained in a second part of the seventh volume of the "Archivio," will ere long be before the public, as it is announced as in the press.

The sixth volume, also in the press, is to contain the "History of Pisa, by Raffaello Ronconi."

Two Venetian Chronicles, and a "History of the War between the Spaniards and Pope Paul the IVth," are stated to be also in prepa

ration.

Signor Micali, whose learned and persevering investigations into Italian ante-Roman antiquities and history have acquired for him an European celebrity, has, after his long silence, just put forth another work on his favourite subject. His first labours in this field of research were published as long ago as 1810. Thirty-four years is a "monstrous cantle" out of the working portion of a man's life; and as, from Signor Micali's recent volume, it should seem that the largest part of this long period has been devoted by him to the subject which occupied the labours of his youthful years, it is probable that no writer of the present day will be found so competent a guide through the difficulties of that peculiarly intricate and dark subject of investigation. Signor Micali's first work, in four volumes 8vo., was entitled, "L'Italia avanti il Dominio dei Romani;" and was accompanied by an atlas in folio, containing sixty-seven plates of outline engravings of Etruscan and other ante-Roman remains: this work went through several editions. In 1832, was published by him his "Historia degli Antichi Popoli d'Italia." This work was a recasting of the materials of the former one, modified and enriched by the result of farther researches and more extended studies. The number of plates was also increased to an hundred and twenty. The single volume of text, with its accompanying atlas of sixty plates, which has now just appeared, is entitled, "Monumenti Inediti a Illustrazione della Storia degli Antichi Popoli d'Italia," and is intended as a supplement and completion of the history of the original possessors of the soil of the Peninsula, illustrated from the remnants of their architecture and arts.

We have also to announce a history of the celebrated convent of Monte Cassino, in three volumes, 8vo., with plates by Don Luigi Tosti, "Cassinese." This is published at Naples; so that even this most "arriérée" of the kingdoms of Europe is at a respectful distance following the lead of her betters, though in the present instance her author is a monk, and his subject a convent. But the history of Monte Cassino, if truly told, would be by no means an unimportant or uninteresting one. But we fear that even if Don Luigi Tosti himself were inclined to reveal all those secrets of his prison-house, which might haply be discovered from its archives, the authorities at Naples would not permit him to do so. We have not, however, had an opportunity of ascertaining, from an examination of his work, how far our fears may be justified.

From Genoa we have the " Storia Civile, Commerciale et Letteraria dei Genovesi," from the earliest times to the year 1797, by Michele Giuseppe Canale. The author has divided his subject into six epochs, in accordance with the variations in the form of the republic's government. Following the lead of the French nation, who choose to have a king "des Français," and not "de la France"-and of Sismondi, who adopts a similar title for his history, Signor Canale calls his work

a "History of the Genovese." This fashion is significative of the present tendency of history to descend a little from her pedestal, and condescend to give some portion of her attention to the masses of beings who constitute nations, as well as to the authorities who rule them, and set them by the cars together. We hail the omen; and are glad to see the idea spreading, which leads to such a conception of the duties of history as is expressed in this new form of title.

The smaller Italian cities are also beginning to be sensible of a similar impulse, and to participate in the general movement. From little Urbino we have Signor Achille Marini's "Plan of a complete History of Montefeltro;" from Leghorn, parts 1 to 21 of Dr. Giuseppe Vivoli's Annals of that town; from Montepulciano, whose name English tourists will recognize from their recollection of its wines, we have the first and second volumes of Signor Ariodante Fabretti's "Biographies of the Umbrian Captains," a subject full of curious matter, and which promises, if well handled, an abundant harvest of amusement; and, lastly, from the press of San Severino, a townlet whose position our readers may, by close examination of their maps, see indicated by a very small dot about half way between Ancona and Spoleto, we have two publications, of small extent indeed, but serving to indicate the generality of interest which historical pursuits are beginning to excite throughout Italy. One of these pamphlets contains historical particulars of one of the ancient noble families of San Severino; and the other an archæological account of certain excavations which have recently been executed at Perugia.

Florence, however, maintains her place as facile princeps in the march of literature. Signor Zobi is busily engaged in completing his "Storia Civile di Toscana sotto la presente Dinastia," that is, from the death of Giovanne Gastone, the last of the Medici, to the year 1824. This history will be comprised in four volumes, of which the first will be published in June. Il Cavaliere Francesco Inghirami has also published another volume, the tenth of his "Storia della Toscana." This volume comprises the history of the Medicean epoch, from 1530 to 1737. Signor Giuseppe La Farina has reached the seventeenth number of his "Studies on the Thirteenth Century;" and Signor Filippo Moise, the fifty-seventh of his "History of Foreign Dominion in Italy, from the Fall of the Roman Empire to our own Days." It would have cost, alas! but a small addition to the historian's task to have made this a general history of Italy.

Signor Emanuele Ripetti is going on diligently with his important and laborious undertaking, the "Dizionario Geographico, Storico, Fisico della Toscana." The second part of the fifth volume, comprising from "San Quirico" to "Savignone," is just published. In the mean time Professor Goffredo Casalis is proceeding with his similar work on the Sardinian dominions. He has reached the fortyseventh number of his "Dizionario Geographico, Storico, Statistico, Commerciale degli Stati di S. M. il Re di Sardegna," which brings the work down to the article "Nizza." This work is published at Turin.