with a beautiful Swiss peasant girl. The foreground is rather poor, but altogether the plate is not the least attractive. Upon the whole, the embellishments of these works are inferior to those of the "Keepsake," most of the subjects being meagre. They have, however, been, if we mistake not, got up with more haste than most of their rivals. The French titles to the plates in "The Talisman" are in bad taste-they might have been avoided. THE EDITOR'S ROOM. Reader, our room is a perfect chaos; every part of our table is piled up with books, prints, and music; our chairs are full of packages yet unopened; the ground strewed with MSS.; every time the door closes some of the piles of literature give way, and we know not what mischief we shall do unless we clear off some of the odds and ends. We have already had many accidents. We were but this moment so intent upon the sheets of " Moore's Second Volume of Byron," that we did not discover, till too late, Lady Ellenborough trampled to pieces under our feet, Fanny Kemble beneath the table, and her father in the ashes. We shall fill up our vacant space, therefore, with brief notices of the first we come to ; it will at least give us elbowroom. We can but manage the following list: 1. Divines of the Church of England, No. VII. Valpy. 2. Family Classical Library, No. XII. Colburn and Bentley. 3. Family Cabinet Atlas, No. VIII. Edward Bull. 4. The Queen's Page, a Romance. By Selina Davenporte. 3 vols. Newman & Co. 5. The Military Bijou. By John Ship. 2 vols. Whittaker and Co. 6. The Gentleman in Black; with Cuts by Cruikshank. W. Kidd. 7. Satan in Search of a Wife; with ditto. E. Moxon. 8. The Emperor's Rout. C. Tilt. 9. Knowledge for the People. By John Timbs. S. Low. 10. The Fenwickian System, and the Works of M. L. Fenwick de la Porquet. Simpkin and Co. 11. French and English Pictorial Vocabulary. By N. Whittock. Whittaker & Co. 12. The Talba; a Romance. By Mrs. Bray. 3 vols. Longman and Co. 13. The Musical Bijou. D'Almaine and Co. 14. Mr. Bayly's (Embryo) Song Book, Z. T. Purday. 1.-The seventh number of this valuable publication contains the second volume of Barrow's Works, one of those illustrious men who shed such glory upon the Church of England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; a glory not only uneclipsed, but unapproached, even by the splendid names of Bossuet, Fenelon, Massillon, and other eminent divines of the Gallican Church during the same period. It is hardly necessary to say any thing in favour of an undertaking which carries with it its own paramount claims to attention; but when we consider its intrinsic value, the form and arrangement of the several volumes, their price, and typographical accuracy, it is impossible to suppose there can be any obstacle to its complete success. 2.-We have here a second volume of Murphy's translation of Tacitus. This publication, like the one we have just noticed, advances pretensions wholly different from those which belong to numerous other libraries that are candidates for public favour. A reprint, in a cheap, elegant, portable, and correct form, of standard works, upon which the concurring voice of ages has pronounced, needs no other recommendation than the simple announcement that it is going on. 3. The eighth part of this ingenious and useful work displays all the beauties which characterized its predecessors. The maps are Egypt, the Turkish Empire, Naples, or the Two Sicilies, and Hindostan ; and they are gems in the way of map engraving. 4.- Selina Davenporte!" a name pronounced with veneration almost, by the readers of the old school of romance, has added one more to her already long list of works; and, what is more, she has tried to surpass her former efforts in the way of fiction. In this new dish there are to be found all the usual materials for romance, but it is seasoned after the manner of modern cookery, and is somewhat more pungent than her "Italian Vengeances," " Donald Monteiths." "Hypocrites, or modern Januses" &c.; thus her "Queen's Page" may really be attempted by a reader of very moderate appetite, always remembering that it is formed after the plan of the Minerva Press. 5.-A series of short papers, comprising all subjects to be noticed in a soldier's life, but none of them likely to have been picked up by any above a corporal, nor read with pleasure by any above the rank of sergeant. Whatever Mr. Ship may think of the undertaking, he may depend on our assurance, that it was not worth the beautiful type and paper which have been bestowed upon it. 6.-A prosing, heavy, and unpalatable tale, in which sundry young men have dealings with his Satanic majesty, and reap the fruits of their indiscretion; the only good things in it are Cruikshank's embellishments. 7. Another piece of diablerie, in the shape of a poem, in wretched taste, though not without humour, and here, as in the last, the cuts are ingenious and droll. Bythe-by, if others are no better pleased with works of this kind than ourselves authors who deal with his Satanic majesty will not find the trade profitable. 8.-One of the "Butterfly's Ball" tribe, a poem in which the principal moths which delight the connoisseur are made to figure as visitors, or as part of the household, at a rout, given by the "Emperor" moth. It is a pleasing trifle, and the embellishments, which are coloured specimens of the moth, are decidedly good. 9.-A clever and ingenious little work, by the author of "Laconics," conveying scientific as well as general information, by means of question and answer. 10.-The Fenwickian System of learning and teaching French was, on its introduction, considered a rebellion against all the orthodox rules of education; but as treason is no longer treason when successful, the Fenwickian system is no longer rebellion. Among its earliest friends, Common Sense must have been highly serviceable, for it could hardly have failed to enforce the necessity of adopting the, at first unwelcome, inroad upon scholastic prejudices. The system consists of giving students practice in the language intended to be taught, while the humdrum plans of schools only practised the pupils in the language already known. Did we require to learn French? They would give us something French to translate into English. Mr. Fenwick, on the contrary, makes us translate English into French. Did a French scholar wish to learn English? They would give him English to turn into the language already known. Mr. Fenwick, on the contrary, would make them translate French into English. In short, the system of Mr. Fenwick, from its simplicity and success, is becoming generally useful; and those who began by opposing it as ineffective in theory, and injurious in practice, are already turning round, discovering that it was nothing new. If there were nothing new, why oppose it at first? If it were bad at first, why adopt it now? 11. An ingenious little work, better planned than executed; consisting of a series of small engravings, with the names in French and English of whatever subjects are represented. It is very incorrect. 12.-Mrs. Bray's last performance, Fitz of Fitzford, was more in her way, and better suited to her talent than the Talba. The scene of the latter is laid in Portugal, at a period when the Moors were in a state of slavery; and historical facts supply her with excellent materials. The work is interesting, but too long; the anecdotes occasionally well worked up, but common-place; and there is another fault which we quarrel with more than with either of those mentioned: Mrs. Bray takes it for granted that her readers are of a class to want her continual digressions to inform them that her story is consistent with the times and the manners of the people of whom she writes. Nothing can be in worse taste; those whose approbation can alone be valuable, know all the historical facts, and want only the unbroken tale. Were Mrs. Bray to write the Talba in one, instead of three volumes, it would be admirable. 13.-The spirited proprietors of the " Musical Bijou," have published the third volume, which we can see at a glance is got up with the same disregard to expense that distinguished those for 1829 and 1830, and which defies successful rivalry. Among the contributors, are some of the most distinguished composers, and many popular song-writers, but we lay it down in haste only to take it up again at leisure. The lithographic sketches are excellent. 14.-We have been favoured with a sight of several portions of Mr. Bayley's new volume of Songs, a volume which promises to merit the popularity of his former works. Some of the poems richly deserve the chaste and effective music which belongs to them. We have availed ourselves of the privilege of enriching our present number with an extract, while the book is yet without a name. FINE ARTS. A SPECIMEN OF LITHOGRAPHY.* THE lovers of Art must hail with delight this extraordinary sample of the perfection to which Lithography has been brought, a perfection which we could not have supposed possible did we not actually behold it. That a style of engraving at once so brilliant in its outline and so powerful in its effect was capable of being wrought on so unpromising a material as stone, is truly wonderful. Among the various aubjects introduced into this specimen, we are particularly struck by the execution of the map; there is no workmanship on copper or steel that can exceed, if indeed it can equal it. The interior, likewise, of the Cathedral, with the tomb and recumbent figure, shows with what distinctness even the most minute tracery of the fretted Gothic may be given to the eye, and that Lithography is capable of giving the utmost effect to all the beauties of architectural decoration. Indeed, the tout ensemble is a performance which places Mr. Martin at the head of the Lithographic Art. JULIET. By W. Say, from Miss Corbaux. Ackermann. 13.-The engraving before us is a delicately-handled mezzotinto, in the execution of which Mr. Say has been particularly felicitous. The softness and brilliancy of the lights, the bold effects of the drapery, give splendour to a picture in which the expression of Juliet seems in keeping with the detail. It is, in short, a most effective engraving of an impressive scene. The work is dedicated to Her Majesty. MUSIC. 1. I'll Press thee to my Heart. Composed by E. J. Westrop. Z. T. Purday. 2. Like the Rose-bud Fair is Woman's Youth. Composed by W. Grantham. Z. T. Purday. 3. The Gondola, for Four Voices. By J. Green. Green. 4. I'm Thine For Ever. The poetry and melody by W. Robertson Hayward, Esq. Z. T. Purday. 5. Five Serious Songs. Composed by Edward Cruse. J. Green. 6. Green's Hints on the Spanish Guitur. Green. 1.—A pretty plaintive ballad in three sharps, the poetry simple and feeling, the arrangement good, and upon the whole effective. 2.-A lively air, in the same key, a pretty tripping melody, which will tell any where. 3. A beautiful and richly-arranged glee for four voices, in C the harmony in some passages is delightful; but that which gives it additional claims in our eyes and to ears, may be against it; that is to say, it is neither difficult nor labouredsad defects with some musicians. 4.-There is some originality in the melody of this ballad, and the arrangement by J. R. M'Farlane, is ingenious if not clever; but as the public may hear Mr. Wilson sing it at Covent-Garden Theatre with great effect, it wants no character at our hands. 5.-These songs are as the title pronounces, really serious poems, set to serious By R. Martin. ¡ music, but having three or four voices to each, they are fairly entitled to the appellation of concerted pieces. The poetry is chiefly by H. K. White, though one is said to have been written at his grave by a lady. They do not please us, but that is no rule for others; we like not such serious songs, though both the music and poetry deserve praise in their way. 6. The novelty of this publication consists in so adapting the arrangement of an accompaniment, that it may be played with one, two, or three fingers, according to the progress the student may have made. Our readers will be a little surprised to learn that by this plan, exemplified in the several sets or classes of melodies published by the author, a lady who understands music, could learn to accompany a song in an hour after she took a guitar in hand; we have seen this accomplished by a mere child; can we then hesitate to speak with confidence of the system? Drama. We open this part of our work with no professions; and we buckle on our armour as readily as if we had been in the service for years. In the general way, we may observe, that the Patent Houses have been losing ground; the Minors gaining in proportion; and that, according to our notions of theatrical talent, the metropolis was never worse supplied at the two great national theatres. To particularize, we shall commence with DRURY-LANE THEATRE.-A Miss Huddart, who had made her appearance in Belvidera twice before, with but ordinary effect, played, a month ago, Lady Constance, in King John, which we may conscientiously say was scarcely ever performed worse in a Theatre Royal. Miss Huddart is not only wanting in all the qualifications which nature should supply for her character, but she is totally unacquainted with Shakspeare; with a horrible provincial dialect, and the total absence of dignity, and of mind, her execution and conception are alike bad. Macready's King John was unequal; he was at times conversational and careless; but there were parts in which he rose to excellence. His defiance to the Pope's Legate, was nobly given; and when imparting his designs against King Arthur's life, to Hubert, he appeared awfully real. Wallack's Falconbridge was all bombast; and, with the exception of Cooper's Hubert, the remaining cast of the tragedy was intolerably bad. The opera of Masaniello loses considerably by the substitution of Sinclair for Braham; but it is only in comparison to Braham that Sinclair suffers. Auber's music is beautiful; and so far as the band, which is very effective, was con cerned, justice was done to the com poser. The Beaux Stratagem tried the strength of the house in comedy, and it was small; the real talent that was brought forward, was paralyzed by mere pretenders. A Mr. Balls played Archer with no more of the gentleman in the character than our own footman hides under his livery: he appeared something between a waiter and a groom, and threw as much of impudence as any other quality into the person he represented. Cooper, as Aimwell, did well, but was not great. Liston made Scrub a buffoon, and provoked laughter and applause without a whit of genuine comedy. It was broad farce throughout. Miss Chester romped through Mrs. Sullen, and Bennet, in Gibbet, exhibited certainly the best piece of acting in the play. The revival of the comedy is no great compliment to the public taste; and the treasury of the theatre has, we hope, given Mr. Lee a broad hint now he is likely to be rewarded for his choice. The last season's farce of Perfection, in which Madame Vestris's exquisite acting was so conspicuously the life of the piece, has been played, with exchanges which made it insupportable. Mrs. Waylet is clever and vulgar, looks impudently, and sings sweetly; but she must never play after Madame Vestris. The farce is half too long at best; it is only sufferable while Madame Vestris is on the stage. The Stranger has been produced with Macready and Miss Phillips, as the two props. Of Macready, we are compelled again to say, that he was occasionally careless, almost flippant in his manner; but the larger portion of his acting was inimitably fine. His melancholy brooding over wrongs which could neither be forgotten nor forgiven; his desolate picture of hopeless grief, were true to nature, and there was in the manner in which he told the history of his sorrows to Baron Steinforth, an intensity of feeling, which rivetted the attention, and called forth the marked, the genuine applause of his audience. Why he descends occasionally to mere trick, or subsides into carelessness, he can better than ourselves explain. Miss Phillips, as Mrs. Haller, excited painful recollections, of what we have lost in Mrs. Siddons and Miss O'Neil. She neither looked, dressed, nor acted the part; the only scene in which she rose above mediocrity, was that in which she disclosed her history to the Countess. Farren, as Solomon, was good; Harley, as Peter, a steady performance for him; and Cooper, as Baron Steinforth, mechanically correct: more he aimed not to be. The most decided novelty of the month, was the production of Lord Byron's Werner, a tragedy, which has been singularly mangled for adaptation at the minors, but which has for this house been ably and judiciously curtailed. The part of Werner, by Mr. Macready, has been made essentially his own, as much so as was Virginius, or William Tell. It was a noble piece of acting throughout; nothing could exceed the effect of his performance; the part was admirably conceived; dress, appearance, and acting, were alike faultless; he was identically the Werner created by the noble bard, and this is a reason for not selecting one scene or one point as better than another. Cooper, too, surpassed himself. We have often seen him act well, never other than respectably, but we never saw him great till we saw him perform Gabor, Wallack ranted in Ulrick, Mr. H. Wallack played Baron Stralenheim wofully, Mrs. Faucit acted Josephine with success, and poor Miss Mordaunt did her best, which was bad enough, for Ida. The tragedy was eminently successful. We are sure that with one or two changes it would have a long run. the tragedy of Werner is the single exception to a month of poor entertainment. A trifle under the title of The King's Fireside, was produced a week too soon. It might have pleased children in the holiday week, but was a trumpery business to bring out before Christmas; and COVENT GARDEN.-We must commence our notice of the doings at this house, with the Chancery Suit, a five-act piece, called a comedy, but, in reality, a tolerably broad farce: from the beginning to the end, not a jot of real comedy; but it was well received by a thin house, and has been repeated to better. Warde, Power, Blanchard, and Bartley, acted well their several nothings, and had the merit of doing more than the author, for the success of the farce of five acts. Miss Fanny Kemble's claim stands next. Much as we admired her uncle and aunt--much as we respect and admire her father, it would be a compromise of our judgment, to fall in with the worthless-for so it will turn out-the very worthless flatterers, who have already done infinite mischief by their praise. That she has been overrated, is no longer doubtful; that she is infinitely less deserving the character at first bestowed upon her acting, than people who have not seen her, imagine, is now a stubborn fact; making due allowance for all this, but, taking into account the advantages she possessed in the advice of well-skilled artists in the dramatic profession, we were sadly disappointed. Her pronunciation is frequently faultysometimes barbarous; and although there are occasional bursts of action and passion in her acting, it is upon the whole far from creditable, after the example of her gifted relative. We saw her play Calista, in the Fair Penitent, and she exhibited strong proofs that her faults might be got rid of, if she but set about improving herself in good earnest. To a wretched deficiency in either her powers or her knowledge of elocution, she appeared to add a carelessness, which pervaded all the early part of her performance. It is but justice to admit, how ever, that she improved as she proceeded, and elicited considerable applause; and that, too, under the disadvantage of Mr. Parry's Altamont, a freezing, miserable piece of acting; and Abbot's Lothario, which was not much better. Mr. Charles Kemble was the only person whose performance supported his daughter; who, with a pair of lovers that would paralyze a stage heroine of three or four apprenticeships, |