lower classes. He goes on to lament that Woulde no beggar eat bread that in it beanes were, and he also tells us, that the labourers too, We have before remarked, that the common kinds of fruits were known here at a far earlier period than that commonly imagined. In a curious poem of Lydgate, called London Lykpeny,' he mentions strawberries and cherries as being cried about the streets. This was at the commencement of the 15th century. He also, in another poem, places, "fruites whiche more comon be," among quennings (probably quinces), peaches, costards (a general name for apples), and wardens that favourite fruit of our forefathers, which was no other than our baking pear. But, however plentiful the more common kinds of fruit might be during the middle ages, still our forefathers seem to have looked upon them with a degree of suspicion, not even in the present day entirely unknown; and to have preferred fruits either dried or preserved, to those which could only be eaten in a fresh state. Thus, in the curious bills of fare, which the industry of Dr. Pegge and other antiquaries have preserved to us, we find numerous notices of quaint and elaborate come to congratulate the recovery of your health, (for which I am heartily glad,) had not an indisposition of another nature (my often bleeding) with some other impediments, kept me from holding my head down to write so easily as I was wont to do. I have now (I thank God) been so free from that inconvenience for some days, that I take the first opportunity of writing to my friends again, among whom, give me leave to honour myself with the acquisition of one so obliging as Mr. Thoresby, to overlook and pass by the many defects of my rambling book; which, that you may no longer borrow from others, I would present you with a copy of, could I think it worth your acceptance. "The medals which I speak of in miniature, were long since painted by a German virtuoso of Frankendale, and sent me to Paris by one who formerly kept the famous cabinet of the great Earl of Arundel, whom I mention. I have put them in frames, and covered them with glasses before them, and left them in my closet in the country, with all that I have of medals and valuables besides; but both which, either for number or consideration, come far short of what I find you are the possessor of. Those which you have relating to the English, (had I been so fortunate to have met with all here) would exceedingly have adorned and supplied those gaps which occur in that part of my book, as well as that where I mention what a curious person here has collected of heads and effigies; but which I believe is much inferior to yours. dishes, composed of warden-pears or quinces. Letters of Eminent Men, addressed to Ralph THESE Volumes have come to hand too late "From John Evelyn, Esq. into your hands, before they were dissipated. "As to letters and autographs of eminent and famous persons, I was once master of a glorious assembly by abundance of original disposal of the inventory of the Earl of Leicespapers, which a relation of mine, who had the ter, prime minister of state to Queen Elizabeth, made me a present of; among which were divers letters under the hands of the then Emperor, Kings of France, Spain, Denmark, Sweden; Electors, &c. and other potentates, ambassadors, &c. with sundry other original papers, relating to the weightiest matters of state then on foot; besides not a few I had gotten of most of the considerable in public employment during the reign of King James I., together with a great number of their seals; and was still aug ing I had some among them of the Maitlands, his ancestors, and others under the hand of Mary Queen of Scots, came to my house under pretence of a visit; but, indeed, to borrow the perusal of them for a few days, with promise to return them in a very short time; but, like a true Scotsman, never intending it: And for all the instances I could make, putting me off, till himself dying, his library was sold, and I bereaved of a treasure I greatly valued, and though I sought for them when the books were exposed, my papers would not be found. This, with what else I lost of what I lent Dr. Burnet, mentioned as received of me for his History of the Reformation (pretended to have been lost by the negligence of the printers,) did so break and interrupt my collection, that I easily parted with those few were yet left to a friend of mine in this town, who had begun to gather; but who (cautioned by my credulity) will not be so easily imposed upon. But thus, Sir, have I been de prived of being able to gratify that laudable design of your's, in which I wish you better success. "The famous sculptor, Nanteuil, (celebrated by Monsieur Perault) engraved my picture when I was a very young man; but this being now above forty years since, (heu quanto mutatus!) is no more me. The plate is still among my other trifles, and if there be any print of it remaining, for it is near thirty years since any were taken off, I will send you one when I come to them, which I fear I shall not be able to do till the summer, if God so long continue the life of, Sir, "Your most humble servant, "From (Burnet) the Bishop of Salisbury. " Salisbury, 6th June, 1699. "Most Honoured Sir,-I am much beholding to my Lord Archbishop of York his Grace, for procuring me the acquaintance of so worthy and so ingenious person as you are, and I wish I may have opportunities given me to express the value I have for you, and my readiness to serve you. I thank you for the advertisement that you are pleased to give me concerning those Latin Bibles that you have consulted. That in octavo cannot be ancient, for it is not much above three hundred years since there were any Bibles written in that form. There are several ways of judging of the copies; by the vellum, the ink, the abbreviations, the way of pointing, the capital characters, and the point over the i, at first only a dash. So, unless the antiquity of your copies can be well fixed, no sure argument can be drawn from them. Howsoever, I thank you for your diligence and zeal. I wish I could at present gratify your desire about the writing of the blind woman; but as yet I cannot, for I am rebuilding that part where my closet was, in much confusion. I have been seeing for it, and by this means all my papers are now lying but must let it alone at this time. Next time I come into the country, I will be more in order; and I hope I shall be able to gratify you in that small matter, but shall look for greater occasions to let you see how much I am, most honoured Sir, "Your most humble and most obedient servant, "G. SARUM." There is a pleasant conceit in the following letter. "From Mr. Jonathan Priestley. "Winteredge, Jan 12, 1707. Worthy Sir, I write this to acquaint you that I think I can send you another parcel of papers that will please you, particularly a letter of the manner of my Lord Wharton's death, which was an euthanasia, i. c. an easy and comfortable death, which I wonder no one adds as an Appendix to the Reward of Charity in Turner, &c. It hath been my observation, that persons extraordinarily charitable, God hath frequently lengthened out their days to a great age, and vouchsafed them an easy passage out of this world: witness this worthy Lord, famous Mr. Gouge, who at eighty years of age died in his sleep; the present worthy Lady Hewly, whose life, I verily believe, the Lord continues to do good; the Lady Vere; the Lady Darcy of the north, so called, the text at whose funeral was, In all places where this Gospel is preached shall be told what this woman hath done.' I could instance in many others: Bishop Usher, Sir Julius Caesar, &c. but I shall not impose this my opinion upon any, but do think it is generally so. Charity in a twofold respect I find much commanded and commended in Scripture. Charity, that is love one to another, and charity to the distressed members of Christ, in"Mrs. Walkier of Geneva,' who lost her sight when but a year old." See Burnet to R. Boyle, Let. ü. P.S. Travels, (1737) p. 95.” somuch that the process at the great day seems "Sir, I desire to know whether you have Dr. "Your very friend, "JONATHAN PRIESTLEY." no indulgence in speculation; facts are stated as they are found, with the authorities carefully marked; the young reader is led gradually from the exhibition of facts, to their effects from the discovery of a fossil shell, to the climate and productions of the antediluvian world. Wedded to no system, there is no misrepresentation; nor are general inferences founded upon isolated evidence. The volume is embellished with several well executed plates, and useful geological maps and sections, of which we would specify Boundaries of Volcanic Regions, as giving a synoptical view of the many volcanoes in existence, and their probable connexion with each other. PROHIBITED CORRESPONDENCE. Briefe aus Paris, 1830-1831. Letters from [Second Notice.] Nor a single volume of the least importance which had not been previously reviewed in the has been published within the last fortnight, Athenæum. The same strange dearth conti Geological Sketches and Glimpses of the An- which wins the heart while the information stores the head. In 'Harry Beaufoy' Mrs. contained in the volume of revealed religion, nurse that hatred which the " dignation is poured out against his own countrymen: he calls the Germans a nation of lacqueys, not slaves-and prophesies, that should they ever arouse themselves from their abject servility and baseness, they will be led on by the Jews! 66 not degrade; subserviency makes a man conSlavery only brings unhappiness, but it does temptible. I would rather have a Don Miguel for a master than what is called a mild and just German prince: people, at least respect power, while they fear and fetter it. We tame cattle are allowed to move about freely, because our rulers know that we regularly return to the stable at night, and come every hour in the day, when we are whistled for. But let a sheep take it into his head to play the lion, and you will speedily see our mild and just shepherd turn into ball innoxious; it pierces stone and iron, but a tiger. Soft pliancy renders even a cannon sticks fast in a dunghill." Speaking of the exertions lately made by the Jews at Frankfort for their emancipation, Börne writes: "I expect nothing from a Jewish committee and their scribbling. They are Germans, like the rest. They labour under a sad delusion: they are ruined by their honesty. They still fancy that to gain their point nothing is necessary but to prove it just. They talk of liberty as a lawyer would talk for a possession-as if arguments would serve them-as if everything which could be said in favour of the freedom and the civil rights of the Jews had not been exhausted half a century ago. The tyrant knows it as well as the slave. The plunderer, who robs us, labours under no error; he knows well what he is doing. It is not to the understanding, but to the heart, we must address ourselves-to those of our opponents as well as to those of our partisans. Hearts must be touched or pierced; the word must be a sword; tyranny must be persecuted with daggers, with derision, hate, and contempt, and not waited on and reasoned with, and followed with lumbering arguments." Speaking of Luther, Börne writes- "O Luther! how miserable has he made us! He robbed us of our passions, and gave us reason; he robbed us of faith, and gave us knowledge; he taught us how to calculate, and robbed us of that courage which never calculates. He gave us liberty three centuries before it was due to us, and the knavish discount has consumed nearly the whole capital. What little we received, he paid, like a genuine cashless German publisher, in books; and if now, when all other nations receive their rights, we ask for our liberty, we are told, You had it long sincehere is the Bible." The following is strange and fanciful :--"It must be far from heaven to earth; for if the sun could see the horrors committed among men, he would fly with terror, and never more return! A battle on land, is a game of love, compared with a fight at sea. There man dies but once, and finds rest in the bosom of his maternal earth; but here, he dies through all the elements, and no flower springs up on his grave. There, the earth drinks up the warm blood as it is shed; here, on the hard floor of the ship it stands, deep, clotted and cold-men are smashed, shivered." Börne scatters his sarcasms on so many sects and parties, that it is difficult to collect his own opinions. The following, however, may be read as his "confession of faith,' and we leave the reader to master its meaning: Thus I think. He who is so unhappy as not to believe in a God, is not utterly miserable if he believes in a Devil; and even he who has no belief in a Devil, would be still more miserable, if he had no faith in a priest. Do but believe! What is man without trust and belief?-a fine flower in a glass of water, without root and permanence. But what is the unbelief of others to me? I have my God: it is your business to see how you can do without him. I cannot understand, why believers are so intolerant towards unbelievers. It is like the arrogance of nobles and priests. Religious people regard heaven as a kind of court, and look with contempt on all who have not the entré like themselves." Speaking of Lord Byron, of whose character and genius, he professes himself an ardent admirer, he observes The "Byron stood in the same hostile attitude towards God, that he did towards man. way to belief, leads through disbelief. The unbelieving, the indifferent, don't deny God; they don't think of him, and die like infants, without sin and without virtue. But the disbelieving deny God; they fight against belief before they embrace it; and their defeat is their victory. Sir Walter Scott has said of Byron, that in after-life he would turn Roman Catholic. This would certainly have happened, if Byron had lived to a greater age." It might have been expected, that, on a man of Börne's temperament, the Polish insurrection would make a deep impression. His exultation at the first news of the successes of this heroic people, are consequently as electrifying, as his lamentations at their ultimate defeat are bitter and heart-rending: but he takes courage in the midst of his grief, and exclaims "We will not therefore despair, for liberty will lose nothing by their defeat. The heirs have been lessened, the inheritance will be the greater. Poland is laid as a seed-corn in the earth; and the seed will rise gloriously. The blood which has been spilt, cries so loud, that even deaf heaven hears it; and God will send, though too late for help, yet not too late for revenge. 66 * * Why do you always mourn only for the Poles? Are the Russians not more to be pi tied? The Poles either die the enviable death of heroes, or they live for freedom. The Russian, on the contrary, placed between the cruel scythe and the disgraceful knout, fights for his own slavery, is slaughtered like a beast, or conquers, like a butcher's dog, for his master." But our readers may be tired of these political and passionate tirades, and therefore we shall conclude. Fauna Boreali-Americani, or, the Zoology of the Northern Parts of British America, Part II., Birds. By W. Swainson, Esq., and John Richardson, M.D. 4to. London, 1832. Murray. We think it well to announce the publication of this splendid work, although we have not had time to examine it with other than ad miring eyes-the plates are quite admirable. A Father's New Year's Gift. London, 1832. Cochrane & Co. THIS little collection of Hymns and Prayers is dedicated by James Hogg to his children, as a token of assurance that they are never from his remembrance. Mr. Hogg has grown into our affections since we have had the pleasure of knowing him; even at the dinner he almost won us back to good-humour, by the confidence with which he trusted to his impulses, and laughed and talked as men only dare laugh and talk whose worst thoughts (can but excite a goodhumoured smile. We have always a suspicion of men who never forget themselves. We like, in this stitched sixpenny trifle, the home recollections with which it is graced-they will work upon the young heart as powerfully as either the prayers or the hymns; but we must give some specimen of the work, and shall make election of the shortest, a prayer that, for its universal sympathy, is worthy the honour of selection. 66 Evening Prayer for Week Days. 'Accept of my thanks, O Lord, for thy preservation of me through this day. Pardon any sins of which I have been guilty in any part of it; and take me under thy protection through another night. Thou watchest over thy people by night and by day, so that nothing can harm those who are followers of that which is good. Bless all those who are near and dear to me. May my relations be related to Christ, my friends be the friends of the Redeemer, my benefactors partake of thy spiritual bounty, and my enemies partake of thy pardoning mercy. Sympathize, O Lord, with the poor and distressed; supply their wants and sanctify their troubles and enable me to improve the health which thou givest me, so that, when I die, I may have the testimony of my conscience that I have lived with thee; for all that I ask is for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen." A Treatise on Geometry. By R. Wallace, A.M. Glasgow: Griffin & Co. THIS is, in many respects, the most valuable treatise on Geometry that has yet been pro duced for the use of schools: the author has demonstrated the elements of Euclid with equal brevity and perspicuity, and the deducible questions he has appended, will afford the young mathematician exercises equally pleasant and profitable. Some of the changes made in Euclid's system, appear to us very questionable, especially the omission of the axioms and postulates. One of the greatest advantages resulting from the study of Geometry, is the habit of accurate demonstration which it forms; but this accuracy is lost, when principles, however selfevident, are tacitly assumed as true. Mr. Wallace succeeds worse with the doctrine of parallel lines than any of his predecessors; his demonstration of Prop. 27, Book I, is a monstrous paralogism; he argues, that because all lines possessing a certain quality are parallel, that, therefore, all parallel lines possess that quality; he might just as well say, that because all equal triangles are equivalent, all equivalent triangles must be equal. Neither do we approve of his definition of proportional magnitude; that given in Elrington's edition of the Elements, is far more easy of application-namely, that four magnitudes are proportional, when a submultiple of the first is contained in the second, as often as an equi-submultiple of the third is contained in the fourth. This definition includes the case of the incommensurables, one too important to be omitted. To the deducible theorem on the first book, that the hypothenuse of a rightangled isosceles triangle is not trisected by lines trisecting the right angle, it should be added, that it will be trisected by lines joining the right angle to the remote angles of the square of the hypothenuse, and that these lines are themselves cut by the hypothenuse in a point of trisection. A few propositions such as this, illustrating the length to which Geometry can go without the aid of Proportion, would greatly enhance the value of this estimable little work. Christianity a Divine Revelation: a Defence of the Christian Religion against the Assaults of Infidelity. By Robert Broadley, Curate of Eccles, Lancashire. London, Whittaker, Treacher & Arnot. FEW subjects have been so ably discussed as the evidences of Christianity; and we cannot expect originality in any general defence: but the peculiar form which infidelity assumes in different ages, calls for a different statement of the same evidences-an altered mode of using the same weapons; and we took up Mr. Broadley's book in the hope of finding the old antidote dispensed under some new form, but we have been disappointed. He writes, to use his own words, "because he thinks a good cause cannot have too many champions, and because he thinks that he can produce something that will suit the peculiar tone of modern philosophical objections." This hope, however, he has failed to realize. A very few of the commonplace sophisms of infidelity are quoted, and are met by assertion, tautology, and repetition. We lament this, because it gives the semblance of advantage to the opponent; and because it is a fresh proof that Christianity has been more deeply wounded by the injudiciousness of its friends than the malice of its enemies. We are glad, however, to give to Mr. Broadley the merit of sincere intention to serve the cause which he advocates, by the expression of his own deep conviction of its truth. Works of Lord Byron, Vol. II. THE second volume of Murray's new edition of Byron is fully equal to the first in the beauty of its embellisments. One of these is the palace of Ali Pacha, a strange picturesque pile; and the other is a view of Constantinople, small indeed, and limited, but exquisitely pretty. ON MODERN FEMALE CULTIVATION.-No. I. WOMEN, like kings, are rarely spoken of impartially; adored or stigmatized, flattered or libelled, despots or puppets, we have not yet settled-they have not yet settled for themselves-what is the precise quantity of understanding they possess, and of power they should exercise. Controversy on these points ran high towards the close of the last century. Some of the disputants brought the subject to be considered a dangerous one, and, as if by general consent, it has since lain in abeyance. A casual essay in a periodical has sometimes broken the silence, but no thing more; there has been a long truce between claim and dispute; it has been the fashion for women to write books, the fashion for men to praise them, and the old question of equal or not equal, has been amicably waived. Latterly, there have been a few notable signs, significant of a change, and about the year expect, as Francis Moore says, "rain more or less heavy"; otherwise articles, chapters, dissertations, mind, its capacity, its limits, and its proper and perhaps satires, on the subject of female line of exertion. Strange to say, the relative merits of the understanding of the sexes, was a favourite controversy soon after the revival of letters ;, and the fifteenth and sixteenth century saw, on behalf of women, the gallantry of chivalry carried into literature. Boccacio was the first who set the example, by writing a Latin work in honour of illustrious women; after him, more than twenty writers published eulogies on the sex, and many of these writers were monks. Brantome, a Frenchman, was the author of a volume, Des Vies des Dames Illustres,' but, like a courtier, he mentioned none except queens and princesses; after Brantome, one Hilarion, of Coste, a monk, published two quarto volumes of eight hundred pages each, devoted merely to the women of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and he, like a good priest, praised none but women of the Roman Catholic church. One would have thought these writings alone must have exhausted the quarry, but Peter Paul Ribéra, an Italian, published, in that language, a work entitled The Immortal Triumphs and Heroic Enterprises of eight hundred and forty-five women!'-and independent of these large volumes, many writers addressed short panegyrics to particular ladies; men of genius attached themselves to celebrated women, (whether for their intellect or their influence, the reader's bias must determine); and, at a later period, Descartes, admired by two princesses, boasted of the philosophic character of women. Amongst these panegyrics, one of the most singular was published at Venice in 1555, styled, 'The Temple of the Divine Signora Jeanne d'Arragon, constructed to her honour by all the greatest wits, and in all the principal languages, of the world.' The Academy voting this homage, once entertained the notion of associating the Signora's sister in the honour; but, after grave deliberation, it was decided that the ladies might prefer separate shrines, and the "Temple" was erected to Jeanne d'Arragon alone. The most correct name for this literary monument would have been the tower of Babel; for the Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Chaldean, Italian, French, Spanish, Slavonic, Polonese, and Hungarian tongues, were employed in its construction. It might have seemed that literary gallantry "could no further go;" but, grave and reverend signors, (there were beards and black caps then,) having claimed for women equality with men, others came forward to claim for them superiority! The leading knight in this new tourney, was the celebrated Cornelius Agrippa, theologian, soldier, physician, astrologer, alchemist, courtier, and vagabond. In 1509, he published a treatise on the superior excellence of women over men," and supported his arguments by proofs, theological, physical, historical, cabalistical, and moral. Ruscelli, a Venetian, followed on the same side, and out-Agrippa'd Agrippa; he mixed up Platonism and theology, put Moses by the side of Petrarch, and cited in the same breath Homer and St. John: his book was a fantastic mixture of love, religion, philosophy, and paganism. Notwithstanding all these tomes, there yet remained some incredulous people; bachelors and husbands, who demurred to such large draughts on their humility— sixteenth-century-men, whom even folios could not vanquish; and new books on the old theme continued to be produced for their conversion, in Italian, Spanish, and French. John Bull seems to have been John Bull even then, for we meet with no English work on the subject. The women too, not satisfied with having been so lauded by men, began to laud themselves, and one published a volume at Paris, with a title, which we copy for its singular modesty :"The Generous Woman; who shows that her sex is more noble, more politic, more learned, more valiant, more virtuous, and more economical than the male sex!' in Venerable cobwebs these, and spun by venerable spiders, yet not to be despised, as illustrating the fact, that female cultivation will always accord with the masculine taste predominant for the time being. When the men were chivalric savages, spending their time according to Mr. Chainmail's fancy, feasting, fighting, and praying," the women were Amazonian in their pursuits, embroidering scarfs to be worn in battle-in the amusements of peace stimulating the love of war, and not unfrequently acting as warriors themselves. When letters revived, and learning came into fashion amongst men, When learning was cultivated by women. political party spirit has split men into factions, women have scarcely been behindhand, presenting petitions and patching their faces in behalf of a favourite cause-witness the times of Charles I. and of Queen Anne. Re-asserting that female cultivation will always accord with the predominant masculine taste, the existing era cannot be passed without remark. What are the intellectual possessions now most in vogue, most marketable, and soonest recognized? General knowledge-versatility-and, both in writing and conversation," the gift of utterance." What most strikingly characterizes our literature? Universal inquiry, and universal readiness at meeting inquiry; or, to venture description by an epithet, and that a coined one, our literature is encyclopædic-a brief description of all things-a colloquial commentary on whatsoever is, has been, or is to come. To this, female cultivation affords a precise parallel, for never were our women so-accomplished. We do not limit this term to music, dancing, and drawing: by accomplished, we mean that peculiar mental elegance which is the real or supposed result of much tuition, some travel, and great intercourse with society. Accomplishment is the intellectual shadow of an intellectual substance; it is not attainments, not science, not even knowledge in its simple form, but the combined phantasm of all; it is less a cultivation of understanding than a preparation for society, a fashioner of deportment, and a teacher of conversation. Accomplishments are the manners of the mind; and were a census taken of all the educated women under thirty, the result would justify our calling the present THE ERA OF ACCOMPLISHED WOMEN, as distinguished from all other eras, and all the women of other eras. Beyond this we are not prepared to admit. Yet a cry is heard in some quarters that females are now overeducated, and over-education, as it is termed, bears the blame of all feminine delinquencies: over-education answers to the French Revolution, inasmuch as it can be made a grand mot d'énigme. Now, so far from joining in this cry, we must take the liberty of saying, that women are not educated half enough. But more on this subject next week. THE FALL. WHO does not know that dreadful gulf where Where eagle unto eagle screams, to vulture And upward, on the foam there shines a rainbow While, hung with clouds of fear and doubt, the unreturning wave Suddenly gives an awful plunge, like life into And many a hapless mortal there hath dived Oh, Heav'n! it turns me now to ice with chill tuous stream! In vain with desperate sinews, strung by love of life and light, I urged that coffin, my canoe, against the current's might: On, on-still on-direct for doom, the river rushed in force, And fearfully the stream of Time raced with it in its course. My eyes I closed-I dared not look-the way towards the goal; But still I view'd the horrid close, and dreamt it in my soul; Plainly, as through transparent lids, I saw the fleeting shore, And lofty trees, like winged things, flit by for evermore; Plainly but with no prophet sense-I heard the sullen sound, The torrent's voice-and felt the mist, like death-sweat gathering round. O agony! O life! My home!-and those that made it sweet Ere I could pray, the torrent lay beneath my With frightful whirl, more swift than thought, I did not die-but anguish stunn'd my senses How long entranced, or whither dived, no clue At last the gradual light of life came dawning o'er my mind, LIVING ARTISTS.-No. XII. THOMAS PHILLIPS, R.A. THE works of Phillips are chiefly portraits; but these, from their peculiar merit, deserve particular notice. His graceful colouring and softness of touch, together with his true perception of character and poetic feeling, have raised him to a high station in art; while his good scholarship, his extensive knowledge, and his pleasing manners, render his company desirable by the witty and the accomplished. It was a sense of those qualities, which gave him the situation of Professor of Painting, on the death of Fuseli; and the honours gained by his talents, he is sure to preserve, by his winning and conciliatory manners. We are not the less disposed to mention those personal advantages, from having just read an article in the Edinburgh Review, claiming for Sir Thomas Lawrence a monopoly of talent and courtesy, which is neither very true to the character of that distinguished man, nor very just to his remaining brethren. In genius, he was excelled by some, and in courtesy equalled by many members of the Academy; his manners were not a little affected and artificial; and we think that the writer of the article has mistaken the French nods, and smiling, and bowing condescensions of the late President, for natural elegance and fine breeding. To return to our subject:-it is the object of Phillips to paint minds as well as persons. To endow each head with thought suitable to its character, and exalt and ennoble all that he touched, was the aim of Vandyke, and perhaps of Reynolds-it is assuredly the aim of Phillips. It is true, that, in his wish to render form subordinate to thought, he sometimes makes men of genius look too soft and fine; and more-from a desire to poetize the dress of the passing day, he occasionally approaches to affectation: yet these faults are but casual, and are forgotten when we look on his portraits of Crabbe, Blake, Chantrey, Coleridge, Byron, and many others of the distinguished men of the day. critics by the score," of whom Burns wrote. The portrait of Crabbe, in the Phillips Gallery, is a vigorous and happy work; so is that of Coleridge; and his head of Byron is the only thing we ever saw resembling the great original. Yet we hold, that Blake is his masterpiece; nay, we have seen no portrait of modern times, at all to be compared to it, for a certain solemn grandeur of look, which lifts it at once into the region of poetry. Had he always painted thus, he would have ranked with the proudest masters of the calling. His portraits of ladies are graceful and unaffected; but he seems to take their charms more as he finds them than did the politic Lawrence, who scrupled not to confer attractions, both of shape and colour, which the originals never had perhaps, save in some lucky moment. Nevertheless, we love much the female heads of Phillips; there is an air of tranquil modesty about them more captivating than the put-on-graces of the ladies of the late President: there is a domestic sort of beauty, too, in them, which justifies the saying imputed to a certain witty poet-" If I wanted my mistress painted I would go to Lawrence-if my wife, I would go to Phillips." We consider this very high praise— nay, we conceive, that, to deserve it, as we think the painter does, a genius of a finer kind is required than that which lavishes loose looks and lascivious airs on the wives and daughters of men. Be that as it may, we are sure that it will bring fame as lasting, because it is true to nature and to purity. Of the merits of Phillips in literature we can only speak from his Lectures delivered at the Royal Academy, and certain articles imputed to him in the Encyclopædias. His style of composition is free from faults; it is easy and graceful: he uses his knowledge in a ready and agreeable way; and through the whole a fine and cultivated taste is visible, and an inborn sense of all that is noble and beautiful manifest. His acquaintance with the best works in poetry and history has opened and expanded his mind, and he has The poetic taste of Phillips induced him perhaps a deeper sympathy with all collateral to employ his pencil among the poets—a race labours of genius than any of his brethren: too poor or too proud to pay; and, conse- he looks beyond his easel. We must, howquently, the labours which he performed in ever, acknowledge, that while his lectures honour of the chief heirs of Parnassus, have have none of the startling atrocities of style been unrewarded with money, though they which marked those of Fuseli, neither have have been with fame. Of these songsters, they that occasional rapture and strength in addition to Crabbe, and Byron, and Cole- which distinguished the libellous harangues ridge, he has painted Sir Walter Scott, Ro- of the fierce and fantastic Swiss. The wish bert Southey, Thomas Campbell, and, we of the latter was to astonish, and the wish of believe, Rogers; but no one has painted the former to instruct; and this will account Scott so well as Chantrey has sculptured for their dissimilarity of style. It should him, though Lawrence, Kaeburn, Phillips, be borne in mind, too, that the Lectures are Wilkie, Newton, Leslie, and other skilful addressed to a youthful and rather unlearned artists, have tried their hands. The look of auditory, to whom all should be simple and Campbell is as changeful as a cloud, and dif- plain. We shall, however, have a better opficult to seize; and in Southey, the natural look portunity of examining the literary merits of truly caught by either Phillips or Lawrence. is lofty and epic, and certainly has not been the Professor soon, for it seems he has undertaken to write some volumes on the art in The Poet Gallery, however, of Phillips, is which he excels for Dr. Lardner's Cyclowell worth a visit, were it but for the rarity pædia. That he will bring much skill and of seeing so many eminent heads together; long experience to this task, we are certain: we would advise him to finish it, by admitting we know not that he will write a popular the portraits of Wilson, Hogg, Joanna Baillie, book. In truth, true art is like a wizard's and Montgomery, and then it would be a pur-wand: we can see and feel its effects;-but how chase worthy of a British king to make. A gallery of this kind was begun by Raeburn; but the heads are chiefly those of northern luminaries; nor are they all poets, for ravens appear among the singing birds-the "toothy these effects are produced, who can describe with pen and ink? The rod that the prophet stretched over the land of Egypt, which brought down the plague, looked probably like a mere shepherd's staff: that it wrought |