of the nicer and finer sensibilities of the human breast. To attain this point, and to place it in the strongest and most unbroken light, the author seems to have kept the other faculties with which we know him to be gifted in careful subordination. The northern Addison, who revived the art of periodical writing, and sketched, though with a light pencil, the follies and the lesser vices of his time, has showed himself a master of playful satire. The historian of the homespun family may place his narrative, without fear of shame, by the side of The Vicar of Wakefield. Colonel Caustic and Umfraville are masterly conceptions of the laudator temporis acti ; and many personages in those papers which Mr. Mackenzie contributed to the Mirror and Lounger attest with what truth, spirit, and ease he could describe, assume, and sustain a variety of characters. The beautiful landscape painting which he has exhibited in many passages, (take, for example, that where the country seat of the old Scottish lady and its accompaniments are so exquisitely delineated,) assures us of the accuracy and delicacy of his touch in delineating the beauties of nature.

"But all these powerful talents, any single one of which might have sufficed to bring men of more bounded powers into notice, have been by Mackenzie carefully subjected to the principal object which he proposed to himself—the delineation of the human heart. Variety of character he has introduced sparingly, and has seldom recourse to any peculiarity of incident, availing himself generally of those which may be considered as common property to all writers of romance. His sense of the beauties of nature, and his power of describing them, are carefully kept down, to use the expression of the artists; and, like the single straggling bough which shades the face of his sleeping veteran, just introduced to relieve his principal object, but not to rival it. It cannot be termed an exception to this rule, though certainly a peculiarity of this author, that on all occasions where sylvan sports can be introduced, he displays an intimate familiarity with them; and from personal habits, to which we have elsewhere alluded, shows a delight to dwell for an instant upon a favourite topic.

"Lastly, the wit which sparkles in his periodical essays, and, we believe, in his private conversation, shows itself but little in his novels; and although his peculiar vein of humour may be much more frequently traced, yet it is so softened down, and divested of the broad ludicrous, that it harmonises with the most grave and affecting parts of the tale, and becomes, like the satire of Jacques, only a more humorous shade of melancholy. In short, Mackenzie aimed at being the historian of feeling, and has succeeded in the object of his ambition. But as mankind are never contented, and as critics are certainly no exception to a rule so general, we could wish that, without losing or altering a line that our author has written, he had condescended to give us, in addition to his stores of sentiment, a romance on life and manners; by which, we are convinced, he would have twisted another branch of laurel into his garland."

C

24

No. III.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ALEXANDER WALKER,

OF THE BOMBAY ARMY.

FOR the following interesting Memoir, we are indebted to Major Moor, F.R. S., author of "The Hindu Pantheon," &c.

UNTIL within these few years, very little of the public attention has been attracted to the services rendered individually to their country by officers in the armies of the East India Company. The eclat of the capture of Seringapatam, of Bhurtpore, and of the Burmese war, and perhaps a few other leading Indian events of modern date, may have dwelt for a while on the public ear, and are even yet scarcely forgotten. But it may be questioned if the circumstance of these victories having been achieved under the command of his Majesty's generals — and, in two instances out of the three named, by generals of high aristocratic rank-may not have been a leading cause why even those exploits have not faded from the memory of the English public; as have numerous victories, equally brilliant in a military light, and almost equally important, civilly considered, executed without eclat by the East India Company's officers, in the ordinary and extraordinary performance of their duties. On this topic a passage occurs to us in the East India Military Calendar,- a work of high merit and interest, to which the India Company and their armies, we hope, feel, as they ought, deeply indebted. It is this, relating the services of Colonel John Little:"At the defence of Mangalore this officer, then lieutenant, was adjutant of the 8th battalion of Sepoys. This defence was one of the most gallant achievements of modern times;

and may be well placed in the same page of history with its compeer, the defence of Gibraltar. Considering, indeed, the comparative means of defence, a doubt may be reasonably entertained if the defence of Mangalore was not the most

heroic of the two.

But see the difference:

But see the difference: - how few per

sons, be they where they may, have not heard of Gibraltar and the gallant Elliot: how few, except of the Indian class, ever heard of Mangalore, and the equally gallant Campbell ! — of Mangalore, which the Bombay army ought to stand a tiptoe' at the mention of."-iii. 468.

The indifference, amounting almost to apathy, with which communications on literary, scientific, and other subjects connected with our Indian empire are received in England, surprises the few who at all turn their attention in that direction. The religion, mythology, politics, statistics, natural history, &c., of those regions that were formerly deemed so interesting, and which have become, and are becoming, more and more nationally important to us, can now command a very small portion, indeed, of the attention of the reading, reflecting, or inquisitive public of England. Some reasons may be plausibly assigned for this; but, while we lament the fact, we do not deem this a fit occasion to investigate the cause.

India has been won for England by the talents, courage, and virtues of the East India Company's servants; and must be so retained, if retained at all—but more especially by the sword. The just eulogium paid to one of those servants, by a late lamented minister in the House of Commons, was well applied. "Europe," said Mr. Canning, "from her schools of diplomacy, never produced a more consummate statesman; nor India, so fertile in heroes, a more accomplished soldier." With the exception of that highly gifted individual, General Sir Thomas Munro - if he must be an exception - we question if Mr. Canning's eulogium can be more justly applied to any one than to Brigadier-General Alexander Walker.

In 1780 he was appointed a cadet on the Bombay establishment, and went to India in the same ship with the late

amiable and able Dr. Helenus Scott. The friendship thus commenced between these excellent men increased with their years, and was interrupted by death only. In 1782, Ensign Walker's native battalion formed part of the Bombay field force, under the ill-fated General Mathews. In the course of that service against Hyder's forts on the coast of Malabar, Ensign Walker was present at various sieges and assaults, of places whose names are now almost forgotten; although, at the time, the exploits by which they were accompanied were the theme of much applause. Of these we may mention Rajmundry, Onore, Cundapore, Hassan-ghury, and Mangalore, where, as well as in various engagements and skirmishes, which occurred during that very active campaign, Ensign Walker bore a part.

In

The subsequent defence of Mangalore was the greenest leaf in the little wreath then won by the Bombay army. that defence Ensign Walker's battalion, the 8th, commanded by the accomplished Captain Dunn, was highly distinguished; and for its valour and fidelity was honoured, by the Bombay government, with the title of "The Grenadier Battalion," a distinction which, for half a century, it has retained with undiminished reputation; and of which every one who has served in it, from the Sepoy to its commandant, ever has been, and is, justly proud.

In those days lieutenants often commanded battalions, and ensigns led attacks and sorties. In one of these, at Mangalore, at the point of the bayonet, headed by Ensign Walker, he was severely wounded. The vigour of this defence brought Tippoo-become, by his father's death, Sovereign of Mysorebefore the battered and crumbling walls of Mangalore; incensed at its obstinacy, and flushed with his recent capture of Mathews and the Bombay army. On this interesting occasion Ensign Walker, though not recovered of his wound, joined his corps at an advanced post, from which they were speedily driven in.

In the course of this remarkable siege more resembling that of Saragossa than any within our knowledge- he was