miles, without seeing more than four quadrupeds. Some new species of insects and moluscous animals are described. Two plates are given, representing helices, fresh-water shells, supposed to be new species; but if the vast territory passed over could only furnish a few snail-shells to delineate, we think these plates had better have been omitted. It is now ascertained, that the shells of moluscous animals of the same species, collected in distant situations, often present a slight difference of form, which has induced those who delight in the puerilities of science to class them as new species, and give them a new name: the North American naturalists seem too well disposed to follow the example of cabinet-philosophers in Europe." Though the present expedition has added little to our knowledge of natural history, in other respects the narrative is replete with valuable and interesting information. In some instances the style is idiomatic, and words are also introduced which are foreign to the English language: the word bluff is of frequent occurrence; it imports a perpendicular range or escarpment of rock, rising above the general level of the country, or of the rivers or lakes which intersect it. An excellent map of the country is prefixed; there are also plates representing some of the Indian chiefs. ART. II. 1. Traditions of Edinburgh; or, Sketches and Anecdotes of the City in former Times. By Robert Chambers. 12mo. Chambers, Edinburgh; and Hurst, Robinson, and Co. London. 1825. 2. Walks in Edinburgh, by Robert Chambers. 12mo. Hunter, Edinburgh; and Duncan, London. 1825. WE E all know that Edinburgh is the nonpareil of the cities of the world. It is the most splendid capital in the universe. Its learned men are the greatest philosophers, its soldiers the greatest heroes, its ladies the greatest Blues, its lawyers (in their own tongue) the most eloquent advocates that exist, or ever have existed, in this or in any other nation. All these things were known several centuries ago; and of course we feel much indebted to Mr. Chambers for reminding us of them. Nobody, we calculate, will deny that Holyroodhouse is the palace of palaces, that Nelson's monument is the most elegant lighthouse on the Firth of Forth, and that the flesh-market, and the slaughter-house, are perfect models of such places. Neither will it be gainsaid that St. George's Church is superior to our St. Paul's, the Register-Office to to Somerset-House, and the Earthen Mound to WaterlooBridge; or that the Hie Kirk, the Castle, and the Heart o' Mid Lothian, are, by a thousand degrees, more grand than Westminster-Abbey, the Tower, or Newgate. We will give our Edinburgh friends all the praise they can desire, if they will only cease blowing their own trumpet so loudly. It is, however, a little too much to see the city of the Parthenon and of the Temple of Jupiter Olympus insulted in her ruins, and her name and her fame pilfered, to give celebrity to a place which has started into existence only within the last forty years, and the grandeur and boasted wealth of which owe their origin to the introduction of the English arts and manufactures by an union*, which is still condemned, and by the overthrow of feudal and barbarous institutions which are still the object of the most tasteless eulogy. It is to feed this appetite for vulgar predilections that these two productions are given to the world; and as a proof of the prevalence of this vanity among the inhabitants of Edinburgh, and how correctly the compiler estimated the ruling passion of his countrymen, it is a fact that the first of these two works has already reached the fourth edition. Attic indeed must be that taste and wit which can be amused with an account of how the Duchess of Gordon, when a young woman, used to ride upon a sow,' while her sister thumped it with a stick behind;' and how that these quadrupeds claimed the privilege of the pavé in former years, and even disputed it with the best bailie or burgess of the city, - perhaps upon the old Jacobite principle, the jure divino ! How edifying it must be to learn that Misses Ramsay the milliners had their shop at the east of Old Lyon Close, north side of the High-Street, opposite the upper end of the City Guard-house;' that Mrs. Sellers, in the same line,' died nearly forty years ago;' that the Misses Gedd kept a boarding school in Paterson's Court, Lawn-Market;' that the first Sir William Forbes, like other old women, wore a muff, which hung round his neck by a string, out of which he eat penny-pies while walking up the High-Street;' that the stomacher was a triangular piece of rich silk;' that stays were made so long, sixty years ago, that they touched the chair both in front and in rear when a lady sat;' that garters were worn fine for exhibition,' and that the rumple * Sir Walter Scott tells a story of a clergyman in the south of Scotland, who confessed that for fifty years he never preached without' indulging himself in what he called "a hit at the Union." knot knot was a large bunch of ribbons worn at the peak of the waist behind; and, as if for the purpose of commending these qualities, diversions, and accomplishments, to the Athenian modern fair, they are politely told : We fear there shall never again be seen a generation of such clever eccentric old women, as that which we have just endeavoured by examples to delineate. The Scottish female character is now undergoing a great and decisive revolution, being reduced by a fatal process of over-cultivation to a sort of dead level, which is much to be lamented when we consider the graceful and picturesque varieties into which it was formerly permitted to luxuriate. The genius - perhaps we might say the demon, or, at least, the imp- of modern education goes like a roller, over the female mind, and breaks down all its once animated and interesting features into a plain undistinguished superficies, not more "flat" we are assured than " unprofitable." In our early days we knew women who, though born in a respectable rank of society, had never been at school in their lives, yet wrote the cleverest letters, said the most amusing things, made shrewd observations, and did not want refinement of taste. Education was in the last age limited, but it was in almost every respect superior to the series of tricksy and artificial accomplishments with which, like painted statuary, the beautiful natural lineaments of the female mind are now polluted and impaired.' What inimitable elegance of style! what delicacy of criticism! Are there no stones in the north? are there no Amazons among the unsandalled lasses of Athens, to rise up and lapidate the author, and burn his book at the Market Cross? 6 Of those clever, eccentric, graceful, and respectable' old ladies, who never were at school,' and who were so superior' to modern dames, we are further favoured with the following particulars. Lady Wallace was so accomplished that she used to go with the tea-kettle to the Fountain-well across the street to be filled.' Lady Eglintoune was so learned in essences and cosmetics, for preserving beauty, that she washed her face with sow's milk,' and amused herself with taming and patronising rats, a vast number of which she kept in her pay at Auchans.' Lady Stair, who was the first person of quality in Edinburgh,' and who called Lord Dundonald a damned villain,' was subject to hysterical ailments, and used to be screaming and fainting in one room while her daughters, Miss Primrose and Lady Mary, were dancing in the next.' We are further told, that in those pristine days, those days of innocence and superior refinement, when the female mind was not polluted' in those days, the ladies used to make likenesses of their friends in the shape of dolls;' and that it 6 would would be a curious task to enquire when the gentlemen left off swearing, and ladies talking, listening to, and writing ob– scenity! Öh, happy, artless, clever age! If the ladies of those days, of whom Mr. Chambers writes so enrapturedly, be deserving of his praises, the gentlemen whom he introduces are equally entitled to his panegyric. How instructive is it to learn that no less a personage than Lord Eskgrove lived in a house, at the head of the Old Assembly Close, first entry, right hand, second door up stairs;❜ and that Mister Archie Mac-Coul' was an eccentric tobacconist' who had a vein of poetry,' and in his shop exhibited the following poetic lines, painted upon one of his snuff-canisters : "It's food, and it's physic, and cheers you when dull; And the best sort is sold by Archie Mac-Coul." * Then, again, there was the Daft Laird,' who was wittily' called the Laird o' Totums,' besides another genius of the same description, who was called Bailie Duff, alias Daft Jamie,' who preceded the saulies at all funeral processions. To complete the list of illustrious names we are most quaintly informed that the great Dr. Blair' used to walk to the Hie Kirk' in a small wig, rusty black clothes made very tight, and a pair of boots resembling those of the parson in the first print of the Harlot's Progress.' We presume our readers will be satisfied with the antiquarian abilities of Mr. Chambers, and that they have seen enough of the illustrious personages of Edinburgh in the "olden time." Of the city of palaces itself, in those days, we have only to inform them, in the author's own words, that before any procession could take place, proclamation had to be made by the magistrates ordaining the middinis * and the swine to be removed from the public streets!' We do not wish to intrude our advice unnecessarily, but with great submission we beg to hint that a similar edict might be occasionally issued to some advantage in the present times! To show, however, that we can appreciate talent wherever it appears, we transcribe the following song from the pen, it is said, of Lady Dick, wife of Sir William Dick of Prestonfield, and daughter of Lord Roystoun: I'll gar our gudeman trow that I'll sell the ladle, If he winna buy to me a new side-saddle, *This is a Scotch term which, we fear, we must not translate into modern English, but the reader will understand what is meant by fumier in the French. Το Toride to the kirk, and frae the kirk, and round about the toun,- Stand about, ye fisher jauds, and gie my goun room! To beir my tail up A somewhat scandalous ballad, written about sixty years ago, on the occasion of a ridotto in Holyrood-house, and which we do not remember to have seen before in print, may be looked upon as a curiosity. 'I sing the ridotto in Holyrood-house, Where Cochrane and Squire Eccles the ladies did souce. - There was Duke Hamilton, with his turned coat. And there was his Duchess, whose beauty excels, And there was our General *, with his young wife, Welcome, &c. And there was Beau Seton, the quality squire, ' And there was Glenorchy, that delicate youth, And there was fine Johnstone †, retired to a nook, Welcome, &c. And there was Bob Murray, who's married, alas ! And there was a lady, well known by her airs, And there were the Stuarts of every degree, Welcome, &c. * Bland.' REV. OCT. 1825. '+ Coll.' K • Miss |