The first number of the Aberdeen Magazine is highly creditable to the good town. The article on Demonology is excellent. Former experience is against the success of any provincial Magazine in Scotland; but we shall see whether the conductors of the present publication can make an exception for themselves. but what becomes of the ship when the crew mutinies? right to say that we agree with our correspondent in The commander of an army is, in point of physical thinking it more than probable that the New Monthly will strength, as one to forty thousand; but cut off the com- now go on with increased spirit and success. Campbell mander, and the army becomes immediately a disorgan- has long slept over it, and the consequence was, that it ized mass. These are truisms; but they are truisms became dull and monotonous. From Mr Hall's extenwhich the writers in the Westminster Review seem dis- sive literary connexions, and the determination he has posed to forget. The articles in the Number before us on already evinced to infuse freshness and novelty into his the Defensive Force possessed by any People-on the periodical, we augur very favourably. The present NumBelgian Insurrection-on Machine-Breaking-on the ber displays much talent, and though the introduction of Parliamentary Representation of Scotland-on the Wel-portraits is an evident imitation of Fraser, and therefore lington Administration—on European Revolution-and, objectionable, yet if all the engravings be as good as that above all, on the character of George IV., have a strong of the bust of Sir Walter Scott, which commences the tendency to support the despotism of public opinion, series, they cannot fail to form an additional attraction. understanding by public opinion the opinion of the nume- We entertain towards the Magazine and its conductors, rical, not the intellectual, majority. The article, in parti- every good feeling. cular, on the character of George IV. appears to us to call for unqualified disapprobation. The Westminster Review hates kings, and therefore glories in attacking a dead king, in dragging his remains from the tomb, and loading them with every ignominy which the malevolence of the writer can suggest. Now, seeing that our beloved native country has existed as a country at all, under a long and almost uninterrupted line of kings, we love kings, and, though not blind to their errors, we would not recklessly heap a load of obloquy upon their biers. To respect and reverence those whom God has given to rule over us, is at once a moral duty and a sacred obligation. We argue not for the "divinity that doth MR BENNET is evidently an amiable man, and he is hedge a king;" but because we would wish to respect our- an agreeable writer. Both his prose and poetry contain selves, and the laws which we ourselves have made, we many sentiments that reflect credit on his heart, and would wish to respect the person of our living, and the indicate a lively and healthy imagination. Circumstances memory of our dead, monarch. The article on the Par- prevent us from speaking at greater length of the volume liamentary Representation of Scotland is ably and power- now before us; but, as a specimen of the contents, we fully written, but the nature of the reform which it sug-subjoin the following sketch, which we think one of the gests, we consider to be of much too levelling a description. most successful in the book: As to the literary contents of this Number, by far the best article is on Webster's American Dictionary, and the next is on Lesson's Natural History of Man. The others appear to us somewhat flimsy, especially the reviews of the Heiress of Bruges, Maxwell, the Life of Bruce, and Basil Barrington. The article on Tennyson's Poems is showily written, but contains one of the most preposterous puffs of a small and rather mediocre volume of poetry that we ever remember to have seen. We notice the New Monthly Magazine at present, principally with the view of informing our readers of a change which has taken place in its editorship. A literary friend in London, in no way connected with the Magazine, wrote to us, a few days ago, in the following terms:"Campbell is at last decidedly out of the New Monthly. I am sorry for it, as I am afraid he may feel the loss of the £600 a-year Colburn paid him. Mr S. C. Hall is installed sole editor, to the benefit, I have no doubt, of the magazine, if we are to judge by the January Number, which is admirable. The point on which the separation took place between Colburn and Campbell, at least the immediate point, was the insertion of portraits in the New Monthly, which the ex-editor obstinately resisted, and chose rather to resign than yield. The January Number has a portrait of Scott, with a memoir by Allan Cunningham. Campbell, I understand, has written a letter of farewell to Colburn, in which he alludes to the long friendship that has subsisted between them, and desires that the letter may be shown to the publisher's friends. He mentions in it that he now intends to retire into private life, having given up his house in Scotland Yard, and taken apartments; and that as to the design imputed to him of establishing another magazine, he has no such intention. Is not this an inglorious end of Thomas Campbell ?" In reply to this question, we do not see why there should be an end of Campbell merely because he has given up the magazine; on the contrary, having now his time more at his own disposal, why should he not once more come before the world in his pristine vigour? But, leaving this question, we think it Songs of Solitude. By William Bennet, Author of "Pictures of Scottish Scenes and Character," &c. &c. Glasgow. W. R. M‘Phun. 1831. 12mo. Pp. 264. THE YOUNG MOTHER. "The room I enter'd where I oft before The self-restraint "And O! when o'er her cheek a trace of thought 'Twas, I knew, Its mother's eye, On whose return such joys are waiting still, MISCELLANEOUS LITERATURE. ST ANDREWS, Versus THE MESSRS CHAMBERS' NEW GAZETTEER OF SCOTLAND. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LITERARY JOURNAL.* SIR, The high, and, upon the whole, merited reputation which the Messrs Chambers have acquired, as illustrators of the spirit and localities of Scotland, has directed the To this we shall add a song, of which there are a great public eye with some eagerness towards the first number number. The following is lively and natural : HOW PLEASANT TO THINK THAT MY BRIDAL IS NIGH. "How pleasant to think that my bridal is nigh, And the visions of bliss I've been dreaming on, Like clouds that the sun is gleaming on! That the light of our hope is beaming on! That 'twas but a scene for improving in." We would caution Mr Bennet against the sin of being at times too natural and simple, somewhat after the fashion of our friend Wordsworth. Thus, we have a "Sonnet to Mrs M- of R- at her piano," beginning, "Wife of my friend, at thy piano sitting !" In one of the songs, too, love is compared to a pigeon, after the following fashion : "True love's like a doo at the gloamin', That dwalls in the wud her lane." Nor can we approve of the colloquial style of the following: "On yesterday's eve, I chanced to perceive My friend with a fair maiden straying;" of the above work. And as the starting note in music regulates and characterises the tune, so the starting number may safely be considered not only as a first, but as a fair specimen of the whole. It is not the brick of the "scholasticus," but the pedestal of the column. In accuracy or in error, in excellence or in imperfection, it may be presumed to present an average of the fare which is yet to be set before us. It is on this account that I have perused the present number with more than ordinary interest, and that, in recording my disappointment, I feel that I am discharging a duty not only to the public, and in particular to the city and university of St Andrews, which forms one of the principal articles of the number— but even to the authors themselves, who, being thus firmly, but timeously admonished, may be more accurate in their future statements and inferences. A Gazetteer, to be useful, must be correct, otherwise it loses its very character. It will scarcely, I dare say, be credited, that a person of Mr Robert Chambers's opportunities and pretensions can express himself in the following loose and inaccurate manner respecting an event of comparatively recent and well-ascertained notoriety in Scottish history. Speaking of Magus Muir, and of the death of Archbishop Sharp, he says, "Five Covenanters, who had been concerned in the assassination, were executed four months after on the spot." Now, it is a matter of notoriety not only undoubted but unquestioned, that not one of these five unfortunate individuals—with the exception of Gullan, who merely held their horses, and was executed elsewherewere ever even suspected, much less convicted, of being accessary to the Bishop's death; nay, has not this very nor of the concluding stanza of the same song, which fact, the almost miraculous escape, namely, of all imme runs thus: "He was lost by that look! The flower when he took, He vow'd he should part with it never; And this evening at tea, I'd the pleasure to see It fresh in his window as ever." These are little peculiarities of style which it would be well to amend. Nevertheless, we like the author of the "Songs of Solitude." The Burning Bush; or, Simple Stories illustrative of God's Providential Care of the Church. By the Author of "Early Recollections," &c. Edinburgh. William Oliphant. 1831. 18mo. Pp. 180. THOUGH perhaps a little too much tinged with Methodism, this is nevertheless a book which may safely be put into the hands of the young, with the view of giving them some notion of the rise and progress of Christianity, and of the trials which many persons have endured for its sake. Maternal Duty; or, the History of the Armstrong Family. Interspersed with interesting Tales, related by a Mother to her Children. By a Lady. Glasgow. Atkinson and Co. 1831. 12mo. Pp. 301. THE authoress of this little volume deprecates criticism. It contains many praiseworthy lessons of religion and morality. diately concerned in the murder, been referred to by the friends of the Covenanters again and again, as an evidence of the finger of God in the matter? The Again, our author, speaking of the united College classrooms of St Andrews, observes, "In the lower part of the building, on the west side, is a long, damp cellar, till lately the chief lecturing room; at one end of which is exhibited a gaunt spectral pulpit, said to have been on one or more occasions used by the reformer Knox." Now this "long damp cellar" is nothing more nor less than the public hall of the College, in which principal, masters, and students, have been accustomed, till of late, to convene, on one or two public occasions, during the session, and has never been made use of as a lecturing room. gaunt spectral pulpit, which seems to have affected Mr Chambers like a ghost,—had he given himself time to enquire, would have turned out to be the old ante-reformation pulpit of the Town Church, and of course that from which our arch-reformer probably addressed the people on several occasions. But, proceeds our topographer, "the chapel of the institution, which bounds the square next the street, is that of St Salvador, and was founded by the pious Bishop Kennedy. This structure Gothic style, and is of a light, elegant construction; unhas not a parallel in Scotland. It is built in an exquisite fortunately, it has been allowed to go into the most dis In our character of independent journalists, we do not conceive ourselves entitled to refuse a place to the above communication, although we have always looked with a friendly eye on the literary exertions of the Messrs Chambers. Should they think a reply necessary to the letter we now publish, we shall be happy to make room for it in our pages.-ED. LIT. JOUR. to have submitted to conviction, or to have instituted a refutation; but at present there is nothing tangible; censure is heaped from misapprehension, în so general and indefinite a form, as to do injury without affording any opportunity of preventing it. Thus situated, the College will probably he content to appeal to the forthcoming report of the royal commission; from which, I have good grounds to know, it will appear, that in no college in Scotland is there more enlightened, laborious, and successful tuition than in that of St Andrews. Thus then we have made it appear, that this fraternal copartnery is not exempted from those errors, "Quos aut incuria fudet, graceful decay, so as to seem, at the present time, as if dropping to pieces." Now, this unqualified statement is totally unfounded. Within little more than half a century, the roof of this elegant-but certainly by no means light-building has been wholly renewed; and within less than half that time, it has been repaired and new-modelled in the interior-in what may safely be denominated a comfortable and even handsome style for the accommodation of the students and congregation of the parish of St Leonard's. But this is not all,-in for a penny, in for a pound! Our journalist proceeds :-" It is nevertheless used as the chapel of the College, and as the parish church of St Leonard's-of which the principal of the College is ministerial incumbent." And this averment is made by a person who has seen the new buildings, erected this last summer, and not yet completed—and who has, at the same time, not taken steps to inform himself, that the Principal of the united College has ceased to be ministerial incumbent for these five years past! But the head and front of the Messrs Chambers' inaccuracy is yet to come. "The bursars," continues our historian, "are entertained at the expense of the Uni-mination to resume the task, which I have imposed upon versity, and eat together. A table is kept for ordinary myself, whenever I see occasion. I am, sir, &c. students, for which a board of about twelve guineas asession is paid." This is the very sublime of misrepresentation, not one word or clause of it being true. In Aut humana parum cavet natura;" and that the readers, but especially the purchasers, of their lucubrations, would do well to verify the accuracy of their For my own statements from less questionable sources. part, I have done my duty on this occasion not only to the public, but even to the authors themselves; and I take my leave of the subject at present, under the deter A FRIEND TO ST ANDREWS. ACADEMY MARTIN'S FALL OF NINEVEHGREENSHIELDS' STATUE OF ROBERT BURNS. WE willingly give a place to the following Report of the Scottish Academy for the past year. It is a businesslike and sensible document: the first place, no students ever dined at the expense of THE FINE ARTS IN EDINBURGH.-THE SCOTTISH the College-the bursars happening, by the foundation charter, to have as good a right to their dinner, as the masters and principals have to theirs; and, in the second place, for many years past this table has ceased to be spread, and a sum of money, equivalent to this privilege, and satisfactory to the bursars, has been substituted. The system of boarding at the College, and dining at its table, has likewise long ceased. Having exerted his inventive faculties on the exterior and materiel of the united College, our author comes at last to the main point-the "cui bono" of all this apparatus ; and on this head he makes use of the following expressions:-" Notwithstanding its transcendent qualifications as a university town,-its delightful, retired situation, the excellence of its society, and the cheapness of provisions, it is a matter of deep regret that the number of students seldom averages more than 200. Such a striking fact leads to the conclusion, that there must be something radically bad in the system of education, worthy of instantaneous revisal. The present extensive improvements now going forward, will be of no avail in restoring the character of the place, unless followed by an unscrupulous revision of that antiquated process of tuition, under which the Scottish universities have long laboured, as under an incubus." Truly the enlightened but uncolleged duumvirate who have made this statement, might have shown a little more anxiety to state facts than they here do. Were there no means of information within the walls of the College itself-no respectable and official persons at whom enquiries could have been made to prevent this blotched and deformed mass of misrepresentation and mistake? The character of the College-if we are to judge from the average of students for these last ten years has already been restored, as the average of students attending this antiquated university during this latter period, greatly outnumbers (amounting, as it does, not to 200, but to 260 or upwards) that of any period whatever in the history of the College; and if the system of education now pursued be antiquated, it is somewhat extraordinary, that under an enlightened age, its inefficiency has not, latterly in particular, been manifested by an average decline rather than an average increase of students! To answer one assertion by another, though a common, is by no means a convincing, method of conducting an argument; but had our authors taken the trouble to inform themselves of the method of tuition pursued in the various classes of the College, and, after this investigation, brought forward and stated distinctly their objections, then it had been possible THE FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL OF Edinburgh, 10th November, 1830. to the union which had taken place between the original "In the conclusion of their last Report, the Council alluded members of the Scottish Academy and twenty-four other artists, agreeably to an award of John Hope, Esquire, His Majesty's Solicitor-General for Scotland, and Henry Cockburn, Esquire, Advocate. "The first meeting of the United Academy took place on the 11th November last, when certain alterations were proposed to be made on the Laws of the Academy, in a manner with the terms of the award. The Council, however, are which appeared to a part of the members to be inconsistent happy to state, that at a subsequent general meeting, held on the 14th March last, these differences were amicably and finally adjusted. the General Meeting, have had frequently under their consi "The Council, in compliance with the instructions of deration, the most proper steps to be adopted in order to obtain more suitable Exhibition Rooms; but they are unable as yet to point out any specific plan by which this desirable object may be attained; they have therefore rented the present rooms for another year. "The Council have the pleasure of stating, that Mr Etty's second picture has arrived, and is, in every respect, a companion worthy of the first. any new subscribers during the last year, and would earnestly "The Council regret that they are unable to announce urge on the Academy the necessity of using every effort to procure a continuance of the support of the Patrons of Art. "The receipts of last Exhibition amount to £670, 7s. 6d. Subscriptions from Ordinary Members, £12, 12s.; from of the year £735, 9s. 6d., while those of 1829 amounted to Extraordinary Members, £52, 2s., making the gross receipts about £1000. This diminution, the Council hope, is to be regarded as only temporary; but it demonstrates the necessity of leaving nothing undone within the power of the Academy to bring forward such Exhibitions as may secure the approbation and support of the Public. "There is one subject to which the Council cannot refrain from adverting, as it is intimately connected with the best interests of the Academy. It is obvious, that the Academy must, in a great measure, depend on its Exhibitions for pecuniary support, and that it will require the united efforts of the academicians to render these permanently attractive and profitable: the Council, therefore, trust that the members will uniformly adhere to the wise resolution of a former general meeting, and confine their contributions in this city to the Academy alone, during the time that its exhibitions are open. "The great object of the establishment of the Academy being the advancement and encouragement of Scottish art; and, as a necessary consequence, the benefit of its professors, the Council feel it to be their duty to press on the attention of the members at large, the propriety of adopting such plans, and commencing such operations, as may be calculated to lead to the gradual attainment of their ultimate views. They would therefore suggest, that every effort should be made in order to procure permanent rooms in a central situation, as without these their exhibitions must be conducted under great disadvantages, and the works of art which they may gradually accumulate, be in a great measure lost to those for whose benefit they are principally intended. "The Council conceive that the success of the Academy must ultimately depend upon rallying around it the rising talent and genius of the country, in the different depart ments of art. In order to accomplish this, some advantages must be held out by the Academy to those who are entering on their career as artists. The Council are of opinion that arrangements should be made, with as little delay as possible, to afford instruction in the rudiments of art within the walls of the Academy, on such terms as may tend to foster and encourage rising merit. "The Council consider it unnecessary to enter further into detail at present; it is sufficient that they have directed the attention of the Academy to subjects of the utmost importance, on which its usefulness and stability must mainly depend. "It cannot be too deeply impressed on the minds of all, that the great work which has been undertaken and successfully commenced, will require the unremitted exertions of many years to bring it to a successful issue. "If, however, the Academy keep steadily in view the purposes contemplated in its formation, the Council feel perfectly assured that it will, at no distant period, occupy an honourable station among similar establishments, and will contribute not less to the credit and interest of its members, than to the advancement and reputation of the Fine Arts in Scotland. GEORGE WATSON, President." We are glad to understand that the Exhibition to be opened in February, is likely to be one of the best we have yet had in Edinburgh, and that no pains have been spared to render it in all respects worthy of public patronage. Martin's picture of the Fall of Nineveh is at present exhibiting in the Calton Convening Room. It strikes us as one of the very worst of all Martin's pictures, and this is saying a good deal. It is little better than a great blotch, in which there is neither meaning, art, nor beauty. The first principle upon which all paintings ought to be founded-that of concentration, or of making the individual parts subservient to the grand design of the whole -is in general entirely lost sight of by Martin, and in the present instance most especially. The work is all a piece of huddle. The black and red skies look like a mixture of Warren's blacking and brick-dust; the buildings and pillars are heaped together in most unearthly shapes and magnitudes; and the great dense masses of people, crammed into the middle distance, are nearly as preposterous as the figures which fill up the foreground, the drawing and colouring of which would disgrace the veriest tyro. We speak strongly; but we do so because we are conscientiously of opinion that Martin's genius is a humbug; or, at best, that he is a man of one idea, with little or no knowledge of art, save in so far as regards perspective, and with no appreciation whatever of the calm and beautiful sublimity of nature, unexaggerated and unbedaubed. Greenshields' statue of Robert Burns is clever enough. He does not give quite so much life to his figures as Thom does, but he has fully more delicate perceptions of form. The statue is after the portrait recently published by Messrs Constable and Co. As a piece of sculpture, it is not to be spoken of at all, for it does not in the slightest degree come within the high and severe rules of that art; but as a likeness in stone of the person whom it is intended to represent, it is creditable to Mr Greenshields' mastery over the chisel. LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES OF EDINBURGH. ROYAL SOCIETY. Monday, January 3, 1831. Dr HOPE in the Chair. Present,-Professors Russel, Hope, Christison, and Graham; Drs Gregory, Campbell, Gordon, Lee, MacLagan, Borthwick, Knox, Ainslie, Bougou; Captain Hunter; Messrs Skene, Robinson, Neill, Jardine, Stevenson, &c. DR CHRISTISON read a communication from Dr Duncan, of a series of experiments made by a gentleman to relieve a supposed aneurism of the pulmonary artery, particularly by the injection into the chest of a quantity of air, with comments on the documents, by Dr Duncan. The tube and bladder by which the air was injected were exhibited to the Society. A paper was read from Dr Berry, containing a detailed account of the monsoons of the Indian peninsula. The reading of the latter part of this paper was delayed till a future meeting. THE LONDON DRAMA. Regent's Park, London, Jan. 3, 1831. MOST deeply do we regret, and as deeply will the ten thousand readers of the EDINBURGH LITERARY JOURNAL sympathise in our disappointment, that we have not now leisure to enter upon a disquisition into the causes of the decline and fall of modern Pantomime; and thus, having ascertained the real grounds of the evil, at once prescribe a remedy. Whether the march of intellect have not yet marched in that direction; or whether, to preserve Philosopher Square's "moral fitness of things," the avowed degeneracy of the age have extended itself to the concocters of Pantomimes, we cannot (alas! the more's the pity) now pause to enquire. We can assert only, that these things are so; that "the days which made our annals bright" with the by-gone glories of "Mother Goose" and "Harlequin's Almanack," seem fled for ever; and recollecting this, "We cannot but remember such things were, The Pantomimes of the present season are not only a step lower in the scale of excellence to those of last year, but the Drury Lane exhibition is positively a very trifle, the introduction at least, better than that of Covent Garden, though bad is the best, and those of some of the minor houses are far preferable to either. Mr Farley must surely be in his dotage; his opening story is neither well chosen, nor well made out, and Power's talents in Rhadamisthus O'Mullingar (for the name has been changed since we wrote last) are completely thrown away. Rubbing Pantaloon's back à la singeing Long,whose real name, we may take this opportunity of informing our friends, is O'Driscoll" Heaven save the mark!"-and the loss of that most "splendid annual" the Lord Mayor's show in a dense fog, are the most palpable hits in the piece. In fact, we can praise nothing unreservedly but the scenery, and most of that, particularly the Giant's Causeway, O'Roork's Castle, the Menai Bridge, and the intended Guildhall Festival, by Grieve; and the Lakes of Killarney, and two other Irish Lakes by Roberts, are sufficiently excellent to atone for all the defects of the authorship; and higher praise it is impossible to give them. On Saturday night last, however, Mr Power made his last appearance in Pantomime, to be succeeded this evening by Mr Keeley, as " Geoffrey Chitterlings, afterwards Harlequin fat," which we feel assured must be an improvement, and will, with the consequent alterations, very probably turn the scale in favour of Covent Garden. phors are such as we scarcely ever met afore, yet when THE EDINBURGH DRAMA. WE have nothing to record this week but two disap The Drury Lane drollery we have already stated to be a direct plagiarism. Its opening scenes are, or, perhaps we should say, were, certainly a little better, because they are rather less unintelligible, and far more humorous, than those of its rival. The loves of the immortal " Black-pointments: 1st, That Mr Jones's indisposition has preeyed Susan" and her "sweet William" are very cleverly and laughably burlesqued; though, for the soul of us, we cannot understand the joke of having two Columbines, and are decidedly of opinion that Harlequin in the person of Mr Howell is liable to an indictment for bigamy! The tricks are not only stupid, but they are also very antique, as well as "few and far between," and the scenery only can we eulogise, and even this not without some drawback. Stanfield's Diorama of the "Military Pass of the Simplon," is the perfection of the scenic art, and can be duly appreciated by visual demonstration only. The "Boromean Islands" are, however, a most "lame and impotent conclusion," utterly ineffective and inadequate as a finale to so unrivalled a display; and, with an earnest recommendation to all our friends to verify these conscientious criticisms, by visiting both Theatres for themselves, here terminate our remarks upon them. The Adelphi has this season the universally admitted merit of producing the best Pantomime of the year, under the taking title of "Grimalkin the Great, or Harlequin and the King of the Cats;" of which Mr Buckstone is the author, and much wit, fun, and drollery, has he contrived to mingle with its catastrophe. "The Devil's Ducat," a new diableri", by Jerrold, has also been attracting here for some weeks past; and Mathews is preparing himself to appear in some new characters, which promise well, and will, we hope, perform so likewise. Of the other minor Harlequinades we can tell nothing but the names, since their scenes are all unseen by us yet. The Surrey has "The New-Year's Gift, or Harlequin Jack of Newbury;" and the Coburg boasts "Harlequin's Silver Penny, or the Old Woman in the Bottle!" The Pavilion delights with Harlequin and Tom Titler," and Sadler's Wells has revived" Mother Goose." Such are our metropolitan attractions for little misses and masters home for the holidays of 1830-31. In addition to which, Madame Vestris opens her Olympic Theatre this evening, aided by Miss Foote and Mrs Glover, for a few nights, when, after an introductory address by Madame herself, we are to have "Mary Queen of Scots," Mary by Miss Foote, "Olympic Revels," and "Clarissa Harlowe," all warranted new, and certain to be attractive. vented his appearance; and, 2d, That Miss Jarman's Old Cerberus. LITERARY CHIT-CHAT AND VARIETIES. DESTINY, or the Chief's Daughter, a Tale, by the author of "Marriage," and "The Inheritance," will appear speedily. Fragments of Voyages and Travels, including Anecdotes of a Naval Life, chiefly for the use of young persons, by Captain Basil Hall, R.N., are in the press. Count Robert of Paris, a romance of the Lower Empire, by the Author of Waverley, is nearly ready. unpublished pieces, from one hand, in prose and verse, comprising The Cameleon, a Scrap Book or Album of original and hitherto essays, tales, sketches, poems, &c., by a gentleman of the west of Scotland, is in the press. The Provincial Drama is, we much fear, in most places, at a discount; though the following verbatim et literatim extract from a Brighton play-bill of Monday last, will amply prove that this is from no lack of effort on the part of the managers. "The first night of the Grecian Daughter, now playing nightly in London, with unbounded applause! This celebrated tragedy is remarkable for being the only one from the pen of probably the greatest writer of comedy of his age. After having won the palm from smiling Thalia, he wooed the sombre goddess Melpomene, and, dripping with tears, she granted him the splendid wreath. The remarkable fact of a daughter preserving her starving father by the last act of filial piety, is well known, occurred during the reign of the elder Dionysius, remained unnoticed by dramatists until the master mind of Murphy snatched the jewel from oblivion, polished, and gave it to the world. It is not extraordinary that a work should be at this day extremely attractive and popular in London, which one of the best writers has left as the corner-stone of his monument!!!" There are trope, figure, and metaphor for you, A Popular Sketch of the History of Poland, by Mr W. J. Thoms, as plenty as noun-substantives; and though the meta-editor of the Early Prose Romances, is announced. Memoirs of Rob Roy, and the state of clanship of Scotland, abridged from the work of Dr M'Lay, but with additional and cu rious matter, and numerous corrections, is announced. The Rose, a collection of the best English songs, is preparing for publication. On the 1st of February will appear No. I. of a new periodical Miscellany, to be entitled the Library of the Fine Arts. The title has been adopted, not so much in accordance with the popular predilection for the term, as on account of its peculiarly expressing the object which the proprietor has in view, viz., to afford to the amateur relating to the fine arts of the present, and also of former times. and artist, in a cheap and easily accessible form, all the information |