ORIGINAL ESSAYS ON POLITE LITERATURE, THE ARTS AND SCIENCES;

A REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS;
POETRY; CRITICISMS ON THE FINE ARTS, THE DRAMA, &c.

Biography ;

AND PUBLISHED AT THE LITERARY GAZETTE OFFICE, NO.362 (EXETER CHANGE), STRAND;

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1820.

It is the custom of periodical works to say something to their Readers at stated periods ; such as the close of the year, the end of their volumes, the commencement of a new series, or the completion of a century's publications. As we hardly expect, personally, to enjoy the last mentioned opportunity, we are prone to seize the occasion of our attaining to the fifth year of our age, most cordially to thank our friends for nourishing us into so stout and vigorous a constitution, as to leave little doubt upon our minds, that this centenarian delight will be experienced, literarily, by our heirs and successors. To them we shall bequeath it, in trust, to dilate upon the influence their labours have had in diffusing a taste for literature, and in promoting, with letters, the dearest interests of Society; in encouraging all the beneficent arts of Peace and Civilization ; in propagating a knowledge of Science; and in spreading over the mass of mankind a love for those pursuits which refine, and ennoble, and bless humanity. Ours is a humbler duty. Through the kindness of our public reception, we have established this new species of literary production in a degree of reputation which our most sanguine hopes could not have anticipated for any thing in the lowly form of a weekly journal, and invested it with a weight and importance which we can without presumption declare is felt through almost every ramification of the subjects embraced by our plan, at home and abroad. Convinced that nothing could have obtained for us this enviable distinction, but the strictest devotedness to truth in all we write, we have made truth the basis of our labours : and in Truth, the indispensable principles of Independence and Impartiality are comprehended. Thus, at the end of four years, no readers of the Literary Gazette can say that it ever deceived them, by its report or misrepresentation of any fact.

a

Our Index for 1820 (to be given in an early Number) will best exemplify our zeal and diligence in providing for the general gratification of our subscribers : our success attests that our exertions have not passed unnoticed nor unrewarded : and we shall only add; that as we grow in time our strength increases, and our sphere enlarges so much, that we can now with ease accomplish what was wont to be difficult or impossible. We therefore look forward to the possession of a power which may extend our utility and enhance our value: and as proof that we are not inclined to slacken in our career, we shall only observe, that within the last two months, Original Letters from Paris, the admired essays entitled Wine and Walnuts, the first

accounts of Discoveries in the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, the important Experiments on Galvanism, Magnetism, and Polarity, the only details of the Royal Society of Literature, and many other matters of great general interest, have appeared in our columns.

We trust we may take leave, without imputation of egotism. In this stirring commercial country, every dealer, to obtain even due notice, must describe his wares, and adopt means to make them known. Beyond this, we despise effort; and resting on the character of the Literary Gazette, bid our Readers' Farewell!'

Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, etc.

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REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS. which took 35 days to perform on cro-. shef to accompany me, but knew nothing of medaries, to Mahass and back again, my business ; which was really true; for I

had never allowed him to see ine taking notes Trarels in Nutia ; by the late John the author says

during our journey. Lexis Burckhardt. Published by the In two hours and a half we came to a The two brothers, the kashefs Ilosseyn an! Association for promoting the Discovery plain on the top of the mountain, called Mohammed, had coine to Maliasss in order of the Interior of Africa.

London. Akabet el benat, the rocks of the girls. to besiege the castle of Tinareh, which had 1819. 4to. pp. 543.

Here the Arabs who serte as guides through been seized by a rebel cousin of the king of

these mountains have devised a singular Mahass. The latter being Hosseyn Kashief's Burckhardt has excited an interest mode of extorting small presents from the father-in-law, the Kashet was bound to come in the British public only inferior to traveller: they alight at certain spots in the to his aid, and had accordingly brought with poor Mungo Park; and has been so very Akabet el benat, and beg a present , if it is him about sixty men, with whom I found often the subject of articles in the Lite refused, they collect a heap of sand, and him encamper, or rather butted, on the rary Gazette, that our readers must be mould it into the form of a diminutive tomb, western side of the river, close under the familiar with the leading features of his anul then placing a stone at each of its ex- walls of the castle, while his brother Nolife and pursuits. This would induce tomb is made'; meaning, that henceforward, with an equal number of men. They had

tremities, they apprize the traveller that his hammed had possession of the eastern bank, us to dwell very briefly on these points there will be no security for hiin, in this been here for several wecks, and had often at present, even were we not influenced rocky wilderness. Most persons pay a summoned the castle, to no purpose, alby another consideration of more irre-trifling contribution, rather than have their though the garrison consisted only of fifteen sistible temporary importance. It is, graves made before their eyes : there were, men. They at length conceived the idea of and we have reason to anticipate will however, several tombs of this description cutting off the water from the besieged, by continue to be, a marked characteristic dispersed over the plain. Being satisfied placing close in shore, just below the castle, of our Review (from the superior access which he was content. with my guidė, I gave him one piastre, with a vessel, which they had sent for froin Argo,

and on board of which they put some men to the novelties in literature with which

March 13th. The eastern mountains armed with musquets, who were protectel we are favoured,) to be at least the again approach the river, and consist here, froin the fire of the garrison by a thick awnearliest reporter of the cases of new as at the second Cataract, of grunstein. We ing formed of the trunks of date trees thrown publications. In executing this task, followed the narrow shore in an easterly di- across the deek; these mnen, by their fire, we trust it will be readily allowed to reetion, and passed several of the villages of having effectually prevented the besiegel us, that any defects in our first notice of Mahass. The houses are constructed only from obtaining water froin the river, the gara work, should be pardoned in considera- of mats, made of palm leaves, fastened to rison was under the necessity of making protion of the speed with which we bring considerably above the roof

. The counte- were proinised them, and the castle was sur

high poles, the extremities of which rise posals for peace; pardon, and safe conduct it before the general tribunal, and nances of the people are much less expressive rendered on the evening preceding my arrival, show, if not immediately preceding, of good nature than those of the Nubians ; When I reached the camp of Mohanned contemporaneously with its appearance, in colour they are perfectly blạck ; their lips Kashef, he was not present, but oceupied of what kind and nature it is. As this are like those of the Negro, but not the with his brother, in taking potsession of the highly valuable volume, therefore, is nose or cheek bones ; numbers of the men castle. His people crowded round me and only published to-day, we hope that go quite naked, and I even saw seteril grown my guide, desirous to know what businees extracts rather than an epitome will be the middle. The Nubian language here has that I belonged to the suite of the two

up girls without any thing whatever round had brought me ainong them, and supposing accepted from us as efficient service.

certainly superseded the Arabic, whith none Mamelouk Begs, of whose arrival at Derr The life and travels of Burckhardt occupy of the peasants understand.

they haul already been apprized. Shortly 92 pages ; next follows a journey along the In approaching the place where tke Nu- afterwards Mohammed came over from the banks of the Nile, from Assouan to Mahass, bian governors were encamped, I found se- opposite bank with his suite, and I immeon the frontiers of Dongola ; then a des- veral of the villages deserted; their former diately went to salute him. Born of a Darcription of a journey from upper Egypt inhabitants had preferred abandoning their four slave, his features resembled those of through the deserts of Nubia to Berber and cotton-fields, and their prospects of a har- the inhabitants of Soudan, but without any Souakin, and from thence to Djidda in rest, to subunitting to the oppressive conduct thing of that millness whichi generally cliArabia; and the whole concludes with an of the followers of the governofs, whose racterises the Negro countenance. On the appendix, containing an Itinerary froin the horses and camels were now feediag amidst contrary, his physiognomy indicated the frontiers of Bornou, by Bahr el Ghazal, and the barley, while the mats of the deserted worst disposition; he rolled his eyes at me Darfour, to Shendy-some notices of Soullan, houses had been carried off to the camp, to like a madman; and, having drank copiously -Focabularies of the Borgho and Bornod serve as fuel. After a ride of four hours, of palm-wine at the castle, he was so intoxlanguages-and a translation of the notices ve renched the camp of Mohamnıcd Kashef, icated that he could hardly keep on his legs, on Nubia in Makrizi's History of Egypt: the opposite the Wady Tinareh, a cluster of ham- All his people now assembled in and around whole illustrated with maps and other eluci- lets, situated round the brick castle of that his open hut; the vanquished rebels likewise dations.

name, and the chief place in Mahas3 ; hcre came, and two large goat skirts of palm wine We shall make our selections from vas the termination of my journey south were brought in, which was served out to the travelling narratives, without much in his answers to Mohammed Kashef, and if calabashes; a few only spoke Arabic; the

warrls. I had told my guide to be cautious the company in small cups neatly made of attention to crder. Leaving Seras, in he should be questioned respecting me, to Kashef himself conld scarcely make himself is Nubian journey from Assouan, say that he had been ordered by Hassen Ka- understood; but I clearly found that I was VOL IV.