This day's journey was remarkable for lake. From this place to Westeras the road, musing. In the mind of Klopstock or Schilnothing but the beauty of the road, the fine- passes through a country which is tolerably ler, it would doubtless have called forth, or ness of the weather, and the rapidity of the cultivated, wherever rocks do not stand in cherished the sublimest ideas. It was almost horses. I travelled 16 (German) miles and the way. Westeras, with one of the richest night when I reached the wretched village an eighth, (so exactly are the posts, or bishoprics in Sweden, (which, indeed, is not of Barkardy, the last stage, only a German stages, measured in Sweden,) without stop- saying much,) is a dreary, dull town, built mile and a half from Stockholm. Beyond, ping, except to change horses at Enebeck in the form of a boat, extending on both the country is rude, the ground uneven, and Hardly any thing announces the capital and Bjoernsaeter; and having passed the sides of the road. You must not look for of unequal goodness. You pass by a wood, in the midpretty little town of Marienstaedt, which lies a house in it of other materials than wood, close to the shore of the Wener lake, I ar- except one large brick building, covered with to be near. rived, at two in the morning, at the village slate, and a great square castle, with a con- dle of which is the pretty villa of Haga. of Blacksta, which was recommended to me siderable garden, which extends to the Meler Soon you reach the barrier; and for a long as affording the best lodging on the road. I lake, by means of which Westeras has a time you cannot fancy yourself in Stockwas, in fact, as well accommodated as a communication by water with the capital. holm, there are so many by-ways to pass traveller can expect to be, who arrives at so In Sweden, the lakes in general supply the through the remote quarters, before you place of navigable rivers, which, at least in reach the better inhabited part of the city. late an hour. the southern part of the kingdom, are extremely rare. But you will ask, are the inns in a country, so poor and so little frequented by travellers, really tolerable? To the Editor of the Literary Gazette. Sir, Having seen in one of your late numAt the following stage, Nyquarn, we only With moderate pretensions, one may al-stop to remark, that we leave Westmanland bers, the announcement of a new Encycloways find tolerable accommodation. If there and enter Upland. A little bridge parts the peedia, which has excited much curiosity in is no abundance of provisions, one finds at two provinces. I passed the night at En- the literary world, I am happy in being able least good attendance, cleanliness, and se- koeping, a rather mean town, at the end of to communicate a few particulars relative to veral kinds of bread, besides that which the a wide, not ill-cultivated, plain. A part of it, which may not be unacceptable to your common people in Sweden eat, consisting of it, with a kind of castle, lies upon a hill, readers. a sort of biscuit, called by the Swedes knacke- and part on the bank of a small river, which broe; and also, almost every where, plenty falls half a league below the town, into the of curds and whey. Its Swedish name, Fil Meler lake. The advantages conferred by bunka, is one of the first words that foreign- this lake may be truly said to be inestimable; ers learn. I reached in good time, the next for Enkoeping is indebted to it for not being morning, the pretty town of Oerebro, the entirely in the most wretched situation. capital of Nerizia, or, as the Swedes call it, Nerike. From the length of the main street it might be taken for a town of the third magnitude, but it has perhaps not above 3000 inhabitants. I was almost as much surprised as pleased, at finding here two booksellers, whose stock does not consist of Swedish books only. The town lies on one of the farthest banks of the Hielmer, or Hielmar, lake. A large square-built castle, flanked by strong round towers, gives it an I say nothing of the next stage, Gram, appearance of some consequence. Behind it begins a long straggling suburb. A little and of the following, Tibble, but merely that beyond Oerebro the traveller passes through I was here first sensible of the neighboura dreary country. The road leads over hood of the capital. Hitherto I had been properly scientific, nor properly alphabetical. rock, and poor though cultivated land. It quite edified by the disinterestedness and It had the inconveniences of both, without is seldom that the earth unites internal good-nature of the Swedish peasants, and I the advantages of either." To remedy riches with external. Nerizia abounds in would have unhesitatingly proclaimed them these inconveniences, of which those who, the best of their class in Europe. Those of like ourselves, have had frequent occasion Tibble, however, prove to me, that this rule, to refer to such collections, must be tholike all others, has its exceptions. Their roughly sensible, it is proposed to give to chicanery cost me full two hours. They ab- the forth-coming work the two-fold advansolutely refused to let me have horses, ex-tage of a philosophical and alphabetical arArboga is seen at a distance, on account of cept at double the usual rate, and payment rangement. To the Introduction "On the Laws and Regulative Principles of Educaits two high steeples. The town is surround-in advance. ed with gardens and plantations, and enThe country that now follows is very pic- tion," will succeed the Pure Sciences, Gramlivened by a river, which communicates with turesque. We travel through great forests, mar and Philology, Logic and Mathematics : the Meler lake, and conveys to Stockholm, and perceive, from time to time, on the Metaphysics, Morals, and Theology, in 2 in boats, the iron manufactured in the right or left, the Meler lake, the boundaries vols. The Mixed Sciences, Mechanics, Hy neighbourhood. It may be observed, en pas- of which it is difficult even for the fancy to drostatics, Pneumatics, Optics, and Astrosant, that Sweden, which is commonly sup-catch. About the middle of the stage you nomy, will occupy one volume; the Apposed to have been so hardly treated by have to cross a ferry. The lake is not plied Sciences, 5 volumes, divided between nature, has, by means of its lakes and roads, Experimental Philosophy, the Fine Arts, the kept in admirable order, numerous and easy Useful Arts, Natural History, and the Apmodes of communication, and even the seveplication of Natural History, which last rity of the climate contributes to increase this will embrace Anatomy, Surgery, Materia advantage. It is therefore less to be pitied Medica, Pharmacy, and Medicine. The than many other countries, which at first third division, in 8 volumes, will comprise Biography, chronologically arranged, with seem more deserving of envy. National History, Political Geography and Chronology. The fourth division, in 8 volumes, will contain a Gazetteer of Geogra phy, and a Philosophical and Etymological Lexicon of the English Language; the cita The most striking feature of the ENCYCLOPEDIA METROPOLITANA is the arrangement. "the inapplicability of a strictly scientific It is justly observed in the Prospectus, that to the abandonment of all principle of ramethod, to a modern Encyclopædia, has led The next stage, which I reached the fol- tional arrangement; and it may be safely lowing morning, is Cistena, where four or asserted of all our Universal Dictionaries five roads meet; which does not hinder it hitherto, that the chief difference between from being a miserable village. After pass-them, in respect of their plan, consists in ing the third part of the next stage, it is a the more or less complete disorganization surprise to find one-self among fine planta- of the Sciences and Systematic Arts. Nor tions, which surround a no less beautiful has the imperfection rested here. The pocountry-seat, and partly serve as avenues to sition of those alphabetical fragments into it. It is called Eckolsund, and belongs to an which the whole system of human knowfrequently determined by the caprice or Englishman of the name of Seton, who has ledge has been splintered, was but too bought it of the king. convenience of the compiler. The division of parts into minor parts had no settled limit; and the arrangement became neither iron mines. I hasten, by the stages Glanshammer and Fellings-bro, to come to Arboga. The soil continues the same. I passed this night in Koeping, a little town, which, owing to its houses being mostly of one story, covers a pretty large space. It also lies on the banks of a river, by which large boats, laden with iron, go to the Meler broader at this place than the Maine at A little way from the place where you pass Doomed to the meanest offices of and even the person of the Cheenor into the history of this man. He had restore him to his country, an accommight not be held sacred! If this reason reported himself to be the son of a Prince, plished scholar, and an enlightened statesbe the true one for the market being held but little attention was paid to the asser- man. The delighted father returned a at Lombie, it follows that his majesty the tion, from its being so very common thousand thanks to the kind friend, who Cheenor of Bomma cannot boast of among the negroes met with in Europe, took such a lively interest in the future being at the head of a remarkably vigor- and in the colonies of European nations. prosperity of his boy, and, through him, ous administration, since it is apprehend- He, however, was no impostor. His of Bomma. Such rewards as his gratied a squabble between the market people history, though short, is rather curious, tude could offer, were profusely bestowin the Banya might cost the king his life. and adds one dark stain to the degrada-ed, and others were promised when the It should seem, that if such danger tion and merited obloquy, which has great work, about to be begun, should really existed, some stronger measure long attached to the character of an be successfully completed. The son of would appear necessary than the esta- European slave-merchant. Mengova Seki was then confided to the blishment of a market at Lombie; but Mengova Seki, a prince of the blood, captain by his anxious parent, with a it is probably assumed, that if any and one of the principal counsellors of request that he might be educated in the tumult should arise at the last-mentioned the Cheenor of Bomma, having a high best manner, and taught, in perfection, place, his majesty would have sufficient opinion of the advantages possessed over the white man's peculiar art—that of notice of it to be enabled to take to his his countrymen by the Europeans who making books. Every thing was proheels, before those desperadoes could visited Africa, wished to correct in his mised; the Prince was assured he might arrive at his palace, who would consign offspring the deficiencies he felt in him- set his heart at rest, and look forward to his royal person to the flames. self. He was not content, therefore, that see his son return to Bomma, all his It was here that Simmons, a black his son should merely be taught those fondest hopes could desire. The parent man, who had sailed with the expedition things which could be learned in Bomma. embraced his child, and the captain from England, having been sent on board His parental anxiety aspired higher, and sailed; but, instead of keeping his word the Congo, while she lay at Deptford, by he conceived the bold idea of giving him with Mengova Seki-instead of having Sir Home Popham, that he might be car-an European education. Mengova Seki the boy taught "to make books," he ried back to his own country, discovered considered, that to succeed in the object contented himself with putting him in some of his relations. His father and bro- which he had nearest to his heart, it was the way of learning to make sugar-he ther came on board and immediately recog-fitting that the experiment should be basely made a slave of him, and sold him ther came on board and immediately recog-made before the habits of his favourite to a planter at St. Kitt's!! nized him. The joy of the father was very great at finding his son restored to him, son should be fixed by years, as all the after a long absence, during which every discipline of other countries, he rationally colonial drudgery, the unfortunate boy hope of seeing him again had expired. enough apprehended, would fail to make was sufficiently sensible of his high birth, The emotion of the son bore no proporsion on one who had grown up to man- the victim of a fond father's credulity, a great, beneficial, and permanent impres-to feel indignant at finding himself thus tion to that of the father. What he had hood in Bomma. seen of European manners, seemed to With these feelings, and a slave-dealer's inhuman rapacity. inspire him with contempt for savage life, when Simmons (as he was called by the He watched his opportunity, and escaped and he did not recal with peculiar de- Europeans) was but nine or ten years of on board of an English man of war. light his old negro associations. His age, he spoke to a Liverpool captain, in Here he served during a considerable pedeportment was not that which a poet whom he thought he could safely confide, riod, and was paid off on the reduction would have bestowed upon an African on the subject of his thoughts. He com- of the navy at the termination of the war. Prince returning from foreign lands and municated to him, without reserve, the When the expedition to the Congo was slavery, to his native soil and liberty.fond ideas which he ventured to indulge, determined upon, he was sent on board Had he been asked in the language of of the future brilliant destiny of his son, as before stated, and acted as cook's Cowperif, on his natural abilities, that know-mate on his passage, the duties of which ledge, and those arts could be grafted, office he considered it no degradation for which formed the bases of European as- the son of Mengova Seki to perform. cendancy. The person to whom he ap- On the day after that on which he was plied, approved much of the idea which restored to his friends, he came to pay had struck the mind of the King of Bom- his old acquaintances a visit, and to ma's counsellor; he entirely concurred astonish them by his magnificence. It it is not venturing much to say, the an- with him in thinking that the great capa- was not easy for the latter to recognise swer would have been in the negative. city which the youth already displayed, him in the superb attire, in which he now He went ashore with his friends, but he would make him a prodigy, if it were made his appearance. Over his dirty refused to throw off his European attire. unfolded with European skill and care; banyan and trowsers he sported a silk Numbers crowded round him as if anxious and he did honour to that parental love coat embroidered with silver, which was to learn what he had seen, where he had and comprehensive understanding, to evidently a piece of cast-off theatrical been, and how he had been treated. which the idea of effecting this had first finery. A black glazed hat, with a large His return seemed the signal for a general occurred. One difficulty yet remained. military feather, graced his head, and jubilee, and through the whole of the Mengova Seki had no friend on whom he a cutlass was suspended to a sash, which night shouts and songs of rejoicing, ac- could intrude the important charge, had been given to him by Capt. Tuckey. companied by the sound of the drum, the superintendance of the education of His retinue equalled his dress in splenenlivened the whole town, and seemed to his beloved son. mark this as an important era in the tain relieved him at once. On this point the cap-dor. He was carried in a hammock by He promised two negroes, and an umbrella was borne annals of Lombie. to take care of him ;--to watch the pro- over his head. His father, and other gress of his studies, and in due time to members of the Seki family, headed the having seen our state, Our palaces, our ladies, and our pomp Till now few inquiries had been made or folly chose to put upon a criterion so is the house of prayer converted into a PERIODICAL Literature.-Several cities monstrous. It is scarcely possible to be- booth, but those ceremonies, the most of Germany have among their publications lieve that in the nineteenth century we afflicting which Britain has witnessed in Literary Journals on plans somewhat similar should have so lamentable an exhibition the memory of man, are turned into to our Literary Gazette, their success being commensurate with the eager thirst for of the absurdity of our legal system, as venal shows and spectacles. We trust, knowledge which pervades that important the revival of this obsolete and impious for the honour of the Church, thus cited-region, and the talent employed in conductpractice affords. Yet so it is: to our and for the dignity of the Nation, thus ing them. We have had communications reproach be it spoken, the accused threw outraged-that so flagrant a breach of with one or two of the most distinguished, down his gauntlet in the Court of King's every noble and religious feeling may be and it is gratifying to acknowledge the deep Bench, and challenged the brother of the deniable-if not, that this last and gross-the labours of their foreign contemporaries, interest which our German brethren take in murdered girl to prove him guilty by sin-est of all insults will lead to the everlastgle combat!! The case is to be further ing abolition of so odious a practice. proceeded in this day, as it required six days' consideration of the Bench and Bar to know how to act under the circumstances we have noticed. Thornton is, it seems, a muscular stout man, Ashford the appellant a slender and weakly boy; Paule. Jomelli's beautiful mass for the otherwise, for aught stated to the con- dead was performed by one hundred and trary, it does not appear that the Court forty musicians. Several members of the would have held itself justified in pre- Institute, all the principal artists in Paris, venting the intolerable reproach of and a vast number of the students of the having this battle actually waged to de- conservatory, who were disciples and admirers of the celebrated deceased were present at the mournful ceremony. VARIETIES. The obsequies of the celebrated French composer, M. Méhul, were performed on the 20th ult. in the church of Saint Vincent de cide the cause! Indeed Lord Ellenbo- offering assistance, and using every means to realize, what is so desirable, a perfect Republic of Letters, independent of local partialities, or the more extended poison of national prejudices. We remark with pleasure that the celebrated Kotzebue is about to publish a weekly journal of this kind at Jena. LITERARY INTELLIGENCE. Mr. Upcott, of the London Institution, will publish, in the course of the ensuing month, a Bibliographical Account of the Principal Works relating to English Topography: containing a complete collation of the principal and rare productions connected with the local history of England, the quantity of letter-press comprised in each volume, lists of the plates and separate pedigrees, errors of paging, &c. so as to form an useful and necessary guide to all collectors of books on this interesting subject. the plan of his "Clavis Metrico-Virgiliana") a Dr. Carey has nearly ready for the press (on "Clavis Metrico-Nasoniana," calculated to accompany the future editions of the Dauphin Ovid. At the place of interment, M. Quatremere de Quincy delivered a funeral eulogium in the name of the academy of Fine Arts, of Dr. Carey has likewise in forwardness an which the celebrated composer was a mem-" Elocutory Edition of Thomson's Seasons," with ber, and M. Bouilly paid the tribute of ad- Metrical Notes to each line, to regulate the miration and regret justly due to the me- enunciation, as in his "Introduction to English mory of the author of Euphrosyne. Every Composition and Elocution.” countenance was suffused with tears. The remains of Méhul are deposited close to the tomb of Gretry. Who could better deserve so high an honour? We are very are sorry to turn from this subject to one of equal internal disgrace. There was a riot in St. Paul's Cathedral, on Wednesday, in consequence of the multitude assembled to hear the service and music in memory of our departed The coming season promises to be one which will afford rich sources of entertainPrincess, which, through some neglect, ment to the Literary and Fashionable World. were not read and performed. As the Among the more prominent works which persons had paid their prices of admiswill appear almost immediately, we hear, DANGEROUS AMUSEMENTS. Our readers sion as to a theatre, they forgot themselves and the occasion so far as to resort sliding down eminences, constructed in pub- Necker; Memoirs of the Public and Private are acquainted with the Parisian rage for are, Madame de Stael's Memoirs of the Private Life of her Father, the celebrated M. to such modes of expressing their dis-lic gardens, and known by the names of pleasure as are usual in theatres. Va- Russian, and French Mountains, &c. It Life of Benjamin Franklin, written by himrious attempts were made by the Lord seems that a Madame Sauveur has met with self; Napoleon, his own Historian; Tales of Mayor and Sir William Curtis to recon- a serious accident in one of these exhibi-Wonder, of Humour, and of Sentiment, by Anne and Annabella Plumptre; Rome, Nacile them to their disappointment, and tions, for which she has brought an action prevail on them to depart in peace; Mountain Beaujon. of damages against the proprietor of the ples, and Florence, in 1817; Sketches of the Present State of Society and Manners, the but they refused to listen to this deAbout a quarter of a year ago the daily Arts, Literature, &c. of these celebrated Cicent advice, and for several hours the papers noticed the extraordinary circum-ties, with Anecdotes of their Inhabitants, place appointed for the worship of the stance of four children being born at one and of distinguished Visitors, British and Foreign. all-seeing God was a scene of uproar and birth, by Mrs. Rigby, the wife of Dr. Rigby, confusion. At last some sort of perform- of Norwich. All these infants are now dead; ances, (for they merit no other name) John, the first of the quadruple series, died were produced, and the crowd dispersed. days; and Caroline Susan, the last born, as on Monday fortnight, aged 11 weeks and 3 At Westminster, and even at Saint well as the latest survivor, on the Wednesday George's Chapel, Windsor, it is stated, following, at the age of 11 weeks and that money was taken for permission to days. The other two died before. enter. At all times we have considered Mr. THOMAS SHERIDAN, the only son of such fees as disgraceful to the church the late R. B. Sheridan by his first wife and country; but at this period, we the Cape of Good Hope, where he held the (Miss Linley) died on the 13th September at have no language to express the indig- appointment of colonial pay-master. He has nation and disgust with which the custom left a widow, originally a Miss Callender of of exacting them fills us. Not only Scotland. 5 The Journal des Savans, for November, contains reviews of the following works: Extract.-By M. Raynouard. Lord Holland's Life of Lopez de Vega. First M. Quatremère de Quincy on the Olympian Luca Holstenii Epistolæ, editæ à Fr. Bois- Saint-Prix.-History of the Maid of Orleans, J. Antonii de Restiis Carmina.—By M. Vanderbourg. OR Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Politics, &c. NO. XLV. REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS. AEROSTATION. SATURDAY, NOV. 29, 1817. Silent with upturned eyes unbreathing crowds fear, A Narrative of the Aerial Voyage of Mr. WINDHAM SAD- Watch, as it rises, the diminished sphere. -Now less and less-and now a speck is seen; LER, across the Irish Channel, from And now the fleeting rack obtrudes between. Portobello Barracks, in the neighbour-The calm philosopher in ether sails, hood of Dublin, on Tuesday, July 22d, 1817. To which is annexed, a Chart of the Channel, shewing his course and place of descent. Svo. pp. 25. Views broader stars and breathes in purer gales; shine; PRICE 1s. of the terrene were caught through the rolling masses of vapour, the reports of guns were heard, and the balloon now descending as rapidly as it had risen, a few minutes past 2 o'clock it was found to be perpendicular over the hill of Howth, so that very small progress indeed had been made during the forty-five minutes which had already elapsed. Not discouraged, Mr. S. threw out about 40lb. of ballast, again ascended, passed over Howth to the right of Ireland's Eye, and kept in the same direc reached a second current of air from the tion till 25 minutes after 2, when he W. N. W. and was borne, at within 14 minutes to 3, completely clear of the minutes to 3, completely clear of the eastern extremity of the hill. We now follow his own narrative: Sees at his feet the forky lightnings glow, We do not think this extraordinary And hears innocuous thunders roar below. voyage has received enough of public Inheriting, as it should seem, the cool attention. The renewal of the Habeas intrepidity of his father, and unmoved Corpus Suspension and other political by the perils of his preceding expedimatters, about the period it was perform-tion, Mr. Windham Sadler chose a more ed, were the wonders of the day; and auspicious season; and all the requisite an excursion singularly curious to science preparations being made, ascended from was passed over as silently and rapidly Portobello Barracks near Dublin, at 20 as the young ææronaut himself passed minutes past 1 o'clock p. m. on Tuesday over the Channel. We deem it worthy a the 22d of July last. The balloon, the My elevation was at this time about niche in our Temple. narrative says, was comparatively small, two miles and a half, the Thermometer standIt may be remembered that Mr. Sadler, but its specific dimensions are not men-veloped in a snow shower, the effect of which, ing at 38, when, on a sudden, I was ensenior, made a similar attempt in Octo- tioned. The design being to cross the as the sun-beam glanced on the descending ber, 1812; and though it was believed Channel as directly and quickly as pos-flakes, was brillant beyond description; it at the time he might have made the coast sible, it was prudently determined by the was, however, but of short duration, and of Cumberland or Scotland, yet in his æronaut to keep as entirely in the lower speedily clearing away, I again enjoyed a endeavour to steer a course for Lanca- regions of the air as he could, thereby serene atmosphere, and distinctly traced the shire, the winter night overtook him, and avoiding the loss of time in ascending towards Drogheda and Newry, and on the indented coast from the North of Dublin, having dropped into the sea, he was and descending, as well as the expendi-southward, that rounding from Bray Head providentially rescued by a fishing vessel ture of gas. The ascent was fine, with towards Wexford. from a watery grave. The narrative of a light wind from the W. S. W. which in In the midst, however, of the varied this bold adventure, published soon after, a few minutes raised the traveller to a and attractive prospect, none was more is extremely interesting, though written height, whence the glorious landscape anxiously looked for than the WELSH COAST, in a style of inflation, not out of unison below was visible in all the sublime the immediate object of my destination, and with a balloon story. It is perhaps the variety of land and sea, hill and valley, cations, as at five minutes past three, I caught at length this was added to my other gratififault of these narratives that they do not city and hamlet, together with winding the first glimpse of the lofty mountain tops enter sufficiently into the minute philoso- coast and promontories, and, in particu- of the PRINCIPALITY-my anxiety being rephical detail of natural appearances, and lar, the Wicklow mountains, forming al- moved, and my spirits raised by the view, I of the indications given by the instru- together a panorama, of the grandeur of now partook of some refreshment, and ments with which the car is furnished: which we may imagine something, but here, although at no very great altitude, that they are rather descriptive than must take an aerial voyage fully to com- perceived a phenomenon, which I had never scientific. It may indeed be fairly urged prehend. before observed, and which affected me even This was, however, but a in their defence, that the object of the glimpse: a congregation of vaporous that as the sun shone upon the car, the parts to a degree of extreme uneasiness, namely, attempts was not atmospheric or other clouds soon obscured the voyager from of my body immediately exposed to its inexperiments, but simply to try, by the every eye, and all the world from his fluence were warm, almost to oppression, use of gas and ballast, to fall in with, and while the extremities endured the contrary take advantage of currents of air, so skilsensation of the most rigorous cold. The fully as to be wafted to a proposed destithermometer, in the shade, stood at 37, but nation In the latter case this was fully exposed to the sun it rose to 75. accomplished, and its accomplishment forms an era in the annals of aerostation more surprising than that of de Rozier, which the poet so beautifully paints: So on the cloudless air the intrepid Gaul Launched the vast concave of his floating ball.notwithstanding this expedient, and he Journeying on high, the silken castle glides, Bright as a meteor through the azure tides; O'er towns, and towers, and temples, wins its way, Or mounts sublime and gilds the vault of day. eye. The sensation of cold on entering this speedily soared above the cloud, and the object of my destination full in view, my Having refreshed myself, and holding chief care was now to make the course as direct as possible, and for that purpose to keep the balloon steadily in the current of air which was rapidly wafting me to the coast of Wales, and that apparently to the southward of Holyhead; to effect this, I therefore frequently used the counteracting permitting small portions of the former to powers of the gas and ballast, at intervals escape, or casting over a part of the latter, |