the

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*

heart, and is able to protect Afghanistan | and, but for the admirable tact of the chief himself, from the feeble Persians, though he may consequences might have been disagreeable. be exposed to some danger from Runject Sing and his gallant Sikhs. Our readers will probably agree with us when they read the following interesting narrative of his conversation.

go

"We left him at midnight, quite charmed with our reception, and the accomplished address and manners of Dost Mohammed Khan.”—Burnes, vol. i. p. 139.

second interview.

with him; and the doctor, being convalescent, ac"As the chief desired, I passed another evening companied me; Mr. Wolff had proceeded on his journey to India. Dost Mahommed Khan pleased us as much as ever; he kept us till long past midnight, and gave us a full insight into the political affairs of his country, and the unfortunate differences that exist between him and his brothers. He ex

would accept his services as an auxiliary to root him
out; but I replied, that he was our friend. He then
promised me the command of his army, if I would
remain with him; an offer which he afterwards re-
peated. Twelve thousand horse and twenty guns
shall be at your disposal.' When he found that I
could not accept the honor, he requested me to send
164.
some friend to be his generalissimo."-Burnes, vol.

Nor had our traveller less reason to be "He rose on our entrance (Lieutenant Burnes pleased with this intelligent ruler at a was accompanied by the celebrated missionary Mr. Wolff,) saluted us in the Persian fashion, and then desired us to be seated on a velvet carpet near himself. He assured us that we were welcome to his country; and, though he had seen few of us, he respected our nation and character. To this I replied as civilly as I could, praising the equity of his vernment, and the protection which he extended to the traveller and the merchant. When we sat down, we found our party consist of six or eight native gentlemen and three sons of the chief. We occupied a small but neat apartment, which had no other furni-pressed hopes of being able to restore the monarchy, evinced a cordial hatred towards Runjeet Sing, and ture than the carpet. The conversation of the eve-seemed anxious to know if the British Government ning was varied, and embraced such a number of topics, that I find it difficult to detail them; such was the knowledge, intelligence, and curiosity that the chief displayed. He was anxious to know the state of Europe, the number of kings, the terms on which they lived with one another; and, since it appeared that their territories were adjacent, how they existed without destroying each other. I named the different nations, sketched out their relative power, and informed him, that our advancement in civilization did no more exempt us from war and quarrels The historian, the antiquarian, and the than his own country; that we viewed each other's acts with jealousy, and endeavored to maintain a lover of classical learning, have in Burnes's balance of power, to prevent one king from over- delightful work the best account that has turning another. Of this, however, there were, added, various instances in European history; and yet been given of Alexander's route the chief himself had heard of Napoleon. He next through the provinces of the Indus, and requested me to inform him of the revenues of Eng- the impress which his mighty mind has land; how they were collected; how the laws were stamped upon remote Asia: in the same enacted; and what were the productions of the soil. pages alone can they find accurate inforHe perfectly comprehended our constitution from a won mation respecting the Bactrian kingdom, brief explanation; and said there was nothing wonderful in our universal success, since the only reve- where Greek civilization flourished like nue which we drew from the people was to defray an exotic, brilliant during a brief existthe debts and expenses of the state. Your wealth, ence, and then lost for ever. From these then,' added he, must come from India.' I assured him that the revenues of that country were spent in volumes the statesman will best learn the it; that the sole benefits derived from its possession policy of those countries that border on consisted in its being an outlet to our commerce; our dominions in India, and see whether and that the only wealth sent to the mother country they can be established as bulwarks consisted of a few hundred thousand pounds, and the fortunes taken away by the servants of the governagainst aggressive ambition, or whether ment. I never met an Asiatic who credited this fact they are to be dreaded as future agents in before. Dost Mahommed Khan observed, that this our expulsion from Hindústan. The mersatisfactorily accounts for the subjection of India. chant will consult the work to learn by You have left much of its wealth to the native princes; you have not had to encounter their de- what means the new commercial routes spair, and you are just in your courts.' He inquired here developed may be turned to advaninto the state of the Mahommedan principalities in tage; the general reader will delight in India, and as to the exact power of Runjeet Sing, the novelty of countries previously unexfor sparing whose country he gave us no credit. plored, and races hitherto unknown; while "Dost Mahommed Khan then turned to Mr. the philosopher will rejoice in witnessing Wolff for an explanation of his history; and, as he the devotion of great energies to a great was aware of that gentleman's vocation, he had assembled among the party several Mahommedan purpose. It is impossible, we think, for doctors, who were prepared to dispute on points of any reader to rise from the perusal of religion. Since I stood as Mr. Wolff's interpreter, Mr. Burnes's interesting volumes without I might proceed to make mention of the various ar- the strongest impression of his accuracy guments which were adduced on either side; but I of observation, patient inquiry, close addo not anticipate what the reverend gentleman will, no doubt, give to the world. As is usual on such herence to truth, and abstinence from subjects, the one party failed to convince the other; mere speculation.

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Should trade be established on the In- | by danger or difficulty; and it is singular dus, it will be necessary to conciliate the that two such richly endowed travellers favor of the Afghans; and it is gratifying should at the same time have been engaged to learn that they are less prejudiced in exploring Asia. against Christians than most Mohammedan nations.

But on this subject we cannot venture
to expatiate; it would lead us too far from
our proper purpose, of showing the great
importance of endeavoring to open a trade
with Bokhara, and turning the vast mass
of information collected by Lieutenant
This
Burnes to some practical account.
we deem may be done, nay, more, we

“The people seemed too busy in the exercise of
religious and worldly matters to mind us, and as
yet we had not experienced the slightest incivility
from any person in the country, though we strolled
about everywhere. They do not appear to have the
smallest prejudice against a Christian, and I had never
heard from their lips the name of dog or infidel, which
figures so prominently in the works of many travel-believe, must be done.
lers. Every country has its customs,' is a proverb
among them; and the Afghan Mohammedans seem
to pay a respect to Christians which they deny to their
Hindoo fellow-citizens. Us they call people of the
book,' while they consider them benighted and with-
out a prophet."-Burnes, vol. i. p. 123.

The following account of the general character of the Afghan character is on the whole favorable.

In expressing an earnest anxiety for the opening of a trade between Central Asia and the northern provinces of British India, we by no means regard the benefits that will result to British commerce as the only, or even the most important, consideration that merits our regard. We deem that the extension of such a commerce would greatly raise the social and

"The language of the Afghans is Persian, but it is not the smooth and elegant tongue of Iran. Poosh-political condition of the natives of Hintoo is the dialect of the common people, but some of the higher classes cannot even speak it. The Afghans are a nation of children: in their quarrels they night, and become friends without any ceremony. They cannot conceal their feelings from one another, and a person with any discrimination may at all times pierce their designs. If they themselves are to be believed, their ruling vice is envy, which besets even the nearest and dearest relations. No people are more incapable of managing an intrigue. I was particularly struck with their idleness; they seem to sit listlessly for the whole day, staring at each other. How they live it would be difficult to discover, yet they dress well, and are healthy and happy. I imbibed a very favorable impression of their national character."-Burnes, vol. i.

We shall not accompany Lieutenant Burnes in his visit to the court of Lahore, 28 in our recent review of Jacquemont's Letters from India we entered at large into the subject of the constitution of the Sikhs, and the character of their able sovereign, Runjeet Sing. A translation of Jacque mont's interesting correspondence, enriched with some additional letters addressed to influential British noblemen and gentlemen, which were unknown to the French editor, has just appeared, and we really. know not a more interesting and curious illustration of national character than the "alike but different" accounts which the Briton and the Frenchman give of the court of Lahore. Jacquemont's dash of lively enthusiasm, his characteristic mixture of the frivolous and the serious, his

rapid arrival at conclusions without taking any particular notice of the premises, contrast strangely and strongly with the cautious investigation, cool reasoning, and plain common sense of Burnes. In both are exhibited a daring spirit of enterprise, a zeal for knowledge not to be conquered

dustan, and our duties as well as our inter-
ests imperatively demand that we should
neglect nothing which may tend to produce
such a desirable change. There is no
getting over the proof of our indifference
exhibited by the glaring fact, that our
government has not even yet constructed
one good road through its extensive terri-
tories. The rule of Baber and his de-
scendants has left the marks of its brilliant
existence in noble causeways, caravanse-
rais, and public edifices; but were we
driven from India to-morrow, what similar
structures would preserve the memory of
our sway? The past is dark, but the
future is bright with hope, and we trust
that soon it will be impossible to say, that
the only benefit the English have conferred
on India is to have enabled Sultan Mah-
moud's owl to make up his complement of
ruined villages:

"pudet hæc opprobria nobis
Et dici potuisse, et non potuisse refelli."

ART. IV.--1. Sammlung Architectonischer
Entwurfe, &c. Von Leo von Klenze.
(Collection of Architectural Designs,
&c. By Leo von Klenze.) Gr. folio.
München. 1832, &c.

2.

Versuch einer Darstellung des jetzigen Zustandes der Baukunst. Von C. A. Menzel. (Essay on the Present State of Architecture. By C. A. Menzel.) Berlin. 1832. 8vo.

LITTLE more than half a century ago,

1

German literature was hardly known in caprices of the former style, this is, perthis country, even by name. Since that haps, not very surprising, although it is period matters are very much altered; for equally obvious that it has prevented Italy although the bulk of the English public from maintaining her former rank. She are still but little acquainted with that has stood nearly still while others have literature, and least of all with the most advanced-advanced, perhaps, with the valuable part of it, even the readers of our greater freedom and eagerness from being penny periodicals are aware of its exist unencumbered with the trammels of former ence. There are, however, even yet, not dignity, and consequently the more at libera few who are altogether ignorant of what ty to push directly forward to the goal. has been achieved by Germany in the A long-established, or we might say, an province of art. Without taking any inveterate reputation, is not overthrown great credit to ourselves for the prophecy, all at once. Those who pin their faith we may venture to predict, that for its pro- upon traditionary report, and who impliductions in architecture alone, that country citly adopt the opinions so generally curwill, at no great distance of time, claim rent some hundred years ago, and perthe attention of travelling students quite vading the criticism of that period, may, as much as Italy itself. It cannot, indeed, from not having considered this change of like Italy, boast of the remains of Roman circumstances, be somewhat staggered at art and magnificence; but it possesses our presumption in saying any thing that monuments in the Gothic style, which, of can tend to bring Italian architecture into themselves, would amply repay the labor of accurate investigation; and in addition to these, it now offers some of the most finished and classical structures of modern times-structures certainly no less worthy the architect's study than the most vaunt ed works of the cinquecento school beyond the Alps. Honestly speaking, they are even more so, being not only more pure in taste, but likewise better adapted to the actual wants of society. The superiority which Italy so long maintained in all matters of taste, had in it more of the relative than the positive. Her influence was in proportion to the deficiency of her neighbors; and men would as soon have dared to call in question the supreme authority of the pope himself some few centuries earlier, as to throw a doubt upon the talents of a Michael Angelo, a Palladio, or a Bernini, at the time their fame awed the world. Athens and Agrigentum, Postum and Pompeii, have since shaken our faith, and we have now discovered, not only that the Grecian orders are quite different things from those of Vignola, but that the genius of Grecian architecture altogether has very few points of resemblance indeed with the classical Italian style we have alluded to. Since the fresh impulse and new direction which have been given to the art by the discovery of forgotten or long-buried authorities, architecture has done comparatively very little in Italy, and in what it has done, it has evidently manifested quite as much hankering after its former tastes, as feeling for the genuine beauties and true relish of antiquity. Considering how very strongly opposed the refined yet severe charms of the latter are to the prettinesses, the puerilities and the

discredit; or, as is more likely, instead of suffering their previous opinions to be disturbed, they will boldly appeal from us to their own favorite authorities. We have the comfort, however, of not standing alone, for although many deem it becoming to speak of the Palladian school with respect, if not with reverence, there are others, and not a few, both in this country and elsewhere, who, far from participating in the blind worship and admiration of Palladio and his works, or making allowance for his faults on the score of the time when he lived and his want of better guides, go the length of condemning his system in toto. Foremost among these is Mr. Hosking, the author of a treatise in the new edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, which has since been published separately, and which, being an elementary work, is likely to make almost as many proselytes as it may have readers. There are, besides, certain indications of a more liberal spirit of criticism in matters of architectural taste growing up among us; and some contend that we ought not to be influenced by any authority; nay, one writer has lately asserted that our admiration of antiquity savors of bigotry, and that it would have been better that the temples of Greece had long ago perished, if the study of them is to supercede all invention on our part, and to hem in art with impassable boundaries. It must be admitted, indeed,

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* Liberal as their opinions in the abstract may be, it must be confessed that some of the parties to whom wards Mr. Wilkins. Almost in the very same breath we here allude have not practised much liberality tothat they deprecate a slavish imitation of Greek models, they carp at him because he has introduced both tional Gallery. At the same time too that they are arched gateways and domes in his model for the Na

that our affection for them has been too
much like the passion of the Moor, who
loved "not wisely, but too well," and that
while professing to reverence the example
of the ancients, we have in fact rarely, if
ever, practically adopted their principles.
We have looked at them after the same
fashion that a mere grammarian reads the
Greek poets: the spirit of their works is
with him a very secondary consideration;
what he chiefly perceives in them is articles
and aorists, peculiarities of construction is of no aesthetic value whatever.
and dialects, longs and shorts. In like man-
ner architects attach too much importance
to diameters, modules and minutes. It is
most probable that the proportions of many
of the most admired examples may have
been entirely accidental as far as regards
the authors of them, who conformed to a
certain type, modifying it as best accorded
with their fancy, or suited their particular
purpose. When the work was completed,
the measurements of every part might be
taken, and their relative proportions esti-
mated; but it is monstrous to suppose,
because some some one member may be
found either to exceed or to fall short of
the average standard, that this was done,
not for the sake of the effect, but to occa-
sion the arithmetical distinction. Those
who can believe such really to have been
the case will have no difficulty in per-
suading themselves that Homer scanned
every line of the Iliad upon his fingers,
that Virgil composed his works with the
help of a Gradus, and that Correggio de-
scribed the graceful outline of his figures
upon the principle of mathematical curves.

In what we have here said we have no
wish to throw any ridicule upon those
elementary and technical studies so indis-
pensable to the architect; at the same
time we cannot help saying that too much
There is little
stress is laid upon them.
cause for apprehension, now that they
are so greatly facilitated, lest they should
be disregarded; the real danger to the art
lies in quite the opposite direction-in
attaching too much importance to what

Hence

criticism has been rendered no less me-
chanical than the things on which it has
been exercised: people have been taught
by rule and by rote what it was lawful to
admire, and what it was incumbent on
them to condemn. Traditionary opinion,
again, has for the most part been as obsti-
nately adhered to as if either nothing had
since been learned, or all our subseqnent
study had proved quite fruitless. Yet,
supposing the attention bestowed by us
upon Greek architecture to have been to
any purpose at all, we must surely have
been convinced, ere this, that the doctrine
so long maintained in regard to propor-
tions ought to be discarded as untenable,
or, at least, requires to be amended and
remodelled. So greatly do the varieties
of the same order differ from each other,
that assuming, as some have done, pro-
portion to be the chief distinction be-
tween one order and another, and that
each admits of only certain specific pro-
portions, we must subdivide each class
Neither
into several subordinate ones.
is the difference observable in the Gre-
cian orders confined to that of proportion
alone, for hardly any one can help being
struck by the dissimilarity in other re-
spects between examples belonging to one
What great variety
and the same order.

thus rigorous in the cause of a living artist, they show themselves far more indulgent than is necessary towards a dead one, refusing to see any thing but unqualified beauty in St. Martin's church; or, at least, if they perceive any defects, they most carefully avoid of character, for instance, do we meet mentioning them. This is, to say the least, very unwith in the Ionic! It exhibits to us a regufair, since it shows they are rather influenced by enmity towards an individual, than solicitous either for lar gammut, ascending from the severest the purity of architecture or for truth. Or, allowing them to be sincere, of what value is their praise if they simplicity up to the most elaborate eleThere is another circumstance prove that they are blind to some of the most glaring gance. instances of bad taste? Is there any man, we ask, who too, in Grecian architecture, which, alif he could see the portico and the body of that church apart from each other, would ever imagine they were though it constitutes its prevailing charm intended to be united? Is there even the very slight-independently of all minor beauties, has est similarity of style or taste between the windows been overlooked, at any rate not suffiand the order? Those of St. Martin's workhouse have

just as much pretensions to the Corinthian character ciently dwelt upon by those who legislate as those of the church. Well! but the portico! True, for the art: we allude to that harmonious the portico itself is very fair, yet no absolute prodigy expression which pervades the whole of after all; and, as regards harmonizing with the rest of the structure, it might almost as well have been a structure, so that all the parts tend as it tacked to the workhouse itself. Although no very were to unite into one aggregate idea. great acumen has been displayed in the controversy Many modern edifices, on the contrary, against Mr. Wilkins, we are not sorry to find that any architectural question is capable of exciting so much and those by no means the least celebrainterest in the public mind; and we hope that the stir ted, seem, in comparison, to be built up made upon this occasion will induce many to give of fragments, beautiful, perhaps, in themmore attention to the subject, were it merely to pre-selves, but quite otherwise when regarded pare themselves better for any similar encounter."