acting. He mentioned to us a few months since, that he had material in his mind and memoranda, for extending this sketch into a work of 500 octavo pages. It is deeply to be regretted that he died without fulfilling his design. All that he did he gave us ; and we intend, when we can, to lay it before our readers in a translation.

In private life, the habits of Talma were altogether domestic. He was never so happy as when he had the day to himself, disencumbered of visitors, by whom he was sometimes sadly persecuted. We have heard him say, with a momentary impatience, when one after another gossipping idler has been announced, "Il y a des jours maudits"-"There are days with a curse set upon them." But he instantly gave way, mastered his impatience, and gave himself up freely whereon he could be useful. His easiness of disposition made some consider him as weak. But he was too well aware of the strength of his own character ta waste it upon ordinary occasions, and he never put it forth but when he could do so to some purpose. He saw too far to let trifles operate upon him as they do on ordinary minds; and would even sometimes allow persons to imagine they were controlling him, merely not to deny their vanity a gratification which he well knew could do him no harm. His pervading characteristic was a spirit of benevolence, and he did not care for his own indulgence when, by resigning it, he could give pleasure to others.

A disposition of this sort, however, is very apt to become its own victim. So it was with Talma and we fear through some of the ties he formed, he got to be less his own master than a more stirring and positive person would have been. When we first knew him, he had but recently formed the liason which was in existence when he died. It was but once interrupted, but by a strong appeal to his feelings presently renewed. In its early stages he still saw his wife, and was on very friendly terms with her. She lived in the same house, in a flat (as the Edinburgh folks would call it) under him, and he almost always took her opinion on matters of moment. After a lapse of years they ceased to meet, and other interests excluded her from his presence when he was dying. Madame Talma had celebrity on the stage when Talma himseff was scarcely known. She was highly celebrated in a French play written upon the subject, afterwards made a play of at Covent-garden, and called Richelieu; she performed a character similar to the Madame Dorival of that play; and the effect she produced was quite equal to some of the fine personations of Miss O'Neil. Her infidelity happened at a time when conjugal ties were laughed at in France, and Talma perhaps did not care much for an irregularity very national, and of which he himself is likely enough to have given the example. Madame Talma left the stage in 1811, having been received at the Theatre Français in 1786-a career of twenty-five years. In 1814. Talma always called his vice-wife by her own name; in 1826 he called her "my wife" and "Madame Talma," which shows the progress she must have made with him in the interim. It was said she was about to be a mother, not by him, when the connexion began. She had afterwards two children, both boys, who were acknowledged by Talma. He was very fond of them. There was some bustle in the beginning of this year at a school where they were, on account of the Archbishop of Paris refusing to bestow a prize they had earned at a public examination, because they were Talma's children. The third child to whom we have alluded, is a fine and lady-like girl, and was with her mother beneath the roof of Talma. The boys are exceedingly clever and genteel children. Talma has, besides, a daughter married, also the fruit of some unwedded love: she must now be near forty.

A knowledge of his disposition, of course, must have made him a subject of considerable family intrigue among those who were afraid of new intimacies interposing between him and them. He allowed the battles to go on quietly, heard every thing every body had to say, and pursued his own course, without quarrelling with any one for not thinking it the right one.

Of late years, his mind was entirely absorbed in a passion for building. He had a beautiful country seat near at Brunoi, about sixteen miles from Paris; and for some time this was his hobby. Every season he made some alteration in it; one wing would be removed, and while a new one was erecting, the one which remained would come down. We were once praising some part of his country house. "When did you see it?" "It is two years since." “Oh, then, nothing remains of what you praise. It is never two years the same." Here he had extensive grounds, and suites of apartments for numerous visitors. He used to pass all the time he could spare from business here, and for many years only kept an apartment in Paris, whither he went twice, or sometimes oftener, a week, to perform.

Within the last five years he took a piece of ground at the back of the Rue St. Lazare, in La Rue de la Tour des Dames. Mademoiselle Mars, Mademoiselle Duchesnois, Horace Vernet, and some others, clubbed with him to make a very little town of their own there, which they called La Nouvelle Athénes. Nearly all the houses of the street are occupied by distinguished artists. They are generally built upon the models of their occupant. That of Talma was his passion. He had furnished and arranged it beautifully. His classical taste was to be seen in every part of it. He had fitted up a room splendidly, after antique models, and called it his Roman room. The bed in the chamber where we last saw him was draperied à l'antique. He was stretched ont in great pain, but pleasant and full of chat. He said his disease was inflammation of the stomach and bowels. The bulk of the conversation fell upon the idea of an English theatre in Paris. He was of opinion it never could succeed to an extent sufficient to pay that first-rate talent, without which it would not only fail, but encourage disrespectful notions of English dramatic genius. This unceremonious mode of reception he used with all his friends. Indeed, to dress or use any sort of etiquette perplexed him. He never was so happy as when undisturbed by strangers and in his dressing-gown. He would sit so, when he could, all day; but business often hurried him out about twelve, and he usually rose early. He never dined when he acted; but took something light at an early hour. After he had been playing, his dressing-room was the resort of the beaux esprits. We have seen ladies as well as gentlemen there, while he was disrobing, which he would do and talk the while, and was then always in his pleasantest moods. When told he had acted well, he would often say, and with perfect naïvette and no touch of vanity, "You think so?-Yes. You are right." We once introduced a party to his room after a remarkably fine performance of Sylla. A lady who had been unusually intent upon the acting, gazing at him and drawing in her breath, unconsciously exclamied, "Eh bien, Monsieur! Vous voilà donc abdiqué!" "So, Sir, you then have abdicated!" He said it was the highest compliment he could receive.

His income, though, we think we heard him say, about 5,000l. (country engagements included), was inadequate to support the numerous claims upon it. His building mania was a very impoverishing one; and we fear he did not die rich. When seized with his last illness, he was perplexed with pecuniary engagements, which he found it difficult to fulfil at the moment; and the consciousness could not have diminished a disease of that nature. When his wife attempted to see him on his death-bed, her anxiety may not have been reduced by a wish to set him easy on that score: her companion had bequeathed her his whole fortune. Madame Talma, however, not disconcerted in her plans by the denial of an interview (not, we are persuaded, on the part of Talma himself), immediately gave public notice of her resolution to provide for his children.

If

TALES OF TRAVELLERS.-Men not merely illiterate and unscientific, but apparently devoid of the use of reason, and the faculty of observation, have accidentally beheld in their rapid journeys some few of those animals called apes. They have mingled in their accounts the credulity of the natives of those countries where they are indigenous with their own fantasies and falsehoods. Thus we have descriptions of men with long tails, covered with yellowish hair, navigating the ocean in boats, and bartering parrots in exchange for iron. Others have discovered long-armed men, covered also with hair, traversing the country by night, robbing without discrimination, and speaking a hissing language peculiar to themselves and unintelligible to us. Bontius, a grave physician, gives us a laboured description of a female ape, and adorns the object of his admiration with all the modesty and virtue of the sex. these animals do not speak, it is only through discretion, and from a well-grounded fear of being forced to labour, should they be foolish enough to display the full extent of their capacity. Gassendi assures us that the ape called Barris is a miracle of judgment that when he is once drest, he walks upright ever after, and that he learns to play on the flute and guitar with the utmost facility. Maupertuis would prefer a few hours conversation with the men with tails to the intercourse of the most brilliant wits of Europe. Even Linnæus presents us with a homotroglodytes who shares with us in all the boasted privileges of humanity, and will one day wrest from our monopolizing hands the empire of the world.-Griffith's Translation of Cuvier's Animal Kingdom.

PRICES OF SHARES IN THE PRINCIPAL CANALS, DOCKS,
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The First Part of a Series of One Hundred and Ten Engravings, in line, from Drawings,by Baron Taylor, of Views in Spain, Portugal, and on the Coast of Africa, from Tangiers to Tetuan, will appear in December, and be continued regularly every two months. Besides a letter-press description to accompany each plate, the Tour in the order of the Author's journey, commencing at the Pyrenees, will be inserted in the last two numbers. It may be anticipated, that countries presenting such rich scenery, and abounding with monuments of Greeks, Romans, Moors, and Arabs, will furnish to the engraver the finest opportunity for the display of his talent: and when the names of G. Cooke, Goodall, Le Reux, John Pye, Robert Wallis, and others are announced as having already engraved upwards of fifty snbjects, the public may look with confidence for the completion of a work of art, highly worthy of patronage. It is not a little flattering to the English artist, that although the drawings are from the pencil of a French nobleman, and the proprietors are French gentlemen, they have confided the whole to engravers in England. The size of the work is arranged, so as to class with Captain Batty's works of Scenery in Hanover, Saxony, and on the Rhine.

The friends of Anti-Slavery will be happy to hear that a work is in the press, by the Consistency;" Perseverance," &c., entitled, "The System; a Tale in the West Indies."

author of "6

Original Tales for Infant Minds; designed as a Companion to Original Poems. Le Petite Tyro, or Juvenile Guide to the Piano-forte, containing the First Principles of Music, arranged on an entire new plan, blending theory with practice. Composed, selected, and designed by a Member of the Royal Society of Musicians.

Mr. William Carey has nearly ready for publication, "Some Memoirs of the Progress and Patronage of the Fine Arts in England and Ireland, in the Reign of George II., George III., and his present Majesty, with Anecdotes of Lord de Tabley, and other Patrons of the British School, including Critical Observations on the Style of many eminent Painters and Sculptors."

A Guide to the Study of History, by Isaac Taylor, Jun., author of "Elements of Thought, or First Lessons in the Knowledge of the Mind."

Selections from the works of Bishop Hopkins, in one volume, by the Rev. Dr. Wilson, editor of Selections from the works of Leighton and Owen.

The Child's Scripture Examiner and Assistant, Part IV., or Questions on the Gospel according to the Acts, with practical and explanatory Observations suited to the capacities of Children, by J. G. Fuller.

A new Edition (materially improved, and with additions) of Albert's Elements of Useful Knowledge.

The Female Missionary Advocate: a poem.

The Chronicles of London Bridge, which have been so long in preparation, are now announced to be published in the course of next month. This work will comprise a complete History of that ancient edifice, from its earliest mention in the English Annals, down to the commencement of the new Structure in 1825; of the laying the first stone of which, the only circumstantial and accurate account will be subjoined; and its illustrations will consist of Fifty-five highly finished Engravings on Wood, by the first artists.

A new Novel, by a Lady of hign Rank in the fashionable World, is in the press, entitled, "Almacks," in which the secrets of that mysterious Aristocracy, whose powerful influence has been so universally felt, will be fully laid open in Sketches, which will be immediately recognised as taken from the Life.

The author of "The English in Italy," who still resides abroad, has transmitted to the press a new work, entitled "Historiettes, or Tales of Continental Life;" in which his powerful delineations take a wider range than in his former work, commencing with some singularly romantic adventures, with which he chose to connect himself in Switzerland. It may be expected in about a fortnight. Truckleborough Hall. 3 vols. post 8vo.

A Plain Statement, by a Member of Parliament to his Constituents. By Lord Nugent. 8vo.

Personal Narrative of a Journey from India to England, by the Hon. George Keppel. With plates.

A second edition of a Tour through the Island of Jamaica, by Cynric R. Williams. A Sequel to the Novel of " Truth" is in the Press.

Mr. John Carne, Author of "Letters from the East," has a new book of Travels in the Press..

The Author of Waverley's Life of Napoleon will not, it is said, be published before February.

The forthcoming Volumes of Autobiography will contain the chivalrous Lives of Lord Herbert of Cherburg, and Prince Eugene of Savoy; and Kotzebue's Account of his varied and interesting History.

WORKS LATELY PUBLISHED.

A Second series of Tales by the O'Hara Family; comprising the Nowlans, and Peter of the Castle. Three Vols. Post 8vo. Price 31s. 6d.

Bayle's Historical and Critical Dictionary Abridged. Vol. 3, small 8vo. Price 8s. The Tor Hill. By the Author of Brambletye House. 3 Vols. post 8vo. Price 30s. Hypocrisy, a Satire; and other Poems. By John Mortimer. 8vo. Price 3s. 6d. Almack's, a Novel, 3 Vols. Post 8vo.

Recollections of the Life of John O'Keeffe. 2 Vols. 8vo.

A Second Edition of Captain Head's Rough Notes, taken in the Andes, &c.

The Heart; with Odes and other Poems. By Percy Rolle. Foolscap, 8vo.

Part. I of a Dictionary of Anatomy and Physiology. By Henry William Dewhurst, Surgeon. 8vo. 5s. 6d.

Rosaline Woodbridge, a Novel. 3 Vols., Crown 8vo.

Letter from Lord John Russell to Viscount Althorp, on reviving the former's Resolutions against Bribery, 8vo.

A Letter to James Humphreys, Esq. on his Proposal to Repeal the Laws of Real Property, and substitute a new Code. By Edward B. Sugden, Esq. 8vo.

Lectures on Astronomy; illustrated by the Astronomicon, or a Series of Moveable Diagrams. By W. H. Prior.

A Letter to the Protestants of England, on the Unjust Surcharge to which their Estates are made liable, by the Law intending to Relieve Roman Catholics of the Double Land Tax. By William Blount, Esq. 8vo.

Autobiography, Vol. 6; containing the Journal of George Whitefield, and the Life of James Ferguson. 18mo., 3s. 6d. with Portraits.

Autobiography, Vol. 7; containing the Lives of Mrs. Robinson and Mrs. Clarke. 18mo. 3s. 6d.

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(From October 24, to December 24, 1826.)