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REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.

The Annual Biography and Obituary, for the year 1820.-Vol. IV.-London, 8vo. pp. 468.

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servant, he was accustomed to declare on honour, "that he was not the father."

vant, with but one eye, and apparently maimed
in other parts of his body, announced the name
of his visitor. I at first thought my con- On the left-hand side of the drawing-room
ductor might be an out-pensioner of the door was to be seen himself—a very old
that he was a victim, not to war, but to brown suit of coarse cloth, with immense
neighbouring hospital; but I soon learned and decrepid man, generally clothed in a
science, having been nearly destroyed in the large silver buttons awkwardly fastened to
service of his master. On announcing a the breast of his coat. He constantly wore
a small hat, both at home and abroad, and
message from a common friend, I was re-
ceived with open arms; and, from that ino-possessed both a white and a black beaver,
frequent inspection.
ment, all his treasures were subject to my the former of which was always selected for
great occasions. Sitting in an immense arm-
chair, lined with carpet; his body was me-
chanically placed in a reclining position, ap-
proaching nearly to the horizontal. This was
effected by invariably reposing his legs and
and feet on a Roman Triclinium, which he
ancients ought to have known something of
valued greatly. According to him,
health and comfort after a civilization of so
many centuries! while, as to us, so lately
barbarians, we had not been above a thou-
sand years out of the woods.”

We can so entirely appreciate the difficulties attendant upon editing this annual volume, that it affords us more than ordinary pleasure to notice how very ably they have been, in general, As he was sometimes shy of strangers, surmounted. When the only sources of many applied to me for an introduction; intelligence are loose rumour, or the and, among others, I had the pleasure to partial report of friends, it is no easy carry to Lindsay-Row some gentlemen bematter to steer in the mid-channel of longing to the British Museum. They were truth, between the barren coast on one collection of shells; and on our retiring, we chiefly desirous to see and examine the fine hand, and the flowing current on the took a turn on Battersea-Bridge, where, on other. In the work before us there is, my demanding their value, they agreed, at least, an evident desire to do this; "that in time of peace, and under favouraand, in the desire itself, lies its accom-ble circumstances, they might sell for 9000 plishment to a considerable extent. pounds or guineas." The memoirs of Admiral Sir R. Calder,

It was not difficult to discover Mr. Jennings was a good Latin scholar, and in his collection he possessed fine copies of all the classics; some of these, indeed, were magnificent, both as to printing and binding He himself was generally accustomed to read those in usum Delphini.

Although his house commanded a fine

"the

This venerable figure, with a sharp and croaking voice, saluted the visitor, whom Alderman Combe, Sir R. Musgrave, the he recognised by means of a mirror, and to whom he scarcely deigned to turn his head. Irish political writer, John Palmer, He appeared to sit enthroned in all the maEsq. the inventor of the mail-coach jesty of Vertù, amidst his books, his picsystem, Patrick Brydone the traveller, tures, and his shells; and never willingly G. W. Meadley, Mrs. Billington, Col. arose, but to gratify himself and his guest, Tatham the Anglo-American projec by exhibiting some or all of these. Among tor, Sir P. Francis, Major Scott War-view of the river, he never once deigned to his portraits he had a Mary Queen of Scots, ing, Dr. Wolcot, the eccentric H. C. would have been difficult, if not impossible, ever been suffered to retouch it since finished. look at the charming prospect. Indeed it and he boasted that no profane pencil had Jennings, Professor Playfair, J. Watt, had he been inclined to regale his eye with A painter, however, showed me where it and Aaron Graham, Esq. are severally such a noble object, for his windows were had been evidently mended; and on this, as given in an agreeable, and, as far as so dirty as to bid defiance to all distinct vi- on many other occasions, Mr. Jennings was practicable, an impartial manner. Hav- sion; and indeed they seemed to realise the most assuredly the dupe of the dealers. ing ourselves previously obtained bi-poetic idea of "darkness visible." This The picture of the children of Charles I. ographies of some of these parties for mansion, which had been formerly the resi- (Charles II. and James II &c.), with a fine the Literary Gazette, and, in so doing, school-fellow at Westminster, was occupied valued by him, as unique: the original, dence of the Earl of Buckinghamshire, his large mastiff in front, was much praised and consulted the best authorities to which in the following manner :-In the front par- however, is at Windsor Castle. A landwe could have access, we are the better lour was an immense Arctic Bear, of a scape, with a rainbow, and some good fienabled to speak to the diligence and skill white colour, ani, if I recollect aright, agures in the foreground, was estimated by of the Editor of the Obituary. In some winged animal, greatly decayed, which might its owner sometimes at 2000., sometimes at instances, Mrs. Billington, for example, once have been an eagle. The garden, 3000/., according to the state of his purse, he does not tell us all the truth; but, either before or behind, bore no marks of on account of the shepherds, which were upon the whole, his views are not in- the spade, the rake, or the pruning-knife; said to have been painted by Rubens. It the very walls appeared in a state of com- was knocked down, at the sale, as well as I accurate, though possibly they do not plete ruin; the shrubs were allowed to grow can recollect, for 401. There was a picture go far beneath the surface. The ac-wildly luxuriant; while the labours of man by a young but celebrated Italian artist, of a count of Mr. Jennings being most ori- never seemed to have been applied to the de- Venus awaiting the arrival of Mars, surginal, we shall quote from it, as a spe- serted mould, which was covered with a yel-rounded by Cupids blowing conchs and playcimen. The latter years of the life of lowish moss, and exhibited every mark of ing on warlike instruments. This he once this singular person are thus described: promised to a gentleman, who had underIn the rear were the offices of all kinds, taken to consume his body to ashes, by From this time, but few particulars of his and from the kitchen sallied forth, at the means of fire, and deposit the remains in a life are known to me, until he settled at approach of a stranger, his housekeeper, a sepulchral urn. Chelsea, where I first became known to him. married woman of about thirty years of age, The shells, which must be allowed to This was about the year 1803, at which pe-accompanied by a number of ragged chil- have exhibited a most superb assemblage, nod he must have been near 72 years of age.dren, of whom, as if anxious for the cha-were chiefly arranged in mahogany cabinets, On presenting thyself at his door, a man ser-racter of her who at last became his only with a sliding glass top to every separate box VOL. IV.

desolation.

and appearance.

To procure some of these he had made im- | to harden into, and assume its present form
mense sacrifices, both in respect to the mode
of obtaining the money and the sum actually
paid. They were placed in due series, so as
to exhibit every possible size, froin early
youth to extreme old age, on the part of the
animals inhabiting them. In one, which he
highly prized, the volute happened to be in-
verted. To the formation of others some
obstruction had been given, and a new pro-
cess, and sometimes new colours were recur-
red to. On asking him one day what had
been the maximum price, he placed three in
my hand, for which he had given 907. to the
daughters of a late celebrated physician;
and one alone, his many-ridged harp, cost

him 1207.

Mr. Jennings valued himself greatly on his Venus's slipper, for which he had paid 607., and I deemed it exquisite till I beheld one in the botanic garden at Paris. It had been obtained during the expedition in search of D'Entrecasteaux, and was presented to Josephine. It is unique of its kind.

46

wounds in his leg. He was accustomed to boast, "that notwithstanding this mishap, with his usual punctuality, he kept an engagement to dinner that very day."

66

The exhibition always very properly closed with a view of its chief ornament. This was the figure, or rather the bust of a goddess In respect to exercise, he was not only a in bronze; but as the materials were said to great advocate for it, but he practised it to a consist of gold, silver, tin, &c. the appella-degree scarcely credible for upwards of half tion, perhaps, of "Corinthian brass," would a century. He possessed a long and ponbe rather more correct and appropriate. derous wooden instrument, capped with lead This ever had been, and still was with him, at both ends, in the management of which an object of high esteem, approaching, in- he was such an adept, that he boasted of deed, to adoration. He permitted none but having disarmed the best "small-swordsman those he termed " presentable people" to in Italy ;" and even now, give him but fair gaze on it; he, himself, approached the iron play, he would not be afraid of five or six chest, in which his divinity was enshrined, English housebreakers." Every night, bewith an apparent degree of awe, and after fore bed-time, as has been already hinted, he brandishing the key in a peculiar manner, exercised himself with this formidable weaAmong his other treasures, our virtuoso applied it to the lock with a certain degree pon, until he acquired a comfortable warmth, possessed two specimens of the Gambero of reverence. On being questioned as to the which enabled him to retire to rest with a genica, an indifferent one of which was dis-name of the artist, Praxiteles" was uni- nial glow. In the morning, according to posed of for 451. at the Duchess of Port-formly honoured with mention; and the his own account, he got up between seven land's sale. date of between three and four thousand and eight o'clock; and, in his own express years, assigned as the epoch of execution, words, flourished his broad-sword exactly or rather of creation. I had almost omitted 300 times; I then," adds he, "mount my to mention, that Mr. Jennings valued him-chaise-horse, composed of leather, and inself greatly on the possession of one other flated with wind like a pair of bellows, on article: this was the rouge box of the un- which I take exactly 1000 gallops!" He fortunate Marie Antoinette, queen of France. then retired to enjoy what always appeared The inside was intirely of gold, and the ver- to me to be a most miserable and uncommilion or fard appeared to have been put fortable breakfast. on by means of a camel's-hair pencil, with a handle of the same metal. The royal arms of France were designated on the rich cover, the whole forming a square of the ordinary After a scanty dinner, which shall be dessize of a snuff-box. Of the originality of this cribed hereafter, for our antiquary seldom article, there can be no manner of doubt; walked out for exercise, he still retained and, to enhance the interest of the spectator, possession of his arm-chair and his triclinium, its delighted owner was always accustomed and folding the purple mantle of dyed flanto conclude by observing, "that it had been nel over his legs and feet, took a nap, which taken out of her Majesty's pocket imme-he termed his ciesto, a custom he had first diately after her head was cut off by the been taught to indulge in during his residence executioner." in Italy. After this, either his books or his cabinets, occupied his attention until night. At all times of the day, however, he might be occasionally seen adjusting, arranging, and placing his shells in due order; but his choicest and most grateful employment was to clean, purify, and polish them, on their first arrival from their respective countries. He himself, in former times, has not unfrequently gone on board East and West Indiamen, for the purpose of buying these and other rare productions, exactly in the state in which they were torn from their native beds. Of late years, however, he was obliged to purchase at second-hand, and an enhanced value, from the dealers.

After admiring these, you were ushered by the happy owner into an anti-room, but not until he had carefully locked his cabinets and his door.

You were finally admitted into the sanctum sanctorum, through a passage, to the right of which were carelessly piled up a valuable collection of English, French, and Latin books. Their appearance and value wonderfully contrasted with the slovenly manner in which they were thrown together. Of most the leaves were gilded; others exhibited the finest specimens of binding, Mr. Jennings wished always to be partiboth British and German; while many in cularly exact as to the measurement of milk-white vellum covers, would have dig-time, and in the course of his life had a senified the principal shelves of the amateurs. The apartment to which this led was no other than his own chamber, the bed in which exhibited the most dreary and comfortless appearance; in short, it would have chilled the blood of any but a regular antiquary, who slept here, surrounded by the rarest, choicest, and most precious objects of his ambition.

ries of chronometers constructed for him by
the most eminent watchmakers of the day.
His last was at least equal to any of the for-
mer, in point of workmanship, although
perhaps inferior as to price, being inclosed in
silver instead of gold cases.

But he valued himself still more on an ap-
pendage to it. This was a seal very plainly,
but handsomely set, which he bought at Na-
ples for a single Paul (a pontifical sixpence).
bore the consular insignia, with this singu-
lar motto:

"CASSIUS IMPERATOR

LIBERTATE LANGUESCENTE.”

He was pleased to consider this as a real antique, engraved in the camp, with a diamond, and without the aid of a wheel, little before the fatal battle of Philippi.

Here, besides some pictures, &c. was an immense Beryl, which, as he frankly own-It ed to me, in his own emphatic language, "he had often pawned for 3007." was an object of considerable curiosity. Perhaps within a foot of this rare gem was deposited, what he was pleased to term his antediluvian pig. This was a concave segment of a stone of considerable magnitude and ponderosity, formerly appertaining to the collection of Sir Ashton Lever. It appeared treous, and represented, as through a glass, the bowels, fat, and even the bristles of a porker, in the most natural order possible; and with a verisimilitude, that could not fail to strike, and to amuse the most careless observer. According to his theory, it was a production evidently anterior to the flood of Noah, and had taken some thousand years

Our VIRTUOSO addicted himself at one period to chemistry, and was accustomed to make experiments in his laboratory, until he had nearly become a victim to his love of science. On one of these occasions, like Dr. Watson, Bishop of Landaff, while professor at Cambridge, he was actually blown up! His valet, who acted as an assistant, and to whom reference has been already made, lost an eye, and he himself received several

After this meal, he employed himself, when no sale of curiosities was expected in town, chiefly in reading.

I have beheld him, with a green baize apron before and a wet towel in his hand, enjoying the most exquisite delight, after contemplating these in" the rough," apaplying his brushes to every part, with an unwonted display of vigour. A preparation of spirit of sea-salt having almost instantaneously produced a gentle effervescence, the outward surface began to disappear. Here all the skill of the shell-fancier was displayed; for if the ley happened to be too strong, the precious specimens might be damaged, perhaps ruined; and if not sufficiently pow erful, the operation proved ineffectual.

:

Next comes the polish and what were his dear delights," when the colours began

to brighten;-when the exact form, and between the parties afterwards ensued; and tion is not likely to diminish the repushape, and size, were disclosed;-and above the mother of love being seized in execution, tation of the fair author; for though all, when any adventitious circumstance hap- was actually sold for a vile price, in the pened to heighten the value of the acquisi-presence of the indignant legatee. tion! At length, the pearl-lined Nautilus, the radiant Buccinella, or the superb Terebra, appeared in all its meridian splendour, and the connoisseur, who had found these ugly and hideous objects but an hour before, was now almost ready to fall down and worship them, after the sudden and brilliant change effected by the magic of his own workmanship.

His goddess has been already mentioned, but it remains to be told, that for the first six months after obtaining possession of such a prize, she was constantly seated, during dinner, at the head of his table, with two footmen, in laced liveries, behind; while the most costly viands were placed in succession before her, by way of oblation to her im

mortal charms!

Bench, and the narrative thus con-
He died in the rules of the King's
cludes-

we cannot say that it is distinguished by any of the higher and most striking attributes of poetry, it is sufficiently raised above the mass of ordinary didactic pretensions, by a sweetness of versification, a purity of thought, and a piety of sentiment, which recommend it to our warmest regard. Every work tending to promote the cause of morality Mr. Jennings had a great attachment to wax candles, which proceeded partly from Hemans' muse, even did she breathe less and true religion, ought in these days to be welcomed with kindness; and Mrs. foreign travel, and partly from frequenting genteel houses in the early period of his life. The fate of Mr. Jennings has been emi- of gelus, should be cherished for her In 1808, he laid in a supply to the amount nently singular, and the flux and reflux, the beaty and virtue. We select a few of 217.; partly because the maker, who, according to him, excelled in this manufacture, ever-varying ebbs and flows of his fortune passages to illustrate the subject, which might either die or become a bankrupt; and appear so strange as to be almost paradoxi- generally sets the inestimable value of cal. At an early period of life we behold a faith in hereafter, against the fear, partly with a view to prevent trouble, he thought they might last long enough to him mingling in the crowd of wealthy pil-misgivings, and dreadful doubts of burn an old man out of this world" In or-tury ago, to pay their devotions at the shrine grims who repaired to Italy about half a cen- scepticism. der to enable him to consume the last half-of taste and vertu. He returned at length, inch of the wick, and prevent the least par-like old Tradescant, with shells, statues, ticle of the wax from being wasted, he made minerals, gems, and the finest specimens of use of a silver save-all: this consisted of a natural history in his train. ane Queen Anne's half-crown piece, in excellent preservation. A Queen Anne's farthing, which is infinitely more valuable, or even an Otho, would have been used on a similar occasion, had it been deemed more convenient for the purposes of economy this, like the rod of Aaron, swallowed up all other competitors.

86

as

After keeping company with foreign first nobility in his native country, and then, princes and princesses he associates with the by a fatal reverse, spends some years of his life, partly within the walls of a provincial, and partly of a town goal. Recovering as if by magic, from his embarrassments, we next behold him emerging above the horizon of After noticing many of Mr. J.'s ec- distress, and throwing away a second fortune centricities, the memoir saysat Newmarket, where he became the dupe of Death usually puts a conclusion to all sin-titled and untitled jockeys. gularities; yet in his case, he determined to prove singular even then. Abhorring the idea of his corpse being consigned to the cold earth, he resolved to have recourse to the ancient rite of cremation. This was a circumstance so generally known, that his neighbours supposed he had an oven within his house, for the express purpose of reducing his body to ashes.

Having pitched upon a gentleman in the vicinity, he frankly opened his mind to him; and demanded if he had courage enough, despising all vulgar prejudice, to stand by and see his body publicly consumed by fire? “Yes,” replied his neighbour, "I will burn your corpse on the centre arch of Battersea bridge, if you so desire; and that, too, in

But thou! whose thoughts have no blest home

above,

Captive of earth! and canst thou dare to love?

To nurse such feelings as delight to rest,
Within that hallow'd shrine-a parent's breast,

To fix each hope, concentrate every tie,
Yet mock the faith that points to worlds of light,
On one frail idol,- destined but to die.
Where sever'd souls, made perfect, re-unite?
Then tremble! cling to every passing joy,
Twin'd with the life a moment may destroy!
If there be sorrow in a parting tear,
Still let "for ever" vibrate on thine ear!
If some bright hour on rapture's wing hath flown
Find more than anguish in the thought-tis
gone!

Sudden and inevitable ruin now seems to Thou canst not lose its melody, and live; Go to a voice such magic influence give, overtake him, and he is apparently lost for And make an eye the lode star of thy soul, ever; but lo! in the course of a very short And let a glance the springs of thought controul; period, he once more revisits the circles of Gaze on a mortal form with fond delight, fashion, and sits enthroned in a temple, sur-Till the fair vision mingles with thy sight: rounded by the most rare and brilliant pro- There seek thy blessings, there repose thy trust, ductions of nature, with pictures, and sta- Lean on the willow, idolize the dust! tues, and gems, and shells, and books, and Then, when thy treasure best repays thy care, goddesses, perpetually before his eyes! Think on that dread “for ever”—and despair! Again the scene changes: the wand of Oh! what is nature's strength? the vacant eye, some envious necromancer seems to be wa- By mind deserted, hath a dread reply! ved over his venerable head; and the acqui-The wild delirious laughter of despair, sitions of ages, the wreck of his estates, every thing most precious in his eyes; his very" household goods," are all seized by the unholy hands of vile bailiffs: and he himself, after languishing for two or three years

The mirth of frenzy-seek an answer there!
Turn not away, tho' pity's cheek grow pale,
They tell thee, reason, wandering from the ray
Of Faith, the blazing pillar of her way,
In the mid-darkness of the stormy wave,

Close not thine ear against their awful tale.

spight and in sight of all the proprietors." in a prison, at length dies unheeded, unat-Forsook the struggling soul she could not save!

tended, and almost unknown, within the
purlieus of the King's Bench.

The Sceptic; a Poem. By Mrs Hemans.

London, 1820. 8vo. pp. 38.

How is that possible?" demanded Mr. Jennings. "Nothing more easy," rejoined the other, "it is only placing your corpse in a car, dressed in a pitched shirt, and surrounded by combustibles-I myself shall apply the match soon after the body leaves the place of your present abode, and when you arrive mid-way, between the two tollhouses, I intend to pull out the linch-pins. You can then consume at leisure, and with-ration of the Works of Art to Italy," out danger, notwithstanding it is a wooden bridge."

This whimsical proposition was instantly agreed to in the presence of myself, and his Venus was to be the reward. But a coolness

Weep not, sad moralist! o'er desert plains,
Strew'd with the wrecks of grandeur-mould-
ering fanes

And regal cities, now the serpent's own:
Arches of triumph, long with weeds o'ergrown,

Earth has more awful ruins one lost mind, Whose star is quench'd, bath lessons for manOf this lady's poetical talents the kind, public has several proofs before it. Her Of deeper import than cach prostrate dome, Tales and Historic Poems," " Resto-Mingling its marble with the dust of Rome.

"Modern Greece," and "Wallace's
Invocation to Bruce," have been more
or less approved by criticism and the
voice of fame. The present produc-

He that hath beheld

The parting spirit, by its fears ropell'd,
Cling in weak terror, to its earthly chain,
He that hath seen the last convulsive throe
Dissolve the union form'd and clos'd in woe,

And from the dizzy brink recoil, in vain;