There can be no doubt that Messina was a town in the time of the Siculi, or most ancient inhabitants of the island; though Thucydides observes, that its first Grecian occupants were pirates who lived on the Italian shore of Campania, principally in the city of Cuma, and derived their origin from emigrant colonists from Chalcis in the Eubean state.'

Its situation, so convenient to commerce, and the fertility of its vicinity, soon rendered it flourishing: but these advantages only served to tempt the cupidity, and to facilitate the approach of invaders.'

In some respects Messina is a place of more consequence than Palermo, not only from its most excellent harbour, but also from its very considerable trade, chiefly consisting in silk, oil, fruit, corn, and wine.'

This city suffered most severely from an earthquake in the year 1783, the effects of which it has not yet recovered.—

It is proper to notice, however, that in many parts of the city only the upper stories were thrown down, whilst the lower ones remaining afforded a safe shelter to numbers towards the close of this awful visitation, who had learned experience from the first shocks; for then many who remained in the houses, as well as those who flew into the streets, being killed by the fall of the buildings, the survivors sought and found shelter under the door and window frames, their situation thus placing them out of the range of the falling materials.'

Most of the new-erected houses possess a smaller elevation than their predecessors, the architects having learned wisdom from experience; yet still, from their elegance, they may be said to resemble palaces. Great attention has also been paid to the strength of these modern edifices, being raised on arches throughout the whole of the ground floors, whilst these vaults, being distinct from the dwellings, are generally occupied as shops.'

Mr. Brydone long since apprized the public that the Gulf of Charybdis had degenerated as much in terrific grandeur from its Odyssean character, as the feeble mortals of the present day from the heroes of the Homeric age. Mr. Thompson bears similar testimony, and observes that Charybdis is marked only by a rippling on the water, which is seldom of consequence, except when the wind and the current are adverse to each other. The population of Messina has been greatly over-rated, and does not in his opinion exceed 30,000. Proceeding southward to the base of Ætna, and the city of Catania, the traveller passes through a less hilly tract than is common in Sicily, a plain being a sight of rare occurrence in this picturesque island. The torrents in the way are numerous; and Mr. T. stood in need of all the delight which is afforded by classical recollections, to enable him to keep up his spirits in the midst of bad weather. In passing the river Cantara, at a short distance. from the base of Etna, the eye is struck by the discovery of a distinct boundary to the progress of the matter thrown out from

the

the volcano; the side of the river nearest to Etna being formed of lava, while the other consists of marble and calcareous subAfter having made his way through huge masses of lava, the traveller reaches the beautiful city of Catania, where he finds the only University in the island, together with many traces of the town as it stood in the time of the Romans, which have been discovered by digging through the lava that covers the surface:

The whole of these ruins are rich in marbles, and afford much entertainment to the passing stranger; who will also be pleased with much of the modern architecture, particularly the churches, amongst which the Cathedral is extremely large, and no less beautiful, crowned with an elegant cupola of large dimensions.

This place is considered, upon the whole, as one of the most agreeable for residence in Sicily. Wine is excellent: the town itself clean and regular; and the buildings handsome, many of them magnificent. The country round it is beautiful, and nothing can exceed the scenery of the plain of Catania, bounded by Mount Etna and the sea.

The Sicilians are much attached to this mountain, and with great reason it produces them every necessary and every luxury of life; and without the inexhaustible supply of snow obtained from its sum. mit, how would the Sicilians exist during the heats of summer?'—

The summit of Mount Etna is throughout the whole year covered with snow. The heat in Sicily is never greater than in the months of June and July, yet the atmosphere on the top of this mountain is even then like winter. Immense quantities of snow lay frozen around, and on approaching the summit, the ascent is so steep that the traveller is obliged to dismount from his mule, and get up as well as he can: on getting nearer, a strong smell of sulphur is perceived. The opening of the crater is very large, and is composed of pieces of lava piled one on the other. For some time before the tourist can reach the highest part of the mountain, the smoke rises from the ground under his feet, and he hears a great noise, resembling distant thunder.

The view from hence is said to be sublime: the eye takes in the whole of Sicily, like a panorama: the straits that divide Sicily and Calabria appear like a small stream of water: the islands that surround Sicily seem to be at a very small distance, whilst around, on every side, is the unlimited prospect of the ocean.'

The variety of climate afforded by the elevation of Ætna enables the inhabitants to combine, within a comparatively small space, the fruits of the temperate and those of the torrid zone. The Palm-tree is found to produce and bring to maturity the Date; and even Cinnamon and Coffee-trees are said to have occurred here, growing in a wild state. The havock, -occasioned by the eruption of lava is, in some measure, compensated by the wonderful preservation in which this solid covering has kept the monuments of antiquity; so that many of the paintings taken from the ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii have their colours as bright as if they had been newly executed,

executed. It is amusing to find that the dress of the females in these pictures is exactly similar to the mode Grecque of the present day; a proof of the accuracy with which our ladies of fashion have copied the models of antiquity.

Mr. Thompson's book joins to its local observations a considerable portion of political and statistical remark: but, in noticing the author's indulgence towards others, we must add that he cannot be said, like Bonaparte's General, Lefebvre, to be sevère sur lui même, since he has taken very little trouble in arranging his materials, or in correcting his composition, After a rather full account of the harbour of Messina, he comes gravely forwards (p. 219.) with a paragraph commencing, Messina is a sea-port; his memory is so treacherous with regard to the studies of his youth, as to allow him to write on all occasions Dyonisius instead of Dionysius; and his style throughout is that of a familiar letter to a friend, colloquially easy, and occasionally incorrect. These and other inaccuracies form material drawbacks on the value of a sketch which, short as it is, possesses a claim to attention in the modesty and candour of its author.-The volume has the addition of a map and several views, of which the most striking represents the city and harbour of Messina.

ART. VII. The Speech of Mr. Johnstone, on the third Reading of the Bill for preventing the Gold Coin of the Realm from being paid or accepted for a greater Value than the current Value of such Coin; commonly called Lord Stanhope's Bill; delivered 19th July 1811. 8vo. pp. 111. Booker..

ART. VIII, A Review of the Controversy respecting the high Price of Bullion, and the State of our Currency. 8vo. pp. 119. 38. Budd. ART. IX. The Lack of Gold, or an Inquiry into the State of the Paper Currency of England, under the Operation of Lord Stanhope's Act. 8vo. pp. 48. 2s. Longman and Co. ART. X. Substance of a Speech made by Henry Parnell, Esq., 29th May 1811, in the Committee of the whole House of Commons, to which the Report of the Bullion Committee was referred. 8vo. pp. 60. 28. Budd.

ART. XI. The Depreciation of the Paper-currency of Great Britain proved. By the Earl of Lauderdale. 8vo. pp. 196. 6s. Longman and Co.

ART. XII. Farther Considerations on the State of the Currency: in which the Means of restoring our Circulation to a salutary State are fully explained, and the Injuries sustained by the public Treasury, as well as by the national Creditor, from our present pecuniary System, are minutely detailed. By the Earl of Lauderdale. 8vo. pp. 218. 6s. Longman and Co. 1813.; HE Bullion-question has been destined to exhibit a striking instance of the transient nature of the interest which is

TH

excited

excited by any particular discussion, in this age of revolutionary wonders. Three years ago, an acquaintance with this intricate subject, and the power of canvassing its leading arguments, were considered as a kind of necessary preliminary to the occupation of a place in a respectable circle: while the number of pamphlets published on it (little short of a hundred) gave ample evidence that the city, and the writingclasses, rivalled the parliamentary end of the town and the fashionable politician in eagerness of discussion. Yet this powerful impression has disappeared, at first before minor topics, and latterly before that which rises superior to all,—the decision of the fate of France and of Bonaparte. Among the many fortunate results of recent events, none is more cheering to the mind of the merchant or the political economist, than the prospect of redressing the inequality of our exchange, and the consequent disorder of our circulating medium; and we may now flatter ourselves with being enabled to suspend our sweeping disbursements on the Continent, and with retaining in Great Britain the metallic treasures which are imported from the other side of the Atlantic. We have accordingly been induced, by the approach of this much desired change, as well as by the merit of several tracts hitherto unnoticed by us, to dedicate another article to the merits of the Bullion-question: but, aware that its discussions are among the least inviting topics of periodical criticism, we shall endeavour to exhibit with brevity the substance of each pamphlet, and to confine our extracts from them to matters of permanent utility.

I. Of Mr. Johnstone's speech, if it be lawful to compare small things with great, we would say as Dr. Johnson said of Paradise Lost, that to be the best performance of its kind it wanted only to be the first. Mr. J. has shewn himself much better acquainted than most publishers of speeches, with the topics fit to be introduced or to be left out; and no person should be deterred from taking up this tract by an apprehension of dryness of detail or argument. The style of it is neat, and the materials are very judiciously selected. The Hon. Gentleman was connected in politics with Mr. Perceval, but had no hesitation in differing from him on this question, and in deprecating the expected measure of making bank-notes a legal tender. Recurring to the history of our paper-money, he recapitulates the act of 1775, which prohibited the circulation of notes under 51., and which remained in force till the stoppage of the Bank in 1797. He next mentions a circumstance less generally understood, viz. that every country-banker is bound by law to pay his notes in cash if demanded; and that any magistrate may, in case of a refusal, levy the amount at the end of a week by distress and sale of goods. It was on

the

the existence of this obligation, that Mr. J. built his hope of enforcing the return of cash-payments; and country-bankers having long enjoyed the benefit of a wide circulation, it was but fair, he observes, that they should submit to the loss attendant on its diminution. This, we admit, may be true: but, in saying it, Mr. J. was certainly not aware of the extent of commercial embarrassment which would have been produced by such a measure. To his other propositions, such as that of confining the future circulation of paper to notes of 151. and upwards in London, and of 10l. and upwards in the country, we have no hesitation in subscribing.

This speech is deserving of attention both for accurate statements, and for general reflections on the causes of the misfortunes of banks. How gradually, says Mr. J., do the necessities resulting from our own improvidence, and the difficulty of tracing back our steps, alter our opinions, and induce our assent to measures formerly regarded with the utmost reprobation! Too close a connection with and too liberal an advance to Government have uniformly first discredited and ultimately ruined most banks. Governments, in their dealings with banks, resemble that class of customers who, to pay one bill, demand permission to discount another. In France, depreciation was rapid because paper was issued as a capital for the war-expences; in England, slow, because it is issued only as the interest of that capital. At the time of the Suspension Act in 1797, the Bank-direction contained persons (Mr. Winthrop and others) who were brought up in the sober school of mercantile economy: they entertained no wild notions of extending trade by papercredit; and, foreseeing dangerous consequences, they solemnly protested against the proposed measures. The reasonableness of their apprehensions appeared by the proceedings of the year 1812; in which the Bank found it necessary to come forwards and purchase Exchequer bills to a large amount, for no other purpose than to prevent their depreciation. The history of our North American colonies, adds Mr. Johnstone, is full of instruction to us. After the substitution, above a century ago, of paper for specie in each of these states, the depreciation of the former speedily followed, and gradually proceeded in its course during thirty years; until Parliament. in 1764 passed an act to deprive it of its character of legal tender. Much mischief, however, had been done, and many contracts were eventually discharged with a much less value than had been contemplated on making the previous bargains. It is consolatory to find that the difficulty of exchanging this currency for specie was less serious than it was apprehended it would be; since in the short space of fourteen months, paper was almost entirely withdrawn and replaced by the precious metals.

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