litude was accidental. The world, however, has lately come to the more than suspicion, that manuscripts of authors, put into Mr. Murray's hands for publication, are shown to his contributing reviewers, and information (m) This is too serious a taken from them for the Quarterly. (m) The charge to be made except on late Captain Cochrane, the Siberian traveller, much better authority. There openly stated his ill-usage in this was nothing in the case of Buckingham v. Bankes which it did not become undeniable. until the case proved this fact, though the of " Buckingham v. Bankes," when this cuscircumstance alluded to was tom received open confirmation. The knowcertainly highly disgraceful to ledge of these doings on the part of Mr. Murray.-ED.

way;

but

Milman's publisher, naturally gave a suspicion that the charge of plagiarism might be founded on truth; and it was unfortunate that it seemed to render stronger the suspicion against Mr. Milman. We believe Mr. Mil(n) There was no occasion man's assertion of his innocence sincerely.(n) for Mr. Milman's assertion; Incidental resemblances are too often charged for the resemblances were only in the brain of Mr. Glover. as copies from the works of others. Original

F.D.

ideas are few. There are a thousand modes of telling the same things; and the greater or less skill displayed in putting them into form, constitutes, after all, the scale of literary merit.

"Henderson's Biblical Researches, and Travels in Russia, &c. by the Chevalier de Gamba form the cue for the third dissertation this number. In this paper—Mr. Barrow's, we presume-there is nothing remarkable. "Lord Fanny might spin a hundred such a-day." There are sneers at the late (0) The late excellent Dr. excellent Dr. Clarke of Cambridge, (o) on Clarke of Cambridge was a account of his correct statements respecting man whom nobody entirely Russian civilization, and the same at Dr. believed, who knew him; not from any suspicion of a 'defi- Lyal's confirmation of them; while the unciency of moral worth on his lucky Gamba, as a matter of course, is not part, but from an awkward ac- to be credited. All he says is heresy; for he cident of temperament, which was French consul at Teflis!

through the medium of his

led him to view every thing Then comes the chapter on the "English imagination. A more un- Synonymes of Taylor and Crabb," which is happy character for a writer worth perusal. Under the mention of "Tooke's of travels cannot well be con- Diversions of Purley," a note is added about

ceived.-ED.

a castrated edition of that work-(we suppose a speculation of Mr. Murray's)-which is announced as " omitting every trait of personal virulence or political animosity." This is peculiarly graceful in the Quarterly, which might be subjected to the same operation with infinite advantage, both on the score of politics and economy in bulk, and consequently

price. A shilling's-worth of its paper and print would hold all the number contains worthy of perusal.

66

Byron's Voyage in the Blonde to the Sandwich Islands," and "Ellis's Account of Owyhee," follow. There is little in this review worthy notice. The "Blonde" article is a meagre review of a most meagre performance: but what more could Mr. Barrow make of it, or any one else? We are told nothing but what the newspapers told us long ago, except that Lord Byron was crowned by some of the savages with a garland-whether or not on the credit of his cousin's great poetical name, we are left in the dark; and also that he gave these islanders a scheme of a good and perfect government. This he glories in not being constitutional, like Bentham's (p)- --nor allowing, like our (p) What is the meaning own, a "liberal university" for "Christians of being constitutional, like Bentham's?-ED. and Pagans" united. It may be curious for the reader to know that this scheme is admirably simple, though purposely arranged under eight heads-for the profit of Owyhee advocates, we presume! The people are sworn to obey the king: property, save of rebels, is to be sacred, except what the king may fancy for his own use and dignity, and that of his establishment. The" king or regent," (for Lord Byron's admirable foresight extended to futurity,) with the consent of twelve of his courtiers, may put any one to death he alone can pardon; the people are to be free from any other chief. The establishment of taxation, an Owyhee customhouse, and a preventive service, closes this admirable system. Happy savages! A tyrant and council of twelve-property sacred from which publication the writer all robbers but the king-life at the mercy calls minor, but if he means of thirteen - taxation in its vilest shape! the Weekly Gazettes, his euWhy, by and by, these people will erect logy should make him blush. statues to Lord Byron, for this precious gift shown in these periodicals, The ignorance and incapacity of his legislative wisdom, and to the Quarterly are a disgrace to the public for its praises of it! Ellis's account of Owy- who supports them. We grant hee has been fully as well noticed in many of that their extracts are amusthe minor publications of the day; and this ing, but why not publish them is now frequently the case with the reviews of a review, since they have of many other works. (q) not the substance. A general

(q) We are not

aware

without the form and phrase

A review of" Missionaries' Registers" and judgment these writers are "Funeral Sermons on Calcutta Bishops," and even the task of choosing usually unqualified to give, we shall not go into; it contains, however, a extracts might be in better biographical notice of that amiable and ac- hands.—ED.

is a most interesting sketch of

the state and character of

sess.

should have had some in

(r) This article, into which complished man (r) the late Reverend Reour correspondent will not go, ginald Heber, bishop of Calcutta. We shall the labours of Heber in India. not analyze the next paper, which is a noHis letters there quoted are, tice of " Snodgrass's Burmese War," got up without exception, the most to justify Lord Amherst and the Indian valuable morceaus relative to Government for entering into a contest, in British India which we pos- which discipline and courage were employed The loss to England, in in combatting unworthy enemies; (8) thouHeber, is great, were it for sands and tens of thousands of brave lives this one thing alone, that we wasted, and millions of money consumed, to formation communicated to an extent, which the more than Spanish system the world which might have of secresy in India affairs will prevent the been relied on, not only for its present age or history from ever knowing; clearness, but for its unbiassed while a useless territory has been added to the Company's overgrown possessions. Thus, (s) The writer here shows by avoiding concentration, their means of that he is totally ignorant of the Burmese war. The article in defence are weakened, and their finances burthe Quarterly was got up for thened; hastening the time when their debt no such reason as he sup- must be shouldered upon the groaning people poses. It was got up be of England. With the reviewer, all this is, cause Mr. Murray published Major Snodgrass's book, and of course, the result of sound policy and inbecause it afforded materials finite wisdom.`

truth.-ED.

ment is a very close and work

for an abridgment of curiosity An essay on "Historical Romance," and interest. This abridg- comes after Snodgrass. It professes to review manlike performance, done, as twenty volumes of Sir Walter Scott's novels, we should think, by one of six of those of Mr. Horace Smith, and Mr. the regular hands of the Quar- Coleridge's partial translation' of " Wal

of decision. It had become

terly. Our correspondent lenstein."* What an "intolerable quantity rashly blames the Indian go- of sack" to the crumb of musty bread, which vernment for going to warit is one of those shallow ac- is its accompaniment. Twenty-six volumes, cusations that one often hears and a play cast in to make measure! Really from fast and frothy talkers in Falstaff himself was not so intolerably greedy society, whose declamations are always despised, perhaps, of his potations as thou art, Mr. Editor of the except by the ignorant. Whe- Quarterly! This is, no doubt, written by ther war could ever have been the grand bashaw himself: it is the experiprevented by the Indian go- mentum crucis on his powers, and, we think, vernment, is a point difficult well worthy the attention of the public, as it inevitable long before Lord shows of what flights he is capable, what Amherst was called upon to critical acumen he possesses, how judicious declare it. The writer talks and experienced he is in his vocation; how thousands of brave lives being opinions and accomplishments, to obscure of admirably calculated he is, by his literary the fact that the amount of even the memory of the whole army that was sent Cerberus who preceded him. to invade the Burmese empire, It has been whispered that Sir Walter reckoning reinforcements and additional levies, did not alto- Scott is the author of this article, because it gether equal ten thousand men. Was given out, as already hinted (perhaps for The number when dead, we Mr. Murray's trade objects), that he occa

about "thousands and tens of

wasted:" he is little aware of

the Literary

*For our opinion of this * A very excellent and perfect translation of this very excellent and perfect" piece of Schiller's has just appeared in Edinburgh, piece of translation, see our anonymously.

Article on it in our last No.

querors.-ED.

He is too

(v) There never was any

sionally writes in the Quarterly. (t) No presume, did not exceed the one ought to credit such a report. To re- number when alive, to say view his own works, to praise himself, and nothing of the surviving conshow jealousy of writers who make no pretence of rivalship, to attack them with cold sneers, surd and malevolent.—ED. (t) This is all mightily aband unjust aspersions of their talents, because the public has chosen to take off three editions of their works, is an offence of which Sir Walter Scott never could be guilty. (u) The (u) Sir Walter's fault lies over-officious and injudicious zeal of his son- the other way. in-law, has thus far injured him, even by the fond of praising. The compliment to the author of rumour, if any thing can operate to do this Brambletye House" at the with so great and good a man. But, in end of the preface to Woodtruth, the cribbed, mean, narrow spirit of stock was sickening.-Ed. jealously which this article exhibits, must make him condemn such zeal in toto. Sir Walter is a kind man, and has acquired too much fame and respect to be hurt by the literary labours of any who may choose to follow in the track of historical novel writing, which his transcendent abilities first opened to the world, and which one man is as free to do as another. We, therefore, do not believe one word of Sir Walter's authorship of this paper. (v) In respect to the editor of the Quarterly, standing as he does in relation such rumour.—E». to the great novelist, and possessing no more talents nor better judgment than we give him credit for, it is probable he may have thought by this article to make the review of service in a family sense, by preventing the circulation of books which, in his contracted ideas, he deems the fee-simple of his house. But the meridian glory of Sir Walter Scott's literary career can receive no aid from the feeble ray reflected by his son-in-law's microcosmic talents in or out of the Quarterly. As well might a rush-light be held up in a summer's day to assist the noon-tide splendour. We, moreover, believe Sir Walter Scott no adorer of the puling of Wordsworth, in "Peter Bell," nor likely to degrade Milton by any sympathy with the poetical green-sickness of the lake school. this article begins by the exaltation of Wordsworth with Milton, and a comparison between the two poets-between "Jove's eagle and a gander," as we have before said. Long ago would Mr. Wordsworth have been forgotten, but for the incessant puffing of his literary disciples in ode, elegy, review, and ballad. Still, as in free-masonry, none but

Yet

the initiated understand; the world is not yet enlightened enough to comprehend what of Wordsworth is not incomprehensible. Wordsworth's books are never bought or read. "Well," say his disciples, "it was the same with Milton." But there were but four millions of people in England in Milton's time, and little public education; yet thirteen hundred copies of " Paradise Lost" sold in two years. The population has increased to fourteen millions, and every one reads: yet who have purchased thirteen hundred copies of "The Excursion" in any ten years! Then the obscurity of Wordsworth is compared to the sublimity of Milton, by his votaries; and if his forty unreadable pages in "The Excursion" for one readable, are mentioned "Oh! it is the same in "Paradise Lost!"

Shakspeare-as before, in the review of "Milman's-Anna Boleyn "-is again brought forward for comparison and dissertatiou. He is the editor's Gunter for gauging every depth of power, poetical, dramatic, or metaphysical. Numerous pages are consumed to show the resemblance between Shakspeare's and Sir Walter's genius; not very intelligibly done, and sufficiently self-opinionated. Then there is a comparison between Sir Walter and Schiller, in Quentin Durward and Wallenstein, with copious extracts from Mr. Coleridge's trans(w) Ignorance truly ridi- lation of an imperfect copy of that tragedy.(w) culous. Mr. Coleridge's trans- The reader is told a vast deal of what he lation was from a prompter's knew already; and the object of all is to copy; and the alterations afterwards made by Schiller, make a shew of proving what all know not to are unimportant, and do not be true-that there is no falling off in the weigh one moment against later novels of Sir Walter Scott,-that Quenthe excellence of the old tin Durward is as good as Waverley, and

translation.-ED.

Woodstock better. But we will not go onattributing, in charity, to a blundering feeling of serving objects at home not literary, this jumble of Scott, Shakspear, Schiller, Coleridge, Smith, and the editor, and to prove that none but Sir Walter has a right to attempt historical novel writing; and, finally, that Mr. Smith is an ass. If this display of the preceding four writers, and, above all, the exquisite tact, judgment, and experience of this Mr. Gibson Lockhart (the reputed editor of the Quarterly) do not completely put him down, he must have more than common powers of buoyancy! How dares Mr. Smith attempt that which the afore