tion of a torrent:

Each wave was crested with tawny foam, Like the mane of a chesnut steed,"

Lay of the last Minstrel,

is thus in part repeated,—
"She could see the crest of the torrent flung
loose down the rock like the mane of a wild
horse."-Heart of Midlothian.

"Thou to the winds, at that proud call,
Didst pour thine old majestic strains,
As when they fir'd, in bower and hall,

The hearts that were not born for chains.

And deeply yet that music thrills!

Yet lives there, in each pealing close,

With their pure streams of radiant snows
Some memory of th' eternal hills,
The hills, where freedom's shrine of old
High 'midst the storm dominion stood;
The streams, which, proudly as they roll'd,

The following image in the descrip-tronage of his Majesty, must not only
be a matter of congratulation to every
Cambrian, but to every one who feels
an interest in the literary history of his
country. Although little more than
twelve months have elapsed since the
formation or rather re-establishment
of the Cymmrodorion*, yet the time
has not been wholly occupied by mere
measures of regulation; several valu-
able books and MSS. have
collected, subscriptions to works tend-
ing to disseminate a knowledge of an-Oh! who shall view their haunts, and say
cient British literature have been ob-
tained, and a medal for the best Welsh
ode on the revival of the society, has
been awarded to one of the seven can-
didates who contested for it.

Passing over the similarity of description, we shall proceed to notice a few peculiarities of expression which are peculiar to both :

The word "peril" is continually used as a verb by both writers.

"Nor peril aught for meagen."

Lady of the Lake. "I peril'd thus the helpless child."

Lord of the Isles. ""Before that adventure be peril'd and won." Harold the Dauntless.

"Were the blood of all my ancestors in my veins, I would have peril'd it in this quarrel.' Waverley.

Abbot:

" "To avoid perilling what I prize so highly." Bride of Lammermoor. "The person of least consequence-were better perilled." "I were undeserving his grace, did I not Ivanhoe. peril it for his good." "You may peril your own soul, if you list." Kenilworth.

Another word of frequent occurrence in both writers, is despite.'

"Despite the uncertainty of my situation."

Rob Roy. "Despite the asseverations of Edie OchilAntiquary.

tree."

"Despite my Dutch education."

Guy Mannering.

"Despite thine arrows and thy bow."
Lay of the last Minstrel,

"Despite those titles, power, and pelf."'

Ibid.

We might pursue the subject much further, but what we have already quoted will suffice to shew the general character of the work, and the minute details to which the author extends his researches in support of his assumption. We have already stated that there is much ingenuity displayed in this essay, and we ought also to add, there is a good deal of silly trifling, and the whole work is much laboured, particularly when we consider it is only to prove a fact which is now scarcely questioned.

Bure to the deep heroic blood; beenThe snows, in their unstain'd array,

Bright o'er each eagle summit spread;

That inspiration thence hath filed?
It is not thus each mountain's brow
Bears record of undying names!
How shall your sons forget to glow,

Ye mighty! with your quenchless flames?
It is not thus !-in every glen

Of

The soil with noble dust is blent !

The land is one high monument!
fearless and of gifted men
And think ye not, her hills among,
That still their spirit brightly dwells?
Be thou immortal, soul of song!

By Deva's waves, in Snowdon's dells!

The Report contains an account of what has been done already, and what is still in contemplation, and it is enriched with a very able essay on the Antiquity of the Welsh Tongue,' from the elegant and classical pen of John Humphreys Parry, Esq. who, weYes! 'midst those haunts, in days gone by, believe, has been principally instrumental in establishing the institution. The length of this essay precludes our giving it insertion, and we will not injure it by an abridgment; we shall, therefore, quote some lines written by Mrs. Hemans, the author of the 'Sceptre,' and other poems, entitled—

THE WAKENING OF CAMBRIA,
Inscribed to the Cymmrodorion Society by Mrs.
Hemans, on her admission as an Honorary
Member of the Institution.

'It is a glorious hour to him

Who stands on Snowdon's monarch brow,
When twilight's lingering star grows dim,
And mists with morn's resplendence glow;
And, rolling swift before the breeze,

Unveil to his enraptur'd eye,
Girt with green isles and sparkling seas,

All Cambria's mountain majesty!
'But there hath been a mightier hour!
'Twas when her voice from silence broke,

And, as an eagle in its power,

The spirit of the land awoke!
From the far depths of ages gone,

From the low chambers of the dead,

It woke! and brightly moving on,

A sun-beam o'er the mountains spread.

And there were sounds, where'er it passed,
O'er Druid rock and Fairy dell,
Of song upon the rushing blast,

Of minstrelsy's triumphant swell!

With joyous music hail'd its way,
Ten thousand echoes from their caves

Report relative to the Views and Pro-While, as Eryri's torrent-waves
ceedings of the Cymmrodorion, or
Metropolitan Cambrian Institution,
established in May 1820. 8vo. pp.
62. London, 1821.

THAT a society established for the ex-
press purpose of preserving and illus-
trating the remains of ancient British
literature, and for promoting its pre-
sent cultivation,' should have been
established in London under the pa-

Burst, to prolong th' exulting lay.
And thou, O harp! to whose deep tone
Was given a power, in elder time,
A might, a magic all thine own,

The burning soul of Cambria's clime;
Thou, hallow'd thus by freedom's breath,
To guard her fastnesses on high,
With sounds, inspiring scorn of death,
Instinct with immortality:

* The word signifies Associates.'

The deep wind swell'd with prophet lore; Scenes mantled with sublimity,

Still are ye sacred, as of yore!

With our best wishes for the sne cess of an institution, laudable in its plan, and calculated to render no inconsiderable service to literature, we take our leave of the First Report of the Cymmroderion.

—— whose prolific quill Can every month, with ease, a volume fill.' The three volumes that have already been published, contain the works of Fielding and of Smollet, including, by the former, Joseph Andrews, Tom Jones, Amelia, and Jonathan Wild, which fill the first volume. The se cond and third are devoted to Smollet, and contain Roderick Random, Pere grine Pickle, Humphrey Clinker, Count Fathom, Sir Launcelot Greaves, and the translation of Don Quixote, The labours of the present very able editor, which add an increased value and interest even to works so decidedly popular, consist of biographical notices

and critical remarks; the former are habit of dexterity necessary for acquitting organs, and would exact from a theatrical brief anecdotal sketches of some of the himself with equal reputation in another, audience that exercise of the imagination most prominent features, or most strik- or as the artist, who has dedicated him- which is necessary to follow forth and emingly illustrative of the characters of self to the use of water-colours, is usually body circumstances neither spoken nor the individuals. Of the qualifications less distinguished by his skill in oil-paint-exhibited, there is an immediate failure, of the author of the Scottish novels, as ing. though it may be the failure of a man of It is the object of the novel-writer, to genius. Hence it follows, that though a a critic on hovel writing, no person place before the reader as full and accu- good acting play may be made by selectwill doubt; we shall, therefore, leave rate a representation of the events which ing a plot and characters from a novel, yet him in both cases to speak for himself. he relates, as can be done by the mere scarcely any effort of genius could render From the prefatory memoir to Fielding force of an excited imagination, without a play into a narrative romance. In the we quote the following extracts :— the assistance of material objects. His former case, the author has only to con'Fielding, the first of British novelists, sole appeal is made to the world of fancy tract the events within the space necessafor such be may surely be termed, has and of ideas, and in this consists his ry for representation, to chuse the most thus added his name to that of Le Sage strength and his weakness, his poverty and striking characters, and exhibit them in and others, who, eminent for fictitious his wealth. He cannot, like the painter, the most forcible contrast, discard from narration, have either altogether failed in present a visible and tangible representa- the dialogue whatever is redundant or tetheir dramatic attempts, or at least have tion of his towns and his woods, his palaces dious, and so dramatize the whole. But fallen far short of that degree of excel- and his castles; but, by awakening the we know not any effort of genius, which lence which might have been previously imagination of a congenial reader, he could successfully insert into a good play, augured of them. It is hard to fix upon places before his mind's eye, landscapes those accessaries of description and deliany plausible reason for a failure, which fairer than those of Claude, and wilder neation, which are necessary to dilate it has occured in too many instances to be than those of Salvator. He cannot, like into a readable novel. It may thus easily the operation of mere chance, especialiy the dramatist, present before our living be conceived, that he whose chief talent since, à priori, one would think the same eyes the heroes of former days, or the lies in addressing the imagination only, talents necessary for both walks of litera- beautiful creations of his own fancy, em- and whose style, therefore, must be exture. Force of character, strength of ex- bodied in the grace and majesty of Kem-panded and circumstantial, may fail in a pression, felicity of contrast and situation, ble or of Siddons; but he can teach his kind of composition where so much must a well-constructed plot, in which the de- reader to conjure up forms even more be left to the efforts of the actor, with his velopement is at once natural and unex- dignified and beautiful than theirs. The allies and assistants, the scene-painter and pected, and where the interest is kept uni- same difference follows him through property-man, and where every attempt formly alive, till summed up by the catas- every branch of his art. The author of a to interfere with their province, is an error trophe,-all these are requisites as essen- novel, in short, has neither stage nor unfavourable to the success of the piece. tial to the labour of the novelist, as to that scene-painter, nor company of comedians, Besides, it must farther be remembered, of the dramatist, and, indeed, appear to nor dresser, nor wardrobe,-words ap- that in fictitious narrative an author carries comprehend the sum of the qualities ne-plied with the best of his skill, must supon his manufacture alone, and upon his cessary to success in both departments.ply all that these bring to the assistance of own account; whereas, in dramatic writFielding's biographers have, in this parti- the dramatist. Action, and tone, and ges-ing, he enters into partnership with the cular instance, explained his lack of thea- ture, the smile of the lover, the frown of performers, and it is by their joint efforts trical success, as arising from the careless the tyrant, the grimace of the buffoon, that the piece is to succeed. Copartnery haste with which he huddled up his drama- all must be told, for nothing can be shewn.is called, by civilians, the mother of distic compositions; it being no uncommon Thus, the very dialogue becomes mixed cord; and how likely it is to prove so in thing with him to finish an act or two in a with the narration; for he must not only the present instance, may be illustrated morning, and to write out whole scenes tell what the characters actually said, in by reference to the admirable dialogue beupon the paper in which his favourite to- which his task is the same as that of the tween the player and poet in "Joseph bacco had been wrapped up. Negligence dramatic author, but must also describe Andrews," book iii. chap. 10. The poet of this kind will no doubt give rise to great the tone, the look, the gesture, with must either be contented to fail, or to inequalities in the productions of an au- which their speech was accompanied,make great condescensions to the expethor so careless of his reputation, but telling, in short, all which, in the drama, it rience, and pay much attention to the pewill scarcely account for an attribute becomes the province of the actor to ex- culiar qualifications, of those by whom something like dullness, which pervades press. It must, therefore, frequently his piece is to be represented. Fielding's plays, and which is rarely happen, that the author best qualified for who in a novel had only to fit sentiments, found in those works which a man of ge- a province, in which all depends on the action, and character, to ideal beings, is nius throws off at a heat,' to use Dry- communication of his own ideas and feel- now compelled to assume the much more den's expression, in prodigal self-reliance ings to the reader, without any interven- difficult task of adapting all these to real on his internal resources. Neither are we ing medium, may fall short of the skill ne-existing persons, who, unless their parts at all disposed to believe, that an au- cessary to adapt his compositions to the are exactly suited to their own taste and thor, so careless as Fielding, took much medium of the stage, where the very qua- their peculiar capacities, have, each in his more pains in labouring his novels, than lities most excellent in a novelist are outline, the means, and not unfrequently the in composing his plays; and we are, of place, and an impediment to success. therefore, compelled to seek some other Description and narration, which form and more general reason for the inferiority the very essence of the novel, must be of the latter. This may, perhaps, be very sparingly introduced into dramatic found in the nature of these two studies, composition, and scarce ever have a good which, intimately connected as they seem effect upon the stage. Mr. Puff, in The to be, are yet naturally distinct in some Critic, has the good sense to leave out very essential particulars; so much so as "all about gilding the eastern hemisto vindicate the general opinion, that he, phere;" and the very first thing which the who applies himself with eminent success players struck out of his memorable trato the one, becomes, in some degree, un-gedy, was the description of Queen Eliza-drews," Fielding had again recourse to

qualified for the other, like the artisan, who, by a particular turn for excellence -in one mechanical department, loses the

beth, her palfrey, and her side-saddle. The
drama speaks to the eye and ear; and
when it ceases to address these bodily

And he

inclination, to ruin the success of the play. Such are, amongst many others, the peculiar difficulties of the dramatic art, and they seem impediments which lie peculiarly in the way of the novelist who aspires to extend his sway over the stage.'

After noticing Fielding's dramatic pieces, Sir Walter gives the following anecdote:

After the publication of " Joseph Anthe stage, and brought out "The Wedding Day," which, though on the whole unsuccessful, produced him some small

profit. This was the last of his theatrical efforts which appeared during his life. The manuscript comedy of "The Fathers" was lost by Sir Charles Hanbury Williams, and, when recovered, was acted after the author's death for the benefit of his family. An anecdote respecting the carelessness with which Fielding regarded his theatrical fame, is thus given by for mer biographers :

he has presented, and sometimes under the author has substituted splendour of various points of view, the leading features colouring forsimplicity of outline Thus, of bis own character, without disguising of the inimitable sea-characters, Trunnion, the most unfavourable of them. Nay, Pips, and even Hatchway, border upon there is room to believe, that he rather caricature; but Lieutenant Bowling and exaggerated than softened that cynical Jack Rattlin are truth and nature itself. turn of temper, which was the principal The reason seems to be, that when an aufault of his disposition, and which engaged thor brings forth his first representation of him in so many quarrels. It is re- any class of characters, he seizes on the markable, that all his heroes, from Roder-leading and striking outlines, and, thereOn one of the days of its rehearsal, ick Random downward, possess a haughty, fore, in the second attempt of the same (i. e. the rehearsal of the "Wedding- fierce, irritability of disposition, until the kind, he is forced to make some distincDay,") Garrick, who performed a princi- same features appearsoftened, and render- tion, and either to invest his personage pal part, and who was even then a favour-ed venerable by age and philosophy, in with less obvious and ordinary traits of ite with the public, told Fielding, he was Matthew Bramble. The sports in which character, or to place him in a new and apprehensive that the audience would they most delight are those which are at- less natural light. Hence it would seem, make free with him in a particular pas- tended with disgrace, mental pain, and the difference in opinion which somesage, and remarked, that as a repulse bodily mischief to others; and their hu- times occurs betwixt the author and the might disconcert him during the remain-manity is never represented as interrupt- reader, respecting the comparative value der of the night, the passage should be ing the course of their frolics. We know of early and of subsequent publications. omitted," No; d-n'em," replied he, not that Smollett had any other marked The author naturally prefers that upon "if the scene is not a good one, let them failing, save that which he himself has so which he is conscious much more labour find that out." Accordingly, the play often and so liberally acknowleged. When has been bestowed, while the public often was brought out without alteration, and, unseduced by his satirical propensities, he remain constant to their first love, and as had been foreseen, marks of disappro- was kind, generous, and humane to prefer the facility and truth of the earlier bation appeared. Garrick, alarmed at others; bold, upright, and independent work to the more elaborate execution disthe hisses he had met with, retired into in his own character; stooping to no pa- played in those which follow it. But the green-room, where the author was so- tron, suing for no favour, but honest-though the simplicity of his predecessor lacing himself with a bottle of champain. ly and honourably maintaining himself on was not, and could not be, repeated in He had by this time drank pretty freely; his literary labours; when, if he was oc- Smollett's second novel, his powers are and, glancing his eye at the actor, while casionally employed in work which was so far from evincing any falling off, that clouds of tobacco issued from his mouth, beneath his talents, the disgrace must re-in Peregrine Pickle there is a much wider cried out, "What's the matter, Garrick? main with those who saved not such a ge- range of character and incident, than is what are they hissing now ?"—"Why the nius from the degrading drudgery of com- exhibited in Roderick Random, as well as scene that I begged you to retrench," re- piling and translating. He was a doting a more rich and brilliant display of the taplied the actor; " I knew it would not do; father and an affectionate husband; and lents and humour of the distinguished auand they have so frightened me, that I the warm zeal with which his memory was thor.' shall not be able to collect myself again cherished by his surviving friends, shewed the whole night."-" Oh ! d-m 'em," re- clearly the reliance which they placed joined he, with great coolness, "they upon his regard. Even his resentments, have found it out, have they?" " though often hastily adopted, and incautiously expressed, were neither ungene ous nor enduring. He was open to con

*

To a reader of a good disposition and well-regulated mind, the picture of moral depravity presented in the character of Count Fathom, is a disgusting pollution of the imagination. To those, on the other

Miller published "Amelia" in 1751. He had paid a thousand pounds for the copy-right; and when he began to sus-viction, and ready to make both acknow-hand, who hesitate on the brink of medi

pect that the work would be judged inferior to its predecessor, he employed the following stratagem to push it upon the trade. At a sale made to the booksellers, previous to the publication, Miller offered his friends his other publications on the usual terms of discount; but when be came to "Amelia," he laid it aside, as a work in such demand, that he could not afford to deliver it to the trade in the usual manner. The ruse succeeded-the impression was anxiously bought up, and the bookseller relieved from every appre

hension of a slow sale.'

ledgement and allowance when he had
done injustice to others, willing also to
forgive and to be reconciled when he had
received it at their hand.'

The following admirable remarks
are made on two of Smollett's works,
Peregrine Pickle and Count Fathom.
Speaking of the former, Sir Walter
says,-

'The splendid merit of the work itself, was a much greater victory over the author's enemies, if he really had such, than any which he could gain by personal alAs we do not mean to enter into any tercation with unworthy opponents. Yet connected biography of either Fielding by many his second novel was not thought or Smollett, we shall only quote one quite equal to his first. In truth, there passage relating to the life of the lat-regrine Pickle a difference, which is ofoccurs betwixt Roderick Random and Peter, and some of the editor's critical re- ten observed betwixt the first and second marks on his works:efforts of authors who have been successful in this line. Peregrine Pickle is more finished, more sedulously laboured into excellence, exhibits scenes of more accumulated interest, and presents a richer variety of character and adventure than Roderick Random; but yet there is an ease and simplicity in the first novel which is not quite attained in the second, where

The person of Smollett was eminently handsome, his features prepossessing, and, by the joint testimony of all his surviving friends, his conversation in the highest degree instructive and amusing. Of his disposition, those who have read his works (and who has not done so?) may form a very accurate estimate; for in each of them

tated iniquity, it is not safe to detail the arts by which the ingenuity of villainy has triumphed in former instances; and it is well known that the publication of the real account of uncommon crimes, although attended by the public and infaoften had the effect of stimulating others mous punishment of the perpetrators, has to similar actions. To some unhappy minds it may occur as a sort of extenuation of the crime which they meditate, that even if they carry their purpose into execution, their guilt will fall far short of what the author has ascribed to his fictitious character; and there are other imaginations so ill regulated, that they catch infection from stories of wickedness, and realize the pictures of villainy which are feel an insane impulse to emulate and to embodied in such narratives as those of Zeluco or Count Fathom.'

The concluding remarks of the prefatory memoir to Smollett, which consists of forty-two pages, ure devoted to a comparison of the merits of that able writer with Fielding:

Fielding, and Smollett were both born in the highest rank of society, both edu

Curiosities for the Ingenious: selected We ought to add, that this edition from the most Authentic Treasures of of the British Novelists, in addition to Nature, Science and Art, Biography, the enhancement of its value by its ediHistory, and General Literature. tor, is elegantly printed at the Border 18mo. pp. 192. London, 1821. Press of Mr. James Ballantyne, brother THIS is a very neat and cheap little voof the publisher. It appears in bulky lume, and superior in general interest volumes with double columns, and is to Endless Amusements,' to which we published at a price somewhat moder-suppose it is intended as a companion. The ample range the editor has taken, has afforded him a store of curiosities

Apicius was worth more than 916,671: 13:4. And after he had spent in his kitchen, and otherwise squandered immense sums, to the amount of 833,333: 6:8, he poisoned himself, leaving 83,333 : 6 8.

> The establishment belonging to M. Scarus,
and burnt at Tusculum,
833,332 : 13: 4.

Gifts and bribes may be considered as great
signs of riches; Cæsar presented Servilia, the
mother of Brutus, with a pearl worth 50,000.
Paulus, the consul, was bribed by Cæsar with
the sum of 58,338 6: S.
And afterwards bought over to his party for
the sum of 300,000.

Gabinus was accused of getting 2,000,000.
The bribes of the tribes at the elections, for
each of them, amounted to 83,333
And there were thirty-three tribes,
whole cost no less than 2,916,666

500,000.

And before Cæsar was in any public office, he was in debt 251,875.

Of which sum Crassus was bound for 160,812 10.

Milo contracted a debt of 583,333: 13: 4. Antony owed at the Ides of March, which he paid before the Calends of April, 333,333:6: 8. The suppers of Lucullus, at the Apollo, cost 1,666 13: 4.

Horace says that Pegellus, a singer, could in five days spend 8,333 6: 8.

Fat birds, such as thrushes and black-birds,

Cicero acknowledged that his estate in Asia communicated an account of an exten-Plainly this, that the reading public

sive natural hot-bed near Dudley, in Staf fordshire, which is heated by means of his the slow combustion of coal, at some depth below the surface. From this na