minds, And in his frenzied heart secure asylum finds; Lose all their charms, and serve her woes to Lives but to feel affection's tender woe, Thinks on the pleasures which she once enjoyed, Forms all her thoughts for that glad hour to come, Which hurries resignation to the tomb; meet That being who made her youthful hours so sweet; court, Flies from a world where misery holds her Where virtue's sold, and where distress is bought, Which 'twines around compassionate men's | terley), to Edgar Rosenheim (De Camp), equivoques the most embarrassing; a captain in the Prince's Guard. Edgar, Solomon, too, a sort of vapouring po however, has great reason to be jealous of litical coxcomb, who is perpetually the prince himself (Mr. Terry), who had boasting of his own importance, his sebeen his protector and friend, who comes into the family in the disguise of his rela-cret information, and his acute discrition, Hoffman, a professor of philosophy. minution, in the hands of Jones, drew At the moment of signing the contract, down great applause; and the interviews the supposed professor suggests the ne- between him and the prince, while cessity of the prince's written consent to under the disguise of Professor Hoffthree brothers De Stromberg, in a lofty The character of Emma is particularly the marriage, but the baroness and the man, were extremely well managed. and satirical assertion of their indepen- amiable, a lovely woman, in the bloom dence, spurn the idea, and insist on pro- of youth and beauty, preserving her ceeding. At the critical moment, a present arrives from the prince, conveyed by constancy amidst all the tempta-' one of his pages, to Emma, with a com- tions which a sovereign can offer, and plimentary inscription-this produces a the persuasions of importunate friends, sudden change. The family are asto- could not fail of giving a powerful sup nished, the contract is suspended, and the port to any piece when sustained by Strombergs are suddenly seized with the Mrs. Chatterley. Much as we admire hope of marrying Emma to the prince this lady, we never saw her to more adhimself. The younger brother, Solomon (Jones), an empty self-sufficient coxcomb, vantage, and by her exertion she provwho is constantly buzzing about the court, ed that she is as well qualified for scenes with an affectation of despising it, is sent of pathetic tenderness as for those of in search of information. The professor, spirit and vivacity. The character of Hoffman, has written against the prince, Edgar was by no means happily and to the supposed professor, Solomon is sketched; and where the author was very free of his satire and invectives deficient, Mr. De Camp certainly did against government. The prince, who has, in fact, been struck with a passionate not prove an aid de Camp. All the admiration of Emma, becomes, in the other characters were too unimportant DRURY LANE. After the Corona- course of his visits, incognito, still more in the drama to intitle them to notice, tion, which was exhibited for the forty- her heart, and the jealousy of Edgar is some simple airs very prettily. The enamoured of the simplicity and purity of if we except Miss Corri, who sung second time on Thursday night, a new exasperated to the highest degree. Every piece was completely successful, and' farce was produced, called Monsieur appearance increases the hopes of the fa- announced for repetition every evenTonson. It is founded on the very mily. The prince sends notice of a pub-ing, without a dissentient voice. well-known tale of that name, by Mr. lic visit; at this moment an officer arrives Taylor, though with considerable ad- in the family to arrest the supposed proditions, a love story being grafted upon fessor for his writings against the prince. There is nothing very striking The family are in the greatest alarm, and either in the plot, incidents, or dia- immediately determine on turning the logue of the piece; and it owes the snc-in their house. The prince's arrival is professor out, that he may not be found cess which it met with to the perform-announced, and at the moment they ers, particularly Mr. Cooper and Mr. should welcome, they are bent on remov. Gattie. The farce, though tedious ing, him in his assumed character. At and very deficient in humour, was well this point he dicovers himself, joins the received. lovers, expresses a good-humoured retort on the apostate malcontents, whom he freely forgives, and the curtain falls. The land of woe, where man from happiness flies Where, clogged with sin, too soon his spirit it. dies. The Drama. J.P. HAYMARKET THEATRE. A new comedy in three acts, entitled Match Breaking, or a Prince's Present, was acted for the first-time on Thursday night. It is from the pen of Mr. Kenny, the author of The World, Raising dramatic pieces. Match Breaking is, however, not only of a very different character from any of the former productions of the author, but is also out of the common walk of the legitimate drama. The scene of the piece is laid in one of the petty states of Germany; and the following is a brief outline of the story : the Wind, and several other successful The German family of De Stromberg, who are rather disloyal in their conversa tion and sentiments, have betrothed their niece Emma, of Lowenthorp, (Mrs. Chat SADLER'S WELLS.-Mr. Egerton, the active manager of this theatre, closed it for the season on Tuesday night, when he delivered a modest and appropriate address. Literature and Science. Magnetism.-The Baron de Humboldt has discovered that there exists a singular analogy between the distribution of the magnetic powIt will be seen there is much impro- ers and that of heat, and that they bability in the story, for the circum- may equally be traced on the map of stance of a prince assuming a mask, the two hemispheres, by curves, which where his feelings must unavoidably These lines shew how, by the influence and throwing himself into situations indicate the degree of their intensity. be wounded, merely to ascertain the of great geological causes, the temperpropriety of a matrimonial union pro-ature varies in points situate under the extraordinary as it is novel; but there is points of different degrees of latitude. jected by an officer of his guards, is as same parallel, and how it is identical on also another objection to this piece,- The laws of this deviation are deduced the false picture it gives of the virtues in a very luminous manner by M. de of a court, and its contemptuous sneer Humboldt; and we hope shortly to at every thing like political opposition give a careful abstract of so important or manly independence. Three cha- and curious a theory. racters in the piece are, however, admirably drawn; that of the Prince, ably sustained by Terry, who preserves the dignity of his rank in situations and Tannin.-Several experiments have recently been made in France, on the various vegetables which yield tannin in greater quantity than oak bark. The root of septfoil, (tormentilla sylvestris,) found in sundry wet and poor lands and woods, and the male cormil tree, (carnus,) a shrub that grows in all woods and hedges, where it is sown by birds, afford one third more tannin than oak-bark. The bark of the alnus, which grows with astonishing rapidity in all wet places; the weeping willow; the service tree, (sorbus foliis primatis utrioque glabris,) cultivated by seed, shoots, and grafting, is the hardiest of all known trees, and furnishes the greatest quantity of tannin. Properties of Sound.—Mr. Haldat, of the Royal Society of Nancy, recently read a memoir on the laws of the propation of sound; the influence of the wind particularly struck his attention, and he seems to have pursued his subject with as much attention as if it had never been treated before. He is evidently ignorant of all the experiments on sound made in England since the time of Derham, for the fol-, lowing are all the conclusions he arrives at-1. The wind exerts a real influence on the propagation of sound; 2. That its propagation is impeded and diminished against the wind, and augmented when going with it or against the wind; 3. That the increase and decrease are equal; 4. That the limit of propagation is very little altered in crossing the currents of the wind; 5. That the voice of an adult, speaking in a moderate tone, may be heard sixtyfive paces, but that this distance is diminished or increased, according as it is against or with the wind, in the ratio, of its rapidity. The Bee. -Floriferis ut apes in' saltibus omnia limant, Omniu Ros itidem depascimur aurea dicta.' LUCRETIUS. It is, perhaps, known to but few people, that there lives still on the frontiers of Transylvania, a Roman colouy, which has preserved its language almost pure, and is proud of its descent. When any member of this colony enlists into the Austrian service, he answers to the usual question, whence he comes?' I am a Roman (Romanasum.) A barrister being at the point of death, made his will, and left all his fortune to a lunatic hospital: on being asked why he did so, he replied wish my property to return to those who gave it me.' Anecdote of his late Majesty.-When his late Majesty was residing at the palace of Kew, the Princess Charlotte, Advertisements. Ancient History, for Schools. This day was published, By G. and W. B. WHITTAKER, Ave Maria LETTERS ON ANCIENT HISTORY, exhibiting a summary view of the History, Geography, Manners, and Customs of the Assyrian, Babylonian, Median, Persian, Egyptian, Israelitish, and Grecian Nations. Lane, price 5s. 6d. the Third Edition of BY ANNE WILSON. N. B. In this edition Questions for examin then a little girl, was staying with the TO READERS & CORRESPONDENTS. 'Critique on Sir Walter Scott's Remarks on Novelists and Dramatists,' The Death of The Praise of Poesy,' in an early number. Advertisements. NEW MUSIC. This day are published, at 267, St. Clement's Dr. Knox's Spirit of Despotism. In the Press, handsomely printed in one volume octavo, price 10s 6d. in boards, THE SPIRIT OF DESPOTISM. BY VICESIMUS KNOX, D. D. London Originally printed 1795. Reprint ed by WILLIAM HONE, 45, Ludgate Hill, 1821 Published this day, handsomely printed, and BY R. PORTER. Second Edition. East India Register, Corrected to the 28th of August, 1821. This day was published, price 8s. 6d. sewed, THE EAST INDIA REGISTER and DIRECTORY, for 1821; containing: A correct List of the Proprietors of East India Stock qualified to Vote at General Elections.Complete Lists of the Company's Servants, at home and abroad, Civil, Military, and Marine, with their respective Appointments; with indexes to the same, and Lists of Casualties during the last Year-Lists of the Europeans, Mariners, &c. &c. not in the Service of the East India Company.-List of Private Vessels, A CURE FOR COXCOMBS!licensed by the Company under the late Act of The two admired Songs, sung at the Theatre Parliament; and of Merchant Vessels employRoyal, English Opera House, in the above-ed in the Country Trade in India-Regulanamed new Operetta. tions and Instructions respecting the Appointment of Writers, Cadets, and Assistant Surge. ons.-Rules and Regulations of the Civil, Military, and Marine Funds, connected with the Company's Service. With a variety of other useful Information.-Compiled, by permission of the Hon. East India Company, from the Official Returns received at the East India House, by I. GOOD OLD TIMES; a favourite Comic Wilkinson. Price 1s: 6d. 2. NO TIME IS LIKE THE PRESENT; a faVouite Song, sung by Miss Stevenson. Price 1s. 6d. 3. Also, THE FISHERMAN'S GLEE; Free from sorrow, free from strife,'-sung in the new Melo Drama of the Warlock of the Glen, at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden; com posed and arranged for the Piano-forte, by J. Watson. Price 2s. A. W. MASON, G. OWEN, & G. H. BROWN, Of the Secretary's Office, East India House. Second Edition, corrected to 28th Aug, 1821. Printed for BLACK, KINGSBURY, PARBURY, and ALLEN, Leadenhall Street; and G. and W. B. WHITTAKER, Ave-Maria Lane. London:-Published by J. Limbird, 355, Strand, two doors East of Exeter Change; where advertise. ments are received, and communications for the Editor (post paid) are to be addressed. Sold also by Souter, 73, St. Paul's Church Yard; Simpkin and Marshall, Stationer's Court; Chapple, Pall and Newsvenders.-Printed by Davidson, Old LosMall; Grapel, Liverpool; and by all Booksellers well Court, Carey Street. And Weekly Review; Forming an Analysis and General Repository of Literature, Philosophy, Science, Arts, History, the Drama, Morals, Manners, and Amusements. This Paper is published early every Saturday Morning; and is forwarded Weekly, or iu Monthly or Quarterly Parts, throughout the British Dominions. No. 124. LONDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1821. Review of New Books. An Account of the Interior of Ceylon and of its Inhabitants. With Travels in that Island. By John Davy, ..M. D., F. R. S. 4to. pp. 530. London, 1821. perpendicular elevation above the sea, The Island of Ceylon is in the tropic of Cancer, situated nearly between the parallel of 6° and 10° north latitude, and between 80 and 82° east longitude; that is at the western entrance of the Bay of Bengal, and off the coast of Coromandel. It is almost two thirds of the size of Ireland, containing alto FEW works of the present day can lay gether a surface of 27,770 square so strong a claim to originality as the miles, and a population of about one before us, for, with the exception 800,000 soals, which is in the proporof the Historical Relation of the tion of about thirty-eight only to a Island of Ceylon,' by Robert Knox, square mile. The old kingdom of an English seaman, who was wrecked Kandy, now called the Kandyan Proon the coast in 1660, and suffered vinces, occupies the whole middle of the twenty years' captivity, there is not a island, and a great portion of the south single volume in existence on the sub-ern extremity; their superficial conject. Knox's history has always been tents are estimated at 12,360 square popular, on account of its simplicity of miles. The character of the interior, style and narrative, and the good sense as to surface, greatly varies, and may and good feelings of the author; but be divided into flat country, hilly, and his sphere of observation was necessa-mountainous; the latter district, in rily limited, and the period of one hundred and forty years, which has elapsed since its publication, and the vast interest which the subject has acquired since Ceylon has become a British province, have rendered an ac-mountains. count of it one of the most acceptable is the most remarkable feature in the works that could be offered to the public. geological character of Ceylon, the The subject has fallen into excellent whole of which, with very few excephands, and Ceylon has found, in Dr. tions, consists of primitive rock, the Davy, an historian, who has made am- prevailing species of which is granite or ple amends for the neglect which it has gneiss. hitherto experienced. The work is The mineralogy of Ceylon is singucompiled from original materials, collar and curious; it is remarkable for lected in Ceylon during a four years' its richness in gems, and its poverty in residence of the author, who was on the useful metals. It is remarkable, the medical staff of the army. He has too, for the number of rare minerals that received the assistance of every one it affords, and for the small variety of who was capable of aiding him in the the ordinary species; thus, in its miinformation, and hence the work is en-neralogical character, quite oriental, riched by many valuable contributions. It gives a full account of the history, geography, and geology of the island; its population, laws, fanguage, and religion; the state of the arts and sciences, the doinestic habits and manners of the inhabitants, &c. A work of this nature, written with the ability which Dr. Davy has displayed, cannot fail of exciting great interest, and therefore we propose making our readers somewhat extensively acquainted with its contents. VOL. III. better fitted for show than utility-for The soil of the island is generally Price 6d. ther being temperate in comparison with the summer heats of most parts of the continent of India ; and, generally speaking, the climate is salubrious. Although Dr. Davy does not give any account of the plants of Ceylon, and treats very briefly of its animals, (which do not differ from those on the adjoining continent of India,) yet he has paid particular attention to the snakes of the island, which are neither so numerous nor so dangerous as they have been represented. Our author collected twenty different species of snakes, of which sixteen were harmless. Of those that are poisonous, the pim berah is the most remarkable. It is characterised by its great size, and by a couple of horny probosces, in form and curvature not unlike the spurs of the common fowl; the base of the spur is attached to a small bone, with a minute head, which is received into the glenoid cavity of a thin long bone, that terminates in a tapering cartilaginous process. These horny spurs are useful in enabling the suake to climb trees and hold fast its prey : This snake is the largest species in Ceylon; and, indeed, is the only one that grows to a great size. I have seen a specimen of it about seventeen feet long, the natives to attain a much greater magand proportionably thick. It is said by nitude, and to be found occasionally twenty-five and thirty feet long, and of the thickness of a common-sized man. The colour of different specimens that I have seen has varied a little: it is generally a mixture of brown and yellow; the back and sides are strongly and rather handsomely marked with irregular patches of jaws are powerful, and capable of great dark brown, with dark margins. The dilatation; and they are armed with large strong sharp teeth, reclining backwards, As the muscular strength of this shake is immense, and its activity and courage considerable, it may be credited, that it will occasionally attack man; there can be no doubt that it overpowers deer, and swallows them entire. ries respecting this snake. They say, that "The natives have many ridiculous stowhen young, it is a polonga, and provid ed with poisonous fangs; and that when of a certain age and size it loses these fangs, acquires spurs, and becomes a pimQ Q-39 berah. They suppose its spurs are poisonous, and that the animal uses them in striking and killing its prey. They imagine that parturition is always fatal to the female, owing to the abdomen bursting on the occasion; and that the males, aware of this circumstance, out of regard for the females of their species, avoid them, and choose for their mates female noyas.' The most common of the poisonous snakes of Ceylon, is the noya or hooded snake of the English, and coluber nuja of Linnaeus. The natives rather venerate this snake than dread it, and will not even kill it when found in their houses: of the loss of more lives than the This animal varies much in its dimen tack, and fasten on, quicker than they can We have already stated the popula tion of Ceylon; it is divided into two great classes, the aborigines of the country and foreigners naturalized; the former are the Singalese, and the its internal structure may be seen pretty distinctly. A canal appears to extend latter chiefly Malabars and Moors. centrically the whole length of the body, The Siugalese are completely Indians arising from a crucial mouth at the small-in person, language, manners, cuser extremity, and terminating in a small toms, religion, and government. Their circular anus at the broader extremity, average height is five feet four or five on each side of which are two light spots. inches, and they are well made; the colour of their skin varies, from light brown to black: This leech is a very active animal son. Frequent exhibitions are made of this snake in Ceylon, as well as on the continent of India, by men called snakecharmers. The exhibition is rather a curious one, and not a little amusing to those that can calmly contemplate it. The charmer irritates the snake by striking it, and by rapid threatening motions of his hand; and appeases it by his voice, by gentle circular movements of his hand, and by stroking it gently. He avoids, with great agility, the attacks of the animal when enraged, and plays with it and handles it only when pacified, when he will bring the mouth of the animal in contact with his forehead, and draw it over his face. The ignorant and vulgar believe that these men really possess à This animal is peculiar to those parts charm by which they thus play of Ceylon which are subject to frequent without dread and with impunity with showers; and, consequently, it is unknown out danger. The more enlightened, in those districts that have a long dry sealaughing at this idea, consider the men It is most abundant among the impostors, and that in playing their tricks mountains,-not on the highest ranges, there is no danger to be avoided, it being where the temperature appears to be too removed by the extraction of the poison-low for it, but on those not exceeding two fangs. The enlightened in this instance or three thousand feet above the level of are mistaken, and the vulgar are nearer the sea. It delights in shady damp the truth in their opinion. I have ex- places, and is to be seen on moist leaves amined the snakes I have seen exhibited, and stones more frequently than in water. and have found the poison-fangs in and In dry weather it retires into the close uninjured. These men do possess a damp jungle, and only in rainy weather charm, though not a supernatural one, quits its cover, and infests the pathways viz, that of confidence and courage; ac- and roads, and open parts of the country quainted with the habits and disposition of Whether it is found in any other counthe snake, they know how averse it is to try than Ceylon is not quite certain; per use the fatal weapon nature has given it haps the leech of the mountainous parts for its defence in extreme danger, and of Sumatra, noticed in Mr. Marsden's his that it never bites without much prepa-tory of that island, is similar to it; and it ratory threatening. Any one possessing is not unlikely, that it occurs amongst the the confidence and agility of these men, damp and wooded hills of the south of Inmay irritate them, and I have made the dia. Those who have had no experience trial more than once. They will play of these animals,-of their immense numtheir tricks with any hooded snake, whe-bers in their favourite haunts,-of their ther just taken or long in confinement, but with no other kind of poisonous snake.' activity, keen appetite, and love of blood, can have no idea of the kind and extent of annoyance they are to travellers in the inDr. Daty made several experiments terior, of which they may be truly said to on the poison of the snakes, whence he be the plague. In rainy weather, it is alinfers, that there are only two snakes most shocking to see the legs of men on a at Ceylon, the hooded snake and the long march, thickly beset with them gorged with blood, and the blood trictic-polonga, whose bite is likely to kling down in streams. It might be supprove fatal to man. There is another posed that there would be little difficulty animal in Ceylon, less dreaded but in keeping them off; this is a very mismuch more troublesome, and the cause I taken notion, for they crowd to the at well made and well looking, and often The Singalese women are generally handsome. Their countrymen, who are great connoisseurs of the charms of the sex, and who have books on the subject, and rules to aid the judgment, would not allow a woman to be a perfect belle, unless of which I shall give in detail, as they of the following character, the particulars were enumerated to me by a Kand yan such matters:-"Her hair should be courtier, well versed and deeply read in voluminous, like the tail of the peacock; long, reaching to the knees, and terminatshould resemble the rainbow; her eyes, ing in graceful curls; her eyebrows the blue sapphire and the petals of the blue manilla flower. Her nose should be like the bill of the hawk; her lips should be bright and red, like coral on the young leaf of the iron-tree. Her teeth should be closely set, and like Her neck should be small, regular, and The remarkable feature of Indian society, distinction of castes, prevails among the Singalese, as well as the Hindoos, though to a less extent and with less effect on the minds of the people. The principal caste is the Geowanse, a privileged people, who monopolize all the honours of church and state, and possess all the hereditary rank in the country : The common dress of these people, and which may be considered as the na ence, or of a system of rewards and pu- There is one caste, or rather out- tional dress, is extremely simple, and not To this caste belong that singular and savage people, the Weddahs, who inhabit the extensive forests on the south-eastern side of the island. They are divided into the village Weddahs and the forest Weddahs. The village Weddahs live in huts, made of the bark of trees; their food is the flesh of deer, elk, the wild hog, and the inguana, with a little Indian corn, the wild yam and the roots of some water lilies: Few traces of even incipient civilization can be observed amongst them. Though living together, they seem to be ignorant of all social rites, and strangers to almost every circumstance that ennobles man and distinguishes him from the brute. To procure a wife, the Weddah does not commence a process of courtship; but goes immediately to the parents, asks their consent to have their single daughter, and if the first to ask is never refused. They appear to be without Dames. A Weddah interrogated on the subject, said, "I am called a man; when young They have hardly any knowledge of numbers, and cannot count above five; they have no knowledge of medicinal plants, and only the grossest and simplest superstitious notions. They be lieve in the existence of evil demons, and make offerings to them when labouring under sickness or any great misfortune. They have no idea of a supreme and benificent God, or of a state of future exist incidental.' The Singalese have no notion of any species of government, excepting the pure monarchical; and they say that a king is so essential, that without him there would be neither harmony nor order, but confusion and dissention, which would soon prove fatal to society. The throne was strictly heridatary, and the rights and functions of the king were of the highest and most extensive nature; yet he was not perfectly absolute and without check. On ascending the throne, he had to consider himself under certain restrictions; he was expected to follow the example of good princes, observe the customs of the country, and attend. to the written rules handed down for the direction of kings, Of these rules, the following are the principal: they are * A pingo is an elastic stick, about five feet long loaded at both ends and poised on the shoulder; it is generally used in Ceylon for carrying burdens.' translated from the Pali, in which they are expressed in verse:— Sattara sangraha wastoo. 1. Be willingly charitable to the deserving. 2. Be mild of speech. 3. Let your conduct and actions be such as to conduce to the good of your people. 4. Let the love of your people equal the love of yourself. ther. "Sattara agati. 1. Favour no one to the injury of ano 2. Injure no one to benefit another. 3. Let not fear prevent your doing justice. 4. Avoid doing evil through ignorance, or the want of correct information. ‹ Dasa rajah dharmia. 1. Be munificent. 2. Strictly follow the rules of your religion. 3. Remunerate the deserving. 7. Be without malice. 10. Attend to good counsel.' We thank Dr. Davy for giving us these excellent maxims for a king. We would have them translated into every living language, made the basis of every prince's education, and so familiar to every monarch in Christendom, that he should wear them in his heart's core, ay, in his heart of heart.' Dr. Davy adds, Should a king act directly contrary to these rules, contrary to the example of good princes, and in opposition to the customs of the country, he would be reckoned a tyrant, and the people would consider themselves justified in opposing him, and in rising up in mass and dethroning him; nor are there wanting instances in extreme cases of oppression, of their acting on this principle, and successfully redressing their wrongs. In no court, perhaps, was there ever a greater display of pomp, or greater respect shown to a monarch, thau in the court of Kandy, before it was overturned by the British: The royal throne was of plated gold, When ornamented with precious stones. the king appeared on state occasions, he was either dressed in the most magnifijewellery, or in complete armour of gold, cent robes, loaded with a profusion of ornamented with rubies, emeralds, and diamonds. To make the scene more impressive, and add to its solemnity, night was the favourite time for giving audience and transacting business. The marks of respect required and shown to the Kandyan monarch were so unbounded, that one would suppose they |