48 REVIEW.-Upham's History of Budhism. as large as the human form, representing the planets, whose influence is to be propitiated or averted. They are neatly formed with clay, on a frame of split bamboo, and when painted have an imposing appearance, particularly when lighted up at night by lamps, and also by flambeaus of the branches of cocoa-nut trees. Such frames may be frequently seen, especially in time of sickness, with the worshippers and dancers before them, accompanied by chanting, and the beating of tom-toms: the largest usually are eighteen feet by twelve. After the cere monies are over, the frame is partly broken up, or left to be destroyed by the weather, or in any other way." P. 117. It was thus intended to deprecate malignant spirits which inflict diseases, and that the wicker images of the Druids were of similar meaning, is evident from four fowis tied round the Bali, to which we find a precise assimilation, as to the sacrifice of fowls, in another analogy next mentioned. Ceremonies in Sickness. Mr. Pennant, speaking of a village in Wales, where was a church dedicated to St. Tecla, and a well, says, the patient, among other ceremonies, carried a fowl in a basket, first round the well, and then into the church-yard, ultimately If leaving the fowl in the church. the bird died, the cure is supposed to have been effected, and the disease transferred to the victim (Tour in Wales, i. 405). The Rev. Mr. Fox, during his residence in Ceylon, says, Opposite to the front of the Maduwa [a temporary hut] was a clay image of a yaksa, or demon, on a frame; before the image lay a sick man, near his feet was a wicker basket; this I lifted up, and underneath it was a black fowl, which I understood was to be slaughtered at the dawn of day, and its blood sprinkled on the image. This is a very common service for the sick." P. 121. Mr. Upham gives the following explanation of these sacrifices, which explanation furnishes further conformities between Budhism and Druidism. "The figure of Dhasa-crodi, a demon, is invoked by patients, who are influenced by the planet Saturn; the disorders to which a person governed by that planet is liable are, head-ache, heat in the whole body, insanity, lameness, pain in the joints, swelled body, fainting; a sacrifice of fowls, and an offering of vegetable curry-milk with jaggery, are made to the figure on a raised place. After the ballia is thus invoked, it is taken [July, towards the east, where it is fixed on a high place."-p. 123. Ceylon, it is to be recollected, is the especial seat of Budhism, and the only one where Druids are now existent. Mr. Fox, before-quoted, thus explains the cause of the superstitions alluded to. "The natives believe in the existence of a supreme God, who is great and good, but It is their indifferent to the affairs of men. concern to secure the favour and avert the displeasure of certain malignant spirits, whom they imagine to be constantly attendant on their persons, and to be the authors of all their evils. They place great confidence in their gregrees, or amulets, and have sacred groves, trees, and huts. They occasionally strew fruits about their towns, or spread mats by the public paths, as They offerings to the invisible spirits. sometimes make prayers on the graves of their fathers [see Ossian], or under their sacred trees."-p. 122. CROMLECH.-According to the Budhist system, it is the representation of Mount Mienmo in miniature. "The surface of the earth is that of an inclined plane [the site of Stonehenge], in the centre of which stands the centre pillar, Mahameru, or Mienmo. The immense bulk of Mount Mienmo is sustained three rocks, as on three feet."-p. 77. on This is quite different from received opinions as to the altar character of the Cromlech, but it is the only passage which can apply to it; and far more so, to judge by its usual construction, than the Minny-Phalange, or seat of the Budh, as in p. 19. It would be needless to observe that Cromlechs occur in Malabar, unless it were necessary to notice that the upper stone is convex, (see plate 40, in Higgins's Celtic Druids,†) and thus seems to represent, on a small scale, a Now mountain based upon rocks. sometimes a pillar, as at Abury, sometimes a cromlech, as at Stonehenge, is the centre of a stone circle; and its inclined position and situation within a circle or sack-walle, is favourable to the Budhist illustration. * "The Cingalese still practise the Deasuil." Fosbroke's Foreign Topography, p. 77. See our review in Part I. p. 421 of Oliver's Hist. of Initiation. It is possible that the inclined position might be founded upon a sun-dial construction, like that on the Elgin marbles. 1829.] REVIEW.-Upham on Budhism. Mercury.-"Deum Mercurium maxime colunt," says Cæsar, of the Druids. Budha and Mercurius were one and the same. See pp. 95, 135, 136. We have thus specified some main points in Druidical superstition, to which we have found analogies in Budhism. We have only to regret that we have not room to include the whole. We have but space, in conclusion, to say that Kappooism, the dæmonology of the Budhists, is the real fairy system of Martin's "Western Isles," (p. 113); that the planetary system brought into contact with demons and sidereal influence on the health and skins of men (116), votive offerings (53), vetulia, or oracle stones (58), Moon, attention to, (66), high mountains sacred to divinities (73), the evil eye (49), Saman, the deity, of whom see Gen. de Vallancey (16-31), the magical ceremonies of the Bali (120), mummeries, and the Feast of Fools (63), &c. &c. are shewn in the pages quoted to be derivatives of Budhism. Having gone thus far from our Author, we wish to add to the narrow compass within our indispensable limits, notes from our own collections, shewing the Asiatic origin of other Druidical phænomena. Tolmen, or creeping through perforated stones. Indian. (Brand's Popul. Antiq. ii. 592.) Logans, or rocking-stones. These are mentioned as occurring at Harpasa, "oppidum Asiæ,” in Plin. ii. 96. Cutting the Misletoe was derived from the Sabæans. See Maimonides, as quoted in our review of Mr. Oliver's work, Part I. p. 423. Beltine Day, is also mentioned in the same place. Occursacula, as meeting a woman first on Beltine Day, and other times, still retained in Herefordshire and the North as unlucky omens, occurs at Malabar. (Brand's Popul. Antiq. ii. 522.) Fires lit up at certain periods. Indian. (See Sketches of the Religion of the Hindoos, ii. 52, 57.) Huli Festival, or April Fool Day. Asiatic also. (Brand, i. 124.) Torque, exclusively of oriental origin. Tertullian says, “Purpura illa et aurum cervicis ornamentum eodem more apud Egyptios et Babylonios insignia erant dignitatis," &c. (p. 111, Ed. Rigalt.) GENT. MAG. July, 1829. 49 Here we shall close the subject, with this final observation, that, as Mr. Godfrey Higgins, in his Celtic Druids, has, so far as can be done, satisfactorily illustrated the astronomical part of Druidism, so Mr. Upham has done the same for the mystical; and that the Welch mythology of the Druids is as gross a violation of history as the fairy tale of Geffrey of Monmouth. As to the Helio-arkite theory, which has now been adopted, it is stated in the Triads that not only Noah and his family survived the Deluge, but two Welchmen also, named Dwyvan and Dwyvach, who escaped in an open vessel; and from whom the Isle of Britain was repeopled. So the Triads' in Probert's Welsh Laws, p. 379. Of course these Welchmen were antediluvians. What, then, becomes of Noah's arrival here incog. under the name of Hu? We are now told that the story of Brute and the Trojan origin is Saxon, and not British. We do not believe it because with them every thing odious is Saxon. Such is the rankling sensation still existent, that Mr. Probert says, p. 391, that the only cannibals ever known in the island, first tasted flesh in the Saxon Court. : We may be thought severe, but Mr. Probert mentions with great contempt, in p. 573, the "idle dreams of English antiquarians," in a point in which we are supported by Strabo, &c. Of course, in colloquial phraseology, those who have heads of glass should not throw stones; and of Celtic antiquities they either know nothing, or nothing authoritative. We should do Mr. Upham great injustice if we did not further add, that his truly valuable work elucidates the beautiful tales and wonderful beings of the Arabian Nights, numerous Romish superstitions, and matters of scientific and interesting knowledge, too numerous to be recapitulated. 50 REVIEW.-Foreign Review, No. VI. Foreign Review, No. VI. THE character of the present Fasciculus is, that it continues unabated in spirit and talent. Indeed, there are more than common exhibitions of the latter in various articles. ART. I. Russia, Turkey, and India. The ambition of Russia is most ela borately exposed in an essay highly poeticized. But, admitting the ambition, we feel no alarm at the power: for we believe that in such a climate population cannot be indefinitely increased, and we know that the invention of gunpowder has transferred the success of war from barbarous to civilized nations. This is fully exhibited by Gibbon. Par exemple, Russia took Turkey for a cigar, which she had merely to light, and puff away in smoke; but it turned out to be iron, which immediately became red-hot, and burned her mouth. As to India, a hot climate does not suit bodies of animated ice. The very march would boil them into vapour. ART. II. Symbolism and Mythology. The Author (Creuzer) like many others has thought that writers upon subjects of antiquity, have only to spin their webs, like spiders. The question is not discussed in a proper, philosophical manner, commencing with mere savages, and so proceeding by scale. After Banier and several others, more particularly our own Sir William Drummond, Mr. Creuser's work is one of supererogation, nay of mischief, only pulling down houses to substitute His elementary knowledge of the subject is quite superficial; and were it necessary we could show it. tents. ART. III. Klopstock's Life and Odes. The lives of literati are commonly insipid, sometimes vexatious things; either booksellers' memorandumed catalogues, school-puddings with a few plumbs, which, like dumplings in soup, [July, plants, forced in a hot house, but the Messiah is a work of unquestionable magnificence. Klopstock has been assimilated to Milton; but he is not his equal, even though he is but a little contaminated with the nationalities of the German school; that school which confounds the extravagant with the sublime, identifies the fiendish blas phemies of banditti with the dignified apostrophes of heroes; and delights more in devils than in Gods, in hells than in heavens. ART. IV. Arabian Literature. Our readers will find exact counterparts of the parallelisms, imagery, and style of the holy Songs of Scripture, especially of that of Deborah, in a translation from the Arabic, printed p. 385 seq. ART. V. History of the Roman Law. This is a very elaborate article, but we have not limits for a discussion so strictly professional. ART. VI. Voltaire. The character of Voltaire is, in our opinion, comprised in very few words. He was an world, who was determined to acquire unprincipled and talented man of the a haudsome independence, and being a French man of the world (and, as being French, a vain man), fame also; an adjunct for which an Englishman, who endeavours to make a fortune, does not care a straw. His philosophy is made not of metal but of glass, which will not bear a single blow of a hammer. His poetry is an imitation in puppet-work of the classics, wood, paint, and doll-dress, instead of animation, soul, and muscle. His romance is made up of farce and sarcasm, and drawn from disgusting views of lifes in a gaming-house, or a brothel. It has no beautiful traits of that sentiment and feeling, which forms so many fine episodes in the epic of life. Nisus and Euryalus, in the corruption of his heart, he would have deemed two fools only; and the love of Dido merely an orange to be peeled and eaten. His history is, in our judgment, his most successful form of writing; and men hacknied in the world are very happy in catching the peculiarities of character, and in seasoning description with savoury stuffing, because both these acquirements are essential to telling stories, or relating anecdotes. His histories are, therefore, like tours and travels written by military men, very interesting colloquies. Deep philosophical illustration, like that of Hume, 1829.3 REVIEW.-Foreign Review, No. VI. Robertson, or Gibbon, is out of the question, and therefore his histories are not works of science-they are only consecutive ana, or dramas, or novels. In short, all his works are characteristic of the vanity and superficiality of his nation; but, being accompanied also with all its superior vivacity, wit, and humour, the sauce gives to the food a most palatable flavour, though the dish altogether may be unwholesome, even pernicious. In short, it is the wit and liveliness of Voltaire, which alone make us take his shadows for substances. Controversy and attack were to be reasonably expected, but he prided himself in being a Philosopher, and yet endured, during a long life, unnecessary sufferings, which a humdrum Englishman would not have borne for a month. He would have wisely cut such connections. "What human pen can describe the troubles this unfortunate philosopher had with his women? a gadding, featherbrained, capricious, old-coquettish, embittered, and embittering set of wantons from the earliest to the last! Widow Denis, for example, that disobedient niece, whom he rescued from furnished lodgings and spare diet, into pomp and plenty, how did she pester the last stage of his existence, for twenty-four years long! Blind to the peace and roses of Ferney; ever hankering and fretting after Parisian display; not without flirtation, though advanced in life: losing money at play, and purloining wherewith to make it good; scolding his servants, quarrelling with his secretaries, so that the too indulgent uncle inust turn off his beloved Collini, nay almost be run through the body by him, for her sake! The good Wagniere, who succeeded this fiery Italian in the secretaryship, and loved Voltaire with a most creditable affection, cannot, though a simple, humble, and quite philanthropic man, speak of Madame Denis without visible overflowings of gall. He openly accuses ber of hastening her uncle's death by her importunate stratagems to keep him in Paris, where was her heaven. Indeed it is clear that, his goods and chattels once made sure of, her chief care was that so fiery a patient might die soon enough; or, at best, according to her own confession, how she was to get him buried.' We have known superannuated grooms, nay effete saddle-horses, regarded with more real sympathy in their home, than was the best of uncles by the worst of nieces." P. 444. ART. VII. Brunswick and Hanover. A very proper sarcastic display of the Bobadilism of the Ducal Brunswick, with regard to his royal uncle, our 51 Sovereign-Tom Thumb menacing King Arthur. ART. VIII. Guizot's English Revolution of 1688. Frenchmen are as much qualified to write accounts of England, as stammerers to be actors. Their misconceptions of our nation appear to be incurable, and so grossly ridiculous, as to be fit subjects of broad farce. Accordingly, they have been admirably delineated by that archpriest of Momus, our inimitable Matthews. Similar blunders appear in this work of Mons. Guizot; and unfortunately it has not that naïveté, that interesting felicity of mistake, which generally accompanies French elucidations of English motives. It consists apparently of dry details, quoted and misquoted; for, according to the Reviewer, p. 507, "M. Guizot has applied to no original sources of information, but quoted at second hand; and he has also written, not only with utter ignorance of the subject, but of the most common of the books, so quoted at second hand" (see p. 524). We looked in vain among the short Reviews for more attacks upon English antiquaries: by Professors, as foreigners style men who profess only to teach arts and sciences, an appellation which, because it is different from ours, as not being a title of honour, is exceedingly apropòs. We shall notice only a curious work upon "Civil Courage," of which book one out of its three parts treats" of the causes of the rarity of civil courage" (p. 550). This book would be an amusing study for Aldermen and Common-councilmen, who might beautifully elucidate it from the of ancient London, who had every military character of the trained bands willingness to run away, and none to fight; and, when embodied with the regular troops, were only geese among eagles. The Lives of the most eminent British Painters, Sculptors, and Architects. By Allan Cunningham. 12mo, pp. 347. Murray. THIS work opens with an Introduction on early Art in England, from the reign of Henry III. to the time of Sir James Thornhill, whom Mr. Cunningham considers as the earliest English master of any eminence, but dismisses his claims to attention somewhat cavalierly. The first regular biography in the 52 REVIEW.-Cunningham's Lives of British Painters. volume, is that of the inimitable Hogarth. This is a masterly and well digested article. We regret, however, that the author was not aware that the "Anecdotes of Hogarth," published in three editions, 1782-1785, was the joint production of Mr. Nichols and Mr. George Steevens, and that in his last edition, in 4to, 1812, Mr. Nichols has " assigned to Mr. Steevens his appropriate share," and "pointed out the principal passages from his nervous pen." Had Mr. Cunningham consulted this last edition, he would have found that all the passages he attributes to Mr. Nichols, whom he censures in no mild terms, were really written by Mr. Steevens. We trust, in future editions, this will be corrected; for no two men ever differed more in disposition than Steevens and Nichols; the one was too frequently accustomed, in secret, to libel both friend and foe; the other, we really believe, never wrote a line that he would have scrupled to own, or, dying, "would have wished to blot." The following character is ably and justly drawn: "The character of William Hogarth as a man, is to be sought for in his conduct, and in the opinions of his more dispassionate contemporaries; his character as an artist is to be gathered from numerous works, at once original and unrivalled. His fame has flown far and wide; his skill as an engraver spread his reputation as a painter; and all who love the dramatic representation of actual life-all who have hearts to be gladdened by humour-all who are pleased with judicious and well-directed satire-all who are charmed with the ludicrous looks of popular folly-and all who can be moved, with the pathos of human suffering-are admirers of Hogarth. That his works are unlike those of other men, is his merit, not his fault. He belonged to no school of art; he was the produce of no academy; no man living or dead had any share in forming his mind, or in rendering his hand skilful. He was the spontaneous offspring of the graphic spirit of his country, as native to the heart of England as independence is, and he may be fairly called, in his own walk, the firstborn of her spirit. "He painted life as he saw it. He gives no visions of by-gone things-no splendid images of ancient manners; he regards neither the historian's page nor the poet's song. He was contented with the occurrences of the passing day-with the folly or the sin of the hour; to the garb and fashion of the moment, however, he adds story and sentiment for all time. [July, "The morality of Hogarth has been questioned; and indeed the like has befallen Crabbe. We may smile as we look at his works, and we may laugh-all this is true: the victims whom Hogarth conducts pass through many varied scenes of folly, and commit many absurdities; but the spectacle saddens as we move along, and if we commence in mirth, we are overwhelmed with sorrow at last. His object was to insinuate the excellence of virtue by proving the hideousness of vice ;-and, if he has As to other failed, who has succeeded? charges, preferred by the malice of his contemporaries, time and fame have united in disproving them. He has been accused of want of knowledge in the human form, and of grace and serenity of expression. There is some truth in this perhaps; but the peculiar character of his pictures required inental vigour rather than external beauty, and the serene Madonna-like loveliness could not find a place among the follies and He saw a frivolities of the passing scene. way of his own to fame, and followed it; he scorned all imitation, and by word and works recommended nature for an example and a monitress in art. "His grammatical accuracy and skill in spelling have been doubted by men who are seldom satisfied with anything short of perfection, and they have added the accusation that he was gross and unpolished. Must men of genius be examples of both bodily and mental perfection? Look at the varied works of Hogarth, and say could a man, overflowing with such knowledge of men and manners, be called illiterate or ignorant. He was of no college-but not therefore unlearned; he was of no academy-yet who will question his excellence in art? He acquired learning by his study of human nature-in his intercourse with the world-in his musing on the changes of seasons-and on the varying looks of the nation and the aspect of the universe. He drank at the great fountain of information, and went by the ancient road; and till it is shown that his works are without knowledge, I shall look on him as a well-informed man.' Mr. Cunningham is at a loss to fix the date of Southwark Fair" (p. 107). This is settled by an Advertisement which appeared in the Craftsman for 1733. In p. 179, the fourteen original paintings of the Harlot's Progress and Rake's Progress, are said to have been burnt at Fonthill. Only five of the Harlot's Progress were there destroyed. The eight paintings of the Rake's Progress were originally sold by Hogarth for 1844. 16s. They were purchased at Mr. Beckford's sale by Col. Fullerton, for 850 guineas; and |