theless it is a striking and truthful story, as indeed are all the others which the fair writer has thrown into these volumes. The novelty and excellence of them consist in the power, the poetic sweetness, and the accuracy of the delineations. The artist produces, along with strict fidelity, that which is uncommonly fascinating. It appears as if, in each story, she had facts and real personages in her eye; and yet in the imaginary scenes into which she throws them, or in which she makes them act, they do not, as in "The Wizard of Windshaw," lose themselves, or become contradictions: and this is no ordinary achievement. Depend upon it, there is not a more common error on the part of the mass of novelists, than to suppose that because they have facts in their minds, personal reminiscences, and treasured observations, that therefore they can safely allow or prompt imagination to disport around them, and make them the puppets of a tale. The fillings up, in such a case, are not an everyday, or an everybody's work. Louisa Sayers, however, is an exсерtion to the generality; and altogether her fictions are the productions of exquisite taste, appropriate language and close observation being her handmaidens.

"The Forester" is an historical novel, taking the latter and last days of the royal House of Stuart for its subject; and Miss Boyle is but a young writer. Yet youth has masterfully grappled with the difficult subject, and brought out her historical actors with remarkable truth and touching sympathy. James, his Queen-she of Modena, Marlborough and others, move full of vitality before us; the picture of the times, their bustle and catastrophes being happily given. Indeed, we like the real better than the imaginary characters; and this implies an uncommon achievement. One thing especially militates against these imaginaries, they are very ordinary among the list of novelists, lady-novelists' creations particularly; whereas the other and real characters, while either originals in themselves, or each remarkable enough to stand at the head of a class, come out as whole lengths, strongly engaging us. Our only extract shall be a passage in which an authentic document is inserted, and which Miss Boyle has turned to excellent account. Before quoting it, we have also to express our pleasure in again meeting with a work from the same able hand, and to lend our encouragement for her to proceed in the walk of literature to which she has betaken herself in the present novel; for she will, if she makes a proper use of her powers and capacities, do better still. The passage alluded to requires no introduction from us :

"When the news of the king's detention at Feversham reached the capital, but before they could discuss the subject fully, a young countryman made his way, in spite of all opposition, to the very door of the apartment where the assembly was held. He announced himself as the messenger of the king of England, but there were many present who no

longer acknowledged James by that title. The perfidious and timeserving Halifax, dreading the effect that any appeal from their unfortunate sovereign might produce on the minds of his coadjutors, proposed, without ceremony, to break up the council. But Lord Mulgrave strenuously opposed this proceeding, and by bold and manly exhortation, persuaded his companions to remain, while the lowly ambassador of James the Second was introduced. The man looked around with surprise and awe upon a scene so novel, and then, encouraged by the cheering condescension of Lord Mulgrave, he presented the letter, which bore no address. His majesty,' he said, while tears flowed down the rough cheeks of the young peasant, had intrusted him with that paper, desiring it might be delivered to a friend.' Alas! there were but few present who were anxious even to lay claim to that title. The president, with some marks of emotion, beckoned the man towards him, and in as steady a voice as he could command, read to the following effect:

""Feversham, December 12, 1688.

""I had the misfortune to be stopt at Schellness, and brought in here, by a rabble of seamen, fishermen, and others, who still detain me here thơ' they know me. Lord Winchilsea came to me here, but too late. But if those who detain me would let me go to Canterbury, I would not have cared: I must see if that I could not persuade them to permit it to. morrow; however, speak to some of my servants to come to me, and bring with them some linnen and cloaths; and if Frazer be in the way let him be one: direct them to come by Sittingburne, and go by this place on to Canterbury, if I be not here. I know not if this letter will get to you safe, and so say no more. Let James Graham know I shall want some money; if he could come and bring some himself, or send some, it would be but necessary, those who seased me having taken all the little I had about me, when they layed hands upon me. J. R.

'December 13th.

""This letter should have gone last night, but the person who was to carry it was frighted, so that he dared not shew out of this inn, being stopt and frighted. I hope he that carryes it now will get through to you, tho' all the whole country are up, and have plundered most of the Catholicks' houses.' *

"When Lord Mulgrave concluded this affecting appeal, he looked around in silence, believing that few of his associates could remain insensible to the distress and humiliation of a man whom they had once hailed as their king. But he was mistaken; for the space of several minutes the silence was unbroken, until Lord Halifax, in his office of speaker, murmured something about the regret that must ever be excited even by the misfortunes of those who suffered for their own errors; and then further remarking that the interference of the assembly in this business would be both ill-advised and ill-timed, he again proposed that the council should adjourn."

* " This interesting document is in the possession of the Earl of Cork and Orrery, by whose kind permission it is inserted here."

"Solomon Seesaw" puts our pen to inconvenience: we cannot by a few words criticize it, which it is our purpose only to bestow. We pronounce it to be a very indifferent sort of novel,-an uninteresting one, as a continuous story; and yet it is manifestly the work of no common writer, as indeed Mr. Robertson's share in the "Letters on Paraguay" must have prepared our readers to look for. But we like him much better as a Journalist than as a talemaker and teller, although there are many passages in these volumes which excel any to be found in the "Letters," in the matters of originality, vigour, and truth.

"Solomon Seesaw," as the reader will readily and immediately opine, is a hero who is subject to many vicissitudes of fortune, the result, in a great measure, of his own unstable or erratic character. We have him from his cradle to his marriage-day, -a Scotch provincialist, a Glasgow merchant, and a speculator in London, the panic of 1825 having him, in the course of his fortunes, in its clutches. But there is a variety of episodes and autobiographies, which are stuck into the story, with much of the same sort of propriety that an inveterate talker would dove-tail his odds and ends into any discourse, whether sentimental, droll, or descriptive. To our mind the Scotch scenes and sketches are by far the best parts of the work, although we feel that Mr. Robertson overlays his canvass, and runs not unfrequently into caricature. His knowledge also of mercantile life is manifestly particular; his feelings relative to that department are keen and discerning. But he is terribly out of keeping when he would picture the sentimentalism of love, and some other tender moods of commonplace minds.

Among the Glasgow aristocrats he is quite at home, as his account of the Merchants' Dinner of that city will demonstrate, which we quote, and with which we close our notices of some of the Novels of the Season :

"Scarcely had they knocked at the door, when it was opened by a footman, while a genteel-looking butler, in black, and two more of the party-coloured tribe, essayed to take their hats. The old gentleman's was delivered up, as a matter of course, to the servant; but when he came to Solomon, - Thank you,' said he, 'I'll just put it down here myself.' A second servant asked their names. They were given; and the third one, already halfway up stairs, called down to them, This way, gentlemen, if you please.' Upon this, Solomon said to the old gentleman, in a whisper, as they followed to the drawing-room, 'This way, sir, and 'If you please,' - They are not so impudent as they look.' As the names of the two strangers were announced, they were startled by the dazzling display offered to their view. The first thing that arrested them, especially the old gentleman, was the great blaze of light in the apartments. The next thing that riveted their attention was the finery, the prodigious finery, of the ladies. The old gentleman thought that a whole warehouse must have been emptied to furnish it; and Solomon was sure it would have stocked every haberdasher's shop in the town of Dullborough, or Llangollen, for a month. The ladies all sat silent,which upset the theories of the old gent eman on female loquacity; and they appeared stiff, which he accounted for, on the score of a prudential fear that too much motion might crumple their gauze dresses, or bring down a knot of ribbon from its conspicuous position on a full mooned muslin tiara. Their gowns were so decorously long, that he could only observe one or two rather large feet, and not very slender ankles, as supporters of the female form. The gentlemen were grouped in the middle of the room, all scrupulously dressed in shoes and silk stockings. They had inexpressibles tied at the knees, exhibiting brawny calves; and their cravats made a considerable display of white muslin, tied in not a very precise fashion under their chins. But guess, if you can, the astonishment of both guests (for there was a great sympathy between the old gentleman and young Solomon), when setting themselves to listen to the whispering hum of the conversation, they found that, with the simple substitution of Scotch accent for English dialect, they might as well have been in the midst of their travelling' companions at the George. Rums is up,-Muscovados is down. Yarns is a shade higher, and calicos a bawbee lower; ginghams is rather lookin' better, an' jacconots is a little fawn-our frien' the Baillie's bandanas is a perfect drug.' These, and such remarks as these, in succession, too quick to be copied, even by a writer of short hand, made up the conversation of the Glasgow gentlemen. Have you heard,' said the Lord Provost, 'o' the arrival o' the Demerara frae Demerara wi' a cargo o' sugars? 'Od, they say they're the bonniest sugars ars that's been in the market this mony a-day. I've gotten some real fine limes by her; and by our friend Douglas's first ship frae Jamaica, I'm promised some nice auld rum. By the way, Neebor Norace, our joint speck in pullicats has turned out but a puir concern. They'll no pay cost and charges.' Here his lordship's discourse was interrupted by the announcement that dinner was ready; and after much rustling of silks, and ceremonious advances of successive gentlemen to offer their arms to the ladies, the whole party moved in couplets out of the room, leaving Solomon and another youth to bring up the rear."

The "Illustrations" by Phiz would not discredit the Cruikshank.

ART. V.-Buenos Ayres, and the Provinces of the Rio de la Plata. By SIR WOODBINE PARISH, K. C. H. London: Murray. 1839. SIR WOODBINE was for many years his Britannic Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at Buenos Ayres, and availed himself of his opportunities to collect an account from original documents of the progress of Geographical discovery in the parts of South America, mentioned in the title of his work, during the last sixty years; their present state, trade, and debt being also described by him. Accordingly we have placed before us a great deal more than the results of the author's personal observations, the book, in fact, traversing a large space of time, and embracing a great variety of topics and facts. His own experience, however, affords much that is interesting; while his review of the various expeditions undertaken by the Spanish colonial authorities, and, since the declared independence of the provinces in question, and the discoveries made, with their accompanying incidents, add considerably to accessible geographical knowledge, as well as to the records of stirring adventure. There is besides much statistical information in these pages, as well as a mass of geological facts and speculations, together with other contributions to natural history.

The author's diplomatic station, his opportunities, and universally acknowledged eminence in various walks of science and literature, naturally prepare the reader for a work of more than ordinary value on the several subjects which we have stated that it treats of. Some extracts taken from the parts in which these different subjects are introduced, or a rapid notice of some of the conclusions at which he arrives, will sufficiently exhibit to our readers the character of the book, or point to where the best accounts are to be found on the topics handled. We begin with some of the results of Sir Woodbine's immediate observation, or the scenes, facts, and events of which he was a direct witness. The arrival in the La Plata, which at its embouchure extends to one hundred and seventy miles in width, maintaining with its fresh waters a contest for about two hundred miles with the ocean, or at least making itself to that length be felt in the bosom of the mighty deep, must always afford themes for striking descriptions. But we will not halt till we find the author in the close vicinity of Buenos Ayres, where the shallows for several miles are so prevalent as to prevent ships of considerable burden from traversing. Boats are therefore called into action, before passengers or goods can reach the shore; but even after the aid of these small-craft auxiliaries has been obtained, other assistants are required before gaining the land. We are told that

"A ship's boat has seldom water enough to run fairly on shore, and, on arriving within forty or fifty yards of it, is beset by carts, always on the watch for passengers, the whole turn-out of which I defy any other people in the world to produce anything at all approching. On the broad flat axle of a gigantic pair of wheels, seven or eight feet high, a sort of platform is fixed of half a dozen boards, two or three inches apart, letting in the wet at every splash of the water beneath; the ends are open-a rude hurdle forms the side, and a short strong pole from the axle completes the vehicle: to this unwieldy machine the horse is simply attached by a ring at the end of the pole, fastened to the girth or surcingle, round which his rider has the power of turning him as on a pivot, and of either drawing or pushing the machine along like a wheelbarrow, as may be momentarily most convenient:-in this manner, for the first time in my life,