which contains a number of beautiful passages, and was very favourably received. The second was Weber's Overture to the Freischütz, of which it might almost be supposed that the public would be by this time tired; but the public will probably never tire of one of the noblest productions of modern genius. We have seldom heard this exquisite composition better given. The wind instruments struck us as being on one or two occasions a little too loud; but with this exception, the execution of the whole was very nearly perfect. The third Overture we heard for the first time in this city ;— it was Boieldieu's, to the Opera of "La Dame Blanche." It is pretty and scientific, but somewhat French withal, and indicates nothing like the reach of originality and vigour of conception displayed by Weber. The other instrumental pieces were a fantasia on the flute by Mr Platt, and a capriccio on the violoncello by Mr Hancox-both ingenious and clever. Mr Murray led in admirable style; but we were grievously disappointed that he did not honour us with any detached specimen of his abilities,-a condescension which we think we had a right to expect. The vocal musicians were four, Miss Noel and Miss Miss E. Paton, and Messrs Thorne and Wilson. Noel's solo was one of Moore's Irish Melodies, "Come, rest in this bosom." The music is simple and beautiful, and was simply and beautifully sung. Miss Paton's ambition soared a higher flight; she sung Madame Pasta's exquisite aria, "Ah! come rapida," in a style which justified all the commendations it received. Mr Thorne did all he could for a curious composition, entitled "An Invocation to Bacchus ;" but he could make Mr Wilson has a nothing of it, and neither could we. good tenor voice, which he is cultivating diligently. His style of singing, however, scarcely did justice to the very spirited air of Mr John Thomson, with which he was entrusted, and for which its own intrinsic merits secured an encore. There were two duets, neither of which we very much admired. We do not see, by the by, why one sheet of music should be made to serve two persons in a duet, who are thus forced to stand in a crowded and awkward position. We advise an alteration in this practice at our concerts in future. ORIGINAL POETRY. NATURE. By Henry G. Bell. I HEARD a voice, as 'twere of one cast down "I do impeach thee, Nature! that thou hast And sadder-feebler than my fellow-men- He spoke, and there was silence. Then I heard And shook the dew-drops from their antler'd brows; The sky-how oft hath darkness dwelt, The sea-how oft have storms convulsed So oft hath darker woe come o'er Now, after years of absence, pass'd I come and find those seas and skies Oh, that, like thee, when toil is o'er, And while it lay all calm like thee, Oh, might a heaven as bright as this LITERARY CHIT-CHAT AND VARIETIES. AN interesting volume of Dramatic Sketches may be expected soon from the Edinburgh press,-founded, we understand, on what may be termed the romance of the pastoral poetry of Scotland, the incidents embodied in each sketch having been suggested by the catastrophe of some popular national song. We learn with pleasure, that Mr Upham's long-expected History of Budhism has at length appeared. This splendid volume contains 43 plates on Elephant 4to, and is patronised, we understand, by the Hon. the East India Company, and by the President of the Asiatic Society. A LITERARY GAZETTE is about to be published at Oxford. We do not see why it should not be made to pay, though its circulation can never be expected to equal that of similar works which issue from the metropolitan press. England naturally looks to London for its Literary Gazettes, and Scotland, we hope, as naturally looks to Edinburgh for its Literary Journal. ORGANS AND PRESBYTERIANS.-We learn that a pamphlet on this subject may be expected in a few days; and from what we are told regarding the author, we think it likely that this question, which will probably soon become one of general discussion, will be smartly and ably treated. Mr Upham, author of "The History of Budhism," "Rameses," and "Karmath," has nearly finished his " History of the Ottoman Empire," which is to form two early volumes in Constable's Miscellany. den of which, surrounded by colonnades, is the grandest which has hitherto been found. At Pompeii, in one of the public buildings discovered lately, some ancient paintings have been found, which are considered of inestimable value. Among these, the following are mentioned as particularly remarkable:-1st, Medea meditating the murder of her children, who are innocently playing at dice, whilst their tutor, at a short distance, conscious of Medea's intention, is lamenting the fate which impends over them. 2d, The sans and daughters of Niobe assailed with the Arrows of Apollo and Diana. This is said to be a picture full of pathos, 3d, Meleager departing for the chase of the wild boar of Calydon. 4th, Perseus deliver ing Andromeda. 5th, A Bacchante. 6th, The Muses. Many other curious ancient relies have also been recently discovered. Theatrical Gossip.-Mademoiselle Sontag, who is understood, however, to be no longer a mademoiselle, has again made her ap pearance at the Italian Opera at Paris, and has been received with the most distinguished applause.-Pisaroni appears to be rapidly gaining ground at the King's Theatre in London; the critics are even beginning to think her pretty, Velluti is expected to join the company about the middle of March. The revival of the "Recruiting Officer" at Covent Garden, a new piece at Drury Lane, ! the joint production of two very successful dramatic writers, Morton and Kenney, and the "Red Rover" at the Adelphi, have kept the play-going citizens of the modern Babylon in good humour for the last ten days.-Another dull week has passed over the Theatre here; there was a good house last Saturday, and there will probably be another to-night, but all the intermediate evenings have flagged wofully. Why does not the manager bring down some theatrical comet to rouse us from our lethargy, since all other means have failed? We are glad to perceive he is to revive, on Monday, Farquhar's delightful comedy of the "Recruit ing Officer," which has been so successful in London. This is spirited and as it should be; and we trust the attempt will be attended with good success.-There was a Grand Fancy Ball the other evening at Glasgow, for the benefit of Mr Seymour, who was lately burned out of the Theatre Royal there. We hope it was productive of something considerable. We have not lost sight of the Autographs we promised: they arc in the hands of the engraver. "Crito" complains that it is not fair to postpone the consideration of the pictures at the Scottish Academy, till we have discussed those at the Institution. We have to remark, in reply, that the Institution opened first, and that we cannot afford room for articles on both in the same Number; neither did we like to break in upon the continuity of our criticisms by taking them alternately. This, however, we willingly promise, that if the Academy opens first next year, the Academy shall be noticed first: for "Crito" is mistaken in supposing that we wish to show the slightest preference to the one over the other.-Our Glasgow cor Mr Samuel Walter Burgess has in the press, the Votive respondent may rest assured, that he will meet occasionally in Wreath, and other Poems. A monument is about to be erected to the celebrated Italian poet, Vincenzo Monti, in one of the most conspicuous parts of the city of Milan, the place of his residence for thirty years. The new edition of the Pilgrim's Progress, preparing for the press, by Mr Southey, is to contain a Life of the Author, and explanatory Notes on the work. This is probably a higher compliment than honest John Bunyan ever expected would be paid to him. interesting and curious departments of science."-We shall be glad the Edinburgh Literary Journal with "short familiar papers on to receive some prose contributions from "D. A." of Cupar Fife; his poetical communications will meet with our best attention.The "Remarks on the Astronomical Chair" have scarcely been digested with sufficient care." An Albumite" will find "Stanzas for Albums," by Montgomery and others, in several of the Annuals for 1829. A second edition of The Opening of the Sixth Seal is already the same quarter. We have too much original poetry on our "Bonny wee Lily," by "T. V. D." of Glasgow, is good; but, before publishing it, we should like to receive something else from announced. HERCULANEUM AND POMPEII.-It gives us much pleasure to learn that the most brilliant discoveries are daily being made at Herculaneum and Pompeii. In the excavations at the former, a magnificent mansion is gradually making its appearance, the gar hands, to think of reprinting any selections from the old authors. -We are afraid that none of the pieces by "C. J." of Glasgow will exactly suit us.-The song from Aberdeen, tune, "The meetship," by "J."-and "The Jews," by "Beta," are inadmissible. ing of the waters,"-" Sonnet," by " A. B."-" Love and Friend EDINBURGH LITERARY JOURNAL; OR, WEEKLY REGISTER OF CRITICISM AND BELLES LETTRES. No. 17. SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1829. LITERARY CRITICISM. Twelve Years' Military Adventure in Three Quarters of the Globe; or Memoirs of an Officer who served in the Armies of his Majesty and of the East India Company, between the years 1802 and 1814, in which are contained the campaigns of the Duke of Wellington | in India, and his last in Spain and the South of France. In two volumes. London. Henry Colburn. 1829. 8vo. Pp. 403 and 381. 66 THESE military adventures seem all to be amazingly pleasant things, and the military adventurers exceedingly good sort of fellows. They all tell us in the preface, that, being soldiers, they must not be criticised very severely for what they write; and then they go on to spin a yarn of two or three volumes' length, and, by the time we come to the conclusion, we rise perfectly satisfied that the hero of the story, who performed so many exploits "i' the eminent deadly breach," ought to have been a generalissimo, though hard fate may have fixed him only a captain, and put him on the half-pay list. But if the reader be satisfied that the half-pay captain conducted himself gallantly, we presume that the main purpose for which he wrote his book is answered. We are no great patrons of these personal military narratives. We suspect they tend to nourish conceit, and to engender Munchausenism; whilst it is altogether impossible that they should ever be able to convey any comprehensive and useful knowledge. An inferior officer in the army is like a fly on the spoke of a wheel; he sees that the machine is in motion, but he does not know why or wherefore. He may write in a lively, agreeable, anecdotal sort of style, and his book may be made to bear a considerable resemblance to a novel; but if we look for any thing deeper than this mere surface-work, we shall invariably be disappointed. One such book, therefore, is as good as a thousand; for they must all necessarily bear a very close resemblance to each other, seeing that the duties, battles, marches, and counter-marches of all our young military friends must be as like each other as possible. PRICE 6d. were before we heard them. He was present at the battle of Assaye, and a variety of other smaller affairs. As soon as peace was concluded with the Mahratta powers he returned to Madras, and was afterwards present at the mutiny at Vellore. He subsequently accompanied different expeditions to the Islands of Bourbon and Java; and at length, getting tired of India, he returned to England in time to share the glories of Wellington's victorious campaigns in Spain and the south of France. He does not appear to have been present at Waterloo; and the peace which succeeded having rendered his sword useless, he has betaken himself to his pen. The best way of conveying an idea of the nature of this book, is to select some of the most amusing stories it contains, and string them together. Its value seems to us principally to depend upon its anecdotes, and the lively manner in which they are for the most part told. Without farther preface, therefore, we present our read. ers with the following: A JOKE ON BOARD SHIP." I shall not dwell upon the manner in which we passed our time on board ship how we panted under the line-how we rolled round the Cape, frequently with more soup in our laps than we could keep on our stomachs how the backgammonboard rattled from morning till night-how we paced the quarter-deck, when the judge and general did not take it all to themselves-how we fished for sharkshow we speared dolphins, porpoises, and albacores ;nor shall I attempt to paint the pictured agonies of the dying dolphins, already so beautifully described by Falconer; nor the nobler and more potent struggles of the greedy, daring shark, to do justice to which would require the pen of a Homer. Neither shall I swell my pages with an account of the visit we received from Father Neptune on crossing the line, with the ceremonial attending it, as the subject is stale; nor detail all the jokes, practical and verbal, which we played upon each other, except one of the former; and, if it amuses, the reader half as much as it did me, I shall be content. There was a lazy fat fellow amongst us, who was always lolling or sleeping on the hen-coops, upon whom we resolved to play a trick; so, seizing an opportunity when he was snug on his customary roost, we planted ourselves with buckets of water just over him." At a signal given, he was jerked off the coop, and soused from head to foot with such a full and successive torrent of the bríny fluid, accompanied by a cry of Man overboard! Rope! rope! Down with the helm !' &c., that he actually struck out, as if swimming for his life; till a failure in the supply of water, succeeded by peals of laughter, brought him to a sense of his situation.". Vol. I. p. 23-5. It is true, no doubt, that some dull rogues have published their Memoirs, and some clever ones have done the same thing; and this makes a variety. Our present author we rank among the latter class. He is a goodhumoured, slashing, dashing, hop-step-and-leap kind of writer. His general stock of knowledge seems to be as limited as could well be desired; but all he needed was a good memory and a tolerable flow of language to set down his own reminiscences. He went out to India at an early age as a cadet, remained a short time at SOMETHING RATHER DIFFICULT TO SWALLOW. Madras, and then joined the army under General Wel-"Here I cannot omit mentioning a curious circumlesley. He there, of course, proceeds to recount a number of minute incidents with which he himself was personally connected, amusing enough in their way, but very little calculated to make us much wiser than we stance which I witnessed about this time, a consequence of the privation undergone by these unfortunate bullocks. Lolling one day in my tent, ruminating on the hardships of a soldier's life, and on the shifts to which he is often reduced, my eyes and my thoughts were naturally other officer, strolling among some buildings, which, attracted to my poor cattle, who stood picketed at a short from their superior order, appeared to have belonged to distance, with nothing to chew but the cud of disap- the Killedar, or some functionary of note in the garripointment, having waited since morning in eager expec- son; when some groans, proceeding from some of the tation of the return of a foraging party. I observed one houses, caught our ears. We entered, and to our asof these, whose well-defined ribs bore testimony to the tonishment beheld a large room full of women, many of scantiness of his fare, gradually stretching out his head them young and beautiful, dreadfully mangled, most of to a turban, belonging to one of my servants, which hap- them dead, but some of them still in the agonies of dispened to be within the length of his tether. After gi- solution. Every tender, every manly feeling of the heart, ving it a turn or two with his nose, I suppose to ascer- was shocked at such a sight. It could not be our soltain the possibility of its being masticated, he seized the diers that had done such a deed. No! the suspicion loose end in his mouth, and actually began to swallow could not be harboured an instant. No human motive it. He swallowed, and swallowed; and, as the volu- alone could have urged such an act. And so it proved; minous folds of the turban unrolled, so fast did they dis. for, on questioning the survivors, we learned that the appear down the throat of the bullock, until, of at least Rajpoots composing the garrison, who had their famiten yards of stuff, there remained only a small bit pen- lies with them, finding all hopes of saving the place to dent from his jaws. I was so amused with the whole be vain, had collected their wives and daughters, and process, that I could not find it in my heart to stop him; having butchered them in the manner above described, but lay on my couch observing his operations for at least sallied forth, with no earthly hope left, but that of sellan hour. Another minute, and the turban, which had ing their lives dearly. Although so completely in opnearly reached its latter end, would have been safely de- position to christian principles, we cannot blame the posited in the stomach of the bullock, to be brought up deed; horrid and barbarous as it was, still it had in it for examination at a favourable opportunity. Just at something of a noble character. It was in consonance this critical moment the owner returned, when, looking with their religious principles; and it was to save their about for his turban, he beheld the end dangling from wives and daughters from pollution. The men who perthe mouth of the animal. With an oath he flew at the petrated this deed of horror, were the same who afterbullock, and, seizing the only visible portion of his gar-wards precipitated themselves with such desperation on ment, pulled and pulled, hand over hand, and oath upon oath, while the tattered but still connected cloth came forth, like a measuring tape out of its case. The man's rage and gestures at the destruction of his turban, the beast's astonishment at the novel kind of emetic he was undergoing, and the attitudes of both, formed a scene absolutely irresistible."-Vol. I. p. 93-5. 6 MILITARY MUSIC. "This was the first time I had ever heard the whistling of balls. The reader will perhaps expect that I should exultingly exclaim, with Charles the Twelfth, Henceforth this shall be my music!' But candour obliges me to confess that such a noble idea did not enter my thoughts; for, however harmonious the balls may have sounded in the ears of the Swedish hero, to me they certainly did not convey the same degree of pleasure that I have since experienced from the voice of a Catalani, or from the bow of a Linley; on the contrary, the noise which they made, as they glanced past my head, raised about the precincts of my heart a kind of awkward sensation, not at all allied to pleasure, and partaking more of what is vulgarly called fear, but which, as a military man, I dare not designate by that name."Vol. I. p. 130-1. our Europeans, and not one of whom would accept quarter."—Vol. I. p. 230-1. POWERS OF THE TELESCOPE." It may amuse the reader to be informed, that among my mathematical instruments, I had an inverting telescope, which I used sometimes to let my servants look through, that I might enjoy their surprise at seeing the world turned upside down, and, in particular, the astonishment they expressed, when they saw men and women walking on their heads, without their clothes falling down. It got about in the cantonment, that the engineer saheb, had a telescope which could turn people upside down; without the latter part of the phenomenon being generally known, so I used sometimes to amuse myself by pointing my glass at the women as they passed my window; upon which they would run as fast as they could, holding their clothes down with both their hands."-Vol. I. p. 327. A DUELLIST." He used to tell a story of one of his affairs, which, though not at all creditable to himself, was the best satire on the practice of duelling that can well be imagined. I was in the theatre one night,' said he, and seeing a fellow eating apples in the box A RESURRECTIONIST.-"As a set-off to this affect-where there were some ladies, I took the liberty of poing circumstance, I must describe a ludicrous scene which occurred about the same time, and which for a moment caused a ray of hilarity to cheer the gloom of the battle field. A surgeon, whose bandages had been exhausted by the number of patients, espying one of the enemy's horsemen lying, as he supposed, dead on the ground, with a fine long girdle of cotton cloth round his waist, seized the end of it, and, rolling over the body, began to loose the folds. Just as he had nearly accomplished his purpose, up sprang the dead man, and away ran the doctor, both taking to their heels on the opposite tacks, to the infinite amusement of the bystanders. This extraordinary instance of a doctor bringing a man to life, so opposite to the usual practice of the faculty, became the subject of a caricature; while the story, as may be supposed, long clung to this unfortunate son of Galen, who afterwards went by the name of the resurrection doctor." "Vol. I. p. 180-1. A DREADFUL ALTERNATIVE.-"A horrid scene which I witnessed at this time, made such a lively impression on my youthful mind, that the very recollection of it, even at this distance of time, makes my blood run cold. When the fort was completely in our possession, and all firing had ceased, I was, in company with an king one into his throat with my finger. The man struck me I knocked him down, and gave him a sound drubbing,' (for the Colonel was a famous bruiser.) He called me out, I shot him through the arm; and the fool called that satisfaction.' One of the few instances in which he was known to have been right, was on the occasion which proved fatal to him. On receiving his antagonist's shot, which took effect in his body, he staggered a few paces; then, recovering himself, he presented his pistol deliberately at his opponent, and said, I could kill him,' (for he was a capital shot ;) but the last act of my life shall not be an act of revenge!' Words sufficient to redeem a life of error !”—Vol. I. p. 336-7. COME UP." Having passed a pleasant evening with our friends of the artillery, we retired to rest in a room situated over one of the stables of the gun-horses. Here, owing to a little over-indulgence at table, not feeling readily disposed to sleep, we amused ourselves with counting the number of Come ups!' which reached our ears through the crevices of the floor. Whenever a horse stirred, so as to disturb the slumbers of his not much more human bed-fellow, it was Come up!' If the beast snorted, it was 'Come up!' If he lay down, it was Come up! If he rose on his legs, it was equal 1 ly Come up!' This Come up' is almost the only phrase which an English groom addresses to his horse. Though generally used as a term of rebuke, it is an unmeaning expression; and I do not see in what it could have originated, unless in the frequent necessity of cautioning the animal against that too great propensity of English horses to come down."-Vol. II. p. 155. A SPANISH PRIEST." He was a ruffian-looking fellow, whose chief occupation with the army was that of a mule-dealer, buying those animals in the country, and selling them in the camp at a great profit. I was told by our Colonel, that in the preceding campaign, he was sitting one day at table with his Padre, when the Patron of the house came to beg that Senhor Padré would go up stairs immediately, to render the last offices of religion to a dying Spanish officer. He looked sulky on being disturbed at his meal, but could not refuse. The Colonel followed; but, instead of a solemn ceremonial, as he expected, he saw the Padré take a crucifix out of his pocket, and thrust it into the face of the dying man, vociferating at the same time, Jesus! Jesus!" Perceiving no signs of acknowledgment from the poor offiC cer, whose glazed eye and quick respiration denoted his speedy dissolution, he pocketed his swammy, and descended to finish his beef-steak and his bottle."-Vol. II. p. 278-9. r FRENCH AND ENGLISH APPETITES." On returning to my billet in the morning, as hungry as a hawk, I requested my landlady to prepare me some breakfast. She asked what I should like-I replied, 'Some eggs and bacon.' So forthwith she prepared a dish, containing full two dozen of the former, with a due proportion of the latter; a pretty good proof of the abundance of the land, and of her opinion of an Englishman's appetite. These French imagine, that because we dine off large joints, we must be great eaters, when, in fact, we do not eat half so much as they do. In France, the providing for the stomach is much more of an affaire than it is in England. When, in French, you talk of a man's having spent his fortune, you say, Il a mangé son bien;' and the first question a Frenchman asks you, on visiting his country, is, how you like their cuisine. This latter observation reminds me of an answer made to me by an English traveller, to whom, on his expressing his dislike of the French mode of living, I remarked, that I supposed he did not relish their cuisine. Quizzing, sir!' said he, rather tartly; 'you don't suppose I allowed the fellows to quiz me!" -Vol. II. p. 352-3. Light reading, spiced à la militaire, will now be perceived to form the staple commodity of the "Twelve Years' Military Adventure." Sermons, Doctrinal and Practical, for Plain People. By the Rev. G, R. Gleig, M. A. M.R.S.L., &c. London; John Murray. 1829. Pp. 303. Ar first sight the title of this volume, by the Reverend author of the Subaltern, struck us as savouring not a little of affectation. Much, in these days of literary rivalship, depends on the title of a book; and the public have too often found, to their cost, that the title was the best and only readable part of the volume. We are far, however, from insinuating that this is the case with Mr Gleig's Sermons; on the contrary, they will, in our opinion, add to the literary reputation which he has already so deservedly acquired. But, from the innumerable shoals of sermons which have been, and still are, ushered into the world, which nobody reads, and which it is not likely ever will be read, we have been accustomed to look upon a preacher as more than ordinarily courageous, and a reader as having a more than ordinary stock of patience, who ventures on a new publi cation of this kind. Sermons, like other compositions, have appeared under various titles. Some have merely "Sermons ;" others, "Sermons on Important Subjects;" others, again, "Discourses," preached at some particular place, and so on ad infinitum. Mr Gleig has had the ingenuity to discover a new cognomen, and his are "Sermons for Plain People." But there is no affectation in the volume before us. They are truly what their author entitles them, doctrinal and practical, on most important subjects; and we completely agree with Mr Gleig, "that though the shelves of every book-shop in the kingdom groan under the weight of theological publications, very few have been found in all respects fit for domestic use." We have no lack of Sermons; but, unfortunately, too many of them, after being "weighed in the balance," have been "found wanting." Many of them, doubtless, are pious enough and well-meaning, but of such a na ture as not to suit exactly the meridian of the parlour circle. Some are loose declamations; others have neither unity nor design; others are mystical and uninstructive. From one preacher we have a dull formal essay, to which the text is a motto; from another we have high-flying fanaticism, visionary speculations, or ranting, unintelligible "orations." Few comparatively are the exceptions; and we are, therefore, glad to find Mr Gleig's Sermons of that description that they will "suit the capacities of the very lowest," whilst they will give "no offence to the taste of the highest circles." The Rev. Edward Irving, who is one of the great apostles of Millennarianism, would have entitled this volume "Orations for Plain People." We would recommend the work to his careful perusal, for we can assure him, that this style of preaching will prove a thousand times more beneficial than weekly mystical harangues on the Millennium. It cannot, of course, be expected that we can afford space to investigate at length Mr Gleig's admirable discourses; but few, we are persuaded, whether learned or ignorant, will rise from their perusal without feeling wiser and better. They contain faithful and eloquent expositions of our duty to God, our neighbour, and ourselves, and as such, they ought to be possessed by every family. They are the productions of a man who is, we doubt not, a faithful parish priest. The first Discourse is on "The Redemption of Mankind," and contains a clear and concise statement of the truth, that, as Mr Gleig observes, "it is in the sacred Scriptures of God alone that we may look, not for the assurance, but for the remotest hint or reference to a resurrection of the body." The Sermons on "Caution in forming Judgments," on "The Divine origin of Christianity," and on "Religious Differences,' would especially recommend. We shall, however, lay before our readers an extract from the Sermon on "The object of Public Preaching;" a subject which is greatly misunderstood by too many preachers and sermon-hunting hearers, and to which we would call their special attention : we THE OBJECT OF PUBLIC PREACHING. "No one who has mixed at all in society can be ignorant that the fashion of the present times runs greatly in opposition to what are termed moral discourses. A plain straight-forward list of directions how they are to behave in all stations of life, goes not well down with either of two classes of persons: it displeases both those who affect more than an ordinary degree of reverence for religion, and those who are habitually profligate and vicious. The former turn away from such moral harangues with contempt and scorn. They assert that these are nothing more than heathen admonitions; that they have in them none of the spirit of the Gospel, nothing relative to faith, or grace, or regeneration, or I know not how many terms, with which men are too often |