manse.

a

verend man's commendations of her pot; “ if ye like the The instinctive love of life, however, is omni-prevapot sae weel as a' that, I beg ye'll let me send it to the lent; and even very stupid people have been found,

It's a kind o' orra (superfluous) pot wi' us ; when put to the push by strong and imminent peril, 10 for we've a bigger ane, that we use oftener, and that's exhibit a degree of presence of mind, and exert a degree mair convenient every way for us. Sae ye'll just tak a of energy, far above what might have been expected from present o't. I'll send it ower the morn wi' Jamie, when them, or what they were ever known to exhibit or exert he gangs to the schule.”-“Oh!" said the minister, under ordinary circumstances. So it was with the pot“ I can by no means permit you to be at so much trou. ensconced minister of C - Pressed by the urgency of ble. Since you are so good as to give me the pot, I'll his distresses, he fortunately recollected that there was a just carry it home with me in my hand. I'm so much smith's shop at the distance of about a mile across the taken with it, indeed, that I would really prefer carry- fields, where, if he could reach it before the period of ing it myself.” After much altercation between the suffocation, he might possibly find relief. Deprived of minister and the widow, on this delicate point of polite- his eye-sight, he could act only as a man of feeling, and ness, it was agreed that he should carry home the pot went on as cautiously as he could, with his hat in his himself.

hand. Half crawling, half sliding, over ridge and fur. Off, then, he trudged, bearing this curious little culi. row, ditch and hedge, somewhat like Satan floundering nary article alternately in his hand and under his arm, over chaos, the unhappy minister travelled, with all pos. as seemed most convenient to him. Unfortunately, the sible speed, as nearly as he could guess in the direction day was warm, the way long, and the minister fat; so of the place of refuge. I leave it to the reader to con. that he became heartily tired of his burden before he ceive the surprise, the mirth, the infinite amusement of had got half-way home. Under these distressing cir- the smith and all the hangers-on of the smiddy, when, at cumstances, it struck him, that if, instead of carrying length, torn and worn, faint and exhausted, blind and the pot awkwardly at one side of his person, he were to breathless, the unfortunate man arrived at the place, and carry it on his head, the burden would be greatly light. let them know (rather by signs than by words) the cir. ened ; the principles of natural philosophy, which he cumstances of his case. In the words of an old Scottish had learned at college, informing him, that when a load song, presses directly and immediately upon any object, it is far less onerous than when it hangs at the remote end of

“Out cam the gudeman, and high he shouted;

Out cam the gudewife, and low she louted ; a lever. Accordingly, doffing his hat, which he resolved

And a' the town-neighbours were gathered about it; to carry home in his hand, and having applied his hand

And there was he, I trow !" kerchief to his brow, he clapped the pot in inverted fashion upon his head; where, as the reader may suppose, it The merriment of the company, however, soon gave way figured much like Mambrino's helmet upon the crazed to considerations of humanity. Ludicrous as was the mi. capital of Don Quixote, only a great deal more magni- nister, with such an object where his head should have ficent in shape and dimensions. There was at first much been, and with the feet of the pot pointing upwards like relief and much comfort in this new mode of carrying the horns of the great Enemy, it was, nevertheless, ne. the pot; but mark the result. The unfortunate mini. cessary that he should be speedily restored to his ordi. ster having taken a by-path to escape observation, found nary condition, if it were for no other reason than that himself, when still a good way from home, under the he might continue to live. He was accordingly, at his necessity of leaping over a ditch, which intercepted him own request, led into the smithy, multitudes flocking in passing from one field to another. He jumped; but around to tender him their kindest offices, or to witness surely no jump was ever taken so completely in, or, at the process of his release; and having laid down his head least, into, the dark, as this. The concussion given to upon the anvil, the smith lost no time in seizing and his person in descending, caused the helmet to become poising his goodly forehammer. 6 Will I come sair on, a hood : the pot slipped down over his face, and resting minister ?” exclaimed the considerate man of iron in at with its rim upon his neck, stuck fast there ; enclosing the brink of the pot. “As sair as ye like," was the mi. his whole head as completely as ever that of a new-born nister's answer ; * better a chap i' the chafts than dying child was enclosed by the filmy bag with which nature, for want of breath.” Thus permitted, the man let fall a as an indicution of future good fortune, sometimes invests hard blow, which fortunately broke the pot in pieces, the noddles of her favourite offspring. What was worst of without hurting the head which it enclosed, as the cookall, the nose, which had permitted the pot to slip down maid breaks the shell of the lobster, without bruising the over it, withstood every desperate attempt on the part of delicate food within. A few minutes of the clear air, and its proprietor to make it slip back again ; the contracted a glass from the gudewife's bottle, restored the unfor. part or neck of the patera being of such a peculiar for- tunate man of prayer ; but assuredly the incident is one mation as to cling fast to the base of the nose, although which will long live in the memory of the parishioners it had found no difficulty in gliding along its hypothe. of C-—. nuse. Was ever minister in a worse plight ? Was there ever contretems so unlucky? Did ever any man-did ever any minister, so effectually hoodwink himself, or so thoroughly shut his eyes to the plain light of nature ?

THE DRAMA. What was to be done? The place was lonely ; the way difficult and dangerous ; human relief was remote, almost beyond reach. It was impossible even to cry for The first plays acted in Scotland were performed in help. Or, if a cry could be uttered, it might reach in the open air, and there was a piece of ground attached to deafening reverberation the ear of the utterer ; but it most towns, known by the designation of the “ Playwould not travel twelve inches farther in any direction. field.” In the year 1555, one of these plays was acted To add to the distresses of the case, the unhappy suf. at Cupar in Fife, composed by Sir David Lindsay of the ferer soon found great difficulty in breathing. What Mount. In general, the dialogue and plot were little suwith the heat occasioned by the beating of the sun on perior to those which still draw crowds round caravans at the metal, and what with the frequent return of the same fairs. The incidents and dramatis persona were such as heated air to his lungs, he was in the utmost danger of are now to be met with only in Harlequinades. There suffocation. Every thing considered, it seemed likely was a father, a daughter, and two lovers, one of these bethat, if he did not chance to be relieved by some acci- ing commonly an old fool who ran away with the lady, dental wayfarer, there would soon be Death IN THE and she was not rescued from his clutches till many pracРот.

tical jokes had been played upon him. During the trou

:

ble

blous times of Mary and James, and afterwards during actors, and that the commonest stage-tricks were the the civil war which raged between Charles I. and the Co. work of supernatural agency. On one occasion, “ Ham. venanters, little attention was pa din Scotland to amuse- let” struck this enlightened audience as so horrid and mients of any kind, and least of all to the drama. The profane a play, that they tumultuously left the theatre, Duke of York, afterwards James II., who held his Court and, collecting on the outside, began to set it on fire. at Holyrood from 1680 to 1684, in imitation of his bro. To quell the riot, the Town Guard was called out, and ther Charles, kept a set of players who constituted a part in the course of discharging their duty, they had to enof his household, and called themselves “the Duke's ser. ter the house and cross the stage. This appeared to vants," as in England they were termed “his Majesty's them rather a hazardous undertaking ; for though many servants.” Some jealousy seems to have existed between of them had fought at Blenheim and Dettingen, they the English and Scotch companies; and Dryden was ex- did not by any means choose to encounter the Evil One. pressly employed to satirize the northern actors, which However, the captain placed himself at their head, and, he has done with considerable tact in these lines :- summoning up all his courage, said resolutely, “ Fol

low me, my lads.” But he had scarcely advanced two “Our brethren have from Thames to Tweed departed, steps, till one of the trap-doors, on which he happened And of our sisters all the kinder hearted

to tread, gave way, and in a moment he vanished from To Edinburgh gone,-or coached-or carted.

the sight of his nien. This was too much ; the Town With bonny blue-cap there they act all night, For Scots half-crowns,—in English, threepence hight.

Guard fled in disorder; and though their captain afterOne nymph, to whom fat Sir John Falstaff's lean,

wards returned to them, they were never quite sure but There, with her single person, fills the scene;

that it was only his ghost. In 1756, however, the proAnother, with long use and age decay'd,

duction of the tragedy of “ Douglas," and the success Died here old woman, and rose there a maid ;

it met with—not so much on account of its own merits, Our trusty door-keeper of former time,

(which had to Garrick appeared so small, that he reThere struts and swaggers in heroic rhyme.

jected the piece,) as on account of the unjust opposition Tack but a copper lace to drugget suit,

it experienced_tended much to overcome the national And there's a hero made without dispute;

prejudice against the theatre. Yet there was nothing sta. And that which was a capon's tail before, Becomes a plume for Indian emperor ;

its establishment, and continual riots were taking

place within its walls. One affray arose out of a party of But all his subjects, to express the care Of imitation, go like Indians bare.

loyalists, calling on the band to play the air of “ CulloLaced linen there would be a dangerous thing;

den," on the anniversary of that batile,- -a demand which It might, perhaps, a new rebellion bring

was immediately met by a call from the Jacobites for, The Scot who wore it would be chosen king."

“ You're welcome, Charlie Stuart.” The band com

plied with the latter requisition, and a very desperate At this period the drama must have been at a sufficiently rencontre between the two parties was the consequence. low ebb. The ferment excited by the Union, in the reign Another memorable affair of a similar kind took place, of Queen Anne, prevented the Augustan literature of when “ High Life below Stairs” was produced. The that age from extending itself to Scotland ; and it was footmen, sent thither by their masters who occupied not till after the rebellion of 1715 that we began seriously the boxes, were the preponderating part of the gallery to cultivate the arts of peace, or give any encouragement audience, and they determined, in a body, “ to sacrifice to stage representations.

fame, honour, and profit,” to prevent the tol. ration of The Taylors' Hall, in the Cowgate, was used for the so glaring an insult upon their profession. The consefirst plays which were publicly and regularly performed quence was, that the gentlemen had to unite against their in Edinburgh. The price of admission was two shillings own servants, and it was not till they had been turned and sixpence for pit and boxes, (which anciently seem out of the gallery by main torce, and after making a very always to have been charged the same,) and eighteen- stout opposition, that the piece was allowed to proceed. pence for the gallery. These prices, considering the In the course of these repeated disturbances, all the theagreater cheapness of the times, were far from being very trical property was destroyed, and the very walls of the low; and the Taylors' Hall, when full, lield about forty- house came at last to be demolished. five pounds. Ai this period, however, players were, by But peace and prosperity, and the happy effects of the act of Parliament, classed with common rogues and va- Union, were by this time beginning to open up better gabonds, and were liable to imprisonment as such. An prospects for Scotland. A new town was about to be attempt was therefore made to get a bill passed, licen- added to old Edinburgh, upon a comprehensive and sing a theatre in Edinburgh ; but as petitions were pre magnificent plan ; its wealth and population had greatly sented against it from the Lord Provost and Magistrates, increased, and a desire for public amusements was in the professors of the University, and many of the clergy, consequence increasing also. To the bill for the extenthe attempt failed. A new theatre, however, was built sion of the Royalty, a clause was added, enabling his in 1746, by an opposition manager, in an alley which Majesty to license a Theatre. The rights accruing from branches off the Canongate, and is now designated the the patent which was thus obtained, were made over to “ Auld Play-house Close." This rival establishment Mr Ross, an actor of celebrity at Covent Garden, for soon knocked up the performances at the Taylors' Hall, eleven hundred pounds. Ross immediately proceeded to and continued for two-and-twenty years, obscure and aise L. 2500, in shares of L.100 each, for which he gave mean as its situation was, the only theatre of which security on the new Theatre, wardrobe, and patent, agreeEdinburgh could boast. One of the first pieces per- ing to pay three per cent interest on each share, besides formed here was Allan Ramsay's “ Gentle Shepherd,” giving the holders the privilege of free admission at all which drew crowded houses for a whole season. To times. The sharcs were also declared transferable, but evade the law, which forbade the receiving of money for the capital was not exigible from the patentee. These the representation of stage-plays, the bills and advertise- preliminaries being adjusted, the building of the prements always announced, a concert of music, with a sent Theatre Royal was begun in March 1768, and play between the acts,” which last was understood to be finished towards the end of the following year. The given gratis.

site chosen, we learn from the “ Traditions of EdinThe poor players had many difficulties to contend burgh,” was “ nearly upon the place where the celebrawith, and none greater than the feelings of superstitious ted Whitefield used to harangue the populace, when fear, with which the more bigoted clergy made it their he visited Edinburgh in the course of his evangelical business to inspire the common people, teaching them On coming to the city for the first time after to believe that Satan himself was in league with the the extension of the Royalty, and preparing, as usual,

manner.

to preach in the Orphan Hospital Park,' what was his surprise, and what was his indignation, on finding the

NEW MUSIC. spot which he had in a manner rendered sacred by his Love, art thou waking or sleeping? a Serenade ; the Muprelections, thus appropriated to the service of Satan!

sic by J. Thomson, Esq. Edinburgh. Patterson, Roy, He contemplated the rising walls of the Play-house

and Co. George Street. with a sort of grim despair; but, perhaps, as Robert Burns says, in allusion to a similar circumstance—there

Mr Thomson is, perhaps, the cleverest practical was a rivalry in the job.'”

musician in Edinburgh, and has evinced occasional Through the kindness of the present manager, we have glimpses of talent that place him at the head of our been favoured with a copy of the original prospectus, amateur composers. His present effort is a lively little containing “ Proposals for building a new Theatre-Royal melody in B, with a very pretty, though very unprein the new streets of Edinburgh," and bearing date March tending accompaniment; and so simple as to be perfect1st, 1768. This is a curious document, and illustrates ly within the reach of the most inexperienced voice. the manners and feelings of the tiines in a remarkable Though less learned in its construction, it is better fit

It sets forth, among other things, that " the ted to become popular, than any of his former produc. state of learning in the University of Edinburgh, and the tions that we have seen. rank the medical class has over Europe, is a glory to this nation, which seems every year growing to perfection.”

-“ A well-regulated theatre," it is added, “ will not only be an inducement to students to come to Edinburgh,

ORIGINAL POETRY. but of infinite utility to those in particular who are to speak in public, and to the people in general, as a stand.

THE UNCLE. A MYSTERY. ard of the English language.' We are also informed, that, the value of money being greatly decreased, the

By Henry G. Bell, Author of the “ Life of Mary tickets could not remain at the same low prices which

Queen of Scots.” were then paid, and which had been paid sixty years be- I had an uncle once a man fore, when half-a-crown was as valuable as five shillings

Of three score years and three,were then, and that they would therefore be raised to four

And when my reason's dawn began, shillings for the boxes, three for the pit, two for the lower

He'd take me on his knee, gallery, and one for the upper. For these prices, we are assured the Edinburgh stage should be made to vie

And often talk whole winter nights with that of London or Dublin ; and, with very little of

Things that seem'd strange to me. the courtesy and punctilio of more modern times, the

He was a man of gloomy mood, manager pledges himself that “ there shall be five capi

And few his converse sought; tal men actors, one good man singer, and one second ditto; three capital women actresses, two capital women

But, it was said, in solitude singers ; one capital man dancer, and one woman ditto ;

His conscience with him wrought, the rest as good as can be had.” We are not sure that

And there before his mental eye the ladies and gentlemen of the green-room now-a-days

Some hideous vision brought. would like to be talked of so unceremoniously. On Saturday the 8th of December 1769, the new

There was not one in all the house theatre was opened ; and though now worn almost out

Who did not fear his frown, of date, and pronounced scarcely worthy of Edinburgh,

Save I, a little careless child, it was considered quite a splendid structure by our an

Who gamboll'd up and down, cestors. It is thus spoken of in an old newspaper of And often peep'd into his room, that day now before us :-" On Saturday last, the new

And pluck'd him by the gown. Theatre-Royal was opened. It may, with justice, be said to be one of the neatest and most elegant theatres I was an orphan and alone, in Europe. Mr Ross has given us the most superb mo

My father was his brother, dern building in the kingdom, which does honour to the And all their lives I knew that they country, and to his taste.” An opening address was de

Had fondly loved each other ; livered by Mr Ross, by which it appears that he was all And in my uncle's room there hung for tragedy,

The picture of my mother. “ Por Randolph's woes, and Tancred's youthful fire.”

There was a curtain over it, He never thought of drawing houses by smart after- 'Twas in a darken'd place, pieces little agreeable things pour rire ;

And few or none had ever look'd “Let manly reason with these pleasures vie,

Upon my mother's face, Let Shakspeare triumph, and may opera die!"

Or seen her pale expressive smile

Of melancholy grace. Managers of a later date seem to be of a very different way of thinking

One night, I do remember well, Having thus briefly traced the progress of the drama

The wind was howling high, in Edinburgh, till it got possession of its present stronghold, we shall make the various fortunes it experienced

And through the ancient corridors there the subject of another article next Saturday.

It sounded drearily,

I sat and read in that old hall,
WEEKLY LIST OF PERFORMANCES.

My uncle sat close by.
Nov. 22-28.
SAT. Les Deur Edmon, Le Tableau Parlant, & Scape-Goat.

I read-but little understood
Green-eyed Monster, He Lies like Truth, $ Bottle Imp.

The words upon the book
Tues. Do., Do., & The Two Friends.
Les Freres a l'Eprouve, Les Anglaises pour Rire, &

For with a side-long glance I mark'd
John of Paris.

My uncle's fearful look,
THUR. Voyage a Dieppe, Le Boufle et Tailleur, & The Lady

And saw how all his quivering frame
Michel et Christine, Les Freres Feroces, $ Angeline,

In strong convulsions shook.

MON.

WED.

and the Levil.

FRI.

is also about to publish " Battles and War Pieces, by the most brated piece of ordnance which Scotland seems ever to have DOSeminent Modern Poets; now first collected into one volume." sessed. It is thirteen feet long, seven feet in circumferenc: at the

Mr Edward Upham, author of “Rameses," an Egyptian Tale, mouth, and its bore is 20 inches in diameter. It appears to have and other works, is preparing, for “ Constable's Miscellany,” the been originally made for James IV., and is freg ently mentioned “ History of the Turnish or Ottoman Empire, from its Esta- as doing good execution at ditferent periods of Scottish history. blishment in 1326 to 1828; comprising a Preliminary Disco'irse on It was commonly kept in the Castle of Edinburgh, but on one the Arabs, and also the Life of Mahommed, and his immediate occasion was sent to assist in the defence of Dunottar Castle, successors in the Khalifat.” Mr Derwent Conway is likewise pe. when besieged by Cromwell's army and fleet. There is a tra. paring for the Miscellany, “ A Personal Narrative through Parts dition, that in this siege, Mons Meg disma ted an English ves. of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway."

sel lying at the distance of a mile and a half. From these and We observe that there is to be a double Number of “Black- similar exploits, it was called “the great iron murderer Muckle wood's Magazine," for December. We are glad to perceive that Meg." In 1754 it was removed to Lon'on, probably as a meaone of the Parts is to contain an article from the able and ingeni. sure of precaution; and application having been recently made ous pen of Charles Lamb, entitled " The Wife's Trial, or the to that effect, it has been re-transported, and is now lying at Intruding Widow." This is a coalition, perhaps, scarcely to have Leith. There is some talk of bringing it up to Edinburgh with heen expected, but it is quite as it should be. There ought, if military and civic honours. possible, to be no personal animosities among literary men, who Theatrical Gossip.-Nr Knowles' Comedy of "The Beggar's are all alike" pressing forward for the prize of their high calling." Daughter of Bethnal Green," was produced last Saturday evenWe rejoice to see the lion at length lying down with the lamb. ing at Drury Lane, to a very crowdeil audience. It was not so There are also a Noctes, an article on Sacred Poetry, and an- successful as was expected, though abounding in many powerful other called “ Buy a Broom?" which, we have reason to believe, situations, and much tine poetry. The under plot was considered will be found excellent.

too prominent, and, we observe, it is mentioned in the London The Author of “Waverley" is about to give us another Novel papers, that Mrs Faucit, who was entrusted with the important in three volumes, entitled " Anne of Geierstein, or the Maiden part of Queen Elizabeth, completely murdered it. The piece, of the Mist." The scene is principally laid in Switzerland, but however, was announced for repetition, with considerable apthe hero, we believe, is a Scotchman.

plause, although there appear to have been some individuals " Tales of the Great St Bernard" have just appeared from the present who were determined that it should not have a fair hear. pen of Mr Croly. Mr is a poet, the author of “ Satathiel," ing.. " A slout gentleman," in particular, in one of the boxes (an Eastern Romance, in three volumes, which has not sold,) a (" No. 5," we presume) with the voice of a Stentor, and the face minister of the Gospel, and an expounder of the Apocalypse. of a Medusa, and the gesticulations of a Cyclops, is spoken of as The Tales of the Great St Bernard are spoken of as poseessing having particularly distinguished himself for the violence of his various degrees of merit.

opposition. He was a shilling gallery of himseif. If our old friend The Literary Remains" of the late Henry Neele, author of Weekes had taken his place besi le him, we think he could have the “Romance of History," have just appeared. Mr Neele was silenced him. We propose presenting our readers, next Saturday, an amiable and voluminous writer. His recent melancholy fate with some choice extracts from this Comedy, of which we are gives an additional interest to his “Literary Remains."

fortunate enough to possess an unpublished copy:-We observe Hamilton, whom the " Edinburgh Review" pronounced a sort that Miss Phillips, who made her debut in Miss Mitford's Traof Newton amon, pedagogues, whom other sensible men thought gedy of “ Rienzi," (not a copy of which, by the way, is to be a quack, and whose system made a blaze for six months, and then had in Edinbur.h,) is spoken of by the London crities as the weat out, has been publishing more int'rlincar translations; but actress of greatest promise now on ihe stage. - Ducrow and his their day, we suspect, is past.

equestrian company are attracting crowded audiences in Dublio. We have seen a little book, entitled, “ Liber Honorum, or - Mr Macready is rather celebrated for being an impassioned Mirror of the Peerage," which contains, ist, an alphabetical list actor, and he sometime, suits the action to the word a little too of the mottos of the Peers, followed by the titles of those bearing closely. The other day, at a provincial town in England, when them; and, 2d, an alphabetical list of the titles, followed by the playing Othello, he nearly stabbed his lago in good earnest;-ex: mottos. It is executed in the new and beautiful style we noticed claining, “If thou art a devil, I cannot kill thee," he sent his last Saturday, as introduced here by Messrs Smith and Co., and sword, not along lago's back, as is usual, but through his doublet, is a very elegant little work.

till the cold steel passed close to his skin, slightly rasing it. lago, Among the principal Memoirs which will appear in the " An- we understand, thought it was all over with him. Macreany nual Biography and Obituary for 1029,” are the following: - nearly killed a Virginia once before. This is doing more than Archbishop Sutton-Dugald Stewart, Esq.-Sir J. E. Smith- the author means. the Hon. Mrs Damer-the Margravive of Anspa: h-Captain Clapperton - Archdeacon Coxe-Lady Caroline Lamb-the tev. Ed. ward Forster-Sir Henry Torrens-Henry Neele, Esq.-Dr Ma. son Good-Harry Stoe Van Dyk, Esq.-Vice-Admiral Nowell,

TO OUR READERS. &c. &c. We regret to announce the death of Mr Matthews, author of

It gives us much pleasure to intimate, that our next Number the “ Diary of an Invalid." He died at Ceylon of water in the

will contain a poem from the pen of Professor Wilson. And in chest, on the 20th of last May.

the “ Literary Journal" for Saturday the 27th of December,Scottish Academy.-We purceive by the first Report (just pub

which may be considered as our Christmas Number,-our readlished) of the Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture," that this Instiution is in a flourishing condition.

ers, we are sure, will share with us the satisfaction we have in Th clear profits arising from the first exhibition

1827, were announcing, that they will find articles, in prose and verse, by L.317, and pictures were sold to the amount of L.506. The pro

Professor Wilson, the Ettrick Shepherd, William Tennant, Esq., fits of the second exhibition in 1828, were L.535, and pictures were disposed of to the amount of L. 190. At this exhibition,

James Sheridan Knowles, Esq., John Malcolm, Esq., Dr Mernes, there were 309 pictures, and 16 pieces of sculpture; these were William Kennedy, Esq., and some other authors of eminence, furnished by 101 different artists. The Academy has not yet whose names we for bear to mention, from the possibility of disbeen able to procure a Charter of Incorporation, on the plea, that

appointment. The support we have already received is, we be. it would not be expedient," as Mr Peel expresses it, “ to constitute by Koyal Charter, two bodies politic, for the promotion

lieve, almost unprecedented in the history of Scottish periodiof the fine arts in Scotland." We may have some remarks to cals; and we are determined to spare no exertion to entitle us to make on this subject soon.

its continuance, The Ayrshire Sculptor. A self-taught genius, if any one of influence happens to take an interest in him, is very apt to get himself puffed for a week, and forgotten for the rest of his life. The compliment of a ticket, and an invitation to a private exhibition,

TO OUR CORRESPONDENTS. secure the good will of Newspaper Editors; and without know- "A Friend to Unity" is under consideration.--" Cato's" Letter ing any thing about the subject, all they have to do is to write a on the Drama shall have a place, it we can find room for it.flattering paragraph. We hope Mr Thóm, whose two free stone " Pictures of Life," No. I. begins but does not end so well. figures of Tam o'shanter, and Souter Johnny, we have seen -"Q. Y.Q.T." does not seem to have read the preface to Knight with much pleasure, will not allow himself to sacrifice solid pud. and Rumley's “ Crests of the Nobility." No review shall ever ding for empy praise. There is a great deal of spirit and talent appear in the “ Edinburgh Literary Journal," merely to please a in his productions, considered not as works of art, but as the bookseller. creations of a strong and original mind. We hope he will set We regret that our observations on the art of teaching the blind about studying the severer beauties of sculpture, and with steady to read are unavoidanly p stponed till next Saturday. perseverance doubt not of his attaining eminence; but he has a We have been perfectly inundated with original poetry. We long road before him, which is not to be shortened by taking a are happy to receive contributions of this kind; but we have cross-cut of his own. He has already, we understand, received poetry at our command, which makes it impossible for us ever to an order from one nobleman for a group of four figures, for which ihink of admitting inferior compositions into the “ Journal." he is to be paid two hundred guineas, and from another, an order The effusions of ** Clio," of " w. c.," of " W. T.," of " Alpha," for a group of two figures, for which he is to be paid one hundred and of" Ynyr,” do not quite come up to our standard.—" A. M." guineas. This is excellent encouragement to begin with; and it and “J. S.P." may write to us again ;--their productions are remains with Mr Thom himself whether he may not make him. very nearly good enough to merit an imprimatur.-The “Stanzas self a wealthy and a celebrates man-an honour to his native to a Daughter," the sonnets by “Gamma," " A Remembrance of town, and to Scotland.--As an instance of local enthusiasm, it Eight Years," and the song by "S. S.” of Glasgow, will appear may be mentioned, that the "guid folks" of Ayr escoried these as soon as possible. statues in triumphant procession, when they were carried on We have to express our surprise, that the advertisement of the board the steam-boat, which brought them up, free of expense, to “ Edinburgh Literary Journal" bas not yet appeared in the Glasgow.

“ London Literary Gazette,” though transmitted to that paper, Mons Meg.-This is the largest, most ancient, and most cele- and pail for, several weeks ago.