evanescent, but that it should be inseparably engrafted into the very foundations of the monarchy. Its "duration,' as our author well observes in his excellent narrative of that famous battle, " throughout succeeding centuries of Scottish history and Scottish liberty, down to the hour in which we now write, cannot be questioned; and, without launching out into any inappropriate field of historical speculation, we have only to think of the most obvious consequences which must have resulted from Scotland becoming a conquered province of England; and if we wish for proof, to fix our eyes on the present condition of Ireland, in order to feel the present reality of all that we owe to the victory at Bannockburn, and to the memory of such men as Bruce, Randolph, and Douglas."-Vol. i. pp. 320, 321.

As to the pillage of the Scottish records by the English monarch, we greatly fear, even if we now possessed them, that the difficulties attending the Scottish history would not be removed. In this opinion we are happy to be supported by Mr Tytler, in his masterly, and, we may say, profound disquisition, entitled an "Historical Enquiry into the Ancient State and Manners of Scotland," prefixed to the second volume of his work now before us. Mr Tytler, after talking of the munificence of the endowments of the Scottish church, in the matters of abbeys, priories, and monasteries, thus observes,-" In turning, however, from such rare examples of talent in the church, to the literary attainments of the nobility, or to the means of instruction possessed by the great body of the people, the prospect is little else than a universal blank. During the long period from the accession of Alexander III. to the death of David II., it would be impossible, I believe, to produce a single instance of a Scottish baron who could sign his own name." Vol. ii. pp. 352, 353.

Such being the case, and learning, such as it was, being exclusively confined to the clergy, we can easily account for the absurd traditions, fabulous legends, and monkish annals, which abound at these periods, and through which the enquirer after truth must grope his way, ere he arrives at the object of his search. A fatality, indeed, seems to have attended our Scottish records; and under Cromwell the national archives were again pillaged of their scanty treasures, which, at the Union, by the loss of the vessel which was commissioned to re-convey them to Scotland, were scattered on the mighty deep.

an outline of this eventful reign, we refer the reader to Mr Tytler. The volume concludes with an "Historical Enquiry into the Ancient State of Scotland," containing various divisions on the general appearance of the country, its forests, marshes, castles, villages, religious houses, agriculture, farming; the distinct races in Scotland, ancient Parliament of Scotland, early commerce and navigation, state of the early Scottish church, and sports and amusements of ancient Scotland. To both volumes are added numerous important notes and illustrations, in which are pointed out, and ably refuted, the inaccuracies of Lord Hailes, and the misrepresentations of Dr Lingard.

We hesitate not to say, that Mr Tytler's work is a national undertaking, and will, we doubt not, become a standard work in our modern literature. Mr Tytler has shown, by the two volumes before us, that he is completely qualified for his task; and though there are some of his inferences and conclusions which we feel strongly disposed to contest with him, yet these in no degree detract from the very great merits of this most elaborate undertaking. The work is to be completed in six volumes; and, when it is completed, it will be a work of which both author and publisher may be justly proud.

It is hardly necessary to remind our readers, that Mr Tytler's work will yet be more interesting as it proceeds; and we anticipate great pleasure in the perusal of his History of the reigns of the Princes of the House of Stuart, of Mary, of the stormy period of the Reformation, and of the succeeding century of strife and turbulence.

talented countrywomen, whose names are linked with its literature-and its freedom, too-is what we own we were not prepared for.

IT is seldom that modesty occasions the misnomer of a book; it has done so, however, in the present case. By far the greater number of the pieces in the two volumes before us are not sketches; they have the finish of cabinet pictures, and yet the freshness, and freedom, and force of less laboured detail. The work has taken us by surprise, too. Mrs Hall's name we had before known, as that of a lady who wrote some pretty little pieces for her husband's excellent Annual-the Amulet-and some rather pleasing, but perhaps laboriously juvenile, essays for her own The Forget-Me-Not for Mr Tytler commences his work with the reign of Young People. But to find that she is a fair native of Alexander III., because, as he observes in his Pre- the Emerald Isle, who, for vigorous yet delicate percepface, it is at this period that our national annals be- tion of character, liveliness of style, and skill in arrancome particularly interesting to the general reader;" ging a plot-or rather, in concatenating a series of plots and because, " during the reign of this monarch, Eng-is not unworthy of taking her place with her highly land first began to entertain serious thoughts of the reduction of her sister country." After narrating the interesting events of this reign, we have the short reign (if it may be called so) of Margaret, the maid of Norway, grand-daughter of Alexander, and grand-niece to Edward I. Her death produced those fearful convulsions, which preceded and prevailed during the inglorious reign of John Baliol; and Mr Tytler's patriotism glows when narrating the achievements of Wallace and his bold companions. In the history of the Interregnum, which preceded the accession of Robert Bruce, the proceedings of Edward I. form prominent objects; and the splendid reign of the great restorer of the monarchy, is one which cannot fail to excite every lover of his country. The first volume concludes with the reign of Robert Bruce, by whom the English had been finally expelled from Scotland, and whose name, as its deliverer, will be forgotten only when Scotland ceases to exist. The second volume contains the history of the reign of David II., Bruce's son, grounded on the documents printed in the splendid national work entitled "Rotuli Scotia," and in "Robertson's Parliamentary Records," &c. &c. As it is impossible for us in these limits to give

It is in the beautiful sea-side seclusion of Bannow, in the county of Wexford, that the whole business of the book takes place. The volumes contain above a dozen stories, the first of which is called the "Lily of Bannow," from its heroine being Lilias, the niece of the most important old lady in the place-Mrs Cassidy, to wit. As it is the longest, as well as the first, of the tales, it serves to introduce us to many characters who figure in the others; while, in its own plot and denouement, it has a substantial and delightful interest, which, though fully satisfied, yet leaves us to feel that "Peggy the Fisher," and others, are old acquaintances when we again meet with them. Thus, without the appearance of elaboration while every link of the dozen is a separate ring-the whole makes a chain which embraces all the loves, friendships, characters, and occurrences of Bannow. This is at once an original and a charming feature in the book. It so connects each story with all the others, that the whole reads like a novel, while every one of them separately forms a beautiful tale. We thus

them of the diseases of bees-of the different varieties of bees, and their language-and of the preservation of hives in winter. The translation, which is very classically executed, is from the pen of a lady. It is dedicated to the Highland Society, to which it has been presented by Sir Walter Scott.

A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of the Art of Fencing. By George Roland, Fencing Master at the Royal Academy, Edinburgh. Edinburgh. Archibald Constable and Co.; and sold by the Author at his Rooms, Royal Manege. Edinburgh. 1823.

THIS is, without exception, the clearest and most practical work on the subject that has come to our notice. The whole of its contents, indeed, are strictly and essentially practical;-they are the results of a long attention to the art among the first fencers of the day, an experience which has cultivated to the highest a naturally sound and clear head, joined to rare physical qualifications. The information which he has thus acquired, Mr Roland conveys in that quiet, sensible, unpretending manner, which characterizes his style of teaching.

led men, about the beginning of the 16th century, to
lay aside by degrees their cumbrous defensive armour,
and rely more upon the simpler defence afforded by a
proper use of their own weapon of offence. Like all in-
fant arts, the use of the sword was at first much more
complicated than was requisite. Men could not at
once reconcile themselves to such a simple and unos-
tentatious mode of defence; besides, it was necessarily
practised for a time quite empirically-the lapse of
ages was required, before the Lockes and Newtons of
fencing arose to reduce it to its first principles. The
result of the operation of these combined causes was a
ridiculous and unnecessary complication of feints,
guards, and attacks-not to speak of a great many
monkey tricks and contemptible advantages taken, whose
memory is only preserved in the engravings which have
practice of parrying with the dagger, or receiving the
come down to us from these times. We allude to the
adversary's point in the cloak wrapped round the left
arm,to the practice of fighting at night with rapiers and
Most of these inventions, it seems to us, may be traced
dark-lanterns, to the volte, and all such expedients.
intrigue and chicane into the practice of arms, as well
to Italy, whose acute inhabitants appear to have carried
as into arts and politics. This fact almost leads us to
vated in Italy. Its introduction was probably simul-
suspect that the small sword was first sedulously culti-
armouries a sword used previous to the discontinuance
taneous in several countries; for we have seen in old
of defensive armour, larger and more cumbrous, but
otherwise of precisely the same construction as the mo-
dern small sword with the bayonet blade. Its superiority
sword, was sufficiently obvious.
over either the mere cutting sword, or the cut-and-thrust

Prefixed to the work is a preface, containing some notices of the history of the small sword; and it is chiefly to this part of the work that we intend at present to confine ourselves as the most likely to be interesting to the general reader. Passing over Mr Roland's minute investigation into the origin of swords in general the probable excellence of the Romans in the use of it, and other preliminary matter-we come at once to the history of the small sword. There is something peculiarly attractive about this weapon-ever bright as its wearer's honour-graceful in its form, and classical in its purposes; it is at once an ornament to the owner, and a grateful and elegant means of death to his satisfied antagonist. Then what a crowd of associations hang like festoons of flowers around it like the myrtle around the sword of Harmodius. Are there not associated with it to all eternity the names of Tybalt, Mercutio, Hamlet, and, in later days, of those gallant prize-fighters, whose fame lives in the pages of the Spectator? Does there not rise to our mind's eye a varied crowd of interesting images, from the elder Angelo guarding the slightest leaf of his mistress's bouquet, which he had placed upon his breast, from the points of the best swordsmen in France, down to that battered image riding in ferocious and solitary grandeur into Hogarth's Southwark Fair ?" The history of this noble art is, it must be confessed, somewhat involved in obscurity-names and dates are rather uncertain-but the time may come when some Niebuhr (no industry short of a German's is commensurate to the task) shall do for fencing what he has already done for Rome. Meanwhile, we lay before our readers what information we have been able to pick up-taking for our ground-which differed materially from the French. To this latwork Mr Roland's history, and interweaving occasionally such shreds and patches of information as have (Heaven knows how or when!) been drawn to us by

the universal attraction of our brain.

The origin of the rapier, or small sword, properly so called that is, of the sword calculated for the thrust alone it is impossible to ascertain. Even the country of its invention is unknown. It is, however, first found in general reception in the more southern nations of Europe; and its appearance is nearly coeval with that simplification of means, always attendant upon and characteristic of the advance of a scientific spirit, which

We have promised an occasional retrospective Review; and the work whose title we have copied above is upon a subject to which we are desirous of directing the attention of our readers.

Ed. Lil. Jour.

But if Italy seem thus to be the mother of the art, it elegant and scientific practice ;-it is from France that was in France undoubtedly that it was first reduced to every country, which can boast of a modern school of fencing, has had her first lessons. A fact is stated by Mr Roland, which sufficiently accounts for the superiority of that country:" In France, until lately, that no masters were allowed to teach in Paris, without fencing was considered of so much national importance, having served a sort of apprenticeship in some Salle d'Armes, and afterwards proving their talents in two public exhibitions, in opposition to the last received masother honours, the freedom of all places of public amuseters. Such as had been thus received, enjoyed, besides which sent forth all those professors in the art, who have ment for a year." It was this incorporation of fencers duced it entirely to a contest of judgment and bodily so simplified the weapon and its use, that they have reagility. At the same time, it is but just to remark, that France, as the country where the art has ever been in most repute, has, under the sanction of her name, this accomplishment than any country in Europe. sent forth more quacks and unqualified pretenders to

Germany had originally a national style of fencing,

ter, however, it is every day giving place. The French the positions and attitudes are in most respects the style is nearly the same that is taught among ourselves same the system of waiting for exposures on the part quickness in the thrust, is the same. The German attiof the adversary, and then trusting to promptness and tude is, the body inclined forwards; the right leg bent so as to form, from the ankle, an angle rather less than the body a straight line from the head to the floor; the left a right-angle with the floor; the left leg forming with hand rested on the haunch; the right arm depressed, and the point of the foil elevated. The fencer's business is not to wait for openings, but to form them, by pressing aside his adversary's blade. He never thrusts on a disengagement. Long controversies have been waged in Germany on the comparative merits of these two systems. Ap

peals have been made on both sides to the results of competitions between practitioners of the different systems. Such appeals must frequently be fallacious, for superior individual skill may often give the victory to the worse system. The theory of the French artists is the more feasible, and the ascendency it is daily gaining, in spite of national jealousy, over the other, is a strong circumstance in its favour.

In England, the art is comparatively of modern introduction. Not but there have been all along practical swordsmen among us, as well as among other nations; but there were none of scientific eminence. It was about the beginning of last century that any thing like eminence in fencing displayed itself in England. The most distinguished professors have been either foreigners, or have studied the art abroad. At the same time domiciled in England, they accommodated themselves in some mea sure to the national temperament, and, by coming into more frequent contact with each other, have contracted peculiarities sufficient to entitle them to be considered as a school apart. The English style of fencing is less showy than the French, but perhaps more close and energetic. Among many distinguished names we enu merate the race of Angelos, O'Shaughnessy, and, though last, not least, the Rolands, father and son.

Much more might be said in detail of the progress of fencing. The various attitudes which have from time to time been adopted, modified, or rejected, according to the varying opinions of utility and grace, afford room for curious speculation. The various forms of blades, guards, and pummels, offer a good theme for the display of antiquarian lore. But these we must pass over at present, and conclude our brief sketch by some general remarks on the importance of fencing as an art.

the love of many. The other is the dilettanti spirit of some of the younger students. They take fencing among a host of other athletic exercises, which dissipate and distract their attention. To be a fencer, there is required a close, and, for a time, a pretty exclusive attention. We are happy to see added to the clubs of our city, one which takes fencing exclusively under its protection. It may do much to arrest this retrograding spirit, and we look to it to undertake the task.

MISCELLANEOUS LITERATURE.

THE EDITOR IN HIS SLIPPERS;

OR,

A PEEP BEHIND THE SCENES.
No. II.

"Stulta, jocosa, canenda, dolentia, seria, sacra; En posita ante oculos, Lector amice, tuos; Quisquis es, hic aliquid quod delectabit habebis; Tristior an levior, selige quicquid amas." LANGUAGE cannot describe the anxiety which has been shown, during the course of the present month, by all ranks and classes, to obtain one glimpse of those Editorial Slippers we were the humble instrument of immortalizing in our 25th Number. Not only have deputations waited upon us from all the most considerable towns of Great Britain and Ireland, but from Paris, Madrid, Florence, Vienna, and other remote places, where one would have hardly thought there was yet time for the LITERARY JOURNAL of May 2d to have been received. We have been honoured with letters, too, from all the savans of the Continent, containing the most pressing solicitations frequently to resume our pantoufles, as our correspondents of the French We are admirers of man in the abstract, and lay lit- Academy call them, and under their influence to extle stress on the modifications which times and circum- tend our literary researches over the whole of Europe. stances superinduce upon him. We are no idolaters of With regard to our friends at home, we have done the ages of chivalry, and are rather sceptical as to many every thing that it was possible to do to gratify their of the moral and intellectual boastings of the present curiosity. Day after day we have sat in our slippers, day. But in every age we can venerate where we find from morning till night, receiving a perpetual succesthem-beauty in form, kindliness in feeling, grasp of in- sion of visitors, three-fourths of whom we never beheld tellect, and vivid daring of imagination. We believe in our lives before, who merely passed through our that every age and every country has been more favour-audience-chamber, as if it had been a royal drawing. able to the developement of one or other of man's facul- room, cast one glance upon our face, beaming with beties, and we seek in all of them materials for our opinion nevolence, and then riveted their gaze upon the retiring of man's capabilities. In our research we find there is modesty of our dumb and gentle slippers, who, as if one ingredient which cannot be dispensed with, in the conscious of the notoriety into which they had been person who would claim a high rank in our estimation, thus suddenly brought, clung more closely to our feet, and that is, true courage; or, in other words, the union clasping our toes and instep in the most affectionate both of moral and physical courage. We know no embrace. As to our foreign friends, we beg to assure means so likely to evolve this quality where it is latent, them that the "Editor in his Slippers," or, in the to perfect it where it exists, than an exercise which at softer language of Italy, in his Pianellas, will often aponce cultivates the bodily powers, thus giving us self-pear before them, to make them acquainted with many confidence, and at the same time tasks the intellectual faculties in no small degree. It may be that no civilian in this country may ever need to use his sword; but the command of every limb, and the presence of mind generated by the practice of fencing, are qualities which may be called for in every situation. The efforts of the English masters have produced a body of amateur talent, which has long been in high repute. The exertions of Mr Roland in Edinburgh have already called forth, in this city, a quantity of amateur talent, which, considering the shortness of the time, could scarcely have been expected. We are not inclined to disparage the great merits of Francalanza as a teacher, but there has been an enthusiasm and a union among Roland's scholars, which we have not found in his; and it is this enthusiasm and union which have mainly contributed to place Edinburgh fencing on the respectable grade which it has attained. At the same time, we are bold enough to say, that the spirit of amateur fencing seems for a couple of years to have been rather retrograding among us. Two causes have operated to this effect. The first gloss of novelty has worn off, and that cools

little literary gems and memorabilia which might other. ways pass unnoticed, because they do not float on the surface of the stream.

We have seldom felt happier in our slippers than we feel to-day. It is a glorious day in the first month of summer, and we have already seen the greater part of the proof sheets of the concluding Number of the first Volume of the LITERARY JOURNAL. The success which has attended this publication is, in a great measure, to be attributed to our slippers. It is true, that the phrenologists tell us our bump of Ideality alone is large enough to make an ordinary head; but our Ideality would have been of no use without our slippers. Without slippers, winter would be merely a season of great-coats and sore throats;—without slippers, summer would be nothing but a few months of perspiration and white trowsers; without slippers, literature would be a series of Newspaper reports and advertisements of Warren's Blacking. To winter, slippers impart all its fireside comforts,-to summer, all its refreshing coolness, and to literature, all its romance and poetry-all its free and unfettered genius. Junius,