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370 Kinsey's (Rev. W. M.) Portugal Illustrated

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Lawson's (John) Histories of Remarkable Conspiracies

366 Le Clerc's Course of the French Language

50 Letters on Herring Fishing

303 Letters from Nova Scotia, &c.

391 Library, the Family

161 Library, the Vestry, Vol. I.

396 Life on Board a Man-of-War

411 Limington's (R. T.) Companion to the Globes

344 Log Book

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7 Low's (Rev. A.) History of Scotland

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Carstairs' (Rev. A. G.) Scottish Communion-service

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Christison's (Robert) Treatise on Poisons

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10 M'Cleod's (Rev. Dr) New Dictionary of the Gaelic Language 410
192 M'Gregor's (John Jas.) True Stories from the History of Ireland 299
318 M'Kenzie's (Geo.) Manual for the Weather

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49 Magazine, Sharpe's London

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356 Marriage in High Life

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171 Morehead's (Rev. Robert) Sermon-' Protestantismn its own

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THE

EDINBURGH LITERARY JOURNAL;

OR,

WEEKLY REGISTER OF CRITICISM AND BELLES LETTRES.

No. 30.

TO OUR READERS.

SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 1829.

OUR readers will perceive, that with our new type, which we this day beg to introduce to their favour, we have made one or two slight alterations and improvements in the getting up of the LITERARY JOURNAL. These consist principally in the rejection of the lines formerly used, by which means we are enabled to add materially both to the breadth and length of our columns, and to give, we think, a lighter and less monotonous air to our pages. The quarto weekly periodicals have now very slightly the advantage of us in regard to the quantity of matter they contain, while they have all the disadvantage of being sold at a higher price.

As to our future literary exertions, we can only say that we shall proceed as we have begun, anxiously studying to make each succeeding number better than its predecessor. In the critical department, whatever weight may be attacked to our judgment, we are resolved that our opinions shall always be delivered faithfully and impartially; and we trust that we have already acquired some character upon this score. It is, upon all occasions, our most earnest desire to avoid falling into so serious an error as that to which Pope alludes, with his usual precision, in these lines ;—

"'Tis hard to cay, if greater want of skill
Appear in writing, or in judging ill;
But of the two, less dangerous is the offence

PRICE 6d.

"A Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada," is a title which very imperfectly explains the nature of the exceedingly handsome book before us. On seeing it announced, we were unable to make out whether we were to expect a piece of fiction, a history, or a mixture of both. The mixture of both comes nearest the truth. Taking for the basis of his work certain voluminous manuscripts left scattered, through different convent libraries in Spain, by a monk of the name of Antonio Agapida, (for the existence and authenticity of whose writings, we are, of course, willing to take Mr Irving's word,) he contrives to present us with a wellconnected and glowing narrative of the ten years' war, which commencing in 1748, terminated with the extinction of the Moorish dynasty in Spain. As we have a great deal to say in favour of this production, it may be as well to pave the way for our praise, by pointing out in the first place, what we feel to be its defects, although these, we are glad to say, are not numerous.

We have to remark, primo loco, that the "Chronicle" commences too abruptly. Had Mr Irving favoured us with a brief historical introduction for the purpose of tracing rapidly the leading events which had characterized the dominion of the Moors in Spain, beginning with their memorable victory over Roderick, on the banks of the Guadalete, nearly eight hundred years before their final overthrow, and including some short notices of the Ommeyades, the Almoravides, and other illustrious houses, and of the wars they had so frequently carried on against the Christians, he would have invested his subsequent details with greater inIt is now well known that our JOURNAL enjoys the con- terest than they are at present likely to possess for the getributions of many of the most eminent men of the day; neral reader, who is plunged at once in medias res, though and hoping that what has been already done may serve as in all probability sufficiently ignorant of the political and some guarantee for what we shall yet do, we have only to civil relations which had previously subsisted between the thank the public for the smiles they have so lavishly bestow-two people. In like manner, our author errs towards the ed upon us, and repeat our assurance that we wish to be judged of not by our promises and intentions, but by our deeds.

To tire our patience, than mislead our sense."

LITERARY CRITICISM.

A Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada. From the
MSS. of Fray Antonio Agapida. By Washington
Irving. In two volumes. London. John Murray.
1829. 8vo, pp. 407 and 421.

WASHINGTON IRVING'S reputation in this country depends on his "Sketch Book." Neither his "Tales of a Traveller," nor his "Life of Columbus," have met with nearly so much success. There is a great deal of merit, however, though of different kinds, in both these works. Irving is not a very powerful or original thinker; but he possesses, to perfection, the art of expressing winning sentiments in graceful and elegant language. He has cultivated his taste in composition with almost Addisonian nicety; and he sails over the summer sea of prose rejoicing in the soft breezes that follow. his track. Like his prototype, he perhaps sacrifices too much to the Graces; yet he is so full of refinement and polish, that it is not difficult to forgive him for being less masculine and nervous.

conclusion of his Chronicle, which ends nearly as abruptly as it begins, leaving the reader's curiosity only imperfectly satisfied. Another fault we have to find is, that Mr Irving has too easily fallen into the tone of the old Monk Agapida, with regard to the comparative merit of the Moors and Christ iaus, whom the Catholic chronicler of course viewed in very different lights, invariably undervaluing the Moors, and servilely extolling the worshippers of the cross. Mr Irving, who affects to be indebted to Agapida only for his facts, ought to have been cautious of introducing into his own narrative, the prejudices of a party writer In the war, whose incidents he describes, the Moors were, in point of fact, the injured people, for a kingdom and country were wrested from them, to which conquest originally, and subsequent possession for many generations, had confirmed their title. They were, besides, an heroic and noble-minded race; and it is well known that their progress in civilization, aided as that had been by the reminiscences of their Eastern descent, was more rapid and efficient than that of their Spanish neighbours. We do not therefore like to think that a "Chronicle of Granada" should deny to its most distinguished possessors, the praise so justly due to them One other objection, and we have done There is a little too much monetony especially in the first volume, in the perpetual succession

of forays, and rencounters, and petty engagements, and small military expeditions, which it describes. Some of these are highly interesting and full of romance, and as the work proceeds the operations become more important; but we cannot help regretting that the narrative is not more frequently relieved by incidents which would have broken in upon the interminable series of skirmishes, sieges, and battles, and which, in the glimpses they might have presented of the domestic manners of the times, would have afforded a profitable and agreeable variety. Mr Irving might easily have availed himself of the facilities afforded by his present residence in Spain, to achieve this additional object.

As a whole, however, we have been very much charmed with this work. The subject is a remarkably happy one; and its execution is worthy of the best days of chivalry. The Moors, who, in the time of their greatest glory, reigned masters over all Spain, had, in the decay of their power, gradually been deprived of territory after territory, till the kingdom of Granada alone remained. It remained, however, powerful and flourishing, and

there was not a Moor who did not feel towards it as a

father who has lost all his children save one, and who heaps upon the survivor the whole affections of his heart. And Granada was worthy of a patriot's love, with the tideless Mediterranean on its shores, with its green hills and majestic sierras, with its deep, rich, and verdant valleys, with its cities and their alhambras, and with an air so pure, and sky so serene, that the Moors believed the

paradise of their prophet to be situated in that part of the heaven which overhung their kingdom. When, therefore, the ambition of Ferdinand and Isabella, who had united under one sceptre, the kingdoms of Castile, Leon, and Arragon, directed its attention to the conquest of Granada, it was no marvel that one of the fiercest and

most anxiously contested wars took place that ever depopulated a country;-it was no marvel that every inch of ground was disputed, and that the Spaniards, animated by a desire to drive the infidels finally and for ever out of Spain, and the Mahometans, no less desirous of preserving a country and a name in Europe, should perform such prodigies of valour as had rarely been equalled, and have never been surpassed. These are the deeds which Mr Irving undertakes to recount, and he does so in a style such as becomes the author of the "Sketch Book," -flowing, graceful, and picturesque.

the Holy Land ;"-" How Queen Isabella took a view of the City of Granada, and how her curiosity cost the lives of many Christians and Moors;" &c. &c.

It would not be difficult to select numerous passages, each more interesting, and displaying finer powers of writing, than the other; but we shall content ourselves with only two or three, leaving the reader to enjoy the rest of the work at his own best leisure. Chapter XVII. begins in the following simple and beautiful manner :-

"The sentinels looked out from the watch-towers o

Loxa, along the valley of the Xenil, which passes through the mountains of Algaringo. They looked to behold the

king returning in triumph, at the head of his shining to behold the standard of their warlike idol, the fierce Ali host, laden with the spoil of the unbeliever. They looked Aten, borne by the chivalry of Loxa, ever foremost in the

wars of the border.

Having

"In the evening of the 21st of April, they descried a single horseman, urging his faltering steed along the banks flash of arms, that he was a warrior; and, on nearer apof the river. As he drew near, they perceived, by the of his steed, they knew him to be a warrior of rank. He proach, by the richness of his armour, and the caparison reached Loxa faint and aghast; his Arabian courser covered with foam and dust and blood, panting and staggering with fatigue, and gashed with wounds. brought his master in safety, he sunk down and died before the gate of the city. The soldiers at the gate gathered round the cavalier, as he stood, mute and melancholy, by his expiring steed. They knew him to be the gallant Cidi Caleb, nephew of the chief alfaqui of the Albaycen cavalier thus alone, haggard and dejected, their hearts were of Granada. When the people of Loxa beheld this noble filled with fearful ferebodings. 'Cavalier,' said they, hand mournfully towards the land of the Christians. 'how fares it with the king and army?' He cast his fallen upon them! all are lost! all dead!' Upon this 'There they lie exclaimed he: The heavens have there was a great cry of consternation among the people, and loud wailings of women; for the flower of the youth of Loxa were with the army. An old Moorish soldier,

scarred in many a border battle, stood leaning on his lance by the gateway.

'Where is Ali Atar?' demanded I saw his turban cloven by the Christian sword,' rehe eagerly If he still live, the army cannot be lost!' When the soldier heard these words, he smote his breast, plied Cidi Caleb. 'His body is floating in the Xenil.' and threw dust upon his head; for he was an old follower

of Ali Atar.

The noble Cidi Caleb gave himself no repose; but, mounting another steed, hastened to carry the villages and hamlets, he spread sorrow around; for their disastrous tidings to Granada. As he passed through the chosen men had followed the king to the wars.

"When he entered the gates of Granada, and announced the loss of the king and army, a voice of horror went throughout the city.

*

*

*

In the year 1478, a Spanish cavalier was dispatched by Ferdinand to the court of the Moorish sovereign, Muley Aben Hassan, to demand the tribute which it had been customary for his father to pay, but which the son had allowed to fall into arrear. When the Spaniard de livered his message, a haughty and bitter smile curled the lip of the fierce monarch. "Tell your sovereign," said he," that the kings of Granada, who used to pay tribute in money to the Castilian crown, are dead. Our mint at present coins nothing but blades of cimeters and heads of lances." The defiance thus boldly thrown down was the immediate prelude to the war of ten years. "Beautiful Granada! they exclaimed, how is thy It is impossible for us to attempt following that war through all its glory faded! The vivanambla no longer echoes to the various fortunes and chivalrous exploits; but a few of the tramp of steed and sound of trumpet; no longer is it titles to the different chapters, which are given in the crowded with the youthful nobles, eager to display their quaint style of the old Spanish writers, will afford our prowess in the tourney and the festal tilt of reeds. Alas! readers some notion of the nature of the contents. the flower of thy chivalry lies low in a foreign land! The We meet with many such headings as these :soft note of the lute is no longer heard in thy mournful "How the Moor determined to strike the first blow in the war ;"streets, the lively castanet is silent upon thy hills, and "How the people of Granada were affected on hearing of thy bowers! Behold, the Alhambra is forlorn and desothe graceful dance of the zambra is no more seen beneath the capture of Alhama, and how the Moorish king sal- late! In vain do the orange and myrtle breathe their lied forth to regain it ;”— "How the Count de Cabra perfumes into its silken chambers; in vain does the nightsallied forth from his castle in quest of King Boabdil;" ingale sing within its groves; in vain are its marble halls “Of the high and ceremonious reception at court of refreshed by the sound of fountains and the gush of limthe Count de Cabra and the Alcayde de los Donzeles ;”"Foray of Christian knights into the territories of the shines within those halls; the light of the Alhambra is pid rills! Alas! the countenance of the king no longer Moors;""How Hamet el Zegri sallied forth with the sacred banner to attack the Christian camp;"-" How set for ever!'"-Vol. i. pp. 163-9. two friars arrived at the camp, and how they came from

Our next extract is of a more spirit-stirring kind :

THE DARING EXPLOITS OF A MOORISH AND A CHRISTIAN
CAVALIER.

"When the Moorish knights beheld that all courteous challenges were unavailing, they sought various means to provoke the Christian warriors to the field. Sometimes a body of them, fleetly mounted, would gallop up to the skirts of the camp, and try who should hurl his lance farthest within the barriers; leaving his name inscribed on it, or a label affixed to it, containing some taunting defiance. These bravadoes caused great irritation; but still the Spanish warriors were restrained by the prohibition of the king.

66

and cimeters, and defying them to single combat, which they found themselves most unwillingly obliged to decline. The "Chronicle" then proceeds thus :—

THE FATE OF THE MOORISH CAVALIER.

"While this grim and reluctant tranquillity prevailed along the Christian line, there rose a mingled shout and sound of laughter near the gate of the city. A Moorish horseman, armed at all points, issued forth, followed by a rabble, who drew back as he approached the scene of danger. The Moor was more robust and brawny than was common with his countrymen. His visor was closed; Among the Moorish cavaliers was one named Tarfe, he bore a large buckler and ponderous lance; his cimeter renowned for his great strength and daring spirit, but was of a Damascus blade, and his richly ornamented dagwhose courage partook of fierce audacity rather than chi-ger was wrought by an artificer of Fez. He was known valric heroism. In one of these sallies, when they were skirting the Christian camp, this arrogant Moor outstripped his companions, overleaped the barriers, and, galloping close to the royal quarters, launched his lance so far within, that it remained quivering in the earth, close by the pavilions of the sovereigns. The royal guards rush-breathe defiance to the Christians. But what were the ed forth in pursuit; but the Moorish horsemen were already beyond the camp, and scouring in a cloud of dust for the city. Upon wresting the lance from the earth, a label was found upon it, importing, that it was intended for the queen.

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by his device to be Tarfe, the most insolent, yet valiant, of the Moslem warriors; the same who had hurled into the royal camp his lance, inscribed to the queen. As he rode slowly along, in front of the army, his very steed, prancing with fiery eye and distended nostril, seemed to

feelings of the Spanish cavaliers, when they beheld, tied to the tail of his steed, and dragged in the dust, the very inscription, Ave Maria, which Fernando Perez del Pulgar had affixed to the door of the mosque! A burst of horror and indignation broke forth from the army. Fernando del Pulgar was not at hand to maintain his previous achievement, but one of his young companions in arms, Garcilasso de la Vega by name, putting spurs to his horse, galloped to the hamlet of Zubia, threw himself on his knees before the king, and besought permission to accept the defiance of this insolent infidel, and to revenge the insult offered to our blessed Lady. The request was too pious to be refused; Garcilasso remounted his steed; he closed his helmet, graced by four sable plumes; grasp.. ed his buckler, of Flemish workmanship, and his lance, of matchless temper, and defied the haughty Moor in the

"Nothing could equal the indignation of the Christian warriors at the insolence of the bravado, when they heard to whom the discourteous insult was offered. Fernando Perez del Pulgar, surnamed he of the exploits,' was present, and resolved not to be outbraved by this daring infidel. Who will stand by me,' said he, in an enterprise of desperate peril? The Christian cavaliers well knew the hair-brained valour of Del Pulgar; yet not one hesitated to step forward. He chose fifteen companions, all men of powerful arm and dauntless heart. In the dead of the night he led them forth from the camp, and approached the city cautiously, until he arrived at a post-midst of his career. A combat took place, in view of the ern gate, which opened upon the Darro, and was guarded by foot soldiers. The guards, little thinking of such an unwonted and partial attack, were for the most part asleep. The gate was forced, and a confused and chancemedley skirmish ensued. Fernando del Pulgar stopped not to take part in the affray. Putting spurs to his horse, he galloped furiously through the streets, striking fire out of the stones at every bound. Arrived at the principal mosque, he sprang from his horse, and, kneeling at the portal, took possession of the edifice as a Christian chapel, dedicating it to the blessed Virgin. In testimony of the ceremony, he took a tablet, which he had brought with him, on which was inscribed in large letters, Ave Maria,' and nailed it to the door of the mosque with his dagger. This done, he remounted his steed, and galloped back to the gate. The alarm had been given; the city was in an uproar; soldiers were gathering from every direction. They were astonished at seeing a Christian warrior speeding from the interior of the city. Fernando del Pulgar, overturning some, and cutting down others, rejoined his companions, who still maintained possession of the gate, by dint of hard fighting, and they all made good their retreat to the camp. The Moors were at a loss to conjecture the meaning of this wild and apparently fruitless assault; but great was their exasperation, when, on the following day, they discovered the trophy of hardihood and prowess, the Ave Maria, thus elevated in the very centre of the city. The mosque, thus boldly sanctified by Fernando del Pulgar, was eventually, after the capture of Granada, converted into a cathedral.”—Vol. ii. pp. 327-30.

6

two armies, and of the Castilian court. The Moor was powerful in wielding his weapons, and dexterous in managing his steed. He was of larger frame than Garcilasso, and more completely armed; and the Christians trembled for their champion. The shock of their encounter was dreadful; their lances were shivered, and sent up splinters in the air. Garcilasso was thrown back in his saddle, and his horse made a wide career before he could recover his position, gather up the reins, and return to the conflict. They now encountered each other with swords. The Moor circled round his opponent as a hawk circles when about to make a swoop; his Arabian steed obeyed his rider with matchless quickness; at every attack of the infidel, it seemed as if the Christian knight must sink beneath his flashing cimeter. But if Garcilasso was inferior to him in power, he was superior in agility; many of his blows he parried, others he received on his Flemish buckler, which was proof against the Damascus blade. The blood streamed from numerous wounds, received by either warrior. The Moor, seeing his anta gonist exhausted, availed himself of his superior force; and, grappling, endeavoured to wrest him from his saddle. They both fell to the earth; the Moor placed his knee on the breast of his victim, and, brandishing his dagger, aimed a blow at his throat. A cry of despair was uttered by the Christian warriors, when suddenly they beheld the Moor rolling lifeless in the dust! Garcilasso had shortened his sword, and, as his adversary raised his arm to strike, had pierced him to the heart. It was a singular and miraculous victory,' says Fray Antonio Agapida; but the Christian knight was armed Shortly afterwards, by the sacred nature of his cause, and the holy Virgin Isabella rode out from the camp to take a nearer view of gave him strength, like another David, to slay this giganShe was attended by a retinue of tic champion of the Gentiles.'"Vol. ii. pp. 335–38. knights, who had the strictest orders not to leave her side We have room for only one extract more. It describes, under any circumstances. Many Moorish horsemen in moving and eloquent terms, the departure of Boabdil, came galloping towards them, brandishing their lances the last Moorish King of Granada, together with his fa

The matter did not end here.

the town of Granada.

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