D'elle nous ne parlons jamais, son nom n'est plus oùi; On veut que j'aille en lieux distans chercher l'amour étrange, Mais fusse-je exilé au loin, mon cœur serait sans change; On a beau dire qu'à présent elle a beaucoup de joie, III.-Willie brew'd a Peck o' Ma't. Jean brasse un picotin de dréche, A-t-on bu jusque' à s'enivrer? Ma foi! ne peut nous séparer ! Nous voici trois joyeux garçons,- LITERARY CHIT-CHAT AND VARIETIES. 1 We have pleasure in announcing, that Dr Walker, the learned Episcopal Professor of Divinity in Edinburgh, has in the press a volume of Sermons on the Fasts and Festivals of the Church, with other Discourses on important subjects, preached before the University of Cambridge. The volume, it is expected, will be published in May. Mr Hugh Murray, F.R.S.E., author of Travels in Africa, Asia, &c., has in the press an Historical Account of Discoveries and Travels in North America, including the United States, Canada, the Shores of the Polar Sea, and the Voyages in search of a North-West Passage; with Observations on Emigration. The fair minstrel, L. E. L., (Miss Letitia Elizabeth Landon,) is about to publish the Venetian Bracelet, and other Poems. The miscellaneous works of Sir Philip Sidney, containing the Defence of Poesy, Letter to Queen Elizabeth, Astrophel and Stella, Letters to his brother on Foreign Travel, Defence of the Earl of Leicester, &c. will be published soon; with a Life of the Author, and Illustrative Notes; edited by our towsman, William Gray, Esq. of Magdalen College, Oxford, and of the Inner Temple. There is said to be nearly two hundred authors who have written in praise of Sir Philip Sidney. An Historical Sketch of the Origin of English Prose Literature, and of its progress till the reign of James I., with illustrative specimens, selected from the best authors, is about to issue from the Oxford press. We have perused the first Number of "The Oxford Literary Gazette, and Classical and Foreign Journal." In external size and appearance, it is almost a fac-simile of the Edinburgh Literary Journal. The Editor requests not to be judged by his first Number, and we shall comply with his request; but we may safely state, that though, perhaps, a little too scholastic, we think it promises well, and that we wish all success to our younger brother. How comes it, however, that he costs Sd. unstamped, and 1s. stamped, when we sell ourselves for 6d. and 10d.? We are certainly beginning to think we are too cheap; but it is for "Auld Scotland's sake," and she can appreciate our disinterestedness. The first number of a new weekly newspaper, called the Aberdeen Observer, was published yesterday in that city. The prospectus is temperately written, and the different departments seem well digested and arranged. We observe that the Miscellaneous Works of the Reverend Mathew Henry are about to be published in monthly parts, (price 3s. each,) and will be enriched with the addition of a large quantity of matter never yet given to the world, from original MSS. in the possession of the Editor. We are glad to observe, by the American papers, that the indefatigable Cooper has just published, at Philadelphia, a new novel, with the inexplicable title of "Wish-for-Wish." We presume it will shortly make its appearance on this side of the Atlantic. D'Erbine, or the Cynie, "a novel of the De Vere class," is announced. We do not exactly understand what is meant by "a novel of the De Vere class." The Poetical Sketch Book, in one volume, by T. K. Hervey, including a third edition of his "Australia," will be published in a few days. A new edition, with considerable additions, of Mr Coleridge's Poetical Works is announced. An Essay on the Deaf and Dumb, showing the necessity of Medical Treatment in early infancy, with observations on con genital deafness, by J. H. Curtis, Esq. Surgeon Aurist to the King, is in the press. Lord King is preparing for the press an account of the Life and Writings of the celebrated philosopher John Locke, which will contain extracts, never before published, from his correspondence, English and Foreign, from 1660 to the last year of his life in 1704, and also from his Journals and Common-place Book. YORK MINSTER. A public meeting has been held in London, where a subscription was opened for the rebuilding of this noble structure. Lord Fitz-William gave £3000, and other noblemen and gentlemen liberally followed this laudable example. THOMAS MOORE. Our readers will learn with much regret, that the author of Lalla Rookh is at present suffering under one of the severest calamities which can overtake a parent-the loss of his eldest daughter, a beautiful and promising young lady, who has died in her sixteenth year. MISS ELIZA PATON'S CONCERT. We had prepared an article upon this subject, which, for want of room, we are obliged to omit. The Concert was very crowdedly attended, and the performances seemed to afford very general satisfaction. The Misses E. and I. Paton particularly distinguished themselves; and they were ably supported, especially by Miss Noel and Mr Murray. FINE ARTS.-Two of Wilkie's celebrated paintings are about to be engraved in the best style of art, the Chelsea pensioners reading the Gazette of the Battle of Waterloo, and Alfred in the Neatherd's Cottage. Our townsman, Allan, sent up to London, for exhibition, a few days ago, a very spirited painting he has just finished,-Jonah about to be thrown overboard. We have no doubt that this work will still farther increase his well-merited reputation. PHRENOLOGY.-On Friday, the 20th inst., an interesting and able communication was read, by Mr Stone, to the Royal Medical Society, on the Phrenological Developements of the heads of a number of notorious characters. Our readers may recollect that we promised them, some time ago, a paper on the cranioscopy of Burke and Hare. This paper was then in preparation for the LITERARY JOURNAL, by Mr Stone; but the subject grew upon his hands, till it much exceeded our limits, and assumed a different and more extensive form. The first part of Mr Stone's paper was devoted to a consideration of the question, whether the phrenological developement of Burke and Hare correspond with their acknowledged character? After depicting the character of each, and detailing numerous illustrative anecdotes, Mr Stone proceeded to contrast it with the phrenological developement. By reference to the measurements of upwards of one hundred crania, he proved that the organ of Destructiveness in Burke not only fails to possess an endowment proportioned to the extent of its alleged manifestation; but is both absolutely and relatively below the average size. Burke's organ of Benevolence is also, unfortunately for Phrenology, proved to be above the average size. Mr Stone, besides, considered the question, whether it be possible to recognize the crania of murderers by any of the phrenological signs attributed to them, and adduced measurements of the crania of a variety of murderers, giving a brief statement of the atrocities of which they were guilty. A number of the facts brought forward in this part of his communication were exceedingly curious, and seemed to prove, beyond a doubt, the complete uncertainty of phrenological conclusions. Mr Stone then proceeded to contrast the acquisitiveness and conscientiousness of the most notorious thieves in the Edinburgh Jail and Bridewell, with the same organs in as many as eighty living individuals of exemplary character, by which he showed that in the thieves, the organ of acquisitiveness, or theft, was below, and con| scientiousness above, the average size. The whole communication was a condensed mass of striking and irresistible facts, which are decidedly irreconcilable with many of the most fundamental propositions of the phrenological theory. It is announced for publication, and cannot fail to interest both the scientific and popular reader.-We were a little surprised that none of the professed champions of the phrenological cause were present, more especially as many of them, we understood, were aware that such a paper was to be read, as it had been announced by the author a fortnight previously. When Sir William Hamilton read his paper at the Royal Society, the complaint was, that no discussion by strangers was allowed;-but here, before an audience, including some of the most distinguished literary and scientific men in Edinburgh, where free discussion was allowed, no phrenologist ventured to take up the gauntlet. The only objections that were hazarded against Mr Stone's communication, he replied to in a very satisfactory manner. As the measurements referred to are numerous, it is worthy of observation, that one of the presidents of the Society stated that he had himself re-examined them, and found them in every case accurate. These measurements are still more conclusive, from the circumstance of many of the most important having been taken by a professed phrenologist. Mr Stone certainly deserves great credit for having thus attacked the science in the very part where it was deemed most invulnerable; and, by a laborious and extensive induction of anti-phrenological facts, he has, in a great measure, overturned the whole hypothesis. Theatrical Gossip. The new musical piece, called "Home, sweet Home, or the Ranz des Vaches," has been very successful at Covent Garden. It owes this success principally to some lovely Swiss scenes, the exquisite dresses of its Swiss peasant girls, and two or three pretty Swiss melodies which it contains. Madame Vestris sustains the principal female part in a style which seems to have delighted the Londoners exceedingly. There is no other novelty stirring in the dramatie world of the metropolis.-Mrs Henry Siddons had an excellent benefit on Tuesday, and Thorne a very good one on Thursday.-Last night, at the request of the Lady Patronesses of the Fancy Ball, the new national Opera of "Rob Roy" was performed for the first time. Mackay made a decided hit in the part of Bailie Nicol Jarvie, and we venture to predict, that this will be, in future, one of his favourite charac ters.-To-night, Charles Kemble commences an engagement of ten days, and is to play Don Felix, in the "Wonder."-Our readers are aware that Miss Noel is just on the eve of leaving the stage. She is to play to-night in the "Bee-Hive;" but we do not see that her name occurs in the bills for next week. It will be a long while before the blank which she will leave can be supplied | to us; we question whether we shall ever hear our national me lodies sung so well again. She takes with her our sincerest wishes for her happiness in after life, wishes in which we are sure the public universally join; for, whilst she has delighted with her talents, she has, at the same time, endeared herself everywhere by the unassuming modesty and gentleness of her manners. TO OUR CORRESPONDENTS. "GOETHE and his Poetry," by the author of "Anster Fair," will appear in our next. We have much pleasure in acknowledging the receipt of Professor Gillespie's recent communication, which will appear speedily. "The Sutor of Selkirk, a remarkably true story," by one of the authors of the "Odd Volume," "Tales and Legends," &c. is in types. Several other interesting articles are unavoidably postponed from a press of matter. We have to return our thanks for the extract from Burchell's Travels in Southern Africa, which "Comets, and confirms the opinions advanced in an Essay on other Celestial Phenomena," published in the Literary Journala | few weeks ago. Our Leith correspondent is informed, that in future we propose devoting, if possible, a larger space to "Dramatic | Criticism."-We have received the communications of "R. F." of Kirkaldy, and shall write to him upon the subject. "The Third Dream" shall have an early place.-" W. D." of Guisborough will hear from us shortly; we owe him an apology for not having written to him sooner. We suspect that original poetry is not the forte of the author of "Navarin," "The Vision," and "The Ball;" we shall be glad to hear from him again -There are some very sweet lines in "Poor Adelaid;" but we are afraid the story, as a whole, is hardly perfect enough for publication. Would the author favour us with a prose article, perhaps on some scientific subject?-The verses by "J. B." and "H. M." will not suit us. LITERARY CRITICISM. An Essay on the Effect of the Reformation on Civil Society in Europe. By William Mackray, Minister of the Gospel, Stirling. Edinburgh. W. Blackwood. 1829. 8vo, pp. 320. IT will readily be confessed, by all parties, that the sixteenth century-the century of the Reformation_is the most important, to say the least, in the history of man, since the promulgation of Christianity, and the foundation of the Christian Church. It is an era in which men of every nation, every kindred, and of every succeeding age, are deeply interested; it is one on which we look back with enthusiasm_and the future triumphs of which we anticipate with exultation; for sin. cerely do we agree with the motto from Cowper, which Mr Mackray has prefixed to his work, and maintain that "'tis the cause of man." Thus feeling as we do, and as all enlightened men, we doubt not, will do, we are disposed to hail with satis faction every attempt to elucidate the history of that important era, on the principles of sound philosophy, and of a pure and rational theology. Most truly has it been observed, that we ought " to be serious in a serious cause;" and, therefore, we shall always rejoice to see the effects of the Reformation discussed in a dignified and temperate manner, apart from the fanatical declamations of ignorant enthusiasm on the one hand, and the philosophical lukewarmness of stoical indifference on the other. This work could not have appeared, indeed, at a more seasonable time; and we recommend it to all who think as the illustrious Reformers of Germany, England, and Scotland, would probably think, were they to appear among us, on the great question which is at present agitating the nation. How they would think, we do not pretend to determine; - some of our most eminent Scotch divines believe that it would be in favour of Catholic emancipation. PRICE 6d. ually bad; but surely a man may maintain this without indulging in theoretical hatred against it. The truth simply is, that improvements can be accomplished only by the slow and imperceptible hand of time, not by any sudden reformation of life or manners; and here, Mr M. must allow us to tell him, was the great evil of the Scottish Reformation, and the cause of the strife, turbulence, and sedition, which scourged the country for more than a century afterwards, that the Reformers thought improvements ought to be instantaneous, not gradual, and were thus induced to become as intolerant as their Popish predecessors. We do not deny that the Church of Rome was the ostensible cause of much of the ignorance which prevailed throughout Europe anterior to the Reformation, but the radical source of this ignorance must be sought for elsewhere. It solely originated among, and was introduced by, those hordes of northern barbarians who overthrew the Roman Empire; and, in proof of this, we merely refer Mr Mackray to the annals of the Pontificate of one of the greatest and the best of the Roman Pontiffs, (for surely he will not deny that some good, and pious, and holy men, have sat in the chair of St Peter,) namely, Gregory I., surnamed the Great. That illustrious Pontiff, for such he was, was not free from the superstitions of his age; but no man displayed more admirable prudence than he, in his management of the fierce and warlike nation of the Lombards. All that can be charged against the Romish Church (and the charge is heavy enough) is, that she took undue advantage of these circumstances after the Pontificate of Gregory; and the ambition of the Pontiffs made them grossly abuse that spiritual supremacy which, after the Pontificate of Hildebrand, or Gregory VII., was awarded to them, whether right or wrong, by the unanimous consent of the Western, or Latin Church. Now, in order to make ourselves understood, we maintain, in opposition to what appears to us to be Mr Mackray's hypothesis, that men are not able in every age to appreciate civil liberty; and, therefore, we think it unfair to allege it against the Roman Church, that she destroyed the liberties of mankind for so many centuries after her undue assumption of the temporal and spiritual supremacy. That she endeavoured, and was too successful in restraining the freedom of the human mind, we freely admit, as the fact is indisputable; but we do sincerely believe, and we are ready to prove it when called upon, that her domination, though at first repugnant, became afterwards systematic; and she herself was unconscious that the extravagant powers she arrogated to herself were not virtually jus divinum. Nothing, indeed, was more natural than that the pontifical supremacy of Rome should at last be universally acknowledged. The advantages, local and general, were all on the side of the Holy See; and the radical evil lay, not so much in the assumption of this power in an ignorant and turbulent age, as in the using of it too frequently to a gratification of the worst of passions. The associations of pious zeal had been always in favour of Rome; But, while we thus speak in general commendation of the work before us, we are far from aying that it is faultless, either in style or argument; and, therefore, Mr Mackray will allow us the liberty, so far as our limits will permit, of very briefly analysing some of his statements, while we assure him that we do this in the greatest good-feeling towards him, and respect for his abilities. For ourselves, however, we must say, that we have hitherto studied the annals of the Reformation, and of our own country, very imperfectly, if many of Mr M.'s arguments or conclusions be correct. First of all, then, respecting civil liberty, about which Mr M. commences his first chapter, we dissent altogether from the argument which he evidently is anxious to establish, that, had it not been for the Church of Rome, civil liberty would have been earlier enjoyed by mankind, and that there was nothing but tyranny before the Reformation. Popery is bad, morally, politically, and spirit- | and it was the destruction of the Western Empire, A.D. 476, five hundred and twenty-three years after the battle of Pharsalia, which laid the foundation for the rise of the ecclesiastical power. The Church, however, after the Pontiffs obtained the mastery, did not destroy civil liberty, for the best of all reasons, that none previously existed to destroy. But, since the contrary appears to be the hypothesis of Mr Mackray, will he have the goodness to describe that liberty which was enjoyed by the ancient Church, by the world before the reign of Constantine the Great, before the rise of the kingdom of the Lombards in Italy, the Pontificate of Gregory the Great, or even that of his successor, Gregory VII.? We venture to say, that there was no such thing as liberty at all, according to our notions of it; and that the people were not one whit more enlightened before the as- | sumption of the supremacy by the Pope, than they were after it, when the Pontiffs were stimulating all Europe to the fanatical chivalry of the Holy Wars, or Crusades. Then, again, let us go farther back: let us go to farfamed Greece and Rome; and here we shall first hear Mr Mackray: "Diffuse knowledge," says he, among a people, confer upon them liberty of thought and of investigation, and you give them resources that cannot be exhausted, may Heaven in future avert!) ere it was established on its proud pedestal. But take this constitution, which is our boast and our glory, and plant it in Turkey, Russia, Spain, or Portugal, and the people would not en. dure it a single hour, simply because they are unable to appreciate it. In like manner, establish the Protestant faith in these countries, and on the very same principle, the Turks would prefer Mahomet, the Russians the doctrines of the Greek church, and the Spaniards and Portuguese would still bend the knee before the Virgin's shrine. It is impossible for us to agree with Mr Mackray's arguments at p. 21, et seq., respecting the Popes, where he alleges that at first they made a wilful and direct "conspiracy against the liberties of mankind," | that "mind was doomed to stagnation," and that they filled up "to the very uttermost the measure of | their atrocious wickedness," by establishing the In- | quisition. As to the last assertion, we have nothing to say, and most sincerely do we join our author in his reprobation of that infamous tribunal. But we have something to say as to the first. In the name Heaven, what liberties? According to Mr Mackray, one would think, that before the assumption of the su. of energies that cannot be overcome. Memorable is the il-premacy by Gregory VII., the nations of Europe were lustration of this remark, which we find in the history of Greece. What was it that raised her little states to the commanding eminence which they occupied among the nations of the world? It was liberty. Greece was the land of freedom, while the people of other lands were slaves. And why was Greece free? Because she was intelligent," &c. p. 20. Our author goes on in a similar style, and then con. cludes that Greece lost her freedom when she became "corrupted by the gold, and enervated by the luxuries, of conquered nations." Now, Mr M. must allow us to tell him, that this is all pure declamation, and that, while we admit the facts, we deny the theory. By liberty, our author must mean public opinion; but will he maintain that public opinion ever existed in Greece? Indeed, the liberty of Greece is a Utopian theme; and we really thought that it had been long exploded by men of learning, and left only to schoolboys. We maintain, therefore, in opposition to Mr M., that there was no such thing as that which he calls liberty, and which we call public opinion, (for the terms are sy. nonymous,) in Greece; _ that she was governed for the most part by popular clamour, as witness the Athenians; and, in farther proof of this, we shall lay down certain propositions of our own for Mr M.'s consideration, which will at once illustrate our meaning. 1. There can be no real liberty, or rightly-grounded public opinion, where there is no proper religious feeling. 2. That, consequently, there was no real liberty in the ancient states. 3. That where there is no public opinion, the government is arbitrary, and the people ignorant. -4. That public opinion necessarily supposes certain pre-requisites, that is, that it is but the effect of which knowledge, religion, and civilization, are the causes.-5. That it depends on the middle class of society, because that class is, in general, best instructed. Now, as these propositions are very different from Mr Mackray's notions, we leave our readers to say whether he or ourselves are visionary. But nothing, it appears to us, can be more evident than this, that before a people can appreciate the advantages of civil liberty, they must undergo a preparation for it, and must be, to a certain extent, enlightened and educated. The same remark applies to religion; for though truth is in every age the same, eternal and immutable, it is nevertheless liable to be operated upon by human passions, prejudices, and errors. Look at the British Constitution. It sprang not up to its present perfection like a mushroom, in a night, but was the work of centuries, and was accompanied by tremendous national convulsions, (which, all that is excellent, civilized, enlightened, religious, ingenious, and free, _ living in a very elysium of free- | dom; and that the Bishops of Rome beheld this with diabolical hatred and envy, and conspired to take their civil liberty away. The very reverse was the case. Liberty indeed! Where is Mr Mackray's authority for this mighty transformation of the northern barbarians? Why, in the very heart of Italy, and almost at the gates of Rome, the Lombards, a nation of incorrigible bar. barians, had established themselves in all the pride of savageness, and insolence of successful victory. This was in A. D. 570, in the reign of Justin II., and in the last year of the Pontificate of John III., the sixtieth Bishop of Rome; and this powerful kingdom, which began then to exist, continued for more than 200 years. Liberty indeed! We challenge any man to look into the history of those ages, and then to tell us that such a felicitous state actually existed. The Bishops of Rome have done evil enough to mankind; but Mr Mackray must suffer us to tell him once more, that his zeal is, in this instance, greater than his know. ledge, and that it is too much to make them actually the enemies of the human race. We vindicate themi not; but we maintain that the Popes only took ad. vantage of the ignorance they found; they did not begin it. Has Mr Mackray forgot what Cæsar Basoius has said of the 7th century alone, which, for its barbarism and wickedness, he denominates the iron age; for its dulness and stupidity, the age of lead; and for its blindness and ignorance, the age of darkness? And yet, no doubt, he will charge this on the Popes! And this brings us to combat another of our author's notions, as connected with this boasted state of civil liberty in the primitive times. At the period of the Reformation, begun by Luther, or rather by Zuinglius, who was in reality the first Reformer, the church of Rome was never in a better state; for it is a fact beyond dispute, that it was only in those countries, far removed from the Holy See, that ignorance, superstition, and licentiousness, prevailed to excess. The Pontiff was the illustrious De Medici, surnamed Leo X.a Pontiff, we maintain it, as illustrious for his virtues, as he was for his birth and his magnificent genius. It was a singular arrangement of Providence, that the Reformation should have begun under a Pontiff remarkable as the munificent patron of letters and of learned men. Surely Mr Mackray is not a sincere believer in the hackneyed report, that Leo promoted the sale of indulgences merely to gratify his sister's avarice; if he be so, we are prepared with ample proof 1 to the contrary. Leo X. was one of the most learned and polished princes of his age; and it was his excessive proneness to the encouragement of his favourite pursuits, which induced him to act with such singular imprudence in the matter of indulgences. Whereever manuscripts were to be had, they were purchased by Leo; wherever learned men were to be found, they were invited to his court with a splendid profusion: he has the immortal honour of being the first to encourage and patronise the Greek language in Italy; at his own expense he set up a printing-press for the printing of the Greek Classics in Bologna; and he made it his business to adorn Rome with buildings of splendour. a Su Yet this is the Pontiff_even this illustrious man_who is condemned in the cant of illiterate enthusiasts as the "Beast," "Antichrist," "The Man of Sin," " The Enemy of Religion," "an Ignorant Bigot," " perstitious Priest." The names of these his illiterate enemies are destined to slumber in the obscurity which they deserve, but the name of the illustrious De Medici, the Pontiff at the Reformation, and even that of his pious and virtuous successor, Hadrian VI., will live as long as learning is estimated, and sound philosophy : duly appreciated. Such a tribute does Leo X. demand; such a tribute is not denied him even by Luther; and one thing is clear, that, arguing from human principles, had Luther been Leo X., and Leo the Monk of Wittemberg, the Reformation of religion would most probably have been now to commence. Let the reader then observe the reasoning which we here employ, and to which we beg Mr Mackray's attention. Why did not the Reformation commence under John Huss, or Jerome of Prague, Wickliffe, or, to go to a much earlier period, the Waldenses? Was it because the Church of Rome was more corrupt under the Pontificate of Leo, than at either of the above periods? It could not be; for the sale of indulgences, the ostensible cause, was not a decree of Leo's. Was it because Luther possessed more courage and self-de. votion than either of these? It could not be, as the sufferings of the Waldenses, the heroism of Huss and Jerome, and the boldness of the Rector of Lutterworth, will testify. But it was simply this_the want of proper religious feeling, and of a certain degree of information, before any essential change can be attempted with success to be wrought on a people. But enough on this subject. We must pass over many of Mr Mackray's assertions, to which we have equally strong objections, and conclude by laying the following extract, with one or two observations on it, before our readers, by which they will see how widely Mr Mackray has wandered from his subject, in his zeal to set forth the common cant and erroneous reasoning of the times. Speaking of the exploits of the Covenanters, after a great deal of very inflated writing, he thus expresses him self: "Nor do we hesitate to declare, that, for our part, we should blush to claim kindred with the man who could survey the portion of our country's history, in which these transactions are recorded, without feeling both gratitude and admiration. Of such men we are aware there are not a few. The cold-blooded infidel' casts a look of ineffable disdain on the cause and the doings of the Covenanters, because he regards them as merely the paltry conflictings of some insignificant sects. The servile advocate of arbitrary power turns away from them with disgust, because he is jealous of every thing that has the air of a struggle for freedom. The bigoted adherent of another system of ecclesiastical jurisdiction dislikes them, because the Covenanters thought not altogether as he thinks, but made their appeal, from the dogmas of erring man, to the unerring oracles of God. While, last of all, and unhappily this is the most numerous class of all, the worldly man, immersed in secularity, and alive only to the things of this present world, deems the Covenanters' contest beneath his regard, because it was connected with religion. Alas! for such men !"Pp. 87, 88. Thus writes Mr Mackray, in this inflated and declamatory style, which, after all, is a mere verborum prælium; and we might quote farther, but the above is sufficient to prove that he is raving on the subject. Seriously speaking, however, if they who do not conceive the Covenanters to be so pure and immaculate as they appear to our author, are thus to be censured in the empty vauntings of sectarian pride; and if the Cove nanters are entitled to all the fulsome adulation of this writer, we say again, that we have hitherto consulted the annals of our country very imperfectly. With this deplorable, unguarded, and absurd declamation, no sound thinking and rational theologian will agree. It any one should ask, what connexion the Covenanters had with the Reformation, and its effects on civil so ciety in Europe? the only legitimate answer would be, that that they had little or none. Does our author require to be told that those very Covenanters, whom, as a sectary, he elevates with all the Romish honours to the saintship, were so dissatisfied with Presbyterianism as established in 1688 in Scotland, that they actually intrigued with the Episcopal party to restore King James? that Balfour of Burley, and Graham of Claverhouse, held frequent meetings for the purpose, and that original manifestoes of King James are existing in this country at this moment, which prove the fact beyond a doubt? What a collision! what a picture, worthy of the pencil of an Allan or a Wilkie! The stern and gloomy fanatic Burley, and the high-minded and brave cavalier Graham, men who mortally hated each other, and who had often sought each other's death _ the wretched murderer of Archbishop Sharpe, and the loyal defender of legitimacy, holding a conference together! We have now done with our criticism on Mr Mackray's book, a work which contains no inconsiderable intermixture of erroneous historical facts and sound reasoning. We repeat the opinion which we expressed at the outset, that our author is, in several respects, entitled to praise for his Essay and that he did well to lay it before the world, at this particular crisis. The Collegians, being a Second Series of Tales of the Munster Festivals. In three volumes. London. Saunders and Otley. 1829. THIS is a work of rather a singular description, and of more than ordinary interest. How the author's first series of the Tales of the Munster Festivals was received, we do not well remember; but we recollect that we read the book, and were much pleased with the humour which pervades it. We had not, however, at that period the opportunity which we now have of expressing our opinion; and, as a "second series " is before us, we are desirous not to overlook the merits of the author. These Tales profess to delineate the manners of the Irish; and, in both his present and former works, the author has succeeded admirably. Our chief objection to the "second series" is its title. Why it should have been termed "The Collegians" we cannot ascertain, unless it be so designated because the two heroes, Mr Hardress Cregan and Mr Kyrle Daly, (names not very romantic or euphonious,) happened, at the outset of their career, to be fellow-students at College. But, letting this pass, the story is in itself entitled to much praise. It is a faithful picture of the simple, superstitious, and ignorant, but warm-hearted and hospitable, peasantry of Ireland. We have their habits, their phraseology, their |