THE EDINBURGH LITERARY JOURNAL; A WEEKLY REGISTER OF CRITICISM AND BELLES LETTRES. No. 28. AUTOGRAPHS. SATURDAY, MAY 23, 1829. THE CONNEXION BETWEEN CHARACTER AND PRICE 10d. fects the national style of handwriting. "An Englishman, a Frenchman, a German, or an Italian," says an ingenious author, "may be recognized as readily by his handwriting, as by his features and complexion." The Frenchman's is full of little frivolous embellish the German's is stiff, heavy, and pompous; and the Englishman's is a kind of compound of the three, simpler than the first, less tasteful than the second, and much freer than the third. Engravers, writing-masters, and others who have occasion to study the subject, are well aware, that in so far as direct physical influence goes, there are two circumstances which principally affect handwriting; and these are, 1st, the manner in which the penman has been taught to move his hand and fingers, from the wrist or from the elbow,-or in an angular or circular motion; and 2d, the manner in which he becomes habituated to hold his pen, either with the fore and middle finger both above the barrel, or with the former above, and the latter below. It is evident, however, that whilst these causes must, to a certain extent, affect the handwriting of individuals, they can never account for those national peculiarities, in the formation of written characters, to which we have just alluded, and which appear to bear a remarkable reference to the moral and intellectual peculiarities of the people at large. This naturally leads us to enquire into the indirect causes which influence the handwriting, and which have produced not only a distinct line of demarcation in the style adopted by different nations, but, as D'Israeli has remarked, have given to every individual a distinct sort of writing, as Nature has given to each a peculiar countenance, voice, and manner. WE have to-day the pleasure of presenting our read-ments; the Italian's is graceful, delicate, and supple; ers with specimens of the handwriting of forty-three of the most eminent characters of modern times. Their autographs are collected into one page, which will form a handsome frontispiece to the first volume of the LITERARY JOURNAL, and which presents at one view a more interesting collection of signatures than, we believe, was ever before given to the public. Though some of these signatures have been already engraved, we are enabled to state, that thirty-nine out of the fortythree have been copied from manuscripts not before accessible to engravers. Before, however, speaking of each more particularly, we are desirous of making a few general observations on the subject of handwriting. The art of writing, which is now considered so necessary an acquirement by all ranks and classes, and the want of which almost unfits one for the ordinary business of life, was regarded in days of old with a mysterious reverence, as a holy, and nearly unattainable accomplishment. It is almost incredible, that Charlemagne, who reduced more than the half of Europe to his sway, and who called into life the slumbering spirit of civilisation, by giving to the conquered nations, laws, institutions, and literature, cultivated long and fruitlessly the art of writing, in which, by the testimony of one who was at once his secretary and son-in-law, he never attained higher proficiency than to be able to scratch his own name in huge sprawling characters. But it was impossible that this state of things could long exist; and a knowledge of writing has, in all subsequent ages, been regarded as lying at the threshhold of every system of liberal education. With the exception of the Germans, all modern European nations, we do not know whether the modern Greeks be either a nation or European, use the same written characters, making allowance here and there for some very unimportant deviations in a few of the minute details. As to the Germans, though we cannot speak with certainty, we strongly suspect that their written character is derived from the same source as that of the rest of Europe; and this suspicion is confirmed by an examination of some Scottish manuscripts of the 17th century, (now in our possession,) one-half of the letters in which, are formed in the same way as those now used by the Germans. Other circumstances, corroborative of this belief, might be mentioned, but as we are not at present bent upon any display of our antiquarian lore, we content ourselves with stating our impression. But whilst the same general form of letter prevails throughout Europe, it is curious to observe how much the character of the people modifies that form, and af. For six of the signatures we are indebted to David Bridges, Esq., who politely favoured us with the use of his very curious book of autographe. Writing is an attainment to be acquired only by means of the flexibility of the muscles; and this being the case, it seems to follow, as a necessary consequence, that the different emotions which agitate the mind, influencing, as they always do, the muscular action, will communicate themselves, through this medium, to the hand writing, which will thus represent, more or less, the mental idiosyncrasy of the individual. As a sign of character, handwriting has therefore this great argument in its favour, that, being a voluntary action, the will of him who holds the pen must possess a sway over it. In this it differs materially from phrenology, whose bumps are involuntary excrescences on the head; but comes into close analogy with the more rational system of Lavater; for, if it is likely that the voice, features, and gestures, should be affected by the passions, why should not the handwriting, which is just one little step removed from a pure mental operation, be also affected by them ?. It is true that the science of physiognomy, ciful and ridiculous extent; and any rules which may by one or two ingenious men, has been carried to a fanbe supposed to govern it, must be so continually met by exceptions, occasioned by a thousand different causes, that it must ever remain impossible to reduce it to a fixed and certain standard. The same remark, we sus. pect, applies with equal force to the subject of hand writing. But, nevertheless, this much we are inclined the severe barrenness of his sterner moments. If these to believe, that if handwriting be studied as a science, remarks hold good when applied to the same individual, taking always along with us the conviction, that nu- they may, with equal propriety, be extended to the difmerous exceptions will continually present themselves ferent predominating dispositions of different men. to baffle our ingenuity, many curious glimpses may be " Henry the Eighth," says Oldys, "wrote a strong got into character, and discoveries made, upon much hand, but as if he had seldom a good pen." Upon this sounder data than either phrenology or palmistry can D'Israeli has well remarked,-"The vehemence of his furnish. We do not go the length of supposing that character conveyed itself into his writings: bold, hasty, the adept in this art would ever be able to ascertain, by and commanding, I have no doubt the asserter of the its means, the minuter shades of character. We do not Pope's supremacy, and its triumphant destroyer, spoilt think that he could satisfy the banker, by directing his many a good quill." In an interesting little French attention to the mere formation of the letters, that the work, entitled, “L'Art du juger de caractere des hommes name upon a bill was a good name; or that he could sur leurs Ecritures," specimens are given of the handconvince the lover, by an examination of the delicate writing of Elizabeth of England, and Mary of Scotscrawl of his mistress, that the manner in which she land, and upon them the author remarks:-" Who crossed her T's, or dotted her I's, rendered it quite evi- could believe that these writings are of the same epoch? dent that she would make a very unfitting spouse. We The first denotes asperity and ostentation; the second are not quite so chimerical as this. All that can ever indicates simplicity, softness, and nobleness. The dif. be ascertained from handwriting, is some of the more ference is in exact unison with the different characters apparent and strongly-marked traits of character. As of the two Queens." "Charles the First," says Oldys, the voyager along a coast can discover from a consider-wrote a fair open Italian hand, and more correctly, ble distance whether he is passing by a town, but can- perhaps, than any prince we ever had." "Charles was not ascertain any of the minuter features of that town, the first of our monarchs," adds D'Israeli, “who inso the philographist (if we may use the word) will be tended to have domiciliated taste in the kingdom; and it able to tell whether the temperament be sanguineous, might have been conjectured from this unfortunate melancholy, surly, phlegmatic, nervous, or choleric; prince, who so finely discriminated the manners of the but how these temperaments may be modified by cir- different painters, which are in fact their hand writings, cumstances, he will be unable to say. The delicate that he would not have been insensible to the elegances and more evanescent emotions of the soul, betrayed of the pen." In short, it may be laid down as a geneby a mantling blush or downcast eyelid, can never be ral rule, that handwriting is a symptom of character, scratched on paper by the point of the pen; but the though numerous circumstances must ever contribute to more decided and more pervading character of the mind make it a very uncertain one. We fancy that we know will communicate itself to the shape of the letters. Let something of the art de juger du caractère des hommes us take an instance or two. sur leurs Ecritures; but we are still so far from having reached perfection in this science, that we can assure our fair readers the album need not steal shuddering into the drawer at our approach, nor the billet-doux prefer a fiery death to the chance of being subjected to our piercing glance. Let us now, however, come a little nearer home, and see how the principles we have laid down will apply to the interesting autographs before us. How marked a difference there usually is between the handwriting of females and of men! Both are taught by the same masters, and according to the same rules; but the leading feature of the one is feminine delicacy, and of the other masculine vigour. This rule holds so universally, that few are at a loss to discover the sex of a correspondent by the mere address on the back of a letter. There are, it is true, exceptions even here, but in this case exceptio firmat regulam. We know a lady of a certain age, prodigiously blue, and a stern disputant on religious topics in particular, who, having occasion to consult one of our Edinburgh Divines concerning a dispute between the Presbytery and the Lady Directresses of a free school, of which she was one, unfortunately used only the initial of her Christian name in the signature; and the consequence was, that the Rev. Gentleman, who was not personally acquainted with his correspondent, misled by the boldness of the handwriting, not to speak of the strength of the diction, returned an answer in due time, addressed to Esquire! But this, as we have already said, is a peculiar case. It is worth while noticing here, that the distinction between different female hands is much less marked than between different male hands. This is another fact which confirms our hypothesis. Pope has said libellously, "Most women have no character at all!" Had he said that there were fewer varieties in female character than in male, he would have been quite correct. This arises from their peculiar education and habits, which are much more monotonous than ours; and this monotony has communicated itself in a remarkable degree to their handwriting. But to give still additional force to our argument, look at the handwriting of the same man when in different states of mind. Is it not evident that these have had an influence over the motions of his fingers? If he write under the influence of strong indignation, for example, will his pen trace lightly what he feels so forcibly? If, on the contrary, he is in a gay and careless mood, will there not be a Bowery redundance in his style of writing, very unlike Let us in the first place remark, that signatures will be found in general to differ a little from the common writing of the individual, having often a more carefully assumed and premeditated character. But at the same time they seldom deviate very widely from the general style of a person's ordinary penmanship. It is also proper to observe at the outset, that the time of life at which the writing was made must always be taken into consideration in judging of an autograph. Thus, if we compare the signatures of Mrs Grant, Joanna Baillie, and Henry Mackenzie, with those of Washington Irving, Catherine Stephens, and Felicia Hemans, we shall perceive at once, that besides the natural difference inherent in the character of the handwritings, the ad. vance of years has in the three former instances produced a peculiar modification of style, which in the three latter does not yet exist. The handwriting of a young and of an old person may be always distinguished. Of the forty-three autographs, engraved for the LITERARY JOURNAL, we cannot help thinking, that, with two exceptions, there is something in all of them which more or less indicates the character of their respective authors. We shall proceed to particularize those which may either appear to bear most strikingly on the subject in question, or concerning which we may have something curious to say. ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE. We have placed the late Mr Constable's signature at the head of our list, both as a just tribute to a man whose memory the literary; world of Scotland will long cherish, and as a compli ment due to the father and founder of the highly respectable house of Messrs Constable & Co., under whose auspices, to say nothing of its former achievements, the LITERARY JOURNAL has taken at once so complete a hold of the public favour. Nor is Mr Constable to be considered solely as an eminent publisher-the most eminent which this country ever produced; he is the author likewise, though the fact, we believe, is not generally known, of an entertaining work, entitled " Memoirs of George Heriot," which appeared shortly after the publication of the Fortunes of Nigel in 1822. It may be interesting to know, that the signature now engraved is copied from a letter which was written within a month of his death; and though he was then much debilitated, -labouring under afflictions both mental and bodily, "Enough to press a royal merchant down," it will be seen that his handwriting retained much of that free, bold, hasty, and decided character, which marked all his transactions, and which contributed both to raise him to the summit of prosperity, and partly also to bring him down from that summit. ANNE GRANT, J. BAILLIE, F. HEMANS, CATH. STEPHENS, ANGELICA CATALANI,JANE PORTER. The handwriting of all these ladies strikes us as exceedingly characteristic. We have given Mrs Grant of Laggan's present hand, in which may be discovered a little of the instability of advancing life; but there is a well-rounded breadth and distinctness in the formation of the letters, which seems to carry along with it evidence of the clear and judicious mind of the talented authoress of "Letters from the Mountains." We have also given Miss Baillie's present hand; and it will be perceived that it has less of the delicate feebleness of a lady's writing than any of the others. It would have been sadly against our theory had the most powerful dramatic authoress which this country has produced written like a boarding-school girl recently entered on her teens. This is decidedly not the case. There is something masculine and nervous in Miss Baillie's signature; it is quite a hand in which "De Montfort" might be written. How different is the writing of Mrs Hemans! The very hand-fair, small, and beautifully feminine-in which should be embodied her gentle breathings of household love, her songs of the domestic affections, and all her lays of silvery sweetness and softbreathing tenderness. Miss Stephens has a more common-place, but a very lady-like hand. There is not a great deal of mind in it, but a good deal of flowing grace. We like Madame Catalani's better;-we think it is evident, by her autograph alone, that she is a superior singer to Miss Stephens. There is a full Italian massiness in her signature that speaks to us of "Rule Britannia" and "God save the King;" and we almost hear the strains rolling in upon our ears in such a volume of sounds as no single human voice ever before produced. Miss Porter has a fully more masculine, though less tasteful hand, than Washington Irvine, with whom she happens to be in juxta-position; and the fair authoress of "Thaddeus of Warsaw 99 and "The Scottish Chiefs," certainly appears to have as masculine a mind as the elegant but perhaps somewhat effeminate writer of the "Sketch Book." JAMES HOGG, WILLIAM TENNANT, ALLAN CUNNINGHAM.-We class these three poets together, because we believe they are nearly contemporaries, and because each is indebted to his own talents for overcoming many obstacles which stood in the way of his success. They possess genius, however, of a very different kind; and this is pretty strongly indicated by their respective handwriting. As to Hogg, we must say that we have given a very favourable specimen of the Shepherd's autograph, which our engraver has copied with the most accurate precision, as he has done all the rest. The Shepherd writes in general a more rugged and indistinct hand; but as the present signature was taken from an epistle congratulatory to a friend who had recently entered into the blessed and holy state of matrimony, it is probable that the bard of Yarrow thought it incumbent to present him with a piece of his very best calligraphy. There is, nevertheless, something honest, sturdy, and unaffected in the Shepherd's writing, which we like, because it speaks the true and manly qualities of his heart and head. Allan Cunningham has raised himself like Hogg; but instead of the plough, he has handled the chissel; and there is in his constitution an inherent love of the fine arts, which brings his thoughts into more graceful channels. We are well aware that there is a warmth and a breadth of character about Cunningham which mark "the large-soul'd Scot;" but, looking forward to his forthcoming Lives of the British Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, we do not conceive this to be in the least inconsistent with the easy flow of his tasteful handwriting. Tennant has a more remark. able hand than either of the other two. It is full of originality, and in this resembles his own "Anster Fair." The notion may be a fanciful one, but there seems to us to be, moreover, a sort of quiet humour in the writing, which makes its resemblance to "Anster Fair" still more complete. The principle upon which the letters are formed, is that of making all the hair strokes heavy, and all the heavy strokes light. THOMAS MOORE, BYRON. We put these two to. gether, for the sake of contrast; and both are admirably illustrative of character. There is one general remark we may here make, with regard to hand writings, which, from the attention we have given to the subject, we believe will be found a correct one. Close and accurate thinkers seldom write what are called sprawling hands; their letters are all fully formed, and have lit tle or no slope. We know of few exceptions to this rule, whilst, at the same time, we admit that the converse of the proposition may not always hold good; for a very careless thinker occasionally writes an upright hand. As corroborating, however, the truth of our rule, look at the handwriting of Dugald Stewart, of Thomas Chalmers, of Henry Mackenzie, of Thomas Campbell, of Sir Walter Scott, of Henry Brougham, of Moore, and of Lord Byron, certainly the most correct and powerful thinkers in our list; and it will be found, in the case of all of them, that the writing is such as we have described. As to the two last-Moore and Byron, though both accurate thinkers, they no doubt thought very differently. There is a completeness and a finish about all Moore's poems, a something that pleases and dazzles, rather than elevates or sublimes, and the neat gracefulness of his hand implies this. There is more volume and grandeur about Byron, and consequently his hand is larger and stronger every way. The one writes as with a silver pen, the other as with an eagle's pinion. It is proper to state, that Moore's autograph is copied from the signature attached to the original of one of the finest of his sacred Melodies," The turf shall be my fragrant shrine." F. LEVESON GOWER, JOHN GALT, WELLINGTON. -Our readers will think this rather an oddly assorted trio, but we have a reason for naming them together. Experience teaches, that another of the rules applicable to handwriting, in connexion with character, is, that letters with disproportionately long heads and tails, indi. cate either self-confidence, vanity, or ambition. We do not know enough of the private character either of Lord Francis Gower or Mr Galt, to say which of the three qualities their tremendous heads and tails indicate; but look at the signature of Wellington, and see how nobly and truly the characteristic mark of ambition points him out as the hero of a hundred fights, the premier of England, the pacificator of Ireland, and the leader of the two Houses of Parliament. His big W's, his L's, and his T's, look like church spires, losing themselves in the clouds. It is impossible that their haughty heads could ever stoop to an ordinary level. THOMAS CHALMERS.-We know of few more striking examples of character infusing itself into hand writing, than that presented by the autograph of Dr Chalmers. No one who has ever heard him preach, can fail to observe, that the heavy and impressive manner in which he forms his letters is precisely similar to the straining and energetic style in which he fires off his words. There is something painfully earnest and laborious in his delivery, and a similar sensation of laborious earnestness is produced by looking at his hardpressed, though manly and distinct, signature. It is, in a small space, an epitome of one of his sermons. LEIGH HUNT.Leigh Hunt's writing is a good deal like the man ;—it is constrainedly easy, with an affectation of ornament, yet withal a good hand, The signature is copied from a letter written to a friend in Edinburgh in 1820; and as one part of this letter is curious and interesting, we have pleasure in presenting it to our readers. We are inclined to believe that there are many good points about Leigh Hunt, notwithstanding his having done some shabby things. We like the spirit of the following extract from his letter: "And this reminds me to tell you, that I am not the author of the book called the Scottish Fiddle, which I have barely seen. The name alone, if you had known me, would have convinced you that I could not have been the author. I had made quite mistakes enough about Sir Walter, not to have to answer for this too. I took him for a mere courtier and political bigot. When I read his novels, which I did very lately, at one large glut, (with the exception of the Black Dwarf, which I read before,) I found that when he spoke so charitably of the mistakes of kings and bigots, he spoke out of an abundance of knowledge, instead of narrowness, and that he could look with a kind eye also at the mistakes of the people. If I still think he has too great a leaning to the former, and that his humanity is a little too much embittered with spleen, I can still see and respect the vast difference between the spirit which I formerly thought I saw in him, and the little lurking contempts and misanthropies of a naturally wise and kind man, whose blood perhaps has been somewhat saddened by the united force of thinking and sickliness. He wishes us all so well, that he is angry at not finding us better. His works occupy the best part of some book-shelves always before me, where they continually fill me with admiration for the author's genius, and with regret for my petty mistakes about it." FRANCIS JEFFREY, JOHN WILSON.-These are two names which stand at the head of the periodical literature of Scotland. The periodical writer must have a ready command of his pen and a versatile genius. He must be able to pass quickly from one subject to another; and instead of devoting himself to one continuous train of thought, he must have a mind whose quick perception and comprehensive grasp enable him to grapple with a thousand. See how this applies to the handwriting of Jeffrey and of Wilson. The style of both signatures implies a quick and careless motion of the hand, as if the writer was working against time, and was much more anxious to get his ideas sent to the printer, than to cover his paper with elegant penmanship. There is an evident similarity in the fashion of the two hands; only Mr Jeffrey, being much inferior to the Professor in point of physical size and strength, naturally enough delights in a pen with a finer point, and writes, therefore, a lighter and more scratchy hand than the author of "Lights and Shadows." It will add to the interest of Mr Jeffrey's autograph to know that, as his hand is not at all altered, we have preferred, as a matter of curiosity, to engrave a signature of his which is twenty-three years old, being taken from a letter bearing date 1806. WALTER SCOTT, ROBERT SOUTHEY, DUGALD STEWART, ROBT. TANNAHILL, J. SINCLAIR, H. MACKENZIE, T. CAMPBELL, H. BROUGHAM, D. STEWART, CHAS. LAMB, W. ROSCOE, BASIL HALL, J. MONTGOMERY, WM. WORDSWORTH, A. ALISON, PERCY B. SHELLEY, B. R. HAYDON, D. WILKIE, -an assurance We do not see But we have stated that, in looking over these specimens of handwriting, two startling exceptions have presented themselves to the truth of the general proposition, that the character of the mind communicates itself to the penmanship of the individual. These exceptions will be found in the signatures of J. G. LOCKHART and of S. T. COLERIDGE. Lockhart writes a small, indistinct, hasty hand, not at all in unison with the vigour, preci. sion, and originality of his style of thinking. Even his hand, however, is less to be wondered at than that of Coleridge. Who would have expected so pigmy and finical a signature from the gigantic intellect and gor geous imagination of the translator of "Wallenstein," and the author of the "Ancient Mariner ?" It cer tainly baffles all calculations; and though phrenologists would doubtless attempt to get rid of the dilemma by some ingenious quibble, all that we shall say upon the subject is, that our science is one which, like all other human sciences, admits of exceptions. The speculations, however, into which it leads, if not very instructive or profound, are curious and interesting; and we think our readers will readily forgive us for having thus directed their attention, at some length, to the conventional signs by which "thoughts that breathe" are taught to embody themselves in "words that burn." LITERARY CRITICISM. Brown's Select Views of the Royal Palaces of Scotland. With Letter-press Illustrations. By Dr J. Jamieson, F.R.S. E., &c. author of the Dictionary of the Scottish Language. Parts I., II., III., and IV. Edinburgh. Cadell & Co. 1828 and 1829. WE really take some shame to ourselves for not having sooner noticed a work which, in every point of view, has strong claims upon our attention. A work so perfectly Scotch, treating of Scotch subjects,-drawn, engraved, written, published, and, we trust, pretty extensively sold, by Scotchmen,-ought not, even if its merits were less conspicuous, to be neglected by a Scotch review. But, besides all this, it is the first work of its kind, upon a subject alike interesting to the antiquary, the poet, and the man of taste; and the execution is, in all respects, so worthy of the design, that, independently of nationality, these illustrations of the old royal glories of Scotland well deserve a passing tribute of appro bation. away, that their original shape and size can no more be These capabilities, we think, have been turned to the best account in the present work, in which the pencil of Mr Brown, ably seconded by the grace of Miller, has produced a most beautiful series of views of these remnants of our Scottish palaces. Of Mr Brown we know nothing, but that he is a teacher of drawing in Glasgow, and, we believe, a young man. If we are not mistaken, too, we recollect having seen a large drawing in water-colours by him in this season's Exhibition, reIn fact, it is rather singular that a work on this sub-presenting a ruin under a tranquil moonlight sky, (we ject has not appeared long ago, in this age of graphical, suppose some subject intended for a future number of topographical, and typographical illustration; and that, this work,) which possessed great strength and breadth while every hole and corner of the royal palaces of Eng- of effect, with a manner of handling considerably reland have been rendered familiar to the lieges in the sembling the style of Williams, and which indicated splendid volumes of Pyne-while the very areana of the a promise of future excellence as an artist. Generally royal dressing-room and bed-chamber have been pub- speaking, he has displayed great judgment in the points lished to the day-it should have remained for the en- of view he has chosen in treating these subjects, and terprising conductors of the present work to embody, in considerable taste and feeling in the selection of those these handsome quartos, the fast-fading remnants of our lights and aspects under which he has represented them. Scottish magnificence, which are daily disappearing. It is needless to say, that his drawings have received It is true, we have here and there a scattered notice of every justice at the hands of the engraver, Mr Miller. some of our old palaces, illustrated by a so-so plate, in For small engravings, such as these and William's Gresome guide through Scotland or superannuated tour; cian views, his style, we think, is admirably adapted. but till now the subject of Scottish palaces has never, as In larger works, and, in particular, in historical subjects, far as we know, been separately treated, or exhibited in Stewart is certainly superior to him; but for a "picture what Mrs Malaprop calls "a concatenation according- in little," some landscape gem of four inches by two and ly." And this is the more surprising from the very a half, the Quaker, for such we believe he is, is without great superiority which, in many respects, the illustra- a rival in Edinburgh. tion of such a subject in Scotland must possess over a similar work on English palaces; for the royal residences of the south are almost without exception still occupied as such,-still snug and comfortable, though Occasionally old-fashioned or venerable. Even timehonoured Windsor itself looks so white-washed, so swept and garnished, so cheerful and trim, that all feeling of romance is excluded. You look along one of its arched passages, and perceiving a dim-looking figure at the end, you set him down as some old gallant of the court, revisiting the glimpses of the sun. You walk up to him, and he turns out to be a respectable beef-eater, or a gentlemanly servant in livery, who pockets your shilling with much politeness. You turn over a page of Mr Pyne's book, and in the first plate that meets your eye, a strange vaulted building displays itself, lighted from the top. Figures in white array are moving up and down the floor, some brandishing large knives in their hands, while victims of different kinds seem extended on the altar. The smoke of the sacrificial fire fills the pile and wraps the figures of the officiating ministers in dusky vapour. Is this a Dom Daniel, a sacrifice to the Grand Lama, or a scene in the Inquisition? Nothing of the kind. It is merely the "Interior of the King's kitchen at St James's," and that fat high priest is the master cook. These eating, drinking, and paying associations are sadly unfavourable to the picturesque. But we mingle with other scenes in tracing the remains of the Scotch palaces; for it is long since these were discrowned and deserted, and their splendour transferred to another kingdom. Most of them are in ruins and uninhabited; some, like Dunoon and Carrick, so completely worn Four numbers of the work have appeared, each containing three plates, with the accompanying letter-press. Of this latter part of the work, we may say at once that it is ably and learnedly treated, as indeed might have been expected from the author of the Hermes Scythicus, and the Scottish Dictionary; but, to our mind, the Doctor is occasionally rather too antiquarian and etymological; and we could willingly have exchanged a little of the discussion which takes place on these points for some additional picturesque description, or some of those fading traditions and dreadful legends of which there are always enough to be picked up among the ruins of old castles, more particularly in those princely halls which have been trod by the royal, the noble, and the beautiful; and which it is a pleasant, and not altogether a profitless task, to collect and preserve, before they have been entirely forgotten. A work of this kind is one, not of grave learning, but of amusement; and, in this department, we do not know a better model for imitation than Sir Walter Scott, who, amidst all his antiquarian descriptions, so gracefully interweaves these traits of superstition and chivalry, that even the dry bones of topography acquire life and motion in his hands. We daresay the Doctor, too, has seen a little German book by Gottschalk, on the subject of German ruins, (Ritter Vesten und Ritter Burgen,) in which we think a subject of this kind is very happily treated the vo lume forming a pleasing pasticco of matters picturesque, antiquarian, and poetical; speculations on antique buildings; the life of the middle ages; the historical exploits, feuds, tournaments, robberies, courtships, and executions of their possessors, with many little notices of those graceful or gloomy legends with |