: one particular, however, we must dissent from him. "It is with infinite regret,” (the reviewer quotes from Dr Millingen,) “ I must state, that, although I seldom left Lord Byron's pillow during the latter part of his illness, I did not hear him make any, even the smallest, mention of religion. At one moment I heard him say,- Shall I sue for mercy? After a long pause, he added, Come, come; no weakness! Let's be a man to the last!" The writer of the review makes the following comment upon this passage:- -“We quote this as we find it but certainly with every disposition to hope that the fatal delirium had begun before Dr Millingen heard what he has repeated. Even on that supposition, the case is bad enough." We need not remind our readers, that Lord Byron had more than one attack of delirium ;-that in its accesses, the images which haunted his imagination were chiefly those of battle and its struggles. The words which Dr Millingen overheard, apply perfectly to such a fantasy. We are confirmed in our belief that this was their real meaning, by the whole character of Lord Byron. He was a man forgetful in general of religion, but not without touches of devotional feeling. There was nothing of the defiance of Cain in his scepticism. But such a feeling alone, fostered by habit into a second nature, could have suggested the expressions we are speaking of-expressions which, understood as Mr Lockhart has done, make the soul recoil with horror and dismay. The dissertation upon the origin of the Homeric Poems, in the review of Coleridge's Introduction to the Classics, is ably written. The article upon "The Political Economists," does not deserve to stand at the head of a Number which contains such masterly pieces as those we have above enumerated. The review of Dymond on the Principles of Morality, is nearly of the same calibre. We cannot exactly see the drift of the article upon the Military Events of the late French Revolution. We were not surprised at its concluding declaration of the alarm with which it regards that event. The whole tenor of the Quarterly's politics led us to expect as much. But this is no reason why they should expend their own ingenuity, and the reader's patience, in criticising the blunders, falsehoods, and inconsistencies, which, in the confusion of the moment, and the public thirst for intelligence, found their way into the daily prints. Are there not books enough to cut and carve upon that the Quarterly must pounce upon newspapers? The cleverness of the last article nobody can deny, any more than its sophistry and ill-nature. Aut Croker, aut Diabolus. A History of the Earth and Animated Nature. By Oliver Goldsmith. With copious Notes, embracing Accounts of New Discoveries in Natural History. To which is subjoined, an Appendix, containing Explanations of Technical Terms, and an Outline of the Cuvierian and other Systems, by Captain Thomas Brown. Parts I. II. and III. Edinburgh: A. Fullarton and Co. Glasgow Blackie, Fullarton, and Co. JOHNSON'S prophecy respecting this work is well known. "Goldsmith is now writing a Natural History, and he will make it as entertaining as a Persian tale.” He certainly succeeded in making it more entertaining than any tale that ever emanated from the brain of the generous bear who passed this judgment upon him. His book is adapted to give the mind those habits of thought, which enable it to take an interest in the enquiries of the naturalist; and there is no work which, in this point of view, we would more willingly see placed in the hands of the young, but for the erroneous opinions it so frequently inculcates. These are sufficiently neutralized, in the present edition, by the notes of Captain Brown; and our only objection is thus removed. The illustrative engravings are in general correct; and the appendix, if executed in the spirit of the foot-notes, will be a valuable acquisition. This publication is remarkably cheap; and on this account, as well as for its intrinsic value, admirably adapted for the purposes of parochial, regimental, and school libraries, mechanics' institutions, &c. &c. In saying this, we conceive ourselves to be pronouncing a high eulogium; for there are not many books of which we could say as much. Views of Loch Katrine and Adjacent Scenery. By W. B. Scott. Edinburgh. R. Scott, Engraver. 1830. THIS publication has been lying for a considerable time upon our table; and we know not how we came to overMr W. B. Scott. He has evidently much to learn, both look it. The Views are both designed and engraved by as a designer and a handler of the graver; but there are indications of sentiment, and an eye to the picturesque, which entitle us to encourage him to follow up his profession. We look, ere long, to see him justify our anti cipations. Thomas Rodd. Tom Thumb; a Burletta, altered from Henry Fielding, by THE series of reprints of our best farces, with illustrations by George Cruikshank, must necessarily amuse. They perpetuate Mathews and Liston. The series "started through Highgate to beat them," of which the Mayor of Garratt is the first, is scarcely of equal merit, but still sufficiently laughable. MISCELLANEOUS LITERATURE. THE WALCHEREN EXPEDITION. By a Medical Officer. DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND.* THE first battalion of the th regiment of foot marched from Margate on the 15th of July, and was embarked at Ramsgate the same day, in four divisions, on board as many transports. The general good behaviour both of officers and men while in quarters, and the knowledge that we were immediately going on the service of our country, excited in the breasts of the inhabitants an interest towards us most gratifying to the feelings of a soldier. About midnight we set sail, and by five o'clock on the morning of Sunday the 16th, we anchored in the Downs, two miles and a half from Deal. We remained inactive at this station for nearly two weeks. Our time passed monotonously enough, between writing to our friends at home, and paying daily visits to the shore. On the 24th, orders were received by Commodore Owen, that all officers on board the Transports under his command, or, in other words, all who were attached to the division under the Marquis of Huntly, should sleep on board their respective ships. On the 25th, Lord Chatham arrived, and established his headquarters at Deal. These events gave room to hope that we should be speedily under weigh, for we were heartily tired of our situation; the irksomeness of which was not a little heightened by the fact, that every one, high and *We have been inundated lately with memoirs of the Peninsular war; but none of our military men have as yet favoured us with their reminiscences of Walcheren. The history of that expedition must still be sought in Parliamentary debates of the period, and in a masterly article which appeared in No. XXXIV. of the Edinburgh Review. The series of papers, the first of which is given above, is from the pen of an intelligent eye-witness, who has since risen high in his profession; and who is alike esteemed as a man and a physician. We give them, not because we delight any more than others to dwell upon the misfortunes of our country, but because they seem well calculated to cast a side-light upon the character and merits of the men who then held the reins of empire. They are matter of history.-Ed. Lit. Jour. low, seemed alike ignorant of our destination. On the day of Lord Chatham's arrival, I learned from a lieutenant of the navy that a telegraphic dispatch had been received from the Admiralty; apprising that the French fleet at Flushing had been removed farther up the river, after having shown some disposition to come out; and desiring Sir R. Strachan to dispatch Sir H. Popham in the Venerable, with two other sail of the line, to reinforce Lord Gardner. This piece of news strengthened a suspicion already entertained, that our course was for Holland, where it was thought we had many friends. At last, we learned that the destination of our division, at least, was the Island of Cadsand; and that the reserve, under Sir J. Hope, were to attack Walcheren, upon which the town of Flushing is built. An embarkation upon so large a scale (the number of ships in the Downs amounted at one time to about 500, the number of soldiers on board might be 20,000) was new to me. The shops at Deal were filled, Sunday and Saturday, with greater throngs than on the busiest market days. The streets were filled with officers of all ranks and descriptions, moving about with all the bustle of the Stock Exchange. Castlereagh was there gazing callously at the departure of the holocaust about to be offered up to his inveterate self-will and incapacity. The beach was crowded with parties of every appearance, from the nobleman to the cit in Iris Sunday clothes, gazing upon the forest of masts, and cheering the soldiers as they embarked. The gallant fellows responded with loud and hearty hurrahs. The feelings excited within me by such a scene, were not a little heightened by the consciousness, that I was for the first time an actor, though a very subordinate one, in an affair of such moment. The expedition was highly popular ; and well it might be so, for braver and healthier troops never sailed from Britain. People of all ranks resorted from great distances to witness the embarkation. The cheering which I heard ring from shore to ship as I stood witnessing the embarkation of the German Legion, and a part of the Rifle Corps, has scarcely yet ceased to vibrate in my ears. Even the Deal boatmen, a daring race, whose fine manly weather-beaten countenances and athletic forms I have often contemplated with pleasure, but who are accused, not undeservedly, of rapacity and extortion, caught the spirit of the moment. When it was resolved that the embarkation of the regiments I have just named should take place at Deal, and the boatmen were asked for how much they would take the troops to the transports, their answer was-" For nothing, or not at all." At last the troops were all embarked. They consisted of five divisions-each of two brigades; a division of light troops, of three; and the reserve also of three. Lieutenant-General the Earl of Chatham was, as I have mentioned above, commander-in-chief; Sir Eyre Coote was second in command. Sir J. Craddock commanded the first division; the Marquis of Huntly the second; Lord Grosvenor the third; Lieutenant-General M'Kenzie Fraser the fourth; and the fifth. The light troops were under the Earl of Rosslyn; and the reserve under Sir John Hope. Sir R. Strachan had the command of the fleet. On the 26th of July, several ships of war, and the greater proportion of the transports, sailed round to the Gull Stream, off Ramsgate, where they again dropped anchor. The landsmen on board were edified during the remainder of the day by the manoeuvring of a frigate, who fired her guns in different numbers, gave several broadsides, tacked, veered, and concluded the raree-show by displaying the English flag above the French. Our officers regarded the whole scene with intense interest, and finally retired to their berths, voting it "mighty ridiculous." At last we weighed anchor about eight o'clock on the morning of the 28th, with the other ships containing our division, and some men-of-war. The squadron contain ing the reserve sailed from the Downs at the same time. We might be, in all, about 150 sail. The wind being tolerably fair, and the morning rather hazy, we lost sight of Old England about half past twelve. We anticipated a speedy and triumphant return, but———— ROYAL INSTITUTION-MANIFESTO OF THE We are not in the habit of noticing articles which appear in the columns of newspapers: but some remarks upon our article of the 29th ult. (under the flippant and rather vulgar title-" More Wisdom-The Royal Institution Pictures") having appeared in a respectable journal of this city, proceeding, as we are given to understand, from an official quarter, (we suspect, from the antiquarian research shown in it, from the pen of the ingenious gentleman who discovered that G. A., on an old Italian pieture, stood for "Giorgione the Artist,") we break through our rule for once. If the article in question do indeed come from a Director, we are glad of it; for it shows, in the first place, by his arguing the point, that he has some regard for public opinion; and, in the second, by his angry tone, that he is in the wrong. In one respect, we admit with pleasure, that the writer has conducted himself fairly and like a gentleman. He has given the whole of our article, and thus enabled his readers to judge betwixt us. We wish that the same spirit had taught him to refrain from such innuendoes as the following: "We wish we could persuade ourselves that the above article had been compounded in perfect innocence, but we can scarcely think it possible that any gentleman connected with the Edinburgh press could have known so little of what has been going on for these last few years in Edinburgh, between the artists and the Royal Institution," &c. Now, if the author of this knew any thing of the gentleman who wrote the article to which he alludes, he must know that he is as little likely as himself to do any thing unworthy of his station in society, and is, on the present occasion, without any possible temptation so to degrade himself. If he did not, the insinuation is equally unwarrantable. In an after part of his paper our opponent says, "If there be any reason to suspect the accounting for the balances of the different exhibitions carried to this fund of relief, (for decayed artists and widows of artists,) let the artists fairly and honestly say so, and, if necessary, demand the intervention of a court of law." If by this he mean to insinuate a suspicion, that any artist had a share in the article he is commenting upon, he is mistaken. We advise our friends, the artists, however, to attend to his hint. Prefixed to the criticism of our article, is a brief history of the Board of Trustees and the Royal Institution, which, as it is more complete than any thing we have seen elsewhere, we here insert : tees. "It may, perhaps, be agreeable to our readers to be put in possession of the rise and progress of the Board of TrusThe following short history will not detain them long, and by it they will find that that Board had its origin before the period when any of the estates of Scotland were in the unhappy predicament of being forfeited. It was at the time of the Union that this Board was first instituted, among the paltry equivalents granted by the English government, as a compensation to Scotland for an additional imposition which was laid on the excise and custom duties. This compensation amounted to L.2000 per annum, and the manufactures of the country. was appointed to be laid out in promoting and improving Twenty years elapsed before Commissioners were appointed, under letters patent from George the First, in whom were also invested, to be appropriated for the same purpose, the surplus receipts of malt duty over L.20,000. The accumulations from 1707 were then paid into the hands of the Receiver-General, who report annually to the Lords of the Treasury. was appointed cashier to the Board, and was directed to Under George the Third another munificent grant was made to the same Board, for the express purpose of encou raging the growth of flax, the manufacture of fine linen, and the improvement of the requisite machinery. "the grants from this fund must receive the warrant of the Lords of the Treasury before one shilling can be disposed of." He does not, indeed, tell us that Sir Robert was thus generous in consequence of a suggestion from a member of the Board of Trustees, or of the Institution, or of both; but, as little is got in this world without asking, we do not risk much in assuming that this was the Our friend's story is, therefore, essentially the same as our own, only a little more particular in the de-' tails. The justice of our inference he has not called in question; and the correctness of our data he has not succeeded in disproving. "But this is not all; the accumulations mentioned above had necessarily thrown into the hands of the Trustees considerable funds, which were partly laid out in purchasing the ground and forming an establishment for a set of weavers, who were driven out of France by religious persecution, and were located in a lane which some of us can remember, now occupied by Picardy Place. This proved an immense accession to the funds of the Board, as did also a fortunate investment in the public funds, when they hap-case. pened to be at a very low ebb. It is not our business, nor is it necessary for us, to enquire into the management of this Board. Suffice it to say, that its accounts must be made up and passed annually, and the grants from its funds must receive the warrant of the Lords of the Treasury, beafore one shilling can be disposed of; and we have no hesitation in saying, that were any part of a sum, so religiously the property of Scotland, which has had no great reason to boast of the liberality of government, while compared with the other two portions of the empire, to be diverted to any other purpose than the improvement of this country, we conceive a manifest injustice would be done. "Now, with regard to the Royal Institution, one would think, from the language of the Literary Journal, that it was public property, over which every commissioner of police had a control, and who was answerable to his ward for the due performance of all its functions. But what is the fact? The success of the British Institution in London, and the delight which the annual exhibition of old paintings, belonging exclusively to the members of the Institution, afforded to the public, suggested to the late Mr Oswald, that something of the same kind, though certainly on a much humbler scale, might be got up in Edinburgh. A meeting was in consequence held on the 1st February, 1819, which was attended by most of the influential people in Edinburgh, and subsequently joined by many of the no=bility of Scotland. Mr Andrew Wilson was appointed to take charge of the details; Sir John Hay was appointed treasurer; Mr Oswald, secretary; and such was their alacrity, that on the 11th of March in the same year, their first exhibition of ancient pictures was opened in Mr Raeburn's room in York Place. In March 1820, there was a second similar exhibition. So far the Institution strictly adhered to its original object, that of forming an exhibition similar in all respects to that of the British Institution in Pall-Mall, London, which is quite distinct and unconnected with the Royal Academy, whose annual exhibitions take place in Somerset House." We trust, now that our friend has ventured to reveal some of the secrets of his prison-house, he will continue; and in his next rescript, favour us with the subsequent history of - the Institution. In regard to his statement, we have only two comments to offer. Firstly, it is true, regarding the Board of Trustees, that" its accounts are made up and passed =annually;" and it appears from a Report lately published by order of Parliament, that considerably more than onehalf of the funds at its disposal were expended in the management of the remainder. Secondly, we did not expect at this time of day to hear any person gravely affirm that the Board of Trustees had ever been of any advantage to our manufactures; or that any man in Scotland, not a pensioned officer of the Board, would feel his pecuniary interests in any way affected by its being to-morrow struck out of existence. If we were as ready as our critic to shoot poisoned arrows in the dark, we might say :-"this is our opinion at present; to be sure, if we had an eye to the reversion of the secretaryship, we might see things in a different light." We now turn to the argumentative part of this essay. The writer attempts to make out that the Royal Institution "is a private establishment, just as independent of the public, and perhaps a great deal more so than any of the chartered banks of this city." What we said was, that the L.500 per annum paid by the Board of Trustees to the Institution was public money, and that an incorporation receiving such a sum was in duty bound to account to the public for its expenditure. Now, what is the story told by the writer himself?. "Government, through the influence of Sir Robert Peel, bestowed upon this Institution the sum in question, for the express purpose of encouraging the Fine Arts in Scotland." And in the passage we have quoted above, he tells us that But there was another ground, besides the fact, that the Institution was intrusted with the expenditure of a portion of the public money, for advising the public to request from the Directors some account of their plans and resources. In the preface to their Catalogue of Pictures, they speak of their present collection as the foundation of a National Gallery of Paintings, and anticipate that their efforts "will be favourably received by the public, as well as substantially seconded by those having the power to advance its completion." If this last clause be not lugging out the begging-box, to all intents and purposes, there is no meaning in plain English. And do the Directors think that the public is likely to contribute one farthing, while those details of their previous proceedings are withheld, which would enable it to judge of their competency for the task they have undertaken? Besides, "a national collection" is surely a public concern, the establishment conducting it can scarcely pretend to be "more independent of the public than any of the chartered banks of this eity." In their public capacity they implore assistance; in their private they refuse to account: like the German who, in his character of landlord, overcharged his guest, and in his character of magistrate of the district, adjudged him to pay it. By the way, our friend says, "The Royal Institution is a private establishment to all but its own members, and to none but them are the Directors responsible." We have heard it whispered that even to them they are rather chary of their information. The next point which the writer of this paper labours to establish is," The Literary Journal has the hardihood to assert, that this fund-the surplus receipts of the exhibitions of modern artists-forms the principal source out of which the Institution has been enabled to purchase the magnificent pictures now exhibiting in its hall." We beg the gentleman's pardon; but we had not the hardihood to assert any such thing. Our words were, -"Part of the funds of the Institution was collected by exhibiting the works of Edinburgh artists, and these gentlemen are entitled to demand an account of its disposal." This the writer himself admits. It is true, we may have said that the Institution did at no time derive its funds solely from the contributions of its members. The expenses of the modern exhibitions at least, and the outlay rendered necessary for the tear and wear of the rooms, were disbursed out of the proceeds of these exhibitions. We asserted in general, that its expenditure, in the cause of art, was not met exclusively by the contributions of members. We are answered, that a particular item of expense was disbursed from that source alone.* * In the printed report for 1827, the Directors say,-" Notwithstanding the large sums drawn from the Exhibitions, the expenses of the year have exceeded the receipts, in consequence of necessary extraordinary expenditure in painting, decorating, and furnishing the Rooms; but this has been done so substantially and effectively, that no farther outlay to any great extent will, it is hoped, be required for many years to come." Here, be it remarked, we find the receipts of the exhibition of modern (as well as of ancient) paintings, applied not to defray its own expenses, which might be fair, but to defray the permanent expenses of the Institution. The receipts of the two ExWhat was the amount of hibitions of 1827 amount to L.1286, 18s. members' annual subscriptions, when such an eke was wanted? Besides, the Directors made a little money in the same year, by letting their Rooms to Mr Galli as a sale-room, such an object being (as they phrase it)" within the scope and original intention respecting the building." We have also in our hands a MS. Account, furnished in 1828 by the Directors to the Artists, entitled "Charges against the These are the only statements or arguments in our article which our reviewer has ventured to impugn: we This leave to our readers to judge with what success. is a tacit admission that the remainder of our remarks are correct. They are of some importance; and, thus sanctioned, we recommend them with double confidence to the attention of our readers. We write in no "captious" spirit, and totally free from any personal ill-will to any member of the Institution. But having succeeded in bringing the Board of Trustees to act more rationally, we were encouraged to try the same office to its brother. LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES OF EDINBURGH. WERNERIAN SOCIETY, Saturday, February 5, 1831. HENRY WITHAM, Esq. in the Chair. Present,-Professor Jameson; Drs Scott, Hibbert, Adam; Stuart Menteath, Hutton of Newcastle, Trevelyan, Adie, Esqs. THE Secretary read an account of a new and very beautiful species of West Indian moth, called Attacus Wilsonii, and exhibited a fine drawing of the perfect insect of both sexes, with its larva and cocon. He mentioned that the description and drawing had been transmitted by the Rev. Lansdown Guilding, a distinguished naturalist in St Vincent's; and that the species had been named by Mr Guilding, in honour of our eminent townsman Mr James Wilson. We believe this subject will soon appear in that gentleman's Illustrations of Zoology. Professor Jameson made a communication to the Society, regarding the flints found in Banffshire, by Mr Christie of the Banff Institution. Nodules were exhibited, imbedded in a kind of felspar clay. The flint has not yet been found in situ; but the Professor seemed to think it not improbable that a portion of the chalk formation may be detected in some of the hollows in that district of country. Hitherto this formation has not been observed farther north than the East Riding of Yorkshire. The Professor next read a learned essay, by a Fellow of the Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh, on the form of the ark of Noah, as described in the Pentateuch; showing that the word tzohar, rendered window in our translation, rather meant tapering upwards; and that, with this modification, the shape of the ark was admirably adapted, not merely for floating, but for withstanding the shock of the waves, although this last quality had generally been denied to it by unscientific commentators. The indefatigable Dr Scot of Corstorphine read an interesting paper on the alabaster of the ancients. In the course of his essay, the Doctor took occasion to mention the practice of keeping precious ointments in alabaster boxes, and to remark on a passage in the new Encyclopædia Britannica, in the article Alabaster, where the writer, in commenting on the box of precious ointment which a devout woman poured on the head of the Saviour, observes, "Though the text says that the woman broke the box, yet the pieces seem to have been miraculously reunited, since we are told that the entire box was afterwards purchased by the Emperor Constantine." Dr Scot showed that the lid of an alabaster box was always fixed down with a sort of cement; and the natural import of the text is, that this cement only was broken; the expression, "brake the box," being merely equivalent to saying that she opened it. ROYAL SOCIETY. Monday, February 7. PROFESSOR HOPE in the Chair. Present,-Sirs David Milne, H.Jardine; Professors Russell, J. G. Bell, Duncan, Graham, Christison; Rev. E. B. Ramsay; Drs Hibbert, Borthwick, Maclagan, J. Gregory; Messrs Monteath, Witham, Jardine, Newbigging, Gordon, Walker, Bonar, Skene, Allan, &c. The following gentlemen were ballotted for, and admitted Receipts for Exhibitions at the Royal Institution." The only Exhibitions that year were one of Modern Pictures, and one of the copy of Rafaelle's "Transfiguration," belonging to the Institution. The two sums are slumped together, and the current expenses are charged alike against both. The servants at the Promenades-the confectioner's account-is charged against this sum, although the money taken for Promenade tickets is not entered in the receipts. We mention this as a specimen. Fellows of the Society :-Hon. James Abercrombie, ChiefBaron; Dr Abercrombie; Donald Smith, Esq.; Captain Brown, R.N. Three communications were read, the first on the proper construction of Tide Harbours, by Mr Matheson, civil engineer, in which it was proposed to obviate the obstruction and injury arising from the accumulation of silt or sand, by artificial openings, afforded by the walls being built on under water arches. Mr Robison, the secretary, read a short notice, illus trated by real and distinct drawings, of some peculiarities in the construction of the clock in the hall of the Royal Society, recently made by Mr Whitelaw, an ingenious clock and watch maker of this city. These mainly consist in the form of escapement requiring no oiling; a pendulum entirely formed of marble, or carbonate of lime -a substance which, from the mode of expansion and contraction under the influence of temperature it has been found experimentally to possess, promises in itself to offer all the advantages of a compensation-pendulum, at a The works of the Royal comparatively small expense. Society's clock appear also to be so fitted to the case, as to preserve them free from dust. The third communication was an interesting report by Professor Christison, on various articles sent to the Royal Society by Mr Swinton, Chief Secretary to Government at Calcutta. These were the black varnishes employed in India; the wood oil, a resinous exudation allied to turpentine; the Persian naphtha; and the petrolium, or ground oil, of Rangoon. This substance is obtained by digging a few feet into the soil in hot weather. Besides other purposes to which it is applied, it is used in India as a remedy for rheumatism. Its specific gravity is 880, compared to water as 1000. It melts at 90° of Fahrenheit. By distillation, it affords a third of its volume of colourless naphtha. Professor Christison also found it to contain a peculiar principle, differing in density, and in the effects produced by temperature on its physical condition, as well as in other points, from naphthaline, as described by Mr Kidd. Professor Christison proposed to call this matter, from analogy, petroline. The Professor stated he was engaged in the chemical analysis of this substance, and was desirous, during his investigation, to obtain specimens of petrolium from different quarters. The Professor will communicate the result of these enquiries to the Society in a future paper. THE LONDON DRAMA. Regent's Park, London, Monday, February 7, 1831. THE dramatic dulness of the preceding fortnight bas at length been amply compensated by the activity of the past week, during which we have had three successful new pieces, in addition to the revivification of Mr Kean; to say nothing of minor novelties, and the opening of the Italian Opera House, and the Queen's Theatre. Monday last restored to us "Richard himself again,” in the person of Mr Kean, who re-appeared at Drury Lane, after taking leave of England and the stage for ever, more than six months ago! having apparently come back again with the amiable intention to qualify himself for repeating the experiment on John Bull's pocket and patience at the earliest possible opportunity. For the glory of his histrionic fame, however, no less than for the credit of his consistency, he should certainly have been contented with one farewell, "more last words" having been most fatal to his reputation in all ways; since he is no more like the actor he once was, "than we to Hercules." He has already appeared thrice, with very inferior effect, as Richard, Shylock, and Sir Edward Mortimer, and, until the close of his engagement, we defer all further criticism. Under the very elegant appellation of "The Devil's Brother," Scribe's "Fra Diavolo," translated by Messrs Thackery and Shannon, with Auber's music, Anglicised by Mr A. Lee, was produced on Tuesday last, and though well acted, and in parts very effective, was too coldly received to promise much longevity. The recent revival of "The Jealous Wife" here was so complete a failure, that we are most happy to be enabled to contrast it with Macready's re-appearance as William Tell, with all his original success. Kenney's translation of Victor Hugo's "Hernance," and a new old English drama, with Macready as the hero of each, are said to be the next novelties. Not to be distanced in the race of novelty, Covent Garden produced two new dramas on two following evenings, the first of which," Married Lovers," by Mr Power, the performer, details the loves, jealousies, and intrigues of three couples at Paris, in the "olden time:" a certain Colonel O'Dillon and the Marchioness de Meneville, most admirably played by Power and Miss Taylor, being particularly conspicuous in first entangling and then disentangling the plot. As a first attempt, this petit comedy does infinite credit to its author's talents, and was as completely successful, as it well deserved to be. The next night's novelty was an operatic drama, called "The Romance of a Day,” by Mr Planche, with music by Bishop, in which Bartley, Abbott, Blanchard, Keeley, and Wilson, with Misses Ellen Tree, Harriet Cawse, and Taylor, all had prominent characters, which they did ample justice to. Most of the songs were encored, and one of the concerted pieces was sung three times over-so, of course, the composer was delighted; and our friend Planche must be fastidious indeed, if he be not satisfied with the complete success of the whole drama. Miss Inverarity still continues to fill the house to her Cinderella twice a-week, and "Inez de Castro" will be produced in about ten days. The Adelphi is nightly overflowing to witness Yates's imitation of his partner Mathews, in a translation of Raimund's "Der Alpenkönig," first done into English by Lord Stanhope, and then made actable by Mr Buckstone. Mathews's performance of John Rappelkopf, the Misanthrope, and Yates's personation of him are, indeed, both most excellent, and will, we doubt not, fill the house for the remainder of their season; and thus transfer all the protracted popularity of the original German drama, at the Leopoldstadt Theatre, Vienna, to the Strand, London.-Madame Vestris and her Olympic are still quite as attractive as at the commencement of her dramatic reign; and as she generally produces two novelties per week, she must certainly be admitted to exert herself. The Queen's Theatre, with Messdames Glover and Humby amongst its stars, and some really superior singers from the Royal Academy of Music, opened promisingly on Thursday last. It has been so improved and re-decorated throughout, as certainly to merit the patronage its new manager so confidently expects, and which we shall be exceedingly happy to record he is rewarded with. Mrs Chatterley's resignation of the part of Aldabella, in "Fazio," now much better played by Miss Taylor, was in consequence of a long previous arrangement with the managers, and therefore, neither fine nor dispute have ever been mentioned, excepting in those veracious chronicles, the newspapers. The pantomimes at both houses are now to be played but four times weekly, and Covent Garden has underlined a new afterpiece for Friday next, to be called "Comrades and Friends, or Life for Life"from the French, of course.-The Italian Opera opened with Rossini's immortal “Barbiere" on Saturday last, in which a Madame Vespermann appeared for a first time in England as Rosina, with tolerable success, though, as she is neither young nor young-looking, a more preferable part would not have been very difficult of selection. Lablache and De Begnis were both in "excellent fooling," as the Barber and his Master; and, for a first night, the house was tolerably well attended. Peregrine Somerset. THE EDINBURGH DRAMA. THE opera of " Cinderella" was performed for the first two or three evenings to comparatively thin houses; a circumstance which we believe to have been entirely owing to a want of sufficient previous announcement. This is a piece of neglect rather unlooked-for in the Manager, who lately took care to announce in his bills— "SECOND NIGHT THESE TWO YEARS OF HIGH LIFE BELOW STAIRS!!!" The opera has, however, like all really good things, forced its way into notice, by the attractions of good music well executed, and the pleasing and splendid character of the dramatic part of the entertainment. The opera, we believe, is the same that has been acted at Covent Garden. It contains all the best and most striking parts of the music which belongs to Rossini's opera of the same name; and whatever has been superadded is, with the exception of one song from Cimarosa, and another from Bellini, to neither of which we can have any objection, taken from the William Tell, Armida, and Mahometto of the same author. The music, therefore, although patched, is by no means unnatural or disjointed, for it possesses the uniform character-mannerism, we might say which distinguishes this composer's style. The story of the piece has been somewhat altered, as well as the music, chiefly by the introduction of several individuals from our own early and dearlyloved nursery version of Cinderella. We have the transformation of the rat into a coachman, (excellently executed-we are not sure at this moment that it is effected by ordinary and allowable means)—we have the three lizards turned into running footmen, (with their tasteful and elegant liveries, and last, and most wonderful of all, we have the pumpkin and mice changed into a gorgeous car, with richly caparisoned horses. It has always struck us, that in Rossini's opera, which has none of these fairy changes, there is rather a want of incident; and with all due deference to persons of more classical taste, we think our new version of it by Mr Rophino Lacy, infinitely more lively and amusing. Miss Miss Turpin makes a very pretty Cinderella—she looks the gentle, timid, and persecuted creature well. It is delightful to listen to the sweet, liquid tones of her mellow and well-tuned voice. There is sentiment in her perfect intonation alone. To hear a note, neither flat nor sharp, but precisely what it ought to be, is of itself a source of exquisite gratification to a well-organised ear-the more appreciated, perhaps, from its extreme rarity. Turpin showed herself possessed, moreover, of the two qualities which her part most requires-delicacy and volubility of execution. We may, however, observe-not by any means with a view to disparage her talents, but, on the contrary, as a circumstance which serves to heighten our estimate of them-that the part of Cinderella was composed for a voice of a lower pitch-a contralto; and, as Miss Turpin's is a soprano, a want of brilliancy in the general effect was the inevitable consequence. We are aware of only two drawbacks attending this young lady's vocal powers. The first is, that her style is too purely English-not merely for Italian songs, but for every species of melody. It possesses, no doubt, purity, accuracy, and expression, but it is too tame-too unimpassioned. The other is the delicacy of her constitution, which prevents her from giving full scope to that delicious organ with which nature has gifted her. Murray both dressed and looked the part of the worthy descendant and representative of Peter the Foolish and Barbara the Cruel, with great effect. He was one of those creatures who, without one thought in their head, have pride and fierceness enough to make a hero. The contrast between the intellect and the animal part of such a creature is sublime. We had also ample scope for admiring that tact with which Murray, in a part for which his voice is not naturally suited, by executing in the most masterly manner every thing which fell within his reach, contrived to render it both pleasing and effective. Under his plastic hands, it became a new creation. He shone pre-eminently in the comic duet with Dandini. Horncastle, as the Prince, was tolerable. The part is |