There is a want of due light and shade in this novel. There is too many female, and too few male characters; and there is a certain absence of condensation and power which will be felt throughout. Altogether we cannot consider the subject a happy one; but weare free to admit, on the other hand, that the authoress has exhibited much talent and delicacy of feeling. In fine, the "Poor Cousin" is not a startling revelation, but it is a pleasing novel, and will no doubt find many admirers.

ART. XXV.-Messrs. Waghorn and Co's. Overland Guide to India, by three Routes to Egypt. With a Map. Smith, Elder, and Co., Cornhill. 1846.

IN future ages Mr. Waghorn will be chronicled as the Courier of three great Continents, and we are heartily pleased that it has fallen to our age to light on a personage of his peculiar character. Under him space vanishes into thin air, railroads rise and routes are riven through passes that almost appeared to bid defiance to all egress and regress; and what is more wonderful still, imports and tariffs vanish before the crack of his whip. Nor is he simply the courier in his own person only; he makes all about him partake of the same bustle and activity. He pleases us, we own; for we lean to the stirring elements of being, and however life may close on us, and decaying day bring with it deeper sadness and darker reflection, we confess to the delight of dancing in the sunbeams of existence, and of being as busied as the innumerable and yet active motes that appear to course through them in ever buoyant and enjoyable sensation. The work before us, which is worth, from its succinct form, a hundred "Hand-books," deals with a question to which this Review confessedly attaches vast importance; and as our last article on the Overland Route has been quoted by nearly every paper in the United Kingdom, printed at full length in one of the leading town papers and extracted from largely in nearly all, and shared a similar honourable notice on the Continent, we must presume that the subject is necessarily one of the deepest interest to collective Europe as well as Great Britain. In the work before us Mr. Waghorn has enumerated several routes to Egypt. We shall simply deal with two, via Trieste, since Mr. Waghorn appears to consider the Marseilles line as obviously the longest, and scarce notices the length of the trajet on this route by land, further than to say that this direction to Alexandria will do for a person who has plenty of time to spare. The first route to Trieste, "via the Tyrol," embraces, he says, a tract "of varied and interesting scenery unequalled in Europe.' We now proceed with this route. It is from London to Dover, thence to Ostend, then on by rail to Cologne, thence to Manheim, Carlsruhe, the capital

of Baden, Stuttgardt of Wirtemburg, and Ulm. The route hence is via Kempten and Memmingen, over the Tyrolese Alps, thence to Mestra, Venice, and finally Trieste by steamer. We presume Mr. Waghorn considers that this route, as thus recommended, would prove the shortest existing trajet. But we give Mr. Waghorn's own summary:

From London to Dover by railway
Dover to Ostend by steamer
Ostend to Cologne by railway

Cologne to Manheim up the Rhine by steamer
Manheim to Carlsruhe by rail

Carlsruhe to Stuttgardt by diligence

Stuttgardt to Ulm by ditto.

Ulm to Inspruck by Kempten and Memmingen
Inspruck to Mestra

Mestra to Venice by boat

Venice to Trieste by steamer

Hours.

4

41

15

26

3

11

15

20

17

2

8

Actual travelling 125}

Now it is quite obvious that neither Mr. Waghorn nor any other traveller can have any business with Cologne or Manheim as the shortest route, since between Carlsruhe and Ostend forty-four hours are consumed by this process. The direct route is one from Carlsruhe, (or with a slight detour to Manheim,) straight as an arrow's flight to Ostend, via Luxembourg, Namur, and Brussels. There will be no difficulty when that great branch of the overland route, the Great Luxembourg Railway, is achieved, in effecting a saving of nearly thirty-six hours on this portion alone of the overland route. We are quite surprised that Austria, Bavaria, Wirtemberg, and Baden do not at once join in the magnificent undertaking of English capitalists, and establish one grand European railway route for the overland passage from the East. We warn them, if France does this before them, they have not a vestige of chance remaining for the great European Trunk Line, but will be thrown into a complete state of abeyance, and must submit, in common with all Germany besides, to be thrown off the pathway of nations. Here is the world's causeway, if they choose to be diligent in making it such; if not, France will take the lead that they might have commanded. It is quite obvious, that in the above route Mr. Waghorn has merely given one by existing facilities; but from Inspruck to Trieste is clearly a fresh saving of time, and perfectly practicable. In fact, the route is reducible to nine and a-half hours from Ostend to Carlsruhe, one and a-half from Carlsruhe to Stuttgardt; thence to Ulm three, to Inspruck four, to Trieste six. Total overland route from Ostend effected in twenty-four hours. By actual travelling at present, as given by Mr. Waghorn, it amounts to 1254 hours; and some day, we trust to see Mr. Waghorn, nay ourselves and readers, realizing the above, which we now make out in definite figures, though we have stated it roughly at twenty-four hours in our last number.

The second route, via Germany, Switzerland, and North Italy, though less remarkable, we subjoin:

From London to Manheim as before

Manheim by rail to Freyburg

Freyburg to Basle by diligence

Basle to Zurich by do.

Zurich to Wallenstadt by Schmerikon and Wesen, along

the lakes

Wallenstadt to Chur by diligence

Hours,

491

5

91

84043

Chur to Chiavenna by do., across the Via Mala and Splügen 10

Chiavenna to Colico by diligence

Colico to Como by steamer.

Como to Monza by diligence
Monza to Milan by railway
Milan to Treviglio by do.
Treviglio to Vicenza by diligence
Vicenza to Venice by railway
Venice to Trieste by steamer

22

22

8

134

The saving effectible here is thirty-six hours to begin with, as before by the Great Luxembourg; and without fatiguing our readers, we calculate that this route is reducible into thirty-six hours. Much time is lost on this route by the detour to Milan, which runs us out of the direct line ten hours, even of railway velocity. The better course, if this side of the Adriatic be adopted, would be to run up direct from Venice to Inspruck, which would make a saving of 120 miles. These remarkable positions are all in the possible realization of Austria, if she will show as much energy south, as English capital evinces north; and to say truth, we should be glad to see them join purses in common, to effect the route as speedily as possible together. These commercial links of nations we hail as symbols of higher unions to come; and if Austria pride herself on either Trieste or Venice, she has it now in her power to make them the emporium of the earth. The goddess "Occasio," opportunity, has but one lock; let her seize it while it passes by her hand. The fickle goddess is not recoverable, but is soon lost in the mist of ages. Mr. Waghorn points out to Austria, by his inquiries through Belgium, and earnest attempts to pass rapidly in that direction, where he has fixed the path of nations. Let her read in his little book of mickle wisdom, of more than the author himself wotteth of,-her political lesson, and gather both prudence and energy from its pages.

INDEX

TO THE

EIGHTH VOLUME

OF THE

NEW QUARTERLY REVIEW.