And Literary Museum: OR, WEEKLY MISCELLANY OF FINE ARTS, ANTIQUITIES, AND LITERARY CHIT CHAT. By Ephraim Hardcastle. No. XLIX.] A stamped Edition for Country Circulation, postage free, Price Tenpence. SHOP ARCHITECTURE. [SIXPENCE. were wont to occupy now remain. Cloth Fair, adjacent to Smithfield, the antient mart for woollen draAND is this old Ludgate Hill!-This-where traders pers, was lately famed for these; some still exist. out-vie each other from time to time, so rapidly of late, Piece Broker's Row, in Drury Lane, Field Lane, and in the splendour of their shops, that we whose line of Monmouth Street, retain somewhat of the character of business leads us only occasionally into that busy the old metropolis from their open fronts. So Brostream, are wont to look upon their ever varying splen-ker's Row, Moorfields, and elsewhere; butchers and dour as upon the changing scenery of the stage. fishmongers, orange merchants, and some rare old trades adjacent to London Bridge, still expose their wares in open shops. What would old John Stowe, or the other worthy John-John Speed, of congenial memory now say, could they compare old Ludgate Hill, such as it stood The first shop front, acknowledged to have been with open bulks, and lintels so low, that the tall worthy the name of architecture, and from which we yeomen of good Queen Bess, were constrained to stoop may date the origin of all the expense and splendour to enter even the boasted shops of Goldsmith's Row. that has succeeded, in adorning the houses of business, Time was, and that within the memory of man, as was that erected from the elegant design of Mr. John city quid nunes say, when that shop front, that still Bond, in Mount Street, Grosvenor Square, for Messrs. exhibits the old sign, the golden fish, stood the gaze of Tatham and Baily, Upholsterers to the King. To admiring passengers, the wonder of the place. Rundel this beautiful entrance, no less creditable to the classic and Bridge, so famed for business and wealth, the invention of the architect, than to the liberality and greatest manufacturers of gorgeous plate in the known taste of his employers, for adopting so expensive a world, we find still moving on, in the same plain ex-design, are the profession indebted for rescuing this ternal garb, whilst architecture seems to play around, as on its favorite site. Why, what a street of shops is this-commercial palaces to those, so lauded aforetime by honest Stowe and Speed. Surely, one would infer that trade must thrive, when even retail shops, shall vie in splendour with the patrician drawing room. When ladies, seated on carpeted floors, up to their ears in the gorgeous manufacture of our native looms, shall behold their lovely selves a thousand times reflected in surrounding mirrors. Where indeed the very shop-men wait upon their fair customers, attired in the pink of fashion, and scented with roses. species of ornamental building from the ignorance and presumption of mere builders, who had hitherto undertaken the designing and erecting that species of structure, which has since added so much to the beauty of the greatest commercial city in the world. Of this magnificent shop front, we had to regret in our respect for the fame of the architect, that it was almost lost, from its situation in a street so little frequented. Had it been erected in St. James's Street, Piccadilly, or Pall Mall, in Cornhill, Fleet Street, or the Strand,-near Whitehall, or in any wide and much frequented spot, the talent of Mr. Bond would have been exhibited in a variety of superior designs, and shop architecture would have long since attained to that general improvement which we expect to see ultimately accomplished, but which, though rapidly increasing, is yet but partially spread about our mighty town. One of the greatest defects, in the planning of the new street, which, with all its faults, is yet the finest How changed is London shops, all within five-and-commercial parade in the world, is the comparative twenty years. It would well employ some intelligent idler to set his wits to work, to trace the history of this memorable metamorphosis; such an enquiry would reward him who would lend himself to the research. It is a sight, right pleasant to behold. To walk the streets of London now by day, is gay beyond compare -unless compared with itself by night, when these boutiques, glittering with a thousand brilliant lights, delight the foreigh stranger, and make him fancy himself perambulating some city of romance. meanness of the shop fronts. This, we feel assured will be remedied, for as the trade of the street is rapidly encreasing, and as it is the great drive in the spring and summer season of fashion, an emulation will arise, which will urge each proprietor to outdo his neighbour in rendering his wares attractive, by the adornment of his shop. The means are here greater for the admission of improvement, and we may expect to see the pied by goldsmiths, much boasted of by the historians of splendour of Ludgate Hill, completely eclipsed by the Few remaining open shops, such as our grandfathers A row of houses on the south side of Cheapside occu old London. magnificence of Regent Street. VOL. II. LONDON, SEPTEMBER 11, 1824. REVIEWS. Five Years' Residence in the Canadas; including a Tour to repair in the wilds of Canada what he had lost in the south of Ireland. The account of his parting from his friends is written in a strain of mawkish sentimentality. People feel strongly, no doubt, on feelings into the reader's face, and least of all in a these occasions; but there is no need of thrusting such book of travels. It is absolutely impossible for any one but a boarding-school miss, or a professional critic to get through the first chapter, larded with sentiment, poetry, and bombast. He begins his book with "Cork Harbour, June 13, 1818," which shews that the idea of writing a book was co-eval with that of emigrating to the Canadas. We must pass over the first century of pages which relate to the voyage, his arrival at Quebec, &c. and come to the pith of the work, which turns upon the writer's conduct as a newly arrived emigrant. He and his party choose to settle at London on the river Thames. London is not the London where we write, but another London, on another Thames, about twenty-four miles north of Lake Erie. They spent the first night on their new estate in the ruins of a deserted Indian wigwam. In the woods they remained encamped from October to December, and during that period laid the foundation of a house forty-six feet long, and twenty-one wide. Into this the writer's family removed on the 2nd of December. BOOKS of travels in North America seem to multiply in a geometrical progression. This, when we look at the general character of those publications, fills us with something more than alarm. For the most part they are filled with all sorts of blunders, misrepresentations and misconceptions. They appear to be nothing else than the superfotations of prejudice upon ignorance. Some poor half-informed tradesman, or chuckle-headed farmer wanders across the Atlantic as an emigrant, and after grovelling in the Backwoods, amongst swamps, forests, and mountains, for six or eight months, abandons his enterprise in despair, and comes back to England full of disappointment and bitterness, and then he writes a book. Such a book, which generally turns upon the border society of the United States, is quoted as authority for opinions on the society in the capitals. The Ohio and Missouri are confounded with the Delaware and Hudson: New York and Philadelphia are mixed up and placed on the same shelf with Illinois and Pittsburg, with about as Having now settled himself quietly down, the author much justice as if the manners of St. Petersburgh whiles away the time till his trees have grown, and were to be estimated from sketches of society in Kams- his cattle multiplied, with writing a description of the chatka. And who are these travelling authors? Canadas. It is no easy thing to get at the real meaning Which of them manifests in his volumes the education, of Mr. Talbot, for he has enveloped it in a mass of feelings, and manners of a gentleman? Mr. Duncan, words through which nothing can be seen distinctly. indeed, possessed these qualifications, and see what a He mixes up topography and poetry in such a way as difference between his accounts and those of the Fea- to puzzle the clearest headed person in the world. rons, Vauxes, and all the other low-bred and ignorant || Still there is a good deal of information, useful to an scribblers who have poured forth their filthy ditch emigrant, which may be gathered by him who has water over the reading public. It is really to be re-industry and obstinacy enough to dig it out from the gretted in a political and moral point of view, that we rubbish of "style" under which it is smothered. should be so utterly ignorant, or what is much worse, In speaking of the domestic animals, Mr. Talbot so misinformed respecting America, as we unquestion-considers them as "very much inferior in appearance ably are. In the last number of Black wood, there is to those of Great Britain and Ireland." This is proa sensible and accurate article upon this subject, and it || bable enough when we reflect the vast pains and exis to be wished, that the writer may continue his pense which have been for centuries devoted to their sketches. improvements in this country. It by no means folThe work before us is a curious compound of exagge-lows that the breeds are naturally inferior. The horses ration, ignorance, affectation, and credulity. The are small, but hardy, fleet and surefooted. They are writer clearly possesses some talents, but these are ren- treated with great neglect, and the consequence is that dered utterly useless by excessive credulity. Pontop-the breed does not improve. Pretty nearly the same pidan himself does not beat him in this quality, and remarks may be made of horned cattle and sheep. our old friend the Baron Munchausen is his only equal The notice of the wild animals is made up from comin another quality. It will be a part of our business to mon school books, and is full of errors. That of the touch upon these points in the course of our notice. Mammoth particularly so. We will extract an account Mr. Talbot is an emigrant to Canada under a scheme, of the mode of shooting the fallow deer:— projected, we believe, by Mr. Galt the novelist. Mr. Talbot begins his volume with an introductory account of himself and his family, from which we learn that his father was an Irish gentleman, not very happily conditioned in respect to fortune, who sought "Two persons, the one armed with a gun, the other provided with a paddle, proceed down the river in a canoe, which has a dark lantern suspended at its bow. The canoe down with the current. The man who steers, takes care is kept in the middle of the river, and is allowed to drop to make as little noise as possible with his paddle. On arriving within 200 or 300 yards of the deer, they hear himing their vein-piercing proboscis into your legs, face, and dabbling in the water, and thus ascertain as nearly as pos- hands, they will render your existence a burden as long as sible the spot in which he stands. The canoe is then im- you are thus infested. You will therefore pray for the mediately directed towards him, and, as soon as he per-speedy removal of these mischievous insects, as for a blessceives the light, he stands immoveable, apparently admiring ing of no ordinary magnitude." it with the utmost attention. His eyes glisten like balls of fire; and, as the canoe approaches him, his eyeballs seem to increase in magnitude and splendour. The gunner remains still, until the canoe approaches within five or six yards of the deer, when he discharges his rifle with the utmost certainty of success. He then bleeds his game, and, leaving him on the banks of the river, proceeds down the stream, where, in this manner, he frequently shoots two or three more before morning; at the approach of which, he tacks about, and as he returns homeward, picks up his game, and floats it triumphantly along. This is the only kind of shooting which ever afforded me any profit, or indeed, any pleasure, in Canada; and even this, to any but a stout healthy man, is a very dangerous recreation. You are always sure of getting wet early in the night, and of course you must continue in that plight till morning. The dews are also very heavy at that season of the year; and a month's confinement with a chilling ague, often too heavily counterbalances a night's recreation." There is a long story of a bear-chace by two of the settlers, which would be interesting were it not for the affected and trashy style in which Mr. Talbot has chosen to dress it up. In the descriptions of the animals and their habits, Mr. Talbot indulges in another species of imaginative flight. Mere error may be overlooked, and so may extravagance of description, but surely we have a right to quarrel with the following passage:"The Red Squirrel is smaller than the black one, and, if possible, more beautiful. He is, like all others of the squirrel species, fond of migrating from place to place; and possesses a singular address in crossing brooks, rivers, and small lakes. On arriving at a piece of water, which they wish to cross, a large party of red squirrels assemble together, and constructing a raft of sufficient size, which they launch without any difficulty, embark, fearless of shipwreck; and turning up their spreading tails to the propitious breeze, are speedily wafted across to the opposite shore." The Snowflea is quite a gem in its way :"Snow-fleas are a species of insects of which I have not seen any notice taken either by French or English writers. Previous to a thaw, they are observed upon the snow in great multitudes. I once counted upwards of 1,295,000 upon a single square yard; and I think it is probable, that every yard of woodland in the province would average at least an equal number. This calculation may appear singular, but it was very easily effected: I selected a square yard, every part of which appeared to be equally covered with these insects, and then cut out with my penknife a square inch of the snow, which of course retained its due portion of the fleas. Dopositing the whole upon a plate, I allowed the snow to thaw, and the water thus produced to run off. The insects remained on the plate, deprived of life, which afforded me an opportunity for ascertaining their number with accuracy: and I found it to be 1,000. I multiplied the number of insects found upon one square inch by the number of inches in a square yard, and the result was the number of insects contained on the surface of a square yard. The snow-flea is perfectly black, and about the size of a grain of the finest gun-powder. But I had at the time no microscope, by which to examine its peculiar conformation." The ophiological portion of Mr. Talbot's notice is frightfully pleasant. Snakes black, white and green, twine themselves through his pages in " many a winding bout," and fill the reader with an agreeable horror. He tells us that he has "a tillage field about forty acres in extent, in which he is confident there are 3000 small green snakes-the most beautiful of the serpent kind!" We do not envy him his serpentine riches. We have alluded several times to the author's imaginative faculty. Here is another instance:— "In the Spring of 1821, an intimate acquaintance of mine was one day fishing on the Canadian Thames, accompanied by his son, a young man about twenty-two years of and, retaining a firm hold of his weapon, was dragged into the river, the son immediately pierced it with his spear, the water. For some time he floated on the stream, behind the sturgeon, by the aid of his instrument; but, at length becoming weary of this disagreeable mode of proceeding, like another Aristus, he got astride of the fish, and convert To be sure, we have read of the same thing in chil-age. Observing an uncommonly large sturgeon sailing up dren's books, but it is not therefore a whit the more true. Mr. Talbot talks of killing thirty-five pigeons at a single shot! The Musquitoes appear to be an unpleasant sort of companion enough: 66 down the river, which is in that part broad, deep, irregular, and rapid; when the unfortunate animal, unable to exert himself on account of the loss of blood, yielded up his life to the prowess of his rider." "But of all the creatures that disturb the peace of maning his spear into a bridle-rein, rode him for nearly a mile and beast, the Musquitoes are the most insupportable. They are your days' companions and your evenings' guests,' for at least four months in the year; during which time, an inhabitant of Canada might as well hope to reverse the current of the St. Lawrence, as to secure himself a moment's relief from the insatiable stings of these unwearied tormentors. No spot, however sacred to repose, can fix a barrier to their entrance; and the reign of disquietude and pain is, during summer, absolute and universal. The Wolf, the Bear, and the Rattle-snake,-names which are sufficient to intimidate the stoutest European heart,-are gentle and innoxious when compared with the Musquito. If you never walk the woods without company, you will avoid all danger from the two former; and, by remaining within doors, will sufficiently secure yourself from the deadly sting of the latter. But neither your house nor your bed affords you any refuge from those long-legged destroyers of your comfort, the Musquitoes. Go where you will, they will find you out; and, by continually dart This needs no comment. But let us not be unjust. The account of the trees, horticultural productions, medicinal herbs and shrubs, though evidently the production of an unscientific writer, and clothed in a bad style, is nevertheless highly valuable to the emigrant. It is decidedly the best part of the book. The details relative to the climate and diseases appear to be carefully got up, so far as they extend, yet they want many additions before they can pass for a complete treatise. The following passages are written with less pretension than the rest of the text, and we will quote them : || "In Canada, the weather is always coldest when the sky "The House of Representatives, or Commons, is comis bright and clear, and the wind in the North West quar- posed of forty members, who are a motley crew' of all ter. Snow seldom falls while the Mercury remains below nations, trades, and professions, from the dusky blacksmith Zero. Some idea may also be formed of the severity of the to the plodding lawyer. To an European, accustomed to frost, from the fact, that water thrown to any considerable consider members of Parliament' as men of distinguished height into the air, becomes completely crystallized before rank, eminent abilities, and splendid fortune, a Canadian it returns to the round. In Upper Canada we seldom House of Assembly' exhibits a most ludicrous appearance, have any rain during the winter; but when it does fall, it and awakens in the mind none of those dignified and patriis invariably accompanied by a keen frost. Nothing can otic feelings which the consciousness of living under an exceed the beauty of the forests on these occasions. As the enlightened legislature cannot fail to inspire. In Canada, rain falls upon the trees, it becomes immediately congealed; instead of men of rank, fortune, and talents, you behold and, when a shower continues for any considerable length blacksmiths, tailors, tavern-keepers, and lawyers, debating of time, the trunks, limbs, and boughs of the trees, are so the grave and important matters of State, in language completely covered with ice and hung about with icicles, graced with all the technicalities of their various profesthat the forest seems to be transformed into an innumerablesions, from which also they generally borrow apt and edifyassemblage of glass chandeliers, reflecting in their beauti-ing illustrations. Their discussions are very seldom interfully cut pendants and festoons the rays of light, with every esting; but if they fail to please by the want of variety in colour of the rainbow. At night, when the moon-beams matter or of elegance of diction, that is partly counterbadescend on the scene, and illuminate it with her broadlanced by the diversity of sounds, and the singularity of the sheet of silver light, another transformation may be wit- sentiments which they convey. At one time the bold and nessed. The tops of the trees appear to be embossed with masculine eloquence, pure gold; pearls and amethysts seem strewed about in the greatest profusion; the green sward, with the skill of a camelion, is arrayed in virgin whiteness, and, when contrasted with the sober gloom of the shadow of the trees, and associated with the other beauties which surround it, produces one of the most delightful specimens of winter scenery that imagination can conceive. The long majestic march, and energy divine of Vulcan, falls like a train of thunder-claps upon the ear. At another time you have the effeminate oratory of an humble tailor, which so nearly resembles as Dying winds and waters when they gently meet, that strangers have to regret the circumstance of Mr. Snip's being frequently inaudible below the bar,' in consequence of which they lose the thread of his discourse.The debate is continued by mine host of the Garter,' or of some other tavern, whose obsequious rhetoric, and well-fed countenance, cannot fail to point him out to the spectators, Mr. Boniface,' who half an hour before appeared at the bar,' but not of the House.-The insinuating lawyer appears at intervals, and being accustomed to play with considerable felicity upon words, as a good musician with a bad instrument, he contrives, with the bass of the blacksmith, the tenor of the tailor, and the counter of the shopkeeper, to produce something like music from these jarring strings, and to give a sort of harmonious consistency to the otherwise rugged debate. He is very diligent in maintaining the forms and privileges of the House, and is the Te Duce' of the assembly. "In the summer the meteorological phenomena of this country are no less brilliant and wonderful. During the months of June, July and August, the Aurora Borealis illumines our skies, our woods, our fields, our dwellings, -and, I think I might say, our very souls: for no man, who is not insensible to the last degree, can possibly resist the influence which such a phenomenon is calculated to exercise over the mind of the enchanted spectator. We are generally apprised of its appearance by the crackling, hissing noise which it makes. The clouds which rest on the Eastern horizon, begin to explode, first from the North then from the South; they flash from one extremity of the heavens to the other; and, spreading wide their blazes, meet in the centre, where they appear to rest for a moment, and then suddenly dart from each other with the swiftness of lightning. They exhibit every variety of shade, from the deepest crimson to the palest yellow. Although the flashes have at first a trifling appearance, they generally increase in size till the whole sky from the North, East, "Yet it may be gratifying to those who rejoice in the and South, to the vertical centre of the concave, is covered progressive improvement of our colonies, to learn, that, notas with the blaze of fire-works. I have frequently sat in withstanding the almost total absence of literary informa the open fields, to watch the ever varying motions of this tion, the great majority of the House of Assembly are now singular phenomenon. Its appearance is grandly sublime; able to read the bills which come before them, with tolerand, in the absence of the different orbs of light which hangable ease, particularly when they are printed in a large in the firmament of heaven, conveys to my imagination some faint idea of the glory that shall be revealed, when Sun, and moon, and stars decay, And time this earth itself removes; and when those who, by the mercy of God, have escaped from destruction, shall live in that place of which St. John has given this beautiful description: And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine on it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb was the light thereof."" The introduction of a history of the Canadas was unnecessary to any other purpose than that of swelling out the volumes. The account of the government and constitution is meagre enough. Mr. Talbot says that the laws are complicated, ill-defined, ill-understood, and the cause of infinite litigation. The House of Representatives seems to us an amusing place: type. Many also, who cannot yet write their own names, are advancing in their knowledge of penmanship, and have acquired considerable skill in making their significant marks. It is, moreover, confidently expected, that, as night-schools are becoming common in every part of the country, those members who have hitherto received no education will avail themselves of the opportunities which now exist, and will be able by the next or following session, to read for their own information the written journals of the House." We shall return to Mr. Talbot next week. L' Hermite en Italie, ou Observations sur les Mœurs et Usages des Italiens au Commencement du XIX Siecle, &c. The Hermit in Italy. Paris: Pillet aine, 3 vols, 1824. The great success of M. Jouy in his series of light essays under the title of the Hermit, has given birth to a large tribe of imitative essayists. The "Hermit in arose; and approaching me with indescribable grace, and London" was clever enough, and has been well received. having motioned to the attendant to retire, begged me to M. Jouy himself appears very fond of the title, and has and entering upon a conversation for which neither of us sit down. We both felt some difficulty in breaking silence given it to several subsequent works, but none of them had any topic. But I remembered my country, and said, have been very successful. The volumes before us are with as much gallantry as I could muster, that the honour by some anonymous author, and resemble their proto-which it had been brought about, and I entreated her to of seeing her was some apology for the informal manner in types in name, and not in style. They are neither give me some explanation, assuring her of my complete more nor less than travels in Italy, written in the man- discretion. Before all,' said she, tell me how you bener of Dupaty, now and then diversified with some came possessed of that ring.' I thought my best way was to tell the exact truth. 6 essay growing out of the subject. We have had occaAh!' said she,the Count Vision lately to notice so many books of travels, that public authorities were aware of his presence. He had apvalda was yesterday at Verona, and he learned that the we shall be as short as possible in our review of the pointed a rendezvous near the Arena, with one of his Lieutravelling portion of this work. Whenever the author tenants who was to arrive this day. The hour was precisely adheres to the guide book, he is just as dull as they that which you chose for visiting the amphitheatre; and, are, but when he details his own adventures, or gives which you wear, nothing could be more natural than the as my servant was to recognize him by a ring similar to that us sketches of manners, he is smart, clever, and in- mistake which has taken place. For myself, I am not at all teresting. These adventures are prettily heightened vexed at the blunder, for I like the French as much as I by occasional touches of imagination, as will be manihate their government. You plume yourselves in France fest from the following extract. We should premise when I tell you that I profess to read the future, and preon the sagacity of your wit; and you will, probably, smile that our author had fallen in with a Count Vivalda at dict events to come.' I could no longer doubt that I was Milan, a needy noble, who belonged to a famous de- in company with a fortune-teller. tachment of brigands, and who had out of his infinite unbelieving: and, even if I were not to admit it, your art Madam,' I replied, I cannot deny that I am one of the regard, presented the author with a ring which was to would not be able to detect it; but, between ourselves, serve as a protection amongst all the Italian banditti. there are so many ways of deceiving mankind, and mocking Our traveller is now at Verona in the Amphitheatre :their credulity, that, without believing in predictions, still I do not feel any of that hatred which they generally excite. I am well aware that a fortuitous concurrence of circumstances very often creates a doubt, even in the strongest minds, on points of conjectural knowledge. The good old times of oracles, however, have long since passed away, as well as those of miracles; and, although I am ready to believe you a more skilful soothsayer than our own famous Mademoiselle Le Normand, yet, if my own inclinations were to prevail, the subject of our conversation should be a very different one from fortune-telling.' 6 "Whilst I was occupied in examining the outward walls, I perceived a little old woman wandering about me, and apparently desirous of entering into conversation:- My good woman,' said I, what do you want?'- Chut, chut,' said she, don't be afraid; you are quite safe-follow me.'-Understanding nothing of this mysterious address, I could not imagine why the old woman, in speaking thus, had her eyes intently fixed on my left hand, when I recollected the ring which the Count Vivalda had given me at Turin, and which I had mechanically continued to wear without attaching to it the slightest importance. My first movement was to escape from this dangerous companion. A stranger at Verona, without a single person to whom I was known, and arrived there within the last two hours, I was fearful of having fallen into the hands of some spy of the police, and that the fatal ring had made me appear as one of the gang of Meino. Still the inquisitiveness of my nature prompted me to follow the old woman at all hazards. The old woman knocked thrice, when the door opened without our seeing any one. She shut it behind her, and opened another, saying at the same time: Don't be afraid, you will not have long to wait.'. Nevertheless, I waited some time alone and in deep darkness. My reflections were every thing but satisfactory, and I thought that it was intended to initiate me, in my own despite, into the secrets of the Carbonari, who were then forming themselves throughout Italy, and particularly in the Venetian states, for the expulsion of the French. I began to repent of my imprudent confidence, when I heard a small door open on one side of the room where I was. The old woman entered with a lamp; and after following her some forty steps up a winding staircase, we came once more into the light of day. We traversed two rooms rather luxuriously furnished, though in an antique way, and ornamented with a great many pictures, which I felt no disposition to admire. I was then introduced into a large closet somewhat mysteriously lighted, in which, on a high seat, sat a large female, about forty years of age, but, as she appeared to me, of singular beauty. Scarcely had she beheld me, when she cried out: Sbagliate, Lucia, quet Signore e un Francese.'-(You have made a mistake, Lucy, this is a Frenchman.) She 6 "The face of the prophetess was covered with blushes, and an expression almost sublime gave something of ideal to her beauty. Her eyes glittered, her chest heaved, a spirit of enthusiasm took possession of her, and she seemed as if some divinity had inspired her as she rose and burst forth: Verona! Verona! thou hast seen him maintain with dignity the whole weight of his royal misfortune; cowardly senate of Venice! ye have chased him from his asylum, and the name of the kings of his race has been blotted out from your golden book. Venice! thou shalt never be any thing but an enslaved city; King! thou shalt revisit again the throne of thy fathers. The Pyrenees shall avenge the Alps: the glory which has been gathered from the conquest of Italy shall be lost before the walls of Madrid. There it is that the deliverance of mankind shall be engendered. What art thou, oh, Power! I behold thy birth, thy growth, and thy sudden destruction. In vain has the daughter of empires joined her hand to that of a great man: the niece of the beautiful Queen who perished by the hangman's stroke, shall not long wield the sceptre of authority. Do you see the Apostolic Chief of Christianity wearing out in exile his years and his virtues? Already the flames of a mighty conflagration flash forth from the Northern skies, like some bright fatal star. Oh, France! how great thy disaster after all thy glory! Where are the legions of Varus? Where is Varus himself? In a solitary island at the extremity of the world, where his greatest punishment will be to know that his name and his deeds never travelled so far. But, what a perilous calm succeeds to the tempest! what intestine divisions! What is that hydra which is preparing its hungry maw about the tottering thrones of Europe? Verona! Verona! it is within thy walls that the |