"If a man had nothing else to do than to make tours, I know not where or how he could better spend his money and his time, than in wandering up and down and about the shores of the Clyde and those of all the lochs that open into it, and in ferreting out the endless corners and nooks in which it abounds. Castles, towns, ships, islands, rocks, mountains, bays, creeks, rivers, cascades, trees, lakes, clitis, forests, country seats, cultivation, what is there, in short, which may not be found on the shores of the Clyde, and what is there of all these which is not beautiful. Scot

powers of the world are to assemble. And for what? Yes, France! that effort over, and I behold thee, by a happy union of new glory and ancient destiny, peaceful under the authority of thy Kings and the power of thy laws, and opulent in thy industry; but, remember the inconstancy of victory and the instability of empire.-Heavens ! do I not see Greece burst forth from the monuments of her ruin! But Italy for her there is an eternity of sorrow and slavery. The waves of Tiber and Eridanus will not be subjected to the Seine: but their tribute must be carried hereafter to the Danube. Oh, my country!-I have no country!-Italy island has not such a house as Rosneath, and scarcely such a no more!'

"I listened to this burst of extravagance with considerable excitement. She ceased speaking, and wiped away the tears from her eyes; but I gazed at her without daring to address her. You will discover,' said she with a melancholy sweetness of manner. You will discover nothing but idle fancy in what I have said; but, if I deceive you, I also deceive myself, for I speak from a deep conviction of the truth of what I say. Believe me, there are moments in life when an enthusiastic soul can tear away the veil which hangs before the future. You will see that nearly all those events which were just now so completely present to my imagination, will hereafter literally come to pass; but I-I shall never behold them. Death is not far remote; and why should I regret life, where there is nothing left me to do-when there is nothing left me to love? The fire of passion warms your sex, but it consumes ours. The age of illusions passes away like the flowers of the spring. Do not attempt to see me again during your stay in Verona. Leave me now.'-In saying these words, she gave me her hand, which I kissed with a better feeling than that of mere gallantry. She seemed to be deeply affected with the memory of some settled grief, and her sighs were strangely affecting. Presently she left me, and the old woman came to conduct me through a noble gallery into a large court, from which I emerged into the street in front of the Capuchin church.'

This is a little extravagant, though there is no reason why it should not be true in the main. Our traveller appears to have made the complete circuit of Italy. || His observations prove him to be a man of the world, and his opinions, which are rather liberal than otherwise, shew him to be a person of much good sense. His book throws considerable light upon the state of Italian feeling towards the French during their domination, and is altogether a very amusing production.

park as the park of Inveraray. Few of its towns are so
beautifully situated as Greenock and Campbell-town, and
not many of its sea lochs exceed Loch Long and Loch Fine.
Dumbarton Castle has not many equals, the Kyles of Bute
resemble nothing on earth, Ailsa, is unmatched, perhaps
in the world, and if Arran, in parts, has more than a rival
in some parts of Sky, it has none, as a whole, throughout
all the Western Islands. But every inch is beautiful, even
from Dumbarton Castle to the Mull of Cantyre; nor is
there a creek or a point in all this long space, that does not
present something new and something attractive. He,
however, who would see it as it deserves, must learn to be
familiar with the shore, and must examine every thing as
he would the alleys and walks in his own garden. It is not
by blazing along in a steam boat, with the velocity of a
rocket, that the beauties of the Clyde will be discovered."
All these localities he touches upon with a light and
spirited pen, and makes them living and present to the
imaginative reader. One of the excellencies of his
description is their comprehensiveness. He brings all
sorts of knowledge to bear upon the particular subject,
and enriches it with an abundance of illustration. We
will give another specimen, and its merit will be an
excuse for its length :-
*-

"He who is content to admire beauty which is not productive of many decided landscapes, will find ample subjects of gratification in a walk along the shore, from Brodick to Loch Ransa; unparalleled for its singularity, and not often equalled in beauty. That in the opposite direction, affords attractions chiefly to the geologist: but the whole island is a mine of geology and mineralogy. As far as Corry, the road is conducted over one of those remarkable flat and green tracts formerly noticed; the sea washing the rocky and varied shore to the right, and the skirts of the mountain on the left descending in irregular rocky cliffs, planted with wild trees and brushwood. Houses and cottages add to the variety, which is also increased by the occasional fall of mountain torrents, the opening of cultiThe Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland, containing summits of the mountains above. It is this peculiar mixvated valleys and farms, and by glimpses of the towering descriptions of their Scenery and Antiquities, with an ture of rural and maritime objects, which renders the Account of the Political History, Ancient Manners, &c. shores and cliffs of Arran so different from most others; By JOHN MACCULLOCH,[M. D. &c. 4 vols. London: Long-edge, as on the borders of an inland lake; and every nook the trees which adorn them growing down to the water's

man and Co. 1824.

(Continued from p. 308.)

WE return once more, and for the last time, to our facetious friend the geological doctor. It is quite marvellous how so much levity and mirth should be found in the brain of a dealer in stones, earth, and material conformations. To us it is a miracle, and a pleasanter one than any of Prince Hohenlohe's performance, for it constitutes an inexhaustible fund of entertainment and instruction.

Of Scotch scenery, the Clyde seems to have the greatest charms for Doctor Maculloch:

and cranny into which the sea flows, admitting access to its margin, and displaying some peculiar beauty. It is seldom indeed that we can trace the very break of the last wave on the shore, as may be done in Arran, for so many miles, and along a series of objects which, whether great or minute, are always, either picturesque, or amusing and ornamental. When a sea shore cannot be thus traced, as is by far the most common state of things, the sea, though present, loses half its value; and when it can only be followed on a flat monotonous beach of sand or shingle, it offers no enticement. Here, the access is almost every where perfect, and the variety is as endless as it is unexpected and engaging.

66

The works of Corry render it a lively and pleasing scene; and so extensive are the excavations of the quarries,

The

as to produce subterraneous pictures not exceeded by many
natural caverns. Beyond this little village, the same
amusing road is continued along the shore, but varied even
more, by the more perfect view of the mountains.
acute and rocky pyramid of Kid Voe, offers a peculiarly
striking object; giving rise to many remarkable alpine
scenes, and somewhat resembling parts of the famed
scenery of Glenco. With the exception, indeed, of Coruisk||
in Sky, of this last named valley, and of some of the scarcely
accessible glens that lie about the sources of the Dee,
Scotland contains no scenery that can be compared, in this
style, with that which occurs in these mountain valleys of
Arran. They have the superior merit of being more easily
accessible than most of those, though they must still be ex-
plored on foot.

but some overwhelming power could have caused silence where eternal hosannas reign. At the sight of Cyrus the earth is silent.' What a tremendous impression of power is thus conveyed: and how sublime is the silence of Christ; and he was silent and answered not.'"

In speaking of the island of Sanda, he introduces a beautiful essay upon Highland funerals and cemeteries. It is worth any sentimental reader's while to peruse it. But his course did not always run smoothly, and he retails some of his vexations in an amusing way. The Doctor is speaking of Loch Caleran :—

"I had reason to lament that I could not make a single "Glen Sanicks, as it is the most striking, is also the most drawing of this place, nor even one of Castle Swin, which, accessible of these; but it must be followed to the very at a lower part of the loch, forms a fine ruin, standing on extremity, even till it rises up towards the summit of Goatthe margin of the water. It unfortunately blew a gale of fell, as its chief interest lies in that part. But this is wind, with showers and squalls, and with so troublesome a landscape beyond the reach of art. It is the sublime of sea that it required no common attention to keep our boat magnitude, and simplicity, and obscurity, and silence. Pos- afloat. The prospect of drowning is an enemy, to the sessing no water, except the mountain torrents, it is far in- || drawing at least, if not to the enjoyment of such scenery as ferior to Coruisk in variety; equally also falling short of it this. To draw in a boat, indeed, in any sea, is no easy in grandeur and diversity of outline. It is interior too in office. And after all, by sea or by land, it is both wonderdimensions, since that part of it which admits of a com- ful and provoking how seldom we have the undisturbed parison, does not much exceed a mile in length. But, to power of doing, what especially requires peace, and freedom the eye, that difference of dimension is scarcely sensible; from all provocation. It is also no less pleasing than insince here, as in that valley, there is no scale by which the structive to watch the motions of the commentator, who, magnitude can be determined. The effect of vacancy after a good dinner, with a good fire and a bottle of wine united to vastness of dimension is the same in both; there before him, sits down in his night-gown and slippers, to is the same deception, at first, as to the space; which is direct Parke, or Browne, or Moorcroft, or Mackenzie what only rendered sensible by the suddenness with which we they ought to have done. How should they have hungered lose sight of our companions, and by the sight of unheard and thirsted and been frozen-lazy dogs: why should they torrents. Perpetual twilight appears to reign here, even have found difficulties in reaching the top of Cotopaxi or at mid-day: a gloomy and grey atmosphere uniting, into the springs of the Congo, when we can all do it in a minute one visible sort of obscurity, the only lights which the ob- by unrolling Mr. Arrowsmith's map: and how can there be jects ever receive, reflected from rock to rock, and from any difficulty in travelling with a chaise and four on one of the clouds which so often involve the lofty boundaries of Mr. Mac Adam's roads, paved, lighted, and watched, endthis valley. ing with a bed at Salt-hill or a supper at Marlborough. It is a fine thing to sit in our elbow chairs and discuss these points. Who, that has not tried it, even knows the perils that environ the man who would, as in the case before us, make but a drawing of a castle, or of a mountain. Is there ever a day out of heaven that we can sit quietly down and say; now I will draw it. Is there ever a day in which there is not too much sun, or too much wind, or else rain, or fog, or mist, or twilight; or are you not blinded, or frozen, or wetted, or is not your paper wetted. Or must you not sit on a sharp stone, or in a boat, or on a shelving and slippery bank, or on a precipice, or a dunghill, or a crumbling wall, or amidst cows or hogs, or near an ant hill or an earwiggery, or before a mad bull; or else stand in a marsh, or in the mire, or in a quickset hedge, or among nettles and thistles, or under a rookery, or with your back to the wall, if you can get one, amid boys and staring people, or with one arm round a tree over a cascade. Or else it is fine weather, and you are besieged and beset with muscæ, tipulæ, tabani, conopes, oestri, hippoboscæ. culices, and all sorts of winged monsters, who get into your nose, your eyes, your mouth, your ears, shutting up every avenue to sense. Notwithstanding all which, you must attend to your vanishing lines and your perpendiculars, and measure your distances, and duly space your windows; and much more. But if you can find no seat, you may draw from the back of your horse; if he will stand still. If not, he will turn his tail where his head ought to be: while the gnats are teazing him before and the flies are goading him behind, and you are goading him laterally. Then he shakes his tail, lifts up a hind leg, stamps, shifts all his legs, tosses his head, bites here, whisks there; during all which time you are trying to settle the perspective of half a dozen turrets and chimneys. Of course, you dismount in the mud: perhaps you cannot now see over the hedge:

"It is that awful kind of silence and repose which is here experienced, which constitutes the main part of that complicated sensation which every one has felt when alone on the mountain summit, and which wastes itself in words when we attempt to describe it. If silence is one great source of the sublime, there must be superadded, space, or multitude, or power, or some other adjunct, which may prove it to be a positive, not a negative quality. Mere silence is nothing: it is active silence, if such an expression may be used, which is the sublime of stillness and repose. Hence the effect of the dark forest and the wide spread ocean, of the blue expanse, the solem cathedral, or impending ruin. Hence the tremendous silence when thousands are attending the last act of law. It is awful, because it is accompanied by power: this is positive silence. Hence, in another way, the profound silence of Milton's evening. Silence accompanied, for beast and bird;' This is power suppressed. It is this feeling, as of power restrained, which produces the death-like stillness of the mountain summit; when towns, and forests, and animals are spread far and wide beneath us, but when the ear catches no sound of life or motion. It is this suppression of power which constitutes the horror and the awe that precede the volcano, the hurricane, and the earthquake. Analogous to this is the terrific stillness of the abandoned field of battle, of the wide darkness of night; and similar too is the fearful repose of the grave. If the silence of nature is majestic, if her tranquillity is terrible, it is because that silence is contrasted by her power. Thus also it is in the moral world. It is the silence that would speak, which is awful: it is the suppression of sentiment, not its absence, which produces the moral sublimity of silence. Such is the silence of the shade of Ajax when addressed by Ulysses. "And there was silence in heaven," says John. Nothing

you hold his bridle and the book in one hand, and draw with the other; he jerks the book out of your hand, and it falls into a pool of water, you tie him to the branch of a tree and begin again; he shakes the rain-drops from the leaves upon you. You take a new position, and by the time you have settled the leading points, you hear a noise behind you, and find that he has entangled his legs with the reins, or that, in trying to tickle his ear, he has put his foot into the stirrup, or is preparing to run away, or is departed and gone. Thus drawings of great pith and moment are turned awry: and yet you ask, why is not that a better drawing."

tial or solitary instances; since it is of the very essence and nature of all philosophers so to do. They need not therefore,care for a remark which they share with all the great and wise of the earth. To say, as has been said, that the Highlanders carefully conceal their belief in the supernatural invisible world, is to make an ingenious provision for all possible doubts on this head: but it is one that will not convert these into convictions. If I have been less fortunate than others in my investigations, I have, to say truth, a shrewd suspicion that we must come to the task willing to believe," as Dr. Johnson says; or, as not a less great character observes, there must at least be a permission of the will. If you may have thus lost some of the amusewho can better dispense with it, and none to whom it is likely to have offered less novelty. To myself, I must English, Danish, or German, or Tartarian, I also have own, it has been a source of disappointment. Scottish or read, with delight, the lucubrations of the master spirits of the shadowy world, and shall continue to read as long as my spectacles shall serve. I could almost indeed sit down at the foot of Suil Veinn, and cry to think that the Elf quene with hire joly compagnie,danceth no more in the grene mede, and that we have, in these latter days, been philosophised out of half our pleasures. To doubt that such things have been, whether they may now be or not, would, in me, be most ungrateful: when one of my own worthy ancestors was himself rescued by the Little Men in Green, as you yourself well know, from an event which has always been esteemed peculiarly critical of a man's fate."

We must pass over in utter silence the dissertationment which I might have collected for you, there are none about Ossian, which for a wonder is dull, and those on Scotch education and Scotch herrings, the latter of which is particularly savory; and those on Highland gardens, and Pictish towers. From that on Fairies we will give just a few sentences:

"We were returning, well wearied, over a wide and open piece of moor, many miles from any habitation, when my aid-de-camp, John Macdonald, suddenly exclaimed, hey, what a bonnie lassie.' I looked up, but saw no lassie; nothing but the open bare moor, though it was broad daylight and John was certainly wide awake. I asked for the lassie: he had lost sight of her, he said, behind that bush.' There was nothing bigger, of the nature of a bush, than a few stunted plants of heath and juniper, which would not have concealed a girl of nine or ten years old, as he averred this object to be. We nevertheless beat all the bushes round, as if we had been searching for a hare, but to no purpose. John seemed half inclined to believe that he had seen a Fairy: he had probably been walking in his sleep, and dreaming erect.

The chapter on the music and musical instruments of Scotland is too ingenious and learned to be lightly noticed. Indeed we find ourselves much embarrassed by the quantity of materials which the author lays

before us.

When we fix upon a quotation from one

"It is often very difficult to know what to believe, in this world of doubts and deceptions; and after ten summers spent in wandering among Highland hills and glens, amidst page we are drawn away to another, and so on until their mists and storms, in the very heart and centre of old the very abundance of quotable passages renders it a romance, I have come away without knowing whether to believe in fairies and other of the fraternity of Elves, or perplexing business to come to a decision. There is no not: not doubting about my own belief, I should however such thing as giving an analysis of these volumes. say, but uncertain whether others believe. If we could One might as well attempt to give the essence of a trust an assertion because it is in print, as the vulgar do, topographical dictionary, or a road book; for the we should be compelled to credit that the Highlanders still reside in a land of shadows, that they yet believe Doctor's work is a road book in its anatomy, covered in Brownies and Fairies, and in all the poetical popuover with dissertation and descripton for the flesh, lation which has been alternately the delight and ter- muscle, and dress. We skip with him from one part ror of the younger days of many of us, and of even of the Highlands to another, with as much ease as if the older ones of our ancestors. But of those who would we were mounted on the enchanted horse, and are sure thus instruct us, there are some who write for effect, others who suffer their pens or imaginations to run away to be well treated and well received wherever we alight. with them, a few who are desirous that we should believe Highland hospitality is proverbial, and the Doctor what they do not themselves credit, and a fourth set who, never omits any occasion when he may celebrate it knowing the country only in books and tradition, repent, as of to-day, manners and opinions long past away. That worthily. It flourishes in equal richness in the WesSeers have pretended to see Fairies, is not a species of tes- tern Islands-to the great credit of the people, and the timony which will command much respect. That nine- || infinite delight of the Doctor. He gives us-it is his tenths indeed of all this is utterly groundless, I am fully fashion-a dissertation upon it in the true style of a convinced; nor would it now be any praise to a people, rapidly becoming enlightened as they are naturally acute, philosopher. The Jews, Arabs, Greeks, Romans, Gerto suppose that they are not fast forgetting the follies that mans, Gauls, and every other nation on earth, old and belong to the childhood of nations, to an age of barbarism.young, are quoted and referred to, in order to swell Still, I have, myself, met with just enough to prove that the relics of these ages of adult infancy remain; and that,lence of Highland hospitality. The reader is the only essay, and contribute to the surpassing excelamong the past superstitions, or rather philosophy, of the æra of credulity, there are yet some keeping their holds over the imagination of a few individuals. It is not the character of the country: but instances can always be found on which to build a general assertion, by those who take pride or pleasure in promulgating such a belief. It is not peculiar to these psychologists to generalize from par

out the

person likely to quarrel with this, and perhaps he will not be very ill-natured, for what an author takes so much pleasure in writing, the public will find some pleasure in reading.

At Stornoway, "the most hyperborean of all hy

know very well that there is no such thing as an old woman, and for the better reason, which he gave, himself, that every body becomes young who is admitted within its gates. As to the Roman law of female things, if it was Egeria who dictated it to Numa in the midnight groves, she seems to have had as little consideration for her sex, as the petticoated novelists of the present day, whose chief delight seems to be to abuse their own gender, and whom if we were to believe, the drawing of harrows or turning of mills would be the fittest occupation for them. We can only hope that they do not speak, as having a very intimate knowledge of the propensities of any other portion of the sex than themselves."

perborean islands," our author observed a custom which calumniated. After all, he only said that there were no as usual gives birth to an essay. It seems the Stor-old women in Paradise: which is clear; partly because we ncwegians in the fury of their domestic economy have converted their wives into beasts of burthen. "Droves," says Dr. M., "of these animals were collected in the neighbourhood, trudging into the town from the moors, with loads of peat on their backs. The men dig the peat, and the women supply the place of horses: being regularly trained to it. I was also informed that they did actually draw the harrows: but this I did not witness." Our author justifies this custom by the example of the Greeks in the old times, and the Sicilians in our days. Only see how entertaining the Doctor can be on such a subject :—

There are several passages more which we shall skip over, as being of a very skippable kind.-Nor "There are two modes of arguing this question of the can we follow the author in his peregrinations about mill and the harrow, for the fair sex; one on the broad all the headlands-over all the islands-and across all bottom of utility, a principle which, among many great metaphysicians, forms the basis of all morals and politics; the lochs, of this romantic country. Though described and the other on the principle of chivalry, which, accord- with great power, and a surprising variety of style, ing to another great metaphysician, is dead and gone. yet their number renders them ultimately a little tediBut I need not dilate on matters so obvious; except to ous, at least to those readers who are obliged like remark that the chivalrous principle would be rather in- ourselves to swallow them at a gulp. No doubt they convenient in the Highlands, as there is neither time nor money to spend upon idolatry. That women were created might be found highly delectable to him who could to be looked at, is certainly a beautiful refinement on the manage to divide them out between the twelve months usages of those savages who load them with more than one half of the burthen. While young and pretty, it may not of the year, but we are forced to gallop through them be very irrational; since sun, moon, stars, roses, and pic-in the twelve hours. And as we have gallopped over ture galleries, are nothing in the comparison. Stornoway nearly all the ground which our inexorable printer is another matter. Perhaps the division of labour is not will allow, we will take breath with a single quotation, indeed very fair here; yet I know not that it is much and then dismount:— otherwise. There are no horses; a man cannot dig and fish, and carry peats all at once, and family cannot go without fire. The Stornowegian may fairly say with the Italian Orpheus, "Che faro senza Erudice.' To be sure, I have seen a great lazy fellow ride his wife across a ford; which, I admit, does not look like civil and polished usage. Yet so much do opinions differ in the world, that it is the chartered privilege and limited service' of the women of Holland, that they should be ridden into the boats by the other gender: and should the horse presume to take the place of the grey mare on this occasion, it is probable that Ostend, Monnikendam, and Purmerend, would not be pacified without the aid of a couple of regiments of dragoons.

"It is amusing here to consider how often extremes meet; unwillingly enough, now and then, Mrs. Woolstonecraft, and others, are for the equality of rights. Here they are to be found; since equality of rights implies equality of duties. The ill-used fair who, according to this system, would sit in the House of Commons in one rank of life,|| must carry peat at Stornoway in another of fighting, and chimney sweeping, and such like equal rights, I need say nothing. But the rights of the Woolstonecraft women are not the rights of the Stornoway women; like most other rights, they include all we desire, and exclude all we hate. But Euridice must here do what is allotted to her, or else matters must stand still, or the Highlands must be reformed. Nor do I know that her character is improved or her happiness augmented, here or any where else, by reading novels, spending money in trash and trifles, lying in bed, paying visits, neglecting her house and children, and being worshipped. Yet, at the worst, Donald only considers his wife as an animal of burthen, on special occasions. And in this he is an honester fellow than the heathen Athenian, with whom I did him the injustice to compare him a little while ago. But if she is an animal here, what shall we say of the Roman laws, which only considered her as a Thing, a moveable, a stool. Mahomet has been sadly

6

"It was early in the morning when Roger and I arrived at the pass; and, winding down the long descent between the mountains of the Kyle Rich, found ourselves in front of the inn. This is the ferry house.'Aye, aye, ye'll be wanting the ferry, nae doot: To be sure; and you can give me some breakfast.' Its the sabbath.' I know that; but I suppose one may breakfast on the sabbath.' Aye, I'se warn ye-that's a bonny beast.''It's my Lord's poney.' Aye, I thought it was Roger; I thought I kenn'd his face. And where 'ill ye be gaun.' 'I am going to Eilan Reoch, and I want some breakfast.' 'A weel a weel, I dinna ken; Lassie! tak the gentleman's horse.' No sooner, however, had Mrs. Nicholson taken possession of the gentleman and his horse, and his property also, securing thus the soul and body both of Don Pedro, than all this civility vanished on a sudden small as it was before. I asked for the ferryman, and the boat, and the tide-she kenn'd naething about the ferry-Why, I thought you said this was the ferryhouse.'- That was true; but the ferry boat was half a mile off, and she had nothing to do with the ferryman, and her husband was not at home, and the ferryboat would not take a horse, and Mrs. Nicholson did not care what became of the horse, or of me, or of the tide.'-' Would she not send.'- Na-I might gang and speer myself if I lik it.'-Good Highland civility, this; particularly to your landlord's friend.-But Mrs. Nicholson said she cared not a baubee for my Lord nor his friends neither.

"I was obliged to go and look after the ferryboat myself, When I came there, there was a boat, it is true; but the ferryman was at Church, five miles off, on the other side of the water; he would probably be back by twelve o'clock, or two, or three, or not at all. When I returned to Mrs. Nicholson, the breakfast was not ready. Where is my breakfast ?'-- And dev ye want breakfast? The deuce is in you.'- Ye manna swear on the sabbath,' said the puritanical hag, but ye'll get your breakfast: Aye, aye, ye's

Terg
Pynaker..
Berghem

NAMES.

......

Coningsloo....
Edema

get gude tea and eggs.' It was twelve o'clock before this
breakfast came; and, instead of tea and eggs, there entered
a dirty wooden bowl full of salt herrings and potatoes.
This was the very diet with which her villanous ancestry fed
the prisoners who were thrust into their dungeons to choak Drillenburgh
with thirst: and when I remonstrated, she told me that I Moucheron
wasower fine, and a saut herring was a gude breakfast || J. Ruysdaal
for ony gentleman, let alone the like o'me.' It was impos-
sible to eat salt herrings, after six hour's walking and
riding in a hot summer's day: but that did not exempt me
from paying two shillings. In the end, the ferryboat
was not forthcoming, the man was not to be found, he
would not carry a horse if he was, I was obliged to
go without my breakfast, and finding a man with a
cockle-shell of a boat idling along the shore, I left Roger
to the mercy of Mrs. Nicholson, and rowed down the
strait to Eilan Reoch."

Upon the whole these volumes form a very complete account of the Highlands. There is nothing that we know of which can be compared to them for fullness of information, variety, and fascination of manner. We recommend them with great good will to every class of readers.

Rosa di Tivoli

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF ARTISTS.

(Continued from p. 345.)

MR. HOPPNER.

MR. HOPPNER was born in London, and educated at the expense of his late Majesty. [The observations that follow, are not suited to our page.] "In the earlier part of his life, it was his good fortune to associate with some of the most brilliant characters of the age, at the house of a Mrs. Wright, in Pall-Mall, whose youngest daughter he has since married. As Mrs. Wright was celebrated for modelling the human visage in wax, and possessed a strong and masculine understanding, her house became the rendezvous for the legislator and the artist, and there I have often conversed with the late Lord Camden. Doctor Franklin, Mr. Garrick, Samuel Foote, Dr. Dodd, Mr. West, Silas Deane, &c.

"When Mr. Hoppner first painted, I conceived but a very limited hope of his success; he appeared to have much confidence, with little ability, and his excessive vanity superseded his puny judgment: he laboured to surpass all at a period, when he could rival none, and thought the charitable praise of Mr. Henry Bunbury, was equal to all the advantages resulting from the most mature and envied renown!

66

Every artist has, in a greater or lesser degree, a manner of execution, either peculiar to himself, or imitative of some reputable example; but this gentleman has greedily assumed the manners of many; having had no prescribed master, he has boldly made free with all: and having but a shallow knowledge of propriety, he unfortunately, preferred finery to harmony, and cunning to truth; though candour impels me to acknowledge, that some of his more recent performances involve a purer air and grace, and seem to promise, like the orisons of a magdalen, that the sins and blandishments of youth, are regretted and given over. His portrait of Lady Caroline Capel was one of the best pictures in the late exhibition. There was an air of maternal tenderness without affectation in the principal figure, and the reposing infant was delicately imagined. The face of Lady

Twenty-four Flemish and Dutch Painters who excelled in Caroline appeared more like artificial bloom than the glow

of health, and there was too great a predominance of green throughout the whole.

"This gentleman may be properly said to deal in elegant littlenesses; his taste is unquestionably very great, as far as that taste is connected with trifling objects; he has made no effort to be grand, but has been very laborious to acquire grace, and in that very desirable province he has been partially successful. I could offer many objections to his childish propensity to render his objects gaudy, but this is an illicit effect, which may be denominated as the vice of modern portrait painters: I say modern rather emphatically, as the masters of the old schools never practised it; they considered it truly as a departure from the modest harmony of nature and appropriate ornament. We cannot see a portrait of a pretty woman now, but it is covered with ensigns aud top-gallants, like a ship of war in a national gala; and they are made to seem like weak, vain creatures. more dependent for attraction upon the fluttering, motley