ner of Swift throughout the whole; there are parts indeed which would have done no discredit to the pen of the historian of Laputa.

A Vision passes before the mind of the author representing a Masquerade held in Moorfields, and consisting of all those who from their follies and vices are more worthy the name of madmen, than the poor lunatics who are confined within the walls of the Hospital. These are supposed to have the privilege of wandering free in the world, upon the condition of their presenting themselves once a year at this masquerade in their proper character. The author is conducted amidst this motley groupe by Signor Bedlamado, the Genius of Caprice, who presides as master of the ceremonies. The following groupe is admirably described.

"We had not moved far, however, from the spot, before our noses were assaulted by a most nauseous stench, which, upon turning my head aside, I found to issue from an immense caldron, which was beset by a herd of wretches, who were incessantly stirring its contents with long wooden ladles, Pray, said I, who are these creatures, and what odious characters have they taken in hand? These persons, replied the governor, are what you call journalists, newspaper-editors, pamphleteers, and hackney writers of every description, who send forth their periodical libels under the various denominations of Registers, Examiners, Statesmen, Chronicles, and Independent Whigs. They appear here as a group of SCAVENGERS, in which capacity they have been employed, in preparing the ground for the present gala, by clearing it of all the filth, with which it was covered. The scrapings, thus collected, they have thrown into a large caldron, around which they are now standing, and, if you do but wait a little, you will see what use they make of them. This I promised to do if my nose could bear it; for the stench was become now almost intolerable.

"However, I was not kept long in suspense; for, after joining in a dreadful imprecation, (which, I was told, was the composition of a principal scavenger of the party, named PETER PORCUPINE) the junto began to toss about the filth with inexpressible fury, at the same time uttering the most horrid yells. Several spectators, who had not taken the precaution of moving far enough from the caldron, were besmeared in a frightful manner, and some all over their heads, so as cause them to vomit most unmercifully. I observed two or three masks, in particular, wearing rich coronets, whose heads, being unfortunately much higher than the rest, were soon in a miserable condition. Nor was there a single person, bearing a mace, or gold stick, or any other emblem of office, that escaped without a salute: which I thought rather extraordinary, but attributed it to the incumbrance of what they carried, which prevented them from moving out of the way in good time. Yet what surprised me most of all was, that several persons remained altogether quite close to

the

the caldron without experiencing the least molestation, or being at all annoyed by the effluvia; which induced me to enquire why they did not think fit to withdraw to a greater distance from so loathsome a scene. You may well be surprised at this, said my conductor, and, perhaps, you will be no less so to hear, that these persons are, for the most part, men of the first distinction, and that all this dirty work is carried on principally for their entertainment; since they take a particular delight in the stink which it oc casions, as well as in seeing others suffer from its effects. They have accordingly prevailed upon the wretches around, the caldron to assume their present characters: for which they have agreed to pay them handsomely when the Masquerade is over; and the latter, not caring what filthy job they undertake for the sake of gain, have acceded eagerly to the proposal." P. 15.

The character which next arrested our attention is too well known, we believe, to require any explanation.

"I had scarcely signified my wish before SIGNOR BEDLAMADO, applying the pipe to the ear of another projector, and giving the bladders of arrogance and party-spirit a hearty squeeze, roused him from his lethargy in a twinkling. He was no sooner himself again, than, starting as if from a trance, he discharged a volley of oaths on the ministry, called them a gang of war-making scoundrels, and swore, that nothing but an immediate change of men and measures could save us from eternal perdition. All this was accompanied by such a foaming at the mouth, and such a wildness of action, as evidently proved the distempered state of the projector's mind. After going on in this strain to an immoderate length, he launched out abruptly, to my great astonishment, into an unmeaning common-place rhapsody on the blessings of peace; and then turning suddenly around to the Board of Projectors, he proceeded, in a haughty tone, to catechise them with such a succession of confused queries, that, had it not been for the interference of the governor, I verily believe he would never have come to an end. For his interrogatories followed one another so rapidly, that, before time was allowed for a reply to one, he was prepared with a dozen more.

"When SIGNOR BEDLAMADO had checked our querist's career, he informed me, that he was founder of a new political sect, who went by the name of ENIGMATISTS, and who considered all the qualifications of a member of parliament to be centered in his talents for perplexing the ministry. For this purpose, proceeded my companion, our projector has invented, for the use of his fol lowers and himself, a sort of Parliamentary Puzzle, which consists of a string of conundrums so ingeniously contrived, that it would turn the wisest head in Europe to undertake their solution. By means of this spell, of which he does not fail to make constant use, he hopes eventually to prove the party, now in office, as dull U u

VOL. III. JUNE, 1815.

as

as his own; and he would infallibly succeed, were the ministers sq besotted, as to trouble their heads with his riddles, which, as they never had any other object than that of turning them out, are, of necessity, quite unanswerable. Such, continued the master of the ceremonies, has been this senator's hobby-horse for several years, and from which he is not likely to dismount until it carries him to a snug scat on the treasury bench. But, as there is no great chance of this, he will, in all probability, remain a POLITICAL ENIGMATIST to the end of the chapter." P. 26.

Some of our readers may be amused perhaps with the follow ing paragraph.

"There were many other projects, besides those I have mentioned, and, among the rest, some curious ones for the advance. ment of religion, the most extraordinary of which was one for the enactment of a law for the due encouragement of psalin singing throughout His Majesty's dominions, as the most effectual means of instilling proper notions of piety in all classes:' and further proposing, that, in order to set a proper example, the Houses of Lords and Commons should severally, at the close of every debate, resolve themselves into a Conventicle of the whole House,' for the practice of that sublime art. This senseless proposal was delivered by a projector, who, I understood from my companion, was one of the leading men of the party called Suints, who required to be moved by the spirit, before they took part in any debate, even upon a road-bill." P. 36.

་

How long it may be before this project shall be really accom plished, more acute observers than ourselves may determine; we trust that the good sense of the people of England will yet prevail, and arrest the alarming progress of all these ramifications of sanctified hypocrisy. The days of Charles the first are not yet erased from the annals of the kingdom; and the House of Commons have yet spirit enough to refuse their voices to a hymu, even though it be given out by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

We cannot take our leave of this little volume, without acknowledging the gratification which it has afforded us in exposing the quackeries and in deriding the follies of the age; nor without recommending it to the attention of our readers as the work both of a scholar and a humourist.

ART. XIII. The Bachelor's Journal. By Miss Byron. 2 vols. 12mo. 10s. 6d. Newman and Co. 1815.

Although the place of its birth may be somewhat against it, this novel is by no means devoid of humour or just observation upon the folies and fashions of mankind. To those of our

3

readers,

readers, who read not less than six publications of this nature annually, we can fairly recommend the volumes before us.

ART. XIV. The Saxon and the Gael; or the Northern Metropolis: including a View of the Lowland and Highland Character. 12mo. 4 vols. 817 pp. Tegg. 1814.

This novel has in our eyes one great fault, which, however, will, we fear, be rather considered as a merit by a vast majority of the romance-reading tribe. It is highly personal; it is full of satire on private individuals. We, who are Southrons, can point out many of the persons aimed at; and we doubt not that an Edinburgh man could readily point out the whole, or nearly the whole. To the practice,-which has lately been carried to an enormous extent, and which affords an excellent opportunity of gratifying the pique and resentment of a malignant writer,-to the practice of making a novel the instrument of wounding the peace of families, by exposing living characters to hatred or ridicule, we have a rooted dislike. Nor do we hold it to be at all honourable to the taste and feeling of the age, that this kind of novel should be sought after with so much ill-natured avidity as it undoubtedly

is.

Setting aside this objection, we have nothing unfavourable to urge against "the Saxon and the Gaël." On the contrary, we think it a production of considerable merit. The reader cau scarcely fail of receiving amusement from it. The story is interesting, and is told in spirited language. The characters are vigorously drawn, and skilfully, contrasted. In fact, the author possesses a more than common power of delineating character. The poor but high-born and haughty earl, the vulgar and purse-proud, yet kind-hearted Winpenny, the careless and dissipated Lord Macallan, the noble-minded Angus, the brave and impetuous Murray, the half-witted Sir John Gawky, the cunning and fawning Parson Wily, the rough philanthropist Leech, and the prejudiced but honest piper Donald, are all marked with their appropriate features. The same may be said of the female personages. Rosabell and Jane are both lovely and amiable, yet the one is not a copy of the other. The disposition of Rosabell forms an admirable contrast to that of her sister Sybella; Lady Mary is a pleasant compound of benevolence and a propensity to satire; and Lady Gawky and Miss Scott are well calculated to excite laughter, by their respective absurdities.

The view of the highland and lowland character is evidently taken by a competent judge. Donald Macallan, the earl of Glenlara's butler, gardener and piper, is the principal medium through which the author conveys to the reader his knowledge of

highland feelings, customs, and prejudices. The letters of Dos nald, to the housekeeper of Glenlara Castle, remind us of some of the letters in Humphry Clinker, and this is no small praise. We will give the first of them as a specimen, not because we think it the best, for some of the others are superior to it, but because it is the shortest.

"To Mrs. Morag Macallan, housekeeper to Norman, earl of Glenlara, Baron Macallan, Knight of the Order of the Thistle, Keeper of the Palace of D that was, &c. &c. &c.

“These,

"Dear Morag, I take the opportunity of Alister Macalister, the pedlar, going to the countries with goods, to let you know we are all well at this present writing-myself and the family. And the saucengers came safely to hand, likewise the blue cheeses, and the servants' blankets, and the hose for my young Lord, who is living away in London, spending it like a prince, whe ther he has it or not; and seeing his birth-day holds on beltane, I hope the tenants and small crofters will lead 200 loads to the top of the Bein, and kindle a proper fire for the honour of the clan, to light from Glengary's country to the Laird of Grant's itself, which is at present in this city in great repute, both with rich and poor. I hope the Macintosh's and Macdonald's themselves will shew what is in them that day, far less our own blood and name. Drumtaigir will be in good condition for slaughtering by this, and you can get them a few casks and give them as many rounds, men, wo men, and childer, as they can hould, besides cheese, ale, and cakes, taking particular care of the family quaigh, seeing Rorybane threw it over his shoulder last year, which, however, you need not face him for, as he was very sorry, and as the Macintosh's are always happy to get a hair in the neck of our clan. Duncan Roy Macgregor may play the pipe in my own absence; and our worthy pastor wont begrudge the crofters a grace, for the sake of the family. As for my poor self, God help me, I am crawling about, putting the best foot foremost for the honour of the family, though I have had great loss in the death of my worthy auld friend, Serjeant M'Fadiger, of the town guard, which is all destroyed, with its fine Lochaber axes, which, sure enough, was a great orpament to the city, which I would not have known again, if any one had sworn, seeing it has gone entirely out of itself over to Lord Murray's parks, which your good sense will allow is very surpri sing; besides two bridges, though there be no water below them, for which, perhaps, the low country people may have their rea sons, so it does not become me to find fault, being but a stranger. Glenlara Lodge, God be praised, is still where it was, by the auld palace, and in point of size and ancientness, I see nothing like it; so when I go to the north or south on my Lord's business, I just go by St. Mary's Wynd, or Leith Wynd, and the Calton, as I did in my young days, not thinking it worth while to change for all my