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Or to spout upon Hirnschadel's Encephalology,*
As opposed to the doctrine of cran. or phrenology.

One book we shall praise, with true heart and spirit,

A volume of jollity, learning, and merit;

And we hope that the Muse will here deign to " befriend her son," t
While we sing of the quarto of Dr. A. Henderson,

Great tome, in whose pages the history is told,

Of wine of all centuries, modern and old;

Where we all learn the tale of all kinds of the grape,
From Homer's Pramnian to Atkinson's cape.

When we pore on your page, we go back to the ages,
When Anacreon drank Chian with Hellas's sages;
And there scarcely appears any distance between us
And the days when gay Horace got drunk with Mecœnas.

How profoundly you talk, how antique and how classic,
On Cœcubian, Calenian, Surrentine, or Massic;
How sublimely you prove, in a tone grave and merry,
That Falernian resembled Madeira or Sherry.

We must think, so correct the research you have made is,
That you went to consult some Greek vintner in Hades;
But many a bumper of good claret flowing

May you quaff, e'er that journey in earnest you're going.

Fifty verses we've sung-and we scarce can do better,
Than to finish our ditty by taking a whetter;

Tho' no juice of the grape in our glass bubbles up,
Tho' nor ancient Falern, nor new Port do we sup,

Yet a liquor much balmier, though, perhaps, humbler
Is steaming to heaven, from our well-plenish'd tumbler,
With a jorum of that, shall we bid our adieu,
Till the first day of August, dear readers, to you.

P. T. O.

PROSE POSTSCRIPT.

WE have little literary news worth communicating at present, for there has been an unusual stagnancy of such a commodity this merry month of June last past.

Hurst and Robinson have published a pleasant" Tour in Germany, and some of the Southern Provinces of the Austrian Empire, in the Years 1820, 1821, and 1822, in a couple of duodecimo Volumes," which contains some good information, if it be not particularly deep.

Bullock's "Six Months in Mexico,"

is, in reality, an interesting Tour. What he has brought over with him, merits the utmost attention of the antiquary in many points of view. We beg leave to refer to a paper in the last Classical Journal on the subject-the paper is written by one as conspicuous for noble birth as for learning.

Tom Moore's "Captain Rock," has drawn forth an answer, published at Cadell's, entitled " Captain Rock detected, by a Munster Farmer." This farmer is no more a clown, than Tom is a bandit. There is a clever story told

• Duncan, of the Row, is about shortly to publish Encephalology, or a very brief sketch of Doctor Hirnschadel's Ologies of the Cranion, and Phren. perfected by the Rationals.

Milton, P. L. Book 8.

-Nor could the muse

Defend her son

The History of Ancient and Modern Wines, vol. London, Baldwin. The Author's name is not given, but it is known to be Dr. Alexander Henderson.

in it towards the beginning, and the little poet gets a severe, and rather a deserved rap over the knuckles, for making murder so much a matter of jocularity, as he has done in his work.

A translation of the "Memoirs of John Sobieski," is in progress; it is to be from the pen of an English professor at the Russia-Polish University of Kezemieniec.

Miss Sandon's long promised poem of the "Improvisatrice," is at last forthcoming, sweetly and prettily, like every thing she does.

Colonel Talbot is about to give us the "Details of his Five Years' Residence in the Canadas."

In Edinburgh, they are preparing for publication, the "Historical Works of Sir James Balfour of Kinnaird, Lord Lyon, King-at-Arms under King Charles I. from Original MS. in the Advocate's Library."

In the same city, also, is forthcoming, the "Life and Correspondence of the Right Hon. James Oswald of Dunniken, M. P. comprizing a Period of Forty Years, from 1740."

Mons. Julien is going to lithographize the Chinese text of the Works of Municius, the celebrated follower of Confucius, who flourished about 300 years after him. To this he will add a translation into Latin, as literal as the idiom of the languages will allow. This is the first attempt of the kind made in Europe.

A clergyman, of the name of Gilly, has published a quarto account of his Travels, &c. among the Vaudois; which are curious enough. More care taken with some of the decorations would not have been amiss. That singular people appear, from Mr. G.'s statements, to have peculiar claims upon the attention and the liberality of England. The House of Savoy, with peculiar ingratitude, were no sooner seated, by the aid of our arms, in their ancient dominions, than they began to persecute these poor people for their firm adherence to their Protestant doctrines, although they had

been the most loyal of subjects, through good and evil report, to the king of Sardinia at all times. We hope the appeal in their favour will not be made in vain.

The Life of Law, the projector of the Mississippi Bubble, about a hundred years ago in France, is nearly ready for publication. There are some curious anecdotes about him in the Suffolk Papers, lately published by John Murray.

There has been a great dispute between Dr. Brewster and Professor Jamieson in Edinburgh, as to the Journal which they had formerly conducted together. The consequence has been, that Constable and Co. continue to publish the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, having ejected Brewster (the original editor) from the concern, under the superintendance of Jamieson, who is assisted by Professor Leslie, and several other coadjutors; while Brewster has started an Edinburgh Philosophical Journal at Blackwood's. Brewster's assistants are, M'Culloch, Hooker, Fleming, Haidinger, Knox, and Hibbert. A lawsuit is raised as to the property in the original title, according to the usual manner of managing such things in Edinburgh. The upshot it is easy to see, which is, that neither Journal will make a farthing.

Dr. Mac Culloch is soon to bring out four large octavo volumes on the Highlands of Scotland. They are dedicated to Sir Walter Scott. No doubt the Doctor will be found up to trap.

With this information, which is very much at your service, we have the honor to subscribe ourselves to you, (in return for which we hope you will subscribe yourselves to us)

Most excellent Reader, Your most obedient and very humble

Servants,

The Editors of the

JOHN BULL MAGAZINE.

MONSIEUR ARC-EN-CIEL'S PHILOSOPHICAL

DISCOVERIES AND INVEN

TIONS. BY COSMO ECCLES.

Essence of Light extracted from Sun-beams-Kosmopoloscope and its uses-Sunmaking-Artificial Suns on Mont Blanc and Teneriffe.

As I have been singularly fortunate discoveries made, and inventions conin obtaining from a friend at Paris, a complete account of certain wonderful

trived, by the famous M. Arc-en-ciel, Rue de Bizarre, I thought it my duty

1824.]

Monsieur Arc-en-ciel's Philosophical Discoveries, &c.

to send the same to you, that the inventor, who intends to make an early appearance in London, may not come upon our countrymen altogether per faltum.

M. Arc-en-ciel, according to my friend's statement, has, at length, by the most ingenious and difficult experiments upon fish-scales, diamonds, Paris plaster, custard, coal-gas, and red cabbage, set at rest the puzzling question-What is light? and has refuted the absurd idea of its being mere motion, or that sunbeams could be extracted from cucumbers, by the discovery of the real essence of light, which he has found means to prepare aud preserve. In the pursuit of his interesting investigations, M. Arcen-ciel was led to examine almost every substance in nature, and every production of art;-the eyes of moles, cats, eagles, and solan geese; burgundypitch and virgin-silver, chalk, chesnuts, china-ware, steel-filings, wedge-gold, and sliced parsnips; nothing escaped his alt-pervading research; every thing was subjected to experimental scrutiny. His ingenuity and labour have been rewarded by the most brilliant success, and universal amazement, that a single philosopher, self-taught and unassisted, should have accomplished the solution of a problem, which has so long defied the ingenuity of the learned, and refused to yield even to the omnipotent apparatus of Davy, or the resuscitory battery of Dr. Ure.

M. Arc-en-ciel has carried his ingenuity farther, by turning his brilliant discovery to the most useful account in the invention of several instruments singularly advantageous to society. Among these may be mentioned that wonderful contrivance, the kosmopoloscope, the most important article that ever was invented for the use of man, as must be evident from the very name to every body who knows Greek, and these who do not are much to be pitied for their ignorance of what is now universally spoken by fiddlers and corn-doctors. But I beg pardon of the Cheiropodist to his majesty, I was talking, I think, of the Kosmopoloscope. This instrument consists of two small soap bubbles inclosing a quantity of M, Arc-en-ciel's essence of light, and fitted into the eye-rings of a pair of spectacles, which may be either of gold, silver, or potassium, according to the fancy of purchasers. M. Arc-enciel himself recommends potassium as being more durable, providing always it be kept out of the way of oxygen.

39

The uses of the kosmopoloscope are so numerous, that I despair of giving an intelligible abstract within an epistolary compass; but this I the less regret, when I understand, that M. Arc-enciel is himself about to publish a large folio volume in explanation of its uses, for the instruction of mankind. In brief, the kosmopoloscope is the only instrument ever invented which can make "all nature beauty to the eye;" for, as the essence of light involves in it the elements of colour, by means of the kosmopoloscope we can, by day or by night, command views and prospects surpassing all that ever poets dreamed of Elysium. Henceforth we shall complain no more of dull weather, nor get into the spleen and blue devils, when a day happens to be dark with haze or rain; for we have only to put on our kosmopoloscope, to see around us a sunny paradise, smiling in all the luxuriance of summer beauty. The citizen "in gloomy alley pent" shall no longer regret that he is shut out from the sight of villages, and farms, and sweet-briar hedges, by the intervention of lofty houses and smoky walls, since he can, at the small expence of a kosmopoloscope procure a sight of all that is beautiful in art or nature; gardens, to wit, of unnumbered and numberless flowers spreading before him in rich magnificence; forests of every tint of green that foliage can display; orchards loaded with golden fruit, and vineyards hung with grapes ripe and clustering. He may see, by turns, rivers sweeping in majesty through long tracts of country, lakes and seas embosomed by mountain crescents, or stretching far through level valleys, with the blue sky hanging over all in smiling loveliness. We need no longer regret that the broad ocean rolls between Europe and the Indies, for the kosmopoloscope makes us, practically, citizens of the world, in displaying to us all the wonders and the beauties of these distant lands while we are snugly seated in our parlours, secure from ail danger of tempestuous seas, yellow fever, and murdering savages.

The discovery of the Essence of Light, M. Arc-en-ciel also proposes to make useful by substituting it for tallow, wax, oil, and coal-gas. It has the advantage of being greatly cheaper, as it is extracted directly from sun-beams, by a very simple process, and the light it affords is even superior in brightness to that of the sun, being the true essence of the purest rays, purged and refined

from all impurity, Nay, M. Arc-enciel does not despair of making an artificial sun, which shall give as much light as the naturall; the only difficulty at present being the apparent impracticability of fixing it high enough to be universally seen. He thinks, however, that if it could be securely fixed on Mont Blanc, that it would illuminate all Europe. The agent at Paris for the South American Republic, is actually said to have bespoke a sun from M. Arc-en-ciel for

the summit of Chimborago; and the Directors of the East India-Company talk of bespeaking one for the Peak of Teneriffe, if they could fall upon ny contrivance to monopolize the light for their own ships, to the exclusion of unchartered traders.

The moment M. Arc-en-ciel arrives, I shall do myself the honour of transmitting you an express, and in the mean time, I remain your humble servant, COSMO ECCLES.

AN ADDITIONAL REMARK ON THE BAYSWATER REVIEW

In our preface, proem, prelude, prospectus, programme, introduction, or whatever you please to call it--we mean that two-page-and-half-composition, which marches as the first article of this number, we made some remarks on that prince of Prospectusses, the neverenough-to-be-extolled manifesto of the European Review, doomed to issue from the purlieus of Bayswater. Since we wrote those Remarks, we have heard the whole history of the concern, which, as we happened to have mentioned it at all, we think we should be quite indefensible, if we withheld from our readers.

The Editor, then, who is to be the living deposit of all the mind, in all its branches, of Europe, is neither more nor less than a gentleman of the name of Walker, who, some years ago, published a work in Edinburgh, under the sounding title of " Archives of Universal Science;" in which he set out with the intention of proving, that all mankind knew nothing, and ended with demonstrating that such was the case with at least one individual of the race, namely, himself. After this he appeared in London, and set up the Caledonian Newspaper, which went the way of all flesh, with surprising rapidity. What he did immediately after, we have no way of knowing; but after the lapse of some time, he set about writing books of education, under the nom de guerre of A. Scott, which books we cannot charge our conscience with having read. Now we understand that Walker is to be Editor, and his double, Scott, to be subeditor, which is an agreeable power of self-multiplication. The private and confidential meetings between the august chef de brigade and his sub. will be no doubt as edifying as a cabinet-counsel between the Roman consuls in the me-morable year, Julio et Cæsar e Coss. Harry Neele, under him, is to do English literature, poetry, and all that; in the

course of which we hope and trust, he will favour us with remarks on the Dramatic Sketches of the Lady's Magazine, which are very pretty pieces of sentimentality indeed.

Third in command, is the Greek gentleman, Phoscolos, who calls himself Foscolo; and is in general distinguished by the appropriate title of Fudgiolo. He is to be great upon Italian song. We recommend him a motto out of a work in which, if he lived at the time, it is probable he would have flourished, the Dunciad-certainly he would have deserved it more than the great scholar, to whom the verses were originally destined.

"Critics and dull grammarians know you
better,

Parent of something higher far than letter-
For towering o'er the alphabet, like Saul,
Stands our Digamma and out-tops them all."

Ben Constant, poor body, is to write French politics, &c. and Fuseli, most ancient of painters, undertakes statuary and painting.

"These are the chief in order and in mightThe rest were long to tell, though far renown'd

As Balaam boys, of Jackass' issue."

And under such guidance, we anticipate a fund of amusement from the whole concern. All the good old butts are becoming horribly stale, and the town in general is really in want of some new matter for grinning at. All we require of them is, not to be merely dull, not simply stupid, but to put in the fine racy flavour of absurdity into whatever they do. A mere idiot is a pitiable object, but, though it is perhaps not quite reconcilable with the most exalted feelings, few of us can hinder ourselves from laughing at the fantastic caprices of a poor but important fellow, who fancies himself a king or a philosopher,

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MESSRS. Charles Knight, of Pall Mall, East, and Henry Colburn, of Conduitstreet, have announced for publication a portion of Lord Byron's Letters, being his correspondence with Mr. R. C. Dallas. An injunction, however, as such of our readers as take any interest in such matters, of course know, has been obtained against their publication from the Vice-Chancellor; some hopes are entertained that Lord Eldon will reverse the proceedings of his Sub,

But poor Mr. Knight will look terribly white, If the Chancery Court won't dissolve the injunction,

As one of Knight's poets-young Mackworth Praed-sung on a different occasion in his own magazine.

The volume contained an immensity of the chaff of Dallas himself-for the poor animal, for whose opinions, or res gestæ, no living being cares the scrapings of a chamber-pan, deemed his letters of so much importance as to have thrown them in to swell the correspondence. It was, nevertheless, an unwise plan, for the reviews and the magazines would have infallibly extracted all Lord Byron's letters, and thereby left the book a complete caput mortuum, containing nothing but the vapid residuum of the epistles of Dallas. His lordship, it is well known, had not the highest possible opinion of his correspondent's

powers, as is evident from the following epigram, which, though current enough in conversation, has never, we believe, got into print.

To a friend who observed that Mr. Dallas looked particularly sapient on a certain occasion

Yes! wisdom shines in all his mien-
Which would so captivate, I ween,

Wisdom's own goddess Pallas;
That she'd discard her favorite owl,
And take for pet its brother fowl,

Sagacious R. C. Dallas.

This same propensity to make free with his friends is said to be the occasion of the suppression of his letters; for, if we may believe the newspapers, Hobhouse's interference arose from his alarm lest they should contain, as they happened to do, any remarks in no wise complimentary to himself. If this be the case, it does not speak much in praise of Hobhouse's anxiety for the Liberty of the Press. Henceforward, if we hear him speaking in defence of that great principle, we must infallibly be tempted to exclaim, in the language of John Wilson Croker's clever lines

We scorn the poor attempt to fob us, And laugh to find the hoaxer Hobhouse. Hobhouse knows, to be sure, that he was in prose and verse, and, in common conversation, one of Lord Byron's most constant butts.*

Would any of our correspondents be able to favor us with Lord Byron's Song on Hobhouse, written about 1819? We heard it sung somewhere about that time in Paris, by a gentleman who had a copy, and did every justice to his subject. We cannot trust a memory which is VOL. I. G

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