385 Review.-Weeds and Wild Flowers. 386 letters contain many shrewd remarks on books and authors; and some nice discrimi. nations on the subjects under examination. Their style is vivacious, and full of vigour; and the author appears to have had the happy art of introducing appropriate allusions to illustrate what he intended to The plan of publication adopted by the learned publisher is masterly and unique. "The selection is intended to include those individuals whose works may with propriety be read by the youth of both sexes." "A Biographical Sketch will be prefixed to each author; and Notes will be added, when necessary, for the purpose of illustra-express. tion." "The Series will, it is expected, The "Weeds and Wild Flowers," to make about forty monthly volumes." It which the preceding memoir is prefixed, may be proper to state, that persons wish. form, what may perhaps be called, a meding to purchase detached portions of the ley of unconnected things, in which prose work, can have any author separately; yet, | and poetry entering into partnership, have perhaps, there are few who will not avail agreed to divide the spoil. The portion themselves of the present opportunity of falling to the share of Master Prose, conforming a correct, elegant, and cheap sists chiefly of tales, narratives, dialogues, Classical Library. and présumed occurrences; while Miss Poetry is content with the flowers which, gathered around the mount of Aonia, disseminate the fragrance of Parnassian air. It is unnecessary to say more of this publication. Mr. Valpy has deserved well of the learned world, by his erudite labours amongst the literary treasures of Greece and Rome; and his name will, in the present instance, recommend him more powerfully to the aura popularis, and furnish a stronger testimony to the worth of his new under-exposing others to his view, to facilitate his taking, than any thing which might be said by the Reviewer. REVIEW.-Weeds and Wild Flowers. By the late Alexander Balfour, Author of Campbell's Scottish Probationer, &c. &c. with a Memoir of the Author. 8vo. pp. 374. Whittaker London, 1830. MR. BALFOUR, who died in 1829, was well known in the literary world. To many of the more respectable periodicals he was long a contributor, and several of the annuals have been enriched by the productions of his pen. In addition to these, he was the avowed author of several distinct publications, both in prose and verse, which bear his name, and of which the titles are given in the memoir, that occupies nearly one hundred pages of this volume. These are chiefly works of genius, imagination, and delineation of character, occasionally associated with criticism and antiquarian research. The memoir runs through the leading particulars of Mr. Balfour's life, without descending to any thing like tedious detail. His progress through this probationary state appears to be traced with fidelity and care; the writer neither exalting nor depressing his character beyond the common range of reasonable expectation. In this memoir several of the author's letters are inserted; some of which were addressed to wellknown literary characters of the present day, and others to persons, who, like the writer, have paid the debt of nature. These 136.-VOL. XII. The tales which form the prose department, the author has contrived to render very interesting, by dropping incidents in the reader's path as he passes along, and progress. Thus fascinated and allured, he advances with the writer, picking up, at every step, the harbingers of a catastrophe, which never rewards him with disappointment. Over most of these, a romantic spirit may be seen to preside; yet the delirium is pleasing, even though, while exacting admiration, it is known to be the effect of enchantment, to which imagination has given "A local habitation and a name." The poetry is a fair counterpart of the prose, partaking in no small degree its common character, and, with the exception of narrative, several remarks applied to the former may be transferred to the latter, without committing any act of violence on either. Its subjects indeed, are less tangible; and at times the pinions of fancy bear them almost beyond the sphere of critical vision. To us, the village tales are far more interesting than either the sonnets, or the stanzas to particular individuals, characters, or things. They walk on the surface of the earth, and enable common mortals like ourselves, to survey their countenances, limbs, and features, as they pass along. Yet even in these, the sentiments of the narrative creates perhaps more interest than the versification. The following passage, which will furnish a specimen of the author's talents, and illustrate our observations, may perhaps prove serviceable to all our fair readers whom it may concern. The tale itself is entitled "The Parson's Daughter." With this Lady, George, a wealthy industrious young farmer, falls in 2 B 387 Review.-Dr. Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopædia, Vol. II. love, and in due time marries her. For some little while affairs go on tolerably well, but, absorbed in her studies, she neglects every branch of the household concerns which she ought to mind, and thus furnishes Mr. Balfour with the original, of which he has drawn the picture. "But now the farm required his constant care, And she would sit and read from morn to night. -- REVIEW. The Cabinet Cyclopædia, conducted by the Rev. Dionysius Lardner, LL. D., &c. &c. &c. Assisted by eminent literary and scientific men. History of Scotland. By Sir Walter Scott, Bart. Vol. II. pp. 450. Longman. London. 1830. WHEN reviewing the first part of this valuable Scottish History, in our Number for January last, the accidental omission of some words in the concluding paragraph, inserted in col. 99, must have led the reader to suppose, that its pages comprised the whole history. We only meant to assert, that "within the compass of one volume, so far as it had proceeded, Sir Walter Scott had embodied all the occurrences of Scottish history, that could be necessary for common purposes." The second volume, which now presents itself 388 to our notice, brings down the train of events to the period of the union, in 1603, since which time, Scotland has been considered as a part of England, and their histories have been blended together accordingly. Prior to this union, the records of both kingdoms are thickly strewn with incidents, many of which arose from the jealousies of independence, and the pride of national rights. On nearly the whole of these, intrigues, quarrels, commotions, and battles, have left an indelible impression. Fierce, warlike, and more attached to conquest than to honour, these hostile nations paid but little regard to the dictates of justice, in the incursions which they made on each other's territories; and the conflicts which ensued, furnish us with no contemptible picture of what have been strangely called the heroic ages. Hence, in those days, the history of Scotland abounds with chivalrous exploits, and deeds of daring enterprise, scattered with such wild exuberance over all its pages, that scarcely a paragraph can be found, which, in some connexion or other, is not deeply interesting to every patriotic reader. Into this ample field, Sir Walter Scott has entered, and from the varied profusion culled the choicest flowers. His aim being not to dilate, but to compress, he has seized the essence of the historical harvest, and formed a work pregnant with diversified intelligence, and enriched with beauties that are almost inimitable. This, however, will best appear from a perusal of the work, of which the following extracts afford some specimens. "Encounter of the Douglases and Hamiltons in the City of Edinburgh-There were now no more thoughts of peace, and the Hamiltons, with their western friends, and allies, rushed in fury up the lanes which lead from the Cowgate, where the bishop's palace was situated, intending to take possession of the High-street; but the Douglases had been beforehand with them, and already occupied the principal street, with the advantage of attacking their enemies as they issued in disorder from the narrow closes or lanes. Such of Angus's followers also as had not lances, were furnished with them by the favour of the citizens of Edin burgh, who handed them over their windows. These long weapons gave the Douglases great advantage over their enemies, and rendered it easy to bear them down, as they struggled breathless and disordered out of the heads of the lanes, Nor was this Angus's only piece of fortune: Home of Wedderburn, also a great adherent of the Douglases, arrived while the battle was yet raging, and, bursting his way through the Ne therbow gate at the head of his formidable bor derers, appeared in the street in a decisive mo ment. The Hamiltons were driven out of the city, leaving upwards of seventy men dead, one of whom was Sir Patrick Hamilton, the advocate for peace. The Earl of Arran and his natural so far endangered, that, meeting a collier's horse, they were fain to throw off its burden, and, both mounting the same miserable son were 389 Review.-Dr. Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopædia, Vol. II. animal, they escaped through a ford in the loch, which then defended the northern side of the city. (See Dr. Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopædia, Vol. IV.; being Sir Walter Scott's History of Scotland, Vol. II.") The following brief description of a border-skirmish, between the Scots and English, will at once exhibit the animosity that prevailed, and the style in which the author records the event. "A small body of three hundred men was assembled, unequal, from their inferior number, to do more than observe the enemy, who moved forward with their full force from Jedburgh to Melrose, where they spoiled the splendid convent, in which lay the bones of many an heroic Douglas. The Scots were joined in the night by the Leslies and Lindesays, and other gentlemen from the western part of Fife; and apparently the English learned that the Regent's forces were increasing, since they retreated towards Jedburgh at the break of day. The Scots followed, manœuvring to gain the flank of the enemy. They were joined, near the village of Maxton, by Sir Walter Scott of Bucclengh, with his followers, by whose knowledge of the ground, and experience in irregular warfare, the Regent was counselled to simulate a retreat. The English halted, formed, and rushed hastily to pursue, so that encountering the enemy unawares, and at disadvantage, they were totally defeated. The two leaders fell, and very many of their followers, for the victors showed little mercy; and the Liddisdale men, who had come with the English as friends, flung away the red crosses which they had brought to the battle, and made a pitiless slaughter among the troops whom they had joined as auxiliaries. Many prisoners were taken, on whom heavy ransoms were levied, particularly on an Alderman of London, named Read, whom Henry VIII. had obliged to serve in person in the wars, because he refused to pay his share of a benevolence imposed on the city; it appearing, that though the King of England could not invade a citizen's property, he had despotic power sufficient to impress his person. "King Henry was greatly enraged at the loss of this action, and uttered threats against Angus, whom he accused of ingratitude. The Scottish Earl little regarded his displeasure. "Is our brother," he said," angry that I have avenged on Ralph Ewers the injury done to the tombs of my ancestors? They were better men than he, and Ï could in honour do no less. And will he take my life for that? Little knows King Henry the heights of Cairntable. I can keep myself safe there against all the power of England."(Dr. Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopædia, Vol. IV.; being Sir Walter Scott's History of Scotland, Vol. II.) The escape of Mary, Queen of Scots, from Lochleven, will be perused with interest. "Fate had reserved to Queen Mary an additional chance for repairing her broken fortunes. In Lochleven castle she was surrounded by those most deeply interested for the Earls of Murray and of Morton, and most inclined to support the power to which they had been raised. But there was one person among them who beheld her confinement and ber distresses with an eye of compassion. This was a youth named George Douglas, brother of the lord of Lochleven, who, captivated by her beauty, touched by her sorrow, and seduced by her promises, laid a plan for her escape. This was discovered by his brother, Sir James, who expelled the plotter from the castle. "Undismayed by this miscarriage, George Douglas lingered on the shores of Lochleven, to assist the queen in any subsequent effort. Mary was not long in making such an attempt. 390 She entered a boat disguised in the attire of a laundress, but was discovered, from her repelling the endeavours by the rude boatman to pull off her veil, with arms and hands far too white to belong to one of her assumed character. "Again, the queen was replaced in her island prison, but about the same time a second ally in the garrison was won over to assist her escape. This was a lad of seventeen or eighteen, called William Douglas, otherwise the Little Douglas, a relative, probably, of the lord of Lochleven. "This Little Douglas, so named from his tender' years or low stature, gave her his assistance to escape by night from the castle and island in which she was immured. He stole the keys for this purpose, set the royal prisoner at liberty in the middle of the night: to prevent pursuit, locked the iron gates of the castle upon its inmates, and flung the keys into the lake as he rowed her to land. George Douglas, already mentioned, Lord Seton, and a party of the Hamiltons, received the queen on the shores of the lake, and conveyed her in triumph to Hamilton, where her friends hastened to assemble an army, and form an association for her defence."-(Dr. Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopædia, Vol. IV.; being Sir Walter Scott's History of Scotland, Vol. II. The fate of the Spanish Armada, Sir Walter Scott thus briefly describes. "The fate of the Invincible Armada, as it was proudly termed, is generally known. Persecuted. by the fury of the elements, and annoyed by the adventurous gallantry of the English seamen, it was driven around the island of Britain, meeting great loss upon every quarter, and strewing the wild shores of the Scottish highlands and isles with wreck and spoil. James, though in arms to resist the Spaniards, had such resistance been necessary, behaved generously to considerable numbers whom their misfortunes threw upon his shores. Their wants were relieved, and they were safely restored to their own country. The fate of one body of these unfortunate men is strikingly told by the reverend James Melville, whose diary has been lately published. He describes at some length the alarm caused by the threatened invasion, and its effects. "Terrible," he says, "was the fear, piercing were the preachings, earnest, zealous, and fervent were the prayers, sounding were the sighs and sobs, and abounding were the tears at the fast and general assembly at Edinburgh, where we were credibly told sometimes of their landing at Dunbar, sometimes at St. Andrew's, and again at Aberdeen and Cromarty."-(Dr. Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopædia, Vol. IV.; being Sir Walter Scott's History of Scotland, Vol. II.) With extracts similar to the preceding, we could easily fill the pages of our magazine. In their detached character, they appear as episodes, or isolated fragments; but in their connexion with the general history, they furnish links in the great chain of events, and communicate valuable information, while they afford exquisite entertainment to the reader. From all that we have seen and heard, this Pocket Cyclopædia is rapidly advancing in public estimation; and so far as it has proceeded, no one can doubt that it is every way deserving the popularity it has attained. Let only the same care be taken to preserve it from degeneracy, that has been used to establish its fame, and it will secure, both to itself and to its learned editor, a wreath of immortality. love, and "But now the far With hair uncombed, a 398 his foot on one e utmost exacthtcap of Souter in the careless leather apron is nee bare, while n together, they ns of reality, as n that they were stence, than the nds of art. ated in an oldof "mine host's which is interis mouth by a is giving vent, Souter's story. ear, and almost an irresistible is countenance, triumph as he applause of the hnny holds the ee, in a manner love for tipple rewd leer on his that Tam's laugh ole remuneration genuine sculpture ndon about eleven be they have been sons, among whom amily, and numbers will conclude this ccount in the words dentally elicited on a the 5th of August, wo of the most inteigures that have ever he mind of genius, or skill and talent from most astonishing musical exhibited in this country, the world; we mean with harmony, and effect, for ery we can say nothing. To dequate idea of its powers, the reach of language. It is band, and must be heard many be fully appreciated. Although Deen in operation for several years, retains all its pristine charms, and tudes daily flock to St. Martin's ne, Strand, to be enraptured with its quisite tones. On Saturday, February 27th, 1830, the day we visited it, about five hundred persons were attracted to the spot. Its customers appear to be as exof haustless as its fame. |