a regular and systematic course of life, to moderation in eating and drinking, and avoiding excess in both.

In this portion of my Memoir I feel I am too autobiographical; which is, perhaps, excusable, as it is intended chiefly for the edification of my own family, and I shall conclude, therefore, with an anecdote for the physiologist, though not very creditable to myself, as it must exhibit me in a state of unconsciousness for once and only once in the course of my life.

One of the principal gentlemen of the Cape of Good Hope gave a sumptuous entertainment on the west slope of the Table Mountain, as high up the sloping part as where it is terminated by the wall of stone that forms the cap of the mountain. Here, at the height of about 3500 feet or more, was our repast; and the champagne passed briskly round among a party of between forty and fifty gentlemen. When the night was setting in I was anxious to get away; and with some difficulty succeeded in finding my Spanish pony, and contrived to steal away and cautiously and slowly to get down the steep, rocky, and shrubby slope into the Cape Town road, perfectly steady and sober; but all at once a giddiness came over me, and increased so far as to deprive me of all self-control. What happened to me during the three or four miles I had to ride I know nothing; but when the little pony arrived at its home, in a full gallop, down I fell upon the ground, and from the shock I suppose I felt myself sober enough. On the next day I was complimented by many of those whom I had met or passed on the road in a full gallop, "That John Gilpin himself could not have done better." The pony, it seems, being well

acquainted with the road, had galloped the whole way at its full pace. I had taken only a moderate quantity of champagne, and nothing else; I felt no effect from it on leaving the mountain, or on arriving at its foot: the after effect could have been caused only by the sudden transition from an atmospherical density, at the probable height of nearly 4000 feet, to the general level of the country.

CHAPTER V.-SUPPLEMENTARY.

SECTION II.

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE QUARTERLY REVIEW.

The Origin of the Quarterly Review-The Supporters of it-The Editor, Mr. W. Gifford─My Introduction to him-My Share in the Progress of the Review-Its Success.

THE origin and the history of that most useful, able, and generally well-conducted work The Quarterly Review, is worthy of the man who first conceived it, of the patronage under which it was brought forward, and of the principles it advocated. Those principles, which were adopted from its commencement, are founded on religion and morality, on loyalty to the throne, and patriotism to the country. To all of these and to their strict observance, under the able superintendence of William Gifford, must be ascribed its extraordinary success through a long series of years. Its author and its origin will at once be seen from the following letter, which undoubtedly gave rise to the work, and the sound good sense and ability which it displays are highly creditable to the writer:

"September 25, 1807.

"To the Right Hon. George Canning.

"Sir, I venture to address you upon a subject that is not perhaps undeserving of one moment of your

attention.

"There is a work, entitled 'The Edinburgh Review,' written with such unquestionable talent that it has already attained an extent of circulation not equalled by any similar publication. The principles of this work are, however, so radically bad that I have been led to consider the effect which such sentiments, so generally diffused, are likely to produce, and to think that some means equally popular ought to be adopted to counteract their dangerous tendency. But the publication in question is conducted with so much ability and is sanctioned and circulated with such high and decisive authority by the party of whose opinions it is the organ, that there is little hope of producing against it any effectual opposition, unless it arise from you, Sir, and your friends. Should you, Sir, think the idea worthy of encouragement, I should with equal pride and willingness engage my arduous exertions to promote its success; but as my object is nothing short of producing a work of the greatest talent and importance, I shall entertain it no longer if it be not so fortunate as to obtain the high patronage which I have thus, Sir, taken the liberty to solicit.

"Permit me, Sir, to add, that the person who thus addresses you is no adventurer, but a man of some property, inheriting a business that has been established for nearly a century. I therefore trust that my application will be attributed to its proper motives, and that your goodness will at least pardon its intrusion.

"I have the honour to be, Sir,

"Your most humble and most obedient servant,
"JOHN MURRAY."

(Signed)

It does not appear that Mr. Canning gave any direct

reply to this letter. Holding, as he then did, the high and responsible office of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, it could not be expected that he would commit himself in a matter of this kind, more especially one meant to embrace political subjects. At the same time it is not likely that one of the principal directors and the most spirited writer of that clever and effective paper the 'Anti-Jacobin Journal,' instituted for a similar purpose to that proposed by Mr. Murray, would disregard so plausible an offer for the establishment of a permanent Review, with the design of counteracting the more than Jacobinical poison scattered most industriously through the pages of the 'Edinburgh Review;' for we shall see that Mr. Canning at once communicated with his friend William Gifford, with the view of securing him as the editor, provided the work should go forward. Gifford was well known to all the talented men of the day, by his translation of 'Juvenal,' his 'Baviad and Mæviad,' his editions of the plays of Massinger, Ben Jonson, and Ford; but more especially to Mr. Canning, by his having been the editor of the celebrated AntiJacobin Journal,' to which he contributed largely and effectually by exposing to ridicule the mischievous doctrines of the disaffected Jacobins, in some of the most satirical and biting articles, and by creating indignation in those whose trade was to inculcate principles of profanity, immorality, and disloyalty to the crown and the country. The lies and mistakes and misrepresentations (so headed) were in Gifford's department to expose and correct, and he did so effectually.

Murray's letter was written at a most fortunate