THE LITERARY GAZETTE; AND JOURNAL OF Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, etc. FOR THE YEAR 1820. COMPRISING ORIGINAL ESSAYS ON POLITE LITERATURE, THE ARTS AND SCIENCES; A REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS; POETRY; CRITICISMS ON THE FINE ARTS, THE DRAMA, &c. AND PUBLISHED AT THE LITERARY GAZETTE OFFICE, NO.362 (EXETER CHANGE), STRAND; SOLD ALSO BY BELL AND BRADFUTE, EDINBURGH; JOHN CUMMING, DUBLIN; AND ALL OTHER BOOKSELLERS, NEWSMEN, &c. 1820. R Ir is the custom of periodical works to say something to their Readers at stated periods; such as the close of the year, the end of their volumes, the commencement of a new series, or the completion of a century's publications. As we hardly expect, personally, to enjoy the last mentioned opportunity, we are prone to seize the occasion of our attaining to the fifth year of our age, most cordially to thank our friends for nourishing us into so stout and vigorous a constitution, as to leave little doubt upon our minds, that this centenarian delight will be experienced, literarily, by our heirs and successors. To them we shall bequeath it, in trust, to dilate upon the influence their labours have had in diffusing a taste for literature, and in promoting, with letters, the dearest interests of Soeiety; in encouraging all the beneficent arts of Peace and Civilization; in propagating a knowledge of Science; and in spreading over the mass of mankind a love for those pursuits which refine, and ennoble, and bless humanity. Ours is a humbler duty. Through the kindness of our public reception, we have established this new species of literary production in a degree of reputation which our most sanguine hopes could not have anticipated for any thing in the lowly form of a weekly journal, and invested it with a weight and importance which we can without presumption declare is felt through almost every ramification of the subjects embraced by our plan, at home and abroad. Convinced that nothing could have obtained for us this enviable distinction, but the strictest devotedness to truth in all we write, we have made truth the basis of our labours and in Truth, the indispensable principles of Independence and Impartiality are comprehended. Thus, at the end of four years, no readers of the Literary Gazette can say that it ever deceived them, by its report or misrepresentation of any fact. Our Index for 1820 (to be given in an early Number) will best exemplify our zeal and diligence in providing for the general gratification of our subscribers: our success attests that our exertions have not passed unnoticed nor unrewarded: and we shall only add, that as we grow in time our strength increases, and our sphere enlarges so much, that we can now with ease accomplish what was wont to be difficult or impossible. We therefore look forward to the possession of a power which may extend our utility and enhance our value: and as proof that we are not inclined to slacken in our career, we shall only observe, that within the last two months, Original Letters from Paris, the admired essays entitled Wine and Walnuts, the first accounts of Discoveries in the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, the important Experiments on Galvanism, Magnetism, and Polarity, the only details of the Royal Society of Literature, and many other matters of great general interest, have appeared in our columns. We trust we may take leave, without imputation of egotism. In this stirring commercial country, every dealer, to obtain even due notice, must describe his wares, and adopt means to make them known. Beyond this, we despise effort; and resting on the character of the Literary Gazette, bid our Readers Farewell!' AND Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, etc. No. 154. SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1820. REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS. PRICE 1s. which took 35 days to perform on dro- | shef to accompany me, but knew nothing of my business; which was really true; for I had never allowed him to see me taking notes during our journey. In two hours and a half we came to a The two brothers, the Kashefs Hosseyn and plain on the top of the mountain, called Mohammed, had come to Mahass, in order Akabet el benat, the rocks of the girls. to besiege the castle of Tinarch, which had Here the Arabs who serve as guides through been seized by a rebel cousin of the king of these mountains have devised a singular Mahass. The latter being Hosscyn Kashef's mode of extorting small presents from the father-in-law, the Kashef was bound to come traveller: they alight at certain spots in the to his aid, and had accordingly brought with Akabet el benat, and beg a present; if it is him about sixty men, with whom I found refused, they collect a heap of sand, and him encamped, or rather hutted, on the mould it into the form of a diminutive tomb, western side of the river, close under the and then placing a stone at each of its ex-walls of the castle, while his brother Motremities, they apprize the traveller that his hammed had possession of the castern bank, tomb is made; meaning, that henceforward, with an equal number of men. They had there will be no security for him, in this been here for several weeks, and had often rocky wilderness. Most persons pay a summoned the castle, to no purpose, altrifling contribution, rather than have their though the garrison consisted only of fifteen graves made before their eyes: there were, men. They at length conceived the idea of however, several tombs of this description cutting off the water from the besieged, by dispersed over the plain. Being satisfied placing close in shore, just below the castle, which he was content. with my guide, I gave him one piastre, with a vessel, which they had sent for from Argo, and on board of which they put some nien armed with musquets, who were protected from the fire of the garrison by a thick awning formed of the trunks of date trees thrown across the deck; these men, by their fire, having effectually prevented the besieged from obtaining water from the river, the garrison was under the necessity of making proposals for peace; pardon, and safe conduct were promised them, and the castle was surrendered on the evening preceding my arrival. Travels in Nutia; by the late John Lewis Burckhardt. Published by the Association for promoting the Discovery of the Interior of Africa. London. 1819. 4to. pp. 513. Burckhardt has excited an interest in the British public only inferior to poor Mungo Park; and has been so very often the subject of articles in the Literary Gazette, that our readers must be familiar with the leading features of his life and pursuits. This would induce us to dwell very briefly on these points at present, even were we not influenced by another consideration of more irresistible temporary importance. It is, and we have reason to anticipate will continue to be, a marked characteristic of our Review (from the superior access to the novelties in literature with which we are favoured,) to be at least the earliest reporter of the cases of new publications. In executing this task, we trust it will be readily allowed to us, that any defects in our first notice of a work, should be pardoned in considera-of mats, made of palm-leaves, fastened to tion of the speed with which we bring it before the general tribunal, and show, if not immediately preceding, contemporaneously with its appearance, of what kind and nature it is. As this highly valuable volume, therefore, is only published to-day, we hope that extracts rather than an epitome will be accepted from us as efficient service. The life and travels of Burckhardt occupy 92 pages; next follows a journey along tlie banks of the Nile, from Assouan to Mahass, on the frontiers of Dongola; then a description of a journey from upper Egypt through the deserts of Nubia to Berber and Souakin, and from thence to Djidda in Arabia; and the whole concludes with an appendix, containing an Itinerary from the frontiers of Bornon, by Bahr el Ghazal, and Darfour, to Shendy-some notices of Soudan vocabularies of the Borgho and Bornou languages and a translation of the notices on Nubia in Makrizi's History of Egypt: the whole illustrated with maps and other clucidations. We shall make our selections from the travelling narratives, without much attention to order. Leaving Seras, in bis Nubian journey from Assuan, VOL IV. March 13th. The castern mountains high poles, the extremities of which rise When I reached the camp of Mohammed Kashef, he was not present, but occupied with his brother, in taking possession of the castle. His people crowded round me and my guide, desirous to know what business had brought me among them, and supposing that I belonged to the suite of the two Mamelouk Begs, of whose arrival at Derr they had already been apprized. Shortly In approaching the place where the Nu-afterwards Mohammed came over from the bian governors were encamped, I found se- opposite bank with his suite, and I immeveral of the villages deserted; their former diately went to salute him. Born of a Darinhabitants had preferred abandoning their four slave, his features resembled those of cotton-fields, and their prospects of a har- the inhabitants of Soudan, but without any vest, to submitting to the oppressive conduct thing of that mildness which generally chaof the followers of the governors, whose racterises the Negro countenance. On the horses and camels were now feeding amidst contrary, his physiognomy indicated the the barley, while the mats of the deserted worst disposition; he rolled his eyes at me houses had been carried off to the camp, to like a madman; and, having drank copiously serve as fuel. After a ride of four hours, of paly-wine at the castle, he was so intoxwe reached the camp of Mohammed Kashef,icated that he could hardly keep on his legs. opposite the Wady Tinareh, a cluster of ham- All his people now assembled in and around lets, situated round the brick castle of that his open hut; the vanquished rebels likewise name, and the chief place in Mahasa; here me, and two large goat skins of palm wine was the termination of my journey south-were brought in, which was served out to wards. I had told my guide to be cauous in his answers to Mohammed Kashef, and he should be questioned respecting me, to say that he had been ordered by Hosen Ka-, 473120 the company in small cups neatly made of calabashes, a few only spoke Arabie; the Kashef himself could scarcely make himself understood; but I clearly found that I was |