mere result of desperate drudgery, and nothing is more really unnecessary to the genuine enjoyment of music. Its true value consists solely in the facility which it imparts in readily encountering any casual difficulty to be met with in authors of deep science and energetic conception, whose works are generally pretty thickly interspersed with them. Independently of this, mere pieces of intricate execution have no musical value. Vague astonishment, at all times a degrading condition of the mind, is the only sensation they are capable of raising. It is agreeable only to those mortals who are glad of any emotion capable of interrupting the dull monotony of their blunted feelings. Such, however, is the state of multitudes, who, during ing the London season, consume their evenings in a round of parties, assemblies, and routs, where such musical exhibitions are usually provided for their amusement. The per former earns plaudits just as noisy and unmeaning as the rattling bravura, sonata, or concerto, which called them forth, provided always that the person exhibiting is enabled, by dint of a sonorous voice, or open instrument and continuation stop, to overpower all the noises occasioned by a variety of chatterings in one, and by the disquisitions of card players in the other corner of the room. Such as it is, however, this accomplishment constitutes one claim to fashionable notoriety, a passion which absorbs or deadens every obler feeling of the heart. Its chilling atmosphere is not fitted for music; no wonder then that it should have imparted a portion of its own cold and flashy unmeaningness to the most inspiring of all the fine arts. All who have any respect for musical talent, must feel both astonishment and dis gust at the reception it generally meets with in society. It is true, men of eminence as performers are in great request, they are well paid, and well flattered. But it is apparent to the most superficial observer, that little attention is paid them. I have known many instances of persons of great musical acquirements, good-naturedly sitting down to amuse a large party at their unanimous and urgent request; silence reigned for the first five minutes; but presently the buz of conversation propagates itself from one cor ner of the room throughout the whole assembly, so that the musician is scarcely audible to the few who wish to listen. In the mean time a servant, with tea and coffee, or negus and lemonade, bustles busily about the room, and at length presents himself before the performer, in the middle of a fine piece of harmony, comes in contact with the bow of his Violin, or jogs his elbow at the Pianoforte, obstinately persisting in his illtimed offers, till either the devoted musician leaves off in despair, or some one, more discerning than the rest, calls off the persecuting blockhead. This may be an exaggerated picture, but I am sure the general resemblance will be recognized. By far the most usual modes of enjoying the pleasures of Music in this country, number of copies to defray the expenses of publication, by previous subscription. Without this precaution they would remain unheeded on the vendors' shelves, because our knowledge is too confined to comprehend their value, and our curiosity too much fettered and bound down by the voice of popularity or the interested reports of drivelling music masters, to strike out any new course for itself. where some preconcerted display is usually loss, works of any considerable length or provided, rather to set off the performer bulk, is to ensure the sale of a sufficient than to amuse the company. And, in general, the greater part of these soidisant musicians would rather listen to their own performance, however paltry, than bestow their attention upon that of others, however superior. There is too much selfishness about our social amusements. Every one wishes to shine, few are willing to sit in the shade and enjoy. Hence it is very rarely, in this country, that we meet with those delightful musical treats so frequent in the land of Music, in which the delicious quartett and trio of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, alternate with the most accomplished efforts of the human voice. A few discerning and attentive listeners are a sufficient inducement to the performers to put forth all their skill, and they hail with a smile of heartfelt pleasure, the well earned approbation of their friends. Much more of the jargon of connoisseurship is bandied about in our musical parties, than there, where music is really felt and understood. In those countries, men have not found it so easy to invent a nomenclature for their feelings, because they are too vivid to admit of description. They will not be fettered by arbitrary rules, because perfect liberty of thought and expression is essential to the existence of good music. Hence the ignorant answer of Haydn to the inquiries of our musical nobleman, why he had written such and such passages without regard to rule? "Because it has a good effect, because I think it suitable."* Or, in other words, "Because I make my own feelings, and not your dull rules, the test of musical effect, and my guide to musical excellence." ↑ There is another evil arising out of the fashion for Music in this country, which has greatly contributed to the deterioration of our musical taste; and that is, the overflow of paltry productions, to the exclusion of all good music. For, as every one who can afford it will have a pianoforte or harp, and as very few proceed beyond the first elements of the art, they must have music adapted to the sphere of their acquirements. Hence the vast inundation of new ballads, songs, canzonetts, glees, catches, rondos, &c. &c. in the majority of which, insipidity, vulgarity, and coarseness, seem to vie with each other for the mastery. These produc tions are disseminated with wonderful rapidity all over the country; and London publishers are so well aware of this base craving, that I much question whether they would not give more for some paltry catch, glee, madrigal, or love song, than for any more scientific or meritorious composition. Indeed the only way of publishing without * Lives of Haydn and Mozart, p. 188. + It was my intention, in this place to have introduced some remarks on our own Theatrical Music; I mean the original compositions for Covent Garden and Drury Lane theatres. But, upon reflection, I find that so little can be said about it, which has not already been said concerning our national music, that nothing need be in this All these considerations hold out but a melancholy prospect as to the future. Yet I believe that many symptoms of improvement have of late made their appearance: and I have little doubt but that the present open intercourse with the Continent will materially contribute to purify and correct our musical taste. The elegant melodies of Mozart have evidently attracted the public attention; of all the modern foreign musicians, he seems the most popular country. His Don Giovanni and Le Nozz di Figaro have been hailed with uncommon enthusiasm; the former so much so, tha it has been transferred from the Oper boards to those of Covent Garden. Yet fear that the preference is not yet so de cided as to induce our native composers t investigate the true causes of that grea man's popularity. It will fare with hiin a it did with Handel; his forms will be bor rowed, but the profound principles to t derived from his works will be neglected unless our artists study more and publis less; that is to say, unless they look mor to solid fame than present emolument. an Another favourable symptom is to E traced in the fact, of our amateurs in mus having drawn more closely together, as it were, embodied themselves for t promotion of true musical knowledge. T Philharmonic Society is an institution incalculable benefit to the true interests art in this country. If I am rightly formed, some specimens of original ne in symphonic music have been display there by native artists. If such societ were multiplied, it would greatly tend fire the industry and ambition of our co posers, and, by instructing the people in principles, gradually accustom them relish the higher beauties of the art. If native soil were made to yield good fr by diligent cultivation, the nation wo soon lose all taste for its present cod fare. I have now to apologize to your read for having obtruded my remarks upon the at so great a length. Yet I have foun necessary to abridge them very materia in drawing up this and the preced essay, by avoiding repetition, wherever could be avoided, without injury to the s ject. There may be some mistakes as facts, and many as to the application them to the subject. These will be eas corrected by persons more conversant w English Music than myself; and thoug is probable that the majority of your read have been but little interested in the pe are the concert room, and crowded parties, | added. It ranks lowest on the scale of mediocrity. | sal, yet, if these observations should L stracted the attention and approbation of LEARNED SOCIETIES. OXFORD, JANUARY 2. T. G. 1 ARTS AND SCIENCES. BAFFIN'S BAY. NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. The following extracts from a letter written by an Officer on the Expedition aziler Captain Ross communicates many ew facts, and confirms our opinion, long we expressed, that nothing has been certained as to the practicability or practicability of passing into the Pa Ocean from the North Atlantic. The ordinary weather of the Arcticregions, generally speaking, is mild, but foggy, and the atmosphere mostly loaded with clouds, soune kind of vapour; -when I say mild, Iran that there is little or no wind, and that Faarenbeit's thermometer ranges from to 4 in the shade; once, and I believe that once, it was down to 24o, but very often core 40. I am now speaking of the arnth of August, and I may add that Sepender brought with it no diminution of aperature, -it is true we were then rangdown the western coast of Baffin's Bay the southward; but we have learnt from "Iperience, that in these regions one does ast increase the cold by increasing the lati mide. mething like human beings moving toWards us on the ice, which separated us from the shore about seven or eight miles. Oh a nearer approach we perceived that Hey were actually men, sitting on low ges, drawn by five or six dogs in each. When within a mile or less of the ships, ber stopped short, but ballooed and shout5. af a great rate. Just at this time some reals we soon lost sight of them behind the | astonishment apparently at their unexpect trusted the sense of sight, and could not meaning. The questions they put to him, with great eagerness, were to the following purpose:-Who are ye?-What are ye?Where do you come from? Are you come from the moon?-What are those two great birds ?-Jack told them in reply, that he was a man like them;-that he had a father and mother;-that he was made of flesh and bones, and that he wore clothes; that the two great things which they called birds, were houses to live in. On hearing this, they all called out, No, no, we saw them flap their wings, and they were sure that they were Angekuk, or evil spirits, come to destroy them, at the same time one of them pulled from his boot a sort of rade knife, which he held out in a threatening posture, and said he would kill him. Jack threw them a shirt across the canal, that they might be convinced he carried about with him substantial matters, and not such as spirits could carry; they asked him what skin it was made of? Thus, by degrees, they conversed together; and when Jack told them any thing that pleased them, or to which they gave their assent, was indicated by pulling their noses. In a short time they had got into familiar conversation; and Jack having learnt that it there was plenty of water to the north, came a plank to enable running to the ship for approaching the ship, their astonishment were making between the ships, was unbounded, every object drew from etch probably alarmed them, for they them an ejaculation of hai-ya! accompanied denly whee wheeled round, and set off again with immoderate bursts of laughter. They Boards the shore in full gallop, at a speed laid hold of the ice-anchors, the smith's anwhich we supposed to be at least equal vil, the large spars of wood, as if they could to that of our mail-coaches; of course carry them off, and expressed the utmost We gave them some bread, but they spat. it out; some rum, but they could not bear it; and we learned from Jack that they lived entirely on animal food, mostly on the flesh of seals, sea-unicorns, bears, foxes, and birds; and when all these failed them, that they eat their dogs. The bones of the animals which serve them for food, supply them also with fuel; and a very fine soft moss, with long fibrous roots, when dipped in fish oil, is used by them as candles or torches. This moss grows in great plenty, and very luxuriant. The bones also serve them to make their sledges, which are fastened together with thongs of skins. Their knives are certainly the rudest instruments of the kind in the whole world: they are nothing more than a flattened piece of iron, like a bit of a hoop, passed longitudinally in the groove of a fish's bone, and extending beyond it, at one end, about an inch; and they are thus fixed, without the faculty of opening or shutting. Mr. Sabine took great pains, through the medium of Jack's interpretation, to learn where they got the iron, and how they worked it; the result of which was, that it was hewn by a sharp stone, from a large ma's found in the mountains at no great distance from the spot where we were; of course it was concluded that it must be native iron; and supposing it to have been recently disco+ vered, this circumstance may, in some measure, account for the rudeness of their ma nufacture, as the stitching of their clothes and boots, and the putting together of their sledges, were by no means contemptible performances. They described two pieces of iron from which they derived their supply; and each of which, by their account, might be equal to a enbe of two feet. They called it Sowie, and the place where it was found Sowie-lick, the former of which Jack This is a mistake: its real nature will be stated in our next Number. -ED. observed to be the name given to iron by the Southern Esquimaux. We now find, since our arrival, that this iron turns out to be meteoric, and that it contains the usual proportion of Nickel. It is very remarkable, that this new tribe of Esquimaux (which I find by the newspapers are ridiculously called a New Nation) have no boats, nor any means of going upon the water, except on the ice, though the greater part of their subsistence is derived from that element; but we understood that they managed matters very well without them. The way in which they proceed to catch seals, is by going to the openings or chasms in the ice, lying down, and imitating the cry of a young seal, when the old ones immediately peep up; and while they are endeavouring to scramble upon the ice, they are knocked on the head by the hunters, or run through with a kind of spear made of bone. I remember reading of a similar practice among the Southern Esquimaux. They gave us some specimens of this Seal-music, and also of their songs, which were any thing but music, and accompanied with the most ridiculous gestures and grimaces. On the murging of these notes in the ice, they also watch for the rising of the sea-unicorns to blow, which it seems they are frequently obliged to do. The flesh of this animal dried is a considerable article of their winter food. Though afraid at first to go into the boat, they appeared soon to be sensible of the advantages of being able to float on the water, and one of them shewed a great desire to get possession of Jack's canoe, after he had been told the use of it, of which he was before perfectly ignorant. Their winter habitations were to the northward, and that they came down south to pass the summer, where there is more ice and snow, and consequently more food to be had than in the former situation, -a seeming paradox, the truth of which, however, was completely verified by us. On the very northern summit of Baffin's Bay, which could not be less than 78°, there was much less snow on the land, and much less ice on the water, than we had hitherto met with in any part of Davis's Straits, and these people had told us that we should find it so; well, therefore, might our new friends deem this the happy country, and conclude that all the world to the south of them was ice and snow! And if good looks and a cheerful demeanour may be considered as indications of happiness, they were certainly in the enjoyment of it: they were all in excellent keeping, with faces as round as the full moon, and exceedingly like the people of Kamschatka and the Aleutian Islands. Their dogs, too, were in excellent condition: they have long bushy tails like the fox, a rough straggling mane round the neck, and have a general resemblance to the wolf: they seem very quiet, and but young dog, tween them. "Whale Sound" of Having passed Cape Dudley Digges, we opened out a sound or strait, which was considered to be that of Baffin, named "Wolstenholm's Sound;" but the shallowness of the water, and the ice within it, gave no hopes of a passage that way, and we accordingly passed it at the distance of 15 or 20 miles. The Baffin was not more promising; but it appeared to many very desirable that we should have approached somewhat nearer to "Sir Thomas Smith's Sound," at the north-western extremity of the bay, which presented a very wide but we passed it at the distance of 50 or 60 miles. The land now stretched S.W., and we ran parallel with it, but at so considerable a distance, that it was only to be seen at intervals, when the weather cleared up, which it did, sufficiently to let us see another opening, which we were willing to recognize as "Alderman Jones' Sound" of Baffin. The weather was in general mild and exceedingly pleasant, and the sea in the whole of the upper part of the bay almost wholly free from ice, excepting now and then a solitary ice-berg, floating, or aground. opening; ture to be neglected, and we accordingly | in casks, with layers of pounded ice beavailed ourselves of them, and steered to the northward, leaving these children of nature, and, as we deemed them, of misery, without the smallest reluctance; for, in fact, they at last became bold and troublesome, and attempted to steal every thing they could lay hands on. We had not proceeded far, when a singular appearance, of a deep crimson colour, on the surface of the snow, by the sides of the hills, attracted our attention, and the inore so when we found it continuing in patches, for an extent of ten or twelve miles. iles. Having landed near to one of the patches, we collected a considerable quantity of it, melted the snow, and preserved the colouring matter which it deposited. Various conjectures were hazarded as to this curious matter, and all the three kingdoms of nature were put in requisition. Many a page was turned over in our books of knowledge, with which the Admiralty had liberally supplied us; and, at length, some one, Captain Sabine, I believe, found, in Rees' Cyclopedia, the very thing we were in search of, under the word "Snow;" but the account there given left us just where we started. Saussure, it told us, found snow of a bright red colour, on the Alps, and considered the colouring matter as the farina of some plant, while M. Ramond, who found the same kind of snow on the Pyrenees, concluded it to be of mineral origin; and we now learn since our return, that ours at least is neither the one nor the other, but an animal substance, the excrement of birds, as Mr. Brande supposes, from the quantity of Uric acid it is found to contain; and I have no doubt but he is right, for in the very neighbourhood of it were such myriads of birds, of the Auk kind (Alea Alce), that when they rose up from the ice or the snow, they literally darkened the sky; and close to the spot where we landed, was one of their breeding places. If I say that they sometimes appeared in hundreds of thousands, or even millions, it will not give you an adequate idea of their numbers. We shot as many as we pleased, and fed the whole ship's company with them, being very palatable food, free from all fishy taste or smell, and they made most excellent soup. We used to bring down from twenty or thirty at a single shot; and as we had reason to believe that these vast multitudes were chiefly confined to the upper part of Baffin's Bay, we laid in a stock for future supply, by placing them * Uric acid, or lithic acid, was discovered by Scheele in 1776. It is the most common constituent of urinary calculi, and exists in human urine. That species of calculus which resembles wood in its colour and appearance is composed entirely of this substance. In this The writer of the letter goes on to state more at length than it is necessary for us to quote, that on the 30th of August, in latitude 744, or thereabouts, the expedition suddenly deepened its water from 150 or 160 to 750 fathoms, and increased its temperament from 32° to 36°. They were off Sir James Lancaster's Sound," which is at least 50 miles in width from the nortl to the south foreland. This inspired grea hopes, and they thought the North-wes passage found; but after running up abou ten leagues, the water being entirely free from ice, the Isabella saw land at the bottom of the inlet, while the ships were yet in a depth of 650 fathoms. On passing near the southern point of Lancaster Sound, (says our authority the depth of water had increased to up wards of 1000 fathoms. Close to thi point we landed on a fine sloping sand beach, at the bottom of a little bay, int which a river of running water was fall ing, whose width might be from 50 to 6 yards, and the water above knee deep The flat ground through which it ran wa free from ice, and appeared to be covere a tolerably good soil, of with in which wer growing a variety plants. On the bank were found a piece of a fir-tree, or branch about five inches in diameter, and a piec of birch bark. We went through the cere mony of taking possession of this land i the name of His Majesty, which, I fear, only putting a barren sceptre in hi hand," though of all the places we had ye this is by far the most inviting; and, im deed, were it not for the high peake " state it has a brownish colour, it is hard, and seen since we crossed the Arctic circle crystallized in small cakes. It has neither taste nor smell, is insoluble in cold water, but soluble in never 360 parts of boiling water. The solution reddens Deptford, has learn ince its arrival long as the noisiest dog in the place. at vegetable blues, especially the tincture of turnsol. A breeze of wind, and an open sea, were mountains, partially covered with snow which bound valley on each side, w could not possibly have supposed ourselve to be in the high latitude of 74°, especiall on looking seaward, and seeing not After this they saw several openings to =the south-east, but examined none. The sea continued free from ice, and the weather moderate, but seldom clear. About latitude 700 they fell in with the largest iceberg they had seen, upwards of two miles in length, and almost as much in breadth; it was calculated to weigh twelve de or thirteen millions of tons. A large bear ccupied the summit, who, on perceiving them advance to attack him, plunged into the sea from a height of fifty feet. They Continued to trace the land down to Cape Walsingham, which forms the northern wide of the entrance into Cumberland Nraits, up which Davis proceeded 180 miles. During their passage they had the Aurora Borealis very frequently, and unes very grand and beautiful, but it had perceptible influence on the magnetic wl, though the phenomenon is unquesLonably connected with magnetism, as the luminous arch was generally, though tinvariably, bisected by the magnetic 1 i neridian. some The writer, remarking on the newspaper Matement, apparently on demi-official autority, that there is no passage from Bovin's Bay into the Pacific, says, "I am perfectly certain that no officer employed 01 the Expedition ventured to hazard such assertion." On the contrary, he is of pinion "that the whole land, from Wolsaholm's Sound round the head of the Bst, and down to the northern coast of Labrador, is so intersected by numerous Kraits or inlets, that, as far as appearances 20, the land on the western side of Davis's Straits and Baffin's Bay is formed into a great cluster or archipelago of islands, beyoud which is the Polar Sea." The question, of any of these Straits being navigable, mast be settled by experience. The letter concludes with asserting that Veir observations had given a death-blow Captain Flinders' theory, and thus de scribes them: so that, at last, our compasses became so | with collectors, but like a true botanist, M. sluggish and so variable, that very little • Dr. Wollaston, in a paper in the Philos. Trans. 1810, alludes to the quantity of uric acid These important facts deserve the best atten- point to a remedy for the dreadful disorders NATURAL HISTORY. SWISS LITERATURE. Dr. H. N. Schinz has now published the first number of his the preceding notice may have excited. this first number each plate contains the birds form the beginning, and, besides the there is to be annexed at the end of the number of a Botanical Journal, to contain "We have swung the pendulum in lati- Seringe tries to prevent the multiplication of the species, and properly approximates what others had divided without reason. The descriptions and synonymes receive nu merous corrections. We shall take due notice of the second, more important number, which will very soon appear, and contains the history of the cereales (or farinaceous plants) of Switzerland. FOSSIL TREE. A fossil tree is in existence near the village of Penicuik, about ten miles from Edinburgh, of which curious phenomenon the following description is given in a letter by Sir J. S. Mackenzie, Bart. "On the south bank of the river North Esk, a short distance above the paper-mill at Penicuik, where the strata usually accompanying the coal formation of this country are exposed, a large portion of the trunk, and several roots, of a fossil tree are visible. It rises several feet above the bed of the river, as far as the strata reach, and the roots spread themselves in the rock. It appears as if the tree had actually vegetated on the spot where we now see it. It is, where thickest, about four feet in diameter. The strata, in which the remains of the tree sandstone. There is sandstone below and stand, are slate clay, and the tree itself is immediately above the slate clay, and the lower sandstone, to which they reach. Small roots do not appear to have penetrated the portions of coal were observed where the bark existed, the form of which is so disthe tree to have been a Scotch pine. This tinct on the fossil, that we may conjecture conjecture may appear more probable from the roots spreading more horizontally than those of other species. There are several been caused by frost." rents across the trunk, which may have THE FINE ARTS. MR. EDITOR, Observing that in No. 100 of the Literary Gazette you noticed the exclusion of Mr. Etty from the competition for a medal in "the School of Painting" at the Royal Academy, I beg leave to add a few particulars to the brief but accurate statement which you made on that occasion. Mr. Etty became, on the earliest stage of the competition, a candidate for the needle, close to the magnetic pole, as can- as agreeably as Seringe's Herbaries do of ward, perhaps 100 or 120 miles, we should certainly have stood on the magnetic poles, Warre in all probability our compasses vuld have ceased to act, at least with any gree of certainty, on board ship, as we fondul that the local attraction of the iron 1 the ships (and especially the Alexander) wereased with the increase of the dip and Twistion; and that the magnetic polar atVartion decreased in the same proportion; 1 of which five fasciculi have already ap- it was not until the great merit of his perpeared, M. Seringe publishes several of formance had awakened the fears of his the more numerous, difficult, and remark- rivals, that a triffing informality was disable kinds of plants, singly in numbers, covered, which rendered his picture inad each containing ten species-as the willow the reedgrasses, the veronica, the rose, &c. missible in the competition. It was remembered, and stated to the Council, that the picture had, contrary to a bye-law, been removed from the Academy. The fact was, that one evening, immediately after the outline had been sketched in, Mr. Etty innocently but incautiously took home his canvas for the purpose of laying in a customary ground, to facilitate the subsequent progress of the picture, and that on the next morning he replaced his performance, which was but yet in its earliest stage, within the walls of the Academy. This was, however, by the Council very properly adjudged to be fatal to the immediate hopes of the Artist, and the Secretary communicated the decision to Mr. Etty in a letter, which contains these words: "You would, however, have been more than consoled for this exclusion, if you had heard the opinions of the Council on your copy from Titian, which they considered by far the best work that has yet been produced in the Painting School;" adding also, You will, I am persuaded, derive more credit from your picture in and out of the Academy, than could have been conferred by any medal, and that should amply compensate for the regret you might otherwise feel." These kind and complimentary observations were indeed sufficiently consolatory, but the Council subsequently embodied their opinion in a resolution at once unanimous and unprecedented, recording their sense of the universal good conduct and assiduity of Mr. Etty, of the distinguished merit of the copy from Titian, and requesting the President to express to that gentleman" their high approbation of his work, which the laws of the Academy have excluded from competition on the present occasion." These instructions from the council were eloquently carried into execution by Mr. Shee, who acted this on anniversary President; he as addressed Mr. Etty in a manner highly indicative of that refined and cultivated taste for which he is distinguished. I know not, Sir, whether this well-timed and well-earned compliment be more honourable to the Academy or the Student. The kind solicitude which was evinced by that distinguished body to console a young and meritorious artist, under the pressure of a disappointment particularly aggrieving, exhibits a recipro city of feeling between the Academy and her sons, which is alike honourable to both, and which augurs most favourably for the progress of the arts, for nothing can, in my opinion, be conceived more calculated to inspire a student with energy and industry than the recollection of this instance of the affectionate interest with which the Academy regards such of her sons as are assiduous and deserving. I have ventured to trespass thus far upon your pages, partly because I am anxious to read the wellearned honours of a deserving artist, but more especially to give publicity to an occurrence which is characterised by that delicate and refined feeling which ought always to mark the progress of art, and which affords to the rising artists the most encouraging prospects even under the pressure of temporary disappointment. I have the honour to remain, Sir,* Yours obediently, Gray's Inn, Dec. 24, 1818. A. MARTIN. ORIGINAL POETRY. [Literary Gazette.] THE 31ST OF DECEMBER. * Hark to the deep-toned chime of that bell Or cre that bell shall cease its chime, The Year will have fled on the wings of Time. Was dimmed by sorrow, or sealed in night, Ere its circle had reached its close; And hearts, that luxuriant were blooming then, Have withered-never to bloom again. There are, who this Year will remember for REMAINS OF HERBERT KNOWLES. The touching Lines in Richmond Churchyard by this extraordinary youth, whose premature death has robbed his country of one who bid fair to place himself among the foremost of its poetical ornaments, having excited very considerable curiosity, and admiration, we are gratified in being able to lay some of his productions before the public. We trust also that the kindness of a near relative will put it in our power to give a short biography of the juvenile bard, whose pieces, shewn in manuscript to several of the most accomplished scholars and critics of the present era, procured him not only the praise of surpassing genius, but that protection and countenance which, had he lived, would have brought him into the literary world under the most auspicious circumstances. [By a Correspondent.] FRAGMENT OF AN UNFINISHED POЕМ. She breath'd no accent, and she mov'd no limb, But rais'd her dark eye, and it fix'd on him; ment, affecting an individual so much as it does, of sufficient general interest for our columns. Upon this we take the opportunity of saying, that, with the utmost abhorrence of puffs, nothing affords us greater delight than to be able to recommend individual genius to public attention. We have not seen the picture alluded to, but have heard so high a character of it from friends, whose impartiality and judement we can rely, that we ill acquit ourselves of the profes on * Our Correspondent, in a private note, ex sions we make, as friends and lovers of our Native Arts, were we to reject such a communication. To be instrumental in pointing honour and fame towards the productions of one man of real talent, is a grateful reward for our labours. ED. • Accidentally omitted last week. † In the Lit. Gazette for Dec. 26; where it wat erroneously stated that he died aged 19, in presses a doubt whether he may think his state- | September instead of April last. And there was something in that marble brow, She sigh'd--she mov'd--through every purple ve Yet was it not the mountain wave, that brough Had almost woke a swooner from the dead. Awhile they talk'd-but oh how wild the strain O deem not-ye who know no hours like this, The Greek, the Turk, can love with hotter flam To choke the finer avenues of sense? Perchance I wrong them-but whate'er the cause Politeness, custom, call it what you will, thrown, Reproach her not-her all of joy or woe, Created, living, for themselves alone; * |