ART.

XV.The Van Diemans Land Almanack, for the Year of our Lord 1831. Being the Third Year after Leap Year. 12mo. pp. 263. Hobart Town: Henry Melville.

It is a very favourable sign of a colony to have attained the luxury of an Almanack, for it is one of those national conveniences, which a people advanced in civilization alone can relish or understand. We congratulate our distant brethren of Van Dieman's Land, on the moral advancement which this publication so signally testifies; and considering that this is the first attempt of the kind which has been made in the colony, we regard the performance as altogether highly creditable to the editor. The calendar, chronological cycles, and those tables usually found in European Almanacks, are given with great care and accuracy; the chief distinction by which this is rendered different from the others being, that it contains detailed accounts of the geography and history of the colony.

The philosopher who takes a comparative view of human affairs, in different situations, will be greatly struck at the picture which this book pourtrays. He will see, politicallyand morally, in the community of Van Dieman's Land, nothing more than a miniature model of the great country itself, from which it derives its existence. With some differences, indeed, in the government of the colony, he will find the civil establishment, in almost all its details, placed on the same footing as that which, on a much more extended scale, exists at home. The people of Van Dieman's Land have their secretaries of state, their auditors, and their registrars. They have supreme courts, courts of requests and quarter sessions, with barristers, and attornies, and proctors to boot! The departments

of a miscellaneous immediately con

nected with the executive of the colony, are nearly as numerous as those about Whitehall and Downing Street. In the list of public institutions, we find four banking houses, two other commercial companies, and a mechanic's institution. The recreation of the colonists seems to be very fairly provided for in the establishment of two clubs. One of these last associations, called the Whaling club, offers a prize to the first person who gives information of a whale being in the river. Two race-courses are open, at proper seasons of the year, for the gratification of those parties who cannot be prevailed on to try the dangers of a whale hunt. The established church is located here also, where, as usual, it is surrounded by rival Wesleyans and Evangelists of a thousand shades. Circulating libraries and book societies, seminaries for young gentlemen or young ladies, we are happy to say abound in the colony.

The Van Dieman people seem to be well grounded already in all the mysteries of taxation. They perfectly understand all the refinements of customs and harbour dues, with wharfage and warehouse charges: the privileges of having a license to vend certain articles have also been extended to the colony, and the clergy have been so complimentary to them, as to exact the same surplice fees that are demanded at home. In short, Van Dieman's Land is neither more nor less than another Little Britain," in 43 degrees of south latitude, where the body politic of the mother country, in its various aspects, is represented on a Lilliputian scale, to the great edification, no doubt, of the aborigines of the soil. It may not be superfluous, that in respect of difference of time, Hobart Town is faster than London, by 9 hours, 49 minutes, and 40 seconds.

ART.XVI.-Standard Novels, No.IX. Frankenstein. The Ghost-Seer. Vol. I. London: Colburn and Bentley. 1831.

We

MRS. Shelley's singular story of Frankenstein, will never be forgotten by any person who has once perused it. Though a composition, in every way, sui generis, yet it is easily admitted to a place among the standard works of fiction, which abound more in our language than in that of any other nation. are glad to see it here reprinted, with an introduction, in which the author has mentioned the circumstances that led her to the conception of the wild and extraordinary plot, developed with so much felicity in her tale. The Ghost-Seer is a translation of the well-known composition of Schiller.

ART.XVII.-The Dream of Eugene Aram, the murderer. By Thomas Hood, Esq., with Designs, by Harvey. 8vo. pp. 31. London: Tilt. 1831.

THE reader has probably become already acquainted with this tale, which is a reprint from one of the annuals, and a versified account of one of the most deliberate crimes upon record. It will be found fully narrated in the Newgate Calendar, and the Biographia Britannica.Aram in order to get possession of a trifling property, murdered, by the aid of an accomplice, a shoe-maker of the name of Clarke, whose body lay buried in a cave nearly fourteen years before it was discovered. An accidental expression uttered by the accomplice on this occasion, led to the arraignment of the murderer, whose defence has been preserved, and exhibits a finished specimen of eloquence and ingenuity. Mr. Hood has varied the course of the dis

THE Edinburgh Cabinet Library,' of which this forms the fifth volume, still maintains the popular character, which was so decidedly impressed upon its earlier numbers. The present compilation is in every respect well executed-the style, printing, paper, portraits, are all of an order of merit which one would hardly expect, even in this age of cheap literature, to find in a five shilling book. The lives of our Drake, Cavendish, and Dampier, will always be read by Englishmen with fresh interest, which will not be abated by being interwoven, as they are here, with the curious history of the Buccaneers, those chivalrous marauders of the sea, whose wanderings display some of the finest points in the character of the British seaman, notwithstanding the taint which their system of depredation had brought upon it.

ART. XIX.- The Sister's Budget: a collection of original Tales in prose and verse, by the Authors of the "Odd Volume," with Contributions from Mrs. Hemans, Miss Mitford, Miss Jewsbury, Mrs. Hodson, Mrs. Kennedy, Mr. Mac Farlane, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. H. G. Bell, Mr. Malcolm, &c. In two vols. 8vo. London: Whittaker & Co. 1831.

Ir we were briefly to state our opinion of the "Sister's Budget," we feel that we should be doing no injustice to its claims if we likened it to one of the tamest of last year's Annuals. The Editors, in both cases, boast of the distinguished names which are enrolled in the catalogue of their contributors: but in both we equally observe turgid promises succeeded by "lank performances." With respect to the three first names mentioned in the title page, we have a few observations to make. We find, in the first place, that Mrs. Hemans has contributed nothing whatever to the prose, unless the few thoughts which she has facetiously put into the fetters of metre and rhyme, be considered worthy of being placed under that category. Fourteen orthodox lines being the full amount of her contingent, we leave the angel of forgiveness to wash away the fault with a tear. The strange character -in which Miss Mitford makes her appearance in this volume, has exceeded our most extravagant apprehensions. Why, she really makes a sonnetteer of the first water. She who used to rule the world of wit and fun, and make all the eccentrics and cynics of her acquaintance tremble before her, dreading her powers of conferring immortality! She to condescend to become " poet laureate" to St. Valentine, and assist the labours of the cockney muses on the fourteenth of February! Ve

rily the authors of our days occasionally remind us of the folly of some capital stage players, who will stick at no fantastic exhibition when invited by a favourite colleague to enact some rarity for his benefit. Now if the reader be surprised that the two first of the distinguished contributors have mustered scarcely a substantial page between them, what will be his wonder when he hears that Miss Jewsbury has contributed less? In fact this lady's share came too late for the printer, and though formally "booked" for the public, she has lost her place for the present. So that we are now in the condition of the party in Virgil's poem, and we can with great truth declare, in the language of that immortal bard,

Nulla tuarum audita nec visa sororum.

The Sisters having thus so awkwardly abandoned the family Budget," its protection has been left almost entirely to a band of volunteers, who, in the generous warmth of fraternal feelings, determined to assert the cause of the sisterhood. Mr. Mac Farlane for example, has, in the most gallant manner, in proportion to his means, given the story of a Greek Pilot, the noblest adventure in whose annals, as far as we can discover, appears to be his miraculous promotion from the maritime profession to the office of waiting man to his biographer. The next of those generous volunteers is Mr. Kennedy, or we should perhaps be more regular in saying simply "Kennedy," as he is styled in these volumes, after the manner of Homer, Shakspeare, Byron, and the like. But Kennedy though he be, we will concede to him the privileges that are due to common mortals, and since, upon this occasion, he is accompanied by his lady, we shall

waive our critical right in such a presence, and observe a decorous silence. We would, however, respectfully convey to his ear, that bad imitations of the German school of romance do not afford us, we infer from the specimen before us, a congenial soil for the cultivation of his talents, his fancy, and his taste. We hope to see better things from this gentleman, and this hope is rather prompted by the consideration of the claims of which Mrs. Kennedy, we believe on her debut, sets forth in the present volume. The tale of tragic distress which she has conjured out of the elements of a few facts connected with the Greek revolution, is distinguished by the evidences of considerable dramatic talent, by energy and grace of diction, such as to surround the first appearance of Mrs. Kennedy in the world of letters, with auspices of the highest promise.

ART. XX.-The Library of Entertaining Knowledge. Pompeii. Vol. I. Published by the Society, for the Diffusion of Useful Kowledge. London: C. Knight, 1831.

Nor one of all the volumes hitherto sent forth by the Society abovementioned, more properly corresponds with the description of what their publications ought to be, than the volume before us; for, in point of fact, it does diffuse knowledge, both useful and entertaining, amongst a multitude of readers, who never, except through the same medium, could expect to attain it. Replete as is the history of the discovery of Herculaneum and Pompeii, with the most fascinating interest,

it is surprising that, up to this time, no attempt had been made to render the details of the discovery familiar to British readers. An Englishman, Sir William Gell, it is true, has expended a great deal of money and toil in obtaining authentic descriptions of the buildings which have been recovered; and there are few of our travellers who have returned from the great tour without adding something to the stock of information, which had been published respecting Pompeii. All this intelligence lay scattered in a variety of books, requiring more labour and money to reach it, than any ordinary person could possibly spare. But even were it ever so accessible, it was still partial and imperfect; for it is to the Italians we must look for the complete and satisfactory history of this interesting discovery. The task of collecting the materials for this little work was confided to Mr. Wm. Clarke, an architect, who has had it in his power by personal observations on the spot, to confirm or correct the representations of his authorities. A detailed account of the ruins of Pompeii, as they may at present be seen, forms the cominencement of this volume. A reference for the sake of comparison is then made, to the ancient condition of the city, so far as the lights of history enable the compiler to determine that condition. Copious descriptions of the public edifices-the walls and gates-public roads--streets, &c., next follow in succession; and the whole is illustrated by nearly one hundred and forty engravings, including representations of architectural decorations, facsimiles of inscriptions, sculptural figures and groups, and articles of domestic use.

Guy Faux Day.-As a curious illustration of the changes which the progress of time effects on national feelings and customs, we may mention that Guy Faux's Day in 1831, was celebrated by the profanation, and finally the ignominious destruction of effigies, not indeed of supposed Catholic delinquents, but avowedly of contemporary Protestant bishops. How profoundly true it is, that time is the great avenger. It may be stated as a circumstance worthy of note, that there is in the city of Norwich a charity, called the Gunpowder Treason Gift," from which 10s. each are given on the 5th of November, to twenty poor widows, whose united ages amount to the number corresponding with the year of the Gunpowder Plot,

"

1605.

Specimen of Mechanism. A watchmaker, at Dundee, is now exhibiting a most singular speciinen of workmanship, which possesses additional attraction, in consequence of its having been the property of the Scotch gentleman, who, according to Sir Walter Scott's avowal, stood for the well-known character of Monkbarns, in the Antiquary. This specimen consists of a pure orb of crystal, which exhibits, by small golden or brass knobs, fixed to the interior of the glass, a complete view of the firmament. The constellations are cut in crystal, and the whole appears to roll over the spectator, in imitation of the motions of the stars in the heavens.

Manchester and Liverpool Railway. During the twelve months that have passed from the first opening of this railway, nearly half a

million of persons have travelled in the steam-carriages, from town to town. The gross sum produced on account of passengers and goods, amounts to 160,000l.

Drunkenness in America.-Drunkards in the United States, are treated by the laws of the country as lunatics. Thus, if the overseers of the poor of any city or town, are able to prove that any resident, however rich, is a habitual drunkard, he, (the overseer,) is required to inform the Court of Chancery. The Court, in case the charge be true, appoints a committee, which remains in the management of the drunkard's property, until proof can be brought that he has completely renounced his licentious habits.

Strange Club.-There is in Lincoln, a society called the " Last Man," the object of which is altogether of an extraordinary nature. A bottle of wine was placed, at the institution of the club, in a case, the custody of which is determined by lots annually drawn. The member who has the care of the wine, at Christmas gives a dinner or supper to the whole club. The bottle is to be preserved until one member of the society remains-and he, "The Last Man," is to drink it to the memory of his former friends.

Late Patents.-Patents have been recently taken out for improvements in the mode of evaporating syrups and saccharine juices-in fire-arms -in apparatus for preserving lives from shipwreck-in manufacturing flax-in manufacturing metallic pens -in pattens or clogs for the feetin machinery for acquiring power in tides or currents-in the boilers or generators of steam-in making