Order of the Bath at Gibraltar, the following stanzas, said to have been of extemporaneous composition, and referring to the event, have been deemed worthy of preservation and publication : "Ye valiant martial bands, all hail! Rejoiced when peace resumes her charms: Unfading laurels, and unenvied praise !" &c. &c. Sir James's inordinate anxiety about a peerage could not be disguised by him. The evidences of this, and the feelings relative to the same distinction entertained by his better half, are numerous. Take the following 1ich examples : 66 6 London, 9th September, 1831. "This morning I had a long interview with Sir James Graham, who, I must say, is most favourably inclined towards me, and assures me that Earl Grey, with whom he has had frequent conversations, is equally so. I have an appointment with the latter to-morrow, but I do not anticipate any favourable result, and can only say, God's will be done!' "We need scarcely add, that his application was successful; Sir James was raised to the long-expected and well-merited dignity of a baron on the 1st of October, 1831. The following extract of a letter from Lady Saumarez to her son, describing the arrival of the first intelligence, we are sure will be perused with interest: "Saumarez, 4th October, 1831. "I also remember, my dear James, that October is an eventful month to us all; that to-morrow is your wedding-day, and Sunday is your birthday-and you may be sure we shall not fail to keep them both in remembrance, in our prayers and warmest wishes, that they may ever be num. bered among those marked blessed. Our register has now to unrol a brilliant page, which, I trust, the same Divine hand that inscribed it will seal with that stamp. Wonderful it is yet to me-so suddenly, so unex. pectedly did it come at last! I admit there is no excuse for my incredulity, except that of thinking your dear father had been so strangely deprived of his well-earned reward through the injustice of man on so many occa. sions, because far better things than man could give were in store for him. And although I did not doubt, if any naval peers were created at the coronation, he would be one, I did not allow my thoughts to dwell upon it; and when the Gazette arrived without his name, I gave it up altogether. You may therefore judge my surprise on Wednesday morn ing, when a tap at my door announced Betty Williams, who, in breathless agitation, came to my bedside to say Mr. C. Lefebvre was below, to inform me Sir James was made a lord!' When I joined him at breakfast, an hour after, he gave me so many interesting particulars which he had heard, that the account could not be disbelieved; but the entrance of two letters removed every shadow of doubt. The accounts from England of the reception of this event everywhere, from all classes and parties, I have no parallel.'" Sir John Ross, of course, is exactly of the same mind with the preceding writers; and he also thinks that Sir James should have been much sooner ennobled. Hear him in regard to the actions fought by his hero, off Algeziras, in which, however gallantly the affairs were contested, there really was not that species of victory and triumph for which the hearts of the British nation simultaneously, on certain other occasions, awarded a coronet : "Taking into account every circumstance regarding the actions of the 6th and 12th July,—the severity of the former, the intermediate exertions, the professional skill, the daring and the tact displayed in the latter, and the complete discomfiture of the enemy's well-arranged plans for the destruction of our commerce at Lisbon and the subsequent relief of their army in Egypt,-this victory was equal to, if not greater in importance, than either the battles of St. Vincent or the Nile; for the former of which Jervis was created an earl, and Nelson a baron for the latter immediately on the arrival of the news in England. [!!!] Yet, after a lapse of several months after praises had been heaped upon Sir James-after the thanks of both houses of parliament had been voted to him for the fifth time-after his eminent services had been acknowledged by every large corporation, and generally throughout the kingdom-after the highest encomiums had been pronounced on him by Earl St. Vincent and Lord Nelson,-instead of a peerage, which he as richly deserved as either of the other two, he was decorated only with the red riband." Then behold how this ardour after titles figures when brought into connection with the following offices : He was one of the oldest members (I believe, President) of the Society for promoting Christian knowledge, having become a subscriber to that institution in the year 1789; he was also president of the Royal Naval Charitable Institution, and of the Naval and Military Bible Society, as well as a large contributor. He was, moreover, vice-president of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and of the Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews; patron of the National Schools of the Bethel Union; the Provident Society; the Church of England Missionary Society, &c. His mind and his time, therefore, were employed in a manner no less honourable and useful than it had been in his majesty's service; and it does not appear that he had taken any notice of the manifest neglect of his claims until the peace of 1814, when, at the conclusion of the war, peerages were conferred on those officers of the army and navy who had most highly distinguished themselves. He now found his name omitted; while Sir Edward Pellew, an officer junior to him on the list of admirals, who had never commanded a ship in a general action, and who was not even a Knight of the Bath, was raised to the dignity of baron. Sir James could not but consider this circumstance as an injustice to his superior claims; and we know that Sir Edward Pellew, then created Baron Exmouth, admitted that Sir James's claims for that high honour were far greater than his own. We may add, that every officer of his majesty's navy was of the same opinion. Feeling himself bound to remonstrate, a correspondence took place between Sir James and some of his majesty's ministers on the subject, but without effect." This is worse than silly; but the combination is characteristic enough. Take one or two specimens more : "Captain Saumarez having paid off the Russell, and distributed his crew into different ships according to the final orders he had received from the Admiralty, repaired to London, and after paying his respects to Earl Howe, proceeded to Guernsey to receive the congratulations of his numerous friends; but these were far from altering the natural bent of his disposition to do good.' Instead of becoming elevated by prosperity, his sincere and unaffected piety induced him to take a leading part in the establishment of charitable institutions, and in his own person to give 'a striking and useful example of moral and religious life.' But his noble mind was never diverted from the service and the good of his country; he was constantly attentive to every circumstance that concerned the duties of his profession." Could his mind have been noble if it ever had been diverted from the service and the good of his country? Or why should congratu lations for past efforts alter the natural bent to do good? Truly, whys and wherefores, cause and effect, are strangely concatenated in Sir John Ross's mind. It may be added, that he is skilful in the art of sinking; a master of commonplaces and feebleness also. Listen In 1787, when Captain Saumarez had nearly attained his thirtieth year, peace seemed to be completely established. At an early age he had attained, by his own merit, the highest rank to which an officer could be advanced he had fully established a character equally exalted for courage and professional talent; and having been, wherever fortune had placed him, always in the best society, his manners as a gentleman were no less elegant than his person, which was tall and graceful, while his handsome features denoted a heart susceptible of the dictates both of humanity and love. It is not then to be wondered at, when he returned to his native island, that he still cherished an attachment which he had long formed; especially when he found her, on whom he had fixed his affections, possessed of every quality which could ensure mutual happiness; neither can it appear surprising that on her part the regard should be equally warm and sincere. The appearance of hostilities in the same year, however, occasioned a suspension of his matrimonial arrangements." Solemn stupidity! Nor does the notice of the Admiral's last moments, with which we close our paper, put us in much better temper with the biographer : "His recollection, however, was gradually leaving him; for, on Lady de Saumarez approaching his bedside on the morning of Saturday, he no longer recognised her; he appeared to be fast passing from this world to better and everlasting habitations. It was, as this excellent and truly Christian woman acknowledged, more than mortal strength which enabled her to contemplate without a murmur the separation that was so soon to take place, and which raised her mind above the distressing scene before her, to find utterance in prayer for herself and for the departing spirit of her husband. She was not sensible that she was heard, till, a few moments after she had concluded, he distinctly said, in the metrical version of the 122nd psalm, 'It was a joyful sound to hear.' It is uncertain whether this alluded to the words of the prayer just uttered, or whether the Almighty was already pleased to vouchsafe to him, as there is reason to believe he does to his faithful servants when approaching the great conflict, some assurance of this salvation, by admitting him to a distant sound of the hallelujahs of those blessed spirits which surround the throne." ART. X. 1.—Excursions in the Mountains of Ronda and Granada, with Characteristic Sketches of the Inhabitants of the South of Spain. By CAPTAIN C. R. SCOTT. 2 vols. 8vo. London: Colburn. 1838. 2.-Notes on Naples and its Environs; and on the Road to it from Rome. By a TRAVELLer. 12mo. London: Bohn. 1838. THE author of the second of these publications, in allusion to a remark that is very naturally suggested when a new book containing sketches of oft-travelled and oft-described scenes is announced, in his preface says, " a walk along the Strand of London was moulded into an essay some years ago, the entertainment derived from which he still remembers." Very probably; but the question is, who was the moulder?-the reflection also, that it is not every pedestrian who traverses a familiar and much-trodden path that can create entertainment, elicit novelty, or produce striking, and at the same time truthful combinations, when treating of what has been beheld or suggested during such a walk. Most assuredly something else must characterise the sketches than either the circumstance of the multitude of them, size, or elaborate painting; a truth which Captain Scott should have felt before he unburdened himself of these bulky octavos. It is seldom, indeed, that we have encountered such a heavy and tiresome business as the duty of perusing them has imposed upon us; for while there is hardly a grain of novelty in the whole mass, that which has been re-dished up is either so dull, wire spun, or superficial, as ought never to have been foisted upon the public under the promise of being "characteristic." The gallant author, in fact, appears to have had some misgivings about the nature of his work, and to have been at a loss to satisfy even his own self with a reason for its publication. What is any VOL. III. (1838.) No. IV. Q Q one to expect of the performance who happens to read the advertisement which we now quote? "I ought here to give notice, that it is not my intention in the following pages to conduct my reader, town by town, kingdom by kingdom, through every part of Andalusia; giving him a detailed account of its statistics, productions, resources, &c., (the thing was not wanted, say we); in fact, spreading before him a regular three-course banquet of travels; but rather to present him with a light (light!) and simple dish of the country, seasoning it with such tales and anecdotes as were picked up in the course of many excursions, made during a period of many years?" Here we must observe that the fact of two thick octavos being filled with sketches thus collected is presumption strong that they can neither be cleverly done nor rapidly descriptive. Our author cannot possess the art of sketching as it were upon his thumb-nail, and catching at a glance the exterior of things. But to attend for a moment more to his far-fetched and by no means illustrative comparison-he merely promises, instead of a regular three-course banquet, "a Gazpacho, as it may be called, whereof the country furnishes the principal part, or bread and water, (the dish is thin and cold enough,) and to which the tales-so, at least, I hope it may be found-give the gusto imparted to this favourite Andalusian dish by the addition of oil, vinegar, and pepper." It is only necessary, before searching for a few samples of the oil, vinegar, and pepper, to inform our readers that the bread and water ingredients and principal materiel are said to have been collected between the years 1822 and 1830, "revised and corrected," that is to say, seasoned as above, "with additions and improvements," from a journal kept of a subsequent tour. Now that the time, pains, and expense bestowed in the way of gathering and infusing rich or pungent morsels should have dispelled whatever characteristic flavour belonged to the original production, coming, as is to be supposed, warm from the heart, and bearing faithful lines of the things described, is just as natural and likely as that the work should swell to its present size, in the hands of a man who regards quantity rather than quality. It is a fact which every author does not understand, that it is easier to write a large book than one that is small and good. Laborious dulness is always equal to the former effort: Captain Scott, we suspect, has found his abilities inadequate to the latter. Our author has a good deal to say about antiquities, and also in regard to the fine arts, &c, as presented or suggested in the course of his various journeys. Respecting these and many subjects which admit of difference of opinion, he is sufficiently opinionative. As to certain matters, however, of very general concernment, and which at the same time are the themes of not a little diversity of judgment, as well as of pretended connoisseurship in England and elsewhere, we quote a few notices that are not without value and interest. Speaking of the manufactory of cigars at sundry places, he says 700 |