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water, and let out the solid matter it dissolves; and these successive crops of icicles soon form chinks and rents extending for many feet. Now, oak is frequently contracted for in building ships, and mill-work, floodgates, locks, and so forth, merely as oak, and often, either through ignorance or fraud, the perishable timber is purveyed instead of the enduring wood.

Italian Fig Tree. - Among the time-worn ruins of the ancient castle at Reculver, in the island of Thanet, which forms part of the county of Kent, an ancient fig-tree stretches forth its venerable arms to the breeze, and attracts the attention of the visitor, not more by the venerable aspect it presents, than by the historical records with which it is connected, This tree, according to the traditions of the neighbourhood, claims Italy for the soil of its nativity, and Roman hands for those of its first planters; its age, consequently, cannot be less than from 1345 to 1888 years, the Romans having first landed at Deal in the summer of the 55th year before the birth of our Saviour, 1888 years ago, and having finally quitted Britain in the year of our Lord 488, or 1345 years ago. Could this patriarchal tree but relate the various changes it has seen, and the political, as well as physical, convulsions it has experienced, what an eventful history could it furnish!

Diversity of Tastes. It would be curious to trace the prejudices and preferences of mankind for different sorts of food, and to observe, from the facts discovered, how much influence mental antipathies have over our bodily feelings. The refreshing, and almost universally approved beverage, tea, when offered by some European travellers to the Turkish ladies, was rejected as insipid and valueless. We find, in some old English dramas, corvorants and soland geese reckoned among the dainties

of the table. At the present time, crabs, lobsters, and other shell-fish, are, in this and other countries, considered as delicacies.

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A Hymn to Shakspeare. For some years past, a society has existed called the " Mulberry Club," composed principally of men of genius connected with the fine arts, literature, and the drama, who meet together for the purpose of encouraging a sincere affection for the memory, and a fervent admiration for the works, of the Bard of Avon. the anniversary of his birth-day, and during the mulberry season, a festival is given by the club, at which times some of the members read compositions of their own, in honour of the immortal dramatist, which are afterwards inserted, for the purpose of publication, in a volume entitled the " Mulberry Leaves," and are illustrated with original drawing's by other members who may be artists. The "Hymn to Shakspeare" was read by the author to the society on one of these occasions; and although possessing so little claim to their attention, was honoured with a place among the contributions of their distinguished members, and is now produced before the public with their approval.

The Hirlas Horn.-The drinkinghorn used by the ancient Britons. Owain Cyveiliawg, a prince of a part of Powis, and a poet of considerable eminence, made it the subject of a poem. It was generally formed of the buffalo horn, which was of a blue colour, from whence its name, Hirlas, blue-horn, and was frequently ornamented with gold or silver.

LITERARY NOTICES.

Early in August will appear, "Travels in the United States and Canada;" containing some account of their Scientific Institutions, and a few notices of the Geology and Mineralogy of those countries. By J. Finch, Esq.; Cor. Mem. Nat. Hist. Soc. Montreal, &c. &c.

Nearly ready, in 2 vols. foolscap 8vo. "On Man: his Motives, their Use, Operation, Opposition, and Results." By William Bagshaw, Clerk, M. A., formerly of Brazennose College, Oxford.

"Conrad Blessington," a Tale, by a Lady, is nearly ready, in 1 vol. foolscap 8vo.

Shortly will appear, "Traditionary Stories of Old Families, and Legendary Illustrations of Family History;" with Notes, Historical and Biographical. By Andrew Picken, author of "The Dominie's Legacy." 2 vols. post 8vo.

The Second Volume of the "Naturalist's Library," edited by Sir

William Jardine, Bart., will be published on the first of August, and contain the first volume of the " Natural History of Monkeys."

"Cornelius Agrippa," a Romance of the 16th Century. By R. Shelton Mackenzie. The time is that of the League of Cambray, when Venice was threatened with destruction by the Pope Julius II. Louis XII. and Emperor Maximilian II. Besides these personages, Chevalier Bayard, Titian, &c. figure in the story.

The Third and concluding Number of a "" Collection of Doorways from Ancient Buildings in Greece and Italy," expressly measured and drawn for this work by Thomas Le Donaldson. There are in all 26 plates, accompanied by letterpress, which contains a new translation of a Chapter of Vitruvius on the subject, the original of which is derived from a valuable MS. in the Library of the British Museum, 4to.

THE

MONTHLY REVIEW.

AUGUST, 1833.

ART. I.-Memoirs of the Court of King Charles_the_First. By LUCY AIKIN. In 2 vols. 8vo. Longman, Rees, & Co. 1833.

Ir is by no means improbable that the nature and objects of the present memoirs, as well as those of Miss Aikin's former historical works, should be misunderstood by a considerable portion of the public. Many, no doubt, must have made up their minds that such a book as the Memoirs of the Court of Charles the First, contained no matters of greater importance or interest than what may be derived from Miss Aikin's particular view of the life of King Charles, and the events of his time. But as the subjects themselves have been already abundantly treated by other and more experienced historians, a hasty judge might be very prone to say that nothing very new or very attractive could be expected to be found in these volumes. We are quite sure that we use no exaggeration when we recognize the probability of such an inference as we have just spoken of being frequently entertained with regard to such works as the present; but a reference to the pages themselves will soon dissipate all such unfavourable impressions, for, instead of confining herself to the beaten track of the political high road, Miss Aikin has directed her researches to the more interesting circumstances which belong to the private and domestic life of the principal hero, and she presents him, not as we have been accustomed to contemplate him, clothed in his royal robes, and wielding the sceptre of state, but retired from the public gaze, and as a man acting under the natural control either of his frailties or his virtues. These memoirs, then, of Miss Aikin's, are not to be described as a new and varied version of the transactions of Charles's reign, but they strictly deserve the title of being a most engaging picture of courtly life and manners during the period to which they are devoted, and they serve to fill up that great blank in the historical chart which had been left by former historians.

VOL. II. (1833) no. iv.

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Not much of interest can be excited by the early history of Charles, and it is not until we see him mounted on his father's throne that the record begins to assume any striking degree of importance. The state of society, manners, commerce, and literature, at the date of his accession, is made the theme of a highly curious and instructive description by Miss Aikin. By a concurrence of many auspicious circumstances during the reign of James the First, the kingdom became possessed of some new elements of national improvement. The union of the crowns of Scotland and England, and the protracted duration of peace, were productive of the highest advantages to the country, both directly and collaterally. The total abandonment of the principle of a foreign war which characterized the reign of James, drove the ardent spirits of the time into other and less criminal enterprizes, and then was it that the useful, though not always disinterested, race of British commercial adventurers carried up their victories to the utmost pitch. Voyages of discovery and intercourse with remote regions had indeed been already begun with success in the time of Elizabeth, when, according to the learned Hackluyt, the British nation had for the first time her banners floating in the Caspian Sea, had obtained important commercial privileges from the Emperor of Persia, had her agent in the stately porch of the Grand Seignor at Constantinople, had her consuls at Tripolis, in Syria, at Aleppo, Babylon, Balsara, and Goa. "What English ships," asks Hackluyt, still adverting to Elizabeth's time, "What English ships did heretofore ever anchor in the mighty river of Plate; pass and repass the unpassable, in former opinion, strait of Magellan; range along the coast of Chili, Peru, and all the bankside of Nova Hispania, further than any Christian ever passed; traverse the mighty breadth of the South Sea; land upon the Luzones in despite of the enemy; enter into alliance, amity, and traffic, with the prince of the Moluccas and the isle of Java; double the famous Cape of Bona Speranza ; arrive at the isle of Santa Helena; and, last of all, return home most richly laden with the commodities of China; as the subjects of this now flourishing monarchy have done?"

During the reign of James, the markets of the world were still more frequented by British ships, and the woollen goods of England were exchanged for the raw silk of Persia; whilst the jealousy of Portugal, then the great naval power, was in every part of the ocean excited in consequence of the energy and activity of our seamen. Now, too, was it that the attempts at colonization began to wear a promising aspect; for the unsuccessful results of the first of these efforts, though conducted by the ability and ingenuity of a Raleigh, were particularly calculated to damp the national ardour. Prosperous plantations began to rise up in various points of the northern coast of the great continent of America; but during the whole period of James's reign the spirit of colonization was confined merely to private individuals, to those who emigrated either in the hope of

gain, or from a hatred of religious persecution; and the government went no farther in encouraging the practice than by conferring letters patent on the parties who chose the western world for their ultimate destiny. James, indeed, was most negligent of his own and the country's best interests, in abstaining from giving protection to the naval adventurers who braved the seas with so much fortitude, and so many promises of general benefit to the nation; and it was from this blind forbearance that it followed that the Barbary pirates were able to come to our very shores, and after plundering our well-freighted vessels, carry off the officers and crew, either to massacre them on the spot or consign them to the condition of galley-slaves. In short, the credit of the British navy had never in any period of our history been degraded to so humble a condition as during the reign of James the First, although the advantages of extended commercial intercourse still continued to manifest themselves in the progress of luxury of every sort amongst society in England. The king set the example of this extravagance, and it was usual for noblemen to spend nearly the whole of their incomes in mere show; in order to gratify the royal taste. Magnificent services of plate, court suits on the scale of the rich costume of the Duke of Buckingham, which, on one occasion, was valued at no less than 80,000l.; an affectation of elaborate and complicated cookery and confectionary, which led to the extensive consumption of the most precious spices from the east, all these sources of expenditure were readily adopted by the courtiers, whilst the independent portion of the nobility remained in their castles, still keeping up the shadow of that feudal empire which gave all its splendour to the former condition of the barons of England. Foreign artists were generally patronized at this era, and in every mansion of which the possessor had the ambition to be a member of the ton, the interior was profusely ornamented with gilt carvings, with furniture of the most costly workmanship, with state beds of gold and silver tissue, embroidered velvet and silk damask fringed with gold, silk carpets from Persia, toilets covered with ornamental pieces of dressing plate, together with enormous cabinets delicately carved in ebony. The first collections of paintings began to be formed at this time, and the genius and taste of Inigo Jones, who had returned from Rome, having his mind fully charged with an admiration of all the beauty, purity, and grace of the Greek and Roman styles of architecture, had no small influence in keeping up the general spirit of extravagance.

By the indefatigable zeal and munificent expenditure of the Earl of Arundel, who was imitated in his splendid purposes by Buckingham, collections of the remains of ancient art were brought to England from every spot renowned in classic song: British ambassadors and consuls abroad became merely an organized body of collectors for their patrons at home, and specimens were sent to England from every Greek city where the national jealousy of the

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