and although they have sometimes, perhaps generally, in past ages, been made the occasion of little use and great abuse to the natives, as well as vast ulterior benefit at large, it would seem wonderful indeed if all this experimental knowledge, which history furnishes, of good and evil, and right and wrong, in the matters of colonial economy and polity, should be lost to the reason, philanthropy, and justice of a day like this in which we live. One thing is certain, at least, that, at no period of time, has any portion of the earth's surface presented a fairer field than Africa now does, for the civilization of the natives; and never had any people, on the other hand, either stronger motives or better means than ourselves, for the prosecution of such a trial to a vigorous maturity and a glorious close. NOTICES. ART. XVIII.-Edinburgh Cabinet Library. China. Vols. II. and III. Edinburgh Oliver and Boyd. 1836. THIS historical and descriptive account of the Celestial Empire is now completed. These two volumes in every respect support the very favourable opinion we formed of the work when we had only the first volume as a guide to our judgment. The lucid and comprehensive character of. its plan, the variety and amount of the talent brought to the fulfilment of that plan, and the great interest of the subject in its entire and connected form, render this portion of the Edinburgh Cabinet Library one of the most valuable that has yet appeared in the series, which is saying a great deal. The three neat and well-filled volumes, let it be observed, in treating of China, contain an account of its ancient and modern history, language, literature, religion, government, industry, manners, and social state; its intercourse with Europe from the earliest ages; missions to the imperial court; British and foreign commerce; directions to navigators; state of the sciences, such as mathematics and astronomy; together with a survey of its geography, geology, botany, and zoology. Each of these various subjects and departments is handled with such a satisfactory fulness as will serve the purposes of all ordinary research. For though China be an anomalous, and as yet imperfectly known country, every valuable resource has been by the authors examined, and every sort of authentic information carefully combined to the constituting of a symmetrical whole. Neither is there wanting a number of novel speculations and original lights, ingeniously gathered and deliberately considered, as arising from the mass of facts which has been collected from all accessible quarters; so that in every view, we look upon the work as the most complete and useful that has ever yet been devoted to China. ART. XIX.-The Mascarenhas; a Legend of the Portuguese in India. By the Author of "The Prediction," &c. Smith, Elder, and Co. 1836. MRS. STEWARD evinces great historical and descriptive knowledge of India in these volumes. The period which she has assumed wherein to fix her story affords abundant and rich materials for the construction of a stirring tale. This was when the Portuguese power in India was in its decline, the Mogul in its miridian, and the Mahratta in its dawn. These materials, however, we think, are not such as will be particularly interesting to ordinary European readers; neither have they been always arranged in a manner to secure any thing like our credence. The chief merit of the work seems to belong to her illustrations of the character of several of the most singular and strongly marked races in Hindostan, as exhibited centuries ago, and as may be to this day traced among them. "For," as the writer herself happily remarks, " dynasties have perished, generations passed away, but the costume, the mythology, nay, the very peculiarities of thought which identified the disciples of Menu, when Alexander led his cohorts to the Indus, have equally withstood the example of the alien, the persecution of the Mussulman, and the peaceful efforts of the Christian Missionary." The nature and manner of the story do not afford us such specimens as we could conveniently quote; but we can with great confidence state, that besides a remarkable familiarity with Indian history, scenery, and character, the writer possesses much literary power and elegance. ART. XX.-Esther of Engaddi. A Tragedy. From the Italian of Silvio Pellico. London: Whittaker. THIS tragedy was written when the author was a state prisoner in Venice, and in constant expectation of being called upon to expiate his political offences as a common malefactor, evincing certainly an extraordinary effort of fortitude and abstraction. As a dramatic production, it will please those who are admirers of the unities and the simplicity of the Greek and French tragic writers, much more than such persons as are only conversant with the sudden transitions, the bold delineations, and the daring combinations of the English school. To the latter, we fear, much of the dialogue will appear cold and forced. The translator says, that " the interest of the story, which commences with the first scene, is never allowed to languish before the final catastrophe." We can only say, that we did not partake very strongly of this experience, although we believe the translation to be good. At the same time we are glad that the same hand is preparing for publication Select Tragedies from Maffei, Alfieri, Monti, Foscolo, S. Pellico, &c., with an Essay on the Italian Tragic Drama, which cannot but be acceptable to English readers, not only on account of its affording to them an insight into the master minds of these celebrated poets, but the drama, and, therefore, the genius of a nation whose history possesses a surpassing interest. The time of the present tragedy is the second century of the Christian era, and Engaddi is the Valley of Engedi, the orthography of the original having been adopted. Scripture names and scenes abound in it, but we have not found these offensive from their irreverence or profanity, although the example of Voltaire, for such freedoms, brought forward by the translator, does not appear to warrant the use of sacred themes for the disportings of the dramatic muse. and although they have sometimes, perhaps generally, in past ages, been made the occasion of little use and great abuse to the natives, as well as vast ulterior benefit at large, it would seem wonderful indeed if all this experimental knowledge, which history furnishes, of good and evil, and right and wrong, in the matters of colonial economy and polity, should be lost to the reason, philanthropy, and justice of a day like this in which we live. One thing is certain, at least, that, at no period of time, has any portion of the earth's surface presented a fairer field than Africa now does, for the civilization of the natives; and never had any people, on the other hand, either stronger inotives or better means than ourselves, for the prosecution of such a trial to a vigorous maturity and a glorious close. NOTICES. · ART. XVIII.-Edinburgh Cabinet Library. China. Vols. II. and III. Edinburgh Oliver and Boyd. 1836. : THIS historical and descriptive account of the Celestial Empire is now completed. These two volumes in every respect support the very favourable opinion we formed of the work when we had only the first volume as a guide to our judgment. The lucid and comprehensive character of. its plan, the variety and amount of the talent brought to the fulfilment of that plan, and the great interest of the subject in its entire and connected form, render this portion of the Edinburgh Cabinet Library one of the most valuable that has yet appeared in the series, which is saying a great deal. The three neat and well-filled volumes, let it be observed, in treating of China, contain an account of its ancient and modern history, language, literature, religion, government, industry, manners, and social state; its intercourse with Europe from the earliest ages; missions to the imperial court; British and foreign commerce; directions to navigators; state of the sciences, such as mathematics and astronomy; together with a survey of its geography, geology, botany, and zoology. Each of these various subjects and departments is handled with such a satisfactory fulness as will serve the purposes of all ordinary research. For though China be an anomalous, and as yet imperfectly known country, every valuable resource has been by the authors examined, and every sort of authentic information carefully combined to the constituting of a symmetrical whole. Neither is there wanting a number of novel speculations and original lights, ingeniously gathered and deliberately considered, as arising from the mass of facts which has been collected from all accessible quarters; so that in every view, we look upon the work as the most complete and useful that has ever yet been devoted to China. ART. XIX.-The Mascarenhas; a Legend of the Portuguese in India. By the Author of "The Prediction," &c. Smith, Elder, and Co. 1836. MRS. STEWARD evinces great historical and descriptive knowledge of India in these volumes. The period which she has assumed wherein to fix her story affords abundant and rich materials for the construction of a stirring tale. This was when the Portuguese power in India was in its decline, the Mogul in its miridian, and the Mahratta in its dawn. These materials, however, we think, are not such as will be particularly interesting to ordinary European readers; neither have they been always arranged in a manner to secure any thing like our credence. The chief merit of the work seems to belong to her illustrations of the character of several of the most singular and strongly marked races in Hindostan, as exhibited centuries ago, and as may be to this day traced among them." For," as the writer herself happily remarks, " dynasties have perished, generations passed away, but the costume, the mythology, nay, the very peculiarities of thought which identified the disciples of Menu, when Alexander led his cohorts to the Indus, have equally withstood the example of the alien, the persecution of the Mussulman, and the peaceful efforts of the Christian Missionary." The nature and manner of the story do not afford us such specimens as we could conveniently quote; but we can with great confidence state, that besides a remarkable familiarity with Indian history, scenery, and character, the writer possesses much literary power and elegance. ART. XX.-Esther of Engaddi. A Tragedy. From the Italian of Silvio Pellico. London: Whittaker. THIS tragedy was written when the author was a state prisoner in Venice, and in constant expectation of being called upon to expiate his political offences as a common malefactor, evincing certainly an extraordinary effort of fortitude and abstraction. As a dramatic production, it will please those who are admirers of the unities and the simplicity of the Greek and French tragic writers, much more than such persons as are only conversant with the sudden transitions, the bold delineations, and the daring combinations of the English school. To the latter, we fear, much of the dialogue will appear cold and forced. The translator says, that "the interest of the story, which commences with the first scene, is never allowed to languish before the final catastrophe." We can only say, that we did not partake very strongly of this experience, although we believe the translation to be good. At the same time we are glad that the same hand is preparing for publication Select Tragedies from Maffei, Alfieri, Monti, Foscolo, S. Pellico, &c., with an Essay on the Italian Tragic Drama, which cannot but be acceptable to English readers, not only on account of its affording to them an insight into the master minds of these celebrated poets, but the drama, and, therefore, the genius of a nation whose history possesses a surpassing interest. The time of the present tragedy is the second century of the Christian era, and Engaddi is the Valley of Engedi, the orthography of the original having been adopted. Scripture names and scenes abound in it, but we have not found these offensive from their irreverence or profanity, although the example of Voltaire, for such freedoms, brought forward by the translator, does not appear to warrant the use of sacred themes for the disportings of the dramatic muse. ART. XXI.-On Mutual Tolerance, and on the Ultimate Test of Truth, &c. &c. Occasioned by a recent Publication, intitled "A Beacon to the Society of Friends." London: Whittaker. THE views taken, and the doctrines urged by the author, who is a member of the Society of Friends, regarding mutual tolerance in matters of religion, are calm, candid, and well stated. We shall merely, however, quote the principal positions insisted upon, as given by himself. This summing up will at once be seen to be comprehensive and instructive in no ordinary degree :-" 1st. A liability to error is part of the providentiallyappointed condition of man; is part of our moral discipline; and gives rise to many essential duties towards others, ourselves, and God. 2. There is no such decisive test of common reference existing, in regard to varieties of opinion in religion, as that any parties can become entitled, from thence, to denounce others, in an opprobrious sense, on account of their religious principles, sincerely entertained. 3. Ultimately, in ourselves, and for ourselves, and for mutual edification, there exists an adequate test of truth; that measure of spiritual light, to some greater, to some less, administered by the Holy Spirit, in various manners, and through various means, of which the principal is the Sacred Writings, for the available possession of which, we are answerable, not to other men, but to God." The opening passage of the production has struck us particularly. It runs thus :-"Though sectarian distinctions are necessary, and are conducive to very important purposes, yet as regards individuals, and the real condition of the mind and character, nothing can well be a more superficial classification of mankind. There are those in the most opposite sects who, in all proper estimation, are essentially alike; and in the same sect, are those who are widely different; without either in the one case or the other, any apprehension being entertained, that such is the fact. Men often think they differ, when, in truth, they think alike; nor ought we to wonder at this, since, without knowing it, they differ from themselves." ART. XXII.-Noureddin; or, The Talisman of Futurity. An Eastern Tale. By CATHARINE J. FINCH. London: Smith, Elder, & Co. 1836. THIS tale is ingeniously constructed, carefully written, and calculated not only to enforce one prominent important moral, but a series of striking lessons, each in itself valuable, and all helping to advance the main doctrine taught, viz. "Where ignorance is bliss, "Tis folly to be wise;" or, the misery that would attend a man's foreknowledge of the events that are to fill up his lot in life, not only by tormenting him before the time, but by carrying the victim beyond the reach of those glorious uncertainties whence arise his hopes and fears-his most powerful motives and earnest exertions. It is true that allegory has long ceased to be adopted in our fashionable tales, and that the reign of the Arabian Nights is past. But excepting in so far as part of the machinery of the present tale is concerned, the reader will find it natural, impressive, and superior in many respects to the great majority of works of imagination, of similar extent, and framed for a like purpose. |