and has all the other instincts of a gentleman. It is not his fault that he is in the church; I suppose his father had no other way of getting him provided for. But I am happy to tell you he is only passing through London on his way to his living."

So much the better. I was afraid you might think of introducing him in St. James's Square. Lady Tiverton cannot be too careful. A strange-looking person of that description seen in her set, and it might take her half a dozen seasons to get over the consequence. A woman in her position, who has daughters to marry, should never admit a person into her house who is not as well known, or the son of some one as well known, as the dial of the clock at the Horse Guards! The moment you have explanations to make about people, they are not fit for your society. So much for your edification!

THE JUVENILE SCRAP-BOOK.

THOUGH this pretty little volume may answer its purpose, of gratifying the fastidious taste of the "juvenile" portion of those aspirants for our "annual" literature, who are eagerly and anxiously awaiting the coming Christmas and New Year's Gifts of generous god-mammas and gracious aunts and uncles, it must not expect to take rank with those original and gorgeous ones which are brought out with so much cost, and prepared with so much care. Its illustrations, sixteen in number, are not, we believe, original to this work; but several of them are very pretty, though few are peculiarly appropriate to the tastes and requirements of of the parties addressed in the work. One, too, we must point out as peculiarly and strangely inappropriate-as well as the letter-press which refers to it. We mean the one entitled Infanticide. To force such a theme on the thoughts of youth is hopelessly to perplex and confound them, without a chance of any counteracting good. In other respects the volume has been pleasingly prepared in its literary department, the whole of which is the production of Mrs. Ellis, better known to the literary world as Miss Stickney.

GEMS OF BEAUTY.*

These "Gems of Beauty," will answer to their title, though not in the sense with which that title was adopted some three or four years ago. At present they are "gems of beauty" not as relates to the subjects of them, but only to the gem-like beauty of the engravings, and let us add of the designs, all of them by Mr. Edward Corbould, and the poetical illustrations by Lady Blessington. The subjects are twelve in number, various in costume and general character, and having, in fact, no necessary connexion one with another. So far, therefore, they depart from the former plan of this elegant and elaborate work, But in merit and beauty of execution, they, if we remember rightly, are decidedly superior to any former number of the work bearing this name.

Gems of Beauty. With fanciful illustrations in verse. By the Countess of Blessington. 1840.

There is force as well as elegance-originality as well as taste-in most of the designs; and the engravings are of corresponding merit. Each design is "illustrated" (to use the phrase of the fair editor-for the poetry is written for and from the picture, not the picture designed from the poetry) by a page of verse from the fertile and graceful pen of Lady Blessington; and the whole forms one of the most elegant of the gilded luxuries which greet us so profusely at this season of the year.

THE FORGET-ME-NOT.*

THIS eldest of the race of English annuals shows no symptoms of that old age which could scarcely have been expected to attend it on its happy birth, we know not how many years ago. It is still fresh and flourishing, and this notwithstanding the numerous losses which one of its most constant contributors at once laments and commemorates, in the prefatory poem of the volume. Pretty and pathetic verses, touching and lively and light-hearted stories, wondrous antique legends and wise "modern instances," these by turns make up as usual the literary materials of this pleasant volume, and will secure for it a fair place among its many gay competitors.

NOTES ON NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Gleanings from Grave Yards. By G. A. Walker, Surgeon. 1 vol.-A most inattrac tive title truly, and one that scarcely can be expected to furnish much food for that light and desultory taste which is the prevalent one of the present day;-for though we bear in mind the singular and strange beauties of Sir Thomas Brown's "Urn Burial," the age of Sir Thomas Brown's is past, and the grave is now a truly grave subject. The present writer does not even philosophise upon it: but he does better, perhaps, he lays before us some interesting historical records, touching the funeral ceremonies of different nations and ages, and some important facts that come still more home to our bosoms and business, regarding the dangerous and detestable practice of burying the dead in the hearts of our great cities. Accordingly, the volume deserves attention, and may be read with both interest and information.

The Triumph of Drake. A Poem. By R. Grymbald Bigsby, D. C. L. &c.-As a tribute to the naval glory of England this poem claims a brief notice at our hands. The extraordinary voyage of Drake and his little company round the globean undertaking never even attempted before by an Englishman-may unquestionably be considered as the bright dawn of England's naval power; and any attempt to commemorate it, in verse or prose, should meet with a favourable reception. This poem also commemorates a recent event of some interest, connected with the leading subject of the work-namely, the presentation to our late" Sailor King,' of the astrolabe which accompanied and guided Drake through all his perils, and which His Majesty ordered to be deposited in the appropriate resting-place of Greenwich hospital. It is an object which must be looked upon with a fond curiosity by every lover of his country, and adds a new and highly characteristic feature of interest to that noblest of our national institutions.

*The Forget-me-not. Edited by F. Shoberl, Esq. Ackerman.

Schlegel's Lectures on Dramatic Literature. 2nd edition. 2 vols.-This neat and convenient reprint of Black's excellent translation of an excellent book, cannot fail to be received with favour, and obtain extensive circulation. Dramatic affairs in this country, (and to say truth in every other) have reached that point when they must improve, for they are at their worst; and there is no other critical work in any Janguage which may so help to improve them as Schlegel's celebrated lectures, He is a critic too, who deserves peculiar favour at the hands of the English people, since he is now acknowledged to be the very first who took anything like a true and just view of Shakespeare, and enabled and impelled the rest of the world, Shakespeare's own countrymen included, to do the like. Nothing could exceed the favour and popularity with which these lectures were received among us, when first they made their appearance in an English dress, and we hope this reprint of them will experience a corresponding success. At any rate nothing can be better timed, and we heartily recommend it to all.

Life of Nelson. This is another of that numerous class of works which the taste for pictorial illustrations has called forth. It is a reprint of Clarke and Mc Arthur's Life of our great naval hero, into which is introduced a very interesting and appropriate series of naval portraits, comprising those distinguished commanders who figured in connection with Nelson throughout his brilliant career. The work is to be published in parts or sections, each of which, however, is to take the form of a volume of about 200 pages, and we have now before us the first section. In regard to design, pictorial illustration and typography, the work promises to be highly creditable to the publishers, Messrs. Fisher and Son; but we should be performing anything but a friendly office if we abstained from advising them to look a little more carefully to the literary (!) aid they may employ in the subsequent portions of their work. If the brief" introduction," did not end with a classical quotation, we should have judged it to have emanated from a writer whose studies had been exclusively confined to the quarter-deck. It is quite a curiosity in its way. Here is its comprehensive account of the character and pretensions of the conqueror of Trafalgar :- By proving himself entirely devoid of indolence, avarice, and envy, he inspired his countrymen with such confidence in his integrity and abilities that they almost regarded his existence as essential to their own independence, and to the liberties of the civilised world." Mrs. Malaprop herself never exceeded this, for its "nice derangement of epitaphs."

Mariamne. An Historical Novel. 1 vol.—As this volume is only a reprint of a work that was published with some success several years ago, we should not be justified in doing more than affording it a brief announcement, and a glance at the object of the tale-which is the interesting one of illustrating, through the means of a consecutive narrative, the manners, habits and intellectual and moral character of the Jews, at that singular period when the course of events was preparing the fall of Judea. The tale is written with talent and occasional eloquence, and displays at once a considerable acquaintance with the period to which it relates, and a fair share of skill in turning to account the materials which the subject presents. The volume is prefaced by a letter to the writer from Sir Walter Scott,-in which he states a fact respecting himself that is little known-namely, that Josephus was one of his favourite studies in early youth, and that the sieges of Josaphata and Jerusalem were as familar to me as Flodden Field, and Chevy Chase, &c.'

INDEX

TO THE

THIRD PART OF 1839.