been conceded to Mr. George Stephens, the author of "Dramas for the Stage." He manifestly possesses many of the leading elements of success--poetical power, and acquaintance with the requisites of the stage. He is consequently indignant at the apathy he has met with in this iron and material age; but his case is not a solitary one, and while we sincerely sympathise with him, we feel that his fertility is in advance even of a possible reform. The author of "Bells and Pomegranates," meant by that title to indicate an endeavour towards something like an alternation or mixture of music with discoursing sounds with sense, poetry with thought, preferring this symbol to the expression, which might have been deemed ambitious. So well has he performed his task, that every one affecting to be conversant with the poetry of the age must make himself familiar with Robert Browning's works, and will feel regret that so charming a writer is about for a time to unstring his melodious and thought-inspiring lyre. Mr. Browning has taken care, apparently, that his last part should also contain some of his best performances, for such both Luria and the poetry and prose of Chiappini's life will generally be esteemed. "The Emerald Isle" is an attempt to versify the very mysterious annals of early Irish history, from Niul, who "Erst in Egypt sung, A great high-priest, from Phoenias sprung." obscure and to Scota, daughter of Pharaoh! and it includes poetic descriptions of the Stone of Destiny, of Tarah, of the Giant's Causeway, Lough Neagh, &c. &c. The twining of the amaranth and eglantine is represented in lithography, and the symbol of Christianity also blazes in solitary glory. The work is to be continued. The last upon our list, "The Minor Poems of Percy Bysshe Shelley," is another of Mr. Moxon's classical issues, as remarkable for cheapness as for clear, good type, and general correctness. SISMONDI'S LITERATURE OF EUROPE AND SCHLEGEL'S PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY.* WE cannot imagine more appropriate works for the best and cheapest of modern libraries-one devoted to standard literature of high meritthan Sismondi's Literature of Europe and Schlegel's Philosophy of History. If the first is not written with all the freshness and spirit that characterises M. Villemain's more modern labours in critical literature, still the very highest rank has been universally conceded to it, in the annals of literary criticism, both on account of the important subject which it canvasses, and the depth of observation which it displays. With regard to Schlegel's work, it is sufficient to say that it is a masterpiece of one of the profoundest thinkers his country ever produced. * Historical View of the Literature of the South of Europe; by J. C. L. Simonde de Sismondi translated from the Original, with Notes and a Life of the Author. By Thomas Roscoe. 2 vols. Second edition. The Philosophy of History; in a Course of Lectures, delivered at Vienna, by Frederick von Schlegel, translated from the German, with a Memoir of the Author. By James Baron Robertson, Esq. Second edition. Henry G. Bohn. ROSCOE'S LIVES OF THE KINGS OF ENGLAND.* THE "History of the Lives of the Kings of England," by Thomas Roscoe, is by no means a work of ordinary character. The son of the illustrious historian of Lorenzo di Medicis, Thomas Roscoe has also earned for himself a great reputation for learning and scholarship which this work is well calculated to enhance. The lives of the kings of England, if, as in the present case, each is made to complete the volume, will constitute an historico-biographical work, which will be a complete library in itself. Compiled from official records, and other authentic documents, Mr. Roscoe has had to quit the beaten track of recording merely public deeds and events in order to penetrate into the principles of action, or as he himself expresses it "the innermost recesses of their souls;" to explore the peculiarities of individual kingly disposition, character, and way of thinking; to study the influence of external circumstances upon these; to search out the real motives of actions; to follow its subject into the privacy of domestic and social life; and to draw a faithful picture alike of his virtues and his vices, his excellences and his failings, his passions, propensities, and eccentricities, in short of every trait by which he is distinguished from the rest of mankind. This is truly a task of no trifling extent, and is entered upon with a spirit and zeal which imparts the profoundest interest to the narrative. THE EMBASSY.+ "THE iron mask," says Voltaire, " is an enigma, to which every body seeks the key." The anonymous author of the "Embassy" appears to be engaged in a whole series of novels to unfold the secret with due ceremony. In a first series of "Chronicles of the Bastile," he took up the history of this mysterious personage at the period when he quitted his prison in the Isle of St. Marguerite for the still more frightful abode in the tower of the Bastile, called La Bertandière, continuing the history up to the time of his death in 1703. In the present work, the principal feature is the history of an intrigue between the Duke of Buckingham and Anne of Austria, the result of which the author supposes to have been the birth of this very luckless in`dividual. Added to this is a further intrigue, fathered upon the same nobleman, we suppose on account of his historically profligate character, with a youthful Kathleen, introduced in order to explain the cause of his assassination by John Felton. Enough to intimate how much of the mysterious and romantic is to be found in a novel written in all the spirit of the times, with considerable skill in reviving old places and scenes, a careful attention to historical accuracy (the licenses taken being always pointed out), and a lively and well-sustained style both in narrative and dialogue. * Lives of the Kings of England. By Thomas Roscoe. Vol. I. William the Conqueror. H. Colburn. †The Embassy; or, the Key to a Mystery. An historical romance. 3 vols. T. C. Newby. THE NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE, AND HUMORIST. CONTENTS FOR JUNE. THE PRIVATEER'S-MAN. BY CAPTAIN MARRYAT, C.B., AUTHOR EARL SIMON. BY CHARLES HOOTON LIGHTS AND SHADES IN THE LIFE OF A GENTLEMAN ON HALF- DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND: A RECENT OCCURRENCE THE TRAVELS AND OPINIONS OF MR. JOLLY GREEN THE OPERA. VERDI'S "LOMBARDI" A FLIT THROUGH THE ROYAL ACADEMY PAGE 127 154 168 189 191 217 221 LITERATURE:-Marston; or, the Soldier and the Statesman. By the Rev. George Croly, LL.D.-Amedée Pichot's History of Charles Stuart.-Letters of the Kings of England. By James Orchard Halliwell, Esq., F.R.S. -The Ransom. By Miss Laura Jewry.-The Ocean and the Desert.-The Book of Costume.-History of the Punjab-Leontine. By Mrs. Maberley.-The BlackGown Papers. By L. Mariotti.-Social Influences.-Peninsular Scenes and Sketches SUBSCRIBERS ARE INFORMED THAT THE JULY NUMBER OF THE NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE WILL CONTAIN THE COMMENCEMENT OF A NEW TALE, ENTITLED VALERIE, BY CAPTAIN MARRYAT, C. B. NOW READY, THE JUNE NUMBER OF AINSWORTH'S MAGAZINE. Contents. I. MICHELE OROMBELLO. BY W. HARRISON AINSWORTH, ESQ. II. THE MUSIC OF EARTH. BY J. E. CARPENTER. III. PIQUILLO ALLIAGA; OR, THE MOORS IN THE TIME OF PHILIP III. BY EUGENE SCRIBE. IV. THE HAZEL SCEPTRE. BY W. HUGHES, ESQ. V. A DREAM OF STILL LIFE. VI. THE COSTERMONGER AND HIS DONKEY. BY THE AUTHOR OF THE SCHOOLMASTER IN NEWGATE." 66 VII. IMMATERIALITIES; OR, CAN SUCH THINGS BE? CHAPTER III. BY CHARLES HOOTON. VIII. THE YOUNG VILLAGE DOCTOR. BY MISS ELIZA LYNN. IX. A MADMAN'S STORY. BY ARNHELDT WEAVER. X. A XIII. O L D SAINT PAUL'S. BY W. HARRISON AINSWORTH, ESQ. WITH AN ILLUSTRATION ON STEEL BY JOHN FRANKLIN. CHAPMAN AND HALL, 186, STRAND. TO CORRESPONDENTS. MR. AINSWORTH begs it to be distinctly understood that no Contributions whatever sent him, either for the NEW MONTHLY or AINSWORTH'S MAGAZINES, will be returned. All articles are sent at the risk of the writers, who should invariably keep copies. I WAS dragged aft to give an account of myself, and I stated in few words that I had been pursued by the Indians, and swam off to save my life. "Havn't we met before?" said a rough voice. I looked, and saw the Jolly Rover whom I had fallen in with on shore. I said "Yes; I was escaping from the Indians when I met you, and you showed me the direction of the plantations." "All's right," said he. "It's a true bill; and were those Indians after you that we saw on the beach just now?" "Yes!" I replied, and then I stated how it was that they had attacked our cabin, and how we had escaped. "That was well done, and so you swam off three miles. Fire and water wont hurt you; that's clear. You're just the man for us. What thing-um-bob is this that you have hung round your neck?" said he, taking up the leathern bag with the diamond in it. "That,” replied I-a sudden thought having struck me—" is my caul; I was born with a caul, and I have always worn it, as it saves a man from drowning." "No wonder that you swam three miles then," replied the man. You must know, madam, that some people are born with a membrane over the face which is termed a caul, and there has been a vulgar error that such people can never be drowned, especially if they wear this caul about their person in after life. Sailors are superstitious in many things, but particularly in this, and my caul was therefore as much respected by them as it hung round my neck, as it was by the Indians when they thought it was what they call "magic" or "medicine." 66 Well," ," said the Jolly Rover, 66 as you had so much fire, so much water, and so much running, I think you won't be sorry to have a biscuit and glass of grog and then turn in; to-morrow we will talk to you." I went down below very glad to accept the offer, and as was regaling myself, who should come up to me but two of the Portuguese who had been wrecked in the xebeque, and put on shore with me in the little boat by the captain of the Transcendant. I was very glad to see them. They told me that after great hardship and suffering, they had arrived famished. at the banks of this river, and had been taken on board by the pirates, and had remained with them ever since; that they were very anxious to get away, but never had had an opportunity. I begged them not to say who I was, but merely that I was once a shipmate of theirs. They promised, and being very tired I then laid down and went asleep, I was June.-VOL. LXXVII. NO. CCCVI... K |