picture of Mary Queen of Scots, and standing right before it-and all that we can do, she will not go away.

We do not know that any other part of this tragedy requires notice, unless it be Mr Č. Kemble in the gallantwe will not call him the unfortunate Mortimer; who perishes in endeavouring to rescue Mary from her enemies. It was a delightful sketch breathing the buoyant spirit of youth and chivalry combined. This gentleman's noble person and air are the only things left on the stage that are worth looking at in this way, except Miss Foote and her beauty has evidently made so much impression upon herself, that other people feel nearly absolved from its power.

-The Comedy of Errors. SHAKSPEARE'S Comedy of Errors has been revived at this theatre. For what reason, it is difficult to divine, unless it be that the managers think this the most valuable of those of Shakspeare's works which are laid on the shelf-which is not unlikely,-for it is without exception the least valuable. The revival, however, has been quite successful, on account of some very pretty music being introduced into it, set to some of Shakspeare's songs and some other verses, and sung in a spirit of the most delightful and friendly rivalry by Miss Stephens and Miss M. Tree. Miss Tree is really an exquisite singer. She improves upon us every time we hear her; and is only second to Miss Stephens. These two ladies sang "Tell me where is fancy bred ?" in a most delicious style, 66 flowing with milk and honey.'

The managers are very clamorous about the success of this their experiment of introducing examples of Shakspeare's Sonnets" to the stage. If those poems wait till these gentlemen discover their beauties, and marry them to music, they will "live and die in single blessedness." In truth they are innocent of knowing any thing about such trifling matters. They think that because a sonnet is a short poem a short poem is a sonnet. We assure them that this is not the case; and moreover add, for their edification, that not a line of any thing they have introduced into the Comedy of Errors is to be found in Shakspeare's Sonnets, Two of the four examples which they refer to the sonnets are from the Pas

sionate Pilgrim; and the other two are not written by Shakspeare at all. The one beginning "Come live with me, &c." is part of Kit Marlow's Milk Maid's Song; and the other-" As it fell upon a day, &c."-is part of a delightful little lyric by an obscure poet of Elizabeth's time, named Richard Barnfield. We whisper these things in the manager's ears-for every body else knows them. These same persons, too, have tried to make improvements in the language in which Shakspeare has thought proper to dress his poetry; which is as if a country clown, with his hard, horny, plough-holding fingers, should attempt to improve the arrangements of a woman of fashion's toilet.

We had nearly forgotten to mention, that the music which is introduced into this comedy has these remarkable circumstances about it-that it is partly original by Mr Bishop, and partly selected by Mr Bishop, and yet it is all selected, and all by Mr Bishop. The explanation of the riddle is thisthat that which is not original is selected by Mr Bishop, and that which is original and by Mr Bishop, is selected by Mr Bishop also.-But it is very pretty and appropriate nevertheless.

Mr Macready.

Since our last notice, Mr Macready has gained a sudden and unexpected increase of popularity, by his perfor mance of Richard III. and Coriolanus. At the close of both these tragedies, it is the fashion to hail him with shouts of applause, waving of hats, &c., and calls for him to come forward and give out the play, after he is "dead in law.”We have been prevented from seeing any more than the last act of his Richard III.—for it has not been acted for several weeks. The most striking part of this is the manner in which, after having received his death-blow, he retires to the side-scene, and then, with a super-human energy, lifts himself to more than his natural height, and comes pouring down upon his adversary till he reaches him, and then falls at his feet like a spent thunderbolt. This is extremely fine.-If this performance should be repeated, we shall make a point of recurring to itfor the little we did see of it, raised our expectations of the rest very high

Mr Macready's Coriolanus, if not raised our general ori

since they generally go where the Ale is best."

We cannot mention all the good, things of Peterhead; but it would be unpardonable to overlook its butter.

course to the fresh air. Nothing is allowed to remain on them that can contaminate the air, or offend any of the senses. The greater part of the houses stand in regular order, especially the latest built; which are in general of the finest hewn granite, which is composed of quartz, shorl, and feldspar, neatly finished, and have a beautiful appear ance when the sun shines. In the inside of the houses of people of every rank, if you do not find costly furniture, you will, for the most part, meet with cleanness and neatness. Upon the whole, it has a handsome aspect, the houses being covered with slate, and situated on a gentle ascent, all which give it an elegant appearance from the sea.

"Peterhead has been much resorted to as a place of amusement, and as one of the first watering places in Great Britain. Its mineral waters have been justly celebrated over all Europe for their efficacy in the cure of many disorders incident to those living in large and confined cities. It has been frequented by the Prince and the peasant; and many have owned their obligations to the mineral waters, baths, and cheerful company in Peterhead, for a radical reform in their decayed and hypochondriacal constitutions."

66

We believe Mr Buchan has here said no more than Peterhead deserves and well may he exclaim, beholding its present splendour, were a person now to rise from the dead, who had lived in Peterhead at the time Earl Marischal granted the original charter to but fourteen feuars, and that only 225 years ago, how would he stare upon first beholding it as it now stands, with its harbours, shipping, trade?" The first thirty pages of the volume are dedicated entirely to the town of Peterhead and its concerns, which is described very graphically; and Mr Buchan exhibits a good deal of antiquarian lore. Among other information, he gives us a paper, shewing the progress of the whale-fishing since 1802; and a list of the manufactures and trades of the town, from which it would really seem to be a very spirited and thriving place. It is famous for its organs, no less than fifteen having been built there lately, and the most of them by a cabinet-maker who never saw one made before he himself made the attempt." It is also great

in breweries.

"Of these there are two in the town, both of which deserve the highest praise, and one in the neighbourhood that has long been established in one of the halls of the late

Earl Marischal's castle of Inverugie, of which honourable mention is made by the porter and ale drinkers, both at home and abroad;—and these should be no bad judges,

"Peterhead Butter has also attained some celebrity among purchasers, and it is a full proof of its superiority, that it is admired by those who are in the daily practice of using. it. The author of the present work has frequently seen in the High-street, and other places of Edinburgh, these words in conspicuous characters,

"Real Peterhead Butter," with samples of it in their windows ;-in other places he has seen it "Genuine," &c.

Its baths are even better than its

butter; and we can safely recommend them to our invalids-for even the readers of this Magazine cannot always be in good health and spirits.

"Peterhead has now the most complete set of Baths of any town on the coast of Scotland, owing to the spirited exertions of my worthy friend, Mr James Arbuthnot, jun. who has, at an unprecedented expense, cut out of the solid rock, one of the following dimensions, viz. 90 feet by 30, and ca pable of holding any necessary depth of wa ter. The bottom is covered with sand, and quite level. It possesses all the advantages of the open sea, without the danger attend. ing bathing in unfrequented places; and is filled every tide with pure sea water, by a valve, which opens and shuts when required. For the convenience of those fre quenting this bath, there is built on its mar gin a house, in which they undress and dress, and it is sheltered from the gazing eye of a prying public, by a mound of rock twenty feet high.

ed in 1799 by the Keith mason society, for the accommodation of those drinking the mineral water. Its dimensions are 40 feet by 20, and it is now set apart solely for the use of the gentlemen.

"There is another bath which was form

"There are twelve warm baths, with, perhaps, the best set of apparatus to be found in Britain; by means of which the patient may be accommodated with the steam or vapour, hot air, projecting, and

shower baths, at any degree of warmth that

may be found most proper to alleviate pain or disease."

doing the public injustice to say there are none of so illiberal minds as to envy their neighbours' prosperity, and the superior talents of those who do not associate with them. Although I do not say Peterhead is more infested with these characters than its neighbours, still it has its share of them."

The good people of Peterhead are all protestants, "either followers of John Calvin the Frenchman, or James Arminius the Dutchman, but I believe that there are many who, should you ask them to which party they belong, whether Calvinists or Arminians, would be at a loss for an answer.They scarcely ever heard of the tenets of these church-champions, and therefore they do not become proselytes either in faith or practice." In politics they are all well-affected to the government, and have the good of their country at heart; so it is scarcely necessary to add, that they do not read the Scotsman. "They seldom read opposition newspapers, with a view to profit by them, (what sensible Aberdonian would?) and disputes about politics, like religion, are rare.' There are several inns at Peterhead, which are neither "shabby, noisy, crowded, nor uncomfortable," and the Ship-tavern "is situated in the Broad Street, and is famed for keeping the best London porter. What is called the club meets here once a week; a party of gentlemen that convene every Friday night, who play cards and take supper." We believe that of this club Odoherty is an honorary member. We have a very short chapter on the booksellers and stationers of Peterhead, to which we anxiously turned. About fifty years ago there were no bibliopoles there. One Mr William Farquhar, a sort of poet,—the Allan Ramsay of Peterhead,-was the first circulating librarian-but the brethren of the trade have since grown both in numbers and in grace, and their shops contain a valuable collection of theology, the works of Rutherford, Fisher, Erskine, Knox, Willison, &c. So says Mr Buchan, "literature, as well as shipping, is now upon the increase." We must insert the following wellmerited compliment to our good friend, Mr Alex. Sangster.

"The Booksellers in Peterhead do not speculate much in publishing; they trust more to the judgment of their grave neighbours in the South, and are pleased with their selections. I do not mean to augur from this, that the Booksellers here have VOL. VI.

not equal discernment to those in the South, but rather that they are more dilatory in running the risk, as they have less field to work upon however, there are no rules without exceptions, and we find Mr Alex. Sangster, the senior bookseller, often break through the present, as he is both friendly to the interest of the trade, and to authors, among the most liberal-minded in his line." Literature being in this flourishing condition at Peterhead, printing too is advancing under a press of sail-so is engraving.

There are five embellishments to this volume, which, though somewhat rude, deserve commendation. The first is a sort of panoramic view of Peterhead, in which a cock on the point of a steeple cuts a famous figure, and is almost heard to crow,-its har bours-groves of masts-vessels at anchor-wherries going before the wind

and jolly tars with arms a-kimbo, and manifest quids in their cheeks.The second presents us with a Greenlandman among the ice, part of whose crew are hoisting on deck huge fragments from a whale that is lying along-side, and blurting brine all the while through his nostrils,—and part shooting at a white bear, who is sitting very unconcernedly on his posteriors, with his organization lowering towards the sons of Peterhead, as if he had bargained to sit out a certain number of shots, on condition of receiving, in return, a certain portion of blubber. The third is a sombre and solitary view of Slain's Castle, darkened by a flight of crows or other waterfowl. The fourth is a plan of the Bullers of Buchan, which have very much the appearance of being made of gingerbread. And the fifth is a view of Raven's Craig, that impressive old ruin on the south-side of the river Ugie, from the chief gate-way of which Mr Buchan has represented a most impressive old gentleman advancing with a huge staff in his hand, and who is intended, we presume, to gain credit for being an ancient Pict, or Pecht, folks of whom one frequently reads in the history of Scotland, but whose existence has always seemed to us very problematical. Of the printing of his book and its engravings, Mr Buchan thus speaks:

no printing-press, at that time, being nearer than Aberdeen. To remedy this defect, and with a view to surmount every obstacle, however difficult, he set out on a pilgrimage to Edinburgh, and thence to Stirling: he staid a few days in each place, where he acquired the rudiments of the Faustical Art, and at the end of ten day's hard study, produced specimens of his progress in it; which gave general satisfaction to those to whom they were shown, particularly to the Right Hon. the Earl of Buchan, and the worthy and philanthropic Charles Forbes, Esq. M.P. who took him under their patronage, and, by their kindness, enabled him to go forward rejoicing. As he is sensible of the honours done him, he still continues to enjoy that friendship which was so seasonably begun. May these honoured gentlemen long continue their friendship, and he to walk more deserving.

"Since his settlement in Peterhead, he has made a Printing Press, with no assistance from any other person, being wright and blacksmith alternately himself. The present work is wholly printed with this press. After having succeeded, beyond his most sanguine expectation and that of his friends, in this laborious job, he was led to try the Type-founding, in which, the length that he went, he succeeded equally well; but the cutting of the punches, and preparing of the moulds, were found to occupy too much of his time, as he was always under the necessity of making his own tools.

"Since his engaging in the present history, he has made a few attempts in Engraving, the result of which will accompany

this volume.

"Ere the reader proceed to examine the work critically, it may not be unnecessary,

nor,

I hope, deemed egotism, should I acquaint him, that the author never had a lesson in the art, and the enclosed views are among the first of his productions in that line."

We shall now accompany our ingenious author on a water-party of pleasure to the Bullers of Buchan-no relations whatever, as our English reader will immediately perceive, to Buller of Brazennose. Mr Buchan is our pilot, and a poetical pilot too. "After getting through this gut or strait, (which in an ebbing tide is no easy task,) we began to view the vast expanse of Neptune's dark domain, with Cruden's bold and rocky shore, which vary the pleasing scene. Certainly nothing could be more picturesque, or inviting in nature, than the mild and delightful aspect of the rippling waves borne over the surface of the shining deep, till lulled into a breathless calm by the slumbering vigils in a morning of May, save where the noisy shore bassed in concert with the flagelet of some hundred Kittywakes, which flew in rapid motion from the crevices of the projecting rocks. Eolus

had also to heighten our pleasure, giving a jubilee to all but the fanning zephyr, which childishly played in Neptune's lap along the shore, with the wrinkling folds of his dark green mantle.

"We next steered through the lofty arches formed by nature's mystic hand, where the prospects were ever varying, and entertainments ever new :-Cliffs overhanging cliffs, whose towering pyramids often meet, and where the subterraneous passages below instil into the mind that degree of solemnity and evening gloom, which is only dispelled by quitting this fantastic abode of seals, cormorants, and wild pigeons, on whose rights, they seemed to think, we had been trespassing.

"We now approached the Bullers (Bouilloirs, or, as the neighbouring people, by way of compliment to their chief, call it, the Earl of Errol's Punch Bowl,) with chilly tremour, to contemplate its majestic form, rising from the vast profundity of water below. On entering this vaulted arch, to explore the interior of its inmost recesses, the hideous howling and wild screaming notes of the hawks, owls, coots, and a number of other sea fowls, so deafened us, that for some time we were obliged to answer one another by signs.

"The arch, through which we entered, is about forty feet high, formed by the great architect of nature, out of a wall some hundred feet high, destitute of all lateral cavities, and where nought is to be seen but the distant clouds floating in snowy wreaths through a blue-tinted sky of glowing æther in the aerial regions above.

"In shape, it is nearly of an oval, whose diameter is from thirty to forty yards wide. Its irregular, but stupendous walls, whose shaggy sides display the rugged rock pendent over the gulf below in awful grandeur, exhibit the hand of nature in her rudest form.

"In some of the horrid chasms above, the ravenous hawk and owl are known to The whole nurse their callow young. forms such a contrast to what strangers are accustomed to view, that the eye and ear are lost in an agreeable perplexity."

Johnson on the point of these Bullers. And, we admit, that he makes the ish. The folly of all Samuel's remarks, lexicographer look exceedingly foolobservations, and reflections, on what he saw in Scotland, almost exceeds belief. He was not a little of a Cockney in his way-and nothing can be more absurd to our view, than the image of the old blind unweildy porpoise, rolling about in a little crank yawl, under the magnificent arches of this tempestuous temple, and forming his childish theory of its formation.See how Mr Buchan settles him.

Mr Buchan is at issue with Dr