after reading patiently through the six books, still hoping - still deceived. We were to read of that Sordello whose name has ever rung in our hearts, whom Dante saw in Purgatory "Non ci diceva alcuna cosa, and we were to hear of him from the poet who had touched us with his "Paracelsus." We confidently expected that the crudeness and harshness which were the small drawbacks on that deep-thinking and delightful poem, would have been softened down by additional experience, while the thoughts would have been riper and mellower, and the execution of the whole more perfect but we missed every thing except the faults of that work - we missed the fervent hopes, the wild dreams of Paracelsus, the idyllic gentle wisdom of Festus, the exquisite beauty and gentleness of Michal, and the passionate noble extravagance of Aprile. "Sordello" has the worst of all poetical faults dulness: in spite of the attempts at liveliness in the narrative of throwing a minstrel romantic ease and rambling discursiveness into it the poem is dull to sleepiness. The story is badly and tediously unfolded the reflections for the most part are commonplace and prosaical -the versification is every where rugged, imperfect, and inharmonious— and the imagery seldom novel or striking. It is interspersed with the worst sort of wordy metaphysics, equally unattractive and old. As a specimen of the versification we open at random, and find "Ecelo, dismal father of the brood, And Ecelin, close to the girl he wooed; - And such lines are constantly appearing. Those who remember Mr. Browning's tragedy of "Strafford," which a witty friend said was a tragedy in a constant spasm could not very well tolerate the short abrupt sentences of which the speeches were composed, and which bore more resemblance to the mode of elocution adopted by our facetious friend Jingle (in Pickwick), than any thing we have been accustomed to recognise as dramatic; precisely this fault has he preserved in "Sordello." Take a couple of specimens. "Time stole by degrees To disappear: his Delians! Some that glow All soon or late adore Apollo ! Glance "Time fleets That's worst! Because the pre-appointed age She all but promised. Lean he grows and pale, come!" Mr. Browning seems to have forgotten that the medium of art must ever be the beautiful; he seems to be totally indifferent to pleasing our imaginations and fancy by the music of verse and of thoughts, by the grace of his diction as well as of his imagery; and when this want of a sweet flowing beauty both in thought and versification a want of that "linked sweetness long drawn out," is coupled with a positive want of dramatic or speculative interest in the story, and a by no means new or newly put moral, we may be pardoned if we say we regard "Sordello" as a failure in toto. There is no task in criticism more unpleasant or more superficial than that of finding fault, especially where you have no great balance of praise as a counterpoise, and this becomes doubly unpleasant when the subject under consideration is the work of an author who has already given such indications of genius as are to be found in "Paracelsus." But criticism would be valueless if it were not strictly just. 4 The lovers of old romance, of the stories of chivalry and the fairy mythology, of ballads and lyrics, will be transported back into the enchanted realms and times of ancient feudalism by a charming little volume of poems, dedicated expressly to the superstitions and characteristics of those most poetical scenes and ages, by Mr. Prideaux. It consists of thirteen legends, in which the writer has completely caught the spirit of early minstrelsy its picturesque simplicity, its dancing rhythm, and dramatic pathos. "The Lay of Sir Amys," the longest and best, is irregular in structure, but crowded with beauties. It least of all resembles the old ballads in form or treatment, while in the turn of expression, in the sweetness and variety of its music, and in the choice and use of descriptive images, it possesses a kindred fascination with the reliques of our elder poetry. "Roland and Ferragus" is a more perfect specimen of the pure ballad, and is in harmonious keeping throughout. Some of the shorter pieces, such as Perilous Castle of Douglas," and "The Maiden's Song," are exquisitely chaste and touching: and the whole collection is highly creditable to the author. The following pretty lyric may be selected as an example: "THE FAERIES' SONG. From the mossy cell wherein we dwell Beneath the roots of the aged tree, Forth we go, on nimble toe, Merrily dancing o'er the lea, When the moon in the heaven is clear and bright, And the green leaves play in her quivering light. On banks of flowers, in sylvan bowers, Where the tenderest smile of Nature lies, In mystic ring we dance and sing, And thus the hours of night employ ; And though we fly, when, in the sky, The brightening smiles of day appear ; And quick as light, elude his sight, Whenever intruding man is near; Akin to the human race are we, Friends of mirth, and lovers of glee. "The But as long as a trace of the simple face And a home remains, in our woods and plains, And still, amongst flowers, in sylvan bowers, The twenty-sixth volume of "The Naturalist's Library"-forming the sixth of the Entomological series is dedicated to the natural history of the Bee. The enquiry is, as usual in this carefully edited publication, Poems of Chivalry, Faery, and the Olden Time. By WALTER PRIDEAUX, Esq. London: Smith, Elder, & Co. 1840. 5 The Naturalist's Library. Conducted by Sir WILLIAM JARDINE, Bart. Entomology. Vol. VI. Bees, Edinburgh: W. H. Lizars. 1840. - conducted with great caution and laborious research. The works of all preceding writers have been consulted and collated their facts tested by experiment and to all assertions or speculations which have not yet been satisfactorily confirmed, their conditional value is justly apportioned; so that in this single volume the reader is put in possession of every thing that is known or conjectured concerning the propagation, preservation, and habits of the bee. In the whole range of natural science there is not one department which presents such varied interest, such wonderful resources, and such endless suggestions: and, connected with the annals of apiarian investigation, the fact that Huber (to whose indefatigable enquiries on this subject we are so largely indebted) prosecuted his labours through a long life of blindness, contributes not a little to enhance the curiosity and stimulate the zeal of the student who, for the first time, opens this chapter of marvels. A memoir of Huber is prefixed to the volume, which is further enriched with his portrait - the only one that has ever been published, and a profusion of illustrative engravings, accurately drawn and beautifully coloured. A course of lectures on National Establishments, delivered early in the last year by Dr. Wardlaw, having already acquired a wide reputation in a first edition, has lately been issued in a cheaper form for the sake of obtaining a still more extensive circulation. The ultimate object of these lectures is, to demonstrate the national advantages of the Voluntary Principle over the Principle of a State Religion. The lecturer displays ability of a very high order, consummate skill in controversy, and a subtle logical faculty in the conduct of his argument. But it is easier to exhibit the defects, institutional and executive, of an Established Church, than to prove the beneficial influence of a Church Voluntary. In the former branch of his undertaking Dr. Wardlaw is all but unanswerable, and is answerable only on the ground of human imperfection and apathy, which seem to demand some stringent government for the preservation of religious forms in the community: in the latter he is not so successful. Like too many reformers, he is more occupied with the abuse he desires to destroy, than with the remedy he wishes to substitute. He gives us many strong reasons for pulling down the Church, and but few sound ones for setting up Voluntaryism. He shows us clearly enough what is objectionable in Church government, but he fails to convince us that while Voluntaryism would remove these objections, it would at the same time supply a system that should be at once better and equally permanent and influential. To every person, however, who is interested in the discussion, these lectures are indispensable, as furnishing, on the whole, a very complete answer to the brilliant eloquence and brittle reasoning of Dr. Chalmers. Dr. Dick has added to his "Celestial Scenery" another astronomical work, called "The Sidereal Heavens." In this publication the same characteristics may be traced that distinguished the former. The scientific details, derived for the most part from the observations of the Herschells, father and son, are exhibited in an animating and popular style; and the reflections and suggestions scattered throughout, help considerably to heighten the interest of the subject. The religious warmth, frequently ascending into flights of eloquence, by which Dr. Dick's former publications are so favourably known to a large circle of readers, is equally effective in the present 6 National Church Establishments examined: a Course of Lectures, &c. By RALPH WARDLAW, D.D. London: Thomas Ward & Co. 1840. 7 The Sidereal Heavens, and other Subjects connected with Astronomy, &c. BY THOMAS DICK, LL. D., Author of "Celestial Scenery," &c. London: Thomas Ward & Co. 1840. work, conducting the reader, by a natural and inspiring progress, from the contemplation of the works of Divine wisdom to the worship of the Divinity. Some of the astronomical speculations are, probably, too imaginative; and, considered abstractedly, as a manual of scientific instruction, the book is not sufficiently condensed and systematised: but it is conceived in so pure a spirit of enthusiasm, and is written so clearly and familiarly, that it may be recommended to general perusal as a work possessing attractions of a peculiar and valuable kind. Captain Hall's Voyage to Java, China, and the great Loo-choo Island, has been reproduced by Mr. Moxon, in a very elegant and cheap edition, uniform with the other reprints which have issued from his press. It is needless to remind the reader that the voyage described in this publication was in connection with Lord Amherst's embassy to China; that it embraces an account of some parts of that coast, and of some islands previously unknown to the English; that the details are every where close and faithful; and that, amongst other points of permanent interest, it describes an interview Captain Hall had with Napoleon at St. Helena on the return homeward. Of all that gentleman's voyages` this is, in our estimation, the most curious and entertaining, and it possesses the additional merit of being written with greater simplicity of style than any of his subsequent productions. Under the title of "The Bible Cyclopedia "," a work of considerable research, and of permanent interest to all classes, has just been commenced. The observations of recent travellers in the East, and the continuous labours of antiquaries and philologists within the last half century, have contributed largely to clear up the obscurities of the Scripture history upon all points relative to ancient institutions, manners, customs, arts, and language. It is proposed in this work — which is to appear in parts arranged in alphabetical order to embody in a popular form the results of all such enquiries, and to illustrate them wherever it may be desirable with engravings of coins, medals, remarkable places, characteristic figures, &c., derived from the most authentic sources of information. The first part is before us, and from the ability bestowed upon it, and the wide scope of matter it embraces, we anticipate an extensive popularity for the series. A "Pocket Guide to the Toilette" 10 is a work of more utility than its foolish title bespeaks. It contains a quantity of curious and practical hints upon the means of preserving health (which is the only true beauty in man or woman), and the arts by which all subsidiary matters may be cultivated to the utmost point of use. The book is really useful as a personal and household manual. 8 Narrative of a Voyage to Java, China, and the Great Loo-choo Island. By Captain BASIL HALL, R. N. London: Edward Moxon. 1840. 9 The Bible Cyclopedia; a comprehensive Digest of the Civil and Natural History, Geography, Statistics, and general literary Information connected with the Sacred Scriptures. No. I. London: J. W. Parker. 1840. 10 The Pocket Guide to the Toilette. Glasgow: W. R. M'Phun. 1840. THE MONTHLY CHRONICLE. THE EDITOR'S ROOM. SMALL is the number of those who attempt to wade through the multifarious and variegated compound of amusing, instructive, and wearisome details, which in the shape of a morning paper is daily served up for the entertainment and guidance of the great bulk of the reflecting public. Nevertheless, there are certain omnivorous minds, that leave but a small portion unread of all the matter contained in all our morning or evening papers. At every club may be seen certain animated fixtures, who make their appearance in the newsroom at an early hour on each succeeding morning, and after spending several hours in the perusal of the great self-constituted organs of public opinion, retire apparently for no other purpose than to recruit their intellectual powers of digestion, that they may be the better able to receive the fresh supply of political lore served up to them by the evening press. These gentlemen are for the most part retired officers or functionaries, who by a service of many years have entitled themselves to pensions. Persons of this description have been accustomed throughout life to a regular routine of occupation, the want of which would prove a serious privation, if they were not able to supply the place by some periodical self-imposed duty; and none presents itself more readily, none partakes less of the character of labour, or more of that of amusement, than the daily visit to the news-room, which, while it relieves them once for all from that most irksome of tasks for common-place minds, the task of daily planning the disposal of their leisure, at the same time qualifies them to shine with no little brilliancy in the little coteries to whom their evening is usually devoted. We could point to more than one old sailor or soldier, whom the liberality of his grateful country enables to spend the evening of his life in honourable independence, who finds himself a welcome guest at every table, and an oracle in many an evening circle, upon the mere strength of the indefatigable zeal he displays in storing his brain with the foreign and domestic intelligence contained in the eight or ten enormous sheets of letter-press which are daily renewed for his edification and amusement. "Captain Jenkins knows every thing," is a remark that follows the captain from every room which the worthy veteran has enlivened by his harmless. prattle. Jenkins goes but rarely to the theatre, for he is too good an economist to buy his evening's entertainment, when he can have it for nothing at his club-room or at a friend's house; yet Jenkins is in full possession of all the merits and demerits of a new play on the morning after the first performance. He knows all the "points" that Macready made in the hero, and is |
