God knows; but had we been otherwise, we had been very, very unfit for our office. To reproach us with knowing too much; or, with not affecting to undervalue our own attainments, is in effect to blame those who selected us, and put Mr. C. M. Westmacott's catalogue into our hands. If he should rejoin, that an appeal will still lie against those who so selected us, and against what we have written of his work, to the tribunal of public opinion: and, if he should add that he has a right to get the public, if he can, to join with him in reprehending us and those by whom we are chosen. We grant it; and feel not the least dread or apprehensiveness concerning what the public award will be; especially while our adversary continues to be so washerwomanish as to treat that public with delicate allusions to dogs' meat and our potent toe.

But, in so granting, we are not quite such fools as he would have us to be, when he requires us upon pain of forfeiting his good word, to submit our pages to those wearisome repetitions of his ribaldry, to which his wishes would subject our readers, and of which we now arrive at another specimen.

"He confesses he has not looked at every article, OR EVEN visited the several galleries to see that the Pictures, Sculptors, and Artists are rightly named. The old dotard! could he have decided rightly if he had done so? but not having either the neeessary industry for a pick fault nor even a smattering knowledge of the galleries on which he writes; he supposes-Aye suppose is the phrase-it is in these respects a careful compilation, although he does not condescend to tell his readers from what works it was compiled. The decrepit seer! the false oracle! thus to suppose away a writer's reputation, with the most impudent fasehoods, when every authority consulted is HONESTLY AVOWED."

The beginning of this paragraph ridiculously assumes that we might have looked at every article in every gallery, without visiting those galleries; and insinuates that no person could he privileged to write of Mr. C. M. Westmacott's catalogue, but who had thus earned his title. The short answer to this is, that we have found

and exposed faults in his catalogue which to all but Mr. Westmacott him self, must be sufficiently gross and glaring; and that, not being able to controvert, deny, or disprove, those gross and glaring faults, he would now vainly and absurdly try to persuade his readers that an event could not have happened, after it has happened. So poor an opinion has he of their discernment, or so darkened is his

own.

Mr. C. M. Westmacott is fond of decking himself out in the peacock's feathers of poetical quotation. We will give him a little touch in his own way, from Horace, ere we proceed to expose further the quantity of falsehood that is wrapped up in his paragraph above cited.

"When Mænius rail'd at Novius, How! says one,

Dost know thyself, or think thy faults unknown?

Aye, but (says Mænius) I forgive my

own.

This is a foolish and a wicked love, And such as sharpest satire should reprove."

And now for Mr. C. M. West-. macott's honest avowal, of " every authority consulted," which appears to be one of his sorest places, for in his succeeding pages he reiterates that his catalogue is entirely original; and all directly in the teeth of our former exposure of his plagiarisms. Our readers have seen, notwithstanding the dust which this galloping hero kicks up with so much confident hope of blinding them, and probably will remember, our former statement that whole sentences are taken, sometimes indeed with a feeble attempt at disguise "from Mr. Thomas Hope's volume of Interior Domestic Decoration;" we chose to designate his volume by that name, because it merits it; but lest our man of stratagem should here be seeking shelter under an ambiguity, we have now to state, that the above gentleman has modestly published the book under the unassuming title of "Household Furniture." To that volume we appeal. It will be quite enough. That single volume will satisfy every candid reader whether Mr. Westmacott's avowal be honest, and WHO is guilty of "the most impudent falsehoods." If any of the readers of the European, should not have the

book at their elbow, let them cast their eyes over the following quotations from Mr. Hope's "Household Furniture," and "Mr. Westmacott's Catalogue," when the source from which the latter gentleman derived his information, will be pretty clearly perceivable.

WESTMACOTT'S CATALOGUE.

Egyptian or Black room (page 214.) "The ornaments that adorn the walls of this littleCanopus,are taken from Egyptian scrolls of Papyrus, and those of the ceiling from various mummy cases, and the prevailing colours both of the furniture and ornaments, are that pale yellow and bluish green which hold so conspicuous a rank among the Egyptian pigments, skilfully relieved by the occasional introduction of masses of black and gold.

HOPE'S HOUSEHOLD FURNI
TURE.

Hope (p. 26.) "The ornaments that adorn the walls of this little Canopus, are partly taken from Egyptian scrolls of Papyrus; those that embellish the ceiling from Egyptian mummy cases; and the prevailing colours of both, as well as of the furniture, are, that pale yellow, and that bluish green, which hold so conspicuous a rank among the Egyptian pigments; here and there relieved by masses of black and of gold."

The reader at once perceives by these extracts, that instead of that honest avowal which he professes, Mr. Westmacott has endeavoured to disguise his plagiarisms by correcting Mr. Hope: and that his alterations are every where for the worse: every where rendering the sense either vague, or unfaithful to the facts.

Flaxmans Cephalus and Aurora. Westmacott. (p. 217.)

on

"Aurora visiting Cephalus mount Ida; the design has been rendered in some degree analogous to those personages and to the face of nature at the moment when the first of the two, the goddess of the morn, is supposed to announce the break of day. Round the bottom of the room still reign the emblems of night. In the rail of a black marble table are introduced medallions of the god of sleep, and the goddess of night. The bird consecrated to the latter deity is seen perched on the pillars of a black marble chimney piece, whose broad frieze is studded with the emblems of night."

Hope. (p. 25.) The central object in this room is a fine marble group executed by Mr. Flaxman representing Aurora visiting Cephalus on mount Ida.

The

whole surrounding decoration has been rendered in some degree analogous to these personages and to the face of nature at the moment when the first of the two, the goddess of the morn, is supposed to announce approaching day. Round the bottom of the room still reign the emblems of night. In the rail of a black marble table, are introduced medallions of the god of sleep, and of the goddess of night. The bird consecrated to the latter deity perches on the pillars of a black marble chimney piece, whose broad frieze is studed with golden stars.”

"The Closet or Boudoir, is fitted up for the reception of a few Egyptian, Hindoo, and Chinese idols and curiosities. The sides of this Lararium are formed of pillars, and the top, of laths of bamboo, from which is suspended a cotton drapery in the manner of a tent. The mantel-piece is designed in the manner of an Egyptian portico, which being placed against a back-ground, of looking-glass, appears insulated. On the steps of this architectural ornament are placed idols, and in the niches bas-reliefs."Westmacott, p. 219.

"Closet or boudoir fitted up for the reception of a few Egyptian, Hindoo, aud Chinese idols and curiosities. The sides of this Lararium are formed of pillars, and the top, of laths of bamboo. Over these hangs a cotton drapery in the form of a tent. One end of this tabernacle is open, and displays a mantel-piece in the shape of an Egyptian portico, which by being placed against a back-ground of lookingglass appears entirely insulated. On the steps of this portico are placed idols, and in its surface are inserted bas-reliefs.”— Hope, p. 28.

These examples will probably suffice. Much more of literary" picking and stealing," both from this book and others, might else be pointed out; but this will suffice, to shew the unblushing effrontery of an impostor, who in the teeth of these truths, affects to call us impudent liars for causing them to be uttered. The temerity of this man is on a par with his destitution of original talent, and his insensibility. He will dare his own undoing. But enough of this; He will be in no hurry to re-assert that we 66 suppose away a writer's reputation with the most impudent falsehoods when every autherity consulted is HONESTLY AVOWED:'' nor, on such pretexts, to pronounce Both of these words are insidiously, us to be a false oracle or decrepit seer. and improperly, employed; for both imply foretelling: but here no oracular faculty of foretelling is in question, but the veracity of after-telling.By the

way, by a decrepit seer, may be meant a person with weak eyes. If so, how odd, that such a person should be able to spy out so many imperfections in Mr. Westmacott's redoubtable Catalogue. What is the natural and obvious inference here? Why-If a decrepit seer has been able to discover such fulsome flatteries, and such palpable incompetence, and to detect such fallacious pretensions to originality and to critical acumen, as we have pointed out in our past and present numbers-that a sharp-sighted critic must have detected still more?

But, hey-day!-How is this? Does the Examiner condescend to notice with no unfavourable regard, any of our hero's tricks? Probably, however, it has not yet found out his fibbings.--We just now (Dec. 28.) observe by that weekly journal, that this hero has been playing off what is termed a hoax. We are not surprised at this. A hoax is supposed to be a facetious or slang word: but the facetiousness is mere mask; and slang words are never used to any virtuous purposes.

Mr. C. M. W. exults, in the above newspaper, over what is called the success of this unworthy stratagem. We see nothing in this but the crowing of an ignorant, conceited, and deceptious dunghill cock: nay, worse; for wherein does his exultation differ from that of a successful poacher or swindler. Justice, however, may yet-indeed, may easily-overtake him,

The summary of the story is this; Mr. C. M. W. sends a paper or papers to the magazine known by the name of Blackwood's, written by whom does not appear, but the Editor receives it with approbation; and, supposing it to be neither plagiarism, nor gift from any third person-in short, not knowing Mr. C. M. Westmacott, supposes it to be written by the individual who sent it, and accordingly rewards and retains him; or, at least, handsomely sends him what has been termed "a retaining fee." In the course of a short time however, the said Editor discovers his new correspondent's insufficiency -finds out that the staple commodity, -the mass of what his chapman has to sell, is of very inferior quality to the sample, and consequently declines further purchases. What is there in this for Mr. C. M. W. to exult about? O, but there is something to resent, This finding out is not to be borne, or

pardoned; and if the tenour of his straight-forward efforts be not good enough for Mr. Blackwood's readers, he has crookednesses in store. And then comes the hoax. Fearless of the society for the suppression of swindlers, he can now assume a fictitious character, and under that new disguise, can send a Review (unfavourable as it should seem) of Mr. C. M. Westmacott's Catalogue, the same which we have bestowed, perhaps, too much notice on. What are his feelings and motives here? Does he not appear to argue with himself thus ?-If they dont insert this insidious paper of mine, cannot I easily make the reason seem to be, because the Editor of Blackwood is wiser than the Critic of the European, and too sensible of the transcendant merits of the Catalogue, to fall into any unfavourable opinion of it? Whereas, if they do insert it I can produce to the public, private letters,-letters sent under seal, not intended for the public eye, and written under an unexperienced and erroneous impression: and by this fox-like doubling, I can raise a laugh at the expense of Black wood and his Editor.

Thus, like a black-leg who has the craft and the opportunity to hedge his bets, Mr. C. M. W. fancies he cannot lose, whatever may be the result; that is to say, whether Blackwood inserts his paper or not. But the rope which at present tethers the literary Jack-ass (not Hobby-horse) that he bestrides, may be destined to hang the poacher. Beside-"Spring Guns are set in these Grounds." While the poaching pla giary is thus chewing the "cud of sweet and bitter fancy," the Editors of Blackwood are doing their duty. The insidious paper is inserted! for, comparing the pretended Review with the Catalogue in question, they find the unfavourable remarks but too justly deserved; and, whether knowing or suspecting the author or not, they do their duty to the public, by inserting it, fearless of ulterior consequences to themselves.

If such has been their conduct, what is Mr. Westmacott in fact, and as the matter concerns the public? What is he in the result of this transaction, but executor of his own wrong? He gets his momentary laugh; but like all these who laugh at the expense of principle, he finally suffers for it. Shall we destroy his web of sophis

try in vain ?" Gods knows! but the whole texture of it, as it respects the public-(What is it better than literary swindling? for we hold ourselves bound to make good the epithets we have used above.) The Editor of Black wood,readily (and good naturedly as far as appears from the Examiner) discounts Mr. C. M. W.'s first bill, without scrupulous enquiry into the character of the accepter and indorser: afterward come others, which he discovers to be not good, and he consequently declines future connection; but the tenacity of Mr. C. M. W. will not allow of this disconnection. He can now adopt the commonest of swindling tricks-that of cloaking himself with a new character, and having recourse to the ordinary stratagem of a fresh issue of paper.

The Review of his work which Blackwood seems to have printed, though unfavourable, is probably not, on the whole, unjust, nor improper for insertion. The thought crosses our mind here, that perhaps (among this man's crookednesses) it may be copied, or partly so, from our own. We must look at it ere we write again. Mr. Blackwood will get a new reader; for it so happens that living as we do "in life's low vale remote," and out of the fashionable reading world, we have not yet seen a single number of his Magazine.

But without this reading, it is pretty

evident that the Editor of Blackwood has steadily done his duty as far as regards Mr. C. M. W. Assuming that the first article sent was worthy of insertion and of such commendation as it received, the Editor could not then, and cannot now, be rationally blamed for inserting it. The articles which the Catalogue compiler subsequently wrote, were inferior and unworthy of insertion. The Editor wisely rejected them. The last article was in reprobation of his own catalogue. The Editor saw that the reprobation was deserved, and inserted it. Again he did right. In fact, an Editor can never fail in his duty upon these occasions, who looks conscientiously and with sound judgment at WHAT IS WRITTEN, and not at WHO WRITES. And here lies the great, the radical, the irreconcilable, difference, between Mr. C. M. W. and ourselves. He is whelmed in the heresy of regarding who writes, and that only. If an anonymous writing come in his way, it is still the same. His bad habit prevails; and instead of looking at what is written, which alone concerns him, he keeps groping after the author, idly fancying that to discover, is to disconcert him, and to be privileged to crow from his own dunghill. The sound public reasons there are, for reviews being published anonymously, he does not comprehend, or he would respect them. If, indeed, he were capable of that sentiment.

Not

EVERY one must have heard before now of Mr. Kean's appearance, on the 24th instant, at the above theatre, in the character of Richard. since the celebrated O. P. row, was there any thing witnessed at a British playhouse that might be compared with the present for intolerable bustle and confusion. "At a very early hour in the evening, all the doors of the house were besieged by a crowd anxious to witness the appearance of Mr. Kean.

Most of the persons assembled, we noticed, had a purpose in view, and that was to have some fun. Some of them were evidently partisans of this gentleman, exclaiming, "We'll carry him through.' "The public will support him.' "He shan't be crushed."

"What's his private life to us ?" "He's a good actor, and that's what we go to see him for." If there were any opponents of Mr. Kean present, they wisely held their tongues; at least in that part of the crowd where we, for a full hour, were swayed to and fro by the waves, helpless, like a dismasted ship, our arms pinned to our sides, our feet trod into the mire, our breath almost squeezed out, elbowed, and elbowing others, and struggling as it were for existence. We mention these minute particulars, to show what people submit to out of curiosity, for others must have suffered as well as ourselves, and among those others were several females. Before we reached the pit door, one of them indeed had fainted,